284 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
HARDY ORNAMENTAL GRASSES. 
Whether by those who have little or 
grand gardens or the farm garden, which 
last is too often an uncertain quantity, 
it does not seem that the better kinds of 
ornamental grasses are appreciated. 
More than almost any other class of 
plants, they need no special care, no 
special situation, no special soil. They 
may be planted singly, in clumps or beds, 
or made the central figure with lower- 
growing plants about them. For this 
purpose, the Eulalias (Miscanthus) are, 
perhaps, the most satisfactory, and of 
them, the comparatively new variety, E. 
gracillima univittata, stands first as re¬ 
gards grace of habit, litheness and ele¬ 
gance of leaf. In good soil, this Eulalia 
will grow about six feet high, the nar¬ 
row, bright green leaves, with a whitish 
midrib, bending over most gracefully. 
The roots increase so fast that, from a sin¬ 
gle little root, costing 25 cents, one may, 
the second year, by dividing the plants, 
have all he needs for himself and friends. 
The long, slender, narrow leaves are so 
wiry that they are never torn by winds or 
storms. This Eulalia is extremely hardy, 
having stood a temperature of over 20 
degrees below zero without the slightest 
harm without protection. As house 
plants, they would certainly equal in 
attractiveness most of the costlier palms 
now so popular for house decoration. 
There are three other valuable sorts of 
Japan Eulalias, the green, the longi¬ 
tudinal striped, and the transverse 
striped, oalled in catalogues respectively, 
Eulalia Japonica, E. J. variegata, and 
E. J. zebrina. All are hardy. They grow 
to about the same height as does E. J. 
gracillima, with leaves thrice as broad, 
and without its airy, wiry grace. The 
transverse stripes do not, in our opinion, 
add to the charms of Zebrina. At first, 
the leaves are all green like those of the 
species. Later, the transverse stripes 
begin to appear in blotches extending 
across the leaf as though it were 
attacked by mildew or insects. It is— 
to this writer, at least—an unsolvable 
problem, how it is that the sap may 
course from the roots through these 
bands of white, or yellowish white, 
which average, perhaps, six inches apart, 
yet nourish the topmost portions of the 
leaves just as amply as the lowermost 
green portion is nourished. The yellow 
bands add nothing to the beauty of the 
leaf, but rather suggest, as we have 
intimated, disease. The longitudinal 
striped Eulalia is not in this way sugges¬ 
tive, and we should, therefore, prefer it, 
unless one cares to have the whole set. 
We have in mind a round bed, 10 feet in 
diameter, filled with these four Eulalias 
to within two feet of the grass boundary. 
This margin is filled in with another 
“ common,” ill-appreciated, hardy ever¬ 
green, viz., Adam’s Needle—Yucca fila- 
mentosa, which, too, is readily increased 
by division of the roots or root cuttings 
—also by seed, though seedlings are slow 
to bloom. It blooms in June, the lily¬ 
like, pendulous flowers, greenish white, 
borne in long panicles upon a stout stem 
from three to four feet high. The broad, 
sword-shaped leaves remain green dur¬ 
ing the entire Winter. There are many 
other beautiful Yuccas, but no other is 
so hardy as Fllamentosa. The tiny 
flowers of the Eulalias are borne in 
wide, fuzzy panicles upwards of a foot in 
length, and they are so persistent that 
they will last after being cut, at least 
two years. 
Erianthus Ravknnas. —This is another 
very hardy ornamental grass with leaves 
not unlike those of Eulalia Japonica var. 
There is, however, no variegation in this, 
though there is a variegated variety. 
The plants make a growth of about 10 
feet during the season, throwing up 
dozens of flower panicles which resemble 
those of the Pampas grass and Eulalias, 
upwards of 20 inches long. These, too, 
when cut for room decoration, remain 
whole for a year or more. 
Pampas Grass (Gynerium argenteum) 
is no more showy, as to leaf and habit, 
than the Eulalias or Erianthus, but the 
plumes are more fluffy and more valued 
for dry bouquets. These plumes are 
grown so extensively in California as to 
make an important industry in some 
parts of the State. Pampas grass is not 
hardy at the Rural Grounds, even with 
protection. 
Arundo Donax. —It is 25 years ago 
that we planted our first clump of this 
imposing reed. In its general effect, it 
might well be described as resembling a 
big hill of field corn such as Chester 
County Mammoth or Blount’s Prolific, 
though it is more leafy, and attains, in 
rich soil, a growth of at least 15 feet, and 
under the most favorable conditions of 
soil and climate, 20 to even 25 feet. It 
is a grand plant for remote and half kept 
parts of the country home, grounds 
where the unkempt parts might better 
be concealed. During three out of five 
years, this plant proves hardy at the 
Rural Grounds; then an exceptionally 
trying Winter, with its quick alterna¬ 
tions of frost and thaw, will kill the roots. 
There is a variegated variety of Arundo 
donax that is exceedingly showy. The 
long, broad leaves are striped and 
blotched longitudinally with yellowish- 
white. The plants do not grow half so 
tall, and are never hardy without careful 
protection by mulching. A good thing 
about either the species or the variegated 
offspring is that, when growth fully 
starts, its development is rapid and 
luxuriant. 
The old Variegated Ribbon grass, 
Phalaris arundinacea variegata, we have 
found to do good service in rockeries, 
under trees, on barren, sandy knolls, 
along lake banks, or even in side roads 
which one does not care to keep in order. 
It is very hardy, spreads rapidly and, if 
the flower panicles are cut off as soon as 
they appear, preserves a luxuriant white 
and green growth during the entire 
season.. 
(Continued on next page.) 
Enameliite 
THE MODERN LABOR SAVING, 
STOVE = ^ 
^—POLISH 
Produces a jet enamel aloss 
Applied in less time than 
it takes to tell about it. 
J.L.Prescolt& CqNewYork 
UCI I CD’C r — v Best general purpose 
nCLLCn O \ \ borrow in the world; 
PERFECT \ A _& for killing 
HARROW. M 
Light 
draft. 
Write the 
manufacturer 
Peter J. Heller, Montclair, N.J 
Agents 
Wanted. 
A Twelve- 
year-old Boy 
can do more andPbettt. work viith 
this Hand Cultivator than three men oan do 
with common hoes. If you can’t get the 
Hand Cultivator 
of your dealer, send 70 cents for sample, 
Farmer*’ Handy Tool Circular mailed free. 
ULRICH MFC. CO., 20 River St., Roek Falls, UL 
gen. Too 
failure. 
April 16 
is one of the three im¬ 
portant ingredients" of 
a complete fertilizer; 
the others are phos¬ 
phoric acid and nitro- 
little Potash is sure to result in a partial crop 
Potash 
Free 
An illustrated book which tells what Potash is, how it 
should be used, and how much Potash a well-balanced 
fertilizer should contain, is sent free to all applicants. 
Send your address. 
GERHAN KALI WORKS, 93 Nassau St,, New York. 
■A DMTDC S 
SAVE MONEY«—DIRECT SALES TO FARMERS. 
Ysu hare the tOLOflt of the Agents’ Commistion and the Middleman's prod;, 
. V, * r voio Pnos. Acid. Ammonia. Actual Potash, 
ANALYSIS. j*,. cent> 
Pure Raw Bone Meal. 22 to 25 
Scientific Corn & Grain Fertilizer 9 to 10 
Scientific Economy Fertilizer. 9 to 10 
Scientific Tobacco Fertilizer... 11 to 12 
Scientific Potato Fertilizer.-. 9 to 10 
Bone and Meat. 13 to 15 
per cent. 
4 to 6 
2 to 3 
2% to 3% 
3 to 4 
3% to 4% 
4 to 5 
per cent. 
2to 3 
4 to 5 
4 to 5 
6 to 7 
$22 oo per ton 
16 oo “ 
20 OO “ 
21 OO “ 
23 oo “ 
18 oo “ 
THE SCIENTIFIC FERTILIZER CO., 
For samples and book, write P. O. Box 1017. Herr’s Island, Pittsburgh, Fa. 
SI7 FEK TON. 
1 3 to 4% Am. 
Guarantee- 8 to 9% Potash. 
/ Vi to %% P. A. 
Profits 
of Farming 
Gardening and Fruit Culture 
depend upon Good Crops and 
they in turn upon Good Fer¬ 
tilizers. The uniformly best 
fertilizer for all Crops and all 
soils is made by 
THE CLEVELAND DRYER CO., 
CLEVELAND, O. 
Materials supplied for “Home Mixing." 
Columbia Plows. 
Chilled plows for all conditions of soil. Our swivel 
plow is best for side hill land, or for plowing flat land 
without a “ dead furrow.” Has 
automatic lock and jointer. We 
make our cast¬ 
ings of entirely Sg 
new charcoal - 3 
iron from our own mines—no scrap iron. That’s why 
our shares outwear three of any other make. Ask 
your dealer about them. Send for circular. 
COLUMBIA PLOW WORKS, 
Copake Iron Works (Columbia Co.), New Ycrk. 
A Fertilizer and Insecticide 
Combined. 
H. A. STOOTHOFF. 
315 Madison Ave.. New York 
Star Potato Special. 
HIGH GRADE. 
Ammonia. 1J4 per cent. 
Available Phosphoric Acid, 5 per cent 
Potash, K20, 7 per cent. 
Only $21 per ton delivered. We sell direct to the 
consumer. 
PHELPS FERTILIZER COMPARY, Phelps, N.Y, 
$20 PHOSPHATE FOR POTATOES AND CORN 
Sold to farmers direct. We have no agents. Send 
for Circular. Low prices tor car-load lots. 
YOKE CHEMICAL WOKK8, YORK, PA. 
Fertilizers 
—Highest Grades at lowest prices. 
LIUBBAUD &, CO., Baltimore, Md 
KEYSTONE 
PIVOT - AXLE RIDINC 
-CULTIVATOR.- 
A parallel beam movement 
that cannot be surpassed. 
Patented July 31, 1894. 
Eight beams, 12 shovels. 
Can be narrowed up for 3)4 
i» foot rows. Write for prices. 
KEYSTONE FARM MACHINE CO., YORK, PA. 
THE KEMP.... 
Manure Spreader 
Converts the manure pile Into a pile of gold. When feS 
you double your money you think you have made a pi 
Good Investment. This machine will double^ 
the value of your manure. It spreads all kinds of V 
manure better than it can he done by hand and so dis- fh 
integrates and fines it that it is more readily avail- ft-- 
GREATLY IMPROVED I able for plant food. 
TOR 1S98. Backed by 18 years of successful mjrrmMn © yi § *n r %rf mMrr* g\g% 
manufacture. Send for our catalogue and a book Ktlrlf & fJl/nrtl; BYlrU. l/lf« 
New Treatise on Manure, FREE to all inquirers. Box 38 SYRACUSE, M. 
Y. 
American Bencher 
and Seed Saver— 
it’s a neat device for attaching to the cutter bar of a mower 
FOR HARVESTING CLOVER SEED. 
The cut shows how it operates. Saves all shattering. It will 
follow right after any machine now used and save one- 
third more seed than can otherwise be secured. This is 
the willing testiinony of hundreds who have tried it and who 
know. Pays for itself the first season. Ask your dealer 
for it. Catalogue and testimonials from users sent free. 
American Buncher Manfg. Co., Indianapolis, Ind. 
Kraus Guttivator. 
Pivot-Axles Move Automatically 
with wheels and shovels bva sunple touch of the foot lever, r.nsiESt 
trorhi ng, simjilvst and most v.tnn pU*i r ridiuir cultivator made. 
Moving the foot levers moves the entire, tnueliine either to 
Any Boy Gan Work it. 
Convenient levers to raise or lower gangs or to set them any distance 
apart while the machine is in motion. Perfect row crop or lullow 
worker for either level or hilly farms, wide or narrow rows, 
goring T in Shovels when desired. Write at once for catalogue. 
THE AKRON CULTIVATOR GO., AKRON, O . 
OXFOR 
ntata* iaiam 
It embodies in its construction the very foundation of agriculture— the perfect plow. 
Without good plowing there could be no good_tillage and good tillage produces crops. 
In this plow nothing has been neglected — it is u perfect plow. 
Extra quality tempered steel moldboard; steeled metal shin 
piece; hardened landside; 
chilled charcoal Iron point 
adjustable clevis for high 
or low hitch; a perfect adjusta¬ 
ble jointer and steel standard 
fhground wheel. 
They are made either steel or selected 
--- -well seasoned wood beam. 
BELCHER & TA YLOR A. T. CO .Box 75 Chicopee Falls , Mass. 
Write for 
catalogue 
and prices 
of these and other 
tools for the farm. 
A long lived, 
light draft, easy 
running plow. 
