5i4 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
July 28 
MOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS. 
New Everblooming Roses. —On page 
578 of The R. N.-Y. for 1899, a note ap¬ 
pears concerning the Hybrid Tea rose 
Gruss an Teplitz, predicting its great 
value should it prove hardy enough to 
survive our Winters. A plant was left 
out entirely unprotected on the Rural 
Grounds last Winter, and came through 
unharmed, although we had some freezes 
in February and March severe enough 
to cut back Gen. Jacqueminot, Magna 
Oharta and others of the hardier classes, 
and has since been producing its bril¬ 
liant and delightfully fragrant flowers in 
great profusion. We have not tested a 
new rose of its class for years that ap¬ 
pears to have such a wide range of use¬ 
fulness, and new ones come out by the 
score. It seems equally good as a pot 
plant, and in the rose garden. The 
foliage is most luxuriant and handsome, 
and the bright scarlet-crimson flowers 
are borne either singly or in graceful 
clusters at the end of every young shoot. 
It has been denied that Gruss an Teplitz 
is of a climbing habit, yet one of our 
stronger plants sent up stems nearly six 
feet high before breaking into bloom. 
The only criticism of this handsome rose, 
aside from its awkward name, is the 
fact that the blooms are not entirely 
double, and warnings have been sent out 
by the exploiters of the new red forcing 
rose Liberty against Gruss an Teplitz 
as a “false Liberty.” Liberty is being 
boomed by a number of shrewd growers, 
who have worked every possible adver¬ 
tising dodge to interest the public and 
dispose of their product at a fancy price, 
and they do not relish the growing popu¬ 
larity of Gruss an Teplitz. Liberty is 
now blooming on the Rural Grounds, 
both under glass and in the open, and 
in neither case have we secured as fine 
blooms as its competitor produced under 
similar conditions. Under expert forc¬ 
ing conditions, Liberty produces mag¬ 
nificent flowers, as we have many times 
witnessed at exhibitions, but even at its 
best the fragrance and color is not equal 
to Gruss an Teplitz, though the form, 
size and finish are better. Liberty is un¬ 
doubtedly an acquisition of great value 
to the florist and professional rose 
grower, but seems little adapted for 
general cultivation. 
The First Plum. —The first plums to 
ripen in this vicinity were picked from a 
tree labeled Chas. Downing, planted on 
neighboring grounds five years ago. The 
trees are very dwarf and compact, of the 
Primus hortulana or Wild Goose type, 
but with noticeably narrow foliage. The 
plums are red, of medium size, and of 
good flavor for this class. The first 
fruits ripened July 9, several days before 
Whitaker, which is considered a very 
early variety. So far, the Downing is 
hardly productive enough to warrant 
further planting here, though the tree is 
so dwari and compact that it would ap¬ 
pear desirable on small places. 
Crab Grass and “Pusley.”— Northern 
New Jersey has been well favored with 
rains since the warm weather set in, and 
consequently most crops are growing 
lustily. The various weeds also respond 
to the stimulus of heat and moisture, 
and are putting in vigorous efforts to 
overtop the useful plants. A few stir¬ 
rings of the soil between showers is the 
practical remedy known to all, but often 
sadly neglected until too late for the 
best effects. Examine the surface of 
cultivated ground two or three days 
after a smart rain at this season, and 
you will find it starred with the tiny 
green shields of Crab grass and the more 
minute rosettes of purslane, as well as 
other incidental weeds. They look very 
innocent in their incipient stage, but a 
week or two of neglect will find them 
nearly masters of the situation. An 
early breaking of the crust before the 
tender rootlets have penetrated more 
than an inch or two will at once end 
their careers, besides conserving the 
moisture in case the rains should fail. 
All who have struggled with the vice- 
like tenacity of Crab-grass roots after 
they have gained a stronghold about 
some cnoice or rare plant, will be con¬ 
vinced of the necessity of their early de¬ 
struction. The new wheel hoes, which 
are being improved in effectiveness 
every year, are invaluable aids to the 
control of weed pests. 
The Variegated Comfrey. —Several 
years ago The R. N.-Y. expended much 
energy in exploding the Prickly-com- 
frey boom, and demonstrating the fact 
that this coarse and vigorous perennial 
was not a practical forage plant in the 
land of the maize or Indian corn. We 
hear nothing about comfrey now, though 
one individual grew it and fed it to his 
horses for many years, as described in 
later issues of the paper. Symphytum 
asperrimum aureo-variegatum, which 
may well be shortened to Variegated 
comfrey, proves, however, to be a most 
useful and desirable addition to our 
hardy ornamental border plants. A fine 
specimen received from H. A. Dreer, of 
Philadelphia, Pa., is growing now in the 
Rural Grounds. It forms a large rosette 
of gold-margined foliage close to the 
ground during the greater part of the 
season. Later the stems and leaves rise 
and form a large plant with many 
drooping, bell-shaped, reddish-blue flow¬ 
ers over all. The Variegated comfrey 
endures the heat of midsummer better 
than any other golden-variegated plant 
grown on the Rural Grounds. 
THE RURAL TRIAL GROUNDS. 
I feel sure that our readers will be 
glad to know more about the Rural Trial 
Grounds, and the people and plants that 
are to be seen there. It is a very prac¬ 
tical place, and is managed by thor¬ 
oughly practical people. A mile or so 
back from the station, at Little Silver, 
N. J., is a high mound or hill, about the 
highest point, at equal distance from the 
ocean, between Sandy Hook and Flor¬ 
ida. Here, on the northeast slope of 
this hill, Dr. Van Fleet built his house, 
and started to make his soil. There is 
a glorious view from the hill across to 
the ocean, the low, level, country reach¬ 
ing down to the shore. In a time of 
storm, the hoarse pounding of the great 
Atlantic at Long Branch can be distinct¬ 
ly heard. I have said that the soil had 
to be “made,” and that is literally true, 
for what with filling in, and terracing, 
and washing by heavy rains, the hillside 
was originally sterile and unproductive. 
The Doctor has worked until the soil is 
ready to respond, and fruit and orna¬ 
mental trees will soon change this un¬ 
promising hillside into a field of use and 
beauty. I was glad to see a patch of 
cow peas growing in this soil, for I feel 
sure that they will do their part in mak¬ 
ing it productive. It is a good thing that 
the Trial Grounds are located on this 
conquered hillside, for it has certainly 
been a hard trial to win victory over it. 
Dr. Van Fleet now knows just how to 
proceed to add beauty and utility to un¬ 
promising surroundings. As the Rural 
Grounds are developed, and as the nut 
and fruit trees, the shrubs, flowers and 
vines slowly grow into their proper 
places, we shall see it all, and many of 
us will be led to try something of the 
same sort around our own homes. 
But this is only one part of the work 
planned at the Rural Grounds. The cli¬ 
mate and soil at this place are trying, 
and the new varieties of vegetables and 
fruits that are able to face the wind and 
frost and drought of the Atlantic coast 
may be surely recommended as worthy 
of trial. These new varieties are not 
pampered and given highly artificial 
care, but rather a fair start, a good 
chance, and then left to win any word 
of commendation by their own good be¬ 
havior. The present object is to fill the 
Rural Grounds with good specimens of 
the best fruits, nuts, and ornamental 
trees and plants. They will not only be 
there on exhibition, but will be used for 
comparing the newer candidates for 
favor. Hundreds of such plants are al¬ 
ready in place, and new ones are being 
constantly added. Dr. Van Fleet is not 
seeking to boom the high-priced novel¬ 
ties alone, but would like to keep the 
good and well-tested old varieties before 
•the public. 
Dr. Van Fleet is by nature and train¬ 
ing well fitted to carry on such work. 
He was born and raised on a farm, 
where good farm methods prevailed. He 
practiced medicine for several years 
among working people in rural districts, 
so that both he and his wife, who ably 
assists him, know well the desires and 
limitations of the American farm home. 
They are both workers, and plain, every¬ 
day people, who understand well the 
need of thorough and careful work. The 
Doctor has traveled extensively in this 
country and in South America. He has 
had a long and successful experience as 
a hybridizer. Our readers know him best 
as the originator of the Ruby Queen 
rose, but he has done very successful 
work in other lines. It is safe to say 
that some of the new vegetables, flowers 
and fruits now being evolved at the 
Rural Grounds, will be given in time to 
The R. N.-Y. readers. There are now 
growing there over 25,000 Gladioli, many 
of them new and of rare promise. I no¬ 
ticed one plot of 2,900 pansy plants. The 
seeds were imported from Germany, and 
were said to be fragrant. The object is 
to see how many of these flowers really 
have perfume; not over five per cent 
have thus far shown it. The seeds are 
all carefully saved and classified. The 
frequent smelling of 2,900 different flow¬ 
ers is a job that would tax the stoutest 
nose. Dr. Van Fleet says that his nose 
gives out after about half an hour of 
steady practice, and must be laid off for 
repairs. This Monmouth County hill¬ 
side is a very interesting and instructive 
place. I am sure that readers will fol¬ 
low the story of its development with 
great pleasure and profit. u. w. c. 
Cumberland Raspberry; Rough Rider 
Strawberry. 
Do you know from actual experience or 
observation that the Cumberland raspberry 
is large, hardy and productive? I wish to 
set at least 1,000 plants if I can be assured 
that they are what is claimed for them. 
My soil is rather sandy, and produces good 
crops of Gregg. Is the Rough Rider straw¬ 
berry a good shipper and productive, and 
late? L. a. 
Benton Harbor, Mich. 
We have grown the Cumberland rasp¬ 
berry, and have seen it fruiting in sev¬ 
eral widely distant localities. It ap¬ 
pears to fulfil generally all claims made 
for it, but we do not think the quality 
is quite equal to the Kansas and some 
older varieties. We should not hesitate 
to plant 1,000 or 10,000 if we grew bemes 
for market. The Rough Rider straw¬ 
berry has not been fruited on our Trial 
Grounds, but specimens received show a 
very attractive berry of fine shipping 
qualities. 
A Yellow Seedling Blackcap. 
I found this season, growing under a 
hedge, a blackcap raspberry, the ripe 
fruit of which is in color a light yellow. 
I would like to know whether such a 
thing has before been known? Stem, 
leaves, prickles, flavor, etc., show it to 
belong to the blackcaps. There is but 
one bush, and one tip rooted last season, 
and no other raspberries near. The fruit 
is large, and the bush productive. Fruit 
juicy and very sweet, suiting my taste 
so well, I call the variety Cream, for its 
color and quality. I will propagate and 
test it, and introduce it to the trade, if 
it prove Worthy. f. e. h. 
Bucyrus, Kan. 
R. N.-Y.—Hundreds of instances are 
on record of light-colored or albino 
blackcap raspberries being found in a 
wild state, and many such varieties have 
been named and introduced. They are 
usually of excellent quality, but not 
specially productive, and nurserymen 
fight shy of them, as they do not sell 
well in the markets, buyers not being 
accustomed to the color. The writer has 
found over a score such plants, and the 
seed of a particularly light-colored speci¬ 
men produced a true blackcap of espec¬ 
ially high quality, which is still grown 
on the Rural Grounds. 
FARM TRUCKS and STEEL WHEELS 
for your OLD WAGONS are 
sold direct to the farmers by 
THE FARHERS 
HANDY 
WAGON CO., 
Saginaw, flich. 
We are the largest manu¬ 
facturers of Steel Wheels 
and Truck Wagons in the 
World. 'Write for Catalogue. 
Havana (III.) Metal Wheel Co. 
4 Buggy Wheels with tire on, 187.25 
with Axles Welded and Set, 11.00 
I make all sizes & grades. Send for catalogue 
giving instructions for ordering. Special 
Grade Wheels for repair work, $5.50. if you 
write to-day. W. R. BOOB, Centre Hall Pa. 
ICEM ikBaler 
____ Warranted the VpfcSIWJ lightest, atrong- 
eat cheapest A fastest Full VLDCTCircle Baler in the 
market. Made of wrought steel. Can be operated 
with one or two horses. Will balelOto 15tons of hay 
a day. Write for description and prices. 
CEORCE ERTEL CO., QUINCY, ILL. 
Wilder’s Ensilage 
Machinery. 
A full lineof Feed 
Ensilage Cut 
Fodder Shred¬ 
ders, with Self-Feed 
Ensilage or Plain 
Tables. Straight 
away orSwlvel Carriers. 
Seed for Catalogue and 
prices to 
J. K. WILDER & SONS, 
Monroe, Mich. 
THE ROSS 
ENSILAGE MACHINERY 
cuts all kinds of green and dry 
fodder and ensilage, faster ami 
with less power than any sitnilai 
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SIMPLE IN CONSTRUCTION. 
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WE MAKE also a complete line of Shredders, 
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156 Page Illustrated Cutuloguc Free. 
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27 Fargo St. 
BATAVIA, ILL. 
The New I 
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SUCCESS is assured if you use 
New Smalley Cutters with genii 
circle carriers for cutting and 
elevating ensilage. They have 
automatic sell’ Iced, also 
Corn bnredaint/ and Corn Huskino 
attachments when desired. 
Mounted on 4 wheel trucks for 
easy moving A Btrictly “ up-to- 
date’’ machine. 1900 booklets 
mailed free. “ l'ankee Silo 
be use and “ Farming on Business 
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troduction prices on Sunil, 
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Wood Saws, Gbinding Mills, 
Eak Corn Cbushebs; also 
Sweep Tbead and Steam 
rowKRS, stating goods you wish 
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r 
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Sizes: 
Nos, 12. 14, 
16. 18. 20, 
and 26. 
