103 0. 
A BUNCH OF RHODE ISLAND DAHLIAS. 
Perhaps it would be of interest to you 
to know something of the mode of culti¬ 
vation of the Dahlia, as shown in the 
small picture at Fig. 103. The garden 
shown contains 90 rods of heavy smooth 
soil with a gentle slope to the east and 
street. It was heavily fertilized and 
planted to other garden crops for two 
years; in the Spring of 1909 was plowed 
about 10 inches deep, but most of it re¬ 
ceived no manure. It was worked fine 
and marked off 3x4 feet, was then fur¬ 
rowed deeply one way. The last week 
in May I began planting, putting one 
root in check hill, placing root down 
flat and covering about three inches deep. 
When sprouts began to appear horse 
cultivation commenced, and was kept 
up every week as for corn, the cultiva¬ 
tor filling in furrows. Quite a little time 
was given to pruning and staking when 
nearly grown. We began cutting flowers 
July 1. and through all the dry season 
my heavy soil proved the wise selection 
of location. At least three times per 
week we cut and bunched, putting about 
one dozen flowers in bunch, and one doz¬ 
en bunches in box containing bottles, 
THtC RU RAL NEW-VORKER 
a white compact bunch of flowers, and 
with small leaf or fuzzy stem, growing 
up say from six inches to two feet, can 
be found generally along old ditches or 
the wayside where weeds or grass .re¬ 
main uncut. The proper name for it is 
yarrow. I have used it when green with 
great success; never knew it to fail and 
have known some bad cases, one or two 
the past season. I love to get a branch 
when I hear of a bad case and carry or 
send it to them and hear them rejoice 
after a few applications. It cannot be 
found now, but from June until late in 
the season can be obtained, and does not 
lose its strength in a dried state. Use it 
thus: Take a few plants and pour hot 
or boiling water over it in a kettle and 
have it steep for half an hour, and then 
bathe the poisoned parts and lay a cloth 
over well saturated when the person 
poisoned lies down at night. Sure cure 
of bad cases in three doses. If very bad 
take a swallow now and then. We have 
used it for past 30 years. e. p. h. 
Southampton. X. Y. 
R. N. Y.—This is another new remedy 
to us. The yarrow ( Achillea Millefoli¬ 
um), is a mild aromatic sudorific tonic 
DAHLIAS ON A RHODE ISLAND FARM. Fig. 103 . 
which went on to market wagon, accord¬ 
ing as we had room for them, until Oc¬ 
tober 13, when frost ordered a halt. I 
was obliged to hire a stand on city 
market place, so most of them were sold 
from there; or to fill orders. My market 
book shows sales of $60.80 from the 
flowers, and that was but a small portion 
of what grew on the bushes. During 
the season I booked orders for roots for 
Spring delivery which already amount to 
$115. My Spring trade for roots should 
amount to at least $50 more. This with 
our trade for Asters adds quite a little 
to our small income, and is lighter work 
for an old man, and comes after our 
berries are off. We have over 200 vari¬ 
eties, of every hue and color, and will 
add nearly one hundred new importa¬ 
tions this year dropping out some of the 
poorer ones. These are not large figures, 
as I have friends who give more time to 
it and realize much more and larger re- 
turns. j. v. 
Rhode Island. 
REMEDIES FOR POISON IVY. 
A cure is asked for ivy poison. I hope 
I can describe a weed which grows all 
over in New Jerey, which is a sure an¬ 
tidote, also a sure cure. The weed is like 
a plantain leaf only longer, and there is 
a spur flower like a sheaf of wheat. Chil¬ 
dren play with these flower heads to see 
which head will come off first. The juice 
from the leaf will cure any case of ivy 
poison very quickly, and gives imme¬ 
diate relief. E. b. hayden. 
New York. 
R. N.-Y.—The plant referred to is rib- 
grass or English plantain, Plantago lan- 
ceolata. A poultice of the bruised leaves 
was an old-fashioned dressing for sores, 
and the plant was sometimes used in¬ 
ternally, having slightly astringent prop¬ 
erties, but its use for ivy poisoning is 
new to us. 
From time to time I have noticed in¬ 
quiries for a remedy for poison ivy. 
There is an herb that grows and matures 
and astringent. The plant contains a 
bitter volatile oil, and a pecidiar princi¬ 
ple called achillein. The whole herb is 
medicinal. 
Regarding “ The Pernicious Poison 
Ivy,” page 132, I think you could supple¬ 
ment the remedies with another with 
profit to your readers. I am a minister, 
but have two farms in Washington 
County, N. Y., and in the Summer,- dur- 
ing July and August, enjoy myself very 
much living in the country but have 
■suffered a good deal from poison sumac 
(Rhus vernix). I cut out an article sev¬ 
eral years ago from the “Sunday School 
Times” entitled “Plants that Poison” and 
put it in my scrap book. The article was 
written by Charles Mcllvane. After 
speaking of the value of alcohol and 
sugar of lead the writer says “By far 
the best, quickest, and surest way to ease 
the pain, prevent the spread, and cure 
from the effects of the poison is to rub 
the skin with oil of golden rod.” He 
says that “this perfect cure was given to 
me many years ago by the men who 
make charcoal in the New Jersey 
woods.” w . h. s. 
New York. 
I saw in I he R. N.-Y. an inquiry for 
a cure for poison ivy, and would like tc 
say that I have found glycerine and car¬ 
bolic acid a quick and sure cure for ivy 
poison, one or two drops of carbolic acid 
to 10 drops pure glycerine and applied 
three or four times a day until itching 
stops. I have known this to cure a case 
of chronic ivy poison of several years’ 
standing. E . A . s . 
Artist (showing friend his master¬ 
piece) : “Now, my boy, that is a picture, 
if you like—real and natural. What do 
you think of it?” Friend: “Capital! 
Capital! So life like! Such light and 
shade! I don’t think I ever saw a better 
picture of a battlefield.” Artist: “Great 
Paul Rubens! That’s not a battlefield— 
that’s a basket of fruit!”—Melbourne 
Leader. , 
Books are Tools! 
TT7HliiJs you plant a tree or a shrub a good book is worth 
V V more than a plow or a spade. It starts you right with 
sound advice. The author gives you the experience of 25 years. 
A quarter of a century hence your orchard or grounds will show 
his success and escape his mistakes. 
How to Grow Fruit 
This little book is true to its name and tells you how _not 
why, you know that. Before it was put in type this book was 
submitted to the best authorities in the country for suggestion 
and criticism. They went through it carefully, adding and 
subtracting, so that, when they got through, its value had been 
multiplied. I here are pictures showing just how trees are 
handled from the nursery to the orchard—clear and full direc¬ 
tions about planting, spraying and pruning, and full and com- 
ple lists of varieties. The strong point about this book is the 
fine advice about varieties. You cannot well go wrong if you 
study the lists given here. You can easily get advice about 
caring for a tree when you get it started, but if you start the 
wrong kind you are sure to be disappointed. This book is a guide 
post for varieties. 
How to Plant About the 
Country Home 
Don’t ^ ou know the difference in beauty and value between 
a bare box of a house, set in the hot sun, and the same kind of 
a house like a nest amid shrubs and trees? The man who 
knows how can take a few dollars, and in a few short years, 
change his yard from an eyesore to a place of beauty. Any man 
could take a spade and plant a shrub or tree, but unless he knows 
when he starts what the shrub will be like or what the effect 
will be, he will make a botch of it. This book shows you just 
what your yard will- look like when the ornamentals grow. There 
are pictures of the trees ; still others showing how to group 
them, and how to train vines in appropriate places. We clo not 
see how you can look at some of those tree and vine effects and 
still be satisfied with your bare house and yard. It is just the 
book you need to interest the wife and children in the best part 
of the farm—the home. 
The price of these books is 25 cents each. But to any reader 
of The Bubal New-Yorker who expects to plant trees, plants 
or shrubs of any kind this spring we will send them Free. 
Harrison’s Catalog'. 
For 1910 gives full information about all the standard tested 
varieties grown on our more than 2,000-acre nursery. Millions 
of trees and plants. Our quality trees and plants have thus the 
largest growers of nursery stock in the world. Buy direct from 
a responsible grower, and avoid the troubles and annoyances of 
irresponsible tree agents. If you want the best stock that can 
be grow n under all favorable conditions of soil and climate, free 
from disease and true to name, with a reputation of 23 years 
behind it, write us today. 
HARRISON’S NURSERIES, 
Box 241 Berlin, Md. 
HARRISON’S NURSERIES, u „ I-1 
Box 421, Berlin, Md. How to Grow Fruits | 
Please send me by return mail, as per your offer, books 
marked In panels oa side. How p|anf ^ i-. 
I expect to plant.this spring. ,he Country Home 
^ ame . Harrison's 1910 I I 
p q Catalogue 
State . U'<y k in above squares which of 
. th° books and catalog you desire 
CUT OUT THIS COUPON AND MAIL TODAY. 
