344 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
May 6 
; Ruralisms ; 
• ▼ ▼ T ▼ 
How Much Fertilizer —It may be 
wtll to repeat the results of our fertilizer 
experiments upon potatoes, conducted 
for a number of years in succession upon 
different fields, all of which, however, 
were fairly run down. The soil of all 
the fields might be described as a sandy 
loam. All the way from 440 to 2,640 
pounds of high-grade fertilizer were 
used to the acre. In every instance but 
one, the yield was increased as the fer¬ 
tilizer increased. Here is the record : 
Bushels. 
440 pounds fertilizer yielded.... 245 66 
880 pounds fertilizer yielded.... 330. 
1,320 pound 8 fertilizer yielded.... 388 66 
1,760 pounds fertilizer yielded....443 66 
2,200 pounds fertilizer yielded....443 00 
2,640 pounds fertilizer yielded.... 480 33 
These experiments were concluded 
during the year 1891. The series was so 
uncontradictory that there seemed no 
reason to continue them in the only soils 
accessible to us at that time. 
At the R. N.-Y. farm, similar experi¬ 
ments were carried on with exceedingly 
contradictory results. This was true 
eter at the base. The dwarfness of this 
evergreen will be better realized if it 
be compared with the Arbor-vitae just 
behind it, planted at the same time, 
which is now 11 feet high. See Fig. 138. 
Tnis latter has been cut back from year 
to year. As a rule, we do not in the 
least approve of cutting evergreens back 
into formal shapes; they are, for the 
most part, stiff and ungraceful enough 
if left to themselves. Occasionally, 
however, they may be so employed for 
variety’s sake, or to bring out some 
striking peculiarity which does not ap¬ 
pear if the tree is left to itself. For 
example, we once cut a common Arbor- 
vitae back from year to year, for a dozen 
years or more. The result was, at the 
end of that time, that the Arbor-vitae 
was fully 12 feet in diameter and not 
over two feet high. This experiment 
shows well the uselessness of setting the 
plants of Arbor-vitas hedges so clo e to¬ 
gether—three or four feet apart is close 
enough. The plants of the Arbor-vitae 
hedge directly back of the single speci¬ 
men to which we have just alluded were 
set three feet apart, notwithstanding 
the instructions of the catalogue and 
bookmakers that they should be set 
about one foot apart. 
GREGORY S SPRUCE AT RURAL GROUNDS. Fig. 138. 
not only with potatoes bul with oats, 
wheat and grass. The reason seemed 
plain enough. In the New Jersey trials, 
the soil, evidently, needed all sorts of 
food, while in the Long Island trials, 
the soil seemed well supplied with all 
kinds of food. The two sets of experi¬ 
ments are valuable as tending to prove 
that every farmer must try such experi¬ 
ments himself in order to ascertain what 
fertilizers to buy, and in what quantity 
to use them. 
In this connection, the more recent 
fertilizer trials upon potatoes, made by 
the New York Experiment Station, may 
be of interest to our readers. Complete 
potato fertilizers were used from 1,000 to 
2 000 pounds per acre. Here is the result: 
Amount of 
Yield in 
fertilzer. 
bushels. 
Increase. 
None. 
107 
— 
500 
140 
33 
1,000 
168 
60 
1,500 
192 
84 
2,000 
197 
89 
It will be seen that 1,500 pounds of 
fertilizer gave the most profitable results. 
Minuter details will be found in New 
York State Bulletin No. 154. 
Among the first lot of evergreen trees 
which we purchased to help adorn the 
Rural Grounds, was one specimen of 
Gregory’s spruce—that was 26 years ago. 
This little tree is now four feet six 
inches in height, and eight feet in diam- 
OE Gregory’s spruce, very little is 
known as to its exact origin. All that 
we know about it is that it originated 
in the Cirencester Nursery, of Gloucester¬ 
shire, England, then owned, it is pre¬ 
sumed, by Mr. Gregory. The branches 
resemble the Norway spruce, except that 
the “needles” are shorter, sharper and 
more numerous. It has never been cut 
back a particle, so that it will be seen 
that the growth from year to year is 
very little. It has proved itself per¬ 
fectly hardy and, as a single specimen 
among many different kinds of trees, it 
becomes more and more interesting as 
the years go on. 
The Clark Blackberry. —Under 
Ruralisms of April 15, it was said that 
the Claris blackberry had never been 
tried at tne Rural Grounds. It was a 
mistake on the part of the writer of these 
notes G. B. Clark, of Remington, Ind., 
is the originator, and Mr. M Crawford, 
of Cuyahoga Falls, O., will, as we under¬ 
stand it, be the disseminator. Three 
plants were received from Mr. Crawford 
during April of 1897. Their growth was 
surprisingly vigorous, and two of them, 
August 23 of the same year, ripened a 
few berries. They were larger than 
those of the Kittatinny, black and glossy, 
melting and juicy, but possibly too soft 
for distant shipment. How the Clark 
behaved last year we are unable to say, 
having lost our notes. 
A note from Mr. G. B. Clark tells us 
that this blackberry is at present on 
trial at the following stations : Wooster, 
O , Lafayette, iDd , Champaign, Ill., 
Geneva, N. Y., State College, Penn., 
Agricultural College, Mich.; so that we 
may soon hope to learn whether or not 
it is possessed of any extraordinary value 
Experiments at the Vermont Station show con¬ 
clusively that, in the Spring, the sap of the maple 
tree goes both up ai.d down. When trees were 
tapped and tested under ordinary conditions, the 
sap flow was about equal from above and below 
the bole. There was little or no lateral flow of 
sap. In other words, the sap moves freely in 
both directions, with the grain of the wood, but 
very slowly across it. 
Many people have a theory that cold water 
should never be used for irrigating young plants. 
Frederic Cranefield, at the Wisconsin Experiment 
Station, has tested this matter carefully, using 
ice water and water at over 75 degrees. He finds 
that the growth of ordinary field and garden 
crops is not affected by the temperature of any 
water ordinarily available. He concludes that 
no harm can result from using irrigating water 
directly from the coldest springs or wells. 
Cheap Plant Food —A friend in Warren Coun¬ 
ty, Iowa, says that wood ashes are so plentiful 
in his neighborhood that he could buy enough to 
bury his house, for five cents a bushel. Farmers 
who haul out manure make his grounds a dump¬ 
ing place, putt.ng 100 loads in a pile. So much 
of it comes that he has no time to use it, or any 
place to put it at the time it is hauled. He has 
dug great pits to catch the road water, and these 
are filled with brush and manure. This makes 
what he calls brush tea, to be pumped out for 
use in fertilizing the fruit. Some of our eastern 
farmers, who find the problem of feeding their 
plants a perplexing and expensive one, would 
like to get a j ear’s supply of this cheap plant 
food. Probably, however, they would not be 
willing to leave their eastern markets and go out 
to Iowa. 
EVERGREENS 
Largest stock in Amer¬ 
ica, including 
Colorado Blue Spruce 
and Douglas Spruce 
of Colorado. 
Also, Ornamental, 
Shade and Fo-rest Trees. 
Tree Seeds, Etc. 
R. DOUGLAS’ SONS 
Waukegan, Ill. 
Rhododendrons. 
Not imported and therefore hardy. 
Hardy Azaleas, Japanese Maples, 
Magnolias, (living guaranteed) 
Rare Evergreens, 
other Trees, new Shrubs, Hedge Plante. 
Parsons & Sons Co.hheeei 
Flushing, New York. 
Certificated freedom from scale. 
Trees Live 
If bought of us, because they are so often 
Transplanted, to make roots thrifty 
RARE Evergreens our specialty. 
HENRY E. BURR, 
Ward Place, South Orange, N. J 
Telephone 2064 Orange. 
Trees and Plants. 
Japan Plums, Quinces, Kieffer Pears and other 
leading kinds. Choice Peach Trees, Osage Orange: 
full line of Shade Trees and Evergreens. 
Strawberry Plants, Currants, Gooseberries and 
other small fruits. Write for prices, stating wants 
Satisfaction guaranteed. Address 
RAKESTRAW & PYLE, Wlllowdale Pa. 
Fruit Trees, Plants and Vines. 
Prices lower than ever. Catalogue free. 
SOUTHERN VERMONT NURSERY, 
North Bennington, Vt. 
Newest Strawberries. 
French Everbearing Sorts. 
Dozen 100 by 
by Mail. Express. 
‘SAINT JOSEPH”. $1.00 
.75 
.50 
“LOOIS GAUTIER”. 
“Mammoth Perpetual”.. 
From England. 
DAXTON’S NOBLE. 
American Sorts. 
Dozen ' 100 by 
by Mail. Express. 
.50 
$5.10 
3.50 
2.00 
2.00 
Per 
1 , 000 . 
CLYDE. 
. $0 40 
$9 75 
$4.00 
Glen Mary. 
.40 
3.00 
Bismarck. 
.75 
4.00 
Mary. 
.49 
.65 
3 00 
Brandy wine.... 
.40 
.65 
3.00 
SEND FOR OUR GARDEN AND 
FARM MANUAL. 
JOHNSON & STOKES, 
217 & 219 Market Street, 
PHILADELPHIA. 
UNCLE SAM STRAWBERRY. 
New; first time offered. Perfect blossoms and fruit. 
Large dark plants and fruit; many stalks have five 
leaves on. Great plantmaker. Planted six feet 
apart In May. made thick mat six feet wide, 10 feet 
apart in July; made good fruiting rows. Sure to lead 
and please. Also the Delicious—a combination of 
Bubach fertilized with Wilson and Snarpless. A 
grand combination of the three. One dozen of each 
for |1, by mail. JOSEPH BAILEY, Marlboro, N.Y. 
I I n 1 II PLUMS, PEAR and QUINCE, »5 per 100 
JMinli Peach, 3c. All kinds of stock CHEAP. 
Cat. free. Reliance: Nursery, Box 10, Geneva, N.Y. 
BURBANK ANB ABUNDANCE PLUM 
on plum, two-year, four to six feet, ready packed for 
shipment, one dozen, II; 25 for $1.75; 1.0 for $5. 
R. 8. JOHNSTON, Box 4, Stockley, Del. 
have a 74-YR. Record. Fruit Book Fret 
IMSnSPAY FREIGHT 
BARGAINS IN PUNTS-MT'S^SS: 
Greenville. Enhance, Uaverland, Lady Thompson, 
Tennessee and Warfield. $1.25 per 1,000. Gandy, Wil¬ 
son, Fountain Patrick, Klngworthy, Atlantic, $1.50 
per 1,000. Delaware, new, $3; Excelsior. $4. 
WM. PERRY, Cool Spring, Del. 
MILLER RED RASPBERRY 
—Early, bright 
red, rain proof, 
best money berry. $4 per thousand. 
F. WOLFEltT, Plainfield, N. J. 
P OTTED STRAWBERRY PLANTS—Send for 
list. 100 for 50c. T. C. KEVITT, Atlienia, N. J. 
Pedigree Strawberries 
Recommended to all strawberry growers by Rural 
New-Yorker March 11, ’99, and praised by it July 17, 
’97. and July 16, ’98. We offer JOE, CARRIE SILVERS. 
STELLA and 11EBA in pot-grown plants at 25o each, 
$2 per doz., $5 per 100; and ROBBIE and NETTIE, the 
best late strawberries yet introduced, at 25c. each, $2 
per doz , $6 per 100. Plants to be all pot-grown and to 
be delivered after J uly 1st. Order quick; stock limited 
JOS H. BLACK , SON & CO., Hightstown, N. J. 
“STRAWBERRY PLANTS THAT CROW." 
fancy prices for plants, when you can get just as good or better at from $1.50 to $2.50 per 1,000. 
FREE, 1899 Catalogue lists all the later introductions and standard sorts at right price*. 
C. E. WHITTEN, Hridgmau, Mich. 
Why pay 
My 
Send for It. 
□ 
Business Trees SE Best Trees 
ROGERS TREES are BU8INE8S TREES. Remember the name and the 
place to buy. THE ROGERS NURSERIES, Dansville, New York. 
n 
EXCELSIOR 
STRAWBERRY 
We offer this berry for the season of 1899 without any 
doubt that, it will give entire satisfaction. Immensely 
productive and earlier than Hoffman. A seedling of 
Wilson pollenized by Hoffman, plant and fruit both show¬ 
ing larger and liner than Wilson. There is a great de¬ 
mand for the Excelsior from the true stock. _ Order 
early to avoid disappointment. Seventy other varieties m 
our catalogue. Other famous specialties are Peach, Plum 
and Apple trees. Asparagus roots. Raspberries. 
Write for catalogue to-day. 
HARRISON’S NURSERIES, Berlin, Md. 
“SUTTON’S BEST OF ALL.” 
Tomatoes grown in one-tliird Jadoo Fibre and two-thirds 
soil yielded eight Tomatoes to the bunch, weighing one-fourth 
pound to one-half pound each. 
Does this interest you ? Send for particulars if it does. 
The American Jadoo Company, 
815 Faikmount Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa. 
