656 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
Reptomher 27 
EVERYBODY'S GARDEN. 
Do you think it would be safe or wise 
in northern New York to sow onion seed 
or put out the sets this Fall? We want 
early onions for an early market, hut 
have never sown the seed in the Fall or 
planted out the sets. Will it be safe to 
sow spinach this Fall? Is the Fordhook 
Fancy the earliest tomato, and where ob¬ 
tained? What early potato do you call 
the best as to earliness and yield? 
Essex Co.. N. Y. h. t. s. 
Sets Rather Than Seed. —Your Au¬ 
tumn season in the Adirondacks may be 
pretty short for doing the work at this 
writing, September 13. I would advise 
that in preference to sowing the seed 
you depend upon the sets for this Fall. 
There will be no risk, I think, in putting 
out the sets. (Any of the ordinary sorts, 
but 'preferably the Prizetaker.) They 
will require protection when cold 
weather comes, but if once started they 
will go through the Winter without 
trouble. Cover them well with straw, 
cornstalks or other litter. I would ad¬ 
vise making the trial at all events, if 
only in a small way, as if they do well 
they ought to be a good money crop 
there. If they should fail, the expense 
will not be great. Try it and report re¬ 
sults, as it will cost but little, and the 
experience, good or bad, will be of ser¬ 
vice to yourself and others. 
Fade-Sown Spinach. —With vigorous 
seed and the right varieties I think you 
will be safe to sow spinach. Of course 
T am unable to say at just what time 
the- limit of safety would occur in your 
locality, but the Winter sorts are very 
hardy, and once getting a start would 
be safe. If it did not grow large enough 
for Winter use, it would be available 
for early Spring, and ought to be ahead 
of the seed sown then. The Prickly 
Winter will stand the severest weather 
with even slight protection, but to be 
safe cover quite liberally with straw' 
or cornstalks. As remarked of the 
onions, a trial will be quite inexpensive 
even with a failure. A success will 
mean much to you later on in your gar¬ 
den work. Sow the seed either broad¬ 
cast or in drills one foot apart. I pre¬ 
fer broadcasting for Fall work. Cover 
before too cold weather sets in. When¬ 
ever the leaves attain one inch in 
breadth you can begin cutting for use. 
In cutting select the largest plants all 
the time, leaving the smaller ones to 
gain in size. This will not only prolong 
but will increase the final yield of the 
crop. The above advice both as to 
onions and spinach is given, not to 
encourage hazardous risks, but rather 
at a slight cost to take a chance on 
gaining a valuable crop and experience. 
Early Tomatoes and Potatoes.— 
After testing a good many varieties my 
judgment is that the Fordhook Fancy 
tomato is second to none as to earli¬ 
ness. I have tested others equally as 
early, perhaps a very little earlier, but 
the serious objections are that some are 
very rough and poor flavor, while oth¬ 
ers are shy bearers. The Fordhook 
Fancy bas none of these objections, but 
is a continuous bearer, fine flavored and 
uniformly smooth. Burpee & Co., Phila¬ 
delphia, introduced it, and have the 
seed, and it is also listed by several of 
the seedsmen, I think. It is very hard, 
in fact, impossible for any man to nam-' 
the best potato either late or early. The 
soil and the season have so much to do 
with potatoes both as to quality and 
yield that which is the best variety will 
keep one pretty busy to find out. In 
growing several varieties side by side, 1 
have found that some certain sort which 
one season proved far and away ahead 
of all others, would be away off the next 
year. Upon my soil, which varies from 
heavy sandy loam to light sand, the 
Early Ohio has generally proved a valu¬ 
able sort, and is a standard variety in 
many parts of the country. I consider 
the Bovee one of the most valuable, and 
all told, the best variety I have grown 
recently. I have grown it to fair eating 
size in 40 days from planting, and it is 
a good cropper. The Early Michigan is 
among the best, maturing early and 
yielding heavily. The Early Six Weeks 
is really what its name implies, as it 
yields potatoes of very fair table size 
in from six to seven weeks from plant¬ 
ing. It is of good quality and a fair 
though not heavy yielder. These varie¬ 
ties rank among the very best, and some 
of them, I think, will meet your require¬ 
ments. If your soil is rich and moist, 
the Early Ohio will be entirely safe. If 
dry or upland soil, it would be liable to 
disappoint. On the latter soil the Early 
Six Weeks would be better. The Early 
Michigan will, I believe, do fairly well 
on either soil, but it requires well en¬ 
riched soil to be at its best. The Bovee 
has done well with me on both low and 
upland soil, but liberal manuring and 
thorough culture are necessary for best 
results. With these distinctions and re¬ 
quirements in view, you may very safe¬ 
ly select one or more of above varieties. 
In Everybody’s Garden I see you recom¬ 
mend certain varieties of turnips. If you 
will sow the Red-Top Globe you will have 
something finer, in my opinion. I have 
grown them for several years, and had 
them very fine both late and early. 
Titusville. Pa. a. g. s. 
Turnip Varieties. —This doubtless 
refers to a question answered some time 
ago, as to the difficulty with a subscrib¬ 
er’s turnips, which were bitter and 
tough. I replied that the cold wet 
weather might have had something to 
do with their condition, also that some 
varieties were more liable to grow 
strong and tough than others. I men¬ 
tioned some varieties, among them the 
Early White Egg that were usually free 
from those objections. With the Red- 
top Globe, I am not personally acquaint¬ 
ed but know that it is highly spoken of 
both as to quality and yield. From re¬ 
ports gathered from reliable sources I 
should say that it was a valuable sort, 
both for early and late. I shall en¬ 
deavor to test it next year, as the best 
of everything is what every gardener 
ought to seek after. 
Sunflowers. —They are beautiful 
flowers from the early stages of growth 
until matured in the Autumn. They are 
not only beautiful to look upon, but in¬ 
teresting to study. Its adoption as the 
National flower brings it into more than 
ordinary prominence now, and certainlv 
its beauty, magnificent growth and gen¬ 
eral adaptability to various soils and 
climates would make it one of the most 
appropriate flowers that could be se¬ 
lected. A handful of the flowers brought 
from the garden this morning adds 
cheerfulness to the room, and the bright 
yellow of the magnificent blooms backed 
up by the dark green of the sturdy 
leaves lend a warmer glow to the almost 
frosty air. Why not grow them in every 
garden? 
fort of the children as well as to the 
general appearance. My wife once had 
a serious spat with the school director, 
simply because she asked for a new five- 
cent drinking cup and broom. He in¬ 
formed her that Nettie Summerville had 
used the old cup and broom the pre¬ 
vious term, and they ought to be good 
enough for her. Now Nettie Summer¬ 
ville was the daughter of the wealthiest 
farmer in the vicinity and it was a great 
sin in the director’s eyes that my wife 
should ask for better things than she 
had used. She informed him by letter 
that she was not Nettie Summerville, 
and did not propose to use an old five- 
cent drinking cup that had hung out on 
the pump all through vacation, or sweep 
the schoolhouse with a broken broom¬ 
stick. She got the new cup and broom, 
and several more little conveniences be¬ 
fore the term closed. The point is that 
in my recent travels through the coun¬ 
try I have found many schoolhouses 
in the same broken down and tired con¬ 
dition. I am wondering whether the 
boy and girl readers of The R. N.-Y. 
do not know of some such schoolhouses 
in their vicinity? I believe they do, and 
that they would know just how to go to 
work to make them look homelike and 
inviting. I have not organized any 
league or named any society as yet, but 
with the help of the boys and girls I 
believe we could get the parents inter¬ 
ested, and by all pulling together the 
good old country schoolhouses could be 
beautified, and we could begin at the 
right end of the school work. It is now 
too late to. do much in the home garden 
except to care for and enjoy what has 
been grown, and get ready for the next 
year’s work. Of course there will be 
much to do at home, but over at the 
schoolhouse there is a lot of old rubbish 
to clean up, and some of them will need 
new window shades or some shade 
trees. There are a lot of things to do 
if only they are hunted up. The walls 
of the schoolhouse can be tinted and 
made to look better than new for a few 
cents in money and a few hours’ work. 
If we can only meet at the schoolhouse 
some day it will be no trouble to Arid 
a lot of things that need doing. Shall 
we try it? J. e. morse. 
Michigan. 
A Persistent Bird.—A good friend In 
Maryland sends this note: “There is a bird 
of the finch or oriole type that a few years 
back, and only a few, began to pick the 
grapes. It succeeded in destroying nearly 
all last year, and this season it has added 
the late, large varieties of plums as a side 
line, and is pushing its undertaking with a 
perseverance and energy which if possible 
to transfer to some of the human tribe I 
have for help would be as comforting, as 
owning stock in a trust.’’ 
For the land’s sake, use Bowker’s Fer¬ 
tilizers. They enrich the earth.— Adv. 
Our Catalogue of Bulbs for 
Fall planting is now ready, 
and will be mailed free on 
application. It gives full 
cultural directions, and 
is profusely illustrated. 
J.M.TH0RBURN&C0. 
36 CORTLANDT STREET. NEW YORK. 
5,000 Glen Mary for $7 50. 
KEVITT’S PLANT FARM, Alhenia, N J. 
etc., have been the standard of excellence for nearly 
naif a century. Everything of the best at right prices 
for Orchard, Vineyard, Lawn, Park, Street, 
Garden and Greenhouse. We send by mail postpaid 
Seeds, Plants, Roses, liulbs. Vines, Small Trees, 
ete., and guarantee safe arrival and satisfaction, 
larger by freight or express. Valuable catalogue free. 
Direct deal will insure you the best and save you 
money. 49th year. 44 greenhouses. 1000 acres. 
THF STORRS & HARRISON CO., 
PAINESVILLE, OHIO. 
GRAPE VINES 
Currant., Gooseberries, Black* 
berries, Raspberries, Straw* 
berries. Price List FREE. 
Send 2o .tamp for Illustrated descriptive catalog. 
T. S. HUBBARD CG. Fredonla, N. Y. 
Fruit Tree Notice! 
For Standard, thrifty, trees, fruit and ornamental, look to 
our old reliable nurseries. Finest and most varied stocks, 
including all hardy varieties, true to name, clean, healthy. 
Get Ready for Fall Planting. 
You may not find time in the spring. You will lose fewer 
trees and gain nearly a year’s growth. We have just what 
you want. Send for Free Outalogue. 
GEO. *■ SWEET NURSERY CO., Box 1605, Dansvllle, New York, 
TREE PLANTING IN FALL 
Ts recommended by horticulturists of highest author¬ 
ity. The soil is always in better condltlc i, the trees 
are dormant and start early m Spring, and any pos¬ 
sible loss on account uf unfavorable weather the fol¬ 
lowing season Is prevented by Fall planting My 
catalogue is free. MARTIN WAHL, Rochester, N V. 
■■ ■■ pi Illustrated Catalogue of choice 
L. K_ Evergreens, Shrubs, Fruit and other 
^ H ■ ■ Trees, Roses. Water Lilies, etc. 
w ■■■■■■ Prices low. Beautify your homes 
at small expense. 
E. S. PETERSON & SONS, Box 15, Montrose, N. Y. 
WANTED 
Golden Queen Raspberry Plants. Address, 
s’ating numbor and price, Box 227, No Collins, N.Y. 
pi nyrn Qppn— Choice, clean Crimson or 
ULUVEH wCCU Scarlet of ray own raising- 
$3.50 $ bu.; sacks free. J. C. ELLIS, Millsboro, Del. 
School Days. —They are upon us 
now, and the time and attention of the 
boys and girls will necessarily be di¬ 
vided between the home and school 
duties. In other words, the boys and 
girls must become “expansionists” now; 
they must spread out and cover more 
territory. It will not do to neglect the 
gardens and the flowers at home, neither 
will it do to neglect the duties at school. 
Speaking of duties at school reminds 
me that the schoolhouses and grounds 
are often neglected until they have a 
very broken down and tired look. The 
old red schoolhouse where I first at¬ 
tended school brings many pleasant 
memories, and some that are not so 
pleasant. I remember it was pretty 
open and cold in the Winter, and the 
old wood stove was the center of at¬ 
traction in the cold days. But in Sum¬ 
mer the hot sun used to pour in at the 
south windows until our heads and eyes 
ached. One teacher finally suggested 
that we could remedy this by shading 
the windows, and with the enormous 
expenditure of 80 cents they were cur¬ 
tained, and it added much to the com- 
Trees, Plants and Vines 
C.l«-No more of them. Sow my 
UniOn OClS hardy White, earliest, Yellow 
and Red. 3 kinds. Send for testimonials and prices. 
BEAULIEU. theOnion Specialist, Woodhaven, N.Y. 
That should he planted in October and 
November, are named in our free 
FALL CATALOGUE. Wiite for it 
to-day. 200 Acres in Fruits and 
Ornamentals. Stock first-class: 
prices right. Send us your list of wauls 
for estimate. Call at our Nurseries, 
and make your own selections. 
T. J. DWYER & SON, 
Orange County Nurseries, 
Box 1. CORNWALL, N T . Y. 
$25,000 
PROFIT 
FROM 
HALF AN 
ACRE OF 
GINSENG 
Was made in one year. Demand Is increasing. Easily 
grown and hardy everywhere in the United States 
and Canada. Can be grown In small gardens as well 
as on farms. Most profitable crop known. Cultivated 
roots and seed for sale. Send four cents to help pay 
postage and get our complete book telling all about 
this wondeiful GINSENG. 
CHINESE-AMERICAN GINSENG CO., 
j Department AC. Joplin, Mo. 
DfippnQ TDCCO ARE different 
nUuEnO I ntto from others. 
The Tree Breeders. ROGERS ON THE HILL, Dansville, N. Y. 
TDCCC AAIR Dl ANTC~' irr ** * rom Ne ^ and Cholce v &rietias. 
I nCCO AH1I rLARiO Blackberries, Strawberries, Raspberries. 
Our FREE CATALOGUE will save you money. MYER & SON, Bridgeville, Del. 
TREES 
dJO PCD |OP APPLE, PEAR, PLUM and PEACH: healthy, true to nam- 
OO rCll lUUi and Fumigated. All kinds of trees and plants at low whole¬ 
sale prices. Don’t buy until you get our catalogue, which is free, or send list of wants 
for special price. Address RELIANCE NURSERY, Box L, Geneva, New.York. 
1 % _ _ I Von III * TT for tlie orc hards you plant this year. 
UQIYI Q |Y) ll Q |* I OU Ul Qin | |*0 QO ^Ve have some very attractive trees at 
nclllclliuul Want ridlll 11 UUp catalogue to be in the hands of every 
one who loves good fruit. WOODVIEW NURSERIES* Box 100, Uriah, Pa. 
