386 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
June 2 
Pluralisms 
THE ALSTRCEMERIA OR HERR LILY. 
There are few flowering plants of 
great beauty so little known in this 
country as the various species of Alstrce- 
meria, often popularly called Herb lilies. 
They are tuberous-rooted plants from 
Peru arfd Chile, and really belong to the 
Amaryllis family, and are not lilies at 
all. Only one or two varieties, A. au- 
rantiaca and A. aurantiaca aurea, are 
sufficiently hardy to endure our Win¬ 
ters, and they should he planted deeply 
in a dry situation and the crowns cov¬ 
ered with a foot or more of earth before 
hard freezing sets in. The above varie¬ 
ties, producing orange and golden yel¬ 
low flowers respectively, are offered 
among herbaceous plants by several of 
our nurserymen, but there are many 
other species suited for greenhouse and 
Window garden culture rarely offered 
here. We have long grown several 
species, and value them highly for their 
beautiful and lasting flowers, which are 
as singular in form and varied in color 
and markings as some of the finest 
orchids. Nothing adds more to a vase of 
cut blooms in Summer than a few stems 
of these South American oddities. The 
colors are bright and varied, combining 
rich ground tints with delicate spots and 
marblings of several other shades. They 
grow from 18 inches to three feet in 
height, if given sufficient room; nearly 
every stem being topped by a truss of 
bloom. The rather fleshy leaves are 
curiously twisted near the stem, so that 
the under surface becomes permanently 
the upper when they have developed. 
The illustration on page 382, Fig. 112, 
shows a small truss of Alstrcemeriai 
Errembaultii, one of the smaller species. 
The color is white, spotted with crimson 
and yellow. A. Pelegrina bears dense 
trusses of much larger flowers, pale pur¬ 
ple, suffused with yellow and spotted 
with purple, lower petals nearly white. 
A. Pelegrina alba is a scarce and lovely 
white variety of the above, usually called 
“Lily of the Incas.” It is very chaste, 
being faintly tinged with yellow in the 
center. Other desirable species are A. 
Chilensis, yellow, crimson and purple. 
A. oculata, rosy purple, with many 
blackish spots; A. Brasiliensis, red and 
mahogany, tinged all over with black; 
A. pisittacina, called Parrot flower, is 
hooded in form, deep crimson, spotted 
purple, with green tip to the petals. 
About 40 or 50 years ago Alstrcemerias 
were very popular in Europe, and some 
successful experiments at hybridization 
between the species were made, but they 
have fallen into comparative obscurity 
of late years. 
The culture of the conservatory varie¬ 
ties is quite simple. The tubers should 
be placed as early in the Autumn as they 
can be obtained in large pots, eight to 
10-inch sizes are best, with an inch or 
so of rough material at the bottom for 
drainage. Fill the pots with good soil 
containing a fair amount of old manure. 
Plant about three roots in each large 
pot, water very moderately, and set 
away in the cellar or some place safe 
from frost until growth appears above 
the surface, when they should be placed 
in as light a position as possible. They 
do not need great warmth. Water should 
be given freely when required. The 
flowers will not appear for several 
months, but are worth all the trouble 
needed to secure them. When the hard¬ 
ier sorts are grown outside, deep plant¬ 
ing and a well-drained situation are re¬ 
quisite, as well as good Winter protec¬ 
tion. 
A header at Fredonia, N. Y., states that 
a canning factory at that place put up 65 
acres of small beets last season. They are 
cooked in the cans, and are said to hold 
their flavor well. The same concern has 
contracted for 1,500 acres of produce for the 
present season. About two-thirds will be 
in corn and peas, and the remainder toma¬ 
toes, beets and beans; 200 hands will be 
employed from July to November. 
AN EXPERT ON JAPAN PLUMS. 
Having fruited quite a number of the 
Japan varieties, Burbank and Satsuma, 
for the last 10 years, and Abundance 
nearly as long, and others a less time, 
I fear I have much to learn in regard to 
them. To the man who has fruited a 
four-year tree or two, and knows it all, 
I must appear a very dull scholar. Yet 
for my own locality, at least, I think 
that I have learned some things in re¬ 
gard to them. For their successful cul¬ 
tivation they should be treated more like 
the peach than our European plums. A 
location which would prove a success 
for a peach orchard will give better re¬ 
sults than the richer and moister situa¬ 
tion usually chosen for the European 
varieties. In growth, early bearing, 
hardiness of Lud ana shorter life, I think 
they more resemble the peach than the 
European plums, and unless they could 
be obtained on their own roots, I would 
prefer the peach to any variety of plum. 
They should be budded low, and set so 
as to put the peach stock below ground. 
They need thinning even more than the 
peach, and to the man who will not 
prune and thin, there will be little of 
profit or satisfaction in raising varieties 
like Abundance, Burbank, etc., and he 
will carry to market fit food for hogs; 
yet, making no profit for himself, he 
very seriously injures the man who 
raises good fruit. 
Black knot, I think, will attack all va¬ 
rieties, especially as they grow older, 
and some varieties fully as much as the 
Europeans. Their habit of early bloom¬ 
ing is of little disadvantage if the trees 
are set upon our higher lands. To my 
mind, their most valuable characteristic 
is their ability to resist the attacks of 
the curculio, although their early bear¬ 
ing, productiveness, and hardy foliage is 
greatly in their favor. One great draw¬ 
back nas been the cupidity of the nur¬ 
serymen, who, to enlarge the number of 
varieties, send out those so poor in qual¬ 
ity, or otherwise defective, as greatly to 
injure the plum grower. If any other 
class of business men should send cut 
goods with the same amount of misrep¬ 
resentation, causing the loss of thou¬ 
sands of dollars to their customers, 
would it not hurt their reputation for 
hpnesty and integrity? 
For the family garden or home use 1 
would choose Abundance in preference 
to all I have so far fruited, if confined to 
one variety. On light land, trees prop¬ 
erly pruned, fruit severely thinned has 
been large in size, wiith good color and 
nigh flavor, although different seasons 
may affect the quality in a small degree. 
It makes a very pretty and ornamental 
tree, if properly grown. Burbank is a 
vigorous and sprawling grower, not an 
upright grower, and must be cut back 
very severely if kept in proper shape. 
After bearing a few crops it is flat- 
topped, and not a handsome tree. With 
good culture, on young trees, the fruit 
grows large, five to TV 2 or eight inches 
in circumference, if properly thinned, 
but with me it is very liable to crack and 
rot when so grown, moist weather hav¬ 
ing as baa an effect as upon the cherry. 
Firm flesh, more so than Abundance; a 
better shipper and market plum, and 
where it will not rot, the best for that 
purpose. For home use I have been 
troubled thoroughly to ripen the fruit, 
unless the season was very dry. Ic 
keeps fairly well after being picked. 1 
have fruited Chabot under three differ¬ 
ent varieties as I bought them, and it is 
the best of all the late plums to eat, and 
possibly as a market plum. Medium to 
good size. Satsuma, with me, has proved 
a success; its red flesh has made it our 
best selling variety; of good size, and 
the best of keepers. For sauce and 
jellies it has no equal, but to eat raw it 
must be thoroughly ripened, and then 
loses its good looks. I do not recom¬ 
mend this as an eating plum. Shipper 
is rather handsome, large, late, properly 
named; ship them all, but don’t ship but 
once to the same place. Too poor qual¬ 
ity to recommend. Ogon should be 
planted only for its color, which is yel¬ 
low. We have fruited it three seasons 
on grafts; it has proved very unsatisfac¬ 
tory in yield, so much so, that having 
set some for market purposes two years 
ago, they will be pulled up this Spring, 
but do not advise others to ao so, as 
they may possibly do better in other lo¬ 
calities. A very large, handsome plum, 
of fair quality, but no larger than Bur¬ 
bank under same conditions. What its 
size and quality might be if it should 
bear as full as Burbank, I fear I never 
shall be able to find out. Juicy is a very 
late bloomer, and I never could see 
much, if any, Japan blood in it. I do 
not recommend it; late blooming is the 
only thing I have found in its favor. 
We have found but little difference in 
bloom of the other varieties, except Sat¬ 
suma, which with me is from three to 
four days later than the others. Differ¬ 
ent trees of the same variety vary some¬ 
what, and also if weather at time of 
blooming be very warm or cold. We 
have fruited a number of other varieties, 
but I am not ready to recommend or 
condemn them yet. 11 . o. mead. 
Massachusetts. 
Arkansas Cultivator says that 1,100 acres 
of cucumbers are soon to be planted near 
Lawrence, Kan. The crop will mature at 
the time the public schools close, and it is 
expected to hire the children for pickers. 
Seymour 
Plaster Sower 
will sow broadcast, 8 feet wide, Guano, Bone Dust, 
plaster, ashes, salt, lime, marl, superphosphate, hen 
manure and all other fertilizers. Will sow20 acres 
a day, any quantity per acre. Send for catalogue 
LE BOY PLOW CO., 
Cl Lake Street, Le Itoy. N. V. 
The New 
SMALLEY 
£1 Cutter 
SUCCESS is assured if you use 
New Smalley Cutters with yetni 
eircle carriers for cutting and 
elevating ensilage. They have 
automatic self feed, also 
Corn Shredding and Corn Hushing 
attachments when desired. 
Mounted on 4 wheel trucks for 
easy moving A strictly *• up-to- 
date” machtno. 1900 booklets 
mailed free. “ l'ankee silo 
Sense and ' * Farming on business 
Principles." Ask for special in¬ 
troduction prices on .'Smal¬ 
ley and “Battle Creek” 
Wood Saws, Grinding Mills, 
Eak Corn Crushers; also 
Sweep Tread and Steam 
Powers, stating goods you wish 
to purchase and naming paper in 
which you saw this advertise¬ 
ment. 
makes 
the 
Silo 
pay 
Six 
Sizes: 
Nos, 12, 14, 
16, 18. 20, 
and 26. 
For Pumping or Driving 
Cream Separa¬ 
tors or other 
machines re¬ 
quiring light 
power but ab¬ 
solutely steady 
motion, 
BUY A 
“success” . 
Jt has a governor which regulates the walk of the horses to a nice, 
tv and delivers an absolutely Btfady and even motion to the ma¬ 
chine driven. With our hack Geared Pump Jack it tnakesasplen. 
did pumping outfit. If you want a tread power for any purpose, 
buy a ‘*8u cocks ” 1, 2 or 3-horse. They will deliver more powet 
than any other because they run light, are roomy and Btrong enough 
for largest horses, etc. More about them in our large illustrated 
catalogue, and about onr sweep powers, gasoline engines,windmills, 
fodder and ensilage cutters,wood saws buskers,steel tanks,etc. F ree 
APPLETON MFC. C0. t 27 FARGO ST. BATAVIA, ILL 
Nursery Stock 
can be made more profitable by forcing 
rapid growth so as to bring the trees 
into market a year earlier . This is done 
by the judicious use of 
Nitrate of Soda 
in combination with other agricultural 
chemicals upon the young trees. Rapid, 
healthy and certain growth assured. 
Try it. Write for free pamphlets to 
John A. Myers, 12-OJohn St., New 
York. Nitrate for sale by fertilizer deal¬ 
ers everywhere. 
Write at once for List of Dealers . 
LEGGETT’S 
Dry Bordeaux Mixture 
and Paris-Green Compound. 
Kills Bugs and 
Prevents Blight. 
Send for Circular 
and Spray 
Calendar. 
LEGGETT & 
BROTHER, 
301 Pearl Street, 
NEW YORK 
with onr new patent 
KEROSENE SPRAYERS 
is simple indeed. Kerosene Emul¬ 
sion made while pumping. 12 var¬ 
ieties sprayers. Bordeaux and Ver- 
morel Nozzles, the World’s Best* 
THE DEMING CO. Salem, 0. 
Western Agents, ilenion A Hub-. 
, Chicago. Catalog, formulaa free 
BERRY ROXES and BASKETS 
Peach Packages— 
Grape Baskets— 
Fruitand Vegetable 
Packages of every kind 
Send for catalogue. 
NEW ALBANY BOX & BASKET 
New Albany, Ind 
1,000 SAMPLES FREE 
of onr new Success fenoe ratohet 
which tightens any wire fenoe, new 
or old. Grips automatically as wire 
is wound on. No holes to bore in posts. Attaches 
midway of the fence. We will mail you a sample to 
test If you will send us 12o. to cover postage only. 
Olr. free. W. H. MASON A CO.. Bor 67. Leesburg, O 
Watered Stock, Common or Preferred, 
don’t go through Page Fences. See! It’s no Trust. 
PAGE WOVEN IVIUE FENCE CO., ADRIAN, MICH. 
/w1 * Y 
nriftl’T ROB YOUR 
UUN 1 NEIGHBOR 
By buying a poor fence that will let 
your stock fatten on his crops. The 
KITSELM AN FENCE is a satisfac¬ 
tory one. It insures good sleep and 
makes good neighbors. Free Catalogue 
telling how to make 100 Styles at the 
actual cost of the wire. Write to-day. 
KITSELMAN BROTHERS, 
Box 106 Kldgeville, Indiana, l. 8. A. 
Wilder’s Knsilage 
Machinery. 
A full line of Feed 
and Ensilage Cut 
iers, Fodder Shred¬ 
ders, with Self-Feed 
Knsilage or Plain 
Tables. Straight 
away orSwivel Carriers. 
Send for Catalogue and 
prices to 
J. K. WILDKIt & SONS, 
Monroe, Mich. 
The ROSS 
CUTTERS 
cut all kinds of dry feed and 
ensilage faster and with less 
Dower than any other cutter. 
Variety of sizes. Cut many 
lengths from X in* up. Elevate any 
required distance at any angle. Write 
at once for FREE Catalogue No. 80* 
The E.W. Ross Co.Springfield,0. 
DRILLING 
Machines 
Over 70 sizes and styles, for drilling either deep or 
shallow wells In any kind of soil or rock. Mounted 
on wheels or on sills. With engines or horse powers. 
Strong, simple and durable. Any mechanic can 
operate them easily. Send for catalog. 
WILLIAMS BROS., Ithaca, N. Y. 
KEYSTONE Side-Delivery Rake tosses 
the hay into a light, airy, continuous 
winrow to cure without bleaching. 
■ Hastens curing—saves use of ted¬ 
der-gathers no trash — Makes 
' A.l hay. Rakes wide, fast, clean. 
No dumping—any boy can use it. 
Simple—Strong Follows mower closest. Leaves 
—Succesful. hay best shape lor loader. 
KEYSTONE QUICKVfV HAY MAKERS. 
KEYSTONE Hay Loader. Attached to 
rear of wagon, runs light, requires no * 
extra horses. It loads a wagon in 
five to ten minutes from win- 
rows or cock. Gets nil the 
hay without any t ranh. 
Does not thrash off leaves./ 
Saves time and labor when\ 
both mean money. 
KEYSTONE Three Feed Hay Press, complete with horse power. 
Has three feeds to every round of the power, giving % greater capacity than others 
with same power and help. Steel and iron ——^ _ . 
throughout—no cog wheels on horse power—no - * 
release jerk to sweeps—press always on wheels. 
descriptions to KEYSTONE MFG. CO., 24 River St., STERLING, ILL 
Simplest. 
Strongest. 
Speediest 
