742 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
November IB 
FRUITS AND FLOWERS AT FAIRS. 
American-Grown Dales. 
I wonder how many of our people 
know that the date is growing and bear¬ 
ing in the United States ! Perhaps but 
very few. It is not generally known 
that it is not a tropical but a semi-trop¬ 
ical tree, and will endure a little frost 
when at rest. One crop is borne in a 
year, on pendent, spreading shoots or 
stems that come out from between the 
bases of the leaves and the top of the 
tree. The date palm is a dioecious tree, 
that is, bearing its flowers of the two 
sexes on separate trees. This makes it 
absolutely necessary that there be a 
staminate tree near one that is pistillate 
or there can be no perfect edible fruit. 
Millions of people, in northern Africa, 
subsist on the date almost wholly. 
The Bedouins, Arabs, Moors and Alger¬ 
ians depend upon it quite largely. They 
understand artificial pollination, for they 
often fasten clusters of staminate flowers 
in their pistillate trees, and some depend 
on this instead of having male trees near 
their bearing ones. They propagate 
them by rooted suckers from the bases 
of their best trees. 
In this country seedlings have been 
grown for many years past, but they 
have been few and often solitary trees, 
which, of course, could not bear fruit. 
I have seen several at such old places as 
St. Augustine and Key West, Fla., and 
Los Angeles, Cal. A few have borne 
fairly well, but never unless, at least, 
two of opposite sexes were together. 
This should explain to any who may see 
this that are growing old date trees why 
they do not bear. If male flower shoots, 
which look much like corn tassels, are 
procured by mail or otherwise and fixed 
above the other sex, there will be per¬ 
fect fruit that will be a delightful sur¬ 
prise to the grower. If it be not done, 
there will be seedless fruit, of small size 
and worthless for eating. Several such 
barren clusters have been sent to the 
Northern and Eastern States, thinking 
that they bore true edible dates. At the 
recent fruit show of the American In¬ 
stitute Fair was one such from Riverside, 
Cal., that would have borne over 50 
pounds of luscious dates if they had 
been perfect. At the same fair were 
two small clusters from a young tree at 
Phoenix, Ariz., that were crowded with 
ripe fruit that melted in the mouth and 
was as sweet as honey. 
The date needs a very hot, dry cli¬ 
mate, rainless if possible, with plenty of 
water at the roots. There are millions 
of acres in the valleys of the southern 
parts of Arizona and California where 
just such conditions now exist in part, 
and irrigation would make them a para¬ 
dise for the date. When the rooted 
suckers of the choicest varieties of 
Egypt, Algeria and Arabia, which have 
been imported and planted in those re¬ 
gions of our western country, begin to 
increase and bear, there will be dates of 
as good quality grown there as any¬ 
where. We can grow and cure all the 
dates our country needs, and have fresh, 
ripe dates on the fruit stands, that will 
be as much better to eat than those 
which are dried, as fresh peaches are 
better than dried ones. 
The Japan Plums. 
All who have had much to do with the 
Japan plums have been puzzled with the 
confused condition of their names The 
efforts of such careful and sharp-sighted 
students of pomology as Prof. L. H. 
Bailey and Prof. T. V. Munson have done 
much to straighten them out ; but there 
is considerable to do yet in this direc¬ 
tion, and especially much to unlearn by 
ordinary fruit growers They have been 
led into all sorts of mistakes by those 
who sold them Japan plum trees. Kel¬ 
sey, Abundance, Burbank and Satsuma 
are quite well known, and now properly 
named in nearly all cases. But when it 
comes to those which commonly bear 
the names, Botan, Botankio (“ kio ” is 
the Japan word for plum), Sweet Botan, 
Hattan, Hattankio, Hadan, Hadankio, 
Yellow Japan, etc., all of which should 
be dropped forever, uncertainty and con¬ 
fusion begin. The nurserymen are not 
generally to blame, for they have nearly 
always used the names given the varie¬ 
ties by others, and any other course 
would have been unwise, unless changes 
were suggested by the highest authori¬ 
ties. The Japanese nurserymen and im¬ 
porters are largely to blame. In a recent 
conversation with a most intelligent na¬ 
tive of Japan who is a nursery dealer, 
he said that the plums go by class names 
in Japan, rather than by varietal names, 
and seedlings are often grown and sent 
out under the name Botankio, Sumomo, 
etc. I believe that some of them are 
tricky. All this added to our own faults 
makes the confusion. 
This Japanese said that our Kelsey 
plum was known in Japan as a distinct 
variety, under the name “ Hotan,” and 
not the names Hattan and Hadan which 
have been sometimes attached to it in 
America. By the way, it is constantly 
showing itself to be unfruitful in all but 
the mostsouthern and the Pacific States, 
and tender north of Delaware and Ten¬ 
nessee. 
Satsuma is a puzzle as to its bearing 
qualities. It blooms abundantly, but 
refuses to bear in the majority of cases; 
but on clay land in Connecticut, it has, 
this year, proved a good bearer. Some 
say that it bears much better when near 
Chabot, and indications point that way. 
But there are those who say, from ex¬ 
perience, that it will not fruit on sandy 
land, no matter how treated. Luther 
Burbank, who originally introduced 
Satsuma as a seedling from Japan, 
writes that he now has red-fleshed seed¬ 
lings of it that are very productive and, 
also, better in other ways. They must 
be very delicious, indeed, for it is the 
best-flavored of all the Japan plums, 
either fresh or cooked, and the blood- 
red flesh is peculiar and beautiful. 
We may as well conclude that Chabot 
is the true name of a variety that has as 
synonyms Yellow Japan, Chase and Hy- 
tankio, at least, and perhaps, Bailey 
and Douglas. All the specimens seen 
under these names are alike in color, 
shape, flavor and season. At the New 
York Experiment Station, at Geneva, 
the trees under the first four names 
grow and bear alike, the fruit seems 
alike. Others have had similar experi¬ 
ence. 
Three Autumn Flowers. 
If there is anything more gorgeous 
than the Dahlia, as the summer advances 
into autumn, what is it? We now have 
a marvelous variety, not only of colors, 
but of styles of plant and flower. Every 
imaginable tint and shade, both pure 
and. mixed, from white to almost black, 
except blue, may be found. Such bril¬ 
liancy, and such lovely, delicate tints of 
pink and creamy colors are a delight and 
a wonder. There are hundreds of named 
varieties in the catalogues. There are 
great gaudy Cactus Dahlias, as the ex¬ 
pert florists call them, with large, open 
flowers; and small, compactly formed 
varieties which they call Bouquet or 
Pompon Dahlias, with intermediate^ 
styles ; so that all may be satisfied as to 
size and style of flowers, as well as color. 
Perhaps the most gorgeous and showy is- 
Wm. Agnew, which is one of the cactus 
style, and sometimes measures seven, 
inches across. It is intense dazzling red. 
Of the fancy style, nothing is more deli¬ 
cately tinted than Apple Blossoms, which 
has all the colors of those flowers, from 
red to pure white, with endless varia¬ 
tions, on the same plant. Golden Ball 
is another variety of the same class, 
styled Fancy, and is pure, deep yellow, 
sometimes slightly tinted with pink. Of 
the Pompon class, Snowclad is as pure 
white as a flower can be, small, and as 
perfect in form as a button. 
The greatest Dahlia grower in the 
world is Mr. W. P. Peacock, of southern 
New Jersey, who does a wholesale busi¬ 
ness of selling as well as growing, and 
desires no retail trade. He is public- 
spirited, and offers liberal premiums at 
the fairs as well as taking many that 
others offer. He has nearly 20 acres in 
Dahlias. The Dahlia is easily cultivated, 
being robust and healthy in any good 
soil. It begins to bloom in mid-summer, 
and is stopped only by hard frosts. The 
roots can be kept like sweet potatoes 
and grown again the next spring. All 
ought to give them a fair trial wherever 
the summers are long enough, and that 
is almost everywhere that ordinary 
flowers are grown. 
The Gladiolus is another of the sum¬ 
mer flowers which holds well into the 
fall. Like the Dahlia, it is grown easily, 
blooms profusely and for a long time, 
and has almost all imaginable shades 
and tints, except those of blue. It grows 
in various styles, also having different 
shapes and sizes of flowers. There is 
nothing nicer for cut flowers where 
large, showy stand bouquets are desired. 
The semi-pendent spikes of trumpet¬ 
shaped flowers and the pointed leaves 
look pleasing and graceful. In the beds 
of a farmer’s yard they will look as 
charming as in a city garden, and the 
same care that will grow good potatoes 
(Continued on next page.) 
OUR NURSERY STOCK 
is grown on the banks 
of the Hudson River. 
It is First-class. Prices 
are Row. 50 acres of 
FRUIT TREES, 
Plants, Vines and Orna¬ 
mental Stock to sell. 1897 
_ Catalogue free. 
T. J. DWYER, Cornwall, N. Y. 
BOO varieties. Also Grapes,SmallFrult»,ctc. llest root- 
edBtoek. Genuine, cheap. 2 sample currants mailed for 
10c, Deec. price list free. LEWIS UOESC1I, Frodonla. N. X. 
TREES. 
APPLE, PLUM and CHEKBY, for Fall 
planting. !#5 per lOO. 
C. F. MacNAIR & CO., Dansvllle, N. Y. 
Grapevines 
Extra fine stock of CURRANTS, Including the 
new and unrivalled WIIvDBR.lowest rnte,,.Quality 
extra Warranted true T. s. llL'BBARD CO., Krednni*. » t 
Small 
Fruits 
Old and Naw 
Varieties. 
PflUPh TrPPC * or everybody. Wholesale and retail, 
i t-dt.ll 1 ltto g, g, jounston, Box 4, Stockley, Del. 
PLAN1 CURRANTS IN OCTOBER. 
Plant President Wilder. 
Prices will be given by the introducer. Address 
8. I). WILLARD, Geneva, N. Y. 
Catarrh 
In the Head is a 
Constitutional Disease 
And Requires a 
Constitutional Remedy 
GROW BISMARCKS IN POTS. 
Wonderful Midget Bismarcks bear 
beautiful large Apples in Pots or 
Garden when two years old. one 
Hollar Each. Crimson Ram¬ 
bler Hoses, Magnificent Climber 
for Porch, 50c each, prepaid. 
Send for beautiful colored Litho¬ 
graphs giving descriptions. Address 
MANHATTAN NURSERY CO., 
47 L Dey St., New York. 
Hike Hood’s Sarsaparilla, which, working 
through the blood, eradicates the impurity 
which causes and promotes the disease, and 
soon effects a permanent cure. 
Hood’s Sarsaparilla 
Is the best—in fact the One True Blood Purifier. 
Hood’s Pills cure all liver ills. 25 cents. 
COLOMBIAN TIPS AND TRANSPLANTS. 
200,000 Tips for this Kail and Spring, ,1898. Larg¬ 
est Berry Growers in the State. Prices right. 
J. H. TEATS & SONS, Fruit Growers. Williamson.N.Y. 
25,000 
Miller's Red Raspberry Plants for 
sale. Address CHAS. YOUNG, 
Marlborough, N. Y. 
W/va DA V CASH each WEEK the year round, if 
YY C ■ r\ I you sell Stark Trees. Outfit free. 
STARK NURSERY. LOUISIANA, MO., Stark, Mo.. Rockport, III., Dansville, N. V 
Aft I IIIID I ill Raspberries, 8,000 quarts per 
UULUIVIOIfill acre. 50,000 sets. 
T. G. ASHMEAD, Nursery, Williamson, N. Y. 
PURE ALFALFA SEED. 
Guaranteed and of prime quality, 84 per bushel, in 
two-bushel sacks, delivered on track at Lakln. 
GEO. G BAHNTGE, Lakln, Kearney Co.. Kan. 
12 Loudon Raspberry ) 
12 King Raspberry j l or 0 c ' 
T. O. KEVITT, - - ATHENIA, N J 
P0TATnF ( S _Cobbler ' Goo<1 News, and all kinds 
1 U1 n 1 UuO what kinds and how many do you want? 
Prices fair. Chas. W. Ford & Co.,hisher8.0nt.Co.,N.Y. 
Prrn DHTATnCQ - 'Carman Nos. 1 and 3, 
OLLU iUIMIULO Rural New-Yorker No. 2, 
8tandard barrels, $2.25. fall delivery. Write for 
prices on car-load lots P. O. money orders on Wau¬ 
kesha. Address FRASER BROS.. Vernon, Wis. 
n A11AA DaIaUa* Choicestock.no blight, 
tSOVGG rOTatOeS rot. or scab. Price for 
fall delivery, $2 per bushel. World's Fair, Great 
Divide, Sir William, Wise, Carman No. 3 and Maggie 
Murpby, $1 per bushel. CLOVER SEED. —Medium 
Red, prime quality, carefully recieaned, $3.50 per 
bushel, sacks free. 
Order now before prices advance. 
J. M. FLUKE, Nankin, Ohio. 
50,000 Peach Trees 
FREE FROM DISEASE, for Fall and Spring. 
Crawford Early, Crawford Late, Stump, 
Triumph, Chair’s Choice, Smock, Mt. Rose, 
Oldmixon Free, Greensboro, Crosby, Hill’s 
•Chili, Elberta, Sneed, Alexander, Champion, Globe, Beer’s Smock, Salway, Troth’s Early, Wheatland 
and lota of others. CHEAP. Catalogue Free. ARTHUR J. COLLINS, Moorestown, N. J. 
JAPAN PLUMS 
_„_ if ■■ I THE Rft II— Business Japs are Bur- 
arc ALL I IIII UUi bank, Red June and Wick- 
son. We offer lOO Burbank 3 to 5 feet, one year, for $6.50, or 
__ _ largest size, oneor two-year, for $12: 50 each Red June and 
Wickson, one year, Bargain Size, for $6, or three to five feet, one year, for $9; other prices in propor¬ 
tion. Hale Plum, for testing, three for $1. Our 5c. Japans all sold, other 5c. trees are going fast. 
Better write us if you want Business Trees of any kind, for our prices and stock will meet any honor¬ 
able competition. We 
for your money. That’i 
We give no “ chromos,” have no catchpenny schemes, hut give full value in trees 
lat’s what you want. Fall Catalogue Free. ROGERS NURSERIES, Dansville, N.Y. 
The R. N..Y. i i 
■of September 
18,page 614, says: 
THE HANDSOMEST PLUMS 
we have ever seen 
were sent us by 
Butler & Jewell.” 
A leading Massachusetts Nurseryman in his fall catalogue says: “August 11, 1897,1 visited the 
Japan Plum orchards of Butler & Jewell, Cromwell, Conn., and saw Aoundance, Burbank and 
Chabot trees four years set, then bearing their third crop , perfectly loaded with as fine specimens of 
fruit as I ever saw from any source, and far superior to fruit of the same varieties grown in Cali¬ 
fornia.” The catalogues of several leading nurserymen will be illustrated the coming spring with 
cuts of Japan Plums, grown in our orchards ! 
Yes, we are, as coneeded by our competitors, the pioneers in the culture of JAPAN PLUMS 
in the North and East, and have had more experience with them than all other New England 
Nurserymen combined. Come where the Nurserymen do for trees and information. It is the way to 
know what you are getting , and to get your money's worth. All hardy fruits. Free Wholesale List. 
BUTLER & JEWELL, Cromwell, Conn. 
RARE TREES 
‘ ‘ The Leading New Bug land Nursery.” 
SHRUBS, FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 
Most complete General Collection in America. 3,000 
varieties described in a 200-page (free) Catalogue 
JACOB W. MANNING, Reading, Mass. 
ORNAMENTAL TREES AND SHRUBS, { 
Roses, Bulbs and Hardy Perennials 
In Large Assortment and of Superior Quality. 
Fully believe that we can show more Ornamental Trees and Shrubs, 
and a larger, finer block of Hardy Roses, Hybrid Perpetual Moss and Climbers 
of the leading popular varieties including the famous Crimson Rambler than 
can be seen elsewhere. We have 32 greenhouses, several of them devoted to 
Palms, Cycas, Ficus and Araucaria Excelsa. Personal inspection and corres¬ 
pondence solicited. Catalogue free. 
THE STORRS & HARRISON CO., Box 14 Painesville, O. 
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