FEB. i 
THE RUBAI, MEW-YORKER. 
profit, is the habit of planting trees too closely 
together. An apple picked from a dense or¬ 
chard is a wholly different thing from an apple 
that has had its share of sunshine and good air. 
Try the Greening as an example ; in one case 
a •* greening " clear through, in the other it is 
golden in flesh and almost unrivaled in flavor. 
A well grown and well ripened apple is also a 
better keeper. 
To the above list of tree varieties for Winter 
might be very well added the Roxbury Russet, 
which, however, fails to be profitable on old 
trees; the Ben Davis, which is both productive 
and handsome, aud Peck’s Pleasant, These 
are valuable in all sections of the North. With 
the two Summer varieties we thus get fifteen 
first-rate market varieties, or they may be re- 
duetd to teu. 
Oneida Go., N. Y. 
- +-++ - 
NOTICES OF PEACHES 
FROM NOTES TAKEN AT MATURITY. 
T. T. LYON. 
Sfkuate Early York.— Forty years ago 
this was a popular garden fruit, largely, no 
doubt, for the reason that it was at that time 
the earliest good peach. Notwithstanding its 
liability, in common with serrate varieties 
generally, to the influence of mildew, it may 
be said to have held this position till it came 
to be supplanted by Bale’s Early, since the 
introduction of which it has been in a great 
degree ignored and forgotten iu consequence 
of its relative lateness and comparative un¬ 
productiveness. 
Early Tillotson, another serrate vari¬ 
ety, came before the public about 1845 to ’50, 
with quite a flourish of trumpets, aud was al¬ 
leged to be earlier than Serrate Early York, 
and likely to supplant it; but it soon showed 
itself even more subject to mildew thau its 
predecessor, provieg nearly, or quite, value¬ 
less at the North, although farther South it 
seems fairly successful. 1 was amused at re¬ 
ceiving this from my friend, L. E. Berckmans, 
of Georgia, in response to a request for 
specimen trees of such Southern vaiietiesas 
would be worthy of trial ut the North. 
Cole’s Early, Haines’s Early and Large 
Early York seem also to have, to a consid¬ 
erable extent, lost their hold upon the par¬ 
tiality uf planters and are now but little 
called for. They are quite similar in season, 
as well as in general qualities. Indeed, Mr. 
Downing seems to doubt the right of the latter 
two to be regarded as distinct vaiieties. 
Troth's Eauly Red, a New Jersey market 
peach, has the merits of productiveness and 
good handling qualities ; but it is deficient in 
juice, flavor and richness, betides which it is 
a pale-fleshed peach, which alone renders it 
lesB popular in the market, especially at the 
West. 
Mountain Rose is a comparatively recent 
introduction, which, doubtless on account of 
its bright color and the vigor and product¬ 
iveness of the tree, is becoming popular. Com¬ 
ing in with several of the foregoing, and 
with little to commend it beyond others of 
similar season, it will be to me surprising if it 
shall long maintain a high position among 
planters. 
Barnard, sometimes called Early Barnard, 
or Barnard’s Early, is thought by Mr. Down¬ 
ing to be identical with Yellow Alberge; or 
otherwise a seedling from it, with too slight a 
variation to entitle it to distiuct recogni¬ 
tion. However this may prove, the variety, 
at one time, iu the estimation of Michigan 
market planters, occupied the post of honor. 
For the past four or five years, however, it 
has been steudily losing prestige here,Dll at the 
present time it stands as low as fifth or sixth 
in the list of popular sorts. It was never 
worthy of such eminence; hence I hail the 
change as an indication that education is doing 
a legitimate work upon both the consumers of 
fruit and the planters of trees. 
Snow’s Orange originated In Van Buren 
Co., Michigan, doubtless from seed of the 
Barnard, which it very closely resembles, al¬ 
though it is a little brighter in color, and by 
many alleged to be Blightly later in ripening. 
As is the case with several other varieties, 
the Barnard seems occasionally, if not even 
generally, to reproduce itself from seed. In 
fact, this is the most probable explanation of 
the fact that differences exist in the fruit as 
grown upon different trees. Snow's Orange 
has glands very distinctly reniform; while 
those of the Barnard are very obscurely such. 
Both varieties ripen with Early Crawford. 
White Imferial, which originated in Cen¬ 
tral New York forty or fifty years ago, pos¬ 
sesses most of the qualities required in a 
market peach, excepting, perhaps, that it 
Jacks color. It is, in fact, decidedly superior 
in quality to market peaches iu general, while 
it is abundantly productive and of fine size. 
It is especially desirable for culinary uses 
generally, including canning, presetving and 
drying. For these purposes, it should find a 
place in every garden. Ripe in September. 
WINTER CRAB APPLES. 
In reply to a correspondent the Rural says, 
referring to a specimen crab apple : 
“ We have seen specimens of Hyslop, Meader’s 
Winter and Lady Elgin as large and handsome, 
but as to the average merltB ot the various sorts, 
as compared with this, we cannot, ot course, say 
anything.” 
I have long grown the three varieties here 
referred to. and my judgment regarding them 
is as follows :— 
Hyslop ; of good size (one and a half to two 
iuches in diameter) and great beauty, but not 
strictly a Winter fruit. It rarely keeps beyond 
the middle of December. Quality fair for 
cooking or preserving. The tree is worth 
more for ornament than fruit. It is a fine, 
symmetrical grower, with remarkably large 
and fragrant blossoms, aud the fruit is glori¬ 
ous to look at. 
Lady Elgin. —Smaller than Hyslop, yellow, 
with a red cheek. Quality, as regards flavor, 
very good, but it never becomes really mellow. 
It keeps better than Hyslop, and is a better 
canning or preserving fruit, though not so 
high-colored. 
Meader’s Winter. —This is a true Winter 
apple, keeping well through March. Size about 
the same as Hyslop; color yellow, nearly over¬ 
spread with dark red. Quality not iuferior 
to a Baldwin, and something like it. Tree 
thrifty and productive. Decidedly the best 
Winter crab I have. T. II. Hoskins m. d. 
Orleans Co,, Vt. 
alive certainty with which the seed germiuates; 
the long continuance of the flowering period, 
which, out-of doors, extends until frost comes; 
its endurance of dry weather, and the little care 
that is required for its cultivation. 
PETUNIA HYBRIDA FLORE-PLENO-—FIG. 43. 
Anew variety, which has just been intro¬ 
duced by Mr. B. S. Williams, of London, is 
Petunia hybrida robueta flore-pleno. The 
plants of this novelty are very compact and ot 
symmetrical growth, and attain a diameter of 
14 inches by about 11 inches in hight. The 
flowers, of which alarge number belong both to 
the smooth and the fringed-petaled, large-flow¬ 
ering, double sections, comprise the whole of 
the beautiful shades of color, and so freely are 
they produced that a fully developed plant has 
all the semblance of an artificially made 
bouquet. This is a robust race of petunias, 
and will, from its convenient bight, be found 
especially suited for the open ground. It is, 
however, admirably adapted for pot-culture. 
lce-Conted Fruit-Tree*. 
One of the wrong ideas which has a very 
general lodgment among the opinions and 
beliefs of orehardists, and which keeps its 
place in the face ot all the flood of light that 
the press is now throwing upon all the theory 
and practice of the farm, is that of supposing 
that a coating of ice or of hoar-frost on the 
branches and twigs of tiees is destructive to 
them or to their fruit-buds. It is, on the con¬ 
trary, preservative, unless its weight is so 
great as to cause breakage. Hoar frost is 
dew, freezing, crystallizing as it condenses; 
and whenever it occurs the air is warmer than 
the objects which receive the condensation, 
and is at the same time saturated with mois¬ 
ture which it deposits on cooler surfaces. 
Now, plants in general, enjoy moist air, and 
<lryne6s of the air is by far tue most frequent 
cause of their death; and it is when the sky 
is dry aud clear that heat radiates freely from 
every surface into space, and during ihe long 
clear nights of Winter very much more heat 
is lost than the short days and dim sunshine 
enable plants, etc., to absorb. Blasts from 
colder districts are dry as well as cold, and 
attack the life of plants by both weapons. 
Tyrone. 
Bleeding Heart. —Here is a seasonable 
item of value to those who like flowers for 
their windows. As soon as our January thaw 
comes (I believe Mr. Vennor has promised 
one) go into the garden, if you can find it 
under the besetting auow-irifts, and with a 
spade dig up, with plenty of earth adhering, a 
bush of the Dicentra spectabilis or Bleeding 
Heart, as it is sometimes called ; plant it in a 
box or pot; set it in the snc-'.ight in the living- 
room ; give it water, and within a few weeks 
it will b>-eak out in beautiful flowers. It is an 
old- r ashioned plant, so old-fashioned that some 
folks won’t have it in their garden, but old- 
fa-hioned people can so brighten up their win¬ 
dows with this that it will make them the envy 
of some of their neighbors. G. s. w. 
Rochester. N. Y. 
filial ^rtljifcrhtrc, 
Extra-hardy Apples. —Referring to the 
list of apples under the above caption, taken 
from our catalogue, we are now satisfied that 
the Rubicon should be dropped from this list. 
It does not prove as hardy as anticipated. We 
also have a new early variety to add to the 
list—Yellow Transparent. This apple, of 
Russian origin, has been tested in Vermont, 
aud, like all of its clasB, the tree is very hardy 
and comes into bearing very young. The fruit 
is iu size medium tolarge, of a fine, rich yellow 
color; flesh, fine-grained, jnicy, rich, sub acid. 
It ripens ten days to two weeks earlier than 
Early Harvest and Tetofsky, and isundoubtedly 
a valuable addition to our list of early apples. 
Geneva, N. Y. R G. Chase. 
Jfloriniltural. 
HAY BARNS. 
THE PETUNIA. 
This old, well-known annual still holds its 
place among the favorites of the flower gar¬ 
den, and is well adapted to our climate. The 
W. <?., West Troy , N. Y., asks for a plan for 
a hay barn, to be about 30 by 00 feet, with 33- 
feet posts and vertical sides, arranged for 
horst-fork and hay-earner, Some of his 
neighbors who intend building such barns are 
also waiting for hints through the Rural. 
ANSWER BY PROFESSOR I. P ROBERTS. 
It is impossible to construct so large a 
building as W. G. wants, without moderately 
larges-ized timbers. The pressure of hay is 
not only to be provided for, but the building 
must be strong enough to resist the winds. 
As he intimates that several want similar 
plans, I suggest that they club together and 
employ an experienced architect to draw a 
plan, which may be modified to suit all par¬ 
ties ; for it is impossible to give anything more 
than general suggestions in a short news¬ 
paper article. 
The sills, if laid on a wall, maybe 4x8inches; 
if on piers, 7x7 inches, with posts and beams 
of the same size, except the intermediate side 
posts, as at I, which may be 4x7. It will 
readily be seen that the intermediate Bide 
posts are used iu order that the side timbers 
may be reduced in size and shortened one half 
in length. One entire belt of girts—fig. 45— 
should be tenoned and pinned. They may be 
of 5xG timber placed flatwise. The nailing 
girts, just above and below the belt girt, 
and the braces may be of 2x5, all spiked 
B 
I 
/ 
h 
TTTTTTTTTTT 
FIG, 43. 
petunia is much used in Europe in decoration, 
and.indeed.isone of the finest winter-flowering 
window plants. It has many just claims to 
holding a prominent place among the choicest 
bedding and pot plants, some of these being 
its very plentiful formation of seed; the compar- 
in—the braces first and the girts afterwards— 
thus making one help the other, as shown at 
E. The building may be further strengthened 
by spiking short braces across the corners of 
the sill, as shown at b. To prevent it from 
spreading, braces should be thrown across the 
corners from plate to beam and secured by 
bolts, as at a. It is far better to secure braces 
by bolts where there is much strain, or by 
spikes where there is little, than by the old and 
expensive method of mortising, which fre¬ 
quently seriously weakens the timbers. By 
using 3x4 plate-beam braces and framing the 
top of the beam three inches lower than the 
bottom of the plate, the top side of the brace 
will coincide with the bottom of the plate, and 
the bottom side with the top of the beam—see 
end of braces a, a in fig. 44. 
The floor should be 12 feet wide if it is pro¬ 
posed to drive through the barn ; if not, then 
it should be at least 14 feet. The floor joists 
should run acrose the floor; this brings the 
floor planks so as to drive on them lengthwise. 
The sills should not be “ gained,” as shown in 
in the smsll section, B, but the construction 
should be as shown at A, as this preserves 
all the strength of both sill and joist. 
Ac. 
FIG 44. 
Lastly comes the roof, the most difficult and 
expensive part of the building. The self-sup¬ 
porting roof, as shown at fig. 44, is becoming 
quite common in this locality. I have had no 
experience in constructing a roof of this sort, 
but I have examined several, and they have 
every appearance of being both strong and 
durable. There are several things to be gained 
by this mode of construction. The expense and 
annoyance of all roof supports are avoided ; 
the poets maybe shortened and yet the capac¬ 
ity of the building be preserved. It stands the 
wind better, because it presents le*-s perpen¬ 
dicular surface. It removes much of the thrust 
of the roof on the plates by the steep pitch of 
the rafterB. Strength is gained, because it 
approaches very nearly to the form of an 
arch. There is said to be a patent on this roof, 
though I doubt if it can be maintained, as the 
fig. 45. 
principle has been used in the construction of 
domes and arched-roofed churches from time 
immemorial. If light timber is used in the 
frame, the ends of all beams should be secured 
by an iron stirrup, as shown at c. The rafters 
should be 3x5 inches, placed two feet apart, 
and they should rise about 13 feet perpendicu¬ 
larly to every eight feet they depart from it, as 
shown in fig. 44, which represents a building 
60x33 feet, with posts 18 feet. If the building 
is placed two feet from the ground, it will give 
an available space to c, which would be 33 feet 
from the ground. To secure the rafters and 
give strength, triangular boards should be 
securely nailed on both sides of them at cc. A 
practical carpenter—with a head on him— 
might, 1 think, construct a building ot this size 
and use timbers only 6x6 inches, by mismatch¬ 
ing the girts and beams 60 that no two mortises 
pierce the post at the same bight, and by using 
a little ingenuity in bracing and preserving the 
strength of the timbers. 
But if these buildings are to be used only for 
storing hay, why not build a far cheaper and 
almost equally good structure (for the purpose 
designed), the hay barrack—see fig. 45 1 have 
discarded all horse-hay forks lor the hay 
sling, which not only nnloads long hay, but 
short oats, barley, corn-stalks and wheat, 
bound or unbound. A load of 3.000 pounds can 
be deposited in the mow with four slings, in 
an average of less thau ten minutes. I consider 
