736 
October 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS 
A Satisfactory Cross-bred Plum.— 
Though new seedling plums are yearly- 
fruited in increasing numbers, but few 
appear to result from intentional cross¬ 
breeding. In Fig. 359, page 731, we have 
a product of one of the first crosses of 
Abundance with Burbank made on the 
Rural Grounds. Both these familiar va¬ 
rieties have been widely planted in east¬ 
ern localities, but possess such marked de¬ 
fects that they now appear to be passing 
out of cultivation. Abundance, or true 
yellow fleshed Botan, is a plum of good 
size and fine quality when properly 
grown. The tree, at first thrifty in 
growth, is so greatly subject to twig 
blight that it is now regarded as short¬ 
lived, especially when permitted to over¬ 
bear. Burbank is a rampant and spreading 
grower and an enormous cropper. The 
plums are large and of tolerable canning 
quality when they mature, but are so 
subject to rot as to be useless in the 
coast districts. Little could be expected 
of such a close variety-cross, and it was 
only made because tbe trees came con¬ 
veniently into bloom at the same time, 
but the newcomer, after five years’ fruit¬ 
ing trial, turns out to be quite meritori¬ 
ous. Practically the only plums we have 
this year were borne by this seedling both 
on the original and on grafted trees. The 
habit of growth is exactly intermediate 
between that of its parents, being far less 
sprawling than Burbank and not as stif¬ 
fly upright as Abundance. The foliage is 
heavy and the trees so far exempt from 
blight or other disease. The plums ripen 
at the end of July, and appear quite 
immune to rot or the effects of qurculio. 
They are borne so profusely that thinning 
is imperatively necessary, if they are to 
attain normal size, which is somewhat 
less than that of average Burbank fruits. 
The coloring is yellow, overspread with 
purplish crimson, flesh firm, clinging to 
stone, and of sweet, rich quality when 
not too crowded. The defects so far ob¬ 
served are the constant tendency to over¬ 
bear, and occasional cracking of the rip¬ 
ening fruits, both of which may to a 
considerable extent be corrected by timely 
thinning. No grower of the writer’s ac¬ 
quaintance, however, has the “nerve” to 
thin young orchard fruits as thoroughly 
as for best results it should be done, so 
the defects are not, we hope, underesti¬ 
mated. If the new plum thrives as well 
the next five years as it has the last, we 
shall think it has, at least, local value. 
Other hybrids and cross-breds fruited 
from time to time have interest, but do 
not appear to possess the sterling quali¬ 
ties needed for commercial planting. 
New 7 Sterile Hydrangea. —Sterile flow¬ 
ered Hydrangeas and Viburnums are 
justly reckoned among the most desirable 
shrubs. With the exception of the high¬ 
ly ornamental Japan Hydrangea hortensis, 
so commonly grown in tubs for decorative 
effect, all are reliably hardy in the open. 
They are natives of Asia and North 
America, Japan contributing the well- 
known Oriental snowball. Viburnum pli- 
catum, while we have our beautiful Guel¬ 
der rose or native snowball, V. opulus. 
Eastern Asia also is the home of the 
Panicled Hydrangea, and its ever-popu- 
lar large flowered form knowm every¬ 
where as H. paniculata grandiflora. This 
last is without doubt the most widely 
planted shrub of the present day. It is 
found everywhere alike, in the cottage 
dooryard and in the pleasure gardens of 
the wealthy. It has been very attractive 
this year, every specimen, little and big, 
being covered with immense panicles of 
snow white blooms, now turning rosy as 
the season advances. The type species, H. 
paniculata, though far less frequently 
seen, has its own special attractiveness. 
It is, indeed, considered superior by some 
critical growers, as the flower heads are 
held upright, having fewer sterile 
blooms. They come later, are more 
elongated in form, and the creamy-w'hite 
tint changes at maturity to purple red. 
H. paniculata is also less shrubby in 
habit than its great-panicled offspring, 
forming in time, a fair-sized lawn tree. 
It is good to have them both, but for 
small yards, the common Grandiflora va¬ 
riety answers w r ell. Now comes a true 
American “Snowball” Hydrangea, a sport 
of H. arborescens, native to portions of 
the Western and Southern States. In its 
usual wild form H. arborescens is not 
especially ornamental, and is seldom 
planted, though known as a species for 
more than 100 years. It has good fol¬ 
iage, but the flower heads are not showy, 
there being only a few conspicuous ster¬ 
ile blooms at the outside of the cyme or 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
panicle. The new variety, however, bears 
in profusion fine clusters of milk-white 
sterile blooms of the largest size, ar¬ 
ranged in rounded panicles much like 
those of the tender tub Hydrangeas. 
What gives them especial value, however, 
is that they come in bloom in June, just 
as the Viburnum snowballs pass away, 
and continue, on well-established plants, 
until late August. These great white 
flower clusters, though not very lasting 
when cut, are useful to florists during 
the usual midsummer dearth of blooms, 
and will doubtless cause this attractive 
variety to be extensively planted when it 
can be had at moderate cost. At pres¬ 
ent small, but well rooted plants, cost 50 
to 75 cents each. Our trial specimen 
planted out in April from a three-inch pot, 
produced in June four fine flower clus¬ 
ters six or more < inches across. There is 
some claim that* this snowball Hydran¬ 
gea is a continuous Summer bloomer, but 
those most familiar with it say the early 
flowering period covers several weeks, as 
successive shoots come into bloom and 
that, in vigorous specimens, there is a 
second but shorter period in August oc¬ 
casionally running into September, but 
that it is not an everbloomer, in the 
common acceptance of the term. This 
showy variety of native Hydrangea is of¬ 
fered as H. arborescens grandiflora alba 
and also as H. arborescens sterilis, the 
latter being botanically the more correct. 
Where it is best known in the Middle 
West it has been locally propagated for 
some years for garden decoration, and is 
commonly termed Hills of Snow to dis¬ 
tinguish it from the more familiar snow¬ 
ball shrubs. It is without doubt the fin¬ 
est introduction for many years among 
white-flowered shrubs. Plants are likely 
to be offered next year by dealers at 
moderate prices w. v. F. 
B ottom made or pr< 
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STEEL SHOE CO., Dept. P, RACINE, WIS. 
Oor 
Booklet 
“The 
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telle how to sate 
II to (10 a year 
On working shoes. 
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RAILROAD MEN’S CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOL, 
Boa 718. Freeport, Illinois. 
Make Plowing Easy 
By 
Using 
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A Good Article 
T 
IHERE is more than selling quality in ‘‘HIGH 
STANDARD” PAINT. 
There is more than can, label, and 
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Quantity —every size is full U. S. Standard Measure of paint. 
And real paint economy—because ‘‘HIGH STANDARD” PAINT 
covers 25 to 40 per cent more square feet to the gallon than ordinary paint 
—lasts two to three years longer, and fails gradually, leaving a smooth, 
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“High Standard” 
Gi'Oes 'Best 'Results 
—because it is made according to a rational formula that is the result of a third-of-a-cen- 
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There is a “HIGH STANDARD” dealer in nearly every town, 
handling also Lowe Brothers Interior Enamel for woodwork and walls; 
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Sena for our valuable booklet “Paint and Painting"—mailed free 
on request. 
THE LOWE BROTHERS COMPANY 
Palntm&kers Varnish makers 
450-456 Third Stroet, Dayton, Ohio 
New York Chicago Kansas City 
The “Little 
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— Your 
Protection <*> 
SC ALEC IDE’ 
SAVE YOVR TREES THIS FALL TILLSPRING 
The chances are they’ll be killed by San Jose Scale. Take time by the forelock- 
spray with SCALECIDE. It kills every insect it touches. Cheaper than Lime- 
Sulpnur or any home-made mixture, and easier to apply. Non-corrosive, non- 
clogging. 92 percent oil—the largest amount with less water than is found in any 
spray vet discovered. We prove it. Order a 50-gallon barrel at f25. Makes 800 or 
- aflons costing 2^c to 3c at any station in the U. S. east of Mississippi and north 
cialb 
spr 
1000 gs 
of Ohio Rivers. 
3g 2L__ . f 
There’s nothing cheaper. Send now for free, special booklet 
B. G. PRATT CO., Mfg. Chemists, 
11 Broadway, 
New York City 
GRASS 
HUBBARD’S ... 
FERTILIZER 
For FALL 
SEEDING 
The Hon. Geo. M. Clark uses this brand exclusively in 
seeding his famous hay fields at Higganum, Conn. 
Pure Ground Bone of Our Own Manufacture 
, Send for 1907 Almanac and prices 
THE) KOGKRS At HUBBARD CO. 
FERTILIZER MANUFACTURERS 
Middletown 
Conn. 
WmCHBSUK 
pjftKlUl' 
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wVitr 
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Hunting Rifles 
From the ten different 
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you can surely select a 
rifle adapted for hunting 
your favorite game, be 
it squirrels or grizzly 
bears. No matter 
which model you select 
you can count on its 
being well made, ac¬ 
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SHOOT WINCHESTER CARTRIDGES 
IN WINCHESTER GUNS 
A copy of FARMERS GUIDE 
most useful book of Records, Reci¬ 
pes, and General Information 
mailed upon request to every 
Farmer and Stock Grower. Write to-day. 
THE 0. 8. KELLY CO., 157 Lima St. Springfield, Ohio. 
% 
DESTROY 
SAN JOSE 
SCALE 
before it destroys^ your trees. The 
one absolutely sure way to eradicate 
this pest entirely is by using SALI- 
MINE —the best, safest, cheapest, 
concentrated spray on the market. 
The original 
TRADE 
SALIM INC 
MARK 
is the result of ten years “At It” and 
“ Know How.” It is a Lime, Salt, Sul¬ 
phur, and Caustic Potash solution. 
Recognized by all experimental sta¬ 
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oughly eradicating scale. One gallon 
mixed with cold water makes 20 gal¬ 
lons of the standard solution. Write 
to-day for free circular with prices. 
Monmouth Chemical Works, 
Dept. A. SHREWSBURY, N. J. 
_ __ _ it will pay you to spray your 
Rlr Fruit Trees and Vines for pro- 
IJU It I tectionfrom scale and all insect 
pests and fungus diseases. FHF.K 
■ II Instruction Book shows the 
W p famous EMPIRE KING, ORCHARD 
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CALDWELL 
TANKS 
are nothing like the or¬ 
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Give unexcelled ser¬ 
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catalogue 
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(^Galvanized*) 
Wind Mills, Pinups, Gas Euglnea. 
