8 38 
December 2 
Ruralisms 
The Commersoni Potato Tangle.— 
The controversy over the violet-skinned 
potato sent out as a valuable sport or 
“mutation” of Solanum Commersoni by 
M. Labergerie, the French experimenter, 
as regards its identity with the old Ger¬ 
man Blue Giant variety of the common 
potato, appears to be settled by the ex¬ 
perience of another season in growing 
both kinds together under similar condi¬ 
tions. This has been done at several 
European trial stations, with the general 
conclusion that they are identical. No 
essential differences have been noticed 
during the two years of observation, and 
it is the quite unanimous opinion that 
a mistake has been made rather than 
that two varieties so alike in all ob¬ 
servable points should arise from dis¬ 
similar Solanum species. Fig. 480, page 
935, is a portrait, in natural size, of a 
fair specimen of the French violet¬ 
skinned ‘“Commersoni,” grown on the 
Rural Grounds. We have not been able 
to procure Blue Giant for comparison. 
As grown here the violet Commersoni 
is vigorous and healthy in plant, fairly 
productive of good-sized, ill-shaped, 
prongy tubers, dark violet-blue in color, 
but with white flesh of excellent cook¬ 
ing quality. The foliage is dark, lux¬ 
uriant and has been entirely healthy 
during the two seasons we have grown 
it. It does not appear to possess any 
especial commercial value here, unless 
it should turn out unusually productive 
in swampy soils, as claimed abroad, as 
then it might be available for alcohol 
production. Our tests are made in loamy 
upland, no boggy soils being available. 
Fig. 478 is a typical Solanum Commer¬ 
soni tuber, also in natural size. The 
skin is pale yellow, rather rough in tex¬ 
ture. The flesh is slightly yellow and 
usually bitter to the taste. It is scarcely 
edible to humans, though most of the 
bitterness disappears when cooked. 
Fowls and domestic animals eat the po¬ 
tatoes without harm. The yield is small, 
five or six tubers, mostly. smaller than 
the pictured one, being all that is found 
in a hill. The plants are dwarf but 
■ thrifty, with pretty light green foliage 
and with a profuse bloom of fragrant 
and showy lavender colored flowers 
lasting until growth is cut short by 
frost. It really makes a decorative*flow¬ 
ering plant. The blooms are said to be 
used in Europe for perfumery. No real 
success has been reported in hybridizing 
Commersoni with garden potatoes, 
though countless attempts have been 
made during the 20 years it has been in 
European cultivation. Seed balls form 
readily enough when its pollen is prop¬ 
erly applied to the stigmas of fruitful 
varieties of common potatoes but they 
contain no viable seeds. This has also 
been our experience in two seasons of 
trial. Seeds of Commersoni reproduce 
the species even when apparently hand 
pollenized. The only two hybrids be¬ 
tween tuberous Solanums apparently so 
far accomplished appear to be between 
the common potato and the Darwin po¬ 
tato of Chili, S. Maglia, and also with 
S. etuberosum, native of Africa. Neither 
promise much in the way of immediate 
improvement in the commercial sense, 
but may have valuable remote possibil¬ 
ities. Much work of this kind is under 
way, the main idea being to increase 
disease resistance of market potatoes by 
breeding into them some of the vigor of 
related wild species. As has before been 
stated, Solanum Commersoni is native 
to the swamp lands of Uruguay and 
has undergone positive but slow amelio¬ 
ration by years of culture in Europe. 
Selection alone may in time develop 
some very useful qualities that are 
not now distinguishable. 
The Eldorado Potato. —The top- 
notch of potato novelty prices was 
reached about three years ago by the 
Eldorado, a seedling raised in Scotland. 
the; rural 
Prices were paid in England for single 
tubers that would figure up close to 
$1,200 a pound, and “slips” or rooted 
sprouts pulled from the eyes of forced 
tubers were actually purchased for $800 
each. Of course this was rank specula¬ 
tion. While the variety was highly 
praised nobody thought that it had in¬ 
trinsic value great enough to warrant 
such absurd prices, and the boom soon 
burst. Doubtless much injury was in¬ 
flicted on the limited stocks by forcing 
the propagation to extreme limits in 
order to realize the utmost profit while 
the excitement lasted. A few dealers, 
however, used natural methods of 
propagation, and the potatoes they sent 
out retained the ordinary vitality of the 
variety. Fig. 479 shows a good average 
Eldorado potato after two seasons of 
cultivation on the Rural Grounds. The 
stock was secured for trial from one 
of the most careful European growers. 
Last year the growth was fairly vigor¬ 
ous under ordinary potato conditions, 
but the crop of tubers was light and the 
size small, the largest not attaining the 
size of the illustrated specimen. This 
season it was considerably more produc¬ 
tive, yielding a very tolerable crop of 
smooth, medium-sized potatoes. The 
eyes are very shallow, the skin slightly 
russeted, creamy yellow in color. The 
table quality, either baked or boiled, is 
distinctly good, not particularly floury 
in texture, but of agreeable flavor. The 
growth is strong and upright, foliage 
dark, heavy and apparently not inclined 
to blight. The season would be with 
the earlier main crop kinds. While ap¬ 
parently a desirable variety for home 
use and amateur gardening, it does not 
display any characteristics likely to at¬ 
tract the market gardener except its 
clean and handsome appearance. 
The Importance of Forestry.—I t is 
hard for Americans to realize the ex¬ 
treme importance of methodical fores¬ 
try. Our timber supply has hitherto 
been so lavish and in the early days 
often such a hindrance to agricultural 
operations that it is scarcely possible to 
realize that a future timber famine is 
only the matter of a few decades if the 
present wasteful methods of handling 
forest areas are not checked. Fortunately 
much public interest has been aroused, 
and State as well as national efforts are 
being made, not only to conserve our 
remaining public forests, but to promote 
intelligent application of the importance 
of restocking waste private lands, and 
especially of harvesting the products of 
farmer’s wood-lots in such manner as 
not to diminish their future usefulness. 
The science of productive forestry is 
becoming of importance here as it has 
long been abroad, and offers to any 
youth with the love of nature in his 
heart the prospect of honorable and use¬ 
ful occupation as public or private fores¬ 
ter. There is already provision for this 
highly important study in several col¬ 
leges, and opportunities are certain to 
increase rapidly. Forest problems are 
far-reaching, affecting the profoundest 
interests of civilization, and scarcely any 
class of citizens has greater need of 
abundant forest products than the 
farmer. The use of metal and cement 
in construction has wonderfully in¬ 
creased. The possibilities of both, but 
especially of the latter, appear of the 
widest application, but they can act only 
as partial substitutes for timber in farm 
equipments. Good timber products will 
probably be needed in quantity for all 
time. The progressive farmer will do 
well to preserve his local timber supply 
as far as possible, and in particular in¬ 
stances, it may prove good, far-sighted 
policy to replant denuded waste lands 
with quick-growing timber trees that 
thrive well in the neighborhood. 
w. v. F. 
He: She is a decided blonde, isn’t 
she?” She: Yes, but she only decided 
lecently.—London Opinion. 
NEW-VORKER 
0? BEST HARNESS IN THE WORLD 
Tetiis send pictures of harness in use every¬ 
day for 20 years and still good. Equal to best 
custom-made—will positively outwear any two 
sets of factory-made harness. We guarantee all 
harness for 5 years. Always money back, with 
transportation charges, too, if you’re not satis- 
iled. Catalog free, buy A direct from maker, 
and save 25 percent. K\ Owego, Tioga Co., 
Kirn* Harness C o.. A flg N. Y. j 
2,000 
To 
6,000 
Feet a Day 
SAWMILLS 
From this size up to largest, standard mills with var¬ 
iable friction feed. Favorites in every lumber 
district. Cut most with least power, easy to 
handle. Edgers, Trimmers, Lath Mills, Shingle 
Mills Cut off and lilp Saws, etc. Send for tree catalog. 
American Saw Mill Mch’y Co., 
1 28 Hope St.. H8cket<stown, N. J., 
8 1 0 Engineering Bldg., New York City. 
LET US TAN 
YOUR HIDE, 
Whether Steer, Bull, or Horse Hide, 
Calf, Dog, Deer, or any kind of hide 
or skin with the hair on, soft, light, 
odorless and moth-proof for robe, rug, 
coat or gloves, and make them up when 
so ordered. 
But first get our illustrated catalog, 
with prices, shipping tags and instruc¬ 
tions. We are the largest custom fur 
tanners of large wild and domestic 
animal skins in the world. , , 
We make and sell Natural Black 
Galloway fur coats and robes. Black 
and Brown Frisian, Black Dog Skin, 
and fur lined coats; also do taxidermy 
and head mounting. 
THE CROSBY FRISIAN FUR COMPANY, 
116 Mill Street. Rochester, N. Y. 
New Oeere Gang 
On cold mornings yon may want to walk 
while plowing. Maybe your boy is so small 
he can hardly raise a gang plow with the 
foot-lift when the horses are stopped. In 
either case the trouble is overcome by 
using 
The 
Auxiliary 
Hand 
Lever 
I aO/ 
The New Deere 
is the only gang so 
made that you can 
raise the plows with 
a foot-lift or with a 
hand lever—or with 
both. The auxil¬ 
iary hand lever 
folds out of the way 
when net in use. 
The Booklet Beautiful 
shows plows ancient and modern. Illus¬ 
trated by photos of actual plowing scenes 
from all over the world. 
Ask for booklet No. 336 Mention this 
paper. 
DEERE & COMPANY, Moline, III., U.S.A. 
Some Comments on 
HUBBARD’S 
[ fertilizers 
I llll«»—11 Hill I I—<■■■■1 !!■ ■ II'I I T 
I “I get 50% more potatoes by using Hubbard’s" 
I “Best asparagus I ever raised was with Hub¬ 
bard’s Soluble Potato Manure” 
I “$28.00 worth of Hubbard’s Fruit Fertilizer 
is equal to 50 loads of manure” 
B “500 to 700 bushels of onions per acre with 
Hubbard’s Soluble Tobacco Manure" 
“We are beginning to see the benefit of ‘Bone 
Base’ goods’’ 
“750 lbs. per acre of Hubbard’s Soluble Com 
and General Crops Manure has given splen¬ 
did com” 
B “My ensilage com, about 11 acres, will aver¬ 
age about 12 feet high on the Complete 
Phosphate” 
“Hubbard’s Bone for poultry strengthens and 
invigorates the fowls ’’ 
Send for Almanac and Prices 
THE ROGERS & HUBBARD CO. 
Fertilizer Manufacturers 
MIDDLETOIA/N, CONN. 
No Money in Advance—pay when 
convenient. The “F1TZ- A LL" fits- 
on-any-barrel or tank. Sprays all so¬ 
lutions. Proven best and most dur¬ 
able. Guaranteed Five Years. 
Brass Sail Valves.Cylinder.Plunger, 
etc. Strainer Cleaner and 3 A dilators. 
200 lb. pressure. A l>oy can operate it. 
After trial if yon keep it—pay when 
you can. Wholesale price where no 
agent— Agents Wanted. Special 
Free Offer for first in each locality. “Spray¬ 
ing Guide" and full information FREE. 
H.L.Hurst Mfg.Co., g North SL.Canton.O. 
GET THE BEST 
A Good Spray Pump earns 
big profits and lasts for years. 
THE ECLIPSE 
is a good pump. As 
practical fruit grow¬ 
ers 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 & MORLEY, Benton Harbor, Mich. 
„ _ __ _ It will pay yon to spray yonr 
Fruit Trees and Vines for pro- 
H. V- ijjfcjg 9m K tection from scale and all insect 
SB BA B pests and fungus diseases. FREE 
H Bi p*® Instruction Book shows tho 
famous EMPIRE KING, ORCHARD 
MONARCH and other sprayers; also gives a 
lot of formulas and other valuable information. 
FIELD FORCE PUMP CC., No. 2 11th St.. Elmir#, N. Y. 
_ |- —We pay highest cash prices for 
U GUI klli'C them. 25 yearsiu the business. We 
riUTT llllu charge no commission and pay ex¬ 
press charges. Send for price list. 
Belt, Butler Co., 1-40 Greene St., New York 
CUT ICE 
MADE 
IN 
THREE 
SIZES 
With the Dorsch Double Row 
Ice Plow Wegnarantee it will 
cut more th an 20 men sawing by 
hand. Cakes are cutnnfiorm, 
ol any size and thickness. One 
man and a horse will cut more ice_ 
a day than the ordinary farmer and dairy 
man can use. Yon can cut for others and 
make the price of onr plow in two days use. 
Ask for catalogue and introductory prices. 
JOHN DORSCH & S0N8 226 WELLS ST.. MILWAUKEE, WIS 
ICE PLOWS 
That will cut two rows at a 
time, runs smooth, draws 
with less draft than any 
other, pays for itself in 
one day. Also ICE TOOLS. Write for prices. 
WM. H. PRAY, Clove, New York. 
QUICK ICE CUTTING 
quality; and are 
strong, keen, fast 
cutters; 3 sizes—cut 
is essential. Farmers, dairymen, butchers, 
hotels and cutters generally will find a 
Red, White and Blue Ice Plow 
will work quicker, better and 
easier than 50 men 
with saws. They 
are superior in 
Cata¬ 
log of 
plows and 
all kinds of 
ice tools free. 
Send for it now. 
V4, 9 and 10H inches deep. Have patent clearing 
tooth, swing guide on VA and 9 in. Save cost first 
season. Ames Flow Co., 64 Market St„ Boston, Mass. 
D 
A 
SAVE Y0VR TREES THIS FALL DON T WAIT 
\0RDER 1 
A 
\BARREL J 
i NO tV , 
TILL SPRING 
The chances are thev’ll be killed by San Jose Scale. Take time by the forelock- 
spray with SCALEC1DE. It kills every insect it touches. Cheaper than Lime- 
Sulphur or anv home-made mixture, and easier to apply. Non-corrosive, non- 
. ... An ' J 1 flirt Innrvnat- <> rvn /-»« nt TXT i V, lnau ur <1 to r tfinn IU TfinrUl 1 T1 J1.I1 V 
Xi gallons costing 2i_ „ _ ,- r 
of oTio Rivers. There’s nothing cheaper. Send now for free, special 
B. G. PRATT CO., Mfg. Chemists, 
11 Broadway, New York City 
booklet 
NJ, 
nr*, ' 
