FRUIT AND GARDEN NOTES. 



219 



rust. We shall not try to grow it again, but, instead, 

 depend on Early Valentine for a green-podded sort. 

 Butter and Saddle-Back for wax varieties. We were 

 also pleased with the blue-podded butter-bean, a distinct 

 variety having bluish foliage, flowers, pods and beans, 

 and affording a charming variation in the bean-patch. 

 The pods are equal ia tenderness and brittleness to any 

 other we know. 



Two years ago we received seeds of a large number of 

 unnamed new beans from E. P. Powell. These were of 

 all colors and shapes. Most of them were pole varieties, 

 and many of them produced pods of unusual length and 

 thickness; in fact, some were as thick as they were 

 broad, and all quite stringless. The best of these, we 

 believe, will be given to the trade. 



For dry white beans we have found nothing thus far 

 that suits us better than Burlingame Medium. 



Lima Beans. — Our last season's experiment with the 

 ordinary Lima grown in bush form proved almost a fail- 

 ure. They were planted on highly manured ground, and 

 the vines grew so fast and rank that we could not keep 

 them in check. They ran considerably, notwithstanding 

 frequent cutting back, and produced a light crop. The 

 past two years in this locality have not been favorable to 

 the ripening of ordinary Limas, and we have not had the 

 accustomed abundance. We still stick to our wire-and- 

 twine trellis — have to, in fact, for poles we have none. 



We have good success with Henderson Bush Lima, 

 but we could not do much with Burpee, nor with the 

 Kumerle. In a long warm season a fair proportion of 

 the fruit of Burpee Bush Lima will ripen, and most of 

 them reach the proper stage for table use ; but the Kum- 

 erle is altogether too late for us, although we can manage 

 to get a few for the table. 



FRUIT AND GARDEN NOTES. 



PRACTICAL HINTS BY PRACTICAL MEN. 



the 



VERY GROWER was en- 

 riched in experience by 

 the season of i8gi, which 

 gave to the American 

 people an abundant har- 

 vest of fruits and vege- 

 tables. Here is a wealth 

 of information from first 

 hands. We are trying to 

 incorporate i t in these 

 notes, and hope that 

 many of our readers will 

 render us welcome aid in 

 making this department 

 instructive, by telling us 

 most important observations during the past season. 



RED RASPBERRIES AND THEIR CULTURE. 



Within the past fifteen years red raspberries have 

 taken a prominent place in the markets of the middle 

 and western states. Varieties have multiplied and im- 

 proved, each possessing peculiar merits or demerits, and 

 demanding special culture suited to its own character, 

 in order to yield the best results. 



In 1871 I planted the Philadelphia, a seedling from 

 Eastern Pennsylvania then widely known. It is a good 

 grower, hardy and prolific, and the fruit is of fairly good 

 qualities for table and canning, but rather soft for mar- 

 ket. This variety was superseded by the Shaffer, larger, 

 more prolific and of better quality, but too soft for dis- 

 tant market or handling, yet one of the best for home 

 use. It succeeds best on moist sand enriched with un- 

 leached ashes. Plant in hills 6x8 feet ; support with a 

 strong stake and cord, and leave six to eight canes to a 

 hill. In 1872 I planted Red Antwerp, an early berry of 

 good quality and rich aroma, but the plant is not hardy 

 enough for northern Ohio winters without protection. 



I next tried the Turner, a hardy, rampant grower, 

 suckering badly. The first pickings are fine, geod-sized 

 berries, rather sweet for some tastes. As it is generally 

 and neglectfully grown with ten times as many canes as 

 there should be, the second pickings give small, insipid 

 berries. To get the best results, plant it on light, moist 

 sand with only a few canes to a hill. The suckers must 

 be kept down the season through, by frequent hoeing and 

 shallow cultivation. 



Next I grew the Hansell. It has naturally a small 

 cane. I enriched a light soil of sand and clay with com- 

 posted manure, and planted in hedge-rows six feet apart. 

 We obtained ripe berries three days earlier than from 

 Turner, and they were of good size through its season. 

 Fruit sprightly acid — a general favorite for table use, 

 canning and pies. It is well-liked as a market variety. 

 Marlboro, with me, owing to the large pith in the cane, 

 is not very hardy or healthy. The berries are large and 

 of beautiful color when just in their prime. A plantation 

 should be picked over every day and receive but little 

 stimulating manure. A good supply of leached hard- 

 wood ashes would be all right. 



Brandywine, on heavy clay loam, proved a failure. I 

 planted it again on damp sand in hedge-rows seven feet 

 apart, enriched with stable manure and leached wood- 

 ashes, keeping the canes thinned and the land free from 

 weeds and grass. The result has been fair crops o£ 

 bright crimson berries, of good size, which find a ready 

 sale in our market, where appearance often goes before 

 quality. The fruit is rather dry and insipid, but holds 

 up well for 24 to 48 hours or longer. Many others are 

 preferable for family use. Cuthbert is at its best in 

 moist sand, in hedge-rows seven or eight feet apart, with 

 but little stimulating manure, but a large amount of 

 ashes. Plantations should be picked at least every second 

 day to secure bright berries that will keep in attractive 



