ioiq 
the RCJ KAL NEW-YORKER 
September 13, 
FARMERS’ CLUB 
[ Every query roust be accompanied by the 
name and address of the writer to insure 
attention. Before asking a 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.] 
What Ailed the Potatoes ? 
Last Spring I planted about one acre 
with State of Maine potatoes, and it was 
considered the finest patch in the vicin¬ 
ity. When I came to dig them I found 
the tubers plentiful, but very small. Will 
you inform me what you think was the 
cause of it? I used stable manure broad¬ 
cast. and about 1,000 pounds of 4-8-10 
fertilizer. b. r. S. 
This man does not give his post office, 
nor does he tell us the kind of soil or 
season. He does not say whether these 
potatoes matured or whether the big 
vines were killed by blight. Under these 
circumstances we can only guess at it— 
a thing we do not like to do. Our guess 
is that the soil was naturally strong and 
that the manure and the fertilizer to¬ 
gether provided so much nitrogen that 
the vines made a very quick and rank 
growth, so that they looked well. Many 
tubers were started, but as no spraying 
was done those big and tender vines 
blighted before the tubers could make 
large size. Most likely the vines were 
forced into a heavy growth and could not 
complete it. 
Growing Potatoes From Cuttings. 
Can you tell ine the record crop of po¬ 
tatoes grown from sprouts or cuttings in 
a greenhouse? Is this plan advisable 
with new varieties? s. b. c. 
This was sent to Sutton & Sons, the 
English seedsmen, who say: 
“The system of growing potatoes from 
cuttings came into practice more largely 
at the time of the great potato boom 
(1005-6-7), of which you have no doubt 
heard. It is in our opinion a most ob¬ 
jectionable practice, as it weakens the 
vitality of the potato to a very great ex¬ 
tent, and the practice has now almost 
ceased. The following short extract 
which appeared in an horticultural pa¬ 
per in 1907 will be of interest to you. 
“ ‘For obtaining a maximum crop 
from one root, or a given number of roots, 
a system approximating to layering is 
followed. The sets, average size, but 
with all the shoots retained are planted 
on prepared mounds of soil, and allowed 
six feet apart all ways. The mound 
should be about IS inches high, and as 
the shoots advance in growth they are 
spread out, and pegged down to cover 
the mound. Earthing up is accomplished 
by heaping fine, dry compost round and 
over the stems. A handful of superphos¬ 
phate and sulphate of potash mixed is 
dusted around the stems at each earthing, 
a little sulphate of ammonia being added 
if the growth is backward. A similar 
system to the above was adopted by Mr. 
Gemmell, who in 1005 won the National 
Potato Society’s prize for the heaviest 
root. This weighed 43 pounds and com¬ 
prised 222 tubers.’ ” SUTTON & SONS. 
Curculio Attacking Peach. 
Will you please describe the life and 
habits of a small white worm about one- 
half inch long, found in a ripening peach? 
Also cure or prevention and when ap¬ 
plied. E. C. A. 
Washington Grove, Md. 
This is doubtless the Plum curculio, 
which affects the fruit of plums, apples, 
pears, cherries and peaches. Its parent 
is a small beetle, black with gray and 
brown mottlings. The beetle hibernates 
and appears in early Spring, feeding 
upon unopened buds and young leaves of 
peach, apricot, plum, cherry, apple and 
pear. The beetle lays its egg in the 
young fruit, making a crescent-shaped 
cut through the skin for the purpose. 
When the fruit drops (dropping is not 
invariable, though usual with most 
fruits) the larva leaves the decayed fruit 
and enters the ground to pupate and 
change to the adult form. Control 
methods include the destruction of the 
beetles by spraying with arsenates when 
buds are opening in the Spring, repeating 
this when the petals fall. All rubbish 
should be removed from the orchard, thus 
lessening places where the beetles may 
hibernate; clean cultivation is an advan¬ 
tage on this account. All fallen fruit 
should be removed; sheep or hogs are 
very valuable for this purpose, as they 
will devour the fruit before the larva 
leaves it to enter the ground. In the 
case of plums, jarring the trees, over a 
sheet or other receptacle is excellent 
practice, especially early in the day. as 
the beetles will lie quietly for some time, 
and they may then be gathered up and 
destroyed. __ 
Corn at 10 Cents a Bushel. 
During the past few years the metro¬ 
politan dailies, the magazines and occa¬ 
sionally a would-be agricultural publica¬ 
tion, circulated misleading and false re¬ 
ports that corn can be raised for 10 cents 
a bushel; how the boys beat their dad¬ 
dies, and how the railroads and the De¬ 
partment of Agriculture people offer in¬ 
ducements aided by bankers, and grain 
dealers offer premiums for the greatest 
crop at least cost. It is time that practical 
farmers with the aid of truthful agricul¬ 
tural publications place before the public 
correct information and actual facts. 
Taking an acre of land that will produce 
100 bushels of corn, the land is worth 
$100 an acre in most sections where corn 
is grown. The expense for the labor and 
fertility involved during the process of 
growing an acre of corn at a rough esti¬ 
mate is about as follows: Plowing, $3.50; 
harrowing, marking and planting, $2.50; 
three cultivations, each $1.50, $4.50; 
cutting and husking, 10 cents a bushel; 
$10; marketing, five cents a bushel. Fer¬ 
tility carried in the corn, grain and fod¬ 
der at prevailing price for chemicals, ni¬ 
trogen, phosphoric and potash. 27 cents 
per bushel or $27 in a hundred bushels, a 
total of $51.50, or 51% cents per bushel 
under ordinary conditions, that are fa¬ 
vorable. This does not include $5 inter¬ 
est, tax, 75 cents, bringing the cost to 
over 57 cents per bushel. As the aver¬ 
age yield of corn is only about one-half of 
a hundred bushels it is plainly to be seen 
that the reports so industriously circulat¬ 
ed are a humbug and a fraud. 
Pennsylvania. w. H. stout. 
Killing Quack Grass. —On page 930 
some one inquires how to kill quack 
grass. He will make a big mistake, I be¬ 
lieve. in using a spring-tooth harrow and 
raking up the roots and hauling away, 
as they contain potash, phosphoric acid 
and nitrogen, also humus. My advice 
would be to get a disk harrow, a small 
one, eight disks. 16-inch, file the disks 
sharp and keep them sharp. Load down 
with 250-pound stone, and a good man 
on the seat; hitch three good horses to 
disk and disk every few days, first one 
way. then cross-ways. If this does not 
knock the quack out then my experience 
is no good along this line. Keep the 
disks sharp. Load down with at least 
400 pounds. Have plenty of power to 
draw the machine. Arthur gatehill. 
Wayne Co., N. Y. 
Selling Sweet Apples. —I have read 
in Hope Farm Notes about the sweet 
apple, also what Mr. M. M. Clark says, 
but I think if one has good, smooth fruit 
more profit can be obtained by shipping 
to New York City. On this farm we 
have a row of Sweet Harvest, which I 
spray with as much care as any other 
apple, and we do have some very fine 
fruit from these old trees. I should think 
that they were about 35 or 40 years old, 
and are* always loaded with fruit. We 
hand-picked some this year and they 
sold for $1.75 and $2 per bushel basket 
in New York, more than our best Red 
Astrachans. With us the season is about 
the same as the Red Astrachan. Even 
the drops brought as much as red varie¬ 
ties, the only trouble with them is that 
they are so tender when handled roughly. 
They will bruise and blacken as badly 
as a Nyack Pippin. So if some of The 
Rural readers have a tree of the Sweet 
Harvest take a little pains and spray 
well with arsenate of lead for the young 
Codling worm, and they will be well re¬ 
paid for their work with an abundance of 
good eating and baking apples. I also 
notice that children like them as well as 
pigs. w. H. S. G. 
Middletown, N. .T. 
White Snakeroot. —In an answer 
to a question regarding a sick cow, Dr. 
Alexander states that the animal may be 
poisoned by white snakeroot, which often 
occurs in woodland pastures in late Sum¬ 
mer and Fall. This plant, it is said, not 
only affects the animal, but also makes 
her milk and butter injurious to consum¬ 
ers. The white snakeroot, Eupatorium 
ageratoides, is a close relative of our old 
friend boneset or thoroughwart, but the 
flower head is whiter and more showy, in 
loose graceful clusters; the leaves are 
thin, deep green, with slender stems and 
toothed edges, pointed at the tip, and 
broadened almost to heart shape at base. 
It is common in dense woods and along ] 
shaded roadsides, blooming from .Tilly to 
October. Its poisonous character is of¬ 
ten denied, but “The Indiana Weed Book” 
says that it causes trembles and death 
in cats, rabbits and lambs, and that milk ! 
from poisoned cows causes sickness and ! 
death. The U. S. Dispensatory ignores 
this plant, but says that Eupatorium 
aromaticum, which quite closely resem¬ 
bles it, contains coumarin, the active 
principle contained in the Tonka bean, 
which is a narcotic, first stimulating and 
then paralyzing the heart action. It is 
evident that white snakeroot should not 
be permitted on the farm. It is a per¬ 
ennial, but may be destroyed by succes¬ 
sive mowings in July, August and Sep¬ 
tember, and by drainage and cultivation. 
The root of white snakeroot is sold to 
botanic druggists, bringing, when prop¬ 
erly dried, three, or four cents a pound. 
“For the Land’s Sake, use Bowker’s 
Fertilizers; they enrich the earth and 
those who till it.”— Adv. 
Concrete 
Corn Grib 
Supports 
Experts Prove Lehigh Best 
Save your corn from mice. Build the foundation of your corn-crib 
with concrete. Lasts forever and no repairs ever needed. But choose 
the cement wisely because good concrete work dependson the quality of the cement. 
Specify Lehigh—the same as experts Send for Two Free Book * 
and contractors do—and you. take no chances. 
Innumerable tests show Lehigh 85S above the 
standard demanded. It is beyond question the 
cement for any and all farm uses—houses, bams. 
silos, corn-crib foundations, steps, walks, fence 
posts, hoa and poultry houses, watering troughs, etc. 
that show pictures, plans, directions 
and specifications for over 30 practical uses 
of concrete on the farm. “The Modern Farm¬ 
er” and "The Silo Book” arc two of the 
most valuable books on concrete ever pub¬ 
lished. Send for them today. Address: 39A 
Lehigh Portland Cement Co. 38B6Consumer8 Co. Bldg., Chicago 
1 rpm 
J^ 35%ABOVE STANDARD* 1 A 
If You're a Good Orchardist 
Plant Extra Good Trees 
If it’s worth while in your orchard to plant trees 
that have a future of plenty and profit, plant 
Harrison trees. In our favored natural tree soil 
and climate, trees develop wonderful roots big 
tops, perfect health and unbounded vitality. 
They are acclimatod everywhere. 
Budded From Bearing Orchards 
That’s one reason Harrisons’ trees bear so early, 
heavily, surely! Our 1914 general catalogue, just 
out. tells all about it: sent free. Get it sure! I ho 
How and Why of Shade Trees and Evergreens sent 
free. “How to Grow and Market H ruit mailed 
postpaid for 50 cents, rebated on the first So order. 
Our exports will answer your questions „ n 
about fruit-growing., dome to Berlin - hi" 
if you can, but write lODAY for 
the books and tell us your plant¬ 
ing ambitions. 
Harrisons’ Nurseries 
Box 394 
Berlin 
Md. 
TREES COST % LESS 
■yOU sllbuld get our special Fall prices on 
trees, shrubs and plants. Less than half 
agents’ prices and stock is guaranteed. We also 
prepay freight. Don’t buy until you’ve read 
our catalogue, sent free. Write for it 
today. 
RICHLAND NURSERIES 
Box 135 - - Rochester, N. Y. 
FREE 
BOOK 
Saves 
ploney 
7 00,000 Fruit Trees 
FOR FALL PLASTI.NO 
You want the best Fresh Dug 
Genesee Valley grown trees 
when you plant this fall. 
Guaranteed True to Name 
I sell them direct from Nursery 
to planter at wholesale prices. 
DO NOT BUY until you write 
for my free illustrated catalog. 
wki.Ls wholesale nurseries 
Box 4a. _ DANSYILLE, N. \. 
Red Wave Seed Wheat -140 
BUSHEL hags 
C. G. Bower. Ludlowville, N. Y. 
FOR SALE -80 BU * KYE ANI> WINTKR 
ETCH. 
H.'K. CRANDALL, 
mixed, S3 per bn. 
- Wilawana, Fa, 
Uqui Cnod Run—SI Per bushel, f.o. b., bags included. 
nenOGCUnyt: H. C. STEVENS, East Canaan. Conn. 
PURE FIELD SEEDS—SEED WHEAT 
(RedWave and Winter King)CLOVER, TIMOTHY. 
ALSIKE. ALFALFA AND ALL KINDS OF 
PURE FIELD SEEDS direct from producer to con¬ 
sumer: free from noxious weeds Ask for samples 
A C. HOYT & CO., - JFOSTOKIA, OHIO. 
Standard Apple Barrels 
Car lots or less. ROOT. GILLIES, Medina. N. Y. 
HOFFMAN’S 
WHEAT BOOK 
32 PAGES 
AMOS HOFFMAN, 
With 8 samples of good 
wheat—is free^-if you 
ask for it. It tells— 
How to farm wheat— 
Whore to get seed—clean 
of cockle, rye. cheat,smut. 
- JLnudisviUc, Pa. 
IDEAL FRUIT PICKING BAG 
and so arranged as to 
equalize the load on 
both shoulders. 
The openings are ar¬ 
ranged so both iiands 
can be used in picking 
and the draw string is 
arranged so the fruit 
can be let out at the bot¬ 
tom in emptying the 
bag. 
The bag can be let 
down to the bottom of 
the barrel before open¬ 
ing the draw string, thus not bruising thefruit. 
This is the best and handiest arrangement 
for picking fruit that has ever been offered. 
A trial will convince the most skeptical. 
SAMPLE POSTPAID, $1. AGENTS WANTED. 
BARKER HSFG. GO. 
35 Ambrose St., Rochester, N. Y. 
PoUU'xrvn DLnlc-lkcts, Lettuce, Kohl-rabi. 
UdDDdgC rldlllo $1 per lOOU. Tomato, Sweet 
Potatoes, $1.50 per 100(1. Cauliflower, Peppers, $2 per 
1000. Send for list. J. C. SCHMIDT’. Hristol, Pa. 
FRONT 
BACK 
FALL 
BEARING STRAWBERRY PLANTS— Rest varieties. 
Catalogue Free. BASIL PERRY, Cool Spring, Del. 
Plants for Pall planting. 
Raspberry. Blackberry 
Plants. CATALOGUE FREE 
HARRY L. SQUIRES. Good Ground, N. Y, 
STRAWBERRY 
Calendar and CDCE 
Directions 1 11 kC 
MM I We make Bucket, Barrel. 
9 Knapsack, 4-Row Rotate 
1 ■ ■ P Sprayers, Power Orchard RiR9 — 
Sprayers of all kinds for all purposes. 
Automatic liquid agitators and strainer cleaners- 
up-to-date sprayer line. Ask for free spraying book. 
FIELD FORCE PUMP CO., 2 1 1 th SL. Elmlro, N. V. 
Maloney TREES 
750,000 Cherry 980,000 Apple 
At wholesale prices that will astonish yon. 
29 years growing trees anti selling tllrect 
to the planter menus yon take no risk In 
dealing with us. He guarantee satis¬ 
faction or money refunded. Write today 
for oor FREE, Illustrated catalogue of 
JMj » guaranteed, true to name trees. 300 
_ acres. Visit onr nurseries. MALONEY 
1 BROS. & WELLS CO. 1 37 Main St., Danaville, N. Y. 
1 Dansville’s Pioneer Wholesale Nurseries. 
Kel ly's TREES 
Onr catalog is our only agent; send tori 
lit and note the saving at growers’ prices. 1 
■ Hardy, healthy trees, sure to grow and bear 
■ abundantly. A quarter of a century exper- 
11© nee in tree values guarantees you the most 
■profitable bearing qualities. Highest grade apple trees onr J 
■ Fall specialty. Don't fall to writ© for catalog now. 
iKellyBros.WliolesaleNurseries.71 MninSt ,Oansville.N.Y. 
PROTECT YOUR TREES 
Less than One Cent each will protect 
your trees from Mice and Rabbits dur¬ 
ing the Winter. Call’s Nurseries, Perry, 
O., are selling the Best Tree Protector 
made. Write them for Prices. 
700,000 Fruit Trees 
healthy, all first quality and guaranteed true. All 
Dansville grown and Fresh Dug. No San Jose Scale. 
Special bargains l’or fall plantinpr. Jllus. Catalog free. 
DENTON. WILLIAMS & DENTON, Wholesul© Nurserymen 
31 Klin Street, Damoilhs N. Y. 
it 
SCALECIDE 
TRADE MARK REG. U. S. PAT. OFFICE 
DON’T NEGLECT FALL SPRAYING. GET READY NOW. 
Many trees can be saved that would die before Spring if unsprayed. 
“SCALECIDE” will positively destroy San Jose and Cottony Maple Scale, 
Pear Psylla , etc., without injury to the trees. 
Many of the finest orchards in the country have been sprayed with“SCALECIDE” for the 
past eight years, producing record crops and prize winning fruit. It costs less to spray with 
r ‘SCALECIDE” than Lime-Sulfur, and does better work. We stake our reputation on this 
assertion. Write today for our booklet, “Scalecide, the Tree Saver.” Sent free on request. 
Our Service Department furnishes everything for the orchard at money-saving prices. 
Tell us your needs. B. G. Pratt Co., Dept. N. 50 Church St., New York City. 
KINGS 
Invite you to come to Dansville. 300,000 fruit trees to sell 
Apples 2-yr. 5 to 7 ft. at $120.00 per 1,000. Peaches, 1-yr. 4 to 6 ft. 
ut $80.00 per 1,000. Guaranteed true to name, free from scale, 
and aphis. Visit us now or write atonce. Prices will advance. 
Buy from a reliable linn on a rising market. w 
KING BROTHERS NURSERIES, - DANSVILLE, N. Y. 
