302 
THE KURA T> NEW-YORKER 
March 1, 
PROPAGATING SEEDLESS ASPARAGUS. 
D. V. E., Sharon, Pa .—In a small plot of 
asparagus I have one hill decidedly superior 
to any of the others, being earlier, and 
producing double the number of shoots 
that any of the others do. Local condi¬ 
tions, and care given, have been, as near 
as possible the same for all. This hill pro¬ 
duces no seed. Is it at all practical to 
take it up and divide it for propagation as 
we do rhubarb? I would be willing to 
invest several times the price of ordinary 
plants in either time or money to get a 
start of such plants as this. I have noticed 
as a rule the hills that produce the fewest 
shoots for cutting are the heaviest seed 
producers, while the better hills produce 
less seed and some none at all. 
Staminate and Pistillate Plants.— 
The wild or original form of Aspara¬ 
gus officinalis is regarded as dioecious, 
generally bearing the staminate and pis¬ 
tillate flowers on separate plants, but 
there are many exceptions among the 
cultivated varieties as imperfectly fer¬ 
tile individuals, producing mainly small 
fallen-bearing blooms, together with a 
few pistillate flowers that develop into 
seed-bearing fruits are often found. 
There are also plants seeding freely 
that have occasional staminate blooms, 
but the two sets of organs appear very 
rarely to be developed in the same 
flower. As a rule the male or stamin¬ 
ate plants are the most vigorous, but 
produce fewer and larger shoots than 
the seed-bearing females. It would be 
a decided advantage to have a planta¬ 
tion composed entirely of male plants, 
as one would at the same time be rid of 
the numerous volunteer seedlings that 
can only be regarded as weeds, and 
also to a great extent of the spindling 
shoots so freely produced by the fe¬ 
males, while the net product would 
likely be larger and more marketable, 
but as yet no certain method of distin¬ 
guishing the plants in the juvenile or 
young seedling stage has been developed. 
The staminate plants, however, often 
have a more upright growth from the 
start, and may, to a considerable ex¬ 
tent, be picked out when the plants are 
a few weeks old if the seed was thinly 
sown. A convenient way has been pro¬ 
posed, where greenhouse facilities are 
available, to sort out the promising 
seedlings with the least possible amount 
of root disturbances. Seeds, selected or 
“pedigreed,” if they can be had, are 
sown in flats or well drained shallow 
boxes, like tomato seeds under glass or 
in the window garden in February, ex¬ 
cept that the individual seeds are placed 
*an inch or so apart. The plants are 
kept near the glass in the strongest 
light available and usually make rapid 
growth. The infertile or staminate 
plants usually make more rapid growth, 
sending the secondary stem or plumule 
to a greater height than the future fer¬ 
tile or berry-bearing individuals. 
Transplanting Seedlings. — When 
the latter can be distinguished, they may 
be lifted out with a fork or other con¬ 
venient implement, thus making room 
for the stronger growers. On the ap¬ 
proach of warm weather the plants 
should be hardened off outside in a 
frame or sheltered situation, but always 
given abundance of water and kept 
growing as steadily as possible. By the 
middle of April the flats will have be¬ 
come a mass of roots crowned with 
plumy shoots several inches in height. 
A plot of suitable soil should be ferti¬ 
lized and prepared as for a permanent 
Asparagus bed, the soil then washed 
from the plants with a hose or strong 
current of water, the roots gently dis¬ 
entangled and the crowns assorted, re¬ 
jecting those with many “eyes” or small 
stems. The strongest ones having the 
fewest and tallest shoots should be at 
once set in the prepared furrows, ex¬ 
actly as if they were yearling roots, in¬ 
stead of 10 weeks’ seedlings, except that 
the green top should not be covered 
with soil. Thus treated, with liberal 
after-culture, they will often make 
growths exceeding that of one or two- 
year plants grown, as is customary, in 
a crowded seed bed. Fair yields may be 
had the third year after planting, and 
full crop the fourth year from plants 
treated in this manner. In the writer’s 
experience, when all doubtful crowns, 
about 40 per cent., were discarded, the 
result was a highly satisfactory and 
productive planting, containing not over 
10 per cent, of berry-bearing plants. 
Propagating the Select Strain.— 
B. V. E.’s plant, being earlier and more 
productive, is probably a different va¬ 
riety from the others, though a more! [ 
favorable situation might explain the 
latter peculiarity. It is scarcely prac¬ 
ticable to propagate it by division of the 
crown. Few plants resent root disturb¬ 
ance more than asparagus, and the 
changes are that even if the crown is 
successfully divided and the plants re¬ 
established, they would amount to very 
little afterwards. At best this would 
be an exceedingly slow way to get up 
a stock. As the plant produces no seeds, 
the only way left is to use the pollen 
on the best pistillate or berry-bearing 
plant available, in the hope that a con¬ 
siderable proportion of the progeny 
would inherit the good qualities of the 
male parent. To do this successfully 
it will be necessary to cover the selected 
female or seed-bearing plant when in 
bloom with thin cheese-cloth or close- 
meshed netting—mosquito-bar is not re¬ 
liable after it has been wet with dew 
or rain—to keep out bees and flies that 
might carry pollen from undesirable 
plants. The pollen from the good plant 
may be applied daily during clear 
weather, as the pistillate blooms open— 
the hours from 10 to 12 a. m. being 
especially suitable for this work. The 
pollen may be brushed on the moist 
stigmas with the tip of a small feather, 
with the tip of a finger, or the open 
anther of the staminate blooms may be 
rubbed directly on the stigmas. The 
netting should be replaced after each 
operation and allowed to remain until 
the last bloom fades, when it may be 
removed and the plant well staked, but 
it may be well to again cover the plant 
in October, as the berries begin to color, 
to prevent robbery by birds or large in¬ 
sects. When ripe the seeds are rubbed 
out and carefully preserved, to be sown 
under glass or outside in early Spring. 
Covering the male plant also during 
bloom would add to the certainty of the 
procedure by preserving the pollen and 
preventing admixture of inferior pol¬ 
len brought by various flying insects. 
Branches of the male plant bearing 
newly opened flowers, may be cut in 
early morning, placed in water in a 
sunny window in a room free from flies 
and the ollcn later procured by shak¬ 
ing the blooms over a sheet of dark 
paper, or the flowers can be carried to 
the seed-bearer as above directed, j 
Plant-breeding is made up of trouble¬ 
some details, but the development of a j 
superior strain of a desirable plant may 
well repay the worker for his most 
careful attention in previous years, v. 
THE “EVER-READY”Jr 
AUTOMATIC POWER SPRAYER 
is just what manyorchardists have been looking 
for—it is just the Sprayer for the fruit grower 
who has not enough trees to afford a large 
power sprayer and too many for a hand pump. 
“Ever-Ready” Jr. will spray the top of a 
40-foot tree without use of tower or ladder. 
Can be mounted on any wagon, stoneboat, etc. 
Our Variable Spray Nozzle which we fur¬ 
nish with this rig is a wonder. 
Write us and get full information about “Ever- 
Ready” Jr. whether you are in the market this season 
or not. Prices will surprise you. 
VAN NOUHUYS' MACHINE WORKS 
40-46 Liberty St., Albany, N. Y. 
Swedish Eldorado Oats 
Break Crop Records 
My Wiiito Eldorado Oats, imported 
direct from Norrkojping, Sweden, will 
f ive you the biggest crop you ever 
new. Straw coarse, heavy, very stiff, 
does not lodge. Heads upright, bushy, 
nearly all meat. Grains white, large, 
thick, plump, with thin hulls, very heavy 
(50 lbs. to measured bushel). Resists 
smut and rust. Order now. Lb. 25cts., 
postpaid ; 10 lbs. $2.50; 50 lbs. $4.50; 
100 lbs. (enough lor an acre) $8.60. 
Plant Stokes’ Seeds This Year 
To show their quality, I will send 
JiyLtV > ® ve 10-cent packets of seeds, a 
F>io*t5 credit slip good for 2Tcents on 
m your next ordur. and my 1913 cata- 
logu a—all for 26 cents. Here is the 
7 list: LETT DOE, Itl K Heston. 
/niloktiS 
£>« do) 
Greatest heading ki nd. RADISH, 
Scarlet Globe. Ready in 20 days. TO¬ 
MATO, Bonny Best. Earliest, most pro¬ 
ductive. ASTERS, Stokes’ Sttundurd. 
Biggest, many colors. I'A NHIEH, Stokes’ 
Standard. Finest French blend. 
Mail 25 cents at my risk and get seeds, credit slip and 
eatalugue. Catalogue alone, VltKE 
WALTER P. STOKES, D«pl 130, 219 Market St., Philadelphia, Pa. 
DON’T PAY FREIGHT ON WATER 
USE 
NIAGARA BRAND 
SOLUBLE SULPHUR COMPOUND 
IN DRY FORM 
Dissolves Instantly in Cold or Hot Water 
Takes the Place of the Lime-Sulphur Liquid 
W E have been manufacturing lime-sulphur solution for eight years 
and perhaps have manufactured more of this material than any 
other company in the business, and finally succeeded about two 
years ago in putting out a material in Dry Form. Last year about one 
thousand fruit growers used this preparation and the results were so 
satisfactory that we were compelled to go into the manufacture of it on a 
very extensive scale. 
This material is not just as good, but far superior to lime-sulphur 
solution, as past results have shown, and is much quicker in controlling 
San Jose scale and fungous diseases, and also controls Aphis at the same 
time. It is put up in the following size drums: 100, 50, 25, 10, 5and 1 pound. 
Advantages It Has Over Lime-Sulphur Solution 
A 100 pound drum is equivalent to a 600 pound barrel of lime and 
sulphur solution, therefore carrying only one-sixth the freight rate. 
MUCH CHEAPER DOES NOT CRYSTALLIZE NO LEAKAGE 
Will keep indefinitely in any climate. No barrels to return. No water 
to pay freight on. Will control San Jose scale infourdajs. Sticks like paint. 
The above statements are backed by government, fruit grower and 
experiment station report:) covering a period of two years. Patented in 
United States and Canada. Guaranteed by Niagara Sprayer Company, 
Middleport, N. Y. under the Insecticide Act of 1910. Serial No. 192. 
The following are some of our largest distributing agents: 
FROST INSECTICIDE COMPANY, Arlington, Mass. 
BUHL SONS COMPANY, Detroit, Michigan 
MYERS BROTHERS DRUG COMPANY, St. Louis, Mo. 
CHAS. H. CHILDS COMPANY, Utica, N. Y. 
THE MERRELL COMPANY, Toledo, Ohio 
I. W. SCOTT COMPANY, Pittsburgh, Pa. 
NIAGARA BRAND SPRAY COMPANY, Ltd., Burlington, Ont., Canada 
We also manufacture a very complete line of spraying materials and 
• spraying machines and can make very attractive prices. 
PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW WHILE YOU CAN GET IT 
Write for Circular and descriptive matter 
Manufactured by Niagara Sprayer Co., Middleport, N. Y. 
Y RIGHT WITH Ta £NewWa v 
St. Remy, N. Y. 
Gentlemen:- 
I sprayed a thousand trees with the “New- 
Way” and also helped the neighbors. We 
would not think of getting along without 
our “New-Way” and 1 consider it the most 
practical outfit for a progressive farmer to 
purchase. Yours truly, 
W. L. WAY. 
Write far Catalogue Th iWtWY/a yM otor Company 
No. 5 Lamums. kiCHieAK, US.A. 
IS A SMALL PRICE TO PAY for Safety. 
A CROWN RELIEF VALVE 
| on your power sprayer will insure safety and good pressure 
■ regulation. Adopted by most sprayer manufacturers. 
™ INSIST ON HAVING IT. J4.00 BY MAIL 
THE SEATLESS VALVE CROW P NS o p ^S Y co - CHICAGO 
LET US HELP YOU 
Increase Your Fruit Profits 
ONE APPLICATION OF 
Target Brand Scale Destroyer 
will do it by killing all the San Joso and other 
scale* with which your true* are infested. 
Ih cheaper than Lime-Sulphur solution*. 
Results guaranteed. 
Write for folder and information. 
HORTICULTURAL CHEMICAL CO. 
PHILADELPHIA, PA. 
Agricultural Lime 
20-ton cars; fre*li burned. $3 00 per ton 
Ground Limestone. 2.25 per ton 
W. L. McKAY, Box S 
Geneva, N. Y. 
—All the best va- 
rietiesofPeachos. 
Pits from H. W 
Harris, Hickory, 
Kellys TREES 
ELBERTAS 
N. C., buds direct from bearing trees. Result*, 
sturdy trees and purity of kinds. Ask for special 
prices. NELSON B0GUE, Batavia Nurseries, Batavia, N. Y. 
T, PM arirl Plssnfa -nl1 kinds, by the mil 
1 rees ana rianis lions, of highest quality, 
at wholesale prices. APPLE and PEACH trees 5c, PEAR S 
CHERRY 10<- ASPARAGUS $3 per M . PRIVET HEDGING $10 
per M. THE WESTMINSTER NURSERY. Westminster, Md. 
Berry Ticli.©t© 
and Stationery for growers and others. No cheat 
ing by pickers if you uso my tickets. Send for free 
samples. T. HI. JONHS, GOKKVILLK, ILL. 
Stnnp’c Snvhpana - Pedigreed Calico Corn and 
OlOuc S GOyDeans Mammoth Knsilage Lorn. 
Kill Granary and Silo with balanced rations. Don't 
liny protein. Grow it. Illustrated catalogue free. 
WM. McD. STONE, Soybean and Corn Specialist, Atwater, 0 
GUARANTEED TO MAKE GuOD. 
We sell only quality trees. That's 
why we gimrunU'e them sturdy, 
true to name, and free from all 
disease. Our stock of Apple, Ivor, 
Fruh, Plum, ('harry aodQninee trees 
is exceptionally fine this year and 
we deliver these quality trees. 
piKkf.T TOrOUll OKI ilAltl) at wholesale prices. 
I You save the agent's commissions us oar catalog 
is our only salesman. Writ, for CiiUlo* now ami 
send us your order ut once. KELLY BROS. 
[ NURSERIES. 34 Main St., Dansville. N. Y. 
You’ll Never Jtegret Wanting Kelly Trees. 
where you want It. For your country bourn—farm, par- 
den, lawn. Water pumped from nearby etrootu, pond 
or iprlog without oxpenso of power. l«ow la ouet; high 
hi efflcloooy. Thousand■ of thee* 
• FOBTKR lilgh Duty Rain Pump# 
i.iw In uw. Write today for all toot*. 
POWEll SPECIALTY' CO., Ill 
Trinity llU K .,New York 
