49o 
T1IE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
June 24, 
uralisms 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS 
The “May King” Lettuce. —With over 
100 varieties of lettuce offered by Ameri¬ 
can seedsmen under something more than 
300 names, there would scarcely appear 
room for newcomers in this familiar and 
important salad vegetable. A German 
gardener has been able, however, by selec¬ 
tion from the large-leaved or cabbage- 
head type, to develop a quick-growing 
close heading lettuce of the highest ex¬ 
cellence, now largely grown for the Ber¬ 
lin market and offered in this country 
this season under the name of “May 
King.” Our seed was supplied by J. M. 
Thorburn & Co., New York City, planted 
in the greenhouse early in March and 
later in the open ground. The variety ap¬ 
pears more vigorous and resistant to the 
usual lettuce troubles than any we have 
ever tried. Under glass, where closely 
sown, it quickly gave a supply of crisp 
and tender leaves of the highest quality, 
and has been repeatedly cut for the last 
two months without deterioration. Trans¬ 
planted plants make dense, solid heads of 
medium size earlier than any other un¬ 
der the trying droughty condition preva¬ 
lent this Spring. The outside leaves are 
light green and the head or heart clear 
yellow in color; tender, crisp and of the 
finest imaginable lettuce flavor. In table 
quality it excels any other variety tried 
here. It is claimed to be a money-maker 
abroad, and is offered here as a superior 
head lettuce for forcing and open-air cul¬ 
ture. Its great peculiarity, aside from 
exceptionable quality, is extremely rapid 
growth, the heads being developed quick¬ 
er than with any other kind. 
The Rose-colored Cau.a. —About 15 
years ago a new Calla, or Richardia, with 
rose-colored flower spathes and lance¬ 
shaped, instead of arrow-headed leaves, 
was discovered in the upper Nile region 
of Africa, and soon introduced to Euro¬ 
pean horticulture under the name of 
Richardia Rehmanni. For some years 
the tubers were quite expensive, the first 
quoted price being in the neighborhood 
of $15 each, and it has only recently come 
within the means of amateurs. It is now 
offered for the first in this country by 
John Lewis Childs, Floral Park, N. Y., at 
25 cents each. Fig. 206, page 486, illus¬ 
trates a plant in bloom, from the Rural 
Grounds collection, much reduced in size. 
The flower or spathe grows very upright, 
and is about four inches in length, deep 
purple rose in color at first, becoming a 
delicate light rose—very much the shade 
of the pink lady-slipper or moccasin flow¬ 
er, Cypripedium spectabile, as it fully de¬ 
velops, and lasts in good condition nearly 
three weeks. There is a dark crimson 
blotch within, making an attractive color 
combination. European growers report 
that in cultivation the blooms are white 
with only a faint rose tinge to the back 
and margin, and this description is re¬ 
peated in the new Cyclopaedia of Ameri¬ 
can Horticulture, but all our plants are 
bearing the deep rose and purple blooms 
characteristic of the species. Since photo¬ 
graphing the plant shown in Fig. 206 
it has produced three more fine blooms, 
and it is likely another may follow—one 
from each “eye” or growing point in the 
tuber. The culture is very simple, the 
dormant tuber, which should he kept dry 
and fairly warm, like a potato, in Winter 
may he potted up from February to April 
in rich, light compost, using a five or six- 
inch pot, with good drainage. The tuber 
should be covered fully an inch deep, as 
most of the roots proceed from the upper 
surface and from the base of the young 
sprouts. Water rather sparingly until 
sprouts appear above the surface, when it 
may be freely given, as all Richardias 
revel in moisture when in growth. See 
that drainage is free, however, and never 
allow the soil to become sodden. Keep 
the plant in full sunlight in a warm and 
sheltered situation under glass or in the 
window garden until all danger of frost 
is over, frequently showering or syring¬ 
ing the leaves to keep off the little mite 
known as red spider—apparently its only 
insect enemy. The rose-colored calla has 
a great tendency to produce seeds, which 
weaken the tuber for the succeeding sea¬ 
son; therefore, if these are not wanted it 
is well to cut the spathes away as soon 
as the attractive colors begin to fade. The 
blooms are produced from May to August, 
according to season of planting. 
After-care consists in growing on until 
the foliage turns yellow in the Fall, when 
water may gradually be withheld, and the 
soil in the pot allowed to dry up. The 
tubers may be wintered in the soil where 
they have grown, taking care they are dry 
and free from frost until ready for plant¬ 
ing, or they may be shaken out, dried and 
stored in paper bags until Spring. The 
pots may instead be plunged in a warm 
border in the garden after blooming, and 
left until the foliage ripens, taking care 
the soil does not dry too much before 
growth ceases, and the tubers stored when 
mature in the usual manner. Doubtless 
this species will grow well in the open 
air if the dry tubers are planted out in 
May, but we have not tried it this way. 
Seeds grow freely if planted soon after 
maturity, but it requires two or more 
years’ care to produce blooming tubers. 
The rose-colored calla is a neat and at¬ 
tractive plant, not to he compared in 
beauty and usefulness with the common 
white calla or Lily of the Nile, Richardia 
Africana, but so distinct and novel as 
to be well worth growing. The red and 
“black” callas offered by seedsmen a few 
years ago were not closely related to the 
Richardias. They were Arums, produc¬ 
ing their dull-colored and oddly formed 
flower spathes before the leaves appeared. 
Several species were offered, the blooms 
of most having anything but a pleasing 
odor when open. Arum Palaestinum or 
sanctum has been chiefly offered as “black 
calla,” but is usually a disappointment as 
a decorative plant, being useful only as 
an oddity. The color of the flower spathes 
is blackish purple. The Arums sold as 
“red callas” produced brownish-red 
spathes, formed like the common Indian 
turnip or Jack-in-the-pulpit, Arisamia 
triphyllum, of our moist woodlands. 
Yellow-flowered Callas. — Although 
Richardia has been agreed upon as the 
proper botanical name of this interesting 
African genus, calla is firmly fixed in 
the popular mind and will probably never 
be displaced. The real Calla is a little- 
known, hardy bog-plant found in Asia, 
Northern Europe and Eastern North 
America. It has a white flower spathe 
something like its African relative, but is 
much smaller. There is only one species, 
known as C. palustris. Previous to 1890 
no attractive yellow-flowered Richardias 
were known; two species, R. hastata and 
R. melanoleuca, natives of Natal, had 
been introduced, but they are too ob¬ 
scurely colored to be liked for decorative 
purposes. In 1890 R. Elliotiana was found 
in southern tropical Africa, and soon after 
R. Pentlandi in Basutoland, South Africa. 
Both have rich, lustrous yellow blooms of 
good size, with purple blotches at the 
base, but differ in foliage. Elliotiana has 
white, spotted leaves of the usual arrow¬ 
head or halberd shape, while Pentlandi 
has very broad foliage, dark green, and 
practically unspotted. Both are 'slow to 
increase, and require rather careful green¬ 
house treatment, as they are quite im¬ 
patient of cold or wet. Many hybrids 
have been produced between these hand¬ 
some species and R. albo-maculata, an old 
and well-known species with spotted foli¬ 
age and small white blooms, with a black- 
purple blotch, so hardy that it can be 
grown in the garden in Summer and 
stored like the potato in the cellar in 
Winter. We have grown for the last six 
years on the Rural Grounds a hybrid of 
this type from seeds pollenized by Herr 
Max Leichtlin, of Baden Baden, Ger¬ 
many. It makes a handsome bedding 
plant, with immense, richly-spotted foli¬ 
age and well-formed bright yellow blooms 
of good size. Other interesting crosses 
with “Rossi Major,” a highly perfected 
form of R. Elliotiana, are under way. 
These hybrids are of vigorous growth 
and very easy culture. The keeping qual¬ 
ity of the dormant tubers is quite re¬ 
markable, requiring no greenhouse cod¬ 
dling. The firm of J. Tailby & Son, 
Wellesley, Mass., has introduced Mrs. 
Roosevelt, evidently a similar hybrid, said 
to be very handsome and free in bloom. 
The Messrs. Tailby purchased one of the 
first three tubers of Elliotiana that came 
to this country at a price very close to 
$50 for the specimen, and have been very 
successful in increasing the stock and in 
growing seedlings and hybrids from it. 
The announcement is now made that 
Luther Burbank, Santa Rosa, Cal., has 
also meritorious hybrids of the yellow 
species. There are already in Europe 
several named varieties of this parentage, 
and it appears likely that the possibilities 
of calla breeding will be thoroughly 
worked out. The plants have not yet 
made their way into public use, but it is 
safe to predict that the best types will be 
quite popular, and that they will receive 
their highest development in American 
soil and climate. A large percentage of 
the tuberoses and Gladioli used in the 
world are grown here, and it appears 
that the new Richardias or callas will 
also find our bright sunshine most con¬ 
genial, and thrive better than in Europe. 
w. v. F. 
Cutting Alfalfa. —We usually make our 
first cutting oT Alfalfa about June 10, n*n<l 
second and third cuts when Alfalfa begins 
to show the first bloom. We use a tedder 
in curing, and put the Alfalfa in cock when 
it is a trifle green. The method of curing 
is practically the same as for curing June 
clover. The Alfalfa, however, must be 
thoroughly cured before put In, or it will be 
mow burned. w. w. chenby. 
Fruit Futures. —What effect the general 
dissemination of the San JosC- scale will have 
it is bard to determine; many, I believe, 
witli small orchards will give up in despair, 
while others will probably make a fight to 
save their trees. There is no question but 
what the scale is gaining ground quite rapid¬ 
ly in this section. The present outlook for 
fruit in this vicinity is good, far different 
from a year ago, when we suffered so much 
from Winter injury. j. r. Cornell. 
Orange Co., N. Y. 
Hopeful About the Scale. —I have had 
a great deal of experience with the San 
Jos6 scale, and in fighting it; tlie scale and 
oil remedies applied to combat it have killed 
many trees for me, but I find the lime and 
sulphur mixture very effective. I am sure 
I have not one scale now, where I had 1,000 
last Spring. I assure you the dreaded scale 
has no terrors for me any more; I agree 
with J. II. Ilale that it is a blessing, for it 
will benefit those who do grow fruit. I 
know this is selfish, but we are living in a 
selfish world. I don’t expect or believe the 
scale can ever l>e eradicated, but I know 
I can hold it in check so it won't do me any 
material injury. wm. ii. skillman. 
Central New Jersey. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
It. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply and 
"a square deal. ’ See guarantee, page 8. 
Four Row 
Potato Sprayer 
Covers 30 to 40 acres per day. 
Straddles 2 rows, sprays 4 at 
a time. Wheels adjust for dif¬ 
ferent widths. Sprays to any 
fineness, and g**arin»? or pump to wheel of cart gives any 
pressure desired. Automatic agitator and auction strainer 
cleaner. It never spoils foliage or clogs. Free instruction and 
formula hook shows the famous Garfield, Empire King, 
Orchard Monarch and other sprayers. Write for it. 
Field Force Pump Co., 2 llth St. , Elmira, N.Y. 
SAN JOSE SCALE 
and other INSECTS killed 
GOODS 
Caustic Potash Whale-Oil Soap No. 3 
Endorsed by U. S. Dept, of Agri. and State Experiment 
Stations. Thissoapisa Fertilizer as well as an Insecti¬ 
cide. 5(i-lb. kegs. $2.50; 100-lb. kegs, $4.50; half barrel, 
270 lb.,3-qc per ib; barrel,425 lb.Send for booklet. 
JAMES WOOl), Original Maker, 
939-41 N. Front Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 
Big profit—rapid growth 
Use Pratts Calf Tonic. 
Made by Pratt Food Co., Phila. Over 30 years old. 
OATS FROM WHEAT AT LAST! 
Remarkable Chatham Riddle for Succotash 
The Chatham Fan¬ 
ning Mill has a new 
riddle that is guar¬ 
anteed to make an 
absolutely perfect 
separation of oats 
from wheat. This 
wonderful piece of 
mechanism has 
about 4500 different 
parts. You can take 
oats and wheat and get a perfect separation, or you can 
reverse the proportions. Above is a cross 
section of the new riddle. You can see the 
riddle will let wheat through readily, but oats cannot get through. The 
riddle has a jumping attachment that keeps the oats jumping until 
they go over behind on the floor. GROW SUCCOTASH! The new 
riddle will enable you to obtain double crop value by sowing wheat and 
oats together, as it insures the perfect separation necessary to obtain 
the highest market prices. We have also invented a Corn Screen that 
grades corn 9H per rent perfect. The accompanying sectional view 
shows the principle of operation. The new Oats-from-Wheat Kiddle and_ 
Grader are new inventions—only three months old—and obtained by us at heavy 
expense. They cannot be applied to machines already sold, but our new mills 
can be equipped with them. The Chatham will separate, clean and grade any grain or seed. 
Writ© for Chatham Book at once. 
Corn 
THE MANS0N CAMPBELL CO., Lid., 40 WESSON AVENUE, DETROIT, MICHIGAN 
Mitnufitctiirert Funning Mills, Incuhittors und Hroodern, 
FERRES FRUIT 
Is cheaper, lighter, stronger and better looking than 
wooden boxes. 
The saving made on express shipments on account of less 
weight will more than pay for the boxes. 
Write us for circulars and prices, also state the kind and 
quantity of fruit you ship. 
The J. W. Sefton Mfg. Co., box is Anderson, Ind, 
