57« 
THE RURAL, NKW-YORKER 
May 4, 
FARMERS’ CLUB 
[ Every query must be accompanied by the 
name and address of the writer to insure 
attention. Before asking z. question, please see 
whether it is not answered in our advertising 
columns. Ask only a few questions at one time. 
Put questions on a separate piece of paper. 1 
WHAT TO DO WITH ALFALFA. 
V. A. S., Rushville, N. Y. — I have a 
small plot of Alfalfa sown the very last of 
August, came up and looked line last Fall. 
It is on a high ridge, dry, have had very 
little snow. The March thaws have heaved 
it badly. What would he best to do with it 
in your opinion? 1 would like to have the 
Hope Farm man answer this. 
Ans.—T he Hope Farm man has 
learned better than to stand up as an 
Alfalfa expert. So he sent this question 
to Hamlet Worker of Onondaga Co.^ 
N. Y. Mr. Worker's son, R. C. Worker, 
gives the following answer: 
“Really, I don’t know what to say. 
We people here in Onondaga knew all 
there was about Alfalfa about 15 years 
ago. We have known a little less each 
year, until now we only try to calculate 
the balance of probability and make a 
stab at that. It works very well. If, 
as V. A. S. says, he had a good seeding 
when the Alfalfa went into Wintqr 
quarters, and its failure is due to heav¬ 
ing, I think he would do best to sow 
again. I am not going to advise, but 
merely tell what we would do under the 
same conditions. We would dig up 
carefully a few of the remaining plants 
to learn if the root nodules are present. 
If not we should inoculate with soil 
from an old Alfalfa lield or use some 
of the preparations as directed after 
plowing and fitting. Lime should be 
used if there is any reason to believe 
that the soil is acid. We would then, 
at the proper season for sowing oats, 
sow about 1J4 bushels of oats or barley, 
and seed with about 20 pounds of Al¬ 
falfa, brushing in lightly. I know this 
is not orthodox, and the wise men will 
hold up their hands in horror, but it 
gives better results than Fall sowing or 
sowing alone at any time. Nature in¬ 
tended Alfalfa and most other plants to 
start in the Spring so that they might 
have a good foothold to withstand the 
Winter. I hope this will help you. We 
are rank heretics concerning Alfalfa, 
but we deliver the goods; then the wise 
ones fall back as they do in the case 
of Mr. Hitchings’ orchard and say, 
“Well, you have different conditions 
from anyone else.” k. c. worker. 
The Strawberry Root Louse. 
Perhaps it would not be inopportune to 
call the attention of berry growers to this 
pest, whose work, being mostly under¬ 
ground, frequently passes unnoticed, or is 
attributed to another insect, the white 
grub. The root-louse, or root-aphis of the 
strawberry is very common, a majority of 
fields, in this State, at least, being more or 
less generally infested. It is strange that 
it should have received so little attention 
from entomologists, the damage it does en¬ 
titling it in the opinion of the writer to 
serious consideration. In a number of fields 
examined by him the staud was in many 
cases severely injured and the damage 
must be attributed largely if not entirely 
to this insect. 
In appearance the root-louse does not 
differ materially except in color from most 
common aphids. When young it is light 
green, changing to purplish black in the 
adult. It is most commonly found below 
the surface of the soil, on the roots and 
crown, but it may also occur, especially in 
warm weather, on the stems and buds. It 
may be found until late in Fall and again 
very early in Spring, clustered in masses 
numbering hundreds on badly infested 
plants. If the plants are not killed out¬ 
right (which does not occur in most cases) 
these insects, each drawing sap, so weaken 
them that they are either unable to set 
any new plants at all or only a few weak 
ones. There exists a close relation between 
ants' and the root-louse, and the ants are 
probably instrumental in their spread. 
After the strawberry field is infested there 
is probably no practical remedy, though 
liberal feeding would undoubtedly help the 
plants to overcome the weakening effects. 
Of course it would be unwise to plant 
strawberries in an infested field twice in 
succession. There is, however, a cheap and 
effective insurance against the pest. This 
consists simply in dipping the plants in a 
tobacco decoction before setting in a new 
field. The plants should be dipped long 
enough to enable the liquid to penetrate 
thoroughly among the roots and into the 
crowns. The plants will not be injured by 
this treatment. There are proprietary to¬ 
bacco extracts on the market which are 
convenient to use. 
To find the root-louse in a strawberry 
field one should not examine plants indis¬ 
criminately but should look for a weak 
parent plant that has set few or no new 
plants, pull or dig it up carefully so the 
insects will not be jarred off, and closely 
inspect the roots and crown and stems, 
looking under the sheaths at the base of 
the stems and into the heart of the crowns. 
If they are present it is not difficult to see 
the greenish or purplish aphids. In some 
States nurserymen are required to dip all 
strawberry plants sold, but it is cheaply 
and easily done; if one does it himself 
lie knows it is done and whether or not it 
is done well. c. w. Strickland. 
Maryland. 
Calomel for Borers. 
We are informed by a fruit tree agent 
that calomel in small quantities injected 
under the bark or into the wood of apple 
trees is destructive to borers and other in¬ 
sects. Please give any information you 
have at hand about this. h. d. i. 
Bound Brook, N. J. 
We consider such a statement a fake. 
That,agent needs a dose of his own medi¬ 
cine. This proposition is advanced every 
Spring, and we have tried to run it down 
several times. Do not pay any attention to 
it, and do not pay anything for the “secret.” 
Cow Peas Before Grass Seeding. 
I would like to sow cow peas, and in 
August plow them under and then sow 
Timothy and Red clover. Would they 
help the grass? j. f. m. 
Lakewood, N. J. 
You can sow Whipporwill cow peas at 
about corn planting time and plow them 
under in August. They will not be matured 
by that time, and will not give a full crop. 
With us in northern New Jersey they 
would hardly be fit to plow under before 
September. We should use Canada field 
peas—sow them at once, plow under in 
July and work the soil thoroughly for a 
month before seeding to grass and clover. 
That would help the grass crop. 
CHILDS’ 
DHSTEE 
Ho. 4 
The Childs’ 
Hop, Grape and Tree 
Protect your Hop Fields from Hop 
Mildew with Flowers of Sulphur. 
This machino is thoroughly well 
constructed and does the work suc¬ 
cessfully. Can be used to great ad¬ 
vantage for dusting grapevines and 
fruit trees with any formula of dust 
to suit the conditions. 
Chas. H, Childs & Co 
UTICA, N. Y. 
Duster 
SEND 
FOR 
CIRCULAR 
Cutting Back Frozen Peach Trees. 
The cold weather of the last Winter 
came near cleaning up my peach trees, 
which are now beginning to show some 
little life “way down” on the body of some 
of the trees, and others like the Crawfords 
and Elbertas seem about dead. Will you 
indicate what we should do under such 
conditions? Shall I cut them now sand 
shall I cut them down to where the life 
seems to be, or shall I leave them for this 
coming August? h. f. d. 
St. Louis, Mo. 
We are cutting such trees off now. The 
advantage of waiting until later is that 
you can then know better how far back to 
cut. You may cut now and find in Sum¬ 
mer that the tree is killed back more than 
you think. We “dishorn” such trees—cut¬ 
ting them back to short stubs. 
Conditions in Western New York. 
I wonder if you realize what a back¬ 
ward season we have here in western New 
York. April 19 1 .went to Lockport via 
trolley. In the 56 miles 1 only saw two 
fields where plowing had started, and in 
neither of them were the plows running. 
The ground seems very wet. It surely will 
be very late sowing oats and barley this 
year, and I look for light yields. My ex¬ 
perience has been that early-sown Spring 
crops yield and weigh much the best. 
Wheat is looking pretty good, some poor 
pieces, some quite badly winter-killed, some 
looking green but small; however taken 
altogether the outlook is good. Meadows 
don't look well. Many pieces of clover 
look like complete failures. Conditions must 
be very favorable if the hay crop is up to 
average. Farmers seem to be taking better 
care of orchards than ever. One orchard 
I noticed the trees had been scraped up 
as high as one could easily reach. An¬ 
other thing I noticed, some orchards 
trimmed so the lower limbs w T ere bare and 
the tree was trying to reach heaven, others 
in which the tops were cut back, making 
an orchard that spread out and very low. 
The latter looked to me much the more 
ideal way. Surely a man could pick twice 
as many apples per day in such an or¬ 
chard as in one heaven high. Most of the 
potatoes are sold. They are selling on 
the Rochester market from $1.35 to $1.60 
per bushel. I understand seed potatoes in 
the country are bringing almost unheard- 
of prices. Some expect to get $2. We have 
possibly 150 bushels unsold, besides some 
that will do for seed. c. i. 
Rochester, N. Y. 
The season has opened up here very 
nicely with a good fruit prospect except for 
peaches, on which the fruit buds are killed. 
Apples seem to be all right with possible 
exception of Jonathan, which is a little shy 
in buds. The Kieffer pear buds are injured 
in the north and central part of the State, 
but seem to be all right in the south part. 
Illinois. H. M. DUNLAl’. 
There is not very much fruit grown in 
this county. The 30-acre orchard of John 
A. Stokes promises about 40 per cent of a 
crop. This orchard has a very good repu¬ 
tation as a yearly producer and has not 
missed a crop in 12 years. The varieties 
are Ben Davis and Baldwin. The sod mulch 
method is practical and very satisfactory 
results have been gotten. Cherries will be 
about 50 per cent of a crop, and pears 
the same. Wheat is nearly all winter- 
killed. Potatoes selling at '$1.25 per 
bushel. e. v. a. 
Sandusky Co., Ohio. 
Reports on the strawberry crop vary 
considerably, but as a rule, they show that 
the drought of the pafet season caused con¬ 
siderable damage to the plants, especially 
to new plantings. The late Fall rains 
started new growth and Winter coming ou 
early and suddenly caught the plants in a 
very tender condition. As a result much 
Winter injury is reported, in some cases 
as much as 50 per cent, though the average 
is around' 20 per cent. Due to drought and 
Winter injury, the stand is much belo.w 
the average, varying from 25 to 90 per 
cent, with an average of about 70 per cent 
of a normal stand. Plants are somewhat 
backward in starting off. but show about 
average vigor, while a few correspondents 
report poor prospects for a crop. As a 
whole the outlook at this time is good, con¬ 
sidering the poor stand. More than 60 
per cent of the correspondents report in¬ 
crease in acreage in their localities. This 
increase will no doubt offset the drought 
and Winter injury, so that if weather con¬ 
tinues favorable, Missouri should produce 
her normal crop of strawberries. 
W. W. CHENOWETII, 
Secretary Mo. Ilortl. Society. 
Strawberry Plants 
Harry 
Sqxiiro, 
Thirty-nine of the earliest, latest, largest, 
most productive varieties. Prices 
reasonable. Asparagu* Root*— $2.90 per 
thousand. Raspberry, Blackberry, Cabbage 
Plants, Fruit Trees —Large discounts on 
large orders. Catalogue free. 
Rem.sonl3ii.rs, TXT. IT, 
SURPLUS STRAWBERRY PLANTS 
20,000 Blaine, 50,000 Gandy, 50,000 C. Cluster, 25,000 8. 
Dunlap, 50,000 S. L. Champion, 10,000 Mixed S. D. and 
Parsons Beauty. 50,000 Chipman. They are all true to 
name and all fresh dug. Also send for my free cata¬ 
logue. Prices—Plants, 5,000 lots, at $1.50 per 1,000. 
DAVID RODWAY, - Hartly, Del. 
Peach and Apple Trees 
For fall or spring planting. Prices right; stock 
right. MIER & SON, Bridgeville, Delaware 
Wood’s Seeds. 
Soj& Beans. 
The largest-yielding and 
best of summer forage crops, 
also makes a splendid soil im¬ 
prover—lower in price than 
Cow Peas this season. 
Wood’s Crop Special gives 
full information about this 
valuable crop and also about 
all Seasonable Seeds: 
German Millet, Sorghums, 
Cow Peas, Buckwheat, 
Ensilage Seed Corns, 
Late Seed Potatoes, etc. 
Write for Wood’s Crop 
Special giving prices and in¬ 
teresting information. Mailed 
free on request. 
T. W. WOOD & SONS, 
SEEDSMEN. - Richmond. Va. 
SEASONABLE FARM SEEDS 
COW PEAS 
Valuable for hay and silage, and im¬ 
prove soils, even if crop is cut. Wo 
offer choice Whip-poor-will, New 
Era. Black-Eye and Clay Cow Peas. 
MANGELS FOR 
FEEDING STOCK 
All the best varieties. Also Millets, Buck¬ 
wheat and other seeds for sowing now. 
Write for prices on any farm seeds desired. 
Also for a copy of our Alfalfa leaflet, free. 
Henry A. Dreer, Philadelphia, Pa. 
RUSTPROOF: BULL STRONG: PIG TIGHT 
Fences for horses, cattle, sheep, hogs, chickens,etc. 
Special low bargain prices. We pay the freight. 
Ornamental Lawn Fences and Gates 
Send for catalog Brown Fence & Wire Co 
and sample Dept. 68 Cleveland,Ohio 
S TRAWBERRY PLANTS— Keliable money-m axingvari¬ 
eties only $1.76 and $1.98 per UI00 New 1912 lllus. 
Catalogue free. S. A. VTRDIN. Hartly, Delaware. 
Qti'ouikai'ru Dlonle Over Forty Varieties, at 
Olldwueriy riams $2,r>0 per LOOO. Descrip¬ 
tive Catalog Free. BASIL PERRY, D-1B, Cool Spring, Del. 
fnm4 Coin Cow Peas, $2.00 to $2,50 bushel; 
rur odlC Crimson Clover Seed, $6.00 to 
$7.00 bushel; Red Clover Seed, $12.00 bushel. 
JOSEPH E. HOLLAND_ Milford, Delaware. 
C ABBAGE, LETTFCE, BEETS— Fine plants, $1.00 per 1,000 
Cauliliowcr, $2.60 per 1,000. Sweet Potatoes, Peppers, Toma 
toes, Celery; best kinds. Send for list. J. C. Schmidt, Bristol, Pa 
H Sweet Potato Plants 
Warlieim Farm Strain, Selected Jersey, 
Yellow and Red. Chunky, very pro¬ 
ductive—150, postpaid, 50c. Write for 
Circular and prices on larger lots. 
GEO. H. LIEPE . . COLOGNE, N. J. 
HARDY TREES 
Trees for Orchard, Forest and Garden 
Planting, Shrubs, Roses, Vines and 
Herb Perennials. Hedge Plants and 
Wind Breaks. Catalogue Free. 
NEW ENGLAND NURSERIES, Bedford, Mass. 
100,000 Fruit Trees 
APPLES, PEARS, PEACHES & 
PLUMS at wholesale prices. 
All Stock Government inspected. Stock budded 
from bearing trees. 
Write today for our Free Catalogue. 
ONTARIO NURSERY CO. 
Box No. SI Geneva, N. Y. 
DL’CC FOR SALE cheap—Fine out-door wintored 
Italian Bees; patent hives: no better stock 
anywhere; selling out. DR. JOHNSTON, Suffern, N. Y. 
HANDY BINDER 
TUST the thing for preserving files of 
*-* The Rural New-Yorker. Durable 
and cheap. Sent postpaid for 25 cents. 
‘Ihe RURAL NEW-YORKER 
409 Pearl Street New York City 
Send for this Catalog 
NEW YORK STATE WAGONS. 
at Wholesale Prices 
Shows 200 Styles of Wagons—All 
High Grade 
We sell direct to you from our factory 
and thereby save you $20 to $40. Any 
wagon will be 
for free examina¬ 
tion and approval 
—no reference or 
deposit re¬ 
quired. Safe 
delivery is 
guar anteed 
a n d every 
wagon guar¬ 
anteed f o r 
one y e a i'-. 
Ask for references—our customers. Write 
fur catalog at once. 
liOCHESTKlt VEHICLE CO. 
360 Main Street, Kochester, N. Y. 
Those of us who have loved onessleepingin"the darkand voiceless 
chambers of the dead” can give fitting expression to our remembrance 
by making their last resting placebeautiful. Republic Fences are sub¬ 
stantially built in various pleasing designs. Cheaperthan wood ; perma¬ 
nent. Special prices for churches and cemetery associations. Write ua. 
Republic Fence 4 Gate Co., 211 Republic St., North Chicago, III. 
