1412 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
December 5, 
VAN DEMAN’S FRUIT NOTES. 
Wire Gauze Tree Protectors. 
H OW close to the tree should wire gauze 
be, and about how high, as a protec¬ 
tion against borers? I should think 
if it was not tight to the tree the borers 
could climb up between the tree and 
gauze. L. p. s. 
Lakewood, O. 
In applying wire gauze to the base of 
peach or other fruit trees to prevent the 
borers from getting in them, it should be 
of galvanized material, and a very fine 
mesh. The height should be about 10 
inches, and the width sufficient to pass 
about the trunk and leave a space of an 
inch or more between the back and the 
wire. The ends of the little wires should 
be bent or fastened into the edge of the 
end of the piece so as to form a closed 
tube. A wire over the outside at top and 
bottom is an additional means of secur¬ 
ity. The bottom should be sunk a little 
in the ground, and the top stuffed with a 
little soft grass or excelsior, to fill the 
space and thus prevent the possibility of 
the beetles that lay the eggs from getting 
to the bark to deposit them. Paper wraps 
are sometimes used, but they are not so 
durable as the wire gauze nor do they al¬ 
low the circulation of air nearly so well. 
Bose Pear in Massachusetts. 
I WOULD like to have the advice of Mr. 
Van Deman as to what particular cul¬ 
ture and pollination the Bose pear 
needs. What pear should be planted with 
it and would it be profitable to plant 
compared with the Bartlett or Angouleme 
in this locality (Southern Massachu¬ 
setts) ? I have about an acre that I wish 
to plant to pears. The soil is good clay 
loam. Does a Bartlett need other pears 
to pollenize? L. w. J. 
Rehoboth. Me. 
The Bose pear is not always to be de¬ 
pended on to pollinate its own flowers, al¬ 
though it is not really self-sterile as are 
some other varieties. But just what va¬ 
rieties are the most suitable to pollinate 
the Bose has not been worked out. How¬ 
ever, it is almost certain that any stand¬ 
ard variety that blooms at the same time 
with it will serve the desired purpose. 
The Anjou, Bartlett and Angouleme are 
profitable and ought to be all right. Bose 
should be top-worked on other varieties 
that are very vigorous and not especially 
subject to blight, because it is a poor 
grower and needs the i petus of a strong 
one that does not readily become dis¬ 
eased. Bartlett bears much better for 
having other varieties growing near it. 
Propagating Nuts; Fertilizing Apples. 
W HEN and how should I plant chest¬ 
nut, oak and black walnut seeds for 
seedlings to be used in forest plant¬ 
ing? Would it be better to plant the nuts 
in garden and transplant to the woods 
later? 2. What amount of fertilizer and 
when apply and what kind should I use 
for two, three and 15-year-old apple trees? 
Port Allegany, Pa. R. C. c. 
1. Nuts and acorns of all kinds should 
never be allowed to get very dry in the 
Fall or at any time. Nature drops them 
on the ground and covers them with 
leaves that keep them moist until they 
start to grow in the Spring, and then the 
young seedlings get their water from the 
soil through their roots. If we will try 
to follow nature as closely as possible and 
even improve on her methods in growing 
forest seedlings we may succeed. The 
nuts and acorns should be gathered in 
the Fall as soon as they drop from the 
trees, and be at once packed in boxes that 
have holes in the bottom to give good 
drainage, mixed with damp sand or leaf 
mold and covered with a wire netting of 
some kind that will prevent mice from 
getting in. These boxes should be buried 
in the earth to their tops and a little 
trash thrown over them and left to the 
action of the weather until Spring. When 
there is the first signs of sprouting of the 
nuts they should be planted. It is best 
to plant such forest seeds as nuts and 
acorns where the trees are to stand, for 
the seedlings are difficult to transplant. 
The best of all fertilizers for fruit trees 
of any age is good stable manure. If this 
is not available then a mixed commercial 
fertilizer that contains about one-half 
acid phosphate, one-quarter muriate or 
sulphate of potash and one-quarter tank¬ 
age will be suitable. Trees two to three 
years old should have five pounds each 
and those 15 years old 25 pounds each. 
The time to apply it is not very material, 
but the early Spring is as good a time for 
it as any, and may be the best. 
H. E. VAN DEMAN. 
Cross-Bred Potatoes. 
O UR understanding is that in spite of 
certain claims of potato breeders that 
they have hybridized or rather crossed 
different varieties artificially, this has 
never been done, although I am not posi¬ 
tive that this is true. What is your opin¬ 
ion? v. s. s. 
The R. N.-Y. has referred to this be¬ 
fore. But little progress has been made 
in artificial hybridization or hand pollina¬ 
tion of the cultivated potato, hut undoubt¬ 
edly natural cross-fertilization occurs in 
the field. Even without natural or arti¬ 
ficial crossings, potato seedlings uniform¬ 
ly show wide variation. Our cultivated 
potatoes flower sparingly, and the flowers 
are often deficient in pollen; if pollen 
were formed and ripened, and applied to 
receptive stigmas there seems no reason 
why complete pollenization should not re¬ 
sult. It would seem as though constant 
tuber propogation had weakened the ten¬ 
dency to form pollen, but that is the only 
bar to hand pollenization. 
THE MAILBAG. 
Wintering Salsify. 
I N leaving salsify in the ground all 
Winter should I cover it with dirt or 
leave the same as parsnips. E. K. 
Salsify is entirely hardy, and if it is 
so desired, may be allowed to stand over 
Winter in the ground where it grows, 
with or without a protecting cover of 
litter. If wanted for Winter use it is 
better to store it in pits, same as is done 
with other root crops. Salsify is a good 
keeper and may be safely stored any¬ 
where that is not wet, nor warm enough 
to induce growth. 
Cement Floor for Granary. 
C AN anyone tell me how I can lay a 
cement floor in my granary without 
any risk of having the grain spoil 
next to the floor? c. M. G. 
Richville, N. Y. 
Unless the soil beneath your granary is 
unusually wet, a sub-base of field and cob¬ 
blestones, 10 or 12 inches thick, should 
protect the floor from undue moisture. 
If there is danger, however, of moisture 
coming through the concrete, it may bo 
guarded against by first laying several 
inches of the concrete floor, then covering 
it with one or two layers of tarred paper, 
mopped on with hot tar. after which the 
floor is completed to the desired thick¬ 
ness. M. B. D. 
Buckwheat Straw for Bedding. 
I HAVE a lot of buckwheat straw which 
I intended to use as bedding under 
the cows and horses. I was told by 
some of my neighbors that buckwheat 
straw was very bad to use for bedding, 
and that it made the cows “lousy.” 
Centerville Sta., N. Y. J. S. 
Buckwheat straw has the reputation of 
being irritating to the skin of animals 
bedded with it, particularly that of 
horses. I have used it for that purpose 
for some years, however, and shall this 
Winter. While it cannot, of course, cause 
lice or parasitic skin disease, I am not 
at all sure that it is not irritating to the 
sensitive skin of some animals. One of 
m.v horses bedded with it frequently shows 
a mange-like eruption of the skin in the 
Spring, but as he has also shown the same 
condition when buckwheat straw was not 
used. I do not know how much influence 
the bedding has had. At any rate, I am 
not sufficiently convinced of the irritating 
properties of buckwheat straw to discon¬ 
tinue its use. m. B. D. 
Smoke Cure for Skunks. 
R EGARDING your correspondent’s let¬ 
ter, page 1304, would like to add ex¬ 
perience for the benefit of others 
who may sooner or later be in need of it. 
Thirty years ago I lived in a regular 
skunk country in Colorado, where during 
the haying season adventures with 
skunks were a daily occurrence, plenty 
and varied, sometimes humorous, always 
odorous, sometimes exciting. seldom 
pleasant and most always Embarrassing 
they were. The best, quickest and easi¬ 
est way to remove the perfume or after¬ 
effects from an encounter with a skunk 
from inside buildings, clothes pro¬ 
visions, etc., we found a smudge made of 
green cedar boughs or juniper (cedar 
preferred). Fumigate the clothes by 
hanging them up loose around the room 
or cellar or outhouse. In case the floor 
is of wood make a fire in an old sheet- 
iron tub after putting a few inches of 
dirt in it. After the fire has partly burnt 
down lay on the green cedar boughs and 
let her smoke. Close doors and windows 
but don't let the house catch fire. At. 
that time the county I lived in paid 25 
cents bounty for each scalp. They are 
good eating if you can overcome the pre- i 
judice. c. E. 
Douglas, Ariz. 
“Tommy.” said the Sunday school 
teacher, who had been giving a lesson on 
the Baptismal Covenant, “can you tell me 
the two things necessary to baptism?” 
“Yes’m,” said Tommy, “water and a 
baby.*”—^’'este^y Mail, j 
i 
This Scientific Powdered 
Spray Material Assures 
Clean,Top-of-the-Market Fruit 
Dissolves instantly in cold or hot water. Will keep indefinitely in 
any climate. Will not crystallize. Sticks like paint. Four years 
actual use has proven it to be the most economical, efficient, 
practical and convenient spray material on the market. 
CONSIDER THIS COMPARISON 
600-lb. Barrel against 100-lb. Drum 
Standard Barrel 
commercial lime and 
sulplmr. This 50 gal¬ 
lons of liquid weighs 
600 pounds, of which 
75% is water and 
package. Impossible 
to prevent leakage. 
SPRAYING T EES 
is a Business Proposit. on 
We have the facts about producing Quality 
Fruit, They are yours for the asking. 
Send today for our Up-to-the-Minute Spray 
calendar. Live information about spraying 
from the very best sources. 
A scientific bulletin prepared by our Experi¬ 
mental Department—describes actual field 
experiments with Niagara Soluble Sulphur 
Compound. 
A testimonial booklet giving the experience* 
of practical fruit growers all over the country 
who use Niagara Soluble Sulphur Compound. 
Standard Drum 
Niagara Soluble 
Sulphur C o m - 
pound. This 100 
pounds of pow- 
d'ered material is 
equivalent to GO 
gallons of liquid. 
Leakage im¬ 
possible. y 
,4 
* && 
Use the coupon today and get these 
business bulletins on fruit spraying. 
NIAGARA SPRAYER CO. 42 Main Street 
Middleport, N.Y. 
Manufacturers of everything for spraying purposes 
Machinery and Materials 
CV * v o’ 
& /4?ia 
Every farmer and his wife 
should read our latest illustra¬ 
ted handbook and learn how 
to treat seeds with the best 
and cheapest disinfectant— 
It positively rids seed grains of 
smuts, potatoes of scab and black 
leg; destroys disease germs in 
drains, stables, kennels, chicken 
houses, etc. It kills flies. Endorsed 
by the U.S.Dep’t Agriculture. One 
pound bottles of Perth Amboy 
“Formaldehyde, ”35 cents at dealers. 
Write for Book—just issued—free. 
Perth Amboy Chemical Works 
100 William Street, New York 1 
THE PECAN BUSINESS 
In a concise booklet, FREE. Every 
point mentioned from planting the nuts 
to gathering the nuts. Written from 
practical results,over 20years’ experience. 
NUTS AND TREES FOR SALE 
B. W. STONE, Thomasville, Ga. 
Sudan Grass 
—Northern grow nseed, hardy and free from 
Johnaon Kra**R. Write for free sample ami 
prices. 1IENK V [FIELD* SHENANDOAH, IOWA 
Labe! Your Trees and Shrubs 
Practically indestructible 
sample: 25 cents for 3: $1 
WM. G. SHEPHERD, . 
-pro 
Semi 10 cents for 
for 15: $5 for 100. 
Williamsport, 1’a 
Don’t Buy Fruit Trees 
We are not Jobbers or Dealers. Our prices will surprise you. 
Order from the grower ami save disappointment later. Send 
postal today. THOMAS E. SHEERIN'. Nursery- 
mnii, 21 Main Street, Bunsville, New York 
Trees—Plants—Vines 
in small or large lots at wholesale 
prices. Catalog and Green’s Fruit 
Book—FREE. Green’s Nursery Co. 
22 WaU St., Rochester, N Y. 
SWEET CLOVER SEED 
Prices and circulars 
sent on request. E. BARTON, BOX 29, FALMOUTH, KY. 
S WEET CLOVER SEEO—The true white blooming variety 
(MeliIotU8 Alba.). Write for free sample of new crop seed 
and latest prices. HEN It Y EIEL1>, Shcnnudonh, Iowa 
Sts Regis Raspberry Plants 
Plant St. Regis. Don’t wait until everybody gets 
them They are a money-maker. They come earlier 
than any others' grown in this section, where they 
originated, and pick until frost. The best of refer¬ 
ence. ARTHUR R. HEGGAN, Waterford, N. J. 
FOR SALE—IN CAR LOAD LOTS 
GERMA l\l CA TTLE BEETS 
Best Mangel Grown. $6 per ton, P. O. B., Auburn, 
N. Y. T. E. BARLOW, Supt., Auburn, New York 
Strawberries— the big delicious kinds, that bring 
highest prices—can be grown in your 
own garden by usings our plants. 
Vigorous — guaranteed true - to - name. 
Allen’s 1915 Book of Berries 
fully describes the latest and best varie¬ 
ties of strawberries and other small 
fruits, giving cultural methods, etc.—the 
result of 30 years experience. 
It’s free. Write for copy today 
The W. F. ALLEN CO. 
72 Market St. 
Salisbury - - Md. 
PAT. 
Cuts fiom 
both sides of 
limb and does 
RHODES DOUBLE nTTfT ’ 
PRUNING SHEAR _ _ . . 
not bruise 
the bark. 
We pay Ex¬ 
press charges 
on all orders. 
Write for 
circular and 
prices. 
529 So. Division Avc., GRAND RAPIDS. MICH. 
RHODES MFC. CO. 
BOOKS WORTH READING 
U How Crops Grow, Johnson. 1.50 f| 
Celery Culture. Beattie.50 || 
II Greenhouse Construction, Taft.... 1.50 |1 
The Rural New-Yorker, 333 W. 30th St., N. Y. 
