708 
July 9, 
FARMERS’ CLUB 
[Every query must he accompanied by the name 
and aduross of the writer to insure attention. Be¬ 
fore 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.] 
Sparrows and Peas. 
IT. R. d., Yonkers, N. 3’.—What can I 
use oil my garden peas in order to make 
the vines less digestible to sparrows? I 
have had a continuous light since the peas 
showed above ground to save any of them. 
They are now blossoming, hut the climb¬ 
ing variety 1 planted look like dwarfs. 1 
sprayed with kerosene emulsion and arsen¬ 
ate of lead, but such liquids fail to stick. 
A forest of swinging tin scran seemed 
sin additional attraction instead of throw¬ 
ing a scare into the pests. 1 should like to 
offer them some grain seasoned with strych¬ 
nine were it not for the danger of cats 
finding the bodies. Will a mixture of Paris 
green and flour dusted on the vines affect 
the peas? This is the first year I have had 
this trouble, but expect it right along now, 
ms the mother birds fed the nestlings on 
these peas. 
Ans. —Complaints of sparrow depre¬ 
dations are more numerous this year 
than ever before. A Canadian corre¬ 
spondent tells us that she protects her 
peas by dusting them with soot. We 
should not like to use Paris green, and 
thing the sprays mentioned would have 
little effect even if they stuck on. In 
England gardeners cover peas, berries 
and even fruit trees with netting, old 
fishnet being sold for this purpose. This 
is quite practical in the home garden, 
and would baffle the marauding spar¬ 
rows. 
THE FRUIT CROP. 
Apples promise a good crop of good- 
sized fruit; not enough set to pay to thin. 
IVachcs are very light on account of frost 
damage. Crops generally look well; corn 
is slow about starting. o. u. H. 
Syracuse, N. Y. 
Grass and grain in this section are look¬ 
ing well, except corn, which is very back¬ 
ward on account of cold, wet Spring. The 
present outlook for apples is not very nat¬ 
tering, probably not more than 75 per cent 
of last year's crop. Peas about the same 
as last year, about half a crop. This is 
not a peach-growing section, hut where 
there are any trees they are generally well 
filled with fruit. C. J. b. 
West Coxsackie, N. Y. 
Apples in Wayne County will he about 
one-half crop; plums a failure; peaches 
one-half crop; cherries about the same. 
Frost hurt the fruit here. We had three 
hard late frosts. There are a few locali¬ 
ties where the frost did not lilt; there the 
fruit is better. It is safe to say fruit here 
will he short and poor in quality. Farm 
crops, except corn, look well. Corn, owing 
to the cold, wet weather, is small and poor. 
Hay will la? as good as last year. 
Savannah, N. Y. w. h. c. 
We have here perhaps 75 per cent of a 
full set of apples, of which about 50 per cent 
are sound and free from blemish. The 
curculio did most damage. Take it all 
around the crop now promises to he the 
best we have had in several years. Peaches 
about one-half crop. The curculio damaged 
this crop very considerably. There was 
about an average set of plums, hut they 
were very badly damaged by the curculio. 
A very light crop of cherries and a very 
light crop of blackberries. 
Madison, Ind. J. w. T. 
The Spring has been very cool and wet; 
lias been favorable for grass and grain 
seeding; clover hay crop very good; Tim¬ 
othy short crop. Apples, peaches and pears 
about half crop. Cherries probably not a 
fourth of a crop ; native plums good, Japan 
no crop. Currants and gooseberries no crop. 
Wheat, rye and oats look well now. Corn 
is about three weeks later than usual, but 
has made a fine growth during the last 10 
days, which have been warm and dry. Kal¬ 
amazoo celery will be shipped all over this 
great country this year in large quantities, 
as the crop now is promising and the early 
crop will soon be ready. h. m. 
Kalamazoo, Mich. 
The indications are that apples will not 
be over 20 per cent of last year's crop in 
this locality. A heavy hailstorm near here 
did considerable damage to the few apples 
and peaches that set. Very few peaches 
are grown here, not enough for home con¬ 
sumption. Fears at first appeared to be 
twice as large a crop as last year, hut 
many are dropping. Plums are less than 
50 per cent of 1909. Oats are looking fine, 
hut most of them were sown rather late. 
On account of the continued wet weather, 
some farmers have not been able to plant 
any corn, some a very little, llay seems 
Jo ’ be short yet, hut may yet grow. Most 
rye looks light. .Pasture has been excellent. 
Perhaps the wet, cold weather at blooming 
time accounts for the short crop of apples 
and plums. This locality includes the 
southern part of Albany County and the 
northern part of Greene County, u. E. B. 
Greenville, N. Y. 
The fruit of this section is the nearest 
a complete failure that I have known in 
many years—no tree fruits whatever. A 
very light crop of strawberries has been 
gathered. There will probably he some 
blackberries and a few grapes; no rasp¬ 
berries, currants and gooseberries. The 
outlook for fruit of all kinds was never 
better in the early part of the season. 
There was an immense bloom on every¬ 
thing, but the continued heavy and killing 
frosts during the latter half of April is 
the cause of failure, and this condition I 
learn is widespread. Rarely have our mar¬ 
kets been as bare of fruit as at the pres¬ 
ent time. Corn is a little short for the 
time of year, hut looks well, is well culti¬ 
vated and clean, and doubtless will make 
the usual heavy crop. Oats are heading 
out; have made good growth and promise 
well. Quite a large acreage of wheat was 
sown last season through the central part 
of this State, and has made a remarkable 
crop, which good judges say will run 30 
to 35 bushels to the acre. They will be¬ 
gin cutting it in a very few days (June 
23). Clover is fine, hut Timothy rather 
THE RURAL 
NEW-YORKER 
light. Weather very hot and the top of 
the soil a little dry just now. u. J. >’• 
Normal, Ill. 
Apples will be only a partial crop, due 
to cold wet weather during the blossom¬ 
ing period, followed by a succession of 
frosts when the fruit was small. As a 
result much was unfertilized, and much 
that was dropped. The crop, is very un¬ 
even, some varieties being more resistant 
than others. I should estimate that this 
section will turn off from one-fourth to 
one-third of a crop. Peaches are not a 
large crop, hut stood the weather condi¬ 
tions better than the apples. J think our 
trees will have a half crop. Plums and 
cherries arc nearly a total failure, the 
cherries blasting in the blossom, and the 
plums being frozen by frost later. They 
will not he more than 10 per cent of a 
crop. Pears are also uneven, some varie¬ 
ties having dropped entirely. Our Bart- 
letts are all off, Duchess have a half crop. 
We are harvesting a half crop of straw¬ 
berries, due to the frosts which took the 
early blossoms and the present drought 
which is drying up the late fruit. Rasp¬ 
berries and blackberries will be a good 
crop if we get rains soon and plenty of 
moisture during the harvesting season. We 
are beginning to cut a heavy hay crop. 
Wheat is good where not killed by ice, 
and this has come on better than expected. 
Oats look very well. Corn is small and 
uneven, due to cutworms and unfavorable 
weather at planting time. Farmers gen¬ 
erally prosperous. s. B. H. 
Athens, Mich. 
There will he a fair crop of Fall apples 
in this end of the Hudson Valley. Winter 
varieties are not plentiful, except the 
despised Ben Davis, which are full. The 
few Baldwin trees which did not bear last 
year are full, otherwise there arc none. 
1 do not think there will be to exceed 20 
per cent of a crop of all kinds off Winter 
apples in this part of the State; perhaps 
GO to 70 per cent of Fall varieties. While 
not as abundant as six weeks ago, there 
will be a fair crop of pears, I should say 
at least GO per cent. Peaches stand fully 
100 per cent. Every tree which has any 
life in it is full, and unless they are 
thinned by man or nature, will be too 
small for best price. Cherries are scarcely 
a half a crop; plums ditto. All fruit is 
good size and free from insect or fuugus 
injury, as yet. Much damage was done by 
hail on Memorial Day, which will mar 
many fruits and cause them to be sold for 
No. 2. In the lower part of this county 
(Columbia) and northern Dutchess much 
more damage was done by hail, which fell 
on June 18. So far as J can learn the 
apple crop will be hut a small one in 
any event, quality good except for hail in¬ 
jury. The only insects which have been 
serious are rose hugs, which iu several cases 
have stripped the foliage from young trees. 
There seems to he no practical way of fight¬ 
ing them, except to knock them off in some 
vessel containing kerosene and water. More- 
spraying has been done for the San Jose 
scale than ever before, most of it with lime 
and sulphur, both the commercial ajid the 
homemade. The homemade concentrate has 
given excellent satisfaction. A one to 30 
solution was used instead of the Bordeaux 
Mixture as a fungicide. There are no re¬ 
ports of injury from it, either to fruit or 
foliage. 1 was in a peach orchard recent¬ 
ly where both that and Bordeaux had been 
used, and contrast in the foliage was very 
marked in favor of the lime and sulphur. 
Foliage of all sorts never looked better, 
due doubtless to the abundant moisture. 
EDWAKD VAN ALSTYNE. 
Columbia Co., N. Y. 
The April frosts and freezes were very 
severe throughout all this region, and were 
very destructive to all kinds of fruits, not 
all were killed, and the part not killed 
was not damaged as much as is usual when 
such freezes occur. What remains is un¬ 
usually free from insects especially ; though 
apple scab is very common, there is much 
fruit that is nearly free from it, as it has 
not damaged all orchards alike. Where 
apple trees were vigorous the frost damage 
was least. This condition was often very 
apparent where there were many trees 
throughout a large orchard that were 
strong enough to resist the frost; nearly 
a full crop was retained, while the weaker 
ones had nearly their whole crop killed. 
The freeze was not alike throughout the 
whole region, hut came in sections, like 
local rains, and in the sections where the 
worst freezes came there was hut little 
fruit left. 
I am not yet converted to oil heaters 
as a preventive of frost damage in this 
region, however good they may he- in the 
mountain regions farther west. My obser¬ 
vation and reasoning on experiments made 
by others shows that the damage or lack 
of damage can be accounted for in the 
same way as in regions where there were 
no heaters. By relying on my memory 
as well as on records of conditions that 
killed many of the apple crops in this region 
since 1894, I am inclined to think and 
believe that the heater will cost more to 
maintain than its savings will be worth iu 
this region. However,, as it is only in the 
experimental stage as yet, it may show 
more good in time. ' From the best infor¬ 
mation I can get three or four counties in 
the best apple-growing part , of southwest 
Missouri may have on an average a little 
more than 25 per cent of a full crop. There 
is a wide variation in orchards in different 
places in the region named -on both sides 
of this figure at this time. The peach crop 
is much, better than the average in the 
same region, and in many localities there 
will he many carloads to ship out where 
shinping had not been attempted in other 
crop years. However, there are not so 
many large peach orchards as may be found 
in regions where peach growing has been 
made a specialty. 
Wheat has steadily improved in condition 
since tin- late Spring frosts were past, and 
better than an average crop will be har¬ 
vested during the next two weeks. Oats 
are better than have been seen for many 
years. A record-breaking crop will he 
made. Corn is late, but there is a good 
stand. There is now plenty of moisture 
iu the ground and the crop is clean and well 
cultivated, and should there be a normal 
and even amount of rainfall there should he 
a line crop. Meadows and pastures are not 
as good as an average at this time. Pota¬ 
toes will make the best crop that wo have 
had for many years. Strawberries and all 
other small fruit crops will he light, with 
possibly the exception of Early Harvest 
blackberries. w. x. fi.oohnoy. 
Marionville, Mo. 
May Ave assist you in getting 
a successful start on that crop 
of alfalfa which you are hoping 
to raise this year? 
If your soil is sour, 
you cannot possibly raise alfalfa 
without a thorough applicatton of lime in some form. 
What form will you use ? Our marble limestone, ground to 80- 
mesh, is the ideal form of lime for most soils. Is approved by all Experi¬ 
ment Stations. YVe can also supply you with burned lime if you prefer. 
Now is the time for making this attempt and you should arrange for your 
supply of lime at once. Write for our circulars explaining why, when and 
how to use it. 
THE STEARNS LIME COMPANY, Danbury, Conn. 
BARREL BASKETS 
Better and Cheaper than Barrels or Boxes ^-barrel baskets 
siiss 
PEACH CARRIERS 
Ill 
1 
f 
•:«9! 
1 
- ■ r'■» > 
w 
3 
- 
Hi — 
THE No. 34 BRACED 
BASKETS 
arc 3 to the Barrel and are 
coming into general nse, for 
shipping Fruit and produce 
of all kinds. 
THE SCANT ^BARREL 
SIZE BASKETS 
are used for Sweet Potatoes, 
Apples, Onions, Cauliflower, 
Peas, Beans, etc. 
CARLOAD ORDERS 
SHIPPED DIRECT 
FROM MILL 
Best Fruit brings more money when 
packed in these crates.—Commission 
merchants advise using this style 
package for good fruit. 
LESS CARLOAD OR- Diameter on top 16 inches 
DERS SHIPPED FROM Diameter on bottom 10 in¬ 
ches 
Depth 19 inches 
NEW YORK. 
COLES & COMPANY, 109 6 111 Warren St., NEW YORK 
Telephone, 37 51 Cortlandt Established 1884 
THE BALER ERR BUSINESS’ 
BALES 
HAT FASTER 
SAVES TIME, 
MONEY. LABOR 
GOOD MONEY 
EARNER 
Baled 73 Tons 
in 10 Hours 
This is the astonishing 
record of the “Ann Arbor, 
We guarantee our presses 
to balo more ha; and leave 
hay in better condition 
than any other press built. 
Mighty strong guarantee 
bnt the press will back it 
up. “The Ann Arbor” not 
only does most work but 
oosts least to run. $3.26 was 
average repair cost for 1903. 
Wo bulla hay presses ex¬ 
clusively—have largest and 
most complete line—Steel 
or wood frame; horse, belt 
power, or traction. Over 
forty styles and sizes. 
Send tor free Baler’s Book. 
Gives the facta about Bal¬ 
ers. Write and we'll send 
with yonr copy one of onr 
handsome Souvenir Pins. 
ANN ARBOR MACHINECO. Box412 
Ann Arbor, Mich. 
IK)N’T neglect to find out about 
The Acre-An-lIour Sifter, 
the new Invention. Applle« dry 
Bordeaux, Cement, Lime, Planter or 
Screened AhIich wltn Paris Green to 
Potatoes, CucumberH, Curran In, etc., 
as fast a« a man can walk. Coveie 
instantly and perfectly plant 3 ft. ill 
diameter; one man can treat an acre 
in one to tw<> hours. Beat implement 
for the buHitieHH ever Invented. Sam¬ 
ple by expreaH, 7- r »c. Prepaid bv mall 
only, buyer'll risk, $1. Splendid In¬ 
ducement tp ngenta. ACRK-AN-IIOUR 
81FT1K CO., Poughkeepsie, N. Y. 
26 Cents Buys This 
SOLID SHANK STEEL BLADE Field and Garden 
Hoe. All size blades. Write for our CATA¬ 
LOGUES of Hardware, Groceries, Etc. 
McKinney csl co. 
MAIL ORDER HOUSE 
186-194 STATE STREET, BINGHAMTON, N. Y 
S50 TO $300 SAVED 
W c are manufacturers, not merchants. Save dealers, 
jobbers and catalog house profit. I’ll save you from 
$50 toSJOO on ray High Grade Standard Gasoline 
Engines from 2 to 22-H.-P.—Price direct to you 
lower than dealers or jobbers have to pay for 
similar engines in carload lots for spot cash. / f Direct 
From 
My Fac¬ 
tory on 30 
Days’ Free 
Trial. Satisfac¬ 
tion or money 
back. Write forspec- 
ial proposition. All 
you pay me is ior raw 
material, labor and 
one small profit. Send ior 
my big BOOK FREE. 
Win. Galloway. Pres. 
tVni. Calloway Co. 
CCb Calloway HtuUon 
Waterloo, Iowa 
For Best EXTENSION LADDER “ 
JOHN J. POTl'lSlt,14 Mill St., Binghamton, N. Y. 
WRITE FOR 
QUOTATIONS 
dTf We have a complete list 
•I of commercial varieties 
of first grade apple trees for 
sale at popular prices. 
€J Agents wanted to handle our line of 
nursery stock. 
STONE & WELLINGTON, 
TORONTO, Ontario. 
ALFALFA 
All Northern Grown and 
guaranteed to be 99 per cent 
pure. Should produce hay 
at $ 40.00 per acre annually. Write for Free Sam¬ 
ple and instructions on growing. 
GRAIN AND GRASS SEED 
Northern Grown and of strongest vitality. Wo invite you to 
get Government Teste on our samples. ‘They will interest you 
U. S. govt, tests show that 
the grain analyzes richer than 
linseed meal and the hay nearly as nutritious as 
Alfalfa; will grow on poor soil—and improve it. 
Well worth a fair trial. Write for Catalog No. 23 
WING SEED CO., Box 323 MECHANICSBURG, OHIO 
ONE QUART OF STRAWBERRIES 
KEVITT'S SYSTEM. Send for my Mid-Summer 
Catalogue. T. C. KKVITT, Athenlu, N. J. 
SOY BEANS 
GALLOWAY 
Price and quality speak for themselves 
and you are to be the sole judge. 
Sell your poorest horse and buy a 
B-H.-P. only $119.BO 
and Peach Trees - Free Catalogue 
Apple 
SALESMEN WANTED 
Mitchell’s Nursery, Beverly, Ohio 
FOR SALE-100,000 CABBAGE PLANTS 
SUHEHEAD and DANISH BALL-HEAD ready July 1st at 
$ 1 . 1)0 per 1000. M. N. BOliGO, Vineland, N. J. 
iABBAGE, CELERY, SWEET POTATOES, TOMATOES, BRUS¬ 
SELS SPROUTS AND CELERIAC, best variety line plants 
. ' “ .T, BRISTOL,PA 
$1 per 1,000; 10,000 for$7.50. J. C. SCHMIDT, 
100,000 CABBAGE PLANTS tf&S} 0 ?; Si? 
soon. Lot your orders come. DAVID RODWAY.Hartly,Del. 
C ABBAGE PLANTS—Premium Flat Dutch, Large Am. Drum¬ 
head. 15c iter 100; $1.00 per 1000; 5000 for $4.50; 
10.000 for $H.00. B. PERKY, Cool Spring, Del. 
FOR SALE 
LATE FLAT DUTCH SUREHEAD AND 
DANISH BALL CABBAGE PLANTS. $1 
per 1,000 or 5,000 for $4. We pack in nice cool moss 
to carry any distance. Send your orders for cab¬ 
bage plants to us and get the best. Wo are always 
headquarters for late cabbage plants. 
CALEB HOGGS & SON, CheBWold, I>el. 
