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THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
February 15 
Rural isms ] 
i ►» 
Tiie Popularity of Privet. —No or¬ 
namental plant has gained such rapid 
popularity as the Oval-leaved privet, Li- 
gustrum ovalifolium, commonly known 
as California privet, as L. Californicum 
was formerly wrongly assigned as the 
specific name. Fifteen years ago it was 
but little known away from horticul¬ 
tural centers, and used very sparingly 
as a hedge or lawn plant, but it was 
found to be well adapted for seaside 
planting, thriving well right up to the 
salt spray, and gradually became popu¬ 
lar about the coast resorts. While it 
is still regarded as of doubtful hardiness 
north of Long Island, it is noticed that 
well-fed plants are seldom much injured 
even in more severe climates, but plant¬ 
ings on poor clay or thin, dry uplands 
are often killed outright. The demand 
for privet has grown very large lately, 
and it is now quoted in quantity by nur¬ 
series that once barely gave it mention, 
and is now planted by the thousand 
where only chance specimens were pre¬ 
viously used. A trade has sprung up in 
the wood from hedge clippings to be used 
for cuttings, and they are freely shipped 
inland from the older plantings. Privet 
has long been grown as a money crop 
by small landholuers about the Rural 
Grounds, and has returned considerable 
revenue for the last 10 years, as prices 
in the neighborhood of $50 per 1,000 for 
good two-year-old plants were obtained, 
and a fair “stand” would represent from 
12,000 to 18,000 plants to the acre. Like 
all profitable local industries, however, 
it is now overdone, and the price has 
declined nearly one-half, with a growing 
uncertainty as to timely sales. The use 
of privet, however, is rapidly extending, 
and it is now planted about the most 
humble homes to take the place of yard 
fences, now becoming obsolete. No one 
now thinks of planting Osage orange, as 
is is far inferior to privet in beauty and 
durability under the same conditions. 
Privet has no thorns, and will not turn 
stock as well as the Osage orange when 
young, but when protected with wire or 
other means until well established it is 
quite effective, as domestic animals show 
little inclination to force such a dense 
barrier or to browse the foliage. The 
field of privet, however, lies in its adapt¬ 
ability for ornamental situations. When 
properly clipped fine specimen plants 
are soon formed, and nothing in the way 
of deciduous shrubs can excel it as a low 
wind-break or shelter. When planting 
the Rural Grounds we were bothered by 
an outcrop of rock on a slope near a 
poultry yard, over which the soil was 
too thin to sustain most ornamentals. 
As grass was not likely to grow on such 
a spot the problem was solved by setting 
a number of strong privet plants two feet 
apart each way. They were clipped very 
close and well watered until established. 
The fowls, when at liberty, soon began 
to appreciate the shade and protection, 
and have so enriched this group, which 
has extended so that it covers nearly a 
square rod, until it is the most luxuri¬ 
ant mass of foliage on the place during 
Summer. No care is needed beyond 
shearing the new growth four or five 
times during the growing season. The 
effect is that of an immense single, low- 
growing plant less than four feet high 
in the center, as no trunks are visible. 
The shade is so dense that fowls seek its 
shelter at once in hot weather, and as 
the foliage is retained until late Decem¬ 
ber it also forms an admirable protec¬ 
tion against raw winds. It would seem 
that if the merits of privet for this pur 
pose were generally known it would be 
planted for chicken shelters where it is 
sufficiently hardy. No hawk or preda¬ 
tory bird could reach the fowls through 
such a dense thicket, which would be 
resorted to at the slightest alarm. Pri¬ 
vet plants may now be had from nur¬ 
serymen as low as 50 cents a dozen. 
Their trial for group, screens and single 
specimens, as well as for ornamental 
hedges is strongly recommended. 
An Elusive Radish. —Being impress¬ 
ed with the scarcity of desirable Sum¬ 
mer radishes the writer began, about 10 
years ago, breeding experiments looking 
toward the development of a type which 
would grow well during the Summer 
heat, remain in good eating condition a 
reasonable time, and be of sightly ap¬ 
pearance and mild flavor. Beckert’s 
Chartier came nearest the ideal in mind 
at the time, but it requires about eight 
weeks to develop, and though mild, crisp 
and tender when at its best soon grows 
coarse and pithy. To impart greater 
durability of texture and restrain the 
tendency rapidly to run to seed the Char- 
tier was pollenized with a hard white 
Summer radish of local origin, and the 
best of the resulting crosses, which were 
rather too pungent in flavor, with an 
unintroduced white Chinese radish the 
succeeding year. This induced the hy¬ 
brids to “break” wildly, but a few roots 
retained the form and some of the crim¬ 
son coloring of Chartier, though with 
hard texture and slow maturity. The 
long early scarlet and a forcing round 
scarlet variety were next successively in¬ 
troduced in the strain and rigid selection 
began, after growing seedlings from the 
last cross. There was not as much varia¬ 
tion among these later generations as 
might have been expected, but the loolt- 
ed-for type was very slow in developing 
until the eighth year, when it appeared 
at a bound, all the seedlings being much 
alike, varying only in proportionate 
length. The newcomer was of the Char¬ 
tier type, pale rose shading to white in 
color, tender, succulent and well-flavor¬ 
ed. It developed rapidly but retained a 
small top, and was very slow in running 
to seed, standing in good condition sev¬ 
eral weeks in the hottest weather. Here, 
apparently, was a good thing, planned 
and worked for but secured at last. The 
next year, as grown from seeds saved 
from the most perfect specimens, they 
came so uniform that the only remain¬ 
ing defect appeared to be the shy seed¬ 
ing of the selected roots. The next year 
the new radish was planted with high 
hopes, but a great proportion failed to 
“bottom out,” running at once to seed 
like charlock or wild mustard. So com¬ 
plete was the reversion that except for 
the white flowers the degenerate plants 
could - scarcely be distinguished from 
charlock. This was disappointing, but 
the best specimens of those showing no 
deterioration were isolated by the re¬ 
moval of all others, and seeds again 
carefully saved. The result of this last 
sowing revealed a general stampede to¬ 
ward the primitive wild radish—scarce¬ 
ly two per cent keeping to the improved 
type, which had seemed at one time in 
a fair way to become fixed—and in this 
abrupt manner our ideal Summer radish 
slipped out of existence. 
The uncertainties of breeding by hy¬ 
bridization special types of such eco¬ 
nomic and ornamental plants as must 
commonly be propagated from seeds, is 
thus detailed at some length as explana¬ 
tory of the tendency of many high-bred 
strains, originally produced by cross¬ 
breeding, to fall away from the adver¬ 
tised standard. Mendel’s law of hybridi¬ 
zation, based on long and carefully- 
conducted experiments, seems to show 
that the pollen and seed embryo cells 
of diverse plants of the same species or 
genus invariably unite in a definite 
manner, and that however various the 
association of the characteristics of the 
parents may be in the progeny the sep¬ 
arate individualities are preserved, 
though often dormant, for many genera¬ 
tions, and may at any time reappear 
with startling suddenness in individual 
plants. There will ever be much diffi¬ 
culty in fixing and retaining types pro¬ 
duced by crossing, where seed propa¬ 
gation is necessary, though occasionally 
a hybrid is so happily balanced that it 
seems to become a new species and may 
be grown on indefinitely with reasonable 
care in selection. w. v. r. 
For the land’s sake, use Bowker’s Fer¬ 
tilizers. They enrich the earth.— Adv. 
Fresh Burned Ground Lime 
for Bordeaux Mixture,” Bug Exterminator. White¬ 
washing Disinfecting purposes and for Lime Fer¬ 
tilizer. For full Information, address 
THE SENECA WHITE LIME CO., Fostoria, O. 
BLACK DEATH 
The cheapest and best insecticide 
known. Positively kills POTATO 
BUGS and all other creeping things 
that eat the leaves of vegetables 
and plants. Write for circular. 
O-AT-KA CHEMICAL CO., 
Caledonia, N. Y. 
the lightning 
y .' C Compressed Air Sprayer 
i Patented 1900) 
Holds 4 gallons Pump in a 
little air with the pump which 
is attached to the reservoir. 
No more labor required Will 
kill all kinds of insects. WiU 
spray tall trees Will spray 
two rows of potatoes at one 
time, and as fast as the oper¬ 
ator can walk. Big money for 
agents. D. B. SMITH & CO., 
Utica, N. Y. 
Fruit. 
Its quality influences 
the selling price. 
Profitable fruit 
growing insured only 
when enough actual 
Potash 
is in the fertilizer. 
Neither quantity nor 
good quality possible 
without Potash. 
Write for our free books 
giving details. 
GERMAN KALI WORKS. 
93 Nassau St., New York City. 
PROFIT or LOSS? 
That's (he Question 
THE ECLIPSE 
SPRAY PUMP 
Will settle that in your 
orchard. With it you 
CAN make a profit, with¬ 
out it what do you get ? 
Send for Catalogue. 
MORRILL & M0RLEY, 
BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN. 
LIME FERTILIZER 
Special preparation giving splendid satisfaction. 
Correspondence solicited THE SNOW FLAKE 
LIME CO., Bowling Green, Ohio. 
Men Wanted 
$20 A DAY 
is what one new man has just made. Another has 
sold and delivered 660 machines and lias nearly 100 
more sold for later delivery. This new style Spray- 
t-r has “Kant-Klog” nozzle and sells like hot cakes. 
We want some one to sell them in your locality at 
once. Sprays trees, potatoes, vegetables, etc. 
Washes wagons, windows and has many other uses. 
Write for circulars telling how to get 
ONE SPRAYER FREE. 
ROCHESTER SPRAY PUMP CO., 
16 East Ave., _Rochester. N. Y. 
WITH THE 
IP1RE KING. 
This is the only hand pump hav¬ 
ing a mechanical automatic agi¬ 
tator with a brush for keeping the 
suction strainer clean. This Co. 
also make the Garfield Knapsack and 
Orchard Monarch, and can furnish 
the New Process Lime, which requires no slack¬ 
ing or straining. Valuable book sent free. 
FIELD FORCE PUMP CO., 
2 Market St., Lock port, N, T. 
with the “incomparable’ 
BORDEAUX NOZZLE)! 
and onr world’s beat outfit you are abeo r 
i lute master of the situation. Insects and dia*f 
lease fall before this all conquering outfit. > 
|Se° the book. It is free. Write for It now. A 
THE DEM1NG CO., SALEM, OHIO. 
Western Agta., Henion A Hubbell, Chicago. 
erosene 
Pays, 
Our Barrel ...... _ , „ 
(seecut)is the best Pump made 
for emulsifying nn<l Sprnjlne 
Kerosene and Water. Two 
pumps operated by one lever, 
one drawing Oil from the Oil 
Tank, and the other Water 
from the surrounding barrel, 
blending both at the point of 
discharged! a milk like emul¬ 
sion. The amount of oil 
used is easily regulated—from 
5 % to 25 % as desired. We 
, handle a full line of Spray 
Pumps and K napsack Sprayers of all 
elzes. Also all kinds of Farm and Garden 
Seeds Implements, etc. All fully described 
and Illustrated In our £rco catalogue No. 12 
GRIFFITH & TURNER CO., 
205 N. Paca St., Baltimore, Md. 
ill* 
PAY 
r Thisiseasy to do if you spray your trees. 
Now a word about sprayers. Get 
the best when yon buy. 
THE HARDIE 
SPRAY PUMPS 
k ii 6 best, because they have brass 
hall valves, patent agitator, an adjust¬ 
able plunger that will never leak. No 
leather nor rubber about them. 
That’s why they work so easy, 
give such a fine spray and cost 
nothing for repairs. We make 
them all sizes,to supply from one 
to eight nozzles. Our catalog tells 
the whole storv. Itisfrfe. Ask for it. 
THE HARDIE SPRAY PUMP MFG. CO., 
74 Lamed St., Detroit, Mich, j 
THE LIGHTNING SEED SOWER 
lafGuaranteed to sow 60 acres per 
day (either horseback or on 
foot) of Clover, Timothy, Mil¬ 
let, Flax, etc. Will be 
•ent to any Post Office $ I (JP 
on receipt of. I iZ J 
If not satisfactory, money refunded. 
Circulars free. Agents wanted. 
W. J. BUSS, 53 Day St.. Golden. III. 
We with pride recommend the Lightning Seed 
Sower, the best sower made. They have forced all 
others out of the market In this section. Farmers 
U6e only the Lightning. It will do all that is claimed 
for It. Buy one and be convinced. 
H. H. EMM1NGA, Banker, GraiD and Seeds. 
M. L & A. E. SELBY, Hay, Grain and Seeds. 
TENHAFFK & 11E YNOLD8, Stock lealers. 
MoOUAY & THOMAS, Implement Dealers. 
harvest. That’s what you want. Careful seeding is the first I 
step toward it. The best seeder is the popular 
CAHOON 
BROADCAST SEEDER 
\ It is best because it saves one-third the seed 
’ four-fifths the labor of hand sowing; because 
it distributes the seed evenly; because anyone can 
use it and lasts a lifetime. Ask your dealer for it. 
Goodell Co., 14 Main St., Antrim, N. H. 
rnamwiBw 
HIGH GRADE FERTILIZERS 
OUR PRICES LOW. QUALITY PURE. 
Write for Memorandum Book, Prices and Samples. 
The Scientific Fertilizer Co. HERR, % 
PA. 
Use Nitrate Of Soda 
CORN, WHEAT, FRUIT and VEGETABLES. 
You get your share of profit when you use 
this Standard High Grade Amnioniate. 
Formulas and other valuable information free. 
WILLIAM S. MYERS, Director, 
12 John Street. 
Chilean Nitrate Works, New York 
- For Money Crops - 
