738 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
October 21 
Pluralisms 
The Iron Mountain Peach. —This 
is a large, late, white peach, which 
originated in New Jersey several years 
ago, and is now fruiting in sev¬ 
eral States. The introducer is J. H. 
Lindley, Whitehouse, N. J. He claims 
extreme hardiness for it, both in tree 
and bud. '“The only really frost-proof 
peach yet introduced.” “Begins to bear 
when only two years old, and bears good 
crops everywhere.” It has not yet been 
planted everywhere, but we can endorse 
the appearance and quality of samples 
received by us September 27. A photo¬ 
graph of one is given in Fig. 271, re¬ 
duced in size. The peaches were large, 
white, partly overspread with red. 
Flesh thick, white, and creamy; sweet, 
with a rich vinous flavor. A perfect 
freestone. We consider the variety well 
worth trial, judging from these samples. 
A Good Straggler. —We have found 
fault with the Rural Blush potato, be¬ 
cause of its bad habit of straggling in 
the drill or hill. The tubers will some¬ 
times be found 18 inches to two feet 
apart. Many farmers considered this 
such an objection that they gave up 
growing the potato. Mr. Geo. Cruik- 
shank, of Fitchburg, Mass., tells us that 
this is just the habit he wants. He has 
found that Rural Blush is not so liable 
to rot as are other varieties. This rot 
seems to spread in the soil rapidly when 
potatoes are close together. Varieties 
like R. N.-Y. No. 2, where the tubers are 
close together, will all be affected if rot 
once starts. Rural Blush, with its scat¬ 
tered tubers, is much more likely to 
escape. Mr. Cruikshank says that in 
some years, the Rural Blush is the only 
potato that he can mature and carry 
through the Winter successfully. This 
is a new idea to us, and seems like a 
sensible one. 
The Blue Siirurry Verrena. —Few 
plants are so attractive this October 
weather as the Shrubby Verbena, Cary- 
opteris Mastacanthus. It was intro¬ 
duced a few years ago as the “Blue 
Spiraea,” but the name seemed so inap¬ 
propriate to its botanical affinities, 
which are to the Verbenas, that it has 
been dropped. The Shrubby Verbena 
was able to endure the past severe Win¬ 
ter with but little injury, as far north as 
New York, and in many nurseries long 
rows may now be seen, covered with a 
veritable glory of light blue bloom. The 
flowers are produced in feathery 
corymbs at the axils of the leaves, and 
completely clothe the plant. When 
handled it has a pleasing balsamic odor. 
On bright days the nowers are much fre¬ 
quented by bees. It is seldom seen as 
yet in private gardens, but is one of the 
most attractive shrubs of its season. It 
grows about 20 inches high, and makes 
a shapely clump. A very good white 
variety has lately been brought iorward, 
which will make a worthy companion to 
the blue one. 
Tame Bluererries. —Mr. Edmond 
Hersey, of Hingham, Mass., tells us that 
he has been experimenting for several 
years in trying to tame the wild blue¬ 
berries. He has transplanted the bushes 
from the fields, and also attempted to 
grow seedlings from the best fruits. He 
says that he has succeeded in obtaining 
greatly-improved fruit, but that the 
blueberry does not take kindly to gar¬ 
den cultivation. In order to do well it 
must be mulched, or put so close to¬ 
gether that there will be ample shade. 
Cultivation is death to the blueberry. 
The roots seem to be such shallow feed¬ 
ers that cultivation destroys them. It 
naturally secures for itself the most 
favorable culture, as it grows in the wild 
pastures, and heavy soil seems better for 
it than lighter sand. Mr. Hersey says he 
has been able to graft the blueberry, but 
this is a difficult thing to do. Under cul¬ 
tivation the fruit has been improved 
greatly in size and quality. It seems, 
however, to be naturally a wild plant, 
not likely to prove very profitable in 
cultivation. 
Dwarf Lima Beans. —I was much in¬ 
terested in reading the article on the 
Bush Lima bean, and I find that the 
writer seems to have the impression that 
all our dwarf beans owe their parentage 
to the climbing species. In looking over 
J. C. Loudon’s work, published in 1824, 
I And the following statement: “The 
common dwarf kidney bean, the haricot 
of the French, erroneously termed 
French bean, is the Phaseolus vulgaris; 
it is a native of India, and was intro¬ 
duced in 1597, or earlier. The species 
called the runner, P. multiflorus, is a 
native of South America, and was intro¬ 
duced in 1633.” At the date of Loudon’s 
work (1824), he mentions 12 varieties of 
dwarf beans, then in. cultivation by Eng¬ 
lish gardeners, and five varieties of run¬ 
ners. Now the question is: Are our im¬ 
proved dwarf beans the offspring of the 
original bean from India, and the climb¬ 
ers from their South American parent? 
Perhaps some of your professors may be 
able to solve the problem. 
Ontario, Canada. ciias. jas. fox. 
TWO OLD SHRUB FRIENDS. 
Rose of Sharon.' —We never thought 
that the Hydrangeas and Althaeas 
well-developed flowering clusters on 
each. On account of its early propensity 
to bloom, and long season of flowers, 
together with its desirability and at¬ 
tractiveness both for house and lawn, I 
consider the Hydrangea the most grate¬ 
ful of all our hardy flowering shrubs. 
The Hydrangea can be planted singly 
or otherwise, and always gives a pleas¬ 
ing effect, but a bed of 12 or more plants 
together is, during late Summer, a sight 
that ought to delight the soul of the 
lover of the useful and beautiful in 
nature. t. j. d. 
Orange County, N. Y. 
PRUN/NGS. 
SNfDKR Blackberry; New York Straw¬ 
berry.— The Snyder blackberry is a great 
success in Tompkins County, N. Y.; the 
berries have all the flavor of wild ones, but 
are. of course, a great deal larger. The 
New York strawberry stood the drought 
wonderfully, bearing extra large berries, 
although no rain fell all through the fruit¬ 
ing season, and onlv the heavy mulch 
saved the crop. y. 
New York. 
Persimmons . in Connecticut.— What is 
the northern limit of the natural growth of 
the native persimmon? A note from N. G. 
Hine, Fairfield County, Conn., states that 
the writer has experienced considerable dif¬ 
ficulty in growing y.oung trees sent from 
Kentucky, as they are cut back during cold 
Winters to a dangerous extent. He says 
his father, when a boy, used to gather per¬ 
simmons from one of two fruitful trees in 
New Haven County, Conn. The farmer 
who owned the trees cut them down on 
THE IRON MOUNTAIN PEACH. Fig. 271. 
looked so fine in other years as they 
have done this season. I have one 
Althaea, or Rose of Sharon, of the pur¬ 
ple variety, that had over 1,000 buds on 
it. The plant is six years old, and is 
about seven feet in height, and prob¬ 
ably, owing to annual and judicious 
pruning, is a thoroughly well-developed 
bush. We have also the white and red- 
flowering varieties. The variegated 
species, on account of its brilliant foli¬ 
age, is interesting at all times; they are 
all beautiful in their different charac¬ 
teristics; like a family of children, one 
doesn’t know which he likes best. The 
Althaea makes a very desirable hedge, 
and when in bloom it is very fine. It is 
perfectly hardy in our climate, and 
flowers at a season when thoroughly 
appreciated. 
Hydrangeas. —Another popular flow¬ 
ering shrub is the hardy Hydrangea, 
which begins blooming here about 
August 15, and continues in flower for 
many weeks to come. It is especially 
valuable (like the Althaea) because it 
comes at a time when we are in need of 
flowers, and when there is little else to 
take its place. I have a bush of the 
Hydrangea (Paniculata grandiflora) 
planted about five years ago, which is 
now about six feet in height, and three 
times that size in circumference. I 
counted over 250 clusters of flowers on 
this bush. I have also about 40 plants, 
set only last Spring, that have 15 to 25 
account, of the boys clubbing the fruit pre¬ 
maturely. There are a number of large 
well-bearing trees in Monmouth County, 
N. J., within a few miles of Sandy Hook. 
Are fruitful trees now found north of Long 
Island ? 
A tree of the Juicy plum was seen in 
late August, at J. L. Childs's trial grounds. 
Floral Park, N. Y., literally breaking down 
with large golden fruit. They were not 
quite ripe enough to be at their best, but 
we were assured of their high quality. 
Juicy is a production of Luther Burbank, 
and the parentage is given as Robinson 
X Botan. There can be no doubt of its abil¬ 
ity to produce a great crop of handsome 
plums on Long Island. 
A Good Apple.— Mr. W. S. Mitchell, of 
Lacona, Iowa, sends us a 'specimen of a 
new seedling apple, which is certainly very 
promising. Mr. Mitchell says that the 
tree is a sprout from a root upon which 
was grafted a Summer Sweet apple. It is 
a native of south central Iowa, hardy, and 
very prolific. It has been bearing for five 
years, and only missed a crop once in that 
time. This year, while the general apple 
crop is nearly a failure, this seedling and 
the Willow Twig are about the only ones 
that have borne fruit, for him. The apple 
is of fair size, yellow with reddish stripes, 
rather flatter than Baldwin. It has a 
peculiarly rich, spicy flavor, which is very 
agreeable. So far as quality goes, the 
apple is certainly an acquisition. 
If you are a farmer or want to be one, 
send for the “Western Trail.” Published 
quarterly. Full of pointers as to settling 
in Kansas, Oklahoma and Indian Terri¬ 
tory. Handsomely embellished and con¬ 
cisely written. Mailed free. 
Address by postal card or letter. 
John Sebastian, G.P.A., Chicago.— Adv 
Prepare 
for 
Winter. 
Now is the time to think 
about keeping your stock warm 
during the coming winter. Be¬ 
fore cold weather sets in look 
over your outbuildings and see 
if there are any leaky roofs, 
any shingles or clapboards 
coming off, or any cracks that 
need stopping up to make the 
buildings warm. 
It is poor economy to have 
cows and horses sleep cold in 
the winter, and every farmer 
knows how much more profit¬ 
able hens are, and how much 
faster the chickens grow if they 
are kept warm. 
If you will accept a sug¬ 
gestion from us, of which the 
editor of this paper will ap¬ 
prove, you can fix up your old 
outbuildings, prevent leaky 
roofs, make warm your sheds, 
barns, henhouses, hot beds or 
greenhouses at very little ex¬ 
pense. 
Go to your nearest hardware 
dealer and get a roll of Ne- 
ponset Red Rope Roofing, 
which is made for any out¬ 
side covering, and is positively 
water-proof, wind-proof, and 
frost-proof. There are five 
hundred square feet in each 
roll, and it will only cost you 
$5.00 including the necessary 
nails and tin caps. 
Don’t confound Neponset 
Roofing with common tar pa¬ 
per, which, when exposed to 
the weather will crack, crumble 
and quickly rot away. 
Tar pap^r was all right* 
for your "grandfathers, but in 
this age of advancement a 
covering which is very much 
more durable and economical 
is required, and that is 
Neponset. It takes the place 
of shingles or clap-boards on 
outhouses, and back-plaster in 
dwellings. Any one can put it 
on and it will last for years. 
If you would like to have a 
sample of this roofing and full 
particulars before you buy, 
send a postal card to F. W. 
Bird & Son, East Walpole, 
Mass., and they will send it to 
you by return mail free. 
