674 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
October 10 
A New Crab Applk. —We have re¬ 
ceived from Mr. C. C. Gray, of Lester- 
shire, Broome Co., N. Y., a half dozen 
crab apples, one of which is shown at 
Fig. 214, which are as odd and pretty as 
any crabs we have ever seen and of 
decidedly better quality. Mr. Gray tells 
us that he raised them from seed of the 
Northern Spy. He studied all the new 
apples at the Chicago Fair, and found 
none to equal these in quality. Many 
good judges who have eaten the apple 
agree with this opinion. These little 
beauties are marked much like the 
Northern Spy, being striped with bright 
and dark red upon a yellow ground. 
The flesh is yellowish, very fine-grained, 
almost melting, sub-acid and, as the 
writer thinks, of higher quality than its 
parent. We should be very glad to have 
a tree of this to set out in the Rural 
Grounds. 
Mr. Gray has, among many seedlings 
which he is raising, one that bears 
apples of a blood red color all the way 
through. lie says that the apple sauce 
made from them closely resembles 
cranberry sauce in color. 
Remarkable Behavior of Potatoes. 
—Side by side, in a garden soil made 
uniform by spading and manuring for 
many years, were planted, in early 
spring, from one to six hills of several 
kinds of potatoes which have originated 
at the Rural Grounds. Let us first write 
of a new kind which will, probably, be 
introduced by a leading firm next spring. 
It is not, as yet, named. It is a seedling 
of the R. N.-Y. No. 2, and so closely re¬ 
sembles it that only by a comparison of 
the habit of the vines, the time of dying, 
the yield and the quality, is it possible 
to tell one from the other. The new¬ 
comer, in shape, differs from the R. N.- 
Y. No. 2 only in being more uniformly 
of the same form, and in yielding sub¬ 
stantially no small tubers. The vines 
die from four to six days later. The 
habit is much the same, the flowers 
purple and white, the stems streaked 
with purple. The color of the skin and 
of the flesh is the same. But the quality 
is better and the yield, judging from 
two seasons’ trial, greater. Here is a 
comparison of yields of the present 
season : 
One hill of the seedling of the No. 2 
yielded 15 tubers, all of which were of 
marketable size. In form, every one 
was similar to every other one. The 15 
tubers weighed precisely 4% pounds. 
Now, as the potatoes were planted one 
foot by three feet apart, this would give 
the yield per acre, assuming that all 
hills yielded the same — an absurd 
assumption, of course—1,149 bushels. 
We hope to present a tuber of this new¬ 
comer to all of our subscribers who apply 
before next spring. But we cannot say 
positively as yet. 
Next to this hill of the seedling of the 
R. N.-Y. No. 2, was a hill of the R. N.-Y. 
No. 2. It yielded eight tubers, all of 
fine shape and of marketable size, which 
weighed 2% pounds. This would be at 
the rate of 665 bushels to the acre. 
In another row, Carman No. 1 yielded 
eight marketable and seven small tubers, 
weighing 4% pounds. This would be at 
the rate of 1,028.50 bushels to the acre. 
The shape was variable, however, and 
undesirable. 
One hill of Carman No. 3 yielded 6% 
pounds, of which 18 were large and 7 
small. These, too, were unshapely. 
This would be at the rate of 1,573 
bushels to the acre. We have not before 
seen the Carman No. 3 so variable in 
shape. We w r ould not have recognized 
them. These yields were witnessed by 
two persons, one of them a leading New 
York seedsman, whose name we would 
give if so required to do. 
A Remarkable Change. —We have 
told the story of our early hopes for the 
Carman Peachblow ; how, in our own 
grounds, the skin was corky, the quality 
superb, the yield heavy. The firm in¬ 
tending to introduce them this year, 
engaged a well-known potato grower to 
propagate them. lie did so, but re¬ 
ported that the skin was perfectly 
smooth, the shape bad, and the quality 
low. From this very stock, we again 
planted a hill last spring. Dug Septem¬ 
ber 21, the yield was 14 tubers (only one 
of which was small), weighing seven 
pounds. This would be at the rate of 
1,694 bushels to the acre. The fibers had 
the original corky skin and were of the 
original superb quality. We have never 
eaten better potatoes. So said every 
member of the family. 
Many of our readers may remember 
our report that a single hill of a seed¬ 
ling of the R. N.-Y. No. 2, the first year, 
yielded 157 small tubers. Naturally, we 
selected the best, and planted them last 
year, a report of which was placed be¬ 
fore our readers last fall. The best 
tubers were again saved and plant¬ 
ed last spring. We dug them Sep¬ 
tember 21. There were 12 hills, yhe 
yield was 100 bushels per acre. They 
were all small and Jew in the hill. We 
have shown, by careful trials, that gen¬ 
erally the thriftiest vines will give the 
heaviest yield of tubers. The vines of 
this seedling of the R. N.-Y. No. 2 were 
fully six feet long—as long as any we 
have ever raised. Yet the yield was 
only about 100 bushels to the acre. 
We have dug the best of our new seed¬ 
ling potatoes, and with the exceptions 
above noted, the yield was small. Among 
them, were many seedlings of the Car¬ 
man No. 1 and R. N.-Y. No. 2. All were 
raised in the same garden plot, and all 
were treated the same. 
Well, the writer, as his old acquaint¬ 
ances and readers know, has given a deal 
of time to potato culture dyring the past 
20 years. He has arrived at one 'positive 
conviction. It is that he does not know 
much about what causes these variations 
in yield, the variations in shape, the 
changes in quality. 
Judge Samuel Miller, of Missouri, 
regards the Timbrell and Parker Earle 
as the best varieties of strawberries.... 
On September 19, Mr. M. J. Persing, of 
Clyde, O., expressed us a small box of 
a seedling peach which was received by 
Ruralisms September 23. We are told 
that the tree “ came up three years ago 
last spring, along his garden fence 
among some rose bushes, a couple of 
other peach trees, and a cherry tree.” 
Although crowded in this way, it has 
outgrown the others, a good example of 
the survival of the fittest. The fruit 
sent to us was picked September 16. 
after 2)4 pecks had been taken from the 
tree. “ leaving nearly two pecks still on 
the tree.” Several branches had broken 
under the weight of the fruit, though 
the peach crop is a failure in Mr. Per- 
sing’s section of the country. Some of 
the peaches measured eight inches in 
circumference, and the quality, it is 
judged, is superior to that of Elberta, 
which has been largely planted there¬ 
abouts. The flesh is of a deep yellow 
color, the pit of medium size and quite 
free. The skin is tough, down short, 
cavity medium, regular and deep ; stem 
short, suture shallow. Mr. Persing fan¬ 
cies that this seedling is destined to 
take the place of the Smock. Leaves 
sent with the peaches are, at least, six 
inches long. The peaches were over¬ 
ripe, so that we could not fairly judge 
of the quality... 
Suppose we plant a seed of a potato— 
the seed from the ball or fruit. Suppose 
we get 10, 20, or 50 little potatoes from 
this one seed. Suppose we plant every 
one of these little tubers in separate 
hills; will the different hills produce the 
same potato that the parent—the first 
hill—produced ? We doubt it. We have 
insisted that a new variety be started 
from one tuber. We must not plant all 
the tubers from the parent seedling hill 
—else, as we insist, we shall have tubers 
in the introduced variety of many differ¬ 
ent shapes. Fof example: The R. N.- 
Y. No. 2 was started from one tuber. 
It is known that R. N.-Y. No. 2 potatoes 
are of fairly uniform shape. So it is 
with Carman No. 3, though less so with 
the No. 1. Why is this ? 
Take the Freeman. There are many 
of a perfect shape. There are others of 
all sorts of shapes. Is this because the 
Freeman was started from all of the 
tubers of the.first seed planting? Can 
we change the shape of a given variety 
by planting tubers of a certain shape ? 
That is what Ruralisms has been work¬ 
ing at for several years. Our latest 
essay is, perhaps, the best. Three years 
ago, one of our seedlings gave tubers 
which were, for the most part, distinctly 
pear shape; let us say—obovate-pyri- 
form. The most decidedly pear-shape 
tubers were selected for the next sea¬ 
son, last year. We were surprised to 
find nearly every tuber of a pear shape. 
We selected the most typical pear-shaped 
tubers to plant last spring. What is the 
result ? Not one in ten is like the parent 
tubers. They are of many shapes. Why 
is this? Again, we have selected the 
pear-shaped tubers for planting next 
year. Who can tell ; who can reason 
ably conjecture what the shape will be 
next year ? Can we change the shape of 
potatoes of a given variety by selection 
of seed potatoes ? Who knows ? 
In writing to advertisers, please always mention 
The Rural New-Yorker. 
Look 
Sharply to the condition of your health at this 
season, for peculiar perils assail the system. 
Hood’s 
Sarsaparilla 
Makes rich red blood ; keeps the body healthy. 
Hood’s Pills 
are the only pills to take 
with Hood’s Sarsaparilla. 
GRAPEVINES 
■ !■ Small Fruits. 
AH old and new varieties Extra quality. Warranted 
true. Loir**/ rairji Descriptive Catalogue Free 
T. S. HUBBARD (JO., K'RKDOMA, N. X. 
CRIMSON CLOVER 
We are headquarters for Recleaned Seed, 
10c. per lb. to $3.50 per bush.; $5.50 per 100 
lbs. Sow 15 lbs. to an acre. Circulars free. 
HENRY A OREER (Inc), Seedsmen, 
No. 714 Chestnut Street. Philadelphia, Pa. 
REID’S Fruit 
Specialties. 
Save one=haIf 
by buying di¬ 
rect from head¬ 
quarters. All the best and 
leading varieties, newand 
old. Fruit Trees, Small 
Fruits, Roses,Vines,Orna¬ 
mental Shrubs,Crates and 
Baskets. Handsome illus¬ 
trated catalog describes 
them all. Mailed 
free. Write for it. 
REID’S 
NURSERIES, | 
Bridgeport, 
Ohio. 
LORENTZ 
PEACH. 
TIMBRELL 
STRAWBERRY. 
ELDORADO 
BLACKBERRY. . 
000000000000000039 ! 
Summer and Autumn Catalogue 
of POT-GROWN and layer STRAW- 
BKURY PLANTS. CZ3 
FRUIT TREKS, Plants, Vines, etc., 
mailed free on application. 
T. J. DWYER I Nurseries, Cornwall. N.Y. 
DON'T FAIL to submit a list of your 
Wants and get our Prices before placing your 
order for any kind of Nursery Stock. Apples , 
Pear, Cherry, Plum, Quince, Grape, Small 
Fruits, Ornamentals, Currant Cuttings of the 
very best quality, in surplus, on which surpris¬ 
ingly low prices will be given on application. 
GREEN'S NURSERY CO., 
{Catalogue free.) Rochester, N. Y. 
TREES AND PLANTS Varieties. 
Blackberries, Strawberries. 
miller uAQDDCDDItC the great 
LOUDON nMoi DC II n I CO Market Reds. 
Triumph Peach, Wickson Plum. Our citalogue. free, 
will save you money. MYKU & SON, Bridgeville, Del. 
GLOUDON RASPBERRIES. ...aOc.l 
G MILLER RASPBERRIES.75c. I By Mall, all 
G ERIE BLACKBERRIES.50c. ] for 
6 NORTH STAR CURRANTS... 50c #1.00. 
3 PRES. WILDER CURRANTS .75c. J 
T O. KEVITT, - - ATHENIA, N. J. 
PoQph Trone _FDLL assortment. Apply to 
ICuoll llbCO R. 8 . JOHNSTON, Stockley, Del. 
TREES AND PLANTS. 
Full assortment of PEAOTT TREES, soecial prices. 
Large stock CALIFORNIA PRIVET. NORWAY and 
SILVER MAPLE. 
N. F. BROOKS, Lakewood, N .J. 
Dutch 
Bulbs 
Easter Lily 
and Seeds for 
Fall Planting. 
Bulbs— Chinese 
Sacred Lily Bulbs. prices. 
JOHNSON & STOKES, Philadelphia. 
W > MW f »»ft n wm v m » m w r »t»w 
S KFl> WHEAT—Grown from hand-assorted seed 
Eight, leading varieties of the world; selected by 
careful test. Send for circular of great value to 
every wheat-raiser. M. SAGER, Orangeville. Pa. 
PDIIICnftl PI nUEn-T^ 1 ™* handler 
UniRIOlin ULUVbfll of American-grown 
Crimson Clover Seed In the United States, is JOSEPH 
E. HOLLAND, Grower and Jobber. Milford, Del. 
Also. Cow Peas. Winter Oats. Timothy 8 eed. etc. 
OIUVCIo 
_ ___ TIMOTHY, &c.[ 
j WE BUY—Send samples for our bids. CD CC i 
)WE SELL — Every Quality. Samples rliuL.f' 
THE WHITNEY-NOYES SEED CO.f 
J Specialists in 
Seed-Cleaning. 
TREES FOR SALE. 
PEACH, in car-load lots, or by the thousand, for fall or spring. All FRUIT TREES, 
STRAWBERRY PLANTS, ASPARAGUS ROOTS, and Small Fruits, in large or small lots. 
catalogue Free. poGERS NURSERY COMPANY, Moorestown, N. J. 
t 
TRIUMPH 
The only Yellow Freestone PEACH 
Ripening with Amsden. 
▼e 
The Latest and Largest 
Yellow Freestone PEACH, 
EMPEROR 
MERCER { 
The only Sure-Bearing, 
Non-RottingCHERKY. 
For full descriptions send for Catalogue UOo.) We will send our Beautifully IUus. Catalogue with 
the Col’d Plates of the 3 Wonderful New Fruits, and 1 Kmperor Peach June Bud by 
mail, postpaid,for 10c. JOS.H. BLACK,SON A CO., Village Nurseries, UigtiU>tono,N. J. 
ECONOMY 
IS THE SECRET OF SUCCESSFUL COMPETITION. 
Every successful Business Farmer has found it out. Tne popular prices 
Of ROGERS FRESH-DUG DANSV1LLE TREES in our little buOk for 
Business Farmers aDd Fruit Growers, is the result of BUSINESS ECONOMY, ana being right here where 
our trees are growing, tilling orders from the nursery row, no loss to us, no loss to you. Send for our little 
book (IT’S FREE). Compare carefully the sizes of the graues and the prices, and you will And the truest 
economy in placing your otder with the 
ROGERS NURSERIES, DANSVILEE, N. Y. 
