738 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
November 3 
Pluralisms ; 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS. 
Cow Peas and Crtmson Clover. —We 
have been trying to get a stand of Crim¬ 
son clover for several years on a sterile 
strip of clay subsoil, the site of a deep 
gully that led down from an old stone 
quarry, but have not yet succeeded. The 
seed is sown early in August and raked 
in. Nature is left to do the rest, but 
thus far has failed to afford the neces¬ 
sary conditions, though there is a slight 
improvement each season in the growth 
of the clover, and the root tubercles are 
now becoming more numerous. As the 
area in question only comprises a few 
square rods, success would have been as¬ 
sured at the start by the application of 
a few pounds of chemical fertilizer or 
some stable manure, but a test of the 
restorative power of the clover, unaided 
by artificial means, was desired. It has 
failed to secure a foothold in this poor, 
dry soil, probably owing to absence of 
the necessary nitrogen and nitrifying 
germs. The Early Black cow pea, how¬ 
ever, was planted in June through a sec¬ 
tion of this lean soil, and made a very 
satisfactory growth, covering the ground 
to a depth of 18 inches or more. The 
hot Summer and Fall were just what the 
cow pea wanted. It hustled around for 
the scanty nitrogen, quickly set the few 
tubercle germs at work on its roots and 
flourished mightily, while the moisture- 
loving clover languished and died out. 
There will probably be no difficulty in 
establishing the clover next Summer on 
the poi’tion occupied this season by the 
cow pea. Crimson clover is doing won¬ 
derfully well this Fall where sown on 
land rich enough to grow garden crops, 
in spite of the exceptional heat and 
drought. We have it growing among 
small fruits, and in various plots first 
occupied by early crops, and the chick¬ 
ens resort to these patches the moment 
they are liberated, filling their craws 
with the tender young leaves in prefer¬ 
ence to the varied assortment of green 
food to be found in an October garden. 
While we must concede the preference 
to the cow pea as a soil renovator un¬ 
der our local conditions, it must not be 
forgotten that Crimson clover is usually 
sown as a catch crop after early crops 
have completed their growth, and is es¬ 
pecially useful to prevent surface wash¬ 
ing of the soil during Winter, as well 
as to afford acceptable forage for fowls 
and young stock in the late Fall and 
early Spring. Cow peas, on the other 
hand, monopolize the whole of the grow¬ 
ing season for their development, 
though they may be depended on to do 
their work admirably where 12 to 15 
weeks of really warm weather may rea¬ 
sonably be counted on. 
Tjie Emperor Peach. —Last Fall an 
Emperor peach tree on trial near the 
Rural Grounds ripened its fruits in Sep¬ 
tember, as stated in these notes. The 
tree had but little chance to develop, be¬ 
ing badly crowded, which probably 
forced the premature ripening. This sea¬ 
son, under better conditions, it matured 
a fine crop about October 10. It is a 
large yellow freestone of excellent qual¬ 
ity for so late a peach. J. H. Black, 
Son & Co., of Hightstown, N. J., who 
introduced it, think it one of the best 
late peaches that can be planted in this 
locality. Our trial tree is making the 
finest growth of any peach tree on the 
grounds. 
Some New Callas. —The familiar 
Calla, or Lily of the Nile, the old favor¬ 
ite of the window gardener, is now 
named by botanists Richardia Africana. 
In Europe it is known commei’cially as 
the Arum lily. Besides the usual tall- 
growing white variety so highly prized 
several new forms have lately been in¬ 
troduced, differing in size and freedom 
of bloom and manner of growth. The 
Little Gem, a very miniature form, has 
had wide popularity, as it blooms very 
freely and can be grown in a small pot 
if plentifully supplied with water. A 
new fragrant variety from California is 
becoming popular. It blooms very free¬ 
ly under ordinary window culture, the 
spathes are oi medium size and very 
pure in color, and are rather faintly 
fragrant with an orris-root odor. The 
above varieties all have fleshy, fibrous 
roots, and may be kept in a growing 
condition throughout the year, or al¬ 
lowed partially to dry up during the 
Summer. They are very accommodat¬ 
ing, and are quite sure to succeed under 
any reasonable treatment. The main 
consideration is to allow them sufficient 
root-room, and to give water and liquid 
fertilizers in sufficient quantities when 
in full growth and bloom, and to with¬ 
hold fertilizers altogether and lessen the 
quantity of water during periods of com¬ 
parative rest, when the outer leaves turn 
yellow. The tuberous-rooted calla, R. 
albo-maculata, has pretty, dark green 
leaves mottled with white, and a small 
white spathe or flower having a dark 
blotch at the base. This species can best 
be grown for Summer bloom outside, in 
the manner of the Gladiolus, as the 
corms keep well over Winter in any dry 
place free from frost. Several yellow¬ 
flowering Richardias have lately been 
introduced, most of them coming from 
the mountains of the Transvaal in South 
Africa. R. aurata, R. Elliottiana and R. 
melanoleuca all have tuberous roots and 
spotted foliage. The colors of the blooms 
range from pale yellow, with a dark 
purple blotch in Melanoleuca, to dark 
yellow in Elliottiana. Two other light 
yellow flowering species, R. hastata and 
R. Pentlandi, having green leaves of dif¬ 
ferent form, are also offered occasional¬ 
ly, but they are still scarce. A pretty 
new species from the upper Nile, bearing 
soft pink blooms, is also finding its way 
in the market. It has been named R. 
Rehmanni. These new kinds are still 
expensive, the pink one costing $1.25 in 
Holland and Elliottiana, perhaps the 
best of the yellows, is priced at $2.50 
each, but can be had in this country. 
Acidanthera Bicolor. —Corms of this 
unique and rare plant were secured 
through the courtesy of Schlegel & Fot- 
tler, Boston, Mass., for trial last Spring, 
and have flowered finely during the 
Summer. This Acidanthera comes from 
Abyssinia, though a similar but some¬ 
what stronger-growing species is found 
at Sierra Leone, on the western coast of 
Africa, known as A. aequinoctialis. The 
foliage and habit of A. bicolor are quite 
similar to the tropical species of Gladio¬ 
lus, but the flowers differ in having 
sharp-pointed anthers and a very long 
and slender tube. The color is creamy 
white, with dark purplish-brown 
blotches at the base of the petals. They 
are very sweetly scented, and it has been 
hoped that the fragrance could be im¬ 
parted to the Gladiolus by hybridization, 
but thus far all attempts have failed. 
Fig. 280, page 734, shows two flowers just 
opening on a small spike. The corms 
are quite tender, and must be kept warm 
as well as dry, during the Winter. The 
open flowers are nearly three inches 
across, and the appearance of the plant 
when in bloom is very distinct. 
w. v. F. 
Notes on Plums. —In reply to A. P. A., 
page 688, would say we fruited Juicy two 
seasons a few years ago, then pulled it 
up. Although it blossomed full it ma¬ 
tured but a small crop of fruit, of poor 
quality. I saw nothing of value about it 
unless its late blooming. I do not think 
it has much if any Japan blood about it. 
Delaware proved a poor grower, and 
died before fruiting. Shipper is rightly 
named; yes, ship them all, and but once 
to the same place. A good-sized, flattish 
late plum of rather handsome appear¬ 
ance, not quite as productive as some, 
but a vigorous grower. The quality is 
so poor I have no use for it. I do not 
believe in raising that kind of fruit for 
market. h. o. mead. 
Massachusetts. 
Long-Keeping Apples. 
With this mail I send you one Spring- 
dale and one Monmouth Pippin apple— 
the latter is one of those we had on ex¬ 
hibition at the Eastern New York Hor¬ 
ticultural Society last February, and the 
same specimen was one of those shown 
on a plate of apples of the crop of 1899, 
at Orangeburgh Fair, September 10 to 
14, 1900. Of course they have lost their 
flavor, but it shows their good keeping 
qualities. They were kept in our cellar 
during all the time without ice except 
July and August, when we had them in 
an ice box. l. bell. 
Rockland Co., N. Y. 
R. N.-Y.—The apples reached us Oc¬ 
tober 12, and were in remarkably good 
condition. They were not, of course, 
equal to fruit which naturally ripens at 
this time, yet they showed the wonder¬ 
ful keeping qualities of these varieties. 
New Apple from Oregon. 
I send you to-day four apples; they 
are a seedling from the Gi’avenstein. The 
tree is a good bearer with healthy, 
smooth bark, and the branches inclined 
to sprawl. The original tree is gone, but 
I have several trees grafted from it. The 
apple is a good cooker, and nice to eat 
out of hand. I would like to have you 
try it and give me your opinion about 
the fruit. c. H. dauchy. 
Oregon. 
R. N.-Y.—The apples came in fine con¬ 
dition. One of them weighed 12 ounces 
and measured four inches at the widest 
diameter and 12*4 inches around. The 
others were nearly as large. The apple 
has a handsome yellow skin with a light 
red cheek and stripes reminding one 
somewhat of Hubbardston. It has the 
peculiar flattened appearance often 
noticed in fruit grown on the Pacific 
slope. It is nearly coreless, the flesh is 
firm and the flavor high and spicy. The 
specimens sent are quite remarkable, 
and if the apple would grow as well at 
this end of the country it would cer¬ 
tainly prove an acquisition. 
More About Nursery Dealings. 
A word more about “frauds and mis¬ 
takes of nurserymen.” J. Y. P., page 
671, concludes that the “leopai'd has 
changed his spots,” that the nursery¬ 
man is getting to be quite a model man. 
I have a little more experience to relate. 
Last Spring I thought I would try a 
new nursery, and ordered an assortment 
of trees from New York. When the 
goods arrived, several cherry trees were 
missing, and two plums leaved out ap¬ 
ple trees. I wrote the man and he re¬ 
plied that he did not think there had 
been $10 irregularities in the season’s 
business. His ‘‘packer would soon be 
back, and adjust matters.” That is all 
I ever heard from him. I got his price 
list two or three weeks ago and then I 
wrote telling him plainly what I thought 
of him. I asK what other business could 
be carried on if those engaged therein 
offered such pitiful recompense for loss 
suffered through dealing with them? 
Not one, so far as I know, ever offers to 
pay express charges on goods sent to 
replace stocK omitted or untrue to 
name. I am still looking for a nursery¬ 
man doing business by the Golden Rule. 
Nurserymen, you have the floor. 
E. D. G. 
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