286 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
April 25 
Seed potatoes about the size of a hen’s egg are used. 
They are placed in the trays, stem ends down, and as 
closely together as possible—only one layer deep. 
Then the trays are put into the rack, and the whole 
thing is left in a warm, light place in a temperature 
of about 60 degrees. It is necessary that the light 
should reach all parts of the rack. The trays are ex¬ 
amined regularly to see whether the buds are develop¬ 
ing uniformly. After six weeks or more of this treat¬ 
ment, the potatoes will appear as at Fig. 95, page 287. 
In planting, the trays ai*e put on a wheelbarrow 
which is pushed along between two rows which are 
planted at one journey. When a tuber has two good 
sprouts, it is cut into two pieces, but generally whole 
tubers are used. 
It is easy for a potato grower to see the advantages 
of such a method. One can make sure that every 
piece will produce a strong plant. These thick, 
heavy sprouts are sure to grow steadily, and develop 
rapidly and, with early varieties, at least two weeks 
in growth can be gained. The rack will save space 
and enable the farmer to sprout the seed for acres 
without having it in the way. 
NOTES ON HORTICULTURAL NOVELTIES. 
No. III. 
The Strawberry-Raspberry ? — Under this very 
taking title, is offered this season, for the first time, 
a truly remarkable raspberry, belonging, probably, to 
the species Rubus sorbifolius. While a few dealers 
attempt to palm it off as a real hybrid between the 
strawberry and raspberry, most of them truthfully 
say that it is a peculiar new raspberry, which, in fact, 
is about all that is known about it. It is of Oriental 
origin and is of a herbaceous character, as the 
canes die off to the ground line in the fall and 
start out vigorously the next spring. The plant 
forms a handsome, bushy tuft two feet or more 
in height, with very attractive, finely-cut foliage, 
which has been compared to that of the rose, but 
which looks much more like that of the double 
wliite-flowered Rubus, occasionally seen in old 
conservatories. The flowers and fruit are borne 
at the tips of the branches, the former being con¬ 
spicuously large and white, and the latter of the 
shape and size of a very moderate strawberry, but 
of a bright carmine-red color. The berries are 
firm and lasting, and certainly very pretty. I 
have tasted only a few ripened under glass, and 
could detect nothing characteristic beyond a 
somewhat sprightly acid; but berries grown 
outside may, possibly, develop a distinct flavor. 
The whole plant, foliage, flower and fruit, is orna¬ 
mental and worthy of being grown in gardens and 
dooryards, whether the berries prove commercially 
valuable or not. Of its hardiness in this part of 
New Jersey (Monmouth County), there can be no 
doubt, as a number of young plants left out in a 
rather bleak place without the slightest protec¬ 
tion, have endured the past severe winter un¬ 
harmed, and are now (April 7), breaking through 
with great vigor. Salmonberries and Childs’s Golden 
Mayberries planted near are badly frozen ; but 
the Logan-berries and Japanese Wineberries are 
also unharmed, but are not yet showing growth. 
I have not yet heard of any genuine hybrids between 
the strawberry and raspberry, except those described 
by Mr. Burbank in his Novelty Catalogue for 1893. 
He says that they have all proved sterile, not one of 
nearly 800 plants producing a berry, though all bloom 
with great profusion. Of course, it is entirely possible 
that fruitful hybrids between these two familiar ber¬ 
ries may be produced, but there is no record of success 
in this line yet. Meanwhile it is unfortunate that 
this distinct and handsome fruit should be hampered 
with an inappropriate popular name on account of a 
superficial resemblance to the strawberry, to which 
it is not allied. The strawberry-raspberry should be 
cultivated on its own merits, even though its berries 
are never seen in the markets. Nothing seems to 
be known of its productiveness under our climatic 
conditions, but the coming season will throw some 
light on this matter. 
Mina Sanguinea. —Although introduced several 
years ago, this very meritorious flowering climber has 
not become well known. A great attempt was made to 
boom a companion species, Mina lobata, by the sensa¬ 
tional catalogues of a few years ago, and much seed was 
sold ; but it did not px-ove a success in our northern 
climate, as it was too late and shy a bloomer to be 
grown as an annual. The Minas belong to the great 
family of Convolvulac®, together with the morning 
glories, “ moonflowers ” and garden Ipomeas. Mina 
sanguinea is hardy enough to be sown in the open 
ground in May, and will begin to bloom in a very few 
weeks after germination. The seed is hard, and should 
be soaked overnight in warm water before sowing. 
The vine is slender, but rapid growing, reaching a 
length of 15 to 25 feet, and throws out a great num¬ 
ber of branches, clothed with bright green, divided 
foliage, resembling miniature oak leaves. The flowers 
are constantly produced in the greatest profusion, in 
lai'ge clusters. They are not large—about an inch 
across—but the color, which is a deep blood-red with 
a yellowish throat, and the fact that they remain 
fully expanded until past noon, even on the brightest 
summer days, render it one of the most useful ard 
pleasing annual climbers ever brought forward. The 
seeds may, of course, be started very early in the 
house, and the vines reach a greater development 
before fall; but the young plants are likely to be 
checked unless the transplanting be done at a favor¬ 
able time. It makes an excellent companion to the 
beautiful and favorite cypress vine, but, on the whole, 
is much superior to that familiar plant, as it is more 
hardy and robust, and the enduring nature of the 
bloom, lasting hours after those of the cypress vine 
have closed, renders it a brilliant object during the 
greater part of the day, while the foliage is almost 
equally beautiful, though of a different character. 
Like all members of the family, the Minas need good, 
rich soil and a sunny place, for their perfect develop¬ 
ment. FAIRFAX. 
GROWING PEAS ON A LARGE SCALE. 
In growing peas on a large scale for market, do the gardeners 
near you use brush or wires to support the vines? Do they use 
commercial fertilizers, and are they considered as good as stable 
manure ? What is considered a good crop ? What varieties are 
best ? What amount of seed is used per acre ? 
No Brush Used; Fertilizers, Varieties, Etc. 
The gardeners hereabouts do not use brush or wires 
to support pea vines, but plant the bush varieties that 
need no holding up. They spread manure broadcast, 
RACK FOR BUDDING SEED POTATOES. Fig. 94. 
and use fertilizers in the row that have a large per 
cent of potash. Two hundred bushels per acre are a 
good crop. Two bushels of seed per acre are used. 
For early, Clipper, Maud S., Wonder, Nott’s Excel¬ 
sior ; for late, McLean’s Advancer and Stratagem, are 
the leading varieties. w. w. rawson. 
Massachusetts. 
There would not be brush enough in all Brushville 
to brush all the peas planted in this vicinity ; five to 
eight or ten acres each are sometimes grown by the 
farmers here. No brush or wires are used. The grow¬ 
ers use commercial fertilizers almost exclusively. 
Peas ai*e sown for early on the very light and thin 
soil to get as quick a crop as possible, as the fix-st mar¬ 
ket is genei’ally the best. No particular brand of 
fertilizer is used, each using that which the most 
eloquent agent can persuade him to purchase. All 
dealers have brands labeled bean, pea, cabbage, 
potato, etc., whether they analyze differently or not. 
The yield is extremely variable ; some farmers tell 
me that 50 bags are a fair yield, from that to 75 a 
lai'ge yield. A bag is supposed to contain two 
bushels, but when they pay 40 cents a bag for pick¬ 
ing, and get 50 to 60 cents in the market, there will 
be a great shortage from that measure. For varieties, 
O'Roui’ke, Alaska, First of All, etc., are sown for 
early. Each seedsman puts his name to a variety, so 
that there are many names for a few varieties. For 
late, Pride of the Max - ket, Champion, McLean’s Ad¬ 
vancer and Yorkshire Hero. Yield is the fh-st ques¬ 
tion, quality only secondai’y, though quality is being 
more considered, particularly as to late varieties. 
The quantity of seed is varied with the kind ; the 
early, i*ound sorts requiring 1 to 1% bushel per acre, 
about 1% being the average; the larger, 1% to 2 
bushels to the acre. 
Since railroads have brought the distant fields from 
the South into competition with us Long Islanders, 
the profits on peas are very indefinite and uncertain. 
Occasionally, a gardener will receive $100 for his load 
and is happy ; often the same week he will return and 
have to borrow money to pay the pickers. The peas 
are picked by men, women and children, and it is no 
uncommon sight to see 20 to 25 pickers in a field with 
10 or 12 baby carriages standing in the shade of some 
tree, and the tots who are too small to pick, caring 
for the smaller ones. When a shower comes, there is 
a scattering. Good pickers can make from $2 to $3.50 
per day, on an average, $3.75 ; so during the picking 
season, all turn out as it is the most profitable work 
to be had. Even the house help will desert, and one 
is left to do her own housework. n. haelock. 
Long Island. 
How It Is Done in South Jersey. 
Peas are grown in this vicinity very largely for the 
Philadelphia and New York markets. No brush or 
wires or anything else is used to hold the vines up. 
They grow up, fall over, and grow up again, and by 
entwining with each other, they support each other 
enough to keep the pods from the ground. The 
truckers here grow from five to twenty acres apiece 
each season, and it would be impossible to put in or 
take out the brush, as the peas are grown either be¬ 
tween other crops, or to precede late cabbage, toma¬ 
toes, corn, or other late stuff. 
Formerly, stable manure was used exclusively. 
Fertilizers have been gradually replacing stable 
manure until, at present, very little manure is used 
for this crop. There are several reasons for this 
change. The fertilizer costs less than the manure. 
The labor of applying it is much less. The time 
consumed in getting in the crop is much less, 
while the yield from fertilizer is nearly as good as 
from manure. The early peas are put in the mo¬ 
ment the ground thaws in February or March, 
and by using a Darnell marker, opening two fur¬ 
rows at a time, and a drill thatsows both fertilizer 
and peas at one operation, a large field can be put 
in in a day; while if a cart had to be used to 
put manure in each row, but little headway 
could be made. The favorite plan at present is 
to use a planter. This machine opens the fur¬ 
rows, sows the fertilizer, mixes it with the soil, 
sows the peas, covers them, smooths the row. 
„ and marks out for the next row, all at one opera¬ 
tion. A great variety of fertilizers is used for 
this crop, and a great many use them with but 
little judgment. Progressive truckers use a brand 
low in nitrogen and high in phosphoric acid and 
potash. The following mixture has given good 
satisfaction : 20 pounds of nitrate of soda, 20 of 
dried blood, 100 of ground bone, 160 of South Caro¬ 
lina acid phosphate, 100 of muriate of potash. 
This analyzes about 2% percent of nitrogen, 11% 
phosphoric acid, and 12% potash. Where the 
peas are planted five feet apart, about 400 pounds 
per acre of this fertilizer are used, and where they 
are planted solid, about 600 pounds. 
A large area of peas here is planted to protect 
other crops. Wherever early tomatoes, citron or egg 
plants are grown, early peas are first sown five or six 
feet apart, and these crops planted between them. 
The peas serve to attract the cutworms, also to protect 
the young tomato and other plants from the high wind 
and driving sand. They are picked early in June, the 
vines plowed under, and the whole ground is then 
occupied by the later crop. For a late crop, the rows 
are made 3% and 4 feet apart, and after picking, the 
vines are plowed under, and a late crop of tomatoes, 
cabbage or sweet corn follows. A plan is now coming 
into practice of following peas with Crimson clover ; 
as the peas are marketed in July, this gives a chance 
of sowing the clover at a time that will insure a 
crop. 
The varieties used here are Cleveland’s First and 
Best, or some other of the small, early varieties for 
the first crop, and for growing between other crops. 
For medium, Blue Imperial was formerly used, but 
this is now being superseded by Long Island Mam¬ 
moth for solid planting, and by Pride of the Market, 
a variety with shorter vines, to plant between field 
corn. These three are wrinkled varieties, and of very 
fine quality. But by far the largest portion of the 
late crop consists of White and Black-eyed Marrow¬ 
fats. These are varieties of great vigor and hardi¬ 
ness, and heavy yielders, and bring nearly as much in 
market as the finer wrinkled varieties. Another ad¬ 
vantage is that the seed costs but $1.50 per bushel, 
while the wrinkled kinds cost from $4 to $5. The 
amount of seed used is about one pint to 120 feet of 
row for the early varieties. When these are planted 
five feet apart, this requires 1% bushel per acre; if 
planted six feet apart, one bushel, four quarts per aci-e. 
The wrinkled varieties ai*e sown at the rate of one 
pint to 100 feet of row, requiring 1.7 bushel at four 
feet apart. Marrowfats are sowed at the rate of one 
