1898 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
467 
find, and on eating it, he would still be 
surprised that so little flavor accom¬ 
panies so much color.”. 
Gradus Pea. —A lot of Gradus peas 
was sent to us by W. Atlee Burpee & Co., 
of Philadelphia, Pa. The peas were 
planted March 23, and the first picking 
made June 15. The pods averaged nearly 
four inches long and seven-eighths inch 
wide, averaging seven seeds to the pod. 
This grand variety has not been over- 
A plant of Henderson's Jubilee rose 
was received during April of last year. 
It passed the Winter without injury, and 
bloomed early this month. The flowers 
are of large size and very double, the 
outer petals gracefully reflexed. The 
color is something that of “Jack” ex¬ 
cept that it is darker, more velvety and 
more intense. The fragrance is that of 
concentrated rose, so to say. It is said 
to be a true Hybrid Remontant, bloom¬ 
ing in the Fall as well as in June. The 
foliage is vigorous, of a medium green 
color—five leaflets. 
Mr. F. B. Van Ornam, of Lewis, la., 
favors us with further information re¬ 
garding the Brazilian Flour corn. He 
has often wondered that it has not come 
into more prominence as a food product. 
The yield of grain, with him, averages 45 
bushels per acre. The plants grow very 
tall, the leaves broad and thick, the stalks 
strong, well supported with large, widely 
spreading roots. It ripens with him early 
in September. The plants sucker freely, 
nearly all of the suckers bearing ears 
from four to six inches long, while those 
of the main stalksare 7 to 10 inches. For 
two years, he had the grain ground, but 
“could not get it bolted on account of 
an oily substance contained in the grain.” 
He continues : “ It grinds very fine, and 
makes fine cakes, both baked and fried. 
I believe it to be very valuable, either 
as a fodder plant or as food for man. - ’... 
Mr. R. J. Ray, of Springwater, N. Y., 
noticing an inquiry in these columns re¬ 
garding the Delaware potato, says that 
he bought a pound when the variety was 
first introduced, which was, according 
to our notes, about the year 1887. Mr. 
Ray has raised them ever since, and he 
thinks it would be safe to say that there 
have been thousands of acres planted in 
western New York this season from the 
progeny of that one pound. He has 
tried many varieties since, to discard 
them after one season’s trial. 
Last year he tried the Sir Walter 
Raleigh. The tubers, he says, were very 
white when dug, but the flesh when 
cooked was watery and somewhat green. 
Uncle Sam potatoes were white and of 
good quality. 
He describes the flesh of the Carman 
No. 1 when cooked as white but “hard 
and craekly.” He finds it almost impos¬ 
sible to distinguish any difference be¬ 
tween the Carman No. 1 and the Dela¬ 
ware in the foliage or appearance of the 
tubers. “ The Carman, however, is less 
liable to rot ”. 
The Delaware was sent to us for trial 
by J. J. H. Gregory, of Marblehead, 
Mass., during the Spring of 1887, before 
it was named On May 20, of that year, 
we planted eight pieces in rich garden 
soil. The yield was 34 pounds, or at the 
rate of 1,028.50 bushels to the acre. 
There were 80 of marketable size, 18 too 
small. The shape was rather long, 
round, though sometimes oblong and a 
little flattened. Eyes were medium as 
to numbers and somewhat deep. The 
best five tubers weighed four pounds, 14 
ounces. It will be seen that the shape 
of the Delaware and Carman No. 1 is 
quite different. We quote the follow¬ 
ing note from The R. N.-Y., November 
5, 1887: “ Eaten October 12, it was found 
that the flesh was nearly white, of the 
tasteless flavor of the Early Rose, fine 
grained and mealy.”. 
As our pomologically interested readers 
should know, Mr. Benj. Buckman, of 
Farmingdale, Ill., has for many years 
cultivated extensive orchards of apples, 
plums and cherries. He sends us a long 
list of the dates of blooming of many 
different varieties. He says that some 
seasons, there are more than two weeks 
difference between the blooming of the 
earliest and latest varieties of apples. 
Some varieties, he says, seem more prone 
than others to adventitious buds, and 
because of these out-of-season buds, it is 
difficult to determine the exact time of 
blooming. The date at which the petals 
commence to drop was the time he 
selected as least liable to show error. 
If there is any connection between 
early blooming and early maturing of 
fruit, he has not been able to prove it. 
Rock Pippin is among the latest keepers, 
yet it flowers during mid-season. 
Among pears, those with the Sand 
pear “ blood ” in them bloom first, with 
some of the “ Russians” close followers. 
Oriental or Japan plums also lead. 
Whether the few days in “ putting out ” 
make as much difference in consider¬ 
ing Spring frosts as is usually supposed, 
Mr. Buckman questions, although of the 
opinion that there is some difference. 
In his opinion, the critical time for a 
blossom is when it is capable of being 
fertilized. After the fruit is determined, 
there is much less danger from frosts. 
Do apples, pears, plums and cherries 
suffer from lack of cross-fertilization ? 
Mr. Buckman has several apple trees in 
which are grafted from 100 to 200 varie¬ 
ties in each tree. One of these trees 
showed the past season the bloom of 
about 75 varieties, yet in this tree, there 
is now no more fruit in proportion to 
the bloom than in the rest of the orchard; 
neither does his orchard set more or more 
perfect fruit than his neighbors’ orchards. 
We have never noticed that there is 
any fixed correlation between the size of 
the individual flowers and the size of the 
fruit. For instance, we have noticed 
that the largest strawberry flowers do 
not usually bear the largest berries. 
The same may be said, according to our 
observation, of pears, cherries, plums 
and apples. The Japan Golden Russet, 
for instance, bears remarkably large 
flowers, while the fruit is small. It is 
so, too,with raspberries and blackberries, 
and among vegetables, peas and beans. 
Within a few days, we have compared 
the blossoms of the first early smooth 
peas, which bear comparatively small 
pods and seeds, with those of the Pros¬ 
perity or Gradus, which bears the largest 
pods and seeds of any of the first early 
wrinkled varieties. The flowers are of 
the same size. 
□ Why should there be any correlation 
between large flowers and large fruits— 
small flowers and small fruits ? The 
flower (i. e., the petals of the corolla) 
has no other office, that we know of, 
in the plant economy, except to protect 
the sexual organs, the stamens and pis¬ 
tils, until the anthers and stigmas ma¬ 
ture and, it may be, to attract insects to 
insure pollination. Sterile flowers which, 
of course, do not fruit at all, are usually 
of the largest size. 
Mr. Buckman has this to say of the 
Surprise apple. It has, probably, the 
showiest bloom of any on the list. “ The 
fruit itself is truly a surprise, for any 
one cutting into a yellow apple would, 
scarcely expect the purple flesh he would 
praised by the introducers. Their claim 
is, as we have stated, that it is the earliest 
large-podded wrinkled pea in cultiva¬ 
tion, as well as the best in quality. This 
variety was first sent out by Peter Hen¬ 
derson & Co. during last year, under the 
temporary designation of “ 1897,” the 
permanent name of “ Prosperity ” hav¬ 
ing been chosen later. Last Spring, we 
received seeds of the Gradus from W. 
Atlee Burpee as above noted, and also 
from Henry A. Dreer, Philadelphia, and 
James Vick, of Rochester, the last firm 
being, as we have been told, the first to 
discover that the Prosperity and Gradus 
are the same. 
It was tried at the Rural Grounds last 
year, and a description and an engraving 
appeared on page 199, March 19. We have 
no varieties with which to compare this 
first planting. The seeds were planted 
for home use, not for experiment or com¬ 
parison. For comparison, the following 
kinds were planted April 8 : Philadelphia 
Extra Early, New Record Extra Early, 
both smooth varieties; Gradus, from 
Dreer, Burpee and Vick, Gregory’s Sur¬ 
prise, Prosperity (Uenderson—supposed 
to be the same as Gradus), Exonian and 
Station (from Thorburn), Nott’s Excelsior 
and Perfection, Henderson's No. 4, and 
English Wonder, Vick. We determined 
to make a thorough trial of the first 
early smooth and first early wrinkled 
varieties, so that we might show our 
readers just the difference between them. 
This we tried to do last year, and we 
have no evidence that our trial was de¬ 
fective. But a careful repetition, with 
the same varieties planted both in the field 
and garden will, probably, settle any 
question that might arise, beyond dis¬ 
pute. In our trial of last year, we did 
not use Exonian and Station, both of 
them among the earliest of the wrinkled 
sorts. 
AXLE 
GREASE 
FRAZER 
KKST IN THE WOULD. 
Its wearing qualities are unsurpassed, actually 
outlasting three boxes of any other brand. Not 
affected by heat, nr GET THE GENUINE. 
FOR SALE BY DEALERS GENERALLY. 
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 11 Home Mixing .” 
A Low Wagon at a Low Price. 
The money-making farmer of to-day wants a 
low-built, easily loaded, easily unloaded, light 
draft, powerful short turn “Handy”farm wagon; 
a wagon that will save the farmer’s own back, 
save his horses, save his hired labor and save 
his money. 
This wagon is built by the Empire Manufac¬ 
turing Company, Quincy, Ill. It is only 25 inches 
high with four-inch tired wheels, and is sold for 
the low price of $19.95. This tirm also manufac¬ 
ture Metal Wheels any size, any width of tire, 
hubs to fit any sized axle. Write for catalogue. 
size and width 
Straight Spoke, 
out. We also 
Handy Wagons. 
tiro. Staggard nal 
Will not rot or dry 
manufacture Steal 
Catalogue frae. 
Having Mattal Wfcaa! £•., Havana, III. 
$650 - 
6-85 
9.20 Bujr * 
lluy, K BCfiBY 
Buys 4 4'AKKl ACK 
Hilt, 51111 or I.ight 
Delirery Wmgon 
Withsteeltiroon and hub banded. Good 
substantial wheels. Hundreds of testi¬ 
monials. New wheels are cheaper than 
repairing old ones. Can furnish axles 
and boxes. Send stamp for price list A 
directionsfor measuring. WilmlagrtoB 
Wheel Co., Wilmington, BoU 
LANE’S CARRIAGE JACK 
Best in the world. All 
steel} unbreakable ; oper¬ 
ated by powerful com¬ 
pound lovers, and auickly 
adjusted to anr heijjnt. At 
all hardware dealers, or 
LANE BROTHERS CO., Poughkeepsie, N. Y. 
GENERAL AGENTS 
wanted to superintend local 
agents selling the Combination 
Lock-pin Clevis to farmers and 
others. Self locking ; always 
secure ; sells at sight; exclus¬ 
ive territory. 150 percent profit 
CORMANY MFG. CO. 
225 Dearborn Street, Chicago 
FRANK B, BARKLEY MFG, C0„S„^ 
Bldg.. Chicago, III., will sell you Carts. Wagons, Bug¬ 
gies, Carriages and Harness direct from factory. 
LOW INSURANCE! 
GEDGE STEEL ROOFING AND SIDING 
are Fire, Wind, Water and Lightning Proof, and 
make low rates of insurance. Write at once for 
our TREE Illustrated Booklet and prices. 
GEDGE BROS. IRON ROOFING CO., Box 19, Anderson, lnd. 
Fire-Weather-Lightning Proof 
Black, painted or galvanized metal ROOFING 
and siding; (brick, rocked or corrugated) 
METAL CK1LINGS AND SIDE WALLS 
Write for Catalogue. 
Penn Metal Celling* Roofing Co.. Ltd., Philadelphia. 
ADAM 
THE FENCE MAN 
Makes Woven Wire 
Fence that ’‘8tanda 
Up.’* Cannot Sag. 
Get his neweatalogue. It 
tells all about The Beat 
A Farm Fence Made. 
W. J. ADAM, 
WAR IS HELL,” 
says John Sherman—but men joke of war. To see 
you chase stock from crops may arouse others, but 
It’s—well, no joke. We suggest Huge fence. 
PAGE WOVEN WIRE FENCE CO., Adrian, Mich, 
POULTRY NETTING 
is cheap. #1 will buy 100 square feet of 1-inch mesh, 
or 200 of 2-iuch, or 300 of 3-inch. USA. 50 will buy 1,000 
square feet 2-inch, or 1.500 of 3-inch mesh. Samples 
and price-list free. JAM KS S. CASE, Colchester, Conn 
F ARMS for sale, with good and unfailing crops of 
wheat or fruit, in Eastern and Southern Oregon 
and Eastern Washington; various areas; prices 
moderate. F. V. ANDREWS * OO., 131 Third Street, 
Portland, Oreg. 
$20 Phosphate for Wheat and Grass 
Sold to farmers direct. We have no agents. Send for 
Circular. Low prices for car-load lots. 
YORK CHEMICAL WORKS, YORK. PA. 
POTATOES 
TRUCK 
OORN 
OATS 
High-Grade BONE FERTILIZERS are best, most per¬ 
manent and cheapest. Our goods are especially adapted to 
spring crops. Special brands for potatoes, corn and oats, 
supplying plant food available for immediate use, and leaving 
something for future grass crops. None better or cheaper. 
I. P. THOMAS & SON CO., ftE- 
