22 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
January 12 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS. 
Gkeeniiouse Experience. —Early in 
1894 it became necessary to build a small 
greenhouse on the new Rural Grounds, 
then being arranged for experimental 
purposes. We found a space 16 feet bj 
24 feet at the southern side of the dwell¬ 
ing house, built on the highest point of 
the plot, the only location available 
without going to the level at the foot of 
the slope, several hundred feet away. It 
is not a good idea in general to attach 
a greenhouse for the propagation and 
development of plants to a dwelling, on 
account of the disagreeable necessity for 
using such insecticides as tobacco or the 
dangerous fumes from carbon bisulphide 
and hydrocyanic gas, but there was lit¬ 
tle choice in this case. A conservatory, 
in which plants developed in other 
buildings are exhibited during their 
period of perfection, is not open to the 
same objections. The problem was to 
get the most utility out of the space and 
conditions at our disposal and, though 
the writer was not without experience 
in commercial glasshouse work, he 
found it a rather complicated one. The 
years that have passed since the struc¬ 
ture was erected have developed its de¬ 
fects and advantages and, as the con¬ 
struction of small and economical green¬ 
houses is far from being on a settled 
basis, it may be of interest to sum up 
conclusions as to its main features. The 
plan adopted was the ordinary three- 
quarter span, with the long slope to the 
south. It is usually advised to run 
houses of this character due east and 
west, in order to secure the greatest 
amount of sunlight, but the position of 
the dwelling necessitated a range 30 de¬ 
grees north of east and south of west. 
This turns out to be an ideal aspect for 
the latitude of New York, as tne benches 
are flooded with sunlight all day when 
the sun is at its lowest declination in 
midwinter, but as the days grow longer 
more and more shade is cast by the 
house cn the north until in midsummer 
the northern benches are shaded by 2 
P. M. This is a great advantage in car¬ 
rying over plants sensitive to glaring 
sunlight, as it obviates the need of shad¬ 
ing the glass during Summer, always an 
unsightly procedure. If ouilding again 
we would adopt this aspect if at all pos¬ 
sible, but its advantages would not be 
so marked without the tall dwelling on 
the north. The design of the house, and 
all the essential woodwork for the same, 
were furnished by a western Arm mak¬ 
ing a specialty of greenhouse construc¬ 
tion, good southern cypress being used. 
This is by far the most satisfactory way 
of getting the material, as local mills 
and carpenters, even if really expert in 
house-building invariably make a botch 
of gi’eenhouse or conservatory work, and 
the usual result is a cumbrous, dark and 
in many cases short-lived structure. It 
is not generally known that commercial 
glasshouse owners either build them¬ 
selves by supervising unskilled labor, oi 
contract with regular construction Arms 
rather than employ carpenters. In our 
case the material being all worked out 
at the factory the actual erection was a 
simple matter. 
It was deemed essential in planning 
an experimental greenhouse for the pur¬ 
pose of breeding plants to secure the 
highest possible percentage of light, and 
glass 16 inches wide was selected and 
butted together, a special sash-bar and 
cap being used for the purpose, entirely 
dispensing with the need of putty. This 
is a very simple and rapid way of glaz- 
$5 Send us a club of four subscrip¬ 
tions with $4, and we will advance 
your own subscription one year 
$4 free—the five subscriptions for $4. 
ing a house, but necessitates the use of 
the nighest grade of glass, as the cheap¬ 
er qualities are not cut with sufficient 
accuracy to make close joints. We like 
the plan in every way, although it has 
not grown in favor lately. Rather than 
pay the high price now demanded foi 
flrst-quality glass we would use a cheap¬ 
er grade and put it in by the usual lap 
system. In 1894 glass could be bought 
for less than half the price now demand¬ 
ed by the trust. According to advice 
received at the time we laid the glass 
on the bare sash bars, and covered with 
the cap, screwing down at every pane. 
While this made an admirably light and 
dry roof the wind, during southern 
gales, would find its way around the 
edges of the glass in considerable vol¬ 
ume. To prevent this we have since 
placed a strip of candlewick, soaked in 
linseed oil, under the caps at each edge 
of the glass. On screwing the cap in 
place the oil is forced into all slight 
vacancies, where it hardens, thus mak¬ 
ing an airtight and waterproof joint. 
This plan is quite generally adopted 
now, when the glass is first laid. We 
decided to use the hot-water system for 
heating and see no reason to regret it. 
The water first goes through the dwell¬ 
ing, and returns under the greenhouse 
benches. Against the advice of the con¬ 
tractor who put in the plant, we insist¬ 
ed on using two-inch pipes, one line of 
six pipes being required under the front 
bench. This works well, but we are now 
inclined to think three four-inch pipes 
instead would give out a more uniform 
heat, and prove more durable. On the 
whole, this little glasshouse has given 
great satisfaction, and very slight 
changes would be made in case a need 
for rebuilding should occur. 
A Long Wait. —Eight years ago some 
crosses were made between the familiar 
Paper White forcing variety of Polyan¬ 
thus Narcissus and the large Chinese 
form sold as Joss flower or Chinese Sa¬ 
cred lily, which is also a variety of the 
same species. Narcissus Tazetta. The 
resulting bulblets have been since grow¬ 
ing either in frames or pots, and two 
have now developed good blooms. The 
flowers are large and closely resemble 
Paper White in purity of color and gen¬ 
eral make-up, while the foliage and vig¬ 
orous manner of growth approaches the 
Joss flower. Just what these hybrids 
will develop into when the bulbs reach 
full strength is a question that time 
alone will show, but the outlook is quite 
promising. The slow growth of Nar¬ 
cissus seedlings is trying to an impatient 
gardener, as the increase in size and 
strength of the seedling for several years 
is very trifling. There is a great re¬ 
newal of interest in these sweet and 
graceful flowers abroad, and some of the 
newer hybrids have sold for remarkable 
prices. The Joss flower is a very strong¬ 
growing variety of the Polyanthus Nar¬ 
cissus which the Chinese claim to have 
cultivated from the most remote times 
for the decoration of their temples or 
joss house's, and their own dwellings. 
They always try to bring them into 
bloom at the opening of their new year, 
in our month of February. It is not 
known to the Holland bulb trade, which 
practically disseminates all other varie¬ 
ties of the Narcissus. It has become 
very familiar here of late years, and al¬ 
most everyone knows how to bloom the 
immense imported bulbs in bowls oi 
water containing enough pebbles to stay 
the roots. As a matter of course the 
Joss flower grows and blooms better in 
soil than in water, just as any other 
bulb or plant, for the reason that the 
roots are enabled to draw nourishment 
as well as moisture from the soil, and 
sustain the growth in a natural man 
ner. The color of the bloom is general¬ 
ly white or pale yellow, with a yellow 
cup. The new hybrids are pure white. 
w. V. F. 
Arrangements are being made for the 
shipment of mangoes and other tropical 
fruits from Bombay to Great Britain. 
They will be taken in cold storage by some 
of the steamers now engaged in the Aus¬ 
tralian butter and meat trade, and a good 
market seems assured. 
Propagating Hardy Climbing Roses. 
How shall I propagate Prairie Queen 
and Crimson Rambler roses? I have tried 
to root layers, but failed, and have taken 
some hai'd-wood cuttings, which I have 
bedded in sand in the cellar. How can I 
root them? reader. 
Roses of the type of the varieties 
named do not readily form layers, or 
root from hard cuttings grown in the 
open air. If the layers are well nicked 
on the lower side of the bend, and buried 
deeply in moist soil, which is to be 
firmly packed, they will often root by 
the end of second Summer, if not be¬ 
fore. Hardy climbing roses are otten 
budded on Manetti and wild briar stocks, 
and occasionally grafted on the same. 
Budding is done in the same manner as 
with peach and other truit trees, in 
August or early September, the bud re¬ 
maining dormant until the next Spring. 
By far the greater number of roses are 
propagated from cuttings of young wood 
grown under glass and rooted in pure 
sand in a propagating house kept at an 
average of 65 degrees. Ihe sand is 
packed very firmly about the cuttings, 
and kept quite moist. The above 
varieties of roses root very readily under 
such conditions. The hard cuttings you 
have now had better be buried upside 
down in the earth outside, covering witu 
six or eight inches of clean sand, if pro¬ 
curable. In the Spring plant them in a 
trench, packing the soil firmly about the 
bases. Leave only one or two buds 
above ground. Hard rose-cuttings are 
sometimes rooted in a mild hotbed, but 
this method is very uncertain in inex¬ 
perienced hands. 
About three years ago you sent me a root 
of the Carman grape; it had a line crop 
this year. To my mind it is a superior 
giape. The first time it bore (a year ago) 
1 was very much disappointed in the fruit, 
and had a mind to dig ii up; now I would 
not part with it. h. c. d. 
Ohio. 
Several yeai’s ago the Hessian fly got in 
our wheat in the Fall so badly that it 
nearly ruined the crop. One man saved 
his wheat by turning his sheep in his wheat 
in the Spring. He got rid of the fly, and 
had a big crop of wheat, but considerably 
later than it otherwise would have been. 
Another man told me he killed the fly on a 
sandy knoll by a heavy application of salt. 
Clarence, N. Y. h. j. e. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R N.-Y. and you will get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.” See our guarantee 8tn page. 
SAVE F 
^ Wby supplyinpr your cattle 
and ho^ with warm wat¬ 
er. Feed is just so much fuel to 
the animal economy. It takes lots 
of extra feed to take the chill off 
of the cold water animals drink. 
The Goshen 
Tank 
Heater 
excels in Ihefollowlng points: 
Heavy galvanized steel sides, 
cast iron top and bottom—base 
cast to sides, double riveted 
and asbestos packed, perfect 
draft and ashes can be re¬ 
moved without disturbing 
the Ore and without remov¬ 
ing the fire pot. Burns soft 
coal, wood or cobs, and takes 
but a small amount of fuel. 
We make also the famous 
eOSHEH STEEL TANKS this heater when §Mlred. 
We stake our reputation on this heater pleasing 
you. Write us for circulars and prices. 
KELLY FOUNDRY & MACH. CO. 
S7 Purl Street, Goshen. Ind. 
TRY IT FIRST 
Do not buy .n mill and pay for ir 
1 until you have hud a chance to try 
it. We send our qi'.VKER CITY 
GKl.MUXG MILLS on trial to 
be returned if not entirely satis¬ 
factory. Note the double hopper- 
crushes and grinds ear corn and 
•smal I grain at the same time. Send 
for 32nd annual free catalogO-7 
A. W. STRAITI * CO . -IIS" Kilberl Street. Philadelphia, Pa. 
Tlie A. >V. STilAl’B CO., Canal and Randolph Sls.,ChieaKn. III. 
Also tVectern Afp nte for ‘-Smalley” Powers, Shellera, Cutlers, etc. 
We are the largest manu¬ 
facturers of Steel Wheels 
and Truck Wagons in the 
World. Write for Catalogue. 
Havana dll.) Metal Wheel Co. 
~r~T~r' 
r* ■ 
—- — 1---r T T 7 
[PAGEl 
PAGE FENCE IS ELASTIC, 
80 don’t staple only the two top and one bottom wires 
L. B. Robertson, Receiver, 
PA(JE WGVE.N WIRE FENCE CO., A »RI A.N, -MICH. 
Others Are, Why Not You ? 
Thousands of farmers now selling the FROST 
FENCE. It will not interfere with your regular farm 
work, and will Increase your protlts. Write for full 
particulars and catalogue. 
THE FROST WIRE FENCE CO., Cleveland, O. 
F #litmE.ii '9 ruiiviB. 
The h- diest thing a man can have on 
hi* farm. With our ball bearing forge 1 
you can make all your repairs and save time 
and blacksmith bills. We pay the freight] 
and give a combined anvil and vise CDE 
Send at once for free catalogue. rllC...^ ivm 
Forem sold last year In every state In the Union. 
O. B. llariier Mfg. Co., Box 2ie,MarBhaUtowii,lowa. 
Iron Age 
Wonder 
Workers 
So. it 
Iron 
t'oinbinoil 
1 iTlUlier 
UUlribut^r, 
lliti and 
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Repeating Rifles 
repeat. They don’t jam. catch, or fail to extract. In a 
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y\finchester Ammunition 
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pppp .Send Name and Address on a Postal 
* KiK-Li fyp „,jj. i64.page Illustrated Catalogue. 
WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO., New Haven, Conn. 
