1912. 
THE RURAb NEW-YORKER 
649 
Picking Kieffer Pears. 
8. L. 8., Russellville, Tenn .—Will you 
kindly give me the rule for picking Kieffer 
pears where they are intended for home 
use and whether a different time is desir¬ 
able for marketable fruit? Is there any 
way an amateur may know the proper time 
for the picking, or does he have to learn 
from experience? If there is any way of 
improving the quality of the pear I would 
like to know it. 
Ans.— Pears should not all be picked 
at one picking, as there is generally a 
difference of 10 to 14 days in maturing, 
even on the same tree. It is best to go 
over the trees two or three times, pick¬ 
ing only those that separate easily from 
the spur or fruiting stem, and grading 
them as they are picked, as the less 
frequently pears are handled the better. 
As fast as the fruit is gathered from 
the tree it should be carefully placed in 
the basket or other receptacle by hand, 
for if roughly handled the fruit is more 
or less bruised, and all bruised parts 
will rot instead of ripening. Fruit taken 
off in this way will not shrink through 
losing its moisture by after evaporation, 
but ripening will proceed and will be 
hastened in a high temperature and re¬ 
tarded in a low temperature. Where a 
fruit room or detention house is not 
available, the next best place to keep 
them is in a cool room in the house or 
barn. We always place our Kieffers in 
bushel baskets and set them in the har¬ 
ness room at north side of barn, which 
is always cool. This is done October 
15-20. As the Winter approaches we 
cover them with heavy blankets or hay 
to keep frost out. They will be ruined 
if allowed to get frosted the least bit, 
as the skins will turn black and soon 
rot. They will be coming in ready for 
use in 20 to 30 days and many of them 
are equal to the Bartlett; at least we 
imagine they are. We have kept them 
until after the holidays in this way. 
Northern New Jersey. K. 
Lye as an Insecticide. 
The commercial lyes are now being ad¬ 
vertised for use on trees as insecticide, or 
for curing .fungous diseases. We want to 
know something of its value. 
The use of lye (caustic soda or pot¬ 
ash) has often been recommended as an 
application to the trunks of fruit trees 
to destroy insects and other pests. In 
practice, a few applications will give the 
bark a clean appearance, and the usual 
mold, moss and lichens disappear. In 
our experiments to destroy the San Jose 
scale, about 10 years ago, one of the 
mixtures consisted of “Babbitt’s lye or 
potash” (which, by the way, is soda), 
one pound in four gallons of water. 
Though causing no injury to the tree%. 
it was not particularly effective in kill¬ 
ing the scales at this dilution, and the 
material was afterwards discarded in 
favor of lime-sulphur We were afraid 
that a concentrated lye mixture might 
injure the buds, but did not follow out 
this line of investigation. I believe that 
lye has some value as an insecticide, but 
it has no advantage over lime-sulphur, 
the latter being in my opinion far more 
valuable on account of its efficiency as a 
scale destroyer, splendid fungicidal prop¬ 
erties and good adhesiveness. How¬ 
ever. the trunk alone seldom needs treat¬ 
ment. The branches, the smallest twigs, 
and the buds, need it even more, and 
every portion of the bark above ground 
should be covered in making a thorough 
treatment. Copious rains will wash off 
the lye from the bark into the ground, 
and if it is a potash lye, it has a slight 
value as a fertilizer, though not a good 
form of potash for fertilizing orchards. 
The soda lye, of course, has no fertiliz¬ 
ing value. My experience and judg¬ 
ment, therefore, prompt me to advise 
orchardists to hold to lime-sulphur as a 
general wash to clean up the bark and 
to destroy sucking insects and fungi on 
dormant trees; apply it as a spray to 
the entire bark surface of the tree above 
ground. For this purpose any one of 
the well known commercial brands or 
similar homemade mixtures, used in the 
proportions of one part to eight or nine 
parts of water will prove efficient. 
W. E. BRITTON. 
Connecticut State Entomologist. 
Caustic soda at the rate of one 
pound to three or five gallons of water, 
is an excellent Winter wash for tree 
trunks and branches, as it destroys fun¬ 
gus spores, abnormal vegetable growths 
and many insects that hibernate on 
rough bark. I would hesitate, however, 
about applying it to young trees. Its 
range of application is rather narrow. 
HARRY B. WEISS. 
Acting N. Jersey State Entomologist. 
Like a good many propositions that 
are to-day put up to the farmer, there 
is an element of truth in the claims 
that are made. Potash and soda are 
sometimes used to make homemade soap 
and some farmers use this very “lye” 
to prepare “arsenite of soda.” But 
most farmers do not use such prepara¬ 
tions, as there are other mixtures which 
they prefer. An application of soda 
or lye to the bark during the dormant 
season will prove of some value in 
freeing the trees of scales and lichens. 
The claim that soda or potash can be 
used in place of recognized fungicides 
or insecticides is, of course, absurd and 
contrary to the truth, and would so 
appeal, I believe, to the general run 
of fruit growers. In other words, with 
such sprays as lime-sulphur, Bordeaux 
mixture, arsenate of lead and soap there 
is no need of farmers fooling with 
“potash lye” or “soda lye,” as they are 
called. p. j. parrott. 
Entomologist Geneva (N. Y.) Station. 
A Big Apple; Old Trees. 
I send you an Astraehan apple. I though 
you might be interested to know how it 
was grown. When I came here I found 
on this place a number of very ancient 
apple trees, the fruit of which was knurly 
and poor, and borne in such scant quan¬ 
tities that it was hard to determine the 
species. They were evidently Baldwins. 
The trees were all hollow, badly split, in 
two or three instances half the trees had 
blown down. They were very tall and 
scraggly in growth and covered with water 
sprouts as such trees arc apt to be. I 
cut them back, leaving from three to six 
of the healthiest water sprouts nearest 
the ground. These I grafted to Astraehan, 
Yellow Transparent, McIntosh Red, Rome, 
Northern Spy and Wolf River. The latter 
three have done nothing, while the former 
three or earlier varieties began bearing the 
second year. The sample apple sent you is 
from a three-year graft. This particular 
graft had over a bushel of apples on it, 
several others did nearly as well. At the 
same time I grafted some young, vigorous 
wild stock and these have not borne at all 
yet. Hence I am wondering why it is 
that these old cripples with no heart and 
but a shell of sapwood are doing so well 
with the early varieties and nothing at all 
with the late ones. I wonder if any of 
the great Rural New-Yorker family have 
had a similar experience? I do not know 
how old these trees are except that they 
are very, very old. This lias been an es¬ 
tablished farm for more than 200 years, the 
house having been built in 1701, and some 
of the trees certainly look as if they wore 
sob out at the time the house was built. 
Massachusetts. H. b. 
II. N.-Y.—This was the largest Astraehan 
we have seen. The largest circumference 
measured 12 inches with a diameter of 
four inches. It was three inches from 
stem to calyx. The flesh was dry—the 
flavor inferior to the ordinary Astraehan. 
New York 
Money-Saving 
Style-Book 
FREE to you now—America’s 
greatest fashion publication, the 
big, handsomely illustrated 
*'N ational” Money-Saving 
Style-Book, containing over 
200 pages of newest fashions. 
Send for 
Copy right 
National Cloak tsf Suit Co. 
New Tori City 
Free Book 
Today 
Comes to you from New York—just full of the real New York 
styles at “National” money-saving prices—at prices that mean 
a remarkable saving such as no ordinary store could give you. 
Shows hundreds such bargains as these: 
Waists - 
Skirts - 
Ladies' Coats - 
Ladles' Dresses 
Misses' Suits - 
69c t,o $6.98 
- $2.98 to 9.98 
- 6.76 to 29.75 
- 6.98 to 24.75 
- 8.98 to 15.98 
Furs « • 
Hats - 
Ladies’ Ready-Made 
Suits - 
Raincoats - 
$1.95 to $18.57 
1.49 to 9.98 
9.98 to 17.98 
4.98 to 11.98 
Also a full line of Underwear, Hosiery, Scarfs. Veils, Gloves, Sweaters. Leather 
Goods. Jewelry, «nd a complete line of Boys’, Misses’ 
and Children’s Wearing Apparel. 
National T SSr 
Measure * 10.95 to $35.00 S«mpk*onWaterial* 
Each Made-to-Measure Suit actually cut and made to order. We 
guarantee each suit to be perfectly satisfactory in every way, or we 
will cheerfully refund your money. 
The “NationA l” PnlifV* prepa7 postage and express 
1 tic liAUUlmL l Uiicy. charges on all our goods to any 
part of the United 8tates. 
You may return any “NATIONAL** garment not satisfactory to yon 
and we will refund your money and pay express charges froth ways. 
In writing for your Money-Saving Style-Book, be sure to state 
whether you desire samples of materials used for “Nationai.” Made- 
to-Measure Tailored Suits. Samples sent gladly when asked for. 
Mail Orders Only—No A gents™ No Branches 
NATIONAL CLOAK & SUIT CO., 273 West 24th St., New York City 
Coupon for Big, Free, Money-Saving Book 
NATIONAL CLOAK & SUIT CO. 
273 West 24th St., New York City 
Gentlemen — Send mo my FREE “National” Style-Book. 
Name . 
Address. 
Do you want samples of materials for Made-to-Measure Tailored Suits? If so, 
state here the colirrs you prefer: . 
TILE DRAINED LAND IS MORE 
rnUUUUIIVC C . an J. es off surplus water; 
, . admits air to the soil. Ini 
creases the value. Acres of swampy land reclaimed and made fertile 
i. 1 Jackson’s Round Drain Tile meets every requirement. We also make Sewer 
-*■- j Pipe, Red and Fire Brick, Chimney Tops, Encaustic Ride Walk Tile etc Wrir« 
for what you want and prices. JOHN H. JACKSON, gg Third Ave , Albany N Y 
No Use for Root-Cutting Blackberries. 
On page 873 J. A. R. mentions having 
blackberries with strong vines that pro¬ 
duce berries no larger than a pea. He has 
my sympathy, and that of several other 
growers here who have been equally un¬ 
fortunate, and I do not agree with Mr. Van 
Deman as to it being from lack of pollina¬ 
tion that the fruit does not grow to normal 
size. Four years ago 1 set 3,000 plants, 
1,000 each of Wilson, Kittattinny and El¬ 
dorado. They were bought from a reliable 
nursery, whose agent told me his company 
did not propagate the plants, but bought 
them from another reliable nursery com¬ 
pany. When taken from the packages I 
noticed in the Wilsons that the plants wore 
not alike, some having much finer growth 
than others, so concluding the difference 
was caused from their being of a different 
strain, I separated the bunches and set the 
plants as though they were of different va¬ 
rieties. Those having the strong growth, 
numbering about 400, proved to be the 
genuine Wilson, and produce as fine berries 
as I ever saw. The remaining GOO came 
on as .T. A. R. says his did. 
About 100 of the Kittattinny were 
sprouts, and wore sot by themselves. They 
proved to be as labeled, while the remain¬ 
der of that order were root cuttings and 
worthless, and of the Eldorado only one 
plant proved of any value. Others here 
were disappointed in the same way, part 
of whom ordered from other nurseries. 
These plants were set on similar ground, 
had the same care, and proximity to other 
varieties makes no improvement in pol¬ 
lination. 
In discussing the matter with the agents, 
and I know them to be honorable men, I 
was told that the nurserymen had con¬ 
cluded the deterioration was caused by 
taking root cuttings from root cuttings for 
four or five successive seasons from nursery 
stock. That is, roots taken from bearing 
plants, and cut into pieces about four 
inches long and planted in nursery row, 
will produce plants that will grow the 
same fruit as the parent plant. Take 
these plants up the following season and 
cut their roots for nursery planting, and 
repeat the process a succession of years, 
and the fruit has run out, so that we get 
simply briars, and that is what we have. 
T do not know that our trouble comes from 
this source, but believe it does, for I can 
conceive of no other way in which such a 
total disappointment could be brought 
about, and 1 would not take root-cutting 
Plants as a gift unless I am assured that 
they are direct from the parent plant. I 
would prefer sprouts otherwise. 
Michigan. n. h. hdtcjuins. 
UA1AI YOU CAN DRAIN 
HwW YOUR LAND 
Y OU know drainage is the most 
valuable improvement you 
could make to your farm, 
. but you have not felt like 
tiling before because It meant too 
heavy an investment—two much labor 
—too slow a job. Now—the horse 
power Cyclone Tile Ditching Machine 
cuts the average cost of a finished tile 
ditch down to 3 or 4 cents per rod—ditch 
cut—tile laid and covered. 
We guarantee this successful horse 
power machine cuts tile ditch, 10 inches 
wide, 24 inches deep, at the rate of 300 
rods per day in ordinary soil. 
In our valuable free book, showing The 
Money Making Way of Draining Land. C. G. Elliott, Drainage Expert of U. S. Dept, of 
Agriculture, shows how with good drainage:—“Land is ready for seeding earlier. Crops 
begin healthy growth at once. Fertilizers are not wasted by surface washing. Crops 
are better able to withstand drought. Frost does less injury to crops. Crops make 
much more vigorous growth. Profits from land are greatly increased. Disease among 
farm animals is decreased.” The 
Cyclone Tile Ditching Machine 
pays for itself over hand labor in tiling the first 20 to 40 acres, according to spacing 
of laterals—the added returns from the land, year after year are clear profit. 
When you have finished your own ditching with a Cyclone, you can make money by cut¬ 
ting tile ditches for others. You can earn more money with a Cyclone Ditching Machine 
than with a threshing outfit which costs about ten times as much. 
Get our 
FREE 
BOOK 
Get the facts and see how much a Cyclone will bring you in actual cash in a year. 
Our book lays the whole matter before you. If the 
Cyclone will doubleyour farm profits you want to know 
it. No experience needed 
to operate this wonderful 
machine but we will see 
that some one goes to your 
farm to make sure that the 
machine is set up properly 
and that you get the right 
start. You do not pay onecent 
until we demonstrate and 
prove to you that the Cyclone 
does every single thing wo 
claim for it. Write a postal 
now beforeyou forget. Ask for 
free bookletshowing, The Money 
Making Way of Draining Land. It gives actual photographs of the Cyclone 
at work, and names of satisfied users. Also valuable information on 
scientiiic, money-making drainage. Send that postal now. 
The Jeschke Manufacturing Co., Box 113« Bellevue, Ohio 
