6i6 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
August 11, 
LETTUCE FOR EARLY WINTER. 
P. If. C., Maryland .—I wish to have a 
crop of lettuce head up just before cold 
weather, and then cover it with straw or 
plant cloth and cut it through the early 
Winter. What variety shall I plant, and 
when shall I plant It? It will he sown where 
it is to be grown, and not transplanted. 
For Spring lettuce May Queen is all I could 
ask on my soil, but I do not know whether 
it will do for Fall. 
I would suggest the sowing of the let¬ 
tuce for this late crop about August 15, 
and in this locality Big Boston would be 
likely to prove a satisfactory sort to plant. 
But as varieties of lettuce differ in value 
on different soils, some other variety that 
has proved locally satisfactory might be a 
better choice for the purpose in view. 
w. H. TAPLIN. 
We have not had any experience in 
growing a crop in the way mentioned, as 
our Winters usually begin so suddenly and 
are so severe that an unprofitable amount 
of covering would be required. But while 
in Maryland about the middle of Novem¬ 
ber last year we saw near Baltimore a 
piece that was covered with straw, and 
on inquiry found that it was a success. We 
think that for this purpose none could be 
better than Big Boston, as it will stand 
more cold than any variety we have ever 
tried, and makes fine large heads and sells 
well in market. As it takes from seven 
to nine weeks from time of sowing the 
- seed would think that from mfddle of 
September to first of October would be 
about the proper time to sow the seed 
for it to be ready in November. We 
were told that it continued to head after 
being covered. For sowing the seed where 
it is to grow we use a hill-dropping drill, 
and when plants are nicely up thin out to 
one plant in a hill, setting in where 
any are missed. If weather conditions 
are right there will be few to set in, but 
if the ground is dry and weather warm 
we would prefer to grow the plants in a 
seed bed and set the whole, as then an even 
stand can be had. Anyone can grow 
plants and have them up the third day if 
they know how, and that is to sow the 
seed and not cover too deep, and cover 
the bed with any old sacks or anything 
of the kind, wet down thoroughly and 
be sure to take the covering off the third 
day, or not later than the fourth, and 
usually in 10 days or two weeks, one will 
have nice plants, d. l. dungan & son. 
Steuben Co., N. Y, 
He should choose a firm-leaved, solid¬ 
heading variety for this purpose, and 
would recommend the California Cream 
Butter and the Unrivalled or Improved 
Big Boston for this planting. The seed 
should be sown from September 15 to the 
first of October, depending upon the 
character of the soil in which it is to be 
grown, and the usual time that cold 
weather sets in, as the plants should have 
65 to 75 days of growth before the ground 
freezes. As the inquirer has had good 
results with the May King for Spring 
planting, it might be a good plan for 
him to make a portion of his planting 
with this variety, say not over 25 per 
cent, which would give him a supply for 
earlier use. The leaves of this variety, 
however, are softer than of those named 
above, and would not keep in as good 
condition after being covered over with 
the mulch of soft hay or long straw, as 
proposed in the inquiry. If the lettuce 
is to be wintered in beds covered with 
plant-cloth it would be best to transplant 
the young plants to the bed after they 
are well started in growth, as this would 
insure an even stand, and fully occupy 
all the available space in the protected 
bed. For such a bed we would run a 
board on edge six to 12 inches high on 
each side of the bed, and have one or 
more central supports running along 
through the bed to support the cloth 
above the lettuce, so as to permit a free 
circulation of air between the plants and 
the covering cloth. This would be the 
most satisfactory way to grow and keep 
the lettuce for Winter use. If grown in 
beds in the open ground to be mulched 
during severe cold weather, we would 
simply scatter soft meadow hay or clean 
stiff straw lightly over the plants in the 
rows. E. D. DARLINGTON. 
Fordhook Farms. 
In favored localities in the Middle 
States and almost everywhere in the 
South, lettuce when planted in the open 
ground in the Fall, will usually grow well 
and head up very nicely; and it is some¬ 
times more profitable than when grown 
in the early Spring and Summer. There 
should, however, be some provision made 
for protecting it from the first cold and 
freezing weather. Very often after a se¬ 
vere and killing frost in the early Fall 
the weather will remain pleasant for a 
long time, allowing the gardener to mar¬ 
ket a crop of lettuce at the best advan¬ 
tage, where it has been thus protected. 
On all well-arranged market gardens 
there are usually a number of cold frames. 
These should be put in order and those 
that are not wanted for wintering over 
plants should be planted with lettuce, and 
about the same time the last planting 
should be made in the open ground. It 
should be sown during the last week in 
August and the first part of September 
according to locality Plant in rows 16 
inches apart, and thin to a stand of one 
foot. Seed should be used more liberally 
than when sown in the Spring, for it 
does not germinate so freely at this sea¬ 
son of the year. The growth will be 
slow at first, but as the days grow shorter 
the nights grow cooler, and lettuce will 
then make most of its growth, and will 
soon form compact heads that will re¬ 
main firm and hard for a long time. Let¬ 
tuce when grown in the Fall seldom bolts 
or runs to seed, and about the only diffi¬ 
culty to contend with is the cold nights. 
The hard frosts will discolor and spoil 
the crisp and tender heads if not in some 
way protected. About the best and cheap¬ 
est material for this is salt hay or meadow 
grass. Cover the entire bed with this on 
the first approach of a cold snap. The 
cold frames, however, should be covered 
with sash: in the absence of this use hay. 
This will usually keep lettuce in good con¬ 
dition until disposed of, which should be 
in a reasonable time at this season of 
the year. Big Boston is the best for Fall 
planting, and is largely used for this pur¬ 
pose. T. M. WHITE. 
Monmouth Co., N. J. 
BEHAVIOR OF STRAWBERRIES IN 
INDIANA. 
On account of the dry weather here the 
past Spring, continuing from Easter until 
Decoration Day, the early varieties of straw¬ 
berries gave a very light crop of fruit. 
Timely rains saved the later crop, however, 
and on account of these conditions the vines 
were healthier and the fruit smoother than 
usual. Dunlap and Tarsons Beauty are two 
favorites here for main crop. I believe it 
is better to study the needs of some of the 
good standard kinds, and thereby learn to 
grow them to greater perfection, rathdr 
than spend time and money looking for 
something great among the new introduc¬ 
tions. The Dunlap seems to he especially 
responsive to conditions. On narrow rows 
and on light soil this variety ripens here 
almost as early as Climax or Success, while 
on heavier soil and in wide rows its season 
is almost as late as (he dandy. For a fancy 
market berry Kittie Rice (Downing’s Bride) 
seems to he about perfection ; good grower, 
good yielder, perfect in form and color, 
with a gloss that won’t come off; firm and 
fair quality. I have never seen another 
variety that looks quite so attractive when 
crated as this one. Mark Hanna has the 
merit of being large and productive, but the 
berry ! s rather rough, and has tender skin. 
Thompson’s No. 2, from same source as 
above, has, as I see it, the most beautiful 
foliage among the 40 kinds growing here. 
It also seems to be quite productive, but 
the fruit is too rough in form. Cardinal 
gave some good fruit from Fall-set plants, 
but did no better than Mead and some 
others under same conditions. Peerless is 
a fine grower of the Gandy type, yielding 
some fancy fruit, but not enough of it, being 
the least productive kind grown here this 
season. President has been tested here for 
four years, without gaining much favor. 
Some of the fruit is extra large and well 
colored, but much of it is only medium in 
size. It sells well on market, but the quality 
is so poor I always feel it a shame to take 
the money. 
Of the well-tested late kinds nothing has 
yet been found to equal Gandy. Rough 
Rider and Midnight have been tried and 
found wanting. Stevens’ Late Champion 
gave some large angular berries, but the 
later pickings were small, and the fruit 
rotted badly on the vines. The plant also 
has a weak foliage. Latest loaded down 
with more fruit than any other sort under 
trial here. The season here was about the 
same as Sample, and the fruit was fully as 
large. This variety seemed to have some 
merit, but the berry was rather soft and 
the color dull. Elma—from Black—fruited 
here only in a small way. Berry seems 
rather light In color. To be of much value 
it must be later than the late, and it 
gave some evidence of being about as late 
as the introducer claims it to be. Of the 
newer ones fruited this year Commonwealth 
was the sensation of them all, commencing 
to ripen about with the Gandy, and holding 
on for a week after Gandy was gone; as 
large and productive as any of the late ones. 
The firmest berry I have ever grown—in 
fact firmness with it seems to be almost a 
fault; fruit dark red and glossy, but sub¬ 
ject to green tips. Well-ripened fruit is of 
good quality, but until well ripened the 
flesh is rather tough and somewhat lacking 
in strawberry flavor. The plant is a good 
grower, but small and shows some rust. 
Pan-American, claimed to be a Fall¬ 
bearing variety; for the first two years here 
this one looked like a Fall fruiter, and no 
mistake, but later it seems to have taken on 
the habit of making more plants and less 
fruit. I set about 50 plants last Spring, 
and not more than half of them have shown 
any Summer bloom up to this time, July 23. 
After giving Pan-American four seasons of 
good care I feel that it has disappointed me. 
Indiana._ f. m. 
O UR BULB CATALOGUE, 
beautifully illustrated with 
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and containing, as formerly, the 
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J. M. THORBURN & COMPANY 
33 BARCLAY STREET, 
THROUGH TO 
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Founded in 1802. 
AnniC D AD DEI C Three factories. Capacity 
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SOME APPLE NOTES. 
Pioneers. —There appear to be at least 
four varieties of apples under the name of 
Pioneer. One is described by Downing as 
coming from Pennsylvania, one halls from 
California, one from Colorado and one from 
the island of New Zealand. The latter can 
hardly be distinguished from the May or 
Rhenish May of Downing, except in tree, 
which is decidedly distinct. May has a 
growth like a tumble-weed—branches stiff 
and growing and bristling in all directions, 
while Pioneer (N. Z.) has an upright and 
fairly symmetrical head. It is an early 
bearer, and fruit keeps until Spring. The flesh 
is firm, and quality only medium. Pioneer of 
California has not yet fruited here, but the 
one from Colorado is very vigorous in growth 
and an early and heavy brearer of full medi¬ 
um-sized fruit of medium subacid quality 
that is in season from December until Febru¬ 
ary. The color is bad, being a grayish- 
greenish yellow, and the form very peculiar, 
tapering sharply from the middle to eye, 
which is quite small. 
Melon or Norton’s Melon apple, which was 
commented on in a late issue of The R. 
N-Y., probably behaves differently when 
grown in different localities, as do indeed all 
other varieties. As it has been fruiting here 
for the past 25 years, I think I can fairly 
estimate it as grown in Central Illinois. It 
is not at present a market apple, but it is 
well worth planting by one who appreciates 
high quality for home use. Here it is not 
‘•off” in color. There is considerable russet 
marking, but the red is bright and rather 
attractive, and the fruit above medium in 
size. In form it is unusually oblate, evenly 
rounded at the ends. As to quality, at its 
best it is hardly surpassed by any other 
variety. Mother has more richness, but is 
coarser in grain ; Magnet is richer; Jonathan 
U. S. GOVERNMENT 
STATES that 
TAK-A-NAP SOFT NAPTHA SOAP 
makes the best Emulsion to kill 
Tobacco Thrips and Scale. 
40 pound keg. $1.00: 100 pound keg. $4.50, less freight 
in East. Special low prices in larger quantities. 
THAYER-HOVEY SOAP CO., Darby, Penn. 
Egyptian or Perennial Tree Onion Sets, 
One hundred bushels of fine sets for sale. Write 
for prices stating quantity wanted. 
D. D. WAGENER & CO., Easton, Penn. 
BEST SEED WHEATS 
that grow. Some wonderful new ones that will 
double your yield. Our free catalogue No. 2(1, tolls 
why ours are best, and how we have becomo the 
leading Seed Wheat growers of America. Write 
to-day. It's worth dollars to you. MAPLEWOOD 
SEED WHEAT FARMS, Allegan, Mich. 
oKsguAR,. strawberries hsi 
plant guaranteed or money returned. Send for my 
mid-summer catalog. T» O. KEVITT, Athenia, N. J. 
RATEK1N WINTER SEED WHEAT! 
Ratekin’s Imported “ Malakoff,” yields 02 bn. per 
acre: “Turkish Red,” 58 bu.; ” Iowa Wonder,” 59 bu. 
All extremely hardy. .Samples and circulars free. 
KATEKIN’S SEED HOUSE, Shenandoah, la. 
CTADK TREES are famous 
wherever planted; are planted 
everywhere trees are grown. Free 
Catalog of superb fruits—Black Ben, 
King David, Delicious, etc. -StarkBro’s, Louisiana, Mo. 
open \Aflir AT R°d> bearded or smooth, 
wCCU TV fl~.H I i pure, dean, cheap. Yields 
30 to 45 hu. per acre. Sold on a plain guarantee. Book¬ 
let. Willis R. Knox, 14 Newport Ave., Intercourse,Pa. 
has perhaps more juice; Early Joe is spright- 
lier; Garden Royal can scarcely be criticised 
except that it Is an 'nsuffleient unassuming 
little thing. But Melon has a complete suf¬ 
ficiency of all of the good qualities and 
particularly excels in fine grain and melting 
tenderness. But the tree, although upright, 
round-headed and symmetrical. Is rather slow 
in growth and somewhat tardy in coming 
into bearing. It is only a medium fruiter. 
The apples drop too early, bruise too easily 
and rot too quickly. Only by very careful 
handling, and in favorable seasons, may (he 
fruit from an ordinary cellar be eaten at 
Christmas, and even then it has deteriorated 
and much of the exquisite quality is gone. 
Here, usually it is properly an October and 
November apple. If I could get good Melon 
apples to oat all of the time I should eat 
12 x 365% apples yearly—against 52 Bon 
Davis—even when there were no other apples 
to eat. 
I would like to see a description of tree 
of Ensee apple. U. T. Cox sent me (fruit 
that reminded me of Melon. 
Sangamon Co., Ill. benj. buckman. 
For the land’s sake use Bowker’s Fer¬ 
tilizers. They enrich the earth.— Adv. 
COW PEAS AND RYE. 
Black Cow Peas, $2.00 per bushel, Soja Beaus, $1.35 
per bushel. Choice Seed Rye, 07 cents per bushel. 
EDWARD R1GG JR., Burlington, N, J. 
WINTE 
R 
i Wheat, 60 bushels per acre. 
Catalogue and samples free. 
JOHN A. SALZKRSKEI)CO.,Ladosse,Wis 
FOR SALI 
1000. JOSEPH 
J— Crimson-Clover Seed, $5.50 perbu. 
_ Five-eighths Peach Baskets,$35 per 
[ E. HOLLAND, Milford, Del. 
APPLE TREES , 
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ROGERS ON THE HI LI,, 
Apple Breeders, Dansville, N. Y. 
Dwyer’s Pot Grown Strawberry Plants 
Strong, healthy plants from selected stock of choicest fruiting varieties sure to give 
satisfaction and PRODUCE A FULL CROP IN 1907. 
We also have a full line of Fruits and Ornamental Trees, Plants, Vines, etc., for 
Fall Planting. We do Landscape Gardening in all its branches. Catalogue Free. 
T. J. DWYER &. CO., P. O. Box I, Cornwall, New York. 
mm ■■ ■■ (t c nrn | A r\ CQCIftUT DA in Apple. Pear. Plum, Cherry, Peach and Carolina 
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CRIMSON CLOVER 
on request. HENRY A. DREER, 714 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Penn. 
The great soil improver. Valuable 
also for early green food, grazing 
and hay crop. Special circular 
free, also sample and price of seed 
