THE RURAL NEW-VORKER. 
August l8 
§ 2 ^ 
RORMJ 
Prof. Daknky, the Asfcistant Secretary 
of Agriculture, is calling attention to 
Hungarian Brome grass. Rather, per¬ 
haps, he is trying to find out just how 
much it is worth for agricultural pur¬ 
poses. It is a good deal like Couch, 
Quitch or Quack grass in its habit of 
growth, and in some soils is just as hard 
to get rid of when once established. But 
it will thrive on soils too poor for more 
valuable grasses, and may,therefore, have 
value for this reason. Seedsmen offer it 
(Bromus inermis) for 35 cents a pound. 
The hybrid perpetual rose, Vick’s 
Caprice, is much that was claimed for it 
when sent out by James Vick in 1890, we 
think. The plant is hardy and quite 
vigorous, and often bears flowers in 
August as it is doing this season. The 
flowers are very double, at least three 
inches in diameter, and the petals are of 
a pinkish rose color distinctly lined, 
banded and splashed with white. The 
buds are not as pretty as those of many 
other hybrid perpetuals, being rather 
round than tapering. In so far as the 
writer is aware, it is the best of the varie¬ 
gated roses. 
We are trying second-crop potatoes. 
The earliest variety of this season was 
used for seed. The tubers were cut in 
halves lengthwise, and “ wilted” by be¬ 
ing placed in the sun for two days. They 
were then planted in trenches in the 
usual way, July 27. 
John S. Pierce & Co., of London, Can¬ 
ada, write us that they have about three 
acres of the R. N.-Y. hybrid wheat 
(Roberts) in stooks, and that they are 
pleased with it. 
We can not raise any sort of crops at 
the Rural Grounds without a complete 
fertilizer. This has been shown to our 
readers repeatedly as to potatoes. As to 
corn we may report a little experiment 
that, little as it is, shows that corn re¬ 
quires a complete fertilizer in our im¬ 
poverished soil just as much as do pota¬ 
toes. On a small plot we sowed broad¬ 
cast at the rate of 3.50 pounds per acre of 
muriate of potash and 500 pounds of 
dissolved bone-black, furnishing phos¬ 
phoric acid only. On half of this plot 
150 pounds per acre of blood, nitrate of 
soda and sulphate of ammonia (mixed) 
were sown. The result was 74 plants 
on the non-nitrogenous half, 68 ears, 
weight 39 pounds. On the half which 
received the nitrogen mixture, the yield 
was 86 plants, 86 ears, weight 52% 
pounds. The variety was a tall-growing 
white dent. 
Another plot of “Top-over” was treated 
in the same way. The non-nitrogen 
plot gave 95 plants, 79 ears, which 
weighed 22% pounds. The nitrogen (or 
complete manure) plot gave 63 plants, 
73 ears, which weighed 25 pounds. The 
leaves of the nitrogen plot were perfectly 
green when cut (September 4); the leaves 
of the no-nitrogen half were yellow and 
dying. One row of the nitrogen half 
was nearly destroyed by blackbirds. 
The above little experiment shows 
how easily a farmer who is just begin¬ 
ning to try fertilizers may be deceived. 
Suppose, having just such impoverished 
soil, he had used one brand of fertilizer 
deficient in either phosphate, nitrogen 
or potash, and on the other a complete 
fertilizer. He would have concluded 
that the first fertilizer was inferior to 
the second, or perhaps, a fraud The 
real fact might have been that the first 
fertilizer was worth more then the sec¬ 
ond in actual p!antfood, though deficient 
in, or destitute of, one of the three im¬ 
portant constituents of plant food. 
So, too, had he used omy the imper¬ 
fect fertilizer, he might well have con¬ 
cluded that it did not increase the yield 
as compared with the rest of his crop, 
and jumped at the conclusion that “ fer¬ 
tilizers are of no use to me.” 
We have just received the autumn cat¬ 
alogue of strawberries, Holland bulbs 
and hardy herbaceous plants of Ell- 
wanger & Barry, Rochester, N. Y. 
Among the new strawberries, this firm 
considers the following the most promis¬ 
ing: Beder Wood, Lovett, Michel’s Early, 
Parker Earle and Williams. We would 
prefer Beder Wood to Michel’s, as has 
already been stated in these columns. 
Williams we are trying. The above firm 
alludes to Downing, Crescent, Bubach, 
Haverland, Gandy, Sharpless and Cum¬ 
berland as the best of the old sorts. 
Comparing the Sharpless (bisexual) with 
the Bubach (pistillate) we would ask 
our readers to eat first of the one and 
then of the other. The Bubach is more 
productive in some places, but the quality 
is inferior. The Sharpless will average 
fully as large as the Bubach. Certainly 
for home use, we prefer the Sharpless. 
Let us hear from those who have tried 
them fairly side by side for two years or 
more. We are surprised to ree that this 
catalogue offers the Loudon red rasp¬ 
berry to patrons. This is the first an¬ 
nouncement that this promising late 
variety is for sale that we have seen. 
If any of our readers have raised Hun¬ 
garian Brome grass (Bromus inermis), 
we would be glad to have their opinion 
of it. 
Fobdhook First tomato, introduced 
this year by W. Atlee Burpee & Co., be¬ 
gan to ripen at the Rural Grounds, J uly 
28. We have tried nearly all of the first 
earlies for many years, as they have been 
introduced, and have not found that 
earliness has proven anything like a 
fair equivalent for irregularity in form 
and inferiority in quality. We find Ford- 
hook First as early as any we have tried, 
generally perfectly smooth, ripening 
evenly about the stem, heavy, solid, with 
a tough skin, of medium size (or a little 
below), and of a color between the crim¬ 
son of the Acme and the orange red of 
the Ignotum. 
Prof. T. V. Munson has raised over 
100,000 seedling grapes—the work of 15 
years of zealous, painstaking care, study 
and labor. How many of these will prove 
better than the best of the tried sorts of 
to-day ? A few years will answer the 
question, and we may all earnestly hope 
that it will be answered in a way that 
will bring a fair reward to the man who 
has done the work. 
The Wineberry Has Merits. —Above 
all things Ruralisms likes to give both 
sides to every question. Dr. Van Fleet 
favors us with the following interesting 
resuaL:6 of the estimation in which it is 
held in Chester County, Pa. : 
“ As this part of Chester County, Pa., 
is quite a nursery center, the Japanese 
Wineberry (Rubus Phenicolasius) found 
its way, immediately on its introduction, 
into this county, and has been quite 
widely disseminated among the farmers 
and fruit growers. It has been fruiting 
for several years, and has latterly become 
abundant enough to appear in the vil¬ 
lage market in four to six-quart lots. 
The local estimate of this new berry 
seems to be that it is quite desirable for 
home planting, but totally without value 
IN writing to sdyertlBerB please always mention 
THJ Bubai.. 
Sleepless Nights 
Make you weak and weary,unfit lor work, 
indisposed to exertion. They show that 
your nerve strength is gone and that your 
nervous system needs building up. The 
Hood’ 
g Sarsa¬ 
parilla 
ures 
surest remedy is 
Hood’s Sarsaparilla. 
It purifies the blood, 
strengthens the nerves, createo an appe¬ 
tite, and gives sound, refreshing sleep 
e 
Hood’s Pills care all liver Ills. 25c. 
as a market fruit. The Wineberry grows 
vigorously in this locality, and is a de¬ 
cidedly ornamental plant, when kept 
within bounds. It has proved entirely 
hardy, withstanding the severe winter 
of 1892 1893, which was cold enough to 
destroy all blackberry canes in the vi¬ 
cinity. The fruit is generally liked. 
While acid, it is of a fresh, sprightly 
flavor, which the writer fiads more agree¬ 
able than that of any of the red rasp¬ 
berries. For various culinary uses, it is 
most excellent, as the seeds are very 
small, and the juice superabundant, while 
a very little sugar overcomes the pecu¬ 
liar sharpness of the fresh fruit. 
“ Its weak points are, comparative un¬ 
productiveness and the softness and poor 
carrying qualities of the ripe berry. A 
large bush of the Wineberry makes a 
brave show at fruiting time with its 
abundant clusters of opening mossy 
“ burrs ” and the brilliant amber of its 
ripening fruit; but when the test of pick¬ 
ing is applied, the product shrinks to a 
mere fraction of the weight and bulk of 
berries that can be gathered under similar 
conditions from any of the standard mar¬ 
ket raspberries. The ripe berry does not 
always come away whole from the ‘ core,” 
and is so soft and juicy that in a layer six 
inches or more deep, the lower berries 
soon begin to break and ooze. The Wine¬ 
berry, however, even with its present de¬ 
fects, deserves a place in every farmer’s 
garden, in all localities where it does not 
winterkill.” w. v. f. 
West Grove, Pa. 
-Bulletin Louisiana Station (Ba¬ 
ton Rouge): “ Crimson clover does fairly 
well here.” 
Abstracts. 
-N. E. Farmp:r : “We dislike the 
seeming attempt often made to contrast 
and compare the classical and agricul¬ 
tural colleges. Both are exiellent in¬ 
stitutions, both are doing good work, 
and we would not advise all of the young 
men in the community to go to one or 
the other. Is a doctor a more ‘ practical ’ 
man than a lawyer ? Is a sailor of more 
use in the world than a railroad man ? 
There are lots of these fool questions 
often asked, and questions looking to the 
comparison of the classical and agricul¬ 
tural colleges may be just as ridiculous.” 
-Agriculturist : “ Many men, if they 
possessed a ‘ title clear to a mansion in 
the skies,’ would mortgage it.” 
-Ellwangeb & Barry: “It is sur¬ 
prising how few of the numerous varie¬ 
ties of strawberries annually brought 
out stand the lest, and merit retention 
upon the lists. Many, if not most of 
these, after a year or two of trial, are 
consigned to oblivion.” 
-Garden and Forest : “ Mr. Edmund 
Williams was recognized throughout the 
country as one of our leading authorities 
on fruits and their cultivation. He de¬ 
voted his life to this work, and his habit 
of accurate observation and his sound 
judgment, added to absolute honesty 
and freedom from prejudice, gave his 
expressions of opinion unusual weight. 
In character, Mr. Williams was as sim¬ 
ple as a child, modest, generous, public- 
spirited, truthful. Every one who cas¬ 
ually met him was drawn to him at once 
by his kindly bearing, his sincerity and 
frankness, and yet few beyond the circle 
of his intimate friends knew the genuine 
bONT ACCEPT iniTAT10N5. 
THE PROCTER & GAMBLE CO.. CIN’Tl. 
AMERICUS FERTILIZERS 
FOR WHEAT AND GRASS. 
DOUBLE 1HE CHOP EVEltY TIME. In these times of low prices farmers mu.I 
Increase ihelr yield; our Ferill.zers will do it. Maaufactared oy 
WILLIAMS & CLARK FERTILIZER CO., 83 Fulton Street, New York. 
Branch Offlee: ROCUKSTEU. N. Y. 
ORIVINQ STILL LEADS THEM ALL. 
IT WILL CONTROL THB MOST 
Mi l VIOIOUa HORSBs 
75,000 sold In 1891. 
100,000 sold In 1892. 
THEY ARE KING. 
Sample mailed XC for flfl 
Nickel, 81.50. 
Stallion Bits 50 cts. extra. 
RACIHE MALLEABLE IRON CO. 
MACHINERY 
Hydraulic, Knuckle Joint and Screw 
Presses, Graters, Elevators, Pumps 
etc. Send for Catalone. 
BOOMER & BOSCHERT 
PRESS 
!llk W.WaterSt..SYRACUSE, N 
00 Leather quarter top. 
■TtJe Guaranteed for two years. 
Equal to thjseof other maxes cost- 
luK $75. For years they have given 
superior satisfaction as thousands will teetlfy. We 
are tne only manulacturers who are willing to ship 
subject to your inspecdon, the vehicle to be returned 
to us, we paying all charges, if not as represented. 
Catalogue cneerfully mailed to any address 
PIONEER MEG. Co., Columbus, O., U. S. A. 
BUY DIRECT AND SAVE DEALER’S 
<{;|p AND AGENT’S PROFITS, 
kvl Lbiiy our Oxford Boss Bicycle, su i t- 
lahle for either sex, made of best ma- 
terial, strong, substantial, accurately 
Justed and lully warranted. Write to-day for out 
large complete catalogue of bicycles, parts, repairs, etc., 
free, OXlFORIk MFO. CO. 
838 Wabash Avenue. - CHICAGO. ILL. ' 
Farmers Wanted 
to use and sell the Hold Fast 8 
Corn Binders. Thousands be- ?| 
ing sold. Liberal terms. Ap- 
ny for right in your own ter¬ 
ritory. Complete outfit only 
costs 5 cents. 
THE TIE CO., UnadiUa,N.T. 
PA IIIII IIP ATACHINERY and ‘SUPPLIES. 
UnUnlUUD. G. Trench Co., Chicago, Ill., and 
Famham, N, Y. Mention this paper. 
Send Us Your Address, 
and we will mail you our Illustrated Catalogue with 
Price List of FINE SURREYS, BUGGfrS and 
ROAD WAGONS. We sell direct to the Con¬ 
sumers, giving them the beneUt of the Dealers’ 
Profits. NO DEALERS HANDLE OUR CAR¬ 
RIAGES. We Sell by Correspondeuce Only. 
KALAMAZOO BUCKBOABD CO., 
Kalamazoo, Michigan. 
