OSe RURAL. NEW-YORKER 
1241 
Storage ForSquathes 
Winter squashes vary greatly, aeoord- 
ing to variety, in their adaptability to 
storage, but there is no variety that will 
stand up well unless-fully ripened on the 
vine. They should be removed from the 
vine, without breaking the stem, a week 
or ten days before frost, and turned over 
to allow the under side to ripen. This is 
one great kink in storing squash. Then 
they should be taken to a hot, dry room, 
and kept there until the shells assume a 
texture resembling a board. This, if the 
temperature runs up to 80 or more, will 
not require more than a week. If it falls 
to 40, or lower, it may require six weeks 
and perhaps longer. But this is another 
important kink, and one that must not 
be neglected if long storage is desired. 
After the shell has become dried, the 
squashes may be stored in any reasonable 
temperature, provided the air is dry and 
the room is well lighted and w'ell venti¬ 
lated. If opposite conditions prevail, 
even though the squashes may keep with¬ 
out decay, they will lose largely of their 
flavor. _ c. o. okmsbee. 
Small Fruits in the City 
We have a yard here in the city in 
which we have heen planting vegetables 
with poor resulte. We would like tc 
plant this space (about 2.nx88 ft.) with 
blackberries (around the fence), and red 
currants in the rest of the space. Will 
you let me know the largest and best 
tasting blackberry (yield is not the most 
important) ; also the biggest and most 
prolific red currants? These bushes can 
receive the best of care and rich ground. 
T could write for catalogues, but the 
trouble is everything is the biggest and 
sweetest and the heaviest bearer in cata- 
l".!tues. H. j. 
New York City. 
As a general thing, if anyone has not 
been successful in the growing of veg¬ 
etables ho should not expect to have suc¬ 
cess in the growing of small fruits. The 
latter are even more exacting in their re¬ 
quirements than some of the quick¬ 
growing vegetables. One of the earliest 
blackberries is the Ijucreti.a dewberry. 
For mid-.season the Blowers blackberi'j 
and the Ward blackberry are both excel¬ 
lent, as they produce large and delicious 
fruits. For a late blackberry, the Black 
Diamond is remarkable. It grows hardy 
and enormous-sized plants, and produces 
a heavy crop of large, luscious bendes for 
a long season. 
One of the very largest and most beau¬ 
tiful red currants is the Pomona. The 
individual berries grow nearly as large as 
cherries; however, for commercial work, 
it is not considered to be as good as the 
Wilder. The latter is quite large, bright 
red in color, and a heavy producer of very 
excellent clusters of good-sized fruit. 
You will be interested to know that the 
names and varieties of small fruits are 
mixed up in the nurseries more than any 
class of farm seed or fruit trees. How¬ 
ever. I hope you will be .successful in get¬ 
ting true strains of the varieties named as 
they should be the very best for your 
special purpose^_ r. w. d. 
The Vegetable Dishrag 
Several people have sent us clippings 
from their local i)apers in which we are 
told of a plant which makes a good dish- 
rag. As every family must, or should, 
have several dishrags. the demand is sure 
to be enormous. Thert'fore raise di.shrags 
and make your fortune. That is the 
story put before the peojile. and we are 
gl.ad to wipe it clean with the following: 
This gourd (LulTa segypti.aca) is now 
grown quite commonly as a curiosity in 
gardens in the Soutliern States. After 
the gourds are matured they are allowed 
to soak in water, when the thin outer 
skin peels off I'eadily, leaving a network 
of strong fibre which makes an excellent 
sponge, and is also used for dishrags. 
These gourds are now being sold in the 
drug stores of this country as bath 
siKuigcs. The .Japanese have, for .some 
years, been manufacturing from these 
gonrds hand sponges similar to the rub¬ 
ber .sponge that became so poi)ular with 
us in America a few years ago. 
As to what profits may i)e expected 
from the cultivation of these gourds, I 
would say that there is a limited demand 
for them, but I doubt if anyone would 
reap very large returns from their culti¬ 
vation. Albert Schwenke commenced the 
cultivation of the luffa in the neighbor¬ 
hood of Houston, Texas (which State 
seems to be specially suited to the grow¬ 
ing of this gourd), and originated a va¬ 
riety with coarser and stronger fibre than 
that of the common type. He claimed 
that from .$800 to .$000 per acre could be 
obtained from the cultivation of these 
gourd.s, and he obtained at that time a 
good deal of publicity for the luffa. H. 
Ness, horticulturi.st for the Agricultural 
Experiment Station at College Station, 
Texas, \vent to see Mr. Schwenke’s experi- 
pients with this gourd, and was very 
much impressed with the results obtained 
by him. He latei*, however, in a letter 
to this dei)artment, advised that a banker 
named Zeis, of Waller, Waller County, 
Texas, who had contracted to take the 
entire crop of gourds grown by Dir. 
Schwenke, was unable to find a market 
for them. The fiber is quite coarse and 
is apt to mar the paint if u.sed on auto¬ 
mobiles, and. if u.sed as a dishrag, it is 
impos.sible to get the grease out which 
accumulates in the fibre. It. therefore, 
soon becomes offensive and makes a very 
poor substitute for the dishrag. 
S E. ELEERMAX, 
Chief of Bureau of Plant Industry. 
i . 
Under-Secretary of Agriculture 
Hon. Alex. Holm 
In His 1917 Report to the _ 
Minister of Agriculture of the Union of South^Africa 
*^Spraying with ^Scalecide’ versus Lime Sulphur —One row of lO Beurre 
Hardy pear trees which have been regularly sprayed for three years with 
‘Scalecide’ as a winter spray, gave a crop this year which exceeded that 
of the trees sprayed with lime sulphur as a winter spray by 58 per cent. 
The ‘Scalecide’ seems to exert an extraordi¬ 
nary stimulating effect on the trees, bringing 
them into bloom and fruit much earlier 
than those sprayed with lime sulphur.” 
Praise for “SCALECIDE” comes from far and near. 
Mr. H. O. Arton, also in distant South Africa (Cape 
Colony), writes: “I would be compelled to use ‘Scale 
CIDe’ if it were three times the price.” 
“SCALECIDE” 
The Complete Dormant Spray 
**Makes a Tree Outgrow Its Troubles 
Have you been overlooking the spray that kills the hold¬ 
over canker which produces twig and fire blight — that 
controls scale and other insects, including pear psylla, leaf 
roller, bud moth, case-bearer and aphis ? 
“Scalecide” will do all and more than any 
other spray or combination of sprays will do. 
It saves labor, saves time, and saves trees. 
The use of “Scalecide” will make you money. 
If your dealer cannot supply you, we will. Price 
always includes freight to your station. Sold on 
a money back basis. You take no risk. 
Write today. It will cost you nothing to know 
the TRUTH. Address Dept. 16 
B. G. PRATT COMPANY 
Manufacturing Chemists 
50 Church St. New York City 
Foqr-year-old Winesap kepi yitoroot 
and healthy with “SCALECIDE" 
Eighteen-year-old York Imperials sprayed for 14 years with “SCALE¬ 
CIDE,” averaging abont 30 bushels per tree. This is the eighth 
conseentive crop, each one of which was larger than the previous crop 
SILOS 
SAVE MONEY 
by buying NOW. 
I.umber Is hard to get and price is 
clinildng liigher. I.iberiil ciiHh 
anil eurly Klilpinent dlHcouiitH. 
Take no cliances on late del. 
iveries this year. A Oloke 
Silo isyourbestbetthisyear. 
Adjustable door-frame with 
ladder combined. 5-foot 
extension Roof makes com¬ 
plete silo witli less expense. 
VVlnduw free. 
Itiiy >'o\v—Ship Now—I’ny 
Now—Siivc Now—Write Now. 
GLOBE SICO CO.. 2-12 Willow St.. Sidney. N.Y. 
Am low as 
$10 
Kor IIert/Iep& 
/uok Portable 
Wood Saw 
Frame 
SAW 
BACKS THIS SAW 
HERTZLER & ZOOK 
Portable 
Wood 
is easy to operate. Our 
No. 1 is the l)cst and 
cheapest saw made to which 
a ripping table may bo at¬ 
tached. Guaranteed 1 year. 
Money refunded if not satis* 
factiry. Write for catalog* 
HERTZLEIt&.ZO.QK COi 
Box 3< Belleville. Pa 
After Hunting 
clean and oil your gun thoroughly with 
3-in One, the standard gun oil. Then it will 
shoot promptly and accurately the next time you 
pull the trigger. 
34n-One Oil 
has been used for nearly 25 years by hunters, trap 
shooters, soldiers and marines. Most prominent 
gun manufacturers pack a bottle of 3-in-One with 
every gun and pistol and strongly recommend its 
use. 1 Army text books also recommend 3-in-One 
for keeping firearms in best order. 
Removes residue of burnt black powder; prevents 
rust and pitting; keeps outside of barrel bright; pol¬ 
ishes the stock; oils the action exactly right, 
3-in-One never gums or drys out; contains no 
grease, grit or acid. 
Sold at all good stores in 15c, 25c and 50c 
bottles; also in 25c Handy Oil Cans. 
FREE 
Three-in-One Oil Co., 
Generous sample and Dictionary of Uses. To 
save postage, ask us for these on a posul card. 
165CXG Bdwy., N. Y. 
ID3I 
Over a 
Billion Dollars 
is the estimated annual loss on fruits, 
vegetables, etc. from insect pests. 
What’s YOUR Share? 
The war demands increased pro¬ 
duction and conservation of crops. 
SPRAYS THAT PA YS 
KEY BRAND 
INSECTICIDES 
WILL HELP YOU SAVE THE CROPS 
Your dealer can supply you—or, if not. we will 
ship direct to you. Write today for FREE book. 
State your dealer’s name and address. 
Tht Gnitmment asks that you order tarty 
INTERSTATE CHEMICAL CO. 
14 Bayview Ave., Jersey City, N. J. 
iMARSHALLr^s^ltCORN CRIBS 
are built of galvanized iron. Cost! 
no more than wooden cribs, easy to ] 
erect and last a lifetime. Perforated 
sides and ventilating; shaft insure 
well cured corn. Three styles and 
many sizes to lit any farm. 
BDPF lllustratM) Catalog folder 
• fully describes construction. 
- Write for it today. A post card will do. 
I Iron Crib & Bin Co., Box izi Wooster,0. 
When you write advertisers mention 
The Rural New-Yorker and you’ll get 
a quick reply and a "square deal.” See 
guarantee editorial page. : : : 
] 
