Tfcr  RURAL  NEW-YORKER 
927 
Ruralisms 
Handling  Red  Raspberry  Seed 
Will  you  kindly  advise  through  The  R. 
N.-Y.  how  to  handle  the  seeds  of  red  rasp¬ 
berry  in  order  to  grow  seedlings  from 
them.  ^  E.  A.  K. 
Johnson  City,  N.  Y. 
The  first  step  is  the  separation  of  the 
seed  from  the  pulp.  This  is  best  done  by 
mashing  the  berries  and  putting  them 
into  a  10  per  cent  solution  of  caustic 
soda  for  15  or  20  minutes,  or  until  the 
soda  begins  to  cut  the  pulp  from  the 
seed.  Now,  by  repeated  washings,  you 
can  pour  off  most  of  the  pulp,  leaving 
the  seed  in  the  ‘bottom  of  the  container. 
Thorough  rinsing  to  remove  the  last 
traces  of  soda  is  essential. 
The  next  step  is  the  stratification  of 
the  seed.  Some  will  contend  that  this 
should  be  done  immediately,  before  the 
seed  has  had  opportunity  to  dry  out, 
though  if  stratification  is  done  properly 
the  time  at  which  it  begins  is  not  of  so 
transplanting.  Our  customers  who  buy 
Summer  plants  seem  to  prefer  them  iu 
pots.  They  are  in  the  habit  of  buying 
them  in  that  form  and  naturally  we  give 
them  what  they  care  for.  Properly  han¬ 
dled  we  think  these  layer  plants  would 
be  as  good. 
Maple  Trees  Dying 
Please  tell  me  why  one  of  my  best 
sugar  maple  trees,  which  stands  isolated 
from  the  rest,  is  dying  branch  by  branch, 
year  by  year,  after  a  healthy  life  of  about 
25  or  30  years.  The  others  are  not  af¬ 
fected.  The  tree  enjoys  every  condition 
suitable  for  a  long  life,  but  at  present 
about  one-fifth  of  its  branches  are  dead. 
Morton,  N.  Y.  E.  s.  s. 
This  trouble  with  maples  is  an  old 
story  and  one  that  has  never  been  def¬ 
initely  answered.  Cases  of  individual 
trees  here  and  there  acting  in  just  this 
way  are  frequently  reported.  One  such 
tree  was  cut  up  and  examined  and  roots 
followed  to  the  ends  by  a  number  of 
Watermelon  Time 
much  importance.  It  will  be  found  con¬ 
venient  to  fold  the  seed  in  small  pieces 
of  heavy  cloth  and  fold  these  in  turn 
within  a  piece  of  non-rusting  wire  net¬ 
ting.  This  makes  a  rodent  proof  con¬ 
tainer  that  is  conveniently  handled.  The 
whole  should  then  be  buried  at  a  depth 
of  about  three  inches  out  of  doors  in  a 
somewhat  sandy  soil  that  is  well  drained. 
Early  in  the  'Spring  the  seed  should  be 
taken  up  and  planted  out.  H.  B.  T. 
Substitute  for  Potted  Plants 
The  Hope  Farm  man  needs  me  in  his 
strawberry  business  very  bad.  I  would 
not  dig  holes  and  crumple  paper  in  them 
to  grow  the  plants.  I  let  the  plants 
grow  in  the  ground  as  they  wish.  Then 
with  a  transplanting  tube  made  of  a  tin 
can  4  or  4*4  in.  in  diameter  I  push  it 
down  over  the  plant  three  or  more  inches. 
Then  lifting  it  up  it  brings  the  plant 
with  all  the  roots  intact.  I  have  smaller 
can  to  fit  inside  the  transplanting  tube. 
I  set  the  can  containing  the  plant  at 
proper  depth,  fill  to  the  top  with  water. 
When  it  has  soaked  away,  insert  the 
smaller  tube,  bear  down  on  it  and  pull 
up  on  the  outer,  and,  behold,  the  plant  is 
set  and  don’t  know  it  has  been  moved. 
Indiana.  JOE  A.  burton. 
R.  N.-Y, — This  would  be  fine  for  home 
botanists  and  pathologists  who  hoped  to 
settle  the  problem,  but  without  success. 
The  notion  at  present  is  that  the  roots 
are  injured  by  Winter  temperature  or  by 
some  other  means  and  are  unable  to  sup¬ 
ply  the  moisture  needed  when  growth  gets 
under  way  in  the  Spring.  Apparently 
there  is  neither  insect  nor  disease  present 
on  such  trees. 
Some  benefit  has  been  secured  by  cut¬ 
ting  out  all  dead  branches  and  heading 
back  the  remaining  ones,  so  as  to  cut 
down  the  amount  of  foliage  to  which  the 
roots  must  supply  water.  h.  b.  t. 
Poisoning  Moles 
The  following  advice  as  to  mole  de¬ 
struction  is  given  by  Jacques  Reich  in 
the  New  York  Herald: 
“Cut  2  or  3  in.  wide  away  from  the 
tunnel  with  a  sharp  garden  trowel ;  this 
will  leave  an  opening  on  each  side.  Take 
a  piece  of  white  bread,  cover  with  butter 
and  cut  in  small  pieces  about  an  inch  in 
size,  sprinkle  Paris  green  on  the  buttered 
pieces  and  insert  on  each  side  of  the  tun¬ 
nel,  using  care  not  to  disturb  it  too  much. 
Cover  the  opening  wbh  a  flat  piece  of 
wood  with  dirt  over  it.  This  can  be  done 
in  as  many  places  as  desired.  I  have 
tried  traps,  pitchforks  and  other  deadly 
instruments,  but  the  moles  remained  un¬ 
harmed  until  I  used  the  Paris  green  as 
described.  For  years  my  lawn  has  been 
absolutely  deserted  by  these  destructive 
little  animals.” 
“This  book  must  belong  to  a  doctor.” 
“Why?”  “He  cut  out  the  appendix.” — 
Judge. 
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