318 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
April 4, 
Ruralisms 
Where the Trials are Made. —The 
original Rural Trial Grounds, as our 
older readers know, were established 30 
years ago near River Edge, Bergen Co,, 
N. J., at the home of the late Elbert S. 
Carman, long editor and chief pro¬ 
prietor of The R. N.-Y. Mr. Carman, 
always a keen investigator and ardent 
horticulturist, early realized the need 
of a proving ground, free from com¬ 
mercial relations, on which to test plant 
and seed novelties and make cultural 
experiments. This was before the es¬ 
tablishment of the various State and 
National experiment stations, and was 
in fact the original non-commercial ex¬ 
periment station of the country. For 
nearly a generation about every seed, 
plant and tree novelty or older variety 
of special merit was here tested, and 
the outcome reported in The R. N.-Y. 
Countless cultural and fertilizing ex¬ 
periments were tried out, and most in¬ 
teresting and valuable plant-breeding 
work carried on. The Agnes Emily 
Carman rose here originated, as well as 
the tremendously successful Carman, 
Rural New Yorker and Sir Walter 
Raleigh potatoes, and wonderful hybrids 
between rye and wheat, that never have 
been excelled. Excellent tomatoes, some 
of which are still standard, and many 
other striking novelties were also de¬ 
veloped through Mr. Carman’s skill and 
patience. He retired in 1899 from The 
R. N.-Y., his death occurring a few 
months later. The experimental work 
has since been in charge of the writer, 
at Little Silver, Monmouth Co., N. J., 
in a climate somewhat more equable, 
owing to the proximity of the ocean, 
than the Bergen Count}' grounds. The 
present Rural Experiment Grounds com 
tain about six acres in a long strip 
sloping towards the east. The higher 
portion rests on a glacial knoll with 
rock, gravel and loamy surface, the 
more level eastern end, a portion of 
which is shown in Fig. 135, page 311, is 
rather an odd mixture of loam, sand 
and clay, of good natural fertility, 
affording in various portions congenial 
soils for most plants adapted to the cli¬ 
mate. It is planted to a great variety 
of experimental trees and plants, addi¬ 
tions being constantly made of all new 
varieties of promise. Fertilizing experi¬ 
ments, as such, are no longer made, the 
scores of well-equipped State and Gov¬ 
ernment experiment stations doing the 
work so thoroughly that little is left for 
individual trials, but the soil is kept in 
good condition by the free use of Crim¬ 
son clover and selected chemicals, stable 
manures being used only for special 
crops. Comparative variety trials of 
economic plants no longer cut the figure 
they formerly did, as they are now 
largely provided for by the State experi¬ 
ment stations and the large commercial 
trial grounds of seedsmen. New things 
of special promise are all tested as soon 
as procurable, and often before their in¬ 
troduction into commerce. Plant-breed¬ 
ing over the widest possible range is, 
however, carried on, as even the numer¬ 
ous publicly-supported stations do not 
cover the experimental field in this re¬ 
spect, leaving to the private breeder 
many promising lines of effort. The 
management of an experiment garden 
is a somewhat exacting occupation. 
There is much unproductive work and 
countless details to be kept in mind. 
Certain forms of investigation, while 
fruitful of promise, are singularly 
meager in definite results. Hybridiza¬ 
tions are made by the thousands every 
season, in some of which the outcome, 
in the natural course of events, may not 
be determined for a decade or more, but 
the work of previous years is constantly 
maturing, so that the long intervals of 
waiting pass with less tedium than 
might be imagined. 
The Jamestown Congress of Horti¬ 
culture. —One of the greatest horticul¬ 
tural gatherings ever known was the 
Congress of Horticulture that convened 
at the Jamestown Exposition, Septem¬ 
ber 23, 1907. There were delegates and 
officials from the National Department 
of Agriculture, from many State agri¬ 
cultural colleges and botanical gardens, 
and from such national associations as 
the Society of American Florists, Amer¬ 
ican Nursery Association, American 
Seed Trade Society and National Nut t 
Growers’ Association. The Congress 
was conducted by the National Council 
of Horticulture, itself an imposing or¬ 
ganization, devoted to the promotion of 
publicity concerning American horticul¬ 
tural progress. Twenty essays and ad¬ 
dresses were presented, covering about 
every feature of plant breeding, plant 
diseases, the culture of vegetables, flow¬ 
ers, fruits, ornamental plants and nuts, 
insect enemies, forest problems, lands¬ 
cape gardening, soil problems and gen¬ 
eral horticultural conditions in the va¬ 
rious sections of the United States and 
Canada. Great efforts were made to 
make these contributions concise and 
up-to-date summaries of horticultural 
knowledge in their respective depart¬ 
ments. The proceedings are now pub¬ 
lished in a neat, linen covered, 108 page 
pamphlet, and may be had by forward¬ 
ing the cost price, 25 cents, to Prof. H. 
C. Irish, Secretary National Council of 
Horticulture, Missouri Botanical Gar¬ 
den, St. Louis, Mo. Rarely is such an 
amount of up-to-date information 
packed between two covers. 
Commission Vegetable Seeds. —The 
National Department of Agriculture has 
been well “roasted” in past years by 
seedsmen on account of the alleged low 
quality of seeds furnished for the an¬ 
nual Congressional free seed distribu¬ 
tions. The distribution, though disap¬ 
proved by intelligent farmers and plant¬ 
ers generally, still survives, as country 
Congressmen are loath to give up what 
is in effect a neat little personal “graft” 
in the way of buying political influence 
at public cost. The Agricultural De¬ 
partment is in no way responsible for 
this practice of distributing free seeds, 
and would gladly discontinue if per¬ 
mitted by Congress, but is of course, re¬ 
sponsible for the quality of the seeds 
furnished, and has felt that the seeds¬ 
men’s criticisms were in some degree un¬ 
warranted. The officials now “get back” 
at the branch of the trade known as 
commission seedsmen, who supply coun¬ 
try and local merchants with annual 
assortments of seeds to be sold on 
commission, in Bulletin No. 131, Part 1, 
Bureau of Plant Industry, which gives 
germination tests of 2,778 packets of 
vegetable seeds purchased in the Spring 
of 1907 in the States of Maine, Ver¬ 
mont, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Wis¬ 
consin, North Dakota, Kansas and Colo¬ 
rado. These seeds were* in 26 varieties, 
put up by 27 seedsmen exploiting that 
particular line of trade. A condensed 
summary of the result shows that the 
germination of many kinds of seed was 
surprisingly low. The average ger¬ 
mination of the 135 samples of carrot 
seed tested was 45.4 per cent; of the 
141 samples of onion seed, 45 per cent; 
of the 331 samples of cabbage seed, 40.8 
per cent; of the 47 samples of pepper 
seed, 33.7 per cent; of the 35 samples 
of salsify seed, 27 per cent; while of 
the 69 samples of parsnip seed, only 
20.8 per cent germinated. 
The seed from certain packeting 
houses was especially poor. Of 121 
packets put up by one seedsman, the 
average germination was only 37.3 per 
cent, and of 241 packets put up by an¬ 
other the average germination was 44.3 
per cent. In many cases wide differ¬ 
ences in germination were found be¬ 
tween different packets from the same 
seedsmen. Of 200 packets from 21 of 
the 27 packeting houses referred to, 
none germinated more than 10 per cent, 
while all the seed in 62 packets from 
13 firms failed to germinate. 
In all cases the average germination 
of the “commission” seeds tested was 
lower than that of those sent out in the 
Congressional seed distribution, within 
the last six years, varying from 4.5 per 
cent for Lima beans to 56.2 per cent for 
parsnips. One conclusion of the bulletin 
is “That many firms are selling vege¬ 
table seeds not only of a low average 
quality but often entirely worthless, 
making it evident that some sort of pro¬ 
tection should be afforded the purchaser 
by a guaranty of quality given by the 
seedsmen.” 
We think so too. It is poor practice 
to buy seeds marketed in this manner. 
Better order direct from reputable seed 
dealers. The chances of securing good 
seeds are better and mistakes are more 
likely to receive courteous attention. 
_ w. y, F- 
Jarvis’s Spraying Compound 
for SAN JOSE SCALE. 
We make and have this compound for sale and will 
sell it to the consumer for the following prices f .o.h. 
Manchester, Conn., CASH to accompany order:— 
In bbls. containing 50 gallons, 30c. per gal. 
Less than bbl. and more than 5 gal., 40c. per gal. 
Five gallon lots and less, 50c. per gal. 
Order your supply NOW. 
THE J. T. ROBERTSON CO., 
(Dept. R.)_Manchester, Conn. 
PREVENT ROT 
Ponbles the life of fence posts, porehes, tanks, 
sills, etc. Prevents warping of shingles. Use 
AVENAEIUS CARBOLiISTEUM 
Endorsed by the U. S. Department of Agriculture. 
On the market since 1875. Booklet Free. 
Surest Remedy Against Chicken Lice and Mites. 
Carbolinenm Wood Preserving Company 
351 West Broadway, New York, N. Y. 
THE DEYO 
POWER SPRAYER 
It is protected from spray mixture. Our3-H.P. 
air-cooled engine ean be easily detached and used 
where ever power is needed. Six years of success. 
Ask the user. Write for catalog 19. 
R. H. DEYO 6 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 
| sprayers in our own orchards 
: —found their defects and 
' invented the Eclipse. Its 
success forced us to manu¬ 
facturing on a larps 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. 
Nitrate of Soda 
Destroys the Codling-Moth, the Elm 
Beetle and all other leaf-eating in¬ 
sects. Swift’s Arsenate of Lead sticks 
to the foliage, saving respraying after 
rains, and never burns or scorches, 
no matter how strong the solution. 
Swift’s Arsenate of Lead is endorsed 
by leading fruit growers, truck farm¬ 
ers and horticultural experts. 
Send For Free Booklet 
It tells all about Swift’s Arsenate 
of Lead, and gives testimonials from 
your own locality. 
MFRRIMAC CHEMICAL COMPANY 
31 Broad Street, Boston, Mass. 
SEB® 
—Automatic— i 
Sprays 40 acres da 
than $75 per acre 
FIELD FORC 
r POTATOES YS? 
Watson—High Pressure 
deluding Agitator and Strainer Cleaner— 
ily—State experiments show gain of more 
by using the WATSON. Booklet FREE. 
E PUMP CO.. » Ilth St., Elmira, 5. X 
SPRAYING 
NITRATE SOLD IN 
ORIGINAL BAGS 
The Nitrate Agencies 
Company 
64 Sione Street, New York 
Orders for All Quantities Promptly 
Filled-Write for Quotations 
FRUIT TREES 
WM. 
it no longer an experiment, 
but a necessity. Prevents 
wormy fruit by destroy¬ 
ing all insect pests 
and fungus diseases. 
Every farmer, gar¬ 
dener, f rui t or flower 
grower should write 
for our free cata¬ 
logue, describing 21 
styles of Spraying 
Outflts, and contain¬ 
ing a full treatise on 
spraying fruit and vege¬ 
table crops, and much 
valuable information. 
SPRAYER CO., Box 70 L Quincy, 111. 
T HIS shows the H. P. 
Spramotor arranged for 
spraying potatoes,three 
nozzles to a row and four 
rows, two spraying from the 
sides and one from the top, 
adjustable as to height and 
width up to 40 in. rows. 
Nozzles absolutely will not 
clog. 12 gallon air tank. 
Automatic and hand con¬ 
trolled. 100 lbs. pressure 
guaranteed with 12 nozzles 
open. An acre can be 
sprayed in 20 minutes. Has 
agitator cleanout pressure 
relief into tank and nozzle 
protector all under control 
of the driver from seat. For 
1 or 2 horses. Fitted for orchard, vineyards and grain crops. Can be operated by hand. 
This advertisement will not appear again in this paper. If interested, write now. 
E. H. HEARD, - - 1210 Erie Street, Buffalo. 
THE NIAGARA SPRAYER COMPANY, middleport, n. y. 
MANUFACTURERS OF 
The Niagara Gas Sprayer, 
Niagara Brand Lime&Sulphur Solution, 
Niagara Brand Ready Bordeaux, 
Niagara Brand Arsenate of Lead. 
The Power Sprayer without a pump. Is the cheapest in price, best in quality, sim¬ 
plest in operation, and with proper use would last a lifetime. Equipped with aluminum 
fittings. “Best on earth.” The Niagara Brand Lime and Sulphur Solution which has 
become so famous in killing Scale in Oregon, Washington, and California: no sediment: 
all ready for use. Write for circulars and price list of our complete line of sprayers and spraying materials. 
NIAGARA SPRAYER CO., Middleport, N. Y. 
Mr. Edwin C. Tyson, of Flora Dale, Pa., is agent for the State of Penna. for Niagara Gas Sprayers. 
POTATO SPRAYERS 
on Free Trial 
NO MONEY IN ADVANCE 
PAY AFTER IT HAS PAID FOR ITSELF 
Spray first, then if you buy—pay us out of the extra profit. Sprays Everything, Wo¬ 
oes and Truck 4 and 6 rows at a time.—Also first-class Orchard Sprayers. Man-power 
1 horse-power. High pressure and perfect agitation. Vapor spray stops Blight, Scab, 
it and Bugs. Doubles your crop. Built strong and durable—Brass Ball Valves, plunger, 
cylinder, strainer, etc. Guaranteed for5 Years. Wholesale price (where no agent) 
We pay freight. Cut out the picture of the sprayer you prefer and send it to us at 
once witn your aaaress ana 
get onr valuable Spraying 
Guide, catalogue of all kinds 
of sprayers, and our special 
FREE SPRAYER offer to 
first in each locality. — Be 
.jg 
First to Write Us. 
H. L. HURST MFB. CO. 
10 North St. Canton, 0, 
