44.2 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
June 3, 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS 
A Hot Dose. —A horticultural exchange 
has a report from a disgusted gardener 
to the effect that he made two applica¬ 
tions each of 250 pounds of nitrate of 
soda the same season to a plot of lettuce 
42 hy 200 feet with the result that the 
lettuce was scarcely helped by the first 
treatment and entirely destroyed by the 
second. Of course he could not see where 
the benefits of “intensive culture,” by 
means of chemical fertilizers, came in. 
Such a dose would burn the roots off 
any self-respecting garden plant, and 
would lie fairly efficient as a weed exter¬ 
minator. Plants must have nitrogen, and 
lettuce, owing to its expansive leaf de¬ 
velopment, is a hungry feeder on nitro¬ 
genous materials, but to saturate a plot, 
measuring less than one-fifth acre, with 
500 pounds of nitrate of soda carrying at 
least 80 pounds of nitrogen was alto¬ 
gether too much of a good thing, and 
would certainly prove destructive to plant 
life until well leached out of the soil. The 
usual safe application of nitrate of soda 
does not exceed 200 pounds to the acre— 
about 38 pounds for the area mentioned 
above at one aoolication. If the soil is 
well stocked with humus and the nitrate 
is accompanied by a due proportion of 
potash and phosphoric acid, applications 
of 250 to 300 pounds an acre are not out 
of the way where intensive results are 
wanted. Nitrate of soda is very caustic 
in its action on plant roots unless in 
weak solution, and glasshouse cultivators, 
who need to get the greatest possible re¬ 
sults from their limited and expensive 
space, have learned caution from disas¬ 
trous experience. Their soils are al¬ 
ready stocked with plant food almost to 
'lie limit of plant capacity for absorption 
and assimilation, and the addition of fur¬ 
ther supplies in concentrated form must 
be made with great caution, and a thor- 
r ugh knowledge of the chemicals used 
as well as the needs of the plants. The 
same rules annly to the use of chemicals 
outside in garden operations. Had the 
lettuce grower put on a total of about 80 
pounds in two equal applications several 
weeks apart, strewing it on the soil a foot 
from the rows of plants, and raking or 
hoeing it immediately in, or watered be¬ 
tween the rows with a solution of one 
pound to 50 gallons of water often enough 
to use up 00 pounds nitrate in the grow¬ 
ing season, he doubtless would have a 
more favorable opinion of this convenient 
chemical. 
Not Good for Roses. —Nitrate of soda 
may be regarded as quite indispensable in 
modern garden operations except in those 
rare instances where ample supplies of 
good animal manures can be had. It is 
the principal source of quickly available 
nitrogen in most reliable complete com¬ 
mercial fertilizers, and can be used to 
good advantage in its pure state as above 
indicated for most rapidly growing plants, 
but needs much caution when applied to 
hard-wooded plants. Roses in particu¬ 
lar, though reveling in large supplies of 
organic nitrogen, are often unfavorably 
affected hy the nitrates of soda or pot¬ 
ash, or sulphate of ammonia. When suffi¬ 
cient stable manure is not to be had these 
soluble inorganic forms of nitrogen may 
be sparingly used, but should be much di¬ 
luted with water before application; four 
ounces to 50 gallons of water is safe and 
reasonably effective, though slow in ac¬ 
tion. Rose growers, however, use every 
effort to feed their roses with organic ma¬ 
nure, securing their nitrogen from vari¬ 
ous animal sources, their phosphoric acid 
from stable manure and ground bone, 
while lime and potash are used in the 
form of wood ashes. We are reminded of 
the intolerance shown for nitrate of soda 
■ by rose roots by the behavior of a good- 
sized Philadelphia Rambler recently placed 
in a pot that contained a few pounds of 
this chemical many months ago. The ni¬ 
trate became damp, and was to some ex¬ 
tent absorbed by the porous material of 
the pot, which was later soaked in water 
and exposed to the weather for nearly a 
year. It would seem that about all of the 
nitrate would long ago have been washed 
out. yet this rose plant, potted up in 
similar soil and at the same time with 
others quickly showed signs of root dis¬ 
tress in yellow drooping foliage, spindling 
growth and dying branches. Examina¬ 
tion revealed threadlike and blackened 
root fibers, but recovery began soon after 
it was transferred to fresh soil in a new 
pot. A tomato or geranium would have 
probably found this slight excess of ni¬ 
trate to its liking, but the rose could not 
endure it. 
The Marechal Niel Rose. —In Fig. 
181, first page, we have a spray of Mare¬ 
chal Niel less than 18 inches long, carry¬ 
ing four fine buds of this most perfect and 
lovely of yellow roses. Marechal Niel 
does not generally produce its blooms so 
near together, though strong shoots from 
cut-back canes often bear clusters of three 
to five large flowers. They are seldom as 
perfect when thus crowded as when car¬ 
ried on solitary stems. This remarkable 
rose was introduced to cultivation by a 
French grower in 1SG4, and has never 
been excelled by any rose of its color— 
a deep bright golden yellow. Occasionally 
a bloom of Perle des Jardins, a dwarf¬ 
growing, tea-scented variety brought out 
ten years later, will favorably compare 
with Marechal Niel, but in general the 
form is less perfect, and the color lighter. 
Recent introductions in double yellow 
roses, such as Franz Deegan and Souvenir 
de Pierre Notting, have excellent quali¬ 
ties, hut are not likely to supersede Mare¬ 
chal Niel. Pierre Notting is a seedling 
of Niel and the Tea rose Maman Cochet, 
and retains some of the pink shadings of 
the latter parent, though it is a very 
handsome deep yellow flower in general 
effect. Yellow roses are not popular now 
in the cut flower markets, and the finest 
blooms meet with slow sale. Fewer 
plants of Marechal Niel are met with each 
season, as growers find them unprofitable 
and are throwing them out; nevertheless 
no really first-class rose is so nearly 
within the resources of the ordinary farm 
home. It is not hardy outside north of 
Richmond, Va., but can readily be win¬ 
tered over in any glass-roofed structure 
with little fire heat, if well protected from 
the Winter sun, which is likely to start 
growth too soon. To secure good bloom 
this rose should be planted in a rich, deep 
border under glass and encouraged to 
make free growth during Summer. When 
dormant it is pruned back like a grape¬ 
vine, allowing one or two buds to each 
spur. A flowering shoot should start from 
each bud in early Spring, and it is not 
uncommon for well-established plants to 
bear 300 or more magnificent blooms at 
the same time. Like Crimson Rambler 
and most other tall-growing climbers, it 
seldom produces Summer or Autumn 
bloom, and it is this single cropping ten¬ 
dency that has caused it largely to go out 
of cultivation in this country, though it 
is still commonly grown abroad, especially 
by amateurs, who often attain grand suc¬ 
cess. Plants are cheap, and can be had 
on their own roots from most dealers 
from 15 to 30 cents each, but better 
growth and finer blooms may be expected 
if budded on the Banksla or Cherokee 
rose, as a more vigorous root system is 
thus created. Rosa Ranksia is almost 
exclusively used abroad, but is scarce in 
this country. The Cherokee rose, R. 
lnevigata, is now common in the South, 
having been introdued from China. Plants 
may be procured from southern nursery¬ 
men, though seldom catalogued. Mare¬ 
chal Niel, and other climbing Noisette 
roses unite readily with Cherokee and 
form a congenial union. The Rural 
Grounds Marechal Niel, from which the 
illustrated spray was cut, was budded on 
an established Cherokee five years ago, 
and grows so vigorously that it is trouble¬ 
some to keep within bounds. We repeat¬ 
edly failed to grow it on its own roots be¬ 
fore, under the same conditions. To 
those desiring the finest attainable roses, 
and willing to devote glasshouse space 
equal to two or three hotbed sashes to 
accommodate a good-sized plant, we rec¬ 
ommend Marechal Niel on one of the 
mentioned stocks. Only sufficient heat is 
needed in Winter to keep the soil from 
hard freezing. Sufficie.pt frost to check- 
growth and thin the foliage is a decided 
benefit. w. v. F. 
Magnesia in “Lime.” —Mr. Slingerland in 
his article, “The- New-Process Lime in Bor¬ 
deaux Mixture,” page 391, says: “Doubtless 
the reason why it takes more new-process 
lime than stone lime to make a good Bordeaux 
Mixture is because the former limes are 
about one-third magnesia.” Also he says: 
“All of these new-process limes were tested 
beside good stone lime, and also with the 
best stone finishing lime I could get.” Again 
he says: “A is made with the best stone lime 
(Canaan finishing lime).” At the present 
time there are five or six lime kilns in opera¬ 
tion here. All of them are burning mag¬ 
nesium limestone, and no limestone free from 
magnesia has ever been burned here. 
Canaan, Conn. J. s. a. 
These Men’s shoes 
are high in every 
respect, save price. 
Their price does not 
begin to express 
their value to any 
man who appreciates wearing 
nice looking, fine fitting, and 
strongly made shoes. 
MADE OF CHOICE LEATHERS 
In many styles to satisfy every taste. 
If not found do not accept some 
imitation, but write us, and we will 
see that you are supplied. 
HUCKINS, TEMPLE & WOOD 
Only Makers - BOSTON 
WE’LL PAY THE FREIGHT 
and send 4 Buggy Wheele, Steal Tire on, . 
With Bubljer Tires, $15.00. I mfg. wheels % to 4 in. 
tread. Top Buggies, $28.75; Harness, $3.60. Write for 
catalog. Learn how to buydir'i’t. Repair Wheel a $U.50. 
W agon Umbrella FliFE.W.It. J too U, Cincinnati, O. 
dust$35.™ 
Why buy n buggy of unknown make? ’ 
Our trade mark adds 25% to value of any 
buggy because it stands for quality with 
a reputation behind it. This is our genuine] 
SPLIT HICKORY MARVEL 
Guaranteed a Years, #85. Madotoorder, 
sold on 80 Hays’ Free Trial. Ask for 
192-page catalogue. 
The Ohio Carriage *" 
Mfg. Co. 
(H. C. Phelps, Pros.J 
Station syy 
Cincinnati 
Ohio 
*35 
WITH THE 
EMPIRE KING. 
The only hand pump having a me¬ 
chanical automatic agitator with a 
brush for keeping the suction strainer 
clean. Also the Garfield Knapsack and 
Orchard Monarch. Can furnish the New 
Process Lime, which requires no slack¬ 
ing or Btralning. Valuable book free. No 
‘•swindled feeling’*If you use our pumps. 
FIELD FORCE PUMP CO,. 
2 I 1th St.. Elmira, N. Y- 
Sprevy Potev-toe.y 
E. C. Brown Co., 
6 rows at a time, any 
wi .th, with 
Rrnu/n’e traction 
DlOWfl S COMPRESSED 
AIR SPRAYER. 
Constant pressure up to 160 lbs. 
Power costs nothing. 100 gal¬ 
lon cypress tank, all brass 
pump. Perfectly adapted also to or¬ 
chard work. We are the largest man¬ 
ufacturers of spray pumps In th© 
world, hand and power,including tho 
famous “Auto-Spray.” 
Send for Catalogue. 
268 State St., Rochester, N.Y. 
s *MORE 
GOOD 
CIDER - wine: 
can bo made from a given amount of 
apples or grapes with one of our 
presses than with any other. 
The juice will be purer and 
bring higher prices, while 
tho extra yield soon pays 
for the press. We make 
HYDRAULIC 
in all sizes, hand or power. 25 — 1 
to 300 barrels per day. Also - 
Gasoline & Steam Engines, Boil¬ 
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tors, Apple-butter Cookers, etc. 
Fully guaranteed. Catalog FREE. — 
TheHy dratiiic Press Mfo-Co. 
12 Main Street, Ml. Gilead, Ohio 
or Room 1 24-F, 39 Cortlandt St., New York, N. Y. 
The Niagara 
Fruit Ladder • 
A ladder made from tho best 
selected white basswood with 
a tie rod at every other step, 
making a strong, light, durable 
ladder that always stands and 
never rocks on uneven ground. 
Write for prices and descriptive 
matter on our full lino of bass¬ 
wood ladders, boxes, crates, 
baskets, etc. 
Bacon & Co., 
Appleton, l\lew York. 
Bowker’s 
Insecticides 
Disparene, 
the most powerful known. 
Destroys codling-moth, 
canker-worm, elm-leaf beetle, gypsy and brown- 
tail moths. Used and endorsed by Ohio, New York, 
New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and other 
experiment stations, park superintendents, tree war¬ 
dens, and large orchardists everywhere. All ready 
to use by adding water. Enough for a large 
orchard, $4.25. Enough for 75 gallons spray for $1. 
A 2-lb. sample for 50 cents. One application lasts 
months. Not washed off by heavy rains. 
T% ^ v _ 1 especially for potatoes, serves three pur- 
DOXdlj poses : it kills bugs, prevents blight and 
rust, and prevents rot. Insecticide and fungicide 
combined. Enough for an acre, $ 1. 
Our large handbook of insect pests and plant diseases is worth 
50 cents, but we mail it FREE 
BOWKER. INSECTICIDE COMPANY 
BOSTON NEW YORK CINCINNATI 
Hubbard’s “Black Diamond” Fertilizers 
HUBBAH 
All Brands ready for immediate shipment. Our book “HUBBARD’S FERTILIZERS 
FOR 1905“ sent free to any address. 
lUBBARte 
THE ROGERS & HUBBARD COMPANY, Fertilizer Manufacturers 
Middletown, Conn. 
