THE HUH AT, NEW -YORKER 
801 
Commercial Fruit Culture 
The Chautauqua and Erie Grape Belts. 
Part II. 
I-xsect Foes. —The most injurious in¬ 
soot that the vineyardists have had to 
deal with in the Chautauqua region is the 
Grape root-worm. This beetle in its 
larval stage eats the fibrous roots and 
rootlets of the vine, during late Summer 
and Fall, and emerges as a beetle the lat¬ 
ter part of June and early July, when it 
feeds on the foliage for a few weeks. At 
this stage the insects may he controlled 
by thorough spraying with an arsenical 
poison. Vineyards that are located on 
wet soils or those that have become weak¬ 
ened from lack of tillage, fertilization or 
other omissions, suffer in greater degree 
from the presence of this pest than those 
that are maintained in a high state of cul¬ 
ture. The Grape leaf-hopper in some sea¬ 
sons attacks the foliage in injurious num¬ 
bers, thereby retarding wood and fruit 
maturity. The clearing of waste head¬ 
lands and the removal of all rubbish adja¬ 
cent to the vineyards, whereby the hi¬ 
bernating places are destroyed, is an effec¬ 
tual method of control. Spraying when 
an abundance of the newl.v-liatched 
nymphs are found on the under sides of 
the leaves with a solution of nicotine sul¬ 
phate and water is also very effective. 
1 he two methods of control, however, 
should supplement one another. In cer¬ 
tain vineyards the steely beetle and the 
rose-chafer are more or less injurious, 
but control methods that are effective 
have been worked out for these, so that 
very little injury need result from their 
presence. 
Tillage. —Frequent and thorough til¬ 
lage is necessary and is the rule in the 
vineyards of the region. The first Spring 
operation is the plowing with the single 
horse and gang or two-horse plow. This 
is done as soon as weather and soil condi¬ 
tions permit. The subsequent tillage is 
done with the grape horse hoe, hand hoe, 
spring-tooth harrow, disk and diamond- 
tooth cultivator. This is continued at 
frequent intervals up till about the first 
of August when the green manures are 
seeded. 
Stable Manure. —Very little stock is 
kept in the Belt, so that if stable manure 
is used in any quantity it must be 
brought in from the outside. Many grow¬ 
ers purchase annually carloads from the 
Chicago or Buffalo stock yards. The 
prices for this ranges from $18 to $30 per 
carload at the point of shipment, depend¬ 
ing on the kind. Manure applications 
made in this manner are rather expensive, 
while the supply in many years is not de¬ 
pendable. The average application con¬ 
sists of two or three forkfuls piled around 
the base of the vine. The method of ap¬ 
plication is questionable, while the 
amount seems insufficient to supply the 
necessary essential fertility elements. It 
is probable that the greatest good that 
comes from the use of such manure and 
in so small amounts is in the mechanical 
improvement of the soil. That it is pos¬ 
sible to maintain vineyards in a vigorous 
condition without the use of stable ma¬ 
nure but through the use of green ma¬ 
nures and commercial fertilizers has been 
thoroughly demonstrated. 
Harvesting. —The harvest period is a 
busy one in the Grape Belt. The time of 
beginning varies from the middle of Sep¬ 
tember to the first of October, and in 
some seasons even a little earlier or later. 
If the fruit is to be used in the manufac¬ 
ture of unfermented grape juice, it is pre¬ 
ferred that the crop stay on the vines till 
the sugar content is at its maximum. 
Harvesting for shipment to distant mar¬ 
kets is begun some time previous to that 
for the juice factories. If the crop is to 
be shipped for dessert purposes it is 
packed in four, eight and 20-pound bas¬ 
kets. The four-pound baskets are used 
largely in packing the early varieties such 
as Moore Early, Worden, Champion, etc. 
The packing in the eight-pound baskets is 
done both in the field and in the packing 
house. The 20-pound baskets are usually 
picked and packed in the field at one op¬ 
eration. Good packers are in demand and 
command very fair wages. The grapes 
for the unfermented juice factories are 
picked in crates, holding about 24 
pounds net, furnished by the factories. 
The Factory Demand.—A crate of 
grapes intended for some of the manufac¬ 
turers is in every way the equal of the 
best basket pack. Others accept a quality 
much inferior to the basket grade with a 
price commensurate. A few manufactur¬ 
ers accept only sprayed fruit. For the 
first time in 1014 a minimum price was 
established by some in midsummer for 
crops conforming to the desired quality. 
This important innovation by one of the 
largest producers had a decided tendency 
to steady the market throughout the sea¬ 
son. Before a contract is offered to the 
grower the manufacturer’s inspector goes 
through the vineyards and determines 
whether the crop will meet their require¬ 
ments. If it is found satisfactory the 
grower then signs a contract to furnish a 
stated number of tons of grapes, well 
ripened and free from the injuries of in¬ 
sects, hail, etc. If the grower later finds 
that he cannot furnish the tonnage agreed 
upon he informs the purchaser. The time 
for beginning the picking is sent to each 
grower, with the amount of tonnage he 
can deliver each day. Grates are secured 
from the factory by those who are within 
hauling distance, or from the cars by 
those who must make shipments by 
freight. The price is made on delivery 
to the factory or to the cars, and is the 
same in either case. At both places in¬ 
spectors are stationed who carefully ex¬ 
amine each load presented at the car for 
defects, especially as to ripeness. Single 
crates and sometimes entire loads are re¬ 
fused for not meeting the requirements 
already mentioned. f. e. g. 
Rhubarb from Seed. 
Several years ago. 1912, T bought rhu¬ 
barb seed and sowed it, and it came up, 
making good plants. The following 
Spring I dug them up and set them out 
in their permanent place; last season and 
this season the stalks are only as large 
as a lead pencil, and they have many seed 
heads. What can I do with them to make 
them bear large stalks, or do you think 
them worthless? Please advise the proper 
method of treatment. w. h. h, 
Colfax, Iowa. 
Uniformity in the size of stalks pro¬ 
duced by plants grown from seed is sel¬ 
dom if ever experienced in rhubarb cul¬ 
ture. There will always be a greater or 
lesser number of plants that will produce 
nothing but small spindling stalks, entire¬ 
ly unfit for market, but that every plant 
should prove worthless, would be very 
rare indeed. Such a phenomenon would 
hardly be conceivable. Yet it might be 
possible. Adverse soil conditions are in 
most cases responsible for such failures. 
Rhubarb, like all vegetables, thrives best 
in a well-drained, deep, rich sandy loam, 
but will do quite well in any kind of good 
soil if well drained. The plant is a gross 
feeder and should be liberally supplied 
with old well-rotted manure. When set 
in the field three or four shovelfuls to 
each plant, thoroughly incorporated with 
the soil, should be applied, and annual 
mulchings of coarse manure around the 
plants at beginning of Winter, should 
also be given, and worked in the soil 
around the plants as early in Spring as 
the growth appears. 
Preparation of the soil for a rhubarb 
plantation should be quite thorough. The 
plants make long tap-roots that penetrate 
the soil to quite a depth, therefore the 
ground should be broken up quite deep. 
Some growers advocate subsoiling to a 
depth of IS inches, especially if the sub¬ 
soil is naturally hard and heavy. They 
claim it pays to go to the extra expense 
of subsoiliug for this crop. However, 
very good crops of this vegetable can be 
grown on ground that has not been sub¬ 
soiled, if plenty of good manure and suffi¬ 
cient cultivation is given. While the di¬ 
vided plants will be considerably more ex¬ 
pensive than those produced from seed, it 
pays to plant them, especially if the pro¬ 
duct is for marketing, as each plant under 
proper culture will produce stalks of 
nearly uniform size. But in purchasing 
such plants one should be absolutely cer¬ 
tain they are taken from plants of tested 
value that were propagated from divis¬ 
ions. Otherwise you might be no better 
off than if seedlings were used. k. 
Stout Wife: “How do you like my 
masquerade costume? I’m a page.” Hus¬ 
band: “Page? You look more like a vol¬ 
ume.”—Princeton Tiger. 
Only 
$ 192 > 
for this 
Ford 
Starter 
Costs little to buy 
Costs little to install 
Costs nothing to operate 
No batteries to buy and bother with, nothing to get out of kilter, and not a cent 
for up-keep. The Boston Starter turns your engine every time, guaranteed to 
start any engine that s startable. Doesn’t disfigure your car, adds only a few 
pounds to the weight — but adds 100% to the value. Put your crank in your 
tool-box, stay in your seat. $19.75 is a small price — poor pay for sweating 
yourself sick over a crank, with the risk of back-firing your wrist off. Get a 
Boston Starter, take things easy, and really enjoy your car. 
Ask your dealer for a demonstration of the 
Boston Starter 
If he doesn’t Have the Boston Starter.send us his name and we’ll mail full details and 
information where you can see this Starter demonstrated. Write nearest office at once 
Automatic Appliance Co. 
172 Columbus Ave., Boston, Mass. I 304 Hodges Bldg., Detroit, Mich. 
1876 Broadway, New York, N. Y. | 715 Main Street. Iowa Falls, Iowa. 
cFor All Ycur HEAVY Work 
You have scores of tilings daily to be 
hoisted, lowered or hauled, such as un¬ 
loading hay or grain, hauling timbers, ele¬ 
vating ice, driving fence posts, loading or 
unloading coal, fertilizer, machinery, 
fruit, etc. Let us help you save money, 
work and two-thirdsof your time with an 
Ireland Geared Hoist 
Operates Safely and Easily 
Special pulley for your engine. 
Guaranteed every way. Write 
for hoist circulars —also about 
our drax? saws, wood saws, 
saw mills and shingle mills. 
Ireland Machine & Foundry Co. 
l 22 State St., Norwich, N.Y. 
PULVERIZED 
LIMESTONE 
For Agricultural Use 
— - ALL SIZES STONE - 
Write for Circular on 
WHY IT SHOULD BE USED 
HOW IT SHOULD BE USED 
HOW MUCH TO USE 
WHERE TO GET THE BEST 
WICKWIRE LIMESTONE COMPANY 
P. O. Station “B,” Buffalo, N. Y. 
HAY CAPS 
Stack, wagon anil implement covers: 
waterproof or plain canvas. Plant bed 
cloth, tents, etc. Circulars, samples. 
HENRY DERBY 
453 Y, St. Paul’s Ave., Jersey City, N. J 
“FUMA 
depredati 
Fuma Carbon Bisulphide” 
Lime and Sulphur for spraying purposes 
TAYLOR CHEMICAL. CO., " " ' 
|J, KILLS Prairie 
Dogs, Woodchucks, 
Gophers, and Grain 
Insects. Stop their 
d e p red ations by using 
Also mfrs. 
of Solution 
)., Pena Yan, N, Y. 
PAY FOR THEMSELVES IN ONE SEASON 
This is the record of these great hay-saving, money-making stack cov¬ 
ers all over the country on thousands of farms. They save enough to 
pay for themselves—and more—on the very first stacks they cover They 
save ALL the hay. They save extra hauling and handling. They save 
extra wagons and teams and men. 
MARTIN METAL STACK COVERS 
Make your hay cure bettor, irrado better and brirur you at leant SI mors ner ton’ 
SPECIAL OSbS’w re “? y . P i lt T an, , 1 1 Guaranteed to laut for yj£s.' 
G LA Li F I,lt. Write today for free illustrated literature and introductory price. 
Martin Metal Stack Cover Company, 300 No. Mosley,Wichita. Kansas 
Stocks earned at Wichita. Kao.: Portland, Ore.; Canton, Ohio, and Omaha. Ned). 
More bales per hour. 
Fast, big feed—won’t 
choke. Dense,uniform 
4 J bales that pack better and bring higher prices. Many 
exclusive construction advantages. Must be seen to ba 
appreciated. L. J. Campbell, Caldwell, Kang., writes: 
“The most perfect baler I ever saw.” You’ll agree. 40 
\ V** 2 **"^ styles and sizes. WRITE FOR LATEST CATALOG I 
an d tell us what you bale. We'll recommend best machine for you. a 
COLLINS PLOW COMPANY, 2044 Hampshire Street, Quincy, III. % 
AY BA 
can't 
belt. 
right 
block 
make 
Coupled 
Up Short 
Get These 
Profits 
Now men everywhere are making big money with the 
famous Sandwich Hay Press. (Motor Power). $10— ^ 
$15—$20 a day clear profit is common. ivjftfL 
foe Sisfiif in a short time from „ 
■ VI lldcn thenmfita RnliH 
/S IVI livcia the profits. Solid ./5V 
steel construction—certain sure op- 
eration. Makes its own do wer 
from simple,sturdy Sand- - 
wich tras engine (4, „ _|t* 
G or 8 H. P.) ^ 
on same 
truck. 
Y « \ Heavy 
■ \ slip" steel 
Friction clutch 
on Press. Simply Hwa 
bay and turns out solid, h: 
bales. Simple self feeder and 
dropper. Knaino with magneto. Wo 
Horse and Bolt Power Presses too. Write 
Easy 
to Turn 
Can Start or 
Stop Instantly 
Get Our 
Free Book 
.Tone Tell" pictures and 
describes these greut presses. 
Write for a copy now. 
SANDWICH MFG.CO.,520 Oak Si. Sandwich, III 
Bos 520. Council Bluffs, lo.—Bos 520 • Kansas Cilf, Mo. Bali,.* 
