774 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
November 7 
uralisms 
y ▼’▼’IT’ 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS 
A Promising Native Hazel. —Ben¬ 
jamin Buckman, Farmingdale, Ill., sends 
samples of a seedling native liazei, prob¬ 
ably Corylus Americana, raised in his 
extensive experimental orchard. Figs. 
*289 and 290, page 770, show husks and 
nuts in natural size. The plant came 
up as a volunteer in a currant row. Mr. 
Buckman is keeping this variety under 
observation, and has no nuts or scions 
for sale. He thus describes it: 
1 am not well enough acquainted with 
hazelnuts to judge of the merit of this 
seedling, as I have been raised in a prairie 
<-ountry, but it is the best I have ever 
happened to see; best, mainly because of 
the great vigor and productiveness of the 
bush. The bush is nine or 10 feet high and 
about as broad, and gives over half a 
bushel in the shuck yearly. There are not 
many nuts in tlie cluster, from one to three. 
Few varieties of hazel are offered by 
nurseymen. None of the European 
kinds seem of any real^ value here on 
account of susceptibility to fungus at ■ 
tacks. A good productive native would 
be highly appreciated. “The nuts illus- 
strated had rather thick shells, but the 
kernels were sweet and well flavored. 
Corn Pro.^pects. —The local corn crop 
lias been a long-drawn-out misery for 
the planters, punctuated with extensive, 
losses from the fierce September and 
early October gales. The dry and cold 
Spring delayed preparation of the soil 
until caught by the excessive rains of 
June. Very little corn was up until well 
into July, and made but a feeble growth 
for many successive weeks. In early 
September the prospects brightened, and 
there was a fair promise in well cul¬ 
tivated fields, but the fierce gales that 
followed so battered it down that it 
could not “elbow up again.” Some of 
the best plantings are very near a total 
loss, considering the immature grains, 
bent and broken stalks and shredded 
foliage. Many fields on low ground have 
been abandoned or fitted for other crops. 
Probably 50 per cent of the field corn 
hereabout was uncut October 24, an un¬ 
precedented condition at this season. 
Asparagt’s Grows Well. —Asparagus 
likes plenty of moisture during growth, 
and was well suited this season. The 
tops are ripening naturally for the first 
time since the rust fungus appeared six 
years ago. We are not able to find rust 
blotches at all on Palmetto and Argen- 
teuil varieties. Conover and White 
Columbian show very slight infection. 
This is an agreeable contrast to the Fall 
of 1901, when the tofis were generally 
dead by August 20. Either cool wei 
weather is directly inimical to the rust 
organism, or is so favorable to the 
growth of asparagus that the plant is 
enabled to overcome the invasion. It is 
too much to hope that we are rid of the 
pest, but it is certainly encouraging to 
find that with good treatment in favor¬ 
able seasons we. may bring our plants 
up to something like normal strength. 
The Asparagus beetles were very per¬ 
sistent this year, keeping up a continu¬ 
ous performance in the way of succes¬ 
sive generations, but were controlled 
with but little damage by repeated ap¬ 
plications of Paris-green and flour, a 
teaspoonful of the arsenic to a pound of 
damaged flour, put on with a dust gun 
while the plants were wet with dew. 
This mixture sticks well to the feathery 
foliage, and is freely eaten by both 
beetles and larvae. 
Glass-Grown Asparagit.s Plants.— 
On March 2, 1902, we sowed one-fourth 
ounce selected Palmetto asparagus seeds 
in a flat or shallow box containing four 
inches of soil in the greenhouse, hav¬ 
ing previously soaked them in tepid 
water 24 hours. The plants began to 
come up in 12 days, and averaged nearly 
three inches high by the last of April. 
All weak or misshapen plants were pulled 
out as they grew, leaving about 150 
straight, vigorous seedlings wiith the 
first leaves nearly two inches above the 
soil. In May, after the plants had been 
hardened by two weeks’ exposure to 
the open air, a plot of sandy soil was 
prepared, after the usual plowing and 
fining, by striking out furrows five feet 
apart, and sowing on the sloping sides 
about three pounds to the rod of high- 
grade chemical fertilizer. This was well 
mixed with the soil by raking back a 
portion in the furrow, so that it finished 
five inches deep, with nearly three 
inches of fine soil over the liottom. 
Water was then turned on the flat of 
asparagus seedlings through a hose 
fitted with a small nozzle, and the soil 
completely washed away from the mass 
of roots. The plants, after being care¬ 
fully disentangled, were thrown in a pail 
of water, taken to the field and im¬ 
mediately planted 18 inches apart, ar¬ 
ranging the Tittle roots as far as pos¬ 
sible in their natural star-like forms. 
A few weeks earlier strong one-year 
jdants of Argenteuil grown in a seed 
bed were planted in close adjoining rows 
in the same plot, using similar fer¬ 
tilization. The glass-grown plants, hav¬ 
ing practically their entire root system, 
grew on without the slightest check, 
and by Fall formed clump nearly as 
strong as the older Argenteuils. Now, at 
the end of the second season, there is 
no perceptible difference in the two lots 
except the usual varietal distinctions, 
and we think there will be little differ¬ 
ence in the yield next Spring, though we 
shall cut very sparingly. Both lots pro¬ 
duced shoots of good market size this 
season, one year from planting, but they 
were not disturbed. Another dressing 
of the same fertilizer was given at first 
cultivation, and the whole plot was kept 
loose and free from weeds, peas followed 
by dwarf beans being grown between 
the rows. 
Quick Wav to Get an Asi’.vr.vG'US 
Beil— This would appear a cheap and 
rapid way to start an asparagus bed if 
it works out well. One or two-year 
plants, as dug from the seed bed, have 
the roots more or less mutilated, and 
must expend considerable energy to 
form new ones, while a more critical 
selection may be made of the young 
seedlings when grown in boxes or pots. 
Not over eight per cent of our box- 
grown plants have turned out to be fe¬ 
males or seed bearers. The tall, vigor¬ 
ous young seedlings inclined to keep 
to single stems seem likely to have ster¬ 
ile or imperfect blooms, and therefore 
make better shoots, as little energy is 
spent in flowering, and none in seed 
production. Trials made at the Ohio Ex¬ 
periment Station with the product for 
one cutting season of 50 male or sterile 
and 50 female plants showed that the 
males yielded in weight of shoots almost 
50 per cent more than the females, and 
in no case did a berry-bearing plant 
yield as much as the poorest of the ster¬ 
ile ones. The shoots of the male plants 
are larger, and the crop averages earlier 
in the season, though the first cuttings 
of both forms come at about the same 
date. Selection for sex of asparagus 
plants cannot, of course, be made with 
certainty at such an early stage, but 
there is surely a less proportion of 
berry-bearing plants in our glass-grown 
lot than the companion Argenteuil 
planting: and less than we have before 
been able to secure. Prof. Whitten, of 
The Missouri Experiment Station, advo¬ 
cates starting the seed in the house or 
hot bed, selecting out the best plants 
when three inches high, discarding 
seven-eighths .of the seedlings, including 
all with flat, twisted or corrugated 
stems, and putting up the choice ones 
in small pots, to be shifted once or 
twice to larger sizes as growth pro¬ 
gresses until ready to plant out. This 
would seem an ideal, way to get a choice 
lot of seedlings, but is far more trouble 
than keeping them in the original flat 
until planting time. Seeds may be 
started in the window garden like to¬ 
mato or cabbage plants, and a home 
planting of this most desirable esculent 
quickly secured. As asparagus plants 
under good care may continue produc¬ 
tion for 20 years or longer, it is worth 
some trouble to get good ones. The only 
way to make absolutely sure of male 
plants is to divide old ones or by select¬ 
ing seedlings two or more years old that 
bear no seeds. w. v. e. 
Farm Wagon only BZ1.95, 
In order to Introduce their Low Metal Wheels with 
Wide Tires, the Empire Manufacturing (jompany, 
Quincy, 111., have placed upon the market a Farmer’s 
Handy Wagon, that is only 25 Inches high, fitted 
with 24 and 30-inch wheels with 4-inch tire, and sold 
for only 121.95. 
This wagon Is made of the best material through¬ 
out, and really costs'but a trifle more than a set of new 
wheels andfully guaranteed for one year. Catalogue 
giving a full description will be mailed upon applica¬ 
tion by the Empire Manufacturing Co„ Quincy, IIL, 
who also will furnish oetal wheels at low pricesmade 
any size and width of tire to fit any axle. 
When you write advertisers mention THE 
R. N.-Y. and you will get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.” See our guarantee 8th page. 
BUSHEL CRATES 
Our ventilated bushel crates 
are bettor and cheaper than 
baskets—8 cents each—made 
of best material. Shipped 
ready to put together. Book¬ 
let No.HfuIl particulars free. 
Geneva Cooperate Co.,Geneva,0. 
Monarch Stump Puller 
will pull 6-foot stump in three minutes, 
Guaranteed to stand 250,009 lbs. strain 
For illustrated catalogue and discounts 
address MONARCH GRUBBER CO., Lone Tree, la. 
ARROW BRAND 
Ready Roofing 
can be laid on 
top of old 
shingles with¬ 
out tearing off 
the old roof. 
ASPHALT READY R00FIN6 CO. seM to, 
Sa Fine St., New York. samples. 
Don’t cover your barn with a 
mortgage. Use 
Paroid Roofing 
the unexcelled permanent roofing for 
buildings of all kinds. Economical, dur¬ 
able and easy to apply. Any one can put 
it on and it stays where you put it. Com¬ 
plete roofing kit with each roll. Our book, 
‘Building Economy,” tells all about 
inexpensive buildings. It’s free to you. 
F. W. BIRD & SON, E. Wilpolt, Mast. andChicico. 
ruUL I ti 
IPOULTRY LINE-Pencing, Feed,Incu-S 
(bators, Live Stock, Brooders-anything—J 
Jit’s our business. Call or let us send you5 
Jour Illustrated Catalogue—it’s free for the) 
J asking—it's worth having. , 
lExcelsior Wire & PouftrySupply Co.,< 
) Dept. H.G. 26 & 28 Vesey Street. New York City, i 
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOGOOOOOOOOCOt 
11 A I Al E? I A lil is fhe earliest, easiest worked and most pro- 
I I J tw MA I III I J ductiveland. By using tile you get rid ofThe 
■ surplus water and admit the air to the soil- 
both necessary to best results In agriculture. My AGRICULTURAL 
DRAIN TILE meets every requirement. Make also Sewel Pipe, Red 
and Fire Brick, Chimney Tops. Encaustic Side Walk Tile, etc. Write for 
• - ‘JOHNH.JACK.SON.76 lhlrdAve.A 
what you want and prices. 
. Albany, N.Y. 
MAPLE SUGAR MAKERS 
Use the Grimm Spout. 
Remove no bark from the tree. 
Assuming that 400 trees with antiquated spouts produce 800 pounds of sugar. Similar conditions with the 
Grimm Spout produces lO.iO pounds. What is the value of 250 pounds of sugar and the cost of 400 Grimm 
Spouts? The gain Is guaranteed. Freight paid on all orders of 500 or more. Agents wanted. Samples free. 
Gr. :EC. G-X1JC3VX3VE, Zl.-u.tlM'Xi.c]., 'XT’t. 
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QUAUTY IS JUDGED." 
RUBEROID 
TRaQC MARK RtOlITtRCD 
ROOFING 
THE PIONEER WEATHER-PROOF AND ELASTIC ROOFING. 
WEARING QUALITIES UNEOUALEO BY ANY OTHER ROOFING. 
WATER-PROOF. ACID-PROOF. FIRE-RESISTING. 
CO •OkKUV NiV 
Paint Company, 
CHICAGO OmCE, 183*190 MA0I80N ST. 
$33 
California 
Oregon and 
Tickets to Washington 
If you want to visit any point on the Pacific Coast or in the 
Pacific Northwest—NOW IS THE TIME. 
Every day from September 15 to November 30, the Burlington 
Route will sell one-way tickets from Chicago to Portland, Tacoma, 
Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles or San Diego for only $33; to 
Spokane, Ellensburg, Wenatchee or Umatilla, $30.50; to Salt Lake 
City, Ogden, Butte, Helena, Anaconda, Missoula, or Kalispell, $28. 
Tickets at proportionately low rates will be on sale during this 
time to practically all points in California and the Pacific Northwest. 
The Burlington offers a greater selection of routes and better 
service to the West and Northwest than any other line — that fact is 
worth considering. 
Just take a minute, cut out the coupon below, fill it in carefully 
and mail to my address. 
Builington 
Route 
COURON. 
CUT THIS OUT. 
P. S. EUSTIS, Passenger Traffic Manager, 
209 Adams St., Chicago. 
I want to go to_ 
Please send descriptive folders telling about the 
cheap tickets, the country, and how to get there. 
Name___ 
Address, 
