248 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
April 7 
4 
; Ruralisms 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS. 
Good Apples. —Some former owner of 
the Rural Grounds plot, In the goodness 
of his heart, grafted over the top of two 
volunteer seedling apple trees standing 
in an old hedge row, with Newtown 
Pippin scions of the yellow or Albemarle 
type. These trees are not handsome, 
and their situation is now very conspicu¬ 
ous, but we would not like to part with 
them for any consideration. Though 
trimmed up absurdly high, they produce 
yearly a barrel apiece of splendid apples, 
which are a pleasure to gather and a joy 
long drawn out to eat during the late 
Winter months. This admirable apple, 
for generations the standard of excel¬ 
lence among its kind, is seldom planted 
now, but the idea of top-grafting vig¬ 
orous seedlings with it should not be al¬ 
lowed to die out, as a few trees well es¬ 
tablished mean an addition of perman¬ 
ent value to any country place. When 
the Newtowns are at their best we do 
not care for any other apple, either for 
cooking or dessert use. Even the de¬ 
licious Spitzenburg, so ably described on 
page 50, January 27, is neglected during 
the Pippin season. 
A Cheerful Winter Flowering 
Plant. —A young plant of Salvia Bon¬ 
fire, the dwarf Scarlet sage, rooted from 
a cutting taken in September, has been 
a blaze of color all Winter. It is grow¬ 
ing in a shallow bench of soil, not more 
than four inches deep, under glass, but 
has produced spikes of bloom of re¬ 
markable length and brilliancy of color. 
As there are no insects to pollenize 
the flowers they do not fade as when 
seed is produced in the garden. It would 
seem that Salvias might be grown more 
frequently in the window garden. While 
their intense color may appear harsh 
under the blazing Summer sun, it is 
very acceptable in dull Winter weather. 
Juneberries in tue Garden. —Not¬ 
withstanding the continued cold the 
flower buds on our Amelanchier trees 
are swelling rapidly, and a few warm 
days will transform them into a sheet 
of bloom. They were planted five years 
ago on the poorest place on the grounds, 
where we had graded the surface soil 
off the top of an old stone quarry, and 
left a bed of tough clay overlying 
broken rocks. A few inches of top soil, 
just enough to hold grass when yearly 
fertilized, was spread over the raw sur¬ 
face and the little trees planted. They 
are now about eight feet high, being cut 
back every year to form a bushy top, 
and are as sturdy and handsome speci¬ 
mens as one would wish to see. They 
bloom profusely every season, anu if the 
weather is not too wet when the flowers 
expand, bear a fine crop of nice fruit, 
which is highly appreciated for pies, 
We have heard of some improved varie¬ 
ties of the western shadbush, A. alni- 
folia, but have not yet succeeded in get¬ 
ting plants. The Juneberries do not 
seem to be sufficiently appreciated either 
as ornamental or fruit-bearing shrubs. 
THE RUBY QUEEN ROSE. 
How to Care for the Tender Plants. 
Propagating a Novelty. —We are 
ready to begin mailing the many thous¬ 
and Ruby Queen roses called for by our 
subscribers, and hope to meet all re¬ 
quests by the middle of May at the 
latest A word as to the method of 
propagating a rose in such quantities 
may be of interest. The original plant 
of Ruby Queen bloomed in June, 1896, and 
the following October was tramierred to 
a propagating greenhouse. By January 
the new shoots developed under glass 
were made into cuttings, which were 
potted off when rooted, about six weeks 
later. During the following April a 
number of these young plants were sent 
to careful growers in Tennessee and 
North Carolina, while the remainder 
were planted out at the home nursery. 
All the plants grew into large speci¬ 
mens and endured the severe Winter 
of 1898-99 in four localities, ranging 
from Nashville, Tenn., to New York 
City, without the slightest injury. Last 
Fall, when The R. N.-Y. decided to 
present this fine rose to its subscribers, 
all these hundreds of strong plants 
were assembled together and placed 
in the hands of one of the oldest and 
most expert rose-growers in America. 
The resulting thousands of little plants 
are now ready to distribute among our 
readers. 
Potting the Young Plants. —Those 
who receive these young plants before 
the trees have commenced to leaf out in 
their respective localities, would best 
plant them in a three-inch flower pot or 
small tin can, such as is used for sweet 
corn or peas; first melting off the top 
and punching holes in the bottom for 
drainage. Fill the can one-third full 
of cinders or pebbles, over which place 
a sufficient quantity of good garden soil. 
Free the roots from all moss or packing 
material, and plant very firmly in the 
center of the pot or can. Water well 
and keep in a shady window or situation 
in frame or hotbed for a day or two, 
when it can be gradually brought into 
full sunlight Water often enough to 
keep the soil fairly moist, but never 
sodden, and give plenty of ventilation, 
but do not expose the plant to drafts of 
cold air, for it must be remembered 
that, although the rose is a very hardy 
one, it has just come from a warm 
greenhouse. When earthen flower pots 
are used less drainage is required, as the 
pots are quite porous and dry out easily. 
Permanent Planting. —The question 
of planting the Ruby Queen or any other 
climbing rose should be carefully con¬ 
sidered, as it should become a perman¬ 
ent and most ornamental audition to 
increase in strength and beauty for 
many years thereafter. The shoots 
should have support as soon as they 
have made a few feet of growth, and will 
doubtless require very little pruning. 
Old canes that have bloomed freely, and 
weak growths, may be cut away en¬ 
tirely, but the less it is interfered with 
the more satisfactory the result will be. 
While the Ruby Queen has proven very 
hardy up to this time some Winter pro¬ 
tection may be needed in the extreme 
north, and in the prairie States, but ex¬ 
perience alone will demonstrate its ulti¬ 
mate powers of endurance. We have 
been thus explicit in giving directions 
for the culture of this beautiful and in¬ 
teresting rose, because we would like 
our readers to secure the highest pos¬ 
sible degree of success with it. 
A number of readers have asked for fur¬ 
ther information concerning the tree-dried 
or Freedom cherry, which was mentioned 
on page 108. The Blair County Nursery 
Company informs us that they are not pre¬ 
pared to send out either trees or wood yet, 
as they prefer to wait and see that this 
curious habit is absolutely fixed. The 
cherries have dried on the trees as stated 
in the article, but they wish to watch it 
for another year before attempting to send 
it out, and we think this decision is a wise 
one. Too many novelties are advertised 
and broadcast without sufficient testing, 
and this half-testing only brings trouble to 
the introducer, and disappointment to those 
who test the fruit. 
Spraying Pays 
If you have the 
right pump. 
Our No. 305 out¬ 
fit is as good a 
pump as ever 
was sold, and 
you will be sur¬ 
prised when 
you learn the 
price. We sell 
Pump, Barrel, 
5 Feet of Hose, 
GraduatedNoz- 
zle, which 
throws a spray 
as fine as mist, 
Extension Pipe 
for high trees, 
and with first 
order from 
every town, 10 
lbs. of Paris 
Green free. Write for book telling all about it, 
and how and when to spray. 
ROSS BR0S. W «“1“ ,> FRONT ST. 
pur Fruit Trees and 
24 styles spraying outfits. Best 
and cheapest. For prices and 
full treatise on spraying all Fruit andVegetable crops 
address WILLIAM STAHL, Quincy, Illinois. 
A Good Spray Pump 
Saves time, patience, 
money and muscle; 
•‘A poor one is not 
worth one cent.” 
THE ECLIPSE 
has defeated every good pump 
in the world in public govern¬ 
ment contests, and has never 
been beaten by any. We guar¬ 
antee satisfaction in every 
particular. Send for catalogue 
MOKRILL & MOBLEY, 
Benton Harbor, Mich 
LEGGETT'S CHAMPION 
DRY POWDER DUSTER. 
Dusts two rows of po¬ 
tatoes, tobacco, etc., 
as fast as you walk. 
Also a full line of Hand Sprayers. Write for circu¬ 
lar. Agents wanted. 
LEGGETT & BROTHER, 301 Pearl St„ NEW YORK. 
N O crop can 
grow with* 
out Potash. 
Every blade of 
Grass, every grain 
of Corn, all Fruits 
and Vegetables 
must have it. If 
enough is supplied 
you can count on a full crop— 
if too little, the growth will be 
“ scrubby.” 
Send for our books telling all about composition of 
fertilizers best adapted for all crops. They cost you 
nothing. 
GERMAN KALI WORKS,93 Nassau St., New York. 
CANADA 
When you BUY 
ASHES, buy of a reli¬ 
able home concern that 
HARDWOOD 
lias some real responsi¬ 
bility. Our own em¬ 
ployees collect our 
ashes, our own chem¬ 
ists test them, we guar¬ 
antee every lot to be 
PURE, finely screened 
and free from adulteration—and our prices are 
low. Write for quotations. 
nnUflTCD fertilizer CO. 
DUVVILbVl (Independent), 
Boston and New York. 
CANADA 
HARDWOOD 
UNLEACHED 
FINELY 
SCREENED 
ASHES 
I have been collecting and shipping ASHES^for 
15 years. I sell direct to consumer at low prices. 
ANDREW V. JOYNT, 
Box 388-B, Seaforth, Ont. 
“MAPLE BRAND ” 
HARD¬ 
WOOD 
ASHES 
Direct from Canada, gathered, screened and shipped 
under my own personal supervision. Z2T Write for 
prices. Ashes shipped subject to approval on arrival. 
V. K. LALOB, Duunville, Ont. 
Nitrate of Soda 
has been adopted by the Agricul¬ 
tural Experiment Stations all over 
the world as the standard by which 
to measure the availability of all 
other forms of Nitrogen used as 
fertilizers. It is the cheapest and 
most concentrated fertilizer on the 
market. Full information to be 
had free by addressing John A. 
Myers, 12-6 John St.,New York. 
Nitrate f<>r sale by fertilizer dealers every¬ 
where. 
Write at once for List of Dealers. 
with onr new patent 
Kerosene Sprayers 
L is simple Indeed. Kerosene emulsion 
made while pumping^. 12 varieties 
1 sprayers, Bordeaux and Vermorel 
' Nozzles, the “World’s Best.” 
THE DEMINQ CO., SALEM, 0. 
Western Agents, HeiliOnA HubbelL 
Chicago. Catalogue and formulas free. 
with the addition of a few currants or 
gooseberries to give the necessary 
acidity. The robins and catbirds know 
how good they are, too, and are on hand 
as soon as the berries color, but the 
trees are quite near the door and a few 
yards of mosquito netting protect the 
greater portion of the trees from inva¬ 
sion. We do not know any better trees 
for the soil and exposed situation. 
They are a compact-growing variety of 
Amelanchier botryapium, the common 
dwarf Juneberry, and originally came 
from the Reading Nursery in eastern 
Massachusetts. The Success Juneberry 
has been grown for many years near the 
Rural Grounds, and produces much 
larger and better fruit than our trees, 
but its growth is so low and straggling 
that weeds quickly overtop it, while it 
suckers so freely that it requires some 
attention to keep in good shape. It is 
said to belong to the same species, not¬ 
withstanding the difference in habit. 
any home. If to be planted near the 
porch or walls of the dwelling it should 
be remembered that the soil about 
foundations of dwellings is often very 
dry and poor. A nole should be dug 18 
inches or more across and as much deep. 
If the soil drainage is poor, the hole 
may be made a foot deeper, and the 
extra depth filled in with stones or 
brickbats. Five or six inches of good 
rotted manure -nixed with a little earth 
may next be put in the hole, and well 
trodden down, and then the excavation 
filled with good soil, or better still a 
compost of old sods, manure and garden 
soil mixed in equal portions. The rose 
may safely be planted out as soon as 
danger of sharp frosts is over, if some 
protection is given during the first chilly 
nights. The Ruby Queen, like all hy¬ 
brids of Rosa Wichuraiana, now called 
R. Luciffi, is a rather slender grower 
until established. It should bloom the 
second year with good treatment, and 
It means doing good work quickly. You save i 
and dollars when you begin using the 
Irou Age Pivot Wheel Cultlvutor. 
does not 
shaky and 
because 
construction— 
Fully de- 
1-011 Age 
Book for 1900. Sent free. 
BATEMAN MFC. CO., Box 102 Crenloch, N. J. 
GALVANIZED 
Wind Mill 
A storin-defying outfit made upon honor, for people 
who want tha best. Its construction throughout is the 
staunchest kind, giving it power to out last and out 
do all others, and stand the fury of storms, that sweep 
away substantial buildings. 
A Beautiful Illustrated Booklet, 
a work of art, showing ancient and modefn wind mills, pumps, wells, 
etc., mailed FREE for the asking. If you intend to buy a wind mill 
this year, this booklet will be of much value to you, no matter what mill 
you buy. stover Mfg. Co., 502 River St., Freeport, III, 
