1905. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
167 
NOTES ON TREE FRUIT IN ILLINOIS. 
I give here a few notes on fruits for the 
year 1904. The Spring was abnormally cold, 
and most fruits were nearly a week later 
than usual in putting forth foliage and bloom. 
This year's record of dates of bloom contirms 
that of former years in most cases, and I 
now think it safe to say that there are nearly 
two weeks difference between the flush of 
inflorescence of the earlier blooming kinds 
and that of the latest. For instance, Long- 
field, Stanard, Sweet Russet, etc., are given 
the date of May 6, Ralls, its child, Wythe, 
and Neverbloom at May 16; while Calville 
Rouge Precoce and Broadleaf Hereford—the 
latter an English “bitter sweet”—are still 
a couple of days later coming into full bloom. 
Only about half this difference appears in 
pears, while with plums we may date such 
varieties as Berckmans and the Japan type at 
May 1, and the very late Golden Beauty at 
May 9. The variation in cherries may take 
on even a still smaller range. It is evident 
that an exceptionally warm spell in late 
April, followed by two or three weeks of 
cold, may extend the blooming period, and 
vice versa. In some varieties the bloom, if 
the weather is warm, comes out suddenly and 
evenly, hastens to the end, and is gone. Other 
kinds seem constitutionally disposed to bloom 
first on the older wood below, and later on 
to push from the most vigorous wood of 
the previous season's growth : buds that evi¬ 
dently formed much later in the Summer than 
the first. It also seems that the bloom in 
an old orchard is a day or two earlier than 
that of one just coming into bearing, but 
this may be in part because of the better 
cultivation usually given the latter. Yet as 
a rule I would say. the more vigorous the 
growth of a variety in late Summer the more 
chance for adventitious fruit buds. 
Among all the varieties that have been 
lately introduced with flying banners, per¬ 
haps none is more unworthy, in a locality 
where blight prevails, than Bismarck. I 
received this variety • 11 years ago from 
England, although its origin is said to be 
Australia or New Zealand. I have propagated 
it two or three times to save the variety, and 
have never seen a blossom pass the blighting 
season without withering, nor have I seen 
a tree in which half of the new growth and 
part of the old did not perish from blight 
each year. This is a bad record. Several 
years ago a new (?) variety, called the Dela¬ 
ware Red Winter, came to us from the East. 
As mine proved to be the showy but worth¬ 
less old Lawyer, and as others report in the 
same way, I wish to ask if anyone has had 
a different experience. This is pertinent, for 
I notice that it is still claimed to be a new 
and superior variety. Paynes Keeper—'a 
western apple—has not yet fruited here, but 
I have had samples of the fruit, and I should 
think it quite promising as a sweet Winter 
apple. It. is above medium in size, fine red 
in color, regular in shape, fair in quality, 
and evidently keeps well—February or later. 
Among the most productive apples I have 
seen is Lord Grosvenor, a large English cook¬ 
ing anple. But there is some blight, and it 
should be worked on some stock to increase 
vigor in growth if possible, or at least the 
fruit should be thinned to prevent detriment 
to the tree. The fruit is large and ribbed, 
the color is greenish, and the acid is quite 
sharp. It is only for cooking, and may be 
used all through August, as it keeps well for 
an early apple. Transparent Zoar (de¬ 
scribed by Downing) is not a variety that is 
much planted, and it fruited here this year 
bountifully on a young, healthy, vigorous, 
shapely tree, for the first time. The fruit is 
rather large, quite smooth, in color a clear 
yellowish white, slightly blushed with scar¬ 
let—a beautiful apple. The flesh is fine, ten¬ 
der and juicy, with a rather rich subacid and 
“very good” flavor. The season is October 
here! Dudley, or Late Duchess, will probably 
be among the best market cooking apples for 
September. It is even a little larger and 
showier than the popular Oldenburg, but at. 
its season (September) there are more vari¬ 
eties to fill the cooking apple demand than 
at the time when Oldenburg matures. It is 
rather free from blight here so far. 
Among the crabs—ornamental and cider 
—that have lately been introduced from 
France by the Department at Washington, is 
a curious little ornamental one—the Cceru- 
lescens. It fruits in clusters, has a very 
long stem, and bears profusely. The fruit 
is of the size of a large cranberry, oblong, 
cylindrical, ribbed, flattened at ends. In color 
it is a deep red with small distinct light 
specks. The flesh is deep yellow, tough, me¬ 
dium. juicy, piquant, to some astringent, with 
something like a thorn-apple flavor. Of course 
it is an ornamental crab, but possible there 
may be some use for it in pickles, preserves, 
or jellies. September seems its season. A 
larger crab from same source as above is 
Atropurpurea; just as showy, and both are 
worthy of a place on the lawn, at least. But 
little blight so far. 
Clark, probably the Clark’s Prolific of 
Downing’s Second Appendix, seems about the 
best in quality of any apple (new to me) 
that I have tasted during the past season. 
The tree is vigorous, but there is some blight. 
The fruit is of medium size and smooth. In 
color it - is yellowish, with a scarlet blush. 
Flesh very white, silky, fine, juicy and very 
tender; slightly grainy near core. Flavor, 
spicy, rich, delicate, mild subacid. T see no 
reason why it should not be added to the 
short list of “best” apples. Season, middle 
November. Whinery Red promises to be a 
good late Winter market apple. The tree is 
low and spreading, and shows but little 
blight. In quality the fruit is only medium, 
but the anple is of good size, showy, and 
keeps until Spring; it also promises to be 
productive. 
Notes on Persimmons. 
Glenwood. from Tennessee, is the largest 
seedless persimmon I have found, but 
it lacks in quality: not astringent, but 
lacking in richness and juice, or rather pasty. 
It is of block.v shape and fully as large as 
Early Golden. In season it is late or about 
December. Fairy, from same source, is much 
better in quality, but entirely too small. It 
is also seedless. Little’s Ruby, from Indiana, 
is under some conditions the best in quality 
of any I have fruited. Its season is Novem¬ 
ber. and it is quite productive. The fruit is 
of about medium size; oblate in shape, with 
an under color of orange yellow blushed with 
a nice red. The texture is soft but not 
mushy. Seldom may a persimmon be de¬ 
scribed as “juicy” ; this is an exception. It 
is also spicy and has a very agreeable high 
flavor at its best. But, alas, too often there 
is an after pucker that is difficult to elimi¬ 
nate . 
Stout, from Indiana, belongs to the same 
class as Little’s Ruby; that is, it has an 
orang^ red pulp and the same (but less pro¬ 
nounced) flavor, which is fully as distinct 
as the Labrusca and Post Oak flavor in 
grapes. It is large, showy and productive. 
Saxe, from former I’omologist Heiges, is the 
largest I have seen of this class, and it is 
probably the most valuable. It has not yet 
fruited here. Perfection, from Missouri, is 
not worth naming, and should never have 
been sent out unless it is far better in other 
localities than here. Theodore, from New 
Harmony, Iud., is quite promising, but it has 
the fault of parting from the hull when fully 
ripe, and this is against it as a market per¬ 
simmon. It is large, slightly oblate, well 
rounded, and even. In color it is a watery 
yet nice yellow, with a gray bloom. The 
flesh is rather soft, not fibrous, and has an 
excellent flavor. Season about the middle of 
November. 
A Few New Grapes. 
Ten years ago I received cuttings of a 
•grape called Eugenie. It cannot be the E l- 
genia described in “Our Native Grape,” by 
Mitzky. but of its origin I know nothing. 
But it has proved hardy and productive here, 
and seems worthy of a better fate than to be 
consigned to oblivion. The bunch is iarge. 
wide, short, compact. The berry is quite 
large, round to a little oblate; red, with a 
gray bloom. Pulp, rather meaty, yet tender, 
and with some free juice. Flavor pure, lively, 
rich, sweet and excellent; would be “best” 
but for some astringency in the skin under 
pressure by (he teeth. Season, last half of 
September. R. W. Munson is scarcely hardy 
here in our coldest Winters, or say at 20 de¬ 
grees below zero. Bunch and berry are large ; 
the pulp is melting, pure, vinous, rich, sweet 
and excellent. Ripens first half of September. 
Tennyson is a large, white grape that orig¬ 
inated with E. F. L. Itautenberg, of Lincoln, 
HI., and is not much disseminated. The 
vine has a fair, healthy growth and seems 
productive. The bunch is large, wide, quite 
compact—not often shouldered. Berry large, 
round, grayish yellow and attractive. Pulp 
mostly dissolves and is pure, vinous, yet 
sweet, and has much free juice. A “very 
good" refreshing grape with a season of about 
the last of September. I have tried Munson’s 
America this year in making unfermented 
wine. Its juice is very thick and dark, and 
has a flavor that gives an agreeable change 
from the old standard varieties, as Con¬ 
cord, Cynthiana, etc. I like it. Others 
might prefer the Cynthiana (which is hard 
to beat), or even the Concord. The flavor of 
each is quite distinct, and all are good. Peo¬ 
ple should use more unfermented wine. 
Sangamon Co., Ill. bent. buckmax. 
GARDEN NOTES. 
Blind Cabbage. —On page 860 I noticed an 
article in regard to “blind” cabbage. Infor¬ 
mation was asked by C. A. S., Bellows Falls, 
Vt., how to single out the sets that produce 
heads. The Kaw Valley is a great cabbage as 
well as potato raising land, and the way we 
do, in selecting sets, those that, have a little 
center started or crown when the plants are 
ready to transplant are the ones that make 
heads. They seldom fail; the ones with only 
a couple of leaves may as well be discarded, 
as they will not make heads. H. a. h. 
Edwardsville, Kan. 
Potatoes Between Shrubs.— Last Spring 
T tried the experiment of planting potatoes 
between shrubs. I lined out every alternate 
row to the potatoes. I had a piece of land 
in heavy sod, turned last Fall. I planted 
three bushels of seed and harvested 50 bush¬ 
els. I should not think land occupied by 
them was over one-quarter of an acre. I 
used only a light application of potato fer¬ 
tilizer. no stable manure; was sorry I did 
not plant the whole new nursery that way. 
Weston, Mass. G. L. c. 
Undek Oregon Glass. —My house is sim¬ 
ply a part of my garden covered with glass. 
I set my first crop of lettuce the latter part 
of October; commence marketing it in Novem¬ 
ber and am selling lettuce all through 
the Winter and Spring until the first of 
June. I also commence In December to grow 
cabbage plants and in February tomato 
plants : also put in cauliflower and celery as 
the market wants them; then through the 
Summer 1 am growing cucumbers, so I keep 
my crops growing all the year except in 
September, when I clean out and get ready to 
commence anew. During 1904 I sold 12,000 
lettuce at five cents: 100,000 early cabbage 
plants at $5 per 1,000 ; 35.000 tomato plants 
at $10 per 1,000, and 6,250 cucumbers for 
$225, beside a few thousand cauliflower and 
celery plants. I have no heat except from 
the sun. So far this Winter there has been 
frost inside the house four or five times, but 
it has done no damage to anything. 
Oregon. dexter field. 
Muslin for Hotbed Sash. 
IF. T. P., Lake Putnam, Wash .—Sometime 
ago you told how to prepare muslin for 
making hotbed sashes instead of glass. Can 
you tell me again? 
Ans.— Cover the frames with heavy 
sheeting stretched tightly and tacked to 
outside edges. Then paint the cloth with 
two or three coats of the following mix¬ 
ture. Two thoroughly-beaten eggs to a 
pint of raw linseed oil. When painting 
keep the mixture well stirred, and allow 
one coat to dry before applying another. 
STRAWBERRY PLANTS 
Jessie, Splendid, Clyde, Barton's Eclipse, Sample. 
Nettie. Write for price. J. K. LOSEE, Elnora. N. Y. 
FRUIT TREES 
Erie Blackberry, all 
at moderate prices. J. 
Poplars, California 
Privet, Currants, 
Asparagus roots, 
my own growing. No. 1 stock 
A. ROBERTS, Malvern, Pa. 
STRAWBERRY PLANTS 
1,000,000 young, healthy Strawberry Plants of the 
best new and standard varieties; vigorous, heavy- 
rooted and True to Name. Send for free catalog. 
B. KING, Tewksbury, Mass. 
STRAWBERRY PLANTS 
ww 1.000 and nn. Catalog Free. 
50 varieties 
at SI per 
1,000 and up. Catalog Free 
R. E. ALLEN, Paw Paw, Mich 
CD nm UAYMAKCD New Money-Making Rasp- 
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Bred Trees 
A peculiar fruit tree climate does 
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right methods. We’ve learned some¬ 
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by putting right theories into practice 
for 17 years. 
We Are Specialists 
in growing Peach, Apple, Pear and 
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It’s too late to correct mistakes after the 
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Our 1905 Catalogue 
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Remember we pack so we can guarantee 
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HARRISON’S 
Nurseries 
Box 29, 
Berlin, Md. 
Kieffer Pear, loaded with fruit 
4 years from planting. 
The Finest in Several Hundred Thousand. 
J. W. Jones & Son. Wllllamstown, Mass., April 10, 1904. 
Gentlemen:—After unpacking the plants, (13.000) I wish to say that they are the tlnest lot of plants I have 
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Two Million Strawberry Plants. 
Free from disease and in the most thrifty 
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You get all the fine roots. That is the reason 
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The price is way down. Haverland, the best 
mid season, 
$1.75 per Thousand. 
Other varieties proportionately low. Our cata¬ 
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favor. Free for asking. 
A Few Thousand Peach Trees. 
Grown on medium loam. The best Peach 
soil. Positively free from scale. Elberta is 
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$4.50 to $6.50 per Hundred. 
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J. W. JONES <& SON, Allen, Maryland 
PLANT PENNSYLVANIA’S BEST FRUIT TREES 
AND SMALL FRUIT PLANTS. SZ.SSttS 
ness Catalog for busy people gives accurate descriptions of all Fruits worth planting in Central Atlantic 
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Western Seeds for Western Planters. 
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wf #* jal. H prices Circular free. 
1 R.S. JOHNSTON, Box4,Stockley,Del. 
Reynolds and Catherine, 
New STRAWBERRIES I am introducing, should be 
tested by all fruit-growers. Crimson-Cluster, a 
seedling of the Gandy that is larger, later, and more 
productive. Ohio Experiment Station says:—Plants 
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describing 65 varieties at the lowest prices. 
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1,000,000 CLIMAX 
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• JOHN W. GREEN, Bridgeville, Bel. 
BUY PRESIDENT STRAWBERRY PLANTS 
of the Originator. Send for circular. 
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ASPARAGUS J RHUBARB ROOTS 
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OUC> SEEDER MFC. CO., Box 4, Homer, Mich. 
