THE BUBAL NEW-YORKER 
loam, and fertilized at the rate of 600 pounds 
per acre with potato chemical fertilizer. The 
yield was at the rate of 730 50 bushels to the 
acre; large and small 91,960 to the acre, or 
61-8 to the hill; tubers close together 
iu the hill. Shape, roundish-flattened; large 
eyes, buff skin splashed with purple. The 
best five weighed five pounds. There was 
a fair proportion of splendid tubers in this 
yield. The potato is uot as dry as might be, 
still the quality was thought to be very good. 
Our sketch (Fig. 130) gives the exact outliue 
of one of the largest and best formed. 
Lady’s Finger. Test 53 A. Raised under 
the same conditions as the Mercer reported 
last week, and nearly the same as those of 
the above test 1.88 At. This is an old variety, 
probably unknown to, and untried by, most of 
our readers. It is noted only for its peculiar 
form, which varies but slightly. As will be 
seen by our excellent cut at Fig. 121, it is long, 
cylindrical, tapering at either end, with the 
eyes so set as to give a surface of little hills 
and valleys very evenly distributed. The 
skin is a buff-white, the flesh yellowish and 
inferior in quality. The yield was at the rate 
of 886.00 bushels to the acre, ihe best five 
weighed but one pound eight ounces. Of large 
and small there were 182,253 to the acre, or 
13r>j to the hill, showing a very small average. 
Our potato tests of 1883 will be concluded in 
our next report. 
Remarks. —We have hastened the publica¬ 
tion of the reports of our potato tests that 
Rukai, readers might be guided in their selec¬ 
tion of seed tor this Spring. The fact that 
certaiu kinds of potatoes yield well or poorlv 
here, is no positive evidence that they will do 
the same iu other places. Quality also varies 
with climate, soil ami situation. Our dupli¬ 
cate experiments hare shown that the same 
which is to call the attention of vineyardists 
to a successful mndificatiouof this plan, which 
has been tried here for several years with such 
good results as to induce those who have tried 
it to extend its use in preference to any other. 
This Is known here as the “two long-arm s] r s- 
teni,’’ and consists iu the trainiug of two 
instead of four arms, the two having 10 or 12 
buds each, and branching from the main vine 
arms, as a rule, while the imperfect and infe¬ 
rior clusters are generally found on the lower 
arms. Probably some varieties of slow and 
weak growth cannot be trained in this way iu 
consequence of lack of ripened wood, but with 
me Delaware, Walter, 1 rentiss, and some of 
still less strength, have responded satisfac¬ 
torily; while such strong growers as Concord, 
Champion, Hartford, Duchess, Agawam, Sa- 
GOOSEBERRIES—ANY SUPERIOR NEW 
SORTS ? • 
This berry is the nicest of all for a delicate 
appetite, as it does not cloy. It n capable also 
of being cooked in a greater variety of ways 
than any other cerry. The shrub is the most 
hardy of all except the whortleberry, as it 
grows well and bears abundantly even in the 
poorest soils. I have proved this in a barren 
white sand, by manuring t he ground moder¬ 
ately with well littered stable manure, and 
mulching the shrubs thickly with coarse 
meadow hay or straw. This mulching has 
another great benefit, as 1 have found it a 
preventive of mildew, and also rust when used 
on heavier soils. 
In England the different sorts cultivated.are 
almost innumerable. What was formerly 
known as the Aster Red and Yoluuteer, now 
called the Red Warrington, has proved the 
most popular. It is of a remarkably, tine 
flavor, and keeps well till late in the season. It 
has a widespreading bush of vigorous growth, 
and is very prolific. Bushes 40 years old are 
now shown in England. The Early Sulphur is 
a good kind, ripens before the Warringtpn, 
and is much liked on that account. The ber¬ 
ries are of flee flavor, and we should call 
them of a large size, though in England they 
are rated as only medium. 
The Smith is the largest American berry I 
have yet cultivated; but it would be consider¬ 
ed quite small iu England, and reieeted there 
on that account. I hear of an improved va¬ 
riety or two lately produced in Canada, and if 
the quality is as good as the best we now 
VERMONT CHAMPION POTATO. 
From Nature. Fig 119, 
at or near the upper wire. These arms are 
pat over and around the upper wire, aud 
brought down to the lower one, to which they 
are tied tightly. A better plan, however, is 
to wind the whole length of one arm around 
the wire, leaving the other as before stated 
(gee Fig. 116). The arm running horizontally 
should be in the direction of the heaviest winds 
lem, etc., have given an over abundance of 
well-ripened wood for the long arms. 
Clintondale, Ulster Co., N. Y. w. v. G. 
THE NIAGARA GRAPE ONCE MORE, 
In reply to Mr. Parnell's inquiry in the 
Rcr.-vL of February 23, [ would say, certainly, 
from my experience, the Niagara would be a 
potato raised in light, leachy laud, may be dry 
and uiealy. while iu moist land it may be 
pasty. Nevertheless, our tests should furnish 
presumptive evidence, one way or the other, 
as to the more marked characteristics of the 
varieties tested. 
We have enlarged our trial grounds for the 
present season, and shall give mure time and 
study to the testing of new seeds and plants 
than ever before. Many of the novelties of 
France aud England, as well as of this country, 
have been ordered, while scores of friends, 
both abroad aud at borne, have entrusted us 
with the trial of seeds and plants not yet 
offered at all. 
- - 
THE SNOW FLAKE POTATO. 
Of all the varieties I have tried to raise, the 
Snow-flake has pro veil the best. Side by side 
with the Early Rose, it has yielded as many 
fair-sized tubers, free from rust aud as early 
as this old favorite. It keeps well all the year, 
aud cooks white and as flue as flour, besides 
oeing excellent iu flavor. 1 pronounce it 
faultless, aud shall continue to grow it for the 
table so long as it thus surpasses all others. 
Braintree, Vt. L. h. s, 
[It does not yield very well as a rule.—E ds.] 
THE WHITE PROBSTIER OATS. 
Iu a recent issue the P.ural advises farmers 
to try the White Probstier Oats. The advice 
is sound. I have tried many kinds, but of 
them all so far nine *has done so well as the 
above-named variety, and 1 have grown this 
sort continuously on the same form for 12 
have, and the size increased to 
three-fourths of an inch in dia¬ 
meter. it would be in great de¬ 
mand among us Although 
our Summer, south of the 42 
degree, is hotter and drier 
than that of any part of the 
Dominion, 1 am confident that, 
it well mulched, the shrubs 
would keep healthy, grow 
well, and produce abundantly. 
The English cottagers, with 
only a small garden to culti¬ 
vate. have been the originators 
of more superior sorts of 
gooseberries than any other 
class there, and they have 
grown them of larger size and 
with greater success. 
A. B. ALLEN. 
NEW GARDEN TREA¬ 
SURES. 
We had a revelation in early 
peas last year. I bad always 
considered Carter’s First Crop 
as first in this locality, but 
having received from the Edi¬ 
tor of the Rural a few speci¬ 
mens of the Emerald Gem to 
test in this climate, we sowed 
on the same day—April 2—the 
t wo above-mentioned varie¬ 
ties, with others that we ex¬ 
pected to come into use later. 
The Emerald Gem was fully 
years without chauge of seed, and without any 
apparent degeneration of its many good qual¬ 
ities. It is my candid opiuiou that the White 
Probstier are the best general crop oats grown. 
Schoharie Co , N. Y. G. c. w. 
£\)c IHitnjitriJ. 
THE “TWO LONG-ARM SYSTEM’’ OF 
GRAPE TRAINING. 
In this section of the Hudson Valley, the 
plan of training the grape most in use is the 
four-arm system, in which four short arms are 
Grape Trellis. Fig. 116. 
trained on a trellis, the first two about three 
feet from the ground aud the other two about 
feet. These arms usually show from five 
to seven buds each—five are enough, but seven 
may be left, to provide against accidents to 
some of the buds. This plan is so well known 
throughout the country that further descrip¬ 
tion would be superfluous to my purpose, 
of the locality. I have found less damage I capital stock upon which to graft feebler- 
done to vines Trained in this way than in the growing vines, for a more healthy orvigorous- 
ottier. 1 his is especially the case as regards growing vine I have never seen. But why do 
injury from spring gales, often so destructive we want to use it for that purpose; for to my 
in many localities. taste, and that of many others to whom I have 
Some of the advantages of this two long- shown it. the Niagara has no superior amoug 
arm system are these: simplicity and ecou- out-door grapes, many preferring it to the 
omy; less labor iu summer pruning or pinch- best California grapes. My vines, planted in 
LADY’S FINGER POTATO. From Nature. Fig. 121. 
iug-back; greater facility of cultivation, as 1882, have produced grapes equal in size, beauty 
the summer growth ts more out of the way; and quality to any 1 have ever seen grown tit 
aud better disposition of grapes for cutting, Loekport. From my experience l would say, 
as they are less tangled up when they fuil to ! if the Niagara is a humbug, I would gladly 
receive tile necessary straightening out at the [ be humbugged to the extent of 10 or 12 acres, 
proper time; aud, most important advantage 
of all, a greater yield of finer grapes. The 
reason of the greater aud better yield need uot 
be told here; but every observant grower will 
admit that his best fruit is found ou the upper 
Chester Co., Pa. j. william cox. 
[It seems to us quite absurd to claim that 
the Niagara bus no superiors as to quality 
among out-door grapes. We can not think 
that its quality will average better than that 
of the Concord.—Kp$, J 
a week in advance. A pea 
called M i in Crop or President Garfield, was 
remarkably prolific, but I never saw one 
equal to Latest of All. It really was the first 
time I hud seen a green, tender, juicy pea in 
September, aud I can confidently say that 
all through August, until September 5, peas 
of this kind were picked for the table. 
Vainly I begged. “Oh do keep them for seed.” 
They were too tempting to be resisted, aud 
we enjoyed them iu the present without any 
regard tor the future. 
A few seeds of one of Carter’s new Eschs- 
chultzia were also given me. The flowers 
were of a crimson-pinkish tint instead of a 
golden-ye low. It was regarded as a novelty 
b\ all who saw it. The Chiuese Primroses, 
Hoi born Gem, were said to be blue, but I fail 
to see any color but the palest pinkish-purpie. 
Not all mj wishing can give a blue shade to 
oue of the flow ers. The cinerarias are very 
line, quite an improvement on the old kinds, 
being more than twice the size, with large, 
distinct eyes. Altogether our testing of seeds 
is a pleasure, aud iu getting new varieties one 
learns liow they can be improved by dint of 
honest, intelligent perseverance. And if all 
who have gardens would study the catalogues, 
select what seems best suited to their ueeds, 
aud try something new every year, they 
would soon learn the value of improved sorts. 
Prov. Quebec, Can. ANNIE l. jack. 
[We have already reported upon the Emer¬ 
ald Gem as probably the earliest pea in culti¬ 
vation. 1 he Latest of All, as Mrs. Jack inti¬ 
mates, is a very desirable late pea. Both of 
