THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
selection in this country, and is recommended | 
as being much hardier, more productive, and 
containing a greater percentage of sugar than 
the ordinary variety. It is an enormous crop¬ 
per, and yields on rich soil from 10 to 20 per 
cent, more l oots than any other variety known. 
This sort should be tested by all growers of 
sugar beets, and compared with 
Vilmorin's Improved Sugar Beet. 
This sort originated with Vilmorin, the great 
Parisian seedsman, and is a popular variety in 
Frauee and Belgium. It is a good, strong 
grower, wi#i light-green leaves, and forms a 
g®od-slzed root on rich soil. Doubtless the 
imported seed is the best, as the seed is care¬ 
fully selected from only well-ripened beets. In 
Maine this soil has been tested, and the yield 
of sugW has been satisfactory in every partic¬ 
ular. The root is long, smooth and pure 
white, as are all varieties of the sugar beet. 
This sort has also been cultivated with com¬ 
plete success in Canada, and the sugar made 
therefrom has been pronounced equal to that 
made in Europe. It is one of the hardiest of 
all varieties, and succeeds well in all localities. 
The White 8ugar Beet 
is also a favorite sort, attaius a large size, and 
is excellent for feeding, as well as for sugar. 
It is largely cultivated in Frauee, and is con¬ 
sidered one of the best sorts cultivated. 
One very important result iB at length 
reached in sugar-making—its manufacture is 
no longer confined to tropical and semi-tropical 
lands, and the sugar beet is the only vegetable 
or plant that will succeed in the north temper¬ 
ate latitude, from which crystalizable sugar 
can be profitably*obtained. In this respect it 
is superior to sorghum 6irup, corn sirup, or 
glucose, all of which cannot yet by any known 
process be converted (at least profitably) into 
fine erystalized sugar. The beet is rich in 
sugar, of which it oontains 15 per cent. (?) while 
cane contains 18 per cent., and maple sap only 
two per cent., so that it will readily be seen that 
the sugar percentage is very large, and is only 
exceeded by that in the cane, which latter 
product now supplies this country with nearly 
all kinds of sugar, both refined and unre¬ 
fined. There are many other kinds of sugar 
beets known, more especially in certain locali¬ 
ties of both Germany and France, but which 
have little reputation outside the limits of cul¬ 
tivation. The sorts described are worthy of 
culture both for sugar and stock feeding, and 
will yield abundantly when planted on rich 
soil and cultivated in the most thorough man¬ 
ner, as the beet should be in order to give the 
best results both to the grower and manufac¬ 
turer of beet sugar. 
Hamden Co., Mass. 
$ o nto logical, 
RUSSIAN APPLES. 
T. H. HOSKINS, M. D. 
The report in the Rural, p. 438, of Mr. 
Barry’s remarks on Russian Apples at the 
Cleveland convention, is not what any one 
could take exception to, yet it seems to me to 
be a very incomplete view of the subject. It is 
true, as 1 have myself noted in the Rural, that 
very few of the several hundred kinds of Rus¬ 
sian Apples imported by the Department of 
Agriculture, which have yet fruited, possess 
keeping qualities, or are of great merit as des¬ 
sert fruit. But ought we to expect it? I 
understand that near St. Petersburg, iu lati¬ 
tude 60 u north, the Duchess of Oldeuburgh is 
a winter Apple; while in northern Vermont 
(lat. 45° N.) it is an early fall fruit, and farther 
south it becomes a summer Apple. As grown 
in lower New Eugland and southward, it is of 
medium size, with a “ harsh, rasping acid” 
flavor. Here it grows so large, and of such a 
different general appearance, that Mr. Down¬ 
ing finds it hard to believe that we have it 
genuine; while the flavor, though not high or 
rich, is a very mild sub-acid when fully ripe. 
Mr. Drew, writing in the Rural (p. 422), 
from El Dorado, Cal., says, referring to East¬ 
ern apples growing there ,—“ Every section of 
the country, every locality, has a climate pe¬ 
culiar to itself, so it will be found that every 
clime will have its own peculiar kinds of fruits, 
which will attain the highest degree of perfec¬ 
tion there only, and will lose some of their 
good qualities as soon as removed elsewhere. 
It is impossible to decide the varieties suitable 
for one clime by those that thrive in another. 
Early spring Eastern apples, for instance, be¬ 
come summer oues here, Eastern aulurnn ap¬ 
ples change into winter, and of real winter or 
subsequent spring apples, we have very few." 
Mr. 8. B. Peck, on the same page, says of 
the Baldwin apple:—‘’The reputation of the 
Baldwin is derived, not from any fine flavor, 
but from the vigor and ihriftiness of the tree, 
the fairness and fine appearance of the fruit, 
its good handling and keeping qualities ; but, 
most of all, from its extraordinary productive¬ 
ness, in which, as far as dollars and cents are 
concerned, it is doubtless superior to any other 
of the long-tested varieties. Such being the 
case, those who raise apples for profit, show 
good judgment in planting largely of this va¬ 
riety.” 
Now, this is ju6t the view that I, in common 
with other fruit-growers in the •* cold North," 
take of the Russian Apples. None of the great 
market apples of the country are of the high¬ 
est quality for the dessert. The Red Astra- 
chau. Maideu’s Blush, Baldwin, R. I. Greening, 
Ben Davis and Pennock, all rank no higher 
that “ very good,” and some of them hardly 
rise to “good” in the pomological lists. The 
Duchess of Oldeuburgh has to take the place 
of the Red Astraehan with us ; for, though the 
latter is called a “Russian," it fails iu the 
“ cold belt." The Duchess, however, is not in¬ 
ferior to it in any of the elements of profit to 
the commercial orchardist. 
It must be remembered, that but few com¬ 
paratively of the new Russians have yet been 
fruited. Ten years are far too short a time to 
test them, sift them, and assign them each a 
place according to their merits. But I know of 
one, at least, that will rank with the best des¬ 
sert apples in quality, besides being a beautiful 
and productive sort. I will not now name it, 
because experience has taught me that I shall 
receive a basketful of solicitations for cions 
which I am ntterly unable to respond to. 
Others, besides Duchess, are already becoming 
known and valued, and have been described 
and figured in the Rural. I do not think the 
Graud Sultan and Yellow Transparent (perhaps 
identical) can be easily beaten as very early 
dessert apples, or surpassed for health, hardi¬ 
ness and productiveness. But this must be 
understood only of them as grown far north. 
At Washington all the new Russians are pro¬ 
nounced worthless. I am told, and I feel sure 
that hardly one of them would do itself justice 
when grown even so far south as Roches¬ 
ter. They are essentially Apples for the far 
North ; and late spriugs, a short season, and 
but little excessively hot weather, are all essen¬ 
tial to the development of their good qualities. 
Now, I think it no small gain for us to have a 
class of Apples, even though many of them are 
not of high quality, which allows orcharding to 
he extended several hundred miles farther north 
than has heretofore been thought practicable. I 
see no reason why the Russians may not be 
made to succeed all the way to the south shore 
of Hudson’s Bay ; and surely the possession of 
so good a fruit for nse during the long winters 
of such a climate, will prove no small boon to 
the people who will eventually populate that 
territory. We, here in northern Vermont and 
the adjoiuing Province of Quebec, arc delighted 
to get them, and we know so genial a man as 
Mr. Barry will appreciate the pleasure we 
find iu an abundance of home-grown fruit, 
even though it may be somewhat inferior to 
that of bis favored home. 
—- - 
SMALL TALK ON SMALL FRUITS. 
BY MONMOUTH. 
I once heard of a man who paid two dollars 
for a pig, and, after feeding it eight dollars’ 
worth of corn, 6old it for five dollars. “ True,” 
said this embryo farmer, “ I did not make very 
much on the corn, but then I made three dol¬ 
lars on the pig." After several years of this 
sort of pt'ofildble experience—although in many 
cases 1 never received back as icuclt as I paid 
for the plants, to say nothing of the time, ferti¬ 
lizers and use of land expended upon them— 
I have come to the conclusion that it wiU not 
pay to plant for market any of the small fruits 
that are not hardy and prolific with berries of 
large size, handsome in appearance, and suffi¬ 
ciently firm to ship well. This is a pretty high 
standard, to be sure, nud it cannot be expected 
that many of the candidates for public favor 
will come up to it. Is it not, therefore, per¬ 
fectly natural that so few of the new, highly- 
extolled sons meet the expectations of the 
fruit-growers ? Another disappointment is 
sometimes caused by some one’s offering 
An Old Variety under a New Nume. 
This is, in most cases, brought about by in¬ 
nocent parties, I have no doubt. Some one on 
whose land the variety, whatever it may be, 
succeeds remarkably well, from lack of knowl¬ 
edge of the varieties cultivated, does not 
recognize the old friend, hence believes him¬ 
self the happy discoverer of a chance seedling 
of wondrous merit. He therefore straightway 
gives it a name, and goes about propagating 
and advertising it in good faith. I have iu 
mind a case in point. Sometime ago I heard 
considerable about the 
Windsor Chief Strawberry 
as possessing all the merits of a profitable va¬ 
riety to a degree beyond ail others. I purchased 
two hundred plants, and by a fortunate co¬ 
incidence planted them side by side with the 
Champion. On their coming into fruit, I must 
confess I have failed to find the slightest differ¬ 
ence either in fruit or plant, and if any exists 
it must be slight indeed, after so thorough a 
scrutiny. 
It is strange why so many omit to 
Head Back the Raspberries and Bluckberries, 
when the operation is so trifling and the bene¬ 
fits so great. All that need be doue is to go 
along the rows, and when the canes of Rasp¬ 
berries attain a hight of three to four feet, 
pinch out the top; do the same with Black¬ 
berries when four to five feet high, according 
to the variety. This will cause the plauts to 
grow bushy and strong, and produce nearly or 
quite double the amount of fruit that they 
otherwise would; besides, it prevents the ne¬ 
cessity of staking the plants the following 
spring, an operation requiring more than dou¬ 
ble the time, to say nothing of the stakes and 
hard words. Let those who have never doue 
this, do it at once, and I am satisfied they will 
always do it in the future. It has long been 
known that strawberry plants set in the sum¬ 
mer and early fall, produce bettor results than 
plauts planted at any other season, but many 
who have tried it have become discouraged 
and given up the practice from the difficulty 
they experience iu getting the plants to live at 
this hot season. This is effectually overcome 
by planting 
Pot-grown Plants. 
Several nurserymen are now growing plants in 
this manner quite extensively, to supply the 
demand, but it is not at all necessary for those 
who have plauts already growing on their 
grounds to resort to the nurseryman. All that 
is Deeded is to procure small flower-pots—2J 
or 2i inches across — fill them with earth 
and sink one even with the ground by the 
side of a young plant just forming. Press 
the young plant into the pot slightly and 
place a small stone or clod of earth upon it to 
hold it in place. In about two weeks it will 
be found to have grown into a good strong 
plant, and the pot will be filled with roots. Of 
course, it is better to remove the plants to 
their neiv house during a wet time, but should 
none occur they will do nearly or quite as well 
if the ball of earth and roots be dipped into 
water after having been removed from the pot 
aud just before it is set into tbe ground, even 
though the weather be very dry. This plan is 
a vast step in advance of the old, uncertain 
one, and plants thus grown will produce, if 
well cared for, a full crop the following sea¬ 
son. 
Little Silver, N. J. 
he held in the Masonic Hall in the City of Ma¬ 
con, commencing Tuesday, July 29th, 1879. at 
10 o’clock, A. M., and continuing during the 
30th and 3lst. Arrangements have been made 
with the railroads to carry goods for exhibi¬ 
tion free and visitors at reduced rates, whom 
the Lanier House will entertain at the rate of 
$1.50 a day 
gjortintltaral. 
SEEDLINGS. 
Really more pleasure accrues from starting a 
new plant of worth than from any other branch 
of horticulture. Among the plants most easily 
experimented with are the Geraniums, Gladioli, 
Phloxes, Roses; indeed, any of the perennials 
or biennials afford an opportunity for im¬ 
provements. Seedlings of Geraniums sown in 
a hot-bed can be brought to blossom the first 
year. Select seed from a bed iu which have 
been grown several colors, and you are 6ure 
of something interesting, if it be not worthy 
of propagation. The Gladioli require a little 
more patience, needing about three years from 
seed to eome to maturity. The same is true of 
the Hyacinth and the Tulip. Most bulbous 
roots take three to five years of care. 
Any one haviug a small garden, should set 
apart oue bed for experiments. Here may be 
planted extra-large seeds of fruits, or what¬ 
ever draws the attention as peculiar. A few 
Grapes may he growu, while peach stones may 
be planted instead of being thrown away. Seed¬ 
lings of Crawford’s Early, and some other va¬ 
rieties, almost invariably produce good fruit; 
often better than the parent, aud are often 
hardier. It rarely pays to expect apple seed¬ 
lings to equal the best varieties now under 
culture. Better graft at once. 
There are fruits as well as flowers capable 
of great improvement. This we may be cer¬ 
tain of from observing the recent remarkable 
development of tbe wild Grapes, the Pear, the 
Potato, the Rose, the Dahlia, the Geranium, 
aud the Strawberry. Among those deserving 
of experiments are the Persimmou, the Quince, 
the Blackberry, among fruits, and the im¬ 
provement may be looked for in any direction 
among the flowers. 
Accurate hybridizing is not so difficult, 
and is a very attractive style of experiment. 
It consists in simply removing the pollen from 
one flower or cluster of flowers, and dusting 
on the pollen collected from some other de¬ 
sirable variety. The buuch or flower must then 
be protected from the contact of the insects. 
The seed produced by this cluster or single 
flower will probably produce plants iu which 
the two crossed varieties will combine their 
qualities. But hybridization is so largely en¬ 
gaged in through the agency of the wind and 
the bees that if Beveral varieties of Grapes or 
Geraniums or Roses grow together, we have 
only to sow their seed to secure results similar 
to more artificial hybridizatiou. 
A pleasant supplement to the work sug¬ 
gested, is to name our choicest seedlings after 
our choicest friends. e. p. pqwell. 
- ■+++ - 
The Fourth Annual Session and Exhibition 
of the Georgia State Horticultural Society, will 
THE FARMER’S WORKSHOP. 
SERENO EDWARDS TODD. 
Every tiller of the soil should provide a 
cheap and convenient shop, aud a goodly num¬ 
ber of mechanical tools, with which numerous 
little jobs may be performed in less time than 
would be consumed in simply going to and from 
the shop of a professional mechanic, who would 
necessarily require remuneration. More than 
this, farmers always have many hours and 
days, and sometimes entire weeks, of wet, 
stormy and lowery weather, w r hen no one can 
work in the field. At such times, if one will 
exercise a little mechanical gumption when 
usiug mechanical tools, ho will soon be able to 
perform almost any little job by way of repair¬ 
ing farm implements and hand tools. It is an 
old, but trite saying, that almost any oue can 
do a difficult job if he have the necessary tools, 
while it will require all the skill of an expert 
mechanic to work without tools. 
The first aud most important consideration 
1 b the shop itself. If a man feels too poor to 
erect a commodious shop, aud if lie cannot 
occupy any part of some out-buflding, let him 
make an economical lean-to at the side of 
some building. Such a shop can be erected at 
the expense of only a few dollars. For exam¬ 
ple, let such a structure he about eleven feet 
broad by fourteen or sixteen feet iu length. 
The sides aud roof can be made of good hem¬ 
lock boards, planed or not. At most lumber 
yards one can purchase hemlock flooring, 
matched and planed on one side, which costs 
only a dime more per hundred feet than the 
boards of the same quality uot planed. Make 
a shed-roof, sloping all one way. Then cover 
the surface with newspapers or any other kind 
of paper, and spread over the paper old car¬ 
peting. old canvas, old matting, and cover 
thin pieces and holes with good pieces. Nail 
the edges and the pieces over the holes with 
carpet tacks, or with small lath nails. Such a 
roof need have only a slope of one foot in 
twelve. After the canvas or matting is secure¬ 
ly nailed, apply a heavy eoat of coal tar. 
Paper should be applied three or more thick¬ 
nesses to keep the tar from running down be¬ 
tween the roof boards. 
Then, after the expiration of a few days, 
mingle coal tar, fine-sifted sand, and some 
sifted lime or gypsum, or Rosendale cement, 
or equal parts of each of these substances, un¬ 
til the mass is of the consistence of plastering 
mortar. With a plastering trowel, let a thin 
coat of the foregoing mixture be spread on the 
roofing foundation. One of my barns, a wagon 
shed and two corn-cribs are covered witli such 
roofiug, aud they have been “leak-tight" for 
over three years. I procured a large quantity 
of the matting that comes around tea-ehests, 
and the sacks which are made of gunning- 
eloth for holding coffee, peanuts and other 
commodities. A large quantity of floor mat¬ 
ting and carpeting, not half worn out, was 
cast aside as worthless, which subserved an 
excellent purpose as a foundation for the roof¬ 
ing cement or plaster. The cost of such a roof 
is extremely small. The labor of putting the 
materials in their proper places constitutes the 
largest item of expense. 
It will not be necessary to incur the expense 
of a framed building in the erection of such a 
workshop. Precure a load of hard-wood slabs 
at some saw-mill, aud stand the lower ends on 
stones, or set them in the ground for posts 
and studs. Or cut down small trees, and 
straighten oue Bide of the pieces for posts. If 
the ground is not dry, let a few wagon loads 
of clay, or gravel and clay, be spread over the 
surface. A plank floor is uot necessary, for 
the reason that such a shop will usually be 
covered with chips, shavings and score-blocks. 
Two or three boards may be placed by the aide 
of the work-bench, if deemed desirable. Of 
course three or four large windows will be 
essential, and a broad doorway of sufficient 
width to admit a wagon. 
For myself, I would have a workshop built 
of as good materials aud style as any out¬ 
building. But when a farmer feels too poor, I 
desire to aid him in erecting a workshop that 
will cost but little besides Liis own labor. 
The attic story of many a building is of no 
practical use for any purpose. But by cutting 
a doorway at one end, making au inclined 
plane from the ground to the doorway, and 
puttiug three or four windows in the roof, a 
conveuieut workshop could be provided at a 
small expense. In many instances a portion 
of the basemept story of the dweUiug house 
could be appropriated to a workshop. A few 
