238 
Ruralisms 
The Spring Catalogues. —The seed 
and nursery catalogues for the season 
are now nearly all in the hands of 
readers. With rare exceptions they are 
a fine lot—probably the most attractive 
and useful set of horticultural trade 
publications that has been issued in this 
country. That there is still room for 
improvement, the business firms respon¬ 
sible for them will doubtless admit, but 
the progress made in eliminating the 
objectionable features of former issues 
is most gratifying. The covers gener¬ 
ally are free from the glaring color 
effects once so commonly used. Many 
are in monochrome or subdued tints 
that are at once artistic and agreeable. 
Colored plates are much reduced in 
number and generally only used to il¬ 
lustrate some striking specialty. Well- 
finished half-tones to greater degree 
than ever replace the astounding wo'od- 
cuts of former days. But it is in the 
descriptive matter that the greatest re¬ 
forms are made. Some of the catalogues 
have been re-written to considerable ex¬ 
tent and nearly all appear to have been 
carefully edited. Generally a more 
conservative tone has been adopted, but 
a small minority deem it good business 
to retain much of the old vociferous 
phraseology, and some of the exag¬ 
gerated illustrations. Apparently their 
customers are able to estimate these 
windy statements at their proper value. 
Novelties of promise are few this year, 
and their claims are usually presented in 
more restrained style than heretofore. 
Strawberry and tomato varieties form 
the bulk of the new candidates for pub¬ 
lic favor. 
Read Your Catalogues. —The better 
catalogues are mines of useful horticul¬ 
tural information—text-books of val¬ 
uable knowledge, good to read at this 
preparatory season and for reference 
any time in the year—as well as price 
lists of the seeds, bulbs, plants, trees and 
horticultural supplies we annually need. 
Read them carefully, noting well the 
general style and the claims made for 
various goods offered. Make up your 
lists with deliberation, confining your 
purchases mainly to well-tried kinds, but 
not neglecting novelties of promise in a 
small way. Even if these do not turn 
out well the satisfaction of being 
reasonably up-to-date repays the trifling 
outlay,_ while there is always a chance 
of getting something of real value. One 
may propagate his own trees and plants 
to some extent and raise a portion of the 
seeds he uses, and yet need many articles 
the catalogue men offer, finding good 
use for their annual budget of informa¬ 
tion as well. 
Blue Giant and Commersoni Pota¬ 
toes. —Allow me to assist you in clearing 
up the “Commersoni potato tangle,” men¬ 
tioned December 2, under the head of 
Ruralisms. In the Spring of 1899 I re¬ 
ceived from Prof. L. R. Taft of the Mich¬ 
igan Agricultural College a few specimens 
of a violet-skinned potato. It was brought 
from Venezuela, South America, a year or 
two previously, and presented to the Col¬ 
lege for trial, by the late Hazen S. Pin- 
gree, then Governor of our State. As its 
true varietal name was unknown it was 
called Venezuela. I still have it under 
cultivation. In the Spring of 1906 I ob¬ 
tained from J. M. Thorburn and Co., of 
New York, a few tubers of Solanura Com¬ 
mersoni Violet. They resembled Ven¬ 
ezuela so closely they were planted beside 
it for comparison. From a careful study 
during the growing season I failed to 
note the slightest difference. After again 
watching last season's growth I am thor¬ 
oughly convinced they are identical. While 
presumably you are correct in your state¬ 
ment that pollen from the species S. 
Commersoni is defective, you are in error 
In assuming its blossoms when fertilized 
with pollen from the common potato, in¬ 
variably reproduce the species. I am posi¬ 
tive of this from the fact I have in course 
of propagation, two hybrids, from a cross 
made in 1906. They unmistakably show 
their S. tuberosum blood. I presume 
several years’ growth is required fully to 
determine their value. At the proper time 
if all is well, I will inform you of this 
year’s development. hiram j. fresley. 
Port Huron, Michigan. 
This is interesting evidence, tending to 
show that the “Commersoni Violet” 
potato, which is already declared 
identical with the German “Blue 
Giant” and Scotch “Trochie Giant” 
varieties of Solanum tuberosum 
or culinary potato, is only a 
sport, liable to occur wherever the latter 
is cultivated. The Venezuelan form 
would probably be considered nearer the 
primitive potato than the others as it 
occurs in regions native to S. tuberosum, 
though our correspondent finds it quite 
similar to the Violet Commersoni im¬ 
ported into this country. 
Friend Presley, however, appears to 
mistake our language in regard to hybrid¬ 
izing Commersoni with the common 
potato. What we tried to say was that 
Commersoni, so far, appeared to resist 
crossing with Tuberosum and that 
though fruits or seeds balls formed 
when pollen was transferred from one 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
March 14, 
to the other, no viable seed had been 
reported either in this country or 
Europe. A myriad of failures in hybri¬ 
dizing experiments does not indicate 
impossibility of crossing, but only diffi¬ 
culty in the performance of the act or 
in securing the needed vital conditions 
for successful seed production. If he 
has secured true hybrids between these 
diverse species he has something of 
great botanical interest, with also possi¬ 
bilities for commercial value. Exper¬ 
iments that fail in California, Europe 
and New Jersey may well come to suc¬ 
cessful conclusion in Michigan, where 
potatoes are known to thrive exception¬ 
ally well. w. v. f. 
Nitrate of Soda 
NITRATE SOLD IN 
ORIGINAL BAGS 
The Nitrate Agencies 
Company 
64 Stone Street, New York 
Orders for All Quantities Promptly 
Filled-Write for Quotations 
Bigger Crops 
Save Time—Save Yourself and 
Horses Work—Save Repairs, 
Trouble, Money. These are the 
things you can do, as thousands 
of other farmers are doing, by 
using the guaranteed 
“Acme' 
All Steel 
Lightest 
Riding 
Harrow 
Built. 
Pulveriz¬ 
ing Harrow, Clod 
Crusher and Leveler 
„ TRY IT FREE 
We want you to see what a fine, smooth seed 
bed It prepares. In al 1 sol Is. under all conditions: 
How the knives cut through to the undersoil, 
chopping the bnrled sod or trash but never 
dragging It to the surface. 
Our Free Book 
contains valuable articles by high authorities 
on the preparation of seed beds. Also tells aU 
about the “Acme.” Send postal for It today. 
Duane H. Nash, Inc., 
Box 38, Millington. N. J. 
BETTER WORK 
LESS LABOR 
Two things much desired by every 
farmer. TTwo things you’re sure 
to get in Iron Age Imple¬ 
ments. For over 70 years they 
have been recognized the lead¬ 
er* because they do bet 
ter work, do it easier 
do more of it, and 
thus save hired 
help. Excep¬ 
tionally well 
made — dur¬ 
able. Our 
No.OOom- 
b i n e d 
Double 
and 
Sin- 
Wh e e 1 
noe, Hill and 
Drill Seeder, 
shown here, 
Monarch 
Hydraulic 
Cider Press 
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 Si., New York. 
icon SPRING FlROf 
Hade of high carbon Steel Wire 
Horse-hlgh, Bull-strong, Chick¬ 
en-tight. Sold direct to the 
Farmer at lowest manufac¬ 
turers prices on 30 Days Free 
Trial, freight prepaid. 100 page 
Catalogue and price-list free. 
KITSELMAN BROS., ' 
Box 230 MUNCIE, IND. 
Home Waier Works 
Have running water where and when you want 
it. Use the nearby brook, spring or pond. 
POWER SPECIALTY CO. RAMS 
r&ifle water to any height. In %aj 
quantity. Reliable, economical, no 
ex puns o or trouble to operate. Freo 
Catalog gives valuable saggutiou*. De¬ 
scribes and illustrates Rife and Foster 
Hydraulic Rams. We Guaraotoo 
faotloa. W rite today. 
DEMING 
Hand, Knapsack, Barrel and Power Sprayers 
for the poultryman, fruit¬ 
grower, farmer and orchar- 
aist. Each type perfectly 
adapted to its purpose. 
Every style built as strong 
and serviceable as it’s 
possible to build It. 
Working parts of 
brass to resist chemical 
action—18 different styles. 
Write for Nineteen Eight 
Catalogue and "Expert 
Testimony”—free. Much 
1 n them you should know. 
THE DEMING COMPANY 
615 Depot St., Salem. Ohio 
NWEJI SPECIALTY COMPANY, 111 Broadway, Raw Yoit Ctt» 
"SAN JOSE” 
SCALE OIL. 
My “ SAN-U-ZAY ” oil has all the good 
Qualities of any other oil and none of the bad 
ones. You can buy it for 35c. to 30e. a 
gallon. One gallon of my 
“CONCENTRATED EMULSIFIER,” 
blended with 5 to 15 gallons of kerosene, 
crude oil or paraffin oil will make a good 
emulsion. All that is reauired is an empty 
barrel and a paddle. Price 50c. to 55c. a 
gallon. Send for printed matter. 
T. T. SOUTHWICK, Rochester, N.Y. 
San Jose Scale, 
of Trees, as well as shield lice, blood lice and other 
Insects prevented by painting trunks of trees with 
AVENARIUS CARBOLINEUM. 
Used to PRESERVE WOOD against rot and decay, 
and also to exterminate CHICKEN LICE and 
M ITE S, since 1875. Circulars free. 
CARBOLINEUM WOOD PRESERVING CO., 
351 West Broadway, New York, N. Y 
For Rapid, Easy Spraying—The 
"AutO-Pop” nozzli 
Slight pressure on lever starts dense 
spray. Automatic shut-off. Doubles ca¬ 
pacity. Saves solution, time, labor. 
INCREASE THE CROPS 
by using the M Auto-Pop” nozzle on 
the “Auto-Spray” pump. 
Write if you want agency. 
E. C. Brown Co,, B8j v st., Rochester, N. Y. 
THE, PERFECTION SPRAYER 
Sprajs Everything—trees, potatoes, etc. Furnished 
somplete with Cart and Barrel. Combined hand and 
horse power. Don’t buy until you get my catalogue, Free. 
THOMAS PEPFLER,Rox45,Hightstown,N.J. 
FENCE 
Strongest 1 
Made -—— 
Ii Madeof High Carbon Doublo Strength' 
Colled Wire. Heavily Galvanized to 
preventrust. Have no agents. Sell at 
factory prices on 30 days’ free trial. 
We pay all freight. 37 heights of farm 
and poultry fence. Catalog Free.« 
COILED 8PRING FENCE CO. 
Box^g63 Winchester, Indiana' 
Make Plowing Easy 
-The “ “ 
THE DEYO 
POWER SPRAYER 
It is protected from spray mixture. Our3-H.P. 
air-cooled engine can be easily detached and used 
where ever power is needed. Six years of success. 
Ask the user. Write for catalog 19. 
R. H. DEYO & COMPANY., Binghamton, N. Y. 
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 
i sprayers in our own orchards 
i —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. 
Wonder 
Plow 
Trucks 
Hard Work Easy 
Attach to 
any walking: 
plow — one 
or two-horse, right or left hand, wood or 
steel beam. They regulate depth and width 
of furrow, and lighten the draft on horses at 
least one-third. The furrow wheel acts like 
a pivot, just like wheel of wheelbarrow. You 
do not touch your hands to the plow, except 
in turning at end of furrow. Your twelve- 
year-old boy can plowwith the Trucks as well 
as a man. You don’t need to take our word 
for this —test them yourself at our risk. 
Greatest money-maker for agents ever put j 
on the market. They sell on sight. Big 
profits and good territory still open. We give 
a sample set of Trucks free to all new agents. 
Retail price only $5.00. Write at once for 
full particulars. 
WONDER PLOW COMPANY, 
327 Factory 6t., St. Clair, Mich. 
All 
No- 9 
Wire 
A Fence 
ol 
Big Wires 
is a money saver, it outlasts the 
little wire fence. 
Empire 
fence Is all big wires andallsteel. 
See the weave—how 
It ad justs for weather 
-- changes. Can’t slip, 
can’t break, stands up straight 
In heat and cold. Longest lived 
fence made. Factory prices direct 
to you. Got free samples. 
Bond Steel Post Company. 
Adrian, Mich. 
STRENGTH OF 
PageFence 
8tock or runaway teams 
may run into a Page 
Fence—or trees may full 
across and crush it—but 
when the pressure is 
gone the fence will 
spring back to its place 
uninjured, because the 
horizontal bars in Page 
Fence are made of Steel 
Spring wire, coiled un¬ 
der high tension — give 
and tuke up just like a 
spring. Our interesting 
catnlog tells more fea¬ 
tures about Page Fence. 
W rite for it. 
Tage Woven Wire Fence Co. 
Box 717, Adrian, Nich. 
=s =» 
Y — V 
m 
•tsgg.l 
The Best 
Fencing 
for farmers’needs, the 
most satisfactory and sub- 
r stantial—and the cheapest, are 
FROST HEAVY WEIGHT 
KNOCKED DOWN and WOVEN 
WIRE FENCES. Catalogue free. 
WE PAY FREIGHT. 
The Frost Wire Fence Co., 
Cleveland, Ohio 
THE 
GYCLOHE 
Catalogue, 32 pages, 
showing Ornamental 
Fences, Gates, Arches, 
Vines, Trellis, Dawn 
Border, etc., will inter¬ 
est yoo. Write for i t today. Address 
The Cyclone Woven Wire Fence Co.. Cleveland. Ohio. 
EASY TO BUY 
Superior Fences, absolutely 
strongest And best made. Only 
heavy gauge 8, 9 and 10 Illgrli 
Carbon Coiled Spring* 
Steel Wire used. Liberal terms. 
Low prices. Write for Uree Pata 
log and full information. 
THE SUPERIOR FE\CE CO. 
Dept. Cleveland, Ohio 
RANGER REVOLVING 
BARBED 
THE ONLY 
ROTARY BARB 
MADE. DURABLE. 
STRONGEST.! 
MOST EFFECTIVE, . 
AND HUMANE. 
WRITE US 
RODS YOU 
r CAN USE. WE NAME 
PRICE DELIVERED. 
KLEFS MFG. CO. 
BLOC* 65 
•KANSAS CITY. MO, 
THE 
“Farmer’s Favorite” 
Cooker for Preparing Spraying 
|i| Mixtures and for Sugar Making 
Just what is needed by every 
fruit grower and farmer. It’s 
cheap and economical, and can 
be used for many other pur¬ 
poses, such as preserving fruit, 
sterilizing milk cans, scalding 
poultry, etc. We guarantee sat¬ 
isfaction or money refunded. 
Write for illustrated circular. 
MFG. CO., BOX C, CORTLAND, N. Y. 
'SCALECIDE’ 
m\ 
\NO* \ 
MADE SPRAYING EASY *nugi M!t 
\ November 17 ’07, says; ‘ The chances are about a hundred 
to one that you have the San Jose Scale on your place and do not know it,” and 
advises the use of SCALECIDE.” This is good advice. “ SCALECIDE ” has 
r®®. n ^ es ^ e ., an i found thoroughly effective. The same yesterday, 
adding’ water ^ time. One gallon makes 15 to 20, ready to use, by simply 
„ prices: *l-°0: 5gal., 53.25; 10 gal.. 6.00; 50gal. bbl., 825.00, P. O. B. 
our fa ctory. Order to-day. Write for booklet N and free sample._ 
®t G-PRATT CO., Mfc. Chemists, 
11 Broadway, New York City. 
