1914. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
203 
WESTERN NEW YORK HORTICULTURAL 
SOCIETY. 
Part II. 
Dr. Jordan, the director of the New 
York Experiment Station, who after look¬ 
ing the big audience over, said he “won¬ 
dered that farmers could stand so much 
science,” confined his talk mostly to the 
high cost of living and its causes. Evi¬ 
dently he is not very sanguine about the 
efficacy of the many cures suggested, espe¬ 
cially that of increasing the yields of our 
products. It is true that there is a 
chance to increase the yields per acre, 
which are often low; true that the home 
supply has not been keeping up with the 
increased demand; true that the aggre¬ 
gate increase of farm products has been 
only Aery slight during the past decade, 
and that in some cases there has been a 
decrease; true that the figures represent¬ 
ing production are entirely out of har¬ 
mony with our increased population. It 
is also true that an immense acreage of 
tillable land remains unused, only 27 per 
cent of the potentially tillable land in the 
country at large, and about 40 per cent of 
such land in New York State, now being 
kept under cultivation. Our vast poten¬ 
tial resources will only be developed, how¬ 
ever, when it can be done with a profit 
to the producer. Our life habits have be¬ 
come expensive. The producer must se¬ 
cure a profit on his labor and investments. 
The profits in farming are not too large, 
and at present do not warrant an increase 
of production. Other conditions must 
change to stimulate greater production. 
No use in making two blades of grass 
grow where only one grew before unless 
the extra blade of grass can be marketed 
at a profit. The consumer pays enough, 
but the distribution of his money is on 
an entirely wrong basis. The price re¬ 
ceived by the producer grows about from 
100 to 400 when it gets to the consumer. 
Only about 40 per cent, of the returns 
go to the producer. Farmers are not in 
control of their business. The goods, fruits 
included, are not standardized. Farmers 
compete with one another, and are al¬ 
ways ready to break loose from a com¬ 
mon understanding as to prices and 
sales. Fertilizers are mostly secured on 
credit at large increase of cost. Dr. 
Jordan seems to see little promise in 
State help, and in legislation, and is not 
clamoring for having the farmer made 
the pet of the State, and for supplying 
him with artificial and more favorable 
conditions than are the lot of other 
classes of our people. Self-help is the 
keynote of his suggestions as to the 
proper cure. Farmers must acquire the 
spirit of cooperation. If the State sup¬ 
plies instructors to farmers to help them 
organize for such purposes, these in¬ 
structors should be well-trained men, 
add men of practical experience. The 
reorganization of the distribution of pro¬ 
ducts and that of returns is sorely 
needed. Mr. George T. Powell also offered 
some suggestions along cooperative lines. 
Mr. Bush of Morton, speaking on the 
same question, remarked that high prices 
do not help the farmer because he does 
not get them. Higher prices therefore 
will not stimulate production unless part 
of the profits go to the producer. The 
elimination of needless expenses in dis¬ 
tribution is the first necessity. When the 
farmer and fruit grower are happy and 
prosperous, this condition is reflected in 
every other business, and the whole peo¬ 
ple are prosperous. With all the great 
advantages in favor of the New York 
fruit growers, the latter have been asleep, 
with dormant courage and effort. The 
consumer is obliged to pay for his fruit 
with a standard dollar. lie is entitled 
to a standard package. Speculators are 
usually around when not needed, and 
absent when market conditions are un¬ 
favorable. They are not to bo depended 
on, nor to be waited for. New York 
offers the finest field for cooperation of 
any State in the Union. 
Mr. A. J. Warren, an Irondequoit 
market gardener, speaking about growing 
vegetables under glass, remarked that the 
greenhouse is now an essential asset of 
the market gardener. Vegetables the 
year around are now considered a ne¬ 
cessity, not any more, like formerly, a 
luxury. Among vegetables grown under 
glass we have principally lettuce, 
radishes, parsley, tomatoes, rhubarb, 
also green onions, cauliflowers, string 
beans, etc. The houses should be well 
glazed and protected. Many troubles are 
due to much exposed houses. 
The question box always elicits lively 
and general discussions, but the “pro¬ 
fessors” are called on in most cases to 
give the final answer, or to “clinch the 
nail.” 
“What is the remedy for yellow leaf 
on sour cherries in June?” The expert 
answer gave the cause as being a fungus 
that enters three weeks before the trouble 
appears in the yellowing of the leaf. 
The first spray, Bordeaux mixture, must 
be applied before there is any sign of 
yellowing, and followed by two later ap¬ 
plications. 
“What to do with Early Richmond, 
Montmorency and English Morello cher¬ 
ries planted 1t> by 1(5, and commencing 
to crowd?” Prof. Hedrick says the only 
thing that can be done is to cut some 
of the trees out. 
According to Prof. Parrott digging out 
is yet the best remedy for the peach 
borer. Go after the borer with a chisel 
or sharp knife. 
“Any danger of planting too many 
sour cherries in this part of the State?” 
Growers of experience seem to think 
there is some danger. Schmidt’s Bigar- 
reau cherry was pronounced a great and 
promising cherry by Mr. McKay, and as 
doing well on stony soil, by ITof. Hed¬ 
rick. 
“Will a few colonies of bees placed in 
a twenty-acre orchard help fertilize the 
bloom?” Yes, says Prof. Beach, the 
practise is on safe lines. It may do a 
good deal of good in some seasons. 
Spraying with black-leaf tobacco ex¬ 
tract for aphis when here, is all right, 
says Prof. Parrott, but kerosene emul¬ 
sion, soap emulsion, etc., are cheaper. 
No dust spray can be used effectively for 
San Jose scale, says Prof. Parrott. 
Prof. Hedrick does not think we are 
using enough cover crops in our peach 
orchards. Might, safely use cover crops 
much more freely to advantage. Among 
best crops to be planted in a young peach 
orchard are named strawberries, toma¬ 
toes, cabbage, sweet corn, beans, peas, 
cantaloupes, squash, etc. The general 
opinion of fruit growers is that we now 
have enough crab apples in the State. 
When fruit is wanted rather than 
wood growth on Bartlett pear trees, 
Prof. Beach recommends pruning after 
the leaves are well developed or are near¬ 
ing the mature stage. The tree’s energy 
will then be expend 1 in developing fruit 
buds. 
The fruit-tree leaf-roller is a new pest 
in this State, as stated by Prof. Parrott. 
He recommends the use of miscible oils 
to the swelling buds, and says he has de¬ 
stroyed by this means 93 to 97 per cent 
of the insects. 
The old much-maligned Kieffer pear 
seems to be still thought worth planting 
by the majority of the members. 
For putting in boxes rather than bar¬ 
rels, all apples of high flavor are recom¬ 
mended. such as Jonathan, McIntosh, 
Spy, Winter Banana, Canada Red. Prof. 
Beach says that some growers would 
even make money by packing good Rhode 
Island Greenings, or any other good ap¬ 
ple. liOts of people would buy a box, 
when they could not buy a barrel. The 
majority of the members are also in 
favor of interplanting a young vineyard 
for the first two years with a cultivated 
crop, such as tomatoes or potatoes, but 
Prof. Hedrick qualifies this by adding 
“unless one has lots of land.” 
Black-leaf tobacco-extract if brought 
in contact with the human flesh may 
cause sickness. In the factories where 
employees sometimes become affected by 
nausea, drinking hot water is found to 
be the best remedy. 
President Barry complained that while 
prizes had been offered for the best pack¬ 
age of Baldwin and Spy apples (one, 
the first, of $25, and a second for $12.50) 
there were only two entries. There 
should have been at least 25. This does 
not show well for the enterprise of the 
members of the society. t. g. 
.EXPLOSIONS 3Y WIRELESS. 
Experiments have been reported from 
Italy where mines have been exploded 
under the water by a wireless apparatus. 
It appears that the explosives were put 
down under water at a distance of about 
half a mile from the apparatus. There 
was a hill covered with trees, some stone 
and buildings between the two. Yet it 
was possible at this distance to explode 
the mine. It is a great thought as to 
what this may le..d to in war. It is not 
at all improbable that a future develop¬ 
ment of this system would enable an ap¬ 
paratus on shore to explode the maga¬ 
zines in warships or destroy them with 
their own ammunition. That ought to 
be a fearful argument against war. 
The GOOD Apple Trees 
For Northern Planting 
are not grown in the north or 
west. They are grown on 
the “Easter.! Shore" of Mary¬ 
land, near the Atlantic Ocean, 
at Berlin. 
These trees are tempered to 
entire hardiness for any apple 
section by the severe winter 
storms that sweep the coast 
from the north. 
We sell only the trees we 
grow. Most of them are bud¬ 
ded from hearing orchards. 
They are grown in the largest 
nurseries in the world, where 
more practical orchard men 
are employed than in any 
other nursery in America. 
Get Our 
1914 Catalogue 
It tells why our trees are sel¬ 
dom equaled, and tells how to 
plant to get $ 100 or more an 
acre each year from your or¬ 
chard. This book describes the 
valuable varieties of all fruits 
for all sections. Sent on re¬ 
quest. I i rite today, usk ques¬ 
tions, and tell us about your 
planting plans and aims. 
HARRISONS’ NURSERIES 
Box 494 Berlin, Md, 
Genuine 
Delicious Apples 
William P. Stark 
Rush Your Orders for 
Delicious Apple and 
J.H. Hale Peach 
Each the greatest fruit of its kind. Each genuine, pure- 
strain stock. Send orders now direct to William P, Stark 
Nurseries, Stark City, Missouri, and get started this very spring 
with these premier profit producers. 
The William P. Stark “Direct-to-You” Plan 
Saves You 30% to 50% on Finest Trees 
( 
We have eliminated all agents, salesmen and plate-book 
men. Our experience has been that by selling direct we can 
save our customers from one-third to one-half and be sure they 
get exactly what they ordered. Our catalog is our only sales¬ 
man. Instead of paying agents’ commissions and expenses 
you put the saving in your own pocket. And you get highest- 
standard, healthy, vigorous trees, doubly guaranteed true to 
name and free from insects or disease. 
Selected 1 and 2 Year 
Delicious 
The Delicious apple makes 
growers more and bigger profits 
than any other apple ever planted. 
In the Chicago commission mar¬ 
kets in January, Delicious apples 
were bringing $3.25 to $3.75 per 
box—while Winesaps, McIntosh 
Reds, Winter Fearmains, Jona¬ 
thans and Rome Beauties were 
priced at $2.25 to $2.75. You can 
get genuine Delicious apple trees 
of guaranteed purity, from Wil- 
liam P. Stark Nurseries at grow¬ 
er’s wholesale prices. 
J. H. Hale Peach— 
Not Many Left 
This year, as last year, we will 
be oversold on J. H. Hale peach 
trees in the middle of the season. 
This is the “Peach King’s” mas¬ 
ter-piece. A peach larger, finer 
colored, better flavored, better 
keeper and shipper than any El- 
berta that ever grew. All j. H. 
Hale peach trees propagated from 
buds cut by Mr. Hale from his 
bearing orchards. W 7 rite or tele¬ 
graph to be sure of getting enough 
trees for this spring’s planting. 
The supply is short. 
By Parcel Post 
We furnish special grade, heavy, 
stocky plants and trees of mailing 
size in our parcel post department. 
If you want few trees or many see 
the Parcel Post assortments in 
catalog. We pay postage. 
William P. Stark Trees 
From Stark City, Mo. 
Remember the name —Stark City, 
Missouri. Itmeansthe famous Stark- 
Ozark Mountain grown quality—the 
30% to 50% saving, the double true-to- 
name guarantee, the most expert 
packing and shipping. It will pay 
you to trade with the William P. 
Stark Nurseries. 
Write for Catalog Today! 
It deals with the .subject of trees 
and plants from .h - grower’s point of 
view rather than the nurseryman’s. 
Every worth-while variety of apple, 
peach, pear, plum, cherry, quince, 
grape, currant, blackberry, raspber¬ 
ry, gooseberry, roses, shrubs, shade 
trees and ornamentals. Clear, concise 
descriptions. Lowest prices in plain 
figures. Send coupon today! 
William P. Stark Nurseries 
Box 742, Stark City, Missouri 
William P. Stark Nurseries ( 
Box 742, Stark City, Missouri 
Please send me your 1914 catalog. I am interested in 
I I Delicious Apple [] J. H. Hale Peach 
Apples d Pears El Cherries d Roses 
Peaches □ Piu ms □ Bush Fruits □ Ornamentals 
Approximate number of trees desired. 
Name... 
Address. 
