858 
November 25* 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS 
The Largest Pepper. —Since the intro¬ 
duction, about seven years ago, of the 
Chinese Giant pepper, very large pepper 
fruits have become common at exhibitions 
and in the gardens of careful amateurs. 
Some are veritable monsters, but we know 
of none larger than shown in Fig. 425, 
page 855, in which 10 peppers of the Mag¬ 
num Dulce variety, grown by the origi¬ 
nator, T. M. White, Little Silver, N. J., 
entirely fill a 16-quart standard peach bas¬ 
ket. The 10 peppers together weigh just 
10 pounds, the largest one reaching 1*4 
pound and measuring six inches in diam¬ 
eter or 18 inches in circumference, and is 
seven inches long. Twenty-one of these 
great peppers filled a bushel basket, and 
67 an ordinary apple barrel. These gi¬ 
gantic fruits are as good in quality as 
they are large in size, being sweet, mild 
and pleasant in flavor. The Magnum 
Dulce variety probably comes as a nat¬ 
ural cross between Chinese Giant and an 
old wrinkled, sharp-flavored, but large- 
fruited variety known as Elephant’s Trunk 
or Procopp’s Giant, as it was grown from 
seed gathered by Mr. White where the 
two kinds grew together. Elephant’s 
Trunk sometimes grows seven or eight 
inches long and is so irregular in form 
as to be useless except as a curiosity, but 
the blend with the Chinese Giant has 
produced a fair fruit that grows as large 
as a cocoanut under good cultural treat¬ 
ment. The Magnum Dulce pepper has 
been in commerce about three years, hav¬ 
ing been introduced by a Chicago seed 
house, and is gaining in favor. The plant 
is large and vigorous, not checking in 
growth with the first fruit as does Chi¬ 
nese Giant, and is highly productive. The 
large peppers sell readily, as their un¬ 
usual size and fine appearance make a 
strong impression on the purchaser. 
Trial of Burbank’s Amaryllis.— -Few 
of Luther Burbank’s productions have 
been so highly lauded as his hybrid and 
cross-bred Hippeastrums or show Ama¬ 
ryllis, as this species is universally termed 
by gardeners. Pages of eloquent descrip¬ 
tion are devoted to his Amaryllis in Har¬ 
wood’s “New Creations in Plant Life,” 
and dealers’ descriptions generally ex¬ 
haust the vocabulary of praise. He is 
credited with having “created” gorgeous 
improvements on this already splendid 
florist’s flower, of size, vigor and beauty 
quite beyond imagination. The bulbs 
have been in commerce for several years 
at prices ranging from $6 to $1.25 each. 
No reports of actual trials coming to our 
notice, we purchased, through reliable trade 
sources in the Spring of 1906, several 
bulbs, and at the same time an equal 
number of a new hybrid strain raised by 
H. Nehrling, Gotha, Florida, a learned but 
modest botanist who has grown and bred 
Hippeastrums for the last 30 years. Mr. 
Nehrling makes no secret of the parent¬ 
age of his varieties, freely stating that he 
used the best European and American 
hybrids, crossing them with the most vig¬ 
orous species obtainable, especially the 
rare white-flowered and sweet-scented 
H. solandriflorum from Central America. 
The two lots of bulbs were potted up 
just alike in similar compost, one each in 
five-inch pots, and given identical treat¬ 
ment. The Burbank bulbs, though large 
and sound, made a slow start, producing 
no blooms the first season. The Nehr¬ 
ling bulbs all flowered soon after begin¬ 
ning growth, each sending up a tall scape 
bearing four large blooms, seven to 
eight inches across. The coloring was 
white, flushed and striped with pink and 
crimson. There was faint but percepti¬ 
ble fragrance, the plants showing in this 
characteristic as well as in the foliage 
and length of spike or scape, the influ¬ 
ence of Solandriflorum. The present 
year, 1907, these bulbs, though still con¬ 
fined to five-inch pots, sent up two scapes 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
each, bearing eight blooms even larger 
and finer than last year. The Burbank 
bulbs also bloomed this season, producing 
one scape of four flowers each, almost 
precisely similar to those of the Nehrling 
hybrids, except that they were somewhat 
smaller and borne on longer stems. Evi¬ 
dently the parentage is about the same, 
Solandriflorum having been used as one 
parent and show hybrids probably con¬ 
taining blood of the light-colored Hip- 
peastrum vittatum the other. '1 he main 
difference is in the bombast and mystery 
cast about the origin of the California 
strain and the higher price demanded 
for the bulbs, which in this instance were 
inferior in vitality and bloom produc¬ 
tion. The climates of both California 
and Florida are admirably adapted for 
the outdoor culture of the Amaryllis, 
which can be brought to maturity from 
seeds or divisions in much less time and 
at a mere fraction of the expense that 
is needed to grow them under glass in 
colder latitudes. Great improvements 
from the gardener’s standpoint may be 
expected from the efforts of breeders 
thus fortunately situated, but the best 
results may not always come from the 
loudest shouters. The Burbank and Nehr¬ 
ling hybrids, judged by this trial, are 
nearly equal in value and interest, and 
are distinct acquisitions to this beautiful 
group of flowering plants, in the addition 
of the characteristics of Hippeastrum 
solandriflorum, which has hitherto been 
little cultivated out of the tropics. 
Old and New Varieties. —There are 
about 40 species of Hippeastrum, all na¬ 
tive to tropical America, but only seven 
or eight of the most showy ones are gen¬ 
erally cultivated. Some of these, such 
as H. pardinum and H. Leopoldi nat¬ 
urally have blooms seven or more inches 
across, others expand from four to six 
inches, so that hybrids bearing flowers 
nearly or quite a foot in diameter do not 
appear astonishing, in view of the re¬ 
sults obtained during the last 100 years 
by European fanciers. The centers of in¬ 
terest in these showy blooms have been 
Belgium and. England, where show varie¬ 
ties of the greatest perfection have long 
been raised. Some of these increase but 
slowly, and are held at comparatively 
high prices, $25 to $30 being frequently 
demanded for a single bulb; others in 
time becoming sufficiently numerous to 
be offered at reasonable rates. The ef¬ 
fort is to develop flowers of symmetrical 
form and good habit as well as of great 
size and rich coloring. Raisers are par¬ 
ticularly anxious to get rid of the green 
centers so characteristic of many species, 
and which persistently crop up in their 
otherwise charming offspring. Among the 
many varieties we have tried the follow¬ 
ing are most showy and are easily cared 
for: Charles Dickens, very large, pure 
white with faint rosy stripings; Chatrain, 
very large round blooms, orange, with 
scarlet featherings, immense foliage, pro¬ 
fuse bloomer, usually producing eight 
flowers at once; Jeanne D’Arc, cream 
white, striped and margined crimson, 
well-formed blooms, six to eight at once; 
Defiance, vigorous and free, often bloom¬ 
ing twice in a season, large flowers, deep 
red, striped white; Prince of Orange, 
large flowers, orange and white with 
greenish center; Johnsoni, an old favor¬ 
ite, having been raised by an English 
watchmaker named Johnson a century 
ago, and largely grown in Bermuda, 
and the Caribbean Islands as well as in 
the warmer parts of our own country, 
deep scarlet, striped with white down the 
center of each petal, and Empress of 
India, dazzling scarlet—a little difficult 
to grow. The Nehrling and Burbank hy¬ 
brids, with their stately growth, good fin¬ 
ish, pleasing colors and grateful perfume, 
are fine additions to the above list, which 
might be greatly extended. The window 
culture of Amaryllis is not difficult when 
the needs of the bulbs are considered. 
They should be kept in comparatively 
small pots of light rich soil, given abun¬ 
dance of light, heat and water when 
growing, and stored in a warm, dry place 
when at rest. w. v. F. 
Other roofs leak. You 
need Gen-as-co Ready Roof¬ 
ing. 
You know that tin lasts only till it rusts; shingles are 
good only till they warp, rot, or catch fire ; coal-tar and other 
residual pitch roofings protect only till they dry-out and crack. 
The only real lasting waterproofer is natural asphalt. 
We use Trinidad Lake Asphalt—the standard asphalt of the 
WO rld—for Gen-as'-co Ready Roofing And Gen-as'-co makes 
a roof that will not leak. Don’t take a substitute. 
Write for Book 10 of reasons ; also samples.. 
THE BARBER ASPHALT PAVING COMPANY 
Largest producers of asphalt in the world 
PHILADELPHIA 
New York San Francisco Chicago 
Hydraulic 
Cider Press 
THE DEYO 
POWER SPRAYER 
Mounted complete with mechanical agita¬ 
tor. Better than ever.. New air-cooled engine. 
Other new features, all import ant to the man 
who sprays. Write for new catalog 19—j ust out. 
R. H. DEYO 6 CO., Binghamton, N. Y. 
✓"SAN JOSE SCALE^ 
KILLER 
KIL-O-SCALE is the most reliable remedy 
for Scale. Ready for use by simply mixing 
with water. We also sell Spraying Outfits. 
Write for catalogue. 
HENRY A. DREER, - - Philadelphia, Pa. 
s* Save Your Trees ^ 
’ Kill San Jose Seale and other destructive \ 
parasites with a spraying solution of 
Good’s <3 *wiu!i*ou ,h Soap No. 3 
Sure death to insects. No sulphur, salt, mineral 
oils, or any substance harmful to plant life. En¬ 
dorsed by U.S.Dept.of Agriculture. Pocket Manual 
of cause, treatment and cure of tree diseases, free. 
Write today. JAMES GOOD, 
Origina^Maker^Ml^^jYoii^St^^Philadelghi^ 
Great strength and ca¬ 
pacity; all sizes; also 
gasoline engines, 
steam engines, 
saw mills, thresh- 
* ers. Catalog free, 
■onarch machinery Co., Room 161.39 Cortlandt St., No* York. 
Cider Machinery—Send for Catalogue to Boomer & 
Boschert Press Co., 118 West Water St. .Syracuse, N. Y. 
ON YOUR 
H r WATER SYSTEM LVm 
It Is easy and inexpensive If you have a 
brook, spring or pond on your place. Let 
Power Specialty Company 
Fit you out with a simple, 
[ automatic, guaranteed Rife 
Hydraulic Ram or a Foster 
High Duty Ram. Water raised 
to any height. Notroublo, no repairs. 
Free Catalogue gives valuable Buggos- 
tloDS. Addreas 
POWER SPECIALTY COMPANY, 111 Broadway, New York City 
Caldwell Tanks, Towers 
and Wind Mills 
solve your water supply troubles peruian- 
ently. Outfit enormously nt roll k and durable, 
lasting a lifetime without repairs and pro¬ 
viding abuudan t water at high pressure for 
all purposes. Plenty of outfits giving this 
service right around yon. Illustrated cata¬ 
logue for the asking. 
W. E. CALDWELL CO., Louisville, Ky. 
Tanks (”SSLZ“*) Towers 
Wind Mills, Pumps, Gas Engines. 
GET THE BEST 
A Good Spray Pump earns big 
profits and lasts for years. 
THE ECLIPSE 
is a good pump. As 
practical fruit growers 
we were using common 
sprayers in our own orchards 
—found their defects and 
invented the Eclipse. Its 
success forced us to manu¬ 
facturing on a large scale. 
You take no chances. We 
have done all the experi¬ 
menting. Large fully illustrated Catalog and 
Treatise on spraying FREE. 
MORRILL & MOBLEY. Benton Harbor, Mlcb. 
Tobacco Stems 
Can furnish limited amount tobacco stems at 
S7 per ton in bales. This is one of the best 
fertilizers that can be used, either to turn 
under or as a mulch. Cash must accompany 
order. To any purchaser not satisfied with 
results in one year’s time, we will cheerfully 
refund his money. Reference : First Nation¬ 
al Bank. 
S. 35. WATERS CO., Miamisburg, Ohio. 
DRAG SAWS 
.HARDER MFG.COy 
boxu.Cobleskill.N.Y. 
Hand and Bolf food, adapted 
to steam or gasollno engine, or 
horse tread or sweep power. 
Capacity 30 to 60 cord* ft 
day. Bend for circular. 
CUT ICE 
THREE 
SIZES. 
With the Dorsch Double Row 
Ice Plow Wo guarantee it will 
cut more than 20 men sawing by I 
band. Cakes are cutuutiorm, 
of any size and thickness. One 
man and a horse will cut more ice i 
a day than the ordinary larmer and dairy* 
man can use. Toucan cut for others and 
make the price of oar plow in two days use. 
Ask for catalogue and introductory prices. 
JOHN DORSCH & SONS 226 WELLS ST„ MILWAUKEE, WIS 
“FUMA 
■ I hills Prairie hogs, 
7 7 
Woodchucks,Gophers, 
and Grain Insects. 
•‘The wheels of the 
gods grind slow but 
exceedingly small.” So the weevil, but you can stop 
thchgand “p uma carbon BisulphideYmSK 
KDWAR1) R. TAYLOR, Penn Van, N. Y. 
Farmers’ Favorite” 
Feed Cooker and Boiler 
Just what is needed on every farm. 
Can be used for a great variety of 
purposes—cooking grain and veg¬ 
etables for stock and poultry, 
scalding hogs and poultry, boil¬ 
ing splaying mixture, rendering 
lard and tallow, sterilizing milk 
cans, preserving fruit, boiling 
sap, cider and sorghum. Satis¬ 
faction guaranteed or money 
refunded. Write for circular. 
LEWIS MFG. CO., Box C. Cortland. N. Y. 
COOK YOUR FEED and SAVB 
Half the Cost—with the • 
PROFIT FARM BOILER 
With Dumping Caldron. Empties its 
kettle in one minute. The simplest 
and best arrangement for cooking 
food for stock. Also make Dairy and 
Laundry Stovea, Water and Steam 
Jacket Kettles, Hog Scalder., Cal¬ 
drons, etc. Send for circulars. 
1>. B. SPERRY & CO.. Batavia, 1U 
FIX YOUR ROOF 
Day Cnnora —We will guarantee to put 
UG rcl OlfUcU c. an y old leaky, worn-out 
rusty, tin, iron, steel, paper, felt or shingle roof in 
perfect condition, and keep it in perfect condition 
for 5c per square per year. 
The Perfect Roof Preserver, makes old, 
worn-out roofs new. Satisfaction Ruarantoea 
or money refunded. Our fro© roofing book 
_ _a tells all about it. Write tor it today. 
(he Anderson Manufacturing Co.. Dept. 35, Elyria. Ohio. 
iur iK* per mjiiciu 
Root-Fix 
Sure Death to San Jose Scale 
It’s cheap and effective. Easy to use. Non-corrosive and non-closrgfing. ^ 
"SGALECIDE” contains more oil and less water than any other commercial IOA0£A\ 
spray. We can prove it. 50-gallon barrel at your station, if east of the Missis- [ A 
sippi and north of the Ohio River, for $25 cash. Smaller packages if you wish. \BAkREt I 
Write now for Special Booklet N It’s free. \ NOtv\ 
B. G. PRATT COMPANY. Mfg. Chemists, 11 Broadway, New York City. 
