THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
in bouuds only by a free use of the knife, at 
one season of the year at least. If cut freely 
early iu August, it will be pretty certaiu to 
flower during most of the Winter. I have a 
plant that has been in a 12-inch pot for five 
years past; yet this pruning, and n little liquid 
manure occasionally, kept it in very tine con. 
dition, with a good show of bloom during the 
Winter. It is a plant that I should not like to 
oe without. I am told it is a great favorite 
among our English friend?. Well grown, it 
would be a beautiful plant for a conservatory. 
* * * 
I fear C. B. H. (p. 518) will have a long time 
of it in killing the poison vine with sulphuric 
acid. A few years ago 1 undertook to clean 
up a 12 acre lot that was completely filled with 
poison vine, cat briars, brambles, etc., the 
poison vine greatly predominating. It did 
not take me long to learn that ordinary rem¬ 
edies were useless here, and I determined to 
have the poison vine dug out, roots and all. 
1 accordingly hunted up 10 men, and put them 
to work with forked spades, with instructions 
to stir every inch of ground, aud throw the 
roots on the surface. The men had been select¬ 
ed because of their ability to withstand the 
poison, as they thought. At first there was a 
pretty lively fight between the poison vine 
and the rnen, and it looked as if the former 
would get ihe better of it; for most of the 
meu soon began to show signs of being tired, 
aud at the end of the fourth day’ six of them 
were flat on their backs, too sick “for auy 
thing.” The rest did not seem to mind. 
# # * 
It would he interesting to follow this mat¬ 
ter in detail to the end; but I will only say, 
for the present, that the roots were gathered 
in grtat heaps, allowed to dry, then burned < 
and the ashes returned to the soil. The 
grouud was graded aud then let alone for 
about a month. A splendid crop of weeds ap 
peared, dotted here and there with young 
plauts of the poison vine and bramble, grow¬ 
ing from pieces of root left in the ground. 
These were carefully removed by the spade, 
and that was the end of the trouble. Leaving 
out subsequent details, I will just say that it 
was now the middle of September, and by the 
middle of the following Sepiembertbe lot was 
covered with a beautiful mat of Kentucky- 
Blue Grass and White Clover, over which the 
lawu mower had already passed several times. 
The reader may think this was au expensive 
piece of work. On the contrary, it was quite 
cheap and economical, in view of the end ac¬ 
complished. 
* * * 
I am much pleased with the new Snowdrop, 
Galanthus Elwesif. 1 gave it a trial last Win¬ 
ter, aud it seemed to me to flower with more 
freedom and less trouble than the common 
snowdrop. The drooping flowers are pure 
white, very pretty, aud more than double the 
size of (I. nivalis. It is perfectly hardy. Give 
it a trial. Remember, if you grow it in a pot, 
that one bulb in a live-inch pot is not the way 
to do it. A dozen would be much better, as it 
is one of those plants that always look better 
with a little massing. One little bulb iu a big 
pot is apt to die from sheer loneliness. 
* * * 
Dr. C. Hart Merriam, bead of the Depart¬ 
ment of Economic Ornithology at Washing¬ 
ton, das lately issued a circular which is of 
special interest to farmers aud horticulturists. 
Its object is a thorough and practical investi¬ 
gation of the habits, useful or ottierwise, of 
all the birds common to the United Stales. 
What has hitherto been done by societies and 
individuals will uow he attempted, in a me? 
thodieal manner, under the auspices of the 
general Government I bespeak for this cir¬ 
cular the most careful consideration and ac¬ 
tive cooperation on the part of ult the readers 
of the Rural, Each oue should send for a 
copy, The press generally should call atten¬ 
tion to it. Dr. Merriam's address, until Oc¬ 
tober 1, will tie Sing Bing, N. Y., and after 
that Washington, D. (J. horticola. 
,p anm logical 
THREE FINE NATIVE PLUMS. 
PROFESSOR J. I. HU HD. 
Tint variability of the native plums of the 
West in leaf, bud, habit of growth, aud fruit, 
is very uppureut in our list of be»t varieties iu 
cultivation. From the list, I select three 
varieties which have given special satisfaction 
for u number of years on varied soils, and iu 
various parts of the Mississippi Valley. 
Tub Dk Soto was found uuur DeSoto, Wis¬ 
consin. The original orchard of 60 trees, 
started by a man of the name of Trayer, in 
1855 or 1856, is still iu good condition, mauy 
of the thickly planted trees having a trunk 
diameter of over id inches. The propagation 
of this variety was commenced by a Mr. Hale 
of Lausiug, Iowa, iu 1864. On all soils, the j 
trees come iuto bearing very youug, aud I 
rarely fail to perfect a good crop. The fruit 
is nearly round, with a distinct suture show¬ 
ing bloom. The size is about that of the 
Miner, but with a smaller, rouuder, and 
smoother pit. The flesh is Arm, yellow, tender, 
sweet, and good for either dessert or culinary 
use. When cooked with the skin, it gives 
little trace of the acerbity of the ordinary 
wild plum of the North. 
The Wolf was grown from wild plum pits 
by Mr. D. B. Wolf, of Wappello County, 
Iowa, about 80 years ago. On the grouuds of 
the originator it has not failed to produce a 
partial or large crop anuually for over a 
quarter of a century. It has also behaved 
well wherever planted, so far as heard from. 
It is a vigorous, upright grower in nursery, 
with soft, leather-cracked leaves, suggesting 
a possible cross with some foreign sort. The 
fruit is nearly as large as that of the Lombard, 
and peculiar in being largest uear the lower 
end and tapering toward the very small, shal¬ 
low basin. The skin is purplish-red, with a 
covering of silvery bloom. The suture is dis¬ 
tinct, and suggestive of some of the European 
prunes. The flesh is firm, yellow, tender, mod¬ 
erately sweet, and fair for dessert use. For 
culinary use it is best, as it shows uo trace of 
acerbity- of akin and is strictly a free stone. 
Thk Rollingstone was fouud near an old 
Indian camping ground on the Rollingstone 
River, in Minnesota. The tree is low and 
spreading and the foliage is peculiarly larg 9 . 
The fruit is about the size of the De Soto, 
uearly round, and with little show of suture. 
The skin i3 purplish-blue, with a heavy coat¬ 
ing of blue bloom. The flesh is firm, tender, 
sweet, and with the peculiar texture and fla¬ 
vor of the best European plums. The pit is 
larger, flatter aud its edge more acute on one 
side than is common to the Prunus Ameri¬ 
cana. The peculiar color of the fruit, and the 
general peculiarities of leaf, bud and color of 
shoot, are iu favor of the popular belief tha: 
the ludiaus brought this race of the plum 
from Wyoming Territory, where native blue 
plums are said to be indigenous. 
At present these varieties are singled out on 
account of their desirable fruit, joined with 
their perfect foliage and perfectly developed 
flowers, which seem to set a crop of fruit when 
the frost, the east wind, or some other one of 
the many reasons given for fruit failure, spoils 
everything else in the plum line, which so far 
has been widely tried with us. 
A’l College, Ames, Iowa. 
FALL TREE PLANTING. 
In conversation lately with a neighbor about 
planting fruit trees in the Fall, he said he did 
not believe iu fall planting. He knew that 
the agents generally advised people to plant 
in the Fall, and he supposed it was to the 
agents’ or nurserymen’s interest to get the 
trees off their hands at that season; but he 
thought the buyer would do better to get 
spring-dug plants. I told him I would plant 
apple and pear trees in the Fall, as they would 
have a better chance to live, and would make 
a better growth the first Summer. 
He inquired why there should be such a 
difference of opinion. I explain it in this 
way: the trees come from a distance, having 
been dug early in the Fall, and I would advise 
every planter to let all trees that are dug be¬ 
fore the leaves are ready to fall, go to some 
other buyer. As soon as planters learn to tell 
these early dug trees, they will lose all value, 
for of intrinsic value they have none for 
pluuting here; if they live at all, it will take at 
least oue year for them to recover from the 
injury caused hy early, aud too often, bad 
digging. A tree with roots three or four inches 
long may survive; it may even grow well, vet 
the man that plants good trees prefers roots to 
tops. It makes very litclo difference about the 
tops,so long as there are good strong roots, aud 
as they are usually sent out from the nurseries 
there is but little difference in the length of 
the roots of u one or three-year-old apple tree, 
and when they are setiu the orchard, if they 
are properly cared for, the one-year-old will 
bear first. 
The effect of the early stripping off of the 
leaves is to stop the flow of sap before the tree 
has ripened the late growth; and the effect.is 
precisely the same whether the denudation is 
done by insects or by niau. If anyone will 
notice where caterpillars take the leaves off 
in the Fall, he will find that the tree will fail 
to ripen and will wluterklll, as a rule, and 
sometimes the blossoms will open in the Full. 
I have seen oue lot of 500 apple trees that were 
dug in the Fall and almost stripped in Bum¬ 
mer, that lived, yet very few huve made or 
will make trees. I have also seen several 
huudreds dug at the proper lime and set in the 
Fall, that did better than spring set, all being 
out of the same lot of trees and set iu the same 
kind of soil. If ready to plant either apple or 
pear trees, oue had better set them iu the 
Fall when time permits. 
Mercer Co., N. J, jba J, bla.ca.well. 
&rd)itecturf. 
AN ABOVE-GROUND CELLAR. 
Several persons have asked for a plan and 
description of the best cellar that can be built 
above grouud where the country and soil 
preclude oue under ground. A cellar to be 
perfect, must be warm in "Winter and cool in 
Summer, and the same construction best se¬ 
cures both these requirements. Its walls may 
be built of stone, brick, or boards and saw¬ 
dust or charcoal-dust, as may be most con¬ 
venient. Probably brick will cost a little the 
most; but there is no material better suited 
for this purpose. 
The cellar shown in Fig. 408, is !Sx24 feet. 
Fig. 408. 
outside measurement, and ten feet high at the 
eaves. Its walls are 18 inches thick, con¬ 
sisting really of three separate brick walls 
with two air spaces between. The outer two 
are each four inches, or the width of a brick, 
with a three inch air-space between them. 
These walls should he laid with plenty of 
mortar so as to be air-tight, and should be 
“tied" together every five courses with strips 
of sheet-iron or hoop iron. These should be 
nine inches long, not going to the extreme 
edges of the walls. This will make a wall 
nearly as firm as though solid, and the air in 
the space, if closely confined, is a perfect non¬ 
conductor. The inner wall should have four 
2x4-inch pieces placed in lieu of so many 
courses of bricks, one near the bottom; an¬ 
other near the top, and the others at equal 
distances apart. The inner surface of this 
wall should next be coated a half inch thick 
with mortar well put on. When this is dried, 
2x4 studding should be placed, flatwise one 
foot apart, and firmly nailed through the 
plastering to the horizontal strips put in as 
before mentioned. Against these studs, a wall 
of bricks should be laid on edge, and every 
third courseshould haveatenpenny nail driv¬ 
en close above the brick into the studs, but 
left protruding IX inch. These nails will 
tie this wall firmly to the studding and render 
it perfectly solid. One corner of this is shown 
at Fig, 409, AAA being the brick walls; 
Fig. 4C9. 
B B B the iron ties, and C C C the stud- 
dings, showiug the nails as driven to hold the 
inner back wall. When the cellar is finished, 
this inside wall should be well plastered. 
The roof should project at least two feet all 
round. Joists 2x6 should be laid, and the 
walls be built up between them. On these 
should be laid a tight floor, on which should 
be placed at least one foot of dry tan-bark or 
saw dust, and the under side of the joists 
should be lathed and plastered. A ventilator 
six inches square inside, should extend 
from the cellar up through the roof, the 
top beiug protected by a cowl, as shown in 
the cut. There should be an opening from 
this into the attic, covered with a slide on the 
inside so that it can be opened or closed from 
below. It should also have a cover on the 
bottom, which can be shut air-tight in cold 
weather. This arrangement of slide aud cover 
is shown iu the cut, the roof beiug cut away 
for the purpose of exhibiting it. The outer 
wall, under ground and for a foot above 
should be built of vitrified brick from about 
the arches of the kilns, so as to be moisture- 
proof. A cellar thus built, with double doors 
aud windows, as shown iu the plan, D, or with 
the door opening into the kitchen, will stand 
the coldest weather without admitting frost, 
aud when the ventilator is open, it will be cool 
n Summer, This plan was not designed for 
cheapness, but for protection and safety. 
HOW TO GROW LARGE CROPS OF 
POTATOES. 
Frightened by the mischief caused in the 
Rural columns by my unlucky communica¬ 
tion in regard to the “pollenization” theory 
of some Virginia strawberry growers (pub¬ 
lished in January, 1884, and resulting in along 
controversy without practical results thus far, 
the final settlement of which has even now to 
be referred to the future), I am in doubt 
whether it is best to bring any more of my ob¬ 
servations to the notice of the Rural read¬ 
ers. 
All my scruples, however, are overcome by 
the desire to call attention to one or two 
points in potato culture, which I consider of 
the greatest importance, and to contribute my 
mite towards making “two pounds of tubers 
grow where formerly there grew but one.” 
Past experience has led me to advocate 
heavy seeding. My position i3 strengthened 
by the almost unanimous indorsement of 
Western New York potato growers. Even 
the most enthusiastic followers of the single¬ 
eye method now concede that early varieties 
of the Early Rose type, and m particular the 
Early Ohio, need heavier seeding than really 
fits in their system. I lay still greater empha¬ 
sis on this point. 
No single circumstance in the treatment of 
early (that is dwarf) varieties, even on soils 
of great fertility, will simplify the cultivation 
more or insure large crops with more cer¬ 
tainty and less trouble than the use of a suffi 
ciency of seed, preferably of whole at least 
mediom-sized tubers. With that amount of 
seed, Early Ohio can be planted 12 inches 
apart in the drill, and Early Rose and others 
of that type, not less than 15 inches. Plant¬ 
ing whole tubers is particularly advisable, 
wheD earliness is the first consideration. The 
plants break ground and produce marketable 
tubers much in advance of those from lighter 
seeding. A late frost, which would utterly de¬ 
stroy a plantation from one or two eye pieces, 
may injure the first sprouts of whole potatoes; 
these latter however, can make use of their re¬ 
served forces and send out new sprouts at 
once. The plantation suffers no serious injury 
save a very little delay. Let the Rural read¬ 
ers try this plan. JOSEPH. 
Western New York. 
farm (Jozies. 
FERTILIZER NOTES. 
As I have been able to get stable manure in 
consideraole quantities, 1 have used that chief¬ 
ly for both useful and ornamental plants, sup¬ 
plementing it occasionally with cotton seed, 
and cotton-seed meal. For ornamental plants, 
I use with advantage also liquid manure made 
by macerating or percolating stable manure 
with water, aud applying it to plants, say 
once a week, during the growing season. I 
have also used guano with good results, by 
dissolving an ounce in a gallon of water, aud 
applying as in the former case. 
Aualyses of fertilizers cannot show the real 
value of fertilizers io all cases, because of the 
different constitution of soils. A fertilizer 
abounding in potash or lime, for instance, if 
applied to a soil already charged largely with 
these elements, would fall below the estimate. 
The same may be said of nitrogenous manures 
in other soils. Then again, different plants 
require more of some elemeuts than others. 
Fertilizers are more profitable on clay than 
ou light soils, because they are better retained 
for the use of the plants. Ou light sandy 
soils, they are more readily washed away by 
the rains. Fartu-yurd or stable manure is to 
be preferred iu umny cases to commercial fer¬ 
tilizers, because it contains more nearly all 
the ingredients necessary to plant growth, 
and in proper proportions; and also on account 
of its mechanical action, especially in loosen¬ 
ing up clay or heavy soils. 
High grade fertilizers are cheapest for those 
who live at a distance from the place where 
they are manufactured, cn account of the 
relatively smaller cost of transporting the 
same amount of fertilizing material. 
Madison Co., Miss. w. H. cassell. 
±iu*m Pernio mi}. 
A CLOD CRUSHER AND PULVERIZER. 
A very mistaken notion is the one some¬ 
times expressed that a lumpy surface is the 
best for ienuring that the crop shall success¬ 
fully pass the Wiuter; that the slow breaking 
