283 
1906. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
AN EXPERIENCE WITH ASPARAGUS. 
The reading of T. M. White’s letter on 
asparagus cultivation, page 207, prompts 
me to give you an account of one or two 
items of experience of my own in relation 
to the same subject that may be worth 
thinking about. I propose to supply the 
facts only, leaving it to my readers to do 
the thinking and draw the inferences, 
whether theoretical, practical, profitable or 
simply interesting. Over 20 years ago a 
chance seedling of asparagus came up in 
the garden in a hill ofl raspberry canes. 
Granted the liberty to assert itself, it in 
a few years overcame, in the battle of life, 
the raspberry canes. They long ago dis¬ 
appeared from the scene. The asparagus 
root still continues to send up its shoots 
as often as the Spring time recurs. It 
occupies now a circle of ground nearly a 
yard in diameter of uncertain depth: prob¬ 
ably three or four feet. I have found roots 
of other asparagus plants in the garden 
at that depth. The stalks it puts up are 
the largest of any asparagus in the garden. 
In this and another garden there are other 
similar plants scattered about that are 
not much inferior. The ground is a sandy 
loam, underdrained and kept well man¬ 
ured. When setting out a new bed I have 
always since my first attempt used one- 
year-old roots. These I have planted much 
as an Irishman plants potatoes in hills; 
that is, just deep enough to get them well 
covered. They have always done well, 
quite as well as the first lot I put out in 
a more orthodox fashion. w. o. E. 
Canada. 
Use of Hard Wood Ashes and Sheep Manure. 
Q. E. J., Tarrytoivn, N. Y .—How and when 
would you advise use of hard wood ashes and 
pulverized sheep manure on vegetable gar¬ 
den, soil having plenty of humus, but slight¬ 
ly clay or heavy? Early crops of good or 
best quality vegetables desired. Intensive 
cultivation practiced on limited area. 
Ans. —As soon as the soil is plowed or 
spaded we would scatter the wood ashes 
broadcast and harrow or rake them in. 
At time of planting scatter the sheep 
manure along the drill or hill and rake 
it in, so that it will not touch the seed. 
Cutting Back Tree Roots. 
A. L. B., Ohio .—In planting trees what 
should be done about cutting their roots? 
Should they be pruned as the tops are usually 
pruned, or allowed their full length as they 
of the first four flowers mentioned it is 
best to use shallow boxes, similar to those 
used for- packing long-stemmed roses, and 
to pack them closely in regular order, the 
boxes being well lined with newspapers 
first and over these some waxed paper. 
If the weather is very warm and the 
flowers are to be sent a considerable dis¬ 
tance, some cracked ice may be sprinkled 
among the stems of the flowers, though 
keeping the ice away from the blooms 
with some waxed paper. Any long¬ 
stemmed flowers that are to be sent by 
express to a distance are safer with a 
light cleat pressed down on the stems and 
nailed in place, this precaution often sav¬ 
ing the flowers. from bruising when 
roughly handled by the expressmen. 
Asters and Dahlias should be almost 
fully developed when they are cut, as 
they do not advance so much in water 
as the Gladioli and peonies, the latter 
being cut when not much more than half 
open, and in very warm weather when 
the buds are just bursting. Sweet peas 
are not specially good keepers in warm 
weather, and the sprays should be cut 
when the first flower is open, if they are 
intended for shipment, and the flowers 
should not be sprinkled, else they will 
soon drop. Some of the Dahlias, and es¬ 
pecially some of the Cactus-flowered va¬ 
rieties, do not keep very well when cut, 
but all are benefited by being placed in 
buckets of water for a few hours before 
shipment, it being an advantage for long¬ 
stemmed flowers to be placed in deep ves¬ 
sels, so that the stems are immersed to a 
considerable depth, and in common with 
all cut flowers, they should be kept in 
the shade and in as cool a place as pos¬ 
sible. w. H. TAPLIN. 
It Is with much interest I have been read- 
ing your articles relating the outrages of the 
express companies. The only protection we 
have is such brave papers as The R. N.-Y. 
and Ohio Farmer, and finally the ballot. I 
have one more to add to the list: February 
1 I ordered a White Wyandotte cockerel at 
$1.25. The express was $2.25. Isn't that 
robbery? We wanted new blood and were 
willing to pay a reasonable express. The 
following is a clipping from our local paper 
this week: “The Standard Oil is not in It 
compared with the manner in which the peo¬ 
ple of the Thumb are being robbed by the 
express companies.” n. c. 
Harbor Beach. Mich., 
come from the nursery? 
Ans. —This is a matter that is of much 
interest to many who are planting trees 
all over the country, and the inquirer is 
far from being the only one who wants 
to know the real facts in the case. For 
my own part I prefer to cut the roots 
back quite severely. I have found in tak¬ 
ing up trees that I had planted that those 
with very long roots did not grow so 
well nor make such vigorous roots as 
those that were planted with roots cut 
quite short. Some pecan trees that I re¬ 
cently took up on our Louisiana planta¬ 
tion that were set last year with very long 
roots, in some cases almost three feet 
long, had not sent out any new growth on 
the roots deeper in the ground than about 
18 inches. Below that depth the roots 
were still alive, but that was all. Those 
that had the tap roots cut off a foot or a 
little more grew better, both above and 
below ground, than those with very long 
roots. All the explanation I can give 
of this is, that the soil warms up and 
causes root growth near the surface, and 
deep down it does not. H. E. v. D. 
Shipping Cut Flowers. 
J. C., Oakville, Out .—On page 793 of The 
R. N.-Y., 1905, W. H. Taplin gives good ad¬ 
vice, no doubt founded on experience, on the 
treatment of carnations, Chrysanthemums, 
roses, and violets as cut flowers for ship¬ 
ment. If Mr. Taplin has had experience 
with the shipment of Asters, Dahlias, Glad¬ 
ioli, pa;onies, and sweet peas as cut flowers 
I should appreciate his advice on the best 
treatment of these flowers as well. 
Ans.—T he first step toward the suc¬ 
cessful shipment of Asters, Dahlias, 
Gladioli, paeonies and sweet peas would 
be to cut them early in the morning, and 
to put them in water at once, keeping 
them in a cool cellar until time to pack 
them for shipment. When packing either 
I GROW 
Hardy Catalpa 
{SPECiosa) 
Nursery Trees and GUARANTEE 
them True to Name. 
H. C. ROGERS,Mechanicsburg,Ohio. 
DEWBERRY 
PI ANTS & BLACKBERRY 
PLANTS FOR SALE. Send for 
price. MICHAEL N. BORGO, Box 09, Vineland, N. 
WARD BLACKBERRIES 
Tlie hardiest and most prolific Blackberry ever grown 
WELCH RASPBERRY 
The most profitable Red Raspberry yet fruited. Also 
a full line of general nursery stock. Catalogue free 
JOS. H. BLACK, SON & CO., Hightstown, N. J. 
Most Extensive Grower of 
Crape Vines 
" in America 
Intro- f CAMPBELL’S EARLY The Best Grape 
dueer < JOSSELYN - - Tlie Best Gooseberry 
of lFAY - - - - - - The Best Currant 
Small Fruits. Catalogue Free. 
GEO. S. JOSSELYN, Fredonia, N. Y. 
Spring and Planting Time Will 
Soon be Here. 
Have you placed an order yet for Apple and other 
Fruit Trees? If not, do not delay, Remember, 
in making out your order we have a full supply of 
Nursery stock; none better. Catalogue free. Send 
for one. Address, 
The Stephen Hoyt's Sons Go., Inc,, 
NEW CANAAN. CT. 
Transplanted vegetable plants 
of the highest quality at the 
lowest price. Buy from the 
largest, cheapest, and most re. 
liable gr owers in America. 
Write for catalogue. 
_ THE J. E. HUTTON CO., 
Conyngham, Pa., formerly J. E. Hutton & Son. 
Strawberries. 
Standard varieties. Excelsior, Tennes¬ 
see, Haverland, Bubach, Star, Gandy, 
New Home, Dunlap and Parsons; 
greatest assortment in America. 
Peaches, Apple,Pear, Plum and Cher¬ 
ry trees. New Catalog in colors Ire®. 
HARRISON'S NURSERIES 
Box 28 Berlin, Md. 
GLADIOLI 
THE BEST IN THE WORLD 
Groff’s Hybrids (Genuine), and other high 
grade Strains. Winners of the (5RAND 
PRIZE World’s Fair St. Louis, 1904. 
Write for illustrated catalogue. 
ARTHUR COWEE 
Meadowvale Farm Berlin, N.Y 
THE BEST RASPBERRY 
is Plum Farmer; early, large, enor¬ 
mously productive. Catalog of rasp¬ 
berry, strawberry and other berry 
plants free. Write for it NOW. 
I. J. Farmer, Box 620, Pulaski, N. Y. 
A Dnnv Crnio FOR GILT-EDGE STRAW- 
/A ruuy WdlC BERRIES. Secure Gilt-edge 
10c. for a Sample 
Athenia, N. J. 
prices for your berries. Send 
Crate and prices per 100 or 1000. 
T. C. KEVITT, Inventor, 
450,000 TREES 
800 varieties. Also Grapes, Small Fruits etc. Best root¬ 
ed stock. Genuine, cheap. 2 sample currantB mailed for 
>. Lewis Roe»«h, Fredonia, N.Y. 
10c. Desc. price list free. 
FRUIT 
Highest grade only 
We grow and sell direct 
to you all the good and 
tested varieties of 
Large and Small Fruits. 
Guar- 
ly. 
anteed to -live and true to 
name. One-third Agents’ 
rices. Illustrated and 
escriptive catalogue free. 
Send tor one to-day. 
lighland Nurseries, Dept. R-, Rochester,N.Y 
TREES 
ywmvi_ 
QffcO/ O CH^PAID Honest and 
uU °|4U ° |X 0 U 0 wide-awake Agents - 
For selling our High-grade 
Fruit & Ornamental Trees! 
Small Fruits, Shrubs, Roses anti Vines, i 
Business established 1846. First-class references ] 
must accompany application. 
THE M. H. HARMAN COMPANY, 
Geneva, N. Y. 
Ctrauih ai>Kv Plan ts $2 and up per 1000; crates and 
diraWutSITj baskets cheap; also B P.R.eggsl5for 
SI, 40 for $2. Catalog free. W. R. Lawrence, Marion, O. 
President Strnwherrv Kansas and Gregg Rasp- 
rresiueni oirawuerry, berry PlantS5 all one 
price. $8.00 per thousand, $1.00 per 100. 
THOMAS R. HUNT, Lambertville, N. J. 
Strawberry Plants. 
$1.50 per M. and up. Also RASPBERRY and 
BLACKBERRY plants at low prices. Healthy, 
heavy rooted stock. True to name. Price list free. 
A. R. WESTON & CO.. R. D. 8, Bridgman. Mich. 
The best blackberry of recent Introduction. Get the 
genuine direct from Introducer. Eldorado, per¬ 
fectly hardy and reliable blackberry. Lucretla, 
Blowers and other Blackberries. Miller, Welch, 
Cuthbert, Early King, Kansas and other Raspberries, 
40 best varieties of Strawberries, Currants, Grapes, 
and other small fruit plants and trees, a large 
stock of California Privet, all sizes very low. For 
price list and illustrated circular of Ward Black¬ 
berry address Chas. Black, Hightstown, N. J. 
RUBY RED RASPBERRY 
Best to grow for all purposes. Order early as our 
stock is limited. Send for circular. 
C. G. VELIE & SON, Marlboro, N. Y., 
Valley View Fruit Farm. 
Strawberry Plants g{JJg 
per lOOO up. 
Cabbage plants IB 1.00 
per lOOO. Big assortment trees, plants, shrub¬ 
bery, roses, &c. Write for New Catalogue. CHAT¬ 
TANOOGA NURSERIES, Chattanooga, Tenu. 
TRADE MARK. 
ROGERS TREES ARE 
DIFFERENT 
FROM OTHERS. 
ROGERS ON THE HILL, 
Dansville, N. Y. 
APPLE BREEDERS. 
TREES 
All First class. Freshdug. No cold 
storage stock. 38th year. 80-page 
catalog. G. C. STONE’S WHOLE¬ 
SALE NURSERIES. Dansville, N. Y 
PIONEER GUARANTEED 
NURSERY STOCK 
AT WHOLESALE PRICES. 
All stock guaranteed disease free—' 
true to name—pure bred and heavy 
crop producers. Full value for every 
dollar sent us. No agent’s commis¬ 
sion. Write for complete pricelist. 
We will save yon money. 
HART PIONEER NURSERIES 
L Established 1865. Fort Scott, Kan, 
FRUIT TREES 
remnants, but our garden collection will surprise you. 
H. S. WILEY 
Send for our catalog and our FINAL. 
APPEAL with endorsements from scores of 
REPRESENTATIVE COMMERCIAL 
PLANTERS from our own and other States 
who have been planting our trees for years. 
Any significance in this? No job lots or 
& SON, Drawer 5, Cayuga, N. Y. 
DOUBLE THE STRAWBERRY CROP 
No extra expense for new plants or fertilizer. Full story in catalog lifetime experi¬ 
ence of largest fruit-grower in America. To old friends and new wanting Berries, 
Peaches, Plums, Asparagus, Rhubarb, etc., it’s free. J. H. HALE, SO. GLASTONBURY, CONN, 
HEALTHY, NATIVE-GROWN FRUIT 
ORNAMENTAL TREES, VINES, SHRUBS, ETC. 
It pays you many times over to take pains to get reliable and healthy stock. The well-known Dwyer stock 
can always be relied on, for it is all selected stock, grown on our home grounds and receiving constant 
expert inspection. We guarantee that every specimen is true to name, free from disease, and sure to 
grow. We also do landscape gardening. Write now for our FREE ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE. 
T. J. DWYER & COMPANY, Box 1, Cornwall, New York. 
STRAWBERRY PUNTS THAT GROW (Best Standard Varieties). 
Also Raspberry, Blackberry, Currant and Grape Plants, Asparagus Roots and 
Seed. Potatoes in assortment. All stock warranted high grade and true to name. Forty, 
page Catalogue with cultural instructions, Free. C. E. WHITTEN, Box 11, Bridgman, Mich. 
TREES 
DCO IAA CDCICUT DAin Apple, Pear, Plum, Cherry, Peach and Carolina 
90 rCn IUU, rnciuni rHlU Poplars, healthy, true to name aud fumigated. 
All kindsof trees and plants at low wholesale prices. Remember we beat all other reliable 
Nurseries in quality and price. Catalogue free, Reliance Nursery. Box 10, Geneva, N.Y. 
APPLE TREES 7c 
POPLAR. TREES AND ROSE BUSHES. TEN CENTS EACH 
ASPARAGUS, 
per 100 
shade 
BUY DIRECT FROM GROWER—SAVE 35 IIS 
Let ns price your list of wants 
Send postal card for them 
CENT 
ints. Green’s 1906 Oatalogne, also copy of Green’s Big Fruit Magazine free, 
today. GREEN’S NUR8ERY COMPANY, WALL ST., ROCHESTER, N. Y. 
Save a Third 
of your Tree Money. 
All of a third, sometimes a 
**** -~--- 
half, by buying from me direct instead of paying “tree agents’ prices.” It 
costs for agents to canvass the country. I have no agents. 
WOOD’S TREES 
Finest grown, are sold only by catalog. Apples, Peaches, Pears, etc., and 
all Small Fruits. I am right now offering an especially fine line of Jona¬ 
than and Ben Davis Apples and Concord Grapes at special prices. My rose 
stock is all field grown with extra fine roots. Catalog free. Be sure and 
send for it. ALLEN L. WOOD, 
Wholesale Grower, Rochester, N. Y. 
