298 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
April 27 
Notes from the Rural Grounds. 
AN ASPARAGUS TALK. 
The appreciation of asparagus grows 
yearly—the market nowadays is never 
over-supplied with first-quality shoots, 
and the price which they command is 
such that we are left to wonder why the 
demand is not more fully met. There is 
always an ample supply of asparagus 
such as it is—the long, slender white 
shoots topped off with an inch or so of 
green, the only tender, edible part. It 
is this sort of stuff that sickens the pur¬ 
chaser, or would-be purchaser. He pays 
for a vegetable in the form of stems six 
to eight inches long only one or two 
inches of each of which is fit to eat—and 
he pays a high price, for bunches of 
asparagus are never offered for a trifle. 
Were the asparagus sent to market what 
it .should be—what it easily might be if 
proper cultivation were given, and it 
were cut and marketed at the right time 
—the demand for this peculiarly deli¬ 
cious green, which has no rival during its 
season as to tenderness and flavor, would 
be increased, there can be no doubt of it, 
a hundred fold. 
Why is asparagus not raised by every 
farmer? Why is not the market ade¬ 
quately supplied with large, tender 
stems ? In the neighborhood of the 
Rural Grounds, we do not know of one 
farmer that has a bed of asparagus, 
though most of the farmers are market 
gardeners as well as ordinary farm¬ 
ers. Why don’t you do it ? we ask. 
The reply comes, “Oh, it is too much 
bother ; it wouldn’t pay.” There is the 
end of it—“too much bother.” For the 
same reason, peas are not staked ; celery 
is not raised ; for the same reason 500 
pounds to the acre of potato fertilizer 
are used when the farmers should know 
that 1,500 pounds would pay them better 
—far better in most cases. They seem 
to dread the first cost, as to fertilizers, 
while a sort of lazy apathy, a willing¬ 
ness to trust to luck and to take-things- 
^tg- they-come policy, prev e nt s them from 
adopting the energetic, thoughtful, 
timely course which would surely in the 
end, lead to less laborious and more 
profitable farming. 
Asparagus will never prove a profitable 
crop to those who are “penny wise 
and pound foolish.” The first outlay 
must be a liberal one. It must be for a 
thorough fitting of the land and for 
plenty of food. This given, however, 
and. thereafter only the same amount of 
care given to corn, beans or cabbages, 
and we shall make by the asparagus 
crop $5 where from the others a single 
dollar is made. Speculation, do you call 
this talk, friends ? Perhaps so. We are 
merely writing what we believe from 20 
years of experiment and observation of 
farm life as we have seen it, for the most 
part within a radius of 20 miles from the 
city of New York, and from what we 
have learned in New York through the 
grocers. We have never yet purchased 
or seen a bunch of aspai-agus in New 
York that we considered of first quality. 
We know that there is such asparagus 
that comes to the market, but it is en¬ 
gaged by the best hotels and wealthy 
private families before it arrives. The 
ordinary green grocers of the city do not 
get it. It does not pay them to keep it, 
the price is too high. The stringy, tough, 
white stems seem to satisfy the limited 
demand of their patrons, and so it is that 
the demand is limited, for there are few 
that care to buy at a high price, a vege¬ 
table only one-tenth part of which (the 
tips) is edible. 
The Cost of a Bed. —The expense and 
trouble of establishing an asparagus bed, 
are greatly exaggerated by most country 
people. Let us see. Ten cents will pur¬ 
chase enough seeds—more than enough 
—to start the seed bed. This need be not 
over a yard square. The soil should be 
rich , well pulverized and free of weed 
seeds. Sow the seeds in drills, say, six 
inches apart, and keep the soil mellow 
and clean during the season. The writer 
has found that a permanent bed 30 feet 
by 15, if properly made, planted and 
cared for, will give an abundant supply 
of shoots for a family of six adults, with 
an occasional mess for a friend or neigh¬ 
bor. The first cuttings from seed may 
be taken the fourth season, and the bed 
thereafter will continue to yield abund¬ 
antly for—well, for all time, if suitable 
cultivation and food be given as needed. 
The permanent bed should be spaded not 
less than a foot in depth, and only a suffi¬ 
cient amount of manure incorporated 
with the soil (the entire soil) to insure a 
vigorous growth—no more. The old plan 
of digging trenches 18 inches deep and 
cramming them with all the way from 50 
to 75 tons of manure per acre, is a useless 
extravagance. Every year the bed should 
receive at the rate of about 500 pounds 
to the acre of bone flour and 200 pounds 
of muriate of potash, or from 20 to 40 
bushels of unleached ashes. Or, to sim¬ 
plify it, use on the plot five pounds of 
bone flour, two pounds of muriate of 
potash or, say, one-half bushel of un¬ 
leached wood ashes. The plot should 
also receive late in the fall or early win¬ 
ter—after the soil is frozen—a mulch of, 
say, an inch of old farm manure. If ap¬ 
plied before the soil is frozen, the covered 
bed will often prove to be a favorite re¬ 
sort of mice, moles, etc. 
The New Way. —Again, we do not ap¬ 
prove of planting asparagus sets in 
(Continued on next page.) 
Home 
Grown 
Seed. 
risks • 
?dsof • 
Our farmer friends, you know you greatly lessen your 
when you buy Seed directly from the grower. We raiseSeedsof 
the earllestSweet Corn, the earliestand best Pole and Bush Beans, 
the best earliest and best late market Beets, the best Cucumbers, 
the best of the earliest and latest Drumhead Cabbage, the earliest 
of all the Wrinkled Peas, the best Dwarf and decidedly the best 
of the Marrowfats, the best early and late Squashes, the best mar¬ 
ket Carrot. the earliest Bed and the very best of all the Yellow 
Onions. We offer these and numerous other varieties, including 
several valuable new Vegetables, in our Vegetable and Flower 
Seed Catalogue for 1895. Sent free. 
J. J. II. GREGORY <fc SON, Marblehead, Mass. 
$iisrrHaiu‘ou£ gUtmising. 
In writing to advertisers, please always mention 
Thk Rukal Nkw-Yokkeb 
Hood’s Sarsaparilla 
Is the Only 
True Blood Purifier 
Prominently in the public eye to-day. 
It has the largest sales and accomplishes 
the most wonderful cures. Therefore 
it is the best medicine to take in the 
•t arin g. Every one needs to take a blood 
purifier now. Get liocras •ak^_ on iy 
Hood’s Sarsaparilla. 
Hnorl’c Di 11 c are tasteless, mild, effect- 
® * IIIj j ve- All druggists. 25c. 
POTATOES. 
Carman No. 1, free from scab, and pure stock. By 
mail. 1 lb., 40c., 3 lbs., *1. By express or freight, peck, 
81.25; bushel, $4. SAMUEL KEAGY, Maria, Pa. 
VINELAND 
Sweet Potato Plants—From extra 
selected seed, $1.75 M; 5 M or over, 
$1.50 ft M. Cash with order. S.T. Dowler.Vineland.N.J. 
“ Dandelion Fariner’'i?K“io“»'S 
soon as ripe in May. 10 cents per packet. 
W. G. DKKW, Bellville, Ohio. 
GROWERS ATTENTION. 
SCHWINGEL’S 
COMBINED 
POTATO 
IMPLEMENT. 
A Marker or 
Furrower 
A Coverer 
A Hiller 
AND A 
Fertilizer 
Distributer. 
It marks or furrows any depth desired. Covers the 
seed evenly, and as a Hiller has no equal. The ferti¬ 
lizer attachment is the finest thing of the kind ever 
put on an implement Ask your dealer to order you 
a machine and write for illustrated catalogue de¬ 
scribing the machine in each capacity. Address the 
manuf’r, E. E. SCHWINGEL, Dansville, N. Y. 
The Latest! The Best!—Pat’d 
Norton’s Plant Duster. 
Time,Labor and Material Saved 
This is a device to be carried 
along rows of potatoes, corn 
or other plants to be powdered 
and a downward jolting move¬ 
ment given to the powder¬ 
holding chamber, causing a 
dust-guard to project over 
each hill successively so that 
the dust thrown out will be 
confined and directed upon 
the leaves and stalks of the 
J plants operated upon, to kill 
bugs or similar insect pests. Send for Descriptive 
circular. Manufactured and for sale by 
THE TROY STAMPING WORKS, Troy. N. Y. 
FRUIT PACKAGES 
Also Beekeepers’ Supplies. 
Write to us and inquire about 
our cheap Berry Baskets. 
Catalogue and price list free. 
BERUN FkU T BOX CO., 
Berlin Heights, Erie Co., Ohio. 
SEEDS! SEEDS! 
71st Annual Priced Catalogue of 
Ve|eiable, Farm and Flower Seeds, 
is now ready, and mailed free to all 
applicants. 
ALFRED BRIDGEMAN, 
37 East 19th Street, New York City. 
ic. FREE SEEDS 
cn 
■ ■ with every dollar order, and #500 in 
CASH PRIZES. Carman No. 1 
and 27 other varieties new SF.KD 
POTATOES. Also Roses, Plants. Vines. COUIIVT 
HI AN RASPBERRY, etc. Rock Bottom 
Prices. Free Catalogue to any address. AGENTS 
WANTED. ENTERPRISE SEED CO., 
Mention this paper. NEWARK N. Y. 
“The Finest Field of CABBACE 
oftensaldo’f my PREMIUM FLAT DUTCH. 
Have grown cabbage seed here by Lake Michigan for 
20 years and knmv good seed 1 get $10 per lb. for my 
best P. F. D. Will sell a limited quantity for 30c. per 
oz , $3 per lb. postpaid. ” Every seed will grow and 
every plant head.” Ttuit's what pays. Order to-day. 
Large packet. 10c. EDWIN M. HAVEN, Seed 
Grower, Drawer 5, South Haven, Mich, 
RELIABLE. SURE TO GROW. TESTED. 
Vegetable Famous Central 
ami k k| M I Park Lawn Grass 
Flower. ■ ■ » ■ i 1 41 Seed. 
Choicest Collections. Latest Novelties. 
Illustrated Catalogue with Instructions forculture mailed free 
Herrmann’s Seed Store. 413 E. 34th St., New York. N. Y 
near L. 1. Ferry. 
Extra 
choice 
Mixture 
of 
Grass Seed 
for the lawn 
permanent 
pasture. 
Remit $3.50 per bushel. For Lawn Fertilizer, 
$4 per bag of 200 pounds; $1 for 25 pounds. AUGUST 
KOLKKK & SONS. Seedsmen, New York. 
YOU CAN’T AFFORD 
to pass us by, if you are looking for Reliable 
SEED POTATOES. 
We handle Aroostook County (Me.) stock, and guaran¬ 
tee our Seed to be pure and true to name. Send for 
catalogue; mailed free. 
WM. S. SWEET & SON, Providence, R. I. 
Seed Potatoes. 
Carefully grown by practical growers. The selec¬ 
tion consists of Carman No. 1 and No. 3; Sir William, 
and many other. Catalogues mailed free. 
E. HIPPARD, Seedsman, Youngstown, Ohio. 
QftT rtCQ—I have about 100 barrels to sell 
rU I A I UtO for seed. They are Early Norther, 
New Queen, Beauty of Hebron and Early Harvest. 
ELIAS GATES. Coxsackie. N. Y. 
300 
bushels Early Ohio, Ohio Jr., Burpee’s Extra 
Early, and Rural New-Yorker No. 2 Seed 
Potatoes—true to name and clean and free 
from disease. Send for Catalogue and Price 
List. WALTER F. TABER. 
Lakevlew Fruit Farm. Poughkeepsie, N. Y. 
1895. Everett’s “Onward” Potato. 1895. 
First catalogued, backed by that great Indianapolis 
seedsman. Longe, smooth, white, medium late, great 
yielder, best quality (one acre planted this spring will 
make you rich). $3 per bush., $7.50 per bbl., tubers 
l A to 1)4 lbs. (with 5 lbs. Carman No. 1 free). -‘Thor- 
burn stock,” Onward, Carman and Irish Daisy, 3 lbs. 
mailed. $1. Standard varieties in car lots. Eight- 
rowed early field corn, White and Yellow, $1.50 bush. 
S. SMITH’S Potato Farm, Padelfords, N. Y. 
COOKE’S PROLIFIC 
Is the best variety of white corn grown for milling or 
ensilage. Two to four ears, and tall, heavy stalks. 
Has yielded, without fertilizer, 135 bushels per acre. 
Select SEED CORN for sale at $2 per bush., 75 
cents per peck, 40 cents per gal., f. o. b. cars, bags in¬ 
cluded; three pounds, by mail, 75 cents. Also some 
Thoroughbred South-Down Bucks for sale cheap. 
Address A. J. TERRELL, New Canton. Va. 
NURSERY STOCK! 
Cut this out and paste it in your hat. We offer 
for the Spring Trade: 
350,000 Parker Earle. 
150.000 Timbrell. 
15O.000 PRINCESS. 
150,000 BUBACH. 
300,000 Lovett's Early. < 
160,000 Greenville. 
300,000 Beder Wood. 
250.000 Haverland. 
160,000 Iowa Beauty. 
170,000 Barton’sEclipse ' 
175,000 Gandy 
400,000 Warfield. 
250,000 Michel’s Early. 
15,000 Beverly. 
35,000 Smith’s Seedling 
12,000 Bisel. 
45,000 Gov. Hoard. 
25.000 Wolverton. 
30,000 Dayton. 
10,000 Leader. 
10.000 Saunders. 
10.000 Edgar Queen 
10,000 van Deman. 
15.000 Belle No. 5. 
14,000 Aroma. 
13.000 Cyclone. 
No Better Plants Grown. 
Packed In our special shipping crate 1,000 each 
Send us a list of your wants at once, and we will quote 
prices on 500 or car-load. 
WEST MICHIGAN NURSERIES, Be "^ c H H arbor 
WILLIAMS 
STRAWBERRY. 
See RURAL March 9, 
page 175. 
1 can still supply good strong plants of this grand 
new strawberry, it will not disappoint you. Highly 
recommended by the largest growers in the Niagara 
district. Fifty plants, by mail. *1. Satisfaction guaran¬ 
teed. WM. H. BUNTING. 
Carleton Fruit Farm. St. Catharines, Ont., Can. 
Strawberry Bargains, 
Until sold out, three dozen of either Rio, Cyclone 
Tennessee Prolific, Marshall, Shuckless, Princeton 
Chief, Ivanhoe, low a Beauty. Belle. Banquet, Gilles¬ 
pie, Lady Thompson and No Name, by mail, postpaid, 
for a $1 bill. Other leading varieties, 60 cents per 110, 
postpaid. Address WM. PERKY, Cool Spring, Del. 
100,000 Berry Plants. 
Strawberry. Raspberry, Blackberry and Currants 
Strictly first-class stock. Also Agent for Morrill & 
Morley’s Eclipse Spray Pumps. Send for Catalogues 
and Price List. WALTER F. TABER. 
Lakevlew Fruit Farm. Poughkeepsie, N. Y 
Great American Strawberry Plants. 
The largest, finest strawberry grown. I grew four 
acres for market. Brings more money per quart than 
any other variety. Very productive, hardy, perfect 
blossom. Plants »1 per 1U0: $4 per 1.000. 
A. JOHNSON. Lincoln Park. N. J. 
RASPBERRY PLANTS 
FOR SALE.—100,000 of 
the latest and best 
varieties; 50 and 60 per cent ahead at the New 
York State Station trial. Address CHAS. MILLS, 
Fairmount, Onondaga County. N. Y 
DACDDCDDiCC Palmer, Souhegan, 
nAOr DCnnlCO $6perM; Cuthbert,»7 perM. 
Also, Jerseys and Cheshlres. 
JACOB HOMER, New Hamburg, Pa. 
PLANTS 
—10,000 Gregg Raspberry. $5 per M ; 
5.000 Souhegan. «4 per M; Palmer, 
$6 per M; 20,000 Snyder Root¬ 
cutting blackberry, $6 per M. 
W. A. FREED. Homewood, Pa. 
KGRAPE VINES 
100 Varieties. Also Small Fruits, Trees, Ac. Bestroot- 
edstock. Genuine,cheap. 2 sample vines mailed for 10e. 
Descriptive price-list free. LEWIS UOESCU, Fredonla, N. Y. 
G ENUINE BARGAINS—V. STONEROD, Lewis- 
town, Pa.—20 trio P. Rock. W. Leg.. W. Lang., at 
$3 to $4; hens. $L each. Trees —12 Apple, or 6 Pear, or 6 
Plum, or 8 Peach, or 6 Cherry, best kinds. 5 feet; 
5 Quince or 7 Abundance Plum. 4 feet: any lot $1. or 
10 for $5. 24 Grapes -6 best kinds, or200 Cuthbert Rasp¬ 
berries, $1. Potatoes, Carman No. 3—50 cents per 
pound, postpaid; per peck, $6. 
PRICKLEY COMFREY ZTVJZSM 
per 100, by exp. F. E. BLODGET r I, Suncook, N. H.. 
CRIMSON CLOVER J“a“,I f 
grown Crimson Clover Seed in the United States, 
Is JOSEPH E. HOLLAND, Grower and Jobber, Mil¬ 
ford, Del. Write for prices. 
3 GREATEST THINGS IN AGRICULTURE. 
Crimson Clover, Cow' Peas and Winter 
Oats. Send for new descriptive catalogue 
before purchasing seed. A. N. BROWN, Groover 
and Dealer, Wyoming, Kent County, Del. 
BAUCH’S Special Potato 
(CONTAINS OVER 10 PER CENT. ACTUAL POTASH.) 
RAW BONE MEAL .—Warranted Pure. 
Manure 
ORIGINAL 
Manufacturers of 
. RAW ROMP 
hinnii e mile nnunikiv Works— Foot of Morris to Moore Streets. ! duoc duatc 
BAUGH & SUNS LUMrflllTt OFFICE— SOS. Delaware Avenue. PHILADELPHIA. L. PHObPHATE ' 
Land Feeding 
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Drop us a postal card—we’ll send you our 
crop=raising calendar for ’95, and all about 
Pacific Guano—the best commercial fer= 
tilizer there is—economical and sure. 
Pacific Guano Co., New York City, and Cleveland, Ohio. 
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 
