1907. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
85 
BLUE GLADIOLI. 
On page 961 H. F., Shenandoah, 
Iowa, asks: “What about the Groff 
strain? Are they the best now known, 
as many claim? Where can I get the 
best blue variety?’’ I trust I may be 
pardoned if I take exception to the reply 
made, for t'he answer appeared to be 
given bv one who could have been fa¬ 
miliar with but a limited number of varie¬ 
ties, comparatively of the thousands pro¬ 
duced by Mr. Groff, and these probably 
from the early work of this hybridizer. 
In my special collections are not only 
hundreds of the blue, lavender, heliotrope, 
lilac and clematis shades originated by 
Mr. Groff, which will compare favorably 
with the best of t’he foreign novelties 
of these shades, but also many of the 
best Lemoine blues, selected by a stan¬ 
dard which, is much higher than that of 
the average grower or inexperienced ama¬ 
teur. I dare say, too, that of such varie¬ 
ties as Baron Joseph Hulot, Prophc- 
tessc, Jane Dieulafoy, Baron Staffe, El¬ 
dorado, Senator Volk.nd, Emil Augier 
and Mcphistopheles, I have a larger stock 
even than the originator, having exported 
this season several thousand of the first- 
named variety. Besides these I cultivate 
under name many Lemoine varieties for 
comparison only, for I have found by 
experience that for beauty of coloring, 
size of flowers and arrangement of same, 
length of spike, foliage and vitality, noth¬ 
ing to compare with Groff’s hybrids. If 
II. F. or your contributor who answered 
his questions would come to my fields 
when they are in full bloom, 1 believe 
I could almost' agree to either duplicate 
or show a superior counterpart of almost 
any flower either might submit. I quite 
agree with Dr. Van Fleet in his notes 
from the Rural Grounds, page 746, where¬ 
in, referring to named varieties, he says: 
“Seme of the newcomers are good and 
distinct, others are apparently fillers to 
the lists to be tested by well-to-do ama¬ 
teurs, and soon consigned to oblivion.” 
This is the very reason I do not list and 
offer in my catalogue many varieties 
which are kept alive here, solely for edu¬ 
cational purposes and comparison. I re¬ 
gret that through the answer above re¬ 
ferred to H. F. and other of your readers 
may gain a wrong impression of t'he true 
value of the Groff’s hybrids as they are 
contained in my stock. Arthur cowee. 
Rensselaer Co., N. Y. 
A PUBLIC WATER TROUGH. 
One of our readers in central New York 
wants to bring water in a public trough near 
his place. He wants to locate it on his 
roadside. He says the water comes out of 
the rocks on the side hill, and runs on the 
rocks until it gets to the bottom of the 
hill, where lie wants to put ills trough. 
What is the best way to conduct tlie water 
into the trough, and also what kind of a 
trough would be best, wooden or metal? 
Enclose spring with well of stone and 
cement, conduct water from spring in 
inch iron pipe to trough, which can be 
made of two-inch pine plank, inserting 
end pieces in half-inch groove and en¬ 
closing end and middle of trough with 
lj4-inch iron band bolted together, two 
bolts to each band extending through the 
trough. GRANT G. HITCHINGS. 
If I understand the question correctly, 
the water runs over the rocks until it 
conies to the place where the trough is 
to be placed. It would seem that a hol¬ 
low could be cut in the rock with a sharp 
drill, when the water could be led into 
the trough by a wooden gutter. This 
would be inexpensive and easily cleaned. 
If a good permanent trough is wanted 
and also one that looks well, I would 
make one of cement. Make a cheap 
frame or box the size desired (it can be 
long or square), then (ill this with a mix¬ 
ture of one part Portland cement to four 
parts sharp, clean sand. Be particular to 
have the cement and sand thoroughly 
mixed before wetting, and just wet enough 
so it will not crumble. Work up close 
the sides of the box with a paddle. After 
it has set the frame can be removed, but 
a little care is necessary in taking away 
the frame after the cement has set so that 
it does not chip off about the ends and 
corners. If this is gone over with a 
plastering trowel, and a little fresh cement 
and sand, it will have a finish not unlike 
stone, and will be a thing of beauty and 
a joy forever, like the man’s cedar posts, 
who knew r they would last forever, for he 
had tried them twice. Such a trough will 
cost no more than the best wooden one, 
and less than metal. About five inches is 
the proper thickness. 
EDWARD VAN AI.STYNE. 
If waiter has to be conveyed above the 
surface of rocks, and the conductor can¬ 
not be laid under ground, it is a condi¬ 
tion with which I am not familiar. In 
our experience we run the conductor un¬ 
der ground, and have invariably used lead 
pipe. I have used but little water that 
has not passed through a lead pipe. I am 
not poisoned by it, and have no fear of 
poisoning. Of course, there is a differ¬ 
ence in water, but we call the water here 
soft, although it certainly contains some 
mineral matters. A coating is formed on 
the lead, at the end, but along the length 
of the pipe, where water is running, there 
seems to be little or none of it. I prefer 
lead to iron for conveying water, as it 
will outlast iron. Ours is down about 2/> 
feet deep, and this that we arc now using 
has given us no trouble for .'54 years. It 
is necessary to provide a strainer at the 
tinner end, and see that it is kept clear; 
also to keep water constantly running. 
For water by the roadside we have used 
good pine plank for a trough. I have seen 
iron troughs, but have had no experience 
with them. I have seen cement watering 
troughs and like them. It has sometimes 
seemed to me best to put in a cement 
trough for our next one, but on the whole, 
I doubt if we do it. It would be some¬ 
thing of an experiment, and we have been 
saving some pine plank for several years 
with which to build a trough. It looks 
very much as though the time is not f-tr 
distant when we cannot get pine plank to 
make anything. Then we may have to 
consider cement or iron. I would prefer 
the cement to wood were I sure of getting 
a good foundation for it, and sure it would 
be so well made that it would not crum¬ 
ble. I am keeping watch of a cement 
trough that was made a year ago, and 
which is thus far satisfactory. 
H. II. LYON. 
African Explorer (spinning a yarn) : 
—“Not verv long ago T went out one 
dav and presently came face to face with 
three lions.” Friend: “Well?” Ex¬ 
plorer: “I fixed my gaze on the brutes, 
then stuck mv hands in my pocket and 
walked away, whistling an air from an 
opera.” Friend: “And didn’t the lions 
immediately rush at you?” Explorer: 
“Thev couldn’t. It was at the Zoo.”— 
Home Notes. 
Caldwell Tanks and Towers 
nj[ 
able, providing abundant water 
for every use of household and 
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progressive farmers have them, 
Vsk for 
Guo. 
W. K. C.UDWKU, CO., l.ouiKvillc, Ky. 
Tanks GVT 1 ’ T""; 1 ) Towers 
V Galvanized / 
Wind Mills, Pumps, Gas Engines. 
i f*. i uioio iiiivvi i 
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39 BROADWAY, FAIRFIELD, IOWA 
mm 
m 
■".I 
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%ur out of Five Farmer: 
Buy American Fence - Why 
Because it’s the best fence. There could be no other 
reason why over 80 per cent of all the wire fence made 
and sold is AMERICAN Fence. We have always kept 
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increased the price of AMERICAN Fence, and these improvements, 
adding years to the life of our Fence, constantly decrease the cost 
of wire Fence to you, per rod per year. 
NOTE I wiint to send you tho combination key-ring, shown In the corner, with our 
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found nml sent to us. 
FRANK BAACKES, Vice-Pres. & Gen. Sales Agt 
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much Fencojrou need this 
Drop mo a postal—tell me hmv i 
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SOMETHING’S HAPPENED ! mIssiinc SOMETHING KILLED! 
READERS LISTEN SHARP, DON’T MISS DECT THINO FVFP HADPCNmi 
Hundred years com in gj here at last, full 1 1 tYbK HAPPENED? 
so much wash day’s all over, changed — 
there’s new way cleaning clothes — differ¬ 
ent from anything known —now princi¬ 
pals, Ideas, methods, NEW EVERYTHING. 
Wonderful, but true, family washing 
cleaned with no more work than getting 
a simple meal, less time — no rubbing, 
squeezing, pounding, packing, pressing, 
► no injury—no drudgery—that’s past. 
'Good-by wash boards, washing machines, 
laundries—throw them away — the EASY 
WAY is here to bless humanity. Women have prayed for death of wash day 
—for clean clothes without rubbing—ruining health, looks—wlien they could 
wash, get dinner, see friends, indulge in recreation without fatigue—when 
women thought no more of washing clothes chan to get a simple meal 
- J - L . ..ed 
grown-so startling will say it’s impossible-miracles don’t happen, but wait, don’t worry. 
LADIES, YOUR PRAYERS ANSWERED-THERE’S NO MORE WASH DAY! 
GLORY HALLELUJAH! IT’S DEAD! LAID AWAY! WIPED OUT FOREVER. 
The world’s watched for the man to 
cut wash day in two. Ho lives —taken hardest work easiest household duty —saves clothes, 
more than half —left only minutes—cut labor, fuel, health, looks. Surprises all—sounds 
strange, is strange, but listen, it’s no experiment, 
going on dally. You can do it. 
MRS. FRITTER, Norwood, writes:-“Wlth EASY WAY 
I clean a week’s washing In less than an hour without 
rubbing.” W. BROWN, Ohio, writes:—“Wash day now 
wash hour—EASY WAY does tho work with perfect 
succees.” J. H. BARRETT, Ark., after ordering 38 Easy 
Ways, says:—” I don’t understand why ft does the work, 
but it does- You have the grandest invention I ever Closing tho inventor, 
heard of. People are skeptical; have to be shown.” J. W. MYERS, Ga., says: 
—“Find cheek to cover one dozen ‘Easy Ways.’ Easy Way greatest invention 
for womanhood, forever abolishing miserable wash day. Saves me turning old 
washer for hours. I am ready to have old washer accompany all others to 
the Dump. Sells itself.” I. BECK, Ga., writes:—“Enclose order. Find Easy 
glorious day has come. The world’s full wash boards, so-called washing ma 
chines, yet wash day same as ever—still long, dreary day—no easier, no 
shorter, no better. Use wash board or washing machine, it’s drudgery, long 
hours, hard work —backache—a day no woman forgets. Invention that killed 
wash day named EASY WAY — name tells whole story— easy on clothes —easy 
used—kept clean —handled —easy on women —makes washing easy—easy to 
buy and sell. Not called a machine —powers inside concealed—caution the 
way it gets dirt —has awful appetite for dirt—increases 
more it gets —goes after ail the dirt in all the clothes at 
same time—little, but mighty—silent, butpowerful—uses 
no spirits, yet works in darkness. OPERATED ON STOVE— 
, move knob occasionally—that’s all—scarcely anything to 
do but wait between batches — child can do it. All iron 
and steel—always ready—sets away on shelf. Entirely un¬ 
like old methods. Verily, wash day is dead —EASY WAY 
settled that —woman’s joy, satisfaction, their tiod-send. 
Less than an hour cleans washing which before took all 
day—cleans all clothes, finest laces, curtains, etc., in about one-tenth time 
without rubbing, squeezing, packing, pressing —without chemicals to iuiuro 
That i Way ’ as represented. Worked 4 days and have 16 orders ” J. T. PEAY, N. C., 
says:—“Been out 2 days—sold 1 dozen, for which enclose order. Everybody 
is carried away that sees it work.” CHAS. BOWLES, 0., writes:—“ Where 
tried have given general satisfaction.” <*naranteed, everything proven, 
old house, responsible, capital $100,000.00. Price only 85.00 complete, 
ready to use-sent to any address. Mot sold in stores. 
BEST EVER HAPPENED FOR AGENTS, SALESMEN, 
MAMGERS-JIKS Olt lVOMES-at homo or traveling, all or part 
timo—showing—taking orders—appointing agents. “EASY WAY” new. 
Nothing like it. Demand world-wide—agents reaping harvest of dollars. 
When oporated people stop, look, listen, crowd, push, squeeze, miss engage¬ 
ments, get excited — watch it as though a miracle occurred. Ik see —10 buy. 
Writ© today for special Agents Plan. World unsuppliod. Act quick. 
Send postal card anyhow for full description, valuable Information 
testimonials, famous copyright, “ WOMAN’S FAREWELL." All Free 
HARRISON MFG. CO., 201 Harrison *BIdg., Cincinnati, Ohio. 
