126 
THE RURAL NECYV-YORKER 
February 1, 
Improving Wet Meadow. 
E. B., Dc liuyter, N. T .—I have a 
meadow that has a strip about 75 feet 
wide and 200 feet long 1 that is low and 
wet; at present is growing nothing but 
swale hay and sweet-flags, and I would 
like to get it to grow Timothy hay. I 
know it should be drained, but cannot do 
it just yet. Can you tell me how I can 
get good hay to grow without draining? 
I came on this farm last Fall and don’t 
know how long it has been in sod. 
Ans. —You can hardly expect to get 
good grass on that piece until it is well 
drained. Red-top does better than 
Timothy in such locations. We should 
plow the piece and use half a ton of 
slaked lime well harrowed in. Then 
seed a mixture of Timothy and Red- 
top seed in the usual way. This will 
help, but drainage is needed. 
Spring Seeding in South Jersey. 
K. O., Barncf/at, N. J .—Will you give me 
your opinion as to sowing a Held of Tim¬ 
othy and rye in the early Spring? I have 
a field measuring about 20 acres ranging 
from light sand to sandy loam. This field 
has not been in cultivation for four years nor 
has a cover crop been sown on it, but it 
is covered with dead weeds at present. 1 
have on hand plenty of good Timothy seed, 
but was not able to sow it in early Fall, 
and I thought if it would be possible to 
get a good catch of the Timothy in the 
Spring I would let it go till then. 
Ans. —In this section Spring seeding 
of rye is never practiced. The soil is 
light, sandy, dries out quickly and often 
blows; and because of this Spring seed¬ 
ing would seldom succeed. Rye is used 
here chiefly as a cover crop and is seed¬ 
ed as early in the Fall as the removal 
of truck crops will permit. On some 
farms small areas are allowed to grow 
for seed, and usually the largest yield 
of grain comes from the fields sown 
early enough to become well established 
before freezing weather. Fields of rye 
making only a small growth before 
Winter seldom produce a full crop of 
seed, and if cut for hay while the grain 
is in the milk stage the yield is not near¬ 
ly as large as that from earlier seeded 
fields. To the best of my knowledge 
German Spring rye has never been tried 
in this section; that might behave dif¬ 
ferently. As with rye so with Timothy. 
Our light, sandy soils unless very low 
and well supplied with moisture, seldom 
produce a good yield of Timothy from 
Fall seeding, and Spring seeding would 
be even less likely to succeed. Three 
years ago an adjoining meadow of 
100 acres that had been out to the tide 
for some time and had received a rich 
deposit of mud nearly a foot deep, was 
banked and drained. The driftwood 
and rubbish was removed, and the whole 
meadow seeded to Timothy in late Feb¬ 
ruary and early March. The seed was 
simply scattered on the surface and not 
harrowed in at all. The Spring rains 
covered the seed, and in that rich, heavy 
and moisture-laden soil the Timothy 
grew luxuriantly and produced some 
excellent hay. But on light, sandy soils 
such as we have (and from the descrip¬ 
tion given I imagine they are quite sim¬ 
ilar to those of this correspondent) I 
would certainly not sow Timothy in 
the Spring. I would rather keep the 
seed until next Fall and take chances 
with it then. In 9 years out of 10 we 
would lose our seed and our work if 
we undertook to seed Timothy in the 
Spring on sandy soils, for it would 
either perish from lack of moisture or 
else be blown out of the ground by the 
high Spring winds that play havoc on 
level fields that have been finely pre¬ 
pared for seed beds. trucicer, jr. 
Gloucester County, N. J. 
NEW YORK STATE FRUIT-GROWERS’ 
ASSOCIATION. 
‘The best meeting we ever held.” That 
was Secretary-treasurer Gillett's way of ex¬ 
pressing his opinion of the thirteenth an¬ 
nual meeting of the New York Fruit Grow¬ 
ers held in Rochester January 15-17. The 
attendance during almost every session of 
the three days was such that it taxed the 
seating capacity of the big convention hall 
to the very limit, and that even then a 
part of the membership could be spared 
for the round-table discussions, and of 
other visitors especially for the examina¬ 
tion of the wonderful exhibits of fruits and 
fruit-growing machinery and other equip¬ 
ments. Mr. Gillett has good reason for 
boasting that the society is on a firmer 
footing than ever. To run up the mem¬ 
bership to beyond the 1300 figure, more 
than an increase of 100 per year during the 
entire existence of the association, is no 
mean achievement, and in itself offers the 
best justification of the society’s creation 
and maintenance, its real “raison d’etre.” 
Its finances are in good order, too, the 
available surplus in bank reaching up pretty 
well toward the $3,000 mark. The exhibits, 
of course, did not materially differ from 
those shown at the December meeting of 
the Western New York Horticultural Soci¬ 
ety, but they proved to be a powerful and 
almost irresistible magnet for members and 
visitors. 
On the whole, it must now appear plain 
that these two societies of fruit growers, 
notwithstanding the great similarity and 
solidarity of their aims and. interests, are 
not like lion and lamb that can lie down 
together (one inside the other), but like two 
lions, able to make their way, each stand¬ 
ing on its own feet, but hunting together 
in the pursuit of common game, and in the 
fight against common enemies, whether the 
latter are found in the orchard, in city 
stores, offices, or on the statute books. 
The entire character of the proceedings, 
and the whole range of topics for discus¬ 
sion, seems to have undergone a gradual 
and radical change from those of the earlier 
years in the life of the two associations, es¬ 
pecially those of the youthful days of the 
older society. The general education of 
rural people has been brought to a higher 
plane. The fruit grower especially has long 
since passed the kindergarten, the common 
school, and even the high school stage in 
his calling. The problems which occupy 
the attention of our fruit growers’ organi¬ 
zations now are either of a more scientific 
character, or of a practical business na¬ 
ture, and connected mostly with marketing, 
transportation, legislation, and other mat¬ 
ters of more or less vital importance to the 
general welfare of the fruit industry, rather 
than to that of the individual grower, or 
his individual practices. The individual 
fruit grower has learned how to think for 
himself. That was plainly shown, for in¬ 
stance. by the promptness with which 
the majority refused to endorse the county 
farm bureau scheme. 
President's Annual Address. —Mr. Al¬ 
lis, the outgoing president is, like most 
fruit growers, opposed to the use (or rather 
misuse) of tobacco, and still more strongly, 
to that of alcoholic drinks. In his annual 
address he touched on these questions, not 
from the standpoint of the moralist or sen¬ 
timentalist, but from that of the practical 
fruit grower who finds his business ser¬ 
iously and harmfully affected by the two 
powerful influences, tobacco and liquor. 
One of the Rochester daily papers referred 
to “the political trend” in Mr. Allis’ ad¬ 
dress. but none of them dared or cared 
to report the substance of his remarks on 
tobacco and the saloon. It will be left for 
the agricultural press to bring the business 
aspects of these serious questions to a fuller 
discussion, and to a better understanding 
by the class of people, farmers and fruit 
growers, most deeply affected by them. The 
tobacco plant, Mr. Allis points out. is a 
splendid insecticide, but terribly hard on 
the land, more so than any other crop, and 
hard on the human race. Why do we allow 
boys to acquire the smoking habit almost as 
soon as they can walk? The hired help 
in his apple orchards has been the most 
dissipated lot he ever had. Seventy-five per 
cent of the checks with which his help-was 
paid, was cashed by the saloon keeper. The 
drinker is not giving most efficient service, 
of course. Thus liquor (and tobacco, too), 
makes production more expensive, besides 
reducing the sales of fruits. He who drinks 
alcohol, eats no apples. Tobacco also takes 
away the appetite for fruit. And the 
money spent for either vice cannot go to 
buy apples or other fruits. The high cost 
of productiou. says Mr. Allis, is worse for 
us than the high cost of living. We must 
try to reduce cost of production in every 
possible way. and Mr. Allis points out sev¬ 
eral ways in which it might be done. 
Points In Spraying. —The trend of the 
development of the selection and applica¬ 
tion of our spray materials appears to be 
turned in the direction of eliminating bulk, 
weight, water. The real fungicide is sul¬ 
phur ; the real insecticide is arsenic. A 
close examination of the exhibits of spray 
materials will reveal the fact that both sui- 
phur and lead arsenate are now offered in 
such fine division that it will be possible 
to put them on the trees, etc., in dry form, 
and this with far less labor and in far less 
time than wet applications could be made. 
It is at this time more than possible that 
the near future will see a material change in 
our methods of spraying. It is probably 
true, as already suggested during the pro¬ 
ceedings of the older society, that more 
power sprayers are needed for our big 
orchards. Often the weather conditions al¬ 
low only a few days in which the work of 
spraying for certain purposes can be done, 
and the available spraying facilities then 
are found far from adequate. Dr. Reddick 
linds that in an epidemic of apple scab only 
from 600 to 800 full-grown apple trees can 
be properly treated with one spray outfit. 
It may be expensive to keep two power 
sprayers for 1500 trees. But it must be 
done. Prof. WhetzeL, in correction or re¬ 
versal of earlier teachings, advises to spray 
before rather than after a rain, saying that 
the fungicide that will not adhere enough 
to the foliage to stick during a rain, will 
be of little account. He also reiterates his 
earlier advice to spray against the wind, 
saying that this is the only proper way of 
making the application. He is convinced 
that there never will be found a fungicide 
that will do for everything. We have none 
that is a cure-all. The search for most 
effective fungicides has been greatly simpli¬ 
fied by new methods of testing their efficacy 
in the laboratory and determining their 
true standing within a few days’ time. 
Some Injurious Insects. —Dr. Herrick 
recommends the addition of black-leaf 40 
tobacco extract to the earlier spray combi¬ 
nations (for Codling moth, etc.), as a means 
to fight the Rosy apple-aphis, the propor¬ 
tions being % pint to 100 gallons. Green 
apple-worm and palmer-worm must be 
fought before these enemies can be seen, in 
early Spring by adding arsenate of lead 
to the spray mixtures. The apple and 
cherry maggots can be controlled by spray¬ 
ing the lower branches of the trees with 
sweetened arsenate of lead solution (3 gal¬ 
lons of cheap molasses or syrup to 100 gal¬ 
lons), as soon as the first flies are seen in 
the trees. Dr. Herrick also anticipates a 
large crop of apple tree tent caterpillars 
the coming season. 
The New Officers. —The following offi¬ 
cers were selected for the coming year: 
L. L. Morrell. Kinderhook. president: A. 
C. King. Trumansburg; Luther Collaraer, 
Hilton : C. W. Burke. Byron ; C. H. Schau- 
ber. Ballston Lake, vice-presidents: K. 
C. Gillett, Penn Yan, secretary-treasurer. 
The executive commitee consists of Charles 
D. Porter, Albion; Willis P. Rogers. Will¬ 
iamson; W. Ten Broeck, Hudson; Frank 
Bradley, Barker; Grant Ditchings, South 
Onondaga. t. greiner. 
DIBBLE’S HEAVY WEIGHT 
SEED OATSes= 
are the kind to sow for profitable crops. Centuries of experience have 
proven that seed Oats from cold climates are heavier in weight, more 
vigorous in growth and frequently twice as productive as those grown in 
warmer lands. In Europe, Sweden and Norway produce the best oats, 
in this country, Canada and our northern states. 
In our new Heavy Weight Oats, we are offering a variety that 
originated in Sweden and our seed was grown so far north in this country 
that the temperature frequently reaches 40 degrees below zero. We saw 
these oats growing and know all about them, yield 70-100 bushels to the 
acre, weight over 40 lbs. to the bushel, the handsomest, whitest plumpest 
seed oats we have ever had in our Seed House. Also full stocks of our 
old stand-by Dibble’s Twentieth Century Oats that came to us seven 
or eight years ago from northern Canada and have been grown continuously 
on the Dibble Seed Farms ever since, 150-250 acres per year with an aver¬ 
age yield of around 60 bushels per acre or twice the average yield of the 
United States for the same period. Some yields were 2,000 bushels from 
26 acres, 1,380 bushels on 16 acres and a neighbor delivered to our Seed 
House 440 bushels from four acres and grown from 10 bushels of seed. 
We are Headquarters for Seed Oats, Barley, Corn, Potatoes, 
Alfalfa, Clover, Timothy, Canada Field Peas, etc. 
Dibble’s Seed Catalog the leading Farm Seed Book of the year and 
10 sample packages of Dibble’s Farm Seeds for testing mailed Free. 
ADDRESS ; 
EDWARD F. DIBBLE, Seedgrower 
Box B, HONEOYE FALLS, W. Y. 
J OHNSON’S 
LSVo." SEEDS 
Stand for Purity and Quality. 
The result of 40 3’ears 7 expe¬ 
rience. Our Garden and Farm 
Manual for 1913 mailed free to 
seed buyers who write for it. 
ADDRESS 
JOHNSON SEED COMPANY 
217 Market Street Philadelphia, Pa. 
850,000 
GRAPEVINES 
69 Varieties. Also Small Fruits, Trees, etc. Best Rooted 
Stock. Gennino, cheap. 2 sample vines mailed for 10c. Dose, 
price-list freo. LEWIS KOE9CH & SON, Box K> Fredonia, Ji. Y. 
| America’s Star Roses 
Guaranteed 
CATALOG SENT FREE 
360 of the Best Roses for America. 
Vigorous, own-root plants. 11 
leaders shown in natural colors; 
• 85 others from photographs. Con¬ 
tains full information about how to 
select, plant, prune and grow. WRITE 
TO-DAY’ for this valuable book, with 
FREE DELIVERY OFFER. 
The Conard & Jones Co., Box 4 , West Grove, Pa. 
Bose Specialists—50 Tears' Experience . 
CHEAP 
Now is the 
Time to Buy 
“Ebcrlc Quality” Seeds are bound to grow if given 
the proper care. Years of experience enable us to 
offer you a wonderful variety of choice seedd, 
plants and bulbs at lair prices. 
Ebcrle’a 19IB 8ec<l Annual—Free. 
It describes our great collection of fresh seeds, in¬ 
cluding nearly every variety of known worth. Con¬ 
tains much Valuable information and advice to the 
large and small grower. Tire most complete cata¬ 
logue we have yet issued and it's absolutely free. 
Send for your copy today. 
F.W. EBERLE, 116 South Peam. St., Alb*ht. N.Y. 
Vick’s 2 Guide 
FOR 1913 IS READY ■ 
Larger and better than ever. 
Several splendid new varieties. For 
64 years the leading authority on 
Vegetable, Flower and Farm Seeds, 
Plants and Bulbs. You need it be¬ 
fore you decide what kinds to plant. 
Send for your copy today. It is free. 
JAMES VICK’S SONS, Rochester, N. Y. 
21 stone Street The Flower City 
CLOVER 
Prices bound to be higher later. Buy before advance 
and save money. Write today for speciallow price and 
free samples of our Pure Iowa Grown New Crop Reclean¬ 
ed Tested Clover and Timothy Seed. Have alfalfa, alsike, 
sweet clover, all kinds grass seed. Write us now. 
A. A, BERRY SEED CO., Box lfiO, Clarinda, Iowa 
TiM0THY$2H 
SAVK MONEY— -Buy Direct From Grower. 
New recleaned Iowa Grown Timothy, free from weed 
seed. Guaranteed satisfactory or money refunded. Write 
today for ’arge 76-page catalog and Free Samples. Low 
prices on Clover and all grass seeds. Write before ad¬ 
vance. A. A. BERRY SEED CO., Box 363 Clarinda, Iowa. 
1878Grown Right .Handled Right I9I3 : . 
Cherries 4c Plums 5c Apples 8c 
Write at once for our FKJEE bulletin, a gold 
mine of information about buying, 
planting ami growing trees. 
KING KUOS. NURSERIES 
8 Oak St.. Duiisville, N. Y. 
“It’s Cheapest to Buy the Best " 
RIGHT NOW 
is the Time to Send for Our Price List on 
FRUIT TREES 
Varieties True—No Disease—We Pay the Freioht 
For Price List Address 
NEW HAVEN NURSERIES 
B° x 25 _ New Haven, Mo. 
FRUIT Must Grow or be Replaced Free 
Our trees are True to Name, Fresh 
FREES 1 >u E anf * f'' eo from disease. Write 
today for Freo Fruit Book and won¬ 
derful offer. DANSVILLE FRUIT TREE CO., Dansville, N. Y. 
.(ft; 
Book 
Fattens Hogs for one-tenth the 
1 price of corn—keeps them healthy. 
Cattle, cows and calves thrive on it, too. 
This is a new sugar beet we brought from 
Germany—the best we could And. All who 
ve fed it report big success. Write today 
prices on this real money-maker. 
GRISWOLD SEED CO. 
So. 10th St. Lincoln, Nebr. 
on Grape Culture 
Instructions for planting, cultivating 
and pruning; also descriptions of best 
varieties for vineyard or home garden. Profusely iliua 
f rated. Issued by the largest growers of grape vines ant 
small fruits in the country. Millions of vines for sale 
T. S. HUBBARD CO., Box 34, Fredonia, N. Y. 
Pfirr Our handsome Seed Catalooue. Send your 
L lc |« address on a postal today, or for a 2c 
ILL, stamp and the names of two neighbors, 
actual seed buyers, cat¬ 
alogue and packet Early June TOMATO 
Seeds earliest variety grown, if sent 
before March 15. Address 
COLE’S SEED STORE, Pella. Iowa 
• your kitchen 
garden. For 16c postpaid. Worth 35c. 
Sure to please. 1 package each : 
CabDiige Carrot Cucumber 
.Lettuce Onion Katiish 
Above collection and six big pack- O Co 
ages of choice flower seeds . 
12 pucLaffv-ji In all. 
or Rf*nd 30o and we add the wonderftil New 
Earliest R’*d Riding Hood Tomato—alone sells 
at 15c. C italos? aud Premium List FREE. 
' John A. Salzer Seed Co,, 144So. 8th St., LaCrosse, WIs. 
CWhVMW 
Seeds 
LQODSEEDS 
Pure Field Seeds 
Clover, Timothy, Alsike, Alfalfa and nil kinds of I 
Pure Field Seeds direct from producer to con- 
sumer ; free from noxious weeds. Ask for samples, j 
A. C. HOYT & CO., FOSTOUIA. Ohio' 
SEED FOR THE FARM 
Co you want the best Grass Seed, Corn. Oats. 
Potatoes and other Field Seeds at first cost j 
We can sorvo you. Write for catalogue. It is free. 
You will like it A. H. HOFFMAN. 
Lancaster Co. ... Lamlisville, Pa, 
Ifffe BEST IN THE WORLD 
Pri 33 S Below All Others 
1^ I will give a lot of new 
sorts free with every order I 
If fill. Buy and test. Return il 
^not O. K.—money refunded 
Big Catalog FREE 
Over 700 illustrations of vege¬ 
tables and flowers. Send yours 
imimav neighbors’addresses. 
H. SHUMWAY, Rockford, Illinoio 
