1902 
785 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
EVERYBODY’S GARDEN. 
Belated Weather. —Since beginning 
gardening I have never known a Fall 
when so many garden vegetables were 
still out in the open ground. At this 
writing, November 8, there are acres of 
celery, beets, turnips, carrots and cab¬ 
bage yet ungathered. A trip out among 
the gardeners within the past tw > or 
three days shows that there is still much 
work to be done before the crops are se¬ 
cured. In ordinary years, this state of 
affairs would be unfortunate in the ex¬ 
treme, but this season has been a record 
breaker for weather anyway, and from 
present appearances many are still 
banking on a stay of proceedings. This 
is not usually a safe practice for this 
section of country, but many have taken 
long chances, especially with the celery 
crop. The wet weather which still'pre¬ 
vails makes the safe storage a very un¬ 
certain problem. A near-by gardener 
who has considerable already stored, 
and also a good deal still standing in 
the ground, reports that the stored cel¬ 
ery is rotting badly. Ordinarily he has 
found no difficulty in carrying it through 
until March with very little loss, but 
this weather is too much for him. To 
tell just what is best is the problem 
which bothers him. He fears that to 
store the outstanding crop is simply to 
see it rot, and to leave it in the ground 
Is in all probability to see it freeze. I 
suggested marketing the stored celery 
at once, and securing the other from 
danger of a sudden freeze, as a change 
of weather for the better might place 
the later-gathered out of harm’s way. 
These and similar trials are only trivial 
after all, when we consider how the mild 
weather is making the coal dealers dis¬ 
gorge some of their ill-gotten gains, in 
paying the expenses of their men and 
teams to wait in idleness for coal orders 
to come in. They had their good time, 
selling $5.50 coal at $15 per ton, and if 
the weather clerk will step in and stop 
the demand, maybe their profits in part 
will go the way they came. I hope so. 
Dark Forcing Rhubarb. —Be it re¬ 
membered that The R. N.-Y. was the 
first paper in the land to take up this 
new method, even before the advent of 
a text book upon the subject. The prac¬ 
tice is growing, and will, we believe, 
supersede all of the older methods, such 
as forcing under greenhouse benches, 
erecting glass structures in the field, 
steam forcing, etc. Reports from the 
Ohio Experiment Station are to the effect 
that for the past three years they have 
been following the methods with great 
success. They claim that the dark forc¬ 
ing has two very distinct advantages 
over any of the older methods; first, the 
superior quality, and second, the larger 
yield. This latter proposition must be 
self-evident to any who have tried it, as 
the almost entire absence of leaf 
growth allows the whole strength of the 
root to go to the stalk. They also recom¬ 
mend growing in small quantities for 
family use when the commercial fea¬ 
tures are not admissible. Upon their 
grounds they have quite a large quan¬ 
tity of roots ready for the Winter’s 
work. Much of their forcing stock is of 
roots from seed sown last Spring. The 
plants grew so rapidly that they are 
standing too thick in the rows, and they 
propose to thin out and force what roots 
they remove. Now just here is the mis¬ 
take which I predict will be discovered 
further on. It is not possible for these 
young roots to give other than a very 
indifferent yield at best, and the result 
will be merely the labor for the pains. 
The only reasonable plan would be to 
thin out to proper distances in the row, 
leaving the remaining plants to force a 
year from this Winter. The plants taken 
out, if transplanted this Fall, and al¬ 
lowed to grow until two years from now, 
would be in prime condition for forcing 
then. This would give a two years’ sup¬ 
ply of forcing roots from last Spring’s 
seeding where now this Winter’s work 
will amount to a practical loss of time, 
labor and roots. 
Sugar Beet Pulp. --This may be a di¬ 
gression from the subject of gardening 
proper, but I am going to test the vir¬ 
tues of sugar beet pulp for feeding. 1 
can buy it laid down at the barn for 
$1.50 per ton, and I am going to ask the 
family cow what she thinks of it for a 
side dish. A friend who is extensively 
engaged in the dairy business, and 
usually milks 50 cows and upwards, has 
had considerable experience in feeding 
it, and with the best of results. Two 
years ago he handled 250 carloads, and 
in order to avoid extra cost of handling 
after the factories shut down, he bought 
the entire amount before the close of the 
season. Much of it was sold to others 
and handled directly from the cars, but 
he had pulp stacked all over his place, 
or nearly so. In wintering over 50 head 
he never had a sick cow, or any that got 
off their feed, and he had milk fairly to 
throw away. The cows were allowed to 
eat as much as they would, and the last 
of it fed out late in the Spring was de¬ 
voured just as greedily as when it first 
came from the mill. He fed it with 
equally good results last Winter, and is 
now feeding large quantities. Some of 
the cows were a little notional at first, 
and sampled it very sparingly, but after 
a few trials they cast their preconceived 
notions to the wind and ate it as readily 
as did the others. At that price I believe 
it will be cheap feed, and will reduce 
the grain bills. We shall try it, at all 
events, and watch results. 
Home Amusements. —It is time very 
well spent, and the Hope Farm man is 
right, radically right, in helping the 
boys with their home sports. The hours 
thus spent will, I believe, save many 
more hours of hunting out hidden re¬ 
sorts where perchance many more ques¬ 
tionable things than target shooting 
might be carried on. I like the idea, too, 
of the sports being set as the reward of 
the labor. The two should go hand in 
hand, that the idea of rewards may 
teach the value of time and effort. A 
boy living only a short distance away, 
tried his hand at raising some corn the 
past season. It was a very crude effort, 
for there was no one at home who took 
interest enough in his work to show him 
what or how to do. The patch was small 
and so was the corn, for he must have 
planted it broadcast, but he kept it free 
from weeds. Small as the cornpatch 
was, there was effort in the right direc¬ 
tion, and I saw opportunity for an ob¬ 
ject lesson. Meeting him one day I in¬ 
quired if he had cut his corn yet, and he 
replied that he had not. I offered to buy 
it for my cow, and he was perfectly will¬ 
ing to give it away. That was not what 
I was after, so I insisted on buying it. 
Now there was hardly enough of it to 
bed a litter of puppies, but I was will¬ 
ing to pay him five cents for it just to 
encourage him to greater effort next 
year. He is not my boy, and I have no 
personal interest in him, but there was 
a chance to intensify a worthy effort. So 
I am showing him how to prepare the 
ground and plant the corn next year, so 
that he can raise a larger and better 
crop. The cornstalks were not worth a 
quarter of what I paid for them, but the 
lesson may, some day, be worth many 
times that amount to him. 
Michigan. j. e. morse. 
feet examples carrying single flowers. The 
varieties ranged from the little quilled 
pompons, scarcely as large as a Centaurea 
or cornflower, to the gigantic “cabbage 
heads’’ which are nevertheless attractive, 
though so evidently over-fed Two large 
and most interesting collections of hardy 
Chrysanthemums coming from Greenwich, 
Conn., and Riverhead, L. I., respectively, 
won special prizes. The Autumn weather 
has been very favorable for these showy 
outdoor sorts, and they were brought out 
in great variety and brilliant colorings. 
There were practically no novelties of 
special merit among the tender Chrysan¬ 
themums, the older kinds being better 
shown every season as their cultural pe¬ 
culiarities are worked out. A number of 
exquisite specimen fern plants were staged, 
the “Pierson fern,” Nephrolepis Piersoni, 
being much admired. Carnations were a 
little disappointing in quality, as the sea¬ 
son is far enough advanced to produce 
really high-class blooms. There were, of 
course, some splendid roses in well-known 
kinds, such as American Beauty, Liberty, 
etc., but the chief point of interest was 
the new yellow forcing rose F. Deegen, 
shown in admirable condition by an expert 
grower. It is less double and therefore 
more perfect in form than Marechal Niel 
or Perle des Jardins, and the coloring 
deepens to rich orange in the center like 
William Allan Richardson. The flower is 
of good size, though the stem seemed 
rather short. If this beautiful new rose 
is adapted to general cultivation there is 
little doubt of its coming popularity. 
There was the usual selection of foliage 
and decorative plants. Orchids seemed in 
greater variety and better condition than 
usual. The most brilliant points of color 
in the hall were contributed by dwarf 
plants of Poinsettia, Euphorbia pulcher- 
rima, and the new Barberton daisy, Ger- 
bera Jamesoni. The latter is most effec¬ 
tive when seen in fair quantity as on the 
present occasion. w. v. f. 
Small Fruit Notes. 
Sawdust for a Mulch. —Fresh sawdust 
will kill every plant that it is used on. 
Old sawdust will have to be used very 
carefully; it makes a poor covering, as it 
blows off very easily m. o. w. 
Searsmont, Me. 
Mulching Strawberries.— The best time 
to cover strawberries, we think, is when 
the ground is frozen hard enough to hold 
up a team so you can drive anywhere over 
the bed. The reason is that when the 
mulch is put on at this time it keeps the 
ground frozen, preventing heaving when 
there comes a little thaw, which greatly 
injures the plants by breaking off the many 
little roots. We believe in heavy covering, 
this from eight years of experience in 
growing them by the Terry method, and 
we have been very successful in raising 
them by his way. c. Vanderbilt. 
Wayne Co., N. Y. 
Fall-Planted Strawberries.— Regard¬ 
ing the planting of strawberries on clover 
sod, this practice is generally avoided here. 
During the past Summer our own straw¬ 
berry plantations have suffered consider¬ 
ably from white grub, even though they 
were planted on cleared land that had been 
iu one year. I would advise 
that the land be planted next Spring to 
corn or some other hoed crop, and the 
strawberries planted the Spring following. 
I find very little advantage, if any. In Fall 
planting of the strawberry here. The 
ground is apt to heave, and the plants do 
not give enough fruit in the Spring to af¬ 
ford any advantage over Spring planting. 
Practically you have to wait a year and 
a halt instead of a year tor your first crop. 
Tenn. Exp. Station. Charles a. keffer. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R- N.-Y. and you will get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.” See our guarantee 8th page. 
HOC THE FENCE THAT LASTS. 
Our I russ and Cable wire fence (six wires in 
every strand), costs less and lasts longer than 
any other. Built same as board fence any height 
desired, 11, 4, 5 or 6 strands. Investigate it. 
Sample free. Sold direct at wholesale prices. 
033. AGENTS WANTED. 
m_THB TRUSS SCABLE FENCE CO 
823 Federal Bldg., Youngstown, O 
In “Union” There Is Strength 
Our Field and Hog- Fence is strong 
enough to turn all kinds of stock. Send 
a list of your wants to get our SPECIAL 
low prices, delivered. Descriptive circu¬ 
lars and price-lists FREE. It will pay 
you to have them. 
CASE BROS., Colchester, Conn. 
So Many Farmers 
1 n TTrt f a 1 .. r 1 I > A / 1 IP Ij 1 ., ■ . r, 1 f 4 m ..i . . J 1. 
have found PAGE Fences bettor. It la certainly 
worth your trouble to Investigate their qualities. 
PAGE WOVEN WIRE FENCE CO., ADRIAN, HIGH. 
YES, YOU SAID SO 
B 
V FR0S 
That you would never buy another flimsy woven wire 
fence, no matter who was selling It. Do not be de¬ 
ceived. they are all alike. Send for catalogue describ¬ 
ing the best fence on the market. 
THE FROST WIRE FENCE CO., Cleveland, O. 
100 Red Cross Ciirrant“„™J, r “,‘,v "'’ by 
KEVITT’S PLANT FARM, Athonia, N. J. 
President Wilder Currant Plants 
and 
BACCHUS GRAPE VINES. 
We have a stock of remarkably fine President 
Wilder Currant Plants and Bacchus Grape Vines. 
The President Wilder with us is the most profit¬ 
able market variety and best for home use. The 
Bacchus Grape is now in greater demand than 
any other variety. Correspondence solicited. 
W. I). BARNS & SON, 
Old Oak Fruit Farm. Middle Hope, N. Y. 
YORK IMPERIAL 
APPLE is the favorite wherever 
grown. Wo have a large stock of 
vigorous trees. Also other favorite 
varieties: Winesap, Gano, Bald¬ 
win, Rome Beauty, etc. Write for 
Catalogue and Prices. 
HARRISON NURSERIES, 
Box 39, Berlin, M<1. 
For the land’s sake, use Bowker’s Fer¬ 
tilizers. They enrich the earth.— Adv. 
Fruit & Ornamental, 
, Shrubs, Roses, Bulbs 
’ and Plants. 
Correspondence sol lo¬ 
tted. Valuable Catalogue free. 
49th year. 44 greenhouses. 11)00 acres. 
THE STORRS & HARRISON CO., 
Painesville, Ohio. 
The Tree of Life 
Is ono budded upon a branched root seedling, buds 
from bearing troes, dug by our root-protecting tree 
digger, Apple orchards that bear early. Also Small 
I' ruits at Wholesale Prices. Pear, Plum, Cherry. 
Everything In Nursery and Greenhouse Culture 
we furnish true to name. Wo guarantee safe delivery. 
Send f°r Catalogue. CENTRAL MICHIGAN 
NURSERIES, Michigan's Leading Nurseries and 
Lose Growers, Kalamazoo, Mich. 
You Will Find 
Our Fruit Trees, Vines, Shrubs, Roses, 
Palms, etc., perfectly healthy, well- 
grown and true to name. 
Send for Catalogue. 
P. J. BERCKMANS CO. (INC.), 
Fruitland Nurseries, 
Established 1856. AUGUSTA, GA. 
IREES 
100~ APPLE ’ PRAR ’ p bUM and PEACH; healthy, true to nam 0 
^ and Fumigated. All kinds of trees and plants at low wholesale 
prices. Don’t buy until you get our catalogue, which Is free, or send list of wants for 
special price. Address RELIANCE NURSERY, Box 1, Genova, New York. 
The American Institute Chrysanthe¬ 
mum Show. 
The American Institute held its annual 
Chrysanthemum Show in the Berkeley 
Building, November 12-13. Coming so soon 
after the great Madison Square Garden 
show the exhibits were not as numerous 
as on previous occasions, but the quality 
was unusually high. It is rare indeed 
that so many blooms of the highest grade 
are massed together with so few common¬ 
place ones. A perfect flower, eight or nine 
inches across, was something of a rarity 
in past years, but here they were shown 
by the hundred. Cut blooms formed the 
staple of the exhibition, though there were 
a few fine specimen plants and many per- 
The Levin Printer. 
This is the best pruner that has yet been made. It will cut one-half inch dry 
branch. It is made of the best 
steel, and cuts smooth and clean 
as a knife, but faster and, of 
course, easier. It is an article 
that every person who owns a 
tree or shrub or vine needs. We 
have secured a new lot at a bar¬ 
gain, and can furnish them to 
subscribers now at 50 cents each, 
postpaid ; or with one new subscription and 25 cents extra ; or we will send it free 
for a club of two yearly subscriptions. 
