4Hb 
THE RURAL N tCW-YORKER 
EXPRESS CHARGES ON PLANTS. 
You have frequently discussed the 
express companies, but there is one 
feature of their business which I have 
never seen mentioned, namely, the 
handling of nursery stock, plants and 
bulbs. There is a special rate on this 
class of stock which is 20 per cent less 
than merchandise rate, and this is 
invariably mentioned in seedsmen’s 
and nurserymen’s catalogues, but very 
rarely is a shipment billed at other 
than the regular merchandise rates—in 
fact, in my experience so rarely that I 
have come to regard correct billing as 
an oversight on the part of the agents. 
I have a number of shipments come in 
every season, and it is always neces¬ 
sary to correct the charges on each one. 
The receiving agents will make correc¬ 
tions and refunds when their attention 
is called to the errors. As I am buying 
right along, I have become familiar 
with the rates applying from the various 
points where I secure stock, so that I 
have the corrections made at once on 
each shipment and avoid claims, which 
could rarely be collected. We have 
the United States and American Ex¬ 
press Companies here, and they are 
alike as to handling this class of ship¬ 
ments. As an illustration, my first ship¬ 
ment this year was from Chicago. The 
merchandise rate is $1.75 per 100 
pounds; 20 per cent less would make 
it $1.40, but from this particular town 
there is a special of $1 per hundred, 
yet the charges on a shipment of 35 
pounds were $1. I protested, and was 
told there was 22 cents advance charges. 
The shipment had been billed from a 
station in Chicago which had a Wells- 
Fargo Express office. They charged 22 
cents to turn it over to the United States 
Express Company and the latter charged 
78 cents to bring it here. The total 
charge was reduced to 57 cents. It has 
occurred to me that it might be well to 
bring this matter to the attention of 
your readers, inasmuch as there are a 
vast number of express shipments of 
plants moving at the present time, and 
probably 90 per cent of them are over¬ 
charged, Let us have parcels post, 
which would do away with a lot of this 
robbery. h. h. greene. 
Saginaw Co., Mich. 
CLOVER AND VETCH IN GEORGIA. 
IF., ThomasviUe, Oa .—I would like the 
opinion of Prof. Massey as to whether 
Crimson clover will be likely to do well 
here on sandy loam with rod clay subsoil. 
Would it be advisable in planting vetch, 
as well as the clover, to inoculate the 
seed with preparations of bacteria offered 
for sale by the seedsmen? My wish is to 
have Winter pasture and improve the soil. 
Ans.—So far as I have observed the 
sandy loams of southern Georgia, I 
would assume that there is no better 
soil for Crimson clover. I have not 
been at ThomasviUe. but have seen the 
soils at Amcricus and Fort Valley and 
other places in south Georgia and know 
that there, on very sandy soil the Crim¬ 
son clover flourishes splendidly, and no 
one has ever, to my knowledge, made 
any attempt at inoculation. Some years 
ago a correspondent in Louisiana wrote 
me that the first time he sowed Crimson 
clover there it was an utter failure. The 
following year he sowed it on the same 
land and had abundant success, the first 
sowing having seemed to bring in the 
bacteria, and so far as I have observed 
the inoculation is carried by the seed 
and the dust in the sacks. Right across 
the fields from my window, as I write 
this. I can see a magnificent field of 
Crimson clover on very sandy land, and 
over in another field there is a ridge 
of deep sand, where the clay must be 
fully 10 feet down. But on that ridge 
there is now a growth of Crimson clover 
and wheat mixed, now half knee high, 
which is being grown for hay. And 
what is more interesting is that on the 
same sand ridge, which sweeps past the 
front of my place on the other side of 
the road, there is a sod of Blue grass 
in an old orchard that Kentucky cannot 
beat, the land having been used years 
ago for truck and New York stable 
manure used on it. It has sodded over 
from that and has not been broken for 
years. On the flats, where my place is, 
the clay is not so far down, and while 
the surface soil is sandy, the clay be¬ 
low is so hard that only a pick can stir 
it. Now I do not believe that your soils 
in south Georgia are any more sandy, 
if as sandy, as ours. I have never had 
any success in using the artificial cul¬ 
tures of bacteria for inoculating land 
for legumes. Soil from an old garden, 
where English peas have been grown, 
will inoculate the soil for vetch, and I 
believe that you can grow Crimson 
clover without, inoculation if you give it 
a good application of acid phosphate 
and potash, or what is better Thomas 
slag phosphate and potash, as the slag 
carries about 40 per cent of lime. It 
certainly succeeds here on very poor 
sandy soil with this application. But 
with you it should not be sown till late 
September, as too early sowing may be 
killed by the hot sun. But 'you might 
sow oats early in September, and, after 
the oats are up, sow the clover, 15 
pounds per acre, and roll the land over 
to pack the seed in, and the oats will 
shade the clover from the sun. 
W. F. MASSEY. 
NEGLECTED KIEFFER TREES. 
R. B., Xaugatuck, Conn .—What would 
be the best method of pruning my Kieffer 
pears? They are eight years planted, and 
I have never done anything to them since 
I set them out, excepting to trim tops a 
little the first year. I had to prop them 
up for the last two years; most of the 
trees had two bushels or more. 
Ans. —R. B. has made the same mis¬ 
take that many others make in the 
training of a child or a tree, by for¬ 
getting the old proverb, ‘‘As the twig 
is bent the tree is inclined.” The trees 
have been eight years planted without 
any attempt being made to trim or 
prune them. By the draft of a sample 
tree that R. B. sends, it is of the type 
of a generally neglected Kieffer, one 
that has been left to cultivate, fertilize 
and prune itself. I know that many 
orchardists claim that Kieffer can be 
left to prune itself; when overloaded 
and the limbs bent to the ground with 
fruit, it is in the proper form to admit 
the sun and air. While many of the 
limbs will be broken when these are 
removed it is all the pruning required. 
Such orchardists are not depending 
upon their Kieffer crops for a living, 
but use them as a side crop. No tree 
responds so quickly or gives more satis¬ 
factory returns for careful intelligent 
culture and pruning as does the Kieffer, 
and this should be done from the very 
starting of an orchard. If neglected on 
the setting of the tree, the result will 
be a tree such as R. B. has now to make 
over. If these trees were mine, I would 
cut them back from one-third to one- 
quarter the growth, and then cultivate 
them well, so as to start young growth. 
After this growth of suckers or water 
sprouts has started, I would thin them 
out in June, leaving enough to form a 
well balanced top. Next Spring head in 
all that had made two feet or more of 
growth, leaving them from 18 inches 
to two feet long. The after care should 
be to intelligently prune, so as to have 
an open head to admit sun and air. At 
the same time, avoid long, slender 
branches which will not carry a crop 
of fruit without breaking or bending to 
the ground. _ e. s. b. 
Starting a Cranberry Bog. 
Can you or your readers pive me the 
best way to change a sweet flag bog into 
a cranberry patch? w. s. w. 
The general proposition is to dig off the 
upper surface of the bog and then cart in 
sand. The cranberry plants are set down 
through the sand into the bog soil. The 
bog must l>e graded and left so that it 
can be tlooded if need be to protect from 
frost. Nearly every bog will require special 
treatment. While some of our readers can 
give general advice they could not fit every 
special case without looking the ground 
over. _ 
“ For the Land’s Sake, use Bowker’s 
Fertilizers; they enrich the earth and 
those who till it.”— Adv. 
April 23, 
) o 
J' 
Not only will these fertilizers give crops a 
splendid start, but they are substantial and fur¬ 
nish abundant nourishment up to the moment 
of harvest. Rich in ammonia, rich in phos¬ 
phorous, rich in potash. Carefully compounded 
after special and complete formulas, based on 
years of actual field testing. Special fertilizers 
for special needs. 
“Greater Faith in the Essex.” 
“ I have used your Essex Complete Manure for 
potatoes this season with satisfactory results. While 
I have sold and used other fertilizers, I have greater 
. faith in the Essex.” (Signed) H. F. HOLT, 
Bradford Centre, Me. 
Write for list of our Special Fertilizers and what they contain. 
ESSEX FERTILIZER CO. 
NORTH MARKET STREET.BOSTON, MASS. 
Local agents wanted where we are not now represented. 
} > 
<9 
kJ 
_ 
.iym 
ARSENATE Of LEAD .... - \b% Arsenic 
D --- | BORDO-LEAD - - Kills the Bugs, Prevents Blight, etc. 
THE^IIIGHEST GRADE SPRAYING MATERIALS AT RIGHT PRICE 
R Wc Will Send Express Prepaid a Five Pound Friction Top Can. Packed in a Neat Wood Box 
For *1 .OO—Either Arsenate of bead or Bordo-I.end 
A WRITE FOR CIRCULARS-IT WILL PAY YOU TO USE THESE SPRAYS 
FA I,rVK RESPONSIBLE AGENTS WANTED 
12-14-16 BAYVIEW AYE., 
JERSEY CITY, N . .1 . 
Y INTERSTATE CHEMICAL COMPANY 
Sold by the Seedsmen 
All Over America 
For pamphlet on Bugs and Blight, write to 
B. Hammond, Fishkill-on-Hudson, N. Y. 
A SUBSTITUTE 
For Bordeaux Mixture 
10-gal. keg making 1,500 gals. Spray ; delivered at 
any K. R. station in the United States for $ 1 Si.ftO. 
Prompt shipments. Write to day for fu 11 information. 
B. G. PRATT CO, M 'c”h”'“uu:”' 
> * 50 CHURCH ST., NEW YORK CITY 
THE BIGGEST 
VEHICLE AND 
HARNESS BOOK 
FREE 
Save 
$30 
I Before you buy com¬ 
pare Murray's splen¬ 
did offers with olliers. 
Send for our new 
1910StyIe 
Book of 
Vehicles 
and 
Harness 
See for yourself how you can save 
money—get better values ou any kind 
of vehicle or harness you want. 
Murray tells direct—gives four weeks trial 
—insures safe delivery—two years guarantee. 
We want every farmer to get this 
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The Wilber H. Murray Mfg. Co. 
326-332 E. 5th St., Cincinnati, O. 
GET THIS BOOK AND COMPARE 
VALUES WITH ALL OTHERS BEFORE 
YOU BUY ANY KIND OF VEHICLE 
BREEZE 7 Handsome Mode,s $275 
.. v , . t Travel the worst roads . ... 
I Motor Vehicle with ease and comfort And Up 
SEND FOR CATALOG "l M 
The Breeze Is strong, simple, speedy 
and safe. Hest motor vehicle built for 
country roads—mud, <U*ep wand or 
high hills. 13-18 H.-P. engines. 
Lowest cost of upkeep,leant tire 
trouble. Handsomely finished. 
THE JEWEL CARRIAGE GO. 
CINCINNATI, OHIO. 
Q| iTr DnflPi NP at wholesale;lasts forever; 
OLn I L nUUrlllU needs no paint or repairs; 
never leaks. W.M. BENNlNGKU.Waluutport, Pa. 
FARMERS, ATTENTION! 
We furnish Generators to light your house and 
burns. Carbide at wholesale prices. Also. Lime 
and Plaster, Fertilizers. 
THE STANDARD CEMENT & ENAMEL CO., Union Springs. N.V, 
Asbestos Century Shingles 
Made from cement and asbestos fiber. 
Fireproof, waterproof and everlasting. 
Anyone can lay them. Small samples free. 
Winthr op Asphalt Shingles 
Laid same as wood shingles. Look like slate. Size, 
8x1(1 inches. Write for illustrated catalogue. 
ASBESTOS ROOFING CO.. Cleveland, Ohio. 
Get VICK’S 
r„:JA We'veiwued Vick’s Garden and Floral 
u3rtlvll \jUIU\y Guideevery yearfortil years. The 1910 
■ edition just issued is the best and most helpful of all. 
We send i t free. Write for your copy to-day. 
JAMES VICK'S SONS. 430 Maim St.. Rochester. N. Y. 
NewYork State Wagons 
THE WORLD’S STANDARD 
New York State wagons have always been 
recognized as the world's best quality. They 
are made not 
merely to sell— 
but to wear, to 
give good service. 
That’s the kind 
we build and sell. 
DIRECT FROM FACTORY TO USER 
At a saving of $15 to $25 on any style. Any 
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deposit required. Over 150 styles of wagons 
and 50 styles of harness. 
SEND FOIL CATALOGUE TO-NIGHT 
ROCHESTER VEHICLE CO., 
JHiO Main St., Rochester, N. Y. 
Kansas and Palmer Raspberry Plants 
JG.OO per 1000. W. A. ALLEN & SONS, Geneva, Ohio 
, 0 Concord Grapes, 25c. 
12 Wood’s Imp. Cnthbert or 
12 Columbian Raspberry, 50c. All Prepaid. 
Write at once for lllusi rated Catalogue and 
Rarcaln list. ALLEN L. WOOD. Rochester, N. Y. 
