7o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
February 2 
; Ruralisms ; 
A0r£S FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS. 
The Kumquat Again. —Many letters 
are being received inquiring where 
plants of the kumquat may be had. Trees 
suited for pot culture are grown and of¬ 
fered by the Glen St. Mary Nurseries, 
Glen St. Mary, Fla., and J. L. Childs, 
Floral Park, N. Y.; P. J. Berckmans 
Sons, Augusta, Ga., and Reasoner Bros., 
Oneco, Fla. There may be other nur¬ 
series importing or growing this inter¬ 
esting plant, but they have not come to 
our notice. Strong grafted trees are of¬ 
fered at prices ranging from 45 to 75 
cents each, according to age. These 
trees can usually be potted in a seven or 
eight-inch pot, and should bear as soon 
as established. The hardy orange stocks 
on whicn they are grafted have natur¬ 
ally a short annual season of growth, 
and are inclined to remain dormant 
during Winter no matter how warm and 
stimulating the temperature in which 
the plants may be kept. One must not 
be disappointed if the trees break into 
growth very slowly after being potted, 
as new rootlets are first formed. The 
Otaheite orange is now offered in almost 
every plant catalogue at an average of 
25 cents each. J. Y. P., Hudson, N. Y., 
who has been long instrumental in ad¬ 
vocating the Otaheite orange for win¬ 
dow garden purposes, writes that it may 
be readily propagated by anyone, as cut¬ 
tings of firm wood root very readily in 
moist sand. This we have found to be 
measurably correct, as properly-select¬ 
ed cuttings are quite certain to grow, 
but they require a period of eight to 10 
weeks to form roots, and need quite uni¬ 
form conditions of temperature and 
moisture during the interval. The kum¬ 
quat does not propagate readily from 
cuttings, and grafting or budding on 
congenial stocks seem the only practical 
ways to increase it. F. H., Ludlow, Vt., 
writes as follows concerning the likeli¬ 
hood of seedling oranges perpetuating 
the good qualities of their parents; 
You stated recently that seedling oranges 
are usually worthless. This is wrong, as 
seedling oranges are almost always ex¬ 
cellent and many of the old Florida 
groves, before the freeze, were seedlings. 
Mine was set out that way as late as 1884, 
and I only changed it over to get it into 
bearing quicker. See also Thomas’s fruit 
book. . ^ 
The writer has examined many thou¬ 
sands of seedling orange trees in the 
West Indies, Central and South America 
and is free to say that very few pro¬ 
duced any fruits agreeable to the taste. 
Possibly they were about as good as 
their own seed parents, but the same 
may be said of the seedlings of our 
pome and stone fruits. Seeds from se¬ 
lected fruits of choice varieties may give 
rise to as good or better fruits than the 
trees from which they were taken, but 
long experience has shown that the 
fruits of seedling trees vary too widely 
in essential qualities to be of practical 
value, except to the seeker after new 
varieties. The slowness with which 
seedling Citrus and other fruit trees 
come into bearing is perhaps the strong¬ 
est reason for budding or grafting va¬ 
rieties of known excellence on them, as 
the bud or scion will come quickly into 
bearing, being part of a plant of mature 
growth. 
Something About Caenations. —The 
Winter-blooming carnation has come 
to be the most important commercial 
fiower grown in America. While not 
bringing the high prices asked for roses, 
the aggregate number grown and sold 
is astonishingly large, and an immense 
area of glass is used for their produc¬ 
tion. T here are probably more comfort¬ 
able little incomes derived from carna¬ 
tions by careful growers than any other 
strictly ornamental plant. Lately much 
capital has been invested in the produc¬ 
tion of carnation blooms on a large 
scale, and there has been created a 
veritable boom in this dainty plant 
which is called by its admirers the 
“Divine fiower.” A wealthy capitalist 
was reported to have paid $30,000 for a 
striking new variety last year. He 
named it after his wife, Mrs. Thomas W. 
Lawson, and it made a great sensation 
on its first appearance on account of its 
large size and fine deep pink color, but 
has failed to meet the expectations of 
the growers, as it produces too many 
short-stemmed blooms. The sale of an¬ 
other new scarlet variety for $5,000 has 
just been announced. This is supposed 
to be a purely commercial transaction, 
the love of notoriety not being a factor. 
The purchasers are propagators who ex¬ 
pect to make a profit by selling the 
plants. These prices probably represent 
high-water mark, and are doubtless 
much above the intrinsic value of any 
plant novelty. The list of varieties now 
grown is appallingly large, and new ad¬ 
ditions are being made weekly. The 
number of growers who are hybridizing 
and raising seedlings is certainly larger 
than those interested in the breeding 
of all other plants combined. This great 
activity is quite certain to produce re¬ 
sults of permanent value, though the lot 
of most of these expectant originators 
may not prove a happy one, as the real 
improvements are few and failures 
many. The forcing carnation has been 
brought to its present state of compara¬ 
tive perfection within the last 25 years, 
though the type from which they were 
developed originated in France in 1840 
by crossing the early and late-blooming 
varieties then cultivated, producing for 
the first time a constant or everbloom- 
ing class. So many factors go to make 
up a practical forcing carnation now 
that many attractive varieties, each 
possessing distinctive features, are 
quickly discarded because they do not 
meet all requirements. The carnation 
wanted must be not only large and per¬ 
fect in form, pleasing in color and high¬ 
ly fragrant, but must possess a resistant 
calyx which will not easily burst, stiff, 
long stems that carry the blooms grace¬ 
fully erect, and must be an early and 
persistent bloomer, under fair growing 
conditions. Carnations are sold by the 
dozen or hundred, and a constant supply 
is needed. No other fiower so well meets 
the wants of persons of moderate means, 
as they are very lasting as well as beau¬ 
tiful and fragrant. In almost every 
batch of seedlings, even when grown 
from the most highly-developed parents, 
individuals will occur reverting back in 
form and color to the single wild fiesh- 
colored pinks grown by the Greeks 2,000 
years ago and mentioned in writings 
long before the Christian Era. The car¬ 
nations most widely grown at the 
moment seem to be William Scott, pink; 
Daybreak, blush; Flora Hill, white; Ju¬ 
bilee, scarlet and Pingree, yellow, al¬ 
though these standards are rapidly giv¬ 
ing way before the hosts of new varie¬ 
ties pressing for recognition. One or all 
may be superseded by another season. 
The Wintek Rhubarb. —As previous¬ 
ly noted, several clumps of rhubarb were 
placed in each of two cellars on the 
Rural Grounds December 12, to grow or 
force for Winter use. Each lot, con¬ 
sisting of five four-year roots, was cov¬ 
ered with moist soil on the earth fioor, 
in a place where the light is dim. One 
cellar is heated at the point where the 
rhubarb is planted to a fairly constant 
average of 55 degrees; the other is un¬ 
heated and barely escapes frost in se¬ 
vere weather. The clumps showed signs 
of breaking into growth in both cases 
the last of December, and on January 20 
the first stalks were ready for use, hav¬ 
ing reached a length of 14 inches in the 
warm cellar, while the cool lot has made 
but a trifiing advance, being only two 
or three inches high. A plant of Bur¬ 
bank’s new Crimson Winter rhubarb 
planted December 20 in a large pot in 
the greenhouse started at once into 
growth, and now has stems a foot long. 
It is already distinct in appearance from 
the ordinary kinds, but the plant is too 
small yet to develop its full character¬ 
istics. w. V. F. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you wlli get a quick reply and 
"a square deal.” See our guarantee 8th page. 
A DELICATE CHILD 
Let a delicate child take a 
little Scott’s emulsion of cod- 
liver oil after breakfast or 
dinner—not too much—too 
much will upset the stomach. 
Better too little than too much. 
The effect will be slow; it 
ought to be slow. In a week, 
you will see it began the first 
day. Don’t be in a hurry. 
We’ll send you a little to try if you like. 
SCOTT & liOWNE, 4 og Pearl street. New York. 
Banner Root 
Cutters. 
Uneqaalled for cutting all kinds of 
roota and Yegeiables for feedhigtive 
clock. Take out all dirt. Cut fine. 5 
cices, hand and power. Catalog free* 
0. E THOMPSON & SONS, 
Tpsilanti, Kich. 
Largest Root Cutter Makers 
in the world. 
: Sudden and Severe 
attacks of 
Neuralgia 
come to 
many of ua, 
but however 
bad the caa* 
St. 
Jacobs 
Oii 
penetrates 
promptly 
and deeply, 
soothes and 
atrengthena 
the nerves 
and brings 
a sure cure. 
THE IVIIETZ & WEISS 
Kerosene Engines 
Cheapest and Safest 
Power known. For 
Pumping water, grinding 
corn, separating cream, 
sawing wood, and all power 
purposes. Send for Catalog. 
A, MIETZ, 
128 Mott Street, New York 
CHARTER 
Gasoline Engine 
USED 
Any Place 
By Any One 
For Any Purpose 
Stationariea, Portables, Engines 
and Pumps, Poisters 
State your Power Needs. 
Charter Gas Engine Co., Box 26, Sterling, III. 
Designed expressly for Farmers, Thrashers, Well- 
Drillers. Simple, Strong, Durable—Absolutely Safe 
Mention this paper. Manufactured by The Bing¬ 
hamton Gas Engine Co., Binghamton, N. Y 
Buy a Good 
Spray 
Pump 
—d o n ’ t experiment— 
costs money. We have done 
the experimenting—used the 
common spray pumps in our 
own orchards, noted their 
defects — then invented the 
ECLIPSE. You get the bene¬ 
fit of our experience free. 
Send at once for catalogue. 
MORRILL & MORLEY, Benton Harbor, Mich. 
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ 
A PICTURE OF THE 
{Expansive Tree Protector: 
\ .' 
Absolutely prevents all worms and Insects ^ 
from crawling up fruit and shade trees. ♦ 
. For circular, prices, etc., address Y 
EXPANSIVE TKEE PROTECTOR CO,, Z 
KOCHESTEU, N. Y. ♦ 
KOCHESTEU, N. Y. 
(J3f~ Liberal Terms to Agents. Y 
♦♦♦♦YYYYYYYYY4YYYYYYYYYYYYY 
4 
4 
© We are the largest manu¬ 
facturers of Steel Wheels 
and Truck Wagons in the 
World. Write for Catalogue. 
Havana Clll.) Metal Wheel Co. 
Page Fence Wire 
is now made of “Basic, Opep-Hearth Steel." 
PAGE WOVKN UTUE FENCK CO., ADUIAN, MICH. 
HORSE-HIBH! 
... BULL-STRONG ... 
with our Duplex Automatic 
Ball Bearing Woven Wire 
Fence Machine, any farmer 
can make 100 Styles, and from 
SO to TO rods a day 
of the best and most pi actl- 
<!al fence on earth at a cost for 
the Wire to make ft of from 
20 to 30c. per rod 
Wo sell Ornamentjil Fence 
and Gates, Form Fence and 
Gates, Plain, Barbed and 
Coiled Spring Wire 
direct to the rarmerat whole¬ 
sale prices. Catalogue free. 
KITSELMAM BROS. 
Box I>92. Monde, Ind. 
MAPLE evaporators 
Most Durable, Most Economical, Cheapest. 
Syrup Cans and Sap PaUs. 
McLANE-SCHANCK HOW. CO., LinesviHe, Pa. 
Also, Mfrs.of the “Sunlight” Acetylene Gas Machine 
Sent on Trial 
At Factory Price with our complete 
warrant aa to its efficiency, economy 
and durability—no other mills are 
offered on such liberal terms. If 
— — — — ^ they were not the best mills and all 
we claim for them wo could not send them broadcast subjoct to approval. Our 
mills grind auy grain for the homo table as well as feed for stock Learn more 
about them by sending for our free Book on Mills, Established ibol. 
NORDYKE & MARMON CO., 
Best Steel, Best Galvanizing, Fully Guaranteed. 
AMERICAN 
Field & Hog Fence. 
Thousands of farms are fenced with it every 
season—Selling more all the time. 
The Strong Fence. 
Costa little, but lasts practically forever. 
15,000 agents are selling it. There should be 
an agent in your town. See him. If no agent 
Stays 12 inches or 6 Inches apart write to the makers. 
AMERICAN STEEL & WIRE CO., Chicago or New York. 
i 
i 
* 
* 
i 
i 
i 
IHCHESTE 
FlDTOnr LOADED SHOTGUN SHOtS 
“NeyfRival, " Leader,''amt “Repeater " 
Insist upon having them, take no others and you will get the best shells that money can buy, 
ALL DEALERS KEEP THEM. 
