t 22 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
Obituary. 
MARK VERNON SLINGERLAND, ECONOMIC 
ENTOMOLOGIST. 
Professor Slingerland, economic entomologist of Cornell 
University Experiment Station and College of Agriculture, 
died of Bright’s disease, March nth. Although he had 
been afflicted by the malady for several years, his death 
came with startling suddenness. 
He was born in Cattaraugus County, New York, in 1864. 
He was essentially a self-made man, having worked his 
way through Cornell University, building up a home, and 
at the same time by his energy and devotion to his chosen 
field of work placing himself at the head of the economic 
entomologists of this country. The secretary of the West¬ 
ern New York Horticultural Society pays the following 
tribute to Professor Slingerland and his work in a recent 
issue of the Democrat and Chronicle. 
“The death of Professor Slingerland, entomologist of 
the New York State College of Agriculture at Cornell Uni¬ 
versity, is a distinct and almost irreparable loss to the 
farm and fruit-growing interests, as well as to the institu¬ 
tions with which he was connected, and will be keenly felt 
by the Western New York Horticultural Society, before 
which he had appeared annually for the past fourteen years. 
“It is to the researches of Professor Slingerland mainly 
that the fruit growers owe much of the success which has 
come to them in the battle against insect pests, and 
through him they have obtained much information in the 
matter of spraying fruit trees and other details of insecti¬ 
cide ; for Prof. Slingerland had the happy faculty of reduc¬ 
ing technical scientific truths to practice, and translating 
the nomenclature of the research laboratory into terms of 
ordinary understanding.” 
The University faculty of Cornell and the faculty of the 
College of Agriculture have placed themselves on record 
in regard to the worth of Professor Slingerland as a man 
and as a scientist in very eulogistic resolutions which are 
'spread upon the minutes of their respective faculty records. 
fruit and plant N otes 
GOOSEBERRY HISTORY. 
Among the three most promising varieties of gooseberries for the 
region adapted to this fruit in the United States are Red Jacket, 
Pearl and Downing. 
Pearl is a variety of Canadian origin. It was produced by William 
Saunders, then an amateur fruit grower of London, Ontario, Canada 
Downing was of earlier development,but there is a remarkable 
resemblance between Downing and Pearl, so marked that some 
growers are inclined to say that the varieties are identical, yet 
there is no question of the distinctness of their origin. It does 
not seem to matter much which one has, the difference between 
them being so slight; but one or the other is needed in every 
gooseberry plantation. 
Another variety introduced by the originator of the Pearl has 
had a somewhat strange history. After devious wanderings it 
came to light in the nursery grounds of T. S. Hubbard & Co., 
Fredonia. It then passed into the hands of George S. Josselyn, of 
grape culture fame, and was introduced by him under the name of 
Red Jacket. Now it was unfortunate that this name was chosen, 
for an older English variety had already been introduced under the 
same name. Under these circumstances it was deemed advisable to 
rename the variety, and it is now properly catalogued under the 
name of Josselyn. This variety is one of the most reliable of all 
kinds which include in their make-up a considerable element of the 
English type. In other words, it is the most successful of those 
varieties having European characteristics in a marked degree. We 
understand from the introducer that there is a keen and continuous 
demand for this variety. It would therefore seem that gooseberry 
growers should have Josselyn at any rate, and either Pearl or 
Downing to give them two good varieties well adapted to American 
conditions. 
TO MANUFACTURERS OF INSECTICIDES AND FUNGI¬ 
CIDES. 
Albany, March 5, 190Q. 
Manufacturers of insecticides and fungicides within the state 
and dealers in original packages manufactured outside of the State 
of New York, are required by law to receive from the Commissioner 
of Agriculture a certificate before doing business in the commodities 
named. 
The law also requires that all packages offered for sale shall be 
labeled with the name of manufacturer and place of manufacture, 
and the label shall show plainly the percentage of all essential in¬ 
gredients of said insecticides or fungicides. 
The labeling in connection with the application above referred 
to, constitutes a guarantee to purchasers, of the quality of the in¬ 
secticide or fungicide offered for sale. 
Selling without a certificate, or failure to label properly, or to sell 
a commodity different from such as is set forth in the application, 
constitute a violation of the Agricultural law. The attention of 
manufacturers, dealers and purchasers is hereby called to this sub¬ 
ject and a full text of the law will be sent on application. 
R. A. Pearson, Commissioner of Agriculture. 
UNIFORM PACKING IN NEW YORK. 
It is not generally known that the last legislature of the State of 
New York passed a law, or rather added a section to its agricultural 
law, prohibiting the selling of apples, pears, or peaches as New York 
State grown, or the branding of them as such, unless they were - 
actually grown in the state. This law also provides that apples or 
pears sold on the market shall be so packed that the product is 
substantially uniform throughout each package. What “sub¬ 
stantially uniform’’ means must be interpreted, we suppose, by the 
inspector. It further provides that anyone buying from a grower 
apples or pears which are packed and labeled with the name of the 
grower, and who repacks or causes the same to be repacked, shall 
erase the name of the grower. The weak point about this law is 
that it does not state what per cent of apples or pears may be below 
the grade required. 
INFLUENCE OF FERTILIZATION ON CALIFORNIA 
GRAPES. 
“I contend where a vineyard is kept vigorous through fertiliza¬ 
tion and the vines are properly cared for to make them healthy and 
strong growers, it will take a great many insects of any kind to 
offset the tendency of a thrifty growth. As is well known, the in¬ 
sect that creates the diseased condition known as Phylloxera, at¬ 
tacks resistant stock as well as the varieties grown on their own 
roots. It is claimed for the resistant stock, however, on account of 
its being such a thrifty grower, that the insect makes very little 
headway in its destructive work. Taking this conclusion, I am 
positive where a vineyard is irrigated and well fertilized to cause it 
to be vigorous and otherwise healthy, that grape-vines on their own 
roots can be made resistant more or less, especially when irrigation 
water is used regularly to keep any insect which inhabits the vicinity 
of the roots of grape vines weakened. They will certainly vacate 
the premises in time and their eggs and larvae w r ill be destroyed. 
Keep your vineyards well fertilized either with stable manure or 
commercial fertilizer and it this is done especially in irrigated 
localities, I am quite sure that resistant stock is unnecessay. 
Vines grafted on resistent stock cost from$3oto $65 per 1,000 while 
vines on their own roots cost from $10 to $16 per 1,000, according to 
variety and quality. This is quite a saving.”— -Chas. A. Chambers 
in Town and Country. [All of which is very questionable statement 
and advice.—E d.] 
