APRIL 4S 
250 THE RURAL NEW-Y0RKE8. 
the same age and receiving the same care and 
treatment, and though they were more in 
number I question if they would exceed those 
of the other In hulk. I am glad to hear, how¬ 
ever, that around Cincinnati it is very satis¬ 
factory and becoming a leading sort. 
Manchester. Mr. Battey sent me for trial 
a few plants of this seedling, late in the 
Spring of '80, but it was so late and the 
drought so severe they were an entire failure. 
In the Autumn, happening to be at Mr. Bat- 
tey’s place, I was so struck with the vigorous 
growth of the plants on his sandy soil in com¬ 
parison with the growth of the Wilson, that I 
really felt a desire to make another trial of it, 
and about October 1st. another lot of plants 
were set in a row alongside of Shurpless, and 
Chas. Downing, set a few weeks previous. 
Notwithstanding the latter had the advantage 
of about a month in setting, the former started 
last Spring with almost equal vigor and aston¬ 
ished me with the amount and size of the fruit 
produced, exceeding in these respects any 
Fall-set plants I have ever had, and,what is of 
more importance, the l'ruit was of first quality 
or very near it, of good form and attractive 
color, and seemed to possess good keeping 
qualities. A single season’s trial of any fruit 
is not sulficient to warrant the assertion that 
it is far in advance of, or superior to,any other 
of its kind, and any claims or assertions based 
on such a foundation should bo taken with 
several grains of salt; for future seasons and 
changed conditions may develop faults and 
defects yet unseen. 
Montclair, N. J. 
NEW STRAWBERRIES, 
With Portraits from Nature. 
E. p. BOB. 
Sucker State.— Strong, vigorous plant, 
and only moderately productive. Petiole, tall, 
erect, hairy. Leaflet large, oval, smooth, 
shining, dark green. Calyx small, hairy and 
close. Fruit large ; obtuse - conical, dark, 
glossy criinson, with slight neck. Seeds promi¬ 
nent. Flesh pink to paler center ; moderately 
firm, of only ordinary quality ; rather dry. 
.Season medium to late. Flower perfect. Not 
of sufficient value to compete with other va¬ 
rieties. 
Kirkwood. —Synonymous with Mount Ver¬ 
non. A very strong, vigorous grower ; more 
vigorous in growth than the Charles Downing 
and, I think, more productive. Season of 
ripening, considerably later. Fruit large, and 
of very fine flavor. I have not tru ted it yet, 
and do not feel like giving it a very accurate 
description, but um very greatly impressed 
with its value. 1 think it will become one of 
the leading varieties for home use aud near 
market, as it is one of the most easily grown 
of all tlie newer varieties. 
Erebus. —Tbis came to me badly mixed 
with the Black Defiance, and when in fruit I 
rooted out all the Black Defiance, and found 
but four or five plants left of the Erebus. The 
fruit was very dark aud firm, and of fair 
flavor ; but tbe few' plants left seemed to burn 
aud dwindle so badly that I came to tbe con¬ 
clusion that it was not of much value ; yet, I 
would add, I do not suppose I have given it a 
fair test. 
Hargrove.— A strong, vigorous plant, but 
unproductive. Petiole tall, erect, hairy, slen¬ 
der. Leaflets medium to large, oval, deep 
green. Calyx small, hairy, recurved. Fruit 
small, with partial neck ; light scarlet. Seeds 
deeply imbedded. Flesh soft, white, acid, of 
poor quality. Season medium to late. Flower 
perfect. 
Miller's No. 5.—Plant a strong, vigorous 
grower and exceedingly productive. Petiole 
tall, quite erect, slightly hairy. Leafletsoval, 
smooth, hairy. Calyx large and close. Fruit 
large, obtuse-conical, regular, dark crimson, 
glossy. Flesh soft, red to paler center. Flavor 
good. Flower perfect. 
Miller’s No. 7.—This much resembles No. 
5 both in fruit and foliage. A strong, vigor¬ 
ous gro wer and very productive. Petiole tall, 
erect. Leaflet roundish-oval, dark green aud 
not so hairy as those of No. 5. Calyx small, 
hairy, close. Fruit medium to large, round, 
slightly iucllned to conical. Seeds bright 
crimson, slightly imbedded. Flesh very soft, 
red throughout, of good quality. Season me¬ 
dium to late. Flower perfect. 
Oliver Goldsmith.— The originator of this 
is Mr. Benson, of Ohio, aud it is evidently a 
seedling of the Seth Boydeu, which it resem¬ 
bles. It makes a stronger, more vigorous 
plant, and with me has been more productive. 
It is more obtusely-eouical, and has quite a 
distinct neck. It is comparatively devoid of 
the hard, seedy end which is an objectionable 
feature of the Seth Boyden. I regard it as a 
very valuable variety. Season medium. 
Flower perfect. 
Red J aCKET. — Plant vigorous, strong 
and a healthy grower. Petiole tall, slender, 
erect, hairy. Leaflets longish-oval, sharp at 
the apex and finely serrated, smooth, and 
deeply creased. Calyx small, hairy, close. 
Fruit large, round to obtuse-conical, varying 
light crimson. Seeds deeply imbedded. Berry 
about as firm as the Downing; pink; quality 
excellent, resembling the flavor aud aroma of 
the wild berry. Season early. Flower per¬ 
fect. 
Memphis I .ate. —A vigorous, tall, sti'ong- 
growing plant. Petiole very tall, slender, 
erect, moderately productive. Leaflet long, 
oval, fiuely serrated, smooth, shining, light 
green. Calyx large, hairy, close. Fruit only 
medium in size. Round, with very slight neck; 
light crimson. Seeds deeply imbedded. Flesh 
firm aud red to white center, with the arom a 
aud flavor of the wild berry. Season very 
late. Flower perfect. The value of the va¬ 
riety consists in its extreme lateness. 
Triple Crown. —Vigorous and robustplant, 
very productive. Petiole tall, erect and wiry. 
Leaflets roundish-oval, large, shiniug dark- 
green. Calyx large, only slightly hairy, and 
close. Fruit medium to large, round to coni¬ 
cal, with slight neck, irregular, very dark, 
glossy crimson. Seeds prominent and bright. 
Flavor superb, being very rich, and resembling 
some of the best foreign berries. Flesn ex¬ 
ceedingly firm, making it one of the best ber. 
ries for canning in existence. Pink to pale 
center, solid. Season medium. Flow'er per¬ 
fect. 
Orient —I shall fruit this year. 
Neunan’s Prolific Strawberry. 
I indorse all G, F. B, says, in a late Rural, 
of Neunan’s Prolific Strawberry. Neunan is a 
very peculiar berry, and has been condemned 
by many growers and even discarded by the 
first introducers as a berry not suitable for 
field culture. This error in regard to it 
is ow'ing to too hasty judgment. Among its 
peculiarities are tbe following: Sendingup all 
of its fruit crowns at once, and when forced 
into bloom the flow'ers are on the end of a long 
stem, and that standing up erect even above 
the leaves of the plant, uml in that condition 
they are very apt to be killed by late frosts; 
while if the flowers w'ere on a short stem, as 
in the Albany orTriomphe <le Garni,they would 
be less liable to be killed, as they would be 
sheltered by the leaves. Another serious fault 
is its great vigor iu sending out runners in such 
vast numbers as to weaken the parent aud 
smother out all plants made early in the sea¬ 
son and to w'eaken all t tat remain, so that 
the fruit of next season is smaJl aud of poor 
quality. Tbe cause that develops these faults 
is, being planted on warm soil aud in shel¬ 
tered locations, forcing up the buds pre¬ 
maturely or before frosts are gone. The rem¬ 
edy is to plant io on high and exposed posi¬ 
tions. To cheek its nun pant growth of 
runners and youug plants, set iton very heavy 
clay soil and grow it on the hill or narrow- 
row system, and at the last working with 
horse and cultivator sow the entire middle of 
the row w'ith cow-peas, to serve as mulching 
and renovator for plants aud land. The suc¬ 
cess of Neunan’a Prolific on exposed locations 
and under hill culture is fully demonstrated 
by the vast fields of this variety now growing 
around Norfolk. J. l. b. 
Norfolk, Va. 
strawberry notes. 
For garden culture ou the hill system, 
set the strawberry plants m rows one foot 
apart, the rows two feet apart. Spade tbe 
ground deeply, enrich it with old manure, 
using as a surface dressing ground bone 
and wood ashes if one can a fi ord this ex¬ 
pense. Cut off the runners as they appear. 
Old plantations should be thoroughly weeded 
and the surface of the ground rendered mellow 
by the hoe or fork, but do not disturb the 
roots by deep spading until the crop is gath¬ 
ered. If very large fruit is desired, the vines 
must be mulched with hay, straw or some¬ 
thing of the kind. Use liquid manure, and 
thin out the fruit stems. 
The several kinds of strawberries spoken of 
by Mr. E. Williams, have all been illustrated 
from nature in the Rural —most of them dur¬ 
ing lost year. The others are described by 
Mr. Roe. The portraits are all from nature, 
medium-sized specimens only having been 
selected. Our previous portrait of the Bid well 
was unsatisfactory; hence we now place before 
our readerstwo specimens—one the type-shape, 
the other cockscombed. All of these are being 
tested at the Rural Grounds. 
Queen of the West has not yet fruited 
at the Rural Experiment Grounds. Mr. Lovett 
says it is Monarch of the West. 
-- 
TWO FOREIGN GOOSEBERRIES. 
(See Illustrations, page 252,) 
Emperor (Sinitu) Fig. 133. The originator of 
this variety is not known, and it is very little 
propagated. It is a very large berry, often 
much larger than the engraving and of a 
rounder form. The skin is very thin and 
thickly set with long, stiff hairs. It is of a 
beautiful dark-red color, with light-red veins. 
The flesh is said to have a sweet, pleasant 
taste, and when fully ripe it is quite aromatic. 
Its season for ripening is the latter part of 
July, in England, and as a table fruit it ranks 
among the first. The growth of bush is vigor¬ 
ous; the branches are drooping and armed 
with short spines. 
Green Willow (Johnson) Fig. 134. In Ger¬ 
many this is known as “ Weidenbeere.” 
Thompson calls it ‘'Parkinson’s Laurel” aud 
R Hoog terms it the “Laurel." The fruit is 
often larger than repi esented in the engrav¬ 
ing, and of a beautiful pear-shape, Tbe color 
is grass-green, with well marked veins. The 
skin is smooth, thin, and when fully matured, 
is almost transparent. The flesh is pleasant 
to the taste; is somewhat vinous or of a wane 
flavor. The “Green Willow” ripens the last 
of July or first of August. The bush makes a 
vigorous growth, and the branches are armed 
w ith stout spines. Our engravings are re¬ 
drawn from the “Iltustrirte Garten-Zeitung.” 
The improvement of the gooseberry is great¬ 
ly neglected in America. Seedling cultivation, 
it may be hoped, will produce mildew-proof 
kinds as well adapted to many parts of the 
country as the above kinds are to Germany 
and England. It is, indeed, a matter of sur¬ 
prise to us that our nurserymen and small 
fruit growers do not more generally engage, 
during their dull seasons, in seedling cultiva¬ 
tion. Why, too, let us ask, do not farmers and 
farmers’ wives and daughters employ them¬ 
selves more often in this delightful way? 
Strawberries, blackberries, currants, goose¬ 
berries aud grapes are all readily raised from 
seeds. 
Mr. John Reid, who raised that superb 
Carnation “ Firebrand,” is of opinion that the 
increasing weakness and recent loss of carna¬ 
tions are owing to “sickness,” brought on chief¬ 
ly by over-work, or, in other words, by persis¬ 
tent and long continued forcing. Something 
like this is very likely to be the case, espe¬ 
cially as the plants that are put to the present 
exacting process of forcing are also used for 
propagating from. No plant whatever can 
endure such treatment year after year with¬ 
out ultimately showing weakness and diseise; 
and some, in fact, will not submit to it at all. 
The remedy is a. very simple and natural one 
—to propagate only from plants grown in 
their proper season and without forcing, where 
this is possible ; and it is possible in most cases. 
If I were growing carnations, etc., on a large 
scale for forcing, 1 w-ould start with young, 
vigorous plants obtained in this way, get out 
of them all I could, and then throw them away 
without a thought of taking a cutting from 
them. In a small way 1 find that propagating 
from unforced plants keeps up what may be 
called the constitutional vigor of the plant, if 
it has any naturally. The carnation is not 
the ouly plant that is made “sick” by forced 
propagation. 
The so-called Rose Bug (Aramigus Fulleri) 
is only too well known to rose growers, espe¬ 
cially to those who force roses during the Win 
ter At present there is no known remedy for 
them, except one that involves both larva and 
plant in one common destruction and, in con 
sequence, many thousands of pot roses have 
been thus destroyed around New York alone 
during the past two or three years. The name 
of Rose Bug, however, would seem to be a 
misnomer, for it is found to be by no means 
confined to tbe rose, as has been supposed. 
Un a recent visit to Mrs. Barr, of Orange 
Mountain, she culled my attention to this fact. 
She had already lost many roses ; and other 
kinds of plants having died by a similar slow 
process, and still others looking sickly without 
any apparent cause, an examination of the 
ball of earth dis overed multitudes of the larvae 
of the Aramigus, which had nearly consumed 
the roots of the pla its. The larvae seem to be 
quite as fond of the roots of the abutilon, be¬ 
gonia, etc.. as they are of the rose. This being 
so, we ha re every reason to fear that the larva 
of this beetle will become a common and very 
destructive enemy to plants generally grown 
under glass. This should be known, and every 
possible moans taken to check its spread. At 
present the rose grower turns out the plant, 
shakes out iho earth to secure and kill the 
larva?, and thou usually throws away the 
plant. Something may be done to check the 
increase of this beetle by destroying it before 
it has laid its eggs. It is, however, not easy 
to find, as it usually bides on the underside of 
the leaf, but its presence may be known by its 
work. It is much to be hoped that some easy 
way for its destruction may be found. 
In an incidental way I learned that the 
Queen of the Prairie Rose (a climber) is used 
as a stock by some florists to bud Tea Roses 
on, particularly the Marechal Niel aud Globe 
de Dijon, and they looked well, except Gloire 
de Dijon, which did not seem to take kindly to 
.this stock. But why should Tea Roses be 
budded at all? They can be raised from cut¬ 
tings almost as readily as Scarlet Pelargo¬ 
niums, and are always best on their own roots. 
As a rule, I never buy a budded Rose of any 
kind, if I know it, for the open air, as a long 
experience has convinced me that they are 
much more liable to be winter-killed than 
when on their own roots. Under glass some 
Teas that are a little intractable w'ben young, 
like Nipbetos, may be worked on a cane of 
Lamarque with the best l’esults, and for a 
reason that most old rose growers will no 
doubt understand. Budded roses for the open 
air, however, should not be encouraged. 
I am glad to see a good word said for the 
Oyster Plant on p. 170. It is comparatively 
little grown, but is really a delicious vege¬ 
table. I wish to add a word to what is said 
on p. 170, aud it is simply this: that the young 
shoots in the Spring make good early 
“ greens,” to be used like spinach. The young 
shoots, however, are made at the expense of 
the quality of the roots. Borticola. 
Sljf Sjuiulcm. 
GRAFES va. BEES. 
In the Rural of Jau. 14, 18S3, page 33, an 
article appeared from the pen of Prof. A. J. 
Cook, charging three professional entomolo¬ 
gists with errors. Evidently we may now 
place him as committing the fourth error. He 
certainly can have had no personal experience 
as a grape grower, or he would not so earnestly 
advocate the cause of the “ busy bees,” or else 
bees of the Italian variety have not invaded 
his locality, “When doctors disagree,” it is 
frequently a serious matter, as patients may 
thereby suffer ; but when scientists disagree, 
it is only a humorous affair, though a rather 
unfair conclusion to grape growers. I know 
very well that bee-keepers hold t he idea—or at 
least pretend to do so—that bees do not injure 
grapes unless the berries are first cut by birds 
or wasps, and that then only the bees commence 
to extract the juice. But bee-keepers are too 
much interested to allow their pets to be 
charged with irespass. Some claim bees do 
not stmg grapes, which is true ; but they don’t 
say bees do not out grapes 1 In my experience 
as a bee manager aud a grape grower, I may 
say that fifty and sixty years ago I had a 
pretty large number of bee stocks, and at the 
same time I had a variety of grapes. The 
bees did not injure the grapes, aud all the 
trouble I had was with the birds; but a few 
doses of powder and shot would relieve me of 
their depredat ions. I then had the black bees. 
My grapes would hang ou the trellis or on 
tiees till taken down or ruined by hard frosts. 
But a i haDge has taken place since the Italian 
bees have been introduced. These are stronger. 
Borne say they collect more honey, and a writer 
once said, “ While the black bees can fly five 
miles, the Italians can tty seven miles,” which 
may be true. Now for the last eight or ten 
years the Italian variety has nearly- in every 
apiary taken the place of the black ..ees, and 
the result, at least to grape growers, is that 
they depredate to a ruinous extent on 
grapes. Writers on grapes tell us we ought 
to leave the grapes ou the vines some weeks 
after they ure ripe ; but if we try that plan, 
we shall surely huvo none to take off. Then 
we are told to put the bunches in paper-bags. 
That plan, of course, will secure them from 
bees; but it is a great trouble and difficult, as 
many bunches are entangled with the tendrils, 
leaves and vines. As an amateur grape--grower 
I seriously feel the trouble of the bee encroach¬ 
ment on my grape patch, having over 100 old 
anil new varieties of this desirable fruit. When 
my neighbors’ cattle or hogs trespass on my 
giound, 1 have a remedy at law for damages; 
but there is no remedy against these little 
thieves. Prof. Cook quotes Prof. Riley as 
saying, “Bees do notnaturally- injure grapes,” 
and udds, “thisis certainly true.” Prof. Riley 
also says, “ During drought, wheu there are 
no flowers, they will attack sweet fruits, and 
Bometimea rupture their skins.” To this Prof. 
Cook demurs, saying that he has been trying 
for years to get proof, and has signally failed 
to And one authentic case where the bees at¬ 
tacked the grapes, but he thinks birds and 
wasps first cut the skins and only' then do the 
bees suck the juice. 
Now if Prof. Cook, or any other scientist, 
oould have been at my place during the ripen¬ 
ing of the grapes for the last three or four 
years, and would have made an unprejudiced 
examination of the matter, I am confident he 
would have changed his opinion. Here, these 
little insect depredations are getting to be a 
great drawback to the growing of grapes. 
To pay a high price for plants, grow them 
with great care for years, and tbeu to be de¬ 
prived of our time, money and labor by such 
small depredations is, to say the least, very 
