C/>e RURAL NEW-YORKER 
355 
to plow in late Spring after the top growth lias 
started. If plowed down at this time the top will 
he smothered and there are no more live buds to 
start new growth. The center plants in the illustra¬ 
tion, Fig. 93, show about the condition of growth 
the writer considers proper for Spring plowing, 
which, for Northern Ohio, occurs about May first 
in normal seasons. Plowed down at this time, it 
furnishes an abundance of vegetable matter, and 
being an early succulent growth the top decays very 
rapidly, which is a delight to corn, while the large 
The Happy Days of Apple Blooms. Fig. 9 
woody roots decay less rapidly, thus prolonging the 
season of the decay of organic matter in the soil. 
Plowed down at this time it also furnishes much 
nitrogen. If the illustration is again consulted dark 
bunches of nitrogen nodules may be seen on both 
sides of the plant at the right of the rule on the 
upper whorl of lateral roots or near the crown of 
the plant and .iust below the ground line. 
Huron Co., O. f. m. lutts. 
Lime-Sulphur as a Summer Spray 
Can dilute commercial lime-sulphur used 1-40 as a 
Summer spray on apples, beginning with “pink” spray, 
be depended on to prevent scab vear after year on 
The Beginning of Maple Sugar. Fig. 95 
varieties subject to scab, such as Famease? No dor¬ 
mant spray of concentrated lime-sulphur is to be made. 
Fast Jordan, Mich. A. L. n. 
ILUTE lime-sulplmr is to my mind our best 
Summer spray material for apple scab and 
certain other fungus troubles. Like all other fruit 
sprays, however, for satisfactory results it must be 
used intelligently, and 90 per cent of the efficiency 
of any spray application depends on the man. In 
the past I feel sure most of the unsatisfactory re¬ 
sults where any dependable material has been used 
can he reasonably laid to lack of proper application. 
There seems to be a sort of general feeling that if 
only we can get hold of the right material all our 
troubles will be over, when instead we are just in 
position to begin intelligent work, and right in con¬ 
nection with the best material must go timely and 
thorough application. 
The development and spread of many diseases and 
insects vary the best time for application 10 to 20 
days by the calendar in almost any locality, and 
certainly all should realize the probability of failure 
of an application made 10 to 20 days too late. Also, 
when we realize that only that portion of a tree’s 
surface actually corcrcd by the material is pro¬ 
tected, we have but to examine our work to find 
how far short we often are in our methods of appli¬ 
cation. As to the dependability of dilute commercial 
lime-sulphur, it seems to me the best evidence in 
all cases of this kind is the general practice of the 
growers, and I believe it is not too strong a state¬ 
ment, that 90 to 95 per cent of the growers of New 
York State are today using the lime-sulphur sprays. 
The questioner says “beginning with the pink 
spray.” I would like to make one recommendation. 
The great item of cost in spraying is in the applica¬ 
tion. and not cost of material. Therefore because 
of comparatively small difference in cost, because 
of its perfect safety where used, and because of its 
infinitely greater value for many purposes. I would 
recommend using lime-sulphur full dormant strength 
for all applications on apples and pears, up to the 
opening of the blossoms. With us. where this prac¬ 
tice has been followed for the past five years, it has 
made later applications for the control of aphis and 
pear psylla practically unnecessary, which, if there 
were no other benefit, would some years make it a 
100 per cent investment. wm. hotalixg. 
Columbia Co., N. Y. 
A Farm Without Capital 
II F Ik N.-Y. is never afraid to put a proposition 
up to its readers for discussion. Long experi¬ 
ence has shown us that there is no surer or finer 
way of having the plain common sense answer to 
any question. The combination of common sense 
and honest opinion is truth, and among our great 
army of readers we are sure to find people who can 
supply it. So here we come with another farm 
problem. Here is a man who thinks he can offer 
character and experience, and he wants to use them 
as assets in obtaining a farm. Usually these farm 
contracts are made only when the parties know each 
other well. Few men would care to turn farm and 
stock over to a stranger. Such contracts will usually 
be made with men who have lived in the community 
long enough to have their character fully tested, 
and it is right that this should be so. At the same 
time, let us take such a man as he who writes this 
letter. If what he says is correct he would make a 
good land-owner, relieve some elderly farmer, and 
make a good citizen in some rural community. Is 
there any chance for him to get a farm on contract? 
If not, why not? 
On page 110 the article by O. W. Mapes on buying 
a farm without capital on monthly payments hits my 
case. I want to get a farm, but have no cash, but have 
a good character, with references to back it. and a life 
experience in all branches of farming. This quotation 
from article on milking Shorthorns by F. C. M. would 
hit my case. "The new era is going to find the Eastern 
stockman, especially the tenant farmer who operates a 
small farm, engaged in the growing of a few sheep, a 
few pigs and a few cattle, the production of which will 
have a tendency to equalize his labor load and make it 
possible for him to introduce a system of crop rotation 
that will provide practically all of the feed required to 
supply their needs, enable him to make the most of his 
meadows and pastures, and thus make him more inde¬ 
pendent of the Eastern distributor of grains and hay.” 
There must be some farm owners who could let me have 
a farm all equipped on the monthly payment plan, as 
T know farming, have good habits, have a boy of 15 
who wants to get back of a farm, does not like any 
other kind of work : also I have a son of 2(1. who is 
getting $21.50 per week, who would help on the monthly 
payments if for any reason his father did not have it 
on time. I have been to see several real estate agents, 
but I am turned down because 1 have no money to pay 
down. But l am going to have a .farm somewhere, as 
I feel that it is the best place for me. w. L. H. 
Shall We Spray the Apple Bloom ? 
There is one conspicuously successful apple orchard in 
this county (Wyandotte Co.. Kansas). It consists of 
several hundred acres, is owned by a corporation, lias 
a manager, lots of men and horses, half a dozen spray¬ 
ing outfits, etc. In 1919 they had a good crop. 
In 1918 most of the orchards in this county 
had a light, crop or none, luit the orchard of 
which I speak was full: the apples were of splendid 
quality, practically clear of worms, scab, blotch, etc. 
Neighborhood gossip has it that the manager was offered 
$75,000 for the apples on the trees, but lie picked them 
himself, and the same authority says that he cleaned up 
$115,000 profit, gross sales, less picking, packages, 
cartage, etc. These details are given not to advertise 
the orchards, but as proof positive that their methods 
of growing apples are correct. But in one particular 
they are at variance with all the authorities of which 
the.writer has knowledge—they spray when the apple 
trees are in full bloom. As a reason why for this 
practice, the manager is said to hold that the best time 
tn kill an apple worm is before the egg is laid, that the 
female moths feed on the apple flowers, and are mostly 
destroyed if the open flowers are thoroughly poisoned. 
There can lie no question. I think, about the efficacy 
of the manager's spraying methods—he has the “goods 
on them." But what about liis entomology? Does the 
female codling moth feed on the bloom in such a way 
as to be mainly put out of action where the flowers are 
thoroughly sprayed? e. T. 
Edwardsville, Kan. 
ITE only possible advantage in spraying the 
apple orchard while in full bloom is to be found 
in the fact that the spraying of a larger acreage 
A Well-grown Bunch of Leeks. Fig. .%• 
can be completed within the necessary time if the 
operation is begun while the bloom is still on the 
tree. The disadvantages incident to spraying the 
apple orchard while in full bloom lie in the following 
facts: ill Should the early bloom for any reason 
fail to fertilize, damage to the set of fruit would be 
likely to result from the application of liquid spray¬ 
ing by reason of injury to late bloom by spraying 
mixtures. (2) Insect fertilizing agents, particularly 
houey-bees. would be likely to be destroyed by the 
arsenic which is lodged on the blossoms in the course 
of spraying. I can see no reason why any orchardist 
The Foundation of His Corn Crop. Fig. 97 
should find it advisable to make his applications of 
spray while the apple trees are in full bloom, be¬ 
cause if liis financial returns are what they ought 
to be he- can afford to purchase a sufficient equip¬ 
ment of spraying machinery which will enable him 
to complete his spraying, starting when the bloom is 
practically down, before the sepals of the earliest 
apples close. 
If instead of a liquid spraying the orchardist is 
making use of a dust it is probable that little or no 
damage would be done to the bloom, but it is quite 
