4io 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
May 12, 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS 
Crimson Winter Rhubarb. —Many re¬ 
sponses come in to our request, page 264, 
for information concerning the behavior, 
in the North and East, of Crimson Win¬ 
ter rhubarb, under ordinary cultivation. 
Here are some of the reports, covering a 
fairly wide range of country. No favor¬ 
able accounts have so far been received 
from any source: 
Three years ago tills Spring I bought one 
root, and planted It alongside some Lin¬ 
naeus, and have never yet had a stalk from it. 
In fact it acted just as you describe it on 
the Rural Grounds. I noticed it this morn¬ 
ing just peeping through the ground, while 
the other is large enough for use. and has 
10 times the amount of stalk. The stalks 
of the Crimson Winter have never grown to 
he over the size of a lead pencil. I thought 
I would discard it this year if it does not do 
better. k. e. eels worth. 
Tennessee. 
Early last Spring I received three roots of 
Burbank’s Crimson Winter rhubarb, and 
planted them at once, according to instruc¬ 
tions accompanying the roots. From time of 
planting to frost season I gave them the very 
best care in all respects. The stalks were 
very slender and so few that I could not have 
had enough to make sauce even for testing. 
Unless the second year's growth is more en¬ 
couraging than the first year I shall dig it 
OUt. D. M. HURST. 
Ohio. 
When Crimson Winter rhubarb was first 
offered about four or five years ago I bought 
a package of seeds at a pretty good price, 
started the seeds in greenhouse and trans¬ 
planted young seedlings along with seedlings 
of ihe Victoria variety in the open field. The 
soil was very rich. Ninety per cent of the 
Y'cforia came true to name, and by Fall there 
v ere stalks as thick as a broom handle. 
The Crimson Winter looked more like bur¬ 
docks than rhubarb, and has stalks like a 
lead pencil. After trying it another year and 
also in the greenhouse without success I 
finally dug it up and discarded it. This is 
my experience. My seed came from a Long 
Island dealer, and I see in his late catalogue 
he booms it just as hard as ever. 
Wisconsin. john grape. 
About four years since we read of this 
wonderful production of the Wizard of the 
West, but the plants were said to be so good 
and price so high that we did not bite until 
a year ago, when a local seed firm advertised 
not only the seed but the roots for sale. 
The price of one root was 40 cents, but if 
we wished to go in on a larger scale we could 
buy three roots for $1. and a package of the 
seed which was to come true for 25 cents. 
We bought three roots, two of which were not 
as large as a lead pencil, although as I under¬ 
stood grown by Burbank and shipped from 
California. We also purchased a package of 
the seed. Well, we had 20 seeds, good and 
bad we thought, hut they all proved bad. as 
not one grew : of the three roots planted on 
well prepared soil all managed to live until 
Fall, when two died: one was still living 
when mulched late in November. After we had 
purchased seed from our local dealer we saw 
an advertisement where we could purchase 
three packages for 25 cents from a dealer on 
Long Island. N. Y. We sent our quarter, re¬ 
ceived the three packages (40 seeds) which 
were carefully planted in well prepared 
ground. .Inst one plant started, which looked 
well until August, when it died ! 
Kansas. wm. brown. 
We received Burbank’s Crimson Winter rhu¬ 
barb from the originators (or introducers) 
soon after it was offered for sale. The first 
season it made a medium-sized hill as com¬ 
pared with other varieties. The stalks were 
very small and poor color, reminding one of 
old neglected hills of old-fashioned kinds 
found on some of our farms. It grew all 
Summer, and was green until frost killed it 
in the Fall. It had made no preparation to 
stand our Winter, and nearly died, although 
well mulched. It started very late and weak¬ 
ly the next season, making a feeble growth, 
and died the following Winter. For our cli¬ 
mate I do not consider it of any value what¬ 
ever. Even if there was a sale in the Fall 
or late Summer for rhubarb, the stalks would 
be too small for commercial sale. As we 
have other varieties so much superior I see 
no reason why it should be grown in a cli¬ 
mate like ours. H. o. mead. 
Massachusetts. 
In 1904 I sent to Mr. Burbank for some 
roots, and planted alongside of my other 
varieties, which include Victoria, Linnaeus. 
The Crimson Winter made a poor, feeble 
growth, although encouraged by fertilizing, 
hoeing and mulching and the next Spring It 
failed to come up. h. w. heaton. 
Rhode Island. 
In February. lOOfi. I bought 10 plants of 
Crimson Winter rhubarb (price $2) and some 
seeds of the same. The plants made rather 
a feeble growth during Summer and were all 
dead by next Spring. The seeds grew very 
well and I hoped to save the plants grown 
from them. The following Winter these 
plants also died. I gave the roots good 
ground and good culture, and found them a 
failure. I gave one root to a greenhouse 
man for trial and he lost it same as I did. 
Our northern people should not be deceived 
in buying a worthless article. Teople would 
not buy it and 1 would not have bought it 
had it not been announced that it was some¬ 
thing very choice and was originated by 
Luther Burbank. I think if Mr. Burbank 
knew the injury the sale of it is doing to his 
good name he would discourage the sale of 
it in the Northern States, s. s. bailey. 
Michigan. 
This evidence should dispose of the pre¬ 
tensions of Crimson Winter rhubarb to 
usefulness in localities where the climate 
does not permit it to grow outside 
through the Winter. It does not amount 
to anything as a glasshouse vegetable— 
the growth is too feeble and the stalks too 
spindling to pay for the space it occupies. 
It may be all right for the Pacific and 
Gulf coast regions. It is now being tre¬ 
mendously exploited as a money crop for 
Californians, the stalks to be shipped Hast 
in early Spring and sold in competition 
with ordinary cellar-forced rhubarb. Bur¬ 
bank says “It promises to become more 
profitable than anything the soil pro¬ 
duces.” We have our doubts, but all are 
at liberty to try for these big profits. 
How Did It Originate?— When this 
variety was first offered the public under 
the name, “Burbank’s Everbearing Crim¬ 
son Winter rhubarb,” at the introductory 
price of $1.50 the root, the glowing de¬ 
scriptive matter announcing it gave the 
general impression that it was one of 
Luther Burbank’s wonderful “creations,” 
though we do not recollect he specifically 
claimed to have originated it. It sold un¬ 
der his name, just as does the Burbank 
plum, which was imported from Japan. 
Now Mr. Burbank, in a letter recently 
published, says he does not know just 
where or how it originated, but that it 
came “from the Southern Hemisphere, 
probably Australia.” He has, however, he 
says, made it all over by selection—“edu¬ 
cated” it, as his admirers style this kind 
of work—so that it is now pretty much 
his own production. Doubtless many 
bought it under the idea that the “wizard” 
was the actual originator that would have 
fougjit shy had they known he was only 
the introducer. There is nothing essen¬ 
tially wrong in a seedsman or nursery¬ 
man attaching his name to superior 
strains of any variety he may wish to in¬ 
troduce. . Many of our most reliable deal¬ 
ers find it advantageous to do so, and the 
public is the gainer, as there is always a 
tendency to keep the goods up to the stan¬ 
dard, where personal or business names 
may be involved, but a plant or animal 
breeder, to . avoid misunderstanding, 
should only identify his name with his 
personal productions. 
Hails From Australia.— As a matter 
of fact Crimson Winter rhubarb was in 
the possession of an Australian nursery¬ 
man a considerable time before Burbank 
got hold of it. Seeds and plants were of¬ 
fered wholesale to at least one New York 
seedsman by the Australian, but the deal¬ 
er did not have sufficient confidence in 
the possibilities in this climate of a rhu¬ 
barb variety of semi-tropical origin to 
handle it. Offers came later from a Cali¬ 
fornia grower, but the prices quoted were 
about double those the Australian was 
willing to make. The New York dealer 
as an experienced seedsman and plants- 
man, was not convinced by the California 
recommendations, and again declined. 
Some time afterwards the variety came 
out under Burbank’s patronage, being 
chiefly handled by a Long Island seeds"- 
man who still uproariously booms it. 
Many good dollars have been squandered 
in testing this antipodean vegetable in our 
exacting climate. w. v. f. 
Lime, Sulphur and Blight. —Lime and 
sulphur may he a cure for blight, but I am 
inclined to doubt it, against a very strong 
wish that it may be true. It is supposed 
that there is plenty of lime in our soil here 
for all practical purposes; the water is 
strongly impregnated with it. As to sulphur, 
about May 1 plaut of pears was 500 Aniou, 
200 Lawrence and some other varieties. This 
in 1883. On part I put sulphur in the tree 
holes when planting, in some cases I mixed 
the sulphur with the soil in filling the holes, 
and around many I scattered sulphur on the 
surface, enough to kill the weeds in a circle 
of three feet in diameter for a couple of 
months. Of course this was not spraying 
with sulphur but there was no apparent 
benefit. u. B _ 
Illinois. 
$50 if It Suits 
Nothing 
if it 
Doesn’t 
Gres! 
1808 
Split 
Hlckery 
eclat 
That’s how we sell our Spilt Hickory Special Top 
Buggy. Though it’s the Buggy known for merit in 
every section of the country, and you know wliat 
you buy, still you can have one to use for 30 days 
before you decide. We make good, first-class Top 
Buggies $35.00 up toourfamousSSO.OO Split Hickory 
Special. And all other kinds of vehicles, and har¬ 
ness too. It takes 180 big pages to show all these i n 
our new 1906 catalogue. YVe tell you this book will 
save you money and we want to 
SEND YOU ONE FREE 
But we must have your name and address,—where 
can we reach you—let us know today. This is head- 
quarters. \\ e make vehicles and harness and ship 
direct to you to try. You can’t get a more liberal 
proposition and you save middlemen’s profit of a 
third to half by dealing with headquarters. Our 
£ ua £? n t ;e t e is a legally binding one between you and 
us. You know the years of experience and long 
successful business behind it. Now we want to 
send you that catalogue so you cau pick out what 
you want to try—then it’s up to the goods. Your 
address, please, at once. 
THE OHIO CARRIAGE MFG. CO., 
H. O. PHELPS. Pres. 
Station 290 Cincinnati, O. 
MACHINERY 
C IDE 
Best and cheapest, 
Send for catalogue. 
BOOMER & BOSCHERT 
. - PRESS CO., 
118 West Water St M 
bliiAlTSh, K, l. 
30 
Days 
on Trial 
No 
Money 
Down 
Try An Anderton 
With Your Money 
In Your Pocket?’* 
All of our vehicles are sold direct from fac¬ 
tory at lowest factory prices. 
We are giving a 
REAL FREE TRIAL 
and we won’t ask you to deposit your money in 
any one's hands: and we won’t charge you 
from $1.50 to $5.00 more, buying on this plan, 
than we would charge you if you paid cash in 
advance. 
It is a fair and square offer, made because 
we can save ^ou from $15. to $35. and because 
we can trust "Anderton” Vehicles to sell them¬ 
selves. More than this, we will give you a 
Two Years Approval Test 
of the vehicle you buy of us, backed by a *25,000.00 
bank deposit placed there to guarantee your getting 
yonr money back, if you are not BatisOed. 
Any vehicle ought to be all right for 30 days. Our 
vehieles have to be all right two years, or you get 
your money back. 
Why Dot buy from the factory and save dealers’ 
profits! 
Why not order the vehicle you can try without 
putting up money! 
Write for our free 110-page Illustrated catalogue 
No. 17. Let us explain to you just why and bow we 
can make this offer. 
i Thc Andcrton Mfg. C°., 19 Third Sh, Cincinnati, 0. 
Leggett’s Dusters 
DISTRIBUTE 
INSECTICIDES 
IN DUST FORM 
saving Fruit and Vegetable Crops when other 
methods fail. 
NO BARREL OF WATER TO HAUL 
LEGGETT'S 
CHAMPION 
Two Acres of Potatoes 
dusted per hour. 
Several styles for 
GARDEN, 
FIELD 
OR 
ORCHARD 
Our Spray Calendar gives concise Information regarding 
Dusters ami Materials. Mailed on request. 
Leggett & Bro., 301 Pearl St., New York. 
The De v o Air-Cooled 
MOUNTED SPRAYING OUTFIT, 
1L> and 2L H. P., light in weight, no water required to 
cool our Engines, used by the largest fruit growers. 
Write for Catalog No. 5. 
K. H. DEVO & CO., Binghamton, New York. 
SPRAY MATERIAL 
BERRY BASKETS 
AND CRATES. 
Everything for planting:, 
growing, harvesting and 
marketing truit. Write us 
to-day and let us quote you 
a special price on what you 
need. The Powerful Barrel 
Pump shown here can be at¬ 
tached to any barrel. Price 
complete, ready to use, 
only $4.95. Send for our 
catalogue of trees, plants, 
, , — , ,, vines and everythingneed- 
ed to care for them. It is free with a copy 
of Green s Big bruit Grower Magazine. 
GREEN’S NURSERY CO., 
105 Wall Street, Rochester, N. Y. 
PARAGRENE 
is better,cheaper and bulkier than PARIS GREEN, 
“Have used I’aragrene L r potato bugs. It was per¬ 
fect ly satisfactory. L. H. BA1LE Y,Prof.of Hort mul¬ 
ture, Cornell University.” Price. 1 & 3 lb. pkgs.25 cts. 
per lb. Write lor booklet. Fred. JULa van burg, N.Y. 
‘Hjtioqen QMmvd 
The great soil improver for Peas, Beans, Clovers, &c* 
Write for prices and circular. GRIFFITH & TUR¬ 
NER CO., 211 N. Paea Street, Baltimore, Md. 
BOOK ON SPRAYING 
REE 
F i 
I ■ Send for a copy of our new book on how 
m ® to spray. Contains valuable formulas, 
and also describes the PERFECTION SPRAY¬ 
ER—simplest, strongest, most powerful sprayer ever 
invented. Don't buy a sprayer until you get this book 
THOMAS PEPPLER, Box 45, Higbtstown, N, J. 
DOG POWERS 
„ HARDER MFG. CO. 
Box ||, Cobleskill, N. 
wilt run hand cream, 
separators, churns, 
fan mills, washing 
machines, etc. 
Y. Best. Cheapest 
-’^Auto-Spray 
4 pal. tank, brass pump, operates by 
compressed air. 12 strokes give pressure 
| to spray % acre. Auto-Pop Attachment 
cleans nozzle every time used; saves 
half the mixture. Best line high grade 
sprayers, hand and power, in America. 
Catalog free. Good agents wanted. 
E. C. BROWN CO. v 
28 Jay St., Rochester, N. Y. 
Monarch 
Hydraulic 
Cider Press 
Great strength and ca¬ 
pacity; all sizes; also 
gasoline engines, 
steam engines, 
saw mills, thresh- 
_ __ers. Catalog free. 
Monarch machinery Co., Room 161, 39 Cortland! S!., Ne* York. 
Four Row 
► Potato Sprayer 
Covers 80 to 40 acres per 
day. Siraddles 2 rowB, 
’ sprays4at a time. Wheels 
'adjust for different widths. 
vs to any Oneness and gearing of pump to wheel of 
cart gives any pressure desired. Automatic agitator and 
suction strainer cleaner. It never spoils foliage or clogs. 
Free instruction and formula bo. k shows the famous (JurlioU. 
Umpire King. Orchard Monarch and other sprayers. Write for it. 
F1KL.D FORCE PUMP CO., 2 llthHL, Elmira, «. *. 
Deming Power Sprayer 
Self-contained, simple, light, pract¬ 
ical. Load it on wagon box or tank 
wagon and attach hose and you ara 
ready for work. The Ideal outlit 
for orchardlsts and park 
managers. The only really 
efficient gasoline englnoout- 
111 that sells at a reasonable 
price. 
Everything in Sprayers 
Bucket, Barrel, Knapsack, 
Hand, Etc, outfits adapted 
to every purpose. Don’t buy 
till you Investigate the 
famous Deming line. 
Catalogue Free. 
THE DEMING CO., 
SPRAY OR SURRENDER 
that is the ultimatum that in¬ 
sects and fungi have served 
on every fruit-grower of 
America. If you do 
not heed the warning 
you will not get profits 
from your orchards. 
Every man who sprays intel¬ 
ligently, at the proper time, 
finds it the most profitable 
operation on the farm. 
Send for illustrated catalogue 
of the ECLIPSE Spray Pumps 
and outfits. 
& Morley, Benton Harbor, Mich. 
Morrill 
WEBSTER BASKET CO. 
Manufacturers of the best 
WIRE SEWED 
BERRY BASKET 
ON THE MARKET. 
Get our catalogue with prices 
c before ordering elsewhere. 
WEBSTER BASKET CO., 
Box 35, Webster, Monroe Co., New York. 
HURST 
POTATO 
SPRAYER 
on FREE TRIAL 
Thu Hurst Sprayer “Srays Ererything,” Potatoes, Truck, etc., 4 rows at a 
time, 20 acres a day. Even 2-acre growers say, “Pays itself first season'' as it 
has so many uses. Can be adjusted to spray anything, as the spray arms can be 
raised or lowered, or set at any angle desired. Can easily be adjusted for Or¬ 
chard Spraying, by simply removing spray arms, and you have a very conven¬ 
ient Orchard Sprayer that can be wheeled any where. 
All the working parts are made of Brass. Has High Pressure, and delivers 
a Fog li ke spray that penetrates to every part of the foliage. Has perfect agita¬ 
tion which insures even distribution of the liquid. Brass Strainer, with special 
pattern Strainer Cleaner, which keeps strainer clean at all times, and prevents 
clogging. Fitted with Verm oral Nozzles. 
Runs very easy, a Boy 1C years old can operate it with ease. Horse Hitch 
for hilly country, if desired. 
Mr. Peter Speer, of Allwood Fruit Farms, Passaig, N.J.,under date of Juno 7, 
writes: ‘I am very much pleased with your Potato andOrchard Sprayer,and its work. Jt is a great machine for the farmer 
and Fruit Growers, as it is adapted to Every Kind of spraying and you have it all in one machine." 
FlltST ORDER where we have no agent gets Wholesale Price, or we will take extra yield one acre our pay. Sent 
on 10 Days Free Trial and does not cost One Cent if not satisfactory. Guaranteed for 2 years. First machine in each 
locality can be easily earned by giving us a little of your help in advertising. Write today for our most liberal terms. 
EST. 12 Years H. L. HURST MFG. CO., 1530 North Street. CANTON, O. 
