1172 
substitute other?!. It i?? not a pleasant prospect, and 
it bodes not well for coming farm days. 
THE WORK CONTINUES.—Billy comes to us 
with a proposition to “wash up the auto truck. It 
will take but an hour.” This is a recent purchase, 
awaiting the son’s return to get into u.se. Its wheels 
have become muddy and Billy wants to see them 
clean. That is fine, so he puts through the .iob in 
great shape. Picking and packing continues as dur¬ 
ing the forenoon, and without much interruption as 
far as the helpers are concerned. This particular 
<lay has been somewhat more varied than a little 
later, when the apple work will be in full swing, and 
will claim our entire efforts without hindrance until 
the job is finished. We have yet to cut the corn and 
buckwheat, as s])oken of; then, the apples. 
HIRING HELP.—Two o’clock we make a trip to 
(‘crtaiu j)arts of the orchard to inspect varieties that 
will soon need to be gathered, to note condition and 
determine just when to get them. Upon return, there 
are more visitoi's; another auto party who came to 
see apples. These bi'ief visits add much of interest to 
our orcharding. We "watch the pack,” finish up 
as many barrels as i)ossible till the next interrup¬ 
tion, which soon comes. It is a traveling man ask¬ 
ing for a job. An interview with him seems to 
convince that he is the right soi-t, and he is engaged 
after finding for him a boarding place with one of 
• air men. Occasionally we get a man of this kind 
who is really worth while. It does not take long 
to find out if they are worth keeping. .Sometimes 
they only la.st a day. 
THE END OF THE DAY.—The wheat sow^ers 
have been in a con.siderable wiiile and have done 
some other things and have finished the “chores.” 
The other team has brought in all apples and we 
have a surplus for tomorrow's packing. It has got 
to be six o’clock and all hands homeward. Su])i)er; 
baked Lima bean.s, filed .sw^eet potatoes, .splendid 
' bread that only Mrs. Teator knows how to bake; 
cheese, sliced peaches with cream, and a cup of 
cocoa. No great city hotel can beat it. Then fol¬ 
lows a .session at Iwokkeeping, further attention to 
corresiiondence, a little more of the daily news, the 
agricultural and trade papers, and a conference with 
wife or daughter at the libiary table, intermingled 
with the literary outlines as above presented. When 
time is left, a book; sometimes the book precedes the 
re.'^t, or more likely a study of some W’onderful new 
di.scovery in plant life from specimens taken duiing 
the day’s itbregrinations. It is unnecessary to add 
anything more. Yes, one thing; a highly e.steemed 
neighbor, seeing that we are still lighted up, calls in 
for a brief stop at nearly 10 o’clock on his way from 
the Dutchess County Fair, enthusiastic over some 
Holstein prize winnings. This wmuld be given as an 
average sample of the daily business of our estab¬ 
lishment at this period. Other times of the year 
have each their characteristic lines of work, which 
are systematized as much as possible. No chance 
for ennui In conducting an orchard enterpi’ise. 
Dutchess Co., N. Y. w. s. teator. 
The Brown Rot Disease in Plums 
I have about 100 plum trees, age seven to 10 years; 
varieties chiefly Lombard, Pond’s Seedling, Bleeeker’s 
Gage and Damson, We have no trouble to get them to 
set and stick, but they rot terribly about the time they 
are full grown and ready to ripen. The weather does 
not seem to have anything to do with it; just the same, 
wet or dry. Does it make any difference whether the 
trees are cultivated or in sod? Would enclosing the 
lot and making a pig yard of it do any good? Can an 
orchard become impregnated with rot germs and never 
get over it? j. g. k. 
OI'R di.scouraging experience in plum culture 
evidently is caused by the widely prevalent and 
very destructive disease of stone fruits—brown rot. 
This fungous trouble frequently causes great loss of 
lilums and iieaches, and is especially active in sea¬ 
sons of abundanCTnoisture, wdiether the weather be 
warm or cool. In the valley of t’ e Ohio River, as in 
Ollier similar locations, the humidity of the atmo¬ 
sphere is generally favrable for the development of 
various forms of fungous diseases affecting trees 
and their fruits. Fortunately, for most of these de¬ 
structive forces, we are able to einjiloy effective 
measures of control. 
The brown rot fungus not only is perpetuated from 
year to year in the diseased, mummied plums which 
persist on the trees throughout the Winter, but by 
a general distribution of spores or germs which, dur¬ 
ing the latter part of the growing season, are by 
various agencies carried to and find lodgment upon 
and about the branches, twigs and buds of the trees. 
Hence, to ,1. G. K.’s query as to whether an orchard 
can become “impregnated with rot germs and never 
get over it,” it may be stated that the infection is a 
matter of annual or occasional occurrence, and that 
such infection being commonly on the exterior of the 
Uhe RURAL NEW-YORKER 
trees, may be rendered practically harmless by thor¬ 
ough disinfection—by spraying with a solution that 
will de.stroy the spores or genns of the disease. 
All rotted plums either on the trees or the ground 
should at the close of the season be gathered and 
destroyed, and the trees well sprayed either in the 
Fall or early Spring before the leaf-buds have 
opened, with (preferably) strong Bordeaux (6-6-50) 
or with commercial lime-sulphur (1:7). The spray 
calendar of our Ohio Experiment Station (Wooster, 
Ohio) is available to all persons in our State who 
write for it, and contains spray formulas and direc¬ 
tions for all purpose.s. 
The dormant spraying with a strong fungicide is 
only preliminary to equally careful and generous ap¬ 
plications of Bordeaux (4-6-50) or commercial lime- 
sulphur (1 to ,50), as Summer applications. The first 
of these should be applied as soon as the little fruits 
are formed and have become fully exposed to the 
action of the spray, and should contain in addition 
to the Bordeaux or lime-sulphur three pounds of 
arsenate of lead paste, or 1% pound of the dry, pow¬ 
dered form of the same poison, to 50 gallons of spray 
liquid. The poison is added to as.sist in controlling 
the plum cnrcnlio, which begins its work soon after 
the plums ai-e formed. A careful spraying every two 
weeks during the growing season (the poison may be 
omitted after the fii'st two applications) is usually 
sufficient to carry an abundant crop to maturity. 
Spraying should be di.scontinued after the fiaiit has 
attained full size and has begun to color. 
The formulas above advised are for the European 
class of pluims—such varieties as are named by .1. 
G. K. For the American or .lapanese varieties the 
Summer spraying should be done with fungicides 
only half the strength of those named, as the foliage 
Squash Vine After Borer Attack 
of these classes of plums is much more susceptible 
to injury tlran that of the European class. 
While the Bordeaux mixture (copper sulphate and 
lime) is usually recommended as a spray for con¬ 
trol of plum rot, and while the writer recognizes the 
fact that it is a fungicide of greater strength than 
Ijme-sulphur, the truth remains that we have been 
u.sing commercial lime-sulphur in control of plum rot 
with a satisfactory degree of success. At the time 
this is written, despite that this is considered the 
“off season,” there is being gathered from our trees 
a generous crop of as fine Lombards, Arch Dukes, 
Monarchs and Shropshire Damsons as could be de¬ 
sired. The first crop of Lombards on our new (six- 
year-old) orchard, is almost doubly paying for the 
gi-ound upon which they have been produced. In 
making this statement I do not wi.sh to convey the 
idea that plum growing in Ohio is to be recommended 
as a paying business—for our horrlculturists gen¬ 
erally consider plums unprofitable, owing to limited 
demand and low i)rices prevailing in “plum yeai's” 
when there is an over-abundance. In a small way, 
however, we like to grow the finer varieties of plums, 
and will have to admit that, all in all, they in past 
years have paid over and over again for the ground 
upon which they have been grown. f. h, b.\llou. 
Ohio Experiment Station. 
Gathering and Using Forest Leaves 
1 HAVE noted the requests for information with 
regard to fore.st leave.s, sent in by various cor¬ 
respondents. Some years ago when living in South¬ 
eastern Pennsylvania, I gathered tons of leaves 
every Fall, mostly for use as titter in poultry 
houses, though considerable quantities were used 
as stable bedding. As bedding I consider them in 
every vtr. j desirable and as scratching litter for 
chicken? 1 c< ■’.sider them superior to any substance 
with which 1 am acquainted. 
Without doubt, the great barrier to the more ex¬ 
tensive use of the vast quantities of forest leaves 
that are available, is the unsatisfactory results in 
October l.a, 1917 
the usual attempts to gather them. Having decided 
I must have the leaves I set about the problem of 
securing them to the best advantage. They cannot 
be forked into a wagon when dry enough to store, 
neither can they be loaded to advantage into a wide 
flaring structure, as is often attempted, as they 
cannot be made to pack. I found the best equip¬ 
ment for hauling, to be a superstructure of narrow 
boards, say 6-in. fencing boards built upright, and 
of course removable, on the regular body of the 
farm wagon. The rear end of this structure should 
be arranged to be easily removable for loading and 
unloading. This structure should have a depth of 
about four feet, and of course the larger the wagon 
body the better. The boards should be arranged 
with several inches of open space between boards, 
and between lowermost board and body. These 
open spaces catch and hold the bulk of leaves as 
they are tramped in place. 
I have found that by far the most economical 
method of raking leaves, wffiere it is necessary to 
rake by hand, as is nearly always the case, is to 
rake a considerable area, say 150 to 200 feet in 
cPameter, into one huge pile, rather than into wind¬ 
rows or numerous small piles. This saves time, and 
is necessary for the method of loading described 
later. This method of raking is most economically 
accomplished by beginning at the outer edge of the 
proposed area, raking clean toward the center, or 
where the pile is to be, until the bulk of leaves be¬ 
comes heavy under the rake, then with a driving or 
sw'eeplng motion of the rake drive the bulk of 
them toward the common center, then rake clean 
until they accumulate again, and repeat until the 
whole area Is piled as close and high as can be 
Conveniently done with a rake, five or six feet. 
As to method of loading I have never been able 
to devise any so effective as the following: Having 
devised the carrying body as described, secure a 
12 or 14-foot plank suitable in width and thickness 
to form a running-board from rear of wagon to 
the ground. Place wagon with rear to the pile of 
leaves, remove end of body ahd superstructure, put 
running board in place. Then imagine you are still 
a boy, instead of a staid full-grown man, plunge 
into the pile of leaves with wide.spread arms, grab 
all you can, scramble to your feet, and mount the 
running board and deposit your load in the front 
end of the wagon. Continue treading hard as you 
fill, and if far to haul throw in over rear end in 
finishing load, and tread .solid. To one who has 
never loaded leaves by some .such method it will 
be surprising what a quantity of leaves can be 
loaded in a comparatively short time. It Is not ex¬ 
actly a dignified method of work, neither is it easy, 
but it brings results. For unloading it is best if 
possible simply to push the leaves out of the rear 
of wagon with a fork, as it is difficult to fork over 
the side. 
After the leaves have settled in place of storage, 
a convenient way to convey them to place for use 
is to take a stout stick, a broom handle is all right, 
whittle one end to a sharp point. Thrust pointed 
end into mass of leaves, with one hand, and with 
the other search for it and when found you are in 
position to carry off the whole mass of leaves en- 
»‘ircled by arms and stick. With a little practice a 
man can readily pick up, by this means, all he 
cares to carry, and after a vigorous .shake to get 
rid of loose leaves, very few will scatter by the 
way. D. L. HARTMAN. 
Florida. 
The Squash Borer’s Work 
T he picture here shown gives a very good idea of 
the appearance of a squash vine after an attack 
from the vine borer. This plant looks as if it were 
afflicted with the disease known as wilt; in fact, the 
work of this borer is often mistaken for that plant 
disease. This insect is one of the most .serious pests 
afflicting vine plants, as it is almost impossible to 
reach it. The insect bores into the stem near the 
base of the plant, often causing it to break oft at 
that point. This mechanical injury not only weakens 
the plant, but the wound gives a chance for plant 
disease to enter. It is very hard to fight the insect 
while it is working. The most that can be done is to 
clean the ground for another year. The vines 
should be gathered and burned as soon as the crop 
is taken off. Harrow the ground lightly and plow 
deeply the following Spring, and in places where the 
insect is serious, squash should not be planted again 
for several years; in fact, a rotation of two or three 
years would better be followed with this crop. 
About the only thing that can be done when the 
vines show signs of trouble is to cover the crowns 
and the joints of the vine with soil, the object being 
to stai-t out new roots if possible. 
