1895 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
RURALISMS — Continued. 
leaves. After that, there is no water in 
the tubes or internodes. It would seem 
that this sap-water is then appropriated 
by the leaves. On May 24, we cut seven 
stalks, and from the several internodes, 
from the soil up to the first leaves— 
about 2 to 2% feet of stalk—we collected 
an ordinary sized goblet full to over¬ 
flowing of this sap-water nearly as color¬ 
less as spring water. This was boiled 
down to rather less than a teaspoonful 
when it was about the consistency of 
milk with a taste resembling, as nearly 
as we can describe it, vinegar somewhat 
sweetened with sugar. 
May it not be the water drawn from 
the soil and deposited in these tubes 
that enables the plant to withstand the 
severest droughts ? The sap-water before 
evaporated was nearly tasteless. We have 
now fed this Cuspidatum to six horses. 
All regarded it much in the same way, 
sniffing it at first as a new and strange 
food, then eating it with ordinary, some 
with a greedy, relish. The stalks were 
also eaten, though already quite tough.. 
This note comes from Luther Burbank 
of Santa Itosa, Cal., under date of May 
15 : 
Half a dozen times since April 20,1 have picked 
seedling Mayberries (seedlings of the Japanese 
Mayberry—mine), but every time before, have had 
no time to forward to you. These were picked 
this morning, and I hope they will reach you 
safely notwithstanding the heat. Seedlings of my 
Mayberry vary greatly in size of fruit and seeds, 
color, shape, time of ripening and especially qual¬ 
ity ; this one much resembles the mother plant, a 
little larger and later perhaps. 
The berries reached us May 25—10 days 
• after mailing—in good shape. The color 
is a deep yellow, the size three-fourths 
of an inch in diameter. The berries are 
borne singly, drupes very small, scarcely 
as large as those of blackcaps. The 
seeds are but a trifle larger than straw¬ 
berry seeds. In quality, they were sweet 
and agreeable. 
The following note comes to us from 
one of our oldest friends—a real country 
gentleman in the truest sense of the 
words. Although the writer—he has 
never cared to have his name printed, 
though a frequent contributor to sev¬ 
eral leading papers for many years—is, 
we fancy, nearly or quite 80 years of 
age, his writings are always absolutely 
correct. We do not think it has ever 
been necessary for the editor to change 
a word or to alter the punctuation in 
the smallest particular ; and his facts— 
facts of horticulture and agriculture de¬ 
rived from many years of thoughtful, 
studious work—have ever been as trust¬ 
worthy as his “ copy ” is faultless. Such 
cases are rare, are they not ? 
Some 60 years ago, I learned to read Latin, and 
now, when the grasshopper is a burden and mem¬ 
ory cannot retain any new impressions, although 
keeping all early ones bright and clear, I give 
some of the hours of enforced indoor rest to look¬ 
ing through books that were my companions in 
youth. It is surprising and delightful to find how 
vividly the words and phrases familiarized then, 
still spring up to view at a call. In a rereading of 
Cicero in this way, I came upon his eloquent yet 
simple account of the voluptates agricolarum— the 
pleasures of the farmer’s life—and his own expe¬ 
rience of-them. He seems to have been the Glad¬ 
stone of his time—in this fondness as well as in 
piety and in eloquence. What he says of seeds, 
plants, trees, vines, animals, air, moisture, exer¬ 
cise, and of planting, harvesting, grafting, etc., 
shows that he was familiar personally with all 
the operations that he pictures, and that he was 
sincere in writing that, in his opinion, there are 
no truer or greater pleasures than are afforded 
to a calm and honest mind by country life, and 
that as to himself, as he tells a friend, that it is 
“ incredible ” how much enjoyment he derives 
from his fields and gardens, and the changes and 
exercise that they supply. The remarks referred 
to are in Cicero’s treatise de Senectute—on Old 
Age—sections XV, XVI, XVII. He says in it that 
he wrote a treatise on farming and country life, 
but that has been lost. 
About four years ago, J. C. Vaughan, 
of Chicago, sent us the then new rose 
Clothilde Soupert, for trial. It is a mag¬ 
nificent Polyantha—the best of this class 
—and we have found it quite hardy. The 
best rose growers have taken it up. Ell- 
wanger & Barry sent us this spring a 
dozen plants, and we shall give it addi¬ 
tional attention. It is never too late to 
order roses grown in pots. Belle Sie- 
brecht is another splendid acquisition, 
as we have recently stated. If this prove 
as hardy as the introducers represent it 
to be, it will take the first place among 
hybrid teas. 
A friend intimates that we are prais¬ 
ing the Japan plums too much. Edi¬ 
torially, The R. tf.-Y. has never praised 
any Japan plum except the Abundance, 
and that we can’t help praising. It 
deserves naught but praise. We have 
now a pretty full collection of Japan 
plums, some of which, we dare say, will 
fruit next year. 
The Improved Dwarf Rocky Mountain 
cherry bushes began to bloom 10 days 
ago, but they have failed, owing to the 
frosts, to set much fruit. 
Our single tree of the Japan Golden 
Russet pear was sent to us for trial by 
Wm. Parry in April of last year. It is 
bearing 15 pears—evidently a very early 
bearer. 
Prickly Comfrey May 26 was four 
feet high, and a mass of large leaves 
and succulent mucilaginous stems. The 
plants are beginning to bloom, and now 
would be about the right time to make 
the first cutting. The soil in which they 
grow is but moderately fertile. 
Neither the Columbian nor Loudon 
raspberries was hurt by the past severe 
winter. Nearly every variety of our 
collection of blackberries was more or 
less cut back, except the Eldorado. The 
Japan Mayberry reported as killed to 
the ground, is now wholly dead. 
Of our strawberry collection (95 kinds 
not counting our seedlings), the follow 
ing at this time have the largest leaves 
and those of the deepest color: Hersey, 
Charlie, Greenville and No Name. 
Melilotus Alba (Bokhara clover) 
from seed sown August 10 in poor soil, 
is now (May 24) about six inches high, 
and not over sprightly looking. 
Bromus inermis (Awnless Brome grass) 
sown August 7, is now 13 inches tall. 
This grass resembles oats at the present 
time. 
H. W. Buckbee, of Rockford, Ill., 
sent us a variety of round red radish 
which he calls “New Rapid Forcing.” 
The tops are notably small, and the rad¬ 
ishes are as tender, yet as firm, as any 
we have ever eaten. There are no 
spongy radishes among them. The fla¬ 
vor is mild. 
All that we reported about the new 
Zig-zag corn froria our trial of last year, 
is more than substantiated by a friend 
who has planted it for several seasons 
in Minnesota. He says that every one 
likes it. “Those who raise it, ‘scoop’ 
the gardeners who grow Stowell’s Ever¬ 
green or any other sort.” Canning fac¬ 
tories, it appears, claim that in packing, 
it takes only one-half the sugar that 
other varieties require in the process 
“ It stands fit for use longer than any 
other sorts. It is also more productive.” 
It will be remembered that we reported 
that the zig-zag characteristic is not 
fully fixed ; in some ears, the rows were 
nearly straight. The variety ought to 
be bred so that the rows will all of them 
be either straight or zig-zag. 
We have not yet fruited the much- 
praised North Star currant. Mr. J. H. 
Hale says, in the American Florist, that 
the berries are all about the same size as 
those of the Victoria, but it makes very 
long, compact bunches, and with the 
great vigor of the plant, he is inclined 
to think that, if planted in check rows 
seven to eight feet apart and heavily 
fertilized, it would be the greatest crop¬ 
per of any currant we have. The Fay is 
somewhat fickle in its habit of fruiting, 
on some soils being quite productive of 
large bunches, which have berries one- 
half inch or even more in diameter ; but 
on other soils of apparently the same 
character, it is a shy bearer of straggling 
bunches, not much, if any, better than 
the Cherry currant. 
4i i 
ARMSTRONG <fe 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. 
J0HNT.LEWIS<fc BROS.CO 
Philadelphia. 
MORLEY, 
Cleveland. 
MISSOURI, 
St. Louis. 
RED SEAL, 
St. Louis. 
SALEM, 
Salem, Mass. 
SHIPMAN, 
Chicago. 
SOUTHERN, 
St. Louis and Chicago, 
ULSTER, 
New York. 
UNION, 
he Reason 
why some dealers try to sell, and some paint¬ 
ers use, other than genuine brands (see 
list) of White Lead is that their first cost 
is less. Quality should be the first consid¬ 
eration, and is the true economy. 
For colors, the National Lead Co.’s tint¬ 
ing colors are especially prepared for tinting 
Pure W hite Lead to any shade required. 
For pamphlet and color-card — sent free 
— address 
NATIONAL LEAD CO., 
i Broadway, New York. 
ASPINWALL 
. ~ 
—Paris green sprinkler- 
Bugs will come. 
Save your crop. 
Examine the merits of 
our Sprinkler. 
Ten to fifteen acres cov¬ 
ered in a single day. 
An even mixture of the 
poison constantly 
secured. 
The Potato Growers' Friend 
Send for illustrated 
circular. 
ASPINWALL MFG. CO., 62 Sabin Street, Jackson, Mich. 
Stndebaker “Little Gem” 
Market Gardeners, Florists, 
PLANTERS, 
SAVE YOUR 
FRUIT GROWERS, 
PLANTS FROM 
BUGS AND 
DROUTH . 
BY USINGTHE 
r,v uun, v luwer-Dcu 06 Lawn oniA im 
(Capacity 150 gal.,4 in. tires). Most practical device for tli 
DISTRIBUTION OF LIQUID MANURE 
PARIS GREEN OR OTHER LIQUID MATTER 
£^£ 0 .T, A . T 4?,yL NES ' young trees, etc. 
FOR WATERING CELERY PLANTS 
Can be readily adjusted to apply the stream directly 01 
one or two rows at a time, or for watering any othe 
I.ATLD FROM DRIVERS SEAT, Write, mentioning till 
paper, for illustrated catalogue and price, to 
BROS. MFG. CO., South Bend, Indiana 
(This Larokst Vehicle Makers in the World.) 
DON’T BE A PACK HORSE 
PARIS-GREEN, applied with 
LEGGETT’S 
DRY POWDER GUN 
is better. ODe pound to an acre 
of potatoes. LONG TUBES for 
OUCH ARD WORK with each Gun. 
Write for full particulars. 
LEGGETT & BROTHER, 301 Pearl St., New York. 
Agts. wanted. 
A$12 SPRAYER 
copper $ 6.50 
All Improvements,—Auto¬ 
matic Agitator, etc. Will 
spray trees 20 feet high. We 
aro the largest manufactur¬ 
ers and sell the most. We 
are the originators of low 
prices in Knapsack Sprayers. 
I Just send for our illustrated 
j pamphlet, never mind stamp. 
7 HE LENOX SPRAYER CO. 
ur> West St., Pittsfield, Mass. 
ONE-HORSE DOUBLE HOW 
PARIS-GREENY 
DISTRIBUTOR. Send for Circular. 
Address J. W. SPANGLER, York, Pa, 
SPRAYING CROPS: Why, 
When and How to Do It —By Prof. Clab- 
ence M. Weed. Illustrated. 
This little book tells in plain, understandable 
English, just what the ordinary farmer and fruit 
grower most needs to know. It describes all the 
insecticides and fungicides used in spraying; all 
the principal appliances used ; tells when to 
spray; what precautions to observe ; describes 
the insects and fungi against which it is neces¬ 
sary to guard; in fact, is a complete, condensed, 
convenient handbook on the whole subject. Price, 
in stiff paper covers, is but 25 cents, postpaid. 
S FRUIT GROWERS 
£ Should get our book that explains 
t DAVIS SPRAYER 
p sent Free if you say you saw ad. 
\f in this paper. Write now. 
/. DAVIS-JOHNSON CO. 
^ 45 Jackson 8t. Chicago, Ills- 
SPRAY 
= AUTOMATIC 
5 MACHINERY. 
Send for HI. Catalogue. John J. McGowkn, Ithaca,N. Y 
EMU LSI O N 
SPRAYER 
For fruit trees 
vines,garden flow 
ers. Our book oi 
Sprayers tells hov 
to help you, you. 
crops and our bus 
iness to pay. It: 
Free send for it 
WO. DOUGLAS 
Middletown, Ct. 
New York. 
Chicagi 
Canning and Preserving Fruits and 
Vegetables, and Preparing Fruit 
Pastes and Syrups. 
The experience of practical workers. The best 
methods by which the surplus fruits may well be 
saved for home use and for the large market de¬ 
mand. Hundreds of tested recipes from famous 
preservers. Also a chapter on evaporation of 
fruits. Paper, 20 cents. 
TIIE rillllD EDITION OF MR. CARMAN'S 
New Potato Culture 
IS NOW READY. 
This book gives the result of Mr. Carman’s 15 years’ 
experiments on the Rural Grounds, where he grew at 
the rate of over 1,000 bushels per acre. It tells : How 
to Increase the Crop without Corresponding Cost of 
Production. Manures and Fertilizers. How to Put 
the Soil in Right Condition. Depth of Planting. 
How Much Seed to Plant. Methods of Culture. 
Cloth, 75 cents. Paper, 40 cents. 
Get It now before planting. Address 
The Rural New-Yobkeb, New York. 
