THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
FOR AND AGAINST PRUNES SIMONII. 
The primus simonii, which fruited in Colorado last sea¬ 
son for the first time, has proved a great success out in Utah 
says Field and Farm. • As far north as Ogden we once saw 
the trees of primus simonii loaded down with ripening fruit 
and the specimens usually were as large as Jonathan apples. 
This stranger from Japan will no doubt prove a grand 
variety on our western slope. 
Primus Simonii, says the Iowa Homestead, has been 
under test for twelve years and has found no place among 
fruits that would recommend its being planted in either a 
home collection of fruits, or commercial planting of any 
kind. It rarely ever fruits and the blossoms are very faulty 
and will not fertilize perfectly. Occasionally trees will set 
fruit. It is peculiar in shape, having the form and color of 
a small tomato, being somewhat flat and sutured a number 
of times. The flavor of the fruit is insipid and of little 
value, not equaling any of the standard western plums that 
are in cultivation. The experiment stations have generally 
discarded it after testing them. Tree peddlers, however, are 
selling the trees at ^lo a dozen in certain western localities, 
describing the fruit as a cross between the apricot and the 
peach, and uninformed farmers are beguiled into buying. 
GOOSEBERRY CULTURE. 
A correspondent asks us for facts regarding gooseberry 
culture. A correspondent at Clinton, N. Y., writes Garden 
and Forest: The greatly increased demand for this fruit is 
even more noticeable this year than it was during the two 
previous seasons, and it is of growing importance that we 
should be able to raise fine gooseberries without mildew or 
other loss. I have for the last ten years had no trouble 
either with the native or the foreign varieties of this fruit. 
PArmerly I was much troubled with mildew. My plan 
now is to grow on high well-drained soil, in rows running 
north and south, and well open to the sun. There is no 
danger from shade if the land be open and well-drained. 
The plants should be in rows, easily cultivated with a horse, 
and the soil often stirred in the spring. I do not think it 
pays us to grow the natives like Downing and Houghton and 
Smith, so long as we can just as well grow the larger sorts. 
Industry has never done well with me, but others report 
that it is prolific. Crown Bob and Whitesmith are two of 
the best of foreign parentage. But better yet is an old sort 
we have had for sixty years, and known only as the “ Irish 
Gooseberry.” The earliest and richest I have is a wilding 
which resembles the foreign sorts in bush, but has a fruit 
like Houghton in color, but much lighter red. It bears 
abundantly, and is ripe about the first of July. It is evi¬ 
dently a cross between the foreign and native species. 
Columbus and Red Jacket, I think, are emphatically valuable 
introductions. There is room for a new race of cross-bred 
gooseberries. 
105 
LATEST RECEIPT FOR BORDIiAUX MIXTURE. 
Professor Beach of the state experiment station at 
Geneva, N. Y., gives the following advice regarding Bor¬ 
deaux mixture : Dissolve 4 pounds of copper sulphate in 
water, nearly filling a 45 gallon cask. Next make a white¬ 
wash or cream of freshly slacked lime. Have on hand a 
small bottle containing a saturated solution of yellow prus- 
siate of potash (ferro- cyanide of potatassium) in water. 
As you add the lime to the copper sulphate water, apply 
the test from time to time by adding a drop from the small 
bottle. As long as you notice a change of color in the 
mixture, more lime must be added. When further addit¬ 
ion of the drug ceases to change the color, the mixture 
contains lime enough. The necessity of straining can be 
avoided by using only the clear milk of lime, not the set¬ 
tlings. Freshly slacked lime is always to be preferred. 
It sticks better, and it does not take so much time. Its 
object IS simply to neutralize the acid in the sulphate. The 
mixture must be constantly stirred while being applied. 
P'or close work there is no better spraying nozzle than the 
Vermorel. A bamboo extension may be used with which 
to get the nozzle into the tree. A weak mixture put on 
thoroughly is better than a strong mixture applied in a 
haphazard way. Experiments have shown the Bordeaux 
mixture to be the best fungicide yet tested.” 
Catalogues received. —C. H. Joosten, New York City, 
special, wholesale, bulbs and plants; Lenault-Huet, Ussy, 
France, per C. H. Joosten, fruit tree stocks and forest trees; 
Peter Van Velsen & Sons, Houtwaart, Overeen near Haar¬ 
lem, Holland, bulbs; Koster & Co., Boskoop, Holland, 
nursery stock ; G. C. Van Meenwen & Sons, Harlem, Hol¬ 
land, bulbs ; The Horticultural Company, Boskoop, Hol¬ 
land, per L. C. Bobbink, Hoboken, N. J. ; John Laing & 
Sons, London, England, .special, caladiums ; PC W. Reid, 
Bridgeport, O., general fruits and flowers ; Henry A. Dreer, 
Philadelphia, seeds, plants and bulbs ; J. J. Grullemans & 
Son, Noordwyk, Holland, Dutch bulbs and flower-roots ; 
John Palmer & Son, Arman, Scotland, nursery stock ; IC 
Y. Teas, Irvington, Ind., trees and shrubs ; Rogers Nur¬ 
sery Co., Moorestown, N. J., trees and shrubs ; The PArmers’ 
Nursery Co., Tadmor, O., Greenville strawberry and Crosby 
peach. 
Ellwanger & Barry are meeting with much success in 
the introduction of the new rose “Crimson Rambler.” 
This rose received gold medals from the National Rose 
Society of England, and the National Horticultural Society 
of France, the International Horticultural Exposition at 
Earl’s Court, as well as numerous first-class certificates. A 
lithograph of the rose is presented in this issue. 
I. D. Cartright, Toledo, O.—“June and July numberf i-e- 
ceived and appreciated. Am taking more papers than I have time 
to reac, but I like the two numbers received so well that I enclose 
you one dollar, subscription for one year.” 
