834 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Decern oer 10 
; Rural isms ; 
T^TT’TT YTVTV> 
REMARKABLE SEEDLING POTATOES. 
More than once reference has been 
made to a short row of seedling potato 
vines which were set out in the Rural 
Grounds during early June last. The 
seed was sown in flats early in March, 
the young plants transplanted to small 
(three-inch) thumb pots during May. 
The seeds were those of one of the R. N.- 
Y. or Carman varieties kindly sent to us 
by one of our readers. These varieties 
rarely fruit, so to say, at the Rural 
Grounds, and when they do, the “balls” 
or “apples” do not contain viable seeds. 
We may here any briefly what has been 
said before at length in these columns, 
more than once, that there is no more 
trouble about raising potato vines from 
true Eeed than there is about raising 
tomato vines from seed. Potato seed is 
smaller than tomato seed, and should, 
therefore, not be sown so deep. A very 
slight covering of soil suffices — only 
enough to preserve moisture until the 
seed sprouts. The tomato is, indeed, as 
our readers should know, a close relative 
of the potato. Botanists have named 
the potato Solanum tuberosum, the 
generic name alluding to the soil or 
ground, the specific name to the tubers, 
and the tomato Lycopersicum esculen- 
tum, the generic name from lukos, the 
Greek for wolf, and persicon, the Greek 
for a peach, evidently fanciful names. 
Though so closely allied, we have 
never heard of a tomato plant bearing 
underground tomatoes or tubers of any 
kind. For two years the writer removed 
every flower from certain tomatoes, 
thinking that possibly, some tuberous 
development might be induced. Toma¬ 
to vines have been grafted upon potato 
vines, and potato vines upon tomato 
vines, but the plants were not materially 
changed. We once effected a cross be¬ 
tween the flower of a tomato and that 
of a potato, the tomato being the mother 
plant. The resulting seeds were planted 
and, in due time, germinated. Rut the 
plants bore neither flowers nor tubers. 
To return to our remarkable potato 
seedlings of the past season. Wherein 
were they different from other seedlings? 
There were about a dozen plants. They 
were treated in the ordinary way. The 
soil was ordinary garden soil upon which 
was spread what would, perhaps, be 
equivalent to 1000 pounds of high grade 
potato fertilizer per acre. They were 
cultivated as often as cultivation was 
needed to keep them free from weeds, 
and Paris-green and hand-picking de¬ 
stroyed the potato beetles. 
We have to write of two of the plants 
only. The others were in no way re¬ 
markable. 
Ordinarily, the tubers of the seedling 
hill are small, say from the size of a 
large pea to that of a Black walnut. 
Occasionally several will grow to twice 
that size. Now, one of these hills yielded 
six potatoes, two of which were small. 
Two were of the size of rather small 
marketable potatoes, the one measuring 
four inches long and six inches around, 
the other inches long and seven 
inches in diameter, both shapely. The 
third measured six inches long, and 6% 
inches in circumference, and the last 
measured 6% inches long and 10 inches 
in circumference—the largest seedling 
potato we have ever seen or heard of. It 
is of perfect shape, the next largest 
one being curved. The larger weighed 
precisely three-quarters of a pound—the 
six weighing 1% pound. 
Now, for the other remarkable hill. 
It was noticed in the early season that 
the vines were of a peculiarly green 
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ceived until January 1, 1900. 
color like, we may say, the vivid green 
of pure Paris-green, and this was re¬ 
tained until frosts destroyed them in 
late October. Not a leaf, apparently, 
up to that time, was harmed by any 
cause whatever, and the vines thickly 
covered a space—nearly a circle—which 
in circumference measured 22 feet. This 
would not be unusual for ordinary 
strong-growing varieties; but we have 
never seen anything approaching it in 
seedling vines. It would be interesting 
to know how much longer these vines 
would have grown and retained their 
wonderful vigor and freshness, had frost 
been delayed. The yield of this vigorous 
hill was 85 tubers, all of them small, but 
all of good shape, being nearly round 
with few eyes. The weight was not 
taken. From the joints of several of 
the vines, 25 tubers formed, and a fair 
sample of these “outside” tubers is 
shown at Fig. 378, page 830. 
Would you be inclined, readers, to 
value this stupendous yield of seedlings 
as a promise of continued great yields 
after the variety becomes established by 
several years of selection ? There are 
few facts to influence us one way or the 
other. There isn’t any fact, so far as the 
writer is aware, that goes to show or to 
prove that such a yield of tubers from 
the true seed gives any guarantee that 
the established variety will be an im¬ 
mense yielder. 
We have one fact that gives evidence 
to the contrary. It is about five years 
ago that one of our seedlings yielded 55 
small tubers. The best of these were 
planted the next year. The best of this 
yield were planted the next year, and so 
on for four years. The result was that 
the variety was given up as being a small 
yielder and remarkable in no way. Still 
we shall save the best tubers of our last 
season’s plant for further trial, that we 
may see whether or not such immense 
yields of the seedling plant give any 
promise of what we may expect from the 
established variety. 
There Are Others. —Three days after 
writing the above, we received a letter, 
responding to our inquiry made a few 
weeks ago, “ What is the greatest num¬ 
ber of tubers that have been raised from 
one true seed?” from Benjamin II. Shee- 
ley, of Grahamsville, N. Y. : 
My seedlings this year are the largest, and have 
made the heaviest yield per plant, of any I have 
grown during an experience of 12 years. Here 
are the figures: Yield from the best plant, 
three pounds; six best plants, 1‘3‘A pounds; larg¬ 
est tuber, three-fourths pound, measuring six 
inches in length; longest vine, six feet, six inches. 
I set my plants 12x 18 inches, so you see the best 
hill yielded at the rate of 1,452 bushels per acre. 
Although the yield per hill is not as large as 
some, I think few can beat the rate of yield per 
acre. My experience in raising seedlings, is that 
those bearing the greatest number of tubers are 
those that spread most in the hill, and are gen¬ 
erally worthless. I try to discard the plants that 
show this tendency, at transplanting time. I 
have a two-year seedling of R. N.-Y. No. 2 that 
bids fair to average twice as large as its parent, 
though it will, probably, not yield any more, as 
it grows only two and three potatoes in a hill.... 
The Anjou Pear. —Again, November 
23, Ellwanger & Barry favor us with a 
bushel box of this excellent pear that, 
where it succeeds well, has no equal dur¬ 
ing its season. Bose, Sheldon and Seckel 
are splendid pears for the earlier season— 
mid-Autumn. But among the later pears 
like Clairgeau, Dana’s Etovey, Winter 
Nelis and Lawrence, Anjou, all things 
considered, must be ranked first. Every 
specimen of the bushel of Anjous sent to 
us was perfect—there was not a blemish. 
So much for knowing how to pack prop¬ 
erly. The average size of these pears 
was about 11 inches in the longer cir¬ 
cumference and nearly 10 in the shorter. 
The Anjou has been found to succeed 
well in almost every State in the Union. 
The tree is hardy, thrifty and produc¬ 
tive, and all this may be said of few other 
pears of its season. Few pears succeed 
so well on quince stock as does the Anjou. 
In our own experience, the pears grow to 
a larger size than they do on standard 
trees. They are, therefore, admirably 
suited for small places and for the garden. 
HOPE FARM NOTES. 
Rural I Hush Potato.—We use this variety for 
our own eating, and there is nothing better. We 
hear much complaint this year as to the quality 
of potatoes, but the Rural Blush are as dry and 
floury as ever. A wealthy man in New York 
City read in TnE R. N.-Y. something about this 
potato, and tried everywhere to buy a barrel. 
The seedsmen all told him they had given It up 
as there was so much trouble with Its straggling 
in the hill. We know of only one farmer who is 
growing It largely. We planted three barrels 
last Spring, and hope to plant 10 barrels next 
year. We sold our potatoes at the highest mar¬ 
ket price, as fast as we could dig them. The 
Rural Blush yielded well—about the same as 
R. N.-Y. No. 2. It was much better in quality; 
while the tubers of No. 2 are of uniform size and 
packed close in the hill, those of Rural Blush 
straggle all over and are hard to get out. For 
this reason, it Is not popular with most farmers. 
At one time, we called the Orphan the best eat¬ 
ing potato, but this year the Rural Blush beats It. 
Black or White liens.—One of our houses is 
divided in the center by wire netting. On one 
side are black pullets, and on the other White 
Leghorns. They are fed and cared for exactly 
alike. In cold or wet weather, the blacks are 
often out foraging about, while the whites stick 
closely to the house. The difference is quite 
marked, the blacks seeming quite a little more 
comfortable on a cold day. A cold wind will drive 
both sides to shelter. Hens do not like a wind. 
On warm, pleasant days, the whites are more 
active than the blacks. They lead in laying, too, 
but they are older and the Leghorn seems to 
mature quicker than the Minorca. 
Cost of Footwear.—According to our figuring, 
it costs about $23 a year to keep one of our horses 
shod. Frank is heavier, but Major’s hoofs are 
bad, and they average about the same cost. Our 
hard macadamized roads are partly responsible 
for the short wear of shoes. If they were work¬ 
ing on soft dirt roads, I would certainly let the 
horses go barefooted part of the time. As our 
country roads are made harder and firmer, the 
hoofs are pretty sure to suffer unless they are 
carefully bandied. My own shoe bill will rarely 
run over $15 a year, while $10 will give the 
(Continued on next page.) 
Potash. 
■pj' NOUGH of it must be 
contained in fertilizers, 
otherwise failure will surely 
result. See that it is there. 
Our books tell all about 
fertilizers. They are sent 
free to all farmers applying 
for them. 
OERMAN KALI WORKS, 
93 Nassau St., New York. 
WE’LL BUY OR SELL 
TIMOTHY, GLOVER, ALSIKE 
SEEDS 
8END SAMPLES FOR OUR BIDS. 
Jfftw methods of cleaning enable ns to save all the goo4 
seeds and remove all the weed seeds. We ean therefore 
mav fair arleee for seeds—every quality—and ean seU 
eleaa seeds at elese jrleea. Booklet 8**0 Sana free. 
THE WHITNEY-NOYES SEED CO., BUFFALO, N. Y. 
1,000 
Asparagus Plants for 12, Barr's and Con¬ 
over’s. F. 8. Newcomb&8on,Vineland,N.J. 
inn Loudon Raspberry Plants, by mail, for $1 
IUU T. C. KEVITT, Athonia, N.J. 
nr 1 nil TREES, 3c. All kinds of stock CHEAP. 
iLnUn reliance Nursery, Box 10, Geneva,N.Y 
Our Descriptive and Illustrated Catalogue 
of Fruit Bearing Fruit Trees and Plants mailed 
free. W. M. PETERS’ SONS, Wesley. Md. 
It is the Best 
How the Truth of a Well Known 
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Hood’s Sarsaparilla is the best medicine 
money can buy. This truth is established 
by the test of time and trial. The great 
merit of Hood’s Sarsaparilla is demon¬ 
strated by its cures of Scrofula, Salt 
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Dyspepsia, Indigestion, Nervousness, 
and other diseases caused or promoted 
by impure blood. Remember 
Hood’s Sarsaparilla 
Is America’s Greatest Medicine. Price $1. 
Grape Vines 
low prfrn. DesrrfpttvB lint free. 
Extra fine stock CURRANTS, Gooseberries, 
CAMPBELL'S EARLY Grape. Quality extra. 
Warranted true. T. 8. UlllUAUU CO., Frcdoulu, N.Y. 
Small 
Fruits 
Old find Now 
Varirtlea* 
Canning and Preserving Fruits and 
Vegetables, and Preparing Fruit 
Pastes and Syrups. 
The experience of practical workers. The beat 
methods by which the surplus fruits may well 
be saved for home use and for the large mar 
ket demand. Hundreds of tested recipes from 
famous preservers. Evaporation of fruits. 
Paper.20 
Hood’s Pills cure all liver ills. 25 cents. 
The Rural New-Yorker, New York. 
FRUIT AND ORNAMENTAL. 
SMALL FRUITS, GRAPES, SHRUBS, CLIMBERS, ROSES, 
EVERGREENS, HARDY PLANTS, P.EON1ES. Largest and 
choicest collections in America. Best Novelties. Descriptive Illustrated Catalogue free. 
ELLWANGER St HARRY, Mount Hope Nurseries, ROCHESTER, N. Y. Fifty-ninth Year. 
90 
ACRES OF STRAWBERRIES. 
If you want the choicest of all tho lending new sort, and all tho tried stnudurd old varieties. 
1 have them. I have done all the experimenting and know what is best. I am not a jobber, but 
grow nil my own stock. Everything is fresh from the ground—no cold storage or cellar stock. 
Illustrated descriptive catalogue free. W. F. ALLEN, JR., Boi44. SALISBURY. MARYLAND. 
FOR BUSINESS TREES’™" ROGERS, Dansville, N.Y. 
Nurseryman to The Business Farmer. 
USO.OOO Peach, 160,000 Plum, 150,000 Pear. 75,000 Cherry, 150.000 & 
Apple, Quince, Apricot, Mulberry, etc., 60,000 Nut Hearing Tree*, 
• ,000,000 Small Fruit*, 1,000,000 Bose*, Headquarters for 
ORNAMENTAL TREE8 AND SHRUBS. 44l 
C eenhousea filled with choice Bose*, Plant*, Araucarias, Ficus, Fern*, 
iranlam*, ote. Correspondence solicited. Catalogue and price list free. 
THE 8TORR8 A HARRI8QN CO., BOX S3 PA INESVILLE, OHIO.| 
JADOO FIBRE and 
JADOO LIQUID 
ARE INVALUABLE TO THE GROWERS OF 
Vegetables, Fruit, Plants » r Flowers 
SEND EOR CATALOGUE AND PRICES. 
For Sale by all prominent Seedsmen, and by 
THE AMERICAN JADOO COMPANY, 
815 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa. 
