1889 
THI RURAL BiW-YORKIR. 
Ill 
CATALOGUES, ETC., RECEIVED. 
Peter Henderson & Co., 35 & 37 Cort- 
eandt St., N. Y.—This “ Manual of Every¬ 
thing for the Garden” is probably the largest 
and costliest catalogue ever issued by an 
American seedsman, and the R. N.-Y. is 
free to say that the descriptions and illustra¬ 
tions are reasonably accurate and trustworthy. 
Novelties and seeds of special merit take up 
21 pages; the regular list of vegetable seeds 22 
pages; farm seeds 18 pages; flower seed nov¬ 
elties 7 pages; regular flower seed list 30 
pages; garden tools and implements 6 pages; 
plant department 50 pages; or 150 large 
pages in all. We can only mention a few of 
the most conspicuously announced novelties. 
First is “Henderson’s New Bush Lima bean” 
already described in these columns. Then 
follow Yosemite Mammoth Wax bean, Del- 
monico musk-melon, Dwarf Champion toma¬ 
to found to be an excellent variety at the 
Rural Grounds the past season; Henderson’s 
Early Puritan potato (unquestionably a first- 
rate early variety); the new Japanese buck¬ 
wheat, everywhere concededto be a very valu¬ 
able introduction; the Rural New-Yorker po¬ 
tato No. 2; peas, grasses, grains, etc. The 
novelties and lists of flowers (plants and seeds) 
should be examined by our readers. One 
hundred dollars in four prizes are offered for 
plants of the Bush Lima containing the great¬ 
est number of pods. The price of this valu¬ 
able catalogue is 25 cents (in stamps) which 
amount, however, may be deducted from the 
first order. 
W. Atlee Burpee & Co., Philadelphia, 
Pa.— This catalogue (168 pages) calls for an 
extended notice. It announces the R. N.-Y. 
potato. It also announces the “Superior” 
potato, a seedling of that public benefactor 
E. L. Coy, who has originated more excellent 
potatoes than any other man living or dead. 
The Superior is a white, shapely potato as it 
was grown at the Rural Grounds last year. 
It was so injured by the flea-beetle that we 
could make no fair estimate of the yield. 
Jonathan Talcott praises it unqualifiedly. 
The catalogue gives a first-rate list of pota¬ 
toes in general. It finds the White Elephant 
and Late Beauty of Hebron the same. The 
r N.-Y. made this announcement many 
years ago. 
Burpee’s Quantity and Quality peas were 
grown at the Rural Grounds last year. 
They are akin to Bliss’s Everbearing and 
Abundance. They also resemble Henderson’s 
Midsummer pea, though distinct from it 
enough in some respects to show that they are 
not identical. Planted April 18, the first mess 
was gathered July 3 on Quantity and a day 
or so later on Quality. The vines grow abou 
teet high and are of a branching habit. 
The pods are borne usually in pairs and are 
not always well filled. There are from four to 
six peas in a pod.yellow in color and wrinkled. 
Quantity gives a larger pea (seed) than Quality 
though less sweet. The size of the pods is about 
the same. Burpee’s Emerald Gem is a fine 
strain of this best of muskmelons. The Pota¬ 
to-Leaf tomato will be found smoother than 
the Turner. The Peach tomato is an old 
variety revived. But it is an excellent sort 
for canning and very pretty in appearance. 
Red Victoria onion, the Matchless tomato, 
Delaware watermelon, Pike’s Peak squash, 
Quaker Pie pumpkin, White Gem water¬ 
melon are among the novelties seemingly 
worthy of trial. 
The catalogue gives a life-like illustration 
of the Red Caps. Last year we bought a 
setting of eggs of this beautiful breed of fowls 
and the pullets and cockerels are beautifully 
and uniformly marked. Their combs are 
immense and accurately shown in the illustra¬ 
tion. What the breed is worth as egg-pro¬ 
ducers we cannot as yet state. The catalogue 
offers liberal prizes and its dollar-collections 
are well selected. It will be sent to all R N.- 
Y. readers who apply to Mr. Burpee, and it is 
certainly well worth applying for. 
Jas. M. Thorburn & Co., 15 John Street, 
N. Y.—This catalogue which without any 
great display Is always interesting and trust¬ 
worthy, is this year especially so to us for the 
reason that it presents a full description of the 
R. N.-Y. potato No. 2, with illustration, and 
also the R. N.-Y. hybrid wheats No.’s 2 and 
3 and cross-bred wheats No.’s 50, 51, 53 and 
55 with au exact photographic illustration of 
the six kinds. These are the first of our 150 
different varieties of hybrids between rye and 
wheat or cross-bred wheats ever offered for 
sale, though we are in hopes others will be 
offered each succeeding year for many years 
to come. It is still a matter of doubt whether 
orders can be filled before 1890. Nothing is 
known of their probable value outside t>f the 
Rural Grounds, and we are glad to see that 
Thorburn & Co. are careful not to make 
any of the extravagant claims usually made 
for high-priced novelties. We quote,: 
“ While it is conceded, thatj the .Rusal’s 
collection of crosses and hybrids is not ap¬ 
proached by any other similar collection in 
the world (indeed, there is no record of the 
ex'stence of any other rye-wheat hybrids) we 
have nothing to claim for the several varieties 
now for the first time offered for sale; neither 
have we any apology to offer for the high 
price which we are constrained to charge.” 
We like that. Let these new varieties, over 
which so many years'of work have been given, 
stand on their own merits as ultimately they 
are sure to do. In this as in every other 
similar case, the R N.-Y. has no pecuniary 
interest in their salo whatever. We shall dis¬ 
tribute without charge small samples of these 
wheats among our subscribers as the stock 
may enable us so to do We would call the 
particular attention of our readers to the 
following varieties "offered in this catalogue as 
beiDg the best of their several kinds in our 
opinion. Beans: Ne plus Ultra dwarf, Ward- 
well’s Kidney Wax, Thorburn’s Ex. Early 
Refugee, Extra Early Flat Pride of New¬ 
town. Beets: Extra Early Eclipse, Edmand’s 
Early Blood turnip. Carrots: Ex. Early 
Forcing, Half-long Stump-rooted. Cabbage: 
Selected All Seasons, Vandergaw’s Quick¬ 
growing Flat Dutch, Thorburn’s Market 
Gardeners’ Private Stock Flat Dutch, and Im¬ 
proved Stone-head Red Dutch. Sweet Corn: 
Perry’s Hybrid, Early Golden Yellow, 
Potter’s Excelsior, Hickox Improved, Ne Plus 
Ultra. Lettuce: Shotwell’s Brown Head and 
Thorburn’s Market Gardeners’Private Stock. 
Onions: New Adriatic Barleita, Mammoth 
White and Red Garganus. Among tomatoes 
the R. N.-Y. advises its readers to try Thor¬ 
burn’s New Jersey and, for earliest, the Early 
Advance. 
James Vick, Rochester, N. Y.—V ck’s 
Floral Guide (98 pages) is one of the hand¬ 
somest catalogues published. The illustrations 
are intended to give the reader a correct idea 
of the plant or flower illustrated. The grossly 
exaggerated, absurd pictures which deface so 
many catalogues and reflect upon the integri¬ 
ty of those who issue them, do not appear in 
this. Four excellent portraits of the male 
Vicks and their residences appear as a frontis¬ 
piece. A life-3ize colored print shows the new 
striped rose Vick’s Caprice, the open flower of 
which measures four inches in diameter. The 
petals are white with vivid stripes of pink. 
It is a sport from the hybrid perpetual 
Archid. d’ Autriche. Another colored plate 
shows a new ivy-leaved pelargonium “Madame 
Tbibaut.” Its flowers are very large and 
double—color red. A third colored plate shows 
the Irondequoit musk-melon and McCollum’s 
tomato. The list of potatoes Is good and 
several new kinds are offered, among them 
the Early Market. It is said to be of the 
Ohio class and is especially recommended for 
early marketing as the quality is excellent in 
the early stages of growth or “ unripe ” condi¬ 
tion. The entire catalogue is one that the R. 
N.-Y. greatly commends to the examination of 
its readers. 
W. W. Rawson & Co., 34 South Market 
Street, Boston, Mass.— A very large and 
elegantly illustrated catalogue (125 pages) of 
one of the best firms in the United States 
The novelties for 1889 among vegetables, which 
may be especially noted, are Horsford’s Pre¬ 
lude tomato and the Alligator potato. The 
tomato is said to be the earliest in cultivation 
while it is free from rot. The potato is well 
named, the skin being somewhat corrugated 
like that of the alligator. It is medium 
early, of good quality, flesh white, shape 
round. The true seeds of potatoes are offered 
under the name of “ Bliss’s Hybridized Potato 
Seed,” page 33. Mr. Rawson is well known 
as the most extensive market gardener in New 
England. 
DlNGEE & CONARD Co., WEST GROVE, 
Chester Co., Pa. —This well-known firm is 
engaged chiefly in the propagation of roses. 
Roses, roses of all kinds. The catalogue of 
120 pages presents* k three' colored plates and 
many wood-cuts of thedatest novelties as well 
as the best of the old stand-bys. 
Samuel Wilson, Mechanicsville, Bucks 
Co., Pa.—T here are many announcements 
in this catalogue, which the reader must judge 
of for himself by an examination of the cat¬ 
alogue. The Northern Spy potato (not tested 
at the Rural Grouuds) is a heavy yielder and 
remarkable in many ways if the catalogue 
statements are to be trusted. We have 
ordered a lot for trial next season. Other 
potatoes given extra space are Stray Beauty, 
Watson Seedling, Charles Downing, Early 
Sunrise, the Maine Rose, State of Maiue, 
June Eating, Green Mountain, Empire State, 
Rose Seedling, Gen. Me. Clellan, and Pride of 
the Field—all of which the R. N.-Y. has 
raised aud reported upon. 
Among poultry, remarkable claims are 
made for what is claimed to be a new and 
very distinct breed called Boston Greys or 
Sparrow Catchers. Mr. KWilson writes us 
that they invariably breed true to color; ,that 
“ no other breed in the United States in any 
way resembles them.” He further says that 
“they will catch and kill more sparrows in 
one day than a boy can shoot.” He also calls 
attention to his German Hares. “They are 
certainly,” he says, “a valuable animal and 
splendid eating. Their meat is entirely dif¬ 
ferent from our common rabbit, being darker 
and more like venison.” Mr. Wilson an¬ 
nounced his Patagonians two years ago, a 
breed of fowls for which much was claimed. 
We sent for eggs and have half-a-dozen of the 
hens at this time. There are scarcely two 
alike and we do not find Mr. Wilson’s claims 
for them at all substantiated. We should 
condemn them in toto but for the fact that a 
near neighbor—an extensive poultry dealer— 
bought eggs at the same time and is much 
pleased with the breed. The catalogue is one 
worthy of attention. Mr. Wilson will send 
it without charge to any of our readers who 
may apply. 
James J. H. Gregory, Marblehead, 
Mass. —The catalogue of this favorably- 
known house offers its usual lists of garden 
and field seeds. Gregory’s Hard-heading cab¬ 
bage is an excellent variety. Bergen Fleet¬ 
wing pea, Durkee corn. Gold-coin corn claim¬ 
ed to be sweeter, larger and earlier than Ever¬ 
green; New Queen, Polaris and Early Oxford 
potatoes are among the novelties offered. 
Mr. Gregory’s onion seed, we happen to know, 
usually gives full satisfaction Among the 
books which he has written is one: “Fertil¬ 
izers: Where the ''"materials come from; 
Where to get them in the cheapest form’ 
How to compound formulas, etc.,” that'will 
interest our readers. 
Wm. Henry Maule,'Philadelphia, Pa.— 
This catalogue of 75 pages voluminously illus¬ 
trated, is free to all. It offers a large amount 
of money for the best crops or specimens 
grown from seed bought of this firm. Clark’s 
Early Mastodon, it is claimed, bears the larg¬ 
est and deepest kernel, the greatest number of 
rows to the ear, and is the earliest yellow dent 
corn known, takiug into the account the size 
ot the kernel and ear and number of rows to 
the ear. It is said to have ripened in from 90 
to 100 days near Lake Erie. The Polaris, 
Potentate, Chas. Dowming, Early Puritan, 
Empire State, Beauty of Beau'ies, Dakota 
Red and other potatoes are placed prominent¬ 
ly before the reader. The R. N.-Y. has tried 
and made reports regarding most of the Kinds 
catalogued. Many novelties among peas, 
melons, sweet corn, cabbages”and flower 
seeds are announced. 
Note. —The Polaris potato as sent out by 
the Department of Agriculture, is by no means 
the Polaris offered by seedsmen. Four pieces 
of the Polaris sent to us by T. H. Hoskins, of 
Newport, Vermont, yielded 13 pounds, or at 
the rate of 786 bushels to the acre. Whole 
number 57, of which 45 were of marketable 
s ! ze. They were quite uniform as to size, with 
eyes medium as to number and prominence. 
A very good-looking potato. It so resembles 
the Early Puritan that a portrait of one 
might well serve for the other. The Polaris 
from Washington’yielded at the rate of 6S0.62 
bushels to the acre, the yield from four pieces 
being 11'^ pounds. But many of these were 
knobby, prougy, and irregular in shape with 
deeper eyes. It is also a late potato. We 
found the Polaris from Dr. Hoskins a trifle 
later than Beauty of Hebron. 
Johnson & Stokes, 217 & 219 Market 
Street, Philadelphia, Pa.— This catalogue, 
with its gilt covers and colored leaves of special¬ 
ties aud novelties and colored plates, gives a 
striking illustration of the enterprise aud 
progress of seedsmen. We must ask our 
readers to send for this catalogue and examine 
it for themselves, since it is so full of the an¬ 
nouncements and commendations of kinds un¬ 
known to us”that our" space would scarcely 
allow of their enumeration. The illustration 
of Kaffir corn (so-called) on page 70 is true to 
life as grown at the Rural Grounds, though 
we do not commend it except for trial. 
D. Landreth & Sons. —This seed catalogue 
is issued by one of the oldest houses iu 
America. Its illustrations are from photo¬ 
graphs—a good idea. It presents cultural 
hims for every month in the year aud cook¬ 
ing notes for all the vegetables catalogued. 
B. L. Bragg & Co., Springfield, Mass.— 
Iu this catalogue of 80 pages we find many of 
the new things offeied in others. It offers au 
extra fiue selection of Longfellow,yellow, which 
the R. N.-Y. believes to be about the most 
satisfactory early yellow flint in cultivation. 
A new tomato, the “ New Bay State,” seems 
from the description worthy of ajrial. 
R. D. Hawley & Co., 500 Main Street, 
Hartford, Conn.— There are some first-rate 
lists in this unpretentious catalogue of 75 
pages. The new Japan buckwheat. Peach 
tomato, Sibley squash, Heudersou’s Bush 
Lima, Ex. Early Jersey Lima; Early^Essex, 
New Queen, Charles Downing and Rural 
New-Yorker No. 2 potato, are among 
them. Catalogue free to R. N.-Y. appli¬ 
cants 
I. V. Faust, Philadelphia, Pa.— Faust’s 
Early Conqueror sweet corn is described as 
being as early as Marblehead, of the finest 
quality and having a much larger ear. 
Faust's 1889 potato is shown by an illustration 
to be of perfect shape. It is said to be a week 
earlier than Early Rose. An improved pea¬ 
nut, a new cauliflower, watermelon, Faust’s 
American hybrid tomato,a new radish,Miller’s 
Cream Nutmeg melon, a "new cucumber for 
pickles, etc., are among the lists of novelties. 
There are also several novelties among flowers 
announced. 
Crawford & Sons, Cuyahoga FallsI 
Ohio —A catalogue of selected varieti°s of 
strawberries. Mr. Crawford is a good man, 
and we should order from him feeling confi¬ 
dent that he would send us good plants true to 
name. 
Frank Ford & Sons, Ravenna. O.—A 
catalogue (36 pages) of seeds, small fruits, 
trees, etc. The list of potatoes is the longest 
we have seen this season. The Crandall cur¬ 
rant is offered as a meritorious novelty. A 
colored plate of the Eaton grape is presented. 
De Forest Ely & Co., 1303 Market 
Street, Philadelphia, Pa.— A garden man¬ 
ual, 98 pages, for 1889. 
Cole & Brother, Pella, Iowa. —Vege¬ 
table, flower and field seeds of a'l kinds. A 
catalogue of 50 pages and 16 pages of novel¬ 
ties. It offers the Monroe Co. Prize Potato. 
T. C. Davenport, 124 Dock Street. Phil¬ 
adelphia, Pa, —A first-rate li e t of new and 
standard potatoes. Free to applicants. The 
Early "White Ohio promises to be an acqui¬ 
sition. 
George W. P. Jerrard, Caribou, Maine. 
—A list of new r and several of the best stand¬ 
ard potatoes all grown in the “ Cold North,” 
with illustrations and descriptions. The 
R N.-Y. reports upon several in this number. 
V. H. Hallock & Son, Queens. N. Y.— 
This is a large and elaborately illustrated 
“ Floral Annual ” of 68 pages. A great deal 
of space is given to grasses, clovers and for¬ 
age crops. Sainfoin, Crimson Clover, 
Lucerne, with the roots of a plant sweeping 
over two pages. Japan clover, Alsike, Lupins 1 
Millets, Bermuda grass, Kaffir corn are con¬ 
spicuously announced. The book abounds in 
startling illustrations and fervid descriptions. 
One of the four colored pages shows a leaf of 
one of the ornamental beets, flowers of Bes- 
sera elegans, Cyclobothra flava, Milla biflora 
and Celestial peppers. We can not attempt to 
point out the special features of this cata¬ 
logue. Many of the novelties will be consid- 
ered’in cur special soon to appear, which will 
be given up chiefly to a consideration of the 
merits of both the standard old and new kinds. 
The Higganum Manufacturing Corpor¬ 
ation, 189—191 Water Street, N. Y. —This 
catalogue is devoted to seeds and agricultural 
implements. It is to the lat f erthat we desire 
at present particularly to allude. Among the 
implements, illustrations and a description of 
Clark’s Cui away barrow are given. We 
have tried this barrow at the Rural Grounds, 
and can therefore speak of it in the light of 
some experience. Let us take the disk har¬ 
row and cut each disk so that, instead of being 
round, it is formed into six sharp right- 
angled blaoes, each diverging from the 
other outwards by several inches. These 
angular steel di-ks, s>x of each, are fix¬ 
ed on two axles, which may be adjust¬ 
ed to form, with the pole, right angles 
or something less, according to the work re¬ 
quired. The blades enter the soil deeper than 
the round disks, cutting through sods and toss¬ 
ing and pulverizing the soil in a way that the 
older implement can not possibly do We are 
much pleased with it and predict that it will 
be considered an invaluable harrow bv all 
who give it a thorough trial. Au examination 
of the several cuts of the catalogue will give 
our readers a better idea of the implement 
than any attempt of ours to describe it. 
Price & Reed, 516 Broadway, Albany, 
N. Y.—A large-sized catalogue of flower, 
field and garden seeds, wph colored ’covers 
and many illustrations. Headquarters of the 
Early Sunrise potato. 
D. M. Ferry & Co.. Detroit. Mich.— 
Oue of the largest seed firms iu Amer¬ 
ica. The Catalogue (130 pages) will be 
examined with interest by all. Fruit 
tree, forest tree, hedge, evei green, de¬ 
ciduous seeds of many kinds. Miss Blanche 
Ferry is represented as the largest flower, 
most fragrant and most perfect in form of all 
sweet peas. A colored plate is given. Try 
the Molucca Balm, the queerest plant in ex¬ 
istence that is easily raised from seed. 
Green Mountain Grape.— Circular from 
Stephen Hoyt’s Sons, New Canaan, Conn. 
This grape has been highly praised by .some of 
