1265 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
other places. For proof, witness the sale last year 
of immense quantities of asparagus, whole crops of 
assorted vegetables, and eggs and poultry to the 
capacity of the Grange members’ production. City 
hotels, boarding-houses, clubs and in some cases in¬ 
dividual housewives, were the purchasers of these 
products. Through communal selling efforts the 
Grange members found themselves city customers, 
eliminated middlemen, and got better prices for 
their stuff. Here is how the buyers were found, 
and how the fifteen hundred odd members of the 
Grange were put in commercial touch with them. 
FINDING BUYERS.—A committee of the best 
marketing authorities in the Grange was appointed 
and given the name of “Bureau of 
Markets and Information.” They got 
busy and assembled lists of the social 
clubs, the hospitals, the small hotels 
and college dormitories, etc., in the 
vicinity of New York. They classified 
these lists and circularized in some 
cases to find out just what sort of 
farm produce was most desired by 
them. The “Bureau of Markets and 
Information” even went so far as to 
get out a little eight-page periodical 
called “The Tryst” (old Scotch for 
market-place) which told the direct- 
marketing enthusiasts of the metropol¬ 
itan region just what Suffolk County 
Grange folk had to sell. Orders were 
received direct, or if received by the 
bureau were turned over to producers 
in turn—first to those who were best 
fitted to carry on a direct marketing 
business. 
SELLING ASPARAGUS.—About a 
week before the famous Long Island 
asparagus crop was due the Bureau 
sent out post-card advertisements to a 
few of the hotels and rich clubs of the 
vicinity: 
“Extremely fine asparagus—tender, 
absolutely fresh cut, and with a Long 
Island reputation behind it.” 
Such, in effect, was the message laid 
before the purchasing agents and 
stewards of the hotels. It had remark¬ 
able results. Fifty orders were re¬ 
turned almost instantly; and from the 
customers thus gained, not 5% failed 
to patronize the Long Island growers 
during the rest of the Summer. The 
orders averaged only $8 apiece at first; 
but the trade grew and became a con¬ 
stant trade. The 95% of customers 
who continued to patronize direct from 
the grower included eggs, poultry, po¬ 
tatoes and many other products in 
their order list thereafter. 
4 DA'ICE TO SELLERS.—“Many of 
our farmers have been overcrowded 
with orders,” says AY. I*. Hartman, the 
energetic head of the Marketing Bu¬ 
reau. Orders from city institutions 
and individuals for eggs, poultry, com¬ 
bination hampers of fresh berries and 
vegetables—ves, and even strawberry 
plants and baby chicks—have taxed 
our capacity.” The Bureau of Mar¬ 
kets aids its Grange members addi¬ 
tionally by furnishing specific ‘leads” 
to buyers; 
The Mercy Hospital of Brooklyn is 
in the market for strictly fresh eggs 
and sound potatoes.” 
The Manhattan League Club wish¬ 
es quotations on ducks, chickens, honey 
and new-laid eggs.” 
“30 doz. eggs and several hampers 
of assorted vegetables are desired 
weekly by the buying club among the 
employes of the Grantland Silk Mills.” 
Bulletins containing definite inform¬ 
ation like this have proved of immense practical use 
to the producers who are seeking new direct mar¬ 
kets. 
THE STAMP OF EXCELLENCE.—Copies of the 
Grange’s marketing bulletin—“The Tryst”—are in 
great demand among city consumers. Numerous 
city papers and magazines ask permission to reprint 
its contents. Its circulation is among a select clien¬ 
tele who are interested in direct marketing. It is 
a real business getter for the Long Island producer. 
In fact, the direct-marketing idea has become so 
popular on Long Island lately that they are think¬ 
ing of taking steps to “copyright their reputation.” 
That is, the Suffolk County Grange is considering 
the issuance of a handsome Grange stamp which will 
Salt for Muck Land. 
I NOTICE on the first page of your 
issue of Oct. 2 where lime-sulphur 
solution, reduced one to eight, is recom¬ 
mended as a preventive for tree bor¬ 
ers, to be applied around the base of 
the tree. My neighbor and I sprayed 
our apple tree trunks with this same 
solution, and in some instances the 
liquid ran down to the roots at the 
base. Next year we noticed collar-rot 
was developing, and we lost a few old 
trees. We reasoned that if salt brine 
will kill trees, why will not this appli¬ 
cation of lime-sulphur, which is much 
stronger, do the same? We have nev¬ 
er repeated the application to the tree 
trunks in sufficient quantity to flood 
the surface, and neither of us has lost 
any more trees. 
A pathologist, in the Bureau of Plant 
Industry at Washington, told me that he visited a 
block of 50 acres of peach trees in Pennsylvania that 
had been nearly ruined by the application of lime- 
sulphur for borers. If my convictions are correct, the 
advice given in that issue of The R. N.-Y. is a 
mistake. Possibly if the solution is painted on, with 
a brush, and not allowed to run into the soil where 
it would be retained against the roots, it might 
not do harm, but it seems to me this should be ex¬ 
plained. In both instances as above it was applied 
with a high pressure spray outfit. I have repeated 
my experience to some of our best orchardists, and 
they were of the opinion my theory is correct. 
Michigan. H. h. hutchins. 
It. N.-Y.—We have received a number of reports 
from fruit growers who claim good results from this 
use of lime-sulphur. We felt that these reports jus¬ 
tified us in advising the remedy as a help in fight¬ 
ing borers. Mr. Hutchins and one or two othex'S 
have given adverse reports, and if there is any dan¬ 
ger of injuring the tree we think it safer to with¬ 
draw the advice. We have always claimed that 
digging with wire or knife is the only way to make 
sure of borers. All washes are merely helps. Some 
years ago several well-known people advised paint¬ 
ing young apple ti’ee trunks with a mixture of pure 
white lead and linseed oil. We never advised this, 
but gave these alleged experts a chance to tell about 
it. A number of our readers tried it. Some thought 
Orchard Table for Grading Apples. Fig. 469. 
Forking the Pulled Beans in the Rows. Fig. 470. 
A Bean-Pulling Machine at Work. Fig. 471. 
it paid, while others declare that it ruined their 
ti-ees. We believe this pi-actice is still followed by 
many growers, but we do not advise the public to 
try it. 
Progressive Selling Methods of a Long 
Island Grange. 
P ROGRESSIVE METHODS.—One of the few 
Granges to make a success of selling its xnem- 
bers’ crops for better prices is located in Suffolk 
County, Long Island. Its methods ai*e distinctly 
progressive. Direct marketing has been analyzed 
and applied in this fertile county—it is sometimes 
called the “backyard” of New York City—as in few 
Will you inform me as to the benefits derived from 
the use of agricultural salt on muck land? I expect 
to use an acre of muck for lettuce next year, and would 
it be best to apply salt this Fall or Spring? This is 
the first year this land has ever been cultivated; it 
was planted to lettuce, of which about one-half went to 
seed, but the remainder was very good. Would not ni¬ 
trate of soda remedy this condition and make it grow 
faster so it would not go to seed? Can you inform 
me as to the proper method and amount of soda to 
use? l. p. 
Sodus, N. Y. 
W E cannot see how the salt on this muck land 
would prove beneficial to the lettuce. At 
one time salt was freely used, especially on grass 
and grain ci’ops. It was believed that the salt 
acted to-stiffen the straw or stem. We 
were also taught that the salt retarded 
nitrification, so that soluble nitrogen 
was not so freely made. In that way 
the salt was supposed to prevent too 
rapid a growth, which would cause the 
crop to “lodge” or fall down. It is now 
believed that the chief action of the 
salt consists in changing potash in the 
soil from an insoluble to a soluble form 
of combination. With the root crops 
also salt appears in some way to econ¬ 
omize the amount of potash needed to 
produce those ci'ops. Balt is frequently 
used on asparagus, although it is of 
rather doubtful value except for the 
purpose of preventing the growth of 
weeds. Another value claimed for salt 
is that it holds moisture to some ex¬ 
tent, and thus gives help to ci’ops in 
time of drought. A number of claims 
have also been made for salt as an in¬ 
secticide against wireworms and sim¬ 
ilar pests. It seems to have been dem¬ 
onstrated, however, that if we use 
enough salt to destroy these insects the 
crops will suffer from the injurious ef¬ 
fects of the salt. In the case of a 
muck soil for lettuce we can see no 
reason for using the salt. Sxich soils 
are very deficient in potash at best, 
and the action of salt in setting free 
such potash would be very limited; 
also such soils usually contain un¬ 
available nitrogen, and the salt would 
certainly not act to make it more avail¬ 
able, its action really being the reverse 
of that. It would pay you better to 
use nitrate of soda for the lettuce on 
that kind of soil. We should xxse this 
in the Spring, about 150 pounds to 
the acre. It can be mixed with coal 
ashes or dry soil, and broadcast or 
scattered along the rows. The action 
of the nitrate would be to prolong the 
growth and delay heading. 
Thick Lime-Sulphur for Borers 
in Fruit Trees. 
