The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-08-17
Notes from a N. G. Garden

Our early potatoes were dug some time
since. We had fourteen varieties. plant
| ing Early Rose and Bliss's Triumph as
comparison for the newer sorts. In pro-
ductiveness and quality Maule's Thor
| oughbred led the list. In quality alone
they were decidedly the best notato we
have ever grown here, for as a rule the
Irish potato grown here lacks the dry.
starchy quality of the Northern grown
tubers In this respect the Thoroughbred
was revelation. and was fully as good
as the best Northern grown potato.
The seasons experience with sweet
corn has demonstrated the same fact
that we have heretofore noted. This is
that the extra early varieties of the SUI
gar corn are and probably always will
be perfectly worthless in this climate
AS medium season varieties the Zigzag
and the country Gentleman are best, but
we will always here have to rely upon
the Mammoth and Stowells Evergreen,
and be content for early use with sorts
like Adams Early and its varieties. 1t
is also evident that we must breed the
seed in this climate in order to have
success with any of them.
Rocky Ford Melons, from seed furnish
ed for trial by the Agricultural Depart
ment al Washington, showed the usual
result with Department seeds. After
planting the patch three times we got
about one-third of a stand These melons
are being grown for chemical analysis
to show the difference in the Rocky Ford
(Netted GEM melon grown in diqerent
climates. Our melons are very pretty
and of fine quality, and we do not believe
that the Colorado melons are any better
Will look for the result of the analysis
with some interest.
We have grown '26 varieties of toma-
toes, but have little to say in regard to
them, except to note the behavior of the
Honor Bright" This variety turned a
golden yellow all over, but did not seem
affected by any fungus disease. The fruit
set and grew to a fine size in great
abundance, and came to the same golden
tint as the plants, and stood thus for
weeks, gradually turning red, but never
getting tender. 1t is the oldest thing
we have ever seen in a tomato and we
would like to know if it has acted in
this way elsewhere. -..f
The Grape myrtles, the glory Of the
Southern shrubbery, are now in bloom
and will be gay for weeks to come. A
Carolina man once wrote to the editor
of Northern horticultural paper asking
how to treat the lilac SO as to have it
bloom here as it does in the North. The
editor answered you have the Grape
myrtle, which we cannot grow; cannot
you leave sthe lilac?" We have found
long ago that it is useless to expect the
profusion of bloom on the lilac here that
it gives northward But the Grape myrtle
is far more SNOWY and the bloom lasts
longer than the lilac, and it comes at
season when there is a dearth of bloom.
We have plants nearly 80 feet high, and
nearly as much in diameter, which are
masses of flowers all over. A few years
ago Mr.. w. r. Smith, Curator of the
Botanic Gardens in Washington, sent me
some seed of Grape myrtles which were
grown from hand crossed flowers, and
from these I have grown plants that have
flowers of all shades, from pure white
to the darkest purple, and of every in
termediate shade of purple, and also of
pale to deck and rosy pink. Hence we
do not regret the lilacs except for their
fine springtime fragrance.