232 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
March 18, 
& 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS 
A Good Winter Pear. —J. S. Breece, 
Fayetteville, N. C., late last December, 
sent us some odd-looking pears, one of 
which is shown in Fig. 97, page 223, 
about natural size. They were very firm 
when received, and did not mellow until 
stored for several weeks. The color is 
a peculiar yellowish brown, well mottled 
with dull russet. The flesh is light yel¬ 
low, buttery in consistence, and of sweet, 
pleasant quality. Mr. Breece identifies it 
as Ne Plus Meuris, in the following note: 
The variety of pear sent I suppose is Ne 
Plus M'euris, as it complies with Downing's 
description. I obtained it without name from 
a place nearby. Much of its fruit is small 
and knotty, and the tree is liable to blight 
about with the average of Europeans; but is 
tue best Winter variety here. It is desirable 
for home use, but lacks attractiveness in 
form and color. Beurre Easter, Josephine 
de Malines, President Drouard and Krull 
have been tried and found worthless for this 
locality. 
The Pears of Van Mons. —Ne Plus 
Meuris seems to be little grown in this 
country, and does not appear in any nurs¬ 
ery catalogue we have examined. It is 
one of the more than 80,000 seedlings 
raised by the celebrated Belgian plant 
breeder, Jean Baptiste Van Mons, prob¬ 
ably the most enthusiastic and successful 
experimenter in variety improvement of 
the beginning of the last century. Van 
Mons worked almost entirely with the 
European pear, and conceived the idea 
that to promote useful variations, from 
the gardener’s and fruit-grower’s stand¬ 
point, it would be best to plant the first 
seeds produced by new varieties rather 
than seeds taken from long-cultivated and 
well established kinds, no matter how 
meritorious. Following out this theory 
he grew seedlings and planted seeds 
taken from the first fruits of the 
best of these, almost before maturity. 
He induced remarkable precocity in his 
productions in a few generations by this 
forcing method, so that some of his lat¬ 
est seedlings bore in three years, while 
the usual pear tree grown from seed does 
not bear until seven or more years old. 
Something like 400 varieties were se¬ 
lected from the immense aggregate of 
seedlings above named as the result of 38 
years of earnest work, 200 of which re¬ 
ceived names. The best known of Van 
Mons’ pears in this country are Bose and 
Manning’s Elizabeth, both standard com¬ 
mercial varieties. Colmar and Diel are 
much grown abroad. Something like 65 
of Van Mons’ seedlings are described by 
Downing. They seem to be mostly late 
varieties of strong growth and fine qual¬ 
ity. The Ne Plus Meuris referred to by 
Mr. Breece was named by Van Mons in 
reference to his gardener at Brussels, 
Pierre Meuris, and should not be con¬ 
founded with the Ne Plus Meuris of the 
French, which is really the excellent An¬ 
jou. It may be noted that Diel is not 
known to be of Van Mons own raising, 
but was named by him in honor of a 
pomological friend. 
Van Mons’ Theory Not Proven. —It 
does not appear that Van Mons made any 
experiments in cross-breeding or hybrid¬ 
izing the fruits he cultivated, though the 
process was well known at the time. He 
undoubtedly sacrificed vitality in his per¬ 
sistent breeding from the first seeds pro¬ 
duced by immature trees. The proportion 
of lasting varieties produced by his meth¬ 
od now appears small, and it is likely bet¬ 
ter results might have followed syste¬ 
matic cross pollination, accompanied by 
careful selection, but the horticultural 
world owes his memory a debt of grati¬ 
tude for the remarkably thorough and 
consistent manner his theory was fol¬ 
lowed out. We hope to test Ne Plus 
Meuris on the Rural Grounds, and find 
out if it is as useful in our locality as in 
North Carolina. 
Chestnut Experience. —We are in re¬ 
ceipt of fine nuts of Kent and Hale, new 
Japan chestnuts, kindly submitted by F. 
J. Tomlinson, Pittstown, N. J. Mr. Tom¬ 
linson furnishes this information concern¬ 
ing the varieties: 
The Kent nuts grew on one-year grafts on 
a small seedling Paragon tree; too small and 
weak to show fruit at its normal. I think 
both Hale and Kent very good nuts: both are 
phenomenal bearers, especially Hale, and 
make beautiful tops. Kent is a seedling 
raised by J. W. Ivillen, Felton, Del.; it ripens 
there early in September, and here about the 
last of that month. Mr. ICillen has quite a 
number of promising Japan chestnuts. The 
experts of the Department of Agriculture at 
Washington speak very highly of some of 
Mr. Killen’s seeuiings. Hale is one of Mr. 
Burbank’s seedlings raised in California. 
The nuts were of fair size—large 
enough for markets that are beginning 
to discriminate against mammoth nuts on 
account of low quality—and of good fla¬ 
vor, quite free from astringency or bit¬ 
terness. They were also smooth, brightly 
colored, with scarcely a trace of the fuz¬ 
ziness that detracted from the appear¬ 
ance of some native and European varie¬ 
ties. Delaware, and the Peninsula gener¬ 
ally, are now headquarters for new chest¬ 
nuts of the foreign types, though three 
promising Japans, including Hale, orig¬ 
inated in California. The following in¬ 
teresting account of chestnuts in a new 
region comes from E. A. Riehl, Alton, 
Ill. This valuable nut does not grow 
naturally to any extent in Illinois, and 
attempts to introduce improved varieties 
have not usually been successful. McFar¬ 
land is another of Burbank’s Japan seed¬ 
lings. Ridgely and Paragon are of the 
European type, originating in Delaware 
and Pennsylvania, respectively. 
I was much pleased with your article on 
chestnuts on page 100, and agree witli you 
in most of the points made. 1 have tested a 
great many varieties of .chestnuts for the Illi¬ 
nois Slate Horticultural Society, starting 
with the native and the Japans sent out by 
Mr. Parry, of New Jersey. Of all the Japans 
that I have tested McFarland is the only 
one worthy of cultivation, it being one of 
the three best yet tried. Unlike other Japans, 
it is a strong, vigorous grower, and bids fair 
to make line, large trees. The quality of the 
nut is very good, being entirely free from 
the bitter skin characteristic of the Japans. 
The best chestnut I have tested was re¬ 
ceived under ihe name of Rochester, and is 
thought to be a pure native. It is very dis¬ 
tinct, as are its seedlings, making about 
double the growth that native seedlings 
usually do. The nuts are about as large as 
Paragon, and of excellent quality. The tree 
does not come into bearing quite so soon as 
the Japans or Paragon, but is a better grower 
and keeps on growing after commencing to 
bear. Itidgeley is one of the three best. 
Paragon I have discarded because it does not 
do well when worked on native stocks ; comes 
into bearing at once, but does not make suffi¬ 
cient growth. Rochester, McFarland and 
Ridgeley grow well worked on native stocks. 
The chestnut does well here on proper loca¬ 
tions as our loess bluffs; chestnuts not being 
indigenous here, we have not the Chestnut 
weevil. 
w. v. F. 
DON’T LET THE 
SAN JOSE SCALE 
DESTROY YOUR TREES. SPRAY WITH 
LIME, SULPHUR AND SALT WASH 
AND be sure to use 
BERGEN PORT 
SUBLIMED FLOWERS OF SULPHUR. 
This brand is prepared especially for 
Spraying purposes: insist on having it. 
Ask your dealer, or write to 
T. & S. C. WHITE CO., 
2.8 Burling Slip, New York. 
PRATT’S ANTI-SCALE PETROLEUM 
Mixes instantly with water and stays mixed. No 
boiling. No heating. We will deliver free on board 
R. R. in this city, a 10 gallon can, enough to prepare 
200 gallons of Spray with the simple addition of 
water, for $0.00, or in bids., 50 cents per gal. 
B. Q. PRATT CO., 29 Broadway, New York City 
CDCC NITRnftPN why waste money on 
rFlLL liHnUULlli commercial fertilizers? 
Air is four-fifths nitrogen. TFT JiACTFHIA 
(i ATHJilt IV FOR YOU! Inoculate your soil 
and seed with N itrogen Fixing Bacteria. 
Safe and easy—anyone can do it. Used on alfalfa, 
clover, peas, sweet peas, cow peas, beans, etc. One 
treatment lasts for years! Send for circular. 
Vermont Soil Inoculation and Seed Co. 
43 Colchester Avenue, Burlington, Vt. 
The Perfection Sprayer 
Sprays Everything-Trees, potatoes, etc. Fur¬ 
nished complete with Cart and Barrel Combined 
hand and horsepower. Don’t buy until you get my 
catalogue, FREE. “ y 
Thomas Peppier, Box 45, Hightstown, N. J 
“ LIGHTNING ” 
White-Wash Spray No. 28. 
White-Wash your poultry- 
houses and stables now. Kills 
lice and vermin. Easy to ope¬ 
rate. Spray s white-wash rapidly. AI so 
for washing wagons, windows, etc. 
Double action pump. Brass ends. 
Steel stirrup. Has great force. Will 
srray 20 feet high. Sent to any ad- 
dr ss, express prepaid, upon receipt 
of $2.50. Agents wanted. 
D. B. SMITH & CO., UTICA, N. Y. 
PROFIT 
depends upon working all the 
.. fruit into a salable product, 
er for instance. If clear and 
re it sells readily at a profit. 
3 best is produced by a 
fDRAULIC c %s 
de in varying sizes, hand or 
ver. Catalogue free. 
DRAULIC PRESS MFC, CO 
IQ Cnrilanrl* ft*.. Nflltf York. 
PISOS CURE FOR 
U>| 
H 
CURES WHERE ALL ELSE FAILS 
N) 
cn. 
u 
Best Cough Syrup. Tastes Good. 
o 
in 
Use in time. Sold by druggists. 
H 
in 
CONSUMPTION 
TANKS and TOWERS 
WK Brir.D All Sizes and Kinds 
CALDWELL, TANKS don't leak. 
CALDW ELL TOWE RS don’t fall 
down. 
Get Illustrated catalogue: also 
ask for prices, erected ready for 
use. 
W. E. CALDWELL CO. 
Louisville, Ky. 
SPRAYING 
FRUIT TREES 
is no longer an experiment, 
but a necessity. Prevents 
wormy fruit by destroy¬ 
ing all insect pests 
and fungus diseases. 
Every farmer, gar¬ 
dener,frui t or flower 
grower should write 
for my free cata¬ 
logue, describing 21 
styles of Spraying 
Outfits, and contain¬ 
ing a full treatise on 
spraying fruit and vege¬ 
table crops, and mnch 
valuable information. 
WM. STAHL, Box 70 L Quincy, I1L 
GET THE BEST 
A Good Spray Pump earns big 
profits and lasts for years. 
THE ECLIPSE 
is a good pump. As 
practical fruit growers 
we were using the com¬ 
mon sprayers in our 
own orchards — found 
their defects and then in¬ 
vented THE ECLIPSE. Its 
success practically forced us 
into manufacturing on a 
large scale. You take no 
chances. We have done all 
the experimenting. 
Large fully illustrated 
Catalogue and Treatise 
on Spraying—FREE. 
MORRILL Ss MORLEY, Benton Harbor, Mich. 
Potato Crop Insurance 
is practically -what you get through spraying 
the vines with 
THE SPRAMOTOR 
Insures a full crop, 
upwards of 400 bush¬ 
els per acre against 
nothing in a bad 
year. The Spramo- 
tor pays for itself 
many times over. 
Adopted and recom¬ 
mended officially by 
Governments and 
Experimental Col¬ 
leges. Write for 
Booklet (13). Full 
particulars free. SPRAMOTOR CO. 
Buffalo, N.Y. London, Canada 
AGENTS WANTED 
SPRAYERS 
Rarnpz Pump Line. Single and 
double acti ng. High- 
grade Iron and brass. 
Bucket, knapsack, Barrel*. 
Pumps, Nozzles and Accessories.' 
All parts in contact with 
liquid are brass. Best and 
J the most complete line made. 
Write today for free catalogue. 
THE BARNES MFC. CO., Mansfield, Ohio I 
WITH THE 
EMPIRE KING. 
The only hand pump having' a me¬ 
chanical automatic agitator with a 
brush for keeping the suction strainer 
clean. Alsothe Garlleld Knapsack and 
Orehard Monarch. Can furnish the New 
Process Lime.which requires no slack¬ 
ing or straining. Valuable book free. No 
*‘Swindled fooling” i f you uso our pumps. 
FIELD FORCE PUMP CO., 
H 11th St.. Elmira, N.V. 
UVHDATCn I IM[ For mixing with kerosene 
II I Unrt I LU LI III L and water to kill the San 
Jose Scale. Spray the trees and roses on lawn, In 
garden or field. Cleans the trees and bushes. Ef¬ 
fective, sure death to scale. Save the trees. Cata¬ 
logue Free. 
ARTHUR J. COLLINS, Moorestown, N. J 
SALIMENE 
KILLS SAN JOSE SCALE 
Write for circulars and testimonials. 
DRY OR LIQUID FORM. 
Monmouth Chemical Works. Shrewsbury, N, J. 
Better peaches, apples, pears and 
berries are produced when Potash 
is liberally applied to the soil. To 
insure a full crop, of choicest quality, 
use a fertilizer containing not less 
than 10 per cent, actual 
Potash 
Send for our practical books of information ; 
they are not advertising pamphlets, booming 
‘ special fertilizers, but are authoritative 
treatises. Sent free for the asking. 
GERMAN KALI WORKS 
93 Nassau St., 
New York. 
The Holmes Adjust- om y 
able Trimming Saw $3.00 
The only practical trimming tool on the mar¬ 
ket. No more climbing trees. Works from the 
ground. Can be adjusted at any angle for light 
or heavy 
work. Cuts 
with the 
drawing 
motion, 
conse¬ 
quently 
avoids all 
kinking of 
saw. Will 
pay for it- 
s e 1 f in 
three days. 
Shipped to 
any ad¬ 
dress on 
re eipt of 
pric , after 
March 2, 1905. Patent applied for. Address C. 
T. HOLMES, 419 Pearl Street, Burlington, Vt. 
MADE $ 1725 
in spare time and home coun¬ 
ty. You may do as well. 
Orders come fast for the 
“Kant-Klog” Sprayer 
with new spring shut-off. Catch a 
good thing quick. Write for tree 
sample plan and full particulars 
Rochester Spray Pump Co., 16 East Ave. .Rochester, N.Y. 
AUTO-POP, 
AUTO-SPRAY. 
Great cleaning attachment on per¬ 
fect compressed air sprayer. Note 
how easy—cleans nozzle every time 
used, saves half the mixture. Brass 
pump, 4 gal. tank. 12 pi unger strokes 
oompreBBC8 air to spray aero. Wo manu¬ 
facture the largest lino in America of high 
grade hand and power sprayers. Catalog free. 
Write us if you want agency. 
E. C. BROWN & CO., 
268 State St., Rochester, N.Y. 
—THE— 
Deming Knapsack Sprayer 
leads everything of its kind. 6 gal. cop¬ 
per tank, brass pump, bronze ball 
valves, mechanical agitator. Easily 
carried. Pump right or left hand. Knap- 
j sack and Bucket Sprayer combined, 
j Wo wako 20 stylos sprayers. Write for Catalog. 
’ THE DEMINC CO., Salem, O. 
Henion t Hubbell, West'n Agta., Chicago. 
I 
COMPANY, 
San Joet Scale an. a Pear. 
L, US, 
“H0R1CUM” 
L.3.&3. 
TRADE MARK 
THE SAN JOSE SCALE KILLER 
For Fall or Spring Lise 
We aim to kill scale and not trees. One spraying will r ot kill all the 
scale. Many of them get under the rough bark. They are very minute, 
but their multitude makes the San Jose Scale a plague like the plagues 
of Egypt. 
“ Horicum ” is Simple, Strong, and Ready For Use 
Sold by Seedsmen. Send for pamphlets, worth having, to 
HAMMOND’S SLUG SHOT WORKS 
FlshklU-on-Hudson, - - NEW YORK 
