1913. 
1177 
VAN DEMAN’S NOTES. 
Making Grape Cuttings. 
Which is the better time for planting 
grape cuttings, in the Fall or Spring? I 
was told that cutting them this Fall and 
planting in sand for the Winter, then 
setting out in the Spring would be a good 
way. Also tell me how to plant them. 
Bernard, la. G. L. 
Grape cuttings should be taken from 
the vines soon after cold weather has 
begun, and not before, which is early in 
December, unless there is opportunity to 
store them where there will be a temper¬ 
ature of about 35 deg. Fhr. or just above 
freezing. The reason for this is, that the 
starchy matter in the young wood must be 
and is turned into sugar by the vital 
action at a rather low temperature, or 
the cuttings will not root readily. Bury¬ 
ing them in the ground and covering 
lightly with straw or some such material 
will afford about the right temperature 
until Spring, which is the right time to 
plant them out in nursery rows. They 
should be cut before burying into sec¬ 
tions about eight or 10 inches long, mak¬ 
ing them so that a bud is very near the 
butt end of each one and a bud about an 
inch below the top end. They may then 
be put in bundles of about 50, using 
tarred twine that will not rot, and plain¬ 
ly and securely labeled with the name of 
each variety. The soil in which to plant 
them should be rich and well prepared. 
Set the cuttings nearly to their tops at a 
slant of about 45 degrees from perpen¬ 
dicular and cultivate well all Summer. 
The Duchess Grape. 
Will you tell me something about the 
Duchess grape? The wineries in this 
section are willing to pay good prices for 
the fruit, but no one seems to know much 
about the vine. j. w. 
Hammond, N. Y. 
The Duchess grape is one of the Cay- 
wood seedlings that had its origin in the 
Hudson Valley. It is a very well-flavored 
grape and has large bunches, but the vine 
is not as vigorous and productive as it 
ought to be for commercial growing. 
1 he vines are not grown by the nurseries 
in any great quantities, if at all. The 
best way to learn quickly of the behavior 
of the vine in New York is to write to 
the Experiment Station at Geneva, asking 
about this matter, and any other points 
that might be desirable to know about. 
Diploma Currants; Sweet Clover. 
1. Can you give me any facts relating to 
the Diploma currant? I understand it 
is most productive of large red currants, 
and a rapid grower. If it is of good 
commercial value I would set 400 to 500 
this Fall, but first would like to learn 
more about it. I have now Wilder and 
lay’s Prolific. 2. I would also like to 
have your opinion as to the value of 
Melilotus, Sweet clovex*. w. F. 
Halifax, Mass. 
1. The Diploma currant is one of the 
very best varieties that has ever been 
known. It was originated by Jacob 
Moore of New York, who was a most 
studious, careful and patient plant breed¬ 
er. Among the many valuable things he 
originated were several currants, and the 
Diploma is the best of them all. Mr. 
< has. A. Green paid him a fair price for 
the entire stock of it, and sent it out to 
the public. It was named Diploma be¬ 
cause of the fact that it was awarded a 
diploma at the Pan-American Exposition 
in 1001, where I did the judging, and 
only made the award after several ship¬ 
ments of the fruit, much of it being on 
the branches, which showed how the 
bushes bore. I have since then seen them 
growing and bearing in several places and 
have been so well pleased with the var- 
h'D that I have repeatedly advised grow¬ 
ers to plant it commercially. The bunch¬ 
es are fully as large as those of the Fay 
and the berries likewise. The bush is a 
'cry strong grower, a prolific bearer and 
stands up well, which we all know is not 
tuie of the Fay. Perfection is another 
variety of different origin that seems to 
be almost a perfect duplicate of Diploma. 
-• Melilotus or Sweet clover is a very 
valuable plant for farm use. There are 
two species of it, one of them M. alba, has 
" dte flowers and is biennial and after 
blooming and bearing seed the second 
.' ar dies; while M. officinalis has yel- 
ou *' 0 "crs and is annual, blooming and 
■' " h ^he fivst year. Both these species 
,li ' ( °nsidered roadside weeds in many 
Paces because they grow up in waste 
P 11 ' s, such as vacant city and town lots, 
THE RURAL, REW-VORKER 
old fields, along railroad cuts and em¬ 
bankments and sometimes in. the most 
barren places to be found, except as these 
plants cover them. They do not grow 
well in ordinary cultivated fields because 
of the lack of the needed soil bacteria to 
invigorate the roots. After a year or two 
of growth these bacteria multiply and the 
clover flourishes wonderfully. Limy soil 
is best for this crop and it is often neces¬ 
sary to apply lime to the soil. Once 
started well it will keep on reseeding it¬ 
self indefinitely. The stock may have to 
learn to like the taste of the green or 
cured forage, but in time it will be eaten 
readily. Bees make quantities of honey 
from the flowers. The decayed roots in 
the soil enrich it wonderfully. They also 
prepare the soil for Alfalfa by inoculat¬ 
ing it with the species of bacteria needed 
by that crop. By all means sow some of 
both species of Melilotus. 
Propagating Red Raspberries. 
Can red raspberries be successfully 
propagated from root cuttings on a large 
scale? What is the smallest sized root 
that would be practical to use? Should 
roots be dug in Fall or Spring? 
Adams Basin, N. Y. h. l. t. 
Red raspberries naturally propagate by 
sprouting up from the roots and not from 
the tips as the blackcaps do. They usu¬ 
ally make many young plants in this way, 
and these are taken up and transplanted 
wherever needed. But many more young 
plants can be made by digging up the 
roots, cutting them in pieces three or 
four inches long and planting them in 
mellow soil just as one would do with 
potatoes or seeds. If not planted very 
deep, about two inches being about right, 
they will send up sprouts if the soil is 
kept mellow. The roots should be taken 
up in the Fall, preferably cut into short 
pieces, tied in small bundles and buried 
in damp soil until Spring, when they are 
ready to plant on the approach of warm 
weather. They will strike out new roots 
and prepare to make adventitious buds 
before Spring has advanced very far if 
well treated. It will do to try this plan 
in the Spring if the season is normal, 
dropping the pieces about six inches apart 
in nursery rows. The next Fall or 
Spring the plants would be ready for 
permanent planting. No very small 
roots should be used, for they would not 
be likely to grow. h. e. van deaian. 
Indian Mallow—A Fibre Plant. 
To-day, while pulling some tangled cane 
out of the mower, I stripped the enclosed 
fibre from a common plant that grows 
here, and was very much astonished at 
its strength. Immediately the thought 
struck me “Wonder if that stuff is strong 
enough for binder twine.” I know that 
it is stronger than some wrapping twine. 
Ihe sample has not been treated in any 
way. I would like your opinion of it. 
It can be easily raised here. This fibre 
is the bark of the plant, and is easily 
separated from the heart. If commer¬ 
cially valuable it might be possible to 
develop a new crop for the American 
farmer. Who knows? j. h t 
Nebraska. 
It is impossible to identify the fibre 
with certainty from the sample received, 
but it has very much the appearance of 
that from the Indian mallow, Abutilon 
theophrasti. This plant is known as 
ching ma in northern China, where it 
produces the fibre called China jute, or 
generally known in the market quotations 
by the name Tientsin, because it is large¬ 
ly exported from the port of Tientsin, 
China. ‘The Indian mallow, also called 
velvet leaf and butter print, is an intro¬ 
duced weed in this country, and it grows 
abundantly in sandy and loamy soils from 
Virginia to Kansas and Nebraska. A 
few attempts have been made to utilize 
it for the production of fibre in the 
United States, but thus far no method 
has been found for preparing the fibre at 
a cost which will permit it to compete 
with that imported from China. It is 
imported in rather small quantities, be¬ 
ing used chiefly in the manufacture of 
rugs in Philadelphia. 
The fibre is a little stronger and a lit¬ 
tle more durable than jute from India, 
but it is much weaker and very much 
less durable tham hemp or flax. It would 
cost fully as much to produce it in any 
region in this country as it would to 
produce hemp, and the fibre ready for 
market would be worth only about three 
to four cents per pound, as compared 
with hemp worth from five to seven 
cents per pound. lystek h. dewey. 
m 
with an 
You simply cannot afford to let 
those trees stand on your wood 
lot. Think of the crops that land 
would yield, if cleared. c,, And 
think of the money in the trees. 
Every 16-foot log averaging 14 
inches makes 100 feet of lumber. 
Ten of them make 1000 feet, 
worth up to $40 per thousand. 
Now, size up your trees and 
count the dollars in them. 
And look at your neighbors* 
trees — money in them for you, 
too, sawing them into lumber on 
shares or by the 1000. There’s al¬ 
ways a market for lumber, and 
prices are higher now than ever 
before. Hundreds of farmers are 
doing a paying lumbering busi¬ 
ness in the fall and winter. You 
can do the same, for there are 
wood lots around you if you 
haven’t one yourself. 
All you need to buy Is an 
“American” Portable Saw Mill, 
for you have the team and wagon 
and probably the engine. A 6 
H .P. steam or 8 H. P. gas engine 
with an “American” Mill will 
saw up to 2500 feet of lumber per 
day; 10H.P. steam or 12 H.P. gas 
will saw up to 5000 feet. You can 
run the outfit yourself, with the 
boys or your man to help you. 
Our wide knowledge will help 
you start in farm lumbering. It is 
all in our book, “ Making Money 
Off the Wood Lot,” and in / 
our New Catalog just off the 
press. We want you to /' ^ 
have them both. Tear 
out the coupon now, 
while interested. ^ a. J? 
Fill in and mail «$►* 
it to our 
nearest * ' 
office. 
American Saw Mill Machinery Company 
Makers of 
Standard Saw Mills of any size or capacity 
129 Hop© St,, H&ckettstown, New Jersey ^ 
1383 Terminal Building, New York 
Chicago Seattle Savannah New Orleans 
Sandwich (orfve) Hay Press 
Supplies Its Own Power 
. T°? co*? make $200 to $300 clear profit monthly! Farmers pay liberally to have their 
of a ^h ed t^^ SO,l 1 S , teeI> V* to ™ a « e Sandwich that doesn’fb^k down Tn themlddle 
?, ut glean, slick, s«lid bales, rain or shine, one and two a minute, 
Xes. the safest, surest, biggest 
It has hopper cooled Gas Engine mounted on same 
truck, 4, b, 8 or 10-horse power—gear driven magneto 
—the most complete outfit in existence. The Sand- 
wlch beats all ordinary presses 2 to S tons daily i 
PVOrU mnrL'irwv foot J 
every working test. 
25 tons are Its every 
day job—often 30to40. 
Full power delivered to 
Press by heavy steel 
roller chain. It does 
away with slipping, 
stretching belts. Simple 
time-tried self-feeder — 
with big feed opening. 
Coupled 
up Short 
Simple 
and Safe 
saiest, surest, Diggesc money maker 
m the business! THIS FREE BOOK, 
Tons Tell,” the surprising story of tremendous 
jjronts scores are making with the Sandwich. Write 
Best for us today for your copy by 
\V indrow Baling return mail. Ask for our 
— special terms that let you 
start with little money 
and pay from your 
profits. Address: 
SANDWICH MFG. CO. 
rw& pssa 125 A St. Sandwich, III. 
2*6 to 3*6 tons B« 12 S. Council Bluffs, Is. 
per h our V/ 'SJ. 9 Kinsu City. Mo. 
THE TRINIDAD-LAKE-ASPHALT 
mM 
Kii? 
Armed with “Nature’s everlasting waterproofer” 
Genasco is ready to combat rain, snow, hail, wind, 
sun, heat, cold, and fire and to defend your roof with 
its resisting, lasting life, and keep it weather-tight. 
Genasco smooth-surface roofing is supplied with 
patented Kant-leak Ivleets, which make seams 
waterproof without cement, and prevent nail leaks, 
111 
Hi 
Ask your dealer for Genasco. Guaranteed. Smooth or mineral sur¬ 
face. \\ rite us for samples and the Good Roof Guide Book. 
The Barber Asphalt Paving Company 
Largest producers in the world 
of asphalt and ready roofing 
Philadelphia 
New York Chicago 
San Francisco 
