1896 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
547 
“Ivy Poisoning.” 
W. O. E., Whitby, Ont.—I had no in¬ 
tention of committing myself to the 
dogmatic assertion that the effect of ivy 
poison will not spread, or that the poison 
itself may not he carried by the hands 
from an exposed part to one that is cov¬ 
ered. I intended merely to give the re¬ 
sults of my own observation, which has 
been that the ivy-inflamed surface is 
strictly limited to the parts exposed, 
stopping abruptly at the line to which the 
clothing reaches. 
Now as a possible solution of this dif¬ 
ference between J. C. Senger and my¬ 
self, let me quote a passage from Prof. 
Van Harlingen’s work on skin diseases : 
“ Eczema is very apt to occur as an 
immediate sequel to Dermatitis venenata, 
but the latter disease does not predis¬ 
pose to eruptions of any kind as a remote 
result of its influence upon the system.” 
By “ Dermatitis venenata” is meant ivy 
poisoning. The inference I desire to 
convey is that what your correspondent 
assumes to he the spread of ivy poison¬ 
ing may, in reality, be an attack of 
eczema brought on by the ivy poisoning 
just as it might be by the application of 
any other irritant. From what he says 
of the good effects of the solution of the 
bicarbonate of soda, I am the more in¬ 
clined to think that this is the case. It 
might reasonably be supposed that the 
same susceptibility of the skin that dis¬ 
posed to an attack of ivy poisoning, may 
also favor the occurrence of an attack 
of eczema on the advent of any exciting 
cause. If this guess of mine be found to 
yield the correct solution of the riddle, 
it may prove a benefit to those like your 
correspondent to know it. They will be 
the better able to treat the trouble cor¬ 
rectly. 
The Humboldt Blackberry. 
A. L. W., Grizzly Flats, Cal. —This 
rare and beautiful berry is a selected 
specimen from the wild blackberry of 
California ; it is a very rampant, vigor¬ 
ous grower, the canes sometimes attain¬ 
ing a length of 20 feet in one season. 
The leaves are very similar to those of 
the Logan-berry. The fruit is jet black, 
about 1)4 inch long and about an inch 
thick, in select specimens. The flavor 
is simply marvelous, being delightfully 
spicy and with a wild-wood aroma. This 
fruit is produced in the greatest abund¬ 
ance, and ripens, at least, a month be¬ 
fore the Early Harvest blackberry. 
With us, it yields its crop of fruit with 
the Ilansell raspberry. A blackberry so 
early as this is destined to be of the 
greatest commercial value, for early 
blackberries always sell well. It grows 
in a trailing, prostrate form, and there¬ 
fore, must be trellised. 
An Experiment with Peas. 
H. J. S., Niagara Falls, Canada.— 
I sowed two rows of peas GO feet long, 
and five feet apart, with tomato vines 
growing between and on each side of 
them. The variety was Burpee’s Earliest 
and Best. Aside from the experimental 
purpose, I purposed to save seed from 
both rows. The conditions of soil and 
time of planting were the same with 
each row. The two rows grew finely, 
and at the time when the first blooms 
appeared, I carefully picked them all off 
from one row, and also the topmost 
growth which contained, in embryo, the 
succeeding blooms. The other row was 
left to go on and perfect its crop without 
interference. The first mentioned row, 
in a short time, sent out branches from 
the axils of the leaves and from near the 
roots which, in time, produced blooms 
and pods. This pruning delayed the 
crop upwards of 10 days. 
Another result of the pruning was an 
increased yield. Upon carefully gath¬ 
ering, and separately thrashing out the 
ripe pods on the two rows, and compar¬ 
ing their several weights, I find that the 
row that grew up in the natural way, 
yielded 4 pounds and 14 ounces of dry 
peas. The row that was pruned, yielded 
seven pounds and four ounces. Here 
was a gain of two pounds and six ounces 
on 60 feet of row, which must be credited 
to the slight labor of picking off the tops 
of the pea vines at the right time. 
Neither is this increase of crop the only 
or the chief value of the experiment. It is 
customary to sow peas at successive 
periods of time, with the object of hav¬ 
ing a continuous supply of fresh peas at 
the right stage of development for the 
table. The care and labor attending this 
practice can, in a measure, be dispensed 
with by adopting this method of prun¬ 
ing. Sow the early peas, and prune half 
of them, and thus more than double the 
length of the period during which fresh 
peas may be picked. 
The cause of the increase in the yield 
of the pruned row is quite manifest. The 
roots of each vine, at its most vigorous 
period of growth, have 10 or more days 
to forage for a supply of nutriment for 
the crop. Hence a larger supply and a 
larger crop. The success of the experi¬ 
ment depends much on its not being in¬ 
terfered with by drought or mildew, or 
any other of the ailments that affect 
garden crops. 
The California Privet. 
Chas. E. Parnell, Queens County, 
N. Y.—In Ruralisms, page 451, I notice 
a few remarks about Ligustrums. The 
California privet (Ligustrum ovalifo- 
lium) is perfectly hardy here, as it has 
not sustained the least injury dui’ing 
the past five winters. Plants growing 
where the ground has been cultivated 
around them, have made a very rank 
growth, and produced no flowers; but 
those growing on the lawn where the 
grass has been permitted to grow up 
and around them are covered with bloom, 
and are alive with bees. All the plants 
referred to were planted at the same 
time, and, with the exception above 
noted, treated exactly alike. The plants 
receiving cultivation are not only as 
large again, but the growth is much 
more vigorous, and the foliage larger 
and of a darker green. A bunch of the 
flowers, composed of 12 sprays or clus¬ 
ters, is now on my table, and their pe¬ 
culiar fragrance is sufficient to fill a 
large room. If the sprays or clusters 
are cut as soon as the first flowers ex¬ 
pand, all will open, and, if cared for, 
the clusters will last for four or five 
days. 
Owing to an accident, my only plant 
of L. Ibota was destroyed last fall, so I 
cannot say anything regarding its hardi¬ 
ness here; but there are some noble 
specimens of it in the grounds of W. D. 
F. Manice, Esq., at Queens, L. I., which 
prove it to be a shrub of great merit for 
growing as single specimens on the 
lawn where dwarf plants are required. 
Where it will survive the winter with¬ 
out receiving any injury, I know of no 
shrub that is as well adapted for orna¬ 
mental hedges as Ligustrum ovalifolium. 
R. N.-Y.—The California privet is 
hardy all along the south side of Long 
Island, where it is freely used for hedges. 
At the Rural Grounds, it is, in three 
winters out of four, more or less killed 
back during the winter. Two of our 23 
seasons there, the plants—about 25 of 
them—were killed to the ground. Ibota 
has not been harmed thus far. 
not to overstock the farm, and would 
plan always to have hay to sell in a year 
when the hay crop was a general fail¬ 
ure. The corn crop for fodder or ensi¬ 
lage has not been a serious failure in 
recent years. Grain and hay have been 
almost a failure several times, but no 
two of the three crops have failed in the 
same year. With only a partial failure 
of one of these crops, while the other 
two yield fairly well, valuable farm 
stock will not have to be sold at a great 
sacrifice through lack of winter keeping. 
This plan is well calculated to guard 
against having suddenly to provide for 
such an emergency as greeted many 
farmers last year, and is now causing 
much anxiety in many localities. Of 
course this plan would not apply where 
corn does not do fairly well. 
The Crimson Rambler. 
M. 0. W., Toledo, Ohio. —I have sev¬ 
eral fine specimens of this new and 
beautiful rose; I have given it every 
opportunity for development, and every 
chance to show off its beautiful quali 
ties, and it has performed its part to 
perfection in all particulars, especially 
in its foliage and its unequaled clusters 
of blossoms. But it is lacking in sev¬ 
eral material points. First, it is not as 
fragrant as a good rose should be ; sec¬ 
ond, it blooms but a few weeks, and 
among the clusters of roses, those that 
come out first, commence dropping the 
petals before the whole cluster is in 
bloom, which I consider a great defect. 
Market Gardeners, Florists, 
PLANTERS, 
SAVE YOUR 
FRUIT 6R0WER8, 
PLANTS FROM 
BUGS AND 
DROUTH . 
BY U8INGTHE 
Stndebaker “Little Gem” 
One Horse Farm, Garden, Flower-Bed <ft Lawn SPRAYER. 
(Capacity 150 gal.,1 in. tires). Most practical device for the 
DISTRIBUTION OF LIQUID MANURE, 
PARIS GREEN OR OTHER LIQUID MATTER, 
ON POTATO VINES, YOUNG TREES. ETC. 
FOR WATERING CELERY PLAN+S. 
Can be readily adjusted to apply the stream directly on 
one or two rows at a time. Will not clog; Easy to operate. 
Flow of water regulated from driver’s seat. SPRAYER 
PUMP hose and nozzle for spraying fruit trees, vines 
and shrubbery furnished at extra cost. Write, mention, 
ing this paper, for illustrated catalogue and price to 
STUDEBAKER BROS. MFG. CO., South Bend, Indiana. 
(Tub Largest Vehicle Makers in the World.) 
all kinds of insects. Gray Mineral Ash. a won¬ 
derful new product, is sure death to all plant- 
destroying pests. It goes three times as far as 
Paris-green or London-purple, and acts In half 
the time. Can’t harm man or beast. To In¬ 
troduce It, will send, free, 5-pound can to at 
least two farmers in each county. 
GRAY MINERAL ASH 
50c. for 5-pound can or 8c. a pound in 10, 30, 30, 
40,50-pound cans. Five pounds make one barrel 
of spray for Held, or two bbls. for garden plants. 
NATIONAL MINING <& MILLING CO., 
5 Hast Lexington Street, Baltimore, Md. 
In writing to advertisers, please always mention 
The rural New-Yorker. 
“SUCCESS” Jr3 
IMPROVED 
POTATO 
A 
DIGGER 
D IGGER 
YOU WANT a digger 
that will please yon. We 
want to put 10,000 samples 
ON TRIAL 
for introduction. 
FREIGHT PAID. 
If your dealer cannot 
show you our improved 
8UCCESS” send at once for particulars. 
D. Y. HALLOCK A. SON, Box805 York, Pa. 
Counter Attractions. 
Some farmers claim that State Fairs have 
degenerated into mere “Agricultural hoss 
trots,” with attendant demoralizing influ¬ 
ences. The P. W. W. F. Co. comes to the 
rescue with a free exhibition of native wild 
animals, such as Deer, Elk, Buffalo, etc .,1 
securely enclosed with the only park fence! 
Send for particulars. 
PAGE WOVEN WIRE FENCE CO., Adrian, Mich; 
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POTATO digger 
I U I ll I w Price Reduced for 1896 
—THE— 
‘HOOVER’ 
lllSItliltllllllltl 
Picket LawnTence 
t » r or 
STEEL 
WEB ' 
A 16-page pamphletfree 
Mention this paper. 
HOOVER, PROUT & CO., Avery, O. 
CermAfC Crate your Produce. Bestbushel- 
rarmers ■ crate made. Hardwood frames, 
lock corners, soft slats. Strongest, neatest, cheap¬ 
est. Weight, 5 lbs. Sample of 10 crates In shook, 
f. o. b. here. $1 with order. 
KELSEY, Mfr., Kasoag, Oswego Co., N. Y. 
high; Poultry, Garden and KaDDit 
Fence'; Steel Wire Fence Board,etc. Catalogue free 
DeKALB FENCE CO.. 17 High St., DeKalb, III. 
For the Farm 
or country place a good 
fence on Anchor Posts is an 
excellent investment. The 
Anchor Posts are made of 
steel, and are used with all 
kinds of wire and woven 
fencing. 
Write for Circular. 
ANCHOR POST CO., 
13 Cortlandt 8t., New York City 
m 
Always Plenty of Hay. 
C. S. Rice, Lewis County, N. Y.—The 
plan that I have advocated and prac¬ 
ticed for years to insure against loss 
through the failure of either the hay, 
corn or grain crop, is as follows: With 
75 acres under cultivation in these crops, 
I would use 40 acres for meadow, 20 for 
small grain, and 15 for corn. I would 
provide plenty of barn room, and when 
the yield of hay was abundant, would 
summer over a part of the crop. In this 
way, much more stock may be kept than 
when hay is almost the only reliance 
for winter feed ; hut I would he careful 
Your Potato Profits 
can be increased by quick, accurate sorting. 
The “Champion” is better in a dozen ways 
than any other potato sorter. Sorts faster 
and easier—on a new principle. Simple, 
practical, durable. Every potato grower 
should send for the book that describes and 
illustrates the 
CHAMPION POTATO SORTER 
It’s mailed free to anyone that writes for it. 
American ltond Machine Co., Kcnnett Square, Pa. 
DON’T POT YOUR PLANTS! 
but use RICHARDS’ TRANSPLANTERS instead, as it is a much 
better and cheaper way. Send postal for circular telling all about it. 
Price of complete set of six Transplanters, one Excavator, and one 
Ejector, $2.50. Extra Transplanters, 20 cents each. Agents Wanted. 
F. RICHARDS, Freeport, N. Y. 
