53o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
July 22 
Pluralisms ; 
TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL STRAW¬ 
BERRY REPORT. 
(Concluded ) 
Raglesville, Ind.— No name. Bisexual. 
June 2: Berries of high quality, though 
not sweet without sugar. Vines remark¬ 
ably productive; a few ripe, crinkled 
heart-shape. June 4: Darkish color, often 
variegated like Timbrell before fully ripe. 
June 6: Height of season. Plants of me¬ 
dium vigor, small, regular berry, at this 
time, all colored alike. Vines very pro¬ 
ductive, berries not held up. June 9: 
Vines medium vigor only, berries dark 
crimson, lying on the soil. June 12: Vines 
suffering, berries small to medium, not 
very firm. June IS: Bearing many small 
fruits, vines weak. June 25: Bearing a mul¬ 
titude of blighted berries. 
Bittner’s Early.— Geo. Bittner, Milan, 
Ohio. Bisexual; plants received Spring of 
1897. June 2: This variety gives us the 
largest number of ripe berries at this date 
of any in the collection, and is, therefore, 
regarded as the earliest on trial. Berries 
above medium size, generally heart-shape, 
sometimes coxcombed, between crimson 
and scarlet in color, mild in flavor, berries 
only fairly held up. June 4: Firm, good 
flavor, vines not over vigorous, though it 
should be considered that they were 
planted during the Spring of 1897. June 6: 
Height of season. June 9: Vines suffering 
from drought. June 12: About dried up. 
June 25: Vines nearly killed by drought. 
Champion of England, from R. John¬ 
ston, Shortsville, N. Y. Plants were set 
during 1895. It is a fine variety in all 
ways. Plants still vigorous and moder¬ 
ately productive, though set four years 
ago. The same may be said of the Erie 
planted at the same time. 
Family Favorite, from Peter Hender¬ 
son & Co., New York; received during 1898, 
whether Fall or Spring, our account fails 
to state. Bisexual, but with few stamens. 
June 2: Vines thrifty. June 6: Ripening 
freely, perfect shape, dark crimson, large, 
lirst quality, crimson flesh; peduncles 
quite too short, possibly owing to drought. 
June 9: Vines of medium vigor; berries 
very dark crimson when fully ripe; flesh 
also dark. Quality somewhat insipid. June 
12: Low vines, short peduncles, fair qual¬ 
ity, soft. June 25: Bearing a berry here 
and there, of small size. The berry is 
praised as one for family use. 
Gladstone, from F. F. Merceron, Cata- 
wissa, Pa., received Fall of 1898. Bisexual. 
June 4: None ripe, promises to be pro¬ 
lific; very long peduncles, which naturally 
fail to hold up the berries; berries medium 
to large, inclined to be conical, though 
some are broad, ribbed and coxcombed. 
June 12: Notwithstanding the drought, the 
vines are still quite vigorous, bearing an 
immense crop of berries ripe and ripening; 
firm, heart-shape, crimson color, good 
quality, ripening unevenly. June 18: 
Vines stand drought fairly well, bearing 
lots of berries from small to medium in 
size, many yet to ripen. June 25: Still 
bearing freely—many berries blighted. 
The Gladstone strikes us as being a re¬ 
markably fine berry in so far as one may 
be permitted to judge it during so severe 
a drought. 
From Eugene Green, Hyde Park, N. Y., 
September, 1898. No. 1. Feebly bisexual. 
June 4: None ripe. June 6: None ripe. 
June 9: Vines have not yet seriously suf¬ 
fered from drought; peduncles very 
strong, but short, holding as many as 30 
berries of variable shape—winged, round 
and puckered; solid and heavy, of fair 
quality, and more than usually firm. June 
12: Ripening freely, notwithstanding the 
unparalleled drought. It is among the 
latest of our present collection. June 18: 
Ripening many small berries. June 25: 
Bearing many berries of small size. 
From S. Hoyt, New Canaan, Conn. 
Name not given, August, 1898. Bisexual. 
June 4: A few ripening; vines of fair 
vigor; berries large, roundish, heavy and 
firm, scarlet color, excellent quality. 
June 9: Stands drought better than many 
other kinds; many berries drying up; fine 
quality. June 12: Standing the drought 
well. June 25: Vines sturdy and produc¬ 
ing more berries than any other except, 
it may be, Nettie. 
Maximus, from J. H. Hale, South 
Glastonbury, Conn, April, 1899. Bisexual; 
also during 189S. June 6: None ripe, 
harmed by drought. June 9: Low vines, 
rather short peduncles; berries color un¬ 
evenly, medium to large in size, variable 
shape, good quality. June 12: Fine qual¬ 
ity, vines suffering. June 18: Many berries 
still ripening, small for the most part. 
June 25: Vines low, still bearing a few 
small berries. 
M’Kinley, from Ellwanger & Barry, 
Rochester, N. Y. Received August, 1896. 
Bisexual. This variety is notable for its 
long life. June 2: Vines still vigorous, 
none ripe. June 6: Begin to ripen, very 
productive, variable in shape, scarlet, not 
very firm. June 9: Height of season, good 
quality, medium size, variable shape, very 
prolific. Vines, though three years old, 
stand drought better than many others. 
June 12: Vines bearing immense quantities 
of unripe berries. June 18: Vines harmed 
by drought, though still bearing many 
small berries. June 25: Bearing a few 
“buttons.” 
Patrick, from E. W. Cone, Menomonie, 
Wis. Bisexual. June 2: Vines of only me¬ 
dium vigor, fruit of medium size, scarlet, 
conical, high quality. June 4: Exceeding¬ 
ly productive of medium to small size, 
Wilson shape, fair quality. June 6: 
Scrimpy vines, immense number of little 
berries. June 9: Vines pretty well col¬ 
lapsed. June 12: Small berries lying on 
the soil. 
Star, from E. W. Reid, received April, 
1897. Bisexual. This variety does not 
thrive with us... 
The “Japanese Strahgle Vine” is a 
“familiar” name which one of our con¬ 
tributors, Mr. E. O. Nathurst, of Tracy 
City, Tennessee, suggests as appropriate 
for the Japan Actinidia, regarding which 
we have written in recent issues of The 
R. N.-Y. He says: 
"I read with great interest your edi¬ 
torial in The R. N.-Y. of June 1?, in 
regard to the Climbing Actinidia. 1 
have one that has been planted five or 
six years, climbing as you describe, and 
setting no fruit. 1 would like to know 
whether it is easy to propagate by cut¬ 
tings. It has often been a wonder to 
me that this vine is never mentioned by 
our horticultural papers nor advertised 
by dealers. For some purposes, wmcn 
you name, it has no superior; it is 
a healthy, strong grower, tree of ail in¬ 
sects, and will grow luxuriantly where a 
grape vine would starve, and thrives 
alike in sun or shade. It is a beautiful 
vine witn its large, dark, glossy leaves. 
It is now hiding one outhouse com¬ 
pletely, and has begun on another ad¬ 
joining. I wish 1 had a tall dead cedar 
or locust in my yard to give my Actini¬ 
dia a chance; 1 am afraid to surmise 
how high it would run. Do not drop 
this subject now, but advise your many 
readers to get, at least one plant of this 
vine, and let us give it a popular English 
name; ‘Japanese Strangle vine’ would 
describe it, but it is not a pleasing name 
for so pretty a vine; at the same time, 
it would caution planters not to sacrifice 
valuable shade trees to its embraces.” 
We fancy that this Actinidia can be 
readily propagated by cuttings of the 
green or half-ripe wood, the same as the 
Great Panicled Hydrangea (H. panicu- 
lata grandiflora) is propagated, a fact 
that, in this country at any rate. The R. 
N.-Y. was the first to announce. The 
old wood forms roots readily from 
layers. 
We do most heartily, now as in pre¬ 
vious years, advise our readers, one and 
all, who have anything suitable for a 
vine to cover, to try the Actinidia, A. 
polygama of the catalogues, though 
there are but three that we can find 
after a diligent search, that offer it for 
sale. These three are Ellwanger & 
Barry, Rochester, N. Y.; Samuel G. 
Moon, Morrisville, Bucks Co., Pa.; and 
Henry A. Siebrecht & Son, 409 Fifth 
avenue, New York. We shall be glad to 
add to this list the names of any who 
have the vine for sale, for there is noth¬ 
ing that delights the old Rural more 
than to be instrumental in popularizing 
new or rare plants. 
Illinois recently passed a law which 
prohibits the exhibition, for gain, of any 
deformed or crippled person, and the dime 
museums are much excited over it. At¬ 
tempts will be made to prove the law un¬ 
constitutional as class legislation. Any 
person of feeling who has ever visited the 
cheap museums of the great cities, and 
viewed the wretched unfortunates there 
exposed to public curiosity, will agree that 
such exhibitions are brutalizing and de¬ 
grading, and that the law prohibiting 
them is a sign of advancing civilization. 
SOME ODD BITS , 
We have always been taught that pine 
needles, like fresh sawdust, were injuri¬ 
ous to the soil. We notice, however, that 
in the South these pine needles, or pine 
straw, as they are called, are often used 
for mulching, and evidently with good 
results. 
A disk or Cutaway harrow is not a good 
tool to save the soil moisture. The har¬ 
rows kick or throw up the soil loosely, 
leaving a better chance for the dry air to 
work through it. The Acme or spring- 
tooth harrows are better to save this 
moisture, while a fine-tooth smoothing 
harrow is better yet. 
An automobile which was operated at 
Newport by a New York millionaire re¬ 
cently took a spell of bucking like a 
broncho, finally turning circus flip-flaps 
until it reduced itself to a traveling scrap- 
heap, and knocked some of the gilt off the 
millionaire. Perhaps it was terrified by 
suddenly meeting with a horse. 
I see in Hope Farm Notes that H. W. 
C. is afraid to cut potatoes to one eye to 
plant. I have cut to one eye for seven 
years, and I get 75 to 125 sacks to the acre, 
and we do not have to use any fertilizer, 
or cultivate the ground; all I do is to hoe 
the weeds out, and it doesn’t take more 
than a day to the acre. P. I. k. 
Douglas Co., Wash. 
One R. N.-Y. reader is trying late peas 
from seed sown the year it is ripened. 
Alaska and Philadelphia Early were over 
by the middle of June, some of the seed 
ripened and sown, and the second-crop 
sowing was two inches above ground July 
9. Later sowings will follow, and the ex¬ 
periment promises to be an interesting 
one. 
Great use was made of the roller this 
season by many farmers who planted corn 
during the very dry weather. In some 
cases the roller followed directly after the 
planter; the object of the rolling was to 
compact the surface of the ground. In 
this way moisture is drawn from the lower 
soil. Most farmers understand that step¬ 
ping on a hill of corn or stamping it down 
with the hoe is a good thing for very 
dry weather. The difference between the 
rolling and cultivating is that the rolling 
brings the moisture to the seeds, and then 
permits it to pass away, while cultivating 
holds the moisture in the soil. Cultiva¬ 
tion, however, will not bring moisture to 
the surface as rolling will. 
Drought in Orange County, N. Y.—Out¬ 
place is in the extreme north end of the 
county and very few farmers make milk 
their chief production. There are very few 
farms in this immediate section; of more 
than 100 acres, and the dairies vary from 10 
to 20 cows. The milk is all sold to cream¬ 
eries in the vicinity, and the quantity pro¬ 
duced in Winter is small. Such being the 
case, farmers are not any more alarmed 
over the shortage of pasture and milk- 
producing fodders, than over the general 
crops. Many farmers have, in years past, 
raised large crops of potatoes. Some raise 
onions on meadow lands, and others have 
apple and peach orchards and other small 
fruits. All these are, of course, as much 
affected by the drought as pasture, but will 
be greatly benefited by the copious rains of 
the past week, which, however, came too 
late to help the hay crop. In the section 
around Walden the hay crop is a mere noth¬ 
ing, and dairymen are buying hay wherever 
they can find it. I have a farm of 200 acres, 
and milk is my chief product. My hay crop 
will be about one-fifth its usual amount. I 
have now in my barns 40 tons of hay from 
last year's crop, and have sowed corn for 
ensilage, expecting to fill silos of 100 tons’ 
capacity. Undoubtedly, the short hay crop 
will compel dairymen to cut down their 
herds, and will reduce the price of cows. 
* an orange county farmer. 
Illinois Fruit Notes.— Long ago, I found 
that the Snyder blackberry was a success 
here, and I did not try many other kinds. 
The Early Harvest is considered tender 
here, and is not planted except at the 
southern end of the State; so also, of Law- 
ton. Kittatinny failed from Orange rust, 
and Early King is utterly worthless here. 
Eldorado is a poor bearer, but has quality. 
Leader (local) is large and productive, 
canes vigorous, but it is not quite hardy; 
there is some rust and there is the core 
and flavor of the Lawton. Lincoln (local) 
is hardy, larger than Eldorado, rather more 
productive, and is of fair quality. I think 
it inclined to fail in a drought. Surprise 
(local) is a rampant grower, very produc¬ 
tive, berries large, quality of Lawton, not 
quite so hardy as Snyder, and, I think, 
stands drought well. It rusts a little. Per¬ 
haps it is our best berry; I am not yet 
certain. This and the Leader are inclined 
to be everbearing and are often shown at 
the fairs in September. 
I do not plant raspberries because of an- 
tliracnose. I have seen no difference in a 
time of drought among the gooseberries, 
except that caused by the mildew-resisting 
element or property. 
I have not noticed any difference among 
currants or Juneberries, except as the 
leaves of some varieties are more affected 
by rust in wet weather than others; they 
consequently show better in a dry season. 
Probably, the strawberry shows more 
variation in ability to resist drought than 
any other fruit; but others are more com¬ 
petent to name varieties than I. Grapes 
need the dry weather and soil; I have never 
seen it too dry for them, yet they have only 
surface roots and there is a difference here, 
for some species are found only on bottoms, 
and others on hills. 
The R. N.-Y. speaks of a “terrible 
drought.” Here it has been terribly wet, and 
the weeds have got us, and we can’t help our¬ 
selves. Until the past week, we have not 
been able to fight weeds more than one or 
two days in a week, and then the weeds 
were only transplanted. Thousands of acres 
of corn ground are not yet planted and 
thousands to replant. Since it dried, the 
face of the fields is one vast clod—hard and 
flinty—for there are only a few days In such 
times between mud and the clod, in which 
to get in work that mellows the ground. 
After weeds are so tall, nothing but the 
breaking plow can handle them. Trees of 
all sorts are still dying from last Winter's 
damage. b. b. 
Sangamon Co., Ill. 
“Good Beginnings 
Make Good Endings.” 
You ate making a good beginning vohen 
you commence to take Hood’s Sarsaparilla 
for any trouble of your blood, stomach, 
kidneys or liver. Persistently taken, this 
great medicine void bring you the good end¬ 
ing of perfect health, strength and vigor. 
Never Disappoints 
WE WANT AGENTS. 
Any good active farmerean 
make a nice sum of extra 
money selling our 
...PITTSBURG... 
WOVEN WIRE FENCE. 
We will reserve territory 
the right kind of men. 
at once. The first order 
a locality secures towu- 
igency. The price Is O. 
all tests and meets 
ry requirement. Write 
special terms and clr- 
Mailed free. 
Pittsburg Woven Wire Fence Co. 
15 Penn. Av., Pittsburg, Pa. 
HAVE YOU SEEN 
Page Fence that sagged ’> Then the end posts have 
given. Renew the posts and the oldest Page Is taut 
and holds stock. 
PACK WOVEN WIRE FENCE CO., ADRI AN, MICH. 
NewYork State Fair, 
SYRACUSE N F, 
September 4 to 9, 1899. 
$25,000 in Premiums. 
New Buildings, New Water Plant. 
Great Attractions. 
Premium lists now ready. Apply to 
JAS. B. DOCHARTY, Sec’y, Albany, N. Y. 
Special Railroad Facilities. Reduced Bates, and all 
exhibits unloaded from cars on 
the Fair Grounds. 
Some Bargain Combinations. 
This Is a popular combination. The four books are 
by P. H. Jacobs, and illustrated. The poultry papers 
are well edited, and recognized authorities 
Price aloue 
Poultry Keeper.10.50 
Inter-State Poultryman.50 
Designs for Poultry Bouses.25 
Incubators and Brooders.25 
Diseases of Poultry.25 
How to Judge Fowls.25 
The Rural New-Yorker . l.oo 
Total.13.00 
Combination price, $1.50. 
Thrlce-a-Week World.' 
Gives you all the news of the whole world 
every other day. It Is the next thing to a 
great daily paper. We can send it and The 
RuralNew-Yorkeh, both one year, for $1.05 
Hoard’s Dairyman 
and The Rural New-Yorker, both one 
year, for >1.65. 
The NewYork Weekly Tribune 
is the great Republican National Weekly. 
We send It and Thk Rural New-Yorker, 
both one year,for $1.30. 
Thk Rural Nkw-Yorxkr, New York. 
