386 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
May 28 
Undkk date of April 28, our respected 
friend, Luther Burbank, of Santa Rosa, 
Cal., writes us that “we are having a 
drier season than has been known for 
over 40 years.” He says that the true 
Chinese Crease-back bean is by far the 
best in quality of all known string beans, 
and it is also more productive. 
have fruited these hybrids in the East. 
That Tije R. N.-Y. has not ordered plants 
of each is due to an oversight.-.. 
It was about 17 j’ears ago that we first 
heard of and planted a shrub familiarly 
called Hall’s Apple, and botanically, 
Malus Halleana. Jtprovedtobe a charm¬ 
ing shrub in every way. but more 
especially while in bloom. Then it is 
surpassed in beauty by no other shrub 
that the writer is familiar with. The 
flowers are about two inches in diame¬ 
ter, 12 to 15 petals, varying in shade from 
nearly white inside to a delicate rose and 
pink outside. They are borne in umbels 
Otm esteemed correspondent. Mr. R. 
Buck man, of Farmingdalc, 111., writes 
us that the Carman No. 8 potato is not 
behaving well with him. He has planted 
it every year since it was introduced. 
He says that it yields well, that the 
shape is fine, etc., but that the quality, 
as raised in his soil, is not good enough 
for a first-rate potato—not so good as the 
Early Ohio or the Early Rose. “ There 
is a taste,” he says, “ under the skin at 
this timeof the year as though the potato 
had been slightly frosted, and the tubers 
are inclined to rot.” It seems to us that 
the quality of potatoes is very change¬ 
able. We are at present eating R. N.-Y. 
No. 2 potatoes, bought from grocery 
“stores.” The quality is about perfect. 
Those raised at the Rural (’.rounds are 
sometimes of good quality and some¬ 
times poor. The quality of the Early 
Ohio as raised there is always inferior... 
of half a dozen from the axils of every 
node while yet the leaves, which resem¬ 
ble those of the pear, are but half grown. 
The shrub, or small tree, as we may call 
it, begins to bloom in late April, con¬ 
tinuing until, at least, the middle of May. 
The peduncles of the flowers are fully 
two inches long, and so thread-like that 
the flowers droop in the most charming 
and graceful manner. The full beauty 
of this shrub does not reveal itself until 
it has grown to a height of six or eight 
feet. It is perfectly hardy at the Rural 
Grounds. 
It was about five years ago that a sup¬ 
posed new plant was introduced under 
the name of Pyrus Malus Parktnanni. 
We purchased a plant of this to find a 
couple of years afterwards that it is 
identical with Hall’s Apple. In so far as 
we are aware, the latter is its correct 
name, and Parkmanni merely a synonym. 
Mk. Buckman asks whether we think 
the Mexican June corn, which he has 
planted, will thrive in the middle of a 
rock pile, two feet high and six feet wide, 
the interior filled with soil. We should 
say that it will. We are hoping that 
many of our friends, in accordance with 
the suggestion in Ruralisms made several 
weeks ago, have planted this interesting 
variety of corn. 
The colored plate of a nurseryman’s 
catalogue shows the new Primus black¬ 
berry to be somewhat over two inches 
long and 1 M inch in diameter. The cata¬ 
logue quotes Mr. Burbank as saying: 
“ This was my first success in blackberry- 
raspberry hybrids. It is one of the 
most productive berries known, and is 
larger and more regular in shape than 
any other berry. Its flavor is unique ; 
nothing like it has before appeared. All 
pronounce it superior when cooked, and 
eaten raw it is claimed to be the best 
berry ever tasted.” We have not this 
hybrid at the Rural Grounds, and cannot 
speak of the size of the berry from ex¬ 
perience. This, however, we may say : 
Mr. H. E. Van Deman received a few 
of the berries from Mr. Burbank. 
The largest of them were but seven- 
eighths inch in length. Another of Mr. 
Burbank’s blackberry-raspberry hybrids 
has been named Phenomenal. Mr. Bur¬ 
bank is quoted as describing it in this 
way: “This is larger than the largest 
berry ever before known. It has a bright 
crimson raspberry color, is as product¬ 
ive as could be desired, and the most 
delicious of all berries for canning and 
drying. The berries grow iu clusters of 
5 to 10 or more each, and individual ber¬ 
ries measure three inches around one 
way by four inches the other, and weigh 
one-quarter ounce each. When exhibited, 
the question was asked, ‘ Will they he 
sold by the dozen ? ’ ” 
Mr. Burbank is notoriously conserva¬ 
tive in describing his “ new creations.” 
The quotations above presented are from 
the catalogue of John Lewis Childs. We 
shall be very glad to hear from those who 
Seedling Magnolias. —It is about six 
years ago that we planted seeds of two 
Chinese Magnolias, viz., Lennei and 
Soulangeana. These seedlings began to 
bloom three years ago ; nearly all are 
blooming now, May II. Our object in 
planting the Magnolia seeds was to find 
out for ourselves just how readily the 
seeds sprout, how many years it would be 
before the seedlings bloom, how much 
they would vary from their parents, 
whether they would be more or less 
hardy,whether they would be more or less 
shapely than grafted plants. Well, all 
of this we have found out, and we are 
telling the results for the benefit of those 
of our readers who are interested iu Mag¬ 
nolias. It seems to us that all of them 
should be interested, for there are few 
other little trees—we are speaking of 
the Oriental Magnolias—that are so 
effective in making strong contrasts with 
smaller-leafed, hardy trees. We do not 
know of any hardy trees to which the 
expression, “ tropical amplitude of foli¬ 
age,” may be more suitably applied. 
Much to our surprise the flowers are 
much like those of their parents. There is 
no essential variation. The Soulangeana 
flowers are about the same size as those 
of the parent, and in color, vary so little 
that the seedlings might well be sold as 
grafted plants. Everyone of the Lennei 
seedlings bears flowers nearly white 
within and a wine-purple without. The 
leaves in shape vary somewhat, but this 
is immaterial. The plants are far more 
symmetrical than the grafted plants 
that we buy of the nurseries for from $1 
to $2 each. 
The seeds should be planted in the 
Fall just as soon as the outer covering 
becomes red, and while the cones are 
still green. The seeds are nearly as 
large as peas, and should be planted in 
drills much the same as we plant peas, 
though, of course, farther apart—six 
inches at least. A large proportion will 
germinate the next Spring. The second 
Spring, they may be transplanted to 
their permanent homes. 
Our proposition is this: Why should 
our readers pay from 81 to 82 each for 
grafted pot plants when they may so 
easily raise their own seedlings which 
will prove in most cases, equal to their 
parents in flower, and be more shapely 
as to habit ?. 
May 12. Since the Flower-pot potatoes' 
were planted, April 18, the weather has 
been exceedingly unfavorable. We have 
had too much rain and many frosts. 
During two nights, ice formed one- 
quarter inch thick. Corn and Lima 
beans planted for the earliest crop have 
rotted in the ground, and are being re¬ 
planted by the market gardeners in the 
neigborhood of the Rural Grounds. We 
do not know whether the seed potatoes 
have rotted or not. 
Our first experiment in raising straw¬ 
berries from seed was made in 1882. Seeds 
of the Neunan were planted in pots dur¬ 
ing February. They germinated in two 
weeks. The seedlings fruited the next 
year, hut were of no value. The Neunan 
berry averages from medium to small, 
and is rather acid in quality, but is still 
a favorite in many parts of the South, 
because of its earliness in maturing and 
because of the firmness of the berry. We 
think that the Neunan is even now the 
first to be shipped fo northern markets. 
No one, of course, would select it for 
growing under glass, because of its com¬ 
paratively small size. 
Boston Fern. 
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. 
Material$ tupplUd/or “Homo Mixing.” 
$20 PHOSPHATE FOR POTATOES AND CORN 
8 old to farmers direct. We have no agents. Send 
for Circular. Low prices for car-load lots. 
YORK CHEMICAL WORKS, YORK, PA. 
HEADQUARTERS FOR COW PEAS, 
Soja Roans. Velvet Beans, Southern-grown .Millet 
and Early Mastodon Seed Corn. 
PACKARD, Seed Grower. I>over, Del. 
S WEET POTATO PLANTS — Yellow Nanse- 
mond, $1.50 per 1.1HX). Write for Circular of other 
kinds. F. S. NEWCOMB, Vineland. N. ,1. 
Choice Seed Potatoes 
by the bushel, barrel or car-load. Including the best 
new and standard varieties; prices right. Write for 
catalogue. THE (’. C. BRAWLKY SEED AND 
IMPLEMENT CO.. New Madison. Ohio. 
\\/ _ D A V ‘-ASH eacli WEEK the year round, i f 
TV “ I f\ I you sell Stark Trees. Outfit free. 
STARK NURSERY, LOUISIANA, MO., Stark, Mo., Rockport, III., Oansville, N. V 
./. /)., Monmouth County. N. J —What is the Bos¬ 
ton fern? Is it a good house plant? 
A ns. —The Boston fern is a florist’s 
variety of the Sword fern, Nephrolepis 
exaltata, known botanically as N. ex- 
altata Bostoniensis. The t 3 ’pe is a native 
of tropical America. Its fronds resem¬ 
ble those of the type, hut are distin¬ 
guished by a drooping habit, which be¬ 
comes more marked as the plants grow 
older. The central fronds continue 
erect, while the outer ones curve down. 
A large plant will have fronds three feet 
long, drooping gracefully down to the 
floor, and the effect is very beautiful. 
Both the Sword fern and the Boston fern 
are excellent house plants, enduring a 
much drier atmosphere than will other 
ferns, and thriving under the conditions 
of an ordinary room. 
BERRY PLANTS Fro,n ** 12 per 1 ’ oou up< 
_ Send for price-list 
H. L. SQUIRES, Flanders. N. Y. 
Potted Strawberry Plants. 
IU0 Nic Olimer for*$2.50. 
T. C. KKV1TT. Atbeuia. N. J. 
gii>miiiiiimiiiiniim:iiiiiiiiiiiiiiMii:iiimiiii!i!iiiiimn!tnii"i] 
WITH THE = 
GARFIELD 
KNAPSACK 
or tlie 
EMPIRE KING 
5 Perfect agitator*—HO •torching of 
9 foliage—no leather fcVRffibbor *al?e«* 
□ Catalogue free. Agents wanted. 
5 FIRM) FORCE PUMP COMPANY, 
19 Market Si., Loekport, N.Y. 
fiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiinunfniiDi 
Prompt Relief 
Stomach Difficulty Overcome by 
America’s Greatest Medicine. 
“ I had a stomach difficulty and decided to try 
Hood’s Sarsaparilla. After taking one bottle I 
felt better than I had felt for years, and now, 
whenever 1 feel any symptom of my old trouble, I 
resort to Hood’s Sarsaparilla and it soon gives 
me relief.” R. Stalkkk, West Walworth, N. Y. 
Today Buy and Begin to Take 
Hood’s Sarsaparilla 
Is America’s Greatest Medicine. $1; six for $5. 
Hood’s Pills cure indigestion, biliousness. 
SURE DEATH TO BUGS. 
(SAFE TO USE 
■ • . 
Pat. March Id and Nov.9,1897. 
Pat In Canada Nov. 2,1897. 
—NO ARSENIC.) 
Kills Potato, Squash and 
Cucumber Bugs. Currant. 
Tomato Worms, etc. 
PREVENTS BLIGHT 
or Potato Rust. Use freely 
on Vegetables and House 
Plants. More freely used, 
belter plant will thrive. 
Applied dry: no water to 
carry; will not blow or 
wash off. 
Apply to local dealer for 
free sample package. 
1-lb. package. 15c.; .‘1-lb. 
package.85c.: 5-lb. package, 
50c.; 1214-lb. package, $1. 
Perfection Shakers, 50c.; 
Rubber Atomizers, 75c. 
Forsale by all local dealers 
mice Street, 
DANFORTH CHEMICAL CO. iLeominster, Mass. 
BLACK DEATH 
The best and cheapest Insecticide on the market. Instant death to potato 
hugs, and will not injure t.lie vines. A tine dry powder ready for immediate 
%3use. Recommended oy Edward F. Dibble, the largest grower of Seed Potatoes I 
in the United States. To introduce, special price, 100-pound keg. $1. AGENTS WANTED. Address for 
tun particulars Q-AT’KA CHEMICAL CO., Le Roy, N.Y. 
It KM KMHF. 11 
DAMSVITiTiE, 3NTEW YORK. 
5,000 KE1FFER PEAR TREES 
Three years. Clean, bright, healthy, thrifty. Just the kind to plant a new orchard or REPLANT an 
old one. All the leading sorts of Fruit Trees and Plants. PRICES RIGHT. Catalogue Free. 
^LUTHUn J. OOliXiINTS, Moorestown, 3XT. «T. 
SAVE MONEY*—DIRECT SALES TO FARMERS. 
Tot: h»ve the benefit ef the Agents’ Commission and the Middleman's profit. 
ANALYSIS. 
Piios. Acid. Ammonia. Actual Potash, 
per cent. per cent. per cent. 
Pure Raw Bone Meal.. 22 to 25 4 to 5 . $22 00 per ton 
Scientific Corn & Grain Fertilizer 9 to 10 2 to 3 2 to 3 1600 “ 
Scientific Economy Fertilizer. 9 to 10 2% to 3% 4 to 5 2000 “ 
Scientific Tobacco Fertilizer. 11 to 12 3 to 4 4 to 5 21 00 “ 
Scientific Potato Fertilizer.... 9 to 10 3% to 4% 6 to 7 2300 “ 
Bone and Meat. 13 to 15 4 to 5 . 1800 “ 
THE SCIENTIFIC FERTILIZER CO., 
For samples and book, write P. O. Box 1017. Herr’s Island, Pittsburgh, Pa. 
