OF THE FINEST QUALITY 
FOR FARMand GARDEN. 
SEND FOR ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE. 
A. D. COWAN & CO. 
GROWERS & IMPORTERS 
114 CHAMBERS ST. NEWYORK 
APRIL U 
that is not always the case. The rains of 
Spring and Summer and the frosts and snows 
of next Winter shall settle the soil and show 
many a pucker where all was very smooth a 
year ago. In sowing use plenty of seed, rakg 
it in lightly (for this purpose I prefer a wood¬ 
en or a > v ire rake to an iron one) and roll the 
ground. 
opinion of Mr. Thomas Meehan in the praise 
of the pear in question, regarding its excellent 
quality and freedom from blight. It should 
be remembered that this opinion was expressed 
iu 1880, and, in justice to Mr. Meehan, would 
it not be l ight to say that he has modified his 
opinion since then, having recorded cases of 
absolutely worthless Kieffer Pears, and also 
instances where the tree has suffered severely 
from the genuine fire blight. 
Yes, Mr. Parry, every cultivator of the 
pear has had, and will have at one time or the 
other, Vicars, Flemish Beauties, Duchesses and 
Bourn's d’ Anjou that were not worth eating, 
and of course we must, not expect the Kieffer 
to form an exception to the rule, even if it is 
all that its introducers claim for it, aud I do 
not think that a free discussion of its merits 
and demerits will injure any one in the least, 
but will prove to be of incalculable benefit to 
those of us who seriously contemplate planting 
trees of it extensively hereafter. 
Queens, L. I. Chas. E. Parnell. 
ROOT CROP SEEDS 
Go over your grass plots aud lawns, and with 
an iron or wire rake rake off all sticks, stones, 
old decayed grass and other rough material 
that would be likely to deface your lawn or 
blunt your scythe or mower. Where the 
grass has died out altogether either dig it up 
and re-sod or sow it, or unfasten it with a 
fork and resow it: where it has died out but 
partially, unfasten it with a fork and loosen the 
surface with an iron rake and sow some seeds 
upon it: where the grass is thin, scratch the 
surface with a rake and sow some seed, and in 
every case roll the ground after you sow it. 
Where moss, Mouse-ear duckweed, Creeping 
Speedwell aud the like take possession of the 
lawn to the detriment of the grass, they should 
be raked out and off as well as possible with a 
sharp, long-toothed (a new one is just, the 
thing) iron rake, aud a heavy dressing of rich 
earth, say half loam aud half old, well-rotted 
manure added, and sow some seed. The pres¬ 
ence oi these weeds is mostly caused by shade 
aud poverty of the soil, also by enervated 
grass caused by too frequent and too close 
mowing. Newly-made luwns are often sadly 
defaced and the young grass injured by weeds 
produced from seeds that may have come in 
the manure or luiu dormant, in the earth; pull 
out those weeds wherever you may find them. 
As the frost is leaving the grouud aud the earth 
is moist and soft, now is an excellent time to 
go over our lawns aud root out Dandelions, 
Chicory, White-weed, (Jocks or any other peren¬ 
nial weeds whatsoever. And, too, this is the 
proper time to roll our lawns and reduce to 
smoothness the puckered surface caused by the 
frost; and occasional rollings after this in 
moist weather will maintain this smoothness, 
lu resodding lawns do not use sod that is full 
of Couch Grass or Sorrel. The earlier your 
grass is sown aud your sodding done after the 
earth becomes mellow, the better chances shall 
it have for getting well established Indore the 
heat and drought of Summer overtake it. Do 
not spare the water on a newly sodded grass- 
plot. LEON. 
MANGEL WURZEL AND SUGAR BEETS. 
Per lb. Per 5 lbs. Per 10 lbs. 
Henderaon’a Large Red mangel. GOc. $2.50 $4.50 
Norblton LiantLon? Ked ZTIansrel. GOc. 2.50 4.50 
(■oldeu Yelloxv Ta nkard Ylansel (Seec-r.t . li'c. 2.50 4.50 
Yellow Ovoid yiangel. GOc. 2.50 4.50 
Ked Ovoid ITIangel. GOc. 2.50 4.50 
Henderson’s YelTow Globe Ztlangel .. GOc. 2.50 4.50 
Lime’s Imperial Sugar Beet. 50c. 2.00 3.75 
AVliite Sugar Beet. 40c. 1.75 3.00 
CARROT 
GEN. WM. II. NOBLE, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONN. 
LFor Illustration see page 233.] 
I am going to re-iuforce a little the Rural’s 
late article on the Berberry. You well 
describe it as one of the most interesting 
shrubs. One species, I believe the Canadian, 
is a native, and the other lias been so long 
grown in this country that specimens can be 
found in all the woodland edges and field 
hedges; but there is great variety in the style 
of its growth and the fullness of its bloom. 
Some plants are very stiff and upright, yielding 
most niggardly racemes of flowers and fruits. 
I have two bushes of this plant, one of 
which is a seedling, and the other procured I 
do not know where, both producing very long 
racemes fringed with large flowers and fruit¬ 
age. The seedling is one of the most lovely 
plants that 1 have ever seen while yet in 
foliage, aud even after the foliage falls, its 
fruitage clings to it until the Spring in rich 
arches of scarlet drapery. It retains its grad¬ 
ually bronzing foliage until the early Winter. 
I think if placed in a sheltered situation it 
would be nearly an evergreen. Where it stands 
it takes the thrash and hammer of north west 
winds through miles of unbroken sweep. 
Of this we may say. as of a great many 
woodland plants near-by our homes, that we 
may go a good deal further aud fare worse 
thau to establish the showy plant in our bor¬ 
ders. When one has a flue blooming plant of 
this character, its propagation from the seed 
is one of the easiest of any of the shrubs. I 
find this and the Syringa springing up by 
thousands all through my grounds. 
Now that Spring-time is here I want to call 
attention to another plant that is very much 
neglected—that is the Forsythia suspeusa, or 
Weeping Forsythia. I like the plant better 
than the Forsythia viridissima in the blooming 
season. It has a better shaped flower, of a 
brighter yellow aud a little earlier. The only 
advantage that the Forsythia viridissima has, 
is its bronze foliage, holding so late in the Fall. 
But what I write this article for particularly, 
is to call attention to the capacity of the For¬ 
sythia suspensa as a climber. With care and 
enrichment at the roots it may lx* run np to 
the higljt of any verandah, provided-the suck¬ 
ers are cut out, excepting now and then one, 
to run up aud replace the old one when it be¬ 
comes h-eble. In this position, except iu its want 
of fragrance, it is about as showy aud of the 
same color as the Carolina Yellow Jassawine 
which is so lovely a climber about the woodlands 
and around the homos away down in Dixie. 
[The F. vir. makes a handsome little tree when 
confined to one stem.— Eds.] 
And, now that l think of it, one of the most 
beautiful sights 1 ever saw iu a woodland was 
a Yellow Jassumin \ in tall bloom, climbing 
up a Red-Bud or Judas Tree, among whose 
branches were intert wined those of the scar¬ 
let Southern Horse-chestnut. This about paid 
for a ride at Confederate expense, from Au- 
dersnuville across Dixie to Vicksburg. 
[Gen. Noble sent to this office a number of 
fruiting branches of the Berberis ho describes 
above, from twoof which our drawing was 
made. Ve have never before seen so much 
fruit upon any of the several kinds growing 
at the Rural Grounds or elsewhere.—E ds.] 
Per lb. Per 5 lbs. Perl 'lbs. 
75c. ;3.00 $5.50 
75c. 3.00 5.50 
GOc. 2.50 4 50 
GCc. 2.50 4.50 
Danvers. (See cut). 
Improved Long Orange 
Large ’White Belgian... 
Yellow Belgian. 
Improved American Ruta 
Bagu. (Seecut'. 
Red Top Strap Leaved.. 
Yellow Aberdeen. 
Yellow tilobe. 
Yellow Stone. . 
At a ho re loir Tates, purchaser pays Express eharyes. Ti> trill, hoirerer, send 
bp mail, if postage is added at the rate of Id cents per pound. 
l~- PETER IIENBERSON’S Essay on "ROOT CROPS FOR FAR7I STOCK,” 
which contains instructions for culture aud winter preservation, sent free to all purchasers 
from this advertisement . To others, mailed on re© Mpt of 15 cents. 
Our Catalogue of Seeds and Plants for 1883 free to all. 
PETER HENDERSON & CO . 35 
I : .C lb.,75c by mail. I* c.fv.00 
* 5 Hush. $ii ui Bhl.Si5.ro 
4 IWUttU&iii W F’. «. Of Hebron. 
wttiiuijiAlM • Ml “. E’ephunt each 
hush nt)|. s» For 
Early Gem. lioston Market, Rural Jilush, 
Hall's Early I’enrhMme, Iloehester Favorite, 
Vick's Prise, Early Sunrise and 30 other valua¬ 
ble new varieties sec my Catalogue. Free to all. 
Iwaae F. Tllliiiglia.«t, La Pluinc, Pa. 
SEED POTATOES 
containing 2 bushels each (hues free/: White Star, 
SS.IA); Wall’s Orange,81'UHr Belle. $2.01; White Whlple. 
82.0); Brownell’s Best, $8.50. Stock tlrst class ana 
Pure. These very low prices are made to speedily 
close out stock on hand. Order at once. Remit by 
N. Y. Draft or Registered Letter. 
JOS. E. POTTER, Genoa. Cayuga Co., N. Y. 
17bite Elephant Potatoes for sale at $1.50 p 
T el or $4 per bbl. Address I. BAl LE5 
Canton, St. Lawrence Co. 
NOTES AND COMMENTS, 
onrnill nninro fur largeauantltieA. Fine 
ortUAL rrlluto 
5 ellow Dasybr Ostos Seei>. Descriptive Catalogue 
of other Seeds, Plants, Vines, etc., mailed free. Ad 
dress JOHN H. MYERS, Saratoga Springs, N. Y. 
HARDY AND PRODUCT 
IVE. The best late Peach. 
A stock of trees for sule. 
Mr. N. J. Sheperd’k notes on tomatoes, 
as published in the Rural of Jan. IS., page 
17, prompt me to say that, so far as my expe¬ 
rience extends, 1 have always obtained the 
most satisfactory results by giving them a 
moderately rich, deep soil. Grown in a poor 
or shallow soil, they are not productive; the 
fruit is small and of indifferent flavor, in a 
\ cry rich soil they grow too much to vine anil 
foliage: then they are not inclined to lie fruit¬ 
ful, and, moreover, what, fruit they do pro¬ 
duce is small and of inferior quality. I should 
say, on the whole, that a moderately rich, 
deep soil, good cultivation, with a full expo¬ 
sure to the sun, are desirable iu order to obtain 
a satisfactory and profitable crop of tomatoes. 
HE RY LETTS, Youngstown, N. Y 
Imperial Tree Bean 
Best and most productive In cultivation. Circulars 
Free. E. Y. TEAS, Dltnrdth. Henry County, Ind. 
SMALL FRUIT PLANTS 
strawberries. Raspberries, Blackberries, Grapes, 
&c. Good plants at reasonable prices. Semi for full 
descriptive price list to COE & CONVERSE, 
Fort Atkinson, Wls. 
NEW AND CHOICE VARIETIES OK 
a specialty. Wall's Orange, Belle,Duchess and others 
Send portal tor prices, which are moderate. 
BEN. F. HOOVER, Galesburg, Ill. 
EED POTATOES,new sorts; Northern Wls, grown: 
' low prices. Write D. GREENWAY, Dari ford, WN 
A NEW TOMATO 
The ROCHESTER is the product of a cross be¬ 
tween the Acme nnd Lester’s Perfected, and Is own 
sister to the Mayflower. As large as the Garfield, but 
as smooth as the Acme. It is undoubtedly the lar¬ 
ge*! smooth Tomato. Firm, dark skin; bears 
transportation well; absolutely no core; ripens 
close to the stem; did not decay last season on heavy 
or light soil; delicious flavor. For sale by the 
packet only. ’25 cts.; five packet-. !$1.00. 
HIUATI SIBLEY A: CO., Seedsmen, 
Rochester. N. Y. Chicago, til. 
Propagated aud for sale by J. M. STONEBRAKER 
Panola. 111., nnd 410 \V. Baltimore St , Baltimore, Mil. 
Circulars giving price, history, and much other Infor¬ 
mation, malled/rvc on application, to any address. 
WHEN you prepare your bills for tomatoes 
this season mix a little bone-dust or ashes with 
the manure in the hill, and notice how much 
the crop will bo improved thereby. But do 
not leave the manure in a heap in the hill, but 
mix it thoroughly aud deeply with the soil by 
menus of the hoe or fork. 
THE RURAL 
Premium Corn. 
Thoroughbred Flint, 
aud Rural Deut. 
Price of each, *25 cents per packet: 60 cents 
?r pint: $1.00 per quart, bv mail, post-paid. 
J. K. BLISS & SONS, 34 Barclay St., N. Y. 
My attention has just been called to an ar¬ 
ticle in one of our horticultural publications 
relative to old strawberry plants, the writer 
claiming that old plants, or those that have 
fruited, are as good as, if not better than, 
young plants for Summer planting. From an 
experience of several years, l can confirm his 
opinion, and when short of plants for Spring 
pluntingi have used old plants, and. except 
from a few varieties, always obtained very sat¬ 
isfactory results. Indeed, 1 am almost inclined 
to tiie opinion that old plants, if properly 
planted and cared for, will produce almost as 
satisfactory a crop as potted plants planted at 
the same time. This statement some may lie 
inclined to doubt, but all 1 would say to 
doubters is, give the plants a fair trial, say with 
two or three rows this season, and report the 
result. 
Pt&ntsfor jfl.BO, Si'M.li.,i 
E. Fassett A Biu.. ArtiUkbuls.O. 
Price & Knickerbocker 
SO STATE STREET. ALBANY. \. Y. 
We offer a complete Imeof Vegetable A Flower 
SUGAR CANE SEED 
EArlv Amber. Early Orange, Texas Orange, Hon¬ 
duras. Liberian, and Stewart's Hybrid Fane Seeds, 
raised separate aud kept sound ami pure, for sale In 
large or small quantities, at reasonable rates, by 
•Messrs. Schwarr X Gillespff>, of the Oak Hill Refining 
Co. Prices on application. Address 
SCHWAR2 i GILLESPIE, 
Lock Box 69L Edwardsville, Ill. 
Tile for Blanching Celery.— I had 
heard common four-inch tile recommended 
for blanching celery. I procured a few 
samples of drain tile and placed them over 
the celery bunches about the 1st of September, 
and withn hoe drew the earth up about half the 
bight of the tile. The hot sun had a bad effect 
on it; when 1 pulled the bunches they were 
handsomely blanched, but the greater part of 
the stalks wore dry, lacking the freshness and 
crispness of those which had t>een blanched by 
the earth process. Not satisfied with this ex¬ 
periment, about the 1st of October l again em¬ 
ployed the tile treatment thi' same as before; 
this lime with success; the hunches wore 
beautifully blanched, fresh and crisp. My 
opinion, therefore, is that for kite’ blanching 
tile can be used successfully, but that, on the 
whole, counting the expense and care of tile, 
it is no improvement or saving on the old 
process of heaping earth up round the plants, s. 
CATALOGUE 
{EE. It contains list of all the new anil te 
NOVELTIES 
X THE LEA DINK VARIETIES 
POTATOES! 
itlhew’s, New 5 ork unit Planet, 
SEED DRILLS 
jANET, Jr. nr LTIV A TORS a 
HORSE HOES 
tcc in FRIZES will be raid TO Bnve 
DOO* FOR HARDENING'. BUT5 
Send for a tree specimen COP) of the April No. of 
•Seen Time and Harvest,” for full particulars. 
Isaac K. Tilliugliust. La Plume, Pa. 
But I would here say that some varieties are 
not at all suited for this purpose. Old plants 
of llovoy’s Seedling, Seth Boydon, Triomphe 
do (land, aud some others are useless for this 
purpose, and I would not advise any one to 
try them; but old plants of Green Prolific, 
Chas. Downing, Hharploss and some others 
will always produce satisfactory results. 
CARDEN, ^^best"qttatatttk^ 
FIELD & f lowest PRICES. 
Fl f* \AJ CD I IUoattAted it Descriptive Cota 
I" LU MV C. rt«| logne nulled on application 
J. M. M'CULLOUGK’S SONS, 
iSiubuihed is3tj 13b Walnut St., Cincinnati,^ 
Send for circulars before purchasing. .Market 
Hardeners will do well to write for special price*. 
I have carefully perused Mr. Parry’s ar¬ 
ticle on the Kieffer Pear (see Rural of Jan. 
20, page 35), aud notice that he quotes the 
PRICE & KNICKERBOCKER 
