1222 
for  building  up  the  soil  and  maintaining  fertility. 
Many  of  us  have  found  that  Alsike  clover  and  Soy 
heans  (both  acid-soil  plants)  are  far  more  economi¬ 
cal  than  Red  clover — while  Alfalfa,  except  in  spe¬ 
cially  favored  locations,  represents  a  losing  game. 
Such  crops  as  peanuts,  velvet  beans  or  kudzu  are 
acid-soil  plants.  They  will  grow  and  thrive  on  soil 
too  sour  for  Red  clover,  and  it  seems  far  better 
farming  to  use  crops  which  are  fitted  to  the  soil 
as  we  have  it  rather  than  to  spend  a  lot  of  money 
trying  to  fit  our  soils  to  so-called  standard  crops 
which  require  great  quantities  of  lime.  We  think 
there  are  great  possibilities  for  these  acid-soil  le¬ 
gumes  at  the  North  and  our  scientific  workers  ought 
to  try  them  out  fairly. 
The  Horticultural  Exhibit  at  the  New 
York  State  Fair 
THERE  might  have  been  a  very  good  fruit  ex¬ 
hibit  at  the  .State  Fair.  As  it  was,  the  display 
was  far  from  the  caliber  of  what  New  York  State 
is  capable  of  doing.  As  far  as  the  fruit  is  concerned, 
there  was  plenty  of  it — possibly  more  than  has 
been  shown  in  the  past  few  years — but  the  general 
arrangement,  which  to  the  average  observer  is  more 
than  half  the  show,  Avas  as  poor  as  we  have  seen 
at  a  New  York  .State  Fair  in  recent  years.  More¬ 
over,  the  exhibitors  Avho  Avere  on  the  grounds  Avere 
irritated  and  dissatisfied,  so  that  several  declared 
in  their  excitement  that  they  would  never  sIioav 
again ! 
The  story  that  Ave  heard  was  that  the  old  regime 
that  has  been  managing  the  affairs  for  a  great  many 
years  had  been  supplanted  by  a  force  that  Avas  un¬ 
acquainted  AA-itli  the  general  situation  and  unable 
to  handle  the  display  efficiently.  As  far  as  numbers 
go,  we  have  it  that  there  were  11  assistants  in  the 
fruit  department  to  do  the  work  that  a  half  dozen 
of  old-timers — several  who  had  served  as  assistants 
for  15  or  Id  years  and  one  for  20  years — had  per¬ 
formed  creditably  for  years.  The  tables  Avere  poorly 
arranged,  they  Avere  unusually  dirty,  the  labels 
Avere  messy,  the  fruit  wag  crowded  and  not  neatly 
placed,  and  terrible  “Hands  Off"  signs  frightened 
folks  nearly  to  death.  As  for  the  judges,  they  AA'ere 
all  new  to  the  job  excepting  one,  Avhicli  probably 
accounts  for  the  fact  that  the  judging  took  tAvice 
as  long  as  in  former  years,  and  that  there  Avas  more 
or  less  complaint  from  exhibitors. 
If  there  Avere  any  benefits  to  be  derived  from  a 
Avholesale  slaughter  of  the  former  management  Ave 
should  not  complain,  but  Ave  could  not  help  but 
Avomler  Avhether  or  not  politics  AA’ere  creeping  into 
the  State  Fair.  If  it  is,  then  there  must  be  some 
quick  remonstrance,  or  one  of  the  most  insidious 
evils  will  have  started  gnaAving  at  the  vitals  of 
Avhat  native's  of  the  Empire  States  point  to  with 
pride  as  onb  of  the  greatest  and  most  dignified  of 
State  fairs. 
But  to  return  to  the  exhibits,  as  Ave  said  before, 
there  Avas  more  than  the  usual  display  of  plates  of 
fruit,  and  it  Avas  good.  The  competition  in  the 
Rhode  Island  Greening  class  and  others  of  the  stand¬ 
ard  sorts  was  very  keen,  though  there  were  some 
lesser  knoAvn  classes  unfilled.  Grapes  AA’ere  a  small 
display.  The  Wayne  County  Farm  Bureau  took 
first  place  among  the  Farm  Bureau  exhibits,  with  a 
display  of  varieties  of  fruit  that  compared  favorably 
with  the  best  in  the  hall.  The  hand  of  C.  H.  Mills 
could  be  plainly  seen.  Orleans  County  was  second, 
Clinton  Avas  third,  and  Oneida  Avas  fourth. 
The  NeAv  York  State  Agricultural  Experiment 
Station  had  its  usual  display  of  fruits,  featuring 
over  SO  varieties  of  plums  and  a  number  of  the  new 
fruits  produced  or  recommended  for  trial  by  the 
Station.  The  Cortland  apple,  as  groAvn  by  William 
Hotaling  of  Kinderhook,  showed  good  size  and 
color,  Avhile  Hunter,  a  neAV  nectarine  of  good  size 
and  good  quality,  excited  much  interest  and  cur¬ 
iosity.  There  were  many  avIio  had  never  before 
seen  a  “smooth-skin  peach.”  Portland  and  Ontario, 
the  tAvo  early  Avhite  grapes,  Avere  in  evidence,  as 
Avere  also  two  other  Avhite  grapes  of  later  season — 
Broeton  and  Ripley.  Sheridan,  a  blue  grape  which 
follows  Concord  in  season,  and  which  is  a  better 
shipper  than  that  variety,  and  its  sister  Pontiac, 
Avere  also  exhibited.  Another  neAV  Avhite  grape,  Mel¬ 
ton,  had  beautiful  clusters  of  unusually  large  size, 
but  it  Avas  said  that  the  variety  Avas  tender  and 
would  not  stand  shipping  well.  The  much-abused 
elderberry  came  into  its  own.  and  took  its  place 
alongside  other  recognized  fruits.  Crosses  have  been 
made  at  the  Experiment  Station  this  past  year  be¬ 
tween  the  very  productive  Oregon  elderberry,  which 
is  tender  to  cold,  and  our  less  productive  common 
elderberry,  which  is  relatively  hardy.  It  is  hoped 
“Pk  RURAL  NEW-YORKER 
that  some  new  types  of  elderberry  may  be  produced 
Avhich  will  embody  the  large  size  and  productivity 
of  the  Oregon  type  with  the  hardiness  of  the  more 
familiar  type. 
If  the  fruit  exhibit  at  the  New  York  State  Fair 
is  an  index  of  Avhat  is  going  on  in  the  fruit  regions 
of  New  York  State,  then  there  is  a  marked  improvc- 
ment  in  the  quality  and  general  condition  of  NeAV 
York’s  commercial  apple  crop  and  a  tendency  to 
swing  towards  better  grading  and  packing.  At  any 
rate,  there  is  no  question  but  that  the  barrels, 
bushels,  and  hampers  showed  that  NeAV  York  State 
growers  knoAV  how  to  put  up  fancy  fruit  in  attrac¬ 
tive  packages,  and  that  the  day  of  superiority  of 
the  Western  pack  over  the  Eastern  pack  is  generally 
passing  aAvay. 
The  floral  exhibit  Avas  especially  fine.  The  va¬ 
riety  and  condition  of  blooms  Avas  excellent,  and 
the  arrangement  was  all  that  could  have  been  asked. 
Unfortunately  the  flowers  go  to  pieces  gather 
quickly  in  the  large  hall  Avith  its  high  ceiling  and 
free  circulation  of  dry  air.  It  is  certain  that  the 
floral  exhibit  will  profit  greatly  Avhen  housed,  in  a 
building  more  adapted  to  its  needs.  And  iioav  that 
A  Connecticut  Haystack.  Fig.  522 
the  Coliseum  has  been  provided  for,  the  call  of  the 
hour  is  for  all  those  interested  in  horticultural  lines 
to  get  behind  the  movement  for  a  new  horticultural 
building  Avorthy  of  housing  the  horticultural  prod¬ 
ucts  for  Avhich  New  York  State  is  noted.  h. 
The  New  Hampshire  Trespass  Law 
1AM  enclosing  clipping  from  the  Rochester  (N. 
IE)  Courier,  Avhich  speaks  for  itself,  and  shows 
how  AA’e  do  the  trick  here,  although  we  don't  get 
them  all  by  any  means.  I  am  also  giving  a  little 
tip  on  milk  to  those  Avho  wish  to  drink  it  but  do  not 
find  “flavor,  or  taste”  enough  to  it.  That  is  to  nibble 
one  of  those  round,  thick  peppermints.  It  makes  a 
drink  surpassing  in  flavor  and  pleasanter  than  any 
so-called  soft  drink  that  I  know  of.  av.  c.  g. 
New  Hampshire. 
This  clipping  refers  to  the  trespass  law  which  was 
noted  in  The  R.  N.-Y.  on  page  120S.  It  is  a  drastic 
‘law  with  full-grown  teeth  in  it,  as  the  following  in¬ 
dicates: 
It  seems  that  a  resident  of  Hancock,  N.  H..  in  the 
employ  of  the  I  nited  States  rural  mail  service,  en¬ 
tered  upon  the  premises  of  William  E.  Putnam  of 
that  town  and  took  aAvay,  without  leave,  certain  scions 
for  grafting  purposes  from  the  trees  oAvned  by  Mr. 
Putnam.  These  trees  are  some  of  the  finest  McIntosh 
apple  trees  in  New  Hampshire.  The  mutilation  of 
the  trees  in  securing  the  scions  Avas  of  such  a  vicious 
nature  that  the  oAvner  brought  prosecution  under  the 
neAV  trespass  act. 
The  accused  Avas  found  guilty,  Avas  fined  the  mini¬ 
mum  amount  under  the  law  and  had  to  meet  the  costs 
of  the  case. 
The  leport  of  this  misdemeanor  on  the  part  of  one 
avIio  at  tne  time  Avas  operating  an  automobile  bearing 
the  United  States  mail  was  reported  to  the  United 
States  postal  authorities.  What  action  may  be  taken 
by  the  postal  depaitment  is  yet  to  be  determined.  Mr. 
Putnam  has  also  brought  action  for  damage  to  the 
trees  which  will  mount  up  into  several  hundred  dollars. 
The  chief^  interest  :n  this  case,  hoAvever,  lies  in  the 
fact  that  Noav  Hampshire  today  has  a  trespass  laAV 
which  is  effective  and  means  a  larger  and  better  pro¬ 
tection  to  those  Avho  have  suffered  heretofore  the  de¬ 
pravities  of  vicious  or  careless  parties  who  haAre  felt 
it  AA’ithin  their  right  to  run  over,  trample,  steal  or 
destroy  groAving  crops  from  the  gardens  or  fruit  from 
the  orchards.  It  might  be  well  for  such  lawless  parties 
September  29,  1923 
to  be  more  respectful  of  the  rights  of  others  or  they 
certainly  will  feel  the  teeth  of  the  neAV  law  as  they 
never  have  under  the  old  and  more  obsolete  laAV  so 
recently  in  vogue. 
It  costs  something  beyond  the  appreciation  of  most 
people  to  pIoav,  plant,  fertilize,  till  and  bring  to  the 
fruiting  season,  a  garden  or  an  orchard  crop.  Even 
to  produce  a  bunch  of  chickens  of  sufficient  age  that 
they  may  be  satisfactorily  marketed  is  a  costly  proposi¬ 
tion.  When  the  thief  comes,  either  in  the  daytime  or 
the  night  time,  and  carries  them  aAvay,  it  is  well  for 
him  to  understand  that  there  is  a  law  now  Avhich  gives 
the  producer  of  these  products  a  reasonable  measure 
of  protection  against  such  marauders. 
The  case  above  cited  proves  that  the  court  recog¬ 
nizes  this  fact  and  Avould-be  despoilers  should  be 
mindful  of  what  might  happen  to  them  if  they  fall 
within  the  toils  of  the  law. 
Vinegar  Making  by  the  “Quick  Process” 
WL.  N.,  in  a  recent  inquiry  in  The  R.  N.-Y., 
•  says  the  best  he  can  get  from  his  cider  is 
a  very  Aveak  vinegar  and  asks  Avould  it  be  practical 
to  make  a  generator  and  use  acid-forming  chemi¬ 
cals.  Many  people  think,  as  this  man  does,  that 
chemicals  or  something  is  added  in  the  generator  or 
quick  process  of  making  vinegar.  There  is  noth¬ 
ing  put  into  the  vinegar  in  the  quick  process.  All 
that  is  done  is  to  give  the  heat  and  air  in  a  few 
hours  that  it  takes  months  to  do  in  a  barrel.  There 
is  no  need  of  adding  anything,  and  all  that  is  ne¬ 
cessary  is  heat  and  air  to  change  the  alcohol  in 
the  cider  to  acetic  acid  or  vinegar.  Vinegar  making 
by  the  quick  process  is  nothing  new.  Generators 
AA’ei'e  first  used  in  Germany  over  one  hundred  years 
ago.  Of  course  there  have  been  many  improvements 
in  them,  especially  in  the  distribution  of  the  stock 
at  the  top,  so  that  it  will  Aoav  evenly  doAvn  through 
the  cobs  or  shavings.  Many  think  if  you  tell  them 
that  the  generator  is  filled  AA'ith  shavings  or  corn¬ 
cobs,  that  you  get  something  from  the  cobs  or  shav¬ 
ings.  The  only  part  they  take  is  to  give  air  sur¬ 
face,  Cob,  beech,  maple  or  rattan  shavings  are 
used,  because  they  haA’e  no  taste  and  Avill  not  injure 
the  vinegar. 
The  cider  or  vinegar  stock  dripping  and  covering 
every  part  of  the  cobs  or  shavings  in  a  generator 
6  ft.  in  diameter  and  16  ft.  high,  gives  thousands 
of  square  inches  of  air  surface.  The  warm  air, 
about  85  to  90  degrees  F.,  passing  up  through  the 
shavings  covered  with  the  cider,  changes  the  al¬ 
cohol  into  vinegar.  If  a  barrel  Avas  set  in  a  cool 
cellar  three-quarters  full  of  cider,  it  would  only 
have  the  top  surface  exposed  to  the  air.  The  pro¬ 
cess  of  change  practically  stops  below  60  degrees 
F.,  which  is  the  reason  why  it  takes  so  long  by  the 
sIoaa’  process,  and  the  thousands  of  square  inches 
of  the  surface  of  the  shavings  with  the  warm  air 
passing  over  the  thin  film  and  drops  of  vinegar 
stock  cause  the  quick  change  by  the  generator 
process. 
Generators  make  their  own  heat,  and  one  of  the 
troubles  is  to  .  keep  the  heat  down.  Too  high  a 
temperature  Avill  evaporate  part  of  the  alcohol,  and 
it  Avill  pass  out  at  the  top  in  the  form  of  vapor, 
and  not  be  converted  into  vinegar.  Vent  holes  are 
made  in  the  lower  part  to  regulate  the  air,  and  run¬ 
ning  one  is  similar  to  running  a  stoA'e.  If  your 
temperature  drops,  open  the  vents.  If  it  gets  above 
90  degrees,  close  part  of  the  draft  or  vent  by  giving 
just  the  right  Aoav  of  stock  and  regulating  the 
vents  properly.  Vinegar  of  5  to  6  per  cent  acidity 
should  be  the  result,  if  good  ripe  apples  are  used. 
Apples  partly  rotten  or  unripe  fruit,  Avill  not  give 
the  above  per  cent.  Four  per  cent  is  the  standard 
strength  required  by  most  States  and  the  Govern¬ 
ment.  F.  T.  PALMER. 
Connecticut. 
When  You  Burn  Straw 
“A  ton  of  straw  contains  about  three  dollars  worth 
of  plant  food.  This  fact  leaves  us  in  doubt  Avhether  or 
not  the  farmers  who  burn  their  straw  really  get  that 
much  fun  out  of  it.” 
HAT’S  the  Avay  the  Oregon  Station  puts  it. 
Suppose  wheat  straw  is  meant,  the  ton  Avill,  if 
fully  consumed,  leave  about  100  lbs.  of  ash,  contain¬ 
ing  13  lbs.  of  potash,  5  lbs.  of  lime,  and  about  5  lbs. 
of  phosphoric  acid.  There  Avill  be  lost  in  burning 
about  10  lbs.  of  nitrogen  or  about  as  much  as  Avill 
be  found  in  a  ton  of  good  manure.  At  present  prices 
no  one  can  afford  to  send  10  lbs.  of  nitrogen  into 
the  air  as  a  free  gift  to  nature.  Nature  does  not 
need  any  such  gift.  The  man  avIio  Avould  do  it  is 
not  likely  to  seed  clover  or  other  legumes  so  as  to 
get  some  of  that  nitrogen  back  out  of  the  air. 
This  seems  to  be  one  of  those  seasons  Avhen  there  is 
a  good  crop  of  potato  seed  balls.  We  have  many  reports 
of  them.  Crush  the  pulp  and  wash  out  the  seeds.  Then 
dry  them  thoroughly  and  keep  in  a  dry  place  over  Win¬ 
ter.  Plant  next  Spring  in  pots  or  boxes,  or  in  some 
sheltered  garden  spot. 
