I 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
Sept<-m1>or 10, 
67o 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS 
Giant Sweet Sultans. —The favorite 
old sweet sultan, near relative to the blue 
cornflower, has been greatly improved dur¬ 
ing late years by Italian growers. '\ he 
blooms of the newer strains often reach 
three inches in diameter, and are beauti¬ 
fully modeled. Fig. 297, page G67, though 
much reduced in size, gives a fair idea of 
the form of these dainty newcomers. The 
colors range through white, pale yellow, 
rose and purple shades, but the tints are 
wonderfully softened in effect by the fine 
fringing of the closely packed florets. The 
foreign cultivators claim the improvement 
was started by crossing the typical sweet 
sultan, Centaurea moschata, with a large- 
flowered white variety of the same species, 
raised in 1890, and sent out under the 
name of Marguerite Centaurea. The new 
strain is catalogued as C. imperialis, oi 
Royal sweet sultan, and is very fine in 
deed. Seeds may be had in mixture or 
under many separate colors. In our ex¬ 
perience the finest shades of yellow and 
rose are not to be found among the mixed 
seeds. If we want the yellow, which are 
particularly attractive, it is best to buy a 
packet of that color. Seeds were formerly 
quite expensive, but are now offered at 1(V 
cents a packet. 
Easy to Grow. —These fine Centaureas 
are extensively grown by florists who aim 
to have the blooms come in to follow the 
Easter sales of glasshouse flowers and 
plants. They are offered in company with 
forced sweet peas and other Spring-like 
flowers before they can be bloomed in 
the open air. This gives the impression 
that they need glass protection and are 
difficult to grow in the garden. We form¬ 
erly started our seeds in early March, 
and coddled the plants in pots until the 
weather was warm enough to plant out 
geraniums. Under this treatment the 
plants spindled up and died out after pro¬ 
ducing a few blooms. This year we sowed 
in flats in April, and transplanted to ordi¬ 
nary corn ground, without manure, early 
in May. A vigorous, lusty growth re¬ 
sulted and flowers were borne in profusion 
until the middle of August. Later sow¬ 
ings in the garden would most likely great¬ 
ly prolong the blooming season. These 
large sweet sultans are excellent for cut¬ 
ting, and preserve their attractiveness in 
water for several days. The stems are 
long and the foliage ample and bright 
green. If freely cut so that little seed is 
produced the blooming period may be much 
prolonged. The blue bottle, bachelor’s 
button or cornflower, Centaurea cyanus, 
is grown for its brilliant blue blossoms, 
and is hardy enough to hold its own and 
come up freely in succeeding years where 
it has been allowed to seed. There is a 
white variety and one or two named sorts 
differing in habit and intensity of coloring, 
as well as size of flower. 
The New Uruguayan Potato. —The 
American Consul at Rouen, France, fur¬ 
nishes an interesting report on the new 
South American potato, Solanum Com- 
mersonii, introduced to cultivation in 1900 
by the French Colonial Institute at Mar¬ 
seilles. It was found growing wild in 
swamps near the banks of the River Mer 
cedes, Uruguay. Like many other plants 
of semi-aquatic habit, it thrives well un¬ 
der cultivation in moist upland, but can 
be grown in soils too wet and soggy for 
ordinary potatoes. In one trial Early Rose 
gave 8,000 pounds to the acre, American 
Marvel 8,500 pounds, while the new species 
turned out 8,500 pounds. The tubers 
are large, weighing from one to two 
and a half pounds each, and have a wrin¬ 
kled yellow skin, covered with lenticels or 
warts, which disappear after a season or 
two of culture. The pulp is greenish, 
though some varieties have rose or violet 
flesh. The taste in the natural state is bit¬ 
ter, but the quality has been greatly im¬ 
proved by three seasons of cultivation. As 
the roughness of the skin is ameliorated 
by culture, the biller flavor disappears, 
and is always much liiodiiied when the tu¬ 
ber is peeled before cooking. Animals 
are found to be fond of the cooked po¬ 
tatoes, notwithstanding their bitterness. 
The violet-colored variety is said to be 
best for human consumption. It is said 
that hybrids between this dark flesh kind 
and choice varieties of the common potato 
have already been grown in California, 
and are claimed to possess excellent eat¬ 
ing qualities. 
Free From Disease. —The greatest ad¬ 
vantage shown by Solanum Comtnersonii, 
according to the French experimenters, is 
almost absolute immunity from infection by 
blight, rot and other fungus diseases trou¬ 
bling our long cultivated varieties of pota¬ 
to. Last year on the Marseilles trial 
grounds 85 per cent of the Early Rose 
tubers were affected by disease, while in 
the same ground scarcely tw r o per cent ot 
the Uruguayan potatoes showed indica¬ 
tions of rot. The leaves are small and 
slender, quite resembling those of the Irish 
potato, while the flowers are of pale vio¬ 
let color and very abundant. They are 
highly perfumed with a jasmine-like odor, 
which has been extracted in an exquisite 
and very persistent perfume. Cattle and 
horses eat the foliage very readily. It is 
planted in early Spring in level or moist 
ground, as the yield is less on dry sand oi 
clayey slopes, and the potatoes are dug 
when cold has arrested the growth in 
Autumn. New stems are thrown up dur 
ing the whole growing season, and tubers 
are formed in every direction, making 
digging more difficult than with the or- 
f 
dinary potato. 
Big Claims. —The advantages claimed 
for this newcomei are, in brief, enormous 
production, freedom from fungus diseases, 
adaptability to moist soils, easy culture and 
good quality as an animal food. It is not 
well to be too sanguine over new eco¬ 
nomic plants, but it is to be hoped that 
herein lie real possibilities for the rehabili¬ 
tation of the constitution of our rathei 
decadent Irish potato, and the extension 
of its products to wider usefulness. It 
the Solanum Commersoriii never proves 
acceptable as human food, it may have an 
extended usefulness in stock feeding, 
starch making and the production of fuel 
alcohol, now so largely manufactured in 
Germany from refuse and surplus pota¬ 
toes. But with its admitted susceptibility 
to rapid improvement under cultivation, it 
is reasonable to expect in time our dietary 
to be enriched by the acquisition of an 
agreeable new vegetable. w. v. F. 
Fruit in Cold Storage. —On several dif 
fereut occasions I have seen apples that have 
been in cold storage from a year and a half to 
two years, and they have been in perfect con¬ 
dition physically, and of good quality. At 
the present time there are large quantities of 
fruit of last year on exhibition at the St. 
Louis Exposition, and fruit of this character 
will be on exhibit throughout the entire Expo¬ 
sition. It will, therefore, he a year and a half 
old at the last of the exhibition season. There 
is generally no reason for keeping apples after 
the first of June, or, possibly, a little later, 
except for exhibition purposes. I have no 
doubt, though, that it is possible to keep fruit 
that is thoroughly well grown and well col¬ 
ored, two years or more, provided it is picked 
with great care and wrapped with two or 
three thicknesses of newspaper, with an imper¬ 
vious wax paper on the outside. It must then 
be shipped immediately to cold storage and kept 
in a temperature of 80 to 82 degrees. Under 
these conditions, varieties like Winesap, Ben 
Davis, Jonathan, Baldwin and many others 
which I might mention, could probably be 
kept for the length of time mentioned, and 
the quality ought to be first-class at that time, 
provided the storage rooms have been well 
ventilated. The Jonathan apples of last year’s 
crop that are being placed on the tables of 
the Missouri display at the present time are 
superb in quality. g. iiarold powell. 
F EED$C ,90 
CUTTER 3"" 
Bf*st Pc.ny Feed Cutter made < 
Kuos easjr.v»repcrly he.l'ineed, well 
made, durable, cuts hay, straw, 
(150 lbs.an hour) corn fodder, (500 
lbs, an hour!: lias 11 % inch knife, * 
simple arrangement; length of cut < 
^in., 1 in.,lki in. an J . 2 in. ;3 cuts ( 
to turn of crank. Ship'g wt.165 lbs. 
Duplex Bolster Springs! 
At wonderful low prices. Popular standard make 
improved clamp plate, heavy steel end plates, i 
new solid clip ties, makes easy riding. Nothing it s equal. ( 
Made in 38-in.and 42 in. bolsters.Price per 9et 38-in.bolster. , 
2000 lbs. $ 4.85 42 inch , 
| 3000 lbs. 5.70 50 cts. 
4000 lbs. 6.10 extra. 
We sell buggies.tops.wheels, w 
’ bodies, gears, harnesses, farm and blacksmith's tools, im- . 
piements and supplies, fencing, etc.,direct to the consumer ’ 
1 at manufacturers' rock bottom prices. These are examples,! 
> of our economical methods. Prices are f. o. b. Cleveland. f 
• Write today for bargain sheet and indicate your needs. 
0. A. BOTTGEB 4 CO.. 21 Bright Si.. Cleveland.O. 
“BE GOOD” 
TO YOUR HORSES 
USE FRAZER’S AXLE CREASE 
AND MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM. 
Recognized as the STANDARD 
Axle Grease of the United States. 
Many Thousand Tubs of this Grease are sold 
weekly to theTruf-kmeri of New York City, their 
Trucks are loaded heavy aDd a saving of both 
time and money Is made, one greasing lasting 
two weeks or longer. 
Ask your dealer for FRAZER’S with Label on 
It saves your horse labor and you too. 
SOLI) EVERYWHERE. 
f-razer Lubricator Co., 83 Murray St.,N.Y 
Positive, Comparative, Superlative 
“ I have used one of your Fish Brand 
Slickers for five years and now want 
a new one, also one for a friend. I 
would not be without one for twice 
the cost. They are just as far ahead 
of a common coat as a common one 
is ahead of nothing.” 
(NAME ON APPLICATION) 
Be sure you don’t get one ofthe com- 
mon kind — this is the - /VUUT'D'© 
mark of excellence. 
A. J. TOWER CO. 
BOSTON, U. S. A. 
TOWER CANADIAN CO., LIMITED 
TORONTO, CANADA 
Mahers of Wet Weather Clothing and Hats 
368 
■'■h'u 
For 20 Years and Over 
We have been making Swan’s Standard 2 and 
3-ply and 
Extra Heavy Felt Roofing 
I aelling to consumers direct Millions of square foot aro now I 
I m use. It can be applied by anyone on steep or flat roofs. 1 
| Low Price! Durable! ‘ Fire-Proof! It you are going to I 
f build, or have leaky shingl© or tin roofs, seud for samples, j 
’ circulars and prices. 
THE A. F. SWAN COMPANY, 
114 Battery Place, Hew York, N.Y. 
OATS AND RYE 
to produce large, full grains require 
a complete fertilizer rich in 
POTASH 
——A**-- 
.. 
., , „ i 
• v..; 'jfc* 
BOOKS FREE 
Write to-day for our valuable 
books on “Fertilization.” The 
information contained in them 
means money to you. Address: 
GERMAN KALI WORKS 
93 Nassau Street New York 
CANADA HARDWOOD ASHES 
Do you want to seed down a Held to grass this year? 
Or do you want to grow a big crop of Kye or Fail 
Wheat? Then use the Joynt Brunei of Pure lln- 
leached Hardwood Ashes, and use one to two 
tons to the acre ” according to the condition of 
the soil' before seeding, and you are sure tog' tla-go 
returns for your money. Write for delivered prices 
and information and address, 
JOHN JOYNT, Lucknow, Ontario, Canada. 
Reference—Dominion Bank, Wlngham, Ont. 
BORDEAUX MIXTURE &°a n t c e e d n .1 
Tol gal. add 49 gallons of water and ready for spraying 
CONVENIENT and EFFECTIVE. CostonlyS-1 
MONEY ORDER, REGISTERED LETTER orCHECK 
SMEDET CHEMICAL COMPANY, 
S. E. Cor. 11th and Master Streets, Philadelphia, Pa. 
NEW CALEDONIAN BEAN 
HARVESTER AND DUNCHER. 
Pays for It, 
self with two 
days’ nse. 
Dumps auto¬ 
matically, 
and leaves 
the BEANS 
FREE from 
WEEDS, 
DIRT and 
STONES. 
Write To-Dav 
FOR CATALOG 
CALEDONIA BEAN HARVESTER WORKS 
CALEDONIA, N. V 
HARNESS AT WHOLESALE PRICES 
We made 100 styles and sell direct to consumer. 
Send for Catalog F. 
KING HARNESS CO., 6 Lake SI.. O.ejii, S. I. 
FARMERS 
HANDY 
lWACON 
Low steel wheels, wide tires, make 
loading and handling easier. We fur¬ 
nish Steel Wheels to fit any axle, to 
carry any load. .Straight or staggered 
spokes. Catalogue free. 
EMPIRE MFG.C0.. Box 70-P, Quincy, III. 
Your Feeble 
Old Wagon 
has many years’ service in it. Re¬ 
place its shaky wheels with 
ELECTRIC 
_ Metal Wheels. 
Made to fit any skein. Straight or staggered oval 
steel spokes, cast in the hub, hot riveted in the tire. 
Broad tires save rutting and draft. Any height de¬ 
sired. Write for free catalogue for particulars. 
ELECTRIC WHEEL CO., BOX 88, QUIHCt ILLINOIS. 
Inexpensive, Durable, Attractive 
Farm Houses, barns and ail other buildings can be 
erected of our Hollow Bui.ding Blocks, either EL ALU 
or ROCK EACE, at a less cost than of brick. 
Also used for foundations. 
Prices and catalogue furnished upon request. 
NATIONAL FIREPROOFING CO., Room 
NEED A NEW 
For old or new buildings of any kind use 
PAROID ROOFING 
The roof with quality and durability in it. You’ll be surprised at its low costand 
longlife. Any one can apply it. Contains no tar. Slate color. Each roll contains 
a complete roofing kit. Don’t take an Imitation; get the genuine. Seud for 
Free Sample and book on ‘‘building Economy.” Established In 1817. 
F. W. BIRD & SOU, East Walpole, Mass., or Monadnock Bldg., Chicago. 
