434 
JULY 2 
THE BUBAL HEW-YOBKER. 
oyer 25 feet high, is injured far beyond recov¬ 
ery, and the Rocky Mountain Silver Spruce is 
almost in the same condition. 
I notice in some catalogues that Azalea 
ancena is described as haidy. It may be so in 
some localities, but not here. After repeated 
trials I have nt ver been successful in obtain¬ 
ing one sir.gle plant that could survive our 
Winters. Weigela uaua variegata is a shrub 
that deserves a promine nt place ill all collec¬ 
tions, however small. It is of dwarf, spread¬ 
ing, but compact, growth, and is perfectly 
hardy and free from the attacks of all insects. 
In June it is a mass of rose-colored flowers. 
Added to this, its leaves possess a clearly de¬ 
fined bright golden variegation which is re¬ 
tained throughout the entire Summer. It 
stands our Summer sun well, and is the very 
best deeiduous shrub with variegated foliage. 
Queens Co., L. I. C. E. Parnell. 
- »■*■-» - 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS. 
Grapes. 
The damage enstained by grape-vines dui- 
ing the pari Winter is now more apparent than 
when, a lew weeks ago, we first alluded to the 
subject. Of Mr. Ricketts’s seedlings, Lady 
Washington, as before stated, was killed near¬ 
ly to ihe ground. From one bud a vigorous 
shoot is growing bearing two bunches of froit 
buds. Highland was killed to the ground— 
Eidorado within a few inches of the ground. 
That marked 240 A, and not as yet, we believe, 
offered for sale, was killed back a joint or so, 
though the plaul Is but two years old and was 
slightly protected. Newburgh was killed to 
the ground. Jefferson, like the last mentioned, 
was protected somewhat and not seriously 
harmed, Highland is dead above the present 
shoots which start just above the roots. The 
same muy be said of Imperial and QuaBsaic. 
The now well-known grape, Lady, originating 
with Mr. Campbell, shows Injury on a few ut 
last year’s canes. Cottage, a twc-yeai-old vine, 
was killed to the groaud. Of Rugers's seed¬ 
lings, Goethe (No. 1) was killed to the ground, 
one shoot from the neck alone appearing. 
Wilder was less harmed than any of the 
Rogers’s. All the young wood of Salem was 
killed. It will surprise many of our readers 
to know that of all our grapes—and we have 
no les6 than 50 different kinds—the Victoria, 
one of the lata Mr. Miner’s seedlings, is the 
only one which escaped injury entirely. It is 
growing from every bud, whim the ruauy 
bunches of blossoms it bears give promise of a 
good crop of grapes, though it bore well last 
year. This is a white grape, a seedling of the 
Concord, which the Rural has kept before its 
readers for a number of years. Mr. Miner’s 
Carlotta, Rockingham and Augusta, also 
harmed very little, are all in blossom. Lex¬ 
ington was injured. All of these, as often 
before stated, are pure Concord seedlings. 
Our Kitlatinny blackberries were every one 
injured; many killed to the ground. Of all 
our blackberries Snyder is the only variety not 
hurt. 
The Japan Muple*. 
After all the praise that the RiiuAL,ha8 given 
these little gems for the p 4 * 1 years, it was 
an ungracious last <>o be obliged to tell our 
readers ho“ , * ttt Ny Ihe past Winter has robbed 
the> n ■ c,r their clulms to being considered hardy. 
We find that Acer palmalum or polymorphum 
which we said was killed to the ground, is 
killed outright—root6 and all. This seems to 
us inexplicable for the reason that this is the 
stock upon which the many varieties of 
the Japan Maples are worked, Perhaps the 
death of the A. palmatum is due to some 
other cause besides the severity of the Win¬ 
ter. In fact, eilher this must be accepted 
as the case or it must be supposed that it is 
rendered hardier by the varieties worked upon 
it, since the latter, though badly inj ured, are 
in no case killed. 
The Cut-leaved Maple (Acer disseetum). a 
variety of the Norway, is really one of the fin¬ 
est of maples for Ornamental grounds, its 
leaves are deeply and peculiarly cut; of a 
dark green when mature, while the young 
ltavts are as purple as those of the Schwerd- 
ler’s maple. 
Wlatarlu as a Standard, 
Years ago we commenced to train a Chinese 
Wistaria into a standard. Year after year 
until last year it was laid down and covered. It 
had become a beautiful little tree four feet 
high with a stem six inches in circumference. 
It was not thought uecessaiy to lay it down 
again for last Winter, especially as the stem 
had become so thick that wo feared it might be 
broken or warped. This little tree to which we 
had given so much time and care, is now killed 
to the roots, 
Among other plants we note with regret that 
the Plicate-leaved Viburnum, the handsomest 
of the viburnums, is killed to within a few 
inches of the ground. The Japan Akebia 
(quinata), which has been reported as not 
hardy in milder climates, is not harmed in the 
least here. 
Strawberry Notes taken June 10. 
The wet weather and the cloudy skies have 
insured a bountiful strawberry crop, though 
the fruit is not so sweet and is more perishable. 
AmoDg about 100 different varieties we make 
the following notes:— 
Duchess has again been the first to bloom 
and to ripen berries. It is of poor quality, me¬ 
dium size, but quite productive. 
Warren is now ripening. It is of good 
quality and size—the plants vigorous, but not 
productive. 
Hrrvet Davis is prolific ; of good quality, 
firm and promising. 
Grace— Not prolific. 
Fincu’s Seedling (not French’s) is prolific 
and vigorous. Firm—medium quality ; ripen¬ 
ing. 
Caroline— Small berries and unproductive. 
Pres. Lincoln for some reason tails with us 
this year. It appears old beds of this variety 
never do well. 
SriARi'LBSs.—Again we have to report most 
favorably upon this variety. Other kinds are 
more productive, perhaps, but we have no 
other kind which so well combines vigor, size 
of berry, quality and productiveness. 
Enwooo’s Globe is small, good flavor, not 
vet y vigorous. 
Iowa Prolific is full of fruit, which begins 
to ripen later. The viues are vigorous. Soft 
and sour. 
Emma’s Favorite has long, erect leaf-stalks. 
Many berries have set. It is a late kind. Mr. 
J. H Hale says it is Kentucky. So says Mr. 
E. P Roe. 
Garden is of a brilliant red color, good 
quality, quite firm. Plant not veiy vigorous. 
Hellen is prolific. The berries are medium 
in size, soft and of low quality. Foliuge burma 
in hot weather. 
America bears small berries, which rest 
upon the ground. The plants are strong-grow¬ 
ing. 
Romevn’s Seedling is of fair quality—not 
productive. Mr. Roe thinks it is Triumphe 
de Gand. 
Franklin (it was labeled Franklyn) is full 
of green berries. We counted 300 on a single 
plant. 
Miller’s No. 5. —Very prolific—large size. 
Is ripening now. Soft. 
Kissanv bears 6hapely, bright-red berries. 
It promises to be prolific. The vines are vig¬ 
orous. 
No. 1 (Roe).—Very prolific—often cocks- 
combed. Vigorous vines. None ripening yet. 
Miller’s No. 7.—Dark red when ripe. Good 
quality, prolific, vigorous. 
Endicott’s Seedling.— Large berries, pro¬ 
lific—not yet ripe. Mr. Roe believes this to be 
Seth Boyden. 
Memphis Late.— Tall-growing, vigorous, 
rather small leaves. Bids fair to be the latest 
of all our varieties. Firm, high flavor. 
Erebus.— Fine quality, not very fruitful- 
dark red, oval shape. Feeble, 
Sucker State.— Firm, good, vigorous and 
productive. On other grounds we learn it is 
not worth a cent. 
Cosine's Seedling.— Poor in quality. Quite 
prod ucti ve—vigorous. 
Long John.— Promises to be highly prolific. 
Queen of the West. —Vigorous, quite pro¬ 
lific—medium in size and quality. 
Windsor Chief (Champion).—Large size 
this season—prolific, vigorous—sour when red, 
but of high quality when fully ripe, when it is 
of a dark color. 
Glendale. —More productive than last year. 
The vines are strong and healthy. This is a 
late berry, firm, light red, and of fair quality. 
- •» ♦ •> - — 
I was at Manchester on Thursday the 9th, 
in the midst of the rain and Mr. Battey’s seed¬ 
ling strawberry. 1 had a wet time and a good 
one. There was a large party of strawberry 
growers present, Mr. Roe coming from New¬ 
burgh, N. Y., Mr. Parry from Gin naminson, N. 
J., Mr. Hale, from Hartford, Coun., Mr. Lovett 
and others from pluces nearer by, and each 
one seemed to be glad he came. Mr. Battey’s 
seedling is a remarkable strawberry in some 
respects. His farm is composed chiefly of 
sea sand with a small admixture of vegetable 
matter; and right on this sand the seedling 
strawberry wab grow)ug, a stranger to culti¬ 
vation tor a year at least, I should judge; yet 
there was an abundance of large, handsome 
scarlet berries, of a broadly conical form, red- 
fleshed, firm and j nicy and of a decidedly rich 
and spicy flavor. In form the berry resem¬ 
bles the old Hovey’s Seedling. As some evi 
dence of how it was liked, the whole party 
remained in the field eating for a long time 
In the drizzle, until, finally, they were fairly 
driven out by the increasing rain, but only to 
go to the house for a strawberiy lunch. A 
meeting was organized, the merits of the berry 
discussed, a list of points made out, and these 
altered and amended till all could agree to 
them. At last we all trudged to the cars through 
a pouring rain, each man carrying a large 
(inner) basket of strawberries with him. I 
couldn’t carry all mine that way, so 1 put about 
a quart in my valise, and after tumbling about 
in that for a couple of days, they were in good 
condition on Saturday night, and pionounced 
to be excellent by a small party of ladies who 
ate them. That, certainly, speaks well for the 
market qualities of the fruit. I am much of 
the opinion that this seedling will become a 
popular favorite in lime. If it produces such 
fine results in nearly pure sand, what may it 
not do when removed to a more generous 
soil ? 
There is a very prevalent opinion that the 
foreigu grape (Vitis vlnifera) is too tender 
to be grown in tho open air. I have for many 
years known that, this is not so. To convince 
Borne of my friends, I left out-of-doors last 
Winter four pot grown vines, one year old, 
with canes from five to seven feet long. They 
were left without any protection, even to the 
pots. The pots, of course, were badly dam¬ 
aged; but the extreme ends of these vines I 
left at the Rural t dice this Spring, and the 
editor can say how much they were killed. 
[They were not injured. Eds.] The vines 
were the Black Hamburgh and the Muscat 
of Alexandria. 1 will state that I took some 
pains to grow these canes, and to have them 
well ripened to the end. I have done the same 
thing before. The theimoineter reached 19® 
below zero. 
It may interest the readers of the Rural if 
I state, in this connection, some facts within 
my personal knowledge. When I was a boy 
Water Street, near the Battery, contained 
the residences of some of the best fami¬ 
lies in New Yoik, and among others the Tirnp- 
sons and the Van Antwerps, names still well 
known. In the yard of Mr. Rowland II. Timp- 
son, who married into the Van Antwerp fami¬ 
ly, was a vine of the Muscat of Alexandria, 
which for upwards of forty years produced 
fine crops of fruit, which I can well remember 
eating more than once. The only trouble was 
occasional mildew, which was very much les¬ 
sened by the protected position of the vine. 
It was finally destroyed by the first large Pearl 
Street fire. Mr. Camille Mario, a highly re¬ 
spected New York merchant still living, aud a 
thorough amateur horticulturist, for many 
years grew the Black Hamburgh iu the open 
air at luwood. It was hardy enough, but in 
a year or two mildewed badly, aud iu conse¬ 
quence yielded l.ttle or no fruit. Some of the 
vines were still growing in a half wild state 
at my last visit. The Croton Point vineyards 
are amoug the oldest aud best known iu the 
country. Mr. William Underhill, who orig¬ 
inally started them and always owned the 
larger part of them (though his brother, the 
doctor, got the credit for it), told me that he 
began with the foreign vine, but had to aban¬ 
don it, not for want of hardiness, but because 
of mildew. The Rev. William P. Page, to 
whom we are chiiily indebted for the Farm¬ 
ers’ and the School District Libraries, also 
started a vineyard of foreign vines on Long 
Island scion after the Croton Point enterprise. 
He told me he was finally compelled to give 
it up because the vines mildewed so badly. 
The experiment cost him upwards of twenty 
thousand dollars. Mr. Roswell L. Colt, of 
Paterson, N. J. (now deceased) many years 
ago grew the foreign vine in the open air on a 
smaller eeale. Being a man of great wealth, 
he spared no pains )u giving protection, fight¬ 
ing mildew, etc., and succeeded for years iu 
raising Black Hamburgh grapes, that on one oc¬ 
casion at least competed successfully with those 
grown under glass. I know it because I was 
one of the judges, and also saw the vines in 
the open air. Archie Heuderson, one of the 
best gardeners we ever had among us, used to 
winter his young foreigu vines in the open air. 
In several places in and around New York 
there are loreigu viues in the open air la fav¬ 
orable situations, which produce fair crops of 
fruit; some of these viues are quite old. it is 
not necessary, however, to multiply cases. 
The fact seems to be that foreigu vines, in re¬ 
gard to hardiness, are very much like our na¬ 
tive vines, some being hardy and others not. 
Notwithstanding, the conclusion must be ac¬ 
cepted. that, with some exceptions, such as 
California aud portions of our Southern States, 
the foreign vine is not adapted to oper»-3ir 
culture with ns. The changes and vicissitudes 
of our climate are too great. Mildew attacks 
the leaf, then the fruit, and next the wood, 
when the disease becomes constitutional, and 
that is the end. IIorticola. 
-- 
MICHIGAN STATE HORTICULTURAL SO¬ 
CIETY. 
Hummer Meeting. 
[Burul Special Report.] 
The Summer meeting of this Society was an 
occasion of more than usual interest, from the 
fact that it occurred at Benton Harbor, at the 
mouth of the St. Joseph River, and opposite 
the village of St. Joseph. It was here that the 
climatic advantages of the easterly shore of 
Lake Michigan first attracted the attention of 
fruit growers ; and here, under the stimulating 
demands of the Chicago market, occurred the 
rapid and wonderful development of commer¬ 
cial fruit culture that, a few years since, at¬ 
tracted public attention so strongly to what 
has come to be known as the “ Lake Michigan 
Fruit Belt.” 
After a welcome and response at the first 
session, on Tuesday evening, the subject of 
Birds vs. Fruit was freely diecussed, develop¬ 
ing the nsual difference of opinion as to the 
actual preponderance of benefit or injury. 
Answers to the question, whether or not 
frozen apples can bo saved or utilized, were to 
the effect, that it would be far bettor and safer 
not to allow them to be frozen, though care iu 
thawing may perhaps save them. 
Experience was called for respecting the 
best method of destroying the Rose Chaffer, 
which has within the past few years devel¬ 
oped here a tendency to attack and injure 
fruits before maturity. The suggestion to 
apply Farit-green or London-purple to the fol¬ 
iage and young fruit by means of water and a 
force pump, was met by tho statement that 
such applications had failed to produce the 
desired effect. The oniy effective measure 
proposed, was the slow and laborious one of 
hand-picking. 
“ Of whut varieties and iii what proportions 
does the strawberry crop of this region con¬ 
sist,” was thou discussed- In response, it was 
stated that fully nineteen-twentieths of the crop 
of this region are Wilson’s Albany; although 
a fewJucundas and Captaiu Jacks are said 
to be grown about South Hiveu. The ques¬ 
tion, “ How to prevent mice from girdling 
trees,” received, from several persons, the re¬ 
sponses, •* keep the ground clean "—•* wrap 
with tarred paper." aud “ throw up a mound 
of earth about their trunks." Heavy rain on 
Wednesday morning diminished the atten¬ 
dance. 
The subj ect of tree planting along highways 
was ably discussed by H. G. Reynold’s and 
Judge Ramadell of Grand Traverse County, 
followed by a paper, read by the secretary, 
from S. B Feck, of Muskegon. The most 
profitable varieties of fruits for the markets of 
Chicago, were considered from the dealer’s 
stand-point, by Mr. Mason and Mr. Colby, both 
of that city, showing that the Wilson is, and 
as far as they may be concerned, is to he the 
‘‘Sumuium bonum.” By far the moat earnest 
discussion, during the meeting arose on the 
subject of determining the capacity of fruit 
packages. An attempt to induce the last Win¬ 
ter’s Legislature to enact a law, requiring all 
packages to be marked with their real capac¬ 
ity, had developed a wide divergence of opin¬ 
ion on the subject. 
After the question had been thoroughly dis¬ 
cussed, the following resolutions were offered 
and passed: 
JiesolveU, First, that the using of the various 
sizes of fruit packages is detrimental to both 
shipper and consumer. 
Second, that this society recommend a few 
Blundard sizes to be used, with their actual 
capacity marked on the outside. 
Third, that we recommend the full-size quart 
box aud the 12, 15 aud 20 pound basket. 
Fourth that we recommeud the lull*6izo three- 
bushel flour barrel for all commodities usuully 
bought or sold in barrels. 
Fifth, that wo invite the co-operation of all 
fruit and vegetable growers and dealers in all 
the States to make our system universal. 
Sixth, that we recommend that this system 
be adopted by the Legislatures of the various 
States, and that the email snide baskets be done 
away with. 
A committee was appointed to lay the matter 
before the public through the press, and thus 
bring about a reform. 
A discussion upon the subject of “ yellows” 
resulted in the conclusion that the prompt and 
complete destruction of diseased trees is, with 
the present knowledge of the subject, t he most 
effectual mode cf arresting or restraining the 
progress of the disease. The meeting ad¬ 
journed on the evening of Thursday, (0Lb), 
and is regarded as a veiy interesting and pro¬ 
fitable one. T. T. Lvon. 
- ♦» » 
Fruits on the HutUou lit ver. 
We have had an abundance of rain this sea¬ 
son aud the fruits promise a large crop, except 
apples, which are almost a failure. We are, 
however, uillicled with rose beetles, which are 
very destructive to grapes and peaches, eating 
tho youDg fruit. A young orchard, bearing 
now for tho first time, is almost completely 
ruined by them. The only remedy, to my 
knowledge, iB hand-picking, which is very 
tedious where they are so numerous. Straw¬ 
berries begau ripening quite early, though the 
Spring was late. I picked tho first ripe Gapt. 
Jack on May 80th, aud Frimo on June 20th, 
and ihtssu were both grown on a steep hillside 
facing southeast. Grapes are looking fine; all 
varieties have set a full crop and are now most 
of them setting their berries. Some young 
Jefferson vines are setting many bunches ©f 
larger size than I have ever seen before. 
Pears are a large crop and unusually fine. 
Fishkill, N. Y. J. G. Burrow. 
