106 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[March, 
to do this in some better and more effective 
manner than with the plow, has been the 
object of several inventors. One sought to 
THE CHICAGO SCREW PULVERIZER. 
do this by means of revolving disks, and 
though this seemed full of promise at first, 
nothing has been heard of it for several years. 
The only invention for “ plowing,” other than 
with the plow, which to our knowledge has 
reached that point when it is offered for sale, 
; s the Chicago Screw Pulverizer. The en¬ 
graving shews sufficiently the general struc¬ 
ture of the implement or machine ; this has 
a screw-shaped blade, which must cut up and 
turn over the soil in a most effective manner. 
For breaking up prairie sod, and for prepar¬ 
ing the land for the wholesale cultivation of 
wheat and corn, so common in the Western 
States, this “Pulverizer” seems admirably 
adapted. We have not seen it at work, but 
so far as testimonials go, those in favor of 
this machine are wonderfully enthusiastic. 
It seems to have made for itself a place in 
the agriculture of the Western and Southern 
States, including Texas. How far it may be 
useful on the farms of the older States, is yet 
to be shown, but the evidence as to its utility 
elsewhere, is abundant and interesting. It is 
but a few years ago—within the memory of 
most of our readers—that the scythe was 
superseded by the mowing machine. That 
the plow will give place to some other imple¬ 
ment, we do not doubt, and this “Chicago 
Pulverizer ” looks as if a long step had been 
made in that direction, and the implement 
appears to be an improvement of real value. 
A New Squash—“ Perfect Gem.” 
He who introduces a new rose or a netv 
strawberry does well. He who gives us a new 
cabbage or an improved squash does better. 
We cannot expect every one who owns land 
to grow fine strawberries and roses, until he 
has learned, through the medium of his din¬ 
ner table, that there is a difference in varie¬ 
ties. Strange as it may seem, there are people 
still living who have not learned that there 
is something better than the “ Canada Crook- 
Neck,” and for whomGrcgory and the “ Hub¬ 
bard” have lived in vain. The “Perfect 
Gem” is a new departure in squashes, the 
only one with which we can classify it being 
the “Cocoanut,” and that it resembles in size 
only. The shape of this squash is shown in 
the engraving; it is very regular in form 
and in size, the specimens, nearly globular, 
being about 5 inches in diameter ; the stem 
is angled; the color of the skin a dead white. 
The flesh is thick, for the size of the squash, 
pale yellow, fine grained, sweet, and of most 
excellent flavor ; those who do not fancy the 
flavor of some of the large squashes will find 
the “Perfect Gem” remarkably delicate in 
this respect. The keeping quality is said to be 
excellent. On February 1st, those brought to 
us, with which no special care had been taken, 
to apply to the fruit only. This note was 
widely published for the purpose of aiding 
the sale of the plants. Fortunately the gen¬ 
eral experience has more than confirmed all 
that was said about the fruit; had it not done 
so, and had the Cuthbert been, as is often the 
case, a variety of no value save in the locality 
where it originated, this use of our note, 
guarded though it was, would have placed 
us in a most undesirable position, and we 
should have been abundantly, though unde¬ 
servedly, censured. This incident brought 
us to the determination to give no written 
opinion outside of the columns of the Ameri¬ 
can Agriculturist. Whatever of credit may 
come from an article belongs to the paper, and 
not to any individual connected with it. 
Until the custom of the French is adopted, 
THE CUTHBERT RASPBERRY. 
were in the best condition. The “Perfect 
Gem ” is offered for the first time by Messrs. 
J. M. Thorburn & Co., 15 John Street, N. Y., 
who inform us that it was discovered on 
Long Island, by Mr. C. L. Allen, of Garden 
City. The Messrs. Thorburn state that the 
productiveness of the variety is something 
wonderful; that the plant begins to set fruit 
near the root, like the bush varieties, and as 
the vine runs, which it sometimes does for 20 
feet, and branching as it goes, the fruit con¬ 
tinues to be produced, very often yielding 24 
squashes within the space of three feet. It 
begins to bear early, and may be used both 
as a summer and winter variety. The objec¬ 
tion that might be made by some—that it is 
small—is, to us, a point in its favor. One can 
have too much of a good thing, and may not 
care for squash several days in succession, 
as he must have with a large squash, or lose 
a good share of it. It is much easier to use 
two or three small squashes than a part of 
one large one, and if one can raise the same 
weight from an area, the small squashes are 
preferable for the small family. From a trial 
of the “ Perfect Gem ” upon the table, we are 
disposed to make a test of it in the garden. 
The Cuthbert Raspberry. 
It is gratifying to find one’s first impres¬ 
sions respecting a fruit or plant confirmed by 
subsequent experience. Several years ago 
abundant specimens of the Cuthbert were 
brought for our examination, and we gave a 
written opinion, intentionally so worded as 
where every writer signs his article, even if 
it be but a brief item, it is better that our 
journalism should remain wholly impersonal. 
As to the Cuthbert—it is now generally in 
the trade and has been so widely tested that 
it is safe to commend it as one of the best 
varieties of raspberry to plant for market or 
for home use. Some nurserymen go so far 
as to rank it as “ the best ”—a high claim to 
make for any fruit, but all who have tested 
the Cuthbert accord it a high rank. The 
original plant was found in the garden of the 
late Thomas Cuthbert, at Riverdale, N. Y., 
and is supposed to be a seedling of the “ Hud¬ 
son River Antwerp,” as that variety was in 
cultivation there. It fell into the hands of 
those who did not push it by extolling it im¬ 
moderately, hence it has made its way very 
gradually and upon its own merits. The 
berry, wherever we have seen it, has been of 
good size, a lively red color, and of a firmness 
quite unusual in raspberries, while it is very 
satisfactory as to flavor. It is as hardy as 
any other good raspberry, but has been in¬ 
jured in some seasons in localities were it had 
previously passed several winters unharmed. 
Mr. E. P. Roe, usually cautious in his praise 
of varieties, calls it “ The Coming Market 
Raspberry,” Doctor Hexamer, than whom no 
one is less given to extravagance, regarded it 
a year ago as “ the best raspberry in exist¬ 
ence,” and other experienced cultivators have 
given similar testimony. The engraving is 
an exact representation of the fruit of the 
Cuthbert as it appeared last season in the 
grounds of J. T. Lovett, at Little Silver, N. J. 
