1895 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
299 
AN ASPARAGUS TALK. 
(CONTINUED.) 
trenches at all as the hooks tell us to do. 
Instead, moreover, of planting the sets 
so that “the crowns shall be a foot be¬ 
low the surface,” we would have them 
not over two inches below the surface, 
since all of the stalk from the root to 
and somewhat above the soil, is tough 
and woody. There is just that much 
waste of stem and, consequently, just 
that much waste of the plant's vigor, 
and of the food necessary to feed the 
waste; for, it must be borne in mind 
that it is only the tip that grows. The 
tip is, therefore, the youngest and ten- 
derest part of the shoot, the oldest and 
toughest part being that nearest the 
root. Bear in mind, too, that a shoot 
once cut or frozen grows no more. 
Again, we do Dot see why it is better 
to fertilize asparagus plots or fields, not 
until after the cutting season is over, 
and the shoots are permitted to develop 
foliage. Writers argue that the roots 
have stored up nutriment enough for the 
shoots, and that the plants should get 
the benefit of the food so as to insure 
their thrifty growth and enable them 
again to store up food for the next 
spring’s crop. It is true that the roots 
of asparagus plants are rather fleshy, 
but it is through those fleshy roots that 
the shoots get their food, and to weaken 
the roots is but to weaken the growth 
of the plants for the rest of the summer 
and fall. Our belief is—we do not pre¬ 
tend to have made comparative trials— 
that the best time to apply the bone and 
potash is just before the buds begin to 
push in the spring. 
Were we establishing another aspar¬ 
agus bed, we would select only male 
plants. We would allow the seedling 
plants to bloom and select only those 
bearing male blossoms. Some years ago 
it was reported that the shoots of male 
plants averaged much larger than those 
of females. We marked a certain num¬ 
ber of our largest shoots while, say six 
inches tall, to find when the shoots had 
become bushes and were in bloom that 
there were as many males as females. 
The worst weed of the asparagus bed is 
asparagus itself. 
Varieties. —It is an old story to our 
older readers that for many years we 
have raised all of the so-called varieties 
offered by seedsmen, side by side, that 
their differences might be noted. Ex¬ 
cept in color, we have failed to detect 
any. The New Columbian gives lighter 
colored shoots than any other; the Red 
Dutch, redder shoots than others. Con¬ 
over’s Colossal, Argenteuil, Palmetto, 
Smalley's Defiance, Barr’s Mammoth, 
Moore’s Crossbred, Dreer’s Eclipse, differ 
but slightly in color and not at all, that 
we have discovered, in size or quality of 
stems. 
To Increase the Size of Asparagus.— 
An interesting experiment that we have 
been trying for three years is this : Seed 
was selected from the plant having the 
largest main stem. From the seedlings, 
seed was again selected from the plant 
having the largest stem. This selection, 
it is proposed to continue until we find, 
either that the stems increase or do not 
increase, in size. 
Do Not Cut Asparagus. —There is no 
need of it. It is economy not to do so. 
The bed should be gone over every day 
and all shoots that are four inches above 
the surface of the soil should be Jjroken 
off. If allowed to grow taller than that, 
it means only so much waste. We wish 
only the tender, edible part. The white 
portion is not edible. Why, then, use a 
knife; why wait until the old, white 
portion of the stem has made a growth 
of several inches above the soil ? The 
white part takes as much food from the 
soil as do the tender, green tips. If, 
then, we permit the shoots to grow six 
inches or more above the soil, we make 
a needless demand upon the vitality of 
the roots and the food of the soil, merely 
to collect a waste, worthless product. 
The green, tender parts of asparagus 
should not be sent to market in bunches 
at all, but should be sold by the pound 
as fresh mushrooms are sold. 
If the writer of these notes lived in a 
village, or even in a city and owned or 
controlled a “yard” as large as 25 x 100 
feet — a portion — if but 25 x 10 feet 
would be devoted to an asparagus bed. 
The plants themselves are beautifully 
feathery land graceful and may be used 
for bouquets or masses of green, as well 
as the il ornamental ” asparagus Plumo- 
sus or Tenuissimus. 
THE R. N.-Y. TOMATO PROGRESS. 
As our interested or attentive friends 
should know, our tomato work is along 
two distinct lines. One which beg-an 
four years ago, was to see what would 
come out of crossing our best crossbreeds 
upon the little Currant tomato, always 
using for the mother plant the Currant 
progeny. As we have explained, last 
year, the largest of these Currant cross¬ 
breeds were about the size and shape of 
rather small ordinary tomatoes. What 
has been gained thus far ? Only earli¬ 
ness, even ripening about the stem, and 
racemes bearing more tomatoes than do 
the ordinary sorts. The other work 
began also about four or five years ago 
with the little Peach tomato as the 
mother. With this, as with the Currant, 
only the Peach progeny was selected as 
the mother plants. The Terra Cotta 
was the first important result, econom¬ 
ically considered, of these crosses. This 
is as large as medium-sized ordinary 
varieties, with a distinct color, and with 
the skin downy as is that of its ancestor, 
the Peach. Fig. 90 (first page) shows 
the progress of last year. The fruit is 
perfectly round, the flesh tender and 
melting and of exquisite qualify. 
Though not as heavy and hard as well- 
known kinds, it keeps remarkably well. 
It has nearly the color of the Terra 
Cotta, without its peach-like skin. Doubt¬ 
less this hybrid will sport for several 
years. We are merely reporting pro¬ 
gress. _ 
Failure With Arsenate of Lead. 
M. M., Medway, Mass. —On page 203, 
T. A. inquires about arsenate of lead as 
an insecticide. I believe that the claim 
of superiority over Paris-green is not 
well founded. I tried the arsenate last 
year, preparing the mixture after the 
formula in the station bulletin to which 
Tiie R. N.-Y. referred. I sprayed a field 
of potatoes, but it did not appear to have 
any effect. I then doubled the strength, 
and sprayed again, still with little effect. 
I then sprayed the third time, using the 
mixture very strong ; even then the in¬ 
sects died so slowly, and continued to do 
so much damage, that I sprayed the 
fourth time, using Paris-green, which 
cleaned the vines fairly well in one day. 
The arsenate did no damage to the foli¬ 
age. If T. A. or any one else wishes to 
experiment, go ahead, but do not depend 
upon arsenate of lead to kill potato 
bugs. 
ARMSTRONG & McKELVY 
Pittsburgh 
ANCHOR, 
Cincinnati. 
ATLANTIC, 
New York. 
BEYMER-BAUMAN, 
Pittsburgh. 
BRADLEY, 
New York. 
BROOKLYN, 
New York. 
COLLIER, 
St. Louis. 
CORNELL, 
Buffalo. 
DAVIS-CHAMBERS, 
Pittsburgh. 
ECKSTEIN, 
Cincinnati. 
FAHNESTOCK, 
Pittsburgh. 
JEWETT, 
New York. 
KENTUCKY, 
Louisville. 
JOHNT.LEWISABROS.CO 
Philadelphia. 
M0RLEY, 
Cleveland. 
MISSOURI, 
St. Louis. 
RED SEAL. 
St. Louis. 
SALEM, 
Salem, Mass. 
SHIPMAN. 
Chicago. 
SOUTHERN, 
St. Louis and Chicago. 
ULSTER, 
New York. 
UNION, “ 
en you buy 
a house you make sure that the title is clear. 
W hen you paint it, use Pure White Lead. 
Examine the brand and see that it is right. 
It makes all the difference in the world 
whether the White Lead is genuine or not. 
(See list of genuine brands.) 
For colors, use the National Lead Co.’s 
Pure White Lead tinting colors. No trouble 
making or matching shades. Send for pam¬ 
phlet and color-card — they are free. 
NATIONAL LEAD CO., 
i Broadway, New York. 
*••«*««ttftt 
J THE “TIP TOP” | 
{CORN PLANTER 
_ has all the latest improve- 
" ments, including Check 
Rower, Drill and Fertilizer. 
M It does excellent work, is very 
m neat and strong; all steel and 
* iron. Purchasers always like 
• it. Send for full description. 
* KEYSTONE MFG. CO.. I 
^ Sterling, III. 
■ We have Branch Houses well located. 
JL Mention this paper. 
# # # # #iitfti 
MACOMBER ’8 HAND 
CORN PLANTER. 
ALL. METAL. INDESTRUCTIBLE. 
Automatic, iron cut-off. No disk, slide, brush or 
rubber. Seed forced into compact soil, not dropped 
into a hole which may not close. Advantage of thus 
firming the soil fully appreciated by all. 
DUANE H. NASH. Sole Mfr., 
MILLINGTON, NEW JERSEY. 
improved Q 0rn p| anter an( | fertilizer, 
BILLINGS 
PERFECT WORK, 
whether stony, 
sward or mellow land 
ALSO FOB 
Beans, Peas 
and 
Beet Seed. 
Made only by 
Ames Plow Co. 
BOSTON AND 
NEW YORK. 
J3?“Send for Circulars and Catalogue. 
Warranted the best 
Corn Dropper and most 
perfect Force-feed Ferti¬ 
lizer Distributor in the 
! world. Send for Catalogue. 
ADDRESS, 
A. B. FARQUHAR CO. 
YORK, PA. 
Send for Large Illustrated Catalogue. 
ECLIPSE CORN PLANTER. 
Will pi a 
Corn, Beai 
Peas and B< 
Seed in hills, 
drills A checks, 
i n distances 
desired. It is 
the only Planter that will distribute all fertilizers, 
wet as well as dry, with a certainty, in different 
amounts, each side of the seed. Send for circulars. 
ECLIPSE CORN PLANTER CO., 
Enfield, Grafton, Co., NF.w Hampshire. 
TO 
"not 
GET 
THE 
BEST 
? 
“SUCCESS” ANTI-CLOG WEEDER. 
dlso “SUCCESS” Jr. DIGGER saves and makes mosey 
on the farm We make SPECIAL PRICES FOR 
INTRODUCTION. Send forfuil particulars of the 
Saving Tools. D, Y.’Hallock & Son, York, Pa. 
THE PENNSYLVANIA 
SPRING-TOOTH II ADDfllAf 
-y flMniiUV? 
Strongest. 
Cheapest 
_ Best nnd .Host Durable in use.(__^ 
Com Planters a specialty. Send for illus. Catalogue. 
Address A. B. FARQUHAR CO.. Ltd.. York, Pa. 
MORGAN ^3™"' 
SPADING 
HARROW. 
Highest 
Award 
Columbian 
Exposition 
Thebe8t pulverizer. Don’t confuse this tool with 
other rotary Harrows. It is a general purpose Har¬ 
row. Will work wherever a Harrow is needed, and 
Where others fail. Also Rakes, Plows, Weeders, 
Hand Planters, <£c. Send for circulars. 
Scott’s Emulsion 
is not a secret remedy. It is simply the purest Norway 
Cod-liver Oil, the finest Hypophosphites, and chemi¬ 
cally pure Glycerine, all combined into a perfect Emul¬ 
sion so that it will never change or lose its integrity. 
This is the secret of Scott’s Emulsion’s great success. 
It is a most happy combination of flesh-giving, strength¬ 
ening and healing agents, their perfect union giving 
them remarkable value in all 
WASTING DISEASES. 
Hence its great value in Consumption, wherein it arrests 
the wasting by supplying the most concentrated nour¬ 
ishment, and in Anaemia and Scrofula it enriches and 
vitalizes the blood. In fact, in every phase of wasting 
it is most effective. Your doctor will confirm all we 
say about it. Don t be persuaded to accept a substitute ! 
Scott & Bowne, New York. All Druggists. 50c. and $!• 
WIARD PLOW CO. BA iT A y ,A 
Plowing and Harrowing can be done at one 
operation with Clark’s Cutaway 
REVOLVING PLOW. 
It produces a Perfect Seed Bed. Send for Special 
Circular. Agents wanted in every county. 
THE CUTAWAY HARROW COMPANY, 
Higganum, Cons. Hew York Office, IS Cliff Street, 
First Lessons in Agriculture. 
By F. A. Gully, M. S. This book discusses the 
more important principles which underlie agri¬ 
culture in a plain, simple way. It is just what 
the practical farmer, without a knowledge of 
chemistry or botany needs. Cloth, $1. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, New York. 
