120 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
February 23 
is claimed that Buist’s Early Morning Star pea is the 
“earliest pea in the world, being ready to pick in 42 days, 
and the entire crop can be taken in two pickings. 
John A. Salzeh Seed Company, La Crosse, Wis.—A 
general catalogue of seeds, small and large fruits 
(11x8 inches), half filled with wood cuts and seven 
colored pages. Last season, the most unfavorable we 
have ever known for potatoes, we tried Salzer's Cy¬ 
clone, Looking Forward, Salzer’s Earliest and Salzer’s 
Lightning Express, planted April 19. The claims 
made for the Cyclone are, 1, it is the earliest potato in 
the world ; 2, the best keeper ; 3, it will yield three 
times as much as Early Ohio, Early Rose, etc.; 4, the 
past season it yielded (500 bushels to the acre. We 
planted six large two to tliree-eye pieces One hill 
(to test its earliness) was dug July 4. It yielded 19 ]4 
ounces—19 tubers. The vines began to 
change color July 17, dying August 1. 
The five remaining hills yielded 4% 
pounds, 20 large and 41 small tubers— 
at the rate of 217.80 bushels to the acre- 
Buff skin, oblong, somewhat cj'lindri- 
cal ; eyes medium. A good-looking po¬ 
tato, nearly white flesh, and as good 
in quality as the Early Rose. Six pieces 
of Looking Forward were also planted. 
July 9 one hill yielded 20)4 ounces, 11 
tubers. July 17 the vines were dying. 
Hug August 1, the five hills yielded 
3% pounds, 10 large, 34 small, or at the 
rate of 109.40 bushels to the acre. Both 
sorts yielded more than Early Ohio 
planted near by them. They are about 
the shape of Beauty of Hebron, and the 
same in quality. Eighteen pieces of 
Salzer's Earliest were planted. This 
is a handsome, round, reddish potato of 
the Bliss’s Triumph or Stray Beauty 
type. June 28, one hill yielded 12 tubers 
weighing 9% ounces. The vines died 
about July 17. The entire yield was 
very small—less than 50 bushels to the 
acre. Lightning Express is an inter¬ 
mediate. The vines were ripe August 12. 
Three hills yielded 13 tubers of medium 
size, and 47 small ones, weighing six 
pounds, or at the rate of 484 bushels 
to the acre. It is a pink potato, some¬ 
what resembling Wall’s Orange. It is 
rather long, and has too many eyes. 
This potato, for which everything is 
claimed, is fully described on page 132 
of the catalogue. The firm give great 
attention to potatoes. This is a cata¬ 
logue so full of pi*emiums and remark¬ 
able offers, that our readers must ex¬ 
amine it and judge for themselves of what is and what 
is not meritorious. The sum of $300 is offered for a 
better name for their new oat “ Nameless Beauty.” 
T. J. Dwyer, Cornwall, Orange County, N. Y.—A 
catalogue of the Orange County Nurseries, 6x9 inches, 
88 pages, with a colored page of four very promising 
strawberries, mz., Greenville, Marshall, Brandywine 
and Timbrell. Strong objections have been made to 
the Timbrell because of its mottled color, an objection 
to which The R. N.-Y. was the first to call attention. 
This may fora time hurt it as a market berry until the 
“market” learns that it is a trade-mark proof of quality 
of the first excellence.* We would advise our friends 
to try the other three, Brandywine especially. Mr. 
Dwyer offers large fruits in certain well-chosen collec¬ 
tions at most reasonable prices. The following is se¬ 
lected as an example : 
LIST OP ATPLES, PEARS AND CHERRIES FOR $4. 
1 Red Astrac.han apple, early. 
1 Yellow Transparent apple, 
early. 
1 Gravenstein apple, fall. 
1 Fall Pippin apple, fall. 
1 Baldwin apple, winter. 
1 King apple, winter. 
1 Lawver apple, winter. 
1 Lady Elgin crab. 
1 Bartlett pear, early. 
1 Seckel pear, second early. 
1 Sheldon pear, fall. 
1 Anjou pear, winter. 
1 Black Tartarian cherry. 
1 Napoleon B. cherry, white. 
1 English Morello cherry, late. 
The list of hardy grapes is made tip of about all the 
varieties that one need care to plant. Of the Japan 
plums, Ogon, Burbank, Satsuma and Abundance are 
offered. The Fuller quince which we have on trial, 
is said to bear richly colored fruit which is “ remark¬ 
ably tender and well-flavored.” Besides fruits and 
nuts, this nursery raises evergreen and deciduous 
trees, box, roses, vines, hardy' rhododendrons, etc. 
1—106 days. The kernel is large and broad, cob 
medium ; rows quite regular and usually close 
together, averaging 10 and about 45 kernels to the 
row. The ears average eight to ten inches long. The 
plant grows not over eight feet tall ; the leaves are 
very broad, the internodes short. It suckers spar¬ 
ingly. We commend a trial of this corn as an improve¬ 
ment upon Pride of the North and Queen of the 
Prairie and far superior for ensilage purposes. 
H. W. Buckbee, Rockford, Ill.—A general seed and 
plant catalogue, 120 pages (8x10 inches) with colored 
covers that show the Monte Cristo, regarded as “ the 
king of all watermelons,” the Cosmopolitan verbenas 
showing the largest truss of flowers we have ever 
seen, and two new muskmelons True Tip-top and New 
Triumph. On page 45, is illustrated and described 
Buckbee’s new oat, Illinois, “the astonishing agricul¬ 
tural wonder of the age that opens a new era of 
profitable oat growing throughout the entire coun¬ 
try.” Buckbee’s Great Western Yellow dent (page 19) 
is described as the “ greatest and grandest of all new 
varieties of corn, the earliest and largest eared in 
existence.” Other specialties are Buckbee’s new 
double Morning glory, Sandwich Island pumpkin, 
Buckbee’s New Queen cabbage and Extra Early Chief 
cauliflower. 
J. M. Thorburn & Co., 15 John Street, New York. 
—Probably about the largest collection of seeds 
offered—120 pages, 10x7 inches; illus¬ 
trations and descriptions without any 
exaggeration ; seven pages of novel¬ 
ties. The Carman No. 3 potato, “the 
handsomest large potato ever pro¬ 
duced,” is, it is claimed, the greatest 
yielder of any variety whatever. Among 
new tomatoes, the Autocrat and Demo¬ 
crat, both of which originated at the 
Rural Grounds, have distinctive merits. 
The Manhattan sweet corn is said to be 
the earliest variety grown, being ready 
for the table in 42 days from planting. 
It is delicious in quality though not 
wrinkled ; ears small, stalks only 2)4 
feet tall, with very little foliage; ears 
borne close to the ground. The Long 
Island Beauty inuskmelon was tried at 
the Rural Grounds last summer. It was 
the first to ripen in the collection of 
eight new kinds. The melons are nearly 
round, the lobes not deep, heavily netted. 
The average diameter was six to seven 
inches. The flesh is greenish, of fine 
quality. It is claimed that it is “ the 
earliest of all.” See Fig. 39. Try the 
new Station pea, a wrinkled sort that 
“ produces more than twice the number 
of pods of any extra early variety of 
smooth pea now in use.” Try the Dwarf 
Wrinkled Sugar, a French novelty. The 
Thorburn Valentine Wax bean, it is 
claimed, is “first in earliness, first in 
productiveness, and first in quality. 
This firm offer the Reddick mole-trap— 
price, only $1. It is the best trap in ex¬ 
istence. • The list of seeds of hardy ever¬ 
greens and deciduous trees', shrubs, etc., 
is probably more complete than that of 
apy other house. Many who pay high 
prices for such plants might better raise them from 
seeds at a nominal price. 
R. II. Shumway, Rockford, Ill. — This is a remark¬ 
able catalogue of illustrations. We have never seen 
anything like it as to size or illustrations, the latter 
covering twice as much space as the text. It measures 
16xlOX inches—41 pages. One cover presents imple¬ 
ments in color, the other sundry flowers and vege¬ 
tables and Mr. Shumway’s portrait. Mr. Shumway 
deals in all sorts of vegetable, garden, flower and 
farm seeds and nearly every variety is illustrated. 
Cole's Seed Store, Pella, Iowa.—A manual of gar¬ 
den, farm and flower seeds, 9x6 inches, with colored 
covers, showing vegetables and flowers. It has 14 
pages given to specialties, rather than to novelties ; 
that is to say, the best of the novelties of recent years 
are gathered together in this special list; as, for 
example, Cole’s Early watermelon, Iceberg lettuce, 
Melrose muskmelon, Nott’s Excelsior pea, Heroine 
pea, Fordhook First tomato. And so of the specialties 
among flower seeds. 
Alfred Bridgeman, No. 37 East 19th Street, New 
York City.—An exceedingly neat and well arranged 
catalogue of 69 pages, 7x10 inches. As this firm have 
been in business nearly three-quarters of a century, 
they have learned how to select the best kinds of 
seeds from the endless and confusing lists too often 
presented. There are four pages of specialties, then 
follow the lists of leading vegetables, horticultural 
implements, horticultural books, flower seeds, small 
fruits, grape vines, shrubs and trees, 
Mr. Dwyer is a landscape gardener, and will be glad 
to give estimates of cost for grading, seeding, blast¬ 
ing, removing stumps, furnishing pipe for draining, 
laying out and constructing paths, tennis courts, 
planting, etc. 
T. V. Munson, Jlenison, Texas.—A catalogue of the 
best—the best only—of the fruits and plants offered, 
with concise descriptions written to help and not to 
embarrass those who would purchase—the conscien¬ 
tious work of 20 years. Among Prof. Munson’s intro¬ 
ductions, we would call the reader’s attention to the 
Rutledge apple, the Lexington pear, “inclined to 
bear at two to four years of age ; fruit the same size, 
shape and color of Bartlett, but earlier by two weeks 
and of still finer quality.” Prof. Munson is our first 
grape authority and has done moredn the w*ay of cross¬ 
ing than any other person in the world. His list is 
fully described. 
Fred. E. Young, Rochester, N. Y.—A catalogue 
(fruit and ornamental trees) 10x7 inches, 50 pages 
with colored covers showing the Carman No. 1 potato 
and the Keepsake gooseberry ; also a colored page of 
the new quince Borgeat. The Triumph gooseberry, 
from the illustration, is as large as the Industry, and 
is said to be the best yellow sort yet produced. Mr. 
Young regards it as identical with the Columbus, 
which is of itself high praise. The Keepsake is por¬ 
trayed as fully as large as the Triumph. It is very 
JAPAN MAYBERRY. Fig. 38. (See page 118.) 
early. The Walter Pease, it is claimed, is unequaled 
by any apple of its season, which is from September 
to November. Compared with the Gravenstein, it is 
“larger, more productive, abetter keeper, of a richer 
color, better flavor and a better market and dessert 
fruit.” For the Borgeat quince, which has not yet 
fruited at the Rural Grounds, is claimed : “ Best qual¬ 
ity, largest size, golden color, no creases, rich, velvety 
skin, delicious odor, free from blight, the strongest 
grower, fruiting in three to four years in nursery 
rows.” The Eldorado blackberry, the Columbian and 
Loudon raspberries, the Kansas cap are specialties. 
Nortiirup, Braslan, Goodwin Company, Minne¬ 
apolis, Minn.—This is a general catalogue of seeds of 
all kinds—8x11 inches, with colored covers and a 
double-colored page of “19 rare plants for $1.” We 
tried two new varieties of corn from this firm last 
summer. One was the Zig-Zag, with which we were 
much pleased. Planted May 4, the ears were ready 
for the table August 8, considerably earlier than the 
Ne Plus Ultra or Country Gentleman, which it re¬ 
sembles. But it is a better kind in many ways. The 
stalks grow eight feet high and do not sucker to speak 
of. We believe it to be the heaviest yielding sweet 
corn that we have ever tried. It needs further selec¬ 
tion ; some of the silk is rose colored; some ears are 
zigzag, others not. The rows vary from 12 to 16. The 
ears are about 10 inches long, kernels medium-size 
and crowded. The stalks bear always two ears and 
often three. The quality is fine. The other is a 
yellow dent field corn, “ The Conqueror.” It was 
planted May 17. The ears began to glaze September 
