THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
February 13 
116 
; Ruralisms ; 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS 
New Blackberries.— Will W. V. F. say 
whether the Rathbun and Mersereau black¬ 
berries are any improvement in a general 
way over the Erie and Eldorado? 
This query from an Ohio reader is not 
easy to answer in a conclusive manner. 
The comparative value of small fruit 
varieties is in the great majority of 
cases a local matter. In our vicinity 
Rathbun is as hardy, more productive 
and, when young a more vigorous grow¬ 
er than Erie. The plants degenerate 
more rapidly, however, after bearing a 
few full crops. Many regard Rathbun 
as identical with Wilson, but we cannot 
agree with this view. Mersereau is here 
a strong upright grower, very produc¬ 
tive and reliable during a six-year test. 
The berries are large, firm, very black 
and of good quality. Eldorado, as we get 
it, is not particularly vigorous, but fairly 
productive and of high quality. For 
commercial planting here we would pre¬ 
fer Rathbun and Mersereau to the oth¬ 
ers. In Ohio and other localities the 
values may be reversed. 
The Ward blackberry, propagated 
from a chance seedling found in Mon¬ 
mouth Co., N. J., has been highly com¬ 
mended by disinterested observers. It 
resembles Kittatinny to a considerable 
extent, and is supposed to be descended 
from that variety. It has been more 
productive than any other kind for the 
last three years. In color, size and mar¬ 
ket quality it is said to be all that can 
be desired. 
Kenoyer is of western origin sup¬ 
posed to be a cross between Kittatinny 
and Early Harvest, bearing berries much 
larger than the latter. They ripen as 
early and are fully as numerous. The 
flavor is very good and the plant hardy 
and free from disease. 
Blowers is also a chance seedling 
found in western New York. It is de¬ 
scribed as a very late and exceptionally 
productive variety, not liable to injury 
from cold. 
No Cross-Bred Blackberries. —It 
will be noted all the above are chance 
seedlings or natural hybrids. No inten¬ 
tionally-bred blackberries are in gen¬ 
eral cultivation, and this favorite 
berry is less changed from the wild 
species than any other with the pos¬ 
sible exception of the blackcap rasp¬ 
berry. Burbank’s Iceberg blackberry, a 
white fruited variety, is the only artifi¬ 
cial hybrid we know, and that has failed 
to meet expectations here in the East. 
Blackberry-raspberry hybrids are prov¬ 
ing of real utility in Europe and the Pa¬ 
cific States but do not succeed in the 
eastern and central portions of the coun¬ 
try. The blackberry is a most interest¬ 
ing and valuable fruit, bridging the gap 
between raspberries and peaches. It is 
deserving of more horticultural atten¬ 
tion than it has lately received. For 
this reason we depart from our usual 
course and mention the above varieties 
in advance of their trial on the Rural 
Grounds. In our forthcoming catalogue 
reviews the dealers offering these novel¬ 
ties will be indicated, and it is hoped a 
general trial will be made. 
A National Potato Society. —Brit¬ 
ish gardening journals announce the for¬ 
mation of a National Potato Society as 
a result of the revival of interest in this 
indispensable esculent. Methodical trials 
in diverse localities are to be made of 
all varieties with the purpose of elimi¬ 
nating those particularly liable to dis¬ 
ease, and to investigate all details of cul¬ 
tivation and storage. This is work our 
experiment stations are supposed to do, 
but they must get together with more 
unity of effort to accomplish the ends in 
view. Since 1845 Potato blight has been 
rampant in England, and has driven out 
of cultivation many highly prized varie¬ 
ties. The boom in new seedlings has 
reached astonishing proportions; the 
Eldorado, not to be distributed until the 
Spring of 1905, has been already sold to 
dealers at the rate of $800 a pound, or 
$48,000 a bushel. It is predicted that 
the price at that time will not. be less 
than $25 a pound. In the boomiest days 
of our Early Rose craze $5 a pound was 
the highest price actually paid for tu¬ 
bers of that epoch-making variety, while 
the bulk of the stock was sold in the 
neighborhood of $3 a pound. Some buy¬ 
ers at these figures were able to recoup 
themselves by pushing the propagation 
and selling the product at lower, but 
still fancy prices for seed purposes. It 
is not easy to see how the purchasers of 
Eldorado potatoes at these unheard-of 
prices can hope to “win out’’ in any but 
a speculative manner. However, this is 
a very interesting example of the keen 
revival of interest in a garden product 
after a considerable period of neglect. 
American potatoes have been freely test¬ 
ed in England for the last 20 years, with 
no very flattering results. Beauty of 
Hebron, of all the great host of varie¬ 
ties sent over during this time, has been 
most successful, ft is still highly re¬ 
garded, but is being displaced by Early 
Puritan, as the white skin of the latter 
appeals to many growers. A white form 
of the pink-skinned Beauty of Hebron is 
also cultivated under the name of White 
Beauty. w. v. F. 
All Service Garden Tools. 
A word to truck gardeners and those who ap¬ 
preciate perfect working tools for growing vegeta¬ 
bles for their own households must be timely here. 
The last few years have wrought many changes in 
all classes of implements. In none is this change 
more marked than the state of perfection that has 
been reached in gardening tools. This subject can¬ 
not be mentioned without bringing up the Planet J r. 
line, manufactured by S. L. Allen & Co. Box 1107 V, 
Philadelphia. It is not to be wondered at that the 
Planet Jrs. have attained so great popularity, find¬ 
ing their way naturally to all parts of the world. 
There are the best of reasons for it. It is because 
these tools, one or another, in one or another of 
their many variable forms, meet exactly and fully 
every single need and purpose of gardeners from 
seeding to last cultivation. This is forcibly illus¬ 
trated by the Planet Jr. No 4 Combined Drill shown 
herewith. Readei s should note carefully the many 
attachments. We show it as a seeder in which form 
it plants in hills or drills at all proper distances 
apart. It is the work of but a moment toconvert it 
into a hoe. cultivator or plow, capable of the great¬ 
est variety of nice work in hoeing to or from plants, 
cultivating, furrowing, ridging etc., either between 
or astride the rows. We show No. 4 here merely 
to suggest to our readers the general excellence of 
all Planet Jr. tools. There are some forty of them, 
single seeders, hoes, etc., others combination tools 
with even more variety than ihe one shown. They 
include Seeders, Wheel Hoes, and hand and Horse 
Cultivators, Plows, Combination Tools, Beet Sugar 
Cultivators etc. A special tool for almost every 
special need. Readers in any way interested in 
gardening should be interested in the Planet Jr. 
Catalog. The 1904 edition contains over 100 illus¬ 
trations. Among them are sixteen beautiful half 
tones showing Planet Jrs. in garden or field scenes 
in this and foreign lands. We know of no better 
book to guide any one in the choice of any garden 
tool. It may be had for the asking. 
D A DM PC New Improved All Brass 
D/\KmLg Perfection Spraying Pump 
Simplest and most substantial Pump in the world. 
Made with seamless brass tubing without threads on 
v either end. Easily taken apart to clean. Does the 
Vvwork required quickly and effectively—a pump that 
lji9 cheaper in the “long run." Users of Spraying 
f' Pumps would have none other after trying Barnes 
Perfection Pump. Send for free circular of receipts 
pFl# and other valuable information. Send $2.50 for 
samples and agency. We manufacture Iron Pumps 
of every kind for farm use. We also make a brass- 
bucket Spraying Pump with malleable-iron foot-rest. 
I he Barnes Iviig. Co,, Dep. C, Mansfield, Ohio. 
Get the Best 
A Good Spray Pump earns big 
profits and lasts for years. 
THE ECLIPSE 
Is a good pump. As prac¬ 
tical fruit growers we 
were using the com¬ 
mon sprayers in our 
own orchards—found 
their defects and then invented 
The Eclipse. Its success 
practical ly forced us into man¬ 
ufacturing on a large scale. 
You take no chances. We have 
done all the experimenting. 
Large fully illustrated 
Catalogue and Treatise 
on Spraying—FREE. 
ORRILL & MORI.EY. Benton Harbor. Mich. 
PRAYING 
brings fruitsand flowers. We make 
the right appliances. Special adapta¬ 
tion to every need. 
HAND, BUCKET, BARREL KNAP* 
SACK and POWER SPRAYERS. 
20 styles. Nollies, hose, attachments,fortnuUs, 
every spraying accessory. Write for free catalog. 
The Doming Co., Salem, O. « 
Wettcm Agents. Uenion j Hubbell, Chicago. 
Free Seeder’s 
Book, 
telling how, when and 
where to sow seed and 
how much to sow. Also 
describing the good old 
CAHOON 
Broadcast Seeder, 
the one that saves M the 
seed. The best for 45 
years. The book Sower’s 
Manual sent absolutely 
free. Write for it. 
COODELL CO., 
14 JlainSt., Antrim, ft. H. 
BUY DIRECT FROM FACTORY, BEST 
MIXED PAINTS 
At WHOLESALE PRICES, Delivered FREE 
For Houses, Barns, Roofs, all colors, and S A VE Dealers 
profits. In use G1 years. Officially Endorsed by the 
Orange. Low price* will surprise you. Write for Samples. 
0. W. INGERSOLL, 340 Plymouth St., Brooklyn, N. Y. 
CANADA HARDWOOD ASHES, 
THE JOYNT BRAND 
Quantity and quality fully guaranteed, 
Write for prices and address 
JOHN JOYNT, Lucknow, Ontario, Canada. 
HARDIE” 
BRASS PUMP 
The fog-like spray is 
delivered with such 
force that it pene¬ 
trates everywhere ; 
and it works so easy. 
Our book on spray¬ 
ing tells the story. 
Send for it. 
The H00K-HARDIE CO., 
69 Main St. Hudson, Mich. 
Corn 
must have a sufficient supply of 
Potash 
in order to develop into a crop. 
No amount of Phosphoric 
Acid or Nitrogen can compen¬ 
sate for a lack of potash in 
fertilizers [for 
grain and all 
other crops]. 
We shall be glad 
to send free to any 
farmer ourlittlebook 
which contains valu¬ 
able informat ion 
about soil culture. 
GERflAN KALI WORKS, 
93 Nassau St., New York. 
The Auto-Spray 1 
is everybody’s sprayer—suits every 
job. Brass pump, brass or galvanized 
iron tank. Compress air on mixture 
with a dozen plunger strokes, strap 
» on back, ana spray % acre vines. 
! Great new feature in Auto-Pop at* 
| tachment. Controls spray perfectly. 
Saves half the mixture. Nozzle abso* i 
lutely clean ercry time Auto-Pop is worked. j 
Only nozzle that can’t clog. We manufacture ; 
the largest line in America of high grade and 
power sprayers. Ask for free catalogue. 
E. C. BROWN & CO., ‘ 
208 State St., Rochester, N. Y. 
SPRAY NOW 
For San Jose scale and 
all fungus diseases use 
THE PERFEC¬ 
TION SPRAYER, furnished complete with cart 
and barrel, combined hand and horse power. Sprays 
everything, trees, potatoes, etc. Catalogue free. 
Thomas Peppier, Box 30, Hightstown, N. J. 
Latest and ___ 
best. All sizes. Throws9 kinds ‘ - 
spray from same nozzle. Agents wanted. 
$20.00 A DAY 
has been made by live agents. Showing it is 
selling it. First community order (whole¬ 
sale price) gets permanent local agency. 
Write for terms and free circulars. 
ROCHESTER SPRAY PUMP CO., 
16 East Avenue, Rochester, N. Y. 
win. EMPIRE 
“KING 
or ORCHARD MONARCH! 
____ natic Brush I 
[ for cleaning Btrwiner. No leather or rubber YaWea. All styles of Spray j 
Pomps* Book free. “No swindled feeling 1 f you use our pumpi. ” 
Field Force Pump Co. 2 1 1 th St. Elmira, N.Y. 
Aspinwall 
Potato Machines 
Insure Paying Potato Crops. 
Nearly every country on the Globe has 
witnessed their successful operation. 
Thousands of customers for over a quar¬ 
ter of a century have added enthusiastic 
endorsement. From our extended ex¬ 
perience 
We Know the Grower’s Re¬ 
quirements and Supply . 
Them. 
With 
Our 
. Machines 
Seed is quickly cut to 
best advantage. Plant¬ 
ing, fertilizing and cov¬ 
ering is accomplished 
at any depth and width 
of row desired, all in one 
operation. (Corn, Pea, 
Bean and Ensilage at¬ 
tachment provided.) 
Digging and Sorting 
are made pleasant and 
agreeable work. 
Send for beautiful il¬ 
lustrated free catalog, 
containing “How and 
When to Spray” tables 
for all crops. 
ASPINWALL MFG. CO., 
Dept K, 27 Sabin St., 
1 1,1 1 " " « 
Power Sprayer 
Compressed airdoes the work. Automatic in operation. Most econom¬ 
ical of power and of liquid, easiest handled, does most effective work. 
Road the report from the State Agricultural College of Iowa 
sent us under date of November 2, 1903. 
Covers All Sized Trees 
Gentlemen:—In using your sprayer one man 
drove and handled one extension rod, while the 
thoer looked after the machine and handled the 
other rod. In spraying on both sides of the 
wagon and between the two rows of trees 
twenty-five years old. thirty-five feet apart, 
with ten to fifteen year old trees between, 
enough power was developed to spray per¬ 
fectly every tree as it was reached. 
“A. T. ERWIN, Acting Professor.” 
Under above conditions 2 men sprayed 12 acres a day. 
Fitted! to Any Wagon 
or any size or shape of supply tank. Maintains 
from 100 lbs up according to conditions. Constant driving not neces¬ 
sary. Furnished mounted complete, or not mounted but with attachments to 
fit any wagon requested. Either with or without mechanical agitators as de¬ 
sired. Free booklet describes in detail. Ask for booklet G. 
WALLACE MACHINERY COMPANY, CHAMPAIGN, ILL . 
hi 
MEW UNIVERSAL” LINE OF GARDEN TOOLS 
6 STYLES SEEDERS 
Opens fur- || Models 
row. drops B of 
s?ght ia Accuracy, 
covers, 
marks. 
Double or Single Wheel Hoe, 
Cultivator, Plow, Rake. Changes quick¬ 
ly made. Cultivate between or astride 
the rows. Any depth, any 
width. 
Note High Arch and Plant Guards. 
Bent Oak Handles on all Tools. 
Details on full line tools in 1904 free catalogue. Write for it. 
6Tools ini./ SffftTftm 
Combined seeder, marker. ‘ L " 11 
nn 
Combined seeder, marker, 
hoe, rake, plow, cultivator. 
Single or double wheel. 
Every adjustment 
easily made. For 
planting and all 
kinds of cultiva* 1 
tion. 
Wheel Plows 
with cultivator, rake and hoe 
attachments. For garden and 
poultry yards 
AMES PLOW COMPANY. 54 MARKET STREET, BOSTON, 
TUnilCllinC AIT n 11II Oil nO will he scattered over the country this next Spring. They 
I nUUOAIlUO Ur UlAnlUHUv willnotbe the cold, white Brilliants, but they will be the 
“BLACK 
DIAMONDS 
WHICH ARE PRINTED ON EVERY BAG CONTAINING THE GENUINE 
HUBBARD FERTILIZERS.” 
THEY ARE YOUR PROTECTION AND OUR’S. 
Our new book, “ HUBBARD'S FERTILIZERS FOR 190^," is ready, and we will be pleased 
to send you a copy free. Send us your name and address, mentioning this paper. 
THE ROGERS & HUBBARD CO., 
MIDDLETOWN, CONN. 
Makers of the HUBBARD FERTILIZERS. 
