VOL LIV.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., SEPT 16. 1899.
NO. 37
%oxtiaxXt\xxZt
Do not fall to attend the State  fair this
year.        	
A strawberry grower in one of our northern
counties is picking a fall crop of berries; a
email one, but profitable as he gets his own
price for all he bas to sell.
PLANT TREES.
This is one of the two seasons of the year
for planting fruit and shade trees. Just now
of couree it is to dry but we may expect the fall
rains to begin most any day. So let us plan
and make ready for planting just as soon as
the ground ls moist enough. Sometimes
spring is better than fall, but not always. So
let us try both seasons and then some of our
plantings will be almost sure to be successful.
A WORTHY OBJECT.
A movemnt ls on foot, started ln the Rural
Xew Yorker, to raise a fund for the support
of Peter M. Gideon, of Excelsior, Minn., the
originator of the Wealthy and other good apples, who ls now in his old age in poor circumstances. The plan is to take subscrip.
tions of one cent for each tree of that variety
from all growing them who are so disposed.
The amount may be sent direct to Mr. Gideon
THE STAKK APPLE.
The hard, green apple sent us for name two
weeks ago was an entire stranger to ue; so we
forwarded it to the United States Agricultural
Department, and here is the reply of Prof.
Taylor, acting pomologist.
Referring to yours of the 28th ult., would
say that the apple received is apparently an
immature specimen of Stark. Am not surprised that It withstood the curculio for it
has one of the toughest of skins, as well as a
very coarBe and unpalatable flesh. It grows
and bears well, so it has gained some note as
a market variety. Wm A. Taylor,
Act. Pomologist.
—In sending the apple we spoke of the vain
attempts the curculio had evidently made to
puncture the Bkin, and lay ita eggs. The
scars were there but no further damage had
been done. What a pity the Stark is not a
better apple.
The York Imperial Apple.
behave on several occasions directed attention to this fine apple, and ln support of
what has been said the following, from the
late bulletin of the Pennsylvania Experiment
Station, Is very gratifying:
In 1888, the State Horticultural Association
Prepared, through the aid of correspondents.a
'wt of the best 10 vnrieties of apples for market in each county of Pennsylvania. More
than one-half of the counties placed Baldwin
a« a firet choice. The other nine varieties
*ere In order of prominence, Northern Spy,
greening, Pallawater, King, Ben Davis
pith's Cider, Beileflower, Twenty Ounce,
^ewtown Pippin. The list would be greatly
modified, if revised at this date. For many
orchardists have  discovered  that since the
en DaTle apples of the West have ma-ie a
putatlon ,n the markets, Pennsylvania has
, etyof 8JPerior quality,  better color,
Wl productiveness and that keeps as long,
r~e1^ tha York Imperial. It originated in
p' *0°unty. and, therefore, is peculiarly a
iMd? 8pple-   The Project  Is now
it* i °tthl8Stateto become prominent for
exJ 1 °f Y°rk ImPerial aPPle«- There are
York 7 0rch8rd8> Principally thig variety, in
eom . am"' and Cumberland counties—
ha«lLQa"tyoun*> »««*■ iust in bearing. It
ern l_T sh]y recommended ln the north-
nkr,. J.?0mewe8tem counties. It is being
Vi,!iM "ee,y,nNew York, Ohio, Illinois,
«a, it, Maryland. and Delaware. In Kan-
ma'.,8Iowin«in popularity. E.J. Hol-
It last n enwoith couuty, Kansas, said of
December at a meeting of the Kansas
State Agrticultural Society: "The York Imperial is new to many of us, because of its late
popularity. It has been sent to Europe, holding its own with Missouri Pippin and others.
It is large, a good keeper, and growers always seem pleased with it. It seems to be
growing popular."
Our fruit growers have been contending
that we have no variety of apples that ls well
suited to commercial orcharding in Pennsylvania, and yet in the face of this contention
other States have taken up the York Imperial
and made for it a reputation.
Itis encouraging to be able to report, however, that in Adams county there are about
200 acres of apples in bearing condition, the
principal varieties being York Imperial and
Ben Davis. There are also about 400 acres of
younger orchards in that county in which
York Imperial predominates. This apple is
highly recommended for great profit by such
experienced fruit growers as Hon. G. 0.
Brown, Yorkana; Hon. S. 0. Heiges, York;
Noah Sheely, Oashtown; John Shull, Oash-
town; Samuel Graham, Blglersville, and 0.
W. Good, Waynesboro.
I have purposely said much in favor of the
York Imperial, because it has seemed to me
that ita value as a money maker has not been
fully appreciated. It is a common error,
when discuesing varieties, to bring forth a
long list of very good apples which are good
only in consideration of the fruit, its flavor,
color, size, and keeping qualities, and when
we consider the respective trees, we declare
them unsatisfatory because they are poor
growers, light bearers, susceptible to dlseaees,
etc.
York Imperial ls sometimes listed in catalogues as Johnson's Fine Winter, and in its
native country sometimes referred to as the
Shep apple, Shep being a word of the Penn.
sylvania German having reference to the
oblique shape of the fruit. The tree is a vigorous grower, with slender drooping branches
after the manner of Ben Davis. It comes into
bearing at four years from planting, bears
regularly and heavily. The foliage and fruit
are remarkably free from scab. The fruit ls
of medium size, oblong, angular, oblique;
smooth, skin yellow, and almost wholly covered with two shades of red, the darker one
disposed in distinct stripes; baBin deep, cavity deep and narrow, stem short; flesh yellow,
jnicy, firm, sub-acid, good; season late winter. A good shipper, brlnging]high prices-
American Gardening.
Causes for Inferior Quality of Muskmelons, and Remedy.
The muskmelon has come to be one of the
necessary luxuries of life, and so lt should be,
and doubtless Is, the object of every melon
grower to produce melons of the very highest
quality, but there has been much complaint
this season, even among the growers themselves, concerning the poor quality of the
melons found upon the market. Various
causes are given, such as leaf blight, too much
rain, a lack of some necessary element ln the
soil, poor varieties, etc., any one of which
would undoubtedly have a tendency to affect
the qnality of the fruit. The appearance of
leaf blight during the growing season always
has a tendency to rob the fruit of the necessary amount of nourishment, and causes it to
ripen prematurely. This may be prevented
in a large degree by spraying the vines with
Bordeaux mixture, two or three times, depending upon the tmiunt of rainfall, before
the disease makes its appearance.
An excessive amount of rain ls undoubtedly
one of the chief causes of trouble. It is a well
known fact that during a very wet season
strawberries are of much poorer quality, containing a less amount of sugar, than when the
ripening season is comparatively dry. The
same Is true with muskmelons, the crop may
be larger during a wet season, the fruit may
be finer in appearance, but the sugar content
which gives the melon Its delicious flavor is
comparitively low. Hence it frequently happens that a variety may give good satisfaction one season, and be very unsatisfactory
the next. Thorough drainage, either naturally or artificially will do much towards preventing trouble from this source. The use of
fertilzere, rich in potash and phosphoric acid
will have a tendency to produce a fruit of high
quality.
Another cauee for poor quality in melons Is
found in the fact that many are picked too
green. This is especially trne when they are
shipped long distances. Like California
peaches, they muBt be picked early in order
to hold up until they reach their destination,
and also like California fruit, they lose very
much of that richness of flavor, which can
only come by ripening on the vines.
There is much difference between varieties
grown on the same soil, because all varieties
are not adapted to the same conditions.
This haB been very noticable in our experiments for a series of years on a rather heavy
sandy loam which is naturally nderdralned.
Those varieties giving the beat results are
the small Emerald Gem, Netted Gem, Osage,
Hackensack and Montreal. Paul Jones is a
new variety, fruiting for the first time and
giving good satisfaction. It is said to be a
cross between the Emerald Gem and Osage,
and in some degree it contains the characteristics of both. In general, varieties that
come the nearest to perfection every year are
the ones to grow.—James Troop, Horticulturist at Purdue Agricultural Station.
 ■*♦*-	
Preservation of Grape Juice and Sweet
Cider.
The manufacture of unfermented grape juice
and of sweet cider assumes considerable proportions in many localities, but difficulty ls
often experienced in preparing a product
which will "keep," 1. e., does not ferment.
Fermentation ie due to the presence of microorganisms in the juice or cider, and may be
prevented by sterilizing the latter as well as
the vessels ueed in connection with the bottling of the product. Heating is the simplest,
Bafest, and most effective means of sterilizing, but great caro is neceeeary ln order to so
control the temperature aB to secure thorough
sterilization without injuring the flavor of
the product. A report of the Canada experimental farms gives an account of a series of
experiments on the juice. The conclusion,
which probably applies to sweet cider as well
as to grape juice, was that "the natural
flavor of grape juice may ba preserved Intact
by raising the temperature of the juice gradually to 170 degrees F., keeping it at this point
for ten minutes and then quickly bottling it,
taking care to use absolutely air-tight and
thoroughly sterilized vessels. These veesels
ehould be taken from a tank or kettle of boiling water. Immediately filled, and corked or
covered with the least possible delay."—Ex,
Suggestions to Tree Planters.
Tbe judicious and tasteful planting of fruit
and ornamental trees enhances the value of
real estate more than an equal amount of
money invested in any other way. The best
time for planting evergreen trees is in the
spring. The beet time for planting deciduous trees is during the autumn and early
spring. Success in tree planting depends
more upon the proper performance of the
work and on the weather during the following
season, than on the exact time when the work
is done.
Trees should be planted about the same
depth tbat they grew in the nursery; this is
easily seen by the earth-stain on the bark.
Don't twist or crowd the roots Into too small
a hole; dig a large hole, and spread the roots
out naturally; fill the earth well among them,
leaving no cavities or air spaces, and pack
firmly. Frequent stirring of the soil and
mulching with coarse manure, straw, leaves
or stones are very beneficial to newly planted
trees, and are valuable means of' retaining
moisture in the soil. Many trees either die
at once, or stand still and do not grow much
for several years, becauee the land is too
poor. Stable manure, and enough of it, is
the beet remedy. Ground bones, wood ashes
or potash in almoet any form are also excellent fertilizers for trees.
Watering in dry weather Ib very beneficial
if done properly and liberally, but is labor
lost If done etlnglly and superficially. Soak
the ground thoroughly when lt Leeds it.
'-It is not possible to avoid all risks in
transplanting. The art will never be so perfected that some trees will not die."—S. O.
Moon, Morrisvllle Nursery Catalogue.
 ■»•*	
Potato Culture.
The Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station at Ithaca, N. Y., gives these
conclusions, based upon experiments in pota
to culture daring four years:
1. The average yield of potatoes throughout the State is not more than one-half what
lt should be, and what lt would be wero better methode practiced.
2. AH soils of ordinary fertility contain
sufficient potential plant food to produco
abundant crops. By tillage, and drainage if
necessary, a part of this potential plant food
can be made available for the ubo of plants.
3. Early planting of potatoes and frequent
tillage to conserve moisture will ordinarily
give beet reiults.
4. Early planting necessitates vigorous
epraying with Bordeaux mixture and Paris
green to protect the foliage from blight and
beetles.
5. Success with potatoes depends largely
upon the preparation given the soil before
tbe potatoes are planted. Plowing should be
deep, and at the time of planting, soil should
be mellow and loose,
6. On soils which are likely to be affected
seriously by drouths, lt is especially Important that tho potatoes ehould be planted early
and deep, and the tillage should be frequent
and level.
7. On soils which are not well drained,
either naturally or artificially, and on clay or
clay loam soils, potatoes may be planted
eomewhat shallow and slight hilling may be
be practiced with benefit.
8. Harrowing the land after the potatoes
were planted and before the plants appeared
produced marked beneficial results.
9. From six to seven cultivations have given beet results.
No Comfort.
One of the firet clever speeches eet down to
the credit of Lord Macaulay belongs to his
very early days, and must have been entirely
spontaneous. When he was in Trinity College,
he attended a Cambridge election, whero the
mob, with the freedom peculiar to British
voters, were hustling the successful candidate.
Mitsiles of all sorts were flying about, and
Macaulay's ardor for the public life may have
been somewhat cooled by the dead cat which
he received full In the face. The man who
had thrown it appologlzed profusely, and assured him that he had only mistaken his aim.
"The cat was aimed for Mr. Adeane," said
he.
"Then," said Macaulay, ruefully, "I wish
you had meant it for me and hit Mr,
Adeane I"
 ft.	
Louis Humbert, of St. Croix, threshed the
banner crop of wheat for Perry county on tho
15th—706 bushels from fifteen acres—forty-
seven and one-fifteenth bushels an acre. The
crop was grown on clover sod turned under,
with no commercial fertilizers.