400 
THE RUIiAIi NEW-YOKKER 
Juno r.. 
Ruralisms 
Tomatoes for Winter Fruiting. —No 
one appears to consider Winter toma¬ 
toes a profitable crop at obtainable 
prices. Estimates of private grow¬ 
ers and experiment station reports 
agree that a price of at least 35 cents 
the pound should be obtained to allow 
a fair return for the labor and expense 
of production. Wholesale prices range 
from 10 to 40 cents the pound, and sel¬ 
dom average more than 25 cents for the 
season. Large quantities of greenhouse 
tomatoes are grown in late Fall and 
early Spring as succession or “catch” 
crops for otherwise idle glass, and 
doubtless often afford fair profit, as no 
considerable fuel consumption can be 
charged against them. If midwinter 
fruits are wanted an early start must be 
made. Ripening is slow in the months 
of minimum daylight, so that a fair set 
of fruits should be had by the end of 
October. Seeds may be sown the last 
week in July, and the little plants, after 
being carefully selected for evenness in 
growth, pricked off in two-inch rose- 
pots, which are deeper than those of 
standard pattern. The pots are best 
plunged outside in ashes in a sunny 
place and regularly watered. The pot- 
ling compost should be mainly good 
garden soil, as stimulating manures are 
not needed until fruiting begins. The 
pots should be perfectly smooth and 
clean inside, so that no roots are lost by 
the ball clinging when a shift is made 
into well-cleaned four-inch pots, which 
will probably be due after the middle of 
August. Use similar compost, avoid¬ 
ing over-richness; plunge again, spac¬ 
ing well apart, and continue judicious 
Watering, keeping the soil rather dry 
than#too well-soaked. In three or four 
weeks it will be necessary to repot. Use 
the six-inch size and mix a little finely 
ground bone in the soil and support 
each plant with a stake. When roots 
appear at side of pot on turning out 
the ball the plants are ready to be 
taken inside. In our pot culture we first 
sterilize the 12 and 14-inch earthen pots 
by immersing them an hour or two in a 
solution of one pint formaldehyde to 25 
gallons water, and cover the drainage 
holes with shells or broken pots that 
have been similarly treated. The plants 
usually by this time in bud or bloom, 
are carefully turned out of the six-inch 
pots, the ball placed directly on the 
drainage of the large pots or on the 
floor of the benches if grown in that 
manner, and the space about packed 
with compost made up of two-thirds 
rotted sods and one-third old manure, 
with a little fine bone, wood ashes and 
Peruvian guano mixed in. No more 
soil or feeding material is given until 
roots abundantly appear on the surface. 
The plants are usually trained to a 
single stem on ropes or rough wire trel¬ 
lises, all branches or side growths being 
nipped as they appear. From eight to 
12 feet of head room is needed to grow 
tomatoes under glass. Quarter Century 
accommodates itself well to the lesser 
height. Soil, compost and mulches are 
added as they appear to be needed. The 
pots are filled nearly to the rim by 
March, the covered stems throwing out 
roots as the filling proceeds. When 
grown in benches, however, and spaced 
15 inches or more apart not more than 
a depth of eight inches of soil will be 
needed at any time. Lime and potash, 
both needed to give the fruits color and 
solidity, may be given in the form of 
Avood ashes, two or more applications in 
the season. Nitrogen and phosphoric 
acid are constantly supplied in the 
forms of bone, guano and animal 
manures. A variety of the latter may 
be used in alternation; hen manure, 
sheep manure and that from the stable 
are all good. They may be applied both 
in solid and liquid forms, taking .care 
not to overdo the matter. Chemicals, 
such as nitrate of soda, sulphate of 
ammonia, and acid bone or rock phos-| 
phate are rather tricky in their action, 
and should be used with caution if at 
all. Sulphate of potash is a convenient 
and 'effective form in which to give 
needed element if it is thought there is 
not enough in the ashes. One or two 
light applications during the Winter are 
usually sufficient. 
Three Fine Winter-flowering Glad¬ 
ioli. —The Gladiolus varieties most 
largely imported for Winter blossoms 
are of the Colvillei and Nanus sections, 
hybrids, respectively of G. tristis with 
G. cardinalis and G. oppositifiorus, the 
latter originally from Madagascar. The 
stronger-growing forms of the latter are 
known to the trade as Ramosus varieties. 
The most useful are probably Ne Plus 
Ultra, scarlet, white blotch; Queen Vic¬ 
toria, cherry red, cream blotch; Insignis, 
fiery red, violet blotch, and Amsterdam, 
scarlet, tinged orange. They are free in 
bloom and gorgeous in color effect, but 
require considerable space, and can 
rarely be induced to bloom before April. 
The Colvillei and Nanus varieties are 
more slender, and four or more corms 
may be bloomed in a five-inch pot. This 
crowding is an economic necessity’' where 
blooms are grown in quantity for cut¬ 
ting, but better decorative effects are 
had when more space for development is 
given. 
Quick Bloomers Wanted. —T h e 
earlier Winter-flowering Gladioli can be 
had in bloom the more useful and satis¬ 
factory they are likely to be to the 
grower. The most popu’ar variety of 
all, known as The Bride (Colvillei 
albus), is rather late in bloom, seldom 
flowering before Easter, and is so weak 
in constitution that a considerable pro¬ 
portion of the corms planted usually 
perish before the flower spike is 
formed. The pure white color and grace¬ 
ful outline of the flower, however, ren¬ 
der it indispensable, though varieties of 
more recent origin have the merits of 
greater natural vigor and earlier habit, 
but nothing has j’et been found to rival 
The Bride in purity of coloring. 
Express is still a novelty, having 
originated only a few years ago in a 
Holland nursery as a result of hybridiz¬ 
ing the little grown Gladiolus alatus, 
scarlet and yellow in color, with G. cus- 
pidatus, flesh colored and brown. The 
flower spikes of Express are a foot and 
a half high, bearing a dozen blooms 
that open well together. They are of 
good size and neatly formed. The color¬ 
ing is delicate light rose marked with 
chestnut-brown in center. They come 
very early into bloom, and doubtless 
may be had soon after the holidays if 
started in early Fall. It is a healthy 
grower with solid corms and fine up¬ 
right habit, appearing to force with ex¬ 
ceptional ease, and will doubtless, when 
better known, be acceptable to florists as 
well as amateurs for its attractive color¬ 
ing, earliness and ease of culture. 
Queen Wilhelmina, named in honor 
of the young ruler of the Netherlands, 
is very’ popular abroad, though it has 
only been in commerce for the last eight 
years. It is of the Nanus type, ex¬ 
tremely floriferous and vigorous. From 
five to seven bloom spikes about 20 
inches high are produced from each 
corm. Fig. 222, page 4S7, shows the 
floral effect of two corms or plants in a 
six-inch pot. There were 15 spikes in 
all, and somewhere near 150 blooms, 
more than half of the number open at the 
same time. The coloring is pearly white 
with soft carmine flakes, the effect being 
dainty enough for the most particular 
decorative work. The season of bloom 
makes the variety well adapted for 
Easter trade, if planted as soon as im¬ 
portations arrive in September. 
Sappho is a much older variety of 
nearly the same type as Queen Wilhel¬ 
mina, but the color is nearly pure white, 
sometimes faintly tinged with lilac. The 
blooms are large for this class and "are 
borne in great profusion. They are par¬ 
ticularly well adapted for florists’ uses, 
and have been grown in quantity in this 
country for such purposes, giving far 
better satisfaction than The Bride on 
account of greater vigor and certainty 
of bloom. Sappho is likely to be im¬ 
ported in increasing quantities as its 
merits are more widely recognized. The 
last two varieties are regularly offered 
at moderate prices by enterprising 
American dea’ers, but the novelty “Ex¬ 
press” has not yet found its way over in 
commercial quantities. w. v. F. 
Write Us About 
Harvey Springs 
Ask us how they save you H on every load of perish- 
1 able fruit (a fact). We don't want a cent if thesprings 
this ore not i ust 88 we claim—worth double their cost to 
' you. You simply return them if not what you want. 
A 30-day trial doesn’t cost you a cent. Harvey Springs 
are on or off in a moment, so this is no trouble. W e 
make the best springs because we make nothing but 
springs. We know how. Every pair guaranteed. Bend 
us tho weight of your heaviest load and the name of 
your dealer. We’ll send you our catalogue and 
arrange for this trial. Let us prove at 
ourrisk that you need Harvey Springs. 
Write today—do it now—a postal will do. 
Harvey Spring Co. .44" l7tliSt.,Radne,Wu. 
FREE Trial to Yon 
IT PAYS TO 
SPRAY 
The Iron Ace 4-row Sprayer 
gives perfect satisfaction. Puts solu¬ 
tion just where needed and in fog- 
llke mist. Pumpdelivi rsspray under 
high pressure, thus reaching every 
part of vine, effectually kill¬ 
ing bugsand preventing 
blight. Has Orchard 
Lpraying attach¬ 
ment. Write for 
free Catalog 
illustrating 
Sprayer 
and 
other 
Iron Age 
Tools. 
A postal brings 
it. Write today. 
BATEMAN MFG.CO.,Box I02S Grenloch, N.J. 
For Rapid, Easy Spraying—The 
”AutO-Pop” nozzle. 
[ Slight pressure on lever starts dense 
pray. Automatic shut-off. Doubles ca- 
| pacity. Saves solution, time, labor. 
INCREASE THE CROPS 
I by using the *'Auto-Pop” nozzle on 
the “Aut<>-Spray” pump. 
Write if you want agency. 
[E.C. Brown Co., esj.jst. Rochester, H Y, 
ff Tour 
Hat to the _ 
The only Glass Valve Pump—never 
sticks — never fails —always read'. 
Also HAY TOOLS, llarn Door 
Hangers, Hay Rack Clamps. 
*' rite today for Circulars and Prices. 
F.K. Myem & Itro., 10 Ornmre St_. Ashland, O. 
THE 
RUMP 
THAT 
PUMPS 
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 <S COMPANY., Binghamton, N. Y. 
RUNNING WATER ON THE FARM 
Plenty of it in the house and at the barn, | 
lots of it for irrigating unproductive land, 
can be had by installing a 
Niagara Hydraulic Ham 
Saves labor of hand pumping. Cheaper 
than a gasoline engine or windmill. 
Write for catalogue A-G ami estimate. 
We furnish Caldwell tanks ami towers. 
NIAGARA HYimAl'MC F..NGINK CO.. 
140 Nassau Street, New York, 
Factory: Chester, Pa. 
WARRINER’S 
STANCHION 
CHAIN 
HANGING 
_ I. B. Calvin. Vice-Pres¬ 
ident, State Dairy Asso¬ 
ciation, Kewanno, Ind., 
says; 
“I think them 
PERFECT.” 
Send for BOOKLET. 
W- B. CRUMB, 
73 Mnin Street. 
Forestville, Conn. 
CHAIN HANGING 
CATTLE STANCHION 
The Most Practical 
CATTLE FASTENER 
ever invented. 
Manufactured and for 
sale by 
O. H. ROBERTSON, 
Forestville, Conn. 
Bell Barb Wire is made of HARD 
STEEL, insuring great strength. If 
not for sale in your town, write us for 
trade prices, freight prepaid. BELL 
D IKE COMPANY, 4 ‘1 .N, Mechanic Jackson, Mich. 
The way to get rid of this fellow and 
all bis kind is to spray the vines they 
feed on with 
Arsenate of Lead 
It means sure death to him, and to 
all young leaf-eating insects as they 
leave the eggs, for it sticks to the 
foliage in spite of wind and rain, and 
kills them as they feed. Won’t scorch 
or burn, no matter how strong a solu¬ 
tion you use; destroys every kind of 
leaf-eating insect. More highly rec¬ 
ommended than other insecticides. 
Our Free Book on Inseci Pesls and Insecticides is of 
great practical value. Send for ft. 
MERRIMAC CHEMICAL COMPANY 
31 Broad Street, Boston, Mass. 
Genasco 
Ready Roofing 
Made of Trinidad Lake As¬ 
phalt — the greatest weather- 
resister known. 
Ask any Jive dealer for Genasco. Write 
for Book lO and samples. 
THE BARBER ASPHALT 
PAVING COMPANY 
Largest producers of asphalt, and largest 
manufacturers of ready roofing in the world. 
PHILADELPHIA 
New York San Francisco Chicago 
HOOVER 
Light running, well 
built, low in price— 
the most satisfac¬ 
tory machine to 
use. 
POTATO 
DIGGER 
A—Made in two sizes. Send 
for catalogue and ask about trial offer. 
THE HOOVER MFC. CO., 
Box 56, Avery, Ohio. 
CDCC Writeatonceforourmoney- I 
D v/ V# IfV r tl&Ei saving plan on buying the I 
latest styles of Ornamen¬ 
tal Fence at the lowest 
prices, saving all middle¬ 
men’s profit. Write— . 
Anchor Fence & Mfg. Co. 
Sla. o, Cleveland, O. 
DON’T RUST FARM FENCE 
Bold direct to farmers at man¬ 
ufacturers’ prices. Catalogue 
tree. Freight prenal •. 
THE WARD FENCE CO. 
Box 885 Decatur, Ind. 
All F72 
No. 
9 
p 
Wire kg 
LOOK AT IT 
This Knot shows the weave and 
strength of 
Empire Fence 
The fence of sense. Steel wires. 
stays and laterals all 
• same sisse, biggest 
’ wire used for fencing. 
Never a slip or a 
'break. Longest lived fence made. 
, r Wholesale prices from factory. We 
like little orders for they are big ad¬ 
vertisers. Bend us one. Address 
Bond Steel Post Co., Adrian. Micb. 
We 
Pay 
Freight 
SUPERIOR FENCE 
i Strongest and best. Made of 
High Carbon Colled 
Spring Steel. All style], 
belg ild and spaciugs. 
Low Prices. Easy Terms. 
Write lor Free Catalog and 
full information. 
THE SITI'ERIOR PEACE CO. 
Dept. I, Cleveland, Ohio 
HEAVIEST FENCED MADE] 
, AU No. 9 Steel Wire. Well galvanized. Weighs i 
£ more than most fences. 15 to 85c per rod 9 
iellvered. We send free B&mple for inspection / 
and test. Write for fence book of 133 styles. 
The Drown Fence Wire Co. 
Cleveland, Ohio. 
NIAGARA BRAND LIME SULPHUR SOLUTION 
Most effective winter and summer spray there is, for all forms of sucking insects and fungus. 
Universally endorsed, as we can prove. Absolutely guaranteed. 
NIAGARA ARSENATE OF EEAD for chewing insects. 
NIAGARA READY BORDEAUX. NIAGARA GAS SPRAYERS. 
Booklet that everybody should have, FREE for the asking. Address 
NIAGARA SPRAYER COMPANY, MIDDLEPORT, N. Y. 
