840 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
DEC. 24 
®{jf fmcprir. 
THE LADY GRAPE IN EUROPE. 
A large grape grower near Berlin, Prussia, 
who has fruited the Lady Grape the present 
season, writes very enthusiastically in its praise. 
He says it is very early and perfectly healthy in 
that oountry, also one of the very finest flavor 
(“ Oattervor trefflichsten Gesehmack!") He 
adds that of about 350 sorts of Grapes which he 
cultivates, ho finds the “ Lady the best of them 
all." As this Grape is also one of trfe most per¬ 
fect Phylloxera-resisting of the American na¬ 
tives, it will doubtless be largely planted in 
Europe as well as in this country. 
Jflorimlfutal. 
FLORICULTURE NEAR THE BAY OF SAN 
FRANCISCO, 
CHARES H. SHINN. 
Our average climate, within a radius of fifty 
miles of Sin Francisco, is delightfully mild and 
equable, tempered by breezes which are never 
gales, aDd moist from the nearness of tho ocean. 
Of course, tho soil varies extremely in such 
an extent of oountry. For instance, this sec¬ 
tion in which I write is a sandy loam near the 
streams which cross the valley, a black loam 
along the foot hills, adobe, or very tenacious 
clay, on some slopes, peaty soil around the 
fresh-water lagoons, and alkaline clay loam near 
the sloughs of the Buy. The rich loam near our 
streams is mainly given np to fiuit-growiDg, and 
the heavier soil of tho middle of the valley, to 
wheat, ooru and potatoes. 
Owing to its nearness to Ban Franoisoo, easy 
oommunicition &ud rapid growth, this section is 
filling up with small homes, aud the ornamental 
grounds and gardens are daily increasing. The 
oountiea of Sonoma, Alameda and Santa Clara are 
making marked advances in this direction. If, 
as I am inclined to think, fine stock, abundance 
of small fruits, aud flower gardens everywhere 
are evidences of a civilized community, then these 
three counties would rank high in any State. 
Our gardens are beginning to mingle the old- 
fashioned beauties, dear to the hearts of oar 
quaint grandmothers, with the rarer, but no 
more beautiful exotios. Each year a greater 
variety is attempted, and the business of nursery¬ 
men and florists increases. A neighbor of mine 
had, this year, in one small bed a Clianthus 
punioeus, trained as a shrub eight feet high ; a 
magnifioent clump of Dioeutra speotabilis, Pan¬ 
sies, Balsams, Cocks-oombs, Asters, Myosotis 
and a Bouvardia, all flourishing as a horticultural 
" Happy Family.” 
AU the hardy annuais and most of the half- 
hardy ones get along without any special care, 
or sowing of seed. A bed of Portulaca, 
scarlet Flax, Whitlavia, Mimulus, China Pink, 
Abronia, or Lobelia, once planted, is a safe 
thing, the only care needed beiDg to thin out 
the seedlings which spring np after the first 
rains. Indeed, after gardening experiences ex¬ 
tending over a series of years, I have failed to 
find any piaut which will not occasionally spring 
up from self-sown seed. Lantanas, Zonale Ger¬ 
aniums, Blue Lobelias and Canterbury Bells 
have often been, by reason of their abundance, 
must troublesome weedB, and I have even known 
Double Fuchsias to self-sow on rare occasions, 
also Soiilax, Maurandias and a BegODia. 
Fuohsias are, with us, the most delightful of 
bedders. We select a bed having an eastern or 
northeastern exposure, and put out small plants 
in January. By June they are noble epeimens 
and bloom for months. I often out back half of 
th6m, so as to keep a succession of winter- 
bloomers. Roderick Dhu, Sir Colin Campbell, 
Vaniquer Du Pnobla, Maximum, Wave of Life, 
Princess Alice, Arabella and all the improved 
sorts succeed iu this manner. 
Our best flowers to hue carriage-ways, and to 
be grouped in shrubberies, are tho doublo 
Geraniums. Our treatment of them is simply 
to put in cuttings w here they are to stand be¬ 
fore the early lains, and by March we have 
blooming plants. In December these are cut 
dose to the ground, so as to make a new 
growth aud to keep them within boundB. No 
irrigation is required at any time. 
Dahlias, Doublo Hollyhocks, Pampas Grass, 
Ricinus, Phoromitn tenax, aud the best striped 
Japanese Bamboos are also used for groups on 
the lawn. For single specimens, the Joehroma 
tubulosa, a new plant with hairy, dark leaves, 
firm outlines, massive growth aud clusters cf 
dark-blue, tubular flowers, and also the Brug- 
mansia Kuightii with immense double white 
fragrant flowers, are deservedly favorites. 
The Japan Lilies, especially L. auratnm and 
speciosum roseum, are often seen. Others are 
being introduced; nor are our native spooies, L. 
Humboldtu and Washingtonii neglected, al¬ 
though these are not so fine here as in their 
native Sierras. 
Most of the other bulbs succeed. Orocuses 
are apt to dwindle after the first year, even 
with tne best of treatment, and new bulbs must 
be imported. Anemones and Rmuncuiuses take 
possession, and grow and bloom for months. 
We cannot complain of Tulips, Hyaoinths, Jon¬ 
quils or Daffodils. The Crown Imperial is a 
failure of the complete sort in this section. We 
have tried dozens, in all contrivable situ¬ 
ations, without ever obtaining a flower. Gladi¬ 
oli flaunt their gay banners continually, and 
maybe had in bloom every month. We tried an 
Arum Dracunculus last your, aud it grew' extrava¬ 
gantly, till it beoamo a neighborhood marvel; but 
the immense, spotted flower had a vile, unbear¬ 
able odor, as those who have seen it know. 
Roses give us hardly any trouble. We trim 
them heavily in the fall, to give them a rest. 
Occasionally, in a foggy summer, a few kinds 
mildew, and, at rare intervals, the green lice ap¬ 
pear, but a little care remedies these evils. 
Mareehal Niel is at the very front for color 
and growth, Safrano, Bergensitea, Isabella 
Bprunt, Niphetos and Bon Sileue are also widely 
used. The Lady Banksia Roses are immense 
growers—indeed the beBt running Roses we 
have. 
Among vines, the Akebia quinata, from Japan, 
is very valuable. Mine, now three years old, is 
up to the second story window, a mass of beau¬ 
tifully interlaced, evergreen foliage. The cup¬ 
like clusters of chocolate-colored flowers are fra¬ 
grant, and long in b’.oom through the winter and 
spring months. 
Choice shrubs are becoming the rflJK. Our 
sun spots Camellias, if planted out-of-doors, 
and Rhododendrons do well, with oare. Azaleas 
are difficult to manage. Tea plants and Mag¬ 
nolia grandiflora succeed admirably. The Crape 
Myrtle blooms late here, but stands our winter. 
In Slockton and through the Sacramento Valley, 
it makes almost a tree. Oleanders are popular 
and handsome. They arc a little difficult to 
Btart, hut soon grow fast. Kennedyaa are fine 
garden shrubs here and make magnificent 
bloomers. Clianthus and Erjthrina are often 
seen either as shrubs or trained to a wall. 
It will, by these brief notes, be observed that 
we have a wide range of plants from which to 
choose, and that our gardening ought to be un¬ 
ique. We have had almost too muoh from wbioh 
to choose, but we are yearly getting command of 
our materials, and better things may be hoped 
for in the near future. 
Washington Township, Alameda Co., Cal. 
(£ 1 ) triilu Ijm. 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Pike County, Missouri, Dec. 9th.—We have 
had an unusually fine fall for prosecuting farm 
work. The standing corn is about all gathered, 
and cattle are having a good feast in the stalk- 
fields, the ground at this date being covered 
lightly with snow and sleet. This is the second 
Bnow we have had this winter, the first falling 
on the first day of tho month, a strong point in 
our favor, as compared with Ootobor 28 th, for 
the locality of Attica, N. Y. Owing to the 
drought in October, the sowing of wheat was 
considerably delayed. Tho growing crop, how¬ 
ever, where well drilled in, on properly-prepared 
laud, is doing fairly well, and there is at present 
a reasonable prospect for a remunerative yield. 
About the usual acreage has been sown. Corn 
is fully an average crop whore planted in time 
and well cultivated, while very many have to 
console themselves with small profits on light 
orops, where cultivation was insufficient. Our 
apple crop, which is usually one of muoh im¬ 
portance, both as to quantity, quality, and iu- 
oome, has not this season been up to anything 
like an average, save in quality; for if there be 
any noticeable difference from former years, the 
present orops are of better size, oolor, and flavor 
than usual. Peaches and small fruits were 
abundant. Hogs bring 2>£c.per lb. gross; fat 
cows for the butcher, about the same price. 
H. 
Mount Vernon, Ohio, Deo. 10.—Weather 
very wet here now; prospeots of cold soon; 
have had a remarkably fine fall ;for all work. A 
large apple crop hereabouts, of course made 
prices low, 20o. per bushel for best. A great 
many thousand bushels have been shipped from 
this point. We have a very prosperous little 
city of some 8.000 population. Good farms 
readily sell for $65 to $100 per acre. City prop¬ 
erty, however, is 'very low, not selling for two- 
thirds of what it is worth. Wheat, 90c. to 95o.: 
oats, 25o.; corn, 2oe. to 80o.; potatoes, 40c. to 
60c.; apples. 2i)o. to 25c.; hay, $6 per ton ; but¬ 
ter, 12c. to 14c.; eggs, about the same; chick¬ 
ens, 6o. to 8o.; turkeys, 8o. to 10o., dressed; 
pork $2 80 alive; $3 to $8 26, dressed. Wages 
low, but good hands can oommand 75o. a day 
and hoar d. A great deal of ice will be put up 
if tho weather is cold enough to form it. We 
are looking for those good times that have been 
promised since the qood timet of 1873. m. w. 
Burlington, N. J., Dec. 10th, 1878.-The 
weather for tho paBt three monthB has been all 
tbe farmer could desire, all the storms clearing 
up warm, whioh is something unusual. The 
farmers hereabouts have their corn husked, and, 
as a general thing, are up with their work. 
Winter wheat and rye are looking fine. The 
prices for farm produoo are as follows: wheat, 
98c. to $1.10 per bushel; corn, 55o.; oats, 33o. ; 
potatoes, 60o. to 75c.; eggs, per dozen, 2So, to 
83o.; batter, 20c. to 28c. lb.; pork, 3o. to 4o. 
Wheat yielded well the past season, ranging 
from 16 to 45 bushels per acre. Rye was a 
failure. White potatoes are not very numerous; 
but sweet potatoes are so abundant that there 
is no sale for them. Farmers have nearly all 
done well this season. i. w. 
Fayette, Senoca Oo., N. Y., Deo. 3, 1878.— 
This fall, until about the 25th of October, was 
so warm that farmers in some sections found it 
quite impossible to plow; consequently, the 
aoreage of winter wheat is not so large as it 
would have been had we had rain in season. 
Through November, however, we had an abun¬ 
dance of rain. Wheat is looking well, consider¬ 
ing the peculiar season. Clawson wheat did the 
best with us last season, and is worth now in 
our market 95c.: barley, 70o.; oats, 27o.; corn, 
45o.; potatoes, 70c.; butter, 20o.; eggs, 19o.; 
apples, 30o. I might here Btate that this county, 
as a whole, stands BeooDd to none in the State 
for wheat, corn, oats, barley, and potatoes. 
w. B. 
Brooks, Waldo Co., Me.—The spring opened 
early and tho fall has held off late. Potatoes 
were dug in good condition November 80th, and 
teams were plowing. It has been a fruitful year. 
Corn haB done unusually well. Apples were in 
the greatest abundance, and grass was very 
good. Wheat was about an average—other 
grains tbe same ; but potatoes wore only half a 
crop. Beef, purk and hogs are low. There is 
hardly any sale for apples, while potatoes bring 
a good price. It has been an extra fall for work, 
and much permanent farm improvements have 
been made. Better farming prevails than five 
years ago, aud improvements are progressing in 
many agricultural matters. s. w. l. 
Le Oygne, Kansas, Deo. 9.—The crops of 
Kansas, generally, are very fair, with tho excep¬ 
tion of some localities where the long dry 
weather damaged our corn crops to some extent. 
The fruit crops wore abundant iu everything 
except apples, whioh were only about half a 
crop. This, 1 think, was principally caused by 
the overbearing of trees last year, they of 
course being young. I believe this is one of 
the best fruit States in the Union, everythin* 
considered. All fruit does well here with the 
exception of pears. Those blight to some ex¬ 
tent. All small fruits do exceedingly well. 
3. A. SI. 
ElDorado Co., Cal., Dec. 1.—We have had 
several quite hard frosts during the past week, 
whioh cause Nature to take on [a wintery look. 
Tho apple crop is now all iu, and was an ex¬ 
ceptionally fine one. Apples are keeping muoh 
better than last season, very few withering or 
showing any rigna of decay. Apples are solliDg 
at 75o. a box of forty to fifty pounds oaoh. The 
grape orop is all gathered ; grapes sold at $10 
per ton here, tho produoer picking and deliver¬ 
ing them at the station, HOMO five miles away. 
Pansies are iu bloom, also Violets. These will be 
with ub all winter. w. o. L. D. 
Ri8don, St. Clair Co., Ill., Deo. 1, 1878.— 
The recent mild, pleasant weather has helped 
wheat greatly, and it now looks first-rate. We 
hear some complaint of weevel in corn, but the 
evil is not very bad. Wheat is worth 70o. a 
bushel; oorn, S5o.; potatoes, 60o.; oats, 80o.; 
cattle, $2 and 82.60 per 100 lbs. gross, and pork 
about the Ban e. N. j. a. 
Bowlino Green, Ky., Deo. 9.—Farmers here¬ 
abouts have about finished gathering corn, and 
are now preparing for winter. Wheat is looking 
well, considering the dry weather we had In 
September aud October, wbioh delayed our sow¬ 
ing. Oorn is now worth from 82 to 36o.; wheat, 
$1; oats, 85o.; hay, 50o. per 100 lbs. J. D. 8. 
CKKVECCKURS. 
GRAY UOKKIJNGS, 
