Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume], May 02, 1914, STATE EDITION, MAGAZINE SECTION, Image 15

About Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916

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ASK “THE QUESTION BOX”
Wliat You Want to Know About Gardening, Poultry and Coun«
try Problems Answered by Experts.
I his service costs you nothing. The only requisite for a full and com-' I
pjete answer Is to state your problem clearly, to w>*lte only on one side of
the paper, and to sign your name and give us your address. Initials ouly
! will be use in answering queries. If your question relates to diseased plants,
describe fully and also send us a piece of the "plant (stem and leaves) If
| possible. Address "Home and Garden Question Box," The Evening Star.
Newark, N. J.
Setting Out Strawberries.
Please give me directions for pre
paring tne ground and seating out
Uifaw oerry plants. ti. e>. J.
Ji/nrabeih.
Tne .and must be thoroughly work
ed uuun Hiio a compost ie.el oed.
If two or tnree hariowmgs are giv
ing it then you had Oeuer start in
and do It a.l over again and narrow
two or ttiree times more. It wnl pay
in the saving of cultivation later on.
With a marker, euner horse or
hand, mark out straight rows three
and a half to four feet apart, bay
the stress on the word sua.ght, for
here again it saves In cultivation,
luen with a iong-handied s.ude, ona
may open the holts by pismng the
spade into the ground about two
tnirds of the length of the b.ade.
Move the handle back and forth,
■withdraw the spade and you have a
wedge-shaped hole. Another person
fi/l.tkB wiiii a bunch of p.ants;
selecting a plant in one Jtaud, spread
the roots, slick It In tne hole and
with the fool, press the dirt up to
'the plant. In this way, two persons
can set a goodly number of plants In
a day.
As soon as the plants are set, with a
|Hish plow, give tnem a cultivation to
m. lch the soil close to the plants. Then
with a horse, cultivate the middle
somewhat deeper The more cultiva
tion the less weeds, the less weeds
the more strawberries. So the suc
cess depends in proportion to the
amount of work expended in prepar
ing the soli said cultivating, provid
ing you have good plants to start
avitH.
Now a word about plants. Get one
year-old plants from some reliable
nurseryman as near home as possible.
If you are going to set a large patch,
say two acres or more, you had better
grow your own plants the year before.
Good cultivation will produce good
plants to start, but good plants with
out good culture will not produce good
plants, so If you are not willing to
give them the best you have, you had
better not set more than two square
rods, enough for home use.
There is one other thing that Is very
important. That is the plucking of
ail blossoms the first year. Just as
Boon as they start to grow they will
Bend, up a fruiting stem. This should
be cut as soon as possible. A week or
ten days later make another trip
through, taking out any that may
have been missed or that have come
later. This will leave all the strength
for the plant.
Heaven In a Horne.
I have a small driving horse which
,, coughs and breathes heavily, but
which does not seem to have a cold.
A neighbor tells me It has the heaves.
What can I do for this? T. W. A.
West ppange.
Heaves.is usually associated with a
persistent cough, which is most
troublesome after drinking or when
driven. Feeding on clover hay or
straw, too bulky and nutritous food,
and keeping the horse In a dusty at
mosphere or a badly ventilated stable
produces or predisposes to heaves.
Horses brought from a high to a low
level are predisposed.
iWhen the disease is established
there is no cure for it. Proper at
tention paid to the diet will relieve
the distressing symptoms to a certain
extent, but they will undoubtedly re
appear in their intensity the first
time the animal overloads thi
Btomach or is allowed food of bad
duality. Clover hay or bulky food
which contains but little nutriment
have much to do with the cause of
the disease, and therefore should be
entire y omitted when the animal is
affected, as well as before. It has
been asserted that the disease exists
where clover hay is never used. The
d et should be confined to food of the
best quality and in the smallest
quantity. The bad effect of moldy or
dusty had, fodder or food of any kind
car.not be overestimated. A small
quantity of the best had once a day
Is sufficient.
This should be cut and dampened.
The animal should invar ably he
watered before feeding; never di
rectly after a meal. The animal
should not be worked immediately
after a meal. Exertion when the
stomach is full, invariably aggra
- vates the symptoms. Turring on
7'asture gives relief Carrots potatoes
or turnips chopped and mixed with
oats or corn are a good diet. Ha'f a
pint to a pint of thick dark molasses
with each feed is useful.
Arsenic ’s efficacious in palliating
the symptoms. It is best administered
In the form of the solution of arsenic,
■as Fowler’s snh'tion or as the white
powdered arsenious acid. Of the
former the dose is one ounce to the
drinking water three times daily. Of
the latter one may give three grains
in each feed. These qualities may
be cautiously V increased as the
animal becomes accustomed to the
drug. If the bowels do not act regu
larly, a pint of raw linseed oil may
be given in the feed twice daily, so
long as necessary. It must, however,
be borne In mind that all medical
treatment is of secondary considera
tion; careful attention paid to the
diet is of greatest importance.
Broken-wlnded animals should not
be rsed for breeding purposes. A
predisposition to the disease may be
inherited.
To Transplant a Horse Chestnut Tree.
Please inform me what season is
the best to transplant a horse chest
nut tree. I wish to move one about
six inches through at the butt. Can
it be done successfully? C. P.
East Orange.
You can transplant a horse chest
nut tree at any season of the year,
except when in full leaf. However,
experts consider that the month of
October, while the ground is still
warm, is really the best time in the
year. Root activity does not cease
tor several weeks, and the wounds
of the tree will form a callus before
cold weather. As far as method Is
concerned, if a tree machine is not
< m ployed, it would be well to dig a
ditch around the tree four Jeet away
from the stump, so as to have a
round ball eight feet in d'ameter. Not
all of the soil in this ball need be
retained, but the more the better. A
ball two feet, or possibly eighteen
inches thick, will suffice. Ample
water must he supplied. Water extra
well during the first summer, and
mulch the ground with some soft ma
terial, such as barnyard manure. The
tree, in being moved, can be rocked
backward and forward with block j
and tackle in order to sever any!
roots which may go straight down. I
All frayed roots must be cut off
smoothly and the ends of the larger
roots paintfd w'th white or red lead, I
or some good paint.
Using Sheep Manure.
Is the pulverized sheep manure as
advertised, good; how used, and will
It take the place of stable manure?
Newark. MRS. G. H. L.
Pulverized sheep manure is equally
as good as stable manure; but. as t
Is very much stronger, it does not
take nearly so much to do the work.
One pound of sheep manure is worth
three times that amount of horse
manure, and five times that much of
cow manure; so, in using it, yc.u
should be very careful not to use it
too strong; otherwise, the roots of
the plants may be burned. It is ide 1
for use around the city or small sub
urban places.
Dahlia Literature.
Do you know of a book on dahlias?
Newark. F. A. W.
We are unable, among the 1st of
books we have, to find one devoted to
Dahlias. The best information you
can get about them at the present
time is in Bailey's Cyclopedia of
American Horticulture, which you
can consult in the l'brary. There Is
considerable space devoted to its cul
ture, its origin and classes.
Leaf Spot on Gooseberry.
Please give me a remedy for rust
on gooseberry bushes. D. W.
Montclair.
What you call rust on your goose
berry bushes Is probably anthracnose
or Ieafspot. a fungous disease. Bor
deaux mixture, made according to the
usual formula, fiye pounds cop'er sul
phate, five pounds of lime to fifty gal
lons of water, applied as the leaves
open, again in about two weeks, and.
for a third time, just after the fruit
has been harvested, will hold it in
check. Failure to apply the preven
tive will, in many cases, mean the
loss of the crop.
Inserts on Currant Bushes.
Can you recommend a remedy for a
blight op red currant b'iBhes wh ch
turns the leaves Into red b'otches? ,
It comes from an insect dcpcsting its
eggs, early in the spring. We fi ve
tried a poison-slug powder last year,
but it ;s little good. H. E.
Irvington.
The irsect on th& currant bushes to
which you refer may be the errant
borer, which lays its eggs in the young
growth, the young, upon h"tr h ng.
boring into the stem, caus’ng tve
foliage to look very sickly. Cut of
the infested shoots before growth
starts.
THE COUNTRY CALENDAR
Practical Hints About Things to Do at This Season in Garden
and Greenhouse, the Orchard and the Poultry Yard.
Tomato, eggplant and peppers must
not be planted out until the n ghts are
■warm. Low temperatures even If
there Is no frost, may kill them.
Do not let the rhubarb flower; pull:
out the flower stalks that appear In
the patch. Less leaves and poorer
quality are the result of the plants
flowering.
To prevent the ttriped beetle from
damaging the melons, cucumber,,
squashes, etc., protect each hill as;
soon as planted with a frame cover
made from a box and covered with
mosquito netting.
Spray the potatoes with Bordeaux1
mixture and arsenate of lead for
blight and bugs.
Do not let newly planted straw
be rry plants flower and fruit. To do
bo will seriously damage them.
Spray! All the fruit trees will need
spraying. Use Ume-sulphur wash In
stead of Bordeaux mixture; it is as
good a fungicide as Bordeaux mix
ture, and does not cause russeting on
apples. It cannot be used so strong,
after the leaves come out, as before.
Cultivate the orchard and fruit!
garden regularly all summer, but
particularly now, at Intervals of ten
days, and after each rain, to con
serve soil moisture.
Watch for anthracnose on the
brambles, and destroy Infected canes
and spray the plants. 1
The golden yellow powder of rasp
berry and blackberry leaves is rust,
and cannot be cured. Destroy by
burning all Infected plants.
'’cseeberrles will need spraying
wilh potassium sulphid, one ounce
to tw'o gallons, to prevent mildew.
Cut worms can be held in check by
using arsenate of lead. As the fruit
becomes of size use pyrethrum
powder.
Ail annuals that have been grown
indoors for planting out should be
hardened off. This is done by leav
ing a little air in the frames at night,
Increase the amount every few days
until finally the plants have no cover
ing at all. Look out, however, for
hard, late frosts. i
The best tuberose flowers are to be
obtained by starting the bulbs In pots.
Start them :n four-inch pots, and
later shift to six-inch pots, and they |
will be ready to transplant outdoors,
about June 15 to 20.
—
Bay trees in tubs need much water
now until cold weather. Give them
manure water, too, once a month.
Any place in the garden that is «io
shady for flowering plants will do for
ferns, provided the ground is moist j
but well draim d If possible work
some leaf mold Into the soil; It will j
help to hold moisture. The hardy I
maidenhair is a good one to grow In
such situations. The bracken (Pterls
aqull'na) and the Christmas fern will
also thrive here.
Sow hardy perennial seeds for flow
ers a year from now. The seeds can !
be sown any time from now up to i
tile middle of July, or ev^,’ater, but I
the carter they are sown'the better
the plants will be.
Plant annuals—asters, marigolds,
portulaca or similar kinds—among the
bulbs.
The secret of the culture of hardy
lilies is to keep the ground well
mulched and the stems shaded If pos
sible. A mulch in summer is Just as
important as in winter. Well-mulched
PRACTICAL LESSONS IN POULTRY KEEPING
No. 6.—Feeillng the Little C hick*.
The proper care and feeding of the
baby chicks is one of the most im
portant problems confronting every
man or woman w'ho would make a
success of fowls on a large or small
scale. When hatched, chicks are very
delicate, even when of hardy strains,
and are therefore subjected to the re
sults of improper management and
care on the part of the caretaker.
The chicks for the first few days will
cat everything and anything coming
within their reach. The caretaker
must choose the food, teach the little
fellows to eat that which is suitable
until the fifth or sixth day.
Do not feed the chicks anything
for the first twenty-four hours. It
is quite natural that t!jey should be
hungry for the first few hours, but
this is provided for them by Mother
Nature, as just previous to peeping
through the shell they consume the
yolk of the egg, this portion being
consumed by the digestive tract,
which means sufficient food for
twenty-four or thirty-six hours. This
food must be properly digested pre
vious to more beihg consumed. Det
the chick sleep and rest for the first
two days. It has been a strain on
its system to pass through incuba
tion. You may determine when they
are hungry, as they will pick at one
another.
There are five dont’s that you must
remember if you would succeed. These
are:
1. Don’t feed until chicks are
six times per day. Allow fifteen to
twenty minutes for the chicks to cat
each time, and allow them to eat alt
that they will consume during this
period. Be sure that they eat from
such dishes as will be impossible for
them to wallow in, thus consuming a
large percentage of d rt and filth.
Sort the weak from the strong, plac
ing them in a separate pen, and see
that they are well fed. Clean the
dishes after feeding each time. Use
only sanitary drinking dishes, .which
may be procured at any supply house.
The kind that hang ori s'de of brood
er house are best. Have plenty of
fresh water at hand and empty cans
often. The sort that s°ts on the
floor are suitable. Dirt and dust aie
sure to get in the watr, which will
cause disease and s'ckiy stock. Do
net allow the chicks to get wet, wh'ch
w*li muse reon and a h'^Troercentaere
of deaths. Feed sweet skimmed milk,
such as comes from a separator. If
this is procurable use instead of wa
ter for the first few days, as It will
aid in building up a strong stock at
early age.
Cracked grains should not be fed
for the first five days. Avoid weed
seeds of all kinds. If worms and weed
seeds are placed side by side. tYie
chicks even at an early age will take
the worms. They have the natural
Instinct for that which is mere val
uaHe. Mature has provided the chick
after it has reached the fifth day
bills for the year. Then, too, better
stock will result.
Green foods should never bf fed
until the sixth or seventh day. Short
cut clover,' lettuce or rape is best.
Cabbage is most too loosening. With
the use of fine cut alfalfa, the chicks
in three weeks will consume about
twenty-five pounds, and it will do
them great good. They will eat this,
small particles, from the very first.
Never keep more than 75 chicks in
the same lot at first, and after first
week, even with large hover, fifty
would be* better and thirty-five b^st.
Dis°a*e cannot get a hold on so large
a number. The greater investment in
houses will he greatly repaid by the
diminish#! loss in stock at an early
age. There are as many systems of
rations as there are breeds of poultry,
and that is going some Several dif
ferent plans have already been pub
lished on the Star’s farm and garden
page.
The Cornell system of rations has
been a great success. It cons sts of
eight pounds rolled oats, eight pounds
bread crumbs or cracker waste, two
pounds sifted beef scrap (best grade),
and one pound bone meal (best grade).
Th s is fed moistened with swreet
skimmed rnilk five times per day Fed
mealy, not tco wet. Trays shou’d be
used containing a w'ell finely ground
clover, not cut clover, and regulation
chick grit as well as charcoal. This
to he fed from first to fifth day.
From five days to two weeks, a ra
l>o not keep too many chicks in one brooder. Better have th© house too large than too small. The greater Invest
ment in houses will be repaid by diminished loss in stock.
twenty-four to thirty-six hours of
age.
2. Don’t over-feed.
3. Don't starve them.
4. Don't neglect them, but give them
your unlimited attention.
5. Don’t feed grain at iirst.
The first feed may be one-third
hard-boiled eggs. one-third stale
bread, not musty, and one-third rolled
oats (or oatmeal). This should be
moistened with skimmed milk (not
sour.) Do not feed sloppy mixtures.
Merely have mixture dry substance,
and add a little grit or fine sand,
giving the chkks all they will eat at
each meal, feeding this each two or
three hours. The eggs . should be
boiled for twenty minutes, thus the
yolks will be mealy. Feed five times
per day from 7 a. m. to 5 p. m. in
late winter or early spring. As the
season advances, change the hours
to from 6 a. m. to 6.3> p. m . feed.rig
with an instinct for that which is
best for it. But nature did not pro
vide the chicks with knowledge of
what a good meal amounts to. The
feeder must decide this for the chick.
Many successful poultry raisers
spread the floors of the brood for baby
chicks with eight inches of alfalfa
finely ground, which may' be pur
chased at any supply house. In this
they place a peck of chick grain,
which is finely ground. There is
enough feed in this bedding to prop
erly feed the little fellows for a term
cf two weeks at least.
At the end of that time they place
another peck in the new supply. This
type of feeding is ideal. The keeper
is not obliged to feed the chicks every
two hours, and they are never over
fed or under-fed. They can earn their
living when they feel hungry and will
save the owner considerable in feed
tion of three pounds wheat 'cracked),
two pounds cracked corn (very tine),
and one pound pinhead oatmeal. Feed
this in litter twice per day. V ith
this feed, moistened with skim m.lk,
three pounds wheat bran, three
pounds corn meal, three pounds wheat
middlings (which will be had with the
wheat, if ground in home grl 'der, at
result of the wheat bran) three pounds
beef scrap (best grade) and one pourd
bone meal. This same ration should
be before the chicks in hoppers all the
time from the lifth day on until the
fourth week, when we give a ration of
three pounds wheat (whole), two
pounds cracked corn and one pou d
hulled oats, till the sixth week, when
chicks are on open range. Have dry
mash always available, and feed
moist mash uf this twice per day.
From six weeks to maturity we feed
three pounds wheat and three pounds
of cracked corn, one meal of the mois
tieds will produce two or three times
as many flowers as unmulched.
To guard against the'root aphis on
asters, mix a little wood-ashes in the
soil they are planted in and put to
bacco dust around the plants.
Seeds of half-hardy annuals can be
sown out-doors about the first of the
month; the tender annuals May lath
to 20th.
Spray the roses with whale-oil soap
or kerosene emulsion to kill aphids,
and late in the month spray with ar
senate of lead, at the rote of one ounce
to ten gallons of water, to dispose of
the rose beetle.
When it is time to set out the bed
ding plants, put them between the
bulbs, if possible; they will soon over
grow the bulb foliage. But where
deep-rooted and bulbous bedding
plants, like cannas and pennisetum.
are to be used, lift the bulbs. Take as
many root3 as possible and put them
in flats or boxes in a shaded place,
and allow them to ripen before storing
in a cool, dry place.
Some of the perennials are through
blooming, as soon as the foliage dies
remove them and fill in tjie gap with
annuals.
Bulbs in the border should not be
disturbed except to thin the bulbs
where they have increased.
Commence pruning the shrubbery—
the spring-blooming kinds. As soon
as each one has blossomed, cut out
the old flowering wood and any very
old or dying wood. This will mean
more flowers next year.
Annuals worth growing, seeds of
wh ch can be planted outdoors early
In May, are candytuft, sweet alyssum.
calendula, annual phlox. Mexican pop
py, California poppy, tassel flower,
canary bird vine, blessed thistle, and
a second sowing of the annual poppy.
The pampas grass and other tender
grass plants, which have been stored
all winter, shcuid he planted out now.
During the latter part of May,
dahl.as and canna bulbs, which are
do mant, can be planted out. It is
better to divide the clumps before
planting, taking a piece of stem with
each tuber. The divided c.umps will
do better than undivided clumps.
The ch'cks should not be allowed
out of the brooder loo early In the
morning, for it is not to their ad
vantage to trail around in the wet
grass.
Keep 1 the weeds down in the
borders, and maintain a dust mulch
on tho ground.
As a general rule, young chicks
should be given Just what they will
eat up clean at each feeding-time, so
that by the time the next meal comes
they w'H be hungry for it The last
feeding of the day. however, should
be a particularly liberal one, so that
the birds will have their crops packed
with food to be-digested during the
night.
Early hatched chicks may be re
moved from the brooder this month
and placed In color V houses. They
will be too young to roost, of course,
and care must be exercised that they
do not crowd together so closely in
the corners as to smother some of
them.
WHO’S WHO IN POULTRY
A Series of Articles in Which Enthusiasts Describe the Fowls
They Raise and Tell Why They Like Thepi.
NO. 17.—THE BUFF 1 ECHORN.
Under this heading we have al
ready considered several of the differ
ent varieties of Leghorns from the
standi oint of breeders of these varie
ties. This week the Buff Leghorns
have the floor. In the r behalf a
veteran breeder writes as follows:
After being educated for a profes
sional life, a physical breakdown
brought me back to the oli farm and
unconsciously my poultry nstincts
began to assert themselves. My
knowledge of modern poultry condi
tions and breeds was very limited.
My parents were hard-headed
farmers of G rman descent who had
a way of finding out whether every
department of their farm work ended
in a profit. Consequently they had
experimented with nearly every one
of the popular breeds of poultry until
S. C. Buff Leghorns were given a
trial. The results from tnis variety
were so striking in winter egg pro
duction, vitality and every other de
sirable characteristic, that Buff Leg
horns were welcomed as permanent
residents.
Whei^ my eyes began to open to
the possibilities of poultry as an in
come producer I began to consider
breeds Probably it was because of
thoi ghts of shortage at the Sunday
dinner table that made me want to
breed some nice, fat, heavy breed—
surely it was not thoughts of feed
bit’s that stimulated this des‘re.
However that may be, I, like many
others, iabored undtr the delision j
that a couple of extra pounds of meat i
at marketing time would "turn th?.
table” of profits in favor of the
heavy breed I selected a heavy va- j
riety of buff fowls, and with S. C
Buff Leghorns kept a business recor'J
of their performances. I proved con- j
clusively the statements so often j
made that you can keep three S|. C.
Buff Leghorns where but two of any
heavy breed can be kept; that the S. «
C. Buff Leghorn will lay more eggs
with 1^S6 attention; that your "fvtr.* I
pounds" of meat have be*n "eaten
up" several times over at marketing
time, with lower egg production in
the meantime. Consequently, the S.
C. Buff Leghorn produced the most
actual cash; in fact, the gross re
ceipts were larger, not mentioning
the smaller quantity of feed con
sumed.
With the S. C Buff Leghorn a win
ner on the "profit page,” I set out to
bre d none but the high record lay
ers Knowing the extreme care the
dairyman and other stockmen take in
selecting their breeders, I began to
do my breeding from hens whose egg
laying qualities were definitely
known, using males from high record
hens and carefully following line
breeding. I have proven to my own
satisfaction, at least that this course
gives definite results. I noticed the
oar’y maturity and early laving as
pullets of females from a certain hen
NolVii Catalog of See*is. Plants and Bulb*
1h a trustworthy guide for dependable varie
ties. It contains 112 pages, with beautiful
illustrations from photographs and Is a book
of valuable and reliable information with
many suggestions. The catalog will be iadly
sent to all who appreciate QUALITY In seeds.
A postcard will bring It.
J F. NOLL <* CO..
115 Mulberry street, Newark, N. J.
of 219 egg record. I noticed these
traits transmitted to her offspring,
not only by way of her pullets, sev
eral of which have layed at four
months and two to ten days, hut aiso
through her sons. One of her sons,
sold to a customer and mated to hts
fern a lee, produced a pen of eight or
nine pullets, every one of which layed
above 180 eggs in one year. Some of
these layed 202, 204, 218 and 224 eggs
m twelve months. I have satisfied
myself that this is the on y basis on
Wlv'ii to build a commercial flock for
profits.
1 have proven another thing. 1
have proven that such an egg strain
can be produced embodying standard
requirements. Young stock from my
high record hers have won firsts and
taken shape and color specials in
such shows as Chicago. Indianapolis,
Los Angeles, etc. When I began
these experiments the way was new
But few were willing to believe such
breeding to be of value. Now our
State experiment stations are urging
and proving my own experience.
To my mind the Buff Leghorn is
the meet satisfactory of all breeds
as an egg producer at a minimum of
expense for feed and care, and I un
hesitatingly recommend it to all ama
teur poultry keepers.
tened rnash, if early development Is
desired.
Provide fine grit, charcoal, shell and
bone from the start. G*ve grass range
or p.enty of green food. Have fresh,
clean water always available. Feed
only sweet, who.esome foods, "good
enough for humans." Never al ow
damp or soiled litter, ae this breeds
germs and disease. Disinfect brood r
coops with one-third of wat* r, kero- j
sene oil and crude carbolic, us n' '
power pump spray. Allow' t! is to dry,
then replace litter with clean ard
fresh alfalfa of the cut varietv after
second week Never feed beef s rap
that is heavily proport oned wit pork
substances, as this damages thesto k, !
Cheap beef scrap-* conta n this Puy
the best, sold by houses that mike a
business of supplying poultrynren,
and know' and care about their need *.
Allow stock to become hungry on e
aeh day. This will make them alive
and act ve. reed moist, musaj mash
very sparingly. Always kee£ dry
mash in hoppers before the stock.
PEACH LEAF CURL
In reply to an Inquiry from a
reader relative to the control of peach
leaf curl, we quote the following
from a recent bulletin on the subject
of the New Jersey State experiment
station at New Brunswick:
Peach leaf cur! is a fungous disease
that attacks the leaves of the peach
In some sections of New Jersey every
year, and is likely to occur in all por
tions of the State. The disease has
been known for nearly one hundred
years, and is widely distributed
throughout the peach-growing dis
tricts of the world. It has been esti
mated that leaf curl causes an an
nual loss of two millions to three
millions of dollars to the peach in
dustry of the United States.. It is
largely responsible for the failure of
the peach crop in some orchards,
and for the short life of the trees.
The most familiar aspect of the
disease is the swollen, distorted ap
pearance of the leaves in the early
spring. When the disease tirst be
comes apparent, the swollen portions
of the leaves are usually of a light
red or pink color. The affected leaves
gradually turn yellow, finally blacken
and fall to the ground. In some eases
the trees may be nearly defoliated,
thus making it necessary to develop
an entire second crop of leaves. This
is a severe strain upon the vigor and
reserve energy' of the tree, and un
less it is well cultivated, sprayed and
fertilized it may he permanently
weakened. The curling and d:stor
t:on of peach leaves may also be
caused by aphis, or plant ’.ice. but the
, attack of those insects can readily be
■ distinguished from leaf curl. The
i leaves affected by aphis do not be
come thickened and reddish or yel
! Inwish gr-en in color.
The spores or ims
! ae* the rough hark and in the
crevices of the twigs during the sum
! u-. j auu winter months, germinating
early in the spring and attacking the
young 'eaves as soon as the leaf buds
begin to expand Cold, wet weather
during the months of April and May
favors the development of the fungus
and largelv determines ii’ amount of
injury. Warm dry weather ten Is to
check the growth of the fungus and
under such conditions the injury is
slight. Leaf-curl is usually more in
jurious in the northern part of the
State than in the southern, the early
spring months being warmer in the
latter section. However, serious in
turv often occurs in the southern
Dart of the State when the weather
is wet and cold in earlv soring.
The disease can readily be con
trolled bv a thorough application of
concentrated lime-sulphur before the
buds open in the soring. Bordeaux
mixture apolied early in the spring
before the buds start, also will con
trol leaf-curl, but the lime and sul
phur mixture is advisable because it.
will control San Jose soa’e as well.
It is essential that this application
of lime-sulphur or Bordeaux mixture
be made in the soring before the leaf
buds begin to open. Just as soon as
the buds start to exnand. the snores
of the leaf-curl fungus may be scat
tered upon them germinate and onsh
♦b^ir l'tt'e bvphae or rootlets in be
tween tt& bud scales. After this ins
taken place it is itnposs'hie thorough
ly to check the disease ns-ause •* *s
a'ready inside the leaf tissues The
olvect of the early soring application
of lime-sulnhur or Bordeaux mixture
‘s to ki l the spores of the leaf-curl
fungus before thev germinate. In
other words, pnraying for leaf-curl
must he preventive, as no cure is pos
sible after the disease is established.
In usine lime-*nlrihur it is essen.
tial to use a so’tttion that has been
nronerlv prepared and diluted with
water to a strength of not less than
1 fit specific gravity The pm- ma
terial should then he thoroughly ap
plied. so that every bud and small
ttvig receives its enstiftg. Any por
tion of the tree that is not covered
with the «nrav materia! is likely to
become Infected.
Tlie single Comb Buff Leghorn* besides being producers of eggs, »re hand
some birds.
ANGORA GOATS WOULD PAY
THEIR WAY IN NORTH JERSEY
Mohair good* made from th«^ fleece of the Angora are in hear? demand a*d
raUing the*e beautiful creature* I* proritahle.
Throughout northern New Jersey
are thousands of acres of land on
which Angora goats can be raised at
a good profit, and which at the pres
ent time give their owners absolutely
no return. These who own such land,
as well as farmers who have small
areas which have been denuded of
timber, but which have not been
made available fer cultivation, are
urged to make a study of these use
ful and profitable animal'.
The rais ng of Angora goats in the
United States is now a demonstrated
success, according to a report just
published by the I'nited Slates de
partment of agriculture under the
title, "The Angora Goat," farmers'
bulletin 073. The industry, says the
bulletin, is indeed so well established
here that growers need not be Incon
venienced by the action of South
Africa :n prohibiting the exportation
of Angoras, for the quantity of goon
blood in this country1 is already suffi
cient to meet all requirements. In
the opinion of experts, the best Amer
ican fleeces now equal an}' grown in
South Africa or Asia Minor, the orig
inal home of the Angcra,
Nearly every State in the Union
now possesses its flocks. In large
areas of recently logged-off land the
Angora not only thrives himself, but
helps to clear away the brush, which,
if allowed to grow unchecked, might
easily become a dangerous firctrap:
Thus it is often said that the Angora
works and pays for its board at the
same time.
It is paying more and more, for the
value of the fleece or mohair ’b in
I creasing steadily Formerly the use
, of moha r depended so largely upon
the preva Png fash on that its prtce
I var eil widely from y ar to year. This
condition, however, is rapidly chang
ing as new uses for moha!r are con
t nually found, from automobile tops
and table covers to dress goods and
curled false hair, and today the
grower is assured of a reasonably
steady market. Th™ pr oe of course
varies with the qual ty the very be't
fleeces bring ng on an average from
42 to 55 cents a pound The weight
of a fleece has a very wide range, but
in 1909 the average for Oregon was
found to be 3.7 pounds and for Texas
1.85. On account of th‘ greatee heat,
however, and the damage of shedding
Angoras In the Southwest are fre
quently shorn twice a year—a fact
which must be taken into considera
tion 'n all calculations.
This pract se of cPpping twice a
year is in many ways a drawback
to the industry, since <t temtE to lower
the average grade of American mo
hair. Mohair as good as an} can be
and is grown in this country, but the
average quality ts not today consd
ered to be as good as the foreign.
About 2.000.000 pounds are annuaii\
imported. Ordinarily this is bWide,I
and spun w th the domegtc product.
Six inches is the shortest le' gth of
fleece usually desired, and. imr-au'e
of shearing twice a year, much Texas
and New' Mexico mohair falls below
thrs standard Where the fleece 's
allowed to grow for twelve month'
the average length is ten inches anti
in the be't flocks it s not unusual to
get 15 to 20 *nche'. Riva-o. the
sweepstakes buck at the E’ Paso show
in 1910. « an example of what is pns
sihv. His fl°es trmchod is pounds.
measured 20%» inches in length and
sold for $115. fiuch fleece Is not.- of
course, the product of ordinary ortni
merc’al cond t ons. It implies a erm
6 •Itraljie amount of care anc $9or
wonal attention. ■»
The birth rate is approximately h'5
per cent., but in wail-managed flocks
this has risen on occasions as bgB as
120 per cent. Since the fflds are cnot
hardy, it is obvious that this md-hns
skill and industry during the breed
ing season. The best methods' of
caring for the flock at this time~o.ro
discussed in some detail in the Tier
bulletin. Otherwise the management
of Angoras does not differ greStiy
from that of sheep. ■.<
While the Angora goat needs,rttt
tention il is adaptable, and as fa* as
temperature is concerned should
flour.sh in any part of the U rifted
States. In Montana the flocks ihce.
the hegyy snowfalls with equanilffity
as long as a dry place is provtt.d
for them at night, and though *the
heat in the Southwest frequawtly
makes it necessary to shear twtK a
year in order to prevent sheddin# it
does not otherwise affect the hdSUS
of the flocks. Dampness, hewewer,
is more injurious than either coflP or
heat. High land is the native home
of all goats, and they invariably SC. k
! it when left to themselves. Pure
j water is also an essential.
! Otherwise the Angora is net pariiu
I u’ar. It will feed with cattle ^nd
I sheep, and, though in some danger at
| being kicked, with horses else. -fA*
|a matter of fact, however, the pmt
prefers a certain amount of rdtjgl*
pasture, and is particularly bgjppy
when clearing up brush land. "Tfje- v
is one instance of a flock of COOtSs&f
allowed free grazing in.a Caiifort a
forest reserve in order to keep, the
strips of ci tared land, known as fire
breaks. free from weeds and veg“?u
tion. Settlers in the Northwest
the Angora most serviceable.,, ir
1 browsing off the brush on their tffew
lands, and one interurban railway
company purchased a flock to JtSep
its right of'way clear and attraclii-e
On very rough land the danger of in
jury to the fleece must, however^'be
kept in mind.
-As has already be-n said, the An
gora can be bred sufficiently pure-fer
practical purposes from the stociqJp.i
reudy in this country, and theft-is
no need of further importation for
breeding purposes. Some years ggo,
however, th’s was not believed to--be
*h* case, and in 1881 the sultan of
Turkey- endeavored to preserve-for
his dominions the monopoly of ;£hs
mohair trade by prohibiting the ex
portation of the live animal. Hisiuc
ampie was followed by South Africa,
but it was too late. Some of the ht-•
blood was already in America, Had
today other countries are buying "of
us. flocks having been shipped -re
cent !v to Brasil und the Argentine
Various associations havt already
been formed for the development^;**f
the industry in this country, and the
quantity of ih- annua! product Is in
creasing rapidly In ISIS it is esti
mated that 5.013,00(1 pounds oi mofliiir
were grow u in the United States
Fuller details* of the management sSod
care of flocks are to U fountHiD
Farmers Bulletin 73, “The Angara
Goat." which will be sent free on ap
plication to the department of agifl
ru'turt
THE PROPER WAY TO GROW
SQUASHES AND PUMPKINS
Squashes and pumpkins are fond of
good living. They need plenty of
available plant food. A mallow gar
den loam, rich with well-rotted com
post. and moist enough to enable the
delcate cel'u’ar structure of the
plant to avail itself of its nourish
ment. and a warm, sunny location
favorahle to rapid growth in the
summer varleti- s and to the coloring
and toughening of the rind of the
winter sorts are the requirements.
Squash vines soon feel the adverse
effect of dry w ather. The leaves will
wilt and begin dry ng out while other
vegetables are yet holding the r own.
Those portions of the vine which
loose their green color and turn yel
low or brown from lack of moisture
do not regain their vigor, and the
resources • f the plant are conse
quently diminished; hence it is un
wise to plant them in a really- dry
part of the garden.
As a fertilizer, clean’nes from the
dairy barn are preferab'e to those
from the horse stable. A half-bushel
to each hill is not excessive. A mix
ture of one-half cow manure and
one-half poultry manure give excel
lent results.
The hills for bush summer squash
need not be more than three feet
apart, but six feet, or even eight
feet, between hills will be necessary
for the running squash and pump
kins.
These vegetables are such rampant
growers, when con-.Ht ons are right,
that a crop of th° 'are- st crow-eg
varieties may be produced well with
in the limi:.-! of sun;,ti r—from June
until the first of September. Those
desired as wint- r keepers may be
planted from May 10 to June 15. The
summer squashes, such as the sum
m- r marrow, summer croc kneck and
white bush scalloped squashes, may
he p'anted by May 5, and not later
than May 10. to get them for summer
use. Pumpkins should be planted
about May 15.
Squash and pumpkin seed should
not be planted deepen th en one and
one-half inches, so that the broad
seed leaves can be lifted without m»
due effort on the part of the stem.
| Two good plants are all that ir«
necessary in each hill, but owing t<
the menace of the cutworm, or pose:
bly the weak vitality of Borne of the
seed, live seeds at least should be
planted in each hill, scattering them
a little, so that superfluous plants
may be removed without injury to
the others.
When the squasli beetle appear* !ta
injurious est'ng will be hindered by
sift' ng land plaster over the pla*ts
Summer squash shpu'd be gathered
before the rind toughens, but with the
wdnter \arieties this toughening 1*
desirable to insure their keeping.
Late squashes and pumpkins shtupld
be clipped loose from the plant when
full-grown early ln‘ September,- ahd
left exposed to the sun and a r. but
protected from frost as late aa the
, weather will allow.
When the squashes ate remQWfed
from the vines the thick sterna should i
he left on the fruit. This will k££p
them much better than it vemovad,
a.though nu real harm will ome/ir
they happen to become broken off
accidentally. In this event, however,
such squash should be used tiret. Jlbis
ad vie* applies to pumpkins as well as
squashes and should be carefully'5b
Nrved.
For winter use the Boston marrow ,
the Hut bard varieties. Essex Hylns-d
and the lielicata are among the i}£«t
Among pumpk ns the Chinese ami
Jumbo var eties are weil-Kno-yn
type*-'. The Mammoth or Jumiio va
rieties are large for small iainfjjes.
Winter Luxuries and ■ la'.bo.Uh,. jPtja
more comenent as to size, and Vo
of tine quality. »s£
__ i*
GOOD ADVICE
Make two or more p'an tinggj^rf
eladi'due buli>s. for succession. . j
_ <u
Be sure that the fow ls have % n
abundance of freah air, plant j;3»f
fresh drinking water and § good dual
bath- \r ... ]
, m Me- j ’’-Jf