TH 
E 
FURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Free Seed Distribution 
OF THE 
RURAL NEW-YORKER 
Over 250,000 Packets of Rare and Oostly 
Seeds for the Farm, Vegetable and Flower 
Garden, have been Distributed Free 
to Subscribers This Year. 
Ten Kinds in the Collection that could 
not be Purchased in England 
or America, 
• ‘ For the free distribution of Blount’s White Prolific 
Corn and the Beauty of Hebron Potato alone, the 
farmers of the country should feel grateful to the 
liUHAL NKW-YOBKEB." 
Announcement of our first Free 
Seed Distribution for 1879-80. 
THE CUTHBERT RASPBERRY, 
The IiaHjiberry for the MSIli ms—for the North, South, 
East aud West. Almudant evidence that it is at 
once the bisdiest-ftavored, largest, most prolific and 
hardy variety of lied Raspberry known. 
THE TELEPHONE PEA. 
Awarded a first-class certificate by the Royal Hor¬ 
ticultural Society of England. First tested in tins 
country in the grounds of the Bubal New-Yorker. 
Seed* from Seedling* of Iri* Kaampferi—Hy¬ 
brid Pent Stein oil* (cross belweeu I>lur- 
ryunu* unci Clrmiilittorus)—Aristo- 
lociiln Sipho—iWngiiolin*, Abies 
■Sibirica, &e., Ac. 
Mold’s Ennobled Oats. 
See Engraving And Remarks. 
-♦♦♦- 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS. 
GENERAL REMARKS. 
The experience of our late seed distribution 
has been a thorough but a costly teacher. The 
mistake which we made in that, viz., offering 
a choice of ten varieties from a list of twenty, 
caused an excessive amount of labor and a de¬ 
gree of eoufusiou, which we hope entirely to 
avoid in the future. We shall offer uo choice, 
but send the entire list to all of our subscribers 
who apply. A system of numbers and checks 
will also be adapted, which will enable us to 
send the seeds and plants to those who apply 
in the order of their applications, as well as to 
refer to the date- of mailing, etc., should pack¬ 
ages miscarry. 
The success of our last seed distribution, and, 
indeed, of the Rural New-Yorker, has been 
somewhat extraordinary. The paper is pros¬ 
perous beyond its best hopes, and as regards 
standing, influence and the value of the articles 
with which its columns are filled, ranks to-day 
according to the published sentiments of our 
best men. aud even of our coutemporaries, as 
among the first journals of its class in the 
world. Our late free seed distribution has 
brought us thousands of thauksand expressions 
of approval from all parts of our country. The 
truth of our reiterated statements, that only 
the costliest and most valuable seeds of their 
kind would be offered, bas becu abundantly 
proven. The Beauty of Hebron potato to-daj’, is 
deemed the most valuable in cultivation, and the 
tubers from the thousands which webaveseut 
out have, been carefully saved for seed. As to 
PearlMillet, we could fil Lour columns with what 
others have written us regards the immense 
amount of leaves and stalks which this plant 
produces under proper cultivation. While we 
leave never thought so well of this as have 
many others, there seems to be uo doubt that it 
will be cultivated iu many parts of tlie North— 
as for years it has been in some parts of the 
South—as a valuable fodder plant. Blount’s 
White Prolific Corn, which was sent to our 
subscribers as a supplementary distribution, 
bas proven itself to be a more prolific va¬ 
riety of maize, aud adapted to h wider range of 
country than any other variety in cultivation. 
No doubt, it would eventually hate become 
as generally known as its merits entitle it to 
be. But the Rural, by sending it to appli¬ 
cants free, has accomplished in a single 
season what would have required years had it 
beeu merely offered for sale in the usual way 
by dealers. We are uot willing to conceal from 
ourselves or from the puolie that the introduc¬ 
tion of this corn alone must prove of great 
benefit to the agricultural interests of the 
country. Defiance Wheat has proven of the 
highest value wherever spring wheats thrive, 
and .we have ascertained by sowing a small 
quantity last fall that it may take a high rank 
as a winter variety. While we were distribut¬ 
ing Ibis free among our subscribers, dealers 
were charging from $15 to $20 per bushel for 
it. aud it was in no case that we have heard 
of, sold for less than the first price. The Gol¬ 
den itural tomato is conceded to be the earliest, 
most prolific and best of the yellow sorts. Of 
the many varieties of seeds of our finest 
hardiest shrubs included in our last free distri¬ 
bution, it is too soon to speak since most of 
them will not bloom until the second or third 
year. 
We respectfully urge that the last free seed 
distributions of this journal have proven them¬ 
selves of more value to our readers than the 
annual price of the Rural New-Yorker. aud 
we feel a right to insist that the entire manage¬ 
ment of the paper is proof of our sincere de¬ 
sire to advance the horticultural aud agricul¬ 
tural interests of this country as our first aim. 
We call attention to the facts of the Rural’s 
record under its present ownership—the strict 
exclusion of all unworthy advertisements 5 the 
enlargement of the paper; the reduction of price 
from $2.50 to $2.00; to our origiual engravings 
from life; to the writers the most distinguished 
of the United States, or of England, that have 
that applies, but it is our privilege to do so, not 
our obligation. We do not offer them for new 
or for old subscribers. Our premium list of¬ 
fers compensation to all who are willing to 
assist iu extending the Rural’s circulation. 
All honorable enterprises Of this kind intended 
to create or intensify an appreciation of useful 
or beautiful plants, must in the end reflect credit 
upon those who originate them. Should Redis¬ 
tribution have the effect to add greatly to our 
present circulation, we shall have so much the 
more reason to congratulate ourselves. But were 
• we positive that the increase in subscribers from 
this cause would not pay the cost of the seeds, 
we should seud them just as freely, the same as 
in half-a-dozen cases we have sent new sorts of 
seeds during the past six months, to the mem- 
now stand six feet high along the rows. I 
have seen them growing in several other places 
in New Jersey equally as well as in our own 
grounds, though ou different kinds of soil, 
showing they do well where other Raspberries 
succeed. 
In order to give them a fair trial with others, 
I planted, in a specimen lot, a few rows each 
of the following varieties, which came more 
or less highly recommended, viz.: Pride of the 
Hudson, Cuthbert. Norwalk Seedling, Henri¬ 
etta, Early Prolific, Wluant, Thwack and Re¬ 
liance. We gave them all the same good treat¬ 
ment, and watched the result, which places the 
Cuthbert far ahead of all the others iu abund¬ 
ance of large, handsome fruit and strong, vig¬ 
orous canes and foliage. Wm. Parry. 
Clnnamtnson, N. J., July 28 ,1ST9. 
Mr. J. Kellogg writes us as follows: 
Janesville, Wis., July 26. 
The Cuthbert is the best of the thir¬ 
teen Red Raspberries I am now fruitiug, 
for general cultivation. I have fruited 
it for two seasons. It passed through 
the winter of '78- 79 unprotected, with 
the Thermometer at 80 degrees below 
zero, uniujured, bearing a full crop, 
which at this writing is not all gathered. 
It is firm euougli for shipment, good 
enough for any oue, vigorous, hardy and 
productive. For general cultivation I 
would place the following iu the order 
uamed : Cuthbert, Turner. Brandywine, 
Wlnant, Philadelphia. Of the above the 
last-uamed suffered most by the winter of 
’7S-’79, while Henrietta, Pride of the Hud¬ 
son, aud Highland Hardy were all killed 
to the ground. Geo. J. Kellogg. 
Mr. T. S. Force writes us as follows : 
Newburgh, N. Y., July 26. 
I received this berry in the spring of 
1875, and each year am more imprested with its 
good qualities. It is a good, thrifty grower; 
the berries are the shape of Hudson River 
Antwerp ; they will average nearly or quite as 
large: the color is a trifle darker; the flavor is 
very good, not equal to Antwerp, but sweet and 
pleasant. It retains its shape in shipping as 
well as, if not better than, uny other Rasp¬ 
berry. As far as my experience proves, it is 
perfectly hardy. It is the only one I have that 
has stood the past winter unhurt. The Turner, 
Henrietta, Brandywiue, Thwack and others 
were all more or loss injured; all fully exposed. 
It is very productive, more 60 than auy 
variety I have met with yet. All thiugs con¬ 
sidered, no Raspberry cun be more highly re¬ 
commended for general purposes. 
T. 8. Force. 
Mr. Charles Dowuiug’s opinion of the Cuth¬ 
bert has already been expressed in these col¬ 
umns. He tells Mr. Roe as follows: 
*‘I consider it the most promising Raspberry 
before the public as far as yet tested. The 
fruit is large aud very firm, and the plants, as 
I have seen them, are vigorous growers aud 
exceedingly productive.” 
Our correspoudeut, “ Monmouth,” whose 
opinions regarding small fruits we deem of 
special value, has expressed himself (see Ru¬ 
ral, August 2) iu the following sprightly but 
direct manner: 
The C'lilhliert. 
The other day a fruit-grower remarked to 
me: ‘Do you know of auy good, reliable rasp¬ 
berry for market?’ In answer to which I 
named the Cuthbert. 1 Well," lie questioued, ‘‘is 
it large?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Is it handsome?’ ‘Yes.* 
‘ O! is it firm ?’ ‘Yes, very!’ - Is it of good 
flavor?—although that seems to make but little 
difference no w-a-dayR.’ ‘Yes, nearly as good 
as the Antwerp.’ ‘It isn’t a good grower and 
productive, then, is it?’ ‘Yes!’ “Well, 
there! I almost forgot to ask the most impor¬ 
tant question, aud I suppose that's the sticking 
point—Is it hardy?’ ‘Yes!’ ‘It is! What 
is Die matter with it, then ?’ To which I was 
obliged to reply that that was just the thing I 
had been looking for, aud although I had 
fruited it two years, the one I had failed to 
find.” 
Space forbids a further consideration of 
what has beeu said regarding the Cuthbert. It 
needs only to be added that we have engaged 
Mr. J. T. Lovett, of Little Silver, New Jersey, 
known to many Rural readers as well for his 
enthusiasm as for bis fair-dealing iu horticul¬ 
tural pursuits, to grow for us four acres of this 
Raspberry, two plants of which will be for¬ 
warded to every one of our subscribers who ap¬ 
ply before April 1st, 1880, free of all charge. 
Our illustration Is from a three-year-old plaut 
growing in these grounds, somewhat reduced 
iu size. The slugle berry represents only the 
average size. Next we oiler 
Telephone Pea. 
In these grounds we have at one time or 
another tested nearly every sort of Green Pea 
that has been offered to the public, and re¬ 
ports have beeu made from time to time of 
their period of use, their fruitfulness, quality, 
etc., etc. Attracted by the advertisements of 
the Telephone Pea in English journals; by the 
extravagant engravings which appeared, show 
ing thirteen immense seeds In a pod; by its 
high price and by the reports of those who 
Aristolochia Sipho. — Dutchman’s Pipe. — From Life, Leaves 
filled its pages; to its experiment grounds 
maintained ata considerable cost.aud, finally to 
its free seed and plant distributions that, as to 
the actual value of the seeds as well as to the 
cost aud labor of collecting and distributing 
them, have never been equaled by any other 
journal ever published, so far as we know. If 
acts speak louder than words, we refer to our 
acts without fear that oar readers will not fully 
substantiate us, as proof that the Rural is 
conducted with a benevolent aud overshadow¬ 
ing desire to benefit the interests involved in 
the garden, farm and country home. In truth, 
with due respect, we would ehallouge our 
readers or our coutemporaries, to show that 
the claims which we make are uot strictly 
within the truth. 
The proprietors tor themselves cannot con¬ 
sistently ask for assistance from agents, read¬ 
ers, writers, subscribers or friends. To render 
assistance is precisely the object of conduct¬ 
ing this journal, and the extent to which wo 
are enabled to accomplish this is the measure 
of our reward. Iu this connection it may be 
said with propriety, especially as his name has 
never appeared in these columns, that the 
chief owner of the Rural New-Yorker has 
not engaged in any active business, except, 
it may be, superintending farm operations, for 
many years, and that his circumstances are 
such as to place him beyond the need of any so¬ 
licitude as to its pecuniary success. The suc¬ 
cess, therefore, which we crave is that the Ru¬ 
ral New-Yorker may attain to an unprece¬ 
dented influence iu the history of couutry-home 
journalism ; it is the cause of agriculture and 
horticulture for which we ueg assistance, and 
the owners are willing—nay, anxious—to spend 
the entire income of the paper so as best to 
subserve this worthy project. 
At nearly one-half greater expense than last 
year we have secured plants and seeds for our 
next free seed distribution, and we assert that 
the value of the teu kiuds offered would be, 
at a fair estimate, more than $ 2 , the an¬ 
nual subscription price of this journal. Yet 
we claim that these are not a premium. It is our 
intention to send them to every subscriber 
ONE-THIRD OF NATURAL SIZE 
bers of our thrifty Youths' Horticultural Club. 
After the most careful consideration we could 
give to the subject, we have at length deter¬ 
mined upon the following plants and seeds 
for our 
Free Seed Distribution, 1879-80. 
The Cuthbert Raspberry. —By reference to 
files of the Rural New-Yorker, during the 
past eighteen months, and before we had ever 
thought of presenting plants of it to our readers, 
it will be found that we commended it as prom¬ 
ising to be the most valuable of our hardy 
Red Raspberries. It has been tested by many 
impartial judges as well as by ourselves, aud 
the following is a compilation of the most trust¬ 
worthy Information we can glean. 
Rev. E. P. Roe writes us as follows: 
Cornwall-on-Hu DSON, N. Y., July 25, 1879. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker: —I best express 
my opinion of the Cuthbert by stating that I 
planted, last spring, five times as mauy of this 
variety as of all others together, aud that after 
seeing it in fruit once more, I am so pleased 
with it that I shall piaut few other Raspberries 
this fall. Such definite, practical action 
counts for more than a whole dictionary of 
words. As far as I can now judge, it Seems to 
me the most valuable Raspberry that has been 
well tested. 1 have takeu paius to observe 
this Raspberry very closely. It is rather late 
in maturing, if this is a fault, aud it may de¬ 
velop others. I state my opiuiou only up to 
the present lime. E. P. Roe. 
Judge Parry writes us as follows: This 
large and valuable Raspberry, which was 
originated a few years since by a gentleman 
of that name residing near New York city, 
has found u congenial soil in the State of New 
Jersey, where it makes a rapid and vigorous 
growth, is perfectly hardy, without protection 
ot any kind, withstanding the extremes of heat 
and cold aud producing abundance of very 
large, handsome, bright-red fruit, firm and de¬ 
licious. We had berries this year that meas¬ 
ured fully three inches In circumference, and 
the young canes are making a fine growth and 
