1892 
THE  RURAL  NEW-YORKER 
The  first  picking  was  made  from  the  Extra  Early. 
June  21  ;  from  the  Wonder,  June  23,  and  from  the 
Gem,  June  26. 
While  there  are  fewer  seeds  to  a  pod  of  the  Gem  than 
of  the  Wonder,  the  Gem  bears  more  pods  to  the  plant 
by  half,  while  the  seeds  are  larger  and  of  as  good 
quality. 
The  varieties  tried  during  the  past  season  (1801) 
were:  Shropshire  Hero,  Heroine,  Mayor,  Admiral  (all 
SHROPSHIRE  HERO.  Fig.  112. 
from  Henderson);  Profusion  (Burpee);  Benham’s  As- 
tonisher,  New  Dwarf  Prolific  (James  Carter  &  Co., 
England),  and  Nott’s  Excelsior  (Gregory),  All  were 
planted  April  1. 
Notes. — Shropshire  Hero:  vines  2%  x  3  feet,  vigorous 
like  those  of  Stratagem,  large  leaves.  Extra  large 
pods,  about  eight  large  seeds  to  the  pod.  Prolific, 
Heroine.  Fig.  113. 
intermediate.  Admiral,  with  its  small  pods  gives  pick¬ 
ings  a  week  earlier.  See  Fig.  112. 
Heroine.  Vines  not  quite  so  tall  as  Shropshire  Hero  ; 
same  foliage.  Matures  same  time.  Pods  as  large ; 
better  filled ;  seeds  large  ;  equally  prolific.  It  is  of 
the  Stratagem  order.  See  Fig.  113. 
2  1 5 
Profusion.  Vines  33^x4  feet  tall.  Ripens  after 
Heroine  and  Shropshire  Hero  two  to  three  days. 
Prolific.  Pods  medium  size,  not  well  filled.  The 
greater  number  of  pods  is  offset  by  inferior  size  and 
imperfect  filling.  Seeds  large.  See  Fig.  114. 
Mayor.  Vines  2%  feet.  Ripens  with  Profusion. 
When  we  have  Heroine,  we  do  not  need  Mayor.  Pods 
medium  size,  not  well  filled.  See  Fig.  115. 
Benham’s  Astonisher  is  like  Stratagem. 
Later  Notes,  July  10 — When  we  can  get  Heroine, 
we  do  not  want  Mayor  or  Admiral  ripening  the  same 
time.  Shropshire  Hero  is  much  the  same,  but  the  pods 
are  not  quite  so  well  filled.  Often  there  are  10  large 
seeds  to  a  pod  of  Heroine,  the  vines  of  which  in  full 
growth  are  2)4  feet  high.  Admiral  is  of  excellent 
quality  and  ripens  a  week  earlier.  Though  immensely 
productive,  the  pods  are  small  and  the  vines  too  tall. 
Mayor  is  less  prolific ;  pods  not  so  large  as  those  of 
Shropshire ;  not  so  well  filled.  Profusion  matures  a 
day  or  so  later  than  Heroine  and  Shropshire.  It  bears 
more  pods  than  any  other  kind  under  trial,  but  they 
are  not  so  large  or  well  filled  as  those  of  Heroine  or 
Shropshire.  It  is  a  case  of  more  pods,  smaller  and  not 
so  well  filled,  against  larger  pods  better  filled  though 
fewer  in  number. 
Shropshire  Hero  has  an  average  of  seven  large  seeds 
to  a  pod.  It  is  a  prime  pea.  Like  the  Telephone  as  to 
vine,  but  more  productive.  Profusion  has  a  vine  a  foot 
taller,  but  the  pods  will  not  average  five  seeds.  Heroine 
is  not  so  tall  by  six  inches  as  Shropshire — an  advantage 
of  course.  Otherwise  the  one  will  answer  for  the  other. 
Comparing  the  Mayor  with  Heroine  and  Shropshire: 
its  height  is  that  of  Heroine,  but  the  pods  are  smaller 
and  not  so  well  filled.  The  seeds  are  of  the  largest. 
The  quality  is  as  good  as  either. 
Admiral.  It  may  be  said  for  this  that  it  bears  for  a 
long  time,  the  later  pods  being  exceptionally  well 
filled,  so  that  the  pod  is  crowded  as  the  catalogue 
illustrations  are  often  made  to  appear.  The  pods, 
though  under  size,  often  hold  eight  small-sized  seeds. 
In  abundant  bearing  at  this  time.  Vines  five  feet  tall, 
branching  and  thrifty.  It  may  further  be  said  that 
the  pods  are  all  uniform  in  shape  and  size.  The 
variety  seems  to  be  thoroughly  fixed  and  carefully 
selected.  See  Fig.  116. 
July  13. — Shropshire  Hero,  Profusion  and  Heroine 
are  still  in  bearing.  But  the  pods  now,  though  even 
larger  than  earlier,  are  not  so  well  filled.  The  Ad¬ 
miral  still  matures  a  few  of  its  smaller  pods  which  are 
still  well  filled.  The  Mayor  vines  are  still  green  and 
thrifty,  maturing  extra  large  pods,  fairly  well  filled 
with  large  seeds.  Its  season  is  two  or  three  days  later 
than  Heroine.  Heroine  and  Mayor  are  the  choice  of 
the  large  pods  for  this  date. 
July  15.—  Shropshire  Hero  still  in  fine  bearing.  Pods 
of  the  largest  size,  and  fairly  well  filled.  Often  eight 
or  nine  seeds  to  a  pod.  Much  the  same  may  be  said  of 
Heroine.  Shropshire  Hero  is  maturing  rather  more. 
Profusion  is  about  past.  We  much  prefer  Heroine 
and  Shropshire.  Admiral  is  still  in  bearing,  though 
the  vines  are  turning  yellow.  Pods  small  but  well 
filled.  Mayor  still  bearing  large  pods,  well  filled.  It 
is  now  hard  to  choose  between  it  and  Heroine  and 
Shropshire. 
July  19. — Shropshire  and  Mayor  give  the  last  good 
messes. 
New  Dwarf  Prolific  is  a  smooth  late  dwarf  pea. 
Vines  very  bushy,  and  branching  18  inches  tall.  It  is 
now  (July  19)  in  its  fullest  bearing.  Vines  full  of 
peas,  pods 'medium  to  small,  generally  well  filled, 
about  six  to  a  pod.  Seeds  vary  from  small  to  medium, 
and  large.  Vines  uniform  as  to  size — no  rogues.  The 
most  prolific  dwarf  we  have  seen.  For  a  second  plant¬ 
ing  or  fall  pea  it  may  prove  valuable. 
Nott’s  Excelsior. — We  must  again  report  this  as 
the  best  of  the  early  dwarf  wrinkled  peas.  Vines  18 
inches,  more  productive  than  Wonder  or  Little  Gem. 
As  early  as  Alaska  or  very  nearly.  Pods  fair  size, 
averaging  six  seeds  of  fair  size. 
The  illustrations  are  from  nature,  and  intended  to 
show  average-sized  specimens. 
REMARKS. 
To  give  measurable  values  to  the  trials  of  new  peas, 
it  is,  of  course,  necessarj'  to  cultivate  standard  varie¬ 
ties  under  the  same  conditions,  for  comparison.  No 
attempt  of  this  kind  was  made  last  summer,  and  we 
have  merely  to  state,  as  a.  matter  of  judgment,  that  we 
should  prefer  Ilei’oine  and  Shropshire  Hero  to  any  of 
the  similar  intermediate  wrinkled  peas  previously 
tried,  while  Mayor,  for  a  somewhat  later  pea,  is 
worthy  of  trial. 
Stone  Houses  for  Farms. 
Many  of  our  Eastern  and  especially  our  New  Eng¬ 
land  farms  are  covered  quite  liberally  with  boulders  of 
granite  and  other  varieties  of  stone.  By  many  these 
are  looked  upon  as  a  great  disadvantage.  But  if  the 
itr 
The  Admiral  Fig.  116. 
time  ever  comes  when  the  farmers  will  have  their 
proper  position  and  power  so  that  they  can  command  a 
due  reward  for  their  labor,  and  are  enabled  to  hire  labor 
for  permanent  improvements,  these  rocks  will  be  re¬ 
garded  as  a  very  valuable  part  of  a  farm’s  natural  re¬ 
sources.  A  large  part  of  our  farmers  live  in  the  houses 
their  grandfathers  built,  inconvenient,  unhealthy,  un¬ 
comfortable  and  uncomely,  and  their  barns  are  equally 
out  of  date  and  unsubstantial.  Both  should  and 
must  soon  be  replaced.  In  cities,  and  to  some  extent 
