542 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
AFTER A HARD WINTER. 
T. H. HOSKINS, M.D. 
The Winter of 1884-S5 was the coldest 
known in Northern New England for at least 
a quarter of a century. The thermometer 
went lower, stayed low longer, and went low 
oftener than in other cold Winters, and all 
these things conjoined to produce a maximum 
of ill effects upon our fruit trees. In addi¬ 
tion, the snow wasslow incoming, the grouud 
not being permanently covered until near 
Christmas, so that unmulched trees suffered 
more or less from root killing. The only 
thing lacking to make it the worst of all possi¬ 
ble Winters for orchardists w’as a violent al¬ 
ternation of temperatures. The Winter was 
unbrokenly cold. 
Such a Winter is by no means an unmixed 
evil. For the experimental tree grower it 
was a genuine test Winter, enabling him to 
form a correct judgment as to the hardiness 
of his trees. With between one and two hun¬ 
dred species aud varieties in my grounds, I 
am able to report results which will be useful 
to many Rural readers along our Northern 
border and in the Dominion. 
The most prominent fact demonstrated is 
thegeueral worthlessness, "in the cold North," 
of all tree fruits of Western Europe. Apples, 
pears, plums and cherries were alike destroyed 
or crippled; hardly one, even of those of Can¬ 
ada, escaped. Nevertheless, the efforts of our 
Canadian neighbors have not been without 
their value, for their seedlings and selections 
give ns the hardiest of the West European 
stock. That there is a vast difference among 
them in hardiness, all with experience in 
growing them will allow, though 1 believe 
Prof. Budd does not think there are auy 
strictly “iron clad” sorts among them Some 
of the Northeast European varieties have 
been in this country for half a century, and it 
may be that among the hardiest sorts of New 
England few, if any, are free from admixture 
with this strain or race, or with the Siberian 
species, which has been still longer in Ameri¬ 
ca, and is, in some of its varieties, to be found 
in almost every orchard. The Siberian is 
quite as different in all its leading character¬ 
istics from the Russian, as it is from the Eng¬ 
lish and French apples, while the North Ger¬ 
man. Swedish and Polish tree fruits seem to 
be intermediate between those of Southwest 
Europe and those of Russia. 
Of all the apples iu southern New England 
but one came through last Winter unscathed. 
This is the Foundling, a native of Groton, 
Massachusetts. My trees came from Canada 
under the name of Late Strawberry of Mon¬ 
treal, which the Montreal Horticultural 
Society has decided to be the Foundling. The 
only perfectly iron clad Canadian apple is 
Pearl of Montreal—not a native, but impor¬ 
ted from France, and believed by Prof. Budd 
to b6 a true Russian. It is a very productive, 
beautiful and delicious September dessert 
apple, but must be ripened on the tree to de¬ 
velop its quality, and is then far too soft for 
shipment, being defaced by even the most 
gentle handling. T-ke hardiest native Cana¬ 
dian apple I have is the St. Lawrence, which 
seems to be'nearly as hardy as Wealthy; but it 
is a very poor bearer here, even on trees 17 
years planted, though on the Island of Mon¬ 
treal it is quite productive. The Fameuse is 
slightly less hardy than the St. Lawrence, and 
the McIntosh Red is certainly no hardier than 
the Fameuse, yet none of these were fatally 
injured or worse hurt than the Baldwin often 
is in Maine aud Massachusetts. Ben Davis 
and Clyde Beauty, apples of New York origin, 
and the hardiest 1 have tested from that State, 
were destroyed, as wa9 the excellent New 
York crab-hybrid Van Wyck Sweet. Of 
Mame apples, Cole’s Quince aud Koekwood 
are the hardiest I have tried, and were not 
hurt much more than the Fameuse. Of the 
natives of Southern and Western Vermont, 
Bottle Greening, Northern Sweet and Tin- 
mouth failed to stand the cold, as did also 
Granite Beauty of New Hampshire. The 
only native apple of Vermont, outside of this 
(Orleans) county, that proves strictly iron-clad 
is the Bethel. It is a pity that this fine apple, 
fully equal to the Baldwin iu every other 
point, is a shy bearer, especially when young. 
At a size when W ealthy yields a barrel per tree, 
the Bethel gives scarcely a dozen. Of our 
Orleans County seedlings the most valuable 
are Scott’s Wiuter and Newport Winter 
Sweet, Magog Redstreak being superseded 
by the Wealthy, Newport Wiuter Sweet is a 
thorough iron-clad, equal in all respects to 
Toltnau (which is not iron-clad) and much 
better for eating uncooked. 
Of Western apples,I can report well of Iowa 
Russet, a line apple received some 10 years 
since from Prof. Budd, and the only Russet 
that passed through last Winter unhanned. 
From Southern Minnesota. Giant Swaar and 
Rollin’s Pippin (received from A. W. Sias, of 
Rochester, Minn.) seem uninjured. The Giant 
Swaar is a very valuable apple—as good, I 
think, in every way among the yellow apples 
as Wealthy is among the reds. I am much 
pleased with it. The Wealthy was not in every 
case unharmed, though only a few were hurt, 
aud these were trees which had previously 
been hurt in the trunk by “sun barb blight,” 
i. e. injury froui the strong action of the sun 
on the southwestern side. The large majority 
of my Wealtbies are uninjured aud bearing a 
good crop for the off year. Wolf River, from 
Wisconsin, shows itself, much to my surprise, 
to be vulnerable, though not seriously harmed. 
And now for the Russians, which must, 1 am 
sure, be the best, if not the only reliance for 
the severest spots. We ought never to have 
placed Red Astrachan among these. Its 
hardiness is below that of Fameuse, and about 
equal to that of Tolman Sweet, Blue Pear- 
maiu and Westfield Seek-no-Furtber. None 
of these die, but all are practically wprthless 
here. Astraehau is only politically a part of 
Russia, with a climate like that of Southern 
New York. [It has been an integrant part of 
Russia, however, since its annexation by Ivan 
the Terrible in 1554, and its capital, of the 
same name, is the chief entrepot of Russian 
oriental trade; while the fishery of the 
Caspian and Volga, of which it is the head¬ 
quarters, is, next to that of Newfoundland, 
the most important iu tne world. Eds 1 
There is no other among the more than 50 
Russian apples I have tested that shows auy 
defect in hardiuess except Alexander, which 
is much hardier than Astrachan, though not 
ranking above Fameuse. Nevertheless, I 
have no doubt that degrees of hardiuess under 
extreme exposure will be found among the 
Russians, perhaps even here, but certainly in 
Dakota, Minnesota, Northern Wisconsin and 
Michigan, Manitoba and Canada. But for 
my location, the question of hardiness is elim¬ 
inated from the consideration, and we are 
left merely to select our sorts among the 
Russians on other considerations. The best 
so far in my orchard, in order of season, are 
Yellow Transparent, Tetofsky, Duchess of 
Oldenburg. St. Peter, Prolific Sweeting and 
Golden White. These are all summer and 
fall kinds. It is not yet time to determine in 
regard to winter kiuds, as we have not had 
them long enough to judge them certainly. 
Those I have in bearing, Borsdorf, Little 
Seedling aud the unknown sort illustrated in 
the Rural last Fall, though good keepers, are 
too small. The later importations, Antonovka, 
Titovka, (suppose we call them Antony and 
Titus) Arabka, Bogdanoff, the Winter Aperts 
and Anises, and theLongfield, are all apples of 
good size and quality, and from them and 
others of the same season, there is no doubt 
that good selections can be made, which will 
succeed in all parts of America likely to be 
inhabited by white men. 
As regards other tree fruits, last Winter 
wiped out all pears except the small Russians 
from Budd and Gibb; all cherries except 
Lieb, Large Montmorency and the Minnesota 
Ostheim seedling of Mr. Myers ; all plums 
except Arctic (injured), and the blue ami yel¬ 
low Orleans of Canada, and the Eastern and 
Western natives, and my only Russian, 
“Arab,” from Prof. Budd. It is evidently of 
no use for us to bother longer with auy of the 
tree fruits of Western Europe. The work 
already done by the Iowa Agricultural Col¬ 
lege, through Prof. Budd, In bringing over 
the hardy tree fruits of Northwestern Europe, 
propagating and distributing them, is a full 
return for all the inouey expended in estab¬ 
lishing agricultural colleges in this country. 
It is a sad thought that most of that money 
has been stolen or misappropriated by the 
literary colleges which have got their claws 
on it, or by the graduates of literary colleges 
who have got control of the institutions es¬ 
tablished with it. Every man who has had a 
band in these crimes ought to be in some State 
prison, and if this justice were done the pris¬ 
ons of most States could furnish their own 
chaplains from among their convicts, for 
ministers of the gospel have been foremost in 
the raid upon these endowments for indus¬ 
trial schools. 
Newport, Vt. 
BLACK KNOT. 
I have found black Japan varnish made 
with turpentine (not with benzine) a good ap¬ 
plication to the parts after cutting out the 
black knots on plum and cherry trees. Per¬ 
haps some Rural readers might like to try it, 
as it effectually prevents the reappearance of 
the excrescences. 
Remarks.— The remedial or preventive 
agent is the turpentine of which the varnish is 
made, and this alone, applied to the wounds, 
will kill all germs of black knot that may hap¬ 
pen to be left. The proper treatment ou large 
limbs that we do not care to remove and on 
the bodies of trees is to cut away the black 
knot carefully with a sharp knife, or other 
convenient tool, and apply the vamtsh or tur¬ 
pentine over the wound. But care must be 
taken that it does not come iu contact with the 
healthy bark, as it will also kill that.— Eds. 
When the Editor starts out to do a good 
work, I like to help him as far as I may. I 
therefore wish to say, without reservation, 
that I entirely agree wdtb him in his estimate 
of the red celery. It is hardier than the white 
varieties, looks much prettier on the table, and 
isricher in that peculiar uuttyflavor for which 
celery is chiefly valued. That the red varieties 
are not grown in preference to the white is alto¬ 
gether owiug, according to my observations, 
to a prejudice against their color. It is a 
prejudice, however, without reason, and will 
not bear even self-criticism. Iu like manner, 
there is a prejudice against black beans sim¬ 
ply because of their color; yet black beans are 
the richest of all beans. I think somebody 
has represented prejudice as a thief that steals 
away our reason; or he might have done so if 
he has not. How many readers of the Rural 
will try to prove that I am right by giving the 
red celery a trial 
* * * 
On p. 315 a correspondent speaks a good 
word for the so called Jerusalem Artichoke, 
which years ago was grown more than it is 
now. 1 have raised many bushels of it. The 
tubers are not only valuable for feeding to hogs, 
sheep, etc., but some people are fond of them 
as pickles, iu which form I like them myself, 
and consider them much more healthy than 
pickled cucumbers. They are also relished 
raw, cut in slices and seasoned with a little 
pepper and salt, with a little vinegar added. 
They are usually recommended to be grown 
like potatoes; but this is wrong, unless flat 
culture be followed. This artichoke is a 
tuberous rooted sunflower, (Helianthus tube- 
rosus,) and should be cultivated like a sun¬ 
flower. 
* * * 
I think I have heretofore praised the Acme 
harrow in this column. If not, I wish to do 
so now. It is a most excellent harrow, and its 
principle could be very usefully applied to 
another purpose. I want to suggest to the 
manufacturers that they make an Acme culti¬ 
vator on the same principle. There should 
be two sizes, and preferably expansible: one 
for a single horse, and another for two horses. 
Do not add any absurd coutri vance for throw¬ 
ing earth to the plants or drawing it from 
them. Let it remain a real Acme. Just such 
an implement is wanted for corn and potatoes 
when grown on sod, and for all other culti¬ 
vated crops. I want one now badly. The 
plow is altogether too much used as a cultiva¬ 
tor. There are some good cultivators in use, 
but most of them have attachments that are 
worse than useless to me, and intended for 
special purposes. When we go through a crop 
for the last time we want something that will 
kill the weeds and pulverize the surface with¬ 
out injuring the roots of the plants, and leave 
the ground level. An Acme cultivator would 
do that nicely. 
* * * 
Streptosolen Jamesonii a re-introduction, 
and formerly known as Browallia Jamesonii, 
seems to have come to stay this time. It is a 
handsome and desirable plant when properly 
grown, and a good addition to late winter 
blooming plants. The flowers, about half an 
inch in diameter, are orange-colored when 
they first open, but gradually turn to a deep 
orange red. The flowers are terminal or grow 
at the end of the shoots, and this should be 
remembered when growing the plant for 
bloom. The shoots may be multiplied by 
cutting back aud pinching, aud this should be 
begun not later than the first of August, and 
not continued too long if early bloom is 
wanted. It is naturally a free grower, and 
should not be overpotted or grown in too rich 
a soil. It grows readily from cuttings of the 
young wood. I find it to do well in an ordi¬ 
nary greenhouse temperature, but it will 
come into bloom earlier in the hot-house, 
where it should have plenty of light. 
* * * 
It seems to me that the proper use of the 
tuberous-rooted begonias is not yet well 
understood. Many improved and beautiful 
varieties are now known; but I fiud them 
to be chiefly grown in the hot house, and 
kept there during the early Bummer under a 
heavy shade. That larger flowers may be 
produced in this way may be admitted; but, 
as it seems to me, somewhat at the expense of 
the color of the flowers and the healthfuluess 
of the plants. Why, at much expense of labor 
and time, keep a plaut under glass at a time 
when it will do much better out of doors t 
1 have asked more than once, “Why do you 
coddle those plants under glass at this time of 
the year ?” The answer, in a majority of 
cases, has been in substance, “Oh, they are too 
tender to grow out of doors.” “Perhaps they 
are as you treat them; but I find them to be 
good bedding plants in the open air.” The 
response to this has often been a shrug of the 
shoulders, or some similar expression of want 
of faith. It is, nevertheless, true that, iu a 
small way. I have found the tuberous-rooted 
begonias to be very good and effective beddiug 
plants, being of comparatively little trouble, 
and yielding a good deal of satisfaction. For 
summer use they should be kept dormant dur¬ 
ing the Winter, aud treated generally very 
much as we treat B. Weltonionsis when in 
tended for out-of-door use, 
* * * 
I have found Begonia metallica to be a tol¬ 
erably good room plaDt. Iu a warm room 
with a sunny exposure, it retains a good de¬ 
gree of that beautiful metallic luster which 
makes it so charming iu a warm greenhouse. 
Its flowers, too, are very striking and pretty, 
and it is well worth a trial by those who de¬ 
light in growing plants in the sitting-room or 
parlor during the Winter. The plant needs to 
be abundantly and carefully watered, or it 
will drop its leaves. Youug plants are more 
easily managed than old ones in a room. The 
plant must not be crowded if you would see it 
at its best. 
* * * 
Speaking of begonias reminds me that I re¬ 
cently saw at Hallock, Son & Thorpe’s a 
charming new begonia of the Rex type. It 
was labeled Dontsell. which seems to me rather 
suggestive than descriptive. At all events, it 
was a plant to fix one’s attention. It resem¬ 
bles somewhat Louis Chritieu, but is a de¬ 
cided improvement on that very handsome 
variety, heiDg of larger growth and more 
brilliant coloring. TV hen it has been propa¬ 
gated, 1 shall certainly send for a plant, and 
shall probably receive it under some other 
name; but it will be just as lovely. 
* * * 
There was a time wheu the tide of Zonal 
Pelargoniums, Carnations, and some other 
things, set entirely from Europe to the United 
Btates; but that is changed uow, and the tide 
sets pretty strongly the other way. For this 
we are indebted chiefly to Mr. John Thorpe 
(of Hallock, Son & Thorpe.) whose beautiful 
seedlings are about as well known in England 
and France as they are at home, aud deserve 
to be, for they are confessedly unsurpassed, 
aud some of them, I may say, are as yet uu- 
equaled. 
* * * 
I advised a friend living a couple of miles 
away, and who runs a dairy farm, to sow a 
couple of acres of Hungarian Grass, about 
which he knew nothing, aud which is really 
almost unknown here. He is going to have a 
very flue crop; and I shall make it my busi¬ 
ness to see that he cuts it at the right time, 
which is just the poiut where many fail. His 
neighbors ask him what it is, and if he isn't 
afraid to experiment with new things, aud so 
on. So, you see, there are still pupils for the 
Rural’s a be class. How mauy there are 
all over the country, who have yet to learn 
that it pays to take a good farm journal! 
Horticola. 
NOTES AND COMMENTS. 
I can without hesitation iudorse all that 
the Rural has said in praise of the Yellow- 
wood (Cladrastis tinctorial, and 1 consider it 
to be one of the finest of lawn trees and really 
indispensable iu all choice collections. I have 
here a specimen over <KJ feet iu bight, which 
presented a magnificent appearance when in 
flower a few weeks ago. The advantages 
which may be claimed for this tree are its 
free, vigorous habit of growth; its perfect 
freedom from all insect pests, as well as the 
* pleasing and graceful appearance of its bright 
t green foliage. The pea shaped, pure white 
flowers are produced in large panicles or clus¬ 
ters iu the greatest profusion, even on very 
small trees; but, unfortunutely, they do not 
last for more than a few days. 
I notice that Mr. Henderson, in his Hand¬ 
book of Plants, in reference to the Cladrastis, 
says, “It seems to be perfectly hardy, though 
in many places it does not thrive well, aud 
but for that it would have but few superiors 
for the lawn.” Now, as far as my experience 
has extended, I would say that 1 have found 
it to be perfectly hardy in all situations and 
to do well after it has been given time to take 
bold of tho soil. I think Mr. Henderson’s 
case to have been an exceptional one, aud 
what he says does not hold good as a rule, so 
that there need be no hesitation iu placing 
this on any lawn. It certainly is deserving 
of the most prominent position that can be 
given it. 
Yes, Horticola (page 432) the Dogwood i 
well worthy of a place ou every lawn, aud 
such specimens as you describe must be truly 
magnificent during their season of bloom, and 
