1206 
THE RURAL NEW-VORKKR 
December 0, 
FARMERS’ CLUB 
[Every query must 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.] 
Dividing Rhubarb Roots. 
Will you kindly let me know the prop¬ 
er time to separate rhubarb roots, Spring 
or Fall? If in the Fall, is it now too 
late (Nov. 4)? M. s. 
Red Bank, N. J. 
In the Northern, Eastern and Western 
States, the planting of divided clumps 
or seedlings may be done anytime in the 
Fall before the ground freezes, or in the 
Spring, as best suits the planter’s con¬ 
venience. For the Southern States, Fall 
planting is preferable. The rhubarb of 
our gardens is a native of Russia and is 
perhaps the hardiest of all our perennial 
vegetables. While it prefers a deep rich 
sandy loam, it will however succeed in 
almost any kind of rich soil, and if prop¬ 
erly and regularly manured each year, a 
plantation will last many years in sec¬ 
tions of the country where the Winters 
are of sufficient length and severity to 
force the plants to rest for a pei’iod of 
four to five months. In the South, where 
the Winters are mild and of short dura¬ 
tion, the plants seldom survive over the 
fourth year. The long season of growth 
in the South, is very exhausting on the 
root system of the plants and no amount 
of fertilizing seems to be at all helpful in 
prolonging the life of the plant. K. 
The Evaporated Raspberry Business. 
Can you give me information about 
drying small fruits, especially red rasp¬ 
berries? I would like to know about the 
required equipment needed, and the 
shrinkage in the fruit by reason of the 
drying process; also the demand for this 
class of fruit, and the price usually re¬ 
ceived for the fruit per pound. We have 
the right kind of land, and a splendid 
climate for growing small fruits, but the 
canneries are not paying what the fruit 
is worth to make it profitable to raise, 
and to reach the Eastern markets with 
the fresh fruits in good condition, is al¬ 
most impossible. W. E. H. 
Olympia, Wash. 
The conditions of berry growing have 
changed somewhat in this State in recent 
years. Where formerly attention seemed 
everywhere to be given to the black¬ 
cap variety the growers now are produc¬ 
ing more and more of the Columbias or 
“purple-caps” and Cuthberts or “red¬ 
caps.” The reason for this change lies 
largely in the fact that Columbias and 
Cuthberts are hardy growers, and are 
endowed with long life, whereas the black 
varieties at best are little better than for 
three seasons. The Cuthberts ordinarily 
bring the grower from 10 to 11 cents per 
quart in the fresh fruit, so it is hardly 
practicable under usual conditions to put 
this variety through the evaporator pro¬ 
cess. However, there may be local in¬ 
stances where the evaporator would af¬ 
ford the only feasible outlet, but in 
Wayne County, N. Y., the bulk of the 
red raspberries is taken by the canner¬ 
ies and fruit dealers at quotations not 
varying far from 10 cents. 
With the Columbias the course is 
slightly different, though great quantities 
are tinned every season by the canning 
factories. The grower can count on the 
fresh fruit price of the purple-caps as 
averaging from five to seven cents per 
quart. What this variety lacks in quota¬ 
tion from the Cuthberts it makes up in 
prolific production, and is a very hardy 
grower. This variety is evaporated on a 
large scale, and brings in the dried pro¬ 
duct from 25 to 30 cents per pound. The 
shrinkage in the berries will require from 
3y 2 to four quarts for the pound, dried 
product. 
The fruit is dried on wire racks and 
here in the apple country where kiln 
driers are very common in handling ap¬ 
ples, the racks are placed in the kiln on 
the floor. The fruit is not handled after 
being placed on the racks and no “turn¬ 
ing” of the racks is made. Sometimes 
burlap is used on the kiln floor with the 
berries spread out on the burlap. In dis¬ 
tricts where the kiln drier has not made 
its advent the old wire rack system will 
be found adequate. While the Logan¬ 
berry is not environed well in New York 
it is thought that it would yield satis¬ 
factorily to the same treatment. 
Another increasing outlet for the red 
and purple raspberries is through the 
flavoring, preserve and bakery establish¬ 
ments in the large centers. Every year 
men are in the field picking up all avail¬ 
able yields. These are given a preserva¬ 
tive, usually “one-tenth of one per cent 
of benzoate of soda” and shipped in pails, 
half-barrels and barrels to the large cities, 
there likely to find a “last analysis” in 
jam and pie stock. 
It would seem that at 10 to 11 cents 
per quart paid by the canneries for Cuth¬ 
berts, there should be a reasonably good 
profit to the grower in disposing of his 
crop directly in this way. With the 
Columbias it is often better to evaporate 
them. The market here is determined 
long before the berry reaches maturity, 
and futures are made every season. This 
year the earliest indications promised a 
hum per crop, and grower after grower 
contracted his crop for five cents per 
quart. When the season began to come 
on a protracted drought set in, and 
shrivelled the crop at least 50 per cent. 
Many growers, unable to fill their con¬ 
tracts, were required to supply their buy¬ 
ers at a slight advance from the can¬ 
neries. A * H ’ P- 
Seif-seeding Clover. 
As to the question much discussed in 
TnE R. N.-Y., “Does clover generate 
without seed,” which idea has been vig¬ 
orously combated by TnE R. N.-Y., I 
would like to state a case under my ob¬ 
servation. Near my house is a high bank, 
which was built probably a hundred years 
ago. To make a tennis court alongside 
this we removed the wall, and dug the 
bank down about six feet, putting the 
dirt lower down to form the court. This 
was kept in shape for tennis; then the 
girls all getting married, it was left to 
grow to weeds, which were usually cut 
down. This year they were cut early, 
and now the entire court is covered with 
a thick growth of clover. That bank had 
probably never been disturbed since the 
time when the sea extended to the top of 
the Catskill Mountains. Whence the 
clover seed? Keep in mind that soil in 
which it is growing came from six feet 
underground. F. H. 
New York. 
R. N.-Y.—Some years ago the local 
railroad doubled its track and dug the 
needed earth out of a deep sand bank. 
They dug away a small hill, leaving a 
place several acres in extent, most of it 
30 feet or more below the former sur¬ 
face. When finally left this soil slowly 
started a growth of weeds. Finally 
grasses came in and then scattering 
plants of various clovers. These spread. 
They never covered the ground, but there 
is now a fair stand of clover and grass. 
This seed was not formed “spontaneously” 
in the soil. It blew in, was carried by 
birds or fell from passing trains. A few 
plants started, and as they developed 
seed slowly spread all over the field. This 
seems to be the rational way of account¬ 
ing for it. 
Grape Fruit and Apples. 
Isn’t it time for Tiie R. N.-Y. to re¬ 
call the existence of fruit beside apples? 
Instance “Brevities,” page 1184; didn’t 
know gall was sour. People seem to 
want these same grapefruit, don’t seem 
to require urging. I am a Wayne County 
man; born in an apple orchard, grafting 
trees when 12 years old, earliest work 
grafting pear scions into an apple tree. I 
ate apples from the first (wormy) har¬ 
vest apple till last wilted Roxbury Rus¬ 
set. But now I am in another grove, 
shipping 300 boxes of oranges this week; 
next week as many grapefruit. Nothing 
against the apple of my boyhood; but 
sample my grapefruit before you call 
them, even in nonsense verse, “sour as ; 
gall.” The grapefruit has come to stay, ; 
or you New Yorkers wouldn’t be paying 
me $6 a box—and more for “extra fan¬ 
cies.” 
And please keep this in mind—The 
grand old R. N.-Y. goes to the tropics 
now. It has been in my reach since its 
Rochester days. Its stand against fakes 
and its high ground on advertisements 
makes it a class by itself, and first in 
that class. Boom apples all you will, 
but remember, “there are others.” 
Porto Rico. NEWTON L. reed. 
R. N.-Y.—The grapefruit or pomelo is 
all right for those who like it. We pre¬ 
fer baked apple. Right in our own fam¬ 
ily are those who prefer the grapefruit 
It seems pretty well able to take care of 
itself in the markets. The apple is a 
domestic fruit, and as new orchards come 
into bearing more and more people must 
be encouraged to “eat apple.” At a 
small town in Pennsylvania we found the 
hotel furnishing grapefruit, but not the 
sign of an apple on the bill of fare. Yet 
that was a region where farmers grew 
apples and complained about a poor mar¬ 
ket. These grapefruit were brought 
from the coast at considerable expense. 
Investigation proved that grapefruit 
were served because it was thought to be 
“fashionable.” On the other hand sev¬ 
eral guests said they preferred baked 
apple. Have something! Have an ap¬ 
ple! 
TrVTiLur, 
treWLiz Cftfri/rru 
V 
\ Fortify 
Your Fertilizer 
Did you see your fertilizer dealer and 
'V £BI arrange to buy fertilizer containing at least 
as much _ 
POTASH 
as Phosphoric Acid ? That is the real kind that pays you and the 
dealer. If you did not, you should at once ask your dealer to carry 
Potash Salts so that you may increase the Potash in the ordinary 
brands. To increase the Potash I percent, add 40 pounds Muriate 
^ or Sulphate of Potash to a ton of goods. A 200 -pound bag will 
increase the Potash of a ton 5 percent. 
Try it once and see how Potash Pays. 
If your dealer -will not carry Potash Salts, write us for Prices. We will sell any quantity 
from one 200-pound bag up. 
GERMAN KALI WORKS, Inc., 42 Broadway, New York 
Chicago. McCormick Block New Orleans, Whitney Central Bank Bldg. Atlanta. Empire Bldg. 
San Francisco. 25 California Street Savannah. Bank 4 Trust Bldg. 
300% FERTILIZER SALE INCREASE 
W. F. Hamilton, R. R. 1 , Syracuse, N. Y., increased sale of 
MARTIN SLAUGHTERHOUSE FERTILIZERS from 50 tons in 1912 
to 150 in 1913. C. E. Campbell, Branchport, N. Y., increased from 
125 to 247 tons. Responsible Agents wanted at once. Prices right. 
D. B. MARTIN CO., 706 Penn Bldg., Pittsburgh, Pa. 
Sunlight Double Glass Sash 
Always Pay — 
whethet used on cold frames, hot-beds or on the 
inexpensive 11 x 12 ft. Sunlight Double-Glazed 
Greenhouse. They eliminate the need to use mats 
and shutters, thus saving half the cost of equipment 
and labor. They give the plants all the light and 
save the stored heat overnight, thus making them 
grow steadily without forcing. 
The inexpensive double-glazed 11 x 12 ft. green¬ 
house is coveted with the Sunlight Sash which are 
removable for repairs or to use on hot-beds or cold 
frames in their season. The house, though double- 
glazed, is always kept bright and tight. 
You owe it to your interest to get our litera¬ 
ture. The free catalog with net prices and all 
necessary information. Arid Prof. Massey's 
booklet on how to make and use hot-beds, cold 
frames and a small greenhouse. For the booklet 
enclose 4 cents in stamps. 
Sunlight Double Glass Sash Company 
924 E. Broadway - - Louisville, Ky. 
STRAWBERRIES 
Write for this beautifully illus¬ 
trated book—full of information 
for fruit growers, farmers and 
gardeners. Lists and describes 
Allen’s hardy, prolific, correctly 
grown berry plants—Strawber¬ 
ries, Raspberries, Blackberries, 
Grapes, Currants, etc. — all the 
best, new and standard varieties 
and guaranteed trne-to-name. 
Write today for free copy 
W. F. ALLEN 
72 MarketSt., Salisbury, Md. 
$ $ $ IN $ $ $ 
FRUIT 
TREES 
REPRESENTATIVES— 
We have a good proposition for responsible, ener¬ 
getic men which will enable them to earn an excel¬ 
lent income in whole time or spare time. Our plan 
is worth investigating—it has proved unusually 
successfu 1. W rite today for Flan A. 
FRUIT GROWERS—You can buy from us at right 
prices for quality trees. Northern grown and full 
of vigor, we guarantee all our trees to be disease- 
free and true to name. They are backed by a 31 
years’ record. Write for valuable Catalog. 
THE BARNES BROS.HURSEBV C0.,Box 8,Yalesville, Conn. 
NxNNVsjF You take no chances when 
SNNNX^jr buying Eberle’s seeds, bulbs 
or plants. They are absolutely 
fresh and reliable. Cannot fall 
to thrive under fair conditions. 
f Our large and varied stock con¬ 
tains every variety worth growing. 
Eberle’s 1914 Seed Annual—Free 
This well-illustrated book tells you all 
about our choice seeds, bulbs and 
plants. Brimful of helpful information 
about planting and cultivating. 
Get your free copy—today. 
FREDERICK W. EBERLE, 
IIS South Pearl St., Albany, N.Y. 
S WBET 01.OVER SEED—The true white blooming variety 
(Melilotus Alba.) Write for free (ample of new crop, 
seed and latest prices. HENRI FIELD, kkoimndo.k, lew* 
Strawberry 
HARRY I.. 
. Fruit Trees,Raspberry, 
rl3ntS Blackberry, Asparagus 
Plants. CATALOGUE FREE 
SQUIRES. Remsenlmrg, N. Y. 
KINCS 
Invite you to come to D&nsville. 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. 
at $80.00 per 1,000. Guaranteed true to name, free from seal# 
and aphis. Visit us now or write at once. Prices will advance. 
Buy from a reliable firm on a rising market. 
KING BROTHERS NURSERIES, - DANSVILLE, N. Y. 
The Bastian 
“Oregon” 
Pruning Hook 
Operates with a simple pump-gun 
action upon a powerful compound 
lever which forces the sharp Sheffield 
Steel cutting blade through a limb 
an inch thick with but little effort. 
Makes a smooth, clean cut. No side- 
strain on the pole-handle. The natu¬ 
ral position of hands gives the 
operator ease, speed and ac¬ 
curacy. 
The Bastian “Oregon” 
Pruning Shears 
Have the same easy-working but 
powerful compound action as the 
pruning hook._They _are_especialljr 
handy for~cutting out'water sprouts, 
heading back young trees, trimming 
hedges, berry bushes, etc. 
The Bastian 
“Oregon” 
Fruit Picker 
picks the choice fruit that’s “out of 
reach” without bruising it in the 
least. It soon saves enough fruit to 
pay for itself. 
Try These Orchard 
Tools 
BASTIAN “OREGON” ORCHARD 
TOOLS are made of the very best 
materials—they are powerful, dur- 
ble and haudy to use. Reasonable in 
price and guaranteed. Made in all 
lengths. If your dealer has no Bas¬ 
tian “Oregon” Tools in stock, do not 
accept substitutes, but write to us 
and we'll send prices and name of 
nearest dealer who can supply you— 
or we’ll ship direct. Write now for 
descriptive circular. 
STOREY MFG. CO., 1540 Macadam Rd„ Portland, Oregon 
