THE 
URAL 
MARCH 49 
460 
i 
place where it originated was not settled un¬ 
til 1794. Neither could its origin have been 
as late as 25 years ago. for the apple has been 
on the farm where this is written for upwards 
of 40 years. It is an excellent apple and 
worthy of commendation. g. h. o. 
Dalton, Pa. 
season to do their best, and if you can con¬ 
veniently give them frequent and abundant 
waterings after the seed is up, you will be well 
repaid. For succession, seed should be sown 
two or three times at intervals of two or three 
Cotton Cloth for Hot-beds. 
The Rural was undoubtedly correct when it 
said lately in the “ Querist" that “no substi¬ 
tute for glass for a hotbed has yet been dis¬ 
covered but I have found cotton cloth a val- 
RUBAL BRIEFLKTS 
Respecting the 11 Golden Grain " Wheat we 
have just received the following note from a 
correspondent in Pennsylvania :—“ I this day 
send you by mail a sample of the Golden Grain 
or Palestine Mammoth Wheat, which I think 
will excel anything you have in New York 
State. If you have anything better, I should 
be pleaeed’to see a sample.’’ 
“P. S.—The G >lden Grain or Palest,!ue Mam¬ 
moth Wheat was brought from Palestine four 
ysara ago. Ilia a very hardy and most pro¬ 
ductive variety, with Jong, stiff straw. It 
stands well and stools heavily, growing from 
25 to 70 stalks from a single grain. The ears 
are of good length, closely Oiled with full, 
plump grains, with but little chaff, having 
yielded last year 32 bn6bels on ont-half acre of 
land. The. greatest curiosity about this wheat 
is that when it lirst shoots into heads it is a 
bearded wheat, but when it is ripe it is a 
smooth wheat.’’.. . - . . 
We have received from Mr. Charles A. Green 
the first copy of bis “ Fruit Grower. ' It con¬ 
sists of eight pages, 14 inches by ll)£ in size. 
This it is proposed to issue quarterly at the 
price of 25 ecu is per rear. We have this 
to say about the venture: Mr, Green is a 
forcible, tiustwortby writer, aLd it may be ex¬ 
pected, therefore, that his experience in fruit 
growing will be presented, as it i» In the pres¬ 
ent nurnbe, in a very acceptable manner. It 
maybe presumed that a rural journal, whether 
devoted to agriculture or to horticulture in 
auy of its branches, should be edited by those 
who, lrom experience , know wheroot they 
write Such, however, is not always the case. 
We know of editors of agricultural papers who 
do not see a farm, or garden, except by acci¬ 
dent, from one year to another. A.-d yet they 
set themselves up as teachers. The trouble is 
that they arc just as likely to teach wrong as 
to teach right. They cannot, in r>-writing or 
even in copying what others say, separate the 
wheat from the chaff It Is this kind of rural 
journalism that-, among many well-disposed 
farmers, has brought “fuim papers” into dis¬ 
repute. We are glad to see Mr. Green’s paper, 
because from hir writings (we have no per¬ 
sonal acquaintance with him) he may be 
judged as one who, while his experience ena¬ 
bles him to judge wisely, loves pomology too 
well to praise or condemn unjustly. Mr. 
Green’s address is Clifton. Monroe Co.. N. Y. 
We heartily wish him success, and we hope our 
readers will examine bis paper, specimens of 
which will uo doubt be sent to those who apply. 
Pear Blight.—D. B. Wier’s theoiy of pear 
blight does not accord with facta. The thrift¬ 
iest and best trees I bad, standing in grass 
and cultivated, were blighted and billed to the 
ground while loaded with fruit, whereas the 
ones which I considered worthless, on account 
of having been winter-kiHed two years ago, 
were free from blight, and bore perfect speci¬ 
mens of fruit. G. w. 
CELERY GROWING 
One of the most profitable garden crops that 
I raise is celery. I raised the past season about 
5,000 heads of which I lost about 1,000 owing 
to the Winter setting in so unexpectedly. The 
4,000 beads saved will bring, when all sold^ 
about 8125. This was all raised as a second 
crop following peas, and it did not occupy 
more than one-fourth of an acre. I also sold 
about $25 worth of celery plants. T raise very 
nice plants in tbe following way : 
I sow the seed in a eold-frame about the 
peck’s pleasant apple — fig. 159 
uable protection for hot-beds and cold-frames 
in the late Spring, when more space is re¬ 
quired, as the tomatoes, peppers, etc., are 
transplanted from time to time as their growth 
necessitates. I made my frames four by eight 
feet, the ends being built up in the form of a 
gable roof with a ridge-pole, to which was 
tacked the cloth. This was made doable at the 
center, for greater strength, and wide enough 
to hang over the sides of the frame. It was 
secured by loops at the edge over wor.den pins 
in tbe side of the frame. A dressing of linseed 
oil will render it more durable and nearly 
water-proof. The advantages it possesses over 
glass, besides its greater cheapness, are, that 
with tt there is no danger from excessive heat, 
either bottom or sun ; that it requires but little 
attention, while on windy days tbe windward 
side may be closed and the other open to air 
and sun. Of course, glass must be used for 
tbe seed-bed, except very late in the season ; 
but for the last bed before going into tbe open 
gronnd cloth (common sheeting) is much pref¬ 
erable. M. B. Prince. 
weeks. A very important consideration iu all 
seed sowing is to sow when the soil is freshly 
turned. 
Rochester, N. Y. G. s. w. 
WACHUSETT THORNLESS BLACKBERRY 
Last Summer Mr. J. T. Lovett brought to 
this office a branch of the above blackberry 
of which our engraving below is a por¬ 
trait. The beriyis of excellent quality; the 
canes are hardy, healthy and strong. It is 
not, however, we believe, veiy productive. Its 
quality and its being nearly free of thorns are 
the chief points of merit. 
Wachusett Thornless Blackbbrri.— It is 
certainly an ol ject worthy of any man's ambi¬ 
tion to breed off Ihe terrible thorns that make 
the blacklerry an object of dread even to the 
man of horny palms. Thtre can be no doubt 
that a class of Jirsl-rale blackberries without 
thornB would have the effect of very greatly 
extending the cultivation of this fine and 
healthy fruit. The blackberry could l« robbed 
of its terrors without tLe loss of auy of Us 
goodness, and somebody will yet be found to 
do It. I can only speak of the fruit of the 
Wachusett. The berry is somewhat oblong, 
of medium size, sweet, and of good quality. 
It 1 b an improvement on Newman’s Thornless. 
/?. /v-y.~ 
CELERY FRAME. —FIG. 158. 
middle of April, and when about an inch and 
a half high I transplant to beds four feet wide 
by sixteen in length, setting the plants two 
inches apart each way. As soon as the bed is 
finished I have frames made of narrow strips 
of board and lath, the lath being their width 
apart. These 1 place over the bed about eight 
inches from tbe plants on the top of the stakes, 
three of which are driven on each side of the 
bed. By the use of these frames the plants 
enjoy a free circulation of air and are just 
half the time in the shade (wbffe tire sun 
shines) and will not wilt or need watering 
except at the time of setting out. 
The frames may be left on until 
the plants become well rooted. Plants 
treated in this way become very fine 
and stocky in from four to six weeks 
and may then be taken up with a ball of 
earth a6 large as a man’s fist adhering 
to each plant. 
I transplant to the trenches from the 
iBt of Jnly to the 1st of August. The 
trenches 1 make very shallow, about 
four inches below the surface after the 
plants are set out, some kind of fer¬ 
tilizer being below the plants. I have 
seen the best results from well rotted 
stable manure. I commence to earth 
up as soon as the plants begin to 
6pread so as to keep them growing in 
an upright position, taking care not 
to choke them with too much earth at 
one time. I raise the dwarf varieties 
and have found the London Red the 
best for late keeping also tbe best flav¬ 
ored according to my judgment. I 
have the trenches four feet apart and 
the plants six inches apart iu the 
trench. This, I think, is as near as 
is convenient for earthing up. s 
Before I commence to earth up I jg. 
loosen the earth on each side of the 
trench with a hoe. I then get down on 
my hands and knees astraddle of the 
row, and, while holding the stalks of a 
plant together with one hand. I draw 
the earth up with the other, pressing it 
down firmly around the plant. The 
best time to do this is when the gronnd 
is a little moist but not wet. This 
process is called “handling," and by 
many it is called hard, disagreeable 
work; but there is no work in the gar¬ 
den that gives me more genuine satis¬ 
faction. This first handling brings the 
plants up nearly level with the surface, 
and before the second earthing up I 
rnn a cultivator up between the 
rows. I commence to harvest the 
celery for Winter about the 1st of 
How to Raise Radishes, 
One of the compensations for the white 
hairs in our beards that frighten and warn us,is 
that we know more than we did. It may be that 
all readers of the Rural know how to raise 
radishes. It is an acquirement that has come 
to me within a few years, and it may be an 
item of value to some, especially if they are as 
In looking over the new Spring catalogues 
we are rather impressed with the engraving of, 
and remarks respecting, the new Ruesian 
White Oats In ihc catalogue of D. M. Ferry 
& Co., of Detroit, Mich. The panicle 
presented, if drawn from nature, is 
simply immense, while the tests 
which have hern made iu various 
parts of the country, iu a small 
way, seem to give promise that 
the variety is wonderfully prolific 
while it has not as yet been attack¬ 
ed by rust. We have ordered a trial 
quantity of these oats and shall thus be 
enabled to inform our readers of their 
value and productiveness in due time. 
In several catalogues — among them 
those ofJames J. H- Gregory, D. M. 
Ferry & Co., Alfred Bridgemun and 
Peter Henderson — we see the “ Mam¬ 
moth Pearl" Potato offered and highly 
praised for its quality, beauty and 
productiveness. It is hard to keep the 
run of new potatoes, so nnmerous have 
they become; but in the long lists there 
are no doubt many that will take tbe 
place of the older kinds, whose names, 
one by one, arc being forgotten. . . . 
Mr James Vick also offers tbe 
Russian White Oats. Reports, which 
he priutB, eay that the panicles are in 
some cases from 18 to 22 inches long, 
and the straws strong and bright. We 
should like to have our friends try 
the Russian White beside tbe Washing¬ 
ton and report the result to the Rural 
New-Yorker. 
James M Thoiiburn & Co. offer 
a new squash called “ Perfect Gem.’ 
It was shown to us last Fall on the 
vines, and we had never before seen so 
many squashes growing 60 closely to¬ 
gether. We attempted to procure 
seeds for our distribution, but they 
could not be supplied in large enough 
quantity. The “ Perfect Gem” la not 
over six inches in diameter, of an 
oblate-round shape, and the quality 
is certaimy of the highest excellence- 
being sweet, delicate, dry and tender. 
It seemB that in a cool, dry room lhis 
wachusett thornless blackberry 
November. My way of storing it is 
squash will keep until Spring. 
to make large beds of iL on tbe cellar bottom, 
setting the celery upright and not too close to¬ 
gether, and using earth enough to cover the 
roots well. If the cellar is dry, the beds may 
be watered occasionally, but in a damp cellar 
it would not be necessary and would be apt to 
induce rot. Adelbert Wakefield. 
Oneida Co., N. Y. 
fond of nice,crisp radishes with their bread and 
butter as I am. 
To grow them, select a light, rich 6oil—a 
deep, moist one is the best, if you can get It— 
spade it deeply without manure and immedi¬ 
ately thereafter, while the soil is moist and 
fresh, sow the seed thickly broadcast; rake it 
in and leave it alone. Radishes like a moist 
Of the growth and habit of the plant I know 
nothing. Peter B. Mead. 
—— -» ♦♦—» 
We see that Alfred Brldgeman offers seeds of 
tbe beautiful grass Eulalia Juponica Z-brina 
Th e plants but three years ago sold for live dol¬ 
lars each, and even now bring one dollar each. 
We should like to know what proportion of 
seedlings show the transverse variegation. 
We have more inquiries te to Chester Co. 
Mammoth Corn than of uny Other field crop to 
which we have ever al uded. The questions 
generally urn not, however, “ Where can I get 
Chester Mammoth seed ?’’ but “ Where can I 
get the seed raised at the Rural Farm ?” We 
cannot reply to this question, since there is 
but one establishment to which we have sold 
