THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
thorough work is worse than no work at all. 
We are not to suppose or to guess that a cross 
has been effected. When a kernel forms in 
the manipulated flower, we are to know 
it is a cross. It is therefore indispensable that 
the anthers oe removed from the flowers be¬ 
fore they have begun to turn yellow, other¬ 
wise they may be ruptured (though unper¬ 
ceived by the unaided eye) and shed their 
pollen grains upon the feathery stigmas. We 
have found that the best way to apply pollen 
is to collect heads in which the anthers are 
maturing, dry them for a few hours,and then 
rub and shake the pollen upon clean china 
dishes. In this way an abundance can be 
collected. We must then again separate the 
glumes and palets so as to reveal the stigmas 
(feathery heads of the pistil) and drop the 
pollen upon them from the point of a 
penknife. This may be dote once, twice, or 
thrice, so as to ineure fertilization, always 
bearing in mind that the less the bead is 
handled, the less is the chance of injury to the 
flowers. Instead then of winding yarn about 
the head to hold the parts together, we have 
found that it is better to use tine Issue paper 
to cover it, twisting it at the top over the head 
and tying it around the stem just beneath 
the low est spikelets or breasts. 
Let it be borne in mind that when the an¬ 
thers force themselves cut of their envelopes 
and the wheat is said to be in bloom, the pollen 
has been shed—the ovary impregnated. 
Wheat can not then be crcssed, for the simple 
reason that it is self-impregnated, and the 
fruit, kernel or berry is already forming. 
THE RURAL’S EARLIER CROSSES 
failed to give us any improved varieties; that 
is, all of them revealed faults of some kind or 
if they proved to be as good as either parent, 
they were no better. New crcss-breeds were 
produced every year, and every year scores 
were given up. 
OUR FIRST NOTABLE SUCCESS 
was obtained from a cross between Fultzo- 
Clawson (a variety originating with H. L. 
Wysor, of Virginia) and Armstrong—now 
known as Landreth. The Laudreth bears 
beardless heads, of much the same shape as 
those of the Clawson. The Fultzo Clawson is 
also beardless and the heads are rather larger 
at the top than at the bottom. The seeds 
sown the first season from this cross gave 
plants and heads closely resembling the 
mother-plant, which was Landreib. But the 
grain from these plants, when again sown, 
gave heads which varied almost without end. 
Our engraving, Fig. 409 (see first page), is true 
to life, and shows the most marked of these. 
Fig. 470 (p. 725) shows typical heads of Our 
next noteworthy cross—this time between 
Armstrong female) and tie Diehl Mediterra¬ 
nean. As in the other case, the crossed seeds 
gave plants and heads like the Armstrong. 
But their seeds produced many plants differing 
from each other as much as wheat plants well 
can differ. In fact, both plots looked as if 20 
different kinds of wheat had been mixed to¬ 
gether and planted upon them. These wheats 
last season were seen by many visitors. A 
more curious collection it would be hard to 
imagine. The hybrids between wheat and 
rye, however, were uppermost in the thoughts 
of our friends, and the wheat crosses received, 
therefore, a lesser share of their attention. 
Nevertheless, those who did examine them 
were free enough to express the opinion: 
“Borne of those heads are remarkable.” Their 
hardiness is beyond a question. Nearly all 
of them tiller more than other wheats. The 
stems are strong; the heads, as shown, have 
many breasts, which in some are crowded 
upon the rachis, while in the others, there is 
an unusually large number of kernels to the 
breast. If we take CJa wsod, Diehl, Landreth, 
Martin’s Amber or Fultz, the kernels will vary 
from two to three to the breast—rarely four 
in this climate. But some of the wheats pre¬ 
sented in the engraving bear from four to six 
and seven kernels to a breast, and iu one (not 
shown), which bore what might be called 
double cr compound breasts, the writer count¬ 
ed ninel The soil of these wheat plots is poor 
—preferably so for the reason that we are far 
from wishing to deceive ourselves by ascrib¬ 
ing to our cross-bred wheats phenomenal qual¬ 
ities due in the main to the luxuriant, forced 
growth of a soil crammed with manure and 
fer tiiizei s. 
We have now to continue the work of selec¬ 
tion, with a view to the separation of uniform 
kinds, and to hasten their propagation for 
distribution over the country. 
An account of our rye-wheat hybrids, with 
ample illustraiions, will follow this In a few 
weeks. They will be divided into two classes, 
viz., those which resemble wheat more than 
rye, and, second, those which resemble rye 
more than wheat. The latter are curious, as 
will be seen by the illustrations, and some of 
them are really quite distinct from either 
wheat or rye. But of this our readers may 
judge for themselves. 
With a scuffle hoe in one hand, I extend 
the other to Mr. Crosby in hearty greeting. 
After many years’ use of this hoe, I cheerfully 
indorse all that be says in its favor. Ever 
since I have known how to use a hoe, 1 have 
used the scuffle iu preference to the draw hoe 
as a much better and abler implement, and 
very much less laborious to use. Having for 
many years practiced flat culture, I have no 
use for a draw hoe. I do not allow the use of 
one even in field work, though I sometimes 
have a little trouble with hired men on this 
aecouut. I use another kind of hoe for mak¬ 
ing drills, but it is purposely so made that it 
can not be used for weeding. 
* * * 
Now I will give Mr. Crosby a “wrinkle” 
that may be useful to him, particularly if he 
has a flower gardeu; and no man like him 
should be without one. Some years ago, I 
had a long handle made, on one end cf which 
I put a scuffle hoe two inches wide, and on the 
other end one four inches wide. With one or 
the other of these, I can get at the weeds any- 
where, and kill them with some degree of 
comfort and ease, and without stooping. Try 
it. 
* * * 
On page 580 a doubt is expressed as to 
whether there is any well-authenticated case 
of spontaneous combustion in hay. I have 
heard of such cases, and I have personal 
knowledge of one, having helped to put out 
the tire. The hay had been carted in before it 
was well cured, to avoid a threatened storm, 
as is often done. It was in this imperfectly 
cured hay that combustion took place. 1 
happened to be in the vicinity at the time, 
and was called upon to help. Things were 
lively for a time, but the hoy was got out be¬ 
fore much damage was done. Nearly all that 
lot of hay was so hot as to be uncomortable to 
the touch. Cases like this are doubtless of in¬ 
frequent occurence, yet the farmer should 
know that it is possible for them to happen, 
and act aceordiugly. Had the above case 
oceured at night, the ownei’s lo. c s would have 
b«en many thousands of dollars; for, not to 
speak of the large quantity of bay, upward of 
70 head of choice cattle were stalled iu the 
buildings at night, besides valuable horses. 
* * * 
How much of the so-called rust in the potato 
is caused primarily by the potato beetle? 
* * * 
There are some people who cau handle the 
poison ivy with impunity; a great many suf¬ 
fer a good deal of pain and annoyance from 
its touch; aud some there are who canuot go 
within fifty feet of it, if the wind should be 
blowing toward them, without having their 
hands, faces and sometimes their legs, swell up 
like pull halls, the whole surface being cov¬ 
ered with horrid little itching, watery pustules. 
Singularly enough, a church was recently 
dressed with poison ivy, among other things, 
and most of the persons present were badly 
poisoned. I know a New York editor who is 
sometimes totally incapacitated for business 
for two or three weeks at a time from this 
cause; aud then it is interesting to notice how 
mad a very mild-tempered man can get. 1 
have been poisoned myself, and was advised 
by an old lady in the country to use a tea 
made of the sweet fern (Comptonia aspleni- 
folia), and found it so soothing and curative 
that I always recommend it, and think the 
Rural should know of it. The tea or decoc¬ 
tion should be made strong. It is not to be 
drunk, but rubbed on freely, and left to dry, 
It stains the parts a deep yellow, but it is easi¬ 
ly washed off. 
♦ * * 
The readers of the Rural should not forget 
to plant some bulbs this Fall, either in the 
house or in the open ground, Planting out-of- 
doors can be done at any time before the 
ground freezes. Those who have the means 
will, of course, follow their tastes, hut there 
are many who are compelled to practice econ¬ 
omy, and for the benefit of these I will men¬ 
tion briefly some very pretty things that may 
be bought at low prices. Early flowering 
single and double tulips, for example, may he 
bought for five cents each, will multiply and 
last for years, and are among the most desir¬ 
able of what are called Dutch bulbs. Planted 
two or three inches deep, they wlU flower well 
in almost any garden soil. They are the best 
of the tulip family for floweriug iu pots. 
Those who have no old manure at hand to add 
to a poor soil may use bone dust instead. It 
can be bought in any quautity, from one pound 
to a ton, and may be usd for all the bulbs 
here mentioned, only it is well not to have it 
come in immediate contact with some of them, 
"* and this may be avoided by putting a little 
sand around the bulbs. Two or three Parrot 
Tulips, with their grotesque and picturesque 
forms and bright colors, will prove interest¬ 
ing in the open border. They are notsuitable 
for pots in rooms. The late floweriug or 
fancy tulips are the gayest of the family, hut 
are only suited for out-door culture. Mixed 
or unnamed kinds cau be bought for 40 cents 
a dozeD, while a named variety costs half as 
much for a single bulb. 
* * * 
Some of the amaryllis family are good sub¬ 
jects for room culture; but floweriug bulbs of 
most of them are too costly for persons of 
moderate means. They are very beautiful 
objects, however, and in view' of the time aud 
trouble involved in growing the bulbs to a 
flowering condition, the prices asked are not 
in general too high. The following, among 
the lower-priced kinds, bear handsome flow¬ 
ers, are easily grown and may be bought for 
from 80 cents to $1.25 for floweriug bulbs. 
Amaryllis Belladonna minor, A. Bel’adonna 
major. A. Belladonna purpurea, A . Graviana, 
A. Johnsouii. The brilliant Vallota purpurea 
must be added here. They may all bo started 
iu four-inch pots, and repotted as needed. 
The soil should lea light, rich loam. After 
flowering (hut uot till the foliage has decayed) 
withhold water, and set the pots aside in some 
dry place for a sum mer’s rest. The Vallota, 
however, seems to do better without this rest. 
In September they may need repotting. If 
you want a tine display of flower stalks, do 
not remove the small bulbs. Let the bulbs 
cluster together, aud shift to a larger pot 
whenever necessary. For a large pot of 
bulbs a little manure water is necessary at 
timesduring the growing season. A. Treatea 
is a pretty, small flowering species, and may 
be bought for about 50 cents a dozen, or per¬ 
haps less. There should he five or six bulbs 
in a four-inch pot. A, (or, more properly 
Sprtkelia) formosissima, the Jacofcieau Lily, 
with its biilliant scarlet flowers, is a flue sub¬ 
ject for the open border during Summer. It 
should be grown in clumps to produce the 
best effects. Take the bulbs up in the Fall 
aud keep them in the house. 
* * * 
The crocus is au old favorite, aud the more 
recent, larger flowering varieties are great 
improvements upon the older kinds. In the 
open border they are among the earliest har¬ 
bingers of Spring: but in the sitting-room 
they scon become alive with the green fly, 
unless closely watched. Five corms in a four- 
inch pot will be about right. Pot grown 
crocuses may be thrown away when done 
floweriug, as they are of no further use. In 
the border plant two or three inches deep, 
and in clumps or rows. 
* v * 
Be sure to grow Gladiolus Colvillii alba 
“The Bride,” Friesia refracta alba, and Nar¬ 
cissus bicolor Horsfleldii, in the manner I 
have formerly described. A pot or two of 
the sweet-scented jonquil should also be 
grown, as well as Liliurn longiflorum v. Har- 
risii. Oxalis Bowiei and □. versicolor are 
among the best of bulbs for pot culture for 
winter flowering, whether in the green house 
or the sitting-room. They should be planted 
thickly or in masses. Plant lots of snow¬ 
drops and scillas in the open air. There is 
nothing in the world of flowers more charm¬ 
ing than a mass of these modest, but lovely 
little flowers in the early Spring, pushing 
their way through the frozen earth and snow. 
Their memory lingers with me all the year 
through. 
* * * 
Then there are the hyacinths and many 
other choice bulbs, which must go over till 
another time. horticola. 
AT THE FAIR. 
LESSONS IN FLOWERS. 
WILLIAM FALCONER. 
~N- l-T 
Arranging Plants.— Stage your plants 
with the utmost care and taste, aud let every 
plant be seen to its best advantage. Don't 
bury the little ones among the big ones, or 
mix them up in a bewildering medley. Keep 
Ihe geraniums by themselves, the fuchsias by 
themselves, and so on with begonias, coleuses, 
roses and others, each kind by itself. Grade 
them according to size, color and general ef¬ 
fect. Keep the largest plants to the back and 
the smallest to the front, and let the best side 
of every plant face the front. Avoid over¬ 
crowding. 
Poor Plants, —Don’t have any. If you 
have aDy plants that, taken individually, are 
not creditable specimens, leave them at home. 
If the schedule calls for a “Display of the great¬ 
est aud best number of varieties of plants iu 
pots,” you may wish to bring every plant you 
have, in order to muke up the number of va¬ 
rieties; but don’t do it, fetch the good ones 
only. The poor plantsdetract from the merits 
of the good. 
Dirty Plants. —If there is scale on your 
oleanders, European ivies, or other plants, 
clean it off before you bring them to the fair; 
if tb&re is “greeu fly” on your heliotropes, 
carnations, or musk, dip them in warmish 
water and get rid cf the pests: if mealybugs 
lodge about your begonias, justicias or fu¬ 
chsias, brush them off; and if any of your 
plants can be made brighter and fresher by 
sponging the leaves, do so. 
Dirty Pots are an abomination and cry 
aloud the slip shod, slovenly habits of their 
owners. It is bad enough to have a lot of 
dirty, slimy pots at home, but to bring them 
tc the fair in this uncared-for condition be¬ 
speaks a spirit cf laziness and iodifference 
one might well be ashamed of. Let your pots 
and plants be clean, and let all be fixed 
np as well as you know how and can, and 
the pleasure you will reap in having your 
frieuds aud neighbors see your plants so clean 
and prim will more than compensate for the 
trouble it cost you. 
Hand Bouquets.— Small bouquets are 
more desirable than large ones. Don’t crowd 
the flowers or use a conglomeration of red, 
blue, yellow aud other colors. Let white pre¬ 
vail. Have a light outer margin of green. 
The stem of the bouquet should be slender 
enough and long enough to permit of its being 
held in the hand comfortably and should be 
tied around with pains taking. There is an 
impression that hand bouquets are judged on 
their face merits as they are sot iu the water 
cups, but this is not so. They are lifted out 
of the cups and examined tops and stems. If 
the green border is stuck into the cup and 
around hut not attached to the bouquet, then 
it becomes no part whatever of the latter. 
Cut Flowers.— Tn making a display of cut 
flowers, do the best you can. Don’t wait till 
the morning of the fair and then cut every 
blossom in the garden, put them into a bas¬ 
ket, bring them to the fair and stick them into 
the sand beds or water bottles on the tables. 
But begin a week before tire fair. Early iu 
the morning cut your roses, dahlias and other 
flowers that will uot keep till fair day, and 
stick them into water basins in a dark, cool 
corner of the cellar. On the day before the 
fair, cut every flower you wish to take and put 
them tn water. Then arrange them: make 
little bouquet-like bunebes of coreopsis, gail- 
lardias, Drummond Phloxes, marigolds, asters, 
sweet peas and whatever else you have, and 
separate bunches of the different colors; for 
instance, of asters, a bunch of blue, one of 
white, one of rose, one of red, and so on; and 
again, bunches of quilled, of chrysanthemum- 
flowered, of needle and other ty pes of asters. 
Have leaves around your geraniums, sprays 
of leaves around your carnations, a leaf to 
every calla flower, and so on. Having all 
these in readiness the night hefore the fair, 
you are not iu a flutter iu the morning; you 
know precisely what you have aud how you 
intend to arrange them, and the flowers from 
having been inserted in water over night, will 
not wilt as quickly as they would were they 
cut on the morning of the fair. In arranging 
them have the large ones at the back and the 
small ones in front, and eudeavor to keep the 
roses by themselves, the p>bloxe3 by them¬ 
selves, ana so on with gladioli, dahlias, 
carnations, marigolds aud the rest. And 
bring rose geraniums and ferns enough with 
you to relieve the glare of the mass, aud iu 
this way give a flnishiug touch to your col¬ 
lection. 
Don’t show flowers for a “discretionary’ 
premium, when yon are iu a position to enter 
the regular schedule class for the same; don’t 
allow two members of one household to pluck 
flowers in the same garden, and show in the 
same class, so that the same family may have 
an opportunity of carrying off both premiums; 
don’t exhibit a handful of common-place 
flowers with the intention of getting au ad¬ 
mission ticket gratis. 
A Complaint.—A lady is passionately fond 
cf flowers and has taken several premiums, 
but complains that she cannot exhibit in the 
class for a collection of plants, as she has but 
limited window space to grow her plutits in. 
"Ob, if she had a large bay window!” Well, 
do what you cau, and get premiums enough to 
p«ay for building a bay window. Fora Septem¬ 
ber fair, you can do a deal. From seeds sowu 
in Spiring, you can have blooming plants of red 
and blue salvias, ageratuurs, lantanas, vincas, 
musk, nieremhergias, Impatiens sultani, 
lobelias, sensitive plaut, Oxalis re sea, verbenas 
aud others. From cuttings or slips rooted in 
Spring, planted out in Summer, and lifted 
aud potted about the end of July, we can buve 
flue blooming plants of geraniums, heliotropes, 
“shrubby” begonias, Paris daisies, tea roses, 
double petunias, perennial uasturtiunrs, ubu- 
tilons, and others, and foliage plants of 
coleuses, alternuntberas, ireslues, aud others. 
Old carnations and bouvardias that were cut 
back in Spring will be iu bloom. Gloxinias, 
tuberous-rooted begonias, zephyranthuses 
