1184 
■Uhe RURAL NEW-YORKER 
October 1!), IStJ.s 
efTeet. The Summer pruning of early ap¬ 
ples in the form of cutting back tijfs 
of branches would tend to incite late 
growth at the tips. Such growth is com¬ 
monly attacked by plant lice, and, if it 
is not done at just the right time upon 
the right variety and under favorable 
weather conditions, it may do more harm 
than good. Ilriefly, fruit trees lacking in 
vigor should not be pruned during the 
growing s<'ason. It can be done, however, 
in the early Fall after most of the foliage 
has begun to drop. M. A. BLAKE. 
Sowing Orchard Grass on Sod 
I wish to .sow Orchard grass in a per¬ 
manent pasture without plowing or har¬ 
rowing. Do you think enough of it would 
grow to be worth the while? This grass 
grows well in out-of-the-way places 
where it has not been sown. As I have 
only about an acre that I want to sow I 
thought of making the trial. When would 
you sow. and how much seed? H. C. B. 
I.aurel, Md. 
If you disk the sod over with a cut¬ 
away and then sow the Orchard grass seed 
liberally and roll the sod' tight again you 
can probably get a goodly part of It to 
grow. Hut it would be far better to 
turn the sod deeply and put the land in 
good order and then sow 15 pounds of 
Orchard grass seed and 10 pounds of 
Ited top an acre, and after sowing the 
grass seed scatter about two or three 
pounds of White clover seed an acre. 
Half-way measures seldom produce as 
good results os thoroughness. For your 
section there is no pasture grass better 
than Orchard grass. The Red-top will 
fill in for a while till Rlue grass gradu¬ 
ally comes in, as it invariably does here. 
Orchard grass needs other grasses with 
it, as it is inclined to grow on bunches 
or tussocks. I would prepare the land 
and sow the seed in October. 
W. P. MABBET. 
Making Over Lombardy Poplars 
We have set out a row of l/ombardy 
poplars on the northwest side of the 
house. Owing to railroad traffic condi¬ 
tions they did not arrive last year until 
the ground was frozen hard. On advice, 
wo left them, packed ns they wore, on the 
vround all Winter. This Spring, when 
set out, all but two made strong growth 
around the bottoms of the trunks, just 
where we don’t want growth. (They are 
about nine feet tall, and perhaps two to 
three inches in diameter.) Will it he 
jiossible ever to get decent shaped trees 
from them by any method, or will it be 
better to give them up and .start afre.sh? 
The tops feel completely dead; when a 
twig is broken it is quite dry. o. c. H. 
Sometimes trees so treated lose so much 
of their vitality that it is impossible to 
restore them. Usually, however, if given 
proper care they will recover, and, in the 
case of the Lombardy poidar, will often 
make better shaiied trees than those ordi¬ 
narily bought from the nur.sery, although 
several years must elapse before they will 
attain a height of nine feet combined with 
a diameter of three inches. 
Select the most desirable of the sprouts 
and the nearer the ground that it starts 
from the main stem the better. Remove 
all undesirable growth, or, if exceedingly 
luxuriant, cut it back for half or two- 
thirds its length and remove the remain¬ 
der a few weeks later. Cut off the main 
stein, in a slanting direction, beginning 
just above the point where the desired 
sprout branches from it. Paint the stub 
to prevent decay. The growth of new 
wood will eventually cover the wound, 
but the Lombardy poplar is not a durable 
woml, and decay may set in before it i^ 
covered and thus weaken the trunk. 
There will be a decided crook in the trunk 
at this point, but it will straighten. It 
will probably be necessary to set a stake 
and tie the sprout to it for one or two 
seasons to prevent its being broken by the 
wind or other cau.ses. 
Now, notice that the branchces of the 
Lombardy poplar start from the trunk in 
rings, or whorls. This peculiarity consti¬ 
tutes one of the beauties of the tree, and 
these whorls mark the terminal growth of 
the preceding year. So, next Spring, just 
before the buds begin to swell, cut the 
sprout back to the height at which you 
wish the lower whorl to start. Then, each 
Spring thereafter, until the tree has at¬ 
tained a height of 40 feet or more, cut 
back the central lender to about three 
feet from the whorl immediately below, 
and trim the lateral nranches accord¬ 
ingly. In other words, keep cutting them 
back everlastingly. 
Under proper trimming, the I^ombardy 
poplar is the finest of all trees for lining 
an avenue or a narrow driveway. In 
some locations, more especially where the 
adjacent buildings approximate the Gothic 
style of architecture, it makes a very 
handsome lawn tree. But, normally, it 
makes a terminal growth of from six to 10 
feet, and often more. The branches ap¬ 
pear near the end of the terminal growth 
of each previous year, thus leaving a long 
naked trunk between each whorl. If a 
Lombardy poplar is allowed to follow its 
own inclination in the matter of growth, 
the effect, though often curious, is never 
pleasing, and is usually ridiculous. So, 
give these trees a vigorous annual trim¬ 
ming almost as you would trim a formal 
hedge. c. o. obmbbib. 
Do Red Deer Shed Their Horns ? 
Will you kindly decide upon this mat¬ 
ter? A wagers a small bet that red deer 
shed their horns or antlers in the Winter. 
B claims he is slightly demented, and 
offers a margin of 10 to one that a deer 
never sheds his horns and that A’s sense 
of eyesight must be impaired. Will The 
R. N.-Y. decide the wager? B. c. M. 
Having acted as umpire of a baseball 
game at times when nearly all the liquid 
money in town was at stake, we hesitate 
to decide any wagers unle.ss we know all 
about the subject. We are not well up 
on the habits of red deer, and so we sub¬ 
mitted this matter to Dr. William T. 
Hornaday o£ the New York Zoological 
Society, and present his answer herewith. 
Our '.suggestion is that the entire atakes 
be turned over to the Red Cross: 
All male deer shed their antlers every 
year. To this rule the red deer is no 
exception. The horns arc present during 
the Winter and are dropped between 
March 1 and May 1, according to the 
species and to climatic conditions. Some 
species drop their antlers earlier than 
others. 
If the wager to which you refer was 
made by one party on the basis that he 
believed that the red deer never shed their 
antlers, then that individual has lost. If 
he meant that their antlers were present 
during Winter and were dropped after¬ 
wards, then he has won. In any case, 
however, I think that the bet should be 
called a draw, because, while the antlers 
are shed, they are not exactly shed in 
Winter. 
Annoyance from Tretpaatera 
We have been told that fruit trees are 
injured by bees, and as some of purs are 
BO, and our next door neighbor has five or 
six hives, we wondered if it could have 
anything to do with it. What is to be 
done when their bees swarm on our trees? 
It happened last year, and they came 
when we did not see them and broke a 
large’branch from one of our young peach 
trees. A neighbor told me about it, but I 
did not want to make any trouble, so said 
nothing. Afterward tiny swarmed on 
another of our peach trees, and 1 just 
came around the corner as the man was 
jumping back over the fence. I told him 
he might come and get his bees, but not 
injure my trees or step on my growing 
vegetables. He came and deliberately 
broke the large branch from the tree. I 
told him to pay for it, but he will not do 
so. Can you tell me what my rights are 
in this matter, whether they have a right 
to come on my property to get their bees? 
New York. w. ii.o. 
The general opinion seems to be that 
bees are a help to apple trees rather than 
an injury. Our own exi)erience has been 
that we get a better and stronger set of 
fruit when bees are permitted to work 
freely among the blossoms. Some cases 
of injury to peaches or grapes by the bees 
are reported, but as a general proposi¬ 
tion the bees may be regarded as doing 
more good than harm in an orchard. It ia 
not likely that your neighbor’s bees have 
injured your fruit. That neighbor, how¬ 
ever, has no business to come over on to 
your land without your permission, and 
if he does so and breaks down your 
trees, or does any other damage, he be¬ 
comes a trespasser, and you can, if you 
like, proceed against him. He has no 
business to come on your property, if 
you tell him you do not want him there, 
and if he does come after such warning 
and breaks down yo^ir trees as you 
state, he is liable for damages. We do 
not know any of the penalties involved 
in this case, but on the statement you 
make this neighbor has no business on 
your land, and if he will not keep off 
after fair warning, it is your privilege to 
apply to a justice of the peace and secure 
a warrant against him for trespass. Such 
actions are not usually very satisfactory, 
as they make great trouble between neigh¬ 
bors, and in the community, especially 
when a woman, as in this ca.se, is trying 
to protect her property. Thi.s action 
should be taken as a last resort, whore 
other methods fail. Most men would not 
attempt to annoy a woman in this way if 
the matter were put before them fairly. 
If after that they persist in doing so, 
an action for trespa.ss promptly and thor¬ 
oughly enforced will be the best meliiod 
of dealing with them. 
Farm Political Notes 
In Greene County, New York, the 
people have a good cliance this yi'ar to 
elect one of those “Fifty farmers in the 
New York Lcnislatiire." The issue is 
clear-cut and straight. Osborne A. Cole 
of Windham has been nominated for the 
Assembly on the Democratic ticket. Mr. 
Cole is a farmer in the prime of life, and 
one of these farmers who know how to 
tran.sact public business. He has held 
public oflice and given satisfaction, and 
he is now president of the Windham 
I’otato fJrowers’ Exchange. lie belongs 
to other farm organizations and knows 
what farmers need and what their life is. 
lie will not have to go and a.sk some one 
“higher np” what he must do when farm 
interests come up at Albany. ()sborn 
Cole is a big man who will stand^ without 
hitching, and yon cannot pull him away 
from his post if you put him on guard. 
tJreene County is purely agricultural. 
The farmers control it. Now if the 
countr.v num and women want to be rep¬ 
resented by a capable and honest farmer— 
here is their chance! 
We bring up the case of .T. (’lark Ne.s- 
bitt of Delaware (’ounty. New York, once 
more. Mr. Nesbitt served in the Legisla¬ 
ture last year, and made a good record. 
He was on the right side of all cpiestions 
affecting farmers. On his record he de¬ 
serves another term. In a larger way, as 
a rej)resentative of the desire among otir 
farmers to gain a larger share of po¬ 
litical independence, Mr. Nesbitt ought 
to be elected. Delaware County farnmrs 
now understand the issue and what Mr. 
Nesbitt stands for. We hope they will 
elect him. 
Western New York News 
Information has been received by the 
ohninnnn of tho Wayno C’ounty IIoioo 
Defense Committee, Olin .1. (larlock, fioin 
the War Industries Board that* the orig¬ 
inal instructions in regard to non-war 
construction have been modified to the 
extent that farm buildings may be con- 
struct(*d witbout a permit from the War 
Industries Board, in ca.se the aggregate 
cost will not exceed .$1,0(M). If however, 
the cost will exceed that amount, a per¬ 
mit must be secured before the farmer 
can secure the neci'ssary building mat<*rial 
from the dealer. This ruling applies 
only to farm buildings, and all other new 
construction work of any nature must 
first be taken up with the member of the 
Home Defense Committee from that sec¬ 
tion and a permit secured before the 
work is started. A dealer who furnishes 
material for non-authorized construction 
W'ork is liable to have his license taken 
away and be unable to renew his stock 
wbeii it is depleted. 
Thri'C thousand school children of 
Rocheslep Ii'ive this season produced war 
garden <‘ro))s exceeding .flO.OtK) in value. 
I'lacb school had a teacher-instructor, with 
cai)tains and lieutenants to supervise and 
with corjiorals to direct the work of every 
squad of eielit or ten boys. Such has 
been the success of the movement in this 
and other‘sections of the State that the 
Bureau of Education in Wa.shington has 
a.sked tluit that where possible Ibe number 
of children from each locality next Spring 
on the land, should equal the number of 
men in the .service. 
Influenza and pneumonia have been 
making deadly progress in the smaller 
towns of this sections. Schools, churches 
and public places have been closed in 
!nan.y towns. The “trophy train’’, carry¬ 
ing captured German guns and C(iuipment 
in support of the Liberty Loan, cancelled 
many of its scheduled stops. However, 
the work of the loan committees, though 
hampered, did not show any appreciable 
slowing up in the subscription secured. 
Among the victims of the ei)idemic was 
Daniel W. Shults, of Avoca, one of the 
leading produce men of his section. He 
bad been in the potato business in Steuben 
rounty for twenty year.s, only recently 
selling out in order to give alll his time to 
the management of the Boggs Potato 
Grader Co., with beadciuarters in Atlanta. 
A. II. P. 
Patriotic Sheep Meeting 
The second patriotic .sheep meeting, cx- 
hibijion and sale by the New York State 
Agricultural Society, Albany Chamber of 
Commerce, State Ilepartment of Farms 
and Markets and Stat<‘ Food Commission 
co-operating, will be held in Albany, N. 
Y., November 12-14. 11. E. Cole, secre¬ 
tary. 
“A noo is man’s devoted friend.” “He 
ought to be.” commented the man with an 
idle disposition. “If I had somebody to 
I)ay my taxes and [trovide my board and 
Icsiging, I’d feel mighty friendly myself.” 
■—Washington Star. 
When the 
morninA cup Is 
unsatiCTactory 
suppose you moke 
a change from 
the old-time 
beverage to the 
snappy cereal 
drink 
INSTANT 
POSTUM 
ybull be 
surprised at its 
cheering, satis¬ 
fying qualities 
and delip^htfal 
flavor. Its all 
health -—- no 
caffeine. 
Try a-Hrt 
The Chicopee 
Com Husker 
Revolutionizes 
Old Time Methods 
Is unexcelled for rapidity and 
thoroughness of work, and great 
case of operation with light 
power. 
Write ut for full information 
BELCHER & TAYLOR 
AGRICULTURAL TOOL CO. 
Box 75, Chicopee Falls, Mass. 
Pot-Grown and Runner 
STRAWBERRY PLANTS 
For Kiill pliintinir. Will bear fi'iilt next Hummer. AUo 
lUHl'ilKUBV, BI.ACKIIKKKY, UOOSKIIKHKY, ClIKIUNT, AN- 
I'AHAOI'N, KlItlllAIIII, UITI.OdK ('IIK’OltY, (iKAI*li IM.AN’IS, 
ruilir TKF.KH, ItOSKK, I’HIVKT, SIIKl'IIS. Cataloguo free. 
HARRY L. SQUIRES, - Good Ground, New York 
maioney's TREES 
f «'ruU and Orimrnpntal troon, vlnen. ahrubit, rtr., for fall plantinr, 
n amatl or luriro Iota at wholitniil<> pricoa. Alt stock ahippad by 
expraat and charges prepaid. Write for big free mtaloK. 
MALONEY BROS. & WELLS CO ,25 Main Si., Dannille, N. Y. 
5,000 KIEFFKK PKAIl, 2 and 3 year. 
6,000 YKI.LOW TKANSP. APPLK, 3-year. 
5,000 DF.I.IOIOU.S “ 2 and 3-yoiir. 
600 MONTMOKKNCy GIlKUKy. ;t-yoar. 
TUilDOKVILLE NUltSKUIKS, Myer S S«n. Huiuukvillb, DeI. 
Practical 
Live Stock Books 
§ FOR SALE BY RURAL NEW-YORKER 
FEEDS AND FEEDING—Henri/ . $2.50 
MANUAL OF MILK PRODUCTS— 
Stocking ...... • 2.00 
DISEASES OF ANIMALS-Mawo . 1-75 
PRODUCTIVE SWINE HUSBANDRY 
5 Day. 1.75 
5 BREEDING OF FARM ANIMALS— 
^ Harper ...... 1.50 
^ CHEESE MAKING-Van Slyke . 1.75 
5 BUTTER MAKING-PuWoio . . .00 g 
^ MILK TESTING-Pii6tou> and Troy .60 
