JAM 27 
THE RURAL f3EW-Y©BIIiR. 
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OUE ANIMAL POKTRA1TS. 
JERSEY BULL, LORD BACON, 4,334, A. 
J. C. C. 
TfiK Jersey bull au excellent likeness of 
which is given at Pig. 38 first page, is the 
property of S. C. Kent, of the Avon Stock 
Farm, West Grove, Pa. He is a very hand¬ 
some beast, handles remarkably well and has 
excellent dairy points. Here is his pedigree: 
Lord Bacon (4:334) A. J. C. C. H. B. 
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PRINGLE’S SURPRISE-WYSOR’S EU¬ 
REKA WHEATS-THE RURAL 
CROSS-BREEDS CONTINUED. 
NOVELTIES IN TOMATOES. 
Livingston’s Last New—the Favorite; the 
Mayflower. 
NEW WATERMELONS. 
Second Year’s Report on the Cuban Queen— 
Landreth’s Boss. 
PRINGLE’S SURPRISE WHEAT. 
A few heads of this wheat were sent to us 
several years ago by Professor Blount, of Col¬ 
orado, he having received bis seed from Mr. 
Pringle. In 1881 we drilled in 13 rows, Sep. 
30. About 75 per cent, was winter killed. 
The grain is hard and half-translucent. The 
heads averaged 3}^ inches long, though many 
were six inches long, as shown in the engrav¬ 
ing, which is true to life. The breasts aver¬ 
age eight to a side—three kernels to the breast. 
The straw grows to the hight of four feet. 
In reply to a note of inquiry, Mr. C. G. 
Pringle writes us as follows ; 
Charlotte, Vermont. 
“My No. 4 wheat (thus numbered only in 
samples of wheat sent to Professor Blount for 
trial) is a cross between the Chili Club, the 
soft, white variety widely grown on the Pa¬ 
cific Coast, and the M ichigan Club, once com¬ 
mon over our Northwestern States. Under 
the name of Pringle’s Surprise the entire 
stock was sold two or three years ago by my 
agent to the Commissioner of Agriculture, 
Le Due, for distribution.” 
The past season (Sept. 12) we planted a plot 
of this wheat, one grain 10 inches apart, each 
way. "We prize it for its showy heads and 
hard kernel, and therefore retain it for use in 
crossing, another season. See Fig. 41. 
wysor’b eureka. 
This was sent to us by the originator, in 
1881, and sown Sept. 31. It wds the earliest 
of any of our then 80 varieties to ripen, being 
ready to harvest July 4th, though the season 
was very backward. It grows to the hight 
of only two to two-and-a-balf feet. The heads 
average three inches—six breasts to a head; 
three kernels to a breast, the kernels large and 
hard. Our eugraving, from nature, shows the 
average head. We now present Its history, 
with which Mr. Wysor has favored us : 
HISTORY OF THE EUREKA. 
For more than forty years the Red Medi¬ 
terranean Wheat has maintained a deserved 
popularity, and if we include one of its types 
from which it can hardly be distinguished— 
the Lancaster—is to-day more largely planted 
than any other variety. During this period, 
scores of new sorts have beeu brought out, 
and after living short and fitful lives, have 
come to early and unregretted ends. Dark, 
coarBe, and giving flour scarcely better than 
that from rye. the Mediterranean was 
first imported to take the place of finer kinds 
which had yielded to the attacks of the midge, 
but under continued cultivation in our cli¬ 
mate, it has bo improved that it now stands 
at the head of the list for making rich, strong 
flour. I have more than once had occasion to 
refer to its merits in the Rural’s columns, 
and have been supported in my estimate of 
it by many others, particularly by Mr. Wood¬ 
ward. Early, hardy aDd vigorous in consti¬ 
tution, resisting rust and fly, if the ears were 
not so loose, the spike lets not so far apart 
and if they carried more than two kernels, 
and the straw was not so soft and yielding, 
we should have in it all desirable qualities. 
The Boughton, too, is another wheat which 
was received with considerable favor and 
largely cultivated between the years IRrtO and 
1875. This is evidenced by its many local 
uames, such as New York Flint, Tappahan- 
nock. Early May, Zimmerman, etc. Belong¬ 
ing to the class of bald, white flints, very early 
and productive, and making a choice flour, 
it was a desirable variety. Rather tender, 
and becoming unproductive, it is not now 
planted to any great extent, and cannot be 
found pure. I have for years thought a union 
of the good qualities of this wheat with those ' 
of the Mediterranean, in a new variety, would 
give us what we havesolong wanted. I have, 
therefore, frequently attempted to cross 
them, but without any result till the year 
1879, when I obtained a few grains which 
have since given rise to the wheat I now call 
" Eureka,” thinking “ I have found it”—some¬ 
thing that will please both the miller and the 
farmer. The “ Eureka” is bearded, its straw 
short and wiry, ears short with breasts close 
set, and filled with three to four large, plump, 
flinty kernels. It is several days earlier than 
the earliest variety with which I am ac¬ 
quainted; does all its tillering in the Fall, 
spreading out flat on the ground, and not 
standing up in tall bunches during the Win¬ 
ter, like the late kinds. When the Spriijg 
comes, th« stems are ready to start at once 
from the ground. On account of its filling so 
much sooner than the general crop, I have 
bad much difficulty in preserving it from the 
birds, and in the second year came near los¬ 
ing it altogether. In 1881, thinking to get 
the better of the birds, I planted it in the cen¬ 
ter of a wheat field, but they quickly found 
it out. and before I was aware, had destroyed 
two-thirds of it. In order to save it, I have 
been obliged to cut it green, every year. For 
the reasons mentioned, I am unable to give j 
any accurate estimate of its yield, but I have I 
such confidence in its productiveness, that I 
have no fears as to the result of its trial this I 
year in the Rural’s Grounds ; it will not give 
precedence to any of the 43 varieties with 
which it is tested. I shall be pardoned for say¬ 
ing, for I honestly believe it, that I have in this 
variety a wheat which will succeed in any 
State where Winter sorts can be grown, and 
one that, if any Winter wheat can be made 
to do po, w ill answer tbe conditions in the 
Spring-wheat States. As it will be two years, 
under favorable circumstances, before the 
“ Eureka” can be offered for sale, I should 
not at present have published any notice of 
it, if the Rural had not so requested me. I 
sent a few grains to be tested on the Rural 
Farm, in the Fall of 1881. I am not informed 
what has been the result. A small quantity 
was also sent this Fall (1882). 
Tbe Rural has insisted that improvement ; 
in wheat must consist in lengthening the ears, 
and in increasing the number of kernels to 
the breast. These are good things to be looked 
after, but it has said nothing about what, in 
my judgment, is a far more important matter 
— earliness, combined, of course, with hardi¬ 
ness. All the long-headed kinds so far pro¬ 
duced are late, which is equivalent to saying, 
that they are worthless for general cultiva¬ 
tion. Furthermore, no variety has yet been 
produced which will stand cultivation as 
practiced with Indian corn. When we get 
such an one, we may look for immense yields. 
Given a variety with kernels large enough to 
plant in 18-inch squares, and which will ad¬ 
mit of culture with the hoe and plow', and 
supposing every plant to produce one gill of 
grain, we have a yield of 75 bushels per acre, 
or double that if we allow one half pint to the 
plant. It is not unreasonable to believe that 
this is something to which we may look for¬ 
ward in the future.” 
RURAL CROSS-BREEDS CONTINUED. 
Of the cross between Velvet Chaff and an 
unknown kind, of which a portrait is pre¬ 
sented at Fig. 39, we have only to say that it 
resembles chiefly the Velvet Chaff, the female 
parent, though the heads grow longer and 
the chaff is less “ velvety,” The straw grows 
to the hight of five feet, is very strong, but, 
thus far, it ripens late and the heads mildew. 
TOMATO NOVELTIES. 
There are two tomatoeB brought before the 
public of late w hich are claimed to be a step 
or so in advance of those hitherto cultivated. 
One is the Mayflower, the other Livingston’s 
Favorite. Both were tried here the past sea¬ 
son beside a dozen others. 
The Mayflower is in color a bright yellow¬ 
ish-red and in shape generally round, slightly j 
flattened, smooth and firm. It sometimes 
doubles up like the grub of the May Beetle, if 
w r e may be excused the comparison. It does 
not always ripen about the stem. Upon cut¬ 
ting several in two equal parts and then again 
dividing these crosswise and lengthw-ise it was 
found there were fewer seeds and more solid 
flesh than in specimens of the Paragon or 
Acme similarly treated. They ripened with 
the Acme, though the vines were far more pro¬ 
lific. Six tomatoes of the best form, selected 
from the largest,weighed two pounds six und- 
a-half ounces. 
Livingston’s Favorite will next season be 
offered by seedsmen for the first. It is so 
nearly the form and color of the Mayflower 
that one description answers for both. Per¬ 
haps it is rather firmer and ripens more uni¬ 
formly about the stem. As to these differ¬ 
ences we do not speak positively, since they 
were not so marked but that a slight difi erence 
in location and conditions might have served 
to produce them in the same variety. Six of 
the largest of good form weighed two pounds 
nine ounces. This tomato may be considered 
an improved Paragon. As a matter of fact 
there is too little difference between the Per¬ 
fection, Favorite, Paragon and Mayflower. 
Except that the Perfection runs more to a 
yellowish color, we doubt very much if the 
originators w r ith a basket of each before them 
could correctly name them. 
The Acme, Mr. Livingston’s first success 
among tomatoes, is very different from the 
above. It is not so firm: it has more seeds; 
the color is a pinkish red; it averages smaller 
and smoother, and is more inclined to rot. It 
is, moreover, less productive. Six of the largest 
weighed one pound flfteen-aud-a-lialf ounces. 
The weight of six Paragons was two pounds 
five ounces. Mr. Livingston informs us that 
it requires six bushels of tbe Favorite to give 
a pound of seed, and from three to three-and- 
a-half of the Acme to give a pound of seed. 
So far a* we are aware the only efforts to 
improve the tomato have been made by selec¬ 
tion. Thus the Acme, Paragon, Perfection 
and Favorite were all sports—that is,they were 
selected because the tomatoes differed from 
the others of the same variety. S o the Tro¬ 
phy, Gildeu Trophy, aui Gilden R ir.il wera 
“sports” in the same sense. 
As to earliness, we do not believe that any¬ 
thing whatever is gained by selecting seeds 
from the flint to ripen. We began seven to 
eight years ago to save the seeds of the first 
of our tomatoes to ripen, and this has been 
followed up every year since without any 
improvement in earliness that we can as yet 
discover. It would seem, as we have often 
said before, that it is time to cease our efforts 
to produce earlier tomatoes. Wa do not want 
them earlier. Q lr Southern m irkets supolv 
this demand most fully. Let, ns now breed 
for firmer, smoother tomatoes, of a better 
quality. Fig. 42 shows tbe typical form of 
the Acme; Fig. 43 of the Mayflower; Fig. 4t 
of Livingston’s last new tomato, the Favor¬ 
ite—all drawn from specimens grown here. 
WATERMELON TESTS. 
The watermelon is a peculiar fruit in sjan 
respects. Any variety is so influenced by soil 
and climate that though of the first quality in 
one place it is entirely worthless in another. 
This may be said of all fruits measurably, but 
not to the same extent. Wherever, for in¬ 
stance, a Baldwin apple, a Bartlett pear, a 
Concord grape, a Downing strawberry will 
mature, the variety may be recognized by it 
several distinctive qualities. In some places 
the white flesh (that between the green skin 
and the red or edible part) is much thinner 
than when grown elsewhere. In some sea¬ 
sons the flesh is very sweet; in others, though 
the melons grow to the same size, and fully 
ripen, it is insipid. 
Nevertheless, the quality of a watermelon 
is not altogether beyond our control. The 
situation, soil and variety are the more to be 
considered because of its variability. We 
have tested 12 different kinds the past season, 
and have to report as follows: 
Wysor’s Climax, Nos. I, 2 and 3: No. 1 
failed. The best specimen of No. 2 weighed 
22 pounds. White flesh (rind) one inch thick. 
Fourteen inches long, 12 inches in diameter. 
Flesb pink, sweet, rather coarse. Seeds 
white. Not a desirable variety here. Of No. 
3 the best specimen weighed 28’^ pounds. 
Rind from three quarters to one inch thick— 
IfiY inches long, 9 inches In diameter. Flesh 
rose color or pink, sweet and quite tender. 
Very few seeds, small and hlack. Fine ship¬ 
per. Skin dark, solid green. The quality is 
fully as good as Cuban Queen. Very prolific. 
Boss.—Skin dark green, veined with darker 
green, nearly black—never striped, Best ■ 
specimen 20 inches long, 10 inches thick. 
White flesh (rind) from one quarter to one- 
half inch thick. Seeds dark brown, nearly 
black. Flesh red, very sweet, melting and 
crystalline. Of the first quality. A good 
shipper. 
Cuban Queen. —This we have tried for the 
second year. The past season we distributed 
the seed about the neighborhood and the re¬ 
ports were all favorable. The only objection 
we have found to it is its variable shape, being 
sometimes round, sometimes (generally) 
thick oblong as shown in the engraving, Fig. 
45 which has already been published inmost 
farm journals. Many of the melons raised 
here under ordinary culture weighed 80 
pounds and the average size is larger than 
that of most kinds. The flesh is always solid, 
even if over-ripe. The white flesh (rind) aver¬ 
ages ab>ut half-an-inch thick. Fnlike most 
kinds its ripeness cannot well be tested by 
pressing upon it. The flesh does not give aad 
crack, owing to its solidity in part and in part 
to its shape and firm shell, if we may so des¬ 
ignate the rind proper. Tbe flesh is pink, 
rather coarse grained, not as sweet as the 
Boss, but sweet enough to suit tbe average 
taste. Borne consider this the Excelsior or 
Valparaiso. 
Anonymous,—T his was the second to ripen. 
Weight 14 pounds; 15 inches long; 7 in diam¬ 
eter. Skin dark green, nearly smooth, ob¬ 
scure streaks and veins of lizhter green, 
i Flesh pink, extending to within one inch of 
the green skin. Seeds black; quality me 
dium ouJy. 
Bradford. —Best melon 29 pounds. Irreg¬ 
ular stripes of a dark and lighter green. Two 
feet long, one foot thick. Rind nine-six¬ 
teenths of an inch deep. Flesh pink, not very 
sweet, seeds black. 
Crawtobd No. 9—Best specimen 21 pounds, 
17 Inches long, nine inches in diameter. Wide 
green, irregular netted stripes with narrow' 
irregular netted stripes of darker green. Very 
solid. Flesh pink, melting and tender. Rind 
half-inch thick. White seeds. A promising 
variety for this climate. 
Seeds of the Anonymous, Bradford and 
Crawford were sent to us by Mr. E. Morgan, 
of Eutaw, Greene Co , Ala. 
el } c tHunjavi). 
NOTES ON NEW AND SCARCE VARIE¬ 
TIES OF GRAPES. 
H. B. ELL4VANGER. 
Interest in new grupes is now very great, 
and raisers of seedlings are sure of command¬ 
ing attention when they offer anything of 
seeming merit. Although the Concord re 
mains the leading market variety, there are 
few producers who are satisfied with it as a 
table fruit, but so long as consumers know 
of nothing better it will be grown. Most of 
the intelligent amateurs, those who do not 
grow to sell, have learned to use other kinds 
for their own supply. 
Among the newer black grapes the follow¬ 
ing are prominent:— 
Burnet: a hybrid, not quite satisfactory as 
to its setting of fruit but of delicious Ham¬ 
burg flavor. It is worthy of the attention of 
all amateurs. 
Early Dawn: a very early sort, of splen¬ 
did quality, but not likely to be well grown 
by one in fifty. 
Janesville: about as good and digestible 
as marbles. 
Moore’s Early: belongs to the Concord 
type and is not of high quality, but is yet 
valuable for its earliness. 
