6o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
January 28 
; Ruralisms ; 
Several of our friends have asked for 
The R. N.-Y.’s report of the results of 
its Potato Flower-pot experiment. We 
shall certainly give them in time to 
enable those interested in potato culture 
to be influenced by them. We shall not 
anticipate by stating just now whether 
the results pleased us or not. But we 
may say that they were surprising. 
Hiler Bros , of Prattsburg, N. Y., 
have grown potatoes from true seed 
since 1893. They sow the seed about 
April 1, and transplant about June 1. 
They have had in a single hill as many 
as 70 tubers, all of which were small, 
however, and the variety proved worth¬ 
less. Last season, a single hill had 40 
tubers. A single seedling hill of Steuben 
contained 13 tubers, weighing 2 % pounds, 
all of which, excepting two, were large 
enough to sell in the market. 
The Hale Plum Again. —Mr. N. Hal- 
loek, of Queens, N. Y., writes us that 
we described the Hale plum as of “ me¬ 
dium crimson purple, dotted and striped 
with purple on a yellow ground.” This 
was a quotation from what Mr. Burbank 
and Mr. Hale have said of it. Mr. Ilal- 
lock continues: “I obtained a Hale 
plum tree from J. H. Hale, in the Spriug 
of 1897. It bore a few plums last Sum¬ 
mer. There was no purple or crimson 
upon them, or scarcely a suggestion of 
yellow. They were simply light green. 
As I was going from home for a week, 
and as the tree stood in quite a public 
place, I was anxious to secure a chance 
of testing the quality of the plums. I, 
therefore, picked several, seeing they 
were well matured, and placed them in 
my valise. They kept until my return, 
and a day or two later. I sent a sample 
to our old friend, Isaac nicks, who was 
anxious to test them. When I asked 
what he thought of them, he unhesitat¬ 
ingly replied, ‘ It is the best Japan plum 
I ever ate.’ In this, I quite agree with 
him. The tree, now three years old, is 
very thickly set with buds I think 
every farmer should set at least one 
Hale plum.” Our tree has borne for two 
years, but we have refrained from ex¬ 
pressing any decided opinions regarding 
it, for the reason that it was planted too 
near an old apple tree. This fact we 
have laid stress upon in our two reports. 
So much of the old apple tree has now 
been cut back that we are in hopes to 
be able to give a moderately correct ac¬ 
count next Summer of what it is worth 
in the Rural Grounds. 
Again we are favored by a subscriber, 
Charles Macon, with some further ac¬ 
count of how the Velvet bean acts with 
him in Ingleside, N. C. We gave an illus¬ 
tration of the flowers and leaves in our 
issue of June 11, 1898. Mr. Macon, lasl^ 
Fall, favored us with pods in different 
stages of maturity. The vines, he says, 
make a most luxuriant foliage for orna¬ 
mental purposes on porches or over win¬ 
dows. The foliage is so dense that the 
sun’s rays do not penetrate it ne had 
one vine over a window covering a frame 
10 feet high, that he thinks would run 
over the top of a two story buildiDg, 
and give plenty of shade on the front 
porch if it were given time. He does 
not think that the Velvet bean will com¬ 
pare with the cow pea in his vicinity as 
a land improver or forage plant—it is 
too slow a grower. 
Mr. Macon speaks favorably of the 
Maypops [Passiflora incarnata]. He 
says that the fruit is insignificant, so 
that few people give it any attention, 
and that it is not cultivated at all; it 
grows wild along the hedges and fences. 
He, however, has grown very fond of it. 
The fruit drops off when yellow—then it 
is ripe. There was a vine in his garden 
that had run up a small locust tree, 
about eight feet high that, September 
22, bore 55 large pops. 
It will be remembered that A. W. 
Smith, of Americus, Ga., wrote us last 
April about the Velvet bean, botanically 
known as Mucuna pruriens, a pretty 
close relative of the cow pea. Mr. Smith 
was much impressed with the climbing 
capacity of the plant; the vines grew to 
the top of bis mill tower, a height of 40 
feet. Mr. Smith knows of few plants 
th at would so soon cover a trellis or arbor. 
We do not quite reconcile the statement 
of Mr. Macon that, while the vine makes 
such a stupendous growth, it is yet too 
slow a grower to compare favorably with 
the cow pea as a forage plant. 
NOTES FROM WISCONSIN. 
GREEN MANURES AND FODDER CROPS. 
Crimson clover makes a good growth 
with us, but the trouble is to bring it 
through the Spring freezes. It winters 
all right, but we get sudden changes in 
the Spring that are pretty hard on it. 
Last Spring, we lost about eight-tenths 
of our crop, but what remained grew a 
nice lot of seed. We had a good stand 
last Fall, and hope to be able to bring it 
through better this Winter. 
I believe, however, that upon our 
sandy soils in central Wisconsin, more is 
to be expected from the Soy bean. We 
have grown two crops with.good suc¬ 
cess. The beans grow from two to 
three feet high, and are simply loaded 
with pods. The seed being small it re¬ 
quires only a small amount of seed to 
plant an acre. We have planted in drills 
3% feet apart, using a Planet Jr. seed 
drill. I shall try a few of them at 2% 
feet apart this year, thinking to give a 
denser shade to the ground, and thus 
save one cultivation, perhaps. Our acre¬ 
age will be increased this year, as they 
have done so well with us for two seasons. 
I believe that the cow pea can, also, 
be grown successfully on sandy land in 
the North. Probably the seed cannot be 
maturt d thus far north, but a large 
amount of green matter can be produced 
for plowing under. Our experiments 
with them have been on a small scale, 
but will be enlarged the coming season 
The Velvet bean was tried on a small 
scale last year, and made a strong 
growth, but did not bloom. It, undoubt¬ 
edly, will produce a good amount of 
g-een matter, but the seed is so large 
that it will take considerable seed per 
acre, and it would be more expensive 
than some other smaller-seeded variety. 
The Japan Panicum Crus Galli intro¬ 
duced by the Hatch Experiment Station, 
of Massachusetts, is, in my opinion, the 
most valuable forage plant that has been 
introduced in the last 25 years. After 
two years of trial upon a rather poor, 
sandy soil, I am fully convinced that it 
is one of the grandest plants that I have 
ever seen. From about a tablespoonful 
of seed in 1897, we grew over a bushel 
of clean seed on a row about 15 rods 
long. Last year, we put in about two 
acres with a garden seed drill, in rows 
3% feet apart, July 6 to 8. It made a 
fine growth, will average over three feet 
high, and I estimate that it will yield 25 
to 30 bushels of seed per acre. It grows 
twice as high as millet will on the same 
ground, stools out more than twice as 
much, the leaves are much larger, and 
for hay, will outyield anything I have 
ever seen. 
At the Massachusetts Experiment Sta¬ 
tion, on good land, it has yielded 18 tons 
of green fodder per acre, or six tons of 
well-cured dry hay. We have planted it 
in rows so that we could cultivate it once 
or twice to keep down the weeds until it 
got a start. The seed is small, not more 
than half the size of millet seed, and 
from four to six quarts are a great plenty 
to seed an acre. This season, I intend to 
experiment with planting at different 
distances apart, planting one piece 16 or 
18 inches apart, another two feet, an¬ 
other three feet, and another 3% feet, 
and see which will yield the best. Every 
farmer in America ought to try a small 
plot of this wonderful new grass. It 
being an annual like millet, no one need 
be afraid of it, as there are no roots to 
live over and become a pest to the farm. 
L. H. READ. 
SUGAR PRUNE 
CLIMAX PLUM 
THE TWO 
RECORD BREAKERS. 
The Best 
is always the cheapest, and especially so 
when the best cost no more than the other 
kind. All the standard and new varieties 
of fruit trees, plants, vines, etc. No 
" extras ” for packing. Catalogue free. 
T. J. DWYER & SON, Box 1 , Cornwall, N. Y. 
Other grand new Creations In FRUITS and FLOWERS 
1899 Catalogue free to Rural readers. 
LUTHER BURBANK, Santa Rosa, Cal 
TREES. 
Apple, Japan Plums, Cherries, and a full 
line of fruit trees at low prices. Write for who,e- 
sale list. C. F. MACNair & CO., Dansville, N. Y. 
Choice Fruits 
are the only kind that pay for the cost of growing and 
marketing. The best are Echo Strawberry, Loudon 
and Columbian Raspberiy, Erie and Kathbun Black¬ 
berry, Pearl Gooseberry, Pomona and Red Cross 
Currant. Immense stock. Warranted true to name. 
My catalogue is free, but it is worth dollars to you. 
Allen L. Wood, wholesale Grower, Rochester, N. Y. 
JUST OUT. 
The annual price-list of Call’s Nurs¬ 
eries is now ready for our readers, and 
all who are wishing to set fruit trees 
this year will do well to send for it. If 
you wish to secure the best and health¬ 
iest trees that can be grown, write 
them for price-list. Hundreds of our 
leading Fruit Growers write that the 
finest Fruit trees that they have ever 
seen, were received from Call’s Nurseries, 
Perry, O. They make a specialty of 
dealing direct with the Farmers. 
at ■ >■ n a m (Trade-marked.) 
I\l 1- W MURDV PLUM and 
VV DIAMOND peach. 
AND FINEST NEW PEACHES. 
■ ■ | (Copyrighted.) 
L| III 1 Wn Dean’s Red, Dan Boone, 
|% | | Deaconess & St. Clair. 
THE ALBAUGH NURSERY AND ORCHARD CO., 
Phoneton, Ohio. 
nilD catalogue will save iflnMCV CflD Vflll 
UUn trees and plants make IflURCT lUH VUUi 
The plain troth by those who know. Write to-day, 
It costs you nothing, and will help yon. 
THE BUTLER dfc JEWEIjE CO., CROMWELL, CON'S. 
Excelsior Strawberry is immensely productive and 
earlierthan Hoffman. A seedling of Wilson, plant and fruit 
both showing larger and linerthan Wilson. Order early. 
70 other varieties in our catalogue, including the 
I Star, Nick Dinner, Clyde, Carrie, Margaret, 
Unity and Darlings’. We are the largest growers of 
I peach trees. Not one tree in a million affected with scale 
or yellows. Finest peach trees grown. Asparagus routs 
that always give satisfaction. Write for catalogue to-day. 
HARRISON’S NURSERIES, Berlin, Md. 
THE TRUTH 
is good enough to tell, and that’s what 
you get in our new 80 (not 04) page hook 
Orchard Improvement. No catalogue 
more carefully prepared and as different from 
others as the truth alone can make it. No overdrawn descriptions, no novelties or kindred misrepresenta¬ 
tion, but TRUTH, the best foundation. Contains information on the Improvement and care 
of orchards from lea ing horticulturists. Tells about our specialty, “ business trees —the BEST trees, 
and it’s tree to “ business farmers.” _ _.. 
The Business Farmer. THE ROGERS NURSERIES, DANSVILLE, HEW YORK. 
REID',, 
fRUltSj 
Every tree, plant or vine bought at Reid’s Is well- 
rooted, vigorous, and true to name. Every care is i 
taken in growing to insure absolute certainty to the' 
buyer. Save one-half on anything you need In the 
nursery line, by buying at Reid’s. 
We’ll help you to choose by sending complete catalog, esti¬ 
mates, or any information you may ask for, free. 
REID’S NURSERIES, BRIDGEPORT, OHIO. 
and especially Fruit Trees, should be grown with a 
view to Long Life and Fruitfulness, such are made 
Constitutionally Strong by guarding the Parentage 
in Propagation. Men of thought know this to be 
FACT, not theory. If you want proof, write us. Many 
of our customers after trial increase their orders A trial ° r der will make a lifetime eiistomer of 
you. We promise only best values. Among the new but well-tested FRUITS we are offering the 
mcrmP A ll Dl APhTDCDDY We also offer a whole Peach Orchard 
IVI b.tfofcrffc/VU DLA G ADEltrt I ■ for $5, and many other things that will 
interest you. Free catalogue if this paper is named. Cash Premiums with Choice Seed Potatoes 
established mi. WILEYu& CO., Cayuga, N. Y. 
/>CTMTHC 
'■ 'IK as'KM 1 B (Ha H if*, ■ Yw ■ _ Iv has the largestntock and finc-stn.il, -c- K 
, ■ ’ M SB H B j H 1 11 M-d M ■ tion of vigorous, healthy plants lu the H 
aSpr- ; .7^*KKJI world. This stock is of his own growing and he knows that it is pure. 
m. AO’ ; HE CROWS ALL THE PLANTS THAT HE SELLS V 
V-ffl and they are aU fresh dug at the time of shipment. No cellar-stored, reshippcd and repacked r, 
stock, 'SSi-puge llluntrutcd and dcwrlptlve cotuloicue free. Address C 
WXSlVdmZ* W. F. ALLEN, JR., BOX 44 , SALISBURY, MD. 
1 
FP A FP P SHRUBS, FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 
M m. M %. Mmmd Most complete General Collection in America. Three thousand 
m vhvh varieties described in a 200-page (free) Catalogue. “THR 
D NLmm ’ LEADING NEW ENGLAND NURSERY.’’ 
[ f* N -c W j JACOB W. NIANNINC, Reading, Mass. 
* 
FRUIT AND ORNAMENTAL Small Fruits, drapes, Shrubs, Climbing Plants, | 
" Roses, Evergreens, Hardy Plants, Patonies v 
Largest and choicest collections In America. 
/#T J % ^ M* W* BEST NOVELTIES 
f a, Descriptive Illustrated Catalogue free. 
M / V £ £(J ELLWANCER & BARRY. 
# § ^ ^ MOUNT HOPE NURSERIES, Rochester, N. Y. 
AT REASONABLE PRICES. Fifty-ninth Year. i 
RIGHT ROAD TO SUCCESS 
Straight Coods at Right Prices, Bought Direct. 
350,000 Pencil, 150,000 Plum, 150,000 Pear, 75,000 Cherry, 
150,000 Apple,<tuinee, Apricot,Mulberry, etc., 50,000 Nut Bear¬ 
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quarters for 
ORNAMENTAL TREES AND SHRUBS 
Forty-four Greenhouses filled with choice Roses, Palms, Araucarias, Ficus, Paudauus, 
^"v/e^se^n^by'mail postpaid, Flower and Vegetable Seeds, Bulbs, Roses, Greenhouse Plants, Small 
Trees and Shrubs, Grape Vines and Small Fruits, safe arrival and satisfaction guaranteed; larger 
by express or freight. OUR CATALOGUE, an elegant book, magazine size, profusely illustrated 
tells it all, FBEKi Send for it today and get the best at right prices. 45th year. 44 greenhouses. 
1000 acres ' 
THE STORES & HARRISON CO., Box 447 , Painesville, O. 
