J 6 
•n-ir; rural N'EW-vO: 
April U, lJio. 
S ETTING THE VINES—As I have 
grown blackberries with pleasing re¬ 
sults for a good many years my exper¬ 
ience may be of interest to other readers 
of The Ii. N.-Y. At the present time I 
have six acres devoted to the production 
of this fruit. I have heard men say that 
blackberries could be grown successfully 
on any kind of soil, but practical ex¬ 
perience has taught me that in order to 
produce first quality fruit the soil must 
be rich. In preparing the ground I plow 
very deeply, and put it in the best pos¬ 
sible condition. I lay the rows off six 
feet apart and set the plants 2% feet 
apart in the row. This allows sufficient 
room for cultivation and afterward to 
pick the berries. In setting the plants I 
have one man go ahead and lay them in 
the row, and another man follow with a 
hoe and draw the earth over the roots and 
firm it with his feet. Another man fol¬ 
lows with a small turning plow, throwing 
earth on both sides of the plant row, 
thus filling the trench and leaving plenty 
of mellow earth to hold the moisture. 
Varieties. —The best varieties to plant 
depends considerably on the locality in 
which they are to be grown. Some va¬ 
rieties will do splendidly for one section, 
while others will not do so well. For this 
reason it is well to obtain the advice of 
some local nurseryman as to the require¬ 
ments of different varieties. I feel per¬ 
fectly confident that some have failed to 
be successful in growing blackberries sim¬ 
ply because they have tried to grow kinds 
that were not adapted to their soil and 
climate. I am growing three varieties, 
all of which are well adapted to my soil 
and locality. They are the Lawton Jr., 
Erie and Early Harvest. The Lawton 
Jr. is very hardy and bears heavily. The 
Erie is an excellent variety, and some¬ 
what resembles a large black raspberry. 
I consider the Early Harvest the best 
early blackberry; it is a good hearer, quite 
free from rust and commands a good 
price in the market. April and May .are 
the best months in which to plant black¬ 
berries although they can be planted in 
October and November with fairly good 
success. One'must not be surprised if 
the plant does not begin to grow imme¬ 
diately after being set out. We must 
have patience with all kinds of plants 
and trees, and not expect them to start 
leaf growth soon after being planted. 
Sometimes growth does not begin on the 
blackberry for nearly a month after 
planting, and yet if the ground is kept 
well cultivated shoots will probably 
spring up from the roots and make a 
vigorous growth. 
Tnteu-Croih>ing. —The first year after 
planting I grow potatoes or some quick- 
maturing corn between the rows of my 
blackberries which does not injure the 
plants and at the same time practically 
pays for all the expenses. I use the hoe 
freely and plow with a two-horse culti¬ 
vator. Late in the Fall before the 
ground becomes too wet I throw earth 
well up to the plants to prevent heav¬ 
ing out during the Winter and also leave 
furrows to drain off surplus water. The 
second and following Springs I work the 
space between the rows shallow until the 
fruit is well advanced, thus counteract¬ 
ing to a very great extent the effects of 
a dry season. Blackberries bear their 
fruit on Summer shoots arising from Win¬ 
ter buds on one-year-old wood. After a 
cane has borne one crop it dies and is of 
no more use to the plant. Its place is 
taken by new canes which will bear the 
next year’s crop. 
Pruning.- —The pruning of this fruit 
consists of four distinct operations. First, 
removing superfluous shoots from the 
base of the plant, so that there will not 
be too many canes in a hill. Second, 
Summer nipping of the remaining shoots 
to induce a stocky growth and a strong 
development of laterals. Third, heading 
back these laterals the following Spring. 
Fourth, cutting out the old canes after 
they have borne their crop of fruit. The 
proper number of shoots for a hill will 
vary somewhat with the variety but in 
general will be from three to five. The 
shoots which are not to be left to produce 
canes should be removed as soon as they 
start so that the strength of the plant 
may go to those that remain. When the 
shoots have reached a height of IS to 24 
inches they must be nipped back. This 
operation consists in simply pinching off 
or otherwise removing the growing point 
or tip of the shoot. It can be done with 
the thumb and finger or with a pair of 
sheep shears. It is especially important 
that the shoots be nipped when they 
reach the height above mentioned, instead 
of being cut back to that height after 
growing beyond it. A long cane with all 
the laterals near the top is likely to lop 
over nearly or quite to the ground when 
laden with fruit, unless it is given some 
artificial support. If the shoots are 
nipped at the proper time, that is when 
they have reached a height of 18 to 24 
inches, they will develop into strong 
stocky canes well supplied with strong 
laterals, and in the case of most varieties 
capable of holding up the fruit without 
the aid of artificial support. As to tools, 
sheep shears can be used to good advan¬ 
tage in the Summer nipping of the canes. 
Pruning shears are almost indispensable 
in the cutting back of the laterals in the 
Spring. A pair of two hand pruning 
shears or a Spring bush hook will be 
found a good tool for cutting out the 
old canes. o. f. taylor. 
Illinois. 
Know Your Seed Corn. 
Don’t guess at the value of your seed 
corn; know. The only safe way to satis¬ 
fy yourself as to the quality of the seed 
you will use this year, is its test. Ohio 
describes a tester, made from a box 24x24 
inches, and four inches deep. With a saw 
make notches one inch deep and two 
inches apart on the sides and ends of the 
box. Put three inches of sand or soil in 
the box and press down firmly with a 
brick or the hand. By running cords 
from the notches both ways across the 
box, the sand or soil will be marked off 
into two-inch squares. These squares 
may be numbered along one side by figures 
and along one end by letters. Six ker¬ 
nels from well distributed parts of the ear 
should be removed and placed in a square. 
Number and letter the ear according to 
the number of the square and the let¬ 
ter, and fasten this to the ear. When 
the box is filled, a cotton cloth should be 
laid evenly over the kernels and another 
inch of sand or soil is placed on top of 
the cloth. Conduct the test under field 
conditions; that is a temperature of 50 
to 60 degrees Fhr. After a week or 10 
days the cloth may be rolled back, and 
the kernels of those ears which have 
failed to germinate satisfactorily should 
be discarded. This box can be used for 
testing ether seeds. 
Oi chard Heaters in the East. 
The use of orchard heaters has not 
become extended in the Atlantic States. 
Most of the work done with them appears 
to be in the Wes% where there are cold 
“pockets” or protected valleys into which 
the cold air is likely to roll and make 
trouble. With the higher winds which 
prevail along the Atlantic, it is very 
much harder to hold the artificial hi'at 
around the trees or shrubs, which are 
to be protected. The New Jersey Ex¬ 
periment Station has made careful ex¬ 
periments, generally with regard to the 
cost of these heaters. Many people do 
not understand what this orchard heating 
really is. 
A metal pan either rectangular or in 
the shape of a large pail or bucket, is 
partly filled with fuel oil. These pans 
are scattered about through the orchard 
or garden, and when the mercury falls 
in a thermometer to a point which makes 
it probable that freezing will follow fires 
are started in these pans by igniting the 
oil. This fuel burns slowly giving out 
considerable heat and a thick black 
smoke which, when the night is still, set¬ 
tles about the orchard and protects it 
like a cloud. The New Jersey Station has 
figured out the cost of heating one acre 
as follows: 
Cost of 90 heaters from 22 
to 35c . $19.80 $31.50 
Fuel for one firing, 90 to 
ISO gal. @ 6c. 5.40 10.80 
Labor per acre, filling and 
firing, based on ten acre 
unit (team and driver 
and 2 men for day, 2 for 
night) . 1.20 1.20 
Removing Secondary Shoots. 
I have some knowledge of the treating 
and pruning of grapevines, but there is 
a point that has been a puzzle to me, to 
know whether my idea in the matter is 
right. You very often find that from the 
same bud there will be two sprays that 
want to grow, and I have made it a point 
to rub off the weaker one. But when I 
get to other growers’ vines I notice, that 
a great many of them are found to grow; 
whether this was a case of neglect I am 
not able to say. H. K. h. 
Willowstreet, Pa. 
The removal of shoots, that have de¬ 
veloped from secondary buds as above 
pictured, is not practical in large com¬ 
mercial vineyards. In many instances, 
as when the vineyards are well tilled, fer¬ 
tilized and carefully pruned vines are able 
to grow these shoots and mature the ad¬ 
ditional clusters without injury. How¬ 
ever if the vines have been neglected in 
the above particulars and are carrying 
the maximum amount of fruiting wood al¬ 
ready, the tax of these secondary shoots 
will probably result in curtailed wood 
growth and inferior fruit. That such 
growth is not of annual occurrence in¬ 
dicates to a certain extent the vigor of 
the vines. When the season has been 
favorable for growth, particularly in the 
amount of soil moisture available and 
the plant food requirements are met, 
the secondary buds mature and develop a 
fair amount of fruit the following season. 
With weak-growing varieties no fruit 
should be allowed to mature from such 
growth. F. E. o. 
$26.40 $43.50 
It will be seen that 90 heaters are used 
to the acre and that each firing costs 
from $5.40 to $10.80, depending on the 
severity of the frost and the length of 
time required in fighting it. We have 
some reports from gardeners in the East¬ 
ern States who have used this method 
with profit, but most of the successful re¬ 
ports come from the West. We under¬ 
stand that in the case of a blizzard or 
high wind at the time of the frost, the 
heaters are rarely successful, as this 
wind blows the heat away from the trees 
and does not therefore give much protec¬ 
tion. Probably methods will be found for 
utilizing these pots on our Eastern 
farms. Doubtless some form of wind¬ 
break or wind protection will be neces¬ 
sary to make the pots fully effective. 
Judge: “You admit, then, that you 
stole the loaf of bread?” Woman pris¬ 
oner: “Yes, your Honor.” Judge: "What 
have you to say for yourself?” Woman: 
“Nothing, your Honor. If it was lace 
or jewelry I might plead kleptomania, 
but we can’t work that when it’s bread.” 
—Boston Transcript. 
Any girl can 
now drive 
the Ford 
Starts from the seat 
with an easy pull 
No more must wife or daughter 
say, “I’d like to drive the car but 
I can’t crank it.” Simply pull a 
handle on the dash, right beside 
the steering post. No possibility 
of back fire. No chance for in¬ 
jury. Turns motor every time. 
The Boston Starter makes your Ford 
worth more. Saves time. Saves work. 
Costs only $25. Adds only 12 lbs. to 
weight of car. No upkeep expense. 
Any garage man or mechanic can in¬ 
stall it in 2 hours. 
Ask your Ford dealer or garage man 
to show you the 
Boston 
Starter 
If he doesn’t have one, send us his name 
and we’ll see that you have full descrip¬ 
tion, details and demonstration. Write 
today to 
Automatic Appliance Co. 
172 Columbus Avenue, Boston, Mass. 
Bead the wisdom of the ROOF-FIX 
MAN on Page 515.—Adv. 
RUBBER ROOF1N G 85 Cents Roll 
108 Square Feet, INCLUDING NAILS AND CEMENT 
NO SECONDS—FREIGHT ALLOWED 
Rubber Roofing Mfg. Co., 5 Cortland! St., New York 
Still Full Contents of Potash in the 
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WHAT THE HALL-MARK IS TO SILVER, MAPES 
HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO FERTILIZERS—STERLING 
AN ABSOLUTE GUARANTEE 
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has been so through these troublous war 
times. From the day war was declared we 
have been manufacturing the MAPES 
FERTILIZERS p?'ecisely as in the past, with 
the same choice materials, giving our usual 
full contents of Potash, and are doing so 
to-day. 
If you want the Potash in the fertilizers 
for your various crops, which generations of 
experience have proved is advisable, use 
MAPES’. 
THE MAPES FORMULA & PERUVIAN 
GUANO COMPANY 
143 Liberty Street, New York 
Hartford Branch, 239 State Street, Hartford, Conn. 
