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Title:  The  Gardener's  monthly  and  horticultural  advertiser, 
V.  3 

Place  of  Publication:  Philadelphia 

Copyright  Date:  1861 

Master  Negative  Storage  Number:  MNS#  PSt  SNPaAg1 11.3 


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THOMAS    MEEHAN,    Editoe.  JANUARY,    1861. 


VOL.  III.— NO.  1. 


I?infx  for  Uanuarg. 


As  we  are  commencing  the  year  with  a  largely 
increased  list  of  subscribers,  it  may  be  as  well  to 
agam  observe  that  we  do  not  in  these  hints  propose 
to  give  exact  monthly  directions  for  what  should  be 
c  one  m  the  garden.  Our  subscribers  are  about  equally 
distributed  over  the  whole  continent,  and  rules  for 
work  would  thus  manifestly  be  inapplicable  to  the 
largest  portion  of  them.      Our  object  is  to  give  general 
hints,  principles  and  practices,  that  are  lUtle  known  or  li- 
able  to  be  forgoUen,  and  that  may  be  useful  to  every 
reader  in  any  part  of  the  country.    Our  friends  have 
been  pleased  to  express  considerable  interest  for  this 
department  of  our  journal  heretofore,  which  we  shall 
endeavor  still  to  sustain. 


<>■■» 


FLOWER  GARDEN  AND  PLEASURE 
GROUND. 

In  the  north,  with  the  great  body  of  vegetation 

still  shrouded  in  snow  and  the  usual  habiliments  of 

winter,  little  can  be  done  in  this  department ;  but  in 

the  Southern  States  gardening   operations  will  be 

about  commencing  actively.      Pruning  should  be 

completed  as  soon  as  possible.     Some  judgment  is 

required  in  pruning  flowering  shrubs,  Roses,  &c 

aWiough  It  is  usual  to  act  as  if  it  were  one  of  the  mosi 

common-place  operations.     One  of  the  most  clumsy 

of  the  hands  is  commonly  set  with  a  shears,  and  he 

goes  through;'  the  whole  place,  clipping  off  every 

th  ng  indiscnmmatcly.     Distinction  should  be  made 

between  t  hose  flowering  shrubs  that  make  a  vigor 

ous  growth,  and  those  which  grow  weakly  •   and 

between  those  which  flower  on  the  old  wood  of  last 

year,  and  those  which  flower  on  the  new  growth  of 

next  season,  as  the  effect  of  pruning  is  to  force  a 

8  rong  and  vigorous  growth.     Those  specimQps  tliat 


>a  '  °     — cj-""''".     A  "wou  spf cimens  tJiat 

(^already  grow  too  strong  to  flower  well,  should  be  ^ 

•  (5rrlP -^ 


.\ 


only  lightly  pruned  ;  and,  in  the  same  individual 
the  weakest  shoots  should  be  cut  in  more  severely 
than  the  stronger  ones.  Some  things  like  the  Mock 
Oranges,  Lilacs  and  others,  flower  on  the  wood  of 
last  year— to  prune  these  much  now,  therefore  de- 
stroys the  flowering  :  while  such  as  Altheas,  which 
flower  on  the  young  wood,  cannot  be  too  severely  cut 
in,  looking  to  that  operation  alone.  We  give  below  a 
full  list  of  the  shrubs  in  most  common  cultivation  of 
the  different  classes.  ' 

Ornamental  shrubs  that  flower  chiefly  from  the 
wood  of  the  preceding  year:  Snowy  Mespilus,  Dwarf 
Almond,  the  different  kinds  of  Andromedas,  Azalias 
Kalmias,  Rhododendrons,  Calycanthus,  Corchorus' 
Cornelian  Cherry  and  the  other  Dogwoods;  Phila- 
delphuses,     Deutzias,     Mezereon,    Leather '  wood 
Fothergilla,  Golden  Bell,  Hydrangeas,  Itea  Virginica' 
Jasmines,  Privet,  Upright  Fly  and  Tartarian  Honey- 
suckles,  Pyrus  japonica ;    the   Missouri  and   other 
ornamental  Currants;  most  of  the  early  flowerin"- 
Spiroeas,  Dwarf  Pavias,  Snow  Berries,  Guelder  Rose° 
Wiegelia  rosea,  Persian  and  other  Lilacs,  Annual 
Roses. 

Shrubs  that    flower   from  the  present  season's 
growth:  Amorpha  fruticosa,  Ceanothus  Americana 
Bladder      Senna,     Coronillas,     Burning      Bushes' 
Genistas,  Scotch  Broom,  Althcca;  Hypericums,  such 
asKalmianum,  prolificum,i&c.;  Green-fringe  Flow 
ering  Locusts;  the  Fall-flowering  Spirceas,  Tamarix 
Vitex  agniscastus,  &c.     These  hsts  also  embrace  the 
most  desirable  of  ornamental  shrubs  in  cultivation 
from  which  the  amateur  may  select  when  the  plant- 
ing season  arrives. 

In  pruning  roses,  the  Fall-blooming  kinds   which 
flower  on  the  new  growth,  may  be  pruned  as  severely 
as  we  wish-in  fact,  the  "Iiarder"  they  are  cut  in 
the  better.     In  this  class  arc  the  Noisette,  Bourbon 
Tea,  China,  and  Hybrid  Perpetual,  and  Perpetual 
Moss.   Without  considerable  experience  it  is  diflicult 
for  the  amateur  to  distinguish  these  classes-  the  best 
way  to  get  over  the  difficulty  is  to  obtain  the  cata- 
logues of  the  principal  rose-growers,  in  which  each 
kind   is   usually  classified.      Amateurs  should  pay 
more  attention  to  the  scientific— if  we  may  .so  term 
It-study  of  the  rose,  and  hs  classification  and  gene 
ral  management;  no  class  of  flowers  is  more  easily 


I  I 


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A 


m 


Ihi}  barter's  JilontMg. 


understood,  and  no  one  affords  so  rich  a  fund  of 
perpetual  interest. 


«•■•» 


VEGETABLE    GARDEN. 

South  of  the  Savannah  River,  most  kinds  of  the 
hardier  garden  crops  may  be  planted  this  month: 
Radishes,  Peas,  Cabbages,  Turnips,  Beets  and  Car- 
rots, Spinage,  Parsley,  Lettuce,  Onions,  &c.     North 
of  this  point,  but  little  can  be  done  but  prepare  for 
the  next  and  following  months.     Manure,  compost, 
poles,   stakes,  ifec,  will  be  had  in  readiness;  tools 
ground,  fixed  and  brightened;   seeds  of  the  best 
quality  made  into  lists  and  even  ordered,  for  it  should 
not  be  forgotten  that  when  the  busy  time  comes,  the 
seedsman  is  as  much  hurried  as  the  rest  of  mankind, 
and  holds  a  grateful  feeling  towards  those,  who,  in 
addition  to  other  commercial  *' favors,"  are  conside- 
rate towards  him. 

This  is  one  of  the  roost  trying  periods  of  the  year 
to  caulifiowers  in  frames;  if  they  have  a  lively  bottom 
heat,  and  from  the  severity  of  the  external  atmos- 
phere cannot  have  much  air  allowed  them,  they  will 
be  very  likely  to  ' '  button, ' '  as  gardeners  call  it.  No 
opportunity  of  admitting  air  safely  should  be  lost. 
Cabbage  and  lettuce  preserved  in  frames  for  planting 
out  in  Spring,  should  also  liave  all  the  fresh  air  the 
weather  will  permit. 

<•»» 

PLANTS  AND  PLANT  HOUSES. 

No  one  can  fail  to  admire  the  innumerable  beauties 
in  the  way  of  handsome  flowers,  that  uncultivated 
nature  everywhere  scatters  so  abundantly  around  us. 
Beauty  is  the  same  wherever  it  exists,— in  the  parlor 
or  drawing-room;   in   the   green-house   or  conser- 
vatory; in  the  hut  of  poverty;  in  the  "Barcan  des- 
ert,".or  the  most  unfrequented  and  wildest  spot.— 
No  one  we  think  can  admire  wild  flowers  more  than 
the  writer :  he  traverses  many  a  mile  in  search  of 
them,  and  if  but  one  new  feature  in  the  fair  fiice  of 
Flora  is  discovered  in  each  trip  he  feels  well  reward- 
ed.   But  with  all  his  faith  in  the  immutable  principles 
of  beauty,  and  all  the  love  amounting  to  a  species  of 
veneration  he  holds  for  beautiful  wild  flowers,  he 
cannot  agree  with  a  very  common  view  that  they 
are  equally  deserving  of  cuhivation  with  the  collected 
treasures  of  foreign  lands,  or  the  improved  beauties 
of  our  own. 

To  view  a  well  filled  conservatory,  or  well  culti- 
vated stock  of  plants  in  a  tasteful  greenhouse,  excites 
at  this  season  different  sensations  than  even  the  most 
lovely  prairie,  or  beautiful  Alpine  Flora  ever  does. 
AVe  feel  that  choicencss  is  there,  and  the  hand  and 
power  of  man  overcoming  the  obstacles  and  adverse 
circumstances  of  nature,  is  a  never  failing  source  of 
pleasure  and  delight.  It  is  part  of  the  nature  of  man 
to  revolt  at  useless  labor.  Even  the  sterness  of  hun- 
ger, will  scarcely  compel  a  man  to  work  unless  some 


useful  object  is  accomplished.  The  late  Stephen 
Girard,  with  all  his  eccentricities,  was  a  very  charit- 
able man.     No  ones  necessities  went  unrelieved. 

But  he  had  his  own  way  of  doing  good.     He  held 
that  no  able-bodied  man  should  eat,  till  he  had  first 
earned  his  meal,  and  so  he  seldom  gave  money  but 
he  would  always  give  work.     However  that  it  might 
not  be  supposed  that  actual  charity  was  not  his  object, 
he  did  not  care  to  profit  by  the  labor  of  the  poor;  but 
kept  a  pile  of  stones  on  the  wharf,  and  apphcants  for 
relief  were  set  to  remove  them  first  from  one  side  of 
the  wharf  to  the  other,  and  back  again,  till  the  allotted 
time  had  expired.     It  is  related  that  but  a  small  moiety 
of  those  asking  for  and  willing  to  work,  would  labor 
at  this  objectless  and  profitless  task,  preferring  rather 
to  take  their  chances  for  less  certain,  harder,  or  more 
laborious  employment.     It  is  precisely  thus  with  the 
cultivation  of  wild  flowers.     It  seems  so  profitless  to 
dig  up,  remove  a  few  hundred  yards  from  the  woods  to 
our  flower  border,  and  weed,  tie  up,  cultivate,  and  la- 
bor to  effect  what  nature  does  for  us  just  as  well.  That 
the  idea  will  never  become  popular.     Greenhouses, 
and  choice  flowers,  and  foreign  luxuries  in  the  floral 
line,  will  ever  be  the  object  of  the  Horticultural  im- 
portunate, and  we  shall  never  regret  our  share  in 
ministering  to  this  feeling. 

At  this  season  particularly  can  we  "sing"  of  the 
charms  of  this  branch  of  our  art.  He  who  has  no 
greenhouse  or  plant  cabinet  of  some  kind,  is  as  we 
said  in  our  last  issue,  a  species  of  the  human  genus 
to  be  pitied.  Australia,  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope, 
China,  the  East  Indies,  South  America,  and  the 
tropics  of  both  hemispheres,  are  now  in  their  glory, 
and  for  the  next  two  months  at  least  will  afford  us 
all  the  variety  and  interest  we  want. 

The  Cineraria,  or  Star  flower  as  it  is  being  popu- 
lariy  called,  is  about  to  flower  now.     Those  kinds 
that  grow  naturally  tall  and  lean  are  going  out  of 
fashion,   kinds  with  good  semi-circular  heads,  and 
dwarf  habit  of  growth  are  the  favorites.     In  saving 
seed  select  such  plants  as  come  nearest  to  these  points 
for  that  purpose.     Some  very  Dwarf  ones  have  re- 
cently appeared  in  England  that  scarcely  exceed  one 
foot  in  height  under  very  favorable  conditions  of 
growth.      Calceolarias  should  be  particularly  kep^ 
near  the  glass.  Auriculas,  Polyanthus,  and  primroses 
and  violets  like  a  cool  moist  atmosphere.     Heaths, 
Epacris,  Correas,  and  delicate  New  Holland  plants 
must  be  continually  examined  to  ascertain  whether 
their  roots  are  in  a  healthy  state  of  growth.     Hya- 
cinths in  glasses  should  have  the  water  changed 
about  once  a  week,  rain  water  or  thawed  snow  is 
the  best,  and  a  few  pieces  of  guano  about  the  size  of 
a  pea  helps   considerably.      Correas  and  Coronillas, 
are  amongst  the  easiest  of  delicate  ornamental  plants 
to  grow.   Amaryllis  and  cape  bulbs  when  grown  well 


9 


f 


" 


Mti  (barter's  <pan% 


are  amongst  the  handsomest  of  plants.  They  are 
now  about  to  grow,  and  consequently  it  is  the  time 
to  re-pot  them.  Amongst  the  new  flowers  do  not 
forget  the  merits  of  old  ones,  and  particularly  stock 
gillies  and  double  Wall-flower.  Old  Fuchsias  cut 
down  make  very  strong  and  noble  specimen  plants 
when  they  shoot  up  again.  For  propagation  old 
plants  should  now  be  forced  a  little,  and  the  sprouts 
taken  off  and  struck.  Begonias  many  of  them  are 
commencing  growth  and  may  be  re-potted,  they  do 
not  do  well  in  very  large  pots. 


(Jommunirafions. 


SKETCHES  of  PHILADELPHIA  BOTANISTS 

(Conduded,) 
BY   L.,    HADDONPIELD,    N.    J, 

VII.— MUHLENBERG. 

The  student  of  the  grasses  will  remember  Dr 
Henry  Ernst  Muhlenberg.  This  thorough  classical 
and  oriental  scholar  was  born  in  Montgomery  Co., 
Pa.,  in  1753,  and  was  sent,  at  the  age  of  ten  years' 
with  his  two  older  brothers,  to  complete  his  general 
education,  and  study  theology  at  Halle,  in  Prussia 
He  returned  in  1770,  and  was  ordained  at  the  eariy 
age  of  seventeen,  and  became  assistant  to  his  father 
in  the  Lutheran  Church  at  Philadelphia. 

During  the  occupation  of  the  city  by  the  British 
he  commenced  the  study  of  botany  in  his  retirement 
in  the  country,  and  attained  to  eminence  in  his  fa- 
vorite pursuit.  He  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
American  Philosophical  Society,  and  soon  after  be- 
came a  member  of  the  leading  associations  of  a 
similar  character  in  Germany  and  the  north  of 
Europe,  and  enjoyed  a  correspondence  with  the 
leading  scientific  men  of  the  day. 

His  chief  publication— ''Descriptio  uberior  grami- 
num,"  pubhshed  by  Solomon  W.  Conrad  in  1817, 
who  himself  became,  in  1829,  Professor  of  Botany 
in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  and  a  highly 
popular  lecturer  on  the  science.  S.  W.  Conrad 
deceased  in  Philadelphia  in  1831,  aged  fifty-two 
years,  leaving  an  example  of  serenity,  and  even 
cheerfulness,  under  the  dispensations  of  Providence 
precious  in  the  recollection  of  many  who  both  re- 
spected and  loved  him. 

Dr.  Muhlenberg  was  one  of  the  chief  contributors 
to  the  early  volumes  of  the  Transactions  of  the 
American  Philosophical  Society.  His  *' Flora  Lan- 
castriensis,"  and  a  number  of  papers  on  botany, 
theology,  &c.,  remain  in  manuscript.  His  herba- 
rium was  purchased  and  presented  to  the  American 
PIiilos()i)hical  Society  by  Zaccheus  Collins,  Dr. 
Wistar,  Dr.  James,  and  other  friends  of  science. 


In  1780  Dr.  Muhlenberg  accepted  a  call  to  Lan- 
caster, where  the  remainder  of  his  life  was  passed  in 
the  discharge  of  his  pastoral  duties,  and  where,  in 
1815,  he  closed  a  career  marked  by  distinguished 
talent,  piety,  and  usefulness  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
three. 

''Muhlenbergia,"  a  genus  of  the  Graminecc,  was 
happily  named  in  honor  of  him  who  successfully 
brought  the  resources  of  German  industry  and  pa- 
tience to  the  study  of  the  diflBcult  subject  of  the 
grasses. 

Our  limited  space  forbids  enlargement;   and,  with 
regret,  we  can  but  name  our  distinguished  fellow- 
citizens.   Dr.   Dariington   and   Dr.    Pickering;    the 
former  of  whom  has  largely  aided  in  popularizing 
botanical  science,  and  has  made  us  his  debtors  by 
his  edition  of  the  Correspondence  of  Collinson  and 
Bartram,  and  kindred  publications;  the  latter  a  de 
voted  botanist  and  ethnologist,  who,  having  accom- 
panied the  Wilkes'  Exploring  Expedition,  gave  to 
the  worid  an  interesting  volume,  the  results  of  ob- 
servations on  the  various  races  of  mankind,  a  most 
valuable  contribution  to  a  study  of  great  and  grow- 
ing  interest. 

Philadelphia,  the  favorite  home  of  botany  in  olden 
time  has  not  been  left  without  able  and  enthusiastic 
admirers  and  students  of  ''the  amiable  science"  in 
the  present  day.  A  Kennedy,  an  Ennis,  and  a 
Coultas  sustain  the  reputation  of  days  gone  by,  and 
nowhere  is  a  deeper  and  more  intelligent  interest 
felt  and  exhibited  in  the  subject  and  its  kindred  hor- 
ticulture, than  among  the  cultivated  citizens  of 
Philadelphia. 

This  hurried  notice  of  some  of  the  worthy  ones 
whom  science   "has  delighted  to  honor"  has  al- 
ready been  extended  beyond  my  original  intent      I 
well  remember  my  boyish  pleasure  in  observing  that 
many  eminent  botanists  had  been  commemorated  in 
genera  bearing  their  names,  while  I  longed  to  learn 
something  of  their  hves  and  fortunes,  and  have  been 
instigated  to  compile  these  simple  sketches  from  the 
belief  that  they  may  be  more  interesting  to  some 
inquirers  seeking,  as  I  did,  for  such  information 

[We  are  sorry  to  come  to  the  end  of  these  inter- 
esting sketches,  and  we  are  sure  all  our  young  read 
ers  share  our  regrets.    We  hope  our  scientific  friends 
of  other  cities  will  send  us  notes  of  the  many  other 
honored  names  in  American   botanical  history  — 
Elliot,  Clayton,  Pursh,  Bigelow,  Schweinitz,  Bald- 
win, &c.     The  list  is  a  long  way  from  beinir  ex 
hausted.— Ed.] 


«>•>» 


REMEDY   POR   THE   PEACH-BORER. 

BY  J.  VAN   BlIKEN,  CLARKSVn.LE,  OA. 

As  frequent  complaints  are  made  of  the  depreda 
tions  of  the  peach-tree  borer,  and  a  great  number  of 


i 


•vt  '1 

i 


m 


i :.,, : 


C|^  §mik\m's  Itonljiln. 


remedies,  most  of  A^iich  are  worthless,  and  others 
troublest me  or  impr;icticable,  are  from  time  to  time 
published,  will  you,  through  the  medium  of  your 
serial,  publish  the  following,  which,  we  have  little 
doubt,  will  prove  effectual,  as  well,  be  of  such  easy 
application  as  to  suit  the  laziest  subscriber  on  vour 
list.  ■^ 

Take  about  a  half  pint  of  common  salt,  and  sew 
it  up  in  a  small  bag  of  strong  cotton  cloth,  such  as 
common  Osnaburg  will  answer  all  purposes;  tie  this 
in  the  fork  of  the  tree,  where  let  it  remain  until  the 
salt  is  dissolved  by  the  rains  that  fall,  which  will  be 
in  the  course  of  two  years,  and  the  work  is  done. 

The  brine  that  runs  down  the  trunk  of  the  trees 
will  kill  both  worms  and  eggs  as  they  are  deposited- 
besides,  it  proves  a  benefit  to  the  tree.  Should  there 
have  accumulated  a  hardening  of  gum  at  the  surface 
of  the  ground,  as  is  sometimes  the  case,  it  should  be 
removed,  so  that  the  solution  may  reach  the  worms 
It  IS  equally  as  applicable  for  the  apple-tree  borer 
and  aphis  at  the  roots. 


«•■•> 


A    CHAPTER   OP   HINTS. 

BY  C. 

Dr.  Hayes'  article  quite  satisfies  me.    Now  let  us 
both  unite  in  endeavoring  to  give  to  your  readers 
every  little  information  we  meet  with,  in  our  read- 
ings, intercourse  with  others,    &c.;   and  as   some 
knowledge   with  chemistry  will   enable  us  to  tell 
others  the  value  of  many  of  the  now  various  animal 
and  mineral  manures,  and  how  much  would  be  in- 
jurious, and  how  much  beneficial,  let  us  do  it  in 
as  plain  English  as  possible.      If  Mr.   Bright  has 
found  watering  his  grape-vines  with  tartrates  give 
them  more  vigor,  and  brighter  green,  and  finer  fruit 
no  doubt  but  it  is  a  useful  fact  to  be  pursued  by  others' 
Dr.  Uhler  suggested  and  tried  aloes  in  solution- 
tion  and  glue  in  his  8i)ent-tan  beds.     Useful  facts  — 
let  us  try  them;  and  so  on  throughout  your  maga- 
zine m  the  editorials  and  monthly  work,  which  are 
full  of  suggestions  and    experimental  knowledge 
Let  us  receive  all  these  things  and  experiment  on 
them,  giving  you  the  results.     For  my  part    the 
more  I  experimentally  and  practically  study  horti- 
culture in  all  its  branches,  the  more  I  find  the  want 
of  these  little  facts,— sometimes  only  *'hints,"— and 
if  we  store  them  up  for  use,  we  shaU  by-and-by  reap 
fruit.     There  is  no  use  or  good  m  a  chemical  dispu- 
tation.    What  are  theories  or  hypoUiescs,  or  the 
reasoning  of  a  laboratory  to  the  gardener  or  fruit- 
grower?     Liebig,   at  one  time  wrote,   he  would 
soon  be  able  to  carry  in  hiswaistcout-pocket  manure 
for  an  acre  of  ground.     Mary  years  have  passed, 
and  yet  he  has  not  reduced  it  to  the  bushel.     Facts 
ever  so  small  and  simple  may  be  valuable,  and  I 
would  call  on  you  and  your  many  correspondents  to 


/ll  some  of  your  pages  with  them.     Much  may  be 
conveyed  in  a  few  lines,  and  may  lead  to  valuable 
results.     We  have  many  things  to  combat,-adverse 
soi,  drought  and  heat,  moisture  and  frost,  insects 
ana  lung,.     Every  pmcticing  gardener  has  met  with 
all  these  and  no  doubt  wars  against  them  some  way. 
Let  him  keep  notes  of  results,  and  a  vast  deal  of  in- 
tormation  will  be  acquired.     In  reading  somewhere, 
a  few  days  back,  I  met  a  suggestion,  that  if  plum 
rees  were  planted  on  an  eminence,  say  a  suitable 
hi  1,  It  would  escape  the  curcuUo.     If  I  do  not  mis- 
take the  writer  said  he  had  tried  it,  and  the  result 
was  favorable.     We  know  that  many  of  these  small 
insects  will  not  fly  high,  and  that  low  atmospheres 
are  more  attractive  to  their  habits.     The  cabbage-fly 
will  not  infest  the  young  plant,  if  seed  be  set  in  boxes 
and  raised  a  few  inches  above  the  level.     I  tried 
watering  my  young  cabbage  this  year  with  a  solu- 
tion of  aloes  in  water,  and  found  the  seedlings  I  had 
used  It  m  nearly  free,  while  those  in  the  neighbor- 
hood were  infested.     I  also  steeped  the  seed  in  the 
solution ;   but  I  found  that  a  couple  of  waterings 
saved  my  plants.     To  try  this  is  not  expensive,  and. 
If  useful  in  lessening  the  pest,  is  valuable.     I  have 
no  doubt  but  many  solutions  of  salts  and  gums  if 
tried,  might  render  the  leaves  disagreeable  to  these 
parasites.    We  must  keep  up  a  perpetual  war  against 
them,  or  we  can  have  no  crops.     Has  Dr.  Uhler  re- 
ported  to  you  his  experiment  of  watering  his  plum 
rees  with  aloes-water  eariier  tJiis  season  than  last. 
It  would  interest  to  know  if  he  has.  M.  Mercieul  in 
a  letter  to  the  French  Academy  of  Science,  gives' an 
account  of  a  new  mode  of  applying  sulphur  to 
diseased  vines.     He  selected  a  number  of  last  year's 
diseased  plants,  which  he  planted  in  two  groups 
On  August  16th  last,  when  indications  of  the  oidium 
appeared,  he  dug  up  the  earth  round  the  roots  and 
stems  of  one  group,  and  laid  round  the  roots  and 
stems  a  handful  of  flour  of  sulphur.     On  September 
20th  the  vines  thus  treated  were  quite  free  from 
disease,  and  in  excellent  condiUon;  while  the  other 
group,  left  to  itsc-lf,  was  in  a  wretched  state  throuWi 
he  rapid  progress  of  the  disease.     Mr.  M.  is  thus 
led  to  conclude  that  the  malady  of  the  vine  is  a  gen- 
trTlment ''°'  ^"^  """'*  consequently  require  general 

If  you  think  such  little  notices  as  these  worth  your 
sending  forth,  and  that  they  will  be  any  way  useful 
to  an  end,  I  will,  now  and  then,  as  I  meet  them 
send  them.  Many  diseases  appearing  in  the  leaves 
of  plants  may  be  a  general  affection.  Some  of  our 
finest  roses,  that  mildew  in  all  situations  and  under 
an  weather,  may  be  entirely  caused  by  a  general 
affection,  and  not  the  direct  action  of  season  on  the 
ex  emals,  though  it  is  then  it  becomes  apparent. 

[We  liad  already  noted  the  observations  of  M 


M) 


V       t 


4^ 


^M  barter's  ponthlg. 


Mercieul,  and  they  will  be  found  commeuted  on  in  another  portion  of  our  paper.    The  hints  and  facts 
C.  alludes  to  are  just  the  matter  we  like  to  get. —Ed.]  'ue  umis  ana  tacts 


«•■>» 


ENTOMOLOGICAL    ESSAT. 

Eeaa  Wore  tU  FruU-Orou^er,  Associaiton  of  Eastern  Pennsylvania  ai  Us  Meeting  in  West  CHester,  on  tke  l3tH  day  of  June,  1860. 

BY    S.    S.    RATHVON,    ENTOMOLOGIST    OF    THE    ASSOCIATION. 

(^Continued  from  page  329.) 
INJURIOUS    INSECTS. 

f  Jm'  'f  f  ^"'  ""^  tree-boring  Coleopterom  insects,  however,  does  not  terminate  hcr^e.     There  is  a  lar^e 
famxly  of  Sern-corrnans  or  ''  saw-horned"  beetles,  that  are  similar  in  their  habits  in  their  larva  sta  el 
the  Capncorns,  and  quite  as  injurious  also.     The  larva  of  these  insects  are  easilv  distin<^uishahrf 
hose  of  the  Capricorns  by  the  anterior  portion  of  the  body  of  some  of  them  ^:^\^^:^J^ 
them  something  the  appearance  of  a  tadpole,  and  others  being  cylindrical.  produced,  givxng 

12(h.     Chrysoboihris  femorala.     Fab.     Or  "Thick-legged  Apple-tree  borer  "     Plate  IF   fi^   «      t.     fu 
a^^o^it  half  an  inch;  color,  greenish  black,  with  a  brassy  polish ;  two  very  destine"  mtiif^tts   ;  e a^h' 
wing-cover;  eyes  prominent,  head  broad,  and  antenna  short;  the  thighs  of  tho  hinH  i..-    'P''"  """  ^""^^ 
thickened  and  dilated.      This  insect  makes  its  appearance  fro^  the  e   d'  f^M  '  „ntil  th  'lid^ 
July,  and  in  addition  to  the  apple  tree,  it  also  infests  the  peach  tree  and  the  white  oak  'helatt  r  of      .    >f 
IS  doubtless  its  native  tree,  and  to  which  its  operations  perhaps  would  ha.  b     n  coJfine^^ 
circumstances  invited  it  to  our  orchards  and  domestic  trees.  connnea  had  not  other 

13th.     IJicerm  dtmnco/a,  Say,  or  '^  Wild  Cherry-tree  borer."     Plate  II   fie  fi      Tr.n,rfKc»         ♦       • 
tenths  of  an  inch;  color  coppery ;  thicUy  covered  with  small  punctur  s     IVcovSJ^^^^^^^ 
and  rf..anca/.  or  stand  a  little  apart  at  the  ends;  thorax  marked  with  fine  elevated    nesX«t  L     f 

on,,  fntroduced  here'b  ca„,    U  iJso  near  t  aide  th^fo":    -orers  thatinfe^t  the  hickory  tree,  and  it  i, 
A^  kwu  *  •  ..  7  nearly  allied  to  the  former  insect  not  ccd,  and  there  can  soarrplv  >>a  <> 

rdl'riTer''""  ^  "^  -""-'  ''^'■"'""■'  -^  "»  -'--•  --*-  -  O-^yed,  it^m  IZZ'Z 

15th.     Calcophora  virginica,     Drury.     A  "Pine-tree  Borer."     Plate  II  fie   5      Tpn.fhf  •     u. 

polished  lines;  on  the  wing-covers  are  Z   rreX  "r*^  -  "  ""  """"  ""  """  """""' 

pine  forests  fah  before  the  L  of  iillmZZlTi  ilt"^"tu"'' I  T'"'  '"  ^''  *""  ■'»"«•      ^'  °" 
the  borders  of  domestic  cultivation,  and  alZu.hcl  .Zr  '.        '""'"  """' ""  *''"'"  '"  '"""<" 

fro.  its  analogy  of  form  and  struc.;rTt„  T::^^zzzt::^2T::::\i:yr "'  r"'-  """• 

yeZortrt^-dtTspofon  e^cf o/'t'h^itrvr '  X^^^^T'  ""^"""'^'""  -""'  ^ 
Maryland  and  IVIissouri,  and  I  have  also  fo„„!l  T       d  ,  ''*"  "«""='«   ^0™  Maine, 

has  a  wide  distribution. '  Not  much  o  its  habi  Z  soTT  n'T  '"^  ""'""""  ""'"'•  »"<•  ''"""""^^ 
wood  borer.  I  have  captured  it  on  apple  t'eest  prox^m  fto  I'  ';"°7."'  "'>  ""^  ■"<-  ">-  ">«t  it  is  a 
From  its  general  appearance,  in  comparison  wiTh  Z7   ^         »  ' '"  ^"'^  '""""^'  "^^"'''^  "arietta, 

foregoing  SerricornLs  belong  to  Z"  W  LiCan  enu?r'  ^^''T'  "'  '^^'  '"'"  "'  ■"■"'"'"•  ^"0 
distinguish  them  from  the  ElLu^^tt^lT^iTZ il  '  ."^  "'"°'""'  '"'"="  ""''"'"'''  '» 
their  habits.     These  latter  are  known  under  d^r'lj  ^""""-^  '"""  *""  """'""'  ''  """  ■"  '" 

known  in  some  places  as  the  ^Uck  bee,"e  "  in!Z    T'T  ""."'"V" '''f-"'  ">-'"->  '"oy  are  best 
Ja=ks>.-as  in  England,  or  "Schnell-klfeV '"as  i„ 111    T^ 
head"  applied  to  them      The  larva  of  it...  k  „  '"  ?^!.™»"y '  '  ''»'^«  »'»<>  !>«"<»  the  name  of  "  hammer- 

and  cylirSrical,  with  a  ha^,  smTo  b  ,rwisht^:  X^T''  '"  ''""'  IT  '''  '"""''"'"''  "'^'"^  '""« 
of  these  larva  are  wood  borers  but  a  larle  n  .1..  ^'f  .t       f-  """'•""■"'o  to  our  meal  worm.     Some 

orers,  but  a  large  number  of  them  live  upon  the  roots  of  herbaceous  plants. 


I 


0 


mti  (Sardtner  s  Pont^lj. 


gr»b,  ,ometi„,e,  measuring  .  J^  [""hes  in  len.th  ""V""'  '.°         "  ""''  ''"^-     '"''  '""»  "  "  ^'""-i^" 

.he .me .mi„ , .e ca„a!. .e.mrtt:„':r;;:;^3: ;;^^^^^^^^^^^  tePi" r r "r 

largest  species  of  these  Sprine-beetles  known  in  fhJ„  .^     *       I  P^^niea  wans,     feee  fig.  14.     This  is  the 

Of  tree, ,  and,  a,  th.  inse',  if  boco  Ig  Zro  coLr:  an  ^n',  u^  71 1 ""?  '""'  ""°  ""^"O"'  '""'"' 
fruit  trees  will  not  be  Ions-  exemnt  frnnf  i..        ''"™""'"  """"'E  •"  than  formerly,  we  may  infer  that  our 

in  the  larra  st."e  five  yeal    13  aZ  lb  T  ,';  uT  "'"^  ''"'"""'"  ^'=""''  »"=  ^"''""  '<>  -»-» 

18lh.     Cratonychm  brmcolUs,     Hbst.    "Brown  Click  Beetle "     Plate  I r    Pi!T     t        .u    ^ 
eighths  to  half  an  inch  ;  color  Dale  brown  •  tb.  i.  .    \  .  "•  ^'«-  *•     I-'ngth,  from  Ihree- 

to  the  "  meal-worm."  Th"  s  i'nse  is  0^,:  IJ"  "-y  i"  ""*'  ""'  ™'""'''  Wroximaling  in  form 
under  the  bark  of  old  and  docZg.ursandT„r"'':b  "^^^  "'^ ''"•J"*""/ found  it  and  its  larva 
insect  is  also  frequently  found  upon  ftuU  tr!l  T'  ."V  T''  '"  ""  """'='""  ''»"•  ^»  "•«  "»"-« 
decayed  parU  of 'he  tree  if  no  7n  the  ivtg  '  'Til  """"^^  1"  '""'  """  ''^'"  '""  '"  -"o 
family  of  Elaters  are  parlial  to  dead  wood!  '         '""'  '"""'"'''  '"  ""^  ""'"'o"  "^="  ">«  ""»'-= 

mh.  Ludiu,  anUnnalm,     Say.     "  Large-winged  Click  Beetle  "     Plate  II  Fi,  ■i      t       ,^.    . 
eighths  to  one  inch;  color  dark  brown-  w:„A„  ,    ""^"e-       i-'ato  U.  Fig.  3.     Length,  from  seven- 

which  are  sometime,  black      Rather  ra"  -"77  ^   Z"""^'  '""^  "'  ""'  '°  '"'  "'^'""'y-  '»  «  P"""- 

them  from  under  the  b  rk  of  oak  lees  TndTb    "J-     t     , '"  "'  """^  "°'"''"'  "^'""^  ^^'^     '  ""ainej 

the  immediately  forIgo"g  one  '"""""  "  °"'^  '"'""'•"='=''  "««  "  """S  »-=ariy  allied  to 

20,h.  ^«-.y-ca,u.    Germ.     .^.  ,„..«„,  of  Melsheimer.     "Pale-Brown  Spring  Beetle"     Plate 

niinuttha:rs  '"^    ;    nirp^apVrrV  ^^''r  T  ■"  --rod  all  over'.he' u^pe"   side  w  ^ 

merely  introduced  it  here  rem  Us  :e'se;rb    ncltTrt  ,      ""!,"'  "'  "'  "'^"  '"  Pennsylvania.     I  have 

insect  forms  by  which  he  may  irediar^rrno^wlTheX^arr^'r" '''' "^"'^ 

serricornians  he  will  observe  there  are  two  general  forms  If  the^       "'l"         "  '"""'"•     ^mong  the 

family  and  genu,      Fir  11  „f  Pl.t.  ir  .  '  '*"''  "''"^""g  "no"  or  less,  according  to 

segments  mo're  dlVelop'ed   and  .bet''"^^^^^^^^^^^         the  i,»,.„«..,  but  some  of  them  have' the  anteri^ 

Shorter  and  thicker,  and  Others  long    Ld  mor    rylind^fc'a     XT  !  ^'^''"''  '"'  '"•""  ""-'"'  "« 

means  that  I  have  suggested  for  the'destructioi  o7    e  ^pr  ;orI  bee,.r"Burrha:e''"'Tn'''  ""'  "■"" 

m  any  other  remedies  than  those  found  in  a  personal  insnection  of  7  .     ,  '^   ""°  """"''"nee 

manual  means  of  those  insects  we  *,.„„  to  be7nTuriou     orieav^/tlr','*';^  "."'""'  """  *  ""'''"^""n  by 

and  bats,  and  moles,  and  skunks,  who,  althougr indi  'crTm  na^'a  e  luu    h!   b    ,"  '^""''  ."/  ""=  "''''' 

prcvenlion.     There  is  a  family  of  small  cylindrical  beeUeT  „b  'k  k         I  "'"'  ""  ""'  "">"  "^ 

bodies  of  forest  trees,  and  some  of  them  I    o  i^f!  ,  .K        '  .       "  *'»""'™a"y  into  the  limbs  and 

however,  mainly  ,0  ,L  smalle    bra  ch^s    "nvno^^^^^^^  ■""  I'  '"'P'"'  «-».  »nfining  themselves, 

21s..  Bostric^u.  .pUericoUis,  Germ.  "  Blight  BeeUe^.;!;!  T^"/,"/''''"'"  "'  '"""  "'  "^''  '"""• 
the  eighth  of  an  inch;  color,  brown,  rough  ypunciuredespecU^v  on  ttTb  "'  '".""  ^""-     ^'"^"'> 
in  front,  and  the  head  drawn  under.     Thfs  insect  i.  hv  „'„  '^  """'  "^'"^  "  ""y  '>»'ging 

for,  in  addition  to  those  which  were  obut  edTn  .1  focal  tr^Lli'd  """''  *"""  "  "'"'  "-'"""tion! 
them  in  collections  from  California  and  Mi  sour      T  '  r  i  r  o  '"•°P'''"»"»'<"J'  'argo  numb,«  of 

specie,  (K.  iicauJatu.,  Say)  a,  very  injurious  fo  the'apple  tr ts'  'in  ninor^Tb""";'  "'"f ''  '"  """=* 
heart  of  the  bearing  twigs,  entering  at  the  axil  of  a  fruit-spitr  or  bud  11;  J"'^/"""  *  """""  '"  the 
this  species  is  not  yet  very  common  here,  yet  there  it  is  rllZ  !   i      I'-  "  ''""nwards.     Although 

them  rather  rare  twenty-five  years  ago  abCl  ^Vu^rof  the  OMrmv'e^  ""'  "'"'"''*■"■    '"'•  '''  ^'-'' 

23d.  Tomicuipyri,    Peck.     Or,  "  Pear-twig  Borer."     Plate  11    Fi,    lo  Z'      ,       j,  , 
about  one-tenth  of  an  inch,  color,  light  brotn,some.im::ad;pLwnrtr,^^^^^^^^^^^^  ^-gf. 

L^iiZ^rrf-r'^'LrrtL'-riiTonTd'r:^^^^^^ 

tree.     It  is  recommended  to  examine  apple  and  pear  trrs'Iltrri:;  \>:::1:7Z:::Z^^ 


ij, 


Che  iarittncr's  llmit^Ij. 


blight  takes  place  from  these  insects,  the  twigs  should  be  cut  off  a  little  distance  below  the  blight  and 
burned.  The  leaves  wilt  and  change  their  color  on  the  infected  branches,  and  may  readily  be  seen,  and  as 
the  insects  are  so  small,  it  would  be  difficult  to  destroy  them  by  any  other  means.  The  Bostrichans  have, 
in  times  past,  been  exceedingly  destructive  in  Europe — large  districts  of  forest  having  b«en  laid  waste  by 
them,  and  consequently  their  natural  organization  and  habits  comprise  an  clement  of  destruction,  that 
only  requires  time  and  circumstances  to  develope. 

22d.  Bostrichus  bicornis.  Say,  "  Horned  Blight-beetle."  Plate  II,  fig.  10,  dorsal  and  lateral  view. 
Length,  a  quarter  of  an  inch;  form,  cylindrical ;  color,  dark  brown  or  nearly  black ;  thorax  bulging  in  front, 
and  head  very  much  sunk,  hardly  visible  from  the  top;  two  short  spines  or  horns  projecting  from  the  front 
of  the  thorax,  whence  its  specific  name.  This  is  also  a  wood-boring  insect  in  its  larva  state,  and  is 
injurious  to  oak  and  walnut  trees.  During  warm  days  in  June  and  July  they  are  very  active,  and  on  the 
wing  all  day;  flying  also  into  houses  through  open  windows  where  there  is  a  light  in  the  evening.  Like 
the  former  species  named,  they  are  liable  to  attack  fruit  trees,  and  it  is  advocated  by  some  that  these  insects 
and  allied  species  are  the  cause  of  the  "yellows*'  in  peach  trees;  but  I  do  not  think  this  is  to  be  inferred 
from  having  once  found  them  in  such  trees.  The  yellows  is  4  disease  in  the  peach  tree,  which  it  is  exceed- 
ingly difficult  to  identify  with  the  presence  of  insects,  as  a  superinducing  cause,  although  various  kinds  of 
insects  may  often  be  found  in  them.  In  my  opinion,  diseased  trees  are  sought  by  insects  as  the  most  favor- 
able to  their  purpose,  on  account  of  the  feeble  organic  action  of  such  trees. 


ST.   LOUIS   BOTANICAL    GARDEN. 

BY  K.,  ROXBOROUGH,  PA. 

Haying  recently  visited  St.  Louis  on  business,  I  seized  a  few  leisure  moments  to  drive  out  to  this 
establishment,  which  owes  its  existence  to  the  munificence  and  fondness  for  scientific  pursuits  of  Henry 
Shaw,  Esq.,  of  that  city. 

Being  provided  with  a  note  from  Mr.  Shaw  to  the  superintendent,  I  met  with  much  attention,  and  was 
afforded  every  facility  for  examining  the  different  departments.  The  garden  is  situated  about  three 
miles  from  the  centre  of  the  city,  in  a  beautiful  part  of  the  country.  It  contains  in  all  about  two  hundred 
acres,  a  considerable  portion  of  which  is  already  improved.  The  entrance  to  the  grounds  is  through 
a  massive  and  tasteful  gateway,  buUt  of  a  gray  stone;  a  drawing  of  which  I  inclose. 


A  large  portion  of  the  grounds  are  already  enclosed  with  a  solid  wall  of  the  same  kind  of  stone  as  that  in 
the  gateway;  where  it  borders  on  the  road  it  is  surmounted  with  an  iron  railing.  The  first  enclosure 
or  department  that  you  enter  is  the  botanic  garden;  it  contains  about  ten  acres,  and  is  already  very  neatly 
laid  out  with  fine  broad  walks,  most  substantially  constructed  and  bedded  in  stone,  and  well  supplied 
with  surface  drains.  Here  it  is  intended  to  keep  specimens  of  indigenous  and  hardy  exotic  hcrbaceora 
plants  and  shrubs,  classified  according  to  the  natural  system. 

On  one  side  of  this  enclosure  is  a  fine  building,  about  40  X  75  feet,  intended  as  a  museum,  library 
and  lecture-room;  it  is  of  pressed  brick,  faced  with  marble,  and  is  very  neat  and  chaste.  You  enter  the 
building  through  a  noble  doorway,  most  elaborately  ornamented  with  marble,  and  find  yourself  in  tlie 
museum,  which  occupies  the  greater  part  of  the  principal  floor  of  the  building.      The  ceiling  of  this 


Un  €mkm's  monthly. 


41 


rooiu  >s  most  artisticall.v  and  appropriately  decorated 
will,  frescoes  of  oriental  plants,   in  their  natural 
colors  and  all  of  then,  in  their  foliage  and  flowers 
not  only  in  the  highest  degree  beautiful,  but  also 
botanical  y  correct.      Among  them  I  noticed  the 
banana,  dracoenas,  palms,  marantas,  cacti,  and  even 
our  own  gorgeous  helianthus  or  sun-flower       The 
floor  of  the  building  is  paved  with  encaustic  tiles, 
and  hght  iron  galleries  encircle  the  walls  so  as  to 
aflord  access  to  the  upper  cases  of  s,«cimens.    Imme- 
.hately  under  the  museum,  in  a  kind  of  basement, 
al  hough  entirely  above  ground,  is  the  library  in 
which  18  already  placed  the  magnificent  herbarium 
recently  purchased  by  Mr.  Shaw,  of  the  heirs  of  the 
ate  Prof.  Bernardi,  of  Erfurt,  Germany.      It  con- 
tains twenty  thousand  species  and  one  hundred  thou- 
sand specimens!     An  excellent  German  botanist  is 
now  engaged  in  re-arranging  it. 

Adjoining  the  botanic  garden'on  the  opposite  side 
o  the  museum  and  library  are  the  green  and  hot- 
.ouses,  pits  and  frames.  The  former  are  erected  in 
Uie  most  substantial  manner;  those  already  com- 
pleted are  about  1.50  feet  long  and  divided  inio  four 
compartments,  viz:  dry  stove,  moist  stove,  inter- 
mediate and  cold  greenhouse;  they  are  already  filled 
with  a  choice  eolleetion.  Tlie  roof  of  this  range  of 
houses  IS  on  the  ridge  and  furrow  principle,  but  at  an 
mclination  of  nearly  45  degrees,  being  a  UaZ 
against  a  back  wall.  The  frames  and  ,^ts  are  en 
closed  with  a  high  wall,  which,  at  the  same  time 
shelters  and  hides  them.  The  pits,  and  hot  and  grecn- 

vithT'^'T"'  ^"" ""'  """''• """  -« 1-"V«>«1 

^.th  douUe  front  or  upright  sash.     In  the  moist- 

shaped  tin  pans  to  supply  evaporation.  Immediately 
n  the  rear  of  the  plant  houses  is  a  range  of  neat 
edging  rooms  for  the  men  employed  in  the  establish- 

'^^l  t.   11  (i* 

Adjoining  the  botanic  garden  on  the  left  of  the 
.brary  or  museum  is  the  large  enclosure  which  is  to 
be  devoted  to  an  experimental  fruit  garden,  specimen 
orchard,  or  fruticetum,  pinetum  and  arbor^l  Ti° 
.Ie,«rtment  will  be  in  time  the  most  usefU  and  nte 
resting,  and  the  founder  has  devoted  to  it  some  150 
acres,  a  considerable  portion  of  which  is  already 
planted;  one  part  of  it  as  a  maze  or  labyrinth;  an 
other,  as  a  vmeyard  with  many  of  ,he  vines  tri^ined 
on  trellisses. 

Mr.  Shaw  is  ably  assisted  in  this  and  the  other 
departments  by  the  head  gardener,  Mr.  James  C  ' 
Smithy  I  omitted  to  state  that  the  soil  appears  to 
be  well  adapted  to  the  purpose,  having  been  heavily 
manured  and  well  trenched;  everything  that  has 
been  done  here  appears  to  be  ihorourjhly  done-  in 
short,  the  entire  establishment,  even  in  its  present 


— ..-.■.  =x-;=,  -iv-'  I  z  sw-::--"  rsrf H' 


noble-hearted  founder  and  his  able  assistants.     I  am 
glad  to  find  the  gooJ  work  so  auspiciously  begun 
and  hope  this  example  will  be  followed  until  not  onl^ 
our  large  cities  but  even  our  country  villages  will 
each  have  its  park  and  botanic  garden. 

BOTANICAL   KNOWLEDGE    IN   THE 
NUHSERY   BUSINESS.  ^ 

BY  ORCHIS. 

For  the  love  of  science,  Mr.  Editor,  as  well  as  of 
good  taste,  please  allow  an  unpretending  votary  of 
Botany  the  liberty  of  calling  the  attention  of  nursery- 
men to  a  fact  that  greatly  needs  reforming 

The  unpardonable  faults  almost  daily  committed 

Z-  T  .'"  ''""P'>'°S  ">«"•  catalogues,  has  been 
for  a  long  tmie  to  me  a  source  of  much  astonish- 
men  ,  that  a  class  of  business  men  proverbial  for 
mtelhgence  and  progression,  should  so  overlook  the 
mos  important,  if  not  the  primary  step  in  the  oma- 
mental  department  of  their  business.  Why  is  it  the 
case  that  scarcely  an  exception  out  of  the  large 

T^l  I^^T'"^"'.  """"""y  >"="»  out  should  be  to 
deficient  m  this  particular  ?     The  answer  is  plainly 

thenrT."""  ■"■'P"'"  "'  "^"""5  «™"We  on 
the  part  of  the  compilers ;  their  lists,  together  with 

the  misnomers  are  accurately  copied  from  their  ex- 
changes thus  entailing  the  errors  so  frequentlyseen- 
when  they  could  so  easily  be  avoided  by  a  slight 
knowledge  of  Botany;  or  even  searching  personally 
from  the  works  of  the  authorities  on  the  subject. 

.iJ",.-'""!!^, """'"'"  '""  '"  encounter  a  host  of 

difllculties  before  attaining  perfection,  or  indeed  a 

mediocre  of  the  requisite  knowledge  of  the  science  ; 

but  instead  of  discouraging,  it  should  be  an  addi 

tional  stimulus  to  urge  him  on.     lie  will  have  to 

brave  the  ridicule  of  the  ignorant,  and  overc  nic  tl^ 

difficulty  m  understanding  as  well  as  pronouncing 

he  names  and  terms  used.     It  will  also  require  I 

dihgcnt  application  to  the  proper  classification  of 

peeunens  mto  genera  and  orders,  but  after  overcom 

mg  the  first  obstructions,  he  will  be  surprised  how 

easy  the  task  to  become  proficient,  and  wi  twC 

zea   he  win  enter  upon  the  practical  part  of    he 

study,which  embraces  the  delightful  rambles  through 

he   woods,  along   the    shaded    streams,  and  In 

"special  localities;"  none  but  anaturalis    can  an 

preciate  the  pleasure.       During    his  daily  walks 

whether  on  business,  or  in  pursuit  of  pleasure,  each 

ree  and  plant  are  as  old  acquaintances  to  him   ahke 

he  gaudy  flower  and  the  homely  weed  he  sees  beau! 

ties  in  them  all,  and  knowing  each,  combines  to  form 

one  grand  harmonious  whole,  and  shows  the  va™ 

conception  of  the  Great  Supremo 

The  botanist's  love  for  the  science  ends  but  with 


Wiii,  (!lardft«r'8  IttoirfMg. 


9 


in  the  pursuit,  enables  him  fully  to  appreciate  the  ex- 
quisite lines  of  Sprague — 

0 

"  I  breatho  the  summer  air  ! 

I  wander  in  the  woodland  paths  once  more! 

Again  the  copse,  the  dell,  the  meadow,  wear 

The  loveliness  of  yore." 

[The  last  paragraph  of  our  correspondent's  com- 
munication is  worthy  of  being  reflected  on  hy  all  who 
expect  to  grow  old.     A  love  of  the  natural  sciences, 
entered  into  when  young,  and  pursued  with  enthu- 
siasm at  the  meridian  of  life,  affords  a  source  of  re- 
markable enjoyments  at  the  period  of  the  decline  of 
our  existence.     The  hope  of  leisure  to  enjoy  life,— to 
retire  from  active  business  when  we  grow  towards 
old  age,  is  the  dream  of  every  youthful  soldier  in  the 
battle  of  commercial  strife ;  most  often,  too  often, 
ending  only  in  a  dream  ;  for  the  active  mind  finding 
ennui  rebels  at  this  violence  to  its  nature,  and  it  is 
an  every  day  occurrence  to  find  men  who  have 
"retired,"   returning  again  to  active  life,  sick  of 
"nothing  to  do." 

It  seems  a  wise  provision  of  nature,  that  all  her 
processes  should  never  be  known ;  she  has  always 
something  left  to  be  discovered,  and  in  the  pursuit 
of  this  knowledge  the  longest  life  is  insufl^cient  to 
terminate  its  hopes  of  success.  "I  have  been  fifty 
years  a  botanist,"  recently  said  Dr.  Lindley,  "and 
now  feel  that   I  am  but  on  the  threshold  of  the 


science.'*  The  majority  of  scientific  men  live  to  a 
ripe  old  age— hale  and  vigorous  to  the  last— happy 
in  themselves  and  at  peace  with  all  the  world.] 


••m»* 


INTRODUCTION    OP    THE    LOIVIBARDY: 
POPLAR    INTO   AMERICA. 

BY  COL.  R.  CARR. 

I  have  the  pleasure  of  responding  to  your  inquiry 
relative  to  the  introduction  of  the  Lombardy  Poplar, 
and  am  happy  to  have  it  in  my  power  to  give  you 
the  desired  information. 

Soon  after  the  close  of  the  American  Revolution 
rin  1783J),  Mr.  William  Hamilton,  of  the  Woodlands] 
near  Philadelphia,  fnow  Woodlands  Cemetery), 
visited  England  and  France,  and  on  his  return' 
brought  with  him  a  large  collection  of  hothouse  and 
greenhouse  plants,  and  also  a  variety  of  trees  and 
ornamental  shrubs,  not  then  perhaps  in  this  country. 
My  uncle,  Mr.  William  Bartram,  who  saw  the  boxes 
unpacked,  informed  me  that  the  Lombardy  Poplar 
was  one  of  the  trees,  and  that  he  then  believed  it 
was  the  first  brought  to  this  country.  I  believe  he 
brought  the  Salisburia  adiantifolia,  and  the  European 
Sycamore  Maple  (Acer  pseudo-platanm)^  at  the  same 
time.  He  afterwards  received  the  Ailantus,  with 
many  other  exotics.  And,  indeed,  until  his 'death 
rin  1812;,  very  frequently  received  boxes  of  rare 
plants  from  his  friends  in  Europe  and  America 


His  extensive  hothouses  and  greenhouses  were  filled 
with  the  rarest  and  finest  plants,  and  his  grounds 
were  the  best  laid  out  and  finest  in  the  country. 

Mr.  H.  was  a  good  botanist  and  passionately  fond 
of  flowers;  he  always  kept  the  best  gardeners  that 
could  be  procured.  Lyons  and  Pursh  were  for  some 
time  with  him,  and  the  elder  Michaux  supplied  him 
w  ith  American  trees. 

I  will  add  an  anecdote  of  him,  related  to  me  by 
Mr.  Bartram,  who  was  a  witness  of  the  scene  :— 
About  the  year  1800,  ("or  perhaps  earlier,;  Mr.  H. 
had  received  the  first  plants  ofthe  double  white  Camel- 
lia,  and  one  fine  flower  was  just  expanded.     Mr.  H. 
had  a  number  of  friends,  Mr.  Merry,  Dr.  Park,  and 
other  eminent  gentlemen,  to  dine  with  him,  and  had 
directed  his  gardener  to  place  the  camellia  on  the 
centre  of  the  dinner-table  when  dinner  was  ready 
Conversing  with  Mr.  Bartram  about  some  plants 
just  received  from  Dr.  Muhlenberg,  of  Lancaster,  he 
requested  Mr.  B.  to  go  with  him  to  the  greenhouse 
to  look  at  them.     On  their  way  there  they  met  Mrs. 

^~ >  a  lady  who  was  very  intimate  with  the 

family,  and  a  particular  favorite  with  Mr.  H.— when 
lo,  and  behold,  in  her  hand  she  held  the  flower  of 
the  camellia,  Cwhich  was  the  only  one  open;,  and 
approaching  Mr.  H.  she  laughingly  observed,  "oh! 
Mr.  H.  I  fouijd  this  most  beautiful  flower  in  your 
greenhouse  and  took  the  liberty  of  cutting  it."* 
Mr.  H.  stopped,  horrified;  and  lifting  his  hands, 
stamped  on  the  ground,  and  exclaimed  in  great 
anger— "7?y  heavens  '  Madam,  J  would  sooner  have  given 
you  Ji/ty  guineas  r  However,  the  gardener  contrived 
to  attach  the  flower  to  the  plant  with  a  little  wire,  so 
as  to  have  it  exhibited  on  the  dinner-table. 

I  would  add  some  other  notices,  but  am  inter- 
rupted, and  will  conclude  with  the  remark  that  I  am 
much  pleased  with  your  remarks  on  the  subject  of 
the  street  trees,  and  the  impolicy  of  waging  war  with 
the  trees  instead  of  destroying  the  insects. 

[We  hope  our  good  friend  will  often  favor  the 
Gardeners'  Monthly  with  such  fragments  of  our  earlier 
horticultural  history  as  may  occur  to  him.  As  the 
last  living  representative  of  the  great  Bartram  family 
of  botanists,  and  perhaps  the  oldest  American  horti- 
culturist  now  alive,  he  could  tell  us  much  that  wDl 
otherwise  be  perplexing  to  our  posterity.— Ed.] 

^This  Li  a  ^^lOn^y^'  which  has  always  been  taken  by  «>me 

— ■»•■•» . . 

CRITIQUE  ON  THE  DECEMBER  NUMBER. 

BY  WALTER  ELDER,  PHILA. 

The  remarks  of  J.  N.  Jones,  upon  Mildew,  are 
correct  and  just  to  the  point ;  the  subject  has  been 
stoutly  discussed  in  the  Society  of  Progressive  Gar 
deners,  of  this  city,  and  the  views  of  Mr.  Jones  have 
triumphed  over  all  others ;  and,  as  the  Society  is  to 


SFlw!  (Sartor's  Jftontlil^. 


publish  iis  yearly  discussions  in  .Tanuanr,  in  chcaD 

copy  at  twonty.five  cents;  and  there  he  will  see  his 
remarks  fully  eonflrmcd. 

R^ve\^nTl^  "''"  '"'"■'"*  »'"'"'  ^"^"y  '■"^^  "P™ 
grape  vines,  they  cause  mildew  and  rot    where- 

dL'  ™x:i  ^"°^"""'  p"'™"'  "<"■'•  -"  -e^t «::; 

Your  remarks  upon  "  Surfacc-manurin?  "  are  as 

behove    n  surface-manuring    because    his    mother 
spreacU  butter  outside  his  piece,  but  when  gZoZ 

T  :::^::  n  "^^ "  '"•'  ■"'-■■"'•s:butter^s  so„n 
"'rti  rso  rt;inrt;i'T'"'^'?  '"^  """"■^^ 

uiit, ,  icii  ium  that  his  mother's  niece  be 
comes  hke  grandma's    by  mastication    before    he 
swallows  ,t,  and  he  is  fully  converted. 

One  of  my  pupils  was  so  much  affected  by  vour 
<l.gffmg.f„rk  story,  that  he  did  not  want  to  use  a 
spade  any  more ;  so  I  gave  him,  and  another  of  h,: 
age  a  tree  apiece  to  plant,  he  with  the  digging-fork 
and  the  other  with  a  spade ;  the  latter  sofn  fad  hh 
hole  dug  and  ttx^e  planted.  Says  I,  "  Johnny  wlm 
are  you  doing?"     Says  he,  "this'fork  does'^oTuf 

spade.      Says  I,  "do  you  not  see  the  folly  of  throw 
■ng  away  the  spade?"     The  young  tulfp  a    onle" 

Su:;"k:cw "'"  ^^f  "'"""^  ■  "^  ''"^^^^  "'■"  -^ 

editor  knew  more  than  other  folks,  and  it  was  all 

Momr'  rf  ""'  "•"  """  '  '^-"-■--  '^-•• 
JMoral.-There  are  bounds  to  all  things.      Editor, 

':Z      "  ""'  ■"'^"-  ""^%  ••'?/'—  u^  unluiorZ 
[Additionai,  stoky  btIthe  EDiTon.-Once  upon 

Johnny,  who  always  prided  himself  on  having  every 
th  ng  particularly  early  and  especially  before Vnyrf 
Ins  brethren,  and  one  day  he  said  to  his  employer,! 

.or  desert  on  Christmas  day;"  whereat,  Johnny's 
employer  was  exceedingly  g,ad ;  and  a  large  part/of 
friends  were  gathered  together  to  enjoy  U.e  Chrisf 
mas  feast.     True  to  his  promise,  Jolmny's  stmw 
berries,  amounting  to  six  specimens,  duly  ripped 
were  gathered  and  sent  in.      The  empfoyer  ^1; 
mortified.    With  twenty  persons  at  the  tablef  no  le 
would  touch  a  berry  through  consideration  of  respect 
for  his  neighbor,  and  none  were  eaten 

Anticipating  praise,  the  next  day  Johnny  met  his 
cmployerwith  a  smiling  face,  but  the  gentleman  said 
nothing.  This  did  not  satisfy  him,  so  he  askedT 
the  praise-"  how.  Sir,  did  you  like  the  strawberries 
I  sent  m  yesterday?"  "Why,  John,  the  straw- 
berncs  were  very  well,  but  don't  send  in  any  more 
untd  there  is  at  least  a  taste  all  round. 


Two  weeks  afterwards  the  employer  wondering 
Why  no  more  strawberries  came,  went  to  the  forcing 
Iiouse  and  lo  I  there  were  strawberries  lying  rotting 
around  m  every  direction.  "John,"  says  he,  "why 
don  t  you  send  in  these  strawberries  ?"  "  Did  vou 
not  tell  me,"  was  Johnny's  answer,  "not  to  send  in 
any  more    strawberries  till    there  was    plentv  all 

drsi:'"""^'^''-— •— «— - 

Additional  moral  by  the  Editor. -^ome  ^'untutored- 
people  cann  see  the  difference  between  singing  and  spliUing 
their  throats.]  f        6 


A   NEW    THEORY    OP   PRUIT    FORCING. 

BY  A  MASSACHUSETTS  GARDENER. 

Some  time  last  year  I  read  your  views  in  the 
Monthly,  on  the  importance  of  direct  sunli^rht   on 
plants,  which,  though  I  have  been  many  years  in  the 
busmess,  I  had  never  seen  so  presented  to  me  before 
I  have  always  known  that  yve  could  never  get  too 
much  hght,  of  course,  as  every  real  gardener  does- 
but  that  the  positive  sunlight  was  so  essential  as  you 
tliought,  I  did  not  suppose.     I  have,  however  Mr 
Editor,  given  your  views  a  fair  testing,  and  am'uow 
convinced  you  are  right,  and  am  prepared  to  ar-ue 
that  every  minute  of  direct  sunlight,  from  sunrisc'to 
sunset,  IS  a  positive  gain  to  the  gardener.     I  arrived 
at  my  opinions  by  taking  two  plants,  in  everything 
alike,  and  after  putting  them  at  equal  distances  from 
the  glass,  let  one  have  all  the  sunlight  it  could  o-et 
and  the  other  all  the  light  it  could  have  without'the 
sunlight,  and  it  is  really  astonishing  to  see  the  differ- 
ence  in  the  sunlighted  one. 

But  I  want  to  say,  Mr.  Editor,  something  that  you 
have  not  thought  of,  and  I  have  thought  it  is  only 
fair,  as  you  wrote  the  first  idea  to  set  me  thinking  of 
it,  that  I  should  return  the  favor,  if  you  should  think 
it  one,  to  offer  it  to  you  for  publication. 

You,  and  all  my  brother  gardeners,  who  have  had 
any  experience  in  forcing,  know  how  difficult  it  is 
to  get  Peaches,  Apricots,  Plums,  Nectarines  and 
Cherries  to  set  their  fruit.     Cherries  in  particular  are 
very  hard.     Hundreds  of  flowers  open  for  every  fruit 
that  is  set.     I  have  often  thought  that  I  saw  into  the 
the  whole  secret:  not  enough  air  perhaps,  or  too 
much;  too  high  or  too  low  a  temperature;  too  much 
or  too  little  water;  but  yet,  for  all,  when  I  have  been 
the  most  careful  to  profit  by  what   I  thought   I 
learned  the  season  before,  I  have  often  had  no  better 
luck. 

Now,  why  don't  these  things  set  regularly  and 
well  ?  I  will  tell  you  Sir,  what  I  think  it  is,  and 
where  is  the  fault.  I  have  never  found  much  good 
result  in  keeping  up  a  high  night  temperature, 
though  I  think,  if  I  have  read  your  magazine  right, 
you  do  not  agree  with  this.      Whatever  rrrnwfi,  il 


you  do  not  agree  with  this.     Whatever  growth  is 


^^^ 


^t  iarbmr's  P(rn%. 


made  in  the  night,  I  think,  it  is  weak  and  succulent, 
and  no  good ;  and  I  now  think  it  is  want  of  sunlight 
that  causes  this.     I  would  only  care  to  make  growth 
when  there  is  light  at  any  time,  but  now  I  want  to 
say  that  I  think  it  would  be  best  to  grow  only  when 
there  is  sun  light,  and  that  the  failure  of  our  fruits  to 
set  in  the  forcing  house  is  because  we  continue 
forcing  whether  there  is  sunlight  or  not.     I  think,  if 
we  force  a  fruit  into  flower  when  there  is  no  sun- 
light, there  is  a  something  wanting,  without  which 
the  flower  cannot  mature,  and  it  withers  away  with- 
out  setting  a  [fruit.     If  this  is  correct,  which  I  am 
nearly  sure  it  is,  we  shall  have  to  have  a  new  theory 
to  work  on ;  hitherto  I  have  made  a  difference  of 
twenty  degrees  between  night  temperature  and  day 
temperature,  and  now  I  shall  want  to  make  a  diff-er- 
ence  between  a  cloudy  day  and  a  sunlight  day.     I 
shall  not  think  it  safe  to  have  much  heat  when  there 
is  no  sun ;  but  when  the  orb  of  day  shines  clearly  I 
shall  not  care  how  much  heat  to  apply  to  aid  it  in 
what  I  believe  its  fructifying  work. 

In  my  present  place  I  have  not  so  good  a  chance 
to  try  my  new  theory  as  I  had  two  years  ago,  but  I 
have  a  few  trees  to  operate  on  in  the  greenhouse, 
and  shall  watch  the  result  with  confidence  that  my 
opinions  will  prove  facts.  I  want  to  say  further, 
that  I  hope  such  of  myi)rother  gardeners  who  may 
have  a  better  chance  (b  try  it  than  I,  will  do  so  and 
report  the  result. 

This  is  my  first  attempt  at  writing  for  the  press 
and  I  hope  you  will  excuse  errors.   If  you  ever  come 
this  way  and  give  me  a  call,  I  will  try  to  show  you 
better  results  from  instruments  of  gardening  I  am 
more  used  to. 

[Our  friend  rather  mistakes  us  in  the  matter  of 
night  temperatures.  We  have  always  advocated  a 
lower  night  temperature  than  the  day,  but  objected 
to  the  extreme  low  temperature  some  of  our  fellow 
gardeners  approve  of.  However,  we  can  forgive 
this  slight  misunderstanding,  in  view  of  the  excel- 
lency of  the  rest  of  the  article,  which  is  undoubtedly 
one  of  the  most  valuable  contributions  that  has  ever 
been  made  to  our  pages,  and  will  receive  attentive 
consideration  from  practical  men.— Ed.] 


i  plant  a  dozen  rooted  cuttings  in  a  pot,  pinching  off 
the  points,  using  a  rose  on  the  pot  at  the  first  wa- 
tering to  settle  the  soil.     Leave  them  in  the  green- 
house for  a  week  ("a  frame  would  be  better  where 
there  is  that  convenience);  then  place  out  of  doors, 
full  in  the  sun.     Place  the  stakes  in  the  pots  as  soon 
as  convenient,  tying  the  shoots  out  as  they  grow, 
pinching  out  the  points  every  three  weeks,  until  the 
last  week  of  July,  and  watering  with  manure-water 
twice  a  week,  taking  care  never  to  let  them  suffer 
for  water,  or  they  will  lose  their  lower  leaves,  which 
gives  them  a  starved  appearance.     By  following 
these  simple  directions,  you  will  have  plants  which 
will  be  an  ornament  to  any  place,  and  amply  repay 
your  trouble. 

P.S. — I  send  you  a  lew  sketches  of  an  article  for 
carrying  large  pot-plants,  the  invention  of  Mr, 
Shephard,  which  is  really  a  useful  article,  and  is  a 
great  saving  of  muscle,  besides  being  of  great  safety 
to  the  plants,  which  are  apt  to  be  broke  with  the 
breast,  especially  if  very  wide. 

[A  very  simple  and  ingenious  implement,  which 
we  sliall  engrave  and  give  in  our  next. — Ed.] 


«•■» 


«>■■» 


CULTURE    OP  THE   CHRTSANTHEMUM. 

BY  MR,  JAMES  EADIE,  PHILADELPHIA. 

Agreeably  to  request,  I  send  you  my  modus  ope- 
randi of  growing  chrysanthemums,  I  take  off  cut- 
tings about  the  middle  of  April,  root  them  in  sand, 
and,  when  well  rooted,  select  pots  of  the  size  I  in- 
tend to  flower  them  in.  Place  a  few  crocks  in  the 
bottom,  then  a  few  rough  pieces  of  loam ;  add  two 
good  handsful  of  guano,  with  some  cow-manure ; 
then  fill  up  the  pot  with  good  rich  loam,     I  then 


COCCULUS   CAROLINUS. 

by  a,  W.  CORSON,  PLYMOUTH  MEETING,  PA, 

I  OBSERVE  in  the  last  Monthly  a  notice  and  figure 
of  Cocculus  carolinus.     I  have  had  a  staminatc  plant 
probably  thirty  years,  obtained  from  the  Bartram 
Gardens  as  Wendlundia  populi/olia,  which  I  have  ex- 
amined carefully  when  in  leaf   with  the  colored 
figure  of  Cissampelos  sniilacina  in  the  folio  edition  of 
"Catcsby's  Carolina,"  published  in  1776,  and  find 
them  to  agree  in  vine  and  leaf;  also  agreeing  with 
De  Candolle's  description  of  Cocculus  carolinus,  so 
far  as  could  be  compared ;  and  I  do  not  doubt  that 
the  figure  in  the  Monthly  is  of  the  same  plant.    What 
I  wish  to  say  it,  that  in  my  garden,  twelve  miles 
west-north-west  from  Philadelphia,  it  has  continued 
in  the  open  ground  without  covering  or  particular 
care;  the  winter  killing  the  ends  of  the  vines  to 
near  the  ground,  say  from  two  to  five  feet,  but  grow- 
ing freely,  attaining  a  length  of  ten  feet  average, 
Cand  would  probably  attain  a  greater  length  if  well 
supported  by  high    trellises    or  poles,  J    flowering 
freely,  I  judge  about  August,  but  having  staminate 
flowers  only;   produces  no  fruit,     I  have   had  it 
twice  dug  under  in  the  spring ;  but  each  time  it  came 
up  again  late  in  the  season.     It  has  the  habit  of  the 
Menispermum  canadense,  of  sending  up  many  shoots 
from  the  root,  by  which  it  can  easily  be  increased. 
It  is  a  handsome  vine,  and  even  the  barren  plant  is 
worthy  of  cultivation  as  a  curious,  rare,  and  orna- 
mental vine.  Much  more  so  would  the  fertile  plant  be 
if  our  seasons  should  be  sufficiently  long  and  warm 


m 


f 


12 


^H  §mdmr'%  Jltonf  g. 


to  pcrfec  the  fruit.  So  fur  a.,  the  vine  only  is  eon- 
ceme. ,  there  will  be  no  difficulty.  I  have  long  de- 
sred  o  obtain  the  fertile  plant,  and  hope  for  Us 
being  introduced  shortly. 

from' Mr  "^"i"'""^,  °" '"''  '"'"'=^'  ^«  have  learned 
from  Mr.  Nelson  tliat  he  will  put  the  fertile  plant 

under  propagation.~ED.]  '^ 

THE   CBBTSANTBEBIDIH. 

BY    W.    KEATISG,    BAYOU    SABA,    LA. 

flole^rT  '"■"'"^'""^■•'''ted  in  the  above  beautiful 
flower,  ff„r  surely  beautiful  it  is  when  well  cultiva- 
ted,; a  few  suggestions  on  a  successful  mode  of 

ns  admirers.  I  have  seen  some  of  the  leading 
Chrj-^nthemum  Exhibitions  in  Europe,  and  iCe 
seen  „  i„  a  high  state  of  cultivation  n  pots,  and 
as  border  plants;  but  never  have  I  seen  any  t<^  sur 

bloom,  those  I  now  have  the  pleasure  of  daily  seeing 
My  emplsyer,  W.  J.  Fort,  and  especially  M^Fort 
are  particularly  fond  of  them,  owing  to  whi^h  c   ' 

:tz  'v'  ■""  *  '"^^  "°"'^'=«--  «"-«^  a::: 

TeU    edlTXann^L,''""'  "'?™  "  '' 

of  culture    .1,7  '^'  "'"  **■"«  "">«  ^asy 

ot  culture  they  are,  one  begins  to  wonder  how  it  is 
people  with  gardens  and  greenhouses  have  Zt  g^ 
«^m  we  1  filled  With  those  lovely  winter-flowerfng 
pants.  I  fancy  the  reason  i.s,  few  see  them  growing 
other^vlse  than  lanky,  long,  badly-flowered  iZf 
starved,  naked  things.  They  do  not  Tee  th^m  n 
good  condition.    Dwarf,  with  a  dark  green  tlLe 

IJut  let  me  ask,  what  will  look  well  or  n,>P  ie 
day    t  be  ffor^pfl  xc\t^.  f     i        ,  "^®  "  ^^^ 

more   days   kft   t!   n       ,  '  ","'*  ""="  ^°'  ^""^  "' 

perhaps,  will  say  "Ca,;  u"""^"'  •^"'«-' 
about  their  beauT;.  1 ,,  1,  ^ ''"V'""'^"  «"  ''rite 

is  quite  anoSiiS'"  "A^f,  'otP  ""*  '"'"'"''"' 
say,  "We  tried,  but  Snnot  g  Iw  fm  i??  "'  T"' 
warm  climate."  To  all  of  you  Isav Te  v  '^• 
and  r,l  nowtiyand  Wy /own  a  v^ry    l,;^:,?!" ' 

and  Large-flowen^g.    T  ds  'then  wT'  ^'"'""""'' 
a  fair  way  to  start      A„V    '  '  '^'"  P"'  y""  in 

'n  small  u.Tu  mtnKnrti;.'^^:';:^': 


St  ff,  rather  rich  compost.    After  a  little  time,  they 

evenlv  7  "^m  "'  «'""'"«•  "•"'°   "'«y  ""^t  b« 

drv  tm  n^f    ^  '"""""^-     ^"^^  "»'«•  •'^«P  'hem 
dry  tdl  they  begin  to  push  forth,  when  water  mav 

intoTeffl'  ""'•■'"•^  ""'^  are'fuUof  Cs  S 

case  do' „f 7";^^'"°"  "  P'""'  ""'i  "»  either 
case,  do  not  lose  the  ball.    I  will  suppose  they  are 

o  be  flowered  in  pots.     Therefore,  after  their  flnll 

it  the  ™f  "'  ""'^  '"  <^°«'-''^'',  ,;r  in  the  so  1,  ^v 

of  s  immer  T "'  ™'""'    ^"^  '"  "'"  -'--e'heat 
of  summer,  if  more  cover  is  added,  little    if  anv 

water  will  be  wanted.     Now,  staking       'tie  nexj 

pomt.     This  done,  little  else  ^in  be  required  tin  tlL 

time  comes  for  bringing  them  to  their  plac      of 

seZ?^-     """  '"''"'"  "•"  ""  "  g™-hoLe,    on 

to  Prov7;b-  r"",**"*  ^•'"  ""•  ""  -P""'  '-fo'"  ; 
to  prove  which,  only  it  may  be  too  far,  I  would  in 

v«e  you  here  to  see,  with  your  own  ey^s,  this  truly 

grand  display  of  chrysanthemums.  '^ 

REPORT  ON  RASPBERRIES. 
In  their  Report  on  Raspberries  in  the  November 
numberof  your itfon//iZy,  the  Committee  for  Philadel 
Phia  Co.  alhuie  to  the  Allen  Raspbeny  and  to  some 
error,  rn  tts  dtsseminatian.^     In  your  December 
number  Mr.  Allen,  in  reply,  apparently  assume't 
ground  that  the  Committee  intended'io  chrrge  o 
insinuate  -deception  towards  the  public"  on   h^s 
part.     Deprecating,  and  desirous  of  avoiding  as  far 
as  possible,  all  personal  discussions,  rwhich  are  Z 
bane  of  good  feeling  and  true  progress,;  the  Com! 
m  ttee,  with  the  sole  object  of  putting  both  Mr. 
Allen  and  themselves  right  before  your  readers,  ask 
a  brief  space  for  a  reply.  ' 

And  first,  let  us  correct  our  language,  which  either 
Mr.  Allen  or  your  types,  friend  Meehan,  have  mis- 
quoted. We  say,  -a  good  deal  of  confusion  and 
duappmntmeni  has  resulted  from  errors  in  the  dis- 
^mination  of  this  plant.  Mr.  L.  F.  Allen,  of  Black 
twn  V       .     '  ?^'"^"3^  introduced  to  public  notice 

InUrTTr'  ""  """'^  '"^^  ^'^^  ^^^^^^^  ^^i^^eh  are 
entirely  distmct  sorts.     Parties  here,  however,  have 

received  direct  from  Mr.  Allen,  as  these  two  varie 
ties,  plants  nearly  identical  in  every  respect,  neither 
of  which  corresponded  with  the  description  given 
m  his  circular,  nor  with  that  generally  grown,  among 
our  nurserymen  here,  as  the  Allen  Raspberry  "  The 
ito/imerf  words,  the  latter  of  which  changes  the  sense 
very  essentially,  are  omitted  in  Mr.  Allen's  quota- 

rj}?^n^t-S^^.e-rn^r^^^^^ 


f  fti{  §m&mtf^  Jflanthlg. 


13 


nor  did  they  intend  to  charge  wil/td  errojs  upon 
him,  but  to  state  a  simple  fact  in  explanation  of  the 
disappointment  experienced.     They  are  authorized 
to  name,  among  others,  P.  R.  Freas,   Esq.,  editpr 
of  the   Germantown  Telegraph,  who  showed  to  one 
of  the  Committee,  (the  writer  of  this  article  and  of 
the  report,;  who  carefully  examined  them,  the  two 
varieties  referred  to,  neither  of  which,  to  a  certainty, 
was  the  Allen.     Major  Freas  stated  that  he  had  re- 
ceived these  direct  from  Mr.  Allen,  and  that,  after 
two  years'  fruiting,  he  had  dug  them  up  as  totally 
unproductive.    They  would  not,  nor  did  they  intend 
to  charge  upon  a  veteran  horticulturist  of  Mr  Al- 
len's experience  and  high  character,  any  intentional 
deception  or  wrong.     Having  given  the  evidence 
and  authority  for  their  statement,  they  would  here 
dismiss  that  portion  of  the  subject.     They  would 
add  a  few  words,  upon  the  action  of  the  American 
Pomological  Convention,  in  the  rejection  of  this 
truly  valuable  variety,  which  action  they  deem  hasty 
and  not  founded  upon  sufficient  trial  and  knowledge 
of  its  peculiarities.     Its  pistillate,   or  periiaps  we 
might  say,  weakly  staminate,  character  was  very 
fully  explained  in  the  Convention  by  Mr.  William 
Parry,  of  Cinnaminson,  N.  J.,  who  had  previously 
written  an  able  article  thereon  in  the  Country  Gentle- 
man.     But  even  this  characteristic  seems  to  vary 
with  varying  soils,  as  we  have  found  instances  of 
Its  high  productiveness,  when  growing  at  a  distance 
trom  any  other  sorts.    As  well  might  Hovey's  Seed- 
ling, and  all  the  pistillate  strawberries,  be  "rejected" 
from  the  Society's  list,  for  their  almost  universal 
unproductiveness   when  unimpregnated  by  stami- 
nates,  as  the  Allen  Raspberry.    Indeed,  with  many 
Its  pistillate  character  would  constitute  one  of  its 
chief  excellencies  ? 

A  word  as  to  its  ''thorough  hardiness."  Last 
wmter,  in  the  grounds  of  the  writer,  out  of  some 
twenty-five  varieties  of  old,  well-grown,  strong 
bushes,  six  of  each  of  the  following  kinds  were 
purposely  left  unprotected,  to  test  their  hardiness  • 
Allen,  Knevett's  Giant,  Cushing,  Cutbush's  Prince 
of  Wales,  Rivers'  Monthly,  Catawissa,  Imperiale 
Save  only  one  Catawissa,  which  retained  about  one 
foot  of  live  cane,  all  were  destroyed  to  the  ground  All 
the  other  varieties,  well  protected,  survived  the 
winter,  and  gave  large  crops  of  fruit  the  present 
season. 

J.  E.  Mitchell, 
R.  Cornelius, 
A.  W.  Harrison. 


ers'  Society  of  Eastern  Pennsylvania,  published  in 
the  November  number  of  the  Gardener's  Monthly,  to 
read  such  a  favorable  notice  of  the  Belle  de  Fonte- 
nay  Raspberry.     I  believe  it  was   decided  by   the 
Pomological  Society  to  call  it  that  name ;  but,  Mr. 
Editor,  I  was  very  loth  to  part  with  my  more  favor- 
ite name  of  MervailledesQuatreSaisons,  believing  it 
to  be  correct.     I  received  it  under  that  name  from  a 
celebrated  nursery,  it  being  described  in  their  cata- 
logue as  the  best  of  its  class.     It  certainly  was,  and 
is  to  me,  the  most  marvellous  raspberry  I  know  of  • 
but  why  the  Fruit-Growers'    Society  of   Eastern 
Pennsylvania  should  say  that  their  Belle  de  Fonte- 
nay,  which  is  the  same  as  my  Mervaille  des  Quatre 
Saisons,  is  of  smaller  growth,  I  do  not  know.    Hav- 
ing grown  the  two  varieties  side  by  side  these  three 
years  past,  convinces  me  the  reverse  is  correct.     I 
can  show  now,  and  have  exhibited  at  the  store  of 
Mr.  J.  Daniels,  in  Market  Street,  canes  of  the  one 
five  f<iet  high,  and  very  strong,  while  the  other  is 
weak  and  spindling.     Indeed,  among  some  ten  or 
twelve  varieties  which  I  have  under  cultivation,  I 
consider  it  to  be  the  strongest  of  them  all,  and  I 
doubt  if  there  is  a  better  for  general  cultivation,  cer- 
tainly  not  for  amateurs.     It  is  quite  hardy,  having 
stood  without  the  least  protection  these  three  last 
winters. 

[A  general  impression  prevailed,  a  year  or  two 
ago,  that  imder  the  two  names  of  Belle  de  Fonte- 
nay  and  Mervaille  des  Quatre  Saisons,  or  Marvel  of 
the  Four  Seasons,  there  was  but  one  kind,— and 
they  have  been,  unfortunately,  sent  out  under  one 
or  other  of  the  names,  just  as  it  suited  the  humor 
of  the  sender.  But  it  is  now  decided  that  there  are 
two  kinds;  and,  hke  Solomon's  two  babies,  it  is 
now  a  puzzle  to  know  to  which  of  the  two  each 
name  rightfully  belongs,  and  we  do  not  believe  the 
wise  old  king  himself  could  decide  it  as  easily  as 
he  did  that  baby  question.  The  only  way  we  know 
will  be  to  get  plants  again  direct  from  the  original 
raisers.  Periiaps  some  of  our  importers  yet  have 
the  original  direct  stocks,  and  will  favor  us  with 
authentic  descriptions  next  season. — Ed.] 


«>■» 


LANDSCAPE    GARDENING. 


BELLE   DE   PONTENAY   HASPBERRT. 

RY  JOIINT.  HARRIS,  BELLEVUE,  NEAR  PHILADELPHIA. 

I  WAS  pleased,  on  looking  over  the  Report  of  the 
Philadelphia  County  Committee  of  the  Fruit-Grow. 


'^^^ 


BY  GEO.    E.    WOODWARD,  NEW  YORK. 

I  am  a  subscriber  to  your  paper  and  have  been 
since  its  commencement  and  it  is  prompt  and  wel- 
come every  month.  I  notice  that  when  your  sub- 
scribers want  any  information  they  ask  for  it.  The 
matter  with  me  this  month  is  to  get  some  further 
information  on  Landscape  Gardening,  a  subject 
sometimes  alluded  to  in  your  columns.  Do  not  you 
think  a  great  point  would  be  gained  if  it  could  be  de- 
cided whether  Landscape  Gardening  is  an  art  or  a 


m 


^M  iardmr's  .ponflrlg. 


&(^>^ 


trade  ?  There  is  such  a  wide  difference  of  opinion  on 
this  subject.     Thus  one  of  your  correspondents  as- 
sumes  that  one  might  as  well  ask  how  to  become  a 
portrait  painter,  or  a  poet,  as  to  ask  how  to  become 
a  Landscape  Gardener,  and  another  tells  us  indi 
rectly  that  pulling  weeds,  forking  manure  and  rais- 
ing string  beans  is  just  the  thing  to  teach  the  princi- 
ples ot  design,  the  harmony  of  color,  and  the  art  of 
construction,  all  tell  us  or  infer  that  every  one  else 
but  themselves  are  ignorant  pretenders.     But  not 
one  oUhem  defines  the  duties,  acquirements,  or  abil- 
ities of  a  Landscape  Gardener.  i 
Starting  with  the  presumption  that   Landscape  ' 
Gardening  m  its  highest  range  is  a  gift,  this  being  the 
burden  ot  nearly  every  article  we  have  seen  on  the 
subject  are  we  to  suppose  it  is  a  gift  only,  to  one 
particular  business  or  calling  ?  or  that  because  one 
IS  so  unfortunate  as  not  to  have  been  born  and  brought 
up  m  a  garden,  that  he  is  counted  out  in  the  distri- 
bution ol  such  endowments  ? 

Mr.  Copeland,  in  his  valuable  work  and  your  cor 
respondent  J.  M.  C.  are  of  the  opinion  that  if  a  man 
happens  to  be  an  architect,  an  artist,  civil  cn-incer 
a  surveyor,  or  a  draughtsman,  it  is  one  of  the  mosi 
unfortunate  things  that  could  befall  him;  too  much  ' 
knowledge  of  any  one  of  these  professions  must 
necessarily  lock  the  gate  to  success  in  Landscape 
Gardening,  a  little  smatter  of  all  is  what  they  recom 
mend,  though  others  tells  us— 

"A  little  learning  is  a  dangerous  thing." 

Thus,  J.  M.  C.  says  *  the  architect  builds  too  much  ' 
Ihe      surveyor  levels  too  much,"  &c.,  <fec.,  to  be 
Landscape-gardeners.     3Iay  we  not  inquire  if  the 
^leiichman   does  not  eat  too  much,   the   German 
drink  too  much,  the  New  Yorker  talk  too  much  ever 
to  presume  on  success.     Is  there  any  one  thing  the 
gardener  docs  too  much  of,  or  does  perfection  mark 
Ins  work?    -rhe  true  Landscape-gardener  must  be  a 
gardener,  practically  and  theoretically,"  this  remark 
Ol  J.  M.  C,  we  in  common  with  all  others  admit 
and  during  our  apprenticeship  in  the  garden  were 
taught  to  believe  it.     Now  what  else  must  aTr 
dener  do  before  he  can  prefix  landscape  to  gardener-  ' 
what  course  of  experiments  must  he  pursue  to  find' 
out  It  he  has  a  gift?  and  then  what  degree  of  smat 
tor  must  he  acquire  in  other  arts  and  sciences  to 
quality  himself  to  pursue  the  refined  and  elegant  art 
of  Landscape  adornment  ?  or  must  we  infer  that  it  is 
impossible  for  a  man  to  be  good  at  more  than  one 
thing,  that  he  cannot  learn  gardening  because  he  is 
an  artist,  that  he  cannot  be  an  engineer  because  he  is 
an  architect,  and  that  he  cannot  be  a  Landscape 
gardener  because  he  knows  too  much  of  something 

With  a  most  remarkable  disposition  to  believe  what 
carries  reason  with  it,  and  a  curious  desire  to  get 


posted  on  what  constitutes  Landscape-gardening 
we  are  led  to  ask  for  further  information  on  this  sub! 
ject.     We  would  like  to  see  discussed  by  your  able 
corps  of  correspondents-such  statements  as  these 
advanced  by  Mr.  Copeland,  and  endorsed  by  J  M  C  • 
An  artist  cannot  be  a  Landscape  Gardener,  but  a 
Landscape  Gardener  must  be  an  artist,  and  th^  same 
with  architect,   civil  engineer,  surveyor,  drau^rias- 
man,  and  other  professions,  thus  making  Landscape- 
gardening  most  absurdly  inaccessible,  and  granting 
Its  professor  unhmited  powers  of  acquisition 

ther.  li''  ^''''"'  advancing  condition  of  rural  art 
there  is  a  growing  want  of  information  on  all  sub 
jects  relat  ng  to  it,  too  little  is  written  or  said  when 
so  much  IS  needed,  if  we  look  back  ten  or  twenly 
I  years    and  then  compare  the  general  stanchTrd  of 

we  look  ft"""^  "°^  ^'''^'>'^"»   ^^^'''^^^-     If 
we  look  for  works  or  literature  connected  with  rura 

stipTi  r%7^  T'""' ''  ^^  ^^^  -««^  --^-" - 

scnption      If  professional  men  are  afraid  to  write 
because  their  opinions  may  be  disputed,  then  Th 
opinions  must  be  poor  ones.     Very  few  men  agree 

tlie  talue'oTt.^^  ^"''  '"^^  '^^'^'^'^^  "^^^^  ^^^  ^--n 
s  on  of  the  subject  of  Landscape-gardening  would 
Bhow  It  up  on  all  sides,  and  might  elicit  sle  facts 
that  would  lie  buried. 
tWc  should  be  pleased  lo  have  from  Mr.  Copeland. 

dent,  „'  "■'  "'  ""'•  '"""'"S  ^"""•'^''l^  Gar 

deneis,  tlieir  views  of  the  science 

cnl^Z''  ''°'■^''"."'«^'»  """  any  of  our  correspond- 
ents d.ffer  much  m  their  principles,  but  merl  in 
ll.e  extent  to  which  they  would  ca^y  them      Is  ° 
man  may  he  a  thorough  builder,  and  at  L  s^me 
t,me  bu  an  indifferent  architect,  so  may  ZiCZ 
an  excellent  practical  horticulturist,  and  yet  be  ut  erlv 
unworthy  of  the  title  of  a  Landscape  GarZr^ 
Th  re  can  be  no  difference  of  opinion  on  this   .J„t 
It  .s  also  an  adn.itted  fact,  that  the  best  arcS 
■s  he  who  unaes  with  a  conect  an.l  educated  hI 
a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  builders  art  and  .! 
Bume  will  hold  good  in  Landscape.ga„lenrn.     '    "" 
Landscape-gardening,  apart  Iron,  its  a,  Jication 

'm,  upon  what  *«  w  done  or  disc  vL<  I„ 
h>s  sense  any  one  may  be  a  landscape  ^Z^  and 
.smh,s  sense  that  we  have  advised  every  io,"r 
of  rural  hfe  to  educate  hin.self,  so  that  wL  ," 
wishes  to  have  the  science  reduced  to  an  ait  . 
l;e  able  to  distinguish  the  cmpirila  prete ml  '  f ""'' 
the  man  of  substantial  talents  P"^*-'""!"  from 

of::rxtb"-r^„rr^ 

Uncd  existence  with  other  thing^rrsiru 


m 


M^  dardwfr's  Jflonihla. 


will  not  be  denied  that  too  much  cannot  be  known 
of  any  branch  that  may  however  remotely  have  any 
connection  with  the  details  that  go  to  make  up  the 
realization. 

We  hope  our  remarks  will  not  prevent  the  desired 
interchange  of  ideas.  We  have  only  made  them  to 
give  a  direction  to  the  movement,  as  the  great  ad- 
vantage in  all  discussions  is  to  have  a  clear  starting 
point. — Ed.] 


«•»•> 


CUTTING   DOWN   OLD   CANES    IN   THE 

VINERY. 

IMPERATIVE  NECESSITY  OF  IT. 

BY  WILLIAM  BRIGHT,  PHILADELPHIA. 

Ever  since  I  proposed  my  renewal  system  of 
grape  culture,  fviz:  the  cutting  down  of  the  entire 
cane  after  every  fruiting  season,;  the  experience  of 
others,  as  well  as  myself,  has  been  constantly  tend- 
ing to  show  that  my  advice  in  this  respect  was  good, 
and  grape-growers  in  England  and  America  have 
been  rapidly  adopting  a  similar  practice.  In  the  last 
number  of  the  Gardener's  Monthly  we  are  told  that 
Mr.  John  Ellis,  C*'Fox  Meadow,")  finding  his  vines 
gradually  declining  in  fruiting  capacity  under  hard 
forcing,  had  decided  to  renew  them  by  cutting  down 
the  canes  after  three  years  of  spur  pruning,  in  order 
to  re-invigorate  the  vines.  Now,  if  it  is  good 
practice  to  cut  down  the  canes  after  they  are  exhausted^ 
and  when  their  power  of  producing  good  cane,  as 
well  as  good  fruit,  is  seriously  impaired,  would  it 
not  be  better  practice  to  cut  them  down  after  every 
fruiting  season,  while  they  are  in  perfect  health  and 
vigor,  and  still  able  to  throw  up  another  strong  and 
perfect  fruiting  rod  ?  Why  push  the  fruiting  powers 
of  the  vine  to  utter  exhaustion  before  renewal? 
You  would  not  drive  a  good  horse  thus. 

But  the  most  significant  and  valuable  testimony  in 
favor  of  my  renewal  plan  may  be  found  in  the  Lon- 
don Gardener's  Chronicle,  edited  by  Dr.  Lindley,  No- 
V(!mber  24th,  in  an  article  headed  "How  Strong 
Vines  become  Weak,"  evidently  from  the  accom^- 
plished  pen  of  the  editor  himself.  The  writer  notices 
the  generally-acknowledged  fact  that  vines,  in  nearly 
all  instances,  in  culture  under  glass,  begin  to  decline 
in  fruiting  capacity  as  soon  as  the  canes  reach  the 
top  of  the  house.  The  cause  of  this,  he  saj's,  is  not 
generally  old  age,  nor  heavy  cropping,  nor  the  state 
of  the  soil,  nor  want  of  good  management;  but  it 
is  to  be  found  in  the  fact  that  when  the  cane  ceases 
to  extend  and  to  produce  fresh  masses  of  foliage,  the 
amount  of  sap  elaborated  by  the  leaves  is  not  sufti- 
cicnt  to  form  a  new  layer  of  young  wood  over  the 
surface  of  the  old  cane  and  roots,  and  at  the  same 
time  to  produce  vigorous  young  shoots  and  a  good 
crop  of  grapes. 

Dr.  Lindley  being  an  admitted  authority  in  vege- 
table physiology,  I  think  his  views  will  command 


much  attention.  To  my  mind,  his  reasoning  is  very 
conclusive  and  satisfactory.  In  commenting  upon 
the  condition  of  a  vine  after  it  has  reached  the  top  of 
the  house,  and  can  be  extended  no  further,  he  says- 

"Whilst  the  amount  of  foliage  continues  to  be  every  year  about 
the  same,  an  equal  quantity  of  sap  will  be  annually  elabomted 
But  the  thickening  of  the  stem  and  roots  is  progressive;  and  it  is 
evident  that  as  their  thickness  increases,  the  layers  of  young  wood 
must  annually  become  thinner  and  thinner.  A  stem  two  inches  in 
circumference,  and  ten  feet  in  length,  has  two  hundred  and  forty 
square-inches  of  surface;  but  this  In  a  stem  six  inches  in  circum- 
ference is  seven  hundred  and  twenty  square-iHches,  or  three  times 
as  much  as  in  the  former  ewe;  therefore,  with  the  same  quantity 
of  elaborated  sap  for  its  formation,  the  layer  of  new  wood  cannot  be 
more  than  one-third  of  the  thickness  of  that  deposited  on  the  less 
surface. 

"Besides  the  quantity  required  to  overlay  the  greater  thickness 
of  stem  measured  at  a  regular  part,  there  are  large  spur  protube- 
rances to  cover,  and  likewise  wounds  from  pruning.  All  these  go 
far  towards  doubling  the  surface  over  which  the  new  matter  pre- 
pared by  the  leaves  has  annually  to  be  spread;  and  as  the  latter 
cannot  be  increased,  the  further  increase  of  foliage  being  limited 
whilst  the  demand  is  continually  on  the  increase,  it  follows  that  the 
layer  of  new  wood  must  necessarily  be  very  thin;  and  when  that  is 
the  case,  the  shoots  cannot  be  otherwise  than  exceedingly  weak,  and 
the  bunches  small  in  a  corresponding  degree. 

"Having  thus  endeavored  to  point  out  a  cause  which  uniformly 
tends  to  reduce  vines  to  a  state  of  weakness,  it  rcn.ains  to  indicate 
the  remedy.  This  is  very  simple;  for  we  have  only  to  remove  the 
old  wood  by  cutting  back  as  near  to  the  ground  as  can  properly  be 
done  The  result  of  this  will  be  a  vigorous  growth  of  young  rods, 
which  will  bear  as  vines  ought  to  bear." 

Here  is  my  renewal  system,  precisely.     As  soon 
as  the  vine  has  reached  the  top  of  the  house,  and 
can  extend  no  further,  it  must  decline,  and  hence 
should  be  cut  down  if  we  wish  to  maintain  its  full 
fruiting  capacity.     Now,  as  eveiy  good  vine  is  ca- 
pable of  making  a  good  fruiting  cane  as  long  as  it  is 
desirable  to  fruit  in  one  season,  it  follows  that   it 
may  be  cut  down  with  advantage  the  next  season 
after  it  has  been  fruited.     But  you  may  say  that  it 
may  be  worked  upon  the  spur  system  for  two  or 
three  years  before  it  reaches  the  top  of  the  house 
and  hence,  even  on  Dr.  Lindley's  theory,  it  is  not 
necessary  to  cut  it  down  oflcner  than  once  in  three 
years.     I  grant  that  the  vine  may  be  so  spurred  and 
truited  and   so   renewed,  with   fair  results;    but  I 
assert  that  I  can  obtain  better  crops  and  better  fruit 
from  shorter  canes,  renewed  after  every  fruiting 
season,  and  that  vines  so  treated  will  not  only  re- 
main in  undiminished  health  and  vigor  for  an  unlim- 
ited number  of  years,  but  that  they  will,   likewise 
gain  additional  vigor  and  capacity  every  time  tliey 
are  cut  down. 

I  am  further  of  opinion  that  when  root-pruning  is 
performed  simultaneously  with  the  cutting  down  of 
the  canes,  that  a  new  set  of  roots  will  be  obtained 
of  as  much  value,  in  respect  to  the  fruiting  power  of 
the  vine,  as  the  new  wood.  This  last  idea,  how- 
ever, is  only  an  opinion ;  I  have  not  yet  put  U  into 
practice,  but  shall  do  so  very  soon,  especially  in  our 
inside  borders. 


@> 


ft    16 


^M  (Sarilntw'j  JBoiilHj. 


PHILADELPHIA,  JANUARY  1,  1861. 


— *•»•* 


TO    ADVERTISERS. 

tlTna^'''  °f,f  ^'7'-*'««^'"''"»«.  "•'^H  ^/..y  «cc«;.y  an  entire  pa ffe  of 

.  H  paper,  w.ll  be  furnished  to  the  advertiser,  printed  on  gc^aper, 

for  ,r.vate  d.Htnbution,  at  the  low  price  of  Thre.  Dollars  per  thou- 

Zu)  ''"r*!'^^''  T'"  ''"^  '^''  ""  economical  way  of  getting  their 
Wholesale  Li^t,  and  Abstract  of  Calalogm^  printed. 


TO   ADVERTISERS. 

Nurserymen,  Seedsmen,  Florists  and  others 
should  bear  in  mind  that  the  season  has  arrived  when 
their  advertisements  should  be  inserted.  As  we 
have  a  large  Southern  circulation,  and  as  their  plant- 
ing season  commences  early  in  February,  it  will  be 
seen  that  no  time  is  to  be  lost.  In  preparing  adver- 
tisements, the  directions  on  the  first  page  of  the 
Advertiser,"  should  be  carefully  observed 


«*■»» 


modes  of  lessenmg  tl.e  demand  on  the  mutilated  roots 
for  moisture,  there-planting  of  deciduous  trees  ha, 
beeome  a  pretty  eertain  operation.  The  digging  Z 
trees  .s  often  entrusted  to  careless  or  unskilftd  hands 
One  ,s  never  certain  how  his  tree  will  be  taken  up  '■ 
l>«t  should  it  be  handed  him  in  a  dangerous  eonm.' 
I^'ilr.ffr"'^  "'  ""'''  ""^  "^  P"-'"^  "-  head!  !o 
These  facts  now  constitute  a  general  rule  of  action 
n  the  case  of  deciduous  trees.     Evergreens  a,*  pop 

the     people  are  seldom  in  error,  and  are  never  so 
long  "  and  we  hope  for  their  interest  it  will  prZe  Z 

Evergreens  are  as  thankful  for  the  knifes'  good 

offices,  as  a  deciduous  tree.     The  same  laws  govern 

hem,  and  the  same  practice  follows.     Indeed  T.e 

aws  of  evaporation  bear  harder  on  the  evergSn  _ 

cLnneUfiTf  ™*''  """''"^'^ '  '"""'  """^""ed 
channels  for  evaporation.     In  winter  when  evapora- 

t  on  bears  the  hardest  on  a  transplanted  tree,  that^f 
the  deciduous  section  has  only  its  branches  exposed 
All  the  moisture  it  loses  passes  out  through  them  - 
But  the  Evergreen  has  in  addition  a  large  ma"' of 
fohage  through  which  itsjuicesare  continually  tei„„ 

to7:tlV"  ^^"?."  '^'^""^^  »'  "  squeezed  oran^f 
to  the  lee  King,  and  is  cast  away  as  worthless 

It  IS  a  fortunate  circumstance  that  while  a  greater 

necessity  ,s  shown  for  application  of  the  priLipe 

experience  shows  the  Evergreen  to  like  it.     The  an 


TO    SUBSCniBERS. 

Tins  number  commences  the  TlUrd  volume  of  the 
Gardener'.  Monlhty,  and  we  take  the  opportunity  to 

remind  our  readers,  tliat  we  have  been  able  to  make  ,  ,.,„„  .  ,  -  "-  principle 

tlie  journal  a  success  at  so  small  a  sum  as  me  dollar  a    "r"'""""  »''ows  the  Evergreen  to  like  it.     Tl.e  an 
year,  solely  by  conducting  it  on  the  Cash  principle,     f  T'      '"I'''''"''^''  »''■■>  want  fulfilled,  is  seldom  in- 
fhis  requires  no  complicated  system  of  book-keeping    t""^  ""  '^""  "^Po^nced  in  its  realization  ;  for  the 
deuiamling  a  staff  of  clerks,  nor  a  force  of  collectors    ^"S"^"  "•'solutely  luxuriates  in  a  good    .runing 
to  gather  m  the  subscriptions.     All  this  money  we  T  ""'  ''""'  """  "  '^^  ^avc  too  much      Judt 

L  save  by  the  cash  method  and  spend  U  »„  ike  pair         '"""f/  1!'=.'<'°™>«'I  «e  have  never  seen  it  over-done 
Last  season  a  few  friends  who,  asthey  did  not  re-    „,    "''«'':='"™'y  Performed  "   has  a  deep  meaniii'ir 
new  their  subscriptions,   we  discontinued  sending    :^^\«- -"«"S  of  evergreens.     We  have  ofUrT  "^ 
the  paper  to  then.,  wrote  indignantly  to  inqui.^    "™ee  to  P.nes,  Spruces,  and  Firs.     These  const! 
whether  we  could  not  "  trust  them  a  few  monthsfi       "',         '  "'^'^  '"""''<'  "*"  """'^  ""«  ^^^Z 
a  dollar.-      We  are  pleased  to  say,  that  only  in ""']:;»  f  "«'<'--'-'''«  of  the  vegetable  kingdom - 
ve.y  few  .nslauces  last  year  were  our  reasons  in  this    i! '     ^"/'"Sf  "•  ™<=''  »"  "'e  Palm,  that  increases  from 
respect  misunderstood,  but  we  deem  it  right  i  0,^4    ''/™"'->  '"""'"  "««'  '"'"eney,  and  a  dispos  tTon 
wer^  but  one  such  instance  to  explain  why  we  aa'    m      ,     """"'  "'  '"  '"^'^  *•""  '"''  «de  branehru 


compelled  strictly  to  act  on  the  rule  of  pi,^  J  ^ 
advance  each  year. 


PRUNING    EVERGREENS. 

It  is  a  pleasure  to  see  sound  doctrines"  win  their 
way  to  popular  favor.  It  is  not  many  years  since 
one  dared  to  prune  a  tree  at  transplanting.  Before 
that  he  was  sure  to  get  the  pity  of  the  knowing  ones- 
now  he  who  does  not  prune,  is  the  one  who  cets 
pitied.  *»    " 

By  understanding  that  trees  die  after  transplantin^r 
from  evaporation,  and  that  pruning  is  one  of  the  chicTf 


— .andhasabushjs^readi^yi^ 

logcn  ,  and  their  branching  habit,  which  allies  them 

to  the  exogen.     In  our  practical  treatment  of  them 

we  have  to  combine  what  we  would  do  separa  ely 

If  we  cut  off  the  head  of  a  true  endogen  it  will  not 

make  another  leader,  but  throws  all  its^streng^  I 

8  SKle  branches,  which  usually  take  the  form  of 

uckers  from  near  the  surface  of  the  ground      The 

Cocoa  nut,  and  plantain  are  familiar  examples    TU  ir 

stems  have  to  be  cut  down  to  the  ground  when  tty 


^^^^m 


'^^f^ 


^M  §mdintf^  cpaniWg. 


17 


once  lose  their  heads.  In  a  decided  exogen,  a  maple 
for  instance,  the  cutting  off  of  a  leading  shoot  onlv 
makes  it  the  more  determinately  seek  to  furnish 
another  to  supply  its  place,  and  this  it  does  at  the 
expense  of  the  sidQ  branches,  which  become  weaker 
and  finer,  till  if  the  heading-off  is  repeated,  they  often 
die  entirely  away. 

We  have  thus  to  reverse  the  modes  of  pruning.— 
To  make  an  evergreen  bushy  the  surest  way  is  to^cut 
out  its  central  shoot.     It  does  not  like  to  make  anoth- 
er, and  so  all  its  growth  is  forced  into  the  lower 
branches,  which  thus  become  very  dense,   and  of 
suii)rising  luxuriance.     Very  often  when  old  plants 
are  operated  on,  they  will  utterly  refuse  to  make 
another  leader,  in  which  case  the  nearest  side  branch 
must  be  carefully  tied  up  to  a  stake,  secured  to  the 
main  stem  for  the  purpose.    This  makes  for  a  couple 
of  years  an  ugly  curve,  after  that  it  becomes  gradu- 
ally absorbed  in  the  thickening  of  the  trunk,  and  is 
scarcely  visible  eventually.     If,  however,  the  termi- 
nal shoot  is  pinched  off  with  the  finger  and  thumb 
while  It  IS  young  and  succulent,  in  June,  when  it  is 
elongating,  the^rowth  will  be  just  as  much  checked 
while  you  have  the  advantage  of  the  formation  of  a 
lot  of  new  buds,  which  will  of  themselves  form  lead- 
ers another  year.     We  have  never  known  any  kind 
ot  l^ine  to  fail  in  making  these  buds  in  the  shoots  of 
present  season's  growth,  when  they  wiU  do  so  but 
very  unwillingly  from  older  wood. 

The  Scotch  Pine,  usually  so  rugged  and  art-for- 
saken m  appearance,  make  beautiful  objects  under 
this  treatment.  The  top  buds,  and  buds  of  shoots 
round  about  the  central  shoot,  may  be  freely  opera- 
ted  on,  but  the  lowest  buds  should  never  be  touched 
1  his  last  rule  is  essential. 

All  that  we  luive  said  has  been  to  illustrate  the 
principle   in   an    every-day  view.      In    transplant- 
ing more  is  useful  than  to  merely  pick  out  central  buds  • 
whole  portions  of  branches  may  be  freely  cut  away.' 
Top  branches  be  it  still  remembered.     In  all  this  a 
neat  eye  will  be  required  to  keep  a  good  shai)e  to  the 
tree.     Of  course  they  will  not  be  cut  off  so  as  to 
leave  the  branches  standing  out  like  the  stubs  of 
a  worn  out  broom ;  each  branch  should  be  taken 
out    close   down    to    where   another    diverges  — 
Fortunately  in  Pine  and  Spruces  this  can  be  pret- 
tily done  by  taking  out  the  central  shoot  in  each 
branch.      We  saw  a  friend  recently  take  out  one 
hundred  cuttings  from  a  five  year  old  Pinus  excelsa 
and  no  passing  eye  could  notice  that  the  knife  had 
been  used  at  all,  or  see  any  thing  but  a  most  mag- 
nificent specimen  which  this  yearly  treatment  had 
rendered  it. 

We  have  a  weakness  for  facts.  We  know  how 
theones  deceive,  and  often  none  more  so  than  those 
who  originate  them.      We  have  shown  how  ever- 


greens  ou^^^ao  be  benefitted  by  pnming,-have  ex 

jure  mem,  and  that  benefit  them      Ti.,t  «fv       i, 
feel  how  inconclusive  it  is  l^lZt  .^ITr     ^''^ 
actually  has  ieen  rf„,«  ,•„  t^,;""'  "  ''Jf' "  "^  «';"' 

visits  Northern  Philadelp^  eve^ie,,^".,""".,,^"" 
being  struck  with  the  aV;:^  of  .e  you':: 
evergreens  growing  about  it.  Much  of  tl.ta  b.,,  " 
owing  to  the  genius  of  Mr  Briebt  X  ,  f  ' 
oniis  neighbors  were  ^.nS^'^^^ 
l.ke  a  horticultural  Garibaldi,  unswerving  Tlds'  Tr 
pose,  and  has  marched  on  ,„  vic.oiy-a'v  "to  v  not" 

-rclraStote^T;:et;^"-?"^ 

ments  in  favor  of  any  theoS    '"'  ""^""^'^  °^  "'•«"- 

onSinSeftioi  'irr  •"'  i^""^'"-""""'"  - 

J     "c  uojcciion.     I  he  interior  leaves  nnrl  «i.o^*. 
are  usually  tender  from  long  and  elosrconfiietnt" 
and,  on  cutting  away  the  outside  ones  th^e  ,>  -n 
tec  ed  ones  suffer  from  sudden  exposure     Judgn  em 
w.    be  required  as  to  wliei.,  whe',  and  how  to       ' 


VINE   miLOEW   AND   INSECTS 

Fr  nch  o?p»^    T',^*^"'  "^  «  '™n«'ation  fro.n  the 
w  1?  !    '"^.^'P'"'^    ex,«3riment  in  watering  plants 
WHh  a  solution  of  aloes,  in  order  to  render  the 
plants  hemselves  distasteful  to  insects.    Expe    ,  e    ^ 
we  believe  have  been  tried  with  it  so  far  a    the  e 
cuho  IS  concerned,  and  found  to  bo  unavailing-  I    , 
when  we  consider  that  not  only  is  the  frait  'of, 
Phm    composed  of  a  more  elabo'ntted  ft.™  of  t  le 
«.P,  n  winch  we  might  naturally  look  for  less  oft! 
aloe  •  or  any  other  "ffavor"  en.ployed  in  fhenl„„  s 
nutmion ;  and  in  this  point  alone  Ls  I  k   J'  o  iL 

sider  that  it  is  ^^'^^^l^^J^ 
mfn  wl  »M     ^'  '^'"'^"liently  no  nauseous  cle- 

tained  fact  that  vegetation,  as^^     rant  ,71 
stances  do  not  entirely  change  the  nam^nf  ,. 
con.binations  they  absorb  into' their  sy^ms  by  tl.e 
process  of  nutrition.     The  flavor  of  ieZj'^Z 
garhc  can  be  tasted  in  the  milk  of  tl.e  cow  a,  da 
ome  trace  of  coffee  and  tobacco  have  been  f^-md  i,^ 
the  flesh  of  the  subjects  who  have  l«en  partial  .'n 
tl.c.r  hfe-time  to  the  weed,  and  "Arabiartem^ 
sober    juice ;  ••  some  Germ,Tn   PhvsioloXs  b 
eoneluded  that  '.nicotiane"  and  "c^aS'^reeT 
sential  elements  in  the  human  systen.  I  Kadish™  i ," 
early  spring,  forced  near  large  cLs  to  an  ea^":;; 


rr 


18 


i^t  §m&{mt's  JHonlhlj. 


monstrous  maturity,  liave  a  well  known  disagreeable 
taste  of  the  powerful  stimulants  employed  in  their 
production,— and  a   pasture-field  is  usually  thickly 
studded  with  hillocks  formed  by  grass,  which  owing 
to  the  accident  of  having  an   abundant   supi)ly  of 
rank  manure  cast  in  its  immediate  vicinity,  has  be- 
come so  imi)regnated  with  disagreeable  matter  that 
cattle  will  starve  rather  than  touch  them. 

This  all  goes  to  show  that  the  principle  Dr.  Uhler 
presented   for  our  readers  consideration   is  worth 
much  more  careful  experiment.     We  find  that  the 
French  are  still  pursuing  their  investigations,  and 
widening  the  field  of  inquiry.  In  a  recent  number  of  the 
*'  Comptes  Rendus^''  a  French  scientific  journal,  is  the 
report  of  a  paper  by  M.  Mercieul,  read  before  the 
Academy  of  Natural  Sciences,  at  Paris,  detailing  an 
application  of  the  principle  to   the  prevention  of 
Vine  Mildew.     ''  He  selected  a  number  of  stocks  of 
diseased  Vines,  which  the  previous  year  had  been  so 
seriously  attacked  by  the  Oidium  that  not  a  single 
Grape  could  be  gathered.      He  divided  them  into 
two  equal  groups.     The  one  he  submitted  to  treat- 
ment, and  the  other  he  left  for  the  sake  of  compari- 
son.    In  the  beginning  of  August  the  Oidium  began 
to  appear  on  both  groups.     On  the  16th  he  submitted 
the  first  group  to  the  following  treatment:  he  re- 
moved the  earth  around  the  stems  of  the  Vines  a 
distance  of  about  a  foot,  and  of  a  depth  to  lay  bare 
the  small  rootlets.     Into  each  excavation  thus  made 
he  put  a  large  handful  of  flowers  of  sulphur,  heaping 
it  up  around  the  stems.    This  being  done  he  replaced 
the  earth  and  watched  the  Vines  daily.     On  the  20th 
of  September  the  Vines  of  the  first  group  were  in 
excellent  condition,  and  the  Grapes  presented  a  fine 
appearance.     The  mycelium  (fungus;  had  not  dis- 
appeared from  the  berries  which  were  attacked  at 
the  time  the  sulphur  was  applied,  but  they  were  not 
farther  diseased,  and  he  had  every  reason  to  believe 
that  they  would  come  to  perfection.     He  particularly 
observed  that  none  of  the  other  berries  became  dis- 
eased.    The   second  group  was  in  a  most  pitiable 
condition.     The  Oidium  had  made  rapid  progress 
and  there  appeared  every  reason  to  fear  that  not  a 
single  Grape  would  be  saved.  " 

Of  course  we  cannot  say  that  there  is  a  satisfactory 
solution  of  the  Vine  Mildew  trouble  in  this  single 
experiment ;  but  it  is  plausible  from  the  facts  we 
have  stated  already.  We  know  a  cultivator  of  the 
Dwarf  Pear,  whose  White  Doyennes  were  worthless 
by  cracks,  and  others  injured  by  leaf  blight  to  a  great 
extent,— diseases  which  are  now  well  ascertained  to 
be  connected  with  a  small  form  of  almost  invisible 
mildew.  He  gave  the  roots  a  strong  dressing  of 
potash,  and  the  orchard  is  now  one  of  the  healthiest 
we  know.  If  one  mineral  in  the  form  of  potash 
will  eradicate  a  form  of  mildew  from  the  Pear,  sul- 


phur  another  mineral  is  quite  as  likely  to  perform 
the  same  good  service  for  the  Grape  vine. 

The  subject  is  comparatively  new  and  promises 
great  results.  We  hope  to  hear  more  of  it  hence- 
forth. 


«>■•* 


OUR   NEW   DRESS. 

Our  Journal  appears  this  month  in  new  type,  for 
which  our  readers  are  indebted  to  the  skill  and  taste 
of  the  Type  Founders,  Messrs.  Collins  &  McLeester, 
of  this  city,  who  have  furnished  us  with  a  bold,  clear 
and  beautiful  type,  without  in  the  least  diminishing 
our  usual  amount  of  reading  matter. 


jSrrajps  enb  <&uprips. 


Pruning,  «&c.— In  pruning  vines,  how  do  you 
distinguish  the  shoots  that  have  fruited  from  those 
that  are  to  fruit  next  year  ?  As  I  understand  it  from 
the  works  on  the  subject,  the  shoots  that  have 
fruited  are  cut  down  to  one  or  two  buds,  and  the 
others  to  six  or  eight  feet  lengths ;  but  I  can  not  tell 
one  from  the  other.  (1) 

What  are  the  distinguishing  characteristics  of  the 
leaf,  fruit,  and  wood  buds  in  pear,  peach  and  plum 
trees  ?  I  wish  to  prune  my  own  trees,  but  not  being 
able  to  tell  one  bud  from  the  other,  I  am  almost 
afraid  to  make  the  attempt.  (2) 

Is  the  month  of  March  or  April  a  proper  time  to 
prune  all  fruit  trees  ?  (H) 

My  Camellia  buds  are  very  small ;  is  it  owing  to 
the  nature  of  the  soil  ?  What  is  the  proper  soil  ?  Is 
the  month  of  March  or  August  a  proper  time  to  shift 
Camellias.   (4)—j1  Subscriber,  Phila. 

(1)  Simple  as  our  correspondent's  questions  seem, 
they  are  difl^cult  to  explain  briefly.  Any  shoot  that 
has  sprung  from  the  old  or  main  stems  of  a  vine  the 
previous  year  are  or  should  be  bearing  shoots,  and 
are  what  are  referred  to  in  works  as  * 'to  be  cut  back 
to  two  or  three  eyes." 

(2)  Fruit  buds  are  rounder,  ftiller  and  plumper 
than  leaf  buds.  The  difference  can  be  detected  only 
on  careful  comparison  one  with  another,  but  an  ex- 
perienced eye  soon  learns  the  difference  at  a  glance. 

(S)  If  they  need  pruning,  any  time  in  the  winter 
to  April  is  good.  If  growing  very  vigorously,  trees 
may  not  need  pruning. 

(^)  If  the  pots  are  comparatively  small  and  full  of 
matted  roots,  have  not  been  repotted  for  years,  and 
though  growing  freely  and  healthily,  have  but  a  weak 
growth,  they  may  want  re-potting.  Just  before  they 
show  indications  of  growth  is  the  proper  time ;  and 
any  porous,  open  soil  that  will  not  become  hard  or 
heavy,  will  grow  them  well. 


ifti}  (Bnrdmtf^  Jlanfhla. 


19 


Trees  AND  Shrubs  of  Tennessee,  /?.,  Obion  Co, 
Tenn.~In  my  travels  about  the  ''Bend,"  I  find  a 
number  of  vines  and  trees  that  are  quite  new  to  me 
I  have  collected  leaves  of  most  of  these  varieties  and 
pressed  them  into  service.  I  would  very  much  like  to 
ascertam  the  name  of  each  as  I  am  no  botanist  •  be- 
sides  I  wish  to  write  an  article  or  two  for  your 
valuable  journal  when  I  have  obtained  the  names  of 
these  specimens : 

1.  This  I  got  in  South-western  Missouri.     It  grew 
on  a  shrubby  tree,  say  10  feet  high. 

2.  Produces  a  flower  like  the  trumpet  vines ;  des- 
cnbed  by  me  in  the  August  number,  page  230. 

S.  Green  brier  vine,  with  black  berries  in  clusters: 
It  climbs  up  fifty  feet.  ' 

4.  Is  a  vine  that  bears  clusters  of  black  glossy 
bernes  about  the  size  of  a  large  pokeberry.  It  makes 
a  beautiful  arbor  on  small  trees. 

5  Is  a  delicate  vine  that  will  run  up  a  tree  30  or 
40  feet  sometimes.  The  berries  are  the  size  of  a 
medium  currant,  grows  in  small  close  bunches,  two 
or  three  mches  apart  on  the  vine,  and  the  berries  are 
tender  and  the  color  of  red  coral ;  it  is  very  beautiful, 
w.    ihe  thomless  thorn  tree. 

7.  A  common  flower. 

8.  A  small  vine  that  runs  straight  up  ^  tree  and  puts 
out  pretty  leaves. 

I       9.  Bears  an  orange  berry ;  the  hull  opens  out  and 
displays  a  red  berry;  runs  40  or  50  feet  sometimes. 

10.  Alder;  mentioned  in  August  number. 

11.  A  small  tree,  with  a  coral  berry  size  of  a  me- 
dium currant ;  the  bunches  sometimes  are  so  full  that 
there  seems  no  room  for  leaves ;  showy 

12.  Large  dark  Muscadine  Grape,  from  Missouri. 
1'^.  A  blue-eyed  flower. 

14.  A  small  tree,  or  bush,  with  black  soft  berries 
from  Missouri.  ' 

15.  A  smaU  tree  with  oblong  dark  berry. 

10.        do        do  or  bush  with  small  white  berries 
m  upright  clusters. 

17.  Vine  with  oblong  dark  puqjle  berries  grown  in 
thick  clusters.  * 

beJry.^^'    ^'^""^"^  ^°    '"^^"    t^««^  with  white 

19.  From  a  forest  tree  with  trunk  something  like 
the  beech  tree.  ** 

I  hope  you  will  not  get  out  of  patience  naming  the 
above;  but  if  you  do,  I  will  attribute  it  to  the  im- 
periect  specimens. 

[The  specimens  were  a  little  too  small  to  die 
tmguish  well.     Friends  who  sends  us  specimens  for 
name  should  send  flower  and  leaves  both,  if  possible 
The  leaves  of  very  different  plants  are  often  alike     ' 

1.  Staphyllea  trifolia. 

2.  Bignonia  capreolata. 

3.  Smilax  rotundifolia. 


4.  Ampelopsis  bipinnata. 

5.  Cocculus  Carolinus. 

6.  Gleditschia  inermis. 

7.  Cassia  choemacrista 

8.  ? 

9.  Celastrus  scandens 

10.  ? 

11.  Ilex  decidua? 

12.  Appears  to  be  a  form  of  th^  q«„ 
Grape.  ^^  "'^  Scuppcraong 

13.  Comelyna  communis. 

14.  Rhamnus  Caroliniensis. 

15.  Bumelia  lycoides. 

16.  Comus  paniculata. 

17.  Berchermia  volubihs. 

18.  Vitis  cordifolia. 

19.  Carpin  us  Americana. 

Names  op  Plants,  B,  Losee,  Coburg,  C  PT-Ynnr 
specimen  was  ground  into  snuff  when'i^e/us 

verhcellaus.    \  ou  must  be  mistaken  in  the  bud  of  thn 
other  plant  being  a  Canadian  Annual  -it  bell 
^ome       eej      of  Ilelichrysum,   fr^m ' ;  e   ^   ^^^ 

of^ttrhavere'Tr?"""^--^  ^-^*  -"-^>- 
01  letters  lave  reached  us  for  the  name  of  the  gentle 

noauthLytgivt/h^;^^^^^^^^ 

.ood^  things  to  himsel^n  proved t^Tc  ^^e^^^ 

FoKciNo  Veoetables  in  the  Fiei.1,     t  .,„^ 
hT'  r.'— "  other  .e,etab,;ra"7oreorb: 

mode  of  eonstrucin^  such  hot  air  dm^Td\  '^ 
g.vc  he  practical  results  ?-£.  R.  m.  s,  lluTuf 

[The«3  were  no  details  given  in  the  articl  from 
whence  we  extracted.  Our  correspondent  M^ 
Elder.^can  perhaps  Aimish^them,  an'd  obhgc  t 

Barbarossa  and  Prince  Albert  Grapes     w„ 
tinlr,h"r,""'''  "'  ""  -r.spon<,:ms  aXTt 

fsrafwt«'rthr„zr  *""  ^"^'^  '°^  """■ 

»»  wLii  as  the  usual  amount  of  vahmhio 
essays  and  articles.     One  of  our  most  reliable^^^' 
growers  writes  that  he  has  fruited  both  thnT  ^    ^' 
and  finds  they  ar.  distinct;^!  L^^^^^^^^ 
weeks  before  the  other.  "pening  four 


I 


ror*._Iu  the  October  number  I  notice  a  description 


f 


i^^^l  §m&t\\er'%  <poiitfjIg. 


of  "New  White  Egg  Plant."  I  am  anxious  to  cul- 
tivate it,  and  will  be  much  obliged  to  you  for  some 
information,  how  and  when  I  can  procure  the  seed? 

[We  presume  our  principal  Seedsmen  will  have 
it  for  sale  the  next  season.— Ed.] 


Orange  Trees.— Can  you  inform  me  where  I  can 
get  a  few  budded  Orange  and  Lemon  Trees  ? 

[Most  of  the  larger  Florist  Establishments  have 
them  for  sale. — Ed.]     

Chenango  Strawberry  Apple.— H^m.  Collins, 
Smyrna,  N.  F.— "I  find  you  have  made  some  mistakes 
in  luiblishing  my  last  conmiunication.  My  name  is 
printed  N.  Collins,  instead  of  W.  Collins.  I  received 
this  morning  a  communication  addressed  N.  Collins. 
Being  a  nurseryman,  it  is  of  some  importance  to  me 
that  it  should  be  corrected.  In  publishing  my  letter 
you  make  me  say  that  the  shoots  of  the  Straw^berry 
are  light  yellow  white ;  those  of  the  other  are  much 
darker,  and  more  nearly  green.  It  was  written  Cor 
intended  to  bej,  the  shoots  of  the  Strawberry  are 
light  yellow,  wiiile  those  of  the  other  are  darker, 
and  more  nearly  green." 

[We  plead  guilty  to  the  charge  of  error  in  the 
type  making  an  N.  out  of  a  W. ;  but  the  other  is  not 
the  "type's"  fault.  The  manuscript  was  not  punc- 
tuated, and  the  printer's  had  to  stick  in  the  stops 
wherever  seemed  reasonable,  and  in  crossing  the  /  in 
"those"  Mr.  C.  run  his  pen  into  the  I  in  the  word 
before  it ;  transforming  it  into  a  /.  We  are  happy 
to  make  the  correction,  no  matter  whose  is  the  fault, 
and  go  into  particulars  only  to  show  how  careful 
our  friends  should  be  to  "dot  their  i'«,"  "cross their 
i's,"  and  not  cross  their  /'*.— Ed.] 

Buckingham  Apple.— In  Mr.  Van  Buren's  article 
"emigrated"  should  read  originated^  and  in  fifth  line 
from  the  bottom  "clubbed"  should  read  dubbed. 


Third  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Com- 
missioners OF  THE  Central  Park,  New  York 
1860. 

By  the  kindness  of  Andrew  11.  Green,  Esq., 
Comptroller  of  the  Board  of  Commissioners,  we  re- 
ceived this  document  some  time  back ;  but  'it  is  so 
replete  with  valuable  facts  and  statistical  informa- 
tion, that  we  have  held  it  over  for  more  than  a  cur- 
sory examination.  And  we  regret,  that  we  can  now 
do  little  more  than  give  a  fliint  abstract  of  its  contents. 

The  principal  part  of  the  operations  performed  the 
past  year  have  been  in  road  and  bridge-making.     Of 
roads,  7233  feet  of  McAdamized,  9838  of  Telford, 
and  200  of  gravel,  have  been  finished.     Mr.  Olmsted 


§^ 


has  himself  referred,  in  the  first  volume  of  our  jour- 
nal, to  the  experiments  here  of  these  two  kinds  of 
roads,  and  we  have  been  anxious  to  see  them  on  a 
fair  trial,  as  we  know  of  no  instance  where  any 
satisfactory  comparative  experiment  of  the  Telford 
road  has  been  made  in  this  country.  Its  chief  prin- 
ciple is  that  "Upon  the  prepared  road-bed  a  pave- 
ment of  quarry  stones  is  set  by  hand,  the  stones 
being  from  seven  to  ten  inches  deep,  three  to  six 
inches  thick,  and  generally  not  of  greater  length 
than  twice  their  depth,  the  aim  being  to  use  stones 
of  as  nearly  a  uniform  size  as  possible,  and  parallel 
sided.  The  stones  are  laid  lengthwise  across  the 
road,  with  the  broadest  edges  down.  After  being 
set  closely  together,  they  are  firmly  wedged  by  in- 
serting and  driving  down,  in  all  possible  places, 
stones  of  the  same  depth,  until  every  stone  is  bound 
and  clamped  in  its  proper  position. 

"The  projecting  points  of  the  stones  on  the  top 
of  the  pavement  are  next  clipped  off  with  a  light 
hammer,  and  the  spalls  and  chips  at  the  same  time 
worked  into  the  interstices  not  already  filled  by  the 
process  of  wedging.  By  this  operation  the  pave- 
ment is  reduced  to  an  even  surface  and  to  a  depth  of 
seven  to  eight  inches. 

"The  pavement  or  substratum  of  the  road  is  then 
ready  fafter  laying  the  gutters)  for  the  reception  of 
the  finishing  material  of  the  road. 

"Broken  stone  of  the  ordinary  McAdam  size  fto 
pass  through  a  two  and  a  half  inch  ring;  are  spread 
evenly  over  the  pavement  in  successive  layers,  and 
rolled  down  until  the  full  depth  is  about  five  inches. 
The  first  rolling  is  done  with  a  light  roller,  to  avoid 
disturbing  the  paving  stones. 

"On  the  top  of  the  broken  stone,  about  one  and  a 
half  inches  in  depth  of  gravel  is  evenly  spread,  and 
the  whole  is  thoroughly  rolled  down  with  a  heavy 
roller,  weighing  six  and  a  half  tons.  Both  stone 
and  gravel  are  kept  moistened  by  sprinkling  carts, 
while  the  rolling  is  going  on,  the  gravel  working 
down  into  the  interstices  of  the  stone  under  the 
roller,  consolidating  and  binding  the  whole  material. 
When  completed  the  whole  depth  of  pavement, 
stone  and  gravel,  is  twelve  to  thirteen  inches." 

Nothing  appears  in  the  Report  to  indicate  which 
of  these  systems  is  hkely  to  prove  the  best,  and  we 
shall  look  for  some  reference  to  this  subject  in  futui  e 
Reports  with  interest. 

One  point  seems  proved  in  the  Park  experiments, 
namely,  that  one  of  the  main  objects  of  heavy  ston- 
ing of  n  ads— the  preserving  the  road-bed  from  frost, 
is  8cr.icely  ever  effected  in  this  country.  The  Report 
saj's : 

"The  samples  of  these  roads  that  were  first  con- 
structed Cin  1858;  had  a  depth  of  fifteen  inches  of 
road  material.     Recent  examinations  show,  tliat  the 


ir{$ll 


.^ 


^h  ^Mtux\  cPan% 


21 


frost,  during  the  present  winter,  has  penetrated  the  ground  from  six  to  fifteen  inches  below  the  road 
material  on  the  roads  of  twelve  inches  depth." 
In  this  respect,  we  should  judge  the  Telford  road  will  be  inferior  to  the  McAdamized,  as  the  greater 


V      / 


""  Vhll";^";'  ''''''''!"  ^'  ""^^^'«"^^^«  t«  the  rapid  conduction  of  heat. 
Vnnfied  pipe  is  employed  for  the  construction  of  drains  under  the  road-bed,  to  cany  off  the  water 


li 


:  ? 


^li  §3xkmu  ilontbk 


from  tlie  surface  of  the  road.  In  order  to  prevent 
their  becoming  choked  by  gravel  from  thr  wushings 
of  heavy  storms,  silt  basins  are  construcU'd  These 
are  small  shallow  wells,  formed  of  brick  or  vitrified 
stone-ware,  sunk  some  feet  below  the  level  of  the 
pipe  at  the  mouths  of  the  drains;  the  heavy  matter 
smks  mto  this,  and  the  water  only  rises  to  the  level 
of  the  drains,  down  which  it  has  to  pass. 

"  When  no  silt-basins  are  used,  the  dirt  is  depos- 
ited along  a  considerable  length  of  the  drain,  and 
may  obstruct  it  at  any  point  where,  from  roughness 
or  from  some  other  iniperfection  of  the  tile,  or  from 
an  alteration  in  the  grade,  and  consequently  in  the 
velocity  of  the  current,  it  is  most  readily  deposited. " 
Aftereach  heavy  rain,  these  silt-basins  are  cleaned  out 
For  material  to  cover  the  stone  in  the  road-beds! 
that  will  bind  well  in  all  seasons,  and  be  objection! 
able  m  none,  nothing  has  been  found  entirely  satis- 
factory,-and  the  field  of  in  vention  of  something  useful 
18  still  here  open  for  some  enterprizing  genius 

Under  the  head  of  bridges  we  cannot  derive  much 
statistical  information  that  can  be  generally  applied. 
The  Report  is  illustrated  with  several  very  pretty 
engravings,  giving  specimens  of  the  various  styles 
employed.  The  one  we  give  is  a  representation  of  a 
bndge  over  a  foot-path,  sustaining  a  general  traffic 

without  seemmgly  entering  it. 

We  consider  it  a  combination  of  two  distinct  ob- 

the  beautiful  are  well  blended.  Bridges  will  be  a 
great  feature  m  the  Park.  Eighteen  are  either  corn- 
nil  tl'.'  '''  '?  P^«gress,-and,  judging  from  the 
proj;cttd  ^''  ^  '"'^"  ^'*'*'''''  ""^  *^''  ^^^^^^ 
At  the  time  of  our  visit  to  the  Park,  in  1859 
»^i-3  no    person    could     make    such 

large  trees,  as  had  recently  been  planted  there,  hve 
without  a  heavy  pruning,  and  predicted  that  the 

d  :^"tL  R '":\'f^  ,„pruned,  would  certail^; 
die^     The  Report  tells  us  that  this  has  been  the  case. 

tu?n''  f^'  P^7^«ade,   where  the  principal  planta- 
tion of  large  trees  has  been  made,  numbering  about 

failed.     They  were  set  by  contract,  guaranteed  by 

exnp'nl  M    ''''  ^^  ^"^'  ^'^  ^"^"^^  ^^Pl^^^d  at  his 
expense. 

We  have  been  informed  that  the  contractor  has 

learned    wisdom    from    experience,    and    the    last 

planted  were   heavily  pruned-in,   and  hence  have 

been  apparently  more  successful.     We  say  "apnar 

,  ently  "  because  we  feel  that  the  Commissioners  will 

I  at  a  future  day  be  sorry  that  they  ever  allowed  the 

removal  of  very  large  trees.     Even  in  the  compara- 
tively moister  and  more  regular  climate  of  France 


from  whence  we  are  accustomed  to  hear  the  most 
flattering  results  of  large  tree-planting,  they  have  to 
keep  the  trunks  and  larger  branches   continually 
swathed  m  hay  bandages,  and  invent  contrivances 
o  have  water  continually  running  down  the  branches 
to  retam  life  in  them.     It  is,  perhaps,  as  well  that 
the  Commissioners  allowed  the  experiment,  after 
all      It  18  hard  to  kick  against  the  prejudices  of  the 
public.     This  obstinate  embodiment  of  a  tyrannical 
personality  is  bound  to  declare  that  -it  can't  wait  for 
those  httle  things  to  grow,"  and  the  Commission- 
ers would,  perhaps,  have  had  to  endure  a  storm  of 
indignation  if  they  had  not  afi^orded  a  practical  les- 
son,   that  they  have  to  wait.     Nine-tenths  of  lar-e 
trees,  m  our  climate,  with  the  best  of  skill  employed 
on  them,  will  assuredly  fail  in  transplanting 

is  t?«t  ^     m'  Z"'-'"''^''^''^'  P^^^«^«  «^  the  Report 
r.  IP    if     ;;  ^'"°^'  "^  ''''  ^'^'^'^'  «f  the  Cen- 
tt  r  ?'  ''''^'"^^  *^^^^  ^'  the  operations  of 

the  drams  affords  data  for  some  calculations  that  we 
have  never  been  able  to  get  at  before.  It  appears 
that,  from  July  13th  to  November  18th,  286,000 
gaHons  of  ram-water  fell  on  one  acre  of  ground 

Dunng  a  great  part  of  the  time,-the  exceptions 
being  only  when,  from  dry  weather,  the  discharge 
from  the  drains  seemed  uniform,-the  quantity  pass- 
ing  through  the  drains  was  measured  daily,  and  an 
approximate  quantity  for  the  next  twenty-four  hours 
obtained  The  total  sum  of  the  quantity  measured 
is  about  112,000  gallons.  We  have  formed  an  esti- 
mate of  the  quantity  that  flowed  on  the  days  not 
measured,  making  the  whole  amount  of  water  flow- 

28«  0^o'"^n  "''  ^/''°''  ""^  ^^^'^^^  S«»«°«'  against 
280,000  gallons  of  rain  tliat  feU  in  the  same  time. 

The  Commissioners  say  that  this  ground  was  natu- 
rally a  bog;  ,t  is,  therefore,  fair  to  consider  that 
perhaps  60  000  gallons  of  this  discharge  came  from 
the  natural  fountains  of  water  in  the  land,  leaving 
nearly  200,000  gallons  of  water  unaccounted  for  ft 
would  be  very  interesting  to  know  whether  all'this 
amount  was  carried  over  the  surface  to  the  creeks 
and  streams,  or  what  portion  sunk  in  the  earth  be- 
neath  the  operation  of  the  drains.  If  these  facts 
could  be  even  approximately  arrived  at,  and  we 
think,  with  some  slight  alteration  in  the  conduction 
of  the  observations  they  could,  the  data  might  aff"ord 
some  considerable  assistance  in  the  study  of  the 
science  of  draining. 


BuisT's  Almanac  and  Garden  Manual  for  1861 
forgratuitous  distribution,  is  an  improvement  on  thai 
of  ast  year  though  we  were  compelled  to  speak 
well  of  It.  Its  chief  feature  is  the  select  lists  of  the 
various  classes  of  plants  given.  The  following  is 
Mr.  Buist's  choice  of  roses : 

"  Hybrid  Perpetual  or  Remontant.. ^Augusta  Mie, 


'/ 


Uti  §mAtmfs  JKanf  g. 


Jules  Margottin,  Giant  of  the  Battle,  Sydonie, 
Madame  Rivers,  Pius  IX.,  Queen  Victoria,  Robert 
Bums,  Lord  Raglan,  Enfant  de  Mt.  Carmel,  General 
Jacqueminot. 

''Tea  (Indica  o/fomto.;— Devoniensis,  Gloire  de 
Dijon,  Goubalt,  Souvenir  d'un  Amie,  Madame 
Roussell,  Etienne  Cpure  white;,  La  Heine,  Triomphe 
de  Luxembourg. 

"5our6ons.— Hermosa,  Sir  Joseph  Paxton,  Appo- 
line.  Queen,  Levison  Gower,  Dr.  Leprestre,  Sou- 
venir Malmaison,  Blanche  Lafitte. 

"iVowe//€.— Fellenberg,  Caroline  Mamiesse,  La  Pac- 
tole,  Du  Luxembourg,  Chromatella,  Perfecta. 

''Benqal  or  DaiVy.— Jacques  Plantier,  Agrippina, 
Abbe  Moiland,  Vesuvius,  Cels,  Sombreuil. 

''Hybrid  CAtna.— Coupe  d'Hebe,  Fulgens,  Charles 
Lawson,  Paul  Ricaut,  Mad.  Plantier,  Vivid. 

"  Afoss.— Comtesse  de  Murinais,  Princess  Ade- 
laide, Alice  Le  Roy,  Luxembourg,  Perpetual  Moss 
Salet,  Purple  Moss. 
♦'PraiVig.— Queen  of  the  Prairies,  Baltimore  Belle. 
"  Miscellaneous.— Vtr%\2in  Yellow,  White  Micro- 
phylla.  Fortune's  Yellow,  Madame  Hardy,  Provence 
Cabbage,  Pink  Microphylla. " 

All  good  kinds  and  reliable,  though  some  are  not 
included  we  would  not  like  to  spare.  In  the  Noisette 
class,  for  instance,  we  would  certainly  add  Triomphe 
de  la  Duchere  and  Pentland's  Woodland  Margaret, 
a  hardy  free-blooming  white  kind  that  has  not  yet 
had  justice  done  it.  Of  Strawberries  for  general 
cultivation,  Mr.  Buist's  choice  is : 

"Wilson's  Albany,  Princess  Royal,  Prince's  Mag- 
nate, Imperial  Scarlet,  Hovey's  Seedling,  Feast's 
Fillmore,  Hooker,  May  Queen  Cearly)." 

The  following  extract  gives  an  idea  of  the  general 
tenor  of  the  "almanac  :" 

"Heating  greenhouses  and  hotbeds  by  hot  water 
is  daily  being  more  practicable  and  economical.     In 
our  last  edition  we  pointed  out  how  to  overcome  a 
dip  in  hot  water  pipes  at  the  boiler.     We  now  con- 
firm  this  fact,  and  intimate  another,— that  four-inch 
pipes,  for  conducting  hot  water  through  greenhouses 
and  other  buildings,  can  be  obtained  at  about  twenty 
cents  per  lineal  foot.     They  can  be  joined  by  any 
workman  with  a  few  rounds  of  packing-rope,  then 
a  round  of  putty,  then  a  few  thin  rounds  of' rope, 
hammering  it  home  with  a  thin  chisel,  and  finish  the 
joint  with  putty.     The  putty  is  made  of  about  the 
following  parts:  one-third  glaziers'  putty,  one-third 
white-lead,    one-third    dry    red-lead,    all    carefully 
mixed  together  and  rolled  up  into  the  consistency  of 
glaziers'  stifl'  putty.     Our  laborer  makes  a  joint  in 
ten  minutes.     We,  however,  pay  about  forty  dollars 
for  a  boiler,  but  will  not  endure  it  any  longer ;  the 
same  article  may  be  made  for  half  the  raonJy.— 
Wherever  a  greenhouse  extends  beyond  sixty  feet 


in  length  and  twenty  in  width,  it  is  economical  to 
use  hot  water," 


The  Agricultural  Press.— Few  persons  esti- 
mate sufficiently  high  the  value  of  their  local  agri- 
cultural papers.    However  valuable  may  be  a  journal 
like  ours,  which,  aiming  at  a  cosmopolitan  sphere  of 
usefulness,  has  necessarily  to   deal  with   principles 
rather  than  special  details  of  local  practice,  one's 
local  paper  should  never  lack  his  strenuous  support. 
There  are  always  local  circumstances  and   special 
influences,  that  will  modify  frequently  the  soundest 
scientific  deductions,  and  in  no  w^ay  can  these  pecu- 
liar results  be  so  well  brought  out  as  in  the  columns 
of  one's  local  journal.     Sometimes  one  may  diff"er 
as  to  the  manner  in  which  his  local  paper  should  be 
conducted.     He  may  think  that  this  should  be  no- 
ticed, or  that  should  have  been  left  out ;  but  in  such 
cases  the  spirit  of  concession  should  prevail,  and 
support  for  the  good  it  does  is  its  rightful  due. 

With  these  views  we  have  ever  thought  it  our 
duty,  as  horticultural  propagandists,  to  keep  our 
readers  posted  on  the  merits  and  existence  of  the 
agricultural  journals  of  our  country.  Whenever 
there  has  not  been  too  great  a  pressure  on  our  ad- 
vertising columns,  we  have  inserted  lists  of  them, 
with  their  publishers  and  prices.  We  shall  continue 
to  do  this  through  the  next  year,  and  shall  be  pleased 
to  receive  specimens  of  new  ones  that  may  arise ;  or 
that  we  may  not  have  included  in  our  list. 

Almost  every  country  paper  has  now  its  agricul- 
tural column;  but  amongst  those  which  may  be 
called  strictly  agricultural,— uniting  horticulture  and 
the  kindred  branches, — we  may  name : 

The  Genesee  Farmer.  Published  by  Joseph 
Harris,  Rochester,  N.  Y.  It  has  been  thirty  years 
in  existence,  has  done  immense  service  to  agricul- 
ture and  agriculturists,  and  is  published  at  50  cents 
per  year. 

The  American  Farmer.  By  Worthington  & 
Lewis,  Baltimore,  Md.  Another  monthly,  at  $1 
per  year.  The  oldest  in  the  country,  and  bearing  a 
high  character  for  sound  scientific  teachings. 

Rural  New  Yorker.  By  D.  D.  T.  Moore, 
Rochester,  N.  Y.  A  weekly,  at  |2  per  year.  Is 
one  of  the  most  popular  sheets  published,  and,  in 
every  sense,  well  sustained. 

The  Farmer's  Journal.  By  De  Montigney  & 
Co.,  Montreal,  Canada.  $1  per  ann  im.  Though 
we  have  but  recently  seen  a  numbir  for  the  first 
time,  it  has  been  thirteen  years  in  existence.  We 
greatly  admire  its  motto,  "The  Soil— it  is  our  Coun- 
try.    By  improving  the  one,  we  serve  the  other." 

The  Ohio  Cultivator.     By  S.  D.  Harris,  Co- 
lumbus, O.     Thirteen  years  published ;  has  always 


^ 


M;l 


CJt  mxkim's  itontfjb. 


^^m 


i\ 


been  popular  at  U  per  year;   but  to  make  it  still 
more  so,  will,  in  future,  be  only  half  that  price. 

The  Countky  Gentleman.  By  Luther  Tucker 
&  Sou,  Albany,  N.  Y.  A  weekly,  at  $2  per  year, 
IS  so  well  known  and  appreciated,  that  we  need  add 
nothing. 

The  American  Ruralist.  By  J.  R.  Dodge, 
Springfield,  Ohio.  We  believe,  a  monthly,  at  |2  per 
year.  We  have  heard  it  highly  spoken  of;  but  as 
we  are  not  sure  that  any  number  has  ever  been  re- 
ceived at  our  oflice,  we  cannot  speak  from  expe- 
rience. 

The  Wisconsin  Farmer.  By  J.  D.  Powers  & 
Co.,  Madison,  Wisconsin.  A  monthly  journal,  at 
$1  per  year,  of  the  merits  of  which  our  columns 
have  before  spoken  appreciatively. 

The  Indiana  Farmer.  By  J.  N.  Ray  and  H. 
C.  Gray,  Indianapolis.  Monthly,  $1 ;  weekly,  $2 
per  year.     Is  one  of  our  favorite  exchanges 

The   Northwestern    Farmer.     By  Miller  & 
Drayton,  Dubuque,  Iowa.    Monthly,  at  |1  per  year 
Is  now  in  its  sixth  year,  and  is  well  sustained  in  all 
Its  departments. 

The  Wool-Grower  gives  monthly  information 
on  the  growth  and  sale  of  wool,  and  is  published  at 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  for  50  cents  per  year. 

The  Ohio  Farmer.  By  Thomas  Brown,  Cleve- 
land, Ohio.  A  weekly,  at  $2  per  year.  Is  gene- 
rally received  as  one  of  standard  authority  in  its 
line. 

New  Hampshire  Journal  of  Agriculture. 
By  W.  II.  Gilmore,  Manchester,  New  Hampshire 
at  $1.50  per  year.     Is  the  only  one  in  that  State' 
and  deserves  the  united  support  of  the  New  Ilamp- 
shire  agriculturists. 

Rural  Register.  By  S.  Sands  &  Miller,  Balti- 
more, Md.  Bi-monthly,  at  $1  per  year.  We  regard 
It  as  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  day,  even  though  so 
much  for  so  little  is  of  common  occurrence. 

The  Southern  Cultivator.  By  D.  Redmond 
&  C.  W.  Howard,  Augusta,  Ga.  Monthly,  at  $1 
per  year.  Nineteen  years  established,  and  stands 
amongst  the  first  in  abihty  and  popularity. 

The  House  and  Garden.     By  Thos.   Brown 
Cleveland,   O.     A  monthly,  at  50  cents  per  year' 
We  have  recently  noticed  it. 

The  PitAiRiE  Farmer.     By  Emory  &  Co    Chi 
cago.  Ills.     Established  in  1841.     The  horticu'ltural 
department  is,  we  believe,  under  the  control  of  Dr 
Kennicott,  and  the  journal  itself  has  an  extended 
and  enviable  reputation.     It  is  a  weekly,  at  $2  per 
annum. 

The  New  England  Farjikr.    By  Nourse,  Eaton 
&  Tolman,  Boston,  Mass.     Weekly,  $2 ;  monthly, 


$1.    Docs  not  often  reach  our  table.    What  we  have 
seen  of  it  has  been  of  the  highest  excellence. 

Kentucky  Farmer.  A.  G.  Hedges  &  Co.,  Frank- 
fort^ Ky.  Monthly,  $1  per  year.  Is  the  only  one 
m  Kentucky,  and  should  be  energetically  supported. 

The  Homestead.   Mason  C.   Weld,   Hartford 
Conn.     A  weekly,  at  12  per  annum.    Is  well  appre- 
ciated through  the  community,   not  only  for  its 
quality,  but  for  its  neatness  also. 

The  Southern  Homestead.  By  L  P  Williams 
&  Co  Nashville,  Tenn.  A  weekly  of  eight  pages, 
and  the  only  illustrated  journal  pubhshed  South. 
$2  per  year. 

There  are  many  other  useful  and  valuable  journals 
which  we  will  notice  on  some  future  occasion.   Those 
we  now  refer  to  we  have  taken  up  in  the  order  they 
run  in  our  last  month's  advertising  columns,  where 
full  particulars  of  each  journal  may  be  found 

Though  not  under  the  head  of  "agricultural" 
journals,  the  advertisement  of  Hovey^s  Magazine  also 
appears  in  our  last;  and  so  may  also  be  noticed 
here.  As  our  elder  brother  in  Horticultural  litera- 
ture, having  been  twenty-seven  years  in  existence 
It  would  look  presumptuous  in  us  to  speak  of 
Its  merits.  That  its  subscription-list  continues  to 
mcrease  largely,  as  it  does,  is  one  of  the  best  proofs 
of  popular  appreciation. 

The  Minnesota  Farmer  and  Gardener.  Pub- 
hshed by  Messrs.  Ford  &  Stevens,  of  St.  Paul  We 
have  received  the  first  number  of  this  journal,  which 
exhibits  signs  of  future  energy  and  usefulness.  We 
select  the  following  Minnesota  Jacis  for  our  readers' 
information : 

Minnesota  Siveet  Potatoes.-Tho  Nansemond  variety 
has  been  found,  the  past  season,  to  be  a  successful 
crop  at  St.  Paul. 

Onions  in  Minnesota. -Mr.  Daniel  Hopkins,  of 
Orroyeland,  Min.,  has  raised  four  hundred  bushels  of 
the  \\  eathersfleld  Red  to  the  acre. 

Grapes  in  Minnesota.-Dr.  Ford,  of  Winona  ri- 
pened  the  Anna,  Clinton,  and  Catawba  there  'last 
season. 

Minnesota  Agricultural  Society^s  Horticultural  Com- 
mittee.-iyr.  A.  E.  Ames,  Minneapolis ;  Alex.  Bu- 
chanan,   St.   Paul;   Richard   Chute,   St.  Anthony; 
Miss  Sarah  Cox,  St.  Paul ;  Mrs.  W.  L.  Ames,  St 
Paul.  ' 


The  First  Minnesota  Grapery  is  on  the  grounds  of 
the  late  Dr.  C.  W.  Borup,  near  St.  Paul.  It  was 
erected  in  1859.  The  Doctor  was  foremost  in  intro- 
ducnig  new  fruits  and  flowers,  and  his  gardener,  Mr 
W.  Masters,  is  highly  spoken  of  for  his  skiU  in 
adapting  his  knowledge  to  that  peculiar  climate. 
Apples  in  Minnesota  have  not,  as  yet,  done  well, 


Ut  §mkmxs  ilonthk 


2b 


though  Mr.  Snow,  of  Red  Wing,  says  some  have 
lived  and  borne  fruit  at  Prescott.  Hon.  Eli  Robin- 
son, of  Nininger,  in  Dacotah  County,  has  also  had 
trees  to  produce  a  few  fruit. 

The  Dahlia  in  Minnesota  is  said  to  succeed  remark- 
ably well,  and  is  hkely  to  become  one  of  their  most 
popular  florists'  flowers. 

Peaches  in  Minnesota.~M.r.  Masterton,  of  St.  Pauls, 
had  several  ripe  peaches  on  his  trained  trees  this  fall.' 
We  believe  they  were  protected. 

The  Siberian  Crab  Apple  in  Minnesota  does  well.  Mr. 
P.  W.  Nickots,  of  St.  Pauls,  had  two  and  a  half 
bushels  from  one  tree,  which  sold  for  fifty  cents  per 
peck. 

JQFin  DP  ^m  yiMfs. 


II 


Alocasia  metallica.— a  foliage  plant  of  the 
Arum  family  from  Borneo  and  will  probably  require 
a  hothouse  to  bring  it  to  perfection.  Sir  W.  Hooker 
says  in  the  Botanical  Magazine,  "that  no  pencil  can 
do  justice  to  its  great  beauty."  He  adds,  that  "no 
one  in  Europe  but  Mr.  Low  possesses  it."  We  be- 
lieve we  are  not  mistaken  in  saying  that  it  is  already 
in  Mr.  Buist's  collection,  who  with  commendable 
enterprise  keeps  up  with  the  novelties  of  Europe. 

Acacia  Drummondii.— Figured  in  Botanical  Maga- 
zine. A  pretty  pinnate-leaved  species  from  Swan 
River,  New  Holland,  nearly  allied  to  the  weU-known 
A.  pulchella. 

Callixene  polyphylla.— a  half  shrubby  vine 
something  like  in  habit  to   our  smilax,  to  which 
family  it  belongs ;  with  very  pretty  white  flowers 
drooping  like  the  lily  of  the  vaUey.     It  will  be  a 
pretty  greenhouse  plant. 

Oncidium    lonoipes.— a  very  pretty  variety  of 
orchideous  plant  recently  received  from  Rio  Janeiro. 

Pteris  cretica.— a  variegated  variety  of  this  has 
been  received  in  England,  that  will  be  popular  It 
resembles  very  much  the  P.  serrulata  of  our  green- 
houses in  general  appearance,  but  there  is  a  white 
band  down  along  the  centre  of  each  division  of  the 
frond.  It  will  doubtless  require  the  temperature  of 
a  greenhouse.  It  has  eleven  other  synonyms ;  figu- 
red in  Hooker^s  Magazine. 

Methonica  8UPERBA.-A  liliaccous  plant,  scarcely 
different  from  the  well-known  Gloriosa  tuperba  but 
yet  a  plant  of  great  beauty  for  hothouse  collections 
A  native  of  Fernando  Po. 

Cissus  VELUTINUS.-I8  a  ncw  species  fVom  the 
Malay  Islands ;  nearly  aUied  to  C.  discolor,  the  leaves 
not  quite  so  interesting,  but  the  flowers  larger. 

AN(ECT0cniLus  inornatus.— From  Ceylon.     A 


variety  of  and  not  quite  so  handsome  perhaps  as  A. 
setaceus. 

Salvia  scabios(efolia.— A  species  from  Russia, 
with  tall  spikes  of  greenish  pink  flowers,  and  will 
perhaps  make  an  interesting  addition  to  our  hardy 
herbaceous  plants. 

Phalcenopsis  rosea.— We  have  before  described 
in  our  journal.    A  recent  figure  in  the  Botanical  Maga- 
zine shows  that  it  is  not  so  beautiful  as  the  old  P 
amabilis,  but  it  is  a  good  addition  to  the  orchideous 
collection. 

The  New  Double-flowered  Zinnia.— By  favor 
of  M.  Vilmorin,  of  Paris,  we  have  been  favored  with 
an  engraving  of  this  new  candidate  for  popular  favor. 
Everyone  knows  the  structure  and  form  of  flower 
of  the  common  Zinnia.  Its  head  is  a  mass  of  small 
flowers,  but  the  lower  ones  have  the  petals  developed 
into  long  radiating  strap  shaped  forms,  giving  the 
head  the  appearance  of  but  one  flower  with  a  row  of 
petals  about  the  base. 


In  the  present  improvement  the  petals  of  the 
central  flowers  have  also  been  developed  into  the 
hgulate  shape,  and  the  result  is,  as  in  the  Dahlia, 
what  we  call  a  double  flower.  There  is  no  doubt 
but  that  It  will  be  extremely  popular.  Though  it  is 
of  the  same  species  as  the  one  m  cultivation,  M 
Vilmorin  says  he  has  never  succeeded  in  obtaining 
seedlings  with  more  than  two  rows  of  petals.  He 
received  the  first  seeds  two  years  ago  from  M 
Grazan,  gardener,  at  Bagneres,  who  had  thorn  scni 
mm  from  India. 


»! 


Ill 


i\' 


h 


^t  §Mmtx'B  3on%. 


Seedlings  from  these  double  zinnias  do  not  all 
come  double  but  M.  Vilmorin  says  more  than50per 
cent  w„.   they  come  of  all  colors,  from  rose  to 

wlute  or  yellow,  though  there  are  single  ones  of  that 

kalhana,  Moore. -Fronds     dwarfish,    ramose     the 

IZfaTJ"''  "'  P^"""  co^mbosely  multifid- 
obtlp  1  ?  '^^'  ^Wmate;  pinnules  oblong. 
toothp;i  '^^  '''''"''^^^^'  ^^''^  ^"^^"  ^^".er  distant 
cobred  ''^"''''''  '  "'''^''  '"''""'  P^^^  «"^P^^^- 
This  plant  was  shown  at  the  meeting  of  the  Floral 
Committee  of  , he  Horticultural  Sociefy  on  the  13th 
of  September  last,  and  was  awarded  a  first-class  cer- 
^ficate  as  a  very  beautiful  and  distinct  new  crested 

to  Mrs    Ridgway,  of  Ridgmont,   Bolton-le-moors 
Lancashire,  by  whom  it  was  raised;  and  had  been 
obtamed,  according  to  information  furnished  by  Mr 
Kelly    from  spores  taken  from  a  slightly  crested 
branch  accidentally  produced  by  a  plant  of  G.  Peru- 
.tana,  which  plant  had  been  growing  in  company 
with  G,  sulphurea.    Whether  or  not  the  contiguity  of 
these  two  plants  had  any  effect  on  the  produce,  it  is 
certain  that  the  new  form,  though  stated  to  have 
been  raised  from  Peruviana  has  more  of  the  general 
character  of  sulphurea,  and  that  the  ceraceous  powder  I 
which  gives  the  color  to  the  under-surface,  is  inter- 
mediate  m  color  between  tliat  found  on  these  two 
we  1  known  species.     The  conclusion  seems  inevi- 
table,  that  the  plant  is  either  a  sport  from  sulphurea 
the  spores  of  the  two  kinds  having  become  accident- 
ally intermixed  before  sowing,  fwhich  might  happen 
by  the  natural  process  of  dispersion;,  or  that  it  is  of 
^e  nature  of  a  hybrid.     It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that 
where  two  or  more  kinds  of  Gymnogramma  are 
grown  near  together,  intermediate  forms  not  unfre- 
quently  occur  among  the  seedlings  obtained  from 
them,  and  these  have  given  some  countenance  to 
the  opinion  tliat  hybrids  occur  among  ferns 
The  Gymnogramma  now  under  notice,  forms  a 

from  the  crown,  and  becoming  borne  down  over  the 
pot-nm  by  the  weight  of  the  tassels,  while  those 
occupying  a  more  central  position  again  arch  over 
these  in  successive  tiers.  The  fronds  are  about  a  foot 
in  length,  variously  branched  in  the  stripes  or  rachis 
as  well  as  divided  into  a  large  spreading  corymbose 
tassel  at  the  end.  In  one  of  the  larger  fronds  now 
before  us  the  stripes  is  thus  divided,  and  one  of  the 
divisions  again  divided  near  its  base,  so  that  there 
are  three  separate  branches,  each  divided  at  the  apex 
into  a  tassel,  which  when  spread  out  measures  3  to 
4  inches  across;  these  tassels  are  densely  multifid- 


cnsped  towards  the  extremities,  and  furnished  below 
with  small  pinnule-like  segments.      The  pinn*  are 
again  pinnate  at  the  base,  tapering  to  a  slender  rib, 
which  IS  almost  leafless,  and  then  spreading  out  into 
a  dense  fan-shaped  tuft,  of  an  inch  more  or  less  in 
breadth.      The  larger  pinnules  are  oblong,  half  an 
inch  long  or  upwards,  distant,  blunt-ended,  deeply 
pinnatifid,  the  segments  being  small,  distant,  wedge- 
shaped  or  obovate,   and  rather  strongly  toothed. 
1  he  color  of  the  under  surface  is  a  very  pale  sulphur 
almost  white.      The  color  of  the  rachis  is  a  lighi 
chestnut    brown,   becoming  deeper-colored  in  the 
stripes.     It  is  a  very  elegant  dwarf-tasselled  fern,  and 
18  stated  to  be  less  affected  than  other  gymnograms 
by  cold  and  damp.      The  name  is  given  in  compli- 
ment to  a  relative  of  3Ir.  Kelly's  employer.    T.  M  — 
Gardener's  Chronicle. 

Double  white  Clarkia  elegans.— What  shall 
we  not  have  double  ?  Vilmorins  now  offer  a  double 
white  Clarkia.  There  has  been  a  double  rose  before 
Only  a  portion  of  the  stamens  are  transformed  into 
petals,  so  that  enough  pollen  is  produced  to  fertilize 
the  stigma  and  enable  the  double  variety  to  reproduce 
Itself  from  seed.  The  seed  should  be  sown  in  the 
open  border  early  in  April. 

New  Golden  Striped  Arborvit^,  Thuja  Ver- 
raencana.— Raised  by  Vervaene,  of  Ghent. 


Upto  an5  jBlarp  fvA. 


Governor  Charter's  Seedling  Apple  —It  is 
of  medium  size,  slightly  and  in  some  instances  quite 
conical;  a  light  yellow  skin  blushed  with  bright 
crimson,  and  covered  with  well  defined  yellow  or 
yellowish  dots.      Some  of  :the  samples  are  slightly 
ribbed.     Stem  short,  slender,  deeply  set  in  a  deep 
narrow  regular  cavity,  in  some  instances   slightly 
russetted.      Calyx  closed ;   basin  moderately  deep 
slightly  furrowed,  and  open;   core  small,   fleshy' 
seeds  plump,  small,  dark  brown,  ovate,  roundish ' 
flesh  white,  cuts  firmly,  fine  grained,  tender,  mild 
and  pleasant,  juicy,  scarcely  acid,  slightly  aromatic, 
exceedingly  eatable,  perfectly  palatable,  and  at  this 
writing,  the  last  of  October,  just  in  good  eating  con- 
dition to  be  relishable.     The  beauly  as  well  as  the 
quality  of  this  fruit  leads  us  to  commend  it  to  the 
attention  of  orchardists  as  a  market  fruit.      It  is 
sought  for  in  the  market  where  known,  and  it  is 
hardy  and  productive.— Protrie  Farmer, 

Dracut  Amber  Grape-Manning  in  New  Eng- 
land  Parm.r._This  is  a  New  grape,  but  little  dis- 
semmated;  origin,   Dracut,  Mass.,  from  seed.     It 


< 


Wiit,  darter's  Jlonthlg^ 


27 


ripened  this  season,  the  week  before  the  great  frost. 


considering  it  probably  the  best  Pear  of  the  season. 
It  is  the  one  we  referred  to  last  month  as  having  been 
raised  by  the  Hon.  S.  Walker,  Roxbury,  Mass. 

proof  of  merit.     It  is  a  strong  gr^owir '  hardy  great    „'^^^,^^^j^^'«  P^AR.-Has  been  fruited  by  Messrs. 
bearer,  color  amber,  or  reddish'tinge,  cWr'lfrg       ll^eTtLT  DoV'^'^^T.  ^'  ""'."'^t  ''''^''^'  ^^ 

generallycompact,butsometimesloos;,  berries  large     mosrvlablfoTr'     ^^''t'^'  ^""^  ''  '"'  "'  '^' 
ftnrl  «iio-htw  ^,roi .  1,^1.1  .«  *u.  ,.,....__  .'. ^,'  I  ^^^^  valuable  of  all  varieties.     It  was  cultivated  six- 
teen years  ago  by  Sinclair  &  Co.,  Baltimore.     The 
following    is  the    description :  — Minute    greenish 
specks ;  stem  rather  short,  about  half  an  inch  long, 
moderately  stout,  straight  and  inserted  without  any 
cavity ;  eyes  large,  open,  and  but  little  depressed  in 
a  rather  small,  furrowed,  uneven  basin ;  segments 
of  the  calyx  short,  broad,  connected ;  flesh  yellowish 
white,  fine,  melting,  and  very  juicy ;   flavor  brisk, 
slightly  vinous,  exceedingly  rich,  with  a  pleasant 
aroma;   core  medium  size;  seeds  small.     Ripe  in 


October  1st,  which  destroyed  most  of  the  best  class 
of  grapes  for  table  use.  The  fact  of  its  ripening  ten 
days  earlier  than  the  Concord  grape,  is  sufficient 


and  slightly  oval ;  hold  on  the  cluster  very  well.  It 
possesses  the  foxy  character  to  a  moderate  extent. 
It  is  a  good  eating  grape,  but  not  equal  to  a  well- 
ripened  Concord  or  Isabella. 

Mount  Vernon  Pear.— Size,  above  medium, 
from  3  inches  by  2  7-16,  to  2\  by  2| ;  form,  obvate 
inclining  to  pyriform  ;  skin  apparently  a  warm  rus- 
set,  but  on  a  closer  examination  profusely  mottled 
with  russet  net  work  on  a  yellow  ground,  sometimes 

with  an  orange  cheek;  stem  one-half  an  inch  long    ,   .„„.  o,,^  ^  sei^us 

by  three-sixteenths  thick,  inserted  usually  by  a  lip,    September,  and  keeps  a  lone  time 


with  a  little  or  no  depression ;  calyx  open,  set  in  a 
narrow,  superficial  basin ;  core,  rather  large ;  seed, 
above  medium,  acuminate,  plump,  pale  cinnamon 
color,  with  an  angle  on  the  inner  edge  of  the  blunt 
end;  flesh,  greenish-white,  granular,  melting;  flavor, 
rich  and  vinous,  with  a  delicate  aroma;  quality' 
*•  very  good;"  maturity,  last  of  October  and  begin- 
ning of  November. 


The  Oporto  Grape.— Has  been  recently  des- 
cribed in  the  Country  GenUeman  and  Horticulturist  as 
a  new  kind  of  merit.  The  last  named  journal  says 
of  it:  "The  bunch  is  small,  slightly  shouldered; 
berries  small,  black,  round,  with  a  dark  purple 
coloring  matter  under  the  skin ;  pulp  firm  and  mu- 
cilaginous, resembles  the  Marion.  Not  a  good  table 
grape,  but  may  do  for  wine." 

A  New  Fruit  prom  China.— Has  been  intro- 
duced by  Mr.  Fortune  into  England.  It  is  a  scariet 
fruit,  rough  on  the  exterior  like  the  fruit  ball  of  the 
buttonwood ;  a  stone  like  a  plum  in  the  centre.  It 
is  called  Yang-mae  by  the  Chinese,  and  supposed  to 
be  a  species  of  Myrica. 

Cuyahoga  Grape.— In  our  volume  for  1859  we 
stated  that  specimens  which  we  had  received  of  this 
variety  proved,  so  far  as  flavor  was  concerned,  of  the 
highest  excellence.  It  seems  to  be  well  thought  of 
in  other  localities.  We  annex  the  foUowing  des- 
cription : 

Bunch  oblong  obvate,  blunt  pointed,  averaging 
four  inches  long,  and  three  wide.  Berries  yellowish 
white,  usually  about  one-half  inch  in  diameter ;  skin 
thin  and  transparent ;  flesh  sweet  and  pulpless  — 
Leaves  very  small,  mostly  three  lobed,  the  lobes  some- 
what straight ;  the  leaves  very  thick  and  leathery, 
and  with  a  smooth  and  glossy  upper  surface. 

It  has  the  most  distinctly  marked  foliage  of  any 
native  grape  we  know. 


This  fine  Pear  is  probably  a  natural  cross  between 
the  Beurre  Gris  andFigue  d'Alencon. 

The  above  description  and  outline  of  two  varying 
specimens  we  owe  to  the  kindness  of  Dr.  W.  D 
Brinckle,  who,  in  a  private  note,  agrees  with  us  in 


feoraFxHr   Infpni^FnrF* 


Crat(egu8  cordata.— Of  the  beauty  of  this  kind 
when  grown  as  an  ornamental  tree,  a  correspondent 
writes  as  follows.  It  is  commonly  called  Washington 
Thorn :  "  The  Cordata  Thorn  wiU,  I  thmk,  be  among 


§lut  barter's  JIlontMg. 


the  most  ornamental  trees  in  fruit  in  this  section  of 
country,  ^Northern  Pennsylvania;.  Tree  very  up- 
riglit,  15  to  20  feet  high ;  berries  very  bright  and 
hold  on  longer  here  than  the  Coccinea,  which  on  our 
mountains  is  very  splendid  in  fruit,  but  here  has  at 
this  time  lost  leaves  and  fruit." 


A  Special  Manure— A^o<  Patented,— At  the  Wood- 
bury plowing  match,  Mr.  John  Daw  told  the  follow- 
ing anecdote : 

Having  drained  a  field  where  nothing  had  ever 
grown  before,  I  was  standing  near  looking  at  a  crop 
I  had  there,  when  a  neighboring  fiirmer  came  up. 
We  had  one  or  two  loose  farmers  in  our  neighbor- 
hood ;  one  of  them,  in  fact,  came  from  Woodbury, 
[laughter]  ;  but  that  is  not  the  man  I  am  speaking 
of.     He  came  up  and  said  to  me  : 

"That  is  a  bootiful  crop!     How  did  he  set  it 

sir?"  ^        ' 

I  replied:  *' Brains."     [Laughter.] 

"What!  manure  the  field  wi'brains?"  [More 
laughter.  ] 

"  Yes.  "     [Renewed  laughter.  ] 
He  replied:    "Goodness,  yer  honor,  where  did 
you  get  um  ?' '     [Roars  of  laughter.  ] 


Peak  Stocks.— Mr.  Phoenix  says  in  the  Prairie 
firmer;- Without  having  tried  it  fthough  we  mean 
to  this  winter;  we  give  the  following  as  the  practice 
of  a  New  York  man  experienced  in  handling  pear 
stocks:  When  pear  stocks  arrive,  dig  a  trench 
about  a  foot  deep  and  two  feet  wide.  Heel  the 
stocks  in  bottom  of  this  trench,  having  a  space  of 
eight  inches  between  top  of  earth  in  trench  and  sur- 
face of  ground.  Cover  whole  trench  with  boards 
and  then  earth  to  a  suitable  depth  to  keep  from 
freezing.  Soon  as  warm  weather  is  like  to  come  in 
Spring,  graft  them,  tying  joint  with  flax  or  soft  bass 
bark,  and  never  let  them  dry  in  the  least  degree,  using  a 
short  root  and  long  scion,  and  plantmg  out  immedi- 
ately in  open  ground. 

He  also  advises  to  plant  pear  stocks  or  grafts  over 
trenches  dug  20  inches  deep,  and  a  spade  or  so  in 
width— the  trenches  being  fiUed  fuU  of  best  surface 
soil,  made  rich  with  rotten  manure. 


Raspberries.— Experience  of  Rev.  Mr.  Knox,  of 
Pittsburg,  Pa: — 

He  has  ten  acres,  very  densely  planted  with  over 
twenty  varieties.  The  Fastolfl",  Red  Antwerp,  and 
Hudson  River  Antwerp,  do  well  with  him,  but  his 
three  favorite  varieties  are  Brinckle's  Orange,  Fran- 
conia,  and  Improved  American  Black  Cap.  Brinck- 
le's  Orange,  Mr.  Knox  considers  the  finest  flavored, 
of  large  size,  beautiful  color,  unvarying  productive- 
ness, and  delicious  flavor.     The  Franconia  berry  is 


not  so  highly  flavored,  but  is  very  large.  Its  size 
and  color  render  it  attractive,  and  ever  procure  for 
it  a  ready  market.  It  is  enormously  productive,  and 
continues  a  long  time  in  bearing.  The  Improved 
American  Black  Cap  is  much  superior  to  the  com- 
mon Black  Cap.  The  fruit  is  sweet  and  juicy,  and 
very  large— sometimes  measuring  three  quarters  of  an 
inch  in  diameter. 


Experimental  Gardens.— We  are  glad  to  see 
that  the  suggestions  we  made  in  our  last  October 
issue  is  receiving  attention.  We  hope  some  of 
of  our  readers  will  send  us  their  ideas  about  their 
practical  management.  We  may  have  something 
to  say  also  on  the  subject,  at  a  future  tune.  The 
following  is  from  Life  Illustrated: — 

What  shall  we  Plant?— The  article  with  this  title, 
copied  m  our  rural  department  from  the  Gardener's 
Monthly^  is  worthy  of  especial  attention.  We  com- 
mend its  perusal  to  our  readers,  and  that  portion 
thereof  which  refers  to  experimental  gardens  to  the 
notice  of  the  managers  of  the  American  Institute. 

We  believe  it  was  the  intention  of  the  founders  of 
the  Institute  to  have  had  something  of  this  kind 
connected  therewith,  and  we  think  it  is  about  time 
to  be  about  it.  Fairs,  judging  from  the  success  of 
the  past  two  years,  are  "played  out."  Let  us  have 
an  hundred-acre  garden  on  the  Long  Island  Barrens, 
and  that,  too,  without  delay.  It  will  pay  in  more 
ways  than  one. 

Ivy  and  Damp  Walls.— Our  local  papers  tell  us 
that  the  oldest  specimen  of  the  Evergreen  English 
Ivy  in  Philadelphia,  a  noble  specimen,  covering 
many  hundreds  of  square  feet,  has  been  cut  away 
by  the  owner,  because  "it  made  the  walls  damp.  " 
Sometimes  people  seem  strangely  infatuated.  Ivy 
renders  walls  dry.  The  leaves  prevent  heavy  rains 
from  getting  to  the  wall,  and  what  little  dampness 
finds  a  place  there,  is  immediately  absorbed  by  the 
miUions  of  httle  rootlets,  by  which  the  branches 
adhere  to  the  wall.  The  dampness  no  doubt  origi- 
nated from  choked  spouts,  and  we  presume  the 
sacrifice  of  the  ivy  will  make  httle  difference. 


The  First  Ohio  Vineyard,  was  planted  by  Mr. 
Ammen,  for  Mr.  Longworth,  with  the  Schuylkill 
Grape,  four  miles  from  Cincinnati,  m  1843.  It  is 
still  bearing  well.  Vineyards  of  foreign  vines  were 
planted  long  before,  but  were  all  failures. 


Introduction  op  the  Catawba  Grape.— Major 
Adlum,  of  Georgetown,  D.  C,  sent  it  to  Mr.  Long- 
worth  in  1825,  when  Mr.  L.  introduced  it  for  vmery 
and  culture  in  Cincinnati. 


i>lt  iarhntr's  ilanijiy. 


Apples  for  Georgia.— Mr.  Van  Buren  says  in 
Southern  Field  and  Fireside,  that  the  Sumerour 
Shockley,  Home,  Mountain  Belle,  Camack's  Sweet' 
have  so  resisted  the  heat  of  last  summer,  that  while 
northern  varieties  have  long  been  eaten,  these  are 
Tend  of  ISTov. )  now  sound. 


Soil  AND  Climate  op  Central  Minnesota— A 
correspondent  at  Minneapolis,  writing  Nov.  16th, 
says:— "I  have  been  ploughing  to-day  a  field  of 
common  hazel  prairie,  which  appeared  to  be  not  less 
than  two  feet  of  black  sandy  loam,  and  so  abundant 
m  mould  that  the  plough  would  not  clean. 

The  heat  of  the  summer  sun  is  moderated  by  the 
cool  breezes,  wliich  are  nearly  always  to  be  felt." 

The  First  Indiana  Vineyards  were  planted  with 
bchuylkill  Grape  by  the  Swiss,  at  Vevay,  in  1805. 


of  nutmeg,  in  powder,  to  cover  a  sixpence,  and  a 
teaspoonful  of  ChiU  vinegar.  Spinach  dressed  in 
this  manner  is  an  applicable  accompaniment  to  veal 
or  boded  mutton ;  with  roast  meat  it  is  advisable  to 
serve  it  plain.— J'/or.  Cab. 


yoppjgn  InfpIfigFnrp. 


Fairchild,  after  whom  so  many  of  our  old  fruits 
and  plants  were  named,  was  a  gardener  near  London 
and  distinguished  as  the  Author  of  the  "City  Gar- 
dener," a  work  pubUshed  there  in  1773. 


i.prljppxSyruihg'^pgpraWps. 

Baked  Beans.— Few  people  know  the  luxury  of 
baked  beans,  simply  because  few  cooks  properly  pre- 
pare them.     Beans,  generally,  are  not  cooked  half 
long  enough.     This  is  a  sure  method :  Two  quarts 
of  middling-sized  white  beans,  two  pounds  of  salt 
pork,  and  one  spoonful  of  molasses ;  pick  the  beans 
over  carefully,  wash  them,  and  add  a  gallon  of  boil- 
ing hot  soft  water;  let  them  soak  in  it  over  night- 
m  the  morning,  put  them  in  fresh  water,  and  boil 
gently  till  the  skin  is  very  tender  and  about  to  break 
addmga  teaspoonful  of  saleratus ;  take  them  up  dry 
put  them  in  your  dish,  stir  in  the  molasses ;  gash  the 
pork  and  put  it  down  in  the  dish,  so  as  to  have  the 
beans  cover  all  but  the  upper  surface ;  turn  in  boiling 
water  till  the  top  is  just  covered ;  bake  them  with  a 
steady  fire,  four  or  five  hours ;  watch  them  and  add 
more  water  from  time  to  time  as  it  dries  away.— 
Ohio  Farmer. 


MuLcniNG.-The  early  part  of  the  past  summer 
was  so  dry  in  France  and  Belgium,  that  the  Market 
Gardeners  very  generally  resorted  to  the  practice  of 
mulchmg  with  straw,  kept  damp  by  occasional  wat- 
enngs.  This  hint  may  be  of  service  to  some  of  our 
California  readers. 


Grafting  the  Carnation. -Fine  double  varieties 
of  the  Carnation  are  easily  propagated  by  cleft  or 
side  grafting,  on  common  or  single  stocks,  they  can 
also  be  grafted  on  the  Saponaria  officinalis,  the  '  Boun- 
cing Betsy"  of  American  door-yards,  by  taking  pieces 
of  the  root  about  one  inch  long,  and  from  one-third 
to  one-half  an  inch  in  diameter,  preserving  as  many 
of  the  fibres  as  possible.     Then  take  a  branch  or 
shoot  of  the  Carnation  about  six  or  eight  inches  Ion- 
and  graft  it  by  side  grafting  on  the  side  of  the  piece 
of  root  at  the  upper  end.     The  best  time  for  doinn- 
this  is  about  the  middle  of  May.     Plant  them  close 
together  and  cover  with  a  bell  glass.     No  bottom 
heat  IS  required.— GMtrfe  du  Jardinier  fleurist 


Apple  Custard.-To  make  the  cheapest  and 
best  every-day  farmer's  apple  custard,  take  sweet 
apples  that  will  cook;  pare,  cut,  and  stew  them  • 
when  well  done,  stir  till  the  pieces  are  broken ;  when 
cool,  thin  with  milk  to  a  proper  consistency,  and 
bake  with  one  crust,  like  a  pumpkin  pie.  Eggs  may 
be  prepared  and  added  with  milk,  if  handy,  though 
it  will  do  without.  No  sweetening  is  necessary,  "it 
may  be  seasoned  with  any  kind  of  spice  to  suit  the 
taste ;  the  less  the  better. 


Severe  Frosts  in  San  JosE.-Frosts  have  been 
unusually  severe  in  this  section  the  present  year 
more  so  than  they  have  been  for  the  past  eleven 
years.  On  the  7th  September  it  was  so  cold  that  ice 
made  to  the  thickness  of  half  a  dollar.  The  cold 
continued  three  days  and  nights.  As  an  evidence 
the  mercury  fell  to  380  inside  a  greenhor^e.-Califor. 
ma  farmer.  "^ 


Spinach  in  Consomme.— Boil  the  spinach  in  the 
usual  manner,  then  roll  it  up  into  balls,  and  stew  it 
briskly  in  veal  broth  well  seasoned,  adding  enough 


Double  Convolvulus. -Mr.  Beaton  says  in  Lon- 
don CoUage  Gardener,  that  Calystegia  pubescens  is  the 
only  double  variety  of  Convolvulaceous  plant  known 

ihis  IS  a  mistake,  Messrs.  Loddiges,  of  Hack' 
ney  near  London,  once  had  in  their  collection  a 
double  variety  of  Ipomoca  panduratus,  and  the 
same  variety  stiU  exists  in  some  American  collec- 
tions. 


Ferns.--  They  are  destitute  of  flowers  and  fruit 


.^ 


1 1 ' 


i.. 


r^n 


I! 


©hi}  §mitmfB  Jttonthlg- 


and  yet  they  please;  there  is  nothing  brilliant  or 
dazzling  about  them  and  yet  they  charm,  we  admire 
them  as  we  do  a  modest  virgin,  who  hides  her  charms 
under  the  veil  of  innocence. — V HorticuUeur  Praticien. 


Culture  op  Solanum  Capsicastrum. — The  fol- 
lowing detail  of  my  success  in  cultivating  this  beau- 
tiful biennial  plant  may  be  useful  to  many  of  your 
correspondents. 

In  January  last  I  sowed  the  seeds  in  pans,  placed 
them  in  bottom  heat,  and  kept  them  there  till  the 
plants  were  large  enough  to  be  removed  into  thumb- 
pots.  After  this  they  were  placed  in  a  warm  pit, 
kept  near  the  glass  to  keep  them  from  drawing  up 
till  they  had  filled  their  pots  with  roots.  I  then 
shifted  them  to  four-inch  pots,  plunged  them  into 
sawdust  up  to  the  rims  of  the  pots :  they  soon  made 
very  vigorous  growth.  I  applied  water  by  the 
syringe  daily,  as  I  find  this  plant  very  subject  to  the 
attacks  of  the  red  spider. 

At  the  beginning  of  April  I  was  obliged  to  re-pot 
the  plants  again  into  six-inch  pots,  plunging  as 
above,  and  still  keeping  the  syringe  at  work  till  the 
plants  showed  well  for  blooming,  which  was  in 
June.  "While  in  bloom  I  kept  them  free  from 
syringing,  and  at  a  much  higher  temperature  till 
they  had  set  their  fruit.  I  then  re-potted  them  in 
eight-inch  pots,  in  good,  rich  turfy  loam,  with  plenty 
of  leaf  mould  and  sand,  and  kept  them  watered  with 
weak  liquid  manure,  and  well  watering  them  with 
the  syringe  morning  and  evening  till  the  berries 
began  to  color.  I  then  removed  them  to  a  warm 
greenhouse,  stopping  all  the  points  except  the  lead- 
ing shoot.  The  plants  are  now  nearly  eighteen 
inches  high  and  fourteen  inches  across,  with  from 
forty  to  fifty  berries  on  them,  and  by  the  end  of  next 
month  I  hope  to  see  all  the  berries  quite  ripe.  They 
will  then  have  a  beautiful  appearance.  I  know  no 
plant,  with  the  exception  of  the  Ardisias  for  decora- 
ting purposes,  that  has  so  seasonable  an  appearance 
at  Christmas  time  as  the  Solanum  capsicastrum. — 
Tugs.  Rawbone,  Gardener f  Barlaston  Hall. — Cottage 
Gardener. 


Thirty  Thousand  Apples  on  a  Single  Tree. — 
Wm.  R.  May,  of  Pomfret,  (Ci.,)  picked  forty 
bushels  of  apples  from  one  tree.  He  had  the  curi- 
osity to  count  the  number  of  apples  in  one  peck, 
and  found  190,  making  760  in  one  bushel,  and  30,400 
apples  grew  upon  the  tree. 


II 


Hot  House  Grapes. — Mr.  Ayers,  a  distinguished 
British  gardener,  says  in  the  London  Gardener's 
Chronicle : — 

Looking  through  the  Grapes  at  present  in  cultiva- 


tion, it  appears  that  all  purposes  of  a  regular  sup- 
ply will  be  attained  with  the  following  varieties : — 
White — White  Frontignan,  Golden  Hamburgh,  and 
Charlsworth  Tokay.  Black — Black  Frontignan, 
Welbeck  Black  Tripoli,  Muscat  Hamburgh,  Mill 
Hill;  and  for  late  work.  Lady  Downe's  Seedling, 
Oldaker's  St.,  Peter,  and  Burchardt's  Prince.  If 
more  Vines  were  required  I  should  rather  duplicate 
with  some  of  the  best  of  the  preceding  than  plant 
a  larger  number  of  kinds. 


New  Paper  Plant — Hibiscus  Esculenius. — The 
French  have  found  the  fibre  of  this  equal  to  hemp 
for  course  linens,  and  are  introducing  it  extensively 
into  Algiers.  This  is  the  okra  of  our  gardens,  and 
it  might  at  any  rate  be  worthy  of  notice  by  our 
paper  manufacturers.  Many  of  our  swamp  species 
might  be  turned  to  useful  account. 


Gazania  rigens,  and  G.  splendens  are  highly 
spoken  of  in  English  journals,  as  bedding-plants.  If 
our  summers  do  not  prove  too  dry  for  them,  as  we 
think  probable,  they  will  prove  very  showy  acquisi- 
tions. The  two  kinds  are  often  confounded,  but 
are  very  different,  the  former  has  incised  or  toothed 
leaves,  the  last  quite  entire. 


Profit  and  Durability  of  Pot  Vines. — A 
writer  of  the  London  Florist  writes  on  Early  Grapes, 
in  which  the  writer  states  that  as,  according  to  the 
general  practice  of  fruiting  Vines  in  pots,  whereby 
a  fresh  supply  of  fruiting  plants  is  required  j'early, 
pot  growing  is  not  at  all  an  economical  system, 
whatever  other  advantages  it  may  possess.  "I  de- 
termined, therefore,"  says  he,  "some  years  back  to 
see  how  long  I  could  fruit  my  Vines  so  as  to  pay^  in 
the  same  pot;  and  having  succeeded  much  better 
than  I  anticipated,  I  beg  to  state  my  practice. " 
This  consists  in  taking  the  plants  in  August  for  next 
year's  fruiting,  shift  them  from  twelve  to  eighteen- 
inch  pots ;  some  in  eighteen-inch  square  boxes  also, 
and  allowed  to  grow  on  the  rest  of  the  season. 
Nothing  is  done  differing  materially  from  the  ordi- 
nary routine  of  forcing.  When  the  fruit  is  cut,  the 
Vines  are  allowed  to  remain  a  few  weeks  in  the 
house,  keeping  the  plants  and  foliage  clean  by 
syringing,  &c.,  and  giving  manure  water  occasion- 
ally. By  these  means  ^taking  the  Grapes  to  be  cut 
by  the  commencement  of  May^,  the  wood  is  well 
ripened,  by  the  middle  of  the  month  the  boxes  are 
placed  out  under  a  south  wall  or  paling,  where  they 
remain  till  the  end  of  August,  after  which  they  are 
shifted  under  a  north  wall  for  wintering ;  and  they 
are  allowed  to  receive  the  rain,  &c.  By  the  end  of 
October  they  are  transferred  to  a  dung  pit,  in  order 
to  swell  the  buds,  and  in  November  taken  into  the 


Wci\  ^ardfwr'js  Jtltjnfhig. 


fniiting-house,  the  wood  being  previously  pruned 
back  to  good  prominent  eyes.      Such  Vines  are 
found  to  break  much  more  freely  the  second  year, 
and  produce  larger  berries  and  bunches,  ripening 
also  near  a  month  earlier.      When  placed  in  the 
fruiting-house,  a  little  top-dressing  of  fresh  compost 
is  given,  and  a  thick  turf  pi^t  beneath  each  pot,  into 
which  the  roots  afterwards  find  their  way.     The 
Vines  produce  on  an  average  nine  or  ten  half-pound 
bunches  of  first-class  grapes,  which,  at  the  end  of 
March,  is  no  bad  work.     As  they  cannot  safely  be 
removed  from  the  house  earlier  than  the  end  of  May, 
they  have  all  the  air  they  can,  and  are  syringed  daily, 
to  keep  the  foliage  clean.     When  removed,  the  roots 
sent  into  the  turf  are  cut  clean  away,  and  manure 
water  is  given  through  the  summer.     The  third  sea- 
son's practice  is  the  same  as  the  preceding.      By 
pruning  to  good  plump  buds,  a  crop  of  good  quality 
is  certain,  whtch  colors  well,  and  is  free  from  shank- 
ing. The  Sweetwater,  Muscadine,  Chasselas  Musque, 
and  Frontignan,   are  generally  worn  out  by  the 
third  year.     Hamburghs  will  occasionally  last  four 
or  five  years,  but  then  a  good  deal  of  soil  will  re- 
quire to  be  renewed.     Keeping  plants  beyond  the 
third  year  is  not,  however,  advocated. 


Clement  of  Lyons,  France."  We  do  not  know  who 
originated  the  green  China,  but  it  has  been  in  the 
collections  of  most  American  Rose-Growers  the  past 
twelve  years  at  least.  The  Chronicle  suggests  that  it 
might  make  a  good  breeder.  If  scarlet  and  yellow 
could  be  introduced  with  the  green,  it  would  be  val- 
uable. 


The  Japan  Burdock  is  the  name  of  a  new  veg- 
etable introduced  from  Japan  by  M.  Siebold.  Its 
roots  resemble  in  taste  the  Artichoke,  and  attain  a 
weight  of  a  quarter  of  a  pound. — VHort.  Praticien. 


Forcing  Asparagus  in  the  open  ground.— M. 
Joigneaux  in  his  excellent  treatises  on  Culture  marai- 
chere  or  market  gardening,  gives  the  following  very 
simple  mode  of  forcing  asparagus  : 

' '  Dig  a  trench  about  two  feet  wide  and  about  twen- 
ty inches  deep  around  your  old  asparagus  bed,  fill  it 
with  hot  stable  manure  with  some  oak  leaves  mixed 
with  it ;  the  manure  should  be  heaped  up  about  six 
or  eight  inches  and  well  trampled,  then  place  boards 
on  edge  all  around  the  bed  outside  the  trenches,  se- 
curing them  with  stakes  driven  in  the  ground.  These 
boards  should  be  about  the  same  height  as  the  ma- 
nure, forming  a  kind  of  curb  all  around  the  bed,. then 
lay  across  the  bed,  resting  on  the  boards  on  edge 
and  on  the  manure,  some  old  boards,  doors  or  rails 
and  on  these  straw,  litter,  leaves  orpine  "shatters" 
to  keep  out  the  frost.  In  fifteen  days  the  asparagus 
shoots  will  make  their  appearance. 

Asparagus  can  in  this  way  be  forced  at  any  time 
during  the  winter,  but  it  is  less  injurious  to  the  plants 
or  roots  to  defer  it  until  about  the  first  to  the  middle 
of  February,  so  that  when  the  crop  is  cut  the  bed 
can  be  uncovered  and  the  plants  to  have  an  oppor- 
tunity of  completing  their  growth. 


Black  Currant  Wine. — Under  the  name  of 
Liquer  de  Cassis^  is  being  produced  to  a  vast  extent, 
superceding  the  vine  in  many  districts  of  France. 
There  are  between  one  and  two  million  plants  cul- 
tivated for  wine-making  near  Dijon,  producing 
from  this  town  alone  near  two  thousand  gallons  of 
wine  annually. 

Hot-houses  by  the  Acre  is  the  newest  idea 
started  in  England.  It  is  proposed  to  cover  whole 
vegetable  and  fruit  gardens,  with  glass,  one  single 
mammoth  house,  the  roof  to  be  on  the  ridge  and 
furrow  principle. 

New  English  Work  on  Fruit,  by  Dr.  Robert 
Hogg,  the  Fruit  Manual^  is  highly  spoken  of  by  the 
English  papers  as  a  work  of  great  excellence. 


CuPRESSUS  Macrocarpa  and  C.  Lambertiana^ 
Beaton  says,  in  Cottage  Gardener  has  been  raised  in 
Kew  from  the  same  seed,  and  are  of  course  to  be 
considered,  therefore,  as  mere  varieties  of  each  other. 


The  Green  Rose.— The  Bengal  verte  or  green 
Rose,  according  to  the  Gardener's  Chronicle  is  one  of 
the  lastest  novelties  in  England.  It  says  it  "was 
first  introduced  to  the  worid  "  in  1856,  by  Pere  & 


Office  of  the  Seed  of  Plants. — Dr.  Daubeny, 
a  distinguished  English  Philosopher,  supposes  that 
the  office  of  the  seed  is  not  to  ensure  the  perpetuity 
of  the  race,  but  to  provide  for  endless  variety.  He 
contends  that  one  of  the  simplest  modes  of  insuring 
continuity  of  individual  forms  would  be  by  buds  and 
offsetts  naturally,  as  we  increase  the  Weeping  Wil- 
low by  cuttings  ;  but  by  sexual  contact  of  individual 
plants  with  one  another,  no  two  broods  result  ex- 
actly alike. 

A  better  means  of  disseminating  the  species,  and 
of  producing  endless  variety  of  form,  he  considers 
the  true  office  of  the  seed,  and  not  that  it  is  peculiar- 
ly "the  most  natural  mode  of  propagation." 


Horticulture  in  France.— The  Scottish  Gar- 
dener says,  so  great  is  the  attention  the  French  Gov- 
ernment has  bestowed  on  horticulture,  that  it  be- 
lieves at  no  distant  day  France  will  become  the  gar- 
den of  Europe. 


ti'i 


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I.V.J 


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il 


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i;iu{  (llartoer'a  Jttonlhlg. 


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[^orHruIfuFal  ^mttm. 


NEW  HAVEN  LECTURES. 

ITorticultural  lectures  to  commence  Tuesdajr,  February  5th,  and 
continue  throughout  the  week.  -rr-TTTvfw 

American  Pomology, M.  P.  vvlLDEU. 

PEARg P.  B.    MEAD. 

Guape's,  '  .    ' 1*R-  GRANT. 

Ornamental  and  Exotic  Gardening,    .    .    S.  B.  PARSONS. 

Pkl'ninq  and  Transplanting,    ....      P.   BARRY. 

Propagation, THOS.  HOGG. 

Fruit  and  Flowers  in  City  Yards,  .        .     R.  G.  PARDEE, 

Otlier  subjects  by  other  lecturers. 

Second  Week SCIENCES. 

Third        " AGRICULTURE, 

FocRTU     " DOMESTIC  ANIMALS 

During  the  fourth  week,  four  lectures  on  the  subjugation  and  ed- 
U"  ition  of  the  horse,  with  demonstrations  on  two  living  animals. 

For  further  particulars  address,  JOHN  A.  PORTER,  New  Haven. 

*»mt 

MATTEY  CO.  (TENN.)  HORTICULTURAL 

SOCIETY. 

Wo  have  received  the  Annual  Address  of  M.  S.  Frierson,  Esq., 
President  of  the  Society,  from  which  we  learn  that  the  enthusiasm 
manifested  at  the  commencement  of  the  Society's  existence  has 
cooled  somewhat.  The  President,  however,  is  determined  that 
"  there  shall  be  no  such  word  as  fail"  in  its  ultimate  success,  and 
after  reminding  Tennesseans  that  of  the  many  popular  fruits  rained 
in  the  North,  the  South  and  "West,  not  one  has  the  honor  of  having 
originated  in  Tennessee, he  makes  the  following  liberal  proposition: 

"  As  an  evidence  of  my  earnest  solicitude  for  this  enterprise,  I 
place  under  the  control  of  the  Society,  whenever  necessary,  the  sum 
of  one  hundred  dollars,  to  be  awarded  as  premiums. 

"Ist.  Twenty-five  dollars  for  the  best  new  seedling  Peach,  of  su- 
perior quality  and  flavor  to  any  now  grown  in  the  State,  and  of 
large  size. 

"2nd.  Fifteen  dollars  for  the  best  new  seedling  Apricot  of  superior 
quality  and  flavor  to  any  now  cultivated  in  the  State,  and  to  be  at 
least  of  medium  size. 

"3rd.  Fifteen  dollars  for  the  best  new  hardy  seedling  Grape  of 
like  quality  and  flavor,  of  fair  size,  and  fit  for  out-door  cultivation. 

"4th.  Ten  dollars  each  for  the  best  seedling  Currant  and  Goowe- 
berry,  adapted  to  cultivation  in  this  latitude  and  of  fair  size. 

"6th.  Ten  dollars  each  for  the  best  new  seedling  Raspberry  and 
Strawberry,  of  superior  quality,  flavor  and  size,  to  any  now  in  cul- 
tivation. 

"  6th.  Five  dollars  for  the  best  new  seedling  Rose  of  merit. 

"  These  premiums  are  to  be  awarded  to  mem])erH  of  the  society, 
or  to  thone  wlio  may  become  such  by  the  first  of  May  next.  Presi- 
dent antl  Directors,  or  such  juflges  as  they  shall  select,  shall  award 
s.ai<l  premiums,  after  allowing  ample  time  for  growing  trees  and 
maturing  the  fruits  and  flowers." 

We  liope  Mr.  Frierson's  public  spirit  will  bo  warmly  seconded, 
and  that  other  jmrts  of  Tennessee  will  find  imitators  in  the  laudable 
ambition  to  elevate  the  horticultural  character  of  the  State. 

HORTICULTURAL    SOCIETY    AT 
HANNIBAL,   MO. 

We  learn  that  the  preliminary  steps  have  been  taken  for  ft  Horti- 
cultural Society  as  above.  Both  the  fruit-growers  and  fruit-con- 
sumers of  that  enterprising  city  will  find  such  a  Society,  properly 
conducted,  greatly  conducive  to  their  interests,  and  all  should  take 
a  lively  interest  in  it. 

FRUIT-GROWERS'  SOCIETY  OF  EASTERN 
PENNSYLVANIA. 

The  Execntivc  Committee  of  our  Society  met,  a  few  days  since, 
and  decided  to  hold  the  next  meeting  of  the  Fniit-Growers'  S«M'iety 
of  Eiistern  Pennsylvania  in  Reading,  Pa.,  on  the  FIRST  WEDNES- 
DAY OF  FEBRUARY,  1861,  which  will  be  the  Second  Annual  Meet- 
ing. 

Job.  B.  Gray,  Secretary. 

4«»»» 

POMOLOGICAL  CONVENTION. 

NOTE  BY  MR.  LYON. 

With  the  constant  noise  from  the  street,  and  the  eonseqnent 
difficulty  we  all  had  in  understanding  properly  during  the  recent 
Pomoluglcal  Meeting  in  your  city,  it  is  not  surprising  that  errors 


should  occur  in  yonr  report  of  its  proceedings.    Permit  me,  while 
writing,  to  make  a  few  corrections  that  occur  to  me: 

At  tlie  foot  of  page  6,  I  am  made  to  say  of  Cogswell  or  Forn- 
walder, — "  My  trees  bear  well,  and  the  fruit  is  coming  into  great 
favor  in  our  State;  they  are  in  demand  and  are  sold  at  good 
prices."  This  I  could  not  have  said,  as  my  acquaintance  with 
neither  of  the  varieties  would  warrant  such  a  remark.  I  think 
something  of  this  kind  was  said  by  another  person. 

On  page  10  you  say  "  Early  Joe  was  not  added  ;"  while  by  look- 
ing to  the  list  on  page  .36  we  find  it  among  the  recent  additions, 
which  accords  with  my  impressions. 

On  page  10,  (second  column),  I  am  made  to  say,  in  speaking  of 
the  Bonum  Apple,  "Specimens  I  saw  two  years  ago  were  very 
beautiful."  What  I  said  was,  "  that  the  specimens  I  then  saw  were 
much  larger  than  these." 

On  page  11, 1  am  made  to  say  "  I  received,  <fcc.,  (see  report.)  The 
fact  as  stated  was  that  I  recently  received  specimens  of  an  apple 
from  Southern  Michitran  which  was  apparently  the  same  as  this, 
and  which  cam*  to  this  State  some  years  since  from  Kentucky,  by 
way  of  Indiana. 

On  page  14,  "  Pound  Royal"  should  be  Pomme  Royal,  as  Pound 
Royal  is  anotlier  and  a  distinct  variety. 

On  page  20,  Gooseberries  "  Martin's  Seedling,"  should  be  Moun- 
tain Seedling  of  Lebanon. 

On  page  22,  second  column,  my  closing  remark  should  be — Its 
correctness  to  name  could  not,  of  course,  be  vouched  for.  This 
remark  applies  to  the  Clara  grape.  On  the  same  page,  in  speaking 
of  To  Kalon,  as  to  its  liability  to  mildew,  I  merely  said  I  had  seen 
no  signs  of  mildew. 

On  page  25,  in  speaking  of  the  Emily  grape,  I  stated  that  I  had 
received  a  plant  wliich  proved  to  be  worthless  instead  of  "  worthy. " 

On  page  27,  in  speaking  of  the  flavor  of  the  Sterling  Pear,  my  re- 
mark was  that  it  was  too  sweet  for  many  tastes,  or  words  to  that 
effect. 

I  send  yon  the  above  corrections,  in  accordance  with  your  sug- 
gestions, but  I  am  by  no  means  strenuous  as  to  their  publication. 
Most  of  the  errors  are  of  such  a  nature  that  readers  will  readily 
infer  that  they  must  be  such.  You  will  therefore  exercise  your 
own  discretion  as  to  their  insertion. 

[The  above  reached  us  too  late  for  our  last  summary.  We  differ 
with  our  friend  as  to  the  importance  of  correcting  the  "  trifling 
errors."  We  wish  to  claim  for  our  work  the  reputation  of  standard 
accuracy,  which  can  only  be  obtained  by  careful  corrections  of 
"trifles."  We  are  obliged  by  the  trouble  he  has  taken  to  set  us 
right.— Ed.] 

«■■•»    — 

MEETING  OF  THE  OHIO  POMOLOGICAL 

SOCIETY. 

AT  CINCINNATI,  JANUARY  16th  AND  17Tn,  1S61. 

The  past  season  having  been  unusually  favorable  for  fruit  crops, 
ha.s  awakened  fresh  interest  in  the  public  mind  on  the  subject  of 
Pomology.  It  has  been  a  year  of  real  prokjress  in  horticulture; 
much  new  and  valuable  experience  has  been  gained,  and  many 
new  fruits  have  been  tested  for  the  first  time.  It  is  important, 
therefore,  that  we  ^hould  come  together  and  freely  communicate 
to  each  other,  and  to  the  public,  the  results  of  our  observations  and 
experiments. 

The  meeting  has  been  appointed  at  a  season  of  comparative 
leisure,  and  in  the  midst  of  a  community  of  much  intelligence  and 
zeal  in  horticultural  pursuits;  so  that  a  large  attendance  and 
much  interesting  discussion  may  be  confidently  expected.  A  cor- 
dial invitation  is  extended  to  fruit-growers,  nurserymen,  amateurs 
and  aU  interested  residents  of  other  States,  as  well  as  of  Ohio,  to 
meet  with  us  and  participate  in  the  discus-sions. 

Specimens  a/  choice  fruits  are  also  solicited  for  exhibition  at  the 
meeting— especially  of  winter  pears  and  such  ai)ples  as  are  not 
generally  known.  Packages  of  fruit  for  this  purpose,  may  he  for- 
warded by  express,  care  S.  W.  Haseltine  &  Co.,  Walnut  Street, 
Cincinnati.  The  meeting  will  be  held  in  the  Room  of  the  Horti- 
cultural Society,  corner  of  Sixth  and  Walnut  Street.  By  order  of 
the  Committee:        M.  B.  BATEHAM,  Sec'y.       Columbus,  1860. 


HINTS  FOR  FRUIT  GROWERS'  SOCIETIES. 

BY  J.  B.  GARBER,  COLUMBIA,  PA. 

As  the  Second  Annual  Session  of  the  "  Fruit  Growers'  Associa- 
tion  of  Pennsylvania,"  will  be  held  at  Reading,  on  the  frst 
Wednesday  of  February,  1S61,  (Feb.  6th.).  I  desire  to  throw  out 
a  suggestion,  and  would  be  pleased  to  see  it  acted  on.  Last  Febru- 
ary, at  Lancaster,  your  friend,  Mr.  Crans,  of  Mount  Airy,  near  Ger- 
mautown,  set  a  precedent  well  worthy  of  imitation,  and  to  be  con- 
tinued !  He  brought  with  him  a  large  lot  of  "  eyes"  for  gratuitous 
distribution,  of  a  very  promising  new  Grape— the  "  Maxatawny." 
I  would  like  to  see  so  noble  and  worthy  an  ex»mple,  generally 
followed  by  the  member  and  visitors,  who  may  have  any  val- 
uable new  varieties  of  fruits  in  their  possession.  At  least  those 
who  do  not  care  about  making  a  speculation  out  of  it. 

[We  have  headed  Mr.  Garber's  communication  with  a  general 
application,  as  wo  consider  the  suggestion  in  every  way  a  happy 
one. — En.] 


1 


y 


i 


if 


Ult  11 


r, 


! 


GRAND    ADHIMBLE   PMCH. 


^^^^'^^"^^^^'^^^^^^^W^W^W^WW^^'^^W^ 


>> ,,,,,,,,, 


•^•^•^5JS^55S^^!^^S5I5SpJr 


DEVOTED    TO 

llopHralfarp,  2Kri&oriruI!urp,  fofang  %•  jBiural  Mfairs. 


THOMAS    MEEHAN.    Editor.  FEBRUARY,    1861. 


VOL.  III.— NO  2. 


35inh  for  ypfiruarg* 


FLOWER 


PLEASURE 


GARDEN  AND 
GROUND. 

Those  who  are  skilled  in  what  we  would  term  the 
science  of  Landscape  Gardening,  tell  us  that  the  effect 
of  any  effort  in  the  art  is  to  be  judged  by  its  expres- 
sion. As  this  is  particularly  the  season  of  the  year 
when  improvements  are  in  progress,  it  should  not  be 
forgotten  that, 

♦'  To  him  who  in  the  love  of  nature  holds 
Communion  with  her  visible  forms,  she  speaks 
A  various  language." 

and  also,  one  which  he  well  knows  how  to  interpret 
and  understand.  Whatever  the  improver  does  will 
speak  not  only  for  or  against  his  taste,  but  will  be  per- 
petually talking  to  him  in  his  various  moods,  and  ex- 
pressing thoughts  and  opinions  to  others  of  which, 
perhaps,  even  he  himself  had  never  dreamed.  "Ye 
may  know  a  man  by  his  garden  ;"  not  only  what  he  is 
but  also  what  he  is  not,  and  what  he  might  have 
been. 

We  have  in  our  eye  a  pleasant  spot,  at  least  one 
wiiich  might  be  a  pleasant  one.     As  you  pass  along 
the  highroad  you  see  a  splendid  lawn,  noble  trees, 
and  through  them  you  occasionally  get  a  glimpse  of 
a  fine  old  mansion,  appearing  finer  than  it  really  is 
by  the  full  view  being  partially  broken  by  the  trees. 
But  though  the  well  kept, lawn  demands  your  ap- 
plause, and  the  grand  evergreens  and   deciduous 
trees  cannot  fail  to  win  your  veneration, — there  is 
no  warmth  of  feeling  experienced  for  the  place  as  a 
whole.     Something  is  wanting.    There  is  no  exprcs- ' 
sion  of  life  ;  you  can  with  difficulty  realize  that  any  I 
one  lives  there,  or  if  the  house  contradicts  your  feel- 
ings, it  must  be  that  it  is  inhabited  by  some  hermit, 
who  in  disgust  with  the  world  and  the  "rest  of  man- 
kind," has  shut  himself  up  to  meditate  on  his  own  sins 
and  un worthiness,  and  tells  you  that  he  desires  none  of 
your  company.      All  this  results  from  having  the 
carriage-road  on  a  bye  lane,  because  "we  must  not 
think  of  cutting  up  our  beautiful  green  front."     It  is 
a  great  mistake.     The  carriage-road,  or  at  least  its 
entrance,   should  be  the  most  prominent  object  of 
approach,     "^o  place  is  complete  without  it,  and  the 


eration 
<{)^rt 
sur- 
the   surface, 
ver there 


sacrifice  of  a  portion  of  our  friend's  "green  front" 
to  affect  it,  would  be  a  greater  proportionate  gain  to 
the  whole  effect. 

In  our  last  we  gave  some  suggestions  for  road 
making  from  the  experience  of  the  New  York  Central 
Park,  which  is  w 
of  water  on  road 
of  the  inexperienced, 
face  water  should  be  carried  over 
wherever  it  is  possible 
is  danger  of  heavy 
carried  under  the  s 
attached  to  collect  t 
that  would  otherwise 
stone  should  be  laid  as 
ble,  and  no  more  gravel 
cover  the  stones. 

In  all    permanent  impro' 
groundSjdraining  should  occupy  a  prominent  position. 
Drains  are  laid  often  in  so  that  they  cannot  act,  or 
soon  become  inoperative,  when  the  report  arises  that 
"so-and-so  expended  vast  sums  on  draining,  and  it 
has  done  no  good."     The  bottom  of  the  trench  pre- 
pared for  the  drain — tiles,  bricks  or  stones — should 
be  dug  to  one  regular  grade.     If  one  part  of  the  drain 
be  on  a  lower  grade  than  the  rest  below  it,  dirt  will 
lodge  there  and  choke  it ;  water  will  rise  to  its  own 
level,  and  all  escape,  except  wliatis  in  the  low  grade, 
but  the  earthy  matter  will  not — it  will  all  stay  there. 
The  eye  can  never  be  depended  on  in  a  grade  :  gra- 
ding pegs  should  always  be  employed  ;  after  the  drain 
is  laid,  shavings,  or  something  like  it,  should  be  pla- 
ced thickly  over  it  to  prevent  the  soil  from  working 
its  way  in.     By  the  time  that  rots  the  soil  will  have 
become  compact.     A  drain  like  that  will  do  good  and 
be  lasting. 

Very  few  places  realize  as  much  pleasure  as  they 
might,  by  the  absence  of  flower-beds.  In  proper 
positions  they  have  a  grand  effect.  Masses  of  flower- 
beds appear  to  best  advantage  when  they  are 
looked  down  upon  either  from  a  mound-terrace,  or 
elevated  window.  The  following  is  a  sketch  of  one, 
in  which  the  writer  has  set  out  many  a  flower  in  his 
boyish  days,  and  it  was  always  looked  upon  as  a  very 
pretty  design. 


■ 

R 

K4 

1 

>       ■' 

1  ■ 

• 

1 

MUTILATED  PAGE 


I  * 


34 


Ch^t  (iarhner's 


rosea.  July— Zauclineria  Californica,  Walilenber- 
gia  grandiflora,  Spircea  Japonica,  Potentilla  atro- 
sanguinea,  Lychnis  Chalcedonica,  Campanula  persi- 
cifolia  alba.  August— Achillea  Ptarmica,  Clematis 
revoluta,  Chelome  barbata.  Delphinium  formo- 
sum,  Lythrum  salicaria,  Liatris  spicata.  Septcm- 
l,er— Sedum  popufolium,  Double  Dwarf  Sunflower, 
Anemone  Japonica,  The  Lilies,  Dracocephalum  Vir- 
gineum,  Asters.  There  are  besides  a  great  many 
other  beautiful  species,  and  which  others  might 
think  even  more  beautiful  than  those  we  have  named, 
but  these  will  at  any  rate  form  the  nucleus  of  a  good 
collection. 


«•»»» 


The 
the  case  we  allude  to.  had 
though 


ige  were 
the  peb 
the  im 

grass.     In  the^des 


in 
sun  dial  in  the  centre, 
place,  and  a  basket 
flower-bed  would 
or  spaces  between 
^bbles,  about  the  size 
orders  pieces  of  slate  set  on 
g  about  half  an  inch  above 
,ass  of  beds,  outside  of 
they  form,  was  set  in 
liich  we  give,  there  are  but 
four  beds,  but  any  number  can  be  made  on  the  same 
principle,  5,  6,  8,   etc.,  according  to  the  space  to  be 
occupied.     Every  bed  should  have  but  one  kind  of 
plant  to  look  well,  and  the  colors  should  be  care- 
fully matched.     In  the  days  we  speak  of,  we  had 
but  two  verbenas,  the   Scarlet  Melindrcs,  and  the 
White  Teucroides,  but  now  a  splendid  selection  of 
colors  might  be  made  of  verbenas  alone.     We  com- 
mend the  subject  of  selecting  classes  of  colors  of 
verbenas  for  such  puri)oses  to  Mr.  Snow,  the  ver- 
bena man. 

While  care  is  bestowed  on  preparing  beds  for 
flowers  in  masses,  we  would  not  have  our  friends  for- 
get the  borders  for  hardy  herbaceous  plants.  Besides 
the  merit  of  taking  cave  of  themselves,  for  they  re- 
quire no  further  care  than  taking  up  every  second 
year  or  so,  and  replanting,  they  aflbrd  a  varying  in- 
terest with  every  month  in  the  year.  We  give  a 
list  of  six  good  ones,  for  flowering  near  each 
of  the  months  annexed.  April— Iberis  sempervi- 
rens.  Double  Daisy,  Phlox,  subulata,  Dicentra, 
spectabilis.  Snowdrop.  The  Forget-me-not  or 
Myosotis  palustris.  May— Polcmonium  reptans, 
Omphalodes  vema,  Funkia  abbe,  Geranium  sanguin- 
eum,  FraxincUas,  Aciuilegia  Canadensis.  June  — 
Achillea  Tomentosa,  Dodecathon  Meadia,  Funkia 
cerulea,  Iris  of  sorts.  Lychnis  fulgens,  Pentstemon 


FRUIT   GARDEN. 

In  those  latitudes  where  all  danger  of  frost  is  over, 
grafting  of  trees  will  be  in  order.     There  have  been 
few  if  any  new  ideas  or  improvements  advanced  on 
this  head  for  years  past,  that  would  call  for  special 
note  from  us.      We  might  perhaps   suggest  that 
where  branches  are  wanting  to  make  perfect  trees, 
the  vacancy  may  be  filled  by  a  graft.     If,  however, 
this  be  low  down  in  the  tree,  there  may  be  a  difficulty 
in  getting  the  shoot  to  push  vigorously,  through  the 
stronger  top  branches  robbing  it  of  its  proper  supply 
of  nourishment.     Cutting  a  notch  above  the  graft, 
into  the  old  wood,  is  the  best  way  of  ensuring  the 
strong  breakage  desired.     Very  often  indeed,  this 
notching  is  all  that  is  required  to  force  a  bud  to  grow. 
In  selecting  scions  for  grafting,  be  very  careful  that 
the  scions  have  not  been  injured  through  the  win- 
ter.     Many  failm-es,  in  Cherries  especially,  result 
from  this  cause.     Most  parties  cut  off  their  scions 
before  severe  weather  sets  in,  and  are  safe ;  where 
this  cannot  be  done,  or  has  not  been  done,  choose 
the  lower  parts  of  the  shoot  of  last  season's  growth 
for  the  scion,  rejecting  the  extreme  points;   these 
always  suftbr  most.     The  operation  is  rendered  safer. 
Short  scions  are  better  than  longer  ones ;  it  is  best, 
however,  to  have  two  buds  to  each,  in  case  of  acci- 
dent to  one ;  where  the  Ijud  is  required  to  make  a 
straight  leader,  one  must  be  taken  out  as  soon  as  it 
is  clear  that  the  one  left  is  secure  from  ordinary  dan- 
ger.    In  grafting,  it  is  the  cells  at  the  extremities  of 
what  are  termed  the  medullary  rays,  which  termi- 
nate with  the  wood  growth  of  last  season,  that  most 
readily  unite.     These  two  portions  or  as  it  is  some- 
times said  the  "inner  bark"  must  consequently  al- 
together coincide  to  be  certain   of  success.      The 
layers  of  wood  of  last  year's  growth  are  often  much 
larger  or  smaller  than  that  of  the  stock,  and  to  make 
the  connection  of  the  proper  parts  the  more  certain,  it 
has  been  found  beneficial  in   practice  to    lean  the 
scion  a  little  from  the  perpendicular,  so  that  the 
base  is  a  little  in,  and  the  top  of  the  scion  a  little 
out  from  the  hue  of  the  stock ;  a  very  little  is  enough: 


\ 


Ti 


Mti  €mAtmf^  Panthl^. 


35 


by  this  a  portion  of  the  two  parts  are  certain  to 
cross  each  other. 


«■■■» 


VEQETABLE  GARDEN. 

There  is  nothing  so  acceptable  as  early  vegetables, 
and  one  of  the  most  useful  aids  to  this  is  a  hotbed. 
Every  amateur  should  have  one,  as  every  well  regu- 
lated horticultural  establishment  regards  it  as  one 
of  its  most  essential  features.  Not  only  is  heat  gen- 
erated by  manure  more  favorable  to  vegetation  than 
that  from  any  other  kind  of  heat  usually  applied,  but 
the  manure  itself,  after  being  so  employed,  seems 
better  than  tliat  preserved  any  other  way.  We  would 
sooner  have  one  load  of  hotbed  manure  for  horticul- 
tural puri)oses,  especially  for  pot  plants  generally, 
than  two  of  the  same  kind  of  manure  that  had  not 
been  so  employed. 

To  make  a  hotbed,  long  stable  manure  should  be 
used,  and  if  it  can  be  turned  a  couple  of  times, 
before  heating  violently  each  time,  before  perma- 
nently using,  the  more  regular  will  be  the  heat  in 
the  bed  and  the  longer  will  it  last. 

A  south-eastern  aspect  is  best  for  a  hotbed,  and  it 
should  be  well  sheltered  from  winds  on  the  cold 
quarter. 

If  the  ground  is  dry,  the  soil  may  be  dug  out  about 
a  foot  in  depth,  but  for  very  early  forcing  it  is  best 
to  have  the  whole  above  ground,  as  when  sunk,  the 
cold  rains  or  thawing  snow  collects  in  the  pit  and 
cools  the  materials. 

The  foundation  for  the  hotbed  should  be  about 
eighteen  inches  wider  than  the  frame  to  be  set  on  it 
when  finished,  and  the  manure  regularly  laid  on  till 
about  the  height  of  three  feet  has  been  obtained, 
when  the  frame  may  be  set  on.  It  is  not  well  to 
tramp  the  manure  too  heavily,  or  the  heat  will  be 
too  violent.  Sometimes  the  manure  is  very  "strawy," 
in  which  case  it  should  be  watered  with  drainage 
from  the  manure  heap,  or  the  heat  will  be  "a  good 
time  coming,"  when  it  w»uld  be  very  inconvenient 
to  "wait  a  little  longer." 

When  the  manure  and  frame  are  both  fixed,  a  half 
inch  of  soil  should  be  thrown  over  the  manure  under 
the  sash  to  absorb  the  gross  gases  that  would  else  be 
too  strong.  For  a  few  days  after,  the  heat  will  be 
too  violent,  but  when  the  thermometer  indicates  a 
temperature  of  90o,  operations  may  begin ;  but  the 
usual  aim  is  70°.  When  the  bed  shows  signs  of 
getting  below  this,  linings  of  stable  manure  must  be 
applied  round  the  frames,  one  and  a  half  feet  thick, 
and  if  boards,  shutters,  mats,  or  any  similar  material 
can  be  spread  over  these  linings,  the  heat  will  be 
maintained  much  longer. 

Having  secured  the  hotbed.  Dahlias,  Annuals,  Cu- 
cumbers, Tomatoes,  Peppers,  Egg-plants,  and  many 
other  interesting  things  can  be  started,  by  which 


i' 


^ 


we  may  get  several  weeks  ahead  of  our  neighbors  in 
the  enjoyments  of  vegetable  luxuries,  and  when  done 
with  the  bed  in  May,  it  will  be  the  very  place  for 
gloxinias, achimenes,  and  many  other  beautiful  house 
plants  which  delight  in  a  warm  moist  heat. 

A  great  deal  of  difficulty  is  often  experienced  in 
keeping  up  a  sufficiency  of  heat  in  cold  weather,— 
and  every  care  should  be  taken  to  prevent  a  loss  of 
heat.  Straw  mats,  and  bast  mats,  and  other  con- 
trivances, are  employed  to  throw  over  the  glass  dur- 
ing the  night,  and  even  warm  manure,  when  a 
night  of  extra  sharpness  is  anticipated.  There  is 
nothing  that  requires  more  skill  than  to  conduct  a 
hotbed  well,  and  yet  nothing  that  is  perhaps  more 
satisfactory  than  it  is  when  entirely  successful. 


I 


iW  a 


PLANTS   AND*FiaXNT'*toonSES. 

The  beauty  of  the  Pelargonium  is  to  have  it 
dwarf  and  stocky,  with  thick-set  shoots,  and  bold 
healthy  foliage.  To^yj^  there  is  not  a  more 
beautiful  object  than  ^^^^Hte|^^PeIargonium 
To  be  near  the  VHI^^^^I^fe^l^^e; 

get  dry— to  be  kept  clear  o^ffl^^^^^^ 
rich  soil,  plenty  of  it,  and  manure  water  occasion 
ally,  is  the  real  secret.  C^^^rias  are  also  fine 
objects  in  good  hands.  •^^Klso  must  be  kept 
near  the  glass,  and  manur^iBr  helps  them  after 
they  have  once  began  to  grow  freely.  Chinese 
Primroses  must  not  be  over  potted,  unless  very 
healthy,  or  they  will  be  liable  to  damp  away  al- 
together. Gloxineasand  Achimenes  may  be  potted 
for  the  earliest  blooming  plants.  Fuchsias  should 
be  cut  down,  and  started  if  fine  specimens  are 
wanted ;  and  after  they  have  pushed  a  little,  shaken 
out  of  their  pots,  the  old  balls  reduced,  and  encour- 
aged again  to  grow  with  new  soil. 

Where  very  vigorous  plants  are  not  required,  they 
may  have  only  the  side  branches  cut  in.     Lantanas 
are  becoming  popular  pot   plants,  and  should  be 
headed  in— the   same  manner  as  Fuchsias.     Any 
Ferns  that    may  seem  to    be   approaching     their 
fruiting  season,  which    is  known  by  the  ripening 
of  the  spores  on  the  back  of  the  fronds,  should  be 
repotted  into  new  soil  for  a  fresh  growth.     We  need 
scarcely  observe  that  partial  shade  and  moisture  are 
essential  to  the  fern  tribe.     Where  no  hotbeds  are 
at  hand,  the  next  best  thing  for  flowers  is  to  sow  in 
pans  a  few  Phlox,  Mignionette,  and  other  things 
that  it  is  desirable  to  have  early  in  the  greenhouse, 
by  the  end  of  the  month.     Camellias  and  Azaleas 
are  about  commencing  growth,  and  now  is  the  time 
to  prune  and  re-pot  them  if  they  require  it,  which 
starved  and  stunted  growth  usually  indicates.     As  to 
the  proper  soil  for  pot  ting;  we  can  only  say  in  a 
general  way,  that  it  is  best  for  the  amateur  to  use 


( 


MUTILATED  TEXT 


®hi}  §mkmr'i  Jttonthlg. 


1^ 


the  soft  spongy  soil,  full  of  dense  masses  of  fibrous 
roots,  that  usually  forms  the  surface  of  old 
woods,  as  the  basis  of  all  his  potting  operations. 
Skill  and  observation  only  will  teach  him  how  he 
can  improve  it  by  special  agents,  till  at  length  he  can 
tell  what  degrees  of  various  soils  he  can  employ  to 
make  a  compound  or  compost,  that  shall  exactly 
suit  any  of  his  floral  pets.  After  that  he  may  get 
up  bins  in  his  potting  shed,  and  have  as  many 
various  soils  ready  for  mixing  as  there  are  drugs  in 
a  Doctor's  shop.  These  horticultural  apothecaries 
are  often  laughed  at  by  the  generalizers  of  the  art ; 
but  we  must  do  them  the  justice  to  say  that  we 
never  knew  one  of  them  who  was  very  successful 
with  any  particular  thing  he  grew,  and  had  acliieved 
fame  and  reputation  therefor,  that  could  not  tell 
you  to  a  pound,  the  ^gy^>ils  he  had  separately 
mixed  together  to  foraHnWoinpound. 


they  were  spread,  could  scarcely  have  afforded  them 
anything  but  water,  and  they  were,  in  my  opinion, 
mere  absorbents  of  water. 

Our  vines  never  seem  to  suffer  from  drought,  and 
I  have  an  idea  that  in  our  soil  these  absorbent  roots 
penetrate  till  they  reach  water.  The  excavation  was 
made  in  August.  It  is  possible  that  one  signal  bene- 
fit accruing  to  the  vine,  from  the  very  deep  trenching 
so  strongly  insisted  on  by  grape  cultivators,  is  due  to 
the  ease  with  which  the  roots  penetrate  the  soil 
deeply  in  quest  of  moisture. 


f^nminmwBHnng. 

^■V^^HHBHpace  roots. 


4«»»» 


u 


ROOTS 


BY  n.  C.  B.,  PAINESVILLE,  LAKE  CO.,  OniO. 

In  Gardener^s  AfM^^for  December,  page  374,  you 
remark,  "It  has  e"^^^^uspected  and  with  much 
reason,  that  all  roM^^any  considerable  depth  be- 
neath the  surface  do  little  else  than  supply  moisture." 

I  fully  believe  the  remark  is  true.  Let  me  give 
j'ou  a  fact  which  suggested  the  idea  that  there  were 
roots  whose  sole  or  principal  office  is  the  absorption 
of  water.  This  village  is  situated  on  one  of  the 
ridges  which  extend  along  Lake  Erie  parallel  with 
its  shore.  On  all  these  ridges  the  soil  is  a  warm, 
friable  sandy  loam  of  very  fair  fertility,  not  at  all  re- 
tentive of  water,  and  very  easily  penetrated  even  by 
the  most  delicate  roots.  Grapes  succeed  here  admi- 
rably without  underdraining  or  subsoiling. 

Our  soil  is  underlaid  at  a  depth  varying  from  two 
to  six  feet  by  gravel,  which  extends  downwards  to 
the  clay  from  twelve  to  twenty  feet. 

The  water  of  our  wells  is  from  the  stratum  of 
clean  gravel  lying  next  alwve  the  clay.  My  own 
well  is  eleven  feet  deep  with  two  feet  of  water,  bring- 
ing living  water  within  some  nine  feet  of  the  surface 
of  the  ground. 

Five  years  since,  I  constructed  a  cistern,  for  which 
I  made  an  excavation  nine  feet  deep ;  near  one  side 
of  this  excavation  stood  a  well-established  Catawba 
grape  vine,  and  at  eight  feet  below  the  surface  the 
workman  noticed,  in  the  wet  gravel,  almost  within 
reach  of  permanent  water  an  abundance  of  white,  ten- 
der, porous  roots  which  I  traced  upwards  towards  the 
vine,  to  which  they  unquestionably  belonged.  The 
gravel,  clean  and  wet,  as  if  washed,  among  which 


SHEPRARD'S   POT   CARRIER. 

BY  MR.  JAMES  EADIE,  PHILA. 

This  is  a  very  simple  contrivance  to  carry  large 
pots  of  flowers  or  plants.  It  consists  of  two  common 
hand  spikes,  in  this  case  about  6  feet  long,  1^  inches 
thick,  and  3|  inches  wide,  with  a  slit  or  mortice  in 
the  centre  through  the  side  to  receive  freely  the  cross 
or  tie  pieces,  and  two — ^what  I  will  call  the  pieces, 
being  boards  1  inch  thick  and  wide  enough  to  be 
strong,  with  one  end  fastened  with  a  pin  or  bolt  so 
as  to  work  on  a  pivot  in  the  mortise  of  the  hand- 
spoke  ;  the  other  end  made  with  a  bevel  of  about  40 
degrees,  or  enough  to  close  the  tie  pieces  as  fast  as 
the   hand-spikes  are    closed;    then  a  pin  on  the 

A/o3 


outside  of  the  hand  spike  put   through  a  hole  in  the 
tie -piece  fasten  the  whole  together ;  the  end  of  the 


ihi}  darter's  Jttonthlg. 


mortise  is  made  to  fit  the  bevel  of  the  tie  piece  so 
that  the  pressure  of  the  pot  cannot  push  it  back.  To 
take  it  off  of  the  pot  you  draw  out  the  pin  from  the 
hole  on  the  outside  of  the  hand-spike  and  draw  the 
tie  piece  out  of  the  mortise.  The  pins  are  fastened 
to  the  hand-spike  by  a  string  or  chain  so  that  they 
cannot  get  lost.  The  curve  or  circle  in  the  tie  pieces 
need  not  fit  the  circle  of  the  pot  exactly,  but  may  be 
about  a  medium  of  what  is  intended  to  carry ;  if  in- 
tended to  carry  from  ten  to  eighteen  inch  pots,  the 
curve  might  be  seven  inches  wide  or  fourteen  inches 
diameter. 

DESCRIPTION  OP    FOREGOING    CUT: 

No.  1  shows  the  manner  the  tie  pieces  lie  in  the 
mortise ;  a.  a.  are  the  two  ties ;  b.  b.  are  the  mortices ; 
c.  c.  are  the  permanent  pins ;  d.  d.  are  the  pin  holes  to 
hold  it  together ;  e.  e.  are  the  closing  slides. 

No.  2  is  a  side  view  of  the  hand-spike  showing  the 
size  of  the  mortise. 

No.  3  is  a  cross  view  showing  the  manner  of 
catching  the  pot ;  /./.  are  the  two  pins  holding  the 
hand-spikes  together. 


THE    ALLEN    RASPBERRY    AGAIN. 

BY  L.  P.  ALLEN,  BUFFALO,  N.  Y. 

In  your  January  paper,  the  Committee  of  the  East- 
em  Pennsylvania  Fruit  Growers'  Society  say  they 
meant  no  personality  or  charge  of  deception — that  is 
the  gist  of  it — on  my  part,  but  simply  an  "error"  in 
sending  out  other  plants  than  the  "Allen"  raspberry 
to  the  public.  In  my  remarks  in  the  December 
number,  I  did  not  mean  to  say  that  they  had  charged 
me  with  "deception."  But  whether  my  plants  were 
wrong  through  error  on  my  part,  or  intended  decep- 
tion, the  consequence  to  the  receiver  of  them  would 
be  the  same,  to  wit :  A  different  thing  from  that  or 
those  which  he  expected  to  receive  instead  of  the 
genuine. 

My  reply  that  I  did  not  cultivate  any  other  rasp- 
berry plants  than  the  "Allen"  and  "Red  Prolific," 
and  therefore  could  not  and  did  not  send  out  any 
other  varieties,  which  I  here  rei^eat,  ought  to  be  suf- 
ficient, so  far  as  I  am  concerned.  But  "the  Com- 
mittee" now  meet  that  disclaimer,  with  the  assertion 
of  Mr.  Freas,  of  the  Germanloum  Telegraph,  that  he 
got  plants  from  me  for  those  two  varieties,  neither  of 
which  were  the  "Allen,"  and  that  after  proving  them 
so,  and  worthless,  to  boot,  he  threw  them  out.  Now 
is  not  Mr.  Freas  mistaken  as  to  the  identity  of  his 
plants  ? 

If  I  am  not  mistaken,  a  pomologist  in  one  of  the  in- 
terior counties  of  Pennsylvania,  soon  after  my  plants 
went  into  the  vicinity  of  Philadelphia,  asserted  in  the 
Germantown  Telegraphy  that  he  had  the  "Allen,"  oi 
a  raspberry  like  it,  in  cultivation,  which  had  been  in 
his  grounds  for  some  years,  and  proposed  growing 


them  side  by  side  to  compare  them,  or  something  of 
the  sort.  I  did  not  keep  the  copy  of  the  Telegraph 
containing  this  notice,  which  Mr.  Freas  was  kind 
enough  to  send  me,  and  cannot  now  state  the  least 
particulars.  I  simply  wish  to  ask  "the  Committee" 
the  question,  whether  or  not,  Mr.  Freas  had  any 
other  raspberry  plants  from  any  other  person,  and 
cultivated  them  at  the  time  he  had  the  "Allen"  in  his 
grounds  ?  If  so,  could  he  not  have  got  them  inter- 
mixed or  confused,  one  for  the  other  ? 

The  "writer"  of  the  committee's  report  says,  Hhat 
he  examined  the  two  varieties  of  raspberry  plant 
which  Mr.  Freas  received  from  me,  and  that  neither 
of  them  was  the  Allen,  '  to  a  certainty.'  "  Here  is  a 
contradiction — point  blank — no  mistake  about  it,  so 
far  as  the  committee  and  Mr.  Freas  are  concerned  on 
one  hand,  and  myself^  the  other.  "A  question  of 
veracity,"  as  gentlemen  of  punctilio  would  have  it. 
How  is  the  fact  to  be  settled  ?  Either  Mr.  Freas  must 
have  been  mistaken  as  to  the  identity  of  the  plants 
he  received  from  me,  or  the  gentleman  of  the  com- 
mittee who  examine^them  was  not  an  accurate 
judge  of  what  the  ""en"  raspb^|^  is,  or  I  com- 
mitted an  error  in  sending  out  i^Priety  of  plant 
which  I  did  not  grow  and  did  not  have  in  my  pos- 
session, and  which  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  send 
out,  as  I  sent  out  no  others  than  the  two  varieties 
which  I  did  grow;  or,  further,  the  package  got 
clianged  on  the  way  to  Philadelphia. 

I  intend  no  personalities  towards  any  gentleman ; 
on  the  other  hand,  the  parties  are  personally  un- 
known to  me,  and  I  can  entertain  no  other  senti- 
ment towards  them  than  those  of  entire  respect,  such 
as  their  position  in  the  community  entitles  them  to. 

Thus  I  leave  the  whole  subject. 
As  to  the  "hardiness"  of  the  "Allen"  variety,  and 

the  Red  Prolific  also,  I  have  had  several  thousand 
plants  of  them  both  standing  in  my  grounds,  unpro- 
tected through  the  winter,  for  eight  or  ten  years  past, 
and  never,  to  my  knowledge,  lost  a  single  cane  by 
the  frost  or  cold  weather ;  my  latitude  is  a  few  minutes 
less  than  43^  north.   Black  Rock,  February  1,  1861. 


»•■»* 


LANDSCAPE-GARDBNINa.-Contractinff. 

BY  GEORGE  WOODWARD,  NEW  YORK. 

The  execution  of  landscape  work  by  contract  is 
one  of  those  subjects  that  will  bear  further  discus- 
sion. Though  it  has  been  pretty  well  handled  on 
all  sides,  yet,  so  far,  without  a  satisfactory  conclu- 
sion, the  arguments  advanced  against  such  a  manner 
of  doing  work,  to  our  mind,  have  no  appUcation 
wliatever. 

It  seems  to  be  a  necessary  requirement  among 
many  who  cannot  give  their  whole  attention  to  the 
improvement  of  their  country  homes,  that,  as  a 
matter  of  economy  to  themselves,  the  contract  sys- 


i; 


■t  :■  t 


MUTILATED  TEXT 


<* 


^t  ^mAijxtx's  JKtanthlg. 


tem  should  be,  to  some  extent,  adopted.  Like 
every  thing  else,  it  has  its  defects ;  but  it  has  also 
some  strong  recommendations. 

The  laborer  working  by  the  day  has  no  ambition 
or  study  above  earning  his  wages  with  the  least 
amount  of  work.  No  matter  what  may  be  his  abil- 
ity or  intelligence  as  compared  with  his  fellow -work- 
men, he  is  ranked  as  low  as  the  dullest  and  slowest 
of  them  all.  It  is  presumed  they  are  equal  in  all 
respects ;  but  such  is,  by  no  means,  the  fact.  There 
is  no  doubt  but  that  a  very  much  larger  quantity  of 
work  might  be  done  in  a  given  time,  if  the  incen- 
tive to  do  it  was  governed  by  the  amount  to  be 
done.  A  man  will  work  harder  for  himself  than  he 
will  for  another ;  and  if  his  intelligence  and  ambi- 
tion are  excited,  there  is  to  him  a  new  interest  in  his 
pursuit.  ^ 

The  supposition,  however,  that  any  man  can  be  a 
contractor,  is  an  erroneous  one, — it  is  a  calling  that 
requires  intelligence  and  experience.  The  contrac- 
tor who  proposes  to  execute  landscape  work  should 
be  educated  to  his  business  Those  who  contract 
for  masonry  oj|^rpenter  wWs:  are  those  who  fully 
understand  wHRhey  are  about. 

The  prevailing  notion  that  the  lowest  bidder  is 
the  cheapest  is  scarcely  realized  in  practice.  Those 
who  expect  to  get  work  done  below  its  fair  value, 
will  reap  some  disappointments.  Those  who  pro- 
pose to  do  it  for  less  than  it  is  worth,  intend  in  some 
manner  to  deceive.  Contractors'  prices  may  vary, 
however,  from  many  circumstances.  One  may  have 
better  facilities  in  the  way  of  horses,  carts,  men, 
means  of  living,  capital,  &c.,  and  thus  be  able  to 
work  cheaper,  or  when  times  are  dull  may  take  work 
at  a  loss,  in  order  to  make  the  loss  less  on  his  unem- 
ployed horses  and  time. 

As  a  general  rule,  however,  the  most  satisfactory 
contract  work  that  is  done  is  that  which  is  let  at  a 
fair  price  to  competent  men  who  place  a  high  value 
on  their  reputation.  Irresponsible  men  should  not 
be  entrusted  with  much  work  at  once.  The  condi- 
tions of  getting  more  should  depend  upon  doing 
that  well. 

The  execution  of  landscape  work  by  contract  is  a 
subject  of  discussion,— the  conclusions  thus  far 
drawn  being  against  it;  but  the  hypothesis  being 
erroneous,  the  conclusions  must  be  so  too.  If  the 
ground  be  taken  that  a  contractor  should  be  able  to 
bid  on  effects,  then  the  system  fails ;  but  why  should 
he  be  expected  to  bid  on  effects  in  landscape  scenery 
any  more  than  he  should  in  a  church-spire?  Is 
architecture  an}^  less  a  fine  art  than  landscape-gar- 
dening? But  what  has  a  contractor  to  do  with 
effects  or  resuhs?  His  business  is  to  execute  a  cer- 
tain specified  piece  of  work  in  accordance  with  a 
certain  plan,  and  mider  the  superintendence  of  the 


designer  or  his  assistant.  If  the  form  be  ugly,  or 
its  effect  bad,  it  is  nought  to  him.  Has  an  artist  no 
conception  of  the  beauty  in  surface?  or  does  he 
only  know  that  it  is  beautiful  when  he  sees  it  ?  Sup- 
pose digging  and  dumping  is  done,  and  no  beautiful 
effect  is  produced,  must  it  be  done  again  and  again  ? 
and  when  an  effect  is  produced,  by  what  process 
shall  we  know  that  it  is  the  most  beautiful  that  could 
have  been  found?  If  "  it  is  impossible  for^any  land- 
scape-gardener to  say  how  much  digging  and  dump- 
ing will  be  necessary  to  produce  the  effect  he  seeks," 
why  not  have  him  educated  up  to  that  point  where 
he  shall  know?  Are  we  to  suppose  that  Powers 
watched  the  marble,  uncertain  whether  it  would 
produce  the  Greek  Slave  or  a  "what  is  it?"  or  that 
Sir  Christopher  Wren  piled  stone  upon  stone  to  find 
the  effect  he  wanted  ? 

Proposing  to  make  a  park  by  contract  is  not  con- 
tracting for  effects.  Plans  and  specifications  do  not 
imply  that  a  contractor  shall  be  responsible  for  har- 
mony, proportion,  or  beauty,  and  no  estimate  of 
them  by  the  foot  or  pound  is  indicated  or  expected. 
If  a  landscape-gardener  cannot  plan  and  specify  the 
improvement  of  ground,  he  is  deficient  in  his  pro- 
fessional education.  If  he  can  plan  and  specify  his 
work,  it  is  a  subject  of  contract.  There  is  a  certain 
point  in  all  w^orks  of  art  where  the  hand  of  the  artist 
is  required ;  and  it  is  that  point  where  his  genius 
rises  above  the  machinery  of  the  bone  and  muscle 
around  him.  It  cannot  be  presumed  that  the  heavy 
and  laborious  work  attendant  upon  works  of  art  is 
executed  by  the  controlling  mind  that  designs  them. 
The  marble  statue  is  finished,  to  unprofessional 
eyes,  when  the  artist  takes  it.  The  bulk  of  the  work 
on  large  paintings  is  done  by  inferior  hands.  Why 
should  a  skilful  artist  employ  his  time  and  talents  on 
mechanical  details,  his  work  begins  where  the 
medium  skill  of  others  end  ?  His  practice  lies  in  the 
higher  walks  of  art  and  design.  Composition  and 
effect  are  his  great  forts.  There  is  a  very  wide  dif- 
ference between  contracting  for  the  execution  of  any 
class  of  work,  and  contracting  for  the  impression  it 
shall  produce  upon  the  mind.  This  last  hypothesis, 
including  a  presumption  that  a  landscape-gardener 
cannot  know  his  business,  is  the  basis  of  all  argu- 
ment against  the  possibility  of  executing  landscape 
work  by  contract, — a  very  specious  mode  of  arriving 
at  results. 

.  Before  proceeding  farther,  we  should  state,  that 
that  part  of  the  creation  of  landscape  scenery  which 
applies  to  the  formation  of  surfaces,  construction  of 
roads  and  w^alks,  ornamental  water,  terracing,  bridg- 
ing, drainage,  &c.,  &c.,  should  be  considered  under 
a  different  head  from  that  which  treats  of  grass, 
trees,  or  shrubbery.  The  first  implies  a  knowledge 
of  civil  and  topographical  engineering,  but  which 


■«/ 


Me,  (iardetifr's  JKonthlj. 


we  designate  as  landscape-engineering,  as  it  must 
combine  results,  not  only  useful  and  practical,  but  a 
development  of  the  artistical  and  beautiful.  The 
second  implies  a  knowledge  of  gardening,  of  the 
habits  and  future  forms  of  trees,  «&c.,  the  best  man- 
ner of  transplanting,  arranging  and  nursing  them, 
the  character  of  the  soil,  exposures,  &c.,  together 
with  a  knowledge  of  the  harmony  of  color,  and  the 
effects  of  serial  and  linear  perspective. 

It  is  a  well-known  fact,  that  the  resources  of  civil 
engineering  will  give  the  necessary  information  re- 
quired to  perfect  any  design  in  earth-work,  and  to 
plan  and  specify  it ;  and  we  therefore  conclude  that 
it  is  a  subject  of  contract,  always  reserving  that  the 
finish  of  the  surface  should  be  done  under  the  per- 
sonal sui^erintendence  of  the  designer.  The  result 
of  our  convictions  arising  from  a  series  of  actual  ex- 
periments, and  a  thorough  investigation  of  similar 
operations  in  the  hands  of  others,  have  satisfied  us 
that  the  contract  system  is  applicable  to  landscaiJC 
work,  but  that  it  involves  a  high  degree  of  skill  in 
landscape-engineering,  and  the  employment  of  hon- 
orable and  skilful  contractors. 

The  policy  of  doing  work  of  this  class  by  con- 
tract may  require  further  consideration.  Economy 
may  dictate  it,  because  the  equipment  and  organiza- 
tion of  contractors'  forces  enable  him  to  execute 
work  at  a  less  rate  and  make  more  money.  Wlmt 
is  business  to  him  are  experiments  toothers;  and 
system  will  make  available  the  full  power  of  a  gang 
of  men,  while  others  would  waste  a  third.  The 
employment  of  superintendents  wiio  are  well  posted 
in  all  the  processes  of  grading  is  by  too  many  con- 
sidered expensive  practice.  Our  experience  has 
taught  us  that  the  employment  of  the  best  talent 
that  could  be  found  was,  in  the  end,  the  cheapest 
and  most  satisfactory.  —  cheap  men,  like  cheap 
houses,  being  the  most  costly;  and  there  are  too 
many  who  love  to  see  the  folly  of  oft-repeated  ex- 
periments, not  content  to  begin  where  others  leave 
off,  but  prefer  to  follow  in  the  same  track  to  en- 
counter and  repeat  the  same  faults.  Landscape- 
gardening  is  progressive,  and  the  amateur  of  to-day 
commits  a  mistake  when  he  fails  to  post  himself  up 
on  the  results  of  all  cxi:)eriments  that  liave  already 
been  demonstrated. 


*♦•— 


IS  IT  imPERATIVELT  NECfiSSART  TO 
CUT  DOWN  THE  OLD  CANES  IN  THE 
VINERT? 

BY  H.   E.    CniTTY,   NEW  LONDON,   CONN. 

I  HAVE  read,  with  much  interest,   the  remarks 
which   have    appeared,  from  time  to  time,  in  the 
Monthly,  upon  grape -culture,  especially  the  articles 
rom  the  pen  of  Mr.  Bright  upon  The  Renewal  Sys- 
tem of  Pruning.      But   I  think  Mr.  Bright  takes 


very  strong  ground  when  he  declares,  in  the  last 
number,  the  imperative  necessity  of  cutting  down 
the  old  canes.  Now,  in  the  first  place,  what  does 
Mr.  Bright  style  an  old  cane?  I  have  under  my 
charge  a  span-roofed  vinery,  eighty  feet  long,  half 
of  which  was  built  three  years  ago.  The  border 
was  well  made,  and  the  vines  planted  four  feet 
apart  on  both  sides.  The  other  forty  feet  were 
added  last  winter,  the  border  made,  and  young  vines 
planted  in  the  spring.  Last  summer  was  the  third 
season  of  the  first-mentioned  vines.  Each  vine 
produced,  on  the  average,  as  many  grapes  as  was 
consistent  with  the  age  of  the  vines.  They  were 
beautiful,  and  the  admiration  of  every  person  who 
saw  them.  The  w^ood  ripened  well.  They  were 
spur-pruned  in  November,  cleaned,  layed  down  and 
covered  with  dry  sea-weed  for  winter.  And  they 
are  at  this  moment  every  thing  that  could  be  desired 
in  vines  of  that  age.  Now,  I  wish  to  ask  Mr. 
Bright  if  he  would  consider  these  as  old  vines? 
And  if,  to  insure  their  future  productiveness,  it  is 
imperatively  necessar^hat  they  should  be  cut  down 
to  within  a  foot  or  so^  the  ground^ 

I  w^ould  also  ask  Mr.  Bright,  if  lie  could  consci- 
entiously recommend  and  advise  my  employer  to 
sacrifice  those  vines  at  once  to  the  the  long-cane 
renewal  system.  Just  after  my  apprenticeship  was 
finished,  I  lived  two  years  with  Edward  Mitchell,  of 
Brighton,  England.  Mr.  Mitchell,  long  previously, 
had  been  noted  as  one  of  the  leading  grape-growers 
in  England ;  and  he  sustained  that  reputation  long 
after  I  left  him.  He  generally  took  the  first  pre- 
miums in  the  market-growers'  class  at  Chiswick  and 
Regent's  Park,  had  the  first  grapes  in  market,  and 
commanded  the  highest  prices  for  his  productions. 
Mr.  Mitchell,  while  I  remained  with  him,  was  fruit- 
ing vines  that  had  been  regularly  spurred  for  sixteen 
or  eighteen  years,  and  the  grapes  still  were  of  the 
very  finest  description.  The  vines  were  smooth  and 
healthy  looking,  though  very  thick ;  the  leaves  were 
also  perfect.  And  when  the  grape-mildew  first 
made  such  dreadful  ravages  in  England,  Mr. 
Mitchell  suffered  with  the  rest,  but  those  old  vines 
were  the  only  ones  which  resisted  the  mildew  suffi- 
ciently to  ripen  the  crop.  I  have  often  heard  Mr. 
Mitchell  say  that  they  were  his  best  vines.  He  used, 
however,  to  adopt  Mr.  Bright's  long-cane  renewal 
system  occasionally  when  the  crops  failed  to  set 
good,  or  the  canes  became  unsightly.  I  have  also 
seen  it  practiced  at  the  Duke  of  Norfolk's,  at  Arun- 
del Castle;  at  Hampton  Court  Palace  Gardens;  at 
Wilmot's,  of  Isleworth,  and  various  other  places. 
I  have  also,  long  ago,  practised  it  myself.  I,  how- 
ever, have  no  wish  to  dispute  Mr.  Bright's  claim  to 
the  originality  of  the  system,  though  it  was  un- 
doubtedly practised  in  England  many  years  before 


m 


•■'  A.. 


MUTILATED  TEXT 


WM  ^ardfiwr's  Jttonthlg. 


either  Mr.  Bright  or  myself  saw  the  light;  probably 
as  long  as  the  vine  has  been  cultivated  there.  The 
chief  novelty  of  Mr.  Bright' s  system  consists  in  his 
exertions  to  make  a  rule  of  what  has  heretofore  been 
the  exception, — a  practice  universal,  which,  in  some 
cases  and  under  some  circumstances,  may  be  advan- 
tageously adopted.  Here  is  a  case  to  the  point. 
Last  winter  two  of  the  canes  in  one  of  our  vineries 
became  exposed  during  the  severe  weather,  so  that 
in  spring  I  found  it  necessary  to  cut  them  down. 
They  started  again,  and  made  fine  new  canes  clear 
to  the  top  of  the  house,  and  are  every  thing  which 
could  be  desired  in  one  year's  canes.  But  my  em- 
ployer only  estimates  their  value  at  one-fourth  that 
of  the  other  vines  which  were  not  cut  down. 

Here,  then,  is  an  instance  of  the  long-cane  re- 
newal system,  dictated  by  purely  accidental  causes, 
which,  in  a  measure,  proved  successful.  I  have  under 
my  management  two  vineries,  the  vines  in  which 
are  of  two  years'  growth,  since  planted  out,  and  I 
think  no  argument  Mr.  Bright  could  employ  could 
convince  me  of  the  advanta|^  of  cutting  them  alter- 
nately down^^jBut  I  am  ^[uainted  with  vineries 
not  a  thousan^niiles  from  where  I  write,  on  which 
the  renewal  system  might  be  employed  to  advantage, 
provided  they  could  be  judiciously  managed  after- 
wards. In  fact,  two  years  ago  a  gentleman  asked 
me  what  was  best  for  him  to  do  with  his  vines.  I 
advised  him  to  cut  them  down  and  get  new  canes 
from  the  roots.  Whether  my  advice  was  acted  on 
or  not,  I  am  not  able  to  say ;  but  this,  as  well  as  the 
instance  cited  above,  was  long  before  I  saw  Mr. 
Bright' 8  views  in  print. 

Again,  Mr.  Bright  refers  to  the  fact  of  Mr.  Ellis 
finding  it  beneficial  to  cut  down  some  of  his  vines, 
as  materially  assisting  his  theory.  Now,  to  me  the 
article  referred  to  in  the  December  Monthly  has  a 
very  different  signification.  Mr.  Ellis  is  an  intelli- 
gent man,  ready  and  willing  to  employ  the  means 
at  his  disposal,  which  in  this  case  must  result  to  his 
advantage.  It  clearly  shows,  however,  that  Mr. 
Ellis  has  long  been  familiar  with  the  result,  and  ad- 
vantages of  the  practice  in  certain  cases,  although 
his  faith  in  it  as  a  system  may  have  been  strength- 
ened by  Mr.  Bright' s  writings. 

But  the  context  shows  that  Mr.  Ellis  is  not  will- 
ing to  adopt  Mr.  Bright' s  practice  in  ioto.  He  does 
not  intend  fruiting  the  canes  the  entire  length  of  the 
rafter  the  first  season,  but  to  gradually  fruit  and 
spur  it  according  to  circumstances.  Thus  we  see 
that  Mr.  Ellis,  as  well  as  all  other  practical  men,  are 
impelled  by  force  of  circumstances  to  adopt  mea- 
sures of  the  greatest  practical  utility  and  economy 
temporarily,  which,  as  a  rule,  would  be  extreme. 
How  prone  are  gardeners  to  go  to  extremes  in 
theory  1     If  a  dwarf  pear  becomes  broken  down, 


and  we  find,  after  cutting  it  off"  smooth,  that  it 
throws  up  a  strong  shoot,  and  eventually  makes  a 
handsome,  thrifty  tree,  should  we  be  justified  in 
advocating  the  indiscriminate  breaking  and  cutting 
down  of  all  dwarf  pear  or  other  trees  ? 

Mr.  Bright  finds,  from  experience,  that,  for  pot- 
culture,  and  in  some  other  cases,  the  annual  re- 
newal system  is  best,  and  declares  the  imperative 
necessity  of  cutting  down  all  old  grape  vines,  and 
actually  reducing  the  grape  vines,  in  all  cases,  to  a 
mere  annual  or  biennial  plant.  I  could  mention 
plenty  of  instances  where  it  would  not  only  be  ex- 
tremely injudicious,  but  absolutely  at  variance  with 
my  ideas  of  common-sense,  to  adopt  Mr.  Bright' s 
system  as  a  regular  practice. 

Mr.  Bright,  in  quoting  the  article  from  the  Gar- 
dener^ s  Chronicle^  says: — "To  my  mind,  the  Doc- 
tor's reasoning  is  very  conclusive  and  satisfactory." 
Mr.  Bright  is  more  easily  satisfied  with  what  may 
have  a  bearing  on  his  darling  theory  than  what  I 
would  be.  While  I  am  perfectly  ready  to  admit 
the  Doctor's  eminent  skill  as  a  botanist  and 
physiologist,  I  am  afraid  he  would  make  a  poor 
show  as  a  practical  gardener,  and  very  much  doubt 
whether  he  could  produce  a  house  of  grapes  of  even 
ordinary  excellence  from  his  own  management, 
with  the  very  best  of  tools  and  materials  to  work 
with.  For  my  part,  I  fai^  to  see  the  conclusiveness 
and  real  practical  bearing  on  the  subject  of  any  sen- 
tence in  that  quotation.  But  allow  me  to  ask  Mr. 
Bright  one  question,  then  I  am  done  for  the  present. 
Allowed  that  the  roots  of  a  vine  elaborate  each 
year  a  given  amount  of  sap,  what  will  be  the  differ- 
ence to  those  roots  whether  the  same  amount  of  sap 
adds  a  new  layer  of  wood  to  the  old  cane,  or  goes 
to  the  formation  of  an  entirely  new  cane  ? 

[Dr.  Lindley's  argument  is  very  clear.  Ko  mat- 
ter how  many  roots  a  plant  may  liave,  their  action  is 
bccondary  to  the  amount  of  healthy  leaves^  which 
''elaborate"  or  prepare  the  sap,  which  the  roots 
merely  absorb,  not  "elaborate,"  though  there  is  a 
mutual  influence  on  root  and  leaf.  Healthy  leaves 
induce  hcalthv  root-growth;  and  healthy  root- 
growth  induces,  in  like  manner,  a  healthy  growth 
of  leaves. 

In  reduced  terms,  Dr.  Lindley's  argument  may 
be  stated : — The  quantity  of  wood  formed  depends 
on  the  quantity  of  leaves.  The  trunk  or  stem  of  a 
tree  requires  an  increased  proportion  of  wood  each 
successive  year.  If  the  proportion  of  leaves  is  not 
increased,  the  proportion  of  wood  cannot  increase ; 
therefore  the  stem  or  trunk  does  not  get  what  it 
requires.     This  seems  sound. 

We  think  the  question  of  pruning  becomes  one  rath- 
er of  profit  and  loss,  than  of  science  and  logic.  The  lat- 


W^^  iardcwr's  JlloiitI% 


ter  can  be  made  to  partially  support  both  views ;  but 
the  former  will  suit  the  masses  best. 

We  should  like  to  see  the  question  put  in  this 
shape :  By  planting  a  double  number  of  vines  than 
is  usuil,  and  cutting  down  each  one  alternately  an- 
nually ;  can  a  greater  weight  of  fruit  be  produced 
in  an  equal  space,  in  an  equal  period,  and  at  an  equal 
expense  ? 

Science  has  done  her  part  for  Mr.  Bright's  view, 
— facts  and  figures  we  are  anxiously  awaiting.  Ex- 
cellent results  have  followed  the  old  system,  and 
Mr.  Cliitty  well  presents  them.  We  should  our- 
selves adopt  the  old  system,  trying  Mr.  Bright's, 
however,  on  a  small  scale  wherever  practicable, 
until  time  had  struck  the  balance  of  results  for  or 
Ed.] 


against  it 


«>>»» 


AGE. 

BY  JOSEPH   AMKAM. 

Spring  is  coming.  With  the  return  of  sap  in 
vegetation,  with  the  re-awakening  of  nature,  there 
returns  and  re-awakens  in  man's  soul  the  desire  to 
do  and  to  act.  Improvements  appear  before  his  desire. 
The  air  gets  just  balmy  enough  to  invite  him  out  of 
doors,  and  is  still  bracing  enough  to  fan  him  into 
brisk  activity.  He  wanders  about  the  farm,  the 
park,  the  garden  ;  and,  in  running  over  the  ground, 
he  runs  over,  in  his  mind,  the  schemes  of  last  year 
to  correct  this  or  that,  or  he  forms  new  ones  on  the 
spot. 

Whatever  he  may  undertake,  let  him  try  for  the 
appearance  of  age.  The  newness  of  things  is  dis- 
tasteful. To  be  comfortable  in  mind  and  body,  we 
want  our  house  to  be  old, — not  decaying, — but  worn 
by  and  fitting  its  inmates,  every  nook  and  comer  with 
its  use  and  its  tale.  Old  wine,  old  love,  old  trees,  old 
friends,  old  faith, — they  are  always  fresh  in  their 
age,  and  very  little  good  in  their  youth.  Indeed,  if 
I  look  round  creation,  I  discover  but  one  thing 
which  must  be  new  and  young  for  me ;  and  that — 
why  not  say  it? — is  a  baby.  Nobody  likes  an  old 
baby. 

To  steer  now  to  the  point.  In  improving  ground, 
had  we  better  not  avoid  all  look  of  newness  ?  For 
my  part,  I  rather  carry  my  new  road  or  walk  a  little 
out  of  the  way  to  get  near  old  trees  or  an  old  bank 
of  brambles,  than  be  obliged  to  plant  it  along  with 
young  stuff;     It  will  not  fit  to  the  rest  if  I  do. 

I  also  have  to  paint  the  woodwork  of  my  house 
afresh.  But  I  will  not  paint  staring  zinc  white, — 
that  failing  of  our  American  country-houses.  White 
is  no  color, — is  but  an  intensity  of  light  which  hurts 
the  eyes,  the  brain,  the  soul,  and  looks  well  only  in 
long  distances,  e.^.,  when,  a  mile  off;  you  get  a  peep 
of  a  white  house  on  a  green-wooded  knoll.  There 
the  white  is  broken  by  the  green,  and  is  no  more 


actual  white,  the  distance  and  the  clouds  having 
shaded  it  down  already  into  grey  tints. 

What,  then,  shall  I  jaint?  I  will  take  sober 
colors  in  soft  contrast  with  tilings  round.  But  no 
one  color  will  suffice  for  my  eye,  if  there  is  not  at 
least  one  more  of  the  same  tint,  lighter  or  darker, 
going  along  with  it  as  the  shade  goes  naturally  with 
the  light.  Frames,  panels,  columns,  and  their  caps 
and  bases  can  thus  alone  get  their  value.  But  even 
the  sober  tints  are  too  new  and  fresh  to  me  for  the 
first  few  months.  I  know  the  house  newly  painted 
will  chafe  a  little  on  me  like  new  boots,  or  a  new 
coat  not  broke  in. 

"  A  fop,  a  poodle,  and  a  bran  new  coat, 
That'a  what's  in  every  line  he  wrote." 

However,  there  are  creepers  on  the  wall,  and 
there  are  pillars  hid  under  roses,  and  they  will  soften 
the  harshness  of  new  paint.  Who  will  teach  me  to 
lay  on  paint  so  as  to  look  old  ? 

My  barn,  too,  wants  whitewashing;  but  here, 
happily,  I  have  an  arcanum.  My  whitewash  is 
greywash,  bluish  grey.  It  will  be  splashed  on, 
rather  than  washed  onj»  The  stones  are  uneven ;  it 
will,  consequently,  look  uneven ;  and  what  with  the 
ogive  windows,  and  the  small  panes,  and  the  trum- 
pet-vine hanging  from  the  top  of  the  roof,  seeking 
the  denied  support,  my  bam  will  look  old  enough  to 
my  taste.  If  it  does  not,  I  shall  try,  and  by  kin- 
dling wet  brush  against  it,  shall  smoke  it  to  make 
sure  of  age. 

What  an  absurdity  this  will  appear  to  many !  I 
appeal  to  good  taste,  of  the  approbation  of  which  I 
feel  confident.  Newness  borders  on  show  and  vul- 
garity. Newness  as  often  expresses  an  intention, 
rather  than  a  power.  Age  alone  is  character.  New- 
ness is  a  misfortune,  which  either  years  must  over- 
come or  our  double-distilled  ingenuity.  And  who- 
ever will  be  good  enough  to  state  his  recipes  for  age 
in  this  our  Gardener's  Monthly,  will  earn  the  thanks 
of  a  grateful  gardening  and  improving  public. 

[Our  good  friend  seems  to  be  inspired  to  write  to 
us  only  once  a  year,  and  that  about  spring-time. 
We  do  wish  spring  came  to  him  every  month. — 
Ed.] 


BELTED   PARKS. 

BY  WALTER  ELDER,  PHILADELPHIA. 

It  is  surprising  that  among  our  boasted  mral  im- 
provements, our  wealthy  citizens  do  not  adopt  the 
sensible  plan  of  adorning  and  sheltering  their  parks 
or  country-seats  with  belts  of  trees.  A  belt  even 
along  the  wayside,  with  an  omamental  gate  and 
lodge  at  its  side,  gives  the  place  an  air  of  magnifi- 
cence and  seclusion,  that  nothing  else  could,  and 
which  are  considered  the  first  marks  of  refinement, 
and  convey  the  idea  to  the  mind  of  the  passer-by 


I    '  *l 


::■]} 


§h4  dardcner's  Jftont|l2. 


that  all  must  be  beauty  and  splendor  within,  and 
glimpses  of  the  interior  in  passing  the  gateway  and 
through  the  openings  of  the  belt.  The  sod  looks 
greener,  the  avenue  brighter,  the  trees  on  the  lawn 
more  massive,  and  the  buildings  larger  and  more 
noble.  It  is  the  belted  park  that  imparts  that  pic- 
turesque beauty  to  the  landscape  which  is  so  highly 
admired  in  other  lands.  Nor  are  these  all.  It  has 
been  proved  that  the  extremes  of  summer  and  win- 
ter are  several  degrees  less  in  belted  parks  than  in 
open  fields;  and  surely  our  extremes  and  sudden 
changes  of  weather  are  greater  than  that  of  any 
other  country  of  the  same  latitude.  Our  summer 
hurricanes  and  winter  tempests  sweep  over  the  open 
plains  in  wild,  untamed  velocity,  carrying  havoc 
and  destruction  in  their  courses,  unroofing  buildings, 
blowing  some  down,  and  others  off"  their  stands,  and 
almost  withering  up  man  and  beast  unless  they  get 
timely  shelter;  but  no  such  desolations  occur  in 
well-belted  parks.  The  resisting  power  of  the  trees 
cheats  the  violence  of  the  storm,  and  stays  the  rage 
of  the  winds,  and  breaks  th«ir  force  into  fragments 
as  they  whistle  through  the  belts  and  loudly  moan 
over  their  own  destruction,  and  pass  over  the  park 
in  a  subdued  mood.  Indeed,  trees  are  a  divine  gift, 
to  give  shade  and  shelter  to  the  world.  It  is  high 
time  that  we,  in  the  Eastern  and  Middle  States, 
should  stay  the  stroke  of  the  woodman's  axe,  and 
employ  the  ploughman  and  delver  to  prepare  the 
soils  and  plant  out  trees.  Many  of  our  finer  fruits 
have  become  precarious  crops  for  want  of  shelter 
from  the  sudden  changes  and  violent  freaks  of  our 
climate.  And  some  cultivators  go  so  far  as  to  say 
that  our  climate  is  changed ;  but  those  kinds  of  fruits 
which  are  now  uncertain  crops  in  open  farmers' 
fields  will  be  of  easy  and  successful  culture  in  belted 
parks.  The  same  may  be  said  of  some  culinary 
vegetables, — they  will  be  earlier  and  last  longer. 

The  great  drawback  to  planting  out  trees  with  us 
is,  that  so  many  improper  persons  are  employed  to 
do  the  work.  Many  of  our  wealthy  citizens  are  to 
blame  for  this.  The  first  and  main  questions  asked 
are.  How  much  do  you  charge  per  day  ?  How  much 
will  you  charge  to  plant  so  many  trees  ?  It  is  not, 
How  well  will  you  do  so  ?  Now,  there  is  as  much 
difference  of  men  as  of  merchandise  in  their  value. 
The  great  greed  and  hurry  to  get  great  quantities  of 
work  done  cheap  is  the  true  cause  of  disappointment 
and  bane  in  gardening.  In  preparing  the  soil  for 
belts  of  trees,  give  a  deep  subsoil-ploughing  early  in 
spring,  and  sow  it  down  with  oats ;  harrow  and  roll 
it  down,  and  when  the  crop  is  a  foot  tall,  plough  it 
under,  and,  after  lying  a  fortnight,  sow  it  thickly 
with  buckwheat ;  harrow  and  roll  it  in,  and  when  it 
is  coming  into  bloom,  plough  it  under,  and  the  be- 
ginning of  October  harrow  and  roll  again,  and  open 


furrows,  by  running  the  plough  both  ways  in  the 
same  furrows,  say  seven  or  eight  feet  apart,  and 
plant  the  evergreens  in  them  at  once.  The  begin- 
ning of  November  plant  out  the  deciduous  trees, 
say  eight  or  ten  feet  apart  in  the  furrows,  breaking 
the  openings  in  each  furrow.  Trees  six  to  eight  feet 
tall  are  large  enough,  and  a  sixth  part  of  them  should 
be  evergreens ;  and  the  first  year  the  weeds  should 
be  kept  down  with  hoe  and  cultivator,  and  the  se- 
cond year  cut  them  off  once  a  month,  with  hook  or 
scythe,  to  prevent  their  seeding.  After  that  they 
will  need  no  care  but  topping-off  the  deciduous  trees 
occasionally  to  make  them  branch  below,  but  let 
evergreens  run  up. 

Do  I  hear  some  one  say,  "The  belts  of  trees  pre- 
vent a  free  circulation  of  air  passing  through  the 
place"  ?  I  answer.  They  check  the  speed  of  the  air, 
but  refine  it  fitting  for  the  lungs.  The  life-giving 
part,  oxygen,  is  heaviest,  and  falls  down,  and  you  get 
it.  Trees  sift  the  air,  and  separate  the  "wheat  from 
the  chaff,"  and  you  get  the  grains.  Strong  currents 
of  air  are  injurious  to  health,  especially  evening 
currents  to  matrons  and  maidens  who  have  been 
shut  up  in  close  and  dark  rooms  during  the  day. 
Any  one  can  obtain  a  current  of  air  by  walking, 
running,  and  riding  through  it.  In  that  case,  it  is 
the  exercise,  and  not  the  quantity  of  air,  that  gives 
strength.  It  is  a  well-known  fact,  that  those  who 
live  in  belted  parks  in  Great  Britain  are  longer-lived 
than  those  who  live  out  of  them.  But  the  belted 
parks  give  shelter  to  large  tracts  of  the  country. 
The  breeds  of  horses,  cattle,  sheep,  &c.,  have  im- 
proved with  the  increased  number  of  belted  parks 
there.  Indeed,  it  has  been  proved  that  the  yield  of 
ten  cows  in  a  belted  park  is  equal  to  that  of  fifteen 
in  an  open  farmer's  field,  all  other  things  being 
equal.  The  same  may  be  said  of  fruit  trees  and  cul- 
inary vegetables.  [Neither  fruit  trees  nor  vegetable 
garden  should  be  within,  at  least,  a  hundred  yards 
of  trees.] 

Another  says,  "The  trees  will  hide  the  view  of 
the  landscape  around  us."  I  answer,  that  the  larger 
kinds  of  trees  in  the  belts  can  be  so  arranged  as  to 
suit  that,  and  an  observatory  can  be  made  upon 
the  house-top  to  view  the  landscape ;  but  the  fashion 
of  taking  visitors  up  there  to  see  the  landscape 
around,  and  carry  their  eyes  off  our  own  places,  is 
imprudent.  Better  make  beauties  upon  the  place, 
and  show  them  to  our  friends,  and  when  they  de- 
part they  will  speak  of  the  place  and  all  they  saw 
upon  it.  And  to  show  them  the  landscape,  take 
them  to  a  height  in  the  distance,  from  where  our 
own  place  will  show  to  advantage,  and  be  a  particu- 
lar striking  beauty  in  the  scene ;  for  nothing  can  be 
more  beautiful  in  the  landscape  than  a  finely -belted 
park. 


ihii  dardcncr's  JItonthlg. 


EFFECT   OF 


DEW   ON   PRODUCING   ROT 
AND    MILDEW. 


& 


BY  A.  A.  MULLET,  GLENDALE,  O. 

As  no  one  has  responded  to  the  invitation  for  more 
light  on  the  culture  of  the  grape  on  Kelly's  Island,  I 
consider  the  subject  of  sufficient  public  importance 
to  make  a  few  remarks  on  Mr.  Bateham's  article. 

Undoubtedly,  great  success  has  attended  the  cul- 
ture of  the  grape  in  that  region ;  but  I  do  not  think 
the  evidence  warrants  the  conclusion  that  it  is  due  to 
the  abseijce  of  dews  and  fogs.  Let  us  examine  the 
points  laid  down  in  Mr.  Bateham's  communication. 

First,  "That  the  mode  of  training  and  pruning 
differs  materially  from  that  practiced  around  Cincin- 
nati, especially  in  allowing  the  vines  more  wood  and 
leaf." 

Secondly,  "The  vines  are  planted  6  feet  by  8." 

Thirdly,  "The  soil  of  the  Island  is  naturally  well 
adapted  to  the  grape,  consisting  of  friable,  deep, 
calcareous  loam,  resting  on  shale  or  lime  rock  having 
deep  fissures  which  afford  natural  drainage." 

The  first  and  second  of  these  positions  is  simply 

stated  in  that  report,  and  little  value  is  attributed  to 

the  last,  for  the  main  secret  is  believed  to  be  due  to  the 
absence  of  dews  and  fogs. 

Now  a  large  number  of  vineyards  around  Cincin- 
nati is  comparatively  as  free  from  fogs  on  account  of 
their  high  elevation  as  Kelly's  Island,  and  yet  they 
are  subject  to  mildew,  nay,  the  crops  Itave  been 
entirely  destroyed.  "We  therefore  must  look  to  other 
causes  for  the  success,  and  I  believe  those  causes  are 
clearly  pointed  out  in  these  valuable  positions  as 
stated  above.  Let  us  carefully  examine  these  three 
important  facts,  set  before  us  in  that  communication, 
and  which  I  consider  to  be  its  true  value  and  the  real 
cause  of  success,  viz.  :  the  distance  of  planting;  the 
method  of  pruning ;  the  preixiration  and  drainage  of 
the  soil. 

Mr.  Bateham  is  fully  aware  of  the  general  method 
of  planting  and  pruning  adopted  in^  the  vicinity  of 
Cincinnati,  for  he  speaks  of  the  material  difference, 
especially  in  allowing  the  vines  more  wood  and  leaf;  and 
knows  something  of  the  controversies  that  have 
taken  place  in  the  Cincinnati  ^Horticultural  Society, 
on  the  long  and  short  system  of  pruning,  for  he  is  a 
constant  reader  of  its  weekly  reports,  and  has,  no 
doubt,  read  some  of  the  reports  of  special  committees 
appointed  by  that  society  to  investigate  the  causes  of 
the  failure  of  the  grape  crop.  Perhaps  an  extract 
from  a  report  that  I,  as  chairman  of  a  special  com- 
mittee, read  to  the  Society  on  November  15th,  1858, 
may  not  be  amiss  here : 

"That  the  most  judiciously  planted  vineyard  that 
I  had  visited  belonged  to  a  member  of  this  society. 
His  vines  are  planted  wider  than  usual,  and  every 
fifth  or  sixth  row  he  left  a  space  wide  enough  for  a 


Avagon  to  pass ;  thus  giving  the  vines  a  greater  supply 
of  sun  and  air."  And  Mr.  Buchanan,  one  of  our  most 
successful  cultivators,  immediately  named  Mr.  Hodge 
as  the  person  referred  to.  The  usual  distance  of 
planting  has  hitherto  been  3  to  4,  or  4  by  5,  but  few 
could  now  be  found  to  plant  closer  than  5  by  6,  and 
some  would  even  prefer  5  by  8.  The  Catawba  and 
Isabella  are  the  principal  varieties  grown  on  the 
Island,  as  at  Cincinnati  and  elsewhere.  Native  va- 
rieties are  said  by  Mr.  Longworth,  Mr.  Garber,  Mr. 
Prince,  and  a  host  of  others,  to  be  well  adapted  to 
our  climate ;  and  these  authorities  have  repudiated 
all  foreign  varieties  as  not  suitable  to  our  climate,  and 
some  have  gone  so  far  as  to  reject  even  seedlings 
from  foreign  varieties.  I  do  not  believe  this  theory 
of  fog  and  dews  could  be  assented  to  without  repu- 
diating what  has  been  said  by  those  experienced  cul- 
tivators as  to  the  fitness  ef  our  native  vines  for  ourch- 
mate.  If  we  examine  the  method  that  has  been 
generally  adopted  in  the  Winter  or  Spring  pruning 
of  our  native  vines,  we  shall  find  that  it  is  according 
to  the  German  method,  whose  vines  are  compara- 
tively of  a  feebler  growth  when  compared  to  our 
robust  and  luxuriant  growers  — the  Isabella  or 
Catawba;  both  of  which  are  capable  of  maturing, 
under  favorable  circumstances,  over  five  hundred  of 
well  developed  bunches.  And  here  is  one  of  the 
material  points  noticed  in  Mr.  Bateham's  report- 
"  especially  allowing:  the  vines  more  wood  and  leaf."  If 
Dr  Hales'  statement  be  correct,  he  found  that  a 
cabbage  emitted  neariy  half  its  weight  of  moisture  m 
tweny-four  hours.  This  watery  expiration  takes 
place  chiefly  during  the  day,  and  is  checked  by  rams 
and  reduction  of  temperature,  and  every  nurseryman- 
is  fully  aware  of  the  immense  expiration  that  takes 
place  through  the  leaves ;  for,  if  they  take  a  spray 
from  a  tree  for  the  purpose  of  budding,  they  mvan- 
ably  cut  off  all  the  leaves  to  retain  the  moisture. 

Let  us  now  apply  the  principles  to  the  culture  of 
the  vine,  especially  in  ill-drained  and  clay  subsoils 
retentive  of  moisture,  and  see  if  cause  sufficient  can- 
not be  found  in  the  short  system  of  pruning  to  ac- 
count for  the  principal  cause  of  the  mildew.  And  if 
so,  we  have  at  hand  a  practical  and  scientific  remedy. 

Should  there  be,  in  the  month  of  June,  much  ram, 
followed  by  a  hot  sun,  we  may  expect  the  mildew ; 
for  the  soil  being  well  filled  with  moisture,  and  the 
hot  sun  causing  an  excessive  flow  of  sap.  i  or  a 
want  of  sufficient  leaves  to  evaporate  the  excess,  the 
tender  cells  of  the  young  berries  become  ruptured 
thus  producing  the  mildew,which  is  entirely  avoided 
on  Kelly's  Island  by  the  especial  allowance  of  more 
wood  and  leaf.  I  well  recollect  in  a  discussion  that 
took  place  in  the  Cincinnati  Horticultural  Society,  a 
remark  made  by  Dr.  S.  Mosher,  "that  the  French 
Oidium  differed  from  the  American ;  the  former  was 


Jit; 


C(j4  ^wckntxB  Ulan 


from  without,  while  the  latter  was  from  within." 
This,  at  the  time,  I  considered  a  concession  to  the 
advocates  of  long  pruning.  But  I  see  by  a  recent 
report  to  the  Cincinnati  Horticultural  Society  by  Dr. 
S.  Mosher,  R.  Buchanan  and  J.  E.  Mottier,  some  of 
our  best  and  most  successful  wine  growers,  condemn 
the  erroneous  system  of  short  Summer-pruning, 
having  found  it  detrimental  to  the  ripening  of  the 
fruit,  and  I  doubt  not  that  the  short  system  of  Win- 
ter or  Spring  pruning  will  before  long  receive  also 
its  just  condemnation. 

It  is  seldom  or  ever  that  the  mildew  attacks  vines 
until  after  the  fourth  year,  for  in  the  same  vineyards 
and  under  the  same  atmospheric  influence,  the  vines 
of  three  and  four  years  old  have  had  a  full  crop, 
while  those  of  six  years  and  upwards  were  entirely 
destroyed  by  mildew.  I  had  a  proof  sufficient  to 
convince  me  of  the  correctness  of  this  theory  in  1858. 
I  visited  a  vineyard  of  about  six  acres,  the  crop  of 
which  had  been  entirely  destroyed  by  mildew,  with 
the  exception  of  a  few  vines  that  had  run  up  some 
cherry  trees;  these  had  a  fair  crop,  and  one  row 
which  had  all  the  roots  cut  off  on  one  side  of  the 
row  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  drain  for  a  cellar, 
and  that  one  row  had  a  full  crop  of  well-matured 
grapes.  The  owner  had  root-pruned  that  row,  and 
hence  the  success. 

The  roots  of  the  Catawba  have  been  traced  over 
twenty  feet,  and  yet    these   native  and  luxuriant 
vines  have  been   subjected  to  the  same  short  and 
murderous  system  practiced  by  the  Germans  on  their 
vines,  which  are  of  a  feeble  growth.      Mr.  Bateham 
speaks  of  the  influence  of  the  lake  in  ripening  the 
fruit ;  if  those  grapes  exhibited  at  Cincinnati  be  taken 
as  fair  samples,  they  are  not  to  be  compared  to  those 
I  saw  in  Mr.  Mottier' s  vineyard,  either  in  color  or 
quahty.     I  thought  them  exceedingly  deficient  in 
grape  sugar,  consequently  not  well  adapted  for  wine. 
But  Mr.  Mottier  does  not  practice  Summer-pruning, 
but  believes  that  the  leaves  have  important  functions 
to  perform ;  and  while  others  cut  off"  the  tops  of  the 
vines  to  let  the  sun  in  to  ripen  the  fruit,  he  lets  the 
leaves  accomplish  this,  and  the  richness  of  his  grapes 
both  in  color  and  quality,  proves  the  correctness  of 
his  practice.     If  any  one  doubt  the  correctness  of 
this  system  they  can  satisfy  themselves  by  visiting 
his  vineyard  at  the  proper  season,  or  his  wine  cellars 
at  any  season,  and  I  am  satisfied  they  will  fully  en- 
dorse my  judgment  that  his  grapes  and  wine  are  hard 
to  beat  by  those  of  Kelly's  Island  or  elsewhere,  and 
should  they  be  fortunate  enough  to  get  a  glass  of  his 
"United  States  Fair  Premium  Wine,"  they  will,  no 
doubt,  approve  the  committee's  decision,  and  per- 
haps secure  a  box  of  the  same  for  their  use.     I  have 
digressed  a  little  from  my  subject,  and  having  ex- 
tended this  article  beyond  the  limits  I  intended,  I 


shall  conclude  by  stating  that  if  I  am  not  mistaken 
in  the  signs  of  the  times,  that  not  only  the  Summer 
pruning  will  be  generally  discontinued,  but  that  the 
short  system  of  Winter-pruning  and  close  system  of 
planting  will  soon  be  superseded  by  wider  planting, 
better  drainage  and  especially  allowing  the  vines 
more  wood,  as  so  forcibly  stated  by  Mr.  Bateham  in 
his  communication. 

[Around  the  Lakes  and  in  Canada,  where  the  ex- 
tremes of  moisture  in  the  atmosphere  are  not  sudden 
and  violent,  the  foreign  grape  is  entirely  free  from 
mildew.  On  Kelly's  Island,  where,  by  the  absence 
of  dews  and  fogs,  the  climate  is  proved  to  be  in  a  like 
regular  condition,  Mr.  Bateham  notices  the  same 
success  in  the  culture  of  the  native  grape.  When 
we  come  to  a  dryer  and  more  changeable  climate, 
the  foreign  grape  fails.  Its  tender  leaves  and  spongy 
wood  part  with  moisture  too  rapidly,  and  mildew 
ensues.  So  the  cultivator  builds  a  cold  vinery  over 
the  grapes,  which  insures  the  moist  and  regular  cli- 
mate of  the  Lakes,  and  mildew  is  in  a  measure  con- 
quered. Mr.  MuUett's  experience  is  similar  in  its 
results. 

In  drained  ground,  where  heat  and  moisture  are 
more  regular;  in  wider  planted  vineyards,  where 
the  plants  cannot  rob  each  other  so  easily  in  a  dry 
time ;  in  less  Summer-pruned  vines  where  the  well- 
known  effect  is  to  produce  harder  and  less  spongy 
wood ;  and  in  vines  running  over  trees  where  the 
partial  shade  checks  evaporation;  the  same  effects 
are  produced  that  nature  effects  on  the  atmosphere  of 
Kelly's  Island,  and  the  foreign  grape  grower  does  in 
his  vinery.  The  whole  series  of  experiences  shows 
a  striking  coincidence  of  causes  from  the  most  oppo- 
site views  to  one  point.  It  is  highly  probable  that  it 
will  become  an  admitted  principle  that  "an  over  dry 
or  suddenly  dried  atmosphere  is  the  most  common 
cause  of  the  mildew  and  rot  in  grapes,  causmg  a 
greater  evaporation  than  the  plant  can  healthily 
supply."  All  this  can  be  partially  remedied  by  cor- 
rect pruning,  draining,  shading,  or  locality,  as  well 
as  the  selection  of  kinds  with  thick  leathery  foliage, 
that  will  not  easily  wilt  under  any  common  sun. 

We  should  be  glad  to  receive  from  other  of  our 
correspondents  any  additional  observations,  confir- 
matory or  otherwise,  of  these  views. — Ed.] 


<•■»* 


PACSINa   FRUIT. 

BY  "CLAUDE,"  LODI,  N.  J. 

May  not  the  decay  of  the  large  Duchcsse  d'  An- 
gouleme  pear,  sent  from  Wayne  County  to  Phila- 
delphia, Cas  mentioned  in  the  December  Monthly), 
be  as  attributable  to  their  enormous  size  as  to  the 
effects  of  their  transit  ? 

I  have  noticed,  this  last  season,  many  large  fruit 
of  this  variety  quite  diseased  in  the  flesh,  whilst  the 


@§^ 


outside  was  to  all  appearance  quite  sound  ;  and  this 
too,  in  the  case  of  fruit  that  had  been  gathered  and 
brought  into  the  fiuit  room  carefully.  If,  however, 
such  large  fruit  are  sent  to  any  distance  in  barrels, 
great  care  indeed  would  be  required  in  the  packing 
to  insure  their  safe  arrival.  The  barrels  should  be 
divided  into  two  or  three  compartments,  according 
to  the  size  or  substance  of  the  fruit,  by  portable 
divisions — false-bottom  like — which  will  not  only 
lessen  the  weight  and  pressure  of  the  fruit  on  one 
another,  but  will  also  prevent  the  springing  or  yielding 
in  the  sides  of  the  barrels ;  to  prevent  which,  and 
also  to  pack  the  fruit  so  as  to  prevent  shaking  or 
shifting  in  the  smallest  degree,  are  the  two  main 
points  to  be  attended  to  in  the  packing  of  all  kinds 
of  fruit  for  a  journey.  Even  a  short  journey  is  suf- 
ficient to  injure  them  if  not  put  up  with  some  sort  of 
care.  As  an  instance,  a  bushel  basket  of  Duchesse's 
was  sent  from  this  place  to  New  York  this  last  sea- 
son, and  though  it  is  scarcely  an  hour's  ride,  they 
were  reported  as  having  come  to  hand  in  "«7ncwA." 

On  the  other  hand,  some  boxes  of  the  same  sort 
were  sent  to  Canada,  and  they  were  acknowledged 
as  having  arrived  quite  safe;  "Not  so  much  as  an 
injured  fruit  being  among  them."  They  were 
packed  in  kiln-dried  sawdust,  and  care  was  taken  to 
shake  it  in  well  through  each  layer  of  fruit,  and  press 
it  down  round  ther  sides  of  the  boxes.  The  fruit  was 
placed  stalk  upwards,  and  each  layer  occupied  the 
hollow  spaces  formed  by  the  one  under  it,  the  saw- 
dust preventing  the  fruit  from  touching  each  other. 
Each  box  was  finished  off"  with  a  good  layer  of  the 
sawdust,  pressed  down,  and  left  rather  fuller  than 
the  sides  so  that  when  the  lid  was  pressed  on  it  the 
dust  formed  a  slight  convex  surface,  which  made  up 
for  any  shrinking  that  might  take  place  on  the  jour- 
ney. The  fruit,  to  be  sure,  were  not  such  monsters 
as  those  grown  by  Mr.  Yeomans,  but  were  con- 
sidered good  representatives  of  the  Duchesse  d' 
Angouleme.  There  were  from  7  to  8  dozens  in  each 
box. 

Fruit  of  such  a  size  as  Mr.  Yeoman's  should  be 
each  wrapt  in  paper,  and  particular  care  taken  to 
keep  the  ripest,  regardless  of  size,  on  the  top.  Boxes 
are  preferable  to  barrels,  and  should  be  made  stout 
in  proportion  to  their  size. 

I  may  mention  as  another  instance  of  success  of 
the  above  mode  of  packing,  that  a  box  of  choice 
pears  was  sent  from  this  place  to  England,  about  four 
years  ago,  which  arrived  in  perfect  condition,  and 
were  much  prized  for  their  very  superior  flavor  and 
texture.  They  were  kept  in  the  ice  house  of  the 
ship  during  the  voyage. 

Permit  me  also  to  mention,  as  an  instance  that 
firm  packing  holds  good  in  the  case  of  the  softest 
fruits,  that  some  years  since,  in  the  "old  country," 


I  had  occasion  to  send  all  the  forced  peaches  a  dis- 
tance of  seventy  miles,  but  they  got  more  jolting  and 
delays  for  that  distance  than  on  a  thousand  miles  of 
rail.  They  were  generally  two,  and  in  more  than 
one  instance  three  days  on  the  road,  owing  to  mis- 
takes, and  in  no  one  instance  did  they  arrive  in  a 
damaged  condition.  They  were  all  packed  with 
perfectly  dry  moss  in  stout  boxes.  Figs,  plums  and 
grapes  were  sent  at  the  same  time  with  perfect  safety. 
The  figs,  like  the  peaches,  were  first  wrapped  in 
paper;  the  plums  without  paper  were  packed  in  the 
moss ;  the  grapes  were  packed  in  their  own  leaves ; 
a  few  holes  being  bored  in  the  tops  of  the  sides  of 
the  boxes  to  prevent  heating.  In  all  cases  the  fruit 
was  perfectly  ripe  at  the  time  of  gathering  them. 

I  am  aware  there  is  nothing  new  in  all  this ;  but 
that  most  gardeners  have  practiced  it,  and  are  fre- 
quently called  upon  to  practice  it  in  most  places,  pri- 
vate or  public ;  but  as  the  growth  of  choice  fruits  is 
becoming  more  extended,  the  knowledge  of  the  best 
mode  of  packing  them  must  be  also  of  increasing 
importance ;  I  have,  therefore,  given  you  a  hurried 
outline  of  mine,  and  would  be  glad  to  see  and  profit 
by  the  expeiience  of  others,  recorded  in  your  very 
valuable  journal. 


**m»» 


PRUNING    EVERGREENS. 

BY  WILLIAM   BRIGHT,    PHILADELPHIA. 

Lord  Chesterfield,  in  his  advice  to  his  son, 
instructed  him,  when  his  vanity  was  assailed  by 
flattery,  never  to  permit  himself  to  be  "giggled"  out 
of  the  return  compliment.  In  accordance  with  this 
sage  advice,  I  will  say  to  the  Editor  of  the  Gar- 
dcner^s  Monthly,  Cpolitely  lifting  my  chapeauj,  that  if 
there  has  been  a  Garibaldi  in  horticulture,  there  has 
also  been  an  Editorial  good  King  Emanuel,  under 
whose  wise  and  benignant  sway  the  aid  of  Garibaldi 
is  no  longer  necessary  to  the  public. 

Still,  I  must  confess,  that  praise  of  my  evergreens 
touches  me  in  a  vulnerable  point.  I  believe  I  have 
produced  some  good  specimen  trees,  and  with  your 
permission,  I  will  state  some  of  the  rules  which  I 
have  adopted  in  pruning  and  training  them. 

In  the  first  place,  it  may  be  set  down  as  a  fact, 
that  our  principal  evergreens  will  bear  the  use  of  the 
knife  in  pruning  as  well  as  the  Osage  Orange,  the 
Buckthorn,  or  the  Honey  Locust,  and  a  great  deal 
better  than  the  plum,  the  cherry,  or  apricot. 

Evergreens  naturally  form  beautiful  trees,  but  their 
primitive  beauty  is  often  destroyed  by  close  planting 
in  nursery  rows,  by  injuries  received  in  cultivating 
them  with  plough  and  hoe;  by  packing  them  for 
shipment  like  bales  of  hay,  and  by  other  causes.  If 
you  have  one  of  these  deformed  seedlings  just  trans- 
planted to  your  grounds,  with  its  roots  abridged  and 
mangled,  it  is  of  no  use  to  prune  it  when  first  planted 


f,  .-'■'■ 


I  ^-  ■ 

I;..  »;';■•■ 


.  I.  .  V  ■ 
;■:■'    I 


:i 


^t  §Mtm{s  Pantljlg. 


I  do  not  think  that  you  can  aid  a  sickly  evergreen  by  | 
pruning  ;  indeed,  it  is  my  practice  never  to  prune  an  . 
evergreen  at  all  when  transplanting,  as  we  do  de- 
ciduous trees,  but  to  wait  till  it  is  well  established 
before  I  undertake  to  improve  its  form  with  the 
knife.  If  you  treat  an  evergreen  so  badly  in  trans- 
planting that  it  is  likely  to  die,  pruning  with  a  view 
to  lessen  evaporation,  will  not  save  it.  On  the  con- 
trary the  shock  occasioned  by  pruning  will  increase 
its  debility  and  hasten  its  death ;  at  least  this  is  my 
opinion.  I  rarely,  if  ever,  apply  the  knife  to  an 
evergreen  until  it  has  been  a  year  or  two  trans- 
planted,  unless  it  be  taken  up  carefully  with  a  large 
ball  of  earth,  and  nearly  all  its  roots  uninjured. 

A  perfect  evergreen,  such  as  the  Norway  Spruce 
and  Austrian  Pine,  generally  presents  to  us  a  fine 
pyramidal  form  and  a  perfect  circle,  with  branches 
of  nearly  equal  size,  at  equal  distances,  from  its  base 
to  the  top  of  the  leader. 

If  you  have  a  tree  which  has  a  break  or  vacant 
space  in  its  structure,  in  its  centre  or  at  its  base,  you 
must,  of  course,  cut  the  top  well  back  so  as  to  throw 
out  the  lower  deficient  side  shoots  with  greater  vigor, 
just  as  you  would  in  the  case  of  any  other  tree. 

If  the  tree  is  one  sided,  you  will  cut  in  the  full 
side,  and  thus  encourage  the  deficient  branches  to 
extend  themselves  to  the  limits  of  the  circle  which 
the  tree  is  expected  to  describe.  Sometimes  a  branch 
may  be  twisted  around  from  the  full  to  the  weaker 
side  and  tied  to  a  stake  so  as  to  till  a  vacant  space 
with  great  advantage. 

The  upper  branches  of  an  evergreen  must  never 
be  allowed  to  extend  over  the  lower.  This  is  always 
fatal  to  the  perfection  of  the  tree  in  single  specimens 
or  in  hedges.  You  mmt  keep  the  pyramidal  or  wedge 
shape  constantly  perfect,  or  the  base  of  your  tree 
will  surely  decline  in  vigor  and  beauty.  Trees  of 
this  order  never  recover  their  lower  shoots  so  long 
as  the  upper  branches  extend  over  them.  This  idea 
is  so  imperative  that  I  repeat  it  in  various  forms. 

It  is  probably  unnecessary  to  say  more  about  what 
is  required  to  be  done  in  order  to  change  the  form  of 
an  imperfect  tree.  The  main  questions  are :— when 
to  prune?  how  to  prune? 

The  best  time  to  prune  evergreens  is  in  the  Sprmg, 
just  before  they  commence  to  grow.  Of  course,  a 
moderate  trimming  may  be  given  with  safety  in 
the  Fall  after  the  Autumn  rains  commence,  and 
the  work  may  also  be  done  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
Winter,  if  the  season  be  mUd,  a  month  or  two  before 

they  start.  ,    *  t  i 

How  to  prune  ?  I  will  try  to  explam  what  I  have 
done  I  cut  an  evergreen  anywhere,  with  the  most 
perfect  freedom,  even  back  upon  wood  three  years 
old  and  two  or  three  inches  in  diameter  if  necessary. 
I  think  we  may  train  or  prune  an  evergreen  with 


success  to  any  form  we  choose ;  I  believe  I  can  form 
a  Norway  hedge,  only  three  feet  high,  and  keep  it  to 
that  height  for  a  lifetime ;  or  I  can  prune  a  Norway 
to  the  shape  of  a  crescent  or  a  mill  stone,  a  pyramid 
or  a  liberty  pole,  or  any  fancy  figure  except  that 
of  an  inverted  cone,  or  other  shape  which  throws 
out  the  upper  branches  so  as  to  shade  the  lower  ones. 

If  you  have  a  tree  which  is  so  broken  and  imper- 
fect in  its  form  that  you  desire  to  cut  it  back  severely, 
you  may  cut  to  any  point  you  please  if  it  be  even 
three-fourths  of  the  main  stem,  with  perfect  safety, 
if  the  tree  be  well  established.  When  you  do  this, 
you  will  select  a  side  shoot  or  branch,  to  which  you 
intend  to  cut  back,  to  be  tied  upjor  a  leader.  All  side 
shoots,  or  laterals,  in  evergreens,  readily  assume  the 
form  and  functions  of  main  shoots  or  leaders  as  de- 
sired. But  mark  this  rule :  when  you  cut  back  the 
leader  or  main  stem  upon  old  wood,  leave  two  or  three 
inches  of  the  old  wood  above  the  side  shoot  or  branch  in- 
tended/or a  leader,  and  never  cut  close  to  a  bud  or 
shoot,  as  you  would  on  a  pear  tree.  If  you  neglect 
this  rule  you  will  most  probably  lose  your  leader  or 
bud.  The  old  wood  left  above  the  bud  or  shoot  will, 
it  is  true,  form  an  unsightly  snag  for  a  time,  but  in 
a  year  or  two  it  may  be  neatly  trimmed  off,  and  the 
cut  will  also  by  that  time  be  concealed  by  the  new 
shoots  and  foliage. 

If  managed  in  this  way,  a  Norway  Spruce,  eight 
feet  high,  and  four  to  six  years  old  or  more,  may  be 
cut  down  to  a  height  of  two  to  four  feet,  so  as  to  re- 
semble a  mere  shrub,  or  bush,  without  the  slightest 
injury  to  its  general  health  or  vigor. 

If  the  tree  be  too  heavy  and  luxuriant  in  its  upper 
portion  and  weak  and  deficient  in  its  lower  branches, 
the  leader  may  be  cut  back,  or  disbudded,  and  the 
upper  side  shoots  may  be  thinned  and  shortened  at 
pleasure,  so  as  to  preserve  the  tapering  form,  by 
cutting  out  the  centre,  or  leader  as  we  may  say,  of 
side  shoots,  and  shortening  all  such  shoots  or 
branches  as  required ;  or  even  entire  branches  may 
be  taken  out,  if  desired,  always  recollecting,  when 
cutting  on  old  wood  or  new,  not  to  cut  too  close  to 
shoots  or  buds,  but  to  leave  a  snag,  as  before  directed, 
for  the  main  stem.  This  rule,  however,  is  not  so 
imperative  when  applied  to  the  terminal  points  of 
growing  side  shoots. 

In  pruning  the  side  shoots  of  evergreens,  do  not 
cut  all  of  them  to  the  exact  form  of  the  pyramid,  but 
cut-in-and-out,  as  I  may  say,  so  as  not  to  leave  the 
cut  ends  all  on  a  precise  line,  but  some  shorter  and 
some  longer  than  others,  just  as  a  skilful  barber 
trims  hair,  concealing  by  his  art  the  fact  that  it  has 
been  trimmed.  If  the  cut  ends  are  all  on  one  line 
the  tree  will  look  ''buzzy,"  as  the  gardeners  say. 

I  warn  the  novice  in  this  work  not  to  be  too  radi- 
cal in  his  first  pruning ;  not  to  do  too  much  at  one 


ih({  (Hardfttcr's  JIflonlMg. 


time.  You  cannot  change  the  whole  form  of  an 
imperfect  tree  in  one  season.  Be  gradual  in  your 
work.  After  the  first  judicious  pruning  many  dor- 
mant eyes  will  break,  and  the  necessity  for  severe 
pruning  may  be  prevented  by  the  growth  of  new 
shoots.  When  there  are  two  stems,  the  weaker 
one  should  be  cut  out  as  soon  as  possible.  — 
The  great  points  are  to  retard  the  top  all  you 
can,  by  disbudding  and  cutting  back  the  leader, 
and  thus  encouraging  the  basal  shoots,  to  keep  the 
upper  portions  of  the  tree  short  and  thin,  and  within 
the  line  of  the  perfect  pyramid.  This  is  almost  the 
entire  art  of  evergreen  pruning. 

The  rules  above  given  apply  more  strictly  to  the 
Norway  Spruce  than  to  other  evergreens  ;  but  still, 
with  slight  exceptions  to  nearly  all  of  them.  I  think 
the  Norway  may  be  kept  down  to  a  hedge  plant, 
three  or  four  feet  high,  till  its  stem  becomes  a  foot 
in  diameter,  or  more,  if  the  upper  shoots  be  kept 
shorter  than  the  lower  ones,  and  moderately  thin ; 
or  it  can  be  grown  twenty  or  thirty  feet  high,  like  a 
liberty  pole,  with  a  huge  feathered  stem,  if  the  same 
rules  be  observed  in  the  pruning;  that  is,  to  keep  the 
branches  at  uniform  distances,  so  as  to  admit  the  air 
into  all  its  parts,  the  top  short  and  thin,  and  the  basal 
shoots  strongest. 

The  Scotch  Fir,  unlike  the  Norway,  in  its  most 
perfect  form  is  not  pyramidal,  but  has  rather  a  round 
head.  The  object  in  pruning  this  tree  should  be  to 
preserve  its  natural  form ;  hence,  any  branch  or 
shoot,  extending  beyond  the  bounds  of  the  true 
form,  should  be  cut  back  near  to  a  lateral  shoot,  as 
directed  for  the  Norway.  If  the  branches  are  too 
thick  they  may  be  taken  out.  The  top  should  be 
kept  slightly  oval  in  form  instead  of  sharpely  wedge- 
shaped,  but  still  comparatively  thinner  and  shorter 
than  the  base.  It  is  better  to  disbud  the  Scotch  Fir, 
in  the  Spring,  than  to  use  the  knife  too  freely. 

The  Jliisirian  Pine,  while  it  is  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  of  evergreens,  is  the  most  difficult  to  man- 
age, and  requires  less  direct  use  of  the  knife  than  any 
other  tree  of  its  class  because  it  makes  new  shoots 
but  slowlj',  and  has  generally  but  little  spare  wood 
in  its  branches.  If  an  Austrian  has  one  full  and 
one  weak  side,  it  is  better  to  try  and  twist  a  branch 
round  to  the  vacant  side,  and  tie  it  in  place,  in  order 
to  get  the  desired  form,  than  to  attempt  to  create 
new  shoots  by  pruning.  You  cannot  force  a  new 
growth,  as  in  Norways ;  pruning  may,  however,  be 
done  in  the  same  way  as  on  Norways,  when  required 
by  the  form  of  the  tree.  The  lea.ler  may  be  taken 
out  and  a  side  shoot  brought  up,  or  branches  may  be 
cut  back ;  but,  as  in  the  Scotch,  it  is  better  to  disbud 
than  to  prune. 

The  White  Pine  may  be  pruned  very  freely  when 
three  years  old,  with  great  advantage.     You  may 


'I'lM 

m 


take  out  the  entire  third  year's  growth  of  the  main 
stem  and  tie  up  a  side  shoot  for  a  leader.  A  very 
beautiful  form  may  be  created  by  twisting  shoots 
round  to  fill  vacant  places  and  disbudding  the 
strongest  branches.  When  the  White  Pine  has  been 
cut  back  it  should  not  be  pruned  again  till  the  second 
year  afterwards,  when,  if  necessary,  the  main  stem 
may  be  taken  out  again.  The  object  of  this  treat- 
ment is  to  thicken  the  tree  and  to  protect  the  main 
stem  against  storms,  as  it  has  a  strong  tendency  to 
become  too  naked. 

The  Silver  Fir  is  rather  tender  and  very  liable  to 
lose  its  leader,  and  the  terminal  buds  of  laterals, 
especially  after  transplanting.  It  does  not  always 
start  weU ;  in  case  the  main  buds  of  the  leader  or 
laterals  are  destroyed,  you  may  cut  back  to  a  side 
shoot  and  tie  up  a  new  leader  as  directed  for  all 
the  other  evergreens.  It  bears  pruning  as  well  as 
the  Norway,  and  is  to  be  managed  by  the  same 
rules. 

The  Hemlocic,  as  all  gardeners  know,  maybe  trim- 
med with  as  much  freedom  as  a  box  hedge.  The 
same  general  rules  which  govern  the  pruning  of 
other  trees  of  this  class  should,  however,  be  kept  in 
view  in  our  treatment  of  the  Hemlock. 

The  American  Arborvitce,  whether  in  the  hedge,  or 
grown  as  single  specimens,  has  a  very  strong  ten- 
dency to  become  thickest  at  the  top  and  to  lose  the 
wedge  or  pyramidal  shape  so  absolutely  necessary  to 
its  continued  thrift  and  beauty.  You  must  keep  the 
top  thin  and  the  branches  of  the  entire  plant 
equalized,  from  the  base  to  the  top,  and  the  basal 
shoots  very  strong.  In  the  hedge,  the  wedge  shape 
must  be  very  shari^Iy  defined,  and  the  upper  angle 
very  acute.  After  opening  the  top  carefully  with  the 
knife,  cutting  large  shoots  to  a  proper  lateral,  you 
may  go  over  the  hedge  with  a  large  knife,  or  reap- 
ing hook,  and  cut  off  the  tips  carelessly  to  produce 
the  desired  form.  Never  use  a  pair  of  shears  for  this 
work ;  let  it  be  done,  as  before  suggested,  just  as  a 
first-class  barber  trims  your  hair,  i.  «.,  *' shingled" 
off. 

The  Hemlock  in  the  hedge  will  be  treated  in  the 
same  way  as  the  Arborvitre.  I  think  the  Siberian 
Arborvita?  forms  the  finest  evergreen  hedge.  The 
Hemlock  is  next  in  beauty.  The  American  Arbor- 
vita;  is  the  cheapest  and  most  speedily  grown,  and 
perhaps  the  most  vigorous.  Tlie  Norway  Spruce, 
six  feet  high,  and  properly  pruned,  makes  a 
magnificent  and  very  strong  hedge.  In  perfection 
of  beauty  as  a  hedge  plant,  nothing,  however,  has 
yet  suqiassed  the  Siberian  Arborvitoe. 

[It  will  be  seen  that  we  differ  entirely  from  Mr. 
Bright,  as  to  the  advantages  of  pruning  evergreens 
at  the  time  of  transplanting;  also  in  some  other 
matters  which  will  be  readily  noticed  on  reference  to 


/ 


g\t,  §MAmx%  Itantjjlg. 


our  paper  last  month.  So  far  as  Mr.  B.'s  paper 
goes  his  views  are  excellent  and  will  be  read  with 
great  interest-for  once  we  have  to  go  farther  than 
he  does  and  hold  to  the  extreme  views. 

By  way  of  appendix  to  what  we  have'already  said, 
we  add  the  following :     An  acquaintance  of  ours  is 
famous  for  his  success  with  evergreens  transplanted 
from  the  woods.   As.soon  as  he  gets  them  in  Spring, 
they  are  thickly  set  in  nursery  rows.     He  usually 
gets  plants  about  one  foot  or  fifteen  inches  high;  as 
soon  as  they  are  set,  he  with  a  box  or  hedging  shears 
clips  them  all  "unmercifully,"  down  to  about  six 
inches  and  they  are  left  afterwards  without  any  pro- 
tection from  sun,  wind  and  rain.     We  have  known 
him  practice  this  successfully  the  past  five  years  at 
least  and  to  employ  his  plan  on  arborvita-s,  hemlock, 
and  balsam  firs.     He  scarcely  asks  how  the  plants 
have  been  taken   up,  though,  of  course,  the  more 
carefully  the  better ;  about  ninety-five  per  cent,  inva- 
riably live. 

As  to  pruning  other  kinds  besides  those  named  by 
Mr    Bright,   the  following  from  the    Gcrmantown 
Teleqraph  will  be  very  interesting.     We  have  seen 
Major  Freas'  specimen,  and  it  is  a  very  beautiful  one. 
''We  have  likewise  a  Cryptomeria,  some  fourteen 
or  fifteen  feet  in  height,  the  branches  of  which  grew 
almost  horizontally  and  very  stragglingly,  and  be- 
came very  much  rusted  by  our  severe  climate,  and 
interiorly  bare.     We  determined  to  improve  it  or 
destroy  it ;   but  believing  it  partook  of  the  same 
nature  of  all  the  evergreen  family,  we  cut  away  every 
branch  except  the  leader,  within  two  or  three  inches 
of  the  main  stem.     Indeed  there  was  nothing  left  of 
it  except  a  bean  pole.     This  was  in  the   Spring  of 
1859,  and  the  result  was  that  new  and  numerous 
shoots  made  their  appearance  from  the  main  stem 
and  the  stumps  of  the  abscinded  branches,  and  stood 
last  winter,  which  was  more  than  usually  severe 
upon  not  entirely  hardy  plants  and  trees,  admirably 
—grew  luxuriantly  the  past  season— forming  a  hand- 
some tree,  with  most  of  the  branches  growing  per- 
pendicularly.    Competent  judges  say  it  is  the  hand- 
somest Cryptomeria  they  have  yet  seen,  and  beheve 
it  to  be  the  tallest  in  the  country."] 


— •» 


WINE-VAULTS   AND   VINEYARDS    OP 
LONQWORTH,   CINCINNATI,    O. 


N. 


BY   K. 


Having  frequently  heard  of  the  extent  of  Mr. 
Longworth's  operations,  and  feeling  a  strong  desire 
to  examine  his  establishment,  I  had  recently  an  op- 
portunity afforded  me  of  doing  so  during  a  short 
visit  to  Cincinnati. 

Supposing  that  it  would  require  a  note  of  intro- 
duction from  the  excellent  proprietor,  I  wended  my 
way  to  his  elegant  and  comfortable  mansion,  but 


was  so  unfortunate  as  to  find  him  out.     As  my  time 
was  limited,  I  concluded  to  make  the  trial  on  my 
own  responsibility,  and  soon  found  myself  before  a 
large  and  massive  building  situated  at  the  comer  ot 
Sixth  and  Broadway,  the  only  entrance  to  which 
was  through  a  gateway.     I  entered  the  office  boldly 
and  stated  my  wishes  to  a  very  polite  French  gen- 
tleman, who  instantly  called  one  of  the  workmen  to 
show  me  through  the   establishment.     The   upper 
part  and  ground-floor  of  the  building  is  principally 
devoted  to  the  processes  of  botthng,  packing  m  cases 
and  baskets,  shipping,  and  distilling.     The  basement 
is  used  for  storing  wine  in  immense  butts  during  the 
process  of  fermentation ;  and  in  a  building  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  court-yard  is  the  distillery,  ca- 
pable of  distilling  one  hundred  and  fifty  gallons  of 
Catawba  brandy  in  twenty-four  hours.     This  brandy 
is  distilled  from  wine  one  year  old.     Underneath  the 
basement  and  entirely  below  the  fluctuation  of  tem- 
perature at  the  surface,  in  immense  vaulted  apart- 
ments, is  stored  the  enormous  and  valuable  stock  ot 
champagne  or  sparkling,  and  still  wines  both  of  the 
Catawba  and  Isabella  grape  in  bottles  and  casks.    In 
the  bottling-rooms  are  several  machines  of  a  very 
simple  construction,  by  the  aid  of  which  one  man  can 
bottle  five  thousand  bottles  of  champagne  per  day. 
On  the  ground-floor  and  basement  I  was  shown  a 
large  number  of  butts  of  new  wine,  just  made  and 
commencing  to  ferment.     To  give  the  reader  some 
idea  of  the  extent  of  the  stock  of  wines,  here  I  will 
mention  that  I  noticed  one  butt  which  contained  4575 
gallons,  and  fitteen  butts  which  contained  2000  gallons 
each,  besides  an  immense  number  of  a  smaller  size. 

The  wine  for  champagne  is  kept  one  year  in  these 
casks  before  bottling ;  but  the  still  wine  is  allowed  to 
remain  in  them,  closely  bunged,  until  it  is  needed, 
and  then  drawn  off  into  casks  or  bottled,  as  may  be 
preferred  by  the  purchaser.     In  these  apartments  is 
also  kept  a  large  stock  of  Catawba  brandy,  and  also 
of  a  liqueur  called  by  the  French  Parfail  amour  des 
dames,  which  is  also  manufactured  in  the  establish- 
ment in  large  quantities.     I  was  shown,  in  one  of  the 
rooms  on  the  ground-floor,  a  wine-press  of  the  same 
kind  as   that  described  and  figured  in  your  July 
number  of  last  year.     As  a  general  rule,  the  grapes 
are  pressed  at  the  vineyards  immediately  after  being 
gathered,  and  but  little  work  of  this  kind  is  done  in 
this  establishment.     After  examining  the  super-ier- 
ranean  departments,  our  polite  attendant  prepared  to 
make  a  descent  into  the  sufr-terranean  regions.     Be- 
ing both  provided  with  a  candle,  we  bade  adieu,  for 
a  time,  to  the  cheerful  light  of  day,  and  plunged 
down  a  yawning  abyss  into  what  appeared  more 
like  the  dreary  realm  of  Pluto  than  the  courts  of 
vine-crowned  and  laughing  Bacchus.     I  found  my- 
self in  one  of  a  series  of  immense  vaults  of  about 


C|e  ^arbmu  P^antJIj* 


one  hundred  and  fifYy  feet  in  length,  the  whole  of 
which  are  filled  to  their  utmost  capacity  with  bottled 
champagne,  arranged  in  long  tiers  or  piles,  the  bot- 
tles being  mostly  laid  in  a  horizontal  position.  The 
wine,  just  after  being  bottled,  is  kept  for  a  time  with 
the  mouth  of  the  bottle  down  in  a  wooden  case,  as 
shown  in  the  annexed  sectional  drawing. 


In  one  of  these  vaults  alone,  my  guide  informed 
me,  there  were  over  100,000  bottles.  The  piles  or 
tiers  are  about  five  feet  high,  and  occupy  nearly  the 
entire  floor,  only  leaving  a  narrow  aisle  or  path.  I 
was  forcibly  reminded,  by  the  sight  of  so  many  bot- 
tles of  champagne,  of  an  old  German  legend.  It  is 
as  follows : 

His  Satanic  majesty  called  a  mass-meeting  on  a 
regimental  muster  of  his  imps  in  a  large  wine-vault, 
in  which  was  stored  a  large  quantity  of  champagne* 
As  they  arrived  before  his  majesty,  they  amused 
themselves  by  drinking  the  champagne  ;  and  by  the 
time  Beelzebub  arrived,  his  satellites  were  consider- 
bly  elated,  if  not  quite  drunk.  This  undevilish  con- 
duct on  the  part  of  his  imps  so  excited  the  ire  of 
their  master,  that  he  immediately  corked  one  of 
them  in  each  of  the  bottles ;  and  this  (the  legend 
says^  accounts  for  the  effects  of  dnnkln^  champagne; 
for  in  drinking  a  bottle,  you  at  the  same  time  be- 
come possessed  of  a  devil.  Now,  do  not  understand 
me  as  in  anywise  endorsing  the  truth  of  this  legend. 
On  the  contrary,  I  look  upon  it  almost  in  the  light 
of  a  libel;  for  most  persons  will  agree  with  me  in 
the  opinion,  that  where  taken  in  moderation,  it  has, 
unlike  most  other  alcoholic  beverages,  the  effect  of 
producing  hilarity  and  promoting  wit  and  humor. 

Some  idea  of  the  importance  and  extent  of  the 
wine  business  of  Cincinnati  may  be  formed  from  the 
fact  that  Mr.  Longworth's  stock  of  wine  alone  is 
estimated  to  be  worth  two  millions  of  dollars,  and 
there  are  several  other  establishments  here  largely 
engaged  in  the  same  business. 

Although  I  have  been  through  some  of  the  largest 
wine  districts  of  France,  I  had  not  an  opportunity 
of  seeing  the  process  of  wine-making,  or  rather  of 
wine-pressing,  it  not  being  the  vintage  season.     I 


was,  therefore,  much  pleased  to  hear  from  my  guide 
that  this  was  the  height  of  the  season  here,  and  that 
I  could  witness  the  whole  operation  by  walking  up 
to  a  vineyard  owned  by  Mr.  Longworth,  which  oc- 
cupies a  slope  of  one  of  the  hills  overlooking  Cin- 
cinnati, known  by  the  name  of  the  Garden  of  Eden. 
The  whole  property  contains,  I  believe,  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  acres,  a  part  only  of  which  is 
planted  in  vines,  the  remainder  being  devoted  to 
other  fruit,  peaches,  apples,  pears,  strawberries,  &c. 
After  searching  for  some  time  to  find  the  wine -press, 
I  at  last  found  it  in  a  small  barn,  situated  nearly  in 
the  centre  of  the  estate.  Here  I  found  the  process 
of  picking  and  pressing  the  grapes  in  full  operation. 
Half-grown  boys  were  busy  picking  the  grapes  in 
baskets,  which  they  emptied  into  a  light  oaken  firkin, 
provided  with  leather  straps  to  pass  over  the  shoul- 
der. When  tliis  was  full,  it  was  carried  by  a  man  to 
the  rolling  or  crushing-mill,  and  from  that  to  the 
press.  It  is  scarcely  necessary  for  me  to  describe 
these  machines,  as  the  designs  and  descriptions  fur- 
nished by  Mr.  Hazeltine  to  your  magazine  have 
already  familiarized  your  readers  with  tlicm.  I 
cannot,  however,  forbear  to  add  that  the  fresh  juice 
or  must  of  the  Catawba  grape  is  the  most  delicious 
drink  that  I  have  ever  tasted. 

I  have  thus,  Mr.  Editor,  endeavored  to  give  j-^our 
readers  an  idea,  imperfect  though  it  be,  of  these  in- 
teresting establishments,  and  will  close  by  advising 
them,  if  they  should  visit  Cincinnati,  by  all  meaus 
to  visit  them. 


«•»•» 


WATER    IN   GREENHOUSES. 

BY  J.    C.  URE,    CHICAGO,    ILL. 

Reading  your  remarks  in  j'our  leading  article  in 
the  December  number,  where  you  recommend  plac- 
ing pans  of  water  on  flues,  reminded  me  of  an  arti- 
cle I  contributed  to  the  Prairie  Farmer,  of  this  city, 
which  may  be  of  some  service  to  your  readers, — if 
3'ou  think  so,  please  publish  it. 

Heating  Greenhouses. — The  majority  of  green- 
houses have  the  common  biick  flue.  One  difficulty 
with  the  brick  flue  is  that  you  have  to  start  the  fire 
an  hour  before  it  is  necessary  to  have  it,  in  order  to 
get  the  required  heat.  It  also  dries  the  atmosphere, 
so  that  it  has  been  found  necessary  to  keep  vessels 
filled  with  water  standing  on  it,  the  evaporation  from 
which  would  afford  the  necessary  humidity. 

In  a  house  where  I  have  one,  I  have  placed  over 
the  furnace  on  the  flue  (the  brick  being  removed  so 
that  the  bottom  of  the  boiler  comes  in  contact  with 
the  fire,^a  copper  boiler  with  a  tin  lid,  with  a  weight 
on  it.     Two  inches  above  the  bottom  of  this  boiler  ' 
I  have  inserted  a  coupling — a  common  hose  coup-  • 
ling,  to  which  is  attached  a  lead  pipe — J  inch — 
feet  long.     It  passes  from  tlie  boiler  under  the 


■\  1^ 

■''4 


Mt^  §ixxAmf%  Ponthlj. 


and  into  a  lar^e  barrel.  A  hole  was  bored  in  the 
side  of  the  barrel,  on  the  same  level  with  the  coup- 
ling in  the  boiler,  the  end  of  the  pipe  inserted,  and 
enlarged  on  the  inside  of  the  barrel  with  iron  and 
hammer.  White  lead  was  used  to  make  the  hole 
about  the  pipe,  water-tight.  Such  is  the  apparatus. 
Now  for  its  use.  When  the  fire  is  made  in  furnace, 
the  water  being  low  in  the  boiler,  it  immediately 
produces  steam  which  may  escape  directly  into  the 
greenhouse  if  the  cover  is  open,  modifying  the  tem- 
perature of  the  atmosphere  at  once. 

This  is  of  great  service  when  but  little  is  wanted, 
and  is  wanted  immediately— especially  in  the  early 
morning  before  the  sun  rises,  on  a  spring  day— and 
sometimes  in  a  winter  day,  if  the  fire  has  gone  down 
in  the  furnace,  as  it  sometimes  does.     It  also,  with 
the  lid  or  cover  closed,  heats  the  water  in  the  bar- 
rel, causing  constant  evaporation,  and  creating  a 
moist  atmosphere.     The  water  in  the  barrel  is  al- 
most always  in  condition  to  be  used  in  watering  the 
pots  and  syringing  plants.     By  adding  another  pipe 
the  water  may  be  kept  in  constant  circulation  on  the 
same  principle  as  houses  are  heated  with  hot  water ; 
the  only  ditference  being  its  passage  through  a  barrel 
of  water.     The  pipe  can  readily  be  detached  from 
the  boiler  at  the  coupling  and  the  boiler  removed 
without  disturbing  the  pipe.     But  it  is  not  necessary 
to  remove  the  boiler  in  order  to  fill  it,  as  the  water 
in  the  barrel  above  the  pipe  is  equal  to  that  in  the 
boiler— hence  if  it  descend  to  fill  the  boiler  the  barrel 
may  be  filled.     The  cost  may  be  more  or  less,  accord- 
ing to  circumstances.     I  had  a  barrel,  and  an  ordi- 
nary cast-aside  stove  boiler,  on  hand.     The   pipe, 
&c.,  cost  near  $2,  which,  was  the  cash  cost  outside 
my  own  labor.     This  will  be  saved  in  a  single  week 
in  winter. 

It  can  be  made  an  ornament  by  putting  rocks, 
moss,  aquatic  plants,  &c.,  about  it.  There  is  a  good 
opportunity  to  make  it  beautiful,  as  well  as  useful. 


4a«»» 


THE   PARMER    AND    HORTICULTURIST. 

BY  N.    8.    N.,    COT.UMBIA,    TENN. 

There  has  been  much  ridicule  lavished  upon  book- 
farming  and  scientific  horticulture.  It  is  said  our 
fathers  were  farmers  by  nature,  and  horticulturists 
from  instinct,  and  that  we,  their  descendants, 
have  or  ought  to  have  inherited  their  endowments. 
Consequently  the  attempt  to  imp^irt  informalion  to 
our  farmers  through  the  medium  of  books  and 
papers,  or  to  educate  our  horticulturists,  is  mere 
humbuggery  ;  a  useless  consumption  of  time,  and  a 
wasteful  expenditure  of  money,  doing  more  harm 
than  good.  They  maintain  that  farming  is  no 
science,  neither  is  horticulture  an  art,  that  can  be  culti- 
vated and  improved  by  studying  books  or  reading 
papers.     Now  there  is  one  thing  very  certain,  that 


is,  those  who  advocate  such  opinions  are  themselves 
the  moderns  advocating  a  new  theory,  and  not  us 
who  are  advocating  different  principles.    These  book- 
hating  farmers  have  really  less  information  on  any 
subject  that  requires  thought  and  reflection  than  any 
other  class  of  society.      The  difference  between  a 
scientific  farmer  and  educated  horticvlturisi  on  the  |onc 
side,  and  a  mere  cultivator  of  the  soil,  and  a  planter 
of  trees  on  the  other,  is  well  drawn  by  a  very  old 
writer  of  the  first  century,  Philo  Judeas,  who  with 
the  Greeks  and  Romans,  regarded  farming  as  a  beau- 
tiful science,  and  horticulture  as  one  of  the  fine  arts. 
He  says,  on  this  account  shall  he,  ''meaning  Cain," 
cultivate  the  earth;  "He, "meaning  God,   "does  not 
say"  "He  shall  become  a  farmer."     For  every  far- 
mer is  an  artiat,  because  farming  is  an  art.     But  any 
of  the  common  people  are  cultivators  of  the  earth, 
giving  their   service    to   provide    themselves  with 
the  necessaries,  without  any  skill.     These  men,  then, 
as  they  have  no  superintendent  in  all  that  they  do, 
do  much  harm,  and  whatever  they  do  well  they  do 
I  by  chance.     But  the  works  of  farmers,  which  are 
'  performed  according  to  knowledge,  are  all  of  them 
■  of  necessity  useful.     And  among  the  trees  capable 
j  of  cultivation,  he  manages  them  in  diff"erent  ways, 
!  and  not  all  in  the  same  way ;  pruning  some,  and 
adding  props  to  others ;  training  some  to  increase 
their  size,  and  cutting  down  others  so  as  to  keep 
them  dwarfs.     There  are  also  an  innumerable  host 
of  other  operations  in  farming  which  proceed  by 
rules  of  art,  which  it  would  be  superfluous  to  enu- 
merate on  the  present  occasion,  for  we  have  only 
dwelt  on  this  point  at  such  length  for  the  purpose 
of  showing  the  difference  between  the  man  who  is 
only  a  cultivator  of  the  earth,  and  one  who  is  a 
farmer." 

The  only  object  we  had  in  copying  the  above, 
was  to  show  that  pruning,  in  all  ages,  has  been  re- 
garded as  a  science,  and  horticulture  one  of  the  fine 
arts,  and  the  imputation  that  they  are  of  modern 
origin,  a  dap  trap  to  make  money,  is  without  foun- 
dation, made  by  the  penurious  and  those  who  believe 
knowledge  to  be  a  curse  instead  of  a  blessing.  Salt 
cannot  save  such. 

We  are  now  in  January  1861 ;  some  day,  if 
nothing  unforseen  happens,  we  expect  to  have  a 
small  mess  of  very  large  Strawberries,  Downer's. 
They  were  potted  about  the  middle  of  October,  and 
placed  under  glass,  but  without  heat,— they  are  very 
large  and  fine. 


«>■•> 


HOT   DRAINS    IN    THE    OPEN   AIR. 

BY   WALTER   ELDER,    PHILADELnilA. 

In  answer  to  the  query  of  E.  R.  N.,  St.  Louis,  I 
would  say  that  in  my  business,  I  visit  many  coun- 
try-seats, and  when  at  Charles  D.  Meigs,  M.D.'s 


^> 


ihil  §m&tntr'^  cPonthlj. 


51 


place,  last  June,  I  observed  some  rows  of  peas 
earlier  than  I  had  seen  that  season ;  and,  inquiring 
into  the  reason,  was  shown  a  drain,  Ctile,  I  thought,; 
and  was  told  that  a  fire  was  made  at  the  lower 
mouth  on  cold  nights  in  spring,  and  the  smoke 
went  out  at  the  upper  end.  The  ground  slopes  for 
about  thirty  feet  from  the  mouth  of  the  drain,  and 
rises  three  feet  in  the  thirty,  and  then  runs  on  a 
level  full  fifty  yards.  The  fire  is  made  upon  the 
ground,  and,  as  heat  ascends,  much  of  it  wifl  be 
lost ;  but  as  it  is  easier  to  improve  than  invent,  I 
will  give  another  mode  of  heating.  There  are  plenty 
of  sheet-iron  stoves  with  rings  of  fire-brick  inside, 
and  cost,  when  new,  one  dollar.  Make  the  fire  in 
the  stove,  and  enter  the  pipe  into  the  drain,  which 
should  exactly  fit  the  tile,  so  as  to  draw  better ;  and 
the  pipe  might  have  two  branches  with  pipes  to  lead 
into  two  other  drains,  say  three  feet  or  six  feet 
apart,  and  one  fire  would  heat  all  the  three  at  once, 
and  no  heat  would  be  lost.  The  pipe  fastened  upon 
the  stove  can  have  two  side  holes  like  a  drain-tile 
where  two  drains  cross  each  other,  and  the  branch- 
pipes  fitted  upon  them.  The  stove  and  pipes  would 
last  many  years,  and  the  expense  of  fuel  would  be 
very  trifling ;  and  as  for  the  cost  of  the  tile  for  the 
drains,  that  would  be  nothing  in  comparison  with 
the  pleasure  to  the  owner. 

I  think  that  it  will  do  best  upon  land  that  has  a 
slight  ascent.     The  tiles  should  be  a  foot  under  the 
surface,  and  a  row  of  peas  on  each  side  of  it,  say 
eighteen  inches  off  it,  which  will  make  three  feet 
between  the  rows.    The  roots  would  not  be  so  apt  to 
dry  that  way,  than  where  a  row  is  right  on  top  of 
the  drain,  and  the  warmth  in  the  ground  would  be 
enough  to  keep  frost  off  the  surface  and  the  plants. 
These  drains  would  be  good  for  early  lettuce,  radish, 
beets,  &c.     A  fire  is  not  made  every  night,  but  only 
when  frost  is  expected.     Gardeners  all  know  w  ell 
the  value  of  moderate  bottom-heat.     More  or  less 
fire  could  be  applied  at  pleasure.     The  peas  in  Dr. 
Meigs'  garden  were  two  weeks  earlier  than  others 
of  the  same  kinds  twenty  yards  from  the  drains. 
And  the  value  to  a  market-gardener  can  be  con- 
ceived by  the  high  price  such  early  peas  would  com- 
mand, compared  with  those  two  weeks  later.  When 
I  was  in  that  line,  I  have  sold  my  peas  at  fifty  cents 
per  half-peck ;  and  in  ten  days  later  they  were  down 
to  ten  and  twelve  cents  a  half-peck;  besides,  any 
thing  early  makes  other  things  sell,  and  draws  new 
customers  to  the  stall.     If  I  were  to  rent  a  truck- 
garden  for  but  five  years,  I  would  make  these  hot- 
air  drains  and  make  one  stove  heat  three  drains  six 
feet  apart.     When  my  lease  was  ended,  I  could  take 
the  tile  up  and  move  it  to  another  place.     I  feel  con- 
vinced that  this  mode  of  forwarding  vegetables  in 
spring  will  be  largely  adopted  when  it  is  more  widely 


known.  It  would  be  a  coining  of  money  to  the 
market-gardener  near  to  a  large  city.  Such  drains 
in  the  alleys  between  asparagus-beds  and  between 
the  rows  of  rhubarb  plants,  beans,  potatoes,  toma- 
toes, egg-plants,  and  almost  every  kind  of  vegetable 
can  be  brought  into  use  a  fortnight  earlier  than  by 
the  old  system ;  and  I  say  so  from  occular  demon- 
stration. 

[In  addition  to  the  suggestions  of  Mr.  Elder,  we 
append  the  following,  from  the  London  Gardener's 
Chronicle,  as  applicable  to  the  same  subject  • 
"BOTTOM-HEAT  STEAM. 

"  Suppose  a  furnace  and  boiler  Cplaced  in  a  hid- 
den comer  of  a  gardenj,  such  as  to  generate  a  large 
quantity,  and  an  iron  pipe  to  issue  from  it  convey- 
ing the  steam,  to  be  laid  three  feet  under  the  surface 
of  the  ground.  Suppose  a  portion  of  ground  to  be 
laid  with  bell-shaped  draining  pipes,  two  or  three 
inches  in  diameter,  in  parallel  lines,  three  feet  under 
the  surface,  and  all  to  be  connected  with  the  iron 
pipe  conveying  the  steam.  At  the  opposite  ends  of 
the  earthen  drain-pipes  let  there  be  perpendicular 
pipes  or  shafts  coming  up  to  the  surface,  to  act  as 
safety-valves  and  to  secure  the  current  of  steam,  to 
be  kept  open,  or  more  or  less  closed  by  a  small  wisp 
of  hay.  Let  the  steam  be  kept  up,  more  or  less  at 
such  seasons  of  the  year,  and  at  such  times  in  each 
day  as  experience  and  the  objects  sought  might 
direct. 

"What  would  be  the  effect  of  such  an  action  of 
steam  on  the  subsoil  and  upper  soil  ?    Would  it  not 
gradually  create  a  warmth  in  both,  ascending  up- 
wards, and  M'ould  it  be  to  a  moderate  or  great  de- 
gree, requiring  to  be  regulated  and  controlled  ?   The 
steam  would,  no  doubt,  be  condensed  to  a  certain 
extent,  and  the  water  would  run  off  in  the  pipes 
which  would  act  as  drains,  but   the  pipes  would 
themselves  get  hot  and  communicate  a  dry  heat  to 
the  subsoil ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  steam  would 
escape  from  each  junction  of  the  bell-shaped  earthen 
pipes,  which  fit  into  each   other,  but  are  open  to 
water  or  steam.     This  steam  would  ascend  into  the 
subsoil  and  reach  the  upper  soil,  imparting  a  moist 
heat  as  it  went,  and  it  would  create  a  moist  and 
warm  atmosphere  above  the  surface  of  the  ground. 
The  great  question  is,  the  degree  and  proportion  in 
which  all  these  things  would  happen,  and  how  far 
the  whole  action  would  be  considerable  and  suscep- 
tible of  being  controlled  and  moderated,  and  how 
far  it  would  be  salutary  in  reference  to  the  growth 
of  plants. 

"That  such  a  system  would  act  well  under  glass 
can  scarcely  be  doubted.  It  miglit  be  regulated  so 
as  only  to  exclude  frost,  or  a  little  more ;  or  it  might 
be  applied  as  regards  season  and  degree,  so  as  to 
govern  all  the  various  objects  in  forcing  fruit.     Any 


'(^ 


ir 


I 


C|t  (Harbtntr's  ^ontjlj. 


excess  of  moisture  in  the  atmosphere  imder  glass 
might  be  corrected  by  ventilation. 

"What  would  be  the  effect  of  such  a  system  ap- 
plied to  the  border  of  a  fruit  wall,  so  as  to  influence 
the  roots  of  fruit  trees,  and  what  the  effect  on  gar- 
den culture,  applying  the  steam  at  such  seasons  as 
should  ward  off  frost,  and  such  as  were  suitable  to 
promote  early  growth. 

"But  the  idea  is  probably  more  applicable  to  fruit- 
houses,  orchard-houses,  and  others,  and  the  scheme 
seems  to  be  a  more  simple  mode  of  applying  heat 
and  moisture  than  the  whole  apparatus  of  hot-water 
pipes,  and  much  less  costly — certainly  in  the  con- 
struction, and  not  more  so  as  respects  fuel.  It  seems 
hkely  to  create  bottom-heat  in  a  more  effectual  and 
salutary  manner  than  any  other  system,  if  tliere  be 
no  objections  which  have  not  been  apparent.  It 
would  seem  to  be  an  idea  on  the  merits  of  which  it 
is  dlflficult  to  decide  a  priori,  and  where  experiment 
is  required.  It  may  be  observed,  that  lines  of  pii)es 
under  glass  could,  of  course,  be  laid  at  such  distances 
as  might  be  deemed  and  found  to  be  best,  and  if  per- 
pendicular shafts  were  brought  up  inside  the  houses, 
thereby  diffusing  steam,  they  might  be  opened  or 
closed  at  pleasure.  On  the  other  hand,  the  warm 
vapor  rising  from  the  earth  inside  a  house  might  be 
found  sufficient.— S/eam."— Ed.] 


»•■•» 


EASTERN 


PRUIT-GRCWERS'  SOCIETY  OP 

PENNSYLVANIA. 
REPORT  ON  RASPBERRIES. 

The  Belle  de  Fontenay  Raspberry  mentioned  in 
the  Report  of  the  Philadelphia  Committee,  criticised 
in  your  last  number  by  Mr  J.  T.  Harris,  was  de- 
scribed from  plants  growing  in  the  grounds  of  the 
writer,  obtained  from  an  amateur  who  had  imported 
them  from  France,  and  from  plants  imported  in  the 
spring  of  1800  direct  from  Bagnolet,  near  Paris, 
the  great  centre  of  raspberry  culture  for  the  Paris 
market,  which  were  identical  with  those  of  the  Com- 
mittee. Their  Report  was  written,  though  not  pub- 
lished, prior  to  the  meeting  of  the  Pomological 
Society.  The  remarks  of  the  President,  Mr.  Barry, 
and  other  experienced  horticulturists,  confirmed  the 
accuracy  of  their  description.  Its  peculiar  charac- 
teristics are  a  short,  stiff,  upright  cane,  thick  foliage, 
silvery  white  on  the  under  side,  and  very  numerous 
suckers.  Its  fruit  is  large  and  purplish-red.  The 
fruit  of  the  Merveille  ("not  Mervaitle,  as  Mr.  Harris 
has  it  )  d£s  Quaire  Saisons  is  bright  red,  the  canes 
very  tall,  and  growth  rampant;  suckers  not  nume- 
rous. 

If  3Ir.  Harris  will  read  the  remarks  on  this  rasp- 
berry made  at  the  Convention  and  reported  on  page 
11)  of  the  Gardener'' s  Monthly  Extra  for  November,  he 
will,  we  think,  be  convinced  that  the  Committee  are 


not  in  error  in  their  description  of  this,  the  finest 
of  all  the  autumn-bearing  varieties  of  the  raspberry. 
It  has  been  disseminated  by  some  parties  as  the 
Merveille  des  Quatre  Saisons,  and  by  others  as  the 
Reine  de  Fontenay;  the  latter  is  a  synonym,  the 
former  a  misnomer. 

J.  E.  Mitchell, 
R.  Cornelius, 
A.  W.  Harrison. 

HftD  eni  Plarp  J'ruifs. 

Marion  Port  Grape. — Mr.  J.  B.  Good  of  York, 
Pa.,  send  us  the  following  history : 

It  is  often  called  York  Madeiria  here,  but  is  very 
distinct  from  the    Schuylkill  Muscadel,    Cape,   or 
Alexander  Grape.     Between  thirty  and  forty  years 
ago,  a  German  brought  some  graiie  cuttings  into  this 
neighborhood,  and  offered  them  for  sale.     My  grand- 
father bought  of  this  person  a  parcel  of  cuttings, 
Cfor  which  he  paid  sixteen  dollars,^  and  planted  in 
his  garden.     Most  of  them  grew,  and  when  they 
came  into  bearing,  there  were  about  half  a  dozen 
sorts,  one  of  which  was  a  white  grape  of  very  vigo- 
rous habit,  and  bore  several  very  large  crops,  fruit 
of  the  finest  quality :,  but  the  original  vine  of  this 
variety  has  probably  been  destroyed.     Another  was 
the  Schuylkill  3Iuscadel,  which  is  much  larger  than 
the  Port,  and  not  so  early.     Several  of  them  were 
common  Fox  Grai>es,  another  was  the  one,  the  sub- 
ject of  my  history,  and  known  in  Ohio  and  else- 
where as  the  Marion  Port  Grape.     This  grape  has 
been  described  in  No.  VII,  vol.  XIV.  of  American 
Farmer.     There  are  three  or  four  varieties  of  grapes 
cultivated   here   which  are  often  confounded  with 
each  other,  and  are  known  under  the  synonyms  of 
Schuylkill  Muscadel,   Cape,  Alexander,  York  Ma- 
deiria, Canby's  August,  &c.,  and  are  also  sometimes 
confounded  with  the  Marion  Port  Grape.     But  this 
latter  is  very  distinct  from  the  Schuylkill  or  Cape, 
both  in  fruit,  foliage,  and  wood,  this  latter  having 
very  large  leaves,  and  somewhat  long  jointed  wood, 
while  the  Port  has  only  a  medium  sized  leaf,  of  a 
very  dark  green  api)earancc,  and  very  short  jointed 
wood,  and  propagates  very  easily,  almost  every  cut- 
ting grows.     The  Port  is  a  very  strong  grower,  and 
prolific  bearer,  even   under  the  most  unfavorable 
circumstances.     This  grape  is  much  disseminated 
throughout  this  State  and  part  of  Ohio,  but  is  often 
found  spurious  in  the  nurseries,  the  varieties  above 
named  often  being  substituted.     It  succeeds  well  in 
all  situations,  high  or  low,  only  varying  somewhat 
in  size  and  quality  of  fruit,  being  larger  in  low  situa- 
tions, and  not  quite  so  sweet  as  on  elevated   soil. 


^> 


Che  iarbmr's  llonthlg. 


Ever  since  introduced  here,  it  has  not  failed  to  ripen 
Us  most  abundant  crops,  even  if  neglected.  It  has 
not  been  known  to  rot  or  mildew  in  its  thirty  years 
of  cultivation  here.  My  grand-father  has  the  origi- 
nal vine  yet,  and  it  is  still  thriving,  although,  for 
many  years  neglected.  He  lias  made  excellent  wine 
from  it,  quarter  century  ago.  It  is  also  an  excellent 
table  grape  when  fully  ripe.  It  ripens  here  the  last 
of  August,  hangs  long  and  improves. 

Rev.  Mr.  Shepherd  says,  "It  was  originated  as 
near  as  I  can  trace  its  history,  by  the  Moravians,  at 
Bethlehem,  Pa.,  and  was  brought  to  this  vicinity  by 
a  German  about  thirty  years  ago." 

I  have  several  thousand  cuttings  of  this  §rape 
which  I  am  wilhng  to  distribute  in  small  quantities, 
Cfree  of  charge^  among  those  wishing  to  give  it  a 
trial. 

Van  Buren's  Golden  Dwarf  Peach. — The 
following  note  from  Mr.  Van  Buren,  was  received 
last  summer,  and  not  intended  for  publication,  but 
we  think  it  so  decided  an  acquisition,  that  we  "  take 
the  responsibility  "  of  its  publication  : 


Enclosed  I  send  you  a  drawing  of  a  new  seedling 
peach  of  my  own  raising,  which  I  think,  will  prove 
to  be  a  very  valuable  variety.  The  tree  is  a  dwarf, 
is  now  four  years  old,  and  but  28  inches  in  height, 
to  the  topmost  leaf,  has  small  flowers.  The  draw- 
ing sent  is  the  exact  size  of  an  ordinary  sized  speci- 
men, for  I  made  the  measurement  with  a  pair  of  di- 
viders, and  pricked  it  off  on  paper,  and  then  cut 
thereon.  The  fruit  is  a  clingstone,  and  of  first  rate 
flavor.  I  think  it  will  be  invaluable  for  cultivation 
in  the  cold  climate  of  the  North,  where  the  buds  get 
winter-killed  ;  for  cultivation  in  small  lots  and  gar- 
dens in  the  cities  and  towns,  as  well  as  for  border- 


ing walks,  for  it  is  truly  a  beautiful  sight  to  look  at 
these  miniature  trees,  with  its  golden  and  carmine 
fruit. 

While  every  peach  bud  on  my  place,  having  small 
flowers  was  killed  last  April  by  the  frost,  I  saved 
this  by  inverting  over  it,  a  three-bushel  basket,  and 
throwing  on  that  a  horse  blanket. 

I  can  now  always  have  a  crop  of  peaches  in  their 
season,  and  snap  my  fingers  in  the  face  of  Jack 
frost. 

This  is  the  second  year  of  its  bearing ;  it  has  made 
about  three  or  four  inches  growth  the  present  year, 
and  as  it  is  now  in  full  bearing,  I  presume  will  grow 
but  little  hereafter.  It  is  a  seedling  I  discovered  in 
the  nursery  now  three  years  since,  and  is  probably 
a  sprout  from  some  ordinary  variety ;  it  grows  in 
ground  of  ordinary  quality,  and  was  manured  last 
spring  with  a  wheel-barrow  load  of  chip-manure  and 
lime,  which  is  all  the  care  it  has  received. 

Jackson  Apple. — Amongst  a  lot  of  apples  re- 
cently received  through  the  kindness  of  Mr.  Wilson 
Dennis,  of  Applebackville,  Bucks  Co.,  Pa.  It  can- 
not be  called  new,  as  it  has  been  years  ago  described 
by  Dr.  W.  D.  Brinckle ;  but  it  is  not  near  as  well 
known  as  it  deserves  to  be,  and  we,  therefore,  have 
pleasure  in  giving  the  following  outline  and  descrip- 
tion of  Mr.  Dennis'  specimen,  from  the  pen  of  our 
accomplished  Pomologist,  Dr.  J.  K.  Eshleman. 


Above  medium  in  size,  oblate  conic  in  form.  Skin 
yellowish  green,  with  streaks  of  pale  red  and  russett, 
and  small  russett  dots.  Stem  short,  in  a  deep,  nar- 
row cavity.  Calyx  brown  and  large,  core  small. 
Herb  greenish  white,  crisp,  tender,  juicy,  "very 
good,"— some  think  "best." 


^^  iardcnw's  Pont|l5. 


PHILADELPHIA,  FEBRUARY  1,  1861. 


JC^  All  CommunicatioDs  for  the  Editor  should  be  addiessed 
"Thomas  Mekhan,  Gerraantown, Philadelphia," and  Business  Let- 
ters directed  to  "Thk  Pubmshbr  of  the  Gardekeb's  Momthlt 
Box  406  Philadelphia." 


«•■•» 


jCf  Persons  sending  two  new  Subscribers  for  1861  in  addition 
to  their  own,  with  $3.00  can  receive  a  copy  of  our  First  Volume, 
(1839)  free.  All  persons  who  have  paid  their  subscriptions  for  1861 
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the  same. 

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is  fast  filling  up,  and  as  we  have  only  intended  publishing  a  lim- 
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work,  to  send  their  name  and  address  as  early  as  possible. 


RAISING     SEEDS. 

Many  of  us  find  a  great  difficulty  in  raising  seeds 
of  flowers,  fruits  and  vegetables,  and  yet,  if  the  seed 
is  good  there  is  no  reason  why  it  should  not  grow. 

We  have  a  friend  who  is  quite  a  genius  in  this  line. 
It  matters  not  what  is  given  to  him— whether  it 
comes  from  the  Catacombs  of  Egypt,  the  craw  of  an 
Australian  bird,  or  from  the  coat  of  some  fierce  ani- 
mal that  has  for  many  a  long  year  been  the  terror  of 
little  children  in  some  museum  of  natural  history, 
all  he  wants  is  the  privilege  to  scratch  it  with 
his  knife  to  tell  you  at  once  what  he  can  do  with 
it.  It  is  a  maxim  with  him  that  "birds  that  can 
sing,  and  wont  sing,  ought  to  be  made  to  sing,"  and 
what  is  more,  they  *'do  sing"  when  he  gets  hold  of 
them ;  that  is,  if  the  seed  can  grow,  in  his  hands  they 
do  grow. 

Some  time  ago,  a  friend  remarked  to  the  writer : 
"Can  you  get  the  seeds  of  the  Fraxinella  to  grow  ? 

I  have  tried,  time  and  again,  and  have  got ,  and 

,  and ;  and  though  they  are  famous  horti- 
culturists, they  nor  I  have  ever  raised  one."  The 
writer  replied,  "Give  them  to  Jones,  he  will  raise 
them  for  you!"  and  Jones  did  raise  them.  In  two 
weeks,  to  the  astonishment  of  our  friend,  Jones  liad 
plants  for  him. 

In  company  with  our  friend,  we  recently  paid  Jones 
a  visit,  and  after  praising  him  and  his  system  "up  to 
the  skies,"  hinted  that  we  should  like  to  know  the 
secret  of  the  business ;  whether  it  was  to  him  merely 
the  common  course  of  the  common  laws  of  nature— 
or  whether  he  had  the  additional  aid  of  Diabolous' 
influence ;  in  short,  whether  it  was  his  art  that  did 
it,  or  did  he  employ  "conjuring  powder?"  But  Jones 
said  candidly  that  he  did  not  think  it  fair  that  what  had 
taken  a  life-time  of  study  and  experience  should  be  giv- 
en in  one  moment  to  two  men  for  the  asking.  We  then 
fell  back  on  our  official  position,  representng  that  we 
would  give  it  to  our  readers  through  the  Gardener's  | 


Monthly.  Still  he  was  obdurate,  talking  something  about 
"sections"  and  "parties,"  and  so  on, till  we  really  sup- 
posed that  he  mistook  us  for  a  politician,  and  he  was 
being  asked  for  some  "force  to  be  employed  against  the 
North,  or  element  of  destruction  to  be  used  against 
the  South."  But  this  was  enough  to  give  us  the  cue 
to  his  weakness.  He  evidently,  with  all  his  eccen- 
tricities, was  a  man  who  felt  for  men  as  Tncn,  and 
when  they  were  worthy  did  not  stop  to  inquire  what 
government  they  lived  under.  We  accordingly 
pointed  out  to  him  where  "we  circulated,"  and  who 
were  "our  readers"— Jews  and  Gentiles,  believers 
and  unbelievers,  secessionists  and  disunionists, 
monarchists  and  republicans ;  that  what  we  published 
was  for  the  benefit  of  all,  freely  and  without  price  ; 
and  that  "all,"  too,  embracing  a  numeral  of  no  mean 
proportions.  The  spark  took  effect.  He  said,  "It 
was  one  of  the  green  spots  amidst  desolation  he 
loved  to  see,"  and  taking  our  hand  with  that  firm 
and  friendly  grasp  for  which  he  is  well  known  when 
his  feelings  are  warmed,  he  thus  began : 

"It  is  necessary  first  to  be  sure  your  seed  is  good. 
This  is  ascertained  by  dividing  a  few  of  them.  If 
the  kemal  shows  no  sign  of  having  shrivelled,  is 
plump,  and  bright,  and  solid,  it  is  good.  Most  seeds, 
such  as  pines,  have  naturally  a  bright  ivory  look  when 
good,  as  soon  as  they  lose  the  germinating  power  they 
become  of  a  yellowish  tinge;  when  like  this  they 
may  be  thrown  away  without  the  trouble  of  trying 
them  to  grow  —  ("this  was  his  own  expression.^ 
Others,  such  as  buckthorn,  and  most  seeds  whose 
plants  yield  dyes,  have  the  seeds  tinged  with  the  same 
colors  as  the  dyes  produced ;  when  bad,  these  colors 
are  of  a  blackish  or  brownish  hue,  and  a  little  experi- 
ence readily  detects  their  worthlessness.  Then, 
again,  seeds  that  have  no  feathery  or  woolly  append- 
ages will  sink  in  water  when  sound.  All  seeds  that 
swim  are  not  bad,  but  all  that  sink  are  certainly  good 
in  any  case,  and  are  well  worthy  of  whatever  care 
we  may  wish  to  bestow  on  raising  them. 

Having  got  good  seeds,  to  grow  them  is  easy. 
They  must  have  moisture  to  soften  the  outside  skin, 
and  perhaps  to  afford  some  of  the  elements  of 
growth  or  nutrition ;  they  must  have  plenty  of  air, 
as  its  oxygen  is  necessary  to  destroy  some  of  the 
parts  of  the  seed,  and  life  only  exists  by  the  destruc- 
tion of  other  organized  matter;  and  it  must  have 
absolute  darkness,  for  light  is  a  fixer  of  carbon,  a 
hardener  of  the  parts  of  vegetation,  which,  it  is  the 
object  of  successful  seed-growing  to  loosen  and  make 
soft. 

If  seeds  could  be  always  sown  at  the  moment  of 
gathering,  difficulty  would  not  often  be  experienced 
in  germination,  but  as  they  have  to  be  preserved, 
light  and  dryness  harden  the  shells  of  most  seeds. 
Waxy  tissues  become  as  horn,  horny  ones  as  bone, 


^s 


W^\  (iardctwr's  Jttonthlg.  • 


bony  ones  as  flint,  and  sometimes  they  become  so 
hard  that,  in  some  instances,  as  in  Nelumbiums  that 
were  some  years  old,  I  have  had  to  file  holes  in  the 
seeds  till  my  wrist  ached  before  I  could  get  a  success- 
ful growth.  In  hard  or  flinty  seeds  artificial  means 
must  be  resorted  to  to  soften  this  unnatural  hardness 
before  growth  can  commence.  Large  seeds  may  be 
filed  or  cracked,  and  smaller  ones  may  be  soaked  in 
warm  water  for  a  short  time,  or  suddenly  scalded  in 
very  hot  water,  or  steeped  in  solution  of  potash,  or 
any  material  of  a  softening  tendency.  But  I  seldom 
have  to  resort  to  any  of  these  extreme  measures. 
My  usual  plan  is  ta  sow  anything  I  get  as  soon  as  I 
get  it.  I  do  not  cover  the  seed  with  soil,  or  if  I  do 
think  it  necessary  in  some  instances,  I  cover  very 
slightly  and  with  some  material  that  is  very  porous 
and  that  will  admit  all  the  air  possible.  Then  I  set 
my  pots  in  a  dark  place,  that  is  moderately  damp  and 
warm.  On  the  first  sign  of  vegetation,  the  pots  are 
gradually  brought  up  to  the  full  light,  and  to  their 
regular  conditions  of  growth." 

But,  said  we,  this  is  all  very  well  for  gardeners 
who  have  greenhouses,  and  rare  seeds  to  raise ;  but 
tell  us  something  that  will  benefit  our  lady  leaders, 
many  of  whom  have  such  poor  luck,  as  they  say, 
with  their  flower  seeds  sown  in  early  Spring. 

"They  cover  them  too  deeply,"  replied  Jones, 
"the  moisture  they  get  is  not  in  proportion  to  the 
air  about  them— too  much  of  the  fonner,  too  little  of 
the  latter — let  them  sow  them  on  the  surface,  and 
cover  with  moss,  or  leaves,  or  cotton,  or  anything, 
taking  care  only  to  remove  it  at  once  on  germina- 
tion and  they  will  never  fail  if  the  seed  is  good." 

For  the  benefit  of  our  nursery  readers,  we  con- 
cluded to  press  our  friend's  experience  still  further, 
and  we  said,  "Mr.  Jones,  how  would  you  treat  fruit 
seeds,  hedge  plants,  &c.  ?  I  should  like  to  add  some- 
thing to  your  hints  for  the  especial  benefit  of  the 
trade."  But  here  we  made  a  mistake,  which  we 
discovered  on  the  instant  of  passing  the  word  trade 
from  our  lips.  * '  The  trade  ?' '  said  he,  *  *  let  the  trade 
study  and  pay  for  their  education  in  the  same  way 
that  I  did."  We  told  him  that  they  were  willing  to 
pay  and  did  pay  for  any  information  they  got,  as  he 
would  find  if  he  would  read  the  Gardener's  Monthly 
regularly ;  that  a  great  majority  of  the  best  minds 
amongst  them  had  already  given  freely  from  the 
stores  of  their  studies  and  experience  in  return  for 
what  hints  they  got ;  that  more  would  do  so  when 
his  liberal  example  came  before  them,  and  that  more 
over,  and  above  all,  he  had  promised  me,  at  the  out- 
set, to  tell  me  what  would  benefit  "all,"  which  in- 
cludes the  "trade."  "Well,"  said  he,  "I  will 
answer  your  inquiry  by  an  anecdote.  Some  years 
ago,  when  Osage  Orange  seed  was  high  in  price  in 
this  section— $24.00  per  bushel— I  was,  one  day,  in 


a  seedman's  store  in  this  city,  and  in  the  course  of 
conversation,  the  proprietor  said  to  me,  '  Mr.  Jones, 
I  wish  you  could  tell  me  how  to  make  good  Osage 
Orange  seed  out  of  bad ;  here  is  a  lot  I  have  had  on 
hand  for  two  years,  and  I  am  afraid  my  reputation 
will  suffer  if  I  sell  it.'  '  Let  me  see  it,'  says  I.  On 
cutting  open  a  few  seeds,  I  found  that  it  was  good. 
'  What  will  you  take  for  it  ?'  I  asked.  '  Glad  to  get 
$12.00  per  bushel  for  it,'  he  replied,  and  at  that  price 
I  bought  the  lot.  This  was,  I  think,  in  February. 
I  put  a  large  packing  case  under  my  greenhouse  stage, 
mixed  a  good  quantity  of  sand  with  the  seed,  put  it 
in  the  case,  and  watered  the  whole  with  warm  water. 
Every  few  days  with  a  spade  I  turned  over  the  whole 
mass,  to  be  sure  that  it  did  not  ferment  or  rot  too 
soon  or  without  my  knowledge,  and  by  the  middle 
of  March,  every  seed  had  a  nice  little  point  bursting 
through  the  outer  skin,  when  it  was  soon  after  sown, 
and  I  had  the  pleasure  and  profit  that  always  results 
from  a  good  business  operation,  the  following  Fall. 
All  seeds  are  governed  by  similar  laws,  which  only 
require  varying  a  little  with  different  seeds;  the 
principal  variation  being  that  the  thicker  the  shell  or 
harder,  the  more  air,  darkness  and  moisture  it  will 
require  to  soften  it,  and  when  it  is  thin  or  soft  very 
little,  if  any,  previous  preparation  will  be  necessary. 
Let  your  nursery  friends  never  bury  their  seeds 
deeply,  but  as  moisture  must  be  retained,  and  shallow 
covering  thus  be  an  evil,  let  that  be  remedied  by  pre- 
cautionary measures— as  to  time  of  sowing,  covering 
with  porous  matter,  and  so  on." 

We  took  our  departure,  edified  and  instnicted,  and 
on  our  friend  Cwho,  whenever  he  pleases  can  express 
himself  in  a  much  more  refined  manner;  exclaiming 
"that  fellow  is  a  brick,"  we  replied  in  the  same  un- 
polished strain— "that's  so !  and  I'll  build  out  of  him 
a  pretty  good  article  for  our  next  month's  pai^er." 

We  will  only  add  a  remark  of  our  own,  as  our 
good  friend  Jones  did  not  allude  to  it.  It  does  not 
follow  that  because  seeds  do  not  grow  it  is  through 
our  ignorance,  and  that  the  seeds  are  not  good.  There 
are  hundreds  of  respectable  seedsmen  through  the 
country  who  will  not  sell  a  bad  seed  if  they  know  it, 
and  who  know  enough  to  know  the  difference ;  but 
there  are  some  of  whom  this  can  not  be  said.  The 
remedy  is,  to  buy  as  much  as  you  can  from  those 
you  know,  and  in  your  own  neighborhood  whenever 
you  can.     Those  who  have  a  reputation  to  lose  are 

usually  careful  not  to  risk  losing  it. 

_ — »»■— — ^ — 

THE   HORTICULTUBIST. 

We  regret  to  learn  that  the  Printing  Oflic^  in  which 
our  estimable  contemporaiy  the  Horticulturist  was 
printed,  together  with  the  whole  of  the  January 
number  was  consumed  by  fire.  We  are  liappy  to 
find  that  but  little  delay  occurred  in  republishing  it. 


)k 


MH  dardtncr's  IBonf^Ig. 


BEN  DAVIS   AND   NEW   TORS   PIPFIN 

APPLES. 

From  all  that  we  have  been  able  to  learn  of  these 
apples,  we  have  had  an  idea  that  they  are  identical ; 
and  it  has  been  in  several  instances  suggested  in  this 
journal ;  and  in  one,  a  correspondent,  Mr.  Caldwell, 
confirmed  our  opinion  by  referring  to  "page  119  of 
Dowuing's revised  edition."  Mr.  Downing  does  not 
refer  in  the  cited  instance  to  the  New  York  Pippin, 
and  we  understand  our  correspondent  to  have  meant, 
that  by  taking  a  New  York  Pippin,  and  comparing 
it  with  the  description  and  cut  of  Ben  Davis  there 
given,  they  would  be  seen  to  be  identical.  If  the 
specimens  we  have  hitherto  seen  of  these  two  apples 
were  correct ;  we  think  this  would  be  the  mference 
of  any  one.  But  at  the  last  Pomological  meeting,  in 
September,  both  Mr.  Wilder  and  Dr.  Warder  seem- 
ed to  be  decidedly  of  the  opinion  that  they  were 
not  the  same;  that  we  felt  there  was  something  wrong 
somewhere,  and  laid  the  matter  over  till  another 
opportunity  should  afford  us  a  better  chance  of  judg- 
ing where  the  error  had  crept  in. 

In  the  meantime  we  find  that  Mr.  Downing  has 
given  a  cut  and  description  of  the  "New  York  Pip- 
pin "  in  the  last  number  of  the  Horticulturist, 
which  we  think,  instead  of  proving  that  it  is  not  the 
Ben  Davis,  rather  shows  tliat  it  is. 

In  Mr.  Downing' 8  work,  at  page  119  above  re- 
ferred to,  Mr.  D.  says  of  Ben  Davis : 

Fruit  large,  roundish,  narrowing  a  little  to  the 
eye.  Skin  beautifully  striped,  splashed  and  marbled 
with  bright  red,  on  yellowish  ground.  Stalk  short, 
deeply  inserted  in  a  deep,  narrow,  somewhat  uneven 
cavity.  Calyx  closed,  in  an  angular  deep  basin. 
Flesh  white,  sometimes  slightly  tinged  with  red, 
tender,  juicy,  with  a  mild,  sub-acid,  very  pleasant 
flavor.     Season  winter  and  spring. 

In  the  last  Horticulturist  he  thus  speaks  of  the 
"  New  York  Pippin  :" 

New  York  Pippin.— Baltimore  Red,  of  southern 
Illinois. 

Baltimore  Red  Streak,  of  southern  Illinois. 

Victoria  Red,  of  some  parts  of  Missouri. 

Kentucky  Pippin,  of  south-western  Kentucky. 

Red  Pippin,  in  some  sections  of  Illinois. 

Fruit  large,  variable  in  form,  (judging  fVom  the 
dozen  various  specimens  sent,^  truncate  conic,  a 
little  oblique,  sometimes  cylindric,  scarcely  angular, 
sometimes  sides  unequal,  light  in  weight.  Skin 
somewhat  waxen,  whitish  yellow,  much  shaded  with 
crimson,  and  considerably  splashed  and  striped  with 
carmine,  and  moderately  sprinkled  with  gray  dots. 
Stalk  short  and  small,  in  a  rather  large,  deep  cavity, 
often  with  light  russett,  which  sometimes  extends 
in  rays  on  the  base.  Caylx  closed,  segments  short, 
in  a  large,  rather  deep,  slightly  corrugated  basin. 


Flesh  white,  a  little  coarse,  rather  tender,  moder- 
ately juicy,  with  a  pleasant  sub-acid  flavor.  Quality 
"  good. "     No  material  diflTerence. 

The  cuts  that  are  given  in  the  Horticulturist  with 
the  New  York  Pippin,  and  the  one  given  in  Down- 
ing's  Fruits  of  Ben  Davis,  are  all  so  near  alike,  that 
no  aid  to  their  distinctness  can  be  had  from  them. 

In  reply  to  our  remarks,  it  may  be  said  that  Mr. 
Downing  would  certainly  be  the  last  person  to  de- 
scribe a  fruit  in  one  place  as  one  thing,  and  in 
another  place,  the  same  article  as  something  else ; 
but  we  are  sure  Mr.  Downing  himself  will  be  the 
first  to  admit  that  all  are  liable  to  err,  and  he  himself 
may  be  no  exception. 

Our  journal  has  earned,  and  we  think  honestly,  a 
reputation  for  general  pomological  accuracy,  that 
we  are  proud  of,  and  are  jealous  of  seeing  dam- 
aged *'by  authority"  without  good  proof;  and  as 
it  is  through  it  that  Ben  Davis  and  New  York  Pip- 
pin are  considered  the  same  thing,  we  want  to  be  the 
first  to  correct  the  error,  if  error  it  shall  be  proved. 


— •» 


GRAND   ADMIRABLE    PEACH. 

{See  Frontispiece.'] 

At  the  last  September  Meeting  of  the  Pomological 
Society,  Mr.  Lawrence  Young,  of  Louisville,  Ky., 
exhibited  some  splendid  Peaches  under  this  name. 
We  made  a  sketch  of  an  average-sized  one  at  the 
time,  which  we  now  give  as  a  frontispiece.  Usually 
monstrous  fruits  are  poor  in  qualit3^  We  did  not 
get  the  opportunity  of  testing  it  personally,  but  were 
assured  by  a  gentleman  acquainted  with  it  that  the 
quality  was  not  inferior  in  proportion  to  its  size. 

The  engraving  is  a  specimen  of  a  new  style  re- 
cently introduced  in  France,  and  here  offered,  we 
believe,  for  the  first  time  in  this  country,  and  reflects 
great  credit  on  our  excellent  artist,  Mr.  Frank  R. 
Stockton.  Since  writing  the  above,  we  have  re- 
ceived the  following  history  from  Mr.  Young : — 

Your  note  of  inquiry  respecting  the  history  of 
the  "Grand  Admirable  Peach,"  is  at  hand.  In 
answer,  all  I  can  say  is,  that  about  20  years  ago,  a 
young  gardener,  who  had  lived  several  years  with 
Mr.  Gano,  a  gentleman  of  taste  and  enterprise,  near 
Cincinnati,  was  allowed  by  his  patron  to  propagate 
trees  and  plants  for  his  private  use,  that  afterward 
the  young  gardener  settled  in  Louisville,  and  having 
no  suitable  lot  for  his  trees,  I  purchased  them,  with 
a  catalogue  of  names  in  too  much  confusion  to  be 
reliable.  Grand  Admirable  being  one  of  the  cata- 
logue names,  was  given  to  this  fruit — more  because 
it  was  known  not  to  belong  to  the  other  varieties, 
which  were  mostly  well  known,  than  from  any 
confidence  that  it  is  the  true  name  of  the  fruit  in 
question. 


Since  I  first  cultivated  this  peach  I  have  bought 
in  the  Eastern  Nurseries  almost  every  peach  that 
gave  promise  of  good  size  or  other  good  qualities ; 
but  I  have  received  this  fruit  from  no  other  source. 
And  in  1852,  I  made  a  tour  during  the  peach  season 
along  the  Atlantic,  as  far  South  as  Virginia.  Search- 
ing especially  for  this  Peach,  I  did  not  recognize  if  I 
saw  it  in  New  York  or  Philadelphia.  At  a  Horti- 
cultural exhibition  in  Baltimore,  I  saw  and  confi- 
dentially recognized  two  plates,  one  of  very  fine 
grown  specimens  by  the  lady  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Wolf, 
another  by  some  of  the  Feasts,  but  neither  of  these 
were  named,  although  as  well  as  memory  serves  me, 
that  of  the  lady  was  honored  with  the  blue  ribbon. 
I  mention  these  names  because  now  that  you  have 
the  subject  up,  it  is  possible  the  Feasts,  who  I  think, 
are  fruit-men,  might  give  you  some  information. 

In  regard  to  its  value  I  unhesitatingly  say,  that 
my  experience  has  found  it  to  be  the  first  in  value  of 
all  the  white  fleshed  cling-stone  peaches.  It  is  white 
fleshed  to  the  stone,  and  nearly  as  large  as  the  Heath. 
In  the  latitude  of  Louisville,  it  always  ripens  with 
flavor,  whilst  in  very  short  summers  it  does  not.  It 
ripens  after  the  bulk  of  the  peach  crop  is  over,  so 
that  while  in  beauty  and  size,  it  equals  any  cling 
preceding  it,  at  the  same  time  it  fills  a  space  in  the 
circle  of  successive  ripening  which  would  otherwise 
be  vacant. 

Leaves,  reniform  glands ;  fruit  large,  rather  long, 
with  a  heath-like  protuberance  or  teat ;  suture 
slight ;  skin  white,  with  a  beautiful  red  cheek  when 
exposed  to  the  sun ;  flesh,  whitish,  melting  and 
luscious,  occasionally  a  very  slight  tinge  of  red  at 
the  stone,  generally  as  free  from  it  as  White  Heath. 
Flowers  small. 

I  am  very  glad  you  are  about  to  bring  out  this 
peach,  for  if  it  is  in  Downing  I  do  not  recognize  it, 
and  I  think  it  will  be  found  desirable  as  far  north  as 
the  Heath  grows. 


-4M 


FORCING  FRUITS  AND  VEGETABLES  IN 
THE   OPEN   GROUND. 

In  another  part  of  our  paper  appear  some  remarks 
on  the  application  of  heat  to  the  forcing  of  vegetables 
in  the  open  ground,  that  are  worthy  of  the  reader's 
careful  attention. 

It  is  an  unquestionable  fact  that  a/ew<^ay»  advance 
in  a  crop  over  its  regularly  expected  season,  is  far 
more  profitable  to  the  marketman  than  it  is  to  have 
the  same  article  months  ahead,  and  out  of  its  regular 
season ;  not  so  much  because  the  extra  early  crop  is 
necessarily  raised  at  a  greater  outlay  of  cash  and 
skill,  as  because  no  one  expects  it  so  early,  and  there- 
fore no  one  feels  the  want,  and  without  this  want 
there  is  no  care  or  desire  to  gratify  oneself  with  a 
luxury  not  felt  to  be  so.     Luxuries  become  wants,  in 


a  great  measure,  by  habit ;  and  while  the  custom  is 
slowly  forming,  the  enterprizing  raiser  of  the  unsea- 
sonable crop  is  permitted  to  starve.  This  we  have 
seen  exemplified. 

But  when  the  expected  season  is  about  to  arrive, 
the  first  few  days  of  the  crop's  appearance  in  market 
brings  veiy  large  and  profitable  prices— profitable 
because  the  extra  expense  of  a  few  days'  earliness  is 
comparatively  small  in  proportion  to  the  extra  de- 
mand and  extra  price. 

Up  to  the  present  time,  little  has  been  done  in  this 
line  but  to  plant  in  places  naturally  warm,  or  to  ac- 
celerate the  growth  of  seedlings  for  transplanting  in 
hotbeds  or  frames,  but  with  recent  improvements 
that  have  been  made  in  systems  of  heating,  as  modes 
of  distributing  heat  are  termed,  very  much  more 
might  undoubtedly  be  obtained  than  is  now  accom- 
plished. 

Heat,  for  instance,  by  the  laws  of  gravitation, 
ascends  much  more  rapidly  in  a  strict  perpendicular 
direction  than  in  any  approach  to  a  horizontal  posi- 
tion ;  hence,  heat  might  be  perceptible  at  the  end  of 
a  thousand-feet  flue  on  a  rise,  when,  with  the  same 
measure  of  coal,  it  would  not  be  perceptible  at  the 
end  of  a  hundred-feet  flue  on  a  dead  level,  without 
some  extra  and  expensive  means  were  taken  to 
counter-balance  the  gravitation  of  cold  air. 

With  this  view,  it  might  be  worth  considering 
what  could  be  done  with  houses  run  up  longitudi- 
nally on  hill  sides  where  the  soil  could  be  heated  by 
underground  drains  to  great  lengths.  It  must  not 
be  forgotten  that  the  amount  of  heat  from  an  equal 
quantity  of  the  same  kind  of  coal  is  always  the  same ; 
when  it  is  said,  therefore,  that  a  house  of  large  ex- 
tent, on  ascending  grade,  could  be  heated  better  than 
a  smaller  one  on  a  level,  it  is  meant  that  the  volume 
of  heat  would  be  more  equalized  through  the  enclosed 
space.  A  house  of  large  extent  on  an  incline  could 
not  be  highly  heated  with  a  proportionately  small 
fire ;  but  for  the  few  days  diflerence  our  article  sup- 
poses, it  would  not  be  required. 

By  the  old  system  of  building  houses  or  pits  with 
sash  frames,  such  structures  could  not  be  well  built 
on  sloping  ground,  because  it  is  essential  that  a  sash 
should  lay  level,  both  for  working  well  and  avoiding 
leakages,  but  on  the  now  popular  fixed  roof  principle 
it  is  not  so  essential  that  the  work  should  be  level. 
There  are  several  questions  worth  considering  be- 
fore such  a  plan  should  be  extensively  tried.  Plants 
require  perpendicular  space  for  their  growth ;  a  portion 
of  such  space  is  always  lost  on  an  incline,  and  it  has 
to  be  ascertained  whether  the  area  thus  lost  is  fully 
compensated  by  the  increased  facility  for  the  heat's 
distribution.     We  merely  make  the  suggestions. 

For  many  things  in  the  open  ground  no  artificial 
heat  might  be  necessary,  and  yet  cheap  glass  frames 


Cj^e  §m&tfitxs  c|tt0nthlg. 


be  found  of  great  assistance.  For  Rhubarb,  Straw- 
berries, Asparagus,  Lettuce,  and  the  like,  the  glass 
should  be  set  as  near  the  ground  as  possible — but  a 
few  inches  from  the  ground  at  the  front,  and  but  little 
more  at  the  back,  just  enough  to  throw  off  the  water. 
This  would  retain  the  natural  heat  in  the  ground  and 
assist  the  soil  to  absorb  that  from  the  sun,  and  thus, 
in  many  instances,  weeks  in  advance  would  be  gained. 
As  soon  as  the  crops  had  grown  large  enough  to  de- 
mand the  removal  of  the  sashes,  the  season  would 
be  so  far  advanced  that  the  plants  would  be  safe 
without  them. 

To  those  friends  who  have  already  given  us  their 
observations  and  little  experiences  on  these  points,  our 
readers  will,  we  know,  award  their  best  thanks,  and 
we  hope  for  further  notes.  Any  small  facts  in  rela- 
tion to  the  matter  may  originate  important  modes  of 

pmctice. 

»•■>> 

MR.    RATHVON'S     ESSAY. 

In  order  to  clear  off  some  matters  on  hand,  we 
have  delayed  the  continuation  of  this  excellent  paper 
till  next  month. 


i^rreps  anb  <!^UFrips. 

23" Communications  for  this  department  must  reach  the  Editor 
oa  or  before  the  10th  of  the  month. 


Grape  Insects,  &c. — fT.,  Worcester^  Mass. —  In 
the  November  number  of  the  Monthly  you  inform  a 
questioner  that  there  is  danger  of  getting  certain 
kinds  of  insects  with  grape-vines  or  cuttings. 

Now,  I  wish  to  inquire  if  the  risk  may  not  be 
avoided  by  dipping  the  cuttings  into  some  prepa- 
ration which  will  prevent  the  eggs  from  hatching. 

I  have  been  told  that  a  mixture  of  strong  tobacco- 
water  and  whale-oil  soap  will  destroy  the  eggs  of  all 
kinds  of  insects.  Is  this  true  ?  and,  if  so,  will  you 
please  to  give  a  recipe  for  the  preparation  of  it? 
Would  such  a  mixture  do  injury  to  cuttings  of  single 
eyes?  (1.) 

Can  the  Rebecca  Grape  be  successfully  grafted 
upon  our  wild  vines — the  Vitis  Labrusca?  (2.) 

Does  the  Maxatawny  Grape  ripen  earlier  than  the 
Isabella?  and  if  so,  how  much  ?  (Q.) 

Lastly,  will  common  window-glass  answer  for 
glazing  hotbed  sashes?  (4.) 

[1.  It  would  certainly  lessen  the  risk.  There  are 
no  fixed  proportions  necessary.  The  soft  or  whale- 
oil  soap  is  nearly  as  good  without  the  tobacco -water, 
and  that  without  the  soap. 

2.  Perfectly  well. 

3.  It  has  been  ripened  here  but  in  one  spot.  That 
is  not  sufficient  to  establish  a  general  character  for 
time  of  maturity  in  a  grape-vine.     We  incline  to  the 


opinion  it  will  settle  down  as  a  few  days  later  than 
Isabella. 

4.  The  only  objection  is,  that  cheaper  glass  will 
do  as  well  for  hotbeds.  ] 


Greeniiouses. — R.  B.  C,  Moundsville^  Va. — Is  it 
the  best  to  have  the  side  lights  open  or  fixed  ?  (\.) 
Will  it  do  to  have  the  top  lights  fixed?  (2.) 
Is  it  necessary  to  have  shutters  in  our  climate  ?  C3. ) 
Will  it  do  to  heat  a  greenhouse  seventy  feet  long 
with  hot-water  tanks  ?    Will  one  do  for  sixteen  feet 
wide?  C4.) 
Will  it  do  to  have  the  fire  inside?  C5.) 
Is  it  the  best  to  have  the  house  on  the  ascending 
principle  where  it  is  heated  with  hot  water?  ((S.) 

[1.  We  would  have  side  lights;  but  it  is  not  es- 
sential that  they  should  be  made  to  open,  though 
they  are  ususlly  so  made.  All  the  necessary  air  will 
find  its  way  in  when  the  heated  air  is  allowed  to 
escape  out  of  the  top. 

2.  All  the  roof  may  be  fixed,  except  a  space  a  few 
feet  in  width  along  the  whole  or  a  greater  part  of 
the  length  of  the  apex  of  the  roof. 

3.  If  the  house  is  snugly  built,  and  tolerably 
closely  glazed,  shutters  are  unnecessary  in  your  dis- 
trict. In  forming  the  laps  in  the  glass,  they  should 
not  all  entirely  touch  the  under  pane  of  glass.  It  is 
advantageous  to  permit  the  escape  of  a  little  mois- 
ture in  winter  time,  which  very  tight  glazing  pre- 
vents. 

4.  We  would  heat  by  tank  only  when  a  bottom- 
heat  was  required, — such  as  for  propagating,  &c. 
For  atmospheric  heat  in  a  greenhouse  seventy  feet 
long  and  sixteen  feet  wide,  we  would  use  hot-water 
pipes. 

5.  Outside  is  best,  on  tlie  whole. 

6.  We  do  not  regard  the  relative  merits  of  houses 
on  the  ascending  principle  as  fully  settled.  See  ar- 
ticle in  another  column.  The  pipes  will  certainly 
work  best  when  the  flow-pipe  is  on  a  gradual  ascent. 
The  return  pipe  may  be  bent,  sunk,  or  made  to  rise 
in  any  direction,  so  long  as  it  docs  not  in  any  part 
rise  higher  than  the  flow.  ] 


Grapes,  Shrubs,  and  Roses — E.  B.  G.,  Man- 
chester^ Pa. — Is  not  the  Logan  Grape  very  nearly 
allied  with  the  true  York  Madeira  ?  I  have  not  seen 
the  growth  of  the  Logan ;  but  from  what  I  can 
learn,  it  must  be  nearly  the  same  in  habit  of  growth, 
fruit  and  earliness,  &c.  (\.) 

Would  it  be  any  benefit  to  underdrain  soil  for 
grape-vines,  that  is  for  vineyard,  where  water  will 
remain  less  than  twenty -four  hours  on  the  top  of 
the  soil  after  a  heavy  shower,  where  the  subsoil  is 
sandy  and  porous  below  eighteen  inches?  (2.) 

Will  grapes  grow  with  any  certainty  in  the  open 


Wx\  (l^ardener's  JHonthlg. 


air,  in  a  moderately  shady  place,  from  single  eyes, 
after  the  callus  is  well  formed?  (S.) 

What  twelve  varieties  of  hardy  deciduous  flower- 
ing shrubs  would  you  recommend  for  the  garden 
or  lawn,  so  as  to  get  the  longest-continued  bloom 
and  the  greatest  variety  of  flowers?  (4.) 

What  twelve  varieties  of  hardy  standard  roses 
would  you  recommend  for  the  garden,  so  as  to  get 
the  longest-continued  bloom  and  the  greatest  variety 
of  flowers?  (5.) 

[1.  York  Madeira  is  later,  but  a  better  grape  than 
the  Logan. 

2.  It  would. 

3.  Not  well,  unless  watched,  carefully  shaded, 
&c.     They  would  otherwise  soon  dry  up. 

4.  1  Forsjrthia  viridissima,  2  Wiegelia  rosea,  3 
Spiroea  prunifolia,  4  Spiroea  Reevesii,  5  Pyrus  ja- 
ponica,  6  Hyperium  kalmianum,  7  Colutea  arbores- 
cens,  8  Philadelphus  coronarius,  9  Deutzia  gracilis, 
10  Persian  Lilac,  11  Magnolia  purpurea,  12  Missouri 
Currant. 

5.  Baron  Prevost,  Prince  Albert,  Garibaldi,  Pax- 
ton,  Youland  d'Arragon,  Coronet,  Monthly  Cab- 
bage, General  Jacqueminot,  Lion  of  Combats,  Tri- 
omplie  de  T  Exposition,  Dr.  Marx,  and  Caroline  de 
Sansal. 


Cracking  op  Grapes — ./?  Subscriber,  Skeneatles. 
N.  Y.—l  last  year  allowed  a  few  bunches  to  ripen 
on  most  of  the  vines  planted  in  1859.  The  fruit  was 
good,  both  in  flavor  and  color,  with  the  exception 
of  two  bunches  on  a  plant  of  Muscat  Blanc  Hatif, 
the  berries  mostly  all  cracking  when  half  ripe.  What 
is  the  cause  ? 

[It  is  not  well  understood,  though  most  practical 
men  hold  their  "most  decided  opinions"  on  the 
cause.  Some  varieties  are  more  liable  to  cracking 
than  others.     Muscat  Blanc  Ilatif  is  one  of  them. 


Draining  without  an  Outlet. — A  correspond- 
ent at  Bridgeton,  N.  J.,  inquires  whether  he  can 
make  a  well,  and  use  it  as  an  outlet,  into  which  to 
run  the  tiles  with  which  he  wishes  to  underdrain  his 
garden.  We  presume,  under  some  circumstances, 
such  a  plan  would  serve ;  but  have  never  known  the 
experiment  tried.  Have  any  of  our  correspondents 
had  experience  in  such  a  case  ? 


ii 


Grape-Cuttings — R.  C,  Provincetown,  Mass.— 
They  are  best  cut  into  lengths  of  two  eyes,  one  at  each 
end  of  the  cutting,and  set  down  into  the  soil  so  that  the 
topmost  eye  is  nearly  level  with  the  surface.  Situa- 
tion for  striking  is  one  partially  shaded.  Put  out  as 
early  in  spring  as  possible.  They  may  be  cut  oflf  at 
once,  and  kept  till  spring  in  a  cellar  or  shed,  covered 


with  soil.     There  is  no  advantage  in  planting  them 
at  once  where  they  are  permanently  to  remain. 

Scorching  Grape-Vine  Leaves.—/.  M.,  Port- 
land, Maine,  writes  that  he  has  a  vinery  that  is  sev- 
enteen feet  wide,  having  a  border  the  whole  width. 
A  very  porous  soil,  not  very  rich,  but  fully  three 
feet  deep.  The  inside  one  similar  in  material,  ten 
or  twelve  feet  in  width.  Its  front  elevation  is  four- 
teen feet,  and  the  principle  a  "lean-to."  The  vines 
are  trained  up  ten  feet  up  the  side  lights,  and 
fifteen  inches  from  the  roof  Every  year  the  leaves 
' '  scorch, ' '  or  appear  to  burn  up  at  the  edges.  Think- 
ing it  was  the  sun,  he  had  them  shaded,  without  a 
better  result;  and  fearing  the  inside  border  might 
be  too  dry,  he  had  that  guarded  against;  but  the 
injury  still  occurs.  He  inquires,  what  can  be  the 
reason?  By  the  scorching  being  confin^jd  to  the 
edges  of  the  leaves,  we  should  certainly  still  think 
they  were  too  dry  at  the  roots.  Were  the  leaves 
equally  afiected  all  over,  we  should  look  for  red 
spider,  or  even  thrip,  as  the  cause  of  the  mischief. 

Ericas— G.  F.,  Maitapan.  Mass.— The  month  of 
February  is  the  best  to  pot  Ericas  in  this  country. 
They  will  then  get  a  good  mass  of  roots  before  the 
hot  weather  sets  in.  We  have  found  nothing  like 
a  sunk  pit,  with  a  frame  over  the  top  and  the  sides 
open,  to  get  them  well  over  our  dry  summer,  as  well 
as  to  prevent  their  being  sodden  with  our  heavy 
summer  rains. 

Names'of  FhXSTS—H.,  Lancaster,  O.— Acacia  Far- 
nesiuna.—T\\\s  tribe  of  Acacias  has  the  flowers  some- 
what  diflerent  in  appearance  to  the  usual  New  Hol- 
land forms. 

Leaf  Plants  for  a  Wardian  Case.— Jtfr*.  L. 
P.,  RusseU,  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  N.  F.— Ten  handsome 
leaf-plants  of  easy  culture  for  a  glass  case,  we  would 
name  Begonia  rex,  Tradescantia  discolor,  Trades- 
cantia  zebrina,  Saxifraga  sarmentosa,  Hydrangea 
variegata,  any  one  of  the  variegated  Caladiums,  2 
Ferns  CI  Adiantum,  1  Pteris  or  Blechnum;  ;  Lyco- 
podium,  say  L.  denticulatum,  coesium,  or  arboreum  ; 
Variegated  Periwinkle.  This  list  will  afford  a  great 
variety  of  form  of  foliage,  color,  and  habit,  bearing 
confinement  tolerably  well,  and  are  plants  that  can 
be  readily  procured  of  almost  any  florist. 

Richland  Plum— ^  Subscriber,  Wilkesbarre.—''! 
see  in  an  advertisement  in  the  Monthly,  a  notice  of  a 
plum  called  Richland.  I  would  like  to  know  whether 
this  plum  is  worthy  of  a  place  in  a  small  collection, 
and  further  I  see  the  advertiser  says  it  is  free  from 
the  attacks  of  the  Curculio.  Now  I  would  like  to 
know  whether  there  is  any  philosophy  for  such  an 


i 


1; 


^e  §:xr&mtx's  ^0nt|lg 


assertion.  I  have  not  been  able  to  make  up  my 
mind  that  any  plum  could  be  considered  exempt, 
unless  it  be  too  hard  for  them  to  penetrate. 

[It  is  figured  and  described  on  page  154  of  our 
first  volume.  No  plum  is  "  free  from  attacks  of  Cur- 
culio. "  The  rot  does  not  follow  the  attack  in  Bucks 
Co.  In  West  Chester  it  does.  The  reason  is  not 
clear  ;  but  the  fact  indicates  that  the  puncture  of  the 
Curculio  is  not  in  itself  a  sufficient  cause  of  rot.] 


Roses  in  a  Greenhouse.— G.  P.,  your  roses 
have  evidently  suffered  some  injury  to  their  foliage 
but  we  cannot  judge  from  the  circumstance  you 
have  detailed  what  is  the  exact  cause. 

Strawberry  Worm.— A  Cleveland  correspond- 
ent writes:- *'In  your  December  issue  a  subscriber 
inquires  about  a  'Strawberry  Worm.'  It  is  com- 
mon  here,  and  is  the  false  caterpillar  of  a  saw  fly  that 
I  have  failed  as  yet  in  identifying,  as  the  pupa  all 
died  before  being  transformed.  At  present  I  have 
pupa,  and  hope  to  succeed  better  this  time." 

J.  B.^  Baltimore.—YouT  leaf  from  the  woods  appears 
to  belong  to  Cypripedium  acaule. 

Grape-Mildew.— A  correspondent  from  Bloom- 
ington.  Ills.,  says  Norton's  Virginia  mildews  with 
him,  and  that  the  Concord  does  the  same  in  Poi>e 
Co.  We  presume  there  is  no  kind  but  is  at  times 
liable  to  it,— some  much  more  so  than  others. 

The  Weed  and  Insect  Destroyer.- This  is  the 
name  of  a  body  existing  at  Nazareth,  Pa.  Mr.  G. 
II.  Bute,  corresponding  Secretary.  They  report  fa- 
vorably of  their  operations  the  past  two  years, 
though  we  have  no  account  of  the  manner  in  which 
they  operate,  or  the  nature  of  their  successful  achieve- 
ments. 


Insects- B.  S.,Mt.  r«rnon,0.— We  will  endeavor 
to  answer  all  your  inquiries  next  month. 


Rural  Annual  and   Horticultural  Direc- 
tory.    By  Joseph  Harris,  Rochester,  New  York. 

This  is  the  sixth  annual  appearance  of  a  very  use- 
ful little  volume.  It  contains  treatises  on 
The  Farmer's  Kitchen  Garden;  Shade  and  Orna- 
mental Trees ;  Management  of  Window  Plants ; 
Cultivation  of  Everlasting  Flowers ,  Ornamental 
Hedges;  Sulphur  for  Mildew  on  the  Grape;  Designs 
for  Farm  Houses,  Cottages,  Suburban  Residences, 
Bams,  &c. ;  Ornamental  Fountains;  Construction 
of  Gates  ;  Calendar  of  Operations ;  Cultivation  of 


the  Pear,  and  one  of  the  most  novel  subjects  treated 
of  is  the  Essay  on  Cacti  and  succulents  as  window 
plants,  by  F.  A.  Bailer,  which  alone  is  worth  the 
price  of  the  work.     The  writer  remarks : 
"One  very  great  cause  of  the  failure  and  disap- 
pointment  felt  in  the  cultivation  of  window  plants, 
is  the  lack  of  moisture,  whereby  ordinary  greenhouse 
plants  soon  fade,  turn  yellow,  and  become  stunted 
in  their  growth— not  being  able  to  keep  up  the  exces- 
sive waste  continually  going  on.     So  different  is  the 
atmosphere  from  that  of  a  greenhouse,  that  they  have 
in  self-defence  to  part  with  foliage  that  they  would 
have  maintained  in  health  and  vigor,  in  more  favor- 
able circumstances." 

Nothing  is  better  suited  for  window  plants  than 
the  innumerable  members  of  this  family,  and  we 
hope  to  hear  more  of  them  in  tliis  connection  here- 
after. 

The  Illustrated  Self  Instructor  in  Phren- 
ology AND  Physiology.  We  have  received  from 
the  publishers,  Fowler  &  Wells,  Broadway,  New 
York. 

Proceedings  of  the  Southern  Vine  Growers' 
Society  at  Aiken,  South  Carolina,  held  August,  1860. 

This  Society  appears  to  have  been  a  great  success. 
Over  one  hundred  delegates  were  present.  Dr. 
Hume's  account  of  his  experiments  in  wine  making 
received  marked  attention.  We  are  pleased  the 
society  has  met  with  such  solid  support,  as  it  is  one 
calculated  to  effect  much  good. 

The  Nursery  Catalogues  of  our  friends'  begin 
to  crowd  in  on  us  within  the  past  few  days ;  we  have 
received  of  Marshall  P.  Wilder,  Dorchester,  Mass.; 
General  List.  Thos.  Morgan,  Lyon's  Farms,  N.Y.; 
Flowers.  Robert  Buist  &  Son,  Phila. ;  Trees  and 
Shrubs.  W.  Sumner,  Pomaria,  S.  C. ;  General 
Stock.  A.  Bridgeman,  Broadway,  N.Y. ;  Flower 
Seeds.  W.  Perry  &  Son,  Brigeport,  Conn. ;  Grapes. 
H.  A.  Dreer,  Phila. ;  New  Verbenas;  1861.  Darling- 
ton  &  Co.,  West  Chester,  Pa, ;  General  List.  J.  F. 
Hill  &  Co.,  Indianapolis,  Ind. ;  General  List.  Joshua 
Peirce,  Wasliington,  D.  C. ;  Small  Fruits.  W.  P. 
Shepherd,  New  York. ;  various  Catalogues  of  foreign 
firms.  W.  Tompkins,  Germantown,  N.Y. ;  Grapes 
and  Small  Fruits.  John  Perkins,  Moorestown,  N.  J.; 
General  List.  Dr.  E.  Taylor,  Cleveland,  O. ;  Gene- 
ral List.  D.  Landreth  &  Co.,  Phila.;  Schmitz  Dah- 
lias. Larison  &  Holcomb,  Lambertville,  N.  J. ; 
Fruits.  W.  Mann,  Bangor,  Maine. ;  Evergreens. 
Hatch  &  Co.,  Natchez,  Miss.  J.  M.  Jordan,  St. 
Louis,  Mo.  ;  General  List.  W.  R.  Prince  &  Co., 
Flushing,  N.  Y. ;  Greenhouse  Plants. 

Landreth' 8  Rural  Register  and  Almanac  for 
1861,  D.  Landreth  &  Son,  Philadelphia.  Contains 
a  very  complete  calendar  of  work  to  be  done  on  the 


A) 


Wx(i  dardfttcr's  Jdonlhk 


M 


farm,  kitchen  garden,  greenhouse  and  flower  garden 
throughout  the  year,  besides  the  usual  list  of  vege- 
table seeds  sold. 

The  Valley  Farmer,— Pu6/Mci  by  N.  J.  Col- 
man,  St.  Louts y  Mo.,  is  one  of  the  best  Agricultural 
Journals  published.  We  presume  all  the  principal 
agriculturists  in  the  West  and  South-west  own  a 
line  in  its  subscription-book.  We  would  at  least 
commend  it  to  the  attention  of  those  who  do  not. 

The  Cincinnaius  of  Cincinnati,  one  of  our  standard 
Agricultural  and  Horticultural  exchanges  has  passed 
into  new  hands,  and  will  in  future  contain  with  its 
usual  agricultural  excellence,  a  department  devoted 
to  the  Mechanic  Arts. 

American  Bee  Journal. — Published  by  A.  M.  Spang- 
ler  &  Co.,  25  North  Sixth  Street,  Philadelphia.  — 
The  first  number  has  just  been  received.  It  is 
published  in  neat  style,  and  as  it  is  confined  entirely 
to  a  subject  just  now  exciting  interest,  it  will  prove 
a  boon  to  Ajjiarians. 

Farmers'  High  School,  Penna.  Report  for  1860, 
is  a  gratifying  exhibit  of  success  and  usefulness ;  W( 
are  much  indebted  for  the  Essay  on  the  Source  ol 
Nitrogen  in  Plants,  to  which  we  shall  refer  hereafter. 

Miner'.s  Rural  American,  of  Clinton,  N.  Y. 
Wc  accidentally  omitted  from  our  list  of  excellent 
agricultural  publications  last  mouth.  It  is  one  ol 
the  best  issued. 

Gardeners'  Progressive  Society  of  Piiila- 
delpiiia.  We  are  indebted  to  the  kindness  of  Mr. 
Walter  Elder,  for  the  Essays  and  Discussions  of  this 
Society  for  the  past  year. 

It  is  a  neat  little  pamphlet  of  129  pages. 

Mr.  Elder  has  left  some  copies  at  our  office  foi 
sale  to  those  who  may  wish  to  procure  them.  It 
will  be  found  to  contain  interesting  essays  by  C.  II. 
Miller,  on  gardeners  and  gardening  in  America : 
Wm.  Saunders,  ventilation  of  glass  structures ;  C. 
H.  ]\Iiller,  Manuring  and  Subsoiling  ;  Walter  Elder, 
deterioration  of  fruit ;  John  Landers,  causes  ol 
the  deficiency  in  color  and  flavor  of  the  exotic  grape  ; 
Prof.  Stevens,  manures ;  W.  Grassle,  mildew  ;  R. 
R.  Scott,  small  fruits ;  Jas.  Eadie,  habit  in  plants, 
and  discussions  on  a  variety  of  other  very  interest- 
ing topics. 

Book  Catalogue.  Messrs.  Randolph,  of  Rich- 
mond, Va.,  send  us  a  Catalogue  of  books  on  Agri- 
culture, Horticulture,  &c.,  that  we  take  to  be  perhaps 
the  most  extensive  list  published  in  the  Union.  It 
embraces  five  hundred  ditferent  works  on  these  sub- 
jects. Amongst  other  things  we  notice  "Wells' 
Manual  of  Scientific  Discovery  for  1800,"  about 
which  a  correspondent  recently  inquired. 

IIoRTUs  Lindenianus,   We  have  received  throui  h 


the  kindness  of  Mr.  J.  Linden,  of  Brussels,  Belgium, 
two  numbers  of  his  Hortus  Lindenianus,  which  con- 
tain very  beautifully  colored  illustrations  of  some  of 
the  finest  new  plants  introduced  by  him.  We  are 
pleased  to  learn  that  Mr.  Linden  has  just  been  ap- 
pointed director  of  the  botanical  and  horticultural 
department  of  the  Garden  of  Acclimitation  at  Paris, 
and  that  he  is  about  forming  a  department  for  the 
introduction  of  new  plants,  fruits  and  vegetables  on 
an  extensive  scale.  The  example  of  the  French 
government  in  aiding  this  enterprize  is  worthy  of 
imitation. 


|}ptD  or  Plarp  !f  lanh. 

Caladium  Belleymei. — In  the  collection  of  Jas. 
Dundas,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia,  we  frequently  notice 
new^  plants  almost  as  soon  as  they  are  announced  in 
England.  Under  Mr.  Pollock's  good  management, 
they  are  not  long  in  being  metamorphosed  from 
"little  bits"  to  mammoth  specimens. 


'  '..I 


^Yt 


Mti  §m&mt'&  Jtloittjlg. 


Here  we  now  have  one  of  the  newest  of  the  Cala- 
diums,  and  one  of  the  most  striking.  Our  engraving 
is  one-half  the  size  of  nature.  The  veins  and  margin 
of  the  leaf  are  light  green,  and  the  body  of  the  leaf 
pure  white,  as  our  cut  represents.  Caladiums  usually 
require  a  moist  stove-heat  in  winter  to  grow  to  per- 
fection, and  partial  shade  agrees  best  with  them. 

Cissus  VELUTiNus  is  a  new  species  from  the  Malay 
Islands.  Nearly  allied  to  C.  discolor;  the  leaves 
not  quite  so  interesting,  but  the  flowers  larger. 

ANiECTGCiiiLUS  iNORNATUS. — From  Ceylon.  A 
variety  of,  and  not  quite  so  handsome,  perhaps,  as 
^.  setaceus. 

Salvia  scabios(EFOLia. — A  species  from  Russia, 
with  tall  spikes  of  greenish-pink  flow  ers,  and  will, 
perhaps,  make  an  interesting  addition  to  our  hardy 
herbaceous  plants. 

Sarcanthus  Parishii. — An  epiphytal  orchidaceae, 
from  Moulmaine,  rather  pretty,  and  flowering  in 
August. 

Cyrtanthus  sanguineus. — A  new  bulbous  plant, 
allied  botanically  to  Crinum,  but  with  red  flowers  of 
something  the  habit  and  appearance  of  Tigridia.  It 
is  handsome,  and  will  be  popular.  Introduced  by 
Mr.  Backhouse,  from  CafFraria. — Bot.  Mag. 

New  Dahlia — Schmitz^s  Conqueror  of  the  Whites. 
— We  have  received  from  Messrs.  Landreth  &  Son, 
of  Philadelphia,  a  lithograph  of  this,  we  believe,  the 
best  white  dahlia  ever  raised. 


06ifuapg.    ' 


Death  of  ex-President  Walker,  of  Mass. — 
When  calling  attention  to  Mr.  Walker's  new  pear 
in  our  last  number,  we  little  expected  to  announce 
his  death  in  this.  At  the  Mass.  Horticultural  Society, 
Hon.  M.  P.  Wilder  feelingly  announced  his  decease 
in  the  following  terms,  and  the  society  passed  ap- 
propriate resolutions,  expressive  of  their  loss  : 

Mr.  President— But  a  few  months  since  I  stood 
before  you  to  announce  the  death  of  one  of  our  old- 
est and  most  respectable  members.  And  now  an 
inscrutable  and  all-wise  Providence  calls  me  to 
make  known  to  this  Society  the  aftlictive  dispensa- 
tion which  has  removed  from  us  another  of  our  shin- 
ing lights,  and  again  thrown  the  mantle  of  sorrow 
around  us. 

I  allude,  sir,  to  the  Hon.  Samuel  Walker,  who 
died  at  his  residence  in  Roxbury,  on  the  evening  of 
Tuesday  last,  and  whose  precious  remains  were 
borne  by  us,  yesterday,  to  his  favorite  Auburn,  and 
there  committed  to  the  bosom  of  his  mother  earth — 
"earth  to  earth,  ashes  to  ashes,  dust  to  dust,"— a 


spot  which  was  ever  dear  to  him,  and  which  will  for- 
ever be  hallowed  in  our  aflections. 

Mr.  Walker  was  one  of  the  earliest  and  most  influ- 
ential members  of  this  Society.  For  nearly  thirty 
years  he  has  been  deeply  interested  in  its  objects, 
and  ardently  devoted  to  its  welfare.  Among  the 
ofllces  which  he  held  were  those  of  Treasurer,  Vice 
President  and  President,  and  during  this  long  period 
his  name  has  annually  been  associated  with  us  in 
some  official  capacity. 

He  was  of  foreign  birth,  but  was  truly  American 
and  national  in  his  feelings.  He  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  National  Pomological  Society,  for 
many  years  a  Vice  President,  and  at  the  time  of  his 
death  the  Chairman  of  the  General  Fruit  Committee 
of  that  association.  He  also  held  offices  of  honor 
and  trust  in  his  own  city  and  county,  and  in  the 
Commonwealth. 

Mr.  Walker  was  in  most  respects  a  model  man. 
In  perception,  quick  and  accurate — in  taste,  intui- 
tive and  refined — in  manners,  unassuming,  courte- 
ous and  polite — in  duty,  conscientious,  faithful  and 
judicious — in  life,  earnest,  exemplary  and  practical. 
As  a  friend  and  companion,  he  was  genial,  sympa- 
thetic and  confiding.  His  heart  was  full  of  love  to 
others,  and  often  have  I  heard  him  remark — "he 
that  would  have  friends  must  prove  himself  friend- 
ly to  others." 

In  connection  with  the  last  remark  of  Mr.  Wilder, 
in  the  extract  we  have  given,  we  append  the  follow- 
ing extract  from  the  last  letter  we  ever  received  from 
him  : 

"  I  tender  you  my  hearty  thanks  for  the  opportu- 
nity you  have  affbrded  me  of  perusing  the  kind  let- 
ter of  our  mutual  friend  Dr.  Brinckle,  which  I  here- 
with return.  I  am  pleased  that  you  should  all  es- 
teem my  pear  so  highly,  though  I  must  say,  that  I 
think  it  25  to  30  per  cent,  below  its  standard,  but  if 
I  have  any  fruit  next  season,  shall,  if  I  uim  living, 
send  you  some  again.  For  the  reason  you  state,  it 
would  not  be  well  to  name  the  pear  as  you  wish.  I 
have  many  old  particular  friends  whom  I  much 
value,  and  I  would  not  disappoint  or  do  injustice  to 
anyone  of  them.  I  have,  therefore,  decided  to  give 
it  a  name  that  shall  be  national  and  acceptable  to  all, 
and  I  propose  to  call  it '  Mount  Vernon' ("Walker's. )" 

It  would  be  pleasant  could  we  all  be  as  thoughtful 
of  respecting  the  feelings  of  our  friends  as  Mr. 
Walker,  and  it  would  be  well  for  our  young  readers 
to  commit  to  memory  the  beautiful  lines  of  Cowpe;  : 

"  Who  seekH  a  friend,  should  come  diuposod 
To  exhibit  in  full  bloom  disclosed 

The  graces  and  the  beauties 
That  form  the  character  he  seeks, 
For  tin  an  union  that  bespeaks 

Reciprocative  duties." 


Apprehending  the  effect  of  political  excitement  in  diminishing 
the  interest  and  usefulness  of  an  Agricultural  Convention,  it  has 
been  decided  to  postpone  a  repetition  of  the  "Yale  Agricultural 
Lectures"  to  another  year.  The  regular  lectures  of  the  Institution 
on  Agricultural  Chemistry  and  the  General  Principles  of  Agricul- 
ture will  be  given  as  usual,  commencing  February  Ist. 

ILLINOIS  HOETliJuLTTJEAL  SOCIETY. 

The  State  Horticultural  Society  met  at  Koyce's  Hall.  Mr.  Sam'l 
Edwards  in  the  chair,  and  Mr.  A.  B.  Qalusha  acting  as  Secretary 
pro  tern. 

The  first  item  discussed  was,  the  leading  varieties  of  trees  for 
ornamental  and  economic  parts  of  the  State. 

Mr.  Overman  suggested  the  Cotton  Wood  as  the  most  available 
of  the  deciduous  trees.  Large  trees  can  be  rai-sed  iu  a  lew  years. 
The  wood  is  valuable  tot  fuel,  and  even  for  rails.  He  has  had 
rails  that  lasted  for  years. 

Mr.  rhccnix  and  Mr.  Minkler  agreed  in  the  main  with  Mr.  Over- 
man; and  the  Society  resolved  to  recommend  the  Cotton  Wood 
for  planting  in  groves,  for  shelter,  and  for  shade  for  animals. 

Mr  Phoenix  would  speak  of  the  Uolden  Willow.  It  is  a  desira- 
ble tree  wherever  it  is  hardy  enough  for  culture,  probably  all 
through  the  State.  It  is  ea»*y  of  propagation,  and  the  timber  is 
valuable  for  posts,  and  even  for  rails.  It  will  grow  rapidly  and  of 
large  size.  He  has  seen  long  rows  of  it  in  La  Salle  County.  Its 
rapid  growth  and  its  beauty  recommend  it. 

Messrs.  Overman,  Phoenix,  and  Whitney  spoke  in  its  favor,  and 
the  Society  voted  to  recommend  the  culture  of  the  Golden  Willow 
for  the  same  purposes  as  Cotton  VV\od. 

Mr.  Overman  introduced  the  Si'ver-leaved  Poplar.  He  said  it 
was  beautiful  in  the  street,  but  objectionable  in  lawns  and  culti- 
vated grounds. 

Mr.  Phtenix  thought  there  was  a  variety  that  did  not  sucker. 

Mr.  Galusha  thought  that  trees  from  seed  would  not  sucker  as 
bad  as  those  from  cuttings.  Other  members  gave  their  opinions, 
and  the  Silver  Poplar  was  recommended  as  a  tree  for  the  roadside. 

Of  the  Silver  Maple  it  was  said  by  Mr.  Galuslia — The  seeds  ripen 
in  May,  varying  according  to  the  season.  They  should  be  gath- 
ered soon  after  ihoy  fall,  for  bugs  eat  out  the  kernel.  He  gathers 
them  from  the  surface  of  stieams,  from  eddies  and  bays  in  the 
shore;  has  taken  up  a  bushel  in  fifteen  miuntes.  The  seed  must 
be  planted  almost  immtdiately ,  between  layers  of  moss,  they 
may  keep  for  a  week,  but  generally  only  three  or  four  days.  He 
plants  in  a  line  in  w^ell-pulverized  soil,  thrusting  them  with  the 
thumb  and  finger  to  the  depth  of  the  wing,  fn  m  two  to  fourinches 
apart ;  they  may  stand  two  years.  They  seldom  form  tap-roots. 
In  the  first  season  they  giow  eighteen  inches ;  has  had  them  grow 
four  feet. 

Mr.  lluggins,  of  Macoupin — The  seeds  in  his  county  drop  in 
April.  He  can  keep  the  seed  two  or  three  weeks ;  he  has  them 
gathered  dry,  by  boys.  The  ground  is  prepared  as  for  corn;  the 
feed  is  dropped  and  covered  one  inch  deep.  Too  little  moisture 
will  kill  either  before  or  after  planting.  The  tree  bears  seed  early, 
even  iu  its  fifth  year.  From  five  eight  year  old  trees  he  has  ob- 
tained two  bushels;  it  grows  fast,  as  fast  as  the  Locust,  and  gives 
shade  earlier  in  the  spring.  Suuie  of  the  five  just  named  were  teu 
inches  in  diameter. 

The  Ash  Maple  or  Box  Elder  was  spoken  of  as  a  desirable  tree, 
both  useful  and  ornamental,  and  easily  cultivated.  It  may  be 
raided  from  slips. 

Mr.  Clark  of  lirighton  has  cultivated  it  successfully  ;  it  is  hardy, 
and  grows  well ;  he  has  had  trees  of  four  feet  in  height  from  cut- 
tings the  fir.it  season. 

A  motion  to  recommend  the  Maples  asa  class,  and  e.sppclally  the 
Soft,  or  Silver-leaf  Maple,  for  all  purposes  of  grove  and  ornamen- 
tal trees,  was  agreed  to. 

Mr.  Huggins  suggested  next  the  Catalpa  for  dlKussion,  as  a  tree 
for  Central  Illinois.  He  raised  them  from  seed  ;  others  from  cut- 
tings.    Keconimended. 

Oil  Elms  tliere  was  a  difference  of  opinion  as  to  their  merits  in 
the  Slate. 

The  Lima  as  a  class  were  recommended  for  all  the  State. 

Mr.  Shaw  proposed  the  Tulip  irue  or  Yellow  Poplar,  improp- 
erly so  called. 

i>ir.  Overman  said — The  Tulip  Tree  is  the  most  magnificent  tree, 
and  has  the  first  place  as  an  oruMmeutal  tree  for  yards.  It  is  free 
from  all  objection.  It  Is  said  to  be  hard  to  transplant,  but  this  is 
because  of  delaying  too  long;  when  very  young  it  may  easily  be 
taken  up.  Its  roots  spread  far;  baa  seen  them  I UO  feet  from  the 
trunk.     He  has  known  it  injured  by  severe  frosts. 

ihe  seed  is  in  a  cone;  if  obtained  from  immature  trees,  it  is  de- 
fective. The  seeds  must  be  sown  very  thick  in  the  spring;  in  the 
fall  of  the  first  year  they  must  be  taken  up  aud  protected.  It  can- 
not bo  propagated  by  cuttings  or  layers. 

The  Tulip  was  rottominended  as  au  ornamental  tree,  and  the 
Lindeu  for  general  purposes,  all  through  the  State. 

Mr.  Freeman  would  recommend  the  Black  and  Sweet  Gum  for 
the  south  of  the  State.     His  suggestion  was  adopted. 

Mr.  Pha'uix  thinks  the  Cucumber  Tree— a  species  of  Magnolia 
—worthy  of  trisl.  The  European  White  Birch  Is  very  desirable, 
as  are  also  some  American  Birches.     He  would  recommend  them 


The  Beeches  were  spoken  of  with  approbation. 

The  Chestnut  was  named.  Mr.  Phoenix  said  that  it  is  in  demand 
and  can  be  cultivated  prosperously. 

Mr.  Edwards  has  raised  the  American  Che.stnut  in  Bureau  Co., 
despite  the  winters,  while  the  Spanish  has  sufi'ered  severely. 

The  Sycamore  was  recommended  for  fuel  and  ornament  without 
debate,  for  the  whole  State. 

Mr.  Galusha  proposed  the  White  Walnut  for  its  value,  especially 
for  timber. 

Of  the  Black  Walnut  Mr.  Snow  says  that  if  planted  in  a  furrow 
two  feet  distant,  it  will  make  a  perfect  fence  against  cattle. 

Recommended  for  Northern  and  Central  Illinois. 

The  Austrian  and  Scotch  Pines  were  divcu.Hsed. 

Several  members  spoke  of  failing  with  them  when  fall-trans- 
planted, but  they  were  recommended  for  general  culture. 

Mr.  Galusha  offered  the  following,  which  was  adopted  : 

Rettolviid,  That  evergreen  trees  in  nursery  should  not  be  allowed 
to  stand  longer  than  three  years  without  removal  or  root-pruning. 

The  Norway  Spruce  was  next  spoken  of. 

Mr.  I'hojnix  has  raised  from  the  seed  successfully;  would  soak 
evergreeu  seeds  three  or  four  days  in  varnish-water;  perhaps  this 
is  not  necessary.  The  diftlculty  with  evergreens  is  "burning-ott," 
the  eflTect  of  the  hot  sun  in  the  first  summer,  he  believes  he  can 
succeed  whenever  he  has  sullicient  shade  aud  water.  Has  always 
sowed  the  seed  late  in  May  or  June,  but  has  come  to  doubt  this 
practice.  An  early  start  is  desirable.  Ho  has  not  experienced 
sutticieut  to  recoinmeud  any  course;  his  opinions  from  his  experi- 
ments are  against  jnevaleut  views. 

Dr.  Kennicott  has  known  them  raised  with  great  painstaking; 
with  too  much  shade  and  moisture  "damping-i^'lf"  is  the  troutiie. 
A  gardener  in  Lake  County  has  mixed  sand  with  1  ia  8  )il  when  that 
thnatened. 

Mr.  Shaw  lias  had  trouble  raising  Norway  Spruces  from  a  little 
black  beetle,  that  eat  them  off  while  small,— a  great  jumper;  jumps 
like  a  flea. 

Mr.  Galusha  moved  to  recommend  the  Norway  Spruce  as  the  best 
evergreen ;  which  was  agreed  to. 

The  Balsam  Fir  provoked  a  brisk  controversy,  but  it  was  recom- 
mended for  the  northern  part  of  the  State. 

The  Heml<x;k  was  praised  by  many  members;  but  the  difficulty 
found  in  getting  th(we  from  tlie  woods  to  grow,  miule  It  expensive. 

Mr.  Bragden  nioved  a  resolution,  that  it  is  the  mo.nt  graceful  of 
evergreens,  and  the  most  difficult  to  raise,  and  that  it  be  recom- 
mended to  those  that  can  afford  it.     Agreed  to. 

The  Bed  Cedar  Mr.  Overman  has  not  succeeded  well  in  raising 
from  the  seed.  The  seeds  must  often  lie  in  the  ground  two  years. 
A  larger  share  of  these  than  of  (»ther  evergreens  will  grow  without 
shade.  The  best  plan  is  to  plant  them  in  boxes,  and  let  them  freez» 
two  winters;  keep  them  one  or  two  years  in  the  box.  It  grows 
more  in  the  first  year  than  any  other  evergreen ;  thinks  the  seeds 
must  be  frozen;  never  tried  planting  in  wcxxl-ashes;  thinks  nature 
has  a  process  for  germinating  them  more  rapidly;  that  teeds  passing 
through  animals  or  birds  will  germinate  early. 

Red  Cedar  was  recommended  for  extensive  cultivation  for  low 
screens. 

The  American  Arborvitae  was  recommended  for  screens  and 
hedges. 

The  Trailing  Juniper  and  American  Yew  were  recommended  for 
lawns. 

The  Siberian  Arborvitje  was  recommended  for  ornamental  pur- 
poses. Dr.  Kennicott  remarked  that  when  it  becomes  cheaper,  it 
will  supersede  the  American. 

Mr.  Clark  spoke  of  the  Chinese  Arborvitae  as  a  fine  variety;  im- 
proved by  trimming. 

Tlie  European  \A\.ixh  was  recommended  as  an  ornamental  tree. 

Mr.  Chase  has  heard  that  White  l*ine  and  HemltKk  grow  best  if 
cut  close  at  the  time  of  transplanting.  Is  it  so?  Most  that  gave 
any  opinion  strongly  di.ssented. 

Fruits  were  ne.\t  taken  up,  and  first  the  Strawberry. 

Mr.  Galusha  named  the  Wilson's  Albany  as  most  prolific.  Neck 
Pine  bore  neglect  well.     Hooker  he  preferred  for  flavor. 

Mr.  Kennicott  would  take  Neck  Pine  and  Virginia. 

Mr.  Galusha  is  satisfied  to  raise  the  Wilson's  All>any  as  long  as  ho 
can  sell  them  at  fifteen  cents  per  <iuart,  or  even  at  ten  cents.  The 
Neck  Pine  needs  stnminato  plant.s  near  to  impregnate  them.  Mr. 
Galusha  inquired  if  any  member  has  fruited  the  Triomphe  de  Gand. 

Dr.  Warder  said  the  Triomplie  de  Gand  is  rather  a  poor  bearer;  all 
the  runners  should  be  cut  off.  Plant  tlie  Neck  Pine  thirty  feet 
apart,  and  let  it  run;  protect  with  a  little  straw,  and  you  will 
hardly  tsikc  pains  to  cut  runners.  1  have  seen  this  "contemptible 
Neck  Pine"'  six  inches  in  circumference;  but  that  was  an  t»ccident. 
The  Wilwm's  Albany  is  a  fine  bearer;  beai-s  neglect  nearly  as  well 
as  the  Neck  Pine.  l)ut  he  does  not  like  the  flavor.  It  is  one  of  our 
best  staminate  varieties. 

Mr.  Galusha  moved  to  recommend  the  Neck  Pine,  Wilson's  Albany, 
and  Karly  Scarlet.  The  Wilson's  Albany  an  account  of  its  fertility, 
every  flower  being  hermaphro<lite. 

The  McAvoy,  Superior,  and  Longworth's  Prolific  were  recom- 
mended for  amateur  culture,  and  the  Extra  Red  for  trial. 

Of  Currants  Dr.  Kennicott  said— To  have  fine  currrant8.you  must 
cultivate  them  nicely,  and  make  the  soil  rich.  The  Red  and  Black 
Currants  bear  manure  better  than  any  other  Small  fruit.  They 
should  be  kept  clean,  trimmed  well,  set  three  feet  apart  in  rows  six 


m 


1^  t^^j: 


.J   I 


i 


I 


i 


Chij  (Sarbtmr's  PontWg. 


fpet  anart  ftnd  never  set  in  the  ehivde,  except  to  prolong  the  season. 
Mr.  Overman  asked  whether  shade  is  not  necessary  to  prevent  a 

"^^Dr  ^K^nnicott  has  seen  it  only  on  weak  or  old  plants.  In  Central 
and  Southern  Illinois  shade  may  bo  necessary. 

The  Red  Dutch,  the  White  Dutch,  the  Victoria,  and  the  White 
Qrape  were  recommended,  except  for  the  extreme  south  of  the  State. 

Grapes  were  next  brought  up.  „  .     ».  _*u    «•  ♦!, 

Mr  Whitney  spoke  of  the  Di  ina  as  doing  well  in  the  north  of  the 
State"  making  a  line  grape,  hardly  distinguishable  from  the  Catawba. 
He  would  never  recommend  for  general  circulation  in  Northern 
Illinois  the  Isabella  and  the  Clinton. 

Mr    Whitney's  motion  prevailed.  ,,/,.. 

Mr!  Shaw  would  recommend  for  Central  Illinois  the  Catawba, 

Clinton,  and  Concord.  .     ,    .    „     «    t, 

Mr.  Huggins  movetl  to  include  the  Isabella,  Mr.  Barry  concurring, 

as  it  thrives  in  his  culture  at  Alton. 

Mr.  Shaw  accepted  Mr.  Huggins'  ameAdment,  but  under  protest 

that  such  is  not  his  opinion.  ,  „       •  a     ^  a 

The  recommendation  of  Messrs.  Shaw  and  Huggins  was  adopted. 

Mr  Freemon  recommended  for  Southern  Illinois  the  Catawba, 
Herberaont,  and  Norton's  Virginia  Seedling.  „  ^.     ,    . 

Dr.  SchrcKider  said  that  the  Missouri  growers  now  call  the  last- 
named  Hermann's  Red  Diamond.  .     ,     ^.  •         /»      *i 

Mr  Freeman  grafts  upon  wild  grape  roots,  in  the  spring,  after  the 
grape  leaf  is  developed.  Next  year  the  wild  root  may  bo  dispensed 
with  by  rooting  in  the  grafted  scion.  ,11-     •  ^     *i 

Mr.  Freeman's  recoinmendution  for  Southern  Illinois  was  adopted. 

Dr  Warder  would  recomuiend  that  the  Delaware  vine  be  tried 
exteiuiively  ;  that  is,  by  many  persons;  but  not  much  by  any  one 
until  it  is  cheaper,  and  until  \U  qualities  are  better  tested;  at  pres- 
ent it  seems  likely  to  be  deemed  the  very  best  of  grapes. 

RcMoberries Mr.  Huggins  would  recommend  for  Central  Illinois 

at  least,  the  Allen  Raspberry.  Has  had  it  for  several  years;  it  is 
hardy,  an  annual  bearer,  very  prolific,  and  good.  Its  formmg  suck- 
ers is  objected  to;  just  treat  them  as  weeds  and  clear  them  out. 

The  recommendation  was  agreed  to.  ^  «     *    ,  tm-     • 

Mr.  UaUisha  moved  to  recommend  for  North  and  Central  Illinois 
the  Black  Cap  and  the  Purple  Cane.  ^    .r       , 

Dr.  Warder  says  that  it  is  not  a  new  Raspberry,  but  has  long  been 
known  under  various  names,  and  is  always  a  IJavorito. 

The  recommendation  was  adopted.  ^    ^     .   ,    , 

Dr  Schroeder  finds  the  Belle  de  Fontcnay  the  best  of  nine  varieties 
that  he  has;  they  were  planted  in  low  ground,  four  feet  ai.art.  and  it 
is  very  Hweet.     He  moved  that  it  be  recommended  for  Central  111  - 

nois.     Agreed  to.  ,  ^t      /^  t>       v  r       • 

Mr.  Phoenix  sjwke  in  favor  of  the  Orange  Rasi)bcrry,  for  size, 
beauty  and  flavor  it  is  superior;  it  is  tolerably  hardy.  ,     ^     , 

Mr  Huggins  never  could  get  a  iness  from  fifty  or  sixty  plants  of 
it  Others  had  had  similar  experience.  It  was  said  to  be  much  ap- 
proved along  Lake  Michigan,  and  in  various  northern  hwalities. 

Dr  Warder— Burying  in  the  dirt  don't  pay;  it  is  too  much  trou- 
ble, and  there  is  risk  of  breaking  the  plants  or  of  their  being 
frosted  or  burnt.  He  cuts  off  his  canes  to  six  inches  and  turns  a 
furrow  against  them.     But  trimming  makes  them  late. 

Mr.  Phoenix— Along  the  Hudwm  River  thoy  take  great  pains  to 
bury  their  raspberries,  and  realize  five  hundced  dollars  an  acre  by 
sales  to  New  York.  ,x         , 

The  Brinckle's  Orange  was  recommended  for  amateur  culture  in 

Northern  and  Central  Illinois.  .      .  ^        .       ,       .,_     ,, 

Mr  Gahisha  moved  to  recommend,  of  Gooseberries,  the  Hough- 
ton's Seedling  and  the  Pale  Red.  The  latter  is  known  by  several 
names.  He  sots  the  Houghton's  Seedling  in  rows  six  feet  apart, 
plant  five  feet  apart.  After  gathering  fruit,  he  Bpa«les  the  ground,, 
mulches  in  the  tall  with  litter  and  manure,  and  after  the  Iruitagc 
removes  the  straw  aud  renews  the  process.  Thus  he  gets  large  fruit. 
He  thinks  this  fruit  much  neglected;  it  is  bottled  easiest  of  all 
fruits,  and  fine  for  culinary  use.  ,,  ,     .    . 

Mr.  Bragden  says  it  is  the  most  profitable  of  the  small  fruit  for 
sale  in  Chicago  market.  ,0.,. 

Dr.  Warder— This  berry  sells  best  when  it  is  half-grown.  In  Ohio 
they  rake  off  the  berries,  with  a  little  wire-rake,  ujion  sheets  spread 
under  the  bushes.  For  family  use  th<y  make  the  best  kind  of  tartn, 
pios  and  preserves— o//er  they  get  rij^e ;  he  wouldn't  touch  them 
before.  When  green,  they  are  sold  at  one  dollar  a  bushel  in  Cincin- 
nati. ^   , 

The  Gooseberries  named  were  recommended. 

Mr.  Huggins  moved  to  recommend  the  Lawton  Blackberry  for 
Central  Illinois.    It  is  fruitful,  hardy,  and  very  luscious  when  fully 

ripe. 

The  recommendation  was  adopted. 

The  Committee  on  Cherries  for  Northern  IllinolB  recommended  the 
following:— Early  May,  Belle  de  Choisey,  Belle  Magnifique,  May 
Duke,  Lato  Duke,  and  Reinc  Hortense.    ,  ,,      „       ^     ^ 

Dr.  Kennicott  moved  to  add  the  English  MorcUo.  The  Committee 
agreed,  and  the  list  was  recommended. 

Mr  Huggins  moved  to  recommend  the  Myatt  s  Linnaeus  and  the 
Victoria  Rhubarb  for  general  culture.  He  also  regards  the  Early 
Tobolsk  as  a  valuable  variety,  because  of  its  carliness,  and  it  can  be 
pulkMl  all  summer,  It  also  requires  less  sugar  than  other  sorts.  It 
is  small,  and  not  the  best  for  market.  The  Linnteus  is  good  all 
through  the  season  and  priKluctive.  The  Cahoon  is  utterly  worth- 
less; he  will  not  have  it  in  his  place.  The  varieties  named  were 
recommended  for  qualities  named. 


On  motion  of  Dr.    Kennicot,  the  Gaboon's  Seedling  was  unani- 
mously rejected  as  utterly  worthless  for  general  cultivation. 
Tho  following  were  chosen  OflScers  for  the  next  year: 

President — Dr.  J.  A.  Kennicott,  of  Chicago. 

Vice- Presidents— Dr.  E.  D.  Kitto,  J.  W.  Wakeman,  S.  O.  Mink- 

ler,  Nathan  Overman,  J.  H   Stewart,  J.  Huggins,  Hostetter, 

Charles  A.  Kennicott,  and  G.  H.  Baker, — one  from  each  Congress- 
ional District. 

Corresponding  Secretary — 0.  B.  Oalusha,  Lisbon,  Kendall  Co. 

Recording  Se(Tetnrg—ll.  C.  Freeman,  South  Paes,  Union  County. 

Assistant  Recording  Secretary— C.  T.  Chase,  Chicago. 

Treasurer — S.  G.  Minkler. 


MERAMEC  HORTICTJLTURAL  SOCIETY. 

The  following  are  the  ofBcers  of  the  Meramec  Horticultural  So- 
ciety for  this  year: 

President — Dr.  L.  D.  Morse.    Post  Office- Allenton,  Mo. 

Recording  Secretary— Willi&m  Muir.     P.O.— Melrose,  Mo. 

Executioe  Committee— T.  R.  Allen,  Dr.  A.  W.  McPhersou,  and 
L.  D.  Votaw. 

Corresponding  Secretary  and  Librarian — ^T,  K.  Allen,  Allen- 
town,  Mo. 

CHICAGO  GARDENERS'  SOCIETY. 

The  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Chicago  Gardeners' Society  was  held 
at  their  rooms  in  Metropolitan  Hall.  The  following  ollicers  were 
elected  for  the  ensuing  year: 

President — C.  D.  Bragdon.  ' 

First  Vice-President- D.  Worthington. 

Second  Vice-President — C.  Layton. 

Secretary — Edgar  Sanders. 

Treasurer — John  C.  Ure. 

Executive  Committee— J.  Worthington,  J.  C.  Ure,  J.  C.  Grant, 
A.  F.  Williams. 

Librarian — William  Lumbard. 

The  President  elect,  on  taking  the  Chair,  made  a  few  appropri- 
ate remarks,  in  which  he  referred  to  the  meeting  of  the  State  Hor- 
ticultural Society,  which  is  to  take  place  in  this  city  in  December 
next,  and  pressed  upon  members  the  necessity  of  preparing  there- 
for. 

Mesvrs.  Kennicott,  Sanders  and  Chase  were  appointed  a  Com- 
mittee to  Revise  the  Constitution  and  report  to  the  next  meeting. 

Tho  Committee  on  Piocuring  a  Herbarinm  reported  progress. 

Mr.  Wakeman's  paper  on  Fruit  Culture  was  deferred  until  the 
next  meeting,  January  2l8t,  to  which  time  the  meeting  adjourned. 

CONNECTICUT  GRAPE-GROWERS' 
CONVENTION. 

The  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Connecticut  Grape-Growers'  Associ- 
ation was  held  at  the  New  Haven  House,  New  Haven,  Jaiiuiiry 
Sth.  After  the  reading  of  the  annual  reports,  the  ballot  for  otli- 
cers  resulted  as  follows: 

President— Co\.  D.  S.  Dewey,  of  Hartford. 

First  Vice-Prfsidetd-Cj.  S.  Middlebrook,  Bridgeport. 

Second  Vice-Presidtnt—Tj.  A.  llolcomb,  Granby. 

Secretary— TA.  C.  Weld,  Hartford. 

Treastirer-ViWW-Am  II.  Risley,  Berlin. 

Voted,  That  the  Association  offer  Prcminms  for  Grapes  and 
Wines  presented  at  the  next  Annual  Meeting;  and  that  the  officers 
of  the  Associati-  n  be  a  Committee  to  caiTy  out  the  design  of  this 
vote,  at  their  discretion.  .  \    , 

The  following  resolutions  were  unanimously  adopted : 

Resolced,  That  it  is  the  opinion  of  this  Society  that  those  tried 
varieties,  the  Isabella  and  Catawba  Grat>es,  ripen  well  in  many 
pasts  of  this  State— especially  along  its  southern  shore;  Imt  that, 
unless  the  situation  be  very  favorable,  neither  (and  particularly 
the  Catawba)  will  ripen  in  its  more  elevated  portions. 

Resolved,  That  the  Hartford  Prolific  and  Concord  are  grapes  that 
will  generally  ripen  well  throughout  the  State,  and  hence  are  to 

be  recommended.  ,      ,  ,,        »      .     ,    ^  1   ^ 

Resolved,  Tnat  the  Diana  Grape  has  been  quite  extensively  tried 
and  approved,  and  is  to  be  recommended  as  «inite  sure  to  ripen  iu 
all  fair  exposures  and  for  its  great  excellence. 

Resolved,  That  the  Delaware  Grape  now  promises  exceedingly 
well  but  has  not  extensively  fruited  that  we  can,  from  personal 
knowledge,  give  positive  assurance  that  it  is  worthy  the  high 
character  claimed  for  it  by  many.  «,.,... 

Rtsolted,  That  the  Rebecca  Grape  has  been  sufficiently  tested 
to  show  that  It  is  a  fruit  of  good  promise  and  excellency ;  hardy 
and  likely  to  ripen,  at  least,  in  good  exposure. 

Mr  E  S.  Elmer,  of  Hartford,  presented  three  varieties  of  grapos 
—Dianas,  Isabellas  and  Catawbas— preserved  in  cork-dust.  Tho 
Dianas  were  remarkably  plump  and  fresh,  showing  a  peculiar  ex- 
cellence in  that  variety.  ...        ,  .,     it    .r    j 

A  sample  of  wine,  made  in  18')8,  from  the  juice  of  tho  Hartford 
Prolific  Grape  with  the  addition  of  I'i  lb.  good  brown  sugar  to 
the  gallon  was  tried,  and  universally  pronounced  a  remarkably 
fine  dry  wine. 


I  T=! 


■11 


4 


f 


VIntr  III 


CoTu>tr'(irlieliLH  netinpluir, HUhc. 
fUiw  We  I'll 


Haruhiitt  :i  iioUitn 
I'i'fiifc  run'  IVi'ii/ 


Hhinro/th/'f'ii 
Zittinifrinami  (res 


.suliH/iiTh'sa 


N.    , 


I'eLuhiotn  /luuctativ 


PhilifffJmifii 


I'ds^filti.'*  iinn (iiiin 


^Kifiria    t .vito^n 


Ti'fwtw  Cofornfni 


i 


DEVOTED    TO 


JopHrufturp,  SErtoriruWupp,  jpoJang  %•  Plural  SKffairx. 


THOMAS     MEEHAN,    Editor. 


MARCH,  1861. 


VOL.  III.— NO    3. 


j^inh  for  |lDarr|. 


FLOWER  GARDE  N  AND  PLEASURE 

GROUND. 

Many  things  that  appear  frosted  a  little  at  the  tops 
should  be  severely  cut  down  ;  it  will  prevent  disap- 
pointment in  the  end.  Shoots  that  are  injured  in 
winter — especially  in  the  case  of  the  rose — will  often 
have  just  sufficient  vigor  left  to  enable  them  to  put 
forth  leaves,  and  sometimes  even  go  so  far  as  to  at- 
tempt to  flower,  and  then  die  off  suddenly  under  the 
first  hot  sun. 

This  is  the  proper  season  to  lay  dow^n  box  edgings. 
To  make  them  properly,  the  soil  along  the  line  of 
the  edge  should  be  first  dug,  and  then  trod  very  hard 
and  firm,  so  that  the  soil  may  sink  evenly  together, 
or  the  line  will  present  ugly  looking  undulations  in 
time.  Rooted  plants  should  be  employed  ;  cuttings 
are  sometimes  used,  but  frequently  die  out  in  patches, 
— a  good  edge  can  rarely  be  made  from  them.  The 
plants  should  be  set  pretty  low  down,  leaving  the 
plants,  when  set,  one  or  two  inches  above  the  soil, 
according  to  their  stockiness.  Sometimes  box-edgings 
are  laid  around  beds  formed  in  grass.  When  so,  a 
few  inches  of  clear  ground  should  be  kept  clean  be- 
tween the  grass  and  the  box,  or  the  weeds  will  be  so 
intermixed  with  the  box  after  a  while,  as  to  render  it 
a  nuisance. 

Walks  should  now  have  their  spring-dressing — the 
verges  cut,  and  a  thin  coating  of  new  gravel  laid  on. 
Before  putting  on  the  new,  harrow  up  the  face  of  the 
old  gravel  with  a  strong  iron -toothed  rake.  Roll 
well  after  the  new  is  laid  on. 

Planting  trees  will  require  particular  attention 
now  ;  but  do  not  be  in  a  hurry  the  moment  the  frost 
is  out  of  the  ground.  Cold  winds  are  very  hard  on 
newly  set  out  trees.  Wait  till  they  are  gone.  Al- 
ways shorten-in  a  little  the  shoots  of  all  trees  planted. 


They  will  grow  the  faster  for  it,  and  are  more  certain 
to  live.     Evergreens  should  be  left  to  the  last. 

As  soon  as  the  frost  is  thoroughly  out  of  the 
ground,  and  while  the  surface  is  yet  soft,  lawns 
should  have  a  thorough  rolling,  which  will  not  only 
tend  to  level  the  surface,  but  also  press  into  the  earth 
the  roots  of  any  of  the  finer  grasses  that  the  frost 
may  have  drawn  out.  Lawns  frequently  become 
coarse,  by  this  operation  of  the  winter  season.  If 
the  grass  is  poor  and  thin,  a  top-dressing  of  guano 
and  salt  may  be  applied  before  the  rolling.  Stable 
manure  injures  fine  lawns  by  introducing  coarse 
weeds.  Soot  or  wood-ashes  are  excellent  for  giving 
lawns  a  fine  green  color.  In  making  new  lawns  a 
deep  soil  is  very  important.  In  shallow  soils  the 
soil  soon  dries  in  hot  summers,  and  the  lawn  be- 


comes brown  when  its 


green 

*»m»» — 


is  the  most  desirable. 


FRUIT  GARDEN. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  recommend  to  our  read- 
ers the  be$t  fruits  to  grow,  any  more  than  the  best 
flowers, — local  circumstances  having  much  to  do 
with  the  comparative  value  of  fruits  ;  but  the  follow- 
ing six  in  each  class  will  be  found  under  most  circum- 
stances reliable  and  worth  growing  : 

Grapes— -Isabella,  Concord,  Diana,  Delaware, 
Clinton,  and  for  a  white  probably  Taylor's  Bulhtt, 
though  it  has  not  been  tested  to  the  extent  we  de- 
sire for  recommendation  in  this  column. 

Currants— Red  Dutch,  White  Dutch,  Black  Na- 
ples, May's  Victoria,  Versailles,  and  the  Cherry  to 
"look  at." 

Raspberries  —  Orange  CBrinckle's^,  Catawissa, 
Franconia,  Belle  de  Fontenay,  Allen,  and  true  Red 
Antwerp. 

Strawberries— Ho vey' 8  Seedling,  Albany  Seed- 
ling, Triomphe  de  Gand,  Longworth's  Prolific, 
Early  Scarlet,  Peabody's  Seedling. 

Apples  for  Dwarfs— Gravenstein,  Red  Astra- 
chan,  Indian  Rareripe,  Fall  Pippin,  Lady  Apple, 
Bough. 

Standard  Apples  —  Baldwin,  Rhode  Island 
Greening,  Early  Harvest,  Smith's  Cider,  Fameuse, 
Porter. 

Pears   for    Dwarfs — Belle    Lucratif,     Louise 
Bonne,  Beurre  Suiierfin,  Rostiezer,  Beurre  d'Anjou 
Urbaniste. 


?•/» 


I  n 


■        "-li.! 

.       i     'J 


»  si: 


Ik 


if 


N 


g\^  (5mAmxs  lloutjjlg. 


Standard  PEARS-Baitlctt,  Seckel,  Bcurre  Gif- 
fard,  Sheldon,  Liiwrence,  Beurre  Diel 

pLums  -  Jefferson,  Washington,  Green  Gage, 
McLaughlin,  Bleeker,  and  Prince's  Yellow. 

CHEUKiE^May  Duke,  Black  Tartarian,  Early 
Bichmond,  Governor  Wood,  Downer's  Late,  Coe  s 

"r^::-Early  York,  Late  Heatl.  Crawf^nJ. 
Late,  George  IV.,  Crawford's  Early,  Morns  Wlutt^ 
We  have  before  remarked  that  fruit  trees  and 
bushes  should  invariably  be  cut  in  severely,  and  not 
allowed  to  bear  the  same  season  of  plantmg.  It  is 
a  fatal  mistake  to  look  for  fruit  the  same  season  of 
setting  out  the  trees.  This  is  at  the  expense  of  fu- 
ture growth,  and  without  future  growth  there  will 
be  no  future  crops. 

Raspberries,  Blackberries,  &c.,  frequently  bear 
and  die  when  so  treated.  The  canes  should  be  cut 
back  to  a  few  inchc^s  on  transplanting.  Raspberries 
for  fruit  in  fall  should  always  be  pretty  well  cutback. 
It  is  not  essential  with  the  regular  fall-bearing  kmds, 
but  it  aids  them  much. 

Grape-vines  in  the  open  air,  on  arbors  and  trel- 
lises, should  have  their  pruning  finished  bef(,re  warm 
spring  days  set  in,  or  they  will  bleed.     It  does  not 
iniure  them  much,  but  it  looks  bad.     The  pruning 
must  be  regulated  by  the  condition  of  the  vine      If 
the  vines  are  young  and  the  shoots  weak,  cut  them 
all  back,  to  make  a  new  and  vigorous  growth.     It 
already  a  fair  quantity  of  strong  shoots  of  last  sea- 
son's growth  exists,  cut  out  the  weaker  ones,  so  as 
to  leave  enough  of  stronger  ones.    The  cane  system, 
slightly  modified,  is  best  for  arbors  and  trelhsses  in 
ihe  hands  of  amateurs  generally.     This  implies  a 
new  set  of  canes  every  year  or  two.     If,  as  fre-  ^ 
quently  happens  from  bad  management,   all    the  ^ 
young  and  strong-bearing  wood  exists  only  at  the  , 
end  of  the  vines,-and  these  latter  have  become  no-  , 
thing  but  long,  ropy-looking  apologies  for  what  a 
vine   should   be  ;  the  whole    cane  may  be  buned 
down  in  the  soil  to  where  the  strong  shoots  spring 
from,  and  the  young  wood  of  last  season  trained  up 
from' this.     The  plant  will  then  recover  its  good  ap- 
pearance quite  as  well  as  by  cutting  down,  with  the 
advantage  of  not  sacrificing  a  year's  crop  of  fruit. 

Many  kinds  of  raspbemes,  especially  in  dry  soils, 
have  a  tendency  to  throw  up  innumerable  suckers. 
These  should  be  thinned  out.  Three  or  four  canes 
are  enough  to  leave  in  a  ''hill."  We  like,  however, 
to  '^row  raspberries  in  rows,  where  each  c^ne  may 
have  a  cliance  to  enjoy  an  independent  existence  of 
about  a  square-foot  of  soil  for  itself. 

The  strawberry,  also,  pays  well  for  being  well 

thinned  out.     Formerly  Cincinnati  used  to  carry  off 

the  palm  for  strawberry  culture.     All  the  thinning 

X  I  they  there  get  is  by  horse-harrowing  them.     Fifty 


bushels  to  the  acre,  under  that  system,  was  thought 
to  be  a  fair  average  crop ;  but  other  localities,  by  a 
careful  system  of  hand-culture,  in  thinning  and  cut- 
ting away  runners,  have  borne  away  the  palm  from 
the  Queen  City  of  the  West,  and  boast  of  their  two 
hundred  bushels  to  the  acre,  and  above. 


**m»» 


FORCING. 

In  our  March  number  for  1859  we  gave  the  fol- 
lowing hints  under  this  head,  which,  as  the  facts 
relating  to  the  necessity  of  healthy  foliage  are  not 
generally  recognized,  and  also  as  nearly  two-thirds 
of  our  present  readers  were  not  then  subscribers,  it 
will  be  novel  to  many  to  repeat : 

''The  earliest  houses  will  now  have  their  grapes 
about  stoning,  which  is  one  of  the  most  critical 
periods  of  the  fruit  season.     If  any  check  is  expe- 
rienced, the  grapes  will  be  small,  or  perhaps  fall  off 
altogether.     If  they  do  not  fall,  they  stand  still  for 
some  weeks,  and  thus  are  not  only  inferior  in  size, 
but  they  are  so  muchlaterthanthey  otherwise  would 
be.     The  temperature  should  be  raised,  if  any  thing, 
I  and  particular  attention  paid  to  its  regularity,  as  well 
as  so  the  regularity  of  the  atmospheric  moisture  and 
air.     The  foliage,  also,  should  be  carefully  guarded 
from  the  injuries  of  mildew,  insects,  or  other  evil. 
Many  more  diseases  than  gardeners  think  for  are 
caused  by  injuries  to  the  foliage.     The  first  leaf  that 
appears  should  be  the  one  the  laat  to  fall,  as  near  as 
may  be.     The  nearer  this  can  be  achieved,  the  heal- 
thier will  the  vine  be,  and  the  more  certain  will  it  be 
to  carry  its  fruit  through  to  perfection.     Some  will 
depend  on  their  soil,  others  on  their  pruning,  others 
on  the  build  of  their  houses,  others  on  their  general 
management,  and  each  class  fancy  their  success  has 
depended  on  these  matters,  because  others  who  had 
I  not  paid  attention  to  these  matters  failed.     But  the 
'  probability  is  in  every  case,  that  the  vines  did  well, 
I  because,  from   some    chance,   the  foliage   remained 

healthy. 

"A  stock  of  fruit  trees  for  next  year  should  now 
be  potted  in  12-inch  pots,  choosing  those  which  will 
make  the  handsomest  trees.     It  is  only  a  matter  of 
course  to  repeat  that  the  soil  should  be  coarse  and 
open,  and  well-drained.     After  potting,  they  should 
be  severely  pruned  into  shape,  and  the  pots  plunged 
into  any  spare  piece  of  ground  where  they  will  he 
sheltered  from  the  wind.     Here  they  may  remain  all 
summer,  being  taken  out  and  re-set  in  the  plunging 
place  about  twice  during  the  season,  to  break  off  any 
roots  that  may  be  growing  through  the  hole  in  the 
bottom  of  the  pot. 

"  Grapes,  in  pots,  intended  for  next  year's  fruiting, 
should,  of  course,  be  kept  in  the  house  to  grow  all 
summer.     Those  who  have  not  the  advantage  of  any 


mn  iartor's  JUtonthlg. 


but  a  cold  house,  or  with  but  a  very  little  heat,  may 
start  vines  for  pot-culture  about  this  time.  Choose 
good  strong  plants  in  six-inch  pots  from  last  season's 
eyes.  Cut  them  down  to  one  strong  eye,  and  set  in 
the  warmest  part  of  the  house.  As  soon  as  the  eye 
has  pushed  forth  into  growth  an  inch,  shake  it  out  of 
the  pot,  reduce  the  fibres,  and  repot  into  a  12-inch, 
with  rich,  coarse,  turfy  soil,  well  drained.  Keep  it 
as  warm  as  possible,  and  as  soon  as  it  has  grown  six 
or  eight  eyes  in  length,  pinch  off  the  point.  This 
will  induce  the  part  left  to  grow  stocky,  and,  if  care 
be  taken  to  keep  the  leaves  healthy  through  the 
year,  these  eyes,  though  close  to  the  pot,  will  pro- 
duce nearly  as  good  bunches  as  those  on  the  top  of 
the  vine.  After  the  pindiing,  the  shoots  that  after- 
wards becomes  the  leader  may  be  allowed  to  grow 
five  or  eight  feet  long  before  finally  stopped." 


«•»»> 


^ 


\ 


GREENHOUSES,    &c. 

At  this  season  of  the  year  the  aphis,  or  green-fly, 
is  one  of  the  most  troublesome  of  nuisances,  though 
all  insects  are  more  or  less  active  at  this  life-invigor- 
ating time.  So  many  modes  of  destroying  insects 
have  been  given  in  our  last  volume,  that  the  culti- 
vator of  plants  has  a  good  choice  to  please  his  taste 
from.  Where  green-fly  prevails  badly,  and  is  pretty 
general  through  a  house,  nothing  is  better  than 
tobacco-smoke,  as  it  penetrates  easily  and  effectually 
through  every  part  of  the  enclosure.  Yet  it  is  dan- 
gerous when  in  unskilful  hands.  Three  light  doses 
three  successive  nights  are  better  for  the  plants  than 
one  strong  dose,  and  the  insects  are  more  effectually 
destroj^ed.  Any  old  vessel  does  to  contain  the 
tobacco-stems.  The  bottom  of  the  vessel  should 
have  paper  that  has  been  steeped  in  a  solution  of 
saltpetre  and  dried,  put  in  the  bottom,  to  be  lit  when 
ready.  This  is  much  better  for  the  plants  than  the 
live  coals  often  used. 

Be  careful  of  houses  taking  fire.  Every  week  we 
hear  or  read  accounts  of  such  losses.  Wood  will, 
in  the  course  of  time,  take  fire  a  long  way  from  the 
furnace  or  flue.  While  it  is  new,  there  is  little  dan- 
ger, even  if  the  wood  is  nearly  in  actual  contact 
with  the  work,  but  every  year  adds  to  the  risk. 

We  have  seen  wood-work  take  fire  four  feel  from 
the  flue,  that  had  already  been  there  several  years 
safely  before.  Of  course,  iron  should  be  preferred 
wherever  practicable  in  all  places  where  danger  may 
be  apprehended ;  and,  in  some  instances,  it  is  cheap- 
est without  the  usual  cautious  provision  of  in  the 
"long  run."  For  gangways  in  conservatories,  for 
instance,  we  have  seen  oaken  work  employed  that 
could  not  have  cost  less  than  ten  or  fifteen  cents  per 
foot,  when  cast-iron,  at  three  or  four  cents  per 
pound,  would  certainly  be  cheaper.  The  pathways  in 


the  conservatory  of  Captain  H.  Ingersoll,  near  Phil- 
adelphia, afford  an  excellent  illustration  of  the  re- 
lative value  and  cheapness  of  iron  over  wood. 

There  is  no  doubt  about  plants  requiring  all  the 
sun-light  they  can  get;  and  they  should  be  fre- 
quently turned  round,  so  that  every  part  of  the 
plant,  in  turn,  should  profit  by  its  influence. 

Continue  to  watch  for  plants  requiring  repotting. 
When  the  oldest  leaves  on  a  growing  shoot  show 
symptoms  of  premature  yellowness,  it  is  usually  the 
best  sign  that  it  requires  nutriment.  When  the 
younger  leaves  become  first  yellow,  the  injury  is 
traceable  most  frequently  to  external  causes, — dr/ 
air,  too  much  root  moisture,  escape  of  gas,  &c. 

Ventilation  is  very  important ;  but  at  this  season 
of  the  year,  the  top  sashes  only  should  be  opened. 
Injury  frequently  results  from  opening  doors  or  side 
sashes. 

Fuchsias  must  be  repotted  as  the  pots  become 
filled  with  roots.  They  like  r'ch  soi\and  do  best  grown 
rapidly.  The  pyramidal  form  is  the  best  to  train 
them  to ;  it  suits  their  habit  of  flowering  best.  If 
they  do  not  seem  to  branch  out  enough  to  make 
well-furnished  cones,  pinch  out  the  leading  bud,  and 
train  up  a  new  one  to  replace  it.  Plenty  of  light 
and  a  rich  soil,  however,  usually  induces  them  to 
break  freely  enough.  The  following  are  six  good 
old  kinds,  easy  to  be  procured,  that  may  do  to  start 
a  collection  with: — Guiding  Star,  Rose  of  Castile, 
Souvenir  de  Chiswick,  Macbeth,  Fairest  of  the  Fair, 
Gem  of  Whitehall.  Six  newer  ones  for  those  who 
wish  to  be  up  to  the  times : — Sir  Colin  Campbell, 
Little  Dorrit,  Isa  Craig,  Flower  of  France,  Lcoline. 

Calceolarias  will  soon  be  pushing  up  flower-stems, 
and  as  they  are  amongst  the  showiest  of  summer- 
blooming  greenhouse  plants,  too  much  attention 
cannot  be  given.  They  suffer  very  nuch  from  a 
badly-drained  soil.  They  have  ceased  to  be  a 
florist's  flower  here,  and  are  raised  annually  from 
seed. 

Of  the  new  Verbenas  many  fine  novelties  are  in- 
troduced this  season.  Amongst  the  best  six  good 
ones  we  may  name  are : — Madam  Gonaud,  Ocean 
Pearl,  Garibaldi,  Delicatissima,  Baron  Renfrew, 
Firefly.  Mr.  Dreer's  seedlings,  advertised  in  our 
last,  we  have  only  seen  cut  specimens  of,  which 
were  decidedly  good.  Parties  who  liave  seen  them 
growing  tell  us  they  are,  besides,  splendid  bedders. 

It  is  time  Chrysanthemums  are  struck,  if  fine  spe- 
cimens are  desired  for  fall-flowering  in  pots.  The 
following  arc  six  first-rate  pompones:  —  Fleur- 
ette,  Brilliante,  Cote  d'Or,  Mignionette,  Madam 
Martin,  La  Precieuse.  Large-flowering  kinds : — 
Virginia  Miellez,  Remus,  Cassandra,  Eclipse,  Vesu-" 
vius,  Marshall  Puroe. 


1 


68 


ilm  (Sardmr'»  PantMg. 


Tt  is  time  to  start  Dahlias.      People  got  into  a    i,er  time  to  household  pursuits    manufacturing  do 
It  is  tmie  to  sian  A^<iuua  .*^_..,_,    ,^^*„     „„„.:.  .i,.n,c   o^ri  tPnflino- her  flowers. 


fashion,  a  few  years  ago,  of  setting  out  whole  roots 
These  bloom  very  early  in  summer,  about  the  time 
hot  weather  sets  in,  and  are  stunted  before  the  cool 
weather  of  fall-tlie  natural  time  for  fine  Dahlias. 
Ground-roots  of  last  year  should  always  be  sprouted. 


mestic  cloths,  and  tending  her  flowers. 

The  yard  between  their  cottage  and  the  public 
road  was  somewhat  hmited,  and  enclosed  with  the 
roughest  board  fence.  This  yard  was  completely 
filled  with  flowers,  and  although  not  arranged  with 


Ground-roots  of  last  year  snomuaiwaj^o  u^  -r t    niiea  wiin  uoweia,  a^v.  ^....^^^^^  --- -    ^ 

and  new  plants  raised  from  these  sprouts  as  one    ^^^^^^  ^^gard  to  correct  grouping  or  display,  ana  so 
, ,  ,     ..:.!.  „  „„.„«*  rx^tatn      A  verv  Jiood  plan    ^,.,,„i,,  „m  «« tn  make  it  difficult  passing  among  them. 


would  do  with  a  sweet  potato.     A  very  good  plan 
is  to  shorten  the  ends  of  the  tubers  so  as  to  get  the 
root  within  a  reasonable  sized  pot,  and,  after  cover- 
ing with  soil,  set  the  pot  in  a  hotbed  or  greenhouse. 
After  a  few   weeks,   several    sprouts  will    appear 
around  the  stem.     Then  the  whole  root  should  be 
shaken,  and  the  root  divided  through  the  crown, 
retaining  a  piece  of  root  with  a  sprout.     Then  pot 
each  piece  into  a  separate  pot,  and  set  out  in  the 
open  ground  in  May.     Nurserymen  who  wish  to 
propagate  extensively,   take   off  usually  only  the 
sprout,  and  treat  it  as  a  cutting ;  but  for  amateurs 
the  above  is  the  best  way.     Six  good  old  Dahlias  we 
would  name:— Amazon,   Unanimity,  Dr.  Gullez, 
Lady  Cathcart,  Col.  Wyndham,  Pre-eminent.     Six 
first-rate :— King  of  Portugal,  Duchess  of  WelUng- 
ton,  Adrain  Carmaival,  Prince  Albert,  Alba  floribun- 
da,  Mrs.  Edwards, 

The  good  gardener  will  not,  of  course,  forget 
what  plants  he  will  require  for  bedding  purposes, 
and  should  any  be  found  short,  propagation  will  yet 
actively  go  on.     Phlox  Drummondii,  Mignionette, 
Acroclinium  roseum.  Sweet  Alyssum,  Globe  Ama- 
ranthuses,  German  Asters,  Browallia  elata,  Candy- 
tuft,   Clarkias,  Collinsias,    Escholtzias,  Erisymum, 
Fenzlia    dianthiflora,    Gaillardias,    Gilias,     Linum 
grandiflorum,    Loazas,    Lobelias,     Lupines,    Mau- 
randias,  Mimulus,  Nasturtiums,  Nemophila,  Pala- 
foxia,  Phacelia,  Salpiglossis,  Thunbergias,  Silenes, 
Stocks,  and  Whitlavia  grandiflora  are  mostly  annual 
flowering  plants  of  considerable  beauty,  that  are 
advantageously  sown  early  in  a  greenhouse,  to  for- 
ward early  to  plant  out  in  spring.     They  do  better 
in  a  hotbed  where  that  can  be  commanded. 


(Jommttmrafions. 


INFLUBNCB   OF   FLOWERS. 

BY    8.    L.    B.,    BROOKDATiE    PARM,    MAINE. 

Travelling  recently  through  the  northern  part  of 
Somerset  county,  I  was  obliged  to  remain  for  the 
night  at  the  home  of  a  couple  somewhat  advanced  in 
life ;  the  wife,  however,  many  years  younger  than 
her  husband,  who  having  accumulated  something  of 
this  world's  goods,  lived  in  a  quiet  and  humble  way, 
the  husband  working  his  small  plot  of  ground  and 
taking  care  of  his  pig  and  cow,  and  the  wife  devoting 


closely  set  as  to  make  it  difficult  passing  among  them, 
yet  their  many  colored  hues  and  fragrant  odor 
rendered  the  spot  very  attractive  and  made  a  little 
paradise  of  the  yard,  contrasting  wonderfully  with 
the  bleak  and  uninteresting  scenery  amid  wliich  their 
cottage  was  situated. 

The  collection    embraced    about  sixty  vaneties, 
chiefly  of  the  more  common  kinds,  and  the  verbena, 
dahlia,  petunia,  hollyhock,  geranium,  &c.,  &c.,  were 
prominent  among  the  list.     It  was  evident  that  the 
1  flowers  received  a  large  share  of  the  good  lady's 
time,  and  I  admired  her  love  and  and  admiration  for 
them      ''My  husband,"  said  she,  "tells  me  I  wor- 
ship them,  but  I  do  not  think  I  do ;  for,  surely  they 
are  His  flowers,  and  the  work  of  the  kind  Creator; 
why  should  I  not  then  love  and  admire  them?" 

Standing  on  each  side  of  the  walk  near  the  rude 
gate  at  the  entrance  to  the  yard,  were  two  horse- 
chestnuts  (JEsculus  hippocastanum),  which  are  very 
uncommon  in  the  vicinity,  and  the  old  gentleman 
looked  upon  them  as  a  decided  acquisition,  not  only 
from  their  extreme  rarity,  but    because  they  were 
such  a  beautiful  ornamental  tree,  and  because  he 
brought  them  himself  from  the  State  of  New  Hamp- 
shire.    From  this  I  inferred  that  the  old  gentleman 
had  some  natural  love  for  trees  and  the  beautiful  in 
nature,  and  just  said  to  him  tliat  I  took  pleasure  in 
the  culture  of  flowers  and  trees,  and  was  glad  to  find 
his  wife  a  lady  of  so  much  refinement  and  with  such 
a  love  for  the  beautiful.     "Well,"  replied  the  old 
gentleman,  in  his  old  fashioned  way  of  speaking, 
''flowers  be  kinder  pooty." 

So  it  is  the  world  over,  in  all  countries,  under  any 
clime,  among  all  tongues,  with  the  rich  and  poor, 
flowers  are  objects  of  universal  admiration  and  love. 
Their  cultivation  tends  to  improve  health,  purify  the 
heart,   elevate  the  afiections,   and    ennoble  man's 
nature.   He  who  has  a  love  for  the  culture  of  flowers 
cannot  but  be  a  person  of  refined  feelings,  religious 
nature  and  a  generous  life.     If  the  rich  man  can  in- 
dulge his  fancy  in  having  elegant  conservatories  and 
every  rare  and  beautiful  tree,  plant  or  flower,  so  can 
the  poor  cottager  or  small  farmer  have  his  flower  bed 
of  limited  size,  and  containing  only  the  more  common 
varieties,  and  the  pleasure  derived  from  its  study  and 
care,  without  doubt,  will  be  as  great  as  that  which 
his  wealthy  neighbor  enjoys. 

Wealth  is  not  necessary  in  order  to  have  a  taste 


for  flowers,  yet  a  person  of  wealth  can  better  show  his  love  for  them  than  one  who  has  not  the  means 
for  their  extensive  cultivation.  Their  influence  is  not  confined  to  the  wealthy  class ;  they  give  a  charm 
and  beauty  to  even  the  humblest  occupation,  and  convert  the  rough  and  uncultivated  nature  to  one  of 
refinement  and  gentleness. 


44»»» 


^ 


ENTOMOLOGICAL   ESSAY. 

Read  before  the  Fruit-Orowers'  Association  of  Eastern  Pennsylvania  at  its  Meeting  in  West  Chester,  on  the  I3th  day  of  June,  1860. 

BY  s.  s.  bathvon,  entomologist  of  the  association. 
(^Continued  from  page  7.) 
INJURIOUS    INSECTS. 
We  come  now  to  the  consideration  of  a  little  insect  which  has  despoiled  the  Fruit-grower  of  more  of  the 
products  of  his  labor,  and  has  given  him  more  anxiety,  perhaps,  than  all  the  insects  we  have  heretofore 
named  put  together,  and    has  thus  far  baffled  all  his  skill  and  ingenuity  in  the  discovery  of  a  certain  reme- 
dy to  counteract  its  de^asiations.    We  allude  to 

24th.     Rhynchanus  (cc/iotrachelus)   nenup/mr,  Hbst.  or  "  Plum  Weevil."    Very  generally  alluded  to  as  Me 
"  Curculio."     Plate  III.  fig.  1.     Length  about  one-fifth  of  an  inch;  color  dark  brown  or  blackish,  varied 
with  spots  of  whitish  or  ochrey  yellow  ;  thorax  uneven  and  rough ;  the  wing  covers  have  several  short 
ridges  upon  them,  forming  a  sort  of  a  hump,  behind  which  there  is  a  band  of  ochery  yellow  and  white.  Thig 
insect  begins  to  deposit  its  eggs  into  fruit  as  soon  as  it  is  set,  making  asmall  crescent-shaped  incision  with  its 
sharp  little  mandibles  on  the  end  of  its  snout,  into  which  it  lays  an  egg.     The  larva  is  a  small,  whitish, 
footless  grub,  very  much  like  a  maggot,  except  that  its  head  is  very  distinct.     The  irritation  caused  by  the 
presence  of  this  grub  in  the  fruit  is  the  cause  of  its  disease,  and  dropping  prematurely  from  the  tree  ;  after 
which  the  insect  burrows  Into  the  earth  and  completes  its  transformations  there.     Observers  of  this  insect 
by  no  means  agree  in  all  the  points  of  its  economy,  yet  they  are  tolerably  unanimous  in  condemning  it  as 
an  arch  destroyer  of  fruit,  and  especially  the  Plum  crop.     For  this  reason  it  is  almost  universally  known 
as  the  "Plum- weevil,"  although  it  is  also  found  in  cherries.     But  it  appears  that  it  does  not  confine  itself 
to  these  fruits,  for,  according  to  some  observers  and  writers,  it  also  attacks  nectarines,  apricots,  apples, 
peaches  and  pears,  although  we  must  not  confound  the  larva  of  the  Apple-moth  {Tenia  pomonelta)  with  that 
of  the  curculio.     The  former  has  six  feet,  whilst  the  latter  is  entirely  footless.    Dr.  Harris  says  he  has  met 
with  this  insect  in  Massachusetts,  as  early  as  the  30th  of  March,  and  as  late  as  the  10th  of  June.     I  have 
myself  found  large  numbers  of  curculios  of  different  species  under  stones  on  the  sunny  side  of  hills  in  the 
first  week  in  March,  and  I  have  also  found  them  in  the  fall  under  the  same  circumstances.     It  is  pretty 
certain  that  they  bring  forth  two  broods  in  one  season,  and  also  that  they  undergo  their  transformations  in 
the  ground.     On  examining  some  plums  lying  upon  the  ground,  on  the  first  of  June,  I  found  that  some  of 
the  larva  of  the  Curculio  had  already  left  the  fruit  and  gone  into  the  ground.     From  this  it  would  seem 
that  those  which  are  found  in  the  green  plum  and  the  ripe  plum,  as  well  as  those  found  in  ripe  cherries, 
apples,  peaches,  &c.,  are  of  different  broods;  for,  according  to  the  most  reliable  observations  that  have 
been  made,  it  requires  about  three  weeks  to  complete  their  transformations  after  they  enter  the  ground. 
We  dissent  from  the  opinion  that  the  insect  under  consideration  is  the  cttM«€  of  the  warts  or  "black-knots'' 
on  the  plum  and  cherry  trees,  although  the  larva  of  this,  as  well  as  other  species  of  curculio,  and  also 
various  species  of  "gall-flies"  (Cynips),  are  found  in  these  knots  in  their  green  state.     In  their  dry  and 
cracked  state,  they  also  form  a  shelter  for  curculios  and  other  insects.     Enough  has  been  said  and  written 
in  regard  to  the  habits  and  peculiar  economy  of  these  insects,  and  yet  there  seems  to  be  a  lack  of  know- 
ledge among  the  masses  of  men  concerning  them,  and  no  certain  remedy  against  them.     All  insects  are 
endowed  with  instincts  and  capacities,  which  enable  them  and  which  lead  them  to  make  suitable  provision 
for  the  preservation  and  perpetuating  their  species;  and  they  will  follow  the  lead  of  those  instincts,  unless 
baffled  by  supervening  contingencies.     None  are  more  highly  endowed  in  this  respect,  perhaps,  than  the 
curculio.     The  prudent  female  surveys  the  ground  beneath  the  tree,  and  if  she  finds  it  a  hard  paved  surface, 
a  beaten  path,  a  pond  of  water,  or  a  pig-stye,  or  an  enclosure  for  the  retention  of  fowls,  she  rarely  selects 
such  a  tree,  or  such  part  of  it  as  overhangs  such  a  conditioned  surface,  upon  which  to  deposit  her  eggs. 
Her  instincts  teach  her  that  her  progeny  would  be  trodden  to  death,  or  drowned,  or  destroyed  by  their 
enemies,  before  they  could  make  their  way  safely  into  the  ground.     This  characteristic  of  the  curculio  is  so 
marked,  that  almost  every  observer  is  able  to  give  examples  of  it;  and  this  peculiarity,  also,  might  suggest 
a  partial  means  of  preventing  the  destruction  of  the  fruit  crops,  although  it  might  not  be  a  permanent  cure, 
because  a  universal  adoption  of  such  a  plan,  without  some  means  of  destroying  the  insect  itself,  might 


'i'M 


■'M 


4 


^t^  iarhwr's  Pont^g. 


at  least,  circumscribe  Its  hmits.  Lencth,  three-twentieths  of  an 

05th      Baridius  trinotatus,     Say.— '*  Potato-wecvil."     Plate  III.  Fig.  ^.     l^engm,  in  ee  , 

in:h     body  covered  with  whitish  hairs,  giving  it  a  grayish  appearance;  two  black  dots  upon  the  h  n^e 

::gi:  of  the  thora.,  and  one  upon  the  scutel,  maUing  ^^^^^^^^^^'^^Z^:^  ^  axill  of 
acquainted  with  this  insect  long  before  I  knew  it  injured  the  potato.     They  lay  ^^^^/J^^s  m 
th    leaves  of  the  potato-vine,  and  the  young  grub,  immediately  after  exclusion  ^--the  ;^^;  ':      t    o-- 
the  vine  downward  towards  the  roots,  undergoing  all  its  transformations  there.     The  P"^«^\  ^"fj  ^^^ 
forth  ^August  and  September.     Having  often  found  these  weevils  under  stones  and  - -;2    futt  "  ^ 
or  under  bark  in  fields  and  woods,  I  am  led  to  believe  that  they  remain  active  and  ^--^J^^^^^;^*  ;';;^ 
positing  their  eggs  upon  the  potato  the  next  season.     They  are  said  to  remain  m   he  pupa  state  only  two 
we  ks      They  are  becoming  very  common  in  Pennsylvania,  although  not  much  known  in  the  Eastern 
Tta  es      Eat  ng  the  heart  or  pith  out  of  the  potato-vine,  they  cause  it  to  wilt,  as  i    it  were  scalded,  and 
have  been  known  to  be  very  destructive   about  Germantown  and  Philadelphia  in  1849.     Sy-g-^t^ 
p  ants  wTth  water,  or,  immediately  after   a    shower,  sprinkling  them    freely   w^^^/;-  -^^^i^/;  j 
Link,  would  be  as  beneficial  in  this  case,  as  I  know  it  is  in  destroying  aphids.     a  and  b  are  the  pupa 

'%Tth.  Rhyncophorus  Zmm.rma.t,  Schon.  "  North  American  Palm  Weevil."  ^'^'l^^Y'^'^,^'^^^^^^^ 
including  extended  snout,  from  one  and  a  quarter  to  one  and  a  half  inches.  Color,  black  or  dark  ^^^^^^^^^ 
,.ith  black  spots  on  the  thorax,  and  one  or  more  on  each  wing-co ver ;  thorax  smooth,  and  ^^"g:^^^^^;^^^^^^ 
lined  lengthwise.  This  is  the  largest  weevil  we  have  in  the  United  States;  a  '^J'] ;^''''%'^"' 
Palm  Weevil,  iR.  palmarum,)  is  found  in  tropical  regions  and  South  America  and  the  West  Indies.  ^  ^J^  <>nly 
introduced  this  insect  here  because  of  its  large  size,  and  in  order  to  impress  its  form  upon  the  mind  of  the 
reader.  The  larva  of  these  palm  weevils  are  large,  yellowish,  fatty  grubs  when  -^^'^^'t^Z  'rrZ 
inches  long,  and  are  regarded  as  a  great  delicacy  among  the  swarthy  epicures  of  S  .  Domingo  They  burrow 
into  the  stock  of  the  Cabbage  Palm,  and  also  other  palms,  from  whence  they  are  taken  ^^'^^^^^  *^^^^- 

27th.  Pa.«a/u.  corn^^os.  Fab.  "  Black  Oak  Tree  Borer."  Plate  III.  Pig.  7.  Length  one  inch  and  a  half 
sometimes  less ;  color,  shining  black  ;  a  deep  longitudinal  line  in  the  centre  of  the  thorax  ;  a  short,  b lun 
hoZ  bent  forward,  o^  the  head ;  wing-covers  deeply  marked  with  longitudinal  raised  ^-^ ;^^«-^^^^^^^^^^ 
shor  .  larva,  a  large  white  grub,  thickened  towards  the  anterior  end.  This  insect  is  often  f«""d  ;»  g^^f 
numbers  in  Old  oak  trees  o'r  laying  logs.  I  have  found  it  in  White  Oak,  Black  ^a^' -^  JtluM 
appears  to  be  partial  to  dead  trees,  but  is  often  found  in  the  heart  of  living  oaksj  and  if  ever  it  should 
attack  fruit  trees,  from  its  large  size,  it  would  be  capable  of  doing  much  injury.  .     u         ,^, 

28th.     P/i^o^^i^ga  ,u.rci„a,  Harris.  «' May  Beetle."     Plate  III.  Fig.  6.     Length,  about  one  inch  ;  color, 
brown  ;  legs,  long,  and  slender  towards  the  ends  ;  antenna,  lamellated  at  the  ends,  opening  ike  a  little  fan 
ApTea  8  in  May  and  June.     Very  destructive,  in  the  larva  state,  to  the  roots  of  vegetation,  and  in  the 
tXre  state  destructive  to  the  foliage  of  trees.     But  they  have  many  enemies,  and  are  rather  an  awkward 
insect,  and,  therefore,  fall  an  easy  prey.     Domestic  fowls  are  exceedingly  fond  of  them,  and  so  are  cro^s 
They  are  also  eaten  by  skunks,  toads,  and  moles.     They  belong  to  the  Melolonthon8,-a  family  which  has 
been  very  destructive  to  vegetation  in  Europe,  undermining  and  eating  away  the  roots  of  grass  and  grain, 
where  they  are  sometimes  gathered  by  bushels  and  destroyed.    Their  number  in  this  state  is  on  the  increase 

^TJth.  Pelidnota  punctata,  Linn.  "Grape-vine  Beetle."  Plate  III.  Fig.  5.  Length,  about  one  inch; 
color  of  the  wing-covers,  a  dull  brownish-yellow,  with  three  black  spots  on  each  of  them;  the  thoraxis 
darker  colored,  with  two  black  spots,  and  bronzed  ;  the  legs  and  the  body  beneath  are  also  bronzed  The 
larva  of  this  insect  lives  in  decayed  wood;  but  the  perfect  insect,  when  it  appears  in  great  numbers,  is 
very  destructive  to  the  foliage  of  the  grape-vine.     Appears  in  June,  July,  and  August.  .     ,      ,     , 

3()th.  Macrodadyla  suhpinosa^Unn.  Plate  IH.  Fig.  4.  Length,  about  seven-tenths  of  an  inch  ;  body, 
Blender,  tapering  before  and  behind,  and  entirely  covered  with  a  short  ashen-colored  down  ;  legs,  slender, 
and  of  a  pale  yellow  color.  The  prevalence  of  this  insect  on  the  rose  has  gained  for  it  the  common  name 
of  Rose  Chaffer  or  "  Rose  Bug."  It  appears  in  June  and  July,  and  destroys  indiscriminately  all  kinds  of 
vegetation  when  occurring  in  great  numbers,  but  especially  roses.  Messrs.  Engle  and  Windolph  informed 
me  that  this  insect  had  almost  totally  destroyed  their  crop  of  grapes  during  an  absence  from  home  of  three 
or  four  days.  They  attacked  them  in  the  bloom,  which  they  cut  off,  leaving  nothing  but  the  stems.  These 
insects  Mso  attack  the  cherry,  both  fruit  and  foliage;  hence  they  arc  called  »' cherry  bug8,»'-al80  apple, 


i;^  (Sardmr's  JKmttMg. 


pear,  plum,  and  fruit  trees  and  shrubbery  in  general.  Sometimes  they  are  found  in  great  numbers  upon  the 
elder,  also  upon  corn,  rye,  wheat,  and  vegetables  and  grasses  of  the  fields.  The  females  deposit  their 
ess^  in  the  ground  in  July  and  August,  after  which  they  come  forth  again,  and  soon  die.  The  grubs  are 
destructive  to  the  roots  of  vegetation. 

The  foregoing  insects  remarked  upon,  belong  to  the  order  Coleoptera;  and  although  the  number  presented 
is  small  and  rather  indiscriminately  selected,  yet  time  and  opportunity  would  not  allow  a  larger  or  a  better 
one  on  the  present  occasion.  Very  little  has  been  said  about  specific  description,  because  this  would  have 
involved  an  extension  of  these  remarks  to  twice  their  present  magnitude.  Descriptions  of  all  of  them, 
and  illustrations  of  some  of  them,  as  well  as  extended  notices  of  their  history,  may  be  found  in  "Say's 
American  Entomology,"  «  Harris'  Treatise  on  Insects  Injurious  to  Vegetation,"  «Dr.  Asa  Fitch's  Reports 
of  the  Insects  Injurious  and  Beneficial  to  Vegetation  in  New  York,"  «  Jeager's  Life  of  North  American 
Insects  "  "The  Proceedings  of  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences  of  Philadelphia,"  "The  Pennsylvania 
Farm  Journal,"  "Massachusetts  Agricultural  Reports,"  "The  New  England  Farmer,"  "Moore's  Rural 
New  Yorker,"  "The  Country  Gentleman,"  "Domestic  Encyclopedia,"  "The  Horticulturist,"  "The 
Farmer  and  Gardener,"  "  The  Progressive  Farmer,"  and  other  scientific  and  horticultural  and  agricultural 
journals  and  records.  Specimens,  however,  of  the  insects  themselves  are  submitted,  because  a  clearer  idea 
may  thus  be  formed  of  them  than  any  written  description  can  convey. 

Before  concluding  this  branch  of  the  subject,  it  may  not  be  inappropriate  to  sub  nit  one  or  two  other 
insects,  belonging  to  the  orders  Hymenoptera  and  Lepidoptera.  These  insects,  although  belonging  to  diffcient 
orders,  yet  bear  some  general  resemblance  to  each  other  in  their  appearance,  and  quite  as  much  in  th«  r 
habits,  both  being  tree-borers.  A  large  number  of  leaf-eating  insects  in  their  larva  state  might  properly 
have  been  inserted  here;  but  the  main  object  of  the  essay  was  to  point  out  some  of  the  more  common 
wood-boring  and  fruit-destroying  insects.  The  former  may  constitute  material  for  a  future  paper.  Circum- 
stances at  the  present  time  impose  a  necessary  limit  to  this  paper,  and  that  limit,  therefore,  must  exclude 
many  things  which  ought  to  have  been  introduced,  and  which  would,  doubtless,  be  both  interesting  and 
beneficial  for  the  gardener  and  fruit-grower  to  know.  One  of  the  insects  alluded  to  in  these  concluding 
remarks  is,  perhaps,  not  much  known  yet  among  fruit-growers;  the  effects  of  the  other  are  well  known 

3l8t.  Tremex  colo,nba,  Linn.  "  Pidgeon  tremex."  Plate  III.  Fig.  13.  Length,  including  ovipositor 
about  one  inch  and  a  half;  expansion  of  the  wings,  from  two  inches  to  two  inches  and  a  quarter ;  head 
and  thorax,  rust-colored,  varied  with  black ;  abdomen  or  hind  body,  black,  with  seven  ochre-yellow  bands 
across  the  back,  the  first  two  of  which  are  entire,  and  the  others  interrupted ;  ovipositor  and  legs,  ochre- 
yellow,  with  darkish  thighs.  Bores  into  and  destroys  trees.  Usually  found  on  elm  trees  in  August  and 
September,  where  the  females  deposit  their  eggs,  and  in  which  the  young  grubs  live.  They  have  also  been 
known  to  bore  into  and  deposit  their  eggs  in  pear  trees,  causing  their  gradual  decay  and  ^eath.  This  is 
one  of  the  wood-eating  Hymenoptera,  but  must  not  be  confused  with  those  tha  bore  holes  into  wood  for  the 
purpose  of  making  cells  for  their  young,  filling  them  with  the  necessary  food  to  sustain  them.  The  fema  e 
of  the  species  under  consideration  penetrates  the  bark  of  the  tree  with  a  saw-like  apparatus,  and  deposi  s 
her  eggs  in  the  orifice,  which  hatch  out,  and  then  bore,  in  their  larva  state,  into  the  solid  wood.  I  on  e 
purchased  a  piece  of  black  cassimere  in  Philadelphia,  which  was  wrapped  around  a  piece  of  elm  wood  in 
which  there  had  been  two  of  the  larva  of  these  Tremexs,  and  the  matured  insects  cut  their  way  through  some 
fourteen  or  fifteen  layers  of  cloth,  but  died  before  they  reached  the  surface  of  the  piece,  making  as  c  ean  a 
cut  hole  as  if  it  had  been  burned  in  with  a  hot  iron  rod.     They  are  preyed  upon  by  a  ^P^-^s  of  pm^o. 

32d.  JEjeria  erUiosa,  Say-CMale  and  Female,)  "  Peach-tree  Borer."  Plate  III.  Fig.  8  male  ^  female  10 
empty  pup^,  11  cocoon,  12  larva.  Expansion  of  the  wings,  about  an  inch  in  the  male,  and  an  ^Y^^;^^^ 
in  the  female ;  form  slender,  and  color  dark  blue  ;  the  abdomen  of  the  male  having  a  tuft  a   the  end   and 

best  to  prevent  their  injuries  to  the  tree,  so  that  when  all  oincr  in^ngf  ^^,tp.,rlion  are  numerous,  and  no 
not  be  prevented  by  the  injuries  of  this  insect  1  he  remedies  /"^^^^  J^f*^"'^^,,?;^  than  I  can.  This 
doubt  peach  tree  growers  will  be  able  to  ««Sgf  - -« thing  more^p^^^^^^^^  ,hat  InJh  and  in  August, 

insect  evolves  from  the  pupa  during  ^he  month  of  July   and  dj^^^^^         n  ^  those  two 

lX:ryre^HkXlres^^^^^^  to  mature.     The  .^,..„,  belong 

to  the  order  Lepidoptera,  which  includes  the  butterflies  and  moths. 


ik 


•a 


V.I 


II; 


C^e  hardliner's  Jllonthlg. 


RENEWAL   OF    OLD   CANES    IN   THE 

VINERT. 

BY  WILLIAM   BRIGHT,    PHILADELPHIA. 

It  is  with  much  pleasure  that  I  reply  to  the  criti- 
cisms and  inquiries  of  Mr.  Chitty,  in  respect  to  the 
restoration  of  old  and  exhausted  vines  in  the  grapery. 
A  fair  and  candid  discussion  of  my  views  of  grape- 
culture,  on  practical  or  scientific  grounds,  I  freely 
court.  Mr.  Chitty  is  one  of  the  most  honest  and 
intelligent  opponents  of  my  system  that  I  have  yet 
encountered,  and  I  will  meet  his  objections  in  a 
spirit  of  generous  courtesy.  To  accomplish  my 
present  object  most  effectually,  it  will  not  suit  me 
to  reply  to  his  remarks  in  detail.  As  I  do  not  pro- 
pose to  do  what  he  supposes,  I  can  best  explain  my 
views  by  showing  what  I  really  do  and  do  not  pro- 
pose. 

First,  then,  I  have  not  proposed  to  cut  down 
vines  but  three  or  four  years  established,  and  planted 
with  a  view  to  working  on  the  spur  system.  Only 
where  such  vines  have  borne  five  or  six  crops,  and 
have  become  exhausted,  have  I  suggested  cutting 
them  down ;  and  this  suggestion  was  made  more  as 
an  illustration  of  a  principle  in  vegetable  physiology, 
than  as  a  part  of  my  system.  This  principle  is,  that 
an  old  cane,  fruited  constantly  the  whole  length  of 
the  rafter,  cannot  at  the  same  time  produce  a  crop 
of  fruit,  and  a  layer  of  new  wood  and  new  roots 
adequate  to  carry  off  a  subsequent  crop  of  fruit  with 
undiminished  power.  Cutting  down  an  old  vine  to 
get  a  new  cane,  is  a  simple  and  well-known  prac- 
tice. I  do  Hot  base  the  originality  of  my  plan  of 
grape-culture  ui)on  this ;  but  I  base  it  upon  the  ca- 
pacity of  the  grape-vine  to  produce  a  new  fruiting 
cane  in  one  season,  and  upon  the  application  of  this 
fact  to  a  new  and  specific  system  of  planting,  prim- 
ing, and  general  culture,  having  several  new  and 
peculiar  points  of  practice. 

As  a  practical  question  in  relation  to  the  restora- 
tion of  old  canes  in  the  vinery,  I  think  I  should 
prefer  to  attempt  the  renewal  of  an  exhausted  cane, 
not  by  cutting  down,  but  by  laying  down  the  whole 
vine,  either  in  a  coil,  or  by  running  it  back  and  forth 
across  the  border,  a  few  inches  under  the  surface, 
and  bringing  up  the  top  of  the  cane  at  a  well-devel- 
oped bud.  A  vigorous  cane,  not  exhausted  by  con- 
stant  cropping  and  lack  of  foliage,  will,  after  it  has 
been  cut  down,  send  up  a  good  fruiting  rod  in  one 
season.  But  an  old  exhausted  cane,  long-spur- 
pruned,  if  cut  down,  would  probably  break  very 
feebly,  (perhaps  not  at  all,)  and  in  any  event  might 
require  to  be  cut  back  twice  before  a  vine  suitable 
for  fruiting  could  be  obtained.  But,  by  the  laying- 
down  process,  a  new  and  perfect  fruiting  cane  would 
be  produced  in  one  season,  with  new  and  abundant 
roots,  near  the  surface  of  the  bordery  and  it  would  also 


have  the  aid  of  the  old  roots  till  it  got  established. 

I  may  here  call  the  attention  of  Mr.  Chitty  to  the 
fact,  that  while  he  opposes  the  frequent  cutting 
down  of  canes  as  a  means  of  maintaining  their 
vigor,  his  own  statements  most  powerfully  sustain 
my  views  of  the  va.ue  of  this  practice.  He  says 
that  Mr.  Mitchell,  an  eminent  grape-grower  at 
Brighton,  England,  spur-pruned  his  vines  for  six- 
teen or  eighteen  years,  with  the  best  results.  These 
old  canes  for  many  seasons  produced  the  best  grapes 
exhibited  at  Chiswick  and  Regent's  Park,  and  ably 
resisted  mildew.  But  mark  the  context.  Mr.  Chitty 
adds:  Mr.  Mitchell  "used,  however,  to  adopt  Mr. 
Bright' s  renewal  system  occasionally,  when  the  crops 
failed  to  set  good^  or  the  vines  became  unsightly." 
Now,  I  ask,  again,  why  wait  till  the  vine  is  exhausted 
and  crops  fail,  before  renewal  ?  Why  wait  till  the 
horse  drops  down  on  the  road,  before  you  stop  to 
feed  and  refresh  him  ? 

I  repeat,  I  have  never  proposed  the  renewal  of  old 
canes  in  the  vinery,  when  planted  for  spur-pruning, 
by  cutting  down,  except  by  way  of  illustrating  the 
scientific  principles  involved  in  the  practice ;  but  I 
do  propose  a  new  plan  of  planting  vines,  viz :  two 
feet  apart  in  the  border ;  a  new  method  of  stopping, 
pruning,  and  fruiting  ;  with  the  constant  renewal  of 
the  vines  every  other  year  (after  each  fruiting  sea- 
sonj  by  cutting  down  the  entire  canes,  and  growing 
up  new  fruiting  rods,  composed  entirely  of  wood  of 
one  year's  growth ;  and  all  this,  in  my  vanity,  I  call 
Bright's  single-stem,  dwarf,  rencAval  system  of 
grape-culture. 

The  advocates  of  spur-pruning  in  the  grapery  and 
of  rambling  vines  in  vineyard  or  trellis  culture  have 
opposed  my  system,  because,  they  say,  my  vines  are 
too  dwarf,  and  my  pruning  is  too  close,  and  does 
not  give  foliage  enough.  To  meet  these  objections, 
I  have  adopted  a  method  of  practice  which  early 
suggested  itself  to  my  mind,  but  which  I  have  now 
reduced  to  an  absolute  rule,  and  added  it  to  my  sys- 
tem, viz :  never  to  fruit  but  half  the  length  of  my 
rafter,  or  half  the  length  of  my  trellis,  no  matter 
what  length  or  height  that  may  be,  whether  six  feet 
or  forty  feet,  and  to  let  the  vines  run  up  the  remain- 
ing portion  of  the  rafter  or  trellis  while  fruiting, 
thus  providing  a  growing  cane  and  fresh  masses  of 
foliage  above  the  fVuit,  of  the  same  extent  as  the 
fruiting  cane. 

The  science  of  vegetable  pliysiology  teaches  us 
that  abundance  of  large,  well-developed  vine-leaves 
are  necessary  to  convert  crude  sap  into  the  elements 
of  vine-wood,  vine-roots,  and  perfect  grapes.  Now, 
consider  the  condition  of  an  old,  exhausted,  spur- 
pruned  cane,  fruited  the  whole  length  of  the  rafter, 
with  small  and  imperfect  leaves,  and  no  great  abund- 
ance of  them,  with  a  tough  and  dried-up  cane, 


ilut  Sartor's  Jttonlhlg. 


nearly  all  heart-wood  and  a  very  thin  layer  of  new 
wood,  as  contrasted  with  a  fresh  one-year-old  cane, 
all  new  wood,  fruited  only  half  its  length,  and  the 
remaining  half  devoted  to  the  production  of  foliage 
only,  with  leaves  often  a  foot  or  more  in  diameter. 
Which  of  these  two  sorts  will  possess  the   larger 
amount  of  useful  foliage — the  greater  sap-converting 
power?    Which  will  produce   the  larger  crop   of 
perfect  fruit  ?    This  last  is  the  question  which  the 
editor  of  the  Gardener^ s  Monthly  justly  wishes  to  see 
practical-y  answered.     I  reply,  that  I  have  already 
done  something,  in  the  fruiting  way,  towards  giving 
satisfactory  evidence  on  this  point,  and  I  have  abund- 
ance of  native  and  foreign  vines  grown  upon  the 
new  system,  which,  although  not  probably  as  per- 
fect as  wc  can   make   them  hereafter,  now  stand 
ready    to    give    practical    answers    to    this    great 
question  the  ensuing  season.      Sio  far  as  my  own 
opinion  is  concerned,  I  have  the  most  perfect  confi- 
dence in  the  superiority  of  tliis  renewal  system  over 
spur-pruning  in  every  important  point  of  view  ;  and 
my  knowledge  of  grape-culture  as  pursued  at  the 
Royal  Gardens    Frogmore,    at  the    Duke  of  Nor- 
folk's, Wilmot's,  Mitchell's,  and  other  first-class  es- 
tablishments in  England,  I  fancy  is  as  extensive  as 
Mr.  Chitty' s.     I  have  spent  years  of  practical  labor 
in  the  vineries  at  Arundel  Castle,  and  have  visited 
all  the  places  Mr.  Chitty  names  within  the  past  year. 
I  have  likewise  had  upwards  of  ten  years'  experi- 
ence in  this  country,  chiefly  in  growing  grape-vines 
and  grapes,  and  lately  under  that   severest  of  all 
practical  tests,  the  growing   of  foreign  grapes  for 
market.     I  have  built  and  am  now  building  exten- 
sive grape-houses  for  my  own  use,  all  constructed 
on  this  plan  ;  nor  would  I  use  any  other  that  I  have 
ever  seen,  with  a  view  to  profit. 

If  this  article  were  not  extended  to  so  great  a 
length,  I  should  be  glad  to  add  some  practical  rules 
for  obtaining  as  large  a  crop  of  grapes  as  any  com- 
mon vine  ought  to  be  permitted  to  bear,  from  lialf 
the  length  of  any  vinery  rafter,  or  half  the  height  of 
any  arbor  or  trellis ;  but  I  must  forbear,  or  I  shall 
exhaust  the  patience  of  both  editor  and  readers.  I 
will  only  add  that  I  intend,  within  a  few  weeks,  to 
publish  a  new  edition  of  my  work  on  Grape-Culture, 
with  the  addition  of  some  thirty  or  forty  pages  of 
new  matter  (my  latest  experience  and  improve- 
ments) ;  and  I  will  then  give  the  rules  and  directions 
above  referred  to. 


— •» 


RBUPARB. 

BY  JOHN   SAUL,  WASHINGTON   CITY,  D.  C. 

The  little  attention  paid  in  this  country  to  the 
finer  varieties  of  rhubarb  lias  often  surprised  me. 
Two  or  three  large,  coarse  varieties  are  grown,  to 
the  exclusion  of  the  smaller,  but  richer,  higher-col- 


ored, milder  sorts.     In  England  fully  as  much  at- 
tention is  bestowed  on  the  raising  of  seedlings  and 
the  improvement  of  varieties,  as  we   give  to  our 
finer  fruits  ;  hence  the  result— varieties  of  the  great- 
est   excellence.      Downing's    Colossal,    Gaboon's, 
Myatt's  Victoria,   and   Linnaeus  are  the  varieties 
generally  cultivated  here.     The  first  (Downing's) 
is  a  very  pale-stalked  variety,  gives  a  syrup  of  the 
same  light  color ;  when  cooked,  is  deficient  in  rich- 
ness ;  and  where  the  fine  qualities  of  a  rhubarb  are 
recognized,  would  not  be  cultivated  a  single  day. 
The  second  (Gaboon's)  is  a  very  coarse  affair,  but 
little  removed  from  the  Medicinal  plant  (Rheum  pal- 
matum).     Under  the  best  culture  by  the  side   of 
Victoria,  it  is  later,  with  quite  a  flat  stalk  (petioles), 
pale  color,  with  more  filament  and  lack  of  rich- 
ness.    The  stalks  of  Victoria  were  heavier,  longer, 
and  yield  much  more  per  plant.     Victoria  is  now 
well  known,  and  as  a  large,  rich,  profitable  market 
rhubarb,  it  has  few  superiors.     Linnceus,  however, 
in  some  points,  is  in  advance,  having  less  filament 
or  fibre  in  the  stalks,  and  richer.     Rhubarb  may  be 
divided  into  two  classes,— large  (originated  from 
R.  palmatum),  to  which  the  above  varieties  belong, 
or  small,  of  which  an  old  variety  called  Buck's  may 
be  taken  as  the  type;  and  to  this  latter  class  the 
richest  and  most  valuable  sorts  in  cultivation  belong, 
varieties  having  much  less  of  the  medicinal  plant 
about  them  than  the  others.     The  following  quali- 
ties I  should  consider  necessary  to  a  good  rhubarb. 
First,  a  stalk  free  from  filament,  requiring  no  strip- 
ping when  preparing  for  use  ;  second,  a  bright  scarlet 
color,  not  only  on   the  exterior  of  the  stalk,  but 
through  its  substance,— this  gives  a  rich  color  to  its 
syrup  in  whatever  way  it  is  prepared,  which  my 
lady  readers  can  appreciate  ;  third,  the  syrup  should 
be  rich  saccharine,  and  as  free  as  possible  from  the 
taste  of  the  Medicinal  plant ;  fourth,  the  stalks  should 
be  nearly  round,  solid,  not  flat,  and  produced  abund- 
antly.    Now,  all  these  qualities  belong  to  the  finer 
seedlings  descendants  of  Bucks.     Earliness  I  have 
not  set  down  as  one  of  my  qualities;  for,   as   in 
fruits,  the  rhubarb  may  be  extended  over  a  consider- 
able season.     In  addition  to  Victoria  and  Linnreus, 
which  I  recommend  to  all  wishing  large  varieties,  I 
would  name  the  following,  every  one  of  which  are 
superior : 

Emperor  (Waite's).— In  the  way  of  Victoria; 
larger,  richer,  and  less  filament  in  the  stalks ;  a  very 
desirable  variety. 

Hawke's  Champagne  .—The  stalks  are  of  a  deep 
blood-red,  rich,  free  from  filament.  Its  defect  is  a 
want  of  productiveness  and  vigor  suitable  to  the 
garden  of  the  amateur.     Type  of  Bucks. 

McLaen's  Early.— One  of  the  earliest,  very  pro- 
ductive, stalks  of  a  rich  scarlet,  nearly  round,  free 


^i[  hardener's  Jflontllg. 


from  filament,  and  exceedingly  rich;  a  very  fine 
early  variety.     Type  of  Bucks. 

MitcheWs  Prince  Mbert.—IisiS  now  been  some  years 
before  the  public;  in  England  it  is  extensively  grown, 
but  in  this  country  not  so  much,  size  being  against 
it.  Market-gardeners,  on  trial,  will  here  find  it  quite 
as  profitable  as  the  larger  kinds,  being  one  of  the 
very  earliest,  very  productive ;  cannot  only  be  gath- 
ered earlier,  but  will  continue  longer  than  the  larger 
sorts,  and  the  j'ield  per  acre  will  be  heavier ;  stalks 
deep  scarlet,  free  from  filament,  round,  firm,  giving 
an  exceedingly  rich  syrup.     Type  of  Bucks. 

MilcheWs  Grey  Eagle. — This  belongs  to  the  large 
class ;  not  so  deep  in  color  as  the  offspring  of  Bucks; 
has  a  large,  thick  stalk ;  free  from  filament,  exceed- 
ingly rich  and  mild ;  free  from  the  med'cinal  taste  of 
many  larger  sorts,  and  productive.  Every  person 
who  grows  a  large  rhubard,  should  cultivate  this ;  I 
consider  it  one  of  the  finest. 

RandeWs  Early  Prolific.  —  Intermediate  between 
the  classes  this  will  be  found ;  stalks  are  of  good 
size,  well  colored,  free  from  fibre,  rich  flavor,  very 
early  and  productive. 

SaWs  Crimson  Perfection. — This  comparatively  new 
variety  promises  well ;  as  the  name  imi)lies,  the 
stalks  are  of  a  rich  crimson,  free  from  filament, 
round,  rich,  and  mild;  very  productive  and  early. 
Type  of  Bucks. 

Turner^s  Scarlet  Nonpariel. — Stalks  bright  scarlet, 
free  from  filament,  round,  very  productive,  flavor 
rich  and  mild.     Type  of  Bucks. 


A   PROPAGATING   BOX. 

BY  J.  C.  LUMBAKD,  CHICAGO,  ILLS. 

Having  gathered  many  valuable  hints  from  your 
Monthly,  I  send  you,  in  return,  a  plan  of  a  propaga- 
ting-box  which  is  in  successful  operation  with  one 
of  our  nurserymen.  The  plan  of  the  box  in  ques- 
tion is  six  feet  long,  three  feet  wide,  one  foot  deep, 
made  of  two-inch  pine  plank,  water  tight.  A  small 
boiler  is  then  inserted  through  the  bottom  of  the 
box.  The  one  in  question  is  nine  inches  in  diameter, 
eleven  inches  high,  and  made  of  galvanized  iron. 
The  boiler  rests  on  the  top  of  the  flue  over  the  fur- 
nace. Two  strips  one  and  a  half  inches  high  are 
then  nailed  on  the  inside  of  the  box,  resting  on  the 
bottom ;  then  strips  two  inches  wide  placed  cross- 
wise, resting  on  them,  leaving  spaces  between  each 
of  about  one  inch.  Over  these  place  some  kilid  of 
coarse  matting ;  then  put  in  two  inches  of  gravel, 
and  fill  up  with  sand.  Fill  the  boiler  with  water,  so 
that  it  will  flow  all  over  the  bottom  of  the  box,  and 
you  will  get  a  nice,  moist,  steady  bottom-heat,  in 
which  most  kinds  of  cuttings  will  grow  very  readily. 
The  top  should  be  partially  covered  with  glass,  but 


not  close.  There  is  never  any  cause  for  watering  the 
cuttings  after  they  are  planted,  as  there  will  be  suffi- 
cient moisture  arising  from  the  warm  water  to  keep 
them  in  good  condition.  If  they  should  get  too  dry, 
it  can  be  supplied  from  the  bottom  by  putting  in 
enough,  so  that  it  will  just  touch  the  sand.  The 
box  is  filled  with  water  by  means  of  a  small  pipe 
reaching  to  the  top  of  the  sand.  The  box  rests  on 
strong  supports  at  each  end.  Of  course,  the  boiler 
must  not  sustain  any  weight.  Perhaps  Cand  I  have 
no  doubt  of  itj)  such  a  thing  might  be  made  on  a 
larger  scale  to  work  w^ell.  I  only  send  you  the 
actual  size  of  one  that  I  know  works  well,  and  which 
costs  a  mere  trifle,  about  three  dollars.  The  princi- 
ple is  not  new.  The  application,  I  know,  will  be 
new  to  some,  and  if  you  can  put  it  in  a  few  words, 
so  as  not  to  take  up  too  much  of  your  valuable  space, 
and  think  it  worth'your  trouble,  it  may  draw  a  hint 
from  some  one  else. 

The  boiler  is  round,  similar  to  a  hat,  with  a  flange 
at  the  top,  which  is  nailed  to  the  bottom  of  the  box, 
the  joint  made  tight  with  white  lead.  A  hole  is  cut 
through  the  bottom  of  the  box  large  enough  to  insert 
the  boiler. 

There  is  no  necessity  for  the  box  to  be  more  than 
two  inches  thick,  or  four  inches  high.  Inch  boards 
above  that  nailed  on  to  the  outside  will  answer 
every  purpose. 

Of  course,  such  a  contrivance  will  be  of  no  inter- 
est to  those  who  propagate  on  a  large  scale,  and 
have  better  means  for  the  purpose.  Still  a  good 
many  thousand  cuttings  may  be  struck  in  a  box  of 
that  size  during  a  season. 

I  am  no  gardener,  but  an  admirer  of  nature's 
beauties,  and  a  constant  reader  of  the  Monthly,  in 
which  you  ask  for  hints  from  all. 

[We  hope  our  correspondents  will  respond  to  the 
call  for  further  information,  in  which  we  most  heart- 
ily join.  The  best  and  most  economical  manner  of 
applying  bottom-heat  is  a  subject  a  long  way  behind 
many  others,  though  second  to  none  in  importance. 
Since  writing  the  above,  and  as  we  go  to  press,  we 
have  another  chapter  to  hand  on  the  same  subject 
for  our  next  issue,  and  hope  for  others  before  that 
appears,  so  that  all  can  go  together. — Ed.] 


«•■>* 


NOTICE   OF   DCNDROBIUM   NOBILE. 

BY   W.    GREY,  ALBANY,    N.    Y. 

IlAvrNG  seen  noticed  in  the  V Illustration  Horticole, 
William^s  Orchid  Mamial,  and  other  European  Gar- 
den Works,  the  number  of  flowers  on  plants  of 
this  charming  orchid,  at  one  time,  and  none  of  the 
plants  noticed  having  more  than  three  hundred  flow- 
ers on  at  once,  and  with  that  number  thought  to  be 
worthy  of  notice. 


.ti 


ih^  hardener's  Ponthlg. 


We  have  here  a  plant  with  thirty-four  shoots 
Cbulbs^,  and  five  hundred  and  eleven  flowers  all 
open  to  day,  28th  December,  which,  if  the  notices  I 
refer  to  are  any  criterion  to  judge  from,  we  are  far 
ahead  of  any  thing  on  record. 

If  you  think  a  few  remarks  on  our  mode  of  culti- 
vating Dendrobium  nobile  would  be  worth  publish- 
ing in  the  Monthly,  I  will  send  you  a  paper  on  our 
mode  of  culture. 
[Should  be  pleased  to  have  the  paper  proposed.— Ed. 


«•«>» 


THE   BLACK   CAP,    OR   DOOLITTLE 
RASPBERRY. 

BY  COL.  B.  HODGE,  OF  BUFFALO,  N.  Y. 

This  variety  of  the  Raspberry  has  of  late  assumed  a 
prominent  position,  not  only  in  Western  New  York, 
but  also  in  some  other  parts  of  our  country.  Among 
all  the  smaller  fruits,  perhaps,  there  is  nothing  more 
productive,  or  tliat  can  be  grown,  gathered  and  mar- 
keted with  as  little  labor  as  this  raspberry. 

The  question  is  often  asked,  is  this  a  '*  new  variety, 
or  is  it  merely  the  old  black  cap  improved  ?"     This 
was  the  inquiry  which  came  up  for  discussion  before 
the  American  Pomological  Society,  in  Philadelphia, 
in  September  last.     The  name  of  the  writer  having 
been  referred  to  in  that  discussion,  has  had  a  tendency 
to  call  out  many  inquiries  in  regard  to  this  matter. 
I  was  in  hopes  that  Mr.  Doolittle,  or  Mr.  Joslyn, 
would  have  laid  the  whole  history  of  this  matter 
before  the  public.     The  facts  that  have  come  to  my 
knowledge  are  simply  these.     Some  seven  or  eight 
years  ago,  more  or  less,  Mr.  Joslyn,  of  Ontario  Co., 
New  York,  discovered  growing  in  his  vicinity,  some 
plants  of  the  American  Black  Cap  Raspberry,  bearing 
fruit  of  unusually  large  size.  From  these  he  propaga- 
ted new  plants  by  layering  the  tips  of  the  branches. 
They  soon  attracted  the  attention  of  Mr.  Doolittle, 
of  the  same  place ;  who  purchased  a  few  hundred, 
and  commenced  their  propagation  in  earnest.     Pro- 
pagating only  from  the  young  and  vigorous  plants, 
Cthe  layers  of  the  previous  autumn,;  and  following 
this  up  from  year  to  year.     These  plants  have  uni- 
formly produced  fruits  of  large  size  and  fine  flavor- 
far  superior  to  the  common  wild  variety.     Mr.  Doo- 
little, as  well  as  myself,  have  experimented  by  pro- 
pagating from  old  plants  then,  four  or  five  years 
old.    The  result  has  uniformly  been,  that  such  plants 
Calthough  they  grow  vigorous  and  strong,  ^  produce 
fruit  qutte  worthless  and  by  far,  inferior  in  size  and 
flavor  to  the  young  plants. 

The  Black  Cap  Raspberry  diff'ers  entirely  fVom  the 
Antwerp  varieties.  It  sends  up  no  suckers  or  sprouts, 
starting  two  or  three  feet  from  the  parent  plants  ;  but 
all  the  new  canes  start  directly  from  the  base  of  the 
old  plants.  It  is  only  propagated  by  laying  or  bury- 
ing the  ends  of  the  canes  or  branches  in  the  earth ; 


these  readily  take  root  and  thus  form  new  plants.  It 
is  also  freely  grown  from  seed.  We  have  seen  grow- 
ing, in  the  fields,  or  by  the  wayside,  plants  loaded 
with  large,  fine  fruit,  these,  doubtless,  were  seedlings, 
and  for  two  or  three  years  produce  fine  fruit,  but 
after  a  few  years  the  fruit  becomes  small  and  worth- 
less. From  the  foregoing,  I  have  no  doubt  but  that 
the  original  plants  discovered  by  Mr.  Joslyn  were 
seedlings  J  but  perhaps  not  differing  materially  from 
hundreds  of  others  growing  about  the  country.  But 
the  improvements  and  great  value  of  these  plants  over 
all  others  consists  in  the  improved  and  scientific 
mode  of  propagating  entirely  from  the  young  plants 
the  layers  of  the  previous  autumn.  Layers  from 
plants  two  or  more  years  old,  should  never  be  re- 
sorted to. 

The  writer,  in  company  with  others,  Cwho  have 
the  whole  supervision  of  the  matter,  and  who  receive 
the  lion's  share  of  the  profits,  which  they  are  justly 
entitled  to,  for  they  do  all  the  work,  J  have  now  ten 
acres  of  these  plants  in  a  bearing  state.     Perhaps 
some  facts  connected  with  their  culture  may  be  of 
interest  to  others.     Of  two  thousand  plants  pur- 
chased of  Mr.  Doolittle  in  the  spring  of  1858,  one 
thousand  of  them  were  planted  on  a  rather  hard  soil, 
sloping  to  the  South-east ;  the  plants  come  up  well, 
but  the  late  burning  rays  of  an  August  sun  destroyed 
outright,  a  third  or  more  of  the  plants;   and  the 
balance  were  so  badly  injured  that  they  have  since 
been  of  little  value.    The  other  thousand  were  planted 
on  a  better  soil— land  lying  flat.     These  done  well, 
and  have  proved  very  productive.     Our  most  suc- 
cessful plantations  have  been  on  good  rich  loamy 
soil,  gently  sloping  to  the  north.     Plants  set  out  in 
the  spring  will  produce  a  crop  a  year  from  the  fol- 
lowing summer,  or  fifteen  or  sixteen  months  from 
the  time  of  planting.     The  first  crop  is  generally 
about  a  quart  to  the  plant,  and  the  second  and  third 
year,  two  or  more  quarts  to  the  plant ;  some  have 
put  the  quantity  of  fruit  at  a  much  higher  figure,  but 
I  speak  from  facts  connected  with  our  own  experi- 
ence, and  this  is  about  an  average  crop.    Only  about 
three  crops  should  be  taken  from  the  same  plants, 
as  the  fruit  will  soon  degenerate  in  size,  and  also  in 
flavor.     The  fruit  ripens  a  week  or  more  earlier  on 
the  young  plants,  than  on  those  that  are  older.     They 
ripen  here  about  the  first  of  July,  and  continue  about 
four  weeks.     The  plants  should  be  set  in  rows  six 
feet  apart,  and  three  feet  asunder  in  the  row,  making 
about  two  thousand  plants  to  the  acre.     When  the 
new  canes  are  some  three  feet  long,  cut  back  to  two 
or  two  and  a  half  feet,  this  will  induce  side  branches, 
and  keep  the  plants  from  growing  too  high.     The 
following  spring,  again  shorten  all  the  branches  to 
within  a  foot  or  less  of  the  main  stems.     There  will 
be  plenty  left  for  a  crop— close  pruning  makes  large 


.i-f 


;■  I 


'•I 


fine  fruits.  Some  stake  and  tie  up  each  plant,  which 
is  rather  expensive.  We  have  adopted  a  different 
plan,  when  the  new  canes  are,  say  three  feet  or  less 
high,  a  German  woman,  with  her  ball  of  twine,  ties 
each  stool  of  three  or  four  canes  together.  This  will 
generally  keep  them  erect,  and  if  not  tied,  each  cane 
will,  in  time,  lean  over  in  different  directions,  and  at 
length  becfime  almost  prostrate.  Only  three  or  four 
canes  should  be  left  in  each  hill. 

All  plants  sending  up  ten  or  a  dozen  canes,  quite 
thornless,  and  of  a  sickly  appearance,  are  barren,  and 
will  never  produce  any  fruit.  The  careful  cultivator 
will  always  destroy  all  such  plants,  and  never  pro- 
pagate from  them. 


NOTES  ON  BEDDING  PLANTS. 

BY  CHARLES  MILLER. 

The  season  is  at  hand  when  the  gardening  portion 
of  the  public  will  be  busily  employed  in  selecting 
and  propagating  plants  for  out-door  decoration.     I 
therefore  presume  to  offer  a  few  remarks,  which, 
perhaps,  will  not  be  out  of  place  in  your  Journal  of 
Monthly  intelligence ;  there  is  generally  some  diffi- 
culty in  selecting  plants  for  effective  arrangement  in 
the  flower  garden,  on  account  of  our  hot  scorching 
suns  in  midsummer.     We  lack  those  refreshing  dews 
in  July  and  August,  so  congenial  to  such  plants  as 
Verbenas,    Cupheas,   Geraniums,   Ageratums,   *fec., 
with  their  variegated  forms  and  brilliant   colors. 
Calceolarias  of  endless  variety,  from   crimson  to 
gorgeous  yellow,  the  latter  color  especially  being  very 
desirable,  and  the  want  of  such  is  much  felt  in  our 
outdoor  decorations. 

To  make  up  for  the  deficiency  of  some  of  those  old 
favorites  of  the  mother  country,  I  would  suggest 
a  few  plants  that  will  stand  our  climate  better,  and 
if  not  quite  so  effective,  will  have  the  merit  of  being 
quite  as  interesting,  perhaps  more  so,  to  those  who 
wisely  make  up  their  minds  to  do  without  what  they 
cannot  obtain ;  and,  although  we  have  no  Kew  or 
Sydenham  gardens  as  models,  no  "Beaton"  to  ex- 
pand and  mould  our  ideas,  I  trust,  Mr.  Editor,  with 
your  help  and  a  little  perseverance  and  good  taste  on 
our  part,  we  shall  at  least  make  a  fair  display.  We 
have  a  goodly  list  of  i)lants  of  tropical  and  variega- 
ted foliage,  that  are  very  effective  when  planted  in 
situations  suited  to  their  individual  requirements. 

First  on  the  list  is  Amarantus  tricolor,  a  charm- 
ing  little  plant  of  the  most  beautiful  crimson,  green 
and  yellow  foliage,  and  neat  habit,  suitable  either  for 
edging  or  for  planting  en  masses  exposed  to  the  sun 
to  have  it  in  perfection.  Coleus  Blumei  mixed  or 
edged  wtih  Perilla  Nankinensis,  will  make  a  fine 
bed,  the  latter  if  used  for  the  edging  should  be  fre- 
quently stopped  or  pegged  down,  and  not  allowed 
to  bloom. 


Lobelia  speciosa  mixed  with  variegated  Alyssum , 
has  a  pretty  effect  for  small  bed.  Perilla  Nankinensis 
and  Cineraria  maritima,  mixed  or  planted  in  con- 
trast, cannot  fail  to  be  striking.  Koniga  variegata 
with  Verbena  Elizabeth,  will  make  a  neat  pretty 
bed,  and  may  be  improved  by  having  an  edging  of 
blue  Lobelia.  Perilla  mixed  with  Neirembergia  gra- 
cilis, the  latter  allowed  to  grow  a  little  above  the 
former  would  be  handsome.  Variegated  Geraniums 
with  an  edging  of  Amarantus  tricolor  is  also  a 
very  beautiful  arrangement.  A  mixed  bed  of  Lan- 
tanas  make  a  splendid  show — "  stands  the  sun  well. " 
Begonia  Rex  does  well  planted  out  Cor  rather  plunge 
the  pots  in  the  ground^,  in  a  shady  situation,  re- 
quires light  open  soil,  and  liberal  manuring  in  hot 
weather. 

An  objection  to  the  "ribbon"  style  of  bedding  is 
the  fact,  that  in  our  climate  it  is  difficult  or  rather 
impossible  to  combine  varieties  that  bloom  perpet- 
ually, and  at  the  same  time  furnish  sufficient  variety 
and  contrast  of  colors  to  be  effective.  The  difficulty 
I  think  might  be  overcome  by  selecting  plants  with 
striking /o/tag-«.  For  this  purpose  I  would  suggest 
the  following  arrangement: — Front  double  row, 
Amarantus  tricolor ;  2nd,  Variegated  Alyssum  ;  3d, 
Perilla  Nankinensis,  kept  low  by  topping;  4th, 
Variegated  mint ;  5th,  Coleus  Blumei,  kept  low  ;  6th, 
Golden  chain  or  other  varieties  of  variegated  Gera- 
niums. 

A  Rustic  basket  planted  with  B.  Rex  and  B.  par- 
viflora,  with  Ivy  or  Senecio  scandens  over  the  bas- 
ket would  form  an  object  deserving  of  admiration. 

A  fine  tropical  looking  foliage  bed  can  be  formed 
by  planting  as  follows : — Ricinus  sanguineus  fas  a 
centre;,  and  then  in  rotation  Sorghum  saccharatum, 
CChinese  Sugar  Cane^,  Canna  discolor,  Canna  in- 
dica,  and  Warzewiczii,  with  an  edging  of  ribbon 
grass;  this  bed  should  be  of  circular  form,  and 
large  to  be  effective.  It  is  not  generally  known,  I 
believe,  that  the  varieties  of  Ricinus,  Palma  Christi 
or  Castor  Bean  can  be  taken  up  in  the  fall  and  pre- 
served through  the  winter,  in  a  rather  dry  and  airy 
place,  free  from  frost.  They  should  be  well  pre- 
served when  taken  up,  and  occasionally  watered. 
When  planted  out  in  the  spring  they  form  fine 
strong  trees. 

*»m— 


STANDARD   ROSES. 

BY  J.    C.    R.,    BANGOR,    MAINE. 

Would  there  be  a  little  spare  space  among  the 
columns  of  your  worthy  Monthly^  that  a  gardener 
and  subscriber  from  this  most  northern  part  of  the 
Union  might  say  a  few  words  on  the  cultivation  of 
flowers  among  my  middle  and  western  brother  gar- 
deners. 

At  the  time  I  am  engaged  scribbling  over  these  few 


ih4  dardcnw's  JttontMg. 


sheets  at  my  desk,  in  the  greenhouse,  the  cold  north 
wind  is  whistling  round  the  house,  stepping  out 
doors  at  the  hour  of  2  o'clock  in  the  morning,  my 
mercury   stands  32  below  0.       I  suppose  our  wes- 
tern friends  think  that  we  have  no  gardens,  fruits, 
flowers  or  greenhouses  in  Maine.     I  can  tell  them 
that  we   have  all  of  these,  and  good  gardeners  to 
take  care  of  them,  and  they  must  be  gardeners  to 
come  in  contact  with  our  cold  climate  in  raising 
fruits  and  flowers  in  the  winter.     The  first  day  of 
last  May  I  cut  a  bunch  of  ripe  hothouse  Grapes. 
This  was  not  very  bad  for  Maine,  and  on  the  same  day  I 
exhibited  plants  grown  from  cuttings  in  July,  that 
measured  36  feet  in  circumference.    Those  were  Lan- 
tanas  and  Fuchsias,  that  stood  from  5  to  8  feet  high, 
with  three  stems  to  each  plant  of  equal  size,  loaded 
with  flowers  in  every  degree  of  expansion.     This 
was  not  bad  for  this  cold  climate.    These  were  exhibi- 
ted from  the  greenhouse  of  Capt.  J.  B.  Coyle,  Esq., 
of  Portland,  Maine.     My  object  was  to  come  out 
with  a  few  words  about  Standard  Roses.     Now  at 
the  time  of  writing  this,  there  is  standing  before  me 
one  which  I  think  should  be  noticed,  standing  8 
feet  high,  with  its  stock  as  green  as  holly,  and  its 
charming  head  measuring  31  feet  in  circumference, 
displaying  all  the  beauty  of  62  full  blooming  dark  dou- 
ble large  crimson  fragrant  flowers,  and  an  immense 
quantity  of  buds  in  every  degree  of   expansion. 
Now  I  ask  what  greatier  beauty  could  the  green- 
house be  possessed  of?  without  talking  of  the  beau- 
tiful contrast  its  foliage  makes  with  other  plants. 
This  variety  is  the  Giant  of  the  Battles,  one  I  think 
of  our  best  Roses,  taking  all  its  qualities  into  account, 
especially  on  the  stock.    It  surprises  me  much  in  visit- 
ing many  gardens,  that  this  Standard  Rose  is  forgot- 
ten, and  at  one  time  no  lawn  or  flower  garden  was 
complete  without  it.    However,  for  my  love  to  see  a 
good  Rose,  I  still  cultivate  them  both  in  the  lawn 
and  greenhouse,  and  shall  do  so  while  they  continue 
to  display  their  beauty  like  the  one  here  mentioned. 
Perhaps  my  way  of  treating  them  is  different  to  the 
manner  I  see  described  by  others,  though  being  so 
simple.     In  the  cultivation  of  all  classes  of  Roses  in 
and  out  doors  I  feed  very  high.    Some  objections  are 
made  to  the  Standards,  that  of  throwing  up  suckers. 
This  I  am  not  troubled  with.    Again,  that  of  getting 
winter-killed,  or  dying  off  soon.     I  have  cultivated 
the  same  Standard  Rose  for  six  or  seven  years,  and 
it  looks  better  now  than  it  did  in  the  third  year  of  its 
grafting.     I  do  not  mean  to  say  that  it  will  live  for 
ever,  but  if  it  even  di#d  now,  it  has  long  since  paid 
me  for  my  labor.     I  cultivate  all  kinds  of  Roses  on 
the  stock— any  thing  that  is  handsome.     I  plant 
them  out  as  every  person  does  in  a  rich  bed  made 
for  the  purpose ;  at  the  approach  of  frost  I   take 
them  all  up  carefully,  root-prune  them,  and  then 


bury  them  all  up  in  sand  in  a  cold  cellar,  or  if  that 
is  not  convenient  I  bury  them  below  the  reach  of 
frost,  out  doors  in  some  dry  place ;  when  spring 
comes,  plant  them  out  in  their  former  situations, 
pruning  the  heads  some,  and  I  am  never  disappointed 
from  seeing  them  display  all  the  desired  beauty  in 
July  and  August.  I  treat  them  the  same  in  the 
greenhouse  as  regards  their  root  pruning. 

There  is  one  thing  apart  in  the  history  of  Roses 
I  never  saw  much  written  on,  that  is  the  origin  of 
the  Moss  Roses,  or  who  first  clothed  them  with 
nature's  simplest  weed, — having  been  asked  the  ques- 
tion several  times.  I  should  like  that  some  of  my 
brother  gardeners  who  are  better  posted  on  the  Rose 

than  I,  would  explain  it. 

«»«•» 

HEATING    ECONOraT. 

BY  AN  OLD  PACKER,  ROCHESTER,  N.  Y. 

Attached  to  the  end  of  my  kitchen  I  have  a  shed, 
the  roof  of  which  is  span  shaped,  covered  with  hot- 
bed lights ;  through  this  shed  I  carry  a  stovepipe 
from  my  kitchen  chimney,  and  by  pushing  a  damper 
into  the   said  chimney,  the  heat  is  made  to  pass 
through  the  pipe  in  the  shed,  thereby  upon  all  ordi- 
nary occasions  keeping  out  frost,  and  by  covering 
upon  extraordinary  occasions  it  does  the  same.     So 
much  for  this  outer  crust,  if  I  may  so  call  it.     Under 
this  homely  canopy  I  have  a  tank  made  of  pine, 
2  inches  thick,  and  28  feet  long,  and  12  inches  deep, 
with  two  divisions  in  its  centre ;  this  tank  is  filled 
with  water,  and  heated  from  a  common  copper  wash 
boiler,   placed  on  the  back   half   of   my  cookery 
stove,  the  use  of  which  my  wife  has  surrendered  for 
my  gratification.     From  one  inch  flow  and  retuni 
pipes  attached  to  this  boiler  and  carried  through  the 
wall  of  the  house  into  this  tank,  I  can  keep  up  this 
body  of   water  to  nearly  80o — loosing    but  little 
through  the  night,  although  there  is  seldom  any 
coal  put  on  the  fire  after,  ten  o'clock.     Over  these 
tanks  I  have  six  inches  of  earth,  which  earth  is  cov- 
ered with  an  inner  covering  of  glass ;  the  atmosphere 
enclosed  by  this  inner  covering  is  maintained  at 
about    550  by  day,  losing    about  5^  through  the 
night. 

This  power,  small  as  it  is,  Cperliaps  too  small  for 
any  practical  purpose  J),  is  obtained  at  no  additional 
cost.  Coming  as  it  does  from  the  house  fire,  and 
not  an  average  one  at  that,  and  still  keeping  the  liv- 
ing room  at  70°  or  750  if  required. 

In  this  shed,  (irresiiective  of  the  tank  apparatus;, 
I  can  grow  a  decent  Grape  in  summer. 

If  a  vision  of  Kew  and  its  splendors  should  arise 
in  your  mind's  eye,  you  must  humiliate  yourself, 
and  weep  over  the  poverty  that  should  be  constrained 
to  construct  so  humble  a  place. 

Now  what  six  shall  I  attempt  to  propagate  or  grow 


i»» 


=  1 


i  1 


S'^r'-  I 


■\'- 


^=c^ 


ihi}  Gardiner's  Jttonthlg. 


in  such  a  shed  in  winter  ?  or  must  I  abandon  it  as 
of  loo  little  power. 

[Accounts  of  such  little  matters  we  are  very  glad 
to  receive.  The  greatest  results  at  the  smallest  ex- 
penditure, is  ever  a  worthy  object  of  horticultural 
pursuits.  We  should  grow  only  the  Black  Hamburg 
in  this  case,  as  it  is  hardier,  and  will  bear  harder 
treatment  than  others.  It  would  do  well  for  prop- 
agating bedding  plants.  Almost  all  soft  wooded 
bedding  plants  would  root  well  over  a  tank  with 
such  a  bottom  heat ;  and  we  think  where  there  is 
sale  for  such  stock,  nothing  better  could  be  propaga- 
ted in  it.  If  propagation  were  not  an  object,  such 
an  arrangement  would  still  be  very  useful  as  a  kind 
of  greenhouse  or  conservatory. — Ed.  ] 


««»»> 


LANDSCAPE   GARDENING— GRADING. 

liY   GEO.    E.    WOODWAKD,    NEW   YOKK. 
NO.    3. 

The  mania  for  grading  seems  to  be  a  prevalent 
disease  with  many  of  those  who  commence  the  for- 
mation of  a  country  place,  and  it  may  be  stated  as  a 
remarkable  fact,  that  it  is  the  uppermost  thought  in 
their  minds  as  being  the  means  of  showing  both 
taste  and  improvement.  That  a  certain  amount  of 
grading  requires  to  be  done  in  almost  any  new 
place,  we  do  not  deny,  but  we  seldom  meet  with  an 
example  where  even  so  simple  a  matter  as  the  re- 
moval of  earth,  has  been  a  study  productive  of  any 
very  great  degree  of  skill. 

There  is  not  in  the  whole  range  of  Landscape 
work  any  process  of  embellishment  that  produces  so 
little  salistiiction ;  there  is  nothing  that  shows  so 
little  for  the  money  expended  on  it ;  and  there  cannot 
be  any  imitation  of  natural  surlaces  that  shall  fulfil 
the  same  conditions  of  taste  or  pleasure.  The  pro- 
pensity for  levelling  has  been  handed  down  to 
us  as  one  of  the  remaining  features  of  the  artificial 
style  of  gardening,  the  right  lines  of  which  being 
thoroughly  inconsistent  with  any  warped  or  natural 
surlaces,  and  only  appropriate  to  planes  horizontal 
or  inclined.  Levelling  in  such  cases  was  a  necessary 
preparation,  and  ditterent  levels  were  attained  by 
terraces,  or  by  slight  gradients,  any  change  or  break 
in  the  grade  being  otiensive  to  the  eye — though 
sometimes  used. 

The  introduction  of  a  straight  line  as  an  avenue 
or  walk  over  the  undulating  surface  of  natural 
grounds,  is  decidedly  bad  taste,  and  entirely  out  of 
keeping,— a  plane  surface  being  essential  to  the 
beauty  of  a  straight  fine :  there  being  no  straight 
lines  in  nature,  (unless  we  except  rays  of  light  as 

pointed  out  by  Mr.  Repton) ;   it  must  be  evident 
that  the  use  of  a  straight  line  in  natural  scenery 
would  be  out  of  place. 
There  are  exceptional  cases  in  grading  grounds  to 


which  a  general  rule  is  not  applicable,  but  those  who 
seek  maximum  of  beauty  at  the  minimum  of  expense 
—should  have  carefully  prepared  in  advance  an  ex- 
hibit, that  shall  detail  the  effect  produced,  and  the 
manner  of  producing  it,  as  there  is  no  process  so 
false  and  costly  as  experimenting  for  effects  in  earth- 
work ;  it  is  simply  a  downright  waste  of  labor  and 
money.  There  are  possible  chances  of  success,  and 
to  those  who  consider  change  to  be  improvement, 
or  imagine  they  exhibit  their  taste  in  proportion  to 
the  amount  they  expend,— such  operations  may 
afford  some  pleasure,  but  for  a  truthful  intention  to 
express  the  highest  degree  of  beauty  in  the  forma- 
tion of  surfaces,  experiments  long  ago  discarded, 
must  cease. 

The  intelligent  removal  of  earth  is  matter  of 
skill,  and  the  economical  removal  of  it  is  a  business 
that  requires  to  be  studied,  to  practice  it  successfully  ; 
there  is  the  same  reason  why  one  should  be  educa- 
ted to  this  as  to  any  business,  for  it  is  attended  with 
the  same  conditions  of  success  or  failure  as  marks 
the  progress  of  any  pursuit. 

There  is  just  the  same  application  of  art  in  grading 
grounds  that  there  is  in  building  a  house.  We  do 
not,  either  as  a  principle  of  economy  or  taste,  collect 
our  building  materials,  and  set  men  to  work  to  put 
up  a  house ;  take  down,  alter,  remodel  and  recon- 
struct, until  by  a  series  of  expensive  experiments, 
we  either  get  what  suits  or  get  fairly  disgusted  with 
the  whole  undertaking ;  but  intelligence  in  that  de- 
partment of  construction  dictates  the  preparation 
of  a  studied  plan,  by  which  we  work  out  the  tho  u hts 
of  convenience  and  beauty  that  suggest  themselves. 
That  the  architectural  plan  on  paper  can  be  fulfilled 
by  its  perfect  realization  in  brick,  stone,  or  any 
other  building  material,  is  a  known  and  admitted 
fact,  but  that  the  arts  of  design  are  applicable  to  any 
and  every  form  of  construction,  is  to  some  minds  a 
matter  of  doubt ;  to  deny  them,  however,  is  to  deny 
unquestioned  proofs  of  success,  and  to  make  the 
profession  of  the  Architect  and  Civil  Engineer  unre- 
liable and  false. 

The  hundred  men  who  commence  to  tunnel  a 
mountain  may  never  see  the  other  hundred  who 
work  from  the  opposite  end ;  they  may  be  miles 
apart,  but  the  fact  that  they  shall  meet  with  absolute 
exactness,  both  in  line  and  grade,  is  as  well  known 
when  the  plan  is  drawn  as  when  the  final  blow  is 
struck. 

If  a  few  of  the  prominent  parts  relative  to  the 
removal  of  earth  were  properly  considered,  it  might 
lead  to  a  different  view  of  the  subject.     ** 

In  the  first  place,  the  soil  is  to  be  removed,  and 
then  returned,  not  only  returned,  but  more  must  be 
placed  with  it,  and  a  long  time  must  elapse  before  it 


CIu  6arbtntr's  Hloiithlj. 


acquires  the  same  properties  as  belonged  to  it  in  its 
natural  position. 

Secondly,  the  underlying  stratas  of  earth  must 
either  be  removed  from  sight,  used  in  grading  a 
road — filling  up  a  hole,  or  for  some  purpose  not  re- 
quiring a  finish  of  soil,  or  else  a  calculation  must  be 
made  for  the  soil  to  finish  it.  It  must  be  evident 
in  all  cases,  that  a  system  of  operations  may  be  de- 
vised which  shall  make  a  difference,  not  only  in 
present  expense  but  in  future  annoyances. 

Stating  the  facts  known  in  Civil  Engineering,  that 
earth  can  be  graded  to  to  any  plan,  and  that  a  plan 
will  show  the  minimum  amount  of  excavation  or 
filling  necessary  to  develope  any  form  of  surface,  and 
that  earth  in  any  form  can  be  measured  as  accurately 
in  its  natural  position  as  if  the  whole  were  passed 
through  a  half-bushel  measure,  we  have  the  re- 
quirements that  will  enable  us  to  designate  the 
precise  amount  of  cutting  or  filling  in  any  spot,  and 
knowing  the  price  of  moving  earth  per  yard,  which 
is  governed  by  conditions  of  quality  and  distance, 
we  shall  know  the  cost,  and  shall  also  have  the 
ability  to  contract  the  work  if  deemed  desirable. 

An  estimate  of  this  kind  should  be  made  in  ad- 
vance, as  well  as  a  plan  to  work  by  ;  and  one  should 
know  cost  as  well  as  effects.  The  satisfaction 
resulting  from  a  system  of  improving  where  effects 
are  studied  in  advance,  is  far  greater  than  from  any 
plans  of  the  ordinary  laborer,  and  no  theory  or 
practice  of  Landscape  Gardening  or  gardeners 
teaches  any  system  or  process  of  execution  by 
which  can  be  studied  beforehand  the  desired  results. 

This  lack  of  knowledge  on  their  part,  which  they 
willingly  ascribe  to  the  inability  of  genius  to  convey 
to  unfavored  minds  the  means  by  which  they  attain 
their  ends,  is  a  lamentable  fact  in  the  history  of 
Landscape  Gardening. 


ROOTING   CUTTINGS. 

BY   DR.    J.    F.    E.,    WALLACE,    PA. 

The  writer  of  those  excellent  articles  for  your 
truly  excellent  Journal,  gave  just  one  item  too  much. 
We  are  told  afler  the  cutttings  are  calloused,  to 
plant  them,  and  give  them  bottom-heat.  Now  I 
tell  you,  and  you  may  tell  all  creation,  that  this 
is  wrong,  at  least  for  Cherries,  Pears,  and  Peaches. 
I  ruined  every  cutting,  except  a  single  i>ear,  which 
struck  roots  in  spite  of  the  treatment,  in  that  way. 
A  box  containmg  375  slips  of  the  Ray  Peach,  packed 
away  in  moist  decomposed  saw -dust  under  the  stage 
of  the  greenhouse  to  callous,— I  concluded  to  let 
it  remain  where  it  was  a  whole  month.  Day  before 
yesterday,  the  month  being  ended,  I  removed  them, 
and  found  my  cuttings  not  only  calloused  most  per- 
fectly, but  some  of  them  had  roots  from  one  to  two 
inches  long.     Hence  I  conclude  that  bottom-heat  is 


not  only  unnecessary  but  injurious,  and  this  lot  of 
cuttings  I  planted  in  a  box  made  after  the  manner 
of  Cornelius'  crock,  which  I  keep  just  where  they 
were  calloused.  That  tank  made  after  the  model 
of  yours,  is  an  excellent  thing  for  Grapes,  &c. ,  but  it 
will  never  do  for  Peaches. 

I  am  now  satisfied  that  all  kinds  of  cuttings  may, 
as  you  and  your  correspondents  say,  be  made  to 
strike  as  readily  as  Grapes,  but  they  require  differ- 
ent temperatures,  and  different  grades  of  moisture, 
that  a  few  carefully  conducted  experiments  will 
discover  to  us  what  is  proper  for  the  various  things 
we  wish  to  multiply  in  this  way. 

To  the  Gardenefs  Monthly  and  its  accomplished 
Editor.  I  wish  a  long  and  prosperous  course.  May 
they  both  live  long  enough  to  Edenize  the  earth. 

[These  little  experiments  are  just  what  are  wanted 
to  make  "  accomplished"  propagators.  Our  friends' 
note  well  illustrates  what  we  liave  already  written 
in  another  column. — Ed.] 


NEW    PANSIES. 

BY   D.  BARKER,  HARTFORD,  CONN. 

The  following  new  imported  English  and  French 
varieties  of  pansy  are  a  part  of  thirty  new  kinds 
selected  in  Europe  during  the  last  summer,  and  will, 
I  believe,  be  sent  out  during  the  ensuing  spring.  I 
have  had  specimen  flowers  of  those  named  sent  me 
at  three  different  periods  since  August  last,  and  con- 
sider them  decided  improvements  upon  those  pre- 
viously imported. 

Let  me  respectfully  advise  those  who  are  admirers 
of  this  beautiful  flower,  when  they  inspect  the  va- 
rious collections  which  shall  be  exhibited  at  the 
horticultural  exhibitions  during  the  ensuing  summer, 
to  make  notes  upon  the  merits  or  demerits  of  each 
as  they  consider  desirable  for  future  guidance  in 
forming  a  collection  for  their  own  culture.  I  Jjiave 
no  doul)t  but  this  year  will  outstrip  all  previous  ones 
in  the  production  of  imported  varieties  of  this  much- 
admired  flower. 

12  Pansie,  rir.,  Madame  Moreau. — Pure  white 
ground,  with  a  distinct  blue-purple  eye ;  effective 
and  beautiful. 

23  LiNGOT  d'Or. — CI  (^o  not  consider  this  name 
appropriate.)  Light  yellow  ;  upper  petals  sometimes 
striped  with  rich  violet-purple ;  eye  a  rich  dark 
brown. 

29  Prince  Oscar.— Bronzy -purple,  with  rich 
yellow  centre ;  dark  eye ;  distinct  and  fine. 

8  Robert  Burns.— Upper  petals  violet-puri)le ; 
centre    bronzy -yellow,  with  large   dark  cinnamon 

eye. 

14  Garibaldi.— Rich  violet-purple,  with  golden- 
yellow  centre ;  eye  intensely  dark  and  rich ;  flower 
very  large,  fine  outline  ;  extra  fine. 


\ 


Mti  ^gardener's  JHontJIj. 


Princess  of  Prussia.— Creamy  white,  the  lower 
petals  blotched  with  rich  violet-purple,  and  rich  vel- 
vety-purple eye ;  extra  fine. 

The  above  descriptions  are  taken  from  flowers 
when  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation  in  this  country^ 
Cand  not  mere  copies,  as  nine-tenths  of  the  descrip- 
tions given  of  new  flowers  imported  from  Europe 
to  this  country  from  European  catalogues^,  and  for 
which  I  am  alone  responsible. 

[In  this  section  the  Pansy  has  almost  ceased  to  be 
a  *' florist's''  flower,  through  the  difficulty  of  keep- 
ing them  through  our  hot  summer  suns ;  and  most 
persons  depend,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Cineraria  and 
and  Calceolaria,  on  the  seed  of  the  best  prize  flowers 
for  their  annual  stock.  It  is  to  be  regretted,  as  no 
one  can  imagine  the  beauty  of  these  selected  named 
kinds.  In  sunk  pits,  or  places  not  liable  to  get  very 
dry,  however,  they  can  be  readily  kept  over,  and  we 
hope  Mr.  Barker's  notes  may  attract  attention  to  the 
subject. — Ed.] 


*mm»» 


INTRODUCTION  OF  LOMBARDY  POPLAR. 

BY   W.  R.  PRINCE,  FLUSHING,  N.  Y. 

I  notice  reference  is  made  to  the  Cocculus  Carolinus, 
in  your  two  last  numbers.  It  has  been  growing  in 
our  grounds  since  1819.  I  also  notice  the  Lombardy 
Poplar  (Populus  fastigiala,)  is  referred  to,  as  intro- 
duced to  our  country  by  William  Hamilton,  but  the 
records  of  that  tree  will  show  that  it  was  introduced 
thus  early  by  Wm.  Prince,  my  grandfather,  and  that 
he  had  100,000  growing  in  liis  nurseries,  which  were 
disseminated  far  and  wide  before  its  propagation 
was  attempted  by  others.  The  Ailanthus  was  first 
introduced  by  Wm.  Prince,  my  father,  and  was  sent 
to  him  by  Mr.  Thompson,  a  nurseryman  at  Mile 
End,  near  London,  as  the  Sicilian  Tanners''  Sumach, 
and  was  disseminated  for  several  years  under  this 
name,  until  some  importations  of  Ailanthus  from 
France  revealed  its  true  title.  The  first  Ailanthus 
trees  in  Pennsylvania,  I  think,  were  sent  by  Wm. 
Prince  to  Colonel  Robert  Carr,  Bartram's  Garden, 
under  the  erroneous  name  of  **  Tanners^  Sumarh^*' 
and  after  the  discovery  of  the  true  name,  William 
Prince  repurchased  from  Colonel  Carr  all  the  young 
trees  he  could  spare  of  "Tanners'  Sumach."  As  a 
proof  that  a  rose,  by  any  other  name,  not  only  smells 
as  sweet,  but  much  sweeter,  I  may  be  permitted  to 
recount  an  amusing  fact.  For  a  course  of  years,  this 
tree  was  cultivated  in  Wm.  Prince's  Nurseries,  under 
the  title  by  which  it  had  been  received  by  him,  but 
the  name  of  "Sumach"  was  so  repulsive  that  the 
very  aspect  of  the  tree  seemed  hideous,  and  there  were 
so  few  p'jrchasers  that  thousands  were  thrown  out, 
perfectly  unsaleable,  but  after  the  error  in  the  name 
was  corrected,  and  "  Chinese  Jilanthus^^  was  substitu- 
ted fur  Sumach,  a  potent  charm  came  over  the  entire 


tree,  and  every  one  gazed  on  it  with  wonder  and 
admiration,  and  for  many  years  it  was  impossible  to 
supply  the  demands  at  treble  the  former  prices.  It 
also  happened,  fortunately,  that  the  male  variety  was 
the  one  originally  introduced,  and  there  was  conse- 
quently, no  objection  to  the  tree  for  the  offensive 
odor  which  the  bloom  of  the  female  variety  exhales. 
It  may  here,  perhaps,  be  permitted  me  to  depart 
from  the  subject  for  a  moment,  to  say  that  Wm. 
Prince  was  a  thorough  "American  System"  man, 
even  before  the  time  of  Henry  Clay,  and  that  he  there- 
fore was  desirous  of  superseding  the  importation  of 
Sicilian  Sumach,  as  he  was  afterwards  desirous  of  es- 
tablishing the  silk  and  vine  culture.  I  will  continue 
my  reminiscences  in  future  numbers  of  your  paper. 


«■■»» 


CULTURE   OF    THE    AURICULA. 

BY    "seven   oaks,"    orange,    N.    J. 

While  on  a  visit  to  a  friend  of  mine  a  few  days 
ago,  and  after  examining  his  collection  of  plants,  I 
inquired  for  his  Auriculas. 

"Auriculas"  said  he,  "why  I  never  think  of  grow- 
ing such  things."  Well,  I  being  of  rather  an  in- 
quisitive turn  of  mind,  asked  him  the  reason  why. 
When  he  very  cooly  informed  me  that  they  were  too 
troublesome-,  implying  in  his  remark  that  the  care 
they  required  during  winter  and  mid-summer,  was 
more  than  they  were  really  worth.  I  pitied  him  or 
the  man  who  thought  more  of  his  care  than  his 
Auriculas.  Well,  to  the  amateur  who  is  familiar 
with  the  appearance  of  the  flower,  but  not  with  the 
method  of  growing  them  ;  I  should  say  procure  the 
seed  from  some  reliable  Seedsman,  and  operate  as 
follows : — 

Sow  the  seed  about  the  beginning  or  middle  of 
March,  on  a  mixture  of  leaf  mould,  loam,  and  a  lit- 
tle fine  sand ;  cover  very  lightly ;  place  the  seed  pan 
in  a  gentle  hotbed  or  front  shelf  of  a  greenhouse,— 
covering  the  pan  or  pot  with  a  piece  of  glass.  The 
soil  should  be  moist,  but  not  wet,  previous  to  sow- 
ing, so  that  little  or  no  water  will  be  required  until 
the  seedlings  are  up.  Then  set  them  in  a  cold  frame, 
and  harden  them  gradually,  and  when  large  enough 
to  be  handled,  prick  them  off*  into  medium  sized  pots, 
with  soil  of  the  same  description  as  the  seed  was 
sown  in,  returning  them  to  the  cold  frame  for  some 
two  or  three  weeks  longer,  according  to  the  weather. 
I  then  remove  them  to  some  northern  aspect,  bury- 
ing the  pots  to  the  rims  in  either  sifted  coal  ashes, 
sand,  or  some  similar  material.  Now  as  oar  warm 
rains  are  injurious  to  them,  they  will  require  a  shut- 
ter or  a  few  boards  over  them  to  protect  them  from 
it.  Repot  singly,  about  the  first  week  in  August,  in 
a  compost  of  decomposed  hotbed  manure,  rotted  turf 
loam  and  fine  sand,  returning  them  to  their  old  po- 
sition, until  about  the  middle  of  October,  when  it 


Che  iarbtner's  Ponthlj. 


will  be  necessary  to  remove  them  to  their  winter 
quarters  CframesJ,  giving  them  air  whenever  possi- 
ble without  injury  to  the  plants;  removing  them 
to  the  greenhouse  about  the  first  week  in  February; 
being  particular  in  examining  the  drainage ;  after- 
wards giving  them  a  light  surfacing  or  top  dressing 
of  the  same  compost  as  that  in  which  they  were 
potted  ;  and  it  is  my  humble  opinion  that  before  the 
first  of  April  you  will  have  some  flowers  which  you 
will  say  are 'well  worth  their  trouble. 

Now  friend  Monthly,  we  are  all  creatures  of  habit, 
and  I  imagine  that  I  hear  some  of  your  numerous 
readers  say  "  Seven  Oaks"  has  forgotten  to  give  us  a 
more  detailed  account  of  his  manner  of  wintering, 
but  in  reply  I  would  say  that  if  the  friendship  which 
exists  between  the  Monthly  and  myself  happens  to 
continue,  perhaps  some  day  or  other  they  may  find 
in  a  corner  of  it  a  few  hints  on  wintering  the  "Auri- 
cula," &c. 

[Nothing  would  please  us  better  than  to  receive 
the  "details."  Florists  flowers  are  above  all  kinds 
the  class  to  offer  the  highest  pleasure  to  the  amateur, 
and  many  things  supposed  to  be  difficult  in  "this 
climate"  to  grow,  are  only  so,  because  of  ignorance 
as  how  to  suit  them  to  the  climate.  The  writer 
keeps  his  Auriculas  under  glass  all  summer,  with 
tolerable  success. — Ed.] 


!•■>» 


OBSERVATIONS  ON  TASTE,  AS  APPLIED 
TO  LANDSCAPE  GARDENING  &C.,  &C. 

BY  JOHN  ORABLE,  garden  hill,  KANSAS. 

Your  remarks  in  the  January  number  of  the  Gar- 
dener's Monthly,  on  Mr.  Woodwards  article  on  Land- 
scape Gardening,  have  induced  me  to  say  something 
also,  on  the  same  subject.  Taste,  as  I  understand 
it,  is  tlie  exercise  of  the  faculty  of  perception  in  dis- 
tinguishing the  beauties  of  natural  scener}',  as  the 
basis  of  what  is  called  landscape  gardening,  which 
[s  much  talked  about  and  admired,  but  indefinitely 
understood,  from  the  fact  that  each  one  sets  up  a 
standard  of  his  own — all  are  different,  from  being 
modified  by  surrounding  circumstances. 

It  appears  to  me  that  much  of  what  is  called  land- 
scape gardening  is  nothing  but  pcurility,  when  car- 
ried out  in  the  limited  space  of  a  garden,  in  the  too 
artificial  imitation  of  nature.  Utility  should 
govern  taste  in  this  case.  If  so,  there  is  no  use  or 
propriety  in  making  crooked  paths  where  straight 
ones  would  answer  a  better  purpose.  With  some  it 
is  deemed  in  good  taste  to  leave  the  bark  on  every 
nnal  structure  they  build.  To  this  I  would  say,  let 
art  appear — let  it  stick  out  ifi  the  natural,  to  which 
it  is  always  relapsing  and  falling  back. 

And  for  this  reason,  I  would  rather  see  a  man 
dressed  in  cloth,  than  in  the  skins  of  animals,  and 
a  house  covered  with  boards  and  shingles,  than  with 
brush  and  bark,  and  so  of  other  things.     If  order  is 


the  foundation  of  taste,  disorderly  persons,  in  their 
wearing  apparel,  in  their  houses,  in  their  workshops, 
in  their  stores,  and  on  their  farms,  become  vitiated 
in  their  tastes  by  the  continued  perception  of  disor- 
der. This  adaptability  of  taste  to  disorder,  is  like 
that  of  the  inebriate  for  alcoholic  liquors,  corrupt  and 
unnatural,  and  no  standard  at  all.  Further,  to  show 
the  adaptability  of  taste  to  surrounding  circumstan- 
ces, we  will  take  an  ugly  man's  face,  whose  rough 
and  repulsive  countenance  will  seem  to  one  as  a 
combination  of  deformities;  while  to  his  children 
who  have  grown  up  under  his  ugly  visage,  it  will 
appear  without  a  blemish. 

Children,  adult  ones,  never  perceive  that  their 
parents  are  not  beautiful.  This  is  a  fact  that  will 
show  how  tastes  may  differ — cultivated  or  not. 

Now  let  us  turn  our  attention  to  the  natural  sce- 
nery of  the  globe,  which  is  considered  the  natural 
foundation  of  taste,  as  applied  to  Landscape  Gar- 
dening. We  see  it  diversified  with  plains  and  hills, 
with  winding  valleys,  abrupt  mountains,  and  pre- 
cipitous gorges,  rippling  streams,  placid  lakes, 
and  flowing  rivers,  to  the  briny  ocean.  This  diver- 
sified scenery  in  its  amplitude,  excites  in  the  mind  of 
the  cultivated  admirer  of  nature,  delightful  observa- 
tions of  the  sublime  and  beautiful ;  but  to  caiTy  it 
out  in  a  miniature  garden,  is  simply  running  it 
into  the  ground,  in  a  small  artificial  scale  of  puerility, 
that  is  gardenistic.  The  trench  of  mountain  ranges; 
the  outline  of  sloping  hills,  and  winding  valleys;  the 
consequent  meandering  of  great  rivers  through  ex- 
tensive plains  to  the  ocean;  has  been  caused  by  suc- 
cessive upheavals  of  the  land  from  the  bed  of  old 
ocean,  to  mountain  heights— giving  great  i>ower  to 
running  water  in  washing  out  valleys  and  river 
courses.  So  the  more  or  less  friability  of  soil  and 
rocks  with  their  upheaval  has  determined  the  range 
and  extent  of  our  mountains,  winding  ridges  and 
sloping  hills,  with  the  tortuous  valleys  and  water 
courses,  all  according  to  nature. 

Hence  it  is  argued  by  some  gardenistic  landscape 
gardeners,  that  all  our  roads  CtJXcept  railroads  j,  paths 
and  fences  should  be  any  thing  but  straight— espe- 
cially in  a  little  bit  of  a  garden,  even  if  the  plat 
should  be  level.  But  a  great  portion  of  the  earth's 
surface  is  made  of  beautiful  plains;  then  here  the 
geometrical  form  of  straight  roads  and  fences,  with 
square  fields  and  gardens,  externally  and  internally, 
will  accord  with  nature  without  impropriety,  and 
to  my  perceptions  it  is  in  good  taste.  But  whether 
level  or  undulating,  rolling  or  broken,  hilly  or  moun- 
tainous, the  "Landscaping"  should  correspond 
with  the  natural  outlines.  As  roads  winding  up  and 
down  valleys  and  traversing  ridges.  Thus  Farms, 
Parks,  and  Pleasure-grounds,  even  gardens  embrac- 
ing hill  and  dale,  can  be  "landscaped"  with  utility 


\^^ 


I'll 


if*''      * 


/  U' 


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I 


82 


i^e  6ardmr'»  Jft^nthlg 


and  propriety,  as  it  respects  good  taste— art  beautify- 
ing nature.  I  admire  and  am  delighted,  yes  enchanted, 
with  views  of  hills  above  hills,  and  mountains  on 
mountains,  in  the  distant  horizon,  wlujre  sky  and 
earth  seem  to  meet,  in  the  blended  blue. 

I  am  even  delighted  with  less  distant  scenery, 
across  a  lake,  to  the  well  defined  shore  on  the  opposite 
side,  with  the  approaching  and  receding  hills  bound- 
ing the  winding  shore. 

Where  I  live,  Doniphan  County,  Kansas,  I  can 
see  every  day  50  miles  of  a  circuit  of  the  Missoiu-i 
valley,  5  miles  wide,  and  the  meandering  course  of 
the  river,  with  its  broad  level  bottom,  covered  in 
many  places  with  cottonwood  and  sycamore,  with 
its  precipitous  bluffs  on  each  side,  in  many  places 
200  feet  high,  embracing  all  sorts  of  varied  scenery 
delightful  to  behold. 

I  am  even  delighted  with  changing  hill  and  dale,  in 
close  proximity  with  successive  groves  of  trees,  anc* 
copses  of  woods  interspersed  along  hillsides  of  val- 
leys, with  their  slopes  and  terraces. 

But  I  fail  to  see  any  thing  to  admire  as  beautiful 
in  trying  to  crowd  any,  or  all  of  them  in  a  bit  of  a 
level  garden  plat,  but  deem  it  pigmy  mimicry. 

[We  are  pleased  to  receive  a  communication  em- 
bracing what  we  regard  as  excellent  ideas  of  the 
subject,  from  so  distant  a  portion  of  our  Editorial 
''parish."— Ed.] 


new  grape  lately  exhibited  at  Newburgh,  N.  Y., 
which  is  claimed  to  be  equal  in  size  and  flavor  to  the 
Concord,  and  much  superior  to  it  in  earliness  of 
ripening.  

Pear  Du  Solis.— At  the  meeting  of  the  Pomo- 
logical  Society  in  Philadelphia,  in  our  search  amongst 
the  specimens  of  fruit  on  exhibition  for  rare  kinds 
that  might  possess  decided  merit,  we  found  the  fol- 
lowing to  be  one  of  the  very  best,  both  in  appear- 
ance and  quality.  We  preserved  a  specimen  till  the 
4th  of  October,  when  we  made  the  annexed  drawing 
and  description. 


UptD  anil  jRarp  I'ruifs. 


RuTTER  Pear.— This  most  excellent  pear  is  a 
seedling  raised  by  John  Rutter,  Esq.,  of  West  Ches- 
ter, Pa.,  from  a  seed  planted  of  the  Van  Mons  Leon 
le  Clerc.  It  has  few  equals,  and  no  superiors,  of  its 
season,  ripening  from  the  first  of  10th  to  the  middle 
of  11th  month,  and  will  keep  much  longer,  so  that 
it  may  be  called  a  late  fall  or  early  winter  variety. 
The  size,  quality,  and  season  of  ripening,  when 
there  are  but  few  good  pears,  will  make  it  desirable 
to  all  lovers  of  good  fruit. 

Tree  vigorous,  thorny  when  young,  which  it  loses 

as  age  increases ;  an  early  and  good  bearer,  and  the 

fruit  sticks  well  to  the  tree ;  fruit  a  large  obovate ; 

skin  a  little  roughish,  of  a  dull  lemon-yellow  color ; 

at  maturity,  numerous  small  russet  spots  or  patches 

of  cinnamon  russet;   stalk  about  an  inch  long,  stout, 

planted  in  a  small  abrupt  cavity  ;  calyx  small,  closed, 

in  a  rather  deep  irregular  basin;   flesh  yellowish, 

juicy,  sweet,  and  melting,  with  a  delicious  flavor. 

One  thing  very  singular  about  this  pear  is  that  I  have 

never  met  with  a  specimen  that  had  any  seed.— J.  C. 

Baldwin^  in  Farmer  and  Gardener. 

The  Skunnymunk  GiiArE.— This  is  the  title  of  a 


Fruit  above  medium,  long,  resembling  in  shape 
Louise  Bonne  de  Jersey.  Color,  greenish-yellow, 
profusely  8i)rinkled  with  greenish-brown  dots.  Ca- 
lyx, small,  in  a  very  shallow  basin.  Flesh,  melting, 
buttery.  Quality,  best.  One  of  the  best  pears  we 
have  met  with  this  season. 

We  were  indebted  to  Messrs.  Smith  &  Hanchett, 
of  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  for  the  specimen  from  which 
our  cut  and  description  were  made.  They  have  now 
one  of  the  most  extensive  nurseries  in  the  Union 


low   ■ 


Ui,  §mkmfB  M^w%. 


^*^'&). 


83 


and  enjoy  an  excellent  reputation  for  accuracy  in  their  business  transactions.  They  will  please  accept 
our  thanks  for  the  privilege  we  valued  of  laying  our  hands  on  whatever  suited  us  in  their  splendid  collec- 
tion of  fruits  on  exhibition. 


Willow  Apple.  —  Size,  rather  large ; 
form,  roundish,  approaching  conic,  slightly 
oblique;  color,  yellowish,  somewhat  rus- 
seted,  with  light  and  dark  red  stripes  on 
the  sunny  side,  splashed  with  small  dark 
specks ;  stem,  medium ;  cavity,  rather  deep, 
regular,  marbled  with  grey  on  yellowish- 
green  ground;  calyx,  closed;  basin,  shal- 
low ;  flesh,  yellowish,  tender,  mild,  sub- 
acid, good ;  core,  small ;  seeds,  round, 
dark,  plump,  and  small.  December  to 
May.  Late  keeper ;  distinct  from  Willow- 
twig  and  Limiertwig;  larger  and  better; 
vigorous,  stout,  upright  grower;  shoots, 
long,  stout,  dark  brown;  good,  regular 
bearer;  valuable. 

J.  Stayman. 

Leavenworth  City,  Kansas. 


A  New  Grape.— Mr.  Jolin  Cook,  of  Philadel- 
phia, sends  us  an  account  of  a  large  grape  exhibited 
by  him  at  the  Agricultural  Fair  at  West  Philadel- 
phia, and  which,  from  its  immense  size,  excited 
some  attention. 

The  plant  was  found  accidentally  on  a  side-walk 
in  Philadelphia  by  a  friend  of  Mr.  Cook.  Its  habit 
resembles  Isabella,  but  the  fruit  is  as  large  as  Black 
Hamburg,  and  the  bunches  weigh  from  one  to  one 
and  three-quarters  pounds.  Some  judges  have  pro- 
nounced it  Christie's  Isabella,  and  others  Union 
Village;  but  Mr.  Cook  gives  some  very  good  rea- 
sons for  considering  that  it  is  a  very  different  grape. 
If  found  distinct  from  all  others,  it  may  prove  a  good 
addition. 


The  Cunningham  Grape. — George  Hussmann 
a  Missouri  grape-grower,  says  of  this,  in  the  Valley 
Farmer: 

"Although  this  grape  has  been  cultivated  here  for 
a  number  of  years,  it  has  been  noticed  but  little ;  less, 
perhaps,  than  it  deserves,  as  it  certainly  makes  an 
excellent  wine.  Bunch,  medium,  very  compact ; 
berry,  below  medium,  purple,  with  lilac  bloom,  very 
juicy,  and  of  a  spicy,  agreeable  flavor,  without  pulp. 
Makes  a  wine  of  great  body,  and  of  a  very  rich  bou- 
quet, resembles  good  Madeira,  but  of  a  finer  flavor ; 
vine,  a  rampant  grower,  not  subject  to  mildew  and 
rot,  but  variable  in  productiveness,  producing  some- 
times very  heavy  crops,  sometimes  hardly  any  thing; 
somewhat  tender;  ripe  10th  of  September." 


New  Mode  of  Grafting. —  The  French  are 
practicing  a  new  method  of  grafting.  It  can  be 
performed  at  any  season  of  the  year  when  sound, 
mature  buds  can  be  had,  whether  the  sap  is  in  a 
flowing  state  or  not.  It  is  performed  by  removing 
a  small  piece  of  bark  and  wood,  leaving  a  smooth 
and  flat  surface,  to  which  a  similar  piece,  containing 
the  bud,  which  is  to  form  the  future  tree,  is  fitted, 
which  is  sealed  over  immediately  with  collodion. 
This  forms  a  strong,  impervious  cuticle,  which  se- 
cures a  free  circulation  of  sap  on  the  approach  of 
warm  weather,  and  a  perfect  union  of  the  parts. 


Simple  mode  of  Propagating  hardy  Azaleas. 
— In  spring,  before  the  leaves  burst,  M.  Jager  bends 
down  branches  into  the  peat  soil  beneath,  places  on 
them  some  stones,  and  covers  the  stones  with  moss, 
watering  copiously  afterwards,  and  again  in  hot 
weather  occasionally.  He  protects  the  stocks  with 
litter  through  the  winter,  uncovers  the  plants  in  the 
spring,  and  in  the  fall  following,  the  whole  surface 
is  matted  with  roots,  when  they  are  taken  up  and 
divided.  He  thinks  Rhododendrons,  and  other  hard 
striking  plants  would  do  as  well. — Garten  Flora. 


]k 


C| 


^t  (iarbtmfs  llontjlj. 


C|e  ^arkner's 


PHILADELPHIA,  MARCH  1,  186L 


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ters directed  to  "Thb  Pudi.isubu  of  tub  Gardener's  Momthlt 

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PROPAGATION. 

Practical  knowledge  is  of  immense  value.  It 
cannot  be  underrated,  though  that  is  often  attempted. 
Gardening  is  essentially  an  art,  and  science  is  its 
handmaid.  Science  may  aid  gardening,  but  it  can 
never  originate  it. 

We  are  led  to  these  remarks  because  it  is  a  pre> 
vailing  impression  that  one  cannot  be  a  good  gar- 
dener unless  he  is  a  scientific  man.  Under  the 
name  of  science  the  most  absurd  propositions  are 
being  frequently  presented  to  the  practical  horticul- 
turist, and  because,  perchance,  such  propositions  do 
not  accord  with  his  experience,  and  he  is  unwilling 
to  adopt  them  as  undisputed  facts,  he  is  denounced 
as  unprogressive,  and  belonging  to  a  past  and  fossil 

age. 

But  we  do  not  undervalue  science  by  any  means, 
on  the  contrary,  we  believe  that  if  every  practical 
gardener  were  to  take  in  hand  some  one  of  the  kin- 
dred sciences,  and  master  it  thoroughly,  both  the 
gardener  and  his  profession  would  be  immensely 
benefitted.  All  we  would  insist  on  is,  that  this  should 
be  secondary  to  those  habits  of  practice  and  observa- 
tion that  are  essential  to  make  a  successful  practical 
horticulturist. 

It  is  necessary  to  present  this  view  strongly,  be- 
cause heavy  disappointments  are  daily  occurring  to 
amateurs,  in  their  trial  of  horticultural  experiments ; 
and  their  failure  to  succeed  where  they  think  they 
ought  to,  dampens  their  ardor,  and  leads  them  to 
look  upon  horticulture  and  horticulturists,  generally, 
in  a  very  suspicious  light. 

We  will  take,  for  instance,  the  subject  of  propaga- 
tion ;  and,  would  say  that  no  amount  of  science, 
reading,  or  study,  will  make  anyone  a  successful 
propagator.  Amongst  the  very  best  propagators 
the  art  has  ever  known,  have  been  men  utterly 
ignorant  of  the  first  principles  of  vegetable  physi- 
ology, and,  perhaps,  amongst  the  worst,  some  very 


scientific  men.     The  foundation  of  success  in  the 
art  must  be  the  operator's  personal  experience.-- 
After  he  has  learned  to  succeed  a  little,  the  experi- 
ence of  others  may  lead  him  to  greater  achievements. 
He  may  improve  by  study,  but  seldom  begin  to  learn. 
To  show  on  how  nice  a  point  successful  propaga- 
tion hangs,  we  may  mention  the  case  of  an  eminent 
florist  whom  we  once  knew,  and  who  was  considered 
one  of  the  best  practical  hands  at  rooting  Azaleas, 
Camellias,  New  Holland  plants,  &c.,  there  was  in 
the  trade.     He  was  in  this  business  for  many  years, 
when  it  became  necessary  to  remove  his  establish- 
ment to  another  part  of  the  city.     He  re-constructed 
his  new  propagating  house  as  near  as  possible  like 
his  old  one,  but  it  took  him  several  years  in  the  new 
locality  before  he  could  get  the  same  kind  of  plants 
to  root  with  anything  like  the  same  degree  of  suc- 
cess tliat  attended  him  at  the  old  stand. 

Last  fall  we  debated  in  our  journal  many  plans  for 
expediting,  and  rendering  more  certain,  the  callous- 
ing of  cuttings.  We  believe  few  subjects  ever  at- 
tracted more  attention  than  these  articles  did.  To 
those  who  had  already  some  success  in  propagation, 
what  appeared  in  our  journal  has  proved  of  immense 
advantage ;  but  it  is  a  question  whether  to  those  not 
so  well  posted,  more  harm  than  good  has  not  been 

the  result. 

Amongst  a  great  number  of  letters  that  have 
reached  us,  on  the  subject,  some  detailing  their  suc- 
cess, others  recounting  their  losses— one  amateur 
friend  writes  us  that  at  considerable  expense  he  pro- 
cured scions  of  many  rare  and  valuable  fmits  from 
all  parts  of  the  continent,  and  put  them  under  the 
Cornelius  and  Watson  process.  They  "calloused 
beautifully,"   but,  subsequently ''all  rotted." 

Poor  Mr.  Cornelius !  we   fancy  there  arc  no  in- 
considerable  number  who  imagine  his  process  to  lie 
in  his  pot,  and  not  in  his  principles ;  and  that  they 
have  only  to  slip  in  a  cutting  and  take  out  a  plant, 
just  as  they  would  put  a  block  into  a  machine,  and 
look  to  see  it  come  out  shoe  pegs,— and  failing    in 
the  result,  pass  some  rather  shady  compliments,  at 
the  author's  expense.     Most  of  the  errors  the  unitia- 
ted  fall  into,  arise  from  their  mistaking  callousing 
for  striking,  two  very  different  processes ;  even  good 
gardeners  often  fall  into  the  error.    A  nursery  friend 
of  ours,  who  loves  a  joke,  and  whose  aflection  for 
flowers  and  fruits  has  grown  upon  him  to  such  an 
extent,  that  he  has  become  a  model  of  joviality  and 
good  nature,  often  quotes  a  story  of  a  "first-rate 
propagator"  he  once  engaged.    Seeing  him  once  re- 
potting Camellia  cuttings,  he  asked,  "Mr.  D.  are  they 
rooted?"     "No  sir,"  was  the  reply,  "but  they  are 
well  calloused."     "Come  to  the  oflUce,  Mr.  D.  and 
get  your  wages,"  was  the  only  response,  and  before 
night  the  "first-rate  propagator"  was  on  his  way  to 


ili({  dardtntr's  Jttonthlg. 


parts  unknown.  Callousing  is  only  a  part  of  the 
process  of  propagation,  and  to  treat  a  cutting  merely 
calloused,  as  a  rooted  plant,  is  almost  certain  death 
to  it.  Callousing  is  but  the  process  of  healing  the 
wound,  and  is  rather  an  evidence  that  the  vital 
principle  is  healthy  and  active,  than  that  roots  are 
coming,  and  it  is  quite  probable  that  the  very  effort 
made  to  callous,  is,  in  a  certain  degree,  exhaustive, 
and  demanding  far  more  care  from  the  propagator, 
from  that  time  until  it  emits  roots,  than  at  any  other 
period  of  its  cutting  state.  The  balance  of  heat  and 
light,  and  moisture,  both  in  the  atmosphere  and 
about  the  cuttings,  necessary  to  keep  the  excited 
cutting  healthy  till  the  roots  protrude,  has,  at  this 
time,  to  be  most  carefully  studied.  All  this  varies 
with  the  kind  of  plant  to  be  propagated,  and  the 
maturity  of  the  wood  employed  for  the  puqiose ;  no 
rule  can  be  given.  The  amateur  must  fall  back  on  his 
own  experience,  derived  from  carefully  conducted 
experiments. 

The  improvements  that  we  have  been  enabled  to 
lay  before  our  readers  in  callousing  cuttings,  has  pre- 
pared the  way  for  much  greater  success  with  propa- 
gation than  was  ever  before  supposed  !  Many  cut- 
tings rot  at  once  on  putting  in,  from  the  contact  of 
the  wounded  cells  with  water,  or  temperature,  es- 
pecially if  the  vital  principle  in  the  cutting  is  already 
at  a  low  ebb.  Galfin  first  sought  to  overcome  this 
by  applying  collodion,  which  formed  a  skin  over  the 
wound,  and,  for  a  time,  the  success  of  his  experi- 
ments caused  a  great  commotion  in  the  horticultural 
world.  And  yet,  perhaps,  he  was  not  the  original 
discoverer,  for  many  an  old  farmer  has  protested  for 
many  years  past,  that  he  could  make  apples,  peaches, 
&c.,  root  readily  by  putting  the  ends  in  a  potato, 
beeswax,  &c.,  but  to  get  them  calloused  at  once,  be- 
fore putting  in,  is  certainly  the  best  of  such  modes  ; 
but,  and  we  would  have  our  amateur  friends  particu- 
larly remember,  it  is  necessary  that  the  very  best 
conditions  for  successful  cutting  growth  should  be 
at  once  applied,  after  that  is  effected,  or  the  last 
failure  may  be  more  disheartening  than  the  first. 


LESSONS   ON   LANDSCAPE-GARDENING. 

Mr.  Woodward's  articles  have  stirred  up  a  spirit 
in  our  circle  that  is  potent  for  much  good.  One 
correspondent  sends  us  the  following  suggestions, 
which,  we  hope,  will  be  followed  up. 

If  our  correspondents  will  furnish  outlines  of  such 
an  enclosure  as  is  described,  with  the  necessary  points, 
walks,  roads,  buildings,  &c.,  traced,  we  will  select 
the  one  affording  the  greatest  scope  for  improve- 
ments, to  engrave.  After  which  we  will  select  the 
best  offered  improvements  to  it,  and  engrave  them 
also. 

J.  G.y  Garden  Hill,  ATflrwo*.— Please  divide  a  square 


acre,  it  may  be  more  or  less,  into  six  divisions,  with 
a  dwelling-house  on  it.  Ist.  A  front  yard.  2d. 
A  back  yard,  both  connected  with  the  house.  3rd. 
A  vegetable-garden.  4th.  A  fruit-garden,  the  largest. 
5th.  A  stable-yard.  6th.  A  cow  or  milking-yard ; 
and  all  in  a  square  form,  on  a  level  inclining  to  the 
south.  After  which,  each  lot  or  enclosure  must  have 
grass,  flowers,  shrubs,  trees,  and  out -houses ;  and 
the  vegetable-garden  and  fruit-garden  must  be  laid 
out  internally,  all  in  the  square  form.  After  we 
have  the  five  or  six  divisions  planned,  we  will  go  to 
planning  the  internal  use  of  each  lot  of  the  domestic 
enclosures,  I  promise  to  be  one  in  sending  you  a 
plan  of  necessary  domestic  enclosures,  with  reasons 
for  the  same,  which  I  hope  others  will  also  do.  I 
have  never  seen  any  regular  system  for  enclosures ; 
so,  with  your  permission,  let  us  have  a  liberal  dis- 
cussion on  the  subject  to  make  a  move  in  the  right 
way. 


«>••> 


PIPPIN 


BEN   DAVIS   AND   NEW   YORK 

APPLES. 

At  the  Fruit-Growers'  Society  of  Eastern  Penn- 
sylvania's meeting  the  Secretary  read  a  note  from 
Dr.  Warder,  which,  we  were  pleased  to  find,  con- 
firmed the  views  we  have  taken  of  their  identity. 

We  presume  the  name  of  New  York  Pippin  will 
now  be  dropped,  and  Ben  Davis,  as  being  the  one 
first  described  in  any  work  of  authority,  be  the  one 
generally  adopted. 


^mp  anb  <^upnps. 


23- Communications  for  this  department  must  reach  the  Editor 
on  or  before  the  10th  of  the  mouth. 


Propagating,  &c.—E.  Jtf.,  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.— 
In  the  July  number  of  the  Gardener's  Monthly,  you 
speak  of  putting  grape  vine  eyes  in  damp  moss  for 
two  weeks  before  planting ;  now  I  have  a  lot  of  grape 
cuttings  that  have  been  laid  away  in  soil  in  boxes, 
in  the  cellar.  The  soil  is  moist,  and  the  cuttings 
come  out  of  it  moist  and  soft.  Now,  would  you 
cut  them  up  and  put  the  eyes  in  damp  moss  for  two 
weeks  before  putting  them  in  the  soil  ?  as  they  have 
been  kept  so  moist,  will  it  not  be  too  much  of  a  good 
thing  to  put  them  in  moss,- will  they  not  rot  ? 

Will  it  do  to  use  building  sand,  taken  from  a  gravel 
pit  this  winter,  to  propagate  them  in,  or,  is  common 
white  sand  better?  How  can  a  callous  be  formed 
on  verbena  cuttings,  before  planting  ?  What  degree 
of  heat  should  a  propagating  house  be  kept  at  ?  it 
is  one  heated  by  a  brick  flue,  and  to  be  used  for  pro- 
pagating only ;  should  not  the  bottom  heat  be  kept 
up,  even  in  days  when  the  sun  shines,  (and  when 
the  sun  heat  alone  would  keep  the  house  up,)  and 
the  house  kept  to  a  right  degree  of  ventilation.— 


I 


lt 


l<^ 


t  dardtner's  Pant^Ij. 


When  the  temperature  is  right,  about  how  often  will 
eyes,  in  course  of  propagation,  on  a  propagating 
table,  need  watering  ?  is  it  best  to  water  often  and 
lightly,  or  only  when  dry,  and  then  more  freely  ? 

What  depth  of  sand  should  be  put  on  the  shells, 
on  a  propagating  table,  to  strike  eyes  in  ?  Is  pure 
sand  better  than  a  mixture  of  sand  and  soil,  to  strike 
eyes  in  ? 

[We  print  these  inquiries,  more  to  show  our  dis- 
position to  oblige  our  correspondents,  than  in  the 
hope  of  being  able  to  give  any  satisfactory  answer. 
They  are  all  questions  of  detail,  calling  for  adaptions 
to  special  circumstances,  w^hich  can  only  be  learned 
by  the  operator's  individual  experience.  All  we  can 
say  is,  we  would  rather  cut  up  our  eyes  first,  and 
put  them  in  moss  afterwar  ^s.  They  may  rot  if  kept 
in  moss  too  long.  Color  is  of  no  consequence  to 
sand,  for  propagating ;  the  deleterious  matter  it  con- 
tains, is  the  evil.  White  is  sometimes  worse"in  this 
respect  than  others,  sometimes  better  —  experience 
is  the  only  judge.  Cuttings  that  have  the  vital  princi- 
ple so  active,  that  they  are  in  condition  to  root  right 
away,  before  the  wound  at  the  base  of  the  cutting 
has  time  to  rot,  needs  no  callousing.  For  propaga- 
ting most  kinds  of  plants,  a  bottom  heat  of  60o  does 
well,  which  should  be  maintained  without  regard  to 
the  weather  outside ;  regularity,  in  this  respect,  is 
important. 

Watering  depends  entirely  on  the  structure  of  the 
house.  If  it  is  one  that  keeps  a  naturally  humid  at- 
mosphere, little  water  will  be  required.  The  only 
rule  we  can  give,  is  to  water  only  when  the  cutting 
is  likely  to  lose  more  moisture  than  it  can,  in  the 
absence  of  roots,  absorb  from  the  sand.  Depth  of 
sand  has  no  effect  on  the  cuttings  in  itself;  in  con- 
nection with  treatment  it  might.  Shallow  sand,  by 
neglect,  may  get  too  dry,  and  a  thick  layer  by  care- 
lessness, get  sodden  and  sour.  Practice  only  can 
decide,  in  each  case,  the  best  depth.  ] 


Surface-manuring—^.,  Cincinnati,  O. — You  are 
very  much  mistaken.  We  have  been  a  constant 
reader  of  horticultural  papers  for  many  years, 
and  arc  well  assured  that  the  first  article  in  any 
purely  horticultural  journal  on  surface -manuring 
that  excited  any  attention  in  this  country,  was  by 
our  correspondent  Mr.  Bright  at  page  51  of  our  first 
volume.  So  far  from  "all  sensible  horticulturists 
adopting  the  practice  for  many  years,"  we  think 
the  majority  have  not  j'et  "fell  into  line."  Good 
friend,  we  are  tired  of  this  everlasting  cry  of  "'Tis 
nothing  new."  We  do  not  pretend  to  offer  much 
"new"  in  the  sense  in  which  you  and  others  who 
never  tell  us  anything,  either  "new"  or  "old," 
understand  it.  Probably  not  a  solitary  idea  now 
agitating  the  public  mind,  but  could  be  hunted  up 


somewhere  in  some  one  of  the  millions  of  obscure 
pages  that  have  poured  from  the  press  the  last  half  a 
century.  Even  Darwin's  curious  theory  of  the 
origin  of  species  has  been  justly  claimed  by  a  Scotch- 
man, who  published  precisely  the  same  ideas  years 
ago.  But  we  do  claim,  that  if  not  "new,"  at  least 
novel,  ideas  have  been  showered  into  our  columns ; 
and  what  with  fixed-roof  houses,  economy  of  large 
glass,  hoe -forks,  propagation,  surface-manuring, 
cheap  hot-water  tanks,  evergreen  management, 
theories  of  pruning,  and  thousands  of  other  matters 
which  our  indexes  do  not  half  record,  the  Monthly 
presents  a  record  of  which  it  feels  proud. 


Effects  of  Dew  on  rot  and  Mildew  in  the 
Grape. — Mr.  W.  Elder  dissents  from  our  views  as 
attached  to  Mr.  Mullet's  article.  As  we  have  not 
space  this  month  for  a  full  discussion  of  the  subject, 
we  give  an  abstract  of  Mr.  Elder's  remarks : 

He  believes  dry  air  to  be  the  essence  of  success  in 
grape  growing.  8  by  8  feet  apart,  he  thinks  best 
for  grapes,  so  that  they  may  get  the  benefit  of  dry 
air  and  sunshine.  As  mildew  follows  heavy  rains 
after  droughts,  it  shows,  he  thinks,  that  it  is  the 
damp  weather  that  breeds  it.  He  thinks  further, 
that  an  overdry  atmosphere  only  injures  when  some 
such  process  as  the  action  of  fire  occurs  about  them. 
He  does  not  believe  that  the  well-known  health  and 
exemption  from  disease  of  grape  vines  in  trees,  arises 
from  partial  shade,  but,  "from  there  being  seldom 
dews  and  fogs  up  there."  In  short,  Mr.  Elder  has 
invariably  noticed  that  "mildew  and  rot  always  fol- 
lows a  few  days  of  wetness  and  cloudiness." 

We  agree  with  Mr.  Elder  in  regard  to  the  accuracy 
of  the  facts  he  presents ;  but  need  scarcely  repeat 
that  we  draw  different  conclusions  from  them. 


Pruning  Apples  in  Northern  Latitudes. — 
R.  W.,  Montreal^  Canada,  says  :  "I  should  like  to  see 
an  article  on  the  effect  of  frost  on  apple  trees,  after 
pruning ;  you  advise  to  prune  in  winter ;  as  far  north 
as  this  it  would  almost  kill  the  trees." 

[We  can  see  no  reason  for  any  such  bad  result — 
though  we  well  know  that  "circumstances  often 
alter  cases."  We  ask  the  attention  of  our  Canadian 
correspondents  to  the  hint.  ] 


Japan  Plum.— 3fr«.  J.  M.,  Delaware,  OAio,— "If 
you  can  give  me  any  information  about  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  Japan  Plum,  please  do  so  through  the 
Gardener. ' ' 

[It  is  a  species  of  Persimmon,  and  can  be,  doubt- 
less, raised  in  the  same  way,  viz.  ;  sow  in  a  pot,  and 
keep  it  in  a  shady  place,  till  it  sprouts,  then  remove 
to  the  full  light.  Either  in  the  greenhouse,  or  the 
open  air  will  do  equally  as  well.    As  the  seed  is  from 


CJe  ^arhner's  Pant^lg. 


Japan,  and  dry,  it  will  not,  perhaps,  sprout  for  a 
year.]  

Liquidamber.— Lysimachia. — "I  have  a  Liquid- 
amber  styraciflua  about  fifteen  feet  high,  which 
has  not  yet  showed  any  sign  of  flowers,  or  seed. 
What  do  you  think  is  the  reason?  (\.) 

Will  Lysimachia  nummularia  make  a  suitable 
trailing  plant  for  a  vase?"  C2.^ 

[1.  It  is  too  young  and  too  vigorous ;  it  will  come 
right,  soon. 

3.  Excellent.  But  do  not  let  it  get  in  your  gar- 
den, where  it  will  become  a  nuisance.  ] 

Jackson  kwus..— Correction. — In  our  last,  the 
types  read  of  the  "herb,"  instead  of  the/es/j  of  the 
apple.  Such  errors  occasionally  happen  in  the  best 
conducted  magazines,  where  the  authors  do  not  cor- 
rect their  own  proof,  and  are  usually  left  to  the  good 
sense  of  the  reader  to  correct.  We  prefer,  however, 
to  direct  attention  to  them. 


Lemon  Trees.— S.  A.  M.,  Lancaster,  Ohio.— ''I 
have  a  lemon  tree  that  blooms  freely,  but  does  not 
fruit,  can  you  give  me  any  direction  about  it.  CIO 
Also,  relation  to  the  culture  of  the  Achimenes,  when 
planted,  and  at  what  price."  CIO 

[1.  Your  plant  is  probably  a  seedling  that  has  not 
been  grafted.  Like  apples  and  other  trees,  they 
must  be  grafted  and  budded  from  bearing  trees,  to 
induce  early  fruitfulness. 

3.  It  would  take  too  long  a  paragraph  in  this  col- 
umn, to  give  their  whole  treatment.  There  are  two 
excellent  chapters  on  the  subject,  at  page  104,  and 
page  106,  of  our  last  volume.  Most  of  the  principal 
florists  keep  them.  Price  varies  with  kinds,  and 
sellers;  usually,  good  kinds  are  sold  12  kinds  for 
two  or  three  dollars. 


Oleanders— E.  H.  C,  Shepherdstotim,  Pa.— The 
best  mode  of  propagating  the  Oleander ;  also,  if 
they  can  be  grafted  or  budded  successfully  with 
other  varieties,  and  at  what  time?  CIO 

I  have  an  Oleander  COleander  splendens)  which 
is  eight  feet  high  and  uniformly  well  branched  from 
the  root,  the  whole  forming  a  tnmk  of  over  four 
inches  diameter.  The  box  in  which  it  now  stands 
is  rotten.  The  inside  measurement  of  said  box  is 
seventeen  inches  square.  It  has  always  done  well 
in  this.  Now,  in  constructing  a  new  one,  how 
much  larger  should  it  be?  (2.) 

[1.  Well-ripened  wood  of  last  year  taken  in  April, 
the  leaves  reduced  and  cut  into  six  inch  lengths,  and 
set  out  in  a  partially  shaded  situation  in  the  garden, 
root  as  readily  as  currant  bushes.     Wo  do  not  think 


you  can  do  much  with  budding  or  grafting,  though 
good  propagators  increase  very  rare  kinds  that  way. 
2.  A  few  inches  Csay  two^  larger  would  be  suffi- 
cient.   

Greenhouse  Arrangements. —  W.  W.  W.,  Ober- 
lin,  O.,  asks: 

1.  If  I  should  put  a  tin  or  copper  boiler  into  the 
top  of  my  furnace,  and  a  wooden  tank  such  as  you 
have  described  for  heating  by  water,  would  the 
amount  of  heat  required  by  the  greenhouse  plants 
be  sufficient  for  my  bed  of  cuttings?  or  must  the 
water  boil  most  of  the  time  ?  Most  of  th©.time  now 
I  only  need  to  build  a  fire  in  the  evening. 

2.  Do  large  rose-cuttings  succeed  as  well  as 
smaller  twigs? 

3.  Can  I  strike  cuttings  of  the  Japonica  in  water, 
as  the  Oleander  ?  or  how  can  I  multiply  them  ? 

4.  How  are  Azaleas  produced  ? 

5.  My  Japonica  buds  do  not  open.  Will  frequent 
moistening  forward  them  ? 

[1.  Tin  would  not  answer.  It  is  not  durable 
enough.  The  tank  would  not  well  heat  the  green- 
house above.  The  flues  should  be  led  along  one 
side  of  the  house  in  addition.  The  water  must 
never  "boil"  or  reach  lOOO  at  the  return-point  of 
the  tank.  If  the  tank  is  large  in  proportion  to  the 
size  of  the  connecting  boiler,  no  fear  of  its  boiling. 
Many  parties  complain  of  too  much  heat  in  these 
tanks.     The  remedy  is  to  make  them  hold  more 

water. 

2.  Medium-sized  do  best. 

3.  As  well  as  the  Oleander.  The  half-ripened 
wood  strikes  readily  in  a  bottom-heat  of  60o  to  70.o 

4.  Just  as  the  last. 

5.  The  growth  has  been  suddenly  checked  in  some 
way.  It  is  difficult  to  direct  a  remedy  without 
knowing  what  checked  them. 

.Some  of  our  readers,  we  have  no  doubt,  smile  a* 
the  simplicity  of  some  of  the  queries  we  receive ; 
but  it  is  precisely  what  hundreds  of  amateurs  and 
novices  feel  the  want  of,  and  we  are  therefore  glad 
that  they  ask  the  information  which  we  feel  it  a 
pleasure  to  give. 

HoBBs'  Early  Peach— O.  T.  Hobbs,  Randolph, 
Pa.  writes:-'  The  new  eariy  peach  about  which  inqui- 
ry has  been  made  of  you,  originated  at  the  American 
Garden  of  Experiments,  and  bore  its  first  fruits  the 
past  season.  It  is  a  seedling  of  Fay's  Eariy  Anne. 
The  fruit  is  not  quite  as  large,  but  very  fleshy,  with 
extremely  small  pit.  Superior  in  quality,  and  ripen- 
ing from  twenty  to  thirty  days  eariier  than  our 
standard  eariy  peaches.  The  tree  is  periect.  It  may 
save  inquir>'  to  say  that  no  trees  have  been  propa- 
gated." 


'I   u 


t<         ^1 


ii;\i''  ,> 


:'•> 


I 


i 


«l 


®|^  §widtm's  Pontjjlj. 


Disease  in  Apple  trees. — '^Newton,^^  ML  Hope, 
Va. — In  my  garden  I  have  some  very  valuable  apple 
trees ;  I  am  losing  some  every  year,  some  on  account 
of  the  bark  drying  up  on  the  south  side  of  the  tree, 
and  falling  off  a  little  at  a  time,  until  it  finally  decays 
and  dies.  Others  seem  to  die  from  some  kind  of  a 
disease  in  the  roots.  The  small  roots  have  lumps  on 
them  like  warts  on  a  man's  hand,  and  the  soil  about 
the  roots  is  of  a  whitish  cast,  something  like  mush- 
room spawn,  in  fact,  my  whole  garden  seems  to  be 
inclined  to  this  whitish  stuff  after  it  is  dug  up,  par- 
ticularly where  it  lias  not  been  stirred  up  for  a  long 
time. 

Please  tell  me  what  is  the  cause  of  the  above,  and 
the  best  mode  to  get  rid  of  those  two  evils.  (\.) 

I  send  you  a  leaf  of  a  small  aromatic  plant,  as  I 
wish  to  know  the  name  of  it ;  has  a  beautiful  smell, 
and  is  nice  in  soups,  &c.  (2.) 

I  wish  to  know  what  remedy  you  will  give  me  for 
preventing  mildew  in  roses ;  it  is  very  injurious  to 
mine,  and  seems  to  be  spreading  throughout  my 
whole  greenhouse.  (^.) 

[1.  The  lump-like  warts  on  the  roots  of  your  ap- 
ple trees,  are  caused  by  the  larva  of  some  species  of 
insect,  and  the  bark  is  probably  injured  by  the  same 
insect  in  one  of  its  stages.  Specimens  would  be  ne- 
cessary to  say  precisely  what  insect.  The  spawny 
substance  is  a  form  of  fungi,  which  feeds  on  the  roots 
rendered  diseased  by  the  action  of  the  insects.  Dig- 
ging out  the  diseased  roots  and  tumors,  replacing 
with  pure  fresh  soil,  cleaning  the  bark,  pruning  a 
little  to  induce  a  vigorous  growth,  and  attending  to 
producing  healthy  action  generally,  is  the  best  advice 
we  can  offer. 

2.  We  do  not  know  the  leaf.  Send  us  a  flower 
shoot,  just  before  the  time  the  seeds  mature. 

3.  Syringing  with  clear  lime  water,  in  which  sul- 
phur has  also  been  mixed,  and  exposing  the  plants 
to  a  good,  warm  sun  afterwards,  is  the  best  remedy. 
A  weak  sappy,  unhealthy  growth,  cannot  bear  a 
sudden  change  to  dry  air  and  sunshine  ;  the  best  pre- 
ventive is  therefore,  robust  health.  ] 


11 


Inga  Pulcherrima.— S.  T.  r.,  Minneola,  L.  /.— 
This  plant  does  not  usually  flower  well,  till  it  becomes 
four  or  five  years  old.  The  best  treatment  is  to  grow 
it  freely  and  well,  for  two  or  three  years,  and  then 
suffer  it  to  remain  in  its  pot,  pretty  well  filled  with 
roots,  so  that  its  rampant  growth  is  gradually  checked. 
If  your  Banana  has  been  in  a  high  temperature,  and 
five  years  old,  it  ought  to  soon  flower.  Our  corres- 
pondent further  says,  he  has  had  some  success  with 
hot  water  for  mealy  bug  and  red  spider,  though  not 
complete.  He  should  make  allowances  for  cooling, 
when  applied  through  a  syringe,  and  learn  by  ex- 
periment how  great  a  heat  the  plant  will  bear. 


Suggestions  for  Horticulturists. — A  N.  Y. 
correspondent  remarks  :  "I  have  another  subject  or 
two  on  my  mind,  that  I  will  mention. 

Is  all  the  present  horticultural  practice  in  accord- 
ance with  true  scientific  principles  ?  and  are  not  many 
of  our  practices  doing,  prospectively,  great  injury  to 
the  future  constitution,  growth,  and  perfection  of 
our  fruits  and  plants  ? 

The  first  question  is  brought  fresh  to  my  mind 
from  the  fact,  that  in  the  discussion  of  the  subject 
of  the  "Influence  of  the  sun  and  moon  upon  vegeta- 
ble growth,"  in  the  meeting  of  our  "Rural  Art  As- 
sociation," this  month,  the  many  theories  of  the 
moons' s  influence  which  are  so  popular  among  us, 
and  that  have  been  handed  down  from  generation  to 
generation,  and  which,  many  of  ns  know  from  close 
observation  and  practice  to  be  truCy  (?)  are  by  scientific 
men,  shown  to  be  mere  fallacies,  and  untrue  in  fact, 
such  as  putting  seeds  in  the  ground  while  the  moon 
is  on  its  increase,  and  not  in  its  wane.  The  effect 
of  the  quartering  of  the  moon  at  a  particular  time, 
as  influencing  the  weather  during  that  particular 
quarter;  the  souring  of  milk  if  placed  where  the 
moon  shines  upon  it.  The  shrinking  of  meats,  if 
killed  at  a  particular  stage  of  the  moon,  «&c.,  &c.  Is 
it  not  time  that  these  follies  were  banished  from  our 
practice,  or,  at  least,  that  our  horticultural  and  gar- 
dening journals  should  discountenance  them  ? 

As  to  the  other  subject,  the  mode  of  propagating 
in  its  influence  upon  plants,  I  will  attend  only  to  the 
grape.  Wq  know  that  there  are  men  who,  with 
some  of  our  popular  varieties,  are  making  fortunes 
by  the  rapid  multiplication  and  sale  of  vines  at  ex- 
travagant prices. 

To  make  the  most  of  the  supply  of  woods  they 
have  at  their  command,  they  use  each  bud,  and  force 
their  growth  under  glass  by  steam,  and  other  artifi- 
cial heats,  to  a  marvellous  extent;  then  taking  the 
buds  from  this  forced  and  immature  growth,  they 
are  put  through  the  same  process  from  year  to  year. 
Is  not  the  tendency  of  this  mode  of  propagation  to 
enervate  and  weaken  the  strength  of  this  plant  ?  A 
like  practice  in  the  animal  kingdom  would  be  con- 
demned ;  why  not  in  the  vegetable  ?  I  merely  allude 
to  these  subjects,  because  I  feel  that  if  our  practice 
is  correct,  we  ought  to  be  able  to  show  men  of  science 
that  they  are  wrong,  and  we  are  right.  Otherwise, 
we  should  change  our  practice  so  as  to  harmonize 
with  truth."  

Names  OP  Plants. — Mrs.  S.,  Raleigh,  N.  C. — The 
long  leaf  is  Cupheaeminens ;  the  shorter,  Ilabrotham- 
nus  elegans.  The  brown  tips  show  the  leaves  to 
have  been  injured  for  want  of  water.  Give  them 
more  pot  room, — they  are  strong  growers.  Veronica 
Andersoui  should  have  the  same  treatment. 


§h^  gardener's  JKonthlg. 


89 


The  Perfected  Tomato. — "I  wish  to  make  an 
inquiry  in  regard  to  the  "Perfected  Tomato;"  last 
spring  I  procured  some  seed  of  J.  M.  Thorburn.  I 
planted  them  carefully,  and  had  good  success  in 
raising  plants,  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the 
plants  were  from  the  seed  so  obtained ;  but  strange 
to  say,  they  produced  two  distinct  kinds  of  tomato, 
both  different  from  any  that  I  had  ever  raised  before. 
Some  of  the  plants  produced  a  very  large,  smooth, 
bright  red  tomato,  and  others,  a  tomato  identical 
in  color  to  the  "Fejee,"  but  smoother,  rounder, 
thicker,  and  more  fleshy,  with  fewer  seeds  than  the 
"Fejee;"  both  very  fine,  and  so  nearly  equal  in 
quality  that  I  could  not  decide  which  was  the  best, 
but  preferred  the  Fejee  colored,  because  of  its  more 
perfect  shape. 

Query — Which  of  these  two  is  the  genuine  "Per- 
fected Tomato."  F.  S.  J.,  Libertyville,  Md. 

[We  have  not  seen  this  variety.  Mr.  Norris,  of 
Windsor,  Ohio,  in  some  notes  of  new  vegetables 
handed  us,  thus  describes  it : 

"The  Perfected  Tomato  we  deem  as  a  valuable 
acquisition  to  the  tomato  family.  It  far  excels  the 
"Fejee,"  or  any  other  variety  we  have  grown. — 
They  ripen  early,  and  continue  in  bearing  until  the 
frost  kills  the  vines  in  the  fall.  Fruit  large,  smooth, 
and  the  seed  cavities  very  small,  and  but  few  seeds, 
meat  solid,  and  of  the  finest  flavor." 

We  are  not  acquainted  with  its  history.  If  raised 
from  what  is  called  the  "Fejee"  variety,  it  is  quite 
likely  to  inherit  a  tendency  to  return  to  it  occasion- 
ally.]   

Propagating  Grape  Cuttings. — C.  H.  C,  Peters- 
burg, Va. — Remarks  appended  to  other  inquiries,  and 
articles  in  other  columns,  will,  we  think,  explain  all 
you  seek  to  know.  E.  C.  //.,  Rushville,  Indiana,  and 
other  con-espondents  also. 


much  oblige  one  of  your  subscribers. 

[Few  kinds  can  beat  the  Albany  as  a  fertilizer. 
We  once  saw  two  large  beds  of  Albany  and  Hovey, 
side  by  side.  Hovey  was  rendered  so  enormously 
productive,  that  in  this  respect  it  was  little  inferior 
to  the  Albany,  and  the  owner,  who  was  a  strong 
"Albany"  man,  came  near  hesitating  about  discard- 
ing Hovey,  as  he  said  it  was  his  purpose  to  do.  ] 


Vilmorin's  new  upright  Tomato. — F.  S.,  Easton, 
Po.  —  This  new  kind,  said  to  need  no  stakes,  will 
probably  Ije  offered  for  sale  by  most  of  our  seed  im- 
porters this  spring.  We  doubt,  however,  whether  it 
will  prove  more  than  a  curiosity. 


Forcing  Peaches  for  profit. — Jl.  C,  Boston, 
Mass. — In  what  respect  does  a  green-house,  built  on 
the  ridge  and  furrow  principle,  differ  from  the  ordi- 
nary style?  (1.) 

Can  you  put  me  in  the  way  of  subscribing  for  the 
Botanical  Magazines  mentioned  in  your  jounial?  (2.) 

Can  peaches  and  other  fruit  be  cultivated  under 
glass  with  profit  ?  (^.) 

Do  you  know  of  any  work  which  you  can  recom- 
mend, that  treats  upon  the  cultivation  of  fruit  under 
the  glass?  (4.) 

Will  you  give  me  the  name  of  the  author  of  an 
article  in  the  last  Monthly— title,  "A  new  theory  of 
fruit  forcing,"  by  a  Massachusetts  gardener  ?  I  wish 
to  call  upon  him.  ("50 

[1.  An  eig;aving  only  would  clearly  explain.  A 
quantity  of  span  roofs  set  side  by  side,  so  as  to  form 
one  roof,  making  alternate  "ridges  and  furrows," 
is  the  best  brief  description  we  can  give.  The  princi- 
pal is  useful  in  making  large  or  wide  structures. 

2.  In  all  large  cities  there  are  "book  importers," 
who  get  them  when  ordered  by  responsible  parties. 

3.  Undoubtedly;  though  we  know  no  one  who 
has  made  a  business  of  it. 

4.  River's  Orchard  House,  published  by  Saxton, 
Barker  &  Co. ,  New  York. 

5.  It  is  against  our  rules ;  one  of  the  reasons  why 
many  writers  withold  their  names,  is  to  prevent  par- 
ties corresponding  with,  or  calling  on  them,  which 
often  proves  inconvenient  and  troublesome. 


Fertilizing  Strawberries — 8.  G.,Kenoxha,  Wis. 
—For  some  time  past,  I  have  been  cultivating  straw- 
berries. For  markets  I  have  tried  several  kinds,  but 
none  have  done  so  wefl  as  the  "Hudson,"  but,  as  it 
is  a  Pistillate  variety,  it  will  not  do  well,  unless 
mixed  with  a  staminate.  I  have  used  the  "early 
scarlet"  as  a  fertilizer,  but  it  is  a  very  poor  bearer  with 
me;  would  not  "Wilson's  Albany,"  "Hooker,"  or 
any  other  staminate  variety  that  I  find  to  be  produc- 
tive, do  as  well  for  a  fertilizer  as  "early  sauiet  ?"  an 
answer    through  the     '■'^  Gardener^ s  Monthly'^     will 


Grape  Treatise.—/.  ^.  B.,  Bridgeport,  Conn.— 
Chorlton's  Grape  Grower's  Guide  enjoys  the  widest 
reputation  for  a  guide  in  the  matters  you  inquire 
about.  You  will  find  the  recommendations  given  in 
it  perfectly  reliable,  for  "producing  grapes  for  the 
table,"  as  you  wish. 

Apples  Identical.— The  publisher  hands  us  the 
following  extract  from  a  business  letter  of  Messrs. 
Carey,  Peter,  &  Carey,  Louisville,  Ky. 

"But  little  new  in  horticulture  with  us;  but  we 
think  we  have  ascertained,  to  a  certainty,  that  the 
Nickajack  apple  of  the  South,  and  the  Carolina  with 
us,  are  identical;  also,  the  New  York  Pippin  and 
Ben  Davis." 


ii 


II 


90 


Wsi\  iartoer's  JtlcntHg. 


Early  Tomatoes. — R.  F.,  Sandwich^  Mass.— The 
Urge  early  smooth  red  is  the  best  for  earliness,  and 
there  is  nothing  Hke  a  hot  bed  for  forwarding  them 
early.  It  is  best  to  put  them  in  three  inch  pots, 
where  only  a  few  are  desired,  and  very  early.  They 
suffer  no  check  then,  in  transplanting. 


Landscape  Gardening.— We  have  a  number  of 
excellent  articles  on  Landscape  Gardening  on  hand, 
which  shall  appear  from  time  to  time,  according  as 
space  offers  that  we  can  afford  for  the  subject. 

Wintering  Verbenas— Pr.  W.  Wright,  Oberlin 
O. ,  says :— I  have  found  a  grand  method  of  winter- 
ing Verbenas,  &c.,  viz.,  by  extending  the  eaves  of 
my  greenhouse  down  to  the  ground  and  putting  in 
a  return  flue,  to  be  used  when  needed,  and  planting 
my  plants  in  the  ground.  They  will  not  be  need  to 
be  watered  all  winter. 


Transactions  of  the  Massachusetts  Horti 
CULTURAL  Society  for  1860,  we  owe  to  the  polite 
attention  of  Mr.  Eben  Wright.  It  is  the  most  val- 
uable of  this  class  of  documents  that  we  have  re- 
ceived this  season,  and,  like  some  other  matter  on 
our  table,  we  hope  to  revert  to  it  again. 

American  Pomological  Society.  Transactions 
for  1800.  By  favor  of  President  Wilder,  an  early 
copy  was  forwarded  us,  which  the  mail  failed  to 
deliver,  and  we  are  further  indebted  to  the  Treasurer, 
Thomas  P.  James,  Esq.,  for  a  copy  as  we  go  to 
press.  For  correctness  of  matter  and  beauty  of  exe- 
cution, it  is  far  in  advance  of  any  former  publication, 
and  does  credit  to  the  Society's  reporter,  Mr.  Vick, 
under  whose  superintendence  it  has  been  got  up. 
Garden  Annuals  and  Directories. 

Few  men  deserve  better  support  from  the  public 
than  those  who  not  only  offer  articles  to  sell,  but  go 
to  a  heavy  expense  to  get  up  works  to  direct  the 
purchaser  how  to  grow  and  raise  them,  for  gratuitous 
circulation.  It  is  the  true  interest  of  the  trade.  No 
one  is  so  liable  to  buy  again  as  one  who  has  been 
successful  in  former  purchases. 

We  have  already  noticed  some  of  these  manuals, 
.  and  now  have  also  on  our  table : 

Paschall  Morris'  Garden  Manual,  Philadelphia. 
With  directions  for  vegetable  growing. 

Dreer's  Garden  Calendar  for  1861,  Philadelphia. 
Flowers  and  Vegetables. 

Descriptive  Catalogues. 
A.  R.  Whitney,  Franklin  Grove,  Illinois.     Fruit 
and  Ornamental  Trees.     30  pages  octavo. 


Gould,  Beckwith  &  Co.,  Rochester,  N.  Y. — 
Fruit  and  Ornamental.     32  pages.     Illustrated. 

John  Perkins,  Moorestown,  N.  J.  Fruit  and 
Ornamentals.     34  pages. 

James  Pentland,  Baltimore,  Md.  Selected 
Roses.     31  pages. 

C.  Reagles  &  Son,  Schenectady,  N.  Y.  Fruits, 
&c.     34  pages. 

n.  W.  Wilson,  Washington,  Pa.  Fruits,  &c. 
16  pages. 

Peter  Henderson,  Jersey  City.  Roses,  Dah- 
ias,  &c.     20  pages. 

Andrew  Bridgeman,  New  York.  Gladiolus, 
&c.     8  pages. 

J.  M.  Thorburn  &  Co.,  New  York.  Gladiolus. 
Sheet  Catalogue. 

Parsons  &  Co.,  Flushing,  N.  Y.  Description 
of  Stuartia  Pentagrynia,  a  rare  shrub.  Beautifully 
illustmted. 

J.  McLaen,  Roadstown,  N.  J.     Fruits,  &c. 

James  Edgerton,  Barnesville,  O. 

H.  Collins,  Auburn,  N.  Y. 

L.  Tudor,  Richmond,  Va. 

Joshua  Pierce,  Washington,  D.  C.  Small 
Fruits. 

Smith  &  IIanchett,  Syracuse,  New  York.  De- 
scriptive Catalogue  of  Fruit  and  Ornamental  Trees, 
Greenhouse  Plants,  Vines,  &c. 

J.  A.  Bruce,  Hamilton,  C.  W.  The  only  Cana- 
dian catalogue  we  have  received  this  year,  and  have 
pleasure  in  recommending  it  as  one  of  the  most 
complete  issued  on  the  Continent.  It  is  a  large  oc- 
tavo of  50  pages.    It  embraces  both  seed  and  plants. 

The  Rural  Minnesotian.  The  eighth  number 
is  now  before  us.  It  is  a  weekly  agricultural  journal, 
published  by  Hyde,  Williams  &  Co.,  at  Wasioja. 
The  second  new  journal  of  this  class  that  has  come 
to  our  table  within  the  past  week.  Minnesota  agri- 
culture must  be  most  decidedly  "looking  up." 

The  Higher  Law,  published  weekly  by  Herbert 
Reed,  of  Madison,  Wisconsin,  is  one  of  the  many 
new  literary,  agricultural,  horticultural,  and  scientitic 
journals  that  have  made  their  appearance  this  season. 
It  is  something  in  the  style  of  the  Rural  New  Yorker, 
Southern  Homestead,  &c,,  and  is  replete  with  interest. 

Hints  on  the  Culture  of  the  Exotic  Grape. 
We  have  received  from  Mr.  B.  Donahoe,  of  Phila- 
d(;lphia,  a  clever  production  in  rhyme,  under  the 
above  head,  which  we  are  sorry  would  occupy  more 
space  than  we  could  afford.  AVe  should  be  pleased 
to  have  Mr.  D.'s  excellent  experience  on  this  and 
other  subjects  in  solid  prose ;    it  suits  our  space 


f 


& 


better,  and  "he  is  the  man  that  would  die  "   to  good 
advantage.     Mr.  B.  says : 

"First  let  the  bed  on  which  tbey  (the  roots)  lie 
Be  alwa j'S  mellow,  rich  and  dry ; 
If  growth  you  seek  in  frosty  weather 
Make  roots  and  stems  work  both  together." 

Of  temperature,  he  says : 

"  Commence  your  work  with  fifty-eight, 
And  then  per  week  increase  vour  heat 
Until  it  rise  to  ninety-five, 
And  thus  your  Tines  are  sure  to  thrive." 

Of  ventilation : 

"Some  ventilation  they  require, 
But  bottom  air  they  ne'er  desire." 

Report  of  the  Inauguration  of'the  Botanical 
Society  of  Canada,  established  at  Montreal  on 
December  7th,  is  highly  satisfactory.  We  believe  it 
owes  its  origin  to  the  exertions  of  Dr.  Lawton. 

In  his  address  he  gave  a  sketch  of  the  past  and 
present  state  of  Botanical  Science  in  Canada,  and  the 
objects  the  Society  had  in  view.     He  said : 

"Botany  is  at  a  low  ebb  in  Canada,  at  a  lower  ebb 
than  in  most  civilized  or  half  civilzed  countries  on 
the  face  of  the  earth.  At  the  close  of  the  eighteenth 
century  only  five  dissertations  on  botanical  subjects 
had  been  published  by  the  whole  medical  graduates 
of  the  great  continent  of  America.  Since  then  the 
mdefatigable  labors  of  such  men  as  Michaux,  Torrey, 
Harvey,  Curtis,  Boott,  Engelmann,  Tuckermann, 
Sullivant,  Lesquereux,  and  especially  of  one  whose 
name  and  fame  rise  above  all  the  rest,  Asa  Gray, 
have  brought  our  knowledge  of  the  botany  of  the 
United  States  on  a  level  with  that  of  the  best  botan- 
ized countries  of  Europe.  It  is  proposed  that  our 
Society  shall  have  for  its  object  the  advancement  of 
Botanical  Science  in  all  its  departments — Structural, 
Physiological,  Systematic  and  Geographical ;  and 
the  application  of  Botany  to  the  useful  and  orna- 
mental arts  of  life.  The  means  by  which  this  object 
may  be  accomplished  are  various,  and  will  come  be- 
fore us  for  discussion  from  time  to  time.  In  the 
meantime,  it  is  proposed  that  there  shall  be  monthly 
evening  meetings  in  Kingston  during  the  winter  for 
the  reading  of  papers,  receiving  botanical  intelli- 
gence, examining  specimens,  and  discussing  matters 
of  scientific  interest  in  relation  to  the  science  ;  also 
that  there  shall  be  field  meetings  during  the  summer 
in  distant  localities  in  Canada,  as  well  as  in  the  other 
British  Provinces  of  North  America,  and  occasionally 
also  in  the  adjoining  States,  whereby  our  members 
may  have  an  opportunity  of  investigating  the  botany 
of  districts  that  have  been  imperfectly  examined." 

The  Society  commences  its  existence  with  about 
one  hundred  members  and  cannot  but  have  a  foster- 
ing influence  on  the  successful  prosecution  of  the 
study.  Communications  should  be  addressed  to 
Prof.  Lawton,  Kingston,  Canada. 


ItFtD  OF  jBlarp  jpianh. 


Fuchsia  Mammoth. — This  extraordinary  double 
Fuchsia  was  raised  by  Mr.  George  Smith,  Tolling- 
ton  Nursery  Road,  Islington,  who  has  for  many 


years  been  one  of  the  most  successful  raisers  of  this 
class  of  plants.  Our  figure  will  give  the  best  idea  of 
the  size  and  shape  of  the  flower,  the  tube  and  sepals 
of  which  are  crimson,  and  the  corolla  violet-purple, 
with  a  vermilion  stripe  half-way  down  each  petal. 
It  is  certainly  a  very  fine  ^ower.— Cottage  Gardener. 
Some  of  the  Best  New  Roses.— N.  America, 
salmony  fawn  and  cream,  with  fine  habit.  T.  Due 
Magenta,  a  splendid  flower,  large,  double,  and  of 
exquisite  form ;  color,  delicate  pale  flesh,  tinted  with 
fown.  B.  Victor  Emmanuel,  deep  plum.  H.  P. 
Bunant,  deep  brilliant  carmine  rose,  beautifully 
tinted  with  violet.  H.  P.  Le  Royal  Epoux,  brilliant 
rose,  changing  to  lilac  rose ;  flowers  large  and  well 
formed.  H.  P.  Louis  XIV.,  a  gem  amongst  gems; 
the  color  of  this  variety,  which  is  intense  fiery  crim- 
son, with  a  blackish  crimson  centre,  is  rich  and  gor- 
geous in  the  extreme.  H.  P.  Madame  Boll,  a  flower 
of  unusually  large  size,  very  full  and  of  exquisite 


1 1 


H' 


■-4 


i- 


•  V     .''II 


I) 


II 


Mti  iardentr's  Jttonthlg. 


form;  color  delicate  rosy  peach.  H.  P.  Madame 
Charles  Crapalet,  rosy  scarlet ;  petals  large,  smooth, 
and  of  fine  quality.  H.  P.  Madame  Louise  Cerique, 
deep  brilliant  crimson.  H.  P.  Madame  Pauline  Vil- 
lot,  brilliant  deep  rose.  H.P.  Mademoiselle  Eugenie 
Verdier,  outer  petals  pearly  white,  centre  delicate 
pale  flesh.  11.  P.  Scnatcur  Vaisse  ;  a  good  synonyme 
for  this  superb  variety  would  be  "  General  Jacque- 
minot surpassed ;"  the  color  is  intense  glowing 
scarlet.  II.  P.  Triomphe  de  Lyons,  a  truly  splendid 
flower ;  color  rich  crimson  purple,  with  fiery  crimson 
and  puri'>le.  H.  P.  Victor  Verdier,  a  noble  flower 
in  the  way  of  Jules  Margottin ;  outer  petals  deep 
rose,  centre  brilliant  rose. — Florist. 

New  American  Trees. — A  paper  was  recently 
read  before  the  Philadelphia  Academy  of  Natural 
Sciences,  giving  the  following  account  of  some  new 
trees,  with  descriptions  by  Mr.  S.  B.  Buckley.  We 
may  observe  that  Le  Conte  has  already  named  an- 
other species  of  Carya,  C.  Texana^  and  we  believe  the 
Academy  have,  since  the  publication  of  the  paper, 
decided  to  change  the  name  to  C.  Buckleyana. 

JEsculus  arguta. — Fruit  covered  with  prickles. — 
Stamens  erect,  or  slightly  curved,  much  longer  than 
the  pale  yellow  corolla.  Calyx  campanulate,  divis- 
ions obtuse,  pedicels  short,  whole  panicle  subpubes- 
cent.  Flowers  dense.  Leaflets  7,  glabrous,  ovate- 
lanceolate,  acute  at  both  ends,  sharply  and  unequally 
serrate.  Shrub  3-5  feet  high,  with  a  smooth  bark. 
Flowers  in  March.  Panicles  4-6  inches  long.  Leaf- 
lets 2-4  inches  long. 

Hills  in  the  vicinity  of  Larissa,  Texas. 

Halesia  re'iculaia. — Leaves  broad-ovate,  pubes- 
cent on  the  midribs,  scabrous,  obscurely  dentate, 
teeth,  small,  acute,  under  surface  of  leaves  pale, 
much  reticulated.  Fruit  4-winged,  two  lateral  wings 
double  in  width  to  the  others.  Style  long,  mucronate. 
Leaves  4-5  inches  long  and  2-3^  inches  broad.  Fruit 
smooth,  1-1^  inches  long,  and  6-7  lines  broad.  Pedi- 
cles 5-7  lines  long.  Small  trees,  branches  smooth,  bark 
of  trunk  light  gray,  furrowed. 

Banks  of  streams  tributary  to  the  Red  River,  above 
Nachitoches,  Louisiana. 

Fraxinus  iVu«u//ii.— Leaflets  5^7,  lanceolate,  ac- 
ute at  both  ends,  irregularly  toothed,  upper  sur- 
face smooth,  under  surface  pale  and  subpubescent 
along  the  midribs,  short-stalked,  petioles  long,  glab- 
rous, fruit  ovate-lanceolate,  three-winged,  acute  at 
both  ends,  branches  smooth,  bark  of  trunk  gray, 
and  furrowed.  Fruit  about  2  inches  long,  by  5  lines 
broad.  Leaflets  3-4  inches  long  by  1  inch  broad, 
sometimes  unequal  at  base. 

In  swamps,  Wilcox  County,  Alabama.  Small 
trees  about  6  inches  in  diameter,  and  20-25  feet  high. 
As  Nuttall  had  not  material  for  a  complete  descrip- 
tion, none  can  tell  what  is  meant  by  his  Fraxinus 


triptera ;  but  as  possibly  he  may  have  intended  the 
tree  now  described,  I  call  it  Nuttall' s  Ash. 

Carya  Texana. — Leaflets  7-9,  broad-ovate,  or 
ovate-lanceolate,  sharply  serrate,  smooth  on  both 
sides,  paler  beneath,  acute  at  apex,  subobtuse  or 
acute  at  base.  Staminate  and  pistillate  catkins  sub- 
pubescent.  Fruit  globular,  slightly  four-angled. 
Shell  thin,  separating  to  the  base.  Trees  three  to 
four  feet  in  diameter,  and  forty  to  fifty  feet  high. 
Bark  of  trunk  very  thick,  deeply  and  irregularly 
furrowed,  not  scaly.  Leaflets  6-8  inches  long,  and 
2-3  inches  broad. 

Dry  soil.  Common  in  Upper  Louisiana,  and  in 
Texas  extending  as  far  west  as  Atacosa  County. 
"Thick  bark,  hickory." 

Quercun  Shumardii. — Leaves  oblong,  or  obovate 
in  outline,  smooth,  deeply  sinuate-pinnatifid,  sinuses 
broad,  convergent,  3-5  on  each  side,  lobes  many- 
toothed,  teeth  sharply  and  setaceously  acute.  Acorn 
globular,  or  ovoid-oblong,  subacute,  cup  shallow, 
slightly  turgid,  scales  acute.  A  large  tree  with 
shining  deep  green  leaves,  those  on  the  upper  por- 
tion of  the  tree  being  much  and  deeply  lobed.  The 
lobes  are  generally  deeper  near  the  petiole  than  to- 
wards the  apex  of  the  leaf.  Acom  resembles  Q. 
rubra,  but  is  more  acute,  1-1  j  inch  long,  and  6  lines 
to  1  inch  broad.  Limbs,  trunk  and  branches  much 
like  the  water-oak,  Q.  aquatica.  AVood  yellowish- 
white,  fine-grained,  and  esteemed  for  rails,  boards, 
and  the  frame-work  of  buildings.  I  have  measured 
specimens  which  were  six  feet  in  diameter,  with  an 
estimated  height  of  70-80  feet.  Its  leaves  retain 
their  greenness  long  after  the  first  frosts,  when  those 
of  the  frost-oak,  black-jack  and  scarlet  oak  are  dead. 

It  occurs  in  Upper  Louisiana,  Eastern  and  Middle 
Texas.  Shumard's  Oak.  In  honor  of  Dr.  B.  F. 
Shumard,  State  Geologist  of  Texas. 

Querent  Texana. — Leaves  ovate-oblong  in  out- 
line, smooth,  both  sides  deeply  sinuate-pinnatifid, 
with  broad,  divergent  sinuses,  3-5  on  each  side, 
lobes  1-3  toothed,  teeth  acute  setaceous.  Nut  ovoid, 
oblong,  acute,  cup  hemispherical,  slightly  turgid, 
scales  acute,  closely  appressed.  Tree  3-5  feet  in 
diameter,  and  60-70  feet  high,  branches  smooth, 
bark  of  trunk  of  a  dark  slate  color,  slightly  furrowed, 
very  like  Q.  phellos  and  Q.  aquatica,  with  which  it 
is  often  associated.  Lower  leaves  of  this  tree  with 
lobes  often  truncate,  while  the  upper  leaves  have 
deep,  broad,  divergent  sinuses,  and  the  upper  lobes 
prolonged  somewhat  like  those  of  Q.  falcata.  Like 
the  water  and  willow-oak,  its  leaves  are  green  during 
the  first  of  winter.  Acorn  about  1  inch  long,  and 
J-^  inch  broad.  Leaves  4-8  inches  long  by  3-5  wide. 
A  beautiful  tree,  with  dense,  deep  green  foliage. 
Wood  close-grained,  white,  or  of  a  light  red  color. 


i 


Wij  iardencr'is  JHonthlg. 


and  used  for  similar  purposes  as  the  Shumard  Oak. 

Quercus  Durandii. — Leaves  obovate,  entire,  or 
slightly  three-lobed  at  apex,  with  rudiments  of  one 
or  more  lobes  at  the  margins,  lobes  very  obtuse. 
When  mature,  smooth  on  both  sides.  Acorn  round, 
or  ovoid  rotund.  Cup  very  shallow,  scales  acute, 
closely  appressed.  Leaves  3-4  inches  long,  1-5 
inches  wide.  Acorns  ^-|  inch  long,  about  ^  inch 
wide,  scarcely  one-eighth  of  an  inch  being  included 
in  the  cup.  Tree  2-3  feet  in  diameter,  and  20-  40 
feet  high,  bark  of  trunk  and  branches  light  gray, 
scaly,  like  the  white  oak,  CQ-  alba>  The  leaves  arc 
mostly  entire,  varying  from  obovate  to  oblong-ovate. 
Wood  white,  close-grained,  and  very  tough.  It  is 
often  worked  into  splints  for  baskets  to  hold  the 
picked  cotton.  Used  for  farming  utensils,  and  sought 
after  to  make  screws  for  cotton  gins.  Called  '  Basket 
Oak,"  and  "Bastard  White  Oak." 

Wilcox  County,  Alabama,  Upper  Louisiana,  and 
Middle  and  Southern  Texas.  Durand's  Oak.  In 
honor  of  E.  Durand,  of  Philadelphia. 

Quercus  annulata. —  Leaves  broad-ovate,  entire 
or  irregularly  and  sparingly  lobed,  sinuses  shallow, 
divergent  lobes  very  obtuse,  upper  surface  smooth 
and  bright  green,  under  surface  pale,  smooth,  or 
subpubescent,  petioles  short.  Acorn  oblong-ovoid, 
with  a  depressed  ring  near  the  apex.  Style  cyUn- 
drical,  long,  truncate,  cup  shallow,  one-third  the 
length  of  the  acom.  Acorn  5-9  lines  long,  and  3-4 
lines  broad.  Leaves  2-4  inches  long,  mostly  lobed. 
Bark  of  trunk  and  branches  light  gray,  scaly.  Small 
tree  or  shrub,  bearing  a  great  abundance  of  acorns. 

Common  on  the  rocky  hmestone  hills  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  Texas. 


GuzMANNiA  TRicoLOit  is  a  ucw  plant  of  the  Pine- 
apple family,  from  the  West  India  Islands.  Of  no 
great  merit. 

CiiAM^Rors  Foutunei. — This  palm  is  now  well 
known  as  "Mr.  Fortune's  Chusan  Palm,"  and  has 
attracted  considerable  attention  on  account  of  its 
comparative  hardiness.  It  is,  indeed,  the  most 
hardy  of  all  these  princes  of  the  vegetable  kingdom 
that  is  as  yet  known  to  us,  and  the  only  one  that 
has  been  proved  to  stand  almost  unprotected  through- 
out the  last  ten  winters  in  the  latitude  of  London. 
In  the  Isle  of  Wight,  under  the  shelter  of  the  royal 
residence  of  Osborne,  it  has  attained  a  height  of  ten 
feet  in  the  open  air,  six  feet  being  the  height  of  the 
stem  below  the  foliage,  and  its  diameter  fourteen 
inches  at  one  foot  from  the  ground.  It  has  blos- 
somed for  the  last  three  years,  with  no  protection 
during  the  winter.*  Our  plants  at  Kcw  were  intro- 
duced by  Mr.  Fortune,  in  1849,  and  have  attained 

*  VhoTn(erop»  /mmilit  Im  also  fluurinhing  in  the  opeu  air  at  os- 
borne,  but  rcquirei  a  little  protectiou  iu  the  bcvcrest  weather. 


eight  feet  in  height ;  the  finest  are  moved  into  a 
conservatory  during  the  winter,  but  others  receive 
no  other  protection  than  a  matung  in  the  severest 
winter  months. — Bot.  Mag. 

SOLANUM  RUNCINATU8  ( Ruiiciale-havcd  Solanum). 
— It  is  a  native  of  Chili,  and  was  raised  at  Kew, 
from  seeds  sent  from  Coquimbo.  It  is  a  really  or- 
namental species,  and  well  deserving  of  cultivation 
in  a  greenhouse,  continuing  a  long  time  in  flower 
during  the  summer  months.  The  corollas  are  of  a 
bright  purple  color,  with  five  blood-red  starry  points 
radiating  from  the  base  of  the  lobes,  while  the  large 
anthers  are  yellow,  from  between  which  the  green 
clavate  stigma  is  protruded. — Bot.  Mag. 


l^ompsHr   InfpIKiqpnrp. 


Native  Grapes  near  Boston,  by  Mr.  Daven- 
port, in  the  Boston  Cultivator.  Mr.  D.'s  remarks 
on  Rebecca  confirms  the  views  expressed  in  our 
last,  that  shade  is  of  more  importance  to  the 
grape-grower  than  is  usually  supposed. 

The  Delaware  ripened  with  me  this  season  from 
the  10th  to  the  15th  of  September.  Vines  two  years 
out  have  this  year  made  shoots  twelve  to  fifteen  feet 
in  length,  of  strong,  short -jointed  wood.  It  is  the 
most  productive  grape  I  propagate,  and  keeps  long 
after  being  gathered. 

Blood's  Black  Seedlinf^. — A  very  hardy  variety, 
never  mildews,  a  free  grower,  of  dark  color,  cov- 
ered with  a  thick  bloom,  good  size,  tiesh  sweet  and 
moderately  juicy.  It  ripened  with  me  this  season 
August  25th  to  September  1st.  Keeps  well  after 
being  gathered. 

Logan. — Ripened  September  10th.  An  early  grape. 

Hartford  Piolific. — Ripened  with  me  this  season 
September  12th.  The  dropping  of  this  grape,  some- 
times complained  of,  may  be  obviated  by  judicious 
pruning  and  proper  cultivation. 

Marion. — Makes  a  dark-colored,  rich.  Port-flavored 
wine.     Ripened  September  Ist. 

Rebecca. — I  do  not  class  this  with  the  other  varie- 
ties spoken  of,  as  to  hardiness,  for  in  most  situations 
it  should  be  covered  in  the  winter.  I  find  my  vines  of 
the  Rebecca,  where  they  are  shaded  some  part  of  the 
day,  are  much  more  vigorous  and  productive  in  their 
habits  than  others  not  shaded.  Ripened  September 
15th,  and  will  keep  a  long  time  after  being  gathered. 

The  Diana  begins  to  ripen  a  few  scattering  berries 
the  middle  of  September,  which  are  sweet  as  soon 
as  colored ;  keeps  imi)roving  till  the  middle  of  Octo- 
ber, if  allowed  to  hang  so  late. 

Concord. — Some  of  my  vines  ripened  their  fruit 
this  season  September  25th,  but  that  of  others  more 
exposed  was  injured  by  the  frost  of  September  30th. 


r 


t 


v'.O  ' 


^A-. 


\ 


i 


I 


^^  iardener'ij  Jttont^Ig. 


H 


Welltngtonia,  or  Sequoia  gigaktea;  The  Big  Tbee,  or  Washington  Tree  of  California.— 
We  have  not  seen  any  thing  that  gives  so  good  an  idea  of  the  immense  size  of  these  trees  as  the  accom- 


panying sketches  from  a  French  magazine.  The  one  at  the  top  of  the  page  is  ninety-five  feet  m 
circumference,  and  was,  before  the  wraichca—ar  boric  ides  in  the  first  degree— cut  it  down,  three  hundred 
feet  high.  The  lower  one  shows  an  old  decaying  trunk,  blown  over  many  years  ago,  amongst  the 
group  in  Calaveras  County,  near  "Murphytown,"  through  which  parties  ride  on  horseback. 


(11 


The  Ri:i)  Spider.— The  Michigan  Farmer  publishes  the  following  recipe,  discovered  by  Dr.  A.  Bush,  of 
Detroit :— Twelve  ounces  common  soft-soap,  three  ounces  (by  measure^  turpentine  or  camphine ;  mix 
well  together.  This  is  for  six  gallons  of  water,  which  must  be  stirred  well  together,  and  applied  with  a 
common  garden  syringe,  or  the  same  proportion  for  any  quantity. 


ihii  hardener's  flonf g. 


jfoFPign  Infpnigpnrp. 


Grafting  the  Wisteria.— The  Wisteria  can  be 
propagated  by  grafting  by  cleft  the  same  as  for  the 
grafting  of  fruit  trees.  This  method  offers  the  ad- 
vantage of  having  several  varieties  on  one  stock. — 
Best  choose  fruiescens  as  stock,  as  it  is  a  very  vigor- 
ous grower. — Revue  Horticole. 


New  English  Rhubarb.— Baldry's  Scarlet  De- 
fiance was  awarded  a  First  Prize,  May  2nd,  18G0,  by 
the  Pomological  Society  of  London,  when  eighteen 
varieties  were  exhibited ;  a  portion  of  each  kind  was 
examined,  baked,  and  also  a  portion  examined  green. 
The  Society  report  that  it  is  unquestionably  a  First- 
class  Variety,  very  stout  in  habit,  medium  in  length  ; 
pulp  deliquescent,  high  colored,  and  richly  sub-acid. 
Excellent  for  market  as  well  as  private  growers. 


Grafting  Wax. — If  many  stocks  are  to  be 
grafted,  take  27  oz.  of  common  yellow  rosin,  melt 
it  gradually  so  as  not  to  drive  off"  the  turpentine. 
When  reduced  to  the  consistence  of  a  syrup,  add  10 
oz.  of  alcohol,  shake  them  thoroughly  together,  and 
pour  the  mixture  at  once  into  a  well  stopped  bottle. 
When  the  graft  is  inserted  and  tied  in  its  place  with 
a  strand  of  matting  in  tUe  usual  way,  cover  the  sur- 
face of  the  whole  with  this  varnish  with  a  small 
painter's  brush.  Such  varnish  may  be  used  in  any 
weather,  and  is  neither  affected  by  heat,  cold,  or 
wet. 


The  Ailanthus  Silk  Worm. — At  a  recent  ex- 
hibition in  London,  Mr.  Stan  dish  brought  over 
some  specimen  of  the  new  "Bombyx,"  which  is 
just  now  making  such  a  noise  in  France,  as  it  feeds 
on  the  Ailanthus  glandulosa,  a  much  hardier  and 
easier  grown  tree  than  the  Mulberry;  while  the 
worm  itself  is  more  robust  than  the  common  silk- 
worm, breeds  faster,  and  spins  a  large  quantity  of 
silk.  As  the  Ailanthus  flourishes  well  in  poor  soil, 
large  quantities  of  it  will  be  planted  in  France,  and  it  is 
hoped  will  become  a  valuable  article  in  the  economy 
of  the  silk  trade. 


THE    FRTJIT  GROWERS'   SOCIETY  OF 
EASTERN  PENNSYLVANIA. 

The  Annual  MeetioK  of  the  Society  was  held  at  Reading,  and 
was  univerHally  considered  one  of  the  most  lutereHting  and  valu- 
able the  Societ J  has  held.  Our  limitx  forbid  uh  to  give  more  thau 
a  faint  abstract  of  the  most  interesting  portions,  made  up  from 
the  notes  of  our  own  reporter.  The  official  transactions  of  the 
Society  can  only  do  full  justice  to  the  session.  The  Tresidont,  Dr. 
Eshleman,  delivered  the  Annual  Address.  It  was  directed  princi- 
pally to  suggestions  for  the  more  perfect  working  order  of  the  So- 
ciety.    Tuuctuality   and   promptness  in   the   discharge  of   their 


duties  by  County  and  General  Committees  were  shown  to  be  essen- 
tial to  the  prosperity  of  the  body,  and  in  this  k,onnection  the  labor« 
of  the  rhiladelphia  County  Committee  come  in  for  a  just  nhare 
of  praise.  Alludiiiif  to  the  progress  in  the  art  of  propHgation  by 
cuttings,  he  suggested,  as  well  worthy  of  the  Society's  notice,  the 
ettect  these  and  kindred  matters  might  have  on  the  longevity  of 
trees.  He  regretted  the  oversight  which  led  to  no  report  from 
Pennsylvania  to  the  National  Pomological  Society  at  its  last  ses- 
sion; recommended  caution  in  the  Society's  recommendation  of 
doubtful  varit-ties;  and  in  allusion  to  the  partial  failure  of  the 
grape  in  the  district  the  past  year,  recommended  a  greater  reliance 
on  the  culture  of  the  small  fruits.  He  spok«!  of  the  importance  of 
suiting  the  variety  to  the  varying  kinds  of  soil;  and  characterized 
many  ot  the  new  candidates  for  public  favor  as  likely  to  prove  no 
better  than  the  Massachusetts  White,  Yet  he  would  eucoumge 
the  continued  raising  of  seedlings  in  every  legitimate  way.    The 

Delaware  and    Bland   were  probably  but  accidental  Beedliugs 

Care  in  the  selection  of  breeders  and  hybridization  might  produce 
a  race  as  large  ana  as  luscious  as  the  Black  Hamburg.  The  rest  of 
the  day  was  occupied  in  the  routine  business  of  tlio  Society  and 
as  the  amount  of  business  before  the  body  was  very  heavy,  the 
full  tile  of  reports  of  the  various  committees  were  referred  to  the 
Ct)mmitiee  on  Publication  for  preparation  for  their  appearance  in 
the  transactions. 

Mr.  Harrison,  however,  at  the  special  request  of  the  mooting 
gave  an  extempore  addre-ss  on  organic  and  inorganic  manures. 
He  characleri/ed  general  culture  as  a  system  of  lobbiug  without 
restoring,  and  pointed  out  the  necessity  of  a  fair  supply  of  potash 
soda  and  other  minerals'  existence  in  soils  to  render  vegetable 
growth  healthy.  He  gave  various  analyses  of  soilsaud  vegetable 
organisms,  pointing  out  their  mineral  and  organic  constituents 
and  their  several  relations  to  soils  and  manures.  He  regretted 
that  chemical  analysis  was  necessarily  imperfect,  and  that,  in 
consequence  of  discrepancies  in  the  results  of  different  tables,  less 
confidence  was  repo.sed  in  the  matter  than  the  subject  really  de- 
served. He  also  read  the  analysis  of  three  of  the  beot  Knglish  and 
two  American  fertilizers,  and  pointed  out  their  great  deficiency  in 
the  most  vital  inorganic  elements. 

Nevertheless,  ho  had  great  confidence  in  the  general  results. 

He  then  showed  the  great  waste  of  labor  attendant  on  the  em- 
ployment of  stable-manure  in  which  near  three-fourths  of  the 
matter  was  mere  water.  Light  per  cent,  of  a  ton  alone  consisted 
ot  the  necessary  inorganic  matter.  Plants  required  more  organic 
matter  when  growing,  and  more  inorganic  matter  when  maturing. 
Systems  of  manuring  shcald  be  based  on  this  fact.  The  wants  of 
the  plant,  as  shown  by  the  analysis  of  its  elements,  should  be 
studied,  and  its  wants  systematically  or  specially  supplied  The 
absence  of  this  produced  defective  sap,  and  he  believed  all  diseases 
of  trees  had  their  origin  in  this  source. 

Organic  matter  in  the  shape  of  stable-manure  he  valued  very 
little.  If  the  mechauical  condition  of  the  soil  was  rendered  per- 
fect, he  thought  all  the  organic  matter  necessary  would  be  ab- 
sorbed from  the  atmosphere.  Draining  and  subsoiliug  effected 
this.  The  latmosphero  contained  an  inexhaustible  suoply  of 
ammonia  in  the  best  condition  fur  the  use  of  i>laufs,and  if  the  oon- 
ditionof  the  froll  enabled  water  to  pass  rapidly  through  it,  air  follow- 
ed  the  water,  and,  of  course,  ammonia  with  it.  He  made  repeated 
references  to  orchards  within  his  know]ed«$e  to  .support  his  views 
Orchards  well  cultivated  with  stable-manure,  rapidly  and  surely 
dying  out,— othere  on  the  miuf  ral-manure  principle,  or  in  sod 
without  stimulating  cultivation,  and  only  top-diessiuKs  of  ashes  or 
similar  matters,  exhibiting  long  years  of  healthy  and  productive 
uselulness.  Amongst  others,  he  alluded  to  the  pear-orchard  of 
Mr.  Terry,  of  Hartford,  which  for  the  three  past  years  had  been 
laid  down  in  sod,  and  only  surface-manured,  and  the  trees  were 
marvels  of  beauty,  models  of  form,  and  pictures  of  health 

To  show  that  it  was  csieufiai  that  all  the  special  requirements 
should  be  present,  he  alluded  to  the  fact  that  the  Fienrh  vintners 
manured  specially  different  when  the  grape  was  required  for  fable 
or  for  wine,  stable  or  highly  stimulating  manure  lenderinu  the 
grape  almost  worthless  for  wine.  *" 

He  allnded  further  to  Smith's  Ix)ls  Weedon  culture,  where  by 
draining,  subsoiling,  and  alternate  year  fallowing,  enough  orMnic 
matter  was  obtained  from  the  atmosphere,  and  the  natural  solution 
of  mineral  matter  in  the  soil,  to  prodace,  without  other  manure, 
thirty-six  bushels  of  wheat  to  the  half-acre,  and  whichsoil,  before 
he  commenced  his  system  on  it  only  produced  fifteen.  This  soil 
18  naturally  rich  in  mineral  plant  food. 

Ho  alluded  to  peach  and  plum  trees,  and  gave  his  opinion, 
founded  on  careful  observation,  that  black  knot  and  many  other 
diseases  arise  from  the  bad  condition  of  the  suil.  He  had  known 
hot  water  poured  at  the  roots  of  peach  trees  have  some  benefit  but 
did  not  explain  its  action.  ' 

We  have  given  but  a  pitiful  abstract  of  this  interesting  essay 
which  was  listened  to  with  marked  attention. 

THE  ADVANTAtJES  AND  DISADVANTAGES  OF  PRUNING 
were  then  discussed. 

Mr.  Millhauer  liked  to  have  his  trees  trimmed  high  enough  to 
plough  under.  Advocated  trimming  with  an  axe;  objected  to  the 
saw.  In  a  subsequent  part  of  the  discussion,  however,  he  admit- 
ted that  "his  Kambo's  and  others  had  given  ..ut,'  and  the  Pen- 
Qucks  were  the  only  ones  that  bore  fruit  any  longer. 


■ '': 


"^■ 


t 


III 


i 


96 


ilui  darbtntr's  Ponthlg. 


A  W  Corson  cut  out  only  all  the  useless  wood  for  the  first 
geasou,  80  a»  to  give  bhape  to  the  tree,  but  would  prune  very  little 

^'Savid  Miller,  of  Chester  County,  was  the  Hercules  of  the  even- 
ing for  no  pnuiing.  He  lets  all  kinds  of  fruit  trees  branch  close 
to  the  ground,  appearing  like  pyramids  sei  on  the  surface.  Th-  y 
are  set  closely  together,  so  that  they  protect  each  other  from  sua 
and  storms,  Iind  are  enriched  by  their  own  fa  len  leaves.  Only 
cuts  out  suckers.  His  orchards  are  ten  years  plauted,  and  apples 
produce  about  fourteeu  bushels  per  tree.  Hy  his  system,  has  no 
t'ear  of  branches  breaking  by  their  own  weight,  or  being  blown 
over  by  the  wind.  .,  ,  , ,  ,  ,, 

A  W  Harrison  would  never  prune  if  he  could  have  the  uiiin- 
ajfcment  of  his  tree  from  infancy.  Would  disbud  such  sh  .ou 
with  ttnger  and  thumb,  as  appeared  where  not  wanted.  Even  in 
the  raspberry,  he  only  let  such  suckers  grow  as  he  wanted  for 

fruit  next  year.  ,  .        ,  j    i         , 

V  R  Cook  remarked  that  systems  of  pruning  depended  on  lo- 
cality and  climate.  With  him  the  C^atawba  Giape  always  rotted 
in  proportion  to  the  severity  of  the  pruning  it  received. 

W  Saunders  viewed  pruning  in  any  case  as  a  nci,'ative  advan- 
taKe  It  was  sound  theory  to  remove  the  bud  instead  of  the 
branch  Has  made  perfect  specimens  of  pears  without  any  use  of 
knife  Whether  pruning  should  be  performed  in  summer  or  win- 
ter depended  on  the  object.  If  wood  is  wanted,  prune  in  winter; 
if  fruit  prune  in  summer.  Fruit-buds  are  formed  in  fall,~pinch- 
inK  at  'that  season,  and  producing  new  buds  then,  we  therefore 
add  to  the  beariiife'  system  of  the  tree.  The  subject  was  almost 
inexhaustible.  ,      ,  ,,    .       .  i, 

Mr  Baldwin,  Dr.  Eshleman  and  others  pave  their  views,  corrob- 
orative of  what  others  had  narrated.  The  last-named  gentleman, 
in  ajtreeing  with  Alan  W.  Corson's  plan  of  only  pruninj?  during 
the  first  two  or  three  years  of  the  plant's  existence,  added  that 
he  did  not  cut  close  into  the  trunk  the  first  year  after  transplant- 
ing but  left  a  snag  a  few  inches  long  to  bear  a  few  leaves,  which 
snags  were,  however,  cut  away  next  season. 

CULTIVATION  AND  DISEASES  OF  THE  APPLE. 

David  Miller,  of  Chester  County,  repeated  his  experience  in  low 
trimming.  His  soil  was  limestone.  All  his  kinds  did  well,  ex- 
cept Newiowu  Pippin,  which  bore  but  shyly.  ,.,.,, 
Mr  Harrison,  alluding  to  the  last  observation,  remarked  that  all 
the  most  popular  fruits  gave  out  first.  He  thought  this  an  evi- 
dence that  high  and  stimulative  culture  had  much  to  do  with  the 
fact,  just  as  a  pet  child  takes  disease  easier  than  more  neglected 

Mr  Miller,  referring  to  the  wearing  out  of  fniits,  stated,  that  in 
his  district  a  variety  of  pear,  called  locally  the  Arpinp,  (we  under- 
stood )  thirty  years  ago  used  to  produce  so  abundantly,  that  they 
were 'sent  to  Philadelphia  by  the  wagon-load.  These  trees,  and 
trees  grafted  from  them,  now  bear  nothing  but  knotty,  scrubby 

Mr  Heines  remarked  that  soil  exhausted  of  the  re<juirod  ele- 
ments, rendered  the  trees  constitutionally  diseased,  and  grafting 
from  such  trees  fixed  the  habit  to  a  etrtain  degree. 

Mr  Baldwin,  referring  to  the  exhaustive  theory,  remarked,  that 
in  some  orchards  where  Newtown  Pippins  were  diseased,  he  had 
seen  Baldwins  thrive  to  perfection.  ,       ,  , 

Mr  Saunders,  referring  to  the  scab  on  apples,  spoke  of  it  as  a 
fungus  ;  and  gave,  as  the  result  of  extensive  observatb-n,  that 
ehottercd  orchards  were  not  near  as  liable  to  disease  as  exposed 

Dr.  Eshleman  remarked  that  it  was  only  of  modern  orchards 
that  failures  were  reported  ;  and  Mr.  Saunders  replied  that  agricul- 
tural improvements  had  influenced  the  climate,  and  with  its  winds 
and  the  amount  of  atmospheric  moisture  had  changed. 

Mr.  S.  Miller,  of  Lebanon,  had  seen  the  best  crops  in  exposed 
localities,  and  very  bad  "ues  in  well  protected  spots.  His  remedy 
was  clean  orchards  and  rich  soil. 

Dr.  Kessler  never  crops  his  orchard;  uses  only  the  harrow  to 
keep  the  surface  clean.     Has  fine  crops. 

Mr.  Grider  knew  an  orchard  that  was  never  cropped  or  had 
any  manure  applied.  He  had  seen  apples  in  that  orchard  so 
abundant  as  to  cover  the  ground  under  the  trees  in  the  autumn 
several  inches  thick.  Another  party  bought  the  orchard,  ploughed 
it  up,  and  cultivated  it,  and  has  had  no  crop  since. 

Mr  Millhauer  advocated  ploughing,  heavy  prnning,  and  top- 
dressing  but  his  orchards  did  badly  now.  One  time  to  give  a 
neiiflibor  a  few  apples  meant  a  "sackful,"  but  he  had  quite  a  dif- 
ferent meaning  for  the  term  now.  The  Pennock  cmly  did  tolerably 
well    Kambo  and  others  did  not.    The  situation  was  exposed. 

Mr  Harrison  remarked  that  if  in  the  same  soil  Ponnorks  did 
well  when  others  did  not,  he  thought  it  could  not  be  soil  or  expo- 
sure alone  but  an  inherent  weakness  of  the  variety  giving  out. 
communicated,  perhaps,  by  being  propagated  from  a  previously 
w,^akoned  stock.  Attention  to  the  goneral  laws  of  health,  as  in 
tre.atinK  a  patient  for  consumption,  was  the  only  remedy. 

Ml-  Baldwin  agreed  with  Mr.  Saunders,  that  the  clearing  away 
of  forests  had  rendered  the  climate  more  changeable,  which  might 
account  for  more  diseases  than  formerly. 

BEST   MODES  OF  CULTIVATION   TO    PKOMOTE    FRUITFUL- 

NESS    IN  TREES. 
S.  Miller  would  manure  and  cultivate  when  young,  put  in  sod 


when  older,  and  keep  a  circle  clear  around  each  tree  by  scraping. 

A.  W.  Harrison  instanced  two  old  Virgalieu  pear  trees  inCuuuec- 
ticut,  standing   on  either  side   a  garden   fence,  one  in    "  culture, 
one  in  sod,— the  first  now  dead  and  gone,— the  last  bearing  yet. 

Mr  David  Miller  planted  his  trees  shallow,— lu  fact,  on  the 
surface,- and  seeded  down  at  once  with  wheat.  He  mulched  the 
following  season  with  a  compost  of  stable-manure,  soapy  water, 
hog-pen  scrapings,  coal-ashes,  etc.  In  two  years  they  had  made  a 
fine  growth.  It  was  then  ploughed  up  and  put  down  in  corn,  and 
liot  cropped,  we  understood,  since.  His  peaches  had  been  a  great 
success  One  year  170  trees  produced  enough  fruit,  at  seventy-five 
cents  per  basket,  to  realize  ^iir,.  His  whole  system  he  summed 
up  as  follows :— Deep  soil ;  plant  shallow  ;  branch  the  trees  low, 
even  to  the  surtace  of  the  ground,  and  apply  a  slight  top-dre.ssiug 
of  manure  every  year. 

Mr.  Saunders  remarked  that  the  topic  under  discussion  was 
simpiy  how  to  promote  fruitful ness,  and  called  attention  to  the 
fact  that  the  intention  was  to  inquire  into  niodesof  dwarfing,  root- 
pruning,  beading  down  of  branches,  summer  pinching,  etc. 

TRENCHING,  DRAINING,  AND  SUBSOILING. 
Mr.  Millhauer    had  seen  good   results  follow  draining  in  clay 

""mV.  Harrison  alluded  to  Mapes'  grounds,  to  Mr.  Reid's  nur.sery, 
and  Ellwanger  &  Barry's  specimen  orchard,  illustrative  of  the 
practical  benefits  that  had  been  obtained  from  underdraiuing." 
Trenching  and  subsoiliug  are  not  so  beneficial  as  underdrainmg. 
It  was  an  error  to  suppose  that  only  wet  soil  needed  draining  — 
People  were  misled  by  the  term.  It  was  a  bad  one.  The  dryest 
soils  were  rendered  moist  in  summer  by  underdrainiug.  At 
Mapes'  farm  water  was  delivered  from  the  drains  during  lh.>  longest 
drouth  Aeration  was  a  more  characteristic  term  than  draining.— 
Deep  drains  were  best.  Fifty  feet  apart  and  five  feet  deep  were 
better  than  tweuty-flve  feet  apart  and  but  four  feet  deep  SV  here 
there  were  no  outlets,  drains  could  be  run  into  wells.  He  had  no- 
ticed at  Rochester  that  the  benefits  of  draining  were  in  exact  pro- 
portion to  the  depth  and  frequency  of  the  drains. 

Mr  S  Miller,  of  Lebanon,  had  drained  into  wells  successfully 
His  experience  of  draining  so  far  had  been  so  beneficial,  that  if 
he  had  the  capital  to  command  for  the  purpose,  he  would  uuder- 
drain  even  his  hillsides,  satisfied  that  in  time  it  would  prove  the 
best  investment  he  could  make.  There  were  so  many  advantages, 
—frost,  for  instance,  from  the  air  in  well-drained  soils,  never  peue- 

trated  deeply.  •  „  ^i  ■  ■ 

Mr.  Baldwin  stated  that  he  had  seen  fine  grapes  on  the  prairies 

where  no  drains  were  used. 

Mr  S  Miller  replied,  that  when  soil  was  filled  with  vegetable 

matter  as  in  praiiie  soil,  it  partook,  in  a  measure,  of  the  nature  ot 

our  underdrainrd  soil.     A  soil  naturally  porous  may  bo  said  to  be 

naturally  drained.  .     ,.,  .       ,  ^  ., 

Mr  Grider  remarked  that  such  Western  implements  as  the 
Michigan  Plough  and  other  subsoiliug  implements  showed  that 
they,  too,  were  alive  to  the  importance  of  draining. 

Mr.  Lukens  Pierce  and  A.  W.  Corson  also  testified  to  the  advan- 
tages of  the  practice.  ,     ,   .   •  1  •. 

Mr  D  Miller  did  not  believe  much  in  underdaining,  and  it  was, 
besides  expensive.  On  the  contrary,  the  most  productive  trees  he 
had  invariably  found  by  the  side  of  springs,  streams,  and  miU- 

"^Mi*  Grider  called  attention  to  the  fact  that  Mr.  M.  had  lost  slglit 
of  the  real  eff"ect  of  draining.     Uuderdralning  made  ground  moist 

in  summer — not  dry.  ,      -j  ^.     rw  vrn     - 

Mr  Saunders  explained  this  more  fully,  and  said  Mr.  D.  Millers 
observations  confirmed  the  advantages  uf  draining.  He  undor- 
drained  a  tract  of  clay  land  five  years  ago  to  the  extent  of  30,000 
feet  of  tile.  The  drains  were  only  two  and  a  half  feet  deep.  The 
ground  was  worthless  before,  producing  nothing.  No  manure 
has  si i.ce  been  applied;  but  last  season  it  produced,  for  the  first 
time  R  superior  crop  of  grass.  In  heavy  clay  soils  his  drains 
seemed  inoperative  the  first  year.  It  took  a  season  or  two  for  the 
air  to  decompose  the  minerals  in  the  soil,  and  for  the-  water  to  find 
regular  channels  to  the  drains. 

Mr.  Millhauer  had  also  noticed  that  fruit  trees  have  done  well 
alongside  of  spring  courses  led  around  hills;  but  always  much 
best  on  the  highest  or  hilly  side.    ,    .,        , 

Messrs.  Grider,  Harrison,  and  S.  Miller  gave  further  observations 
as  to  the  good  effects  of  the  i)rinciple. 

Dr  Eshleman  explained  farther  the  a:rating  moisture  deposit- 
ing and  spring  earth  warming  principles  of  the  practice,  and  had 
such  good  results  from  its  employment,  that  grapes  would  grow 
five  or  six  feet  the  first  season  in  such  ground,  and  has  had  Dela- 
wares  to  make  a  years  growth  of  sixteen  feet,  and  Diana  thirty- 
eight  feet  in  the  same  way.  ,      ,     .      , 

Mr.  Saunders  knew  a  market-gardener  in  whose  underdramed 
ground  vegetables  were  produced  two  weeks  earlier  than  in  that 
of  his  neighbors.  .    ,     ,.  . 

Mr.  Heines  thought  that  might  be  a  disadvantage  to  fruit  trees 
e8pccl<»lly  peaches,  in  bringing  forth  their  buds  too  early. 

Mr.  S.  Miller  thought  weakness  from  deficient  draining  rendered 
peach  buds  more  susceptible  to  injury  from  severe  cold. 

The  conclusion  of  our  notes  of  this  iuteresting  meeting  wc  shall, 
give  in  our  next. 


::|    .! 


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THOMAS     MEEHANT,    Editor. 


APRIL,  1861. 


VOIi.    III.— NO    4. 


ij, 


FLOWER-GARDEN   AND   PLEASURE- 
GROUND. 

Transplanting  is  the  uppermost  idea  at  this 
season, — deciduous  trees  at  the  North,  and  ever- 
green at  points  more  South.  If  the  roots  of  the 
deciduous  trees  or  shrubs  appear  dry,  puddle  them 
before  planting.  This  is  done  by  making  a  hole  in 
a  clayey  or  stiff  piece  of  ground,  filling  it  with  water, 
mixing  in  a  little  cow-dung  or  other  decayed  manure, 
and  stiring  up  together  into  a  thin  mortar,  into  which 
plunge  the  roots,  so  as  to  coat  them  with  the  mix- 
ture. If  the  tops  appear  shrivelled,  prune  in  the 
branches  severely,  the  more  in  proportion  to  the 
danger  of  losing  the  tree.  It  is  well  to  prune  all 
trees  a  little  at  transplanting.  Plant  only  when  the 
soil  is  dry  and  the  weather  calm.  Pack  soil  well  in 
between  the  forks  of  the  roots  with  a  stick  or  the 
fingers,  and  tramp  in  hard  and  firm.  If  the  soil  is 
as  dry  as  it  should  be,  tramping  well  acts  like  a 
roller,  and  crushes  the  soil  into  fine  particles,  which 
does  not  dry  up  like  soil  tramped  when  wet,  which 
thereby  becomes  consolidated,  rather  limn  disinte- 
grated. 

Suiting  soil  to  trees  is  an  important  clement  in 

success.  Where  quick  growth  is  desired,  it  '*pays" 
well  to  improve  the  soil.  A  tree  that  will  grow  but 
one  foot  in  a  poor  and  thin  soil,  will  often  grow  five 
in  a  deep  and  rich  one.  Subsoiling  and  manuring, 
and  then  choosing  young,  thrifty,  and  vigorous  trees, 
is  the  w^ay  to  get  "big  trees"  in  a  very  little  time. 
We  measured  a  tree,  a  few  days  ago,  which  was  a 
seed  five  years  since,  that  had  been  thus  treated,  and 
found  it  25  feet  high,  1  foot  8  inches  in  girth  3  feet 
from  the  ground. 

All  trees  do  better  in  a  deep*,  rich  soil ;  but  for  dry 
places,  some  will  not  do  at  all  well.    Amongst  ever- 


greens, as  a  rule,  most  of  the  pines  will  do  well  in 
dryer  soils  than  others,  the  spruces  in  intermediate 
places,  and  the  firs  in  more  damp  and  sheltered 
spots.  The  firs  will  not,  any  of  them,  do  in  dry 
soils.  The  Balsam  Fir,  particularly,  is  a  miserable 
object  in  a  dry  and  exposed  place,  while  in  moist 
and  sheltered  spots  it  is  one  of  the  most  happy  look- 
ing evergreens  we  have. 

Many  evergreen  shrubs  supposed  to  be  difficult  of 
culture,  are  easily  grown  in  a  deep  and  cool  soil. 
Rhododendrons,  Kalmias,  &c.,  do  well  where  these 
conditions  of  growth  are  attended  to.  The  former 
is  supposed  to  do  best  in  the  shade ;  but  it  does 
better  in  the  full  sun  in  a  good  and  proper  soil,  than 
in  the  shade  in  a  dry  spot.  The  fact  that  they  grow 
amongst  rocks  on  hillsides  gives  rise  to  the  idea  that 
they  like  a  dry  soil ;  but  our  experience  in  their 
native  localities  proves  that  the  coolest  spots  on  a 
hot  summer's  day  is  where  these  plants  are  found. 

In  all  large  gardens  a  small  piece  should  be  set 
apart  for  a  nursery,  where  the  commoner  things  can 
be  grown,  both  as  a  matter  of  interest  to  watch  cut- 
ting growth,  and  to  supply  occasional  wants  and 
deficiencies  about  the  premises.  The  only  fear  in 
such  practices  is  that  the  disinclination  to  throw 
away  or  destroy  what  may  not  be  wanted  leads  the 
owner  gradually  to  view  what  should  be  his  pets  as 
objects  of  commercial  interest ;  and  when  that  feel- 
ing arises,  half  the  pleasure  of  pure  horticulture  de- 
parts. Cuttings  of  most  kinds  of  flowering  shrubs 
root  well  if  taken  ofi"  just  before  they  begin  to  shoot, 
and  inserted  full  two-thirds  of  their  length  in  a  bor- 
der of  rich,  light  soil,  prepared  in  a  partially  shaded 
place  for  them. 

Almost  all  kinds  of  hardy  ornamental  trees  will 
graft  on  kindred  species,  so  that  when  any  kind 
proves  objectionable,  others  more  favored  may  be 
,  grafted  on  them,  and  a  change  thus  be  effected  with- 
I  out  much  labor  and  time.  Several  kinds  may  also  be 
grafted  on  one  tree,  and  thus  interesting  combina- 
tions be  made  on  the  same  plant.  In  the  latter  case 
the  weakest  growing  kinds  should  be  placed  near 
the  top  of  the  tree,  and  stronger  kinds  lower  down, 
so  as  to  make  the  growth  ultimately  eciual.  Hardy 
Perpetual  Roses  arc  often  budded  on  the  Manetti 


ifi:  '\\ 


IV.     '1 


|-.  :l 


stock,  which  renders  the  bloom  much  stronger  and 
finer,  and,  many  say,  the  plants  more  hardy  and 
durable ;  but  suckers  from  them  are  very  frequent, 
and  if  not  taken  off,  they  ultimately  destroy  the  rose 
grafted  on  them.  Roses  should  be  examined  now, 
and  any  such  suckers  that  may  have  before  escaped 
notice  be  taken  off.  Home  are  not  able  to  distin- 
guish Manetti  Rose  suckers  from  the  "gOod"  roses; 
and  others  will  be  in  doubt  whether  their  roses  were 
budded  or  not,  especially  as  some  rose-growers 
grow  their  roses  by  grafting  scions  on  pieces  of 
roots,  and  sell  them  as  "roses  on  their  own  roots." 
But  even  these  at  times  produce  suckers,  and  the 
safest  plan  for  those  who  are  not  well  acquainted 
with  the  stock  is  to  take  off  all  suckers  that  spring 
from  their  roses  at  or  near  the  surface  of  the 
ground. 

Roses  like  new  and  fresh  soil,  and  the  ever-bloom- 
ing kinds,  such  as  Tea,  China,  Bourbon,  and  Noi- 
sette, may  be  removed  every  other  year  to  other 
parts  of  the  flower-garden  without  much  injury  to 
their  flow^ering  the  same  season.  They  must  be 
pruned  severely,  however. 

April  is  the  month  when  every  one  visits  liis 
neighboring  florist's  greenhouse  in  search  of  new  or 
choice  bedding  plants.  A  great  many  new  intro- 
ductions of  last  year  are  now  getting  cheap,  and 
will  be  fully  tested  on  their  merits  this  season.  For 
instance,  the  new  Chinese  Dianthuses,  Silene  rubella 
alba,  Pyrethrums,  Cuphea  Danielsiana,  Double  Zin- 
nia, Gazania  splendens,  &c.  It  is  singular  how  long 
it  takes  a  plant  to  become  new  and  popular.  To  the 
father  of  the  writer  of  this,  the  horticultural  world  is 
probably  indebted  for  the  preservation  of  the  Ga- 
zania splendenSjOr  unijlora  as  a  variety  was  called  in  his 
time ;  and  nearly  twenty  years  ago  the  writer  called 
attention  to  its  merits  as  a  bedding  plant  in  one  of 
the  gardening  periodicals  of  the  day.  But  that  was 
in  a  moister  and  cooler  climate,  and  our  experience 
then  with  it  does  not  warrant  us   in  believing  it 

*'  will  do  well  in  hot,  sunny  places." 

Climbing  vines  are  great  objects  of  interest  in  a 
flower-garden.  Very  pretty  conceits  may  be  formed 
out  of  them  in  connection  with  baskets,  mounds, 
pillars,  trellises,  arbors,  &c.  The  following  arc 
some  good  ones  that  can  be  raised  from  seeds  sown 
now  :  Calampelis  scaber,  Loasa  aurantiaca,  Lophos- 
permum  crubescens,  Nasturtiums,  Thunbcrgias, 
TropfTolums,  Morning  Glorys  Clpomoeas;,  and  Fu- 
maria  or  corydalia.  Kinds  that  are  best  set  out  as 
plants,  some  popular  ones  are  Solanum  jasminoides, 
Maurandia,  three  kinds,  red,  white,  and  blue,  Pas- 
sion Flowers,  Ipoma^a  Learii,  I.  ficifolia,  Cobea 
scandens,  Senecio  scandcns,  Mannctta  glabra,  and 
Phy slant hus  albcns. 


In  choosing  plants  from  a  florists  for  bedding,  se- 
lect such  as  are  dwarf  and  stocky  and  have  been,  if 
possible,  a  little  hardened  by  exposure  to  the  air. 

Hanging  vases  for  arbors,  piazzas,  and  rooms 
have  become  an  "institution,"  and  demand  recog- 
nition in  this  regular  column.  A  list  of  six  good 
kinds  of  plants  for  the  purpose,  that  can  be  ob- 
tained anywhere,  is:  Tradescantia  zebrina,  Linaria 
cymbalaria  (Kenilworth  Ivy^,  Lysimachia  nummu- 
laria  CMoneywortj,  Saxifraga  tomentosa,  Sibthorpia 
Europa?,  Selaginella  Cany  of  the  traihng  species j, 
Vinca  major  variegata. 

We  would  repeat  what  we  have  before  advised, 
that  the  amateur  should  pay  more  attention  to  the 
cultivation  of  florists'  flowers,  as  a  source  of  refin- 
ing amusement.  The  Carnation,  Auricula,  Pansy, 
Polyanthus,  Phlox,  &c.,  afford  those  wiio  have  no 
greenhouse  a  chance  to  enjoy  this  gratification 
cheaply,  as  they  require  but  the  protection  of  frames 
in  winter.  Gladiolus  have  been  much  improved  the 
few  past  years,  and  "everybody"  grows  them,  as 
they  seem  much  at  home  in  our  climate.  Now  is 
the  time  to  set  them  out.  The  same  applies  to 
Tuberoses.  Box-edging  may  now  be  cut,  tender 
annuals  sown,  and  the  whole  place  speedily  put  in 
order  to  receive  summer  company. 


VEGETABLE    GARDEN. 

In  dry  soils  and  very  southern  localities,  garden- 
ing has  already  commenced  in  this  department ;  but 
very  little  can  be  done  generally  till  now,  for,  in 
spite  of  all  that  has  been  said  of  the  advantages  of 
underdraining  for  so  many  years  past,  not  one  gar- 
den in  a  hundred  is  so  improved,  though  it  is  a  well- 
ascertained  fact  that  such  ground  can  be  worked 
much  earlier  in  spring.  It  is  a  great  mistake  to  crop 
ground  till  it  is  so  dry  that  it  will  not  compress 
when  trodden  upon.  Ground  worked  when  wet  is 
tlie  first  to  dry  out  when  dry  weather  sets  in.  Peas, 
potatoes,  early  cabbage,  spinage,  salsify,  lettuce, 
radishes,  and  onions  require  the  first  attention 
among  seeds ;  and  for  permanent  root  crops,  aspar- 
agus, ihubarb,  sea-kale,  horse-radish,  parsley,  and 
herbs  such  as  thyme,  sage,  &c.  After  this  come 
beans,  late  cabbage,  carrots,  parsnips,  beets,  leeks, 
&c. ;  and  towards  the  end  of  the  month  or  begin- 
ning of  May,  tomatoes,  egg-plants,  peppers,  celery 
for  early  crops,  cucumbers,  melons,  and  the  more 
tender  varieties. 

Every  one  makes  it  an  object  to  have  vegetables 
as  early  as  possible ;  and  through  our  last  two  vol- 
umes many  hints  have  been  given  to  bring  crops 
forward.  We  saw  in  an  agricultural  paper  some- 
w^here,  recently,  the  recommendation  to  scoop  out 


t 


ilu{  iardcwr'a  Jilonthlg. 


•1 


turnips,  and  fill  with  rich  soil,  and  set  an  egg-plant, 
tomato,  or  other  desired  plant,  one  in  each  turnip, 
keeping  them  in  the  hotbed  till  time  to  set  out,  when 
the  turnip  and  all  was  planted.  The  idea  struck  us 
as  any  thing  but  a  bad  one. 


(^ommunirafions. 


THE   NEW    ROSES. 

BY  JOHN   SAUL,  WASHINGTON   CITY,  D.  C. 

As  there  is  no  other  flower  so  popular  or  univer- 
sally grown  as  the  rose,  neither  is  there  one  in  which 
a  greater  improvement  has  been  effected  by  florists. 
They  have  recently  given  us  classes  of  Autumnals 
which  rival  or  exceed  in  beauty  their  namesakes  of 
June.  Among  those  are  the  beautiful  class  of  Per- 
petual Moss,  fully  equalling,  or  surpassing,  that  class 
of  summer.  Again  are  the  beautiful  Hj-brid  Per- 
petuals,  exceeding  in  brilliancy  of  coloring  the  Gal- 
lacas  or  Damasks,  and  rivalling  in  fragrance  the 
Provence.  Other  classes  may  be  cited  with  claims 
equally  great. 

The  number  of  seedlings  sent  out  annually  of 
those  various  classes  is  considerable.  They  are 
principally  raised  by  French  florists  ;  though  of  late 
some  of  our  own  have  sent  out  several  good  flowers. 
Cultivating  considerably  all  the  newer  sorts,  I 
thought  some  remarks  made  from  flowering  plants 
in  my  collection  might  be  interesting  to  your  read- 
ers.    We  will  begin  with  the  finest  class  of  all. 

Hybrid  Perpetual. 
No  others  stand  so  high  in  Europe  or  this  coun- 
try. Perfectly  hardy,  for  the  most  part  vigorous 
growers,  with  finely-formed  flowers  of  every  hue — 
deliciously  fragrant.  Among  these,  Ambroise  Vers- 
chatfelt  is  a  fine  purplish  rose,  dark  lilac  edges,  large, 
doubki,  and  of  good  habit,  vigorous,  free  grower, 
beautiful.  Anna  Alexieff  is  a  luxuriant  grower  and 
free  bloomer,  color  a  clear  rose,  and  fine  form. 
Anna  de  Diesbach  has  been  figured  in  "Paul's  Rose 
Annual  for  1859-'60,"  and  highly  commended; 
with  me  it  fully  maintains  its  high  character ;  flow- 
ers are  very  large,  of  a  fine,  clear  rose  color. 
Adroisce  de  Lyon  is  a  most  robust  grower,  pro- 
ducing large  bold  flowers,  very  double,  crimson  and 
slate  color.  Armide  has  flowers  of  a  rosy  salmon, 
very  distinct  and  fine,  vigorous  habit,  Beaute  de 
Royhem,  a  rose  occasionally  edged  and  striped  with 
white  and  carmine,  growth  moderate.  Bouquet  de 
Marie — we  have  here  a  color  wanted  in  this  class — 
a  pure  white  ;  the  flowers  individually  are  small,  but 
produced  in  clusters  like  a  Noisette  very  double  and 
pretty,  a  vigorous  grower.    Comtesse  de  Chabrillant 


— this  exquisite  rose  is  figured  in  "Paul's  Rose  An- 
nual" for  the  present  season;  we  only  occasionally 
get  so  fine  a  flower,  one  that  is  destined  to  be  as 
popular  as  Geant  des  Battailes,  La  Reine,  Souvenir 
de  la  Malmaison,  Devoniensis,  &c. ;  flowers  are  a 
beautiful  rosy  pink,  finely  cupped,  large  and  double, 
very  sweet  and  good.  Delamothe  has  flowers  of  a 
shaded  rose,  large  and  double,  of  vigorous  growth. 
Eugene  Alary  gives  flow^ers  of  violet  rose,  beauti- 
fully cupped,  large  and  double,  a  vigorous  grower, 
beautiful.  Eveque  de  Nimes — this  flower  is  now 
pretty  wx'U  known,  but  I  cannot  pass  it  by  without 
a  notice— one  so  gorgeous,  flow^ers  in  form  like  a 
rosette,  large,  double,  of  a  brilliant  purplish  crim- 
son, glowing,  superb.  Empereur  de  Maroc  ap- 
proaches, or  quite  equals,  the  old  Tuscany  Rose  in 
color,  rich  velvety  maroon,  of  fine  form ;  this  will 
prove  one  of  our  standard  flowers.  Imperatrice 
Eugenie,  an  exquisite  gem,  habit  rather  dwarf, 
white,  sometimes  tinted  with  rose,  double,  distinct 
and  beautiful.  L'Abbc  Feytel  is  a  robust  grower, 
giving  large  double,  fragrant  flow^ers  of  brilliant 
rose.  Louis  d'Antrichehas  deep  violet  flowers,  very 
large  and  double,  a  vigorous  grower,  fine.  Louise 
Magnan,  a  white,  tinged  with  flesh,  large,  full  flower, 
habit  very  vigorous.  Madame  Bruni  has  a  most 
vigorous  habit,  a  free  bloomer,  color  a  delicate  peach, 
large  and  double,  Provence-scented.  Madame  de 
St.  Genet  is  a  robust  grower,  flowers  a  bright  crim- 
son, shaded  with  violet,  large  and  double,  a  superb 
rose.  Madame  Varin — an  exquisitely-formed  flow^er 
of  a  delicate  pink  color,  large  and  double,  a  vigorous 
grower.  Mademoiselle  Auguste  promises  to  be  a 
standard  flower,  color  a  bright  glossy  pink,  large 
and  double,  fine  shape,  vigorous  grower,  magnifi- 
cent. Mademoiselle  Boyer  is  a  vigorous  grower, 
flowers  glossy  pink,  cupped,  finely-shaped,  large 
and  full.  Mademoiselle  Haiman — in  this  variety  we 
have  a  new  and  lovely  color,  brilliant  cerese,  not 
very  double,  finely  cupped.  Mignard  is  a  bright 
crimson  rose,  light  edges,  fine  shape,  vigorous 
grower,  a  very  beautiful  rose.  Oderic  Vital,  a  very 
robust-growing  variety,  flowers  are  very  large, 
double,  of  a  silvery  rose.  Queen  of  Denmark  has 
been  figured  in  the  "Rose  Annual"  for  1859-'60; 
color  lilac  flesh,  transparent,  very  large  and  double, 
finely  shaped,  a  magnificent  flower.  Triomphe 
d'Avranches  is  a  beautifbl  brilliant  crimson,  very 
large  and  double,  a  superb  rose.  Virginal,  superla- 
tively beautiful,  pure  white,  large  and  double,  of 
excellent  shape,  growth  moderate,  verj--  distinct. 

Bourbon  Perpetuals. 

This  class,  less  numerous  than  the  former,  has 
given  some  pretty  flowers.  Lord  Elgin  is  a  vigor- 
ous grower,   of  fine  habit,  flowers  blackish-purple 


i    ■  il 


I'l 


^ 


.fli 


C^e  §m&^mxs  ^^nthlg. 


and  crimson,   a  very  beautiful  and    distinct  new 
flower.     Lord  Palmerston  has  flowers  cherry  red, 
full,  fine  form,  profuse  bloomer,  a  distinct  and  ex- 
quisite  rose.      Madame    Comtesse,   flowers   flesh- 
color,  large  and  full,  vigorous  grower,   beautiful. 
Thomas  Rivers  has  fully  come  up  to  its  reputation 
the  past  season,  bright  rose,  with  deep  centre,  large 
and  double,  a  vigorous  grower  and  free  bloomer. 
Bourbon  Roses. 
In  this  class  we  have  a  few  good  novelties,  though 
of  late  years  it  has  not  increased  in  numbers  as 
the  Hybrid  Perpetuals.     Comtesse  de  Barbantanne 
is  of  dwarf  habit,  flowers  flesh-color,  large,  full  and 
finely  shaped,  a  very  beautiful  flower.     Dr.  Berthct 
is  a  brilliant  cherry  red,  large  and  double,  of  fine 
form  and  vigorous  growth.     General  Blanchard— 
the  habit  of  growth  is  moderate,  flowers  transparent 
rose,  good  shape,  double,  a  pretty  flower.     L' Avenir 
proves  a  vigorous  grower  and  free  flower,  a  brilliant 
rose,  large,  full,  and  of  good  form.     Madame  Mare- 
chal,   flowers  a  clear  flesh,  white  edges,   double, 
moderate  growth,  very  good.     Monsieur  Jard  may 
be  classed  among  the  vigorous  growers,   color  a 
cherry  red,  large  and  double,  very  beautiful.     Oc- 
tave Fontaine,  white,  tinted  with  flesh-color,  fine 
form,   growth  moderate,  a  very  beautiful  flower. 
Omer  Pacha  is  of  moderate  growth,  color  brilliant 
crimson,  large  and  full,  a  superb  rose.     Souvenir  de 
rExposition— the  growth  of  this  is  moderate,  color 
dark  crimson,  dazzling,  large  and  double,  one  of  the 
finest  deep  roses  in  this  class. 

Noisette  Roses. 
Novelties  here  are  few.  Favilla,  a  vigorous 
grower,  with  flowers  of  a  puriDlish-crimson,  large 
and  double,  is  distinct  and  good.  Jane  Hardy,  like 
Isabella  Gray,  but  flowers  said  to  expand  better, 
which  has  proved  to  be  the  case  with  me,  rich  yel- 
low, large  and  very  double,  growth  vigorous,  foliage 
beautiful,  a  superb  rose.  Mademoiselle  Aristide,  a 
variety  of  much  promise,  a  luxuriant  grower  and 
free  flowerer;  color  a  pale  yellow,  centre  salmon, 
large  and  double. 

Tea-scented. 
We  have  here  many  good  new  sorts.  Archimcde, 
a  rosy  fawn,  dark  centre,  large  and  full,  growth 
moderate.  Gerard  Desbois  is  a  vigorous  grower, 
flowers  bright  red,  large  and  double,  very  showy,  a 
fine  new  flower.  Homer,  flowers  rose,  centre  sal- 
mon and  flesh,  variable,  large,  full,  globular,  growth 
very  vigorous,  a  superb  rose.  Madame  Damazin,  a 
fine  vigorous  grower,  color  a  salmon-flesh,  large, 
full  and  of  fine  form,  beautiful.  Madame  William — 
tliis  flower  I  have  bloomed  the  past  two  summers, 
and  it  has  fully  maintained  its  character  as  one  of 
the  finest  new  yellow  roses ;  Paul  described  it  as 


nearly  intermediate  between  Elize  Sauvage  and  De 
voniensis,  which  it  appears  to  be,  large,  full,  and  of 
fine  form.  President — this  fine  new  Tea  has  been 
figured  by  Paul  in  his  '*  Annual"  for  1859-'60,  and 
more  recently  by  Moore  in  the  Floral  Magazine;  color 
rose,  shaded  with  salmon,  large,  full  and  of  fine 
form,  growth  very  vigorous,  superb.  Socrates, 
deep  rose,  centre  apricot,  large  and  double,  a  vigor- 
ous grower,  fine. 


THE    CINERARIA. 

BY  W.    KEATING,    BAYOU    SARA,    LA. 

It  is  not  always  that  we  see  this  nice  and  useful 
flower  grown  or  bloomed  as  it  can  and  ought  to  be 
with  but  little  expense  and  trouble  if  it  is  done  in 
season  and  properly.  In  a  climate  like  our's,  fin- 
deed,  in  any,  j  the  chief  success  depends  on  the  first 
efforts ;  that  is,  get  the  plants  well  established  ere 
winter.  I  sow  my  seed  the  latter  end  of  August 
in  pans  half-filled  with  broken  pot-sherds,  using  a 
compost  of  equal  parts  of  peat,  leaf-mould,  and 
sand,  well  broken,  mixed,  and  sifted.  I  put  the 
coarse  sittings  over  the  pot-sherds ;  fill  with  the  fine; 
press  the  whole  nicely  with  the  bottom  of  a  flower- 
pot; sow  the  seed;  cover  lightly,  and  then  water 
with  a  fine  rose-pot.  A  close  frame,  set  on  coal- 
ashes  and  facing  the  north  is,  by  far,  the  best  posi- 
tion to  place  them  in  at  this  warm  season  ;  for  in 
this  way  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun  do  not  strike 
the  glass.  And  by  sprinkling  and  shade,  the  atmos- 
phere is  kept  moist  and  humid, — two  essential 
points  to  get  the  seed  to  germinate  quickly. 

When  they  begin  to  appear,  air  must  be  admitted ; 
but  harsh  currents  must,  at  all  stages  of  their  growth, 
be  avoided.  And  when  they  are  suflicicntly  large 
to  handle,  they  require  pricking  into  pans  or  pots 
as  directed  for  the  seed ;  returned  to  their  former 
quarters,  and  kept  close  for  two  or  three  days.  This 
rule  it  is  quite  necessary  to  adhere  to  each  time  the 
jilants  are  repotted.  By  the  time  they  cover  the 
surface  of  the  pans,  shift  into  small  pots,  and  be 
careful  to  get  them  up  with  soil  attached  to  their 
roots.  As  soon  as  they  have  filled  their  pots  with 
roots,  shift  into  larger,  and  continue  to  do  so  until 
they  are  in  a  convenient  size,  say  eight  or  nine-inch 
pots.  The  soil  now  used  ought  to  be  two  parts 
of  loam,  one  of  leaf-mould,  and  one  of  well-rotted 
cow-manure,  with  a  liberal  supply  of  sand.  This  to 
be  rough  and  well  mixed  with  pots  well  drained  will 
insure  success  under  any  circumstances,  climate,  &c. 
It  will  be  found  necessary  to  go  over  the  plants  often, 
and  remove  decayed  leaves,  &c.  ;  and  as  they  pro- 
gress in  growth,  more  room  must  be  given.  No 
plant,  perhaps,  is  more  impatient  of  heat — artificial 
heat— than  the  cineraria  ;  consequently  I  find  a  cold 


M^  darter'ss  JHonthlg. 


101 


ff 


frame  well  protected.  As  the  skill  of  the  grower 
may  devise,  the  best  place  for  them  till  coming  into 
flower,  when,  of  course,  they  will  be  removed  to 
the  stove-house  or  conservatory,  there  to  repay 
with  their  beauty  all  the  interest  bestowed  on  them. 
Some  prefer  pinching  the  flower-stems,  but  I  do 
not ;  for  by  leaving  them,  they  produce  better  and 
more  robust  blooms.  And  again,  if  pinched,  they 
are  too  liable  to  become  straggling  or  uneven,  and 
much  of  their  beauty  is  diminished.  If  they  are 
wanted  for  exhibitions,  care  must  be  bestowed  on 
forming  the  plants  and  making  even  the  heads  of 
bloom.  This  is  done  by  pressing  the  young  shoots 
down,  or  by  tying  a  string  under  the  rim  of  the  pot, 
and  laying  a  few  small  sticks  across,  fasten  them  to 
the  string,  and  then  tie  as  they  advance,  keeping 
them  both  dwarf  and  even.  I  need  hardly  remark 
that  good  named  varieties  must  be  grown  for  the 
latter  purpose  ;  and  when  done  blooming,  cut  down 
and  planted  out  on  a  shady  border  in  a  rich  sandy 
soil.  Attend  to  them  with  water,  and  in  August  or 
September  take  the  young  root-shoots  and  pot 
singly  into  small  pots,  and  follow  the  directions 
given. 

I  promised  success  under  all  circumstances.  I  did 
so  for  two  reasons.  The  first  is,  I  never  saw  a  fail- 
ure, and  I  lived  with  a  man  for  three  years  who  took 
the  first  prize  at  one  of  the  first  Metropolitan  Exhi- 
bitions in  Europe  for  a  number  of  years.  The  other 
reason  is,  when  I  came  here  to  the  South  as 
gardener  last  fall,  Mrs.  Fort,  who  is  passionately 
fond  of  flowers,  told  me  it  was  difficult,  if  not  im- 
possible, to  grow  them  in  this  warm  climate ;  but 
now  she  evinces  the  greatest  pleasure  and  some  sur- 
prise in  daily  viewing  their  health  and  strength. 

If  it  would  interest  any  of  the  readers  of  your  val- 
uable journal,  I  will  be  but  too  pleased  to  inform 
them  of  my  future  mishaps  or  success  with  the  cine- 
raria.    [Please  do. — Ed.] 


«>■>»» 


A   CHEAP 


HOT-WATER 
TANS. 


PROPAGATING- 


BY  M. 

The  principle  of  heating  by  hot  water  flowing 
through  open  tanks  was  first  invented  by  Mr.  Ren- 
dle,  a  nurseryman  at  Plymouth,  England,  about 
twenty  years  ago.  For  a  time  it  attracted  great  at- 
tention. The  simplicity  of  its  principle  and  the 
economy  with  which  it  distributed  heat,  together 
with  the  moisture  combined  with  it,  seemed  to 
foreshadow  its  universal  application  to  all  purposes 
where  bottom-heat  was  required.  Like  many  more 
good  principles,  however,  it  was  found,  in  time,  to 
be  expensive,  through  the  difficulty  of  preventing 
leakage,    unless    tanks    very    costly   in    the    first 


r^- 


outlay  were  employed,  and  consequently  the  system 
has  fallen  into  disrepute. 

Believing  that  the  principle  was  capable  of  a 
cheaper  application,  the  following  tank  was  con- 
structed three  seasons  ago,  as  an  experiment ;  but  it 
proved  so  eflacient,  that  it  has  been  suffered  to  re- 
main as  at  first  put  up,  without  any  alteration,  modi- 
fication, or  repairs.  In  fact,  matters,  which  from 
their  supposed  weakness  indicated  but  a  temporary 
use  for  the  structure,  proved  its  strong  points,  and 
the  acme  of  its  perfection. 

The  tank  is  built  on  strong  trussels,  in  and  at  the 
place  where  it  is  to  stand.  It  is  formed  of  one-inch 
white  pine  boards,  with  their  side  edges  planed 
quite  true  by  a  good  workman,  and  not  tongucd  or 
grooved.  Tongueing  and  grooving  is  an  evil.  The 
end  edges  are  cut  quite  square.  The  end  edges  are, 
in  a  manner,  tongued  and  grooved  ;  but  hoop-iron 
is  used  for  the  tongue,  and  a  groove  is  made  in  each 
of  the  two  meeting  edges  of  the  boards  by  a  saw, 
and  the  iron  forming  the  tongue  driven  tightly  into 
the  groove  thus  made.  The  iron  corrodes  a  little  in 
the  wood,  and  a  water-tight  joint  is  effected. 

Fig.  2.  Across  the  top  of  the  tank,  every  four 

or  five  feet  apart,  hoop-iron  is  stretched 
and  carried  down  the  sides  of  the  tank 
Cwhich  are  six  inches  deepj,  and  is 
fastened  to  the  edges  of  the  bottom  boards 
of  the  tank.  This  prevents  any  spread- 
ing out  by  weight  of  water  in,  or  pots 
or  soil  on  the  top  of  the  tank.  As  a 
covering  to  the  tank,  weather-boarding 
is  used.  Slate  was  thought  of;  but  on 
a  careful  balancing  of  advantages  and 
disadvantages,  profit  and  loss  decided 
on  wood.  Leaking  was  the  only  point 
feared  from  a  tank  so  cheaply  con- 
structed. To  guard  against  this,  the 
tank  was  filled  with  water,  and  a  hot 
tire,  on  a  sunny  day,  made  in  the  house. 
The  water  in  the  tank  kept  the  joints 
closed,  while  the  external  heat  caused 
the  joints  on  the  outside  to  open  near  an 
eighth  of  an  inch, into  this  caulking  f  pitch 
and  tow^  was  firmly  plugged,  the  ope- 
ration occupying  one  man  two  hours, 
and  it  has  kept  perfectly  tight  to  this  day. 
Fig.  2  is  a  "ground-plan"  of  the  tank, 
the  arrows  showing  the  circulation  of 
the  water,  which  enters  the  tank  at  a, 
passes  round  the  division-board  b  to  the 
return-pipe  c. 
The  circulation  is  eff'ected  by  the  connection  of  a 
small  boiler  and  lead-pipes  with  the  tank  fFig.  1). 
a  is  the  cast-iron  square  boiler,  bought  in  a  second- 


"f 


^ 


e 

o 


o 


i!!fi 


Cj^e  (^ixxkntxs  Hlontljlj. 


hand  iron  store.  It  holds  about  two  or  three  quarts 
of  water,  is  about  fifteen  inches  square,  and  forms 
the  head  of  the  furnace  below  (b),  of  which  c  is  the 
flue,     c  is  the  return-pipe,  placed  near  the  end  at  the 

Fig.  1. 


furnace-door,  which  is  the  coldest  part  of  the  boiler. 
/  is  the  flow-pipe,  at  the  warmest  end  of  the  boiler. 
The  pipes  are  of  lead,  soldered  on  to  the  cast-iron 
nipples  of  the  boiler  at  </,  the  whole  of  which  is  im- 
bedded in  the  brick  and  mortar  work  of  the  furnace, 
the  flue  of  which  (c)  runs  along  in  the  house  under 
the  tank. 

It  was  supposed  that  the  circulation  w.uld  be 
aided  by  making  the  return-pipe  (e)  larger  than  the 
flow  C/j,  and  by  carrying  the  flow  two  inches  above 
the  bottom  of  the  tank,  where  it  curves  a  little  (h)-^ 
i  being  the  bottom,  and  k  the  end  of  the  tank, 
which,  as  represented  in  Fig.  2,  is  thirty  feet  long 
by  three  wide.  Leather  washers  are  put  around  the 
pipes  at  their  connection  with  the  tank,  white-lead 
put  under  them,  and  nailed  closely  down  with  tacks 
to  prevent  leakage  there.  With  but  two  inches  of 
water  in  the  tank,  and  a  moderate  fi.e,  the  tempera- 
ture of  the  water  at  the  flow-pipes  is  120^,  at  the 
return  90"^,  having  lost  30^  in  its  circuit  of  sixty 
feet.  When  there  is  necessity  of  a  very  strong  fire 
on  cold  nights,  three  or  more  inches  of  water  is  put 
in  the  tank,  which  keeps  it  from  getting  too  hot. 

The  whole  of  this  structure,  including  tank,  pipes, 
and  boiler,  Cfurnace  and  flue  had  been  built  before,) 
labor  and  materials  was  under  twenty-five  dollars, 
and  is  deemed  as  durable  and  su'^stantial  as  if  one 
hundred  dollars  had  been  spent  on  it.  "Nothing 
new"  is  claimed  for  the  principles,  as  "the  critics" 
may  be  informed  in  advance  ;  but  for  substantiality 
and  cheapness,  it  cannot  be,  perhaps,  surpassed. 
Hundreds  have  been  since  built  on  the  same  model 


by  many  enterprising  nurserymen  and  amateurs  in 
different  parts  of  our  country,  to  the  great  satisfac- 
tion of  the  writer  of  this  chapter,  who  feels  more 
pride  in  the  substantial  advancement  of  the  interests 
of  horticulture  and  horticulturists,  than  anxiety  for 
any  particular  credit  his  humble  labors  may  be 
worth. 

Since  writing  the  above,  an  article  in  the  Country 
Gentleman,  by  Mr.  J.  Salter,  of  Rochester,  details  a 
very  expensive  affair  erected  by  that  gentleman,  the 
inside  lined  with  lead,  &c.,  and  which  contains  the 
astonishing  announcement  that  the  system  of  heat- 
ing houses  by  shallow  hot-water  tanks,  instead  of 
pipes,  originated  with  him!  But  the  description  of 
misapplied  power  the  article  furnishes,  shows  that 
Mr.  Salter  was  not  really  acquainted  with  the  history 
of  tank-heating,  and  that  in  the  originality  of  his 
idea  he  is,  honestly  mistaken. 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING. 

BY   THOMAS   MCCLUNIE,  WESTERLY,  U.  I. 

It  has  been  asked.  Is  landscape- gardening  an  aii  or  a 
trade?  I  should  say  it  is  as  much  one  as  the  other. 
Mechanical  arts  are  trades.  The  fine  arts  are  more 
scientific,  and  call  forth  a  greater  exercise  of  mind, 
refinement,  and  natural  good  taste.  Landscape-gar- 
dening may  be  defined  as  a  science,  practical  in  its 
developments.  It  embraces  good  taste  in  arrange- 
ment, combined  with  scientific  and  practical  garden- 
ing, applied  to  beautify  the  landscape. 

Simple  gardening,  or  gardening  without  landscape 
prefixed,  is  also  a  science,  practical  in  its  develop- 
ments. It  embraces  botany  and  a  knowledge  of  the 
various  kinds  of  care  each  plant  requires.  Chemistry 
also  aids  it. 

Landscape-gardening,  like  good  taste,  is  a  gift, 
and  every  lover  of  the  fine  arts  is  supposed  to  pos- 
sess the  gift  of  good  taste.  The  height  of  good 
taste  is  the  love  of  nature.  But  it  is  necessary  first 
to  familiarize  ourselves  with  nature's  forms,  before 
we  can  form  a  model  of  taste. 

It  is  the  pursuit  of  every  good  gardener  to  know 
the  real  character  of  the  plants  he  is  dealing  with. 
It  is  the  gardener's  business  to  assist  nature  and  pro- 
vide for  the  wants  of  the  plant,  that  it  may  develope 
itself  in  healthy  beauty.  So,  on  these  grounds,  we 
would  claim  that  it  takes  a  gardener  to  be  a  landscape- 
gardener. 

I  would  not  count  a  man  not  a  landscape-gardener 
because  he  was  not  born  and  brought  up  in  a  garden; 
but  he  should  be  a  practical  gardener.  It  is  the  study 
of  a  lifetime  to  be  a  proficient  in  all  the  branches  of 
gardening,  and  too  much  time  cannot  be  afforded  to 
mere  extraneous  branches. 


S^h^  §ar(tmcr'55  JItonthlg. 


1 


@ 


m 


I  would  not  blame  the  Frenchman,  German,  or 
New  Yorker  with  the  faults  Mr.  Woodward  pro- 
poses. But  too  much  of  any  thing  is  a  hindrance, 
—not  more  so  to  gardening,  in  particular,  than  to 
any  thing  else. 

I  never  meant  to  say  that  because  a  man  may  be 
a  proficient  in  any  other  business,  that  he  is  unfitted 
for  the  duties  of  a  landscape-gardener ;  but  he  is 
unqualified  to  beautify  the  landscape  to  an  exalted 
degree  of  perfection,  unless  he  is  or  has  been  a  prac- 
tical gardener. 

As  illustrative  of  these  views,  I  would  further  re- 
mark:    First.  Landscape-gardening  is  gardening.— 
The  MAKING  BEAUTIFUL  by  tlic  scientific  and  prac- 
tical   application    of   planting,    digging,    levelling, 
mounding,  dressing,  building,  or  removing  unsightly 
objects.     Also  manuring,  draining,  and  general  im- 
provement of  the  soil,  that  grass,  trees  and  flow- 
ers,  vegetables  and  fruit   may  grow  to  perfection 
when  planted.     And  it  is  of  the  utmost  importance 
that  the  designer  should  be  able  to  direct  the  work, 
or  to  do  it.     If  he  is  not,  his  qualifications  to  design 
are  of  the  most  limited  nature.     lie  may  see  the 
castle  or  garden  in  the  air,  but  he  cannot  command 
the  material  to  make  it  permanent.     He  may  tliink 
he  can  go  to  the  nursery  and  get  what  trees  suit 
him,  and  so  on  ;  but  the  trees  will  not  remain  as  he 
plants  them.     The  big  tree,  costing  five  dollars,  will 
be  outstripped  in  three  or  four  years  by  the  little  one 
at  its  side  that  you  paid  twenty-five  cents  for ;  and 
that  handsome  little  evergreen  that  he  planted  on 
the  walk,  will   probably  have  to  be   cut  down  or 
trimmed  out  of  shape  in  two  years,  because  its 
branches  will  extend  twenty  feet  in  diameter  in  a 
very  little  while.     Paint  remains  where  the  painter 
puts  it,  but  your  trees  run  away  and  spoil  the  pic- 
ture. 

And  so  a  gardener  must  know  the  proportions 
that  his  trees  will  attain.  He  has  this  foreknow- 
ledge to  govern  his  taste  in  creation  of  landscape 

scenery. 

A  farmer,  to  have  healthy  stock,  must  know  how 
to  feed  them.  Chickens  and  horses  do  not  feed 
alike ;  neither  do  plants,  and  a  gardener  knows  their 
necessities.  Science  is  often  lost  without  a  know- 
ledge of  minute  practical  details.  Even  Barnum 
has  been  humbugged  by  the  lack  of  it.  While  on 
his  farm  at  Bridgeport  he  read  in  the  New  York 
Herald,  that  to  steep  potatoes  in  copperas-water  for 
a  given  time,  would  prevent  the  rot.  It  is  said  he 
did  so,  and  planted  them ;  so  they  did  neither  rot 
nor  grow.  And  an  inexperienced  hand  in  tree- 
planting,  when  attempting  grace  and  case  in  design, 
may  produce  the  reverse  by  injudicious  combination. 

A  doctor  sent  an  order  to  an  apothecary  for  two 


articles,  to  be  applied  separately  to  a  patient ;  but  as 
"separately"  was  not  mentioned  in  the  order,  Cthe 
doctor  thought  it  unnecessary,  supposing  the  apothe- 
cary should  know,;  the  apothecary  put  up  the  arti- 
cles in  one  bottle.  The  doctor  coming  in,  inquired, 
"What  have  you  done?  Don't  you  know  that 
these  combined  make  a  deadly  poison?"  The 
apothecary  laughingly  applied  the  bottle  to  his 
mouth,  and  said,  "Haven't  I  drank  them  repeated- 
ly ?"  then  fell  backwards  and  died. 

So  in  gardening,— things  well  enough  by  them- 
selves work  badly  together.  An  injudicious  appli- 
cation of  fertilizers  will  kill  a  tree  or  plant,  and  an 
injudicious  combination  of  trees,  &c.,  will  kill  all 

harmony. 

Landscape-gardening  is  not  absurdly  inexccssable. 
If  you  are  a  good  gardener,  you  only  want  to  add 
the  gift  of  good  taste,  and  improve  the  combination. 
Mark  what  has  been  done  in  the  art,  and  excel  it  if 

you  can. 

Many  a  good  horticulturist  and  florist  are  not 
skilled  nor  have  the  taste  to  lay  out  grounds ;  but 
from  the  gardeners  we  would  select  or  make  the 
landscape-gardeners,  as  a  captain  would  select  a  mate 
from  experienced  navigators. 

All  the  absurdity  concerning  architects,  surveyors, 
civil  engineers,  draughtsmen,  and  painters  becoming 
landscape-gardeners,  is  that  they  should,  all  at  once, 
become  possessed  of  those  acquirements  that  take 
professional  men  a  lifetime  to  learn  ! 

I  never  read  Mr.  Copeland's  work  on  the  subject, 
but  am  pleased  to  think  my  views  agree  with  his. 


NOTES    ON    THE    LAWN  GRASS   SUBSTI- 
TUTB-SPBRGULA    PILIFERA. 

BY  B.  C.  TOWNSKND,  ESQ.,  BAY  KIDGE,  LONG  ISLAND, 
AND    n.   W.     SARGENT,     ESQ.,    WODENETIIE,    N.    Y. 

The  following  is  an  extract  of  a  note  from  Mr. 
Townsend,  received  too  late  for  our  last  number. 
We  enclosed  it  to  Mr.  Sargent  in  the  interim,  and 
have  been  favored  with  further  particulars  from  him, 
and  the  two  letters  together  will  be  read  with  great 
interest  by  the  whole  public  who  have  been  watch- 
ing for  the  eariiest    reliable    information    on  tlie 

subject. 

With  regard  to  Mr.  Townsend's  observation  on 
the  sand  ol"  Long  Island  we  may  remark,  that  the 
English  themselves  have  conceded  its  unfitness  for 
such  soils,  and  recommend  for  this,  instead,  the 
Sperqnla  procumbcns,  which,  they  say,  does  well  in 
sandy  places.  The  following  are  Mr.  Townsend's 
observations : 

"The  Sporgula  is  greatly  eulogized  in  England, 
and,  althongirthere  is  even  there  some  little  hesita- 


m. 


r<^ 


*l 


Mil  dardfwr'a  JJtonthlg. 


tion  to  cntirelj-^  endorse  its  use  in  some  quarters,  yet 
the  bullc  of  the  testimony  seems  to  be  in  favor  of 
introducing  it  in  all  gardens  where  high  finish  is  re- 
quired, and  for  lawns  even  of  considerable  size,  as 
it  saves  the  great  labor  with  the  scythe,  and  only 
needs  rolhng  say  once  a  week.  I  am  somewhat 
discouraged  in  my  own  trials  of  it ;  but  as  I  live  in 
a  decidedly  sandy  district  and  did  not  prepare  soil 
especially  for  it,  it  may  be  that  the  trial  is  not  a  fair 
one,  and  if  it  answers  in  localities  where  a  loamy 
soil  abounds,  and  answers  well  or  stands  the  intense 
heat  of  summer,  I  should,  on  learning  that  it  thus 
succeeded,  feel  inclined  to  prepare  soil  especially 
adapted  to  its  culture.  On  my  return  from  England 
in  July  last,  where  I  had  seen  it  doing  finely  with 
the  heavy  rains  they  had  there,  I  was  much  pleased 
to  see  my  plot  Cwhich  was  planted  early  from  young 
plants  pricked  from  pots  from  seed  sown  early,  and, 
by-the-byc,  the  seed  germinates  very  readily)  look- 
ing of  a  fine  healthy  green,  and  completely  covering 
the  soil,  although  single  plants  were  pricked  in  at 
about  two  inches  apart.  It  thus  spreads  and 
covers  the  surface  close  and  evenly.  But  in  the 
months  of  August  and  September,  what  with  the 
intense  heat  and  want  of  rain,  it  began  to  die  out  in 
great  brown  patches,  looking  altogether  in  a  very 
wretched  condition,  showing  it  to  be,  in  a  sandy 
soil,  although  well  and  deeply  trenched,  quite  un- 
suitable. The  fall  rains  seemed  to  revive  it,  and 
from  the  bare  spots  the  roots  began  to  start  again 
and  throw  a  new  growth  thinly,  but  it  never  recov- 
ered a  decent  appearance.  It  is  now  covered  with 
snow,  and  what  its  condition  may  be  next  spring 
remains  to  be  seen  ;  but  unless  I  am  encouraged  by 
trials  in  other  quarters  or  soils  which  may  seem 
better  adapted  to  its  culture,  I  shall  abandon  the  at- 
tempt to  grow  it. 

"For  those  who  know  the  labor  connected  with 
the  proper  keeping  of  a  lawn  in  this  country,  even 
with  the  patent  mowers,  this  grass  promised  a  great 
relief,  and  in  my  district  much  interest  is  felt  in  the 
matter.  If,  therefore,  you  can,  from  other  experi- 
ence, encourage  us  to  persevere,  I  should  be  glad  to 
know  it.  If  not,  perhaps  the  experience  here  nar- 
rated may  save  much  unnecessary  labor  of  the  same 
kind;  for  there  are,  doubtless,  many  like  myself 
either  in  a  quandary  or  possessing  information  which 
we  all  want." 

Under  date  of  February  25,  Mr.  Townsend  writes : 
"Since  I  wrote  last,  the  snow  has  disappeared, 
and  my  plot  of  it  looks  wretched,  indeed.     I  feel  al- 
most certain  that  it  will  not  succeed  on  sandy  soils. 
The  sun  in  the  height  of  the  season  will  destroy  it." 
Mr.  Sargent  writes: 
I  cannot  really  say  any  thing  definite  about  the 


Spergula.  It  certainly  has  not  gone  on  progress- 
ively improving,  and  yet  it  has  not  failed  sulficiently 
to  warrant  its  rejection  without  further  trial.  I 
should  say,  in  a  few  words,  that  it  certainly  seems 
to  do  better  in  the  winter  than  in  the  summer ;  or 
rather  to  stand  the  winter  better  than  the  summer. 
Even  this  remark  should  be  qualified,  because  it  has 
not  been  tried  fby  me,  at  least,)  in  an  open  winter. 
Under  snow,  and  even  under  transparent  ice,  it 
comes  out  beautifully  green  and  fresh,  and  continues 
to  hold  its  color  perfectly  well  uncovered  since  the 
snow^  has  disappeared,  though  every  lawn  that  sur- 
rounds it  is  quite  brown. 

"I  think  I  could  venture  to  say,  from  two  win- 
ters' experience,  that  I  do  not  fear  the  cold.  But  I 
am  not  so  sure  about  the  heat.  The  experience  of 
your  correspondent  from  Bay  Ridge  is  similar  to 
mine.  In  July  and  August  it  certainly  does  get 
spotty  and  die  back  in  brown  patches,  which  would 
destroy  its  value  for  a  lawn ;  and  yet  I  do  not  know 
that  it  looks  worse  than  many  young  lawns  do  in  se- 
vere droughts. 

"I  have  observed  that  when  the  sods  get  thick 
fsome  of  mine  are  from  two  to  three  inches  thick) 
and  form  a  deep,  dense  mat,  like  a  piece  of  green 
velvet  three  or  four  times  doubled,  that  the  sun  does 
not  affect  them,  but  they  preserve  their  color  and 
elasticity  through  the  hottest  weather,  but  patches 
of  it,  only  one-quarter  to  one-half  an  inch  thick, 
scorch  and  wither  irregularly. 

"I  cannot,  therefore,  help  hoping  that  when  the 
sods  get  well  established,  thick  and  tough,  that  the 
heavy,  dense,  closely -packed  mat  they  form,  aided 
by  the  deeply-descending  roots,  may  make  it  valua- 
ble in  the  same  way  as  an  old  sod  resists  drought 
when  a  newly -laid-down  lawn  will  not. 

"I  shall  certainly  act  upon  this  impression  for 
another  year  before  I  abandon  it ;  for  I  am  not  with- 
out belief  that  we  may  be  able  to  establish  it  in  this 
country,  though  it  will  require  longer  time  and  more 
perseverance  than  in  the  moister  climate  of  Eng- 
land." 

ToRrEYA  GKANDis  is,  in  its  native  habitat,  a  noble 
tree,  rising  to  the  height  of  100  feet,  and  perfectly 
hardy ;  so  nuich  so,  as  to  have  stood  the  last  winter 
out  of  doors  at  Hamburgh. 


C.  D.  Goodrich's  Seedling  Potatoes. — In  the 
Prairie  Farmer  of  Dec.  G,  Oliver  Taylor,  of  Loudon, 
Virginia,  who  has  thoroughly  tested  Mr.  Goodrich's 
seedling  potatoes,  among  which  are  the  "Early 
Peruvian,"  says  it  has  not  its  equal  in  all  the  charac- 
teristics of  a  good  potato,  also  the  "Garnet  Chili" 
and  "New  Kidney,"  which  have  many  good  quali- 
ties. 


W^\  (^mkm\  Jftonthlg. 


ENTOMOLOGICAL    ESSAY. 

Read  before  the  FruU- Growers'  Association  of  Eastern  Pennsylvania  at  Us  Meeting  in  West  Cliesler,  on  the  13th  day  of  June,  1860. 

BY    S.    S.    RATHVON,    ENTOMOLOGIST    OF    THE    ASSOCIATION. 

{Continued  from   Page    71.) 
INJURIOUS  INSECTS. 

As  to  the  remedies  to  be  employed  for  the  destruction  of  insects,  much  remains  for  development;  and 
therefore  I  would  suggest  to  gardeners  and  fruit-growers,  that  they  avail  themselves  of  all  the  means  that 
may  come  to  their  knowledge,  unless  they  have  reason  to  believe  that  the  remedy  would  be  worse  than  the 
disease,  and  would  involve  the  injury  of  their  vegetables  and  trees  to  a  greater  extent  than  if  the  insects 
were  not  disturbed.  Many  of  the  remedies  employed,  however,  for  preventing  the  curculio  from  attacking 
fruit,  can  do  no  harm,  if  they  do  no  good  ;  at  the  same  time  they  betray  a  great  ignorance  of  the  capabilities 
of  the  insect.  Smearing  the  trunks  of  the  trees  with  a  band  of  tar  or  other  sticky  substance,  or  tying  raw 
cotton  around  them  to  prevent  the  insect  from  walking  up  the  tree  to  get  at  the  fruit,  seems  to  be  a  very 
simple  contrivance  to  baffle  such  an  enemy  as  (he  curculio  is.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  this  insect  is 
provided  with  an  ample  pavr  of  wings,  which  lie  folded  up  under  its  rough  wing-covers,  and  that,  when 
occasion  requires,  it  can  also  make  ample  use  of  them.  Spreading  a  sheet  under  the  tree  and  jarring  it, 
morning  and  evening,-when  the  insect  mimics  death  and  will  drop  into  the  sheet,  and  should  be  imme- 
diately burned,  for  he  does  not  long  continue  thus  to  "act  the  pos3um,"-scems  to  be  the  most  practical 
remedy.  There  are  some  insects,  however,  that  may  be  prevented  from  ascending  trees  by  the  employment 
of  gum,  or  tar,  or  some  other  sticky  substance,  either  smeared  on  the  bark  or  on  a  rim  of  leather  or  paper 
placed  around  the  trunk  of  the  trees.  There  are  a  number  of  destructive  caterpillars,  the  female  parents 
of  which  are  destitute  of  wings  ;  and  as  some  of  these  undergo  their  transformations  in  the  ground,  when 
they  come  out  they  cannot  ascend  into  the  tree  to  deposit  their  eggs,  for  their  progress  up  it*  trunk  will  be 
interrupted  by  the  contrivance  alluded  to.  But  there  must  be  frequent  renewals  of  this  smearing, 
and  it  must  be  of  such  consistency  as  not  soon  to  harden,  in  order  to  have  the  intended  effect. 

At  the  proper  season  the  flowers  of  the  JilaiUhus  should  be  collected  and  dried  and  kept  for  such  occasions 
as  they  may  be  needed.  A  decoction  of  these  flowers,  or  of  tobacco,  or  of  soap  and  salt,  or  of  lime-water, 
is  of(en  useful  for  the  expulsion  of  aphides,  rose-bugs,  cucumber-beetles,  and  other  insects,  if  assiduously 
applied  and  at  the  proper  time.  With  these  remarks,  I  conclude  this  part  of  the  subject,  and  call  the  atten- 
tion of  the  SocieU^  to  the  consideration  of  a  few  species  of  insects  that  are  our  most  efficient  auxiliaries  in 
reducing  the  population  of  those  insects  that  are  hurtful  to  vegetation. 

BENEFICIAL  INSECTS. 

In  this  concluding  part  of  my  remarks  I  propose  to  introduce  a  few  of  the  insects  beneficial  to  man,  or  not 
his  enemies,  in  order  to  contrast  them  with  those  described  as  noxious  or  hurtful. 

1st.  Cirindelasexguttata,  F^h.  -  Green  Tiger  Beetle."  Plate  IV.  fig.  1.  Length,  half  an  inch  ;  color,  a 
bright  green,  sometimes  a  blueish  green;  three  small  white  spots  on  each  wing-cover,  one  at  the  end  and 
the  other  two  on  the  outer  margin,  the  upper  one  of  which  is  about  midway  between  the  base  and  apex  of 
the  wing-cover;  in  some  specimens  one  or  more  of  these  white  spots  are  wanting,  and  in  others  they 
entirely  disappear;  legs  and  antennae,  long  and  slender,  and  of  the  same  green  color ;  eyes  and  mandibles, 
prominent.  In  its  habit  it  is  predaceous,  and  lives  on  other  insects,  of  which  it  destroys  immense  numbers 
both  in  its  larva  and  perfect  state.  The  larva  of  this  insect  burrows  in  the  ground,  where  it  traps  insect 
prey.  In  the  perfect  state  it  is  found  above  ground  along  beaten  paths  in  warm  days,  on  the  constant  look- 
out  for  other  insects.     This  species  is  not  so  common  as  some  others,  but  wider  diffused. 

U.  Cicindela  generosa,  Dei.  «  New  York  Tiger  Beetle."  Plate  IV.  fig.  2.  Length,  from  five-eighths 
to  three-quarters  of  an  inch;  color,  dark  bronze;  a  wide  margin  of  white  around  the  outer  edges  of  the 
wine-covers,  with  three  white  marks  running  across  them  from  the  margin  towards  the  middle,  one  of 
which  is  longest,  very  nearly  reaching  to  the  suture,  and  is  bent,  at  nearly  a  right  angle,  backwards  and 
terminates  in  a  round  or  recurved  end;  the  antennae  and  the  legs  are  a  dark  green  metallic  color,  and  not 
so  long  and  slender  as  in  the  immediately  foregoing  species.  This  is  the  largest  species  of  Ctcindela  in  the 
United  States  of  which  I  have  specimens,  and  perhaps  the  very  largest.  It  is  more  frequently  found  in 
New  York  State,  and  in  Northern  Pennsylvania  than  in  the  southern  districts  of  the  State.  Our  common 
species,  C.  vulgaris,  Say,  resembles  this  species  very  much,  only  it  is  not  quite  so  large.  As  their  habits 
are  all  very  similar,  therefore,  for  all  practical  purposes,  a  figure  of  one  is  as  good  as  that  of  another,  for 
they  cannot  fail  to  impress  the  form  of  the  insect  upon  the  minds  of  those  who  once  see  them. 


,i 


.^>T 


I 


®ft4  (§Mmtr\  Jftonthlg. 


2nd.  Cicindela  blanda,  Be}.  "Missouri  Tiger  Beetle."  Plate  IV.  fig.  3.  Length,  three-eighths  of  an 
inch;  color,  light  brown,  slightly  metallic;  outer  margin  of  the  wing-covers  dull  white,  with  two  bent 
streaks  of  white  running  in  from  the  margin  towards  the  centre;  underneath,  a  shiny  metallic  deep  green; 
legs  and  antennae,  long  and  very  delicate.  Fig,  4  is  the  larva  of  a  Cicindela,  showing  the  general  form,  in 
order  that  they  may  be  recognized  by  the  amateur  when  they  are  seen.  They  are  a  yellowish  or  dusky 
grub,  with  powerful  jaws,  and  a  hump  upon  the  back  of  the  eighth  segment,  with  a  pair  of  hooks  or  spines 
bent  forward  upon  it.  It  is  by  means  of  this  instrument  that  this  grub  throws  the  earth  up  out  of  its 
burrow,  which  is  a  perpendicular  hole,  in  which  it  secretes  itself  and  watches  for  its  prey.  This  species  is 
very  abundant  in  Missouri  and  other  Western  States ;  found  also  in  Pennsylvania  and  elsewhere.  The 
same  in  habits  as  the  foregoing.  In  1853  there  were  fifty-eight  species  of  these  insects  catalogued  and 
described  under  the  genua  Cicindela,  as  inhabiting  the  United  States.  The  three  species  here  exhibited  will 
be  sufficient  to  form  an  idea  of  what  the  insect  is.  They  must,  however,  not  be  confounded  by  the  super- 
ficial with  the  genus  Donacea,  to  which  they  have  some  resemblance,  and  which  are  plant-feeders. 

3rd.  Galerita  Americana,  Fab.  "Large  Bomardier."  Plate  IV.  fig.  5.  Length,  about  seven-eighths  of 
an  inch  ;  color  of  the  thorax,  a  light  or  reddish  brown  ;  the. head  and  under  body,  black  ;  the  wing-covers, 
black,  with  a  blueish  velvety  tinge;  antennae,  a  darker  brown  than  the  thorax,  especially  the  intermediate 
joints;  legs  and  antennae,  long  and  formed  for  running.  In  the  absence  of  a  common  name  for  this  beetle, 
I  have  called  it  the  "large  bombardier,"  to  distinguish  it  from  the  true  bombardiers,  which  are  smaller  in 
size  and  belong  to  the  genus  Brachynus.  When  surprised,  the  true  bombardiers  are  capable  of  making  a 
gaseous  explosion,  whence  their  common  name.  They  are  all  predaceous  in  their  habits,  and  are,  there- 
fore, insect  friends  to  us.  There  are  four  or  five  species  of  Galerita  and  over  thirty  species  of  Brachynus 
known  to  entomologists  in  the  United  States,  and  about  fifty  species  belonging  to  genera  intermediate 
between  them.     Partial  to  low,  moist  grounds. 

4th.  Calosoma  scrutator,  Fab.  "Green  Calosoma."  Plate  IV.  fig.  6.  Length,  from  an  inch  and  a 
quarter  to  an  inch  and  a  half;  wing-covers,  a  bright  green  color,  finely  lined  lengthwise  and  with  a  narrow 
bright  coppery  margin ;  legs,  steel  blue  ;  underneath  streaked  crosswise  with  green  and  brassy  or  coppery 
bands  ;  head,  dark  metallic  green  or  bronze  ;  legs,  long  and  amply  fitted  for  running.  This  is  a  most  beau- 
tiful and  useful  insect,  and  is  widely  diffused,  although  not  so  abundant  as  some  other  species.  A  smaller 
species,  very  similar  to  this  one  (C  Willcoxii  Lec.^,  is  very  abundant  in  Maryland,  and  perhaps,  also,  in 
other  Southern  States.  I  have  often  found  this  insect,  and  also  another  species  of  nearly  tiie  same  size,  but 
of  a  uniform  black  color,  with  a  narrow  blue  margin  fC.  externum,  Say^,  mashed  flat  upon  the  ground; 
no  doubt  intentionally  trodden  upon  by  persons  who  mistakenly  supposed  it  to  be  an  insect  enemy,  for  the 
insect  is  too  active  for  this  to  occur  so  often  accidentally. 

5th.  Calosoma  calidum,  Fab.  or  "  Golden-spotted  Calosoma."  Plate  IV.  fig.  7.  Length,  about  one  inch; 
color,  black  above  and  beneath  ;  three  rows  of  bright  brassy  or  coppery  spots  upon  ea-h  wing-cover;  thorax, 
short;  legs,  long  and  formed  for  running;  antennae,  moderately  long  and  slender.  This  is  the  most  common 
species  of  this  genus  we  have  out  of  the  thirteen  native  ones  that  constitute  it.  These  insects  are  genera^ 
favorites  among  European  gardeners,  by  whom  all  their  merits  are  thoroughly  known.  These  are  the 
insects  to  which  allusion  has  been  made  as  having  been  colonized  in  gardens  to  protect  vegetation  from  the 
destructive  insects  which  attack  it  both  above  and  underground;  and  I  have  introduced  them  here  in  order 
to  familiarize  with  their  appearance  those  who  may  feel  an  interest  in  them. 

Fig.  8  is  the  larva  of  the  genus  Calosoma.  They  are  usually  a  yellowish  or  dirty-white  grub  with  six 
legs ;  the  head  and  thorax  or  first  segment  black,  sometimes  glossy  black,  and  a  black  scale  or  shield  on 
each  segment,  larger  or  smaller,  according  to  the  species.  These  scales  do  not  quite  cover  the  back,  the 
naked  flesh  of  the  segments,  surmounted  by  little  concretions  or  warts,  extending  beyond.  They  live  in 
the  ground,  and  destroy  the  worms  and  grubs  of  other  insects.  They  arc  said,  also,  to  come  above  ground, 
and  even  to  ascend  trees,  in  company  with  the  mature  insect,  in  quest  of  the  various  caterpillars  that  infest 
them.  I  have  found  them  under  logs  of  wood  and  in  stone-piles,  but  not  very  common.  Like  all  darkling 
or  ground-beetles,  neither  the  larvae  nor  the  mature  insects  are  often  seen,  except  when  surprised  under  a 
cover,  and  when  they  come  abroad  they  quickly  secrete  themselves  at  the  least  approach  of  danger. 

6th.     Carabics  carinatus,  Bc}.,  or  "Keeled  Carabus."     Plate  IV.  fig.  9.     Length,  from  seven-eighths  to 
one  inch;  color,  dull  black;  wing-covers,  finely  lived  with  three  rows  of  longish  raise!  marks  of  uaciua 
lengths  on  each,  like  telegraphic  writing;  antennae,  about  half  the  length  of  the  insect,  and  legs  long  and 
formed  for  running.     Fig.  10,  the  larva  of  the  genus  Carabus.     Length,  one  inch,  more  or  less,  according 


Wxti  iardcnw's  Jftonthlg. 


to  the  species  ;  color,  dull  or  shining  black;  the  segments  lapping  each  other  on  the  back  like  scales  ;  legs, 
antennae  and  palpi,  prominent;  the  terminal  segment  bicaudate,  or  ending  with  two  lobes  or  points.  We 
have  some  fifteen  or  twenty  species  of  these  insects  in  the  United  States,  that  have  been  already  described, 
and  on  the  Continent  of  Europe  the  number  of  species  is  more  than  three  times  that  number.  They  also 
belong  to  the  Carniverous  Beetles,  and,  from  the  fact  of  their  being  generally  hid  during  the  day  under 
stones  or  in  dark  places,  they  have  received  the  common  name  of  "Darkling  Beetles 

7th.     Plate  IV.  fig.  11.     Chlo&neus  sericeus,  Forster.  "  Green  Musk  Beetle."  Length,  about  five-eighths  of 
an  inch  ;  color,  a  rich,  lustrous  dark  green  above,  and  dark  brown  below  ;  legs,  pale  yellowish,  or  very  lig 
brown ;  antenna?,  yellow  at  the  base,  and  brown  intermediately  and  at  the  ends.    These  insects  are  tolerably 
abundant  in  low  grounds  and  meadows,  and  are  very  pretty,  but  scamper  off  with  the  greatest  alacrity  when 
surprised. 

8th.  ChlcBneus  nemoralis.  Say,  or  "  Musk  Beetle."  Plate  IV.  fig.  12.  Length,  about  half  an  inch  ;  color 
of  the  thorax,  green ;  the  color  of  the  wing-covers  is  a  changeable  velvety  brown ;  legs  and  antennce,  a 
light  brown.  Forty  or  fifty  species  of  these  are  known  to  naturalists.  They  have  a  strong,  pungent,  and 
musky  smell.  They  are  seldom  found  abroad  during  daylight,  but  they,  nevertheless,  do  good  service 
under  ground,  or  during  the  night,  when  they  go  abroad  in  search  of  prey. 

9th.  Harpalus  Pennsylvanicus,  DeG.  Hatpalus  faunas.  Say.  Plate  IV.  figs.  14  and  15.  Length,  about 
half  an  inch;  the  color  of  fig.  His  black,  and  that  of  fig.  15  a  light  brown;  legs  and  antennae,  a  dirty  white 
or  whitish-brown ;  wing-covers,  finely  lined  lengthwise.  These  are  two  examples  of  one  of  our  most 
common  "Ground  Beetle,"  and  are  widely  distributed  throughout  the  country.  There  are  about  fifty 
species  of  the  genus  Harpalus,  but  there  are  at  least  four  hundred  species  of  allied  genera  between  it  an 
Chlceneus.  A  few  of  these  are  suspected  of  feeding  on  vegetation,  as  well  as  on  animal  food.  I  think,  on 
the  whole,  we  may  regard  them  as  our  friends,  until  we  can  convict  them  of  some  overt  act  of  infidelity. 

10th.  Pangus  caliginosus,  F&h.  "Black  Earth  Beetle."  Plate  IV.  fig.  13.  Length,  about  one  inch ; 
color,  uniformly  dull  or  shining  black;  wing-covers,  marked  longitudinally  with  numerous  raised  lines. 
This  is  a  very  common  insect,  found  in  nearly  all  localities  and  nearly  all  seasons  of  the  year.  It  is  on  y 
excelled  in  numbers  by  figs.  14  and  15.  Sometimes  found  crossing  a  path,  but  generally  hid  among  grass 
or  stones,  or  under  wood  or  fences. 

nth.  D/cff/us  di/tfte/u.5,  Say.  "  Dilated  Earth  Beetle."  Plate  IV.  fig.  16.  Length,  three-quarters  ol 
an  inch;  color,  shining  black;  body,  thickened;  wing-covers,  with  deep  longitudinal  raised  lines;  thorax, 
indented  behind,  and  united  evenly  with  the  base  of  the  wing-covers.  About  thirty  species  oi  these 
insects  are  known  to  inhabit  the  United  States.  They  are  common  as  far  north  as  the  State  of  Maine  and 
far  south  as  Alabama,  to  my  knowledge,  having  received  them  from  both  those  States,  as  well  as 


as 


intermediate  localities. 


«•••» 


GRAPES  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS  OP  NEW  YORK. 

BY  WILLIAM  A.  WOODWARD,  MORTONVILLE,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  Editor  :— I  am  a  subscriber  to  the  Monthly,  and,  as  in  a  recent  number  you  request  each  subscriber 
to  consider  himself  a  correspondent,  Ecce  procurator!  Surrounded  by  mountains  in  latitude  41°  30  mm. 
north,  where  the  thermometer  ranged,  on  the  13th  of  January,  18G1,  in  different  localities,  at  20^,  24o, 
29p,  330  and  36o  below  zero,  I  propose  to  indite  an  article  on  Grapes. 

The  wild  varieties,  including  the  barren  and  fruitful,  are  very  numerous,  some  of  them  producing  fine 
fruit  and  making  delicious  wine.     On  my  farm,  four  hundred  feet  above  the  Hudson,  they  come  up  spon- 
taneously.    I  have  destroyed  many  hundred  vines,  and  there  are  large  numbers  remaining.     I  am  happy 
to  say,  too,  that  I  have  a  fine  vineyard  of  the  cultivated  varieties,  which  appear  to  be  doing  well  in  the 
open  air.     Vineyards  are  quite  numerous  about  here,  containing  from  one  to  twelve  and  fourteen  acres. 
Until  last  season,  they  have  paid  large  profits.     The  season  of  18G0  was  a  peculiar  one  in  the  highlands 
of  the  Hudson.     The  weather  was  unusually  wet  from  the  20th  of  July  till  the  close  of  the  season  ;  con- 
sequently, grapes  hitherto  free  from  rot,  suffered  much.     Diana,  Catawba,  Concord,  and  To-Kalon  were 
nearly  destroyed  by  it.     My  Catawbas  ripened  on  the  Gth,  and  Isabellas  on  the  Uth  of  October,  much 
later  than  usual,  and  reversing  the  order  of  ripening.     My  last  picking  of  Isabellas  was  on  the  25th  of 
October.     A  neighbor  finished  picking  November  12th.     Large  quantities  did  not  ripen  at  all.    Many  had 
their  "  teeth  set  on  edge,"  and  for  the  same  reason  that  affected  "  our  fathers."     Some  were  discouraged, 
Cthough,  I  think,  without  sufficient  cause,)  having  rooted  up  their  vines  or  sold  them  at  nominal  prices  to 
more  confident  cultivators.     They  forgot  that  "one  swallow  makes  no  summer."     Heretofore  this  fruit 


!..>>. 


i' 


B\i^  (gardener's  JKoivt|lg. 


I^iz 


has  liberally  compensated  the  cultivator  for  the  New  York  market,  having  access  every  evening  by  barge 
and  steamboat,  •which  deliver  the  fruit  picked  in  the  afternoon  in  the  city  for  sale  the  following  morning* 
The  distance  is  sixty  miles.  It  does  not  appear  that  our  severe  winters  destroy  the  native  varieties,  nor 
the  descendants  of  pure  native  species.  Those  of  foreign  origin,  or  of  more  southern  latitudes,  require 
to  be  covered,  and  are  yet  to  be  tested.  I  am  making  yearly  observations  upon  those  I  cultivate,  and 
propose,  at  some  future  time,  to  give  the  public  the  benefit  of  my  experience. 

While  on  this  head,  let  me  suggest  to  Fruit  and  Vine-growers'  Societies  and  to  individual  grape-growers, 
a  mode  of  collecting  a  vast  amount  of  the  best  kind  of  information  for  the  benefit  of  each  other,  consisting 
of  facts.  These  are  what  we  need  at  the  present  time.  Keep  records,  dates,  and  record  facts,  publish 
them  and  gather  enough  from  others  who  do  likewise  to  compensate  for  the  trouble  each  one  takes. 
Open  an  account— that  is  the  mercantile  phrase — with  your  own  vines,  record  each  year  the  growth,  culti- 
vation, the  date  of  flowering,  fruiting,  ripening  of  fruit  and  wood  of  each  variety,  the  weather,  attendant 
circumstances,  and  every  other  fact  that  may  strike  the  cultivator  as  interesting  or  worthy  of  note.  It  is 
not  enough  to  state  that  a  new  variety  ripens,  as  is  the  hackneyed  phrase,  five  or  fifteen  days  "earlier  than 
the  Isabella,"  which  really  means  nothing  at  all.  Find  out  what  day  they  each  ripen,  and  make  it  known- 
Let  the  public  judge  of  the  facts.  Note  the  latitude,  temperature,  exposure,  and  especially  the  greates* 
degree  of  cold  to  which  they  are  exposed  in  the  open  air.  Note,  also,  the  flavor  and  color  of  the  fruit, 
size  and  shape  of  the  leaf,  general  thriftiness  and  vigor  of  growth,  as  suggested  by  Mr.  l^venal,  whose 
example  is  worthy  of  imitation.     Much  good  will  come  of  it. 

Let  the  Fruit- Growers'  Societies  appoint  intelligent  and  honorable  men  to  classify  all  American  varieties 
as  soon  as  may  be,  and  especially  condemn  all  unworthy  of  cultivation.  On  my  table  lay  a  large  number  of 
catalogues,  describing  an  infinitude  of  American  grapes.  One  dealer  off'ers  many  hundred  varieties,  a 
considerable  number  of  which,  I  venture  to  say,  never  had  an  existence,  while  others  were  obsolete  and 
worthlesss  long  ago.  It  is  time  to  put  an  end  to  humbug  in  grape-growing.  There  is  plenty  that  is 
good  and  worthy  of  all  praise. 

This  country  has  taken  a  lead  in  this  business  for  many  years,  and  is  celebrated  for  its  fruit  and  for  its 
pure,  delicious  wines,  the  several  vintners  having  demands  beyond  their  ability  to  supply.  Orange 
County  wine  is  as  well  known  in  many  localities  as  Burgundy,  and  is  more  certain  to  be  pure. 


«*»»» 


STUARTIA   PENTAGYNIA. 

BY  THE  EDITOR. 

Frequently,  when  seeing  the  fine  specimen  of  Stuarlia  Virs;inica  CS.  malachodendron  of  some  authors^ 
in  full  bloom  at  Bartram,  we  have  heartily  wished  that  this  and  its  noble  companion  S.  pentagynia^  the 
only  two  American  species  could  be  got  into  cultivation,  and  we  have  frequently  urged  Messrs.  Parsons, 
who  possess  the  finest  plant  of  the  latter  in  the  country,  to  go  into  its  propagation,  and  are  pleased  to  find 
from  our  advertising  columns  that  they  have  done  so. 

Though  much  valued  in  Europe,  it  is  yet  scarcely  known  here,  though  a  shrub  of  much  beauty.  It  is 
found  in  the  mountains  of  Tennessee  and  Virginia.  Many  have  often  looked  with  admiration  on  the  fine 
specimen  standing  in  the  grounds  of  Parsons  &  Co.,  at  Flushing,  from  which  our  drawing  Cfig.  \)  is 
taken.  Its  branches  commence  about  a  foot  from  the  ground,  and  form  a  round,  compact  tree,  or  shrub, 
ten  feet  in  height,  and  about  ten  feet  in  diameter. 

In  August,  when  but  few  plants,  comparatively,  are  in  bloom,  this  bush  or  tree  is  uniformly  loaded 
with  large  white  flowers,  2J  inches  or  more  in  diameter,  saucer-shaped,  with  purple  centre,  and  the  edges 
of  the  petals  crimped.  A  drawing  of  the  blossom,  reduced  in  size,  is  shown  at  fig.  2.  It  has  a  general 
resemblance  to  the  flower  of  the  Magnolia,  beside  which  we  know  of  no  hardy  tree  or'  shrub  whose 
flowers  can  compare  with  it  in  beauty. 

When  once  known,  it  will  be  considered  as  indispensable  as  the  Magnolia  in  every  garden,  where  a  few 
good  things  only  are  wanted.  It  will  grow  in  any  good  soil,  is  perfectly  hardy,  and  is  suitable  for  any 
locality.  In  its  native  localities  it  reaches  a  height  of  fifteen  feet.  It  is  propagated  by  layers  and  offsets, 
and  will,  doubtless,  soon  be  found  in  all  extensive  nurseries.  Ranking  in  size  between  the  trees  and 
dwarf  shrubs,  the  appropriate  place  of  the  Stuartia  in  the  landscape  will  be  somewhat  near  the  dwelling, 
or  among  the  main  avenues  and  walks  of  the  lawn.  Its  well-proportioned  head,  fine  foliage,  and  beautiful 
bloom  should  secure  it  a  prominent  position.  The  other  variety,  Stuartia  Virginica,  does  not  bloom  as 
freely  as  this,  and,  though  quite  hardy  at  Bartram,  is  somewhat  tenderer  than  the  one  under  notice. 


(§h 


Wii\  (Hardener's  JUanthlj. 


Fig.  1.  — STUARTIA  PENTAGYNIA. 


Fig.  *i.— FLOWER  OF  THE   STUARTIA,  REDUCED  IN   SIZE. 


CIjii  (Sardmr's  Hlontjjlg. 


THE    DEW    QUESTION    AGAIN. 

BY   E.    A.    RIEIIL,    BOONVILLE,    MO. 

Mr.  Mullet  (See  February  No.;  thinks  that  the 
absence  of  fog  and  dew  is  not  the  cause  of  the  success 
attained  in  growing  the  grape  on  Kelly's  Island, 
but  attributes  it  all  ''  to  the  mode  of  pruning,  allow- 
ing the  vines  more  wood  and  leaf,  giving  the  plants 
more  space,  the  preparation  and  drainage  of  the 
soil."  Now  I  shall  not  deny  that  these  things  have 
a  share  in  contributing  to  the  success,  attained  on 
Kelly's  Island,  but  I  do  deny  the  position  which  the 
writer  takes  that  the  absence  of  fog  and  dew  makes 
no  difference  one  way  or  another ;  but  that  leaving 
more  wood  and  leaf  will  remedy  the  rot  and  mildew. 

Mr.  Mullet  says  "a  large  number  of  vineyards 
around  Cincinnati  are  comparatively  as  free  from  fogs 
on  account  of  their  high  elevation  as  Kelly's  Island, 
and  yet  they  are  subject  to  mildew."  But  I  would 
ask,  does  the  elevation  of  those  vineyards  prevent 
the  dew?  which  I  think  is  a  great  deal  more  injuri- 
ous than  fog.     I  think  not. 

He  considers  "that  the  distance  of  planting;  the 
method  of  pruning  ;  the  preparation  and  drainage  of 
the  soil  the  real  cause  of  the  success  attained  on  Kel- 
ly's Island."  I  can  show  the  gentleman  vines  here 
in  Missouri,  that  are  planted  nine  feet  each  way, 
some  on  a  wire  trellis  ten  feet  high,  and  others  on 
stakes,  and  get  no  summer  pruning,  yet  they  rot  as 
badly  as  those  planted    closer,   and  are    summer 

pruned. 

Mr.  Mullet  says  "for  a  want  of  sufficient  leaves  to 
evaporate  the  excess  of  sap,  the  tender  cells  of  the 
young  berries  become  ruptured,  thus  producing  the 
mildew,  which  is  entirely  avoided  on  Kelly's  Island 
by  the  especial  allowance  of  more  wood  and  leaf." 

Now  if  the  excess  of  sap  in  the  vine  produces 
rupture  in  the  young  berry  and  thus  causes  mildew, 
Why  is  it  that  sulphur  prevents  the  mildew,  and 
even  cures  it  after  it  has  made  some  progress  ?  But 
the  mildew  is  not  confined  to  the  berry,  but  attacks 
the  vine  also ;  is  that  ''ruptured"  also  V  But  let  us 
look  into  this  rupture  theory  a  little  closer,  I  have 
always  been  of  the  opinion  that  the  sap  which  the 
roots  supplied  to  the  plant  had  to  be  prepared  by  the 
leaves  before  it  could  be  fit  for  the  formation  of  wood 
or  fruit,  but  from  what  Mr.  Mullet  says  I  must  be 
wrong,  and  the  sap  goes  into  the  fruit  without  ever 
having  gone  through  any  preparation  l)y  the  leaves; 
if  that  is  so  pray  tell  us  what  are  the  leaves  for  V 

And  if  this  rupture  ia  avoided  on  Kelly's  Island 
by  leaving  more  wood  and  leaf,  why  is  it  that  in 
other  places  the  grapes  do  rot  although  they  are  not 
summer  pruned  and  many  not  at  all,  I  have  seen 
that  the  case  in  hundreds  of  instances,  and  I  could 
cite  some  that  I  saw  not  ten  miles  from  Editor's 


I, 


office,  they  were  mostly  Isabellas,  and  although  they 
had  no  summer  pruning  whatever,  they  did  not 
ripen  a  berry. 

Mr.  Mullet  says  that  the  mildew  scarcely  ever  at- 
tacks vines  until  after  the  fourth  year,  Cfourth  crop 
I  suppose.  J  That  may  be  the  case  in  Ohio,  but  it 
is  not  so  here  for  I  have  never  found  any  difference 
between  old  and  young  vines,  and  I  very  well  re- 
member some  Catawbas  that  fruited  in  the  nursery 
before  they  were  taken  out  of  the  beds  where  they 
had  been  grown  from  cuttings,  had  received  no 
pruning  but  did  not  ripen  a  sound  berry. 

Mr.  Mullet  goes  on  and  says  "that  he  had  proof 
sufficient  to  convince  him  of  the  truth  of  his  theory 
in  1858.  He  visited  a  vineyard  of  about  six  acres, 
the  crop  of  which  had  been  entirely  destroyed  by 
mildew,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  vines  that  had 
run  up  some  cherry  trees,  these  had  a  fair  crop  ;  and 
one  row  which  had  all  the  roots  cut  off  on  one  side 
of  the  row,  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  drain  for  a 
cellar  and  that  row  had  a  full  crop  of  well  matured 
grapes.  The  owner  had  root-pruned  that  row, 
hence  the  success."  Now  I  think  that  those  vines 
that  had  run  up  the  cherry  trees  were  protected 
from  the  dew  by  the  foliage  of  the  trees,  and  owed 
their  preservation  as  much  to  that,  as  to  the  fact  of 
their  not  having  been  pruned,  and  the  row  along  the 
drain  no  doubt  owed  its  success  as  much  to  the 
thorough  drainage  thus  afforded  as  to  the  root-prun- 
ing, which  gets  more  credit  than  I  think  it  is  entitled 
to. 

Now  I  do  not  advance  the  position  that  close 
pruning  is  beneficial,  on  the  contrary  I  agree  with 
Mr.  Mullet  when  he  says  the  vine  should  receive  less 
summer  and  winter  pruning  than  it  is  generally  sub- 
jected to,  and  be  allowed  more  space  ;  but  I  cannot 
go  so  far  as  to  say  that  it  is  a  sovereign  remedy  for 
rot  and  mildew,  and  that  dew  has  no  influence  in 
producing  the  disease,  for  if  such  were  the  case  then 
a  vine  not  pruned  but  left  to  itself  would  net  be  af- 
fected, but  such  is  not  the  case. 

And  now,  Mr.  Editor,  as  you  ask  for  additional 
observations  confirmatory  or  otherwise  of  the  views 
you  express  in  your  note  to  the  article  referred  to, 
allow  me  to  say  that  my  observations  do  not  con- 
firm all  that  you  say,  for  instance  you  say  that  "  an 
over-dry  or  suddenly-dried  atmosphere  is  the  most 
common  cause  of  mildew  and  rot  in  grapes,  causing 
a  greater  evaporation  than  the  plant  can  healthily 
supply,"  now  this  may  all  be  very  fine  in  theory 
but  it  is  not  supported  by  the  facts,  for  it  is  a  well 
known  fact  that  it  is  in  dry  seasons  that  we  have 
good  crops,  and  in  wet  seasons  the  grapes  invariably 
mildew  and  rot  and  no  crop  is  obtained.  I  would 
also  remind  you  that  vines  grown  in  a  cold  grapery 


Cht  ^mhntxs  Ponthlj. 


are  protected  from  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun  in  day- 
time, and  from  the  dew  at  night. 

It  is  my  opuiion  that  mildew  and  rot  are  caused 
by  insufficient  drainage  and  the  too  great  and  sud- 
den changes  of  temperature  in  daytime,  the  sun 
shines  on  the  vines  in  an  open  field  with  nothing  ib 
break  the  force  of  the  rays,  the  thermometer  often 
rising  over  100  deg.  in  the  shade,  and  at  night  the 
dew  falls  on  the  leaves  and  chills  them,  thus  produc- 
ing disease.  We  should  remember  that  the  wild  vine 
is  protected  from  these  extremes  by  the  foliage  of 
the  forest  trees,  which  break  the  hot  rays  of  the  sun 
in  daytime,  and  at  night  they  protect  the  vine  from 
dew,  while  the  more  civilized  and  feebler  vines  stand 
in  open  fields,  entirely  without  this  protection  Dame 
Nature  supplies  them  in  their  native  state. 

I  should  like  to  say  more,  but  this  article  is  already 
too  long  therefore  I  shall  close  for  the  present. 

[Very  interesting  observations.  If  other  corres- 
pondents would  send  us  notes  of  their  experience  ; 
we  have  no  doubt  a  few  links  wanting  in  the  chain 
of  evidence  might  be  supplied,  and  much  that  now 
seems  conflicting  be  reconciled  and  joined  together. 
—Ed.] 


4««»» 


HORTICULTURE  IN  EASTERN  NEW  YORE. 

BY   W.    TOMPKINS,    GERMANTOWN,    NEW    YORK. 

As  it  is  desirable  to  compare  notes  as  to  the  suc- 
cess of  various  fruits  in  different  parts  of  our  great 
country,  I  send  you  a  few  rough  notes  about  the 
crops  of  last  season,  ("1860,^  hoping  that  it  will  be 
interesting  to  some  or  your  readers.  From  the  10th 
of  3Iay  to  the  middle  of  August  we  had  but  little 
rain,  nothing  but  light  showers,  and  they  were  few 
and  far  between  ;  and  I  think  that  during  that  period 
there  was  nothing  that  might  be  called  a  copious 
rain,  and  the  want  of  it  was  so  great  as  seriously  to 
affect  the  crop  of  com,  hay,  and  oats.  From  the 
20th  of  August  to  the  first  of  December  we  had  a 
copious  rain,— almost  every  week,  indeed,  we  found 
it  almost  impossible  to  dig  the  potatoes,  and  they 
nearly  all  rotted  in  consequence.  We  expected  that 
the  grapes  would  all  rot  or  fail  to  ripen  before  hard 
frost,  but  was  agreeably  disappointed,  as  the  sequel 
will  show.  We  had  a  number  of  hot  days  in  June, 
July,  and  August,  but  the  average  temperature  was 
lower  than  usual  in  this  section.  The  popular  theory 
of  fruit-growers  hereabouts  has  been  that  a  very  dry 
season  is  unfavorable  to  the  production  and  healthful 
development  of  fruit ;  such  a  season  would  cause  it  to 
grow  poorly,  rusty,  and  the  most  of  it  to  drop  prema- 
turely. Now  this  theory  appears  to  be  decidedly 
wrong,  as  the  result  has,  I  think,  satisfactorily  proven. 
A  more  abundant  crop  of  Apples,  Cherries,  Pears, 
Grapes,  Plump,  Currants,  Gooseberries  and  Straw- 


berries, never  was  grown  in  Eastern  New  York. 
Even  those  varieties  of  the  Apple  and  Pear,  which 
in  former  years  were  seldom  seen  in  perfection,  were 
this  season  produced  in  all  their  pristine  beauty  and 
excellence.       Such   magnificent  specimens  of  the 
Early  Harvest,   Newtown    Pippin,    Swaar,    Sweet 
Harvest,  and  other  sorts,  it  seldom  has  been  my 
good  fortune  to  grow  or  eat.     Did  the  dry  weather 
cause  the  fruit  to  drop  ?    No ;  never  since  my  earli- 
est recollection  have  I  seen  apple  trees  so  heavily 
laden.      Indeed,  many  trees  were  literally  crushed 
with  the  weight  of  the  fniit,  which,  notwithstand- 
ing, grew  of  full  size  and  flavor.     From  some  un- 
known cause,   insects  injurious  to  fruit,  were  less 
numerous  and  troublesome  last  season  than  any  be- 
fore, which  probably  accounts  for  the  fruit  growing 
so  large,  fine,  and  not  dropping  prematurely.     Some 
persons  attribute  this  to  the  untimely  frost  of  the 
10th  of  June,  1859,  others  to  the  17  years  locust, 
( cicada,  j  which  were  very  numerous  in  this  part  of 
the  state.     Indeed,  I  heard  some  old  fruit-growers 
predict  previous  to  the  coming  of  the  locust,  that 
after  they  come  we  should  have  a  series  of  fruitful 
seasons,  which  it  is  to  be  hoped  may  prove  true. 
But  some  one  will  say  that  the  fall  rain  is  what 
caused  the  Apples  to  grow  so  large  and  fine,  and 
that  in  the  fore  part  of  the  season  they  could  better 
do  without  rain  than  they  could  in  the  latter.     Now 
this  theory  seems  very  plausible,  and  I  myself,  should 
be  disposed  to  credit  it  were  it  not  a  fact  to  me  well 
known,  that  the  early  apples  were  uncommonly 
large,  excellent,  and  their  skin  as  smooth  as  polished 
wax,  partly  hidden  with  bloom,  and  apples  were  all 
ripe  and  gone  before  the  rainy  season  began.     This 
I  think  is  pretty  conclusive  evidence  that  the  apple 
can  perfiDct  itself  and  attain  full  size  even  in  a  dry 
season,  providing  that  other  things  are  auspicious. 
It  is  a  fact  well  known,  that  cherries  are  larger  and 
of  superior  quality  in  a  dry  season  than  they  are  in 
a  wet  season. 

Notwithstanding  the  immense  quantity  of  apples 
shipped  to  the  New  York  market,  from  this  and 
other  places  daily,  from  the  middle  of  July  to  the  first 
of  December,  they  almost  invariably,  when  put  up 
in  good  order,  sold  for  remunerating  prices.  The 
early  apples  especially,  sold  quickly,  and  the  most  of 
them  at  a  high  price. 

No  early  apple  that  we  have  in  this  section  is  so 
reliable  and  profitable  as  the  Red  Astrachan  ;  the  tree 
is  very  hardy,  a  vigorous  upright  grower,  and  the 
foliage  of  a  deep  rich  green,  surpassing  that  of  all 
other  varieties  of  the  apple.  It  comes  into  bearing 
early,  and  it  is  not  uncommon  to  get  well  developed 
specimens  the  first  year  that  the  trees  are  planted. 
It  is  a  moderate  bearer,  but  when  well  treated  will 
bear  annually,  and  the  fruit  always  grows  fair  and 


i^" 


%    . 


■  n?- 


I 


CIu|  daritntr's  PontWg. 


1 


of  good  size.  When  fully  ripe  it  is  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  and  tempting  apples  in  America.  The 
color  is  a  brilliant  deep  crimson,  with  a  thick  bloom 
like  a  well  ripened  plum,  and  is  always  sure  to  attract 
the  attention  of  visitors  sooner  than  any  other  apple 
in  the  orchard.  This  variety  has  the  peculiar  habit 
of  ripening  its  fruit  in  succession,  and  good  ripe 
apples  can  be  got  from  the  tree  during  a  period  of 
from  four  to  six  weeks  after  the  first  ripe  ones  are 
picked ;  and  in  order  to  have  them  of  uniform  ripeness 
to  send  to  market,  the  trees  should  be  overlooked,  and 
the  ripest  taken  therefrom  every  three  or  four  days. 
This  seems  to  be  a  good  deal  of  trouble,  yet  it  will 
surely  pay,  as  the  writer  can  assure  the  reader  from 
experience,  having  sent  a  great  many  to  market  last 
season,  which  were  sold  for  as  much  per  peach  bas 
ket  as  other  good  apples  brought  per  barrel.  Although 
this  apple  has  been  highly  reccommended  and  dis- 
seminated during  the  last  fifteen  years,  by  our  most 
eminent  Pomologists,  yet  it  is  not  plenty  in  market, 
and  in  many  sections  of  the  country  almost  unknown. 

It  appears  to  have  originated  in  Sweden,  and  to 
have  been  introduced  into  England  in  181G,  and 
from  there  to  America.  It  certainly  is  the  greatest 
acquisition  we  yet  have  received  from  Europe  in  the 
apple  department.  Can  you,  Mr.  Editor,  inform  me 
if  it  is  as  highly  esteemed  and  as  excellent  in  Europe 
as  it  is  in  this  country  ?  [It  is  in  Germany,  less  so  in 
other  parts. — Ed.] 

In  my  next  communication  I  will  send  you  some 
notes  about  the  Grape  Crop  of  18C0. 


«•■•» 


FROGRESS  OF  HORTICULTURE  IN  EGTFT. 

BY  J.  M.    SMITH,  GREENVILLE,  ILL. 

Mr.  Editor,  I  have  for  some  time  intended  giving 
you  a  short  historical  sketch  of  the  progress  of  Hor- 
ticulture in  Southern  Illinois,— familiarly  called 
'Egypt,"  particularly  the  pomological  department, 
but  being  aware  of  its  occupying  considerable 
space,  and  also  of  my  prolixity  in  writing,  I  have 
heretofore  refrained  from  so  doing.  Nevertheless, 
the  subject  is  a  good  one,  and  whether  it  will  admit 
of  publication  or  not,  I  will  endeavor  to  give  some 
facts  thereupon. 

About  the  year  1G83,— I  heWaxe  that  the  very  date, 
settlements  were  made  by  the  French,  at  Kaskaskia, 
Prairie  du  Rocher,  and  Cahokia,  near  the  east  bank 
of  the  Mississippi  river,  in  the  present  counties  of 
Randolph  and  St.  Clair,  and  about  the  same  time  a 
settlement  was  formed  by  the  same  kind  of  people 
at  Vincennes  Indiana,  and  extending  into  Illinois. 
At  all  these  places  the  French  planted  seeds  of  vari- 
ous plants,  particularly  of  Pears  and  Peaches ;  and 
even  at  this  writing  there  are  some  pear  trees  at  some 
of  the  above  named  places,  which  are  at  least  one 


hundred  years  old;  and  there  may  be  some  among  them 
which  were  planted  soon  after  the  first  settlement. 
One  tree  in  particular,  in  this  State,  near  Vincennes, 
I  was  informed,  some  ten  years  ago,  was  over  one 
hundred  years  old,  and  had  borne  in  one  season  near 
one  hundred  and  fifty  bushels  of  pears,  of  "fair"  qual- 
ity. I  do  not  vouch  for  the  correctness  of  this 
statement,  but  my  informer  is  a  man  of  veracity. 
There  is  another  pear  tree  of  enormous  size,  and  full 
as  great  age,  at  Cahokia ;  and  the  pears  of  which 
it  bears  a  very  large  crop,  are  of  pretty  fair  quality. 
I  saw,  myself,  at  Prairie  du  Rocher,  one  year  ago, 
some  cherry  trees,  f  common  Morello,J  which  were 
so  old  that  the  descendants  of  the  French  settlers 
knew  nothing  of  the  time  of  their  being  planted. 
They  were  very  old,  and  very  large  for  the  kind  of 
trees.  ^ 

About  the  year  1790,  some  Americans  settled  be- 
tween the  French  villages  of  Cahokia  and  Kaskas- 
kia, in  what  is  now  Monroe  county,  and  were  prob- 
ably the  first  who  introduced  the  apples  into  the 
Territory,  (then  a  part  of  the  State  of  Virginia.) 
Most  of  the  orchards  planted  at  that  date,  were 
seedlings;  but  one  gentleman— a  Gen.  Whiteside, 
I  think,  grafted  a  number  of  seedling  apple  trees 
with  the  best  varieties  he  could  obtain,  and  from 
those  trees  some  very  good  apples  have  been  some- 
what disseminated  through  the  west ;  and  some  of 
these  same  old  trees  I  am  informed  are  yet  stand- 
ing, or  at  least  were  a" few  years  since.      « 

Peach  trees  from  the  seed  have  been  in  cultivation, 
or  I  should  perhaps  say,  have  been  allowed  to  plant 
themselves  in  fence  corners,  &c.,  and  produce 
peaches,  from  the  earliest  settlement ;  and  some 
superior  varieties  have  been  derived  from  those 
chance  seedlings.  Our  climate,  and  especially  the 
region  bordering  upon  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi river,  appears  so  well  adapted  to  the  growth 
of  the  peach,  that  many  really  good  varieties  appear 
almost  to  reproduce  themselves  from  seed ;  and  until 
very  lately— say  twenty  years,  this  constituted  about 
the  only  method  of  propagating  varieties. 

The  first  Nursery  for  the  growth  and  sale  of  fruit 
trees,  as  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  ascertain,  was 
commenced  in  this  county,  (Bond,;  in  the  year 
1818,  by  my  father,  John  Smith.  He  planted  seeds 
in  the  fall  of  that  year,  and  I  believe  brought  some 
apple  seedlings  and  scions  from  Kentucky,  which 
he  grafted  that  winter.  He  obtained  the  stock  for 
his  nursery  of  one  George  Heikes,  an  emigrant  from 
Pennsylvania  to  Kentucky;  and  the  varieties  of 
apples  grown  and  planted  for  many  years  were  some 
twenty  of  the  older  Pennsylvania  apples.  Among 
these  stand  prominent  the  Pennock— here  called 
"Big  Romanite,"  Rambo,  Newtown  Pippin,  Prior's 
Red,  Old  Winter  Pearmain,  (called  here  "Hoops,") 


MM  (Sardcnw'a  Jlonlhlu. 


Pennsylvania  Red  Streak,  Rawles'  Janet,  Romanite 
Milam,  Limber  Twig,  &c.,  &c.  Of  Pears,  the  old 
Winter  Bell,  and  the  "Philadelphia  Butter"  Pear; 
the  latter  probably  the  Virgalieu,  were  the  varieties 
mostly  propagated ;  but  the  blight  caused  probably 
by  our  strong  virgin  soil,  stopped  the  propagation 
of  pears  many  years  ago.  But  by  the  way,  pears 
are  now  being  planted  with  success,  upon  the  very 
ground  (not  the  soil)  where  formerly  they  failed. 

Of  Cherries,  the  common  Morello,  and  the  Kent- 
ish, or  English  Pie  Cherry,  as  it  is  called  here,  have 
been  planted  upon  nearly  every  farm  in  this  part  of 
the  State,  from  its  earliest  settlement,  and  flourish 
without  attention.  In  fact,  most  of  our  inhabitants 
consider  the  cultivation  of  cherries  and  peaches  en- 
tirely unnecessary. 

Since  the  year  1818,  nurseries  have  sprung  up  in 
nearly  every  county  in  Southern  Illinois,  and  great 
advancements  have  been  made,  especially  within  the 
last  twenty-five  years.  Orchards,  the  trees  of  which 
were  propagated  by  my  father,  are  scattered  all  over 
the  State  ;  and  some  of  them  now  about  forty  years 
old,  still  bear  heavy  crops  of  fine  fruit.  This  county  for 
a  long  time  boasted  the  largest  orchard  in  the  State. 
That  within  which  I  first  "breathed  the  breath  of 
life,"  contained  about  fifteen  hundred  apple  trees, 
besides  other  fruits,  at  one  time  near  two  thousands 
bearing  fruit  trees.  But  that  orchard  is  now  in  a 
state  of  decay — having  passed  into  the  hands  of 
a  stock  grower.  There  is  one  yet  in  this  county, 
owned  by  M.  S.  Wait,  Esq.,  containing  about 
eighteen  hundred  apple  trees  in  vigorous  bearing. 
Many  other  large  orchards  are  scattered  through  the 
country  producing  large  crops  of  superior  fruit. 

Apples  constitute  a  considerable  portion  of  the 
revenue  of  Southern  Illinois.  Many  thousand 
bushels  find  a  market  through  the  medium  of  our 
great  nation's  main  artery,  the  Mississippi,  and  for 
the  last  few  years  bringing  on  an  average  at  least 
fifty  cents  per  bushel.  At  least  fifty  thousand  bush- 
els have  been  sold  the  past  season,  in  this  county 
alone,  at  fr  )m  forty  to  seventy -five  cents  per  bushel, 
and  nowhere  are  better  apples  produced  than  in 
''Egypt." 

Peaches  have  received  a  great  deal  of  attention 
during  the  last  few  years.  Not  so  much  dependance 
is  placed  upon  seedling  fruit  as  formerly.  Nurseries 
devoted  to  the  propagation  of  the  peach  upon  a  large 
scale,  have  recently  been  established,  and  many  thou- 
sand trees  are  annually  planted.  Peaches  seldom  fail 
here  entirely;  and  now  that  we  can  have  "fresh 
peaches  all  the  year  round, ' '  hundreds  are  planting  fine 
budded  varieties,  who  formerly  would  not  let  a  self- 
planted  tree  remain  in  the  fence  corner. 

Pears  are  being  planted  somcAvhat  extensively, 


and  particularly  in  the  villages.  Here  you  will  find 
no  garden  of  any  pretensions  without  the  Dwarf 
Pear  Trees — producing  fine  specimens  of  that  j^rince 
of  fruits. 

Grape-growing  is  now  becoming  very  popul  r  in 
many  parts  of  the  State.  At  Highland,  twenty 
miles  from  this  place,  the  Swiss  have  been  very  suc- 
cessful in  the  cultivation  of  the  grape.  The  Catawba 
and  Norton's  Virginia,  are  the  varieties  mostly 
planted.  Many  acres  of  vineyards  are  now  produc- 
ing the  "blood  of  Bacchus"  around  that  village  in 
great  abundance.  At  many  other  points,  more  or 
less,  grape-vines  have  been  planted,  and  are  doing 
well. 

Even  since  the  introduction  of  good  fruit  within 
the  State,  the  ball  has  continued  to  roll,  and  we 
eagerly  look  forward  to  the  time  when  "Egypt" 
shall  be  as  noted  for  its  fruit  as  for  its  corn. 

As  my  article  has  grown  longer  than  I  intended, 
I  reserve  the  continuation  for  another  time,  promis- 
ing, if  the  present  is  received,  to  furnish  the  Monthly 
with  some  matter  of  more  value  than  the  present. 


«•■•» 


ROSE    FRUNING. 

BY  CHARLES   MILLER. 

The  season  is  now  approaching  when  this  impor- 
tant operation  should  be  performed, — I  therefore 
submit  a  few  general  remarks  on  the  subject  in  ques- 
tion. It  is  presumed  that  the  practical  ideas  here 
presented  will  be  of  such  assistance  to  the  amateur 
rose  grower,  as  to  prevent  the  all  but  fatal  operations 
generally  performed  under  the  above  title.  I  will 
not  trespass  on  your  space  to  particularize  the  treat- 
ment necessary  for  the  several  families.  Their 
growth,  to  which  1  refer,  will  be  readily  compre- 
hended by  the  terms,  strong  or  short  growing. 
Roses  are  generally  planted  when  young,  and  during 
the  first  season  the  knife  should  be  sparingly  used, 
but  after  all  chance  of  frost  is  past,  the  branches 
should  be  cut  back  to  four  or  five  ej^es,  having  pre- 
viously cut  all  growth  that  interferes  with  the  shape 
of  the  plants,  which  should  be  that  of  a  basin  or  ex- 
panded inverted  umbrella,  which  insures  a  free  cir- 
culation of  air  between  the  branches,  and  as  a  matter 
of  course,  the  consequent  certainty  of  l)loom. 

During  the  following  autumn,  any  shoots  which 
started  in  the  centre  of  the  plants  or  cross  branches, 
may  be  renewed  ;  but  the  shortening  of  the  main 
shoots  should  be  left  till  spring,  being  especially 
careful  to  prune  to  an  outer  bed. 

Erect-growing  kinds,  such  as  Queen  Victoria,  Mrs. 
Elliott,  Geant  des  Battailes,  and  the  like,  may  be 
much  improved  in  shape  by  tying  the  branches  in  a 
more  outward  direction  when   young.     In  prun- 


W 


ill 


^t,  §mAmif^  Pcnfa 


ing  the  majority  of  the  Hybrid  Perpetuals,  four  or 
fiv^'e  eyes  should  only  be  left ;  but  such  as  Louis  Bo- 
niipai-te,  Pius  IX.,  ttc,  half  the  length  of  the  shoots, 
only  should  be  cut  away— any   thing   like   severe 
pruning,  on  such  subjects,  being  more  productive  of 
abundant  wood  and  scanty  bloom.     Moss,  Provence, 
and  Bourbons,    can   scarcely  be   pruned  to    hard. 
The  Persian  Yellow  and  Austrian  Briars,  too  slight, 
as  these  varieties  bloom  on  wood  one  year  old.     Sum- 
mer pruning  is  often  desirable,  and  frequently  saves 
much  trouble  ;  this  may  be  effected  to  some  extent 
by  cutting  the  blooms  for  ornament,  or  when  decay- 
ing with  long  footstalks.     The  Hybrid  Perpetuus 
will,  by  reducing  their  branches  to  one  half  their 
length,  in  July— be  certain  to  give  bloom  in  autumn, 
a  result  much  desired.      Some  of  the  Hybrid  Per- 
petuals  make  handsome  beds  on  the  lawn.      The 
following  is  especia.ly  adapted  for  the  purpose,  owing 
to  their  short  compact  habit,  and  sturdy  growth; 
and  when  hedged  down  or  securely  liistencd  to  the 
ground,  and  due   attention  paid   to   their  summer 
pruning,  (which  is  important,  J  a  succession  ot  bloom 
may  be  had  from  June  to  September.^ 

Autumnal  flowering  varieties,  Auguste  Mie,  Ba- 
ronne  Hallez,  Dr.  Arnal,  Baronne  Prevost,  Compte 
de  Paris,  Compte  de  Eugene  Sue,  Jules  Margottin, 
Wm.  Jesse,  Geant  des  Batailles,  Wm.  Griffith,  Paul 
Duprez,  Queen  Victoria,  Madame  Laffay,  Prince 
Leon,  Rosine  Margottin,  Madame  Kivers,  Madame 
Domage,    Duchess   of    Sutherland,    Soliel    d'Aus- 

terlitz. 

To  those  that  do  not  possess  a  bed  of  Roses,  I 
would  advise  them  to  repair  the  omission  at  once,  for 
gathering  roses  in  early  morning,  with  the  dew  still 
on  their  fragrant  petals,  is  one  of  the  greatest  plea- 
sures of  life. 


>•»•* 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING. 

BY    GEORGE   E.    WOODWARD,  NEW   YORK. 
NO.    4. 

The  great  advances  made  in  the  art  of  Landscape 
Gardening  during  the  last  ten  or  even  twenty  years, 
has  created  a  demand  for  more  general  information 
on  the  subject.  Those  works  that  have  issued  from 
the  English  press,  do  not  supply  the  directions  wholly 
applicable  to  this  country.  The  differences  of  asso- 
ciations, habits,  climate,  &c.,  &c.,  requiring  a  treat- 
ment of  another  character.  If  we  were  to  find  fault 
with  nearly  all  the  publications  on  Landscape  Gar- 
dening, it  would  be  that  they  treat  that  subject  in  too 
general  a  manner.  We  have  essays  on  Taste,  Color, 
Trees,  &c.,  &c.,  but  nothing  on  practical  operations, 
nothing  that  details  the  necessary  proceedings  re- 
(juired  to  carry  out  a  plan  of  improvement.  One  is 
obliged  to  ransack  a  scientific  library,  study  drain- 


age, ten  or  fifteen  authors  on  road  making;  several 
on  engineering  and  architecture,  bridge  construction, 
lines,  cement  and  mortars,  soils,   manners,  geog- 
raphy, chemistry,  botany ;  then  drawing,  painting, 
surveying,  taste,  &c.,  &c.     By  the  time  all  these 
have  been  waded  through,  the  indefatigable  amateur 
will  have  come  to  the  conclusion,  that  the  more  he 
learns,  the  less  he  thinks  he  knows,  or  is  beginning 
to  get  an  idea  of  the  immense  amount  of  informa- 
tion yet  to  be  acquired  ;  advancing  from  that  stage 
of  ignorance  in  which  he  did  not  know  that  he  knew 

nothing. 

The  labor  of  hunting  up  all  these  different  sources 
of  information,  is  scarcely  equalled  by  the  amount 
of  study  necessary  to  acquire  or  to  make  a  practical 
use  of  them ;  and  with  many  it  is  considered  the 
best  to  do  a  thing  expensively  wrong,  than  to  either 
obtain  or  pay  for  that  knowledge  by  which  it  can  be 
done  economically  right. 

Landscape-gardening,  seriously  considered,  is  an 
art  that  occupies  no  mean  position,  drawing  largely 
on  nearly  all  the  cultivated  arts  and  sciences,  and 
made  up  of  most  of  their  leading  excellencies.     It  can- 
not but  be  admitted,  that  to  qualify  one  for  its  pursuit, 
must  require  a  persevering  course  of  study,  both  of  a 
theoretical  and  practical  nature,— its  pursuit  being  of 
a  constructive  and  tasteful  character,  have  led  many 
to  suppose  that  it,  in  common  with  other  construc- 
tive  arts,    is   instinctively   comprehended.      There 
are  more  of  us  that  like  to  admit  that  we  cannot 
plan  and  superintend  the  erection  of  a  house— lay 
out  and  construct  a  common  or  ornamental  road,  or 
design  any  system  of  improvement.     Yet  the  prac- 
tice of  such  pursuits  belong  to  professions  requiring 
great  skill  and  extensive  learning.     The  professions 
of  the  architect  and  civil  engineer  are  not  natural 
gifts,   nor  can  they  be  acquired  by  any  medium 
amount   of  application.     What  is  true  of  them  is 
equally  true  of  Landscape-gardening,  which  in  its 
higher  developments,  embracing  a  far  more  exten- 
sive range  of  study,  and  thoroughly  unites  the  prac- 
tical and  artistical. 

Landscape-gardening,  considered  in  its  popular 
sense,  is  supposed  to  be  of  easy  attainment,  and  to 
comprise  a  general  knowledge  of  the  manner  of  set- 
ting out  trees  and  shrubbery;  constructing  roads, 
and  the  ability  to  graduate  the  earth's  surface,  gene- 
rally speaking,  to  a  level.  There  may  be  a  sim- 
plicity in  such  apparently  plain  operations;  but  if 
we  judge  by  results,  what  must  be  our  opinions? 
simply  these :  there  are  few,  very  few  who  have  any 
idea  of  what  is  necessary  to  be  done  in  planting  or 
transplanting  a  tree.  Setting  out  trees  properly,  re- 
quires a  knowledge  that  must  be  obtained  by  both 
study  and  practice ;  and  we  will  venture  to  say,  that 
out  of  the  first  hundred  men  you  meet  anywhere, 


SihJi  hardener's  Pontjlg. 


& 


not  one  of  them  can  do  it  right.  It  is  quite  a  mis- 
taken notion  to  suppose  you  know  how  to  set  out  a 
tree  •  the  fact  is,  unless  you  have  made  it  a  study, 
you  will  fail,  and  the  failure  will  cost  you  the  price 
of  the  tree, — the  value  of  your  own  time,  and  loss 
of  time  between  the  dying  of  one  tree  and  replacing 
it  with  another,  besides  some  considerable  annoy- 
ance. 

The  construction  of  roads  is  the  next  operation 
that  is  thought  to  be  easily  mastered ;  and  yet  not 
one  single  author  on  Landscape-gardening  in  Europe, 
or  this  country,  has  ventured  to  give  any  intelligible 
instructions  on  this  subject.  Not  one  of  them  ven- 
tures even  an  opinion  as  to  the  manner  of  laying  out 
a  curve,  or  what  variety  of  curve  possesses  in  the 
highest  degree,  a  combination  of  the  practical  and 
beautiful.  The  merest  allusion  to  a  few  stakes, 
whose  positions  are  to  be  guessed  at,  until  they  look 
right,  constitutes  all  the  information  we  have  to 
guide  us  in  laying  out  an  ornamental  road. 

The  manner  of  constructing  such  roads,  is  by  no 
means  definitely  stated.  Certain  authors  have  re- 
commended plans  of  their  own,  but  from  them  we 
can  produce  no  scientific  reasoning,  that  shall  insure 
smoothness,  hardness  and  permanence,  and  nothing 
by  which  true  economy  is  united  with  excellence,  or 
in  other  words,  the  manner  of  constructing  a  first- 
class  roadway  at  the  minimum  of  expenditure.  It 
seems  a  very  absurb  statement  to  make,  that  any- 
body does  not  know  how  to  lay  out  and  build  a 
road.  This  most  difficult  branch  of  civil  engineer- 
ing, every  body  understands,  until  they  attempt  to 
illustrate  their  knowledge,  and  an  absolute  failure 
has  but  little  effect  on  their  wisdom.  If  you  want 
a  very  unsatisfactory  as  well  as  a  very  expensive 
road,  build  it  yourself,— do  the  same  thing  with 
your  house.  Paint  your  own  pictures,  try  your  own 
lawsuits,  doctor  yourself,  make  your  own  clothes, 
mend  your  own  boots.  If  you  have  an  unlimited 
length  of  purse,  vanity  enough  to  rank  your  taste  and 
ability  as  supreme, — the  satisfaction  of  saying  /  did 
it,  may  be  some  compensation.  But  such  experience 
will  illustrate  one  fact,  there  are  no  successes  in  this 
world  of  permanent  value  but  what  require  a  life- 
time of  study  and  devotion  to  achieve  them,  and  the 
practice  of  the  cultivated  art  of  Landscape  adorn- 
ment is  no  exception  to  it. 

If  ones  ambition  does  not  carry  him  above  the 
pleasure  of  owning  and  managing  a  second  or  third- 
rate  place,  then  it  would  seem  unnecessary  to 
thoroughly  investigate  the  principles  of  the  art ;  but 
if  a  tasteful  expression  of  Landscape  beauty  is  de- 
sired, and  the  most  rigid  economy  be  an  absolute 
condition,  then  close  study  is  indispensable.  The  work 
of  a  finished  expert,  in  any  art  or  pursuit,  is  more 


beautiful  and  economical  than  the  bungling  perform 
ance  of  a  new  hand. 

[Mr.  W's  articles  invite  criticism  ;  but  we  can  par- 
don minor  weaknesses  for  the  general  facts  they 
teach,  that  mere  "architecture"  or  mere  "  cultiva- 
tion "  is  not  Landscape-gardening.] 


«•■■» 


THE    GRAPE. 

BY   A.    8.    MILLER,    ALTON,    ILLINOIS. 

*As  spring  is  approaching,  it  would  not  be  out  of 
the  way  for  us  to  say  a  few  things  with  reference  to 
the  vine,  its  culture,  varieties,  &c. 

For  the  West  the  Concord  stands  pre-eminent  as 
a  table-grape,  on  account  of  its  hardmess  and  free- 
dom from  mildew,  being  an  abundant  bearer  also. 

Catawba  still  remains  the  finest  light  grape,  al- 
though hard  to  acclimate ;  yet  when  trained  upon  a 
trellis  and  pruned  in  winter  and  summer  with  mode- 
ration, will  succeed  tolerably  well.  In  Southern 
Illinois  the  Delaware  will  certainly  become  the  lead- 
ing wine-grape,  being  superior  to  any  other  grape  of 
that  class ;  it  is  a  profuse  bearer  and  very  hardy. 

Our  opinion  is  that  the  Diana  will  never  become 
popular  in  this  region,  it  being  but  little  better  than 
the  Catawba,  if  it  is  any,  which,  verily,  we  doubt. 
The  vine  is  scarcely  hardy,  as  the  leaves  are  subject 
to  mildew  some.  Of  course,  the  wood  cannot  ripen 
well.  The  fruit  is  smaller  than  the  last-named  va- 
riety, and  the  vine  bears  but  moderately. 

The  Clinton  is  excellent,  an  account  of  its  perfect 
hardiness  being  more  so  than  our  native  varieties 
would  be  under  the  same  treatment,  but  small  and 
very  tart. 

The  Bland  we  have  not  fully  tested.  The  Rebecca 
mildews  some.  The  Cassady  summer-burns  so 
sadly  as  to  be  impossible  to  grow  in  this  region. 
The  Clara  and  Herbemont  are  liable  to  winter-kill. 

Now,  for  the  culture  of  the  crape,  what  the  soil 
should  be  every  one  knows;  and  as  to  situation,  any 
point  will  do  except  extreme  north.  We  do  not 
advocate  the  murderous  pruning  that  some  do,  nor 
do  we  side  with  the  let-alone  plan,  but  would  en- 
deavor to  go  "  in  media  res'^  and  prescribe  a  mode- 
rate system  of  pruning.  The  vines  should  be 
planted  eight  feet  apart,  quincunx  style,  and  trained 
upon  a  trellis.  For  plans  of  the  same,  see  "Barry's 
Fruit-Garden,"  page  248.  This  plan  will  do  until 
we  become  convinced  that  others  are  superior. 

The  horizontal  trellis  is,  in  our  estimation,  the 
best,  although  we  would  not  recommend  it,  on  ac- 
count of  some  objections.  The  arduous  task  of 
pruning  the  vine  on  this  trellis  ;  the  constant  watch- 
fulness required  in  order  to  keep  the  vines  from 
running  rampant  arc  every  thing.  But  the  points 
in  favor  of  it  are :  1st.  The  roots  of  the  vines  ar 


r^^pamR: 


ill 


i^e  §mAmti's  "M^^A^^- 


iu  a  cooler  soil  and  atmosphere.  That  always  should 
be  kept  loose  and  friable  by  the  horse-hoe.  The  soil 
thus  treated  does  not  become  hard  and  dry.  While 
the  fruit  is  protected  from  the  scorching  influence 
of  "  Sol,"  by  being  drawn  through  the  meshes  of  the 
trellis,  hang  suspended  under  the  leaves. 

2nd.  The  birds  are  more  easily  watched, — these 
being  our  greatest  pests  at  the  ripening  of  our  grapes. 
The  vines  can  be  rid  of  insects  more  easily  with 
tobacco  fumes,  on  account  of  their  being  over-hewEl. 

I  will  close  by  giving  a  slight  description  of  this 
plan.  Set  posts  in  the  rows  twenty  feet  apart,  leav- 
ing eight  feet  above  ground  and  two  and  a  half  feet 
under.  Upon  these  nail  slats  twenty  inches  apart. 
Then  smaller  slats  or  rods  of  iron  should  cross  these 
at  right-angles.  The  whole  should  be  firmly  nailed 
together,  to  prevent  their  breaking  under  the  weight 
of  fruit  and  leaves.  Permit  the  vines  to  have  more 
space  as  they  grow  older,  by  removing  every  alter- 
nate vine.  My  word  for  it,  they  will  go  ahead  and 
prosper,  if  other  difficulties  do  not  arrise  than  we 
usually  have  to  contend  with. 


«•»•» 


HOUSE 


CULTURE  OF  CAMELLIAS. 

BY   MISS   E. 

For  successful  house  culture  of  Camellias, — first 
secure  the  proper  kind  of  earth, — (Mr.  Editor  can 
best  tell  what  that  is).  Then  secure  sufficient  drain- 
age, and  when  the  plants  are  brought  into  the  house, 
put  them  into  a  cool  room,  and  keep  the  tempera- 
ture about  450  or  50^.  AVhen  the  buds  are  well 
formed,  keep  the  earth  w  et.  The  saucers  of  the 
pots  should  never  be  without  moisture.  I  keep  mine 
always  with  water  in  them ;  as  the  buds  open,  they 
may  be  brought  into  the  parlor,  and  then,  if  kept 
wet  enough,  they  will  bloom  finely.  When  the 
bloom  is  over,  less  water  is  necessary.  I  have  gen- 
erally a  fine  show  of  Camellias  in  February  and 
March,  in  the  latitude  of  Philadelphia. 

[Turfy,  spongy,  fibry  surface  soil  from  old  woods 
or  bogs,  suits  the  Camellia.  We  can  testify  to  the 
success  of  our  correspondents  treatment. — Ed.] 


SORTS   OF    GRAPES    TO    GROW    FOR    A 

VINERT. 

BY  A  GRAPE-GROWER. 

Your  article  in  the  January  number,  page  30,  on 
the  best  foreign  grapes  to  grow  is  really  valuable, 
they  are  the  essence  of  the  grape.  You  have  never 
told  your  readers  that  you  brought  to  this  country 
the  Black  Tripoli  grape  from  the  original  plant  at 
Welbeck ;  I  consider  it  in  every  way  superior  to 
Black  Hamburg.  What  of  the  Golden  Hamburg  ? 
I  see  it  somewhere  represented  by  Decan's  Superb  ; 
they  arc  entirely  distinct.  Is  this  another  mixture 
hke  Black  Barbarosa  and  Prince  Albert,  the  latter 
not  worth  a  fraction?  We  Cthe  nurserymen  I 
should  say,)  have  too  many  sorts  and  far  too  many 
names. 

[Glad  to  receive  an  endorsement  from  so  respect- 
able a  source. 

Knowing  tliat  the  Black  Tripoli  of  American  col- 
lections was  spurious,  the  writer  took  pains  to  get 
cuttings  from  the  original  vine,  through  the  kindness 
of  Mr.  Tillery,  the  Duke  of  Portland's  gardener,  and 
handed  them  to  our  friend  some  years  ago.  It  is  a 
pleasure  to  hear  that  it  proves  so  superior  with  him. 
—Ed.] 


4a»»> 


THE    GREEN    ROSE. 

BY    R.    B. 

I  pray,  Mr.  Editor,  do  not  let  the  French  take 
from  us  the  credit  of  the  Green  Rose  ;  you  must  say 
"it  was  first  introduced  to  the  world,"  by  a  Balti- 
more florist  about  seventeen  years  ago,  at  ^2.50  per 
plant,  and  sent  in  1852  to  England  and  France, 
by  a  Philadelphia  florist.  So  you  see  Messrs.  Pore 
and  Clement  did  not  first  introduce  it, — your  memory 
is  good. 


BEN   DAVIS   AND    NEW    TORS   PIFFIN 

AGAIN. 

BY  CHARLES   DOWNING,  NEWBURHG,    N.    Y. 

In  the  February  number  of  the  Gardener^ s  Monthly^ 
you  give  it  as  your  opinion  that  Ben  Davis  and  New 
York  Pippin  are  identical,  and  copy  the  two  descrip- 
tions as  my  own  to  show  their  similarity  ;  but  you 
overlooked  that  the  outline  and  description  of  Ben 
Davis  were  from  Mr.  Downer  (not  having  seen  the 
fruit  myself),  and  although  the  descriptions  are 
somewhat  similar,  yet  they  maybe  different  varieties 
for  any  proof  that  you  have  given  to  the  contrary. 
It  is  often  the  case  among  such  a  vast  number  of 
sorts,  that  two  similar  descriptions  may  apply  to  one 
or  two  distinct  kinds,  because  soil  and  locality  in 
diff'erent  sections  change  the  character  of  fruits  so 
much  in  form  and  appearance  that  it  is  often  very 
difficult  to  decide  positively  their  true  names.  I  do 
not  say  that  Ben  Davis  and  New  York  Pippin  are 
two  distinct  sor.s,  neither  have  we  the  proof  as  yet 
that  they  are  alike.  The  Ohio  Pomological  Society 
at  their  January  meeting  decided  (I  quote  from 
memory)  them  to  be  identic  al,  yet  it  is  best  to  wait 
a  little  longer  before  giving  a  fin  il  decision. 

You  remark  that  all  are  liable  to  err,  myself  not 
excepted, — strange,  passing,  were  it  not  so,  among 
such  a  multitude  of  varieties  and  variations. 

[Mr.  Downing's  note  reached  us  after  our  last 
issue  had  gone  to  press. — Ed.] 


Wa.\  (Sardtncr's  Pon^f^^K- 


OFFICIAL    REPORT    OF  THE  AMERICAN 
POMOLOGICAL    SOCIETY. 

BY  COL.  WALTER  L.  STEELE,  ROCKINGHAM,  N.  C 

Mr.  Editor,  I  notice  that  several  gentleman  who 
participated  in  the  discussions  at  the  late  meeting  of 
the  American  Pomological  Society,  have  recently 
corrected,  through  the  Gardener^  Monthly^  the  erro- 
neous reports  of  their  remarks,  as  published  in  your 
periodical.  I  ask  the  liberty  of  correcting  some 
errors  in  the  official  report  recently  published.  (\) 

On  page  52  I  am  reported  as  having  said  that  the 
Limber  Twig  Apple  "will  grow  at  a  level  of  thirty 
degrees  above  tide-water."  I  did  not  say  so.  I 
said  it  did  well  north  of  the  parallel  35,  if  at  an  eleva- 
tion of  several  hundred /ce/ above  tide-water.  Does 
any  body  know  how  many  yards  it  requires  to 
make  thirty  degrees  of  elevation  ? 

On  page  53  it  is  reported  that  I  located  the  nativity 
of  a  certain  apple  in  the  county  of  Stansill.  I  have 
often  since  the  proceedings  were  published,  been 
asked  in  wiiat  part  of  the  State  this  county  was  sit- 
uated ;  and  have  not  been  able  to  give  my  friends  a 
satisfactory  answer.  There  is  no  such  county  known 
to  the  laws  of  North  Carolina,  and  as  I  pride  myself 
somewhat  on  a  knowledge  of  the  geography  of  the 
State,  I  feel  a  little  mortified  at  the  ignorance  which 
I  am  made  to  display. 

This  apple,  (a,  capital  one  too,j  originated  in 
Richmond  County,  N.  C. ;  had  attention  first  drawn 
to  its  merits  by  Dr.  P.  W.  Stansill,  and  by  me,  has 
been  given  his  name,  and  that  was  what  I  said. 

On  page  94  I  am  made  to  indorse  the  character  of 
the  Lodge  Pear.  I  never  saw  but  one  specimen  of 
the  fruit  in  my  life,  and,  hence,  I  am  sure,  I  did  not 
speak  of  its  qualities  at  all. 

And  now  a  few  words  in  regard  to  the  character 
of  Northern  winter  apples,  after  being  transferred  to 
the  South.  I  make  these  remarks  in  response  to  an 
inquiry  from  my  old  acquaintance,  Mr.  Langdon,  of 
Tennessee.  Mr  L's  experience  agrees  with  my  own, 
and  I  feel  sure,  with  that  of  neariy  every  intelligent 
cultivator  in  the  Southern  States.  At  my  first  plant- 
ing of  fruit  trees,  having  no  experience,  I  set  out  the 
Yellow  Bellflower,  Roxbury  Russet,  Newark  Pippin, 
&c. ,  which  all  matured  by  the  first  of  November.  Not 
one  proved  a  winter  fruit.  I  dug  up  the  whole  of  them 
and  threw  them  over  the  fence.  No  apple  which 
keeps  in  New  York  throughout  the  winter,  will  last 
longer  in  this  climate  than  the  middle  of  November, 
except  now  and  then  a  single  specimen,  our  spring 
coming  too  early  for  them.  I  have  eaten  Bloodgood 
Pear  iu  this  village,  on  the  20th  of  June ;  and  the 
same  year,  at  the  house  of  Jonathan  C.  Baldwin,  of 
Chester  County,  Pa.,  the  same  variety  the  18th  of 
August. 

[  1.  The  corrections  heretofore  made,  have  been 


■I'M 


of  our  own  report,  which,  being  the  fullest  ever  pub- 
lished, risked  more  errors.  Mr.  Steele's  note  shows 
that  even  the  brief  official  abstract  published  by  the 
Society  is  not  exempt  from  errors  ;  and  that  it  is 
dangerous  for  any  journal  to  announce  prematurely, 
that  its  report  is  "the  most  accurate." — Ed.] 


«»■>» 


GAS  TAR  AND  HOT  WATER  FOR  PEACH 

TREES. 

BY  R.,    BEVERLY,    N.    J. 

Last  spring  I  tried  the  plan  recommended  by  you 
as  a  preventive  to  the  borer  in  the  peach  trees, 
namely,  by  applying  coal  tar  to  the  collars  of  the 
trees.  Previous  to  doing  so,  I  examined  them  care- 
fully—-found  only  two  worms,  which  I  destroyed, 
and  then  tarred  them  about  three  inches  below  and 
three  above  ground.  Within  a  week  the  leaves 
of  several  began  to  turn  yellow,  curl  and  drop  off, 
and  whole  twigs  dry  up,  particularly  on  the  Morris' 
Whites,  Troth's  Eariy,  Old  Mixon  Free,  the  first 
suffering  most  of  all.  In  order  to  prevent  the  total 
loss  of  the  trees,  I  then  resorted  to  a  plan  much 
used  in  this  neighborhood,  and  which  most  persons 
might  think  Avould  ensure  their  destruction,  but 
which  completely  restored  mine.  It  is  simply 
to  pour  about  half  a  gallon  of  boiling  water  around 
the  collar  of  every  tree  injured.  This,  if  done 
two  or  three  times  a  year,  will  effectually  de- 
stroy borers  without  wounding  the  trees,  by  cutting 
into  the  roots  to  follow  them.  If  at  any  time  the 
leaves  turn  yellow,  or  show  signs  of  disease,  the 
same  treatment  will  jierfectly  restore  them,  and 
bring  out  young  healthy  foliage  within  a  week  or 
ten  days,  even  though  the  tree  may  have  been  like 
the  patient  of  Dr.  James,  of  Cannabis  indica  noto- 
riety "at  death's  door." 

[In  1850,  '51,  and  '52,  we  applied  Gas  Tar  to 
apples,  peaches,  and  dwarf  pears,  without  any  in- 
jury;  but  the  trees  were  healthy.  So  much  has 
been  said  of  the  risk  by  others,  that  in  latter  years 
we  have  recommended  it  only  with  caution,  as  our 
pages  will  show.  We  have  heard  others  speak  well 
of  hot  water. — Ed.] 


4»«» 


THE   ALLEN    RASPBERRY. 

BY  A.    LOYD,  LAFAYETTE,  IND. 

Having  recently  noticed  commendatory  articles 
upon  this  fi-uit,  we  cannot  refrain  from  giving  our 
experience,  after  giving  it  a  three  years  trial.  We 
obtained  one  hundred  plants  directly  from  Mr.  Allen, 
and  from  the  ten  thousand  plants  which  have  sprung 
from  that  hundred,  there  has  never  been  a  single 
quart  of  berries  gathered. 

Others  in  this  vicinity  have  also  tried  them,  with 
generous  cultivation,  in  various  soils  and  exposure, 
all  with  the  same  result,  in  this  region. 


'-*  >i\ 


m 


ii|< 


\n 


'I' 


f  It4  §nrMtr's  Jflonthlg. 


PHILADELPHIA,  APRIL  1.  1861. 

23°*  AH  Coinmunlcationa  for  the  Editor  should  be  addressed, 
"Thomas  Meehan,  Germantown, Philadelphia," and  Business  Let- 
ters directed  to  "The  Pubi.ibheu  of  the  Gardener's  Monthly 
Box  406  Philadelphia." 


Jl^ Persons  sending  two  new  Subscribers  for  1S61  in  addition 
to  their  own,  with  $3.00  can  receive  a  copy  of  our  First  Volume, 
(ISiO)  free.  All  persons  who  have  paid  their  subscriptions  for  1861 
by  sending  two  new  Subscribers  and  is2.C0  can  receive  a  copy  of 
the  same. 

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is  fast  filling  up,  and  as  we  have  only  intended  publishing  a  lim. 
ited  number,  we  would  desire  all  those  who  may  wish  to  have  the 
work,  to  send  their  name  and  address  as  early  as  possible. 


SPECIAL    NOTICE    TO    ADVERTISERS. 

We  receive  advertisements  up  to  the  20th  of  the 
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receive  on  that  date  renders  it  a  great  effort  on  the 
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ments  as  early  in  the  month  as  PRACTiCAiiLE. 


>•■•» 


GARDENING    IS    NOT   AGRICULTURE. 

While  reading  a  report  of  a  meeting  of  the  Fruit 
Growers'  Society  of  Western  New  York,  a  year  or  I 
so  ago,  we  were  forcibly  struck  with  a  remark  of ; 
Mr.  Vick,  to  the  elTect,  that,  judging  by  what  we 
hear  at  horticultural  meetings,  and  read  in  horticultu- 
ral journals,  one  would  suppose  that  all  the  evils  that 
attend  pomological  practices  in  eveiy  part  of  the 
world,  were  concentrated  and  poured  out  over  our 
devoted  land ;  and  yet  it  is  a  fact  beyond  controversy, 
that  we  have  the  finest  climate  and  soil  for  fruit- 
culture,  and  perhaps  the  fewest  and  weakest  enemies 
to  contend  with  than  any  other  country  under  the 
sun  possesses. 

The  fact  is,  with  all  our  boasted  activity,  we  are 
in  fruit-culture  a  lazy  people.  We  hate  to  do  any 
thing  for  our  trees ;  in  fact,  we  do  comparatively  little. 
"It  won't  pay.'  We  stick  in  trees  to-day,  and 
to-morrow  we  look  for  the  fruit.  We  have  not 
learned  to  labor,  and  have  not  learned  to  wait. 

In  the  mechanic  arts  we  have  harnessed  the  light- 
ning, and  made  steam  our  bond  servant, — and 
fresh  from  our  victory,  we  enter  our  garden  plot, 
intent  on  similar  conquests  in  the  more  immediate 
domain  of  nature.  But  she  will  be  victor  here. 
We  must  bend  to  her  times  and  her  seasons.  Condi- 
tions of  vegetable  growth  must  be  studied,  and  nat- 
ural laws  obeyed,  and  it  is  only  after  the  sweat  of 


our  brows  has  watered  our  labors,  that  the  sweet 
fruits  thereof  will  spring  up  to  our  hand. 

We  read  of  the  fine  and  luscious  fruits  of  Europe, 
but  we  never  think  of  the  immense  amount  of  labor 
and  skill  spent  on  their  production,  nor  dream  of 
the  hundreds  of  enemies  that  have  to  be  overcome 
before  the  well  ripened  fruit  rewards  its  possessor. 
We  allude  not  merely  to  the  colder  and  more  inhos- 
pitable countries  of  the  north,  but  include  even  the 
celebrated  sunny  climes  of  Italy  and  the  south,  the 
inhabitants  of  which  we  are  accustomed  to  consider 
as  idle,  as  it  is  well  possible  to  be.     But  if  any  class  is 
lazy  there,  it  is  not  the  one  to  which  the  Horticulturist 
belongs.      The  Italian  gardener  is  a  model  of  per- 
severing industry.     With  but  a  tithe  of  the  science 
which  nations,  blest  with  a  free  press  and  cheap  liter- 
ature possess,  he  is,  nevertheless,  in  many  respects, 
the  equal  of  men  from  the  wisest  of  the   others, 
in  sound  practical  knowledge  of  the  gardening  art, 
derived  entirely  from  steady  and  laborious  experi- 
ence.    Even  in  England  and  other  portions  of  Bri- 
tania's  home  dominions,  the  amount  of  worry,  care, 
and  toil,  and  trouble  to  bring  fruit  to  perfection,  is 
astounding  to  one  uninitiated  in  the  mysteries  of  the 
art,  when  they  become  in  time  revealed  to  him. 
Not  only  does  the  soil  and  climate  oppose  him  at  the 
outset,  but  he  has  a  multitude  of  outside  enemies  to 
contend  with.     He  has,  in  the  first  place,  to  surround 
his  orchard  of  choice  fruits  with  a  high  wall,  to  ward 
off  the  predations  of  those  to  w^hom  hunger  and 
want  inspire  no  law.     Then  wire  worms,  and  the 
grubs  of  cockchafers  and  bugs  attack  the  roots, — 
slugs,    snails,    and   myriads   of  "creeping  things" 
devour  the  foliage  before  it  is  scarcely  above  ground. 
Getting  larger,  red  spider,  aphides,  scale,  "American 
blight,"  and  Loudon  only  knows  what  not,  attack 
the  top.     Scalds,  blisters,  scales,  cankers,  mildews, 
and  every  evil  named  in  the  encyclopedias,  fatten  on 
tlie  shoots  and  leaves.    Escaping  all  these,  bullfinches, 
"tom   tits,"    sparrows,    and   a    host   of   feathered 
thieves,  eat  the  buds  before  they  burst ;  what  few  are 
left  to  flower,  late  frosts  destroy,  all  but  a  very  few 
which  bear  fruit ;  of  these  few,  the  thrushes,  black- 
birds, "sweet  robin  red  breast,"  and  similar  marau- 
ders get  the  best  part ;  even  after  powder  and  shot, 
at  an  awful  expense,  have  made  many  of  them  pay 
the  death  penalty,  and  so  many  come  to  the  funeral, 
that  the  force  seems  in  nowise  diminished.     After 
all  this,  should  a  few  still  be  left — hornets,  wasps, 
ants,  and  the  "  servant  girls  in  the  house,"  (English 
gardener's  worst  plagues,)  get  the  best  of  them,  un- 
til by  the  time  the  Lord  of  the  Manor  gets  his  share,  the 
gardener  can  tell  you  he  has  had  no  time  to  be  idle,  no 
inclination  to  leave  much  to  "nature,"  nor  disposition 
to  think  whether  the  operation  did  or  did  not  "pay." 
And  this  last  part  of  our  sentence  brings  us  to  our 


Che  iarbtntr'a  Ptrntljlg. 


119 


real  troubles.    "ItwanHpay,"  is  our  great  enemy.  It 
is  more  destructive  than  the  curculio,— burns  greater 
holes  in  our  pockets,  and  tempers  than  the  fire -blight, 
is  a  great  "borer"  of  the  first  class,  and  a  bug  of 
enormous  magnitude.     Mildew,  and  rot,  and  bugs, 
and  "blight,"  have  destroyed  their  thousands ;  but 
"it  won't  pay,"    has  slain  its  ten  thousands.     Go 
where  we  will,  look  at  what  we  may,  or  read  of 
aught    that  we   do   m  Horticulture,   we  find    "it 
wont  pay"  every  where.      Here  it  is  clothed  in  a 
large  garden,  where  half  paid  laborers  half  do  half 
the°  work  on  the   place,   and  the  other  half  goes 
undone  for  wa%t  of  time.     The  lawn  is  a  hay-field— 
the  park  has  degenerated  to  a   potato  patch— the 
greenhouse  grins  at  you  through  a  score  of  crevices 
as  you  pass  by  it,  and  the  poor  over- worked  "gar- 
dener" who  has  probably  just  returned  from  market, 
where  he  has  been  to  sell  cows,  puts  on,  as  he  looks 
at  you,  his  best  airs,  lest  you  may  chance  to  suppose  he 
is  ignorant  of  the  proper  time  to  sow  peas,  or  plant 
potatoes.   "Itwontpay,"  reigns  here  ;and  there,  where 
no  gardener  is  kept,  no  park,  no  lawn,  no  pretension  to 
deplirtments  of  any  kind,  every  thing  is  attempted, 
and  nothing  succeeds ;  an  osage  orange  hedge  on  the 
boundaries  running  up  to  seed,— apple  trees  moss- 
barked  from  cold  clay  soil,  and  cherries  hide-bound 
from  poverty  and  weakness.     Plums  toppling  over 
by  action  of  the  borer.     Peaches  eaten  up  by  the 
yellows,— iu  ftict  no  labor,  no   fertilizing  sweat- 
thorns  and  thistles  rampant— verily  "it  does  not 

pay."  .      e-        ii 

it  is  a  pleasure  to  hear  the  expression  from  the 

lips  of  an  agriculturist.     "Will  it  pay ?"  is  tlie  first 
article  in  his  constitution.      Profit  is  the  point  of 
honor  with  him.     To  make  the  "  store"  in  the  city, 
meet  the  expenses  of  the  farm  in  the  country,  is 
placing    the   ass  on  the  back  of   the   animal  that 
should  be    its    rider  ;   and  where    fruit-culture  is 
adopted  as    part  of   a  system    of  agriculture,  we 
care  not  how  often  or  how  earnestly  is  asked  the 
question,  "Will  it  pay?"     But  we  protest  against 
its  admission  into  the  ethics  of  horticulture.     Like 
Caleb  Gushing  in  another  case,  in  this  we  set  "our 
face  like  flint  against  it."     It  debases  horticukure,— 
ruins  its  professors,— and  shears  it  of  many  of  its  most 
delightful  parts.     Horticulture  is  solely  and  entirely 
for  pleasure  and  gratification,  and  wherever  these 
are  achieved,   "it  pays  well."      If  our  means  are 
limited,  instead  of  ten  acres  of  a  garden,  have  only 
five.     If  we  cannot  command  the  means  to  grow 
every  kind  of  fruit,    grow   but  one,    and   grow   it 
well ;  and  if  we  attempt  to  keep  any  thing  of  a  gar- 
den, employ  only  the  best  skill  to  attend  to  it,  and 
pay' that  skill  well.     The  man  who  really  loves  his 
garden  for  the  pleasure  it  affords  him,  and  has  a  gar- 
dener who  is  really  a  gardener,  one  who  has  made 


it  a  life-long  study,  and  meets  sufficient  inducements 
in  its  pursuits  to  warrant  him  in  entertaining  no 
lingering  wish  that  he  had  years  ago,  "changed  it 
for  a  better  one,"  never  asks  "does  it  pay?"  any 
further  than  it  brings  in  a  rich  harvest  to  the  gra- 
naries of  his  mental  and  moral  nature. 

When  we  look  at  fruit-culture  as  it  is  with  us,  we 
are  bound  to  confess  that  it  has  degenerated.  Agri- 
cultural views  have  become  so  incorporated  with  hor- 
ticulture, that  scientific  skill,  and  taste,  and  talent, 
have  become  cheapened,  and  seeks  more  remunera- 
tive channels.  "It  must  pay"  has  frightened  us. 
The  trail  of  the  serpent  marks  all  that  we  do. 

We  hope  for  better  days,  and  that  too  at  no  dis- 
tant date,— when  most  of  our  gardens  shall  have 
fruit  in  abundance,  and  to  spare;  and  skill,  labor  and 
talent,  to  that  end, .shall  be  appreciated  as  they  de- 
serve to  be. 


jSrraps  anb  <&upnps. 


Jl3-Commun.cation8  for  this  department  must  reach  the  Editor 
on  or  before  the  10th  of  the  mouth. 

jl3=.The  Editor  cannot  answer  letters  for  this  department  pri- 
vately.  

Jethro  Tull's  System.— J5.  inquires,  "I  have 
seen  a  statement  that  Tull  continued  for  twenty 
years,  to  get  first-rate  crops  from  ground  without 
manure.  If  this  is  correct  what  becomes  of  your 
modern  theory  of  manuring  ?" 

We  have  seen  no  such  statement  in  any  authori 
tative  work.  On  the  contrary,  Tull's  system  was 
a  failure.  Like  many  at  the  present  time,  he  thought 
and  wrote  first,  and  practised  afterwards,  in  a  great 
degree ;  but  his  own  experiments  did  not  bear  out 
his  theory.  A  few  years  before  his  death  he  ex- 
pressed his  want  of  faith  in  his  own  system  as  a  car- 
tain  rule  of  practice.  Instead  of  twenty  successive 
crops,  six  were  all  that  he  is  reported  to  have  tried, 
and  these  were  "beautifully  less"  each  year.  If 
you  are  seriously  leaning  to  the  idea  that  the  soil 
contains  within  itself  an  inexhaustible  source  of  fer- 
tility we  shall  expect  to  hear  of  sundry  patches  over 
your'unmentionables,  and  a  purse  with  microscopic 
contents,  heading  the  next  chapter  in  your  history. 

DooLiTTLE  Black  Cap  IUspbekry. -After  our 
last  number  went  to  press,  we  received  a  note  from 
Mr.  Collins,  of  Auburn,  New  York,  giving  an  ac- 
count of  the  discovery  of  this  in  1853,  or  '54,  by 
Mr  Joslyn.  In  substance  the  same  as  already  given 
from  the  pen  of  Col.  Hodge.  Mr.  C.  will  never- 
theless please  accept  our  best  thanks  for  the  infor- 
mation. 

Aphis    on    Apple    Trees-/.    L.    G.    Milford, 


i 


m 


i«>. 


<fr\ 


t 


i 


120 


^^t  6ardfntr's  JHonthlg. 


^^!i^ 


OAio. — "Is  there  anything  that  will  kill  the  aphis 
on  large  apple  trees  while  in  the  ground?" 

[They  usually  attack  only  the  younger  points  of  the 
shoots.     We  should  syringe  them  with  nauseating 
compounds,  or  cut  oif  the  shoots,  and  burn  them. 
Perhaps  our  correspondents  may,  some   of  them 
know  a  better  way.  ] 


Quince  Stools — Paradise  Stocks. — A  correspond- 
ent, without  date  or  signature  asks  : — 

"Please  inform  a  young  nurseryman  how  to  plant 
Angers  Quince  stocks  for  stools.  Also  the  Orange 
Quince  for  stools,  —  also  whether  Paradise  and 
Doucain  stocks  can  be  grown  profitably  in  this  coun- 
try, and  if  so,  how? 

[Set  out  plants  two  feet  apart;  cut  them  to  the 
ground  in  the  spring,  and  about  July,  when  the 
shoots  have  become  a  little  hardened,  place  a  few 
inches  of  soil  about  the  bases  of  the  shoots,  which 
will  root,  and  may  be  taken  off  as  plants  the  next 
spring.  Cuttings  of  Quince  stocks  are  taken  off  and 
planted  in  the  fall,  and  protected  by  litter,  leaves,  or 
shavings  from  severe  frosts. 

Paradise  stocks  are  raised  from  cuttings  of  the 
roots.  For  a  full  chapter  on  this  subject,  see  our 
first  volume,  page  24. 


The  Nansemond  Sweet  Potato— 6y  C.  B.  Mur- 
ray, Foster^ s  Crossivfj  Ohio: — 

A  small  tract  on  the  cultivation  of  this  popular 
esculent.  We  have  no  doubt  by  attending  to  the 
rules  given,  roots  of  an  enormous  size  may  be 
grown  ;  but  whether  Mr.  Murray  can  beat  the  fol- 
lowing from  the  Houston  Telegraphy  wc  will  let 
himself  say : — 

Largest  Potato  in  the  World! — Sweet  Potatoes  grow 
to  a  tolerably  large  size  in  the  United  States,  but  in 
the  He-public  of  Texas  they  beat  the  world,  espe- 
cially in  the  Oyster  Creek  nation.  Messrs.  Kyle  & 
Terry  sent  us  one  yesterday  that  weighed  twenty-nine 
pounds,  and  measuring  thirty-nine  inches  in  horizon- 
tal, and  thirty-three  inches  in  vertical  circumference. 


Camellias— Dwarf  Pears— ^  subscriber,  Phila- 
delphia.— An  article  by  a  lady  in  another  column, 
will  afford  you  good  hints  for  managing  your  room 
Camellias.  They  will  not  do  well  in  winter,  in  a 
dry  cellar  near  a  furnace ;  but  would  do  in  a  cool 
one  where  they  could  get  sun  sometimes. 

If  your  four  year  old  Dwarf  Pears  continue  to 
grow  freely,  yoxi  need  not  prune  much  now.  That 
operation  is  principally  to  encourage  vigorous  growth. 
If  they  are  well  set  with  buds,  they  may  over-bear 
next  year  if  too  many  set.  When  as  large  as  Wal- 
nuts, thin  out  all  but  a  few  dozen,  which  is  enough 
for  the  first  year  of  bearing. 


Pears — Mulberries — H.  Worcester,  Mass. — Your 
proposed  plan  of  setting  Dwarf  Pears  in  rows  run- 
ning north  and  south,  ten  feet  apart,  and  six  feet 
apart  in  the  row,  is  rather  close  together,  and  unless 
the  soil  is  very  well  supplied  with  fertilizing  materi- 
als, and  the  deep,  we  should  fear  they  would 
dry  out  in  hot  seasons,  and  soon  become  stunted. 

We  have  no  experience  in  striking  the  Downing 
Mulberry  from  cuttings  ;  but  it  will  no  doubt  do  as 
well  as  other  kinds,  which  taken  off  in  spring,  and 
treated  as  simply  as  Currant  cuttings,  usually  grow 
as  well.  They  are  often  grafted  on  White  Mulberry, 
we  believe.  ^ 


Swamp  Muck  and  Saw-dust  as  a  Mulch  for 
Dwarf  Pears — C.  M.  X>.,  Jamaica,  L.  Island. — Saw- 
dust is  injurious  to  most  plants  and  to  most  soils. 
We  suppose  your  soil  is  sandy,  in  which  case,  swamp 
muck  will  probably  prove  a  beneficial  mulch. 


Metrosideros  not  Flowering — /.  McK.,  West 
Manchester,  Pa. — Enclosed  I  send  you  a  smalltwig 
from  a  plant  called  Metrosideros.  The  plant  has 
been  in  my  greenhouse  eight  years,  (a,  fine,  thrifty 
plant, ^  but  has  never  flowered.  Can  you  tell  me 
the  reason  ?  I  have  seen  them  in  other  greenhouses 
covered  with  flowers.  But  a  month  or  two  ago  I 
cast  my  eyes  on  a  poor,  miserable,  scrubby,  half- 
starved  little  thing  all  covered  with  flowers.  I  came 
home  so  vexed  at  my  barren  plant,  that  I  took  right 
hold  of  it  with  the  intention  of  throwing  it  out ;  but, 
after  a  moment's  reflection,  concluded  to  leave  it 
alone  until  I  would  ask  you  whether  there  was  such 
a  thing  as  a  barren  Metrosideros.  Therefore,  on 
your  decision  hangs  his  life,  if  a  he  it  should  prove 
to  be.     CI.; 

Also,  another  twig  from  a  plant  I  call  Akenia 
mollis.  Because  I  bought  it  under  that  name.  Some 
of  our  florists  say  it  is  not  the  name  of  the  plant,  but 
fail  to  give  me  another.  Can  you  give  me  the  cor- 
rect name."  (2.) 

[1.  Metrosideros  floribunda,  and  never  flowers 
freely  till  it  has  been  first  well  grown,  then  half- 
starved,  when  it  is  one  of  the  handsomest  plants 
grown. 

2.  It  is  Akenia  mollis,  more  usually,  however, 
called  Malvaviscus  mollis,  sometimes  Hibiscus  mol- 
lis.]   

RuBUS  LACINIATU8 — M.,  Cincinnati,  O. — This  has 
been  for  some  time  in  cultivation  around  our  large 
cities,  and  notices  of  it  are  frequent  in  our  first  vol- 
ume, particularly  at  page  184.  Mr.  Lawton,  having 
called  the  particular  attention  of  the  Pomological 
Society  to  it,  it  has  lately  received  marked  attention. 


■if- 
■t 


Clje  iarbtner's  liantllj. 


It  is  the  cut-leaved  variety  of  the  common  English 
Blackberry  Rubus  fruticosus.  It  received  its  name, 
frvticosus  or  "shrubby,"  from  the  fact  of  its  possess- 
ing a  more  woody  habit.  In  the  temperate  parts  of 
Europe  the  writer  has  seen  stems  of  it  as  thick  as 
his  wrist,  and  several  years  old  ;  but  in  more  northern 
latitudes  it  dies  down  every  year.  Where  it  retains 
its  woody  character,  it  throws  up  but  few  suckers ; 
but  where  it  dies  down,  it  has  the  habits  of  all  the 
rest  of  the  class.  We  certainly  regard  it  as  worthy 
of  attention.  

Origin  of  the  Moss  Rose. — A  correspondent  re- 
cently inquired  of  us  the  origin  of  the  Moss  Rose. 
The  following  is  all  we  know.  The  poet  is  a  little 
lame  in  the  grammar  of  the  second  line,  but  this  we 
can  forgive  on  account  of  the  beauty  of  the  thoughts 
that  follow  : 

The  Angel  of  the  flowers  one  day 

Beneath  a  rose-bush  sleeping  lay,^ 

That  Spirit  to  who^e  csire  is  given 

To  bathe  young  buds  in  dews  from  Heaven ; 

Awaking  from  his  sliglit  repose, 

The  Angel  whispered  to  the  Rose, 
"Oh,  fondest  object  of  my  care, 

Still  fairest  found  where  all  are  fair, 

For  the  sweet  shade  thou'st  given  to  me. 

Ask  what  thou  wilt,  'lis  granted  thee." 

Then  said  the  Rose,  with  deepened  glow, 
"  On  me  another  grace  bestow." 

The  Spirit  paused  in  silent  thought, — 

What  grace  was  there  that  flower  had  not? 

'Twas  but  a  moment, — o'er  the  Rose 

A  veil  of  moss  the  Angel  throws. 

And  robed  in  nature's  simplest  weed. 

Could  there  a  flower  that  Rose  exceed  ? 


Brigiit's  System  op  Pruning  Grapes. — We 
have  received  from  Mr.  II.  E.  Chitty,  of  New  Lon- 
don, Conn.,  further  remarks  in  reply.  We  very 
much  regret  that  our  space  is  so  limited  as  to  forbid 
lengthy  and  prolonged  controversies  on  any  subject 
introduced.  When  any  party  gives  his  views  on 
awy  question,  our  pages  are  open  to  the  most  liberal 
criticism,  and  we  cannot  deny  the  criticised  party 
the  right  to  reply.  Mr.  Chitty' s  article  is  an  excel- 
lent production,  occupying  six  closely-written  pages 
of  cap-paper,  would  take  near  three  pages  of  the 
Monthly,  and  on  which  he  must  have  spent  much 
care.  We  are  very  sorry  that  the  rules  we  have  to 
adopt  for  our  guidance  prevent  its  appearance.  With 
regard  to  the  subject  itself,  we  must  be  allowed  to 
say,  that  nothing  but  facts  and  figures  as  to  the  com- 
parative merits  of  the  two  systems  will  satisfy  us 
and  the  public.  Science  partially  favors  both  views. 
Experience  must  strike  the  balance.  At  present 
Mr.  Chitty  and  the  permanent  cane  party  have  the 
best  of  the  argument.  Vines  on  the  old  system 
have,  as  Mr.  C.  repeats  in  the  article  now  before  us, 
"borne  satisfactorily  for  twenty,  thirty,  and  fifty 


m 


years,"  and  gardeners  are  justified  in  hesitating  to 
abandon  what  they  know  to  be  a  good  system,  for  one 
that  is  possibly  only  better.  Gentlemen,  let  us  have  a  few 
more  experiments.  Nothing  like  them  for  testing 
knotty  questions. 

A  few  days  ago  we  read  in  an  exchange — The 
Banner  of  Light,  we  believe — an  account  of  a  meet- 
ing of  philosophers  at  Boston,  when  one,  a  Dr. 
Adams,  asserted,  as  a  fact,  that  a  quart  of  water 
could  be  got  into  a  quart-measure  already  filled  with 
sand.  The  subject  was  debated  pro  and  con  by  the 
savans  present,  and  no  conclusion  seemed  to  be  ar- 
rived at  by  the  distinguished  body.  Our  oflEice-boy 
coming  in  at  the  time,  we  propounded  to  him  the 
question.  "Dun  know,"  says  he;  "but  I'll  try." 
In  a  few  moments  he  returned  with  the  report  that 
the  quart  of  sand  took  up  one-third  only  of  the 
water  in  the  other  quart,  demonstrating,  at  the  same 
time,  the  folly  of  the  "philosophers,"  and  the  addi- 
tional fact  that  a  measure  of  fine  bar-sand  contains 
within  it  one-third  of  space. 

The  hint  is  not  intended  for  those  exclusively  who 
wish  to  give  us  "a  little  more  grape," — all  of  us  can 
profit  by  it.  

Hot- Water  T^Cnk — ^  Subscriber,  Bou-manville, 
Canada. — In  a  propagating-pit  sixty  feet  long  I  in- 
tend building  a  tank  three  feet  wide,  to  be  heated  by 
an  elbow  of  a  four-inch  iron  pipe  built  in  the  fur- 
nace. About  two  feet  of  the  pipe  will  be  exposed 
to  the  fire.  How  long  will  it  be  advisable  to  make 
the  tank?  00 

What  work  on  propagating  and  cultivating  exotics 
do  you  consider  the  best?  (2.) 

[1.  It  depends  on  the  size  of  the  fUmace  and  the 
amount  of  heat  you  can  bring  to  bear  on  the  pipe 
boiler.  With  an  ordinary  strong  fire  and  little 
water  in  the  tank,  it  woidd  be  safe  to  run  the  tank 
the  whole  sixty  feet  of  length. 

2.  There  is  no  complete  work.  "Buist's  Flowcr- 
Garden  Directory"  and  "Breck's  Flower-Garden" 
are  the  best  we  know.] 


Prairie  Flowers — Mr.  R.  0.  Thompson,  of  Ne- 
braska City,  sends  us  an  account  of  the  many  beauti- 
ful flowers  of  that  region.  Botanical  collectors, 
from  Michaux  and  Nuttall  downwards,  have  i)rctty 
well  explored  the  country,  and  it  is  more  than  prob- 
able that  every  thing  beautiful  has  already  been  made 
to  pay  tribute  to  our  collections.  The  seeds  which 
Mr.  Thompson  encloses  us,  for  instance,  belongs  to 
Clematis  Virginiana.  If  the  gentleman  will  send  us 
dried  pressed  specimens  of  flowering  shoots  next 
season,  we  can  probably  tell  him  whether  or  not 
they  have  been  already  named  or  introduced,  and 


Ik 


f 


Mil  iardcwr'a  .Ponthlg. 


the  good  services  he  so  very  kindly  ofiers  thus  ren. 
dered  more  certain  of  results. 
Mr.  Thompson  says : 

*'TIie  Prairie  Dwarf  Seedling  Rose,  twenty  kinds 
of  native  grapes,  eight  of  strawberries,  six  of  wild 
plums  Cbetter  than  many  tame  ones^,  twelve  creep- 
ers, two  gooseberries,  two  raspberries,  and  many 
fiower-roots  I  will  send  by  mail  or  express  to  any 
one,  gratis,  who  wishes  them.  I  have  a  desire  to  see 
our  rarities,  beauties,  and  good  things  sent  abroad 
and  tested  in  every  locality  in  the  States.  I  send 
you  enclosed  seed  of  one  variety  of  creepers, — a 
most  beautiful  thing.  Cuttings  of  the  grapes,  scions 
of  the  plums,  plants  of  the  strawberry,  and  roots  of 
the  rose  and  creepers  will  be  mailed  to  all  who  apply 
for  them."  

Strelitzia  begin  a — G.  W.,  Wellington,  Canada 
West  has  had  a  plant  four  years  that  has  not  pro- 
duced flowers.  When  well  established,  they  flower 
very  freely  here.  The  custom  is  to  give  them  plenty 
of  pot-room,  and  set  the  pots  in  the  summer  in  a 
hot,  sunny  place  in  the  open  air,  and  in  a  warm 
stove  in  winter.     They  bloom  freely  every  summer. 


'^P-'^- 


Raising  Tree  Seed.— F.  TF.' says :—"  The  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  elm,  birch,  and  linden  seed  I  have 
failed  in  raising  from  seed.  What  is  the  best  time 
and  manner  ? 

[Elm,  if  fresh,  usually  grows  well  sown  early  in 
spring.  The  other  kinds  must  either  be  planted  in 
fall,  or  suffered  to  lie  over  in  the  ground  a  year  with- 
out growing.  ]  

Azalea  Flow^ers — E.  F.  S. — We  are  sorry  to 
say  that  the  flowers  were  so  completely  crushed  in 
the  letter,  that  it  was  impossible  to  name  them  for 
you.  They  should  be  sent  in  a  small  box  with  damp 
moss  around  them.       

TnujA  Wareana,  or  plicata— /?.  JS.  says: — This 
is  a  seedling  variety  of  our  American  Arborvita;.  We 
have  quantities  of  seedling  plants  from  the  former 
that  all  prove  the  latter." 


u 


Bright  on  the  Grape-Vine. — We  have  been 
favored  with  advanced  sheets  of  the  second  Edition 
of  Mr.  Bright' s  book,  in  which  we  find  many  new 
positions  advanced,  that  will  attract  considerable 
attention.  For  some  years  past  the  best  grape- 
growers  have  been  gradually  abandoning  the  old 
idea  of  animal  carcases,  and  strong  nitrogenous  mat- 
ters for  borders.  We  find  in  this  that  Mr.  B.  takes 
the  ground,  that  all  such,  even  stable  manures,  arc 


not  only  no  good,  but  positively  injurious.  Mr. 
Bright' s  views  we  regard  inmany  points  extreme ; 
but  his  writings  have  had  an  immense  influence  in 
introducing  good  practices  into  favor,  and  w^e  are 
glad  to  see  that  he  has  been  encouraged  to  bring  out 
a  new  and  improved  edition. 

The  Principles  and  Practice  of  Land  Drain- 
age.—Embracing  a  brief  History  of  Underdraining ; 
a  detailed  examination  of  its  Operation  and  Advan- 
tages; a  Description  of  various  kinds  of  Drains, 
with  Practical  Directions  for  their  Construction,  the 
Manufacture  of  Drain  Tile,  etc.  Illustrated  by 
nearly  100  Engravings.  By  John  H.  Klippart. 
Robert  Clarke  &  Co.,  Cincinnati. 

Every  reader  of  the  Gardener's  Monthly  is  w^ell 
aware  of  the  importance  of  underdraining.  He  who 
practices  it  generally  adds  acres  to  his  farm,  without 
the  cost  of  new  deeds.  The  present  work  seems  to 
be  a  collection  of  all  the  points  in  the  history  of  un- 
derdraining from  the  earliest  period  to  the  present 
time.  It  came  to  hand  only  as  we  go  to  press, 
and  we  have  not  as  yet  been  able  to  read  it  care- 
fully ;  but  a  hasty  examination  warrants  us  in  trust- 
ing that  it  will  have  a  wide  circulation  amongst  all 
interested  in  the  improvement  of  the  soil. 

The  American  Stock  Journal,  devoted  to  the  im- 
provement of  our  domestic  animals  throughout  the 
United  States.  The  first  and  second  volumes  bound, 
have  been  sent  us  by  the  publisher.  We  believe  it  is 
the  only  Journal  devoted  to  these  subjects  exclu- 
sively, and  deserves  extensive  support.  The  last 
number  contains  minute  details  of  Rarey's  sys- 
tem of  Horse-taming,  by  which  the  most  vicious 
animal  becomes  an  equine  Katharine  in  the  hands 
of  this  modem  Petruchio. 

E.  Ware  Syl  vester,  Lyons,  N.  Y.     Fruits  and 
General  Stock. 

John  G.   Barker,  Hartford,   Conn.      New  and 
choice  Bedding  Plants. 

Randolph  Peters,  Newark,  Del.     General  List. 

B.    K.    Bliss,    Springfield,    Mass.      Flower  and 

Vegetable  Seed,  Fruits,  &c.     70  pages. 

George  Nichol,  Providence,  R.  I.     New  Roses, 

&c. 

C.Beadle,  St.  Catharine's,  Canada  West.    Trees 

and  Plants. 

Uri  Manly,   Marshall,    Ills.     Fruits  and  Orna- 
mentals. 

Edgar  Sanders,  Chicago,  111.     Bedding  Plants. 

G.  Goldsmith  &  Co.,  Indianapolis,  Ind.     Fruit 
and  Ornamentals, 

J.  II.  BoARDMAN,  Brighton,  N.  Y.     Grape-vines, 

&c. 

W.  T.  &  E.  Smith,  Geneva,  N.  Y.     Fruits,  Trees, 
and  Flowers.     32  pages. 


=^^ 


WM  §Mtm\  Ponthlj. 


123 


Neally  Bros.  &  Bock,  Burlington,  Iowa.  Whole- 
sale Catalogue. 

R.  Linsley,  West  Meriden,  Conn.  Roses,  Bed- 
ding-out Plants,  &c. 

J.  Knox,  Pittsburg,  Pa.     Small  Fruits. 

Trueblood  &  Lipsey,  Salem,  Ind.     Fruits. 

Joshua  Pierce,  Washington,  D.  C.  Small 
Fruits. 

Full  sets  of  Catalogues  of  the  extensive  depart, 
ments  of  the  following  gentlemen  have  been  re- 
ceived: 

Andrew  Bridgeman,  Broadway,  New  York. 

R.  BuisT  &  Son,  Philadelphia. 

The  Catalogues  of  the  following  well-known  firms 
are  on  our  table,  and,  in  addition  to  their  usual 
full  lists  of  things  cultivated,  contain  on  their  fly- 
leaves advertisements  of  the  Gardener* s  Monthly,  for 
which  act  of  kindness  the  publisher  returns  his  best 
thanks. 

Bateham,  Hanford  &  Co.,  Columbus,  Ohio. 
Fruits,  Trees  and  Flowers.     50  pages. 

Barnes  &  Washburne,  Harrison  Square,  Mass. 
Flower  and  Vegetable  Seeds.     50  pages. 

E.  C.  Frost,  Havana,  N.Y.  Fruits  and  Flowers, 
with  sketch  of  Wagener  Apple. 

J.  A.  Bruce,  Hamilton,  0.  W.  Seeds  and 
Flowers. 

Hftp  anb  Plarp  yruife. 

Gipson's  Kentucky  Seedling  Apple — Mr.  C.  P. 
Hale,  Calhoun,  Ky.,  writes: — 

Enclosed  I  send  you  an  outline  of  an  excellent 
winter  apple  which  grows  in  this  county.     The  out- 


line was  taken  by  drawing  a  pen  around  one  half  of 
the  apple.     It  gives  the  shape  except  the  calyx,  which 


was  injured.  The  tree  grows  on  the  farm  of  Mr. 
A.  Gipson.  I  propose  to  name  it  Gipson's  Ken- 
tucky Seedling.  Mr.  Gipson  says  the  tree  while 
young  was  found  growing  by  a  path-way  leading 
from  an  orchard  of  the  Prior's  Red  apple,  to  a 
school-house  in  the  neighborhood,  and  he  thinks  it 
sprang  from  the  seed  of  that  apple,  dropped  by  the 
children  passing  to  or  from  the  school-house.  He 
says  it  is  more  productive  than  the  Prior's  Red,  or 
Rawle's  Jannet,  on  his  farm,  and  keeps  better  than 
either  of  them  ;  that  it  produced  twenty  or  thirty 
bushels  of  apples  this  season  ;  and,  that  it  has  never 
been  pruned.     There  have  been  no  trees  propagated 

from  it  yet. 

Size  rather  below  medium,  round-ovate,  one- 
sided ;  skin  smooth,  dark  red  on  sunny  side  on  green- 
ish-yellow ground,  blotched  with  dark  brown, 
dotted  with  small  black  dots  in  patches,  and  specked 
with  small  gray  specks  in  the  skin.  The  brown 
blotches  and  black  dots  may  be  rubbed  off"  without  in- 
juring the  skin  ;  stalk  from  ^  to  ^  inch  long ;  cavity 
narrow,  uneven  ;  basin  shallow,  slightly  plaited ; 
calyx  partly  closed;  flesh  pale  yellow,  very  fine 
grained ;  tender,  juicy,  sprightly,  sub-acid ;  keeps  all 
winter,  about  equal  to  the  best  for  this  country. 

New  English  Strawberry— Frogmore  Late  Pine. 
This  is  not  as  large  as  a  "cocoa  nut,"  as  friend 
Hovey  would  say ;  but  is  extolled  by  the  English 
growers  for  being  larger  and  better  than  any  late 


kind  in  cultivation.  Since  the  old  notion,  that  foreign 
strawberries  will  do  no  good  in  our  climate,  has  been 
exploded  as  a  general  rule,  some  of  our  cultivators 
will  doubtless  have  this  variety  introduced,  and 
placed  on  the  trial  list  before    the  season  goes 


■  ■hi ,  , 


hi 


ilt^  dardener's  JftontJIj. 


^ompsHr   InfpniqpnrF. 

Osage    Orange    Hedges. — I  have  made   good 
hedges  in  five  years,  as  follows,  for  100  rods : 

8000  plants $12  00 

Ploughing  and  preparing  strip  of 

land,  half  day 100 

Setting  the  plants 3  00 

Cultivating  three  times  a  year,  five 

years 2  00 

Cutting    back    with     stub-scythe, 

about 3  00 

Interest,  about 5  00 

$26  00 

or  about  twenty-five  cents  a  rod.  By  employing  bun- 
glers, hand-shears,  picking  out  weeds  with  the  fin- 
gers, &c. ,  the  cost  might  have  been  greatly  increased. 
Ploughing  and  harroAving  a  strip  five  feet  wide  on 
each  side,  which  is  cheaply  done,  is  at  least  twenty 
times  more  useful  than  merely  hoeing  by  hand  a 
narrow  strip  where  the  plants  stand.  The  roots  run 
far,  and  care  nothing  for  a  few  weeds  in  the  row. — 
Country  Gentleman.         

Apples  per  Central  New  York. — The  report 
of  the  Oneida  community  says:  "These  have  been 
unusually  abundant  and  perfect.  Sorts,  heretofore 
very  imperfect,  show  what  they  are  in  these  favored 
localities. — The  Red  Astracany  Primate  and  Sweet 
Bough,  among  summer  varieties  ;  the  Porter,  Graven- 
stein,  Norton's  Melon,  and  Lowell,  autumn  sorts ;  and 
the  R.  I.  Greening^  Baldwin,  Esopus  Spitzenburgh^ 
Swaar^  Wagener,  English  Russett,  and  Northern  Spy, 
late  keepers,  have  all  proved  well  adapted  to  this 
place.  The  Primate  is  the  best  summer  apple  we 
know.  Baldwin  and  Porter  liable  to  overbear,  Swaar 
and  Spilzenburgh  pay  for  high  culture.  Wagener,  a 
famous  early  bearer,  and  of  superior  quality.  The 
Northern  Spy — "slow  but  sure," — ^lias  this  year 
shown  that  it  will  produce  great  crops  of  large  api)lcs. 
The  next  enlargement  of  our  apple -orchards  will  be 
of  this  sort.  First  full  returns  from  young  orchards 
— one  thousand  bushels  of  choice  fruit  harvested." 


I 


Grape  Eyes. — A  correspondent  of  the  German- 
town  Telegraph  writes,  that  he  prepares  and  plants 
grape  eyes  in  the  usual  way,  and  sets  the  boxes  in 
a  warm  closet  where  they  sprout,  and  are  gradually 
inured  to  light  and  air,  and  that  he  has  succeeded 
well  in  this  way. 

The  Ohio  Beauty,  Apples. — Dr.  Warder  read  a 
letter  from  Mr.  William  F.  English,  Khinehart, 
Anglaise  county,  Ohio,  referring  to  the  "Ohio 
Beauty."     Mr.  English  says:  "One  tree  of  this  va- 


riety, of  about  sixteen  years'  growth,  charmed  and 
astonished  everybody.  Almost  every  approach  to 
the  trunk  of  the  tree  was  cut  off  by  the  limbs  bend- 
ing to  the  ground  ;  in  many  places,  apples  matured 
resting  on  the  ground.  Some  of  the  limbs  of  this 
tree  extended  twenty-two  to  twenty-four  feet,  hori- 
zontally, from  the  trunk,  and  yielded  the  present 
season  thirty  bushels  of  apples.  The  largest  apple 
we  weighed  this  season  weighed  one  pound.  Full 
as  the  trees  were,  one  hundred  and  twenty  to  one 
hundred  and  twenty-five,  taken  on  the  average, 
make  a  bushel.  Every  day  still  more  and  more 
confirms  me  in  the  opinion  I  formed  before  I  was  so 
well  acquainted  with  other  varieties ;  that  is,  that 
among  the  best  apples  in  general  cultivation,  it  has 
no  equal. ' ' — Cincinnatus. 

Improved  Hollyhocks. — Radical  shoots,  taken 
off  as  cuttings  in  the  spring,  no  doubt  give  the 
strongest  spikes,  but  they  may  easily  be  propagated 
by  single  eyes  in  July  and  August.  Plant  out  in 
March ;  the  former  month  is  best  for  early  flower- 
ing, the  latter  for  very  late  blooming.  Never  plant 
on  new  ground,  or  in  maiden  earth,  but  choose  a 
soil  that  has  been  wxU  worked,  and  if  well  trenched, 
so  much  the  better.       

Drying  Rhubarb. — Rhubarb  dries  very  well,  and 
when  well  prepared,  will  keep  good  for  an  indefinite 
period.  The  stalks  should  be  broken  off  while  they 
are  crisp  and  tender,  and  cut  into  pieces  about  an 
inch  in  length.  These  pieces  should  then  be  strung 
on  a  thin  twine,  and  hung  up  to  dry.  Rhubarb 
shrinks  very  much  in  drying — more  so  than  any 
plant  I  am  acquainted  with,  and  strongly  resembling 
pieces  of  soft  wood.  When  wanted  for  use,  it  should 
be  soaked  in  water  over  night,  and  the  next  day 
simmered  over  a  slow  fire.  None  of  its  properties 
appear  to  be  lost  in  drying,  and  it  is  equally  as  good 
in  winter  as  any  dried  fruit.  Very  few  varieties  of 
rhubarb  are  suitable  for  drying,  as  most  of  them  con- 
tain too  much  woody  fibre.  The  best  variety  of 
rhubarb  for  any  purpose  is  the  Victoria,  when  grown 
in  a  suitable  situation.  The  Mammoth  is  worthless, 
owing  to  its  fibrous  nature,  as  are  also  some  other 
kinds. — Prairie  Farmer. 


Mushroom  Growing. — The  artificial  cultivation 
of  mushrooms  is  now  so  well  understood  and  prac- 
ticed that  perhaps  little  more  can  be  advanced  on  the 
subject.  In  my  own  case,  I  merely  state  a  mode  of 
growing  them  in  the  spring  and  summer  months, 
which  I  have  found  to  answer  better  than  any  way  I 
have  yet  tried.  In  a  large  Vinery  here,  used  for  the 
growth  of  the  Black  Damascus  Grape,  there  is  a  long 


Wx^  hardener's  JItontMj. 


pit  or  bed  in  the  middle  of  the  inside  of  the  house. 
This  bed  is  about  3  feet  in  depth,  by  the  same  in 
width,  and  is  filled  with  well  prepared  horse  drop- 
pings, in  February,  or  beginning  of  March,  to  heat 
the  roots  of  the  Vines,  and  to  make  a  moist  ammonia- 
cal  atmosphere  for  the  buds  breaking.  About  the 
beginning  of  April,  when  the  bed  is  no  longer  wanted 
for  this  purpose,  I  add  a  little  more  fresh  droppings 
to  the  surface  of  the  bed,  and  spawn  it  in  the  usual 
way.  Some  good  fresh  turfy  soil  of  a  loamy  nature 
is  then  put  on  the  surface,  and  the  whole  beaten  as 
hard  as  possible  with  a  wooden  mallet.  Wooden 
shutters,  or  boards,  are  then  put  over  the  bed,  the 
surface  of  which  is  at  least  G  inches  below  the  boards. 
The  young  Mushrooms  usually  appear  in  the  begin- 
ning of  May,  and  the  beds  continue  in  full  bearing 
all  through  that  month,  and  June  and  July.  The 
Mushrooms  from  this  bed  are  not  like  the  half-starved 
buttons  grown  in  regular  Mushroom  houses,  but 
large  dark  brown  fellows  from  3  to  4  inches  in  dia- 
meter, and  as  full  of  juice  as  field  Mushrooms.  At 
one  of  the  horticultural  shows  at  Chiswick,  I  remem- 
ber having  seen  a  fine  large  dish  of  forced  Mush- 
rooms, sent  by  Mr.  Ingram,  from  Frogmore,  which 
were  of  the  same  color  and  substance.  They  were 
stuck  into  Moss  in  a  shallow  basket,  which  showed 
them  off'  better  than  the  usual  modes  tried  at  exhibi- 
tions. I  attribute  the  large  size  and  succulence  of 
the  Mushrooms  grown  in  this  way,  to  the  deepness 
and  quantity  of  the  fermenting  materials  in  the  bed, 
and  the  additional  moisture  in  the  air  of  a  large 
Vinery ;  for  the  boards  are  frequently  taken  off  the 
bed,  when  the  vines  are  syringed  or  watered  at  the 
roots.  When  there  is  room  in  the  inside  of  Vineries, 
or  Peachhouses,  for  a  bed  for  using  fermenting  ma- 
terials, no  better  plan  can  be  devised  for  making  Vines 
and  Peaches  break  readily,  and  the  beds  can  after- 
wards be  used  for  growing  Mushrooms.  The  only 
precaution  is  when  the  fruit  begins  to  ripen,  to  clear 
all  the  beds  of  the  fermenting  materials,  and  cover 
them  up  closely  with  the  shutters  or  boards,  to  pre- 
vent dampness.  In  August,  or  September,  I  usually 
clear  the  bed  here  clean  out,  and  the  Black  Damas- 
cus Grapes  keep  without  damping  or  shrivelling  till 
the  end  of  November. —  William  TilUry,  Welbeck. 


Cyclamens. — Never  dry  them,  as  the  "general 
practice"  does;  but  when  the  flower  and  the  frost 
are  done  with  for  the  season,  plant  out  the  balls  en- 
tire in  a  warm  border,  where  the  roots  will  not  be 
disturbed  the  whole  summer,  let  them  take  the  rain 
and  the  drought  as  they  happen  to  come ;  but  do 
nothing  more  on  your  part  till  the  middle  of  August, 
then  watch  them,  and  the  moment  you  perceive  a 
move  for  fresh  leaves,  up  with  them  that  day,  shake 
off  every  particle  of  soil  from  the  roots,  and  po 


them  in  the  flowering  pots  at  once,  in  good  holding 
loam,  with  a  little  sand  and  very  rotten  cowdung, 
and  so  dry  as  that  it  will  sift  like  leaf  mould,  drain 
particularly  well,  and  let  the  bulb  be  one-third  out 
of  the  earth ;  and  if  you  could  plunge  the  pots  in  a 
cold  frame,  one  watering  would  do  till  after  Christ- 
mas.— Cottage  Gardener. 


Pelargoniums — Best  Show  Varieties.  —  Aurclia, 
Brilliant,  Criterion,  Eclipse,  Etna,  Evelyn,  Fair 
Ellen,  Fairest  of  the  Fair,  Fire  Queen,  Lady  Can- 
ning, Leviathan,  Miss  Foster,  Mr.  White,  Prince  of 
Wales,  Rosy  Gem,  Rosalie,  Ringleader,  Rose  Celes- 
tial, Richard  Benyon,  Rose  Leaf,  The  Bride,  Viola, 
Vestal,  Wonderful.  Best  new  ones  coming  out : 
Autocrat,  Hj'^perion,  Lord  Clyde,  Hesperus,  Bacchus, 
Apollo,  Cherub.  Best  Spotted — Arab,  Charmer, 
Charles  Turner,  Conspicuum,  Fancy,  Guillaume 
Sevyren,  Guido,  nero,Mazeppa,  Mr.  Beck,  Mr.  Hoyle, 
Madame  Pescatore,  Madame  Lemichez,  Peacock, 
Pescatore,  Sanspareil,  Spotted  Gem,  Spotted  Pet. 
Best  new  ones  coming  out :  Beadsman,  Bracelet, 
King  of  Purples.  Best  Fancy. — Acme,  Bridesmaid, 
Captivator,  Clara  Novello,  Cloth  of  Silver,  Circle, 
Formosum,  Madame  Rougiere,  Mrs.  Turner,  Mar- 
chioness of  Tweedale,  Negro,  Princess  Royal.  Best 
new  ones  coming  out:  Lady  Craven,  Omega,  Sarah 
Turner. — Dobson  8f  Son,  Isleworth. 

I^OFPisn  (JoFFPSjponbFnrp. 

Letter   from    our   Occasional    Paris 
Correspondent. 

Friend  Meeiian,  you  were  very  kind  when  you 
stated  your  five  arguments  why  I  should  be  Letter- 
writer  Extraordinary  to  His  Excellency  the  Garden- 
er^s  Monthly.  Shall  I  hit  you  back  with  five  argu- 
ments against  it  ?  Let  two  suffice.  I  am  not  on  a 
gardening  tour.  I  am  not  scientific  enough  even  for 
an  "occasional."  I  will,  nevertheless,  write  when 
the  spirit  moves.  Alas !  the  spirit  moved  me  the 
other  day  in  a  melancholy  way.  Cemetery  flowers 
made  me  think  of  you  and  the  Monthly.  I  went  to 
seek  the  grave  of  a  young  man,  an  American,  who 
died  just  before  my  arrival  here ;  died,  too,  of  — 
Paris ;  a  schoolfellow  of  mine,  whose  living  eye  and 
hand  and  tongue  I  expected  to  enjoy  here;  who 

cvme  over  to ;  but  that  sad  tale  has  no  business 

here.  Well,  the  cemetery  differs  from  those  at  home 
in  nothing  more  than  in  the  abundance  of  wreaths 
of  Immortelle  flowers.  The  French  love  to  visit 
cemeteries.  Their  gay  nature  here,  perhaps,  finds 
that  reaction  which  everything  in  creation  seems  to 
require.  Even  distant  friends  and  relations  are  vis- 
ited by  them,  when  dead,  with  a  feeling  of  kind  re- 
membrance, which  these,  when  alive,  unhappily  do 


i| 


I 


r 


i«: 


I 


126 


ih^  §nrAmx\  Ponthlg. 


not  enjoy,  and  for  all  there  is  the  wreath  of  Im- 

"  B^^B  and  statues,  on  anniversaries  of  the  death 
of  their  originals,  are  wreathed  in  the  same  way. 
Napoleon  I.,  cast  in  bronze,  standing  on  a  high  col- 
umn made  of  iron  ordnance  taken  in  battles  and  re- 
cast on  everv  recurring  day  of  his  death,  gets 
protUly  bew'reathed,  mostly  by  the  few  veterans 
^till  livin-  Or  if  one  of  his  old  followers  hvmg  m 
the  provinces  happens  to  come  to  Paris,  he  will  not 
fail  lo  hang  up  his  wreath  on  the  iron  nulmg  round 
his  idors  column  in  the  Place  Vendome.  Ot  couisc, 
the  cuUivation  and  sale  of  such  wreaths  has  become 
a  distinct  trade.  Numbers  of  girls  are  employed  o 
make  them,  and  they  are  sent  from  Pans  all  oye 
France,  selling  by  the  dozen,  the  gross,  and  the 

hundreds  of  gross. 

But  away  with /moncAo/y,-let  us  turn  to  live  f  esl 

flowers,  even  in  winter.     Let  us  go  to  the  ball  o 
Madame  Secretary  of  State,  here  called  Mmiser  for 
the  interior.     This  is  the  night,  here  is  the  card  of  in- 
vitation.    You  smile.     You  want  to  know  ^^ala 
business  I  have  with  the  ball  ?    Incredulous,  modest 
man'    Do  not  all  the  gardeners  belong  to  the  world  s 
aristocracy  ?    Am  I  not,  further,  a  representative  o 
the  American  nation  V    Is  not  America      a  great 
country  V-     And,  lastly,  if  gardeners  were  contra- 
band articles  for  such  balls,  who  knows  me   in  my 
present  position,  as  ever  having  handled  spades  any 
more  than  clubs  or  diamonds  or  hearts  V    But  I  will 
not  lead  you  into  the  ladies'  saloons ;  I  will  but  show 
you  the  approaches  ;  how,  when  once  your  foot  has 
passed  the  portecochere,  you  will  forget  season,  cli- 
mate, and  our  common  notions  of  habitation;  tor 
you  will  step  into  a  bower  or  grove  of  exotic  plants, 
all  so  arranged  that  you  see  no  pots  and  tubs.     Rho- 
dodendrons, Azaleas,  Camellias  of  every  quarter  ot 
the  globe,  and  of  the  fifth,  too.     Musas  ot  Ethiop 
Acacias  of  New  Holland,  Heathers  of  the  Cape,  all 
the  varieties  of  Palms  of  the  Islands,  the  natives  of 
Java  of  the  Brazils,  of  scorching  Africa,  of  India 
in  the  East,  of  Cuba  and  of  Botany  Bay,  they  all 
meet  here  in  brilliant  gaslight,  to  strike  your  eye 
with  the  dazzle  of  their  blooms,  to  fill  your  brain 
with  their  bewitching  fragrance ;   in  fact,  to  time 
you  to  the  ball  and  to  gaiety,  and  to  -ner^-e,"  if, 
perchance,  you  arrive  in  the  wrong  mood.     And 
whence  all  these  plants  ?    Not  from  the  greenhouses 
of  Monsieur  Ic  Ministre,  to  be  sure.     Why  should 
he  risk  his  plants,  when  for  so  much  he  can  have  so 
many  for  this  or  that  occasion  ?    Save  me  from  sta- 
tistics, friend  Mcehan.     I  hate  figures.     It  is  sufli- 
cicnt  to  tell  you  tliat  a  good  many  establishments 
earn  every  winter  a  good  deal  of  money  by  hiring 
out  the  denizens  of  their  plant-houses.  The  pay,  how- 
ever is  not  for  the  bringing  and  fetching  alone,  nor 


for  the  per  centage  of  wear,  tear,  and  risk ;  but  for 
the  art  of  placing  them  along  the  entrance,  up  the 
stairs,  etc.,  for  making  decorations,  for  liiding,  by 
their  aid,  unsightly  nooks,  for  fiUing  up  with  them 
useless  corners,  and  for  accomplishing  really  artistic 
designs.  When  the  city  of  Paris  gave  a  baH  in  the 
City  Hall,  to  Queen  Victoria  of  England,  when  she 
was  here,  the  large  spaces  of  roof  intervening  be- 
tween the  second  floor  of  the  principal  sides  of  the 
quadrangle  and  the  different  buildings  rising  from 
it— the  depressions  or  spaces  being  necessary  for 
letting  in  the  light— were  roofed  over  in  Crystal  Pal- 
ace manner;  connected  with  these  buildings,  the 
floor,  heretofore  roof,  boarded  and  gardens  made  of 
them,  in  which  birds  sung  and  fountains  played. 

And  as  a  contrast,  turn  now  to  those  exhibitions 
from  which  all  classes  to  the  humblest  draw  their 
supply  of  plants  and  flowers,  to  the  flower-marts  of 
Paris  Of  this  I  will  write  to  you  on  some  future 
occasion.  ■"  • 


gnrHrnHurall  $ntMm. 


THE    FEUIT  GROWERS'   SOCIETY   OF 
EASTERN  PENNSYLVANIA. 

{ConHniud  from  Page  ^Q.) 

ARE  COLD  GRAPERIES  WORTHY  THE  ATTENTION  OF  THE 

FARMER? 

Mr  S  Miller  said  it  -was  a  mistake  to  suppose  these  strnctures 
reauired  very  close  attention.  A  friend  of  his,  who  was  an  engi- 
neer usually  left  a  cheap  vineiy  he  had  erected  go  all  day  with- 
out any  attention,  and  he  had  perfect  success.  ,q,  .  , 

Mr  B  Bartolett,  a  farmer  of  Chester  County,  said,  in  1844  he 
out  up  against  his  liouse  a  vinery  twelve  by  sixteen  feet,  at  a  cost  of 
about  thirty-four  dollars.  He  had  frequently  given  it  no  atten- 
tion for  several  weeks,  and  year  before  last  particularly.  Has 
very  fine  crops.  He  had,  he  thought,  as  much  as  two  hundred 
pounds  on  some  occasions  from  four  vines.  ,        ,         ^  ,       ^ 

Mr  A  W  Harrison,  though  only  a  horticultural  amateur  and  not 
a  farmer,  thought  that,  from  his  experience,  there  was  a  profit  to 
be  made  well  worthy  of  the  farmer's  attention.  M..re  care  would 
have  to  bo  exercised  in  having  matters  safe  from  contingencies,  so 
tliat.  as  in  Mr.  Bartolelt's  case,  the  vinery  might  bo  lett  a  long 
time  without  care.  Inside  borders  had  such  advantages.  Besides 
I  ho  money  profit,  the  refining  influences  of  such  operations  on  the 
farmer's  family  was  worth  a  good  deal. 

Mr  Saunders  spoke  of  the  increasing  risk  of  failure  in  pears, 
cherries,  apples,  Ac,  and  asked.  What  so  certain  as  a  crop  of 
vinery  grapes?  There  was  too  much  mystery  made  of  grape- 
growing,— too  much  nonsense  in  usual  rules  of  management.— 
Borders  three  feet  deep  were  sufficient,  and  cost  but  little.  As  for 
so  much  talk  about  soils,  any  earth  that  would  grow  good  cab- 
baires  would  grow  good  grapes.  He  favored  inside  borders,  made 
arrangements  to  keep  the  air  moist  as  heat  increased,  which  also 
had  a  good  effect  on  restraining  mildew.  No  crop  produced  so 
much  for  so  little  outlay,  and  he  hoped  every  farmer  would  profit 
by  Mr.  Bartolett's  experience.  ,.     ,^     ^      , 

Mr.  Bartolett  said  he  had  both  an  outside  and  Inside  border. 
Thought  that  a  border  wholly  inside  would  at  times  get  too  dry. 
He  laid  down  and  protected  his  vines  in  winter,  until  the  spring 
opened  and  the  buds  pushed.  Kept  the  sashes  shut,  more  or  less, 
till  all  danger  of  frost  was  over,  when  they  were  left  open  alto- 
gether He  used  soap-suds  and  sulphur  about  three  times  a  year 
over  the  leaves  and  about  the  vinery,  and  attributed  to  ii  his  Iroe- 

dom  from  mildew,  ,  .    ..     j     .        «>     u    i 

Mr.  Saunders  remarked,  with  regard  to  the  drying  ofinside  bor- 
ders, that  he  had  found  one  thorough  watering  a  year  sufficient. 
CRACKING  OF  THE  PEAR  AND  BLIGHT. 

Mr.  Baldwin  thought  electricity  at  or  about  the  time  of  thunder- 
storms had  an  Influence  on  the  production  of  blight,  and  thought 
some  application  might  guard  against  it. 

Mr.  Millhauer  ob.served  that  blight  was  quite  a  modern  disease, 
while  we  had  thunder-storms  years  ago. 

Dr.  Eshleman  thought  locality  had  some  reference  to  the  cause 
of  cracking.  In  some  localities  Hosenshenk  did  well ;  in  others  it 
cracked  badly.  At  New  Holland,  Lancaster  County,  the  Diller 
did  finely,  but  was  worthless  with  him  in  Chester  County.    Fre- 


Wx\  iinrdfucr'a  <PontMg. 


queutly  only  single  limbs  were  struck  with  fire-blight,  and  when 
there  were  no  thunder-storms. 

IMr.  Harrison  thought  that  when  a  tree  was  weakened  in  its 
constitution  by  any  course  of  treatment,  any  unfavorable  circuin- 
stunces  to  general  liciilth  would  brms<  out  disoase.  He  instanced 
two  trees  of  the  Dps  Nounes  Pear  in  hi>!  garden  bearing  frnit  for  the 
first  time.  Anmud  one  of  these  a  thick  dres-sing  of  stable-manure 
had  been  accidentally  placed  the  year  before.  The  tree  grew  vig- 
orously, and  last  year  the  fruit  cracked  badly.  The  other  D«'S 
Noiiues  I'ear,  as  well  as  the  other  pears  in  hi^i  garden  that  bore,  did 
not  crack.  An  abundance  of  nitro<:eneous  manures  rendered  wood 
soft  and  spongy,  as  it  makes  a  cabbage  tender  and  juicy,  and 
when  in  that  condition  disease  fastens  on  the  structure  and  often 
becomes  hereditary  and  constitutional.  The  knowledge  of  the 
efi"ect  of  peculiar  substances  on  the  health  of  vegetable  structure 
was  only  in  its  infancy.  Mr.  Baxter,  of  Philadelphia,  famous  for 
fine  peurs,  hung  iron  about  his  trees.  The  rain  brout:ht  the  oxide 
to  the  ground,  and  it  was,  in  his  (the  spe-ker's)  view,  but  a 
clumsy  way  of  applying  oxide  of  iron  to  the  soil.  Sulphate  of  iron 
ha«  been  known  to  make  leaves  of  pear  trees  very  large,  and  the 
fruit  very  fine.  Experiments  with  steel  in  trees  have  resulted  in 
no  goitd,  indicating  that  it  was  the  oxide  of  iron  from  the  use  of 
the  latter  that  was  beneficial.  When  the  tendency  to  disease  had 
become  a  habit,  many  things  would  brim'  it  out.  and  many  things 
would  also  produce  the  tendency  to  disease.  Bearing  young,  in 
vegetables  as  in  animals,  had  an  enervating  tendency.  Give  him 
veil-ripened,  close,  compact,  hard  wood,  a  stock  from  a  healthy 
parent,  and  one  that  has  not  over-borne  when  young,  and  he  did 
not  fear  disease. 

Ellwood  Thomas,  of  Montcoinery  County,  grafted  a  hedge  pear 
with  W.  Doyenne.  Bore  well  for  a  few  years,  then  cracked  badly. 
After  that  he  grafted  Julienne,  which  has  since  done  well.  The 
tree  has  always  been  surrounded  by  sod.  He  thought  it  could  not 
i>e  deficient  elements  in  the  soil,  or  in  such  a  case  the  Julienne 
would  crack  as  bad  as  W.  Doyenne. 

Mr.  Grider  thought  there  might  be  sufficient  of  certain  elements 
for  one  variety,  and  not  for  another,  for  he  know  a  friend  who 
had  a  pear,  the  fruit  of  which  cracked  freely,  and  after  a  plentiful 
application  of  salt  to  the  ground  about  the  tree,  the  disease  disap- 
peared . 

Mr.  Miller  thought  he  had  known  beneficial  results  both  from 
iron  and  salt.  Had  seen  fine  White  Doyennes  in  Lancaster 
County  in  sheltered  gardens. 

Mr.  Bald  win  had  seen  scions  taken  from  healthy  White  Doyenne 
trees,  and  put  en  trees  that  bore  cracked  fruit,  and  for  some  time 
after  the  fruit  was  healthy. 

Mr.  Harrison  agreed  in  the  view  of  Mr.  Grider.  It  was  well 
known  that  one  kind  of  soil  would  render  a  grape  sweet .  another 
kind  of  soil  would  produce  the  same  kind  more  sour.  It  was  so 
with  the  pear.  High-flavored  pears  absorbed  more  of  the  ele- 
ments of  perfection.  Hedge  pears  would  be  satisfied  with  very 
little. 

A  gentleman  observed  that  guano-water  had  been  found  by  him 
favorable  to  liealthy  fruit. 

A.  W.  Corson  had  a  Butter  Pear  to  crack  seven  successive  years. 
Last  year  dressed  the  surface  about  the  tree  with  ashes  and  stable- 
manure,  with  a  perceptible  benefit  to  last  year's  crop. 

Mr.  Lukens  Pierce  made  some  remarks  which  our  reporter  did 
not  hear,  and 

Mr.  Saunders  observed  that  he  had  given  the  subject  much  at- 
tention, and  was  satisfied  that  cracking  was  owing  solely  to  at- 
mospheric causes.  Soil  analysis  was  so  indefinite  that  no  satis- 
factory result  could  bo  had.  Two  analyses  on  soil,  taken  but  a 
few  feet  from  each  other,  would  vary  in  elements  and  In  their 
])roportion8.  This  might  be  considered  but  a  "  ])rartical"  view :  but 
there  were  two  classes  of  "practical  s"— those  who  "  practiced"  and 
observed  as  they  went,  and  those  who  "practiced"  what  they  were 
taught — mere  machines,  who  never  bestowed  a  thought  on  what 
thev  were  doing  Agreed  with  Mr.  Harrison,  that  ripe  wood  was 
imp"ortant.  Where  wood  was  net  well  ripened,  partial  shelter 
would  mitigate  or  keep  off  crack  and  blight.  The  effect  of  frost  on 
soft  wood  was  much  the  same  as  heat  in  summer.  The  moisture 
evaporated  too  rapidly,  and  disease  or  death  ensued. 

Mr.  Miller  enquired  if  summer-pinching  would  harden  or  ripen 
wood,  and 

Mr.  Saunders  replied  that  it  would,  if  done  early  in  fall. 

Mr.  Vos,  of  Berks  County,  spoke  highly  of  the  Reading  Pear, 
which,  he  said,  was  as  easy  to  get  perfect  as  the  Bartlett.  and 
bore  nearly  as  well.  He  was  not  much  of  a  reader,  and  got  his 
knowledge  entirely  from  experience.  His  views,  whatever  they 
might  be,  were,  therefore,  his  own,  and  not  suggested  by  other 
parties;  and  he  would  say  that  he  had  found  great  benefit  from 
light  manures  for  the  pear.  In  fact,  ho  considered  wood-ashes, 
salt,  and  iron-filings  indispensable  to  get  perfect  fruit.  His  soil 
was  clay  subsoil,  and  never  bad  any  sign  of  blight  or  crack 
amongst  his  fruits.  Tie  grew  many  kinds,  and  all  did  equally 
well.  He  manures  entirely  by  top-dressing.  There  were  soils 
about  Reading  in  which  no  pear  could  be  made  to  grow. 

General  Keim  said  there  was  an  extremely  fine  winter  pear  cul- 
tivated in  the  neighborhood  by  the  early  German  settlers,  which 
they  called  the  Och.  and  which  for  many  years  was  entirely  free 
from  crack  and  blight.  Pears  were  less  subject  to  disease  In  the 
city  of  Reading,  where  they  were  protected,  than  In  the  environs. 


He  said  there  were  many  very  fine  varieties  of  fruit  about  Read- 
ing, named  after  good  citizens,  that  had  sprung  up  from  self-sown 
seed  brought  from  Canada  by  the  Indians,  who  had  a  regular 
meeting  or  campiujr  ground  in  the  vicinity  every  spring.  The 
Keim  Apple,  he  thought,  undoubtf^dly  originated  in  this  way.  He 
paid  a  glowing  tribute  to  the  benevolent  purposes  of  horticulture, 
and  closed  by  an  invitation  to  the  members  of  the  Convention  to 
honor  him  with  a  visit  at  his  house  on  their  adjournment,  which 
the  members  accepted,  and  felt  themselves,  in  turn,  honored  and 
gratified  by  the  cordiality  and  kindness  with  which  the  General 
received  and  entertained  them. 

Dr.  Eshleman  said  it  was  eight  years  since  he  had  first  experi- 
mented on  the  special  manure  theory  on  a  Butler  Pear.  He  took 
out  the  soil  about  it  three  feet  wide  and  three  feet  deep,  and  filled 
in  with  a  compost,  in  which  were  sulphate  of  iron,  oxide  of  iron, 
wood  ashes,  charcoal,  Ac,  five  cart-loads  in  .all;  but  fruit  cracked 
as  bad  as  evor.  Grafted  all  but  one  limb  with  Bartletts,  which  do 
not  crack.  The  ungraffed  fruit  cracks  as  bad  as  ever.  The  tiee  is 
also  well  protected.  He  did  not  believe  that  only  the  constitution- 
ally weak  took  disease.  The  healthiest  man  was  often  the  first  in 
times  of  epidemics  to  take  sick  and  die.  He  inclined  to  the  belief 
that  cracking  and  blight  were  the  results  of  a  parasitic  fungus. 

Mr.  Harrison  replied  that  it  was,  nevertheless,  a  fact  that,  as  a 
rule,  good  healthy  wood  was  more  liable  to  be  exempt  from  dis- 
eases arising  from  constitution.!  1  weakness.  He  instanced  two 
orchards,  near  each  other,  of  about  two  hundred  varieties, — one 
manured  in  the  usual  way  with  strong  stimulating  and  coarse 
wood-producing  manures,  in  which  one-third  of  the  fruit  was 
badly  cracked ;  and  the  other,  which  had  inorganic  manures  only, 
and  not  a  crack  or  sting  was  visible.  He  was  assured  by  parties 
highly  respectable,  that  this  was  a  regularly  marked  chaiacter  of 
the  two  orchards  They  had  both  been  uuderdrained,  and  both 
treated  and  managed  alike,  except  in  the  single  point  of  the  syB- 
tem  of  manuring. 

Mr.  Saunders  remarked  that  it  was  one  of  the  most  interesting 
discus.sions  he  had  ever  listened  to,  and  clearly  showed  to  his  mind 
that  it  was  essential  to  study  the  general  laws  of  vegetable  health 
above  all;  yet  when  trees  were  once  weakened,  he  liad  no  doubt 
that  position  and  shelter  would  be  found  very  beneficial. 

CAUSE  OF  THE  FAILURE   OF  THE  GRAPE,  AND  THE   BEST 
VARIETIES  FOR  EASTERN  PENNSYLVANIA. 

H.  M.  Thomas  said  that  about  Reading  it  was  customary  to  dig 
trenches  one  and  a  half  ft.  deep  and  one  ft.  wide,  into  which  some 
leather-parings  and  stable-manure  were  put.  They  always  bore, 
never  had  rot,  and  but  little  blight  or  mildew. 

Dr.  Ke.ssler  said  that,  for  the  last  thirty  years,  the  Isabella  had 
been  the  great  grape  of  Reading.  Recently  they  had  not  done  so 
well  as  formerly.  The  leaves  became  hurt  usually  after  showers 
which  were  followed  by  hot  sun.  When  the  leaves  once  got  in- 
jured, he  liad  noticed  that  the  grapes  never  ripened.  The  only 
remedy  he  knew  was  to  encourage  suckers  to  throw  up  a  new  set 
of  leaves  and  canes,  provided  the  injury  was  prior  to  July  or 
August. 

Mr.  Grider  has  twenty  acres  of  grapes.  He  and  another  neigh- 
bor had  lost  heavily  by  rot  during  the  past  four  years.  Rot  and 
mildew  extended  over  the  whole  United  States,  and  now,  in  the 
infancy,  as  it  were,  of  our  wine-making  experiments,  he  who 
would  point  out  a  remedy  would  be  a  national  benefactor.  In 
early  spring  he  had  noticed  a  small  insect  preying  on  the 
bark,  which  produced  by  its  puncture,  as  seen  when  exam- 
ined with  a  magnifying-glass,  a  small  red  spot,  which  succe.ssively 
turned  purple,  brown,  and  ultimately  black,  the  bark  splitting 
open  in  time  and  exposing  the  wood  by  the  time  the  latter  ri- 
pened. The  iusect  appeared  but  a  small  midge.  The  rot  appears 
in  spots  in  his  vineyard,  not  evidently  on  vines  more  weakened 
than  other.s, — often,  indeed,  only  on  some  branches  of  the  vine, 
while  the  other  branches  of  the  same  vine  produce  perfect  fruit. 
In  fact,  the  rot  often  seems  to  rise  in  a  direct  line  from  the  gi'ound 
upward,  as  if  it  was  smoke  from  a  chimney. 

Mr.  Fehr  led  a  branch  of  a  vine  into  a  house,  and  it  bore  good 
fruit ;  all  on  the  outside  vine  rotted.  Thought  the  house  avoided 
change  of  temperature  about  the  fruit.  Grapes  he  had  always 
found  to  do  much  better  in  the  shade  than  in  the  sun.  His  expe- 
rience with  vineyards  '  »•  Reading  dates  from  1840.  Had  no 
doubt  mildew  was  atraospueric,  and  that  the  gases  of  towns  were 
unfavorable  to  its  development.  Had  imported  Rislings  from  Ger- 
many, but  they  were  a  speedy  and  total  failure.  He  had  now  for 
some  years  grown  only  the  Catawba  and  Isabella.  His  system  of 
pruning  varied  with  the  strength  of  the  vine, — left  plenty  of  wood 
on  strong  vines.  He  thought  mildew  attacked  grapes  worst  in 
June.  On  dewy,  hazy  mornings,  had  noticed  a  pale  hue  on  the 
berry,  and  by  nine  o'clock  next  morning  the  mildew  would  be 
plainly  discernible.  He  calculated  he  had  lost  as  much  as  $10,000 
in  his  vineyard  by  rot  and  mildew.  He  spoke  of  the  winged  thrip, 
also,  as  being  very  destructive  to  the  health  of  the  vine  foliage. 

Mr.  Saunders,  by  permission  of  the  Chairman,  read  his  essay  on 
the  subject  in  the  last  proceedings  of  the  American  Pomological 
Society. 

Mr.  Glider  hoped  attention  would  be  turned  to  find  a  certain 
remedy.  Had  seen  a  solution  of  sulphur  eat  off  mildew  after  it 
liad  been  badly  fastened  on  berries. 


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Mr.  Miller,  of  Chester  County,  noticed,  as  a  singular  coincidence, 
that  when  roso-bugs  were  abundant  about  vines,  there  were 
plenty  of  crrapes, — and  'grapes  scarce  in  seasons  when  they  were 
absent.  It  had  become  something  of  a  proverb  in  his  section: 
"  No  rose-bugs,  no  grapes." 

Mr.  Fehr  confirmed  the  observation.  Used  to  send  men  to  kill 
off  rose-bugs;  found  his  mistake,  and  the  fir-t  year  after  discon- 
tinuing the  war  nffainst  rose-bugs  made  twenty-four  barrels  of 
wine.     Tie  subscribed  to  the  doctrine  "No  rose-bugs,  no  grapes."' 

S.  Miller,  of  Chester  County,  noticed  that,  invariably,  grapes 
on  trees  were  healthy  in  every  respect,  while  they  rot  in  the  vine- 
yard. 

It  was  here  proposed  to  take  a  vote  ou  the  five  best  kinds  the 
members  would  recommend. 

Mr.  Rutter  said  thei'e  was  so  much  diflTerence  of  opinion  at  the 
last  meeting  about  fruits  for  profit  from  their  ci^e  of  culture  or 
prolificness.  and  fruits  to  be  grown  for  personal  use  ft)r  their  su- 
perior quality  alone,  that  be  thought  it  would  be  well  to  vote 
understandingly  ou  that  subject. 

Mr.  S.  Miller,  of  Lebanon,  thought  the  Diana  with  him  the  safest 
from  mildew  Had  never  seen  any  on  Concord.  Ppoke  well  of 
Clinton  in  that  respect ;  but  had  not  had  good  Catawba  or  Isabella 
for  ten  years. 

Mr.  Fehr  had  tried  the  Rebecca,  but  it  failed  entirely  in  his  lo- 
cality. 

Previous  to  a  vote,  the  Chairman  (Mr.  Miller,  pro  tern  )  hoped 
that  only  those  would  be  recommended  which  the  members  had 
thoroughly  tested,  and  to  mark  on  the  ballots  the  names  of  the 
kinds  they  had  tried  and  selected  their  choice  from  ;  but  we  did 
not  understand  that  this  wiis  attended  to;  and  it  was  agreod  after 
the  vote  was  taken,  that  the  result  should  not  be  considered  the 
authoritative  sense  of  the  Society.  The  following  was  the  list,  the 
order  of  preference  beinir  given  as  the  list  runs* — Concord,  Diana, 
Delaware,  Clinton,  Isabella.  Our  reporter  observes  that  these 
votes  do  not  amount  to  much,  as  probably  those  who  had  grown  a 
Concord  might  not  have  grown  a  Diana,  as  they  only  voted  on 
what  they  had  grown  Scattering  votes  were  given  for  the  fol- 
lowing, and  in  consecutive  order:  Catawba.  Taylor's  Bullitt,  Clo- 
anthe,  Ontario,  Cassaday. 

SMALT.  FRUITS. 

Rev.  Mr.  Knox,  of  Pittsburg  being  present,  was  invited  to  favor 
the  meetinifwith  his  experience.  For  raspberries  he  used  a  Double 
Michigan  Plough  to  the  depth  of  twenty  inches.  Preferred  the 
Brinckle's  (Vange  for  flavor,  beauty,  and  productiveness,  but  it 
was  rather  soft  for  carrying  to  market  well.  It  was  rather  tender; 
but  his  faith  was  in  protcctinsr  all.  even  the  hardiest.  Franconin 
he  preferred  as  a  red.  Next  the  Improved  Plack  Cap.  He  praised 
It  highly  for  profit.  Does  not  prefer  it  to  others  himself:  but  for 
market  use  one  must  study  the  wants  and  wishes  of  his  customers, 
rather  than  his  own  taste.  Improved  Black  (^ap  was  far  superior 
to  the  common  kinds.  He  planted  them  seven  feet  apart  and 
three  feet  from  each  other, — other  kinds  five  feet,  and  three  feet 
from  each  other  in  the  row.  T'sed  stable-manure.  For  marketing 
raspberries,  less  than  ])int  boxes  were  the  best  size.  Objection  has 
been  made  to  the  color,  but  in  his  market,  where  the  Orange  is 
known,  it  sells  well  at  good  prices. 

Mr.  Heiues  spoke  favorably  of  mulching  raspberries  with 
manure. 

Mr.  Harrison  favored  tan-bark.  He  allowed  only  those  canes 
to  grow  that  he  wished  to  bear  fruit  next  year,  and  found  wood- 
nshes  and  salt  an  excellent  manure.  Approved  of  the  Oranee  and 
Franconia.  Thought  Pilate  and  Hornet  promised  well.  Would 
send  raspberries  of  the  finer  kinds  to  market  with  their  «tems  on. 
Hudson  River  Antwerp  was  praised  for  its  regular-sized  berries. 
Col.  Wilder  was  flrstrste  in  the  shade,  but  poor  in  the  snn. 

Mr.  Knox  prepared  irround  for  strawberries  as  for  raspberries. 
Roil  had  remarkable  elTects  on  the  results  of  strawberry  culture. 
Has  had  profitable  strawberry  crops  from  ground  only  ten  inches 
deep.  Grows  them  in  rows  two  and  a  half  feet  apart,  eight  to 
fifteen  inches  apart  in  the  row.  Never  lets  any  runners  grow. 
Keeps  the  cultivator  going  till  fall,— cultivator  "made  expressly 
for  the  purpose.  Lays  straw  along  to  keep  the  fruit  fn.m  the  dirt. 
Boys  draw  the  straw  apart  for  the  operations  of  the  cultivator 
■with  a  hay-rake.  Uses  the  labor  of  women  and  boys  for  pinching 
mnners  and  the  lighter  labor.  Has  bods  expressly  for  propaga- 
tion, where  runners  are  allowed  to  run.  Disrunnered  beds  last  a 
long  time  witbout  renewal.  His  beds  are  five  years  old,  and 
thinks  they  may  last  five  more.  Spoke  highly  of  a  kind  known 
In  Pittsburg  as  Baltimore  Scarlet,  as  suiting  their  soil  well ;  also 
of  Burr's  Pine  and  Buist's  Prize.  Many  foreign  rarieties  suited 
his  locality  well.  Trollope's  Victoria  had  brought  one  dollar  per 
quart,  and  berries  had  measured  two  and  a  quarter  inches  across. 
Albany's  defect  was  in  having  various  sized  berries.  Sorted  them 
before  marketing.  Liked  small  boxes,  holding  about  one  pint. 
Trloraphe  dc  Gand  was  his  favorite, — thought  it  hard  to  improve 
on  It;  berries  regular,  usually  one  and  three-fourths  Inches  In 
diameter.  His  system  had  been  objected  to  as  expensive.  Found, 
by  the  returns,  it  was  the  cheapest.  Two  hundred  dollars  could 
be  realized  with  him,  on  his  system,  for  every  one  hundred  dol- 
lars spent.  The  average  yield  with  him  of  Tiiomphe  de  Gand 
was  three  hundred  bushels  to  the  acre;  of  Hovey's  Seedling,  one 


hundred.  He  usually  set  out  twenty  thousand  plants  to  the  acre, 
and  one  pint  per  plant  was  the  minimum  yield. 

Mr.  Harrison  spoke  of  layering  runners  into  small  pots  plunged 
about  the  plants  as  an  excellent  plan  for  amateurs  who  wish  to  be 
quite  successful  with  valuable  kinds. 

Mr.  Horloch,  of  Reading,  spoke  of  the  difficulty  of  raising  supe- 
rior seedlings.  Had  raised  large  quantities  for  ten  years,  but  had 
only  one  worth  any  thing.  Fruit  for  marketing  was  his  business, 
and  he  had  found  it  profitable.  Found  the  strawberry  to  do  best 
In  a  loamy  soil  that  bad  been  In  sod  for  two  years  previous.  Had 
grown  Hovey  and  Large  Early  Scarlet  for  some  years.  Found 
keeping  soil  clean  and  the  plants  well  thinned  paid  much  better 
than  letting  them  run  toorether.  He  dressed  in  the  fall  with  two- 
year  old  cow-manure,  covering  leaves  entirely;  raked  it  aside 
somewhat  in  spring.  Found  taking  otf  the  rn.ners  had  a  ten- 
dencv  to  make  large  fruit.  Thought  old  plants  began  to  fail  after 
the  third  year;  fhev  then  got  '"a  calamus  root,"  (woody  stems  or 
rhizomes).  The  first  season  of  setting  out  grew  onions  and  light 
crops  between  the  plants  ;  next  two  years  they  bear.  Makes  new 
beds  every  year  for  regular  succession.  Mulching  with  manure 
he  approved  of;  and  where  water  could  be  had  to  Irrigate  the  bods 
while  the  fruit  was  in  blossom,  it  paid  well. 

Dr.  E><hleman  on  a  small  piece  of  ground  had  produced  at  the 
rate  of  six  hundred  bushels  to  the  acre. 

Mr.  Gay  had  seen  strawberries  near  Reading  frequently  aver- 
aging from  four  to  six  Inches  In  circumference. 

Dr.  Eshleman  remarked  that  a  New  Yorker  had  grown  them 
eight  Inches  round.  In  his  cultivation  uses  a  cast-steel  rake.  His 
experience  favored  that  of  Mr.  Harrison  and  Dr.  Knox  In  other 
re«pects.  ,     ,    ^  1 1 

Mr.  Rutter  inquired  whether  there  was  any  kind  that  would 
bear  m  i>.elJ  with  nn  little  cultivation  as  the  Albanv  Seedling? 
He  thought  that  to  those  who  d'd  not  make  a  business  of  growing 
strawberries  for  market,  and  whose  other  occupations  rendered  it 
necessary  to  have  a  strawberry  that  would  take  care  of  itself  in  a 
measure  or  have  no  strawberries  at  all,  It  was  an  Important  ques- 
tion. 

Mr.  Dlngee  said  that  with  a  farmer  It  was  not  always  a  question, 
whether  labor  would  "pav"  on  bis  strawberry-bed;  but  whether, 
consistentlv  with  his  regular  farm  duties,  which  called  him  to 
"make  hav  while  the  sun  shines."  he  could  often  give  it  any 
labor  at  ail.  He  thonsrbt  a  strawberry  that  would  not  sutler 
by  a  few  days  or  weeks'  neglect,  had  an  advantage  over  others 

that  would.  ^    ,     n  1  u      * 

At  this  stage  of  the  proceeding*,  the  Report  of  the  General  ^rult 
Committee  of  the  Society  was  called  up  and  read  by  the  Chair- 
man. Mr.  John  Rutter.  which  at  the  conclusion  was  warmly  ap- 
plauded. It  was.  In  the  main,  an  elaborate  essay  on  the  Degene- 
racy of  Fruits. 

GOOSEBERRIES. 

Mr.  Elwood  Thomas  called  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  Cluster 
and  Houghton's  Seedling,  two  distinct  kinds,  were  often  con- 
founded, i.       T  t 

Mr.  Harrison  repeated  his  experience  given  at  the  June  meet- 
ing, and  expressed  his  conviction,  that  with  proper  precautions, 
mildew  could  be  easily  conquered,  and  that  the  gooseberry  was 
amongst  the  best  of  fruits. 

CURRANTS. 

Mr.  David  Miller  classed  them  next  to  the  grape  in  value,  espe- 
cially for  wine.  He  preferred  having  a  few  Inches  of  stem  above 
ground.  ,  .  ,  , 

Mr.  Saunders  had  seen  them  trained  to  handsome  pyramidal 

forms.  ,     ,  , 

Mr.  Knox  snld  hleh  cultivation  was  particularly  necessary  for 
the  currant.  The  cherry  was  a  shy  bearer  for  two  or  three  years. 
Very  profuse  after  that.     He  valued  It  highly. 

BLACKBERRY. 

Mr.  Saunders  had  known  forty-eight  plants  to  produce  twelve 

bushels  at  Rahwav.  N.  J.  .       .1  •    .^      i    j 

Mr.  Harrison  observed  that  the  fruit  ripened  well  in  the  shade. 
A  gentleman  remarked  that  some  varieties  had  not  proved  hardy 

with  him.  ,        ,. , 

Mr.  Saunders  said  it  was  owing  to  imperfect  culture  that  did  not 

permit  the  wood  to  ripen.  ^    ,      ^  ..  ■   1  .1. 

Dr.  Knox  pruned  the  canes  a  little;  cut  off  about  one-third  the 

length  of  both  cane  and  laterals. 

Some  enquirv  was  made  about  Newman  sThornless. 

Mr.  Harrison  said  he  bad  seen  it  the  past  season  in  the  garden  of 
Mr.  Thomas  Meohan,  at  Germantown,  bearing  very  eariy   and 

abundantly.  .  ,  j    i-.         „ 

Some  few  remarks  were  made  on  the  cranberry,  and  after  soine 
further  routine,  the  Convention  adjourned  sine  die,  to  meet  again 
at  the  call  of  the  Committee.  .     „     .  .    .       u  u     t» 

The  meeting  was  one  of  the  pleasantest  the  Society  has  held  It 
was  well  attended  by  members.  "Axes  to  grind,  that  will  at 
times  exhibit  their  edges  in  all  societies,  were  not  discernible  In 
this.  Fault-finding  and  bickerings  about  fine  punctilios  and  dull 
platitudes,  that  have  ruined  some  good  societies,  were  absent 
from  its  councils;  and  but  one  object  seemed  to  actuate  all  who 
participated,  namely,  a  desire  to  give  and  to  receive  information. 


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THOMAS     MBEHAN,    Editor. 


MAY,  1861. 


VOL.    III.— NO    5. 


$nh  for  InDeg. 


FLOWER-GARDEN    AND   PLEASURE- 
GROUND. 

About  the  first  week  in  May,  residents  of  the 
Middle  States  commence  to  set  out  their  bedding 
plants.  The  modem  style  of  planting  in  masses 
affords  great  scope  for  a  tasteful  arrangement  of 
colors,  either  in  the  same  bed,  or  by  arrangement 
amongst  a  set  of  flower-beds.  The  ribbon  style  of 
flower-gardening  beds  in  long,  narrow,  and  winding 
strips  and  coils,  is  also  popular  for  the  same  pur- 
pose. It  requires,  besides  good  taste  in  arranging 
colors  harmoniously,  judgment  to  select  those  kinds 
that  will  continue  in  bloom  the  whole  season,  with- 
standing well  the  summer  drouth,  and  that  will  har- 
monize in  habit  and  growth  with  one  another. 

Flower-gardening  affords  scope  for  many  pretty 
fancies,  besides  arrangement  of  color,  which,  in  the 
hands  of  a  person  of  taste,  render  a  garden  a  para- 
dise of  enchantment.  Borders  and  edgings  of  ivy,i)eri- 
winkle  or  variegated  plants,  may  be  made  to  appear 
as  frames  to  the  pictures  of  pretty  flowers  enclosed 
by  them.  Waves  and  fringes  of  green  may  be  led 
along  through  a  large  flower-bed,  and  the  various 
divisions  formed  be  filled  with  its  own  color,  mak- 
ing a  natural  and  living  bouquet ;  different  colored 
gravels  may  be  chosen  for  paths  between  beds ;  dif- 
ferent shades  of  green  be  made  by  the  selection  of 
grasses  of  different  hues,  where  grass  walks  are 
employed.  Old  stumps  or  roots  may  be  occasionally 
introduced  in  the  centre  of  beds,  and  covered  with 
green  vines,  or  flowering  climbers,  as  taste  may  dic- 
tate; rustic  baskets  and  vases,  and  even  in  many 
instances  where  very  artificial  styles  prevail,  the 
topiary  art  may  be  called  in,  and  good  effects  result 
from  the  use  of  the  knife  or  shears  on  certain  plants. 
Much  may  be  done  with  wire.     Wc  once  saw  a  cir 


cular  bed,  in  the  centre  of  which  was  a  very  fine 
specimen  of  Lamarque  Rose,  trained  on  a  single 
stem  to  the  height  of  six  feet,  and  then  the  head 
trained  on  an  umbrella-shaped  wire  frame.  Around 
the  bed  was  a  wire  frame  about  nine  inches  high, 
slightly  inclining  outward,  on  which  was  Tropseolum 
canariense,  and  Ipomaea  clamoclit  Ccypress  vine 
crimson,  white  would  do  as  wellj.  From  this  frame 
to  the  umbrella  head  rays  of  wire  were  fastened,  and 
the  vines  run  up,  but  never  allowed  to  get  in  amongst 
the  rose  branches.  The  bed  itself  was  filled  with 
Salvia  patens,  and  when  we  saw  it  in  September, 
was  a  mass  of  blue.  It  was  difficult  to  conceive 
any  thing  more  beautiful  than  the  whole  presented, 
and  it  reflected  great  credit  on  the  taste  of  the  lady 
who  conceived  the  plan,  and  the  skill  of  the  gardener 
who  had  so  well  executed  it. 

The  system  of  bedding  plants  has  called  for  a 
new  class  of  characters.  Formerly  viewed  as  a 
'* florist's"  flower,  a  verbena,  for  instance,  would  re- 
quire roundness  of  form  in  the  individual  flower  as 
a  first  requisite.  The  lobes  of  the  edges  of  the  bor- 
der should  seem  so  to  overlap  each  other  as  to  form 
a  perfect  circle.  Then  there  should  always  be  an 
"eye,"  and  the  colors  of  this  eye  and  the  margin 
beyond  be  well  defined,  and  not  run  gradually  into 
each  other.  But  for  bedding  purposes,  a  new  and 
striking  shade  of  color,  a  free  blooming  character, 
neat  habit  of  growth,  and  power  to  endure  a  hot, 
dry  sun,  are  of  far  more  importance;  and  the 
energies  of  our  improvers  should  be  devoted  to  this 
end.  Seedling  raising  with  this  view  is  very  inter- 
esting, and  we  would  recommend  all  our  amateur 
friends  to  try  their  hands  at  it.  It  is  a  highly  inter- 
esting source  of  gratification  even  in  itself.  The 
way  to  proceed  is  to  note  some  variety  that  approaches 
nearly  to  the  desired  shade,  and  select  seed  from 
these.  The  next  season  some  flowers  will  be  pro- 
duced probably  deeper,  and  in  a  few  generations,  by 
careful  annual  selection  each  time,  the  desired  shade 
can  be  obtained.  The  old  notion  that  "like  pro- 
duces like,"  is  a  fallacy.  There  is  always  more  or 
less  of  difference  in  the  progeny  from  iti  progenitors, 
though  most  generally  so  slight  that  we  do  not  ob- 
serve it;  but  a  little  art  added  to  nature's  own  pro- 


i 


\ 


130 


ilw{  iardfwr's  JKontMa. 


cess   brings  out    the  variations  very   remarkably. 
Where  quite  different  characters  to  the  original  are 
desired,  hybridization  may  be  resorted  to.       For 
instance,  we  may  have  an  excellent  habit  of  growth, 
and  free  blooming  quality,  but  a  dull  colored  flower; 
a  kind  as  nearly  allied  to  the  good  qualities  as  pos- 
sible, but  with  better  colors  should  be  selected  with 
which  to  fertilize  the  other.     Flowers  should  be  se- 
lected for  fertilization  soon  after  they  have  expanded, 
and  the  one  used  as  a  fertilizer  chosen  when  ma- 
tured.    The  flower  of  the  former  may  then  have  the 
latter  shaken  over  it,  and  fertilization  will  probably 
ensue.     This  is  a  rough  method.     The  passage  of  a 
camel-hair  pencil  from  one  flower  to  another  is  bet- 
ter ;  the  pollen  from  the  stamens  of  the  one  is  more 
certainly  carried  to  the  other.     When  hybridizing  is 
can-ied  on  with  nicety,  it  is  best  entirely  to  remove 
the  anthers  with  a  pair  of  scissors  before  applying 
the  pollen   of  the   other  kind.      This  lessens  the 
chances  of  self-fertilization,  and  renders  the  operation 
either  a  certain  failure  to  produce  seed  at  all,  or  a 
difi'ereut  race  from  its  parents  by  the  seed  so  produced. 
New  fruits  may  be  produced  in  the  same  way.     It 
was  at  one  time  supposed  all  these  productions  Avere 
mules,  and  though  they  might  produce  flowers  in 
their  progeny,  would  not  produce  fruit,  and  so  the 
operation  would  not  benefit  the  pomologist.      But 
this  is  now  found  not  to  be  the  case.     The  progeny 
is  sometimes  barren,  but  this  is  rather  the  exception 
than  the  rule. 


«■■»» 


FRUIT   GARDEN. 

The  most  paramount  question  with  the  fruit  gar- 
dener is  the  destruction  of  insects.     We  have  to  con- 
fess to  a  belief  Ihat  all  schemes  for  their  wholesale 
destruction  have  proved  failures,  and  that  our  best 
hope  is  in  their  individual  destruction.     The  differ- 
ent kinds  of  moths  and  flies  may  be  entrapped  by  the 
thousand,   in   a  persevering  employment   of  wide 
mouthed  bottles  of  sweet  liquids  hung  about  the  trees. 
The  curculio,  whose  most  tempting  allurements  do 
not  lie  like  moths  in  the  way  of  sweet  food;  but 
in  finding  a  nice  juicy  nidus  for  tlie  deposit  of  eggs 
wherewith  to  perpetuate  its  species,  can  be  slain  by 
the  hundred,  by  perseverance  in  the  slinking  process. 
A  snag,  made  by  sawing  otF  a  small  branch  a  few 
inches  from  the  main  trunk  of  the  tree,  should  be 
secured  on  each,  on  the  point  of  which  to  hammer, 
or  otlierwise  the  bark  of  the  tree  would  be  irrrepara- 
bly  injured.     With  a  sheet  spread  under  the  tree, 
and  a  sharp,  quick  jar  with  the  hammer,  all  the  pests 
then  on  the  tree   may  be   secured  and  destroyed. 
They  are  rather  lazily  inclined,  but  still  a  few  will 
come  from  your  neighbor's  trees ;  but  a  few  jarrings 
occasionally  will  keep  them  down.     Experience  has 


shown  that  this  course,  which  only  demands  a  little 
labor,  is  much  more  effectual  than  the  thousand 
schemes  that  have  been  devised  for  hanging  various 
charms  about  the  branches,  and  then  kneehng  down 
and  crying  on  Hercules  for  assistance. 

The  black  knot  and  mildew,  next  to  insects,  prove 
the  most  troublesome  opponents  of  lazy  fruit-growers. 
We  have  no  doubt  that  industry  in  experimenting  and 
skill  in  scientifically  arranging  facts  will  ultimately 
overcome  these  dificulties.  There  are  two  general 
principles  that  may  serve  as  a  starting-point.  First, 
we  know  that  on  mountain  sides,  where  the  atmos- 
phere is  damper  than  on  plains,  and  the  humidity 
more  uniform,  fruit  crops  seldom  or  never  fail,  and 
that  in  new  countries  where  from  the  excess  of  vege- 
tation the  atmosphere  is  almost  always  saturated  with 
moisture,  fruits  do  well.  As  agriculture  renders  the 
air  dryer,  fruit-culture  becomes  more  difficult ;  cor- 
rect principles  of  culture  will,  therefore,  point  to  the 
necessity  of  in  some  way  providing  for  these  de- 
ficiencies before  it  will  be  as  successful  as  formeriy. 

Last  season  we  saw  some  heavy  crops  of  plums 
under  trees  that  had  been  wrapped  around  with 
mosquito  netting,  thus  effectually  protecting  the 
fruit  from  curculios.  If  such  gauze  were  steeped 
in  tan-bark  before  using,  it  would  probably  last  a 
I  great  many  years  in  good  order  for  use.  Trees 
I  might  be  trained  en  trailer,  on  purpose  to  be  the 
more  readily  protected  in  this  way.  It  is  a  nice 
plan  in  many  respects,  as  should  mildew  or  insects 
attack  the  fruit  tree,  or  a  shade  or  shelter  be  required 
for  any  purpose,  the  tree  is  in  the  most  perfect  shape 
for  operating  on  to  the  best  advantage.  This  is  the 
season  to  commence  with  young  trees  to  put  them 
in  shape  for  this  purpose. 

Watch  all  young  fruit  trees  against  bearing  too 
abundantly  while  young,  or  the  first  season  after  plant- 
ing.   There  can  be  no  objection  to  the  ripening  of  one 
or  tw  o  fruits  on  a  tree  the  first  season  of  setting  out, 
in  order  to  test  the  kind,  or  to  administer  to  curiosity, 
if  the  tree  be  otherwise  growing  freely.      If  little 
growth  is  making,  no  fruit  at  all  should  be  permitted. 
It  is  a  better  practice  to  disbud  or  take  out  soon  after 
shooting  all  shoots  that  are  needless  to  the  perfect 
shape  of  the  tree,  than  to  wait  till  fall  or  winter. 
The  pruning  knife  need  then  only  be  used  to  shorten 
a  branch  into  where  several  branches  are  desired  to 
push,  or  to  induce  a  more  vigorous  growth  from 
the  pruned  parts.     In  the  gooseberry,  raspberry  and 
strawberry  also,  no  more  shoots  should  be  suffered  to 
grow  than  wiU  be  required  to  bear  the  next  season. 
Where  water  can  be  commanded,  there  is  nothing 
so  profitable  as  to  well  soak  the  soil  about  small 
fruits ;  first  about  the  time  that  they  have  set  their 
fruit.     Much  of  the  value  of  this  operation,  however, 


Ut,  iardfitcr's  iftontljig. 


131 


will  depend  on  the  nature  of  the  soil.  The  advan- 
tages are  least  in  a  tenacious,  and  greatest  in  porous 
soil.  It  is  said  that  an  animal  derives  most  benefit 
from  food  when  it  is  hungry  before  it  begins  to  eat ; 
it  is  certainly  so  with  plants.  Water  applied  to  soil 
already  wet  is  an  injury ;  and  water  never  has  so 
telling  an  advantage  on  vegetation  as  when  every 
leaf  is  about  to  wither  up  for  want  of  it.  A  plant  that 
never  seems  to  want  water  is  in  a  very  doubtful 
condition  in  regard  to  its  health. 

When  the  strawberry  crop  is  about  to  ripen,  mulch 
with  clean  straw,  to  prevent  rain  soiling  the  fruit. 
Short  gras's  from  the  lawn  is  often  used ;  but  it  mildews 
as  it  decays,  and  detracts  from  the  flavor  of  the  fruit. 
Hot  suns  increase  flavor,  and  strawberry  tiles  were 
once  in  fashion  to  put  around  the  hills,  which,  by  ab- 
sorbing heat,  added  greatly  to  the  fruit's  rich  quality. 
All  that  we  have  said  of  strawberries  suppposes  them 
to  be  fruited  on  the  hill  system,  with  the  runners  kept 
off.  Those  who  desire  the  be&t  results,  will  grow 
them  no  other  way. 

In  summer  pruning  or  disbudding,  it  is  also  worth 
while  to  watch  for  shoots  pushing  stronger  than 
others,  and  always  take  them  out.  This  is  the  only 
way  that  shoots  of  equal  strength  can  be  encouraged 
in  every  part  of  the  tree.  This  is  particulariy  true 
of  grape-vines.  If  a  shoot  once  get  the  start  of  the 
others  in  strength  and  vigor,  the  others  will  grad- 
ually get  weakerto  the  other's  increasing  luxuriance. 

As  to  the  best  system  of  pruning  grapes,  there  are 
several  "schools,"  all  contending  that  their  views 
are  "decidedly  best."  In  such  cases  we  have  gene- 
rally found  there  is  much  to  admire  in  them  all,— 
situations  and  peculiar  circumstances  deciding  the 
point  in  each  individual  instance.  There  are  a  few 
points  incontrovertable  to  insure  success,  and  it 
matters  little  what  system  of  pruning  is  followed  so 
that  they  are  secured.  First,  a  healthy  set  of  roots 
of  the  previous  year's  growth  is  essential  to  produce 
vigorous  start  of  growth  the  year  following.  Se- 
condly, after  starting,  these  roots  can  only  be  kept 
vigorous  by  encouraging  an  abundance  of  healthy 
foliage,  to  be  retained  on  the  vine  as  long  as  possi- 
ble. Thirdly,  the  leaves  of  the  first  growth  are  at 
least  of  double  the  value  to  the  plant  than  those 
from  secondary  or  lateral  shoots ;  they  should,  there- 
fore, be  carefully  guarded  from  injury.  Fourthly, 
checking  the  strong  growing-shoots  strengthens  the 
weaker  ones,  equalizes  the  flow  of  sap  to  every  part 
of  the  vine,  and  insures  regular  and  harmonious 
action  between  all  the  parts.  Any  system  that  se- 
cures this,  does  all  that  is  necessary  for  the  general 
health  and  vigor  of  the  vine ;  and  where  some  special 
objects  are  desirable,  such  as  dwarfing,  particularly 
early  bearing,   productiveness    at  the    expense   of 


longevity,    special    means    must  be    employed    to 
bring  them  about. 


«»•» 


VEGETABLE    GARDEN. 

Cabbage,  Cauliflower,  and  Brocoli,  are  now  set  out 
for  fall  crops,  and  Endive  sown  for  winter  Salad. 
Lettuce  also  for  summer  and  fall  use.  This,  how- 
ever, must  be  sown  in  very  rich  soil,  and  in  a 
partially  shaded  situation,  or  it  will  go  to  seed.  Peas, 
Beans,  and  other  crops,  should  be  sowed  every  two 
weeks.  They  do  much  better  than  when  a  large 
crop  is  sown  at  one  time,  and  then  have  too  many 
on  at  one  time  to  waste. 

In  the  cultivation  of  garden  crops,  the  hoe  and 
rake  should  be  kept  continually  at  work.  Weeds 
should  be  taken  in  hand  before  they  are  barely  out 
of  the  seed-leaf,  and  one-half  the  usual  labor  of  vege- 
table gardening  will  be  avoided.  Hoeing  or  earthing 
up  of  most  garden  crops  is  of  immense  advantage 
in  nearly  every  case.  One  would  suppose  that  in 
our  hot  climate  flat  culture  would  be  much  more 
beneficial ;  but  a  fair  trial,  say  on  every  other  row  of 
a  bed  of  cabbages,  will  show  a  great  difference  in 
favor  of  the  earthed-up  plants.  It  would  be  easy 
to  explain  the  reason  of  this,  ])ut  in  this  column  we 
try  to  confine  ourselves  to  "hints,"  and  leave  rea- 
sons to  our  other  departments. 


(Jommuntrafions. 


LINNJEUS   AND   LINN.S:A    BOREALIS. 

BY   L.,  IIADDONFIELD,  N.  J. 

Some  of  our  readers  have  at  times  experienced  diffi- 
culty in  mastering  and  retaining  the  seemingly 
crabbed  names  employed  by  botanists  to  designate 
plants,  and  it  may  truly  be  asserted  that  some  of 
them  are,  indeed,  rough,  uncouth,  and  harsher  than 
our 

"  Northprn  whistling,  grunting  gntteral, 
Which  we're  obliged  to  hit's  and  spit  and  sputter  all." 

Such  names  as  Schleicheria,  Zauchneria,  Escholtzia, 
Scheuchzeria,  &c.,  m  my  humble  opinion,  should 
not  have  been  adopted.  Not  that  tliey  are  diflJicult 
to  retain  in  the  memory,  but  because  they  are  harsh 
and  do  not  conform  to  the  genius  of  the  Greek  and 
Latin  languages,  from  which  scientific  terms  are 
generally  derived.  Moreover,  a  name  should  con- 
vey a  meaning  having  some  bearing  upon  the  sub- 
ject, descriptive  of  its  qualities,  thus  becoming  an 
aid  to  the  memory,  and  readily  recalled  by  asso- 
ciation. 

Exception  may  be  made  in  favor  of  naming  in 
honor  of  those  who  have  advanced  the  science  of 


I 


'S 


=  '! 


(^ 


,... 


botany  by  explorations,  special  study,  &c. ;  but 
in  this  case  those  only  who  have  distinguished 
themselves  should  be  thus  commemorated,  and 
harsh,  uncouth  names  rejected.  Linnaeus  adopted 
this  custom,  and  honored  several  of  his  patrons  and 
pupils  after  this  fashion. 

Thus  the  Celsia  was  named  after  Celsius,  one  of 
his  earliest  benefactors.  The  Kalmia,  abounding  in 
our  woods,  and  so  well  known  in  English  gardens, 
but  a  stranger  to  our  own,  commemorated  his  friend- 
ship for  Professor  Kalm,  his  pupil  and  fellow -laborer, 
and  who  first  presented  this  beautiful  plant  to  his 
teacher. 

Linnaeus  well  observes  in  his  "  Critica  Botanica," 
concerning  this  practice  of  bestowing  celebrated 
names  upon  genera  of  plants,  that  a  "proper  con- 
nection should  be  observed  between  the  habits  and 
appearance  of  the  plant  and  the  name  from  which  it 
has  its  derivation." 

The  Andromeda,*  a  beautiful  little  gem,  much  re- 
sembling the  Heath  of  England,  and  belonging  to 
the  order  Ericacea,  and  one  of  the  best  representa- 
tives of  the  Heath  in  America,  may  be  cited  in  illus- 
tration. The  buds  are  of  a  blood -red  hue  before  they 
expand,  but  when  fully  blown  the  corolla  is  of  a 
flesh-color. 

During  his  Lapland  tour,  Linnaeus  found  this 
plant  in  abundance,  adorning  the  marshy  ground 
with  its  delicate  blossoms ;  and  as  he  admired  its 
beauties,  his  imaginative  mind  was  struck  by  a  fan- 
cied resemblance  between  the  appearance  and  cir- 
cumstances of  this  plant  and  the  story  of  Andro- 
meda as  related  by  the  Greek  poets.  "  A  maiden  of 
exquisite  beauty  chained  to  a  rock  amid  the  sea,  and 
exposed  to  monsters  and  venemous  serpents.  This 
lovely  little  flower,"  he  said,  "is  her  vegetable  pro- 
totype. Scarcely  any  painter  could  so  happily  imi- 
tate the  beauty  of  a  fine  female  complexion,  still 
less  could  any  artificial  color  upon  the  face  bear  com- 


Lyonl 

C     one  of 

^    ^    under 

/A.   1    In  gar 


»  Andromeda  hypnioides  (the  Moss-like  Andromeda),  probably 
the  species  known  to  Llnnseus,  as  it  abounds  in  the  elevated  re- 
glon.H  of  Lapland,  is alao  found  in  the  Alpine  summits  of  the  White 
Mountains.  It  is  one  of  the  smallest  and  most  delicate  of  shrubs, 
a  tree  in  miniature,  and  bearing  a  resemblance  to  some  of  the 
Mosses. 

A  species  of  Andromeda  (the  Mariana)  is  very  common  on  the 
sandy  roadsides  in  New  Jersey,  near  Philadelphia,  and  on  similar 
soils  south  to  Florida,  is  a  most  beautiful  object.  It  is  a  shrub 
from  two  to  three  feet  high,  much  resembling  the  Whortleberry 
bush.  In  June  and  July  it  hangs  out  its  clusters  of  white  waxen 
bells  in  profusion.  Its  common  name  "  Staggerbush"  will  recall 
it  to  many  who  do  not  recognize  its  Linnxan  appellation. 

The  Linnnan  genus  Andromeda  contained  a  large  number  of 
species,  but  it  has  been  broken  up  by  Darid  Don  and  other  botan- 
ists ;  and  the  genera  Cassiope,  Cassandra,  Zenobia,  Lencothoe, 
Lyonia,  Pieris,  Ac,  all  named  from  ancient  fables  or  history,  not 
one  of  which  has  been  so  happily  chosen  as  that  first  applied,  and 
which  they  are  still  described  by  some  botanists  and  known 
gardens. 


parison  with  this  lovely  bloom.  I  find  it  always 
fixed  upon  some  turfy  hillock  amid  the  swamps,  and 
its  roots  bathed  by  their  waters.  In  these  marshy 
and  solitary  places  toads  and  venemous  reptiles 
abound  ;  and  just  as  in  the  case  of  Andromeda,  Per- 
seus comes  to  deliver  her  from  her  dangers,  by 
chasing  away  her  foes,  so  does  the  summer,  like 
another  Perseus,  arrive,  and,  drying  up  the  waters 
that  inundate  the  plant,  chase  away  all  her  aquatic 
enemies,  and  then  she  carries  her  head  ("the  capsulcj), 
which  before  had  drooped  pensively,  erect,  and  dis- 
plays her  beauties  to  the  sun."  Pleased  with  the 
idea,  he  chose  for  this  flower,  which  is  the.type  of  a 
new  genus  in  the  system  he  was  arranging,  the 
name  Andromeda. 

Other  illustrations  of  the  application  of  this  canon 
of  Linnaeus  may  be  found  in  the  Scheuchzeria,  a 
grassy  Alpine  plant,  named  from  the  two  Scheuch- 
zers,  one  of  whom  excelled  in  the  knowledge  of 
Alpine  plants,  and  the  other  in  that  of  grasses.  Also 
in  the  Hernandia,  an  American  plant,  named  after 
Hernandez,  a  naturalist  sent  out  to  Mexico  by  Philip 
II.  of  Spain,  and  said  to  have  been  given  to  the 
plant,  which  has  large  leaves  and  small  flowers,  in 
allusion  to  the  great  opportunities  afforded  to  the 
naturalist  and  the  little  use  he  made  of  them. 

And,  again,  the  Buffbnia  received  its  name  in 
honor  of  the  celebrated  Count  de  Buffbn,  while  one 
of  its  species  was  called  the  Slender-leaved  Buffbnia 
by  Linnaeus  on  account  of  the  slender  pretensions 
to  botanical  science  which  that  naturalist  possessed  ! 

Linnaeus  selected,  as  an  emblem  of  himself,  the 
Linnaea  borealis,  ("so  named  by  GronoviusJ,  which 
he  describes  as  "a  little  Northern  plant,  flowering 
early,  depressed,  abject,  and  long  overlooked ;"  and 
then  traces  a  resemblance  between  this  flower  and 
his  own  early  lot.  Like  it,  unfolding  in  a  remote 
northern  region,  without  the  gifts  of  fortune  or  the 
means  of  cultivating  his  natural  powers,  he  was 
long  unknown  and  overlooked.  Indigent  and  ob- 
scure, he  pursued  in  secret  his  scientific  researches, 
exploring  the  recesses  of  nature,  tracking  her  foot- 
steps to  her  remotest  retreats.  Mountain  and  glen, 
forest  and  moor,  alike  yielded  up  their  treasures  to 
the  ardent  inquirer,  who  came  forth,  after  a  season, 
enriched  by  the  spoils  he  had  collected,  and  which, 
arranged  in  a  new  and  beauteous  order,  he  presented 
to  the  surprise  and  delight  of  kindred  minds  in  every 
region.  Then,  indeed,  his  resemblance  to  the  hum- 
ble flower  of  his  choice  ceased,  and  men  of  science 
in  every  civilized  country  pressed  forward  to  avail 
themselves  of  his  discoveries  and  share  in  his  pur- 
suits, and  the  clouds  that  had  gathered  arouud  his 
youth  were  dissipated,  while  for  the  last  forty  years 
of  his  life  he  saw  himself  surrounded  by  the  honors 


ihi|  iardmer'a  Jitonthls. 


and  emoluments  his  country  and  his  king  had  be- 
stowed upon  him,  and  enjoyed  the  chosen  delights 


[LINN^A    BOREALIS.] 

of  his  heart  amid  a  host  of  pupils  who  honored  and 
loved  him  as  their  friend,  the  instructor  and  then 
benefactor. 

After  he  attained  the  Chair  of  Botany  at  Upsal, 
he  continued  in  an  uninterrupted  career,  teaching 
his  favorite  science  in  the  halls  where  he  had  himself 
been  a  pupil,  and  which  he  had  so  often  entered 
with  childish  awe.  Under  his  rule  the  fame  of  the 
University  extended  over  Europe,  and  even  to 
America,  and  at  one  time  while  Linnaeus  was  Rector, 
in  1759,  it  numbered  fifteen  hundred  students  ! 
[  To  be  contintied.'} 


«>■•* 


THE  VERBENA  DISEASE-^BLACE  RUST." 

BY   PETBR  HENDERSON,  JERSEY  CITY,    N.    J. 

I  KNOW  not  whether  you  have  this  disease  amongst 
you  to  the  extent  we  have  it  here  or  not;  if  not  you 
may  congratulate  yourselves,  as  with  us  it  is  one  of 
the  least  subduable  of  ills  that  plant-kind  is  heir  to. 
To  our  notion,  it  is  a  comparatively  ''new  disease," 
as  the  doctors  would  say,  never  having  observed  it 


before  1856,  although  it  may  have  been  in  existence 
much  longer. 

According  to  our  present  observations,  it  appears 
to  be  a  species  of  mildew,  affecting  the  Verbena, 
Heliotrope,  Lantana,  and  plants  of  similar  kinds, 
and  from  probably  the  same  cause  as  our  ordinary 
mildew— sudden  change  of  temperature.  We  are  led 
to  this  belief  from  having  observed,  repeatedly,  that 
a  bed  of  Verbenas  in  vigorous  growth,  after  sustain- 
ing a  smart  frost  in  October,  in  two  or  three  days 
after  began  to  show  signs  of  the  "  rust "  on  exposed 
shoots,  while  shoots  covered  up  by  the  foliage,  and 
thus  slightly  protected,  were  perfectly  free  for  some 
time  longer. 

If  we  are  correct  in  this,  prudence  will  teach  us, 
that  instead  of  leaving  the  propagation  of  varieties 
for  the  next  year  until  the  coming  of  frost,  our  stock 
of  cuttings  should  be  secured  in  advance  of  that 
time.  I  have  pursued  this  method  for  the  past  two 
seasons,  and  I  may  say  here,  scarcely  had  a  diseased 
subject  in  my  collection  of  upwards  of  fifty  thousand 

Verbenas. 

In  corroboration  of  this  theory,  I  may  state  the 
fact,  that  after  I  had  secured  all  the  cuttings  I  want- 
ed from  my  own  varieties  last  fall,  I  got  six  or  eight 
sorts  from  a  neighbor  nearly  six  weeks  later,  about 
the  middle  of  November,— they  seemed  to  liave  no 
indication  of  the  disease  at  the   time,  but  in  a  few 
weeks  it  developed  itself  to  such  an  extent  that  all 
had  to  be  thrown  out ;  while  my  own,  struck  about 
the  first  of  October,  and  grown  under  the  same  cir- 
cumstances, were  entirely  free  from  it.     Moreover, 
my  friend,  getting  a  lot  of  cuttings  from  me  at  the 
same  time  I  got  his,  lost  every  plant  from  the  disease. 
But  it  is  not  enough  to  secure  the  cuttings  before 
the  approach  of  the  disease;  it  is  equally  imperative, 
we  think,  to  maintain  a  uniformity  of  temperature 
in  the  greenhouse  to  prevent  its  attacks  there,  and 
this,  we  think,  should  be  as  low  as  possible— merely 
above  freezing— giving   abundance  of   air   in  mild 
weather.     I  doubt  much  if  a  great  deal  of  this  trouble 
is  not  traceable  to  the  keeping  of  too  high  a  temper- 
ature in  the  greenhouse,  thus  giving  them  a  tendency 
to  draw,   to  counteract  which  air  is  given,  which 
harshly  playing  upon  the  tender  succulent  shoots, 
impedes  the  flow  of  the  sap  and  the  "Black  Mildew" 
or  "Rust"  follows. 

I  do  not  advance  these  views,  Mr.  Editor,  as  en- 
tirely correct,  but  they  are  such  as  my  observations 
have  forced  upon  me.  I  should  much  like  to  see  the 
matter  referred  to  by  others  of  your  readers.  It  is  a 
subject  of  more  than  ordinary  importance,  not  only 
to  the  admirers  of  this  beautiful  tribe,  but  to  the 
commercial  florists,  three-fourths  of  whom  for  the 
last  two  seasons  have  had  their  stock  more  or  less 
injured. 


P<S>. 


i1 

I. 


§Mmtt\  cPantbk 


ENGLISH   BLACK    RASPBERRY. 

BY   L.    S.    MOTE,  MILTON,  OHIO. 

I  FIND  in  the  Gardener's  Monthly,  vol.  2.,  No.  7, 
page  218,  the  following  notice  of  the  ''English  Black 
Raspberry."— ''This  is  a  hybrid  between  the  Black- 
berry and  the  Raspberry,  and  is  the  parent  of  all  the 
black  autumnal-bearing  varieties,  although  itself  a 
summer  bearer,  etc."  "As  this  notice  appears  to 
have  been  taken  from  the  Cottage  Gardener,  it  will 
do  to  say  it  is  the  parent  of  all  the  European  autumn- 
bearing  varieties,  perhaps ;  but  America  has  many 
natives  of  her  own  which  produce  autumnal  crops, 
amongst  which  is  the  "Ohio  Everbearing,"  and, 
although  closely  resembling  in  many  particulars  the 
"Common  Black  Cap"  or  thimble  berry,  is  never- 
theless superior  to  it.  The  berry  is  larger,  softer, 
and  more  luscious,  and  as  I  do  not  find  any  notice  of 
it  in  the  Monthly,  I  will  give  Downing' s  description. 

"Ohio  Everbearing."— This  is  a  native  of  Ohio, 
and  was  first  made  known  to  Eastern  cultivators  by 
Mr.  Longworth,  of  Cincinnati,  though  we  believe  it 
had  been  cultivated  for  some  time  previous,  at  a 
Quaker  settlement  in  Ohio.  It  is  precisely  like  the 
American  Black  Riispberry  or  Black  Cap,  in  all 
respects,  except  that  it  has  the  valuable  property  of 
bearing  abundant  crops  of  fine  fruit  till  late  in  the 
season.  We  have  seen  a  quart  gathered  from  a  single 
plant  on  the  11th  day  of  November,  &c."  I  have 
cultivated  it  for  the  past  thirteen  years,  and  think  I 
ought  to  know  something  of  its  merits,  and  that 
Downing  needs  a  little  emendation  as  I  have  given 
above,  in  regard  to  the  size  and  quality  of  the  berry, 
&c.  I  can  fully  endorse  what  he  says  of  its  autumn 
production,  and  deserving  to  be  in  every  large  gar- 
den, Cand  I  would  say  in  every  small  one  too.  j  I 
have  raised  a  good  many  seedlings  from  this  kind, 
nearly  all  of  which  show  this  peculiar  trait  of  "au- 
tumn bearing. "  Some  of  these  I  think  are  superior  to 
the  parent.  I  had  the  curiosity  to  count  the  berries  on 
a  small  one  thatfraited  last  autumn  for  the  first  time, 
which  was  as  follows :  rii)e  berries  on  it,  22 ;  berries 
not  quite  ripe,  82 ;  part  red,  06 ;  green  berries,  35. 
Total,  205 ;  besides  five  other  branches  budding' and 
in  bloom.  I  have  one  (a  yearling,  a  cross  with 
"  Rivers,";  that  bore  red  berries.  If  it  proves  hardy, 
it  will  be  a  great  acquisition.  I  also  have  a  number 
of  other  seedlings  from  various  kinds,  that  will  fruit 
the  coming  summer,  and  if  I  get  one  good  one  from 
them  I  shall  feel  paid.  I  think  we  need  a  hardy,  good 
flavored,  autumn-bearing  Red  Raspberry.  Health 
permitting,  I  propose  to  continue  my  efforts  in  the 
production  of  such  a  one.  At  the  same  time^  I  am 
not  neglecting  in  the  same  line,  the  Apple,  Pear, 
^  ^   Cherry,  Peach,  Grape,  Gooseberry,  Strawberry,  &c. 

[There  are  a  great  many  erroneous  statements 


(M 


flying  about  as  facts,  yet  so  apparently  plausible  that 
that  they  cannot  be  contradicted.  We  generally  strive 
to  work  all  these  matters  into  our  columns  of  "  Do- 
mestic and  Foreign  Intelligence,"  for  the  express 
purpose  of  calling  attention  to  them.  In  the  pres- 
ent instance  we  have  long  held  the  opinion  that  it  is 
altogether  a  mistake,  that  this  English  Black  Rasp- 
berry is  a  hybrid  from  the  Blackberry,  or  that  Mr. 
Rivers  found  it  in  a  hedge  in  Essex,  England.  Our 
opinion  is  that  it  is  a  form  of  Rubus  occidentalis,  or 
wild  American  Raspberry,  that  has  got  into  cultiva- 
tion in  England,  and  all  trace  of  its  history  lost.— 
Ed.] 


*»ai»» 


PROPAGATING   BOZ. 

BY  T.    n.    HUNTER,    LANCASTER,    OHIO. 

I  HAVE  often  heard  it  remarked  by  persons  who 
have  propagated  the  Rose,  that  the  Hybrid  Perpetual 
class  could  not  be  rooted  from  cuttings  in  the  winter, 
but  that  all  the  other  classes  could  be.  I  think 
this  is  a  mistaken  idea ;  I  have  succeeded  in  propaga- 
ting them  equally  as  well  as  either  the  Bourbon  or 
Bengal  roses,  which  with  me  are  the  most  certain  to 
root.  I  put  in  the  first  week  of  December  last,  one 
hundred  cuttings  of  the  Souvenir  de  Leveson  Gower, 
and  on  examining  them  to  day,  I  find  that  all  but 
six  of  them  have  rooted  exceedingly  well.  My 
course  of  treatment  is  this : — I  have  a  bed  contain- 
ing 4  inches  of  clean  washed  sand ;  the  bottom  is 
bored  full  of  2  inch  holes,  over  which  is  spread 
straw,  to  prevent  the  sand  from  falling  through. 
The  pipe  which  conducts  the  hot  water  through  my 
greenhouse  is  completely  boxed  up,  under  the  bed, 
which  affords  a  strong  bottom-heat,  and  I  have  sash 
over  the  cuttings  which  confines  the  heat  that  arises 
from  the  sand.  I  keep  the  cuttings  moist  by  water- 
ing with  clear  rain  water,  at  about  70o  temperature. 
The  glass  must  be  kept  closely,  only  occasionally 
raising  them  to  give  air. 

I  have  not  only  succeeded  in  rooting  Roses  in  this 
way,  but  a  great  many  varieties  of  hard-wooded 
plants.  It  may,  perhaps,  be  an  old  plan,  but  to  me 
it  is  entirely  a  new  one, — I  have  never  seen  it  used, 
but  only  adopted  it,  after  experimenting  in  various 
ways,  in  rooting  plants  from  cuttings. 

[This  plan  is  in  successful  use  by  some  other  prop- 
agators, but  will  be  new  to  the  many  for  whom 
we  write.  We  are  obliged  to  our  correspond- 
ent, and  to  all  who  furnish  us  with  details  of  any- 
practice  new  or  old,  that  they  find  eminently  suc- 
cessful.— Ed.  ] 


4»a«» 


WEATHER   AT   NEW    LONDON. 

BY   H.    R.    CHITTY,    CONNECTICUT. 

February  8th  we  had  the  most  sudden  and  severe 
change  of  temperature  that  I  ever  ("with  one  excep- 


III 


%h  ^arbcntr's  Pont|Ig. 


tion),  experienced  in  America.     The  morning  was 
fine  and   mild,   with  a  gentle  south-west  breeze, 
which  increased  to  a  gale,  with  threatening  rain  at 
noon.     At  1  P.  M.  the  thermometer  stood  at  42o, 
about  which  time  we  had  a  heavy  shower,  which 
lasted  but  a  few   minutes.     At  3  P.  M.  it  began  to 
rain  again,  but  was   immediately  seconded  by  a 
heavy  snow  squall,  which  lasted  about  two  hours, 
up  to  5  P.  M. ;  the  rain  had  been  from  the  south- 
west, but  when  the  snow  began,  it  suddenly  turned 
from  that  point  to   sputh,  north-west,  north  and 
north-east ;   from  the  last  point,  however,  it   only 
blew  a  short  time,  but  went  back  to  north-west,  from 
whence  it  blew  all  night— so  hard  that  a  man  could 
scarcely  make  headway  against  it.     About  5  P.  M. 
it  snowed  harder  I  think  for  a  short  time  than  I  had 
ever  saw  it  before,  but  at  5^  the  sky  was  perfectly 
clear,  and  the  thermometer  at  14o  ;  at  10  P.  M.  it  was 
at  zero.     At  about  5  this  morning  it  was  20o  below 
zero.     And  at  noon  to  day  it  stood  at  zero.     The 
decrease  of  temperature  was  42  degrees  in  9  hours, 
or  G2  degrees  in  10  hours.     Had  so  severe  a  change 
with  such  a  wind,  taken  place  at  night,  the  conse- 
quences must  have  been  disastrous.     The  exception 
I  refer  to,  was,  I  think,  about  February  20th,  1850. 
I  was  with  Mr.  Buist,  of  Philadelphia,  at  the  tune. 
We  then  had  a  decrease  of  about  50  degrees  in  8 
hours ;  it  was  a  severe  time,  and  you,  doubtless  re- 
member something  of  it. 

[We  had  a  specimen  of  the  same  kind  here  in 
Philadelphia.  The  thermometer,  however,  sinking 
to  but  6^  below  zero.  Very  great  damage,  however, 
has  been  done  to  the  tenderer  evergreens.  Euonymus 
japonica,  Deodars,  Celar  of  Lebanon,  are  more 
injured  than  we  have  ever  seen  before.  The  win- 
ter in  England  has  been  equally  disastrous  on  ever- 
greens.— Ed.] 


«■»> 


REMARES   ON   THE    CULTURE    OP   DEN- 
DROBIUM    NOBILE. 

BY  W.  GREY,  ALBANY.,  N.  Y. 

The  cultivation  of  Orchids  in  a  mixed  collection 
of  stove  plants  is  not  attended  with  as  much  diffi- 
culty as  many  growers  suppose.  Where  the  house  is 
kept  in  the  winter  months  at  05°  by  night  and  75o 
by  day,  advancing  the  heat  in  the  spring,  almost  any 
Orchid  may  be  grown.  In  the  stove  where  I  stand 
the  Orchids,  the  side  shelf  is  covered  with  lead,  and 
filled  with  gravel,  and  the  part  over  the  boiler  filled 
with  water  to  about  the  level  of  the  gravel,  on  which 
I  place  those  plants  that  are  in  a  growing  state,  and 
the  evaporation  caused  by  the  heat  from  the  boiler 
produces  a  nice  moist  growing  heat,  which  Dendro- 
biumg  seem  to  delight  in,  and  without  the  least  injury 


to  other  plants.  Not  to  occupy  more  space  with  pre- 
liminary remarks,  I  will  try  to  explain  in  as  few 
words  as  possible,  our  mode  of  growing  Deudrobium 
nobile. 

Season  of  Growth,  ^c— To  grow  the  Dendrobium 
with  success,  it  is  necessary  to  become  acquainted 
with  its  native  climate.  It  is  a  native  of  India, 
where  it  is  found  growing  on  trees  over  streams 
and  moist  places,  the  streams  drying  up  in  the  hot 
season,  when  the  plants  cease  growing  and  rest, 
and  as  the  season  becomes  cooler  with  occasional 
showers,  they  produce  their  flowers,  and  as  the  sea- 
son advances  make  their  growth. 

The  house  I  rest  the  plants  in  I  keep  the  thermom- 
eter from  50O  to  GoO,  and  when  I  want  a  plant  for 
bloom  in  May,  I  keep  the  plant  in  the  heath  house. 
I  introduce  plants  into  the  stove  as  I  wish  a  succes- 
sion of  bloom,  and  have  no  difficulty  in  having  plants 
in  bloom  from  November  to  May.     When  1  wish  to 
have  as  many  flowers  as  possible  on  a  plant  at  one 
time,  I  keep  it  in  the  stove  and  do  not  rest  it ;  when 
not  rested,  they  seldom  show  many  flowers,  and  by 
having  the  growth  of  a  well-established  plant  for  two 
seasons,  from  three  to  five  hundred  may  be  had  at 
one  time.     Our  largest  specimen  has  had  seven  hun- 
dred and  twenty-two  flowers  the  two  last  seasons. 
The    plants   start    into  growth     as    the     flowers 
fade,  which  is  a  good  time  to  propagate  by  dividing 
the  plants.     The  young  shoots  or  bulbs  that  start 
from  the  old  bulbs  I  take  off  when  well  rooted.     I 
also  cut  the  old  flower-bulbs  into  lengths,  and  lay 
them  on  wet  moss,  in  a  pan  or  saucer,  and  cover 
with  glass,  and  place  on  the  hot-water  pipes,  where 
they  break  freely.     As  they  grow,  take  them  off  and 
pot,  keep  in  a  close  frame  until  established.     To  get 
an  old  plant  to  break  freely,  it  is  necessary  to  cut 
with  a  thin  sharp  knife  between  the  bulbs  just  as  the 
flowers  fade.     This  causes  many  shoots  to  start  that 
would  lie  dormant  if  otherwise  left  alone. 

Po«m^.— This  should  be  done  as  the  plants  start 
growing.  The  material  I  use  is  fibrous  peat,  and 
sphagnum  moss,— potsherds,  and  charcoal,  for  drain- 
age,  and  grow  in  pots  or  rustic  baskets.  I  give  pre- 
ference to  hard  wood  maple  for  baskets,  which  does 
not  produce  fungus  when  decaying.  When  potting, 
I  place  a  small  pot  inverted  over  the  hole  of  the  large 
one,  and  fill  up  with  potsherds  to  the  height  of  the 
small  one,  cover  the  crocks  with  sphagnum,  and  fill 
with  pieces  of  fibrous  peat,  charcoal,  and  sphagnum, 
having  it  as  porous  as  possible.  I  raise  the  sod  m 
the  centre  about  an  inch  above  the  rim  of  the  pot, 
on  which  I  spread  the  roots  carefully,  and  steady 
the  plant  with  a  stick ;  then  cover  the  roots  to  about 
an  inch  from  the  crown.  In  removing  a  large  plant 
into  a  basket,  I  place  a  small  basket  in  the  centre. 


^'1 


m 


'■'\L 


I 


C^e  hardliner's  (Plcnthlj. 


filled  with  coarse  pieces  of  charcoal.  I  have  found 
the  soil  in  baskets,  when  overhauling  them,  sour 
when  not  filled  with  drainage  in  the  centre.  The 
plant  should  have  as  much  of  the  old  soil  removed 
as  possible  without  injuring  the  roots,  and  raised  a 
few  inches  above  the  top  of  the  basket,  and  avoid 
placing  soil  around  the  crowns,  as  it  often  causes  the 
young  growth  to  damp  off.  When  plants  do  not 
require  repotting,  it  assists  their  growth  to  remove 
from  the  top  the  old  soil,  and  give  them  a  top-dress- 
ing, adding  a  little  coarse  manure. 

Watering. — When  the  plants  are  at  rest,  very  little 
water  is  required.  I  give  water  as  the  shoots  begin 
to  shrink.  Plants  that  are  rested  in  the  greenhouse 
will  want  water  about  once  in  two  weeks  after  the 
plants  are  removed  into  the  stove  to  expand  the 
flowers,  I  w^ater  about  once  a  week,  enough  to  wet 
the  whole  of  the  compost,  as  the  young  growth  be- 
gins to  show  from  the  bottom  of  the  bulbs.  I  take 
great  care  not  to  wet  the  crowns,  as  when  the  young 
shoots  that  start  first  damp  off,  the  next  that  start 
seldom,  if  ever,  make  strong  shoots,  and  when  they 
are  not  from  two  to  three  feet  long,  the  bloom  will 
not  be  abundant.  After  the  young  growth  have 
commenced  to  root  freely,  I  then  draw  the  syringe 
occasionally  over  the  plants,  and  give  abundance  of 
water  at  the  root  until  the  growth  is  matured,  when 
I  remove  the  plants  into  the  house,  where  I  rest 
them  and  gradually  withhold  it  as  the  bulbs  ripen. 
After  the  growth  is  about  half  grown,  I  give  weak 
liquid-manure,  which  is  a  great  assistance  to  plants 
that  have  only  been  top-dressed. 

In  conclusion,  the  whole  success  of  cultivation  is 
to  get  a  strong  growth  and  give  a  long  season  of  rest 
exposed  to  the  sun,  and  it  is  positively  necessary  to 
look  after  insects  that  prey  on  the  tender  roots  and 
young  growth.  Slugs,  woodlice,  and  a  small  shell- 
snail  arc  the  most  troublesome,  which  I  destroy  by 
candle-light,  as  they  leave  their  places  of  conceal- 
ment at  night.  Mealy  bug  and  scale  I  keep  off  by 
constantly  sponging  the  plants  with  cold  water. 

[We  noticed  in  our  March  number  remarkably 
fine  specimens  of  this  plant,  grown  by  Mr.  Grey,  to 
which  we  would  refer  all  who  are  interested  in  the 
above  account  of  Mr.  G.'s  mode  of  managing  it. 
The  ease  with  which  our  correspondent  has  achieved 
success  with  a  class  of  plants  usually  considered  un 
tractable  under  ordinary  cultivation,  will,  doubtless, 
stimulate  many  others  to  try  their  hands  at  the  en- 
joyment of  such  rare  l)eauty. — Ed.] 


«•«■» 


li< 


NOMENCLATURE    OF    FRUITS-BEN    DA- 
VIS   AND    NEW    YORK    PIPPIN   APPLE. 

BY  A.  MATTI80N,    PADUCAH,     KY. 

On  page  85  of  the  March  number  of  the  Monthly 
it  is  said  that  the  Ben  Davis  and  New  York  Pippin 


are  the  same.  I  also  believe  them  to  be  the  same  ; 
but  I  object  to  the  nanie  being  made  Ben  Davis. — 
The  apple  was  known  all  along  the  Ohio  river  below 
Louisville  thirty  years  ago, — long  before  it  had  the 
name  of  Ben  Davis  attached  to  it, — and  it  was 
always  known  by  the  name  of  New  York  Pippin. 
The  name  of  Ben  Davis  was  given  to  it  by  Cif  I  do 
not  mistake^  Mr.  J.  S.  Downer,  of  Todd  County, 
Ky.,  where,  he  says  in  his  catalogue,  it  originated. 
It  was  known  in  this  region  for  years  before 
he  ever  saw  it,  and  thousands  upon  thousands  of 
people  know  it  by  the  name  of  New  York  Pippin, 
who  never  did  and  never  will  hear  of  the  name  of 
Ben  Davis.  Your  "works  of  authority  "  will  have 
a  hard  time  in  changing  the  name  of  that  apple  in 
this  Western  country.  The  New  York  Pippin  is 
one  of  the  "institutions"  of  this  part  of  the  United 
States. 

[It  is  clear  that  there  must  be  some  fixed  rule  for 
naming  fruits,  or  we  could  never  be  sure  when  we 
had  the  proper  name.     The  rule  adopted  by  the 
great  body  of  Pomologists  and  Pomological  Socie- 
ties, is  to  recognize  a  name  as  rightfully  belonging 
to  any  fruit  only  when  it  is  described  in  any  work 
of  admitted  authority.     A  fruit  may  be  a  seedling, 
but  it  does  not  follow  that  it  is,  therefore,  essentially 
new, — and  it  is  the  province  of  men  learned  in  their 
respective  branches   of    Pomology    to    pronounce 
whether  it  is  or  is  not  new,  and  rightfully  claiming  a 
distinctive  name.    It  is  this  adoption  of  "  everybody's 
name"  that  is  the  vice  of  Pomology,  and  is  multi- 
plying  synonyms    to   an  unbearable   extent.      No 
matter  what  name,  or  how  many  names  a  fruit  may 
have  before  it  is  described  by  an  acknowledged  au- 
thority, the  one  it  is  so  described  under  will  be  the 
one  pomologists  will  adhere  to.     The  dcscriber  will, 
according  to  pomological  rules,  give  it  the  name  it 
was  popularly  known  by  before  description,  "  if  not 
objectionable  "  we  think  the  rule  has  it, — but  this  is 
but  a  recommendation,  and  not  imperative  on  the 
describer,  who  can  give  it  any  name  he  pleases,  and 
we  can  recognize  no  authority  but  actual  description 
in  the  way  stated.     For  instance,  some  ten  years 
ago  a  grape  was  first  described  under  the  name  of 
Delaware.     It  has  since  been  shown  that  the  grape 
had  been  known  for  many  years  before  as  the  Ruff 
Grape,  Derr  Grape,  Wine  Grape,  "Powell  Grape," 
Heath  Grape,  French  Grape,  &c.,  but  this  priority 
of  popular  names  gives  it  no  claim  in  the  sight  of 
Pomologists  to  any  other  name  than  the  described 
name  Delaware. 

We  have  entered  into  this  subject  at  length,  as  we 

think  it  very  important  that  it  should  be  understood, 

or  the  nomenclature  of  fruits  will  soon  become   a 

mass  of  puzzling  confusion. 

With  regard  to  the  apples  in  question,  we  have 


M^  dardmer'js  JlitontMg. 


only  to  say  that  as  Mr.  Downing  disclaims  in  our 
last  the  responsibility  of  the  description  of  Ben  Davis, 
while  he  does  assume  the  description  of  New  Y'ork 
Pippin,  it  makes  of  course  a  difference  in  our  view 
of  its  proper  name  ;  though  we  cannot  refrain  from 
saying,  it  is  unfortunate  that  loose  descriptions  from 
irresponsible  sources  should  be  admitted  into  works 
that  we  wish  to  uphold  as  the  standard  of  authority 
in  pomological  nomenclature. — Ed.  ] 


nia  from  the  Western  and  Eastern  States  within  the 
last  year.  Chester  County,  alone,  has  imported 
and  consumed  thousands  of  dollars  worth.  Why 
should  not  our  farmers  put  this  money  in  their  own 
pockets  ? 


«*■•» 


4««»» 


APPLE    ORCHARDS. 

BY  A.    MARSHALL,    WEST   CHB6TER,    PA. 

If  you  will  spare  me  a  little  space,  I  will  give  your 
readers  my  views  on  the  culture  of  Apple  Orchards. 
First  subsoil  the  ground  as  deep  as  possible.     If 
drained  with  drain  tile  in  addition,  it  will  be  better. 
Even  high  ground  will  be  improved  by  under-drain- 
ing ;  and  drain-tile   is  so  cheap,  that  it  costs  but 
little.     I  would  say  here,  that  farmers  expect  too 
much  from  the  ground  of  an  apple  orchard.     If  you 
want  to  grow  apples,  you  must  devote  a  piece  of 
ground  to  that  purpose,  and  grow  nothing  else  on  it. 
Get  trees  two  or  three  years  old  from  the  graft  or 
bud,   branching  out  low ;  plant  them  twenty  feet 
apart  each  way,  which  will  set  one  hundred  and 
nine  trees  to  the  acre.     The  ground  should  be  pre- 
pared and  manured  the  previous   summer.      Plant 
shallow.      Seed  down  to   clover  with  a  very   thin 
scattering  of  oats  for  the  purpose  of  mulch.     This 
oats  crop  is  not  to  be  taken  off.     You  must  make  up 
your  mind  at  first  to  take  off  nothing  but  apples,  and 
to  wait  a  few  years  for  these.     Mow  your  ground 
every  year  about  the  first  of  September  and  spread 
the  mown  grass  over  the  ground.     This,  with  the 
leaves  from  the  trees,  will  not  only  keep  up,  but  im- 
prove the  soil.     Keep  all  animals  out  of  the  enclo- 
sure.    Do  not  permit  the  top  branches  of  your  trees 
to  run  too  high.     Keep  them  down  so  that  you  can 
hand  pick  the  fruit  from  a  step-ladder.    The  annual 
mowing  will  keep  the  ground  clean.     No  other  cul- 
ture will  be  needed  except  to  loosen  the  ground  a 
little  about  the  stem  of  the  tree  in  the  autumn  and 
leave  no  harbor  there  for  mice. 

The  next  great  question  is— Will  it  pay  ?  I  think 
it  will,  if  these  conditions  are  complied  with.  One 
fact  has  been  pretty  well  established  in  Eastern 
Pennsylvania,— that  land  having  been  cropped  with 
wheat,  corn,  oats,  &c.,  for  thirty,  forty  or  more 
years,  will  not  continue  to  produce  these  crops  and 
apples,  too.  If  you  want  to  grow  apples,  you  must 
devote  a  lot  of  ground  to  that  puri)Ose.  With  newly- 
cleared  ground,  or  in  river  bottoms  full  of  vegetable 
matter,  the  case  will  be  different. 

I  believe  that  not  less  than  half  a  million  dollars 
worth  of  apples  have  been  imported  into  Pennsylva- 


MILDEW   ON   THE    GRAPE. 

BY  F.    A.    BALLER,    ROCnESTER,    N.    Y. 

Having  noticed  the  very  interesting  articles  of 
Mr.  M.  B.  Bateham  and  A.  A.  Mullet  on  the  Causes 
of  Mildew  in  the  Grape-vine,  I  beg  to  offer  my  views 
on  the  same  subject. 

In  my  opinion,  there  are  two  distinct  species  of 
mildew  that  the  grape  is  liable  to,- one  is,  I  think, 
principally  caused  by  stagnant  water  at  the  roots, 
and  shows  itself  in  dirty-looking  blotches  on  the 
leaves  and  fruit.  It  has  a  peculiar  smell,  resembling 
musty  hay,  and  exhibiting,  under  the  microscope, 
very  minute  toadstools  with  purple  caps.  Others 
forming  in  the  substance  of  the  leaf,  knotting  up 
from  innumerable  little  fibres,  in  the  same  way  as 
the  common  mushroom.  This  species  I  do  not 
think  is  half  as  troublesome  as  the  other,  nor  so 
general,  yet  a  misapprehension  may  exist  in  regard 
to  it  that  others  may  not  think  of. 

In  regard  to  the  second  species,  it  is,  I  think,  too 
well  known  to  need  a  description.  Sufficient  for  it 
to  say  that  it  makes  its  appearance  in  a  filmy  sub- 
stance, which  rapidly  spreads  and  destroys  the  ten- 
der parts  of  the  leaves,  making  them  appear,  after  a 
little  time,  as  if  sprinkled  with  hot  water. 

Having  occasion,  a  season  or  two  ago,  to  move  a 
few  vines  from  a  brisk  growing  heat  to  a  cold  frame 
facing  north,  where  they  were  shut  up  close  and  left 
till  the  next  day,  what  was  my  surprise  to  find  them, 
when  taken  out,  all  spotted  and  covered  with  mil- 
dew. This  set  me  to  thinking,  and  subsequent  ex- 
periments and  close  observation  have  enabled  me, 
at  least  in  my  own  mind,  to  form  an  opinion  as  to 
the  cause  of  mildew  generally. 

In  the  months  of  July  and  August,  when  the 
growth  of  the  vine  is  vigorous,  the  leaves  throw  off 
or  evaporate  a  great  deal  of  moisture.  The  weather 
is  at  the  same  time  warm,  and  possibly  dry.  Sud- 
denly we  get  a  heavy  fall  of  rain,  followed,  as  ram 
generally  is,  by  a  lowering  of  the  temperature,  ac- 
companied by  a  cold,  moist  atmosphere.  This  at 
once  checks  evaporation  from  the  leaves.  The  roots 
being  somewhat  removed,  do  not  feel  the  effects  of 
the  sudden  change  for  a  time,  but  continue  to  take 
up  moisture,  which  the  leaves  cannot  possibly  get 
rid  of  This  state  of  things  is  followed  by  a  ruptur- 
ing of  the  tender  vessels  of  the  leaves,  when  mildew 
immediately  sets  in.  Bright  weather  is  apt  to  ag- 
gravate the  complaint -at  least  for  a  few  days,  till 


1:. 


M 


I    .' 


p 


I 


CIi)}  (ilarWner's  PontWj. 


some  of  the  moisture  in  the  soil  has  passed  away. 
I  could  cite  a  number  of  instances  in  support  of 
these  views,  hut  am  afraid  to  trespass  on  valuable 
space.     One  instance  I  will  give,  however,  that  must 
answer  for  all  I  have  under  my  care,— a  house  built 
almost  entirely  for  growing  hardy  American  grape- 
vines.    It  is  two  hundred  feet  in  length,  and  not 
provided  with  any  bottom  ventilation,  except  from 
doors  at  each  end.      Last  season  this  house  was 
fi-led  with  vines  in  pots.     The  first  week  in  August, 
when  they  were  growing  vigorously,  we  had  rain, 
followed  by  cloudy  weather  ;  and  as  previous  treat- 
ment of  these  vines  had  been  for  a  continuance  of 
fine  weather,  Cby  flooding  the  house  with  water  in 
the  morning,  as  well  as  copious  syringing  overhead, 
often  watering  morning  and  evening,  J  I  looked,  not 
without  some  anxiety,  for  the  appearance  of  mildew, 
and  was  not  disappointed  in  examining  some  of  the 
plants  which  stood  closest  together.      We  imme- 
diately built  a  strong  fire,  raised  all  ventilators  and 
doors,  besides  raising  the  fumes  of  sulphur  in  every 
part  of  the  house,  withholding  water  both  at  the 
rcot  and  leaf,   till  all  danger  was  past.     By  such 
measures  we  overcame  the  difficulty,  though    not 
without  considerable  trouble. 

I  cannot  but  fall  in  with  many  of  the  views  ex- 
pressed in  the  before-mentioned  articles,  such  as 
distance  of  planting,  thorough  drainage,  circulation 
of  air  and  elevation,  by  which  last  you  secure  a 
warmer,  drier,  a  more  even,  and  above  all,  a  moving 
atmosphere,  as  well  as  freedom  from  frosts  for  at 
least  two  weeks  longer  than  your  valley  neighbors, 
by  which  means  you  secure  riper  and  firmer  wood. 


*•■»» 


HINTS  FOR  THE  IMPROVEMENT  OF  HOR- 
TICULTURAL   SOCIETIES. 

The  Pennsylvania  Horticultural  Society  has,  in 
common  with  most  of  the  older  ones  in  the  States, 
declined  in  usefulness  for  some  years  back.  The 
more  active  members  of  this  Society  are,  however, 
desirous  to  re-elevate  it  to  its  former  pinnacle  of 
popularity,  and  recently  appointed  a  committee  to 
examine  the  subject,  with  the  view  of  founding  a  new 
era  of  success  on  the  report. 

We  are  indebted  to  the  kindness  of  the  chairman 
Mr.  W.  Saunders,  for  the  opportunity  of  publishing 
it  from  the  manuscript ;  and  as  we  deem  the  excel- 
lent suggestions  it  contains  likely  to  benefit  other 
societies  situated  as  this  is,  our  readers  will  thank  us 
for  laying  it  before  them. 

To  the  President  and  Members  of  the 

Pennsylvania  Horticultural  Society: 
The  committee  appointed  to  investigate  the  history 
of  the  Society,  and  discover,  if  possible,  the  cause 


IM 


of  its  decline,  as  well  as  its  inefficiency,  and  suggest 
measures  for  its  future  improvement,  beg  to  submit 
the  following  report : — 

The  objects  of  the  Society,  as  set  forth  in  the  act 
of  its  incorporation,  are  "for  the  purpose  of  pro- 
moting and  encouraging  horticulture,  by  improving 
the  growth  of  vegetables,  plants,  trees,  fruits,  and 
fiowers,  and  of  introducing  into  our  country  new 
varieties  and  species." 

In  pursuing  their  investigations  into  the  early  his- 
tory of  the  Society,  your  committee  have  been  highly 
interested  in  tracing  its  rise  and  rapid  progress  of 
usefulness  and  success.  During  the  first  eight  or  ten 
years  of  its  existence  the  records  are  rather  meagre  ; 
but  it  is  due  to  our  late  Secretary,  Mr.  James,  to  men- 
tion his  name  in  connection  with  the  fact,  that  for 
the  past  twenty  years  the  minutes  of  the  society 
contain  a  vast  amount  of  horticultural  information, 
such  as  the  introduction  of  new  plants,  vegetables 
and  fruits,  which  if  collated  and  presented  in  a  de- 
tailed and  comprehensive  form,  would  be  of  much 
value  to  those  members  who  are  not  familiar  with 
its  theory,  as  well  as  forming  a  useful  reference  for 
the  future  management  of  the  Society. 

From  the  records  it  appears  that  one  great  object 
has  been  to  endeavor  to  enlist  the  attention  of  the 
public,  and  in  order  to  accomplish  this  very  desirable 
and  necessary  object,  public  exhibitions  of  the  pro- 
ducts of  the  greenhouse,  garden,  and  orchard,  were 
early  established;  and  still  further,  to  enhance  at- 
tractive displays,   premiums  were   offered  for  the 
encouragement  of  exhibitors,  and  as  an  incentive  to 
higher  excellence  in  their  productions.      Towards 
carrying  out  these  views,  the  Society  has  disbursed 
from  twenty  to  twenty -five  thousand  dollars  in  pre- 
miums, and  the  result  has  been,  that  for  a  period  of 
twenty  years  these  exhibitions  annually  gained  in 
notoriety,  until  they  formed  an  attractive  display* 
which  for  magnificence  in  the  quantity,  quality  and 
variety  of  the  productions,  has  never  been  excelled, 
indeed,  never  been  equalled,  by  any  similar  institu- 
tion in  America. 

These  exhibitions,  however,  can  only  be  looked 
upon  as  auxiliary  to  the  fulfilment  of  the  aims  of  the 
Society.  It  is  a  well  established  fact,  that  in  order 
to  ensure  public  attention,  one  of  the  most  effective 
modes  consists  in  making  appeals  of  an  attractive 
character.  If  properly  conducted,  public  exhibitions 
with  such  attractions  as  horticulture,  floriculture  and 
pomology  can  command,  seldom  fail  in  enlisting  that 
recognition  and  support  comtemplated  by  their  origi- 
nators, and  up  to  a  certain  point,  are  of  vast  service  in 
popularizing  and  disseminating  a  taste  for  gardening. 
But  there  must  necessarily  be  a  certain  degree  of 
sameness  in  the  general  features  of  these  displays. 


^l.\  dardentr's  JWonthlg. 


which  tires  by  repetition,  and  they  gradually  lose 
the  esteem  of  the  mere  sight-seer,  and  even  those 
who  have  become  more  or  less  enthusiastic  in  their 
admiration  of  the  purposes  and  objects  of  the  Society, 
become  indifferent  when  they  discover  that  it  fails 
to  aff'ord  sufficient  food  for  their  increasing  desires. 

The  means  degenerate  into  the  enrf,  and,  instead 
of  public  exhibitions  being  considered  simply  as  a 
means  of  increasing  the  usefulness  of  the  Society, 
they  become  the  sole  aim  of  its  existence,  and  they 
are  then  placed  on  a  level  with  other  public  amuse- 
ments, and  are  left  in  the  background  when  com- 
peting with  more  sensual  exhibitions. 

Your  committee  are  of  opinion  that  the  culmina- 
ting point  of  exhibitions  has  been  reached ;  and  the 
Society  must  direct  its  attention  to  other  sources  of 
attraction,  and  in  order  to  meet  the  improved  taste 
and  keep  pace  with  the  progressive  spirit  of  the 
times,  must  offer  inducements  of  a  more  intellectual, 
instructive,  and  scientific  character. 

Your  committee  have  given  prominence  to  the 
exhibitions,  as  they  have  occupied  so  largely  of  the 
attention  and  means  of  the  Society ;  and  so  long  as 
they  are  self-sustaining,  we  consider  them  highly 
useful,  but  when  they  become  a  burden,  it  is  at  least 
evidence  that  some  degree  of  modification  is  required 
in  their  management,  and  in  the  position  they 
occupy  in  the  legitimate  transactions  of  the  Society. 

It  may  be  found  that  the  main  cause  of  the  decline 
of  the  Society  has  been  owing  to  the  prominence 
given  to  public  exhibitions,  and  the  concomitant 
evils  that  invariably  arise  where  money  premiums 
are  allowed  a  prominent  place;  and  we,  therefore,  sug- 
gest that  the  Society  take  this  matter  into  considera- 
tion, with  a  view  to  the  modification  of  these  exhi- 
bitions, more  in  accordance  with  the  pun^oses  of  its 
organization  and  the  unmistakable  requirements  of 
improved  cultivation. 

Among  the  minor  causes  operating  against  the 
Society,  may  be  mentioned  the  indifference  of  its 
members,  and  the  want  of  strict  adherence  to  its 

by-laws. 

The  unsatisfactory  mode  of  conducting  the  busi- 
ness meetings  simultaneous  with  public  exhibitions, 
has  also  had  an  injurious  influence  upon  the  proper 
administration  of  the  affairs  of  the  Society. 

In  proceeding  to  suggest  measures  for  the  future 
guidance  of  the  Society,  your  committee  would  re- 
mark that,  in  order  to  engage  the  co-operation  of 
the  public,  it  is  necessary  to  keep  in  view  the  fact, 
that  some  equivalent  should  be  rendered  for  the 
present  annnal  contribution  required  for  member- 
ship.  When  a  person  becomes  really  interested  in 
horticultural  pursuits,  and  attaches  himself  to  a 
Horticultural  Society,  it  is  with  a  view  to  some 
degree  of  individual  benefit,  as  well  as  to  enjoy  the 


indirect  advantages  which  such  institutions  are  ex- 
pected  to  confer  on  the  community.  He  naturally 
turns  to  the  Society  for  information  on  gardening 
matters,  and  expects  to  find  through  its  proceedings 
a  digested  report  of  all  recent  improvements  and 
discoveries  connected  with  these  subjects.  We  need 
not  state  that  the  Society  has  been  somewhat 
remiss  in  this  respect,  and  we  are  of  opinion  that 
one  of  the  first  considerations  should  be  directed 
towards  the  publication  of  an  annual  report,  which 
should  be  made  as  complete  as  the  means  of  the 

Society  will  allow. 

The  Society  has  in  its  possession  a  valuable  horti- 
cultural library,  but  owing  to  its  location  and  other 
circumstances,  it  is  not  so  available  as  its  merits 
entitles  it  to  be.  Libraries  of  this  kind  are  chiefly 
useful  for  purposes  of  reference,  and  should,  there- 
fore, be  placed  within  the  reach  of  all  who  have 
the  privilege  and  desire  to  use  them.  Your  commit- 
tee would,  therefore,  in  this  connection,  desire  to 
express  their  gratification  of  the  action  of  the  So- 
ciety in  appointing  a  committee  to  endeavor  to  pro- 
cure a  room  in  some  favorable  and  convenient  loca- 
tion, in  which  to  arrange  the  library,  and  provide 
for  its  being  thrown  open  as  frequently  as  possible. 

Connected  with  the  library,  a  reading  room 
should  be  provided,  where  suitable  periodicals  might 
be  placed  for  the  use  of  members. 

Your  committee  would  strenuously  urge  the  great 
advantages  that  would  result  from  the  introduction 
of  conversational  meetings,  where  horticultural  and 
kindred  subjects  could  be  discussed,  and  much  valua- 
ble information  elicited. 

We  would  also  direct  the  Society's  attention  to 
the  work  of  anticipating  horticultural  progress,  by 
off"ering  premiums  with  special  reference  to  experi- 
menting in  {mproved  modes  of  culture,  or  in  any 
other  manner  to  establish  facts  upon  subjects  on 
which  information  is  desired. 

Encouragment  far  more  than  has  hitherto  been 
extended,  should  be  given  to  the  production  of 
original  communications  on  horticultural  subjects. 

And  in  order  that  the  Society  render  itself  instru- 
mental to  the  benefit  of  all  who  depend  upon  the 
products  of  the  garden  and  orchard,  we  would  sug- 
gest that  it  consider  the  propriety  of  appointing 
committees,  and  defraying  their  expenses,  for  the 
purpose  of  making  thorough  investigation  into  the 
maladies  and  diseases  of  vegetation,  and  other  ques- 
tions  demanding  close  observations  and  collected  tacts 
for  their  Intelligent  study  and  solution. 

Above  all,  let  the  transactions  of  the  Society  first 
be  rendered  worthy  of  itself,  and  the  reasonable 
expectations  of  its  friends;  and  secondly,  let  these 
transactions  be  published  under  competent  supervi- 


■  :t 


.'  i 


\i 


l\ 


11 


f 

r 


'  1 

1 ,? 

r,i     -' 


lit 


t  §mdtmi\  (Poirthly. 


sion,  and  a  copy  presented  to  each  member,  thus 
forming  an  inducement  to  membership  superior  to 
any  thing  now  offered  by  the  Society. 

All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted, 

William  Saunders, 
w.  l.  schaffer, 
J.  E.  Mitchell. 


«•■>» 

THE  CULTURE  OF  TREES  FOR  SHELTER 
TO  BUILDINGS. 

BY  WALTER   ELDER. 

The  culture  of  trees  for  shelter,  shade  and  orna- 
ment, has  been  in  practice  from  time  immemorial. 
The  ancients  worshipped  trees  as  the  great  mon- 
archs  of  vegetation  ;  and  in  "Holy  Writ"  we  find 
many  records  of  the  high  estimation  in  which  trees 
were  held.  The  Romans  have  always  venerated 
them.  Indeed,  civilization  and  arboriculture  have 
always  travelled  together.  Great  Britain,  at  the 
present  day,  perhaps,  holds  the  palm  for  fine  culti- 
vated trees,  and  large  tracts  of  the  country  are  shel- 
tered by  the  belted  parks  and  shady  avenues.  The 
green  turf,  mild  climate,  picturesque  scenery,  ro- 
bust people,  and  improved  breeds  of  domestic  ani- 
mals, are  all  indebted  to  the  shelter  of  trees.  In  the 
fens  of  England  and  moors  of  Scotland,  that  are  de- 
void of  trees,  their  crops  are  a  month  later  than  those 
grown  near  to  the  leafy  domains  of  the  nobility. 
Indeed,  the  word  noble  was  first  prefixed  to  man  for 
the  fine  specimens  of  trees  grown  upon  his  estate. 
In  this  country  the  wild  animals  that  roam  at  large 
know  the  value  of  trees,  as  they  dwell  in  the  open 
plains  during  the  growing  season  and  retire  to  the 
forests  for  shelter  in  winter.  We  can  readily  imag- 
ine the  miseries  of  a  country  destitute  of  trees,  by 
hearing  the  great  velocity  of  the  winds  as  they 
sweep  over  the  western  prairies,  and  of  the  awful 
simoon  upon  the  great  African  desert.  Could  that 
desert  and  those  prairies  but  be  clothed  with  trees, 
how  different  their  climates  and  mild  their  changes  of 
weather  would  become.  When  a  man  of  wealth 
purchases  land  to  make  a  rural  home  or  summer  re- 
treat for  himself  and  family,  the  first  thing  he  should 
do  after  determining  upon  the  sites  of  the  buildings 
and  staking  them  out,  is  to  lay  the  foundations  for 
leafy  temples  to  shelter  them  from  the  north  and 
west,  by  draining  the  land  Conly  where  it  needs  it; 
and  deepening  and  enriching  the  soil  by  summer 
fallow  and  green  crops  and  dressings  of  guano,  pou- 
derette,  super-phosphate,  &c.,  and  plough  them  un- 
der when  a  foot  high  ;  the  soil  will  be  in  good  tilth 
by  fall  for  the  trees,  which  should  be  all  planted  by 
the  middle  of  November.  Belts  sixty  feet  wide  and 
upwards,  closely  planted,  with  a  tenth  of  them  ever- 
greens, and  a  few  Lombardy  poplars,  as  they  rise 


high  above  the  other  trees,  give  beauty  to  the  scene 
and  look  like  spires  of  a  city  in  the  distance.  If  they 
are  planted  upon  a  level  with  the  buildings,  they  will 
give  better  shelter  a  hundred  yards  off  than  closer ; 
yet  a  few  ornamental  ones  should  be  planted  around 
the  buildings,  to  improve  the  architectural  beauty 
and  attract  the  lightning  from  them  in  summer. 

The  working  farmer,  too,  should  plant  trees  to 
shelter  his  buildings.  If  he  grudges  to  grow  forest 
trees,  then  cherry  and  large  growing  apple  trees,  with 
a  few  evergreens,  will  suit.  By  that  children  can 
play  out  at  all  seasons,  and  grown  people  can  go 
out  and  in,  attending  to  their  daily  avocations  with- 
out discomfort;  cattle  and  horses  can  be  yarded 
parts  of  the  days  more  frequently  and  longer  at  a 
time,  to  breathe  the  pure  air,  while  their  stables  are 
getting  cleaned  and  well  ventilated,  which  will 
greatly  promote  their  health  and  ward  off  disease. 
But  where  there  is  no  shelter  from  the  north  and  the 
west,  the  difference  of  temperature  on  windy  days 
between  the  inside  of  the  stables  and  out  doors  will 
be  too  great  to  turn  them  out  with  safety.  It  is  not 
the  degree  of  cold  itself  that  hurts  an  animal  so 
much  as  the  shifting  winds,  that  carry  off  its  heat 
faster  than  it  can  restore  it  by  motion  or  breathing. 
If  gentlemen  and  working  farmers  would  consider 
the  value  of  the  health  of  their  families  and  stocks, 
they  will  see  that  the  culture  of  trees  for  shelter 
is  the  most  profitable  crop  they  can  grow.  The 
plague  among  cattle  of  late,  with  its  losses,  call 
loudly  for  shelter  by  trees. 

One  great  drawback  to  the  culture  of  trees,  with 
us,  is  that  all  the  spare  monies  are  expended  upon 
the  buildings.  The  architect  is  lord  and  master  of 
all,  and  the  gardener,  poor  man,  with  his  head  stored 
with  wisdom  and  knowledge,  must  stand  back.  Be- 
cause he  takes  off  his  coat  and  toils  with  his  hands, 
his  wisdom  is  folly  and  his  counsel  set  at  naught ; 
yet  he  is  patiently  awaiting  the  march  of  civilization 
and  scientific  improvement  to  restore  him  to  his 
proper  place.  If  ten  per  centum  were  withheld  from 
the  construction  of  the  buildings  and  spent  upon 
trees,  to  shelter  them,  it  would  be  both  the  most 
judicious  and  most  economical  plan  to  give  comfort 
and  pleasure  to  their  inmates,  as  well  as  for  beauti- 
fying and  enhancing  the  value  of  the  whole.  Who 
that  has  lived  beside  a  forest  clump,  but  has  listened 
with  awe,  on  tempestuous  nights,  at  the  fearful 
warfare  going  on  between  the  winds  and  the 
woods  ?  The  moanings  of  the  wild  elements,  as 
they  bounced  against  the  dauntless  sons  of  the  for- 
est ;  and  the  creaking  of  their  timber  sounding  like 
the  cries  of  the  wounded  on  a  field  of  strife ;  and 
who  that  has  looked  on  the  contest  in  open  day,  but 
has  admired  the  awful  grandeur  of  God's  omuipo- 


iH  iiardtncr's  3^n%. 


tence,  as  gust  after  gust  struck  against  the  trees ; 
the  lashing  and  twisting  of  their  branches  and  crack- 
ing of  their  trunks,  as  they  tried  to  crouch  beneath 
the  furious  blasts  ;  and,  again,  their  elasticity  bring- 
ing them  back  with  renewed  vigor  to  the  charge. 
A  strong  sentinel  on  the  outposts  gets  a  stroke  and 
it  lays  him  low.  Think  how  buildings  would  suffer 
by  such  battering  as  that  upon  the  trees  and  the 
stroke  that  uprooted  that  great  tree.  Often  have  we, 
when  viewing  the  fierce  strife,  exclaimed:  "Lord, 
what  is  man,  that  thou  art  mindful  of  him !" 


— •» 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING. 

BY  R.,    RICHMOND,    IND. 

I,  TOO,  am  at  a  loss  to  comprehend  the  true  mean- 
ing of  "landscape-gardening,"  notwithstanding  the 
numerous  able  articles  which  have  appeared  in  the 
"  Monthly,'''  and  am  inchned  to  believe,  from  the 
tenor  of  those  articles,  that  it  has  but  little  relation 
to  gardening  proper,  and  only  an  artificial  repre- 
sentation of  nature,  according  to  the  taste  of  the 
constructionist,  whose  success  depends  on  culitva- 
tion,  not  of  the  soil,  but  of  the  mind,  which  the 
poet,  the  painter,  the  architect,  and  the  sculptor  is 
presumed  to  possess,— yet  at  the  same  time  enables 
any  one  of  ordinary  taste  and  judgment  to  distin- 
guish a  good  picture  from  a  "daub,"  to  imilate  it. 

As  it  is  not  in  our  nature  to  admit  total  igno- 
rance of  a  subject  that  so  often  presents  itself 
to  the  reader,  we  will  premise  that  we  know  some- 
thing of  it,  and  take  the  position  that  a  man  can  be 
a  landscape-gardener  without  being  a  landscape 
painter,  poet,  architect,  or  mathematician.  And  if 
we  should  assert  that  many  sensible  persons  asso- 
ciate this  subject  with  garden  vegetables  only,  we 
trust  we  may  not  be  esteemed  unusually  verdant, 
when  we  refer  to  the  difficulty  attending  it. 

The  immortal  Bums  was  a  gardener,  and  prided 
himself  on  his  ability  to  make  straight  com  rows; 
but,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  straight  lines  must  be 
avoided  in  the  landscape.g&rden,  in  which  none  but 
the  aristocratic  "garden  stuff"  are  allowed  to  show 
their  heads  on  the  undulating  acres  of  terra  firma 
that  happen  to  be  favored  by  nature  with  a  "  bubbhng 
fount"   which  can  be  converted  into  a  jet  (Vean, 
thence  diverted  to  an  aqwirium,  where  the  yinny  tribe 
can  gambol  and  "the  lowing  herd  slake  their  thirst" 
in  the  shade  of  a  rmtic  bridge,  the  abutments  of  which 
is  constmcted  of  "rockwork"  and  surmounted  with 
a  statute  of  Downing  or  Bartram,  and  gently  curv- 
ing walks  and  devices  covered  with  clean  gravel 
connecting  these  objects  with  the  house,  the  bam 
the  grapery,  the  plum,  the  pear,  cherry,  apple,  and 
other  plantations,  all  of  which  should  be  "  grouped 
separably,  interspersed  at  respective  distances  with 


flow^er  borders,  ornamental  trees,  arbors  and  blue 
grass. 

Lest  this  view  of  the  case  should  conflict  with  a 
very  different  opinion  of  others,  or  where  the  ground 
will  not  admit  of  all  of  the  objects  refered  to,  it  might 
be  proper  to  remark  that  good  taste  would  exclude 
some  of  them  and  substitute  others  and  include  the 
whole  vegetable  kingdom  or  any  part  of  it,  on  the 
principle  that  one  class  of  artists  selects  bold 
romantic  subjects  as  only  worthy  of  their  pencils, 
while  another  paints  quiet  pastural  scenes  with 
equal  success  ;  the  main  requirements  for  a  good 
picture  being  ease,  grace  and  a  tasteful  combination 
of  the  objects  introduced,  all  of  which  is  available 
to  most  men  who  will  give  their  attention  to  it  when 
they  once  know  the  outlines.  Hope  you  will  advise 
us  if  they  are  contained  herein. 


«•■■» 


HORTICULTURE    ON    THE    MISSISSIPPI. 

A  LADY,  writing  from  Jackson,  affords  us  the  fol- 
lowing items  of  interest : 

"Flowers  are  much  cultivated  in  this  place.  We 
have  some  handsome  greenhouses,  some  plain  ones, 
but  a  great  variety  of  plants  for  so  new  a  country. 
We  have  some  fine  nurseries.  Hatch  has  quite  an 
extensive  establishment  near  Jackson,  and  I  think 
makes  very  large  sales,  and  keeps  his  greenhouses 
well  supplied  with  new  and  attractive  plants." 


«•»»» 


A   FINE    BLOOM    OF    ROSES. 

I  SEND  you  a  description  of  a  rose,  which  I  saw  a 
few  days  since,  at  the  hot-house  of  Francis  Putman, 
florist,  of  this  city,  which  I  think  must  be  one'of  the 
finest  plants  in  this  portion  of  the  country. 

Mr.  Putman  tells  me  that  about  three  years  since, 
he  inserted  two  buds  of  the  Gloire  de  Dijon  Rose 
into  a  plant  of  La  Marque,  which  he  had  growing  in 
the  border,  each  of  which  grew  nearly  twenty  feet 
the  first  year,  and  have  continued  to  make  the  same 
strong  growth,  flowering  profusely  at  the  same  time, 
until  at  the  present  time  the  plant  covers  a  space  of 
twenty  feet  square,  and  is  a  perfect  mass  of  buds  and 
flowers.     I  should  think  that  there  were  now  at 
least  four  hundred  in  different  stages  of  bloom,  those 
fully  expanded  being  from  three  to  four  inches  in 
diameter,  perfect  in  form,  and  very  fragrant,  and, 
what  is  greatly  in  its  favor,  continue  a  long  time 
without  decay.     It  is  certainly  one  of   the  finest 
floral  displays  which  I  have  ever  seen,  and  every 
admirer  of  flowers  should  see  this  plant  if  they  wish 
to  know  what  a  rose  is. 

[No  name  accompanied  the  above,  but  as  it  bears 
the  semblance  of  probability,  we  pass  it.  The  wri- 
ter's name,  in  matters  of  fact,  should  always  be  sent 
for  our  own  private  satisfaction. — Ed.] 


'tf'fc 


CJ^  6m&mtxs  Hlontjilj. 


GRAPES   AND   CATERPILLARS. 

BY  A.    MARSHALL,    WEST   CIIESTEK,    PA. 

Last  spring,  when  my  Catawba  Grape-vines  had 
thrown  out  shoots  to  the  length  of  eight  or  ten 
inches,  I  observed  that  on  several  of  the  shoots  the 
tender  leaves  at  the  extreme  end  were  curled,  indi- 
cating a  lodgment  of  some  insect  that  would  be  no 
advantage  to  a  further  development  of  the  vine.  I 
pinched  them  all  off  with  the  thumb  and  finger,  and 
burned  them.  This  I  attended  to  for  several  days. 
I  usually  pinched  off  the  top  of  the  shoot,  so  as  to 
get  below  the  affected  leaf  or  leaves. 

In  the  summer  when  the  leaves  of  my  neighbor's 
vines  were  eaten  up  with  a  little  brown  caterpillar, 
mine  were  entirely  free  from  them.  Some  of  your 
readers  may  profit  by  this  fact. 


COLD  PITS. 

BY  R.  M.  CONCKLIN,    COLD   SPRING  HARBOR,    N.  Y. 

Last  winter  I  built  a  small  house,  somewhat  on 
the  plan  suggested  by  Schuylkill,  only  it  was  sunk 
five  feet  deep  and  walled  on  the  sides  with  stone. 
The  front  roofing  of  glass,  on  the  fixed  plan,  and 
back,  or  north  side,  of  tongued  and  grooved  boards, 
made  tight,  with  small  moveable  contrivances  for 
letting  air  circulate.  Although  left  in  a  very  imper- 
fect state,  when  the  cold  came  on,  the  thermometer 
sometimes  at  five  or  six  degrees  below  zero,  without 
any  artificial  heat,  orange  trees  and  plants  of  a  simi- 
lar character  have  wintered  there  without  material 
damage  from  frost.  This  I  attribute  in  a  good 
degree  to  the  depth  of  the  pit.  Now,  as  it  seems  to 
be  conceded  in  some  of  your  editorials  on  this  sub- 
ject that  the  effect  of  high  fires  in  plant  houses  is 
often  very  injurious,  why  may  not  this  be  obviated 
by  sinking  the  house  lower  in  the  earth  ?  Would 
there  be  any  serious  objection  to  that  course  ?  In 
regard  to  heat,  a  double  advantage  would  be  derived 
— exclusion  of  cold  and  accession  of  heat,  from  the 
higher  temperature  of  the  earth  beneath.  To  be 
sure,  it  would  cause  some  waste  room  by  the  shade 
of  the  w\all ;  yet,  perhaps,  that  might  be  suitable  for 
some  purposes. 

The  house  I  built  was  thirty  feet  long  by  eleven 
wide,  roofed  so  as  to  require  sash  bars  about  eight 
feet  long,  composed  of  common  soft  pine,  one  inch 
thick  by  three  inches  wide.  The  entire  glazed  front, 
including  work  and  materials,  did  not  exceed  twenty 
dollars  in  cost.  Now  as  the  expense  of  roofing  with 
glass  is  so  trifling,  why  not  double  the  process,  and 
thus  render  it  unnecessary  to  keep  so  much  drying 
heat  in  the  flues  ?  The  intermediate  space  between 
the  roofing,  it  seems  to  me,  would  almost  render  the 
building  impervious  to  cold.     If  you  could  give  some 


light  on  the  foregoing  points,  it  would  confer  a  favor 
on  one  of  your  readers,  if  not  many  others. 

The  communication  of  William  Bright  on  the 
subject  of  renewing  grape  vines  has  been  read  with 
deep  interest.  His  theory  of  fruiting  only  half  the 
length  of  the  rafter  has  for  several  years  been  a 
growing  conviction,  until  it  has  driven  me  to  adopt 
it,  as  much  as  possible,  in  open  air  culture  of  the 
native  varieties. 

[Such  pits  are  excellent  for  preserving  full-grown 
plants, — or,  as  gardeners  would  say,  store-pits.  For 
plants  required  to  be  kept  growing  through  the 
winter,  experience  proves  them  unsuitable.  Plants 
do  not  grow  as  well  in  sunk  pits  as  when  in  houses 
built  entirely  on  the  surface  of  the  ground.— Ed.] 


4»m»» 


HELIOTROPE  FOR  WINTER  BLOOM. 

BY  AN  AMATEUR,  PHILADELPHIA. 

I  FREQUENTLY  hear  persons  complain  that  they 
get  but  little  bloom  from  their  heliotrope  during  the 
winter,  and  as  I  have  had  very  fair  success  with 
mine,  I  offer  you  my  experience,  although  some  of 
your  readers  may  be  able  to  give  you  a  better  mode 
of  culture. 

In  the  first  place,  I  would  remark  that  the  older 
and  more  woody  the  plants  are  the  more  bloom  tliey 
will  generally  afford,  and,  therefore,  the  plants  kept 
for  winter  bloom  must  be  from  three  to  four  years  old 
before  they  are  of  much  service.  I  will,  therefore, 
commence  with  the  cuttings.  They  should  be 
struck  early  in  the  spring,  in  the  greenhouses,  and 
gradually  inured  to  the  air,  or  *' hardened  off,"  as  it 
is  technically  called  by  gardeners,  by  planting  out 
time,  which  is  after  all  fear  of  frost  is  over. 

They  should  be  planted  out  in  a  bed  of  deep  rich 
soil,  and  encouraged  to  grow  by  frequent  waterings 
in  dry  weather  and  occasionally  with  manure-water. 
By  fall  they  will  be  good  stocky  plants.  Choose  a 
damp,  cloudy  day,  the  latter  part  of  Septem])er,  for 
lifting  and  potting  them,  and  when  potted  place  them 
in  a  close,  damp  greenhouse,  shaded  from  the  sun. 
If  the  shoots  are  long  and  "leggy,"  give  the  plants 
a  severe  pruning.  If  you  do  not  care  for  the  bloom 
the  first  winter,  keep  them  cool  and  rather  dry.  In 
the  spring,  say  the  middle  of  May,  turn  them  out  of 
the  pots  into  a  rich  border  and  give  them  plenty  of 
water,  as  before  directed.  Continue  the  same  treat- 
ment for  three  years,  in  all,  and  your  plants  will  by 
the  third  fall  have  attained  a  large  size,  and  of  a 
slmibby,  woody  habit.  Take  them  up  very  carefully 
the  last  of  August,  and  put  them  in  large  pots  or  in 
wooden  tubs  or  boxes ;  place  them  in  the  shade  for 
a  few  days  to  recover,  and  then  prune  off  the  strag- 
gling shoots  and  clean  off  the  dead  leaves.     Water 


M.&^ 


%^t  6arkntr's  Ultrnt^lj. 


plentifully,  occasionally  with  manure-water,  and 
keep  them  close  and  warm  for  a  month  or  so,  then 
gradually  diminish  the  water  and  heat  and  by  the 
first  to  the  middle  of  December  they  will  commence 
blooming  and  furnish  you  with  a  profusion  of  flowers 
during  the  whole  winter.  I  have  seen  plants  grown 
in  this  way  that  completely  filled  with  their  roots  a 
tub  larger  in  diameter  than  a  flour-barrel,  with 
tops  four  feet  across  and  nearly  five  feet  high.  One 
such  plant  will  give  you  as  much  bloom  as  you  will 
probably  want. 

I  have  also  grown  plants,  with  the  main  stem 
trimmed  up  to  four  or  five  feet  high,  and  then  allowed 
to  form  an  umbrella-shaped  head,  by  training  on  a 
wire  hook.  The  stems  of  some  of  these  plants  were 
-  three-fourths  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  and  completely 
hard  and  woody,  and  with  plenty  of  bloom. 

Bear  in  mind,  that  too  much  heat  and  moisture 
keeps  the  plants  growing,  while  a  check  will  almost 
invariably  throw  the  plant  into  bloom.  Be  careful 
in  fumigating  the  greenhouse  always  to  put  the 
plants  down  on  the  floor  or  take  them  out  entirely, 
or  the  foliage  will  be  very  much  injured.  I  have 
thus  given  you  my  experience,  but  hope  some  of  our 
commercial  gardeners,  who  grow  flowers  for  bou- 
quets, will  give  us  their  experience  with  this  very 
desirable  plant.  I  will  merely  add,  that  I  have  sel- 
dom seen  the  heliotrope  do  well  in  house  or  window 
culture.  To  bloom  it  well  a  greenhouse  is  almost 
indispensable. 


<■■•» 


All  about  Cooking  Potatoes.— Wc  take  the 
following  from  the  Home  Monthly: 

Potatoes  Fried  with  Fish.— Take  cold  fish  and  cold 
potatoes.  Pick  all  the  bones  from  the  former,  and 
mash  the  fish  and  the  potatoes  together.  Form  into 
rolls,  and  fry  with  lard  until  the  outsides  are  brown 
and  crisp.  For  this  purpose,  the  drier  kinds  of  fish, 
such  as  cod,  hake,  &c.,  are  preferable.  Turbot,  soles, 
eels,  &c.,  are  not  so  good.  This  is  an  economical 
and  excellent  relish. 

Potato  Cheese- Cakes. —One  pound  of  mashed  pota- 
toes,  quarter  of  a  pound  of  sugar  and  butter,  and 
four  eggs,  to  be  well  mixed  together ;  bake  tliem  in 
patty-pans,  having  first  lined  them  with  puff  paste. 

Potaio  Colcanon. —Boi\  potatoes  and  greens  and 
spinach  separately.  Mash  the  potatoes;  squeeze 
the  greens  dry,  chop  them  quite  fine,  and  mix  them 
with  the  potatoes,  with  a  little  butter,  pei^per,  and 
salt.  Put  into  mould,  buttering  it  well  first ;  let  it 
stand  in  a  hot  oven  for  ten  minutes. 

Potatoes  Roasted  under  Meat.— llaM  boil  large  pota- 
toes ;  drain  the  water;   put  them  into  an  earthen 


dish,  or  small  tin  pan,,  under  meat  roasting  before 
the  fire ;  baste  them  with  the  dripping.  Turn  them 
to  brown  on  all  sides,  send  up  in  a  separate  dish. 

Potato-Balls  Rarjout.-AM  to  a  pound  of  potatoes 
a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  grated  ham,  or  some  sweet 
herbs,  or  chopped  parsley,  an  onion  or  eschalot,  salt, 
pepper,  and  a  little  grated  nutmeg  and  other  spice, 
with  the  yolk  of  a  couple  of  eggs ;  then  dress  as  po- 
tatoes escalloped 

Potato  Snow. — Pick  out  the  whitest  potatoes,  put 
them  on  in  cold  water ;  when  they  begin  to  crack, 
strain  and  put  them  in  a  clean  stewpan  before  the 
fire  till  they  are  quite  dry,  and  fall  to  pieces;  rub 
them  through  a  wire  sieve  on  the  dish  they  are  to 
be  sent  up  in,  and  do  not  disturb  them  afterwards. 

Potatoes  Fried  Whole.— When  nearly  boiled  enough, 
put  them  tnto  a  stewpan  with  a  bit  of  butter,  or 
some  clean  beef-drippings ;  shake  them  about  often 
to  prevent  burning,  till  they  are  brown  and  crisp; 
drain  them  from  the  fat.  It  will  be  an  improvement 
if  they  are  floured  and  dipped  into  the  yolk  of  an 
egg,  and  then  rolled  in  finely-sifted  bread-crumbs. 

Potatoes  Escalloped.— ^la&\i  potatoes  in  the  usual 
way;  then  butter  some  nice  clean  scallop  shells, 
patty-pans,  or  tea-cups  or  saucers ;  put  in  your  pota- 
toes; make  them  smooth  at  the  top;  cross  a  knife 
over  them  ;  strew  a  few  fine  bread-crumbs  on  them  ; 
sprinkle  them  with  a  paste-brush  with  a  few  drops 
of  melted  butter,  and  set  them  in  a  Dutch  oven. 
When  nicely  browned  on  the  top,  take  them  care- 
fully out  of  the  shells,  and  brown  on  the  other  side. 
Cold  potatoes  may  be  warmed  up  this  way. 

Potato  Scone*.- Mash  boiled  potatoes  till  they  are 
quite  smooth,  adding  a  little  salt ;  then  knead  out 
the  flour  or  barieymeal  to  the  thickness  required ; 
toast  on  the  griddle,  pricking  them  with  a  fork  to 
prevent  them  blistering.  When  eaten  with  fresh  or 
salt  butter,  they  are  equal  to  crumpets— even  supe- 
rior— and  very  nutritious. 


»•■•» 


SV; 


New  Avn.B—The  Missouri  Janet.— The  follow- 
ing is  a  correct  description :  Size  above  medium  ; 
yellowish  white;  nearly  covered  and  striped  with 
red,  with  bright  red  cheek  on  exposed  side ;  flesh 
compact,  tender,  juicy,  with  a  very  rich  sub-acid 
flavor ;  tree  very  healthy ;  a  fair  grower,  and  most 
abundant  bearer,  keeps  until  May  and  June. 

As  a  market  fniit  it  is  said  to  be  first-rate,  not  ex- 
cepting  tlie  Home  Beauty  or  Smith's  Cider.  It  is 
superior  to  either  in  quality  of  fruit,  being  much 
richer  and  more  higlily  flavored,  and  leaves  them 
very  far  behind  as  a  long  keeper.  Its  fruitfulneos 
and  hardiness  of  tree  is  also  said  to  be  good. 


i'  *J 


i^h^  dardtncr'a  JCTontJIg. 


FHILADEIFEIA,   HAY  1,  1861. 


All  Communicatious  for  the  Editor  should  be  addressed, 
"Thomas  Meehan,  Germantown, Philadelphia," and  Business  Let- 
ters directed  to  "The  Pubmshrr  of  the  Gardener's  Monthly 
Box  406  Philadelphia." 


«•■•> 


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BENEFITS   OF  DROUTH-UNDER- 
DRAINING. 

To  cultivate  a  closer  acquaintance  between  science 
and  practice,  has  been  a  cherished  aim  of  the  Gar- 
dener^ s  Monthly.  Tlie  "mere  plodder"  and  the 
"book  gardener"  could  aid  each  other  materially  if 
they  would  but  know  each  other  better.  We  hope 
this  exclusiveness  has  had  its  day,  and  as  the  sun  of 
progress  warms  ui:  our  better  natures,  each  class  will 
see  how  dependent  it  mutually  is  on  the  good  offices 
of  the  other. 

For  want  of  this  disposition  to  travel  closely  to- 
gether, we  have  been  great  losers.  To-day  we  learn 
as  scientific  truth,  what  to-morrow  we  are  taught  is 
an  error, — and  which  error  it  is  obvious  a  very  little 
more  acquaintance  with  practical  men  and  practical 
results,  would  have  saved  us  the  time  lost,  besides 
the  annoyance  of  unlearning.  Time  is  too  valuable 
to  be  wasted  unnecessarily. 

"Could  a  man  be  secure 
That  his  days  would  endure 
As  of  old  for  a  thousand  years, 
What  things  might  he  know  ! 
What  deeds  might  he  do  ! 
And  all  without  hurry  or  care." 

But  as  we  have  but  a  brief  tenure  of  existence,  it 
is  wise  that  as  little  as  possible  of  our  three-score  and 
ten  should  be  spent  in  this  retrogade  knowledge. 

As  an  instance  of  this  want  of  sympathy  between 
scientific  teaching  and  practical  observation,  we  quote 
the  following  from  the  address  of  a  distinguished 
agricultural  chemist  to  the  students  of  his  class.  He 
is  dwelling  on  tlus  many  boons  his  branch  of  science 
has  conferred  on  the  farmer.     He  says  : 

"Agricultural  chemistry  has  further  revealed  to 
you,  that  the  drouth,  when  the  earth  is  parched  and 
vegetation  dwarfed  and  withered  by  the  heat,  is  only 
an  affliction  for  the  present,  a  blessing  in  disguise 


for  the  future, — that  '  the  early  and  the  latter  rain  ' 
may  produce  at  once  abundant  crops,  but  dry  weather 
is  needed  to  bring  to  the  surface  from  the  depths  of 
the  earth  food  for  the  future  harvest ;  that  as  the 
drouth  continues,  the  water  from  the  subsoil  keeps 
bringing  to  the  surface  the  salts  of  lime,  or  of  mag- 
nesia, or  of  potash,  that  it  holds  in  solution.  Thus 
we  are  taught  to  see  in  the  drouth,  one  of  nature's 
ordinances  for  keeping  up  the  fertility  of  the  soil." 
If  this  "revelation  of  agricultural  chemistry"  is  not 
apocryphal,  underdraining  is  a  great  mistake. 

It  is  claimed  for  underdraining  that  it  makes  the 
ground  cool  and  moist  in  summer,  and  this  is  in- 
sisted on  as  one  of  its  greatest  benefits, — and  that  it 
does  render  the  ground  cool  and  moist  under  the 
most  trying  heats,  we  all  know.  But  according  to 
the  quoted  doctrine,  this  is  an  evil,  rather  than  a  bless- 
ing, and  we  must  believe  that  if  we  would  add  to  the 
fertility  of  our  soil,  we  should  favor  the  earth's  be- 
coming as  dry  and  as  parched  as  possible.  And  then, 
again,  if  drouth  could  "bring  soluble  salts  to  the 
surface,"  underdraining  would  have  the  same  power 
to  carry  them  away,— and  the  result  would  be  that 
the  more  perfectly  a  soil  were  underdrained,  and  the 
passage  of  water  facilitated  through  it,  the  more 
easily  would  the  soil  be  depleted  of  its  valuable  salts, 
which,  "held  in  solution"  by  each  shower  of  rain, 
would  pass  away  through  the  drains  to  waste. 

But  those  who  have  underdrained  tell  us  they  have 
experienced  no  such  losses.  Though  the  operation 
has  rendered  their  grounds  moist  and  cool  in  sum- 
mer, it  is  highly  productive  ;  and  instead  of  the  salts 
disappearing  "in  solution"  after  each  rain-storm 
through  the  drains,  the  elements  of  fertility  in  the 
soil  is  rather  increased,  and  we  have  no  choice  left 
but  to  decide  between  infidelity  to  this  so-called 
"revelation,"  or  a  belief  in  the  rationalism  of  facts 
and  figures. 

We  choose  the  latter,  and  with  all  due  respect  for 
high  chemical  authority,  would  make  bold  to  inquire 
whether  drouth  really  brings  "  salts  to  the  surface  ?" 
Whether  even  the  mere  presence  of  salts  themselves 
in  the  soil  is  any  test  of  its  fertility  ?  and  whether  the 
benefits  known  to  follow  tlie  operation  of  drouth,  is 
not  owmg  to  very  difierent  laws  than  our  "author- 
ity" supposed  9 

The  laws  of  vegetable  life  play  an  important  part 
in  all  questions  connecled^ith  the  fertility  of  the 
soil.  As  with  science  and  practice,  so  with  life  and 
death ;  they  mutually  aid  each  othen  Indeed,  with- 
out death  there  can  be  no  life. 

All  vegetation  is  founded  on  decay.  The  living 
plant  is  but  old  matter  in  process  of  reconstruction, — 
mntter  set  free  by  decay,  and  which  decomposition  has 
resolved  into  its  origmal  elements.    Out  of  the  des- 


I 


^^m 


ih^  hardener's  JItonthlg. 


145 


olate  ruins  of  the  past,  is  the  beautiful  tcmi)le  of  life 
built  up.  ' '  That  which  thou  sowest  is  not  quickened 
unless  it  die," — even  the  seed  must  be  sacrificed  to 
afford  life  to  its  germ. 

And  all  this  is  as  true  of  the  inorganic  as  of  the 
organic  world.  Decomposition  must  act  on  the 
mineral,  as  well  as  the  animal  or  vegetable,  matters 
in  the  soil,  before  they  become  available  for  the  nu- 
trition of  a  living  plant,  and  the  great  agent  in  this 
work  of  destruction  is  the  oxygen  of  the  atmos- 
phere. 

The  elements  of  fertility  may  abound  in  the  soil, 
but  unless  oxygen  has  free  scope  to  enter  in  and 
amongst  them  on  its  disintegrating  and  destroying 
duties,  the  soil  will  not  be  fertile,  nor  will  the  hus- 
bandman reap  his  due  reward. 

And  thus  it  is  that  drouth  is  followed  by  beneficial 
results — not  for  the  reason  "revealed  to  us  by  agri- 
cultural chemistry"  according  to  our  author,  but 
solely  because  it  aff'ords  oxygen  its  only  chance  of 
penetrating  deeply  in  underdrained  soil.  Where 
water  escapes,  air  will  enter,  and  of  course  the  deep- 
er drouth  dries  the  soil,  the  deeper  in  the  same  pro- 
portion does  oxygen  descend  to  its  destructive  offices- 

This  is  beautifully  illustrated  after  every  heavy 
summer  thunder-shower.  If  we  go  out  immediately 
after  the  rain  is  over,  and  before  the  little  pools  have 
had  time  to  soak  away,  we  shall  find  air-bubbles 
rising  through  them  in  every  direction,  by  the  weight 
of  water  pressing  into  the  air  spaces,  and  driving  out 
the  gaseous  contents  of  the  soil.  If  the  surface  o^ 
the  ground  has  been  rendered  hard  by  traffic,  the  air 
will  often  be  forced  from  many  small  ducts  into  one 
main  channel,  made,  perhaps,  by  a  worm  or  insect, 
out  of  which  it  can  be  seen  to  jet  like  a  mimic  vol- 
cano. When  a  boy,  the  writer  has  often  amused  him- 
self by  placing  light  feathers  over  these  columns  of 
air,  which  in  some  cases  would  rise  to  an  inch  or 
more  in  height.  This  is  nature's  method  of  ventila- 
ting the  soil, — the  way  she  effects  a  continuous  cir- 
culation. As  the  water  enters,  the  air,  deprived  of 
its  oxygen  in  the  service  of  plant  life,  is  driven  out ; 
and  then,  as  the  water  slowly  evaporates,  the  pure 
air  of  the  atmosphere  follows,  becomes  in  time  ex- 
hausted, and  is  again  driven  out  by  the  next  summer 
shower,  and  so  continues  a  beautiful  and  perpetual 
revolution  and  restoration. 

If  our  view  of  the  beneficial  effects  of  drouth  is  the 
true  one,  it  affords  "aid  and  comfort"  to  the  advo- 
cates of  underdraining  rather  than  to  its  opponents. 
The  thorough  jcration  of  the  soil  enters  largely  into 
a  correct  definition  of  the  term  underdraining, — and 
is  claimed  to  be,  as  it  undoubtedly  is,  the  most  use- 
ful part  of  the  operation.  Nature  {erates  by  the  slow 
process  of  evaporation,  and  the  crops  are  often  sac- 


rificed in  the  drouth  to  nature's  wants,— but  man,  by 
underdraining,  {erates  by  method  and  system,  con- 
tinually and  without  risk  ;  fears  not  the  drouth,  and 
yet  reaps  all  its  advantages. 


*»m»p 


REVISION  OP   THE  AMERICAN    POMOLO- 

GICAL  SOCIETY  S  CATALOGUE  OF 

FRUITS. 

Under  the  head  of  "Horticultural  Societies,"  we 
publish  an  address  that  has  been  issued  by  the  spe- 
cial committee  in  charge  of  the  subject,  to  the  nu- 
merous State  and  local  committees  of  the  Pomolo- 
gical  Society. 

We  call  attention  to  the  matter  here  because  we 
consider  it  one  of  the  most  important  moves  that  the 
Society  has  ever  made,— a  move  in  the  right  direc- 
tion, and  one  that  will  require  all  the  aid  and  co- 
operation that  the  friends  of  Pomology,  in  every 
part  of  the  Continent,  can  extend,  to  render  it  as 
perfect  as  we  hope  it  will  be. 

The  past  efforts  of  the  Socie.y  have  very  properly 
been  directed  towards  collecting  tacts  bearing  on 
pomological  knowledge.  By  its  aid  these  have  be- 
come  so  numerous  as  to  prove  bewildering  for  prac- 
tical purposes  in  their  present  disarranged  state. 
We  may  get  twenty  men  from  Connecticut  who  have 
grown  a  Diana  and  a  Catawba  grape;,  side  by  side, 
and  who  will  tell  you  unanimou.sly  that  the  former 
is  far  superior  to  the  latter  in  flavor ;  while  twenty 
men  in  Maryland,  speaking  of  the  same  grapes 
tested  in  the  same  way,  will  as  i)ositively  assert  that 
the  Catawba  is  certainly  the  best  grape.  Of  course 
these  are  facts, — but  they  are  facts  of  a  limited  na- 
ture, and  before  fruit  culture  can  be  properly  digni 
fied  with  the  name  of  Pomology^  it  owes  it,  as  a  duty 
to  itself,  to  classify  and  present  such  facts  in  a  syste- 
matized and  scientific  manner. 

And  if  points  respecting  the  adaptations  of 
varieties  to  various  localities  are  in  a  state  of  bewil- 
dering confusion,  the  character  of  the  varieties  them- 
selves are  still  more  so.  We  can  take  up  scarcely  a 
single  agricultural  journal,  from  separate  localities, 
without  finding  some  fruit  recommended  as  "the 
best  of  its  clas.^,"  many  of  which  we  never  before 
heard  of.  Fruits  and  descriptions  of  fruits  are  con- 
tinually reaching  us  that  we  have  never  Iwfore  seen, 
and  if  we  go  to  compare  them  with  any  published 
descriptions,  we  find  these  in  such  a  disarranged 
condition,  that  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  identify 
them.  So  utterly  useless  have  these  masses  of  des- 
criptions become,  that  they  are  scarcely  ever  con- 
sulted by  describers.  Like  lumber  in  a  garret,  they 
might  be  useful,  but  are  not.  If  a  fruit  is  said  to  be 
a  seedling,  and  it  is  tolerably  good,  it  cuts  a  figure 
in  some  publication,  and  though  there  may  be  but  a 


r  J 


IS 


^ 


ii 


fi'*i 


III 


ihi^  hardener's  JRonthlj. 


shadow  of  difference  between  it  and  a  few  score  of 
others  already  in  existence,  it  goes  to  swell  an 
already  unwieldly  list.  Why  should  we  endure 
these  things  ?  Botany  has  its  Decandolles,  Endli- 
chers,  and  Jussieus,  who  out  of  chaos  have  produced 
system  and  harmony.  Their  millions  of  facts  are 
so  classified,  that  once  described,  any  one  is  known 
for  ever  to  all  who  take  the  trouble  to  possess  them- 
selves of  the  key.  Cannot  Pomology  have  as  much 
done  for  it  ?  It  is  a  difficult  task,  we  know,  but  its 
accomplishment  has  become  a  necessity.  Some  one 
will  achieve  it,  and  a  field  is  opened  wherein  to  im- 
mortalize oneself  by  conferring  on  pomologists  so 
great  a  boon. 

From  the  eminent  accomplishments  of  the  gentle- 
men who  are  acting  for  the  Society  on  this  com- 
mittee, we  are  certain  that  all  will  be  done  that  the 
present  state  of  pomological  knowledge  renders  pos- 
sible ;  and  we  hope  that  they  will  meet  with  such 
assistance  and  encouragement  from  all  quarters  as 
will  stimulate  them  to  prosecute  their  good  work 
with  energy  and  spirit. 


the  cork,  as  shown  in  the  cut.  If  the  seeds  are  ex- 
tremely small,  and  it  is  necessary  to  sow  them  thinly, 
mix  the  seed  with  dry  sand  before  it  is  put  in  the 
bottle. 

Hand-Barrow. 


«•■•» 


A   CHAPTER   OF   HINTS. 


Dibbles. 

We  annex  a  drawing  of  a  Dibble 
much  used  in  France.  It  makes  two 
holes  at  the  same  time,  and  prevents 
the  necessity  of  stretching  the  garden- 
line  so  often  when  planting  in  rows ; 
the  line  need  only  be  changed  at  every 
second  row. 

Seed-Drill. 

A  very  simple,  and  at  the  same  time  a  very  expe- 
ditious and  effective  mode  of  planting  small  seeds,  is 


A  Garden  Hand-barrow  of  the  kind  represented 
in  the  cut  will  be  found  very  useful  on  a  country 
place  for  carrying  leaves,  weeds,  &c. 

Glazing. 

Rivers,  at  Sawbridgeworth,  England,  has  intro- 
duced a  new  mode  of  glazing  greenhouses.  The 
sash-bar  is  formed  with  a  groove  down  the  centre  of 
its  upper  surface,  as  shown  in  Fig.  1,  and  the  glass 
is  laid  so  that  its  side  is  even  with  the  edge  of  this 
groove,  and  is  secured  by  screws  with  strips  of  gum- 


Mg.  3. 


c=:^n:;zzz> 


Mg.  2. 


to  put  them  in  a  wine-bottle,  with  a  quill  inserted  in 


elastic  or  leather  placed  under  the  heads  of  the 
screws  to  prevent  the  glass  from  chipping  or  crack- 
ing. The  glass,  before  laying,  has  small  triangular 
notches  cut  in  the  side  with  a  diamond,  as  shown  in 
Fig.  2.  These  notches  are  first  marked  with  the 
diamond,  and  then  broken  out  with  a  key  or  a 
glazing-knife,  with  a  groove  cut  in  it,  as  shown  in 
Fig.  3. 

This  does  not  strike  us  as  any  great  improvement 
on  the  mode  of  glazing  now  much  i)racticcd  by 
commercial  gardeners,  of  laying  the  glass  in  the 
common-shaped  sash-bars  without  putty,  but  well 
bedded  in  white-lead  and  secured  by  sprigs,  so  that 
they  can  neither  be  lifted  up  or  slipped  down, as  shown 
in  Fig.  4,  A  A  are  the  sash-bars  ;  B  the  laps  in  the 
panes  of  glass  ;  D  I)  are  two  sprigs,  or  small  nails, 
without  heads,  which  prevent  the  upper  pane  from 
being  hfted  up,  and  C  C  arc  two  which  prevent  it 
from  slipping  down.  These  sprigs  should  be  five- 
eights  of  an  inch  long  for  the  smaller  sized  glass. 
The  glass  should  be  well  bedded  in  with  lead  ground 


M^  hardener's  JHonthlg. 


in  oil,  and  when  nailed  should  again  be  well  coated 
along  the  sides  with  white-lead. 

Tiles  for  Pots. 


A  writer  in  the  English  Cottage  Gardener  recom- 
mends the  use  of  the  common  horse-shoe  or  U-shaped 
earthen  drain -tile  for  growing  verbenas  and  other 
bedding-out  plants  in,  after  they  are  struck  from 
cuttings.  They  are  much  cheaper,  and  the  plants 
can  be  easily  turned  out  into  the  beds  in  rows,  with 
small  intervals  left  between  the  rows.  The  tiles  are 
kept  in  an  upright  position  in  the  greenhouse  by 
small  stones  or  blocks  under  each  end.  Tile  of  this 
kind  can  be  purchased  in  this  country  by  the  quan- 
tity at  about  one  and  a  half  cents  each  for  3-incli 
diameter,  two  cents  for  4-inch,  and  six  cents  for 
6-inch,  each  one  thirteen  inches  long.  The  ends 
can  be  filled  up  with  sod,  moss,  stones,  or  blocks  of 
wood,  or  they  can  be  laid  in  rows  side  by  side,  and 
a  long  strip  of  board  on  edge  will  close  the  ends  of 
the  whole  tier. 


UptD  anb  Jiarp  l^ruifs. 


TiiK  SciiooNEMUNK  Grape. — Mr.  A.  J.  Caywood, 
of  Modena,  Ulster  County,  N.  Y.,  writes: 

In  the  March  number  of  the  Gardener^s  Monthly^ 
page  82,  is  a  notice  of  an  exhibition  at  Newburg,  N. 
Y.,  of  the  "Skunnymunk"  Grape.     This  is  incor- 
rectly spelled,  and  wrongly  named.     The  grape  in 
question  is  a  new  variety  of  the  Labrusca,  and  was 
discovered  by  Mr.  W.  A.  Woodward,  of  Mortonville, 
Orange  County,  N.   Y.,  who  resides  near  the  base 
of  the  Schoonemunk*  Mountain,  one  of  the  high- 
lands, about  equi-distant  from  Newburg  and  West 
Point.     Mr.  W.  has  given  much  attention  to  the  ex- 
amination of  the  native  grapes  of  Orange  County. 
He  pronounces  this  a  native  seedling.      The  vine  is 
very    hardy,   produces   abundantly,    many   of   the 
branches  w  eighing  twenty  ounces.      Allow  me  to 
suggest  that  the  name  you  have  given  to  this  grape 
should  be  ignored,  and  that  it  be  named  in  honor  of 
the  discoverer,  I'he  Woodward  Grape. 

In  the  present  state  of  the  grape  question,  the  in- 
troducer of  a  good  new  variety  is  a  public  bene- 
factor. 

[The  name  was  not  given  by  us,  as  we  have  never 
seen  the  grape.  The  paragraph  in  question  was 
taken  from  some  exchange,  but  from  where,  forgot- 
ten, so  that  we  could  not  credit  the  paragraph  to  its 
original  authority,  as  it  is  our  usual  practice  to  do 
in  all  matters  of  fact. 


<•■•» 


RUSTIC  ADORNMEBTTS. 

[see  frontispiece.] 

We  give,  as  a  Frontispiece,  sketches  of  rustic  work 
of  a  novel  character,  from  the  pencil  of  Mr.  B.  K. 
Mitchell,  Kingston,  Mass.  The  work  is  formed  out 
of  knots  and  burrs  formed  by  the  agency  of  insects, 
and  is  what  we  may  term  making  the  best  Cand 
very  good,  too,)  of  our  insect  troubles  in  a  peculiar 

way. 

Much  may  be  done  by  rustic  work,  to  make  gar- 
dens interesting.  The  only  objection  is,  the  rapidity 
with  which  it  often  decays.  Good  material,  and  that 
well  varnished,  will,  however,  remove  much  of  this 
fault. 


V  '1 


Mead's  Seedling  Grape.— In  our  "Horticultu- 
ral Societies"  is  a  notice  of  a  new  grape  exhibited 
before  the  Missouri   Fruit-Growers'  Society.      Mr. 
Pettingill  obligingly  furnishes  us  with  cuttings  and 
the  following  account   of  it.      If  it   really  sprung 
from  a  lot  of  raisin  seed,  Ave  are  sorry  to  say  that 
we  have  no  faith  in  its  permanent  adaptation  to  our 
climate.     Of  course  all  seedlings  from  the  foreign 
class  of  grapes  are  in  flavor  ' '  superior  to  the  Ca- 
tawba;" but,  although  the  first  few  years  of  their 
seedling  existence  finds  them  with  a  vigorous  con- 
stitution, enabling  them  for  the  time  being  to  res!f4 
mildew, —they  all  eventually  succumb,  and  are  aban- 
doned.    The  Canadian  Chief,  Clara,  Brinckle,  and 
and  others,  are  familiar  examples.     Mr.  P.  says : 

It  is  an  accidental  seedling  of  1848,  found  by  a 
Mr.  ISIead,  Lowell,  Mass.,  in  his  garden,  at  a  place 
where,  the  Christmas  preceding,  some  refused  layer 
raisins  had  been  thrown  out.  Cuttings,  I  find,  do 
not  strike  easily.     It  is  a  rampant  grow er,  very  hardy 


*This  word  ii  derived  from  the  Indiaa  word  Muith  Mountain, 
and  Dutch  word  Schoont  beaulifu'. 


i'1 


^ 


Ihl 


(Mi 


} 


SFfjc  §m\mx's  W^mW^k. 


and  enormous  bearer,  never  has  mildewcil,  and  when  my  Isabella,  Catawba  and  Clinton  have  entirely  failed 
from  rot,  Mead's  Seedling  has  escaped  almost  entirely.  Bunches,  large  size,  shouldered ;  berries,  almost 
round,  large,  pale  red,  covered  with  lilac  bloom  when  fully  matured;  flesh,  slightly  pulpy,  very  sweet  and 
juicy,  with  rich  aromatic  flavor ;  season,  middle  of  September. 


New  Pears  of  Fine  Quality— By  J.  C.  Hanchett,  Syracuse,  N.  F.— The  name  De  SoHs,  given  to  the 
pear  described  in  the  March  number  of  the  Monthly,  is  erroneous,  and  was  caused,  probably,  by  the 
imperfect  manner  in  which  the  name  was  written  upon  the  specimen  which  you  examined.     The  proper 

name  is  De  Sorlus. 

The  trees  of  this  variety  have  been  bearing  at  the  Syracuse  Nurseries  for  several  years,  and  the  fruit  has 
uniformly  been  large  and  foir,  and  always  a  favorite.  The  drawing  does  not  do  full  justice  to  it  either  in 
form  or  size.  It  is  larger  and  more  regular.  The  deficiency  in  both  points  may  be  ascribed  to  the  fact, 
that  the  specimens  taken  to  Philadelphia  were  necessarily  picked  from  the  tree  early  in  September,  in 
order  to  be  placed  upon  the  tables  of  the  American  Pomological  Society  on  the  11th  of  that  month.  As 
the  fruit  is  a  late  one,  this  deprived  those  specimens  of,  at  least,  the  best  four  weeks  of  their  time  for  growth 
and  development.  Much  fine  fruit  is  imperfectly  represented  at  public  exhibitions  every  year  from  this 
necessity ;  not  always,  I  regret  to  say,  so  successfully  as  De  Sorlus,  inasmuch  as  this  last  proves  that  to 
its  other  merits,  may  be  added  that  of  ripening  to  perfection  even  when  plucked  a  month  too  soon. 

I  avail  myself  of  the  opportunity  while  making  this  correction,  to  otfer  you  the  outlines  and  descriptions 
of  a  few  peais  not  yet  much  known,  that  have  in  quite  recent  years  proved  themselves  at  the  Syracuse 


'] 


Wx6^  §Mmtr'%  Jttantl% 


Nurseries.     I  shall  be  mistaken  if  longer  acquaintance  does  not  give  them  a  high  place  in  popular  estima- 
tion ;  for,  while  the  poorest  are  really  of  excellent  quality,  all  of  them  are  of  fine  size  and  exceeding 

^Ananas  d'ete.  Fk.  1.— Fruit,  large,  obtuse,  pyriform,  irregular;  skin,  fine  lemon  yellow,  sometimes 
with  an  orange  blush;  stalk,  an  inch  long,  Coften  with  an  apparent  joint)  inserted  obliquely  without 
depression  •  calyx,  small,  closed,  in  a  basin  ;  flesh,  firm  grained,  buttery,  melting,  sweet,  and  sometimes 
astringent  with  peculiar  and  very  agreeable  flavor.  In  external  appearance  it  has  a  very  close  resemblance 
to  the  Bartlett  so  much  so,  indeed,  as  sometimes  to  deceive  the  most  critical  judges.  Tree  grows  well  on 
pear  or  quince ;  makes  a  fine  pyramid,  and  comes  early  into  bearing.     Season,  September.     Almost  or 

quite  as  early  as  the  Bartlett.  .     ,.   .      .  -r  ,  •         n  v  ,  .i 

Cops  Heat  CVan  Mons.)  Fig.  2. -Fruit,  large,  obovate,  mchnmg  to  pyriform  ;  skm,  yellow,  slightly 
russetted  aroukd  the  stem  ;  stem,  half  an  inch  long,  inserted  upon  a  fleshy  one-sided  prominence  ;  calyx, 
oven  with  stiff  segments,  placed  in  a  very  shallow  basin;  flesh,  white,  fine  grained,  very  juicy,  buttery, 
melti'nff  sufficiently  acidulous  to  gratefully  relieve  its  almost  otherwise  cloying  sweetness,  and  delicately 
flavored  with  bergamot.  I  have  never  tasted  any  pear  superior  in  my  judgment  to  the  specimens  of  thi^ 
va^ety  a^they  proved  in  the  seasons  of  1859  and  18G0.  Season,  middle  of  October.  I  believe  this  to  be 
the  fi  St  descrption  ever  given  of  the  fruit  in  America.  • ,    ,     i  •  n       •  . 

DELICE8  DE  JoDOiGNE  -Fig.  3.-  Fruit,  large,  medium,  obtuse,  pyriform,  one-sided ;  skm,  yello wislr 
^reen  covered  with  brown  specks,  and  frequently  having  a  handsome  colored  cheek;  stem,  about  one 
fnch  merged  in  a  fleshy  protuberance  ;  calyx,  large,  open,  in  a  shallow  basin ;  flesh,  white  coarse  grained, 
crisp  very  juicy,  melting,  and  sweet,  and  delicately  flavored  with  bergamot  Tree,  a  stalwart  grower, 
both  ol  pear  and  quincet  and  a  prolific  bearer.  Its  melting  and  sugary  qualities  render  it  an  admirable 
pear  for  ^he  oven  ;  even  as  early  as  last  of  August.     Season,  October.     Keeps  well. 


'^5 


rhat  f  b 


i 


h 


W 


II 


CJt  €mkmxs  llontjig. 


Bartlett ;  stem,  short,  inserted  obliquely,  with  little 
depression  below  the  apex  of  the  fruit ;  calyx,  rather 
large,  open,  placed  in  a  moderately  broad  basin; 
flesh,  white,  fine  grained,  abounding  exceedingly  in 
a  juice,  the  high  vinous  quality  of  which  is  scarcely 
suUiciently  modified  by  the  saccharine,  with  a  faint 
flavor  of  bergamot.  Quite  similar  in  character  to 
Beurre  Superfin.  Tree,  not  a  favorite  with  nursery- 
men.    Season,  October. 

Doyenne  de  Comice.  Fig.  5. — Fruit,  large,  ob- 
tuse pyriform  ;  skin,  yellow,  covered  with  cinnamon 
dots,  often  with  a  broad  dark  red  cheek ;  stem,  short, 
planted  in  a  slight  depression ;  calyx,  small,  open, 
deeply  sunk  in  a  broad  corrugated  basin  ;  flesh,  white, 
fine  grained,  very  melting  and  rich,  with  an  abun- 
dance of  saccharine,  slightly  acidulated  juice,  barely 
suggesting  the  bergamot  flavor.  It  is  a  pear  of 
most  excellent  quality.  Tree,  a  handsome  free 
grower.     Season,  October,  and  keeps  till  November. 

Downing  or  Doyenne  Downing.  Fig.  (J. — 
Fruit,  medium,  irregular,  often  inclining  to  turbi- 
nate ;  skin,  yellow,  covered  with  cinnamon  dots, 
and  russetted  about  the  base ;  stem,  short,  stout, 
fleshy,  inserted  as  though  the  fruit  were  wax,  and 
it  had  been  deflected  from  a  perpendicular  by  heat, 
forniing  thick  folds  where  it  blends  indefinitely  with 
the  flesh ;  calyx,  small,  placed  in  a  deep  basin ; 
flesh,  white,  fine  grained,  rather  firm,  sweet,  mode- 
rately juicy,  with  a  fine  verbena  flavor.  Tliough 
there  are  many  pears  of  a  higher  grade  of  excellence, 
it  is  by  no  means  a  particularly  desirable  one  to  let 
alone.  Season,  last  of  September.  Tree,  good  on 
pear  or  quince. 

Api^i.E  Reinette  Diel  (  Van  Mons)  is  descri])ed 
in  the  French  Horl.  Prat.^  by  Bivort,  and  is,  in 
many  respects,  a  remarkable  variety.  The  fruit  is 
of  small  size,  roundish,  strongly  flattened  at  both 
ends.  Skin,  orange  yellow  at  maturity,  covered 
with  grey  red  projecting  points,  which  are  some  of 
them  triangular,  some  square,  and  some  stellate,  be- 
coming smaller  and  most  numerous  towards  the  calyx. 
Stem,  short,  thick,  fleshy,  set  straight,  in  a  deep 
cavity,  and  of  a  dark  grey  green.  Calyx,  small, 
open,  in  a  deep  and  broad  basin,  with  calyx-divisions 
greenish.  Flesh,  fine,  firm,  yellowish-white,  acidu- 
lated sugary,  and  with  an  exquisite  aroma.  It  is  of 
first  quality,  and  in  season  in  Belgium  from  Decem- 
ber to  March.  The  plate  given  with  the  description 
is  strongly  suggestive  of  the  old  and  famous  English 
Golden  Pippin. 


Evans'  Rural  Economist  is  the  title  of  a  new 
monthly  publication  commenced  at  West  Chester, 


Pa.,  the  initial  number  of  which  was  issued  on  the 
first  instant.  It  is  a  handsome  specimen,  substantial 
in  appearance,  and  solid  and  valuable  in  its  contents. 

Barnes  &  Washburn's  Spring  Catalogue  of  New 
Plants,  Bedding  Powers,  «&c.,  Harrison  Square,  Mass. 
is  one  of  the  most  interesting  lists  we  have  received 
this  season.    50  pages,  and  well  fifledwith  novelties. 

Sweet  Potato  Culturist,  by  John  W.Tenbrook, 
New  York.  Published  by  Saxton,  Barker  *&  Co. — 
A  25  cent  pamphlet  of  95  pages,  detailing  the  practice 
of  the  most  experienc  :d  cultivators  throughout  the 
Union. 

Second  Annual  Report  of  the  Proceedings 
OF  the  Fruit-Growers'  Society  of  Eastern 
Pennsylvania  besides  an  Abstract  of  the  Debates, 
which  have  already  appeared  in  full  in  the  Gardener'' s 
Monthly^  it  contains  the  Reports  of  the  various 
Committees,  essays  by  Mr.  John  Rutter  and  Mr. 
L.  E.  Berckmans  of  Georgia,  on  the  degeneracy  of 
fruits,  and  by  Mr.  F.  J.  Cope  on  Fruit-culture. — 
These  give  the  pamphlet  great  interest. 

Annual  Meeting  op  the  Fruit-Growers'  So- 
ciety OF  Western  New  York.  Another  excellent 
brochure  confined  entirely  to  the  discussions,  and 
filled  with  matters  of  great  interest  to  all  fruit  cul- 
turists. 

Transactions  of  the  Illinois  State  Horti- 
cultural Society.  We  have  given  an  abstract  of 
these  transactions  in  our  pages,  and  our  readers  will 
be  able  to  judge  by  it  of  the  value  to  Illinoisians,  and 
Fruit-growers'  of  the  West  especially,  of  the  reports 
in  full.  Dr.  Warder  and  Dr.  J.  A.  Kenuicot  con- 
tribute essays  for  the  work,  that  add  much  to  its 
usefulness. 

Catalogues. 

The  spring  lists  of  the  following  firms  are  on  our 
table.  They  aflbrd  our  readers  a  chance  to  learn 
what  are  in  their  own  vicinity,  before  going  away 
from  home  to  buy.  We  are  happy  to  say  that  since 
we  took  occasion  to  note  in  one  of  our  earliest  vol- 
umes, our  regret  at  the  inaccurate  way  in  which 
most  of  our  catalogues  were  brought  out,  a  marked 
improvement  has  resulted ;  till  now  a  list  of  mis- 
spelled names  is  quite  an  exception, — and  we  feel 
proud  in  the  fact,  that  no  country  in  the  world  can 
show  so  creditable  an  amount  of  intelligence  amongst 
the  body  of  nurserymen,  as  a  whole,  as  their  cat- 
alogues show  our  country  to  possess. 

Trees,  Fruits,  and  Ornamentals. 

John  Dick,  Kingsessing,  Pa. ;  Plants.  Uri  Man- 
ly, Marshall,  Ills.  D.  R.  Tyler,  Warren,  Mass.  T. 
L.  Shields,  Pittsburg,  Pa.  E.  C.  Worcester,  Thet- 
ford,  Vt.  Spooner  &  Co.,  Jamaica  Plain,  Mass.  W. 
Reid^  Elizabethtown,  N.  J.     A.  Mattison,  Paducah 


'^\\  §ix\tm\  IBontllg. 


Ky.  Richard  Bliss,  Springfield,  Mass.  Andrew 
Wiggin,  Stratham,  N.  H.  J.  W.  Manning,  Read- 
ing, Mass.     Mifler,   Swan  &    Layton,   Springfield, 

Ohio. 

Special  and  Miscellaneous. 

Archibald  Stone,  Binghamplon  N.  Y. ;  Wild  Ev- 
ergreens. D.  R.  Tyler,  Warren,  Mass.;  Flower 
Seeds.  A.  D.  Merrill,  Melrose,  we  suppose  Mass.; 
Grapes.  Thos.  G.  Ward,  Washington ;  Roses.— 
Lenk,  Hansen,  &  Co.,  Toledo,  O.;  Seeds.  John 
F.  AVeber,  Hammondsport,  N.  Y.;  Wine  and  Grapes, 
H.  A.  Dreer,  Phila. ;  Roses,  &c.  James.  Edgerton, 
Barnesville,  O.  J.  L.  Stelzig,  &  Co.,  Columbus,  O.; 
Grapes.  E.  Marshafl,  Po'keepsie,  N.  Y.;  Small 
Fruits.  D.  R.  Good,  Altoona,  Pa. ;  Wild  Evergreens. 
Dexter  Snow,  Chicopee,  Mass. ;  Verbenas. 


Class  Book  of  Botany.  Being  outlines  of  the 
structure,  physiology,  and  classifications  of  plants, 
with  a  flora  of  the  United  States  and  Canada.  By 
Alphonso  Wood,  A.  M.  New  York  :  Published  by 
A.  S.  Barnes  &  Burr,  18G1. 

This  is  a  new  edition  of  a  work  first  issued  in  1845, 
and  now  well  known  and  appreciated. 

Its  distinguishing  character  lies  in  presenting  a 
treatise  on  all  the  branches  of  American  Botany,  in 
one  work.  Such  a  plan  must,  of  necessity,  demand 
brevity  in  the  treatment  of  details,— but  in  an  ele- 
mentary work  this  is  not  a  great  objection;  indeed, 
it  may  be  classed  as  a  merit  in  such  a  work. 
A  clear  conception  of  the  mere  "outlines"  of  the 
sciences  is  more  readily  obtained,  when  considered 
independently  of  minutiae  that  go  to  make  up  its 
perfection. 

The  first  part  treats  of  Structural  Botany,  des- 
cribing the  nature  and  character  of  the  various  organs 
of  plants.  The  second  enters  into  the  Physiology 
of  vegetation,  or  plants  in  a  state  of  growth.  The 
third  part,  SystematicBotany,— and  the  fourth  Des- 
criptive Botany,  in  which  the  Flora  of  the  United 
States  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  is  fully  des- 
cribed. 

It  is  a  source  of  gratification  to  us  as  horticultu- 
rists to  feel  that  there  is  a  growing  taste  for  such 
works,  and  that  publishers  feel  warranted  in  so  free 
an  issue  of  them  from  the  press,  as  the  past  year  or 
two  has  exhibited.     There  is  no   surer  method  of 
heightening  the  pleasure  which  horticulture  affords 
when  the  taste  for  it  is  indulged   for  purely  mental 
and  physical  recreation,  than  to  have  a  clear  percep- 
tion of  the  scientific  principles,  on  which  the  varied 
operations  depend,— and  to  him  who  has  merely  a 
commercial  interest  in  in  its  pursuit,  the  allied  scien- 
ces, and  especially  Botany,  is  of  immense  importance. 
And  to  professional  gardeners,— those  who  look  for- 


ward to  the  elevation  of  their  class  to  distinguished 
social  position,  as  a  body  of  intelligent  and  intellec- 
tual men,  and  as  men  worthy  of  honor  and  of  sub- 
stantial reward  for  their  services,  the  natural  sciences 
have  strong  claims  on  their  regard. 

Mr.  AVood's  work  is  accomplished  in  a  very  easy 
and  clear  style,  free,  in  a  great  measure,  from  the 
technicalities  that  are  popularly  supposed  to  render 
science  "dry,"  and  calculated  to  lead  the  mind  easily 
and  pleasantly  to  the  desired  accomplishment.  We 
cordially  recommend  it  as  an  excellent  work  for  be- 
ginners. 

There  are  some  blemishes  which  we  very  much 
regret.     It  is  not  up  to  the  times  in  the  physiologi- 
cal department,  and  the  old  system  of  Endlicher,  is 
adopted  without  the  modern  improvements  of  Lind- 
\Gy,  Gray,  and  others,  by  which  to  arrange  the  plants 
described.     Loose  expressions  and  thoughtless  max- 
ims are  taught  which  a  slight  consideration  would 
show  to  be  erroneous,  and  which,  in  a  work  destined 
to  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  young,  is  unfortunate. 
We  are  told  for  instance  that  the  "witch  "  Ct witch  ?; 
grass  can  only  be  eradicated  by  being  torn  to  pieces 
"by  the  spade  of  the  angry  gardener,  "though  we  are 
sure,  if  he  would  lay  aside  his  "anger,"  and  go  at 
the  job  with  determined  coolness  and  judgment,  he 
would  get  along  much  better.     We  are  also  told  that 
the  leaf  "  is  the  type  or  idea  from  which  the  Divine 
architect  derived  the  form  of  every  other  appendage 
of  the  plant,"  which   seems    strange    to  religious 
minds.     It  certainly  is  a  most  original  idea  that  Di- 
vine intelligence  should,  like  mortal  beings,  require 
crude  material  out  of  which,  to  "derive  an  idea." 
Mr.  Wood  further  teaches  that  the  insoluble  coat  of 
resin  on  the  buds  of  the  English  Horse  Chestnut,  is 
an  "illustration  of  designing  wisdom,"  to  preserve 
the  buds  in  wintry  climates.     But  as  the  American 
Horse  Chestnut  in  a  severer  climate  has  no  gum,  or 
very  little,  we  may  reasonably  doubt  whether  this  is 
the  real  use  of  the  gum,  and  object  to  such  question- 
able   doctrines   appearing    in    a    strictly   scientific 
work. 


Equally  bad  is  the  typographical  execution  of  the 
work.      "Salanum,"    for    Solanum ;    Camiflia,  for 
Cameflia;  Gronvoii,    for  Gronovii ;   Acetoceila  for 
Acetosella;    Crotallaria,   for   Crotalaria ;    Accaules- 
cent,"    "Mallic  acid,"  «&c.,   afl  through  the  work. 
Sometimes  a  plant  is  called  Diclytra  canadensis  in 
one  place,  and  Dicentra  canadensis  in  another,  and 
similar  incongruities,  that  must  tend  to  confuse  the 
beginners  for  whom  the  work  is  intended.    We  point 
out  these  blemishes  in  all  kindness,  that,  in  another 
edition,  they  may  be  removed  and  render  perfect  a 
truly  useful  and  valuable  work. 


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SFh^  §m(lnm'^  ^anthla. 


j8rrap  anb  <5uprips^ 


jLj=Coniinun. cations  for  this  dopartmeat  must  reach  the  Editor 
on  or  before  the  10th  of  the  month. 

JC|=*The  p:ditor  amuot  answer  lettera  for  this  department  pri- 
vately. 


History  of  the  Improved  Pansy— itfrs.  C.  B.  S. 
—We  are  unable  to  give  you  a  history  of  the  Im- 
proved Pansy,  though  you  are  right  in  supposing  it 


Thomson,  also.  About  1850  the  German  florists 
took  hold  of  this  class,  and  for  a  while  ''bronze 
pansies"  were  pushed,  until  they  had  their ''rise, 
progress  and  decline''  in  public  estimation.  Pve- 
cently  the  French  have  tried  their  hand,  and  the 
result  is  "mottled"  pansies  of  exquisite  beauty. 

The  above  is  a  cut  of  one  we  find  in  the  London 
Gardener's  Chronicle,  but  it  will  give  but  a  faint  idea 
of  the  rainbow-colored  hues,  which  they  present. 
We  have  seen  them  in  this  country  the  two  past 
seasons,  particularly  fine  at  IIoopcs  &  Bros.,  of  the 


to  date  from  quite  a  recent  period.     If  our  memory  i  'l^'''""''  parucuiarjy  tine  at  He 

serve  us  properly,  we  were  taught  tliat  the  first  Pan- 1  ^''''^  Chester  (Pa.  J)  Nurseries,  and  at  other  places. 

sy,  much  removed  in  beauty  above  the  common  wild  !     ^'"^^^  '^  ^^^  ^"^"^  ^""^  improvement  in  the  iorm  and 


I  texture  of  the  petals,  and  we  have  no  doubt  they 
I  will  be  more  popular  than  either  the  German  or 
'  English  improvements  heretofore  made. 
I      We  have  done  the  best  we  can  for  our  fair  corrcs- 
;  pondent,  from  the  unwritten  history  of  the  Pansy, 
j  We    are   sure    there    must    be    heads    that    have 
'  grown  grej^er  in  the  service  of  Flora  than  we  have, 
that  could  render  a  better  account,  and  we  hope  to 
more  positively.     In  1834,  Thomson,'of  Edmonton    '  '''f'^''  sketches  from  them,  not  only  of  this,  but  of 
raised  one  with  a  "  cat's  eye,"  and  at  once  those    '^'^'''  P^^'"^^'  ^^"^'^'  ^.^:^- 
with  a  central  eye  became  the  types  of  good  Puns:es  |     Grape 3IiLDEW.-Like  the grapc-prunin- question 
and   -all    the  rage."      Thomson,  emboldened   by  j  we  are  getting  too  many  articles  on  the  niTldew  sub- 
success,    persevered,    and    in   addition   to  peculiar  ject,  that  we  fear  we  shall  have  no  room  to  publish 
colors,  produced  varieties  of  immense  size,  one  of  Those  which  contain  facts  and  observations  we  shall 
them,  we  remember,  Queen  Victoria,  was  over  two  '  make  room  for  from  time  to  time,  but  we  would 


form,  was  introduced  into  England  from  Holland  by 
Lee,  the  Hammersmith  nurseryman,  famous  for 
bringing  the  Fuchsia  and  other  popular  plants  into 
notice,  about  the  year  1812.  This  was  a  purple,  and 
considered  the  first  of  its  color,  and  had  an  "im- 
mense run"  of  favor  with  the  public.  From  then 
till  1880  most  of  the  improvements  were  in  form  and 
color.     Coming  down  to  our  own  day  we  can  speak 


inches  across— pretty  good  for  that  day. 


There  has  not  been  much  improvement  in  size 
and  form  since  1850,  but  new  styles  and  colors  are 
being  constantly  introduced.  In  1836  the  first 
bronze  pansy,  then  called  "  Phosphorus,"  was  raised, 


we  do  not  remember  by  whom,  but,  we  think,  by  '  tism.'  " 


suggest  to  our  friends  to  save  us  from  the  pain  of 
rejecting  long  communications  of  ill-reasoned  and 
crude,  hastily-formed  opinions.  There  is  no  greater 
mistake  to  be  avoided  than  to  take  coincidences  for 
'causes.  Thus,  one  writer  "knows  decidedly"  that 
dry  air  prevents  mildew,  because  he  saw  a  few  on  a 
hill-top  tliat  were  quite  healthy;  while  another 
knows  decidedly  that  moist  air  prevents  it,  because 
he  saw  "  some  splendid  wild  vines,  models  of  health 
and  vigor,  in  swamps  in  New  Jersey."  It  seems  to 
us  much  like  the  old  Sultan's  reasoning 

j  "  Who  knew  the  world  was  square, 

I  Because  hed  journeyed  fifty  miles  and  found 

I  No  sign  that  it  was  circular  anywhere." 

The  following,  from  "Life  in  the  Backwoods," 

will  help  to  explain  our  metming  : — 

j      "A  few  days  ago  I  was  called  to  a  house,  on  a 

professional  visit,  where  the  inmates  have  a  holy 

horror  of  '  calamy  and  laudamy.'     While  making 

I  my  way  into  the  good  graces  of  the  mother,  by 

j  fondling  upon  my  knee  a  certain  breechless  brat,  I 

noticed  a  number  of  small  bones  attached  to  a  string 

and  worn  by  the  child  as  a  necklace.     Knowing  the 

strange  belief  in  charms  that  such  people  sometimes 

have,  I  immediately  remarked  : 

"'I  see  your  child,   madam,  has  had  rheuma- 


@h^ 


ilT(|  aSarttfwr's  JttontMg. 


153 


"  '  No,  sir,'  says  the  worthy  dame,  '  them  thar  are 
rattlesnake  bones,  put  thar  to  make  Pete  have  a  easy 
time  a  cuttin'  his  teeth.  Last  spring,  when  the  boys 
was  a  plowin'  down  in  the  bottom,  they  plowed  up 
a  powerful  big  rattlesnake,  and  I  jest  tuck  him  and 
biled  him  three  days  and  nights,  beginnin'  on  Fri- 
day mornin'.  I  tuck  the  bones  then  and  put 'em  on 
a  string,  as  you  see  thar,  and  made  him  wear  'em 
till  now.  I  recon,  doctor,  he  was  about  as  sick  a 
chile  as  you  ever  seed  when  them  bones  w^as  put  on 
his  neck,  he  begun  to  git  better  right  off",  and  nuver 
has  bin  sick  from  that  day  till  now." 

"Nothing  New  Under  the  Sun."— A  corres- 
pondent writes :— "  In  a  recent  number  you  remarked 
that  even  the  views  of  Mr.  Darwin,  supposed  to  be 
so  audaciously  novel,  had  been  successfully  claimed 
by  another  English  writer,  as  having  been  published 
by  him  some  years  before.  In  looking  over  an  early 
number  of  the  Gardener's  Magazine,  (Vol.  4,)  I  find 
the  following,  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  Loudon,  which 
throws  back  still  further  the  originality  of  the  views. 
It  is  not  at  all  impossible  that  old  Gerarde,  the 
"Herbalist,"  of  three  hundred  years  ago,  may 
have  given  expression  to  similar  views,  if  one  would 
only  take  the  the  trouble  to  search  for  them.  I 
thought  the  reference  might  interest  you  in  your 
views  about  nothing  new,  and  as  the  correspondents 
say,  you  '  can  use  it  for  what  it  is  worth.'  The  fol- 
lowing is  the  extract : — 

"'Nature  is  constantly  producing  new  genera 
and  species,  as  is  in  a  great  measure  warranted  by  the 
productions  of  our  gardens.'  " 


Grape-Prttning— /.  r.  W.,  Jackson,  Mich.— '^  Ida 
not,  after  all  that  is  written,  know  at  last  what  is  the 
most  approved  plan  of  grape-pruning— whether  the 
short  cane,  as  Bright  says,  or  otherwise-and  I 
would  like  something  reliable  from  you,  or  some  such 
substantial  source." 

[It  is  our  custom  to  give  most  of  our  views  of  the 
practical  questions  of  the  day,  under  the  head  of  our 
"Monthly  Hints."  With  regard  to  the  short  cane 
system  of  pruning,  it  should  be  remembered  that  it 
has  not  yet  been  tried  very  extensively,  and  should 
not  be  adopted  without  local  experiment  first,  on  a 
small  scale.  Severe  pruning,  and  especially  summer 
pruning,  which  the  short  cane  system  embraces  as 
a  part  of  its  practice,  is  indisputably  injurious  to  the 
grape  plant— so  much  so,  that  it  has  also  been 
adopted,  as  part  of  the  practice,  to  let  the  vines  pro- 
duce  only  every  other  year.  The  long  cane  system 
retjuires  less  art  to  manage  successfully,  and  its  ope- 
ration  can  be  entrusted  to  loss  skilful  hands.  It 
may  not  be  as  productive  in  the  long  run  as  other 


systems,  but  it  is  a  more  certain  one  for  beginners, 
and  we  would  advise  you  to  adopt  it.  After  suc- 
ceeding with  the  old  plans  well,  try  gradually  the 
newer  improvements. — Ed.  ] 

Whale  Oil  Soap.— A  correspondent  asks  for  a 
receipt.     A  friend  hands  us  the  following  :— 

"  Render  common  ley  caustic,  by  boiling  it  at  full 
strength  on  quick  lime,  then  take  the  ley,  poured  off 
from  the  lime,  and  boil  with  it  as  much  whale  oil  foot 
as  it  will  saponify,  Cthis  is  readily  seen,)  pour  off"  into 
forms,  and  when  cold  it  is  tolerably  hard.  That 
sold  by  the  manuHicturers  is  highly  adulterated  with 
common  rosin,  which  remains  as  a  varnish  on  the 
trees  and  is  detrimental.  Whale  oil  foot  is  the  sedi- 
ment produced  in  the  refining  of  whale  oil  and  worth 
$3  per  barrel. 

Nursertmen's  Charges  for  Packing  Plants 
— "  Trade.'"— 'We  have  not  space  for  your  article  on 
this  subject,  which  is  one  we  have  no  inclination  to 
discuss.  Besides,  why  not  send  your  communication 
to  the  Horticulturist,  where  what  you  object  to  first 
appeared.  Its  editor  is,  we  well  know,  at  all  times 
ready  to  hear  "both  sides  of  any  question." 

As  you  ask  our  opinion,  we  will  frankly  say,  that 
a  custom  that  has  endured  so  long,  and  has  become 
so  universal,  as  charging  extra  for  packing  when 
plants  are  sold  at  a  distance,  must  have  had  some 
reason  for  its  foundation,  though,  like  all  customs, 
hable  to  abuse  at  times,  and  when  it  is  understood 
between  buyer  and  seller,  at  the  time  of  sale,  we 
do  not  see  where  the  swindling  charge  comes  in. 
A  florist,  perhaps,  sells  verbenas  in  his  own  vicinity 
for,  say  $4  per  hundred,  and  delivers  them  within 
I  ten  miles  of  his  place  for  the  same  price.     They  need 
no  packing.     They  are  simply  loaded  in  his  wagon, 
and  unloaded  at  their  destination.      He  sells  hun- 
dreds this  way,  and  gains  a  reputation  for  selling 
verbenas  at  $4  per  hundred.     But  an  exceptional 
case  occurs.     Amongst  the  hundreds  of  home  cus- 
tomers comes  one  from  a  distance,  and  then  boxes, 
and  labor,  and  skill  of  careful  packing  are  called  for 
in  addition,  that  they  may  safely  go  a  long  way  by 
rail  or  express.     Is  there  any  extortion  in  the  extra 
charge  ?    On  the  other  hand,  it  is  evident  that  if  he 
found  boxes  and  labor  of  packing,  all  for  the  |4,  and 
could  aff'ord  it,  the  ninety-nine  percent,  who  needed 
no  boxes  and  packing,  would  certainly  and  with 
good  reason  think  they  were  overcharged.      The 
nursetyman  would  then  reduce  his  rates  to  these  to 
perhaps  $3.75,  but  would  it  still  not  make  the  other 
charge  an  "  extra  25  cents."  ? 

We  would  thank  our  friends  not  to  trouble  us  with 
such  simple  questions.  Competition  and  the  laws  of 
trade  regulate  these  matters  better  than  wo  can. 


W^ 


r® 


if 


'liii: 


itii 


t,  .1 


,!■: 


I 


i:k  iarkntr's  llonthlg. 


There  are  other  matters  bearing  on  the  science  and 
practice  of  horticulture,  that  we  can  advise  you  bet- 
ter than  we  can  on  this. 


Striking  Cuttings—/.  M.  TV.,  Memphis, ]Tenn.— 
"  I  observe  some  general  hints  in  regard  to  striking 
plants  in  sand,  with  bottom  heat.  Can  you  not  go 
a  little  more  into  detail  ?  There  is  nothing  in  nature 
without  a  reason  and  a  rule.  Many  succulent  plants 
strike  without  the  smallest  difficulty,  but  the  hard- 
wooded  are  more  difficult.  How  do  you  strike  Ca- 
mellias ?  Where  can  the  seed  be  had  ?  Why  not 
strike  pears,  peaches  and  apples,  instead  of  graft- 
ing ?" 

["Many  succulent  plants  strike  without  the 
smallest  difficulty,  but  the  hard-wooded  are  more 
difficult,"  as  our  correspondent  says,  and  it  is  this 
difference  in  the  nature  of  cuttings  that  renders  it 
impossible  to  do  more  than  give  general  hints  for 
general  rules  of  propagation.  "  There  is  nothing  in 
nature  without  a  reason  and  a  rule,"  but  the  same 
rule  and  the  same  reason  for  it,  that  would  enable 
us  to  strike  a  currant,  would  fail  when  applied  to  the 
apple  or  pear.  When  our  correspondent  asks  to 
know  how  to  strike  Camellias,  the  question  is  defi- 
nite, and  we  can  answer  that  if  cuttings  were  taken 
from  healthy,  vigorous  shoots  of  the  past  season, 
just  before  new  growth  commences,  and  made  into 
lengths  of  say  three  eyes,  two-thirds  of  their  lengths 
in  pots  or  boxes  of  sharp  sand,  said  pots  or  boxes 
plunged  into  tan,  leaves,  or  other  material  that 
contains  a  bottom  heat  of  about  65^,  and  the  atmos- 
phere kept  so  moist  by  shading  from  the  sun  or 
keeping  sash  close,  that  there  is  no  evaporation  from 
the  cutting  till  it  has  roots  to  draw  moisture  from  the 
soil  to  sustain  itself,  it  will,  in  all  probability,  grow. 
Or  if  the  cutting  be  taken  off  just  as  the  new  growth 
is  about  maturing,  it  will  also  probably  grow.  But 
all  this  has  been  learned  by  experience  by  practical 
propagators,  and  their  success,  in  this  instance, 
would  afford  them  nothing  but  general  hints— no 
certain  rule— for  proceeding  with  any  other  class  of 
plants.  The  only  general  rule  that  we  can  offer  is 
to  heal  the  cut  at  the  base  as  soon  as  possible  by  cal- 
lousing or  otherwise,  in  all  cases  where  time  is  usu- 
ally required  by  the  cutting  to  produce  roots,  in  order 
to  aid  it  against  decay,  and  to  so  keep  the  atmos- 
phere about  the  cuttings  that  there  shall  be  little  or 
no  evaporation  from  the  part  of  the  cutting  above 
ground  until  time  shall  have  been  afforded  for  the 
emission  of  roots.  All  other  proceedings  must  de- 
pend on  each  individual  case. 

Camellia  seed  is  produced  abundantly  in  the  open 
air  of  the  Southern  States— in  the  Northern  spar- 
ingly in  greenhouses.  Fruit  trees  could  easily  bo 
raised  from  cuttings,  but  they  would  not  be  so  good 


Root-grafted  trees  are 


or  so  cheap  as  seedling  trees. 

little  more  than  cuttings,  and  the  great  objection  to 

them  is,  that  they  abound  with  small  fibrous  roots 

and  have  few  long  and  strong  ones,  thereby  easily 

blowing  over  in  a  wind,  especially  when  loaded  with 

fruit.] 


Slugs  and  Snails— iWtss  5.,  Philadelphia.— The 
insects  sent  are  what  gardeners  call  "slugs."  The 
best  mode  of  destruction  is  to  trap  them.  Turnips 
cut  in  half,  hollowed  out  a  little,  and  placed  in  the 
coolest  and  shadiest  part  of  your  garden,  will  attract 
them  by  scores,  from  whence  they  may  be  collected 
and  destroyed  and  their  numbers  soon  be  so  lessened 
considerably. 


Ants. — "A  subscriber"  writes,  "I  planted  some 
choice  roses,  and  the  ants  inhabit  the  earth  around 
the  roots  and  climb  the  rose  bushes.  Are  they  inju- 
rious to  the  plants  ?  and  if  so,  how  shall  I  get  rid  of 
them?" 

[Hot  water— say  about  160^,  in  which  flower  of 
sulphur  is  steeped  and  poured  over,  will  cause  a 
speedy  departure  with  no  disposition,  on  their  part, 
to  return.  Lime-water  has  been  said  to  be  effectual, 
but  this  we  have  not  seen  tried.  ] 


Egg-Plants- /.  ^.—Egg-plant  seed  should  be 
sown  on  a  hot-bed,  in  March,  and  encouraged  to 
grow  as  strongly  as  possible  till  Cin  this  latitude^ 
the  first  week  in  May,  when  they  should  be  trans- 
planted to  a  deep,  rich  soil,  in  a  warm  place  in  the 
vegetable  garden,  set  about  two  feet  apart  each  way. 
The  fruit  is  the  part  used.  It  is  usually  cut  into  thin 
strips  and  fried  in  lard,  and  to  most  tastes,  is  one  of 
the  most  delicious  vegetables,  when  properly  cooked. 


Names  op  Plants— ^M6>y  4r  Souchet. — Your  spe- 
cimen is  Staphylea  heterophylla.  We  have  no 
knowledge  of  its  hardiness  or  habits,  your  speci- 
mens being  the  first  living  ones  we  have  seen,  but 
we  believe  it  to  be  a  Peruvian  species,  and  so  not 
likely  to  be  hardy. 

New  York  AND  Ben  Davis  Apple — W.  M.  Allen, 
Jeffersontown,  Ky.,  writes . — As  there  has  been  much 
said  about  the  identity  of  the  New  York  Pippin  and 
Ben  Davis,  I  send  you  a  drawing  of  the  Ben  Davis, 
made  from  a  section  of  the  apple,  marked  around 
with  a  pencil.  I  am  growing  the  trees  in  the  nur- 
sery under  both  names,  and  their  growth  and  gene- 
ral appearance  (which  in  both  is  very  distinct),  are 
precisely  the  same.  I  am  also  growing  the  Nicka- 
jack  and  Carolina,  with  several  synonyms  of  the 
Nickajack,  all  of  which  are,  undoubtedly,  Carolina. 


m 


Wii\  iardcwr's  JftontWj. 


Articles  held  over. — Our  entomological  article, 
an  excellent  one  from  Mr.  Woodward,  on  curved 
and  straight  lines  in  landscape-gardening,  and 
other  interesting  matters,  are  held  over  till  next 
month,  to  allow  us  to  bring  up  articles  of  interest 
that  are  growing  stale  on  our  hands. 


ObitUBPg. 


J.   E.    RAUCH.   BROOKLYN.    N.   Y. 

Probably  there  were    but  few  persons   better 


known  in  this  country  or  in  Europe,  as  a  botanist 
and  horticulturist,  than  the  subject  of  this  memoir, 
John  E.  Ranch,  Esq.     He  was  born  in  Bremen  in  I 
the  year  1818.     His  earliest  studies  were  devoted  to 
the  science  of  medicine,  with  the  view  of  becoming 
a  practicing  physician ;  but  it  being  dissimilar  to  the 
taste  he  had  acquired  for  the  promotion  of  the  science 
of  botany,  he  abandoned  his  original  pursuit,  and 
made  this  his  exclusive  study  and  research.     He  came 
to  this  country  in  1839,  intending  to  make  horticul- 
ture and  botany  his  profession;  but  as  "there  is  a 
divinity  that  shapes  our  ends,"  he,  after  a  short  resi- 
dence here,  resolved  to  go  on  a  trading  voyage  to 
South  America,  connected  with  botanizing  in  that 
country.     It  is  to  be  presumed  that  it  was  the  latter 
which  led  him  to    the  enterprise.      He  came  to 
Brooklyn  with  testimonials  of  character,  directed 
to  some  of  the  most  distinguished  persons  in  our 
city,   with  whom  he  formed  valuable  friendships. 
But' notwithstanding,  he  could  not  resist  the  under- 
taking  of  this  most  unfortunate  delusion,  and  with 
several  confederates  sailed  for  Mexico.     While  pur- 
suin<'  his  travels  in  the  way  of  trade  and  novelty,  he 
was°taken  dangerously  sick,  and  in  consequence  of 
his  continued  indisposition,  his  comrades  left  hmi, 
but  provided  a  Mexican  to  take  charge  of  him,  of 
whom  it  was  expected  he  would  receive  kind  and 
timely  treatment.     But  in  this  they  were  mistaken  ; 
for  he  did  not  prove  "the  good  Samaritan,"  for  he 
robbed  him  of  all  his  money  and  clothes,  and  not 
content  with  this,  would  have  murdered  him  if  it  had 
not  been  for  the  timely  aid  and  friendship  of  an 
Indian,  who  devoted  his  entire  time  to  produce  his 
recovery  to  health,  possessing  some  medical  know- 
ledge in  the  treatment  of  diseases  that  the  unacchma- 
tcd  were  subject  to  in  that  peculiar  climate.     He  was 
in  a  short  time  sufficiently  restored  to  meet  his 
friends-  but  from  this  attack  his  general  health  had 
become  so  impaired,  that  he  was  compelled  to  leave 
and  return  to  the  home  of  his  adoption.     In  1849 
ho  returned  to  his  native  land ;   but  after  a  short 
visit  he  resolved  to  return.     The  vessel  in  which  he 
sailed  was  shipwrecked,  and  ho  lost  all  the  property 


he  had  with  him,  including  a  valuable  library.     From 
these  untoward  incidents,  more  or  less  attendant  on 
travellers,  he  concluded  to  commence  the  profession 
of  a  botanist  and  florist.    Finding  a  piece  of  property 
of  about  four  acres  in  this  city,  well  suited  for  the 
propagating  of  most  every  variety  of  plants,  he  made 
the  purchase,  and  occupied  it  until  the  time  of  his 
death.     He  had  an  extensive  correspondence  with 
many  of  the  best  botanists  on  the  continent  and  Eng- 
land, and  through  these  sources  was  constantly  re- 
ceiving the  most  rare  and  new  varieties  of  plants. 
With  his  extensive  knowledge  of  the  science  of  cul- 
ture, they  soon  assumed  an  appearance  which  made 
them  sought  afterby  all  that  desired  rare  and  curious 
plants  ;  and  it  was  proverbial,  if  you  want  a  green- 
house or  stove-plant,  you  must  go  to  Ranch.     He 
was  one  of  the  first  engaged  in  the  organization  of 
the  Brooklyn  Horticultural  Society,  and  at  its  exhi- 
bitions his  tables  were  always   sought  for.     This 
Society  has  lost  one  of  its  best  friends,  and  long 
will  he  be  missed  at  these  periodical  displays.     In  his 
intercourse  with  society  he  was  a  gentleman  of  the 
most  kind  bearing,  generous  to  a  fault,  and  confiding 
to  a  misfortune.     But  God,  in  his  wisdom,  has  cafled 
him  from  his  earthly  labor  in  the  prime  of  life,  and 
science  has  lost  one  of  its  most  intelligent  and  dis- 
tinguished advocates. 


JElFtD  OP  Plarp  yianh. 


CuPHEA  JouiLLENSis.— Under  this  name  it  now 
appears,  according  to  Sir  W.  Hooker,  the  plant 
known  as  Cuphea  eminens  has  been  before  described. 
The  last  name  will  now,  therefore,  be  dropped,  and 
our  friends  must  be  careful  not  to  buy  a  new  name 
in  a  plant  they  have  already  got. 


Chorizem A.— Seedling  raised  by  Jonathan  French, 
Esq.,  from  C.  Lawrenciana,  which  is  well  known  as 
one  of  the  best.  The  seedling  is  superior  to  its 
parent,  free  grower,  and  very  free  flowerer  ;  growth, 
slender;  flowers,  large;  color,  dark  orange,  con- 
trasted with  purplish.  A  splendid  plant,  and  one 
which  will  prove  particularly  valuable  for  bouquets. 
— Mr.  Rand,  in  The  Homestead. 


A  New  Winter-blooming  Vlast— Meter ocentrum 
roseum.— It  produces  thousands  of  beautiful  rosy- 
pink  flowers  on  plants  grown  in  six-inch  pots  ;  will 
keep  in  bloom  three  months.  The  plant  is  of  the 
easiest  culture,  and  can  bo  grown  to  any  size  in  a 
few  months.  If  the  white  variety  should  prove 
equal  to  the  pink,  they  will  give  a  new  charm  to 
bouquets  in  winter. 


I 


1 


i 


mn  §mdmer'B  <Ponthk 


Lee's  New  White  Sprouting  Brocoli.— This  new  variety  was  brought  to  notice  last  year,  as  w( 
noticed  in  our  journal  at  the  time. 


We  hardly  expected  it  would  prove  a  permanent  variety,  as  it  is  not  uncommon  for  brocoli  to  sprout 
more  or  less.  But  recent  accounts  in  the  foreign  papers  speak  highly  of  it,  and  we  have  no  doubt  it 
will  become  a  standard  kind. 


Sedum  Fabaria,  var.  rubra.— \  rosy  lilac-flowered  kind,  nearly  related  to  the  British  S.  Telephium, 
and  a  very  useful  autumn-flowering  plant  for  greenhouse  decoration,  producing  large  heads  of  its  star- 
shaped  flowers,  emulating  the  showiness  of  the  well-known  Hydrangea. 


Campylobotrys  regalis.— The  wonderful  plant  spoken  of   by  Linden,  of  Brassels,  is  in   perfect 
health  at  the  Rosedale  Nurseries.     It  is  a  beauty  m  the  way  of  variegated  plants. 


U 


New  Ornamental  Foliaoed  Pi, ast— Campy lobotr is  refalgem  ia  said  to  be  a  plant  of  the  most  ex- 
quisitely ornamental   character,  vastly   superior  to  any  of  the  other  kinds  of  Campylobotris.     It   was 

awarded  a  First-Class  Certificate  of  Merit  when  exhibited  at   the  Royal  Botanic    Gardens,  Regent's 
Park. 


% 


%\t  ^arbcntr's  P^ontljlg. 


Solanum  cabilienbis  argentum,  a  new  variety, 
has  three-lobed  silvery  leaves,  yellow  fruit  of  the  size 
of  a  small  apple,  and  blooms  the  first  year  ;  a  very 
handsome  ornamental  shrub. 


shady  spot,  as  the  north  side  of  a  thicket,  or,  what 
we  prefer,  tlie  interior  of  some  evergreen  wood,  and 
to  prepare  the  holes  six  feet  wide  and  three  deep, 
with  loose  but  poor  soil,  well  drained,  with  stones 
for  the  lower  eight  or  ten  inches,  with  barely  com- 
New    Variegated    Bedding    Plant — Agatliea  I  post  enough  to  assist  the  tree  through  the  summer. 


coelestis  fol.  variegatis. — Its  habit  is  neat  and  dwarf, 
growing  from  four  to  six  inches  high  ;  it  is  also 
very  close  and  compact ;  quite  a  gem  as  a  bedding 
plant,  or  for  the  ribbon  style  of  decoration.  Its 
foliage  is  thick  and  superbly  variegated,  somewhat 
resembling  in  its  marking  Vinca  elegantissima  Cva- 
riegata  major.^  Flowers  bright  sky  blue,  an  inch 
or  more  across,  borne  well  above  the  leaves. 


CaLONYCTION   DIVERSIFOLIUM   SULPnUREUM   is  a 

pretty  yellow-flowered  convolvulaceous  plant,  with  a 
purple  eye.  The  blossoms  are  represented  of  the 
size  of  Convolvulus  minor. 

The  seed  was  forwarded  to  M.  Van  Iloutte,  of 
Ghent,  by  a  cultivator  of  Hyeres,  but  of  its  origin 
we  are  not  informed.  The  plants  attain  a  height  of 
about  four  feet,  flowering  in  the  open  air  very  freely 
during  the  summer  months.  It  will,  no  doubt, 
prove  very  ornamental  as  a  climber,  and  appears  to 
possess  only  one  fault,  which  is  that  it  is  found  to 
be  difiicult  to  obtain  seed  from  it. 


^ciiMEA  Melinonii. — An  ornamental  plant,  of 
the  pine-apple  family,  from  South  America.  It  has 
a  bunch  of  rosy  pink  flowers,  resembling,  in  general 
form  and  appearance,  at  a  distance,  a  spike  of  scarlet 
flowered  horse-chestnuts.  It  requires  a  moist  hot- 
house to  grow  well. — Bot.  Mag. 

Impatiens  Walkeri.— a  Balsam  from  Ceylon. 
The  flower,  in  shape  and  size,  is  like  the  wild  species 
of  American  woods,  but  the  flower  is  of  a  bright 
scarlet,  and  the  plant  but  a  foot  high.  Sir  W. 
Hooker  does  not  say,  but  we  suppose  it  to  be  a  sub- 
shrubby  stove  species. 

New  varieties  of  Pyrus,  or  Cydonia  japonica, 
have  been  raised  in  Belgium,  one  with  fine  rose- 
color  flowers,  another  pale  citron-yellow  flowers 
and  a  border  of  rose,   another  red,  with  crimson 


For  the  first  two  or  three  years,  in  winter,  a  little 
mound  of  earth,  eiglit  or  ten  inches  high,  is  put 
around  the  neck  of  the  plant  to  prevent  the  effects  of 
thawing  and  freezing  in  a  most  sensitive  part,  and 
cedar  or  hemlock  boughs  are  placed  round  its 
branches,  this  covering  diminishing  year  by  year,  as 
the  tree  obtains  size  and  vigor,  until  it  is  omitted 
altogether.  The  plant,  to  insure  safety,  is  moved 
once  or  twice  within  this  wood,  each  time  to  a 
more  exposed  situation,  which  has  also  the  additional 
advantage  (like  root -pruning  j  of  checking  all  redun- 
dancy of  growth. 

When  it  exhibits  sufficient  strength,  it  is  trans- 
planted to  its  final  situation  on  the  lawn — its  cedar 
covering  being  renewed  for  a  couple  of  winters — and 
if  it  can  be  reconciled  to  the  climate,  it  is  now  sup- 
posed to  be  so. 

Certainly  an  Idiot.— A  writer  in  the  Atlantic 
Monthly^  says  a  friend's  boy  was  one  day  asked  by 
his  younger  brother  what  the  word  idiot  meant,  for 
somebody  in  the  parlor  had  been  saying  that  some- 
body else  was  an  idiot.  "Don't  you  know  ?"  quoth 
Ben,  in  his  sweet  voice  :  "an  idiot  is  a  person  who 
doesn't  know  an  arborvitae  from  a  pine — he  doesn't 
know  any  thing."  When  Ben  grows  up  to  matu- 
rity, bearing  such  terrible  tests  in  his  unshrinking 
hands,  who  of  us  will  be  safe  ? 


veins. 


^ompsHr   Infpniqpnrp. 


A 


Acclimatizing  Evergreens— From  H.  W.  Sar- 
gent's Supplement  to  the  Sixth  Edition  of  Douming's 
Landscape- Gardening.— Out  usual  method  of  accli- 
matizing a  plant  is  to  select  some  very  protected  and 


Action    of    Drouth    on    Soils. — In    another 
column  we  have  thrown  out  some  hints  on  this  sub- 
ject.    It  will,  perhaps,  aid  an  investigation  of  the 
subject  to  give  some  account  of  the  origin  of  the 
opinion  that  salts  rise  to  the  surface  in  dry  weather. 
We  believe  it  was  Professor  Iliggins  who  first  sug- 
gested the  idea.     It  is  said  he  placed  a  solution  of 
chloride  of  barium  in  the  bottom  of  a  glass  cylinder 
and  then  filled  it  with  dry  soil.    After  long  exposure 
to  the  rays  of  the  sun,  the  surface  of  the  soil  was 
tested  with  sulphuric  acid  and  gave  a  copious  preci- 
pitate of  sulphate  of  baryta.     Chloride  of  lime,  sul- 
phate of  soda  and  carbonate  of  potash  were  experi- 
mented  upon  in  like  manner,  and  upon  the  applica- 
tion of  proper  tests  the  surface  of  the  soil  showed 
their  presence  in  large  quantities,  drawn  up  by  the 
rising  of  the  water  from  underneath,  as  in  the  case 
of  drouth. 

Oaks  Hybridizing.— Some  botanists  doubtwhether 
these  really  do  hybridize.  S.  B.  Buckley  says,  in  the 


i 


f  k 


^^ 


ijjt  iiirdmer's  JlontJIg. 


Country  Gentleman^  "  The  oaks  are  so  much  inclined 
to  hybridity,  that  even  botanists  have  been  deceived 
in  forming  new  species  from  mere  hybrids.  Col, 
Wade  Hampden,  of  Columbia,  told  me  that  he 
planted  live  oak  acorns  in  Mississippi,  which  grew 
and  bore  fruit,  which  was  again  planted.  The  trees 
from  this  planting  were  hybrids  between  tlie  live  oak 
and  the  other  surrounding  species.  At  first  he  thought 
they  might  be  young  forms  of  Quercus  virens,  but, 
although  several  years  have  elapsed,  they  still  main- 
tain their  original  hybrid  form. 

The  Gakdkn  City. — The  Country  Gentleman 
says : — 

"  Chicago  will  one  day  better  deserve  its  name  of 
"  Garden  City,"  but  it  must  take  time.  Apropos  of 
the  derivation  of  this  name,  the  Chicago  Garden- 
er's Society  have  appointed  a  visiting  committee, 
whose  duty  it  is  to  collect  historical  facts  of  our  city, 
new  plants,  and  so  on  ;  and  they  have  stumbled  upon 
the  following  version  of  its  origin — thus :  3Ir. 
Brooks,  the  oldest  of  greenhouse  men  here,  many 
years  ago  built  a  greenhouse  ;  a  prominent  man 
visited  it,  was  so  struck  with  the  beauties  inside  and 
place  generally,  as  compared  to  any  thing  else  so  far 
west,  that  he  said  this  was  the  "  Garden  City."  Be- 
ing pleasant,  the  news  spread,  If  any  one  knows 
any  thing  why  this  was  not  so,  your  correspondent 
would  be  greatly  interested  to  hear  it." 


Late  Keeping  Apples. — In  1850,  the  following 
apples  were  on  hand,  in  good  condition,  in  the  cellar 
of  Mr.  Peters,  of  Atlanta,  so  late  as  April  Gth : 

Shockley,  East  Point  Greening,  Nickajack,  Green 
Crank,  Richardson's  Winter  SeedhngoflSoS,  Meigs, 
Yates,  Faust,  Stevenson's  Winter,  Chattahoochee 
Greening,  Pulaski  Seedling,  Mangum  Cover  ripe  and 
out  of  season  J),  Red  Limbertwig,  Tennessee  Lim- 
bertwig,  Yellow  English  Crab,  Collier  Apple, 
Pry  or' s  Red. 

Of  these,  he  kept  the  Shockley,  Yates,  East  Point 
Greening  and  Yellow  Crab,  until  the  10th  of  June.— 
Southern  Field  and  Fireside. 


PiCEA  NOBiLis  is  from  the  auriferous  regions  of 
California,  where  it  attains  the  height  of  two  hun- 
dred feet,  but  has  not  yet  been  long  enough  in  this 
country  to  perform  any  such  gigantic  achievement. 
Its  ivy-colored  dark  shining  green,  with  horizontal 
outspreading  branches,  each  tier  forming  complete 
platforms  round  the  tree,  with  a  surface  almost  as 
level  as  Utrecht  velvet,  never  fails  to  put  the  stranger 
into  a  state  of  amazement  to  contemplate  such  won- 
derful arrangement  of  beauty,  elegance  and  perfec- 
tion. 


New  Zealand  ^vmxoK—Tctragonia  expansa.— 


A  correspondent'of  the  Jlorttculturist  reminds  those 
fond  of  good  summer  vegetables,  that  this  plant  is 
not  as  much  cultivated  as  it  deserves  to  be. 


Salt  for  Turnips. — A  correspondent  of  the 
Farmer  and  Gardener  finds  salt  greatly  to  aid  the 
turnip  crop  in  dry  weather. 


The  Pansy, — Let  the  ground  be  well  drained  and 
well  dressed  with  decomposed  cow-dung  ;  and  if  too 
adhesive,  fork  in  a  little  sand. 

Plant  nine  inches  apart,  and  close  the  earth  well 
about  the  roots. 

Always  take  side  shoots,  springing  from  the  bot- 
tom, for  propagating,  if  you  can  get  them.  They 
always  root  freely,  if  not  rooted  when  taken  off. 

Avoid  taking  hollow,  pipey  shoots  for  cuttings. 
To  ensure  striking,  the  bottom  of  the  shoots,  when 
cut  up  to  the  base  of  a  leaf,  should  be  solid. 

Shade  all  cuttings,  and  cover  close  with  a  hand  or 
bell-glass,  whether  they  are  in  frames,  boxes,  pots, 
or  the  open  ground. 

Continue  planting  beds  of  struck  cuttings,  to  suc- 
ceed one  another  in  flower.  It  is  only  from  young 
plants  we  can  get  fine  blooms. 

Shade  all  blooms  for  exhibition.  An  hour's  hot 
sun  would  destroy  the  finest  flowers  in  the  bed. 

Save  seed  from  half-a-dozen  of  the  finest  varieties 
you  possess,  planted  by  themselves,  away  from  all 
others. 

Sow  as  soon  as  you  save  it :  in  May,  June,  July, 
and  August,  as  it  may  happen. 

Plant  them  out  as  soon  as  they  have  four  rough 
leaves ;  but  press  the  earth  to  the  roots  every  time 
the  frost  and  thaw  disturbs  them. 

In  winter,  if  you  have  convenience,  hoop  and  mat, 
or  otherwise  cover  the  bed — if  with  nothing  else, 
with  litter. 

In  spring,  the  beds  of  seedlings  or  established 
plants  may  have  half  an  inch  thickness  from  an  old 
hot  bed,  or  well  decomposed  cow -dung. 

As  fast  as  any  seedlings  bloom  inferior  to  those 
you  have,  pull  them  up  and  throw  them  away. 

Never  wait  for  any  particular  season  for  taking  off 
side  shoots  ;  take  them  whenever  you  can  get  them 
without  distressing  the  plants. 

Water  seldom,  but  effectually  ;  soak  the  whole  bed 
to  a  considerable  depth. 

Towards  October  pot  all  cuttings  that  you  do  not 
want  to  plant  out,  and  keep  them  under  glass  in 
thumb-pots. 

If  3'ou  bloom  any  in  pots,  use  seven  or  eight  inch 


I 


She  iarbcntr'fi  W^m\\b. 


11 


pots,  with  a  compost  of  two-thirds  loam  from  rotted 
turf,  and  one-third  cow -dung,  or  dung  from  an 
old  melon-bed. 

Never  save  a  seedling  that  is  not  better  than  the 
varieties  we  possess  already.  All  novelties  that  are 
not  improvements  are  useless. 

Whenever  the  surface  of  the  bed  has  run  together 
solid,  stir  the  top  one  or  two  inches,  always  closing 
the  earth  to  the  roots. 

Never  allow  a  weed  to  grow  in  the  bed.  A  little 
neglect  in  this  matter  will  give  you  a  world  of  trou- 
ble. 

Never  remove  a  good  seedling  till  you  have  pro- 
pagated it  a  little.  When  you  have  cuttings  struck, 
you  can  do  as  you  like  with  it. 

Never  remove  a  plant  from  heavy  soil  to  light, 
without  washing  out  all  the  old  soil  from  the  roots. 
^Scottish  Gardener. 

Gardener'' s 


light  yellow ;  Ilelichrysum  bracteatum,  yellow  and 
white  ;  Helichrysum  roseum,  rose  colored  ;  Helichry- 
sum  aurantiacum,  orange ;  Ilelichrysum  brunneo- 
rubum,  brownish  red ;  Ilelichrysum  coccineum, 
scarlet ;  Helichrysum  flavum,  yellow  ;  Ilelichrysum 
purpureum,  purple  ;  Helichrysum  macranthum,  large 
flowered ;  Helichrysum  speciosissimum,  most 
showy  ;  Morna  elegans,  yellow  ;  Sta4ielina  dubia, 
pink. 

How  TO  Flower  Calla  Etiiiopica'by  Christ- 
mas.— Bring  your  plants  to  rest  in  midsummer,  by 
exposing  them  to  the  full  sun  in  a  place  where  they 
are  sheltered  from  rain.  Don't  water  them.  Mid- 
dle or  end  of  August  take  them  out  of  pots ;  clean 
the  root-stock  from  all  decayed  matter  and  from 
young  accretions  ;  re-pot  in  good,  fertile  soil,  rather 
heavy,  but  part  sandy  ;  water  and  expose  them  to 
the  sun  in  the  open  air.  Water  freely  till  the  season 
compels  you  to  house  them.  Take  some  to  the  warm- 
house  ;   put  them  in  a  sunny  place  very  near  the 


Slugs    and    Snails.— The    English 

Chronicle  saj'S  : —  '    -  .  ^       r^  ^..• 

1  ^    x«  n-lHss    and  thev    will    remam    compact,      liettmg 

"  We  are  assured  that  if  the  strmgs  used  to  tie  up  S^^^^y   »""  "**^>    ^'"    '^"  ^  |  *  •    w  ^ 

W  e  are  assurtci  uidi  u  mt.  »t      B  j-  ctoiw  flnnilsthmrbeautv.   The  more  they  got  isolated 

vines  in  the  borders  arc  steeped  m  sulphate  of  cop- 
per, no   slugs  will  come  near  them.     The  writer 
affirms  that  all  such  vermin  have  an  incurable  aver- 
sion for  whatever  has  had  this  salt  applied  to  it. 
Another  writer,  in  the  Revue  Horticole,  tells  us  that 
he  can  trap  snails  and  slugs  to  any  amount  by  ano- 
ther way.     He  left  in  his  garden  a  jar  containing 
starch  saturated  with  iodine,  with  a  tile  locsely  put 
over  it ;  there  it  remained  all  the  summer,  fully  ex- 
posed to  the  sun.     What  was  his  amazement  at  find- 
ing at  the  end  of  the  first  three  weeks  that  dozens  of 
snails  had  found  their  way  into  the  jar  from  all  parts 
of  his  garden.    What  was  not  less  curious,  the  snails 
continued  to  travel  to  this  jar  all  the  summer  long. 
This  is  supposed  to  have  been  brought  about  by  the 

snails  liking  the  smell  of  iodine  ;  and  it  is  suggested 

that  if  iodine  is  dissolved  in  water  which  is  poured 

upon  sawdust,  or  even  upon  the  earth  itself,  slugs 

and  snails  will  enjoy  themselves  in  it,  and  thus  be 

trapped.     Does  iodine  act  then  like  valerian  and  dit- 

tiny  of  Crete  on  cats? 


stalky  spoils  their  beauty.  The  more  they  got  isolated 
in  the  summer,  nay,  the  more  they  got  wasted, 
the  sooner  will  they  flower  in  the  warmhouse.  Now 
take  other  plants  which  you  housed  in  the  green- 
house to  the  warmhouse  and  you  get  a  constant  suc- 
cession of  flowering  plants.  Carry  back  to  the 
greenhouse  those  which  have  flowered,  and  they  will 
flower  again  at  the  general  period  of  vegetation  in 
the    spring.     Often    they  will  even  flower  a  third 

time. 

The  sun  not  only  elicits  plenty  of  flowers,  but  is 
a    most    necessary  agent  in   opening  them.     That 
accounts  for  stillborn  flowers  in  sunless  places.— 
W.  Schoenborn^  in  Deutsches  Magazin. 


•jn 


Everlasting  Flowers.— In  one  of  our  back 
numbers  we  gave  an  account  of  the  way  to  dry 
flowers  so  as  to  preserve  them  in  their  natural  forms 
and  colors.  A  lady  informs  us  that  she  has  some 
permanent  bouquets,  which  she  has  made  by  follow- 
ing our  directions,  that  are  the  admiration  of  all  who 
see  them. 

For  those,  however,  who  like  the  artificial  looking 
"  Immortelle"  flowers,  we  annex  the  following  list 
of  some  annual  kinds  :— Acrodinium  roseum,  rosy  ; 
Ammobium  alatum,  white ;   Gnaphalium  foetidum. 


Geotiiermal  Culture.— The  warming  of  the 
earth,  to  advance  early  vegetables,  has  long  been 
practised  in  limited  instances.  Many  years  ago  at 
the  royal  gardens  of  England,  near  Windsor,  aspa- 
ragus beds  were  heated  in  the  open  ground  by  hot 
water.  Some  months  ago  we  again  introduced  the 
subject  in  the  Gardener's  Monthly,  and  M.  Naudin, 
of  Paris,  has  taken  up  the  subject,  as  we  find  in 
recent  French  papers,  and  proposes  to  reduce  the 
whole  matter  to  a  system,  under  the  above  name,  for 
the  growth  of  many  exotic  plants  that  require  green- 
house protection,  so  that  our  gardens  may  present 
a  green  tropical  aspect  at  all  seasons.  His  views,  so 
far,  answer  with  the  idea  of  warming  the  soil  of 
plant-houses,  rather  than  the  atmosphere. 

London  Nurserymen.— There  are  over  three 
hundred  nurserymen,  florists  and  seedsmen  in  the 
neighborhood  of  London. 


*     •  u 


:  rt 


il;: 

1  •- 


Ui,  (Bwckntxs  llonthlj. 


A  French  *'Leaf"  Plant. — Our  garden  rhu- 
barb, in  some  parts  of  our  country  called  pie-plant, 
is  not  known,  or  not  acknowledged  as  an  eatable 
dish  in  Europe,  England  excepted.  On  the  Conti- 
nent, however,  it  is  often  found  on  the  edge  of  a 
lawn,  as  a  specimen  plant,  and  esteemed  as  a  "  leaf 
plant."  It  looks  queer  when  an  American  meets 
with  it  there  in  this  shape. 

Holly  Tea. — Mr.  Forsyth,  in  the  London  Oar- 
dcner^'s  Chronicle^  says  all  of  this  tribe  possess  the 
peculiar  virtues  and  the  properties  of  the  true  tea, 
and  cannot  be  well  distinguished  in  flavor.  The  art 
is  in  properly  drying  or  roasting  them. 


]^orHru(fuFaI   jSoripfiFS. 


PENNSYLVANIA  HORTICULTURAL 
SOCIETY. 


The  very  severe  and  unexpected  weather  spoiled  the  calcula- 
tions for  a  fine  show  at  the  March  meeting.     Messrs.  Peter  Mac- 

kenzie &  Son  had,  however,  a  fine  show  of  Camel lia.s,  embracing 

the  following  kinds, 

All  of  which  were  of  first-class  characters. 

5ix  Camkllias  in  Pots. 

1. 

Camellia  Maria  Therese, 

2. 
S. 

General  Wayue, 
Henri  Favre, 

4. 

« 

Miniata, 

6. 

i< 

Alba  inibricata, 

6. 

(< 

Lorreii. 
Fifteen  Cpt  Flowers. 

1. 
2. 
S. 

Camellia  Alba  pleno, 
"         Mrs.  Cope, 
"         Ochroleuca, 

4. 

ti 

Lawrenclana, 

8. 
6. 

« 

Lady  Hume's  Blush, 
Maria  Therese, 

7. 

« 

Towne's  Blush, 

8. 

<( 

Landrethii, 

9. 

<i 

Alba  imbricata, 

10. 
11. 

Myrtifolia, 
Imbricata, 

12. 

t< 

Dun  lap's  White, 

13. 

<i 

Alcxina, 

14. 

<t 

Miniata, 

15. 

(1 

Eeine  de  Flours. 

MISSOURI  FRUIT-GROWERS'  ASSO- 
CIATION. 

The  members  of  this  Association  convened  at  Pomological  Hall, 
on  the  Fair  Grounds,  yesterday,  at  1  o'clock,  P.  M.,  and  were 
called  to  order  by  Norman  J.  Colman,  President  of  the  Society. 

On  motion.  Dr.  L.  D.  Morse,  of  AUentown,  was  elected  Secretary. 

Mr.  Husman,  of  Herman,  exhibited  specimens  of  wine  from  the 
Norton's  Virginia  Seedling,  and  Herbcmont  Grapes.  A  committee 
was  appointed  to  test  the  wines  exhibited,  and  reported  that  the 
Herbemont  was  a  very  delicious  wine,  and  worthy  of  very  high 
ci»mmendation  ;  and  that  the  Norton's  Virginia  wine,  combining 
the  flavor  of  the  Port  and  Burgundy,  being  a  red,  sound,  table 
wine,  and  the  grape  being  free  from  rot.  Is  likely  to  create  an  im- 
portant extension  in  wine  manufacture. 

Mr.  Pettingill,  of  Bunker  Hill,  HI.,  exhibited  a  seedling  grape 
called  Mead's  Seedling,  which  was  highly  commended  by  the 
Society  as  a  table  grape — taking  the  preference  over  the  Catawba 
as  a  table  grape. 

Mr.  C.  H.  Haven  exhibited  a  delicious  white  grape  received  from 
Lockport.  N.  Y.,  said  to  be  hardy.  It  was  recommended  as  being 
worthy  of  trial,  and  the  Secretary  was  instructed  to  obtain  a  his- 
tory of  its  origin,  &c. 

A  good  deal  of  discussion  was  had  upon  the  merits  of  the  differ- 
ent varieties  of  grapes.  A  number  of  distinguished  horticulturists 
were  present  and  contributed  to  the  interest  of  the  mooting.  The 
Presidents  of  the  Cincinnati  Horticultural  Society  and  the  Illinois 
Horticultural  Society  woro  in  attendance. 

The  Society  will  meet  again  today  a  10  o'clock,  A.  M.,  when 
the  subject  of  grapc-growiug  will  bo  again  considered. 


AMERICAN  POMOLOGICAL  SOCIETY. 

A  NEW  CATALOGUE  OF  FliUITS. 

A  Special  Committee  was  appointed,  to  whom  the  various 
Loral  Committees  are  to  make  their  report  «fcuring  the  year  IS'Jl ; 
and  this  Special  Committee  are  charged  with  the  duty  of  compil- 
ing from  the  Local  Catalogues,  prepared  by  the  various  Local  or 
State  Committees,  ai»d  from  the  present  Catalogue  of  the  Society, 
full  lists  of  all  the  fruits  therein  named,  properly  classified  and 
arranged,  with  due  regard  to  nomenclature  and  terminology,  and 
are  to  submit  the  same  at  the  next  biennial  st'ssiou  of  the  Society 
for  its  consideration  and  action.  The  Special  Committee  are  as 
follows: 

P.  Barry,  Chairman.  J.  A.  Warder, 

J.  S.  Cabot,  Chas.  Downing, 

L.  E.  Berckmans,  William  Reid, 

Marshall  P.  Wilder,  Pres.  Ex-OJ/icio. 

The  Special  Committee  has  just  issued  a  circular  to  the  Local 
Committees,  containing  the  following  in.struction  : 

"It  is  our  duty  to  request  you,  as  Chairman  in  your  State,  to 
organize  your  Commitee  and  enter  upon  the  work  of  preparing 
your  Catalogue  at  once,  so  that  it  may  be  transmitted  to  us  some- 
time during  the  ensuing  year,  1861,  as  provided  in  the  resolution. 
In  preparing  your  Report  or  Catalogue,  you  will  please  observe 
that  the  arrangement  of  the  present  Catalogue  of  the  Society  is  to 
be  followed  as  closely  as  possible,  giving — 

Ist.  A  list  of  varieties  suitable  for  general  cultivation  in  your 
State,  or  such  other  region  or  district  of  country  as  your  Committee 
represents. 

2d.  A  list  of  such  new  or  newly-introduced  varieties  as  promise 
well. 

3d.  A  list  of  such  as  are  known  to  be  valuable  for  special  pur- 
poses,— as  for  marketing,  or  for  particular  soils  and  localities 
only. 

It  is  the  design  and  aim  of  the  Society  to  make  its  Catalogue  so 
comprehensive  and  accurate  that  it  may  become  the  standard  of 
American  Pomology;  hence,  it  is  important  that  Committees  ex- 
ercise the  greatest  care  in  preparing  their  lists,  accepting  such 
information  only  as  they  know  to  be  perfectly  reliable.  It  will  be 
understood  that  no  varieties  are  to  be  clashed  for '  General  Cultiva- 
tion' within  any  State  or  locality,  upon  brief  or  partial  experiment, 
but  must  be  generally  a.nA  suncessfullif  cultivated  for  a  considera- 
ble period  of  time.  In  the  case  of  those  classed  for  particular 
localities  or  purposes,  the  nature  of  these  particulars  should  in 
all  cases  be  given,  if  possible." 


ST.  LOUIS  VINE  AND   FRUIT-GROWERS' 
ASSOCIATION. 

The  accompanying  statement  of  the  objects  of  the  St.  Louis 
Vine  and  Fruit-Growers'  Association  may  bo  of  interest  to  you, 
partaking,  as  it  does,  as  much  of  a  public  and  geographical  nature 
as  of  a  private  character.  The  locality  selected  is  in  St  Louis 
County,  thirty  mileHwest  of  the  city,  and  between  the  Pacific  Rail- 
road and  Missouri  River,  where  they  are  but  nine  miles  apart.  The 
plantations  of  the  company  all  stretch  from  one  to  the  other  with 
appropriate  drives.  These,  as  well  as  the  hills  and  valleys  through 
which  they  pass,  will,  in  due  .season,  be  hung  with  the  purple  and 
golden  fruits  of  the  latitude,  and  yourself,  Mr.  Editor,  and  all  like 
you,  animated  by  a  love  for  horticulture,  whether  as  visitors  or 
seekers  after  homes  in  Missouri — the  future  '"Central  Flower-land" 
of  tl  e  Union,  will  ever  be  welcome  to  the  grounds  of  the  Associa- 
tion, which  you  will  find  sacredly  held  as  a  fair  specimen  only  of 
teQ!>  of  thousands  of  other  localities  like  it  throughout  the  State. 

Respectfully  yours,  C.  II.  Haven. 
«•••> 


BOTANICAL  SOCIETY  OF  CANADA. 

In  your  number  for  this  month,  (March,)  psge  f)l,  you  have 
made  a  great  mistake  in  reporting  that  the  Botanical  Society  of 
Canada  was  established  in  Montreal,  and  owes  its  origin  to  Dr. 
Lawtou. 

You  should  have  said  that  the  inaugaration  of  the  Botanical 
Society  was  in  Kingston,  C.  W.,  {and  not  Montreal,)  and  owes  its 
origin  to  Professor  Lawson,  Ph.  D.  No  doubt  you  will  cause  this 
correction  to  be  made  in  your  next  issue.  For  further  particulars 
as  to  its  formatiim  and  objects,  I  beg  to  refer  you  to  a  printed 
statement,  which  I  forward  by  mail  this  day. 

Since  its  formation,  very  interesting  and  numerously  attended 
meetings  have  been  held  monthly,  and  its  progress  is  very  satis- 
factory.    I  believe  the  members  now  number  over  three  hundred. 

Thomas  Brioos,  Jr. 

Kingston,  C.  W. 

[We  should  be  favored  by  ricelving  reports  of  its  proceedings 
from  time  to  time. — £d.] 


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DEVOTED     TO 


JlopHruftur?,  SKpfioriruKurp,  JgoJang  %•  J^ural  EMaifs. 


THOMAS     MEEHAN,    Editor. 


JUNE,  1861. 


VOIi.    III.— NO    6 


■^inh  for  3unp. 


PLEASURE- 


FLOWER-GARDEN   AND 
GROUND. 

The  management  and  care  of  the  lawn  is  of  first 
importance.     It  is  to  the  lawn  more  than  to  any 
other  part  that  we  owe  the  highest  pleasures  of  gar- 
dening.     It  is  the   distinguishing  feature  between 
nature  and  art.     With  a  lawn  neglected,  the  finest 
garden  is  little  more  than  a  beautiful  natural  scene  ; 
but  when  the  grass  is  well  cared  for,  it  is  stamped 
with  the  highest  refinement  of  art.     Through  our 
past  two  volumes  much  has  been  written  upon  the 
subject,  and  we  refer  to  these  articles  now  because 
the   season   has  arrived  to  put  them  in  practice. 
Weeds  should  be  constantly  taken  out  by  hand  labor. 
Any  holes  thus  made  filled  up  with  soil ;  but  holes 
need  scarcely  be  made  if  weeds  are  taken  out  in  a 
proper  manner.     Mowing  should  be  done  as  often 
as  the  scythe  or  mowing-machine  will  "bite"  the 
grass,  and  frequent  rollings  after  heavy  showers, 

are  excellent. 

Next  to  the  lawn,  the  walks  are  the  most  striking 
feature  of  a  well  kept  garden.  Weeds  should  be 
taken  in  time,  and  the  labor  of  keeping  them  down 
will  be  very  slight.  The  edges  or  '*  verges"  should 
be  trimmed  at  every  mowing  of  the  grass-bordering ; 
for  which  purpose  a  common  sheep-shears,  or  grass- 
edging  shears,  made  specially  for  the  purpose  and 
sold  at  most  horticultural  stores,  should  be  kept  on 
hand.  Washing  by  heavy  rains  should  be  guarded 
against ;  or  when  so  injured,  speedily  repaired. 

After  the  walks  and  lawns,  the  flower-beds  should 
be  a  constant  source  of  attention.  If  the  plants  ap- 
pear to  suff'er  by  drouth,  there  is  no  better  remedy 
than  to  place  a  fork  around  the  plant  and  loosen  up 
the  soil  deeply,  without  disturbing  the  plant  more 


than  can  be  avoided.  After  being  thus  loosened,  it 
will  not  dry  out  near  as  much  as  before.  Above  all, 
keep  the  surface  continually  broken  by  hoeing  and 
raking  fine.  Nothing  is  so  sure  a  preventive  of 
soil  drying  as  a  loose,  porous  texture. 

Another  plan  with  trailing  plants,  such  as  ver- 
benas and  those  usually  employed  in  masses,  is  to 
peg  them  over  the  surface  as  fast  as  they  grow. 
They  thus  shade  the  soil,  and  so  far  check  evapora- 
tion. The  best  pegs  for  this  purpose  are  made  of 
any  straight  twigs  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  or  less 
in  diameter,  and  split  in  two  lengthwise.  These 
will  not  break  when  bent  in  the  middle,  as  unsplit 
pieces  will.  There  is  a  little  art  required  even  in 
splitting  these  twigs  properly,  so  as  to  get  them  of 
equal  thickness  throughout.  The  edge  of  the  knife 
should  be  watched,  and  when  either  half  is  splitting 
thinner  than  the  other  half,  the  back  of  the  blade 
must  be  pressed  against  the  thin  section,  which  will 
cause  the  grain  of  the  wood  to  run  in  again  toward 
the  pith.  And  so  on,  as  the  splitting  progresses, 
the  alternate  action  of  the  back  and  edge  of  the 
blade  will  keep  the  slit  straight  through  the  middle 
at  the  pith. 

The  watering  of  flower-beds  in  a  dry  time  should 
not  be  done  often  ;  but  when  necessary,  done  thor- 
oughly. 

Many  herbaceous  plants,  such  as  phloxes,  holly- 
hocks, and  similar  plants  that  are  scarce  and  valued, 
may  be  propagated  now  very  easily  by  taking  por- 
tions of  their  flower-stems  before  the  flowers  open, 
and  inserting  them  as  cuttings  in  a  half-shaded,  cool, 
and  not  dry  situation.     Layering  of  many  things, 
shrubs,  half-shrubby  perennials,  «&c.,  should  be  done 
before  the  young  wood  becomes  too  hard,  if  good 
plants  are  required  the  first  year.     Most  plants  root 
more  quickly  by  having  a  notch  cut  in  the  layered 
shoot.     This  should  be  done  on  the  upper  surface, 
as  we  first   published  at  page  8G  of  our  first  vol- 
ume,   in   order  to  prevent  breakage   of   succulent 
shoots,  as  too  often  occurs  by  the  methods  recom- 
mended in  works  prior  to  the  publication  of  our 
journal.     Good,  rich  soil,  put  just  about  layers,  is 
very  important.     Good  soil  favors  an  abundance  of 
roots.    One  of  the  greatest  mistakes  in  gardening  is 


''(' 


'f! 


s2>x 


,■■'1  ■ 


SFIut  (inrdencr'a  Jitont^Ig. 


tlie  prevalent  notion  that  plants  in  a  poor  soil  have 
a  greater  proportion  of  roots  than  in  a  rich  one. 

Herbaceous  plants  should  be  staked,  to  keep  from 
wind-blowing.  White  Pine  stakes,  with  their  ends 
charred  by  being  slightly  burned  in  a  furnace,  will 
last  for  many  years,— as  long,  in  fact,  as  the  best 
painted  cedar,— a  good  hint  for  bean-poles,  trellises, 

&c. 

]^rany  parties  have  a  difficulty  in  keeping  trellises, 
when  covered  with  a  weight  of  vines,  from  becom- 
ing "top-heavy"  and  blowing  over  in  a  wind.  This 
can  be  remedied  by  nailing  a  cross-piece  to  the  trellis 
a  few  inches  long,  just  above  the  ground,  or  even 
two  pieces,  making  four  cross-shaped  arms.  This 
will  effectually  prevent  "swagging,"  no  matter 
from  what  part  of  the  compass  the  rudest  winds 

may  blow. 

Dahlias  must  not  be  allowed  to  bloom  too  early. 
Keep  them  growing  well  till  fall,  at  any  cost.  If 
they  become  stunted  by  early  flowering,  a  few  mis- 
erable sun-dried  July  flowers  will  be  the  poor 
reward. 

After  bulbous  roots  have  done  flowering,  they 
should  be  at  once  taken  up,  carefully  dried,  and 
placed  away  in  paper-bags  till  wanted  next  fall.  If 
suffered  to  remain  in  the  ground,  the  rains  we  get 
through  the  fall  keep  their  activity  excited,  and  is 
unfavorable  to  that  state  of  rest  necessary  to  make 
them  bloom  flnely  next  year. 

The  flowers  of  perpetual  roses  should  be  cut  off  at 
the  earliest  moment  after  the  petals  wither.  If  suf- 
fered  to  produce  seed,  they  will  flower  but  sparingly 
in  the  fall.  In  budded  roses,  carefully  watch  for 
and  take  away  the  suckers. 


FRUIT-GARDEN. 

In  the  out-door  department  tlie  directions  and 
hints  we  gave  last  month  are  still  applicable,  espe- 
cially those  relating  to  disbudding  and  pinching  back 
of  strong  shoots,  checking  the  flow  of  sap  through 
excessively  luxuriant  channels,  and  directing  the 
flow  through  weaker  ones,  equalizing  and  striking  a 
balance  between  all  parts  of  the  tree.  As  the  wea- 
ther becomes  dryer,  and  the  growth  fctill  continues, 
young  and  free-growing  trees  of  choice  varieties 
would  be  much  benefitted  by  occasional  syringings 
from  a  powerful  garden  engine,  which  should  be 
found  in  all  gardens  with  any  pretension  to  com- 
pleteness and  excellence.  Besides  the  cleanliness  so 
conducive  to  health  this  ablutory  process  achieves, 
the  moist  atmosi)her(^  and  check  to  excessive  evapo- 
ration that  result  from  this  i)ractice  is  one  of  the 
greatest  safeguards  against  many  bad  diseases. 

In  the  interior  department,  peaches  that  have 
been  slightly  forced  will  be  about  maturing,  and  the 


atmosphere  must  be  allowed  to  become  dryer  by  ad- 
mitting more  air  and  using  the  syringe  less  freely. 
This  is  necessary,  not  only  to  perfect  the  flavor  of 
the  fruit,  but  to  mature  the  wood  properly  for  next 
season's  fruit.  All  of  this  has  to  be  done  with 
caution,  as  a  sudden  change  from  a  moist  system  of 
culture  to  a  dry  one  will  be  certain  to  injure  the 
tissue  and  breed  disease. 

Red  spider  and  other  insects  closely  follow  on  the 
heels  of  a  dry  atmosphere.  They  must  be  watched, 
and  nothing  suffered  to  injure  the  leaves  till  by  na- 
tural maturity  the  plant  has  no  longer  use  for  them. 
Grapes  in  cold  vineries  will  now  be  of  a  size  fit 
for  thinning.  In  those  cases  where  the  bunches  are 
intended  to  hang  long  on  the  vines,  they  should  be 
thinned  out  more  severely  than  those  expected  to 
be  cut  early.  A  close,  compact  bunch  favors  mildew 
and  early  decay. 

Fine,  rich  color  is  always  esteemed  as  one  of  the 
criterions  whereby  to  judge  of  the  excellence  of  a 
fruit.  Sun-light  is  of  first  importance  ;  but  it  is  not 
generally  known  that  this  is  injurious  when  in  ex- 
cess. In  a  dry  atmosphere,  with  great  sun-heat, 
where  the  evaporating  process  goes  on  faster  than 
the  secretive  principle,  what  should  become  a  rich 
rosy  blush  in  a  fruit  is  changed  to  a  sickly  yellow, 
and  the  rich  jet  black  of  a  grape  becomes  a  foxy  red. 
Some  grape-growers  of  eminence,  in  view  of  these 
facts,  shade  their  vineries  during  the  coloring  pro- 
cess ;  but  others,  instead,  keep  the  atmosphere  as 
close  and  moist  as  possible.  The  latter  course  de- 
tracts from  the  flavor  of  the  fruit.  The  best  plan  is 
that  which  combines  both  practices. 

In  summer-pruning  grapes,  care  must  be  taken 
that  the  leaves  from  the  stopped  laterals  do  not  over- 
crowd or  smother  the  larger  leaves  of  the  original 
cane,  on  which  all  your  hopes  of  good  sound  wood 
for  next  season  depend.  All  the  use  for  the  leaves 
on  the  laterals  is  to  afford  outlets  for  superabundant 
sap,  which  otherwise  would  cause  the  next  season's 
fruiting-buds  to  burst  now.  Always  carefully  guard 
the  first  leaves. 


GREENHOUSE  AND  POT  PLANTS. 

The  great  difficulty  with  many  greenhouse  and 
frame  plants  is  to  keep  them  over  our  summers.  It 
is  not  the  heat  that  so  injuriously  affects  them,  as 
the  dry  air  they  are  subjected  to.  Hence  sunk  pits, 
canvass  shades,  and  even  glazed  structures,  are  vei*y 
useful  in  such  cases  as  maintaining  a  more  humid 
atmosphere  about  the  plants.  Heaths,  and  most 
Australian  and  New  Holland  plants,  auriculas,  pan- 
sies,  calceolarias,  cinerarias,  and  similar  things  bo- 
long  to  this  class. 

Sunk  pits  are  the  best,  as  under  glass  insects  are 


11 


Cjje  (^mA\m%  Jilonthlg. 


163 


M 


very  troublesome,  which  trouble  the  heavy  rains  in 
the  open  air  somewhat  rectifies.     All  greenhouse 
plants  do  best  set  out  in  summer  under  partial  shade, 
—not  under  trees  where  drip  in  heavy  rain-storms 
injuriously  harden  the   soil,  though  this  is  better 
than  no  shade  at  all,— but  a  shade  where,  with  just 
enough  protection  to  keep  off  the  hottest  mid-day 
suns,  those  of  morning  and  evening  can  yet  exert 
some  little  influence.     Canvas-covered  sheds,  open 
at  the  sides,  are  the  best.     We  gave  sketches  of  some 
useful   contrivances  of  this   character  in  our  last 

year's  volume. 

Many  summer-flowering  plants  should  be  cut 
down  soon  after  blooming,  so  as  to  make  bushy 
plants  and  be  prepared  for  a  renewal  for  the  next 
season's  growth,  or  they  grow  leggy  and  unsightly. 
The  pelargonium,  in  particular,  is  to  be  subjected  to 
this  treatment.  So  beautiful  a  plant  is  worthy  of  all 
the  care  and  attention  we  can  bestow  on  it ;  for,  of 
the  easiest  culture,  it  is  yet  capable  of  astonishing 
improvement  under  superior  management. 

The  following  account  of  summer  management, 
from  the  London  Journal  of  Uorticulture,  gives 
such  minute  details,  and  can  be  applied  to  so  many 
other  plants,  that  we  adopt  them  here  entire  : 

''As  soon  as  the  greenhouse  becomes  too  warm 
for  these  plants,  they  should  be  set  out  of  doors  on 
a  bed  of  coal-ashes,  and  a  shelter  contrived  for  them 
to  keep  off  the  heavy  rains.  Rather  less  water 
should  be  given,  and  the  syringe  hung  up  in  the 
tool-house,  so  far  as  these  specimens  are  concerned  ; 
in  fact,  they  do  not  need  it  now  at  all.  The  grand 
point  to  aim  at  is  to  get  the  wood  well  ripened.  It 
should  by  the  end  of  July  be  hard,  firm,  and  woody, 
and  of  a  dark  shining  brown  color.  The  leaves 
should  begin  to  turn  yellow,  and  the  older  ones  drop 
off-  in  fact,  it  is  the  autumn  with  the  pelargonium. 
As 'soon  as  this  state  of  rest  is  attained,  then  set  the 
plants  out  of  doors  fully  exposed  to  the  sun,  and  in 
a  short  time  they  will  be  ready  for  the  otemtion  of 

Pruning. 
This  is  an  imprrtant  point,  requiring  considerable 
thought  and  judgment.     They  should  be  pruned  at 
two  or  three  seasons.     For  blooming  eariy,  get  the 
plants  into  the  proper  condition  of  ripeness  early  in 
August,  prune  a  second  lot  a  month  later,  and  the 
last  the  first  week  in  October.      As    soon   as  the 
plants  are  ready,  cut  them  in  according   to  their 
strength,  and  the  form  you  intend  them  to  take  the 
following  season.     Weak  plants  should  be  cut  in 
pretty  close  to  one  bud,  stronger  may  have  three 
buds,  and  very  strong  ones  four  or  five  buds  each, 
and  let  each  shoot  when  cut  be  at  equal  distances 
from  the  adjoining  ones.     When  pruned,  remove 
the  plants  into  a  frame  set  on  bricks,  so  as  to  admit 


Fig.  1. 


Fig.  1.— Out-  year  «.M  Peliirgcnium,  pruned  in  autumn, 
and  five  shoots  left  to  branch  out  the  following  year. 

FifJ.    2. 


Fie  2— Two  year  oM  Pelargonium,  pruned  in  autumn, 
and  fifteen  nhoots  left  to  hranch  out  the  following  year. 

air  amongst  the  pots.  Keep  the  glass  on  day  and 
night  •  but  shade  from  hot  sun,  and  give  no  water 
till  fresh  shoots  have  made  their  appearance,  and  the 
leaves  have  attained  a  little  size.  Then  give  a  little 
water  just  to  moisten  the  soil.  They  are  then  ready 
for  the  autumnal  potting." 


VEGETABLE-GARDEN. 

At  the  end  of  June  some  celery  may  l>e  set  out 
for  eariy  crops,  though  for  the  main  crop  a  month 
later  will  be  quite  time  enough.  It  was  once  cus- 
tomary  to  plant  in  trenches  dug  six  or  -^^e  inches 
below  the  surface  ;  but  the  poverty  of  the  soil 
usually  at  this  depth  more  than  decreases  the  balance 
of  good  points  in  its  favor.  Some  of  our  best  grow- 
ers now  plant  entirely  on  the  surface,  and  depend  on 
drawing  up  the  soil,  or  the  employment  of  boards 
or  other  artificial  methods  of  blanching  ,       .  ,    k^ 

Last  year  a  correspondent  described  a  mode  of  j^ 


v\ 


i 


hn 


11 


^^  hardener's  glontjjlg. 


employing  charcoal  for  the  purpose,  which  produces 
fine,  firm  and  crisp  stalks.  Sawdust,  shavings,  and 
similar  matters  have  also  been  used  with  beneficial 
results.  Very  rich  soil  is  essential  to  fine  celery,  and 
well-rotted  cow-dung  is  one  of  the  best  of  manures 

for  this  crop. 

Cabbages  and  brocoli  may  still  be  set  out  for  fall 
crops,  also  requiring  an  abundance  of  manure  to  in- 
sure much  success.  Lettuce,  where  salads  are  in 
much  request,  may  yet  be  sown.  The  Curled  Indian 
is  a  favorite  summer  kind  ;  but  the  varieties  of  Cos, 
or  Plain-leaved  kinds,  are  as  good.  They  take  more 
trouble,  having  to  be  tied  up  to  blanch  well.  Many 
should  not  be  sown  at  a  time,  as  they  soon  run  to 
seed  in  hot  weather. 

Beans  produce  enormous  crops  in  deeply-trenched 
soils,  and  are  improved  as  much  as  any  crop  by  sur- 
face-manuring. We  hope  this  method  of  fertilizing 
the  soil  will  be  extensively  adopted  for  garden  crops 
this  season.  Those  who  have  not  yet  tried  it  will 
be  surprised  at  the  economy  and  beneficial  results  of 
the  practice. 

Peas  for  a  fall  crop  may  be  sown.  It  is,  however, 
useless  to  try  them,  unless  in  a  deeply-trenched  soil, 
and  one  that  is  comparatively  cool  in  the  hottest 
weather  overhead,  or  they  will  certainly  mildew  and 
prove  worthless.  In  England,  where  the  atmos- 
phere is  so  much  more  humid  than  ours,  they,  nev- 
ertheless, have  great  diflTiculty  in  getting  fall  peas  to 
get  through  free  from  mildew  ;  and  to  obviate  these 
drying  and  mildew-producing  inlluences,  they  often 
plant  them  in  deep  trenches,  made  as  for  celery,  and 
are  then  much  more  successful  with  them. 

Cucumbers  for  pickling  may  be  sown  this  month, 
and  endive  for  fall  salad  set  out.  Parsley  for  winter 
use  may  be  sown  now  in  boxes  of  rich  soil,  and  set 
in  a  cool,  shady  place  till  it  germinates. 

Tomatoes  do  best  when  suffered  to  grow  flat  on  the 
ground  ;  but  in  such  cases  the  soil  should  be  covered 
with  a  mulch  of  straw  or  litter  to  keep  the  tomatoes 
from  getting  soiled  and  rotten  by  dampness.  Brush- 
wood is  an  excellent  material  for  them  to  lie  on,  and 
they  seem  to  thrive  well  with  it  about  them. 

Asparagus-beds  should  not  be  cut  after  the  stalks 
seem  to  come  up  weak,  or  there  will  be  but  a  poor 
crop  the  next  season,  and  the  beds  will  "run  out"  in 
a  few  years. 

Herbs  for  drying  for  future  use  should  be  cut  just 
about  the  time  they  are  coming  into  flower.  Dry 
them  in  the  shade,  and  after  sufliciently  dry  to  put 
away,  tie  them  in  bunches  and  hang  in  a  cool  shed, 
or  place  them  loosely  between  paper,  and  stow  away 
in  cupboards  or  drawers, — the  last  mode  is  by  far 
the  cleanest    and    most    approved  plan   with  the 


best  housekeepers.  Some,  indeed,  powder  the  leaves 
at  once  after  drying,  and  put  away  in  bags  ready  for 
use. 


<Jominunira!ions. 


REVIEW. 


BY  AMATEUR,   N.    Y. 

It  has  always  been  my  custom  to   review   my 
magazine  at  the  end  of  the  year,  although  I  read 
them  carefully  at  first.    While  review^ing  the  Monthly, 
I  was  so  forcibly  struck  with  some  of  the  passages, 
that  I  was  tempted  to  make  notes  of  what  was  there. 
The  first  that  aroused  my  attention  was  a  piece  on 
the  Care  of  the  Greenhouse,  page  3,  No.  1,  Vol.  II., 
where  the  writer  pities  the  lover  of  flowers  w^ho  has 
not  a    greenhouse.     I  am    one    of   that    number, 
although  I  have  kept  a  plant-stand  by  a  sitting-room 
window  these  twenty  years,  and  have  some  plants 
that  have  been  in  my  collection  from  the  first,  giving 
me  flowers  every  year,  such  as  the  Calla,  Cactus, 
and   others;    the   small  kinds   of  Cactus  are  well 
adapted  to  rooms,  as  they  bear  the  dry  air  and  dust 
of  a  room  better  than  any  thing  I  have,  and  seldom 
require  repotting,  and  but  little  w^ater.      ''All  the 
gold  in  California"  is  not  needed  to  build  a  green- 
house ;  but  there  are  other  hindrances  more  formid- 
able than  the  cost,  Cfor  I  a"i  a  firm  believer  in  the 
adage,  where  there  is  "a  wil    there  is  a  way,";  the 
greatest  of  which  is,  opposition  from  our  husbands, 
for  it  is  well  known,  that  there  is  but  a  small  num- 
ber of  men  among  the  realloyar^  of  flowers  ;  another 
is  the  extra  trouble  in  keeping  them  from  freezing. 
I  was  examining  the  plants  in  a  commercial  green- 
house a  few  years  ago,  and  in  answer  to  the  ques- 
tion, whether  I  had  a  greenhouse,  I  said  I  should 
not  know  how  to  take  care  of  it,  and  was  not  able 
to  employ  a  gardener.     The  owner  said,  "I  should 
pity  you  if  you  had  to  depend  on  a  gardener."     So 
it  seems  we  get  pity  for  not  having  the  luxury  of  a 
greenhouse,  and  pity  if  we  are  to  depend  upon  a 
hired  gardener.     But  I  am  quite  sure  I  could  find 
one  that  would  mind  my  plants  if  opposition  No  1 
was  not  in  the  way.     I  would  advise  all  the  girls 
who  really  love  flowers,  to  marry  a  real   lover  of 
flowers,  or  keep  themselves  free  to  build  a  green- 
house when  they  please.    Of  course,  this  latter  clause 
applies  to  such  as  have  funds  of  their  own.     This 
advice  is  rather  foreign  to  our  subject. 

Page  9  somebody  is  taking  a  tour  among  the  gar- 
dens ;  a  man,  I  suppose,  as  he  left  the  flrst  establish- 
ment "with  a  firm  determination  to  make  his  own 
little  place  look  better  next  year."      I  have  made 


i;hH  (gardener's  Ponthlg. 


3„eU  ae.er.ina«o„s  men,  «.an  once,  i™t  you  gardeners  .now  but  mUe  about  the  inconvenience  we 

Vra"Twlon.e  so  n.an.  WUes  a.ongst  ou.  contributor  tUis  .ontb.      We  Uope  Tor 
their  continued  and  increased  favors.— Ed.] 

VMTOMOLOGICAL    ESSAY. 

(^Omtinutd  from  Pag'  W.) 
BENEFICIAL  INSECTS. 

s  .    I  •  ,  ,  .  Sav      "  Laree  Water  Beetle.    Plate  V.  fig.  1.     Length,  about  one 
12th.  Diliscu.  (Cyhistet)  fimbnolaius  Say.        l-^S'  ^^^^     thorax  and  wing-covers  lat- 

ineh  and  a  quarter  ;  color,  above  a  ^"''."'^frandoa^hatd;  anterior  and  intermediate  pairs,  rather 

terally  margined  with  yellowish  ;  P"^'"'",*"  '  "";.,^  .^^  other  and  the  base  of  the  wing-covers  squarely. 

short ;  head  and  thorax,  wide  and  short  and  ""'''"S;;"^;f„J„,„„,a  ^^re  to  sho.  the  general  form.     I  kept 

Fig.  2  is  the  larva  of  a  water  beetle  of  ""^_^^;"2riam   du  ing  which  time  he  did  not  disturb  the  fishes, 

alive  one  of  these  beetles  eight  months  in  »"  **"";;'»J'^^  ^^  j,„t  .j  different  times,  and  took  his  daily 

but  assisted  them  to  devour  several  tadpoles  that  T^^^'^J^^^^'^ ^^^^,,    This  insect  may  be  regarded  a, 

meal  of  flies  and  worms.     He  seemed,  ^»";"!I';°  '^  ^  „,  „,t„  beetles  which  inhabit  the  United  States. 

the  representative  of  about  two  h»f -*»"''  f^f/^";*;,^  ,„,  perfect  states,  upon  the  larva  and  matured 

All  of  these  are  most  voracious  feeders,  •"''»«'  ^„^;„„,  i^^ects  coming  from  the  water,  in 

insects  of  other  species,  ^^ey  prevent  mUhon  of  g     ^^^^^^  ^^^^  ^^^.^  ^^^^^  ^,^^^  ^^^^^  ^^^^  ,^ 

which  they  pass  Ihcir  larva  state.     After  reacn.  g  ^^^  ^^^^  ^^^^^^^  ^.^^^  destroying  young  fish,  in 

of  r,sing  from  the  water  '"  P-""";^  '.^'^f J.^t  to  aUow  them  these,  in  consequence  of  their  services 
some  instances  depleting  fish-ponds,  DUi  we  o  „ 

otherwise  rendered.  ,_  ,,     pi^te  V.  fig.  3.    Length,  from  an  inch  and  a 

13th.     Necrophoru.  Amencams,  Oliv.      /-""  ;„  „,  ^i,^  found  less  than  this  measure  ; 

half  to  an  inch  and  three-quarters  ,  some  ■;'»'"^"3  '  ^^  ^,^^^^,,  „f  the  same  color  on  each  wing- 
a  yellowish  or  light  brown  spot  on  the  head  ;  and  'J  t  on  the  thorax,  nearly  covering  it, 

cover,  one  near  the  base  and  one  near  the  apex,  "  '»  «  J  ^,  two  or  three  segments  beyond  the 

leaving  only  a  narrow  margin  of  black  around  '*.'"';  7*7;^„„„i,h  tuft  or  club ;  legs  and  under  body, 
w.ng-covers;  the  antenn.  are  black,  and  '"™'";'^J''^*,;jl\,i„  .  mandible,  black,  short  and  stout ; 
black  ;  the  thoraic  poition  of  the  latter  ^vjed  -  ^  yellowis  ,     ^^  ^^^^  ^^^^  ^^^  ^^  ^^.^  ^^  ^^ 

the  outer  margin  of  the  wing-covers  .s  X^'  »"■";;;"  %li,  u  our  largest  American  species  of  this 
yellowish,  with  black  blotches,  as  P'"?"''' ""'*""  „^;„.  ,„  this  genus,  but  there  are  about  one  hun- 
^enus.     There  are  some  eighteen  or  twenty  '^^^^l^^::^^!,,  ...fm  get  into  hams  and  flitches  of  bacon 
dred  and  fifty  species  allied  to  it  in  hab  ts.     ^nd  altho  „  ^^  ^^^^  ^^^^^  ^^^^  ^  „ttie  of 

yet  on  the  whole  they  render  such  etficien    semce  -^^^^IZion  of  putrid  animal  and  vegetable  matter 
Lr  superabundance.     They  assist  materia  ly  m   he  do^p^os^^     ^^   P^_^^_^_^_^^^^  ^.^^  ^^^  ,.^,^^  „^^,„ 

but  do  not  attack  living  vegetation.    They  musi 

which  perform  a  similar  service.  Beetle."    Plate  V.  fig.  4.    Length,  from  half  an 

14th.     Slapkylin^s  .iH».«»,  Grv.    "  """'"''j  J7,;i„"g  black ;  wing-covers,  dull  black,  and  covered 

inch  to  three-quarters  of  an  inch  ;  head  and  h»r«,  a  »h  n    g         ^^^  ^^^^^^^  .  ^^^^^^^^  „,,,  ,,„,,      a 

with  minute  hairs,  and  short,  no  more  than  ""J^  ""^  ,^„^t  white  hairs,  giving  the  appearance  of  a 
below,  with  two  of  the  intermediate  ''^'^^^^TmoI  il^^ ^^o.e ;  antennee,  thickened  towards  the  end  ; 
whitish  band  around  the  abdomen  more  dstnclb^^^^^^^^  representative  of  about  two  hundred  and  fif  y 
legs,  black,  and  of  moderate  length.  Thi  nsect  is  I  P  ^^^^^^  ^^^^  ''"''[V.  L 
spec  es  belonging  to  the  family  f  ""^""'"ft^r^Th  ^  .re  very  active  on  foot,  and  run  with  the  abdo- 
the  decomposition  of  animal  and  "S»**"«  '"^""- ,„^„'^.„„„.  Found  in  decayed  animal  and  vegetable 
men  turned  upwards,  giving  them  a  "'''"f  ^I'^^^^.^^C  UoTd  bacon.  Although  their  win.-covers  are 
,..bage,  also  under  the  bark  of  -«;-;;;f;„7t  ^TfoTdedup  beneath  them,  which,  when  expanded,  are 
very  short,  yet  they  have  a  ver.  -P  pair  of  w  ^^  ^^^  ^^  ,__^  ^^^^  ^^^^  .^  ,„,„„„. 
nearly  as  long  as  the  body.    Active  iroi  ^ 


I 


I* 


•i*i 


: 


I 


ilm  §m&tmf^  Jtlonthlg. 


loth.  Coccinella  novemnotata,  Hbst.  "  Nine-Spotted  Lady-Bird."  Plate  V.  fig.  5.  Length,  about  a 
quarter  of  an  inch  ;  color  of  the  wing-covers,  red  or  reddish-yellow ;  four  and  a  half  spots  on  each  wing- 
cover;  thorax,  black,  marked  with  white,  marginal  and  otherwise;  form,  hemispherical  or  tortoise-shaped; 
legs  and  antenns,  short.  Sometimes  also  called  the  "  Cow-bug."  These  insects  are  decidedly  the  best 
friends  we  have,  laking  them  as  a  class,  especially  those  which  constitute  the  group  called  Aphidiphaga, 
from  their  living  upon  the  common  aphides  oc  plant-lice.  There  are  probably  a  hundred  species  or  more  of 
the  coccinellans,  a  few  of  which  will  also  feed  upon  vegetation  in  the  absence  of  aphid  food,  but  these  are 
mainly  confined  to  the  pollen  of  flowers,  especially  the  smaller  species  of  them.  One  large  species  I  have 
detected  cutting  holes  in  the  leaf  of  the  cucumber,  and  I  exhibit  him  in  order  that  he  may  be  distinguished 
from  others — Epilachna borealisy  Pk.     Pig.  6a. 

10th.  Hipodamia  13-macuia/a,  Lin.  "  Thirteen-spotted  Lady-bird."  Plate  V.  fig  6.  About  the  same 
in  length  as  the  preceding;  color,  redder;  form,  a  little  more  long,  and  not  so  globose ;  thirteen  spots  on 
the  two  wing-covers  and  thorax  ;  found  in  company  with  the  former.  Fig.  6a  Larva  of  a  Lady-bird, 
being  a  blackish  grub,  with  six  feet,  marked  with  reddish  or  yellowish  spots  on  the  back;  like  the  cocci- 
nella, it  undergoes  its  transformations  upon  the  leaf,  where  its  larva  feeds  on  aphids.  This  is  one  of  those 
that  are  not  so  strictly  aphidiphagous  as  those  last  mentioned,  but  as  they  re.nain  hid  in  clefts  and  chinks 
during  the  winter  and  come  forth  in  early  spring,  if  they  attack  vegetation  it  is  because  of  the  absence  of 
their  natural  food. 

17th.  Beduvius  novinarius,  Say.  Plate  V.  fig.  8.  Length,  one  inch  and  three-eighths  ;  color,  brownish- 
liver;  antennae  and  haustellum,  dark  rufous;  thorax,  crested,  with  eight  or  nine  cylindrical  teeth;  feet, 
rather  long  and  simple,  the  anterior  pair  raptorial  in  their  structure.  Like  all  Hemipterom  insects,  the 
Reduvians  are  active  feeders  from  their  exclusion  from  the  egg  until  their  allotted  period— which  sometimes 
continues  a  whole  year,  even  hybernating  through  a  cold  winter— is  terminated  by  natural  death  or  some 
other  contingency.  The  one  here  referred  to  is  by  far  the  largest  species  known  to  exist  in  this  country, 
and  was  described  and  figured  by  Mr.  Thomas  Say,  many  years  ago,  in  his  "American  Entomology;"  but 
he  does  not  appear  to  have  been  acquainted  with  its  habits  any  more  than  that  the  genus  is  carniverous.  It 
is  quite  abundant  in  localities  south  of  Pennsylvania,  and  is  becoming  of  more  frequent  occurrence  here 
1  have  found  them  too  rarely  about  Lancaster  County  to  make  any  reliable  observations  upon  their  habits, 
but  Mr.  Glover  says  they  are  abundant  about  Washington  City,  where,  "during  the  summer  and  autumnal 
months  they  are  very  useful  in  destroying  the  disgusting  caterpillars  which  swarm  the  shade  trees."  A 
small  specimen  experimented  upon  was  placed  in  a  box  with  ten  caterpillars,  all  of  which  were  destroyed 
in  the  space  of  five  hours.  It  approaches  its  prey  stealthily,  and  when  near  enough,  it  suddenly  springs 
upon  it  and  plunges  its  piercer  into  its  unfortunate  victim,  and  deliberately  sucks  out  all  its  juice.  Its 
very  organization  evinces  its  raptorial  habits. 

18th.  Reduvius  atrata.  Plate  V.  fig.  7.  Length,  about  five-eighths  of  an  inch;  color,  black;  thorax  and 
basal  portion  of  the  scutel,  shining  black ;  a  deep  longitudinal  indention  in  the  middle  of  the  thorax ;  legs, 
rather  short  and  robust;  female,  apterous,  or  without  wirgs.  I  have  never  seen  a  description  of  this 
insect,  although  one  of  such  frequent  occurrence  must  have  been  described  long  ago;  therefore,  I  have 
only  named  it  alrata  approximately.  This  is  a  common  species,  found  under  logs  and  stones,  and  from 
some  observations  which  I  have  made  upon  it,  I  am  satisfied  that  its  habits  are  similar  to  fig.  8.  Both  of 
these  insects  have  the  power  of  inflicting  great  pain  by  their  puncture,  as  I,  on  one  occasion,  realised.  It 
produced  no  swelling,  but  at  first,  and  for  thirty  minutes  the  pain  was  of  considerable  intensity,  causing 
sickness  of  the  stomach  and  feverish  prespiration,  leaving  the  finger  punctured  in  a  semi-paralyzed  state 
for  three  or  four  hours  afterwards. 

19th.  Reduvius  (mydochus.)  Plate  V.  fig.  9.  Length,  three-quarters  of  an  inch ;  color,  green  or  greenish- 
yellow;  form,  slender ;  a  tooth  or  spine  projecting  from  each  side  of  the  thorax;  antennae,  long  and 
filliform,  bending  suddenly  downward  about  the  middle;  legs,  long  and  slender,  the  anterior  pair  longest 
and  thickest;  exceedingly  carniverous  in  its  habits;  and  its  facilities  for  flight  enables  it  to  capture  its 
prey  with  ease.  It  is  represented  destroying  a  Capricorn  beetle  (Tetraopes  tomaior.)  If  it  has  not  already 
been  named,  I  would  suggest  denlata.  This  insect  I  have  often  caught  in  the  act  of  destroying  various 
species  of  moths  and  beetles.     It  is  also  a  raptorial  insect. 

20th.  Osmylus  maculipe7mis.  "  Maculated  Lace-wing."  Plate  V.  fig.  10.  Length  of  body,  about  three- 
quarters  of  an  inch;  expansion  of  the  wings,  two  inches  and  a  quarter;  color,  brown;  thorax,  hairy; 
wings,  transparent  and  speckled  with  brown  ;  a  row  of  alternate  whitish  and  brown  spots  around  the 
entire  margin  of  the  anterior  wings ;  two  longitudinal  veins  extending  the  whole  length  along  the  costal 
margin  of  both  pair  of  wings;  eyes, brown  and  polished;  antennae, filliform  and  about  one-third  the  length 


=i::^^m 


f  .he  bodr  This  insect  seems  to  be  allied  to  the  HemeMian.,  and  in  the  absence  of  a  specimen  of  that 
:  n*s  frm'wJch  to  ma.e  a  drawing  (all  of  mine  having  been  ^.^'''y'^'^l^riZt'l'Ll,  an^t  n^ 
a  ed  on  account  of  its  approximation  to  the  form  of  the  family  aforenamed.  "°  »;'  ^""^  J  J 
posttively  abont  its  habits,  but  reasoning  from  its  analogies,  I  presume  it  to  be  a  M^-'J''    "'  "^^"^^ 

::::;:  upon  this  famUy have  more  particular  reference  to  the  l^'-JZ^^ZT^'tTS^^^  «  'ds  to 

tuey  are  excluded  from  the  egg,»  but  from  the  fact  that  Dr.  I""^^^^^;.^»  f„\X^X^'„''f  //nee  s  thatit  feeds 
..  Lace-wing"  with  its  mandibles  inserted  in  the  newly-la.d  egg  of  ^er  .ns  the     fe  e^^^_^_^^ 

upon  this  kind  of  food,  and  also  upon  the  young  larva  "f-™^  ?;';';  "^'^^  J  ^^,  f„„„„  Lace-wing 
to  manage  a  full-grown  ^phide.  We  may  also  mfer  that  th.s  »  '''«  "''^°"  ™  destruction  by  the  young 
deposits  her  eggs  on  the  end  of  long  foot-stalks,  namely,  in  order  to  prevent  the.r  Y 

subjects  of  her  own  family.  r.,  *    v    «„  1 1      This  insect  is  by  far 

2\st.     C^rysopa  HarrUU,  Fitch,  or  "  Golden-eyed  Lace  -  "g  --     P'^^;^;^«^^  ^"^^/^  '  J^,,  f„ierly 

the  most  common  in  this  locality  of  any  other  member  of  the  '^"'f  Z'  '''™„,,;„.        ,,  ^nd  eleven 

included  in  ihe  former  genus.    Dr.  Fitch  describes  '"""'''"t^,  =P'"\7'^  "^^    ,^"J,t;  ^^  than  these. 

number  of  the  Gardener's  UorUhly.  ^  .^    ,^a„„,en  after  the 

22nd.     Panorpa  maculaia,  or  "Scorpion  Fly,"  from  .t  str.k.ng  w   h  the  end  of       ^  ._^  ^ 

manner  of  a  scorpion.     I  have  seen  this  fly  attack  much  larger  'n=«ts  than  '^  ^f-  ""^fP  ^„^  .„,^  . 

very  short  time.     Plate  V.  fig.  12.     Length  of  body,  one-fourth  of  an  '"  ^  '  ^"f  '^  „„„,„„„„y 

CO  Jr,  Ugh.  brown ;  legs  and  antenn.,  moderately  l<.ng  ^l^:^';^:^'^^:^:::^  I  have  given  this 
maculated  with  light  brown  ;  rostrum,  prolonged  into  a  snout  ?«">      S  anywhere,  and 

insect  the  above  name  only  provisionally,  never  havmg  seen  a  "1""  ?''""  "Ln  which  is  usually  carried 
yet  it  is  .uite  common,  and  the  scorpion-like  appendage  at  '^^'^^l^l'^   ^I'^^ZTZli  a  wound  with  it. 
with  an  upward  turn,  renders  it  formidable  in  -''^'"^'''^^''l^^litlTXo^^ 
When  it  seizes  an  insect,  it  immediately  penetrates  .t  wUh  its  rostrum  and  sucks  J 

.  I  have  Kon  <iM„  youn,  Ur.adertroylng  Aphldo.  wllMo  th.  moalh  of  July. 

STANDARD   ROSES. 

BY  MAPLE   DELL,    ALTON,  ILLS. 

IK  glancing  over  the  pages  of  your  valuable  MontMy,  my  eyes  fell  upon  tUe  reu^rUs  made  by  J.  C. 
with  reference  to  Standard  roses.  ,,    ^.  •*.„=  woiinq  domcrits  I  will  endeavor  to  say  a 

Being  well  aware  that  roseshave,  when  budded,  their  ■"""'»•  ".^^"^^f.^^^fi^piy  because  tl.ey  suc- 
few  words  in  their  favor,  preferring  budded  roses  to  '»;- J""  ^^^^ X"  Kose  niy  next,  as  they  grow 
ceed  best  with  me.  And  my  favorite  stock  s  the  Dog  ""^rthfManeu'l  have  not  tested  sufficiently 
more  free  and  sucker  less  upon  these  stocks  than  any  other,  the  Manetli 

to  judge  of  its  good  or  bad  qualities  as  a  stock.  r„,inwlnff  note  permitting  others  to  judge 

My  reasons  for  preferring  these  stocks  will  be  g.ven  m  the  followmg  note,  pe 

for  themselves.  „„!„  11,0  weit  mv  father  had  a  mmiber  of  an- 

About  nine  years  ago,  when  hybrid  perpctuals  ^^..l^*'^^ '"*'';  ^^^^^U  remain  to-day,  looking  as 
nuals    perhaps  twenty,  budded  with  monthlies ;  of  this  number  at  '«»«' '«» J*' 
h^^^/     any  one  co^d  wish,  bidding  fair  to  produce  another  «-  "oP;/--'" .,  jj  .„„„,  ,„  .,i„„cter. 
Among  the  standards  :    Prince  Albert  budded  2  eet  high  "P""  *«  °°f  J^^'  '\„*„.Uer,  Melina  Carna 
6  inches  below  the  bud.     1  La  Reino  budded  4  feet  high,  is  one  ■"«'  "  "^J.^  ,^^,  g,„ '^a. 
budded  18  inches  from  the  ground,  is  2i  inches  ''™"8''-f^"  *  old  buS  making  an  entirely  new  growth 
These  roses  are  annually  pruned  back  to  w.tlim  6  mches  of  «'«  »'*  ^7'  'j^      ^.^  „f  i,,;,      „,cn  is  a  flue 
every  year,  blooming  profusely  at  stated  periods  durmg  summer  and  fall.    The 
sandy  loam,  resting  upon  a  strong  lime-clay  sub-sod. 


(M 


J 


:m 


» 


11 


Mti  dardener'js  JttontWg. 


Before  closing,  I  will  make  a  remark  upon  the 
proper  culture  of  standard  roses,  viz.:  cut  them 
in  severely  every  spring,  use  decayed  chips  or  straw 
in  preference  to  strong  manures,  and  you  will  have 
less  rank  growth  and  finer  flowers. 


«•»•» 


LINN.fiUS   AND   LINNJEA   BOREALIS. 

BYL.,  HADDONFIELD,  N.  J. 

(Continued  from  page  IdS.) 

LiNNiEUS  appears  to  have  enjoyed  a  happy  faculty 
of  communicating  his  ideas  to  his  pupils,  and  to 
have  possessed  great  influence  with  them.  It  was 
one  of  his  customs  to  take  summer  excursions  at  the 
head  of  the  students,  to  the  number  of  two  hundred, 
exploring  the  country,  and  whenever  a  remarkable 
plant  or  other  natural  curiosity  was  discovered,  a 
signal  was  given  by  horn  or  trumpet,  which  gathered 
the  whole  corps  around  their  chief  to  hear  his  de- 
monstration and  remarks.  In  a  few  years  the  most 
enthusiastic  and  persevering  among  these  were  dis- 
tributed over  the  whole  world,  and  their  various 
histories  would  alone  form  a  volume  of  deep  inte- 
rest. Many  of  them  fell  victims  to  the  elements  and 
pestilential  climates,  but  many  returned  fully  com- 
pensated for  the  hardships  they  had  endured,  and 
have  had  their  names  handed  down  to  science  in  tri- 
bute, bestowed  upon  them  by  their  venerable  pre- 
ceptor, commemorated  in  the  genera  Osbeckia, 
Kalmia,  Solundea,  Alstrcemeria,  Loeflingia,  Hussel- 
quista,  Sparmannia,  Thunbergia,  &c. 

Every  branch  of  natural  history  was  revised  or 
re -modelled  by  him,  and  his  life  was  one  of  increas- 
ing fame  and  prosperity.  In  1757,  he  was  raised  to 
the  nobility  by  the  title  of  Von  Linne,  and  purchased 
estates  with  the  proceeds  of  his  incessant  toil  as  a 
physician  and  teacher.  His  closing  years  were 
burdened  with  ill  health  and  he  ceased  from  his 
labors  in  1778,  in  his  7l8t  year.  His  remains  were 
interred  in  the  cathedral ;  a  general  mourning  took 
place  on  the  occasion  at  Upsal.  King  Gustavus  III. 
caused  a  medal  to  be  struck  expressive  of  the  public 
loss,  and  in  a  speech  from  the  throne,  described  the 
death  of  Linnajus  a  public  calamity. 

And— for  his  own  little  flower— raised  to  eminence 
by  his  name,  it  was  adopted  as  a  part  of  his  crest ; 
the  helmet  which  surmounts  the  arms  of  his  family 
being  adorned  with  a  sprig  of  Linnsea.     One  of  his 
pupils  who  visited  China,  sent  to  his  mother  a  ser- 
vice of  porcelain,  manufactured  purposely  for  him, 
having  a  representation  of  the  plant  as  its  only  de- 
I  coration,  and  the  Cardinal  de  Noilles  erected  a  ceno- 
J  taph  in  his  garden  to  the  memory  of  the  Naturalist, 
^  I  and  planted  the  Linnsea  by  its  side  as  its  most  appro- 
priate ornament. 


Thompson,  the  author  of  '*Life  in  Russia,"  re- 
marking on  the  love  shown  to  this  little  flower  by 
the  Swedes,  says : 

"To  have  produced  one  man  whose  reputation 
has  become  the  property  of  the  universe,  is  their 
boast  and  pride  to  this  day ;  and,  as  if  to  prove  what 
the  force  of  example  of  one  great  mind  can  effect, 
the  love  of  botany  is  among  the  Swedes  a  ruling 
passion.  The  Linnma  borealis,  a  little  creeping  plant 
of  delicious  fragrance,  growing  wild  in  the  woods, 
and  first  discovered  by  Linnaeus,  and  with  which 
they  crowned  his  bust,  is  perfectly  venerated.  In 
one  of  my  rambles  in  the  country,  some  school-boys 
who  were  following  the  same  path,  came  running  to 
me,  stranger  as  I  was,  exclaiming,  '  See,  sir,  we  have 
found  some  of  the  Linncea  borealis  P  " 

"In  Sweden,"  says  Prof.  Smith,  when  recom- 
mending Natural  Science  to  the  rising  generation, 
'*  Natural  history  is  the  study  of  the  schools  by  which 
men  rise  to  preferments."  And  Dr.  Clarke  has 
borne  testimony  to  the  zeal  with  which  this  branch 
of  science  is  pursued  by  men  of  various  classes  in 
that  country."  He  relates  a  pleasing  anecdote  in 
point  which  may  perhaps  be  not  inappropriate  here 
as  illustrating  also  the  influence  of  the  Swedish  sage. 
"Arrived  at  Tornca,  at  the  northern  extremity  of  the 
Gulf  of  Bothnia  bordering  the  Arctic  zone,  Dr. 
Clarke  sent  to  the  apothecary  of  the  place  for  a  few 
jars  of  the   Conserved  Dwarf  Arctic  Raspberry.* 


He  had  observed  this  "rare  plant"  in  the  woods  near 
the  shore  where  he  had  landed  and  found  it  bearing 
fruit  as  large  as  the  common  raspberry,  though  so 
diminutive  that  an  entire  tree  with  all  its  branches, 
leaves  and  fruit  was  placed  in  a  phial  holding  about 
six  ounces  of  alcohol." 

The  fruit  was  brought  to  the  Doctor  by  a  boy 
without  shoes  or  stockings,  who,  having  executed 


*Rnbu«  Arcticus,  the  Arctic  bramble  or  raspberry,  may  be  thus 
described :  It  has  three  glabrous  obtnsely-Bcrrated  leaflets,  no  run" 
ners,  stem  bearing  only  one  flower,  and  without  pricliles,  the 
petals  notched.  It  is  a  native  of  the  mountainous  and  colder 
regions  of  Europe,  and  has  been  found  also  in  Labrador.  Its  stem 
never  attains  a  greater  height  than  six  inches  and  is  famished 
with  from  three  to  four  leaves,  with  a  single  large  deop  rose-colored 
flower,  which  is  succeeded  by  a  purplish-red  fruit,  highly  prized  for 
its  flavor  among  the  Swedes. 


t 


%\i  d^arbtner's 


his  errand,  was  observed  to  cast  a  longing  eye  to- 
wards some  books  of  specimen  plants  which  lay  on 
the  table  ready  for  arrangement.     To  their  surprise, 
he  named  every  one  of  them  as  fast  as  they  were 
shown  him,  giving  to  each  its  appropriate  Linnoean 
appellation.     The  doctor  found,  on  inquiry,  that  this 
extraordinary  youth  was  the  son  of  a  poor  widow 
who  had  placed  him  as  apprentice  under  the  apothe- 
cary.     His  master  had  himself  a  turn  for  natural 
history ;  nevertheless  he  did  not  choose  that  his  pupil 
should  leave  the  pestle  and   mortar  to  run  after 
botanical  specimens.     The  lad  had,  however,  carried 
on  his  studies  secretly,  snatching  every  hour  he  could 
spare  to  ramble  barefooted  in  search  of  a  new  plant 
or  insect,  which  he   carefully  concealed  from  his 
master,  who  at  length  discovered  his  boxes  of  insects, 
and  unscrupulously  appropriated  them  to  his  own 
use,  and  exhibited  them  in  his  shop  window  as  of 
his  own    collecting!      These  facts  interested  Dr. 
Clarke  and  his  companions  so  much  in  behalf  of  poor 
little  Pyphon  ("for  ^l^at  was  his  name;,  that  they 
showed  him  much  kindness,  procuring  him  some 
hours  of  relaxation  from  his  toils  and  giving  him 
some  English  needles  for  his  insects  and  a  few  simi- 
lar trifles,  to  him  an  invaluable  treasure.     Not  un- 
frequently  during  their  short  stay  they  had  recourse 
to  him  for  what  they  required,  and  on  one  occasion 
told  him  that  a  rather  rare  plant  was  said  to  grow  m 
that  neighborhood,  but  that  they  had  failed  to  dis- 
cover it.     Scarcely  were  the  words  uttered,  when  he 
ran  off",  fast  as  his  legs  could  carry  him,  and  soon 
returned,  bringing  in  his  hand  two  or  three  speci- 
mens of  the  plant.     But  the  hour  of  separation  from 
the  kind  strange  friends  came  all  too  soon  to  the 
little  naturalist  who,  shedding  abundance  of  tears, 
bade  them  farewell-making  this  touching  request  at 
parting:  "If  you  should  remember  me  when  you 
arrive  in  your  own  country,  send  me  Drosera  longi- 
folia;  I  am  told  it  is  a  common  plant  in  England  !" 


—m»* 


RESTORING  HEAT  TO  HOTBEDS. 

BY  8.,  MONTMORENCI  FALLS,  CANADA. 

There  are  occasionally  some  instructions  in  your 
periodical  which   are  exceedingly  valuable   to  an 
amateur  like  myself.    This  spring,  finding  my  first 
hotbed  show  no  symptoms  of  heating,  the  thermo- 
meter  therein  standing  at  30o  after  it  had  been  eight 
days  made,  I  gave  it  a  dose  of  strong  ley  with  hme ; 
next  morning,  though  still  as  frosty  out  of  doors 
the  thermometer  showed  4r,o  and  gradually  increased 
to  80O  after  a  few  days.    My  next  hotbed  I  heated 
in  the  same  way  with  similar  success.     My  garden 
roses  have  been  very  shy  of  flowering,  but  as  I  mtcnd 
to  put  in  practice  your  hints  about  root-pruning,  1 
hope  for  a  better  result  this  season. 


NOTES   ON   SOME    NEWER   GRAPES. 

BY  W.  TOMPKINS,  GERMANTOWN,  N.  Y. 

Concord  Grape. 
This  new  grape  has  fruited  here  for  several  years, 
and  although  it  is  not  quite  so  eariy  or  good  as  its 
originators  claimed,  yet,  beyond  doubt,  it  is  a  very 
great  acquisition,  and  is  fast  working  into  public 
favor  and  is  destined  to  occupy  an  important  posi- 
tion in  the  future  vineyards  of  this  country ;  vmc 
exceedingly  liardy,  vigorous  and  robust  ;  foliage 
large  and  thick ;  fruit  never  mildews,  or  rots,  or 

drops  off.  .       Ill 

To  the  market-grower  especially  it  is  invaluable, 
being  so  easy  to  propagate,  and  so  quick  to  get  in  a 
bearing  condition,  and  will  then  bear  more  ill-treat- 
ment and  continue  to  thrive  and  produce  fruit  of  fan 
quality  than  any  other  grape  that  we  are  acquainted 

'"it  is  not  quite  so  productive  as  tlie  Isatjclla,  or  so 
early  a  bearer ;  yet,  wlien  of  proper  age  and  sue, 
always  sets  just  as  much  fruit  as  the  vme  has  the 
capacity  to  ripen  well,  and  at  the  same  time  ma*e 
the  requisite  quantity  of  wood  for  the  next  season  s 
crop      Now,  this  is  just  wliat  the  mari^et-grower 
wanis ;  aftertying  the  vines  to  the  trellis  in  the  sprmg, 
he  need  not  bother  about  thinning  tl>e  fru.t,  summer- 
pruning   or   pinching   laterals;   the   ymes    having 
jL  thf  right  quantity  of  fruit,  wiU  ripen  .t  w.th  a  ! 
certainty  and  uniformity  that  is  truly  Bun>nsmg^ 
All  he  need  do  is  to  work  the  ground  enough  to  keep 
down  the  grass  and  weeds,  and  perhaps  t.e  a  few 
straggling  shoots  to  the  trellis.    When  the  vme  . 
fed  to  the  treUis,  (after  it  hasbeen  properly  pr.med,J 
the  branches  should  be  brought  down  to  a  homon  al 
line  as  near  as  practicable,  as  that  pos.t.on  holds  he 
natural  vigor  of  the  vine  in  check,  and  »^kes  .t  the 
more  fruUfnl ;  and  the  side  shoots  as  they  grow 
should  not  be  tied  up  to  the  trellis  but  suffered  to 
spend  their  strength  by  growmg  downwards        e 
clusters  will  not  then  be  robbed  of  their  share  of  the 
fruit-producing  principle,  and  Wdl  be  larger  and 

sweeter  for  it.  .       - 

Although  last  season  was  one  ol  the  mos  unfa- 
vorable, probably,  that  we  have  in  this  lat't"";-  >;'- 
notwithstanding,  the  Concord  began  to  color  eariy 
in  September,  and  by  the  middle  of  the  ">»»";*' 
ripe  enough  to  send  to  market,  and  samples  sent  at 
that  date  sold  quickly  at  13  cts.  per  pound  But  to 
have  this  grai>e  in  its  perfection,  it  should  ha^ig  on 
the  vine  until  the  latter  end  of  "'"»«""'•  ^^""■' 
will  be  found  exceedingly  sweet  and  luscious  hav  mg 
much  more  saccharine  matter  than  the  Isabella  or 
Catawba  in  their  best  condition. 

Some  persons  complain  that  it  is  apt  to  drop  from 
the  bund,  when  fully  ripe,  but  I  have  found  no 


I 


T^  -T 


.   ■•I! 


■i  ' 


ii). 


m 


I 


I 


I 


trouble  of  that  sort,  and  should  think  it  must  have 
been  caused  by  bad  pruning,  or  no  pruning  at  all. 
From  the  report  of  the  Massachusetts  Horticultural 
Society/  for  18G0,  it  appears  that  it  did  not,  as  a  gene- 
ral thing,  ripen  that  year,  and  what  is  true  of  the 
Concord  is  true  of  all  other  varieties  of  good  quality. 
A  few  Diana,  Delaware,  Hartford  Prolific,  and  other 
grapes  were  shown  of  very  satisfactory  appearance. 
But  in  the  State  of  New  York,  I  believe,  it  ripened 
well,  although  some  vineyards  of  Isabella  and  Ca- 
tawba on  the  banks  of  the  Hudson  River,  which  are 
planted  as  close  as  3  or  4  feet  in  the  row,  failed  to 
mature  their  fruit,  which  I  think  pretty  convincing 
proof  that  a  vineyard  should  not  be  planted  after  the 


not  100  miles  from  Lebanon,  Pa. ;  it  is  a  most  luxu- 
riant grower,  and  the  wood  very  firm,  and  short- 
jointed  ;  foliage  resembles  the  Clinton. 

It  fruited  last  fall  for  the  first  time  with  me,  and 
you  may  be  sure  that  I  felt  no  little  anxiety  while 
it  was  ripening. 

Well,  after  waiting  patiently  until  the  20th  of 
September  I  had  the  gratification  of  picking  and 
eating  one  of  the  vilest  frost  grapes  in  America.  In 
the  meantime  I  very  industriously  propagated  about 
100  fine,  vigorous  plants,  which  I  will  distribute 
gratuitously  to  any  one  who  desires  a  specimen. 

Now,  Mr.  Editor,  I  think  this  almost  too  bad  to 
be  treated  in  this  way,  and  I  hold  that  when  a  mis- 


European  method  in  America.  Most  of  the  grapes  take  of  this  kind  occurs,  the  person  sending  out  the 
grown  on  the  Hudson  are  planted  12  feet  apart  in  spurious  article  should  make  restitution,  no  matter 
the  rows,  and  the  rows  about  12  feet  from  each  other,  \  whether  it  was  done  through  mistake  or  otherwise, 
and  the  mildew  of  the  fruit  and  leaf  is  almost  un- 1  The  writer  is  not  the  only  one  who  has  sufiered,  but 
known  here,  and  the  fruit  in  such  vineyards,  if  well   knows  of  others  that  are  in  the  same  fix. 


managed,  ripens  with  as  much  certainty  as  apples 
or  pears. 

Raabe  Grape. 

This  grape  has  fruited  here  for  the  last  three  years, 
and,  in  my  humble  opinion,  it  is  destined  to  become 
one  of  the  most  popular  grapes  for  the  garden  or 
vineyard  that  we  are  acquainted  with. 

The  vine  is  a  good  grower,  hardy,  very  productive, 
never  suffers  from  leaf  blight  or  mildew  ;  always  '  a  spurious  Emily  extensively.  I  got  it  from  head- 
ripens  its  wood  to  the  extremities  of  the  branches,  quarters,  Mr.  Raabe  himself,  from  whom  others  also 
and  is  short-jointed  and  firm,  which  is  a  sure  indica-    received  it." 


If  there  is  a  grape  called  the  Emily  that  is  worth 
cultivating,  I  hope  that  when  this  meets  the  notice 
of  the  person  I  allude  to,  he  will  send  a  plant  or  two 
hitherward. 

[By  reference  to  page  25  of  the  Gardener'' s  Monthly 
report  of  the  Pomological  Society,  the  following 
notice  of  a  "  spurious  Emily  ' '  reads  : 

"Mr.  Miller — I  am  charged  with  sending  out 


tion  of  fruitfulness. 

Ripens  about  the  middle  of  September,  and  like  the 


Another  gentleman  of  our  acquaintance  also  says 
he  got  his  spurious  Emily  from  Mr.  Raabe.     It  is 


Unquestionably  the   "counterfeit 
vilest  kind. — Ed.] 


is  one   of  the 


«•■»» 


Concord,  ripens  uniformly,  and  for  excellence  rivals  but  justice  to  Mr.  Raabe  to  say  that  he  denies 
the  Delaware,  and  the  fruit,  when  well  grown,  is  |  that  he  ever  sent  it  out,  and  so  the  matter  stands, 
nearly  or  quite  as  large,  and  resembles  the  latter  so 
much  that  it  will  sell  in  the  market  for  that  variety, 
and  but  few  persons  be  able  to  tell  the  difierence; 
and  what  is  of  more  importance,  the  foliage  and  fruit 
has  never  been  known  to  suffer  from  mildew,  which 
is  so  injurious  to  the  Delaware  in  this  locality. 

It  has  been  called  a  grape  of  foreign  origin ;  but 
this,  I  think,  is  a  mistake,  as  any  one  can  soon  see 


GARDENING   IN    LANDSCAPE. 

BY  J.    W.,    OGDENBBURG,    N.    Y. 


It  is  plain  that  they  who  would  imitate  nature  in 

gardens,  must  do  so  in  an  another  way  than  by 

v^.^,  ^         ..,  .^^  ""7"     '/"•*    "^  7  1  i  copying  her  piecemeal.     They  ought,  indeed,  to  be 

by  comparing  the  foliage,  fruit,  and  general  appear- '  .    \f  ^  °^    ^^^^ ^  ^„;„+^^„    ♦Jl„c^5i.:\,«  i,^-\„.:^;+ 

ance  of  the  vine  with  the  Catawba,  that  it  must  be 


in  some  way  related  to  that  variety,  but  will  be  found 
of  much  more  value  in  all  localities  where  the 
Catawba  does  not  ripen,  or  is  much  subject  to  the 
"rot." 


imitators,  but  not  painters,  transcribing  her  spirit, 
and  not  her  individual  expressions, — her  general 
countenance  or  aspect,  and  not  her  particular  fea- 
tures.    An  artist,  to  be  a  painter,   or  a  landscape 


artist,  or  an  amateur  in  either  branch,  should  go  to 

4.V"  /.    ..     1-      />  11     •       •         u         ^     'i.u        \  nature  to  study  principles,  gathering  up  snatches  of 

The  fruit,when  fully  ripe,  IS  so  charged  with  saccha-  ,         .        V     '  ^     .    ,  .^    * 

^*     *i   *  '4.    *♦    ^♦^  ^^-^  K«««  r.^A  ^♦K^-  •«  scenery,  and  storing  them  up  in  his  memory  or  his 

nne  matter  that  it  attracts  more  bees  and  other  in  ^  ,.  ^      ^  .                    tt      ,      ,  ■.       .      „    , 

,    ,,                         .,    ^  „^  „,^,„   „„^  :♦  :„  „^* portfolio  for  future  use.      He  should  note  all  that 

sects  than  any  grape  that  we  grow,  and  it  is  not  un-  *^,           ,.           ,        ,           ^          ,      .      ,  , 

*    ^  A  A  '  A     i..«*^,c  ^«  ♦!,«  „;„«  !„♦«  :^   pleases  him,  and  endeavor  to  understand  how  and 
common  to  find  dried  clusters  on  the  vine  late  in  i  *         .     .   „  ,  .        .    ,      «      , 

,T  ,      M    *  o ^A  „,,  «^;r,:«o  !  why  it  influences   his  mind.     By  thus    filhng  his 

November  that  are  as  good  as  raisina.  L     .        .,  ,     ,        ,         .„  ,  ,.   ,       . 

brain  with  numberless  beautiful  little  pictures  or 

Emily  Grape.  images,  and  his  intellect  with  the  foundations  and 

We  received  this  from  a  noted  collector  Df  grapes,  .  sources  of  pleasure  in  his  art,  he  will  come  from 


ih(i  (I^artor's  JElontWg- 


nature  doubly  primed  to  give  practical  utterance  to 
his  imaginings,  and  prei>ared  to  embody  in  a  com- 
position the  fine  touches,  and  a  more  artistic  and 
spiritual  element  which  he  has  collected  from  such  a 
variety  of  sources.     All  this  is  his  ' '  duty. ' '     Nature 
is  the  great  school  of  gardening  in  landscape.     It  is 
in  her  broader  teachings  and  general  promptings, 
that  materials  should  be  gathered  for  practical  use. 
And  these,  be  it  remembered,  will  be  solely  available 
in  idealizing  and  exalting  art,  in  "landscape  and 
picturesque  gardens."     This  he   "acquires"  by  in- 
dustry ! 

To  regard  a  garden  otherwise  than  as  a  work  of 
art,  would  tend  to  a  radical  perversion  of  its  nature. 
A  garden   is  for  comfort  and  convenience,  luxury 
and  use,  as  well  as  for  making  a  beautiful  picture. 
It  is  to  express  civilization,  and  care,  and  design, 
and  refinement.     It  is  a  blending  of  art  with  nature, 
an  attempt  to  interfuse  the  two,  or  to  produce  some- 
thing intermediate  between  the  pure  state  of  either, 
which  shall  combine  the  vagaries  of  the  one  with 
the  regularity  of  the  other.     That  beauty  should  be 
the  ultimate  aim  of  every  operation  in  gardening  in 
landscape.     There  may  be  different  opinions  as  to 
what  constitutes  beauty,  and  of  what  ingredients  it 
is  made  up,-some  affirming  that  its  chief  elements 
are  those  of  form ;  others  that  it  consists  solely  m 
association.     We  may  assume  that  it  is  to  be  found 
in  both.      Beauty  in  gardens  is  not  by  cultivating 
only  a  few   particular  species   of  plants,  and  not 
merely  harboring,  but   cherishing,   a  dislike  to  all 
others.     A  garden  denuded  of  half  or  three-fourths  of 
its  proper  ornaments  is  much  in  the  same  predicament 
as  an  individual  with  only  a  portion  of  his  ordinary 
garments.      It  is  imperfectly  clothed-in sufficiently 
finished— weak  in  expression  of  the  beautiful.    And 
should  be  pretty  obviously  expressed  in  that  part  of 
every  garden  which  is  in  the  intermediate  vicinity  of 
the  house,  terraces,  straight  lines  of  walks,  avenues 
of  trees  or  shrubs,  rows  of  flower-beds,  and  geomet- 
rical figures,  with  all  kinds  of  architectural  orna- 
ments.    The  artist's  taste  will  be  shown  m  his 
"acquirements"  in  conceaUng  all  its  manifestations 
in  the  little  arts,  and  ingenious  contrivances,  and 
kindly  cares,  which  embellish  gardens,  as  they  do 
life,  without  ever  revealing  the  machinery  of  their 
action,  and  of  which  the  eff"ect  is  seen  and  felt  m 
their  results,  rather  than  their  process,— in  the  whole, 
rather  than  the  detail.     A  beautif\il,  quiet-looking 
garden,  like  a  well  educated  individual,  presents  no 
particular  feature  that  can  attract  special  notice  ;  all 
is  smooth,  easy,  agreeable.     And  perhaps  this  quiet- 
ness  of  expression  is  the  truest  index  of  "duties, 
acquirements,  and  abilities,"  refinement  and  taste. 
The  artist's  "abilities"  assist  him  in  the  greatest 


of  practical  difficulties,   which  an  artist  in  land- 
scape has  to  contend,-his  "acquirements"  in  deal- 
ing with  the  picturesqe.     Smoothness  and  regularity 
of  treatment  are  so  thoroughly  what  an  ordinary 
gardener  is  accustomed  to,  that  it  requires  no  small 
eff-ort  to  enlighten  him  as  to  the  mode  of  achieve- 
ment, of  any  thing  really  beautiful  in  the  way  of 
curved  lines  and  undulations.     But  when  rugged- 
ness  and  the  appearance  of  rude  naturalness   arc 
sought,  it  is  indeed  hard  to  obtain  a  practical  opera- 
tor in  either  architect,  surveyor,  civil  engineer,   or 
draughtsman,  and  "landscape-painter." 

The  practical  gardener  in  landscape  knows,  noth- 
ing imparts  a  greater  air  of  refinement  and  gentility 
to  a  garden  than  a  certain  amount  of  richness  and 
polish.  His  "acquirements"  teach  him  the  first 
of  these  may  be  attained  by  means  of  a  tasteful 
selection  of  plants  and  flowers,  and  by  the  sparing 
use  of  appropriate  architectural  decorations.  Every 
thing  straggling  or  ragged,  all  that  produces  confu- 
sion^  and,  as  a  rule,  all  angularity  and  harshness,  are 
completely  opposed  to  it. 

Modem  tendencies  in  gardening  have  been  too 
much  away  from  its  character  as  an  art,  and  the 
more  it  is  restored  to  its  legitimate  position,  the 
more  nearly  will  it  be  brought  into  kindred  with 
architecture.       All  architects  endeavor  to  extend 
their  business  ;  for  as  a  house  and  a  garden  are  natu- 
rally and  intimately  associated,  and  it  is  a  law  ot 
the  universe,  that  boundaries  of  each  domain  m  the 
natural  kingdom  should  insensibly  mingle  and  be 
lost  in  each  other,  so  it  is  plain  that  an  unvitiated 
taste  would  be  most  gratified  when  the  province  of 
architecture  is  extended  so  as  to  embrace  lightly  and 
harmoniously  such  parts  of  the  garden  also,  in  these 
parts,  rises  in  character  to  meet  the  requirements  of 
architecture,  until  either  art  is  so  refined  and  attenua- 
ted, that  it  would  be  almost  difficult  to  say  what 
belongs  exclusively  to  each. 

Still  there  is  that  about  gardening,  which,  in  the 
nature  of  things,  and  apart  from  the  difference  of 
materials  with  which  it  has  to  deal  with,  constitutes 
it  a  distinctive  art.      And  garden  architecture  has 
lineaments  of  its  own  decidedly  removed  from  those 
of  house  architecture,  and  so  seldom  studied,  that  the 
ordinary  architectural  practitioner  is  at  sea  the  mo- 
ment he  enters  the  region  of  the  garden.     It  is  less 
a  matter  of  rule  and  measurement     Its  effec  s  are 
more  to  be  judged  of  by  the  eye.     It  comprehends 
a  far  greater  vartety  of  combinations.  .It  requires  a 
man  fo  be  as  much  an  artist  Cat  least  m  feehng;  as 
an  architect,  and  to  be  familiar  with  natural  group- 
ings  and  tones,-to  take  in  an  entire  landscape  in  the 
range  of  his  design,  and  not  merely  isolated  or  de- 
tacUed  objects.     In  fact,  the  garden  architect  has  to 


I 


'  t 


'■\\ 


I 


Hi 


^t  iardcntr's  JKanthlg. 


make  a  general  picture,  and  not  simply  to  set  a  work 
of  art,  as  it  were,  on  a  solitary  pedestal. 

The  province  of  garden  architecture  is,  primarily, 
to  supply  fitting  appendages  and  accompaniments 
to  a  house,  so  that  the  latter  may  not  appear  naked, 
alone,  and  unsupported.  If  judiciously  applied,  it 
will  be  effective  in  helping  to  produce  a  good  outline 
or  group ;  to  carry  down  the  lines  of  the  house  to 
connect  it  with  other  buildings,  such  as  a  conserva- 
tory, arbor,  &c. ;  to  provide  a  proper  basement  for 
the  house  ;  to  afford  shelter  and  privacy  to  a  flower- 
garden  ;  to  extend  the  facade  or  frontage  of  a  house  ; 
to  shut  out  back  yards,  offices,  &c. ;  to  enrich,  vary, 
and  enliven  the  garden  ;  to  supply  conveniences,  such 
as  shelter,  receptacles  for  birds,  plants,  sculpture,  &c., 
with  museums  for  works  of  art  or  specimens  of  nat- 
ural history,  and  supports  for  climbing  plants ;  to 
indicate  refinement,  wealth,  and  a  love  of  art ;  and 
otherwise  to  blend  the  two  by  communicating  a 
more  artistic  tone  to  the  garden. 

But  in  addition  to  expatiating  upon  the  political  and 
physical  relations  of  gardening  in  landscape  to  man- 
kind, it  is  not  unusual  for  authors  or  editors,  in 
order  to  excite,  on  the  part  of  gardeners  and  the 
community  in  general,  an  increased  interest  in  the 
cause  of  gardening  in  landscape,  as  well  as  to  com- 
mend their  own  labors  to  public  favor,— to  indulge 
in  elaborate  encomiums  on  the  moral  dignity  of  rural 
pursuits,  and  their  adaptedness  to  ennoble  the  lives 
and  characters  of  those  who  engage  in  them.     Such 
encomiums  are  just,  and,  in  their  proper  place,  useful 
and    gratifying.       No    reflective    mind,    however, 
whether  that  of  a  gardener  or  a  tradesman,  needs  to 
be  informed  of  the  tendency  of  constant  communi- 
cation with  the  works  and  phenomena  of  nature  to 
purify  the  thoughts,  and  thus  exert  a  largely  restrain- 
ing influence  upon  the  dark  passions  of  the  human 
soul.    No  man  works  more  in  the  immediate  presence 
of  his  Creator  than  the  gardener.     He  sees  Him  not 
only  "in  the  cool  of  the  day,"  but  in  every  waking 
moment, — in  the  purity  and  fragrance  of  the  circum- 
ambiant  atmosphere, — in  the  untamed  grandeur  of 
nature's  mountains,  rocks,  fields,  forests,  and  gush- 
ing waters, — in  the  germination  of  every  seed, — in 
the  growth  of  every  leaf  and  of  every  blade  of  grass  ; 
by  these,  and  numberless  objects  besides,  is  he  im- 
pressed, not  only  with  the  power,  wisdom  and  good- 
ness of  Him  who  "causeth  the  grass  to  grow  for 
the  cattle,  and  herb  for  the  service  of  man,"  but 
with  the  gracious  course  of  His  providence,  which 
rewards  every  discovery  of  His  laws,  and  every  act 
of  obedience  to  them.     It  is  uttering  no  harsh  judg- 
ment, then,  when  we  say,  briefly,  that  the  man  who 
can  live  and  labor,  surrounded  by  so  many  and  so 
palpable  attestations  of  a  beneficient  and  controlling 


Power  above,  without  realizing  the  nearness  of  his 
relations  to  that  Power,  or  without  hymning  in  his 
heart  devout  ascriptions  to  praise  and  gratitude,  is  a 
sad  example  of  the  derangement  which  sometimes 
characterizes  man's  moral  machinery.  And  if,  with 
the  Book  of  Nature  thus  unfolded  so  luminously  be- 
fore him,  his  feelings  fail  to  be  voluntarily  awakened 
to  a  just  sense  of  the  honorableness  of  his  employ- 
ment, and  of  his  "duty"  to  improve  every  means 
and  facility  that  will  enable  him  to  become  skilful 
and  thrifty  in  his  calling,  no  words  of  rhetoric,  how- 
ever eloquent,  will  be  able  to  arouse  them. 


4««»» 


DROUTH,  UNDERDRAINING,   SCIENCE 
AND    PRACTICE. 

BY  J.  N.  R.,  INDIANAPOLIS,  IND. 

In  the  May  number  of  the  Gardener's  Monthly, 
you  seem  to  set  the  "teachings  of  science"  at  war 
with  the  "results  of  experience."  You  misappre- 
hend the  author  quoted,  or  I  misapprehend  the  point 
in  your  article.  The  author  quoted  intended  to  teach 
that,  in  an  undrained  field,  the  rains  which  fall  on 
the  surface  and  sink  through  the  surface  soil,  filter 
the  soluble  plant  food  down  into  the  subsoil,  and 
that  dry  weather,  in  that  it  draws  this  water  to  the 
surface  again,  compensates  that  evil. 

The  "scientific  author"  declares  three  facts: 

1st.  When  it  rains,  the  water  filters  through  the 
surface  into  the  subsoil.  2d.  The  water  in  the  soil 
contains  soluble  mineral  plant  food  in  solution.  3d. 
Soil  water  in  very  dry  weather  ascends  by  capillary 
attraction  from  the  subsoil  to  the  surface,  and  is  there 
evaporated,  and  whatever  it  holds  in  solution  is  left 
in  the  soil  at  that  point  where  the  water  becomes 
vapor.  I  understand  these  three  facts  to  be  esta- 
blished, beyond  all  doubt,  alike  by  science  and 
experience. 

If  in  this  the  author  has  assumed  that  drouths 
were  really  desirable,  his  position  might  be  doubted  ; 
but  it  is  still  true  that  soil  water  is  drawn  from  a 
depth  of  five,  six,  and  perhaps  sometimes  even  ten 
feet  to  supply  the  demands  of  a  dry,  hot  air,  and  it 
is  mathematically  certain  that  the  quantity  of  mineral 
plant  food  brought  to  the  surface  by  evaporation 
must  correspond  with  the  quantity  of  water  evapo- 
rated, the  depth  from  whence  it  ascends,  and  the 
supply  of  such  minerals  in  the  soil,  in  a  soluble  state. 
It  is  better,  in  my  opinion,  that  short  "dry  spells" 
should  evaporate  the  water  of  brief  rains  than  that 
protracted  dry  weather  should  ever  occur. 

But  if  it  be  true,  as  you  say,  that  a  deep  drouth  lets 
the  vital  air  deep  in  the  ground,  and  that  ini^oluble 
minerals  are  thus  rendered  soluble  and  capable  of  be- 
coming plant  food,  (a  fact  which  I  most  heartily  en- 
dorse,; it  is  a  "chemical  fact"  which  "experience" 


m\  iardmr's  PontMs. 


cannot  deny,  that  the  deepest  drouth  on  underdrauied 
soils  is  a  real  blessing.  In  this  way,  a  severe  drouth 
is  a  "  deep  tiller,"  running  far  below  the  rangeof  sub- 
soil ploughs. 

If   then    I  apprehend  the  matter  correctly,  the 
scientific  chemist  says  truthfully,  that  "whatever  of 
mineral  plant  food  is  dissolved  in  the  soil  water  is 
left  on  the  surface  by  its  evaporation  in  dry  weather, 
whilst  the  practical  gardener,  with  equal  truth,  says, 
"when  dry  weather  evaporates  the  water  out  of  the 
o-round,  the  air  enters  into  it,  and  by  oxidizing  its 
minerals,  renders  them  soluble,  and  thus  fit  to  become 
plant  food."     The  only  fault  I  find  with  the  agri- 
cultural  chemist  is  that  he  confined  himselt  to  one 
idea,  when  two  bright  jewels  lay  side  by  side.     The 
hot  sun  draws  the  water  out  of  the  ground  and  in- 
cidentally conveys  the  dissolved  mineral  plant  food 
from  below  to  the  surface.     As  the  water  comes  out 
of  the  ground,  the  air  rushes  in,  and  the  oxygen  of 
the  air,  by  combining  with  insoluble  minerals,  renders 
them  soluble,  ready  to  be  drawn  up  by  the  next 
drouth    The  agricultural  chemist  told  half  the  truth, 
and  the  practical  gardener  told  the  other  half. 

But  what  about  draining?    If  I  understand  the 
matter  correctly,   thorough    drainage    doubles  the 
quantity  of  water  evaporated  from  the  Burtace,be. 
cause  it  keeps  up  an  inexhaustible  supply  of  water 
in  the  soil.     It  is  not  generally  known  that  in  under- 
•drained  and  deeply  tilled  soils,  the  deposit  of  dew  m 
the  subsoil  at  the  depth  of  ten  or  twelve  inches  i 
continued  all  day  under  the  direct  rays  of  the  hottest 
sun  and  the  dryest  air;   and  the  more   rapid    he 
evaporation  from  the  surface,  the  more  copious  is  the 
Z)sit  of  dew  in  the  subsoil.     Thuswe  find  that,  m 
an^nderdrained  and  deeply  tilled  soil  the  water  de- 
scends only  during  and  soon  after  a  «aturatmg  rain 
hut  ascends  at  all  other  times.     The  --^^^  soi  land 
vegetable  foliage  condense  the  vapor  of  the  air  during 
Ihe  night,  because  they  are  colder  than  the  air.   Now 
the  subsoil  is  always  colder  than  the  surface  of  the 
ea  th  in  summer,  and  to  continue  the  dew  deposU 
aU  day   it  is  only  necessary  to  let  the  air  freely  into 
"bsoil.    From  experiments  which  I  have  made 
y  dS-mg  mto  the  soil,  smoothing  up  the  south 
111  of  the  pit,  and  placing  a  piece  of  glass  against 
it  and  noting  the  quantity  of  water  deposited  upon 
i  ;  o"  ter  surface,  in  a  given  space  of  time,  I  have  no 
d  ubt  that  drainage  and  deep  tillage  will  supp  y  more 
water  to  a  farm  or  garden,  during  summer,  than  the 
TnUre  rain  fall.     And  then   this  dew-water  never 
descends,  but  always  tends  upwards  to  supply  evapo- 
ratTon     ind  by  this  means,  too,  air  is  always  present 
[:rsoil,readytodecomposemineralsandmanure8, 

thereby  to  sustain  vitality  in  the  soil. 

But  how  does  underdraining   "cool  the   soil? 


The  statement  is  only  true  in  reference  to  the  surface; 

the  subsoil  is  rendered  warmer.     The  following  is  a 

true  statement  of. the  fact:  If  enough  atmospheric 

vapor  is  condensed  in  the  subsoil  to  make  one  ounce 

of  water,  there  is  thereby  heat  enough  set  free  in  the 

soil  to  heat  three  ounces  of  iron  red  hot.     If,  on  the 

other  hand,  an  ounce  of  water  is  evaporated  from 

the   surface,   a  corresponding    amount   of   heat  is 

wrapped  up  or  rendered  insensible.     During  a  hot 

summer  day  the  surface  is  cooled  and  the  subsoil  is 

warmed.      During  the   night,  radiation  eliminates 

this  heat  from  the  subsoil  to  the  surface,  and  then 

into  space.     Thus  heat,  as  well  as  water,  ascends 

from  the  subsoil  to  the  surface  in  all  underdruined, 

deeply  tilled  soils. 

There  is  one  idea  in  this  connection  which  de- 
mands a  separate  paragraph.    When  the  atmospheric 
vapor  is  condensed  in  the  cool  subsoil,  and  its  in- 
I  sensible  heat  is  thus  rendered  sensible,  that  heat  is 
I  just  so  much  electric  force,  and  it  cannot  reach  the 
surface  to  be  rendered  again  insensible  by  evapora- 
tion without  traversing  the  root-fibres  of  the  growing 
crop ;  and  this  electric  force  Celectricity  in  motion  J) 
is  vegetable  vitality,  and  consequently,  the  strongest 
possible  stimulant  to  growing  crops.     This  is,  in  my 
view,  the  richest  field  of  agricuUural  chemistry,  and 
a  point  of  inquiry  destined  to  cast  a  clearer  light 
upon  the  mode  by  which  fertilizers  act  upon  the  soil 
and  its  products  than  any  other.     It  will  teach  that 
alkalies  operate  as  fertilizers,  not  so  much  by  render- 
ing mineral  plant  food  soluble,  as  by  setting  electri- 
city in  motion  by  combining  with  and  decomposing 
other  minerals,  that  the  decomposition  of  vegetable 
substances  within  the  soil  does  more  good  by  the  de- 
velopment  of  electric  motion  than  by  supplying  plant 
food  in  the  soil.     And  if  this  position  is  correct,  it 
will  follow  that  green  manures  are  far  better  than 
the  best  guano,  as  experience  teaches  us. 

[Soil  water  is  certainly  drawn  to  the  surface  in  a 
drouth,  and  water,  under  certain  cirr.uimtances,  holds 
''salts  in  solution."     When  water  comes  in  contact 
with  alumina,  the  latter's  absorbent  power  is  greater 
than  the  solvent  power  of  water,  ^mX  filtration  com- 
mences.   Water  no  longer  "holds  saUs  in  solution," 
and  after  passing  through  soils  containing  alumina 
in  good  proportion,  is  as  nearly  pure  of  all  extrane- 
ous matters  as  it  is  possible  to  be,  as  water  from  the 
mouths  of  underdrains  abundantly  testifies. 

As,  then,  soil,  or  rather,  the  alumina  in  the  soil, 
absorbs  the  salts  which  were  held  in  solution  by  the 
water  passing  through  it,  it  is  a  question  how  far  the 
water  possesses  the  power  of  abstracting  them  again 
from  the  particles  of  soil,  and  bringing  them  to  the 
surface  during  evaporation.  The  probability  is  that 
a  given  particle  of  soil  can  only  absorb  a  certain 


*    ■  < 


f  J 


m 


u 


C|e  4larbmtr's  P^ont|Ij. 


quantity  of  a  soluble  salt,  and  that  then  water  may 
take  up  the  overplus  and  carry  it  to  a  near  particle 
that  is  deficient  in  quantity,  and  thus  equalize  the 
material  through  surrounding  matter.  In  this  way, 
drouth  might  be  a  slight  benefit  in  exceptional  cases, 
but  would  not  support  the  rule.  So  far  as  we  know, 
no  experiments  but  those  of  Prof.  Higgins  have  been 
made  with  direct  reference  to  solving  the  important 
inquiry,  and  though  we  do  not  believe  in  the  doc- 
trine ourselves,  our  ''point"  was  rather  to  question 
than  to  controvert  it. 

We  hope  experiments  will  be  tried.  It  is  so  easy. 
Take  a  six-inch  flower  pot,  for  instance,  fill  in  an 
inch  of  soil,  place  a  quantity  of  common  salt  on  this, 
and  then  fill  with  soil  to  the  brim.  Set  the  pot  then 
in  a  pan  of  water,  and  never,  under  any  circum- 
stances, let  any  water  flow  through  the  surface,  but 
as  fast  as  the  water  evaporates  from  the  surface  let 
water  be  added  to  the  saucer  below. 

"If  water,  by  capillary  attraction  from  the  subsoil 
to  the  surface,  is  there  evaporate!,  and  whatever  it 
holds  in  solution  is  left  in  the  soil  at  the  point  where 
the  water  becomes  vapor" — if  it  really  does  hold  any 
thing  in  solution  when  it  reaches  that  point — the  salt 
ought  to  be  brought  entirely  to  the  surface  by  a  long- 
continued  evaporation.  "The  other  matters  touched 
on  by  our  correspondent,  especially  those  in  connec- 
tion with  electric  force,  vegetable  vitality,  &c.,  are 
highly  interesting,  and  we  trust  will  receive  attention 
from  scientific  and  practical  cultivators. — Ed.] 


RUSTIC    BASKETS. 

BY  B.  R.  MITCHELL,  KINGSTON,  MASS. 

I  SEND  you  some  drawings  of  my  "rustic  work" 
for  the  Monthly^  should  you  think  them  worthy  of 
of  a  place  there. 

The  "Table  for  Flowers"  is  made  with  small 
baskets  fastened  on  the  small  branches  that  grow 
out  from  the  trunk  of  the  tree  which  forms  the 
standard,  as  you  will  see  in  the  drawing.      These 

Fig.  1. 


little  baskets  look  much  prettier  than  shelves,  as  the 
"rustic"  sides  come  up  and  hide  the  flower-pots. 

The  Flower  Basket  CFig.  1.^  is  much  the  same, 
with  the  addition  of  foot  and  handle. 

Fig.  2. 
/ 


The  Hanging  Basket  (Fig.  2.j  is  made  of  one 
solid  knarl  or  knot,  made  hollow  to  receive  the 
earth  or  pot,  and  is  hung  with  cords  or  strings  of 
acorns. 

The  other  stand  is  very  pretty  to  set  parlor  orna- 
ments on,  such  as  flower-baskets,  vases,  statuary,  »S:c. 
This  work  is  all  made  of  the  gnarls  and  peaks  of  the 
oak,  the  bark  being  all  taken  off"  and  the  wood  then 
varnished,  which  makes  it  resemble  the  most  unique 
and  ancient  carved  work.  I  will  say  I  was  awarded 
a  Diploma  and  Medal  at  the  Massachusetts  Chari- 
table Mechanic  Association  in  Boston,  September, 
1860,  for  this  work. 

[In  our  last,  we  gave  the  two  larger  sketches  by 
Mr.  Mitchell,  as  a  frontispiece,  and  now  the  others 
with  Mr.  M.'s  own  description  of  them. — Ed.] 


FUNGUS   AMONGST    CUTTINGS. 

BY   A   GARDENER,    rillLADELPIIIA. 

Last  year  I  read  in  the  Gardener's  Monthly  several 
articles  on  the  cutting  fungus,  from  which  I  have 
always  had  much  trouble  in  my  striking.  I  tried  most 
of  the  things  recommended,  but  did  not  find  much 
good  from  them.  One  of  your  contributors  spoke 
of  powdered  charcoal,  which  I  had  heard  of  before, 
but  never  tried ;  but  since  reading,  put  up  a  box  of 
it ;  but  I  thought  if  any  better,  it  was  not  much, 
as  I  lost  a  great  many  cuttings  in  it  also. 

When  the  spring  was  nearly  over,  and  I  was  about 
to  throw  out  my  sand-boxes,  something  brought  to 


%ht  iarkntr's  PontJIg. 


m 


my  mind  that  funguses  of  all  kinds  run  out  in  time,  as 
we  know  with  mushroom-beds,— after  the  crop  has 
exhausted  itself  in  the  bed,  the  spawn  seems  to  run 
entirely  out,  and  no  more  mushrooms  come  till  new 
spawn  or  a  new  bed  is  made,  and  even  in  the  old 
bed  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  get  new  spawn  to  run 
it.     Thinking  on  this,  I  saved  my  sand  till  this  year 
in  the  boxes  as  they  were,  and  used  it  again,  and  all 
through  winter  and  spring  have   seen  no   sign  of 
fungus.     It  is  the  first  time  that  I  have  been  quite 
free'^from  it  for  some  years.     Both  in  the  sand  and 
in  the  charcoal  there  has  been  no  sign  of  fungus. 

My  theory  of  fungus  is,  that  there  is  something 
in  the  sand  that  is  just  fit  for  fungus  to  grow  on,  and 
that  the  seeds  of  the  fungus  are,  perhaps,  always  in 
the  air  ready  to  grow  on  this  matter  whenever  it 
finds  it.  As  soon  as  it  eats  it  all  out  and  goes 
through  its  course,  it  must  then  disappear. 

I  had  a  laugh  at  your  story  about  rattlesnake-bones 
giving  Pete  a  good  time  in  cutting  his  teeth,  and 
thought  you  might  say  the  absence  of  fungus  this 
year  in  the  old  sand  was  only  a  chance,  and  that  if 
I  had  tried  new  sand  I  might  chanced  to  have  no 
fungus  this  season  in  it  either;  but,  on  second  thought, 
it  seems  to  me  reasonable,  and  so  I  send  it  to  you  to 
do  what  you  please  with  it. 

[It  is  reasonable-the  best  theory  yet  ofi'ered,and  we 
may  add  that  the  experience  of  our  own  propagators 
this  season  partially  confirms  your  views.— Ed.] 


same  dimensions  weighing  but  ten  pounds,  strong 

and  well  made  ;  if  such  an  one  had  been  employed, 

I  should  have  been  saved  three  dollars  of  express 

charges. 

I  have  often  received  things  in  heavy  cases  that 

would  have  done  just  as  well  in  light  mats,  saving 

much  thereby  of  useless  lumber  freight. 
I  hope  you  will  not  deem  this  idle  "carping"  at 

the  "  cheats"  of  nurserymen.  I  know  that  there  is 
by  far  too  much  of  this  foolish  creation  of  ill  feeling 
between  buyers  and  sellers,  whose  real  interests,  I 
am  sure,  are  identical ;  but  I  think  there  is  room  for 
a  reasonable  reformation  of  a  bad  practice,  which 
has,  I  am  certain,  its  origin  only  in  a  want  of 
thought. 

["Trade's"  communication,  referred  to  in  our 
last,  was  of  a  different  stamp  to  the  one  above,— 
merely  objecting  in  general  terms  to  views  ex- 
pressed in  another  journal.  "X."  presents  something 
tangible,  and  we  cheerfully  give  his  piece  inser- 
tion.—Ed.] 


«•■•» 


PACEING   PLANTS. 

BY    X.    NASHVILLE,    TENN. 

Though  you  express  a  disinclination  to  go  into 
the  subject,  it  has,  I  think,  some  aspects  that  you 
would  not  object  to  my  off-ering  a  few  suggestions 
on      In  my  experience  of  getting  plants  from  a  dis- 
tance, I  have  learned  to  estimate  at  its  full  value 
good  packing,  and  I  never  object  to  a  reasonable 
charge  for  it.     In  fact,  oftener  than  not,  I  append 
as  a  P   S  to  my  orders,  "am  willing  to  pay  double- 
extra  for  extra  good  packing.     In  fact,  I  should  be 
sorry  to  see  the  rule  established  making  packing  a  part 
of  the  price,  as  I  should  fear  it  would  lead  to  its 
being  too  often  carelessly  done,  as  is  now  the  case 
with  digging  up  of  trees,  when,  according  to  my 
experience,  the  roots  are  frequently  badly  cut. 

But  what  I  wish  to  say  now  more  particularly  is, 
that  you  Eastern  men  often  make  us  pay  heavy 
express  charges  for  heavy  packing  cases.  I  have 
just  received  a  case  from  near  your  city  which  con- 
tains by  actual  measurement  three  and  one  third  feet 
only,  but  which  weighs  forty  pounds.  In  my  freiglit 
bill  I  am  charged  for  sixty  pounds  at  ten  cents  per 
pound,  so  that  for  the  six  dollars  I  have  paid, /our  o^ 
A  I  them  were  for  the  ease.     I  have  a  case  by  me  of  the 


PRUNING   HOTHOUSE   GRAPES. 

BY  J.  H.,  NATCHEZ,  MISS. 

Mr.  Chitty's  remarks  are  very  sensible,  and  come 
to  the  point  at  once.  Mr.  Bright' s  system  is  very 
good  in  some  cases ;  if,  for  instance,  the  rafters  are 
short  and  the  vines  not  forced.  But  I  would  like  to 
ask  how  he  could  make  these  strong  buds,  that  are 
not  ripe  till  October,  break  well  and  have  a  heavy 
crop  on  next  March  and  April  ?  I  have  had  old  grapes 
myself,  in  Massachusetts,  eleven  months  of  the  year, 
and  I  have  cut  a  Black  Hamburg  bunch  off"  a  twenty 
year  old  vine,  five  pounds  weight,  highly  colored. 

Mr.  B.  talks  about  the  rafters  on  trellises  half 
covered  with  grapes  ;  but  a  gardener  that  has  a  good 
bord(;r,  and  knows  how  to  use  his  knife,  can  keep 
grapes  from  top  to  bottom,  covering  nearly  every 
square  foot  of  space  every  year,  have  his  vines 
healthy  and  keep  them  from  getting  unsightly  with 
=;purs  for  twenty  successive  years  or  more.  This  I 
liave  seen  done  in  splendid  style  at  the  late  Sir  Wm. 
Engilhy's  extensive  forcing  range  of  hothouses  at 
Ripley  Castle,  near  Harrogate,  Yorkshire,  by  Mr. 

Henderson. 

They  talk  about  the  grapes  at  some  large  places 
near  London.  There  are  grapes  in  Yorkshire  far 
ahead  of  any  thing  I  ever  saw  about  there-earlier 
and  larger.  About  fifteen  years  ago,  my  brother  ex- 
hibited peaches  in  London,  in  March,  from  Eating- 
ton  Park,  in  Warwickshire.  Dr.  Lindley  referred 
to  them  in  a  leading  article  in  the  Chronicle.  They 
were  sold  for  five  shillings  apiece  the  first  time,  and 
Kold  a-ain  to  the  Royal  Family  for  seven  shillings 
and  sixpence  apiece.     I  mention  this  to  show  you 


It 


m 


i;in(  (iardencr'a  JttontMg. 


that  the  "crack"  places  around  London,  to  which 
reference  is  so  often  made,  have  long  been  behind 
the  times,  as  compared  with  more  local  places. 


«•■•» 


INDIGENOUS    GRAPES. 

BY  WILLIAM   A.  WOODWARD,  MORTONVILLE,  N.  Y. 

Is  it  not  remarkable  that  while  the  desire  to  pro- 
duce and  introduce  new  and  valuable  varieties  of 
grapes  suited  to  our  soil  and  climate  has  increased 
until  it  has  become  a  mania  ;  that  so  little  attention 
lias  been  given  to  the  vines  which  the  God  of  nature 
has  planted  so  profusely  around  us?  and  which 
bring  forth  fruit  in  abundance,  so  that  we,  like  those 
of  the  fabled  golden  age,  have  only  to  put  forth  our 
hands  and  partake,  as  our  wants  require. 

The  truth  is,  we  are  too  much  led  away  in  our 
pursuit  of  the  summam  bonum,  to  seek  for  some- 
thing that  has  its  origin  afar  off.  I  will  not  say  that 
it  has  more  merit  for  being  "dear  bought,"  though 
with  many  that  has  its  influence  ;  no  one  can  intro- 
duce a  new  American  seedling  grape  without  great 
expense,  although  it  can  ultimately  be  cultivated  and 
propagated  for  mere  nothing. 

One  reason  for  this  unwillingness  to  believe  that 
a  native  grape  has  any  good  qualities  is  the  too  com- 
mon offensive  and  repulsive  application  of  the  .erm 
"Fox"  to  every  one  of  the  native  species.     An  in- 
cipient step  in  putting  down  "humbug in  grape  cul- 
ture" is  to  define  the  terms  we  use,  and  I  call  upon 
intelligent  cultivators  to  unite  in  frowning  down  the 
use  of  this  term  altogether,  it  has  no  meaning  when 
applied  to  the  grape  beyond  that  of  sour.     The  fox 
who  could  not  get  the  grapes  he  coveted,  pretended 
he  did  not  want  them,  alleging  that  they  were  8o^lr. 
Hence,  when   we  see  a  disappointed  office-seeker, 
who  tells  us  that  he  would  not  accept  the  appoint- 
ment if  offered  to  him,  we  say  "sour  grapes."    The 
phrase  fox   or  foxy,  then,  applies  only  to   unripe 
grapes ;  beer  that  is  turned  sour  is  said  to  be  foxed. 
The  term  has  no  reference  to  aroma  or  flavor,  which 
many  of  our  wild  vines  possess  in  an  eminent  degree. 
Among  wine-makers  it  is  desirable  to    obtain  the 
rich  aromatic  flavor  ot  the  wild  grape  to  give  that  in- 
describable taste  to  wine  known  as  bouquet.  *    I  know 
that  some  persons  pretend  that  all  native  grapes  have 
an  aroma  (stink)  which  reminds  them  of  a  fox  ;  this 
is  arrant  humbuggery.     I  am  a  cultivator  of  flowers, 
and  during  the  season  my  rooms  are  constantly  de- 
corated with  the  choicest  from  my  garden,  both  for 
their  external  beauty  and  for  their  delicious  perfume. 
Early  in  September  I  gather  ripe  grapes  from  a  wild 
vine  growing  on  my  farm,  and  place  them  in  my 
parlor  for  a  similar  reason.  They  perfume  the  house, 
the  odor  is  delicious— is  this  foxy  ?  is  this  the  smell 


of  an  offensive  animal  ?  Bah !  if  so,  commend  me  to 
foxy  grapes,  t  Acidity  (all  American  grapes  have 
a  larger  proportion  of  acid  than  those  of  Europe,^ 
is  the  proper  term  to  apply  to  unripe  fruit.  The 
Vitis  labrusca  is  called  foxy  when  it  makes  the 
mouth  sore,  and  is  caused  by  unripeness;  when 
fully  ripe  it  never  produces  that  effect.  I  suffered 
extremely  from  this  cause  last  fall,  by  eating  a  single 
bunch  of  unripe  Concord,  voted  at  the  head  of  the 
list  by  the  Fruit-Growers'  Society  of  Eastern  Pa., 
and  justly  considered  one  of  the  best  indigenous 

grapes. 

I  will  conclude  this  paper  with  an  anecdote. 
Having  found,  in  my  rambles  about  the  mountains  of 
the  Highland  terrace,  a  wild  grape,  producing 
bunches  resembling  in  appearance  the  Black  Ham- 
burg, which  were  ripe  and  luscious  the  first  week 
in  September,  I  showed  them  to  several  grape  cul- 
tivators, who  admired  them  very  much,  they  sup- 
posing them  to  be  from  my  grape-house,  grown 
under  glass.  One  gentleman,  who  raises  grape- 
vines for  sale,  in  particular,  ate  them  with  great 
gusto,  and  remarked,  that  "  if  we  could  only  get  such 
a  grape  to  grow  in  the  open  air,  it  would  be  worth 
millions  of  dollars  to  our  country."  Not  wishing 
to  mortify  him  before  other  persons,  I  proposed  to 
show  him  something  on  the  foflowing  day,  which  I 
thought  would  suit  his  fancy,  and  he  brought  several 
friends  to  examine  the  new  native  grape.  They  all 
pronounced  it  good— very  good,  but,  my  friend  of 
the  day  before  had  only  one  objection,  and  that  was, 
he  said,  peculiar  to  all  native  grapes,  viz.,  its  foxy 

flavor. 

I  appeal  to  all  sensible  grape  cultivators  to  abolish 
the  use  of  the  word  from  henceforth. 


«■■•» 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING. 

No.  5. 

BY   GEORGE  E.    WOODWARD,    NEW   YORK. 

To  prevent  any  misapprehension  of  our  meaning 
in  these  articles,  we  may  as  well  state  that  we  do 
not  intend  to  advocate  the  superior  claims  of  any 
one  profession  to  practice  that  of  landscape-garden- 
ing. We  have  not  said,  nor  do  we  intend  to  say, 
that  the  artist,  the  architect,  the  civil  engineer,  sur- 


*niis  is  the  Bouquet  (Knanthiqne.  of  the  Freuch.  A  chenii«t 
could  make  a  fortune  hy  preserving  the  houquet  of  our  early  native 
grapes.  The  ditticuliy  with  uh  Ih  that  tht-se  hii^iily  <»dt)nferou8 
grapos  rip(!n  live  or  six  wceiis  earlier  than  the  wiue  grapes  of  these 
m  niiitams,  and  we  are  ignorant  of  tho  process  of  proerviug  this 
delicious  fragraiicti. 

|We  have  one  vine  known  as  the  Vitls  Odoratlsslma,  which  is 
full  of  flowers,  and  emits  a  fragrance  like  the  Mlgnionette.  I  have 
never  observed  any  vine  of  this  species  which  hears  fruit;  the 
flowers  are  stamiaate. 


ihil  (Sardener's  JElonthlj. 


veyor,  or  draughtsman  is  any  more  capable  of  suc- 
cessfully pursuing  it,  than  the  gardener  himself. 
But  we  draw  a  wide  distinction  between  gardening 
and  landscape-gardening,  and  classify  the  latter 
under  two  separate  and  distinct  heads,  one  of  which 
has  nothing  more  to  do  with  vegetable  physiology 
than  the  practice  of  law,  while  the  other  requires  an 
intimate  knowledge  of  all  that  comes  within  the 
gardener's  profession. 

We  propose  to  show  that  the  finished  practitioner 
of  a  high  order  of  landscape  adornment  requires  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  art,  architecture,  civil  engi- 
neering and  gardening ;  that  one  is  as  essential  as 
the  other;  that  landscape-gardening  is  not  a  gift, 
but  can  be  acquired  by  those  who  have  the  ambi- 
tion energy  and  determination  to  succeed ;  that  it 
is  one  of  the  refined  and  cultivated  arts,  requiring 
an  educated  taste  and  ability,  and  does  not  admit 
of  a  medium  amount  of  information  of  any  of  the 
pursuits  which  it  embraces.  "Knowledge  is  easy 
to  him  that  understandeth. "  With  this  explanation 
of  our  views,  we  solicit  the  most  rigid  criticism. 

In  treating  the  subject  of  landscape  adornment  in 
this  manner,  we  advance  no  new  theories,  nor  as- 
sume  any  new  position  ;  we  are  simply  investigating 
and  illustrating  its  theory  and  practice.     But  to  our 

subject. 

It  is  by  no  means  possible  to  introduce  utility  as 
the  one  distinct  and  controlling  feature  in  improving 
a  country  place,  and  it  is  just  as  absurd  to  carry 
utility  to  an  extreme  as  it  is  to  carry  the  ornamen- 
tal ;  thus  extreme  utility  in  a  road  or  carriage-drive  in- 
dicates a  straight  line  and  a  regular  ascending  grade. 
In  the  natural  style  of  landscape  adornment  this 
would  be  sacrificing  both  taste  and  economy,  vio- 
lating the  principles  of  the  beautiful,  and  destroying 
the  harmony  of  naturil  lines  and  surfaces.     If  we 
sacrifice  utility  to  economy,  we   should  keep  the 
grade  line  near  the  surface,  or  undulate  with  it,  pre- 
senting a  straight  direction.     Now,  if  we  introduce 
absolute  economy  and  utility  in  the  location  and  con- 
struction of  drives  and  walks,  we  have  admitted  an 
increase  of  length  by  rising  and  falling  with  the  un- 
dulating surface  of  the  ground,  and  this  increase 
will  be  more  or  less  as  we  range  between  a  plane 
surface  and  one  of  a  very  rolling  character.     Two 
points  of  location  indicate  the  position  of  a  straight 
line,  and  whatever  difliculties  in  grade,  excavation, 
removal  of  trees,  &c.,  exist  between  or  beyond  those 
points  must  be  encountered;  they  cannot  be  avoided 
without  breaking  up  the  line.     Therefore,  unless  we 
have  a  plane  surface  to  deal  with,  neither  utility  nor 
economy,  nor  both  combined,  arc  arguments  in  favor 
of  the  use  of  a  straight  line.     Now,  if  the  element  of 
beauty   be   combined  with  those  of  economy  and 


utility,  we  shall  have  the  principles  of  a  thoroughly 
practical  road,  as  well  as  a  thoroughly  tasteful  and 
inviting  one. 

It  would  hardly  be  deemed  advisable  to  build  a 
road  without  considering  its  cost,  and  if  economy 
be  a  condition,  then  the  same  required  increase  of 
length  would  permit  the  use  of  the  beautiful  and 
make  a  reafly  better  road,  by  substituting  a  single 
gradient  for  the  undulating  grades  necessary  in  the 
economical  construction  of  a  straight  avenue.     Prac- 
ticafly  considered,  neither  an  undulating  grade  nor 
a  curved  line  adds  to  the  length  of  a  road,— any  thing 
that  should  enter  into  a  computation  between  utility 
and  taste.     Unless  carried  to  an  extreme,  the  entire 
loss  of  distance  over  an  air  line  need  not  exceed  five 
per  cent.,  and  may  be,  in  long  approaches,  as  low 
as  three  per  cent. ;  this  is  compensated  for  in  the 
selection  of  the  best  ground  that  shaU  give  uniform 
grade  with  the  least  possible  amount  of  excavation 
or  filling,  and  that  shafl  avoid  the  necessity  of  des- 
troying a  tree  or  a  single  natural  feature,  and  whose 
alignment  shall  be  strictly  in  keeping  with  the  lines 
of  the  beautiful.     Considered  as  a  matter  of  utility, 
economy,  or  taste,  a  curved  line  of  road,  properly 
located  and  adjusted,  expresses  each  quality  in  a  high 
degree,  and  the  most  perfect  combination  of  them 
all. 

The  arguments  against  curved  roads  are  based  only 
on  theory,  and  without  a  due  consideration  of  all 
the  facts  that  belong  to  the  subject,  and  we  are  not 
willing  to  ignore  a  disposition  to  express  the  beau- 
tiful, nor  in  this  intelligent  and  appreciative  age  do 
we  wish  to  spend  money  to  express  utility. 

In  the  right  line  style  of  landscape-gardening,  a 
straight  line  and  uniform  grade  would  be  in  perfect 
taste  and  keeping— it  being  a  rigid  demonstration  of 
architectural  rules  and  forms,  and  utterly  at  variance 
with  all  illustrations  to  be  found  in  the  teachings  of 
nature,  as  there  is  nothing,  not  even  a  solitary  ex- 
ample in  the  whole  range  of  the  picturesque  or  the 
beautiful,  from  which  a  single  conclusion  can  be 
drawn  justifying  the  use  of  the  right  line  or  the  right 
angle  in  any  department  of  landscape  embellishment. 
It  is  strictly  an  artificial  form,  and  belongs  to  one 
particular  school  of  landscape  art,  possesses  its  own 
rules  of  taste,  beauty  and  utility,  and  is  fast  receding 
from  the  position  it  once  held  in  controlling  the 
entire  design  and  arrangements  of  the  grounds  ;  but 
it  must  ever  have  a  recognizable  existence  as  the 
graduating  link  between  the  architectural  lines  of  the 
house  and  the  high  order  of  beauty  so  successfully 
iflustrated  in  the  natural  school  of  landscape  adorn- 
ment. 

The  position  is  entirely  false  that  presumes  upon 
a  higher  standard  of  beauty  than  that  derived  from 


\i 


Id 


i^e  iar tor's  HantJIg. 


the  study  of  natural  forms,  and  this  is  just  as  appli- 
cable to  any  of  the  arts  of  design  as  it  is  to  landscape- 
gardening.  Any  attempt  to  go  beyond  the  limit  of 
natural  beauty  meets  with  a  certain  failure,  and  we 
therefore  conclude  that  any  style  or  school  of  land- 
scape adornment,  founded  upon  a  natural  model, 
must  be  eminently  successful,  and  that  all  others 
must  take  a  secondary  position. 


>■■» 


AN  OLD 


BOTANY  AND 
BOTANISTS. 

BY  L. 


OLDER 


Fkiekd  Editor,  were  you  ever  overcome  with 
the  mania  for  collecting  antiquarian  treasures  in  the 
shape  of  coins,  autographs,  manuscripts  or  books  ? 
Did  you  ever  enter  heartily  into  the  spirit  of  a  friend 
who,  when  he  discovered  a  dilapidated,  rusty  old 
volume  on  the  stall  of  a  dealer  in  second-hand  books, 
clasped  it  to  his  bosom  with  the  suppressed  exclama- 
tion,   "It's  worth  its  weight  in  gold!"      If  you 
sympathize  with  this  venial  weakness  of  poor  human 
nature  thus  longing  to  commit  oneself  with  the  past 
and  realize  antiquity,  you  can  appreciate  my  delight 
on  coming  into  possession  of  a  tall  old  folio,  in  good 
preservation,  bearing  the  title  of  "Caspar!  Bavhini 
Theatri  Botanici    Sive   Historiaj  Plantarum,"  etc., 
Basilea,   1C58.      The  work  is  in  Latin,  the  first  of 
a  series  of  volumes  and  the  only  one  published,  in 
which  the  author  intended  to  describe  and  delineate 
all  the  plants  at  that  time  known,  and  to  reduce  them 
to  their  natural  order,  &c.     It  is  esteemed  a  very 
important  work,  and  contains  descriptions  and  nu- 
merous  well-executed    wood-cuts    of  the    grapes, 
sedges  and  some  liliaceous  plants.     • 

The  Botanical  Theatre,  or  a  History  of  Plants,  of 
Casper  or  Gaspard  Bauhin,  exhibits  unwearied  in- 
dustry, great  zeal  and  learning,  and  in  connection 
with  the  other  publications  of  the  author  and  his 
brother  John,  largely  contributed  to  the  progress  of 
botany.     In  all  the  qualities  that  conduce   to   the 
advancement  of  science  and  render  the  student  of 
nature  the  benefactor  of  his   species,  the  brothers 
Bauhin  were  surpassed  by  none,  unless  by  Linnjuus, 
in  their  own  department.     They  do  not  appear  to 
have  been  men  of  much  originality  of  mind,  and 
can  only  be  considered  useful  pioneers  ;  but  as  such 
they  are  entitled  to  the  gratitude  of  posterity,  for  as 
Dc  Candolle  has  well  remarked:  " If  they  did  not 
succeed   in  discovering  any  sufficiently  methodical 
manner  of  classifying  their  knowledge,  they  at  least 
rendered  the  want  of  some  good  classification  more 
apparent  than  it  had  ever  been  before." 

The  illustrations  with  which  this  work  abounds 
were  designed  and  painted  by  Gesncr,  a  century  be- 
fore, and  engraved  under  his  supervision.     This  ex- 


traordinary man  prepared  fifteen  hundred  figures  for 
his  "History  of  Plants,"  and  at  his  death  they  passed 
into  the  hands  of  booksellers  who  appear  to  have 
esteemed  them  the  sine  qua  non  for  illustrating 
botanical  books.  A  large  portion  of  them  appear  to 
have  done  duty  in  an  edition  of  the  Epitome  of 
Mathiolus  in  1586  and  1590 ;  again  in  the  German 
Herbal  in  1609  and  1678,  and  adorn  the  present 
Thoatrum  Botanicum  of  1658,  to  re-appear  finally  in 
a  more  recent  edition  of  1744.  The  publisher, 
Joannes  Konig,  of  Basle,  true  to  the  ruling  desire 
among  the  trade  to  present  his  works  as  novelties, 
does  not  inform  his  readers  that  these  pictures  have 
graced  a  half-dozen  publications  through  two-thirds 
of  a  century.  Though  his  readers  may  not  have 
thanked  him  for  palming  old  plates  upon  them,  we 
will  ever  prize  them  the  more  highly  as  the  work  of 
that  most  eminent  scholar  and  naturalist  who  was  so 
shining  an  example  of  the  truth  of  the  remark,  that 
those  who  have  most  to  do  and  are  willing  to  work, 

find  most  time. 

Conrad  Gesner,  one  of  the  most  learned  and  indus- 
trious of  men,  projected  a  Ilistoria  Animalium,  in 
which  he  had  for  his  object  nothing  less  than  a 
general  history  of  animated  nature,  concentrating 
and  critically  revising  all  that  had  been  done  before 
his  time,  enriched  with  his  own  knowledge.     Four 
well-filled  folios  of  this  work  were  published.     This 
might  have  been  considered  an  evidence  of  the  most 
persevering  and  praise  worthy  industry  if  it  had  been 
the  production  of  a  recluse  whose  whole  life  had  been 
entirely  spent  in  the  task ;  whereas,  it  was  only  one 
of  many  books  written  by  a  man  who  gained  his 
subsistence  by  periiaps  the  most  harassing  and  time- 
consuming  of  all  professions,  and  who  died  in  har- 
ness when  he  was  not  forty-nine  years  old. 

Zurich  was  the  field  of  his  practice,  which  enabled 
him  to  cultivate  his  tastes  for  natural  history.     He 
founded  and  supported  a  boUvnic  garden,  collected  a 
fine  library,  made  numerous  draAvings,  and  gave 
constant  employment  to  a  painter  and  an  engraver 
on  wood.     In  the  most  of  his  laborious  profession, 
the  astonishing  industry  of  the  man  found  time  for 
the  principle  works  on  which  his  fame  rests.     He 
lived  honored  and  respected  for  his  talents  and  bene- 
volence in  his  native  town,  until  an  attack  of  the 
pestilence,  which  he  had  successfully  combated  in 
others,  carried  him  off"  in  the  prime  of  his  strength 
and  usefulness.     On  the  approach  of  death,  he  de- 
sired to  be  carried  to  his  museum,  where,  amidst  the 
treasures  he  had  collected,  and  surrounded  by  the 
old  familiar  objects  of  his  study,  he  breathed  his 
last  in  the  arms  of  his  affectionate  wife,  for  whose 
conjugal  love  and  piety  contagion  and  death  had  no 
terrors,  with  the  calmness  of  a  Christian  philosopher. 
The  cuts  in  this  old  "Bauhin"  are  from  the  hand 


m 


Wm^  §mAtm'%  Jflanthlg. 


179 


of  this  devoted  student  of  nature.     They  will  not, 
however,  compare    favorably  with  a  wood-cut  of 
Bauhinia  upon  the  page  before  me.     This  name  was 
applied  by  Linnaeus,  very  happily,  to  commemorate 
the  merits  of  the  two  Bauhins,  for  the  genus  is  re- 
markable for  its  leaves,  being  generally  divided  into 
two  twin  lobes.     The  species  are  usually  twining 
plants,  found  in  the  woods  of  hot  countries,  often 
stretching  from  tree  to  tree  like  living  cables,  forming 
with  other  plants  an  almost  insurmountable  obstacle 
to  the  traveller  who  would  penetrate  the  recesses  of 
a  tropical  forest.     The  flowers  are  often  very  beau- 
tiful, and  the  plant  has  long  been  cultivated  in  the 
hothouses  of  Europe,  but  is  too  impatient  of  the  treat- 
ment received  to  flourish  and  produce  its  noble  blos- 
soms. Nor  will  these  cuts  of  our  old  folio  bear  compar- 
ison with  a  beautiful  cut  of  the  Gesnera  grandis,  now 
before  us.     The  Gesneracete  inhabit  the  damp,  hot 
parts  of  South  America ;  in  many  cases  overrunning 
trees  with  their  rooting  stems  in  the  manner  of  the 
ivy.     The  Gloxinias  belong  to  this  order. 

Well  deserving  was  Gesner,  the  Pliny  of  Germany, 
of  the  honor  of  an  order  of  botany  higher  than  any 
order  of  knighthood;  he  also  first  suggested  that 
there  existed  in  the  vegetable  kingdom  group3  or 
genera,  each  composed  of  many  species,  united  by 
similar    characteristics    of    the    flower    and   fruit. 
Taught  by  him,  botanists  began  to  understand  that 
the  diff-erent  families  of  plants  have  among  them- 
selves  natural  relations,  founded  upon  resemblances 
and  affinities,  and  that  the  most  obvious  are  not 
always  the  most  important.      The    distinction   of 
species,  the  establishment  of  genera  and  of  natural 
families  seemed    to   follow,  of  course,  after  these 
principles  were  once  established.     Clusius  was,  how- 
ever, the  first  to  describe  plants  with  precision  and 
accuracy,  neither  fiiulty  from  superfluous  terms,  nor 
from  omission  of  important  circumstances. 

The  common  tulip  of  our  gardens,  the  1  ulipa 
Gesneriana,  was  named  from  Gesner,  and  the  S. 
Clusiana,  an  allied  species,  from  Clusius. 

Carolus  Clusius,  or  Charles  de  V  Ecluse,  was  another 
devoted  botanist,  most  laborious  and  useful,  and 
ranks  among  the  most  celebrated  of  the  16th  century. 
He  was  born  at  Antwaht,  1526,  resided  and  travel- 
led in  France,  Germany,  Spain  and  England,  study- 
ing the  plants  of  these  countries,  and  became  curator 
of  the  botanical  garden  at  Vienna,  by  invitation  of 
the  Emperor  Maximilian  II.  He  afterwards  became 
Professor  of  Botany  at  Leyden,  and  died  in  1609. 

Few  men  suff'ered  more  in  following  a  favorite 
pursuit  than  Clusius.  He  has  on  this  account  been 
called  "the  martyr  of  botany."  As  early  as  his 
twenty-fourth  year,  through  excessive  fatigue,  he 
contracted  a  dropsical  complaint;  at  thirty-nine,  he 
broke  his  right  thigh  during  one  of  his  botanical 


^=^^ 


rambles,  and  a  short  time  thereafter,  his  right  arm. 
Whilst  at  Vienna,  he  dislocated  his  ankle,  and  eight 
years  afterward  dislocated  his  right  hip.     For  this 
he  was  treated  unskilfully,  and  ever  afterwards  was 
obliged  to  wear  crutches.   Want  of  exercise  brought 
on  other  diseases,  and  to  crown  all,  through  over- 
exertions in  eariy  life,  he  had  contracted  a  hernia 
which  troubled  him  to  the  end  of  his  days.     But  his 
bodily  infirmities  never  diminished  his  mental  ac- 
tivity, and  he  continued  teaching  and  writing  to  the 
very  last.     Not  a  very  encouraging  experience  for 
the  young  botanist,  the  reader  may  remark,  but  still 
an  example  of  the  pursuit  of  science  under  adverse 
circumstances,  highly  creditable. 

Clusia,  a  genus  of  plants  of  the  natural  order  Gut- 
tifera  Cbalsam  trees;  was  named  after  Clusius.    They 
are  trees  and  shrubs,  usually  parasites,  and  yielding 
a  viscid  juice  of  a  balsamic  flavor.     The  Clusia  rosea 
is  a  native  of  Guiana,  St.  Domingo,  and  other  parts 
of  tropical  America.     The  whole  tree  is  very  hand- 
some, and  but  "few  fruits  offer  so  beautiful  a  piece  of 
mechanism,"  says  Loudon.     It  grows  on  rocks  and 
frequently  on  the  trunks  of  trees,  where  its  glutinous 
seeds,  deposited  by  birds,  take  root  as  does  the 
miseltoe.     If  they  do  not  find  sufficient  nourishment, 
they  spread  on  the  surface  of  the  tree  till  they  find  a 
decayed  hole  or  other  lodgement  wherein  is  deposited 
a  small  portion  of  soil ;  the  fertility  of  this  being  ex-   , 
hausted,  a  root  is  discharged  from  the  hole  till  it 
reaches  the  ground,  where  it  fixes  itself,  and  the  stem 
becomes  a  large  tree.     Why  this  genus  was  selected 
to  honor  Clusius,  we  know  not,  unless  in  its  reliance 
upon  others  for  assistance  to  aid  its  growth.     It  may 
be  thought  to  resemble  the  botanist,  who,  in  his  late 
years  became  so  infirm  and  dependent.     Periiaps  the 
nomenclator  thought  that  a  tree  producing  balsam 
should  be  selected  to  commemorate  him  who  suffered 
so  much  in  the  preservation  of  his  favorite  science, 
and  so  often  needed  its  healing  aid.  .  ^    ^,     . 

Cffisalpinus,  who  was  contemporary  with  Clusius 
and  Gesner,  proposed  to  form  species  into  classes, 
though  his  method  proved  imperfect,  having  neither 
simplicity  nor  unity.  Coesalpina  brasihensis,  the 
Brazil  wood  so  largely  used  in  dyeing,  commemo- 
rated this  Florentine  lover  of  nature. 

John  Bauhin,   the  elder  brother  of  Gaspard,  a 
friend  and  pupil  of  Gesner,  composed  a  history  of 
plants,  evincing  great  learning  and  accurate  investi- 
gation.    Clusius  and  John   Bauhin  had  imagin  d 
Something  like  a  genus  of  plants  formed  by  the 
grouping  of  similar  species,  but  Gaspard  Bauhin  ex- 
pressed this  more  decidedly  in  remarks  upon  generic 
descriptions.     His  work,  the  old  folio  before  me,  the 
result  of  forty  years'  labor,  was  thus  of  grea   nnpm  t- 
*    T  ?«t,miifl  in  nrcnaring  h  s  system  of  botany, 
S:drgX^aVtoTeva'„U.gc^r..„„cl  on  which 

we  now  swul.     I  l.ri«=  this  old  volume. 


^■ 


^ 


M 


iP 


:l 


P.; 


^ 


^t,  ^mknefa  PontJIg. 


PHILADELPHIA,  JITNE  1,  1861. 


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ters directed  to  "The  Pubusheb  of  the  Gabdekeb'8  Mosthly 

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(M, 


INFLUENCE  OP  CLIMATIC  CHANGES  ON 
FRUIT  CULTURE. 

It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  near  all  our  older  set- 
tled towns,  and  in  long  cultivated  districts,  it  is  much 
more  dilRcult  to  raise  fruit  than  it  was  at  a  remoter 
period.  Not  only  is  the  crop  annually  more  uncer- 
tain, but  many  diseases  affect  trees  that  were  un 
known  years  ago.  This  fact  naturally  suggests  the 
inquiry  whether  more  favorable  circumstances  for 
the  general  health  of  fruit  trees  formerly  existed 
than  now  do  ;  anr',  if  so,  what  were  they  ? 

The  popularity  that  has  been  obtained  for  chemi- 
cal studies,  has  led  most  students  of  Pomology  to 
look  to  the  soil  for  a  solution  of  our  difficulties,  and 
has  led  to  a  pretty  general  belief  that  in  old  and  long 
cultivated  districts  disease  and  unfruitfulness  arise 
from  the  exhaustion  of  some  specific  matters  in  the 
soil ;  but  when  we  see,  as  we  often  do,  tracts  of  land 
which  have  till  our  time  retained  their  virgin  forests, 
newly  broken  up  and  brought  into  cultivation  in 
those  districts,  and  when  planted  with  fruit,  precisely 
as  the  successful  orchanls  of  the  past  age  were,  and  | 
yet  fail,— although  we  may  admit  that  the  absence  of 
some  particular  element  may  produce  disease  in  some 
instances,  we  cannot  agree  that  the  reason  is  suffi- 
cient to  cover  the  whole  ground  of  inquiry,  and  we 
have  to  look  beyond  this  for  some  more  wide-spread 
and  general  principle  of  evil,  and  it  proves,  in  most, 
perhaps  all  cases,  that  no  explanation  is  offered,  but 
some  facts  can  be  adduced  to  show  it  not  univer- 
sal! v  applicable. 

The  most  remarkable  instance  of  freedom  from 
disease  in  fruits,  is  when  they  are  under  orchard- 
house  cultivation.  So  far  as  general  experience  goes, 
the  peach  is  free  here  from  the  yellows,  the  blister, 
and  the  curl ;  the  plum  produces  no  knots ;  the  apri- 
cot gum ;  or  the  grape  suffer  much  from  mildew  or 


rot  •  and  all  of  this  results  from  the  single  fact  of  the 
trees  being  enclosed  in  a  glass  house.     If  we  ask  our- 
selves what  is  the  difference  between  trees  grown  m 
a  house  and  others  grown  in  the  open  air,  we  can 
only  answer  that  the  house  necessitates  a  moist  at- 
mosphere,  while  the  external  air  is  much  dryer. 
Some  might  say  the  house  is  guarded  against  sudden 
extremes  of  temperature,  but  it  is  not  so.     In  true 
orchard-houses,  where  no  artificial  heat  is  applied 
the  mid-day  temperature  is  often,  in  Apnl,  80'',  and 
the  night  temperature  but  a  degree   or  so   above 
freezing  point ;  an  extreme,  and  with  greater  rapidity 
of  change,  that  is  seldom  or  never  experienced  by 
trees  in  their  natural  season  of  leafing,  as  the  instance 
is  supposed  to  be  ;  so  that  we  have  still  no  alterna- 
tive but  to  refer  to  the  moist  atmosphere  for  their 
preservation  from  disease.     It  has  been  recently 
suggested  by  an  experienced  writer  in  the  Oardener  s 
Monthly,  that  it  was  not  so  much  the  regularity  of 
moisture  in  a  grapery  that  enabled  a  grape  to  resist 
mildew,  which  would  be  thus  destroyed  m  the  open 
air  as  it  was  the  absence  of  dew  under  such  circum- 
stances ;  but  it  amounts  to  the  same  thing,  as  those 
who  are  acquanted  with  the  theory  of  dews  know 
that  there  can  be  no  such  deposit,  until  a  comparative 
atmospheric  dryness  has  previously  existed.     Look 
at  the  subject  in  what  manner  we  may,  we  can  at 
last  attribute  the  superior  health  and  freedom  from 
disease  of  orchard-house  trees  only  to  the  fact  that 
they  are  grown  in  an  atmosphere  more  saturated  with 
moistur J  than  are  trees  grown  in  the  open  air.    Horti- 
cultural science  supports  the  practical  inferences. 

It  is  scarcely  credible  what  an  amount  of  moisture 
a  plant  exhales  or  perspires.     If  a  healthy  grape 
vine   in  a  twelve-inch  pot,  be  taken  from  a  vmery 
in  July,  rather   dry,   watered  and  weighed    then 
set  in   the   open   air,  and  the  pot    surrounded  by 
non-conducting    material,    so  that    what   moi^sture 
evaporates  shall  be  through  the  foliage,  we  shall  find 
on  re-weighing  at  night  that  for  every  five  hundred 
square-inches  of  foliage -surface,  there  has  been  a 
loss  of  about  two  pounds  of  water,  more  or  less,  ac- 
cording to  the  state  of  the  weather.     All  of  this 
moisture  passes  through  small  pores,  or  stomata,  on 
the  surface  of  the  leaf,  and  as  if  nature  herself  would 
teach  us  the  importance  of  studying  the  effects  of 
evaporation,   we  find  that   those  plants  naturally 
adapted  to   moist,  shady  places,  have  their  leaves 
with  an  abundance  of  small  stomata,  while  plants 
she  has  formed  for  hot,  dry  places  of  growth  arc 
furnished  with  thick  leathery  leaves,  and  few  stomata 
to  admit  of  evaporation. 

As  in  animals,  so  with  plants,  it  is  well  known 
that  while  a  moderate  perspiration  is  conducive  to 
health,  and,  in  fact,  necessary  to  the  system,  excess- 


•V>1 


C^il  §wciimtx 


s 


We  and  long-continued  perspiration,  though  the  sys- 
tem be  continually  and  regularly  supplied  with  liquid 
to  make  up  the  deficiency,  is,  nevertheless  exhausive 
of  vital  energy,  and  ultimately  ^^^'^:^''''^;'\'^^ 
and  the  perpetual  object  is  rather  -not  to  drink 
too  much,"  and  to  check  evaporation  by  coolness  and 

'^if 'the  vegetable  family,  where  light  and  heat 
are  so  essential  to  health,  the  moister  the  atmos- 
Dhere  when  plants  are  in  active  growth,  the  more 
fs  evap-ation^h^^^^^  and  the  system  loses  no  more 
than  is  just  necessary  to  keep  the  vital  forces  m  pro- 
per action  ;  but  the  moment  exhaustion  commences 
Tom  oTer-Wspiration,  fungi  and  the  other  destruc- 
L  agencies  of  nature  stand  ready  to  commence 
their  dissolving  duties,  and  the  diseases  we  lament 

are  the  natural  result. 

On  a  large  continent  like  ours,  where  most  of  our 
fruit  districts  are  removed  from  contiguity  to  large 
bodies  of  water,  agricultural  progress  must,  neces- 
sarily, render  the  atmosphere  dryer  in  the  course  ot 
time,  and  fruit-growing  be  less  successful  in  a  cor- 
responding ratio,  unless  precautions  be  taken  to 
adapt  practice  to  the  changed  circumstances.  The 
most  vigorous,  luxuriant  and  healthy  vegetation  is 
always  in  swamps  and  tropical  countries,  where  rains 
and  a  moist  atmosphere  are  particularly  charac- 
teristic, and  the  climate  it  produces  almost  unfitted 

for  human  life.  , 

There  is  the  same  mutual  action  between  heat  and 
moisture  in  the  earth  and  atmosphere  as  m  other 
branches  of  creation  ;  the  degree  of  one  is  regulated 
by  the  condition  of  the  other,  and  there  is  no  doubt 
that  the  failure  to  render  meteorology  ^  real  scienc^^ 
-in  other  words,  to  find  the  fixed  laws  that  regulate 
the  changes  we  experience,  arises  from  th^^^^^^^^^^ 
ing  of  tht  fact.  Records  of  atmospheric  fac  s  have 
been  carefully  kept  for  years,  but  the  condUion  of 
the  earth  at  the  same  time  has  been  neglected 

The  moisture  in  the  atmosphere  is  regulated  by 
the  heat  of  the  latitude,  but,   on  the  other  hand, 
the  heat  of  the  atmosphere  is  in  a  great  measure 
tempered  by  the  quantity  of  water  evaporated  from 
the  soil.      The  drier  the  air  the  colder  is  the  cli- 
mate ;  and,  of  course,  the  drier  the  soil,  the  drier 
the  air  becomes.     Records  of  many  years  show  how 
great  is  the  difference  between  the  moisture  in  the 
air  of  cold  climates  and  that  of  tropical  ones.    About 
twentv-four   inches   of  rain  per  annum   is  a    fair 
average  for  London.  Approaching  the  tropics  nearer, 
say  Algiers,  about  twenty-seven  ;  the  middle  of  Ar- 
kansas,  fifty  inches;  until,  reaching  the  equator,  about 
one-hundred  inches  per  annum  becomes  the  average 
fall.     Such  a  large  amount  of  moisture  could  not 
exist  in  the  atmosphere  without  the  aid  of  excessive 


which  by  its  millions  of  vegetable  pores,  fed  by  strong 
and  rapid-growing  roots,  brings  up  water  from 
many  feet  below  the  surface,  and  gives  it  out  to  the 
atmosphere  freely,  under  the  influence  of  the  tropical 
sun.  If  the  trees  were  removed  from  such  a  region, 
the  surface  of  the  soil  would  become  strongly  heated, 
and  all  the  moisture  the  air  would  receive  would 
have  to  come  from  the  few  inches  beneath  the  sur- 
face, drawn  up  by  the  slow  process  of  attraction  as 
the  surface  dried  ;  and  as  evaporation  is  well  known 
to  favor  coolness,  such  a  process  would,  necessarily, 
soon  show  a  marked  effect  on  the  climate. 

That  it  is  really  the  moisture  of  the  atmosphere 
that  regulates  chmate  is  also  shown  by  a  reference 
to  other  countries  ;  London,  though  near  50o  north 
latitude,  seldom  has  the  thermometer  below   10  , 
while  Philadelphia,  in  40^  at  10«  nearer  the  equatol^ 
ranges  about  zero.      Surrounded  by  the  sea  and 
other  moistening  influences,  less  evaporation,  and 
consequent  loss  of  heat  from  the  soil  and  its  vegeta- 
tion,  takes  place  than  with  us.     Even  when    he 
thermometer  does  fall  very  low,  such  aid  does  the 
moist  atmosphere  afford  the  vegetation  of  that  re- 
gion  that  it  is  rendered  capable  of  resisting  the  loss 
of  hkt,  that  vegetation  in  our  dry  dimate  would 
certainly  suffer.     The  London  Gardeners  Chromcle 
has  recently  stated,  that  although  the  thermometer 
fell  there,  last  year,  to  4«  below  zero  the  Camellia 
japonica  stood  out,   unprotected,   without   injury 
In  Philadelphia  it  is  killed  just  below  the  freezing 
point,-even  the  hardier  Euonymus  japonica  cannot 

struggle  through. 

We  have  said  that  a  moist  dimate  favors  a  vigor- 
ous, luxuriant,  and  healthy  vegetation ;  and  shown 
tha    such  a  vegetation  reciprocates  by  ^e-le™S  » 
climate  moister,  in  turn,  than  it  otlierw.se  would 
^    andThe  inference  is  palpable  that  with  the  pro- 
I'ss  of  dmining,  cleaning  off  of  forests  w  th  .ts  vast 
fmount  of  perspiring  foliage,  agricultural  .mprove- 
m"nt,  and  wVse  ^.nitary  regulations,  the  growth  and 
Lor  of  such  vegetation  as  prosper  best  m  a  mo.ste 
Ilimate  must,  in  some  degree,  decline,-and  wha 
^,  Uie  remedy  ?    We  must  endeavor  to  su.t  var.ct.es 
:    he  aUere'd  conditions,  selecting  such  as  haj 
fewer  po.«s,  harder  leaves,  a  firmer  texture  of  wood 
and  are  less    liable    to   over-persp.rat  on     ^hoose 
shadier  places,  protect  exposed  ^P"'^  ''y  *^^'*;; 
either  offences,  buildings,  or  trees  ;  ^^Z^^^^^'J^ 
stirred  on  which  the  trees  are  to  grow,  that  a  good 
s.m'ly  of  moisture  may  be  always  in  reserve ;  plant 

Zr  .he  sides    of   water-courses,   dams,   runn.ng 
near  the  s.dts    oi    w  ^^^^^ 

streams,  springs,  &c.,  wh.ch  lavor  a 

nhere    for  choice  fruits ;  and  where  the  "P*"""  ° 

cari's  not  so  much  an  object,  syringe  free  y,  and 

Tploy  the  garden  eng-^abo.  the  trees,  w^^^^^^^^ 


tail.     Bucn  a  large  aiuv^uLiv  v..   emnloy  the  garaeu  «"B'"^  " a«*  v;«ri« 

exist  in  the  atmosphere  without  the  aid  of  excess.ve    e™P^ J^  .^  .f^^^^  ^^^^^  „f  ^i.^  day  ;"  look  after  kinds 
luxuriance  in  the  vegetation  of  the  equator»l  reg.on,  ^ 


'¥ 


-?• 


I 


i  i 


1^, . 
hi 


I 


¥. 


m 


Che  ^mkntxB  Panthlg. 


that  ripen  their  wood  early  in  the  season,  so  that    newer  ones  are  likely  to  interfere  with  their  reputa- 

thev  have  not  a  profusion  of  soft,  succulent  wood    tion,  unless,  perhaps,  it  be  the  Oregon  Maple,  Acer 

ancl  leaves  when  our  summer  season  brings  its  dry    rnacrophyllum.     In  England  it  is  mergmg  out  of 

time ;    mulch  freely  about  trees,  and  occasionally 

water  the  mulch,  so  that  the   sun,  by  drying  the 

mulching  surface,  keeps  a  continual  vapor  arising 

about  and  through  the  branches  of  the  tree  above  it. 

These,  and  many  other  matters  that  will  readily  sug- 

ffcst  themselves  to  such  reflecting  minds  as  most 

good    gardeners    possess,   will    do   much  towards 

bringing  fruit-culture  back  to  the  successful  times  of 

our  forefathers,  and  compare  with  the  good  times 

all  those  of  our  present  day  enjoy  in  the  newer  soil 

and  climate  of  the  fiir-west  territories. 

If  any  thing  more  were  necessary  to  carry  convic- 
tion to  the  minds  of  our  readers  that  the  interrup- 
tion or  obstruction  of  the  proper  processes  connec- 
ted with  the  respiration  of  plants  is  the  main  cause 
of  most  of  our  modern  difficulty  of  raising  fruit  to 
the  perfection  that  our  forefathers  did,  we  could  pro- 
duce special  illustrations  in  abundance,  but  we  will 
refer  to  one -the  grape-vine.     A   cubic-foot  of  the 
ripe  wood  of  the  foreujn  grape  weighs  about  four 
pounds;   but  the   same  bulk  of  the  wood   of  the 
native  grape  weighs  neariy  six  ponnds.     With  dif- 
ferent varieties  the  results  vary,  but  the  average 
relative  proporiion  is  about  the  same.     One  would 
suppose  from  this,  without  any  knowledge  of  the 
fact,  that  the  large,  coarse  cells  of  which  such  wood 
must  be   composed,  would  perspire,  or  evaporate 
moisture  much  more  easily  than  the  smaller-celled 
and  more  compact  wood  of  the  native  vine,  and  that 
the  liability  to  disease  in  a  dry  atmosphere  would  be 
much  greater  in  the  foreign  than  in  the  native  variety. 
Experience  shows  that  it  is  just  so.    Side  by  side,  the 
tender-celled  foreigner  ''wilts"  on  a  dry  day,  and 
in  an  exhausted  soil,  before  its  hardier  neighbor,  and 
mildew,  rot,  and  other  diseases  follow  with  propor- 
tionate speed.     But  remove  the  said  vine  to  a  vinery 
where  a  moistcr  atmosphere  prevails,  or  suffer  it  to 
run  over  a  tree  where  the  ten  thousand   pores  of 
neighboring  friendly  leaves  perspire  and  make  a  sort 
of  artificial  vapor  about  the  vine  that  it  never  knows 
on  a  trellis,  stake,  or  frame ;  and  the  extra  vigor, 
health,  and  luxuriance  is  striking  and  complete. 

We  have  occupied  more  space  with  the  subject 
than  we  usually  devote  to  this  department,  from  a 
sense  of  its  great  importance,  and  hope  the  scienti- 
fic pomologist  will  give  it  the  attention  we  think  it 

well  deserves.  

, «>»•» — 


1    I 


a 


C« 


THE    OREGON    SYCAWOKB   MAPLE, 

Of  all  trees  for  general  purposes,  the  maple  class 
jems  best  adopted  to  our  climate.  As  shade 
•ees,  the  Red,  Silver,  Sycamore,  Nomay  and 
usiar    arc   deservedly  popular.      Very  few  of  the 


the  class  of  "new  and  rare  plants,"  and  beconriing 
well  known  and  appreciated.  For  avenues  it  is 
said  to  be  very  much  esteemed,  and  extensively 
planted. 

In  our  own  country  it  is  not  yet  much  known, 
and  has  not  been  planted  to  any  extent,  principally 
through  its  high  price,  and  again  from  a  mistaken 
idea  that  it  is  not  hardy.     Newly  introduced  or 
sickly  plants  of  even  the  hardiest  general  character, 
frequently  get  killed,  and  we  have  no  doubt  that 
when  plants  of  the  Oregon  Maple  die,  it  is  from 
this  cause.      The  tree  from   which  we  made  the 
above  sketch  last  summer  had  been  growing  near 
Philadelphia  the  past  three  seasons  in  an  exposed 
situation,  and  unprotected. 

The  leaves  are  very  large,— our  cut  is  but  one 
fourth  the  width  of  the  leaf  from  which  it  was  taken  ; 
but  it  will  serve  to  show  the  general  form  sufficiently  to 
distinguish  it.  The  whole  habit  and  appearance,  both 
of  leaves  and  tree,  give  the  appearance  of  a  very  luxuri- 
ant form  of  the  English  Sycamore  Maple,  Acer 
PseudO'platanus. 

It  is  a  native  of  the  whole  Pacific  Coast,  from 
upper  California  to  Frazer's  River.  It  is  said  to 
have  been  first  described  by  Pursh,  though  Menzies 


^^ 


^^  €ardmer'2  JKouthlj, 


and  the  expedition  of  Lewis  and  Clark  are  said  to 
have  also  discovered  it. 

In  its  native  country  it  is  found  in  the  alluvial  soi 
of  river  bottoms,  and  ranges  from  fifty  to  nmety  feet 

^1t  grows  readily  by  layers  of  the  strong  summer 
shoots,  and  there  is  no  reason  why  it  should  not 
soon  become  plenty  and  cheap 


-^Communications  for  this  department  must  reach  the  Editor 
on  or  before  ihe  10th  of  t^ie  month.  department  pri- 

jl3=»Thc  Editor  cannot  answer  leiiers  »ui 

vately.  ~ 

DRYING  Specimens  of  Vla^t^.-^ ''Subscribers^ 
^avs  •  "Please  inform  me  through  the  Monthly,  which 
Ire  the  best  and  most  convenient  magnifying-glasses 
or  microscopes  to  be  used  in  botanical  analysis,  and 
cost  of  same.  Also  if  there  is  any  cheap  form  of 
press  manufactured  convenient  for  applying  pressure 

commonly  used  for  field  examinations,  costing  from 
one  to  three  dollars,  and  may  be  obtamed  m  all  large 
towns  where  optical  instruments  ^'^^''f.,..^ 
Aswearesure  in  these  daysof  reviva  of^otanical 
studies  there  must  be  many  besides  a  "^^^^^^^f^^; 
who  are  interested  in  the  subject,  we  extract  details 
in  full  from  Balfour's  Manual,  an  English  work : 

-The   Vasculum  is  a  japanned  tin  box,  whicU 
should  be  of  such  a  length  as  to  ^^^^^"^^ ^Y^^]^' 
full  size  of  the  herbarimn  pap^;  it  ought  to  be  con- 
vex on  both  sides ;  its 
capacity  may  vary  ac- 
cording to  the  fancy 
of  the  collector,  but 
one  about  20  inches 
long,  by  8  or  9  inches 


r-v5^ 


•rand  5  deTp:will  not  be  found  too  large;  i 
Zu  d  be  furnish;d  with  a  handle  at  one  end,  and  a 
crple  of  rings,  through  which  a  leather  strap  ean 
pass  to  attach  it  to  the  shoulders  ;  the  hd  should  be 
lartre  and  fasten  with  a  little  catch.  v 

TrZ  Trowel,  or  Digger,  should  be  about  7  or  8 
inches  long ;  the  spud  2^  inches  long,  2i  i^nches  wide 
at  the  top,  narrowing  gradually  to  2 
inches  at  the  bottom.  It  should  be  pro- 
vided with  a  leather  sheath,  fastened  to 
the  waist  by  a  strap,  and  the  trowel  also 
attached  by  a  long  string. 

^  ^  The  Field-book  la  intended  to  press 
such  specimens  as  will  not  carry  home 
without  undergoing  injury.  Its  outer 
cover  may  be  formed  of  two  very  thm 
boards,  and  secured  by  straps  so  as  to 


give  pressure.  It  should 
be  inclosed  in  an  oilskin 
case  to  protect  from  wet ; 
and  may  be  carried  in  the 
pocket,  or  attached  to  the 
neck  by  a  string. 

"  Drying  Paper.  — We 
have  found  BenthalVs  pa- 
per to  be  excellent  for  «,  •  ♦ 
this  purpose,  and  always  employ  it.  A  sufficient 
stock  should  be  provided,  so  as  to  have  one  set  ot 
papers  drying  whilst  the  rest  are  in  use.  A  con^ 
venient  size  for  general  purposes  is  about  18  or  ^u 
inches  long,  and  11  or  12  broad.  It  is  as  well,  how- 
ever, to  be  provided  with  more  than  one  size. 

"The  Wooden  Boards  shonhXhe  ihe  QK&ci  size  ot  the 
paper:  twelve  should  be  three-eighths  of  an  inch 
thick,  and  two,  which  are  to  be  employed  on  the 
outside,  three-fourths  of  an  inch.  Some  prefer  sheets 
of  tin  to  the  use  of  boards  on  the  inside,  and  they 
are  certainly  lighter  and  more  convenient  for  carry- 
ing when  on  an  excursion. 

''  The  Collection  should  always  be  perfomed  dur- 
ing  fine,  dry  weather,  as  plants  never  keep  well  when 
coUectek  wet  with  either  rain  or  dew.     When  prac 
ticable  the  entire  plant  should  be  collected,  and    he 
roots  be  carefully  washed  to  remove  any  dirt  that 
may  adhere  to  them,  and  then  dried.     In  cases  where 
the  entire  plant  is  too  large  for  collection,  such  por- 
tions as  best  illustrate  its  generic  and  specific  charac- 
ters should  be  gathered.     In  most  cases  it  is  isneccs- 
sarv  to  have  specimens  of  both  flowers  and  fruit, 
Tarticularly  in  the  orders  Leguminos.,  UmbeMer. 
ComposittT.,  and  others.     In  cases  where  the  flowers 
appear  before  the  leaves,  it  will  be  necessary  to  pre- 
:re  the  young  twigs  bearing  the  ^^V^^^^ 
leaves  as  well  as  the  flowers;  and  when  the  ^xcs 
Lil  in  separate  flowers,  both  male  and  female  flow- 
er    should  be  collected.      When  bulbs  or  tubers 
Lnd  in  mucilaginous  matter,  it  will  be  found  a  ^ 
vantageous  to  enclose  them  in  a  little  paper,  so  as  to 
keep  the  drying  paper  free  from  dirt.     In  the  collec- 
rion  o    Fer^s  two  fronds  should  be  selected  -one 
to  exhibit  the  under  surface  with  the  re-productive 
or'ans  and  the  other  to  show  the  upper  surf^ace  ;  a 
Sn  of  the  rhizome   should  also  be  preserved. 
CZ  and  sedges  are  genei.lly  -^  f  ^^^ 

w  at^er  be  dry  and  sultrj^  they  may  be  spnnkled 
w  th  a  small  quantity  of  water.  When  portions  of 
Thubso   plants  of  woody  texture  are  required  to  be 


■i  ■:■  ■ 


1- 


m 


>■«■-, 


W: 


I 


l! 


ihi}  dardfiwr's  |ttonthIg. 


preserved,  the  bark  should  be  slit  up  and  the  woody 
portion  removed. 

*'The  Presting.— In  reference  to  the  best  means  of 
effecting  this  branch  of  the  process,  the  greatest 
difference  of  opinion  exists.  The  pressure  however 
ought  not  to  be  less  than  one  hundred  pounds,  and 
heavy  weights  should  be  used  to  effect  it.  A 
rope,  tightened  by  a  rack-pin,  instead  of  leather 
straps,  attached  to  the  boards  used  as  a  press  when  on 
excursions,  will  be  found  very  serviceable,  as  in  case 
of  an  accident  the  straps  may  be  difficult  of  replace- 
ment. Withering  considers  the  pressure  should  be 
gradual,  and  this  accords  with  our  own  experience. 
Some  make  use  of  a  press,  and  obtain  the  requisite 
degree  of  pressure  by  the  employment  of  screws  or 
wedges ;  others  adopt  the  more  simple  contrivance  of 
a  flat  board  and  some  books,  which  we  have  found  to 
answer  very  well.  We  have  even  heard  of  a  gen- 
tleman acting  the  part  of  a  press  himself,  by  re- 
posing at  night  on  the  plants  he  had  collected  during 
the  day. 

"In  our  opinion,  one  of  the  simplest  and  best 
methods  consists  in  the  use  of  a  box  exactly  the  same 
size  as  the  paper  and  board  employed  ;  the  requisite 
degree  of  pressure  being  obtained  by  the  gradual  ad- 
dition of  pebbles  or  sand,  and  of  these  we  have 
found  the  former  to  be  the  more  convenient. 

^'^  Arranging  and  Drying. — First  place  a  parcel  of 
four  sheets  of  the  drying  paper  upon  one  of  the  two 
thicker  boards;  then  take  a  sheet  of  the   drying 
paper  and  lay  it  evenly  upon  it ;  and  having  selected 
a  plant  for  preservation,  place  it  on  the  inside  of  the 
right-hand  sheet,  and  arrange  the  different  parts  of 
the  plant  so  as  to  illustrate  its  principal  generic  and 
specific  characters,  imitating  as  much  as  possible  the 
natural  appearance  of  the  plant ;  as  each  part  is  ar- 
ranged, retain  it  in  its  assigned  position  by  means  of 
small  pieces  of  paper  about  four  inches  square,  upon 
which  a  small  weight  may  be  placed.     Having  com- 
pleted the  arrangement  of  the  plant,  remove  the 
weights  one  by  one,  and  allow  the  fly-sheet  to  cover 
it ;   upon  this  place  another  parcel  of  four  sheets, 
and  proceed  as  before  to  lay  out  another  plant. 
When  as  many  as  a  dozen  plants  have  been  arranged 
in  this  manner,  place  one  of  the  thin  pieces  of  wood 
or  tin  upon  them,  and  proceed  as  before  until  a  suf- 
ficient number  have  been  prepared  for  pressure  ;  now 
place  upon  this  one  of  the  thick  outer  boards  and 
the  box  containing  the  pebbles,  which  should  be 
added  to  from  time  to  time  that  the  pressure  may 
be  gradual.     After  twelve  hours'  pressure,  remove 
each  plant  with  the  forceps  to  dry  paper,  and  pro- 
ceed in  exactly  the  same  manner  as  before  described, 
taking  care  to  open  out  all  crumples  and  rectify 
previous  mistakes,  arranging  the  plant  as  much  as 
/^  I  practicable  in  imitation  of  nature.     After  intervals 


of  twelve  hours,  the  same  process  should  be  repeated, 
gradually  increasing  the  pressure  until  the  plants  are 
dry,  which  will  generally  be  the  case  in  a  week  or 
ten  days,  but  varies  with  different  plants.  Some 
will  dry  with  only  one  or  two  changings,  whilst 
others  occupy  a  long  time ;  and  some,  as  Orchids, 
Sedums,  and  Sempervirum,  arc  exceedingly  diflacult 
to  dry  at  all.  To  accomphsh  the  drying  of  these, 
heat  is  generally  employed  ;  and  they  are  submitted 
to  a  process  of  ironing  with  much  success.  Some 
speak  very  highly  of  this  mode  of  proceeding  in 
general,  being  of  opinion  that  it  preserves  the 
colors  of  the  flowers  better  than  the  ordinary  pro- 
cess. From  our  own  experience  it  seems  highly 
probable  that  different  flowers  require  particular 
temperatures  to  succeed  well  in  preserving  their 
colors;  and  the  method  of  treatment  peculiar  to 
each  case  is  only  to  be  acquired  by  practical  experi- 
ence. Some  succeed  in  preserving  the  colors  very 
well  by  the  use  of  heated  sand. 

Preservation. — When  the  specimens  have  been 
sufficiently  dried,  they  should  be  carefully  transferred 
with  the  forceps  to  a  sheet  of  good  thick  white 
paper,  in  which  they  may  either  be  preserved  loose, 
or  fastened  to  the  right-hand  sheet  of  the  paper  by 
means  of  thread,  glue,  or  gum.  Of  these  we  prefer 
the  former,  as  the  two  latter  are  apt  to  attract  insects, 
which  will  in  a  very  short  time  completely  destroy 
an  herbarium ;  to  guard  against  their  attacks,  it  is 
as  well  to  brush  the  plants  over  with  a  spirituous 
solution  of  bichloride  of  mercury,  consisting  of  3  ij. 
to  the  Oj.  Some  prefer  keeping  the  plant  loose  in 
the  paper ;  they  are  certainly  easy  of  examination 
under  these  circumstances.  The  botanical  name, 
natural  order,  habitat,  and  date  of  collection,  to- 
gether with  any  other  note  of  interest,  should  be 
written  on  the  right-hand  comer  of  the  inner  side 
of  the  sheet.'* 

To  make  the  article  complete,  we  subjoin  the  fol- 
lowing from  a  recent  number  of  Dr.  Lindley's  Gar- 
dener^ a  Chronicle : 

"The  specimens  are  first  placed  between  sheets  of 
paper  (any  will  do,  Bentliafi'sis  best^,  until  all  their 
moisture  is  expelled.  In  this  process  they  lose  their 
color,  but  retain  their  structure,  and  often  the  form 
of  even  delicate  parts.  When  they  are  thin  they 
dry  quickly  in  a  room,  but  when  fleshy  they  are  dif- 
ficult. This  difficulty  is  much  diminished  by  steep- 
ing them  for  an  hour  in  a  strong  solution  of  corro- 
sive sublimate  before  they  are  first  pressed.  The 
same  process  may  be  advantageously  adopted  with 
all  plants  in  damp  weather,  when  it  is  difficult  to 
prevent  specimens  fVom  rotting ;  it  will  also  destroy 
the  disposition  to  throw  off  their  leaves,  which 
is  uniformly  shown  by  some  plants,  especially  conifers 
and  heaths.      The  drying  process  by  shifting  plants 


®hi|  iardcncr'a  Jttonthlg. 


185 


^ 


from  sheet  to  sheet   being  tedious,   a  ventilating 
apparatus,  of  which  the  following  is  a  representation. 


is  now  very  commonly  used.     You  may  make  it 
yourself,  with  a  couple  of  boards  and  a  bundle  of 
laths ;  and  you  can  use  a  piece  of  rope  instead  of  a 
strap.      At  the  time  of  drying,  a  plant  should  be 
accompanied  by  a  written  label,  stating  its  name, 
when  and  where  it  was  gathered,  and  any  other  par- 
ticulars  which  are  not  discoverable  by  an  examina- 
tion of  it.     A  collection  of  dried  plants,  if  carefully 
formed,  perfectly  kept,  and  correctly  named,  is  in- 
valuable to  a  student.      The  mode  of  keeping  a  her- 
barium is  this :  having  formed  a  collection  of  species 
thoroughly  dried,  let  them  be  washed  with  a  large 
camel-hair  pencil,  dipped  in  spirits-of-wine,  half  sat- 
urated with  corrosive  subfimate,  unless  they  had 
been  dipped  in  a  solution  of  it  previous  to  drying. 
When  parts  are  fleshy,  or  flowers  are  cofiected  in 
heads,  such  parts  should  be  soaked  with  the  tincture. 
Having  glued  down  as  many  specimens  as  may 
be  convenient,  take  them  carefully  out  of  the  waste 
paper,  and  look  them  over  to  see  that  none  of  the 
parts  are  loose ;  if  they  are,  fasten  them  down  with 
the  slips  above-mentioned,  which  are  so   adhesive 
that  it  is  merely  necessary  to  moisten  and  apply 
them      In  afi  cases,  too,  strap  down  the  main  stem, 
unless  it  is  covered  with  hairs,  in  which  case  straps 
are  superfluous.      The  next  operation  is  to  write 
near  the  lower  right-hand  corner  of  the  half-sheet 
the  name  of  the  plant,  and  in  some  convenient  spot 
near  the  specimen  itself  the  place  in  which  it  was 
gathered,  or  any  other  particulars  connected  with  it. 
In  small  local  herbaria  printed  forms  or  tickets  are 
sometimes  used,  in  which  the  name  and  all  other 
particulars  are    included ;    such  tickets   should  be 
pasted  Cnot  glued;  upon  the  lower  right-hand  corner. 
The  next  point  is  to  arrange  the  half-sheets  in  genera. 
Sheets  of  stout  brown  paper,  cut  a  little  larger  than 
the  half-sheets,  must  be  provided  as  covers.     At  the 
lower  left-hand  comer  of  each  paste  a  slip  of  white 
paper,  and  write  upon  it  the  name  of  the  genus,  to  I 


which  some  add  that  of  the  natural  order.     Then 
;^tl  each  generic  cover  all  the  ^f  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
fnff  to  it  and  the  operation  is  complete.     The  right 

Sfnd  ;^kets  or  names  on  the  ^^^^-^2^:^^^ 
snecies  and  the  left-hand  names  on  the  whole  sheets 
^ve2  enera ;  and  either  can  be  rapidly  re  e.ed  o 
without  the  one  interfering  with  the  o^ber  To  receive 
the  covers  of  genera,  wooden  cabinets  are  con 
s^ructecCwith  shelves,  on  which  the  covers  can  be 
placed  according  to  their  natural  orders. 

^^el-"l  feel  called  upon  to  give  yoa  the  part.eula.s 
Tf"  very  unpleasant  tUing  that  happened  to  me  w.th 
one  If  Tour  advertisers.  I  will  state  it  as  briefly  as 
^riCdleaveyoutodecidewhatisl^sttobe^^^^^^ 

Thet  he  kLdly  offered,  free  of  «,  a  f  -t- 
tings  of  the  same  to  applicants,  I  <=°°'=7^^'  °" 
the  whole,  that  he  was  an  honest  man,  and  ^nt  h,m 
the  nth  o'f  February,  $2  in  bills,  one  -  "  «an 
hank,  requesting  him  to  send  me  for  'l'*  ^*"'«; '=^; 
tings  of  five  or  six  of  the  variet.es  q»°  «>  "   ^^ 

santcard  at  |2  Per  tand^'' V' *"  Totter 7^ 
for  one  of  his  catalogues,  -^  P-^^  .-^^^  f  t 
he  might  have  for  sale  r_^"'  '  ^<j^  ,„  the 
answer  Cwhich   you  will   fi^^;"''"^^^  ,„,ti„gs 

last  part,  >>«' -'"'-\  ^^  .tTidid  n  t  n::lce  ft, 
nor  to  the  money  sent     At  fi.^t^^^^"  ^ 

and  expecting  every  day  to  receive  if 

wrote  him  a  letter  maUed  the  llth  of  M»«!^  ^-^^^^ 

ing  one  dollar  again  for  ^  !>«  -;«;™''^rs^a"^ 
a  few  Delaware  cuttings  m  a'=<=»''l»?<=^T^ '    ,„  ,„„a 

o„  page  3,  — jrivrrrof  rad;:::. 

Now  I  thought  something  was  wrong  somewhere, 
fnd  ;rote  to'him  on  the  28th  of  March  f^r  an  ex 
planation-whether  he  had  received  the  money  o 
not ;  or  whether,  if  he  had  received .   Cas  I  think  he 
did,' Since  he  received  and  answered  m« 
intended  to  swindle  me  out  of  it,  »"«  "^"         „„ 
immediate  answer.     To  this  agam  *"«[«  J*?^  ^j" 
reply,  though  there  has  been  time  ^^^^^^^^^^ 
Now,  Mr.  Editor,  I  app  y  to  you  ^o je 
and  handwriting;  certainly  you  nave  »  f 

mens  of  his  "genuine"  in  your  VO^.^^JZ 
pare  them.    Has  there  been  ^o^^^  Z^tl 
or  is  tlie  man  a  swindler  ?    It  sucn  i» 
ought  to  be  denomiced  to  the  readers  of  you  valu 

able  paper.    One  dupe  is  '"""g^- ^f  °"'Jt  "  „ 
others  fall  into  the  same  snare.    But  then,  as  is  the 


oiners  mii  mw  t""  »"• , 

case  with  me,  it  has  a  tendency  to  weaken  our 


!    t; 


m 


I 


I 


11', 


S;h4  (iarhner*s  Honthlg^ 


Western  liberality  and  confidence  towards  Eastern 
nurserymen ;  and  for  one  swindler,  many  honest 
and  upright  men  will  sufifer  from  our  want  of  con- 
fidence. 

By  the  way,  T  would  just  observe  to  you,  that  our 
esteemed  friend,  J.  Smith,  when  talking  of  Highland 
(-twenty  miles  from  here  J)  as  of  a  'tillage,"  is  rather 
funny ;  for,  as  compared  with  the  place  where  he  and 
I  hail  from  CGreenville),  though  it  is  a  county-seat 
and  incorporated  as  a  town,  might  well  be  called  a 
hamlet.     Highland  being  in  wealth,  population,  com- 
merce, industry,  about  thrice  as  much  as  Greenville, 
and  more  enterprising,  to  boot.     But  I  fear  my  letter 
is  too  long  already,  so  I  conclude  to  stop  now  and 
present   you  my  respects   and  well  wishes  as  the 
editor  of  a  very  useful  paper,  to  all  interested  gene- 
rally and  to  me  in  particular. 

You  will  notice  the  date  of  my  first  letter  was 
February  11th,  1861,  based  on  his  February's  card; 
and  his  answer  to  my  letter  says,  ''Yours  of  January 
30th,"— an  impossible  thing,  as  the  card  alluded  to 
did  appear  but  in  February's  issue.  This  discord- 
ance of  dates  might,  perhaps,  lead  to  a  clue,  as  I  never 
wrote  him— in  fact  never  noticed  his  name  before 
that  time." 

[The  following  is  the  letter  referred  to,  and  ac- 
companying the  above  communication : 

*''Tork,  Pa.,  February  \(Stli,  1861. 
Mr.  H.  Kohly:  Dear  Sir.— Yours  of  January 
30th  was  duly  received.  My  circulars  are  all  sent 
out,  and  I  have  no  new  ones  printed  yet,  but  the 
prices  of  grape-vines  as  per  notice  in  Gardener's 
Monthly,  are  the  lowest  that  I  can  furnish  them  at. 
Yours  truly,  John  B.  Good." 

AVe  have,  as  our  readers  know,  hitherto  declined 
to  interfere  between  advertisers  and  their  customers, 
principally  because  there  are  often  faults  on  both  sides, 
or  at  least  each  party  generally  thinks  the  other  in 
fault,  and  it  is  impossible  for  a  journal  like  ours, 
without  a  knowledge  of  all  the  facts,  to  decide  justly. 
Moreover,  we  think  that  in  dealing  with  a  stranger 
who  advertises  in  any  paper,  it  is  not  necessary  to 
lay  aside  the   ordinary  rules  of   caution   that  we 
certainly  should  employ  in  dealing  with  any  other 
stranger  whose  sign  we  might  see  in  a  public  street. 
Under  no  circumstances  is  it  prudent  to  send  money 
to  a  party  with  whose  general  reputation  we  are  un- 
acquainted.     While  thus   placing   our   advertising 
columns  on  the  freest  basis,  and  denying  the  right  of 
complaint  through  the  reading  pages  of  our  journal 
when,  disregarding  proper  caution,  parties  find  them- 
I  selves  deceived,  there  is  no  reason  why  we  should 
J  continue  to  insert  advertisements  from  parties  who 
^   I  do  a  general  business  on  dishonest  principles.     It  is 
our  duty  thus  far  to  protect  our  readers.     We  have 


received  many  letters  from  parties  all  over  the  Union, 
similar  to  this  one,  and  we  select  it  for  publication 
because  it  seems  to  tell  a  straight-foi-ward  story,  and 
to  have  just  grounds  for  it.  If  Mr.  Good  has  any 
defence  to  make,  brief  and  to  the  point,  we  shall  do 
him  the  justice  to  insert  it.] 


Verbenas  through  Winter— /ST.,  Montmorenci 
i^ctZi/j.— Verbenas  are  the  most  coquettish  of  garden 
flowers.  When  in  the  right  humor  they  will  strike 
roots  into  almost  any  soil  with  genuine  affection  ; 
but  many  with  yourself  find  them  too  often  heart- 
lessly unreliable.  We  believe  the  best  way  to  bring 
them  to  terms  is  to  layer  a  few  into  pots  of  rich  soil 
in  June  or  July.  About  the  first  of  August,  cut 
them  off  and  cut  down  the  layered  plants  so  as  to 
make  them  send  out  a  new  young  growth,  which  will 
usually  strike  root  well  and  make  plants  that  will 
keep  over  the  winter  without  much  diflftculty. 


Hanging  Baskets— /.  S.,  Neosha,  Bodge  Co.,  Wis. 
writes:— "I  am  a  new  subscriber  to  your  valuable 
paper.  I  would  like  to  know  the  process  of  raising 
and  managing  plants  and  vines  in  baskets  in  a  green- 
house, as  I  would  like  to  practice  on  them  but  do 
not  understand  the  mode  of  treatment.  If  you 
would  give  me  the  process  through  the  columns  of  the 
Oardener's  MontJily,  you  would  oblige  me  very  much, 
and  perhaps  some  others  that  are  as  verdant  as  I 


am. 


n 


[Hanging  baskets,  when  made  of  open  work, 
should  first  have  a  layer  of  moss,  with  the  green- 
face  outermost,  placed  as  a  lining  all  around  on  the 
inside  of  the  basket,  and  any  light,  porous  soil  filled 
inside,  in  which  to  set  the  plants. 

The  only  peculiar  after-treatment  in  a  room  or 
greenhouse  is  not  to  keep  them  in  any  very  dry, 
sunny  place,  but  yet  in  a  spot  where  they  will  have 
all  the  light  possible.  They  will  generally  require  a 
daily  syringing,  and  about  once  a  week  should  be 
taken  down,  and  for  a  few  minutes  entirely  im- 
mersed in  water.  Insects  are  troublesome  at  times, 
and  soon  disfigure  basket  plants,  especially  the 
minute  red  spider ;  these  should  be  looked  after  on 
their  first  appearance  and  destroyed  at  once.  ] 


The  Weather  A^D  the  CRors.- We  owe  our 
thanks  to  many  friends  who  have  kept  us  posted  on 
the  state  of  the  crops  ;  but  as  most  of  these  generally 
favorable  notes  were  before  May  1st  and  2d,  we  pre- 
sume the  frost  of  those  dates  will  tell  a  different  tale 
in  most  localities.  Here,  strawberry,  cherry  and  all 
fruit  blossoms  which  expanded  were  totally  destroyed. 


ihj|  (iardtntr's 


Nomenclature  of  Fruits.-A  respected  corre  - 
pondent  writes,  inquiring  whether  il.oOardener's 
rX  does  not  commit  the  same  fault  it  objects 
^  in  ''works  of  standard  authority,"  namely, 
''admitting  descriptions  of  fruits  from  irresponsible 
sources"  into  its  pages;  and  refers  to  our  notice  of 
the  Missouri  Janet,  at  page  143,  where  the  source  is 

n::^;^:;^;:^^-agazinearedifi.r^^ 
Jftlle  of  such  a  work  as  we  ^ad  .ference  - 


This  is  as  it  should  be,  and  it  is  with  the  best  in- 
tentions of  adding  weight  to  such  excellent  authori  y 
that  we  have  thought  it  our  duty  to  suggest  to 
pomological  authors,  that  the  public  look  to  them  for 
a  reasonable  amount  of  responsibility,  and  very 
little  to  their  contributors,  however  excellent  they 
may  be.  .. . 


Grape  Trellis -5.   F.  J5.,    Cleveland,    0. - 
"Being  one  of  your  subscribers,  I  take  the  liberty  to 
frnn.  thosc  of  such  a  work  as  we  nau  ixici.x...  .^.    ^^^  ^uether  it  is  necessary,  when  a  grape  vine  is 
Tt  is  the  duty  of  a  journal  to  give  its  readers  every  ^^^^^,  ,  house,  to  have  the  trelhs  some 

rt  of  ''rumor"  "gossip,"  "stray  waifs,"  or  items    |^^^^^   ^^^^  j^?      Is  six  inches  enough,  or  how 
iLmay  possibly  have  an  influence  on  horticulture.    ^^^^V" 

.vtimitv  is  then  afforded  to  "compare  notes,  ^^^^^^^  ^.^^^  ^^^^  ^^  ^^rive  best  when  they  are 

growing  between  the  wall  and  the  trellis  ;  but  they 
are  seldom  trained  this  way,  as  it  is  so  often  desir- 
able to  take  the  whole  vine  down  from  the  trelhs  for 
various  purposes,  and  the  rule  is  to  grow  them  on 
the  outside  ;  in  which  case,  the  trellis  maybe  as  close 
to  the  wall  as  convenient,  to  tie  the  shoots  to.] 


r„; ;^.u„  yTs tuen  affordea  to  "compare  notcV 

and  corrections  made  if  necessxry.  But  m  sucli  a 
vorkof  "standard  authority"  as  we  think  pomology 
ought  to  possess,  if  it  now  has  not,  notlung  doubt- 
uT  ould  be  admitted.  Its  duties  bI-I-I  co»men^ 
where  those  of  a  magazine  end.  Certamly,  if  we 
wire  cdtog  a  work  on  fruits,  two-thirds  of  what  we 
^k lerfe'etly  right  to  publish  in  the  Oarienef, 
\roJy  would  he  excluded  /rom,.p«^^^^^      I* 


Gazakia  sri-EKDESS-P.  W.  P.-Is  the  Gazania 
,r    -1,  uld  1«  exemucu  uuu.  ..»  ,--=^-  ■      -      splendens  half  hardy  ?      Can  any  out-of-door  pro- 

,      ,,  ,  „  nmnhatically  a  work  of  reference,  not  a    tection  keep  it  tlirough  the  winter? 
should  be  cmphaticauy  a  ^.^^^^  destroys  it,  but  ii 


mere  receptacle  for  stray  news 
Our  friend  says,  "  while  writing,  I  make  the  sug- 

gel/  tLugh'n'ot  for  publication;"  but  a^  others 

Ly  entertain  the  same  idea  as  he  has,  it  is  but  nght 

that  we  make  allusion  to  it. 

Since  writing  the  above,  we  have  received  a  note 
from  Mr  Downer,  inquiring  whether  our  regret  that 
"dTscriptons  from  irresponsible  sources  should  be 
achiS  into  works  of  standard  authority,"  was 
int  n^^^^^  fm  him.  We  never  write  by  inuendoes, 
andm  an  only  what  we  say.     Mr.  Downer  has  no 


^S^;:;  dSuoy;  it;  but  it  does  not  require 
much  heat  above  freezing  point  to  keep  it  through 
the  winter.]  

lj<iBECTS-J.U.,MadisonJowa.-Youv\nsecXsh'om 
an  apple  tree  were  crushed  to  a  paste  when  they 
reached  us.  Insects  should  never  be  sent  loose  m 
a  letter,  but  be  enclosed  in  a  pill-box. 

Grapes -Wm.    Young,    Hookstown. —WiW  you 
please  to  tell  me,  through  your  valuable  journal 


and  mean  only  what  we  say  Mr  Do  vner  lus  no  .^^^^^  ^^^^^^  ^^^^^^  ^^^^^^  ^^  ^^  grape-vme  leaves? 
cause  of  complaint,  or  we  do  not  """le  'J"''";  They  done  exceedingly  well  last  year.  They  are 
obiect  of  a  descriptive  book  of  fruits.     A  party  may    ^^^^  ^ja  _borc  a  few  bunches  last  year. 


:^;:^  tytom';rut""todesc.ribe  a  fruit,  and  his 
Z:£  and  eremt  in  the  matter  of  "' bc'ng^a  se^- 
V,„g,  and,  in  ^^ ^'^^^^^^1^'^^ 
iriuoCanddtir  enough  to  be  embra<^l 
rr  andard  'work  of  reference  on  f-'^  ^-'^^ 
we  think,  rest,  in  a  great  degree-some  little  at  al 
Tents-^nth;  "responsibility"  of  the  author,  and 


we  consider  all  other  parties  "  irresponsible. 

ThTmere  faet  of  a  reference  to  the  authority  from 
whel  a  description  is  taken,  docs  not  remov',^-  I 
responsibility,  unlesswe  are  to  miderstand  tlu;  wnter 

to  be  a  mere  "compiler"  of  the  "l"-""^  "^  "'",^',^ 

and  not  the  "author"  of  an  original  work,     f he 

works  we  allude  to  arc  not  viewed  as  "compila- 

,  r,  s  "     At  any  rate,  nine-tenths  of  the  community 

» trt  as  such  in  "Fruits  of  America,"  not 

J  receive  a  fact  as  sucu  r>„uj.ii.r  "  or 

,  i   "because  it  was  contributed  by  Mr.  ^«^2^'    ,«^ 

A]  any  other  party,  but  "because  it  is  m  Downing. 


four  years  old,-bore  a  few  bunches  last  year. 

[There  is  no  trace  of  disease  in  your  grape  leaves. 
The  spots  must  originate  from  some  external  cause, 
probably  a  hot  burst  of  sun  on  a  too  dry  atmosphere. 
Keep  the  syringe  going  amongst  them  frequently.] 

Wine  from  the  Hammondsport  CN.  Y.)  Wine 
Co^vA^^.-From  Mr.  Weber,  the  manager  of  this 
prosperous  concern,  we  have  received  a  case  of  their 
"Isabella,"  which,  though  only  one  year  old   our 
friends,  who  are  good  judges,  pronounce  exceUent. 
At  many  fairs,  horticultural  meetings,  and  other  as- 
semblages of  parties  interested  in  wine  n^anufacture 
this  season,  we  have  been  honored  as  an  ouUide 
member  of  many  "tasting"  committees,  with  oppor- 
tunities  of  judging  the  state  of  the  "latest  offenngs 
>vhich,  to  our  taste,  have  so  varied  between  vinegar, 
cider  and  the  fashionable  summer  syrups,  that  we 
were  getting  "out  of  conceit"   of  the  ability  of 


^WR-i- 


r- 


C|^  hardener's  Pantjjtj. 


Eastern  manufacturers  to  cope  with  Western  wine. 
But  Mr.  Weber's  superior  samples  of  the  genuine 
article  warms  up  our  faith  again. 


Grape  Houses— IF.  T.  H.^  Lexington^  Ky. — We 
will  give  an  answer  in  detail  to  your  inquiries  next 
month.  They  got  in  our  wrong  drawer,  and  we 
did  not  observe  them  till  the  last  moment. 


Plants — A.  B.  JT.,  Boxbury,  Mass. — Tradescantia 
zebrina. 


||ptD  anb  PlarF  Jfruiis. 


Apples  from  Bucks  County,  Pa. — Last  De- 
cember we  received  from  Mr.  Wilson  Dennis,  of 
Applebackville,  a  set  of  apples  little  known  in  other 
sections  of  the  country,  but  which  Mr.  Dennis  ad- 
vises us  are  very  popular  in  that  district.  The  fol- 
lowing notes  were  made  of  them  at  the  time  : 

Winter  Maiden'' s  Blush. — Fruit,  medium,  oblong- 
conic,  angular ;  skin,  yellow,  covered  with  large  dis- 
tinct carmine  dots ;  stem,  short  Chalf  an  inch j  ; 
cavity,  narrow,  deep,  irregular,  and  colored  with 
carmine ;  calyx,  closed ;  basin,  shallow ;  flesh, 
white,  crisp,  tender,  juicy,  sub-acid,  "very  good;'' 
seed,  large,  brown,  flat ;  core,  large.  This  variety 
was  the  best  of  the  lot,  but  "  not  of  the  apple  family." 


Water. — Fruit,  medium,  conical,  irregular;  skin, 
smooth,  greenish-j^ellow,  covered  with  deep  blush  ; 
stem,  short  fhalf  an  inchj,  very  slender,  inserted  in 
a  deep,  regular  russctted  cavity  ;  calyx,  nearly  closed 
in  a  shallow  basin  ;  core,  small ;  seed,  small,  plump 
and  dark;  flesh,  white, tender,  crisp,  sub-acid,  "very 
good."     This  we  have  described  before. 


Stackyard. — Very  like  Rambo,  but  not  as  good. 
Fruit,  medium,  oblate ;  skin,  greenish-yellow,  cov- 
ered and  marbled  with  yellow  and  red,  and  speckled 
with  small  spots  and  patches  of  russet ;  stalk,  tlirce- 
fourths  of  an  inch  in  a  deep,  regular  cavity ;  calyx, 
partly  closed  in  a  wide,  deep,  irregular  basin  ;  flesh, 
white,  crisp,  tender  and  juicy  ;  seed  and  core,  small ; 
"very  good." 

Wine  Apple. — Not  our  Hays' s,  sometimes  called 
Wine.  Fruit,  large,  oblate-conic;  skin,  yellowish- 
green,  marked  with  streaks  of  pale  red  and  blotches 
of  russet ;  stem,  long  Cone  inchj  in  a  deep,  wide, 
nissetted  cavity;  calyx,  closed  in  a  wide,  shallow 
basin  ;  core,  largo ;  seed,  small  and  black. 


JIM  or  Plerp  pianh. 


New  Japan  Trees.— Mr.  Veitch,  of  London,  as 
our  readers  know,  started  some  time  ago  for  Japan, 
where  he  is  now  collecting  for  the  English  gardens. 
The  London  Gardener's  Chronicle  describes  the  fol- 
lowing novelties  from  specimens  Mr.  Vietch  has 
sent  home : 

SciADOPiTYS  VERTiciLLATA.  Zuccarini.  Kanagawa. 
Tree,  120  to  140  feet.  Habit,  pyramidal,  distinct 
and  fine.    J.  G.  V. 

This  is,  perhaps,  the  most  remarkable  coniferous 
plant  yet  described.  It  is  erroneously  described  by 
Siebold  as  a  mere  bush,  twelve  to  fifteen  feet  high. 
It  has  stout  whorled,  yellowish-green  leaves,  resem- 
bling that  of  an  ordinary  cedar,  related  to  Welling- 
tonia  as  this  is.  Its  name  is  derived  from  two 
Greek  words  signifying  a  pai-asol  and  a  fir  tree  ;  its 
spreading  whorled  leaves  looking  like  the  ribs  of  a 
tiny  parasol.  Judging  from  Mr.  Veitch' s  specimens, 
it  must  be  a  plant  of  extraordinary  beauty. 

It  assumes  a  pyramidal  habit,  and  retains  the  same 
form  when  a  tree  of  one  hundred  to  one  hundred 
and  thirty  feet,  clothed  to  the  bottom  with  branches. 
This  tree  is  certain  to  be  appreciated  at  home,  and 
will,  doubtless,  prove  hardy  in  Great  Britain. 


Abies  microsperma.  Lindley. — Leaves,  ten  lines 
long,  three-quarters  of  an  inch  wide ;  cones,  two 
and  a  quarter  inches  long,  pale  cinnamon  color,  two 
and  a  half  inches  round  ;  seeds,  pale  cinnamon,  one 
line ;  wing,  two  inches  long,  nearly  ovate,  and 
occasionally  notched.  Hakodadi.  Tree,  40  to  50 
feet  high ;  under  side  of  the  foliage  very  glaucous. 
Its  foliage  resembles  spruce  in  point  of  color,  but 
the  leaves  are  as  long  as  Picea  amabilis,  and  per- 
fectly silvered  underneath. 

A  beautiful  thing,  quite  unlike  any  other  spruce, 
with  slender,  delicately-toothed  cones,  as  broad  at 
one  end  as  the  other,  and  the  smallest  seeds  of  tlie 


genus. 


Abies  Tsuga.  Zuccarini.  Mount  Fusi  Yama. 
— Tree,  100  feet.  Trees  are  much  used  by  the  Ja- 
panese.    GOOO  feet.     J.  G.  V. 

A  kind  of  Hejnlock  spruce,  much  like  that  plant, 
and  growing  twenty -five  feet  high.  Its  wood  is 
described  as  excellent,  yellowish-brown,  and  em- 
ployed for  the  manufacture  of  various  small  ware 
articles. 

This  species  was  also  found  at  an  elevation  of 
6000  feet,  growing  just  below  the  larch,  and  in  com- 
pany with  the  oak,  lime,  beech,  &c. 


ihii  (gardener's  Jttonthlg. 


Abies  Veitchii.  im(??ey.— Leaves,  varying  in 
length  six  to  twelve  lines,  three-quarters  of  a  line 
broad ;  cones,  two  and  a  quarter  to  two  and  three- 
quarters  inches  in  circumference  ;  seeds,  testaceous, 
two  lines  long ;  wing,  blackish,  two  lines  long,  with 
a  very  narrow  curved  crest  at  the  base  of  the  wing. 

Mount  Fusi  Yama.  Tree,  120  to  140  feet  high, 
between  A.  nobilis  and  A.  Nordmaniana.     J.  G.  V. 

This  most  remarkable  species  looks  like  a  small- 
coned  Silver  Fir,  and  is  wholly  diff-erent  from  any 
thing  previously  described.  It  is  named  after  Mr. 
J.  G.  Veitch,  whose  great  merit,  as  a  very  energetic 
explorer  of  the  vegetation  of  Japan,  it  gracefully 
records.  As  to  the  pine  called  by  the  same  name  by 
Mr.  Roezel,  whether  or  not  it  is  the  same  as  P.  Bo- 
napartea,  as  the  writer  of  the  Pinetum  surmises,  is 
unimportant,  since  names  so  published  can  have  no 
place  in  systematical  botany. 


"  ( 


J :.  ; 


luxuriant  than  when  exposed  to  the  sun.  It  grows 
where  snow  covers  the  ground  for  five  months  to- 
gether, and  where  the  thermometer  is  often  below 
zero.  At  Messima,  on  the  route  to  Mount  Fusi 
Yama,  the  woods  were  composed  of  this  Thujiopsis, 
which  were  among  the  finest  trees. 

Torreya  nucifera.  Zuccarini.  —  Kanagawa. 
Tree,  20  feet ;  foliage,  sharp.     J.  G.  V. 

The  specimens  sent  home  are  identical  with  those 
in  Lindley' s  herbarium  from  Zuccarini  himself. 

Cephalotaxus  drapacea.  /SiV&oZd.— Kanagawa. 
Tree,  20  to  30  feet.     J.  G.  V. 

Mr.  Veitch' s  specimens  are  very  much  more 
glaucous  on  the  under  side  of  the  leaves  than  the 
plants  now  in  cultivation. 

Juniperus  rigida.  Siebold, — Atame.  Tree,  12 
to  15  feet.     J.  G.  V. 


Abies  Alcoquiana.  J.  O.  Veitch  in  litt.— heaves, 
six  inches  long,  half  an  inch  wide ;  cones,  rather 
more  than  two  inches  long,  four  inches  in  circumfer- 
ence ;  seeds,  cinnamon-colored,  two  lines  ;  ring,  four 

lines  long. 

Mount  Fusi  Yama.  Tree  100  to  120  feet.  Wood 
used  for  light  house-work.     6000  to  7000  feet. 

A  noble  Spruce  Fir,  in  some  respects  resembling 
the  Abies  polita  of  Zuccarini,  from  which  it  difl'ers 
in  having  much  smaller  cones,  with  scales  of  a  dif- 
ferent form,  very  small,  leaves  glaucous  on  the  under 
side,  blunt  or  emarginate,  not  mucronate,  and  flat, 
not  four-sided. 

Abies  leptolepis?  Zuccarini.  Mount  Fusi 
Yama.  Tree,  40  feet.  The  tree  which  grows  at 
the  highest  elevation  on  the  mountain,  8500  feet. 
J.  G.  V.  

Thujiopsis  dolabrata.  Zuccarini.— Ihikoiiadl 
Tree,  40  to  50  feet.     Habit,  drooping ;  prefers  shady 

places.     J.  G.  V. 

A  very  few  plants  of  this  glorious  evergreen  tree 
have  already  been  raised  in  Europe  from  cuttings 
taken  from  one  or  two  imported  specimens;  and 
now  we  shall  have  seedlings,  Mr.  Veitch  having  been 
so  fortunate  as  to  meet  with  the  tree  just  when  the 
cones  were  ripened.  The  tree  looks  like  a  huge 
arborvitie,  with  magnified  leaves  of  a  black-green 
color,  glaucous  beneath.  The  wood  is  excellent, 
the  aspect  of  the  plant  superb. 

All  who  have  seen  the  beautiful  Thujiopsis  borealis 
can  appreciate  the  above  description,  though  the  T. 
dolabrata  is  still  more  beautiful.  That  it  will  prove 
hardy  there  can  be  little  doubt ;  and  if  so,  what  a 
treasure  to  our  gardens.  Mr.  Veitch  says  it  appears 
to  prefer  shady  situations,  the  foliage  being  more 


The  specimens  sent  home  have  the  leaves  very 
narrow,  exactly  like  the  figure  in  the  Flora  japonica. 


Bompstir   InfFinqpnrp. 


The  Californian  Mammoth  Trees  again.— 
In  a  recent  number,  we  gave  sketches  of  two  of  the 
most  remarkable  of  the  Sequoias  or  Wellingtonia 


frj 


190 


^\t  f  ardtncr'8  JUloiithlg. 


gigantca.     In  a  recent  file  of  California  papers  we 
find  the  following  notice  : 

"The  'Miner's  Cabin,'  the  name  of  one  of  the  big 
trees  of  Calaveras,  was  blown  down  in  the  gale  of 
Friday,  the  16th  inst.  It  was  one  of  the  largest  of 
the  group,  being  some  thirty  feet  in  diameter,  or 
about  ninety  feet  in  circumference.  Its  age  is  sup- 
posed to  be  three  thousand  years." 

Having  a  sketch  of  this  particular  tree  by  us,  we 
cannot  resist  the  temptation  of  giving  it  to  our 
readers,  as  with  our  views  of  the  influence  of  agri- 
cultural and  human  improvement,  we  do  not  expect 
our  posterity  will  see  such  large  trees  of  these  plants 
as  the  present  favored  race  docs ;  and  they  may  turn 
to  back  files  of  the  Gardener's  Monthly  with  great 
interest  for  preserving  for  them  these  ''shadows  of 
great  names."  The  measurement  taken  with  our  cut 
was  80  feet  in  c'rcumference. 

Though  a  fne  specimen,  the  "Miner's  Cabin" 
was  not  as  large  or  striking  as  the  "Pioneer's"  cabin 
within  a  shcrt  distance  of  it.  This  has  been  broken 
off  some  years  ago,  at  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  from  the  ground,  and  is  supposed  to  have  been 
alove  300  feet  high  ! 


It  is  gratifying  to  state  that  it  appears  likely  to  be 
entirely  hardy  here.  We  have  seen  specimens  out 
and  slightly  injured  during  1859  and  '60,  quite  un- 
injured in  1860  and  '61,  though  plants  set  out  last 
year  suffered  terribly.  They  should  be  protected 
with  branches  the  first  season  of  setting  out. 


PENNSYLVANIA  HORTICULTURAL 

SOCIETY. 

Official   Report. 

APRIL  16. 

The  regular  monthly  ineetmg  and  display  of  Fraits,  Flowers 
and  Vegefables  was  held  ou  the  eveniug  of  the  Ibih  of  April  at 
Concert  Hall.  Mr.  Caleb  Cope  presiding. 

The  following  premiums  were  awarded  : 

FOR  FRUITS. 

.   To  John  Chambers,  Mt.  Holly,  N.  J.,  for  Easter  Beurre  Pears,  in 
excellent  condition  and  of  flue  flavor,  a  Special  Premium  ot  $2. 

To  Wm.  Joyce,  gardener  to  M.  W.  Baldwin,  for  a  dish  of  fine 
Bananas,  a  Special  Premium  of  *l. 

FOR  PLANTS  AND   FLOWERS. 

To  Robert  Buist,  for  the  best  collection  of  ten  plants,  $.3. 

.«  ..  for  the  second  be.st  collection  of  SIX  plants,  *1. 

«  ««  a  Special  Premium  for  a  magnificent  collection 

of  new  plants,  exhibited  lor  the  first  lime,  *).     ,      ^,     ,      ^      ,, 
To  Wm.  Joyce,  gardener  to  M.  W.  Baldwin,  for  the  best  collec- 
tion of  six  plants,  9fL 
»<        •«  for  the  best  Specimen  Plant,  $2. 

»♦        «  for  the  best  Dwarf  Aziilea,$l. 

To  Adam  Graham,  gardener  to  Gen.  Patterson,  for  second  best 

Specimen  Plant,  $1.  ^ 

To  Henry  A.  Dieer,  for  best  12  varieties  of  Fosef,  f 2. 
««        "  "        for  best  ten  I'ansies,  $1. 

To  Thos.  Meehan,  for  New  Plants  shown  for  the  first  time,  a  Spe- 
cial Premium  of  $2.  ,,  ,  ,        •        ,     »     „ 

To  Geo.  Penn,  gardener  to  Jos.  H.  Hildeburn,  for  six  plants,  a 

Special  Premium  of  $1. 

FOR  VEGETABLES. 

To  Thomas  Meehan,  for  best  brace  of  Cncnmbers,  $1. 

«  •«  for  best  twelve  stalks  ot  Rhubarb,  ff\. 

ti  ««  for  be.«t  six  bunches  of  Radiwhes,  )j!l. 

To  John  Cook,  gardener  to  Rev.  J.  M.  Richards,  for  a  fine  dish 
ofPejeeTomatoes,  a  Special  Premium  of  *1.  ,,.    ,  , 

\mongtlie  new  rare  and  valuable  plants  exhibited  were  the  fol- 
lowing iroin  the  collection  of  Mr.  Buist :— Tupidauihuscalyplralus 
(a  splendid  specimen),  Ccntanna  nyinnocarpa,  Campylobotris  re- 
Kiilis  Caladiuins  UoulkHii,Newinauii  and  Belleymii.Salix  tricolor, 
Rlius  succedaueuni  or  .lapan  Wax  Plaut.  Oillet  Malmaisou  or  Tree 
Carnation,  Dickema  antaictica,  Cereus  Kiugii  (a  new  seedling), 
and  tiesueria  Miellezii.  ^.      ,,         u   j  i       •   •• 

Mr.  Meehan  exhibited,  for  the  first  tunc,  Dianthus  Heddewigii, 
Solaiium    laciniatum,  Silena   rubella   alba,  and    the    new   Azalea 

Barnard  Andra:.  ,      ..      «     ,  *.       .  j 

A  beautiful  show  of  Caniellias,  by  Mr.  Mackenzie,  attracted 
much  attention,  as  well  as  a  choice  specimen  of  the  new  and  rare 
Gazauia  spleiidens,  who.se  petals  open  only  in  the  daytime  and 
with  the  sun.     This  is  said  to  be  a  Une  bedding  plant. 

The  collection  of  Azaleas  exhibited  by  Wm.  .loyce  attracted  the 
attention  of  all  for  tl.eir  beautiful  training  and  rich  and  profuse 

bloom.  .     ,  ,  X,       ,    .      »       J 

Mr.  Dreer's  group  of  Roses  comprised  some  of  the  choicest  and 

late.st  acquisitions.  .  ^       .        ,.  .  ,        •    , 

Mr.  Drcer  had  also  a  fine  show  of  Pansies  of  large  size  and  varied 

colors. 


The  June-berry  as  a  stock  for  DWARFi^a 
Pears.— Mr.  Huidckoper  says,  in  the  HorticulturM, 
thiit  pears  grafted  on  this  stock  [the  Amelanchier 
Botryaplum,  also  called  in  our  markets  the  Indian 
Cherry]  arc  free  from  *'  blight." 


MAY  21. 

The  Pennsylvania  Horticultural  Society  held  its  regular  monthly 
meeting  Tue-day  evenini?.  May  21,  at  Concert  Hall.  The  attend- 
ance both  of  members  and  visitors  was  ([uile  numerous;  a  larger 
number  of  ladies  were  present  than  usual,  and  the  fine  display  of 
plants  attracted  marked  attention. 

The  large  and  noble  collection  of  fifty  plants  from  the  conserva- 
tory of  D.  Rodney  King,  Esq.,  including  the  best  show  ever  made 
before  the  Society  of  ornamental  foliage  plants,  was  a  distin- 
guished feature  of  the  eveninu;  they  were  all  well  grown  and  in 
high  health.  Among  the  novelties  were  the  Cyanophyllum  mag- 
nilicurn  and  Heliotropiura  variegatum. 

P.  Mackenzie  k  Son  contributed  a  very  extensive  and  benntiful 
assortment  of  Azaleas,  Fuchsias,  and  other  choice  plants  in  full 
bloom,  including  the  following  new  plants:  Linum  candidissimum, 
Marauta  Porteana,  Oazania  splendens.  Verbenas  Electra  and  Sal- 
ladin,  and  several  other  interisling  novelties. 

Mr.  Robert  Buist,  in  addition  to  a  fine  display  of  French  spot- 
ted and  fancy  Pelargoniums,  and  a  magnificent  specimen  of  the 
new  Pteris  argyra?a,  with  fronds  nearly  five  feet  in  length,  exhib- 


K§)n 


Ited  some  new  and  very  rare  plants  for  the  first  time,  among 
which  were  Acer  negundo  fol.  Variegatis,  Dielytra  eximia,  Bellis 
aiirubaefolia  and  Dracoena  umbraculiferie.  ,  ^     ,, 

Mr  Thomas  Meehan  contributed  a  fine  collection  of  Double 
7iunias  •  also  Spirea  crinlta  and  Caprifolium  Magnevillea;,  a  very 
elrly  sweet  Honeysuckle -all  new  plants;  also  a  choice  and 
v>o« lit ifnl  show  of  cut  specimen  shrubs. 
Se  fo  rowing^ontributions  also  graced  the  Society's  tables : 
F?om  William  Joyce,  gardener  to  M.  W.  Baldwin,  Esq.,  a  col- 
lection of  foliage  plants.  Cauliflowers  and  Asparagus. 

From  A.   Felten,  gardener  to   Henry  Duhring,  Esq.,  fine  Rhu- 
barb  Cabbage,  Cauliflowers,  Potatoes,  Cucumbers  and  Beets 
From  R  G    Swift,  Victoria  and  Ilobson's  Seedling  Rhubarb. 
IZm  John  Cook,'gardener  to  Rev.  J.  M.  Richards.  Ca  ceolarias. 
Grapes  in  Pots,  Strawberries,  Asparagus  and  specimen  plants. 
From  Thomas  Meghran,  Cucumbers. 
From  A.  W.  Harrison,  Sir  Charles  Napier  Strawberry. 
Premiums  were  awarded  as  follows  :  •o.t^^^f,.. 

To  Robert  Buist,  for  best  pair  of  specimen  plants,  $2  to  do.  for 
rMleetion  of  new  plants,  $2;  to  do.  for  Pelargoniums,  $1. 
''to  P.  MackenTie^A  Son*  for  plants  in  bloom,  $2;  to  do.  for  new 
plants,  a  special  premium  of  $1 ;  to  do.  for  specimen  Azalea,  »1^ 
^  To  Thonias  Meehan,  for  cut  specimens  of  hardy  shrubs,  *!  ;  to 
An   for  new  plants,  a  special  premium  of  »l.  ,      .     *,     i 

^  io  John  Co<!k,  for  second  best  pair  of  specimen  plants,  $1 ;  to 
do  for  best  six  Calceolarias,  %l.;  to  do.  for  best  three  bunches  of 
Grapes,  *l;  to  do.  for  Forced  Strawberries,  $1;  to  do.  for  Grapes  m 

To  William  Joyce,  for  best  six  specimen  plants,  $2;  to  do.  for 
best  suecimen  plants,  $2;  to  do.  for  best  Asparagus,  fl. 

To  A  FeUon,  for  b4st  Rhubarb,  $1 ;  for  best  Beets  $1;  for  best 
Cabbase.  $1 ;  for  best  Potatoes,  $1.  ... 

To  Thoma^  Meghran,  for  best  Cucumbers,  a  special  premium 

of  *^  .  .       », 

The  Committee  on  obtaining  a  new  room  made  a  report,  action 

upon  which  was  deferred  till  next  meeting. 

A  very  interesting  and  instructive  report,  from  a  Special  Com- 
rr-ittee,  Messrs.  Mitchell,  James  and  Saunders,  on  the  rise,  progress 
and  present  condition  of  the  Society,  made  in  answer  to  »  letter  of 
inquiry  from  the  Patent  OUice,  was  read  and  adopted.  It  pioves 
this  to  be  the  oldest  Horticultural  Society  in  America. 

Prof.  J.  Ennis  and  Adam  Graham  were  elected  members. 

rWe  subjoin  a  list  of  the  50  varieties  of  foliage  plants  in  Mr. 
King-8  di>ph.y,  for  the  information  of  those  who  wish  to  add  some 
of  these  desirable  plants  to  their  collectious.  They  are  all  very 
beautiful:] 


Sonerila  raargaritacea. 

"  "  superba. 

Echites  nutans. 
Acorns  variej?ata. 
Dracoena  uobilis. 
"        term. 
'•        versicolor. 
Begonia  Victoria. 

"       Rollisonia. 
Caladium  liaraatostygma. 
"         bicolor. 
M  "        picturatum. 

pictrm. 
Chantini. 
"         marmoratum. 
Heliconia  discolor. 
Solanuni  atropurpureum. 

'■        jasminoides  variegatum 
Crotou  pictum. 

lati  folia. 
Aspidistra  el.itior  folils  variegatis. 
Hoya  variegata. 
Bilbergia  acaulis  zebrina. 
Cypripedinin  venustum. 
Acorus  calamus  variegatus. 
Cyanophyllum  magniflcum. 


(I 


Graptophyllum  pictum. 
Desmodium  gyrans. 
Pteris  argyrwa. 
Aphelandra  squarrosa  citrina. 
Bertolonia  marmore;i. 
"  maculata. 

Oesnera  splendidissima. 
Maranta  fasciata. 
"       Porteana. 
'•       bicolor. 
««       pulchella. 
•'       vitUtta. 
micans. 
regalis. 
"       alba  Itneata. 
Tradeseantia  discolor  lineata. 
Farfugium  grande. 
Btchmeiia  argentea. 
Dietteubachia  ^eguina  picta. 
Pothos  argyrjea. 
Kranthenuirn  leuconervnm. 
Yucca  aloefulia  variegata. 
Stiusevieria  Guyauensis. 
Coleus  Blumeii. 
Ileliotropium  variegatum. 


BROOKLYN  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 

List  of  premiums  as  awarded  by  the  judges  at  the  Spring  Exhi- 
bition held  in  the  Academy  of  Music,  April  17th,  1861 : 

Collection  of  riants—Ui  Prize,  Louis  Menand,«lS. 

14  »'  2d  Prize,  George  Harolyn,  »10. 

Collection  of  Fern*— 1st  Prize,  Louis  Menaud  $6. 

tt  "  2d  Prize,  Phillip  /eh,  *4. 

Collection  of  Cacti— Ut  Prize,  Louis  Menand   $.'). 
Collection  of  r«'r?>cnav»— 1st  Prize,  Poynter  &  toddy,  ?.3. 
For  8  Plants,  Stove— Ut  Prize,  George  Hamlyn  $10. 

•  <  •<  2d  Prize.  Louis  .Menand,  *o. 

For  4  Plants,  Sfove—Ut  Prize,  Robert  Murray,  *6. 

«<  "        2d  Prize,  Louis  Menand,  ^t. 


For  2  Plants,  Stove— Ut  Priie,  Louis  Menand,  $4, 
««  «»        2d  Prize,  Robert  Murray,  »3. 

For  Single  Specimen  do— 1st  Prize,  Geo.  Hamlyn,  $3. 
•i  i<  2d  Prize,  Louis  Menand,  ttz. 

For  6  Variegated  Plants— Ut  Prize,  Louis  Menand,  $5. 

44  44  igj  Prize,  George  Hamlyn,  f.3. 

Single  Variegated  Plants— Ut  Prize,  Louis  Menand,  $X 

"  4»  »  2d  Prize,  George  Hamlyn,  $2. 

For  6  Azaleas— Ut  Prize,  Robert  Murray,  *S. 

.4        41  2d  Prize,  Thomas  Templeton,  $5. 

Foi'  3  Azaleas— Ut  Prize,  George  Hamlyn,  $3. 

44         44         2d  Prize,  Louis  Menand,  $3. 
Single  Azaleas— Ut  Prize,  Hamlyn,  $3. 

41  44  2d  Prize,  J.  W.  De  Grauw,  $2. 

For  4  Ericas— Ut  Prize,  Louis  Menand,  $6. 
44      44        2d  Prize,  George  Hamlyn,  !|14. 
JFbr  2  Ericas— Ui  Prize  George  Hamlyn,  ♦2. 

44      44  2d  Prize,  Louis  Menaud,  $4. 

Single  Erica— Ut  Prize,  Louis  Menand,  $3. 

44  «♦         2d  Prize,  George  Hamlyn,  #2. 

Jbr  3  Scarlet  Pelaryoniums—Ut  Prize,  Thomas  Templeton,  53. 
For  8  Roses— Ut  Prize,  Poynter  &  Foddy,  $0. 

44      44        2A.  Prize,  James  Wier,  $4. 
For  6  Roses— Ut  Prize,  Poynter  &  Foddy,  $4. 
For  Tropeolurn— 2d  Prize,  Robert  Murray,  $2. 

44  44  2d  Prize,  John  Eagan,  Long  Island,  f2. 

For  3  FMc/i«ia*— 1st  Prize,  Philip  Zeh,  *3. 

44        44  2d  Prize,  Henry  Tanner,  $2. 

Best  Double  Chinese  Primrose— Loam  Menand,  $1. 
For  best  StodiJeUy,  Wtrte— John  Eagan,  $1. 

44  44        colored — John  Woods,  $1.  .  „  „      *o 

For -k  Monthly  CarmUious—UtVrne,  Dailledowze  &  Zeller,  fd. 
ColUction  of  Cut  Floioers—Ut  Prize,  John  Humphreys,  »4, 
For  6  Catnellias—Ut  Prize,  John  Humphreys,  f:i. 
For  12  Roses— Ut  Prize,  Poynter  &  Foddy,  $2. 

44      44         2d  Prize,  M.  Donadi,  $1. 
For  12  Pansier— Ut  Prize,  M.  Donadi,  $1. 
Parlor  Bouquet— J ume^  Wier,  jr.,  $4. 
Hand  Bouquet— Ut  Prize,  John  Humphreys,  f3. 

44  .4  2d  Prize,  H.  Hudson,  *2. 

Basket  of  Flowers— Ut  Prize,  James  Wier,  $4. 
44  4«  2d  Prize,  John  Humphreys,  f3. 

4«  ««  3d  Prize,  Philip  Zeh,  ♦2. 

For  6  Lettuce— Ut  Prize,  Jonathan  Saul,  f  1. 
For  6  RkiU,arb—Ut  Prize,  Thomas  Prosser,  jr.,  Jl. 
For  25  Radishes— Ut  Prize,  Thomas  Prosser,  jr.,  fl. 
Best  LaOeliug—LoMia  Menand,  $2. 
The  following  are  the  names  of  some  of  the  principal  plants 

exhibited ; 

Geo r«e  Hamlyn,  gardener  to  W.  C.   Langley,  Esq  ,  Bay  Ridge, 
of  all  fhe  new  Jan^gated  and  ornamental  ^f;^fJZ:'ri^r"l 
Pavetta  Borbonica,  Maranta,  5  of  the  newest  Caladiums,  ^  varie 
gated  iegoniis,  So'nerUa    margaritacea.  J^^i^'^^'^l*  ^alT  a-'owt^^ 
l,M.a  iu.i.iliH    ind    terminalis,    Tradeseantia,    RhopaU,   t^i^^ios 

of  Erica  or  Heaths,  also  .Azaleas. 

Robert  Murray,  ga.dener  to  James  I'»tr\ck  Esq^.  Statj  S^^^^^^^^ 
choice  Azaleas,  1  Iropooium  ^r.color  BasketCul  I  lo«  er^^^^ 
Heuchmanii,  Erieostemon  intermedia,  Boronla  teiranara,  i^ 
aultea  formosa.  , 

Thomas  Templeton,  gardener  to  ^^t^Je  o^Alfred  La.^ 
G  choice  Azaleas,  G  Pelargoniums   4  J^'"?"^*"*'  [„"*'*'  "   * 
in  flower,  2  large  Geraniums,  1  standard  Gei-anium. 

8ia.s,  4  Gloxinias,  Basket  Flowers. 

Jc^hn  Eagan.  gardener  to  J.  Roch,  Esq..  Staten  Island,  Stocks 
and  Tropeolurn  tricolor.  „i,,,.^„ 

Georgrstein,  gardener  to  John  T.  Martin,  Esq..  Brooklyn,  choice 
plant  01  Azaleas.  «frc.  .„i,i„„  »ol- 

°  rre,id.nt  J.  De  W.  Graow,  .ome  eboi«  A..1...  wd  MLcella- 
Tc.'TowL.d,  ^..  Bar  Uidga,  6  «..  ,.rie,.led  C..ad,„.,, 
"L-   Wood.,  E„,   Wa.Wnf.oa    Height.,    .pl.adid    pla.l   of 

stocks.  .,,„„.„    v   Y     larirest  and  best  collection  of  rare 

LouisMenand   Albany    N   v.  U^ges  ^^^  ^^^^    ^,^ 

and  variegated  »«^^^Jj^*",^''cro?ons,  New  Golden  Arborvitic. 
;rr!:;;teX^c\"'anre;rFe'r:s  of  the  Golden.  Silver  and  Tree 

'' A^TsoIhe  new  and  rare  Tricolor  Fern.  Sago  Palm,  collection  of 
each,  Erica,  Pimclia,  Aphelcxis. 


-1 


ihij  ^ardmr'a  PontWg. 


John  Humphreys,  corner  of  DeKalband  Washington  Avenues, 
WeUinjctoQia  gigantea,  or  Mammoth  Pine  of  California,  2  Gol- 
den Arborvit«  this  and  the  Pine  are  hardy;  Aucuba  Japomca, 
;:?ie  alel  Hoily.  very  beautiful;  variegated  mtosporumDra- 
ceua  "spectabilis,  2  new  seedling  Camellias,  very  fine,  6  cut  Ca 
meUiaTe  choici  Azaleas,  variegated  Fuchsia,  Begonias,  8  new 
FuchSsl  American  Pitcher  Plant  in  flower,  1  new  Pelargonium, 
uSdKubJe^Tree,  2  Wardian  Cases,  or  PVl«'/-S-,^-;«^'rs 
basket  of  Cut  Flowers,  2  Hand  Bouquets,  stand  of  Cut  Howers, 
stand  of  Pansies. 

Poynter  &  Foddy,  Smith  Street,  20  choice  Verbenas,  very  fine; 
14  choice  Roses,  splendid. 

Dailledowze,  &  Zeller,  Myrtle  Avenue,  corner  of  Yates,--4  new 
Monthly  Carnations,  extra  fine;  20  choice  *?;  d*^; ^eautifu  .-(all 
newiraVorted  seedlings;)  12  Auriculas,  double  White  Wisteria, 
very  scarce  and  rare;  4  Clematis,  Cut  Roses  and  Pansies. 

James  Wier,  Bay  Ridge— S  choice  Roses,  Basket  Cut  Flowers,  1 
Table  Bouquet, 

Harry  Hudson,  Congress  Street— 2  Hand  Bouquets. 

John  Friend,  Fulton  Street— Callas,  Roses  and  Verbenas. 

D.  Saul,  Booklyn— Collection  of  Rhubarb,  Lettuce  and  Radishes. 

Thomas'  Prosser,  Jr.,  Bedford— Collection  of  Rhubarb  and  Water 
Cresses. 

O.  Eberhardt,  213  Grand  Street,  New  York -New  Style  of 
Flower  Pots,  Hanging  Baskets,  Fern  and  Wardian  Cases,  Bouquet 
Stands,  all  made  of  zinc  by  a  patent  process,  and  beautifully  orna- 
mented like  china. 

W.  V.  Bloom,  364  Atlantic  Street,  Brooklyn— Forcing  Glasses, 
with  ventilators. 

Persons  not  familiar  with  plants  and  flowers,  have  no  idea  of 
their  variety  and  beauty,  except  by  visiting  such  a  collection  of 
the  choicest  and  rarest  kinds  as  are  here  brought  together,  and 
there  is  no  Society  more  worthy  of  encouragement  than  this,  with 
its  softening  and  refining  influences  on  the  public  taste. 


«•■•» 


CINCIKNATI  HOETICULTUKAL  SOCIETY. 

APRIL  13. 
At  this  meeting  the  subject  of  discussion  was  Roses. 
Mr.  Wm.  Heaver  read  the  following  paper : 

THE  ROSE  AND  ITS  CULTIVATION. 

Of  all  the  flowers  in  the  garden,  none  excel,  in  uoiversal  admira- 
tion, the  rose.  Ages  ago  regal  honors  were  bestowed  on  her,  and 
the  title  of  Queen  of  Flowers  universally  accorded  to  this  lovely 
ornament  of  our  gardens,  and  this,  long  before  such  truly  royal 
fl  jwers  as  La  Reine,  Geaut  des  Battailes,  or  the  tenderly  expressive 
Souvenir  de  la  Malmaison,  had  challenged  the  admiration  of  all 
lovers  of  Nature's  most  beauteous  works. 

If  in  the  earlier  «ges  of  floral  gardening,  the  beauties  of  our 
favorite  should  have  called  forth  such  rapturous  expressions  of 
deliifht  and  admimtion.  what  wonder  that  in  our  day,  when  by 
the  art  aud  skill  of  the  florist,  tho^e  beauties  have  not  only  been 
so  greatly  enhanced,  but  the  season  for  enjoying  those  beauties 
80  much  extontled,  that,  instead  of  being  restricted  to  a  few  short 
weeks  ot  the  early  summer,  we  have  now  the  pleasure  of  their 
beautiful  presence  more  than  half  the  year.  What  wonder,  we 
say,  then,  that  this  universal  favorite  still  reUius  her  proud  title 
of  Queen  of  Flowers? 

Instead  of  being  confined  in  our  admiration,  or  divided  in  our 
preference-',  bv  the  White  Rose  of  York,  or  the  Red  Rose  of  Lancas- 
ter we  may  gratify  our  tastes  in  the  selection  of  every  shade  of 
color  from  the  purest  white  to  the  darkest  purp'.e,  through  the  in- 
termediate tints  of  Blue,  Pink,  Pale  Rose,  Deep  Rose,  Rosy  Crim- 
son I'urulish  Crimson,  to  Deep  Purple  ;  and  from  Golden  Yellow, 
thn'mgh  all  the  intermediate  shades  of  Apricot,  Fawn,  Bulf,  Creamy 
White,  to  spotless  Purity  itself.  ,       .^        .        ..      . 

To  enable  my  fellow -members  to  enjoy  those  beauties  in  per- 
fection is  the  object  of  the  present  communication. 
PREPARING   THE  SOIL. 

The  character  of  the  soil  is  one  of  the  most  important  particulars 
for  the  perfect  growth  of  plant  and  full  development  of  flower 
Decomposed   turfy   loam,  mixed  with  one  fourth  part  old  rotted 
stable  manure,  with  a  small  portion  of  sharp  sand,  is  the  best 
compost  for  Roses. 

When  designed  to  be  planted  In  beds,  (which  is  decidedly  the 
best  way  of  having  them  in  perfection,)  the  sub-soil,  if  clay,  should 
be  trenched  to  the  depth  of  twenty  or  twenty-four  inches,  of  which 
the  lower  six  inches  should  be  thrown  out,  and  the  compost  of 
turfy  loam  and  manure  be  incorporated  Into  the  surfuce  soil  of  the 
bed  Should  the  lower  strata  be  of  a  very  tenacious  character, 
and  retentive  of  water,  some  drainage  of  brickbats,  broken  rock 
or  brushwood  to  the  depth  of  four  or  five  inches,  should  be  placed 


at  the  bottom,  and  a  drain  to  lead  off  the  water,  and  thus  prevent 
the  ill  effects  resulting  from  stagnant  water  or  excessive  moisture 

The  fall  is  the  best  time  for  performing  this  work,  and  if  the 
roses  are  to  be  transplanted  from  the  ground,  it  is  the  best  season 
for  planting,  but  if  the  work  of  preparing  the  bud  has  been  left  till 
spring,  and  the  intention  is  to  plant  out  such  as  have  been  grown  in 
pots  it  should  be  done  as  early  in  the  spring  as  possible,  after  the 
dangers  from  killing  frosts  has  passed.  In  our  climate  it  is  a  mat- 
ter of  much  imporUnce  for  the  future  welfare  and  the  vigorous 
growth  of  the  plants,  that  planting  should  be  done  before  the  great 
heat  and  drought  of  summer  sets  in.  ,     .    »       , 

In  planting,  care  should  be  taken  not  to  set  the  plants  too  deep 
in  the  ground  ;  much  injury  to  the  plants  and  disappointment  fre- 
quently results  from  this  cause. 

In  planting  in  beds,  they  should  be  set  from  two  to  four  feet 
apart  varying  according  to  the  habit  and  character  of  the  variety, 
the  stronger  and  more  rampant  growers  requiring  the  most  room. 

On  some  future  occasion  I  may  present  you  information  with 
regard  to  summer  management,  pruning,  winter  protection  for  t lie 
more  tender  kinds,  also  the  best  modes  of  massing  and  grouping, 
with  descriptive  lists  of  the  best  varieties,  their  habits,  «c. 
Respectfully  submitted, 

vV Ha    xlBAv£R* 

Ordered  to  be  entered  upon  the  minutes. 

REPORT  OF   FRUIT  COMMITTEE. 

From  Dr  H.  J.  Bower,  Moore's  Hill,  Ind.— Apples  for  name- 
Committee  call  this  apple  the  Bower's  Seedling,  an  excellent  long- 
keeping  apple,  equal  and  much  resembling  Newtown  1  ippin. 

Fiamen  Ball's  Seedling;  a  small,  sweet  apple,  not  worthy  of  cul- 
tivation. „    -,     .        ,,     ,  o    _I        A    U 

By  Geo.  L.  Frankenstein,  from  C.  Cadwallader,  near  Springfield, 
Ohio— apple  for  name:  pronounced  the  Michjel  Henry  Pippm. 

By  A.  A.  Mullett,  from  Jos  Cooper— apples  for  name ;  probably 
seedlinifs— not  worthy  of  cultivation. 

J.  E  MoFTiEB,     commUtee. 

8.  MOSHER.         S 

Report  of  Flower  Committee  laid  over. 


4«»»* 


PHILADELPHIA    PEOGRESSIVE   GAR- 
DENER'S SOCIETY. 

A  correspondent  sends  us  a  note,  from  which  we  extract  the  fol- 

lowinff  * 

"  You  have  given  offence  to  several  members  of  the  Progressive 
Gardener's  Society,  Philadelphia,  by  publishing  in  this  mouth's 
number,  that  William  Saundeis  is  President,  and  R.  R.  Scott,  Sec- 
retary. Not  so.  John  Pollock  is  President,  and  W.  Saunders  is 
Secretary,  James  Eadie  is  Vice  President.  You  should  acknowledge 
the  error,  and  make  the  correction  in  your  June  number." 

To  which  we  have  to  reply  that  though  our  experience  with  this 
journal  has  taught  us  particularly  the  art  of  oflending,  it  is  much 
easier  of  accomplishment  than  we  ever  supposed,  juduing  by  this 
specimen.  For  a  whole  year  past  we  have  had  It  standing  thai  Mr. 
Saunders  was  President,  aud  Mr.  Scott  was  Secretary.  If  it  was 
not  the  fact,  or  if  the  oHlcers  have  been  changed  since,  notification 
thereof  has  never  reached  this  olttce.  The  members  of  this  society 
know  that  we  have  offered  them  the  use  of  our  columns  to  advance 
their  interests  whenever  they  think  fit. ;  see  page  128  of  last  vol- 
ume If  they  do  not  see  proper  to  avail  themselves  of  our  ofler 
as  other  societies  do,  it  can  be  no  fault  of  ours. 


»•■•« 


KEOKUK  HORTICULTTIRAL  SOCIETY. 

The  monthly  meeting  of  this  Society,  held  on  the  7th  ult.,  was 
well  attended,  and  au  interesting  discussion  sprang  up  on  the 
report  of  the  Committee  on  Apple  Trees  for  Orchard  Culture. 

The  Society  has  recently  been  obtaining  the  opinions  of  nursery- 
men and  fruit-growers  as  to  the  twelve  most  profitable  varieties  of 
apples  for  orchard  cultivation  in  this  section  of  Iowa  and  the 
contiguous  portions  of  Illinois  and  Missouri.  Experience  has 
proved  that  a  variety  that  bears  well  in  one  locality  does  not  suc- 
ceed as  well  in  another  locality  even  within  the  distance  of  a  mile. 
Some  varieties  do  not  exhibit  good  bearing  traits  until  the  trees 
has  age.  The  Society  adopted  the  following  as  the  list  of  twelve 
varieties  that  have  been  proved  to  be  the  most  hardy  sorts,  the 
best  bearers,  aud  as  producing  the  most  marketable  fruit: 

Winesap,  Yellow  Bellflower,  Kawles'  Janet,  Grimes'  Golden 
Pippin,  Rome  Beauty,  Maidens  Blush,  Red  Pippin,  Red  June, 
Smitll  Romanite,  Rambo,  Willow  Twig,  and  Early  Harvest. 

The  following  varieties  are  also  known  to  succeed  well. 

Dominie  (or  Winter  Rambo),  Smith  Cider,  Northern  Spy,  Van- 
devere,  Spitzenbnrg,  and  Summer  Queen. 

Subject  for  discussson  at  the  next  meeting,  "Preparation  of  Soil 
for  Spring  Planting.'' 

Adjourned  to  meet  Thursday,  April  4fh,  at  2^^  P.  M. 

J.  R.  TBWKSBURif,  Secrrfary. 


5   '■■', 


>tlii 


■:  '  111 


!  I 


I'LiiiVI 

• 

'"^^ 

^^(rf^^^^y^ 

ffi^^^jt 

s^ 


^ 


DEVOTED    TO 


]|QFHruI]^urp>  ISFborirulfupp,  PoUang  %*  jjiural  ]Stffiairs. 


THOMAS     MEEHAN,    Editor. 


JULY,  1861. 


VOL.    III.— NO    7. 


FLOWER-GARDEN   AND   PLEASURE- 
GROUND. 

It  is  a  household  proverb,  that  a  "woman's  work 
is  never  done,"  and  the  Hfe  of  a  gardener  shares  the 
truth  of  the  same  remark.  And  there  is,  after  all,  a 
closer  analogy  between  the  Hfe  of  women  and  a 
gardener's  profession  than  would ^strike  one  at  first 
thought.  Neither  receive  from  the  "  rest  of  man- 
kind" the  full  credit  for  refining  influences  which 
is  so  justly  their  due ;  and  both  have  to  fall  back 
on  their  work  as  labors  of  love,  and  in  its  own 
pursuit  derive  pleasure  and  profit  as  a  part  of  their 
just  reward. 

And  so  if  when  we  took  up   our  pen   to  trace 


for  the  chase,  and  that  in  this  activity  alone  all  our 
real  gratification  lived. 

The  lawns,  walks,  and  flower-beds  will  still  re- 
quire the  constant  care  suggested  in  our  last,  and 
attention  can  be  bestowed  at  this  season  on  improv- 
ing the  form  of  trees  and  shrubs.     In  some  parts  of 
a  large  garden,  trees  are  in  better  keeping  with  sur- 
rounding scenery  when  suffered  to  grow  wild  and 
pretty  much  to  themselves  ;  but  near  buildings,  or  in 
any  part  of  a  garden  which  is  to  denote  high  keep- 
ing, symmetry  will  ever  be  considered  a  chief  ele- 
ment in  beauty,  and  the  aim  be,  what  alter  all  is  the 
true  object  of  gardening,  an  improvement,  or  a  tri- 
umph, in   fact,   over  the  prettiest  natural  scenes. 
Trees  and  shrubs  can  be  made  as  regular  as  we  wish, 
b}--  training  a  shoot  here  and  tying  one  there — now 
using  a  stake,  and  at  another  time  employing  a  string. 
After  a  few  weeks  they  will  grow  as  you  have  placed 
them,  and  exemplify  the  adage,  that  "as  the  twig  is 
bent  the  tree's  inchned."     The  most  malformed  or 
ugliest  specimen  of  an  evergreen  may  be  made  an 
exquisite  "thing  of  beauty"  by  such  trifling  care. 

Ornamental  flowering  shrubs,  too,  are  in  the  same 
catagory.     A  few  very  strong,  vigorous  shoots  will 


out  a  few  hints  for   our  Monthly  reader's  benefit, 

under  this  burning  July  sun,  and  a  passing  thought  :  sometimes  push,  to  the  extreme  jealousy  of  weaker 

tempted  us  to  wish  we  had  not  the  labor  to  per- 


form,—that  it  was  not,  perhaps,  appreciated  as  the 
eff"ort  should  be,— that  it  brought  to  us  no  pecuniary 
reward,— and  that  we  might  as  well  persuade  our- 
selves and  our  readers  that  there  was  nothing  worth 
doing  in  a  garden  in  July,  and  that  the  best  advice 
would  be  to  hitch  up  our  liammocks  in  the  branches  of 
the  nearest  linden,  and  languidly  live  in  lazy  contem- 
plation of  what  we  have  done  for  Flora  and  Po- 
mona the  past  eleven  months,  and  ponder  on  the  vic- 
tory we  have  enabled  them  to  achieve  over  nature, 
and  the  rewards  they  have  in  store  for  us  by  the  suc- 
cess,—  a  moment's  wandering  of  our  mind's  eye 
through  our  garden  grounds  dispelled  the  illusion, 
and  convinced  us  that  there  was  not  only  work  to 
be  done  and  plenty  of  it,  but  that  it  was  only  in  its 
pursuit  that  out  real  pleasure  lay  ;  and  that,  though 
the  idea  of  rest  to  the  weary  was  a  pleasant  one 
enough  in  its  way,  philosophy  taught  us  that  it  was 
only  in  order  that  we  might  gain  renewed  strength 


members  of  the  confederation.  You  will  have  to 
play  the  emperor — maintain  the  balance  of  power, 
and  by  a  few  vigorous  attacks  of  the  pruning-knife 
at  the  base  of  such  arrogant  pretension,  end  the 
causes  of  trouble  by  taking  them  completely  away 
from  the  scene  of  strife. 

And  the  hedges— do  not  forget  them.  The  tops 
have  been  already  trimmed,  or  ought  to  be,  and  the 
shoots  at  the  base  beginning  to  push  with  great  vigor. 
If  it  is  not  done, — as  from  the  many  new  subscribers 
the  Monthly  is  receiving  daily,  and  who  may  not  liave 
as  yet  received  the  back  numbers  of  our  paper,  may 
possibly  be  the  case, — no  time  should  be  lost  in  the 
operation.  Remember  to  train  your  hedge  conically  ; 
prune  severely  while  growing  towards  the  apex,  and 
very  little  at  the  base  ;  and  in  winter  cut  very  vigor- 
ously at  the  base,  and  but  very  little  at  the  apex. 
That  is  the  rule  of  success. 

The  ladies  cannot  exercise  themselves  or  better 
aid   their  gardeners    in    keeping   up   a   display  of 


V  \\ 


■f-\ 


194 


g\t  iiarbtntr's  SUntJIg. 


^i^ 


flowers,  than  in  considering  it  their  task  to  go  over 
the  flower-garden  and  shrubbery  occasionally  with 
basket  and  scissors,  taking  off'  dead  and  fading  flow- 
ers. It  strengtliens  the  plants,  prolongs  the  flowering 
season,  and  favors  order  and  neatness. 

Plants  set  against  walls  and  piazzas  frequently 
suffer  from  want  of  water  at  this  season,  when  even 
ground  near  them  is  quite  wet.  Draw  away  the 
soil  around  each  plant  so  as  to  form  a  basin  ;  fill  in 
with  a  bucket  full  of  water,  allowing  it  time  to  soak 
gradually  away,  and  when  the  surface  has  dried  a 
little  draw  in  loosely  the  soil  over  it,  and  it  will  do 
Avithout  water  for  some  weeks.  This  applies  to  all 
plants  wanting  water  through  the  season.  If  water 
is  merely  poured  on  the  surface,  it  is  made  more  com- 
pact by  the  weight  of  water,  and  the  harder  the  soil  be- 
comes, the  easier  it  dries  ;  and  the  result  is,  the  more 
water  you  give  the  more  is  wanted. 

Whenever  the  bark  of  any  plants  separates  easily 
from    the    wood,   and   plants    have  ripened    their 
wood  enough  to  form  prominent  eyes  in  the  axils  of 
the  new  growth  of  leaves— budding  may  commence, 
and  may  continue  with  different  things  till  Septem- 
ber.    It  is  an  easy  way  to  change  trees  we  already 
possess  into  others  more  desirable  ;  choosing  closely 
allied  species  for  the  operation.      Thus  a  common 
ash  might  be  transformed  in  one  season  to  a  fine 
specimen  of  a  Weeping  Ash,  or  the  new  Oregon 
Maple  be  budded    into    large  trees  of   sycamore. 
Sometimes  advantage  may  be  taken  of  working  mere 
bushes  into  the  heads  of  large-growing  trees,— trans- 
forming shrubs  into  nobles  of  the  forest.      Many 
trailing  and  meagre-growing  willows,  cherries,  ma- 
ples, &c.,  are  rendered  very  vigorous  growers  by 
being  budded  on  strong  growing  kinds.     Budding 
also  aff'ords  room  for  tasteful  combinations.     Trees 
with  different  shades  of  foliage,  hues  of  leaves,  hab- 
its of  growth,  or  color  of  flowers,  may  be  worked 
on  one  common  stock, — fancies  of  which  kinds  add 
much  to  the  interest  of  a  place  when  judiciously 
executed. 

Many  things  do  not  take  well  by  budding;   in 
which  case  inarching  may  be  employed.     This  is 
done  by  bringing  together  two  half-ripened  shoots 
of  dilferent  varieties,  just  shaving  the  bark  at  an 
oi^posite  point  in  each,  making  the  two  faces  of  the 
shaved  parts  meet,  and  then  tying  the  two  branches 
together  at  the  junction,  lapping  the  tying  material 
(bast  bark  is  the  best,;  so  that  the  whole  cut  part 
is  encircled  by  it.     Most  parties  who  intend  to  in- 
arch,  keep  some  of  the  kinds  they  wish  to  use  as 
scions  in  pots,  so  as  to  bring  them  at  the  proper  sea- 
son in  contact  with  the  stock.     Shelvings  and  other 
contrivances  are  resorted  to  to  support  such  pots,  in 
and  amongst  the  branches,  when  the  operation  is  to 
be  performed  at  a  height  from  the  ground.     A  plan, 


however,  which  obviates  all  this  trouble,  and  is  gene- 
rally successful,  is  to  hang  bottles  of  water  near  the 
points  to  be  inarched,  and  the  scion  is  placed  in  this, 
from  which  it  derives  enough  water  to  carry  on  its  vital 
functions,  until  the  union  with  the  stock  takes  place. 
The  time  is  coming  when  transplanted  trees  of  the 
past  fall  and  spring  will  suffer  more  than  during  any 
other  part  of  the  season.     If  they  show  a  vigorous 
growth  of  young  wood,  no  danger  need  be  appre- 
hended, as  it  indicates  that  the  roots  are  active,  and 
can  supply  all  the  moisture  the  foliage  calls  for ;  but 
if  no  growth  has  been  made,  no  roots  have  been 
formed,  and  the  leaves  are  living  for  the  most  part  on 
the  sap  in  the  wood  and  bark,  and  hot,  drying  weather 
will  tell  with  mjurious  eff'ect  on  such  trees.     This  is 
generally  first  shown  by  the  peeling  off  of  the  bark 
on  the  south-western  side   of  the  tree,— the   most 
drying  aspect ;  and  where  such  exhaustion  appears 
probable,  much  relief  may  be  aff"orded  by  cutting 
back  some  of  the  branches,  syringing  with  water 
occasionally,  shading  the  trees  where  practicable,  or 
wrapping  the  trunk  in  hay-bands,  or  shading  the 


south-west  with  boughs  or  boards. 


«•■•» 


VEGETABLE   GARDEN. 

Our  hints  for  the  last  month  will,  in  a  great  mea- 
sure, bear  a  re-perusal  at  the  commencement  of  this. 
Sow  endive,  and  towards  the  end  of  the  month 
transplant  in  rows.  They  should  be  set  out  in 
rows  eighteen  inches  apart,  and  one  foot  from  each 
other.  The  soil  can  scarcely  be  too  rich  for  them. 
Seed  may  yet  be  sown  for  a  later  crop. 

If  brocoli  is  a  desirable  vegetable,  it  may  be  had 
all  through  the  winter  by  being  sown  now.  In  about 
four  weeks  plant  out  into  rich  garden  soil.  On  the 
approach  of  frost,  take  up  the  plants,  with  a  portion 
of  soil  adhering,  and  pack  them  closely  in  a  warm 
and  somewhat  damp  cellar.  They  will  continue  to 
grow,  and  produce  nice  heads. 

Beans  may  be  sown  up  to  the  end  of  the  month. 
For  winter  use,  the  White  Kidney  is  very  popular, 
although  other  kinds  are  very  extensively  grown  for 
the  same  purpose. 

In  some  families,  large,  full-grown  carrots  are  ob- 
jectionable. Seeds  of  the  Long  Orange  sown  now  on 
rich  sandy  soils,  form  neat  and  desirable  roots  before 
winter.     The  same  may  be  said  of  beets. 

Cucumbers  for  pickles  arc  also  sown  about  this 
time.  They  usually  produce  a  greater  number,  and 
consequently  smaller  fruit,  than  when  sown  earlier. 
The  Short  Prickly  is  the  kind  to  employ. 

The  main  crop  of  winter  cabbage  is  often  planted 
the  first  or  second  week  in  July.  In  planting,  if  the 
weather  be  dry,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  make  the  holes 
before  planting  and  fill  up  with  water ;  after  soaking 


^^•' 


%k  iarkntr's  llonijij. 


away,  the  plants  may  be  set  in,  and  they  seldom 
wither  afterwards,  though  without  rain  for  a  month. 
Another  and  more  expeditious  plan  is  to  have  the 
plants  ready  with  their  roots  in  a  pan  of  water.  They 
are  then  set  into  the  hole  at  the  time  it  is  made.  The 
water  adhering  to  the  roots  then  gives  to  the  set  out 
plants  the  advantages  of  puddling. 

Celery  we  have  spoken  of  last  month.     The  re- 
marks are  yet  applicable. 


«•■>» 


GREENHOUSE. 

An  important  point  just  now  is  to  prepare  wintcr- 
floAvering  plants.  Cinerarias,  Chinese  Primrose,  and 
Calceolarias  should  be  sown  about  the  end  of  the 
month;  and  cuttings  made  of  most  kinds  of  plants  that 
are  desirable.  It  is  a  great  mistake,  often  made,  to  store 
up  and  treasure  year  after  year,  old  and  even  grown 
specimens,  when  younger  ones  would  bloom  more 
vigorously,  and  give  better  satisfaction.  Propaga- 
tion of  plants  will  go  on.  It  is  one  of  the  pleasures 
of  the  gardening  art ;  and  where  old  treasures  are 
prized,  the  greenhouse  soon  becomes  a  crowded 
mass  of  ugliness,  with  credit  to  neither  gardener 
nor  owner. 

Most  of  the  plants  are  set  out  for  the  summer,  as 
formerly  recommended,— little  care  will  be  required 
beyond  seeing  that  they  are  not  over  or  under  wa- 
tered. Some  will  be  yet  growing,  and  may  be  full 
of  roots.  If  growth  will  probably  continue  for 
a  while  longer,  pots  a  size  larger  may  be  furnished 
such.  Whenever  a  shoot  appears  to  grow  stronger 
than  the  rest,  so  as  to  endanger  compactness  or  any 
desired  shape,  pinch  it  back,  and  any  climbing 
vines  should  receive  due  regulation  as  they  grow 
over  the  trelhs,  or  they  will  speedily  become  naked 
below.  A  good  stiff*  trellis  is  a  desideratum  hard  to 
be  obtained  by  the  uninitiated.  In  another  column 
is  a  simple  way  to  make  them,  often  used  by  good 

gardeners. 

In  training  vines,  so  manage  that  there  shall  be 
a  due  proportion  of  branches  hanging  loosely  about 
tbetrellis,- as  it  is  this  flowing  gracefulness  that  adds 
half  the  charms  to  this  tribe  of  plants  which  they  so 
profusely  possess. 


(JommunirBltons. 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING. 

No.  6. 


& 


BY  OEOROE  E.    WOODWARD,   KEW  YORK. 

Taste,  good  taste,  has  generally  been  considered 
the  one  all-important  qualification  or  gift  that  will 
transform  mechanical  attainments  into  artistic  skill. 


and  fit  those  of  a  low  order  of  education  and  asso- 
ciations, to  become  practitioners  of  the  elegant  art 
of  landscape  embellishment.  That  a  refined  and 
educated  taste  is  necessary  to  successfully  pursue  an 
art,  which  by  universal  consent  ranks  high  among 
the  cultivated  arts,  we  do  not  deny ;  that  it  is  the 
one  thing  needful  to  make  an  artist,  is  simply  an 
absurdity. 

It  can  readily  be  shown  that  landscape-gardening 
requires  a  knowledge  of  many  of  the  leading  arts 
and  sciences,— that  it  is  not  only  an  art  by  itself,  but 
a  combination  of  other  arts,  and  that  good  taste  is 
no  compensation  for  ignorance.  Nature  rarely  be- 
stoAVS  her  gifts  so  freely,  as  to  make  any  one  master 
of  tlie  resources  of  a  simple  art,— much  less  does  she 
confer  such  unlimited  favors,  as  to  make  one  master 
of  several.  Thus  we  see  a  capital  draughtsman,  an 
indiff'erent  colorist,  a  good  colorist  Avith  no  eye  for 
form;  one  excels  in  portraits,  another  in  animals, 
and  a  third  in  marine  vieAvs,  and  so  on. 

But  Ave  do  not  propose  to  discuss  the  subject  of 
natural  gifts,  or  add  another  AS'ord  to  what  has  been 
Avritten  about  them.  Those  Avho  think  they  can 
accomplish  nothing  but  what  they  are  naturally 
qualified  to  undertake,  may  think  so;  we  take 
an  entirely  diff'erent  vicAV  of  the  subject,  and  our 
experience  has  taught  us  that  when  Ave  have  fully 
resolved  to  master  any  thing  before  us,  Ave  have  been 
successful. 

Those  Avho  lack  natural  ability,  must  supply  its 
place  by  an  educated  ability,  and  Avhere  there  is  a 
Avill  to  acquire  a  proficiency  in  the  Avhole  or  any  part 
of  landscape-gardening,  the  Avay  is  broad  and  invit- 
ing. There  is  no  art  but  what  can  be  attained  in 
a  A-ery  great  degree  by  a  persistent  course  of  study. 
We  have  repeatedly  seen  an  energetic,  unconquerable 
spirit  of  determination  ov(;rride  and  outstrip  every 
thing  before  it ;  and  those  Avho  have  reached  a  high 
position  in  any  pursuit  haA^e  done  it  by  industry  and 
perseverence.  As  Ike  Marvel  says,  "There  is  no 
genius  in  life  like  the  genius  of  energy  and  industry, 
and  there  are  no  riA^als  so  formidable  as  those  earnest, 
determined  minds  which  reckon  the  value  of  every 
hour,  and  achieve  eminence  by  persistent  applica- 
tion." 

Landscape-gardening,  in  all  its  varied  fonns  and 

applications,  is  nothing  more  than  a  plain,  practical, 
straightforward  possibility,— no  man  possesses  it,  nor 
can  possess  it  without  a  price,  and  that  price  is  noth- 
ing more  nor  less  than  years  of  hard  study  and  hard 
Avork;  it  is  the  same  price  that  every  successful 
professional  man  pays  for  his  profession.  There  is 
lu)  other  Avay  to  accomplish  it.  No  short  cuts,— no 
royal  roads  to  learning. 
Those  who  rely  upon  natural  taste  or  natural 


'  il 


■  Wi 


ihij  iardnw'^  Pontjlg. 


-ifts  to  supply  «  deficient  knowledge,  will  meet  with 
niaiiy  disappointments.      You   cannot  discard  the 
established  rules  and   principles  of  art,   any  more 
than  you  can  discard  its   mechanical  details  ;   and 
until  they  are    acquired,    crude    natural  gifts    are 
scarcely  availuhle.     Tims,  one's  natural  taste  would 
lead  him  to  enibellish  a  place  by  constructing  each 
feature  separately,  and  without  an  absolute  know- 
ledge of  the  rtsuh.     The  fancied  idea  of  beauty  held 
in  the  brain  at  the  beginning,  would  yield  at  every 
stage  of  progress  to  some   new  suggestion.     It,  in 
fact",  Avould  be  but  little  else  than  experimenting  for 
those  forms  or  combinations  productive  of  the  most 
beauty ;    the  same  degree  of  taste  that  arranges  a 
bouquet  bv  trying  the  harmony  of  form  or  C(^lor,  is 
inadmissable  in  landscape  work.     The  expense  and 
anuoyance  attending  every  change  is  such  as  to  re- 
quire  that  all  forms  be  beautiful  in  harmony  with 
each  other,  and  that  th  y  be  thoroughly  compre- 
liended  in  every  detail  of  combination  and  construc- 
tion, before  their  creation  is  commenced.     An  educa- 
ted taste  and  ability  adopts  the  same  means  of  arriving 
at  positive  results  as  arc  sanctioned  by  all  the  arts 
of   design,    embellishment    and    construction,    and 
without  which,  success  is  a  mere  matter  of  chance. 
The  folly  that  supposes  there  is  is  no  step  between 
conception  and  execution,  may  practice  landscape- 
gardening  under  the  belief  that  it  is   only  a  gift 
united  to  a  trade,  and  that  pretends  to  hold  in  the 
mind  a  perfect  conception  of  an  elaborate  plan  of 
improvement  that  can  be  executed  in  its  minutest 
details  with  the  most  undeviating  accuracy. 

There  is  notliing  so  grossly  false,  or  so  inconsist- 
ent with  all  experience  in  both  the  polite  and  me- 
chanical arts,  as  the  jwwer  to  originate,  elaborate, 
harmonize  and  perfect  in  the  train,  a  plan  so  fin- 
ished in  all  its  details,  so  complete  in  its  principles  of 
construction,  and  so  impressive  and  elfective  in  its 
proportion,  as  to  admit  of  no  further  improvements. 
The   observations  made  in  all  dei)artments  of  ait, 
whether  it  be  architecture,  painting,  sculpture,  music, 
poetry,  or  any  of  the  less  iuiportant  arts  and  scien- 
ces show  no  exception  to  this  statement.     The  first 
expression  of  a   thought  on  paper,  whether  it  be 
written,  drawn  or  colored,  is  but  the  nucleus  around 
which  the  artist  gathers  and  works  up  the  elements 
which  compose  the  useful,  the  ornamental,  or  the 
beautiful.     Every  consideration  of  success,  and  more 
particularly  of  econowi/,  dictates  the  studied  plan  in 
the  creation  or  embellishment  of  landscape  scenery. 
These  can  only  be  reached  by  systematic  approaches, 
and  by  close  and  careful  investigation.     It  is  not  in 
real  gr.)und  or  real  objects  that  combinations  or  ef- 
fects should  be  worked  out.     Execution  should  not 
begin  until  the  design  be  perfected,  and  then  with  the 


clear  knowledge  of  what  you  want ;  with  a  positive  as- 
surance of  an  absolute  result,  the  end  is  certain,  and, 
both  artistically  and  financially,  is  precisely  what 
was  contemplated.  To  state  the  contrary,  is  to  pro- 
nounce the  established  medium  to  excellence  in  any 
artistical  or  mechanical  pursuit  a  sheer  fiction. 

[Mr.  Woodward's  articles  provoked  an  interest, 
which,  judging  by  the  great  number  of  communica- 
tions we  have  received,  was  as  wide-spread  as  any 
subject  that  has  been  originated  in  our  pages.     Out 
of  respect  to  this  sentiment,  we  selected  a  few  of  these 
which  to  our  mind  presented  the  most  divergant 
views,  and  have  published  them.     Had  not  the  sub- 
ject seemed  to  interest  our  readers  so  profoundly, 
we  should  not  have  thought  it  worth  while  to  ac- 
cept them,  as  it  has  ever  seemed  so  clear  a  proposi- 
tion, as  to  be  unworthy  of  an  argument,  that  natural 
taste  and  capacity,  united  with  untiring  zeal  and 
industrious  study  of  collateral  arts  and  sciences,  would 
alone  enable  a  num  to  make  his  mark  as  a  master  in 
the  art  of  landscape-gardening.      There  are  natu- 
ral geniuses  and  natural  fools  in  every  profession, 
and  it  is  useless  discussing  where  one  class  begins  or 
the  other  ends. 

It  seems  necessary  that  Mr.  Woodward  should  be 
allowed  a  brief  space  for  reply  to  the  various  sugges- 
tions his  remarks  have  brought  forward,  which  he 
has  well  filled,— and  we  hope  this  will  close  the  chap- 
ter. We  can  afford  httle  space  for  abstract  discus- 
sions, however  valuable  ;  and  hope  the  thousands  of 
practical  matters  which  the  wide  field  of  landscape- 
gardening  alfords  will,  in  future,  claim  the  attention 
of  our  numerous  eorrespondents'  pens,  which  the 
many  articles  alluded  to,  show  that  they  can  well 
employ  when  they  like,  notwithstanding  their 
usual  excuse,  that  they  can  "handle  the  spade  and 
pruning-knife  better  than  the  pen."— Ed.] 


PROTECTING    ROSES    IN   WINTER. 

BY  BAUTIIOLD  F.  BOUMER,  CLEVELAND,  O. 

I  WOULD  like  to   communicate  an  experience   I 

have  made  these  last  two  years  to  you,  that  is— how 

to  keep  tender  roses  through  the  winter  safe  and  in 

a  small  place.     I  take  my  roses  up  in  the  fall,  trim 

them  considerably  back,  and  hell  them  in  a  frame. 

I  kept  over  a  hundred  roses  under  one  sash  and 

found  them  all  alive  and  in  good  order,  even  though 

my  ground  is  very  wet.     1  found  not  only  that  I 

kept  them  well,  but  they  flowered  very  fine  the 

whole  of  last  summer.     I  found  this  idea  stated  in 

the  OJdo  Farmer^  some  years  ago,  by  Mr.  Elliott. 

In  speaking  of  it,  he  says :  "I  have  yet  to  learn  that 

it  is  not  the  best  way  to  keep  them."     If  you  feel 

disposed  and  consider  it  worthy,  you  may  make  use 

of  it. 


-v 


ih^  iartoi^r's  Ponthlg. 


197 


ENTOMOLOGICAL    ESSAY. 


nead  Wore  tke  FruU-Ororoers^  Association  of  Eastern  Pennsylvania  .U  Us  Meeting  in  West  Chester,  on  tHe  IStk  day  of  June,  1860. 

BY    S.    S.    RATHVON,    ENTOMOLOGIST    OF    THE    ASSOCIATION. 

(^Continued  from  Page   167.) 
BENEFICIAL     INSECTS. 

23d.     JEshna  grandis,  commonly  called  "  Dragon-fly,"  ''  Snake  Doctor,"  and  "  Devil's  I>-;;"^--^;;^;; 
Plate  VI    fiz    1      Length,  from  three  to  four  inches;  expansion  of  the  wings,  from  four  to  hve  inches 

each  segment;   head,  largo,  and  almost  entirely  occnp.ed  by  the  ^y^''  J^^'^  \C VjJ  number 
U  facilities  for  -Pturin.  its  p.ey  that  no  othe:^.^^^^^^^^^^  ^^  „,,,„,,  ,L  it 

fat'rr :;:  r;;r  ^:  rs!::ef  r^;:.r  sta.,  ^  ;;;«----r::d  ^  a7;tc 

^^t::  foT'e-cedlng  Insects  belong  to  the  order  ^--'^- -^^  ^LtTnHs;!;;  11^3  ^ t:: 
in  many  species  of  which  the  posterior  pair  are  as  large  as  the  -'"«"?-;'  Z^^^Z  to  submit  in  this 
with  the  dragon-flies.  These  are  all  that  my  ''"'^'^\!'"\'''\T':ZllZ  These  will  be  followed 
paper,  although  there  are  many  other  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  of  these  remarks, 
by  a  few  examples  from  the  order  Hymenoptera  n  ^^^''^'L'  '";'', '"Vr,,h  from  two  and  a  quarter  to 
24th.  Pi™p(ai««»(or,.' Long-tailed  Pimpla."  Plate  VI.  fig.  2.  .^'^''^//^Xrfrom  two  and  a  half 
three  inches;  ovipositor,  from  three  to  four  inches  .n  length ;  ^^  ^^^'f^^:  ;  ,tt"uings  upon  the 
to  three  inches;  color,  a  glossy  black,  with  yellow.sh  legs  -*■""»»■-'  '"ll'^J^fZ^  ;,  ,,3  itute  of  the 
head,  the  thorax,  and  the  abdomen.  The  male  .s  sometmg  less  '"o"  the  female  and 
ovipisitor.  This  insect  is  one  of  our  largest  spec.es  of  P"-'-'"  -;;;7f  ^'^e  '  ovipotftor  will  reach. 
Of  woodworms,  and  is  --;;^  ^^  ^of^pL^rf  rod^  1^^^^^^^  inches  in  ^diameter.     I  have 

^:;:erCTuredTher".,re  actVfCsUing'^^.ir  eggs.  It  .....  ^^^ j;--  ^ -^r  -: 
instrument  from  the  wood,  and  in  that  way  they  become  an  easy  P  ^^'^ '"^^'^^^^^'H^g.^aed  as  a  sting, 
abundant  some  seasons  about  Lancaster,  and  the.r  long  ov.pos.to    .s  ^^    '    7,  "  ^^  ^J,  ^„,  ,„„ever ;  for 

r^lrw;^  t"  :rs\na:tL:orro:::L.^:rd.  and  th^  wor.  of  withdrawing 

it  again  is  almost  as  slow.  T  en^th  of  body,  from  three- 

to  the  larva  of  PapiHo  asterU,,  which  is  found  on  parley  and  -^''^^J^LttZ^  how  many  would 
French  author,  says  that  out  of  two  hundred  caterp.Uars  .«"-";,"«  ^^"^X'lven  ware  destroyed 
become  butterflies, only  three  produced  them;  the  ---"'"f;"^;'^;;;^;"!^^ 

by  parasitic  Hymenoptera.     This  may  convey  some  .dea  of  '"eir  ben  fit  »J^S«^»'  ^  ,„  ,„  .„ 

2Cth.  Ho,aHU  .;,«■<„»,  "Tiger  Wasp."  Plate  VL  fig.  4.  I"*;?'"' ^  °'^/;  ^^  inches;  color  of  the 
inch  and  a  half;  expansion  of  the  wings  from  two  •"2"/! Ve  head  anlhorax,  brown,  with  light 
abdomen,  black,  with  three  interrupted  yellow.sh  bands;  color  ot  *'"' J^"^;;"  ,^^^„„;  f„„  the  base  to 
brown  markings;  wings,  transparent  yellowish-brown;  ^-'"^Z^^ZX^mBi^'^'.  This  insect 
the  ends.  The  largest  species  of  HymenopUra  known  to  me  """"•"'"S  '.he  common  cicada  or  summer 
builds  its  cell  in  the  hard  ground,  and  fills  it  with  -«"?■""«-  ^^  '"'°;^^^'  ^^1  are  in  some  manner 
locust.  I  saw  one  carry  off  a  large  tobacco-worm  (Sphex  carol.na).  These  wor,ns 
paralyzed  and  stowed  away  in  their  cells  for  food  for  their  young. 


■It 


m 


ihii  6ardtner's  Pontljlg. 


and  fills  it  w"\f  "P'"-;;:°;"„7r  y"\:;  M      l-was    •'    Plate  VI.  fig.  6.    Length,  about  .hree-.uarters 

28th.     Sphe.  uh»e.nwno.lesBc^-     ™  and  a  quarter ;  thorax,  covered  with  yellowish  ha.rs; 

of  an  inch  ;  expansion  of  the  w.ngs,  about  ""^  ^  abdomen,  which  is  black  ;    eyes,  black  ; 

Wings  and  body,  light  ''^^^^^-tt,     ri     y        Ikin^  ^  true  rn^^on-lasps,  which  build  their  nests  in 
abdomen,  pedunculated.    These  are  not,  s«      j    v         b         ^_  ^    regarded  as "  diggers," 

old  walls,  out  of  a  -^* ''J_;-»l';:;rd  wi^h  a  cT^  nTthat  is  Lpervious  to  water,  and  the  whole  thing 
but  at  the  same  time  their  cells  are  linea  w  ^^  ^^^  ^^^^^     ^^^^^^ 

.ay  be  dug  out  of  t,''"^™-;^-;  -;;::::   /;  ■"   'ale^n    h  s  r/efies  have  caterpillars  in  its  possession 

rariti:ir:c:i";:- ^^^^^^^         every  ten  yards  or  so  and  readjust  its  burden,  .oving  along 

in  a  series  of  ^^ort  flights  or  bounds^  ^^^  ^  ^_^_^^^  ,„a<.Rear 

2Dth.  ^«f  :-™  7' ^;":;''pYrri  fig  v.    Length,  abo^t  two  inches ;  color,  from  greenish  to  brownish, 
Horse,"md,£rerentlocaUtes^  Plate  VI.  fi^^^^^^  ^^  ^^^  _  ^^^^  ^^^^  prominent;  antenn., 

mottled  according  to  age    t^"'«'  "^^^         ^^^  ,„     \„a  ,,,her  slender,  but  the  anterior  pair  are  very 
faiform;  theposterio    and    nte-^^^^^^  J  in  sitting,  the  insect  holds  the  thorax  erected  and 

large  and  toothed  along  the  outer  mar  ^  ^^  ^^^^  ^^^^^  ^^^^^  rebgw^. 

folds  the  ^^'^"''''^f^ZrJ.^^llTtCZuLc.,  it  as  fhe  Northern  Mantis,  to  distinguish  it  from 
In  the  absence  of  Its  ral  ^P^f '6-=  """^'^^  jj        ^^i,  „^„,  „„,t  fall,  but  it  is  singular  that  so 

the  southern..    I'7^"--^»';;;;;:,;::;l':rb  en  n-ade  more  familiar  to  the  p.opU,  both  in  regard  to 
common  and  so  usejul  "»  ">  »   /''""^^  ^"  ^f^,  ,^  ,^,  ,,„,  as  those  found  in  the  south.     This  insect 

i'?^"?  the  :rd:rOrt  "0^™  ani '  e  s' ;i  belonging  to  this  ,.nu.  are  the  only  ones  to  my  knowledge 
belongs  to  the  order  Ort*»P'^™   »  J  .„  ^^^  s„„th„,„  gi^jes,  and  are  quite  common  m 

that  are  raptorial  .nhe.r  habits      Alhog   ^  comparatively  strangers;  and  from 

.r^rtlhTt   Dr'  hI:  C  a  d  D     Fitcl'  s'ay  rcMng  a'bout  them  in  their  works,  the  inference  is,  that  they 
the  fact  that  Dr.  Harris  and  u  /  ^        „    j^,,  „,  pleasure,  however,  that  I  am  able  to 

had  never  been  '^'^'^^  lllZ^^^ZlZ.  io.ni  upon  the  banks  of  the  Conestoga  within  the  last  year 

inform  '••«  "^^^  ;;;;'';7^2 ^vl  alus  feeders,  destroying  daily  a  large  number  of  p.ant-liee, 
or  two.     They  a  e  ^"0""  to  be  ^^^^  ,_^  ^^^.^  ^      ^^^^  ^_^^^^^_    ^^^^  ^^^  ^,^^ 

moths,  ca  erp.llas,  flies,  »^  ^^   ^'"^  «  '     Washington  City,  had  Ihem  in  her  garden,  and  so 

capable  of  '2:iTC:I::.^TmZlTl..  insects  from  her  hands.  Their  development  is  the  same 
tame  as  '"/P/^f^^^";^^';™,,,  there  being  no  intermediate  or  quiescent  state,  but  an  activity  that 
Tell  In  fhe/a  excluded  fr'om  the  eggs!and  continues  until  their  career  is  terminated  by  cold  and 
me  absence  „'  hei.  Lural  food  in  the  autumn.  The  females  then  lay  from  fifty  to  a  hundred  oblong  eggs, 
t^at  are  long  tu^nally  cemented  together  and  fastened  to  a  branch,  having  the  appearance  o  a  miniature 
Loney"  omb    ^ese  eggs  are  capable  of  bearing  a  considerable  degree  of  cold,  and  are  hatched  the  following 

spring. 

CONCLUSION. 

Many  more  examples  of  useful,  friendly  and  beneficial  insects,  and  also  many  more  of  the  "^^^^"^  Ij^"^'' 
mieht  have  been  exhibited  in  addition  to  the  foregoing,  but  these  must  suffice  for  the  present  Although 
nothing  new  may  have  been  presented,  yet  there  may  be  some  persons  who  have  not  heretofore  been 
impressed  with  the  necessity  of  discriminating  between  our  friends  and  our  foes  in  the  insect  world  and 
who  may  not  have  been  sufficiently  acquainted  with  them  in  order  to  be  able  to  make  that  discnmmation. 
Insect /ri.nds  have  not  occupied  as  much  space  in  history  as  their  importance  entitles  them  to,  and  hence 

'  *  Not  having  a  Sonthern  .pedmen  for  con^pariHon  when  this  essay  wa,  written.  I  wa,  under  the  '^^'^'"^^^tToXoZ^lt 
County  specimen  was  a  distinct  species  and  therefore  I  had  Busge.ted  the  trivial  name  of  6oreai..  in  contradistinction  from  he 
rrmr  I  however,  subsequently  learned  that  a  living  n.ale  and  female  mantis  had  been  brought  nto  this  country  from  the 
sZern  p'art  of  Mar'yiand  by  a  gentleman  from  this  city,  and  that  quite  a  family  had  sprung  from  *^7^\°  ^  ^^^^.^^^^^^^^^ 
„f  which  I  obtained.  Comparing  them,  I  found  them  identical,  and  that  it  is  the  Mantis  Carolina  of  Linn«u«.  This  experiment, 
however,  evinces  the  practicability  of  their  localization  and  colonization  In  the  southern  counties  of  Pennsylvania. 


^^m 


i|t  iardcntr's  Jftonthlg. 


nearly  all  that  is  written  upon  entomology  outside  of  the  proceedings  of  scientific  in«titulions  or  scientific 
books'  has  reference  to  the  noxious  or  hurtful  kinds ;  when  it  must  become  evident  that  both  kinds  ought  to 
cfa\n  the  esnecial  attention  of  the  husbandman.  „„  „« 

'  our  ItTves  for  destroying  noxious  insects  are  only  incidental  ones,  and  come  and  go  in  spasm    as  w 
^  !„enTbe  under  the  influence  of  favorable  or  adverse  feelings,  caused  by  insect  injuries  or  depreda  ons; 
':trrasi.ic  "d  ca  n  verous  insects  are  guided  and  governed  by  no  such  transient  or  incidental  motives ; 

ile  and  ever-pervading  instinct,  which  has  for  its  object  the  preservation  and  perpetuation  of  their 
a  single  and  ever  P"vading  ,  ^  ^^^^  ,^^^  ^^.^^^  ^^^^^  ,^  ,^  ,,^  ,„,p„,,, 

w  wm;hCar    mov  d"°and  un  er  the  conditions  of  this  state  of  being  they  go  to  work  as  mechanically 
''   f^hev  had  ber  regularly  educated  to  it,  to  carry  into  execution  the  behests  of  their  creation      One 

-nirnre:::  :i.j. ......  -t^-^^trz:^^^^::^^:^^-^ 

.ame  manner  and  with  the  same  results ;  nor '! '^^^  -  6'^'"     ^^^^  ^^^^^ed  insects  through  all 

rc ::=rr:att:r;rre3^^^^^^^ 

be  apparent  that  some  of  them  are  performing  a  great  -°* /°;  •^;^^^;f;,i  ::;l^„'a "nseen,  and  therefore 
than  man  himself  can  perform  it ;  and  that  although  much  "^ Jf  e'^3''^™;?l7being  based  upon  ever- 
unappreciated  and  unknown,  yet  it  -' »f-''f -''»"=';"*  ^"Vaf  a"    wo^^^^^^^^^ 
existing  necessities,  it  is  far  more  beneficial  m  its  general  results  than  any  worK  w 

been  able  to  accomplish  or  conceive. 


!■■•> 


IMPOSSIBILITY, 

BY     JOSEPH     AMRAM. 

nr    T?vt^r>     T  hnlfl  vou  bv  the  ima^-inary  button.     You  must  not  budge,  but 
I  HAVE  =<>n>»-^f,7' *^;  .^f  «;•  ,l^foJ^J^!■^l:^^Molr.^^^^^e.ion  granite  rock,-it  is 

mental  fingers  and  will  not  get  into  shape.     Findrng  J"''"./";'  Z^^^'J^^ao  you  think  of  the 

.  ,     II  w  11    T^i.«  "  cnul  T   rind  be  is  an  intelligent  and  practical  boy  J     wuai  uo  ^uu 
"'  mV      "  sir  "said  he   '«s  U  e  use  of  all  sudi.    Ni.  kumnerouur    That  was  <'-";=.-•"--• 
"NtJforafe    ge:cfaim;s.l.chIwanttoserveupbyyour.eave.    Lik^ 

iuting,  -Pt;Je  — .tio^^^^^^^^^^  - 1  -rit^,  r  U  talent 

the  design  of  a  landscape,  or  of  it,  concentrated  form  ^^  ^^'"^^^^'^^  genius  and  talent,  invention 
.0  praetfeally  execute  that  design.    Now  can  a  -  ^^'^f  ^^"^^  "«,^^^^^^^  circumst'ances,  that 

:hi^fL^i:=::r-=^^^^^^^^^ 

plainly,  cannot.     See  how  this  leads  the  ^^'^.^^^^^  ^^^J^^J'^^^'u^^  ^nd  try  to  awake  and  develope 

r^al  grit  illiot  in  nfe,  that  point  I  -nnot  pass,  ""5^  tl-;«,I^«',^t^  ^  ,  „,pec,able  one.  .    . 

That  point,  you  kindly  reason  with  me,  M"^- f  ^''"^; '^f  H  may  bo  learned  that  little  of  it  is  acquired 

At-iv  be  I  reolv.  it  »<  a  respectable  one.     And  bO  much  01  « '"''y  ">- '  '       ,    ,    j,  ^  ^^  by,— and, 

by   eJin1'good'Sodels,-an{  lucky  is  the  man -ho    -'good  gardens  "  »  to^^^^^^^^  ,„„„i,ii      ^s, 

^.r_.i-_-  r° »«♦♦;« ^-Qohnnlnd  bv  a  oroncient  master,     in  ui.u  wa>^  i.  i"  J^o   .  xt^coq  Qtnnrl   and  see 


edng  good  models,--and  lucKy  ^^  V'^  T"  ^  ""  Tn  uSTt  way  I  may  get  to  know  the  practical  parts, 

^"^'''.^k7a^.nsr«^^^^^  " "~ 

maKe  a     piun.    „„.^,„.  „,«  t  allnwc.d  to  reach  it. 


and  make  a  **  proiessiuu    ui  v»v,.».     -"---",  ,   .r 

the  Holy  Land ;  but  never,  never  am  1  allo\^  ed  to  reach  it. 


like  Moses,  stand  and  see 


•11 


^1 

m4 


m 


:^! 


1 


ili4  (gardener's  JHonlhlg. 


GREENHOUSE    BOILERS. 

LIMERICK,     MAINE. 

Some  difficulties  exist  among  gentlemen  gardeners 
and  others,  in  the  management  of  boilers  in  green- 
houses.   Thinking  that  some  of  your  correspondents, 
like  those  of  other  journals,  would  like  to  know  how 
to  rid  themselves  of  such  troubles,  I  write  you  the  fol- 
lowing.     There    are    allusions    made    by   various 
writers,  that  all  these  troubles  arise  from  the  non- 
experience  of  gardeners.     I  say  no;   but  it  arises 
from  the  non-experience  of  boiler  manufacturers; 
although  I  admit  that  in  this  country  men  are  em- 
ployed to  take  charge  of  greenhouses  who  had  never 
served  one  year  in  the  garden.     It  would  be  likely 
in  this  case  to  see  those  boilers  exploding  and  fright- 
ening the  natives.     Because  those  men  can  be  em- 
ployed for  a  few  dollars  less  in  a  month,  they  will 
take  a  gardener's  situation.     The  last  winter  proved 
these  facts  to  me.     Having  advertised  (the  first  time 
in  twenty-one  years^  for  a  situation,  I  was  offered 
by  extensive  firms  twenty-five  dollars  per  month, — 
not  a  working-man's  pay.     How  can  such  firms  be 
without  such  difficulties,   for  they  can   hire  none 
other  than  second-rate  workmen  for  this  pay?    I 
do  not  here  pretend  to  say  that  those  gentlemen 
who  have  had  those  difficulties  are  not  gardeners  in 
all  its  arts,  as  gardeners  are  not  boiler-manufacturers. 
I  say  they  are  not  all  to  blame. 

Returning  to  my  remedy  on  boilers,  I  will  give 
the  whole  in  a  few  words  ;  but  I  know  there  will  be 
differences  of  opinion,  and  even  objections  to  my 
remedy ;  so  that  I  will  state  the  whole  particulars 
of  its  discovery.     In  1843  I  succeeded  a  brother  gar- 
dener near  Liverpool,  England,  who  then  had  charge 
of  one  of  the  first  boilers  in  the  heating  of  green- 
houses in  that  vicinity.    He  told  me  the  reason  of 
his  leaving  was  that  he  could  not  get  his  boiler  to 
work,  and  that  he  had  lost  his  whole  crop  of  grapes 
and  pines  through  it.     I  asked  him  the  cause.     He 
said  that  whenever  he  would  attempt  to  fire  up  the 
water  forced  into  the  feed-tank  and  then  flowed  over, 
and  that  he  could  not  get  his  houses  up  to  any  de- 
gree of  heat.     So  before  I  would  proceed  any  fur- 
ther, I  made  a  fire  to  see  what  it  would  do,  and 
found  it  to  be  as  represented.     In  ten  minutes  there 
was  not  one  drop  of  water  in  the  boiler.     We  made 
out  to  draw  the  fire,  and  through  that  stopped  its 
roaring.     I  proceeded  to  the  vinery,  then  a  desolate 
house,  handled  all  the  flow-pipe,  and  found  that  be- 
hind  one  of  the  elbows  the  pipe  was  as  cold  as  if  no 
hot  water  had  ever  been  in  it.     I  perceived  that  the 
pipes  were  stopped  by  some  process  or  other,  and 
that  the  water  did  not  circulate  through  the  pipes. 
At  this  time  there  was  water  in  the  feed-tank,  while 


it  was  evident  there  could  be  none  in  the  boiler.  I 
sent  immfediately  for  the  manufacturer,  and  told  him 
the  trouble.  He  looked  in  the  feed-tank.  Perceiving 
nothing  wrong,  he  ordered  to  fire  up.  Again  very 
soon  the  little  water  left  began  roaring  in  the  feed- 
tank. 

Orders  were  given  to  pull  down  the  boiler  and  re- 
place it  with  another.     I  told  him  I  thought  I  could 
get  rid  of  the  difficulties  without  taking  the  boiler 
down.     His  answer  was,  what  could  I  know  about 
it  ?    Still  he  asked  my  opinion.     I  asked  him  into 
the  vinery,  and  requested  him  to  drill  a  small  hole 
in  the  pipe  at  the  point  where  I  perceived  the  pipe 
was  hot  and  cold.     He  said  there  could  be  no  harm 
in  doing  so.     The  hole  was  drilled,  and  it  was  two 
minutes  before  any  water  had  made  its  appearance. 
Immediately  the  water  left  the  feed-tank.     I  com- 
menced putting  water  into  the  boiler,  until  I  sup- 
plied twenty-six  gallons.     During  this  time  no  water 
was  coming  through  the  hole    made  in  the  pipe. 
Then  boring  two  more  the  whole  length,  it  was  all 
of  five  minutes  before  the  water  commenced  flowing 
freely  through  those  holes ;  and  when  it  did  so,  the 
water  in  the  feed-tank  had  again  disappeared,  which 
took  ten  gallons  more  of  water  to  raise  it  above  the 
valve.      Now  the  discovery  was  made  that  air  must 
have  got  into  the  pipe  and  stopped  the  circulation  of 
the  water.     There  was  a  small  brass  top  added  to 
those  holes  in  the  pipes.     Always,  when  water  was 
"■iven,  one  or  more  of  these  were  loosed  for  a  few 
minutes.   "Never  was  there  any  thing  worked  better 
than  this  boiler  did  afterwards,"  as  Mr.  Buist  says. 
A  top  in  the  boiler  was  also  added,  and  found  to  be 
good,  so  far  as  the  cleansing  out  of  the  boiler  is  con- 
cerned.    It  is  also  useful  in  drawing  hot  water  when 
needed  ;  but  the  tops  in  the  pipes  are  what  regulate 
the  whole  affiiir.     If  those  gentlemen  will  get  tops 
in  their  boilers  and  pipes,  there  will  be  no  need  of 
shooting  or  guarding  against  being  shot  with  those 
straight  or  crooked  guns  around  corners. 


«•■>* 


LINNiEUS   AND    LINNiEA    BOREALIS. 

BY     L.,     HADDONFIELD,     N.     J. 

[  Concluded  from  page  1C9.  ] 
To  return  to  the  Linufca.  This  Lapland  flower 
is  a  native  of  high  latitudes  and  Alpine  districts 
throughout  the  Northern  Hemisphere,  though  most 
abundant  in  Lapland.  It  is  frequent  in  Scotland, 
but  so  rare  in  England,  that  but  one  habitat  is 
mentioned  in  the  British  floras.  It  is  not  uncom- 
mon, I  believe,  in  North  America  from  Nova  Scotia 
to  the  Arctic  regions.  It  is  an  interesting  and  ele- 
gant plant,  evergreen,  with  woody  and  creeping 


Wh-r 


ili(|  gardener's  JStonthli 


V 


.terns  a  little  branched,  and  the  young  shoots  hairy 
Its  small,  drooping  flowers  are  sweetly  tragrant  of 
a  rose  tint  without,  and  white  or  yellowish  wi  Inn. 
It  blooms  in  June  and  July,  and  its  stalks  are  two- 
flowered,  whence  its  common  English  name,  Twip 
Flower  It  is  found  in  moist,  shady,  rocky  soils, 
generaliy  in  evergreen  woods.  Its  long  stems,  root- 
fng  and  branching  their  whole  length,  cover  the 

ground  in  large  patches.  ,     ,  „„^ 

A  kindly  writer,  discoursing  on  this  plant  and 
the  origin  of  its  name,  exclaims,  -  Hail  to  thee,  little 
flower  of  the  North !  How  highly  art  thou  hon- 
ored and  with  what  feelings  of  interest  do  we  re- , 
gurd  thee  as  the  representative  of  him  whose  name 
tliou  bearest,  Linnfea  borealis !" 

In  conclusion,  we  woidd  remark  that  we  hope 
some  of  our  young  readers  will  profit  by  the  story 
of  poor  little   Pyphon,  and  at  once  enter  upon  a 
career  of  study,  collect  plants  and  insects,  examine, 
prepare  and  preserve  them,  and  make  themselves 
acquainted  with  their  distinguishing  characteristics, 
uses,  arrangement,  &c.     Boys  nowadays  have  an  ,^ 
hundred-fold  better  opportunities  for  the  ^tmy  of , 
botanv  than  this  barefooted  devotee.     The  facilities 
abound,  and  he  who  runs  may  read.     Every  ar- 
mer's  son  and  every  gardener's  apprentice  ought  to 
blush  at  his  ignorance  of  the  names  and  positions  , 
in  the  order  of  nature  of  the  common  plants  around  j 
him   when  he  considers  what  that  poor,  oppressed 
little  fellow  did  far  away  upon  the  border  of  the 
Arctic  Circle  nearly  a  century  ago.     Every  resident 
in  the  country  and  every  citizen  who  visits  it,  who 
is  i'rnorant  of  the  "amiable  science,"  loses  half  the 
plea  niro  of  association  with  nature  from  want  of 
acquaintance  with  her  children.     The  study  opens 
to  its  admirer  another  sense. 


To  such  no  longer 


"  A  primrose  by  the  river  brim 
A  simple  primrose  is  to  Lira, 
And  nothing  more." 


"  By  the  lone  fountain's  secret  bed, 
Where  human  footstep*  rarely  tread, 
'Mid  the  wild  moor,  the  silent  glen, 
The  Sun-dow  blooms,  unseen  of  men, 
Spreads  there  her  loaf  of  rosy  hne, 
A  chalice  for  the  morning  dew, 
And  ere  the  summer's  sun  can  rise,       ^^ 
Diiuks  the  pure  waters  from  the  skies. 


[DROSERA  ROTUNDIFOLIA.] 

clammy  fluid,  appearing  like  dew,  which  continues 

-  j  to  adhere,  even  in  the  hottest  part  of  the  day  and  in 

But  the  almost  "brute,  unconscious  gaze"  of  ignor^    the  fullest  exposure  to  the  sun. 
ance  is  replaced  by  the  inquiring,  intelhgent  and  ..t>_4,.»i.,„- fmmtain'sse. 

appreciating  inquiry,  and  each  plant  becomes  a  fa- 
miliar acquaintance,  and  revealing  to  the  willing  ear 
and  eye  the  wisdom  and  power  and  the  ever  watch- 
ful care  of  the  gracious  Creator. 

NoTE.-The  Drosera  is  the   Sun-dew,  an   orna- 
ment of  grassy  bogs  and  borders  of  ponds.      Its  j  Tirn<;rra  found  in  the 
Z  uy  co,li».s' n  the  forn.  «„<.  appcuance  of  .ho       Thcve  arc  ^""-''X.^l^r  .lugiroUa,  D. 
IcavcJ,  .vhich  proceed  imnuHliately  from  the  '<>«  - !  ^""'^^Sta.es.-D    ronnd.f^^a 
ana  spread  over  the  surface  of  the  ground,  ™^V  m.fornus,  and  D.  1    ean^    bu  ^^^  ^^^^^^^  ._^ 
plant  forming  a  little  circular  plot  of  green  cup-    Uave  been  'l'>'!'^"^f '  J^'^^  .^^  ^vorld,  except  in 
luapedleavcMhickly  fringed  and  be«.tw,th  gland-;  boggy  l^'"^^"'  '"  .""  ^.^Id      They  are  singularly 
ulaJ  hair,  of  a  deep  rose-color.     These  ha>rs  are   extremes  "J    '™^      '»   ,f  cultivation.    They  thrive    [^ 
usually  tipped  with  small  drops  of  a  transparent  ^  beautiful,  and  v»o.thy  ^^ 


fa^i^: 


202 


Sfli^  (iardmr's  Jlil0nthl]?* 


in  small  pots,  which  should  be  three  parts  filled 
with  peat  earth,  and  sphagnum  should  be  planted 
thereon,  the  Droseras  planted  in  the  moss,  and  the 
l>ots  placed  in  pans  of  water.  The  Droseras  are 
allied  to  the  Dionoea  or  Venus'  Fly-trap,  and  bear 
some  resemblance  to  this  singular  plant.  Insects 
are  often  caught  upon  the  hairs,  which  are  not, 
however,  as  irritable  as  those  of  the  Dionoea  mus- 
cipula. 

If  any  of  our  Northern  friends  have  dried  speci- 
mens of  the  Linnajaborealls,  Rubus  arcticus,  Drosera 
longifolia,  Andromeda  hypnoides,  and  can  spare  us 
some  of  them,  we  would  be  much  obliged.  They 
could  be  placed  between  thin,  stiff  cards  and  envel- 
oped and  sent  by  mail  to  our  address.  We  would 
endeavor  to  make  return  in  plants  peculiar  to  our 
local  it}-. 

We  give  a  cut  of  D.  rotundifolia,  the  more  com- 
mon species. 

[In  connection  with  Drosera  longifolia^  we  may 
repeat  an  anecdote  connected  with  David  Don,  the 
famous  gardener  botanist,  author  of  Ilortus  can- 
tabrifjicnsis^  that  came  to  our  knowledge  many  years 
ago.  Don  was  at  that  time  gardener  to  the  Earl  of 
Ilardwicke,  at  Wimpole  Hall,  Cambridgeshire,  and 
though  already  wedded  to  science,  had  enough  of 
the  bigamist  in  him  to  promise  himself  to  a  lovely 
specimen  of  the  fair  sex.  It  was  the  evening  before 
the  happy  day,  when  some  wicked  tempter  of  his  told 
him  that  in  a  swamp  at  some  distance  he  could  cer- 
tainly find  the  Drosera  longifolia,  which  up  to  that 
time  he  had  never  found  there.  He  was  to  be 
married  at  noon  of  that  day  ;  but  he  calculated  that 
l)y  an  early  start  he  could  go  and  secure  the  prize, 
and  still  be  back  in  time  for  the  great  event  of  human 
life.  But,  alas  !  on  arriving  at  the  spot,  he  could  not 
find  the  plant.  He  searched,  and  time  passed, — even 
the  appoinUd  time,  and  the  bride  grew  anxious.  It 
was  at  length  found  out  that  he  had  been  exercised 
at  the  prospect  of  his  botanical  discovery,  and  search 
was  made  for  him  in  the  direction  he  had  taken,  till 
found,  when  to  his  great  mortification  he  learned  that 
he  had  utterly  forgotten  his  proposed  marriage. 

Our  young  friends  will  ask  what  the  lady  said,  and 
whether  they  married  after  that.  We  have  no  doubt 
they  did,  as  young  ladies  can  forgive  much;  but 
that  part  of  the  anecdote  we  have  forgotten,  if,  in- 
deed, we  ever  knew. 

David  Don  died  some  years  ago,  and  the  other 
Don,  George,  also  a  botanist,  and  author  of  the 
"Dictionary  of  Gardening,"  died  in  1850. — Ed.] 


«•■•» 


LESSONS   FROM    THE    FLOWERS. 

BY   G.    D.,    SPBINGFIELD,    MASS. 

The  mind's  conception  of  the  beautiful  is  the 


mainspring  of  its  refinement.  This  faculty  is  natu- 
rally greater  in  some  than  in  others,  but  it  may  be 
cultivated  and  developed  in  all  to  a  greater  degree. 
Many  are  content  to  pass  their  lives,  contracting 
their  faculties,  energies  and  tastes  to  that  which  is 
wholly  practical,  and  fail  to  rise  to  that  higher  scale 
of  being  where  pure  and  elevating  joys  will  make 
life's  pathway  luminous  with  almost  celestial  liglit. 

In  the  Creation  God  pronounced  all  things  good. 
Even  now,  when  we  have  but  the  wreck  of  earth's 
former  glor}--,  there  are  many  things  which  to  the 
wholly  practical  person  were  created  in  vain. 

Each  particular  object  in  creation  bears  its  own 
form  of  beauty,  and  these  varied  forms  present  to 
the  mind  their  own  peculiar  lessons.  Some  give  the 
mind  stronger  impressions  than  mere  beauty  can 
produce.  As  we  look  upon  the  heavens,  or  upon 
the  natural  wonders  of  the  earth,  a  feeling  of  gran- 
deur will  fill  the  mind,  to  the  exclusion  of  the  im- 
pressions that  they  would  otherwise  produce,  and 
the  mind  must  turn  to  particular  individual  creations 
for  this  lesson. 

Of  all  objects  belonging  to  inanimate  nature,  the 
flowers  give  us  the  highest  and  most  varied  forms  of 
beauty.  To  any  one  who  will  learn,  they  give  les- 
sons of  life,  which,  if  heeded,  will  i^rofit.  Go  forth 
in  early  morn,  while  yet  morning's  pearly  tear-drops 
load  the  petals  of  varied  hue,  each  uniting  and  re- 
flecting the  colors  of  light,  blended  with  the  shades 
of  the  flower,  and  as  the  early  rays  of  the  sun  si- 
lently kiss  them  away,  enjoy  their  sweetest  mccnse 
which  rises  to  the  end  of  day. 

To  the  young  they  appeal  while  yet  the  heart  is 
susceptible  to  all  the  finer  impressions.  Their  study 
is  calculated  to  elevate,  purify  and  ennoble.  They 
teach  sweet  lessons  of  our  Heavenly  Father's  care. 
Let  their  silent  breathings  of  tenderness  take  pos- 
session of  every  soul.  Learn  of  the  flowers  what 
they  teach.  They  will  mirror  the  diflerent  elements 
of  moral  character, — some  of  modesty  and  purity, 
others  of  beauty,  taste,  loveliness,  and  many,  also, 
of  their  opposites.  Learn,  then,  the  first  lessons  of 
Eden,  and  you  will,  if  you  profit  by  them,  possess 
a  charm  which  cannot  be  dispelled.  Many  have 
thus  learned  and  ever  enjoyed  the  rich  blessings 
which  follow.  This  study  will  add  new  charms  to 
life, — new  motives  to  kindness  and  deeds  of  virtue. 


**m— 


EFFECTS  OF  THE  WINTER  ON  FRUIT 
TREES  AT  HUDSON,  N.  T. 

BY   A.    8.    IIOWLEY. 

Mn.  Editor — I  see  but  few  communications  in 
the  Gardener's  Monthly  from  this  section  of  country. 
We  have  the  vanity  to  think  that  we  are  not  much 
behind  any  part  of  our  country  in  gardening  and 


Wilt  iardiintfs  Ponthlg. 


horticulture,  especially  the  latter.     This,  however, 
T  say  without  boasting.     My  chief  object  m  writing 
,1  this  time  is  to  tell  you  how  our  fruit  trees  in  this 
'vicinity  have  suff^ered  during  the  past  winter  and 
«nring     The  prospect  with  us  now  is  that  almost 
all  kinds  of  tree  fruits  will  be  a  failure  the  coming 
reason.     Our  cherry  trees  refuse  to  put  forth  a  single 
blossom     Plum  trees  not  only  refuse  to  blossom, 
but  their  leaf-buds  appear  to  be,  for  the  most  part 
destroyed.     Peaches  and  apricots,  of  course,  are  all 
o-one  •  and  in  the  nurseries  I  am  told  that  all  t.ie 
voun-  peach  trees  are  killed  to  the  ground,  even  be- 
iow  the  inoculations.     Pears  seem  to  have  suffered 
lea.t     The  Seckel,  however,  is  destroyed,  (I  mean 
its  blossom-buds,J)  except  in  protected  situations.     I 
find  a  few  of  the  old  Seckel  trees  standing  in  open 
.rounds  have  sufi"ered  severely.     As  to  the  cff-ect  of 
the  winter  on  apples,  I  cannot  speak,  havmg  but 
few  myself,  and  not  having  examined  those  in  this 
vicinity.    Besides,  it  is  too  early  to  determine  satis- 
f-ictorily.     Quince  trees  have,  in  many  places,  been 
killed  to  the  ground.     The  smaller  fruits,  such  as 
strawberries,    raspberries,    blackberries,    &c.,   will 
have  to  be  our  principal  dependence,  I  fear,  this 

season.  ,  ,      r    •♦ 

Now   as  to  that  very  desirable  and  popular  fruit, 

the  grape.     All  my  Isabella  and  Catawba  vines  that 
were  left  up  on  the  arbors  and  trellises  Cwhich  are 
eight  and  nine  years  old)  are  killed  to  the  ground. 
Such  as  were  thrown  down  on  the  ground,  partially 
escaped.    The  Rebecca  Cof  which  I  have  about  thirty 
vines  from  three  to  seven  years  old),  loosed  from  the 
trellis  and  thrown  upon  the  ground,  with  no  protec- 
tion but  the  snow  C^hen  deep  enough),  is  putting 
forth  finely.     Not  a  bud  seems  to  have  been  killed. 
Such  as  were  left  tied  up,  I  think,  are  more  or  less 
injured     This  would  indicate  that  the  keen,  cold 
north  and  north-west  winds  have  as  much  to  do 
with  the  destruction  of  our  fruit  as  the  low  tempera- 
ture.    Undoubtedly  the  proximity  of  the  earth  to 
the  vine  has  the  effect  of  drawing  out  the  frost  by 
degrees,  or  of  regulating  the  temperature  so  as  to 
prevent  its  otherwise  injurious  efl'ects.     With  me, 
and,  as  far  as  I  can  learn,  in  this  vicinity,  the  Re- 
becca has  proved  more  hardy  in  similar  situations  or 
exposures  than  the  Isabella.     My   other  varietie^, 
the  Anna,  To-Kalon,  Diana,   Delaware,  and  Early 
Hudson  were  buried  lightly  with  earth,  and  have,  of 
course,  escaped  injury.     My  Hartford  Prolific  and 
Concord  had  no  protection,  and  are  doing  well. 

The  autumn  of  1860  being  wet  and  warm,  caused 
both  vines  and  trees  to  grow  too  late  for  the  wood 
to  ripen  well ;  and,  consequently,  they  went  into 
the  wmter  Cwhich  for  severity  and  suddenness  of 
change  of  temperature  has  not  been  equalled  for  a 
period  back  of  fifty  years,  according  to  the  testimony 


of  all  observers,)  more  tender  than  usual.  This 
„.ay  account,  in  some  measure,  for  the  destruction 
of  the  fruit-buds,  which  are  always  on  the  last 
year's  growth.  But  this  does  not  explain  why  the 
old  grape-vines  are  rent  and  split  through  and 
through  for  several  feet  in  many  cases.  Of  course 
all  young  wood  attached  to  these  old  canes  must 

perish  with  them.  ^ 

I  must  close.     I  am  telling  a  longer  story  than  I 

intended  when  I  began. 


<•■»> 


GARDENING   FOR   LADIES. 

BY  PRIMROSE,  SEW  BEDFOHD,  MASSACHUSETTS. 

Your  Oardener^s  Monthly,  Mv.  Kditor,  is  a  com- 
plete success.  We  inhabit  a  seaport  town  in  a  re- 
mote comer  of  Massaclr.setts,  and  yet,  evenl.ere 
your  paper  has  become  a  necessity.  Its  arrival  is 
hailed  with  delight,  not  only  by  the  frosty  heads  of 
L  house,  but  by  three  earnest  children  who  eagerly 
seize  upon  it  to  see  the  pictures  of  flowers,  rural 
desijrns  and  decorations. 

With  all  due  respect  for  other  excellent  journals, 
we  think  your  periodical  well  calculated  for  our 
meridian,  for  ours  is  a  ury  practical  community. 

We  hLve  alway  believed  in  flowers,  as  well  a 
fruit  and  have  tried  various  plans  for  window  and 
Sr  culture  of  our  favorites,  but  not  with  sa.is^-mg 
results,  and  have  decided  that  gas  and  coaU  us  are 
not  favorable  to  the  development  of  Camellias, 
Primulas  and  Roses.  Wardian  cases  answered  par- 
Llv  but  our  longing  has  been  for  a  grecnhcuse  or 
s  ove'.  for  culture  and  propagation.   Rejoice  with  us, 

hel,  in  the  possession  of  » -^"-"-'"^ '"''t  7„; 
to  25  by  12  feet,  heated  by  a  small  nirnace  and  hot 
witer  pfpes,  and  nearly  filled,  at  thispresent  wnUng 
with  amod^rate  variety  of,  we  flatter  ourselves,  well- 
conditioned  and  thriving  plants. 

Our  first  paper  of  seeds,  in  especial  preparation  for 
our  greenhouse,  was  of  Lophospermum  scandens, 
whicl  we  sowed  in  a  box  about  the  middle  of  May, 
w  ich  were  in  due  time  potted  off,  and  are  now 
rambling  about  the  rafters  and  rods  of  said  house 
with  their  bright  pink  tubular  blossoms,  showy  and 
rich  i  Maurandias  and  Cobea  scandens  share  the  room 
with  them,  and  our  seedlings  are  doing  we  1.    L.ite 
in  the  summer  we  wrote  to  our  fnend   B   K.  hU-, 
of  Springfield,  for  Cineraria  mimuhis,  «"<>'-  ';--;' 
Stock  GiUy  seeds,  and  it  really  seemed  as  if  every 
finy  grain  liad  vegetated  ;  so  complete  was  our  suc- 
cess as  quite  to  overwhelm  us,  and  create  a  very  large 
demand  for  very  small  pots.    In  a  few  w^ks  th 
demand  was  renewed  for  a  larger,  and  again  a  st 
larger  si.e.  the   transfers  being  all   made  b>   oiu^ 
own  hands;  and  we  are  now  stocked  to  our  «tmo 
capacity,  having  in  this  simple  way,  and  by  tlie  g.fts 


i; 


>•.  rfti 


li 


^h  ^arbtntr's  Hlonthlj. 


of  a  kind  friend  and  neighbor,  collected  some  500 
plants,  which  are  now  in  different  stages  of  forward- 
ness. We  have  been  most  disappointed  in  our  Pri- 
mula sinensis,  which  grow  so  slowly  that  we  begin  to 
think  we  have  not  treated  them  as  they  best  like. 
Can  you  tell  us  a  little  about  their  culture?  Our 
special  object  in  this  experiment  is  to  discover  whether 
there  is  any  thing  in  the  care  of  a  greenhouse,  or 
stove,  which  a  lady  may  not  accomplish,  and  thus 
plant -culture  on  a  large  scale  may  furnish  profitable 
and  suitable  employment  for  a  few  of  the  hundreds 
of  women  who  have  nothing  to  do  !  What  is  there, 
Mr.  Editor,  to  prevent  ladies  going  '"prentice"  to 
some  really  intelligent  scientific  gardener,  and  by 
familiar  lectures  and  practice  at  the  "shelfsidc,"  be- 
coming thoroughly  familiar  with  the  habits  and 
necessities  of  each  species  of  these  lovely,  delicate 
forms  of  life,  so  fit  for  woman's  care. 

So  far,   we  have  discovered  nothing  about  their 
tending  which  a  woman  may  not  do.  In  one  corner  of 
the  house  is  a  brick  tank  for  potting  earth,  and  when 
emptied  it  can  be  replenishe     by  any  man  who  can 
understand  an  order  for  on     part  well-rotted  turf, 
«fec.     Our  friends,  the  gard  ners  in   the  neighbor- 
hood, shook  their  heads  und   smiled  knowingly ; 
"Your  house  is  too  light,— you  can  never  keep  your 
pots  clean  ;  you  will  be  full  of  green  flies  ;  you  must 
have  an  old  experienced  gardener  for  this  house." 
But  we  built  a  cistern  in  one  corner,  put  a  copper 
pump  in,  got  a  good  large  syringe,  a  water-pail,  and 
scrubbing-brush  ;  and  hours  which  would  be  no  bet- 
ter employed,  we  believe,  are  spent  in  experimenting 
with  our  pets.    Our  Mimulus  are  in  a  blaze  of  bloom  ; 
our  Cinerarias  in  promising  bud.     We  are  cutting 
roses,  stevias,  heliotropes,  geraniuins,  feverfews,  and 
abutilons,  for  the  breakfast  table,  or  the  sick  room. 
Our  camellias  are  showing  color,  and  we  are  Cv^n- 
suUing  your  pages  with  high  relish,  and  wishing  our 
greenhouse  was  twice  as  large. 


ture,  small  cost,  profuse  bloom,  and  delightful  frag- 
rance of  the  falling  plants,  are  inducements  for  bal- 
cony gardening.  Verbena,  Petunia,  Mignionette, 
HeUotrope,  Alyssum,  Lobelia,  Cuphea,  Neirember- 
gia,  Eschcholtzia,  Phlox  Drummondii,  and  many 
others;  and  for  climbers,  Maurandia,  Thunbergia, 
Cobia,  Nasturtion,  Cypress-vine,  &c.  There  is  no 
amusement  can  be  more  agreeable  and  innocent 
than  the  watering  and  care-taking  of  these  gardens, 
none  so  cheap  and  long  continued.  It  creates  a 
hometiveness  in  the  way -wanderer,  and  it  affords  a 
pleasure  to  show  them,  and  name  the  different  plants 
to  our  visitors,  and  impresses  the  minds  of  strangers 
of  the  virtuous  habits,  refined  taste,  and  moral  learn- 
ing of  the  inhabitants  of  cities.  By  all  means  en- 
courage balcony  gardening. 


*»m»» 


DRAINING   TILES    FOR    FOTS. 

BY  J.  P.,  ROCHESTER,  N.   Y. 

In  your  issue  for  May  it  is  stated  that  horse-shoe 
draining-tiles  have  been  used  in  England  for  bed- 
ding-out  plants.  Some  two  or  three  years  ago, 
wishing  to  present  a  plant  or  two  of  a  new  vine  to 
some  friends,  I  buried  some  good-sized  (five-iuchj 
horse-shoe  tiles  ne.ir  the  plant,  and  bending  down 
some  shoots  wiiich  had  purposely  been  allowed  to 
spring  from  the  base  of  the  vine,  I  layered  them  in 
the  tiles.  In  a  short  time  they  made  gpod  roots, 
were  transplanted  in  the  height  of  the  growing  sea- 
son, and  did  well. 

I  do  not  make  this  statement  with  any  view  to  a 
"reclamation  of  priority,"  but  simply  because  the 
extension  of  the  application  may  prove  of  use  to 
some  of  your  readers.  In  layering  vines,  tiles  arc 
decidedly  better  than  flower-pots.  But  pray  do  not 
class  me  with  those  who,  whenever  any  thing  good 
is  published,  at  once  get  out  with,  "Oh,  that  is  no- 


thing new  !     I  did  that  long  ago  !"     The  man  who 

[The  above  very  su-gestive  note  from  our  lady    firf^t  publishes  is  the  man  to  whom  the  community  i» 

friend  is  dated  Dec.  8,  and  has  thus  been  too  long  at  '  indebted  for  a  good  idea.     To  those  who  knew  it, 


the  bottom  of  our  drawer,  overlooked. — Ed.] 


►♦•- 


I    I 


BALCONY    GARDENING. 

BY   WALTER  ELDER. 

Having  read  much  of  the  beauty  and  elegance 
imparted  to  Paris  and  other  European  cities  by 
balcony  gardening,  I  have  long  wondered  why 
our  citizens  who  arc  really  fond  of  flowers,  should 
have  so  long  neglected  this  si>ccies  of  gardening  ; 
but  of  late  years  a  taste  for  it  has  arisen,  and  is  in  the 
increase.  Last  year  I  observed  many  creditable  dis- 
plays through  this  city,  and  tlie  hanging  i)ots  with 
creepers  are  a  promineut  feature.     Tlie  simple  cul- 


but  did  not  give  the  benefit  to  their  neighbors,  no 
thanks  are  due.  They  have  no  business  to  come 
yelping  after  a  share  of  praise  which  does  not  be- 


long to  them. 


— •» 


IVY 

B.    T.    M.,    BROOKLYN,    N.    Y. 

The  following  is  the  description  of  one  of  the 
prettiest  uses  ivy  can  be  put  to.  Its  dark  color,  in 
contrast  to  the  comparatively  light  green  of  our 
grass,  renders  it  fit  for  the  frame  of  a  lawiL  For 
instance,  a  lawn  is  staked  out,  s([uare,  circular  or 
oval,  —say  of  forty  feet  diameter.  Sow  one  foot  and  a 
half  in  grass, — plant  three  feet  with  ivy,  and  the  bal- 


'^^$>^ — 


i;hj[  hardener's 


Q^ 


Qi; 


nnce  of  thirty-five  and  a  half  feet  again  in  grass. 
Vccording  to  the  degree  of  natural  dampness,  more 
or  less,  ivy  roots  are  necessary  ;  it  makes,  however, 
prodigious  progress  where  once  estabhshed.  Care 
must  be  taken  to  stake  the  ivy  down,  so  that  it  will 
not  run  into  the  grass ;  also,  when  once  gomg,  to 
clip  it  for  the  same  purpose.  In  winter,  where  it 
might  perhaps  be  frozen  out,  a  few  evergreen  bushes 

will  protect  it. 

The  trouble  bestowed  on  it  for  a  couple  of  years 
is  amply  repaid  by  a  beautiful  setting  for  your  lawn. 
Flower-beds  introduced  into  the  lawn  will  occasion- 
ally heighten  the  effect. 

This  device  is  probably  not  new  to  some  of  the 
Monthly's  readers  ;  but  to  the  majority  it  may  be  a 
welcome  novelty. 


«*■•» 


ANOTHER    CHAPTER   OF    HINTS. 

BY   S.,    PIIILADELPniA. 

Mr.  Editor  :— I  was  so  much  interested  in  read- 
in  o-  your  Chapter  of  Hints  in  last  month's  number, 
tlmt  it  set  me  to  thinking  whether  I  could  not  fur- 
nish you  with  another,  from  my  experience. 
Plant  Trellis. 
Fig   1  is  a  drawing  of  a  trellis  for  pot  plants,  of 
.imple  and  easv  construction.     First  procure  a  roll  ot 
iron  wire  of  about  an  eighth  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  and 
cut  it  into  lengths  so  that  it  will  form  rings  of  sev- 
eral sizes  to  suit  the  sizes  of  the  pots.     The  ring  A 

Fig.  1. 


large  number  done  for  a  trifle,  and  they  will  last  for 
years.      Next  procure   some   half-inch  white   pine 
boards,  free  from  knots,  and  have  them  ripped  up 
at  a  steam  saw-mill  into  strips  of  about  five-eighths 
of  an  inch  wide.     These  strips  must  be  planed  off 
and  painted  green  and  cut  into  the  required  lengths. 
When  you  wish  to  train  a  plant,  insert  these  strips 
into  the  soil  imtil  they  reach  the  bottom  of  the  pot, 
and  close  to  the  side  of  the  pot.     Then  place  the 
iron  ring  A  in^nde  the  strips,  and  about  one-third  of 
the  way'^up.     Then  compress  the  upper  ends  of  the 
strips,  and  put  on  the  ring  B  on  the  outside  of  the 
strips'.     The  pot  and  the  two  rings  brace  the  trellis 
so  firmly,  that  neither  wind  nor  jolting  in  a  cart 
will  affect  it.     It  can  be  put  up  or  taken  down  in  a 
moment. 

An  Extemporaneous  Hanging  Basket. 
The  drawing  Cfig-  2)  requires  but  little  explana- 
tion. A  is  an  inverted  flower-pot,  surrounded  by  a 
circle  of  pots  of  the  same  size.  This  circle  of  pots 
is  confined  bv  the  ring  of  wire  B,  which  is  just  be- 
low the  projecting  rim  of  the  pots.     The  whole  is 

Fig.  2. 


^ 


suspended  by  the  wire  or  rod   C,   which    passes 
through  the  hole  of  the  pot  A,  and  is  secured  to  a 
circular  block  of  wood  inside  ;  or  instead  of  the  pot 
A   a  block  of  wood  of  the  same  shape  may  be  sub- 
stituted ;  in  that  case,  another  pot  can  be  placed  on 
top  of  the  block,  and  the  rod  passed  through  the 
hole  in  the  bottom  of  the  pot.     Tlie  best  sizes  of 
pots  for  the  purpose  are  five  and  six-inch.     The  ad- 
vantage of  this  plan  is,  that  when  you  have  a  collec- 
tion of  plants  in  bloom  in  the  same  sized  pots,  you 
can  select  such  as  you  may  wish,  and  without  the 
trouble  of  transplanting,  form  them  into  a  pleasing 
-^.^^^^  and  graceful  group.     The  engraver  has  put  j^.r  pots 

in  the  cut  must  be  fr^m  two  to  three  inches  more  .  in  the  outer  circle,  instead  of  p.  as  it  should  have 
in  diameter  than  the  pot,  and  the  ring  B  from  two    ^^«"-  .,,aeners  who  are  limited  in  means 


-li 


yj 


'     !« 


^^^^ 


(l\);  §m\mtxs  Elant|lB. 


but  not,  perhaps,  to  most  of  your  more  experienced 

readers. 

Many  varieties  of  plants  require  an  open,  fibrous, 
peaty  soil,  and  others  to  have  the  pots  well  drained. 
For  want  of  something  better,  I  use  occasionally 
for  the  first-named  purpose,  finely-chopped  hay,  cut 
with  a  straw-cutter,  and  mixed  with  the  soil.  This, 
with  a  little  coarsely-powdered  charcoal,  answers 
the  purpose  very  well.  For  drainage  of  pots  I  some- 
times use  coarse  ashes  or  cinders  of  anthracite  coal 
and  oyster-shells.  I  find  that  oyster-shells  that  have 
just  been  opened  are  much  preferable  to  potsherds. 
The  plants  derive  much  nourishment  from  them, 
and  I  find  the  roots  often  clinging  to  them  most 
tenaciously. 

A  very  neat  mode  of  supporting  tomato-plants, 
much  in  vogue  in  the  neighborhood,  is  the  follow- 
ing.    See  fig.  3. 

Fig.  3. 


Procure  a  bundle  of  four  feet  long  pickets  or  pales 
and  a  bundle  of  ordinary  plastering-laths.  Nail  the 
pickets  together  in  pairs,  as  shown  in  the  drawing, 
so  as  to  form  an  angle  of  about  eighty  or  ninety 
degrees.  Then  nail  the  plastering-laths  on  them, 
very  much  in  the  same  way  you  would  make  an 
ordinary  hen-coop.  In  this  way  you  can  put  up  a 
long  row  in  a  very  short  time.  The  tomato-vines 
are  to  be  planted  along  each  side  of  this  trellis,  and 
will  require  but  little  tying,  as  their  own  weight  will 
almost  be  sufficient.  The  tomatoes  should  be  planted 
in  rows  running  north  and  south,  so  that  they  will 
get  all  the  sun.  These  frames  can  also  be  made 
single  pitch.  In  that  case,  the  rows  must  run  east 
and  west,  so  as  to  face  the  south. 

In  many  gardens  where  the  soil  is  wet  and  cold, 
or  during  wet  and  cold  springs,  the  seed  of  Lima 
Beans  are  very  apt  to  rot  before  they  germinate, 
thus  causing  a  loss  of  time  and  seed.  The  practice 
is  becoming  very  general  among  truck-gardeners,  to 
plant  the  seed  about  two  weeks  before  it  is  perfectly 
safe  to  set  them  out,  in  the  back  part  or  comer  of  a 
hotbed.  They  can  be  planted  very  thickly,  so  that 
the  surface  of  the  ground  is  closely  covered.  In 
about  two  weeks  they  will  have  grown  three  or  four 
inches  high,  when  they  can  be  taken  up  carefully 
and  set  out  like  cabbage-plants  around  the  poles.  I 
have  tried  it  for  two  years  past,  and  with  perfect 
success.     Before  I  had  often  to  replant. 


RETARDING   FRUITS. 

BY  M.    S.    F.,    COLUMBIA,    TENNESSEE. 

If  this  age  of  money  and  talent  could  discover 
some  mode  by  which  we  could  hold  back  our  trees 
from  early  blooming,  it  would  be  worth  as  much  as 
a  gold  mine.  Cannot  some  mode  of  general  use  be 
adopted  that  can  give  us  the  control  of  the  sap? 

I  have  tried  two  modes  this  spring  to  accomplish 
this  much-desired  object— one,  to  keep  the  ground 
and  roots  cold,  and  the  top  warm  ;  the  other,  to  keep 
the  ground  warm  and  the  tops  cold.  The  result  was, 
those  about  which  the  ground  and  roots  were  kept 
cold,  bloomed  first,  and  were  the  worse  killed.  This 
may,  however,  have  resulted  from  the  fact  that  the 
trees  were  different  kinds  of  apricots. 

[Heat  applie.l  to  the  branches  of  a  tree  induces 
action,  whether  the  roots  are  cold  or  not.  AVe 
doubt  whether  keeping  the  roots  cool  would  have 
any  effect.  Shading  the  branches  from  the  sun  is 
the  only  plan  we  know.  Our  strawberry  crop  on 
the  sunny  side  of  a  hill,  is  nearly  destroyed  by  the 
blossoms  freezing  by  the  frost  of  2d  of  May.  A  few 
on  a  north  side  not  in  bloom  have  escaped.  It  would 
be  wise  where  large  crops  are  grown  for  market,  to 
have  two  aspects  with  the  same  kind  of  fruit.  If 
the  early  crop  is  destroyed,  the  late  one  will  then  be 
the  earliest. — Ed.] 


«•■•» 


USEFUL    EXTRACTS   FOR    AMATEURS. 

BY   C,    PIIILADELnilA. 

Our  correspondent  "C."  sends  us  the  following 
selections,  made  up  from  English  sources,  which 
will  be  found  mostly  of  great  value. 

Pears.— Dwarf  bushes  on  quince  stocks  are  ad- 
mirably adapted  for  gardens  exposed  to  violent 
winds;  and  they  are  also  protected  from  spring 
frosts  by  placing  around  them,  so  that  they  rest  on 
and  cover  the  tree,— sticking  their  ends  into  the 
soil,- branches  of  deciduous  trees  with  their  spray- 
like shoots  on,  or  young  branches  of  evergreens,  or 
even  a  square  piece  of  calico,  which  can  be  easily 
thrown  over  the  tree  when  in  bloom.  The  fruit 
on  such  trees  Cdwarf  bushes;  is  generally  of  increased 
size,  and  not  liable  to  be  blown  off  by  autumnal 
gales.  If  the  garden  be  small,  they  may  be  planted 
four  feet  apart,  and  kept  in  a  compact,  fruitful  state, 
by  being  removed  biennially  early  in  November.  If 
large  trees  are  desired,  plant  six  to  eight  feet,  and  if 
unremoved,  they  will  soon  form  good  sized  prolific 
bushes. 

Biennial  removal  is  the  most  simple  of  all  methods 
of  root-pruning;  it  consists  in  merely  digging  a 
trench  around  the  tree  about  fifteen  inches  from  its 
stem,  early  in  November,  and  lifting  it  carefully  out 


ihi^  hardener's  JltontMg. 


of  the  ground  with  all  the  earth  possible  attached  to 
its  roots,— shortening  with  a  knife  any  that  are 
straggling.      If  the  soil  be  rich,  so  that  the  trees 
unremoved  are  inclined  to  grow  too  vigorously,  no 
fresh  compost  will  be  required,  and  it  will  be  merely 
necessary  before  replacing  the  tree,  to  shovel  into 
the  hole  some  of  the  earth  from  the  surfiice  around 
it  two  or  three  inches  in  depth  ;  this  will  prevent  the 
tree  settling  down  too  deeply.     If  the  soil  be  poor, 
some  rotten   dung,  at  least   six  months  old,   and 
loam,  or  atiy  light  earth,  equal  parts,  or  moor  earth 
may  be  placed  at  the  bottom  in  the  same  manner, 
and  about  a  wheelbarrow  of  the  same  compost  over 
the  roots  when  replanting.     The  only  method  to 
cultivate  successfully  pryamidal  pear  on  pear  stocks, 
is  by  biennial  removal ;   in  this  way  they  become 
nearly  as  prolific  as  those  on  quince  stocks. 

For  many  years  it  has  been  common  to  hear  some 
gardeners,  if  lacking  energy  or  enterprise,  declaim 
against  pears  on  quince  stocks,  I  believe  only  because 
they  require  careful  culture.     I  have  no  hesitation  in 
saying  that  in  the  most  adverse  soils,  if  the  climate  be 
not  too  cool,  they  may  be  grown  with  advantage  in  a 
garden.     With  biennial  removal  and  fresh  compost, 
they  would  succeed  (as  I  can  showj)  in  solid  clay,  or  in 
hard,  stony  and  gravelly  soils.     Give  them  a  favora- 
ble climate,  and  you  may  make  them  independent  of 
the  natural  soil  of  the  garden. 

An  idea  has  also  been  broached,  that  as  the  spring 
frosts  are  less  severe  at  ten  or  twelve  feet  from  the 
surface  of  the  earth,  it  may  be  advisable  to  cultivate 
our  choice  pears  as  tall  standards.  From  1845  to 
1856  our  springs  CEnglandJ)  were  generally  frosty 
and  destructive  to  the  blossoms  of  fruit  trees.  Dur- 
ing that  period  I  have  often  had  crops  of  fine  pears 
from  my  dwarf  trees  when  the  standard  failed,  but 
nepei-  once  crops  from  the  standards  when  the  dwarf 
failed  to  bear.  My  finest  pears  are  grown  on  bushes 
which  are  taken  up  and  replanted  biennially  in 
November.  In  February,  annually,  about  two  quarts 
of  soot  are  strewn  on  the  surface  around  each  tree 
in  a  circle  two  feet  diameter ;  this  is  left  undisturbed 
all  the  summer,  owing,  I  presume,  to  the  constant 
radiation  of  heat  from  the  earth.  Pears  grown  on 
these  bushes  are  quite  equal  in  size  to  those  grown 
on  walls,  and  superior  in  flavor. 

Plums.— When  cultivated  as  a  pyramid,  the  plum 
tree  is  a  beautiful  tree.     I  have  five  acres  of  the  finest 
pryamids  ever  seen ;  they  are  objects  of  the  greatest 
beauty.     In  small  gardens  the  pyramids  should  be 
lifted  biennially.     This  gives  them  a  proper  cheek, 
and  makes  the  trees  abundantly  fruitful ;  but  there  is 
for  small  gardens,  or  even  for  large  gardens,  much 
exposed,  no  more  interesting  or  profitable  mode  of 
cultivating  the  plum  than  as  a  bush.     The  biennial 
removal  as  recommended  for  pyramids  should  be 


adopted,  and  they  soon  become  pictures  of  fertility. 
I  have  a  Green  Gage  Plum  ten  years  old,  three  feet 
high  and  four  feet  diameter ;  this  in  1855  was  break- 
ing down  with  its  load  of  fruit.     For  pot-culture  in 
orchard-houses  plums  succeed  admirably,  and  late 
sorts  will  hang  on  the  tree  until  November,  and 
shrivelling  so  as  to  become  like  a  sweetmeat.     (See 
his  Orchard-house  sixth  edition. ;     "  Quere.—W ou\d 
not  these  orchard-houses  give  us  a  plentiful  supply 
of  good  plums,  and  escape  the  curculio  ;  also,  apri- 
cots, nectarines?  They  can  be  constructed  very  cheap, 
and  really  would  give  more  amusement  to  our  ladies 
and  male  friends  than  the  neglected  and  badly-man- 
aged greenhouses,  useless  in  summer  and  expensive 
in  winter.      Grapes  in  pots,  strawberries,   and  an 
endless  variety  of  fruits,  might  be  daily  on  the  table 
and  not  cost   one-half  the  expense  of   expensive 
plants,  and  ever-dying  exotics." 

Raspberries.— Rivers'   report  of  the  new   Au- 
tumnal kinds  is  as  follows : — 

October  Red,  or  Merveille  des  Quatrc  Saisons, 
(only  four  dollars  per  dozen.;  Large,  bright-red ; 
bears  even  more  abundantly  in  autumn  than  the 
Large-fruited  Monthly.  Its  spikes  of  fruit  are  often 
from  twelve  to  eighteen  inches  long. 

October  Yellow,  Merveille  des  Quatre  Saisons  pent 
Jaune,  (six  dollars  per  dozen,)  has  the  same  habit 
as  the  preceding,  but  gives  yellow  fruit  of  a  good 
size  and  flavor,  and  bears  abundantly. 

Blackberry.- Zaw)<07i.  He  says  :— ''  This  black- 
berry is  very  popular  in  America.  It  has  borne 
fruit  here,  and  proves  to  be  a  distinct  variety,  giving 
fruit  rather  more  conical  in  shape  than  our  English 
Blackberry,  and,  perhaps,  a  trifle  larger.  In  flavor 
there  is  hardly  any  difference,  but  it  ripens  about 
the  middle  of  August,  or  a  full  month  earlier  than 
our  English  blackberries."— r.  Bivers. 


— •> 


Gardening  in  England.— At  the  sea  side  resi- 
dence of  Queen  Victoria,  in  the  Isle  of  Wight,  a 
large  portion  of  the  pleasure-grounds  is  appropriated 
to  the  young  Prince  and  Princesses,  who  have  each 
a  flower  and  a  vegetable  garden,  green-houses,  hot- 
beds, and  forcing-frames,  nurseries,  tool-houses,  and 
even  a  carpenter-shop.    Here  the  royal  children  pass 
hours  of  their  time.     Each  is  supplied  with  a  set  of 
tools,  marked  with  the  name  of  the  owner;  and 
here  they  work  with  the  enthusiam  of  an  amateur, 
and  the  zeal  of  an  Anglo-Saxon.     There  is  no  branch 
of  gardening  in  which  the  royal  children  are  not  au 
fait.     In  fact,  from  the  highest  personage  in  the  land 
to  the  poorest  Manchester  weaver,  gardening  has  be- 
come such  an  essential  part  of  education  and  refined 
culture,  that  to  all  classes  it  is  one  of  the  "necessa- 
ries of  life." 


=^^^^1^ 


v* 


Clifl,  45arkncr*s  Hlonthln. 


PHILADELPHIA,  JULY  1,  1861. 


rf  All  Communications  for  the  Editor  should  be  addressed, 
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ters directed  to  "The  Publisher  of  the  Gardener-s  Monthly 
Box  -106  Philadelphia." 

rr  Persons  sending  two  new  Subscribers  for  1861  in  addition 
to  their  own,  with  *3.00  can  receive  a  copy  of  our  First  Volume 
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RATHVON'S    ENTOMOLOGICAL   ESSAY. 

This  month's  article  completes  the  series  of  the 
above,  which  we  have  been  publishing  for  some 
time.  We  intend  now  putting  the  same  in  book- 
form  with  the  plates  colored,  which  will  be  an 
invaluable  treasure,  as  it  will  enable  fruit-growers 
to  distinguish  at  a  glance  his  friend  or  foe  from  among 
the  many  forms  of  insect  life,  and  will  give  to  the 
entomologist  a  cabinet,  which  he  will  be  fortunate  it 
he  should  be  able  to  obtain  from  nature. 

The  drawings  and  colorings  may  be  relied  upon  as 
correct,  coming  as  they  did  from  so  well-known  an 
entomologist  as  Mr.  Stauffer;  and  for  the  letter-press 
descriptions,  we  need  but  allude  to  the  reputation  of 
the  author,  whose  pen  the  Fruit-Growers'  Society  of 
Eastern  Pennsylvania  was  so  fortunate  as  to  engage 
on  the  subject. 

The  work  will  be  published  in  octavo  size,  bound 
in  cloth,  at  the  low  price  of  75  cents,  or  paper  at  50 


cents. 


«#»•» 


A   STRAWBERRY   VIEW. 

Of  all  fruits,  the  advent  of  the  strawberry  season 
is  the  most  welcome.  Epicures  may  cast  their 
longing  eyes  at  embryo  bunches  as  they  pass  through 
theh-  grape-houses,— and  the  men  of  heavy  means 
and  proportionate  patience  see  all  humbler  fruits 
eclipsed  in  the  anticipated  luxuries  of  their  pear 
orchards  ;  but  to  the  mass  of  the  people  all  these  are 
obscured  by  the  strawberry.  That  is  the  fruit  for 
the  million.  It  is  very  interesting  to  note  the  great 
progress  this  strongly  republican  fruit  has  made  in 
its  hold  on  the  hearts  of  the  masses.  From  forming 
a  disli  that  might  only  be  set  before  a  king,  and 
which,  if  history  tell  truth,  even  a  royal  person- 
age has  been  known  to  die  surfeited ;  it  has  suc- 
cessively descended  to  do  duty  at  the  tables  of 
aristocracy,  and  at  the  humbler  boards  of  American 
sovereigns,  till  he  who  does  not  afford  the  family 
he  governs  at  least  one  good  strawberry  festival  in 


the  season,  is  not  worthy  even  of  a  reputation,  and 
is  "very  poor  indeed." 

Our  strawberry  crop  is  not  ripe  at  the  present  time 
of  writing,  and  while  our  lips  are  moving  in  advance 
of  the  coming  enjoyment,  we  will  suffer  our  pen  to 
note  a  few  points  in  the  modern  history  of  the  straw- 
berry ;  considering  w^hat  has  been  done  for  it,  and 
what  it  has  done  for  us,  and  what  we  yet  expect  it 
to  do.  About  thirty  years  ago  most  of  the  kinds  of 
any  note  in  cultivation  in  this  country  were  what  we 
should  now  consider  small  and  very  poor  bearers, 
and  were  mainly  imported  varieties  of  the  Old  Pine 
and  the  Scariet.  Of  the  latter,  the  Methven,  under 
the  name  in  some  localities  of  Keen's  Seedling,  was 
one  of  the  most  popular.  The  Philadelphia  markets 
could  furnish  little  else  but  this  variety,  and,  if  tradi- 
tion has  correctly  informed  us,  very  few  even  of 
these.  About  twenty-five  years  ago  the  first  de- 
cided impulse  to  strawberry-culture  w^as  given  by 
the  Hoveys  in  the  raising  of  Ilovey's  Seedling, 
which  was  considered  so  far  in  advance  of  all  exist- 
ing varieties,  as  to  be  a  wonder  of  its  day,  and  afford- 
ing nearly  an  argument  against  the  doctrine  of  the 
great  botanist  Ray,  and  which  has  almost  passed  into 
one  of  the  canons  of  natural  history,  "  natura  non 
facit  8altum,''—niitmc  does  not  improve  by  jumps. 
Certainly  this  was  a  leap  of  no  mean  extent,  and 
strawberry  cultivation  with  it  went  on  at  a  bound. 

But  Hovcy's  plant  had  imperfect  flowers.  The 
stamens  were  wanting,  and  the  plant  in  that  state 
could  not  fertilize  itself,  and  was  consequently  bar- 
ren. But  it  seemed  that  nature,  in  rendering  the 
stamens  abortive,  did  so  only  in  order  to  turn  lier 
energies  in  another  direction,  namely,  a  greater 
profusion  of  these  imperfect  flowers.  Tlie  Cin- 
cinnati cultivators  were  not  long  in  turning  these 
facts  to  accounl,  and  by  introducing  a  few  pollen- 
bearing  plants, —staminates  amongst  the  imper- 
fect pistillates,  succeeded  in  fruiting  the  latter  to 
such  an  extent  that  prodigious  crops  were  the  result, 
and  while  the  fruit  was  thus  brought  within  the 
reach  of  all  by  the  low  prices,  the  culture  became 
so  general,  that  for  awhile  it  might  seem  doubtful 
whether  the  Queen  City  was  most  famous  for  her 
strawberries  or  her  pork. 

Our  Western  friends  were  proud,  and  justly  so, 
of  their  discovery,  and  with  the  enthusiasm  which 
history  shows  to  be  generally  inseparable  from  really 
useful  inventions,  undertook  to  give  to  their  new 
application  of  facts  all  the  merit  of  novel  botanical 
principles,  on  which  another  party  of  pomologists 
took  issue,  and  a  long  "strawberry  war"  was  the 
consecpience,  ended  only  by  sheer  exhaustion  of  the 
combatants.  The  one  party  claimed  that  a  straw- 
berry  once  pistillate   or  perfect,   was   always    so, 


mt[  ^ardfincr'is  PmitWg. 


through  all  its  successive  generation  of  runners. 
The  other  asserted  that  under  some  circumstances 
changes  at  times  occurred.  The  question  might  very 
well  have  been  left  to  the  laws  of  the  science  of 
vegetable  morphology  to  decide,  had  not  its  discus- 
sion a  practical  bearing  on  the  character  of  nursery- 
men in  regard  to  the  accuracy  and  identity  of  the 
varieties  they  sent  out.  History  does  not  record 
that  either  of  the  combating  parties  were  convinced 
of  error,  and  the  only  certain  fact  is,  that  the 
"hatchet"  was  buried,  and  peace  has  since  reigned 

undisturbed. 

About  this  time  Myatt,  of  England,  was  revolu- 
tionizing the  strawberry-culture  of  that  country  with 
his  improved  seedlings,  and  the  many  new  kinds 
of  that  country  wereextensively  imported  to  this,  all 
with  more  or  less  failure,  and  the  impression  becom- 
ing general,  that  foreign  kinds  were  not  adapted  to 
om-  "country,  a  stimulus  was  again  given  to  rais- 
ing  American    seedlings.      Every  year  brought  its 
varieties, -Phcenix,Burr'sPine,  Mc' Avoy's  Superior, 
Genesee,  Longworth's  Prolific,  Gushing,  and  scores 
of  others,  none   ot  which,  however,  attained  any 
very  widespread  popularity,  except,  perhaps,  Burr's 
Pine,  which,  with  Ilovey's  Seedling,  can  scarcely 
yet  be   said  to  have  their  glories  entirely  dimmed 
by  the  best  of  the  popular  tavorites  of  the  present 

time. 

About  the  year  1852  James  Wilson,  of  Albany, 
raised  the  Albany  Seedling.  He  does  not  appear  to 
have  thought  very  highly  of  it  himself,  for  it  was  dis- 
tributed without  much  noise  or  comment,  and  at  a 
low  price,  amongst  his  friends  all  over  the  Union. 
It  was  found,  however,  that  no  strawberry  ever 
had  so  great  a  power  of  adapting  itself  to  local  varia- 
tions as  this.  It  bore  well  and  abundantly,  with 
great  regularity  and  certainty  every  where,  and  with 
a  small  amount  of  trouble  and  care,  which  was  a 
sure  passport  to  the  gardens  of  the  masses,  ignorant 
of  the  greater  value  and  profit  of  a  better  class  of 
strawberries,  that  only  required  more  scientific  know- 
ledge and  greater  practical  skill  than  they  possessed 
to  manage  property. 

Let  the  comparative  value  of  the  Albany  be  what 
it  may,  the  historical  fact  may  not  be  suppressed,  that 
its  dissemination  gave  an  impetus  to  strawberry-cul- 
ture with  us  not  less  in  value  to  the  introduction  of 
Ilovey  or  the  discovery  of  the  sexual  theory.  We 
now  want  a  strawberry  with  all  its  good  qualities, 
but  of  better  flavor.  We  hope  that  amongst  the 
many  varieties  of  last  and  previous  years,  such  may 
be  found.     Will  not  our  correspondents  report  their 

experience? 

In  improved  culture,  strawberry  history  ifl  worthy 
of  (iiiite  a  new  volume.  It  is  now  pretty  well  un- 
derstood, that  re-production  of  plants  and  the  bear- 


ing of  fruit  cannot  go  on  in  the  same  plant  at  the 
same  time  and  do  full  justice  to  each.     It  is  now 
therefore  a  part  of  the  science  of  straw  berry -culture, 
that  the  runners  must  be  cut  off  of  fruiting  plants ; 
and  that  to  get  strong  plants,  the  fruit  should  be 
denied  the  priviledge  of   perfecting.     Besides  the 
superior  strength  of  plants  from  unfruiting  parents, 
nurserymen  of  correct  habits  are  likely  to  adopt  the 
plan  as  insuring  greater  accuracy  of  stock,  as  with 
the  best  care,  seedlings  will  at  times  come  up  in  fruit- 
ing beds  and  mix  the  kinds,  to  the  great  bewilder- 
ment of  the  purchaser,  and  edification  of  those  who 
believe  in  no  change  of  sexual  classification.     The 
profits  of  this  mode  of  culture  are  also  matters  of 
history.  One  cultivator,  Mr.  Knox,  of  Pittsburg,  hav- 
ing invested  thousands  of  dollars  in  this  plan,  after 
a  careful  testing  of  opposing  ones,— and  is  reaping, 
it  is  said,  a  rich  harvest  of  golden  grain  as  the  result 
of  his  judicious  discrimination. 

There  is  yet   one    great    improvement   wanted, 
which  in  the  name  of  the  people  we  beg  to  suggest. 
It  is  all  very  well  for  our  Cincinnati  friends  to 
profess,  as  our  good  friend  Mr.  Longworth  once 
told  us  they  did,  that  no  one  wants  to  eat  strawber- 
ries without  cream  ;  the  observation  was  used,  by- 
the-way,    as  in  favor  of  a  reasonable  amount  oi 
acidity  in  some  favorite,  to  which  we  objected.     Wc 
know  that  all  the  worid  and  his  wife,  as  well  as  the 
dear  little  ones,  would  like  to  have  strawberries  so 
presented  to  them,  caring  little  for  the  cream,  that 
at  any  impromptu  moment  they  could  get  and  carry 
away  a  box  of  the  precious  rubies,  at  pic-nics  or 
on  excursions,  without  the  inevitable  "  owner's  box" 
before    their    eyes.      We  want,   as    they   have  m 
Europe,  cheap  boxes  or  baskets,  to  be  made  by  the 
miUion  for  a  trifle,  and  for  the  sole  ownership  of  the 
miflion       The  London    pleasure-seeker    buys    his 
"pottle"  of  strawberries  at  London  Bridge,  before 
takin-  his  excursion  boat  for  Gravesend,  which,  after 
emptying  its  contents  at  his  leisure,  he  commits  to 
the  surface  of  the  "deep,"  and  no  loss  to  any  one. 
We  believe  some  attention  has  already  been  given  to 
it  by  some  of  the  advance  guard  of  the  strawberry- 
growers'  forces,  and  as  they  are  of  that  character 
tbat  knows  no  defeat,  we  expect  to  hear  of  their 
successes  at  no  remote  period. 


THE   TARTARIAN   MAPLE, 

ACER  TATARICUM. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  striking  of  all  the  maple 
genus.  The  appearance  of  the  tree  suggests  rather 
a  fine  specimen  of  hawthorn  than  a  maple; 
and  as  it  grows  close  and  has  a  twiggy  habit,  i8 
ver^  striking,  and  is  eminently  characteristic  of  re- 
fined culture  when  introduced  to  garden  scenery. 


mi 


i 


I 


i|4  iardi^nijr's  JKant^Ij. 


When  the  tree  is  young  and  growing  thriftily,  the 
berry  is  three-lobed,  and  much  resembhng  a  young 
Clinton  Grape-leaf.      Our  sketch  was  taken  from 


such  a  form,  grown  on  a  tree  near  Philadelphia,  and 
is  one-half  the  natural  size.  When,  however,  the 
tree  grows  further  towards  maturity  the  leaves  arc 
heart-shaped,  and  undivided,— the  lobes,  as  above 
represented,  becoming  quite  obsolete.  The  flowers 
grow  in  erect  spikes,  close  together,  and  like  our 
Moosewood  (Acer  striatum)  in  appearance.  It  is 
a  native  of  Russian  Tartary,  quite  hardy  in  this 
country,  and  well  worthy  the  attention  of  culti- 
vators. 


«•■»» 


EDITORIAL   COMPENSATION. 

No  one  not  in  the  secret  has  any  idea  of  the  innu- 
merable annoyances  connected  with  the  manage- 
ment of  a  journal  of  this  kind.  One  reader  cares 
nothing  for  this  subject,— another  for  that.  Here 
one  man's  interest  is  affected,— there  another's  pre- 
judice assailed.  Questions  of  a  public  nature  em- 
broil you  with  your  best  private  friends,  and  to 
your  enemies  you  are  seldom  able  to  offer  a  suffi- 
cient peace-offering. 

In  ordinary  cases,  the  knowledge  that  all  this  is 
compensated  for  by  the  pecuniary  success  of  one's 
,   labors,  renders  the  position  of  an  editor  or  of  a  pro- 
I   prictor  not  altogether  intolerable.      In   our  case, 
I   where  neither  the  proprietor  nor  editor  went  into 
n   1  the  cause  with  any  idea  of  making  money  by  it, 


either  directly,  or  indirectly  as  an  aid  to  any  other 
business,  the  only  compensation  desired  or  expected 
was  that  the  cause  of  horticulture  might,  peradven- 
ture,  be  advanced,  and  we  receive,  at  least,  the  gra- 
titude of  our  fellow -men  for  our  efforts.. 

We  are  pleased  to  say  that  in  this  we  have  not 
been  disappointed.  Most  of  our  friends  have  been 
a  nimated  by  the  same  spirit  as  we  have.  They  have 
generously  labored  to  make  our  little  work  known, 
and  have  extended  its  circulation,  until,  with  the  ex. 
ception,perhaps,  of  the  Lo7idon  Gardener's  Chronicle, 
we  believe  we  have  a  circulation  greater  than  any  pure- 
ly horticultural  journal  in  the  world.  Ignoring  profit 
by  our  labors,  our  friends  have  done  their  duty  also, 
and,  by  extending  our  circulation,  have  saved  us 
from  loss,— all  that  we  asked  of  them. 

In  addition  to  this,  the  many  kind  words  in  hun- 
dreds of  letters,  and  from  the  whole  agricultural 
and  horticultural  press,  complimentary  to  the  past 
and  encouraging  for  the  future,  have  cheered  us  on 
in  our  labors,  and  at  no  time  have  they  been  more 
profuse  or  more  earnestly  expressed  than  in  the  pre- 
sent one  of  our  national  troubles.  We  sincerely  say, 
that  at  no  period  of  the  existence  of  our  periodical 
has  its  influence  for  good  been  shown  so  unmistaka- 
bly as  now,— and  that  we  believe,  had  we  a  wide 
choice,  we  could  serve  our  whole  country  no  better 
than  by  acting  as  its  editor. 

''Your  periodical,"  writes  a  distinguished  divine 
of  New  York,  "is  the  only  one  that  comes  to  my 
table  that  makes  me  entirely  forget  war  topics,  and 
I  thank  you  heartily  for  so  great  a  luxury."  An- 
other clergyman  and  valued  friend,  from  Pennsburg, 
Pa.,  says,  "My  mission  is  eminently  one  of  peace. 
Our  papers  are  all  on  the  war,  and  the  advent  of 
your  3/o/*<A^i/ is  ever  anxiously  looked  for."  Simi- 
lar letters  from  the  North,  East  and  West  pour  in 
in  abundance.  Gratifying  as  they  are,  our  Southern 
correspondence  during  the  past  few  months  is  still 
more  pleasing,  so  far  as  the  unfortunate  condition  of 
things  will  admit  of  any  pleasure  at  all. 

Dr.  Ravenal,  the  distinguished  botanist  and  horti- 
culturist of  Aiken,  S.  C,  in  the  first  and  only  letter 
we  ever  had  the  pleasure  to  receive  from  him,  writes  : 
"  I  presume  post-office  communication  will  soon  be 
no  longer  open  to  us  ;  in  which  case  I  wish  you  to 
take  any  and  every  chance  you  can  to  send  me  the 
Monthly.  Whatever  may  be  the  merits  of  the  con- 
troversy between  the  different  parties  in  our  coun- 
try, Cand  I  hold  my  own  opinion  on  this  subject,; 
I  sliall  never  forget  the  pleasure  your  journal  has 
given  me,  or  relinquish  my  desire  to  receive  it." 

And  thus  up  to  the  day  of  final  mail  suspension, 
scores  of  letters  have  reached  us,  which  we  relig- 
iously cherish,— some  recounting  what  their  writers 
consider  the  wrongs  they  have  suffered  from  the 


Mt^  (iardcwr'js  JftoiitMg. 


North,  others  expressing  abhorrence  at  the  course 
of  their  own  neighbors  of  the  South,— some  for 
Union,  some  for  disunion,  some  for  peace,  some  for 
war,— but  all  wishing  a  long  career  of  prosperity  for 
the' Monthly ;  their  wish  that  back  files  should  be 
saved  for  them  ;  and  determination,  should  they  be 
spared  through  the  struggle,  let  the  result  be  what  it 
may,  to  resume  their  places  in  its  refining  circle. 

What  greater  subject  can  appeal  to  our  individual 
patriotism  ?    That  in  the  midst  of  one  of  the  most 
heart-rending  conflicts  the  world  has  ever  seen,— 
when  father  and  son,  brother  and  friends,  church 
against  church,  and  pulpit  against  pulpit  are  divided 
to  a  greater  extent  than  any  history  can  furnish  a 
parallel,— we  should  hold  in  our  hands  one  of  the 
strongest,  most  pure  and  lasting  bonds  of  union, 
drawing  together  hearts  the  more  strongly  as  the 
political  and  religious  relations  tend  to  sunder  them, 
is  one  of  the  proudest  reflections  of  our  lives,— one 
overwhelming  myriads  of  such  annoyances  as  we 
alluded  to  in  the  opening  of  our  chapter,  and  afford- 
ing us  a  stronger  inducement  than  ever  to  persevere 
in  our  course  of  horticultural  propagandism,  as  one 
of  the  wisest  and  best  means  of  infusing  love,  har- 
mony, peace  and  good-will  amongst  men. 


^rraps  anb  <&umps. 


53- Communications  for  this  department  must  reach  the  Editor 
on  or  before  the  10th  of  the  month. 

jr3=^he  Editor  cannot  answer  letters  for  this  department  pri- 
vately.   


Cold  Vineries.— TT.    F.,   It,   Lexington,  Ky., 

writes ', 

"As  I  am  about  building  a  cold  vinery  for 
foreign  grapes,  I  want  some  information  on  the 
subject.  1st.  As  to  the  best  mode  of  construction. 
2nd.  The  probable  cost  of  the  kind  of  one  you 
would  suggest.  3rd.  The  best  time  for  planting  the 
vines.  4th.  The  best  plan  for  preparing  the  borders. 
5th.  Which  is  the  best,  inside  or  outside  borders ; 
and,  ((S)  as  I  want  them  entirely  for  family  use,  and 
not  on  an  extensive  scale,  give  me  your  opinion  as 
to  the  best  varieties.  I  wish  to  build  one  on  a  cheap 
but  yet  durable  plan. 

[1.  There  are  two  general  classes  of  graperies,— 
lean-to  and  span-roof,-and  these  again  may  be 
either  flat-roofed  or  curvilinear.  The  best  mode  of 
construction  will  depend  on  the  class  chosen.  For 
general  purposes,  the  flat-roofed,  lean-to,  or  span  is 
employed.  This  may  be  either  on  tlie  fixed-roof 
principle  or  with  sashes  ;  the  former  is  now  coming 
into  general  use.  How  to  construct  on  the  fixed- 
roof  principle  is  described  in  detail  at  page  117  vol. 


I.  (August  number.)  That  structure  was  intended 
for  plants  ;  but  any  one  accustomed  to  greenhouse, 
or  even  common  hotbed  frame  building,  can  readily 
adapt  it  to  the  purpose  of  a  vinery. 

2.  Houses  on  this  principle  can  usually  be  built  at 
from  two  to  five  dollars  per  foot,  according  to  the 
size  or  dimensions,— a  lean-to  about  ten  feet  back, 
three  feet  front,  and  sixteen  feet  wide,  would  cost 
in  this  section  about  three  dollars  per  lineal  or  run- 
ning foot.  A  house  on  the  sash  principle  generally 
costs  more  than  double  that  of  fixed  roofs. 

3.  Just  before  the  leaves  burst  in  spring. 

4.  We  cannot  do  better  than  refer  you  to  an  ex- 
cellent article  by  a  superior  practical  gardener  at 
Yonkers,  New  York,  at  page  139  vol.  II.  (MayJ), 
for  those  who  grow  on  the  old  border  system.     It 
is  best  to  have  the  border  entirely  in  the  house,  if 
sufficient  skill  and  care  can  be  employed  in  the  man- 
agement of  the  vinery.     They  can  be  grown  best 
this  way.     Where  but  little  time  can  be  spared  for 
management,  we  prefer  a  border  to  extend  both  in- 
side and  outside  the  house.     In  Mr.  Bright' s  hands, 
the  divided  and  detached  borders  produce  wonderful 
vines.     When  you  have  well  managed  the  old  sys- 
tem, you  may  try  your  hand  at  his  improv  ment, 
which  you  will  find  fully  described  at  page  34,  Vol. 
II.  •  or  you  might  try  it  on  a  small  scale  at  first  in  a 
part  of  the  house,  and  if  you  found  you  understood 
it  well  and  could  manage  it,  extend  it  to  the  whole 

house  ultimately. 

6.  Three-fourths  of  Black  Hamburg,  and  divide  the 
balance  between  Royal  M  scadine.  White  Frontig- 
nac.  Grizzly  Frontignac,  West  St.  Pettrs,  and,  if 
possible,  some  of  the  newer  kinds,  ..hich  may  pos- 
sibly prove  to  be  real  improvements,  such  as  Golden 
Hamburg,  or  3Iuscat  Hamburg.'  We  must  add, 
howcA-er,  that  avc  seldom  recommend  novices  to  go 
into  novelties  on  their  first  trials.  It  is  best  for  them 
to  start  with  well-known  and  dei)endable  kinds. 


Diseased  Rose-leaves.— /f.    V.  F.,  Lojanaporf, 
j,^f;  _The  leaves  sent  are  not,  in  our  opinion,  in- 
jured by  the  frost.     The  following  are  our  reasons 
for  this  opinion.     The  leaves  are  too  far  expanded 
to  suffer  in  that  way.    Frost  will  only  injure  a  young 
growth.     When   once  a  leaf  is  partially  hardened, 
frost  will  not  injure  it  in  the  way  yours  are.    Again, 
the  tenderest  portion  of  a  leaf  is  its  extreme  margin. 
When  injured  by  frost,  this  portion  suffers  first.— 
Some  of  your  specimens  are  so  injured  ;  but  many 
of  them  are  injured  at  the  base  of  the  leaf,  and  even 
the  footstalks  are  browned,  while  the  outer  and  more 
exposed  portions  arc  not  injured  at  all.     We  cannot 
say  what  lias  caused  the  injury  without  seeing  the 
plants  and  judging  from  circumstances.     You  need 
not  have  apologized  for  the  simplicity  of  your  ques- 


ih4  dardmr's  Jflonthlj, 


tion.  It  is  an  old  and  true  saying,  that  a  reasonal)le 
amount  of  skepticism  is  necessary  to  make  a  true 
believer,  and  in  no  case  is  it  so  wise  to  doubt  as  in 
those  little  circumstances  that  daily  come  under  our 
observation,  in  which  persevering  industry  will  cer- 
tainly convince  us  of  the  reason  and  cause.  Exten- 
sive knowledge  is  but  a  series  of  small  observations, 
and  for  this  reason,  as  our  past  pages  show,  we  are 
ever  ready  to  aid  our  friends  in  solving  these  "sim- 
ple things."  


Adveutisements— iVb^e  from  J.  B.  Good. 

York,  Pa.,  June  V3th,  1861. 

J/r.  Thomas  Meehan  : — 

Dear  Sir— In  the  last  number  of  the   Gardener's 
Monthly   I   notice  a  letter  from   Henry  Kohly,  of 
Greenville,  Ills.,  in  respect  to  my  Grape  advertise- 
ment, etc.     From  what  I  can  judge  of  his  writing, 
I  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  man  must  have 
been  insane  or  very  absent-minded,  as  the  enclosed 
letter  from  him  will  show.     This  is  the  only  letter 
that  T  ever  received  from  this  Henry  Kohly.     If  he 
did  send  any  money,  (which  I  doubt  very  much,)  it 
never  reached  this  place  nor  came  into  my  hands,  as 
the  enclosed  is  the  only  letter  that  I  ever  received  of 
him,  and  there  was  not  a  'particle  more  in  it  than 
what  I  send  to  you.     He  says  that  his  first  letter 
was  dated  February  11th,  1861  ;   whereas  the   en- 
closed letter  proves  positively  that  he  is  wrong,  as 
this  is  dated  January  30th,  1861,  and  is,  I  think, 
baned  upon  my  January  card  of  Grape-vines,  as  he 
7nal.c$  no  mention  at  all  of  cuttings.     To  this  letter  I 
sent  him   the   communication  you   published,  and 
dated  ''February  16M,  1861,"  and  with  my  signature. 
You  will  know  his  handwriting,  and  can  judge  for 
yourst^lf  who  is  the  greatest  swindler  in  this  case. 
Does  this  mtm  mean  to  put  a  false  charge  against 
me,   and  thereby  defame  me  ?     He  says  he  never 
noticed   my   card    before    the   11th    of  February; 
whereas  the  enclosed  letter  from  hijn  shows  quite  to 
the  contrary. 

In  respect  to  others  there  may  be  who  did  not  re- 
ceive their  vines,  or  were  dissatisfied  with  them,  I 
am  willing  to  make  every  thing  right  next  fall. 
Through  the  present  crisis  in  the  country  and  other 
cmbarras."<ments,  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  attend 
to  my  orders  as  should  have  been  done.  I  hope 
that  all  will  come  right  again. 

Ilespeclfully  yours,  John  B.  Good. 

[This  letter  fully  justifies  us  in  the  course  we  have 
uniformly  adopted,  not  to  interfere  between  nur- 
serymen and  their  customers,  for  the  reason  that 
we  cannot  know  the  exact  facts,  and  are  in  no  po- 
HJlion  to  judge  of  the  justice  or  injustice  claimed. 
In  our  last,  Mr.  Kohly  says  his  first  letter  to  Mr. 
/i\     Good  was  written  February  11th.     Mr.  Good  now 


encloses  one  dated  from  "  Greenville,  January  30. h," 
as  quoted  in  the  letter  of  Mr.  Good  printed  last 
month,  and  the  envelope,  post-marked  "  Greenville, 
January  31st,"  and  .the  conclusion  is  inevitable  that 
Mr.  Kohly  is  mistaken.  So  far,  Mr.  Good  has  en- 
tirely the  best  of  the  controversy.  And  now,  as  to 
tlic  other,  how  shall  we  decide  ?  Mr.  Kohly  says 
he  sent  money  to  Mr.  Good.  Mr.  Good  denies 
receipt  of  it.  First,  as  to  the  probabilities.  We 
know  there  are  men  who  would  receive  money  and 
deny  it,  and  then  we  also  know  that  the  mail  is  un- 
reliable at  times,  and  that  hitters  will  get  lost.  The 
probabilities  may  be  for  or  against  Mr.  Good ;  but 
to  the  actual  facts,  what  Imve  we  whereon  to 
form  a  judgment  ? 

The  last  paragraph  of  Mr.  Good's  note  demands 
a  word.     We  stated  in  our  last  that  we  had  received 
many  letters  similar  to  Mr.  Kohly' s,  complaining  of 
Mr.   Good.      Mr.  Good  here  seems  to   admit   that 
there  is  some  ground  of   complaint,  and    excuses 
himself  on  account  of  the  "crisis"  and  "other  em- 
barrassments."    If  Mr.  Good  means   that  he   has 
received  orders  and  money,  as  many  parties  write 
to  us  they  have  sent,  and,  neglecting  to  acknow- 
ledge or  in  any  way  notice  their  letters  and  remit- 
tances, otfers  the  above  as  a  satisfactory  apology, 
we  presume  it  is  not  likely  to  be  successful.     We 
must,  however,  say,  as  we  have  before  said  repeat- 
edly, that  we  cannot  consent  to  stand  between  ad- 
vertisers and  their  customers.      We   had  scarcely 
commenced  our  work  before  we  thus  cautioned  our 
readers,  at  page  73  of  Vol.  I.,  in  answer  to  a  cor- 
respondent who  supposed  "simple-minded  people" 
lake  it  for  granted  that  a  paper  endoises  "an  adver- 
tisement," that  we  had  no   sympathy  with   those 
who  were  "simple-minded,"  and  declined  to  inter- 
fere.    Again,  at  page  121  of  the  same  volume,  we 
expressed  the  same  views.     We  advised  our  reader., 
not  to  buy  of  those  who  advertised  in  our  paper, 
without  "  previously  satisfying  themselves  of  their 
character  for  honesty  and  fair  dealing."     At  page 
245,  Vol.  II. ,  in  reply  to  a  Canadian  correspondent, 
we  again  repeated  the  principles  we  had  adopted, 
and  declined  to  interfere  in  the  case. 

Our  rule  is,  to  adn.it  no  advertisements  of  a  busi- 
ness into  our  columns  when  wc  know  that  such 
business  is  essentially  a  swindle.  Thus  we  have 
uniformly  refused  to  advertise  for  a  so-called  "nur- 
sery" in  Kentucky,  and  for  other  "quack"  concerns. 
But  when  the  business  is  legitimate,  we  cannot  in- 
terfere with  the  man's  manner  of  conducting  it.  Deal 
with  those  you  know  to  be  prompt,  honorable  and 
reliable.  If  you  think  you  can  get  a  better  bargain 
by  trusting  your  purse  and  your  confidence  into  the 
hands  of  entire  strangers,  whose  only  recommenda- 
tions may  be  fiashy -written  advertisements,   "tre- 


%\\  iarhwr's  PontJIg. 


mendous  sacrifices,"  "selling  regardless  of  cost," 
and  other  clap-trap,  why  should  we  be  called  upon 
to  sympathize  when  the  buyer  finds  his  "bargain 
don't  amount  to  much  ?" 

So  far  as  Mr.  Good  is  concerned,  it  is  but  justice 
to  add,  that  we  have  just  received  two  letters,  one 
from  a  respectable  merchant  in  Baltimore,  whom  we 
personally  know.  He  says  :— "  I  gave  Mr.  Good  a 
heavy  order'  for  vines,  and  received  them  in  good 
order.  They  were  very  fine  plants,  and  satisfac- 
tory." The  other,  whom  we  also  personally  know, 
a  Philadelphian,  says :— "  I  sent  him  five  dollars  for 
Delaware  vines,  and  received  them.  They  were 
small,  but  are  doing  well." 

With  this  explanation  of  our  "platform,"  we 
hope  to  have  no  occasion  again  to  refer  to  the 
subject.  ]  . 


GiiEENiiousE  Boilers—/.  T.  W.,Jacl:son,  Mich., 
wants  to  heat  a  house  twenty-five  by  fifty  feet,  and 
and  asks  whether  flues  or  hot  water  would  be  most 
economical.  He  says  he  can  get  a  small  tubular 
boiler  for  sixteen  dollars,  and  might  want  to  divide 
the  house  in  o  two  sections,  the  one  to  be  heated 
when  the  other  was  not. 

Generally  the  first  cost  of  a  boiler  and  pipes  is  ten 
to  one  against  them,  aid  in  favor  of  flues;  though 
in  an  account  of  ten  or  twenty  years,  the  former 
comes  out  much  the  cheapest.     If,  however,  our 
friend  can  gel  ihree-inch  pipes  for  about  iw  only -five 
cents  per  runnug  foot  with  a  sixteen  dollar  boiler, 
have  hot  water,  by  all  means,  especially  when  it  is 
desired  to  have  at  times  one  house  heated  and  the 
other  not,  which  can  be  regulated  by  a  stop-cock. 
In  the  latter  case,  all  that  is  necessary  is  to  see  that 
the  boiler  and  furnace  are  large  enough  to  aff'ord 
sufficient  heat  for  both  in  the  coldest  weather.  What 
that  size  should  be,  can  only  be  told  when  the  struc- 
ture and  uses  of  the  house  were  known,  and  the 
probable  amount  of  heat  required. 


pound  of  sulphate  of  potash,  of  sulphate  of  soda,  of 
nitrate  of  soda,  and  an  ounce  and  a  half  of  sulphate 
of  ammonia,  mixed  with  six  gallons  of  water.  But 
he  does  not  say  to  what  surface  this  is  to  be  applied 
—whether  half  an  acre  or  an  acre.  Will  you  be 
good  enough  to  inform  me  ?  and  also  whether  it 
may  be  applied  while  the  plants  are  fruiting?  C'^J- 

Is  tan  a  good  mulch  for  pear  and  other  fruit 
trees?  C^.) 

[1.  We  should  apprehend  no  injury  under  such 
circumstances. 

2.  Mr.  Pardee,  no  doubt,  means  that  the  plants 
should  be  watered  with  a  watering-pot,  and  in  such 
manner  as  if  the  plants  were  dry  and  we  were  using 
common  water  merely,  and  that  the  mixture  should 
thus  go  as  far  as  it  would  in  that  way. 

3.  Tan  has  been  found  useful  as  a  mulch  for  straw- 
berries, but  not  better  than  any  other  material  for 
other  trees  or  plants. 


Lime,  Leaves,  &c—A  Subscriber,  rhiladelphia, 
writes :— "  I  have  put  around  the  roots  of  my  peach 
and  nectarine  trees  tobacco-leaves,  previously  soaked 
in  water,  wrapping  them  around  the  stem  about  two 
or  three  inches  below  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and 
three  inches  above.  Then,  after  putting  back  the 
earth,  I  heaped  air-slacked  lime  around  the  collar  of 
the  tree.  The  object  was  to  protect  the  trees  against 
the  ravages  of  the  borer.  It  afterwards  occurred  to 
me  that  the  combined  action  of  the  tobacco  and 
lime  might  be  injurious  to  the  trees.     Can  you  say 

how  this  is?  (\.) 

In  his  work  on  the  strawberry,  Pardee  recom- 
mends watering  the  plants  every  ten  days  or  two 
weeks  with  a  solution  composed  of  a  quarter  of  a 


Patent-Office  Plants— H:  B.,  Galesburf/,  Ills. 
—The  Biota  "sinensis"  and  Pinus  pinea  that  you 
have  received  from  the  Patent  Oflice  are  very  com- 
mon things,  and  though  they  may  probably  hve 
through  the  winter  in  your  section,  arc  not  very 
desirable  for  your  climate. 

Black  Knot  on  the  Peach— ^  Subscriber,  Leo- 
minster, Mass.— ^ome  time  in  the  autumn  of  1859  I 
noticed  a  singular  excresence  upon  one  of  my  young 
peach  trees,  which  appeared  to  be  identical  with  the 
black  knot  of  the  plum  tree,  and  after  cutting  it  off", 
the  wood  beneath  presented  the  same  peculiar  ap- 
pearance as  does  the  wood  of  the  plum  beneath  a 

a  black  knot. 

Last  summer  another  knot  made  its  appearance 
just  below  the  spot  where  the  first  one  gi-ew,  which 
I  have  also  removed,  and  enclose  you  a  small  por- 
tion, in  order  that  you  may  determine  whether  it 
really  is  the  same  thing  as  the  black  knot  of  plum 
or  not.  I  have  understood  that  in  some  places  the 
cherry  has  become  affected  by  the  knot,  but  I  have 
never  heard  of  their  being  found  upon  peach. 

[The  genuine  black  knot.     We  have  never  seen  it 
before  on  the  peach.] 


Ants  about  P.^onies-TT.  B.,  Galesbnrg,  lUs.- 
Hot^ater,  in  which  sulphur  has  been  mixed,  poured 
about  the  plant,  is  the  best  way  to  make  ^"ts  leave 
If  the  ants  "work  on  the  bud,"  it  is  probable  ha 
other  insects  have  been  there  before  them,  and  that 
they  are  merely  feeding  on  saccharine  secretions 
the  insects  have  left  behind  them. 

Mountain  Ash  Seed-/.  E.,  Davenport,  Iowa. 


!>   : 


■4>: 


I 


2U 


C|i|  iarttfwr's  |llontj)lg. 


—If  not  sowed  until  spring,  after  the  seed  has  been 
somewliat  dried,  it  will  not  come  up  till  the  second 
season.  If  put  in  sand,  kept  damp  until  sown  in 
spring,  it  will  usually  grow  that  spring. 


The  AlLANTHUs  Silkwokm— i^.  Berg,  La  Perc,  Mo. 
—We  have  placed  your  specimens  in  the  hands  of  a 
distinguished  entomological  friend,  who  will  report 
on  them  in  our  next. 


Pavitum  EiiATUM,  Called  also  Malva  elatum,  is 
described  in  Hooker  as  a  Cuban  tree  of  very  hand- 
some inflorescence.  To  us  it  possesses  interest,  from 
the  fact  of  its  being  the  tree  from  the  inner  bark  of 
which  the  ''Cuban  bast"  of  commerce  is  obtained. 
It  has  generally  here  been  confounded  with  the 
''Lace  Bark"  Lagetta  lentearia,  which  Sir  W.  Hooker 
says  it  does  much  resemble. 


Pmus  PARViFLORA,  SiehoU  ^  Zuccarini,  Flora 
Japonica,  ii.  27,  t.  115.— This  is  one  of  the  Cembra 
tribe  of  Pines,  with  leaves  five  in  a  sheath,  and  great 
wingless  seeds.  According  to  Siebold,  it,  although 
found  cultivated  all  over  Japan,  is  a  native  exclu- 
sively of  north  of  the  empire,  extending  from  about 
350  N.  Lat.  to  the  Kurile  Islands.  It  forms  a  small 
tree,  not  above  twenty -five  feet  high,  in  the  Japanese 
promanades,  but  being  taller  on  the  north-eastern 
slope  of  the  Fakone  Mountains.  The  wood  is  much 
used  by  cabinet-makers  and  turners.  There  is  a 
dwarf  variety,  and  the  species  seems  much  inclined 
to  vary  in  stature  and  in  the  length  of  the  leaves. 
The  cones  are  oblong,  with  great  blunt  thin-edged 
concave  rugged  scales,  when  fully  open. 


The  Female  Aucuua  japonica.— Mr.  Fortune 
has  discovered  this  in  Japan ;  the  male  variety  of 
our  gardens  being  the  only  one  so  far  discovered. 
He  says  it  bears  a  profusion  of  magnificent  red 
berries.  . 

Among  the  last  Japan  plants  from  Mr.  J.  G.  Veitch 
are  some  most  interesting  and  hitherto  wholly  un- 
known in  our  gardens,  and  which,  considering  the 
climate  that  produces  them,  may  be  expected  to  be 
as  perfectly  hardy  as  Thujopsis  dolabrata  itself  We 
add  a  few  notes  concerning  them.  —  Gardener's 
Chronicle  : 

PiNUS  DENSiFLORA,  Slcbold  Sf  Zucc.j  Fldra  Ja- 
ponka,  ii.  p.  22,  t.  112.— Of  this  Siebold  gives  the 
following  account.     It  is  found  all  over  Japan,  grow- 
ing along  with  P.  Massoniana.     Forty  feet  high  or 
luore.     It  is  more  especially  found  on  the  slopes  of 
mountains  to  the  height  of  one  thousand   to  two 
thousand  feet.     It,  however,  occurs  at  the  bottoms  of 
valleys.     The  timber  is  of  great  excellence ;  its  resin 
is  largely  in  request  for  the  plasters  and  salves  used 
by  the  Japanese  in  healing  wounds  and  sores.     In 
pulmonary  complaints  they  hold  it  to  be  a  specific. 
Indian,  or  China,  ink  is  made  from  the  soot  of  both 
P.  densiflora  and  Massoniana.     So  far  Siebold.     The 
cones  are  smaller  than  those  of  a  Scotch  Fir,  with 
flat  lozenge-shaped  terminations  to  the  scales,  and 
very  small  seeds,  with  a  narrow  curved  wing.     Mr. 
Gordon  tells  his  readers  that  this  plant  is  the  same 
as  the  Stone  Pine,  an  astounding  assertion,  enough 
to  ruin  the  credit  of  any  book.     (Sac  his  Plnetuin, 
p.  179.  J) 


Abies  firma,  Siebold  c^-  Zuccarini,  Flora  Japonica, 
ii.  15,  t.  107.— Concerning  this  most  beautiful  species 
we  collect  the  following  from  Siebold.  It  is  a  large 
tree,  with  the  aspect  of  the  European  Silver  Fir, 
growing  from  Kinsu  to  the  Kurile  Islands.  Its 
timber  holds  a  fifth-rate  place  among  the  Japanese, 
and  is  principally  used  in  fancy-work,  or  for  making 
the  cases  in  which  they  pack  their  lacquered  goods. 
It  is  white,  soft,  and  fine-grained.  The  cones  are 
about  four  inches  long,  pendulous,  straight  or  little 
curved.  Their  scales  are  broad,  dull,  downy,  a  little 
notched  at  the  edge,  and  beyond  them  projects 
somewhat  the  narrow  sharp  point  of  a  stiff  bracteal 
scale. 

Retinispora  obtusa,  Siebold  <t  Zuccarini,  Flora  Ja- 
ponica,  ii.  38,  t.  121.     CHinoki  Jap.)— ''A.  Japanese 
author  says  that  as  a  hero  is  the  glory  of  men,  so  is 
the  Ilinoki  that  of  the  forest."     So  writes  Siebold ; 
and  certainly  the  account  he  gives  of  the  tree  Avould 
seem  to  justify  the  assertion.     We  have  before  us  a 
branch  of  the  plant  with  some  cones.     In  its  dried 
state  it  looks  like  a  small  leaved  state  of  Thujopsis 
dolabrata  without  its  glaucous  underside  and  with  a 
more  brilliant  green  color.     It  is  an  evergreen  coni- 
fer, belonging  to  the  Arbor vitcc  race,  and  Siebold 
assures  us  that  it  has  a  straight  stiff"  bole  from  sixty 
to  eighty  feet  high,  and  five  to  six  feet  through  at  the 
butt.     Its  branches  spread  like  a  fan,  and  its  white 
fine-grained  solid  wootl  shines  like  silk  when  worked 
up.    Because  of  these  superior  qualities  the  Japanese 
consecrate  the  tree  to  the  Goddess  of  the  Sun,  whose 
chapels  and  httle  temples  are  built  entirely  of  its 
timber.       Moreover,  most  of  the  wooden  utensils 
employed  at  the  Court  of  Micado  are  formed  from 
it,  and  retain  their  natural  color  without  the  aid  of 
varnish.     The  tans  of  the  prince  and  his  women  are 
also  made  of  little  slips  of  Hinoki  wood,  held  to- 
gether by  silken   threads,  and   gleaming  with  the 
colors  of  the  rainbow.     The  country  of  Hinoki  is 


^^^ 


ihi|  hardliner's  JitantWa. 


215 


chiefly  the  mountainous  part  of  Nippon,  where  it 
forms  vast  forests,  and  on  account  of  the  high  price 
of  its  timber,  is  an  important  article  of  trade.  Huge 
piles  of  colossal  balks  and  planks  may  be  seen  col- 
lected on  the  banks  of  Japanese  rivers.  The  tree  is 
planted  for  ornament  and  shade  all  over  the  empire. 

Retinispora  pistfera,  Siebold  Sr  Zucearini,  Flora 
Japonica,  ii.  39,  t.  122.     (Sawara  Jap.)-h.  smaller 
and  more  slender  tree  than  the  last,  with  sharp  pomted 
leaves,  glaucous  and  concave  on  the  under  side. 
According  to  Siebold,  the  leaves  are  also  of  a  darker 
green-  he  saw  individuals  twenty-five  to  thirty  feet 
high  near  a  temple  at  Nagasaki ;  and  found  it  grow- 
ing intermixed  with  R.  obtusa.     Its  cones  are  much 
smaller,  and  the  oil  cysts  on  its  seeds  more  numer- 
ous as  well  as  larger. 

Veitchia  japonica:  Lindley,  n.  g.— Of  this  ex- 
traordinary plant  only  two  mutilated  cones,  a  few 
seeds  and  a  small  branch  have  been  received ;  but 
they  suffice  to  show  that  it  is  a  wholly  new  form  m 
the  coniferous  order,  with  the  seeds  of  a  Chamfc- 
cyparis,  the  leaves  of  an  Abies,  and  cones  which 
become,  when  ripe,  more  like  spherical  honeycombs 
than  any  thing  else  to  which  we  can  compare  them. 
One  would  fancy  the  plant  to  represent  an  Abi|S, 
permanently  assuming  in  the  cone  the  monstrous 
form  so  often  given  to  the  common  spruce  by  the 
attack  of  insects,  and  then  struggling  onwards  to 
become  a    Sciadopitys    or  a    Cryptomeria.      The 
branches  are  short  and  covered  with  spirally  ar- 
ranc-ed  projecting  curved  pulvines,  resembling  those 
of  Abies  Menzicsii.     At  the  base  of  each  branchlet 
is  a  small  cup  formed  of  recurved  scales  from  which 
the  branchlet  emerged  when  young.      The  leaves 
are  half  an  inch  long,  linear,  blunt,  and  glaucous 
beneath.     The  cones  are  erect,  downy,  nearly  spheri- 
cal, about  an  inch  in  diameter,  before  ripening  fur- 
nished with  incurved  horn -like  projecting  bracteal 
scales,  which  at  maturity  break    and  disclose  as 
many  four-sided  sockets  or  cavities,  within  which 
lodge  a  (to  us  uncertain)  number  of  small  two- 
winged  seeds  terminated  by  a  pair  of  short,  straight, 
tooth-like  processes.     We  cannot  do  otherwise  than  | 
associate  with  this  extraordinary  genus  the  name 
of  Mr  J    G.  Veitch,  its  active  and  intelligent  dis- 
coverer, and  the  introducer  of  so  many  fine  trees 
previously  unknown  in  this  country.     For  our  sci- 
entific readers  we  subjoin  a  brief  technical  descrip- 
tion: 

mcAta.-Genu8  O^ntferarum  Abiotearnm.  Strobili  alveolati: 
1  e.'  ovarii,  convolutis  omnino  connatis  domum  apice  qua.lratua 
dehi«ccnUbus,  bracteiH  coruuti«  elongati«  '"^"^^^  °"^7"^;;*;;/;;- 
gilibn..  Scmina  diptera,  apice  bicoruia  B.  b.dentata  (numero  m- 
deterniinata.)    Folia  Abietls. 


So  1  Y  iaponiea,  mis  lincraibus  obtusis  subtus  glaucis,  pbyl- 
lulis"rhombdrp«lvinls  elongatis  rigidis  incurvi.,  strobilis  sph.r.c.s 
erecCrbeso;ntibu.,  bracteis  trianguUuibuB  elongate  mcurv.B. 


New  Foreign  GRAPES.-J/i^r^m's  Hardy  Prolific 
Orape  is  a  fertile  setter.      The  bunches  are  from 
twelve  to  fourteen  inches  in  length,  havmg  black 
oval  berries,  with  the  peculiar  vinous  flavor  of  the 
Hamburg,  yet  more  piquant,  and  combmed  with  a 
slicrht  spice  of  Muscat.     The  flavor  is  new.     Owing 
to  its  ripening  in  a  much  lower  temperature  than 
the  Black  Hamburg,  it  is  a  good  sort  for  a  green- 
house.    The  footstalk  of  the  berry  is  stiff     It  has 
been  exhibited  before  the  Royal  Horticultural  So- 
ciety's Fruit  Committee,  and  obtained  a  first-class 
certificate ;  the  fruit  shown  being  cut  from  a  vine 
struck  from  a  single  eye  that  was  only  fourteen 
months  old  from  the  time  of  putting  m  the  single 
eye  till  cutting  the  grapes. 

Oros  Maroc  Grape.-T\us  is  likely  to  prove  a 
valuable  new  purple  grape.  Its  berries  are  ova  ,  and 
very  large ;  bunches,  shouldered,  and  very  large. 
Its  habit  is  most  vigorous,  with  large  woolly  leaves. 
It  ripens  with  the  Black  Hamburg  in  a  house  with- 
out fire-heat,  and  will  hang  a  long  time  on  the  vine, 
or  be  kept  with  great  ease  in  bran,  so  as  to  form 
English  raisins,  as  its  skin  is  thicker  than  the  Black 
Hamburg.     Its  flavor  is  remarkably  rich. 

Gros  Caiman  Gra;,..-This  is  a  round  purple  grape, 
with  very  large  berries  and  bunches.  Its  leaves 
are  large,  and  its  habit  coarse  and  most  vigorous ; 
skin  thick,  and  flavor  inferior.  It  is,  however,  a 
very  showy  grape,  and,  like  all  thick-skinned  grapes, 
it  will  hang  a  long  time  on  the  vine. 

Muscat  Troveren  Grape.-K  variety  of  the  White 
Frontignan,  with  very  large  berries  and  buncbes. 
Though  the  flavor  is  less  rich,  it  promises  to  be  a 
very  desirable  sort. 

The  Japan  Grape,  or -YcMo  Vino,"  produces  a 
fniit  of  great  excellence.  The  bunches  are  med  um- 
sized  The  berries  are  of  a  brownish  color,  thm- 
skinned,  and  flavor  excellent.  This  might  prove  of 
immense  value  to  our  country,  where  Japan  plants 
usually  thrive  so  well;  and  we  commend  the  ques- 
tion of  its  introduction  tion  to  our  "  Patent  Office, 
inplace  of  "tea  plants"  and  Red  Strap-leaved 
Turnips. 

PULLEN'8  SEF.Du™  PE.^CH.-On  'ooking  over 
some  back  flies  of  the  Pennsylvania  Horticultural 


'  t| 


ttM 


tl 


M^  (^mAmf%  Jttanthlg. 


Society  reports,  we  find  a  seedling  peach,  raised  by  Mr.  Isaac  PuUcn,  of  Hightstown,  New  Jersey, 
very  highly  spoken  of,  and  a  premium  awarded  it. 

Not  finding  it  in   Downing,  and  hearing  it  frequently  well  spoken  of  by  peach-growers,  we   give 
the  following  cut  and  description  from  memorandums  by  us : 


Leaves,  with  globose  glands ;  fruit,  very  large,  and  more  compressed  in  shape  than  the  Crawford's 
Late  ;  skin,  of  a  beautiful  yellow  color,  with  a  dark  red  cheek  ;  flesh,  yellow,  and  of  most  excellent  flavor. 
Ripens  between  the  20th  and  .30th  of  September.     Seedling  from  Crawford's  Late. 


Woodruff's   Patent  Portable  Barometer. 
— This  instrument,  so  useful  to  the  farmer  and  gar- 
dener, is  constructed  in  a  strong,  compact  manner, 
and  can  be  furnished  at  a  price  within  the  reach  of 
almost  every  one.     See  Advertisement. 


On  "Skeletonizing." — There  seems  an  endless 
diversity  among  the  ornamental  arts  which  serve  to 
occupy  the  leisure  and  exercise  the  taste  and  inge- 
nuity of  that  large  class  of  women,  who  are  not 
wholly  engrossed  with  domestic  cares, — for  who  is 
there  that  has  no  time  to  embellish  the  daily  routine 
of  care  with  something  of  beauty  and  variety  ? 

There  are  unfailing  sources  of  female  employment 
in  the  innumerable  variations  of  crotcheting,  knit- 


ting, and  zephyr  work,  which,  if  indulged  in  to 
excess,  keep  our  wives  and  sisters  indoors,  in  a 
sitting  posture,  during  hours  which  might  be  profita- 
bly spent  in  active  and  healthful  exercise.  These 
employments  are,  however,  being  increasingly  di- 
versified by  others,  which,  though  kindred  in  their 
motives,  are  widely  different  in  their  scope,  involv- 
ing the  collection  and  study  of  natural  objects,  and 
corresponding  rambles  into  the  woods  and  fields. 
In  these  both  sexes  may  be  appropriately  associated, 
uniting  wholesome  physical  and  mental  recreation 
with  the  cultivation  of  the  most  refining  and  elevating 
tastes. 

Several  years  have  elapsed  since  the  introduction 
of  the  aquarium  or  water-garden  among  us,  and  a  few 
of  these  elegant  and  attractive  ornaments  arc  still  to 
be  found  in  dwellings,  notwithstanding  the  difficulty 
of  keeping  up  the  perfect  equilibrium  of  animal  and 


,.■    \ 


ihil  dardeiw'is  JitontWg. 


vegetaWe  life  so  essential  to  their  success;  the 
fl.rnerv  Wardian  case  and  hanging  basket,  are  more 
Lsily  managed,  and  at  least  one  of  these  portable 
little  conservatories  furnishes  a  green  spot  m  many 
1  parlor  and  drawing-room  during  the  dreary  re.gn 
of  the  frost  king. 

The  latest  novelty  in  the  way  of  these  ornamental 
uses  of  natural  objects  is  that  for  which  the  name 
of  "skeletonizing"  has  been  coined;  its  object  is 
to  produce  permanent  and  beautifully  white  prepara- 
tions of  the  frame  work  or  skeleton  of  different 
vegetable  structures,  and  to  mount  these  tastefully 
under  glass  shades  or  otherwise. 

The  study  of  the  intimate  structure  of  all  plants 
discovers  among  the  several  kinds  of  tissue  de- 
veloped during  their  growth,  innumerable  memb  a- 
noous  vesicles  of  various  shapes,  co"'"''"''^  .f  ^^^ 
and  mucilaginous  matters  chiefly  in  the  flmd  state 
and  when  developed  in  the  light,  a  peeuhar  green 
coloring  matter,  oiled  cMoropkyle.     This  cellular 
sLctufe  predominates  in  tlie  stem  of  the  young 
plant,  in  the  leaf  and  the  immature  seed  vessel ; 
its  functions  during  the  growth  of  ">«  P'^"";  '^ 
assimilate  from  the  air  the  elements  of  the  plant  s 
food,  which  it  is  fitted  for  by  its  loose  and  porous 
structure,  and  the  free  circulation  of  the  sap  and  air 
through  it.  ., 

In  the  growth  of  most  vegetable  structures,  and 
especially  of  perennial  plants,  trees  and  shrubs,  the 
cellular  tissue  gives  place  in  the  stems  to  woody 
tissue,  the  fibres  of  which  are  drawn  out  into  ex- 
tremely fine  and  tough  tubes,  compacted  together  mo 
bundles,  which,  stretching  through  the  plants  length- 
wise, afford  the  necessary  strength,  and,  it  is  supposed, 
serve  to  convey  the  sap  from^  the  roots  to  the  di- 
gestive organs,  the  leaves.  This  woody  fibre  extends 
more  or  less  in  the  leaf,  and  even  into  the  flower, 
and  forms  what  are  called  the  veins  of  the  leaf. 

To  those  who  have  studied  this  veining  of  leaves 
in  connection  whh  their  great  variety  of  forms 
there  will  be  no  lack  of  interest  in  our  new  art,  but 
even  to  the  most  unobservant  tyro  it  cannot  fail  to 
acquire  interest  as  ho  pursues  it  in  connection  with 
the  new  ornamental  art  of  ''skeletonizing." 

The  cellular  structure  from  its  loose  texture,  the 
fermentable  nature  of  its  constituents,  and  its  per- 
meability by  fluids  decomposes  very  readily,  when 
removed  from  the   plant ;   all  must  have  observed 
how  a  heap  of  fallen  leaves  blown   into  a  moist 
place  quickly  soften  into  a  pulpy  mass,  exhale  foGtid 
odors,  and  furnish  the  matrix  for  a  rank  growth  o^ 
ferns    mosses  and  toadstools;   it  is  thus  that  the 
exhaister'  soil  is  constantly  replenished  by  decaying 
ycgctSiiion.— Friend's  Jntelligencer. 

[To  be  Concluded  in  our  next.] 


Wellesby,  the  Seat  of  II.  H.  Hunnewell, 
Esq  -Mr.  Hunnewell's  place  was  made  entirely  by 
the  spade.     So  late  as  1851,  the  present  ornamented 
portion  of  the  estate,  about  forty  acres,  presented 
to  view  nothing  more  than  a  hideous  sandy  plain, 
with  scattered  clumps  of  pitch-pine  and   scraggy 
oaks       These  were  entirely  removed  before  any 
thing  else  was  planted.     Then  an  acre  of  ground  or 
more  was  thoroughly  trenched  and  manured,  and, 
when  prepared  for  a  nursery,  planted  with  fine  varie- 
ties of  evergreens,  elms,  maples,  oaks,  beeches,  &c. 
These  were  only  about  fifteen  inches  high,  but  were 
set  out  where  required  as  they  attained  growth  and 
hardihood.     The  lawn  was  then  graded,  subsoiled, 
and  cultivated  some  years  before  grassing.     All  the 
exposed  parts  of  the  estate  toward  the  public  road 
were  planted  out  of  view ;    and,    until  the  trees 
reached  a  good  height,  the  border  was  yearly  sown 
with  potatoes,  the  yield  in  some  measure  paymg  for 
the  work.      When  the  situation  of  the  house  was 
finally  chosen,  avenues  from  several  points  were 
formed  by  alternating  the  Pinus  exceha  and  Magnolia 
tripetala  with  Norway  Spruces  and  masses  of  rare 
evergreen  shrubs,  such  as  rhododendrons,  &c.,  for  one 
approach,  and  by  white  pines  and  larches  for  another. 
With  admirable  taste  and  judgment  the  formality 
of  the  avenues  is  discontinued  on  approachmg  the 
lawn,  with  its  views  of  the  lake,  the  Italian  garden, 
and  the  house  and  plantations  are  segregated  into 
groups  and  single  specimens,  chosen  especially  for 
their  beauty  and  rich  eff-ect.     About  eight  acres  are 
here  adorned  with  the  finest  trees  that  can  be  pro- 
cured, many  of  them  transplanted  from  a  distance  of 
twenty  miles,  even  when  nearly  thirty  feet  high,  by 
removing  them  during  the  winter,  with  balls   of 
frozen  earth  about  the  roots,  to  holes  already  pre- 
pared.    The  keeping  of  these  grounds  has  minute 
attention,  and  all  the  accompanying  features  of  the 
place,-the  mansion,  the  terraces,  the  French  and 
Italian   garden,  the  lake,  are  on  a  corresponding 
scale  of  magnificence.-C/irtseian  Exavuner. 


New  IlAND-GLAS8.-We  have  been  shown  an  in- 
vention of  Mr.  O.  S.  Cadwell,  jr.,  of  this  city,  de- 
signed  for  the  early  starting  and  protection  of  vege- 
tables in  the  Spring.  It  is  simply  an  earthenware 
hollow  cylinder,  of  about  ten  inches  m  diameter  and 
eight  inches  in  height,  with  a  sloping  top,  to  which 
is^fitted  a  pane  of  glass.  Holes  are  provided  for  ven- 
tilation. It  can  be  furnished  cheaply,  and  seems  in 
many  ways  preferable  to  the  hand-glass  now  in  use. 
— Homestead.  

How  the  English  RrrKN  Late  Pears. -Mr. 
Powell,  of  the  Royal  Gardens,  according  to  Mr. 
Bright  in  the  Jlorticalturist,  says  they  allow  all  late 


X^ 


II 


C|t  §mkmt's  P0nt|lj. 


pears  to  hang  on  the  trees  till  the  latest  peroid  of 
gathering.  Give  light  and  air  to  the  fruit  store  for 
the  first  six  weeks ;  after  this  close  the  house,  and 
keep  the  temperature  at  45°  to  50o.  If  not  colored 
or  ripe  at  the  proper  season,  put  them  into  a  close 
box,  in  a  warm  room  or  vinery,  where  the  tempera- 
ture is  from  GQO  to  70o. 

How  TO  Dissolve  Bones.— The  following  is  a 
copy  of  a  private  letter  written  by  the  editor  of  the 
Southern  Field  and  Fireside  to  a  friend  who  wanted 
to  dissolve  a  quantity  of  bones  for  raising  root  crops  : 
"To  make  a  good  article  of  superphosphate  from 
bones,  you  should  use  about  as  many  pounds  of 
sulphuric  acid  as  of  bones  (dry  weight)  ;  break  the 
bones  as  fine  as  you  can  with  an  old  axe  or  sledge 
hammer,   (they  ought  to  be  ground,  if  practicable 
with  you,)  when  they  should  be  wet  by  the  free  use 
of  water  boiling,  adding  half  as  many  pounds  as 
there  are  of  dry  bones.      The  half  of  a  molasses 
hogshead  will,  perhaps,  be  as  convenient  and  cheap 
for  operating  in  as  any  thing.     To  the  bones  and 
boiling  water  in  this  vessel  or  some  other,  add  slowly 
the  acid,  and  stir  the  mass  constantly  as  the  acid  is 
poured  in.      A  powerful  boiling  takes  place  from 
the  escape  of  carbonic  acid  from  the  bones,  which 
gradually  subsides    by    occasionally    stirring;    the 
bones  in  a  week  or  ten  days  become  like  paste,  when 
the  whole  could  be  taken  out  and  mixed  with  per- 
fectly dry  loam  or  charcoal  dust,  to  fit  it  for  drilling 
with  a  machine.     Where  bones  are  larger,  or  the 
acid  weak,  it  may  take  a  month  to  dissolve  their 
earthy  matter ;  and  this  end  is  promoted  by  cover- 
ing the  large  tub  or  half-hogshead  holding  the  bones 
and  acid  with  several  loads  of  fermenting  loose  dung 
to  increase  the  temperature,  where  heat  is  an  im- 
portant element  of  chemical  action.     I  should  not 
use  over  one  to  three  hundred  pounds  of  dry  bones. 
Any  bones  or  pieces  not  softened,  I  would  compost 
with   fermenting    stable-manure,   whose    heat  and 
carbonic  acid  will  slowly  dissolve  them." 


Quinces. — The  Apple  Quince,  of  which  there  are 
several  varieties,  is  the  common  old  sort,  of  rather 
weak  bushy  growth,  leaves  small,  light  green,  oval, 
sometimes  obovate  or  roundish  at  the  end,  and  downy 
on  both  surfaces. 

The  Portugal  Quince  is  of  much  stronger  growth ; 
the  leaf  is  large,  broad,  heart-shaped,  glossy,  smooth, 
dark  green  on  the  upper  surface,  lighter  colored  and 
downy  on  the  under  surface. 

Anger's  Quince,  a  hybrid  raised  from  the  Portugal, 
which  it  resembles  very  much,  but  the  leaves  are  a 
little  more  pointed,  and  not  quite  so  dark  colored. 
It  has  the  advantage,  that  it  grows  more  readily  from 
cuttings  than  the  Portugal,  at  least  in  a  Northern 


climate.     It  also  has  the  advantage,  that  it  unites 
well  with  the  pear  bud. 

Paris  or  Fontenay  resembles  the  Anger's  very 
much,  perhaps  its  growth  is  a  little  more  upright. 
It  grows  very  easily  from  cuttings,  and  is  probably 
in  every  respect  equal  to  the  Anger's  as  a  stock  ; 
some  French  nurserymen  even  prefer  it. — Coiion 
Planter.  

A  Fancy  Hanging  Basket.— Wc  saw  a  very 
beautiful  fancy  hanging  basket  in  the  hands  of  a 
lady  on  the  cars.  It  was  composed  of  a  cocoa 
shell  and  pine  cones.  Saw  the  cocoa  in  two  parts  for 
the  cup  or  frame  of  the  basket,  and  with  prepared 
glue,  attach  the  small  cones  of  the  pine  or  larch,  be- 
ginning at  the  bottom  and  forming  them  in  rows  to 
the  top  of  the  shell.  A  large  cone  makes  the  knob 
at  the  bottom.  This  one  was  made  entirely  of  cones, 
but  I  think  one  nearly  as  pretty  might  be  made  on 
the  shell  of  a  squash  or  gourd,  covered  with  acorns 
and  their  cups,  interspersed  with  pretty  rnosses, 
where  coaco  shells  and  pine  cones  are  not  to  be 
had. — Field  Notes.  

A  New  Canadian  Dye.— Professor  Lawson  has 
exhibited  specimens  of  a  new  dye  of  great  richness, 
prepared  in  the  laboratory  of  Queen' s  College,  from  an 
insect,  a  species  of  coccus,  found  for  the  first  time  last 
summer  on  a  tree  of  the  common  Black  Spruce  (Mies 
nigra,   PoirJ   in  the    neighborhood    of   Kingston. 
This  new  dye  closely  resembles  true  cochineal,  a 
most  expensive  coloring  matter,  capable  of  being 
produced  in  warm  countries  only,  and  which  is  used 
to  give  a  fine  and  permanent  dye  in  red,  crimson 
and  scarlets,  to  wool  and  silk.      Unlike  cochineal, 
the  new  dye,  discovered  at  Kingston,   is  a  native 
Canadian  product,  and  capable  of  being  produced 
in  temperate  countries.     Having  been  but  recently 
observed,  a  suflicient  quantity  has  not  yet  been  ob- 
tained for  a  complete  series  of  experiments  as  to  its 
nature  and  uses ;  but  the  habits  of  the  insect,  as  well 
as  the  properties  of  the  dye,  seem  to  indicate  that  it 
may  become  of  practical  importance.      In  color  it 
closely  resembles  ordinary  cochineal,  having  rather 
more  the  scarlet  hue  of  the  flowers  of  Adonis  au- 
tumnalis^   and,  no  doubt,  other  shades  will  be   ob- 
tained. 


Cheap  Roofs. — A  very  simple  and  efTective  roof- 
ing for  barns  and  other  out-houses,  is  made  in  the 
following  manner :  First  cover  any  description  of 
light  rafters  with  well-seasoned,  three-fourths  or  inch 
thick  boards  ;  then  cover  with  sheathing  paper,  giv- 
ing suflicieijt  lap— about  two  inches — and  fasten  with 
small,  flat-headed  nails,  and  give  this  a  coating  of 
asphaltum  and  fine  sand  mixed,  and  laid  on  hot.  If 
asphaltum  is  not  easily  procurable,  a  good  substitut  e 


(§>^ 


ihii  (inrdijner'2  JttantMg. 


219 


is  made  by  mixing  eight  gallons  of  tar  with  four 
pounds  of  rosin  ;  boil  and  spread  on  while  hot,  and 
sprinkle  with  dry  sand— all  it  will  take— before  cool- 
ing. A  roof  constructed  of  such  materials  can  be 
made  almost  flat,  a  run  of  one  inch  to  the  foot  being 
amply  sufficient.  With  asphaltum,  procurable  in 
any  quantity  in  San  Francisco,  a  durable  and  cheap 
roof  is  obtained.— Cah/ornia  Farmer. 

SoLANUM    Fendleri.— In  Western  Texas  and 
New  Mexico  a  new  species  of  the  potato  was  dis- 
covered some  years  ago,  which,  from  its  being  so 
closely  allied  to  the  common  potato,  great  expecta- 
tions were  formed  that  it  might  resist  disease,  and, 
perhaps,  supplant  the  common  potato.     As  we  be- 
lieve Mr.  Fendler,  the  distinguished  botanical  collec- 
tor, who  discovered  it,  and  in  whose  honor  it  was  1 
named,  is  now  engaged  in  connection  with  the  Bo- 
tanical Garden  of  St.  Louis,  we  call  attention  to  the 
matter,  in  the  hope  that  he  may  be  able  to  put  some 
parties  on  the  track  of  introducing  it  for  experiment. 

Feutilizer  for  Cabbage.— Superphosphate  of 
lime,  especially  when  mixed  with  some  rotten  wood 
(not  pine  wood)  and  worked  into  the  ground,  has  a 
powerful  eff"ect  on  cabbages.- (7o«o7i  Planter. 

ArPLES  in  Oregon.— This  is  becoming  a  staple 
crop  in  Oregon.  The  0.  Farmer  says  one  firm  in 
Portland  have  been  "  for  a  long  time  past  bringing 
over  one  thousand  bushels  per  day." 


each  variety  can  be  recommended  for  cultivation  in 
the  State  of  Missouri  ? 

Answer :  As  known  to  be  adapted  to  the  central 
and  south-eastern  portions  of  the  State : 

First— For  100  trees,  the  best  six  vmeties  for 
family  use  are— Early  Harvest,  8  ;  Maiden's  Blush, 
12;  Fall  Queen,  15;  Ortley,  15;  Wine  Sap,  25; 
Newton  Pippin,  25. 

Second— The  best  twelve  varieties  for  family  use 
are  — Early  Harvest,  6;  Red  June,  4;  Maiden's 
Blush,  10 ;  Fall  Queen,  8 ;  Rambo,  6 ;  Ortley,  10 ; 
Yellow  Bellflower,  6;  Pryor's  Red,  G;  Newton 
Pippin,  13;  Rawle's  Janet  CJeneton),  13;  Michael 
Henry  Pippin,  6  ;  Wine  Sap,  12. 

Third— The  best  twenty  varieties  for  family  use 
are -Early  Harvest,  5  ;  Red  June,  3  ;  Red  Astrachan, 
3 ;  Sweet  Bough,  2;  Maiden's  Blush,  7  ;  Rambo,  5 ; 
Fall  Queen,  6 ;  Newtown  Spitzenberg,  4 ;  Fameuse, 
4 ;  Ortley,  G  ;  Yellow  Bellflower,  5 ;  Michael  Henry 
Pippin,  5 ;  Pryor's  Red,  5 ;  Wine  Sap,  8  ;  Newtown 
Pippin,  8  ;  Swaar,  3  ;  ^sopus  Spitzenberg,  3  ;  White 
Pippin,  5;  Lemon  Pippin  (Long  Green),  5;  Rawle's 

Janet  CJeneton),  8. 

Query  ?  For  an  orchard  of  one  thousand  trees, 
what  varieties,  and  how  many  of  each,  can  be  re- 
commended for  market  purposes  ? 

Answer  :  100  Early  Harvest ;  50  Red  June ;  50  Red 
Astrachan ;  50  FaU  Queen ;  75  Ortley ;  100  Wine 
Sap  •  125  Jeneton  ;  150  Newtown  Pippin  ;  50  Little 
Romanite;  50  Michael  Henry  Pippin;  50  Pryor's 
Red  ;  50  Smith's  Cider ;  50  White  Winter  Pearmain  ; 
50  Wiflow  Twig. 


Farfugium  GRANDE  has  bccu  found  quite  hardy 
on  the  grounds  of  Hovey  &  Co.,  Boston,  Mass. 


To  Stop  Leakage  in  Hot-Watkr  PiPES.-Get 
some  iron  borings  or  filings,  and  mix  them   with 
vinegar,  forming  it  into  a  salve  ;  with  this  fill  up  the 
cracks  where  the  leaking  is  ;  and  if  the  pipe  has  been 
previously  dried,  and  is  kept  dry  until  this  has  become 
quite  hard,  it  will  never  fail  to  effectually  stop  the 
leakage,  and  will  stand  for  a  length  of  time.     If  an 
iron  pipe  should  burst,  or  there  should  be  a  hole 
broke  into  it  by  accident,  a  piece  of  iron  may  be  se- 
curely fastened  over  it,  by  bedding  it  on,  in  a  salve 
made   of  iron  borings  and  vinegar;  but  the  pipe 
should  not  be  used  until  it  has  become  pertectly  Tirm. 


i^ 


Report  of  the  Missouri  State  Fruit-Grow- 
ers' Association  in  answer  to  the  questions  pro- 
posed by  the  American  Pomological  Society  : 

On  Apples. 

Query  ?  In  an  orchard  of  one  hundred  trees  for 
family  use,  what  six,  what  twelve,  and  what 
twenty  varieties  of  apples,  and  how  many  trees  ot 


BOTANICAL    NECROLOGY    FOR    1860. 

BY  professor  ASA  GRAY,  IN   SILLIMAN'S  JOURNAL. 

Professor  Hochstetter,  of  Esslingen,  Wirt- 
emburg,  died  on  the  19th  of  February,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-four  years.  The  Rev.  Prof.  Hochstetter 
produced  no  important  botanical  works  ;  but  he  and 
his  associate  Steudel,  whom  he  survived  two  or 
three  years,  w^ere  active  promoters  of  botany  through 
the  Unio  Itineraria,  an  association  for  furthering  bo- 
tanical collections -of  which  they  were  the  man- 
agers.   

Professor  J.  G.  C.  Lettmann,  of  Hamburg, 
who  died  on  the  12th  of  February,  in  his  sixty- 
eighth  year,  was  a  botanist  of  note,  and  a  volumi- 
nous author.  His  eariiest  work,  a  monograph  of 
Primula,  appeared  in  1817,  his  monograph  of  the 
Mperifoliit  the  year  ailer,  that  of  Poteniilla  in  1820. 
He  elaborated  the  OnogracecE  and  his  favorite  genus 


M^  (iardmcr's  JIftonlhlg. 


Potent  ilia  for  Hooker's  Flora  ot  British  America; 
and  his  last  puhlication  of  any  magnitude  and  crown- 
in"*  work  was  his  Revisio  Potcntillarum,  a  fine  quarto 
volume  with  sixty-four  plates,  issued  in  the  year 
185G,  an  excellent  monograph. 


G.  II.  VON  ScHUBEUT,  a  Bavarian  hotanist  of  a 
former  generation,  to  whom  Mirbel  in  1813,  under 
the  name  of  Schubertia,  dedicated  the  genus  estab- 
lished for  our  southern  Cypress,  which  Richard  had 
earlier  called  Tarodium  —  survived  until  July  last, 
having  attained  the  age  of  eighty  years.  He  is  com- 
memorated in  an  Asclepiadeous  genus  from  Brazil, 
established  by  his  fellow-countrymen,  Martins  and 
Zuc-carini.  

Dr.  J.  F.  Klotzsch,  keeper  of  the  Royal  Her- 
barium at  Berlin  for  the  last  twenty-five  years,  died 
on  the  5th  of  November  last,  at  the  age  of  fifty -five 
years.      As  a    systematic    botanist,    J)r.    Klotzsch 
worked    industriously,    observed    discriminatingly, 
but  generalized  badly,  or  rather— like  others  of  the 
same  school— wanted  that  largeness  of  view  which 
enables  the  able  naturalist  to  discover,  almost  in- 
stinctively, the  true  characters  and  just  subordina- 
tion of  natural  groups,   in  the  midst  of  the  most 
diversified  details,  and  that  gift  of  sound  judgment 
as  to  natural  genera  in  which  Linna?us  and  the  other 
great  maslers  so  much  excelled  most  even  of  the 
better  botanists  of  the  present  age.     Dr.  Klotsch's 
monograph  of   Beyoniacecp^  and  his  papers  on  Eu- 
phorhice  C(>"e  of  the  latter,   which  dismembers  the 
Linn.Tan  genus  Euphorbia  into  more  than  a  dozen 
genera,  published  during  the  past  year, )  are  striking 
illustrations  of  the  opposite  system.     The  distinc- 
tions are,  doubtless,  for  the  most  part,  true  and 
good ;  their  valuation  is  open  to  serious  objection. 


quiring  both  physiological  and  chemical  knowledge, 
a  delicate  skill  in  manipulation,  and  a  quick  eye  for 
natural  aflinities,  the  younger  Vihnorin  was  unri- 
valled ;  and  his  death  in  the  midst  of  so  useful  and 
so  honorable  a  career,  has  left  a  serious  void.     It  is 
but  just  to  his  memory  to  acknowledge  that  we  have 
learned  more  from  him  respecting  the  laws  and  con- 
ditions which  govern  both  the  production  and  the 
preservation  of  vegetable  varieties  and  races  than 
from  any  other  source.     What  with  his  character- 
istic modesty  he  entitled  an   Essai  (Vun    Catalogue 
Methodique  el  Synonymujue  des  Froments,  arranging  the 
sorts  of  wheat  known  in  cultivation  under  fifty- 
three  sections,  reduced  to  seven  botanical  species,  is 
a  work  which  required  the  researches  of  years,  al- 
though only  a  pamphlet  of  fifty  pages,  and  is  his 
most  extended  publication.      His   several  articles, 
since  collected  under  the  title  of  Notice  sur  V amelior- 
ation des  plantes  par  le  senis,  el  considerations  sur  Vhe- 
redile  des  vcgetaux  are  characteristically  brief.      But 
are  all  the  result  of  the  most  conscientious,  skillful, 
and  prolonged  investigations,  and  all  are  real  con- 
tributions to  knowledge,  the  value  of  which  is  not 
to  be  estimated  by  the  bulk  of  the  record. 


Louis  re  Vilmorin,  of  Paris,  died  on  the  22d  of 
March,  18(p,  at  the  age  of  forty-four  years.     Al- 
though his  name  and  that  of  his  venerable,  still-sur- 
viving father  ("to  whom  DeCandoUe  dedicated  the 
genus  Vilmorinia,)  hardly  appears  in  the  catalogue 
of  botanical  authors,  yet  both  have  rendered  import- 
ant service  to  botanical  science,  while  contributing 
most  essentially  to  the  advancement  of  agriculture 
and  horticulture  by  original   observations,  and  by 
expeiimental    researches,    devised    and    conducted 
upon  truly  scientific  principles,  respecting  the  form- 
ation of  varieties  and  their  fixation  into  races,  and 
the  amelioration  and  augmentation   of   the  useful 
products  of  cultivated  plants.     A  notice  of  some  of 
the  brief  but  most  suggestive  papers  of  the  Vilmorins 
upon   this   subject  was   given  in  the  27th  volume 
(new  series;  of  this  journal  (May,  1829;.     In  de- 
vising and  conducting  such  experiments,  often  ro- 


J.  B.  Payer,  one  of  the  botanical  members  of  the 
Academy  of  Sciences,  and  Professor  of  Vegetable 
Organography  and  Anatomy  of  the  Faculty  of  Sci- 
ences, at  Paris,  died  on  the  Hth  of  September  last, 
aged  only  forty-two  years.  The  correspondence  of  M. 
Nicklcs  has  already  supplied  a  biographical  notice  of 
Payer,  in  the  preceding  CMarch;  No.  of  this  journal. 
His  speciality  was  organogeny ;  his  principal  work, 
Traiie  d''  Organogenic  Comparee  de  la  Fleur^  in  imperial 
octavo,  with  154  crowded  plates,  is  a  very  handsome 
and  imposing  production,  but  perhaps  not  of  the 
highest  critical  value.  His  seat  at  the  Academy  of 
Sciences  has  recently  been  filled  by  another  organo- 
genist,  of  excellent  promise,  M.  Duchartre. 


John  E.  Le  Conte,  former  Major  of  U.  S.  Topo- 
graphical Engineers, — whose  death,  at  Philadelphia, 
in  November  last,  aged  seventy-seven,  was  announced 
in  our  March  No.,  C p. 303;— was  almost  the  Nestor  of 
American  botanists,  although  his  principal  contribu- 
tions to  science,  except  the  earlier,  relate  to  zoology, 
chiefiy  to  entomology  and  herpetology.  His  first 
botanical  publication,  a  Catalogue  of  the  Plants 
growing  spontaneously  on  the  Island  of  New  York, 
appeared  just  half  a  century  ago.  Many  of  the 
choicest  botanical  stations  even  seventeen  years 
later,  when  Dr.  Torrey  issucnl  his  catalogue  of  the 
same  district,  were  as  low  as  Canal  Street,  and 
Peck's  Slip.  Even  the  earlier  author  lived  to  see 
nearly  his  whole  florula  extinguished,  swept  away 
by  denudation,  or  uncomfortably  overlaid  by  recent 


®/Mi 


ilti5  §iirkmf^  JKlantJIg. 


strata  of  stone,  brick  and  mortar.     Major  Le  Conte 
made  extensive  collections  in  Georgia  at  a  period 
when  that  part  of  the  country  had  been  little  ex- 
plored,  and   freely  imparted  his  materials  and  his 
valuable   observations  to  working   botanists.      He 
also  published  several  good  botanical  papers  in  the 
earlier  volumes  of  the  Annals  of  the  Lyceum  of 
Natural  History,  New  York,  and  more  recently,  in 
tlie  Proceedings  of  the  Academy  of  Natural  Scien- 
ces, Philadelpliia,    an   Enumeration  of  the   North 
American  Vines,  and  a  paper  on  the  species  of  To- 
bacco, with  which,  unfortunately,  we  are  not  ac- 
quainted.    For  the  last  ten  or  twelve  years  Major 
Le  Conte  has  resided  in  Philadelphia ;  and  we  are 
to  expect  from  one  of  his  scientific  associates  there, 
a  fittinu-  tribute  to  the  memory  of  this  venerable, 
crenial,  and  accomplished  gentleman  and  naturalist. 


one  ounce  of  cloves,  whole.  The  tomatoes,  onions 
and  peppers  chopped  fine.  Put  the  tonuitoes  and 
onions  in  a  vessel  over  night,  sprinkle  a  little  salt 
over  them,  and  in  the  morning  drain  the  water 
otf ;  put  all  together  and  boil  them  in  clear  water 
until  tender  ;  then  drain  the  water  from  them  ;  pack 
in  a  jar  mixed  with  the  above-named  spices,  and 
pour  scalded  vinegar  over  ihtmi.  —  liural  Mw 
Yorler.  

Baked  Tomatoes.— Pour  boiling  water  over  ripe 
tomatoes,  and  remove  the  skins;  cut  them  in  two 
and  place  them  in  a  deep  baking-dish,  or  tin  ;  put 
bits  of  butter  over  them,  and  add  salt,  pepper,  and 
a  little  sugar,  flour  and  water,  and  bake  an  hour  in 
a  quick  oven.— iJura/  Neic  Yorker. 


P.rri]pps|?ruih§'4p8PiaMes. 


Mode  of  Drying  the  Common  Red  Cuiuian^t. 
—The  currants  should  be  quite  ripe  when  gathered, 
with  the  stems  attached,  and  washed  or  rinsed  efl-ec- 
tually  and  drained  off.     Then  stem  them  and  wash 
them  thoroughly,  and  to  each  pound  of  currants  add 
a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  good  Havana  sugar;  then 
l)lace  them  in  a  preserving-kettle  over  a  fire  until 
they  come  to  a  scald  heat,  when  they  are  turned  out 
into  white  earthen  dishes,  and  exposed  to  the  action 
of  the  sun  until,  by  evaporation,  they  become  har- 
dened on  the  upper  side.      Then  they  are  turned 
over   and  there  remain  until  they  become  so  on  the 
other  side,  auc'.  so  alternate  untU  they  become  a  sort 
of  leathery  texture,  when   they  are   put  away   m 
earthen  jars  or  boxes  until  wanted  for  use.     Care 
must  be  taken  to  keep  them  from  the  dews  of  night 
and  rains  during  the  process  of  drying;  finally,  the 
utmost  cleanliness  should  be  observed  from  first  to 

last. 

When  used,  enough  hot  water  is  required  to  dis- 
solve them  or  render  them  to  any  consistency  suit- 
able for  tarts,  jelly,  etc.  At  the  same  time,  more 
8U"ar  is  re(iuired  to  make  them  quite  palateable, 
which  must,  of  course,  be  governed  by  taste.  Cur- 
rants in  this  way  have  kept  well  with  us  for  three 
years,  and  the  presumption  is,  that  they  wdl  keep 
for  a  longer  time  if  well  cared  (or. -Uorticultunst. 


Stewed  Tomatoes.— Peel  and  cut  in  pieces  eight 
large  tomatoes  ;  put  them  in  a  stew-pan,  with  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  salt,  half  as  much  pepper,  and  a  piece 
of  butter  the  size  of  a  largo  egg ;  cover  and  cook  an 
hour;  then  add  a  large  tablespoonful  of  rolled 
crackers  or  bread-crumbs,  and  stew  half  an  hour 
longer.  Stir  them  often,  that  they  may  not  burn.— 
Rural  New  Yorker.         ^ 

Green  Corn  Pudding.- Grate  the  corn  from 
three  ears  of  green  sweet  corn  ;  beat  five  eggs  light, 
and  stir  them  into  «*.  quart  of  milk ;  add  the  corn, 
with  a  large  teaspoonful  of  salt,  half  a  nutmeg, 
grated,  and  a  teaspoonful  of  lemon  extract;  add 
su'nir  enouffh  to  make  it  sweet,  and  bake  an  hour. 
I  — Rural  New  Yorker. 


yoFFign  InfpHigpnrp. 


ToMNTO  Chowder. -To  one  bushel  of  green  to- 
,  matoes  add  one  dozen  green  peppers,  twelve  com- 
I  mon-sized  onions,  one  quart  of  grated  horse-radish, 
A  I  one  cup  of  ground  mustard,  one  ounce  of  cmnamon. 


A  New  Veopitable.— There  has  lately  been  ex- 
hibited at  several  meetings  of  the  Royal  Horticultu- 
ral Society  a  new  vegetable  which  promises  to  be- 
come a  permanent  institution  among  kitchen-garden 
crops.    It  is  a  cabbage  in  the  form  of  Brussels  Sprouts. 
The  stem  is  about  a  foot  high,  bearing  on  its  summit 
a  good-sizc-hearted  cabbage  of  the  ordinarj'  characs 
ter ;   but  the  stem  is  covered  with  small  tabbnges 
about  the  size  of  a  small  dessert  apple,  and  tlie.~e 
when  cooked  form  an  excellent  dish,  partaking  of 
the  flavor  of  a  nice  summer  cabbage,  and  without 
the  strong   Savoy  flavor  which  distinguishes   the 
Brussels  Sprouts.'    The  merit  of  producing  this  va- 
riety is  due  to  Mr.   Wm.  Melville,   Dalmcny  Park 
Gardens,  near  Edinburgh,  and  a  very  good  name  by 
which  to  distinguish  it  would  be  to  call  it  Dalmcny 
Sprouts.— Cottage  Gardener. 


®^ 


B\t  Sartor's  Pontjlg. 


Pinks  and  Carnations.— Never  grow  a  pink  in 
poor  soil.  It  is  not  like  some  flowers,  which  merely 
grow  less ;  but  it  actually  loses  its  character. 

Prefer  cow-dung  to  horse-dung  ;  hut  either  should 
he  fairly  rotted  into  mould. 

Let  the  loam  you  use  be  that  obtained  by  laying 
common  turves,  cut  as  if  for  lawns,  up  to  rot.  It  is 
good  at  two  years  old. 

Use  two  parts  loam  and  one  part  dung ;  and  make 
your  bed  eighteen  inches  deep. 

Plant  nine  inches  apart,  as  soon  after  July  as  you 
can  get  your  plants. 

Never  let  more  than  one  stem  go  up  to  each  plant, 
nor  more  than  two  buds  be  left  on  to  bloom ;  any 
very  crowded  flowers  excepted. 

When  in  flower,  take  off  the  bottom  shoots  for 
pipings.     The  top  three  joints  are  to  be  used. 

Mix  up  some  of  the  proper  pink  soil  with  a  little 
sand  to  strike  your  pipings  in. 

Stick  the  pipings  half  an  inch  in  the  compost,  and 
freely  water ;  cover  close  with  a  shallow  hand-glass, 
and  shade  them. 

As  the  bloom  pods  swell,  tie  them  round  the  mid- 
dle with  a  piece  of  matting,  to  prevent  the  calyx 

from  bursting. 

As  the  petals  develope  themselves,  assist  them  down 
into  their  places,  and  shade  them  always  from  the 

hot  sun. 

Give  them,  from  the  time  they  swell  their  pods  to 
bursting,  liquid  manure  (a  gallon  of  decomposed 
cow -dung  to  five  gallons  of  water  j  once  to  three 
plain  waterings. 

Never  leave  in  the  bloom  a  self-colored  petal ;  take 
it  out  when  you  first  see  it ;  for  one  of  these  will 
condemn  a  whole  stand  of  flowers. 

Never  let  your  pipings  under  the  glass  get  dry  ; 
for  it  is  certain  destruction. 

When  rooted,  remove  them  into  their  permanent 
beds,  or  into  store  beds,  three  inches  apart  in  the 
row,  and  the  rows  six  inches. 

Never  delay  planting  till  the  spring  if  you  can  get 
your  plants  in  the  autumn.  The  sooner  they  are 
settled  down  the  finer  they  hloom.— Scottish  Gar- 
dener.   

Improved  Gardeners. — A  writer  in  the  Scottish 
Gardener  says : 

Fifty  years  ago  a  gardener  who  wrote  for  the 
press  was  a  sort  of  prodigy.  The  horticultural  socie- 
ties publishing  transactions,  without  doubt  contribu- 
ted to  the  cultivation  of  this  habit  in  gardeners. 
But  how  elaborate  and  opcrose  were  their  first  eff"orts; 
for  with  much  to  communicate,  they  had  little  skill 
in  the  way  of  telling  it.  It  is  believed  that,  at  first, 
most  of  the  essays  and  contributions  were  re-written, 
or  at  least  carefully   pnmed   and  dressed    by  the 


officials  of  the  societies.  London's  Gardener's  Maga- 
zine set  a  good  example  of  plain,  direct,  intelligible 
writing  in  the  papers  of  the  conductor,  and  aff'orded 
room  and  scope  for  the  efl'orts  of  others  who  were 
willing  to  follow  his  example.  A  great  advance  is 
manifested,  in  the  number  of  writers  at  least,  in  the 
numerous  horticultural  periodicals  of  the  day. 


A  Japan  Dwarf  Fir.— Mr.  Fortune,  in  a  recent 
letter  from  Japan,  speaks  of  an  extraordinary  speci- 
men of  a  dwarfed  Fir  Tree.  Its  lower  branches 
were  trained  horizontally  some  twenty  feet  in  length ; 
all  the  leaves  and  branches  were  tied  down  and 
clipped,  so  that  the  whole  was  as  flat  as  a  board. 
The  upper  branches  were  trainecl  to  form  circles  one 
above  another  like  so  many  little  tables,  and  the 
whole  plant  had  a  most  curious  appearance.  A  man 
was  at  work  upon  it  at  the  time,  and  I  believe  it 
keeps  him  constantly  employed  from  day  to  day 
throughout  the  year.     __^__ 

Cultivation  of  the  Watercress.— The  water- 
cress. Nasturtium  officinale,  is  a  native  of  rills  and 
streamlets,  not  only  in  Great  Britain,  but  in  nearly 
all  parts  of  the  world,  having  been  met  with  in  sucli 
situations  on  the  most  distant  parts  of  the  earth's 
surface.  Its  use  as  an  esculent  is  no  doubt  as  an- 
cient as  it  is  universal. 

The  most  successful  cultivators  of  the  watercress 
are  such  as  can  command  a  supply  of  running  water 
near  the  springs  from  which  it  issues,  as  in  the  beds 
at  Little  Marlow,  in  Buckinghamshire,  and  at  Rick- 
mansworth,  in  Hertfordshire.  Wherever  a  flow  of 
water  can  be  kept  in  command,  either  to  let  off"  or  on 
the  beds,  there  in  general  the  watercress  may  be 
grown  in  considerable  perfection. — London  Journal. 


?op«gn  (Jorpwponbrarp. 


Letter   from    our   Occasional   Paris 
Correspondent. 

Paris,  May  ViWi,  1801. 

Friend  Meehan,  heavy  falls  the  hand  which 
pens  these  lines.  Gloomier  than  ever  seems  to  me 
the  news  from  my  country  which  summer  breezes 
waft  across  the  ocean.  How  shall  I  reconcile  the 
war  with  cheery  gardening  talk  V  And  still  that  is 
what  you  want.  Well,  then,  be  it  so.  In  your 
paper,  at  least,  all  parties  will  meet  as  on  neutral 
ground,— that  is  the  prerogative  of  science,  that  it 
elevates  us  all  above  terrestrial  misery. 

And  now  to  your  question  :  wherein  differs  French 
gardening  most  from  American  gardening  ? 


(^m\\m\  Pcnthln. 


223 


In  a  great  many  things,  to  be  sure.  Prominently 
80  at  the  start  that  every  French  suburbanist  con- 
siders it  a  matter  de  riguer  to  have  his  garden  nice 
and  tidy  and  well  kept ;  consequently  he  spends 
more  money  on  it  than  your  average  man  at  home, 
who  is  ashamed  of  a  worn  carpet,  old  paint,  &c., 
inside  of  the  house,  but  considers  it  extravagant  to 
run  a  bill  with  the  nurseryman,  to  buy  new  gravel  and 
to  keep  his  garden  something  like  as  presentable  as  his 
parlor.  That,  you  see,  makes  a  vast  difference  at 
the  beginning. 

The  real  difference  is  that  which  the  climate  works. 
More  tender  things  can  stand  the  winter  here  than 
in  your  latitudes;  whilst  your  fierce  summer  sun 
brings  colors  generally  to  greater  depth  than  here. 

As  to  style  of  gardening,  the  difference  may  be 
best  illustrated  when  I  say,  that  in  America  art  is 
called  in  to  correct  and  improve  nature,  and  that  is, 
to  my  knowledge,   the  true   style   of   gardening; 
whilst  here  in  France  we  imagine  an  ideal  sort  of 
nature,  and  use  art  and  artifice  both  to  bring  it 
about.     Of  course,  we  lose  nature  by  it.     Hence  the 
stiff,  green  screens,  the  immense  green  walls,  the 
circles,  pyramids,  &c.,  trimmed  out  of  emasculated 
trees.     Distasteful  to  me  for  ever ;  and  were  I  to 
live  in  this  country  for  the  rest  of  my  life,  I  would 
never  relish  that  style.     Sometimes  advantages  are 
gained  by  it.     For  instance,  a  favorite  way  to  get 
shade  of  the  densest  kind  is  to  plant  hoi-se-chestnuts 
pretty  close,  and  to  behead  them  when  they  are 
about  ten  or  twelve  feet  high,  leaving  the  lowest 
branches  only.     These,  trimmed  up  twice  a  year, 
spread    horizontally,    and    form    a    compact    roof, 
through  which  you  can  rarely  spy  the  sky. 

Stiffness  altogether  characterizes  French  flower- 
gardens.  The  flowers,  plants  and  trees  stand  as  if 
on  parade,  trimmed  up,  and  minding  their  behaviour. 
As  an  instance,  all  rose  trees  arc  high-grafted.  No 
rose  whatever  is  allowed  to  show  any  thing  but  a 
naked  stem,  on  which  a  well-trimmed,  round  and 
curled  head  is  cultivated.  The  *' single-stem"  sys- 
tem prevails. 

This  excessive  trimming  robs  even  the  common 
landscape  of  its  ease  and  grace.     Poplar  trees  are 
cultivated  by  everybody.     They  grow  quickly,  and 
are  soon  made  into  money,  serving  for  tying  the 
vine,  and  other  uses,  p.\cking-boxes  and  fences  in- 
cluded, incredible  as  the  latter  may  seem  to  you. 
\Vell,  these  poplar  trees  must  be  trimmed  to  be  kept 
alive.     Here,  however,  every  branch  and  limb  is  cut 
off  close  to  the  trunk  every  few  years,  and  the  eye 
gets  shocked  at  the  rows  of  skeletons  which  it  con- 
tinually passes. 

It  isfiiir  now  to  mention  some  of  the  good  points. 
First,  the  care  which  characterizes  even  the  hum- 
blest garden.     Self-esteem  and  the  true  love  of  the 


beautiful  are  evidently  elements  of  the  soul  of  its 
Frcnch  owner.     Next  we  notice  the  variety  of  flow- 
ers, shrubs  and  trees,  and  their  massing.     As  an  in- 
stance, it  is  common  to  find  in  our  gardens  groups 
of  your  own  native  Rhododendron  maximum,  from 
six  to  two  hundred  in  a  group.     Where  do  you  find 
your  own  shrub,  than  which  nothing  is  more  splen- 
did, in  that  proportion  in  your  own  gardens  ?    Per- 
haps not  a  hundred  of  them  in  famous  ''Central 
Park !"     You  cultivate  verbenas  on  a  large  scale  ; 
so  do  we  in  France.     You  cultivate,  though,  such  a 
worthless  flower  as  petunias  almost  as  much.     May 
I  be  forgiven  the  sin  of  calling  it  worthless.     To 
my  eye  it  looks  weedy,  has  no  shading  in  its  color, 
no  luring  perfume,  nothing  at  all  to  recommend  it. 
Why  not  cultivate,  above  all  other  things,  the  rose 
—the  acknowledged  Queen  of  Flowers— with  the 
same  passion  as  the  French  ?    Item  the  hollyhock, 
of  picturesque  stature,  stately  and  of  immense  va- 
rieties.    Item  the  peonies  and  their  hundred  varie- 
ties,—a  tribe  of  flowers  which  seems  not  to  be  known 
witli  you,  and  still  a  flower  which  has  the  kindness 
to  light  up  your  garden  before  the  roses,  fuchsias, 
&c.,  have  come  to  bloom.     Why,  friend  Meehan, 
this  ignorance  or  neglect  of  the  pa?onia  ?    Another 
flower  the   French  cultivate  with  fondness  is  the 
daisy  and  the  pansy.     In  these  and  in  the  massing 
of  showy  flowers  in  single,  double  and  triple  belts 
of  various  hues,  the  force  of  our  gardens  manifests 

itself. 

Your  readers  may  cry  out  about  the  expense  of 
such  gardening.  So  I  will  wind  up  with  saying  that 
carpets  are  considered  luxuries,  Jiere  very  rarely  in- 
dulged in  ;  you  consider  them  and  their  unnatural 
flowers  a  necessity.  Again,  Americans  consider 
flower-gardening  in  the  French  sense  of  the  word  a 
luxury,  very  rarely  indulging  in  it ;  whilst  fiere  it  is 
a  necessity.  De  gvstibus  non  est  disputandum,  but 
there  is  no  such  a  thing  as  good  and  bad  taste. 

Yours,  «&c.,  S.  M. 


Jortlrulfural   jSorirfiFS- 

PENNSYLVANIA  HORTICULTURAL 

SOCIETY. 

Official   Report. 

The  regular  month'y  meeting  and  display  was  held  at  Concert 
HaU  on  Tuesday  evening,  Isth  ult. 

Although  not  80  large  ft«  on  former  occasions,  the  exhibition 
comprised  somo  novelties  and  objects  of  interest.  t„„,.,j 

St  Robert  Buist  made  a  very  attractive  show  of  Roses  includ- 
ing some  of  the  latest  aciuisitions  from  Europe,  arranged  In  la.ge 
masse-"-  thev  presented  a  very  attractive  appearance. 

Mr  li  \Dr^r  presented  i  beautiful  collection  of  Roses,  com- 
prfsing  twenty  vafleties  of  Hybrid  Perpetnals.  ten  of  Tea.  and 
Fen  o   Bourbons,  lor  each  of  whirh  was  awarded  a  premium  of  ♦l 

Mnssrs  P  Mackenzie  k  Son  ..ffcred  a  choice  assortment  ol  Roses 
an^i^rdJaJmiig  group  of  Sweet  Williams  Anricala-flowered  and 
Crimson-belted,  which  attracted  marked  attention. 


(i 


224 


ihH  (Sardencr'a  JKontMi 


Mr  Thomas  Meel.an's  collection  of  Herbaceous  riants  and 
mm  iw  e  u  r.wel  v«  iu  number,  cmpriHed  Horne  very  choice  spe- 
ri,n",;Vau;i   re.-eived  general  commendation,  a^  well  ah  the  pre 

"'-n:"ixbeinur!;r;K':IfGiovmin.,  exhibited  by  John  Stone 
...  ,  WW  Keen  Ksci.,of  West  Philadelphia,  was  awarded 
Kt-'enu^rMi  ;r  i2/'rat,Utained  tl>e  award  for  the  best  three 

Tho   rni/e     or    Ku.h«r..s-a  beautiful   «bow-wa8  awarded  to 
A  1   m  (run   .".nleuer  to  General  Kobevt  i'attersoi.,  $2. 

A  .  oul  ;  iid  eauiifully-traiued  plant  of  the  Fuchsia  \enu9 
do  Au'-iicl.Tn  the  r>nn  of  a  parasol,  was  shown  by  George  Penn. 

^^;"'v;S.ty!!.^;J!i^s'S^i  was  not  large,  but  com^ised 
som.  u>te  V  .^rt  ly  Pecimens.  Six  beautiful  and  fully. npe  Queen 
vZ  AM  les,  from  Wm.  Joyce,  gardener  to  M.  ^^ .  ^^^'^Z-Asi'ind^ 
ie  "e.l  111,'  skill  ol  the  grower,  and  received  merited  piai.e,  and  a 

•*''5:'r:';S:E:S.mi*i;.rdener  to  Mr.  J.  B- Baxter^es^ited^ree 
flu.,  di.t.os  of  early  Cherries,  to  which  was  awarded  the  premium 

"'  *!iiie  l>ieer  contributed  some  very  handsome  and  delicious 
"'^r'::^:i;w:^:7o;^^Swberry  presented  ..r  cornpetition  was 

?;;  Th  l:;:s  M.^Jhrin  all^^^^  a  dish  of  the  same,  of  large 

''''1  ^"LelJuontri^ighteen  kinds  of  Strawberries,  -^"''t.d  by  A^ 
W  Harrison  comprised  some  new  European  and  American 
iVrl  "les  >nclu5in,'  the  Wi.a.d  of  the  North,  «-*r  NVond.Hu  . 
rr;ms>n  Queou  and  Kxcelleiite  among  the  former,  and  the  mi 
m.'e  Ladies' ft..e!chorlton.  G..ldou  Seed,  ^^1^'''- I'^'^lt  r  t't 
it  ;.n^-  wl.iu-.  Seedling.     A  -special  premium  was  awaidod  foi  this 

**'£•' Thomas  Meghran  contributed  some  Early  Teas,  and  a  fine 
cnfu'ctMl;:  !r  (^Sibers  or  four  varieties.    The  latter  received  a 

'^':rli:;h"u;"lvit*u,  gaidoner  to  Henry  Puhring,  Esq.,  three 
pr  1  i;^m  '  w";e  award.!  severally  of  $1  each,  or  be.t  Larly  Po- 
tuioes,  I'eas.  and  Uoeui.  and  a  .pccial  premium  ot  *!  lor  very  Mne, 
1ki2-  solid  h<*ads  Df  Ind  a  Lettuce.      ,    „^     ^,  <>«K«.Cn/.ioJw 

Tl,;  Commiuee  on  procuring  a  new  hall  forthe  useof  the  Society 

""V.  n" Vt"Kv'?s".  E<q..  and  John  Stone,  gardener  to  W.  W.  Keen. 
v».i     wer<'  iiom.nai<'(i  h-r  memborship. 

.?.:hnTrnku.,  W^lliiMu  G.  I'.  Wriuckloe.  and  John  McOowcn  were 
elected  memljois  of  the  bocieiy. 


.    x,-iji  »..„  ««rt<»crins  W'lll  Nicholson,  Horsoman,  Naim,  Pavid- 
n,jtxlt"S'^"ofSM..,i,..wa,  .h,  election  ot  Director,, 

&"  iS;=;  Ts:,^  -^^^•^'rWl^'' 

Jr    J.  Sprigi,'ins.  L.  A.  U.  Latour,  J.  Thayer,  Jr.,  J.  h.  Gil»)anit. 

The  following  gentlemen  were  then  elected  to  fill  the  diilerent 
offices  during  the  ensuing  year: 

Preaidf^—G.  Desbarats,  Esq..  • 

Itit  Vice  Prp}>ident—^.  J.  Lyman,  i!isq. 
Treaturer—h.  A.  H  Latour.  Esq. 
Secretary— J.  Thayer,  Jr.,  Esq. 


il 


EORTICTJLTUEAL  SOCIETY  of  MONTREAL- 

The  Ai.ua  il  M.ciing  of  this  .Society  was  held  on  Thursday  eve- 
niiu'    7th  .Niarch.  ill  the  Mechanic's  Hall. 

hV  Chan  having  been  taken,  iu  the  absence  of  the  PreMdent,  by 
G    U«^b..rais,  hsq.rHie  So.ietary  read  the  followmg  report : 

in  presenting  ii.eir  Annu.l  Uei»orc,  your  Board  laUe  the  oppor- 
tu.uy  of  cxpnHMUgtneir  groat  gniiitication  m  being  able  to  con- 
g.aluu.e  the  memhersin  the  increasing  success  unci  progress  and 
fue  continu.'d  luiciesi  taken  by  all  clashes  in  the  prosperuy  ol  the 
bo.:.-.y,  which  now  numbers  ovor  one  hundred  members. 

Ai.i-I.cat.o,.  wasmado  through  the  Hon.  John  liose  to  the  Ex- 
cca'v.,  .  OU..C.I,  and  a  grant  oi  flZS  wms  p.»mptly  accorded,  and 
tlM-  xvh  .le  of  tins  amount  was  paid  in  premiums      Uegard.ng  the 
form.ai..u  ol  a  liiMa.y,  as  a  means  of  Lu.trucliou  highly  dcMiable, 
y.Mir  IJt.anl  woaiil  recommeud  that  a  portion  ot  the  tunds  received 
from  uove.um,-ui  be  set  aside  for  that  purpose,  and  th<y  would 
ve.iiuie  i.>  hope  thai  the  am  aiut  would  bo  further  increased  by  do- 
nations fr..m   mem»)i.rs,  and  all  works  relating  to  Agriculture  or 
H..riiC.iUuie  w..uid  l»e  thankfully   received   and  acknowledg.  d. 
Your  I'.oard  haven^t  failed  to  notice  with  pleasure  the  large  nuin- 
be  •  of  uru.tinental  -^h  .d«  trees  which  have,  duiingthe  past  season, 
bee  .  p:..ui<-.l  in  (.iir  ^lre.;\s  and  public  squares.     This  U  the  more 
commendable  a.s  ii  has,  iu  most  cases,  been  solely  due  to  private 
en  e  pri^e  and  your  B.tard  hop«  that  the  excellent  example  sei  by 
geviM-al  of  y.ur  members,  may  be  more  extensively  lollowod,  as  it 
•would  t.iid  to  give  adduioual  attraction  to  the  streets  of  our  lair 
ciiy  Mild  add  gre..tly  to  ihecoinfort  and  pleasure  of  its  inhabitants. 
Your  Society  were  invited  to  assist  in  the  procession  at  the  recep- 
tion of  li    U   H   the  Prince  of  Wales,  and  it  was  gratifying  to  notice 
the  .il.icriiy  wnh  which  the  mombers  responded  to  this  invitation. 
Th-  n  .ral  device,  and  emblems  carried  by  the  gardeners  were  ex- 
ce.-dm  'Iv  laMeful,  aud   highly  creditable  to  their  skill.     To  Mr. 
CarroUwas  awarded  a  pri/.e  for  the  best  floral  design  represenlin- 
the   Prince  of  Wales  plume.    The  daughters  of  the  gardeners  carry- 
in^  bask.is  of  llower-  and   fruits,  formed  one  of  the  most  pleasing 
features  of  the  procession.     Two  appropriate  banners  were  pro- 
cured for  this  important  occasion,  and  are  now   in  possession  of 

^^'irsi"  ye  u-  silver  medals  were  awarded  to  Messrs.  J.  Nairn,  T. 
Hani-.  I  Arehbold.Thos.  Horseman,  J.  Nicholson,  Thomas  Wall, 
aud  W.  Tarris,  whilotbe  following  took  bronze  medals:  Mes^rs.tar- 


MASSACHUSETTS    HORTICULTURAL 
SOCIETY. 

JUNE  1. 
The  Annual  Spring  Exhibition  of  this  Society  was  held  at  Ar- 
TheSiay  of  plants  In  pots  and  of  cut  flt>wors  was  very  fine. 

^wn^er''orfc;cL!:?:r™;o^reT,,i,»u2[of'f:T,\e'^;,^ 

were  awarded  to  them  in  the  order  here  observed 
The  specimens  of  Azaleas,  Pelargoniums,  Cuieiaias,  etc.,  were 

'^'jKfTSmost  interesting  f  P-tments  of  the^ubition  w^ 
a  large  collection  of  American  Ferns  and  Floweis,  beaulitully  pre 
nared   presented  by  Dennis  Murray,  ot  Roxbury. 
'^s'v.'.Jh I  handsome  specimens  ot  Grapes  were   presented  by  Mk 
Breck,  President  of  the  Society;  John  Fisk  Allen,  of  balem,  and 

""'MTAllen  also  presented  fine  specimens  of  difToront  vaneties  of 
Cherries  grown  in  his  hothouses.  They  were  regarded  with  n- 
tefesa^  being  ,,eihap-,  the  only  reprcscntatne.  ot  the  s,ecies 
thatwUlbe  produced  in  this  vicinity  the  present  year.-/yo*/oH 
Caltivalor. t»m»* - — 

SUSaUEHANNA  AND  CHEMUNG  VALLEY 
HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 

AtameetinEoftho  Susquehanna  and  Chemung  y^l'»,>  "';';*'"'5: 
ttirtl  sSy  bed  at  the  of  office  the  Secretary  on  t  le  l.th  ult..  he 
SS  nail  persons  were  unanimously  elected  othcers  fur  the 
ensuing  year: 

Prr-iidfinf—C'A   E.  C.  Frost.  Havana.  r,       • 

VSp^.id««f^-David Decker,  Elmira;  C.  H.  T»>om.on  Co^nincr^ 
Howard    Elmer,    Waverly;    Win.    Smyth,    Owego;    ^\  m.    fctu.m 

"'SrriSX'"".'/  <^r^d  Rerording  Seerctary-K.  P.  Brooks,  Elininv 
rrco-vM/w— John  M.  Dexter.  ,        »i  vtrintrin  Havini- 

Kvenutive  Oommittee-U^ryvy  Li.ce  Wm.ra   N.  W  nton.  Ha.  ,ina 

.bimes  Wright,  Owego;  R  H.  »=^l^>i^'';i.  VrVn'coniii.g-  CI 
Elmira;  A.  1  Wynkoop,  Cbemuns,  G.  VS.  */•'":' ""'"'r  w:,.J 
Erwin.  Painted  Post;  Thus.  U.   Wright,  Binghamton;  B.C.  W.ck- 

hani,  Tioga.  ....  . 

The  Society  propose  to  hold  a  summer  exhibition,  the  t.iiie  and 
place  U>bi  fixed  afa  future  meeting  of  the  executive  committee. 


BANGOR    CMAINE)    HORTICULTURAL 

SOCIETY. 

The  Thirteenth  Annual  Exhibition  will  be  held  in  ^cptpm^er 
nex       The  Society  otter  a  line  list  of  Premiums  for  Fruits,  How- 
I  Sr,  Vegetables,  Cone-w  .rk,  Canary-birds,  Acquana,  Honey,  etc. 


fe 


.■V;.y;.„\v.\;,  .V 


^^ 


.1..,^ 


rl  L 11  >^^ 

DEVOTED     TO 


l^opHrull^urp,  3£rtorifu!!urp,  Po!ang  %•  PLural  3Kffaiis. 


THOMAS     MEEHAN,    Editor. 


AUGUST,  1861. 


VOL.    III.— NO.   8. 


Ijinh  for  SSugusf. 


been  severely  pruned  towards  the  apex  of  tlie  cone- 
like form  in  wliich  it  has  been  trained,  and  the  base 
has  been  suffered  to  grow  any  way  it  pleases.  Now 
that,  in  turn,  has  come  under  the  shears,  so  far  as 
to  get  it  into  regular  shape  and  form.  It  will  not  be 
forgotten  that,  to  be  very  successful  with  evergreen 
hedges,  they  ought  to  have  a  growth  at  the  base  of  at 
least  four  feet  in  diameter. 


«•■•» 


FLOWER-GARDEN    AND    PLEASURE- 
GROUND. 

The  latter  end  of  August  is  one  of  the  best  seasons 
of  the  year  to  transplant  evergreens.     The  young 
growth  of  the  past  season  has  got  pretty  well  bar- 
dened,  so  as  to  permit  of  but  very  little  evaporation, 
—and  the  earth  being  warm,  new  roots  push  with 
great  rapidity,  and  the  tree  beconves  established  in 
the  ground  before  cold  autumn  winds  begin.     The 
chief  difficulty  is  that  the  soil  is  usually  very  dry, 
which  prevents  much  speed  with  the  operation  ;  and 
the  weather  being  generally  very  warm,  the  trees  have 
to  be  planted  in  the  ground  almost  as  fast  as  they 
are  taken  up ;  so  that  it  is  not  safe  to  bring  them 
from  a  distance.     It  is  as  well,  therefore,  to  make  all 
ready  in  anticipation  of  a  rain,  when  no  time  may 
be  lost  in  having  the  work  pushed  through.     Should 
a  spell  of  dry  weather  ensue,-which  in  September 
or  October  is  very  likely,— one  good  watering  should 
be  given,  sufficient  to  soak  well  through  the  soil  and 
well  about  the  roots.     A  basin  should  be  made  to 
keep  the  water  from  running  away  from  the  spot, 
and  to  assist  its  soaking  in.    After  being  well  watered, 
the  loose  soil  should  be  drawn  in  lightly  over  the 
watered  soil,  which  will  then  aid  in  preventing  the 
water  from  soon  drying  out  again. 

\s  soon  in  the  fall  as  bulbs  can  be  obtained,  they 
should  be  planted,-though  this  will  not  generally  be 
the  case  till  October, -but  it  is  as  well  to  bear  in 
mind  that  the  earlier  they  are  planted,  the  finer  they 

flower 

Towards  the  end  of  the  month,  and  in  September, 
evergreen  hedges  should  receive  their  last  prunmg 
till  the  next  summer.  Last  spring,  and  in  the  sum- 
mer  when  a  strong  growth  required  it,  the  hedge  has 


FRUIT-GARDEN. 

August  and  September  are  favorite  months  to 
plant  out  strawberries,  with  those  who  desire  a  crop 
of  fruit  the  next  season.     In  making  a  strawberry- 
bed,  a  warm,  dry  spot  of  ground  should  be  chosen, 
with,  if  possible,  a  good  loamy  or  clayey  subsoil.     A 
moist,  wet  situation  is  very  unfavorable.     It  is  best 
to  subsoil  at  least  two  feet  deep,  and  if  the  soil  is 
poor,  let  it  be  well  enriched  with  well-decayed  stable 
manure.     In  setting  out,  take  care  that  the  plants  do 
not  become  dry  from  the  time  they  are  taken  up  till 
they  are  replanted,  and  see  that  they  do  not  wither 
afterwards.      ]Many  persons  cut  off  the  leaves,   if 
they  are  afraid  of  their  wilting  under  hot  suns,  but 
a  much  better  plan  is  to  shade.      Inverted  4-inch 
flower-pots  are  excellent  for  this  purpose  ;  they  may 
be  taken  off  at  night.     The  dews  will  so  invigorate 
them,  that  the  shade  will  only  be  required  for  a  few 
days.'    Sometimes  in  September  they  may  need  a 
good  watering  ;  but  this  should  never  be  attempted 
unless  a  thorough  saturation  of  the  bed  is  given  ;  and 
in  a  few^  days  after,  the  lioe  and  the  rake  should  be 
employed  to  loosen  and  level  the  surface,  which  the 
heavy  watering  Avill,  in  all  probability,  have  caused 
to  bake  and  become  very  crusty.     AVbei-e  time  can 
be  spared  to  layer  a  few  plants  into  3-inch  pots,  they 
are  very  successfully  transplanted  afterwards,   and 
much  after  labor  in  watering  and  shading  avoided. 
Strawberries  arc  best  grown  in  beds  about  four  feet 
wide  for  the  convenience  in  gathering  the  fruit,  and 
givincr  them  the  best  of  cultivntion.     About  three 
rowsln  a  bed,  and  the  plants  twelve  inches  apart  in 
the  row,  will  be  a  good  arrangement. 

As  soon  as  the  fruit  has  been  perfected  on  the 
raspberry,  the  canes  that  have  borne  should  be  at 


5 


226 


Che  iarbtntr's  Honthlg. 


once  cut  out.  Some  kinds  throAV  up  suckers  very 
freely,  and  by  this  means  rob  one  another  and  cause 
a  very  poor  c'rop  to  be  produced  the  next  season.  No 
time  should  be  lost  in  thinning  out  the  weaker  ones, 
and  onlv  enough  canes  left  that  will  be  required  to 
produce"  a  crop  the  next  season.  The  raspberry 
ought  to  be  so  treated  in  the  summer,  that  no  pruning 
wih  be  required  in  the  spring  but  to  shorten  the  ends 
of  the  canes.  lu  rare  kinds,  where  it  is  of  more 
importance  to  get  up  a  stock  of  young  plants,  than 
to  get  a  crop  of  fruit,  this  advice  will  not,  of  course, 

Blackberries  will,  in  the  main,  require  very  much 
the  same  treatment  as  the  raspberry.  They  are  also 
very  liable  to  sucker  up  more  than  is  desirable,  and 
much  attention  will  be  required  to  keep  them  within 
due  bounds.  Neither  of  these  two  kinds  of  fruit 
should  be  planted  near  a  lawn,  as  the  roots,  if  they 
once  get  into  the  grass,  are  very  difficult  of  eradica- 
tion and  as  troublesome  as  the  vilest  weeds. 

Most  of  the  diseases  the  peach  tree  groans  under 
arise  from  the  effect  of  hard  winters  on  the  over- 
vigorous  and  half-ripened  shoots.  Root-pruning  has 
always  the  tendency,  not  only  to  throw  a  tree  into 
bearing  early,  but  also  to  ripen  the  wood  early  in  the 
season,  and  before  the  frost  can  act  much  to  injury. 


for  use  before  winter.  That  desired  for  winter  and 
early  spring  use,  is  usually  sown  in  September  in 
this  region.  A  few  turnips  may  be  also  sown  for 
an  early  crop,  but  will  be  hot  and  stringy  unless  the 
soil  is  very  rich. 

As  fast  as  endive  is  desired  for  salad,  it  should  be 
blanched.  Matting  thrown  over  is  the  best  for  this 
purpose,  as  the  plants  are  not  so  liable  to  rot  as  when 
pots  or  boards  are  employed.  In  cold  or  mountainous 
regions,  melons  are  hastened  in  the  ripening  process 
and  improved  in  flavor,  by  a  piece  of  tilebemg  placed 
under  the  fruit. 

Celery  will  require  earthing  up  as  it  grows,  to  get 
it  to  blanch  well.  It  is  not  well,  however,  to  com- 
mence too  early,  as  earthing  up  tends,  in  a  slight  de- 
gree, to  weaken  the  growth  of  the  plants.  Take 
care,'  also,  not  to  let  the  soil  get  into  the  heart  in 
earthing,  or  the  crown  is  apt  to  rot. 

At  this  season  of  the  year,  more  perhaps  than  at 
any  other,  is  it  important  to  hoe  and  rake  between 
rows  of  growing  crops.  A  loose  surface  soil  not  only 
admits  the  various  gases  that  the  roots  luxuriate  in, 
but  it  also  prevents  evaporation  and  checks  a  too 
great  absorption  of  heat,  and  then,  besides  all  this, 
the  weeds  are  kept  down,  and  neatness  and  order 
reigns.  After  every  heavy  shower,  if  the  time  can 
at  all  be  spared,  the  hoe  and  the  rake  should  be 
freely  employed. 


HOT   AND    GREENHOUSE. 

Prepauations  must  now  be  made  with  a  view  to 
stockim?  the  houses  for  the  next  winter  and  spring's 
use.  Geraniums  of  all  kinds  may  now  be  readily 
struck.  A  frame  in  a  shady  place,  set  on  some  light 
sandy  soil  in  the  open  air,  aff"ords  one  of  the  best  places 
possible  for  striking  all  kinds  of  half-ripened  wood. 
A  partial  shade  is  at  all  times  best  for  cuttings  at  the 
start,  though  the  sooner  they  can  be  made  to  ac- 
custom themselves  safely  to  the  full  light,  the  better 
do  they  usually  do. 

Seed  of  many  things  may  also  be  sown  for  winter 
and  spring  blooming,  particularly  cineraria,  calceo- 
laria, pansy,  daisy,  Chinese  Primrose,  and  some  of 
the  annuals.     Great  care  is  necessary  with  the  calceo- 
laria.    The  seed  is  so  small,  that  it  rebels  at  the 
smallest  covering  of  soil.    The  best  way  is  to  sow  it 
on  the  surface,  water  well,  and  then  cover  with  a  pane 
of  glass  until  fairly  germinated;  this  will  prevent 
evaporation  and  consequent  drying  of  the  seed.     Al- 
most all  kind  of  seeds  germinate  most  readily  in 
partial  shade  ;  but  as  soon  as  possible  after  germina- 
tion, they  should  be  inured  to  as  much  light  as  they 
!   will  bear. 


(Jommuntrafions. 


«•■•» 


VEGETABLE    GARDEN. 

Towards  the  end  of  the  month,  a  sowing  of  spi- 
nach may  be  made  in  rich  soil,  which  will  come  in 


NOTES  OF  EXPERIENCE  WITH  RARE 
EVERGREENS. 

BY   ORCHIS. 

The  curious  and  unusual  effc'cts  in  some  instances 
on  our  hardy  and  uncertain  evergreens,  has  been 
suggestive  of  new  ideas  on  the  theory  of  soil  and 
climate,  as  regards  the  best  situation  to  insure  suc- 
cess. 

We  notice  by  recent  accounts  received  from  Eng- 
land, that  where  deodars,  hollys,  &c.,  have  been 
badly  disfigured,  camellias  and  many  other  plants 
that  will  not  stand  our  climate  with  any  chance  of 
success,  were  uninjured.  To  some  extent  this  has 
been  the  experience  of  many  cultivators  with  us, 
with  the  half-hardy  trees  and  plants. 

At  this  place,  about  twenty -five  miles  north-west 
from  Philadelphia,  a  different  experience  has  been 
observed  in  the  apparent  hardiness  of  our  new  and 
rare  plants,  from  those  cultivators  residing  at  Ger- 
mantown  and  Vicinity.  To  account  for  this  change 
in  localities  so  near,  I  do  not  feel  willing,  or  in  fact 
able  to  point  out  the  true  cause. 

For  the  amusement  and  probable  instruction  of  a 


Chj  ^mhmn  lIlont|Ij. 


portion  of  your  readers,  I  append  a  condensed  list 
of  the  newer  species  and  marked  varieties  of  coni- 
fers now  cultivated  with  us,  with  a  few  remarks 
on  the  success  that  has  attended  them  during  the 
past  changeable  winter  and  spring. 

The  Abies  have  generally  proven  successful.  j1, 
Menziesii,  A.  obovata,  ^sometimes  known  as  A.  Witt- 
manniana^,  and  A.  orientaliSy  I  take  great  pleasure 
in  recommending  as  entirely  hardy.  A.  Morinduy 
although  somewhat  browned,  is  now  growing  vig- 
ourously.  A  splendid  specimen  of  A.  Douglassi, 
about  thirteen  or  twenty  feet  high,  in  the  rare  col- 
lection of  John  Evans,  at  Radnor,  is  entirely  unin- 
jured, and  is,  without  doubt,  the  most  magnificent 
conifer  in  this  section  of  country. 

The  Biotas  are  evidently  doing  as  well  as  in  former 
seasons.  The  best  amongst  those  not  generally  dis- 
seminated are — B.  orientalis  glauca,  B.  do.  aurea,  (ihe 
beautiful  golden  variety^,  B.  do.  variegata  and  B.  do. 
pendula.  The  latter  variety  is  classed  as  a  species  by 
Endlicher,  Lambert  and  Gordon,  but  I  beheve  that 
Jacques  is  undoubtedly  correct  in  placing  it  as  a  va- 
riety. Young  plants  raised  from  the  seed,  invariably 
resemble  the  B.  orientalis^  and  I  never  saw  one  with 
the  pendulous  habit  of  the  parent. 

The  rich  dark  green  color  of  the  B.  iartarica  is 
worthy  of  notice,  although  the  foliage  is  deficient  in 
density.  B.  (?)  meldensis,  of  Lawson,  is  probably 
the  best  recent  addition  to  this  fiimily.  It  is  a  very 
doubtful  looking  arborvita) ;  but  time  will  determine 
its  identity  after  commencing  to  fruit. 

Whilst  the  great  majority  of  the  Piceas  are  look- 
ing remarkably  well,  some  of  the  older,  well  known 
kinds  have  been  much  injured.  Large  specimens 
of  P.  balsamea  and  P.  pedinaia  have  been  greatly  dis- 
figured on  the  north  side  of  the  trees,  and  a  Taxm 
baccuta  a  few  feet  distant  was  badly  browned  on  the 
south  side,  but  wholly  untouched  on  the  north.  P. 
cephalonica,  P.  Fraseri,  Hudsonica,  (a  handsome  little 
dwarf),  P.  nobilis.  P.  Nordmanniana  and  P.  pichla, 
have  stood  very  well  and  are  growing  luxuriantly. 
The  latter  species  is  indispensable  in  a  collection, 
combining  as  it  does,  a  remarkable  dark  green  color, 
dense  habit  and  extreme  hardiness.  P.  Pindrow  and 
P.  Webbiana  arc  not  very  satisfactory. 

The  Pinus  family  has  been  so  greatly  enriched  of 
latter  years,  by  the  constant  and  large  additions  of 
collections,  that  to  have  a  complete  collection  of 
them,  would  require  an  outlay  (5f  capital  not  readily 
incurred  by  many  arboriculturists  in  this  country. 
Many  of  these  new  candidates  for  public  favor  have 
proven  failures  here,  and  others  highly  desirable. 

During  the  past  winter  P.  radiala  was  killed  root 
and  branch,  both  in  sheltered  and  exposed  situations. 
P.  Australis,  O'ormerlyP.  palustris),  with  slight  pro- 
tection and  in  a  retentive  soil,  is  doing  very  well , 


also  P.  Benihamianay  P.  Pallasiana,  P.  Pyrenacicay  P. 
Jeffreyiiy     P.    Ponderosa,    P.    Tada,    P.    cembray    P. 
Lambertianaj  ^c.    P.  Halapensis  and  P.   Gerardiana^ 
dead.     A  large  specimen  of  P.  excelsa,  the  graceful 
Bhotan  Pine  that  has  been  greatly  ad.nired,  after 
having  attained  the   height   of  about   fifteen  feet, 
gradually  decayed  at  the  root,  and  broke  oft'  this 
spring.     I  am  strongly  of  the  opinion  that  this  desi- 
rable tree  in  other  respects,  will  never  succeed  with  us. 
Podocarpus  coriacea  appears  entirely  hardy  here, 
and  may  prove  an  acquisition.     Having  several  new 
and  untried  species  of  this  handsome  genus  in  pots, 
I  am  strongly  in  hopes  upon  trial  of  having  an  ad- 
dition to  the  solitary  species  that  has  so  far  proven 

hardy. 

Retinispora  ericoides  is  a  charming  little  evergreen 
shrub,  and,  with  the  exception  of  a  change  in  the 
foliage  during  winter,  is  faultless. 

Sequoia  gi<jantea  (the  big  tree  of  California)  is  a 
favorite  here,  although  not  quite  as  satisfactory  m 
point  of  hardiness  as  would  be  desirable.  It  is  ex- 
tremely impatient  of  transplanting,  and  the  beauty 
of  the  tree  is  often  seriously  damaged  by  the  ope- 
ration. 

Cedrus  deodara,  which  has  always  heretofore  given 
us  great  satisfaction,  is  this  spring  quite  brown. 
This  specimen  stands  on  a  dry,  sandy  subsoil,  with 
a  southern  aspect,  and  is  doubtless  the  best  situation 
for  this  variable  tree.     C.  Libani  wintered  beautifully. 

Cehpalotaxus  drupacea  and  C.  Fortunii  with  a  slight 
protection  are  doing  very  well. 

Crypiomeria  looks  badly,  not  at  all  satisfactory. 

ChamcEcyparis  sphceroidea  variegata  is  very  desirable  ; 
the  young  shoots  are  very  handsomely  spotted  with 

yellow. 

Cunninghamia  sinensis  is  apparently  quite  hardy  in 
a  su  table  location ;  our  specimen  was  but  Uttle 
browned,  and  is  now  growing  thriftily. 

Cupressus  Lawsoniana  and  C.  Nootkaensis  ("errone- 
ously Thujopsisborealis)  are  beautiful  hardy  species, 
and  the  only  two  out  of  a  large  genus  that  will  suc- 
ceed here.  They  are  destined,  I  trust,  to  be  great 
acquisitions. 

The  Junipers,  as  ornamental  plants  in  landscape- 
gardening,  are  unrivalled.  They  combine  almost 
every  character  of  the  coniferse,  from  the  formal  habit 
of  the  Irish  to  the  graceful,  drooping  varieties  cf  other 
species.  Much  the  larger  portion  are  hardy,  a  part 
half-hardy,  and  some  entirely  too  tender  lor  us  at 

the  North. 

The  newer  kinds  that  have  done  well  the  past 
season  are — I  drupacea,  I.  hemispharica,  I.  oblonga, 
I.  oxycedrus,  I.  riyida,  I.  excelsa,  I.  recurva,  I.  prostrata^ 
I.  sabina  cupressi/olia  and  variegata,  I.  squamala,  I.  chi- 
nensis,  vialc  and  female,  I.  tetragona,  1  cypri,  I.  Stru- 
tiana,  I.  Scholii,  I.  fragrans,  I.  tripartila,  and  /.  deal- 


'i  ' 


<  I 


^^  §iix&mM  IHantjjlg. 


bata;  and  those  killed  —  /.  Phamcea,  I.  macrocarpa, 
I.  sphctrica,  and  I.  alba.  The  Bermudiana,  I.  Mexicana, 
and  /.  rcliyiosa  are  grown  :n  pots ;  they  will  not  stand 

at  all  here. 

There  are  several  beautiful  varieties  well  worthy 
of  a  place  in  collections  that  are  entirely  hardy.  L 
Virqinianapendula,  I.  do  argentea,  I.  do.  Gossainthemea, 
I.  lie.  variegala,  and  the  graceful  /.  communis  pendula. 
The  rare  /.  hemispharica,  or  Hedge-hog  Juniper,  is 
a  remarkably  curious  dwarf  species,  not  attaining  a 
greater  height  than  one  or  two  feet.  It  forms  a 
fflobular  head,  with  shaip,  arrow-like  leaves  bristling 
out  in  every  direction. 

Libocedrtis  chilensis  obstinately  refuses  to  live  in  any 
situation.  L.  decurrcns  rather  more  satisfactory; 
stands  pretty  well. 

The  Yews  with  us  succeed  admirably,  by  slightly 
protecting  the  more  tender  kinds.  T.  adpressa  the 
most  hardy  and  beautiful.  T.  baccala  elegantissima 
and  aurca  rank  next;  and  the  remainder  of  the 
family  are  all  handsome,  and  more  or  less  hardy.  T. 
canadensis  is  very  desirable. 

There  has  probably  been  more  confusion  in  the 
Thuja  genus  than  all  the  others  combined,  owing 
to  the  manifold  and  conflicting  opinions  and  names 
sent  to  this  country  by  foreign  nurserymen.     We 
have  received  three  or  four  distinct  kinds  for  T. 
gigantea  ;  and  honestly  I  do  not  think  there  is  a  true 
plant  in  the  Cnited  States  that  will  answer  the  de- 
scription given  by  Nultall.     T.  plicata  has  also  been 
confounded  with  others  ;  it  is  a  very  tine  species. 
T.  macrocarpa  has  proven  to  be  a  Biota ;  it  is,  never- 
theless, very  handsome  and  entirely  hardy.    T.  occiden- 
talis  asplenifolia  is   one   of  the  handsomest   of  the 
family.     The  young  branchlcts  droop  very  grace- 
fully.    The  dwarfs  T.  do.  nana  and   T.  do.  pumila 
globosa  are  very  desirable.     2\  do.   Hoceyi  is  hardy, 
but  not  so  distinct  as  we  had  expected  ;  we  trust  it  may 
improve  with  age.     T.   Caucasica  promises  to  be  a 
fine  addition ;  very  hardy,  rich  dark  green  foliage, 
rapid  growth  and  very  dense. 

The  rage  for  coniferoc  has  net  extended  to  this 
country  to  any  extent.  In  Europe  the  new  species 
are  eagerly  sought  after  at  fabulous  prices,  and  the 
fine  pinetums  in  many  places  bear  evidence  of  the 
high  estimation  in  which  this  natural  order  is  held. 
We  s.ncerely  hope  that  a  greater  interest  may  be 
awakened  with  us,  and  the  results  in  different  sec- 
tions of  our  country  be  made  known. 

«>••» 

GLAZING   GREENHOUSES. 

BY   W.    C.    STRIPE,    KEOKUK,    IOWA. 

In  return  for  the  many  items  of  information  which 
I  have  received  from  the  MontJihj,  I  beg  to  off'er  my 
mite. 

I  have  been  much  troubled  with  drip  in  my  green- 


house, and  have  from  time  to  time  cudgelled  my 
brain  to  devise  a  remedy.  I  have  at  last  accomplished 
it.  Instead  of  lapping  the  glass,  I  place  between 
each  light  a  strip  of  lead  sash,  such  as  is  used  in  the 
old-fashioned  diamond  panes,  just  filling  the  opening 
in  the  lead  with  putty.  Then  insert  the  glass,  not 
too  tightly,  t.nd  press  ('own  the  edge  of  the  lead 
with  a  knife. 

Please  bear  in  mind  that  this  is  not  mere  theory. 
CWe  have  too  much  of  it  now-a-days.)  I  have 
given  it  a  thorough  trial,  and  no  more  trouble  with 
drip,— can  now  elfectually  keep  out  the  cold,  or 
rather  retain  the  heat,  and  have  not  had  a  single 
light  broken  by  expansion. 


«•■•» 


TRIP    TO    WILMINGTON,   DEL. 

BY  GRAPTOLITE. 

We  have  recently  visited  several  fine  country 
seats  at  Wilmington,  Del.,  which  not  only  deserve 
notice  in  the  Gardener's  Monildy,  but  will  furnish 
some  useful  hints  to  your  readers. 

The  first  place  we  visited  is  owned  and  managed 
by  Dr.   George  Pepper  Norris,   whose  name  has 
been  rendered  familiar  to  the  horticultural  public  by 
his  essays,  published  in  various  journals.     As  the 
Doctor  has  excited  a  little  sharp  criticism,  by  his 
descriptions    of   other    people's    places,    we   went 
prepared  to  give  him  the  benefit  of  a  little  close  in- 
spection of  his  own  operations.     The  party  consisted 
of  your  correspondent,  and  a  Philadelphia  "expert" 
in  grape  culture,  &c.     On  inquiring  in  Wilmin-;ton 
where  Dr.   Norris'  country  place  was  located,  we 
were  informed  that  it  was  about  one  mile  out  of 
town,  near  the  Poor-house  ;  rather  an  unpromising 
locality,  wc  thought,  for  the  most  enterprising  hor- 
ticulturist in  Wilmington,  but  still   in  a  direction 
much  travelled  by  some  anuiteurs.     A  short  ride  up 
the  hill  west  of  the  town  soon  brought  us  to  the 
gateway  leading  to  the  cottage,  and  here  the  fine 
scenery  which  burst  upon  our  view,  over  a  pano- 
rama  of   hills,    valleys,    and   rivers,    the   well-kept 
carriage-road,  the  handsome  lawn,  the  fine  specimen 
trees,  and  the  elegant  buildings  before  us,  dispelled 
all  fears  which  we  had  indulged,   that  we  should 
find  material  for  criticism  on  the  doctor's  grounds. 
We  felt  sure  that  we  were  approaching  the  home  of 
taste  and  skill. 

Dr.  Norris  has,  in  truth,  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
situations  which  it  has  been  our  h.t  to  examine  for 
a  long  time,  and  he  has  improved  it  in  a  very  judi- 
cious and  tasteful  manner.  The  Gothic  cottage  is 
built  of  dark  blue  Brandy  wine  granite,  which  blends 
its  hues  in  a  manner  peculiar  to  this  stone,  giving  an 
effect  to  the  walls  such  as  could  only  be  obtained, 
with  other  stone,  by  this  most  skilful  painting  and 


ihi|  (Sardener^^  JKtcnthlg. 


shadiug,orby  a  mixture  of  paint  and  fine  colored  sand. 
The  color  is  exceedingly  rich  and  pleasing  to  the 
eye.     The  stable  and  other  buildings  are  all  built  of 
the  same  kind  of  stone,  in  semi-Gothic  style,  and 
form  a  very  handsome   and   comfortable  looking 

group. 

In  pear-culture  the  Doctor  has  made  a  good  be- 
ginning, and  fortunately  has  a  fair  show  of  fruit  this 
year.  The  grape-houses,  which,  until  lately,  have 
been  entirely  managed  by  the  Doctor  himself,  are 
constructed  with  tbe  latest  improvements  in  borders, 
&c.,  and  exhibit  more  than  an  average  degree  of 

success. 

Fruit  trees  in  pots,  for  the  orchard-house,  have 
also  been  cultivated  with  very  satisfactory  results, 
by  bringing  them  forward  in  the  grapery  and  ripen- 
ing them  out  of  doors.     The  peaches  and  plums, 
now  in  fruit,  will  rarely  be  excelled  in  apperarance 
even  with  the  aid  of  a  separate  house  for  the  pui-pose. 
Part  of  the  farm,  under  the  care  of  an  experienced 
vegetable-grower,  is  worked  with  great  activity  and 
skill,  and  produces  a  handsome  return  for  the  enter- 
prise of  the  proprietor.     We  examined  some  acres 
which  could  scarcely  be  excelled  in  neatness  and 
profitable  growth  by  the  veteran  truckers  of  Philadel- 
phia or  New  York. 

The  place  is  yet  new,  and  although  it  offers  no  re- 
markable points  of  instruction,  or  great  novelties  in 
planting  or  management,  it  presents  these  excellent 
distinctive  features  :  it  is  magnificently  located,  it  is 
laid  out  and  constructed  with  taste  and  skill,  and  is  I 
jinished  up  as  far  as  its  improvements  have  been  at- 
tempted, while  the  whole  of  it  is  managed  in  a  judi- 
cious and  profitable  manner.  There  is  no  foolish 
waste,  and  no  rubbish  about  it,  which  is  a  vast  merit. 
We  think  the  Doctor  may  be  permitted  to  hang  up 
his  hat  on  a  high  peg  in  the  horticultural  halls. 

The  magnificent  place  constructed  and  occupied 
by  Joseph  Shipley,  Esq.,  appropriately  called  Rock- 
wood,  situated  about  two  miles  north  of  Wilmington, 
deserves  a  more  extended  notice  than  we  can  give  it 
at  this  time.     Without  the  aid  of  photographs,  an 
artist,  and  an  engraver,  we  could  scarcely  hope  to 
convey  any  just  idea  of  it.     The  estate  comprises 
some  five  hundred  acres  of  romantic  hill  and  valley, 
mostly  covered  with  natural  trees,  and  apparently 
surrounded  by  forests.    Few  or  no  dwellings,  except 
those  on  the  place,  can  be  seen  from  the  main  lawn 
within  the  limits  of  miles.     Mr.  Shipley  is  an  Eng- 
lish  gentleman  of  fortune,  whose  name  is  well  known 
in  the  commercial  world.   He  commenced  this  place 
ten  years  ago,  after  plans  made  in  England,  and 
under  the  direction   of  l^Ir.    Salisbury,  a  gardener 
whom  he  brought  out  for  that  purpose.     The  entire 
place  is  improved  upon  the  plan  of  «a<?/ranandscapc- 
gardening   so  much  employed  in  English  country 


places,  where  the  development  of  the  natural  re- 
sources of  ground  and  trees,  and  the  heightening 
of  natural  beauties  by  a  very  little  art  in  clearing  up, 
planting,  opening  vistas,  &c.,  surpasses  in  real  grati- 
fication the  most  elaborate  and  costly  works  of  art. 
Without  attempting  any  general  description  of  it, 
beyond  what  we  have  stated,  we  will  say  that  it  is 
the  most  splendid  specimen  of  the  English  park-like 
style  of  landscape  work  that  we  have  ever  seen.  The 
mansion  is  built  of  the  Brandywine  blue  rock,  before 
mentioned,  with  light-colored  granite  ornaments  ; 
the  style  is  that  of  an  oblong  Gothic  villa,  supported 
by  semi-Italian  arcades  for  plants  and  flowers.     The 
lawn  contains  some  of  the  rarest  ornamental  trees 
that  can  be  grown  in   this  climate,    and  exhibits 
specimens  of  rare  size  and  beauty.   The  forest  work, 
the  lawn,  the  beltings  and  groupings  of  trees  and 
shrubs,  and  indeed  the  entire  landscape,  all  appear 
replete  with  natural  and  artificial  effects  in  landscape- 
gardening,  on  a  large  scale,  unique,  beautiful  and 
grand  in  the  extreme.    There  is  no  littleness  in  any  of 
of  the  work.     Whether  the  place  could  be  still  further 
improved  by  art,  we  know  not.    It  might  be  altered  in 
its  aspects,  certainly;  but  its  grand  and  gracef«i  natu- 
ral beauties  neither  invite  criticism  nor  suggest  the  ne- 
cessity of  change.     To  obtain  any  further  idea  of  the 
place  it  must  be  seen,  or  pictured  by  the  hand  of  a  true 
artist.     Your  correspondent  hopes  that  the  publisher 
of  the  Monthly  may,  if  Mr.  Shipley  will  consent,  ere 
long  give  us  some  photographic  sketches  of  the  most 
striking  features  of  the  place.     We  feel  quite  sure 
that  there  is  nothing  of  the  kind  equal  to  it,  in  its 
peculiar  style,  in  Pennsylvania.     It  is  seldom  you 
can  catch  Nature  in  just  that  beautiful  half-wild, 
wayward,   gipsey  mood,  in  which  you   find    her 
among  the  rocks  and  hills  on  the  banks  of  the  old 
Brandywine.     Wc  are  surprised  that  this  fine  place 
has  existed  so  long  without  commanding  extensive 
public  notice ;  and  we  take  real  pleasure  in  giving 
our  horticultural  friends  information  of  the  rich  treat 
which  they  may  enjoy  ("under  favor  of  Mr.  Shipley) 
by  a  visit  to  Wilmington.     Whether  he  will  thank 
us  for  dragging  his  wild-wood  and  his  rock-wood, 
his  fauns  and  dryads,  into  the  public  gaze,  or  not, 
we  cannot  say  ;  but  we  gave  him  no  opportunity  to  de- 
cline ;  nor  can  we  believe  that  he  would  have  the 
heart'not  to  gratify  any  true  lover  of  Nature  with  a 
view  of  the  rich  inheritance  which  it  is  his  good 
fortune  to  possess. 


«•!■» 


THE   JUNB-BBRRY    AS   A    STOCK   FOR 
THE    PEAR. 

BY   nUDEIKOPER,    MEADVILLE,    PA. 

In  the  last  Monthhj,  page  190,  you  report  me  as 
saying,  in  the  IlortkuUurist,  that  "pear  trees  when 


«1 

\ 


CIt4  ^mkmxs  Panthlg. 


grcwn  upon  June-berry  stocks  are  not  subject  to 
blight."  What  I  there  said  was  simply,  that  of 
half  a  dozen  kinds  of  stocks  used  as  a  foundation 
for  the  pear,  the  June-berry  alone  was  not  itself  the 
subject  of  blight. 

After  paying  a  good  deal  of  attention  to  pear 
blight,  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  frosts  and 
severe  winter  weather  are  responsible  for  it  in 
ninety-five  cases  out  of  the  hundred.  If  this  be  so, 
then  no  engrafting  can  remove  the  difficulty,  though 
it  may  modify  it  by  inducing  slow  growth  and  well- 
ripened  wood,  &c. 

Experience  will  have  to  determine  the  worth  of 
tiie  June-berry  as  a  stock  for  it.  I  shall  not  be  sur- 
prised if  it  prove  to  have  the  following  good  quali- 
ties to  recommend  it,  viz:  that  it  is  easy  of  produc- 
tion,—bears  transplanting  well,— tree  grows  well 
either  in  sod  or  under  culture,— makes  a  smooth, 
straight  stem,— has  a  b.rkwell  adapted  for  grafting, 
and  is  very  hardy.  It  attains  about  the  size  of  the 
pear,  but  perhaps  grows  a  little  slower,  which  would 
have  a  tendency  to  produce  fruitfulness.  All  which 
I  give  for  simply  what  it  may  prove  to  be  worth. 

[Thf  idea  struck  us  as  one  likely  to  be  very  useful 
when  we  first  noticed  it,  and  we  are  glad  that  Mr. 
Iludeikoper  is  keeping  the  subject  before  the  public. 
—Ed.] 


«•■•* 


RQAD-MAEING    ON    PRIVATE    ESTATES. 

BY   WALTER   ELDER,    PHILADELPniA. 

A  PROPER  system  of  road-making  is  not  generally 
practiced  among  us,  and  it  seems  but  imperfectly 
understood  by  those  who  direct  their  construction. 
The  metal  beds  are  dug  out  four  and  six  inches  deep, 
and  large  flat  stones  put  in  the  bottom  and  broken 
stones  or  gravel  on  top  ;  but  the  rocking  and  jerk- 
ing of  these  large  stones  by  travel,  and  splashing  of 
mud  in  wet  weather,  cause  them  to  be  turned  up 
and  broken  fine ;  thus  making  an  extra  expense  be- 
fore a  solid  road  can  be  obtained.     Every  one  who 
owns  a  place  wants  to  get  in  and  out  of  it  with 
pleasure  and  ease,  both  to  himself  and  beast ;  and 
these  can  only  be  secured  by  well-constructed  roads. 
The  most  economical  plan  is  to  make  them  right  at 
first,  as  the  annoyance  and  cost  of  frequently  repair- 
ing poorly-made  roads  far  overgo  the  prudent  outlay 
of  constructing  them  properly  at  once. 

Both  the  making  of  roads  and  planting  of  trees 
should  precede  the  erection  of  the  buildings.  The 
rubbish  from  the  buildings  will  all  be  needed  for 
foot-paths  before  the  place  is  finished.  The  location 
of  the  entrance  and  route  of  the  road  are  of  the  first 
importance.  Upon  many  estates  it  is  best  to  have 
!  the  entrance  near  to  one  corner  of  the  place ;  and 
the  road,  if  possible,  should  run  along  the  high 
grounds.     It  should  leave  the  highway  on  a  direct 


angle  with  it,  and  run  straight  for  fifty  feet ;  and  if 
it  is  to  be  winding,  it  may  bend  outwards,  if  need 
be,  so  as  to  give  a  graceful  sweep  from  that  to  the 
mansion. 

Sudden  bends  and  tortuous  crooks  should  be 
avoided.  Where  the  house  has  two  fronts,  the  road 
may  go  round  it ;  if  not,  the  road  may  pass  it  and 
turn  round  a  circle,  oval  or  heart-shaped  figure  be- 
yond it,  or  any  other  way  as  the  grounds  may  be 
adapted  for.  On  some  places  it  will  be  best  for  the 
road  to  be  straight.  Where  that  is  the  case,  it  should 
be  lined  on  both  sides  by  trees  with  spreading  heads, 
to  form  a  long  leafy  arch,  and  a  clump  of  trees 
should  cover  the  end  of  the  house  from  view,  and 
the  road  should  take  a  curve  to  one  side  and  come 
suddenly  in  front  of  the  mansion. 

Those  M'^ho  have  seen  roads  upon  such  a  plan  can 
tell  of  the  beauty  and  grandeur  of  straight  and  well- 
shaded  avenues,— on  some  small  places  semi-circu- 
lar roads,  entering  at  one  gate  and  out  at  another, 

will  be  best. 

After  fully  considering  the  above  points,  stake  out 
the  road  eighteen  or  twenty  feet  broad ;  and  after 
grading  and  levelling,  mark  out  the  metal  bed  from 
twelve  to  eighteen  feet  wide.     Dig  out  the  soil  three 
inches  deep,  and  put  an  inch  of  any  of  the  follow- 
ing materials  Cwhere  they  can  be  got)  in  the  bot- 
tom :— coal-dross,  ashes  and  cinders  from  factories, 
refuse  of  foundries  and  other  iron  works,  tan-bark, 
sand  or  gravel ;  and  if  the  soil  is  a  clay,  two  inches 
will  be  needed.     To  prevent  weeds  from  growing 
up  among  the  stones,  and  the  upheavel  of  frosts, 
then  put  broken   stones  of  a    pound  weight  five 
inches  thick,  and  stones  half  their  size  three  inches 
above  them,  and  finish  off  with  two  inches  of  stony 
gravel  or  finely-broken  rotten  rock.     Next  slope  off* 
the  earthy  sides  from  the  metal  bed  to  the  edges  of 
the  road,  and  dig  gutters  six  inches  deep.     If  the 
ascent  of  the  road  is  great,  it  will  be  best  to  pave 
the  gutters.     If  the  fall  is  slight,  sod  them  and  the 
sides  of  the  metal  bed.     In  filling  up  the  metal  bed, 
put  each  layer  thickest  in  the  middle  to  raise  it,  and 
make  it  convex  to  throw  off  the  water. 

Where  there  is  a  hollow  in  the  road,  and  no  way 
for  the  water  to  run  off,  make  tile-drains  from  the 
gutters  in  upon  the  lawn  thirty  or  fifty  feet,  and  dig 
wells  six  feet  deep  and  four  feet  wide,  and  fill  them 
with  stones  to  within  a  foot  of  the  surface.  Cover 
them  with  straw  or  shavings,  and  fill  in  the  soil  on 
top.  These  will  generally  keep  the  road  dry.  After 
the  road  is  finished,  go  over  it  with  a  heavy  two 
horse  roller  backward  and  forward  upon  the  same 
place.  After  that,  put  heavy  weights  upon  the 
roller,  Csay  six  men,;  and  go  over  the  road  double 
again,  and  after  the  two  first  heavy  rains,  double 
I  roll  each  time,  and  also  every  spring  after  heavy 


m^t  iardqntfs  J{l0uthlg. 


2^)1 


frosts  are  over.  That  will  make  it  solid,  and  it  will 
not  need  repairs  for  many  years.  The  travel  over  a 
newly-made  road  should  be  slow  at  first,  so  as  not 
to  displace  the  stones. 

This  road  is  intend. d  for  all  travel ;  but  a  road  for 
a  private  carriage  avenue  can  be  made  narrower  and 
lighter.     Where  water  runs  and  marshes  arc  to  be 
crossed,  arched  bridges  of  mason-work,  if  the  foun- 
dation is  solid,  are  best,  and  the  walls  should  be  cov- 
ered with  ivys  to  prevent  injurious  effects  of  frosts. 
The  ivys  can  be  laced  in  the  railings  on  top,  and 
clothe  them  also.     In  swamps,  branches  of  trees 
laid  in  the  bottom  prevent  the  earth,  in  filling  up, 
from  absorbing  much  moisture  until  it  gets  hard  by 
travel.     When  its  capillary  attraction  for  water  is 
much  destroyed,  the  sloping  sides  of  the  embank- 
ments should  at  once  be  sodded  to  prevent  washing 
by  rains.    It  will  be  seen  that  all  is  grass  but  the 
metal  bed ;  but  it  should  be  cut  often,  so  that  it  will 
not  seed  and  fill  the  stone-work  with  .veeds.     All 
roads  or  avenues  upon  private  or  public  establish- 
ments should  be  shaded  with  trees.     Those  upon 
straight  lines  should  also  be  in  lines  twenty  to  thirty 
feet  apart,  and  vpon  curved  lines.     The  trees  may 
be  from  five  to  twenty  feet  from  the  edges  of  the 
road,  according  to  their  size  and  habit  of  growth. 
These  trees  are  generally  deciduous ;  but  where  the 
road  is  on  a  high  and  exposed  place,  evergreen  trees 
are  generally  alternated  with  deciduous  on  the  north 
sides  for  shelter. 

Now,  some  inexperienced  persons  will  think  that 
trees  will  keep  the  road  moist.      The  case  is  not 
so.     If  the  trees  are  pruned  at  the  bottom,  the  cur- 
rent  of  air  will  be  greater  than   upon   an   open 
space,  and  will  carry  off  the  moisture  faster  than  the 
sun  could.      Let  any  one  ride  a  number  of  miles 
under  a  scorching  sun,  and  then  come  under  the 
shaded  avenue,  how  grateful  he  and  his  horse  will 
feel !     Or  ride  along  a  bare  road  under  a  cuttmg 
frosty  wind,  and  then  enter  his  own  avenue,  shel- 
tered with  massive  evergreen  trees,  and  mark  the 
pleasant  change.     But  that  is  not  all.     What  a  de- 
lightful stroll  for  the  healthy  and  the  sick  is  the 
finely-shaded  avenue  at  all  hours  of  the  day,  with 
dry  feet,  to  admire  the  beauty  and  diversity  of  fo- 
liage, and  inhale  the  delightful  fragrance  of  the  trees, 
and  view  the  open,  sunny  glades  through  them. 

On  the  other  hand,  what  a  forlorn  sight  is  ahorse, 
or  a  couple  of  horses,  with  a  carriage  behind  them, 
travelling  along  a  narrow  path  through  a  large  grass 
field  without  trees  !  Good  roads  and  trees  arc  indis- 
pensablc  for  beauty,  comfort  and  convenience.  Make 
the  former  substantial  at  first,  and  plant  plenty  of 
the  latter.  Count  not  the  first  cost,  but  the  gratifi- 
cation and  saving  of  future  expense. 


EFFECTS    OF    THE  WINTER   AT    MEAD- 

VILLE. 

BY  A.  HUDEIKOPER,  MEADVILLE,  PA. 

The  winter  has  been  very  destructive   on  our 
peach  trees,  many  of  them  being  entirely  destroyed 

Quince  trees  were  frozen  to  the  snow-line,  and 
cherries  so  far  affected  as  to  produce  no  blossoms. 

Apple  orchards  are  bearing  very  moderately,— 

currants  doing  nothing,  while  strawberries  will  yield 

a  better  crop  than  usual.     Last  summer  was  a  very 

cool  one,  and  the  wood  of  fruit  trees  did  not  ripen 

suificiently  to  produce  a  good  crop ;  and  the  same 

may  account  for  a  good  deal  of  frozen  shrubbery. 

Having  laid  down  my  vines  as  everybody  ought  to 

do   I  shall  have  a  good  crop  of  grapes  both  out  of 

doors  and  under  glass  if  nothing  unforseen  should 

prevent.     Our  agricultural  prospects  are  good,  and 

our  farmers  are  patiently  awaiting  the  better  times 

about  to  come  with  the  monetary  distribution  under 

our  present  national  affairs,  pretty  sure  to  take  place. 


«>■» 


INDIGENOUS   GRAPES. 

BY  WILLIAM   A.  WOODWARD,  MORTONVILLE,  ORANGE 

COUNTY,    N.    Y. 

Since  the  public  attention  has  been  directed  totliis 
subject,  many  persons  have  informed  me  that  des.. 
raUe  wild  grapes  are  to  be  found  in  various  locaht.es 
about  the  mountains  in  this  vicinity,  and  liave  prom- 
ised to  point  them  out  when  the  fruit  is  formed.     I 
propose  to  examine  them  carefully,  make  notes  of 
each  on  the  spot,  and  communicate  the  result  of  mj 
observations  for  publication  if  you  thmh  .tvv.U  in- 
terest your  readers,  hoping  that  some  va  nable  new 
1  varieties  may  be  found  worthy  of  cultivation  for 
w  ine.making  and  for  the  table.     There  are  no  doubt 
some  valuable  varieties  of  wild  grapes  that  can  be 
introduced  to  the  public  with  little  or  no  expense^ 
and  in  much  les  time  than  other  seedlmgs  can  be 
produced  and  tested  by  cultivation,  while  no  efforts 
should  be  spared  to  increase  the  latter. 

The  qualities  to  be  desired  in  a  new  grape  which 
shall  please  the  pubhc  and  become  a  favorite  are: 
thin  skin,  soft  pulp,  sweetness,  juiciness  flavor  and 
size;  color  is  of  less  consequence,  as  I  have  ne,e, 
seen  a  fully  ripe  grape  that  was  not  beauliful.     W , 
many  the  color  and  bloom  are  exqnisite  y  so ;  add 
to  this  hardine-s  and  early  fruiting,  and  we  have 
every  desirable  quality.     Cm  such  a  grape  be  found  . 
We  are  bound  to  believe  so;  with  the  facts  be.ore 
us,   that  very  desirable  native    g™pes  haye  bee 
brought  into  cultivation,  and  that  seedlings  from 
them  fperhaps  one  in  ten  thousand)  are  improve- 
ments     Witness  the  Concord,  Delaware  Isabella, 
Union  Village,  Catawba  and  Diana,  all  of  them  seec- 
lings  from  native  grapes.     May  we  not  suppose  that 


i 


<j 


"»! 


( 


(!i\t  iardtncr's  Pontlltr. 


nature  has  produced  seedlings  equally  as  good,  or 
even  better,  which  Ave  have  overlooked,  either  from 
our  prejudices  against  native  varieties,  or  the  difficulty 
of  gathering  the  fruit,  or  while  waiting  for  them  to 
ripen,  Ave  find  that  the  birds,  more  watchful  than 
ourselves,   and  i)ossessing  a  delicate  taste  in  such 
matters,  have  appropriated  the  fruit,  and  perhaps 
planted  the  seed  in  some  new  locality.     New  varie- 
ties of  trees  and  plants  are  thus  propagated.     The 
Red  Cedar  is  abundant  in  these  highlands,  but  grows 
along  the  old  stone  walls,  forming  long  lines  of  trees 
with  the  appearance  of  having  been  i)lanted  by  the 
hand  of  man.     The  berries  are  eagerly  sought  for 
by  birds  in  the  latter  part  of  winter  and  early  spring 
for  food.       It   is    said   the    seed  will  not    germi- 
nate until  it  has  passed  through  the  stomach  of 
a  bird  ;  they  are  thus  planted  at  distances,  which  can 
be  accounted  for  in  no  other  w^ay.     Under  a  heavy 
stone  wall  and  amidst  rocks  about  a  mile  from  my 
I   house,  is  a  seedling  cedar  which  would  make  the 
fortune  of  an  English  gardener;   it   is  a  beautiful 
i   half  drooping  magnificent  Red  Cedar.     I  have  often 
I   desired  to  remove  it  to  my  grounds,  but  despair  of 
I   success.     There  are  so-called  Isabella  Grapes  under 
cultivation,  many  of  which  are  inferior  to  the  origi- 
nal.    These  are  seedlings  which  have  come  up  in 
Isabella  vineyards,  and  have  been  disseminated  as 
the  true  kinds.     The  tendency  of  seedlings  is  to  go 
back  to  the   original  wild  varieties,  and  seedling 
Isabellas  are  not  to  be  trusted  until  fully  tested. 
Grapes  produce  infinite  varieties  from  seed.    Most  of 
the  seedlings  from  American  grapes  are  barren,  pro- 
ducing only  staminate  flowers,  while  the  European 
CAsiaticj  grape  always  produces  bearing  vines  from 
its   seedlings.      This    distinguishing    characteristic 
should  not  be  lost  sight  of;   it  will  enable  us  ulti- 
mately to  distinguish   one   species  from  the  other 
without  the  shadow  of  a  doubt.     For  example,  the 


some  grape  seedlings  will  fruit  in  three  years,  others 
require  six  and  even  eight  years  before  fruiting. 
The  nativity  may  be  hastened  by  engrafting  and 
forcing  under  glass.  Will  cultivators  please  com- 
municate their  experience. 

[Our  correspondent's  communication  contains 
much  food  for  useful  thought ;  but  on  one  point  he 
is  mistaken,  and  to  prevent  the  error  becoming 
widely  disseminated,  we  call  attention  to  it  at  once. 
He  refers  to  Dr.  Ravenal's  doctrine,  that  only 
grapes  of  the  American  species  will  produce  imper- 
fect flowers,  and  suggests  that  this  test  be  applied  to 
distinguish  the  native  from  the  foreign  breeds. 

We  have  often  been  struck  that  a  gentleman  of 
Dr.  Ravenal's  scientific  standing  should  have  started 
such  a  theory,  as  it  is  well  known  that  the  petals  of 
a  flower  and  its  stamens  which  are  but  transformed 
petals,  are  the  most  easily  affected  by  external  causes 
of  any  part  of  a  plant, — and  that  they  are  so  affected, 
changed  and  altered,  is  a  fact  of  every  day  experi- 
ence.    A  character  to  be  worth  any  thing  as  a  sci- 
entific   distinction    to   mark  a   species,    should  be 
above  variations   through  surrounding  influences. 
Thus  we  see  every  day  instances  of  flow- ers  which 
have   their  stamens  transformed  into  petals,   and 
become  what  we  call  double  flowers;   sometimes 
they  are  transformed  into  green  leaves  or  bracts,  as 
in  the  Green  Rose,  or  even  into  branches  and  leaves 
as  frequently  seen  in  the  larch ;  and  in  hundreds  of 
other  ways  we  see  under  cultivation  Canother  name 
for  external  influences^  stamens,  petals,  and  other 
parts  of  flowers  varying,— sometimes  parts  becom- 
ing abortive,  at  others  excessively  developed.      So 
when  a  plant  is  removed  from  one  climate  to  the 
dilTerent  conditions  of  another  climate,  the  stamens 
and  petals  are  as  liable  to  be  suppressed,  excessively 
produced,  or   otherwise  transformed,  as   if  under 
cultivation.     An  instance  of  this  is  well  aff'orded  in 


contested  question  of  the  nativity  of  the  Delaware  :  the  case   of  the   strawberry.      In   Europe,  in  the 
will  be  settled  beyond  dispute  upon  the  production    moist   regions  bordering   on   perpetual   snow,    the 


of  a  single  well  authenticated  Delaware  seedling, 
having  staminate  flowers  only,  that  is  when  a  barren 
vine  is  produced  from  Delaware  seed.  Cultivators 
of  seedlings  are  requested  to  observe  and  publish 
when  the  fact  becomes  known.  The  question  of 
what  number  of  American  seedlings  are  barren, 
seems  to  be  as  yet  unknown  ;  judging  from  the  wild 


Alpine  varieties  have  perfect  flowers  ;  when  removed 
to  the  drier  climates  of  lower  cultivated  regions, 
pistillates  and  staminates  are  found  amongst  the 
seedlings.  But  the  wild  strawberry  of  lowland 
woods,  CFragraria  vesca^,  and  the  American  straw- 
berry CF.  Virginicaj  always  there,  as  Dr.  Lindley 
recently  assures,  produce  perfect  flowers  in   their 


vines  of  the  mountains,  I  should  say  not  over  ten    seedlings.     But  here  in  our  own  climate  the  same 


X 


species  produce  seedlings,  indifferently  as  is  well 
known,  hermaphrodite,  staminate  and  pistillate,  with- 
out any  one  ever  suggesting  that  any  different 
species  is  characterized  thereby.  All  this  by  way 
of  reasoning  the  matter ;  but  the  best  argument 
y  luitj-cigut  Bcc-uiiiij^Ri,  uiii^  uuu  vun:  iiuii;  uiiu  ui  sin-  is  that  foreign  grape's  seedlings  do  often  have  imper- 
^  other  parcel  of  one  hundred  seedlings,  not  one ;  but  I  feet  flowers,  when  under  hot  and  dry  culture,  as 


in  a  hundred  even  bear  fruit,  and  perhaps  not  half 
that  number.  One  acute  observer  thinks  that  not 
ten  in  one  hundred  are  barren ;  while  one  writer 
states  that  probably  one  half  are  so.  I  have  en- 
'l  (quired  of  a  cultivator  near  me  who  states  that  of 
'  forty -eight  seedlings,  only  one  bore  fruit;  and  of  an- 


m 


some  allowance  must  be  made  for  time,  for  although  '  every  gardener  who  has  had  occasion  to  dust  the 


&^y^ 


^\\  (&mkm'%  Jftonthlg. 


stigmas  of  Cannon  Hall  Muscats  with  pollen  of 
other  varieties,  when  its  own  stamens  have  foiled  to 
develope  perfectly,  well  knows.  Showing  then  that 
there  is  no  reason  why  the  foreign  grape  should 
not  produce  barren  flowers  ;  and  further,  that  they 
actually  do  produce  them,  we  leave  the  balance  of 
Mr.  W.'s  suggestions  to  speak  for  themselves. —Ed.] 


»•■•» 


GROWING    VERBENAS. 

BY  A.  F.  G. 

When  verbenas  are  planted  out,  instead  of  tying 
them  up  to  sticks,  as  is  the  custom  with  many  people, 
Cladies  in  particular),  they  should  be  trailed  on  the 
ground  and  kept  in  that  position  by  pegging  them 
down  with  small  hooked  sticks,  or  what  is  better 
still,  pieces  of  the  steel  hoops  such  as  are  worn  by 
the  ladies,  cut  into  lengths  of  six  or  eight  inches  long, 
and  bent  in  the  middle  thus  fl,  putting  both  ends  in 
the  ground  with  the  branch  between  them. 

As  they  throw  out  fresh  branches,  keep  them  all 
pegged  down  until  the  ground  allotted  to  them  is 
covered.  By  so  doing  the  hot  sun  is  kept  from 
drying  the  soil  around  the  roots.  The  result  is  finer 
blooni  and  more  of  it.  This  is  no  new  system,  but 
one,  I  think,  not  generally  known  among  amateurs. 
Ladies,  save  the  pieces  fof  hoops)  and  try  it. 

I^Ir.  Editor,  I  do  not  recollect  ever  seeing  the  above 
system  in  print ;  if  you  think  itworthy  of  a  corncrin 
our  Monthly,  make  use  of  it. 

[Pens  for  layering,  of  the  shape  described  by  our 
correspondent,  can  also  be  easily  made  by  cutting 
green  switches  and  dividing  them  into  lengths  of 
from  four  to  six  inches,  bend  them  into  the  n  shape 
and  stick  them  in  the  ground.— Ed.] 


«•■•» 


FRUIT  GROWERS'  SOCIETY  OP  EASTERN 
PENNSYLVANIA. 

SECOND  ANNUAL  REPORT  ON 
STRAWBERRIES. 

TiTE  Committee  for  Philadelphia  County,  in  offer- 
ing their  Second  Annual  Report,  would  recall  to  the 
attention  of  the  Society  the  prefatory  remarks  of 
their  former  Report,  and  herewith  present  the  result 
of  their  observations,  during  the  present  season,  on 
several  new  varieties,  some  of  wliich  are  quite 
valuable. 

AMERICAN    VAniETIES. 

H.— ncrmaphrodite.      P.— ristillate. 

Albion.  H.  We  have  so  named  a  large  strawbeny 
which  we  suppose  to  be  a  seedling  of  Wilson's 
Albany.  The  plant  is  a  very  strong  grower,  robust 
and  perfectly  hardy ;  leaves  large,  dark  green  and 
thick,  and  foot-stalks  quite  long ;  very  productive. 
Fruit  large  to  very  large,  nearly  round,  pure  white, 


with  a  rosy  blush  around  the  base  ;  flesh  white,  not 
very  firm,  but  juicy  and  of  a  high  vinous  flavor. 
Worthy  of  further  attention.  It  somewhat  re- 
sembles Lennig's  White,  but  is  higher  flavored  and 
distinct  from  it  in  foliage.  The  "Pine-apple,"  a 
seedling  of  Wilson's  Albany,  raised  by  P.  R.  Freas, 
Esq.,  of  Germantown,  is  of  similar  character.  We 
have  learned  of  several  very  fine  wliite  seedlings  of 
the  Albany. 

Athlete.  H.  A  supposed  native  from  Easton,  Pa. ; 
may  prove  to  be  Salter's  CEnglish)  Seedling.  Size 
large  to  very  large  ;  color  bright  scarlet ;  flesh  firm, 
yet  juicy;  flavor  sub-acid  and  pleasant ;  productive 
and  good,  but  not  first-rate. 

Austin's  Seedling.  H.  This  plant  is  of  very  large 
size,  the  leaf-stalks  and  foliage  very  long,  and  the 
habit  quite  loose  and  straggling.  Moderately  pro- 
ductive;  berry  round,  of  medium  to  large  size; 
color  pale  scarlet ;  seeds  crimson,  not  prominent ; 
flesh  white  and  soft ;  flavor  sub-acid  and  goodv 

Downer's  Prolific.  H.  This  new  Western  vanety 
does  not  prove  as  productive  the  first  season  as 
many  other  kinds  we  have  grown.  The  fruit  is 
small  to  medium  in  size,  and  somewhat  acid  in 
flavor.  It  corresponds  in  other  respects  with  the 
description  published  in  the  Horticulturist.  The 
plants  we  tested,  as  also  those  of  a  friend  who  con- 
firms our  judgment  of  them,  were  grown  in  a  strong 
clayey  loam,  in  the  same  bed  with  the  other  varieties 
herein  reported  on.  In  a  light,  sandy  loam  it  might 
do  better.  From  present  experience  we  can  hardly 
rank  it  first-rate. 

Bartlctt.  II.  From  very  weak  runners  set  last 
autumn,  we  obtained  a  small  crop  of  berries  of 
medium  size,  rich  crimson  color,  moderately  firm 
flesh,  and  very  good  flavor.  It  promises  to  be  a 
good  and  productive  sort,  superior  to  Hovey's  Seed- 
ling, which,  we  learn,  is  probably  its  parent. 

Golden  Seed.  H.  A  seedling  of  Mr.  Read,  of 
Port  Dalhousie,  Canada  West.  This  is  a  very 
vigorous  and  hardy  plant,  with  rich  and  abundant 
foliage,  and  very  productive.  Fruit  medium  to 
large  size,  long  conical  form,  rich  cnmson  color, 
bright  yellow  seeds ;  flesh  rather  firm ;  flavor  mild 
sub-acid  ;  good,  but  not  first-rate. 

Jessie  Read.  H.  Another  of  Mr.  Read's  seedlings. 
Plant  not  so  vigorous  or  productive  as  the  precedmg. 
Berry  of  medium  size,  variable  form,  pale  scarlet 
color ;  flesh  soft,  sub-acid  and  deficient  in  flavor. 
Not  valuable. 

Scarlet  Magnate.  P.  Plant  often  of  weak  growth  ; 
berry  of  uniformly  large  size,  roundish,  somewhat 
flattened  ;  color  bright  scarlet ;  flesh  rather  dry  and 
mealy,  of  a  mild,  pleasant,  but  not  rich  flavor.    If 


It 


M 


1 


liM 


C^e  (Sarbttttr's  Ulmitfjlg. 


well  impregnated,  it  is  productive  after  the  first 
year. 

EUROPEAN   VARIETIES. 

Ajax.  H.  A  large  English  sort,  rather  [tender 
and  disposed  to  burn  in  summer.  A  moderate 
bearer.     Berry  large,  bright  scarlet ;   flavor  vinous 

and  good. 

Crimson  Queen.  H.  CMyatt's.;  With  good  cul- 
ture, in  rich  soil,  promises  to  be  moderately  produc- 
tive of  fine,  large  fruit.  B  rry  quite  large,  variable, 
often  wedge-shaped;  color  bright  crimson;  flesh 
white,  solid,  juicy,  of  a  high  vinous  or  pine-apple 
flavor.  If  it  should  prove  hardy  and  prolific,  it  will 
be  a  truly  desirable  sort. 

Kitleifs  Goliath.  H.  The  habit  of  this  English 
variety  is  quite  vigorous,  and  the  foliage  large  and 
abundant.  The  berry  is  of  the  largest  size,  rich 
scarlet  color,  obtuse  conical  form  ;  flesh  rosy  white, 
firm  and  solid,  and  of  a  high  pine  flavor.  Valuable 
for  its  lateness. 

La  Reine.  H.  An  excellent  late  Belgian  variety. 
Plant  robust,  a  strong  grower  and  good  bearer. 
Fruit  very  large,  variable  in  form,  often  coxcombed, 
rosy  scarlet  color;  seeds  numerous,  bright  yellow 
and  prominent;  flesh  white  and  melting;  flavor 
good  but  not  flrst-rate.  Continues  in  bearing  after 
most  other  sorts  are  gone. 

Oscar.  H.     To  this  new  English  seedling  we  must 
accord  the  highest  praise.     The  plant  is  readily  dis- 
tinguished from  all  other  kinds  by  its  low  compact 
habit  of  growth,  short  foot-stalks,  and  round,  dark- 
green   and  leathery  foliage,  which  withstands  our 
hottest  suns  without  injury.     The  fruit  is  of  large 
size,  somewhat  irregular  form,  and   deep  crimson 
color ;  flesh  scarlet  to  the  core,  which  is  white  and 
remarkably  solid,  yet  melting  and  juicy.     In  flavor 
it  is  hardly  surpassed   by  any  variety  we  are  ac- 
quainted with.     If  it  should  prove  sufliciently  j)ro- 
durtire,  we  think  it  the  best  acquisition  yet  made, 
and  deserving  the  attention  both  of  amateurs  and 
gardeners. 

Wizard  of  the  North.   II.     The  public  attention 
has  been  much  excited  concerning  this  new  Scottish 
variety  by  the  illustration  published  in  the  Gardeners'' 
Monthly,  July,  1800.     It  certainly  has  not  reached, 
with  us,  the  colossal  dimensions  of  the  plate,  which 
must,   we  think,  have  been  attained  only  by  the 
highest  special  culture  in  the  peculiar  soil  and  humid 
climate  of  its  native  country.     Yet  it  proves  to  be  a 
remarkably   prolific  plant   and   worthy   of   further 
attention.     Young  runners  planted  last  autumn  pro- 
diicfMl  from  thirty  to  one  hundred  and  thirty  buds, 
and  from  six  up  to  as  many  as  forty-one  perfect  ber- 
ries per  plant,  very  uniform  in  size,  averaging  as 
large  as  the  best  plants  of  Wilson's  Albany,  which 
it  considerably  resembles  in  the  color  and  shape  of 


the  berry,  though  more  variable  in  form.  The  flesh, 
which  is  crimson  red,  is  somewhat  softer  than  that 
of  the  Albany,  but  quite  as  juicy  and  rather  less  acid 
and  of  better  though  not  high  flavor.-  In  a  rich,  fri- 
able loam,  with  a  mixture  of  good  leaf  mould,  and 
the  small  berries  well  thinned  out,  the  fruit  would 
doubtless  attain  a  very  large  size. 

Wonderful.  H.  Plant  vigorous  and  hardy.  Berry 
very  long,  conical,  often  wedge-shaped  ;  bright  scar- 
let color;  large  crimson  seeds,  quite  prominent; 
flesh  white  and  very  firm ;  flavor  vinous  and  good. 

All  of  the  European  varieties  above  described,  ex- 
cept Kitley's  Goliath  and  La  Reine,  were  young 
runners  planted  last  fall,  as  were  also  the  Bartlett, 
Athlete,  Austin's  Seedling  and  Downer's  Prolific ; 
their  productiveness  cannot  be  fully  known  until 
next  year. 

RETROSPECTIVE  NOTES. 

Among  the  kinds  described  in  our  last  year's 
report  a  few  deserve  further  mention : 

Chilian  Pyramidal.  H.  Has  proved  almost,  if 
not  quite  equal  in  productiveness  to  Wilson's  Albany, 
which  it  certainly  surpasses  in  flavor.  The  plant  is 
one  of  the  most  vigorous  growers  known,  and  we 
deem  it  worthy  a  place  in  every  garden. 

Fillmore.'  P.  A  very  free  bearer ;  fruit  uniformly 
large,  round  and  handsome,  but  this  year  is  rather 
soft  and  not  high-flavored ;  yet  its  attractive  appear- 
ance and  productiveness  will  render  it  quite  a 
fiivorite  for  private  gardens. 

Ladies  Pine.  P.  Takes  the  same  rank  among 
strawberries  as  the  Seckel  among  pears.  It  is  a 
moderate  bearer,  and  the  fruit  is  of  small  size,  but 
unsurpassed  in  honied  sweetness  and  high  musky 
flavor. 

Peahody.  II.  As  productive  this*  the  fourth  year 
of  bearing,  as  hitherto.  The  fruit  is  sweet,  and  by 
many  thought  unrivalled,  but  is  not  sufficiently  juicy 
and  vinous  for  some  tastes. 

Delices  d'  Automne.  H.  Pioves  very  tender  in 
the  sun  and  difficult  to  keep  alive.  Under  glass,  we 
are  informed,  it  bears  for  a  long  season  ;  fruit,  of  the 
highest  flavor. 

Triomphe  de  Gand.  II.  Fully  maintains  last 
year's  description,  and  increases  in  productivene  s 
and  the  size  of  the  fruit.  Should  be  in  every  collec- 
tion, however  small. 

Vicomtesse  llericart  de  Thury.  This  year's  ex- 
perience confirms  the  high  opinion  expressed  in  our 
former  report ;  it  will  not  average  so  large  in  size  as 
the  Triomphe  dc  Gand,  nor  is  the  plant  quite  as  pro- 
ductive, but  surpasses  it  in  high  flavor  and  solidity 
of  flesh.     A  most  desirable  variety. 

We  would,  m  conclusion,  urge  the  importance  of 
good  winter  protection  in  the  culture  of  the  straw- 
berry; a  heavy  coating  of  straw  will  well  repay  its 


Ws[\  gardener's  Jitonthlg. 


?;: 


cost  in  the  assured  health  and  productiveness  of  the 
vines,  and  the  size  and  flavor  of  the  fruit. 

Another  point  we  deem  of  great  importance— the 
cultivation  of  the  plants  in  separate  stools,  and  the 
pinching  off  of  all  runners— which  will  insure  the 
largest  crop,  largest  size  of  fruit,  and  the  greatest 
longevity  and  health  of  vine.     They  should  also  be 
well  mulched  during  the  bearing  season,    indeed 
throughout  the  year,  except  during  cultivation,  with 
hay,  t*an-bark,  or  straw,  preferably  the  latter,  which 
is  cleanly  and  cool  and  allows  no  weeds  or  fungus 
growth  to  the  injury  of  the  plants.      The  young 
vines  should  be  planted  in  rows,  two-and-a-half  feet 
equidistant,  and  from  ten  to  fifteen  inches  in  the  row. 
The  soil  should  be  well  forked  up  or  horse-harrowed 
in  spring  and  again  at  midsummer. 

As  a  fertilizer,  we  have  observed  excellent  effects 
from  the  application,  in  the  spring,  of  a  mixture  of 
bone-dust,  salt  and  lime,  and  wood-ashes.  Heavy 
dressings  of  rank  stable  or  other  ammoniacal  man- 
ures often  result  in  a  large  growth  of  foliage  and  a 
paucity  of  fruit. 

If  the  soil,  prior  to  planting  the  vines,  be  dug  or 
forked  up  two  or  three  times,  at  intervals  of  a  week, 
the  young  plants  will  make  a  vigorous  start  and  in 
their  rapid  growth  well  repay  the  extra  labor  be- 
stowed. Vines  four  years  planted  and  treated  as 
above  stated,  have  borne,  with  us,  the  present  sea- 
son, their  maximum  crop. 

J.  E.  MlTCHELTv, 

Robert  Cornelius, 
A.  W.  Harrison. 

rhiladelphia,  July,  1S61. 

[Last  year,  we  took  the  opportunity  to  observe 
that  the  report  we  then  had  the  privilege  of  pubhsh- 
inn-  had  not  been  before  the  society,  and  was  there- 
fore not  viewed  as  an  official  document,  but  rather  as  a 
contribution  to  our  journal  by  our  respected  friends. 
The  above  valuable  document  has,  however,  been 
submitted  to  and  approved  by  the  appropriate  exe- 
cutive committee,  and  may,  therefore,  be  received 
as  an  official  paper.— Ed.] 


GARDEN   DECORATIONS. 

BY   D. 

[We  have  often  promised  that  we  would  incorpo- 
rate, as  occasion  offered,  many  interesting  articles  con- 
tributed by  our  kind  friends  for  our  specimen  number 
into  our  regular  volumes,  and  have  already  so  rc- 
pubhshed  some  of  them  for  such  preservation.  The 
following  is  another  one  entirely  too  good  to  be 

^""inlompliance  with  your  request,  I  send  you  a  few 
simple  designs,  of  easy  execution,  of  rustic  work 
garden  decorations,  which  I  hope  will  soon  take  the 
place  of  the  senseless,  ungraceful  and  expensive 
ornaments  which  too  often  disgrace  the  surburban 
retreats  of  many  of  our  retired  cockneys. 

Fig.  1. 


Fig  1  is  a  simple  design  for  a  garden-seat,  which 
requires  but  little  explanation.  It  can  be  placed  on 
three  sections  of  the  trunk  of  a  tree,  as  shown  in 
the  design,  or  on  four  legs.  Hickory  or  oak  hoop 
poles  or  saplings  are  the  best  materials  for  the  back 
and  arms,  and  the  seat  should  be  of  inch  board, 
planed,  and  painted  to  match  the  color  of  the  other 

'^'^^^^-  Fig.  2. 


4«»»» 


Japan  Wax  Tree  has  proved  hardy  in  this  coun- 
try. It  has  also  been  found  to  retain  the  fine  color 
Mr  Fortune  refers  to  in  the  following : 

On  the  hill  sides  I  observed  the  Japan  Wax  tree 
rRhus  succedaneum)  cultivated  extensively.  It 
occupies  the  same  position  on  these  hills  as  the 
Cliinese  Tallow  tree  CStiUingia  sebiferaj)  does  in 
Chekiang  It  grows  to  about  the  same  size,  and, 
curiously  enough,  it  produces  the  same  effect  iipon 
the  autumnal  landscape  by  its  leaves  changing  from 
green  into  a  deep  blood-red  color  as  they  ripen  before 
falling  off. 


Fig. 


X.-  2  is  a  design  for  a  flower-bed  or  basket.  Pro- 
curclin  inch  board  about  six  inches  wide,  and  saw 
it  up  into  lengths  of  about  two  feet  six  inches. 
Then  di-  a  trench  about  a  foot  deep  in  the  ground, 
of  an  o^'al  or  any  other  shape  thut  may  be  desired. 


I 


=3^> 


^(^  §<\dt\m'?,  JHontJIg. 


Place  these  pieces  of  board  upright,  edgewise,  and 
shinting  outwards  in  tlie  trench,  and  then  till  in  the 
earth,  ramming  it  well  to  keep  them  firm.  Nail  a 
frood  strong  wood  or  iron  hoop  around  the  top,  to 
keep  it  from  separating,  and  finish  by  putting  around 
it  a  rope  of  twisted  grape-vine.  Tlie  handle  is 
formed  of  a  hoop  or  sapUng  entwined  with  grape- 
vine, as  shown  in  the  engraving.  CoA'er  the  outside 
of  the  boards  with  rough  bark,  and  fill  the  basket  to 
the  brim  with  good  soil  and  plant  your  flowers  in  it, 
taking  care  to  have  a  few  twining  plants  to  grow  up 

over  the  handle. 

Fiff.  3. 


Fia:.  3  is  a  design  for  a  summer-house  in  the  Grc- 
cian  style.  The  roof  is  formed  of  rough  boards, 
and  the  gables  or  pediment  and  cornice  are  covered 
with  bark.  The  roof  is  supported  by  pillars  formed 
of  the  trunks  of  trees  with  the  bark  on.  A  house 
built  in  this  way,  embowered  in  shade  and  overgrown 
with  ivy  or  creepers,  produces  a  charming  effect. 


4»»» 


ALL  ABOUT  STRAWBERRIES  (AGAIN.) 

BY  SUBSCRIBER,  BALTIMORE,  MD. 

Sometime  in  the  month  of  December  last,  I  sent 
you,  Mr.  Editor,  an  article  on  the  subject  of  a  test, 
which  was  then  in  pn  gress,  of  several  of  the  newest 
and  finest  strawberries,  both  foreign  and  domestic. 
This  article,  you  were  kind  enough  to  publish  in  the 
Gardeners^  Monthly  of  the  same  month  in  which 
the  article  was  sent.  You  very  kindly  and  properly 
waiTied  me  not  to  repose  too  much  confidence  in  the 
recommendations  of  untried  varieties  lest  I  should 
discover  at  the  fruiting  season  that  I  had  been  de- 
ceived. 

It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  say,  that  the  result 
of  a  very  fair  and  unceasingly  rigid  test  has  de- 
veloped the  fact,  that  I  was  not  deceived  in  the 


quality  and  size  of  any  one  or  all  of  the  varieties 
which  I  spoke  of  favorably  in  my  communication  to 
you,  with  one  exception,  and  that  was  in  the  test  of 
what  has  been  represented  to  be  the  largest  and  best 
of  all  the  strawberries  known.  I  mean  the  Wizard 
of  the  North.  Strange  as  it  may  appear,  however,  I 
do  not  entirely  condemn  this  variety  so  celebrated 
for  its  almost  incredible  size  of  9-^  inches  in  circum- 
ference. 

I  am  only  an  humb.e,  inexperienced  amateur,  and 
it  would  sound  very  like  presumption  if  I  were  to 
attempt  to  infiict  destruction  on  a  berry  bo  celebrated 
as  the  "  Wizard."  I  only  say,  and  say  it  positively, 
however,  that  although  I  am  but  an  amateur  of  a 
few  years  existence,  my  efforts  in  the  careful  and 
attentive  cultivation  of  several  other  varieties  of 
great  notoriety  were  blessed  with   signal  success. 

And  first,  as  to  the  Austin :  I  gathered  fruit  of  this 
variety  irom  plants  two  years  old,  which  measured 
fioe  inches  in  circumference.  The  fruit  was  beautiful 
in  form  and  color,  and  of  delicious  flavor,  and  the 
plant  is  of  a  robust  habit.  A  friend  from  New  York 
has  informed  me  by  letter  to-day,  tliat  the  Austin  on 
exhibition  in  his  office  at  the  time  he  wrote,  was 
measured  by  himself,  and  was  five  and  seven-eights 
inches  in  circumference.  A  friend  at  his  side,  at  the 
time  of  measurement,  asserted  that  he  knew  it  to 
have  been  six  inches  when  first  gathered  from  the 
vines.  I  have  mentioned  the  Austin  first,  only  be- 
cause some  one  variety  must  necessarily  be  men- 
tioned first.  It  is,  indeed,  a  noble  berry,  and  is  said 
to  have  been  the  largest  fruit  exhibited  in  New 

York. 

Next,  the  Triomphe  de  Gaud.  Of  this  variety 
nothing  more  need  be  said  but  that  it  commends 
itself  to  everyone  who  is  at  all  capable  of  appreciating 
splendid  fruit,  as  distinctly  among  the  very  highest 
as  to  exce.lence  in  every  respect. 

Next,  Bimrs''  Eliza  Seedling.  I  had  great  success 
with  this  berry,  and  its  size  was  very  great  and  its 
flavor  most  delicious. 

Next,  the  Vicomptesse  Ilericart  de  Thury  falls  very 
little,  if  at  all,  behind  the  Eliza. 

Next,  Trollope's  Victoria,  and  I  may  (to  save  time 
and  space  in  your  valuable  journal;  at  once  mention 
all  which  passed  the  ordeal  safely  and  most  success- 
fully. 

Then  there  was  FeasVs  Fillmore;  then,  side  by  side 
with  its  parent  the  Fillmore  appeared  seedling  Gene- 
ral Lovell;  this  being  i\\c  first  season  of  the  GeneraVs 
appearance  on  any  stage ;  and,  indeed,  he  did  not 
disgrace  the  stage  nor  his  owner.  (I  will  tell  you 
who  the  owner  is  one  of  these  days.  J)  The  General 
Lovell  measured /our  anrf  three-fourth  inches  in  circum- 
ference j  and  that,  too,  when  only  two  years  old  j  flesh  very 
firm ;   form  and  color  very  fine ;  taste,  very  sweet, 


^t  iarkntr's  Pont^Ig. 


-with  just  a  sufficient  amount  of  acid  to  make  its 
flavor  as  fine  as  any  berry  I  ever  tasted.  To  this 
testimony  in  behalf  of  these  varieties,  I  can  add  that 
of  a  distinguished  horticulturist  in  this  city,  who, 
when  he  entered  my  yard,  exclaimed  emphatically 
and  with  admiration  in  his  tone  and  manner,  "I 
have  never  seen  such  a  sight  as  this  since  I  have 
been  in  America."     A  native  of  Scotland  he  is. 

Then  there  was  Bayne's  Favorite.  Truly  a  great 
favorite  in  every  respect.  And  "Excellente,"  not 
disgracing  its.  name  ;  very  large  and  very  fine. 

Then  Stansbury  Seedling.  Then  Hooker  ami  others  ; 
but  I  must  now  stop.  Truly,  I  enjoyed  myself  in 
this  experimental  test,  and  was  astonished  at  the 
perfection  to  which  the  strawberry  rnay,  with  God^s 
blessing  on  the  efi'ort,  be  made  to  arrive,  by  constant 
care  and  cultivation.  I  was  enabled  to  gather  from 
my  limited  stock  of  plants  in  a  very  small  back  yard, 
a  sufficient  supply  for  my  family  for  nine  days. 

I  fully  concur  with  my  worthy  friend,  Mr.  J.  S., 
of  Washington  City,  in  saying,  as  he  said  to  me,  by 
letter  that  it  is  strange  that  the  people  should  be 
content  to  buy  the  poor,  trifling  littte  berries  which 
are  sold  in  our  markets,  when  they  can  purchase 
from  the  attentive  and  skilful  horiiculturist  or  ama- 
tfur  such  splendid  fruit  as  can  be  produced,  if  due 
encouragement  were  given  to  those  who  are  disposed 
to  produce  it,  if  property  remunerated. 

I  respectfully  ask  an  insertion  of  this  crude  article 
in  your  next  number  if  you  deem  it  worthy  of  it. 

[We  think  almost  all  seedlings  are  "  first-rate"  for 
the  first  season  or  so  after  raising.  Unless  it  be 
better  in  some  marked  respect  than  others  already 
known,  we  would  not  preserve  it.  It  takes  time  to 
prove  the  stability  of  good  characters  in  seedhngs. 
—Ed.] 


«*»»> 


INJURIOUS    INSECTS. 

BY    S.    S.    KATIIVON. 

THE  GRAPE-VINE  BEETLE.     (Gastrophysa.) 

At  the  meeting  of  this  Asso- 
ciation, some  grape-leaves  con- 
taining insect  larva  were  submit- 
ted to  my  inspccti(m,  upon  the 
true  nature  of  which  I  was  then 
not  prepared  to  pronounce  ;  for 
their  appearance  in  that  conntc. 
^  tion  was   comparatively  a  new 


#1^'-**% 


thing  to  me,  although  I  gave  it 
as  my  opinion  that  they  were 
the  larva  of  a  coleopterous  insect ; 
and  a  member  of  the  Associa- 
tion subseciucntly  bringing  me  a 
smiU  ''steel-blue  beetle"  from 
the  same  vine,  whk-h,  he  alleged,  was  eati  g  the 
tender  buds  ov  ends  of  them,  I  at  once  concluded 


that  this  insect  might  have  been  the  parent  of  the 
larva  in  question,  and  stated  such  as  my  opniion, 
without  intending  that  that  opinion  was  to  be. re- 
garded as  authoritative. 

Since  that  time,  however,  I  have  made  some  prac 
tical  observations  upon  the  insect  in  question  ;  for, 
on  my  return  home,  I  not  only  brought  specimens 
of  the  larva  with  me,  but  I  found  that  they  were 
tolerably  abundant  upon  some   grape-vines  in  the 
city  of  Lancaster,  and  also  that  a  number  of  them 
had  been  sent  from  the  vicinity  of  Rochester,  New 
York,  to  my  friend,  Mr.  Jacob  Stauff"er,  who  exhil> 
ited  them  to  me.     These  insects  appear  to  have  had 
a  wide  range  the  present  season,  and  were  very  dis- 
tinctive  in  various  localities  in  several  of  the  States, 
if  indeed,  they  were  not  to  be  found  througliout  our 

whole  country. 

Both  Dr.  Harris  and  Dr.  Fitch  refer  to  the  "little 
steel-blue  beetle"  in  their  works,  as  being  destruc- 
tive to  the  tender  buds  of  the  grape-vine  "from 
eariy  spring  until  the  end  of  May  ;"  describing  them 
precisely  under  the  same  circumstances  as  they  were 
found  at  West  Chester  on  the  13th  of  June  last ;  but 
neither  of   those    eminent  entomologists  seem  to 
have  been  acquainted  with  the  larva  of  the  insect, 
and  Dr  Harris,  in  his  work,  acknowledges  as  much. 
Those  larva  which  I  obtained  at  West  Chester  and 
Lancaster  produced  the  same  beetle,  and  I  am  con- 
vinced that  those  from  New  York  State  are  precisely 
the  same      Tliese  insects  produce  two  broods  in  one 
year  the  last  brood  hybernating  under  stones  and 
the  bark  of  trees,  or  in  the  ground  or  any  otlier 
suitable  place  in  which  they  can  hide  themselves, 
durinn-  the  winter  season.     When  approached  in  the 
perfect  beetle  state,  they  have  a  habit  of  letting  go 
and  f\illing  to  the  earth  and  hiding  themselves,  after 
the  manner  of  their  relatives,  the  -  cucumber  beetle" 
and  the  curculio,  as  well  as  some  other  species  more 
neariy  allied  to  them.     They,  however,  must  not  be 
confounded  with  two  closely-allied  species  that  feed 
upon  the  common  sour  dock  (Rumex  cmpw-s  Lm.), 
and  which  resemble  them  very  much  in  color,  size, 
and  -eneral  habits,  excepting  their  transformations 
and  the  appearance  of  their  larva.     The  dock  beetle 
undergoes  its  transformations  above  ground  on  the 
leaf  where  its  larva  feeds,   similar  to  that  of  the 
coccineUans;  whereas  the  larva  of  the  grape-vme 
steel  beetle  burrows  into  the  ground  and  undergoes 
its  transformation  there. 

Gastrophysa  cairukipenni^.  Fig.  1.^  Length, 
three-twentieths  of  an  inch,  female  something  larger; 
head  Wing-covers,  and  body,  a  dark  blue ;  thorax 
and  leg^  a  ^ull  orange  red;  upper  side  of  the  alK  o- 
men,  also  a  dull  orange  red,  but  this  is  not  seen  Cbc- 
in<^  covered  with  the  wings;,  except  m  the  feimiles, 
uf^er  impregnation  and  before  they  have  laid  their 


I         )| 


•  ii 


yii 


51 

.ft 


^^^. 


M^  dardcncr'a  Jttonthlj. 


egffs,  when  the  abdomen  is  swelled  out  like  a  large 
orange-colored  ball ;  antennae  and  feet,  black. 

Gastrophysa  cyanea,  Mels.  Fig.  2.  Length,  the 
same  as  in  the  foregoing  species;  color,  various 
shades,  from  a  dark  steel-blue  to  a  bright  metallic 
green ;  head,  legs  and  underneath,  dark  blue  ;  an- 
tennae and  feet,  black ;  the  swollen  abdomen  of  the 
female  in  this  species  is  of  a  dusky  or  blackish  color, 
showing  whitish  segmental  divisions.  Fig.  3  is  the 
larva,  which  is  about  one -quarter  of  an  inch  or  more 
in  length,  and  of  a  dull  velvety  black  color ;  head, 
shining  black ;  the  three  last  segments  are  of  a  dirty 
whitish  color  beneath,  and  the  whole  body  is  lighter 
beneath  than  it  is  above ;  feet,  black,  and  six  in 
number;  the  whole  body,  above  and  beneath,  is 
covered  with  regularly-arranged  pyramidal  tubercles. 
Fig.  4  is  the  pupa,  which  is  of  a  dull  white  or  yel- 
lowish-white color,  and  is  scarcely  as  long  as  the 
larva,  distinctly  showing  the  antenna?,  the  feet,  and 
the  wings  of  the  future  insect.  Fig.  5  is  the  an- 
tennre. 

I^rr.  Say  remarks  that  "this  is  a  beautiful  and  rare 
species,"  in  speaking  of  the  cczruleipennis^  "an  in- 
habitant of  the  Northwest  Territory."  I  found 
them  so  abundant  in  the  month  of  July  of  the 
present  year,  that  I  really  think  I  might  have  col- 
lected a  half-pint  of  them,  and  the  cyanea^  in  an  en- 
closure of  fifteen  yards  square.  They  had  entirely 
destroyed  the  leaves  of  the  dock  growing  there 
(Rumex  crhpus)^  after  which  they  attacked  other 
wild  i>lants,  leaving  nothing  remaining  but  the  ner- 
vuses  of  the  leaves  and  the  seed-stems.  The  larva 
feeds  upon  the  same  plant,  and  also  undergoes  its 
transformations  there,  similar  to  the  coccinellans, 
the  pupa  being  only  covered  with  the  external  in- 
tegument of  the  larva,  and  fastened  by  the  caudal 
segment.  The  former  species  is  supposed  to  have 
been  introduced  into  this  country  f.'om  abroad,  and, 
to  all  appearance,  seems  to  be  identical  with  Chry- 
soiiuta  Polyyoni  of  Europe.  I  have  a  foreign  speci- 
men in  my  cabinet,  and,  on  a  supeiiicial  comparison, 
I  can  distinguish  no  ditference  between  them. 

Aiter  having  devoured  all  the  dock,  they  next  at- 
tacked a  species  of  "smart-weed"  (Polygonum  avicu- 
lare)^  which  they  bid  fair  of  finishing  in  a  short 
time.  It  is  upon  a  species  of  this  weed  that  the 
insect  is  found  in  Europe,  but  our  insect  prefers  the 
dock,  according  to  my  observations  of  the  past  ten 
years.  In  the  absence  of  either  of  either  or  both  of 
these  weeds,  it  would,  doubtless,  attack  other  allied 
species  of  vegetation,  and  might  possibly  become 
a  great  scourge. 


MANAGEMENT   OF   JUNIPERS. 

BY  A  GARDENER,  NEAR  BROOKLYN,  N.  Y. 

Wherever  I  have  seen  the  juniper  grown,  I  have 
noticed  many  ugly  contrivances  for  keeping  them 
together ;  for  when  suffered  to  grow  in  the  usual 
way,  they  fall  apart  in  heavy  rains,  and  particularly 
in  snow-storms,  leaving  a  very  ragged  and  unsightly 
appearance.  Sometimes  hoops  are  used,  and  wire, 
but  usually  they  arc  tied  together  by  rope  and  twine, 
at  the  best,  making  but  poor  specimens. 

Some  years  ago  I  thought  to  remedy  this  by  al- 
lowing only  one  leader  to  grow  up,  and  having  sev- 
eral pretty  large  and  troublesome  specimens  with 
the  usual  trouble  of  many  dividing  leaders.  I  cut 
away  all  but  one,  and  severely  pruned-in  the  side 
branches  of  the  remaining  one.  They  pushed  out  a 
new  growth  the  next  spring,  and  are  now  beautiful 
specimens.  Since  then  I  carefully  cut  out  all  but 
one  leader  every  season  in  these  arborvittrs  and 
similar  evergreens,  besides  taking  out  all  very  strong 
side-shoots,  and  now  have  no  trouble  in  even  the 
heaviest  storms.  Thinking  the  hint  might  be  useful 
to  others,  I  offer  it  to  you  for  the  Monthly. 


«»■»» 


4««»» 


BorvARDiA  IIuMBOLDTi. — Ncw  wliitc,  with  long 
tube,  and  flower  two  inches  in  diameter. 


THE    CISSUS   DISCOLOR. 

BY  J.   M. 

Tnis  beautiful  stove  climber  is  an  ornament  that 
no  one  should  be  without,  as  its  splendid  foliage  of 
dark  purple  and  silver  above,  and  still  darker  purple 
on  the  under  side,  cannot,  I  think,  be  excelled  in 
beauty  by  any  other  plant,  even  amongst  the  be- 
gonia class,  with  its  many  varieties  of  handsome 
leaves,  there  is  no  one  that  I  prefer  to  this  plant.  It 
is  employed  very  usefully  in  suspending  in  baskets, 
in  other  cases  for  covering  trellis  work,  or  even 
when  trailing  along  on  the  stage  it  looks  well ;  but 
planted  in  a  pot  and  trained  to  a  trellis  Csuch  as  ap- 
peared in  the  July  number  of  the  Monthly)  would  be 
as  good  a  way  as  any  for  it.  I  have  found  it  to  grow 
well  in  soil  composed  of  turfy  loam,  a  little  rotted 
horse  manure  and  river  sand,  sifted  fine.  The  pot 
should  have  plenty  of  drainage  to  have  the  plant  to 
do  well ;  this  last  seems  to  be  very  essential  to  it. 

Its  propagation  is  best  performed  about  July,  by 
layering  when  the  young  wood  is  about  six  inches 
or  so  in  length.  It  roots  readily  in  two  or  three 
weeks,  and  should  then  be  separated  from  the  parent 
plant,— potted,  and  put  in  a  cool  shady  place  for  a 
few  days.  A  small  3-inch  pot  of  sand  is  the  best 
thing  to  layer  it  in  ;  as  soon  as  rooted,  pot  into  the 
soil  as  recommended  above.  It  can  also  be  raised 
from  cuttings  taken  off  at  the  same  time,  and  placed 
under  a  bell  glass ;  they  should  be  about  two  inches 
in  length,  taken  from  the  young  wood.  By  this 
mode  they  are  longer  rooting  than  by  the  former, 


ihi|  ^nrdewr'B  Jlfl0ntM5, 


and  it  is  not  so  good  on  the  whole,  although  usually 
ranked  as  a  stove  plant,  it  will  keep  in  a  warm 
greenhouse  through  the  winter,  if  kept  rather  dry, 
and  in  summer  it  will  thrive  in  a  shaded  place  out 
of  doors,  with  no  more  care  than  greenhouse  plants 
usually  require^ 


«•»»» 


HOW   TO   RAISE    THE   SEE       OP   THE 
FEATHER    GRASS. 

BY   W.,    PniLADELPHIA. 

I  FIND  amongst  my  acquainfances  some  trouble  is 
experienced  in  raising  seed  from  the  Feather  Grass, 
C  Stipa  pennata.  J)  I  was  for  many  years  myself  unable 
to  succeed  with  them,  and  as  others  of  your  readers 
may  have  the  same  trouble  with  this  highly  orna- 
mental grass,  I  send  you  the  following  memorandum 
of  a  way  by  which  I  have  been  perfectly  successful. 
I  have  tried  it  several  times,  and  every  seed  germi- 
nates in  a  few  weeks  : 

I  get  some  muck  soil,  and  when  placed  in  the 
seed-pots,  pour  in  water  till  it  is  like  mush,  into 
which  I  stir  the  seeds.  I  keep  it  afterwards  well 
saturated  with  water,  and,  indeed,  to  guard  agamst 
any  possible  dryness,  keep  saucers  of  water  under. 
The  ease  with  which  they  grow  under  this  treat- 
ment convinces  me  that  the  usual  way  of  sowing  in 
the  border  is  too  dry  a  plan  for  their  desires. 


about  February.  High-colored  sorts  that  are  hardy, 
of  course,  should  be  chosen  for  scions,  and  thiifty, 
well-rooted  plants  be  taken  to  be  operated  upon.  If 
you  think  it  worth  the  while,  I  will  give  some  parti- 
culars on  the  same  subject  in  your  next ;  also,  on 
hybridizing  this  class  of  plants. 

[Should  be  very  glad  to  receive  the  articles.  The 
whole  management  of  the  Rhododendron  in  the 
open  air  is  particularly  worthy  of  attention.  They 
will  not  thrive  in  this  or  any  other  country  under 
the  "lazy"  and  "ignorant  system"  adopted  in  most 
of  our  systems  of  culture,  but  when  well  managed 
are  the  glory  of  English  gardeners  and  deserve  to  be 
of  ours.— Ed.] 


«•■•» 


«■■■> 


H 


RHODODENDRONS. 

BY  ADOLrn  MIELLEZ,  FLUSHING,  N.  Y. 

Will  you  allow  me  to  pass  a  few  remarks  on  the 
Rhododendrons?  That  most  excellent  tribe  of 
plants,  which,  for  its  grand  beauty  is  so  universally 
admired  in  Europe ;  and  though  there  are  a  good 
many  valuable  varieties  to  be  found  in  this  country, 
there  are  nevertheless  a  great  many  amateurs,  who, 
..eeinn-  nothing  but  common  lilac  and  purple  flowers, 
get  th-ed  of  them,  and  I  think  would  be  much  de- 
licrhted  if  they  knew  how  easily  their  groups  could 
be  converted  into  colors  of  the  most  briUiant  scarlet, 
carmine  or  crimson. 

The  mode  I  suggest  is  by  way  of  graftmg.    Gootl, 
^.troncr  and  thrifly  plants  may  be  taken  from  the 
ground,  grafted,  and  put  into  a  small  pit  or  house 
without  any  difficulty.     They,  under  good  manage- 
ment will  easily  take,  and  can  be  put  out-doors  agani 
after 'a  month  or  six  weeks,  where  they,  if  fanly 
treated,  will  very  soon  resume  their  former  close 
growth  and  habit  which  render  them  so  conspicuous 
amongst  our  ornamental  shrubs,  (it,  of  course,  being 
understood  that  there  be  more  than  one  scion  put  to 
the  plant,  in  fact  one  on  every  branch.)    The  best 
mode  of  grafting  is  "saddle-grafting,"  they  bemg 
not  so  much  subject  to  be  blown  off  by  the  wmd. 

The  proper  time  for  operation  will  be  (in  summer,; 
after  the  wood  is  fairly  ripened,  and   On  wmter) 


The  Descriptions  of  Flowers,  when  associated 
with  the  names  they  bear,  often  suggest  the  ludic- 
rous. In  looking  over  the  lists  of  our  florists,  for 
instance,  we  find  "Lord  Derby"  described  as  having 
an  "  orange  crimson  mouth;"  "Lord  Raglan"  has 
"a  fine  eye,  but  rather  loose  habits;"  "Earl  of 
Shaftesbury,  a  fine  flower,"  but  "shows  the  whites 
of  the  eyes;"  "Princess  Matilda"  has  "a  rosy 
blush,  and  is  very  free ;"  "  Mrs.  Church  has  great 
constancy,  and  may  be  depended  on;"  and  so.  on 
through  the  catalogue. 

Tree  Ivy.— Some  years  ago  we  saw  in  the  gar- 
den of  John  Jay  Smith,  Esq.,  of  Germantown,  a 
pretty  specimen  of  this  nice  work  of  floral  art.  The 
following,  from  the  Cottage  Gardener,  reminds  us  of 
the  way  to  make  them : 

Procure  some  stout  flowering  branches,— fix  on  a 
part  of  the  branch  as  near  the  bottom  as  you  can, 
to  give  you  the  more  length  of  the  trunk  after  it  is 
rooted  ;  then  to  cause  it  to  root,  cut  off  a  ring  of  two 
inches  in  width  of  the  bark,  all  but  about  the  width 
of  the  fourth  of  an  inch,  and  leave  that  narrow  slip 
of  bark  to  carry  on  the  circulation ;  then  get  some 
sheets  of  gutta  percha,  paper,  or  parchment,  and 
form  each  of  them  into  the  sliape  in  which  grocers 
make  their  soft  sugar  parcels-the  pointed  end  tie 
tightly  a  little  below   the  ringed  part,  and  let  the 
open  part  of  your  paper  be  nine  or  ten  inches  wide, 
and  deep  enough  to  hold  as  much  good,  rich,  sandy 
loam  as  would  fill  a  No.  24-pot,  pack  the  soil  tightly 
around  the  ringed  part,  but  not  very  tight  above  it, 
water  it  well,  and  keep  it  well  watered  till  next  Oc- 
tober, when  it  will  be  as  full  of  roots  as  possible : 
and  then  cut  it  off"  from  the  old  tree,  and  plant  it 
carefully  in  a  sheltered  place,  and  see  it  is  well 
staked      A  layer  of  moss  on  the  top  of  the  soil  in 
the  gufta  percha  paper,  and  a  little  of  the  moss  all 
around  the  wound  will  hasten  the  process  of  rooting. 
If  the  stem  of  ivy  is  as  thick  as  some  we  know,  one 
would  need  half  a  bushel  of  mould  and  two  years  to 
root  it  properly. 


Mi 

i     '*  " 


J'» 


H\ 


•  i 


m 


i;h4  iiardeiicr's  Pont|lg. 


PHILADELPHIA,  AUGUST  1,  1861. 


53=  All  Communications  for  the  Editor  should  be  addressed, 
"  Thomas  Meehan,  Germantown,  Philadelphia,"  and  Business  Let- 
ters directed  to  "The  Pcbi-isher  of  the  Gardener's  Monthly 
Box  406  Philadelphia." 


«*■»» 


53=  Persons  sending  two  new  Subscribers  for  1S61  in  addition 
to  their  own,  with  $3.00  can  receive  a  copy  of  our  First  Volume, 
(18.')9)  free.  All  persons  who  have  paid  their  subscriptions  for  1861 
by  sending  two  new  Subscribers  and  $2.00  can  receive  a  copy  of 
the  same. 


PUBLIC  GARDBNS~THE  PATENT  OFFICE. 

Notwithstanding  the  immense  influence  for 
good  which  horticultural  and  agricultural  pursuits  ex- 
ercise over  a  whole  community,  no  one  has  ever 
expected  or  desired  to  see  in  this  country  such  large 
private  establishments  as  Europe  boasts  of.  How- 
ever much  it  might  gratify  our  professional  pride  as 
gardeners  to  have  such  noble  gardens  to  manage,  we 
well  knoAV  that  they  can  in  very  few  instances  be 
maintained  as  they  are,  only  by  an  hereditary  system 
of  property  ownership— a  system  by  which  the  rich 
become  richer  and  the  poor  poorer,  at  every  succes- 
sive generation  ;  and  our  love  of  the  business  in  its  re- 
gal states  of  existence,  cheerfully  gives  place  to  a 
pride  as  citizens,  in  the  general  material  prosperity 
and  happiness  which  our  national  system  aifords. 

But  that  we  might  not  altogether  be  deprived  of 
these  advantages,  it  has  been  a  fondly  cherished 
hope  with  our  leading  minds,  that  agriculture  and 
horticulture  should  assume  a  more  national  shape 
than  Europe  can  boast  of;  and  the  most  sanguine 
amongst  us  have  looked  forward  to  a  no  distant  date 
when  all  the  stages  of  our  Government,  municipal, 
state,  and  general,  should  sustain  its  public  park, 
garden,  and  horticultural  establishment  for  the  use 
and  instruction  of  the  people. 

With  the  establishment  of  the  agricultural  division 
of  the  Patent  Office,  and  the  inauguration  of  a  few 
public  squares  and  parks  in  some  of  our  larger  cities, 
it  did  seem  that  the  good  time  was  coming,  and  we 
all  prepared  to  rejoice  at  the  near  prospect  of  our 
dreams. 

Alas !  they  have  proved  but  dreams.  From  the 
Patent  Oflice  down  to  the  hundred  feet  public 
squares,  they  have  turned  out  to  be  mere  jobs  to 
reward  partizans,  and  millions  of  dollars  have  been 
Bpent,  to  little  other  end.  In  most  instances  this 
lias  been  the  case,  and  very  probably  in  all. 

In  our  City  of  Philadelphia,  we  had  two  magni- 
ficent Parks  projected,  the  Hunting  Park  and  the 
Fairmount  Park.     They  were  all  started  on  correct 


principles.     The  plans  were  put  up  to  public  compe- 
tition, and  in  the  first-named  case,  Mr.  W.  Saunders' 
plan  was  selected  as  the  best,  and  in  the  last,  Mr.  J. 
C.  Sidney's,  and  the  public  applauded,  that  for  once 
justice  had  been  done.     Merit  had  triumphed,  and 
party  politics,  for  the  time,  laid  aside.     But  now 
comes  the  curious  part  of  the  business.     Both  of 
these  gentlemen  drew  up  carefully  prepared  estimates 
of  the  cost  of  their  several  plans,  and  we  believe  both 
of  them  offered  to  contract  for  the  whole  work  at 
the  estimates  made  out.     One  of  them  certainly  did, 
for  his  report  happens  to  be  now  before  us.     Imme- 
diate payment  would  be  no  excuse,  as  the  bonds  of 
the  city  extending  over  a  number  of  years  would  be 
accepted  in  settlement.     Why  are  not  such  offers 
accepted  ?     Simply  because  they  bring  neither  votes 
nor  patronage  to  whatever  party  may  be  in  power. 
A  few  weeks  before  ''election,"  crowds  of  voters 
are  employed  who  do  little  for  their  pay  but  what 
they  are  employed  for,  namely,  vote ;  and  the  littler 
they  do  is  neglected  after  the  "election,"  and  has  to 
be  done  over  again  when  the  next  voting  time  comes 
around.     In  the  cases  we  have  named,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the   designers,  Mr.   Saunders  and   Mr. 
Sidney,  we  doubt  whether  any  one  person  skilled  in 
horticulture  has  been  employed  in  the  works  during 
the  years  that  have  elapsed  since  their  commence- 
ment; and  these  gentlemen  are  probably  retained 
nominally  at  the  head  of  the  works  to  mnke  them 
appear,  in  the  eyes  of  the  public,  no  political  affairs. 
The  estimates  originally  made  out,  judging  from  per- 
sonal observation,  are  nearly  or  quite  reached,  or  if 
not,  exceeding  good  management  must  have  been 
exercised  by  both  ]\Ir.  Saunders  and  Mr.  Sidney  to 
get  so  much  done  for  the  money,  and  the  ''  Parks," 
instead  of  being  near  completed,  are  still  little  move 
than  wildernesses.    No  one  can  believe  that  they  will 
ever  be  finished  for  less  than  double,  as  the  system 
goes,  and  they  bid  ftiir  to  be  the  hospital  for  political 
cripples  for  many  years  yet  to  come. 

If  we  turn  from  Philadelphia  to  Washington,  the 
same  deplorable  facts  present  themselves.  The  ag- 
ricultural division  of  the  Patent  office  has  proved  a 
perfect  Augean  stable  of  corruption  and  shameless 
ignorance,  that  ought  to  lead  the  first  originator  of 
the  idea  to  the  same  fate  as  the  originator  of 
the  guillotine,  and  his  heart  break  at  the  perversion 
of  his  patriotic  intentions.  Many  a  Hercules  has  at- 
tempted the  cleaning  process,  but  has  signally  failed. 
Turned  out  by  one  hole  the  offensive  matter  enters 
as  fast  by  another,  and  the  labor  is  lost. 

Near  the  close  of  Mr.  Buchanan's  administration, 
the  force  of  public  opinion  caused  the  removal  of 
the  leading  incompetent,  the  great  D.  J.  B.  of  the 
Patent  Office  reports,  and  it  was  fondly  hoped  that 
some  millions  would  be  saved  to  the  country  by  the 


il«l  hardener's  Jftonthlg. 


cessation  of  imports  "foreign  wine-grapes,"  "Tea 
Plants,"   "Christ's  Thorn  seed,"    "Cork  Trees," 
"Strap-leaved  Turnips,"  and  scores  of  other  items, 
useless  rubbish,  which  have  not,  nor  ever  will  be  of 
one  cent's  worth  of  benefit  to  this  country  for  all 
the  outlay.     Well,  this  distinguished  Bee  (D.  .J.  B.) 
is  again  taken  up  to  send  abroad  to  gather  more 
honey  for  us  of  the  same  sort.     It  is  not  his  fault, 
but  that  of  the  system.     It  is  said  that  he  worked 
hard  to  get  the  present  Commissioner  of  Patents 
into  office ;  why  should  he  not  have  his  reward  ? 
Our  postmasters  and  police,  even  down  to  the  most 
petty  ofiicer,  mostly  earn  their  places  before  they  get 
them.      What    they   do    after    their    appointment 
should  be  considered  gratuitous  on  their  part,  and 
we  should  be  thankful  for  any  favors  they  may  do 
us,  in   the   shape   of  what    politeness  terms  their 
"duties"  !     Certainly  the  Patent  Office  officials  de- 
serve no  less,  and  we  should  be  satisfied. 

Seriously  we  think  it  time  that  a  determined  effort 
should  be  made  to  correct  these  abuses.  The  inter- 
ests of  agriculture  and  horticulture  demand  that  they 
should  no  longer  be  thus  trified  with.  When  we 
see  some  effort  made  likely  to  be  successful,  we  shall 
again  resume  our  advocacy  of  public  establishments. 
Until  then  our  pen  will  be  better  employed  in  the  de- 
velopment of  the  usual  details  of  private  practice. 


*0m»* 


THE    SEEDLING   NUISANCE. 

Now  that  the  season  of  pomological  gatherings  is 
approaching,  we  warn  our  friends  against  the 
unnecessary  introduction  of  "new  seedlings." 

Many  fruit  raisers  seem  to  have  well  studied  Gulli- 
ver, and  to  have  imbibed  the  maxim  of  one  of  his 
heroes,  that  "he  who  makes  two  blades  of  grass  to 
grow  where  only  one  grew  before,  is  a  human  bene- 
factor." But  our  friends  seem  to  forget  that  this 
must  have  applied  to  the  kingdom  of  Brobdignag, 
and  that  the  muUiplication  of  fruit  "blades"  in  the 
shape  of  seedlings  with  Lilliputian  qualities,  is  the 
least  desirable  of  all  our  wants. 

When  we  look  over  our  fruit  catalogues  of  the 
few  past  years,  and  note  the  magnitude  of  the 
"seedliu"-  list"  now  discarded  as  worthless,  it  is 
painful  to  reflect  on  how  much  money,  time  and  labor 
have  been  thrown  away  on  them.  It  is  not  that  we 
have  been  swindled,  or  that  in  most  cases  there  has 
been  any  design  to  inflict  worthless  varieties  on  the 
public,  but  the  evil  arises  from  the  public  not  know- 
ing the  characteristics  of  a  good  fruit,  or  the  raiser's 
not  knowing  how  much  an  accidental  and  local  cir- 
cumstance has  to  do  with  a  local  reputation. 

The  foundation  of  a  good  character  in  a  fruit  should 
be  a  i^ood,  hardy,  vigorous  ronatilution— one  that  will 
resist  our  heats  and  drouths,  and  come  out  scathlcss 
from  our  severe  wintry  ordeals.     Entirely  too  much 


prominence  has  been  given  to  nice  shades  of  flavor, — 
shades  frequently  so  delicate  tliat  a  vote  of  a  hun- 
dred palates  would  scarce  indicate  a  majority  of  one 
in  favor  of  any  two  favorites. 

A  fruit  is  sent  to  the  Gardener's  Monthly^  or  to  a 
committee  of  some  horticultural  society  ;  the  flavor 
may  be    excellent,  and    we  or  the   committee  be 
honestly  bound  to  say  so ;  but  as  it  is  the  only  im- 
portant quality  that  is  up  for  judgment,  it  may  have 
many  other  defects  that  would  render  it  worthless 
notwithstanding,  and  we  are  desirous  that  the  public 
should  receive  the  opinions  in  such  cases  given  at 
only  their  exact  worth.     On  the  other  hand,  a  really 
valuable  fruit  is  often  rejected  or  has  to  flght  its  way 
through  legions  of  enemies,  merely  because  the  first 
decisions  of  good  judges  were  that  it  was  "not  of 
good  flavor."     The  cases  of  the  Concord  Grape,  and 
Albany  Seedling  Strawberry  are  in  point.     Inferior 
in  mere  flavor  as  they  may  be  conceded  to  be,  they 
are  the  type  of  all  that  is  valuable  in  the  classes  that 
claim  them,  and  the  models  on  which  we  may  ex- 
pect future  improvements. 

Nothing  but  experimental  gardens  in  two  or  three 
sections  of  the  Union  will  ever  save  to  the  country 
the  immense  sums  now  squandered  on  inferior 
varieties.  It  is,  of  course,  out  of  the  question  to 
urge  this  matter  now,  but  Ave  hope  our  readers  will 
bear  it  in  mind  when  peace  and  prosperity  return. 
In  the  mean  time,  our  friends  will  understand  that 
when  we  or  others  pronounce  a  fruit  "as  the  best 
flavored  we  have  tasted  this  season,"  it  may  be  very 
far  from  being  a  valuable  variety,  and  that  there  are 
a  great  many  other  points  to  be  considered  before 
we  venture  to  encourage  another  risk  of  a  "seedling 


nuisance.' 


>■■>» 


HORTICULTURE    IN   CALIFORNIA. 

"  CoMPAiiisoNS  are  odious,"  says  IVIrs.  Malaprop  ; 
but  sometimes  Mrs.  Partington's  understanding  that 
they  are  "  odorous,"  is  the  correct  one,  and  Wmy 
shed  a  balmy  influence  for  good  on  all  who  may 
come  within  the  charmed  circle  of  the  magic 
fragrance. 

Two  papers  come  to  hand  by  the  same  mail,  one 
from  California,  the  other  from  England,  and  afford 
a  striking  comparison  of  the  slahis  of  horticultural 
art  in  these  comparative  antipodes. 

Our  English  pajicr  gives  an  account  of  a  collection 
of  variegated  plants  on  exhibition  in  London,  sent 
for  that  purpose  by  Mr.  Fortune  from  Japan !  and 
which  arrived  there  the  day  before  the  exhibition, 
in  first-rate  order,  in  a  Wardian  case.  Certainly  it 
was  a  feat  worth  exulting  over,  not  only  as  being 
successful  beyond  record,  but  as  showing  how  very 
far  horticultural  skill  has  advanced  there. 

And  now,  what  of   California?      The    accoimt 


:i 


m 


Hi 


ihit  (Sardentr'a  Jttmtlhlg. 


stated  that  an  association  had  been  formed  with  a 
very  heavy  capital,  the  shares  from  $25  to  |50  each; 
the  object  being  to  import  specimens  of  the  best 
fruits  of  Europe  to  CaUfornia.     The  principal  part 
of  the  capital  it  was  proposed  to  spend  in  the  em- 
ployment of  "competent  hands,"  who  were  to  be 
"sent  out  to  the  various  European  countries"  to 
superintend  the  packing  up  the   plants  in  such  a 
manner  that  "they  could  have  daily  water,  air,  light 
and  attendance"  on  the  way.     This  sounded  so  pre- 
cisely like  one  of  our  "Patent  Office  schemes,"  that 
it  was  with  difficulty  we  could  bring  ourselves  to  be- 
lieve it  to  be  a  plan  emanating  from  intelligent  gentle- 
men.    They  have  certainly  never  heard  of  Wardian 
cases,  and  are  full  fifty  years  behind  the  times. 

It  is  a  source  of  profound  regret  to  see  such  energy 
and  good  intentions  so  expensively  and  uselessly 
employed.  Nothing  shows  more  clearly  the  national 
value  of  a  study  of  horticulture,  and  the  immense 
importance  of  its  pursuit  in  an  industrial  point  of 
view.  No  greater  mistake  can  be  made  than  to  con- 
sider it  a  mere  lady's  accomphshment,  like  zephyr 
or  worsted  work. 

"Horticulture,"  says  Dr.  Lindley,  in  a  recent  address 
to  Prince  Albert,  as  President  of  the  London  Horti- 
cultural Society,  "Horticulture,  Sir,  is  the  parent  of 
Agriculture.  It  determines,  on  a  small  scale,  the 
value  of  the  principles  on  which  an  extended  culti- 
vation of  the  soil  depends.  It  is  associated  with  our 
food,  our  wealth,  and  many  of  our  social  enjoy- 
ments." How  much  more  is  this  applicable  to  our 
country,  which  is  so  peculiarly  agricultural,  than  to 
England  ;  and  how  well  does  the  California  example 
of  ill-directed  energy  show  the  want  of  it. 


<•■>» 


GRAPES. 

Most  horticulturists  have  heard  of  the  grapes  of 
Fox  Meadow  gardens.     We  have  repeatedly  said, 
in  the  discussion  of  the  grape  subject,  that  facts  and 
figures  on  the  merits  of  the  ditfering  systems  were 
what  we  wanted,  and  here  we  have  in  black  and 
white,  a  weighty  argument   in   favor  of  the   Fox 
Meadow  system,  which,  after  all,  is  but  the  old  spur 
system.     The  "  weighty  argument"  consists  of  six 
bunches,  weighing,  collectively,  seventeen  pounds, 
two  ounces,  expressed  in  "black"  Hamburg,  and 
"white"  Muscats,  in   all  the   various  bearings  of 
which,  color,  fiavor,  form,  «&c.,  we  were  compelled 
to  admit  the   "reasoning  most  cogent,  clear  and 
logical ;"  even  the  leaves  which  accompanied  the 
fruit  measured  twelve  inches  by  eighteen,  and  were 
models  of  healthy  luxuriance. 

In  a  "private"  note  which  Mr.  Ellis  sends  with 
the  fruit,  arc  some  interesting  facts,  which  we  take 
the  liberty  of  extracting,  assured  that  Mr.  Ellis  will 
not  object  to  the  publication  : 


"I  forward  you  a  sample  so  that  you  could  be 
able  to  "record"  something  on  our  old  spur  system 
of  vine  growing.     Six  years  ago,  I  planted  a  house, 
three  hundred  feet  long,  with  vines  two  feet  apart, 
intending  to  cut  down  each  alternate  vine  as  it  was 
fruited ;  (you  will  here  bear  in  mind  this  was  an 
early  forcing  house.)     The  following  season,  I  worked 
part  of  the  house  on  this  plan  of  cutting  down, 
Cwhich  I  had  seen  twenty  years  ago  performed  by 
Mr.    Seammell,   nurseryman,   Bath,    England,^    to 
first  see  how  it  would  answer,  but  I  found  that  the 
cutting  down  caused  the  vines  to  push  much  later 
from  their  base  than  those  which  were  for  fruiting ; 
some  a  month  and  others  six  weeks  later,  and  that 
in  their  breaking  together  there  was  no  dependence  ; 
and  that  if  I  had  continued  the  system  for  two  or 
three  years,  my  early  forcing-house,  at  the  end  of 
that  time  would  have  naturally  grown  into  a  cold 
house,  so  I  had  to  drop  it.      Well,  sir,  this  result 
caused  me  to  spur-prune  these  vines  instead  of  cut? 
ting  them  down,  as  before  stated,  and  to  sum  up,  to- 
day, on  vine  growing,  my  experience  leads  me  to 
believe  that  vines  planted  four  feet  apart  are  capable 
of  bearing  double  the  quantity  of  much  better  fruit 
than  when  planted  at  two  feet  apart  without  any  re- 
gard to  any  one's  system  of  pruning  or  growing.'* 

It  has  been  stated  somewhere  that  Mr.  Ellis  had 
found  his  vines  "  declining"  under  the  old  spur-prun- 
ing system.  Mr.  E.  states  that  he  had  noticed  a  slight 
falling  off  in  crop  on  a  few  vines,  but  so  far  from  be- 
lieving that  it  was  caused  by  the  system  of  pruning 
or  the  necessity  of  adopting  another  one,  set  about 
to  remedy  it  in  his  own  way ;  and  if  the  samples 
sent  prove  any  thing,  it  is  certainly  some  "other 
thing"  than  a  "decline." 

In  due  time,  no  doubt,  "the  other  side"  will  fur- 
nish similar  "arguments,"  when  we  shall  have  much 
pleasure  in  duly  "weighing"  them  also. 


«>■•* 


ENTOMOLOGICAL    ARTICLES. 

We  are  indebted  to  the  Publication  Committee  of 
the  Eastern  Pennsylvania  Fruit-Growers'  Society, 
through  Mr.  Gustavus  Ileins,  the  attentive  Secretary 
of  the  Association,  for  the  highly  interesting  article 
on  the  Grape-vine  Beetle  in  another  column.  We 
have  several  other  articles  on  destructive  insects, 
also  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  Ilathvon,  which  will  appear 
in  forthcoming  numbers. 


«•■•» 


TRAVELLING    AGENT. 

OuH  neighbor,  Mr.  James  Gleason,  in  connec- 
tion with  his  business  of  laying-out  grounds  and 
execution  of  ground  work  generally,  makes  a  trip  to 
the  East  and  Canada,  and  has  kindly  consented  to 
'  act  as  an  agent  of  the  Gardener'' s  Month^i'  during  the 


1@) 


Cfj^  6arhntr's  ^mrt^Ig. 


tour.  Tlie  publisher  will  be  obliged  to  the  friends  of 
the  journal  who  may  place  him  in  the  way  of  being 
most  successful  in  obtaining  new  subscribers. 


«•»•» 


LARGE    NURSERY    ESTABLISHMENT 
FOR    SALE. 

In  another  column  appears  an  advertisement  of 
Messrs.  G.  H.  White  &  Co.'s  Nurseries  at  Cold- 
water,  Michigan.  A  personal  friend  who  has  re- 
cently returned  from  a  business  tour  in  that  section, 
informs  us  that  he  spent  a  day  very  delightfully  over 
the  grounds,  which  he  spoke  very  highly  of,  as  well 
as  of  their  location.  We  allude  to  the  subject  here 
because  it  is  the  first  instance  we  have  heard  of  any 
of  our  large  nurseries  getting  frightened  at  the 
crisis  ;  a  rather  surprising  fact  when  we  know  how 
many  other  businesses  have  failed,  and  how  nursery- 
men have  suffered  by  debts  withheld.  We  have  no 
doubt  Messrs.  White  will  soon  find  a  successor,  and 
they  themselves  eventually  regret  their  change.  It 
is  at  least  our  impression  that  the  nursery  interest 
will  be  one  of  the  first  to  recover  from  the  general 
depression,  for  it  is  an  "ill  wind  that  blows  no  one 
any  good,"  and  they  to  whom  it  blows  want  the 
luxuries  of  horticulture. 

^nnp  anb  <^umps. 

23* Communications  for  this  department  must  reach  tho  Editor 
on  or  before  the  10th  of  the  month. 

Ji::^The  Editor  cannot  answer  letters  for  this  department  pri- 
vately. 

Advertisements— J.  B.  Good.  W^e  hoped  our 
last  would  close  this  discussion,  but  two  parties  re- 
ferred to  seem  to  have  a  right  to  a  i)ostscript.  Mr. 
Kohly  writes  that  he  may  have  been  mistaken  in  the 
date  of  his  letter,  as  he  certainly  was  by  the  post- 


have  leaves  all  alike ;  Cuyahoga,  Maxatawny  and 
Bullitt  particularly,  look  like  some  one  variety  of 
foreign  grape.  Should  these  three  varieties  have 
this  one  uniform  and  foreign  look  ?"  Certainly  not, 
and  if  they  are  all  thus  alike,  it  is  a  bare-faced  fraud, 
which  should  be  prosecuted  as  such  in  a  criminal 
court.  The  letters  of  the  other  gentleman,  though 
we  sympathize  with  parties  in  their  troubles,  we  must 
be  excused  from  further  noticing,  for  reasons  stated 
in  our  last  two  numbers. 


Fruits    Received, — Strawberry     Seedling    from 
Mr.  Lanfesty,  Philadelphia.     Fruit  of  large  size,  on 
a  long  stem,  similar  in  this  respect  to  Austin  Seed- 
ling.    The  quality  was  not  first-rate,  but  it  may  pos- 
sess other  qualities  that  would  render  it  a  desirable 
variety   to   perpetuate.      Strawberry  Seedling  from 
Wilmmgton,  Del.  ;  so  much  spoiled  in  transit  that 
it  could  not  even  be  tasted.     Raspberry  Seedling  from 
George  Raphael,  Burhngton,  N,  J.,  of  superior  excel- 
lence in  flavor,  but  soft  like  Fastolf,  with  which  we 
think  it  possesses  too  much  in  common  to  merit  a 
separate  preservation,  unless  it  possess  qualities  of 
hardiness,  &c,,  which  Fastolf  does  not.     Franconia 
Raspberries  trom  E.  Satterthwait,  Jcnkintown,  Pa. 
Quite  as  hard  and  firm  as  the  Allen  ;  very  large  and 
showy,  of  superior  flavor  ;  indeed,  we  doubt  whether 
very  many  of  the  new  introductions  can  approach 
this  old  one  in  value  in  several  qualities. 


Strawberry  Growing— 2).  W.,  Jamaica  Plain, 
Mass.,  writes:  "I  have  never  had  a  chance  since  I 
came  to  this  country,  to  learn  much  about  the 
American  varieties.  In  Scotland,  we  used  to  grow 
tliem,  the  British  varieties,  mostly  on  the  hill  system, 
and  they  did  well,  but  all  around  Boston  they  grow 
the  strawberry  in  beds,  so  that  I  have  had  no  chance 
to  see  how  they  do  in  hills.     I  have  been  keeping  a 


mark;  but  he  now  sends  us  facts  and  documents 
proving  clearly  that  he  did  send  money  to  Mr.  Good;  |  look  out  in  the  Monthly,  but  I  do  not  see  any  kind 
and  he  also  sends  us  additional  letters  of  Mr.  Good's,  mentioned  but  the  Triomphe  de  Gaud  grown  in  that 
which  proves  that  Mr.  Good  did,  at  least,  get  the  way.  I  turned  over  a  piece  of  ground  with  the 
letters.      Whether  the  money  did  or  did  not  reach    Michigan  plough  last  spring,  manured  and  planted 


Mr.  Good  may  be  a  good  ground  for  suspicion,  but 
it  is  a  matter  better  fitted  for  discussion  in  a  court  of 
justice  than  in  a  horticultural  journal.  Another 
letter  is  from  the  Baltimore  gentleman  alluded  to. 
Though  we  may,  in  truth,  say  scores  of  letters  in  our 
possession,  from  as  many  parties,  show  that  Mr, 
Good  must,  to  say  the  best,  have  been  particularly 
unfortunate  in  the  non-receipt  of  his  money  letters, 
we  were  particularly  anxious  that  even  the  most 
"unfortunate"  should  suff'er  no  injustice  at  our 
hands,  and  we  gave  Mr,  Good  the  benefit  of  all  the 
praise  of  him  that  had  come  to  hand.  But  this 
gentleman  now  writes,  "I  have  little  doubt  that  my 


it  about  the  beginning  of  May  with  Ilovey's  Seed- 
ling, Virginia  and  Brighton  Pine,  two  feet  four  in- 
ches between  the  rows,  eight  to  twelve  inches  be- 
t^v«en  the  plants.  Now,  should  I  keep  them  in  hills 
or  let  them  run  into  beds  ?  I  may  mention  that  I  will 
have  to  depend  partly  on  them  for  a  living,  so  by 
that  you  will  understand  that  I  want  to  make  as 
much  off"  the  ground  as  I  can." 

[Mr.  Knox,  of  Pittsburg,  finds  it  most  profitable 
to  grow  all  varieties  of  strawberry  in  hills.  It  should 
not  be  forgotten,  however,  that  he  is  a  very  large 
cultivator,  the  most  extensive,  perhaps,  in  the  Union, 
and  a  system  that  proves  the  most  profitable  on  a 


)         i| 


\\ 


Delawares  are   spurious,  and  many  of  the  others    large  scale  often  does  not  answer  so  well  on  a  small   y^^ 


;<   El 


I 


WM  gardener's  Pm\tl% 


one.  We  do  not  know  any  small  market-grower 
who  adopts  the  plan,  and  as  a  mere  question  of  pro- 
fit with  our  correspondent,  we  cannot  advise  him, 
though  we  are  strongly  of  opinion  that  the  hill 
system,  even  in  small  places,  would  be  found,  in  a 
pecuniary  sense,  the  most  remunerative. 


Books,  Hothouses,  &C.—W.  R.,  Washington, 
WaaJi.  Co.,  loioa,  writes :  "Can  you  not  go  a  little 
more  into  details  in  answering  correspondents?  (1) 
I  am  much  interested  in  that  department,  especially 
in  relation  to  hothouses.  Can  you  give  me  the  name 
of  a  work  on  the  managing  of  hothouses  ?  I  want  to 
propagate  grapes  from  buds,  and  roses  from  cuttings. 
I  want  something  that  will  give  me  full  details.  C3J) 
I  tried  it  last  wmter  and  partially  succeeded  ;  have  a 
few  grapes  from  buds  that  look  well.  Can  1  graft 
Downing' s  New  ISIulberry  the  same  as  apples?  C3) 
Where  (nm  I  get  roots  of  the  common  Mulberry  to 
graft  on  ?  Any  information  on  the  subject  would 
be  thankfully  received.  (4J)  Also,  I  would  like  to 
know  what  process  the  seed  of  the  Buckthorn  nmst 
be  taken  through  to  make  it  germinate  ?  Here  in 
the  West,  fencing  material  is  scarce  and  costly,  at.d 
we  want 'something  that  will  make  a  good  hedge. 
I  think  our  native  thorns  are  just  the  thing  if  we  can 
get  them  to  grow.''  (oj 

[1.  We  should  be  glad  to  give  fuller  details,  but 
it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  the  questions  in  this 
department  interest  but  a  small  portion  of  our 
readers,  however  interesting  they  may  be  to  a  few, 
and  justice  to  the  general  reader  demands  a  limit  to 
the  space  the  department  should  occupy. 

2.  Leuchars  on  Hothouses  is  a  good  guide  to  con- 
struction and  principles  of  management.     There  is 
no  Avork  on  details  of  hothouse  management  that 
'   weknow.    McMidion's  Gardener's  Calendar,  Buist's 
'    Flower   Garden   Directory,    and   Breck's   Book   of 
Flowers  are  ver}'  useful  to  novices. 

3.  Yes. 

4.  For  obvious  reasons  we  never  recommend 
nurserymen  ;  most  of  the  large  nurseries  that  adver- 
tise in  our  paper  coidd  furnish  them. 

5.  When  good  it  grows  very  readily,  when  sown 
in  spnng,  as  easily  as  cabbage  seed.  No  process 
but  mere  sowing  is  required.] 


to  a  half  inch  in  length ;  they  completely  e  icircle 
the  wood  and  kill  it  as  they  descend.  1  did  not  ob- 
serve any  holes  in  the  bark  where  they  could  enter, 
as  tlie  barer  shows  in  the  apple  tree,  and  I  concluded 
that  the  eggs  of  a  moth  had  been  laid  in  the  little 
tuft  at  the  extreme  end  of  last  year's  growth,  which 
were  hatched  by  our  warm  vernal  suns,  and  the 
worms  had  eaten  their  way  in  at  that  point,  and 
thence  descend,  until,  perhaps,  the  whole  tree  is  de- 
stroyed.  I  cut  the  leader  off  down  to  apparently 
healthy  wood  and  then  tied  up  a  lateral  shoot  to  form 
a  new  leader.  I  should  like  to  know  what  would 
prevent  the  ravages  of  this  insect,  for  they  have 
done  me  much  damage,  (i;  Will  you  please  give 
me,  also,  through  your  excellent  Monthly,  the  most 
satisfactory  climber  tor  a  locust  tree,  which  I  have 
killed,  and  lopped  off  its  branches  for  a  support  ?  It 
is  in  front  of  my  dwelling,  and  I  should  like  some- 
thing ornamental.  Is  Ivy  preferable  to  a  deciduous 
vine  for  such  a  purpose  ?"  (2) 

[1.  We  know  of  no  other  remec'y  for  this  inflic- 
tion but  cutting  off  and  burning  the  insects  with  the 
parts  attacked,  and  print  the  inquiry  in  full,  in  the 
hope  that  any  of  our  friends  who  may  have  had  ex- 
perience with  the  same  trouble,  will  communicate. 

2.  The  Ivy  would  do  well,  but  we  should  add 
with  it  a  Trumpet  vine,  and  if  the  tree  were  large 
enough,  a  Virginia  Ivy— they  would  all  do  together.  ] 


.1 


Pine  Tree  Insect— ir.,  Baltimore,  writes: 
"Can  you  enlighten  me  upon  a  disease  I  have  found 
this  spring  to  affect  my  White  Pines?  After  they 
had  made  a  growth  of  a  foot  or  sixteen  inches,  I 
noticed  that  the  leader  ceased  growing  and  turned 
brown,  and  upon  cutting  into  the  bark,  found  that 
white  worms,  somewhat  similar  to  the  Apple-tree 
Borer,  were  eating  it  up.  In  one  specimen  I  found 
several  dozen  worms,  ranging  in  size  from  an  eighth 


Wine  Grapes  for  Michigan— ;S<?/r/7?".-?,  Michigan, 
asks  for  the  best  hardy  grapes  for  wine  and  market 
in  that  region. 

[In  most   regions  where  it  has  been  tried,  the 
Delaware  is  found  to  make  the  best  wine.      In  most 
of  our  Middle  States,  were  we  to  plant  for  market 
merely,  we  should  plant  largely  of  Concord;  but  in 
your  latitude,  for  the  combined  purposes  of  wine  and 
market,  we  should  try  Diana  and  Concord,  unless 
we  found  that  parties  in  that  region  had  already 
tried   and   found  other  kinds  well  adapted  to  the 
peculiar  locality.     Experiments  in  these  matters  re- 
quire to  be  made  with  great  caution  in  new  localities. 
We  have  seen,  even  in  this  part  of  the  country, 
thousands  of  dollars  lost  on  implicitly  following 
advice  as  to  varieties  and   management,  that  have 
been  found  excellent  in  other  places.     In  a  quite 
new  locality,  we   should  plant  small  quantites   of 
most  of  the  better  known  improved  kinds  for  experi- 
ment, in  addition  to  the  larger  quantities  of  the  two 
kinds  named.] 


Hardiness  of  Farfugium  Grande— TT.,  Phila- 
delphia, says  in  reference  to  the  notice  in  our  last, 
that  this  entirely  disappeared  from  his  border  the 
past  winter;  killed,  as  he  supposes,  by  the  frost. 


W^^  §\\xkm\  JStont^Ig. 


245    [z 


Tritomas— TT.  C.  S.,  Keokuk,  To wa.— It  would  be 
best  in  your  latitude  to  take  up  Tritomas  late  in  the 
fall,  cut  back  the  foliage  about  two-thirds,  pack  them 
in  boxes  of  soil,  and  set  in  a  cool  cellar  for  the 
winter.  We  have  found  them  hardy  here,  but  seem 
somewhat  injured  and  do  not  flower  or  grow  near 
as  well  as  those  we  protect. 

Japan  Lilies— i?.,  Cincinnati,  0.— You  need  not 
fear  to  risk  your  Japan  Lilies  out  in  the  open  air ; 
they  are  perfectly  hardy,  and,  indeed,  thrive  much 
better  in  the  open  border,  when  left  out  over  winter, 
than  we  ever  knew  them  to  do  under  greenhouse 
culture.  We  would,  however,  replant  them  every 
fall— advice  that  will  apply  to  all  the  other  species  of 
Lilium. 


J^oofes,   (Jafalogups,  %r. 


On  the  Sources  of  the  Nitrogen  of  Vegeta- 
tion ;    with  special   reference    to  the    Question 
whether  Plants  Assimilate  Free  or  Uncombincd 
Nitrogen.     By  John  Bennet  Lawes,  Esq.,  F.B. 
S.,  F.C.S. ;  Joseph  Henry  Gilbert,  Ph.D.,  F.B.S., 
F.C.S. ;  and  Evan  Pitgh,  Ph.D.,  F.C.S. 
After  referring  to  the  earlier  history  of  the  sub. 
iect,  and  especially  to  the  conclusion  of  De  Saussure, 
"that  plants  derive  their  nitrogen   from  the  nitroge- 
nous compounds  of  the  soil  and  the  small  amount  of 
ammonia  which  he  found  to  exist  in  the  atmosphere, 
the  Authors  preface  the  discussion  of  their  own  ex- 
periments  on  the  sources  of  the  nitrogen  of  plants, 
by  a  consideration  of  the  most  prominent  f\icts  estab- 
lished by  their  own  investigations  concerning  the 
amount  of  nitrogen  yielded  by  different  crops  over 
a  given  area  of  land,  and  of  the  relation  of  these  to 
certain  measured,  or  known  sources  of  it. 

On  growing  the  same  crop  year  after  year  on  the 
same  land,  without  any  supply  of  nitrogen  by  ma- 
nure, it  was  found  that  wheat,  over  a  period  of 
fourteen  years,  had  given  rather  more  than  thirty 
pounds-barley,  over  a  period  of  six  years,  some- 
what less-meadow -hay,  over  a  period  of  three  years, 
nearly  forty  pounds,— and  beans,  over  eleven  years, 
rather  more  than  fifty  pounds  of  nitrogen  per  acre, 
per  annum.  Clover,  another  Leguminous  crop, 
grown  in  three  out  of  four  consecutive  years,  had 
given  an  average  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds. 
Turnips,  over  eight  consecutive  years,  had  yielded 
about  forty-five  pounds. 

The  Graminaceous  crops  had  not,  during  the 
periods  referred  to,  shown  signs  of  diminution 
of  produce.  The  yield  of  the  Leguminous  crops 
had  fallen  considerably.  Turnips,  again,  appeared 
greatly  to  have  exhausted  the  immediately  available 


nitrogen  in  the  soil.  The  amount  of  nitrogen  har- 
vested in  the  Leguminous  and  Root-crops  was  con- 
siderably increased  by  the  use  of  "mineral  manures," 
whilst  that  in  the  Graminaceous  crops  was  so  in  a 
very  limited  degree. 

Direct  experiments  further  showed  that  pretty 
nearly  the  same  amount  of  nitrogen  was  taken  from 
a  given  area  of  land  in  wheat  in  eight  years,  whether 
eight  crops  were  grown  consecutively,  four  in  al- 
ternation with  fallow,  or  four  in  alternation  with 
beans. 

Taking  the  results  of  six  separate  courses  of  rota- 
tion, Boussingault  obtained  an  average  of  between 
one-third  and  one-half  more  nitrogen  in  the  produce 
than  had  been  supplied  in  manure.  His  largest 
yields  of  nitrogen  were  in  Leguminous  crops ;  and 
Cereal  crops  were  larger  when  they  next  succeeded 
the  removal  of  the  highly  nitrogenous  Leguminous 
crops.  In  their  own  experiments  upon  an  actual 
course  of  rotation,  v  ULo.it  manure,  the  Authors 
had  obtained,  over  ei  rht  years,  an  average  annual 
yield  of  57.7  pounds  i»f  nitrogen  per  acre;  about 
twice  as  much  as  was  :)btained  in  cither  wheat  or 
barley,  when  the  croi  Avere,  respectively,  grown 
year  after  year  on  the  :^;.me  land.  Tiie  greatest 
yield  of  nitrogen  had  been  in  a  clover  crop,  grown 
once  during  the  eight  years ;  and  the  wheat  crops 
grown  after  this  clover  in  the  first  course  of  four 
years,  and  after  beans  in  the  second  course,  were 
about  double  those  obtained  when  wheat  succeeded 

wheat. 

Thus,  Cereal  crops,  grown  year  after  year  on  the 
same  land,  had  given  an  average  of  about  thirty 
pounds  of  nitrogen,  per  acre,  per  annum ;  and  Le- 
guminous crops  much  more.  Nevertheless  the 
Cereal  crop  was  nearly  doubled  when  preceded  by  a 
Leguminous  one.  It  was  also  about  doubled  when 
preceded  by  fallow.  Lastly,  an  entirely  unmanured 
rotation  had  yielded  nearly  twice  as  much  nitrogen 
as  the  continuously  grown  Cereals. 

Leguminous  crops  were,  however,  little  benefitted, 
indeed  frequently  injured,  by  the  use  of  the  ordinary 
direct  nitrogenous  manures.  Cereal  crops,  on  the 
other  hand,  though  their  yield  of  nitrogen  was  com- 
paratively small,  were  very  much  increased  by  direct 
nitrogenous  manures,  as  well  as  when  they  suc- 
ceeded a  highly  nitrogenous  Leguminous  crop,  or 
fallow.  But  when  nitrogenous  manures  had  been 
employed  for  the  increased  growth  of  the  Cereals, 
the  nitrogen  in  the  immediate  increase  of  produce 
had  amounted  to  little  more  t  lian  forty  per  cent,  of  that 
supplied,  and  that  in  the  increase  of  the  second  year 
after  the  application,  to  little  more  than  one-tenth  of 
the  remainder.  Estimated  in  t  he  same  way,  there  had 
been  in  the  case  of  the  meadow  grasses  scarcely  any 
larger  proportion  of  the  supplied  nitrogen  recovered. 


'^iS9.< 


% 


i 


Ml 


M^  dartUner's  Jflonthlg. 


In  the  Leguminous  crops  the  proportion  so  recov- 
ered appeared  to  be  even  less  ;  whilst  in  the  root-crops 
it  was  probably  somewhat  greater.  Several  possible 
explanations  of  this  real  or  apparent  loss  of  the  ni- 
trogen supplied  by  manure  are  enumerated. 

The  question  arises — what  are  the  sources  of  all 
the  nitrogen  of  our  crops  beyond  that  which  is  di- 
rectly supplied  to  the  soil  by  artificial  means?  The 
following  actual  or  possible  sources  may  be  enumera- 
ted : — the  assimilation  of  free  nitrogen  by  plants ; 
the  nitrogen  in  certain  constituent  minerals  of  the 
soil ;  the  combined  nitrogen  annually  coming  down 
in  the  direct  aqueous  deposition  from  the  atmosphere; 
the  accumulation  of  combined  nitrogen  from  the  at- 
mosphere by  the  soil  in  other  ways  ;  the  formation  of 
ammonia  in  the  soil  from  free  nitrogen  and  nascent 
hydrogen  ;  the  formation  of  nitric  acid  from  free  ni- 
trogen ;  the  direct  absorption  of  combined  nitrogen 
from  the  atmosphere  by  plants  themselves. 

A  consideration   of  these  several  sources  of  the 
nitrogen  of  the  vegetation  which  covers  the  earth's 
surface  showed  that  those  of  them  which  have  as 
yet  been  quantitatively  estimated  are  inadequate  to 
account  for  the  amount  of  nitrogen  obtained  in  the 
annual  produce  of  a  given  area  of  land  beyond  that 
which   may  be   attributed  to  supplies  by  previous 
manuring.     Those,  on  the  other  hand,  which  have 
not  yet  been  even  approximately  estimated  as  to 
quantity — if  indeed  fully  established  qualitatively — 
offer  many  i)ractical  difficulties  in  the  way  of  such 
an  investigation  as  would  afford  results  applicable  in 
an}'  such  estimates  as  arc  here  supposed.      It  ap- 
peared important,  therefore,   to  endeavor  to  settle 
the  question  whether  or  not  that  vast  storehouse  of 
nitrogen,  the  atmosphere,  affords  to  growing  plants 
any  measurable  amount  of  its  free  nitrogen.     More- 
over, this  question  had  of  late  years  been  submitted 
to  very  extended  and  laborious  experimental  re- 
searches by  M.  Boussingault,  and  M.  Ville,  and  also 
to  more  limited  investigation  by  MM.  Mene,  Roy, 
Cloez,  De   Luca,    Harting,  Petzholdt,  and  others, 
from   the   results  of  which  diametrically   opposite 
conclusions  had  been  arrived  at.     Before  entering 
on  the  discussion  of  their  own  experimental  evi- 
dence, the  Authors  give  a  review  of  the  results  and 
inferences  ;  more  especially  those  of  M.  Boussingault 
who  questions,  and  those  of  M.  Georges  Ville  who 
affirms  the  assimilation  of  free  nitrogen  in  the  pro- 
cess of  vegetation. 

The  general  method  of  experiment  instituted  by 
Boussingault,  which  has  been  followed,  with  more 
or  less  modification,  in  most  subsequent  researches, 
and  by  the  Authors  in  the  present  inquiry  was- 
te set  seed  or  young  plants,  the  amount  of  nitrogen 
in  which  was  estimated  by  the  analysis  of  carefully 
chosen  similar  specimens ;  to  employ  soils  and  water 


containing  either  no  combined  nitrogen,  or  only 
known  quantities  of  it ;  to  allow  the  access  either  of 
of  free  air  Cthe  plants  being  protected  from  rain  and 
dust  J  — of  a  current  of  air  freed  by  washing  from  all 
comhined  nitrogen — or  of  a  limited  quantity  of  air, 
too  small  to  be  of  any  avail  so  far  as  any  compounds 
of  nitrogen  contained  in  it  were  concerned;  and 
finally,  to  determine  the  amount  of  combined  nitro- 
gen in  the  plants  produced  and  in  the  soil,  pot,  &c., 
and  so  to  provide  the  means  of  estimating  the  gain 
or  loss  of  nitrogen  during  the  course  of  the  experi- 
ments. 

The  plan  adopted  by  the  Authors  in  discussing 
their  own  experimental  results  was : 

To  consider  the  conditions  to  be  fulfilled  in  order 
to  affect  the  solution  of  the  main  question,  and  to 
endeavor  to  eliminate  all  sources  of  error  in  the 
investigation. 

To  examine  a  number  of  collateral  questions  bear- 
ing upon  the  points  at  issue,  and  to  endeavor  so  far 
to  solve  them,  as  to  reduce  the  general  solution  to 
that  of  a  single  question  to  be  answered  by  the  re- 
sults of  a  final  set  of  experiments. 

To  give  the  results  of  the  final  experiments,  and 
to  discuss  their  bearings  upon  the  question  which  it 
is  proposed  to  solve  by  them. 

Accordingly,  the  following  points  are  considered : 

1.  The  preparation  of  the  soil,  or  matrix,  for  the 
reception  of  the  plants  and  of  the  nutriment  to  be 
supplied  to  them. 

2.  The  preparation  of  the  nutriment,  embracing 
that  of  mineral  constituents,  of  certain  solutions, 
and  of  water. 

3.  The  conditions  of  atmosphere  to  be  supplied  to 
the  plants,  and  the  means  of  securing  them ;  the 
apparatus  to  be  employed,  &c. 

4.  The  changes  undergone  by  nitrogenous  organic 
matter  during  decomposition,  affecting  the  quantity 
of  combined  nitrogen  present,  in  circumstances 
more  or  less  analogous  to  those  in  which  the  ex- 
perimental plants  are  grown. 

5.  The  action  of  agents,  as  ozone ;  and  the  in- 
fluence of  other  circumstances  which  may  affect  the 
quantity  of  combined  nitrogen  present  in  connexion 
with  the  plants,  independently  of  the  direct  action 
of  the  growing  process. 

In  most  of  the  experiments  a  rather  clayey  soil, 
ignited  with  free  access  of  air,  well  washed  with 
distilled  water,  and  re-ignited,  was  used  as  the  ma- 
trix  or  soil.     In  a  few  cases  washed  and  ignited 

pumice-stone  was  used. 

The  mineral  constituents  were  supplied  in  the  form 
of  the  ash  of  plants,  of  the  description  to  be  grown 
if  practicable,  and  if  not,  of  some  closely  allied  kind. 

The  distilled  water  used  for  the  final  rinsing  of  all 

he  important  parts  of  the  apparatus,  and  for  the 

t 


W^t  iardewr's  Jftonthlg. 


supply  of  water  to  the  plants,  was  prepared  by  boil- 
ing off"  one-third  from  ordinary  water,  collecting  the 
second-third  as  distillate,  and  re-distilling  this,  pre- 
viously acidulated  with  phosphoric  acid. 

Most  of  the  pots  used  were  specially  made  of 
porous  ware,  with  a  great  many  holes  at  the  bottom 
and  round  the  sides  near  to  the  bottom.  These 
were  placed  in  glazed  stone-ware  pans  with  inward- 
turned  rims  to  lessen  evaporation. 

Before  use,  the  red-hot  matrix  and  the  freshly 
ignited  ash  were  mixed  in  the  red-hot  pot,  and  the 
whole  allowed  to  cool  over  sulphuric  acid.  The 
soil  was  then  moistened  with  distilled  water,  and 
after  the  lapse  of  a  day  or  so  the  seeds  or  plants 

were  put  in. 

Very  carefully  picked  bulks  of  seed  were  chosen  ; 

specimens  of  the  average  weight  were  taken  for  the 

experiment,  and  in  similar  specimens  the  nitrogen 

was  detefmined. 

The  atmosphere  supplied  to  the  plants  was  washed 

free  from  ammonia  by  passing  through  sulphuric 

acid,   and  then  over    pumice-stone  saturated  with 

sulphuric  acid.     It  then  passed  through  a  solution 

of  carbonate  of  soda  before  entering  the  apparatus 

enclosing  the  plant,  and  it  passed  out  again  through 

sulphuric  acid.  . 

Carbonic  acid,  evolved  from  marble  by  measured 

quantities  of  hydrochloric  acid,  was  passed  daily 

into    the   apparatus,    after  passing,   with    the  air, 

through  the  sulphuric  acid  and  the  carbonate  of  soda 

solution.  .      ,    -     1  1 

The  enclosing  apparatus  consisted  of  a  large  glass 

shade,  resting  in  a  groove  filled  with  mercury,  in  a 

slate  or  glazed  earthernware  stand,  upon  which  the 

pan,  with  the  pot  of  soil,  tfec,  was  placed.     Tubes 

passed  under  the  shade,  for  the  ingress  and  the  egress 

of  air,  for  the  supply  of  water  to  the  plants,  and,  in 

some  cases,  for  the  withdrawal  of  the  water  which 

condensed  within  the  shade.     In  other  cases,  the 

condensed  water  was  removed  by  means  of  a  special 

arrangement. 

One  advantage  of  the  apparatus  adopted  was,  that 
the  washed  air  was  forced,  instead  of  being  aspira- 
ted, through  the  enclosing  vessel.  The  pressure  upon 
it  was  thus  notonly  very  small,  and  the  danger  from 
breakage,  therefore,  also  small,  but  it  was  exerted 
upon  the  inside  instead  of  the  outside  of  the  shade ; 
hence,  any  leakage  would  be  from  the  inside  out- 
wards, so  that  there  was  no  danger  of  unwashed  air 
gaining  access  to  the  plants. 

The  conditions  of  atmosphere  were  proved  to  be 
adapted  for  healthy  growth,  by  growing  plants 
under  exactly  the  same  circumstances,  but  in  a  gar- 
den soil.  The  conditions  of  the  artificial  soil  were 
shown  to  be  suitable  for  the  purpose,  by  the  ftict 
that  plants  grown  in  such  soil,  and  in  the  artificial 
conditions  of  atmosphere,  developed  luxuriantly,  if 


only  manured  with  substances  supplying  combined 

nitrogen. 

(Conclusion  in  our  next.) 

Bright  on  Grape-Cultuhb.  Second  Edition. 
That  a  new  edition  of  his  work  so  soon  after  its  first 
appearance  should  be  called  for  must  be  peculiarly 
gratifying  to  the  author.  Like  most  men  of  bold 
and  original  views,  he  has  had  "a  hard  road  to 
travel"  over  the  rocks  and  hills  along  which  the 
practices  or  prejudices  of  his  professional  compeers 

have  led  him. 

It  is,  however,  an  unquestionable  fact,  that  since 
the  first  publication  of  Mr.  Bright' s  views  on  grapes, 
its  culture  has  progressed  with  giant  strides,— not, 
perhaps,  exactly  in   the   channels   Mr.  Bright  has 
marked  out  for  it,— but  he  has  furnished  the  food 
for  thought,  and  the  matter  for  reflection,  that  has 
made    grape-culture    so    well    understood    by   the 
masses.     Men  of  long  years  of  close  and  excellent 
practical  experience  in  grape  management  may  feel 
that  they  have  learned  nothing  new  from  the  labors 
of  the  author ;  but  the  thousands  to  whom  the  art 
was  almost  a  sealed  book  as  of  magic  or  necro- 
mancy, have  been  taught  to  think,  to  experiment, 
and  to  observe,  until  they  have  found  supposed  mys- 
teries perfectly  clear,  and  grape-growing  to  be  an 
art   of   easy  accomplishment  when    the    scientific 
principles  are  mastered ;  and  grape-houses  are  every- 
where going  up. 

In  this  edition  Mr.  Bright  has  incorporated  some 
new  views,  leading  to  modifications  of  practice 
which  will  command  the  attention  of  those  who 
wish  to  have  something  to  think  about  -vvith  the 
view  to  improved  grape-culture. 


The  Repository  of  New  London,  Conn.,  has 
been  changed  to  a  neat  monthly  magazine,  entitled 
The  Family  Repository  and  Horticultural  Cabinet.  It  is 
edited  by  Mr.  W.  H.  Starr.  It  is  filled  with  selec- 
tions from  the  best  sources,  and  illustrated  with  a 
colored  plate  as  a  frontispiece.  The  one  before  us 
has  a  handsome  lithograph  of  an  Easter  Beurre 
Pear. 

Catalogue  of  the  Officers  and  Students 
OF  THE  University  of  Michigan  for  1861.  We 
are  indebted  to  Alexander  Winchell,  Esq.,  the  Bo- 
tanical Professor  of  the  Institution,  for  the  copy 

before  us. 

Catalogues. 

Peter  Mackenzie  &  Son,  Philadelphia.  Green- 
house and  Stove  Plants.  In  the  Camellia  depart- 
ment we  notice  descriptions  of  over  one  hundred 

John  Westphal  &  Sons,  Iowa  City.  Descrip- 
tive Catalogue.  53  pages.  Trees,  Plants  and 
Flowers. 


I         <i 


-■> 


I 


m 


M^i  hardliner's  JRonthlg* 


T.  0.  3IAXWELL  &  Biio.,  Geneva,  N.  Y.  De- 
scriptive Catalogue  of  Bedding  Plants,  Bulbs,  &c. 
15  pages. 

Geo.  D.  Kimeer,  Flushing,  Long  Island,  N.  Y. 
Fruits,  Shrubbery,  &c. 

Cooks'  Supplement,  Walnut  Hills,  Cincinnati. 
Chiefly  descriptive  of  Dahlias  and  Verbenas. 

James  N.  Price,  Media,  Pa.     Fruits. 

H.  E.  Hooker  &  Co.,  Rochester,  N.  Y.  Pre- 
pared Bast  matting. 

F.  Prentice,  Toledo,  Ohio.  Wholesale  Trade 
List. 

J.  Siieppard,  ("successor  to  W.  P.  Sheppard, 
deceased  J  New  York  City.     Horticultural  Agency, 

A.  F.  CoNARD  &  Brc,  West  Grove,  Pa.  Fruits 
and  Flowers. 

M.   A.    Walmsley,   Bristol,   Pa.      Fruits   and 
Flowers. 


color,  and  the  light  green  spur  is  a  foot  in  length. 
It  seldom  produces  more  than  two  or  four  flowers 
from  the  axil  of  each  of  the  upper  leaves.  It  was 
discovered  and  brought  to  England  by  the  Rev. 
William  Ellis,  in  whose  garden  it  also  flowered  for 
the  first  time. — ScoUish  Gardener. 


ppto  or  Plarp  "JPIanh. 


Ceueus  Kingiana.— Some  time  last  spring  Mr. 
Buist  sent  us  a  seedling  Cactus,  which  has  since 
bloomed,  and  proves  one  of  the  handsomest  of  the 
class.  It  appears  to  be  a  hybrid  between  Cereus 
speciosissimus  and  Epiphyllum  speciosum.  The 
habit  of  the  plant  approaches  the  former,  but  the 
flowers  are  medium  between  the  two  in  size,  and 
are  clear  white  at  the  base,  broadly  edged  with 
purple  shaded  rose.  There  is  no  handsomer  tribe  of 
plants  than  the  free  blooming  and  "tall  cacti,"  as 
the  section  in  question  is  termed,  and  the  present 
addition  will  not  fail  to  become  popular. 


New  Dwarf  Begonias. — A  new  race  of  minia- 
ture or  dwarf  begonias  has  been  produced  by  the 
Belgian    cultivators,  which  is  attracting  much    at- 
tention.    It  has  already  become  apparent  that,  re- 
markable as  the  begonias  are,  the  plants  occupy  so  j 
much  space  that  amateurs  with  small  greenhouses  are 
unable  to  possess  but  a  limited  number.      These 
dwarf  sorts  obviate  this  necessity,  for  while  they  are 
equally  varied  and  rich  in  their  leaf  coloring,  they 
grow  only  six  inches  high,  and  form  dense  masses 
of  foliage  as  strikingly  conspicuous  as  they  are  neat 
and   compact  in  growth.     Begonia  Frederic   Sies- 
mayer,  raised  by  Van  Houtte,  is  the  original  of  the 
group.     It  is  similar  to  Rex,  but  the  zone  of  silver 
is  larger  and  far  brighter  colored. — Hovey^s  Magazine. 

Anor^.cum  susquipedale  is  one  of  the  rarest, 
as  it  is  one  of  the  finest ;  no  other  Orchid  can  rival 
it  in  the  size  of  the  individual  flowers.  They  are 
seven   inches  in  diameter,  of  a  clear  ivory   white 


New  Shrubbery  Calceolarias. — This  class  of 
calceolarias  thrive  pretty  well  in  our  climate,  and 
make  good  summer  bedding  plants, — propagating 
well  from  cuttings,  and  keeping  well  over  the 
winter.  We  insert  the  following  list  of  new 
English  kinds  in  order  to  call  attention  to  the  merits 
of  the  class : 

^tna.— Crimson,  tinted  with  scarlet,  habit  first- 
rate  ;  a  most  abundant  late  blooming  variety,  and 
wall  be  found  admirably  adapted  for  bedding  pur- 
poses. 

Harlequin.— A  most  pleasing  variety  ;  yellow,  dis- 
tinctly spotted  and  blotched  all  over  the  flowers 
with  crimson,  very  dwarf  in  babit ;  a  most  abundant 
bloomer. 

Little  Dorrit.—A.  pleasing  soft  yellow,  fine-shaped 
flower,  dwarf  and  good  habit;  a  most  abundant 
bloomer ;  first-rate  for  bedding. 

JV/a;ren/a.— Beautiful  dark  velvet  crimson,  tinted 
with  scarlet,  of  fine  shape  and  good  habit. 

Princess  Helena.— Y eWow ,  with  primrose  shading, 
very  eff'ective  ;  good  shape  and  habit. 

The  Hon.  Mrs.  ^riaws.— Primrose  color,  distinctly 
spotted  all  over  with  crimson  spots  ;  a  finely  shaped 
flower,  of  good  habit. 

The  Queen.— Pure  yellow,  beautifully  marked  all 
over  the  flower  with  rich  cinnabar  red  spots;  a 
great  improvement  on  my  Ladj-^  Palmerston. 

Victor  Emmanuel.— Fine  reddish  scarlet,  distinctly 
pitted  with  crimson  dots ;  first-rate  habit,  and  will 
prove  a  good  bedding  variety. 

CiSTUS  VAGINATUS.— From  Teneriffe.  Has  rose- 
colored  flowers,  resembling  in  size  and  form  a  single 
camellia.  It  is  a  greenhouse  shrub  of  great  beauty, 
growing  about  three  feet  high,  and  flowering  in 
June.  

Pelargonium  ENDLicnERi-\NUM.— This  is  a  her- 
baceous perennial  kind,  with  umbells  of  eight  to  ten 
red  carmine  flowers,  with  a  rich  carmine  vein. 
Though  a  native  of  Caucasus,  the  German  Garten 
Flora  says  it  has  but  recently  met  with  a  tardy  re- 
cognition of  merit  as  a  pretty  garden  plant. 


Geranium  Hendersoni  nanium.— This  fine  va- 
riety is  a  decided  improvement  upon  the  well-known 
G.  Hendersoni,  which,  for  a  considerable  period, 
was  the  most  reliable  self  white-flowered  bedding 
geranium  known.      The  present  one  is  a  dwarfer 


Wm^  (gardener's  Jflonthls. 


and   shorter-jointed  growth  and  more  effective  in 
character. 

Convolvulus  oculata,  a  new  and  interesting 
hardy  perennial  herbaceous  plant  from  China  and 
Japan ;  of  a  neat  scandent  or  trailing  habit  for  a 
wall  or  trellis,  producing  numerous  blush-tinted 
funnel-shaped  blossoms,  picturesque,  shaded  with 
dark  violet  or  purple  crimson  in  the  centre  or  throat. 

Agatha  A  ccelestib  folia  variegata,  a  very 
elegant  dwarf  box-like  plant,  three  to  four  inches 
high,  with  picturesque  silver-edged  leaves ;  for  front 
margins  and  belts.     Once  Cineraria  amelliodes. 

Hydrangea  cyanea,' a  new  species  from  China, 
forming  a  neat  dwarf  conservatory  shrub,  with 
clusters  of  blush  pink  sepals,  and  inner  smaller  blue 
petals  and  stamens. 


Cockltn's  Favorite  Cherry.— Another  from 
Mr.  Miller,  which  came  to  hand  some  days  after  the 
above  paragraph  was  written.  We  believe  this  to 
be  an  undescribed  kind  and  very  distinct  in  many 
respects  from  any  we  know.  It  is  not  of  largest  size 
or  of  very  striking  superiority  of  flavor,  but  the  very 
small  stone  in  proportion  to  the  amomit  of  flesh 
gives  it  an  advantage  to  the  amateur  over  many 
popular  kinds  of  larger  size.  To  those  who  do  not 
care  how  large  the  stone  is,  so  that  they  get  a  "big 
cherry,"  this  recommendation  will,  of  course,  have 
fight  weight. 


Buckingham  Apple.  (See  Frontispiece.)  At  the 
last  meeting  of  the  Pomological  Society,  held  in 
Philadelphia,  few  fruits  on  exhibition  attracted  more 
attention  than  this.  It  was  exhibited  by  Col.  Bain- 
brid  -e,  of  South  Pass,  Illinois.  A  s  will  be  seen  from 
the  engraving,  the  fruit  is  very  large,  oblate-conical 
in  shape.  It  is  deeply  shaded  with  crimson,  and  has 
large  grayif^h  dots.  The  Committee  reported  that 
in  their  beliet  the  "Meigs,"  "Jackson Red,"  "Bun- 
combe" of  the  South,  and  "Winter  Queen"  m 
Virn-iniaaud  Kentucky,  were  names  often  applied  to 
this  variety. 

Triumph  of  Cumberland  Cherry.  We  received 
in  the  early  part  of  July,  a  box  of  very  large  Clierries 
of  this  variety  from  Mr.  David  Miller,  Jr.,  Cumber- 
land Nurseries,  near  Carlisle,  Pa.,  and  have  en- 
graved an  average  size  specimen. 

There    are    not  many 
cherries  that  will   reach 
three  and  a  quarter  inches 
in  circumference  as  these 
averaged.    We  do  not  re- 
gard it  as  of  the  Jiighest 
quality,  but  it  is   "very 
good,"  and  with  its  other 
properties  of  dirk  black 
beauty,  vigor,  and  produc- 
tivess,  would  no  doubt  bo 
one  of  the  most  valuable 
to  grow,  and  we  are  sur- 
prised not  to  find  it  much 
more  frequently  in  collec- 
tions. 


fmw 


It  is  of  a  beautiful  amber  color,  and  Mr.  Miller 
says  is  a  vigorous  and  abundant  bearer,  ripening  when 
most  of  the  best  kinds  are  over.  Mr.  M.  is  unable 
to  trace  its  origin  correctly,  but  though  it  has  the 
growth  and  foliage  of  the  Hearts  and  Biggareaus, 
thinks  its  general  appearance  indicates  a  connection 
with  the  Duke  class.  


To  Preserve   Green   Gages.— The  following 
receipt  appears  to  be  a  good  one  :— Pick  and  prick 
all  the  plums,  put  them  into  a  preserving  pan,  with 
cold  water  enough  to  cover  them  ;  let  them  remain 
on  the  fire  until  the  water  simmers  well ;  then  take 
off,  and  allow  them  to  stand  until  half  cold,  putting 
the  plums  to  drain.   To  every  pound  of  plums  allow 
one  pound  of  sugar,  which  must  be  boiled  in  the  wa- 
ter from  which  the  plums  have  been  taken ;  let  it 
boil  very  fast  until  the  syrup  drops  short  from  the 
spoon,  skin.ming  carefiilly  all  the  time.     When  the 
sugar  is  sufficiently  boiled,  put  in  the  plums  and  al- 
low them  to  boil  until  the  sugar  covers  the  pan  with 
large  bubbles  ;  then  pour  the  whole  into  a  pan,  and 


•     t    il 


■1*-' : 


It 


^^fH 


Ch«{  §m&mtY'8  .PonlJIg. 


let  them  remain  until  the  following  day ;  drain  the 
syrup  from  the  plums  as  dry  as  possible,  boil  it  up 
quickly  and  pour  it  over  the  plums,  then  set  them 
by  ;  do  this  a  third  and  a  fourth  time.  On  the  fifth 
day,  when  the  syrup  is  boiled,  put  the  plums  into  it, 
and  let  them  boil  for  a  few  minutes  ;  then  put  them 
into  jars.  Should  the  green  gages  be  over-ripe,  it 
will  be  better  to  make  jam  of  them,  using  three - 
fourths  of  a  pound  of  sugar  to  one  pound  of  fruit. — 
Warm  the  jars  before  putting  the  sweetmeats  in,  and 
be  careful  not  to  boil  the  sugar  to  a  candy. — Ger- 
tnantown  Telegraph. 

Pine-Apple  Preserve. — Twist  off  the  top  and 
bottom,  and  pare  off"  the  rough  outside  of  pine-ap- 
ples ;  then  weigh  them,  and  cut  them  in  slices,  chips 
or  quarters,  or  cut  them  in  four  or  six,  and  shape 
each  piece  like  a  whole  pine-apple  ;  to  each  pound 
of  fruit  put  a  teacup  of  water ;  put  it  in  a  preserving 
kettle  ;  cover  it,  and  set  it  over  the  fire,  and  let  them 
boil  gently  until  they  are  tender  and  clear ;  then  take 
them  from  the  water,  by  sticking  a  fork  in  the  cen- 
tre of  each  slice,  or  with  a  skimmer,  into  a  dish.  Put 
to  the  water  white  sugar,  a  i)ound  for  each  pound  of 
fruit ;  stir  it  until  it  is  all  dissolved  ;  then  put  in  the 
pine-apple ;  cover  the  kettle,  and  let  them  boil  gen- 
tly until  transparent  throughout ;  when  it  is  so,  take 
it  out,  let  it  cool,  and  put  it  in  glass  jars ;  as  soon  as 
the  syrup  is  a  little  cooled,  pour  it  over  them ;  let 
them  remain  in  a  cool  place  until  the  next  day,  then 
secure  the  jars  as  directed  previously.  Pine-apple 
done  in  this  way  is  a  delicious  preserve.  The  usual 
manner  of  preserving  it,  by  putting  it  into  the  syrup 
without  first  boiling  it,  makes  it  little  better  than 
sweetened  leather. — Oerynantown  Telegraph. 


^ompsHr   InfpniqpnrF. 


[Concliided  from  page  217.] 

On  '* Skeletonizing." — The  art  of  "skeletoni- 
zing" consists  in  promoting  the  decomposition  of 
the  cellular  structure  of  leaves  and  certain  other 
parts  of  plants,  without  breaking  or  injuring  their 
woody  fibre,  which  is  done  very  easily  and  cheaply 
by  macerating  them  in  water.  For  convenience  of 
illustration,  let  us  select  the  seed-vessels  or  burs  of 
Stramonmm  or  Jamestown  weed,  which  are  now  just 
in  the  right  condition,  being  partially  open,  but  not 
at  all,  or  very  slightly,  dried  or  faded  in  color  ;  place 
these  in  a  basin  or  bucket,  and  pour  on  them  suffi- 
cient hot  water  to  cover  them  completely,  and  set 
them  aside.  CCold  water  will  answer  the  purpose, 
but  not  so  quickly. )  After  about  three  weeks,  du- 
ring which  time  a  little  fresh  water  may  be  occasion- 
ally added,  these  will  be  softened  and  ready  for  the 


removal  of  the  cellular  portions.  This  is  accom- 
plished by  scrubbing  with  an  old  tooth  brush  or 
shaving-brush,  allowing  a  stream  of  water  to  run 
over  them  during  the  process ;  the  seeds  are  to  be 
taken  out,  and  the  water  allowed  to  run  through  the 
burr,  but  without  removing  the  internal  structure  in 
which  the  seeds  are  deposited ;  in  this  way,  a  per- 
fect skeleton  may  be  produced,  showing  all  the 
woody  portions,  including  the  external  prickles,  and, 
when  bleached,  having  the  appearance  of  delicately 
carved  ivory. 

A  variety  of  seed-vessels  may  be  prepared  in  this 
way,  of  which  the  poppy-head  is  one  of  the  prettiest; 
it  may  be  readily  obtained  in  a  suitable  condition 
from  the  druggists ;  the  internal  membraneous  por- 
tion containing  the  seed  requires  to  be  removed, 
after  the  requisite  maceration  in  water,  by  a  small 
opening  in  the  side.  An  ofiensive  odor  arising  from 
the  decomposition  of  the  cellular  structure  and  its 
contents  is  one  of  the  discomforts  of  this  process, 
but  is  amply  repaid  by  the  beautiful  resulting  skele- 
tons. In  English  *' bouquets"  of  these  prepara- 
tions, there  are  some  seed-vessels  not  often  met 
with  in  this  country,  of  which  the  Henbane  (Hyos- 
cyamus^  is  beautiful. 

The  preparation  of  leaves  affords  a  greater  variety 
of  forms  than  of  any  other  portion  of  the  plant ;  only 
the  leaves  of  trees  and  shrubs,  as  far  as  I  know,  will 
furnish  a  skeleton  ;  those  of  annual  and  herbaceous 
plants  seems  to  loose  their  structure  entirely  by 
maceration.      Some   of  the  most  transparent  and 
delicate  leaves  and  ferns  may  be  bleached  by  putting 
into  the  bleaching  solution  without  previous  macera- 
tion, but  must  always  be  previously  faded,  so  as  to 
have  entirely  lost  their  greenness.     Among  the  best 
leaves  for  skeletonizing  are  those  of  the  ivy,  the 
linden,  the  elm,  the  poplar,  the  holly,  the  pear  tree, 
the  chestnut,  the  sassafras,  the  magnolia,  the  althea, 
and  no  doubt  hundreds  that  have  never  been  tried  ; 
the  oak  would  furnish  a  beautiful  skeleton,  but  re- 
quires from  eight  to  twelve  months'  maceration, 
while  most  of  the  others  named  are  suflSciently  de- 
cayed  in   from  one  to  three  months.     The  leaves 
should  be  free  from  insect  bites   or  other  imper- 
fections; in  cleaning  them,  it  is  best  to  lay  them 
upon  a  smooth  board,  turning  them  over,  from  tune 
to  time,  and  very  carefully  removing  the  decayed 
parts  with  a  soft  brush.     It  has  been  observed  that 
ivy  leaves  are  best  prepared  after  maceration,  by 
tearmg  ofi"  the  two  outer  layers  of  skin,  leaving  little 
else  but  the  skeleton,  which  is  then  easily  cleaned 
by  careful  handling  under  water.     After  obtaining 
the  skeletons,  the  nex.  step  is  to  bleach  them  ;  this 
is  done  by  placing  them  for  a  term,  varying  from  an 
hour  to  a  whole  day,  in  a  solution  of  chloride  of 
hme,  made  by  dissolving  about  two  ounces  in  a  pint 


■  p»i>  m  }»mi 


%\t  iarttj^ntr's  JHonthlg. 


of  water.    Poppy  heads  or  Jamestown  burs  will  bear 
double  that  strength,  some  delicate  leaves,  hydran- 
gea flowers,  «fcc.,  will  bleach  advantageously  with  a 
still  weal^er    solution.     The   preparation  is  to    be 
removed  from  the  bleaching  liquid  as  soon  as  it  is 
thoroughly  and  satisfactorily  bleached  ;  it  is  then  to 
be  washed,  dried  and  put  away  in  a  box,  excluded 
from  the  light,  till  the  collection  is  ready  for  mount- 
ing.    This  operation  requires  much  skill  and  taste ;  a 
common  way  is  to  make  a  kind  of  pin-cushion  into 
which  the  bleached  stems  of  petioles,  or  covered 
wires  glued  to  the  base  of  the  leaves  and  seed-vessels, 
are  to  be  stuck ;  the  whole  may  then  be  covered  by  a 
glass  shade, which  protects  "the  bouquet"  from  the 
dust,  and  renders  it  an  exceedingly  attractive  house- 
hold ornament. — Friends'*  Intelligencer, 

Methods   of  Preserving  Food. — One  of  tlie 
most  remarkable  discoveries  of  modern    times  is 
that  of  compressing  vegetables  for  their  preservation. 
According  to  this  process,  the  most  bulky,  soft  and 
succulent  vegetables,  are  reduced  to  a  fraction  of 
their  volume,  and  are  preserved  in  a  dry  indestruc- 
tible state.     After  boiling  for  a  rather  longer  time 
than  usual,  they  are  restored  to  something  of  their 
original  form  and  consistence,  retaining  all  their  nu- 
tritious principles  and  much  of  their  flavor.    Accor- 
ding to  a  statement  published  in  the  Comptes  Rendus, 
as  read  before  the  Paris  Academy,  the  vegetables 
are  reduced   seven-eighths  in  weight,  and  propor- 
tionally in  bulk  ;  they  require  to  be  heated  one  hour 
and  a  half  to  one  and  three-quarters,  and  on  cooling 
are  found  to  have  regained  nearly  all  their  evapo- 
rated juices. 

To  Kill  Squirrels,  Rats,  Mice  and  Gophers  : 
—Take  white  glass  and  beat  it  as  fine  as  meal ;  then 
mix  up  one  quart  of  corn  meal  with  milk  till  it  is  in 
a  proper  state  for  baking.  Add  to  that  half  a  tea- 
cui)full  of  this  fine  pounded  glass,  stirring  thorougly 
through.  Place  portions  of  this  mixture  in  barns, 
around  gardens  and  in  the  mouth  of  their  dens,  and 
then  bid  them  farewell.— Oregon  t'uimer. 

PoMOLOGiCAL  Spirit.— The  Oregon  Farmer  says, 
Mr.  Calver,  located  on  the  Coquille  River,  rode  on 
horseback  two  years  ago,  three  hundred  miles  to 
Salem,  to  attend  the  Oregon  Fruit  Growers'  Society, 
carrying  his  specimen  of  fruit  with  him. 

Salt  for  Manure.— A  paragraph,  purporting  to 
be  from  the  English  Farmers'  Magazine^  is  going  the 
"rounds"  of  the  press,  that  twelve  hundred  weight 
to  the  acre  is  a  good  dressing,  :  nd  has  been  found 
useful.  This  must  be  a  mistake.  It  would  destroy 
every  thing.  Two  hundred-weight  is  enough  even 
for  very  light  soils. 


Fig.  1. 


Protection  of  Trees.- The  Rural  New  Yorker 
gives  an  "  English  Plan"  o'  protection,  which  seems 
excellent,  and  we  reproduce  it  as  follows : 

Procure  poles  of  any  straight-growing  tree,  six 
feet  or  more  in  length,  and  two  inches  in  diameter 
at  the  thickest  end ;  they  should  have  holes  drilled 
through  them  at  the  top  and  bottom  about  one  foot 
from  each  end.     Get  a  similar  hole  drilled  two  or 

three  inches  up  the  centre  of  a 
stake,  and  then  saw  off  the  length 
which  has  had  the  hole  drilled 
through  it,  and  which  will  give  a 
piece  that,   when    the  string  or 
wire  is  drawn  through  it,  will  re- 
semble b  in  fig.  1.     Repeat  the 
operation  till  as  many  pieces  are  drilled  and  sawn  off 
as  may  be  wanted.     Pass  a  strong  piece  of  wire,  or 
thick  tarred  string,  through  one  stake  by  the  hole  at 
the  top,  and  then  through  one  of  the  two-inch 
pieces,  then  through  another  stake,  and  so  on,  sepa- 
rating each  stake  at  top  and  bottom  by  one  of  the 
two-inch  pieces  of  wood,  until  you  have  enough  to 
surround  your  tree  loosely,  leaving  plenty  of  space 
for  growth.     When  this  is  done,  the  appearance  of 
the  guard,  before  being  put  on,  wUl  be  as  in  fig.  2. 
Place  the  guard  thus  formed  round  the  tree  and 
fasten  the  ends  of  the  wire  or  string.     The  guard  is 
much  the  same  as  the  cradle  put  round  the  neck  of  a 
blistered  horse,  to  prevent  his  gnawing  the  irritated 

Fig.  2. 


r\>^ 


;^ 


^ 


y 


~) 


part.  The  ends  of  the  stakes  merely  rest  on  the 
ground,  and  they  should  be  cut  quite  flat  at  the  bot- 
tom to  prevent  their  sticking  in  it.  At  the  upper 
end  they  should  have  a  sharp  slanting  cut  with  a 
bill-hook,  to  throw  off-  the  rain.  The  motion  of  the 
tree  will  not  be  in  any  degree  impeded,  and  the  bark 
cannot  be  injured,  let  the  wind  blow  as  it  may,  for 
the  guard  moves  freely  with  the  tree  in  every  direc 
tion.  If  a  tree  is  growing  rapidly,  it  will  want  room 
before  the  guard  requires  renewing ;  in  which  case 


tr 


I 


Ch^  §nxk\\txs  MonthliT. 


(^^' 


it  is  onlj^  necessary  to  untie  the  string  or  wire  at 
the  top  and  bottom,  lengthen  the  string  or  wire  by  , 
tj'ing  a  piece  to  it,  and  introduce  an  exj^ra  rod,  and  \ 
two  extra  separating  pieces.     As  a  principal  feature  ^ 
in  this  guard  is,  that  the  tree  is  left  quite  at  liberty 
to  be  blown  about  by  the  wind  in  every  direction,  of  , 
course  it  does  not  obviate  the  necessity  of  staking  a 
newly  planted  tree  until  it  becomes  fairly  rooted. 


Fig.  3. 
Fig.  3  shows,  on  a  larger  scale,  the  ground-plan, 
or  rather  horizontal  section  one  foot  from  the 
ground,  and  a  portion  of  the  elevation  of  a  tree  so 
fenced.  In  this  figure  the  wire  or  string  is  shown 
passing  through  the  upright  rods  and  horizontal 
short  pic  ces,  from  c  by  rf  to  e,  but  from  c  by  /  to  c, 
the  wires  are  only  shown  passing  through  the  up- 
right rods ;  the  short  pieces  being  seen  m  vertical 
profile,  as  they  are  in  nature. 


IcE-IIousE8. — We  have  recently  made  some  ex- 
periments with  ventilating  ice-houses,  showing  the 
great  advantage  of  admitting  warm  air  to  the  saw- 
dust which  covers  the  ice  at  the  top.  A  house, 
with  double  walls  filled  with  sawdust,  received  last 
winter  its  usual  supply  of  ice  ;  and  the  upper  door, 
through  which  the  ice  was  passed,  carefully  closed. 
It  was  found  this  summer  to  be  rapidly  melting. 
The  door  was  opened,  and  the  melting  ceased.  This 
has  been  since  repeated,  and  invariably  with  the 
same  results.  "When  the  door  is  closed,  and  the  air 
above  the  ice  thus  enclosed,  becomes  cold,  the  ice 
sinks  away ;  when  it  is  opened,  and  air  admitted 
freely  from  the  outside,  the  melting  ceases.     This 


will  perhaps  be  accounted  for  in  different  ways  by 
different  persons,  but  the  true  explanation  is  proba- 
bly this :  When  the  door  is  closed,  the  air  above  the 
ice  is  reduced  in  temperature,  and,  as  a  necessary 
consequence,  becomes  heavier  and  sinks  or  forces  its 
way  downwards  through  the  sawdust.  Its  tempera- 
ture being  above  freezing,  Calthough  much  below 
that  of  the  common  air,  J  it  carries  a  constant  stream 
of  warmth  to  the  ice  and  melts  it.  When  the  door 
is  thrown  open,  and  the  air  outside  freely  admitted 
to  blow  over  it,  this  air  cannot  become  cooled,  and 
does  not  sink,  and  the  ice  is  unharmed. 

We  have  many  inquiries  from  our  correspondents, 
why  their  ice  melts  away  so  rapidly.  As  a  general 
answer,  we  might  say,  you  take  too  much  pains  in 
building  tight  ice-houses.  We  never  saw  ice  keep 
better  than  in  a  hoard  shanty.  The  air  must  blow 
freely  over  the  top  of  the  sawdust,  and  this  shanty 
was  open  all  around.  A  rough  floor  admitted  free 
drainage  ;  about  eight  inches  of  sawdust  was  spread 
evenly  over  this  floor  ;  the  ice  then  built  up  in  square 
blocks,  leaving  about  eight  inches  around  next  to 
the  siding  of  the  shanty,  which  was  filled  and 
packed  in  as  the  structure  of  ice  went  up ;  and  lastly, 
the  top  was  covered  with  about  eight  inclies  of  saw- 
dust. This  Avas  the  whole  process.  The  ice  kept 
perfectly  ;  was  used  all  last  summer,  and  about  two 
tons,  which  was  left  over,  was  thrown  out  last  win- 
ter, when  the  building  was  refilled.  A  thickness  of 
eight  inches  of  packed  sawdust  may  be  regarded  as 
a  perfect  non-conductor  of  heat,  for  all  practical 
purposes, — perhaps  six  inches  would  do,  if  fine  and 
evenly  packed.  If  not  packed,  it  may  have  cavities 
or  orifices,  and  admit  enough  warm  air  to  melt  the 
whole. — Country  Gentleman. 


Packing  Fruit. — In  no  art  are  we  more  deficient 
than  that  of  packing  fruit  so  that  it  may  be  carried 
a  long  distance  without  injury.  Three-fourths  of  all 
our  summer  fruits  sent  to  market  any  considerable 
distance  is  more  or  less  injured.  Indeed,  much  that 
is  brought  to  cities  by  growers  only  a  few  miles  dis- 
tant is  scarcely  fit  for  sale.  Occasionally  fruits  are 
sen't  us  with  a  request  to  exhibit  them  at  our  Horti- 
cultural Shows,  but  in  most  cases  the  specimens  are 
so  injured  when  received  as  to  be  entirely  unfit  to 
show.  Mr.  Kidd,  gardener  to  the  Marquis  of 
Broadalbane,  who  sends  fruits  and  flowers  from 
the  garden  near  Hampton  Court,  England,  to  the 
Highland  residence  of  the  ]\Iarquis,  subject  to  five 
hundred  miles  carriage,  is  so  successful  in  packing, 
that  he  can  send  fully  ripe  peaches  "without  loos- 
ing  a  fruit,"  and  bouquets  that  when  received  will 
be  as  fresh  as  when  first  picked.  He  gives  his 
method  of  packing  fruit  as  follows:  *'I  have  found 
no  bettor  method  in  all  my  experience,  which  lias 


) 


Wti\  dardcner's  JHontlilg. 


extended  over  a  period  of  twenty  years,  with  all  kinds 
of  fruit,  varying  in  distances  from  fifty  to  five  hundred 
miles.     It  simply  is— box,  soft  paper  and  sweet  bran. 
A  box  is  chosen,  in  size,  according  to  the  quantity 
to  be  sent.     A  layer  of  bran  is  put  at  the  bottom  ; 
then  each  bunch  of  grapes  is  held  by  the  hand  over 
the  centre  of  a  sheet  of  paper ;  the  four  corners  of 
the  paper  are  brought  up  to  the  stalk  and  nicely  se- 
cured ;  then  laid  on  its  side  in  the  box,  and  so  on, 
until  the  first  layer  is  finished.     Then  fill  the  whole 
over  with  bran,  and  give  the  box  a  gentle  shake  as 
you  proceed.     Begin  the  second  layer  as  the  first, 
and  so  on,  until  the  box  is  completed.   Thus,  with  neat 
hands,  the  blooni  is  preserved,  and  may  be  sent  to  any 
distance  ;  but,  with  clumsy  hands,  quite  the  contrary, 
and  often  an  entire  failure,  as  the  putting  hi  and 
the  taking  out  of  the  box  are  the  most  important 
points  to  be  observed.     I  have,  invariably,  packed 
sixty   or   eighty   bunches   of   grapes,    and  titty   or 
sixty  dozen  of  peaches  or  apricots  in  one  box,  and 
received  letters  from  employers,  to   say  that  they 
had  arrived  as  safe  as  if  they  had  been  taken  from 
the  trees  that  morning."— iJum/  New  Yorker. 


profession,  a  taste  for  Horticultural  and  Agricultural 
pursuits,  displayed  in  the  beautiful  garden  and 
greenhouses  adjoining  his  residence,  as  well  as  in 
his  long  i)atronage  of  domestic  and  foreign  periodi- 
cals devoted  to  these  subjects.  Mr.  M.  was  suddenly 
prostrated  by  an  apoplectic  attack  while  engaged  in 
arguing  a  case  in  court  the  day  before ;  he  was  at 
once  taken  home,  and  lingered  there,  unconsciously, 
only  until  one  o'clock  the  following  morning,  when 
he  breathed  his  last.— Couu/ri/  Gentleman. 

Advices  from  St.  Petersburgh  bring  intelligence 
of  the  death,  on  the  6th  of  last  December,  at  the 
age  of  70,  of  Mr.  V.  Hartwiss,  the  Superintendent 
of  the  Botanical  garden  of  Nikita  in  the  Crimea. 


yoppign  Inl^pfligpnrp. 


Importation  of  Foreign  Vines  and  Fruits.— 
Col.  llaraszthy,  one  of  three  conmiissioners  ap- 
pointed in  conformity  to  a  resolution  of  the  State  of 
Calitbrnia,  to  promote  the  culture  and  improvement 
of  the  grape-vine  in  that  State,  is  about  to  visit  the 
grape  districts  of  Europe  and  collect  all  the  best  va- 
rieties to  be  found.  In  a  circular  to  grape-growers, 
he  says : 

"El   Paso   on   the    Rio    Grande,   frontier  place 
between    the    United    States    and    Mexico.       The 
fruits   chiefly   produced  are   grapes,   apples,  pears, 
quinces,  peaches  and  apricots.     The  quinces  are  as 
good  as  those  raised  East,  but  the  peaches  do  not 
possess  so  fine  a  flavor  as  our  own,  while  the  apples 
and    pears  are   decidedly  inferior.      The   grape   is 
widely  cultivated,  and  is  of  a  large  species  brought 
originally  from  Spain  ;   both  the  white  and  purple 
vaWeties  are  raised.     In  the  spring  the  vines  are  irri- 
gated, or  rather  inundated,  being  altogether  under 
water  until  the  ground  becomes  completely  saturated; 
this  is  generally  afl  the  moisture  they  get.    The  fruit 
ripens  in  July  and  lasts  for  three  months.    It  is  much 
used  for  food  ;  and  wine  and  brandy  are  made  from 
it,  both,  however,  of  inferior  (luality."— i^y<>>/i  Zadock 
PratVs  California  Tour. 


Artificial  Ammonia.— It  is  said  that  two  French 
chemists  have  found  out  a  process  by  which  the  hy- 
dio"-en  of  water  can  be  made  to  unite  with  the  ni- 
trogeu  of  the  atmosphere. 


OBITUARY. 

It  is  with  deep  pain  that  we  place  on  record  the 
death,  July  12th,  at  his  residence  in  Rochester,  of 
Hon.'selaii  Matthews,  widely  known  throughout 
Western  New  York  as  an  eminent  lawyer,  and  who 
united,  with  an  engrossing  earnestness  in  his  own 


The  Vioi-et  in  the  East.— Viola  odorata  is  the 
favorite  flower  of  Greeks  and  Turks,  and  they  culti- 
vate them  abundantly  in  their  gardens.     They  begin 
flowering,  sometimes  as  ea^y  as  January,  and  con- 
tinue flowering  till  April,  the  scent  being  much  moie 
intense  than  that  of  the  German  or  French  violet. 
Thousands  of  bouquets,  five  violets  in  a  bunch,  are 
sold  daily  in  the  Grecian  towns,  the  price  being  but 
trifling  and  every  one  fond  of  them,  the  demand  is 
equaUo  the  supply.     The  Greeks  also  make  a  syrup 
of  violets  for  coughs.     More  than  even  the  Greeks, 
do  the  Turks  love  the  violet.    They  plant  it  in  masses  ; 
make  sherbet  and  candies  of  it ;  spread  the  flowers 
in  the  apartments,  especially  those  of  the  harem, 
where  the  eunuch  hands  every  morning  a  fresh  violet 
to  every  lady.     The  color  of  the  violet  is  the  favo- 
rite color  of  the  Turkish  ladies,  and  they  call  dresses 
of  violet  color  mencmticc,  from  the  violet  mcnc.ves. 

The  Romans  made  a  wine  and  cakes  from  the 
violet,  nor  were  they  less  fond  of  the  color.  There 
seems  to  have  been  a  great  demand  for  it,  or  they 
would  not  have  had  dyers,  who  dyed  violet  shades, 
and  none  others.     Such  a  dyer  was  styled  molfirinn 

infector. 

"with  the  ancient  Greeks  the  violet  was  the  sym- 
bol of  the  early  regeneration  of  the  earth  ;  also  of 
death,  on  account  of  its  drooping  habit.  There 
being  many  violets  around  Athens,  that  city  was 
surnamed  the  Voilet-scented  F\oTix.—Oenmn  Flora 
Regensbvrg. 


-cSfe/ 


VN»  'C 


(i! 


CJe  (Sarkittr's  ^on 


How  TO  Destroy  Plant  Lice. — M.  Gcrold,  an 
eminent  horticulturist  of  Vienna,  states  that  lice  may 
be  destroyed  by  squirting  a  decoction  of  quassia, 
mixed  with  soap-suds,  on  the  plants  which  may  be 
infested  with  them.  M.  Oberdieck,  another  distin- 
guished horticulturist,  has  followed  up  the  experi- 
ment of  M.  Gerold  with  great  success.  For  a  simi- 
lar purpose,  and  the  destruction  of  insects  generally, 
M.  Lemaire  proposes  coal-tar  mixed  with  saponine. 
Garden  soil,  with  which  this  preparation  has  been 
thoroughly  intermingled,  has  been  freed  from  the 
snails  and  other  insects  which  previously  infested 
the  greens  grown  on  it.  This  mixture  should  not  be 
applied  to  the  plants  themselves,  because  it  damages 
the  leaves  and  flowers.  It  may  safely  be  applied, 
liowever,  to  the  wall  behind  espaliers.  This  same 
compound,  spread  upon  the  wall  and  floor  of  grana- 
ries, will  exterminate  the  weevil.  As  kindred  to 
this  same  subject,  we  may  mention  that  train  oil 
rubbed  on  the  legs  and  bellies  of  horses,  cows  and 
oxen,  will  free  them  from  the  annoyance  of  flies  and 
the  stings  of  venomous  insects.  Unlike  the  Esqui- 
maux, who  feed  on  this  disagreeable  substance,  in- 
sects cannot  even  bear  its  smell. 


RirENiNG  Seed  for  Double  Flowers. — One 
great  cause  of  all  the  ill-success  in  attempting  to 
grow  double  flowers  is  commencing  the  work  too 
late.  It  has  been  thought  sufticient  to  begin  with 
the  seed,  but  a  great  deal  is  to  be  done  before  that. 
We  know  how  early  the  buds  for  the  succeeding 
year's  flowers  are  formed  in  perennial  plants. 
Doubling  of  flowers  from  which  the  seed  is  to  be 
saved  for  the  new  progeny  are  about  to  be  formed. 
Tlie  foundation  is  to  be  laid  then,  and  the  work  must 
be  perfected  by  the  culture  of  the  plants  raised  from 
the  seed  thus  produced.  When  the  plants  raised 
from  these  seeds  have  acquired  fibout  a  third  of  their 
size,  promote  their  free  growth  by  all  possible 
nieans.  This  is  the  period  at  which  the  buds  of 
flowers  take  their  final  form.  Allow  only  a  few 
flowers  upon  each  plant  to  ripen,  and  do  not  let  the 
roots  be  exhausted  by  opening  more  than  are  in- 
tended to  be  set  for  seed.  In  the  common  way,  the 
flowers  weaken  each  other,  and  part  of  the  seed  is 
always  bad.  As  the  seed  which  follows  the  first 
flowers  is  the  best,  let  these  alone  stand,  and  take 
the  ref^  olT  in  the  bud. — Midland  Florist. 


r 


Begonia  incarnata. — As  a  useful  plant  for  cut- 
ting flowers  from  during  winter,  this  species  of  Be- 
gonia or  Elephant's  Ear  has  no  superior,  being  one  of 
those  plants  the  commercial  florist  grows  in  quanti- 
ties, to  supply  cut  flowers  for  bouquet  making.  Its 
color  is  good  by  artificial  light, — a  point  of  great 


importance,  and  it  produces  flowers  in  great  abund- 
ance, which  arc  graceful  either  on  the  plant,  or  cut 
and  placed  in  the  bouquet,  vase,  or  basket.  It  is  a 
native  of  Brazil,  and  luxuriates  here  in  an  artificial 
temperature  during  av inter,  ranging  between  50'' and 
65°,  the  latter  only  from  sun-heat,  and  it  is  advisable 
to  keep  the  night  temperature  somewhere  near  50- ; 
much  higher  its  beauty  is  of  short  duration,  while  if 
occasionally  as  low  as  45°  it  will  cause  no  injury. 
It  will  also  flower  well  in  the  window,  although 
somewhat  lighter  in  color,  from  absence  of  light. 


A  Noble  Oak. — There  is  standing  on  the  estate 
of  Lee  Steere,  Esq.,  Rusper,  Sussex,  England,  an 
oak  (  Quercus  robur),  that  has  braved  the  storms  of  at 
least  a  century  and  a  half,  and  bids  fair  to  stand  as 
much  longer.  Its  height  is  thirty-seven  feet ;  circum- 
ference, five  feet ;  ficm  the  ground,  ten  feet ;  from 
the  ground  to  the  first  branch,  nine  feet.  The 
branches  cover  an  area  of  nineteen  square  perches. 


Roses. — For  a  neat  surface-dressing  for  autumnal 
roses,  wood  ashes  and  guano  have  proved  most  ex- 
cellent fertilizers,  in  the  proportion  of  half  a  peck  of 
guano  to  a  bushel  of  wood  ashes.  Apply  a  quarter 
of  a  peck  of  the  mixture  to  each  tree  in  a  circle  of 
three  feet  in  diameter  rou'd  the  stem,  and  letting  it 
remain  undisturbed  on  the  surface.  The  ashes  retain 
the  moisture  from  the  dew  and  showers,  and  the 
eff'ect  in  giving  a  more  vigorous  growth,  with  an 
abundant  crop  of  flowers  in  autumn,  has  been  very 
apparent.  This  dressing  should  be  given  in  Febru- 
ary. Soot  in  heavy,  cold  soils  is  also  very  good  for 
surface-dressing  ;  this  should  be  applied  in  January 
or  February,  about  a  ([uart  to  a  tree  in  a  three  feet 
circle,  and  lightly  forked  in  in  April. 

December  and  January  are  the  best  months  for 
applying  the  strong  liquid  manures  such  as  solutions 
of  night-soil,  soakings  of  a  dunghill,  &c.,  poured  on 
the  surface ;  they  need  not  be  stirred  until  spring. 
One  to  two  gallons  poured  on  the  surface  twice  in 
the  winter  and  the  surface  Hlightly  forked  two  or 
three  inches  deep,  will  give  great  satisfaction. 

Hybrid  Perpetual  and  Bourbon  Roses  bloom  much 
more  abundantly  in  Autumn  if  the}'  are  removed 
annually  in  November^  particularly  in  poor,  unfavor- 
able soils.  Replant  in  tlic  same  i)lace,  giving  each  a 
good  shovelful  of  rotten  manure  mixed  with  the  soil, 
and  top-dress  in  January  with  ashes  and  guano. 
The  annual  removal  of  roses  on  manetti  stocks, 
planted  in  poor,  light  soils,  is  absolutely  necessary, 
for  unless  they  arc  removed  they  wih  not  bloom 
freely  in  autumn. —  T.  Rivera. 


W^\  ^lardcner's  Jttonthlg. 


New  Chrysanthemums. — The  London  Oar- 
dener^s  Chronicle  of  June  15,  thus  notices  three  new 
Chrysanthemums  just  received  in  England  from 
Japan : 

*'Much  as  was  expected  whenever  Japan  became 
accessible,  we  did  not  anticipate  any  new  races  of 
Chrj'^santhemums.      The   semidouble,   full  double, 
daisy-flowered,   anemone-flowered,   and   pompons, 
seemed  to  represent  all  that  this  class  of  plant  was 
likely  to  afford.     But  it  is  not  so.     Mr.  Veitch  has 
sent  home  two   very  distinct  forms,  evidently  the 
representatives  of  many  a  beautiful  production  yet 
unborn.     Two  of  them  represent  the  same  form,  the 
two  varieties  differing  only  in  color  and  size.     Their 
peculiarity  consists  in  the  ligulate  corollas  being  afl, 
or  nearly  all,  drawn  out  into  extremely  narrow  shaip 
terminations,  now  and  then  inclining  to  fork.    These 
may  be  called  Star  Chrysanthemums.     The  third  is 
quite  of  another  kind,  close  headed,  incurved,  with 
all  the  corollas  divided  into  two  irregular  unequal 
lips.      It  represents  what  may  be  called  Dragon 

Chrysanthemums,  in  allusion  to  their  ugly  yawning 
jaws.     We  have  no  further  information  about  them, 

but  as  live  plants  have  reached  Messrs.  Veitch  &  Son, 

we  may  expect  to  see  them  at  our  next  autumn 

shows." 


place  a  layer  of  turf  all  over  the  bed,  after  which  the 
frame  is  put  on,  and  filled  to  about  eighteen  inches 
of  the  glass,  with  good  rich  mould.     When  the 
mould  is  settled  in  a  day  or  so,  take  the  plants  up 
with  a  ball  of  earth  attached  to  them,  and  plant 
them  in  the  frame,  putting  a  little  dry  earth  between 
the  plants,  and  giving  them  a  good  soaking  of  tepid 
water ;  the  frame  is  closed  up  for  a  day  or  two,  until 
they  have  taken  fresh  root.     After  the  plants  are 
established,  put  a  lining  of  stable  dung  all  round  the 
frame  ;  the  heat  of  the  dung  affords  a  bottom-heat 
to  the  violets,  and  by  replacing  the  lining  when  re- 
quired, a  degree  of  heat  sufficiently  to  force  them  to 
a  very  high  degree  of  perfection   can  always  be 
maintained.  — Floricultural  Cabinet. 


The  Cherry  for  Orchard-houses. — This  deli- 
cious little  fruit,  probably  the  gift  of  LucuUus  to  the 
Italians,  requires  very  free  ventilation  if  kept  under 
glass.     The  very  earliest  is  the  Belle  d' Orleans,  and, 
as  such,  is  suitable  for  orchard-houses.     The  Duke 
tribe   are  splendid,  and  the  New   Royal  is  highly 
spoken  of.     Some  late  kinds  are  useful  to  keep,  if 
there  is  space  for  them  in  the  house,  and  they  can  be 
kept  in  muslin  bags.     The  treatment  of  the  spurs  is 
like  plums,  and  very  easy,  because  the  groups  of 
round  flower-buds  soon  form  at  the  base,  and  by 
pinching  freely  in  can  be  kept  fruitful.     It  is  a  capi- 
tal plan  to  break  the  shoots  instead  of  cutting  them  ; 
and  as  cherry  shoots  grow  veiy  freely,  they  must 
not  be  overlooked :   if  so,  then  it  is  best  to  break 
thorn  partially  tliroxigh.,  and  let  the  broken  ends  shrivel 
up  before  cutting  them  olF.     It  grown  as  bushes  in  the 
house,  spur  them  in  more  closely^  and  shoiten  the 
branches  freely.     A  damp  situation  is  quite  unsuita- 
ble for  a  good  cherry  tree,  and  they  require  cal- 
careous matter  in  the  soil. — London  Journal. 


Spirals  of  Plants. — It  is  a  well  known  fact  that 
certain  plants  grow  spirally,  some  tending  to  the 
right  and  ethers  to  the  left.     Some  new  light  has 
lately  been   shed   upon  this  subject  by  Professor 
Wiedeman,  who,  in  a  communication  to  the  Royal 
Society,  London,  attributes  the  phenomena  to  posi- 
tive and  negative  electric  currents.     He  states  that 
in  some  experiments  made  by  him  with  iron  wire, 
he  found  that  when  he  twisted  it  in  the  manner  of  a 
right-handed  screw,  after  the  passage  of  an  electric 
current  through  it,  the  point  at  which  the  current 
entered  always  became  a  positive  pole ;  and  when  he 
twisted  it  to  the  left  hand,  the  point  of  entrance 
became  a  negative  pole,  and  the  wire  magnetized. 
Currents  of  electricity  flow  through  all  plants. 


On  Forcing  Violets.— About  the  latter  end  of 

September,  or  beginning  of  October,  I  commence 

forcing  violets.     Commence  by  placing  a  layer  of 

faggots  on  the  surftice  of  the  ground,  and  so  continue 

g   to  the  height  of  three  feet;  then  put  on  a  layer  of 

\   strawy  litter  on  the  top  of  the  wood,  so  as  to  pre- 

A      vent  the  soil  falling  through;  on  the  top  of  this 


Premiums  for  Gardeners. — At  a  recent  meet- 
ing of  the  Imperial  Horticultural  Society  of  France, 
at  Paris,  premiums  were  offered  for  the  longest  term 
of  service.  The  first-class  silver  medal  was  awarded 
to  a  Mr,  3Iargingnon,  for  forty-six  years'  service, 
and  to  eight  others  similar  medals  for  terms  ranging 
from  thirty  to  forty-six  years.  We  note  the  name 
of  M.  Naudin,  famed  as  a  sound  writer  on  horticul- 
ture, for  thirty-two  years'  service. 

The  Spawn  of  Fungi  is  proving  quite  a  new  dis- 
ease to  British  gardeners.  Their  journals  are  filled 
with  accounts  of  its  wide-spread  and  destructive 
effects.  

Seeding  of  Wellingtonia  gioantea.— i?^n/6 
Ilorticole  says  a  plant  only  seven  years  old  has  borne 
seed  at  Thetford,  and  it  is  hoix'd  it  will  therefore 
soon  become  common. 


PiNUS  SiNCLAiRii,  Lindley  remarks,  is  the  same 
as  P.  Benthamiana ;  is  probably  also  sold  for  it. 

Cryptomeria  japonica  is  popular  in  Japan  as  a 
hedge  plant. 


m 


-  -   ■•---- 


ii 


liil! 
U 


256 


^t{  6anlrncr's  llontjjlg. 


PiNUS  FuiESKANA.— Called  after  Mr.  Fries,  the 
eminent  botanist  at  the  University  of  Upsala, 
Sweden,  is  the  Pine  of  Laponia,  wliich  Linnneus 
and  Wahlenburg,  without  any  further  edmment, 
classified  with  Pinus  Sylvestris.  It,  however,  differs 
from  the  latter  by  standing  higher  on  the  mountains 
than  Norway  Spruce  — Abies  excelsa— whilst  P. 
Sylvestris,  as  a  general  thing,  grows  at  less  altitude 
than  A.  excelsa.  Further,  by  its  cracking  bark, 
which  does  not  scale  off  like  that  of  P.  Sylvestris. 
Lastly,  the  leaves  are  more  rigid  than  P.  Sylvestris, 
and  their  axis  from  the  branches  is  a  larger  one.— 
Begensherger  Flora. 

Pistillate  Stiiawberries.— Dr.  Lindley  says  in 
a  recent  Gardeners'  Chronicle,  that  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  llautbois  variety,  if  any  one  has  ever  yet 
discovered  a  sterile  strawberry  in  England,  he  has 
yet  to  hear  of  it.  It  is  remarkable  that  climate 
should  so  affect  the  reproductive  organs,  as  the  great 
number  of  sterile  seedlings  our  country  raises  exhibit. 


^opHruliurBl  ?tmWm. 


PENNSYLVANIA  HORTICULTURAL 
SOCIETY. 

Tin;  regular  monthly  meeting  was  lield  on  Wediiosday  evening, 
the  17th  ult.,  at  «\mrert  Hall.  As  no  competitive  displays  are 
made  iit  tlie  uudsuinmer  meetings,  the  objects  exhibited  were  tew 
in  uuiiibei,  yet  <iii;le  noteworthy. 

iMr.  liobert  liiiist  prexeuted  a  collection  of  Phloxes,  of  great 
variety  and  beauij  ;  also,  six  Gloxinia?,  a  truly  choice  and  hiind- 
sonie  display,  and  two  new  plants,  exhibited  for  the  (irsttimc,  the 
Htneroceutruui  iilbum  and  Maranta  capitata.  the  latler  an  orna- 
meiital  toliage  plant  of  compact  habit,  robust  gniwth.and  large, 
rich,  dii  k  gieeu  leaves,  very  pleasing  in  form  and  character. 

A.  Feiou,  gaulenor  to  11  Duhiiug,  Es<i.,  displayed  the  finest 
collection  v>r  vegetables  we  have  seen  this  season,  including  seven 
varielies  of  I'uiaioes,  tVas,  Carrots,  Beets,  Squashes,  Cucumbers, 
Tomatois,  Lettuce,  Cabbage  and  Kohl  rabi :  also.  Cherries,  Cur- 
rants, some  very  line  and  large  Black  Currants,  and  two  dishes  of 
the  rainoiis  Hornet  Ilaspberry.  the  largest  and  one  of  the  highest 
flavor,  d  and  most  productive  varieties  known. 

Mr.  A.  Ii.  Feitoncontriiiutedalarge  dishof  Lawlon  Blackberrie.s, 
of  fine  >;/••  and  .|U:iliiy.  fully  ripe,  quite  early  for  this  variety. 

Air.  llairisou  exhibited  .samples  of  Xeedham's  White  and  Dor- 
ch(  slor  r.laclcb.!nifs  and  of  the  Allen  Raspberry.  The  first  men- 
tioned fruit  is  of  a  purple  bronze  color,  of  small  size,  growing  in 
clusieis  like  buuclies  of  -rapes;  the  flavor  is  .somewhat  between 
the  B!;\ckberi y  and  Mulberry.  The  Dorchester  is  a  lur^e,  hand- 
some, glo«,-.y  black  iVuil,  very  sweet  and  about  a  week  earlier  than 
the  LiWton. 

The  Treasurer  presented  his  semi-annual  report. 
C.  11  Roger.'*,  Esq.,  and  John  Stone,  gardener  to  W.W.  Keen,  Esq., 
were  elected  rnomiers. 

The  (J«  mm  iiee  on  procuring  a  new  room  was  continued. 
Mr.  S.iuuder-'  pre..onled  some  leaves  of  exotic  grapevines  which 
had  been  punciun-d  by  an  insect,  live  specimens  of  which  were 
produced  and  piovcd  new  to  most  of  the  members.  Ho  tirst  ob- 
served them  last  year,  and  had  found  no  effective  means  of  des- 
troying them. 

>ii.  |{ui-l.  whose  vines  had  suffered  most  from  the  same  cause 
some  live  veais  ago,  stated,  as  an  effectual  remedy,  the  syringing 
throiigh  tiiP  entire  vine  with  a  strong  decoction  of  one  pound  of 
quassia  in  five  gallons  of  boiling  water,  applied  cold.  It  does  no 
injury  to  the  young  foliage.  .    .      „     .         ,       . 

Mr.  Mitrhell  brought  to  the  notice  of  the  Society  the  Aquarius 
or  Hydropult,  a  clieap,  simple  and  convenient  combination  of  the 
garden  hose,  engine  iind  syringe.  ,      .,     «         .  , 

The  sul'ject  of  mildew  was  Introduced  by  Mr.  Sannder*",  and 
many  inieresiing  facts  as  to  culture,  mulching  and  shelter  were 
elicited.  A  desiie  was  expressed  that  kindred  subjects  be  intro- 
duced at  future  meetin.'s  tor  discussion  and  to  elicit  information 
and  tlio  .xpeiieuce  of  cuUivator.s,  which,  it  was  believe.!,  would 
excite  increasing  intp  eit  in  horticultural  topic-,  and  very  much 
add  to  the  usefulness  cf  the  Society. 


FRUIT  GROWERS'  SOCIETY  OF  WESTERN 

NEW  YORK. 

The  Fruit  Growers'  Society  of  W  eetern  New  York,  held  a  nitet- 
ln»?  at  Syracuse,  on  the  'J-.th  of  last  month,  and  fiom  a  report  of  its 
proceedings  which  we  find  in  the  Rural  New  Yorker,  we  condense 
the  following  extracts:  »  .     j»  vi    f 

I.  What  three  varieties  of  Strawberry  are  the  most  desirable  for 
amateur  or  market  cultivation?  „„  ,„ 

II.  What  varieties  of  Goo.seberry  can  be  successfully  grown  in 

this  country  7  .         ,  **!.,„ 

III.  The  best  method  of  preventing  the  ravages  of  the  goose- 

ben y  and  currant  worm?  ,  .^    ,     »       ,»,    i..i-„..i,i 

l\.  The  best  varieties  of  Currants,  and  the  best  method  of  culti- 
vation for  market?  p  *U„   TJl.w.l^   Pnr 

v.  Js  it  advisable  to  recommend  the  culture  of  the  Black  Cur- 

VI.  The  best  varieties  of  Raspberry,  and  the  best  method  of 

cu^tivatioir    ^^^.^^^^^  ^^  cultivate  the  Blackberry  as  a  garden 

'^Nearly  all  who  spoke  concurred  in  placing  the  Wilson  Straw- 
beiryas  one  of  the  three  desirable  varieties.  1  he  Wilson  iri- 
omphe  do  Gaud,  the  Hovey,  the  Early  Scarlet  seemed  to  be  those 
which  were  most  esteemed. 

The  questions  discussed  were  as  follows:  ,     .  ., 

The  lirst  question  called  out  considerable  discussion,  but  it  was 
all  summed  up  in  what  Mr.  Barry,  of  Rochester  said: 

"  We  cultivate  over  fifty  sorts,  and  it  is  ditficult  to  select  thiee. 
Can  recommend  twenty  good  .strawberries  tVr  amateurs  \\ilson 
is  the  most  profitable  market  berry.  The  Crimson  Cone  held  sway 
iu  the  New  York  market  for  twenty  years,  but  its  lei-n  is  now 
disputed  by  the  Wilson.  Triomphe  de  Gand  is  excellent,  produc- 
tive enough,  and  about  as  hardy  as  most  of  our  uaiive  varieties. 
Earlv  Scarlet  retains  its  popularity  for  an  early  variety,  but . Jenny 
Liud' ripens  at  the  same  time,  is  rip;-r  and  larger,  and  certainly  ot 
as  good  quality.  When  it  becomes  generally  cultivated,  exiiori- 
.nce  may  show  that  the  ScarUt  possesses  s«in.^  sui)eru)niy  over  it 
for  general  culture,  but  it  is  now  very  promising,  leabodys 
celebrated  strawberry  has  proved  worthless  ,.i^a„,„..5 

The  second  question  elicited  the  general  opinion  that  the  Amen- 
can  Seedling  was  superior  to  the  Washington;  and  that  the  latter 
was  affected  with  mildew  sometimts,  while  the  American  was  not. 

Mr.  Ellwangor  said:  .  o     ji-  e  ♦!>« 

"1  consider  what  is  called  the  American  Seedling  one  of  the 
best  of  the  American  varieties  It  is  cultivated  in  some  uurseries 
as  Houghton-s  S.edliug,  but  it  has  a  slender,  eiect  growth  tnuio 
Houghton's  Seedling  is  trailing.  It  is  very  productive.  1  »>«  Uuit 
is  not  so  large  as  H.nghtou's  Seedling,  but  this  soinetimes  mildev  s 
while  the  American  Seedling  never  does.  01  the  Englisii  varieties 
the  Whitesmith  is  the  be>t." 

Mr.  S.  N.  Holmes,  of  Syracuse,  said: 

"  What  can  1  do  to  grow  gooseberries  free  from  mildew  on  a 
heavy  soil?  Have  had  but  poor  success."  Some  suggested  good 
drainage,  but  Mr.  Holmes  said  his  garden  was  pretty  well  drained. 
Mr.  Ellwaugerrecomnundeu  taking  up  the  plants  every  second 
year  pruning  both  roots  and  tops,  and  setting  them  out  again. 
Sis'w'mldlfsually  prove  effectual.  Crown  Bob  was  next  to  the 
Whitesmith  of  the  Eu:;li.sh  sorts  lor  freedom  from  mild.-w. 

in  answer  to  the  third. question:  One  member  recommended 
syiiuKiuL'  the  under  side  of  the  leaves  with  a  decoction  mad.-  ot 
oie  ixmml  of  whale  oil  soap  dissolved  in  six  gallons  ol  water  with 
hill  an  ounce  of  aloes.  But  another  said  that  he  had  laid  alo.-s 
"a'c  soap,  nux  vomica,  lime,  ic,  and  had  seen  the  ^vorni  -at  the 
k-ives  with  the  stuff  on  them.  Digs'iug  th«  KXound  in  H'e  «all 
and  leaving  it  rough  seems  to  have  the  effect  ol  puiging  out  the 

'"S'fourlh  question  elicited  the  opinion  that  the  white  grape 
cu  ant  w.s  the  best  for  market  and  the  tabic  J'' V;.  ''^';«  ."^  '^^ 
Dutch  were  each  pronounced  good  varieties.     Mr.  Ban y  said  . 

''Manure  for  the  currant  is  fully  as  important  as  pruui.ig.     I-  w 
persons  have  any  idea  how  much  manure  a  currant  bush  needs 
The  currant  has  ttue  roots  growing  in  a  small  compas.-,  and  unless 
,1   1'    rL  snppii.  d  with  plenty  of  food,  the  fruit  will  b..  small,  no 
matter  what  the  variety  may  be.    This  often  causes  di.sapi.oint- 

'''^\::^^:^::^:::^t&^,  elldted  the  ^.Uowing  uoUce 
of  a  number  of  sort.s,  from  Mr.  Sylvester,  ol  Lyons : 
"'.'Zmtles  Black  Cap  is  very  good,  hardy  '^"^  P'-ojlnctlvo 
Obtained  a  few  years  since  a  variety  called  Arnerican  Red  Cap,  hat 
I  like  A  vear  or  two  ago  obtained  fnm  the  neighborhood  of 
Syracuse  a  Variety  called  Southern  Black.  It  is  perlect  y  bar.  y, 
^?uV.Lm.^ars  to  be  iariror  than  Doolittle.  The  Orange  nearly  hardy, 
an  t  e  b  -si  of  th^  halt' hardy  kinds.  Bagloy's  Perpetual  is  per- 
petual only  in  formin  suckers.  Ohio  Ever-Bearing  is  very  much 
hk.  HI .  k  Can  but  Kives  a  crop  in  the  ordinary  season,  and  then 
1  uver  and  Jars  again  in  the  fall.  Had  seen  fruit  and  llowens  on 
be  Dlants  when  winter  sets  in.  For  those  who  want  a  litde  fruit 
o  u  ot*  io^  di^nu-  -asou,  it  is  a  good  kind.  The  Antwerps  are 
gilid  when   laid  d^.wn  for  protection  during  the   winter,  which 

^"r^'^l '^.n^fJlUCiV^'i^lative  to  the  I^'-;VTTer?S 
not  seem  to  be  any  direct  answer.    A  I  concurred  that  the  I  ochelle 

i  Blackbeny  was  liable  to  be  injured  by  the  frosts,  and  needed  pro- 

'  tcction.     It  does  best  on  a  light  soil. 


tl 


i 


i^S- 


m. 


m 


CO 

o 

>-< 

O 
O 

;=! 

CO 

GO 
P 

»^ 


DEVOTED     TO 


JlopHrufturp,  SKpfioriruHurp,  Polang  %  Plural  SSfPairs. 


THOMAS     MEEHAN,    Editoe.  SCFTDMBSR,    1861. 


VOL.    III.— NO.    9. 


5inh  for  jSfjpfpinftfr. 


FLOWER-GARDEN   AND   PLEASURE- 
GROUND. 


The  present  state  of  national  affairs  lias  a  great 
tendency  to  lead  parties  from  the  city  to  the  country. 
Fashion  has  lost  much  of  its  urbic  charms  ;  and  this, 
with  a  wide-spread  demand  for  economy,  will  lead 
many  to  rural  life,  who  would  a  year  ago  have  not 
even  thought  of  it.  Hence  the  flower-garden  and 
pleasure-ground  department  of  our  journal,  and 
every  thing  in  connection  with  the  laying  out  and 
improvement  of  country  homes,  will,  at  this  season, 
possess  more  than  usual  interest. 

Too  often  improvements  are  commenced  without 
any  idea  of  what  it  will  cost  to  maintain  them  after 
completion.     It  is  not  unusual  to  find  places  that  j 
have  been  handsomely  laid  out,  in  a  disgraceful 
state  of  neglect,  the  owners  finding  that  they  cost 
considerable  more  than  they  supposed.     We  should 
proceed  with  such  improvements  precisely  as  we 
would  in  getting  a  horse  and  carriage.     Every  one 
knows  that  the  annual  depreciation  of  these  is  about 
ten  per  cent. ;  and  no  one  who  wishes  to  keep  them 
up  to  the  original  standard,  ever  gets  them  without 
preparing  himself,  or  endeavoring  to  foresee  how  he 
is  to  meet  the  additional  drain.     Our  experience  is, 
that  very  nearly  the  same  provision  has  to  be  made 
for  gardening  and  ground-work  that  horses  and 
carriages    require.      If   we  expect    to  keep   up  a 
place  to  the  standard  of  its  first  completion,  it  will 
require  an  annual  outlay  of  ten  per  cent,  on  its  first 
cost  to  maintain  it. 

Very  much  of  one's  original  capital  is  also  wasted 
in  ground-work,  through  having  no  preconceived 
methods  of  arrangement.  The  architect  prepares 
his  plans  with  great  care  ;  and  it  can  be  seen  before- 


hand the  position  of  every  room,  and  the  spot  that 
every  stone  will  occupy  in  the  building;  but  if 
inquiry  be  made  about  the  gardening  affairs,  "don't 
know,  havn't  decided,"  is  the  usual  reply.  The 
gardener  and  architect  should  be  consulted  together, 
and  not  a  spadeful  of  earth  be  broken  for  the  build- 
ing till  every  garden  arrangement  has  been  forecast 
and  decided  on.  This,  of  course,  will  cost  a  little 
more  for  plans  and  specifications  for  groundwork, 
but  it  will  save  immensely  in  the  end,  especially  if  all 
the  heaviest  part  of  the  work  can  be  so  clearly  speci- 
fied as  to  provide  for  its  execution  by  contract. 

In  providing  for  groundwork,  much  that  is  often 
done  is  entirely  useless.  Soil  from  excavations  is 
often  carted  a  long  way  at  great  expense,  that  could 
in  most  cases  be  advantageously  employed  close  by 
in  giving  variety  to  the  surface  of  the  adjoining 
ground.  Eminences  and  rocks,  unsightly  in  the 
rough,  are  often  removed  only  at  great  expense. 
These,  by  adding  to  them  in  some  respect,  or  by 
judicious  planting  or  covering  with  vines  and 
creepers,  may  be  transformed  from  blemishes  to  beau- 
ties at  a  trifling  cost.  So,  small  foot-paths  are  often 
dug  out  as  deep  as  carriage-roads,  and  stone  enough 
employed  in  the  filling  up  to  bear  a  weiglit  of  tons. 
All  of  these  costly  errors  may  be  avoided  by  an  in- 
telligent plan  of  operations,  and  by  the  employment 
of  honest  experience  at  the  head  of  affairs. 

As  the  planting  season  arrives,  it  is  as  well  to  re- 
peat what  we  have  often  remarked,  that  the  relative 
advantages  of  spring  and  fall  planting  are  about 
evenly  balanced.     Failures  follow  all  seasons.    How 
to  plant  is  of  far  more  importance  than  wlien  to 
plant,  and  the  selection  of  stock  to  plant,  of  far  more 
importance  than  the  time  when  it  is  done.     A  tree 
that  has  been  once  or  twice  before  transplanted,  and 
again  carefully  and  intelligently  taken  up,  may  be 
successfully  removed  at  either  planting  season,  with 
the  odds  of  perhaps  one  hundred  to  five  in  its  favor. 
But  a  tree  never  before  transplanted— such,  in  fact, 
as  a  tree  from  the  woods,  or  left  standing  in  the 
nursery  from  the  seed-bed,  is  very  risky  at  any  time, 
and  depends  rather  on  the  weather  following  trans- 
planting for  the  first  few  weeks  for  any  probability 
of  success.     In  selecting  trees  for  planting,  then,  be 
very  particular  to  ascertain  that  they  have  an  abund- 


! 


Kg^^j; 


1 1 


m 
ii 


*i 


C|^  hardener's  l^antjjlg. 


Since  of  fibrous  roots,  and  are  carefully  removed.  In 
this  region,  we  would  plant  evergreens  at  once,  after 
or  in  prospect  of  the  first  good  rain.  Deciduous 
trees  we  would  plant  just  before  the  final  fall  of  the 
leaf,  shortening  off  the  ends  of  those  shoots  that  Avere 
not  quite  mature.  After  the  15th  of  October  we 
would  not  plant  evergreens,  nor  deciduous  trees 
after  the  first  of  November.  Early  or  not  at  all 
should  be  the  motto. 

Propagation  of  stock  for  next  year's  budding, 
should  proceed  vigorously.  Tlie  best  way  to  propa- 
gate all  the  common  kinds  of  bedding  plants  is 
to  take  a  frame  or  hand-glass  and  set  it  on  a  bed  of 
very  sandy  soil  made  in  a  shady  place  in  the  open 
air.'  The  sand  should  be  fine  and  sharp,  and  there 
is,  perhaps,  nothing  l>etter  than  river  sand  for  this 
purpose.  The  glass  may  be  whitewashed  on  the 
inside,  so  as  to  afford  additional  security  against 
injury  from  the  sun's  rays.  Into  this  bed  of  sand 
cuttings  of  half-ripened  wood  of  the  desirable  plants 
may  be  set,  and  after  putting  in,  slightly  watered. 
Even  very  rare  plants  often  do  better  this  way  than 
when  under  treatment  in  a  regular  propagating- 
house.  In  making  cuttings,  it  is  best  to  cut  the 
shoot  just  undor  a  bud,— they  root  better,  and  are 
not  so  likely  to  rot  off  and  decay.  A  cutting  of 
about  three  eyes  is  long  enough  for  most  strong- 
growing  things,  such  as  geraniums,  fuchsias,  &c. 

Small-growing  things,  of  course,  will  take  more 
buds  to  the  one  cutting.     From  one  to  three  inches 
is,  however,  long  enough  for  most  cuttings.     They 
should  be   inserted  about   one-third   of  their  way 
under  the  sand,  which  latter  should  be  pressed  firmly 
against  the  row  of  cuttings  with  a  flat  piece  of  board, 
—not,  however,  hard  enough  to  force  the  particles  of 
sand  into  the  young  and  tender  bark,  which  is  often 
the  first  step  to  decay.     For  a  few  cuttings,  they  may 
be  inserted  with  a  dibble  ;  but  where  many  arc  to  be 
put  in,  it  saves  time  to  mark  a  line  on  the  sand  with 
a  rule  or  straight  edge,  and  then  cut  down  a  face  into 
the  sand,  say  one   or  two  inches  deep,  when  the 
cuttings    can   be  set    against    the    face  like  box- 
edging. 

All  amateurs  should  practice  the  art  of  propagat- 
ing plants.  There  is  nothing  connected  with  garden- 
ing more  interesting. 

Many  kinds  of  bedding  plants  of  succulent  or  sub- 
fleshy  growth,  can  be  taken  up  from  the  flower-beds 
on  the  approach  of  frost,  and  cut  in,  say  one-half, 
and  packed  thickly  in  boxes  of  soil,  and  kept  in  a 
rather  dry  and  cool  cellar  through  the  winter.  Such 
fine  plants  make  a  much  better  show  in  the  beds  the 
next  year  than  plants  of  the  present  season's  strik- 
ing. A  cellar  is  one  of  the  most  useful  appendages 
to  a  garden.     Were  we  to  have  only  one  choice,  we 


should  prefer  a  cellar  to  a  greenhouse  for  its  general 
usefulness. 

We  have  had  many  inquiries  recently  about  cold 
pits  for  the  protection  of  half-hardy  plants  through 
the  winter,  and  in  reply  reprint  the  following  from 
one  of  our  back  volumes : 

Those  who  have  no  greenhouse,  and  yet  are  de- 
sirous of  preserving  many  half-hardy  plants  through 
the  winter,  employ  cold  pits.     Choose  the  dryest  sit- 
uation in  the  garden,  and  sink  about  five  feet  in  depth. 
It  is  important  that  no  water  can  be  retained  at 
the  bottom.     The  pit  may  be  of  any  length  required, 
and  about  five  feet  wide,  so  as  to  accomodate  six  feet 
sash.    The  inside  of  the  pit  may  be  built  up  of  boards, 
or,  if  something  more  durable  and  substantial  is  re- 
quired, brick  or  stone.     The  body  of  the  frame  may 
be  built  up  a  few  feet  above  the  level  of  the  surround- 
ing soil,  and  the  earth  which  comes  from  the  pit  be 
employed  in  banking  up  to  the  upper  level  of  the 
frame.     Shelving  should  be  made  for  the  inside  so 
as  to  extend  from  the  base  of  the  front  to  nearly 
the  top  of  the  back,  on  which  to  place  the  plants 
in  pots.     In  the  space  which  will  then  be  under  the 
staging,  hard  wooded  and  deciduous  plants,  as  lemon 
verbena,  fuchsias,  &c.,  may  be  safely  stored,  while 
the  more  succulent  kinds  are  shelved  overhead.    The 
plants  to  l)e  preserved  in  such  a  pit  should  be  potted 
early,  and  be  well  established  and  healthy  before 
being  pitted  ;  much  of  success  depends  on  this.     The 
less  water  they  can  be  made  to  live  on  without  with- 
ering through  the  winter  the  better  will  they  keep. 
Straw  mats  must  be  employed  to  cover  the  glass  when 
freezing  time  commences,  and  when  the  thermometer 
is  likelv  to  fall  below  30^,  straw  or  liter  should  be 
thrown  over.     Board  shutters  are  also  excellent,  as 
it  keeps  the  snow  out   from  the  straw  and  litter, 
which  sometimes  makes  the  mats  very  awkward  to 
uncover  when  we  would  like  to  give  air.     Very  little 
light  or  air  will  be  required  through  the  winter  when 
the  plants  are  not  growing.     If  a  good  fall  of  snow 
cover  the  pit,  it  may  lie  on   undisturbed  for  two 
weeks  or  more  without  injury.     When  a  warm  dry 
day  offers,  the  sashes  may  be  raised  if  convenient,  to 
dry  up  the  damp.     Many  kinds  of  border  plants  can 
be  kept  over  winter  this  way  with  little  trouble. 

As  soon  as  Dutch  bulbs  can  be  obtained,  they 
should  be  at  once  planted.  Of  all  fertilizers,  well- 
rotted  cow-manure  has  been  found  best  for  them, 
and  especially  if  mixed  with  a  portion  of  fine  sand. 
They  should  be  set  about  four  inches  beneath  the 
surface  of  the  ground,  and  a  little  sand  put  about  the 
root  when  being  planted.  A  very  wet  soil  usually 
rots  the  roots,  and  a  dry  one  detracts  from  the  size 
of  the  blooms.  A  soil  in  which  the  generality  of 
garden  vegetables  do  well,  is  one  of  the  best  for 
these  plants. 


i 


k 


ihi|  hardener's  JftcntWg. 


^ 


FRUIT-GARDEN. 

Trees  that  have  long  stems  exposed  to  hot  suns 
or  drying  winds,  become  what  gardeners  call  "hide- 
bound." That  is  the  old  bark  becomes  indurated,— 
cannot  expand,  and  the  tree  suffers  much  in  con- 
sequence. Such  an  evil  is  usually  indicated  by  grey 
lichens  which  feed  on  the  decaying  bark.  In  these 
cases  a  washing  of  weak  lye  or  of  lime  water  is 
very  useful ;  indeed,  where  the  bark  is  healthy,  it  is 
beneficial  thus  to  wash  the  trees,  as  many  eggs  of 
insects  are  thereby  destroyed. 

Whitewash  is  frequently  resorted  to  by  f^irmers ; 
but  the  great  objection  is  its  unsightly  appearance,— 
the  result  is  otherwise  good.     The  great  opposition 
to  washes  ''ormerly  was,  that  the  pores  of  the  bark 
were  closed  by  them,— this  was  on  the  supposition 
that  the  bark  was  alive;  but  the  external  bark  of 
most  trees  has  been  dead  years  before  the  time  of 
application;  and  the  "breathing,"  if  so  the  opera- 
ti(^ns  of  the  pores   can  be  called,  is  through  the 
crevices  formed  in  the  old  bark,  by  the  expansion  of 
the  growing  tree  by  which  the  living  bark  below  has 
a  chance  of  contact  with  the  air.     No  matter  what 
kind  of  a  coating  is  applied  to  the  bark  of  a  tree,  it 
will  soon  crack  sufficiently  by  the  expansion  of  the 
trunk  to  permit  all  the  "breathing"  necessary. 

In  preparing  for  planting  trees,  the  soil  should  be 
stirred  up  at  least  two  feet  in  depth.     Of  course,  the 
trees  should  be  planted  in  the  holes  only  so  deep  as 
they  stood  in  the  ground  before,  rather  higher,  if  any 
thing    as  the  soil  will  settle.     Good,  common  soil 
may  be  filled  in  the  holes  if  the  natural  soil  is  very 
bad ;  but  any  thing  applied  as  manure  may  be  stirred 
in  the  surface-soil  after  the  trees  are  planted.     Some 
object  to  makmg  deep  holes  for  planting  trees,  as,  if 
the  soil  is  stiff,  they  become  wells,  collecting  water 
from  surrounding  soil,  and  rotting  the  roots.     It  is 
best  to  underdrain  such  soils  before  planting.     If 
this  cannot  be  done,  it  is  best  to  plant  such  ground 
in  the  spring.     The  water  objection  is  a  fatal  one 
for  fall  planting  in  such  ground.  ^      .   ,       .     „ 

The  preservation  of  fruits  through  winter  is  a 
very  important,  but  ill  understood  subject.  Mc 
Mahon's  directions  on  this  subject  are  pithy,  and 
little  has  been  added  to  the  general  knowledge  since 

his  day.     He  says:  i  „  „„*u 

'  *  Winter  pears  and  apples  should  generally  be  gath- 
ered in  October ;  some  will  be  fit  for  pulling  in  the 
early  part,  others  not  before  the  middle  or  latter  end 

^^' "  To'  know  when  the  fruits  have  had  their  full 
growth,  you  should  try  several  of  them  m  different 
parts  of  ihe  trees,  by  tuniing  them  gently  one  way 
or  the  other ;  if  they  quit  the  tree  easily,  it  is  a  sign 
of  maturity  md  time  to  gather  them. 

But  none  of  the  more  delfcate  eating  pears 


u 


should  be  suffered  to  remain  on  the  trees  till  over- 
taken by  frost ;  for  if  they  are  once  touched  with  it, 
it  will  occasion  many  of  them  to  rot  in  a  very  short 
time.  Indeed,  it  would  be  needless,  even  wrong,  to 
suffer  either  apples  or  pears  to  remain  on  the  trees 
after  the  least  appearance  of  ice  upon  the  water,  as 
they  would  be  subject  to  much  injury,  and  receive 
no  possible  kind  of  benefit  afterwards. 

"Observe  in  gathering  the  principal  keeping  fruits, 
both  pears  and  apples,  to  do  it  Avhen  the  trees  and 
fruit  are  perfectly  dry,  otherwise  they  will  not  keep 
so  well;  and  that  the  sorts  designed  for  long-keeping 
be  all  carefully  hand-pulled,  one  by  one,  and  laid 
gently  into  a  basket,  so  as  not  to  bruise  one  another. 
"According  as  the  fruits  are  gathered  carry  them 
into  the  fruitery,  or  into  some  convenient  dry,  clean 
apartment,   and  lay  them  carefully  in  heaps,  each 
sort  separate,  for  about  ten  days  or  two  weeks,  in 
order  that  the  watery  juices  may  transpire,  which 
will  make  them  keep  longer,  and  render  them  much 
better  for  eating  than  if  put  up  finally  as  soon  as 

pulled. 

"When  they  have  lain  in  heaps  that  time,  wipe 
each  fruit,  one  after  another,  with  a  clean,  dry  cloth, 
and  if  you  have  a  very  warm  dry  cellar  where  frost 
is  by  no  means  likely  to  enter,  nor  the  place  subject 
to  much  dampness,  lay  them  singly  upon  shelves 
coated  with  dry  straw,  and  cover  them  with  a  layer 

of  the  same. 

"  Or  you  may  wrap  some  of  the  choice  sorts,  sepa- 
rately, in  white  paper,  and  pack  them  up  in  barrels, 
or  in  baskets,  lined  with  the  like  material.  Or,  after 
being  wiped  dry,  lay  layer  about  of  fruit  and  per- 
fectly dry  sand  in  barrels,  and  head  them  up  as  tight 
as  possible.  In  defjiult  of  sand  you  may  use  barley- 
chaff,  bran,  or  dry  saw -dust. 

"Another  method,  and  a  very  good  one,  is  to  be 
provided  with  a  number  of  large  earthen  jars,  and 
a  quantity  of  moss,  in  a  perfectly  dry  state ;  and 
when  the  fruits  are  wiped  dry  as  before  directed, 
your  jars  being  also  dry,  lay  therein  layer  about  of 
fruit  and  moss  till  the  jars  are  near  full,  then  cover 
with  a  layer  of  moss. 

"  Suffer  them  to  remain  in  this  state  for  eight  or 
ten  days,  then  examine  a  stratum  or  t\ro  at  the  top 
to  see  if  the  moss  and  fruits  are  perfectly  dry;  and 
if  you  find  them  in  a  good  condition,  stop  the  jars 
up  with  good  cork  plugs,  and  cover  them  with  some 
melted  rosin  to  keep  out  air.  The  pears  and  apples 
to  be  used  this  way  should  be  of  the  latcst.and  best 
keeping  kinds,  and  such  as  are  not  generally  fit  for 
use  till  February,  March  or  April. 

"  After  the  jars  are  sealed  as  above,  place  them  m 
a  warm,  dry  cellar  or  room,  on  a  bed  or  perfectly  dry 
sand,  at  least  one  foot  thick ;  and  about  the  middle 
of  November,  or  sooner  if  there  is  any  danger  to  be 


m 


m 


3j\ 


M 


m 


m 


Mn  iardcner's  JIflonthla. 


apprehended  from  frost,  fill  up  between  the  jars  with 
very  drj^  Sfind,  until  it  is  a  foot  thick  around  and  over 
them.  Thus  you  may  preserve  pears  in  the  greatest 
perfection  for  eight  or  nine  months,   and  apples 

twelve. 

"Be  particularly  careful  to  examine  every  fruit  as 

you  wipe  it,  lest  it  is  bruised,  which  would  cause  it 

soon  to  rot  and  communicate  the  infection,  so  that 

in  a  little  time  much  injury  might  be  sustained  in 

consequence  of  a  trifling  neglect  in  the  first  instance  ; 

but,  above  all  things  place  your  fruit,  whatever  way 

they  are  put  up,  completely  out  of  the   reach  of 

frost. 

"The  common  kinds,  for  more  immediate  use, 

after  being  sweated  and  wiped  as  before  directed, 

may  be  packed  in  hampers  or  barrels,  layer  about  of 

fruit  and  straw,  and  placed  where  they  will  neither 

be  exposed  to  damps  nor  frosts. 


?» 


»•»•» 


HOT   AND    GREENHOUSE. 

In  the  greenhouse,  repairing  and  thorough  cleans- 
ing must  not  be  delayed.     Painters  say  this  is  the 
most    advantageous   month  to    paint   wood-work. 
Whenever  the  night  temperature  falls  to  40^,  any 
tender  plants  in  pots  should  be  housed,  without  wait- 
ing for  "the  first  week  in  October."     Things  nearly 
hardy,  as  azalea,  rhododendrons,  oranges,  «&c.,  do 
best  out  "to  the  last."      Any  desirable   plant  for 
forcing,  that  may  be  growing  in  the  open  border,  if 
potted  early  in  the  month,  will  do  very  well  for  that 
purpose.     Weigela  rosea  does  excellently  this  way  ; 
as  also  does  Jasminum  nudiflorum,  Forsythia  viridis- 
sima,  many  Spiraeas  and  Persian  lilacs.     Roses  and 
other  things  intended  to  be  forced  early,  should  have 
as  much  air  and  be  kept  as  dry  as  possible  without 
injury.     Hyacinths  and  other  bulbs  should  also  be 
potted  as  soon  in  the  month  as  they  are  obtained ;  the 
former  are  best  planted  an  inch  deep.      The  earlier 
bulbs  are  potted  the  finer  they  flower, — you  may 
get  catalogues  of  any  number  of  kinds  or  colors  at 
the  auction  maris.     If  you  get  ten  percent.,  as  repre- 
sented,  when  they  flower,   you  will   be  fiivored. 
Mignionette,  rhodanthe  manglesii,  and  similar  or- 
namental %nnuals  essential  for  winter  blooming  in 
well-kept  houses,  should  be  sown  at  once.     Many 
things  for  next  season's  flowering,  must  not  either 
be  forgotten.     The  pansy,  calceolaria  and  cineraria, 
are  in  this  class.     Plants  of  these  that  have  been 
kept  over  the  summer,  will  require  a  re-division,  and 
kept  in  a  close  frame  a  few  days  afterwards,  till  they 
get  re-established.      Propagation  of  all  things  will 
still  require  constant  attention.     It  should  always 
be  an  aim  to  possess  one  duplicate  plant,  as  a  pro- 
vision against  accidents.      In   many  cases,  young 
plants  are  preferable  to  old  ones ;  so  that  the  old 
ones  may  be  destroyed  when  these  are  obtained. 


In  the  hothouse,  the  aeschynanthus  will  soon  be 
the  chief  ornament  of  this  division.     Their  number 
has  increased  so  that  they  have  become  quite  a  fea- 
ture.    If  the  pots  seem  full  of  roots,  they  may  still 
have  another  shift.     They  prefer  very  fibrous  peat ; 
or,  if  that  cannot  be  had,  turfy  loam,  mixed  with  a 
portion  of  coarse  moss.     They  will,  however,  do 
pretty  well  in  small  pots.     Achimenes  and  gloxinias, 
as  they  go  out  of  flower,  should  be  kept  dryer  and 
cooler.     Look  well  after  a  good  stock  of  pentas,  ces- 
trum  and  habrothamnus ;  they  will  go  far  towards 
keeping  up  the  interest  of  the  department  in  winter. 
Justicias  and  acanthaceous  plants  generally  will  prob- 
ably require  another  shift  if  fine  specimens  are  de- 
sired.    The  atmosphere,  if  the  house  be  light,  can 
scarcely  be  too  moist  for  them.     Plumbago  rosea  is 
one  of  the  most  valuable  stove  plants  we  know  for 
winter  flowering ;  it  requires  a  strong  heat.     Clero- 
dendrons,  as  they  go  out  of  flower,  should  be  kept 
in  a  very  airy  situation,  and  rather  dry,  preparatory 
to  being  cut  down  and  treated  like  a  pelargonium  for 
another  year.     Many  begonias  will  be  past  their  best 
flowering  stage ;  very  little  watering  serves  them ; 
they  are  very  liable  to  damp  off"  by  incaution  in  this 
respect.    It  is  difficult  to  lay  down  rules  for  orchidea?, 
80  much  depending  on  the  circumstances  under  which 
they  are  grown.     Those  which  have  finished  their 
growth, — as  many  dendrobiums,  oncidiums,  catase- 
tums,  &c.,  whose  flowers  appear  just  before  new 
growth, — should   have    their  supplies  of  moisture 
gradually  lessened.     The  temperature,  also,  is  better 
gradually  lowered  a  few  degrees,  and  they  should  be 
allowed  more  light  than  usual.     The  period  when 
they  are  about  completing  their  growth  is  the  most 
critical,  as  any  check  at  this  time  spoils  the  prospect 
of  much  blossom  for  next  season.      Those  which 
flower  from  the  young  growth,  as  catleya,  laelia, 
broughtonia,  &c.,  will  require  their  moisture  and 
heat  rather  increased  than  otherwise  till  after  their 
flowering.     Vandas,  angra»cums,  saccolabiums,  and 
other  strong-rooting  a}rial  kinds,  will  require  con- 
stant humidit}^  until  it  is  evident,  from  the  points  of 
their  roots,  that  they  desire  to  stop  growing.     We  are 
often    asked    "how   often    orchids    require  to   be 
syringed  ?"    If  the  situation  in  which  they  are  grow- 
ing be  favorable, — that  is,  retains  in  its  atmosphere  a 
regular  humidity,— they  will  require  very  little  at- 
tention ;  in  many  cases  not  requiring  the  syringe 
once  a  week.     Where  this  cannot  be  affected,  the 
syringe  must  be  oftener  applied.     As  a  rule,  I  think 
no  better  one  could  be  offered,  than  to  syringe  orchids 
just  so  much  as  will  barely  keep  moss  attached  to 
their  block  and  baskets  green  and  growing.     The 
real  terrestrial  orchids  will  require  no  moisture  at  all 
alter  they  have  completed  their  growths,  until  they 
show  signs  of  pushing  again.     Care  against  checks 


!!5>x 


ih4  ^m&mx'%  Jftonthlg^ 


in  temperature  and  humidity,  is  one  of  the  secrets 
of  successful  orchid  growing.  Those  which  are  at 
rest  do  well  in  a  temperature  of  GO^  at  the  lowest. 
Those  which  are  growing  well  should  be  kept  at 
about  80O. 


(Jommunirafions. 


smiLT   GRAPE    AGAIN. 

BY  S.  MILLER,  LEBANON,  PA. 

It  is  said  that  every  man  has  sins  enough  of  his 
own  to  answer  for,  and  should  not  be  loaded  with 
those  of  others.  On  this  principle  I  reply  to  Mr. 
Tompkins,  page  169,  present  volume  of  your  journal. 

Yes,  friend  Tompkins,  there  is  a  true  Emily  Grape, 
and  is  said  to  be  very  good,  but  I  know  it  to  be  of 
foreign  parentage,  and  therefore  of  but  little  value 
out-doors.  I  will  send  you  one  in  the  fall,  or  some 
other  good  grape  instead  if  you  prefer,  and  inform 
me.  Since  I  have  discovered  the  error,  I  have  been 
replacing  true  Emilys  as  last  as  I  can  propagate 
them,  and  it  is  perfectly  right  for  any  one  to  demand 

it. 

You,  Mr.  Editor,  quote  a  part  of  the  controversy 

at  the'Pomological  Convention,  and  wind  up  by 
saying  that  Mr.  Raabe  denies  having  sent  it  out. 

Let  Charles  Downing,  of  Newburg,  N.  Y.,  or  J. 
B.  Garber,  of  Columbia,  Pa.,  tell  where  they  got 
their  Emilys.  Let  Thomas  M.  Harvey,  of  Jenner- 
ville,  Chester  Co.,  Pa.,  tell  us  whether  he  did  not 
see  that  very  same  spurious  Emily,  CBlack  Virginia, 
as  Mr.  Raabe  called  it,)  in  Mr.  Raabe's  garden  on 
the  same  day  that  Mr.  Raabe  proclaimed  in  the  dis- 
cussion room,  that  he  had  put  it  away  years  before. 
Here  I  have  quoted  good  authority.  These  men, 
than  whom  more  honorable  ones  are  not  to  be  found 
anywhere ;  on  these  I  call  to  let  the  public  know 
how  this  matter  stands.  It  is  high  time  that  this 
saddle  gets  put  upon  the  right  horse. 

All  the  Emily  vines  I  sent  out  were  propagated 
by  Mr.  Raabe,  from  whom  I  bought  them  when 
small.  It  is  only  fit  for  stocks,  to  graft  or  inarch 
others  upon  ;  for  which  purpose  it  is  well  adapted,  as 
it  is  a  very  hardy  vine  and  a  vigorous  grower. 


*»m* 


HORTICULTURAL    PROGRESS. 

BY  OLD  PACKER,  ROCHESTER,  NEW  YORK. 

In  your  editorial  on  the  Californians,  you  charge 
them  with  being  fifty  years  behind  the  times ;  but  I 
think  they  are  not  more  than  fifteen,  in  corrobora- 
tion  of  which  I  will  relate  a  fact.  Fifteen  years 
since,  I  wrote  to  a  friend  of  mine  in  London  to  pur- 
chase me  some  Victoria  Rhubarb  plants,  and  after 
waiting  what  I  conceived  due  time  for  my  plants,  I 


received  in  their  stead  a  letter  from  my  friend,  stating 
that  he  had  been  to  a  firm  in  the  King's  Road,  Chel- 
sea. (Messrs.  Knight's,;  and  they  informed  him  that 
it  could  not  be  packed  to  send  to  America  under  a 
great  expense  of  glass  cases  and  personal  attention 
on  the  voyage. 

What  would  we  now  think  of  packing  rhubarb  in 
glass  cases  to  send  to  Kansas  or  Nebraska,  which 
occupies  frequently  as  long  a  period  as  the  voyage 
from  Europe  ? 

Much  I  have  seen  imported  by  being  merely 
pitched  in,  pell-mell,  amongst  dry  moss  in  a  box, 
and  on  its  arrival  here  opened  out  in  fine  condition, 
much  of  it  not  grown  over  an  inch  after  its  confine- 
ment in  darkness  for  weeks.  After  this,  be  easy  with 
the  Californians. 

While  writing,  I  would  be  glad  to  be  informed  if 
it  is  about  correct  to  receive  two  hundred  seeds  of 
Double  Zinnia,  and  only  half  to  grow,  and  that  half 
single,  with  the  exception  of  five  plants.  This  has 
been  my  fortune  with  two  hundred  seeds  from  Euro- 
pean head  quarters. 

Will  the  five  plants  I  have,  perpetuate  their  double 
quality  in  their  seeds  ?  For  they  are  beautiful  and  I 
do  not  wish  to  lose  them.  From  present  appear- 
ances, it  looks  to  me  as  if  the  wet  retained  by  the 
dying  corroUas  will  destroy  the  seeds  if  any.  Can 
I  hope  for  double  plants  saved  from  the  single 
flowers  ?  How  is  it  ?  Oblige  by  telling  me  how  you 
proceed  to  save  seed,  for  I  see  you  exhibited  at  the 
Philadelphia  Exhibition. 

[Good  for  the  Californians.  Still  we  had  no  in- 
tention of  bearing  hard  on  them  any  further  than 
the  simple  circumstance  we  related  went.  In  many 
respects  their  progress  in  horticulture  is  marvellous, 
while  we  could  find  much  ignorance  quite  as  repre- 
hensible  in  older  States.  Our  aim  was  to  illustrate 
a  national  neglect  by  the  instance  quoted. 

The  Zinnias  exhibited  from  Mr.  Median's  Nur- 
series  were  also  from  "head  quarters."  About  two- 
thirds  came  single.  This  is  to  be  expected  from 
this  class  of  double  flowers.  Just  as  in  the  Dahlia 
and  the  Gillyflower,  (we  do  not  like  the  modern 
name  of  "StockgiUy,";  more  of  the  seedUngs  will 
prove  single  than  double.  • 

The  only  advice  we  can  give  is  to  save  seeds  from 
the  doublest  and  most  luxuriant  flowers,  and  ob- 
serve the  usual  rules  in  these  cases  "made  and  pro- 
vided."—Ed.] 


BLACE  APRICOT  STOCK  POR  THE  PEACH. 

BY  P.,  DELAWARE  CO.,  PA. 

What  fruit  grower  is  a  stranger  to  disappointment 
and  vexation  ?  Diseases  among  fruit  trees  appear 
every  year  to  become  more  prevalent,  and  often, 
when  I  have  been  admiring  a  flourishing  young 


f  M  II 


7<^ 


Che  §mkmxs  Ulanthlg. 


tree,  some  little  worm  in  secret  was  working  its 
destruction ;  and  in  a  few  days,  that  which  was  so 
beautiful  and  green,  becomes  a  withered  stem  with 
blackened  and  unsightly  leaves.  I  have  long  been 
trying  to  discover  stocks  that  were  not  liable  to  be 
eaten  up  by  worms,  on  which  to  graft  the  peach  and 
apple,  and  I  flatter  myself  that  I  have  at  last  found 
one  adapted  to  the  peach.  Others  may  have  made 
the  discovery,  but  regarded  it  of  too  little  importance 
to  be  made  public. 

The  black  or  purple  Apricot,  (Anneniaca  dasy- 
carpa,)  will  grow  from  cuttings  with  about  as  much 
certainty  as  the  Quince ;  but  perhaps  it  will  be  found 
preferable  to  raise  it  from  layers,  as  the  stools  throw 
out  an  abundance  of  long  shoots,  which  strike  root 
readily  on  being  laid  down.  On  rich,  mellow 
ground  it  is  scarcely  less  vigorous  than  the  Peach, 
but  it  is  much  more  so  than  the  plum,  and  it  is  per- 
haps the  best  foreign  stock  on  which  the  peach  can 
be  worked.  It  is  entirely  free  from  the  peach  worm 
that  destroys  both  the  peach  and  common  apricot, 
and  it  has  no  special, enemy.  It  is  long  lived,  and 
said  to  be  perfectly  hardy  at  Montreal  in  Canada. 

As  a  stock  it  buds  freely,  but  cannot  be  worked  so 
late  as  the  peach,  and  will  survive  the  mutilation  of  its 
roots  and  careless  transplanting  better  than  the  peach, 
for  the  reason  that  it  readily  supplies  itself  with  new 
roots.  It  never  throws  up  suckers  from  the  roots, 
and,  if  girdled  by  mice  or  cut  olT  below  the  collar,  it 
invariably  dies. 

The  fruit  of  the  dasycarpa  ripens  with  some  varie- 
ties of  the  vulgaris;  is  quite  inferior  to  them  in 
flavor  and  equally  shy  in  bearing,  and  valuable  only 
for  its  hardihood  and  strong  growth,  which  makes  it 
suitable  for  stocks. 

To  raise  these,  or  indeed  any  other  kinds  of  trees, 
from  cuttings  with  success  requires  that  the  condi- 
tions for  developing  roots  should  be  favorable.  They 
do  not,  however,  require  bottom -heat  and  bell 
glasses,  but  merely  a  bed  or  plot  properly  prepared, 
and  which  may  be  used  every  year.  I  have  been 
very  successful  when  I  spread  a  few  loads  of  sand 
some  six  or  eight  inches  deep  on  a  low,  flat  piece  of 
ground  by  the  side  of  a  small  brook,  making  a  bed 
that  always  keeps  damp,  but  is  never  surcharged 
with  water. 

I  have  not  had  the  peach  growing  on  the  dasy- 
carpa for  more  than  five  years,  but  these  look  more 
healthy  than  some  worked  on  peach  stocks  about 
the  same  time,  but  I  have  the  dasycarpa  flourishing 
on  peach  roots  that  have  stood  about  twenty-five 
years,  and  look  as  if  they  might  stand  for  half  a  cen- 
tury to  come,  while  peaches  budded  at  the  same 
time  on  similar  stocks  have  long  since  died. 

The  borer  will  sometimes  attack  the  peach  when 
budded  some  distance  from  the  ground,  but  the 


higher  it  is  worked  the  more  likely  it  is  to  escape  ; 
besides,  the  worm  is  more  easily  discovered  and 
destroyed  than  when  it  is  nearer  or  beneath  the  soil. 
With  black  apricot  stocks,  I  think,  we  might,  in  a 
degree,  master  the  Yellows  as  well  as  the  worms, 
but  this  remains  to  be  tested.  We  propagate  the 
Yellows  when  we  work  healthy  scions  on  sickly 
stocks  grown  from  seeds  bom  in  diseased  trees. 
Nurserymen  buy  their  seed  in  the  market,  which 
have  been  carelessly  collected  frona  all  sources,  and 
then  they  distribute  the  trees  in  all  directions,  so 
that  we  have  little  prospect  of  ever  getting  rid  of  the 
disease  until  we  use  stocks  unmistakably  healthy. 

The  Apple-borer  has  annoyed  me  no  less  than  the 
Peach-worm.  In  order  to  protect  my  trees,  I  have 
carefully  lapped  something  around  their  trunks  near 
the  earth,  but  then  the  rascals  would  get  into  the 
trees  above  the  lapping  two  feet  from  the  ground. 
I  have  tried  soda-wash,  but  one  application  in  a  sea- 
son is  not  suflicient  to  prevent  the  worms,  though  it 
improves  the  appearance  of  the  bark.  One  white- 
washing is  a  better  preventive,  but  not  a  sure  one, 
for  the  bark  scaling  off  in  patches  leaves  places  for 
the  worm,  and  unless  those  who  put  on  the  wash 
are  careful,  they  are  apt  to  leave  a  circle  around  the 
tree  close  to  the  ground  untouched  by  the  lime  just 
where  the  fly  inclines  to  deposit  her  eggs. 

Many  hold  the  opinion  that  white  washing  is  des- 
tructive to  trees,  but  my  experience  leads  me  to  a 
contrary  belief.  I  know  that  if  we  grease  the  trunk 
of  a  tree  all  over,  we  kill  it ;  and  so,  if  we  grease  an 
egg  all  over,  we  destroy  its  vitality,  and  it  will  never 
hatch.  But  the  egg-shell  itself  is  porous  enough  to 
admit  a  sufTiciency  of  oxygen  to  the  embryo  chick. 
Nor  is  a  scale  of  whitewash  less  porous  than  an  egg- 
shell. Does  the  living  part  of  the  stem  of  a  tree  re- 
quire a  circulation  of  air  or  oxygen  more  than  the 
egg  during  incubation  ?  If  it  does,  then  lime  would 
benefit  it  by  causing  it  to  shed  its  moss  and  lichens 
which  obstruct  circulation  more  than  thin  scales  of 
whitewash. 

I  prefer  lime  to  soda  because  it  adheres  better,  or 
not  so  likely  to  be  taken  off  by  the  rains,  and  perhaps 
we  might  add  something  that  would  make  it  still 
more  permanent.  "We  might  add  something  that 
would  make  it  still  more  offensive  to  the  worm. 
Salt  might  benefit  it,  but  as  yet  I  have  tried  no  more 
certain  way  to  get  rid  of  the  worms  than  going 
around  with  the  proper  implements  and  digging 
them  out. 

There  is  one  thing,  however,  I  have  noticed,  in 
looking  through  the  orchard,  two  American  Crab 
Cor  Crap)  apple  trees  have  stood  for  a  number  of 
years  without  being  touched  by  the  borer,  while 
every  other  apple  tree  in  their  vicinity  has  been 
attacked. 


iJ 


gilijt  (Hardatr's  JKontMg. 


I 


Is  this  Crab  tree  (Malua  coronaria)  proof  against 
this  borer?  and  does  it  make  a  good  stock  to  graft 
upon  ?  If  both  of  these  questions  can  be  answered 
in  the  affirmative,  I  would  recommend  crab  stocks  ; 
but  I  would  graft  them  high,  say  three  or  four  feet 
from  the  ground.  If  there  is  a  difficulty  in  getting 
these  stocks  from  seed,  we  might  resort  to  double- 
working  our  trees,  so  as  to  have  crab  stems,  while 
the  roots  and  tops  were  of  coinmon  apple.  This 
would  add  something  to  the  first  cost  of  the  trees, 
but  might  be  a  great  saving  in  the  end. 

The  crab  stock  would  have  a  tendency,  no  doubt, 
to  dwarf  the  trees,  and  perhaps  render  them  more 
prolific  ;  but  crab  apples  appear  to  run  into  varieties, 
some  making  much  larger  trees  than  others,  and  it 
might  be  desirable  to  choose  the  largest  varieties  for 
stocks.  Soil  and  situation  must  make  some  difier- 
ence  in  size,  but  the  largest  crab  tree  I  ever  saw  was 
on  thinnish  clay  land. 

From  a  trial  of  one  season  only,  I  find  that  the 
Chinese  pear  (Pyrm  Chinemh)  may  eas  ly  be" 
grown  from  cuttings  of  six  or  eight  distinct  species 
of  the  pear  that  have  been  tried,  this  promises  to  be 
the  freest  to  strike  root.  It  is  a  strong  grower,  hardy, 
and  is  probably  a  large  tree  when  fully  grown ;  it 
would,  I  think,  make  stocks  as  cheap  as  the  quince, 
and  ftir  more  congenial  to  the  pear.  It  forms  a  per- 
fect union  on  the  pear  much  better  than  the  pear  on 
the  quince,  and  as  it  takes  root  freely,  it  is  possible  it 
would  bear  transplanting  better  than  stocks  of  the 
common  pear.  The  fruit  of  this  tree  is  large,  coarse, 
and  unfit  lor  the  dessert ;  it  may,  however,  have 
some  value  for  cooking. 


!•»- 


THE    INDIAN    OR    CHINESE    AZALEA: 
ITS  INTRODUCTION,   CULTIVATION,  PRO- 
PAGATION AND  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE 
BEST    SORTS,   NEW  AND    OLD. 

BY    AN    OLD    FLORIST,    PniLADELPniA,    PA. 

Mr.  Editor  :— Permit  me  to  take  you  and  your 
readers  back  to  a  period  of  nearly  fifty  years,  when 
the  first  Azalea  indica  was  introduced  from  China 
into  Europe.  It  is  of  the  same  family  with  the 
Wood  Honeysuckle,  and  Mountain  Laurel  Rhodo- 
dendron of  this  country.  It  received  very  little 
attention,  being  considered  by  the  best  growers  there 
as  a  difficult  plant  to  manage  with  any  degree  of 
success,  and  frequently  received  a  very  conspicuous 
part  in  an  English  hothouse.  It  must,  however,  be 
admitted  that  the  common  Azalea  indica,  with  a 
flower  of  a  brick-dust  color,  and  a  foliage,  even  in  its 
best  state,  of  a  questionable  green,  was  unlike  our 
modem  improvements. 

Several  dissertations  appeared  in  the  proceedings  of 
the  London  Horticultural  Society,  on  the  best  method 
of  treatment,  but  no  impetus  was  given  till  the  intro- 


duction of  Azalea  alba  and  phonicea,   over  thirty 
years     ago.        Loudon's    Gardener's    Magazine    was 
then  the  text  book  of  European  gardening  and  cul- 
ture, as  the  Gardener's  Monthly  is  now  that  of  the 
United  States.     The  collections  about  Philadelphia 
were  then  in  a  very  limited  condition  ;  but  even  at 
that  period  I  saw  several  plants  at  Flushing,  Bart- 
ram's  garden,  Landreth's  and  Hibbert's.     None  of 
them,  however,  viewed  the  plant  as  the  one  to  rival 
all  others  for  beauty  of  flower,  profusion  of  bloom, 
and  variety  of  color,  surpassing  every  tribe  of  plants 
for  winter  decoration  in  the  greenhouse  or  parlor,  of 
1861.     From  December  till  June,  these  plants,  with 
very  simple  management,  continue  with  a  profusion 
of  flowers.     TheWardian  Case,  got  up  by  Captain 
Ward,  of  the  Royal  Navy,  contributed  greatly  to 
the  introduction   of  all  the  known  varieties  from 
Canton  to  England. 

In  about  1824,  the  first  white  and  double  purple 
Azalea  reached  PhiladJphia,  and  I  strongly  believe 
that  the  identical  plant  of  the  white  is  yet  to  be  seen 
in  good  health,  in  one  of  the  private  collections  of 
our  city  ;  the  original  purple  died  some  years  ago. 
The  American  climate  suited  their  constitution  much 
better  than  the  English  climate. 

Plants  of  Azalea  indica,  six  feet  high,  and  clot.;ed 
with  flowers  and  foliage  from  bottom  to  top,  were 
frequently  seen   at   our   horticultural    meetings  in 
1834-5.      Several  seedlings  made  their  appearance, 
such  as  Nova  blanc,  elegans,  &c.    And  in  a  few  years 
after  another  lot  came,  and  such  as  Copeii,  Hiretii, 
(fee. ;  then  in  1887  came  the  new  charms  Yaricfjatn  and 
Lateritia,  brought  from  London  by  a  Scotchman. 
From  that  period  till  now,  the  Azalea  has  had  one 
continued  progress,  the  English  and  Belgians,  using 
all  their  art  to  out-rival  each  other  in  the  production 
of  novelties  with  names  of  Emperor  and  Empress, 
Kings  and  Queens,  Presidents,  Generals  and  Stand- 
ards.    The  foundation  of  all   these  varieties  were 
laid  from  the  sorts  introduced  into  England  by  Cap- 
tain Ward,  and  more  recently  the  Azalea  vittata  and 
its  varieties   introduced    by   Mr.   Fortune    to    the 
London  Horticultural  Society's  Garden,  from  whence 
they  have  been  disseminated  to  all  the  plant-giow- 
ing  world,  and  such  is  the  difl'usion  of  knowledge 
through  the  English,  French  and  German  periodi- 
cals that  every  new  article  in  the  horticultural  world 
finds  some  purchaser,  many  of  them  arriving  in  this 
country  as  soon  as  offered  in  Europe. 

The  collections  of  Nurserymen  and  private  grow- 
ers in  the  United  States,  embrace  every  valuable  ac- 
quisition that  has  been  ofl'ered  in  the  Azalea  way  up 
to  June,  1801.  You  must  not  think  it  presumption 
in  me  to  say  that  there  are  growers  and  propagators 
of  this  plant  amongst  your  readers  fully  equal  to  any 
in  any  other  country;    the  climate  being  highly 


i 


r^^. 


^/^/9>^ 


M 


ft!?' 


m 


i 


i 

:  U 


^^ 


264 


Ih^  (SarrtDiw's  Jflonthlg. 


^^!;^ 


favorable  to  tlie  development  of  growth  and  profu- 
sion of  flowers. 

(To  be  continued  in  our  next,) 

— — f  »>   — ■ — — — 

ABOUT    CUCUMBERS. 

BY  PniLOCUCUMO. 

Mr.  Editor: — I  have  no  garden,  and  I  am  no 
botanist.  I  can  not  tell  an  umbrella-carrying  plant, 
umhellifertx^  from  one  with  legs  and  noses,  leg-umi- 
no3(jB.  I  can  not  raise  cabbages  nor  dig  potatoes. 
Therefore  it  may  seem  clear  to  you  that  I  have  no 
business  whatever  with  or  in  the  Gardener^s  Monthly. 
Excuse  me  if  I  correct  you.  If  I  cannot  dissect 
flowers  or  raise  vegetables,  I  can  admire  the  former 
and  eat  the  latter.  Eating,  Mr.  Editor,  is  my  strong 
point.  My  taste  for  good  things  is  a  pretty  respect- 
able one.  In  proof,  the  tasting  committee  of  the 
horticultural  society  of  the  western  portion  of  my 
State  generally  claims  my  unofficial  services.  I  am 
ready  and  proud  to  give  them,  and  I  will  add  that 
the  judgments  of  my  highly  discriminating  palate 
have  invariably  met  the  approval  of  the  knowing, 
«//as  scientific  public. 

Consequently,  I  represent  the  eating  class  of  your 
readers.  Or,  are  you  not  aware  that  there  exists 
such  a  class  of  subscribers,  who,  anxious  to  eat  the 
latest  and  the  best  novelties,  take  in  and  study  your 
highly  esteemed  journal?  And,  by  the  way,  don't 
you  think  vegetables  ought  to  take  equal  rank  in 
your  journal  with  fruits?  Strikes  me  they  are  a 
little  neglected,  and  yet  I  would  like  to  read  a  little 
more  about  them.  I  would  like,  in  fact,  to  invest 
my  dollar  equally  m  flowers,  fruits,  vegetables  and 
botany. 

Now,  as  a  representative  reader  I  feel  also  called 
upon  to  contribute  my  mite  to  the  good  work.  To- 
day I  shall  speak  of  cucumbers.  I  shall  not  touch 
on  the  origin,  rise  and  progress  of  cucumbers,  nor 
quote  Latin,  Greek,  and  Hebrew  to  show  what  sort 
of  thing  they  Avere  with  those  ancient  and  departed 
nations,  nor  compute  the  age  of  the  cucumbrous 
plants,  nor  try  to  demonstrate  why,  as  "coi^cum- 
mer,"  it  is  allied  to  Zoology,  nor  get  enraptured 
over  its  flower  so  yellow  and  its  runner  so  fast,  nor 
describe  the  monstrous  and  hideous  insects  who  have 
declared  that  the  cucumber  vine  is  their  world.  I 
shall  go  direct  to  the  eating  part,  concerning  which, 
I  last  night  read  a  passage  in  an  old  and  venerable 
folio,  called :  "The  Travels,  Adventures  and  Obser- 
vations of  Baron  Baldrian  von  Knyphausen,  Ambas- 
sador Extraordinary  of  His  Scrennisime  Highness, 
the  Margrave  of  Anspath,  at  the  Courte  of  Iler 
Brittanick  Magestie  Queene  Anne,  during  his  so- 
journ in  England.  Translated  from  the  Original 
German  Text,  by  Doctor  Hugh  Browne,  LL.D., 
F.  R.  S.      London,  170G."      The   Baron   Baldrian, 


after  having  several  times  declared  himself  a  tho- 
rough German  in  patriotism,  still  a  "  Kosmopolitan" 
in  matters  of  taste,  says  :  '*  (^September  first.  ^  Up 
by  boat  to  Hampton  to  meete  the  Courte.  Saw  the 
Duke  (Marlboro'^  there,  and  many  fine  ladyes. 
Tolerable  dinner.  Awfully  bad  Cou-combers.  Bar- 
barous way  of  treating  the  Cou-comber. 

"The  younge  and  greene  thing  was  brought  raw 
on  the  table,  and  the  ladyes,  with  theyr  daintie 
fingers,  peeled  them  and  cut  them  in  thick  slices." 
CPrecisely  as  American  folks  do  now-a-day.^  Our 
Baron  next  proceeds  to  give  his  cosmopolitan  recipe, 
which  we  transcribe  as  follows  : 

"Let  your httle  woman  CGod  bless  her)  peel  your 
cucumber,  and  slice  it  as  thinly  as  ever  she  can,  by 
six  o'clock  of  a  morn,  and  set  in  ice-water  in  a  deep 
plate,  put  salt  liberally  on  the  slices,  mix  them  and 
cover  the  plate  with  another  inverted  one.  By  eight 
of  the  clock  let  her  pour  away  the  water,  which  the 
salt  has  drawn  out,  and  repeat  the  exact  same  pro- 
cess over  again.  By  ten  of  the  clock,  pour  away 
again  the  water  drawn  by  the  new  salt ;  put  some 
more  salt  on,  equally  a  sharp  dose  of  pepper,  and 
mix  thoroughly.  When  the  clock  strikes  eleven,  your 
little  woman  will  again  pour  the  water  ofi",  season 
again  with  pepper  and  salt,  add  an  onion  or  two, 
finely  cut  up,  likewise  add  her  pretty  handful  of  pars- 
ley, also  cut  very  finely,  inundate  the  whole  with 
good  vinegar,  and  let  stand  an  hour  or  so.  By  noon 
you  take  your  dinner,  eat  your  cucumber-salad,  and 
thank  Providence  for  your  wife." 

To  which  your  petitioner  has  only  two  things  to 
add :  first,  thank  your  wife,  as  well  as  Providence, 
and  immediately  after ;  next,  never  use  metal  spoons 
or  forks,  if  you  can  help  it,  in  manipulating  cu- 
cumbers. 

My  chemical  friend  and  commentator,  after  having 
read  so  far,  adds  sententiously  : — The  palatability  of 
the  cucumber's  fibrous  substances  is  only  obtainable 
by  the  expulsion  of  its  acqueous  contents  and  the  ad- 
mixture of  antagonistic  condiments.  All  of  which 
is  respectfully  submitted  and  warranted  to  eat  well. 


*»m** 


NOTES  ON  ENGLISH  SOURCES-GRAPES. 

BY  C. 

A  CHEAP  lean-to  vinery,  thirty  feet  long  and  ten 
feet  wide,  may  be  built  for  twelve  pounds — about 
sixty  dollars.  (Who  would  be  without  such  even 
for  their  amusement  ?)  On  the  vine-borders  and  in 
the  pots  he  (T.  Rivers)  uses  a  top-dressing  of  soot 
with  the  greatest  advantage  ;  it  is  applied  over  the 
whole  surface  in  March  and  allowed  to  remain  un- 
disturbed during  the  whole  summer.  He  has  used 
it  for  three  years,  and  generally  strews  it  at  the  rate 
of  a  peck  to  ten  square  yards.  It  acts  as  an  absorb- 
ant  of  heat  and  as  a  manure.     Would  not  charcoal 


Wxi,  gardener's  JUtontllg. 


dust  with  a  little  wood-ashes  and  sulph.  of  lime 
ox.  gypsum  answer  as  well,  for  all  cannot  procure 
soot  to  any  amount  here. 

New  grapes  for  vineries  without  fire  heat,  and 
prices  sterling : 

Buckland  Siceetwater.  21s.  Berries  large,  round, 
greenish  white,  sweet  and  juicy  and  very  good;  valu- 
able for  setting  its  fruit  better  than  Sweetwater. 

Chainpion  Hamburg.  7s  6d.  Berries  round,  pur- 
ple, like  Black  Hamburg,  but  larger. 

Chasselas  Vihert.  5s.  Berries  round,  large,  pale 
amber ;  very  juicy  and  refreshing ;  ripens  ten  or 
twelve  days  before  the  Roj^al  Muscadine  ;  very  hardy 
and  excellent.  "This  is  a  French  seedling  from  the 
Sweetwater ;  its  berries  are  veiy  large,  and  when 
ful'y  ripe  of  a  golden  yellow  color,  with  the  flavor 
of  the  Royal  Muscadine  ;  its  leaves  are  more  deeply 
serrated  than  those  of  its  parent." 

Muscat  de  Juliet.  5s.  Berries  round,  purple, 
medium  size,  rich,  juicy  and  excellent.  This  grape 
will  ripen  well  on  a  wall  in  the  South  (England;, 
and  well  adapted  for  pots. 

Muscat  de  Sarbille.  5s.  Berries  round,  puri)le, 
medium  size  ;  of  a  peculiar  rich  Muscat  flavor,  and 
like  the  Juliet  will  ripen  on  a  wall ;  is  hardy  and 
well  adapted  for  pots. 

Trenlham  Black.  7s  Gd.  Berries  large,  round,  pur- 
ple, juicy  and  rich,  with  a  peculiar,  refreshing  flavor 
like  the  May  Duke  Cherry  ;  a  great  bearer  and  will 
be  valuable. 

Due  de  Malakoff 'o-nd  General  Marmora.     Two  very 
large  white  kinds,  the  largest  white  known. 
For  vineries  with  fire  heat : 

Jiowood  Muscat.  10s  6d.  Very  large,  the  largest  of 
the  Muscats.  Berries  pear-shaped,  and  when  ripe  of 
a  rich  amber  color,  with  a  rich  Muscat  flavor. 

PLAN     OF     BLOCKING-OUT     FOR    STOCK. 

BY  G.  II.  WHITE. 

Not  having  seen  any  form  for  blocking-out  and 
staking  stock  published,  allow  me  to  give  our  7nodus 
operandi;   thinking,  perhaps,  it  may  be  of  service 
to  new  beginners.     Here  you  have  it.     Say 
BLOCK  No.  1.     Section  Fiust. 


there  may  be  kinds  of  stock  in  the  block.  Number 
t\i(i  front  of  the  stake  having  the  name  of  the  variety 
on  the  opposite  side.  When  a  variety  commences 
down  in  a  row,  place  a  stake  at  the  commencement, 
with  a  like  number  thereon,  which  tells  us  that  in 
that  row  the  variety  begins.  Block  books  should  be 
paged  and  indexed  for  convenience. 


*»mm* 


Apples  set  1860.           ••take.     bal. 

BOWi*. 

FEET. 

1)      T      rirooninrr 

1 
2 
3 
4 
5 

20 

10 

11 

4 

2 

30 

l\.  1.   vireeiiiiii, 

tt'ildwin     

BAL. 

104^^ 

rinlflpn  Rimsett  

67^ 

jNorthern  hpy 

lol^l 

Ti,  npii/oiiUurg •••• 

G 

i     7 

102 

>\  hue  Fippm 

Wagener 

BAI,. 

4 

INJURIOUS    INSECTS. 

BY   8.    S.    RATHVON. 
(Continued  from  page  239.) 


8-5 


Section  Second. 
Pears  on  Quince,  budded  1800. 
In  this  way  continue,  having  as  many  sections  as 


Graptodera  chalybea.    lUig.    Fig.  6.    Length,  about 
three-twentieths  of    an   inch;   form,  oblong  oval; 
color,  variable  above  from  a  dark  purple,  violet, 
Prussian-blue,  greenish  blue,  and  deep  green  to  a 
bright  green.     The  hinder  part  of  the  thorax  is 
marked  with  a  deep,  transverse  furrow ;  the  under 
side  of  the  body  is  a  deep  greenish  blue,  and  the 
antenn{€  and  the  feet  are  dull  black.     The  principal 
points  of  difference  between  this  insect  and  Gasiro- 
physa  cyanea^  which  it  so  nearly  resembles  at  an  im- 
perfect view,  are  these  :  its  hind  thighs  are  more  de- 
veloped, making  it  a  leaper,  rather  than  a  Jlyer  Cfig. 
7;— the  transverse  furrow  near  the  posterior  margin 
of  the  thorax  (fig.  8  a  and  6)— the  less  thickened 
antennae  (fig.  9J— and  its  whole  form  being  less  oval. 
The  former  insect,  when  surprised,  leaps  and  falls  to 
the  earth,  where  it  hides,  if  it  does  not  hide  itself 
beneath  a  leaf  without  leaping;  whereas,  the  latter 
lets  go  its  hold  and  falls  to  the  earth  at  the  least 
possible   interruption.       Graptodera  belongs  to  the 
"Flea-beetles,"  technically  called  the  halticada; 
whereas,  Gastrophysa  belongs  to  the  true  chrysomelans. 
Fig.  10  is  the  larva,  which  feeds  upon  the  the  grape 
leaves,  the  present  insect  feeding  upon  the  tender 
buds  from  eariy  in  the  spring  until  midsummer,  and 
even  later.     The  female  commences  laying  her  eggs 
about  the  middle  of  May,  and  the  larvre  of  the  first 
brood  are  matured  about  the  middle  of  June.     This 
may  be   advanced    or  retarded  according   as  the 


!^ 


i 


4i' 


m 


i 

1: 


M({  (iardcntr's  iHontltlg. 


weather  is  favorable  or  the  contrary.  The  la^vse 
which  I  obtained  at  West  Chester  on  tlie  12th  of 
June,  were  nearly  matured,  and  these,  together  with 
others  which  I  obtained  at  Lancaster,  were  put  in  a 
wooden  box  with  a  glass  lid,  and  about  two  inches 
of  earth  at  the  bottom.  Grape  leaves  were  placed 
in  the  box  for  them  to  feed  upo  i,  which  were  fiom 
time  to  time  replenished  as  they  became  dry.  On 
the  33d  of  June,  some  of  these  larvae  commenced 
going  into  the  groinid,  and  bj'^  the  twenty-fifth  they 
all  had  disappeared  beneath  the  earth.  Upon  subse- 
quent examination,  I  found  that  they  form  a  small, 
oblong  cavity  of  earth,  which  seems  to  be  hardened 
— no  doubt  hardened  by  a  mucus  voided  by  the  in- 
sect—and tolerably  smooth  on  the  inside,  in  which 
it  undergoes  its  transformation  to  the  perfect  state. 
I  could  not  discover  that  it  formed  a  distinct  pupa 
case,  but  on  the  contrary,  it  seemed  to  be  confined 
in  its  cavity,  like  a  young  bee  or  wasp  in  its  cell, 
which,  when  broken  open  reveals  the  naked  insect. 
In  about  two  weeks  after  the  larvae  go  into  the 
ground  they  are  ready  to  come  forth  a  perfect  beetle 
as  described  above,  and  go  mechanically  and  instinc- 
tively through  the  same  course  as  their  progenitors. 
These  larvae  do  not  eat  holes  through  the  leaves,  or 
commence  at  the  margin  and  eat  all  as  they  go,  they 
only  eat  off  the  upper  or  lower  surface— usually  the 
latter— causing  it  to  wilt  and  turn  in^vard,  and  where 
they  occur  in  great  numbers  they  leave  nothing  but 
the  shrivelled  nervures  remaining,  "When  we  reflect 
that  the  mature  insect  eats  the  buds  and  tender  ends 
of  the  grape  vines  and  aferwards  the  larva  eats  the 
leaves,  we  may  form  some  idea  of  its  destructive 
character.  Dr.  Harris,  in  his  work  on  "Injurious 
Insects,"  page  115,  says  that  Mr.  David  Thomas 
gave  a  descrijition  of  these  insects  and  their  larvj^, 
which  was  published  in  the  sixth  volume  of  Silli- 
man^s  Journal.  '*Mr.  Thomas  found  the  vine  leaves 
invested  by  a  small,  smooth,  chestnut-colored 
worm,  and  suspecting  this  to  be  the  larva  of  this 
destructive  beetle,  he  bred  them  in  a  tumbler  with  a 
little  earth  in  the  bottom,  and  in  a  fortnight  after 
burying  themselves  in  the  earth  he  found  some 
beetles  in  the  tumbler,  and  hence,  there  is  no  doubt 
the  former  was  the  larva  of  these  beetles."  There 
must  be  some  mistake  here — these  must  have  been 
the  larva  of  some  other  species  than  the  one  under 
consideration.  The  earth  in  which  my  insects  under- 
went their  last  transformations  was  gathered  from 
the  street  and  could  not  liave  been  impregnated  witli 
other  insect  larva ;  moreover,  I  anticipate  :  mine, 
and  took  most  of  them  out  of  the  earth  myself 
before  they  were  quite  ready  to  come  forth  them- 
selves. There  are,  however,  six  species  of  these 
insects  catalogued  besides  fourteen  species  of  (Enoy- 
chtts  and  eighteen  species  of  Disonycha^  all  of  which 


are  nearly  allied  in  form  and  habits  to  the  former, 
and  therefore  Mr.  Thomas'  insect  may  have  been 
one  of  these.  The  larva  of  Graptodera  chalybea, 
is  not  "a  smooth,  chestnut-colored  worm."  It 
is,  when  mature,  about  a  quarter  or  three-eighths 
of  an  inch  in  length,  and  of  a  dull  black  or  bister 
brown  color,  except  between  the  segments  and 
underneath,  where  it  is  a  dusky  whitish ;  the  whole 
body  is  tubercular  or  rough,  and  from  each  tubercle 
diverges  two  or  three  short,  stiff  hairs;  it  has  six 
short,  blackish  feet,  and  two  rows  of  tubercles  or 
warts  on  the  abdomen  below,  which  bear  some 
resemblance  to  the  prolegs  of  Lepidopferous  larvae, 
and  at  a  superficial  view  they  would  be  taken  for 
such.  I  have  thought  it  necessary  to  give  these  de- 
tails of  this  insect,  because  there  does  not  seem  to 
have  been  much  published  heretofore  in  reference  to 
it,  but  more  especially  because  it  seems  to  have  been 
very  destructive  at  various  periods  in  times  past  to 
the  grape  vine,  and  from  its  redundancy  in  various 
localities  the  present  season,  it  may  become  so  again. 

[To  be  continued.] 


DISEASES    IN   THE    BUTTER    PEAR. 

BY  "friend,"    PniLADELnilA. 

I  HAVE  in  my  garden  a  specimen  of  a  White 
Doyenne  or  Butter  Pear  tree,  which  I  have  several 
times  threatened  to  either  cut  down  or  re-graft.  I 
have  kept  it  where  it  is  principally  in  hopes  that  I 
might  discover  some  cause  for  the  cracking  that 
every  year  attends  it.  I  have  tried,  in  former  years, 
lime-water  on  the  foliage,  and  guano-water  and  soap- 
suds at  the  roots,  but  be5'ond  this  I  have  done 
nothing.  But  I  have  never  got  any  good  fruit  from 
it.  Six  years  ago,  the  spot  where  it  is  growing,  was 
a  vegetable  garden,  but  since  then  the  spot  has  been 
included  in  my  ornamental  grounds,  and  on  one  side 
of  it  is  now  a  lawn,  and  on  the  other  side  is  a  carriage 
road.  For  the  two  past  springs  I  intended  to  graft  it 
with  Bartlett's,  but  it  has  been  neglected  both  years, 
until  the  season  got  too  late.  Judge  of  my  surprise, 
however,  to  have,  this  j'ear,  one  of  the  best  and  hand- 
somest crops  1  have  ever  seen  of  the  kind.  A  few  on 
the  tree  are  knotty  and  scrubby,  and  yet  a  few  cracked 
and  spotted  with  black,  but  the  majority  are  as  healthy 
and  clear  in  skin  as  a  pear  can  well  be.  They  are 
not  quite  ripe  yet,  but  when  they  are,  I  propose  to 
send  you  a  few,  if  they  should  chance  to  be  a 
rarity  with  you.  I  notice  that  the  scrubby  ones  are 
mostly  confined  to  the  north  side  of  the  tree,  and 
the  good  ones  on  the  south  and  west,  which  is  par- 
tially shaded  by  trees  that  have  grown  up  since  the 
pear  tree  was  planted.  Can  this  have  any  thing  to 
do  with  the  returning  health  ?  It  is  also  worthv  of 
note  that  wherever  the  i)ears  are  healthy  the  growth 
is  more  luxuriant  than  I  have  even  r.oticed  the  tree 


^\^i^  §mkmx's 


to  bear  before.  And  I  have  even  noticed  that  a  poor 
weak  growth  is  usually  associated  with  cracked  and 
knotty  fruit. 

You  will  excuse  me  for  referring  to  an  opinion 
that  I  remember  you  to  have  given  in  the  Gardener's 
Monthly,  that  the  disease  was  caused  by  a  want  of 
potash  in  the  soil.   As  no  application  of  any  kind,  pot- 
ash or  otherwise,  has  been  given  to  the  tree,  its  dis- 
ease could  scarcely  have  resulted  from  the  want  of  it. 
[Our  friend  can  send  along  the  pears.     We  shall 
appreciate  both  them  and  the  kindness  that  prompted 
the  gift.     As  to  the  potash,  we  have  certainly  said 
that  we  knew  a  cultivator  who  always  had  cracked 
Butter  Pears,  and  after  applying  a  dressing  of  potash 
to  his  orchard,  always  had  healthy  fruit.     But  we 
have  never  attributed  the  potash  application  as  a 
direct,  but   only  a  secondary  cause.     To   make  our 
meaning  plain,  we  do  not  suppose  that  cracking  is 
the  result  of  a  want  of  potash,  but  the  result  of  ill- 
health.    Cold  winters,  bad  stocks,  or  a  hundred  things 
may  have  produced  this  state  of  ill-health,  and  as 
many  things  may  produce  a  re-action.     If  the  rela- 
tion between    diseases   and    their    remedies  were 
always  direct,  there  could  be  no  fiiilures  in  cures, 
whether  in  the  animal  or  vegetable  worlds,  but  every 
thing  would  act  as  with  mathematical  precision. 
But  as  the  relation  is  but  secondary,  and  only  act  by 
influencing  healthy  vital  action,  which  is  in  turn  to 
act  on  the  disease,  other  things  besides  potash  may 
as  easily  cure  the  cracking,  if  it  has  any  bearing  on 
general  health. 

Our  correspondant  will  know  the  old  saying  that, 
"what  is  one  man's  meat  is  another  one's  poison  ;" 
not  that  there  is  no  essential  difference  between  meat 
and  poison,  but  because  the  action  of  each  depends 
on  the  state  of  each  person's  system.  So,  with 
trees. — Ed.] 


«•■>» 


REMARKS    ON   THE    GENUS   CRINUM. 

BY  D.  BARKER,  HARTFORD,  CONN. 

The  greater  part  of  this  beautiful  genus  being 
natives  of  hot  countries,  require  the  temperature  of 
the  stove  to  grow  them  with  success,  with  a  liberal 
supply  of  water  during  the  summer  months ;  but 
during  winter  the  quantity  of  moisture  should  bo 
very  much  diminished,  or  many  of  the  bulbs  will 
perish.  We  have  found,  however,  those  with 
columnar  stems  require  a  good  supply  at  all  times, 
as  the  habit  of  their  foliage  is  decidedly  perennial ; 
but  it  is  by  far  the  safer  plan  during  the  winter 
months  to  rather  under-water  than  over-water,  more 
particularly  those  kinds  of  slender  growth. 

The  compost  we  have  found  best  for  crinum  is  a 
good  loam  from  an  old  cow  pasture,  where  it  can 
be  found  of  a  friable  texture,  without  any  other 
mixture  whatever.      We  consider  peat,  leaf-mould 


and  rotten  manure,  prejudicial  to  the  growth  of  the 
crinum  than  otherwise.      Plenty  of  drainage  in  the 
pot  is  very  essential,  in  order  that  the  plants  may, 
during  their  period  of  growth,  receive  the  proper 
amount  of  fresh  water  requisite  to  the  proper  de- 
velopment of  their  foliage  and  flowers.     The  size 
of  the  pot  must  depend  on  the  habit  of  the  bulbs, 
which   those    acquainted    with    the    habit    of   the 
genus  will  understand.      To  those  who  gj-e  not,  we 
would  advise  for  good  bulbs  of  procenim,  cruentum, 
rigidum,  erubescens,  and  its  several  varieties,  placed 
in  pots  varying  from  ten  to  sixteen   inches  over, 
more  or  less,  according  to  the  strength  of  the  bulb. 
For  full  sized  bulbs  of  Americanum,  Loddigesianum, 
yeylanicum   and  broussonetianum,   we  have   used 
pots  from  eighteen  to  twenty  inches  in  diameter.    It 
is  a  fixed  fact,  that  to  bloom  any  of  the  genus  well, 
they  must  have  plenty  of  pot  room.     Whenever  it  is 
observed  that  the  young  leaves  of  any  of  the  crinums 
turn  yellow,  or  commence  to  decay,  they  must  be 
allowed  a  short  period  of  rest.     Too  much  moisture 
in  too  low  a  temperature  are  often  the  causes  of  such 
an  effect.     In  potting,  the  whole  of  the  neck  of  the 
bulb  must  be  kept  above  the  soil,  and  all  the  obsolete 
covering,  which  are  the  remains  of  the   decayed 
foliage,  should  be  stripped  off,  leaving  the  bulb  and 
stem  clean  and  free  from  any  decaying  substance. 

We.  have  found,  with  few  exceptions,  the  whole 
genus  to  succeed  best  when  plunged  up  to  the  rims 
of  the  pots  in  boxes  of  sand,  placed  over  the  hot- 
water  pipes,  and  during  the  hottest  part  of  the  year 
it  is  very  essential  to  inundate  the  boxes,  but  not  to 
keep  them  flooded.  Some  of  the  species  at  the 
approach  of  winter  will  require  the  pots  to  be  turned 
on  their  sides,  and  be  kept  quite  dry  until  Ihey  show 
signs  of  growth,— when  all  the  earth  may  be  care- 
fully shaken  from  the  bulb,  pulling  off  all  the  de- 
cayed coats,  without  injuring  the  roots.  Bepot  in 
soil  as  above  recommended,  subjecting  them  to 
the  same  treatment. 


«>■•» 


A    SUCCESSFUL    PLANTING. 

BY   G.    H.   WHITE,    COLDWATER,   MICHIGAN. 

Having  had  excellent  hick,  as  one  would  say,  in 
putting  out  maples  and  evergreens,  I  must  relate  it 
by  the  way  of  encouragement  to  others  : 
•  The  first  week  in  April,  1860,  we  set  out  in  front 
and  on  one  side  of  our  farm  (m  the  road )  four  hun- 
dred and  seventy-two  maple  trees.  First  plowed 
the  ground  deep,— had  men  digging  up  trees  while 
others  were  setting  out,-  cut  them  all  to  ten  feet 
in  height,  covering  the  top  with  grafting  wax; 
holes  were  dug  large,  that  the  trees  might  not  only 
live,  but  grow.  Mulched  them  with  tan-bark,— then 
all  the  surplus  stone,— so  much  in  the  way  in  the 
road  were  put  around  them,— after  which  they  were 


T" 


■Is 

i 


268 


i: 


•  C|e  darhwr's  IBont^Ij. 


staked,  and  now  we  are  rewarded  by  seeing  all  but 
four  of  them  alive  and  doing  well. 

The  second  week  after  we  set  four  hundred  and 
fifty  Norway  Spruces,  eight  by  sixteen  feet,  put  up 
through  the  centre  of  our  grounds,  from  which  alleys 
lead  each  way,  ten  feet  in  width,  dividing  the  farm 
into  fourteen  blocks.  These  trees  were  from  the 
well-known  firm  of  Smith  &  Hanchett,  Syracuse, 
N.  Y.  They  average  from  three  to  seven  feet  in 
height;  all  but  twelve  are  now  alive  and  growing 
finely. 


«»»»> 


MISCELLANEOUS    NOTES. 

BY  W.  R.  P.,  FLUSHING,  N.  Y. 

I  MAKE  the  following  notes  in  response  to  queries 
in  various  periodicals. 

Double  Jfowers  are  produced  by  nature  as  well  as  by 
art.  Witness, — Double  Thalictrum  anemonoides, 
Double  Rudbeckia  hirta,  Double  Rosa  Pennsylvanica, 
Double  Trillium,  and  other  species  all  found  in  a 
state  of  nature.  CI  J. 

Grape  vines  can  begroum  on  level  Missouri  prairie  land, 
provided  the  land  be  so  underdrained,  that  the  satu- 
ration of  the  soil  during  winter  is  thereby  prevented. 
The  Concord,  Holmes,  Clinton,  Hartford  Prolific, 
Ariadne,  August  Coral,  Early  Amber,  Ohio  Prolific, 
Pond's  Seedling,  Braddock,  Ramsdell,  Troy  Ham- 
burg, Venango,  Warren's  Seedling  and  Montieth 
are  some  of  the  most  hardy  varieties,  and  doubtless 
they  would  all  succeed  in  Missouri  and  Illinois. 

Strawberries— proportion  of  staminates  to  pistillates. 
One  row  of  the  former  to  ten  of  the  latter  is  all  suffi- 
cient, but  there  must  be  a  judicious  selection  of  a 
staminate  that  blooms  at  the  same  period  as  the  pistil- 
late, its  companion.  The  Hovey  cannot  yield  a  full 
crop  when  the  Early  Scarlet  is  its  companion,  as  the 
latter  blossoms  too  early.  Such  injudicious  selec- 
tions are  the  cause  of  reduced  crops. 

[1.  Mr.  Prince's  note  will  be  interesting  to  the 
young  student  of  vegetable  physiology  and  mor- 
phology. Though  double  flowers  are  usually  con- 
sidered as  the  result  of  cultivation  and  the  gardener's 
art,  it  is  questionable  whether  we  have  not  rather  to 
thank  unassisted  nature  for  most  of  them.  In  addi- 
tion to  those  named  by  Mr.  Prince,  the  Double  Con- 
volvulus panduratus  was  found  wild,  we  believe,  in 
Georgia,  by  William  Bartram,  and  Mr.  Meehan  once 
found  a  double  Saxifraga  Virginiensis  on  the  hills  of 
the  Wissahicon,  in  Pennsylvania.  Most  of  the 
double  flowers  of  our  borders  are  not  of  such  often 
raised  from  seed,  and  it  is  therefore  probable  that  they 
were  first  found  in  a  wild  state.  Spiraiafilipendula, 
Campanula  persicifolia,  and  others,  for  example. 
All  attempts  to  cultivate  the  common  Zinnia  into 
double  ones,  Viluiorin  tells  us,  failed  ;  but  last  season, 


double   varieties    from  their  native   country  were 
introduced. — Ed.  ] 


GRAPE    CROP  IN    CENTRAL  MISSOURI. 

BY  E.    A.    RIEHL,    BOONEVILLE,    MO. 

The  grape  crop  promises  to  be  an  entire  failure 
here  this  year.  About  two  weeks  ago  the  weather 
was  pretty  hot ;  since  it  has  rained  much, — so  much 
that  it  is  decidedly  too  moist  for  grapes,  and  nearly 
one-half  are  already  afffected  by  the  rot.  There  is 
no  use  talking,  we  must  adopt  some  different  mode 
of  culture,  if  we  would  succeed  in  growing  the 
grape  successfully  in  this  country.  I  think  the 
grape  can  be  grown  with  uniform  success,  but  not 
when  treated  as  now.  I  shall  at  some  future  time 
furnish  an  article  on  this  subject  if  it  will  be  ac- 
cepted. Other  fruit  is  splendid,  and  plenty  of  it ; 
apples,  pears,  peaches,  plums,  apricots,  4&c.,  we 
have  as  many  as  the  trees  can  mature.  This  pro- 
mises to  be  the  best  fruit  year  in  the  West  that  we 
have  had  for  many  years. 

[Shall  be  glad  to  hear  from  you  as  proposed. — Ed.  ] 


«•■•» 


ICE. 


PRESERVATION    OF 

BY  J.    C.   B. 

An  article  in  your  last  number  on  ventilating  ice- 
houses, leads  me  to  present  my  views  of  the  princi- 
ple on  which  the  preservation  of  ice  is  based ;  for, 
although  the  -writer  of  that  article  is  undoubtedly 
right  in  his  facts,  he  omits,  in  my  estimation,  the 
chief  element  of  the  utility  of  ventilation.  I  say 
advisedly,  its  utility,  for  ample  experience  has  shown 
the  absolute  necessity  of  ventilation  for  the  more 
perfect  preservation  of  ice.  Experience  has  elicited 
three  points  of  the  first  importance  in  constructing 
an  ice-house  :  1.  An  imperfect  conductor  of  heat  of 
moderate  thickness  to  surround  the  ice.  2.  Provi- 
sion for  drawing  off"  the  water  of  the  melted  ice. 
3.  Ventilation.  Can  we  refer  these  requsites  to 
the  operation  of  a  single  principle  ? 

When  ice  melts,  it  absorbs  140^  Fahr.  of  heat,  and 
this  would  tend  to  preserve  the  surrounding  ice 
from  melting,  were  it  not  that  the  warmth  of  the 
summer  air,  penetrating  a  mass  of  ice,  or  even  the 
average  summer  temperature  of  the  soil,  more  than 
compensates  for  the  cold  produced,  and  the  melting 
continues.  The  heat  of  liquidity,  therefore,  although 
retarding  the  melting  of  ice,  is  insufficient  for  its 
preservation. 

When  water  passes  into  the  form  of  vapor,  whether 
vaporised  by  heat  in  the  form  of  steam,  or  rising  at 
common  temperature  as  an  insensible  vapor,  it 
absorbs  1000->  Fahr.  of  heat  from  surrounding  bodies. 
In  the  latter  case  it  passes  off"  with  the  air,  and  if  the 
supply  of  fresh  air  be  constant  or  continuous,  it  is 


SCIiJi  iardcwr's  ^onthlg. 


easy  to  perceive  that  the  cooling  influence  of  evapo- 
ration will  be  very  great.  That  solid  ice  itself  rises 
in  vapor  below  32^  Fahr.,  may  be  observed  in 
winter  by  the  gradual  disappearance  of  thin  layers 
of  ice  on  the  pavement  or  steps  in  front  of  a  dw^ell- 
ing.  Much  more  rapidly  does  ice  or  water  evaporate 
at  320,  and  water  still  more  readily  above  32^  in  a 
current  of  dry  air,  or  air  not  already  saturated  with 
moisture.  Under  such  conditions,  the  amount  of 
heat-absorption,  or  cooling  influence  of  evaporation, 
is  suflScient  to  retain  ice  in  the  solid  form. 

A  few  facts  may  serve  to  illustrate  the  cooling 
effect  of  evaporation.  At  the  temperature  of  50o, 
carbonic  acid  can  only  be  maintained  in  the  liquid 
state,  under  a  pressure  of  five  hundred  and  twenty 
pounds  per  square  inch,  or  34^  atmospheres; 
whereas,  solid  carbonic  acid  quietly  fumes  away  in 
the  open  air,  the  heat  carried  off"  by  the  vapor  suf- 
ficing to  keep  the  lemaining  acid  in  its  solid  condi- 
tion, even  at  summer  temperatures. 

The  alcarazzas  or  porous  earthen  jars,  employed 
in  the  tropics  for  cooling  the  >vater  they  contain, 
act  on  the  same  principle ;  for  the  water  transudes 
through  the  pores  to  the  outer  surface  of  the  jar, 
and  by  its  evaporation  lowers  the  temperature  of  the 
remaining  water  by  many  degrees. 

If  a  piece  of  ice  be  wrapped  in  a  single  thickness 
of  flannel,  and  exposed  to  a  current  of  air,  not 
surcharged  with  moisture,  the  flannel  will  freeze  fiist 
to  the  ice,  proving  the  surface  to  be  below  32^  Fahr. , 
and  little  or  no  water  will  form.  The  flannel  allows 
the  little  water  that  first  forms  to  enter  into  its 
numberless  pores,  where  it  evaponites  from  an  al- 
most endless  surface  of  woollen  fibres.  Cotton  and 
linen  do  not  answer  the  purpose  as  well,  because  cap- 
illary action  fills  the  spaces  between  the  fibres  with 
water,  and  evaporation  only  takes  place  from  the 
moderate  surface  of  the  water.  The  cooling  influ- 
ence of  the  flannel  wrapping  on  the  lump  of  ice,  may 
bo  inferred  from  the  fact,  that  as  a  little  ice  liquifies  the 
liquid  evaporates,  so  that  the  heat  both  of  liquidity 
and  of  vaporization  are  absorbed,  amounting  to 
1140O  Fahr. 

Let  us  apply  the  principle  of  evaporation  to  an 
ice-house,  of  which  the  lump  of  ice  in  flannel  is  a 
perfect  type.  Experience  has  shown  the  advantage 
of  surrounding  ice  with  an  imperfect  conductor  of 
heat,  such  as  shavings,  saw -dust,  charcoal,  and  even 
pine  boards.  It  has  likewise  shown  that  only  a 
moderate  thickness  of  these  is  necessary,  just  as  a 
single  thickness  will,  in  a  favorable  position,  actually 
keep  a  lump  of  ice  dry.  Now,  if  they  were  used 
because  of  their  non-conducting  property,  a  con- 
siderable thickness  would  be  required  ;  in  fact,  many 
feet,  and  the  greater  the  thickness,  the  more  complete 
the  preservation  of  ice.    Since  this  condition  of  thick- 


ness is  proved  by  fact  to  be  unnecessary,  the  non- 
conducting property  is  not  the  cause  of  the  preserva- 
tion of  ice,  if,  indeed,  it  be  of  any  influence  what- 
ever. The  same  conclusion  may  be  drawn  from  the 
depth  in  earth  to  which  the  outer  temperatures 
gradually  penetrate,  whether  winter  or  summer,  and 
yet  earth  is  a  very  poor  conductor  of  heat. 

All    the    substances   employed    around    ice    are 
porous,  admitting  the  passage  of  air  through  them, 
or  into  their  pores,  and  these  pores  present  an  indefi- 
nitely extended  surface.     A  portion  of  water  enters 
the  pores  without  choking  them,  and  thus  an  im- 
mense surface  is  offered  for  evaporation,  which,  be 
it  remembered,  only  occurs  from  a  surface.      The 
entrance  of  dry  air  into  the  moist  pores  and  its  exit, 
charged  with  the  vapor   of  water,   carries  off"  the 
1000^  Fahr.    of  latent  vapor-heat: ;    and  by  thus 
cooling  the  ice,  prevents  its  rapid  melting.     Hence 
the  advantage  of  ventilation  for  preserving  ice  ;  for 
when  the  door  of  an  ice-house  is  kept  closed,  the 
confined  air  becomes  saturated  with  moisture,  and 
cannot  escape,  evaporation  ceases,  and  the  external 
warmth,  entering  by  radiation  and  conduction,  is 
expended  in  freely  melting  the  ice,  in  spite,  too,  of 
the  non-conducting    coverings   and    surroundings. 
Hence,  too,  the  excellent  preservation  of  ice,  alluded 
to  in  your  last  number,  in  a  board  shanty,  which  was 
open   all    around,   and  therefore    admitted   air  all 
around;   it  was  a  lump  of  ice  from   Brobdignag, 
wrapped  in  pine  boards  for  flannel. 

Experience  has  shown  the  necessity  of  draining  off" 
the  water,  which  will  be  produced  from  the  imper- 
fections of  the  best  ice-houses.     Immerse  our  flan- 
neled  lump  of  ice  in  water,  and  it  will  soon  melt, 
because  evaporation  only  takes  place  from  the  small 
surface  of  the  water ;  but  put  it  on  slats,  so  that  dry 
air  can  pass  around  it,  and  the  amount  of  evaporation 
from  an  endless  surface  keeps  the  lump  almost  dry. 
So,  if  the  lower  tier  in  an  ice-house  be  in  water, 
we  have  only  the  cooling  effect  of  melting  ice,  140^ 
Fahr.  and  in  addition  evaporation  from  a  surface  of 
water,  equal  only  to  the  area  of  the  house,  both 
which  are  far  outweighed  by  the  penetrating  warmth 
from  without.     The  ice,  therefore,  continues  to  melt 
towards  the  bottom  of  the  house;   but  when  the 
water  is  drained  off",  a  circulation  of  air  Csupposing 
the  house  to  be  ventilated^  evaporates  water  from 
the  enormously  extended    porous    surface   of   the 
moist  shavings,  &c.     The  whole  cooling  eflTect  then 
becomes :     1.    The  very  small  amount   of  heat  ab- 
sorbed by  the  melting  ice.     2.  The  large  amount 
removed  in   the   continuous  escape   of   moist  air. 
This  heat  being  absorbed,   rendered  latent,  is  ab- 
stracted from  the  ice  and  its  adjacents,  and  melting 
is  greatly  protracted. 
We  should,  however,  guard  against  the  too  free 


f 


^^^^Vx 


li; 


Ch^  gardener's  ^tontllg. 


admission  of  air.  If  shavings,  &c.,  were  put  very 
loosely  into  the  sides  of  an  ice-house,  the  free  circu- 
lation of  air  would  let  in  too  much  summer  heat, 
and  really  present  less  surface,  because  less  pores. 
On  the  other  hand,  if  the  sides  were  built  of  a  non- 
porous  substance,  evaporation  could  not  take  place 
on  Ihem,  and  the  exterior  warmth  not  to  be  excluded, 
would  melt  the  ice  freely.  A  porous,  absorbent 
material,  tolerably  well  packed,  offers  the  most 
favorable  condition  for  the  sides  of  an  ice-house,  by 
olfering  the  largest  evaporating  surface.  The  top 
covering  cannot,  of  course,  be  packed ;  the  bottom 
porous  layers  become  so  from  the  weight  of  super- 
mcumbent  ice.  If  the  house  is  constructed  with 
stone  walls,  a  layer  of  porous  material  must  be  put 
between  them  and  the  ice,  and  provision  made  for 
the  air  to  pass  to  the  bottom  of  the  structure. 

Having  thus  presented  the  results  of  my  observa- 
tion and  reflection,  I  must  bring  my  long  article  to 
a  conclusion,  for  which  last  result  I  ma}^  doubtless, 
presume  upon  the  thanks  of  your  readers,  who 
jrenerallv  prefer  hot-houses  to  ice-houses.  I  believe, 
however,  that  I  have  reduced  the  three  great  results 
of  experience  in  the  construction  of  an  ice-house  to 
one  principle— evaporation. 


«•»•» 


A    CHAFTER   ON    GRAPE-OLOGY. 

BY  J.  B.   GARBER. 

Mu.  Editor: — Any  "news"  on  "Hardy  Grapes" 
is  j)eculiarly  attractive  to  me  ;  so,  when  our  favorite 
Munlhiy  for  August  came  to  hand,  I,  as  usual,  turned 
to  the  contents  to  see  if  there  was  a  chapter  on 
Grape-ology !  and  sure  enough  I  was  gratified  tolind 
Mr.  ^Voodward  giving  us  valuable  news  on  "in- 
digenous grapes."  All  right.  Mr.  W.  will  pro- 
bably add  some  desirable  varieties  to  our  already  ex- 
tensive list.  The  more  the  better ;  "  try  all  and  hold 
fast  to  those  that  are  good;"  the  inferior  varieties 
will  find  their  regular  level  soon  enough.  Strange, 
though,  that  Mr.  W.  should  call  the  "Delaware  a 
seedling  from  our  native  grapes!"  I  would  like  to 
know  his  reasons  for  that  ("to  me  strange)  opinion. 
Can  he  tell  us  from  what  species  of  our  natives  it 
originated?  Is  it  a  labrusca^  cordifoUa^  riparia,  or 
what  ? 

It  is  now  clearly  ascertained  that  the  original 
plant  of  Delaware  is  still  alive  and  bearing  fruit.  It 
is  now  in  the  garden  of  Mr.  Provost,  in  Pottstown, 
transplanted  from  Frenchtown  in  New  Jersey, 
by  its  present  owner,  a  son  of  old  Mr.  Provost,  and 
who  still  has  the  original  vine  in  good  condition- 
now  over  sixty  years  old !  If  it  were  a  seedling 
from  a  native  grape,  then  the  question  naturally 
arises,  whence  came  that  seed  ?  Was  it  brought  by 
birds  from  some  distant  locality  ?    Did  it  drop  from 


the  clouds  ?— or,  or  whence  came  it  ?  Is  it  not  ffir 
more  likely  that  some  German  emigrant  brought  it 
in  his  breeches-pocket  from  the  "Fatherland?" 

Mr.  Woodward  also  refers  to  Professor  Ravenal's 
theory,  "That  the  seeds  of  our  native  grjipes  pro- 
duce male  and  female  plants,  and  that  seedlings  from 
foreign  or  Vitis  vini/era  are  all  female,"  or,  per- 
haps, more  properly,  hermaphrodite— male  and  fe- 
male on  the  same  plant. 

My  object,  more  particularly,  in  writing,  is  to 
overhaul  your  own  comments  on  Mr.  W.'s  article. 
In  your  remarks,  trying  to  dts-prove  a  theory  Cyet 
to  be  proved,;  and  "to  prevent  the  error,"  as  you 
are  pleased  to  call  it— "from  becoming  widely  dis- 
seminated." I  was  greatly  amused  at  your  "argu- 
inix  all  round  the  bush"  without  once  touching  on 
the  main  question— you  signally  failed  in  refuting 
Prof  IlavenaFs  theory.  You  say,  "  it  is  well  known 
that  the  petals  of  a  flower,  and  its  stamens,  are  the 
most  easily  aff'ected  by  external  causes,  of  any  part 
of  a  plant,  and  that  they  are  so  affected,  changed 
and  altered,  is  a  fact  of  every-day  occurrence. 
Sometimes  parts  become  abortive  ;  at  others,  exces- 
sively developed,"  &c.  You  refer  to  double  flowers ; 
to  the  Green  Rose,  to  the  Strawberry,  &c.,  and  to 
the  Cannon  Hall  Muscat  Grape  requiring  "  artificial 
impregnation  under  glass^  as  its  own  flower  is  de- 
ficient in  pollen."  Granted,  every  word  you  say! 
But,  my  dear  sir,  your  arguments  do  not  even  touch 
Prof  llavenal's  tlieory.  That  the  foreign  grape  pro- 
duces barren  or  imperfect  flowers,  nobody,  I  presume, 
will  deny.  AH  your  proof  in  the  matter  is  "that 
foreign  grai)e  seedlings  do  often  have  imi^crt'cci  (mind, 
imperfect)  flowers !"  You  don't  say  77iale  flowers. 
Now,  let  me  just  here  ask  you  a  simple  question, 
friend  Meehan : — Did  you  ever  find  a  seedling  of  a 
foreign  grape  have  true  bona  fide  male  flowers?  Not 
abortive,  barren,  imperfect,  &c. ;  but  real,  genuine, 
male  flowers,  without  a  stigma  or  vestige  of  an 
embryo  grape  in  the  bottom  of  the  tiny  flower,  lack- 
ing the  female  organ  ? 

I  was  called  to  examine  a  barren  grape  vine  some 
six  or  eight  weeks  since,  by  a  mutual  friend  in  Lan- 
caster— a  good  botanist,  entomologist,  &c.,  indeed, 
well  informed  on  all  subjects.  He  was  trying  all 
manner  of  experiments  to  make  it  bear  fruit.  The 
plant  was  in  profuse  flower  at  the  time.  On  an  ex- 
amination of  the  flowers,  I  found  there  was  no 
stigma,  no  embryo  grape  in  the  flower.  I  told  him 
at  once  that  the  plant  was  a  male^  and  all  his 
"experimenting,"  to  the  end  of  the  world,  would 
not  produce  him  a  berry  !  His  only  plan  was  to 
graft  it  with  some  other  variety,  but  I  regret  to  say, 
I  could  not  convince  him  of  his  error. 

Thus,  you  see,  we  "  ignoramusses"  can  occasion- 
ally have  a  good  laugh  at  our  "scientific  savans," 


I 


t  §-x(km\  JttotitWg. 


in  return  for  like  favors.  Your  "abortive," 
"imperfect,"  or  excessively-developed  flowers,  or 
any  other  terms  that  can  be  "scared-up,"  will  not 
correct  the  supposed  error  which  you  wish  to  guard 
the  pubUc  against.  So  far  as  Prof.  R.'s  theory  is 
concerned— that  our  natives  produce  both  male  and 
female  plants  from  the  seed,  and  the  foreign  all 
female — no  "dusting  of  poUen"  on  one  of  these  male 
plants  wiU  bring  fruit,  and  no  ''forcing^'''  "  starving," 
or  other  "artificial  stimulus"  either,  "  nix  cum 
rouse."  As  to  the  foreign  grape  producing  all 
bearing  plants  from  seeds,  I  am  not  imformed,  as  my 
own  experiments  in  that  line  have  all  resulted  in 
failure.  I  have  raised  seedlings  from  many  foreign 
varieties— raisins,  Malaga  jar  grape,  Hamburgs, 
Muscats,  Frontignacs,  Chasselas,  Sweetwater,  El 
Paso,  California  Mission  grape,  &c.  1  could  rarely 
get  them  to  live  beyond  the  first  year.  Occasionally 
one  would  survive,  only  to  be  cut  down  by  mildew 
the  second  or  third  year.  I  never  could  succeed  in 
getting  a  single  foreign  seedling  to  show  flowers  ! 

I  have  also  raised  seedlings  of  our  native  grapes 
from  almost  every  section  of  our  country.  I  have 
always  had  a  portion  of  males,  or  barren  plants  ; 
sometimes  one -half,  more  or  less.  As  soon  as  the 
tiny  blossom  opens,  I  examine  if  there  is  an  embryo 
grape  or  stigma  in  the  flower ;  if  not,  then  I  know 


will  not  know  where  we  stand. 

Do  tell  me,  friend  M.,  if  stigmas  also  may,  under 
any  circumstances,  be  transformed  into  stamens,  or 
males  into  females,  and  vice  versa. 

[Mr.  Garber's  questions  are  more  easily  asked  than 
answered.  He  is  evidently  ignorant  of  the  difficulty 
the  botanist  experiences  the  moment  he  comes  with- 
in the  line  of  cultivation.  He  might  as  well  ask  Mr. 
Woodward  what  species  the  Fuchsia  Venus  de  Me- 
dici of  our  gardens  belongs  to.  A  gardener  acquain- 
ted with  its  origin  might  answer  that  it  was  interme- 
diate betwen  Fuchsia  fulgens  and  F.  longijlora  ;  but 
it  would  puzzle  a  botanist  to  know  that  fact  by  any 
scientific  rules.  So  with  the  Delaware  Grape. 
Science  is  equally  at  a  loss  to  decide  to  which  species 
to  refer  it,  though  the  balance  of  characters  would 
lead  most  of  them  to  consider  it  as  a  variety  of  some 
American  species.  Mr.  Garber  does  not  so  consider 
it,  and  he  is  entitled  to  his  own  opinion — for  it  is 
nothing  more  than  an  opinion — expressed  in  the 
term  he  himself  employs,  that  it  is  "far  more  likely" 
to  be  of  the  foreign  breed.  We  do  not  see  the 
wisdom  of  discussing  over  and  over  again  more 
Ukelies  which  depend  for  their  force  on  the  state  of 
each  reader's  judgment  as  to  the  value  of  evidence. 
When  Mr.  Garber  can  give  us  any  facts  respecting 
the  original  seedling  vine,  we  shall,  with  pleasure. 


it  to  be  a  male,  and  the  plant  is  at  once  cut  down,  I  publish  them. 

or  grafted.     My  plan  of  raising  seedlings  is  to  plant        The  most  valuable  part  of  the  article  is  Mr.  Gar- 


the  seed  in  pots  kept  in  the  greenhouse  over  winter, 
then  late   in   spring   plant   them   out   in  the  open 


ber's  account   of   his  experiments  with  seedlings, 
which  we  publish  with  pleasure.     On  these  subjects 


ground  ;  protect  by  covering  in  winter  while  small,  i  he  is  evidently  more  at  home  than  in  the  questions 


'h 


\ 


&c.  I  have  also,  as  a  matter  of  course,  raised  many 
seedlings  of  the  wonderful  Delaware.  These  act 
very  much  like  their  foreign  cousins.  I  have  now 
only  five  or  six  promising  plants  of  this  variety  from 
many  hundreds  of  seedlings ;  two  or  three  may  show 
their  inflorescence  by  another  year.  I  have  sent  seeds 
of  Delaware  to  many  friends  in  various  sections,  in- 
cluding Utah,  California  and  Oregon,  and  all  from 
whom  I  have  heard  on  the  subject,  say  "they  can 
do  nothing  with  them."  Even  on  Kelley's  Island, 
Ohio,  that  justly  celebrated  grape  locality,  Delaware 
seedlings  "  mildew,"  and  won't  grow. 

Last  spring  a  year,  I  gave  a  pot  full  of  Delaware 
seedlings — over  a  hundred — to  a  friend  in  Columbia, 
who  is  a  careful  gardener.  A  few  weeks  since,  I 
inquired  of  him,  "How  are  the  Delaware  seedling 
grapes  coming  on?"  "Why,  oh  yes,  I  recollect. 
Why  I  lost  every  one  of  them  ;  they  would  not  grow, 
and  they  would  die!''  Are  not  such  facts  pretty 
conclusive  evidence  that  the  Delaware  grape  is  not 
"aboriginal"  to  America? 

If  "stamens  arc  transformed  into  petals,"  then 
petals  may  be  transformed  into  leaves,  leaves  into 
branches,   &c.     AH  is   "transformation,"   and  we 


of  vegetable  transformations ;  which,  until  he  ex- 
hibits a  better  acquaintance  with  what  is  now  known 
as  the  science  of  morphology,  we  would  prefer  not 
to  discuss  with  him. 

As  to  laughing  at  "  ignoramusses,"  the  record  of 
the  Gardener's  Monthly  shows  that  that  is  not  our 
sin.  The  true  searcher  after  truth  feels  that  he  knows 
too  little  himself  to  afford  to  laugh  at  the  ignorance 
or  blunders  of  others. — Ed.] 


Disease  of  the  Quince  Stock. — We  have  ob- 
served what  appears  to  be  a  new  disease  affecting 
the  dwarf  pear. 

The  quince  root  of  the  dwarf  pear  dies  of  this 
disease,  and,  as  a  necessary  consequence,  the  trees 
die  also.  The  injury  appears  to  have  been  done  in 
winter ;  but  in  many  instances  the  pear  has  opened 
its  leaves  and  made  some  growth  before  any  obvious 
indications  have  appeared.  It  is  readily  distinguished 
from  fire-blight,  in  alfeciing  the  whole  tree  at  once, 
and  not  limb  by  limb  as  in  the  fire-blight,  and  the 
leaves  only  wither  and  turn  brown,  instead  of  blacki^ 
as  in  the  last-named  disease. — Country  Gentleman. 


I 


w^ 


I  1 


m 


M^  (Sardcitcr's  Jttonthlg. 


,^3>^ 


Clje  ^arktttu 


FHIIADEIFHIA,  SEPTEMBER  1,  1861. 

Jt3"  AH  Communications  for  the  Editor  should  be  addressed, 
"Thomas  Mekhan,  Germantown, Philadelphia," and  Business  Let- 
ters directed  to  "The  Publisher  of  the  Garugker's  Monthlt, 
Box  406  Philadelphia." 


«•■»» 


^ 


jn;^ Persons  sending  two  new  Subscribers  for  1861  in  addition 
to  their  own,  with  $3.00  can  receive  a  copy  of  our  First  Volume, 
(18.59)  free.     All  persons  who  have  paid  their  subscriptions  for  1861 
by  sending  two  new  Subscribers  and  $2.00  can  receive  a  copy  of 
the  same. 


LAWNS-THEIR.  FIRST   TERR'S    MAN- 
AGEMENT. 

Should  lawns  be  mowed  often  the  first  season  of 
seeding  down  ?  The  question  is  often  asked.  Our 
experience  is  against  the  practice,  but  so  many  good 
gardeners  recommend  it,  that  it  will  serve  a  useful 
purpose  to  bring  the  subject  prominently  forward. 

We  need  not  here  descant  on  the  importance  of 
proper  lawn  management.  The  beauty  of  English 
lawns  is  proverbial ;  and  the  highest  aim  of  our 
gardening  is  to  have  lawns  like  them.  Our  hot  and 
dry  climate  is  a  difficulty  of  great  magnitude,  and 
we  have  to  pursue  a  different  course  of  practice  from 
that  which  they  follow  if  we  would  invite  compari- 
son with  them.  It  does  not  therefore  follow  that 
what  they  do  will,  in  all  cases,  serve  us ;  and  so  the 
very  common  argument  "the  English  mow  their 
new-sown  lawns  frequently  the  first  year,"  need  not 
be  considered  as  a  thing  of  course  for  us. 

It  is  certain  that  they  do  mow  frequently  and  get 
good  lawns,  but  we  are  inclined  to  think  this  result 
owing  rather  to  the  favoring  conditions  of  climate. 
They  would  probably  get  as  good  or  better  lawns 
without  mowing.  We  have  reason,  at  any  rate,  to 
assume  that  these  good  lawns  are  in  spite  of  the 
practice. 

So  far  as  our  American  climate  is  concerned,  we 
are,  at  any  rate,  bound  to  say,  that  we  never  saw  a 
good  lawn  follow  close  mowing  the  first  season,  and 
that  we  firmly  believe  most  failures  arise  from  the 
too  frequent  use  of  the  scythe.  It  is  very  common 
to  see  a  lawn  green  before  mowing  in  August,  be- 
come quite  brown,  and  the  grass  die  completely  out 
in  patches  after  being  cut.  The  usual  remark  is  that 
it  was  "cut  too  close."  This  answer  grants  half 
our  argument.  We  would  go  further,  and  say  it 
should  not  have  been  cut  at  all. 

Not  only  does  practice  show  close-cutting  when 
young  to  be  an  injury,  but  science  explains  why  it 
%hould  be  so.  In  order  that  our  lawns  should  remain 
green  through  our  long  summer  drouths,  it  is  essen- 


tial that  we  do  all  in  our  power  to  induce  the  grass- 
roots to  descend  deep  beneath  the  surface.  This  is 
not  necessary  in  the  moist  English  climate.  Here 
it  is,  and  we  do  it  by  deeply  trenching  or  subsoiling 
the  ground,  and  burying  rich  manure  as  far  as  pos- 
sible beneath  the  surface.  When  the  top  dries  out, 
the  subsoil  thus  can  part  with  moisture  from  its 
reserves,  and  besides  this  the  roots  are  encouraged 
to  go  as  low  as  possible.  But  mowing  the  young 
tops  prevents  not  only  the  descent,  but  the  actual 
formation  of  roots. 

The  roots  of  the  most  stubborn  weeds,  even  the 
Canada  thistle,  can  be  totally  destroyed  by  cutting 
off  the  foliage  occasionally  through  the  season. 
The  effect  is  the  same  on  grass.  All  taken  from  the 
top  when  growing  is  so  much  detracted  from  the 
roots.  No  vegetable  species  is  an  exception  to  this 
law. 

It  should,  therefore,  be  an  object  to  allow  the 
roots  of  lawn  grass  to  go  as  deeply  as  possible  the 
first  year,  and  this  depth  will  be  just  in  proportion 
to  the  unfrequency  of  the  mowing.  After  the  sod 
has  once  been  well  formed,  mowing  may  be  fre- 
quent ;  but  in  all  cases  the  first  spring  mowing 
should  be  very  early,  so  as  to  induce  a  young  growth 
near  the  surface,  as  if  it  be  left  long  before  the  first 
cutting,  and  the  lower  leaves  yet  yellow  and  sickly, 
when  the  top  is  mowed  off  the  bottom  will  scarcely 
recover,  in  hot  weather  not  at  all ;  and  when  once 
every  bit  of  green  foliage  is  lost,  the  grass  root  will 
die  as  certainly  as  its  blades  have  done. 

We  would  let  a  lawn  the  first  year  after  seeding 
grow  to  its  full  length,  cutting  it  only  once,  or  even 
suffering  the  crop  to  rot  on  the  ground.  The  only 
care  we  would  give  would  be  to  carefully  hand- 
weed  it  of  the  coarser  growths;  and  this  on  no  ac- 
count or  at  any  cost  would  we  neglect. 


•»m»* 


AMMONIA 


AND  VEGETATION. 

We  have  before  us  two  essays  which  afford  much 
food  for  throught  to  practical  men.  One  is  a  sketch 
from  a  French  magazine,  Annates  des  Sciences  Natii- 
relies,  published  in  1858,  containing  a  paper  by  the 
celebrated  M.  Boussingault,  on  the  influence  which 
ammonia  and  its  nitrates  exert  upon  the  production 
of  vegetable  matter,  and  the  other  a  pamphlet 
entitled — "On  the  Source  of  the  Nitrogen  of  Vege- 
tation." By  Drs.  Lawes,  J.  H.  Gilbert,  and  Evan 
Pugh.  Extracted  from  the  Proceedings  of  the  Koyal 
Society  of  London  for  1860. 

The  relation  of  ammonia  to  vegetation  and  the 
matters  connected  therewith,  are  ones  of  great  im- 
portance to  the  cultivator.  In  their  bearing  particu- 
larly on  the  subject  of  surface  manuring,  and  of 
burying  manure  in  the  soil,  a  clear  understanding  I  /^ 


^^T^l^ 


C|e  @arbtnn-'s  HloutJIs. 


would  give  much  more  confidence  to  the  parties 
engaged  in  the  several  practices  and  discussion 
thereof.  It  is  not  enough  to  point  to  results  and  say, 
"  Behold,  I  get  as  good  crops  from  the  manure  I  now 
merely  spread  on  the  surface,  as  I  did  from  double 
the  quantity  I  ploughed  into  the  soil."  The  scien- 
tific cultivator  has  the  right  to  ask  the  reason  why  ; 
and  until  then  to  say,  "  When  we  pass  through  a 
field  of  newly  spread  manure,  and  smell  the  escaping 
ammonia,  by  so  much  as  we  know  escapes,  by  so 
much  do  we  know  the  manure  has  lost  in  value." 
As  this  reasoning  is  sound,  how  can  the  beneficial 
results  of  surface  manuring,  accompanied,  as  it  must 
be,  by  loss  of  ammonia,  be  accounted  for?  Such 
works  as  these  now  before  us,  tend  so  far  to  explain 
the  apparent  enigma. 

It  was  at  one  time  supposed  by  a  class  of  scientific 
men,  that  plants  had  the  power  of  feeding  on  the 
nitrogen,  of  which  the  atmosphere  is  in  part  com- 
posed, and  that  some  of  the  oxygen  the  plant  exhaled 
from  the  surface  of  the  leaf  was  part  of  tliis  rejected 
air,  the  balance  being  from  decomposed  carbonic 
acid.  Another  class  contends  plants  have  no  such 
power;  but  that  all  assimilable  nitrogen  must  be 
presented  in  the  form  of  ammonia  or  some  of  its 
nitnites. 

We  have  never  been  able  to  understand  why  a 
plant  should  not  have  the  power  to  use  the  nitrogen 
of  tliQ  air,  as  it  passes  through  its  system,  as  well 
as  to  have  first  to  decompose  ammonia  in  order  to 
get  at  the  necessary  element.  If  it  has  not  the  power, 
it  may  be  a  wise  provision  of  nature,  that  not  only 
man  and  animal  beings  generally,  should  have  to 
get  their  "bread  by  the  sweat  of  their  brow,"  but 
that  tlic  same  law  pervades  every  atom  of  life,  vege- 
table or  animal,  so  that  even  the  vegetable  cell 
should  be  doomed  to  exercise  its  vital  force  on  the 
decoujposition  of  ammonia  in  order  to  gain  its 
"bread,"  inst(!ad  of  being  allowed  lazily  to  lie  with 
its  mouth  open,  inertly  absorbing  nitrogen  quietly 
floating  by  it.  However,  be  this  as  it  may,  Bous- 
singault shows  that  free  nitrogen  is  not  used  by  the 
plant,  and  that  all  found  in  its  structure  is  derived 
from  compounds. 

In  one  of  his  experiments,  he  employed  the  sun- 
flower, and  sowed  the  seed  in  powdered  brick, 
watering  it  Avith  pure  distilled  water.  In  three 
months,  the  plants  had  gained  a  vegetation  of  0.392 
grammes  when  dried,  the  carbon  they  liad  ac(iuired 
from  the  decomposition  of  the  carbonic  acid  of  tlie 
air  in  that  time  wasO.lU  grammes,  and  the  nitrogen 
only  0.0025,  scarcely,  in  fact,  perceptible.  Though 
in  (lire  necessity,  and  sulTering  from  the  "pangs"  of 
want  for  this  essential  element,  and  with  the  air 
passing  through  its  system  composed  of  it,  in  a  free 


state,  5'et  it  could  not  or  did  not  touch  it.      One 
would  think  this  simple  experiment  conclusive. 

So  small  a  mass  of  vegetable  matter  in  such  a 
period  of  time  showed  that  some  other  elements  of 
fertility  were  wanting.  So  he  applied  phosphates 
of  lime  and  other  minerals,  alkaline  salts,  carbonates, 
and  silicious  matters,  but  with  no  better  results  than 
if  they  were  not  there,  for,  from  seeds  weighing 
0.107  grammes,  the  dried  vegetable  matter,  after 
three  months'  growth,  resulted  in  only  0.498  gram- 
mes, of  which,  only  0.0027  grammes  of  nitrogen 
were  found,  or  about  the  same  as  in  the  other  ex- 
periment. 

Failing,  though,  with  the  free  nitrogen  of  the  at- 
mosphere, to  derive  benefit  from  all  other  fertilizers, 
he  added  nitrogen  in  its  compound  form,  and  with 
the  most  astonishing  results.  From  seeds  weighing 
as  above,  0.107,  he  obtained  in  the  same  time, 
21.248  grammes  by  weight,  of  which  1.1666  were  of 
nitrogen.  Thus,  he  had  proved  first,  that  nitrogen  can 
only  be  used  by  a  plant  when  presented  as  a  com- 
pound; and  seconc'ly,  that  growth  was  unimportant 
without,  and  very  great  with  it. 

The  essay  of  the  other  three  gentlemen  takes  up 
the  subject  where  Boussingault  seems  to  leave  it,  and 
goes  to  consider  the  amount  of  nitrogen  yielded  by 
different  crops  over  a  given  area  of  land,  and  of  the 
relation  of  these  to  certain  measured  or  known 
sources  of  it.  As  the  pamphlet  is  not  a  long  one, 
and  the  subject  is  concisely  treated  and  clearly  ex- 
pressed, we  have  commenced  re-printing  it  in  our  last, 
and  continued  it  in  another  column.  It  will  be  seen 
that  with  the  numerous  natural  sources  of  combined 
or  assimilable  nitrogen  at  the  command  of  vegetation, 
a  very  small  proportion  of  the  ammonia  contained 
in  stable  manure  is  wanted  by  the  plant,  as  a  general 
rule,  and  only  in  exceptional  cases  of  great  natural 
poverty,  and  that  the  loss  by  evaporation  is  not  one 
that  will  be  readily  missed  by  the  plant  under  such 
circumstances.  The  oxidation  of  the  other  matters 
in  the  manure,  which  surface-manuring  affords  so 
superior  a  means  of  effecting,  is  evidently  a  much 
greater  gain  to  the  cultivator. 


PARTIZANS   IN   HORTICULTURE. 

When  we  hear  parties  assert  that  such  or  such  a 
variety  is  absolutely  worthless,  or  of  the  highest 
excellence,  and  when  our  own  experience  opposes 
such  assertions,  we  do  not  imagine  that  they  are 
ignorant,  prejudiced,  or  actuated  by  motives  of  selfish 
interest  in  what  they  say.  In  fiict,  we  have  usually 
found,  on  inquiry,  that  they  were  perfectly  honest 
in  their  opinions,  and  that  the  facts  warranted  what 
they  said.  In  some  instances  of  nurserymen,  we 
have  found  parties  with  a  large  stock  of  a  variety 


§h^  dadtner's  Pont^lg. 


for  sale,  and  yet  honestly  condemning  it,  and  recom- 
mending their  own  customers  not  to  buy  them. 

We  make  these  remarks  because  it  is  not  un- 
common to  see  a  sort  of  clanship,  or  party-feeling, 
in  favor  of,  or  in  opposition  to  some  varieties  of 
fruits,  and  a  disposition  very  prevalent  to  doubt  the 
honor  of  those  whose  experience  may  seem  opposed 
to  that  of  others.  We  have  been  careful  not  to 
admit  such  reflections  in  our  columns.  Though  we 
pass  freely  the  results  of  individual  experience  for  or 
against  any  variety  whatever,  we  have  frequently 
taken  the  liberty  of  expunging  from  such  valued 
articles,  any  remarks  undervaluing  the  experience  of 
others,  which  many  writers  are  inadvertantly  liable 
to  make  in  hurried  communications.  Soil,  locality, 
and  culture  are  often  more  than  sufficient  to  account 
for  the  most  diverse  results,  and  should  lead  us  all  to 
hesitate  before  we  unreservedly  condemn  any  variety 
on  our  own  experience  alone. 

A  particular  case  in  point  is  the  Allen  Raspberry, 
Our  pages  teem  with  the  most  unqualified  praise  of 
this  fruit  on  the  part  of  some  growers,  while  others 
as  freely  universally  condemn  it,  and  in  our  persona] 
experience  we  know  of  cases  where  the  warm 
advocacy  of  and  opposition  to  this  fruit  has  en. 
gendered  bad  feeling  and  ill  will. 

Recently,  we  called  on  a  party  noted  for  his  oppo- 
sition to  the  Allen,  at  his  request,  to  see  his  bed. 
As  he  stated,  it  was  with  him  totally  unproductive. 
Shoots  came  up  and  were  allowed  to  grow  by  the 
million,  and  thick  as  grain  in  a  wheat  field.  The 
soil  in  which  they  were  growing  was  rather  dry 
and  thin,  and  most  of  the  flowers  had  *'gone  blind," 
Occasionally  a  perfect  berry  might  be  seen,  and  here 
and  there  a  fruit  comprising  a  single  pip  or  so ;  but 
the  whole  was  a  complete  failure,  undoubtedly. 

We  were  narrating  our  experience  to  a  neighbor, 
Cwe  may  as  well  name  him,  for  we  are  sure  he  will 
not  object,  J  Mr.  James  Gleason,  of  Mownt  Airy,  and 
he  replied  by  inviting  us  up  to  see  his  Allen.  We 
went.  He  had  half  a  dozen  popular  kinds  be- 
sides, including  the  Hornet  amongst  them,  but 
the  Allen  beat  them  all,— a  long  way  surpassed 
them,— not  in  one,  but  every  quality.  There  was 
double,— we  use  the  word  advisedly,  —  rfowft^g  the 
quantity  of  fruit,— double  the  strength  of  stem,  and 
the  Tigor  and  general  health  of  the  plants  superior 
to  all,  and  the  quality  in  many  respects  beyond 
any  others.  The  soil  was  not  wet,  but  it  was  heavy 
had  been  deeply  trenched,  and  the  situation  was 
low.  Suckers  were  not  tliere  in  legions,  because 
the  plants  were  well  cultivated  between  the  rows 
and  suckers  not  wanted  were  neceived  as  weeds 
whioli  they  legitimately  were,  and  treated  accord- 
ingly. An  "inexpert"  would  probably  have  pro- 
nounced the  plants  ia  oae  of  the  cases  spurious, 


but  we  were  not  to  be  deceived  in  that  way,  and 
could  not  help  feeling  that  when  treated  as  Gleason's 
were,  and  as  any  other  one  might  treat  it,  the 
Allen  was  one  of  the  best  of  raspberries,  and  its 
introducer  deserving  the  best  thanks  of  the  com- 
munity. We  might  point  to  other  fruits,  but  this 
one  instance,  so  well  known,  and  so  ably  handled 
as  it  has  been  by  other  parties,  will  serve  our  pur- 
pose. We  wish  to  guard  horticulture  from  the 
danger  of  partizanship,  and  to  keep  before  the 
reader's  mind  the  fact,  that  soil,  climate,  culture 
and  local  circumstances,  have  so  much  to  do  with 
the  character  of  fruits,  that  men  may  honestly  difler 
on  the  most  opposite  extremes,  and  be  frequently 
both  right  for  all,  and  give  the  fruit  every  thing  that 
was  claimed  for  it.  Truth  may  often  come  from  an 
apparent  opposite,  just  as  Baily  makes  his  Lucifer 
say,  and  appropriately  to  our  subject : 

"There  is  less  real  dilTercnce  between  things 
Than  men  imagine.     They  overlook  tlie  mass, 
But  fa;<ten  each  on  some  particular  crumb, 
Because  they  feel  that  they  can  equal  that, 
Of  doctrine,  or  belief,  or  party  cause." 


VITAL    FORCES    IN    PLANTS. 

Under  our  regular  "Horticultural  Societies" 
heading,  we  give  the  proceedings  of  a  recent  meet- 
ing of  the  Cincinnati  Horticultural  Society,  in  which 
a  paper,  by  some  unknown  gentleman,  appears 
worthy  of  particular  attention. 

In  some  recent  articles,  and  in  others  by  some  of 
our  correspondents,  similar  views  have  been  ex- 
pressed to  those  which  the  writer  advances.  Tliere 
cannot  be  a  doubt  but  that  in  the  close  attention 
that  has  been  given  to  the  question  of  vegetable 
nutrition  the  past  few  years,  the  important  one  of 
the  action  of  the  vital  forces  on  the  elements  of  fer- 
tility has  been  considerably  overlooked.  Enough, 
however,  is  now  known  to  convince  thinking  minds 
that  for  want  of  a  better  knowledge  of  the  relation, 
plausible  theories  of  manuring  are  really  worthless, 
and  much  injury  and  loss  to  the  cultivator  have  been 
the  result.  Still  much  that  the  writer  advances  we 
think  untenable  ;  but  receiving  the  paper  only  as  we 
were  about  to  send  to  press,  we  have  thought  proper 
to  refer  to  it,  hoping  to  get  time  to  return  to  the 
subject  some  day. 


«•»•» 


TABLE  DESIGNS  AND    DECORATIONS. 

It  is  common  for  fashion  to  run  in  praiseworthy 
directions,  till  it  goes  beyond  good  taste,  when  it 
meets  unqualified  opposition  in  every  respect.  Thus, 
designs  of  cut  flowers  became  popular,  and  horti- 
cultural societies  believed  it  as  useful  to  offer  prizes 
for  them  as  for  the  best  pot  plants,  or  the  most 


^^ 


%\t  Cardi^ner^s  J!t0nthli|. 


superior  bunch  of  grapes.  Gradually,  these  designs  proved  monstrosities-gardens,  buildings,  and  natural 
objects-birds,  beasts  and  fishes  became  subjects  of  imitation,  and  the  most  gross  and  miserable  caricatmes 
of  such  things,  if  they  only  made  a  "show,"  and  excited  the  gaze  of  the  populace,  were  sure  to  receive 

handsome  premiums.  „„-,oTif 

Then  it  become  a  question  whether  horticultural  societies  were  really  established  for  the  encouragement 
of  such  perverted  taste.  Public  opinion  experienced  a  revulsion.  The  opposite  extreme  began,-till  at 
length  ihe  legitimate  claims  of  cut  flowers  for  any  other  purposes  than  mere  nosegays  or  baskets  are 
scarcely  recognized  at  any  of  our  exhibitions.  ,      . 

It  is  the  same  in  Europe  as  here.  Recently,  however,  a  gentleman  of  taste,  Mr.  Dilke,  in  view  of  the 
lack  of  encouragement  given  to  this  branch  of  decorative  gardening  by  the  horticultural  societies,  ottered 


^ 


i    I 
i    I 


handsome  premiums  at  a  recent  London  exhibition  for  the  best  table  designs  formed  «^  J^^^^^^J^^         ^,^^ 

It  is  gratifying  to  note  that  this  part  of  the  exhibition  proved  ^1^^  ^^^^^^^  ^^^^^t,.,^^^^^^^^^ 
nobility  entered  the  arena  as  competitors,  and  the  subject  was  considered  worthy  of  the  efforts  of         most 

refined  minds  that  England  could  produce.  ^o^aQion  wehavo 

That  our  reader*  may  understand  the  style  of  taste  in  this  matter  that  prevadcd  on  "'«  "^''^r";^^^ 
engraved  as  a  frontispiece  tUe  design  that  was  awarded  the  first  pri.e.     The  umon  <vf  'h«  '1^^^";  ;^ 
of  the  fern  with  th.  bolder  outlines  of  the  fruit,  combines  a  strength  and  elegance  of  beaut} 


<^ry 


1 


lii 


i 


276 


SF^il  ^ardtncr's  Jllont^Ij* 


happy  test  of  perfect  taste.  In  some  respects  the 
design  might  be  improved.  The  central  columns 
are  not  proportionate  in  weight  to  the  rest  of  the 
design,  but  on  the  whole  it  is  beautiful  and  cannot 
fail  to  suggest  a  great  improvement  in  our  usual 
mode  of  table  decorations.  Indeed,  it  is  seldom  that 
our  tables — even  those  set  out  w  ith  the  greatest  pre- 
tensions to  beauty  and  taste  of  arrangement— have 
more  than  the  common  bouquet  of  flowers  for  adorn- 
ment. To  our  mind,  the  bouquet  form  does  as  much 
violence  to  correct  principles  in  such  situations  as 
the  most  uncouth  design.  Its  form  and  arrangement 
is  particularly  for  the  hand,  and  for  motion.  It  has 
to  be  of  the  most  formal  shape,  and  the  flowers  set 
close  and  somewhat  thick  to  enable  them  to  be 
carried  well,  and  without  soon  drying  up.  As  they 
stick  up  in  the  glasses  on  the  table  before  us,  they 
seem  to  appeal  piteously  to  us  to  be  taken  in  the 
hand,  and  to  l»e  placed  to  their  legitimate  uses — nose- 
gays as  they  are.  We  hope  to  see  them  banished 
from  our  festal  boards,  and  the  "design"  of  flowers, 
with  its  intinite  scope  for  tasteful  displays,  and 
natural  beauty  universally  substituted. 

The  simplest  of  all  dinner  table  floral  arrangements 
is  the  vase.  To  illustrate  its  beauty  for  such  a  pur- 
pose over  the  bouquet,  we  take  the  foregoing  illus- 
tration from  our  contemporary,  the  Engluh  Cottage 
Gardener.  Of  course,  it  would  be  out  of  the  power 
of  any  American  collection  to  furnish  the  rare 
orchidea  necet^sary  to  fill  it  in  the  style  represented, 
but  they  seem  to  convey  the  idea.  Stitf  flowers  are 
required,  of  course,  to  arrange  in  the  centre,  and 
slender  racemes  for  hanging  over  the  sides.  Fresh 
green  moss  is  used  for  packing  the  stems  of  the 
flowers  into,  and  if  this  is  pressed  in  tight,  and  the 
flowers  siirinkled  occasionally  with  clean  water, 
they  will  retain  tlieir  freshness  and  beauty  nearly  as 
long  as  the  common  bouquet. 

As  it  is  all  in  connection  with  the  subject,  we  re- 
produce, Ijom  our  first  volume,  a  beautiful  design 
for  a  centre-table. 


a 


Since  we  first  published  it,  we  are  pleased  to  meet 
witli  it  occasionally  in  the  drawing-rooms  and  ])arlors 
of  our  friends.  For  the  sake  of  new  subscribers 
who  have  not  seen,  or  old  ones  who  have  forgotten, 
we  are  sure  that  those  who  have  already  profited  by 
the  first  hint,  will  not  object  to  the  repetition. 


As  a  table  decoration,  it  is  becoming  very  fashion- 
able in  France  to  employ  fruit  trees  in  pots.  For 
ourselves,  we  do  not  admire  the  taste.  It  savors  too 
much  of  the  pretentious  and  affected.  Yet,  being 
in  vogue  in  that  country,  it  must,  of  necessity,  find 
imitators  in  this,whereit  is  only  necessary  to  declare 
a  fashion  to  be  the  French  style  in  order  to  obtain 
for  it  general  adoption.  The  following  is  a  sketch 
we  made  last  season,  of  a  peach,  grown  in  pot,  and 


to  them  who  have  not  seen  examples  of  this  mode 
of  cultivating  fruits,  it  will  give  a  fair  idea  of  their 
general  appearance  for  decorative  purposes. 


EDITORIAL    CORRESPONDENCE. 

Nkw  York,  August  3d,  ISbl. 

"Isn't  it  very  hot  to  day?"  is  the  startling  in- 
quiry of  every  friend  I  meet.  Of  course,  with  the 
thermometer  amongst  the  nineties,  I  reply  that  it  is 
hot — very  hot,  and  the  inquirers  seem  much  relieved 
by  my  confirmation  of  their  suspicions.  You  in 
Philadelphia  have  no  idea  of  the  intensity  of  a  New 
York  90O  Talk  of  ''sweltering,''  but  you  must 
come  here  to  understand  that  term  in  all  its  ex- 
pressiveness. With  your  drier  air,  96^  or  98c>  is 
fai  more  Icelandish  than  this  90^,  surrounded,  as  we 
are  by  the  sea,  with  its  necessarily  moister  atmos- 
phere. 

It  is  bad  enough  to  have  to  attend  to  business 
even  with  the  aid  of  refreshing  circumstances  at  the 
best  in  these  liard  times ;  but  it  is  positively  cruel 
to  force  oneself  to  it  such  a  day  as  this,  so  I  deter- 
mined to  abandon  this  crucible  which  so  sorely  tried 
my   flesh,  and  betake  myself  somewhere  into  the 


ihji  dardmr'a  JtlontMg. 


country  in  search  of  some  cool  and  shady  nook 
where  I  might  forget  the  sufferings  of  city  show,  and 
derive  comfort  from  the  charms  of  nature. 

To  a  New  Yorker  the  Central  Park  is  now  the 
Mecca  of  rural  life,  so  far  as  a  day's  pleasure  is  con- 
cerned ;   but  from  all  I  could  learn  it  is  not  yet 
calculated  to  mitigate  the  horrors  of  a  genuine  hot 
day.     The  large  trees  which  the  New  York  press 
so  vauntingly  styled  a  complete  success  a  few  months 
after  transplanting,  are  now  considered  a  failure, 
and  are  not  likely  to  afford  a  very  delicious  shade 
for  some  years  to  come ;  and  the  trees  of  medium 
size,  that  under  ordinary  circumstances  should,  by 
this  time,  have  made  a  considerable   advance,  are 
in  a  state  of  rest,  and  are  kept  from  going  back- 
wards only  by  constant  and  copious  applications 
of  water,  which  it  is  supposed  will  eventually  supply 
the  original  deficiency  of  root.      Moreover,  I  was 
told  that  the  chief  beauty  of  the  park  was  the  op- 
portunity which  it  afforded  to  see  and  to  be  seen  of 
men.     Here  the  latest  style  of  bonnet,  or  the  most 
fashionable  cut  of  coat,  was  so  interestingly  blended 
with  the  study  of  natural  history  and  the  beauties  of 
the  landscape-art,  as  to  be  considered  synonymous, 
and  occupied  the  almost  exclusive  attention  of  the 
patrons  of  the  park.     As  for  the  park  itself,  my 
friends  assured  me,  that  independently  of  the  above 
considerations,  it  was  positively  tedious.       Every 
part  is,  in  a  great  measure,  a  counterpart  of  the 
other.     The  first  impression  on  entering  is,  that  it  is 
done  to    perfection.      The    faultless  curves, —the 
planely  moulded  and  exquisitively  modulated  sur- 
faces,—the  little  clumps  of  bushy  shrubs,  on  gentle 
rises,  just  where  correct  taste  would  decide  little 
clumps   should    be, —rocks  jutting   out  here   and 
there,  just  sufficiently  to  testify  strongly  to  the  sur- 
rounding victory  of  art  over  them  ;  and  the  body  of 
water  here  expanding  to  the  magnitude  of  a  lake, 
there  losing  itself  around  some  distant  curvature  of 
surface— on  this  side  reflecting  the  sun's  smiles  on 
some  overhanging  bluff,  on  that  wearing  a  dark  brow 
of  sadness  at  the  overshadowing  beauties  of  a  mass 
of  shrubs.     In  fact,  you  cannot  but  enter  the  park  to 
be  at  once  convinced  that  in  managing  the  four  great 
elements  of  the  landscape-gardener's  art— earth,  sky, 
wood  and  w^ater- the  designer  of  the  Central  Park 
has  managed  to  make  the  most  of  his  materials. 
But  having  passed  the  threshold  to  progress  through 
the  work,  you  encounter  the  same  style  of  road,  the 
same  mounds,  depressions  and  rocks.      The  little 
clump  you  sec  is  the  same  in  outline  and  general 
feature  as  the  one  you  saw  before,  and  set  precisely 
in  the  same  manner,  on  a  very  similar  mound,  and 
the  whole  planting  arrangement,  in  the  main,  sug- 
gests but  a  continued  round  of   the    same   idea. 
Though  the  walks  are  broad,  and  the  execution  of 


all  the  details  perfect,  the  mind  feels  shackled.— 
"Thus  far  canst  thou  go,  and  go  no  further,"  is 
whispered  at  every  step,  until,  panting  for  freedom, 
the  spirit  bursts  from  its  bonds,  and  relieves  its 
tedium  by  changing  the  study  of  the  park  for  that  of 
the  peculiarities  of  the  park-goers.  This  I  was  told 
by  parties  of  taste ;  but  whether  the  criticism  was 
just  or  not,  I  was  not  in  a  proper  frame  of  body 
or  mind  to  test  personally ;  and,  moreover,  it  is  in 
all  probability,  unfair  to  form  a  decided  opinion  on 
the  effect  of  so  great  a  work  until  the  work  itS43lf 
should  be  more  nearly  completed.  So,  passing  the 
Park  idea,  I  concluded  to  take  a  quiet  trip  to  Flushing, 
to  the  Nurseries  of  Parsons  &  Co.,  whose  well- 
known  and  beautiful  establishment  I  had  not  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  for  some  years. 

Taking  the  boat  from  Fulton  Street  Wharf,  a  few 
minutes  brings  us  to  Hunter's  Point,  from  whence, 
less  than  a  half  hour's  ride  carries  us  to  Flushing ;  a 
quiet  village,  bearing  the  aspect  of  retired  respect- 
ability.      Five  minutes'   walk    found    me  on  the 
higher  ground  of  the  village,  by  which  the  Nurseries 
are  situated.     I  have  no  note  of  the  extent  of  the 
grounds,  but  judge  they  comprise  about  seventy 
acres.      The  oftices  are  considerably  in  from  the  en- 
trance, and  the  approach  lined  by  many  fine  specimens 
of  rare  shrubs  and  trees,  which  in  themselves  repaid 
a  visit  to  Flushing.     Near  the  gateway,  there  is  a 
very  large  specimen  of  an  upright  Sugar  Maple,  as 
perfectly  fastigiate  as  the  Lombardy  Poplar,  and  well 
worthy   of   extensive  introduction   into   landscape 
scenery.     I  had  no  knowledge  before  that  such  a 
variety  of  the  Sugar  Maple  was  in  existence.    A  very 
large  Weeping  Sophora  is  very  striking  through  a 
marked  strength  of  beauty  which  it  adds  to  the  usual 
elegance  of  "Weeping"  trees.     A  large  Kentucky 
Coffee,  one  of  my  favorite  trees,  grew  near  by,  re- 
minding me  how  unfortunate  for  planters  it  was  that 
its  great  beauty,  when  of  middle  age,  was  not  more 
generally  known.      Its  stiff'ness  while  young,   no 
doubt,  is  the  cause  why  it  is  not  better  appreciated. 
Amongst  other  good  things  near,  the  following  were 
particulariy  noted :  Abies  orientalis,  one  of  the  best 
specimens  I  have  ever  seen  ;  about  12  feet  high.     Its 
reputation  as  a  slow  grower  is,  no  doubt,  gratuit- 
ous.    It  certainly  was  not  earned  by  this  specimen. 
A  fine  Pinuii  monspeliensis,  one  of  the  allied  group 
of  Austrians,  and  of  P.  Pyrenaica,  of  the  same  group, 
and  one  of  the  most  valuable  for  hardiness  of  beauty 
we  have  not  seen  excelled.  *  Pinus  nivea  was  also 
very  fine,  and  more  nearly  approaching  the  White 
Pine  in   appearance  than   I   had  before  supposed, 
having  hitherto  seen  but  much  smaller  specimens. 
Pinus  horizontalis,  a  fine  specimen.     This  is  not  a 
distinct  species,  but  a  spreading  form  of  the  Scotch 
Fir.     Picea  Frazerii  was  by  far  the  best  looking 


,>'.m  m 

■f,r 


\i. 


1)1 


*• 


*  '  ! 


Uf 


278 


(Jlj^e  §'^r&tmx's  Utantljlg. 


specimen  I  e^'er  saw,  and  evidently  suits  our  latitude 
much  better  than  its  next  brother  the  Balsam  Fir. 
Tlie  Douglass  Spruce  is  quite  hard}''  here.  The 
finest  specimen  is  about  twenty  feet  high  and  very 
beautiful.  Some  fine  specimens  of  Picea  cephalonica 
are  here — some  few  losing  their  leaders  through  birds 
resting  tlieir  weight  on  them,  and  Mr.  Parsons  sug- 
gests that  where  there  is  such  r:sk,  the  leader  should 
be  protected  by  a  small  stick  tied  as  a  stilfener  while 
young.  Piobably  the  finest  Magnolia  Soulangeana 
in  the  world  is  here  ;  the  branches  sweep  the  ground, 
and  occupy  over  eight  hiuidred  square  feet  of  surface. 
A  very  large  and  fine  Magnolia  macrophylla  stands 
near  this,  the  parent  no  doubt  of  many  a  score 
throughout  the  Union.  The  Weeping  Beech  is  one  of 
the  finest  I  know  of.  I  inquired  of  Mr.  Treumpy, 
the  foreman,  how  he  succeeded  in  obtaining  so  large 
a  stock  of  young  ones  in  face  of  the  generally  sup- 
posed difficulty  of  propagating  without  the  aid  of 
two  year  old  wood?  But  he  says  that  with  good, 
healthy  and  strong  one  year  old  wood  he  finds  no 
difticulty.  All  these  were  grafted  about  an  inch  or 
so  from  the  ground.  I  noticed  a  great  many  dwarf 
trees  that  had  originated  on  the  establishment,  that 
well  deserve  the  attention  of  the  proprietors  ;  parti- 
cularly a  Dwarf  White  Pine  and  a  Dwarf  Hemlock. 
Such  plants  are  just  the  thing  for  small  city  gardens, 
and  peculiar  positions  in  larger  ones.  The  firm  seems 
to  have  been  fortunate  in  raising  such  new  varieties, 
for  I  also  saw  a  very  curious  form  of  Norway  Spruce^ 
superior,  in  my  opinion,  to  the  foreign  variety 
monstrosa,  as  also  an  erect  and  compact  growing 
variety  of  White  Pine.  Much  might  be  done  for 
landscape-gardening  by  attending  to  the  selection 
and  separate  propagation  of  these  marked  varieties, 
which  are  often  much  more  distinct  in  habit  and 
striking  characters  than  genuine  botanical  species 
are,  and  produce  a  decided  effect  in  the  laying-out  a 
place  tastefully.  The  Taxus  erecta  thrives  well  here; 
it  is  decidedly  hardier  than  any  other  variety  of  the 
English  Yew,  and  the  only  one  that  has  stood  out 
here  entirely  uninjured  by  heat  or  cold. 

Of  the  newer  evergreens  and  plants  that  have 
proved  here  quite  hardy,  but  of  which  I  saw  no  very 
large  specimens  so  as  to  judge  of  the  final  effect  tlieir 
mature  growth  would  give,  I  noiiQC  Picea  lasiocarpa 
tar.  Parsonsiana,  which,  if  it  retain  as  it  grows  its 
present  appearance,  will  be  a  most  beautiful  Pine. 
Picea  Nordmanniana^  though  not  new  now,  yet  one 
of  the  scarcest  and  highest  in  price,  l^icea  jiectinafa 
pendula,  or  Weeping  Silver  Fir.  Picea  amahilis^ 
P.  nohilis^  and  7^  Iludsonica.  Amongst  other  hardy 
and  very  desirable  things  we  noted  Torreya  myristica; 
Picea  silistrica^  a  golden  variegated  American  Arbor- 
vitsR  ;  Jvnipertis  glaura,  a  very  grey  and  striking 
vartiety  of  the  Red  Cedar ;  and  TJiujiopsis  boreaha. 


In  the  deciduous  shrub  line,  Cercis  Japonica^  the  new 
Japan  Judas  Tree,  has  proved  very  hardy,  and  very 
beautiful  in  flower.  Andromeda  arborea^  a  rare  and 
beautiful  small  tree,  and  an  ill-used  native  at  that,  I 
was  pleased  to  see  in  considerable  quantity.  Also,  a 
curious  dwarf  Snowball,  called  Viburnum  nanum. 
The  Siberian  .ArborviicB  seems  the  hardiest  of  all,  and 
is  surpassed  by  none  of  the  newer  kinds  in  beauty. 
The  Rhododendron  thrives  here  to  perfection,  and 
has  no  cause  to  join  in  the  universal  charge  that 
Americans  neglect  their  own  most  beautiful  of 
plants. 

Perhaps  the  most  interesting  part  of  the  Messrs. 
Parsons'  establishment  just  now  was  their  plant- 
house  department.  The  attention  paid  the  past  few 
years  to  leaf  plants  has  imparted  a  new  order  of 
interest  to  greenhouses  in  summer,  and  has  in  no 
small  degree,  lent  their  aid  to  make  Parsons*  houses 
as  beautiful  as  they  are.  They  have  here  three 
houses  devoted  to  these  and  other  stove  plants,  all 
heated  by  two  of  Hitching' s  $150  boilers,  both  in  one 
stoke  hole  sunk  at  some  distance  from  the  houses.  The 
anangements  were  very  tasteful,  quite  unusual  for 
a  commercial  establishment,  and  whoever  has  this 
subject  in  charge  for  them  deserves  great  credit. 
Amongst  those  that  more  strikingly  forced  them- 
selves on  our  attention  for  beauty  of  marking  or 
elegance  of  form  in  tlieir  foliage  were  Caladium 
Bellej'inci,  Begonia  Roi  Leopold,  a  new  seedling 
Begonia  of  Van  Voorst's,  called  Mrs.  Stewart;  Be- 
gonia Sandersii  semperflorens,  an  important  improve- 
ment on  the  original ;  Solanum  quitoense  ;  Begonia 
Griffithii ;  Draccena  fcrroc,  a  splendid  plant  for  associ- 
ating with  statuary  in  conservatories ;  Caladium 
Wightii ;  Dioscorea  variegata,  which  Mr.  Treumpy 
finds  to  do  very  well  in  deep  shade  ;  Dracaiiia  termi- 
nalis ;  Allocasia  metalica,  more  beautiful  than  I  had 
even  anticipated  it  to  be  from  the  descriptions  given 
in  the  journals ;  Cyanophyllum  magnificum,  as  mag- 
nificent really  as  any  one  may  choose  to  imagine  it ; 
and  a  new  seedling  Begonia  with  the  dwarf  habit  of 
rubro-veina,  but  much  more  beautiful  in  my  opinion 
that  B.  rex.  There  was  also  a  new  Cissus  called 
C.  porphyrophyllus,  very  distinct  from  C.  discolor, 
and  will,  no  doubt,  have  as  popular  a  run. 

I  must  not  omit  to  note  the  tropical  and  grand  ap- 
pearance which  the  different  varieties  of  the  Plantain 
tribe  give  to  the  plant  stove ;  nothing  grown  can 
excel  them  in  this  particular.  I  was  not  aware,  till 
informed  by  Mr.  Parsons,  that  in  the  tropics  the 
bruised  leaves  are  used  as  a  poultice  for  burns  and 
blisters,  wilh  the  best  results,  and  I  could  not  help 
thinking  it  a  strange  coincidence  that  a  very  different 
plant,  but  with  the  same  common  name — plantain, 
should  have  a  similar  reputation  in  Europe  and  other 


V3^ 


'^^^ 


ih<^  (gardener's  cPanthlg. 


279 


countries.     Shakspeare  alludes  to  this  fact  when  he 
says,  in  Romeo  and  Juliet, — 

Romeo—''  Your  Plantain  leaf  is  excellent  for  that." 

Benwho— "For  what,  I  pray  thee?" 

Romfo — "For  your  broken  Hhin."  • 


It  has  often  been  a  question  with  botanists,  how 
a  name  of  evidently  Italian  origin,  and  given  by  the 
old  Romans  to  another  plant,  got  to  be  so  long  ago 
given  to  an.  English  plant ;  but  it  is  quite  possible 
that  the  virtues  mentioned  by  Mr.  Parsons  were  well 
known  to  the  ancients,  and  on  their  conquest  of 
England  they  gave  the  same  name  to  a  plant  they 
there  found  to  possess  the  same  medical  properties 
with  the  true  plantain  of  their  former  homes. 

Amongst  the  Ferns  and  Lycopodiums  worthy  of 
special  notice  were  Pteris  tricolor,  and  P.  argentea, 
Asplenium  Ballangerii,  Alsophila  radies,  Blechnum 
Braziliensis,  Lycopodium  apodum,  Selaginella  lepid- 
ophylla,  Polypodium  apendiculata,  Lycopodium  at- 
rovirides,  and  the  most  beautiful  thing  of  the  kind 
I  ever  saw  in  the  shape  of  Lycopodium  Cunning- 
hamii.    Along  the  border  of  the  staging,  as  an  edging, 
Lycopodium  apodum  was  employed  very  success- 
fully.    Among  the  miscellaneous  plants,  well  worthy 
of  the  attention  of  the  amateur,  I  noted  Mussjenda 
frondosa,  an  old,  but  yet  little  appreciated  plant.   The 
same  may  be  said  of  Clerodendron  fragrans  and  C. 
fiillax  ;  Liliuni  giganteum,  just  out  of  flower;  Papyrus 
antiquorum,  very  useful  for  imparting  gracefulness 
to  bouquets  ;  Cypripedium  venustum,  not  surpassed 
by  any  newer  plant ;  Tyd(pa  Eckhautii,  and  T.  Mrs. 
Lefevre,  and  Impatiens  Jerdoniaj. 

The  Fuchsias  were  nearly  out  of  bloom ;  but  of 
those  still  lingering.  Garibaldi,  Fanny  Douglass,  and 
the  very  double  kind— Solferino— were  the  best. 

In  our  walk  through  the  nurserj',  we  were  pleased 
with  the  very  healthy  and   vigorous  look  of  the 
Standard  Pear  quarter.     Mr.  Parsons  attributes  their 
success  to  deep  trenching  and  rather  light  dressing 
of  stable  manure,  as  opposed  to  the  heavy  applica- 
tions it  is  frequently  thought  necessary  to  stimulate 
pears  with.     The  soil  in  which  they  were  growing 
was  a  heavy  loam,  one  we  should  call  rather  clayey. 
On  the  opposite  side  of  the  road  to  the  nursery  is 
the  residence  of  one  of  the  firm,  Mr.  S.  B.  Parsons, 
and  by  his  kind  permission,  I  enjoyed  the  privilege 
of  a  stroll  through  the  grounds.    The  taste  displayed 
in  the  laying  out  aff'orded  a  striking  contrast  to  the 
pretentious  failures  so  common  in   suburban  resi- 
dences.    One  of  the  commonest  errors  is  to  plant 
close  up  to  the  house,  by  which  all  the  beauties  of 
the  planting  or  natural  scenery  of  the  grounds  is 
I  elfectually  shut  out  from  the  windows.     The  desire 
J   of  shade  in  summer  usually  prompts  this ;  but  Mr. 
^   \  P.'s  house,  while  it  boldly  stands  separate  and  inde- 
/f>A  pendent  of  all  the  planting  arrangements,  providoB 


for  luxurious  coolness  by  a  wide  and  airy  piazza  ex- 
tending round  the  warm  aspects  of  the  building. 
The  view  of  the  whole  grounds  and  the  distant  views 
from  the  piazza  are,  therefore,  all  that  can  be  desired, 
and  the  result  comes  up  to  our  beau  ideal  of  what 
American    landscape  gardening    should    be— good 
taste  in  arrangements— but  all  so   "fixed;"  ^pardon 
the  vulgarism— it  is  in  the  present  case  appropriate  j 
that  we  can  easily  see  and  admire  without  having  to 
toil  through  a  broiling  sun  to  earn  the  enjoyment. 
I  returned  to  New  York  by  the  five  o'clock  train, 
and  in  the  cool  of  the  evening,  having  spent  one 
of  the  most  pleasant  days  I  have  had  for  some  time, 
and  to  hear  with  surprise  from  some  of  my  New 
York  friends  that  it  "had  been  a  very  hot  day." 
Poor  things!      They  know   not  the   pleasures   of 
gardening,  and  its  capacity  of  submerging  our  bodily 
sufferings  in   the  lethean   stream.      The   day  was 
indeed  hot  for  them,  but  I  had  lost  all  recollection  of 
this  inconvenience  in  the  many  interesting  things 
the  Parsons'  establishment  afforded  me. 


«•■>> 


THEORY  OP  THE  PRESERVATION  OP  ICE. 

In  another  column  we  have  an  article  from  the 
pen  of  one  of  our  distinguished  scientific  men  on 
this  subject,  which  we  think,  for  the  first  time, 
attempts  an  exposition  of  the  scientific  principles  on 
which  the  preservation  of  ice  depends.  It  is  re- 
markable that  in  all  treatises  on  the  applied  sciences, 
this  subject  should  have  been  overlooked ;  and  we 
are  sure  that  the  paper  will  not  only  be  read 
with  ^interest  by  all  engaged  in  ice  management, 
but  be  received  by  the  purely  scientific  community 
as  a  valuable  contribution  to  knowledge. 


53- Communications  for  this  department  must  reach  the  Editor 
on  or  before  the  10th  of  the  month. 

Jl3-The  Editor  cannot  answer  letters  for  this  department  pri- 
vately.  


Insects—^  ''Regular  Subscriber,''  West  Grove,  Pa. 
—The  insects  you  send  that  "has  appeared  on  your 
fruit  trees  in  considerable  numbers  within  the  last 
few  days"  have  no  business  there.      It  is  the  Pine- 
tree  Beetle  (Prionus  unicolor. )    It  is  a  decided  enemy, 
and  you  may  give  no  quarter  to  any  you  find.     The 
smaller  and  gray  beetle  is  a  species  of  Saperda,  which 
one  we  do  not  know,  but  near  enough  to  the  Apple 
Borer  (S.  bivittata)  to  warrant  you  in  destroying  all 
you  can  find.     The  smaller  musquito-looking  insects 
have  been  recently  noted  by  entomologists,  and  little 
seems  to  be  known  of    them.       They  have  been 
observed  to  appear  in  quantity  for  the  first  this  sea- 


^=^ 


I 


?:i: 


i? 


'•  i 


m 


c 


280 


CI14  (Sarhittr's  ^Tanthlg. 


son.     Wlien  we  can  discover  further  about  them  we 
will  make  a  note  for  you 


E.  11,  Monteroy^  Pa.— Your  specimens  are  Rose 
bugs  (Melolonlha  subspinosa.)  They  come  out  of  the 
ground  in  June ;  live  on  any  kind  of  vegetation  for 
about  a  month,  and  then  the  female  enters  the  earth 
to  deposit  its  eggs.  The  larvsc  from  these  feed  on 
the  roots  of  all  kinds  of  vegetation,  so  that  in  every 
stage  they  are  inj  urious.  1  he  only  remedy  we  know 
is  to  wage  war  against  them  in  the  beetle  state. 
Applications  of  hot  water  will  readily  destroy  them. 
A  good  assistant  to  you  in  this  warfare  would  be  a 
lot  of  ducks.  You  have  to  take  them  young,  when 
with  a  little  attention  they  may  be  taught  to  catch 
hundreds  of  insects  a  day.  One  little  fellow  that  we 
have  has  become  so  expert  at  the  buisness  that  few 
of  even  the  most  active  insects  escape  his  dash  at 
them.  Of  the  common  house-fly,  not  one  in  ten 
misses  his  stroke.  Unlike  others  of  feathered 
domestics,  the  duck  docs  little  injury  in  a  garden. 


Names  of  Plants— G.  H.  i?.,  Booneville,  Mo.— 
No.  1  is  Rose  Gloire  des  Rosamene.  No.  2,  called 
with  you  "clematis,"  is  Wistaria  sinensis.  No.  3, 
called  "Chinese  Lilac,"  is  Philadelphus  Gordonianus. 


Pi,ANT  FROM  Pike's  Peak— i/.  J.  Terry,  Crescent 
City,  Iowa.  I  enclose  a  pressed  flower  and  leaf  of  a 
new  plant  that  I  received  from  Pike's  Peak  last  sea- 
son. It  is  a  trailing  plant,  something  like  Convo- 
vulus  minor,  and  sends  up  hundreds  of  flowers, 
which  when  fully  expanded  are  as  showy  as  the 
Snowball  and  possess  a  delightful  fragrance ;  the 
leaves  are  glabrous ;  stem  red,  and  smooth  like  Pur- 
slane ;  an  annual ;  a  most  lovely  plant  and  exceed- 
ingly desirable.  If  you  can  tell  the  name  of  it,  please 
do  so  through  the  Monthly.  I  will  send  you  seeds 
if  you  desire.  I  have  Cullirrhoe  involucrata,  also  from 
Pike's  Peak. 

[Your  plant  is  Abronia  umbcllata,  a  veiy  desirable 
plant,  but  not  before  in  cultivation  that  we  know  of. 
Very  glad  you  have  succeeded  in  obtaining  it,  and 
should  be  obliged  by  the  seeds  offered.] 


Propagating  Blackberries— i?.,  Ga/csAwr^,  III— 
This  is  best  performed  by  root  cuttings.  Early  in 
winter,  cut  up  roots  into  lengths  of  about  three 
inches,  and  mix  with  an  abundance  of  soil  in  boxes 
and  place  in  a  moderately  damp  cellar  till  spring  • 
then  plant  the  roots  in  the  open  ground  in  the  same 
way  as  cuttings,  only  keeping  the  tops  of  the  roots 
a  httle  beneath  the  surface  of  the  ground. 


Propagating  Trees  AND  Shrubs— if.,  Galesburg, 
lU.y  asks  the  question,  but  it  is  one  covering  too  much 


ground  to  be  replied  to  in  this  small  space.  So  far 
as  trees  and  the  larger  shrubs  are  concerned. 
Median's  Hand-book  of  Ornamental  Trees  would 
give  the  necessary  information.  Of  shrubs,  there  is 
no  work  extant  we  can  refer  to. 


W.  W.,  MorrUania,  N.  F.— The  white  flow^er  is 
Gloxinea  tubiflora.  The  red,  too  small  a  specimen 
to  name.  Probably  a  Gesneria.  The  variegated  leaf 
is  Chimaphila  maculata,  or  winter  green. 


J.  B.  Good  for  the  Last  Time.— The  advice 
given  some  time  since  to  our  private  correspondents, 
and  in  our  last  issue,  that  a  criminal  court,  and  not  a 
pubhc  paper,  is  the  proper  arena  to  discuss  swindling 
transactions,  seems  to  have  had  a  due  influence  on 
Mr.  Good,  for  we  learn  that  he  has  decamped  in 
disguise  for  parts  unknown.  His  effects  have  fallen 
into  the  hands  of  third  parties,  and  we  are  Informed, 
amongst  other  things,  disclose  the  fact  that  he  did 
actually  receive  the  letter  and  money  alluded  to  by 
Mr.  Kohly  in  the  June  number,  in  spite  of  his  pro- 
testation in  the  July  number  that  he  did  not. 


Cromwell's  Seedling  Peach- From  Mr.  Crom- 
well, Baltimore,  Md. — This  is  somewhat  like  the  Early 
Newington,  but  larger,  and  w^e  think  better  than 
that  we.l  known  and  valuable  variety.  They  com- 
menced to  decay  so  soon  after  receipt,  that  we  could 
not  hand  them  to  the  Philadelphia  County  Committee 
of  the  Fruit  Grower's  Society  of  Eastern  Penn- 
sylvania as  requested,  and  for  the  same  reason  we 
had  no  opportunity  to  compare  them  with  other 
kinds  so  as  to  get  a  definite  idea  of  its  distinctiveness 
from  other  described  varieties ;  but  so  far  as  we  can 
say  from  memory  alone,  we  think  it  a  good  addition 
to  already  known  early  peaches ;  ripe  in  Baltimore 
last  week  of  July. 

Raising  Seedlings. — A  correspondent  fears  that 
the  remarks  in  our  last  may  have  a  tendency  to  dis- 
courage the  raising  of  seedlings,  and  fruit  improve- 
ment suffer  in  consequence.  We  hope  not.  There 
cannot  be  too  many  seedlings  raised,  and  it  is  one  of 
the  most  interesting  of  horticultural  occupations. 
All  we  hope  to  see  is,  their  being  named  and  dissemi- 
nated as  improvements  on  what  we  already  have, 
discouraged  until  properly  proved  and  tested,  much 
better  than  has  been  the  rule  hitherto. 


LiNNiEA  borealis. — We  have  to  thank  a  Canadian   « 
friend  J.  G.  F.,  for  specimens  which  we  have  for- 
warded to  the  author   of   the    Linna>a  articles  at 
Haddonfield,  N.  J.     H.  would  gladly  reciprocate  the 


%\\t  inrkittr'a  l|]on 


281 


favor  by  sending  any  plants  or  specimens  of  his  dis- 
trict that  might  be  of  interest  to  him. 


Bad  Writing.— We  have  a  set  of  what  appears 
to  be  horticultural  inquiries  from  a  New  York  post 
mark,  but  as  we  were  utterly  unable  to  read  it,  we 
supposed  it  to  be  written  in  some  foreign  language, 
but  no  professor  of  any  modern  tongue  within  our 
circle  of  acquaintance  is  able  to  translate  it  for  us. 
We  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  letter  is 
either  in  the  ancient  Sanscrit  or  modern  Nipho- 
nese,  of  which  tongues  we  must  confess  our  pro- 
found ignorance.  Had  we  been  able  to  understand 
the  manuscript,  we  would  have  gladly  tried  to 
answer  the  inquiries  for  our  correspondent. 


We  think  so  well  of  them  that  no  lawn  of  any  ex- 
tent should  be  without  them.  The  best  we  know 
are  those  made  by  Swift,  of  Fishkill  Landing,  New 
York.  We  are  not  sure  that  any  are  made  at  Buffalo. 
With  care,  mowing  machines  do  not  often  need 
repairs.  AVe  saw  a  person  recently  using  a  Shank's 
machine  who  said  it  had  been  in  constant  use  for 
five  years. 

Helianthuses— C.  F.,  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  asks  :— 
"Will  you  be  good  enough  to  tell  me  whether  there 
are  any  other  colors  except  yellow  of  the  Helianthus 
multiflora  (double  Sunflower;  ?  I  prefer  it  to  the 
Dahlia,  if  a  variety  of  colors  is  to  be  had  of  them. 

[  There  are  no  other  colors.  ] 


Begonias— iV.,  near  West  Chester,  asks:— "Can 
you  inform  me  how  to  propagate  Begonias?  Also, 
in  what  kind  of  soil  they  do  best  ?  Are  they  better 
shaded  from  the  sun?" 

[The  larger  and  fleshy  leaved  Begonias  are  raised 
by  leaves.  These  are  cut  into  small  pieces  and  set 
edge-wise  in  sandy  soil,  WMth  a  moist  heat  of  about 
6O0.     Young  plants  shoot  up  from  where  the  veins 

are  cut  across. 

Any  coarse,  spongy  soil,  moderately  enriched  with 
partially  decomposed  vegetable  matter,  suits  Begoni- 
as, and  the  variegated  ones  are  best  grown  in  partial 
shade.  Some  of  the  summer-blooming  ones,  how- 
ever, do  well  as  border  plants,  and  do  not  mind  a 

little  sun. 

Begonias  can  also  be  propagated  easily  by  cuttmgs 

put  in  at  this  season  of  the  year.  ] 

Black  Currant  Wine— ^.  -S.,  Montgomery  Co.  Pa. 
asks:— "What  kind  or  which  kind  of  Black  Cur- 
rant do  the  French  make  their  wine  of?  as  you 
published  some  time  since  that  they  made  wine  of  it. 
Can  not  you  give  a  good  recipe  for  making  Black 
Currant  wine?  It  is  rather  late  now,  it  is  true  ;  how- 
ever, if  not  too  much  trouble,  it  would  be  good 
another  year." 

[The  kind  used  by  the  French  is  the  Black  Naples. 
We  should  be  uMad  to, receive  a  good  recipe  from  any 
correspondent  of  experience.  The  gentleman  named 
in  the  other  part  of  the  letter  is  one  of  honor  and 
standing  in  our  community.     Some  error,  no  doubt.  ] 

LvwN  :^IowiNQ  Machines.— A  Canadian  corres- 
pondent made  some  inquiries  about  mowing  ma- 
chines in  a  letter  which  we  have  not  now  by  us. 
We  believe  the  inquiry  was  as  to  their  real  merits, 
the  best  kinds,  and  whether  they  could  be  had  at 
Buffalo. 


Double  Brompton  Stock—"  Subscriber.''— Any 
fine  variety  of  this  can  be  readily  increased  by  cut- 
ting, and  the  variety  thus  preserved. 


[Continued  from  page  2=47.] 

On  the  Sources  op  the  Nitrogen  of  Vegeta- 
tion •  with  special  reference  to  the  Question 
whether  Plants  Assimilate  Free  or  Uncombined 
Nitrogen.  By  John  Bennet  Lawes,  Esq.,  F.  R. 
S.,  F.'c.  S. ;  Joseph  Henry  Gilberi,  Ph.  D.,  F.  R.  S. 
F.'c.  S.  ;  and  Evan  Pugh,  Ph.  D.,  F.  C.  S. 

Passing  to  the  subjects  of  collateral  inciuiry,  the 
first  question  considered  was,  whether  plants  grow- 
in"-  under  the  conditions  stated  would  be  likely  to 
acquire  nitrogen  from  the  air  through  the  medium  ot 
ozone  either  within  or  around  the  i)lant,  or  in  the 
soil ;  that  body  oxidating  free  nitrogen,  and  thus 
rendering  it  assimilable  by  the  plants. 

Several  series  of  experiments  were  made  upon  the 
n-ases  contained  in  plants  or  evolved  from  them, 
under  different  circumstances  of  light,  sliadc,  supply 
of  carbonic  acid,  &c.  When  sought  for,  ozone  was 
in  no  case  detected.  The  results  of  the  inquiry  m 
other  respects,  bearing  upon  the  points  at  issue,  may 
be  briefly  summed  up  as  follows  :— 

1  Carbonic  acid  within  growing  vegetable  cells 
and  intercellular  passages  suffers  decomposition  very 
rapidly  on  the  penetration  of  the  suu's  rays,  oxygen 

being  involved. 

2  Livin-  vegetable  cells,  in  the  dark,  or  not  iKuie- 
trated  by  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun,  con.sume  oxygen 
very  rapidly,  carbonic  acid  being  formed. 

3    Hence,  the  proportion  of  oxvl^mi  must  vmvv 
greatly  according  to  the  position  of  the  cell,  and  to 


■^*n' 


;  i 


i 


ft  ii 


M 


msi  iarter'a  JKonlhla. 


W 


lie  external  conditions  of  lic^lit,  and  it  will  oscillate 
under  the  influence  of  the  i educing  force  of  carbon- 
matter  Cforming  carbonic  acid^  on  the  one  hand,  and 
of  that  of  the  sun's  rays  Ch^erating  oxygen  j  on  the 
other.  Both  actions  may  go  on  simultaneously  ac- 
cording to  the  depth  of  the  cell ;  and  the  once  outer 
cells  may  gradually  pass  from  the  state  in  which  the 
smilight  is  the  greater  reducing  agent  to  that  in 
which  the  carbon-matter  becomes  the  greater. 

4.  The  great  reducing  power  operating  in  those 
parts  of  the  plant  where  ozone  is  most  likely,  if  at 
all,  to  be  evolved,  seems  unfavorable  to  the  oxida- 
tion of  nitrogen  ;  that  is  under  circumstances  in 
which  carbon-matter  is  not  oxidized,  but  on  the  con- 
trary, carbonic  acid  reduced.  And  where  beyond 
the  influence  of  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun,  the  cells 
seem  to  supply  an  abundance  of  more  easily  oxidized 
carbon-matter,  available  for  oxidation  should  free 
oxygen  or  ozone  be  present.  On  the  assumption  that 
nitrates  are  available  as  a  direct  source  of  nitroiren 
to  plants,  if  it  were  admitted  that  nitrogen  is  oxi- 
dated within  the  plant,  it  must  be  supposed  Cas  in 
the  case  of  carbon)  that  there  are  conditions  under 
which  the  oxygen  compound  of  nitrogen  may  be 
reduced  within  the  organism,  and  that  there  arc 
others  in  which  the  reverse  action,  namely,  the  oxi- 
dation of  nitrogen,  can  take  place. 

5.  So  great  is  the  reducing  power  of  certain  car- 
bon-compounds of  vegetable  matter,  that  when  the 
growing  process  has  ceased,  and  all  the  free  oxygen 
in  the  cells  has  been  consumed,  water  is  for  a  time 
decomposed,  carbonic  acid  formed,  and  hydrogen 
evolved. 

The  suggestion  arises,  whether  ozone  may  not  be 
formed  under  the  influence  of  the  powerful  reducing 
action  of  the  carbon-compounds  of  the  cell  on  the 
oxygen  eliminated  from  carbonic  acid  by  sunlight, 
rather  than  under  the  direct  action  of  the  sunlight 
itself— in  a  manner  analogous  to  that  in  which  it  is 
ordinarily  obtained  under  the  influence  of  the  active 
reducing  agency  of  Phosphorus  ?  But,  even  if  it 
were  so,  it  may  be  questioned  whether  the  ozone 
would  not  be  at  once  destroyed  when  in  contact 
with  the  carbon-compounds  present.  I  is  more 
probable,  however,  that  the  ozone  said  to  be  observed 
in  the  vicinity  of  vegetation,  is  due  to  the  action  of 
the  oxygen  of  the  air  upon  minute  quantities  of  vo- 
la  :  e  carbo-hydrogens  emitted  by  plants. 

Supposing  ozone  to  be  present,  it  might,  however, 
be  supposed  to  act  in  a  more  indirect  manner  as  a 
source  of  combined  and  assimilable  nitrogen  in  the 
autho:'s'  experiments,  namely, — by  oxidating  the 
nitrogen  dissolved  in  the  condensed  water  of  the 
apparatus— by  forming  nitrates  in  contact  with  the 
moist,  porous,  and  alkaline  soil — or  by  oxidating  the 


^l^ 


free  nitrogen  in  the  cells  of  the  older  roots,  or  that 
evolved  in  their  decomposition. 

Experiments  were  accordingly  made  to  ascertain 
the  influence  of  ozone  upon  organic  matter,  and  on 
certain  porous  and  alkaline  bodies,  under  various 
circumstances.  A  current  of  ozonous  air  was  passed 
over  the  substances  for  some  time  daily,  for  several 
months,  including  the  whole  of  the  warm  weather 
of  the  summer,  but  in  only  one  case  out  of  eleven 
was  any  trace  of  nitric  acid  detected,  namely,  that 
of  garden  soil ;  and  this  was  proved  to  contain 
nitrates  before  being  submitted  to  the  action  of 
ozone. 

It  is  not,  indeed,  hence  inferred  that  nitric  acid 
could  under  no  circumstances  be  formed  through 
the  influence  of  ozone  on  certain  nitrogenous  com- 
pounds, on  nascent  nitrogen,  on  gaseous  nitrogen  in 
contact  with  porous  and  alkaline  substances,  or  even 
in  the  atmosphere.  But,  considering  the  negative 
result  with  large  quantities  of  ozonous  air,  acting 
upon  organic  matter,  soil,  *&c.,  in  a  wide  range  of 
circumstances,  and  for  so  long  a  period,  it  is  believed 
that  no  error  will  be  introduced  into  the  main  inves- 
tigation by  the  cause  referred  to. 

Numerous  experiments  were  made  to  determine 
whether  free  nitrogen  was  evolved  during  the  de- 
composition of  nitrogenous  organic  compounds. 

In  the  first  series  of  six  experiments,  wheat,  barley, 
and  bean-meal  were  respectively  mixed  with  ignited 
pumice,  and  ignited  soil,  and  submitted  for  some 
months  to  decomposition  in  a  current  of  air,  in  such 
a  manner  that  any  ammonia  evolved  could  be  col- 
lected and  estimated.  The  result  was,  that,  in  five  out 
of  the  six  cases,  there  was  a  greater  or  less  evolution 
of  free  nitrogen— amounting,  in  two  of  tlie  cases,  to 
more  than  12  per  cent,  of  the  original  nitrogen  of 
the  substance. 

The  second  series  consisted  of  nine  experiments  ; 
wheat,  barley,  and  beans  being  again  employed,  and, 
as  before,  either  ignited  soil  or  pumice  used  as  the 
the  matrix.  In  some  cases  the  seeds  were  submitted 
to  experiment  whole,  and  allowed  to  grow,  and  the 
vegetable  matter  produced  permitted  to  die  down 
and  decompose.  In  other  cases,  the  ground  seeds, 
or  "meals,"'  were  employed.  The  conditions  of 
moisture  were  also  varied.  The  experiments  were 
continued  through  several  months,  when  from  GO  to 
70  per  cent,  of  tlie  carbon  had  disappeared. 

In  eight  out  of  the  nine  experiments,  a  loss  of  nitro- 
gen, evolved  in  the  free  state,  was  indicated.  In  most 
cases,  the  loss  amounted  to  about  one-seventh  or 
one-eighth,  but  in  one  instance  to  40  per  cent,  of  the 
original  nitrogen.  In  a^l  these  experiments  the  de- 
composition of  the  organic  substance  was  very  com- 
plete, and  the  amount  of  carbon  lost  was  compara- 
tively uniform. 


M>M  (iardener'a  JRonthlg. 


It  thus  appeared  that,  under  rare  circumstances, 
there  might  be  no  loss  of  nitrogen  in  the  decompo- 
sition of  nitrogenous  organic  matter  ;  but  that  under 
a  wide  range  of  circumstances,  the  loss  was  very 
considerable— a  point,  it  may  be  observed,  of  prac- 
tical importance  in  the  management  of  the  manures 
of  the  fiirm  and  the  stable. 

Numerous  direct  experiments  showed,  that  when 
nitrogenous  organic  matter  was  submitted  to  decom- 
position in  water,  over  mercury,  in  the  absence  of 
free  oxygen,  there  was  no  free  nitrogen  evolved.  In 
fact,  the  evolution  in  question  appeared  to  be  the 
result  of  an  oxidating  process. 

Direct  experiments  ;\lso  showed,  that  seeds  may 
be  submitted  to  germination  and  growth,  and  that 
nearly  the  whole  of  the  nitrogen  may  be  found  in 
the  vegetable  matter  produced. 

It  is  observed  that,  in  the  cases  referred  to  in 
Avhich  so  large  an  evolution  of  free  nitrogen  took 
place,  the   organic    substances  were    submitted  to 
decomposition   for   several  months,   during  which 
time  they  lost  two-thirds  of  their  carbon.     In  the 
experiments  on  the  question  of  assimilation,  how- 
ever, but  a  very  small  proportion  of  the  total  organic 
matter  is  submitted  to  decomposing  actions  apart 
from  those  associated  with  growth,  and  this  for  a 
comparatively  short  period  of  time,  at  the  termina- 
tion of  which  the  organic   form  is   retained,   and 
therefore,  but  very  little  carbon  is  lost.     It  would 
appear,  then,  that  in  experiments  on  assimilation  no 
fear  need  be  entertained  of  any  serious  error  arising 
from  the  evolution  of  free  nitrogen  in  the  decompo- 
sition of  the  nitrogenous  organic  matter  necessarily 
involved,  so  long  as  it  is  subjected  to  the  ordinary 
process  of  germination,  and  exhaustion  to  supply 
materials  for  j^rowth.     On  the  other  hand,  the  facts 
adduced  afford  a  probable  explanation  of  any  small 
loss  of  nitrogen  which  may  occur  when  seeds  have 
not  grown,  or  when  leaves,  or  other  dead  matters, 
have  suffered  partial  decomposition.      They  also 
point  out  an  objection  to  the  ai)plication  of  nitroge- 
nous organic  manure  in  such  experiments. 

Although  there  can  be  no  doubt  of  the  evolution 
of  hydrogen  during  the  decomposition  of  organic 
matter  under  certain  conditions,  and  although  it  has 
lon<-  been  admitted  that  nascent  hydrogen  may,under 
certuin  circumstances,  combine  with  gaseous  uitro- 
cren  and  form  ammonia-nevcrtheless,  from  conside- 
rations stated  at  length  in  the  paper,  the  aiithors 
infer  that  there  need  be  little  apprehension  of  error 
in  the  results  of  their  experiments,  arising  from  an 
unaccounted  supply  of  ammonia,  forme^  under  the 
influence  of  nascent  hydrogen  given  off  m  the  de- 
composition of  the  organic  matter  involved. 

[To  be  Continued.] 


Jim  OP  Plarp  fhnh. 


New  Plants  Exhibited  at  the  recent  London 
Shows. —  Mr.    Thompson,    of   Ipswich,   exhibited 
Nemophila  atomaria  maculata;  also  three  varieties 
of  Rhodanthe,  called  atro-sanguinea,  maculata,  and 
maculata  alba.      The  former  was  obtained  among 
the  limestone  rocks  in  the  neighborhood  of  Champion 
Bay,  Western  Australia.     Maculata  in  appearance  is 
a  robust  form  of  Manglesi,  which  was  discovered  by 
Captain  Mangles,  at  Swan  River.     For  this  a  First- 
class  Certificate  was  awarded.     The  white  variety, 
which  promises  to  be  exceedingly  pretty,  received 
a  Label  of  Commendation ;  but  all,  owing  to  the 
wetness  of  the  day  and  the  consequent  absence  of 
sunlight,  did  not  display  their  charms  to  so  much 
advantage  as  they  would  have  done  had  the  day  been 

brighter. 

A  very  fine  Delphinium  was  exhibited  by  Mr. 
Wheeler,  of  Warminster,  to  which  the  appropriate 
name  of  alopecuroides,  or  "like  a  foxtail,"  was 
given,  for  it  was  as  close  and  thickly  set  as  any 
Reynard's  brush.  The  flowers  being  double,  and 
the  habit  of  the  plant  dwarf,  its  very  closeness 
seemed  to  me  to  take  off  from  the  elegance  of  its 
appearance.     For  this  a  First-class  Certificate  was 

awarded. 

From  Messrs.  Downie  &  Laird  came  a  new 
branching  Intermediate  crimson  Stock,  not  better 
than  some  out ;  and  from  Mrs.  Conway,  Brompton, 
some  varieties  of  bedding  Geraniums,  &c.,  much 
behindhand ;  and  from  Mr.  Wood,  of  Bedford  Nur- 
sery, Ilampstead  Road,  some  fancy  Pelargoniums, 
which  we  might  have  looked  at  fifteen  years  ago. 

Mr.  Dean,  of  Bradford,  contributed  a  New  Zealand 
Fern,  called  Hypolepis  distans,  which  will,  from  its 
creeping  and  dumpy  habit,  be  valuable  as  a  pot 
variety,  as  it  will  trail  over  and  cover  the  sides  of 
the  basket  or  whatever  it  may  be  in.  For  this  a 
Label  of  Commendation  was  awarded. 

Messrs.  Carter  &  Co.,  of  Ilolborn,  exhibited  some 
specimens  of  a  new  double  Clarkia,  very  distinct 
and  beautiful,  much  brighter  in  color  than  any  of  the 
older  varieties,  a  rich  rosy  pink,  and  apparently 
quite  constant  in  its  double  properties.  A  figure  of 
this  will  appear  in  the  Floral  Magazine.  For  this  a 
First-class  Certificate  was  awarded. 

Tlie  same  award  was  given  to  a  very  magnificent 
scarlet  Verbena,  called  Foxhunter,  from  John  Miller, 
Esq.,  Upway,  near  Dorchester,  brighter  in  color  than 
any  out,  apparently  a  good  trusser,  filling  up  well  in 
the  centre,  and  very  large.  I  measured  one  pip,  one 
and  an  eighth  inches  across.  Equal  in  size  to  Grand 
Eastern,  but,  of  course,  with  a  brilliancy  of  color  it 
does  not  possess. 


1. 


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hi:?' 

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11'  :>■' 
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tSfiB 


©j)j  iiai'kiwr's  |iloiit|Ij. 


From  Mr.  Bull  came  PhalfEiiopsis  Scliilleriana,  an 
excellent  thing,  but  too  small  to  be  awarded  any  thing 
as  yet ;  Cyanophyllum  speciosum,  not  so  good  as 
the  older  variety ;  Begonia  Xeramis ;  Calceolaria 
Sparkle,  &c. 

Messrs.  Veitcli  &  Son  sent  a  very  pretty  Calen- 
drina  umbellata  major,  a  rock  plant  from  Ciiili. 
For  this  a  Label  of  Commendation  was  awarded ;  as 
was  also  a  very  pretty  Primula  from  the  snow  line  of 
the  Andes,  and  therefore  quite  hardy. 

Messrs.  Charlwood  &  Cummins,  of  Covent  Gar- 
den, sent  a  very  beautiful  variety  of  Nemophila, 
called  Discoidalis  elegans,  with  all  the  habit  and  ap- 
pearance of  its  parent,  but  w^th  the  petals  of  a  rich 
mulberry,  edged  with  white.  It  was  considered  very 
striking,  and  received  a  Label  of  Commendation. 
This  will  be  figured  also  in  the  Floral  Magazine. 

Mr.  G.  Smith,  of  Hornsey  Road,  sent  two  new 
Verbenas — "The  Moor,"  very  dark,  and  Fireball, 
which  might  have  been  accepted  had  not  Foxhunter 
been  before  it.  He  also  exhibited  a  very  nice  stand 
of  blooms  of  various  kinds,  including  Grand  Eastern, 
Garibaldi,  Madam  Zindicr,  &c.  For  this  collection 
a  Special  Certificate  was  awarded.  He  also  sent  a 
good  plant  of  his  dwarf  bedding  Calceolaria 
"Canary." 

Mr.  Melville,  of  Dalmeny  Park,  sent  several 
varieties  of  Tropaeolums  and  Sweet  Williams.  Some 
of  the  former  were  very  promising  as  to  shape  and 
substance,  but  more  was  required  to  be  seen  of  them 
before  a  judgment  could  be  pronounced. 


HuNNEMANNiA  FUMAiii^FOLiA. — Described  by 
the  Horticultural  Society  as  a  fine  half-hardy  Peren- 
nial, Cflowering  the  first  year,;  allied  to  Esch- 
scholtzia,  having  similar  finely  cut  foliage,  and  pro- 
ducing bright  yellow  poppy-like  flowers,  (with 
robust  and  erect  habitj;  it  is  a  desirable  plant,  with 
the  general  habit  of  Eschscholtzia,  and  adapted  for 
similar  purposes. 


Camellia  spiralis  rubra.— A  seedling  raised  by 
the  late  Noel  G.  Becar.  The  form  of  the  flower  re- 
sembles a  screw,  and  is  very  curious.  The  spirals 
are  remarkably  symmetrical.  The  color  and  sub- 
stance unexceptionable. — Horticulturist. 


UptD  anb  J^arp  l^ruifs. 

Apple  from  Mr.  Caspar  Hiller. — A  very  hand- 
some apple  of  the  size,  and  much  resembling  Sine 
Qua  Ao«,  but  to  our  taste  not  quite  equal  in  flavor  to 
that  good  kind.  It  may  possess  other  qualities 
superior  to  it  that  would  render  it  worth  nAming  and 


The 


following 


is    Mr.     Hiller' s 


disseminating, 
account : — 

"I  to-day  send  you,  by  Adams  &  Co.'s  Express, 
a  few  specimens  of  an  apple  which  I  have  called 
"All  Summer."  It  is  a  variety  that  originated  in 
this  locality.  The  original  tree  died  a  few  years  ago, 
and  was  probably  over  sixty  years  old.  The  speci- 
mens I  send  are  rather  above  the  average  size  they 
usually  are  this  season  of  the  year,  but  as  the  season 
advances  they  become  larger.  We  frequently  had 
them  in  use  from  early  in  July  to  the  middle  of  Sep- 
tember. It  is  remarkable  for  its  good  bearing  qualities 
— it  having  failed  but  once  in  twelve  years — that 
being  the  summer  of  1860.  That  year  the  fruit  was 
the  size  of  peas,  when  it  was  cut  off"  by  unfavorable 
weather.  This  year,  it  and  Hubbardston  Nonsuch 
are  the  only  kinds  in  an  orchard  of  sixty  varieties 
that  have  a  full  crop  of  fruit.  Habit  of  young  trees 
very  upright,  but  slender  branches,  which  by  the 
heavy  crops  become  drooping." 


Jocelyn's  Black  Cap  Raspberries. — Mr.  Peck 
has  sent  us  some  of  this  improved  Black  Cap,  with 
which  we  are  much  pleased.  The  berry  is  fully 
twice  the  size  of  the  common  Black  Cap,  is  more 
fleshy,  very  productive,  and  has  the  full  flavor  pecu- 
liar to  the  wild  plant.  The  fruit  has  brought  a  good 
price,  and  it  may  prove  a  valuable  kind  for  market. 
— Horticulturist. 


^onipsfir  InfFHigrnrp. 

Strawberries. — Concluding  our  call  at  ISIr. 
Downing's  with  the  trial  of  an  excellent  sample  of 
sparkling  bottled  cider,  we  proceeded  perhaps  two 
miles  farther  along  the  Valley,  passing  through 
Downingtown,  to  the  farm  of  Dr.  J.  K.  Eshlcman, 
President  of  the  Fruit  Grower's  Society  of  Eastern 
Pennsylvania.  And  here  we  may  take  occasion  to 
say  that  of  all  the  various  localities  in  which  the 
Wilson^s  jilbany  Straioberry  has  become  a  favorite 
variety,  we  have  never  visited  any  where  it  seems 
more  completely  to  have  cast  all  others  into  the 
shade,  than  here  in  Chester  County.  Dr.  E.  could 
raise  five,  if  not  ten  times  the  quantity  o  fruit  from 
it,  as  from  any  other  kind,  with  the  same  care  and 
on  the  same  land ;  he  has  tested  sixty-two  varie- 
ties, so  that  he  is  qualified  to  speak,  and  out  of  them 
all  had  determined  to  retain  but  three — Walker^ n^ 
which  h(!  prefers  for  his  own  taste.  Burros  New  Pine 
and  the  Wilson's  Jilbany.  Of  the  Wilson's  Albany, 
he  had  had  twenty  quails  from  a  bed  cont  dning 
sixty  and  a  half  square  feet;  the  first  year  after 
planting  it  produces  well,  the  second  year  still  better, 


ilni  gardener's  JHont^ls. 


285 


the  third  year  about  as  much  as  the  first,  after  which 
new  beds  are  formed.     At  the  meeting  of  the  Fruit 
Grower's  Association  of  Eastern  Pennsylvania,  in 
June,  1860,  there  were  twenty-five  votes  given  for 
Wilson's  Albany  "for  general  culture,"  while  the 
highest  received  for  any  other  sorts  were  eight  votes 
for  Hovey,  and  seven  each  for  Triomphe  de  Gand 
and    McAvoy's    Superior.       At  the   same    session 
Triomphe  de  Gand  stood  highest  "for  special  or 
amateur  culture,"  having   eleven   votes,  while  Vi- 
comptesse  Hericart  de  Thury  (can't  some  ingenious 
pomologist  propose  an  abridgment  of  this  formidable 
nafneV— how  would  Hericart  answer  alone,  for  ins- 
tance?)   stood    next,    having  ten   yotes.— Country 
Gentlchian. 


Description  of  some  Newer  Strawberries. 

—Bonte  ,ie  St.  Julian,  (Carre.)     Eariy,  large,  round, 
very  sw(!et,  fine  flavor,  perfumed;  very  productive. 

Due  de  Malakoff,  (Gloede.)  Conical,  very  large, 
often  monstrous,  deep  scariet,  round  or  coxcomb, 
firm,  sweet,  apricot  flavor ;  plant,  vigorous,  produc- 
tive,   superior  for  forcing;  has  weighed  1^^  ounces. 

Eni}m:s  JCvyenie,  (Knevett.)  Monstrous  berry, 
has  weighed  U  to  U  ounces;  ovate  or  coxcomb, 
deep  glossy  crimson,  red  fle;  h,  juicy,  sweet,  delight- 
ful flavor,  exquisitely  perfumed;  vigorous,  very 
productive  ;  forces  well. 

English  Lady's  Finder.  Oblong  form,  orange 
scarlet ;    white  flesh,  sweet,  high  flavor,  vigorous, 

productive. 

Imperalrice  Eugenie,  (Gauthier.)  Large,  conical, 
bright  glossy  roseate,  handsome,  firm,  sweet,  per- 
fumed. 

La  Constante,  (Jonghe.;  Very  perfect  in  all  re- 
spects ;  large,  regular  cone,  brilliant  scarlet,  very 
firm  sweet,  perfumed,  exquisite  flavor;  ripens  late  ; 
l)huu,  dwarf,  vigorous,  very  produ.aive  ;  succeeds 
in  all  soils  and  situations ;  forces  well. 

La  Drlicieuse,  (hone.)  Large,  round  or  flattened, 
apricot  color,  yellowish  flesh,  very  sweet,  perfumed; 
plant,  vigorous,  productive  ;  very  late. 

La  Grosse  Sucree,  (De  Jonghe.)  Large,  oblong, 
crimson  at  maturity;  flesh,  white,  solid,  sweet, 
highly  perfumed  ;  vigorous,  very  productive  ;  quite 

'  La  Sultane,  (Nicaisc.)  Magnificent  fruit,  large, 
conical,  often  too  seemingly  united,  brilliant  scarlet, 
glazed;  flesh,  white,  solid,  juicy,  sweet,  highly 
perfumed;  plant,  very  vigorous,  productive. 

May  Queen,  (Nicholson.)  Very  eariy,  round, 
rather  large,  pale  scarlet,  sweet,  fine  aroma,  excel- 
lent;    eariiest   of  its  class;    vigorous,    productive; 

forces  well. 

Mrs   D    Neilson,  (Stewart  and  Neilson.)     Large, 

variable  in  form,  orange  scariet,  juicy,  sweet,  high 


flavor;    plant,    vigorous,   productive;    ripens  very 

late. 

Napoleon  III,  (Gloedc.;  Large,  round  or  flat- 
tened, bright  roseate;  flesh,  white,  solid,  sweet, 
delicious  flavor;  plant,  very  vigorous  and  very 
productive  ;  ripens  late. 

Oscar,  (Bradley).  Large,  often  monstrous, 
rounded,  flattened,  sometimes  .coxcomb  ;  deep  scar- 
let, firm,  very  sweet,  aromatic,  exquisite  flavor; 
plant,  extremely  vigorous  and  productive;  ripens 
eariy,  forces  admirably. 

Princess  Fredenck  William,  (WwQn.)  Eariiest  of 
the  pine  family,  rounded,  coxcomb;  large  size, 
brilliant  scariet,  solid,  sweet,  high  flavor;  very 
vigorous,  productive  ;  forces  admirably. 

Wizard  M  the  North.  Very  large,  variable  form, 
bright  red,  firm,  sweet,  high  flavor;  vigorous  pro- 
ductive. 

Wonderful,  (Jeyes.)  Large,  oblong,  flattened, 
bright  roseate,  solid,  sweet,  fine  flavor ;  plant,  vig- 
ormis,  very  productive  ;  ripens  late.—  Wni.  R.  Prince, 
Flushing,  N.   Y.  _««___^ 


■  mil  I  iiiMi—mn 


]fop?ign  Inhnigpnrp. 


Varieties  of  Peach  for  Orchard-House  Cul- 
ture.—We  should  be  much  obliged  to  our  friends  if 
they  would  report  what  varieties  of  fruit  they  find 
best  adapted  to  orchard-house  culture  ;  very  little 
altenti(m  has  been  given  to  this  subject  in  our  coun- 
try When  engaged,  some  years  ago,  in  their  culture, 
the  writer  had  Early  York,  Eliza,  Druid  Hill,  George 
the  IV.,  and  Eariy  Newington  amongst  his  most 
successl'ul  kinds.  A  recent  number  of  the  Cottaye 
Gardener  says : — 

A  great  deal  of  the  success  of  the  orchard-house 
depends  on  getting  the  sorts  adapted  for  that  mode 
of  culture.      For  instance,  those  that  make  short 
joints  are  prolific,  such  as  the  Grosse  Mignonne,  and 
Galande  peaches,  Elruge,  Violette  Hative,  Downton 
and  other  nectarines  ;  but  the  Noblesse,  George  IV., 
and  trees  of  that  class,  are  too  long  in  the  joints  and 
of  straggling  growth.     My  best  tree  for  this  year  is 
a  Downton  nectarine  on  which  there  are  a  hundred 
fruit  well  set,  and  most  of  them  larger  than  a  hazel 
nut. 


White    Bouquet   Flowers.— The    Oanlencr's 

Chronicle  says : — 

We  see  by  a  communication  of  M.  Ducharire  to 
the  Botanical  Society  of  Paris  that  there  is  a  great 
demand  ior  White  Lilacs  for  Ladies'  Boiuiuets  in 
in  Paris  in  winter,  and  that  as  the  common  White 
Lilac  will  not  force  well  and  the  flowers  turn  yellow. 


1h1 


I  < 


m 


I- 


i 


^hH  dardencr'a  JHonthk 


M.  Laurent  Aine  meets  the  demand  by  causing  the 
purple  Lilacs  de  Marly  to  expand  in  perfect  darkness 
at  a  high  temperature.  This  variety  forces  very 
well,  and  thus  treated  produces  flowers  of  a  pure 
white,  which  do  not  acquire  any  color  if  gathered 
as  soon  as  brought  into  light. 


Forcing  CnicoRY  and  Dandelion.  —  Young 
leaves  of  this  are  sometimes  obtained  in  winter  by 
sowing  thickly  in  pots  in  a  hothouse,  and  cutting 
the  plants  over  as  we  do  Mustard  and  Cress.  A 
nice  blanched  salad  is  obtained  from  roots  either 
stored  or  taken  up  as  wanted  in  winter,  the  produce 
of  seeds  sown  in  rows  fifteen  inches  apart  in  May. 
These  packed  with  their  heads  uppermost  in  earth  in 
pots  or  boxes  will  furnish  a  good  produce  in  any 
dark  place  where  the  heat  ranges  from  40^  to  50^. 
When  much  above  the  latter,  the  leaves  get  thin  and 
flaccid.  AVhen  no  dark  place  is  accessible,  fill  a  pot 
cr  box,  and  put  another  of  the  same  size  over  it, 
clapping  some  moss  or  clay  putty  between  the  pots, 
and  stopping  up  the  hole  to  exclude  light.  Dande- 
lions make  a  good  substitute.  I  have  been  glad  to 
dig  them  up  in  severe  winters,  —  Col.  Gar. 


PENNSYLVANIA    HORTICULTURAL 
SOCIETY. 

Tlip  statf^d  meeting  of  the  I'pnnsylvmiiii  ITtirtionltural  Socioty 
f.ir  tiic  month  of  -August  was  held  at  t.'ouceit  Hall,  ou  Tuc.-duv 
ovfuiiiif.  the  lii'lli  tilt. 

.Mth.mgh,  uixler  th.^  regulatioiiR  of  tlio  S.icioiy,  no  formal  com- 
petitive disjilay-s  are  made  at  themidsiinuiier  iiieetiiigs,  yet,  on  this 
t»ocasi"u,  Monie  o])jects  were  exhibited  in  tlie  higliest  degree  iiote- 
woitliy. 

Jerome  Graeff,  gardener  to  Georiire  H.  Stuart.  Esq.,  presented  t!ic 
<^yauo|diyllum  niagnilieiim.  an  ornamental  foliage  plant  of  great 
liortiily.  Tlie  specimen  sl,,.wn,  wh  eh  is  only  six  months  oltCwas 
in  ]>erlect  liealtli,  highly  colored,  and  of  a  si/e  nnparalleled  in  the 
exlt'liitions*  of  tl)e  Society.  Jt  was  about  four  tet-t  in  ho  ght,  and 
tliL'  leaves  measured  three  feet  in  length  and  sixteen  iiTehes  m 
width.  The  Coiumittfe  awar.led  .Mr.  (Jraeti  a  special  pveniium 
of  tivr  dollars,  for  tlie  skill  inanilestcd  in  the  succe.ssful  culture  of 
this  br  intiful  i)lant. 

.MePMs.  F.  Matk.-nzie  &  Son  contributed  a  great  novelty  the 
yf/lnir  verbena  '•  Wrlconie."  The  Howcr  is  cL-hV  l.-mon  veliow  in 
cob.v,  and  luis  a  perceptible,  sprightly,  y.-t  delicate  fragfaiic  •.  it 
has  never  been  in  bloom  bef«.r.'  in  this  city. 

Mr.  -Maih.-Kon,  gardener  to  F.  C.  Varnalf.  K-q  .  exhibited  a  bnnrh 
of  <-xotic  grar  bH,  the  \\  liite  Muscat  of  Alexandria,  weigoin-j  nine 
and  a  quarte.  pounds.  This  noble  sp(>ciinfii,  \\  bich  ba-"n«'ver 
be-n  equalled  in  any  previous  display,  and  which  is  pr  btldv  the 
largi-st  clus  vr  of  this  v..riety  .r>r  recorded  in  ihe  ani.als  of  grape 
culture,  was  i>erfect  in  every  respect.  The  berries  w.  re  veiy  laixe 
and  uiiiforru  in  size,  and  of  exei  lU-iit  fl.ivot.  Ihis  is  only  one  out 
of  nin'>  bundles  on  tiie  same  vine,  tite  aggregate  w.i;^ht  of  wliich 
ih  over  tifty  pounds,  a  jiroduct  which  has  jV-ihaiis  n.-ver  before 
been  ullaincd  ou  a  vine  of  the  same  age.  Siicclniens  .n  he  foliaKe 
of  lar^e  Ki/e.  indicated  the  high  health  of  th«  vine  :  he  special 
]>r<iniiim  of  five  dollars  was  richly  merited  by  .Mr.  Ma-bo-on.  who 
was  requested  by  the  ."Society  to  piejiare  an  essay  .>n  hi-^  ueiliod  of 
grape  culture,  to  lie  read  at  tlie  ne.\t  m<^<'ting  ".Mr.  .Matli  ,in  has 
this  season  grown  berries  of  tlie  Ulack  Hamburg  measuring  four 
and  a  half  inches  in  circumtereiice. 

.1  McLaughlin,  garden<r  to  J  H  Baxter,  Ksq  .  made  a  good  dis- 
play of  pears  and  plums,  mainly  of  the  old  fav  .rite  sons,  and 
among  them,  a  needling  jiear.  much  resembling  in  shajie  and  ap- 
peavaniM!  the  Doyenne  Sieulle,  and  a  seedling  plum  similar  to  the 
lilue  fjiage.     We  remarked,  al.so,  the  Uwchlau  Pear, a  native  Tenn- 


sylvania  needling,  said  to  be  of  a  very  high  quality.  This  collec- 
tion received  a  premium  of  three  dtdlars. 

C.  Harmar.  Esq.,  brought  a  specimen  of  the  Julienne  and  of  the 
Schuylkill  Pear,  the  latter  a  seedling  resembling  the  liegnier  of 
excellent (juality,  rai-scd  in  West  Philadelphia.  ' 

C.  V.  Hagner,  Ksq  presented  a  branch  of  a  plum  tree,  profusely 
ladetiwith  fruit,  entirely  free  from  the  puncture  of  the  curculio, 
which  had  received  no  tnatment  or  attention  whatever. 

An  interesting  couversatioual  discussion  ensued  upon  the  new 
grape  vine  beetle,  the  .Mytichrous  villosulus,  the  mildew  on  native 
and  foreign  grape  vines,  the  black  knot  on  the  jilum,  the  curculio 
and  other  kindred  l^^pics.  The  decoction  of  (piassia,  recommended 
at  the  last  meeting  as  a  remedy  lor  the  myochrous,  has  since  been 
tried  by  Mr.  Saunders  and  found  to  be  a  most  eflectual  preventive 
of  the  thrip,  preferable  for  its  convenience  and  ceitaintv  to  auv 
other.  '  -^ 

It  was  stated,  as  the  experience  of  the  vine  growers  present  gen- 
erally, that  mildew  seldom,  if  ever,  occurred  on  the  exotic  giape. 
unless  currents  of  bottom  air  were  admitted  to  the  vine.s.and  they 
nnited  in  ivcommcuding  that  no  bottom  ventilation  be  allowed, 
and  top  air  only  he  given  to  the  vines. 

An  increasing  intereHt  is  manifested  in  these  informal  and  in- 
structive interchanges  of  opinion  and  experience. 

List  of  Roses, 

Exh  hited  hy  ITenry  A.  Dreer,  at  the  .Inne  meeting  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania Horticultural  Society,  June  IS,  iSiil  : 

HYniUD  Peki'i-tlai,  Kosks  — (jeant  des  Uattailes,  Madame  Mai«- 
.son,  OriUamme  d'  St.  Louis,  Dutchess  d'  Cambaceres.  There-a 
Appert,  Pius  IX.  Lord  Kaglan,  Pauline  Lansezeur,  Cardinal  Pa- 
trizzi,  Auguste  Mie, Caroline  de  Sansal,  Louise  Perroney,  La  Peine 
Jacques  Lafiite,  Docteur  Henon,  William  Gritlith,  Maria  Portemer' 
Queen  Victoria,  General  Jacquimin.t.  ' 

Tjca  Kosic.s.—DevonienBi.s,  Madam  Dravav,  Vicomtesse  des  (  azes 
Laurette,  Eugene  Desgaches,  Mad.  BarriUeti  Dc-champs,  Mad' 
lalcot,  Madaiiif^  Willtrinoz,  Canari,  Ols. 

HoiRiuiN  HosKs— .Marquis  d'  Da Ibiano,  George  Peabody,  Auiora 
d   Guide.  Julia  d'  Fontenelle,  Keveil.  Omar  Pasha,  Mad.  .Nerml 
Docteur  Berthet,  Dupetit  Thonars,  Souvenir  d'  MalniaLson.  ' 

At  the  previous  Meeting  of  May  20th,  P.  Mackenzie  &  Ron 
exhibited:— Azalea  variegata,  A.  Iv.ryana,  A.  symmeliv,  A.  Jiai- 
clayana,  A.  Gladstane-ii.  A.  Juliana,  A.  Heauty  of  l•:ul•op^  A  Kiio- 
dodeiidiMides,  A.  Perryana,  A.  Latoriiia,  A.  Conqueror,  A.  .Mait- 
landi,  \  Eiilalie  Van  <.'ee;t,  Coleiis  Bluiu.'ii.  Escal Ionia  in  iciaiiiha 
Cytissus  racemosus,  Tetratheca  Ilugelii,  T.  verticillata.  Toivnia 
Asiatiea,  Double  Crimson  Primro.^e,  Allainandaueriifolia,  Draneiia 
nobihs,  Mivrant^  pertiana  (Xew,  Fuchsia  Guiding  Star,  F.  l>iad.ni 

Am 

rites, 


Flora,  F.  ful.  vari.-gata,  Lechenaultia  formo.sa.  Geianiiiin 
azoii,  G.  I'ainted  LuAy  (n etc),  llibbertia  Heidii,  Caladium  ar-y- 
s.  (,.  Chantiui,  C.  bicolor  pictiirata,  Campylabotrys  d  scoho-, 
Alyssum  saxatile,  Linuin  candidisMiuum  Wiiite  (new),  (iardeiiia 
rad  cans  major  (vew),  Verbena  edectra  (n-ir),  V.  Salladin  {i,iir). 
Lychnis  Haageana  (/ir'^p,,  Cuphea  miiiiata(«''W),Oazania  si)leud  •ns 
{«.?'•)  Araha  j.ai.yrifera  (>»,;r)  tlu-  'Uiinot<t  Paper  Plant,  Grsneria 
densiflora  {neu}). 

AMERICAN  INSTITUTE  FARMERS'  CLUB. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  American  Institute  FarrnersThib  June 
'-4th,  at  .New  York,  Andrew  S.  Fuller.  Nurseryman,  Bro.klvn.  ex- 
hibited a  number  of  his  new  'eedling  strawberiies  and  th'e  c>m\. 
inittee  ajiiwiuted  at  the  last  meeting,  consis'ing  of  Wm  .S  Cari.en- 
ter.  L.  \    Roberts,  and  P.-ier  U    Mead,  mado  the  following  rep  rt  ■ 

"  V\  e  have  been  much  assisted  in  rorniing  a  correct  and  leliible 
opinion,  as  .Mr.  Fuller  has  growing,  b.-side  his  seedlings,  and  re- 
ceiving the  same  care  and  cultivation  the  folh.wing  i...iiiilar 
varietie.s :  Wibsun,  Hooker,  Boston  Pine,  Jenny  Lind,  Triomphe 
d.'  <,and.  (Ucar.  La  Constant',  Wonderful,  VVizaid  of  the  Aoiih 
and  many  others,  enabling  the  committee  to  compare  his  seejllinas 
with  ties,..  From  the  great  number  of  secdiiug.s,  comprising 
many  thousand  plants,  loo  kinds  might  be  selected,  uou,.  of  which 
would  be  inlerior  to  some  of  the  varn-ties  now  pn.pagnted  for  this 
market;  y.-t  the  cmmiitee  believe  that  the  number  now  in  (  ulti- 
vation  should  be  reduced.  A  selection  of  six  varieties  would  be  a 
snihcient  numb-r  to  furnish  a  sncce.^sion  of  fruit.  '1  his  seie.  t  list 
ol  varietie^s  .should   bo  adapted  to  general   cultivation.     With  a  I 

he  boast.d  success  with  new  and  imjuoved  seedlings,  there  seems 
to  have  been  little  progress  made  towaid  completing  suchalisf 
Ihetommitteo  can  name  but  two  varieties,  the  Wil.«on  and  Tri- 
omphe do(.and,  that  they  could  recommend  for  general  cultivarion, 
and  the  first  of  ih-se  is  considered  by  some  far  from  being  perfect 

ilie  great  clfort  now  beini,  mad«  to  ameliorate  the  condition  of 

his  Iruit  must  result  in  the  produ.ti..u  of  greatly  improved  varie- 
ties, and  the  committee  hoj.e  Mr.  Fuller  will  feel  encouraged  from 
nis  past  success  to  persevere  until  h.-  has  accomplished  his  .lesire 
riz  :  til-  iiroduction  of  a  pertcct  strawberry.     The  committee  feel 
ttie  responsibility  of  recommending  new  varieties  that  have  b«.Mi 

red  but  one  or  two  years.     Many  of  the  new  seedlings  that  have 

,  ^^1  1"?  '/r''"'"""'^  '"'"*^  '"^''"  overrated,  and  they  would  Jau- 

fi  s   )  ;ti'  ■'""  "«'^"'"i  l'»'-^''"^i"«  Huy  new  variety  without  its 

tear      ?urfhe'::f.i"r'*   '^^  .-sponsible  parties,  for  a.  least   tin ee 

years,  fui  the  true  characterot  a  strawbeny  cannot  be  established 


i 


0/-X" 


i^^ 


ihi|  §artocr'8  JSlonthlg. 


in  less  time  than  this.  They  trust  Mr.  Fuller  will  not  allow  his 
seedlings  to  be  disseminated  this  year,  but  let  their  merits  be 
established  by  another  year's  trial;  but  this  Club  appoint  another 
committee  who  will  test  their  value  and  report  after  another  year  s 
fruiting,  we  shall  then  have  something  reliable,  and  public  confi- 
dence will  be  established  In  testing  Mr.  Fuller's  seedling.s,  the 
committee  adopted  the  following  requisite  to  entitle  a  variety  to 
consideration:  Large  size,  good  flavor,  high  color,  ft>m  and  solid, 
jrreat  productivenesB,  foot  stalks  well  up,  and  good  foliaga.  The 
committee  believe  that  the  following  six  varieties  posses.s,  m 
a  greater  degree,  the  foregoing  properties  than  any  other  kinds 
they  are  acquainted  with.  Tl.ey  name  the  following  seed- 
lings in  their  order  of  excellence,  using  the  numbers  heretofore 

adixed 

No  5  is  named  by  the  committee,  Farmers'  Club,  la  of  the 
largest  size,  flavor  very  good,  color  a  beautiful  glo.ssy  crimson, 
flesh  dark  pink,  solid,  tirm,  foliage  good,  footstalks  well  ui^.yery 
productive,  staminate  or  perfect  flower,  seedling  of  the  Wilson, 
first  year's  fruiting,  very  promising  of  being  well  worthy  ot  culti- 

No  ;")3  named  Brooklyn  Scarlet;  size  large,  flavor  best,  color 
brilliant  scarlet,  shape  long,  pointed  cone,  solid,  firm,  very  prt^ 
ductive,  foliage  good,  footstalks  well  up,  perfect  flower,  fruited 
two  vears,  and  shows  no  deterioration.  ^  ^        ^  ,.  ^  . 

No*  '20,  named  at  the  suggestion  of  Solon  Robinson,  was  Col. 
Ellsworth;  size  very  large,  oblong,  irregular  cone,  with  neck, 
color  dark  crimson,  flavor  good,  solid,  flesh  dark  pink,  ripens 
early,  foliage  good.  footsUUks  well  up,  as  productive  as  the  Wilson, 
perfect  flower,  fruited  two  years,  very  promising,  seedling  of  1  ea- 
bodv's  seedling,  and  remarkable  fine  berry.  *  <.^„ri^f 

No  4-2  named  Great  Eastern;  extra  large,  brilliant  scarlet 
flower,  good,  s.did,  tolerably  firm,  very  productive,  foliage  good, 
footstalks  well  up,  perfect  flower,  fruited  two  years  \\^^ J^'^' 
mitiee  b.-lieve  thit.  to  be  one  of  the  largest  berries  in  cultnation. 
No.  7,  named  Uidgewood  ;  size  large,  flavor  best,  color  dark 
crimson  solid,  tolerably  Arm,  very  productive,  foliage  good,  toot- 
staiks  well  up,  perfect  flower,  fruited  two  year.s,  promises  well. 

No  31,  named  by  committee  Nero:  very  large,  color  dark  gb.ssy 
maroon,  seeds  yellow  and  very  prominent,  solid,  very  firm,  ami 
dark  throuu'hont,  very  prolific,  flavor  very  good,  foliage  good, 
footstalks  medium,  pistillate  fruited  two  years^  Pi-''in'^';»7/''';. 

The  following  varieties,  seedlings  ol  IhM),  Nos    1,  1-,  ^-,  •*>,  -i.%  , 
and  .-.«,  the  committee  confide,  very  pn.mismg.  and  recommend  | 
another  vear-s  trial.     No.  U,  Ibmigh   thi.s  year  not  of  the  larges    , 
sizo    maintains   its   productive  character,  and    for   flavor  is   not 
equalled  by  anv  berry  in  Mr.  Fulb-r-s  collection.     The  variety  re- 
ported la.st  year  as  the  unifolia,  has  this  year,  in  a  great  measuie, 
lost  its  specific  character;  and  it  may  be  considered  more  curious 

^''utcr  considerable  discussion,  and  a  full  examination  of  speci- 
mens of  the  fruit,  the  report  was  heartily  '»cceq.ted  by  all  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Club,  and  at  the  suggestion  of  Mr.  Pardee,  the  same 
co.nmittee  were  reqne.sted  to  h<.ld  the  subject  in  charge,  and  re- 
port their  opinion  if  the  same  sorts  next  year.  It  was  als.,  .sug- 
gested to  Mr.  Fuller  not  to  send  out  any  plants  ot  these  ri^^^^^nx. 
until  he  has  given  them  the  test  of  time  to  prove  them  worthy  of 
cultivation.  ^^^^^ . 

CINCINNATI    HORTICULTURAL 

SOCIETY. 

Saturday,  August  3,  1861. 

The  Society  met  this  mornui.^,   John    II.  Gerard,  E-q.,   In  the 

.  .ir      Minutes  of  the  previous  lue.  tinj;  read  and  'M>P«<|ve^    . 

Unon   motion  of  Mr  Addis,  Messrs.  John   P.  toster,  U.d.ert  Bu- 

1    .'    ,   u    H  K    P   Crauch  were  ai)poiuted  a  committee  f)  prepare 

a  suitable' Japer'^ujim  the  Ufe  auJ  ^.orticuUural  history  of  Peyton 

S.  {?ymmes,  E^sq.,  recently  deceased. 

PAPER  ON  VITAL  FORCES  IS  PLANTS. 


CI 


The  Secretary  then  read  the  ^^^^^^^i;^ ^^^  „,,,„  7.  ^m.  \ 
V,  B  PnR.^os.  Esq.— Dear  Sir:  Agrecabb-  to  your  request  f.r  si 
subiect  V^the  consideration  of  yourself  and  your  horticultural 
friends  1  will  suggest  that  of  Motion,  or  the  Vital  Force  m  \ege- 
t  it^on  Ml-  i.s  s^iid  by  ..ur  writers  about  pr..p.;r  vnlr,t,.m  to  • 
.  !  JiViiJ  .1  -It  which  i"  edually  as  important  is  barely  hinted 
^t'♦^oL^tote^chi  would  produce  ridicule  from  th...,e  pro- 
at.  as  though  to  teacii  "  w    '   '  i  ^     ,^  ^^  t)„.  subject. 

Altai  f"^<=^' "'"'{'-,  pnii,.,,,   action,  is  another  thing      However 

by  sonie  adequate  '•"*^f '  '"*"  lAoctricitv  is  used  to  transfer  metils 
cause  fluidity  and  elastic,  y.Le^^^^^^^^  ^,^^  -^  ^„,„„. 

in  giilvanizing,  and  as  *  "'  f  r'.    '  '^i,..,,  ....ianple.  derived  by  com- 
lesH  our  nerve  power,  (u- vital  pn\sii.«i  »",''.,..■,,„..„„,.„•      ^^ 

^-t;^;;^,^hSri:i?i:;".:eXS  ;Sc;;iie^n^  ^::;ni.es; 

^"r  wmt?:"'vrir|Jan:nt  Omce  Reports  f.r  1«4»,  pages  3^371 
for  7rUcr2,mg  experiments  in  electricity  quickening  growth  ot 


diff-erent  vegetables.     Browne's  American   Muck  Book,   page  13, 

briefly  refers  to  them.    We  know  that  the  electrical  condition  of 

anv  matter  is  affected  by  any  change  of  its  density  or  composition. 

That  chemical  action  o/decomposition  sets  free  latent  electricity  ; 

that  the  stirring  of  the  earth  by  plowing,  giving  the  air  and  sua 

access   to   the  decomposable  matter  of  the   soil,  produces  some 

change   and  promotes  electric  currents;  the  earth  and  atmosphere 

beinu  in  different  electric  conditions,  and  the  sap  being  a  good 

conductor,  electricity  flows  and  conveys   the  food   prepared   by 

chemical  action  to  where  it  is  needed.     Unless  this  is  so,  why   m 

said  experiments,  did  the  vegetables  grow  so  much  faster  .'     Ihe 

eronnd  was  not  made  the  richer  by  the  electrical  arrangement. 

Was  it  not  because  there  was  additional  labor  performed  in  sup- 

plvinK  the  increase  nutriment,  as  in  increasing  the  labor  ot  carry- 

ug  the  bricks  for  expediting  the  completion  of  a  building  ? 

Mav  not  Leibig  uaconscioufily  derive  this  motiw  power  by  the 
use  of  his  mineral  manures?  May  not  there  be  greater  chemical 
action  thence  greater  release  of  electricity  in  the  ground,  when 
mineral  manures  are  used,  especially  if  comported  with  animal 
and  vegetable  manures?  Will  not  the  variely  o{  compositioii  of 
such  a  compost  inttmify  chemical  action,  promoted  by  the  rs-ins, 
soil,  sun  and  air,  and  thus  furnish  to  vegetation  an  inrreamd  mo- 
tive vo^^\\  to  convey  \.\\Q  increased  nutrition  to  plants.  TJf<o, 
then  it  is  a  question  to  c(»nsider  inconnection  with  greater  produc- 
tion and  vitality  of  trees  to  resi-st  disease. 

It  is  a  common  thing  to  hear  of  peach  trees  living  and  bearing 
fortv  or  .sixty  vears  on  the  high  iron  lands  of  Ohio  and  Indiana. 
Doubtless,  elevation  of  position  has  something  to  do  with  bearing, 
while  the  iron  has  much  to  do  with  the  health  of  the  tree  and  their 
ace  Many  will  say  now  ground  is  the  best,  because  of  its  greater 
supply  of  nutriment.  I  will  say,  because  of  the  decay  of  that  nu- 
triment, creating  greater  vital  activity,  without  which  nutriment 

I  would  be  of  no  use.  ...  l 

I      Fields  Pear  Culture  refers  to  use  of  iron  for  pear  trees. 

Nails  and  iron  have  been  used  to  save  peach  trees. 

Geor'e  Graham,  Esq.,  has  used  iron  on  pear  trees  to  cure  blight. 
I  Whv  »  unless  because  of  the  electricity  generated  by  the  oxidation 
!  of  the  iron,  and  its  being  taken  up  by  the  sap-as  in  case  of  our 

^^l' C^FeiTi'nnn.rms  me  that  he  knew  of  two  large  pear  trees 
cured  of  the  blight  by  being  .struck  by  lightning. 

Electricity   pf-rvades  all    matter,   and    that  matter  cannot  be 
changed  and  retain  its  latent  electridty.  ^  _,     ,       „.     .    ,„,. 

lleadCornhill  Exchange,  London,  of  Robert  Carke  Cmcinuat 
IS6O   p  107   Ac.,  "  117/ V^f'-  '''••>«'."' and  you  will  find  ih:\t  life,  in 
g'i  veil  out  by  decaying  aiAaer  to  living  matter,  loss  and  gain  con- 
staullv  goin  on,  one  equivalent  to  the  other. 

P  i'>7_"But  according  to  the  view  which  I  now  propose,  de- 
composiiion  is  necessary  to  develope  the  force  by  which  organiza- 
tion of  food  or  nutrition  is  etfected.  and  by  which  the  various 
purely  animal  functions  are  carried  ou ;  that  decoiiiposition  not 
oulv  creates  the  necessity,  but  at  the  same  time  furnishes  the 
force  of  recomposition."     What  is  this  force  ?  is  the  question^ 

Leibigs  Complete  W  rks  on  Chemistry,  last  chapter,  pp.  24-33, 
on  chemical  processes  and  change  of  place  as  affected  by  dectrici- 

1  '^WUhmit  being  lengthv,  many  works  on  electridty  may  be  re- 
feiTel  to,  .bowing  it  to' be  the  silent  mechanic  at  w<,rk  by  us 
wSle  we  are  asleep,  building  up  for  us  our  food,  Ac,  its  power  de- 

'  pending  on  the  intensity  of  cluniical  action  going  on  in  the  soi  , 
L-iSv  on  diversity  of  elements  ..f  soil,  as  acids,  alkalies  animal 
v.geuble  mineral  manures,  nature  of  the  soil,  >ts  con.li  .0.1  of 
moisture  and  porosity,  air.  sun,  heat  and  /m/y/r/K-,/  <>/  ^l  rnny, 
and  the^ipplication  of  this  power  to  what  we  wish  to  ;^nl  ivate 
IlSpemlini  ou  the  ground  being  free  of  weeds,  &c,,  which  vmII 
equally  aj>i>rnj>riaJe  this  medtanirnl  pover 

Ifin  the  above  experiments  referred  to,  there  had  been  irz-^'f* 
permitted  to  appropriate  a  portion  of  the  power  developed  by  the 
dec  mposition  ,f  the  m-tals  used,  there  would  have  been  less 
iro  vtl  of  that  cultivat.-d.  A  certain  e.xUnt  of  electricity  devel- 
ope tatnrallv  or  artifidally,  is  e.ssential  for  a  flr»'>'n  grow  h.  and 
fTlV  t  electridtv  is  porih,  appr.qiriated  to  someth.nu  olse.  the 
oi-lK-ing '»•'•'><-/..  the  agyreynte  growth  of  the  two  is  but  .7',',^ 
t  what  the^.nesh..uldbe:  hence  tl«,  neecssity  of  ''/';"7["'";  f' 
7^,7/  stirred  enriched  with  a  variety  of  manures  to  lavor  the 
Z'ate^e.e,nral  action,  and  .Uvelopraent  of  the  greal^-st  amount 

'SrnZanirr,l  power.  If  th.se  crude,  ^^'i^r'^t^l^l'^ii  ^^i^^ 
should  prove  to  be  true,  on  being  investigated  by  competen  liorti- 
c  It  rist^  and  agriculturists,  they  should  be  prepared  tor  the 
p    .Vr    vX   »iS  is  one  thing,  and  the  motitre.  power  to  triusfer 

i  another.  A  child  midU  starve  if  its  m-.ther  should  rd";"^'^ 
P  .rrv  its  fo.vl  to  it  The  food  would  spoil  before  convered  il  the 
H  ul  nus  com      o  it     The  tree  must  be  supplle«l ;  neitl..M•^•.«  nor 

|/;;''canmor:>.- themselves.     Nature  has  furnished  in  the /-..I 


Ymhave^cieniiflc  associates  who  would  probably  be  glad     o 

i,  I-     .,  .-.I..      It  *>in    .('done  in  a  hothouse  at  a  small  omi<iy. 

^';r:;e'""lnable  manures  thrown  away  in  the  city,  woiUi 

m^re  tin  wo  d  support  our  poor  and  needy.  Ashes,  gypsum. 
'  blH  and  trilk  refusi,'  if  <lr,ed  and  .-ou.id  witU  ^-^^^  |;>?,^ 

as  guano,  hoofs,  hair,  lime,  charcoal  and  annual  black  night  sou, 


•  S 


cSC^^ 


W^ 


■•'I 


!"il 


iji 


w 


•  •( 


tmt^*Mtuam*»m 


i^Vi   fc^r-MT.-iw.^ 


MAM^MA^na 


ih^  (Sardenfr'a  Jllonthlfi. 


Ac,  &c.,  and  tho'w  ii«e  pffertive  if  above  suggestions  are  true.— 
Iron  pyrites  ran  lie  Imd  cheap. 

Aatiire  lias  boui  tifiilly  s.ipplied  us  with  all  .soj-ts  of  nutriment 
as  well  as  ijie  wnrkivy  power  to  comhirie  and  re-arrangi-  tnaitfr. 
t''m/<»c/ is  e.sNeutial 'u  {>n»mote  chemical  action;  hence,  nece.-sity 
of /rcfjKfnth/  siiniiitf  tlu'  sail,  to  allow  new  air,  new  sun-lie.it  and 
light,  promotive  of  chemical  action  in  soil,  from  which  the  imilioe 
power  is  derived ;  wliih' nature  furnishes  chemical  action  in  the 
le;ives  of  vegetation,  by  the  action  of  the  sun  on  the  sai)  in  the 
leaves,  and  the  friction  of  the  winds  yiel  ing  electriciiy  <»f  he 
air;  tite  atmosphere  in  its  electrical  condition,  difteriiig  fiom  that 
of  the  earth,  begets  x\w  negatiw  and  positive  Mium  suflicienttj 
overcome  the  giavity  and  transfer  matter  to  where  needtd. 

We  see  the  superior  progress  and  civilization  of  our  day  arises 
fniuj  the  suhjeciion  of  physical  laws  to  mental  ones.  a«  in  the  «m- 
ployment  of  steam  power  for  stationary  and  moveable  machinery, 
chemistry,  electricity,  &c. 

Much  has  been  said  relative  to  the  food  of  vegetation,  while 
but  little  is  thoui^ht  and  said  about  these  silent  means,  or ///'Wkj/*?- 
cal  principle-  qui'tly  at  work  in  furnishing  us  food.  If  this  mat- 
ter is  pii:  in  the  hands  of  reaWy  comj)ttent.  acicvtifc  muds,  dis- 
posed and  able  to  give  it  that  attention  the  subject "de>erves,  good 
may  be  derived.  Ureat  vitality  promotes  health  and  resists  dis- 
ease in  our  animal  systems,  and  so  may  vitality  in  v.getation 
proiiiot  health.  A',  w  grounds,  having  the  unexhausted  elements 
as  iron,  sa  ts,  Ac,  <lu  make  better  trees.  There  aie  loc.diiies 
where  trees  are  long-lived  and  healthy,  where  the  essential 
elements  may  pertain  to  the  >oil,  and  which  may  illustrate  my 
Ihouxhts.  Decay  of  any  manures,  m  soil,  necessarily  releases  eiec- 
triciiy.  while  it  is  deMiable  that  there  should  be  mineral  manures 
for  ureal er  power  and  continuance:  hence,  the  necessity  oi  know- 
ing contents  of  the  soil.  The  condition  of  the  ^rouud  maieri- 
ally  allects  the  supj>ly  of  ve^'etatiou,  with  whatever  ilieie  is  of 
nutriment  in  the  soil  ;  if  the  ground  is  hard  and  weedy,  or  grassy, 
hut  little  utofitv  power  can  l)e  secured,  and  that  /iit'/i'  s<,  xnl.'di- 
vi'/i'f  with  that  which  is  u.seless,  that  that  which  is  cultivated 
cannot  be  hnilt  np. 

Take  a  microscope  and  examine  the  operations  of  nature  in 
regard  to  wntinn  during  change  of  properties  of  matleis;  ma^li 
seed  and  aciduated  water  <>n  i.,  on  a  glass  under  a  microsc  'pt-,  and' 
observe  the  varied  motions  under  the  electrical  disiurh.iu'vs 
going  on;  mere  absorfition  of  that  water  could  not  l)eget  sich 
action  or  recombination.  The  experiment  will  be  sug  e-i.vc  of 
many  others.  I  have  very  hastily,  of  a  niglit,  and  with  -n.  .ny 
attempt  to  systematize  iuons  or  to  do  it  creditable  to  nivself,  or  i  he 
8  .bject.jusi  iieuned  my  thoughts  as  presented  asriifrt^  siu/gr.sfi,,,,.'} 
to  those  inore  compeieni ;  nor  have  I  time,  nor  ability. 'to  do  the 
subject  justice,  and  1  desire  others  should  consider  the  matter  ou 
its  o-cn  iiierilx  without  re. aid  to  the  source  of  these  suggestions. 

Many  residents  of  the  country  could  afford  to  drain  l(t(>  feet 
square,  for  gaiden  gromid>i.  with  cheap  iron  pipes,  and  connect 
them  with  a  galvan.c  battery,  continually  working  duriui,'  tlie 
growing  season,  materially  all'ecting  the  i^iowth  of  vegetation:  if 
the  experiments  referred  loaro  reliable — the  ground  being  drained, 
bee  >me*  more  porotn,  the  air  and  life  promoting  ureaier  chem  cal 
action,  and  hence,  a  greater  supply  of  the  motive  power. 

Life  must  he  preeed<'d  by  the  dissolution  ot  m  itter  of  various 
kind-'.  By  mean>  of  telegr.iphic  machinery,  oj  e'aieil  by  el.  cirici- 
ty.as  released  .roni  the  decomposing  metals,  we  are  in  union  with 
the  World  :  and  was  it  not  for  this  pr.wer,  it  is  doubtful  if  chemical 
action  could  be  secured  and  it  it  could  be,  it  is  doulitftil  if,  with 
air  the  nutriment  of  the  hoil.  Vegetation  would,  what  we  can 
grow,  for  want  of  a  power  to  br  nfi  together  the  various  elements 
conipoMiig  our  food.  If  the.-^e  iileas  are  correct,  we  sh  uid  seek  a 
more /,;„,, /»V/.r  ac<iiiaintauee  with  so  inynioux  and  .so  ymd  a  i,if- 
cfiainr,  unceasingly  employed  in  supplying  our  wants  linl  few 
however,  are  prepared  to  think  that  such  a  //7j»»w.vf/^  me.  haiiic 
exists,  because  but  liJt/e.  kni.nm.  We  inirodno-  the  geMilemau 
as  Worthy  ol  our  gratitude  and  highest  esteem,  and  don't  doubt 
but  he  will  treat  the,  nio^t  humble,  in  seeking  his  aciiiaiuiauce, 
in  accordance  with  his  known  liberality. 

"  L.'ibig''  is  right  in  claming  use  of  minerals  and  other  vegetable 
manures,  but  neither  have  seen  the  above  pliilosophy      .Minerals 
by  creating  greater  vitality,  economise  what  little  nutriment  there 
may  be  in  soil  naturally. 


Capillary  attraction  iii  dead  and  lirivg  vegefatation  mav  be 
«m/  aitterent.  IXu- sni\\Ao  adhexinn  of  fluids  \.o  sid^s  ^)f  capilla- 
ries in  (Zifr/f/ matter,  will  overcome  but  a  slight  amount  of  v.-"rt'//  il,e 
fides  of  the  e»tpillaries/<;-o'><,/>/,/ having  lost  IheircontractileoiJans 
andtenac  ty  .or  electricity  or  conducting  power.  The  living caoilla- 
riesaie  /;/'.,y«///7 endowed  with  slight  contractile  organs  and  priwers 
of  conducting  elertiieity,  there  being  a  perfect  connection  between 
the  roots  in  ground  and  loaves  iu  the  air,  by  cai)ill  irics,  to  hold  and 
conduct  the  sap  to  the  leaves,  where  it  is  elaborated.  The  chemi- 
cal action,  during  change,  di.sturbing  the  electric  condition  of  the 
ascending  and  de-ceuding  capillaries,  one  being  negative  and  the 
other  poitive,  draws  up  the  sap  against  gravity,  ami  allows  ihe 
elaborated  sap  to  he  operated  on  by  jjravity,  and  descends,  ori 
severing  these  capillaries,  the  s.ip  flows  down',  becau-e  liie  capilla- 
ries above  the  Wound  have  lost  the  electrical  condition  resulting 
from  a  perfect  connection  of  the  negative  and  positive  caiiillaries  or 
nerves  attending  each.  Hence,  a  loss  of  the  mechanical  power  of 
drawing  up  the  sap;  the  positive  electricity  adhering  to  sides  of 


ascending  capillaries,  attracting  each  drop  of  the  sap.  and  overcom- 
ing gravity,  operating  on  the  aggregate  weight  of  the  minute 
column. 

Wo  such  a  column  of  fluid  can  ascend  a  dead  capillary.     The  oil 
ceases  to  a.scend  a  wick  as  soon  as  the  combustion  ceases,  and  it  is 
doi.btful  if  the  electiieity  constantly  evolved  during  combustion 
docs  not  materially  promote  the  ascent  of  the  fluid.    A  fluid  will 
rise  to  the  upper  end  of  a  short  wick  or  tube,  but  will  not  flow 
over,  unless   the  end  be  bent  downward,  forming  a  syphon,  the 
descending  liquid  drawing  up  the  liquid.     Some  ottier  power  must 
be  seen  to  account  for  ascending  sap  in  trees,  than  mere  capillary 
attnution,  or  mere  adhesion  to  sides  of  capillar ie.^      There  is  no 
j  analogy  between  the  limited  a.scent  of  a  fluid  in  a  (had  tube,  and 
'  the  great  height  of  a.scent  in  living  tubes.     VVIiile  fluids  will  ri.se 
.  many  fVet  in  a  living  tree,  let  that  tree  be  severed  from  the  earth 
and  die,  and  then  its  dead  roots  placed  in  water,  and  a  fluid  would 
!  not  rise  in  it  the  twentieth  extent  of  its  length,  showing  some  living 
or  vital  principle  at  work,  attracting  upward  the  sap.     There  is  a 
'  power  of  attiaction  as  well   as  repulsion;  heat  radiates  because 
attracted,  an<l  thus  difi'iises  and  e(iualizes.     So  electricity,  by  vir- 
tue of  its  release  during  chemical  action  in  the  soil,  is  active  in  the 
earth,  and  also  in  le.ives* if  trees,  the  two  being  connected  by  nerves, 
or  the  conduct  ingpowerof  the  capillaries.  Those  disputing  the  theoiy 
of  attractive  power  of  electricity,  thus  generated,  accounting  lor 
capillary  attraction,  should  explain  why  sap  will  spill  out  when 
cajiillariesare  cut,  and  electric  connection  betweenearth  and  leaves 
severed.     If  mere  cajiiliary  attraction  must  account  for  a.«cent  of 
siip,  then  dead  pieces  of  trees,  or  fresh  cut  parts  of  trees,  would 
;  equally  suck,  up  the  sap.     My  proposition  is  sustained  by  expe- 
rience. 
I       Klongated  cells,  or  tubes,  or  capillaries,  have  a  mechanical  form, 
the  same  as  our  blood- ves.-iels,  to  serve  as  canals  to  convey  tliiuls  from 
which  the  plant  is  built  up;  and  while  they  thu>  serve  such  a  pur- 
pose wemust  look  elsewhi  re  Jiir  the?noto'«2^oj<?f-/to  the  movements 
of  the  sap.     As  yet  but  little  is  known  of  this  motive  jiower  iu 
plants  and  animals.     VVe  do  know  that  in  every  change  of  density 
of  matter,  or  chemical  change,  electricity  is  distui  bed  and  flows,  or 
is   released,    and   seeks   to   be  industrious  in    promoting   new   ar- 
rangements, by  carrying  matter  subject  to  certain  laws  in  reconi- 
bining.     It  is  not  unlikely  that   the   living   tubes  or  capillaries, 
formed  of  cells  elongated,  have  a  kind  of  valves,  alternately  con- 
tracting  by  electric  «'Xciteiiient,  forcing   upward    the  sap,  which 
Valves,  could  they  be  laid  open  under  microscope,  could  be  seen;  if 
not,  then  the  tenacity  of  sap.  adhering  to  sides  of  tubes,  must  arise 
from  the  perfect  electric  cimdition  and  connection  between  roots 
and  leaves. 

Million  presupposes  something  more  than  mere  iiKc1iani>al 
form.  Our  physical  systems  are  powerful  gdlvniic  ttti/teri-s, 
manufacturing  the  life  force,  or  vital  physical  piinciple  during 
combustion  of  air  and  carbon  in  lungs  and  chemical  aciion  of  f,><,d 
ill  stomach;  the  heart  between  the  two,  positive  and  negative  con- 
ditions, derives  its  force  of  propulsion  of  blood  through  our  arteries 
and  veins,  from  the  attr.ietive  forces  of  the  two  electricities,  the 
mechanical  form  tif  tubes  may  remain,  and  yet  no  auion  or  moi:(>n 
can  go  on  within  them  ;  there  must  be  life  derivel  Irom  d-tilfi,  the 
release  of  the  bound  up  living  principle  In  dead  matter,  by  its 
(hemic  il  decomposition,  and  if  there  is  no  cliemical  change  going 
on.  n  I  life  force  can  be  secured;  hence,  the  force  of  my  proposition, 
that  gi.Mind  must  be  frequently  stirrecl  up  to  let  in  light  and  heat, 
and  aiding  c/*/(/fW  nfvfiried  tnfintiri^x  or  earthy  matter,  promotive 
of  chemical  action,  an  e-sential  prerequisite,  to  secure  life  and 
force,  and  when  thus  .secured,  not  allowing  that  lite  force  to  be 
directed  fioiu  that  whieh  is  being  cultivated  to  weeds.  Arc.  This 
developed  niechanii-al  power  must  bo  directed  only  to  that  we  cul- 
tivate, and  extent  of  cidj)  ilepemls  on  extent  developed  of  this  li'o 
force,  and  to  secure  it  l.irgely  we  must  furnish  the  soil  wiili  diverse 
niaiiures.  especially  mineial  manures,  as  furnishing  more  of  life 
force,  to  work  up  the  nutriment  from  animal  and  vegetable  manures. 
The  greater  the  diversity  of  manures  the  greater  the  chemical  ac- 
tion, provided  contact  is  promoted  by  frequent  stirring  and  letting 
in  light  and  heat  of  sun. 

On  motion,  this  paper  was  made  the  subject  ot  discussion  next 
Saturday. 

FRUIT  COMMlTTEirS  UKPORT,    SATURDAY,  AUGUSTS,  1801. 

rKAcicKS— From  (Jeorge  L.  Smith,  Warren  county,  Ohio;  un- 
known ;  not  ripe. 

I'l.LM.s— From  P.  Ihi-h,  t>f  Covington,  Kentucky,  with  the  follow- 
ing notice:  "We  think  them  to  be  the  D'tant't-  I'urjdi—ha  calls 
them  the  Entptrur.  Your  committee  render  this  opinion  with 
liesitancy.  having  neither  leaves  nor  shoots  to  aid  in  their  identifl- 
calion  of  the  variety,  but  the  stune  reminds  us  of  the  Duane." 

"The  tree  from  which  these  plums  were  pulled,  grows  over  a 
cistern,  from  whi(  h  water  is  freciuently  drawn,  and  the  limbs  are 
so  heavily  loaded  that  1  had  to  relieve  Ihem  of  their  buiden.  I 
had  one  measuring  three-quarters  of  an  inch  in  circumference 

"  The  curculio  have  not  disturbed  them,  nor  indeed  any  of  my 
fruit,  to  any  extent." 

Pkaciies  from  L.  Oakley,  Kentucky,  Crawford's  Early,  and 
Troth's  Early,  handsome  specimens. 

Report  aiqiroved.  J.  A.  Wardkr,  Chairman. 

On  motion,  the  Society  then  adjourned. 

Geo.  L.  Ffl.\AKE»8TEiN, /%crc<ar//. 


t     ! 


\W{ 


^Midha 


•m^m 


■^«rt^MMlMk*iMkdMta««*«i*Arfhi**«iiA*i«iA«a 


i*ift«>*«MM^k*Adta**«Mk**ft^A«a 


^-k^^isj^i^ljfy''^-^ 


KILMARNOCK 
WEEPING    WILLOW. 


^•^^•■•^^^^^wi^ 


■^**"'^**"|^^^»»''""'*^»^'**^^|^^^«'«»'p**«*i»»ww*w*wwi 


DEVOTED     TO 


j^QpHfuIfufp,  2Sr&orirul(furp,  Polang  %•  jiuralf  3£fi'aiT&. 


THOMAS     MEEHAN",    Editor. 


OCTOBER,  1861. 


VOL.    III.— NO.     10. 


T^tth  for  0rlol&Fr. 


FLOWER-GARDEN    AND    PLEASURE- 
GROUND. 

A  FRIEND  remarked  to  us  after  the  issue  of  our 
last  number,  that  it  was  very  discouraging  to  be  told 
that  ten  per  cent,  on  the  original  outlay  should  be 
the  estimated  cost  of  maintaining  a  place  after  its 
completion.  He  thought  if  that  were  generally 
known,  it  would  prevent  many  from  entering  on 
country  life.  ''My  place,"  said  he,  "cost  me  about 
^20,000,  and  I  should  be  sorry  to  believe  that  I  had 
to  spend  $2000  annually  to  maintain  it  in  decent 
order."  As  our  friend's  place  embraces  but  five 
acres,  we  were  surpiised  at  the  cost,  but  found  he 
included  his  house  in  the  sum  named.  Allusion  is 
again  made  to  the  subject  as  other  parties  may 
have  misunderstood  our  remarks.  We  refeiTed 
simply  to  the  garden  and  its  embellish  trie  nts.  Those 
few  places  in  the  Union  that  have  had  |20,000  spent 
on  pure  gardening,  will  not  find  |2000  too  high  an 
estimate  for  their  annual  maintenance,  and  never 
ought  to  find,  in  that  fact,  any  discouragement. 

From  remarks  made  by  other  friends,  we  learn 
that  the  observations  offered  on  this  subject  have 
attracted  considerable  attention.  We  are  i^leased 
that  they  have  done  so.  Gardening  suffers  no 
greater  injury  from  any  source  than  from  parties 
who  go  ignorantly  into  its  pursuit ;  and  we  can  do 
both  it  and  the  citizen  proposing  to  go  into  the  coun- 
try, no  greater  favor  than  to  show  plainly  what 
gardening  costs,  as  well  as  indicate  the  various  ways 
in  which  pleasure  may  be  derived  from  it. 

Planting  of  spring  bulbs,  tulips,  hj-^acinths,  crocus, 
snowdrops,  frittilarias,  lillies,  «fec.,  and  the  trans- 
planting of  shrubs,  and  division  of  herbaceous 
plants,  will  occupy  chief  attention  in  October.     All 


herbaceous  plants  are  much  better  for  being  pro- 
tected through  winter  by  a  covering  of  dry  leaves, 
on  which  a  little  soil  is  thrown  to  keep  the  leaves 
from  blowing  away.  Half-hardy  roses  and  vines 
may  be  protected  in  the  same  way.  When  they  are 
very  long  and  slender,  they  are  taken  down  from 
their  trellises,  and  coiled  into  circles  as  small  as  may 
be,  without  risk  of  breaking  them,  and  then  the  soil 
put  on.  Those  things  that  grow  late,  such  as  many 
kinds  of  Noisette  Roses,  should  have  their  inmature 
top  shoots  shortened  a  few  weeks  before  the  i)rotect- 
ing  process  is  commenced.  The  wound  will  then 
Ileal  over,  and  not  cause  the  decaj'  of  the  upper  portion 
t)f  the  shoots,  as  is  very  often  the  case  when  they 
are  either  cut  at  laying  down,  or  not  shortened  at 
all. 

Of  course,  those  roots  that  suffer  by  frost,  should 
be  taken  up  before  danger.  Gladiolus,  Madeira  vines, 
dahlias,  tuberoses,  &c.,  for  instance. 

Towards  the  end  of  the  month  almost  all  kinds  of 
tree  seeds  may  be  sown,  except  pines,  unless  there 
is  any  danger  from  mice  or  other  vermin.  It  is,  on 
the  whole,  best  as  soon  as  the  seeds  are  at  hand,  to 
place  them  in  boxes  with  more  than  an  equal  bulk  of 
sand,  and  set  them  out  to  the  weather  to  freeze.  Tluy 
must  be  sown  out  in  the  spring  as  early  as  the  ground 
will  work.  Some  seeds  will  not  germinate  till  the 
second  year.  If  they  do  not  appear  early  in  the 
season,  they  should  be  examined  to  see  if  the  kernels 
are  sound,  and  if  so,  they  should  not  be  disturbed. 
Many  seeds  that  usually  come  up  the  season  after 
sowing,  will  not  do  so  if  the  shells  are  allowed  to 
dry  and  harden  first.  Cherries,  peaches,  and  most 
fruits,  will  often  lie  so,  and  halesias,  roses  and  thorns, 
occasionally  stay  three  years.  Seed-beds  should  be 
selected  in  a  deep,  warm  and  rich  soil ;  and  one 
tolerably  free  from  the  seeds  of  weeds,  —  on  any 
other  it  will  not  pay  to  raise  seedlings.  In  States 
where  the  frosts  are  severe,  see  llingsof  all  kinds  that 
have  not  attained  a  greater  height  than  six  inches, 
should  be  taken  up,  "laid  in"  in  a  sheltered  place 
thickly,  and  covered  with  any  thing  that  will  keep 
frozen  through  the  winter.  If  left  out,  they  are 
liable  to  be  drawn  out  and  destroyed.  Young  seed- 
ling stock  received  from  a  distance,  should  be  also 


Hij 


Vn* 


so  ticjited.  In  the  more  Southern  States  they  may 
he  set  out  at  once, — and  as  much  planting  as  possi- 
hle  he  accompHshed  that  will  save  spring  work. 
Many  cuttings  will  not  do  well  unless  taken  otf  at 
this  season  and  laid  in  the  ground  under  protection, 
like  seedlings, — the  quince,  syringasor  lilacs,  spinra 
prunilolia,  and  some  others.  In  the  "mild  winter 
States,"  e\ergreen  cuttings  should  be  made  noAV, 
and  set  out  thickly  in  rows.  The  leaves  need  not 
be  taken  ofF,  but  short,  thickset  branches  laid  in  under 
the  soil.  AVhen  rooted  next  fall  they  may  be  taken 
up  and  divided  into  separate  plants.  In  more  North- 
ern States,  evergreens  may  not  be  so  struck  at  this 
seasou,  unless  })rotected  ])y  greenhouses  and  frames. 
Where  these  are  at  hand,  evergreens  may  be  put  in, 
ill  boxes  or  pans  all  through  the  winter. 


«•»•> 


GREENHOUSE. 

We  entered  so  fully  into  this  department  last 
moutli,  in  anticipation  of  winter,  that  we  can  add 
little  n(»w.  As  soon  as  the  cold  weather  actually 
arrives,  it  will  l)e  the  most  interesting  of  all  the 
branches  of  gardening.  With  but  a  single  pane  of 
glass  dividing  the  troi)ical  from  the  arctic  zone,  and 
yet  so  securely  repressing  the  antagonism  of  each, 
we  hardly  know  how  any  one  can  forego  a  green- 
house on  some  scale  or  other.  If  means  can- 
not be  commanded  for  even  a  small  greenhouse,  in 
these  days,  when  improvements  have  enabled  us  to 
so  cheaply  construct  them,  at  least  a  glass  case  with 
its  ferns  and  leaf  plants,  will  not  be  out  of  the 
fjiK'stion. 

We  shall  have  more   to  say  on   this  liead  next 

month. 

<•<■»> 


FOECING  FRUITS  AND  VEGETABLES. 

We  have  before  took  occasion  to  exjjress  surprize 
that  this  department  of  gardening  did  not  receive 
more  attention.  The  past  volume  of  our  journal 
has  contained  many  instructive  articles  from  con- 
tril)Utors,  and  other  valuable  hints  on  cheap  and 
easy  modes  of  advancing  croi)s,  that  will,  doubtless, 
be  refeired  to  at  this  season,  and  preparations  be 
made  for  adopting  or  testing  them,— whetlier  as  a 
source  of  i)leasure  or  profit,  it  ;s  an  ecpially  delight- 
ful occupation,  and  we  should  like  to  see  a  greater 
enthusiasm  exhibited  in  its  behalf. 

Potatoes,  peas,  beans,  cauliflower,  radishes,  let- 
tuces, tomatoes,  asparagus,  ihubarb  and  parsley,  are 
the  chief  vegetables  usually  forced  ;  and,  among  fruits, 
the  apricot,  cherry,  fig,  grape,  nectarine,  peach,  plum 
and  i)ine. 

Gi<(pes  every  one  wishes  to  grow.  For  early 
forcing,  ihey  are  best  grown  in  pots,  that  is,  where 
file  heat  is  used;  when  a  ''cold  grapery"   is  em- 

t^H^  ^  ■ 


ployed  to  produce  them,  they  are  usually  grown  in 
the  open  ground.     This  is  a  good  season  to  prepare 
for  the  latter  mode  of  culture,  so  as  to  have  every 
thing   ready  to  plant   out  the   vines   next   spring. 
Houses  can  now  be  constructed  from  one  to  three 
dollars  per  running  foot,  and  capable  of  growing 
grapes  to  perfection,  and,  in  many  places,  from  fifty 
cents  to  one  dollar  a  pound  can  be  very  readily  ob- 
tained for  the  fruit.     The  borders  for  the  vines  need 
not  be  expensive.     A  dry  bottom  is  essent^d,  which 
must    be    obtained  either     by   draining,    or,    what 
is  better,  elevating  the  border  above  the  surrounding- 
soil.     A  very  durable  and  substantial  border  may  be 
made  by  taking  out  the  soil  two  and  a  half  feet  deep, 
and  filling  in  with  bones  and  broken  stone,  lumps  of 
charcoal,  brickbats,  or  any  coarse  material,  to  the 
dei)th  of  one  foot,  then  filling  in  the  remainder  three 
inches  deep  with  sods  from  an  old  pasture,  to  which 
about  a  third   of  well  decomposed   cow  or   horse 
manure  has  been  added.     The  border  may  extend 
under  the  vinery,  and  some  ten  or  fifteen  feet  beyond. 
Pot  vines  are  usuall}'  fruited  the  year  following  that 
in  which  they  are  raised.     Plants  struck  last  spring, 
and  grown  all  summer,  will  now  be  ready,  either  to 
put  away  till  wanted  in  spring,  or  started  at  once, 
where  sullicient  heat  is  at  command.     They  should 
be  at  once   pruned   to   the  desired   length,  usually 
about   six   feet,    the    laterals   taken   off,    the   canes 
painted  with  a  mixture  of  sulphur  and  soap,  to  de- 
stroy  insects;    and   those    not  just   now    required 
either  put  into  a  cellar  or  shed,  secure  from  frost  to 
avoid  danger  to  the  pots.     Those  desired  to  fruit 
early,  should  be  at  once  placed  in  a  temperature  of 
.■)■")  to  GO  degrees,  and  the  canes  bent  down  to  aid  in 
causing  all  the  buds  to  Iturst  e(iually.     This,  however, 
depends  on  the  condition  of  the  cane  itself,     xi  vine 
with  badly  developed  buds  will   not  break  well,  no 
matter  how  well   managed.      The   buds  will   only 
swell  under  the  above  temperature  ;   but  it  is  not 
well  to  start  with  much  heat. 

In  a  house  of  this  character,  the  fig  may  also  be 
started  at  the  same  lime,  and  the  pine  grow  very 
well.  The  other  fruits  named  Avill  not  do  so  well 
started  with  these,  unless  in  the  hands  of  greatly  ex- 
perienced gardeners,  as  the  heat  necessary  to  ripen 
the  grapes  so  early,  is  too  much  for  them.  Dwarf 
beans,  tomatoes  and  cucumbers,  would,  however, 
do  very  well.  These  may  be  sown  at  once  for  this 
purpose.  Peaches,  nectarines  and  apricots,  do  pretty 
well  planted  at  the  back  Avail  of  vineries,  and  es- 
pecially do  they  do  well  in  tubs  and  pots.  For  the 
latter  mode  it  is  best  to  grow  them  one  season 
before  forcing,  as  better  and  handsomer  specimens 
can  be  made  from  one  year  grafted  plants.  Now  is 
the  time  to  select  those  that  we  may  desire  to  force 
the  next  spring.     They  should  be  lifted  and  potted 


ih^  ^arden^r'^  Jitantlilg. 


291 


very  carefully,  and  afterwards  placed  in  a  cool  cellar 
till  February.     Those  that  were  potted  last  spring, 
and  have  a  good  growth,  and  are  established  suffi- 
cient to  warrant  an  early  forcing,  may  at  once  be 
started  in  a  heat  of  from  45  to  50  degrees,  and  the 
heat  increased  to  55  deg.  in  the  course  of  a  few 
weeks.     They  should  be  previously  cleaned,  as  al- 
ready recommended,  for  grapes.     Plums  and  cherries 
do  not  do  very  well  forced.     The  difiiculty  is  in  get- 
ting them  to  ripen  well.     The  writer  has  had  the 
best  success  when  started  with  peaches  at  this  time. 
Strawberries  force  easier  than  any  fruit,  and  cer- 
tainly,   when   gone   into   properly,     .ill  pay   even 
better  than  grapes.     They  may  be  had  all  the  year 
round  when  a  heat  of  60  deg.  can  be  maintained, 
simply  by  bringing  forward  a  few  every  two  weeks. 
The  pots  of  plants  should  be  prepared  in  September, 
six-inch  size   being    employed.       They   should  be 
started  in  a  heat  of  50  deg.,  till  the  flowers  are  set, 
and  ripened  in  one  of  CO  degrees.     They  must  be 
kept  near  the  glass,  and  the   red   spider  carefully 
watched.     Those  who  have  not  command  of  heat, 
may  have  them  very  early  by  potting  good  plants, 
keeping  them  in  a  moderately   dry  place  till  Feb- 
ruary, and  then  setting  them  in  frames.     A  house 
fitted' for  strawberry  forcing,  is  just  the  place   to 
force  asparagus,  rhubarb,  radishes,  peas  and  potatoes, 
which  do  not  do  well  with  much  heat.      Any  ol' 
these  may  be  started  now  either  in  pits  or  boxes. 
Peas  are  scarcely  worth  forcing,  except  as  a  luxury. 
They  will  not  bear  freely  unless  very  near  the  light. 
A  caulillower  pit  should  be  in  every  garden,  where 
leaves  or  manure  can  be  had.     Radi-hes  and  lettuce 
can  be  forced  at  the  same  time,  and  will  be  in  use 
before  the  cauliflower  grows  in  their  way.     Pits  of 
stone  or  brick,  about  six  feet  under,  and  one  to  two 
above  the  irround,  are  usually  employed,  with  glass 
sashes  over.     The  leaves  should  be  filled  in  as  early 
as  possible,  so  as  to  get  their  most  violent  heating 
over,  before  the  plants  arc  set  out.     A  watering  as 
they  are  filled  in  assists  this,  which  maybe  known 
to  be  efiected  by  the  sinking  it  exhibits.     It  is  im- 
portant to  have  the  plants  set  as  near  the  glass  as 
possiV>le  ;   a  few  more   leaves  should,  therefore,  be 
added  before  the  six  inches  of  soil  required  is  placed 
on.      The  plants,  sown  in   September,    should  be 
planted  fifteen  inches  apart,  and  lettuce  and  radishes 
may  be  sown  broad-cast  between.     Asparagus,  rhu- 
barb and  parsley,  are  prepared  by  taking  up  the  old 
roots  at  this  season. 


«•■•» 


An  Old  Turtle.— Paoli  Lathrop,  of  South  Ilad- 
ley  has  had  the  same  marked  turtle  visit  his  garden 
for' thirty  successive  years.  The  only  trouble  he 
makes  is  to  taste  the  cucumbers.— Ct^w/J^ry  Oentle- 


(JommunirBfions^ 


INJURIOUS    INSECTS. 

BY   S.    S.    RATHVON. 
[Continued  from  Page  266.] 


n~s 


Larva.        Pupa.  Imngo. 

11,  12,  12a,  rRocRis  Americana. 

13,  14,  15,  EriLACIINA   BOREALIS. 

Pi  ocris  Americana.  Fig.  11.  Length,  about  three- 
eighths  of  an  inch;  expansion  of  the  wings,  a  little 
more  than  three-quarters  of  an  inch ;  color,  blue- 
black,  except  the  orange  band  around  the  anterior 
margin  of  the  thorax ;  wings,  narrow  ;  antennae, 
pectinated,  and  the  abdomen  terminated  b}-  a  broad 
downy  tuft.  Fig.  12  is  the  larva ;  a  j'cllowish  cater- 
pillar with  sixteen  feet,  rather  slender  and  cylindri- 
cal, and  with  a  transverse  row  of  small  black  vel- 
vety tufts  on  each  segment.  These  insects  are  found 
in  colonies  on  the  grape-vine,  arranged  side  by  side, 
in  the  months  o'"  July  and  August,  and  sometimes 
do  a  great  deal  of  injury  to  them,  by  despoiling 
them  of  their  leaves  at  the  time  when  they,  perhaps, 
are  the  most  needed.  The  caterpillar,  when  mature, 
is  about  three-quarters  of  an  inch  in  length,  and 
then  seeks  some  unexposed  place,  where  it  spins 
itself  into  a  sort  of  coarse  coccoon  previous  to  its 
coming  forth  a  perfect  moth.  The  specimen  now 
before  me  was  obtained  on  the  first  of  August. 
From  one  to  three  broods  is  the  produce  of  each 
season,  according  to  the  latitude  of  the  locality. 
When  these  larva;  are  touched,  they  all  immediately 
curl  their  bodies  sidewise,  and  sometimes  fall  to  the 
ground,  if  they  do  not  suspend  themselves  by  a 
silken  cord.  All  the  former  insects  that  I  have  been 
treating  of  as  injurious  to  the  grape-vine,  belong  to 


I 


k 


i;|jt  (hardener's  Jtlont^Ig. 


the  order  Coleoptcra,  but  this  latter  one  belongs  to 
the  order  Lepiduptera.  There  is  also  a  species  of 
Tenlhrcdo,  a  Hyiucnopterotis  insect  that  feeds  upon  the 
grape-vine  in  the  larva  state,  and  which  nearly  ap- 
proximates to  the  larva  of  the  Procris  in  appearance  ; 
yet  a  little  observation  will  be  sufficient  to  distin- 
guish them.  When  the  larva3  of  Lepidopterous  insects 
are  in  a  state  of  rest, — that  is,  the  leaf-eating  kinds, 
— they  hold  fast  with  the  prolegs  and  raise  up  the 
front  part  of  the  body,  to  which  the  true  or  pectoral 
legs  are  attached;  because  the  prolegs  are  better 
instruments  of  prehension,  being  each  one  sur- 
rounded with  a  little  cornet  of  hooks  turning  in- 
ward. The  contrary  is  the  case  with  the  leaf-eating 
larva)  of  the  order  Hymenoptcra ;  for  their  prolegs 
not  being  instruments  of  prehension,  but  only  in- 
struments of  support,  they  therefore  hold  fast  with 
the  pectoral  legs  and  throw  up  the  hind  part  of  the 
body  when  they  are  in  a  state  of  rest. 

Besides  one  species  of  Lepidoptera  that  resembles 
the  peach-tree  borer,  and  at  least  three  species  of 
Homoptera,  that  attack  the  stem  and  trunk  of  the  | 
grape-vine,  Dr.  Asa  Fitcli  enumerates  at  least  twenty  ' 
species  of  Himplcra  and  Homoptcra  that  attack  the 
leaves^  and  also  ten  S[)ecies  of  Lepidoptera,  seven  sjie- 
cies  of  Coleop'era,  and  three  or  four  species  of  Or-  ' 
ihoplera  that  attack  the  same  parts  of  the  vine.     1 
cannot  in  this  paper  even  mention  the  names  of  the 
different  species  of  these,  much  less  give  their  his-  I 
tory.     Amidst  this  host  of  enemies  the  grape-vine  ' 
would  have  to  run  a  fearful  gauntlet,  if  other  con-  ' 
tingencies  did  not  occasionally  intervene,  in  order  ; 
to  check  their  too  rapid  increase.     Many  of  those 
referred  to  by  Dr.  Fitch    are   inconspicuous,  and 
others  infest  i>articular  localities.     I  have  only  no- 
ticed  a  few  of  the  most  prominent  ones.     Before 
concluding  this  appendix,  I  must  present  the  de-  ' 
structive  Coccinellan,  or  lady-bird,  to  which  I  alluded 
in  some  former  remarks,  made  at  West  Chester  in  ' 
June  last.      Coccinella  epilachna  borcalifi^  Thr.     Fig. 
13.     Length,  from  a  quarter  to  three-eighths  of  an  ' 
inch  ;  tortoise-shaped  ;  color,  ochrey -yellow  ;  seven  ! 
black  spots  on  each  wing-cover,  three  at  the  base,  | 
three  intermediate  and  one  near  the  apex  ;  four  black 
spots  on  the  tliorax,  one  in  the   middle   near  the  ' 
scutum  and  one  on  the  anterior  margin  immediately 
opposite,  and  one  on  each  side  near  the  lateral  mar- 
gin;  eyes,  dark  brown;  legs,  yellow,  underneath 
the  abdomen   brown.      This  insect,  when   taken 
discharges  a  globule  of  limpid  yellow  liquid  of  a  very 
disagreeable  vegetable  odor. 

Fig.  14,  Larva.  Length,  three-eighths  of  an 
inch ;  color,  a  bright  gamboge-yellow ;  six  yellow 
pectoral  legs,  tipped  with  brown,  and  terminating 
with  a  single  black  hook ;  no  prolegs  ;  body  divided 
into  a  head,  eleven  segments  with  bl.ck  branching 


spines  standing  erect,  and  a  dark  orange  caudal  seg- 
ment,  destitute  of  spines ;  the  spines  are  gambogc- 
yellow  at  the  base,  and  are  arranged  laterally  and 
I  transversely  in  rows,  six  rows  longitudinally  and 
'  six  s])ines  in  each  row  transversely  ;    on   the  first 
segment  from  the  head  are  only  four  spines,  on  the 
,  second  segment  six,  and  on  this  and  the  third  and 
j  fourth  they  do  not  range  with  the  remaining  seg- 
I  ments  ;  head,  much  drawn  under  the  first  segment ; 
mandibles,  brown  at  tip,  robust  and  short ;   eyes, 
brown  and  projecting  from  the  head;  antenna^.yellow 
and  short.  In  eating,  this  larva  reaches  the  head  for- 
ward, and  then  gradually  draws  it  in  under  the  first 
segment,  after  the  manner  of  Lepidopterous  larvffl ; 
but  it  does  not  seem  to  swallow  the  pulp,   only 
scraping  it  off  and  pressing  it  together  and  sucking 
out  the  juice,  leaving  the  expressed  pulp  remain  in 
little  ridges.     I  obtained  this  larva  on  the  second 
day  of  August  on  a  pumpkin-vine,  and  after  letting 
it  fast  about  a  day,  (during  which  time  I  had  illus- 
trations made  of  it,;  I  confined  it,  and  placed  part 
of  a  pumi)kin-vine  in  with  it,  when  it  immediately 
commenced  eating  most  voraciously.     When  first 
taken,  it  exuded  a  yellow  limpid  liciuid,  having  rather 
a  disagreeable  odor.     This  larva  is  not  new  to  me, 
but  I  have  not  heretofore  been  able  to  identify  it 
with  any  particular  species  of  mature  insect.      It 
differs  very  materially  in  its  form  from  the  Coccinel- 
lans,  or  at  least  from  those  that  are  Jlphidephaf^ous  in 
their  habits,  being  larger  in  size,  more  gibbous,  and 
the  head  almost  entirely  concealed.     On  the  8th  day 
of  August  it  had  passed  into  the  pupa  state  CFig. 
15),  merely  fastening  itself  by  the  caudal  extremity, 
with  the  head  downward,  and  pushing  its  spiney 
skin  backward,  just  as  if  a  person  were  to  push  his 
breeches  down  to  his  heels  and  there  let  them  re- 
main in  folds.     The  pupa  was  about  a  quarter  of  an 
inch  long,  widest  at  the  anterior  part  and  narrow- 
ing backward   to   the    posterior,    somewhat    pear- 
shaped  ;  the  color  was  a  gamboge  or  ochery -yellow, 
and  it  was  without  the  spines  that  the  larva  had, 
but  instead  thereof,  it  was  sparsely  covered  with 
short  black  hairs.     On  the  IGth  of  August  the  ma- 
ture insect  evolved  from  the  pupa,  leaving  a  thin 
transparent  pupa-case  behind.    This  insect  has  often 
been  detected,  in  its  mature  state,  eating  the  leaves 
of  cucumbers,  cantelopes,  and  other  melon  vines, 
and  it  is  now  also  i  enionstrated— if  not  previously 
—that  the  larva;  also  feed  upon  those  vines;  and 
therefore  it  can  no  longer   be  classed  with  insect 
friends,  although  it  was  for  a  long  time  thought  to 
be  of  that  character.     Seeing  that  the  larva  differs 
so  much  in  its  form  and  habits  from  other  species  of 
the  genius  Coccinella,  the  thought  was  doubtless  sug- 
gested, whether  this  insect  ought  not  to  be  placed 
into  another  genus  or  constitute  a  new  one,— not- 


ih)^  (Hardener's  JltontMg. 


Avithstanding  our  aversion  to  the  unnecessary  mul- 
tiplication of  genera  and  species,— and  accordingly 
Redtenbacher  constitutes  it  the  sole  individual  of 
the  genus  Epilachna. 


»»■>» 


GEORGES    STBPHBNSON    AS    A   HORTI- 
CULTURIST. 


BY  L. 


In  reading  that  wondrous  story  of  genius,  "The 
Life  of  George   Stephenson,  the  Founder  of  the 
Present  Railway  System,"  I  have  been  impressed 
with  the  noble  simplicity  and  energy,  the  indomit- 
able tenacity  and  daring  ingenuity,   of  the   collier 
l^oy,— virtues  which  raised  him  to  one  of  the  no- 
blest positions  in  life  :  that  of  a  great  benefactor  to 
mankind,  and  have  given  him  fame  which  must 
spread  and  increase  with  time.     No  one  can  read, 
unmoved,  the  story  of  his  struggles  and  triumphs, 
nor  tail  to  be  convinced  that  he  was,  indeed,  a  hero, 
compared  with  whom  many  who  have  borne  the 
name  were  utterly  unworthy.     "Peace  has  its  vic- 
tories no  less  than  w^ar,"  and  the  achievements  of 
George    Stephenson,   the   constructor  of  the   first 
practicable  locomotive  and  founder  of  the  present 
railway  system,  deserves  a  higher  place  in  the  es- 
teem and  admiration  of  his  fellow-men  than  the  ex- 
ploits of  all  the  heroes  of  the  sword,  of  ancient  or 
modern  times. 

To  young  men  faltering  or  struggling  with  op- 
posing   difficulties,    his    life    gives    lessons    which 
should  supply  fresh  vigor.      No  beginning   could 
have  been  more  humble  than  his ;  but  he  persevered. 
He  had  determined  to  learn,  and  he  did  learn.     "To 
such  a  resolution  as  his,  nothing  really  beneficial  is 
denied."     The  whole  secret  of  his  success  in  life 
was  his  careful  improvement  of  time,  which  is  the 
rock  out  of  which  fortunes  are  carved,  and  great 
characters  formed.     He  believed   in  genius  to  the 
extent  that  Buffon  did  when  he  said  that  "Patience 
is  genius,"  or  as  some  other  thinker  has  expressed, 
when  he  defined  genius  to  be  the  power  of  making 
efforts.     But  he  never  would  acknowledge  that  he 
was  a  genius,  or  that  he  had  done  any  thing  which 
other  men   equally  laborious   and    persevering   as 
himself  could  not  have  accomplished.     He  repeat- 
edly said  to  the  young  men  about  him,  "Do  as  I 
have  done,— persevere." 

"Every  step  of  advance  which  he  made  was  con- 
quered by  patient  labor."  .  .  .  "  Wiiether  work- 
ing as  a  laborer  or  an  engineer,  his  mind  was  al- 
ways full  of  the  work.  He  gave  himself  up  thor- 
oughly to  it.  Like  the  painter,  he  might  have  said, 
that  he  had  become  great  by  neglecting  nothing."  . 
"  He  did  all  thoroughly  and  honestly.  When  a 
workman,  he  put  his  mind  and  energies  into  his 
work ;  and  when  a  master,  he  put  his  conscience 


and  character  into  it.  The  battle  which  he  fought 
for  the  locomotive  would  have  discouraged  most 
other  men,  but  it  only  served  to  bring  into  promi- 
nence that  energy  and  determination  which  formed 
the  back-bone  of  his  character.  The  leading  engi- 
neers of  the  day  were  against  him,  without  excep- 
tion ;  yet  he  did  not  despair.  He  had  laid  hold  of  a 
great  idea,  and  he  adhered  to  it;  his  mind  was 
locked  and  bolted  to  the  results.  "  I  put  up,"  he 
says,  "with  every  rebuff,  determined  not  to  be  put 
down  ;''  and  it  was  this  determined  purpose  which 
secured  the  triumph  of  the  locomotive. 

Towards  the  close  of  his  life,  George  Stephenson 
almost  entirely  withdrew  from  the  active  pursuit  of 
his  profession  as  a  railway  engineer.  At  home  he 
lived  the  life  of  a  country  gentleman,  enjoying  his 
garden  and  his  grounds,  indulging  his  love  of  nature, 
which  through  his  busy  life  had  never  left  him. 

He  took  an  active  interest  in  horticultural  pur- 
suits, carrying  into  them  the  same  inquiring  and  in- 
ventive spirit  and  the  same  determined  persistence 
which  formed  so  large  an  element  of  his  character. 
He  was  now  as  eager  to  excel  all  other  growers  of 
exotic  plants  in  the  neighborhood  as  he  had  been  to 
surpass  his  native  villagers  in  the  production  of  gi- 
gantic cabbages  some  thirty  years  before.     He  had 
a  fine  house  built,  sixty-eight  feet  in  length,  and  a 
vinery  one  hundred  and  forty  feet.     The  workmen 
were  never  idle  about  the  garden,  and  the  additions 
to  the  structures  proceeded,  until  at  length  he  had 
no  fewer  than  ten  glass  forcing-houses,  heated  with 
hot  water,  which  he  was  the  first  to  introduce  into 
that  neighborhood.     At  one  of  the  County  Agricul- 
tural Meetings  he  said  that  he  intended  yet  to  grow 
pine-apples  as  big  as  pumpkins. 

The  only  man  to  whom  he  would  "knock  under" 
was  his  friend  Paxton,  the  gardener  to  the  Duke  of 
Devonshire,  and  he  was  so  old  in  the  service  and  so 
skilful,  that  he   could  scarcely  hope  to  beat  him. 
Yet  his  Queen  Pines  did  take  the  first  prize  at  a 
competition  with  the  Duke,— though  this  was  not 
until  shortly  after  his  death,  when  the  plants  had  be- 
come more  fully  grown.     His  grapes  also  recently 
took  the  first  prize  in  competition  with  all  England. 
He  was  extremely  successful  in  producing  melons, 
havmg  invented  a  method  of  suspending  them  in 
baskets  of  wire  gauze,  which,  by  relieving  the  stalk 
from  tension,  allowed   nutrition   to  proceed  more 
easily,  and  enabled  the  fruit  to  grow  more  freely 
and  ripen  thoroughly. 

lie  took  much  pride  in  his  growth  of  cucumbers. 
He  raised  them  very  fine  and  largo,  but  could  not 
make  them  grow  straight.  Place  them  as  he  would, 
notwithstanding  all  his  propping  them  and  humor- 
ing  them  by  modifying  the  application  of  heat  and 
!  the  admission  of  light  for  the  purpose  of  effecting 


II 


^ 


■PI"  i'l 


,1-     ;l 


:i| 


Vi 


§>x 


(^I 


! 


94 


^\([  hardener's  IBontljIj. 


this  object,  they  would  insist  on  growing  in  their 
own  crooked  way.  At  last  he  had  a  number  of 
glass  cylinders  made,  into  each  of  which  a  growing 
cucumber  was  inserted.  Thus  restrained,  the  un- 
willing fruit  yielded  to  his  guiding  hand.  Carrying 
one  of  the  new  products  into  his  house  one  day, 
and  exhibiting  it  to  a  party  of  visitors,  he  told  them 
of  the  expedient  he  had  adopted,  and  added,  glee- 
fully, "1  think  I  have  bothered  them  noof'' 

He  was  unsuccessful  in  his  attempts  to  keep  bees. 
The  cause  of  failure  was  a  })uzzle  ;  but  one  day  his 
acute  powers  of  observation  enabled  him  to  unravel 
it.  At  the  foot  of  the  hill  on  which  he  resided  he 
saw  some  bee",  trying  to  rise  from  amongst  the  grass, 
laden  with  honey  and  pollen.  They  were  already 
exhausted,  as  if  by  long  fljnng,  and  it  then  occurred 
to  him  that  the  height  at  which  the  house  stood 
above  the  bees'  feeding-ground  rendered  it  dilficult 
for  them  to  reach  their  hives  when  heavy  laden,  and 
hence  they  sunk  worn  out  with  the  effort.  He 
stated  the  case  to  Jesse,  the  naturalist,  who  concur- 
red in  his  view  as  to  the  cause  of  failure,  and  was 
much  impressed  with  the  keenness  of  observation 
which  had  led  to  its  solution. 

His  country  home  was  the  resort  of  many  early 
friends,  who  greatly  enjoyed  his  hospitality.  AVith 
them  he  ''fought  his  battles  o'er  again,"  reverting 
often  to  his  battle  of  the  locomotive,  and  was  never 
tired  of  telling,  nor  were  his  auditory  wearied  in 
listening  to  the  lively  anecdotes  with  which  he  was 
accustomed  to  illustrate  the  struggles  of  his  early 
career.  Whilst  walking  in  the  woods  or  through 
the  grounds,  he  would  arrest  his  friends'  attention 
by  allusion  to  some  simple  object,  such  as  a  leaf,  a 
blade  of  grass,  a  bit  of  b  'rk,  a  nest  of  birds,  or  an 
ant  carrying  its  eggs  across  the  path,  ar.d  descant  in 
glowing  terms  upon  the  creative  power  of  the  Di- 
vine Mechanism,  whose  contrivances  were  so  ex- 
haustless  and  so  Avonderful.  This  was  a  theme  upon 
which  he  was  often  accustomed  to  dwell  in  reveren- 
tial admiration  when  in  the  society  of  his  most  inti- 
mate friends. 

In  his  deportment  George  Stephenson  was  simple, 
modest  and  unassuming,  but  always  manly.  He 
was  frank  and  social  in  spirit.  When  an  humble 
workman,  he  had  carefully  preserved  his  self-respect. 
His  devoted  love  of  knowledge  made  his  poverty 
respectable,  and  adorned  his  humble  calling.  When 
he  rose  to  a  more  elevated  station  and  associated 
with  men  of  the  highest  position  and  intluenoe  in 
Britain,  he  took  his  place  amongst  them  with  per- 
fect self-possession.  They  wondered  at  the  quiet 
ease  and  simple  dignity  of  his  deportment;  and 
men  in  the  best  rank  of  life  have  said  of  him,  that 

He  was  one  of  nature's  gentlemen." 


RHODODENDRONS. 

[Continued.] 
BY  A.  MIELLEZ,  FLUSHING,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  Editor — Before  I  proceed  with  rhododen- 
drons, allow  me  to  make  a  few  remarks  as  to  flowers 
and  gardening  in  general,  to  serve  as  an  excuse  if  I 
should  happen  to  get  too  much  into  the  minutire  of 
them. 

I  presume  a  good  many  of  your  more  scientific 
readers,  as  well  as  practical  business  men,  will 
smile  at  my  attempt  to  give  such  simple  direc- 
tions, while  I  think  in  doing  so  they  may  be  of  some 
use  to  amateur  cultivators.  Moreover,  (I  am  sorry 
to  say,^  there  are  a  great  number  of  so-called  busi- 
ness men,  who,  on  being  asked  for  some  informa- 
tion, have  always  got  the  ready  reply  at  hand, 
"Find  it  out  yourselves;  or,  if  not  quite  so  impo- 
lite to  say  so,  at  least  think  so,  giving  some  avoiding 
answer. 

It  is  earnestly  to  be  hoped  that  selfish  short-sight- 
edness should  soon  cease,  for  the  general  benefit  of 
gardening  and  things  connected  therewith.  The  more 
amateur  gardeners  and  the  public  at  large  become 
acquainted  with  flowers  and  their  management, 
the  better  it  will  be  for  both  parties,  gardeners 
as  well  as  amateurs.  Yet  there  is  still  another  great 
question  arising  out  of  this.  Any  man,  no  matter 
what  stage  of  society  he  occupies,  may  learn  and 
profit  by  flowers.  They  are  a  rich  source  of  de- 
light, bestowed  by  the  kind  Creator  upon  mankind. 
Study  them,  and  I  am  confident  to  say,  that  there 
is  hardly  any  thing  that  will  give  more  real  pleasure 
than  flowers.  Flowers  have  always  been,  at  all 
times  and  ages  and  with  all  cultivated  nations,  (such 
as  Greeks,  Romans,  etc.,)  highly  esteemed.  Look- 
ing at  the  ornaments  of  their  architectural  works, 
we  discern  them  chiefly  to  be  composed  of  flowers, 
studied  from  natural  ones,  and  it  is  much  to  be  la- 
mented that  in  designs  of  the  present  time  the  form 
of  flowers  is  so  utterly  neglected.  But  now  I  have 
myself  rather  more  digressed  from  rhododendrons 
than  I  anticipated.  What  I  have  to  add  in  respect 
to  grafting  large  i)lants,  is,  firstly,  that  proper  care 
should  be  taken  to  disturb  the  roots  of  the  plants  as 
little  as  possible  when  taken  up.  If  done  in  sum- 
mer, the  ground  around  them  should  be  thoroughly 
soaked  previously.  Then  the  ball  cut  round  with 
a  spade  and  lifted  out,  not  by  the  stem,  but  by  the 
ball  itself.  If  large  and  heavy,  pieces  of  canvas 
may  be  drawn  underneath,  on  which  ropes  with 
poles  are  tied,  and  so  be  carried  easily  to  the  proper 
place,  i.  c,  where  they  have  to  remain  while  uniting, 
and  there  be  grafted.  It  is  diflicult  to  handle  fresh- 
g'-afted  plants  of  large  si/.e,  without  disturbing  the 
grafts.     Smaller  plants  may  be  taken  to  a  shed  en 


M> 


m\  (iartoer'a  JKonllilg. 


masse,  grafted,  and  afterwards  taken  to   a  pit   or 
house.     The  balls  have  to  be  covered  with  soil,  and 
the  whole  to  be  wel  watered.     This  will  keep  a 
pretty  damp  air  around  the  plant  for  some   days, 
during  which  time  they  should  not  be  watered. 
Afterward  sprinkle  the  whole— plants,  grafts   and 
all—with  a  syringe  or  fine-rose  w^atering-pot,  taking 
care,  however,  that  they  get  dry  once  in  a  day,  by 
giving  some  air  in  the  morning.     The  other  time 
keep  them  pretty  close  and  well  shaded  till  they 
unite,  which  will  be  in  about  a  fortnight,  when  more 
air  and  light  is  required.    In  about  another  fortnight 
or  three  weeks  they  will  be  ready  to  be  put  out  of 
doors  again.     For  inexperienced  hands,  however, 
it  may  be  more  safe  to  let  them  make  their  first 
growth  where  they  are,  especially  if  in  a  pit.      It 
has  the  advantage  of  giving  more  command  over 
them      Here  they  can   be  nicely  syringed  (which 
promotes  the  proper  development  of  the  leaves)  and 
hardened  off  in  an  easy  way  by  giving  more  air  by 
de-rees,  and  ultimately  removing  the  lights  alto- 
getlier.     It  will  also  be  good  to  give  them  a  slight 
protection  for  the  first  winter,  which  may  be  easily 
accomplished  if  in  the  position  mentioned. 

Plants  worked  in  this  way  should  be  set  out  m 
spring  as  early  as  possible,  on  beds  prepared  for 
them  in  the  autumn. 

Though  rhododendrons,  as  found  in  their  natural 
state,  more  or  less  grow  in  peat,  experience  shows 
that  they  will    thrive   favorably  in   a  more   solid 
-round.     Nay,  they  require  this  for  garden  culture, 
being  exposed  to  the  rays  of  our  hot  summer  sun, 
which  would  quite  burn  them  up  and  cause  death 
to  them  if  planted  in  peat.     The  ground  should  be 
prepared  as  follows :     First  well  drained,  and  if  tne 
natural  soil  should  be  a  sterile  one,  removed  to  the 
depth  of  eighteen  inches,  (it  is  a  great  mistake  for 
rhododendrons,  as  well  as  for  many  other  plants,  to 
fill  deep  holes  with  a  rich  soil,)  then  fresh,  sweet 
loam  taken  from  an  old- pasture  (only  the  turf)  m 
moderately  broken  pieces  and  mixed  with  one-third 
peat  or  well-decomposed  leaves  and  a  little  sand. 
With  this  the  bed  is  to  be  filled  to  a  little  above  the 
level  of  the  surrounding  ground.     If  the  soil  is  na- 
turally good,  it  may  do  to  dig  in  a  good  portion  of 
peat  or  leaf-mould. 

[To  be  Continued.] 


a  few  specimens.  Currants  and  gooseberries,  about 
one-half  a  crop.  Raspberries,  an  abundance.  Straw- 
berries, with  the  exception  of  Wilson's  Albany, 
have  done  nothing, -that  variety  (the  Albany)  suc- 
ceeded admirably,  and  seems  the  only  one  of  the 
older  varieties  worth  cultivating  in  this  climate,  be- 
incr  less  affected  by  neglect,  unfavorable  soil  or  cli- 
mate, than  any  other  we  cultivate,  among  which  we 
include  most  of  the  old  popular  varieties. 


FRUIT    IN    CANADA. 

Mr.  Custe.vd,  Godcrich,  C.  W.,  under  date  of 
August  12th,  writes : 

Our  prospocts/or//va7  in  this  section  of  the  pro- 
vince Cand,  I  believe,  in  all  sections)  are  not  particu- 
larly flattering.  Plums,  apples,  pears  and  peaches 
there  will  be  a  few  of,  most  bearing  trees  producing 


HYBRID    SPIRiEAS. 

BY  F.    PARKMAN,    JAMAICA  PLAIN,    MASS. 

Three  years  ago,  I  fertilized  the  flowers  of  Spirrea 
callosa  with  one  of  the  numerous  varieties  of  Spirrea 
salicifolia.  In  the  crop  of  seedlings  which  resulted, 
two  proved  to  be  perfect  hybrids,  combining  the 
characteristics  of  both  plants.  The  individual  flow- 
ers are  like  those  of  S.  callosa,  but  they  are  arranged 
on  the  stalk  in  a  conical,  or  rather  oval,  and  not 
flattened  form ;  or,  in  other  words,  the  inflorescence 
is  not,  as  in  the  female  parent,  a  corymb,  but  a 
thyrse.  The  foliage  and  habit  resemble  those  of 
S  callosa,  though  the  bud  is  more  compact.  I  am 
propagating  the  plants,-!  will  send  you  specimens 

hereafter.  . 

[Very  -lad  to  find  that  attention  is  being  paid  to 
hybridizing  our  ornamental  trees  and  shrubs,  and 
that  Mr.  Parkmau  has  been  so  successful.  Much  may, 
no  doubt,  be  done  with  spiraeas.  If  we  are  not 
mistaken,  S.  Billardii,  one  of  the  best  of  the  family, 
is  a  hybrid  between  S.  salicifolia  and  S.  Douglassu.- 

Ed.3 .^ 

THE    HEMLOCK. 

BY   S.  L.  B.,  BROOKDALE  FARM,  MAINE. 

The  Hemlock,  sometimes  called  Hemlock  Spruce 
(Abieii  CanademiH),  is  the  most  beautiful  tree   of 
the   family  to  which  it  belongs-Pine  family,  and 
is  distinguished  from  other  pines  by  the  softness  of 
its  delicate  foliage,  smoothness  of  limbs,  and  grace- 
ful aspect.      It  is  said  by  Pursh  to  extend  to  the 
most  northern  regions  of  Canada,  and  is  so  generally 
diffused  throughout  North  America,  that  it  has,  in 
many  instances,   been    chosen   as   an    emblem  of 
America  upon  maps  and  works  relating  to  the  country. 
Its  height  is  from  forty  to  seventy  feet,  and  in  dia- 
meter it  varies  from  one  to  three  feet.     The  body  of 
the  tree  rises  uniform  until  wif.iin  a  short  distance 
from  the  top,  when  it  tapers  rapidly,  forming  a  small, 

round  head. 

Emerson,  in  his  "Trees  and  Shrubs  of  Massachu- 
setts "  aavs,  the  branchlets  are  very  small,  light  and 
slender,  and  are  set  irregularly  on  the  horizontal  sides 
of  the  small  branches,  forming  with  them  a  Hat  sur- 


w 


f 


^mdmtr'%  Jlllonthlg. 


face.  The  leaves  are  small  and  flat,  from  half  an 
inch  to  three-fourths  of  an  inch  long,  arranujed  in 
.s])nal.s  around  the  branches,  but  disposing  themselves 
by  the  bending  of  the  foot-stalks  in  two  rows  on  the 
sides.  The  bark  of  the  hemlock  is  extensively  used 
throughout  the  Northern  States,  in  the  process  of 
tanning,  being  used  as  a  substitute  for  oak,  and  it  is 
said,  if  the  bark  is  m:xed  with  oak  it  is  superior  for 
this  purpose  to  either  alone. 

The  timber  of  the  hemlock  is  wanting  in  strength, 
the  tree  often  being  shaky,  which  cause,  Michaux 
says,  is  owing  to  the  winds  acting  with  great  force 
on  the  broad,  compact  summit  of  the  tree.  The 
wood  is  not  highly  esteemed  as  fuel.  The  trunk  of 
the  tree  sawed  into  boards  and  other  timber,  is  highly 
valued,  but  large  specimens  of  the  tree  arc  rapidly 
disappearing  from  our  northern  forests. 

As  an  ornamental  evergreen  tree,  the  merits  of  the 
hemlock  have  not  been  sufRciently  appreciated.  It 
is  graceful  in  aspect,  of  fine-growing  habits,  while 
its  alloAvance  of  trimming  and  training  make  it 
worthy  the  notice  of  those  who  need,  in  winter,  the 
shelter  which  it  gives,  or  who  admire  the  ornament 
of  its  evergreen  foliage.  It  is  a  tree  of  slow  growth, 
and  it  is  very  common  in  our  pastures  and  upon  the 
borders  of  forests.  These  are  almost  the  only  objec- 
tions against  it,  yet,  with  good  treatment,  and  a  good 
soil,  it  will  flourish  well ;  and  surely,  there  is  no  tree 
more  beautiful  than  a  hemlock  growing  in  a  natural 
position  in  the  situations  just  mentioned. 


<>»■» 


A   FAILURE    IN    GRAFE    GROWING. 

BY  COL.  D.  S.  DEWEY,  HARTFORD,  CONN. 

Records  of  failure  are  so  comparatively  rare  in  the 
well-filled  columns  of  your  Monthly,  that  I  am  induced 
to  send  you  one  by  way  of  variety.  It  relates  to  the 
so-called  Brlght's  System  of  Grape-culture. 

I  had  read  with  great  interest  all  that  had  appeared 
in  the  horticultural  periodicals  with  reference  to  this 
method,  and,  also,  in  Mr.  B.'s  own  book,  and  with 
a  mind  favorably  predisposed  towards  it,  I  was  re- 
lieved of  all  doubts  as  to  its  jiracticability  by  an  op- 
portunity of  personal  inspection  of  the  system  as 
carried  out  in  tlie  vicinity  of  Philadelphia,  and  parti- 
cularly on  Mr.  B.'s  own  premises. 

So,  upon  my  return  home  from  the  Pomological 
Convention,  last  fall,  I  immediately  made  a  com- 
mencement of  carrying  out  tlie  jilan  for  myself,  by 
setting  out  one  hundred  and  fiftyhardy  vines— Dela- 
wares,  Rebeccas,  Dianas  and  Hartford  Prolifics— in 
two  long  rows,  six  feet  apart,  the  roots  being  planted 
two  feet  ai)art  in  each  row. 

{Mem.— I  have,  this  Spring,  added  eight  similar 
rows,  containing,  principally,  Hartford  Prolifics  at 
distances  varying  from  two  to  four  feet  in  the  rows  ; 


'^^ 


The  next  move  was  to  arrange  one  of  my  green- 
houses, 48  by  15  in  ihe  clear,  and  of  good  height  and 
favorable  slope  of  roof,  so  that  I  could  employ  my 
leisure  during  the  winter  in  assisting  to  construct, 
and  fill  with  suitable  material,  a  row  of  "detached, 
divided,  and  suspended"  grape -boxes,  twenty-four 
in  number,  along  the  inside  front,  according  to 
specific  details  in  the  book. 

In  process  of  time  all  this  was  duly  accomplished, 
and  in  March  the  vines  (principally  Black  Hamburgs) 
were  set  out  in  the  boxes. 

A  number  of  vines  were  also  planted  in  large  pots 
at  about  the  same  time,  and  were  placed  along, 
fhalf-plunged,;  in  the  vacant  spots  of  prepared 
grape-soil  in  the  border,  one  or  two  in  each  com- 
partment. Thus  far  "per  order,"  and  thus  far  all 
right  and  very  promising.  But  the  vines  did  not 
grow,  and  the  vines  haven't  grown,  although  a  part 
did  make  a  desperate  effort  at  first,  and  the  result, 
so  far  as  the  tender  sorts  are  concerned,  is,  that  the 
experiment  has  proved  with  me  a  positive  failure  ! 

Po»t  Scriptum. — Perhaps  I  ought,  in  common 
justice,  to  add  that  my  stock  of  Black  Hamburg 
vines  consisted  of  one-year-old  layers,  of  only 
medium  quality;  and  these  "happened"  to  get  rather 
too  cold,  and  too  dry,  and  too  damp,  at  intervals 
during  the  winter,  before  being  planted.  I  should 
have  preferred  good  thrifty  one  and  two  year  olds, 
from  eyes,  but,  at  that  time,  it  was  "these  or  none," 
with  me. 

I^ota  Bene.— 0^y'mfr  to  the  interference  of  other 
business  arrangements,  the  vines  were  not  properly 
watered  nor  syringed,  and  may  have  suffered  in  con- 
sequence. Besides,  they  were  never  mulched  nor 
shaded  in  the  least,  although  directly  under  and  near 
the  lower  end  of  the  roof-sashes,  which  were  fixed. 
The  front  was  also  fixed,  being  a  brick  wall,  instead 
of  upright  and  moveable  sash. 

Addendum. — The  house  was  neither  sprinkled  nor 
medicated,  nor  systematically  ventilated,  and  it  may 
be  that  nature  rebelled  against  such  neglect.  I  am 
the  more  inclined  to  this  opinion  from  the  fact  that 
the  potted  vines  have  performed  no  better  than  their 
neighbors  planted  in  the  system  border. 

Et  Cetera. — The  hardy  vines  outside  have  done 
somewhat  better,  but  they  are  by  no  means  in  a 
proper  condition  to  prove  to  a  Connecticut  commu- 
nity the  superior  merits  of  a  new  Pennsylvania 
system.  To  be  sure,  they  have  received  but  little 
care,  owing  to  the  necessary  C?;  transfer  of  attention 
to  other  matters.  They  have  had  no  mulching,  no 
special  fertilizing,  no  stakes,  trellises  or  supports  of 
any  kind,  and  but  little  hoeing  and  weeding. 

Finale.— ''VoovUv.  Cornelius,"  says  Mr.  Meehan, 
page  84;  "we  fancy  there  are  no  inconsiderable 
number  who  imagine  his  process  to  lie  in  his  pot, 


^^% 


%\i  iarbtntr^s  Hantljlg. 


297 


and  not  in  his  principles,  and  that  they  have  only  to 
slip  in  a  cutting  and  take  out  a  plant."     Poor  Mr. 
Brig'it!   the  same  imagination  may  exist  in  some 
minds  with  regard  to   your   "principles!"     Now, 
can't  you  accommodate  such,  (if  such  there  be,)  by 
an  amendment  to  your  system  ?     Say  thirty  pages, 
more  or  less,  in  your  third  edition,  so  that,  when  an 
amateur  grape-grower  is  engaged  in  other  avocations 
which  call  him  imperatively  from  his  favorite  pursuit 
of  horticulture,  his  grapery  and  vineyard  may  be  in 
the   condition  of  the   boy's   musical  arrangement, 
which  "whistled  itself  ?"     "  Slip  in  roots"  and  take 
out  fruited  vines— that  may  be  the  requirement. 

Suppose  you  entitle  the  ncAV  chapter  thus;— 
Dwarfing  Made  Easy  ;  and  Pinching  and  Stopping 
Dispensed  with. 


»•■•» 


VEGETABLE    TRANSFORMATION. 


BY   J.    J.    STAUFFEU,    LANCASTER,    TA 

My  worthy  friend,  J.  B.  Garber,  Esq.,  "in  his 
article  in  the  September  number,  on  Grape-ology," 
compliments  me  as  "a  good  botanist,  entomologist, 
&c.,  adding,  "indeed,  well-informed  on  all  sub- 
jects." For  which  I  tip  my  beaver,  taking  it  for 
granted,  that  "mutual  friends"  will  not  talk  ironi- 
cally, though  they  may  indulge  in  "a  good  laugh 
occasionally  at   one  another,"  to   which  I   cannot 

object. 

With  regard  to  that  "barren  grape-vine"  on  which 
"all  manner  of  experiments  were  made  to  make  it 
bear  fruit."     Tiie  facts  are  simply  these  : 

Seeds  from  a  raidn  were  planted  in  a  pot,  in  the 
summer  of  1857.     Whether  the  raisin  was  the  dried 
fruit  from  grapes  tliat  grew  on  the  warm  shores 
about  Malaga,  Yalentia,  or  some  other  raisin-grow- 
ing country,  is  immaterial ;  one  of  these  seeds  ger- 
mhiated  and  put  forth  its  tender  branches.     In  the 
spring  of  1859  it  was  set  out  in  rich  soil,  on  the 
south' side  of  a  shed,  in  an  exposed  or  sunny  posi- 
tion, were  it  grew  rather  rankly,  and  stood  through 
the  mild  winter  without  any  protection,     No  atten- 
tion was  paid  to  it  in  the  spring  of  1800.     It  grew 
luxuriantly  and  flowered  freely,  but  yielded  no  fruit. 
Dr.  Wm.   B.  Fahnestock,  a  well-known  chemist 
and  botanist, -.cmarked  on  observing  it,  that  he  had 
planted  a  vine,  which  for  several  years  had  nothing 
but  barren  fli>wers.     When  he  came  to  the  conclu- 
sion to  try  the  virtue  of  blood  applied  to  the  roots, 
in  order  to  furnish  the  necessary  nitrogen  or  stimu- 
lent,    to    his    surimse    and    satisfaction,    the    vine 
conimenced  to  bear  fine  grapes,  and  continued  to 
bear  every  year  since. 

On  this,  to  me,  good  authority,  bullocks  blood  was 

I   ai.plictl  to  the  roots  in  the  spring  of  1801,  but  no 

>k  1  knife   nor  training,   that  being  wholly  neglected. 


The  vine  threw  out  numerous  slender  branches,  a 
profusion  of  leaves  and  flowers.     It  was  in  this  con- 
dition when  my  friend,  Mr.  G.  saw  it,— who  "told 
me  at  once,  it  was  a  male  plant,  and  that  all  my 
'experimenting'  to  the  end   of  the  world,  would 
not  produce  me  a  berry."     Adding,  "  he  regrets  to 
say,"   he    could  not    convince    me   of   my  error. 
What  he  means  by  a  male  plant  I  cannot  devise, 
unless  he  considers  the  grape  family  to  belong  to  the 
Dioecious  class,  that  is,  when  the  staminate  or  male 
flowers  are  on  one  plant,  and  the  pistillate  or  female 
flowers  on  another  plant.     This  plant  is  evidently  a 
foreigner, -its  parent  yielded  fruit,  and  this,  its  off- 
sprin^g,  bore  floiDem,  though  they  proved  to  be  bar- 
ren.    He  says  he  "never  could  succeed  in  getting  a 
single  foreign  seedling  to  show  flowers." 

Ouglit  we  to  call  this  barren  plants  in  contradistinc- 
tion to  male  flowering  and  female  flowering  plants  ? 
Truly  that  is  the  case ;  but  would  it  be  the  same  under 
favorable  circumstances,  in  their  native  soil  or  cU- 
mate?     That  is  the  (lu  ^t    .n. 

As  a  botanist,  I  believe  in  a  certain  classification 
of  plants,  which  is  not  disturbed  by  loca^  or  accidental 
variation  in  certain  individuals  of  the  genus  or  spe- 
cies. The  Vitia  vinifera  and  its  varieties,  the  Sweet- 
water, Black  Hamburg,  &c.,  all  have  perfect  flowers; 
while  our  native  species,  the  V.  labrusca,  and  also 
its  varieties,  the  Isabella  and  Catawba,  are  polyga- 
mous,  that  is,  the  three  kinds  of  flotcers  can  be  found 
on  the  same  vine,  the  male,  the  female  and  perfect, 
or  hermaphrodite  flowers.  For  this  there  must  be  a 
cause  in  the  woody  tissue  or  functions  of  the  plant, 
whether  in  the  root,  stem,  leaves,  of  other  of  its 


organs 


Suppose,  for  argument  sake,  we  consider  the  stem 
or  peduncle,  examine  its  central  axis  or  pith,  the 
medullary  tubular  sheath  around  the  pith,  &c.  Now, 
if  it  happens  that,  from  some  cause,  whether  it  be  the 
proper  nutriment  or  what  else,  the  vital  forces 
of  the  central  axis  is  effected,  so  that  the  central  point 
or  pistil  will  not  receive  its  share  of  nutriment,  it 
will  become  abortive  ;  and,  though  its  surrounding 
sheath  be  active,  developing  stamens,  petals,  &c., 
still  the  flowers  will  be  barren. 

Should  this  happen  to  all  the  flowers,  as  it  often 
does  to  Home,  we  could  not  properly  call  it  a  male 

plant. 

I  deem  it  unnecessary  to  enter  upon  an  elaborate 
disquisition  to  prove  that  jilants  are  organized  boclies, 
requiring  certain  conditions,  suited  to  the  various 
purposes  of  nutriticm,  and  that  matter  held  in  solu- 
tion by  water  or  in  the  form  of  gas  or  air,  aided  by 
the  stimulants  of  heat,  light  and  electricity,  are  es- 
sential in  certain  proportions  to  their  full  develop- 
ment. 

And  since  carbon,  silex,  lime,  soda,  potash,  the 


■  f 


'1 


^, 


S^Iu  §mkixtxB  Hlonthlj. 


oxides  of  iron  and  some  other  metals,  enter  into  the 
vegetable  structure,  through  the  medium  of  the  moist 
soil.  The  air  of  the  atmosphere  also  affords  oxygen, 
both  in  its  simi)le  state  and  combined  with  carbon, 
forming  carbonic  acid.  Nitrogen,  the  other  ingredi- 
ent of  the  atmosphere,  also  enters  into  their  sub- 
stance. 

Is  it,  therefore,  "laughable"  to  apply  blood,  or 
other  stimulating  manure  to  plants ;  or  out  of  the 
pale  of  experience,  that  certain  conditions  can  be 
sup[)lied  to  aid  vegetable  growth  or  development  ? 

I  admit  that  we  may  entirely  fail  in  our  attempt  to 
discover  the  precise  matter  or  mode  of  applying  it 
to  plants  brought  from  a  foreign  clime,  exposed  to 
our  variable  climate,  and  in  a  dilferent  soil.  But 
time  and  trials  have  done  much,  and  may  accomplish 
more ;  and,  to  declare  that  certain  things  cannot  be 
accomj.'lished,  is  assu  ning  the  position  of  knowing 
more  than  he  that  is  C(jnscious  of  how  little  we 
really  do  know,  and  sjiys  "I'll  try." 

I  confess  I  do  not  understand  what  my  friend 
desires  to  prove  or  disprove  in  his  article,  other- 
wise I  might  shape  my  argument  to  show  "  why 
I  am  not  convinced  of  my  error." 

He  asks  a  question  and  draws  an  inference  in 
which  I  do  not  see  the  force,  viz  :  If  "  stamens  are 
transformed  into  petals,"  these  petals  may  be  trans- 
formed into  leaves,  leaves  into  branches,  &c.  "All 
is  'transformation,'  and  we  know  not  where  we 
stand." 

I  was  almost  tempted  to  put  plough-handles  case,  by 
way  of  an  olTset,  but  pr  fer  being  serious.  3Ir.  G. 
certainly  knows  that  transformations  do  take  place  ; 
the  water-lily  along  the  river  banks  usually  has  its 
stamens  and  petals  so  gradually  mixed,  that  it  would 
puzzle  Mv.  G.  to  show  where  the  stamens  end  and 
the  petals  begin. 

He  knows  that  the  normal  condition  of  tlie  In- 
dian Corn  is  to  have  a  staminate  toi)  or  tassel ;  while 
the  ear,  with  its  silk,  is  the  pistillate  plant  or'spike  ; 
yet  he  has  met  with  grains  of  corn  mixed  among  ' 
the  male  (lowers  of  the  tassel.     Dr.  Herbert,  of  this  \ 
city,  brought  me  a  tassel  of  male  flowers  with  a  full  ' 
ear  of  corn  growing  from  their  midst.     This  is  an  ! 
exception  to  the  law  of  growth,  but  corn  is  not  the 
less  a  diedma  plant,  nor  would  a  botanist  convert  ! 
this  freak  of  nature  into  the  embellishment  of  a  new 
species,  unless   this  Avould  become   a  constant  oc- 
currence in  that  particular  kind  by  promulgation 

it  would,  however,  still  be  only  a  variety.  One 
more  fact  and  I  have  done.  Some  years  ago  I  moved 
to  Mount  Joy,  where  a  grape-vine,  called  the  Isa- 
bella,  grew  in  the  1<j1,  prostrate  among  the  wa-eds, 
sui)p()rted  by  a  few  aj^ple  branches  trimmed  from  the 
trees.  In  this  neglected  condition  the  grapes  ri- 
pened and  were  so  deliciously  plump  and  juicy,  that 


I  concluded  to  remove  it.  Early  in  spring  I  did  so, 
to  a  place  to  shelter  the  cistern,  near  a  rich,  moist 
gully.  It  grew  luxuriantly  and  produced  a  grateful 
wide-spreading  shade  ;  untrimmed,  it  yielded  a  pro- 
fusion of  sweet-scented  flowers,  but  bore  no  fruit. 

Here,  then,  was  another  male  plant,  which  I  know 
had  borne  fruit,  and  many  others  beside  myself 
enjoyed  their  flavor. 

Now  don't  tell  methat  it  wasnot  the  same  vine,— 
that  somebody  cheated  me,  by  substituting  another ; 
for  that  is  plainly  out  of  the  (piestion,  since  I  dug  it 
up  and  planted  within  an  hour's  time  by  my  own 
hands ;  nor  were  there  two  vines  in  the  case.  Such 
is  the  fact,  and  proof  can  be  produced,  let  the  cause 
lie  where  it  may. 

[Those  who  feel  interested  in  morphology  or  the 
science  of  the  transformation  of  one  organ  of  plants 
into  another,  will  find  the  flowers  of  the  canna  or 
common  Indian  Shot  of  our  gardens  a  beautiful 
study. 

It  is  said  of  a  cockney  showman  exhibiting 
"Daniel  in  the  Lion's  Den,"  that  when  the  child 
asked  "  Which  was  Daniel  and  which  was  the  lion  V" 
he  replied,  "Vich  ever  you  please  my  boy;  you 
pays  yer  money,  and  you  haves  yer  choice."*  If 
there  should  be  any  "ignoramus"  disposed  to 
"laugh"  at  the  "scientific  savans,"  when  speaking 
of  vegetable  transformations,  as  Mr.  Garber  tells  us 
there  is,  it  would  be  well  for  said  "savau"  to  offer 
him  a  canna  flower  and  let  him  have  his  choice,— 
petal,  stamen  or  pistil.  He  might  call  them  all 
petals  or  all  pistils;  at  any  rate,  he  would  have  the 
right  to  his  choice,  and  find  few  able  to  contradict  him 
in  either  event. — Ed.] 


«•■■» 


WY    EXPBRIBIVCES. 

BY   OLIVKU   TEGllAM,  OF   PEGUAMIA. 

Not  a  breath  is  stirring,  not  a  leaf  moves,— all  is 
as  quiet  as  if  the  machinery  of  c  reation  had  C(»me 
to  a  slop.     Silence  is  almost   audible.     The   only 
thing  to  break  it  is  the  noise  of  my  pen  as  it  moves 
along  o  1  the  paper  before  me.   A  real  summer  after- 
noon this  is.     The  hot  gol  en  sunshine  lies  on  the 
ground.    The  air  out  there  in  the  meadow  is  sllflinir, 
—every  thing  and  every  body  is  at  :  -st,  waiting  U>r 
the  hours  to  glide  on  and  bring  relief.     The  bees 
alone— those  busy  workers -are  pursuing  their  avo- 
cation ;  but  then  they  are  models -our  good  exam- 
ples.    And  yet,  as  they  swarm  now  in  the  garden 
before  me,  I  fancy  they  are  pursuing  that  avocalion 
with  a  drowsy  head  and  heavy  wings,  and  do  the 
thing  altogether  more  from  a  sense  of  duty  than 
fujoyment.      To  be   sure,   such   fancy   of  mine    is 
against  all  natural  philosophy;    but  do  I  caie   for 
natural  philosophy  ?     Science  is  a  charming  nympb 


I 


ilm  iardfncr's  W^m\\% 


in  cool,  early  mom ;  she  lures  me  when  I  have  a 
clear  head  and  feel  bright  and  rosy.  On  a  hot  after- 
noon Comfort  is  the  goddess  which  I  put  foremost 
on  the  altar  of  my  Penates.  To  her  do  I  pay  court, 
and  with  so  much  a  greater  relish  when  I  have  been 
about  since  sunrise,  and  fas  I  did  to-day)  have  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  completely  knocked  up  by  work 
in  the  open  air.  Comfortia— fat,  lazy,  rusty  old 
goddess— I  adore  thee  ! 

I  have  no  reason  to  complain  of  the  means  I  have 
to  worship  her  with.     Here  I  sit  on  a  cane-seat,— 
coolest,  and  yet  an  elastic  seat  for  summer  sitting. 
That  seat  belongs  to  an  easy  arm-chair,  with  a  back 
to  it,  that  fraternally  receives  my  back -bone  when  I 
recline,  and  mighty  few  chair-backs  will  do   that ; 
most  of  them,  in  fact,  being,  seemingly,  made  with- 
out any  reference  to  human  backs.     This  comfort- 
able easy  chair  of  mine  stands  behind  my  literary- 
table  (so  called  from  being  literally  littered  all  over 
with  literature  in  its  various  sliapesj.     My  feet  rest 
on  cool  matting,  made  in  distant  Tauris.     Around 
the  walls  stand  cases,  crammed  full  of  all  manner  of 
books.     Sciences,  some  of  the  arts,  and  a  lot  of 
ajsthetics  are  bottled  up  in  these  books.    As  they 
stand  there,  they  smile  at  me,  and  seemingly  wait 
their  turn  to  be  taken  down  and  discussed.     But, 
O,  Lord  of  the  Mmd,  thy  heat  is  too  great  for  mind 
in  general,  and  hardly  my  body  will  bear  up  against 
it.     So,  after  having  thrown  mysef  back  in   my 
chair  and  reviewed  the  silent  books  in  their  cases, 
the  literary  litter  on  my  table,  the  vagrant  bee,  and 
the  landscape  in  the  window-frame,  I  take  to  writing 
my  Experiences  for  the  Gardener's  Monthly.     I  do 
BO  to  keep  a  promise  rashly  made  ;  and  if  they  par- 
take of  a  heavy  character,  the  blame  might  possibly 
be  fixed  on  the  sultriness  of  the  weather. 

Of  course,  my  Experiences  relate  to  country  and 
horticulture    only,    and   therefore    the    Gardeners 
Monthly  (chorus  of  readers,  "Long  may  it  wave  !") 
folds  tiiem  in  its  bosom.     The  Monthly  thinks  the 
experiences  of  an  average  man  may  be  told  to  ad- 
vantage to  its  readers.     I  think  so,  too.     To  make 
them  has  certainly  been  advantageous  to  me;  and 
now  that  I  have  paid  for  them  in  hard  cash,  in  time 
and  in  vexation,  will  they  not  be  acceptable  to  gar- 
dening mankind?    Will  not  mankind  condescend 
to   reap  with  me  the  benefits  and  the  enjoyments 
derived  from  the  above  experiences,  without  shar- 
ing in  the  expenditure  of  the  above  cash,  time  and 

trouble  ? 

I  have  said  that  I  am  an  average  man.  Because, 
if  I  were  an  eccentric  or  an  incentive  being,  a  stupid 
fellow  or  a  highlv  intelligent,  refined,  etc.,  sort  of  a 
gentleman,  then  my  experiences  would  have  no 
value.  So  much,  therefore,  of  my  general  life  must 
be  told  as  to  lead  my  readers  into  the  country. 


I  was  born,— but  no  matter  where,— and  am  now 
several  years  old.     I  am  also  a  self-made  man,  inas- 
much as  I  have  made  myself,  and  for  my  own  use, 
all  the  money  I  own  ;  but  I  devoutly  hope  that  I,  at 
the  same  time,  have  been  making  something  equally 
good,  namely,  developed  what  faculties  Providence 
lias  endowed  me  with,  and  made  general  improve- 
ments in  the  domain  of  my  soul.      How  I  have 
made  the  money,  that  problem  I  will  leave  to  the 
readers,  if  they  choose  to  exercise  their  imagmation 
on  such  a  poor  problem.     Money  is  made  on  red 
hei rings,  as  well  as  on  white  ones,  on  dry-goods 
and  on  wet  ones,  on  thimbles  and  on  ships,  and  my 
readers  will  little  care  about  its  origin.     When  I  had 
made  a  modest  pile,  I,  of  course,  thought  the  time 
had  come  to  carry  out  the  best  wish  of  my  life.     I 
concluded  to  remove  into  the  country. 


<»n*» 


THE    GLADIOLUS. 

BY    WEST    PlIIIiADELPniA,    PA. 

Since  that  by  seedlings  so  many  fine  varieties  of 
Gladiolus  of  large  size,  and  flowers  of  almost  every 
shade   of   pink,  scarlet,  white,   purple  and   yellow 
have  been  obtained,  especially  among  the  hybrids  of 
Gandavensis,  great  effects  can  be  derived  from  the 
cultivation  of  those  handsome  flowers  in  the  deco- 
rating and  embellishment  of  parterres  and  for  masses. 
In  oMer  to  obtain  blossoms  from  July  to  September, 
it  is  necessary  to  pk-nt  in  the  latter  part  of  March  or 
early  in  April,  the  smallest  bulbs ;  a  second  portion 
towards  the  end  of  April ;  a  third  about  the  15th  of 
May,  and  finally,  the  last  at  the  end  of  that  month. 
Dui-inn-  these  various  plantations,  care  must  be  taken 
to  graduate  the  size  of  the  bulbs  so  as  to  commence 
in  March  with  the  smallest  ones  and  to  reserve  the 
largest  for  the  end  of  May. 

The  culture  of  these  plants  is  of  the  simplest  kind. 
They  ought  to  be  i>lanted  in  a  good  vegetable  garden 
ground ;  very  heavy  soil  does  not  suit  them  at  all,  but 
they  thrive  very  well  in  good  ground,  well  manured 
with  well-rotted  horse-dung.     They  are  plante.'  in 
rows  from  twelve  to  fourteen  inches  distant  of  each 
other.     The  bulbs  should  be  set  in  the  rows  from  six 
to  ten  inches  apart,  according  to  the  size  of  the  bulb, 
I  and  at  a  depth  of  from  two  to  two  and  three-fourths 
'  inches.      During    growth,    and    in    dry    weather, 
'  abundant  watering  is  indispensable.     In   the   fall, 
I  when  the  stems  of  the  Gladiolus  are  withered,  they 
should  be  cut  down,  the  bulbs  dug  up  and  put  on 
shelves  in  a  dry  place,  not  liable  to  fros',  where  they 
will  keep  until  the  following  year,  to  be  planted  and 
treatcu  as  above  said. 

The  bulbs  of  the  Gladiolus,  when  cut  with  the 
stems,  will  bloss>m  beautifully  in  water.  They  will 
open  easily  and  successively,  and  make  the  blossom- 


.«. 


BIB' 


300 


Clje  §mkmxs  llloii 


in^r  last  some  time  ;  they  may,  therefore,  be  used  for 
bouquets  aud  table  vases,  and  by  adding  a  few  li^-lit- 
greou  stems  of  tamarix,  asparagus,  or  fine  reed  leaves, 
great  effect  is  given  to  their  showy  appearance. 


*»i»> 


LETTER    FROM    CALIFORNIA. 

liYA  MAIIYSVILLE  COIiliESPONDENT. 

I  HAVE  seen  here  some  of  the  finest  grapes  I  ever 
saw  grown  in  the  open  ground.  The  ones  I  have 
already  seen  fruited  are  much  larger  than  the  ones 
grown  under  glass  in  the  East.  I  saw  in  the  Marys- 
ville  market  very  fine  bunches  of  the  Black  Ham- 
burg, Sweet  Water,  Muscat  of  Alexander,  Keiue  de 
Nice,  Bowker,  Bishop  and  another  variety  supposed 
to  be  the  Black  Morocco. 

By  your  remarks,  I  suppose  you  have  no  idea  what 
a  fine  country  this  is  for  the  foreign  vine.     Yon  say  a 
warm,  moist  summer  is  what  is  needed.     Now,  that 
is  the  very  thing  we  have  here  at  Marysville  ;'  too 
much  so  to  be  comfortable.     You  will  say,  how  can 
it  be  moist  without  rain  in  the  summer  ?    You  must 
bear  in  mind  that  there  is  a  great  number  of  rivers 
and  streams  in  this  country,  which  keep  the  ground 
on  each  side  very  moist— some  places  a  mile  or  two  i 
on  each  side.     The  ground  on  each  side  is  divided 
into  three  kinds :  the  first  is  called  low  bottom  land ; 
it  is  generally  too  wet  for  any  thing  but  vegetables,' 
which  grow  to  a  very  large  size.     It  also  seems  to 
be  the  best  ground  for  apple  trees,  as  apples  on  the 
dry  land  burn  with  the  sun  before  they  ripen. 

The  next,  second  — bottom.      This   kind  keeps 
moist  near  the  surface  all  the  summer,  in  the  dryest 
time.     By  digging  down,  you  can  find  moisture  one 
foot  from  the  surface,  sometimes  not  so  much.     The 
soil  is  composed  of  a  rich  sandy  loam,  which  appears 
to  have  been  some  time  filled  up  with  sediment  by 
the  river.     This  land  never  gets  too  wet  to  work  ;  it 
IS  fit  to  plough  in  twelve  hours  after  the  longest  rain. 
This  kind  of  ground  seems  to  suit  almost  all  kinds 
of  frmt  trees  and  vines ;  the  peach,  apricot,  nectarine 
and  plum  every  year  are  loaded  down  with  fruit 
There  is  scarcely  a  tree  but  what  some  of  the  branches 
break  down  ;  and  yet,  for  all  thi.s-load  of  fruit   the 
trees  grow  as  strong  and  keep  as  healthy  as  if  it' had 
never  borne  fruit.     Pears  do  well,  and  dwarf  pears 
seem  to  bear  abundantly,  but  apples  seem  to  want 
mo.ster  ground  than  this ;    not  but  that  they  will 
grow  well  enough,  but  the  sun  is  so  very  warm  in 
the  summer,  unless  the  tree  has  a  great  deal  of  mois- 
ture at  the  roots  to  keep  the  tree  growing  vigorously 
the  fruit  is  almost  sure  to  burn  with  the  sun  ;  but  I 
suppose,  as  the  trees  get  older  the  fruit  will  be  more 
shaded,  and  they  will  do  better.     The  early  varieties 
do  well,  such  as  the  Red  Astrachan,  Earlv  Harvest 
and  Sweet  Bough ;  they  ripen  before  the  weather 


gets  too  hot.     Last  year,  I  pulled  the  Early  Harvest 
about  the  24th  of  June,  quite  ripe.     Now  the  grape- 
vines :  The  ones  mostly  grown  here  have  bec^n  the 
Alicantor  Black  Spanish ;  it  is  generally  called  the 
Los  Angelos.     On  this  place,  and  on  most  places, 
they  are  planted  about  seven  feet  or  so  each  way ; 
they  are  trained  just  the  same  way  as  a  half-standard 
rose-bush ;  they  are  pruned,  of  co  rse,  on  the  spur 
system :  they  are  generally  staked  for  the  first  three 
years,  after  that  they  will  ^and  pretty  well  alone. 
Vines  trained  in  this  way,  after  the  fourth  year,  will 
always  average,  at  the  lowest  calculation,  from  ten 
to  fifteen  pounds  each,  and  sometimes,  in  favorable 
seasons,    twenty-five  pounds.     They  are   quite  as 
good,  m  my  opinion,  in  flavor  and  almost  in  size  as 
the  Black  Hamburg,  and  I  have  often  seen  bunches 
weigh  over  a  pound.     The  only  thing  in  favor  of 
Black  Hamburg  is  two  weeks  earlier,  which  gives  it 
[  a  better  chance  of  ripening  its  wood  in  the  fall.    We 
have  now  planted  about  one  hundred  different  varie- 
ties ;  most  of  them  will  bear  fruit  this  season  enou-h 
to  judge  of  the  qualities,  as  the  vines  of  the  forei-n 
varieties  were  only  one  year  old  last  summer.     They 
were  propagated  from  summer  layers  put  down  in 
July,  which  rooted  well,  which  will  give  you  an  idea 
that  the  ground  must  be  very  moist  and  warm  to 
root  vmes  in  about  four  months  fit  to  plant  out,  and 
the  second  year  to  bear  a  small  crop  of  fruit 

The  third  kind  of  land,  or  upland,  I  have  not 
much  to  say  about,  as  it  is  too  dry  for  almost  any 
thing,  unless  grain,  which  I  suppose  would  average 
about  twenty-five  to  thirty  bushels  per  acre.  But  I 
think,  in  time,  the  upland  will  be  the  land  for  grapes 
as  the  river  fills  up  more  every  year  in  consequence 
of  heavy  mining  operations  in  the  mountains.  As 
all  the  mud  goes  into  the  river,  which  is  filling  up 
fast,  it  will  make  the  upland  more  moist  and'' the 
second  bottom  too  wet,  in  my  opinion. 


THE  JUNE-BERRY  AND  OTHER  STOCKS 
FOR  THE  PEAR. 

BY  "TYRO,"  WOKCESTER,    MASSACHUSETTS. 

Mr.  Hudeikoper's  article  on  the  June-berry  as 
a  stock  for  the  pear,  in  the  August  number,  reminds 
me  of  several  articles  upon  the  same  subject  which 
were  published  in  the  Mw  Eiujland  Farmer  some 
years  since.  If  memory  serves  me  aright,  several 
correspondents  stated  that  such  trees  did  not  succeed 
permanently.  I  have  little  doubt,  however,  but  that 
a  few  varieties  would  do  well  on  the  June-berry  as 
there  are  sorts  which  will  do  well  even  upon  'the 
thorn  and  apple  stocks. 

Some  years  since,  I  set  scions  of  quite  a  numl,er 
of  diff-erent  varieties  of  pears  into  apple  trees;  one  va- 
nety,  in  particular,  made  a  very  great  growth  the  first 


®ht  ^arkntf 8  PontJIg. 


season.  Next  spring,  I  cut  some  scions  from  these 
shoots,  and  grafted  more  branches  of  the  same  tree. 
To  my  surprise,  these  last  scions  would  scarcely  grow 
at  all,  and  soon  died,  while  the  first  are  still  living. 
At  the  same  time,  I  had  taken  scions  from  two  old 
pear  branches,  which  w^ere  grafted  into  apple  trees, 
and  these,  too,  made  a  feeble  growth  and  soon  died. 
I  had  also  obtained  scions  from  an  old  pear  tree  on 
a  thorn  stock,  and  more  scions  of  the  same  variety 
Cviz.,  the  English  Bell),  from  a  tree  on  pear  stock, 
and  set  them  all  into  a  thorn  tree ;  those  cut  from 
the  tree  on  pear  roots  grew  finely  and  are  yet  living, 
while  those  from  the  thorn  tree  grew  feebly  and  soon 

died. 

Since  then,  I  have  often  thought  that  perhaps  the 
vigor  and  constitution  of  many  pear  trees  may  have 
been  injured  from  having  been  propagated  from  trees 
on  quince ;  at  least,  I  think,  that  if  a  pear  be  re- 
peatedly grafted  from  one  quince  stock  to  another, 
say  a  dozen  times,  the  last  scions  will  be  found  to 
have  lost  much  of  their  vigor. 

If  this  be  so,  it  is  certainly  worth  the  attention  of 
nurserymen,  and  it  certainly  would  seem  to  be  the 
best  course  to  propagate  only  from  trees  upon  pear 
stocks.  I  would  also  say  that  I  have  never  known 
any  valuable  variety  to  succeed  long,  either  upon 
thorn,  apple,  or  Mountain  Ash.  I  have  grown  fine 
specimens  of  the  Flemish  Beauty  upon  an  apple  tree, 
but  the  scions  were  short  lived.  Some  inferior  sorts 
have  lasted  thirty  years,  or  perhaps  longer. 

[Propagation,  no  doubt,  tends  to  fix  a  habit  given 
to  a  plant  by  the  stock  or  any  other  cause.  We 
do  not  suppose,  however,  that  it  would  so  ma- 
terially'aflect  it  as  to  act  injuriously  in  the  way 
our  correspondent  supposes,  but  it  might  be  worth 
looking  after. — Ed.] 


^ 


THE   INDIAN  OR  CHINESE  AZALEA: 

Its  Introduction,  Cultivation,  Propagation  and 
Description  of  the  Best  Sorts,  Now  and  Old. 

[dnitimied  from  Paye  2(U.] 
BY   AN    OLD   FLORIST,    rniLADELPIIlA. 

I  RAVE  said  that  there  are  growers  and  propaga- 
tors of  the  azalea  amongst  your  readers  equal  to 
those  of  any  other  country,  and,  of  course,  it  will 
be  presumption  in  me  to  point  out  to  such  the  prac- 
tice on  which  they  are  so  well  posted.  It  is,  how- 
ever, to  the  learner  and  those  who  wish  to  advance 
that  I  ofier  the  following  hints : 

First  procure  healthy  plants,— those  of  a  firm 
growth  where  they  have  been  fully  exposed  to  air 
and  a  considerable  degree  of  sun.  Bclect  them  for 
breadth,  not  height,  unless  for  some  special  object 
where  standards  may  be  required.  Some  growers 
prefer  to  have  them  all  standards,  grafted  on  stems 


from  one  to  three  feet  high,  with  the  head  either 
weeping,  globular  or  of  a  parasol  form.      During 
the  season  of  rest  (say  from  November  to  March; 
the  azalea  will  bear  almost  any  treatment,  except  a 
heavy  dose  of  water  at  the  roots  every  day.     Their 
natural  habitat  is  on  hilly  declivities.   Dry  situations, 
even  to  rocks  and  Chinese  rock-work,  and  a  cold 
of  ten  degrees  of  frost,  if  the  plants  are  in  a  dry 
state,  will  not  injure  them.     The  plants  must  have 
thorough  drainage  of  from  one  to  three  inches  in 
the  bottom  of  each  pot,  the  pots  being  from  five  to 
fifteen  inches  in  width.    AYhen  the  plants  are  wanted 
to   bloom,  they  can  be   placed  in  a  sitting-roonft, 
forcing-house  or  hothouse.     As  soon  as  they  are 
placed  into  heat,  they  must  be  regularly  supplied 
with  water  at  the  root  and  frequent  syringings  over- 
head.    If  they  are  permitted  to  become  repeatedly 
dry  when  in   the  heat,  the  flower-buds  will  turn 
brown  and  drop  off   quite  imperceptibly,  and  the 
failure  of  bloom  will  be  attributed  to  some  other 

cause. 

A  fair  attention  will  secure  a  very  liberal  show  of 
flowers,  and  the  flowering  season  can  be  extended 
from  January  to  June.  When  in  bloom,  the  plants 
must  be  shaded  from  the  sun,  and  observe  that  the 
roots  do  not  want  for  water.  By  good  manage- 
ment, a  plant  v/ill  remain  attractive  for  fully  four 
weeks.  As  soon  as  done  blooming,  expose  the 
plants  to  the  sun,  giving  frequent  syringings  Cthrce 
times  a  week)  overhead  with  water,  and  keep  the 
roots  moist,  but  not  wet,  to  insure  a  free  growth. 
When  the  young  shoots  are  about  an  inch  long,  and 
offer  to  be  very  luxuriant,  pinch  out  the  tip  of  the 
growth  to  make  more  branches.  If,  howcvcr,*the 
growth  is  slow  and  weak,  the  shoots  do  not  require 
topping. 

Now  is  the  time  to  form  the  head  if  it  has  been 
irregular;  and  when  the  blooming  is  over,  cut  it 
freely  to  the  required  form.  The  knife  will  not  in- 
jure the  success  of  the  plants.  Tie  all  growths  into 
proper  shape,  as  previously  observed,  and  thatsfiape 
can  be  just  to  the  groirer's  faate.  No  excuse  in  any 
way  will  be  accepted.  With  very  simple  attention, 
gentle  waterings,  and  free  exposure  to  the  sun,  un- 
less  a  few  hours'  at  mid-day  partial  shading,  will 
give  the  foliage  a  better  and  brighter  color. 

I  will  here  remark,  that  plants  kept  in  a  close, 
dark,  shaded  situation  will  be  sure  to  be  attacked 
by  the  thrip,  a  very  minute  insect  that  attacks  the 
surface  of  the  leaves,  and  a  very  troublesome  one 
to  get  rid  of,  which  we  accomplish  by  dipping  the 
heads  of  the  plants  into  tepid  water,  made  to  the 
color  of  strong  tea  by  a  solution  of  tobacco,  and  re 
pcated  till  they  arc  entiiely  destroyed.     If  the  plants 
are  too  large  to  invert,  lay  them  on  their  sides  and 
syringe  their  heads  freely  with  the  preparation. 


V 


— r<^/ 


t 


302 


Ui{  mtkmt's  ilonthlg. 


Soil.— It  has  been  our  lot  to  hear  much  stress  put 
upon  tlie  soil.     "My  soil  is  not  good,"  is  a  very 
fVoqueiit    ejaculation,    or    rather    apology.      Good 
judgment   of   the   nature   of  the  plant   will  grow 
them  in  any  free,  sandy  soil  wherein  there  is  a  very 
liberal  portion  of  decayed  leaves  or  soil  from  the 
woods.      So  much  importance  is  placed  upon  the 
"soiV  that  I  see  some  of  the  Philadelphia  nursery- 
men sending  it  to  all  parts  South,  West,  North,  and 
even  East.     Wherever  swamp-muck  and  white  sand 
can  be  obtained,  proper  soil  can  be  composted  for 
azaleas,  of  one  third  sand,  one-third  swamp-muck, 
and  (me-third  loam  or  decayed  sod ;  if  such  is  not 
''  c(nne-at-able,"  very  sandy  loam  and  decayed  leaves 
in  equal  i)roportions  will  suit. 

Tlie  best  season  to  repot  is  just  when  done  bloom- 
ing or  in  September.  They  do  not,  by  any  means, 
require  huge  pots.  The  reverse  is  the  best.  The 
roots  are  very  tine,  and  do  not  object  to  a  few  wa- 
terings with  weak  manure-water  when  in  a  growing 
state.  Bad  drainage  and  over-potting  aie  grea* 
sources  of  evil.  The  neatest  grown  azalJas  that  have 
ever  come  under  my  eye  are  those  of  C.  Van  Vorst, 
Esq.,  of  Jersey  City,  and  am  rather  inclined  to 
awa)d  his  collection  the  first  prise  for  beauty,  per- 
fection and  larity,  and  for  an  eye  notes  of  some- 
thing beautiful  and  valuable,  am  indebted  to  that 


gem  of  a  connoisseur. 

An  evil  amongst  growers  in  potting  azaleas  is  in  not 
making  the  soil  about  the  roots  fiini.     All  pot-plants 
should  have  the  soil  Avell  packed  down.     To  show 
the  tenacity  of  life  in  a  Chinese  Azalea,  allow  me 
to  observe  that  I  have  a  plant  placed  where  it  has 
the  sun  after  twelve  o'clock,  and  it  has  only  been 
Avatered  three  times  by  the  hand  since  May.    I  would 
not  treat  my  collection  in  this  way;  but  it  has  been 
done  to  convince  me,  and  perhaps  others,  that  these 
plants  sulfer  much  by  over-doses  of  the  watering- 
pot.  ^ 

PnoPAoATioN.-Thc    primitive    mode,   and    the 
first   that   I  - 


ply  their  stock  in  this  way :  Fine  sand  in  a  small 
pot,  firmly  pressed  down  and  well  watered,  into 
which  insert  cuttings  of  young  shoots  of  half-ri- 
pened wood  about  an  inch  and  a  half  long.  Take 
the  leaves  from  the  base  of  the  cutting ;  insert  it 
half  an  inch  into  the  sand  very  firmly ;  cover  the 
pot  with  a  tumbler.or  any  similar  contrivance ;  keep 
from  the  sun  and  water  every  day,  and  you  will 
have  some  degree  of  success. 

The  proi)agators'  method  now,  however,  is  to 
propagate  from  the  young  shoots  when  they  have 
made  a  growth  of  one  or  two  inches.  These  are 
taken  off  and  placed  in  sand  and  kept  in  a  moist 
heat  of  from  GOo  to  Go^;  the  cuttings  covered 
closely,  or  the  house  densely  shaded  and  freely  wa- 
tered. Tens  of  thousands  are  rooted  in  this  way  in 
a  few  weeks,  and  sold  off  to  the  trade  within  six 
months. 

The  tip-top  method  for  fancy  culture  is  to  graft 
them  when  the  wood  is  so  young  and  tender  that 
you  would  think  it  could  not  be  manipulated  with. 
Shoots  half  an  inch  long  are  taken  olf,  their  base 
cut  into  a  wedge-shape,  equally  from  both  sides,  and 
mserted  into  a  stock  of  any  required  height,  the  top 
of  which  has  a  young  growth,  merely  inclining  to 
tnnmess,  which  cut  and  make  an  incision  in  its 
crown  ;  into  such  insert  the  base  of  the  cutting  ;  tie 
with  a  woollen  or  cotton  thread ;  place  the  plants 
in  a  close  frame,  or  house,  or  under  a  hand-glass 
where  there  is  a  moist  heat.  Take  care  that  water 
does  not  get  into  the  jmiction,  and  the  union  will  be 
formed  in  forty-eight  horns.  After  one  week  the 
plants  may  be  gradually  exposed,  the  ties  unloos- 
e.ied,  and  the  future  prosperity  of  the  plant  a 
triumph. 

I  have  seen  a  boy  slip  these  in  at  a  very  rapid 
rate,  and  have  now  in  my  possession  a  plant  grafted 
last  April,  that  has  eleven  shoots,  forming  a  line 
round  head  six  inches  high  and  ten  inches  in  diam- 
eter.    I  have  not  a  doubt  but  that  many  amateurs 


saw  adopted  about  Philadelphia    was    on    "     \"^'^^  ""^  "/'""'^^  ^"^  '''' 
laying  a  branc-h  in  the  pot  ortyingpotstobn!;::!.^:   '  :  i^-f :;!  li;::;^"  '''  ^^^^^^  ^^-' ^  '  ^-^e  used  no 
the  plants,  wherein  they  rooted  in  about  six  montli.  '^Pl»>'-»»^^«- 


and  that  method  was  practised  in  nursery  green- 
hous:es.  The  first  plant  that  I  saw  of  Azalea^pha- 
nicea  >  above  thirty  years  agoj)  had  its  head  placed 
m  a  shallow  box,  with  every  branch  layered.  I 
vohmteered  a  negative  on  such  barbarous  treatment 


[To  be  Conclivlcd  in  our  Next.] 


«»■»» 


THE    KITCHEN-GARDEN. 

BY   WALTER  EI.DEK. 

but  only  r«dv,.d  an  amrn.ativc,  Ihat  it  was  tlVe'cnlv  n, J";!!,''"''',"""^'',"''"  ''  ""'  "'"  ""'  "'°''  important 
sure  plan.  An  old  countryn.an  howove  .  1""  f  '  ,  1  f  '",?  ''^''«'"""^'"«  "I»°  "'«  --l>"e,  und 
who  took  cuttings  of  half  ,i„oned  woo^in  Aul"';  '  T  "'  ''""=""''  "  """"^'"^  '»  »»  '""""'« 
and  placed  the„r  in  pots  o  h.o  v  "  ,d  ctve  ^  ;""  ;"^'°'-«-  Where  we  find  it  ahnost  close  up 
with  a  glass,  and  was'quite  st.eeess  u.  W  L  ro  ,  i,!  I  ", T  ^"""SV"'>  '""-'''".  ""1  -  f"  view  of  the 
them  in  six  weeks.  This  we  all  looke  ,„,!,!  ''""■''  *""  *''  ""«  «""  »"-!  '"""''Be  trees  and 
notch  in  the  right  way,  and  a.aleas  from  !h„t  Zt '  on  svstenT'lT'''  ","  ""  """  ""^""""^  f^"""-  '" 
became  accessible.  Now  every  ,»rson  can  multi- 1  w"„t  of  rrfin.'  iT'""""^'  ""''  '"'''"''"''  "  '^""'^'"^ 
I  "-"'loi  rcnniu  taste.     Two  reasons  are  given  for 


ilje  §mAmx'^  Poiithlg. 


so  locating  it.  "I  want  my  fruits  and  vegetables 
grown  under  my  own  eyes,  to  prevent  pillage  ;  and 
when  the  cook  needs  an  extra  vegetable,  she  can  call 

for  it."  ,  , 

After  a  long  experience  in  this  matter,  and  much 
conversation  with   other  gardeners,  we  think  the 
peculation   of  vegetables  is  very  rare;   but  fruits 
growing  in  an  open  garden  so  near  to  the  house, 
and  a  daily  resort  of  all  its  inmates,  are  more  sub- 
iect  to  pillage  than  they  would  be  any  where  else. 
As  well  place  a  dooriess  safe  full  of  gold  in  the  open 
hall   for   safety!     So    very  tempting   are   ripemng 
fruits,   that  none  but  gardeners  and  owners,  who 
know  the  care   and    cost  of  producing  them,  can 
resist  the  desire  to  pluck.     If  it  were  otherwise  in 
the   best-regulated  households,  better  grow  a  few 
trees  of  choice  fruits  upon  the  lawn,  than  disfigure 
the  place  with  an  eyesore  so  near  to  the  house.     In- 
stead of  the  cook  calling  for  any  vegetable,  let  hei 
take  a   smart  race  upon  a  hard  gravel  walk,  say 
three  hundred  yards  to  the  garden  and  back,-tlie 
best  thing  to  preserve  her  health,  good  looks,  good 
temper  and  usefulness. 

Vpon  small  places  the  kitchen-garden  should  be 
as  far  from  the  house  as  the  grounds  will  admit,  and 
well  fenced  in.     Upon  large  places  it  should  be  two 
or  three  hundred  yards  from  the  mansion,  and  hid  ^ 
from  it  by  trees  and  shrubbery  upon  the  intervening  | 
lawn.      A   sheltered  spot,   but   not   near  to  large 
trees,  and  sloping  to  the  east  or  south,  or  a  level 
that  can  be  drained  will  do.     The  soil  can  be  im- 
proved; alight  loam  is  best.     A  peiiect  square  is 
the  best  shape,  but  a  quadrangle  oblong  figure  is 
o-ood      The  size  will  be  in  proportion  to  the  extent 
of  the  grounds  and  the  number  of  the  family.    ^^  here 
space  will  admit,  and  choice  fruits  are  to  1;^;  S^'^^vn 
one  and  a  half  acres  is  small   enough.      The  bes 
cheapest,  most  lasting  and  beautiful  fence  for  i.  is 
an  osage-orange  hedge.     The  plant  is  we  1  suited  to 
our  climate,  and  thrives  upon  a  variety  of  soils  and 
exposures.    If  it  gets  the  same  care  as  a  row  of  corn 
the  first  three  years,  and  a  semi-annual  clipping,  i 
will  be  a  substantial  fence  by  that  time,  and  will  last 
for  ages  and  be  in  unison  with  the  good -keeping  of 
the  place.     Seven  feet  high,  four  feet  thick  at  bot- 
tom, tapering  to  nothing  at  the  top,  it  will  be  a  good 
shelter,  and  better  than  any  dead  fences.     A     close 
board"  is  good  shelter  in  cold  weather;  but  m  hot 
weather  it  keeps  off  the  lower  air  current,  and  the 
sun  is  too  strong  for  many  kinds  of  plants,  unless 
ibere  is  a  constant  circulation  of  air  passing  among 
them       Wire   fences  neither  give   shelter   m   cold 
weather,  nor  soften  the  arid  air  of  summer,  whica 
is  so  withering  for  newly-transplanted  crops  before 
they  make  roots  to  supply  the  excessive  evapora- 
tion.    A  good  hedge  is  best  adapted  for  our  climate 


i 


of  extremes.     It  is  like  a  riddle  for  the  winds,-the 
wheat  goes  through  it,  and  the  chaff  flies  over. 

A  garden  enclosed  with  such  a  hedge,  and  locked 
gates,   and  the   gardener  and   owner   only  having 
keys,   the  best  fruits  of  our  climate  can  be  grown 
without  molestation.     First  manure  and  trench  the 
soil   and  then  lay  out  the  garden ;  if  square  and  one 
and  a  half  acres,  line  off  a  strip  along  the  north 
side  tliirty-five  feet  wide.     In  the  middle  of  it,  and 
facing  the  main  cross-walk,  may  be  erected  a  taste- 
ful tifol-house  and  seed-room,  with  a  cellar  beneath 
and  an  observatory  above.     On  either  side,  and  ten 
feet  off,  ranges  of  forcing-pits,  eight  feet  from  the 
hedge-roots  and  ten  feet  wide ;    a   gravel  walk  in 
fron't,  six  feet  broad,  and  gravelled  behind  ;  a  gutter 
at  the  outer  edge  of  the  front  walk  to  carry  off  wa- 
ter.    Next  a  border  for  cropping,  ten   feet  wide. 
Make  a  walk  along  the  front  five  or  six  feet  broad  ; 
and  in  making  this  walk,  all  around  the  other  sides 
let  it  be  fourteen  feet  from  the  hedge-roots,  to  give 
a  cropping  border  ten  feet  broad,  two  feet  for  the 
.  hedge  to  branch,  and  two  feet  of  a  path  to  hoe  and 
I  clipriie  hedge.    Next  make  two  cross-walks  through 
'  the  middle  of  the  garden,  so  as  to  cross  each  ether 
I  in  the  centre.     Here  may  be  made  a  circular  flower- 
I  bed,  with  an  ornamental  frame  in  the  centre  to  train 
'  vines  upon.     Instead  of  this,  we  have  seen  a  sunk 
]  cistern,  and  the  drains  emptied  their  waters  into  it 
I  and  supplied  the  garden  with  water  all  summer. 
The  walks  should  be  all  edged  with  boxwood,  and 
the  soil  dug  out  sloplngly,  a  loot  deep  in  the  middle, 
and  filled  up  w  th  stones  or  rubbish  from  buildings, 
and  covered  with  stony  gravel.     On  the  edges  of 
the  four  square  beds  plant  sma  1  fruit  trees,  dwarf 
pears,  Crab  Apples,  quince,  nectarine,  peach,  etc., 
with  gooseberry  and  currant-bushes  between  them. 
These  trees  may  be  eight  feet  from  the  edge  of  the 
walks ;  and  allowing  them  to  branch  out  five  feet, 
there  will  be  three  feet  for  the  culture  of  annual, 
biennial  and  perennial  flowers  to  enliven  the  walks. 
Raspberry,  asparagus,  rhubarb  and  other  tall  crops 
will  be  grown  upon  the  beds,  and  dwarf  crops  upon 
the  ten  feet  borders  all  around.     If  the  forcing-pits 
do  not  run  the  whole  length  of  the  first  lined  off 
strip,  then  erect  grape-vine  arbors  to  fill  up   the 
length.     A  proper  system  of  rotating  crops  should 
be  kept  up.     We  may  arrange  them  into  four  classes, 
and  no  individual  of  the  same  class  should  follow 
each  other  upon  the  same  spot.     1.  Beets,  carrots, 
parsnips,  potatoes,  radishes,  turnips,  &c.     2.  Beans, 
peas,  okra,  pepper,  egg-plant,  &c.     3.  Melons,  cu- 
cumbers,  squash,  tomatoes,  &c.     4.    Cabbage,  let- 
tuce, spinage,  celery,  leeks,  onions,  &c. 

An  annual  exchange  of  seeds  is  of  much  import- 
ance in  successful  cropping,  as  all  kinds  degenerate 
when  grown  many  years  upon  the  same  garden.    It 


V 


i 


III 


it 


f 


If 


CIi4  ^mkntr's  JlontJIg. 


is  folly  for  a  gentleman's  gardener  to  save  seeds  if 
lie  has  other  work  to  do,  as  the  labor  spent  upon 
them  is  worth  double  the  price  of  a  fresh  supply. 
Seeds  can  only  be  grown  profitably  in  large  quanti- 
ties. Besides,  ri]>cning  croi)s  in  a  well-kept  garden 
are  unsightly ;  and  they  hold  up  the  ground  from 
getting  a  second  crop  in,  which,  of  itself,  is  worth 
more  than  the  price  of  fresh  seeds.  A  crop  ripening 
its  seeds  reduces  the  soil  more  than  two  crops  taken 
off  green. 

Attached  to  a  corner  of  the  garden  outside  may 
be  a  yard  sixty  or  eighty  feet  square,  enclosed  with 
lilacs,  hydrangeas,  altheas,  and  a  shed  to  hold  sashes, 
covers,  bean-poles,  pea-stakes,  tying-up  sticks,  &c., 
and  clothed  with  vines.  Into  this  yard  will  be 
brought  all  cleanings  and  refuse  of  the  garden,  ma- 
nures to  decompose,  composts  made  up,  «fec.,  so 
that  the  garden  will  look  clean  at  all  times. 


Why  is  not  Whale  Oil  Soap  more  generally  used 
West  ?  I  found  but  one  barrel  in  this  city,  and  that 
was  considered  unsaleable.  There  will,  undoubtedly, 
be  another  barrel  purchased  for  this  market  as  early 
as  this  fall. 


«»»»» 


WINTER-BLOOMING    PLANTS 
WINDOWS. 

BY  J.   M. 


FOR 


«••»» 


FRUIT   HINTS. 

BY  11.  C.  VAN  TYNE,  CLEVELAND,  O. 

As  I  am  indebted  to  the  Gardener's  Monthly  for 
many  valuable  "hints  in  horticulture,"  permit  me 
to  give  you  the  result  of  a  few  applications  of  same. 

I  have  met  with  decided  svccess  in  using  tobacco- 
stems  as  a  preventive  for  the  peach-borer.  Frequent 
examinations  since  early  last  spring,  have  revealed 
but  one  borer.  I  rencAV  the  supply  of  stems  as  often 
as  I  deem  advisable,  and  find  no  injury  to  the  roots 
from  them.  I  have  also  acted  on  Miss  Morris'  hint 
relative  to  the  application  of  saltpetre,  alum  or  salt, 
as  special  manures  for  the  peach,  and  with  most 
promising  results.  I  sprinkle  them  on  the  surface  of 
the  soil  to  within  about  a  foot  of  the  trunk  of  the 
tree. 

My  trees,  which  were  inclined  to  be  sickly  and  of 
puny  growth,  are  now  in  splendid  condition,  and 
this  season  made  very  strong,  healthy  growth,  and 
from  summer  pruning  are  sending  out  strong,  thick 
branches,  some  sweeping  nearly  to  the  ground, 
affording  complete  protection  to  the  trunk  from  the 
scorching  sun. 

Last  season,  I  used  Gishurst's  Compound  for  slugs 
on  my  pear  and  cherry  trees.  This  season,  I  have 
used  nothing  but  Whale  Oil  Soap,  which  I  find  quite 
as  effectual  and  more  beneficial,  I  think,  to  my  trees 
as  it  gives  a  healthy,  bright  color  to  the  bark,  and 
keeps  the  leaves  fresh  looking  and  free  from  spots. 
I  apply  it  once  a  week  or  fortnight,  as  they  may  re- 
quire, and  the  expense  is  but  little  more  than  that  of 
common  soap,  costing  here  five  to  six  and  a  quarter 
cents  per  pound.  Instead  of  a  syringe,  I  use  a 
''hydropult,"  which  has  great  forcing  power,  and 
its  flexible  tube  renders  it  far  superior  to  the  syringe 
in  application  to  under-side  of  foliage. 


As  the  time  is  now  approaching  when  plants  in- 
tended for  winter-flowering  should  be  attended  to,  I 
propose  to  say  a  few  words  on  the  subject.  If  they 
have  been  growing  in  the  open  border  all  the  sum- 
mer, they  should  be  lifted  about  the  latter  end  of 
September  or  beginning  of  October,  potted  and  placed 
in  a  shady  spot  for  a  few  days  previous  to  their  being 
taken  to  their  winter  quarters.  Those  that  have 
been  grown  in  pots  and  are  still  likely  to  grow  much, 
maybe  shifted  into  a  larger-sized  i)ot,  the  plants  well 
cleaned  of  all  dead  branches  and  leaves,  and  placed 
with  the  others  that  have  been  lifted  from  the 
border. 

A  few  good  kinds  for  the  purpose  named  are  the 
following :  Aphelandra  Ghiestbrechtii,  Lopezia  rosea, 
Cyrtanthera  magnifica,  Oldenlandia  Deppei,  Justitia 
carnea,  Rondoletia  anomale,  Cupheas,  Habrotham- 
nus  elegans.  Begonia  incarnata,  Oxalis  floribunda, 
Ageratum  Ctflestinum,  Jasminum  revolutum  and 
Bouvardia  leiantha.  These,  together  with  a  few 
heliotropes,  geraniums  and  fuchsias,  would  make  a 
good  collection  and  give  continuous  bloom  until 
spring. 

They  may  all  be  grown  in  a  warm  dwelling-room 
where  the  temperature  does  not  get  below  HO  Fahr. 
with  perfect  ease.  The  Cyrtanthera,  Ageratum,  Hab- 
rothamnus  and  Lopezia  being  the  tallest  growing  of 
the  number,  should  have  the  back  row. 

The  Lopezia  has  innumerable  small  rose-colored 
flowers,  and  will  continue  growing  and  blooming 
till  spring.  It  is  a  first-rate  winter  plant,  although 
it  does  not  seem  to  be  much  known  as  such.  The 
Cyrtanthera  is  a  rosy  pink,  and  the  Ageratum,  gray- 
ish blue.  Almost  all  other  colors  will  be  found  with 
the  remaining  numbers.  A  few  pots  of  Mignonette, 
Cineraria  and  Chinese  Primrose,  should  be  sown  at 
once  ;  they  will  bloom  towards  March. 

Cuttings  of  most  of  the  kinds  taken  off  and  rooted 
now,  will  also  bloom  at  the  same  time,  and  will  make 
the  best  plants  for  the  succeeding  winter. 

If  red  spider  should  make  their  appearance,  re- 
moving them  by  hand  as  soon  as  discovered  is  best 
where  they  are  not  numerous  ;  if  in  too  great  num- 
bers, washing  them  off  with  clear  water  is  the  next 
best  thing. 


^^ 


^([  §nxhmxs  llontljlg. 


^ 


NOTES  ON  PEARS  AND  GRAPES  ABOUT 
SYRACUSE,  N.  Y. 

BY  GRAPTOLITE. 

I  SEND  you  a  few  notes  of  "things  seen"  on  a  trip 
to'  Western  New  York.  Our  principal  cruising 
ground  was  the  vicinity  of  Syracuse.  What  in- 
terested me  most  were  the  nurseries  of  Smith  & 
Hanchett,  so  well  known  in  the  propagation  and 
culture  of  fruit  trees. 

The  specimen  fruit  grounds  in  the  city,  occupy 
some  fifty  or  sixty  acres ;  while  the  nurseries,  about 
five  miles  out   of  town,   cover  upwards   of   three 
hundred  acres.     The  soil  of  the  nursery  grounds  is 
a  strong,  deep,  clayey  loam,  ameliorated  by  deep 
ploughing  and  underdraining,  with  liberal  dressings 
of  rich  muck  and  manure,  and  the  fruit  trees  were 
very  healthy.      The  dwarf  or  quince-rooted  pear 
trees  succeed  well  in  the  strong,  moist  clay  in  wliich 
they  are   grown.     Indeed,  Mr.  W.  B.  Smith,  who 
attends  si)ccially  to  this  branch  of  the  business,  is  of 
opinion  that  the  fine  fibrous  roots  of  trees  budded  on 
the  quince  will  fail  to  sustain  the  pear  when  planted 
in  a  sandy  or  gravelly  soil,  or  in  any  other  than  a 
clayey  loam  or  a  deep,  rich  garden  mould. 

Mr  Smith  is  a  firm  believer  in  the  value  of  dwarf 
pear  culture,  and  proves  his  faith  by  his  works,  for 
he  has  introduced  them  extensively  into  his  speci- 
men fruit  grounds,  where  they  are  models  of  beauty 
and  perfection  ;  and  he  has  also  planted  an  orchard 
of  ten  acres  for  a  gentleman,  near  the  city,  largely 
composed  of  dwarf  trees,  and  undertaken  the  man- 
agement of  it  for  four  years,  or  until  it  comes  into 
full  bearing.     This  orchard,  containing  upwards  of 
four  thous^and  trees,  is  one  of  the  most  admirable 
specimens  of  successful  pear-culture  we  have  ever 
seen      It  is  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  a  heavy  stone 
wall,  and  a  Honey  Locust  hedge,  the  best  protection 
against  fruit  thieves  that  can  possibly  be  provided. 
The  lot  was  simply  a  good  corn-field,  with  a  south- 
eastern exposure,  protected  on  the  north  and  west 
by  a  hill.     It  was  deeply  ploughed,  but  not  trenched 
or  manured  before  planting.     A  light  top-dressing 
of  good  barn-yard  manure  is  given  annually.     The 
field  is  kept  constantly  clean  with  the  cultivator  and 
hoc  the  entire  season.     A  light,  loose,  well  cultiva- 
ted soil  is  thought  to  be  the  best  mulching  the  trees 
can  have.     No  crops  are,  of  course,  grown  on  the 
ground,  but  a  few  pear  stocks  and  newly  budded 
trees  arc  planted  between  the  rows.     The  strong, 
healthy  growth  which  the  dwarf  trees  have  made, 
in  two  years,  under  this  simple  plan,  is  really  re- 
markable.    But  little  difference  can  be  discerned  be- 
tween the  dwarf  and  standard  trees  in  respect  to 
luxuriance  and  vigor.     The  Duchesse  d'Angouleme 
and  others  on  the  quince,  grow  quite  as  well  as  the 
Bartlett  on  the  pear  stock ;  while  such  trees  as  the 


Beurre  Giffard,  dwarf,  equal  the  Seckel  as  a  stand- 
ard.    The  soil  is  a  light  clayey  loam,  with  a  porous 
sub-soil,  liberally    supplied    with    shaly    limestone 
rock.     This  orchard  may  be  considered  a  test  experi- 
ment in  dwarf  pear-culture,  for  market  purposes,  as 
contrasted  wuh  common  garden  work.     It  has  been 
planted  in  a  simple  manner,  just  as  we  should  plant 
an  apple  orchard,  with  the  best  of  stock,  under  the 
direction  of  a  practical  nurseryman,  who  has  the 
entire  charge  of  the  cultivation,  pruning  and  fruit- 
ing for  four  years,  by  contract.     Now  we  shall  have 
a  chance  to  see  what  an  orchard  of  dwarf  pears 
will  do  under  the  best  management  they  can  have, 
on  a  large  scale,  with  a  view  to  profit.     Mr.  Smith 
has  no  fears  of  the  result,  and  will,  no  doubt,  take 
pleasure  in  exhibiting  the  orchard  to  any  pomologi- 
cal  friends  from  abroad  who  may  wish  to  see  it. 

In  their  nursery,  Messrs.  Smith  &  Hanchett  are 
now  growing  several  pear  trees,  which  are  often  un- 
healthy on  the  quince,  by  double-working  them, 
thus  :  first,  budding  the  Vicar  of  Winkfield  (which 
is  probably  the  most  vigorous  and  healthy  of  dwarf 
treesj  on  the  quince,  and  then  cutting  back  one  year's 
growth  within  an  inch  or  two  of  the  stock,  and  then 
budding  the  Vicar  wood  with  the  pear  which  is  de- 
sired. In  this  way  they  are  producing,  especially  the 
Beurre  Clairgeau,  Cwhich  is  generally  an  imperfect 
tree  on  the  quince, )  in  great  perfection.  The  Beurre 
Giffard,  Des  Nonnes,  Winter  Nelis,  Seckel,  and 
some  others,  which,  as  dwarfs,  are  generally  feeble 
and  unsatisfactory,  may,  no  doubt,  in  this  way,  be 
obtained  in  good  vigor  on  quince  roots.  We  were 
much  pleased  with  the  results  so  fiir. 

For  orchard-houses  and  private  gardens,  these 
nurserymen  are  budding  the  peach  on  the  Black 
Plum,  with  a  view  to  dwarf  the  trees  and  to  protect 
the  stem  against  the  peach-borer  and  grub.  They 
think  the  trees  will  be  much  approved. 

Messrs.  Smith  &  Hanchett  practice  the  cutting- 
back  system  on  their  pear  trees.       A  "cut-back" 
tree  is  one  which  has  been  grown  vigorously  for  one 
year  from   the   bud,  then  cut  back  within  five  or 
eight  buds  of    the   root,   and  after  another  years' 
growth,  when  it  has  made  five  or  six  strong  branches 
all  within  eight  or  ten  inches  of  the  ground,  short- 
ened back  in  all  its  shoots,  so  as  to  become  a  strong, 
bushy  tree.     Such  trees,  especially  if  budded  very 
low,  "right  down  on  the  crown  of  the  quince  root," 
are  worth  double  the  tall,  slender  trees  which  wc, 
often  find  budded  with  the  quince  roots  more  than  a 
foot  in  length,  and  grown  year  after  year  without 
any  shortening  of  stem  or  branches.     But  many  per- 
sons prefer  bean-poles  to  good  trees,  and  so  Messrs. 
Smith  &  Hanchett  get  up  some  of  that  kind  to  suit 
the  popular  idea  of  a  good  pear  tree. 

Dr.  Boynton,  the  well-known  lecturer  on  geology. 


rr 


I. 


''06 


^t  §\\\'&mtx's  IHont^Ig. 


has  a  pear  orchard  of  several  thousand  dwarf  trees, 
near  Syracuse,  from  which  he  last  year  obtained 
some  of  the  most  beautiful  fruit  we  have  ever  seen. 
Those  who  were  present  at  the  Pomological  Conven- 
tion, in  Philadelphia,  September,  1800,  will  remem- 
ber the  display  of  large,  brilliantly-colored  pears, 
with  very  glossy,  waxy  skin,  contributed  by  Dr. 
Boynton,  and  also  the  curious  dissertation  given  by 
the  Doctor  upon  the  supposed  cause  of  the  color 
and  gloss.  This  orchard  we  visited  and  examined. 
It  is  situated  on  an  eminence  or  steep  hill,  cov- 
ering the  north  and  south  sides.  The  trees  are  all 
planted  on  terraces,  with  excavations  on  the  top  of 
each  terrace,  to  prevent  the  water  from  flowing  off 
too  suddenly  in  summer,  while  the  soil  is  said  to  be 
so  naturally  porous  as  to  drain  off  superabundant 
moisture  freely.  The  manner  of  planting  we  tliought 
bad,  for  several  reasons,  one  of  which  is,  that  it 
effectually  prevents  all  culture  with  the  horse-hoe, 
or  cultivator, — so  essential  to  perfect  success  in  this 
kind  of  orcharding.  As  a  consequence,  the  field  was 
allowed  to  run  into  wild  grass,  weeds  and  thistles, 
all  of  which  are  unsightly  and  injurious.  Again, 
terraces  with  basins  for  holding  water,  must  be  too 
wet  in  cold  wet  weather,  and  too  dry  in  a  season  of 
drouth.  We  must  state,  however,  that  the  Doctor, 
in  consequence  of  domestic  afflictions,  personal 
illness,  and  losses  occasioned  by  the  Southern  Ke- 
bellion,  has  been  prevented  from  giving  his  usual 
attention  to  this  orchard  for  several  months  past, 
and  it  was  not  seen  by  us  in  its  best  or  pro- 
per condition.  The  trees,  however,  looked  very 
well,  as  a  general  thing,  and  apart  from  a  vicious 
system  of  pruning,  called  "forming  pyramids," 
w  hich  is  advocated  in  nearly  all  works  on  fruit-culture, 
and  almost  universally  practiced  in  New  York,  fur- 
nished good  evidence  that  dwarf  pear-culture  was 
l)y  no  means  a  failure.  Neither  here  nor  on  the 
fruit  orchard  at  Smith  &  Hanchett's,  was  there  any 
thing  like  a  crop  of  fruit,  the  blossoms  having  been 
nearly  all  destroyed  by  the  spring  frost, — nor  were 
the  specimens  of  fruit  which  escaped  the  frosts  of 
the  ordinary  size  or  beauty.  As  to  the  cause  of  the 
brilliant  coloring  which  has  distinguished  Dr.  Boyn- 
ton's  fruit  heretofore,  and  the  remarkably  polished 
and  waxy  appearance  of  the  skin,  the  Doctor  at- 
tributes it  to  the  peculiar  geological  composition  of 
,the  soil,  and  the  free  use  of  potash,  soda  and  super- 
phosphate of  lime  in  tlie  composts  which  he  has  ap- 
plied. The  circumstances  alluded  to  are  remarkable, 
and  we  hope  the  Doctor  will  investigate  the  probable 
causes  of  his  peculiar  success  with  much  care. 

At  Syracuse  native  grapes  are  cultivated  pretty 
extensively  in  small  vineyards,  on  high  trellises,  in 
the  gardens  about  the  city  ;  and  albeit,  we  have 
little  faith  in  the  value  or  success  of  such  culture,  in 


h^ 


the  gratilcation  to  be  obtained  from  it,  or  in  the 
merit  of  the  system  of  culture  generally  practised, 
we  consented  to  look  at  some  specimens  of  these 
vineyards.  The  result  was  by  no  means  flatter- 
ing to  the  reputation  of  the  native  grapes,  or  to  the 
skill  of  the  cultivators.  We  feel  well  assured  that 
few  or  no  well-ripened,  palateable  or  digestible 
grapes  can  be  produced  from  the  varieties  now  cul- 
tivated, or  under  the  system  of  training  and  pruning 
generally  pursued.  As  a  specimen  of  the  culture 
which  is  adopted,  we  were  shown  the  vineyard  of 
one  gentleman,  who,  we  were  told,  had  obt  dned 
from  his  vines  the  best  native  grapes  ever  seen  in 
Syracuse.  The  method  of  culture  was  as  follows  : 
The  vines  were  trained  on  trellises  eight  or  ten  feet 
high,  with  numerous  rods  running  up  from  the 
roots  (the  rods,  say,  six  or  eight  inches  apart)  to 
the  height  of  the  trellis,  and  then  along  the  top  of 
the  trellis,  in  a  mass,  an  indefinite  length,  rarely,  if 
ever,  stopped  at  the  terminal  point ;  but  all  the  main 
laterals  were  carefully  cut  out  of  the  growing  canes^ 
clone  to  the  main  eges,  leaving  only  the  main  leaf  at 
each  eye  !  We  remarked  that  this  was  a  novel  me- 
thod of  culture,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  and  asked 
why  it  was  done.  The  gentleman  said  that  he  did 
not  know,  but  it  was  "a  way  they  had"  in  Syra- 
cuse, introduced  by  some  German  vine-dressers. 
We  inquired  if  he  could  give  any  physiological 
reason  for  it,  or  quote  any  good  authority  wiiich 
prescribed  such  treatment.  lie  replied  that  he  could 
not.  He  pursued  this  plan  because  others  did,  and 
all  that  he  knew  was,  that  he  generally  got  a  satis- 
factory crop  of  grapes.  So  plain  a  violation  of  the 
first  principles  of  vegetable  physiology  and  prac- 
tical grape-culture  it  is  not  worth  while  to  argue 
about.  We  only  notice  it  to  exhibit  the  deplorable 
state  of  native  grape-culture,  after  all  the  efforts 
tliat  have  been  made  in  this  country  to  improve  it. 


4»»»> 


GRAFTING    ARBORVITiES. 


BY    "PROPAGATOR. 


n 


In  the  last  nursery  in  which  I  was  engaged  before 
taking  my  present  situation  as  a  gentleman's  gar- 
dener, evergreen  propagation  was  a  distinctive  fea- 
ture, and  thousands  raised  annually  by  different 
modes,  and  as  I  left  with  the  establishment  a  great 
deal  of  information  that  I  have  collected  in  my  life, 
"free  gratis  and  for  nothing,"  there  cannot  be,  I 
presume,  any  objection  to  my  handing  you  a  few  notes 
occasionally  for  publication  in  your  excellent  jour- 
nal, provided  you  think  them  worthy  of  acceptance. 

In  this  letter  I  give  you  a  mode  of  grafting  arbor- 
vitres,  which  I  found  very  successful.  In  England 
we  used  to  work  these  when  the  kinds  were  scarce 
on  the  Thuja  oricntalis,  by  cleft-grafting,— working 


(*?V^ 


©Ini  (iardiJM'a  JKlonthlg. 


307  If 


them  an  inch  or  so  above  the  ground,  and  using   saw-dust  between  the  ice  and  the  walls  of  their 
composition  wax  in  the  usual  way.     Many  of  these  |  houses.     This,  I  presume,  is  much  too  great  a  thick- 


would,  nevertheless,  fail.     When  the  Golden  Arbor 
vitae  was  first  getting  into  popularity  here,  we  wished 
to  increase  it  faster  than  we  could  by  cuttings.     So 
I  determined  to  operate  on  a  lot  of  young  American 
Arborvitffis  we  had  in  nursery  rows.     As  early  in 
spring  MS  the  frost  was  out  of  the  ground,  and  the 
cold  weather  evidently  passed  away,  the  soil  was 
taken  away  about  an  inch  and  a  half  from  the  stem 
of  the  young  arborvitae  plants,  and  the  plants  them- 
selves headed  down  to  about  a  level  with  the  surface 
of  the  ground.     The  graft  was  then  inserted  in  the 
usual  way  of  cleft-grafting,  and  after  being  tied  with 
bast  matting,  the  soil  was  drawn  in  about  them, 
without  any  further  coating  of  wax  over  the  place 
of  grafting.     They  had  no  further  care,  and  grew 
beautifully.     The  great  advantage  of  this  mode  was, 
that  not  only  little  bits  too  small  to  make  into  cut- 
tings were  used,  but  the  plants  grew^  on  these  strong 
stocks  with  such  vigor,  that  they  were  as  large  in  two 
years  as  they  would  have  been  in  four,  on  their  own 
roots,  in  the  usual  way. 

[Certainly,  we  shall  value  highly  a  continuation 
of  such  useful  hints. — Ed.] 


ness  in  the  estimation  of  your  correspondent.  He 
says,  "A  layer  of  porous  material  must  be  put  be- 
tween stone  walls  and  the  ice,  and  provision  made 
for  the  air  to  pass  to  the  bottom  of  the  structure." 
I  do  not  quite  understand  this.  Is  other  provision 
than  the  porosity  of  the  material  to  be  made  for  con- 
ducting air  to  the  bottom  of  the  ice-house  ?  Say 
something  on  the  shape  of  tubes.  Does  he  advise 
that  the  doors  of  the  ice-house  be  left  constantly 
open  ?  How  thick  should  the  covering  over  the  top 
of  the  ice  be  ? 

If  it  is  not  agreeable  to  jour  correspondent  to 
answer  these  inquiries,  will  you,  Mr.  Editor,  answer 
them,  or  hand  them  to  one  of  your  correspondents, 
who  is  practical  on  this  subject,  for  replies  ?  Other 
persons  beside  the  writer  have  encountered  disap- 
pointment from  building  their  ice-houses  on  a  wrong 
principle,  and  your  journal  will  be  doing  good  ser- 
vice to  the  public  if  it  becomes  the  medium  of  circu- 
lating correct  theory  and  practice  on  this  subject. 


«•■•» 


PRESERVATION    OP    ICE, 

BY  N.    H.    R.,    OF   SPRINGFIELD,    ILL. 

Having  recently  built  an   ice-house  which  has 
proved  a  fiulure,  I  have  read  with  much  interest  the 
article  in  your  September  number  on  the  above  sub- 
ject.    My  recent  experience  seems  to  confirm  "J.  C. 
B.'s"  theory.     My  house  is  constructed  on  the  idea, 
that  heat  can  be  sufficiently  excluded  by  surround- 
ing the  ice  with  thick  walls,  and  making  the  house 
as  nearly  air-tight  as  possible.     It  has  12-inch  brick 
walls,  with   inside  partitions  six   inches  from  the 
brick  walls,  the  interval  between  the  two  walls  being 
filled  with  pulverized   charcoal.     The   roof  is  also 
thickened  by   charcoal   between  the   shingles  and 
sheathing.      The   drainage    is  well    arranged    and 
works  well.      The  house  has  closely -fit  ting  double 
doors.     It  is  ten  feet  square  on  the  inside.     It  was 
filled  last  winter  with  ice  well  packed.      The  ice 
lasted  only  until  the  middle  of  August. 

I  now  desire  to  adopt  the  course  suggested  by  "J. 
C.  B.,"  and  my  present  object  is  to  ask  of  him  Of  lie 
will  be  so  kind  as  to  answer  my  questions)  some 
practical  information  on  the  subject,  as  follows  : 
Of  the  different  substances  (shavings,  saw-dust,  char- 
coal,) wich  which  he  proposes  to  surround  the  ice, 
which  is  the  best  ?  How  thick  should  the  stratum 
be  by  which  the  ice  is  to  be  surrounded?  It  is 
the  practice  here  with  persons  who  pack  ice  in  large 
quantities  for  sale,  to  put  eight  to  twelve  inches  of 


To  Make  Straw  Mats.— Straw  mats  are  often 
made  for  covering  the  hotbeds  or  cold  frames,  in- 
stead of  bast-mats,  and  are  found  to  be  much  better 
and  cheaper.  They  can  be  made  in  the  following 
manner  :— Drive  two  posts  CA,  K)  into  the  ground, 
eight  or  ten  feet  apart.     The  posts  should  be  an 


inch  and  a  half  to  two  inches  wide.  To  these  posts 
nail  two  boards  (B,  B),  one  on  each  side,  so  as  to 
leave  a  space  between  them  one  and  a  half  to  two 
inches  wide.  Near  each  end  of  the  boards,  inside 
the  posts,  cut  a  deep,  straight  notch  (^c,  e)^  to  allow 
cutting  the  straw  off"  straight  at  the  ends.  Notches 
(d,  d,  d)  should  be  cut  at  intervals  of  about  nine 
inches  on  the  boards,  say  one  inch  deep,  to  keep 
the  cords  in  their  places.  Tarred  rope  is  best.  Lay 
the  straw  on  the  cords  between  the  boards  in  hand- 
fuls,  and  tie  them  tight  with  a  single  tie,  reversing 
the  strings ;  then  put  on  another  handful,  and  pro- 
ceed as  before,  till  the  mat  is  made  of  the  length  de- 
sired. The  last  course  should  be  tied  with  a  double 
tie. — Jaincs  Craib  in  Genesee  Farmer. 


^m 


Msi  §m&tm's  HlontJIj. 


C|e  §mk\\txs 


PHILADELPHIA,  OCTOBER  1,  1861, 

tCr"  All  Communications  for  the  Editor  should  he  addressed, 
•'Thomas  Mkehan,  GerinaDtown,PhiliMlelphia,"and  Business  Let- 
ters directed    to  "ThR   PUBI.I.'JHKU  OF  THH  GARUENEB'S  AIoNTHLV, 

Box  406  Philadelphia." 


li^ Persons  sending  tvro  new  Snhscri hers  for  1861  in  addition 
to  their  own,  with  ^AM  can  receive  a  copy  of  our  First  Volume, 
(18.W)  free.  All  persons  who  have  paid  their  subscriptions  lor  1861 
by  sending  two  new  Subscribers  and  !jr2. 00  cau  receive  a  copy  of 
the  same. 


THE    VEGETABLE  QUESTXON-CELERT. 

Students  oh  a  certain  mn.sical  instrument  are 
usually  cautioned  against  playing  too  much  on  one 
stiing.  Horticulturists  need  similar  advice  at  times. 
We  have  had  the  Strawberry  Question,  the  Pear 
Question,  the  Grape  Question,  the  Rose  Question, 
and  the  Verbena  Question, — all  very  important  and 
pertinent  to  horticultural  i)ursuit8  ;  but  we  propose 
a  change  just  now,  and  introduce  the  Vegetable 
QueHtion. 

We  know  that  it  has  been  a  grave  question  with 
more  than  one  horticulturist,  whether  the  vegetable- 
garden  should  not  be  abandoned,  and  attention 
exclusively  devoted  to  the  flower  and  fruit  depart- 
ments. "Every  cabbage,"  say  they,  "costs  us  a 
quarter.  Our  onions  are  always  of  the  Silver-skin 
variety,  with  the  silver  even  more  than  skin  deep ; 
and  the  egg  fruit  is  evidently  of  no  fabled  goose,  and 
yet  none  the  less  golden  on  that  account." 

We  sympathize  with  these  complaints.  Vegeta- 
bles grown  in  private  establishments  olten  do  cost 
entirely  too  much.  If  the  main  object  of  a  garden 
be  to  raise  our  articles  of  food,  the  satisfaction  of 
having  grown  our  own  vegetables  is  a  poor  recom- 
pense in  face  of  the  fact  that  they  cost  us  double  the 
price  they  would  have  stood  us  in  the  market. 

And  yet,  for  all  this,  if  we  are  to  look  at  the 
question  as  one  of  mere  produce  and  cost,  all  pri- 
vate vegetable-groAving  may  as  well  be  abandoned, 
as  no  gardener  can  raise  them  as  cheaply  as  one  who 
makes  it  a  special  study  and  a  business,  and  who 
grows  them  in  immense  quantities.  We  need  not 
even  stop  with  vegetables  ;  for  it  is  as  true  of 
our  fruits  and  our  llowers,  that,  cultivate  them  as 
scientifically  as  we  may,  they  will  cost  us  more  than 
it  will  those  whose  peculiar  calling  it  is  to  raise  them  ; 
and  we  might  argue  further  against  private  car- 
riages and  horses,  and  even  against  individual  homes 
themselves,  as    communities  and   large    boarding- 


houses,   on  mutual  principles,  are  decidedly  cash- 
saving  institutions. 

But,  keeping  to  the  vegetable  question,  we  are 
asked  to  think  of  the  pleasure  of  raising  them  our- 
selves, as  if  our  hat  or  our  coat  would  be  more  val- 
ued by  each  man  becoming  his  own  tailor  or  hatter. 
We  think  that  the  true  source  of  pleasure  in  a  pri- 
vate vegetable-garden  is  superior  excellence ;  and 
that  if,  with  increased  cost  of  production,  this  is  not 
attained,  the  owner  should  either  abandon  his  gar- 
den, his  system  of  gardening,  or  change  his  gar- 
dener. 

We  make  these  remarks  preparatory  to  describing 
a  process  of  raising  celery,  that  is  not  cheap,  but 
excellent.  Every  stalk  raised  in  the  way  described 
will  probably  cost  six  cents;  so  that  those  who 
would  prefer  to  go  in  the  market  and  buy  one  at 
three  or  four,  need  read  no  further.  But  to  those 
who  lake  pleasure  in  their  gardens, — who  are  ever 
aiming  at  superiority, — who,  in  their  experiments,  are 
continually  on  the  watch  for  new  principles,  that 
may  afterwards  be  cheapened  for  the  public  good, 
and  applied  to  other  crops  and  other  practices,—  we 
make  no  apology  on  the  score  of  the  slightly  in- 
creased expcnsiveness  of  the  process. 

To  understand  the  advantages  of  the  new  mode, 
we  will  point  out  the  disadvantages  attendant  on 
all  the  old  ones.  Celery  loves  an  abundance  of 
moisture,  and  it  must  be  blanched.  It  is  usual  to 
continually  water  it  overhead;  but  eveiy  cultivator 
knows  that  this  tends  to  the  baking  and  hardening 
of  the  soil,  and  continued  stirring  with  the  hoc  and 
rake  is  necessary  to  counteract  the  evil,  which,  after 
all,  is  never  entirely  remedied.  Then  the  blanching 
process  usually  employed,  however  varied  in  the 
mode,  is  attended  by  two  serious  evils.  Blanching, 
to  be  effective,  requires  only  the  exclusion  of  light; 
but  when  earth  or  material  is  closed  up  around  the 
celery  plants,  the  air  and  all  is  excluded.  The  con- 
sequence is,  that  celery  becomes  pithy,  insipid,  anti 
very  dillicult  of  preservation. 

The  other  evil  is,  that  by  the  earthing  process,  the 
rootlets  are  buried  up  far  beneath  the  surface,  and 
are  dependent  entirely  on  what  little  the  soil  contains 
for  its  growth  and  nutrition. 

The  following  process  obviates  all  these  objections. 
See  fig.  1.  A  level  piece  of  ground  is  chosen,  and 
iDell  manured  all  over.  The  usual  trenches  are  dis- 
carded, and  the  plants  set  right  on  the  surface  two 
feet  apart.  Common  pipe  draining-tiles  are  then 
procured,  and  after  drawing  a  hoe  through  the  loose 
ground  directly  between  each  row,  the  tiles  are  set, 
as  in  the  sketch,  nearly  level  with  the  surface. 
When  it  is  desired  to  water,  it  is  poured  through 
the  pipe,  (one  end  being  closed  tight, ^  and  the 
water  percolates  through  the  tiles  into  the  soil,  and 


g\t  6ard^ner^s  P0nthlg. 


through  and  amongst  the  roots,  keeping  the  soil  thoroughly  moist,  while  the  surface  around  tlie  plant  is 
thus  feft  porous  and  loose  as  ever.     But  these  tiles  perform  another  important  function,  which  will 

'""^C^^V^^^i^^y^^  grown  quite  long,  common  horse-shoe  draining-tiles  are  employed  a-l-w"^;^^ 
the  plan  for  the  blanching  process.  They  are  set  edge  to  edge  on  the  opposite  sides  of  the  row,  a  slight 
eart  ng  being  employed  to  keep  them  in  an  upright  position.  Towards  autumn,  when  the  leaves  begin 
ot  f?om  he  treesf  they  are  collected  and  thrown  in  between  the  rows,  and  thus  all  light  is  entirely 
excTuded  while  air  wUl  pass  down  the  tube  and  around  the  stems  of  the  plants,  rendering  them  firm  and 
solid  in  the  midst  of  a  perfect  blanching  process.     Any  litter  will  do  as  well  as  leaves. 

Fig.  1. 


It  Is  now  that  the  pipes  serving  as  water-conduits  prove  of  value.  While  air  is  excluded  by  the  super- 
incumbent mass  of  matter,  it  passes  through  the  open  pipes  and  completely  lerates  the  roots  causing 
them  to  grow  in  a  surprising  manner.  The  Iriend  who  gives  us  the  plan  as  he  pursued  it  m  Germany, 
tells  us  that  the  roots  often  form  so  complete  a  mass  inside  the  pipes  by  the  time  the  celery  is  full-grown, 
as  to  entirely  choke  them ;  and  the  whole  vigor  of  the  plant  and  crispy  sweetness  of  quality  is  such  as 
will  enable  those  of  our  readers  who  have  followed  our  description  to  prepare  a  "surpriser  lor  those 
who  left  off  reading  at  the  point  where  we  spuke  of  the  increased  expense  of  the  plan. 

To  make  the  subject  of  celery  improvement  complete,  another  friend  asks  us  to  tell  his  fellow-readers  of  the 
Oardener^s  Monthly  how  he  preserves  celery  fresh  and  plump  till  April,  and  time  to  sow  celery  seeds 
again  ;  and  as  we  think  the  plan  founded  on  sound  principles,  and  as,  moreover,  he  has  tried  it  m  the  balance 
and  not  found  it  wanting,  we  cheerfully  comply.     Fig.  2  gives  the  idea.  ^ 

An  elevated  piece  of  ground  is  chosen,  where  the  ^^ 

water  can  easily  run  off'.  A  double  row  of  celery  is 
then  laid  along  on  the  ground,  each  row  slightly 
elevated  to  throw  out  any  moisture  that  may  cliance 
to  get  in.  A  thin  layer  of  soil  is  then  thrown  over, 
and  another  layer  of  celery,  setting  each  layer  a 
little  further  in  than  the  one  below  it,  so  that,  when 
finished,  the  whole  stack  will   form  a  ridge.     Soil  is 

then  cast  over  the  whole,  and  "banked"  or  smoothed  ,    ,        .^       *        .„r  rff  tho 

over  In  order  to  guard  still  more  against  wet,  a  small  gutter  is  dug  around  the  ridge,  to  carry  ott  Uie 
water.  A  covering  of  corn-stalks  or  any  waste  litter  will  exclude  frost,  and  on  an  occasional  fine  da} 
through  the  winter  the  "cairn"  may  be  opened,  and  a  supply  for  a  week  or  so  taken  out. 


«>■•» 


EILMARNOCI!:   WEEPING   WILLOW. 

[bee  frontispiece.] 
We  give  this  month  an  engraving  of  what  we  consider,  without  exception,  the  handsomest  weeping 
tree  in  cultivation.     It  has  been  in  the  country  some  years,  but  is  so  seldom  seen  in  proportion  to  its  leal 


mn  §Mmit'%  Jflonlhlg. 


merits,  that  we  deem  it  a  duty  to  place  it  promi- 
nently before  our  readers  as  we  do. 

In  our  own  neighborhood  we  have  recently  seen 
some  very  fine  sjiccimens,  which  the  owner  obtained 
some  years  ago  from  the  establishment  of  Ellwanger 
&  Barry,  Rochester,  New  York,  to  the  well-known 
energy  and  enterprise  of  which  firm,  we  believe,  its 
early  introduction,  and  dissemination  so  far  as  it  has 
gone,  have  been  mainly  owing.  The  specimens  al- 
luded to  we  know  the  gentleman  would  not  part 
with  at  any  price,  and  they  are  the  admiration  of  all 
who  see  them. 

It  appears  to  be  a  variety  of  the  Salix  caprea,  or 
Goat  Willow,  and  was  first  discovered  in  a  bed  of 
others  by  the  Laings,  of  Kilmarnock,  in  Scotland. 


<•■» 


THE  NELUMBIUM  LUTEUM.  OR  YELLOW 
EGYPTIAN    LOTUS. 

A  FRIEND  sends  us  a  spirited  sketch  from  the 
Philadelphia  Evening  Bulletin,  of  what,  to  strangers, 
is  one  of  the  "sights"  of  that  city  to  tourists  who 
have  a  taste  for  natural  history  and  associations 
connected  with  ancient  legends. 

How  or  In  what  manner  the  plant  first  became  na- 
turalized near  Philadelphia,  has  hitherto  been  a 
mystery.  The  first  account  of  which  we  have  any 
record  of  its  existence  there,  is  that  it  was  noticed 
by  Peter  Kalm,  the  Swedish  botanist,  and  after 
whom  the  Kalmia  is  named,  in  1748.  It  was  not 
known  at  that  time  to  be  found  north  of  the  Caro- 
linas.  If,  therefore,  it  had  been  introduced  from  the 
South  by  any  of  the  white  settlers,  it  could  not  have 
had  time  to  be  so  well  established  at  Kalm's  discovery 
but  that  that  fact  would  have  suggested  itself  to  his 
acute  mind,  or  at  least  to  some  of  his  fellow -explorers, 
Bartram,  Marshall,  &c. 

That  it  does  not  exist  nearer  its  southern  locations 
than  this,  is,  we  think,  proof  that  it  was  introduced 
by  some  one ;  as  all  aquatic  plants,  natural  to  our 
waters,  have  a  very  wide  and  regular  distribution. 
The  probability  is,  that  it  was  introduced  by  the 
Indians,  and  if  so,  a  curious  Inquiry  might  be 
started  as  to  what  motives  prompted  the  introduc- 
tion ? 

On  the  theory  that  the  American  Indians  are  of 
Asiatic  origin,  might  not  the  sacred  character 
given  by  these  races,  in  that  country,  to  the  species 
of  that  region, -dedicated,  as  it  was,  to  Isisand  Osiris, 
have  accompanied  the  emigrants  to  this  country,  and 
be  transferred  to  this  so  nearly  allied  species  ?  And  if 
proof  could  be  found  that  the  Indians  of  this  con- 
tinent really  had  tliis  supposed  veneration  for  our 
Lotus,  might  it  not  prove  a  valuable  fact  in  tracing 
the  exact  history  of  the  American  Indians  ?  AVe 
throw  out  the  hints  for  the  benefit  of  ethnologists. 


We  may  add,  that  tradition  certainly  fixes  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  Philadelphia  Lotus  as  a  famous  In- 
dian rendezvous.  On  a  hill  about  two  miles  from 
the  spot  the  writer  has  often  found  flint  arrow-heads, 
and  it  was,  therefore,  undoubtedly  a  place  devoted 
to  this  species  of  manufacture.  With  these  matter- 
of-fact  remarks,  we  will  introduce  our  writer's  more 
flowery  production  : 


The  Floral  Wonder  of  the  First  Ward. 

A  LOCAL  ITEM,    BY  A    "  NECK  "ROM  ANGER. 

"Hear  the  legend  of  the  Lotus.  It  grows  in  the 
lonely  meadows  that  border  the  Old  Point  Road,  and 
spread,  laced  with  languid  creeks,  their  sheets  of 
summer  green  to  the  Delaware.  Into  this  desolate 
haunt  the  plant  has  wandered  from  Florida  lagoons 
and  the  bayous  of  Indian  islands,  and  here  any  year, 
in  the  ecstacy  and  passion  of  midsummer,  the  visitor 
may  find  it,  as  we  did,  holding  its  stately  drawing- 
rooms,  its  shields  of  malachite,  and  crowns  of  dewy 
silver,  all  doubled  in  the  polished  pavement  of  the 
water. 

"The  flower  is  of  the  storied  Nelumhium  family, 
historic  in  Egypt  and  holy  in  India,  reverenced  by 
the  Pharoahs  three  thousand  years  ago,  and  by  the 
Buddhists  in  all  Asia  to-day.  The  vision  of  the 
Nile  would  be  less  fair  in  our  eyes,  were  this  shining 
lilly  lost  from  its  borders,  and  without  it  a  hundred 
delicate  myths,— images  of  Brahma  and  Vishnu,  and 
figures  of  plump,  lazy -eyed  goddesses  of  China  and 
Japan,  would  topple  over  helplessly  and  be  drowned  ; 
for  the  starry  blossom  is  their  float,  and  their  boat, 
and  throne.  It  is  the  puzzle  of  local  botanists  to 
discover  how  a  tribe  of  this  priestly  family  was  ever 
moved  to  abandon  the  ancestral  waters,  and  lay  its 
exotic  flowers  upon  the  baptism  of  our  Galilean  font. 
But  here  it  grows,  distinct  from  any  water  lilly 
known  to  the  Northern  States,  haughty  and  lonely 
in  the  caress  of  an  alien  tide,  and,  waiting  for  our 
summer's  most  tropic  hour,  bursts,  and  heaves  a 
fortnight's  wonder  on  the  waves. 

"We  had  a  friend  at  court,  an  habitu6,  who 
knew  well  the  habitat  and  etiquette  of  this  fragile 
nobility,  and  with  that  introductory  advantage  we 
secured  a  presentation,  on  a  day  that  seemed  created 
to  cradle  an  oriental  dream.  The  sky  was  a  cup  of 
stagnant  fire.  The  heat  was  equatorial,  and  the  air 
expanding  and  ascending  left  us  hardly  enough  to 
feed  our  poor,  practical  lungs  upon.  The  whole 
material  of  daylight  seemed  rising  from  us  in  impal- 
pable fumes.  An  exhalation,  such  as  ascends  from 
the  flats  of  Egypt  in  the  time  of  their  inundation, 
painted  the  far-spreading  level  with  touches  of  mcz- 
zotinto  and  uncertainty,  and  laid  an  attenuated  veil 
of  mystery  on  all  we  saw,  and,  indeed,  on  all  we 
felt.     In  fact,  as  we  found  afterwards,  it  was  raining 


ilm  (Sardmr'a  JlitontWg 


N 


not  many  miles  to  the  north  and  to  the  south ;  but 
over  the  tender  botany  of  the  lands  of  rainless  blue, 
the  clouds,  sparing  for  the  lotus  a  focus  of  reeking 
calm,  withdrew  in  a  mighty  cordon,  and  watched 
the  moments  of  its  culmination  from  afar.  All 
round  the  horizon  their  piles  of  moulded  Carrara 
lay  motionless  in  statuesque  quiet,  and  silently  cor- 
roding away  in  the  devouring  fervor  of  the  air. 

"  Through  the  lazy  hours  of  such  a  day,  we  waited 
for  the  tempered  relaxation  of  its  heat,  and  then  set 
ourselves  in  lagging  motion  towards  the  South.    The 
road  alluded  to  was  once  a  capital  artery,  receiving 
a  populous  current  from  the  Gloucester  Ferry,  but 
deserted  now  by  all  its  old  patrons, -the  long-waist- 
coated  yeoman  and  the  coy  equestriennes  whose 
buckles  and  heel-slippers  we  cherish,— it  marches 
disconsolately  between  a  police  of  ditches,  and  turns 
neither  to  the  right  nor  left  till  it  reaches,  a  little 
further  on  than  we  need  to  trace  it,  the  end  of  its 
downward  career  by  a  termination  abrupt  as  any 
felon's.      Along  this  disgraced  thoroughfare,   not 
without  an  accompanying  society  evoked  from  the 
gray  doors  of  velvet  tombs,  and  the  limbo  (where- 
ever  that  may  be;  of  those  C-spring  high-elbowed 
gigs  and  wonderful  one-horse   shays  of  antiquity, 
we  and  our  fancies  went  musmg,  and  so 

"  la  the  afternoon  we  came  unto  the  laud 
In  which  it  seemed  always  afternoon." 

The  lazy  kine  was  cropping  those  delicate  grasses 
which  dry  into  the  fine  packing  hay.  Each  footfall, 
as  we  crossed  the  meadows,  splashed  up  a  spray  of 
light-limbed  grasshoppers.  Then,  winding  awhile 
by  quiet  creeks,  whose  pictured  heavens  were 
pierced  by  the  spearheads  of  sagittate  leaves,  we 
went  westward,  till  our  guide  suddenly  lifted  a  hand 
of  warning,  and  pointed  where,  lo !  how  still  they 

slept ! 

"  The  water  was  paved  with  round  emerald  tables, 
from  six  to  eighteen  inches  across,  each  bearing  in 
its  central  dimple  a  ball  of  brilliant  water,  neither 
pearl  nor  diamond,  but  a  new  gem,  crystalline  silvery, 
inefi'able ;  for  the  velvet  texture  of  the  leaf  rejects 
liquids,  which  roll  about  like  mercury,  in  glancing 
bullets,  when  the  ripple  stirs  the  broad  palms  in 
which  they  are  held.      If  the  leaves  were  dainty, 
what  where  the  flowers?    Gathered  softly  apart,  all 
together,  away  from  the  buxom  spatterdocks  and 
the  baser  canaille  of  nameless  water  plants,   the 
pallid  Circassians  rose  from  their  baths,  each  with 
its  delicate  stem  running  down  to  link  with  a  swaying 
reflection.     Some  closed  their  milky  lips, -the  baby- 
buds,  who,  when  the  white,  intense  sun  should  feed  a 
I  little  longer  their  tiny  veins  with  cream,  would  reach 
J  the  privileges  of  maidenhood,  and  let  their  petals  pout 
e   \  further  and  further  apart  with  the  kiss  of  each  lazy 
/d\  I  breeze.     And  some  had  ripened  so  far  ahcady,  and 


allowed  you,  in  a  cool  cell  of  translucent  white,  to 
see  the  flaming  topaz  they  wore  upon  their  hearts. 
And  a  few  had  burst  with  pallid  fury  into  mimic 
suns,  and  lay  relaxed  upon  the  water,  five  ivory 
inches  over,  raying  from  their  yellow  reals  a  flight 
of  luminous  petals. 

"  Certain  venal  mn»-culottes\\2,^  arrived  before  us, 
and,  plunged  into  unfathomable  Nilotic  mud,  were 
pulling  at\he  pretty  pipes,  meaning  to  ravish  a  few 
dozen  of  the  lilies  for  the  slave-market.     This  strange 
flower,  indeed,  is  not  quite  unknown,  although  most 
of  the   quiet  Philadelphians  go  on  longing  for  a 
sight  of  the  haunted  blossoms  of  the  Nile,  uncon- 
scious how  near  it  waits  for  them  in  its  covert  of 
plated  shields.     A  few  of  those  noiseless  students  of 
Flora  however,  the  practical  botanists  whom  most 
people  consider  bores  because  they  go  penetrating 
everywhere,  are  in  the  secret,  and  have  let  it  out  to 
us  •  and,  far  more  captivating  than  they,  a  race  of 
dreaming  and  expectant  children,  the  true  lotophagi, 
are    hanging    even    now    their    hopes    upon    the 
mellowing  lotus  fruit.      When  the  golden  October 
comes,  with  its  witching  of  hazy  air  that  makes  a 
glamour  for  all  things  and  any  landscape,  we  shall 
see  these  off-spring  of  a  poetic  myth  stretch  out  be- 
side the  creeks,  breaking  the  tender  hulls  for  their 
magical  chincapins,  and  feeding  on  them  and  on  the 
dreams  of  which  they  are  the  talismans.     We  know 
too  well  what  will  happen  to  these  thoughtless  youth, 
and  the  shadow  that  will  fall  upon  the  homes  whose 
idea  the  enchanted  food  will  obliterate  from  their 

memories  forever.  .,,.*! 

*'  For  ourselves,  we  shall  always  be  furnished  with 
a    sympathetic    association    for  the    lotus,   in  the 
memory  of  the  Japanese,  whose  figures  have  retired 
far  enough  by  this  time  for  us  to  appreciate  the  pecu- 
liar and  delicate  romance  their  pageant  gave  us. 
These  languid  exotics,   whom  we  all  remember, 
leaning  all  day  from  the  stately  windows  of  their 
great  caravanseria,   and,  with  the  theatric  lenses 
that  so  took  their  fancy,  making  an  opera  of  all  our 
earnest   American  life ;   those  hovering  groups  of 
yellow  phantoms,  resting  their  taper  fingers  on  the 
sills  but  never,  even  to  the  lowest  of  their  servants 
and  porters,  seeming  to  enter  far  enough  into  practi- 
cal cxistance  to  make  those  fingers  a  degree  less  taper 
and  delicate  ;  no,  but  living  right  among  us  a  life  that 
could  not  be  ours,  and  opening  every  mornmg  their 
oriel  eyes  to  a  prospect  we  could  never  see, -they 
would  have  comprehended  the  lotus.     We  had  fam 
bent  the  season  to  our  scheme,  and  so  have  seen  in 
some  dark  alien  eye  the  image  of  ^  «^^7  «^^^' ^^ 
appreciated  reflection  of  the  sacred  flower  of  Buddha ; 
so  to  the  most  recondite  study  we  have  been  graiited 
in' ethnology,  these  mysterious  Flora  woifld  have 
been  attached,  and  we  should  never  again  behold  the 


1^ 


ihit  §nrdmer'%  JKontWg. 


fairy  flotillas  of  the  lotus,  without  fancying  before 
them  an  adoring  shadow  of  a  Mongolian,  bowing  to 
impalpable  divinities  afloat  upon  the  jeweled  barges. " 


O^Communicatious  for  this  dopaitmeut  must  reach  the  Editor 
on  or  before  the  10th  of  the  month. 

JtJ-The  Editor  cannot  answer  letters  for  thin  department  pri- 
vately. 


Figs.— ^  Subscriber,  Philadelplua,  asks: 

Will  you  please  inform  me  if  it  would  be  safe  to 
keep  fig  trees  and  oleanders  fplaiitod  in  boxes;  in  a 
cold  grapery  during  the  winter.  The  thermometer 
in  the  night  sometimes  falls  to  zero,  and  during  the 
day  rises  to  40o  or  500,— on  niM  days  to  70o  or  80o. 

If  so  kept,  should  they  not  be  covered,  so  as  to 
exclude  the  light?  or  would  it  be  better  to  keep 
them  in  a  warm,  dry  cellar?  (1.) 

Are  fig  trees  in  this  latitude  ever  grown  in  the 
open  ground  ?  If  so,  how  are  they  protected  during 
the  winter?  (2.) 

Which  variety  of  the  fig  bears  the  largest  fruit  ?  (S.) 

Is  the  exudation  of  gum  in  peach  trees  an  infalli- 
ble sign  of  the  existence  of  the  borer?  (4.) 

I  have  repeatedly  examined  my  trees  on  seeing 
gum  issuing  from  the  collar,  but  without  finding  any 
insect.     What  can  I  do  to  protect  them  ? 

[1.  There  is  danger  of  injury.  Cover  them  with 
dry  straw.  The  absence  of  light  will  be  an  advan- 
tage. 

2.  Often.  To  protect  them,  they  are  laid  down 
and  buried  with  soil.  The  plan  followed  here  is  to 
dig  away  the  soil  a  little  on  one  side,  bend  the  plant 
down,  and  after  pegging  to  keep  them  in  place, 
cover  with  soil. 

The  following  short  piece,  however,  from  our  first 
volume,  gives  a  neat  German  plan  : 

''protecting  theJ  fig. 

"  The  fig  tree,  in  many  of  our  city  gardens,  stands 
the  winters  perfectly  well  without  protection  ;  and 
with  but  very  slight  protection,  could  be  grown 
much  further  north.  Wc  annex  a  cut  of  the  mode 
adopted  for  this  purpose  in  the  north  of  Europe. 

"  The  fig  tree  is  kept  by  pruning  rather  dwarf  and 
encouraged  to  branch  near  the  ground,  and  in  the 
fall  the  shoots  or  branches  are  tied  in  four])undles  of 
equal  size.  A  circular  mound  of  earth  is  then 
thrown  up  around  the  base  of  the  tree,  and  then 
the  four  bundles  of  branches  are  bent  carefully 
down  and  covered  about  a  foot  or  eighteen  Inches 
deep,  so  that  when  completed,  the  earth  will  present 
the  appearance  as  shown  in  the  engraving  annexed." 


3.  The  White  Ischia  is  the  largest  and  best  grown 
in  this  vicinity. 

4.  Any  injury  produces  gum  ;  very  often  it  occurs 
where  no  borers  exist.  Small  wire-worms  or  spe- 
cies of  centipedes  often  injure  peach  trees  at  the 
collar  sufliciently  to  cause  gumming.  Tar  or  grease 
in  small  quantity,  mixed  with  the  soil  near  the  stem 
of  the  tree,  would,  doubtless,  keep  them  away.  ] 


Feaciiks  — From  Mr.  E.  Tatnall,  Wilmington, 
D^;.— "Miller's  Early,"  equal  in  size,  flavor  and 
appearance  to  Crawford's  Early,  but,  Mr.  Tatnall 
says,  earlier. 

"  Letitia"  and  'Tally-ho,"  good,  but  we  could  ob- 
serve no  quality  in  which  they  were  superior  to 
others  of  the  same  season.  One  without  a  name, 
with  an  uninviting  appearance,  seemed  the  best  of 
the  lot. 

Peaches— i<Vo7?i  Chambernburg,  Pa._Mr.  Jacob 
Heyser  sent  us  a  box  September  5th.  A  tolerably 
good  peach,  far  superior  to  the  old  Melocoton,  with 
which  we  compared  it  on  receipt.  The  flesh  is  firm, 
and  it  carries  well,  having  reached  us  by  express, 
after  several  days'  journey,  as  fresh  as  when  gath- 
ered from  the  tree.  It  appears  distinct  from  any 
kind  we  know  of.  The  following  note  came  with 
the  fruit : 

"I  send  to  you  this  day  half-a-dozen  peaches  of  a 
variety  that  has  l)een  cultivated  in  this  town  some 
fifteen  years.  The  original  tree  was  completely 
broken  to  pieces  by  over-bearing,  and  was  a  con- 
stant bearer,  always  having  fruit  when  there  was 
any  other  fruit  in  the  vicinity.  The  fiuit  sent  is 
about  medium  size,  at  least  the  smallest.  I  iiave 
taken  some  from  the  tree  measuring  from  nine  to 


ihi|  ^Hrtotr's  Jflanthlg. 


nine  and  a  half  inches  in  circumference,  and  the 
tree  quite  full.  The  tree  stands  in  the  yard  of  Dr. 
J.  L.  Suesserott,  of  this  place,  and  is  so  situated  as 
to  get  all  the  afternoon  sun,  but  none  of  the  morn- 
ing. The  tree  is  six  years  old  from  the  bud,  and 
has  borne  fruit  for  the  past  three  years  in  succession. 
We  call  it  the  George  Forney  Peach.  The  tree  is  a 
good,  strong  grower,  and  has  never  known  disease." 

Cold  Pits— if.  T.  (7.,  Canada  West,  inquires:— 
Can  a  pit  for  protecting  plants  through  winter  be 
built  to  answer  the  purpose  where  the  water  for 
several  weeks  in  early  spring  stands  within  two  feet 
and  a  half  of  the  surface,  and  where  drainage  is  im- 
possible ?  If  so,  what  would  be  the  best  mode  of 
construction  for  the  locality  ?  CIO 

Would  there  be  any  disadvantage  in  placing  it 
where  it  would  be  covered  neariy  the  entire  winter 
by  snow-drifts  sufficient  to  prevent  the  admission  of 
fresh  air,  except  at  rare  intervals?  Is  a  double 
thickness  of  glass  indispensable  ?  (2.) 

[1.  We  should  build  a  pit,  under  such  circum- 
stances, above  the  ground,  and  bank  it  all  around 
with  a  few  feet  thickness  of  earth,  sodding  it  all 
over  to  keep  the  earth  from  washing  away  or  be- 
coming loosened  by  action  of  frost. 

2.  There  would  be  no  disadvantage  in  building  it 
where  snow  would  likely  drift,  unless  the  pit  was 
not  mouse-proof,  in  which  case  they  would  probably 
cut  up  some  high  capers,  under  so  long  a  time  of 
being  undisturbed,  and,  perhaps,  make  nests  of 
your  choicest  verbenas.  ] 

^RiAL  Roots  from  the  Native  Grape— Dr. 
Wheeler,  Burlington,  Vermont,  writes:— "I  passed 
the  months  of  March  and  April  at  Fayetteville,  N.  C, 
and  while  there  interested  myself  in  examining  the 
Scuppernong  Grape-vine.  On  some  of  the  most  per- 
fect vines  which  I  saw  in  the  grounds  of  the  United 
States  Arsenal  I  w^as  greatly  surprised  to  perceive 
numerous  filaments,  or  arial  roots,  dependent  from 
them.  This,  to  my  unpracticed  eye,  was  entirely 
new  and  unaccountable.  The  gardener,  in  reply  to 
my  inquiry,  said  that  those  filaments  were  of  various 
lengths,  from  eighteen  inches  to  three  feet,  and  on 
reaching  the  ground  would  take  root;  but  he  did 
not  know  whether  they  would  produce  a  bearing 
vine. 

The  appearance  was  so  new  and  surprising  to  me, 
that  I  cut  from  the  top  a  number  of  these  rcrial  roots, 
for  the  purpose  of  verif^'ing  their  character,  and  on 
my  return,  addressed  a  note  on  the  subject  to  Prof 
Asa  Gray,  of  Harvard  University.  From  him  I  re- 
ceived the  following  reply : 

Gambridob,  June  10th,  1S61. 
Mu  Dear  fSir : 
The  "fllaraents"  you  sent  are  clearly,  both  from  your  account 


and  from  their  str.icture,  cerial  roots,  as  you  asserted.  Such  are 
produced  on  some  tropical  species  of  Vites,  but  were  unknown 
tome  on  the  Scuppernong  or  any  other  North  American  grape, 
nor  do  I  find  any  allusion  to  them  by  Chapman  or  Dr.  C"t;«- 

Do  the  arial  roots  ever  strike  out  from  branches  of  the  v  ne 
only  two  or  three  years  old  ?  If  so,  the  vines  might  be  P--;P*g«t^^ 
with  more  than  ordinary  facility  by  layering.  ^  ^^ouH,  'f  ^^ 
communicate  this  fact  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  M.  A.  Curtis,  of  H.llsboro. 
N.  C,  but  I  see  no  prospect  of  doing  so  antil  our  armies  penetrate 

as  far  South  as  Raleigh.  ^au^^  «f 

I  wish  you  would  write  an  account  of  the  thing  to  the  editor  of 

the  Gardener^s  Monthly,  Thomas  Meehan,  Germantown,  Pa. 

Very  truly  yours,  ^^^  ^*^^' 

Rev.  Dr.  Wheeler. 

Dr.  Gray's  inquiry  as  to  whether  they  appear  on 
young  vines,  I  cannot  answer. 

I  beg  to  add,  that  the  existence  of  these  serial 
roots  has  not  been  observed,  so  far  as  I  have  been 
able  to  learn,  by  the  cultivators  of  the  vine.  They 
are  regarded  as  filaments  belonging  to  the  bark,  and 
in  the  season  of  the  grapes  are  torn  off  and  thrown 
aside,  because  in  the  way.  Hence  it  would  be  difh- 
cult,  without  careful  search,  to  find  them  more  than 
a  few  inches  in  length.  They  are  probably  consid- 
ered of  the  nature  of  tendrils.  I  enclose  you  a  spe- 
cimen, and  am,  sir,  

Yours,  &c.,  John  Wheeler. 

[The  root  enclosed  in  the  above  communication 
was  about  two  feet  in  length.  We  have  never  be- 
fore noticed  them  on  any  North  American  species, 
though,  when  under  cultivation,  most  of  the  Asiatic 
species  produce  them  under  certain  circumstances. 

The  common  hothouse  grapes,  for  instance,  when 
the  roots  of  the  vines  are  in  the  open  ground  en- 
tirely outside  the  house,  and  the  vines  subjected  to 
a  high  moist  temperature  inside,  throw  out  renal 
roots  freely,  and  in  proportion  to  the  difference  of 
temperature  between  the  vine-border  and  the  atmos- 
phere of  the  vinery,  is,  usually,  the  length  of  these 
roots.  Practised  gardeners,  therefore,  usually  in- 
terpret this  appearance  to  mean  "something  wrong 
at  the  roots."  The  reason  probably  is,  that  the 
organized  sap,  checked  in  its  descent  by  the  inac- 
tivity of  the  lower  vessels,  is  forced  through  the  bark 
in  the  shape  of  these  atrial  roots. 

We  have  observed  a  similar  circumstance  in  the 
common  willow.  Very  old  specimens  are  frequently 
hollow,  and  in  the  interior,  fcrial  roots  several  feet 
in  length  to  the  ground,  often  occur  from  the  sap, 
checked  in  its  descent,  making  for  itself  an  outlet  in 
that  form.  It  is  quite  possible,  therefore,  that  in  the 
present  case,  the  production  is  abnormous,  and  de- 
pends on  some  peculiar  state  or  condition  of  t.:e 
vine  rather  than  to  regular  rule,  and  we  shall  be 
obliged  by  the  further  observations  of  correspondents 
who  may  have  opportunities  of  observing  the  growth 
of  the  Scuppernong  Grape,  as  to  it8  frequency  or 
otherwise.  ] 


( 


V 


314 


Sfhn  §mdtmY\  cptcnthlg. 


& 


Insects. — We  received,  last  month,  from  Dela- 
ware County,  Pcnna.,  unknown  insects.  Miss  M. 
H.  Morris,  the  entomologist,  very  kindly  furnishes 
the  following  account  of  them : 

"The  small  flies  which  you  left  with  me  a  few 
days  since,  belong  to  the  order  IlemipterK,  and  of 
that  branch  of  the  Aphididae,  or  Plant  Lice  family, 
called  Psylla,  which  have  the  power  of  leaping. 
They  are  not  so  prolific  as  the  other  plant  lice,  as 
they  usually  produce  only  one  brood  in  a  year.  They 
live  in  groups  upon  the  leaves  and  stems  of  trees  on 
which  they  feed,  drawing  the  juices  from  the  plant 
by  means  of  a  tubular  sucker,  situated  on  the  breast, 
between  the  front  legs.  They  differ  from  the  leaf 
hoppers  in  their  appearance  and  formation,  having 
their  bodies  very  soft  and  more  or  less  oval,  with 
large  transparent  wings  which  cover  the  sides  of  the 
body  like  a  roof.  The  antennai  are  long,  thread-like, 
and  tipped  with  two  short  bristles  at  the  end.  Both 
sexes  have  wings  when  they  arrive  at  maturity.  The 
females  are  provided  with  piercers,  with  which  they 
pierce  the  leaves  when  about  to  deposit  their  eggs, 
which  sometimes  produce  little  swellings  resembling 
galls.  Dr.  Harris  speaks  of  a  species  in  Massachu- 
setts, that  were  very  injurious  to  the  pear  trees  a  few 
years  since,  but  as  yet  they  have  not  made  their 
appearance  here."        

PnoTECTiNG  Grapes  in  Vineries— J".  /.,  Cleve- 
land, 0.,  writes : 

"This  spring  I  planted  a  vinery  of  Black  Ham- 
burg grapes.  Will  you  please  inform  me  in  your 
October  number  of  the  Gardener's  Monthly  if  they 
will  require  any  more  protection  than  the  glass,  in 
case  I  do  not  have  any  fire  in  the  house  till  I  start 
them  in  spring?  Also,  what  protection  they  will 
need,  or  what  method  is  usually  adopted  for  them  ?Ci; 

Also,  what  would  be  an  average  height  for  a  vinery 
back  wall,  as  I  intend  to  build  another  one  in 
spring  ?"C2  J 

[1.  They  will  require  no  more  protection. 
2.  Twelve  feet.]       

Protection  to  Dormant  Rose-Buds— i^.  P., 
Jamaica  Plain,  3/a«a.— Where  there  are  only  a  few 
choice  ones,  a  piece  of  cotton-wadding  tied  over  the 
bud  is  a  simple  and  effective  protection.  In  larger 
quantities,  the  best  plan  is  to  take  them  all  up  and 
heel  them  in  thickly  in  some  place  where  they  can 
be  protected  by  brushwood  or  other  litter.  Failures 
sometimes  occur  in  plants  laid  in,  by  too  damp  a 
place  being  chosen.  The  ground  for  healed-in 
plants  of  all  kinds  should  be  "high  and  dry." 


Aquatic  Plants — 3/.,  Gonnelshurg^  Pa.,  m<\mr(i^ 
where  he  can  buy  aquatic  plants  for  stocking  an 
aquarium  ?  Most  nurserymen  in  almost  all  our  large 
cities  could  probably  supply  them,  as,  if  they  do  not 
happen  to  have  them  themselves,  they  usually  know 
where  to  get  specialities  when  ordered.  There  are 
many  beautiful  plants,  in  every  one's  neighborhood, 
quite  as  rare  to  the  general  observer  as  if  brought 
from  abroad ;  any  botanical  friend  of  the  vicinity 
would  probably  indicate  their  whereabouts.  Ileter- 
anthera  reniformis,  Schollera  graminea,  Potamogeton 
natans,  Anacharis  Canadensin,  Vallisneria  spiralis, 
Charas^  and  others,  for  instance,  are  easily  obtained 
in  this  way.  

Peaches  for  Orchard  House — A  ^'■Suhscriher.^'' 
— Will  you  please  give  a  list  of  Peaches  suitable  for 
pot-culture?  Likewise,  the  best  twelve  peaches  for 
planting  in  the  peach-house,  all  on  plum  stock  ?  and 
if  all  peaches  and  nectarines  do  alike  well  on  plum 
stock  ? 

[Try  Chancellor,  Crawford's  Early,  Druid  Hill, 
Early  York,  Early  Newington,  Eliza,  George  IV., 
Grosse  Mignonne,  Morris  White,  Morris  Red, 
Noblesse,  Old  Mixon  Free.  There  may  be  others 
to  do  as  well  or  even  better  than  these,  but  these  we 
do  know  to  be  good  for  your  purpose.  We  believe 
all  do  equally  well  on  the  plum  stock.  ] 


Name  op  Plant— J".  0.  Z.,  Mount  Union,  Pa.— 
Datura  CBrugmans'.aJ  suaveolens. 


Plum,  Bowers'  Gage. — Several  friends  have 
called  our  attention  to  this  variety,  so  named  by  the 
parties  who  are  growing  it,  through  having  received 
it  from  its  raiser,  Mr.  Bower,  of  Philadelphia.  It 
very  closely  resembles  Lawrence's  Favorite  in  every 
respect,  and  we  think  scarcely  worth  a  separate 
name  and  distinction.  Like  that  excellent  kind,  it  is 
probably  a  seedling  from  the  Green  Gage.  Wherever 
it  has  been  grown  the  past  few  years  it  is  remarkably 
productive,  and  though  the  fruit  is  evidently  as  freely 
"stung"  by  the  curculio,  shows  no  tendency  to  rot 
in  consequence.  However,  we  are  forced  to  the 
conclusion  that  any  one  variety  when  in  a  perfectly 
healthy  state,  will  as  easily  resist  injury  from  the 
curculio  as  another.  A  slight  tendency  to  ill  health 
evidently  adds  to  the  injury  the  insect  does. 


Abronia  umbellata. — In  our  last,  in  answer  to 
a  correspondent,  we  stated  that  this  beautiful  plant 
was  not  yet  in  cultivation.  We  find  that  it  has  been 
grown  by  several  parties  in  the  Eastern  States  the 
past  season,  from  seeds  imported  from  Europe,  but 
it  had  somehow  escaped  our  observation. 


Troth's    Early    Red    Peach  — Isaac    Pullen, 
Hightstown,   If.   j,  —  ^^l  send   two  specimens  of 


Wsi\  i>ardeiwr'a  JHonthlg. 


Troth's  Early  Red  Peach,  one  of  which  has  a  sprig 
with  a  few  leaves.  It  is  the  first  that  ripens,  of  value, 
for  market  purposes.  The  same  fruit  ripens  in  Caro- 
line County,  Maryland,  about  the  first  of  August. 

[The  fruit  was  of  medium  size,  firm  in  flesh,  and 
excellent,  but  so  much  like  what  we  have  known  as 
Haines'  Early  Red,  that  we  are  either  mistaken  as  to 
the  identity  of  the  latter,  or  it  is  the  same.  We 
believe  there  are  several  supposed  varieties  so  nearly 
or  quite  alike,  but  with  different  names,  that  we 
make  the  suggestion  in  order  that  another  season 
the  confusion  may  be  cleared  up.  ] 


The  Fillmore  Strawberry— A  ^^  Subscriber,^' 
Baltimore,  Md.,  says  he  has  been  misapprehended 
as  having  spoken  disparagingly  of  this  variety  in 
his  article  in  the  September  number.  He  writes  that 
this  is  a  great  mistake,  and  that  it  gives  him  pleasure 
to  commend  that  variety  as  a  very  superior  berry. 


Errata.— In   the    past    articles  by  our  corres- 
pondent "L,"   the  following  typographical  errors 
occur,  which  the  reader  will  please  correct  in  their 
proper  pages  : 
Page  108.     28th  line  from  top,    first  column,    for 

Solundea  read  Solandra,  and  for  Hussel- 

quista  read  Hasselquista. 
do.         7th  line  from  bottom,  1st  column,  for 

mother  read  master. 
Page  178.     21st  line  from  top,  1st  column,  for  commit 

read  connect. 
do.         32d  line  from  top,  1st  column,  for  grapes 

read  grasses. 
Page  179.     12th  line  from  bottom,  1st  column,  for 

Antwaht  read  Antwerp. 

Names  of  Pines— "T^r^."— There  is  no  difllpr- 
ence.  Abies  orientalis  and  A.  Whitmaniana  are 
one  and  the  same.  The  former  is  the  name  it  is 
generally  known  by  all  over  Europe,  except  England, 
and  is  the  one  most  general  in  this  country. 


Peach  — JPVom  Wilmington.— As  we  send  this 
chapter  to  press,  September  10th,  we  receive  a  box 
of  fruit  from  Wilmington,  Del.,  no  letter  to  indicate 
from  whom.  It  resembles  Orosse  Mignonne,  but  is 
evidently  later  than  that  popular  favorite,  and  we 
think  in  general  qualities  would  compare  favorably 
with  it.  Altogether,  combining  beauty  and  general 
qualities  of  fruit,  wc  consider  it  the  best  we  have 
received  this  year. 

Sickness  and  Peath  in  the  family  of  the  Editor, 
will  explain  to  many  correspondents  and  friends, 
why  their  favors  have  been  temporarily  unnoticed, 
or  not  privately  acknowledged. 


[Concluded  from  page  2S3.] 

On  the  Sources  of  the  Nitrogen  of  Vegeta- 
tion ;  with  special  reference  to  the  Question 
whether  Plants  Assimilate  Free  or  Uncombined 
Nitrogen.  By  John  Bennet  Lawes,  Esq.,  F.  R 
S.,  F.  C.  S. ;  Joseph  Henry  Gilbert,  Ph.  D.,  F.  R.  S. 
F.  C.  S.  ;  and  Evan  Pugh,  Ph.  D.,  F.  C.  S. 

Turning  to  their  direct  experiments  on  the  ques- 
tion of  the  assimilation  of  free  nitrogen,  the  Authors 
first  consider  whether  such  assimilation  would  be 
most  likely  to  take  place,  when  the  plant  had  no 
other  supply  of  combined  nitrogen  than  that  con- 
tained in  the  seed  sown,  or  when  supplied  with  a 
limited  amount  of  combined  nitrogen,  or  with  an 
excess  of  combined  nitrogen  ?  And  again— whether 
at  an  early  stage  of  growth,  at  the  most  active  stage, 
or  when  the  plant  was  approacliing  maturity  ?  Com- 
binations of  these  several  circumstances  might  give 
a  number  of  special  conditions,  in  perhaps  only  one 
of  which  assimilation  of  free  nitrogen  might  take 
place,  in  case  it  could  in  any. 

It  is  hardly  to  be  supposed  that  free  nitrogen  would 
be  assimilated  if  an  excess  of  combined  nitrogen 
were  at  the  disposal  of  the  plant.  It  is  obvious, 
however,  that  a  wide  range  of  conditions  would  be 
experimentally  provided,  if  in  some  instances  plants 
were  supplied  with  no  more  combined  nitrogen 
than  that  contained  in  the  seed,  in  others  brought  to 
a  given  stage  of  growth  by  means  of  limited  extra- 
neous supplies  of  combined  nitrogen,  and  in  others 
supplied  with  combined  nitrogen  in  a  more  liberal 
measure.  It  has  been  sought  to  provide  these  con- 
ditions in  the  experiments  under  consideration. 

In  the  selection  of  plants,  it  was  sought  to  take 
such  as  would  be  adapted  to  the  artificial  conditions 
of  temperature,  moisture,  «&c.,  involved  in  the  ex- 
periment, and  also  such  as  were  of  importance  in 
an  agricultural  point  of  view,— to  have  representa- 
tives, moreover,  of  the  two  great  natural  families, 
the  Graminacea;  and  the  Leguminosaj,  which  seem 
to  differ  so  widely  in  their  relations  to  the  combined 
nitrogen  supplied  within  the  soil;  and  finally,  to  have 
some  of  the  same  descriptions  as  those  experimented 
upon  by  M.  Boussingault  and  31.  G.  Ville,  with  such 
discordant  results. 

Thirteen  experiments  were  made  (four  in  1857  and 
nine  in  1858)  in  which  the  plants  were  supplied  with 
no  other  combined  nitrogen  than  that  contalucd  in 
the  original  seed.  In  twelve  of  the  cases  prepared 
soil  was  the  matrix,  and  in  the  remaining  one  pre- 
pared pumice. 


1 

5 


i'   U 


I 


,1 


Of  nine  experiments  with  Graminaceous  plants, 
one  with  wheat  and  two  with  barley  were  made  in 
1857.  In  one  of  the  experiments  with  barley  there  was 
a  gain  of  0.0016,  and  in  the  other  0.002G  gramme  of 
nitrogen.  In  only  two  cases  of  the  experiments 
with  cereals  in  1858,  was  there  any  gain  of  nitrogen 
indicated ;  and  in  both  it  amounted  to  only  a  small 
fraction  of  a  milligramme.  Indeed,  in  no  one  of 
the  cases,  in  either  1857  or  1858,  was  there  more  ni- 
trogen in  the  plants  themselves^  than  in  the  seed 
sown.  A  gain  was  indicated  only  when  the  nitro- 
gen in  the  soil  and  pot,  which  together  weighed 
about  1500  grammes,  was  brought  into  the  calcula- 
tion. Moreover,  the  gain  only  exceeded  one  milli- 
gramme in  the  case  of  the  experiments  of  1857, 
when  slate,  instead  of  glazed  earthenware,  stands 
were  used  as  the  lute  vessels ;  and  there  was  some 
reason  to  believe  that  the  gain  indicated  was  due  to 
this  circumstance.  In  none  of  the  other  cases  was 
the  gain  more  than  would  be  expected  from  error  in 
analysis. 

The  result  was,  then,  that  in  no  one  case  of  these 
experiments  was  there  any  such  gain  of  nitrogen  as 
could  lead  to  the  supposition  that /r^e  nitrogen  had 
been  assimilated.  The  plants  had,  however,  vege- 
tated for  several  months,  had  in  most  cases  more 
than  trebled  the  carbon  of  the  seed,  and  had  ob- 
viously been  limited  in  their  growth  for  want  of  a 
supply  of  available  nitrogen  in  some  form.  During 
this  long  period  they  were  surrounded  by  an  at- 
mosphere containing  free  nitrogen  ;  and  their  cells 
were  penetrated  by  fluid  saturated  with  that  element. 
It  may  be  further  mentioned,  that  many  of  the  plants 
formed  glumes  and  palero  for  seed. 

It  is  to  be  observed  that  the  results  of  these  ex- 
periments with  cereals  go  to  confirm  those  of  M- 
Bousslngault. 

The  Leguminous  plants  experimented  upon  did 
not  grow  so  healthily  under  the  artificial  conditions 
as  did  the  cereals.  Still,  in  all  three  of  the  cases  of 
these  plants  in  which  no  combined  nitrogen  was 
provided  beyond  that  contained  in  the  original  seed, 
the  carbon  in  the  vegetable  matter  produced  was 
much  greater  than  that  in  the  seed,— in  one  instance 
more  than  three  times  greater.  In  no  case,  however, 
was  there  any  indication  of  assimilation  of  free  ni- 
trogen, any  more  than  there  had  been  by  the  Gra- 
minaceous plants  grown  under  similar  circum- 
stances. 

One  experiment  was  made  Avith  buckwheat,  sup- 
plied with  no  other  combined  nitrogen  than  that 
contained  in  the  seed.  The  result  gave  no  indication 
of  assimilation  of  free  nitrogen. 

In  regard  to  the  whole  of  the  experiments  in 
which  the  plants  were  supplied  with  no  combined 
nitrogen  beyond  that  contained  in  the  seed,  it  may 


be  observed  that,  from  the  constancy  of  the  amount 
of  combined  nitrogen  present  in  relation  to  that 
supplied,  throughout  the  experiments,  it  may  be 
inferred,  as  well  that  there  was  no  evolution  of  free 
nitrogen  by  the  growing  plant,  as  that  there  was  no 
assimilation  of  it ;  but  it  cannot  hence  be  concluded 
that  there  would  be  no  such  evolution  if  an  excess 
of  combined  nitrogen  were  supplied. 

The  results  of  a  number  of  experiments,  in  which 
the  plants  were  supplied  with  more  or  less  of  com- 
bined nitrogen,  in  the  form  of  ammonia-salts,  or  of 
nitrates,  are  recorded.  Ten  were  with  cereals ;  four 
in  1857  and  six  in  1858.  Three  were  with  Legumi- 
nous plants ;  and  there  were  also  some  with  plants  of 
other  descriptions— all  in  1858. 

In  the  case  of  the  cereals  more  particularly,  the 
growth  was  very  greatly  increased  by  the  extraneous 
supply  of  combined  nitrogen ;  in  fact,  the  amount 
of  vegetable  matter  produced  was  eight,  twelve,  and 
even  thirty  times  greater  than  in  parallel  cases  witii- 
out  such  supply.  The  amount  of  nitrogen  appro- 
priated was  also,  in  all  cases  many  times  greater,  and 
in  one  case  more  than  thirty  times  as  great,  when  a 
supply  of  combined  nitrogen  was  provided.  The 
evidence  is,  therefore,  sufllciently  clear  that  all  the 
conditions  provided,  apart  from  those  which  de- 
pended upon  a  supply  of  combined  nitrogen,  were 
adapted  for  vigorous  growth ;  and  that  the  limita- 
tion of  growth  where  no  combined  nitrogen  was 
supplied  was  due  to  the  want  of  such  sup[>ly. 

In  two  out  of  the  four  experiments  with  cereals 
in  1857,  there  was  a  slight  gain  of  nitrogen  beyond 
that  which  should  occur  from  error  in  analysis  ;  but 
in  no  one  of  the  six  in  1858,  when  glazed  earthen- 
ware, instead  of  slate,  stands  were  used,  was  there 
any  such  gain.  It  is  concluded,  therefore,  that 
there  was  no  assimilation  of  free  nitrogen.  In  some 
cases  the  supply  of  combined  nitrogen  was  not 
given  until  the  plants  showed  signs  of  decline; 
when,  on  each  addition,  increased  vigor  was  rapidly 
manifested.  In  others  the  supply  was  given  earlier 
and  was  more  liberal. 

As  in  the  case  of  the  Leguminous  plants  grown 
without  extraneous  supply  of  combined  nitrogen, 
those  grown  with  it  progressed  much  less  healthily 
than  the  Graminaceous  plants.  But  the  results  under 
these  conditions,  so  far  as  they  go,  did  not  indicate 
any  assimilation  of  free  nitrogen. 

The  results  of  experiments  with  plants  of  other 
descriptions,  in  which  an  extraneous  supply  of  com- 
bined nitrogen  was  provided,  also  failed  to  show  an 
assimilation  of  free  nitrogen. 

Thus,  nineteen  experiments  with  Graminaceous 
plants,  nine  without  and  ten  with  an  extraneous 
supply  of  combined  nitrogen,— six  with  Leguminous 
plants,  three  without  and  three  with  an  extraneous 


(§>x- 


ilje  ^ardnttr's  Poiithlg. 


m 


supplj'-  of  combined  nitrogen,  and  also  some  with 
other  plants,  have  been  made.  In  nona  of  tjie  ex- 
periments, with  plants  so  widely  different  as  the 
Graminaceous  and  Leguminous,  and  with  a  wide 
range  of  conditions  of  growth,  was  there  evidence 
of  an  assimilation  of  free  nitrogen. 

The  conclusions  from  the  whole  inquiry  may  be 
briefly  summed  up  as  follows  : 

The  yield  of  nitrogen  in  the  vegetation  over  a 
given  area,  within  a  given  time,  especially  in  the 
case  of  Leguminous  crops,  is  not  satisfactorily  ex- 
plained by  reference  to  the  hitherto  quantitatively 
determined  supplies  of  combined  nitrogen. 

The  results  and  conclusions  hitherto  recorded  by 
dlff"erei.t  experimenters  on  the  question  whether 
plants  assimilate /ree  or  w7icombined  nitrogen,  are 
very  conflicting. 

Tlie  conditions  provided  in  the  experiments  of  the 
authors  on  this  question  were  found  to  be  quite 
consistent  with  the  healthy  development  of  various 
Graminaceous  plants,  but  not  so  much  so  for  that 
of  the  Leguminous  plants  experimented  upon. 

It  is  not  probab  e  that,  under  the  circumstances  of 
the  experiments  on  assimilation,  there  would  be  any 
supply  to  the  plants  of  an  unaccounted  quantity  of 
combined  nitrogen,  due  to  the  influence  either  of 
ozone,  or  of  nascent  hydrogen. 

It  is  not  probable  that  there  would  be  a  loss  of  any 
of  the  combined  nitrogen  involved  in  an  experiment 
on  assimilation,  due  to  the  evolution  of  free  nitrogen 
in  the  decomposition  of  organic  matter,  excepting 
in  certain  cases  when  it  might  be  pre-supposed. 

It  is  not  probable  that  there  would  be  any  loss  due 
to  the  evolution  of  free  nitrogen  from  the  nitro- 
genous constituents  of  the  plants  during  growth. 

In  numerous  experiments  with  Graminaceous 
plants,  under  a  wide  ra'ige  of  conditions  of  growth, 
in  no  case  was  there  any  evidences  of  an  assimilation 

of  free  nitrogen. 

In  experiments  with  Leguminous  plants  the  growth 

was  less  satisfactory,  and  the  range  of  conditions 
was,  therefore,  more  limited.  But  the  results  with 
I  these  plants,  so  far  as  they  go,  do  not  indicate  any 
assimilation  of  free  nitrogen.  It  is  desirable  that 
the  evidence  of  further  experiments  with  such  plants, 
imder  conditions  of  more  healthy  growth,  should  be 

obtained. 

Results  obtained  with  some  other  plants,  are  in 
the  same  sense  as  those  with  Graminaceous  and 
Leguminous  ones,  in  regard  to  the  question  of  the 
assimilation  of  free  nitrogen. 

If  in  view  of  the  evidence  afl'orded  by  the  non- 
asslmilation  of  free  nitrogen  by  plants,  it  is  very 
desirable  that  the  several  actual  or  possible  sources 


more  fully  investigated,  both  qualitatively  and  quan- 
titatively. 

If  it  be  established  that  plants  do  not  assimilate 
free  or  uncombined  nitrogen,  the  source  of  the  large 
amount  of  combined  nitrogen  known  to  exist  on 
the  surface  of  the  globe  and  in  the  atmosphere,  still 
awaits  a  satisfactory  explanation. 


whence  they  may  derive  combined  nitrogen  should  be 


Patent    Office    Report    for    1860    contains 
chapters    on    the    "  Operations   of  the    Experimental 
Garden:'      If  this  were  an  institution  for  "experi- 
menting," we  should  hail  it  as  a  national  blessing  ; 
but  from  what  we  can  gather  from  the  "Report,"  it 
has  no  such  objects.     The  main  idea  seems  to  be  to 
"propagate  for  distribution."     It  says  of  the  tea- 
plant  hobby  :  "32,000  seedling  plants  were  distrib- 
uted in  1850-00."     "Little  can  be  said  of  them  be- 
yond the  fact  that  they  are  alive  and  prospering," 
which,  as  every  one  knows  the  tea-plant  has  been 
"alive  and  prospering"  in  the  Southern  States  for 
the  last  fifty  years,  must  be  supposed  to  be  cheap 
information.     "  In  a  number  of  instances,  the  plants 
were  placed  in  the  ground  as   received  from   the 
garden,  with  the  moss  and  packing  around  them, 
and  have,  of  course,  never  exhibited  life."     "8000 
plants  have  been  propagated  from  cuttings,  and  a 
like  number  will  be  raised  to  be  distributed  annually 
to  replace  losses,  until  private  interest  shall  discover 
in  the  enterprise  an  effectual  incentive  to  its  efl"cctual 
prosecution."     Verily,  it  will  be  a  long  time  before 
"private  interest"  will  prove  any  incentive  to  raising 
and  distributing  gratuitously  plants  to  parties  who 
set  plants,  packing  and  all  in  the  ground,  and  ex- 
pect to  raise  therefrom  chests  of  tea. 

That  the  tea-plant  will  live  and  prosper  in  our 
country  south^  of  Washington,  is  wefl  known.  The 
only  question'never  yet  answered  satisfactorily,  but 
which,  so  far,  has  been  answered  negatively,  is. 
Can  tea  be  prej)ared  as  cheaply  here  as  it  can  be  im- 
ported ?  If  the  "Experimental"  would  answer  that 
for  us,  it  would  soon  find  "  private  enterprise"  ready 
with  the  plants,  and  buyers  for  them. 

We  are  utterly  opposed  to  this  scattering  of  thou- 
sands of  dollars  annually  over  the  land,  on  the  hap- 
hazard principle,  that  probably  one  dollar  may  some 
day  produce  a  return,  and  repeat  what  we  have  said 
in  former  issues  of  our  journal,  that  it  is  time  an 
end  was  put  to  this  folly. 

jl  Chaiter  on  Fertilizers,  by  the  Hon.  Thos. 
Clemson,  of  South  Carolina,  is  one  of  the  best  ab- 
stracts of  what  is  known  of  the  subject  up  to  the 
present  time  that  we  have  seen,  and  is  filled  with 
statistical  tables  that  will  be  of  great  service  to  ex- 
perimental agriculturists. 

An  original  feature  is  a  chapter  entitled  "  Notes 


w 


I 


'®^ — 


318 


CIu  §m)^mtxs  Hl^Jnthlj^ 


& 


on  the  ProgrcM  of  Agricultural  Statistics,^ ^  by 
David  A.  Wells,  Troy,  New  York.  In  this  those 
who  have  had  the  preparation  of  the  report  have, 
for  the  first  time,  we  think,  approached  the  idea  of 
what  such  a  production  should  be, — a  sketch  of  the 
real  progress  of  the  nation  in  practical  agriculture. 

Observations  on  English  Husbandry,  by  II.  F. 
French,  will  have  a  beneficial  influence  on  those 
of  our  farmers  who  will  divest  themselves  of  preju- 
dice against  "foreign"  notions,  and,  prepared  to 
test  all  things  and  hold  fast  to  that  which  is 
good,  contrast  the  superiority  or  inferiority  of  dif- 
fering national  practices,  and  profit  by  the  result. 

Irrigation,    by  E.    G.    Smith,  is  an   epitome   of 
what  is  known  in  Europe  on  the  subject. 

Grasses  for  the  South,  by  Rev.  C.  Howard,  is 
mainly  a  defence  against  the  charge  that  the  well 
knoAn  agricultural  ruin  of  the  South  is  caused  by 
negro  slavery.  "Land,"  he  says,  "does  not  com- 
mand an  average  of  five  dollars  an  acre  in  Georgia, 
and  generally  decreases  in  value,  rather  than  rises  by 
agricultural  operations  on  it."  He  contends,  never- 
theless, that  intelligence  is  of  little  moment  in  the 
agricultural  laborer,  so  that  the  man  who  directs  the 
labor  is  enlightened ;  and  that  the  great  cause  of 
their  depression  is  the  want  of  stock  on  their  farms. 

Dr.  Emerson,  of  Philadelphia,  gives  a  chapter  on 
the  Cattle  Disease.  W.  Buckisch,  of  Texas,  on  Bee 
Culture.  Fish  Culture,  translated  from  tlie  German 
of  Dr.  Fraas.  Mr.  P.  R.  Uhler,  Baltimore,  Insects 
Irijurious  to  Vegetation.  Wine-Making,  translated 
from  the  German.  O  rape -Cult  are  and  Wine-Making, 
by  D.  G.  Goodloe,.  Washington,  I).  C.,Avho  acknow- 
ledges to  its  being  an  abstract  of  the  old  treatise  of 
Henderson  ;  a  rare  specimen  of  honesty  when  the 
course  of  other  writers  in  back  volumes  of  the  re- 
ports is  considered.  It  is  a  very  useful  chapter. 
Cvlture  of  Grapes  in  Graperies,  by  Dr.  Parker, 
Utica,  N.  Y.,  is  a  well  written  chapter,  full  of  de- 
tails which  will  have  the  etfect  of  drawing  close 
attention  to  the  advantages  of  graperies  in  the  more 
agricultural  point  of  view.  The  theory  of  the 
Doctor  as  to  the  causes  that  lead  to  the  necessity 
of  graperies  on  this  continent  may  be  open  to  a  little 
criticism,  but  that  is  not  of  much  moment  so  fiir  as 
the  practical  good  likely  to  result  from  the  article  is 
concerned. 

The  Forest  Trefs  of  .America.  By  Dr.  J.  G. 
Cooper,  of  Hoboken,  N.  J.,  is  one  of  the  most 
original  and  valuable  papers  ever  honoring  a  Patent 
Otfice  Report.  It  is  accompanied  by  a  map  showing 
the  distribution  of  the  species  over  the  whole  conti- 
nent as  near  as  can  be. 

Tea,  by  S.  Bonsall,  of  Philadelphia,  goes  into  the 
whole  culture  and  management  of  the  article. 


Pentstemon  srECTAiJiLis  (Shotcy  Pentstemon). — 
Nat.  Ord.,  Scrophulariaceaj.  Linn.,  Didynamia 
Angiospermia.  "A  lovely  Califomian  species." 
Flowers  numerous,  in  a  panicle,  on  a  stem  nearly  two 
feet  high.  Introduced  by  Messrs.  Low,  of  Clapton, 
where  it  flowered  last  May.— Botanical  Mag.  ^  t.  52G0. 


Dendrotuum  HrT.LTi  (Mr.  HilVs  Dendrobium).— 
Nat.  Ord.,  Orchidacea?.  Linn.,  Gynandria  Mon- 
andria.  Named  after  Mr.  Walter  Hill,  Superintend- 
ent of  the  Botanic  Garden  at  Morcton  Bay,  who 
sent  it  to  the  Kew  Gardens.  Flowers  white. — Ibid, 
t.  5201.  

CEitiNTHE  KETOTiTA  ( CuTved-flowered  Cerinthe). — 
Nut.   Ord.,  Boraginere.      Linn.,   Pentandria   Mono- 


Chinese    JgrxcuUure.      Agricultural    patents    and  ' 
donations  to  the  "experimental"  closes  the  volume. 
Altogether,  it  is  the  best  ever  issued  by  the  depart- 
ment, and  affords  hopes  of  progress  in  that  quarter. 

AdDIIESS  on   THE  EpIZOOTY,  LATELY  PREVALENT 

AMONG  Swine,  by  Edwin  M.  Snow,  M.  D.,  and  G. 
L.  Collins,  M,  D.,  of  Providence,  R.  I.  Read  be- 
fore the  Rhode  Island  Medical  Society,  June  19, 1801. 

Annals  of  the  Botanical  Society  op  Canada, 
Vol.  I.,  Part  II.  We  should  be  much  obliged  by  the 
additional  favor  of  the  first  part  of  this  very  interest- 
ing serial.  We  are  very  glad  to  find  by  it  that  the 
utility  of  the  society  is  at  least  demonstrated,  and  it 
has  our  best  wishes  for  its  permanent  success. 

trade  lists  received. 
Isaac  Jackson  &  Co.,  Harmony  Grove,  Penna. 
Daniel  Engle,  Marietta,  Pa.  Bailey  &  Bro.,  Wil- 
mington, Del.  E.  J.  Evans  &  Co.,  York,  Pa.  L. 
Ellsworth  &  Co.,  Naperville,  111.  H.  Southwick 
&  Sons,  Dunsville,  N.  Y.  E.  Moody  &  Son,  Lock- 
port,  N.  Y.  A.  F.  Conard  &  Bro.,  West  Grove,  Pa. 
J.  L.  Darlington  &  Co.,  W^est  Chester,  Pa.  O.  B. 
Maxwell  &  Co  ,  Dansville,  N.  Y. 

Descriptive  Catalogue  of  E.  Y.  Teas,  Rich- 
mond, Indiana. 

The  Horticulturist. — Our  contemporary  has 
changed  owners,  Mr.  George  E.  Woodward  con- 
jointly with  the  editor,  Mr.  P.  B.  Mead,  having 
l)urchased  it  of  Mr.  Saxton.  Mr.  Woodward  is 
known  to  our  readers  b}'^  his  excellent  articles  on 
landscape-gardening,  and  as  he  will  be  associated 
with  ^Ir.  Mead  in  the  editorship  also,  we  are  as- 
sured that  the  reputation  of  the  mjgazine  will  lose 
nothing  by  the  change. 


^\[\  dardmer'a  J[lontHg. 


gynia.  Hardy  lierbaceous  plant  eighteen  inches 
high.  Racemes  of  flowers  terminal,  recurved; 
bracts  large,  blue;  corollas  yellow,  tipped  with  red- 
dish-purple ;  "leaves  glaucous  green,  spotted  like 
those  of  a  Pulmonaria.  It  is  a  native  of  Caria,  in 
the  Peloponnesus,  where  it  was  found  by  Sibthorp ; 
and  in  wooded  places  in  Dalmatia,  according  to 
Viviani.  Lovers  of  hardy  plants  will  do  well  to  rear 
this  in  the  open  borders  of  their  gardens.  It  is  [best 
treated  as  an]  annual,  may  be  increased  by  seeds, 
and  should  be  planted  in  tufts.  Our  plant  was  raised 
from  seed  sent  to  us  by  Mr.  Thompson,  of  Ipswich." 
—Ibid.,  t.  5204. 

CiiYSis  aurea,  var.  Lemminghei  (Lemming's 
Golden-Jlowered  Chysis).-Nat.  Ord.,  Orchidaceae. 
Linn.,  Gynandria  Monogynia.  Named  in  honor  of 
Count  Lemminghe.  Instead  of  the  flowers  being 
golden  colored,  they  are  nearly  white  or  cream 
colored,  the  lip  only  being  tinged  with  yeflow  ; 
purple  or  lilac  blotches  are  on  the  sepals  and  petals, 
and  dark  purple  streaks  and  spots  inside  the  labellum. 
Sent  to  Kew  from  Hamburg  by  Mr.  SchUler.— i6irf., 
t.  5205. 

Gompiiia  oliv^formis  (Olive-fruited  Gomphia). 
Nat.  0/-d.,0chrace8e.  i>tnn.,  Pentandria  Monogynia. 
It  has  also  been  called  G.  decorans.  Native  of 
Brazil,  introduced  by  Messrs.  Hendersons,  Welling- 
ton Road  Nursery.  "It  produced  its  panicle  ot 
bright  yellow  flowers  in  the  Kew  stove  during  May 
of  \mi:'—Ihid.,  t.  5202. 

Caladium  ricolor,  var.  Versciiaffeltii  C  Ver- 
schafcU'8  Tivo-colorcd  Caladium.— 1< at.  Ord.,  Aro- 
idcie  Linn.,  Monoecia  Monandria.  Sent  to  Kew  by 
M  Ciuiutin,  of  Paris.  "  Upon  tlie  deep  green  ground 
of  the  blade  of  the  leaf  are  numerous  irregular 
blotches  of  a  rich  blood  [almost  ctirmine]  color,  the 
largi'st  of  which  are  ocellated-that  is,  have  little  eye- 
like spots  of  green  in  their  centnis.— i/'t'/.,  i.  55J08. 

Ceueus  MacDonaldii  has  again  flowered  in  our 
collection,  and  much  finer  than  last  year.  The 
flower  measured  thirteen  inches  in  diameter  from  tip  to 
tip  of  the  sepals.  It  is  certainly  a  very  showy  and 
desirable  species,  not  so  highly  colored  in  the  sepals 
as  C.  grandifloius,  but  in  size  very  much  larger.  It 
blooms  at  night  like  the  hxiiaT.—lIovey's  Magazine. 


up,  potted  them,  and  kept  them  in  a  cold  pit  during 
the  winter,  they  might  furnish  another  crop  the  fol- 
lowing spring.  I  tried  the  experiment  on  two  of 
the  best  roots,  potted  them,  and  kept  them  in  a  cold 
pit  until  the  1st  of  February.  At  that  time  I  placed 
them  in  a  hothouse,  in  which  the  average  tempera- 
ture was  about  00  degrees.  They  soon  began  to 
send  up  strong  shoots,  and  to  show  flower  in  abund- 
ance from  the  ground  upwards.  In  May  they  were 
twelve  feet  high,  and  made  a  very  good  appearance  in 
greenhouse,  where  they  passed  with  many  for  a  new 
species  of  plant. 

If  I  had  saved  thirty  or  forty  roots,  and  had  put 
them  in  heat  in  spring,  in  the  manner  done  with 
Dahlias,  and  if  I  had  turned  them  out  in  the  open 
air  about  the  same  time  that  these  plants  are  turned 
out,  I  certainly  should  have  been  able  to  gather  kid- 
ney beans  a  month  sooner  than  is  done  by  the  usual 
practice  of  sowing  in  the  open  garden. 

In  cottage  gardens,  the  roots  might  be  taken  up 
every  autumn,  and  preserved  in  the  same  way  as 
those  of  potatoes  ;  and,  by  being  planted  on  a  fresh 
piece  of  ground  in  spring,  they  would  not  only  pro- 
duce a  much  earlier,  but  a  much  more  abundant  crop 
than  one  raised  from  seed. 

[We  give  the  above  from  an  English  journal  in  or- 
der to  suggest  that  the  mode  be  treated  with  oiu- 
Lima  Beans.  Though  called  Lima,  we  believe  it  is 
a  native  of  the  East  Indies,  and  in  its  own  country 
a  perennial.  If  they  can  be  kept  as  above  described, 
we  have  no  doubt  but  more  than  a  month's  difference 
would  be  experienced  in  the  earliness  of  the  crop.] 


yorplgn  Inlfpnigpnrp. 


To  Preserve  Scarlet  Runner  Beans  through 
the  Winter  for  an  Early  Crop.— Some  few 
years  ago,  in  the  month  of  Noveml)er,  when  dig- 
ging the  ground  where  the  crop  of  runners  had 
grown,  I  could  not  help  noticing  the  large  size  of 
tlie  roots  ;  and  it  occurred  to  me  that,  if  I  took  them 


Carnations  at  Christmas.— Proceed  thus  :— If 
you  have  not  such  plants,  obtain  two  or  three  dozen 
from  a  niuscrymen.     The  plants  will  generally  be 
small,  and  you  would  have  had  a  better  chance  if 
you  had  obtained  them  in  April.     However,  better 
late  than  never.     These  will  gene  ally  be  in  small 
pots  called  GO's,  and  most  likely  showing  a  bloom. 
Cut  all  blooming  shoots  otf,  and  after  gently  disen- 
tangling the  roots  repot  into  six  inch  pots,  using 
light,  rich,  sandy  loam,  and  place  in  a  shady  position 
until  the  roots  begin  to  work  freely.     A  few  of  these 
stronger  plants  may  be  placed  in  10-pots  or  24-pots, 
and  potted  very  firmly.     If  that  can  be  done  before 
September  all  api>earance  of  flowering-shoots  until 
then  should  be  stopped.     These  plants  thus  stopped 
and  potted  will  generally  throw  up  flower-shoots  in 
October,  which  will  bloom  in  the  greenhouse  in  No- 
vember and  onwards.- Ionr/o7i  Cottage  Gardener. 


Shade  Trees  in  Paris.- It  has  been  calculated  that 
Paris,  at  present,  covers  a  space  of  78,080,000  yards. 
It  contains  148,000  trees,  occupying  a  space  equal 
to  330,890  square  yards.     The  trees  consist  of  horsc- 


i 


\'-  ■] 


i:  \ 


,1/ 


^^  hardener's  Pflnt|)lg. 


chestnuts,  elms,  acacias,  lime  trees,  and  others.  It 
is  estimated  that  these  trees  cover,  with  their  shade, 
a  space  of  220,200,000  yards,  sufficient  to  protect 
1,589,000  individuals  from  the  rays  of  the  sun. 


Ijortirulfupal  jSori?Hps. 


PENNSYLVANIA    HORTICULTURAL 
SOCIETY. 

The  September  exhibition,  which  was  held  at  Conceit  Hall, 
TiKisilay  cveuiUi,',  the  17ih  ult.,  was  well  alieuded,  DoiwUhstauil- 
iiig  Uie  hiorin.  ihe  disjilay  iu  the  various  depaniiu'uts  of  pluuts, 
tluweis,  tiuus  aud  vegetables  wan  uuusally  hue,  aud  coiiipiistd  a 
large  vaneiy  ul  ohjtcis  oi  lulorest.  The  dopai  tuieut  of  oruaiiieutal 
foliage  jilauu  was  uevor  before  »o  large  aud  so  rich.  Mr.  J.  Fol- 
luck,  garuciur  to  Jaiiies  Jjuiida.s,  Jisq.,  exliibited  a  superb  collec- 
tion, luinpMsinj,'  inauy  uuveities.  Auioug  tliem  wiiiild  meutiou 
tiie  Uuvuaudia  leuesiralis  or  Madagascar  Lace  I'laut,  growiug 
uuder  water,  ihe  Alucasia  Metallita,  aud  the  Caladiuin  iiellfyniei, 
as  of  the  higUcst  beauty.  Also  a  tiue  Huwer  of  the  Victuna  ivgia. 
'Ihu  L.ice  1  laiit  was  exijibited  in  au  euoruioiis  while  cluua  bowl, 
wuich  showed  its  singular  black  net-like  leaves  to  great  advantage. 
'J  he  Alocas.a  luetallica  is  a  uiusl  beautiful  aciiuisiiion ;  ihc  leal  re- 
Hciiiblmg  a  concave  b.onze,  or  raihur,  biirnihhoil  shield. 

iheir  splendid  growth  aud  liue  coudiiiou  uierit  the  highest 
praise,  ana  rcceivtil  two  special  i»reiniuui.s  of  5^)  cacli,  aud  one  of 
*i.  Mr.  I'oUock  exhibiteu  lor  the  tirst  time  belore  this  .Society, 
ill /rail,  the  rare  I'uiloOeudrou  pertuosuiu.  Also  the  foliosviug 
new  plains  .-howa  for  the  tirst  time;  Taladiuni  liaraciniuii,  Maranla 
aivyiaia,  Marauta  luetalliia,  Caladiuui  liasialuui,  CaiaUiuin  lielley- 
URi,  caiuio'loboins  argyroiieuia,  Cyauopliylluin  Assaimcnui, 
Uuviranara  leuestralis,  Aiocasia  metallica,  liroinelia  pnncep.s. 

fo  Lharlos  11.  Miller,  gardener  to  i).  fioduey  Km.,',  was 
awarded  a  special  preuiiuui  of  $.1  for  his  varud  and  beautiful 
collection  of  lerus,  var.egaied  plants,  and  new  plants  showu  lor 
the  hrsi  tune,  al.-»o  lor  the  bvst  six  ferut.,  ihe  re.milar  pn'nuum  of 
♦  l,  aud  the  same  tor  me  best  variegated  plants  and  de.Mgns.  The 
iatier  wa.-»  worthy  ol  bpecial  alteutiou,  as  one  t>f  the  most  graceful 
aud  no\el  coiuuiuatious  eutuely  of  oruaiuenlal  foliage  ever  ex- 
hibiteU  beioie  lUe  iSociety. 

Ihe  new  plants  exiiibied,  for  the  first  time,  by  Mr.  D.  R.  King, 
comprised  tne  Aigyra;a  argentea,  Micania  speciosa,  Draca'ua 
iiuiiiptiu  auU  Campy lobotns  amaragdiua,  to  wiiicU  was  awarded 
a  special  piemiuin  oi  s^J.  Mr.  lleury  A.  Dreer's  collection  of  Uoses, 
tiUUioiuses  auU  uauiias  obta.ned  the  premium  ol  »!  aud  *2,  le.spec- 
lively.  lliey  weie  all  ol  ilie  very  cUoicesl  varieties,  aud  elicited 
high  praise.    The  Uladiuluses  were  all  varieties  of  ilie  (jaud.iveusis. 

i»ie.-,sis  1*.  Muckcuiiie  H,  »ou  contributed  liliy-two  specinieus  of 
assorted  Uovveriug  aud  loliage  plauts,  tweuiy-live  dilfereuiUalilias, 
aud  as  many  v«roeuas,  aua  a  choice  group  ol  piuk.s,  ro.ses  aud 
petunias.  Auioug  lueir  collcctlou  were  eight  uew  plantri  of  note, 
iiiciuUlug  Lituiaua  fulgeus  luutabilis,  Ipomea  tricolor,  1.  limbata 
el.gauii<-»ima,  t^aiadium.'*  Houiletii,  Nau  Voislu,  iJroguarlii  aud 
b.-iieymeii,  and  ine  reui.-ieuion  Victory.  The  verbenas  com- 
priseU  many  euiiieiy  uew  oues,  whose  names  we  did  uot  learn. 

lur.  UoUea  i>Uist  oiought  a  number  of  variegated  plauts,  J^'erns, 
tix  uew  ijegouias,  aud  tne  same  number  of  new  plauts.  Among 
Itie  latter  wus  a  v^ouiier,  tlie  Araucaria  exceL.'<a,  of  delicate 
aud  beauiuul  loliage.,  aud  vt  ry  symmetrical  growth.  The  others 
wtsru  tut)  Uteris  uiscolor,  aph(*:ronteimua  marmorata,  Panax  truli- 
cosum.ljia.^iouia  i'aimataaud  tlelerucenirum  album  ;  to  tliese  were 
awaruetl  ^2  lor  bent  Vouiier,  aud  a  special  premium  of  $2  for  best 
three  uew  plauts.  The  terus  Were  e.'«pecially  admired,  aud  were 
favorably  noticed  by  the  Committee. 

James  badie,  g.iiaenur  to  Ur.  Hush,  received  the  award  of  $.'} 
for  the  best  colleciioii  of  teu  plauts,  lu  pots,  aud  9<.i  for  the  best 
specimen  plant ;  also  Ifl  for  tUe  best  collection  of  i'eaches.  The 
large  si^e,  uaudsome  bloom,  and  graceful  and  skilful  tr<tining  of 
the.ie  plaut.t,  made  ihem  a  dieliuguishing  feature  of  the  exhibition, 
aud  his  Melacotou  I'eacUes,  lor  average  size  aud  beauty  ut  color, 
have  rarely  been  equalleU  in  the  Siocieiy's  displays. 

Adam  urahaui,  gardener  to  (Jen.  Robert  I'atier.son,  carried  off 
the  pri/e  for  tue  beat  collection  ot  hix  plants,  in  pots,  ^i.  lie  also 
exUibited  a  liue  specimen  plant,  the  Crinum  amainlis. 

W'm.  Joyce,  gardener  to  M.  W.  Baldwin,  brought  both  fruits  and 
flowers,  aud  obtaiued  premiums  in  both  departments.  For  the  best 
four  Orchids,  he  took  the  prize  of  l|ll,  and  for  the  best  ihree  Piuo 
Apples  in  pots,  also  fl.  His  beautiful  collection  ol  Ferns,  many 
Ot  them  new,  received  special  mention  in  the  report  of  the  (Join- 
niitlee.  The  new  oues  were  (ionophelebium  ep.,  Uyniuogranima 
Marteusi,  Oymuograinma  aigyrophylla,  ISt>lhociaiia  cliry.sophylla. 
A  disti  of  luscious  (Juava  fruit,  liom  which  the  well-known  jelly  is 
made,  met  due  apiueciation  irom  the  '•ta.sliny"  Committee. 

Samuel  Mason  received  the  award  of  iJCi  lor  the  best  pair  of 
plants. 


Thomas  Meehan  presented  the  fine.st  collection  of  hardy  herba- 
ceous cut  flowers,  and  received  the  premium  therefor  of  ♦!.  Among 
his  other  contributions  we  noticed  also  some  very  fine  dahlias,  six 
blooms  of  as.sorted  Phlox  decussata,  and  a  new  annual  plant  shown 
for  the  first  time,  <  allirrhoe  pedata  nana,  ,        ,t    . 

Mr.  Carl  MuUer  exhibited  a  very  pretty  seedling  Verbena,  quite 
distinct  in  color  from  any  ever  before  shown.  ,.     ^    , 

liMr.  Robert  Kilvingtons  basket  of  cut  flowers  was  the  object  of 
much  attention  and  praise,  from  its  beautiful  arrangement  and 
contrast  of  colors,  and  its  delicacy  of  desigu.  It  received  the 
premium  of  $2.  He  was  also  awarded  the  premium  ot  *1  lor  the 
best  peck  of  tomatoes.  .   ^        ,     .x 

In  the  department  of  fruits  the  display  was  varied  and  attrac- 
tive, including  some  remarkable  specimens.  In  Mr.  Baxter  s 
collection  there  were  over  fifty  varieties  of  native  and  foreign 
pears,  of  a  size  and  quality  rarely  equalled  in  these  exinbitious. 
The  White  Doyenne  or  Butter  Pear  was  particularly  large  and  hue, 
free  from  spot  or  blemish.  Mr.  Baxter's  premiums  were  as  U.llows: 
for  second  best  peaches,  $1;  best  three  citron  melons,  *1  ;  best 
twelve  varieties  of  native  pears,  !|i2;  best  six  varieties  ot  ualives, 
$2;  best  twenty-five  foreign  pears,  *2;  best  s-ix  varieties  ot  loreign 
pears  i|l2.  Mr  Baxter's  uniform  success  in  the  culture  of  the  i>ear, 
aud  the  large  aud  handsome  samples  he  contributes  are  woithy  ot 

all  praise.  .  -       ,      • 

J.  E.  Mitchell,  of  Chestnut  Hill,  had  some  fine  foreign  grapes, 
highly  colored  aud  well  grown,  of  five  varieties:  Black  Hamburg, 
Black  I'rince,  W  hito  Frontignan,  Cliasselas  de  Fontainbleau,  and 
Black  Frontiuuau.  This  collection  received  the  first  premium  tor 
gntpi-s  uuder  glass,  of  *2.  The  Black  Prince  was  especially  lai\-e 
aud  fine.  Mr.  Mitchell  also  had  ou  exhibition  some  good  pears,  of 
sixteen  varieties.  .         ,  ,  ... 

Mr.  S.  W.  Noble  presented  twelve  varieties  of  apples,  which 
gained  the  first  premium  of  $2.  -a,  -     ,  . 

Mr.  Charles  Harmar  took  the  second  premium  of  *1  for  his  pears, 
among  which  were  some  delicious  Bartram  Pears, seed liu^s  grown 
ue'v  the  old  Bartram  Botanic  Garden,  in  West  Philadelphia. 

Foa  other  collections  of  pear>,  from  Mrs.  Liggett,  l^  S.  hunting, 
auu  ur.  James  W.  Thomson,  in  behalf  of  U.  K.  Riddle,  Esq  ,  of 
Wilmington,  Bel  ,  received  due  commendation. 

An  imeie.sting  feature  of  the  evening  was  the  collection  of  native 
grapos.  Mr.  Pet<r  liaabe,  whose  twelve  varieties  obtaiued  iho 
first  premium  of  *2,  pre.-ented  the  M.ixatawncy  grape,  a  native 
seedling  of  Camp  Hill,  Montgomery  County,  !'»•  V'  l-^^'"/  \^  ** 
urir'/iuil/fd  by  any  native  grape  ever  belore  exhibited.  H  is  a 
very  strong  grower,  perfectly  hardy,  and  it  it  should  prove  to 
ripen  ear.y  aud  well  in  exposed  situations  in  the  couutry,  will  be 
the  best  acquisition  we  have  yet  made.  ,,    .    ,         , 

Mr.  Raabes  v.ue  is  growing  in  his  city  yard,  well  sheltered. 

Mr  A  W.  Harrison  received  the  second  premium  ot  *1  for  native 
grapes,  including  the  To-Kalou,  Brinckle  aud  Louisa, ex liibited  lor 
the  fi.st  time.  Mr.  Harrison  also  had  the  Bes  Nonnes  pt>ar,  aud  a 
dish  of  ripe  Catawissa  raspberries.  In  the  deparimeut  ot  vege- 
tables he  was  awarded  the  first  premium  ol  *!  tor  the  best  Lg,'- 
plaiits,  and  showed  a  fine  specimen  of  the  Honolulu  .squash.  A 
cane  of  the  Black  Hamburg  grape,  planted  one  year  ago,  and  con- 
tainii.g  eighteen  good-.sized  bunches  of  fruit,  tully  npe,  though 
wanting  in  color,  gave  evidence  of  the  remarkable  precoc.iy  of 

the  grape-vine.  .  .   »     *  p  i  j 

Mr.  Thomas  T.  Firth  brought  an  ingenious  and  tasteful  de.siga 
composed  of  five  varieties  of  native  grapes,  Concord,  Biana,  Isa- 
bella, Rebecca  and  Delaware,  all  of  large  >i/.e  and  highly  color,  d. 
Mr.  A.  L.  Feltoti  had  on  exhibition  some  very  large  aud  high- 

culoied  Isabella  grapes.  ,.,«..•  t» 

Mr.  Flirkwehr  ott".'ied  his  seedling  grape  for  the  first  time.  It 
promises  to  be  a  good  wine  grape.  ,,,./-.,  , 

Mr.  Andrew  J.  CatherwtH>d  also  had  a  branch  of  his  Catherwotid 
grape,  profusely  covered  with  large  clusters,  twenty-six  in  uuniber, 
dark  blue  fruit,  of  very  good  quality,  and  thoroughly  ripened. 
This  was  pronounced  by  the  Committee  to  be  the  Isabella. 

Peter  Dohlen,  gardener  to  B.  Cerhard,  exhibited  a  large  oblong 
cantelope,  similar  lo  the  Dix,  and  some  ^ood  potatoes. 

Mr.  L.  Chamberlain  showed  sumo  Isabella  ajid  Bland  grapes. 

Jeremiah  Flynu,  gardeuer  to  Henry  Taylor,  ha  some  stauwick 
nectarines  of  very  large  size,  which  obtained  the  premium  ol  $1. 

Miss  Titus  exhibited  a  fine  cluster  of  her  seedling  peach. 

The  very  large  and  attractive  di.splayof  vegetables,  by  Anthony 
Felton,  gardener  to  .Mr.  H.  Duhring, occupied  one  entire  side  ot  ihe 
Hall,  aud  comprised  almost  every  garden  vegetable  ol  the  season. 
With  two  exceptions,  he  took  «//  the  premiums  in  this  deparimeut, 
ami>uuting  to  *7.  We  remarked  good  specimens  of  the  new  white 
and  red  Egg-plants.  The  premium  of  *!  for  the  best  China  Asters 
was  also  awarded  to  him.  ,      -  . 

At  the  business  meeting  held  after  the  awards  of  premiums,  the 
reports  of  the  Treasurer  aud  Finance  Committee  were  read  and 
adopted.  ,      ,  *    .         ^i 

Mr.  James  Mathcson,  who  exh'titcd,  at  the  last  meeiing,  the 
mammoth  bunch  <)f  White  Muscat  of  Alexandria  grapes,  weighing 
nine  pounds  and  four  ounces,  presented  an  Essay  on  the  Culture  of 
the  Exotic  Orape  under  Glas.s,  prepared  at  the  retiuest  of  the 
Society.  It  was  read,  aud  ordered  to  be  printed,  and  the  thanks 
of  the  Society  pre.sented  to  him. 

A  more  valuable  contribution  to  practical  horticulture  has  never 
been  presented  to  the  Society. 


f 


»«»wn  (Km  K«tm«  by  Max  RoMnthal. 


iMk.  bj  L.  X  BosMthfti 


MAXATAWNEY   GRAPE. 

MAWi.  ON  STOM  upuMLT  poH  THE  .iitDRirn'.  uonntr 


DEVOTED     TO 


arfirufturp,  SSpboriruHupp,  Polang  %*  Plural  jSfkhs. 


THOMAS    MEEHAN,    EmroR.  NOVEMBER,    1861. 


VOL.    III.— NO.     11. 


ginh  for  Hotipini&pr. 


FLOWER-GARDEN    AND    PLEASURE- 
GROUND. 

As  soon  as  the  first  white  frost  has  blackened 
dahlia  leaves^  the  stems  should  be  cut  back  to  a  few 
inches  of  the  ground,  the  label  securely  fastened, 
and  the  root  placed  away  in  a  cool  place  secure  from 
frost  till  next  March,  when  it  should  be  "sprouted," 
divided  and  again  set  out.  Madeira  vines,  tigridias, 
gladiolus,  tuberoses,  &c.,  require  the  same  attention. 

As  soon  as  the  ground  gets  caked  with  the  first 
real  frost,  herbaceous  plants  should  be  protected. 
Though  hardy,  they  well  repay  this  extra  care, — 
mostly  natives  of  woods  or  grassy  places  in  their 
native  State,  they  expect  a  covering  of  leaves  or 
dry  grass.  We  find  dry  leaves  the  best  material  for 
the  purpose,  a  few  inches  is  a  sufilcient  depth, — a 
little  soil  being  thrown  on  to  prevent  the  leaves 
blowing  away.  "Where  such  material  is  net  at 
hand,  the  common  garden  soil  may  be  drawn  over 
them,  as  before  recommended  in  these  pages. 

Most  of  the  tender  plants  that  we  desire  to  pre- 
serve over  the  season,  have  now  been  lifted  from 
the  borders,  and  removed  to  winter  quarters, — and 
in  a  few  weeks  the  beds  will  present  a  rough  and 
forsaken  appearance.  It  is  too  often  the  practice  to 
leave  the  borders  just  in  this  neglected  condition 
till  si)ring-time  returns.  But  the  person  of  true 
taste  finishes  up  the  beds,  and  makes  all  tidy.  In 
the  absence  of  summer  flowers,  even  order  pleases. 


.»cX^^ 


FLANT-HOUSES,  PITS,  AND  FRAMES. 

Plants  stored  away  for  the  winter  in  cold  pits, 

require  more  care  for  the  first  month  or  so  than  at 

/^  I   any  other  time  through  the  winter  season.     Many 

t.^i^^^^^""'"^    ZZZIIZZZIZZIIIZZIZZ 

hi  K^' — ■ 


of  them  have  unripcned  shoots,  or  shed  many  of 
their  leaves,  and  unless  these  be  cut  off"  and  re- 
moved, gangrene  and  decay  commit  distressing 
havoc.  Air  should  be  given  at  every  opportunity, 
and  nothing  omitted  that  will,  in  any  way,  tend  to 
harden  the  plants,  and  send  vegetation  to  rest.  No 
more  water  should  be  given  than  just  sufficient  to 
prevent  withering,  and  the  temperature  should  be 
kept  as  near  40  J  as  possible,  and  every  chance 
taken  to  render  the  air  about  the  plants  dry.  When 
frost  actually  does  come,  no  further  care  than  pro- 
tection from  its  embraces  will  then  be  required. 
Plants  so  hardened,  may  stay  covered  up  for  weeks, 
without  any  light  or  air,  and  secure  from  tlie 
slightest  injury.  Mice  constitute  the  most  trouble- 
some enemy  in  a  pit  closed  for  any  length  of  time ; 
but  we  have,  as  yet,  found  nothing  better  than  the 
recommendation  given  in  back  volumes,  namely, 
to  take  peas  and  soak  them  twenty-four  hours  in 
water,  then  roll  in  arsenic  and  sow  in  a  pot,  as  if 
in  the  regular  way  of  seed-sowing.  A  few  pots  so 
prepared,  should  be  placed  in  the  pit  before  perma- 
nently closing  up.  The  mice  usually  make  for  these 
pots  at  their  first  entrance  to  the  pits.  If  placed  on 
the  soil,  they  seem  to  guess  your  secret,  and  will  not 
"bite." 

Plants  in  cellars  need  much  the  same  care  as  those 
in  pits.  Avoid  heat  and  dampness  ;  frequently,  how- 
ever, plants  suffer  in  cellars  through  getting  too  dry. 
They  should  be  looked  over,  at  any  rate,  once  a 
month,  and  a  little  water  given,  if  likely  to  become 
entirely  dry. 

Plants  in  windows  and  rooms  usually  suffer  from 
excessive  waterings, — very  dry  air  about  them, — too 
great  a  heat,  or  too  much  shade.  As  much  as  pos- 
sible, room  plants  should  be  selected  for  their  in- 
difference to  these  requirements.  Succulents,  such 
as  cactuses,  mesembryanthemums,  rocheas,  crassu- 
las,  aloes,  &c.,  care  not  how  dry  the  room,  but  they 
demand  all  the  sunlight  possible.  Camellias,  Chi- 
nese Primroses,  Azaleas,  Dicentra  spectabilis,  Poly- 
anthuses, violets,  hyacinths,  &c.,  do  not  mind  a  little 
shade  ;  but  they  abhor  a  high  tenipcrature.  Others 
again,  while  disliking  heat,  want  light ;  of  these, 
are  calceolarias,  cinerarias,  geraniums,  pelargoniums, 
pansies,  daisies,  tree  carnations,  perpetual  blooming 


I       II 


/ 


CIu}  (iaxhntr's  Ponthlg. 


pinks,  roses,  and  the  like.  "Leaf  plants,"  for  the  about  130O;  in  this  we  put  about  a  teaspoonful  of 
most  part,  like  a  close,  moist  atmosphere,  and  a  grease,  and  the  same  quantity  of  flower  of  sulphur, 
moderate  degree  of  heat  to  do  well.  For  these,  All  the  plants  that  exhibit  the  si  glitcst  trace  of  in- 
glass  partitions  and  closely-glazed  cases  are  usually  sects  are  then  collected  together  and  dipped  in  for  a 
employed.  A  great  error  in  the  growth  of  plants  moment.  Specimens  too  large  to  dip  in  are  held  over 
in  these  cases,  is  to  suppose  they  require  no  air.  and  syringed,  so  as  to  save  the  hot  water  as  much  as 
The  closeness  is  to  secure  a  moist  atmosphere,  not  possible.  These  large  ones  we  do  last.  Occasion- 
to  exclude  the  air.  Whenever,  therefore,  the  tem-  ally  a  few  leaves  or  very  tender  green  tops  get 
perature  is  low,  and  little  evaporation  going  on,  the  scalded,  but  this  is  but  a  temporary  evil  for  a  per- 
opportunity  should  be  seized  to  air  the  cases ;  a  few  manent  cure.  A  few  syringings  within  a  few  days 
moments  are  sufficient.  A  very  pretty  plant  arrange-  subsequent  to  the  operations,  clears  the  plants  from 
ment  may  be  made  in  parlors  that  have  bay  windows;  the  greasiness  left  on  them;  but  the  sulphur  leaves 
the  whole  window  may  be  closed  off  from  the  a  slight  smell  for  some  time,  and  seems  to  exercise 
main  part  of  the  room  by  a  sash,  and  filled  with  a  beneficial  influence  in  keeping  off"  fresh  attacks  of 
plants.  Some  on  the  floor, — some  on  shelves,  and  the  puny,  but  by  no  means  contemptible,  invaders, 
some  pendant  from  the  roof.  A  common  oil  lamp  We  know  of  numerous  instances  where  parties  have 
will  be  quite  sufficient,  with  the  usual  window  shut-  tried  the  process  and  thanked  us  for  the  information  ; 
ters,  to  keep  out  frost  during  the  night  or  extra  and  though  our  hints  in  this  respect  have  been 
severe  weather,  while  the  regular  day  temperature  received  with  far  less  general  notice  than  many 
of  the  room  will  suffice  for  that  time.  When  the  |  others  that  our  pages  have  been  the  means  of  circu- 
lamp  is  burning,  provision  should  be  made  for  the    lating,  we  consider  the  idea  the  most  invaluable  one 

admission  of  fresh  air  from  the  room  at  the  bottom  |  to  horticulturists  we  have  ever  ofi*ered. 

of  the  case,  and  for  the  exit  of  consumed  air  at  the  j 

top  of  the  case.      This  is  best  accomplished  by  a 

tube  to  and  from  the  lamp. 

To  those  who  have  larger  plant  cabinets  or  small 

conservatories,  connections  with  heaters  or  hot  water 

from  kitchen  ranges  will  suggest  themselves.     This 

is  often  done.     The  great  error  we  have  often  no- 
ticed is,  that  the  heat  is  led  to  the  back  only,  when 

it  should  be  continued  right  to  the  front  or  coldest 

part  of  the  house.     When  heaters  are  employed,  the 

oxygen  of  the  air  is  usually  defective,  and  besides 

the  air  is  very  dry  and  un genial  to  healthy  vegetation. 

Evaporating  pans  around  the  mouth  of  the  air  flues 

should  be  used  in  such  cases,— syringing  done  at 

frequent  intervals,  and  pure  fresh  air  given  whenever 

a  warm  out-door  spell  furnishes  the  opportunity. 
In  the  greenhouse  such  plants  as  are  in  a  growing 

condition,  and  are  desired  to  continue  growth,  if  filled 


(^ommunirefions. 


TREES   AND    SHRUBBERY. 

BY     WALTER     ELDER,     PHILADELPHIA. 

One  of  the  most  noble  and  pleasing  features  in 
landscape-gardening,  country-seat -gardening,  su- 
burban and  cottage-gardening,  is  a  choice  selection 
of  trees  and  shrubbery  properly  arranged.  The 
skillful  gardener  knows  the  sizes  they  attain,  their 
habits  of  growth,  the  sizes  and  colors  of  foliage  and 
blocm,  and  their  time  of  blooming,  the  soils  and 
exposures  most  suitable  for  them.  He  will  make 
his  selections  according  to  circumstances  ;  and  by  a 
graceful  arrangement,  the  beauty  of  the  whole  will 
be  enhanced.  In  the  suburban  and  cottage  gardens 
with  roots,  may  be  repotted  into  pots  a  size  larger,  i  they  will  be  planted  closer  than  upon  a  large  place, 
No  advantage  is  gained  in  any  case  in  employing  and  the  arrangement  will  be  promiscuous,  without 
pots  for  shifting  much  larger  than  those  in  which  |  incongruity.      Evergreen   trees   will   be   planted   a 


the  plants  are  growing.  Coarse,  spongy  soil  should, 
in  all  cases,  be  used  for  pot  plants.  The  advantage 
claimed  for  peat   over   other   soils  for   many  pot 


plants,  is  as  much  owing  to  its  fibrous  condition  as    paths 


distance  from  the  house  and  off"  the  walks,  so  that 
their  horizontal  branches  will  not  darken  the  win- 
dows in  winter,  nor  interrupt  the  passage  on  the 


to  its  peculiar  nature.     Insects  should  be  carefully 
looked   after,   and   the   various    remedies  best  ap- 
proved of   employed   for  their  destruction  before 
they  become  very  numerous.     We  must  still  repeat 
that  we  find    nothing   so  simple  or   so   certainly 
j  effective  as  hot  water  for  all  kinds  of  insects,  from  j  handsome  bloom,  and  mild  fragrance  w^ill  be  planted 
J  the  minute  red  spider  to  the  mealy  bug  and  scale,    near  to  the  cottage  ;  and  those  of  strong  odors  and 
f,  1   We  get  a  common  hand  furnace,  and  set  a  large    shaggy  growths  will  be  placed  at  a  di.«itance ;  and 
/2\  1  washing  boiler  on   the  top,  heating  the  water  to  |  their  blossoms  and  fruits  will  show  to  greater  advan- 


Deciduous  trees,  with  long,  clean  stems  and 
branching  heads,  will  be  placed  nearer  to  the  house, 
as  they  do  not  confuse  the  way,  but  give  shade 
when  it  is  most  desired,  and  drop  their  leaves  when 
sunshine  is  needed.     Shrubs  of  neat  dwarf  habits, 


i;i«l  dardcncr's  JRon 


^ 


tage,  and  they  will  be  so  arranged  as  to  give  a  har- 
monious contrast  of  flower  and  foliage.  Trees  of 
dark  leaves  and  heavy  shade  will  be  mated  with 
those  of  lively  foliage  and  light  shade.  A  cottage 
nestled  in  a  plantation  of  trees  and  shrubbery  has 
an  air  of  richness,  refinement,  and  comfort,  which 
nothing  else  could  give  it.  The  beauty  of  the 
plants  and  the  elegance  of  arrangement,  with  a  rich, 
lively  green  sod,  complete  a  picture  which  the  pencil 
of  the  painter  can  never  fully  imitate. 

But  it  is  upon  large  places  where  the  master  mind 
of  the  real  gardener  shows  itself  advantageously  in 
the  display  of  a  combined  knowledge  of  art  and 
science  in  the   arrangement  of  trees  and  shrubs, 
which  will  be  different  upon  different  places.     He 
will  first  inspect  the  soil,  and  observe  the  location, 
and  make  his  selection  of  plants  to  suit,  and  make 
preparations  for  a  speedy  planting  in  advance  of 
their  arrival.     There  may  be  an  unsightly  object  to 
be  hid  from  view ;  and  a  clump  of  trees  Cone-third 
of  them  evergreens)  are  plaited  to  shut  it   out  in 
winter,  as  well  as  in  summer.     The  same  will  be 
done  where  the  mansion  and  all  who  move  around 
it  are  exposed  to  the  inquisitive  stare  of  idle  and 
unmannerly  neighbors,  and  also  where  chilling  and 
cutting  winds  enter.     In  places  much  inland,  torna- 
does arc  from  the  north-west ;  whereas  on  the  sea- 
coast  the  winds  off  the  water  are  most  chilling  and 
blasting  for  blossoms  ;  while  along  some  navigable 
rivers,  fruits  are  blown  off  the  trees  before  they  are 
full-grown.     The  gardener  will  perceive  all  these, 
and  will  plant  leafy  screens  where  needed. 

Where  fine  perspective  views  are,  openings  will 
be  left ;  but  the  chief  aim  will  be  to  make  fine  views 
and  attractive  objects  upon  the  place.  Flowering 
trees  and  shrubs  will  be  arranged  near  to  the  man- 
sion or  along  main  walks,  where  they  will  display 
their  beauties  and  diffuse  their  fragrance  most  ad- 
vantageously to  our  pleasure.  Trees  of  fine  form 
and  gigantic  stature  will  be  set  further  out  upon  the 
open  lawn,  and  avenues  may  be  clothed  on  either 
side  for  shade  and  shelter.  [It  really  is  strange  that 
shady  avenues  are  so  rare  with  us,  as  there  is  no 
country  where  shade  and  shelter  are  more  needed.] 
A  great  variety  of  trees  could  be  planted  along  the 
avenues,  and  the  contrast  of  their  sizes,  habits  and 
foliage  would  be  a  tieat  for  the  arborist  as  he  rides 
or  walks  along.  Openings  will  be  left  to  allow  a 
load  of  hay  to  pass  through  without  rubbing  upon 
the  branches,  and  to  view  the  sunny  glades  and  the 
noble  specimens  of  trees  that  are  singly  scattered 
over  them. 

A  good  arrangement  of  shrubs  and  trees  is  that 
which  diversifies  the  estate  and  makes  it  an  admira- 
ble object  in  the  landscape,  and  in  walking  over  it, 
a  fresh  scene  opens  at  every  short  distance.     Every 


single  plant,  group  and  row  will  show  that  they 
were  planted  for  a  purpose,  and  the  whole  will  be  a 
combination  of  nature  and  design.  The  skillful  gar- 
dener, like  an  expert  general,  stations  his  forces 
where  they  will  be  most  effective ;  and  every  enemy 
in  the  shape  of  an  eye-sore  is  placed  in  the  guard- 
house of  shrubs  and  trees. 

All  architectural  adornments  upon  mansions,  cot- 
tages,  arbors,   pavilions,  &c.,  in  the  country  are 
bald  without  arborial  embellishments ;  so  are  foun- 
tains, fish-ponds,  &c.     Even  unsightly  fjirm  build- 
ings, draw-wells,  old  pumps,  stagnant  water-pools, 
«&c.,  are  converted  into  beauties  by  shrub  and  tree 
surroundings.     See  the  rustic  spring-house  reposing 
under  the  shade  of  a  willow  tree  !    Who  will  not 
plant  plenty  of  shrubs  and  trees  ?  or  who  cannot 
admire  those  that  adorn  the  early  spring  and  per- 
fume the  air  with  their  fragrance  and  expand  gor- 
geous blooms  of  various  hues, — those  that  deck  the 
verdant  lawn,  their  grateful  shade  during  sultry 
summer  days,  and  the  matchless  grandeur  imparted 
to  winter  scenery  by  clustering  evergreens  ?     Does 
any  one  say  that  they  are  *' costly  things?"     We 
ask,  what  pleasure  can  be  got  without  »*ost  ?     Let 
us  draw  a  comparison.     Three  hundred  dollars  are 
spent  for  an  evening  family  party.      That  would 
purchase  and  plant  three  hundred  shrubs  and  trees. 
A  lady's  jewelled  set  costs  $89,000.     One  year's  in- 
terest of  that  sum  will  purchase  and  plant  over  five 
thousand  shrubs  and  trees.     If  all  the  fine  men  en- 
listed for  the  war  and  all  the  monies  appropriated 
for  it  had  been   employed  upon  horticultural  im- 
provements, what  a  blessing  it  would  have  been  to 
the  nation  !     After  this,  let  no  one  grudge  the  pur- 
chase and  planting  of  shrubs  and  trees. 


>•■•> 


AN    ESSAY    ON   GRAPE-GROWING. 

BY  JAS.  MATHESON,  GARDENER  TO  F.  C.  YARNALL,  ESQ. 

To  the  President  and  Members 

of  the  Pennsylvania  Horticultural  Society: 

In  accordance  with  a  resolution  passed  at  your 
last  meeting,  I  would  respectfully  offer  the  follow- 
ing brief  essay  upon  the  culture  of  exotic  grapes 
under  glass : 

THE   VINERY. 

The  best  form  of  house  is  the  lean-to,  and  the 
best  aspect  is  a  few  degrees  east  of  south.  The 
ground  should  slope  gently  from  the  house,  so  as  to 
allow  of  easy  drainage.  Where  practicable  it  is 
desirable  to  construct  the  house  at  the  base  of  a  hill, 
excavating  the  body  of  the  house  out  of  the  hill- 
side, thus  aflbrding  entire  shelter  from  the  north 
winds  and  abundant  warmth  during  the  early  and 
late  stages  of  vine  growth. 

When  it  is  requisite  to  grow  a  great  variety  or  a 


^^^;^ 


1 


I 


32-i: 


iljil  iardtncr's  Pantfjlg. 


'  lariie  miinl.er  of  vines  within  a  limited  space  the 
I  Bpan  roof  may  be  acloi)tc"il,  inasmuch  as  the  back  or 
I  Willi  border  of  a  lean-to  vinery  is  not  so  advanta- 
geous as  the  front. 
I  The  roof  should  be  a  fixed  one,  and  slope  at  an 
aui^le  of  al)out  JiO-  with  the  horizon. 

The  rafler  should  l)e   not   less  than  twenty-five 

fc  t  in  lenirtlj.     This  is  a  very  important  point,  and 

1    one  not  sulficiently  considered  in  the  construction 

I    of  vineries.     A  long  leader  and  abundant  foliage, 

and  a  plenty  of  light  are  thus  secured. 
'  There  is  no  necessity  for,  but  rather  a  considerable 
I  disadvantage  in  the  employment  of  the  heavy  rafters 
commonly  in  use.  They  obstruct  the  light  too 
much.  A  single  sash  bar  four  inclies  deep  and  one 
inch  thick  is  all  that  is  requisite.  The  two  upi)er 
edges  should  be  ploughed  ^  inch  deep  and  .|  inch 
wide  to  receive  the  glass.  This  bar  is  supported,  at 
intervals  of  eight  to  ten  feet,  or  one-third  the  length 
of  the  rafter,  by  cross  l)ars,  six  inches  deep  and  three 
inches  wide,  which  rest  on  uprights  or  posts,  prefera- 
bly slender  cast-iron  columns,  placed  about  ten  leet 
apart,  and  standing  on  stone  blocks  sunk  in  tlie 
ground. 

Tlie  glass  should  be  about  fifteen  by  twelve  inches, 
and  well  bedded  in  a  thin  mixture  of  white  lead, 
linseed  oil  and  whiting,  in  consistency  about  mid- 
way between  paint  and  pi\tty.  If  projierly  done 
there  is  no  necessity  for  external  putty.  The  glass 
should  be  heavy,  and  free  from  Haws,  nicely  matched, 
and  lapped  as  little  as  jjossible.  A  wide  lap  often 
admits,  by  cai)illary  attraction,  so  much  water,  as, 
if  sudileidy  frozen,  to  cause  the  glass  to  break. 

The  ventilating  sashes,  at  the  top  of  the  house, 
should  be  from  three  to  four  feet  in  width  and 
continuous  from  end  to  end,  so  as  to  allow  the 
whole  length  to  be  ventilated  at  once.  They  may 
be  so  arranged  as  to  oi)en  separately,  by  cord  and 
pulley,  or  sinndtaneously,  by  means  of  a  crank  and 
shaft.  No  bottom  ventilation  need  be  provided  for, 
as  it  is  not  advisable  to  admit  bottom  air  at  any 
stage  of  vine  growth. 

The  front,  back,  and  end  walls  of  the  house  should 
be  subsiantially  built  of  stone.  In  the  front  wall 
openings  must  be  left,  opposite  t'.e  intended  posi- 
tion of  each  vine,  to  allow  the  roots  to  penetrate  the 
open  border.  The  front,  if  low,  may  be  entirely 
of  stone  ;  if,  for  api)earance-sake,  as  well  as  con- 
venience in  working,  the  front  be  made  three  to 
four  feet  high  al)ove  the  foundation,  it  should  be  of 
fixed  sash,  glazed  like  the  roof.  External  braces 
will  be  required,  to  support  the  tlirust  of  the  rafters. 
I  The  highest  results  cannot  be  attained  in  a  strictly 
J  cold  vinery.  The  capricious  weather,  and  sudden 
I   frosts  late  in  si)ring,  the  raw,  blustering  winds  and 


in  early  summer,  and  the  sharp,  nipping  frofe  of 
mid-autumn,  all  ccmspire  to  render  a  cold  vinery 
uncertain  in  its  action,  and  make  a  fine  desirable,  and 
even  indispensable,  if  we  wish  to  grow  very  early 
grapes  or  to  ripen  and  keep  the  Muscats  and  other 
late  sorts.  Moreover,  the  length  of  season  and  the 
prolonged  degree  of  heat  necessary  for  the  full  ri- 
pening of  the  wood,  cannot,  with  certainty,  be  at- 
tained in  a  cold  house. 

A  plain  brick  flue,  al)out  ten  inches  square  inter- 
nally, is  all  sufiicient ;  it  should  be  placed  at  least 
ten  Veet  from  the  front  of  the  hi  use  ;  in  a  span  roof 
house  it  should  run  along  the  centre,  sunk  a  little 
below  the  surface,  to  allow  a  latticed  foot-walk,  made 
in  moveable  sections,  to  be  placed  over  it.  Thus 
placed,  should  any  gas  escape  from  its  crevices  it 
will  rise  directly  to  the  ventilators  and  be  dissipated 
without  injury  to  the  foliage.  If  the  flue  be  properly 
constructed,  leaks  will  not  occur. 

Artificial  heat  is  required  for  a  few  weeks  only,  in 
the  spring  and  autumn,  and  occasionally  during  cold, 
cloudy  weather  in  summer.  In  cold  vineries  the 
earlv  jrrowth  is  often  checked  by  frosts  or  unseason- 
ably  cold  weather;  and  again,  in  autumn,  the  foliage 
is  not  unfrequently  destroyed  in  a  single  night. 
Cnlcss  the  leaves  ripen  thoroughl}' and  fall  naturally 
the  wood  cannot  be  fully  matured,  and  the  next 
vear's  growth  and  fruit  will  be  uncertain  or  much 
diminished.  A  well-ripened  leaf  is  easily  distin- 
guished from  an  immature,  fiosted  one  ;  the  former 
is  soft  and  pliant,  the  latter  brittle  and  readily 
crumbling  to  powder. 

But  a  small  quantity  of  fuel  is  required  for  the 
half-cold  or  fined  vinery,  two  tons  of  coal  being 
ample  for  a  house  fifty  feet  in  length,  for  the  entire 
season.  One  or  two  extra  bunches  of  large  size 
will  cover  the  cost  of  heating  the  house,  which 
secures,  beyond  contingency,  healthy  vines  and  the 
largest  possible  crop. 

An  early  forcing-house  has  but  three  to  four  weeks 
advantage  in  time,  over  a  well-managed  half-cold 
vinery,  in  which  early  grai)es  can  be  ripened  by  the 
2.')th  of  .Tune.  In  large  size  of  bunch,  productive- 
ness of  vine,  and  high  flavor  of  fruit,  the  latter 
would  certainly  be  superior  to  the  former,  besides 
reciuiring  much  less  skdl  and  attention. 

The  vines,  which  must  be  sufllcicntly  strong  to  sup- 
port the  heavy  weight  they  will  be  required  to 
sustain,  should  be  at  least  fifteen  to  eighteen  inches 
from  the  glass  and  one  foot  apart. 

BORDER. 

Dig  out  al)0iit  two  feet  deep,  and  twenty  feet  wide, 
and  slope  the  bottom  gently  from  the  house. 
Along  the  front  of  the  house,  and  at  the  outer  edge 
of  the  border,  and  also  at  right  angles  across  the 


long  spella  of  cloudy  weatiier  sometimes  occuiilng    boidcv,  at  intervals  of  ten  feet,  dig  drains  one  foot 


-c^ 


-x^,. 


^t  6arbtms  Hoiitlb. 


825 


wide  and  six  inches  deep  ;  at  the  two  outer  corners 
connect  these  drains  with  covered  dry  wells.    Fill  the 
drains  and  cover  the  w  hole  border,  six  inches  deep, 
with  broken  stone,  about  the  size  of  one's  fist,  not 
larger.     Cover  the  whole  with  good  sod  from  an  old 
pasture,  the  roots  uppermost.     Fill  in  Avith  compost 
prepared  as  follows :  one  third  of  fine,  friable,  yel- 
low sandy  loam,  one-third  garden  soil  if  rich,  if  not 
use  sods  from  an  old  pasture,  and  the  remaining 
third  of  old,  well-rotted  slaughter-house  and  barn- 
yard manure,  half  of  each,  to  which  add,  for  every 
ten  feet  in  length  of  the  border,  one  barrel  of  fine 
ground  bones  and  one  barrel  of  slaked  lime  in  fine 
powder.     This  compost  must  be  prepared  in  autumn, 
under    cover,   exposed    to    the   frost,    and    turned 
several  times  during  winter  and  thortmghly  mixed 
and  pulverized  to  a  fine,  even  texture.     AVhen  com- 
pleted and  well  settled,  the  surface  of  the  border 
slu)uld  be  at  least  six  inches  above  the  level  of  the 
adjacent  soil,  so  as  to  ensure  goc  d  surface-drainage, 
which  is  especially  desirable  to  give  an  early  start  to 
the  roots  in  spring. 

The  inside  border,  both  front  and  back,  will  be  of 
the  same  composition  and  drained  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  the  outer  border,  and  the  drains  must  be 
continued  through  the  wall  and  connected  with 
those  of  the  outer  one.  The  surface  of  the  inner 
borders  should  descend  slightly  towards  the  centre 
of  the  house.  Although  the  roots  of  the  vine 
naturally  seek  the  external  soil,  there  is  yet  this  ad- 
vantage in  an  inside  border,  that  when  the  vines 
start  in  sprhig  there  is  a  sutticiency  of  active  healthy 
roots,  growing  in  the  warm  soil  within  the  house,  to 
nourish  the  eariy  growth,  and  feed  the  young  foliage, 
until  the  natural  heat  of  the  sun  has  excited  vigor- 
ous action  in  the  external  roots.  Furthermore,  the 
evaporation  from  a  rich  inside  border,  kept  con- 
stantly stirred  {'as  it  should  be  daily  with  the  hoe 
and  rake;  contributes  m\;ch  to  the  health  of  the 
foliage  and  the  color  of  the  fruit. 

FIRST   YEAR. 

Planting  and  training  the  vines.  Well-grown 
one  year's  old  vines  are  to  be  preferred;  older 
vines*  unless  skillfully  propagated,  are  apt  to  become 
pot-bound,  and  when  transplanted  the  ends  of  their 

roots  die. 

About  the  first  week  in  March  dig  a  trench,  the 
entire  U-'Ugth  of  the  house,  and  close  to  the  front 
wall,  inside,  two  feet  wide  and  one  foot  deep.  Fill 
in  with  a  compost  (prepared  the  previous  autumn 
and  turned  and  mixed  as  described  above)  of  old 
hot-bcd  manure  and  sand  washings  from  the  turn- 
pike, and  a  little  slaked  lime  in  fine  powder.  Plant 
the  vines  four  feet  asunder,  in  the  middle  of  the  trench, 


f    ^   tne  vniesiounufLaisujiuii,  wi  i.iv  ....v.^.-v. .., 

/ds  I  spreading  the  roots  out  equally  in  all  directions,  on  the 


surface,  cutting  away  all  weak,  decaying  and  broken 
ones,  and  strew  a  light  coating  of  the  compost  over 
them.  Water  lightly,  only  sutlicient  to  settle  the  soil 
about  the  roots.  Cut  the  vines  down  to  two  buds, 
and  let  them  rest  a  week  before  starting  the  flues, 
otherwise  the  buds  might  begin  to  shoot  too  soon 
for  the  roots  and  lasting  injury  result  to  the  plant. 

Fire  may  now  be  started  and  maintained  until  j 
warm  and  genial  w^eathcr  arrives,  commencing  at  ! 
about  fiO^  and  increasing  gradually,  day  by  day,  I 
until  OOJ  is  attained  beyond  which  it  is  unnecessary  j 
to  go  although  the  temperature  of  the  house  may  I 
often  rise,  naturally,  to  100'^  or  upwards.  As  soon  i 
as  the  buds  are  fairly  developed  rub  otf  the  weaker 

one. 

No  stopping  of  the  vine  is  advised  the  first  j'ear, 
but  as  long  a  cane  should  be  grown  as  it  is  possible 
to  ripen,  so  as  to  secure  a  correspondingly  strong  root 
growth.      The  young  cane  makes  but  few  laterals, 
and   these  sho  dd  be  allowed  to  grow  unchecked. 
Ventilate    moderately   on  fine  days,    and  about   3 
P.M.  shut  off  one-half  the  air  and  syringe  the  vines 
and  the  whole  house,  through  a  fine  rose,  using,  if 
possible,  a  hand  engine,  to  give  force  and  body  to  tlie 
stream.     This  should  be  done  three  times  a  week  in 
the  eariy  part  of  the  season  and  diminishing  in  fre- 
quency till  autumn.     Syringe  at  evening  only.     If 
the  vines  are  sprinkled  in  the  morning  globules  of 
water  lodge  on  the  leaves  and  a  sudden  burst  of 
sunshine,  acting  upon  the  drops,  as  lenses,  burns  holes 
in  the  foliage,  an  efi'cct  often  erroneously  attributed 
to  defects  or  air  bubbles  in  the  glass. 

Every  day  throughout  the  season,  until  the  ripen- 
ing process  commences,  close  the  ventilators  about 
an°  hour  before  sunset,  within  an  uich,  leaving  a 
crevice  of  air  on  during  the  night.  This  condenses 
the  moisture,  and,  in  imitation  of  nature's  process, 
supplies  the  plant  with  abundant  and  grateful  dew^ 

A  shallow  trough  of  water,  extending  the  entire 
length  of  the  house,  will  assist  in  maintaining  an 
equable  humidity  in  the  atmosphere  of  the  vinery. 

Keep  the  house  and  the  border  always  moist,  but 
never  wet.  The  soil  within  the  house  should  be 
kept  in  good  tilth  by  a  daily  use  of  the  hoe  and 
rake,  and  the  outside  border  likewise  whenever  the 
weather  and  its  condition  permit,  taking  care  to 
return  the  mulch  to  the  surface  after  raking  it.  Top 
dress  the  inside  border,  early  in  spring,  with  a  little 
well-rotted  manure  and  tbrk  it  in  about  May. 

Continue  the  general  treatment  above  stated 
until  the  foliage  and  wood  are  neariy  ripe,  gradually 
diminishing,  without  entirely  discontinuing  the 
syringing  and  watering.  Give  also  a  little  more  air 
except  on  raw,  cloudy  days  and  cool  nights,  when 
the  flue  should  be  used  and  a  moderate  heat  main- 
tained unrtl  the  foliage  ripens,  and  the  plant  goes  to 


(I 


i 

I 


I 


I 


■'<&^ 


2fh^  dadmcr's  Hlont^Ig. 


rest,  usually  from  November  15th  to  December  1st. 
Now  cut  down  the  vines  to  about  two  feet,  if 
well  grown, — if  weak,  still  closer, — cover  each  one 
with  a  wisp  of  good  dry  straw,  and  leave  until 
spring.  At  the  same  time  cover  the  outer  border, 
for  a  space  of  four  to  live  feet  from  the  front  wall, 
with  eighteen  inches  of  rough  stable  manure,  as  a 
protection  to  the  young  roots  from  frost. 

SECOND   YEAR. 

In  Spring,  remove  from  the  outside  border  all  the 
top-dressing,  except  six  inches,  and  fork  this  in,  cul- 
tivating and  rakng frequently,  until  June,  when  the 
whole  border  shovild  be  thoroughly  soaked  with 
water  and  mulched  with  four  inches  of  good,  old 
manure,  to  remain  till  September  ;  then  repeat  the  cul- 
tivation given  in  the  spring,  so  as  to  dry  off  the  ^ 
border,  and  prepare  it  for  the  winter  covering. — 
Never  allow  either  weeds  or  any  crops  to  grow  in 
the  border.  | 

The  vine  should  receive  the  same  treatment,  except 
as  to  the  old  wood,  as  the  previous  year.  One  bunch 
of  fruit  may  be  allowed  to  set  on  each  vine.  The 
laterals  should  be  pinched  off  as  soon  as  the  third  or 
fourth  leaf  appears,  and  the  pinching  repeated,  six 
or  seven  times,  at  the  appearance  of  each  new  leaf, 
leaving  one  fresh  leaf  at  each  stopjung.  The  lead- 
ing cane  should  be  allowed  to  run  to  the  top  of  the 
house  without  stopping. 

As  soon  as  the  vines  commence  to  grow,  early  in 
spring,  give  all  the  borders  a  light  top-dressing  of 
slaked  lime,  in  powder,  and  repeat  the  same  in  June 
and  September.  Also  whitewash  the  wood- work 
and  walls  once  or  twice  each  season  ;  if  this  be 
objectionable  on  account  of  appearance  distribute 
lumps  of  caustic  lime  on  boards  or  dishes  at  intervals 
through  the  house. 

About  the  first  of  May  sprinkle  all  the  borders 
with  a  solution  of  one  pound  of  potash  in  five 
gallons  of  water. 

The  vines  sliould  be  fumigated  every  year,  be- 
ginning about  three  weeks  after  growth  com- 
mences and  repeating  every  three  weeks  until  the 
fruit  begins  to  color,  by  means  of  the  smoke  of 
tobacco-stems  thrown  upon  a  pan  of  charcoal,  which 
must  be  ignited,  and  the  gas  allowed  to  pass  off,  be- 
fore using  in  the  house.  The  tobacco  should  be 
slightly  damped  so  as  to  make  a  smudge  and  burn 
slowly.  During  the  fumigation  the  ventilators 
should  be  closed. 

Keep  the  flue  always  sprinkled  with  sulphur,  and 
in  case  of  starting  a  fire,  in  dull  weather,  in  May  or 
June,  leave  enough  air  on  to  allow  the  fumes  to 
escape  readily.  In  cold  vineries  strew  the  sulphur 
on  heated  bricks. 
At  the  first  approach  of  severe  weather  put  about 


two  feet  in  depth  of  rough  stable  manure  on  the 
outside  border,  next  the  house,  and  diminish  the 
quantity,  sloping  gradually  to  six  inches  in  depth 
at  the  outside  of  the  border.  When  the  vine  is 
entirely  ripe  cut  it  down  to  seven  feet  in  length,  if 
robust  and  stocky,  but  if  rather  weak  re.uce  it  to 
five  feet.  Fill  in  between  the  ghiss  and  the  wires, 
up  to  about  three  feet  above  the  eaves,  with  dry 
straw  or  corn  fodder,  preferably  the  former.  Lay 
down  the  vines,  without  any  covering,  along  the 
front  of  the  house,  where  they  will  be  protected 
from  the  sun's  rays  by  the  straw  packing.  If  the 
winter  prove  unusually  severe  an  old  mat,  blanket 
or  the  like,  may  be  loosely  thrown  over  them.  If 
wisped  with  straw  they  are  sometimes  injured  by 
mice  and  make  premature  growth  in  spring. 

THIRD   TEAR. 

The  general  treament  of  the  vines  will  henceforth 
be  the  same  as  above  stated  for  the  second  year. 
Let  six  to  eight  bunches  set,  according  to  the 
strength  of  the  vine,  one  only  on  every  other 
lateral  on  each  side.  Never  disbud  a  lateral  eye  but 
allow  every  lateral  to  grow.  In  order  to  encourage 
a  continuous  bearing  of  fruit,  low  down,  leave  the 
spurs  at  the  base  rather  longer  than  those  above. 

Keep  the  spurs  as  short  as  possible  ;  if  the  vine 
be  well  grown  there  is  always  an  abundance  of  dor- 
mant eyes  around  the  base  of  each  lateral  from 
which  to  force  a  good  plump  bud  to  form  strong 
spurs  for  next  year's  fruiting. 

In  the  autumn  of  this  year  cut  down  to  about 
ten  feet  of  cane,  and  continue,  year  by  year,  in- 
creasing its  length,  but  diminishing  the  rate  of 
increase,  until  the  vine  reaches  the  top  of  the  house, 
where  about  eighteen  inches  of  last  year's  cane 
may  be  left. 

If  well  managed,  the  vine  should  continue  to 
bear  good  crops  for  a  generation,  but  if,  from  any 
cause,  one  or  more,  or  all  of  the  vines  should  begin 
to  fail  a  young  cane  should  be  started,  at  the  base  of 
the  vine,  and  brought  up  gradually,  as  above  de- 
scribed, until  it  reaches  half  the  length  of  the  raf- 
ter. Meanwhile  fruit  the  old  cane  only  on  its  upper 
half,  observing  in  spring  to  ring  its  bark,  about 
half  way  round,  near  the  base,  so  as  to  send  the  sap 
into  the  young  cane.  In  the  autumn  cut  out  the 
old  canes  entirely. 

GENERAL   OBSERVATIONS. 

As  a  rule  never  allow  any  fruit  to  set  on  the 
leading  cane. 

Cracking,  moulding  and  rotting  of  the  fruit,  may 
be  prevented  by  having  a  tight  roof,  by  a  judicious 
use  of  the  flue  and  by  avoiding  excessive  watering 
and  syringing.  Be  careful  however  not  to  let  the 
border  at  any  time  get  entirely  dry. 


^t  ^ardfitcr's  JItcnthlg. 


In  trimming  the  bunches,  which  should  be  done 
as  soon  as  the  berry  is  formed,  regard  should  be  had 
to  the  variety  in  hand.  Free-setting  kinds  should 
be  thinned  out  one  half  or  more,  leaving  only  so 
many  berries  as  will  when  developed  to  their  full 
size  form  a  handsome  and  not  too  compact  bunch. 
Some  varieties,  which  do  not  set  freely,  may  be  left 
until  the  berries  have  attained  sufficient  size  to 
allow  a  choice  and  then  the  smaller  and  weaker  ' 
ones  should  be  cut  out.  ; 

Each  autumn,  before  the  vines  are  laid  down  they 
should  be  washed  with  the  following  mixture :   i 
pound  of  whale  oil  soap,  ^  pound  of  tobacco-stems, 
four  pounds  of  flour  of  sulphur  and  one  ounce  of 
nux   vomica  ground^  on   which  pour  two   gallons  , 
boiling  water,  and  let  stand  till  cool.    Stir  constantly 
w^hile  in   use  and  give  the  vines  a  slight  coating,  i 
In  March  rub  the  old  wood  over  with  a  little  whale 
oil,  to  soften  the  bark,  and  then  peel  it  off  before 
tying  up  the  vine  to  the  wires.  I 

Vines  thus  treated  are  entirely  free  from  mildew 
and  the  attacks  of  insects.  One  of  the  vines  under 
my  charge  managed  upon  the  method  above  given, 
which  was  planted  five  years  since,  measures  nine 
inches  in  circumference  at  two  feet  from  the  ground, 
and  at  twenty-four  feet  in  height  the  young  wood  of 
this  year  girths  four  inches.  This  vine  has  now 
fifty  pounds  of  perfect  fruit  and  is  a  model  of  health 

and  beauty. 

[In  our  last  year's  volume  we  noticed  the  great 
success  of  Mr.  Matheson  as  a  grape-grower,  and  are 
glad  to  have  so  full  an  account  of  the  way  he  man- 
ages his  vines.  It  is  often  said  in  cases  of  this  kind 
that  such  results  are  to  be  attributed  more  to  acciden- 
tal circumstances  than  to  any  regular  system  of 
management;  but  Mr.  M.'s  continuous  and  improv- 
ing success  shows  well  the  excellence  of  his  mode 

of  treatment. 

A  Committee  of  the  Pennsylvania  Horticultural 
Society  visited  Mr.  M.'s  vines  this  season,  and 
found  every  thing  as  described.  The  bunch  before 
reported  in  our  journal  as  weighing  nine  and  a  quarter 
pounds,  on  exhibition,  was  weighed  by  one  of  our 
friends,  and  found  to  be  over  nine  pounds,  after 
passing  the  ordeal  of  the  ''Tasting  Committee." 
—Ed] 


*•••» 


GRAPES. 

BY   DR.    EVANS,    WALLACE,    PA. 

I  AM  truly  sorry  that  the  little  that  is  left  of  me 
will  not  be  able  to  attend  the  Convention  of  Grape- 
growers.  A  month  ago,  dysentery  took  the  lion's 
share  of  me ;  acute  rticumatism  immediately  fol- 
lowed, and  has  not  yet  abandoned  its  prey.  It  is 
,  taking  the  leopard's  share;  and  unless  it  leaves  me 
/g\  '   soon,  there  will  be  nothing  left  for  the  jackal. 


i 


I  had  a  fine  crop  of  grapes  this  season,  but  regret 
to  say  that  there  is  little  or  nothing  left  of  that.  Had 
the  meeting  been  called  two  weeks  earlier,  I  could 
have  sent  you  such  clusters  of  Delaware  grapes  as 
are  rarely  equalled,  and  pertiaps  never  surpassed  ; 
but  of  my  Delawares  every  berry  is  gone. 

In  the  winter  of  1850  a  liliputian  plant  was  sent 
to  mc  by  a  friend,  in  a  three-inch  pot,  for  want  of  a 
smaller  one.    By  autumn  it  made  a  growth  of  fifteen 
feet.     Next  season  it  yielded  a  dozen  fine  bunches 
of  fruit,  and  this  year— let  me  describe  it.     I  fruited 
but  a  single  cane  some  six  feet  long.     Every  eye 
made  its  shoot,  and  of  these  shoots  ten  of  them 
supported  four  bunches  each,  and  nearty  all  the  rest 
three  bunches  apiece.     Tliere  was  not  a  shoot  with- 
out at  least  one  large  bunch,  and  there  were  not 
half-a-dozen  small  bunches  on  the  vine.     Dr.  Eshle- 
man  saw  the  vine  in  its  full  glory,  and  as  he  will 
probably  be  with  you,  I  will  commit  its  reputation 
to  his  keeping.     My  border  is  three  feet  deep,  ten 
feet  wide,  and  contains  a  large  admixture  of  bone- 
manure  and  leather  scraps.     The  Catawissa  will,  I 
think,   prove  a  valuable  variety.      It  ripens  with 
Hartfbrd   Prolific  and    Northern    Muscadine.      In 
quality  it  is,  in  the  opinion  of  all  who  have  tasted 
it  here,  better  than  Isabella,  and  its  large  berries  and 
very  large  bunches  give  it  a  beautiful  appearance.    I 
think  it  w.ll  be  found  perfectly  hardy,  and  as  well 
worthy  of  general  cultivation  as  any  other  hardy 
black  grape  we  have. 

I  am  also  much  pleased  with  Taylor's  Bullitt, 
which  fruited  here  this  season.  It  is  a  most  beauti- 
ful little  grape,  without  pulp  and  almost  without 
skin,— more  perfectly  transparent  than  any  other 
native  grape  I  have  seen.  In  quality,  about  equal 
to  Elsinboro',  which  is  not  bad.  If  its  rambling 
propensities  can  be  restrained,  I  think  it  will  be 
quite  an  acquisition. 

As  an  early  grape  of  good  quality,  I  would  re-^ 
commend  the  North  America.     It  is  a  seedhng  of 
Franklin,  and  a  very  much  better  grape,  of  the  size 
'  of  Isabella,  without  pulp,  sweet  and  good,  but  lacks 
flavor.     It  ripened  here  before  Hartford   Prolific, 
and  is  a  much  better  grape.     I  think  well,  too,  of 
Alvey.     It  is,  indeed,  a  most  excellent  grape,  re- 
sembling Taylor  and  Elsinboro'  in  flavor,  and  seems 
to  be  quite  prolific,  though  I  cannot  agree  with  my 
friend,  Mr.  S.  Miller,  in  considering  it  but  little  infe- 
rior to   Delaware  in  quality.      Alas!   we  have  no 
native  grapes  of  which  that  may  be  truly  said  by 
me.     The  Diana  is  next  to  it,  in  my  opinion,  but 
between  the  two  there  is  room  for  many  others. 
Anna  proves  to  be  a  most  excellent  grape,  but  a 
shy  bearer.     Perhaps  she  will  yet  mend  her  ways. 

I  fruited  twenty  varieties  this  season,  and  I  must 
Say  tliat  I  have  no  ten  varieties  in  collection  (so  far 


yr»Ai^w) 


t£ 


7e^tfii 


}\,/rf*^  11 


«b«««XA 


xlMt. 


®Iii^  gardener's  ^ontljlj. 


as  tcstedj  Avliicli  I  would  not  rather  part  with  than 
Dclawaie.  It  would  afford  lue  pleasure  to  write  out 
lujM'iews  at  length  on  the  interesting  topic  of  grape- 
culture  for  the  benefit(  V)  of  the  meeting  ;  but,  'Sveak 
and  weary,  sick  and  sore,"  I  can  pursue  the  subject 
no  further. 

[The  above,  addressed  to  one  of  the  officers  of 
the  Lancaster  Grape-growers'  Meeting,  has  been 
handed  us  to  do  with  it  as  should  seem  good  unto 
us,  and  our  decision  is  to  publish  the  whole.  As 
the  views  of  an  observing  and  intelligent  amateur, 
they  derive  additional  force,  if  possible,  when  written 
in  an  off-hand  way,  without  thought  of  publication 
in  the  Monthly. — Ed.] 


MY    EXPERIENCES. 

BY   OLIVER   TEOIJAM,  OF    PEGRAMIA. 

No.   II. 

I  HAVE  said  that  the  time  had  come  when  I  should 
('!irry  out  that  lifelong  wish  of  mine,  and  retire  to 
the  country.  Such  a  wish  is  but  a  natural  one 
with  every  man.  In  my  case  it  was  all  the  more  so, 
as  I  had  been  bred,  born  and  educated  in  a  large 
l^lace,  where  the  earth  seemed  a  wilderness  of  houses, 
and  vegetation  had  but  few  and  feeble  exjionents, 
such  as  the  wormy  linden  trees  on  the  sidewalks 
and  the  grass  in  the  quiet  streets.  The  country 
around  my  native  place  was  as  flat  as  a  pancake, 
and  much  less  interesting  than  a  pancake.  My  des- 
tiny willed  it  that  I  should  live  in  none  but  the 
largest  cities  of  our  country,  and,  gifted  with  a 
lively  imagination  and  an  innate  love  for  the  coun- 
try, I,  from  the  contrast  between  necessity  and 
wish,  clung  all  the  more  to  my  ideal.  I  had  not 
even  the  leisure  of  those  folks  who,  partly  from  the 
love  of  home  and  partly  from  a  love  of  country,  go 
a  riding.  Hard  at  work  from  moru  till  night,  I  was 
essentially  a  stay-at-homer. 

Here  comes  the  daily  phenomenon  of  the  strange 
workings  of  the  native  bent,  illustrating  the  adage 
of  *' what's  bred  in  the  bone,"  Szc.  To  gratify  my 
love  for  country,  I  read  late  at  nights  in  bed  f  accom- 
panied by  a  cigar,  or  may  be  three  or  four  of  them,; 
books  of  travels  in  distant  countries,  especially  such 
in  which  I  fancied  that  Nature  appeared  in  her  most 
charming  forms,  such  as  the  West  Indies,  the  Bra- 
zils, &c.  Having,  also,  a  practical  turn, — and  who 
has  not  in  this  great  country  of  ours  ? — I  read  (don't 
smile,  kind  reader,)  price-currents  in  the  newspa- 
pers, thus  getting  a  knowledge  of  what  the  country 
produces,  and  what  it  "fetched."  Later  in  life, 
when  the  dollars  began  to  grow  with  me,  and  when 
I  had  married,  I  read  in  the  papers  the  advertise- 
ments of  farms  or  country  residences  for  sale  or  to 
let.     My  imagination  easily  made  me  proprietor  of 


each  of  them  in  turn,  and  each  of  them  had  its  pe- 
culiar fascination,  no  doubt  because  its  best  points 
were  made  the  most  of  in  the  paper.  Now%  this 
sort  of  thing  is  very  well,— just  as  the  dream 
will  always  suffice  to  the  soul  so  long  as  the 
reality  is  not  sought  for.  But  I  dearly  paid  up 
for  this  continued  play  of  the  imagination  ;  for 
when  we  Ctliat  is  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pegram)  one  winter 
night  CI  think  it  was  in  February)  had  resolved 
that  we  not  only  could,  but  would,  move  into  the 
country,  then  began  with  me  a  series  of  vexations, 
the  narration  of  which,  I  hope,  w  ill  do  some  good 
to  such  of  the  Gardener'' s  Monthly's  readers  as  are 
still  in  the  incipient  stage  of  *' moving  into  the 
country." 

I  wanted  to  find  my  ideal.  Where  was  I  to  find 
it  ?  First  I  took  to  the  advertisements.  Perhaps  I 
went  to  see  fifty  different  places.  Seeing  them,  and 
that,  too,  in  the  month  of  March  and  with  an  unac- 
quainted eye,  they,  one  and  all,  fell  vastly  short  of 
my  ideal.  They  were  either  too  flat,  or  too  rugged, 
or  too  cramped,  or  too  oddly  shaped,  or  the  build- 
ings were  distasteful,  or  the  soil  was  too  poor,  or 
there  was  too  much  or  too  little  timber  on  them. 
Let  alone  the  fear  in  my  mind  of  such  things  as 
take  a  man  very  unpleasantly  by  surprise,  and  must 
be  made  the  best  of  when  once  unhappily  found  ; 
for  instance,  unpleasant  neighbors,  or  may  be  chills 
and  fever  and  similar  miseries  of  life, — for  who  ever, 
when  he  inquired  of  people  on  or  near  the  spot, 
was  not  informed  that  this  spot  w^as  "remarkably 
healthy,"  and  "  most  respectable  people  all  around  ?" 

Besides,  there  floated  in  my  brain  an  unshaped 
thing  of  an  ideal,  some  few  points  of  which  I  found 
in  reality  in  each  of  the  fifty  places,  but,  unhappily, 
not  in  one  of  them  together.  I  dreamt  of  a  dwell- 
ing standing  half-way  over  a  green  hill,  looking  east 
with  a  little  southing;  white  pines  crowning  the 
top  of  that  hill,  and  coming  down  it  a  little  way, 
just  enough  to  shelter  us  from  the  north  and  north- 
west in  a  way  both  useful  and  ornamental.  Then  I 
wanted  the  ground  apt  to  be  terraced  in  front,  and 
to  be  nicely  laid  out  as  a  flower-garden.  At  the  foot 
of  the  hill  I  wanted  to  make  a  pond,  with  a  green 
isle  in  it,  on  which  I  was  to  plant  a  "native"  wil- 
derness of  shrubs  and  trees.  The  pond  was  a  fix- 
ture in  my  mind,  as  well  as  in  my  wife's,  both  of  us 
having  an  unusual  predilection  for  roast  duck,  cold. 
There  was,  likewise,  to  be  a  diversity  of  ground  all 
over  the  farm,  although  the  whole  was  not  to  exceed 
one  hundred  acres.  Monotony  I  could  never  bear  ; 
so  I  wanted  hill  and  dale,  rocks  and  rich  soil, 
meadow  and  woods,  and  a  little  of  every  thing  that 
makes  the  component  parts  of  creation. 

Was  I  unreasonable  ?     By  the  beard  of  the  Pro- 
phet, I  believe  I  was.     But  as  this  is  a  sort  of  con- 


/'/OWl 


^\  iarhntf  s  3n\\\i 


fession,  I  will  be  honest  and  state  even,  that,  in  ad- 
dition to  the  grand  features  of  the  place,  I  stuck 
quite  as  tenaciously  to  the  smaller  ones.  I  was  to 
have  a  sun-dial  on  a  large  scale,  a  rustic  bridge 
spanning  the  indispensable  streamlet  (I  hoped  the 
gods  would  throw  in  a  little  cascade),  an  ivy-clad 
grotto,  a  Newfoundland  dog  of  a  prodigious  size, 
(black,  of  course,)  my  "own"  horse,  beautiful  crea- 
ture !  and  squashes  of  a  size  and  flavor  hitherto  un- 
known to  the  inhabitants  of  this  continent. 

Feeling  how  much  I  claimed  of  mture  to  satisfy 
my  exacting  mind,  I  was  ready  to  move  into  any 
part  of  these  United  States  where  I  could  find  my 
ideal,  excepting  the  northernmost  and  the  southern- 
most ones.     Not  so  with  Mrs.  Pegram.     "What, 
to  go  and  leave  our  friends  and  relations  at  ever 
such  a  distance,  and,  strangers  as  we  are,  go  and 
seek  new  friends  amongst   strangers?      Take  the 
children  and  go  and  live  Heaven  knows  how  far 
from  any  place  where  they  can  get  a  good  school- 
ing?    Go  and  live  in  an  out-of-the-way  place,  out 
of%ight  of  all  the  world,  where  nothing  ever  hap- 
pens, and  where  you  never  get  to  know  wiiat  is 
going  on  in  the  world  ?     Preposterous  !   You  might 
as  well  bury  alive  your  wife  and  your  children,  Mr. 

Pegram  !" 

Was  ever  man  as  perplexed  as  I  ? 


THE    CRAB    APPLE    AND    ALMOND 
DWARF    AS   STOCKS. 

BY    "MAPLE  DELL,"   ILLINOIS. 

In  reply  to  "S.'s"  remarks  in  the  last  Monthly,  I 
would  state  what  little  I  know  about  these  stocks. 

Tlu^  Crab  Apple  (Malus  coronaria)  grows  in  great 
abundance  in  this  neighborhood,  and  has  been  re- 
peatedly used  as  a  ^tock  to  graft  upon,  with  success  ; 
and  if  thev  were  worked  near  the  ground,  low 
heads  being  formed,  they  would,  with  some  varie- 
ties, form  dwarf  trees  equal  to  those  worked  upon 
Doucain  stocks,  perhaps  superior. 

Our  attempts  at  dwarfing  the  Peach  and  Almond 
have  proved  quite  successful.  Two  years  ago  we 
budded  some  Peach  and  Almond  varieties  upon  the 
Double  Dwarf-flowering  Almond  (amygdalis,  fl.pl.) 
Last  year  they  grew  vigorously,  making  pretty  little 
shrub-like  trees  before  fall,  and  were  well  furnished 
with  fruit-buds.  This  year  we  shortened  the  new 
crrowth  two-thirds,  leaving  sufficient  fruit  for  the 
bushes  to  mature  well,  but  they  were  stung  by  the 
Gurculio  and  dropped  off  before  maturity. 

We  may,  perhaps,  be  more  successful  with  them 
next  year;  and  as  they  have  not  overgrown  the  root 
much,  they  may  last  for  one  year,  their  natures 
being  dwarfed. 


INJURIOUS    INSECTS. 

BY   S.    S.    IIATIIVON. 
[Coatiuued  from  I'age  293.1 


Jnomala  Tnarginata.  Fab.  Fig.  10.  Length, 
three-eighths  of  an  inch  ;  color,  a  light  brown  or  dirty 
yellow  ;  legs  and  underneath,  dark  brown  ;  the  pos- 
terior portion  of  the  head  and  the  middle  of  the 
thorax  irregularly  marked  with  chestnut-brown,  and 
the  centrafand  lateral  margin  of  the  wing-covers 
the  same  color;  wing-covers,  punctured  in  lines 
lengthwise. 

Anomala  hicic.ola.  Fab.  Fig.  17.  Length,  the 
same  as  fig.  10;  color,  uniformly  a  dirty  yellowy 
and  only  the  tarsi  and  the  eyes,  and  a  very  narrow 
margining  of  the  wing-covers  a  chestnut-brown, 
with  a  brownish  marginal  spot  on  each  side  of  the 
thorax;  wing-covers,  punctured  in  longitudinal 
lines  the  same  as  fig.  10. 

These  insects  I  found  very  abundant  on  the  grape- 
vines  of  Messrs.  Engle  &  Windolph,  on  the  5th  of 
July,  and  they  had  been  destroying  the  leaves  for 
some  days  previously,  and  continued  to  do  so  for 
some  days  subsequently.  They  belong  to  the  Ma- 
lolonthans,  a  family  of  destructive  LamcUicornice,  a 
prominent    member    of    which    is,   the    "spotted 


C^fi,' 


iti 


i 


>  t, 


I 


330 


Mil  hardener's  JRonthlg. 


(M 


Pelitlnota;"*  (Pelidnota  punctata,)  and  are  fully  as 
injurious  to  the  grape-vines  as  the  latter  well-known 
species,  but  occurring  in  vastly  greater  numbers. 
a  is  an  anterior  leg,  b  a  posterior  leg,  and  c  an 
antenna,  which  are  alike  in  botli  these  species. 
Indeed,  it  is  not  unlikely,  on  further  investigation, 
they  may  both  be  found  yet  to  be  only  varieties  of 
the  same  species  The  genus  Anomala  contains 
many  species,  and  among  them  such  a  great  variety 
as  to  make  it  much  of  an  anomaly.  Ten  or  twelve 
American  species  of  this  genus  are  known  to  entomol- 
ogists, besides  as  many  more  that  are  very  nearly 
allied  to  them,  and  differing  very  little  in  size  from 
those  here  represented.  Fig.  18  is  a  grub,  which  is 
a  form  common  to  the  family  of  the  Melolonthans 
rather  than  that  of  a  particular  species.  This  larva 
is  well  known  as  the  "  colute  grub  worm,"  and  is 
often  made  use  of  in  the  early  part  of  the  season  as 
a  choice  bait  for  fish.  These  grubs  remain  in  the 
earth  from  two  to  three  years,  and  are  very  destruc- 
tive to  the  roots  of  vegetation  when  their  numbers 
are  large.  In  this  state  of  their  being,  they  are  more 
injurious  than  in  their  perfect  state,  and  there  may 
be  a  great  many  injuries  done  to  vegetation  by  the 
destruction  of  their  roots  by  these  insects,  that  we 
are  not  aware  of.  During  the  winter  season  they 
burrow  down  deep  in  the  earth,  and  come  nearer 
the  surface  in  the  spring  when  the  frost  is  out  of  the 
ground,  and  in  this  way  they  are  sometimes  ploughed 
up,  or  dug  up  and  devoured  by  domestic  fowls  and 
birds,  long  before  they  are  ready  to  undergo  their 
transformation  to  the  perfect  state. 

Some  terrible  records  have  been  made  of  them  in 
England  and  Ireland,  such  as  stripping  the  foliage 
off  large  tracts  of  ground,  in  consequence  of  its  roots 
being  devoured  by  the  larva;  of  these  insects.  An- 
derson, in  his  Recreations  in  Agriculture,  says  that  there 
were  fourteen  thousand  of  these  insects  captured  in 
a  few  days  near  Blois,  in  France,  by  some  children, 
and  that  in  Hungary  they  boil  them  and  extract  the 
oil  from  them,  which  is  used  for  greasing  carriages. 
They  make  their  appearance  in  the  beetle  state  in 
June,  and  continue  till  August  and  September. 

Ichneumon  serratipennis.  Fig.  19.  Length,  three 
lines ;  expansion  of  the  wings,  five  lines ;  an- 
tcnUcT,  as  long  as  the  body ;  wings,  transparent ; 
color,  fuscous  or  light  brown ;  eyes,  shining,  dark 
chestnut  brown,  and  prominent,  a,  natural  size  of 
the  perfect  state ;  6,  natural  size  of  the  cocoon, 
containing  the  pupa  spun  down  to  a  portion  of  a 
leaf;  c,  natural  size  of  the  larva;  rf,  a  moderately 
magnified  view  of  the  insect  and  pupa  on  a  leaf;  e, 
a  greatly  magnified  view  of  the  perfect  insect ;  /,  a 

*  Prominent  in  the  order  not  (he  family— Pelidnota  is  a  Ru- 
tilian,  {RutilidcB,)  and  is  a  wood-borer. 


greatly  magnified  view  of  a  wing,  showing  the  veines; 
<7,  a  greatly  magnified  view  of  the  larva.  It  will  be 
seen  that  the  costal  margin  of  the  wing  is  serrated  or 
saw-toothed,  and  upon  this  characteristic  I  propose, 
at  present,  to  name  it.  When  it  is  discovered  that  it 
has  been  previously  named,  or  that  another  would 
be  more  appropriate,  then,  of  course,  this  one  must 
fall.  This  description  and  naming  is,  therefore,  only 
provisional. 

On  the  15th  of  last  June  I  found  some  leaf-rolling 
Lepidopteious  larva?  upon  a  quince  tree,  and  upon 
opening  one  of  the  leaves  rolled  up,  I  found  in  it  a 
light  green  caterpillar  with  a  brown  head  and  faintly 
banded  with  ^vilitish-green,  of  about  three-quarters 
of  an  inch  in  length.  It  was  probably  the  larva  of 
a  species  of  Tortrix.  I  found  that  it  was  inactive, 
and  that  it  had  not  inclosed  itself  as  perfectly  and 
securely  as  leaf-rollers  usually  do,  and  that  some- 
thing seemed  to  to  be  the  matter  with  it.  Soon  two 
small  greenish-white  worms,  with  a  small  black  head 
and  without  any  perceptible  feet,  came  forth  from  its 
body  and  remained  on  its  back.  I  then  broke  otT 
the  bud  and  leaves  and  put  them  in  a  small  box,  and 
on  examining  it  five  days  thereafter  I  found  that 
thirteen  of  these  worms  had  come  forth  and  spun 
themselves  down  in  flat  cocoons,  parallel  to  each 
other,  on  another  leaf,  and  that  the  caterpillar  was 
dead.  On  the  27th  of  June  they  evolved  from  the 
pupa,  by  cutting  a  round,  smooth  hole  through  the 
one  end  of  the  cocoon,  as  shown  in  6  and  rf,  and 
came  forth  a  brisk  and  knowing  little  "cuccoo-fiy," 
as  represented  in  the  illustrations.  This  is  then  a 
lively  and  efficient  little  insect  friend,  and  as  about 
half  of  them  escaped  out  through  an  open  window, 
they,  no  doubt,  went  forth  again  to  seek  some  luck- 
less caterpillar  upon  whom  to  deposit  their  eggs  for 
another  brood,  before  the  season  ends.  The  insect 
is  small,  and  is  not  likely  to  jostle  other  animated 
beings  much  in  the  world,  nor  is  it  likely  to  be  often 
seen  and  recognized,  but  it  is,  nevertheless,  doing 
right  valiant  service  to  man  in  the  sphere  in  which 
it  is  called  to  operate.  Close  habits  of  observation 
might  daily  produce  instances  like  this  in  the 
economy  of  insects,  and  would  also  reveal  to  us 
that  throughout  the  "live -long  day,"  and  during 
the  entire  continuance  of  the  summer  season,  in- 
sects, both  friends  and  enemies,  are  incessantly  at 
work  carrying  out  the  behests  of  their  creation. 
Their  perseverance  is  truly  astonishing.  It  was 
only  a  few  days  ago  I  witnessed  a  little  cuccoo-fly 
making  attempts  to  deposit  its  eggs  upon  a  hairy 
caterpillar,  and  the  latter  flourishing  the  fore  part  of 
his  body,  like  an  expert  fencer  would  his  broad- 
sword, in  order  to  ward  off  his  enemj' ;  but  it  was 
of  no  use ;  the  fly  persevered  until  he  succeeded,  be- 
fore he  relinquished  the  contest.     If  it  were  asked 


«. 


W^\  O^ardencr's  lltonthlg. 


me  what  remedies  I  would  interpose  to  the  encroach- 
ments of  these  enemies  of  the  grape-vine,  I  should 
be  compelled  to  answer,  that  I  do  not  know  a  single 
one   that  would   be    entirely  effectual.       Smoking 
them  out  with  a  torch  of  sulphur,  would  involve  a 
great  deal   of  labor,    and  unless   great  care  were 
taken,   might   scorch  the   vine.      In   an   extensive 
grapery  syringing  them  with  soap-suds  or  tobacco- 
brine  would  also  be  very  laborious.     The  best  self- 
operating  remedy,  perhaps,  would  be   putting  up 
bird-boxes,  and  the  encouraging  of  blue-birds  and 
wrens  to  build  their  nests  in  them.     I  have  a  small 
box  erected  about  four  feet  above  my  grape-vines  on 
a  pole,  in  which  a  pair  of  wrens  have  reared  two 
broods  every  season  for  a  number  of  years.     From 
eighteen  to  twenty  is  the  number  of  their  progeny 
reared  in  a  single  season,  all  of  which  are  fed  upon 
insects.      I  purposely  planted  two  or  three   small 
colonies  of  insect  larva;  on   my  vines  the  present 
season,  immediately  below   the  box,  in   order   to 
make  some  observations  upon  their  transformations ; 
but  in  every  instance,  my  colonies,  every  time  I  ex- 
amined them,  had  suffered  depletion,  and  then  en- 
tirely disappeared.     I  did  not  see  the  wrens  do  the 
work,  but  I  have  seen  them  frequently  bring  insects, 
and  especially  small  larva?,  in  their  bills  from  else- 
where, to  feed  their  young,  and  1  have  not  the  least 
doubt  that  it  was  them  f.iat  destroyed  mine.    These 
little  feathered  friends  are  occupied  at  least  twelve 
hours  in  the  day  in  feeding  their  young,  and  calcu- 
lating eight  insects  an  hour,  captured  for  them,— 
which  is  only  a  moderate  estimate,— would  make 
ninety-six  insects  a  day  carried  to  their  brood,  with- 
out counting  those  they  might  be  supposed  to  cat 
themselves.     Seven  hundred  insects,  in  round  num- 
bers, in  one  week,  for  a  family  of  wrens,  is  nothing 
more  than  what  may  be  ordinarily  calculated.     Al 
lowing  three  months  to  the  feeding  season  of  their 
young,  would  foot  up  twenty-one  hundred  insects 
consumed  by  these  little  indefatigable  insect  traps 
alone,  without   the   other   contingencies  that  also 
assist  in  destroying  great  numbers  of  them.    Heavy, 
drenching  rains  are  often  of  vast  benefit  in  lessening 
the  number  of  noxious  insects,  and  if  finely  pulver- 
ized air-slacked  lime  was  thrown  upon  those  that 
the  rain  failed  to  wash  off,  I  believe  it  would  de- 
stroy or  remove  them,  as  I  have  been  very  credibly 
informua.     With  these  few  remarks  at  this  time,  I 
mu>it  bring  thl«  pupor  to  a  t^lo^o,  hoping  that  it  may 
be  of  aome  use  In  throwing  a  little  additionjvl  light 
upon  the  subject  of  praptical  entomology  ;    and  I 
again  admoni»ih  tho   Asaociation,  that  when  they 
find  any  iuBOct  attacking  their  vegetation   of  any 
kind,  they  aeoure  a  apocimon  or  ap^jclmcna  and  Heiid 
them  to  me  by  mail  or  rxiierwise,  together  with  tUe 


tree  or  plant  upon  which  it  was  feeding,  and  I  shall 
cheerfully  give  such  light  upon  the  subject  as  I  may 
be  able  to  diffuse. 


— »» 


id  ^'" 


cumatanot38  undpr  whieh  it  wa?  t4Ucn,  aud  tUo 


THE    ALLEN    RASPBERRY. 

BY  FOX   MEADOW. 

It  is  said,  Mr  Editor,  "that  open  confession  is 
good  for  the  soul."     It  always  does  me  good  to 
acknowledge  the  superior  excellence  of  fruits  when 
they  are  found  to  be  so ;  and  I  must  honestly  say, 
that  I  feel  a  pleasure,  and  also  consider  it  a  duty  to 
make  known  what  appears  to  me  to  be  worthless. 
In   reading   over    the    September    number  of   the 
Monthly,  I  was  much  surprised  to  find  the  success 
of  Mr.  James  Gleason,  of  Mount  Airy,  in  the  cul- 
tivation of  the  Allen  Raspberry.     The  writer  first 
illustrates  the  "  Allen"  under  a  system  of  bad  culti- 
vation, and  then  gives  us  its  opposite,  terminating 
with  a  plentiful  crop  of   superb  fruit.      But  had 
cultivation,  we  are  all  aware,  must  terminate  finally 
in  bad  results,  but  with  me  this  does  not  solve  the 
mystery  of  the  Allen  Raspberry.     I  have  it  growmg 
at  the  present  time  on  a  made  soil  four  feet  deep. 
The  canes  are  tied  up  to  cedar  stakes,  four  canes  to 
a  stake.     The  canes  grow  seven  and  eight  feet  high. 
The  ground  is  kept  perfectly  clean,  and  no  suckers 
are  allowed  to  grow  but  the^i/r  for  the  following 
season.     The  ground  is  never  dry  nor  wet,  but  it  is 
strong  and  rich.     1  have   grown  them  now  four 
years,  and  got  with  them   such  a  character  that 
really  made  my  mouth  water,  and  long  for  the  time 
to  come  when  we  should  be  able  to  pick  an  abund- 
ance of  raspberries  from  canes  capable  of  standing 
-without  stakes,"  and   stand   the   frost   "without 
being  buried."      I  was  not  going  to  risk  the  frost, 
iiowever,  on  such  a  "wonderful  cropper."     So  we 
tmried    them    as  we    did   the   Brinckle's    Orange, 
>v  hich  were  growing  on  the  same  ground  by  their 
side;     but,    Mr.     Editor,    the    leaves    came    with 
ocnial  summer  sun,  and  the  blossoms  smiled  to  the 
cultivator,  whilst  his  busy  hand  pulled  the  absorbing 
suckers  fiom  its  root,  but  alas !  no  fruit.  A  few  "pips" 
were  shown  of  a  transparently  beautiful  crimson, 
dangling  here  and  there  on  the  bushes,-6caco7i«,  we 
thought,  of  a  plentiful  perfection  yet  to  come ;   so 
the  fostering  hand  protected  them  another  year,  and 
yet  another  year,  and  this  summer  the  ungrateful 
"Allen"  laughed  right  out  at  us,  and  said,  it  was 
not  a  raspberry,  but  an  "Ignis  Fatuus"  destined  to 
try  our  temper  and  the  natural  strength  of  our  bram 
"!=^tand  !"  we  exclaimed,  "for these  war  times  will 
not  permit  you  to  proceed  further  without  an  exami- 
nation of  your  '  paps.'  "     ''  AHen"  halted  with  all  the 
dignity  of  a  warrior,  and  said,  "  Kxaminp  my  pass, 
and  you  will  perceive  in  what  you  ought  to  have 
PJiftmifted  IPflg  enongU  l^cfore,  tbat  my  pass  is  m. 


-r^^ffV 


ijn  ujj..j.mi. n-y^ 


i*:^ 


332 


i^hit  §\ixinm's  JItonthlg. 


perfect.''^  Ilad  we  looked  at  liis  pass  three  years  ago, 
we  should  liave  sent  him  to  the  guard-house  then  ; 
for  botanically,  his  sexual  arrangement  was  in 
error,  fi!a/n&iit%  hut  no  ant/ifirn,  consequently  no 
jjolleii.  *' Allow  me,"  said  Allen,  "to  march  by  the 
side  of  'Brinckle'  or  the  'Antwerp'  brigade,  and 
you  will  find  me  more  suitable  to  your  wants.  I  am 
oidy  a  lady  in  your  soil,  but  in  the  company  of 
gentlemen,— \cry  much  changed  for  your  better." 

"Allen,  this  don't  pay,  so  you  must  come  vp  out 
of  it  and  accomi)any  all  the  other  things  which  re- 
quire purifying,  to  the  flames.''' 

[The  success  in  the  particular  instance  Ave  named, 
may  probably  have  been  as  much  owing  to  the  neiiiii- 
borhood  of  other  varieties,  as  to  the  system  of 
culture,  and  it  is  a  pertinent  question,  as  Fox 
IMeadow  well  puts  it,  whether  it  is  worth  while  to 
raise  a  variety  that  needs  fertilization,  if  w^e  can  get 
a  kind  that  will  bear  as  well  without.  In  this  case, 
none  of  the  other  kinds  did  bear  as  well,  or  any 
thing  like  as  well.  No  more  ground  was  occui)icd 
than  any  other  kind  would  have  occui)ied.  Mr. 
Gleason's  raspberry  garden  is  in  a  low  piece  of 
ground,  and  no  variety  is,  we  believe,  even  pro- 
tected there.  His  success  is  equal  to  any  raspberry- 
grower  we  know,  and  we  should  like  to  have 
his  experience;  but  as  he  has  now  exchanged 
the  pruning  knife  for  the  sword  at  the  head  of  a 
company  in  the  service  of  his  country  in  Virginia, 
we  must  lay  aside  the  desire  for  the  present.— Ed.] 


«•■»» 


MANETTI    ROSE    STOCK. 

BY  F.    PAKKMAX,    POND   GAKDEN,    JAMAICA 
PLAIN,    MASS. 

As  the  true  merits  of  the  Manetti  Rose  Stock  have 
been  much  discussed  on  both  sides  of  the  ocean,  (I 
began  a  year  ago  last  spring  to  experiment  on  it,) 
I  now  send  you  a  few  res  Its  of  my  experience,  in 
the  hope  of  gaining,  as  well  as  giving,  information. 
Of  several  hundred  strong  stocks  planted  in  April, 
18G0,  and  containing  dormant  buds  of  some  thirty 
varieties  of  perpetuals,  the  greater  part  bursted  with 
8uri)rising  vigor.  Several  before  autumn  made 
shoots  more  than  six  feet  long.  One  Triomphe  de 
r Exposition  measured  six  and  a  half  feet.  Others, 
such  as  Mrs.  Elliott  and  Pjeony,  made  compact 
bushes  of  four  feet,  loaded  Avith  bloom.  Others, 
again,  Avere  Aveak  and  dwarf  in  growth.  Among 
these  Avas  La  Heine,  Avhile  the  Muscadine  Geant 
did  not  exceed  his  ordinar}'  slight  proportion.  In 
short,  some  found  the  stock  congenial,  others  not. 
The  soil,  I  should  say,  Avas  trenched  two  feet,  and 
enriched  to  the  hightest  point, 

Thus  far,  the  results  were,  on  the  whole,  very 


satisftictory  ;  but  thcprcscnt  summer  has  cast  a  shade 
of  suspicion  over  the  character  Avhich  entered  upon 
its  career  under  such  hopeful  auspices.  The  plants 
Avere  carefully  taken  up  and  re-set  a  little  doei)er,  in- 
order  to  give  protection  to  the  point  of  junction  of 
the  scion  and  stock.  This  Avas  easy,  as  all  were 
budded  close  to  the  ground.  A  few  grew  and 
blossomed  with  all  their  former  vigor,  but  in  general 
they  have  shown  a  diminished  vitality  as  compared 
with  last  year,  and  in  some  instances  this  deteriora- 
tion has  been  A^ery  marked. 

I  am  by  no  means  prepared,  hoAvever,  to  giA'C  my 
voice  against  this  promising  stock,  and  Avrite  chiefly 
to  draAV  forth  the  results  of  others'  experience.  I 
am  continuing  to  experiment,  and  will  give  results 
hereafter.  Tlie  only  question  is  that  of  the  perma- 
nent value  of  the  stock.  Of  its  immediate  intluence 
on  those  varieties  adapted  to  it,  there  can  be  no 
possible  question. 


4»>*» 


RHODODENDRONS. 

[Coutiuued.] 
BY   A.  MIELLEZ,  FLUSHING,  N.  Y. 

The  best  mode  of  grafting  rhododendrons,  as  be- 
fore stated,  is  that  of  saddle-grafting.  It  is  done  by 
cutting  a  Avedge  of  about  an  inch  and  a  half  in 
length  on  the  stock,  and  a  "saddle,"  as  it  may 
be  called,  of  the  same  length  on  the  scion, 
so  as  to  fit  the  one  into  the  other.  The  latter  cut 
requires  a  little  skill,  but  after  some  practice  Avill 
soon  become  handy.  I  here  may  mention  a  lilt  e 
contrivance  that  Avill  be  of  some  service:  it  consists 
of  a  tube  made  of  stiff  paper,  about  an  inch  Avide 
and  four  inches  long;  through  this  the  scion  is 
draAvn,  and  by  keeping  the  leaves  erect,  Avill  facili- 
tate the  cutting  and  tieing.  Very  large  leaves  may 
be  half  cut  otf. 

If  stock  and  scion  are  of  the  same  size,  it  Avill 
form  a  very  neat  junction  at  once ;  if  the  stock  be 
stronger,  the  scion  has  to  be  set  on  one  side  of  the 
saddle,  so  as  to  cover  bark  by  bark ;  after  a  season's 
groAvth  the  difference  Avill  soon  disappear,  pro- 
vided it  be  not  too  great  a  one,  in  wiiich  latter  case 
I  should  adAise  Avedge-grafting ;  grafting  on  a  large 
stock  should,  hoAvever,  if  possible  be  avoided. 
After  having  fitted  stock  and  scioil  nicely  to- 
gether, use  worsted  or  bast  matting,  cut  into  the 
required  lengths,  for  tieing  in  this  Avay  :  Hold  stock 
and  scion  together  Avith  the  left  hand,  at  the  same 
time  catching  hold  of  one  end  of  the  tie,  (^twine,; 
then  Avith  the  right  hand  tAvist  the  matting,  and 
begin  tieing  from  the  top  to  the  bottom  of  the 
cuts,  leaving  little  spaces  between  cA-ery  encircling 
tie,  so  as  not  to  restrain  the  ascending  circulation  of 
the  sap.     No  coating  of  Avax  or  clay  need  be  ap- 


\] 


ih^  (iardcncr's  (Ponthlg. 


plied;  the  usage  of  this  is  rather  reverse  to  most 
in-door  operations.  The  atmosphere  of  the  place 
has  to  be  kept  in  a  condition  to  prevent  the  plants 
from  shrivelling  and  drying  up ;  this,  hoAvever,  Avill 
be  easily  accomi)lished  in  the  Avay  before  stated. 

In  regard  to  the  age  of  the  Avood,  it  matters  but 
little  Avhether  it  is  one,  tAvo  or  three  years  old,  as 
long   as   it    is   in    vigorous    health,  and    theref(>re 
old   plants  that  have  groAvn  irregular  at  the  same 
time  may  be  formed  into  "  shape"  by  grafting.     For 
scions,    hoAvever,    the   tops   or   one  year's  groAvth 
should   be   used   for   their    more   prominent    eyes, 
healthier  leaves  and  greater  vitality,  Avh'.ch  qualify 
them  better  for  a  "tip-top"  start  and  ultimate  suc- 
cess.    About  a  fortnight  or  three  Aveeks  after  gr  .ft- 
inir,  the   stock  Avill  have  issued  numerous  shoots, 
Aviilch  have  to  be  removed  gradually  as  the  issues  of 
the  scions  develop,  leaving  the  upper  ones  till  last, 
to   aid   in  carrying  the   sap  to  the  h.tter.     At  the 
same  time  look  after  the   tyings,  and  if  they  are 
seen  to  make  a  rather  deep  impression,  caused  by 
the   groAvth    and   callus   of    the  junction,    remove 
them  and  tie  again  A\'ith   untwisted  bast  matting. 
This  Avill  keep  till  the  gratts  are  thoroughly  united, 
and   then    l)e   forced   to    break    by   the   increasing 
strength  of  the  plant.     This  is  all  that  is  needed, 
although  a  little  attention  should  still  be  paid  for  the 
first  three  months  or  so,  looking  over  them  noAV 
and  then,  lest  some  ties  might  undo  themselves  too 
soon.      If  so,  it  must  be  remoA^'d  to  prevent  the 
graft   from  dropping   off  by  s wagging  about.     By 
grafting  snutll  plants  the  same  has  to  be  observed 
That  has  been  said  about  large  ones,  with  the  only 
difference  that  these  should  be  grafted  as  near  to  the 
roots  as  possible  for  the  reason,  that,  though  only 
hardy  Catawbiensc  varieties  (true  Catawbiense  arc 
objectionable,  because  they  do  not  form  so  fine  a 
ball    of  fibrous   roots   as  Hybrids   of  Catawbiense 
ivanmum  and  ponticum,  &n'.)  are  used.     There  may 
be  one  or  the  other  not  prove  (luite  hardy,  and  it  is 
vexatious  to  loose  any  afterwards  by  a  severe  trial 
of  Jack  Frost,  but  which  will  be  secure  if  grafted 
loAV,    so   as  to   come   into    the   ground.      Another 
reason  for  grafting  near  to  the  roots  is,  that  a  great 
many  of  the   grafts   will   subsequently  take   roots 
Avhen  coming  in  contact  Avith  the  soil,  and  so  stand 
partly  at  least  on  their  oAvn  roots. 

By  the  Avay,  it  may  be  said  that  rliododendrons 
can  also  be  propagated  by  layering,  and  pretty  good 
plants  they  will  make.  Proceed  in  the  usual  way 
of  layering  shrubs.  It,  however,  is  a  pretty  slow 
way,  and  not  at  all  advisable  where  large  (piantities 
are  Avanted.  The  raising  of  stocks  and  hybrids 
from  seeds,  of  Avhich  I  shall  give  a  plan  of  treatment 
hereafter,  is  a  thing  of  imperative  necessity.  For 
the  present  I  Avill  add,  that  seedling  stocks  which 


have  been  groAvn  in  the  nursery,  Avill  be  fit  for 
grafting  Avhen  of  an  average  size  of  an  inch  in 
circumference,  and  may  be  taken  up  and  potted  for 
that  purpose ;  but  Avhere  there  is  a  large  quantity  to 
be  accommodated,  it  will  be  found  to  advantage  to 
l)lant  them  i  .  a  pot  or  house  as  described  for  large 
plants.  Plant  in  roAVS  about  six  inches  apart  and 
four  inches  betAveen,  so  as  to  give  sufllcient  room 
for  the  development  of  their  groAVth. 

A  very  good  method  of  operation  is  the  folloAV- 
ing,  viz;  Early  in  spring  Avhen  the  severest  frost 
has  passed  away,  fabout  the  beginning  of  ]\Iarch  in 
this  section,;  put  a  good  layer  of  fresh  stable- 
manure  into  a  pit  or  frame,  some  light  soil,  saAV- 
dust  or  tan  on  the  top.  After  the  first  strong  heat 
is  gone  (^ay  four  or  five  days)  put  your  graf.ed 
plants  in  ;  they  Avill  do  beautifully. 

[To  be  CoiitiuueJ.] 


«•»•> 


A  VISIT  TO  THE  KNOX  FRUIT  FARM. 

BY   A.    TIIOATSON,    DELAWARE,    OHIO. 

The   horticultural  reader  has  heard  of  the  cele- 
brated fruit  farm  oAvned  and  cultivated  by  Rev.   J. 
Knox,    in    the    vicinity   of   Pittsburg,   Pa.       It   is 
undeniably  the  most  extensive  establishment  of  the 
kind  in  the  United  States  ;  and  notAvithstanding  its 
large  size,  is  as  thoroughly  and  systematically  culti- 
A-ated  as  any  other  to  be  found  in  the  countiy,  hoAV- 
ever  limited  in  extent.     From  the  central  i)osition 
occupied  by  the  family  mansion,  the  eye  takes  in  at 
a  glance  over  one  hundred  acres,  within  a  single 
enclosure,  almost  every  rod  of  Avhich  is  occupied 
Avith  fruit  trees,  vines  and  plants,  apples,  peaches, 
grapes,  straAvberries,  blackberries,  raspberries,  goose- 
berries, currants,  &c.,  all  in  the  highest  state  of  lux- 
uriant   groAvth,    and    all    receiving    as    clean    and 
thorough  culture  as  is  bestoAved  upon  a  good  gar- 
den.      The   i)lace   has    already  been   described   in 
detail,  and  I  do  not  propose  going  over  the  same 
ground  again,  but  simply  design  noticing  a  fcAv  (ff 
the  prominent  features,  Avhich,  during  a  recent  visit, 
especially  attracted  my  attention   and  elicited   my 
admiration. 

yiw  Knox  makes  the  culture  of  the  strawberry    j 
for  market  and  raising  plants  for  sale,  a  sju'ciality. 
He  has  been  called  the  "Strawberry  King;"  and 
if  un(iuestionable   pre-eminence  in   this  branch  of 
fruit  culture  can  entitle  a  person  to  the  appellation, 
it  is  ju^lly  bestOAved.     The  statement  that  he  has./J/'/y 
acres  in  straAvberrics  seems  almost  incredible  ;  but  a 
Avalk  overthe  place,  and  an  examination  of  the  extent 
of  the  plantation,  cannot  fail  to  satisfy  the  most  skepti- 
cal, that  the  amoimt  of  ground  above  indicated  is 
thus  occupied.     During  the  last  season  the  hands  em- 
ployed in  picking  and  sending  fruit  to  market  num- 


Cj^e  §mkmx%  Ulantljfg. 


bercd  at  times  as  high  as  three  hundred  per  day, 
and  the  berries  were  sent  in  large  quantities  to  New 
York,  Philadelphia,  Buffalo,  Chicago,  Detroit,  and 
most  of  the  other  cities  of  the  North  and  West, — 
some  going  even  into  Canada.     In  consequence  of 
the  size  and  handsome  appearance  of  the  fruit  (the 
effect  of  thorough  culture  and  the  selection  of  choice 
varieties)  it  brought  in  most  cases  fully  double  the 
price  obtained  for  such  as  is  ordinarily  to  be  found 
in  our  city  markets.     Mr.  Knox  purchases  and  tests 
every  new  variety  that  appears,  and  the  number  of 
sorts  comprised  in  his  specimen  bed,  each  occupying 
a  distinct  row,  consiv,  erably  exceeds  one  hundred. 
Some  of  them  are,  of  course,  of  but  little  value, — 
many  of  them  arc  found  desirable  for  a  general 
collection,  and  a  few  are  esteemed  worthy  of  univer- 
sal culture.      First  on  his  list  of  favorites  stands 
Triomphe  de  Gand,  which,  the  past  season,  has  fully 
maintained  its  high  reputation  as  a  first-class  berry 
in  all  respects,  and  the  extent  of  his  plantations  of 
this  variety,  the  preparations  to  still  further  extend 
them,  and  production  of  millions  of  plants,  clearly 
evince  the   high  estimation  in  which  he  holds  it. 
Next  to  Triomphe  de  Gand  I  believe  he  now  ranks 
Killey^s   Goliath  and   Trollope's   Victoria;  while  Wil- 
son's Albany,  Jenny  Lind,  Baltimore  Scarlet,  and 
several  other  standard  varieties,  are  still  largely  cul- 
tivated.    Several  of  the  newer  varieties,  as  Fillmore, 
Downing,    «fcc.,  promise   well,  but  have   not  been 
sufficiently  tested   to    establish   their  merit.       For 
fruiting,  all  the   vines  are  cultivated  in  rows  two 
and  a  half  feet  apart,  and  some  of  them  more  than 
a  thousand  feet  in  length.     The  vines  are  kept  free 
from  runners,  which  are  removed  as  they  appear 
by  hand,  the  effect  of  which  is  extraordinary  vigor 
of  growth,   and  the  formation   of  numerous  and 
prominent  crowns,  which  will  throw  up  an  abund- 
ance of  strong  fruit  stalks  next  season.     The  ground 
between  the  rows  is  kept  perfectly  clear  of  weeds 
by  hoe  and   hand  culture  ;    and   the  latter  part  of 
November  the  entire  beds  are  covered  with  a  laj-er 
of   straw,    which  protects    the   plaiils   during  the 
winter,— is  removed  from  the  rows  in  the  spring, 
and  suffered  to   remain   between  them  during  the 
summer,  acting  as  a  mulch,  keeping  the  ground 
moist,  protecting  the  fruit  from  dirt,  checking  the 
growth  of  weeds,  and  eventually  by  decaying,  af- 
fording nourishment  to   the   soil.      The   beds   for 
raising  plants  are   entirely  distinct  from  those  for 
fruiting ;  all  the  runners  are  permitted  to  grow  and 
root,  and  the  beds  so  remote  from  each  other  as  to 
render  admixture  impossible  ;  and  those  purchasing 
plants  of  Mr.  Knox  can  do  so  with  full  confidence 
that  they  are  true  to  name  and  unmixed.     The  mode 
of  culture  pursued  on  this  place  is  nccssarily  expen- 
sive, but  experience  has  demonstrated  that  it  pays 


better  than  a  less  expensive  system  ;  its  policy  even 
in  an  economic  point  of  view  is  fully  established. 

Next  to  Strawberries  comes  Grapes;  and  from 
the  extent  of  his  preparations  for  planting  vines,  and 
the  thorough  manner  in  which  he  prepares  the  soil 
for  their  reception,  it  is  evident  that  this  will  shortly 
become  the  leading  branch  of  culture  ;  and  those  who 
now  regard  themselves  as  occupying  the  front  rank 
as  grape-growers,  would  do  well  to  look  to  their 
laurels,  lest,  ere  they  are  aware  of  it,  they  be  trans- 
ferred to  the  brow  of  the  *' Strawberry  King." 

The  soil  and  locality  of  this  fine  farm  seem  to 
be  admirably  adapted  to  the  growth  of  the  vine,  and 
the  thorough  culture  given  them,  the  judicious  selec- 
tion of  varieties,  and  the  systematic  and  scientific 
pruning  and  training,  have  already  produced  the 
most  flattering  results,  and  promise  still  better  for 
the  future.  The  assortment  embraces  all  the  older 
varieties  and  most  of  the  new ;  but  only  a  few  of 
those  that  have  proved  valuable  are  largely  planted. 
The  three  favorite  varieties  are  Delaware^  Concord  uml 
Hartford  Prolijic,— the  first  valued  on  account  of  its 
universally  conceded  good  qualities  both  as  a  table 
and  wine  grape ;  the  other  two  for  their  hardiness, 
productiveness,  early  maturity,  and  consequent  value 
as  market  fruits.  Of  Delaware^  there  are  a  hundred 
or  more  vines  on  the  place,  that  have  each  a  few 
clusters  for  the  first  time  this  season,— the  healthy 
growth  of  the  vines  and  the  exquisite  beauty  and 
unsurpassed  quality  of  the  fruit,  captivating  all  be- 
holders ;  also  several  hundred  vines  (good  one  year 
old  layers;  set  out  last  spring,  which  are  a  sight 
worth  looking  at,  having  made  a  growth  of  from 
five  to  twelve  feet  each,— the  wood  stout  and  short- 
jointed,  and  such  as  would,  if  permitted  next  sea- 
son, produce  a  fair  crop  of  fruit.  They  will,  after 
another  season's  growth,  challenge  comparison  with 
any  lot  of  vines  of  like  age  in  the  country,  and  will 
richly  repay  the  investment  made  at  what  might 
appear  a  somewhat  extravagant  price  in  procuring 
^ood  vines  at  the  start.  Those  who  are  troubled 
with  the  idea  that  the  Delaware  is  a  feeble  grower, 
would  be  effectually  cured  by  a  glance  at  this  lot  of 
vines. 

I  am  one  of  those  who,  when  it  first  appeared, 
formed  a  decidedly  unfavorable  opinion  of  the  Con- 
cord ;  and  from  seeing  it  growing  in  several  localities 
in  the  East,  and  tasting  the  fruit  from  such  vines,  my 
unfavorable  impres.sions  of  it  were  confirmed,  rather 
than  weakened.  But,  after  witnessing  its  vigorous 
and  healthy  growth  in  the  West,  and  fruiting  it  on 
my  own  grounds,  my  views  have  very  much  modi- 
fied, and  I  have  come  to  regard  it  as  a  most  valuable 
grape  for  general  culture  ;  and  the  show  it  made  this 
fall  on  the  farm  of  Mr.  Knox  was  such,  that  I  can- 
not speak  in  terms  of  too  high  commendation  of  it. 


^%n0 


M^  (iardmw's  Jlitonthlg. 


The  vines  of  all  ages  were  a  perfect  picture  of  health. 
A  large  number  that  had  been  two  years  planted, 
were  bearing  their  first  crop  of  fruit— the  clusters 
large,  the  berries  perfect  and  thoroughly  ripened, 
and  the  flavor,  in  my  estimation,  if  not  as  good  as 
that  of  a  few  other  varieties,  at  least  superior  to  Isa- 
bella.    These  vines  averaged  one  dollar  each  from 
the  sale  of  fruit,  which  readily  commanded  from 
twenty  to  twenty-five  cents  per  pound  in  the  Pitts- 
burg market,  while  Isabellas  and  Catawbas  Cunripe 
of  course^  w^ere  a  drug  at  six  to  eight  cents.     The 
great  point  of  attraction,  however,  was  a  row  of 
eleven  vines,  four  years  planted,  occupying  a  trellis 
about  one  hundred  and  thirty  feet  long,  and  seven 
feet  high,  which  from  bottom  to  top,  and  from  one 
end  to  the  other,  was  covered  with  such  magnificent 
clusters  as  I  had  never  before  seen.     The  bunches 
were  large  and  compact,   generally  heavily  shoul- 
dered, the  berries  very  large  and  perfect  in  every 
respect,  reminding  one  of  well-grown  Black  Ham- 
burgs,  though  from  their  jet  black  color,  and  cover- 
ing of  rich  bloom,  they  eclipsed  that  celebrated  va- 
riety in  beauty  of  appearance.  This,  too,  was  simply 
the  result  of  good  culture  and  proper  training  and 
pruning.     The  estimate  of  Mr.  Knox,  that  an  acre 
of  such  vines,  fruiting  as  those  were,  would  yield  a 
profit  of  one  thousand  dollars  in  a  single  season, 
was  not  an  extravagant  one  ;  for  I  fancy  he  would 


find  but  little  trouble  in  realizing  one  hundred  dol- 
lars in  any  market  for  the  product  of  those  eleven 
vines. 

Of  the  Hartford  Prolific  he  has  but  a  few  vines, 
and  when  I  was  at  his  place  (Sept.  25th, J  the  fruit 
had  all  been  picked  and  marketed,  bringing,  in  con- 
sequence of  its  earliness  and  attractive  appearance, 
twenty-five  cents  per  pound.  Though  not  claimed 
to  be  a  fruit  of  superior  flavor,  the  vine  is  hardy  and 
productive,  and  being  eariier  than  any  other  yet 
tested  by  Mr.  K.,  he  thinks  highly  of  it  as  a  market 
fruit,  and  designs  planting  it  largely. 

The  great  advantage  possessed  by  the  three  varie- 
ties above  named,  consists  especially  in  their  earli- 
ness, to  say  nothing  of  other  qualities,  a^  they  all  ripen 
their  fruit  before  there  is  any  danger  of  frost,  which 
the  Isabella,  Catawba,  and  most  other  varieties  fail 
to  do  in  open  exposed  culture  at  Pittsburg  and  most 
ot.ier  localities  as  far  North. 

Another  fruit  that  Mr.  Knox  is  devoting  especial 
attention  to,  is  the  Improved  American  Black  Cap 
Raspberry.  Of  this  he  has  now  very  large  planta- 
tions, and  is  preparing  to  greatly  enlarge  them, 
finding  it  one  of  the  most  profitable  of  his  small 
fruits.  It  is  both  hardy  and  prolific,  the  fruit  attrac- 
tive in  appearance  and  of  good  quality. 


THE   INDIAN  OR  CHINESE  AZALEA: 

Its  Introduction,  Cultivation,  Propagation  and 

Description  of  the  Best  Sorts,  New  and  Old. 

[Continued  from  Page  302.] 
BY  AN   OLD  FLORIST,    PHILADELPHIA. 

If  I  were  to  be  confined  to  the  culture  of  only 
one  family  of  plants  for  winter  blooming,  I  would 
unhesitatingly  adopt  the  Azalea.     This  choice  cer- 
tainly would  not  have  been  made  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
,  tury  ago ;  but  now,  with  the  great  beauty  of  growth, 
I  the  cleanliness  of  the  plant,  its  now  neat  and  com- 
pact  habit,  with  a  very  general  prospect  of  reward 
for  services  rendered,  and  the  great  improvements 
in  the  plant  of  the  present  day,  will  cause  many  to 
approve  of  my  choice.     The  only  difliculty  in  the 
way  of  an  amateur  is,  ''What  shall  I  select?"   This 
difficulty  is  very  apparent  from  the  hundred  and 
one  names  in  nurserymen's  catalogues,  and  all  of 
an  equal  degree  of  merit.     They  will  pardon  me,  I 
hope,  if  my  feeble  opinion  should  ignore  one-half 
of  their  off'erings,  for  which  they  are  not  to  blame. 
They  know  that  many  require  sometldng  new,  and, 
of  course,  the  propagator  is  considered  behind  the 
age  if  he  is  not  in  possession  of  all  the  trash  offered 
at  home  or  abroad.     It  now  takes  a  very  superior 
sort  to  hold  any  rank  in  the  present  collections. 
The  characters  should  be,  first,  form  of  flower,  as 
near  the  circle  as  possible,   with  a   smooth,  waxy 
petal ;  color,  distinct,  of  whatever  shade,  with  size 
and  profusion  of  bloom  ;  habit,  of  medium  growth  ; 
foliage,   green  and   shining.      Those  with  a  dull, 
rusty,  deciduous  foliage,  such  as  the  Old  White  and 
the  Old  Purple,  are  objectionable  ;  so  are  sorts  that 
make  a  growth  before  blooming,  such  as  Duke  of 
Wellington  and  Novae  Blanc.     With  these  outlines 
before  us,  we  now  give  the  names  and  colors  of  the 
best  that  have  come  under  our  cultural  observation. 


Selfs,  those  that  are  mostly  of  One  Color. 

Bride— VnxQ  transparent  white,  of  medium  to  dwarf 

growth. 
Crhinfiora—Ro^Y  purple,  with  a  crenulated  edge,  of 

medium  growth,  very  distinct. 
Delecta—C\\^rxy  rose  color,  very  profuse,  medium 

growth. 

Due  de  iVa^^w— Crimson,  with  dark  upper  petals 

and  darker  spots,  flowers  large,  strong  growth. 

Eclipse— Br\g\\i  scarlet,  very  profuse,  strong  growth. 

^xfrana— Brilliant  rosy  pink,  [in   color  and  form 

this  excels  our  old  favorite  Copeii,]  free  growth 

and  not  overloaded  with  foliage. 

Qigantifiora  —  Tio^Y  ^aln^on,  spotted  with  violet, 
flowers  from  three  to  four  inches  in  diameter, 
free  growth. 


11 


^i^^m 


iltjj  hardener's  Jtlonthlg. 


Lntentm—Bv\i;ht  salmon  color,  very  profuse  of 
bloom,  dwarf  growth,  and  is  best  when  grafted 
from  six  to  twelve  inches  high.  This  variety, 
imported  from  China  over  thirty  years  ago,  is 
not  yet  improved  upon  as  a  dwaif  sort  in  either 
form  or  color. 

Lateritia  alba  swprcwm— Similar  to  the  former,  ex- 
cept in  color,  being  pure  white. 

Louis  Napoleon — Dark  vermilion  color,  with  darker 
si)ots,  very  bold  flower,  of  large  size,  plant  of 
strong  growth.  Several  of  the  new  sorts  ap- 
proac;h  this  variety,  but  I  do  not  yet  see  any  to 
excel  it. 

Pc/MHj>/7om— Peculiar  for  its  uniform  rosy  violet 
color ;  a  very  abundant  bloomer,  neat,  medium 
growth;  produced  (piite  a  sensation  wiien  it 
appeared  in  Belgium  and  England. 

Pride,  of  DorJdnf^—A   very   old   English   sort,  of  a 

cherry  purple  ;  nothing  like  it ;  strong  growth  ; 

if  the  Mowers  had  the  symmetry  of  Rosy  Circle, 

it  would  rank  high. 
Jc^T^ana— Bright   rosy   scarlet   flower,   of  medium 

size,  free  growing. 
Princess   Roy<d  —  TXosy  pink,    profuse    bloomer,    of 

strong  growth. 
Reinc  de  Blanc^  or  Queen  of  Wir.tes— Pure  white, 

flowers  from  three  and  a  half  to  four  inches  in 

diameter,  foliage  green  and  persistent,  growth 

medium. 
Roi  Leopold— ViYlght  salmon  red,  upper  petals  flamed 

with   violet,    stout,    firm   petals,    and   nearly  a 

complete  circle,  growth  medium. 

Rosa  it  I  ustrata— Bright  rose  color;  a  large  flower, 
with  an  occasional  double  petal,  growth  and 
foliage  good.  A  liighly  complimented  Belgian 
variety,  though  we  think  it  under  the  standard  ; 
of  fine  form. 

Rosy  Circle— Yary  brilliant  rose  color,  shape  verj" 
unexceptionable,  a  profuse  bloomer,  of  mediimi 
growth. 

Spcciosa—A  very  old  sort,  with  a  bright  cherry  red 
flower  of  the  largest  size,  Ftrongly  spotted  w  ith 
dark  crimson,  growth  free,  very  large,  very 
showy,  but  deficient  in  shape. 

Standard  of  Perfection — (Said  to  be.;  Flowers  of  a 
waxy  rose  color,  firm  ju  tal,  circular  form,  me- 
dium growth,  and  is  altogether  a  very  elegant 
plant. 

&/(/?</' t/aHU— Salmon-red  color,  perfect  formation, 
fine,  clean  foliage,  free  growth. 

Vesta — Pure  waxy  frosty  white,  an  abundant  bloomer, 
foliage  shining  green,  growth  medium. 


AZALE5AS  WITH   StUIPF.D,  MARGINED  A3S'D   SPOTTED 

Flowers. 

Jdviiration—Co\oY  white,  rose  and  pink  stripes  ;  fo- 
liage green  and  persistent ;  a  free  bloomer. 

^urc/ia— Rose  white,  salmon  striped  with  cherry 
spots,  foliage  and  growth  good. 

Baron  de  Vricre — Delicate  salmon  color,  edged  with 
pure  white,  a  large  flower,  plant  of  free  growth. 

Beauty  of  Eh ro/,'c— Striped  distinctly  red  and  Avhite, 
flower  not  first-rate  in  form,  very  profuse,  does 
occasionally  run  to  a  self-color  of  a  rosy  salmon. 

Eulalie  von  Gecrt — Rosy  salmon,  margined  with 
white  and  spotted  with  crimson ;  very  large 
bloom,  and  produces  occasionally  centre  petals; 
growth  free,  plant  of  very  excellent  habit. — 
There  is  a  variety  of  this,  with  the  foliage  very 
distinctly  margined  with  white. 

Iveryana—Fme  white,  very  beautifully  striped  and 
spotted  with  rosy  violet,  medium  growth. 

Madam  Miellez—Yary  large,  pure  white  flower,  very 
distinctly  striped  with  violet  and  like  what  the 
English  call  a  fine  flake  carnation. 

Marie  Louise^  or  as  some  have  it,  Louise  Marie — Pure 
white,  with  a  delicate  stripe  of  violet ;  pioduces 
a  dense  mass  of  bloom ;  growth  medium. 

Maitlandii—xU\  American  variety  in  the  way  of  va- 
riegata,  with  the  flowers,  however,  pure  white, 
with  stripes  and  spots  ot  bright  rose ;  weak 
growth;  should  be  grafted. 

Queen  of  the  JJehjians — Pure  white  flowers,  striped 
with  violet;  the  margin  of  the  flower,  however, 
is  wavy  or  undulated,  and  admired  by  many  ; 
grow  th  medium. 

3/tfgH(//om  — Salmon-pink  flowers,  margined  with 
w  bite,  spotted  and  striped  with  crimson,  good 
growth,  very  attractive. 

Varie^ala — This  is  a  Chinese  production  with  Later- 
itia, and  both  may  be  seen  sporting  into  each 
other.  Many  sorts  identical,  or  nearly  so,  have 
been  reiu'odueed  from  seed,  such  as  Caieus  picta 
and  others.  It  is  of  w  eak  growth,  and  should 
be  grafted.  Flowers  salmon-color,  darker 
spots,  margined  with  pure  white ;  form  nearly 
perfect. 

Vitlata  rosea  punctata— Y\ov\  ex ^  creamy-white,  pro- 
fusely spotted  and  striped  with  rose.  A  very 
profuse  bloomer;  growth  weak  to  medium; 
improved  by  grafting. 

Azaleas  with  Double  Floavers. 

Due  de  Mala/>oJf— Bright  red,  large,  double  flower, 
very  showy,  grow  th  medium. 

Glory  of  Su7ming  //i//— Salmon  color,  very  double, 
large  flower,  free  grow  th,  with  exuberant  fo- 
liage. 


K£/^^ 


iln|  (Sardeiw^s  Panthlj. 


337 


Louise    Margottin  — 'Large,   pure  white,    with  faint 
greenish  spots;    foliage   full,    green    and  per- 
sistent. 
Roi  des  X>ou6/es— Bright  rosy  crimson  color,  very  full 

of  petals ;  flower  large,  with  excellent  foliage. 
Rubro  p/erjo— Medium  sized  flower  ;  color  brick-dust 
red  •    growth  free ;    the   shoots  must  be    fre- 
quently stopped  to  bring  the  plant  into  shape. 
The  above  gives  you,  as  fiir  as  I  have  observed, 
the  cream  of  the  azaleas.     In  doing  so,  I  fear  that 
many  admirers  of  the  plant  will  be  in  arms  point- 
blank  against  me  for   ostracising  their  collection, 
and  will  huri  the   questions  at  my  ears— "What 
have    you    made    of   my    fine   whites.    Alba    ma- 
culata  and  Alexander  the  Second,  for  which  I  have 
just  paid  one  dollar  for  a  small  item  ?"     I  say,  the 
former  has  a  flower  of  flimsy  form  and  petal,— the 
latter,  though  very  fine,  is  not  superior  to  Queen  of 
Whites.     "Well,   then,   what  do  you  say  of  my 
splendid  Phoenicea  and  my  new  Imperatrice   Eu- 
genie?"    The  color  of  Phamicea  is  good,  but  de- 
fective in  all  its  parts ;  and  as  for  Imperatrice,  it  is 
inferior  in  color  and  form  to  Louis  Napoleon.— 
"Well,  what  have  you  against  my  fine  new  sorts, 
such  as  Criterion,  President  Clacys  and  Queen  of 
the  Belgians?"     Only,  the  former  is  not  more  than 
equal  to  Madam  Miellez.     President  Clacys  is  infe- 
rior in  form,  and  the  Queen  o"  the  Belgians  very 
pretty,  but  not  superior  to  Marie  Louise.     "Well, 
that  is  one  way  to  get  over  them.     How  will  you 
make  an  excuse  for  the  fine  double  white  Narcissi- 
flora?"     I  object,  most  expressly,  to  its  foliage,  al- 
ways sickly  looking.     Louise  Margottin  leads  it  in 
every  feature.     The  old  Double  Purple  or  Lilac,  that 
was  very  mysteriously  si)irited  from  Clapton,  Lon- 
don, forty  years  ago,  and  as  mysteriously  appeared 
on  the  banks  of  the  Schuylkill,  has  the  same  fault, 
—bad  foliage,  bad  color,  rough  flower.     Both  it  and 
Narcissiflora  are,   however,   excellent  for    forcing 
with  those  who  make  bouquets  a  business. 

Allow  me  another  item,  and  I  will,  for  the  pres- 
ent, close  the  Azalea  subject.  A  few  months  ago 
I  spent  a  very  pleasant  hour  in  the  company  of  the 
leading  amateur  on  the  culture  of  this  plant,  and  a 
gentleman  that  marks  high  in  whatever  he  under- 
takes. I  requested  impromptu  his  best  twelve 
sorts  embracing  all  distinct  colors.  They,  are  in  his 
estimation,  Alexander  the  Second,  Criterion,  Dilecta, 
Iveryana,  Napoleon  (Emperor;,  Juliana,  Marginata 
(English),  Marie  Louise,  Roi  Leopold,  Rosy  Circle, 
Stanleyana  and  Standard  of  Perfection.  To  most 
of  growers  many  of  these  are  new,  but  I  believe 
can  all  be  obtained  in  New  York  or  Philadelphia. 

There  are  what  I  believe  to  be  distinct  species  of 
the  Chinese  Azalea,  such  as  Anucna,  Obtusa,  and 


others,  which  I  have  not  compared  with  any  of  the 
above,  deeming  it  aside  from  the  purpose  intended. 


»>■•» 


PRESERVING   QUINCES    AND    PEARS 
TOGETHER. 

BY   SCHUYLKILL. 

As  many  of  your  Headers  will  probably  have 
more  pears  than  they  know  what  to  do  with,  allow 
me  to  recommend  them  to  preserve  them  in  sugar 
in  the  usual  way,  mixed  with  an  equal  quantity  of 
quinces.  Pears  alone  are  rather  tasteless,  but  by 
mixing  them  with  an  equal  quantity  of  quinces,  I 
will  defy  any  one  to  detect  any  difference  in  them. 
I  have  pursued  this  plan  for  some  time  past,  and 
speak  from  experience. 

[An  excellent  hint.  We  have  had  them  at  our 
table  the  past  few  years,— the  pear  known  as 
"  Pound"  being  the  variety  "made"  into  quinces.— 
Ed.]  ^___ 

Caterpillars  on  Trees.- I  notice  several  cor- 
respondents in  different  papers  of  the  city  complain- 
ing of  the  worms  on  trees,  and  asking  for  a  remedy. 
Several  years  since  my  shade  trees  were  filled  with 
worms,  so  much  so  that  the  female  portion  of  my 
family  and  my  children  would  not  go  near  them  for 
shade.  I  took  a  pan,  of  a  large  size  and  flat  shape, 
placing  in  it  charcoal  well  burning,  setting  it  under 
the  tree ;  then  took  about  a  pint  of  rosin  and  two 
ounces  of  brimstone,  putting  them  on  the  burning 
coals.  The  fumes  and  gas  of  the  coal,  I  found,  scat- 
tered the  worms ;  and  I  tried  each  tree,  with  like 
results  in  all  cases,  and  I  was  no  longer  troubled.— 
Philadelphia  Dispatch. 

Cost  of  Beauty.— There  are  persons  who  think 
that  a  home  cannot  be  beautiful  without  a  consider- 
able outlay  of  money.     Such  people  are  in  error.    It 
costs  little  to  have  a  neat  flower-garden,  and  to  sur- 
round your   dwelling   with  those   simple   beauties 
which  delight  the  eye  far  more  than  expensive  ob- 
jects.     Nature   delights  in   beauty.      She   loves  to 
brighten  the  landscape  and  make  it  agreeable  to  the 
eye.     She  hangs  ivy  around  the  ruin,  and  over  a 
stump  of  the  withered  tree  twiiies  the  graceful  vine. 
A  thousand  arts  she  practices  to  aninuite  the  sense 
and  please  the  mind.     Follow  her  example,  and  do 
for  yourself  what  she  is  always  laboring  to  do  for 
you.  . 

Public  Park  in  Kansas.— The  City  Council  of 
Lawrence  has  made  arrangements  with  Norman 
Allen,  Esq.,  of  that  city,  fo  a  Public  Park.  He 
is  to  enter  into  bonds  to  gi\e  it  up  complete  to  the 
city  in  ten  years. 


M^  §ndmtr\  ^onthlg. 


Cl;e  §Mkmxs 


PHILADELPHIA,  NOVEMBER  1,  1861. 


j;;^  All  Communications  fur  the  Editor  should  he  addressed, 
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Box  406  Philadelphia." 

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fl 


WINTER   GARDENS   WITHOUT    GLASS. 

We  arc  often  told  to  ''make  hay  while  the  sun 
shines,"  but  most  of  us  would  rather  learn  how  to 
make  it  when  the  sun  does  not  shine.  And  so  with 
winter  gardens.  It  is  easy  enough  when  we  can 
dip  our  hands  into  the  lap  of  wealth,  or  gather  to 
ourselves  a  given  quantity  of  building  material ;  but 
to  have  a  winter  garden  without  glass,  is  quite  an- 
other thing,  and,  seemingly,  much  more  difficult  of 
accomplishment.  Still  we  can  do  something,  and, 
for  the  bcnciit  of  those  who  have  no  greenhouses, 
and  yet  would  like  a  winter  garden,  we  will  say 
what  we  would  do. 

In  a  recent  notice  in  our  columns  of  Parsons'  col- 
lections, allusion  was  made  to  the  great  variety  of 
dwarf  evergreens  now  in  cultivation.  Our  flower- 
beds in  winter  are  usually  the  most  forlorn  looking 
objects  conceivable.  Why  not  fill  them  in  winter 
with  these  dwarf  trees?  Such  a  winter  garden 
would  not,  perhaps,  possess  the  power  to  please 
that  the  flowering  little  Edens  of  our  well-kept 
pleasure-grounds  aflbrd  us  in  the  summer  season, 
but  the  change  itself  would  be  pleasant,  for 

"Since  o'er  the  four  rivers  of  Paradise 
The  first  roses  blew," 

man's  inconstant  nature  loves  change,  and  the 
change  in  the  manner  we  propose  is  well  suited  to 
the  time  ;  for  the  winter  season  is,  above  all  others, 
the  one  in  which  evergreens  draw  us  nearer  to 
them.  Though  destitute  of  gaiety,  they  shed  about 
an  air  of  warmth  and  cheerfulness  when  all  else  is 
cold  and  dreary,  that  a  garden  in  winter  is  the  mean- 
est of  things  without  them,  and  we  can  scarcely 
have  too  many  in  those  parts  of  our  grounds  in 

daily  view. 

Our  plan  would  be  to  have  all  these  low -growing 
evergreens  planted  in  boxes  in  spring,  and  plunged 
in  a  "  reserve  garden"  in  some  obscure  part  of  the 
grounds  till  October  or  November,  when  they  may 
be  brought  to  the  advance  post  of  honor  and  plunged. 


(like  the  tea-plants  from  the  Patent  Office,)  boxes 
and  all,  in  the  positions  that  taste  or  convenience 
may  designate.  W^hen  the  spring  returns,  and  the 
plants  are  taken  out  to  make  way  for  summer  flow- 
ers, they  should  be  re-potted,  or  rather  re-tubbed, 
the  balls  reduced  somewhat,  and  the  plants  judi- 
ciously pruned  and  cut  back,  which  will  keep  kinds 
within  due  bounds,  that  otherwise  might  become 
too  large  for  our  purpose. 

Many  parties  in  small  places  in  the  suburbs  of 
large  cities  could  not  well  practise  this  plan,  because 
they  would  have  no  reserve  ground  to  spare,  and 
further,  because  they  mostly  keep  no  regular  man, 
who  could  water  occasionally  in  summer,  and  pot, 
shift,  replace,  and  do  all  the  little  duties  which  the 
plants  demand.  But  here  a  good  opportunity  offcn-s 
to  city  florists  to  make  something  handsome.  They 
could  prepare  and  grow  the  plants  and  7iire  them  out 
for  the  winter  season.  A  few  places  once  "fixed 
up"  in  the  manner  we  suggest,  the  "fashion,"  we 
are  convinced,  would  set  in,  and  quite  a  living 
might  be  made  by  attending  to  hiring  out  such 
plants  and  fixing  up  winter  beds,  and  this  business 
alone. 

Our  Paris  correspondent  told  us,  in  a  recent  Gar- 
dener'n  MoniJihj,  that  in  that  city  there  are  florists 
who  make  a  handsome  livelihood  by  merely  hiring 
out  plants  for  room  decorations  at  balls  and  i)artics ; 
and  surely,  where  permanent  home  enjoyment  is  in 
question,  as  it  usually  is  with  us,  such  a  cheap  moch; 
of  gratifying  it  as  we  propose  in  our  winter-garden- 
ing system,  would  not  fail  to  attract  extensive  popu- 
lar support  to  those  florists  who  entered  heartily  into 
it. 


PISTILLATE    STRAWBERRIES   IN 
ENGLAND. 

While  the  strawberry  sexual  discussion  was  go- 
ing on  some  years  ago,  Mr.  Longworth  wrote  to 
inquire  of  Dr.  Lindley  whether   the   observations 
made  here  had  been  repeated  there.     The  Doctor 
replied,  that  they  knew  nothing  but  hermaphrodites. 
Recently  the  Doctor  has  reiterated  his  belief,  by  as- 
serting that  if  pist.Uates  are  produced  in  England, 
he  has  yet  to  hear  of  them.     In  an  English  journal 
a  Mr.  Wray,  in  an  article  entitled  "Scientific  Cul- 
ture of  the  Strawberry,"  gives  some  facts  that  he 
collected  in  America,  .showing  that  by  judiciously 
noting  the  differences  in  the  character  of  the  flowers, 
American  strawberry-growing  had  reached  a  degree 
of  perfection  unknown  in  England.     This  seems  to 
have  fallen  like  a  bombshell  into  the  camp  of  the 
Doctor's  intellectual  exclusiveness.     He  copies  the 
article  entire,  and  asks,  "What  say  our  great  straw- 
berry-growers to  these  speculations  and  statements 
drawn  from  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic?" 


<  V    > 


rl  ' 


W^\  (iardener's  Jilonthlg. 


The  Rev.  Mr.  Radyclifl*e  first  responds,  but  he 
touches  not  the  subject.  He  has,  however,  tried  a 
few  American  sorts,  and  "does  not  like  them.  If 
the  Americans  want  strawberries  hardy  and  good 
croppers,  they  should  try  Alice  Maud,"  &c.  Advice 
all  very  kindly  meant,  no  doubt,  but,  unfortunately, 
not  up  to  our  requirements. 

Mr.  N.  J.  Nicholson,  a  well-known  raiser  of  good 
seedlings,  then  tries  his  hand  at  the  task  of  batter- 
ing the  American  notion.  He  don't  understand  the 
"trouble"  the  Americans  "seem"  to  give  them- 
selves about  staminates  and  pistillates.  He  is  sure 
"practice  and  common-sense"  is  all  that  he  wants 
to  grow  strawberries  out  of  doors.  In-doors  he 
thinks  a  little  "science"  assists  him.  He  names 
thirty  Amcrictin  varieties  he  grows,  but  says  nothing 
of  what  he  thinks  of  them. 

M.  Ferdinand  Gloede,  a  French  correspondent  of 
the  GJiromcle,  next  appears  in  the  field,  and  he  pro- 
nounces the  American  "science"  of  Mr.  Wray  mere 
"theory"  and  "assertion."  "He  has  tried  Ameri- 
can pistillates  under  glass  by  themselves,  and  always 
got  a  good  crop,"  without  the  possiljility  of  fertili- 
zation. 

It  may  seem  to  Americans  a  matter  of  indiffer- 
ence whether  Europeans  treat  what  they  know  to 
be  facts,  as  absurdities  or  "mere  theories;"  but  we 
cannot  avoid  expressing  regret,  for  the  sake  of  horti- 
cultural science  itself,  that  so  great  a  disposition  to 
slight   American    observations  and   American    ex- 
perience should  exist  in  British  periodicals.     At  the 
same  time,  it  is  pleasant  to  say  that  an  improvement 
in  some  of  the  best  of  the  journals  is  visible,  and  we 
hope  some  day  to  see  the  prejudice  removed  entirely. 
The  skillful  British  gardener  honestly  believes  that 
if  he  understands  the  principles  of  his  art,  he  can 
apply   them   successfully  to    the  varying    circum- 
stances of  any  part  of  the  world,— and  yet  he  no 
sooner  has  a  year's  experience  in  this  climate,  than 
he  finds  there  is  something  wrong  with  many  of 
said  "principles,"  and  that  the  results  do  not  come 
out  "according  to  Lindley"  and  other  British  writ- 
ers on  scientific  gardening.     Of  course,  the  reason- 
able inference  is,  that  these  so-called  principles  have 
been  deduced  from  limited  experience  or  imperfect 
observation,  and  one  would  suppose  that  our  friends 
in  England  would  be  glad  to  know  the  results  of 
American  practice,  if  only  as  a  test  of  the  sound- 
ness of  their  doctrines  when  tried  by  skillful  men 
under  widely  differing  circumstances.     They  seem 
to  forget  that  a  great  part  of  our  observing  garden- 
ers are  emigrants  from  their  own  country,  bringing 
with  them  all  the  knowledge  those  left  behind  pos- 
sess, and  therefore  much  better  capable  of  knowing 
whether  what  they  assert  as  facts  really  are  such, or  are 


"mere  theories,"  as  they  who  write  as  above  would 
have  us  believe. 

No  one  knows  better  than  the  writer,  that  a  pis- 
tillate strawberry  in  a  moist  atmosphere  and  conge- 
nial circumstances,  will  produce  frequently  eatable 
fruit  without  fertilisation,— or  that  kinds  usually 
pistillate  will  often,  when  circumstances  favor,  be- 
come bermaphrodite ;  and  some  years  ago  he  even 
met  with  severe  opposition  for  attempting  to  de- 
monstrate the  utter  worthlessness  of  these  charac- 
acters  as  an  infallible  means  of  judging  of  the  accu- 
racy of  disputed  varieties ;  but  of  the  great  value  of 
the  princii)le  in  the  scientijic  cultimtion  of  the  straw- 
berry to  an  American,  and  in  an  American  climate, 
we  need  no  Mr.  Gloede  to  dispute  with  us,  as  the 
experience  of  thousands  have  for  years  testified  to 
that,  and  which  has  fully  justified  Mr.  Longworth 
in  the  persistent  praise  of  his  "ignorant  market 
woman." 

That  the  distinction  is  not  of  much  importance 
in  England,  from  what  we  know  of  its  climate,  we 
readily  believe,— and  that  our  strawberries  do  not, 
and  probably  never  will,  equal  theirs  in  size  and 
flavor  when  grown  on  their  own  soil,  we  are  equally 
ready  to  grant.  Climatic  influences,  which,  from 
circumstances  before  explained,  we  ought  to  under- 
stand better  than  they,  teach  us  the  reason,  and  we 
arc  resigned.  But  we  do  know  how  to  make  use  of 
our  facts  and  experiences  to  the  best  advantage,  and 
we  can  afford  to  read  their  sneers  at  our  "mere 
theories,"  without  reflecting  on  any  "practice"  or 
"common-sense"  that  the  English  may  think  neces- 
sary to  their  culture,  only  for  the  sake  of  horticul- 
tural science,  regretting  their  narrow  views. 


«••»> 


HORTICULTURAL    SOCIETIES. 

It  is  a  remarkable  fact,  that  while  our  country  lies 
bleeding  at  the  edge  of  the  sword,  and  prostrate  at 
jit  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  Horticultural  Societies 
all  over  the  Union  have  been  more  patronized  and, 
in  a  beneficial  point  of  view,  more  successful  than 
they  have  been  known  to  be  for  some  years  past. 
We  believe  they  have  none  of  them  "  made  money ;" 
but  we  mean  that  exhibitors  have  been  more  numer- 
ous, and  that  the  spirit  and  determination  to  keep 
up  and  render  them  useful  to  the  community  have 
never  been  more  forcibly  made  manifest.  And  yet 
it  is  natural.  The  first  effort  of  the  child,  weak  and 
dependent  upon  us,  is  to  stray  away  and  gather 
flowers,  and  as  it  grows  up,  to  the  grave,  every 
epoch  of  its  existence  is  marked  by  them.  Even 
amidst  the  calmest  pleasures,  or  in  periods  of  the 
most  passionate  excitements,  either  of  joy  or  grief, 
flmvers  seem  to  be,  as  it  were,  the  medicine  of  life, 
— rairessing  extremes  of  passion,  and  affording  a 


\k 


(Tjjc  iardtntfs  Hanil^lg. 


pleasant  retreat,  in  tlicir  admiration  and  study,  from 
the  more  laborious  occupations  of  life. 

Botanists  tell  us  that  all  the  beautiful  corollas  with 
Which  the  garland  of  Flora  is  bedecked  might  not 
have  been,  so  fjir  as  they  exercise  any  known  influ- 
ence in  the  nourishment  or  perpetuity  of  the  indi- 
vidual species  of  plant;  and,  indeed,  we  find,  that 
in  proportion  as  a  flower  becomes  filled  with  beauti- 
ful petals,  Cas  in  the  case  of  the  rose,  carnation,  &c.,; 
is  the  dilliculty  of  raising  seed  from  it  found,— and 
that  the  coarsest  and  vilest  weeds,  that  usually  bear 
seeds  in  an  abundance  the  most  distressing  for  us,  as 
well  as  those  grains  on  which  we  subsist  and  which 
reproduce  themselves  a  thousand-fold  in   a   short 
time,  are  usua  ly  from  plants  that  arc  very  insignifi- 
cant' in  all  that  relates  to  a  showy  or  ornamental 

appearance. 

And  why,  then,  were  flowers  made,  and  the  mnu- 
merable  graceful  forms  and  beautiful  outlines  of  ve- 
getable structures  called  into  existence,  but  for  the 
especial  use  of  man,— for  his  instruction  and  amuse- 
ment, and  as  a  particular  anodyne  for  the  mental  ills 
he  is',  from  his  very  nature,  bound  to  suffer  ?     We 


take  a  flower  to  witness  the  happiest  moments  of 
our  lives.  A  flower  departs  with  them  as  we  take  a 
final  leave  of  those  we  love,  ere  they  go  to  their  last 
resting-places ;  and  when  no  more  is  left  to  us,  in 
flowers  over  their  graves  do  we  give  expression  to 
all  that  we  would  like  to  say,  and  all  that  we  can  do 

for  them. 

Of  the  links  in  the  vast  chain  of  animal  bemgs 
that  binds  us  to  the  earth,  no  one  but  the  human 
species  appreciates  floral  beauty.     To  the  horse  and 
the  ox— from  the  highest  in  the  scale  down  to  the 
simplest  caterpillar— the  handsomest  flowers  are  but 
as  grass.     They  were  made  for  man,  and  for  his 
wants  alone  ;  and  unfortunate  is  he  who,  by  defi- 
cient education  or  perverted  sympathies,  is  doomed 
to  trudge  through  life  shut  out  from  the  path  that 
winds  along  by  the  stream  of  their  sweet  influences  ! 
We  are  amongst  those  who  believe  that  national 
troubles,  as  in  the  woes  of  individuals,  are  the  moral 
consequences  of  national  delinquencies,— and  as  in 
this  the  innocent  must  suffer  with  the  guilty,  each 
owes  it  to  himself  and  his  own  happiness  to  culti- 
vate for  himself  and  in  all  around  him  such  moral 
influences  as  he  can  get  to  bear  upon  human  char- 
acter.    Each  may  use  his  own  engine  powerful  for 
good.     To  us,  as  horticulturists,  we  ask  and  need 
no  stronger  force  than  the  cultivation  i|i  the  breasts 
of  all  of  that  love  of  floral  beauty  so  wisely  im- 
planted within  us  for  the  purpose. 

It  is  thus  that  we  account  for  the  sudden  advance 
in  popular  favor  of  our  whilom  decaying  horticultu- 
ral  societies,— and  we  would  have  all  interested  in 


acceptable  time,  if  they  would  profit  by  events  and 
shape  their  course  accordingly.  They  have  never 
yet  done  for  society  what  they  should  do  or  are 
capable  of  doing.  No  fault  this,  however  ;  for  every 
beneficial  idea,  to  be  lastingly  useful,  must  have  a 
gradual  progress  from  its  first  inception  to  its  vig- 
orous growth  and  fruitful  old  age. 

We  have  given  recently  more  space  to  "horticul- 
tural societies"  than  we  should  have  done  but  for 
this  view,  and  we  conclude  this  note  by  a  pleasant 
little  sketch  from  an  English  paper,  which  will 
afford  some  useful  hints  to  us  over  here : 

HORTICULTURE  IN  ST.  GILES'. 
It  may  at  first  cr.-ato  a  Bmile  if  we  inform  the  reader  that  there 
lu.s  beeu  a  flaral  and  horticultural  bIiow  in  Bloomsbury,  and  that 
the   exhibitors  comprist-d   some  of  the  poorest  .of  the  working 
classes  and  children  of  the  ragged  schools.    But  it  is  quite  true. 
The  Rev.  Emilius  Bayley  issued  a  schedule  of  prizes  ottered  tor 
competition  among  the  various  classes,  separated  in  such  manner 
that  persons  in  the  most  confined  situations  should  compete  by 
themselves,  and  those  residing  in  more  open  streets  in  another 
clasH:  and,  independently  of  those,  the  various  parochiul  schools 
divided  from  the  boys  aud  girls  of  the  ragged-so  that  no  class  of 
exhibitors  should  have  to  show  ai,aiust  persons  who  liad  any  ad- 
vantages over  them.     The  following  prizes  were  otfered  for  cumpc- 

tition — 

PRIZES  FOR   ADULTS. 

1  Persons  living  in  the  Little  Coram  Street  District,  viz.,  Little 
Coram  Street,  Abbey  Place,  Chapel  Place,  Russell  Place,  Coram 
Place,  Marchmont  Place,  Tavistock  Mews,  Colonnade,  Little  Guild- 
ord  Street.— For  Fuchsias:  1st,  2d,  3d  and  4th  prizes;  for  Gera- 
niums, similar  prizes;  for  Annuals,  ditto. 

2  Persons  living  in  the  Mews.— Sitnilar  prizes. 
3^  Persons  living  elsewhere  in  the  parish.— Similar  prizes. 

PRIZES  FOR    CHILDREN  OP  WORKINQ    CLASSES   LIVIKO    IX   TlIK   PARISH. 

-    Parochial,  National,  Sunday  aud  Infant  Schools.-Boys:  for 


Fudisias,  Ist,  2d,  ad  and  4th  pri/.---s;  for  Geraniums,  ditto;  for  An- 
nuals, ditto.     Oirls:  similar  prlz-s. 
2.  Ragged  Schools.-Boys  and  Girls:  simil-.r  prizes. 

PRIZES  FOR   DOMESTIC   .SERVANTS. 
For  any  plants— 1st.  'Jd,  3d  and  4th  prizes. 

We,  who  have  for  somethiu,'  like  thirty  years  been  incessantly 
recommending  the  inBtitutinn  of  shows  among  the  w.uking  classes, 
aud  have  seen  in  tlu'  Puke  -f  Northuinborland's  school  at  Alnwick 
the  beneficial  effects  of  extending  it  to  children,  hall  this  as  the 
foundation  of  immense  good  inclose  towns,  especially  in  London; 
aud  wc  heartily  congratulate  the  minister  on  the  .success  which 
has  attended  his  endeavors.     The  .slu.w  brought  .mt  plants  grown 
in  windows  in  the  most  miserable  portions  of  St.  Giles',   juid  al- 
though there  was  not.  and  could  not  be,  the  healthy  growth   of 
open  air  in  the  country,  the  worthy  patron  of  the  movement  had 
provided  that  the  competitors  were  all  upon  equal  terms.    Those 
in  dark,  narrow  streets  had  only  to  show  against  people  similarly 
circumstanced.     Of  the  show  it  n.ay  be  said  that  it  was  by  far 
more  interesting  than  the  finest  exhibition  of  plants  by  gardeners. 
It  brought  out  the  Ingenuity  of  the  young  aspirants  K.  hortuuUn- 
ral  honors.     Imagineono  producing  a  young  chestnut  tree,  another 
an  oak  a  third  a  walnut  tree,  another  an  orange  tree,   all   from 
their  several  nuts,  pips,  or  seeds ;  for  prizes  are  given  for  things 
not  in  bloom,  and  therefore  nothing  was  excluded.     The  mixture 
defies  all  description.     It  was  crediUible  to  all  the  parties,  and  the 
reverend  gentleman  who  inaugurated  it  has  set  an  example  that 
should  be  followed  by  every  pastor,  as  the  best  possible  means  of 
humanizing  the  infantile  rufflanlvm  which  disgraces  many  metro- 


their  success  to  well   note   the   fact,  for   now  is   the  !  politan  hn^alities  and  manufacturing  towns. 


\3^ 


i^^ 


S;h(^  (Sardmr^a  Panthlg 


WIAXATAWNBY    GRAPE. 

[see  FilONTlSPIECE.] 

At  page  85  of  our  volume  for  1800,  Dr.  W.  D. 
Brinckle"  gave  a   history  and    description   of  this 
grape,  in  which  he  speaks  of  it  as  a  grape  of  the 
highest   excellence.      The   owners  of  the   original 
vine  are    rather   difficult    of   access,   through,   we 
believe,    a    dread    of    having    their    privacy    de- 
stroyed   by    importunate    grape-propagators;    but 
through  the  kindness  of  Mr.  Crans,  a  friend  of  the 
family,  we  have  several  times  had  opportunities  of 
tasting  fruit  from  the  original  vine,  without,  how- 
ever being  struck  with  its  superior  excellence,  and 
we  liave,  therefore,  refrained  from  sharing  in  our 
columns  the  enthusiasm  of  its  friends  in  its  praise. 
However,  plants  from  the  original  arc  coming  into 
bearing  around  us,  and  we  are  bound  to  say,  they 
do  exhibit  qualities  tendingto  "great  expectations." 
We  have  not  tasted  Mr.  Raabe's,  which  were  before 
the  Lancaster  Meeting,  and  from  which  our  litho- 
graph was  taken ;  but  some  we  ate,  from  the  vine 
of  an  amateur  at  Chestnut  Hill,  were  of  high  excel- 
lence.    We  cannot  say,  with  the  Committee,  that  it 
is  the  best  white  native  grape  ''we  know,"  for  recol- 
lections of  the  Elizabeth  and  Cuyahoga  threaten  us 
if  we  do  ;   it  has,  however,  larger  bunches    than 
these,  and  may  probably,  in  a  fair  contest,  all  grown 
together,  prove   a  sturdy  competitor  in  all  other 
(lualities 


pleased  with  the  fruit.  It  has  the  great  merit  of 
disiinctness ;  for,  however  good  a  fruit  may  be,  it  is 
an  annoyance  to  be  able  scarcely  to  distinguish  it 
from  other  kinds  as  good.  It  may  be  characterized 
as  being  in  shape  like  Porter,  but  with  the  color  and 
qualities  of  Rhode  Island  Greening.  From  appear- 
ances we  think  it  better  than  Rhode  Island  Greening, 
and  well  worthy  of  further  attention.] 


JnJ-Communications  for  this  dopartmeut  must  reach  the  Editor 
on  or  before  the  10th  of  the  month. 

jl3=Tho  Editor  cannot  answer  letters  for  this  department  pri- 
vately.   


Mead's  Seedling  Giiape— iWr.  J.  A.  Peitingill, 
Bunker  Hill,  under  date  of  September  17th  writes : 

I  send  a  few  bunches  of  Mead's  Seedling  Grape, 
also  two  bunches  of  Catawbas,  that  you  may  test 
the  two  together.  The  Mead's  Seedling  was  free 
from  rot,  while  Catawba,  Isabella,  Clinton,  &c., 
one -third  rotted. 

[Last  year  it  was  stated  in  our  journal  that  Mead's 
Seedling  sprung  from  a  lot  of  raisin  seed,— a  fact  that 
materially  damaged  its  prospects,  as  no   grape  of 
foreign  parentage  will  probably  prove  permanently 
valuable.      It  is  pleasant  to  find  from  these  speci- 
mens, however,  that  it  is  not  of  foreign  parentage,  but 
evidently   a  pure   seedling   from  the   Catawba,  to 
which  it  is  certainly  superior  in  earliness,  size  and 
beauty  of  bunch  and  flavor.     In  shape  and  color, 
the  individual  berry  is  precisely  like  Catawba,  but  it 
is  readily  distinguished  from  this,  or  any  grape  we 
know,  by  very  long  pedicels.     These  in  the  Ctitawba 
are  rather  short,  usually  not  more  than  one-fourth 
the  length  of  the  berry,  giving  the  bunch  a  compact 
character;  but  in  Mead's  Seedling  they  are  usually 
half  the  length  of  the  berry,  and  frequently  moir, 
inducing  a  loose  form.     We  regard  it  as  one  of  the 
best   improvements  on  the   Catawba  that  has  yet 
appeared,  and  will,  we  think,  have  a  good  share  of 
popularity.  ] 


CrANBERHIES.  —  "  ^     Subscriber,''     Birmingham, 
Allegheny  County,  Pa.,  w^rites: 

"Please  inform  a  subscriber  of  the  best  plan  for 
heating  a  propagating  house?  (\.) 

How  is  the  cranberry  cultivated  ?  How  propaga- 
ted 9  How  many  quarts  will  an  acre  bring  ? 
.eneral  culture.  They  are  off  a  tree  that  is  at,  Whichkind  will  thrive  best  in  Pennsylvtinia?"  (20 
feast  forty  years  old,  and  the  man  that  owns  the  [i.  One  of  the  best  plans,  in  our  estimation,  is  to 
property  that  it  grows  on  assures  me  that  it  has  employ  the  cheap  hot-water  tanks,  described  in 
misled  but  one  crop  for  thirty-one  years,  and  that    several  back  numbers.     A  great  deal  will,  however, 


Xvri.^-From  Mr.  IL  Long,  Kcnnelt  Square,  Pa., 

who  writes : 

I  send  you  by  Adams  Express  a  few  apples  of  a 
seedling  that  is  entirely  new  to  me,  and  if  so  to  you, 
I  wish  to  know  whether  you  would  think  it  worth 

off   a  tree   that   is  at 


was  last  season  ;  it  had  between  forty  and  fifty  bush 
els  on  this  season,  and  is  a  good  baking  and  cider 
apple,  and  much  better  flavored  than  you  will  find 
these   for  I  had  to  take  them  off  before  they  were 


depend  on  other  arrangements  in  and  about  your 
house,  and  we  can  only  advise  you  in  this  general 

way.  ,  , 

2.  An  excellent  article,  with  full  details  and  draw- 


these,  for  I  had  to  take  tliem  on  oe.o.c  ui.j.  .. ..^        a.  ^n  exeeuc-nt  «...v.. •        - 

ripe   as  the  tree  grew  close  to  the  village,  and  the    i^gn,  appeared  in  our  May  number,  18G0   Cp.  p  I'A 
boys  had  great  relish  for  thorn.      When  perfectly    Vol.  U.),  and  which  we  can  do  no  better    lian  b> 


ripe  they  are  a  light  yellow,  with  a  reddish  tinted 
cheek,  and  ripe  about  the  15th  of  October. 

[We  print  this  account  in  full,  as  we  arc  highly 


referring  you.  We  think  either  kind  will  thrive 
equally  "well  in  Pennsylvania,  more  depending  on 
locality  than  latitude.] 


^m 


Cht  ^itrbtirer's  Ulontlilj. 


Pkau— F/om  Saratoga  County,  N.  Y.—A.  "Sub- 
scriber" writes: 

*'  I  bend  you  a  sample  of  what  we,  in  this  vicinity, 
call  the  Orange  Pear.  As  near  as  tlie  pedigree  of  the 
pear  can  be  traced,  it  is  this:  The  scions  were 
brought  froni  Piliode  Ish^Jid  about  the  year  1800.  I 
wish  to  know  wliethcr  they  are  known  by  any 
other  name  in  other  h^cahties  than  this.  The  tree 
is  hordy  and  productive.  The  present  season,  Avhen 
all  other  kinds  have  failed,  these  have  borne  well ; 
in  fact,  I  know  of  no  other  pears  in  Saratoga 
County  this  season  but  the  Orange.  Wc  call  them 
equal  to  any  raised. 

[The  pear  is  quite  unknown  to  us.  AVc  have 
not  eaten  a  pear  superior  to  it  for  some  time.  It  is 
superior  to  tlie  Bartlett  in  quality,  nearly  or  quite  as 
large,  and  with  the  other  good  properties  our  corres- 
pondent states,  must  be  one  of  the  most  valuable  kinds 
to  grow.]  

PROTKCTING  Wallfloweus.  —  *'./f  Subscriber^''* 
New  lied  ford  ^  writes  : 

"The  Walltlower  is  a  favorite  flower  of  mine, 
which  hiis  led  me  to  seek  information  from  the  works 
on  horticulture  which  have  fallen  in  my  way,  as  to  tlie 
proper  management  of  it  in  this  country.  This 
information  \  liave  not  yet  f(mnd.  I  sliould,  therefore, 
])e  much  gratified  to  see  a  few  hints  thrown  into  the 
Gardener  s  Monthly^  if  the  thing  seems  to  be  worth 
attention.  I  do  not  even  know  whether  or  not  it 
will  bear  winter  exposure," 

[A  friend  who  has  fine  "SVallflowers,  bends  them 
to  the  surface,  and  covers  with  soil,  removing  it 
early  in  spring.     It  will  not  bear  entire  exposure.] 


IloNEY  Locust. — J.  11.  JB.^  Rochester^  N.  F., 
asks : 

"Does  Honey  Locust  Seed  grow  the  most  readily 
by  freezing  or  scalding  ? 

If  by  scalding,  how  many  times  would  you  apply 
the  water? 

If  by  freezing,  would  you  keep  the  boxes  under 
an  open  shed,  or  expose  tliem  to  the  weather  V 

Freezing  i  i  sajid  is  preferable  to  scalding,  but 
there  is  no  necessity  for  either.  A  few  weeks  of 
mere  soaking  in  wet  sand  will  cause  nearly  all  the 
seed  to  swell  well.  A  friend  of  ours  had  great 
success  last  year  by  sowing  liis  seed  in  a  one-light 
hotbed,  and  wlien  sprouted,  dibbling  them  out  like 
l)eaclies  arc  often  done  in  well-kei)t  nurseries.  He 
says  it  "paid  well."  A  cold  or  wet  spell  after 
sowing  any  scalded  seed,  usually  rots  many.] 


Ventilation  op  Guapeiues. — N.    B.,   'raunton, 

iJ/y.ss.,  asks: 

"Can  you  send  me  some  paper  that  contains  a 


full  report  of  the  discussion  at  the  late  meeting  of  the  * 
Pennsylvania  Horticultural  Exhibition,  or  meeting 
upon  the  subject  of  "Mildew  on  Grapes"  under 
glass?  a  synopsis  of  which  I  see  reported  in  the 
September  number  of  the  Monthly.  While  I  have 
been  cautious  in  giving  bottom  air,  I  have  been 
obliged  to  give  it  to  keep  down  the  temi)erature,— 
I  do  not  see  how  it  can  be  kept  down  to  the  safe  i)oint 
without  a  draught  to  circulate  it,  unless  you  remove 
the  entire  top,  which  I  have  not  facilities  for  doing. 
I  should  be  glad  to  see  what  experienced  men  in  the 
matter  would  have  to  say  about  it." 

[There  has  been  no  fuller  report  published  than 
the  one  we  gave. 

Our  experience  coincides  with  that  of  the  gentle- 
men engaged  in  that  discussion,  that  a  free  admis- 
sion of  air  from  side  ventilators  induces  mildew. 
It  is  natural  that  it  should  do  so,  because  the  dry 
air  of  our  climate  is  what  encourages  mildew^  in 
foreign  vines.  Graperies  are  useful  in  this,  that 
the}'  enclose  and  ensure  a  moist  atmosphere  ;  but  if 
tlie  bottom  and  top  of  a  vinery  admit  a  through  cur- 
rent, the  air  becomes  nearly  as  dry  as  though 
grown  in  the  oi»en  air,  and  the  first  object  of  a 
vinery  is  violated. 

If  you  have  plenty  of  moisture  in  your  vinery, 
you  need  not  fear  great  heat.  If  any  of  our  good 
gardeners  have  other  views  to  oiler,  we  shall  be  glad 
to  i)ublish  them,]  


Blood's  Seedling  Grape— 7^/'om  Mr.  Ordicay^ 
Neu^hvryport,  M<iss. — This  is  a  grape  with  a  full 
sized  dark  black  berry,  and  medium  sized  bunch. 

In  the  climate  of  the  Middle  States  so  favorable 
to  the  success  of  finer  varieties  of  grapes,  this 
would  be  esteemed  little  above  the  Fox  Grai)e  in 
general  qualities.  It  is  not  as  rank, — is  much 
sweeter, — has  thinner  skin,  and  not  so  hard  a  i)ulp, 
however.  But  it  ripens  very  early,  and  is  of  a 
hardy,  vigorous  stock,  which  is  a  great  advantage 
in  the  far  Eastern  and  Northern  States.  We 
valued  the  Concord  when  we  had  Northern  speci- 
mens only  to  taste  quite  as  little  as  wc  might  do 
this,  but  for  our  experience  with  that.  When 
grown  in  this  section  it  rapidly  rose  in  general 
([ualities  towards  the  top  of  the  list,  and  so  may 
Blood's  Black,  and  we  should  like  to  sec  it  liavc  a 
fair  trial. 

The  other  seedlings  sent  by  Mr.  Ordway  were 
fully  ecpial  to  Blood's. 

Ontario   and    Union  Village   Grapes.— "^4 

SnbHrriber^''  asks: 

"Have  you  seen  the  Ontario  and  Union  Village 
I  growing  near  each  other  so  you  could  detect  any 


-^3 


^M 


ihi|  (gardewr's  JHonthlg. 


difference?     The    opinion  is  gaining   ground  here 
that  they  are  the  same.  CIO 

Can  you  inform  me  if  the  El  Paso  Grape  promises 
to  be  of  any  value  in  this  climate?"   (3.) 

[1.  We  have  not  compared  them  at  the  same 
time  together,  but  our  recollection  of  each  seen  at 
difiercnt  times  ife,  that  they  are  not  the  same. 

2.  It  fruited  at  Washington  last  year,  and  is 
highly  praised  by  our  friends  there.] 


Grape  for  Distribution.— A  correspondent  at 
Manchester,   Pa.,  has   a  seedling  grape  which  he 
thinks  a  great  improvement;  but  he  wishes  it  tested 
in  other  localities.     Has  about  fifty  plants,  which 
he   would    distribute    gratuitously  to    experienced 
grape-growers   for   experiment.      In  this   case  we 
will  willingly   forward   to   our  correspondent  the 
names  of  any  parties  wishing  to  make  the  experi- 
ment.      But   we    must    add,    that   we    frequently 
receive  communications  in  which  the  writers  pro- 
pose for  the  public  good  to  give  things  away  gratu- 
itously.    Some  of  these  are  off'ered  in  good  laith, 
but  many  of   them    are    really  intended    for   free 
advertisements  of  parties  and  their  private  business. 
As  it  is  impossible   for  us  to   distinguisli  between 
these  cases,  all  such  offers  must,  in  future,  be  made 
through   our  regular  advertising  columns.     If  the 
aiticle    is    really   worth    having    gratuitously,    the 
recipients  will  not  object  to  their  proportion  oi  the 
cost  of  advertising. 


Peat  for  Strawijeruies.  —  "-1  Sab>icriber,'' 
Camden  County,  JV.  J.,  asks: 

"Please  inform  me  through  the  columns  of  the 
Monthly  in  what  way  I  can  treat  "swamp  muck" 
or  "i)eat,"  to  make  it  valuable  as  a  uianure  for 
strawberries,  on  light  sandy  lands,  and  how  should 
it  be  applied?" 

[We  are  not  informed  on  any  expcrimeut  for 
this  especial  use.  Have  any  correspondents  had 
experience  ?]  

Muscat  Hamrukg  G^ape.  — Bunch  from  Mr. 
Bright,  weighing  two  pounds,  cut  from  a  plant 
fifttTen  months  old,  from  the  eye.  It  is  not  so  good 
in  quality  as  the  old  Muscat  of  Alexandria,  but  is 
such  a  fine  setter,  and  of  so  large  a  size  and  beautitul 
appearance,  that  we  expect  it  to  become  a  standard 
variety  for  cold  vineries. 

VEGETAiiLE  TRANSFORMATIONS -Ba/Tfu  Grape- 
vines.—Uv.  Garbcr  sends  us  another  chapter  for 
l)Ul)licati()n  ;  but  as  it  simply  records  the  fact,  that 
he  is  not  satisfied  with  the  reasoning  of  Mr.  Staullcr, 
it  is  not  necessary  to  publisli  the  whole  aiticle. 


The  object  of  all  science  is  to  ascertain  such  rules 
or  "general  laws"  that  will  guide  us  in  cases  where 
we  cannot  get  at  the  exact  facts.     Mr.  Garbcr  wants 
to  know  whether  any  one  in  this  country  has  raised 
and  fiowered  seedlings  of  the   foreign  grai)e    Vitis 
vinifera;  and  if  so,  whether  any  of  them  have  pro- 
duced staminatc  plants,  or  plants  with  flowers  bear- 
ing  stamens,    but   no   pistils,    as  the   varieties    of 
American   species  do.     As  we  knew   of  no  such 
experiments,  we  referred  to  the  science  of  the  mat- 
ter, and  Mr,  Stauffer  kindly  followed.     Mr.  Garbcr 
says  he  does  not  want  to  know  any  thing  about  the 
science,  but  does  want  to  know  about  the  Seedling 
grapes.     In  this  case  we  have  no  alternative  but  to 
close  up  the  subject  until  some  one  can  inform  our 
friend  from  direct  observation.     In  the  meantime  we 
can  say,  as  we  have  said  before,  that  science  is  op- 
posed  to   Dr.    Kavenal's   hypothesis,  for  it  is  not 
even  a  theory. . 

Grape  Leaves- O.  T.  HoMs.—"  I  enclose  you  six 
varieties  of  grape  leaves,  and  request  your  opinion 
as  to  Hpecies.''^ 

[No  botanist  can  decide  on  a  species  of  grape  by 
the  leaves  alone.  Panicles  and  berries  with  leaves 
are  essential. 

However,  your  small -leaved  form  appears  to  be- 
long to  Vili^  cordifoUa ;  the  large  round  one  V. 
labl-mca,  and  the  other  four  perhaps  all  varieties 
of  Y.  a'stivalis.] . 

Fruits  for  Maine.—//.  ^.  F.,  Littleton,  Maine, 
inquires  : 

"  Can  you  give  me  the  names  of  any  varieties  of 
the  peach,  apricot  and  quince,  which,  if  set  where 
they  would  be  sheltered  from  cold  winds,  and 
dwarfed  so  that  the  snow  will  cover  them  in  winter, 
would  succeed  s)  far  North  as  latitude  4G^? 

Will  the  Black  Eagle  and  May  Duke  Cherries 
succeed  if  grafted  upon  the  common  Wild  Red 
Cherry?" 

[Perhaps  Col.  Little,  Mr.  Goodalc,  or  some  other 
of  our  experienced  horticultural  friends  in  Maine 
can  furnish  the  desired  information.  V^e  have 
fouml  the  few  varieties  we  have  tried  unite  on  the 
Wild  Cherry,  (Cerasus  serotiiia, )  axWiid  here  ^V  ild 
Black  or  Choke  Cherry,-the  variety  we  suppose 
our  correspondent  alludes  to;  but  wheiefore  want 
any  thing  better  for  a  hardy  stock  than  the  Ma- 
haleb?]  

Si-  edling  PEACII-From  Mr.  Grijith,  of  riuladel- 
phia  -The  best  late  peach  (October  ath)  we  know  ; 
large,  handsome,  and  will  prove  a  valuable  acquisi- 
tion. 


^^, 


ih^  iardfiicr's  JHonthla. 


Some  valuable  contributions  on  ice-houses  and 
other  subjects,  that  reached  us  late,  are  held  over 
for  next  month. 


Fourth  Axnuai,  Report  of  the  Board  of  Com- 
missioners OF  THE  Central  Park,  New  York. 
1801. 

The  Board  report  that  the  lower  portion  of  the 
Park  has  been  prepared  for  public  use,  and  that  it  is 
well  appreciated  by  the  public  at  larii;e. 

The  system  of  archwajs— a  peculiar  feature  of 
the  Park — is  ai^ain  referred  to.  Their  great  utility 
in  a  crowded  ptirk,  as  a  means  of  safety  to  foot- 
]>assengers  against  vehicU  s,  has  been  fully  demon- 
strated. We  give  a  skctcli  of  one  of  these  arches, 
that  has  been  taken  for  our  journal  by  a  friend. 


Dracut   Amber 


the  extra  wealth  which  is  consequently  drawn  there, 
it  is  evident  that  this  expenditure  is  actually  a  pay- 
ing investment  to  the  city,  and  is  a  proof  of  the  far- 
seeing  sagacity  of  the  men  who,  headed  by  Mayor 
Kingsland,    projected   and  embodied   the    gigantic 

idea. 

Descriptive  Catalogues. 

S.  Moulson^  Rochester,  N.Y.  List  of  leading  items. 

George  D.  Kiinber^  Flushing,  N.Y.  Fruits,  Orna- 
mentals, &c. 

/.  Rutter^  West  Chester,  Pa.     Grape-vines. 

J.  Sf  J.  Taylor,  Newport,  Ky.     Grape-vines. 

Wcnlz  &  Schlegel,  Rochester,  N.Y.  Fruit  and  Or- 
namentals. 

J.  M.  Thorburn  ^  Co.^  New  York.  Bulbs  and 
Flowering  Roots. 

Hi'fron  ^  Best,  Utica,  N.  Y.  Vines  and  Small 
Fruits. 

Dr.  Grant,  lona,  N.  Y.     Grapes. 

/.  W.  Manniiuj,  Reading,  Mass. 
Grape. 

Wholesale  Lists. 

W.  Mann,  Bangor,  Maine.  Native 
Evergreens.  Catalogue  for  1863  is  ''go- 
ing ahead"  considerably. 

Henry  J.  Dreer,  Philadelphia.  Roses, 
Dalilias,  &c.  Also  of  Fruit  and  Orna- 
mentals, and  of  Bulbous  Roots. 

T.  H'.  «!^  K.  L.  Smith,  Geneva,  N.  Y. 
Wholesale  List  of  Fruits,  &c. 

C.  F.  Erhar'^,  Ravenswood,  L.I.,  N.Y. 
Fruits,  &c. 

Frost  4-  Co.,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 

T.  C.  Maru-cU  Sf  Uro.,  Geneva,  N.  Y. 

Cowlcs,  Roberts  4-  Co.,  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

Williams,   Ramsden  Sf    Co.,  Dansville, 

N.  Y. 

J.  Rvtter,  West  Chester,  Pa. 

J.  W.  Jldams,  Portland,  ISIaine. 

O.  T.  Hobbs,  Crawford,  Pa. 

Hoopes  ^  liro  ,  West  Chester,  Pa. 

Danf/hadaij  Sf  Co.,  New  burg,  N.  Y. 

J.     Sheppard,    New     York.       Dutch 
Bulbs. 


1 


SoTJ)  men  have  been  employed  on  the  Park  during 
18fi0,  and  1(5,200  trees  and  shrubs  planted.  Tlie 
total  cost  and  maintenance  of  the  Park  up  to  De- 
cend)er  JJlst,  18G0,  was  !?{},447,%4  80.  This  money 
is  raised  from  the  securities  of  the  city,  payable  in 
about  forty  years.  The  interest  of  this  sum  for  the 
past  year  is  ^8^386,877  88.  It  is  found  that  property 
has  so  increased  in  value  around  the  Paik,  that  the 
increased  taxes  from  this  source  anmuut  to  a  sum 
nearly  sutheient  to  pay  this  interest.  If  we  add  to 
this  the  increased  attractions  \\\uch  this  splendid 
work  otfers  to  strangers  to  visit  New  York  city,  and 


Pear  Nouveau  Poiteau — (Birort.)—Wc  have 
no  sympathy,  as  our  readers  know,  with  new  intro- 
ductions that  are  even  "very  good,"  or  of  ''first 
finality,"  unless  they  are  in  some  decided  point  dif- 
ferent from  other  "very  good"  kinds  in  cultivation. 
'  It  is  not  because  they  are  "worthless,"  but  they  arc 
needless. 


Che  iarbtntr'a  Pont|Ig. 


•s^ 


I 


'    T:;rTtirrs  no's  S  .    —  The  nearer.  rese„..,lance  in  thi,  respect  is  to  Louise  Bonne 

fev  t  Z  tho  e  we  have  tasted  tl.c  very  common  astringency  of  Louise  Bonne  .s  wantn.g.  It 
';per.!mo^,'ornrera,or  ,ium  Louise  Bonne,  and  is  growing  in  favor  with  cultivators,  n>  n,any  of 
wliose  collections  it  has  fruited  the  few  past  seasons. 


Our  outline  was  taken  from  one  presented  to  .is  by  Mr.  Ellwanger,  at  the  Pon.ologieal  Meeting  in 
P,«"h"nS:p,om,,er,ast.     It  wis  not  ti.en  .pme  ripe,  hut,  notwithstanding,  kept  four  weeks,  am^^ 
ripened  perfectly.    Fruit,  rather  large,  obovate-pyriform  ;  skin,  w.th  nun.erous  russet  dots ;  stem  mfc 
tl'iekish,  set  obliquely  on  a  sn.all  protuberance;  calyx,  large.  In  a  narrow  basm;  flesh,  white,  butterj, 

and  with  a  brisk  vinous  flavor.  .   .       ,  p  •♦ .     »(  tlo  Nnnveau  Poiteau 

In  a  letter  from  a  distinguished  pomologist,  received  last  wmter,  he  says  of 't:-    The  Nouveau  Po.ea. 

I  have  fruited  for  the  first  time  this  season,  and  it  is  certainly  one  of  great  promise.     I  find  it      „row 

equally  well  on  either  the  pear  or  quince."  

TuF  Brvrp  STRVwnFRKV  — Vr.  S^-tor— \ceording  to  your  desire,  we  send  you  a  slight  history  and 


I 


■^^ 


%^t  @urbtncr's  Hlontljlg. 


tlie  foroe  of  the  lalns,  rentier  it  unnecessary  to  mulch 
them  to  keep  tlie  berries  clean.  Tlie  foliage  is  sufli- 
cient  protection  in  winter ;  the  plants  being  better 
■without,  than  with  any  tiling  additional. 

The  berries  arc  not  very  dark  colored,  but  bright 
and  lively.  Seeds  small,  and  sunk  deep;  flesh 
white,  fine  and  firm,  with  excellent  flavor  and  very 
sweet.  Parts  from  the  hull  easily.  Continues  long 
in  bearing,  the  latest  berries  filling  perfectly,  and 
growing  to  a  good  size.  Flowers  perfect.  This 
summer  we  picked  eight  hundred  boxes  of  berries 
from  a  bed  containing  thirty  square-rods  of  ground, 
set  last  year  in  June. 

Yours  truly,  Bcnce  &  Co. 

Remarks. — We  visited  the  piece  of  ground  upon 
which  these  gentlemen  say  they  '•^picked  eight  hun- 
dred boxes  of  berries  from  a  bed  containing  thirty 
Hfjua re-rods  of  ground."  We  did  not  measure  the 
land,  but  should  judge  that  they  had  done  so  cor- 
rectly. It  is  a  strong,  granite  soil,  moist,  and  con- 
siderably shaded  by  young  apple  trees,  perhaps  six 
or  eight  years  old.  At  this  rate,  they  got  more  than 
four  thousand  boxes  to  the  acre,  which,  if  we  re- 
member correctly,  rather  beats  the  great  success  of 
our  Belmont  friends.  The  two  finest  boxes  of 
strawberries  we  saw  in  their  season  were  from  this 
bed.  There  is  so  close  a  resemblance  between  them 
and  the  Cutter  Seedling,  that  we  are  not  sufiiciently 
skillful  to  tell  one  from  the  other. — New  Kiujland 
Farmer. 


jBompsIir  InfpKligpnrp. 


GiiAFTiNG-WAX. — A  good  and  cheap  grafting-wax 
is  made  by  melting  together  and  mixing  well,  four 
pounds  rosin,  two  pounds  tallow,  one  pound  bees- 
wax. These  three  ingredients  are  used  in  various 
proportions  by  dilFerent  propagators, — sometimes  in 
equal  quantities, — sometimes  eight  parts  rosin,  and 
three  each  of  tallow  and  beeswax,  or  eight  parts 
rosin,  five  of  beeswax,  three  of  tallow,  &c.  By 
using  lard  instead  of  tallow,  as  it  is  softer,  more 
rosin  may  be  employed.  A  mixture  of  equal  i)arls 
of  clover  and  timothy,  at  the  rate  of  a  peck  or  more 
per  acre,  will  furnish  a  good  seeding. 


Lauge  Plums. — Seth  Luelling,  of  "Milwaukie 
Nursery,"  ])laced  on  our  table  specimens  of  Peach 
Plums  grown  on  a  tree  two  years  from  the  graft. 
Three  of  the  plums  weighed  a  small  fraction  less 
than  half  a  pound,  the  largest  being  seven  inches  in 
circunifereuce. — Orejon  Farmer. 


A  Cement  fou  SrorriNa  the  Fissuiies  of  Ikon 


Vessels.— Take  two  ounces  of  muriate  of  ammonia, 
one  ounce  of  flour  of  suli)hur,  and  sixteen  ounces 
of  cast-iron  filings  or  turnings.  Mix  them  well  in 
a  mortar,  and  keep  the  powder  dry.  When  the  ce- 
ment is  wanted,  take  one  part  of  this  and  twenty  parts 
of  clean  iron  filings  or  borings  ;  grind  them  together 
in  a  mortar,  mix  them  with  water  in  a  proper  con- 
sistence, and  apply  them  between  the  joints.  Tiiis 
cement  answers  for  flanges  of  pipes  about  stcam- 
■Canadian  Journal  of  Arts  and  Manujadure. 


engmes. 


English  Pistillate  Strawberries. — Jlorei/'s 
Magazine,  noticing  Dr.  Lindley's  remark  that  he  had 
not  yet  heard  of  any  sterile  strawberries  l>ut  llaut- 
bois  in  England,  remarks  that  the  Doctor  has  not, 
probably,  noticed  the  Methven  Scarlet  in  flower. 


^orHruliupflll  ©oiirps. 


GRAPE-GROWERS'  CONVENTION    AT 
LANCASTER,  PA. 

A  Convention  of  Grape-growers  of  Eastern 
Pennsylvania  assembled  at  Lancnster,  Pa.,  on  Thiu's- 
day,  September  20th,  at  Cooper's  Hotel. 

j\Ir.  Lukens  Pcirce,  of  Chester  Count}^  was 
called  to  the  chair,  and  Mr.  F.  F.  Merccroii,  («!' 
Catawissa,  and  Mr.  William  P.  Burton  v.ere  up- 
pointed  Secretaries. 

The  following  gentlemen  were  appointed  a  Com- 
mittee for  testing  llie  quality  of  the  grapes  exhib- 
ited, and  to  rei)ort  thereon  :  J.  B.  Garber,  Colum- 
bia, Pa.  ;  T.  ^i.  Harvey,  Chester  County,  Pa.  ;  E. 
Tatnall,  Wilmington,  Del.  ;  S.  Miller,  Lebanon,  Pa.  ; 
C.  Ililler,  Lancaster,  ( Cone.stogaJ  ;  Dr.  Keller,  do.  ; 
J.  E.  Mitchell,  Philadelphia. 

The  display  of  Grapes  was  very  large  and  inter- 
esting, and  exclusively  from  out-of-iloor  culture. 
There  were  t>8  contribul  ors,  and  comprised  100  native 
varieties  and  13  of  foreign. 

Mr.  D.  S.  Wagner,  of  York,  Pa.,  exhibited  some 
fine  bunches  of  Foreign  Grapes  Cgiown  out  of 
doorsj,  comprising  the  Black  Hamburg,  White 
Nice,  Black  Prince,  Sweetwater,  Chasselas  de  Flor- 
ence and  Chasselas  de  Fontainbleau. 

Mr.  Samuel  IMiller  hoped  the  mode  of  culture 
would  be  stated. 

Messrs.  Evans  and  Chapin,  of  York,  said  they 
were  grown  on  an  o[)en  trellis,  but  |>r()tected  in  the 
winter.  The  white  grapes  were  shaded  from  the 
sun  in  hot  weather.  No  special  manuring.  The 
vines  were  sulphured  in  the  si)ring. 

Mr.  Alexander  Blissnor,  of  Y'ork  Valley,  showed 
a  fine  bunch  of  Black  Damascus,  and  stated  that  he 
had  put  sulphur  around  the  roots  of  the  vine  in  the 
spring. 

Mr.  S.  Keller  showed  a  bunch  of  Grapes  of  a 
green  color,  Cevidently  a  foreign  gr!ipe,J  and  stated 
that  he  had  known  the  vine  for  thirty  years,  and 
never  knew  it  to  mildew. 

On  motion  of  F.  F.  Merceron,  it  was 

llesolved,  That  the  discussion  for  this  evening  be 
the  "  Culture  and  Pruning  of  the  Grape." 


I 


^> 


V 


\  f 


. 


U7 


Evening'  Session. 

Mv.  Peirce  in  the  chair.  ,     •  ,  v  ^ 

Mr  ]V[erce)on  top-dressed  his  land  Avitn  lime  ana 

mnnuve,  nnd  had  it  well  ploughed  ;  planted  the  vines 

in  rows  eight  feet  apart,  and  the  vines  five  teet  apart 

in  the  rows.  ^       «     ,  •      •     „ 

Mv.  ]Miller  prepared  a  deep  border  for  his  vine^; 
found  mildew  on  young  Concord  vines,  and  thinks 
thev  were  not  tied  up  early  enough  m  the  sprmg  ; 
did"  not  suffer  from  drought. 

Mr.  Gray  dug  holes  from  three  to  four  feet ;  ma- 
nured with  bone-dust;  ploughed  away  from  the 
vines  and  afterwards  towards  them;  attempted 
spur-pruning,  but  found  it  fiiiled,  and  is  now  trying 
the  long-cane  system  ;  never  troubled  with  mildew  ; 
has  lost  fruit  by  rotting  of  the  berries.  , 

Mr  Keller's  vineyard  is  planted  on  a  hill-side  ; 
ground  terraced  six  feet  wide,  and  wefl  ploughed ; 
holes  two  feet  in  diameter ;  a  warm,  sandy  soil,  not 
trenched  nor  highly  manured  ;  no  mildew,  although 
many  of  his  vines  lie  on  the  ground ;  adopts  tne 
spur  and  renewal  systems,  by  training  up  a  new 
slioot  from  the  base  of  the  vine,  and  cutting  out  the 
old  spurred  wood  when  necessary;  young  shoots 
frozen  last  spring,  and  vines  started  a  second  growth 
and  ripened  some  of  the  fruit. 

oSIr  Harvev  was  in  fiivor  of  cultivating  the  ground 
well  •  grape-vines  in  his  locality  have  lost  their 
folia-cT  thinks  the  vines  should  be  protected  in 
winter  and  summer  from  north-east  winds ;  in  tavor 
of  trenching,  and  spoke  of  the  value  of  draining ; 
the  Diana  has  foiled  with  him  this  season. 

]Mr  Mitchell  said  that  some  of  the  best  grapes  he 
had  seen  were  grown  in  a  city  yard,  where  the  soil 
was  not  visible,  being  paved  over  with  bricks. 


variety  mav  have  been  planted,  and  its  product  h>- 
},ridized  with  a  native  soit,  the  seed  'V?;=^"^.  i;l»»\^;;f ' 
nnd  1)V  a  succession  of  such  changes  it  m^ght  lose 
it<i  foreiirn  characteristics  of  wood  and  foliage  but 
retain  it  in  the  fruit;  such  may  be  the  early  history 
of  the  Maxatawney. 

Mr.  Crans  introduced  a  seedling  from  the  garden 
of  J  W  Flickwir,  in  Philndelphia,— a  dark  purple 
crrape,  compact  bunch,  a  hi-h,  vinous  flavor,  and 
intense  purple  color ;  believed  to  be  a  very  superior 
wine  grape. 

Mr.  Mitcheflhas  some  twenty  or  thirty  varieties 
jrrowing ;  vines  voung,  and  not  much  fruit ;  found 
the  Creveling  to  be  an  early  bearer  and  free  grower  ; 
the  Concord  was  the  best  grower  and  the  Rebecca 
the  worst  in  his  collection  ;  prefers  vines  grown 
from  eves,  but  recommends  inarching  on  strong- 
growing  stocks;  a  Delaware  thus  treated,  grew 
finely  and  bore  early. 

Mr  Miller  "-rafts  his  vines  above  ground  by  the 
usual' mode  of  tongue-grafting,  after  the  Pnp  has 
flowed  in  the  spring  ;  it  cannot  be  done  successfiil.y 
otherwise;  recommends  well-rotted  tan-bark  loi 
propagating  beds. 


On  Keeping  Grapes. 
Mr.  Miller  ties  the  bunches  in   soft  paper, 


and 


2, 


i 


F/Eoraing'  Scission. 

Mr.  Peirce  in  the  chair. 

]Srr.  Crans  olfered  a  sample  of  grapes  from  Illinois, 

called  IVfead's  Seedling,  a  bunch  of  To-Kalon,  from 

the  -arden  of  A.  W.  Harrison,  and  fine  specimens 

fronfthe  garden  of  T.  T.  Firth,  of  Germantown, 

consisting  of  Delaware,  Anna,  Diana,  Ilerbemont ; 

no  speci  .1  attention  was  given  to  their  culture  ;  holes 

du"-  two  feet,  and  no  manure,  except  what  the  vines 

rec'eived  in  ordinary  garden  culture;  fine  specimens 

of  the  ^laxatawney  were  shown,  from  the  original 

vine,  which  has  had  no  protection. 

Mr  Mitchefl  had  visited  the  original  Maxatawney 

vine,  and  found  it  growing  close  to  the  north  corner  ; 

of  a  farmhouse,   and  rambling,   unpruned,   over  a 

plum  tree;  the  fruit  was  exposed  to  view,  most  o 

the  folia-e  having  been  blown  off";  it  was  planted 

alon-rside  a  fence,  half  the  roots  being  covered  with 

sod,"the  other  half  running  into  the  border  of  a 

ve-etable-garden.      Owing  to  the  want  of  proper 

culture,  this  grape  has  not  yet  been  shown  in  per- 

n  ction     a  bimch  on  the  table,  from  the  garden  of 

Peter  Kaabe,  will  give  some  idea  of  is  beaut.ti 

amber  color.     This  fine  fruit  is  the  result  of  a  seed 

taken  from  a  bunch  of  white  grapes  brought  trom 

B(  rks  County  and  sown  by  the  present  owner  ot 

the  v:ne  many  vears  ago,  and  off-ers  the  strongest 

encouragement  to  plant  seeds  of  any  fine  grape  we 

may  meet  with,  such  seedlings  often  proving  to  be 

of  a  superior  character.     It  is  barely  possible,  that 

at  some  former  period  the  seed  of  a  white  foreign 


packs  them  in  bran  ;  has  sent  them  in  perfect  con- 
dition to  ISIissouri ;  was  informed  of  some  one  who 
packed  alternate  layers  of  grapes  and  green  leaves 
in  a  box,  and  burying  it  three  feet  under  ground  ; 
dry  oak  sawdust  and  perfectly  dry  sand  were  also 
recommended. 

REPOilT. 

Your  Committee  congratulate  this  Convention  on 
having  before  them  the  largest  disi^lay  of  native 
o-rapes  probablvever  collected  tocrether  in  thisStnte, 
covering  about  two  hundred  dishe«,  and  comprisin-c 
one  hundred  varieties,  and  regret  that  our  limited 
time  will  not  permit  us  to  do  .iustice  to  all  the  s|>eci- 
mens  shown,  many  of  them  being  worthy  of  more 
extended  notice.     We  report : 

Cassidav,  Arrott  and  Matilda  Tgreen  grapes  with 
white  bloom )  to  be  similar  in  character. 

Wilmington— specimen  fine,  but  not  fully  ripe. 
Bocrer's^  Hybrid,  No.  1— large,  oval  berries,  above 
medium,  of  a  brownish  amber  color,  tender  pulp, 
and  very  promising. 

Maxatawney- bunch   slightly   shouldered,  berry 
oval,  color  amber,  with  an  amber  bloom  when  iully 
ripe     highly   aromatic   odor  and    delicious   flavor; 
takinn-  into  consideration  the  hardiness  of  the  vine, 
we  p?onounce  it  to  be  the  best  white  native  grape. 
Taylor  — small    size   in  berry  and  bunch,   color 
greenish  white,  and  quality  excellent 
Bebecca— of  its  usual  superior  quality. 
Anna-sweet  white  grape  of  good  size  ;    speci- 
mens not  fully  ripe  ;  should  hang  late  on  the  vines. 
Carpenter— a  fine  foreign  grape. 
Mary  Ann -similar  to  Isabella,  and  foxy. 
Concord-continues  to  keep  up  its  high  reputation. 
Cloanthc— similar  to  Isabella. 
Elsinburg-keeps  up  its  well-known  good  char- 

Clinton— a  good  vinous  grape. 
I      Lancaster  County  Wilding-sweet  and  foxy,  but 

'  promising. 


B 


( 


®hi|  (Bmimtx'a  JHonthlg. 


Franklin— a  promising  wine  grape,  of  a  high  color. 
llerboDiont — ^juicy  and  vinous,  tree  from  pulp. 
DiiUiji — keeps  up  its  well-known  reputation. 
Bland  -a  true  native,  and  a  good  juicy  grape. 
C':uil>y's  August  and  York  Madeira  are  similar, 
lialdwin— similar  to  Canby's  August,  but  later. 
Delaware  Burgundy — a  line  foreign  seedling. 
Oliio— as  usually  described. 
Raccoon— the  common  summer  grape. 

Girri^<nH's   (  '^i'^^^^r,  but  not  equal  to  Isabella. 

To-Kalon — au  admirable  grape,  similar,  but  Bupe- 
rior  to  the  Catawba,  and  ten  days  eai lier. 

Herbemont  Madeira — a  good  wine  grape. 

Hanover — similar  to  Isabella. 

Lenoir,  Lincoln,  and  Devereux  are  the  same. 

Vermont  Seedling  —  similar,  but  not  equal,  to 
Clinton. 

Cynthiana— pulpy  and  inferior. 

Long — a  |)romising  wine  grape,  from  the  South. 

Union  Village — fully  equal  to  Isabella  in  quality, 
larger  and  earlier. 

Kilvlugton  and  Kingsessing — good  copper-colored 
grapes,  and  believed  to  be  the  same. 

Blood's  Black — a  good,  early,  sweet,  black  grape. 

Williamsport — above  medium  size;  a  good  and 
promising  early  grai)e  ;  perfectly  hardy. 

Seedling  from  Dr.  Keller — as  good  as  Isabella, 
and  ten  days  earlier. 

Keller — similar  to  Catawba,  but  hardier. 

Diller — pulpy,  and  inferior  to  Isabella. 

Seedling  from  R.  Fanes — inferior  to  Isabella. 

French  Grai)e — similar  to  Miller's  Burgundy. 

Seedling  from  ^Ir.  McMinn — inferior  to  Catawba. 

Early  Amber  and  Northern  ^Muscadine  are  the 
same  ;  sweet  and  foxy. 

Graliani — a  good  i)urple  grape,  of  medium  size, 
juiey,  and  tender  pulp. 

Baxter's  Seedling — a  very  large  bunch ;  seedhng 
of  { lie  Frost. 

Warren— not  true  to  name. 

Emily — not  ripe. 

('hristy's  Isabella— same  as  Isabella. 

Alvey  -a  good  vinous  grape,  black  color  and  me- 
dium size. 

Hnabe— snuill  berry  and  compact  bunch  ;  dark  red 
color  and  first-rate  (luality  ;  a  true  cross  between  the 
Elsinboro  and  Bland. 

Seedling  from  J.  W.  Flickwir — compact  bunch, 
berry  medium  size ;  a  very  high  colored  and  prom- 
ising wine  grape  ;  purple. 

Mereeron's  Seedling — a  decided  improvement  on 
the  Catawba,  having  a  more  tender  pulp  and  being 
two  weeks  earlier. 

German  Grape— a  very  large  bunch,  of  a  greenish 
color  and  delicious  llavor;  foreign. 

Mead's  Seedling — similar,  but  superior,  to  the 
Catawba. 

Hyde's  Eliza — similar  to  the  Isabella,  but  one 
week  earlier. 

Beside  the  above,  there  were  exhibited  the  follow- 
ing varieties : 

Isabella,  Catawba,  Kreamer  for  Montgomery) — a 
seedling  (;f  Royal  Muscadine,  Baldwin,  New  Hope, 
F'rost,  Hartford  Prolific,  Delaware,  Perkins,  Wins- 
low,  Swatara,  McOwen,  Missouri,  Grion,  Beansville, 
Wright's  Isabella,  Weber,  Cope,  Spangler's  Isabella, 
Norih  America,  Carpenter,  5  Seedlings  from  Dr. 
Keller,  Black  Madeira,  Black  Damascas,  Frankin- 


dale,  Tokay,  Black  Hamburg,  Seedling  of  Frost, 
Seedling  from  J.  B.  Garber,  McLean  (Tenn. ),  North 
Carolina  Seedling,  SeetUing  of  Louisa,  Black  Prince, 
Sweetwater,  Muscat  of  Alexandria,  Chasselas  de 
Fontainebleau,  Chasselas  de  Florence,  White  Nice, 
Albino  CSeedling  of  Catawba),  Newport,  Seedling 
of  Herbemont,  Marion,  Sage,  Martinburg,  Perkins, 
Peru,  Edwards,  Mountain,  Logan. 

Many  of  the  above  are  of  excellent  quality,  and 
we  again  regret  our  inability  to  do  them  justice,  but 
congratulate  the  Convention  on  the  decided  im- 
provement shown  in  some  of  the  new  varieties, 
whilst  the  well-known  older  sorts  keep  up  their 
reputation.  We  regret,  however,  to  notice  the  in- 
crease of  seedlings,  so  nearly  identical  with  well- 
known  sorts,  as  to  possess  no  merit  of  their  own. 
All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted  by  the  Com- 
mittee. 

The  Report  having  been  read  and  adopted,  the 
Convention  resolved  itself  into  a  Committee  of  the 
Whole,  and  proceeded  to  taste  and  discuss  the  va- 
rious sorts  of  grapes  on  the  tables  as  their  names 
were  called  out  by  the  Secretary,  and  in  general 
confirmed  the  decision  of  the  Committee.  The 
Chairman  then  announced  that  the  merits  of  any 
grape  named  might  be  discussed,  when  a  call  was 
made  for  them. 

Brandy  wine — Tatnall — a  foreign  failure ;  he  had 
tried,  but  in  vain,  to  get  some  of  the  fruit  to  bring 
here. 

Concord — universally  approved  of. 

Ontario  —  Miller  —  needs  protection;  similar  to 
Union  Village,  but  coarse  and  watery. 

Union  Village— Miller — as  good  as  the  Isabella. 

Rebecca — Mitchell — a  weak  grower,  owing,  proba- 
bly, to  over-propagation.  Others  staled  that  it  grew 
very  well  with  them,  and  all  agreed  that  the  fruit 
was  first-rate. 

Diana— Harvej'^— does  not  do  well  at  West  Ches- 
ter ;  mildews  badly ;  thinks  it  needs  a  very  light 
soil.  Gray  made  the  same  objections  ;  whilst  others 
say  it  does  very  well  with  them, 

Franklin — Miller — a  dark  colored  wine  grape,  and 
a  free  grower.  Keller — does  not  succeed  with  him. 
Garber  thought  well  if  it  at  first;  does  not  approve 
of  close  pruning;  thinks  it  should  be  allowed  to 
run ;  it  does  better  on  a  northern  exposure.  Jack- 
son has  a  vine  three  years  old,  and  no  fruit. 

Raabe— Miller  —  a  first-rate  fruit,  equal  to  Dela- 
ware, but  a  poor  grower.  Mitchell  believed  it  to  be 
a  perfect  cross  between  the  Elsinboro  and  Bland, 
the  original  vine  having  sprung  up  between  these 
two  sorts;  has  the  general  re[)Utation  of  being  a 
good  grower  and  a  hardy  vine ;  the  fruit  is  similar 
to  the  Delaware,  but  it  has  an  astringency  in  the 
skin  not  possessed  by  the  former. 

A  resolution  was  jiassed  to  take  a  vote  on  the  six 
best  grapes  for  the  table,  and  the  three  best  for  wine, 
and  resulted  as  follows : 

Concord 21  voles 

Delaware 20 

Isabella 16 

Diana  15 

Rebecca  11 

Maxatawney 8 

Clinton 8  votes'^ 

Catawba 7     "      V  For  wine-making 

Delaware  4     "     ) 


u 


u 


For  table  use. 


,<^ 


\v3/-3 


ih([  6;ir(lcnfr'2  JflontHg. 


After  a  highly  interesting  conversational  discus- 
sion on  other  matters  relating  to  grape-culture, 
Thomas  Harvey  offered  the  following  • 


ino-  and  Wm.  Joyce.  Isabellas,  by  A.  L.  Felton, 
and  also  Wm.  Joyce,  who  took  the  two  premmms 
of  |1  each. 


lomas  narvey  oiiuicu  11.^  iv..i"""'fo .  —  -  ,c     t   t-  f 

llesolred  That  the  thanks  of  this  Convention  are        a  dish  of  Concord  Grapes,  from  Mr.  J.  Knox,  ot 

tendered  to  Mrs.  Cooper,  our  landlady,  for  the  com-    pjusburg,   received   the   special   commendation    ol 

fortnble  accommodations  furnished  us,  and  ask  her    fi.o  n^mmittpe   nnd  w(;re  certainlv  the  Unest  ever 

acceptance  of  all  the  fruit  remaining  on  the  tables. 

Which  was  passed,  and  the  Convention  adjourned. 

F.  F.  Merceron,  Secretary. 


<•■•» 


PENNSYLVANIA    HORTICULTURAL 
SOCIETY. 


The  October  meeting  was  held  on  Tuesday  even- 
in-  inth  ult.,  at  Concert  Hall.  The  special  pre- 
mfilm  list  comprised  fruits  only,  together  with  the 
standing  prizes  for  collections  of  flowers.  Of  the 
latter  there  was  a  large  and  choice  display  of  Orna- 
mental Foliage  Plants,  from  James  Eadie,  gardener 
to  Dr.  James  Rush.  These  specimens  were  all  m 
admirable  condition,  and  received  the  first  prize  of 

S3. 

A  number  of  American  Seedling  Dahlias,  from 
Gerhard  Schmitz,  received  the  commendation  ot 
the  Committee,  and  the  award  of  a  special  premium 

of  ^1. 

Thomas  Meehan  contrilmted  a  collection  of  forty- 
two  named  varieties  of  Dahlias,  comprising  some 
novel  and  beautiful  flowers  of  every  variety  ot  co  or 
and  generally  well  shaped,  to  which  $1  was  awarded. 

Robert  Kilvington  brought  a  large  Bouquet  of 
over  tAventy  varieties  of  flowers,  cut  from  the  gar- 
den and  verv  tastefully  made  up.  It  is  rare  at  this 
season  to  see  so  many  fine  hardy  flowers  m  bloom. 
The  regular  premium  of  |l  was  awarded  to  it. 

In  the  department  of  Fruits  were  two  collections 
of  Pears,  by  John  ]\IcLaughlin,  gardener  to  J.  B. 
Baxter;  also  Isabefla  and  Catawba  Grapes.  The 
Pears  received  the  two  premiums,  |2  and  Sgl  cacn. 

Dr  Thomas  P.  James  presented  a  dish  of  twelve 
superb  Duchesse  d' Angouleme  Pears,  weighing  from 
ten  and  a  half  to  sixteen  ounces  each,  all  perfect 
fruit,  and  the  product  of  one  dwarf  tree,  Avhicli 
contained  thirty-four  pears  none  of  which  weighed 


the  Committee,  and  Avere  certainly  the  Unest  ever 
shown  here.  This  grape  is  fast  making  the  repu- 
taticm  of  the  best  grape  for  general  out-of-door 
culture. 

Mr.  L.   Chamberlin   showed  a   large  and   hand- 
some bunch  of  cultivated  Chicken  Grapes. 

Mr.  Robert  Buist  exhibited,  for  the  first  time, 
the  new  round  scarlet  Egg  Plant,  a  very  showy 
ornamental  fruit,  said  to  be  of  excellent  (piality  as 
an  edible,  to  which  a  special  premium  of  $1  was 
awarded.  Also,  bunches  of  the  Black  Barbarosa 
and  Prince  Albert  Grapes,  supposed  by  most  culti- 
vators to  be  identical,  but  which  were  quite  difleient 
in  every  respect. 

Mr.  Buist  addressed  the  following  communication 
to  the  Society  upon  the  subject : 


»•••» 


S'ta"'  SCn^JerThr'to .«;■  ::i^  o.  Uiese    ^rZlo^n.Hteron  Plants  and  Flowers,  to  report 
pears  was  nine  pounds  ten  and  a  half  ounces,  being    at  the  next  meeting, 
an  average  of  about  thirteen  ounces  each. 

Adam  Graham,  gardener  to  General  Robert  Pat- 
terson, showed  a  dish  of  Quinces  of  large  size,  re- 
markably fine  appearance,  and  excellent  (piality. 

:Mr.  S.  W.  Noble,  for  his  collection  of  Apples, 
took  the  two  regular  premiums  of  |1  each. 

Of  Exotic  Grapes,  there  were  excellent  samples 
from  W^m.  Joyce,  gardener  to  M  W.  Baldwin, 
who  received  the  first  premium  ot  f<i 


S  ROSEDAI-E  NURSERIF.S.  PliiliuU'lpliia, 
I  October  15th,  18<)1. 

To  the  PreMde.nt  and  Frvit  Conimiftfr.  of  the 

Pennsylvania  Horticultural  Socuty  : 
Gentlemen,!  beg  to  call  your  attoi.tion  to  tb('  accmipanyinp  spe- 
cimens of  tbe  Prince  Albeit  and  the  Bla.k  IJaiban.sa  prapes  wlii.li 
have  been  publishetl  in  the  hortirultnral    pen<»dicals,  an(i   even 
Btandard  works,  of  this  country  as  tiie  fiame  grape. 

Blark  Eartjarosa  I  intro.l»i.-ed  fr-.m  En^lan.!  about  five  years 
ago.  Fruit,  large,  oval,  of  a  reddisli  bla.k,  with  a  line  bloom: 
bunches.  larRo,  Bh.mhlered  and  tapering,  "'^t  >T^,^  ^^  '^i''^''  wl  T 
our  latest  foreign  grape,  and  keeps  very  well  till  December.  Wood, 
foliage,  and  eyes,  smooth.     A  great  bearer. 

Prince  AlbeH  I  introduced  about  twenty  years  ago.  ^Fruit, 
round,  jet  black,  with  a  fine  bloom,  medium  size;  buuches.  shoBld- 
ered  aud  sliort.  Does  not  set  very  freely,  and  is  also  a  shy  beai-er. 
Has  been  rii.e  fimr  weeks.  The  sample  before  you  is  only  a  part  ot 
a  bunch  Foliage,  young  shoots  and  the  mature  eyes  have  a  white 
down,  the  eves  particularly  so.  Any  person  who  cultivates  eitlier 
of  these  grapes  can  decide  on  the  genuiue  by  the  appearance  of  the 
eyes  ou  the  wood,  without  fruit.  The  Priiue  AllM-rt  is  not  worth 
culture;  whereas,  the  Barbarosa  has  not  an  equal  lor  late  keeping. 
Very  respectfully,  K.  Buiar. 

This  was  referred  to  the  Committee  on  Fruits, 
who  reported  that  they  agreed  with  :Mr.  Buist  so  fiir 
as  the  fruit  exhibited  was  named. 

A  communication  from  P.  Mackenzie  &  Son,  con- 
cerning the  abstraction  of  some  plants,  was  referred 


THE  EXHIBITION  OF  THE   MASSACHU- 
SETTS HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 

The    Thirty-second   Annual    Exhibition   of   the 
Massachusetts    Horticultural     Society    opened     on 
T^  1  Kvin     Tuesday,  the  17th.     Although  the  season  had  been 
.  Bald>>  in,  eminently  dry    and  the  winter  a  most   severe 

^vho  received  the  first  premium  ol  w^.     With  Uie^    1^^  ^^^^  ^g^^.j^^'    ^^  ^j^e  Old  Bay  State  sustained 

we   remarked   three    large    Pine    Ai^plcs  m   1  ots,  .eputation  for  luxurious  and  well-attended  fes- 

a  dish  of  Figs  and  one  of  Belle  de  Fontenay  Rasp-    J^«      I 
berries       The    two    second  premiums  for   Exotic  1  ^^^ais. 
Gvnnes  Averc   iriveu    to    two    collections  of   equal 
"^Z     Black  "ilamburgs.   White  Buel   and  White 
Syrian,  from  Jas.  Astley,  gardener  to  Hon    Owen 
Jones,  and  Black  Hamburg,  Wlute  ^ice,  and  W  hite 


The  show  of  Flowers  was  as  good  as  usual, 
which,  for  this  year,  was  remarkable  ;  large  contri- 
butions being  made  from  all  the  promii  ent  florists. 
Among  them  the  collection  of  Gladiolus  was  espe- 

c5  .  r_,  ...  . „„4.       ,•.,„,■,;</,,  t/»/l       111       tins 


Jones,  aim  jjiaeK  iiuiiii'iui:,,  .1  " — - — '  ":" "  tt     ,,' I  ^'""^  "ttnu-tive      The   interest  manitetted  in   this 
Syriai  ,  from  Jeremiah  Flynn,  gardener  to  Henry    ^^'^"^.,^"1  ,dh''within    he  last  few  vears  has  been 


Ch([  €wi:hmxs 


inp^  to  rivjil  each  otlicr  in  their  progression  bj'^  im- 
l)()rt:ition  and  by  raising  seedlings  witli  such  zeal  as 
lias  never  been  equalled,  except,  perhai)S,  by  the 
Dahlia.  Five  years  ago,  the  Gandavensis  and  Ka- 
niosus  were  almost  the  sole  representatives  of  im- 
portance ;  but  now  the  Conite  de  Morney,  La 
Poussin,  Ceres,  Raphael,  Berth,  Rabourdin,  and  an 
endless  variety  adorn  the  stand  with  their  several 
tints. 

Conspicuous,  also,  were  the  Pot  Plants,  tastefully 
arranged  upon  an  elevated  stand  in  the  centre  of  the 
liall.  The  Ferns  and  the  Variegated  plants  (which 
are  now  the  delight  of  the  floristj  were  the  most 
prominent.  Rearing  itself  loftily  above  the  rest, 
arose  a  noble  specimen  of  the  Cyanoj)hyllum  mag- 
niticum,  and  by  its  side  stood  fine  plants  of  the  fol- 
lowing: Caladium  argyritcs;  Begonias  Roi  Leopoldii, 
M:irshallii,  nivosa  and  hypargyrea,  Pteris  tricolor, 
Croton  pictum,  Pavetta  Borbonica.  Also,  Pan- 
danus  javanicus  variegata,  from  the  establishment 
of  Hovey  &  Co.,  and  a  beautiful  representative  of 
Catth'ya  Forbesii,  from  E.  S.  Rand.  Mr.  Rand  has 
one  of  the  most  extensive  and  well-assorted  orchid- 
houses  in  this  part  of  the  country,  and  the  rooms 
of  the  Society  are  often  embellished  by  his  si)eci- 
mens.  There  was  a  good  display  of  our  native 
Howers  from  the  Botanical  Gardens  of  Cambridge ; 
among  them  was  a  very  double-flowered  Datura. 

In  the  department  of  Pomona  we  noticed  that 
the  fruit  was  not  so  large  nor  so  cle  tn  as  that  of  last 
year,  ov.ing  to  the  drought,  but  very  good  for  so 
unfavorable  a  season. 

Mr.  II.  H.  Hunnewell,  the  proprietor  of  Welles- 
ky,  exhibited  some  fine  Peaches,  from  the  orchard- 
house,  measuring  twelve  and  a  half  inches  in  cir- 
cumference, and  G.  G.  Hubbard  several  varieties  of 
Plums,  raised  in  the  same  way. 

The  Apples  were  very  few,  though  good.  The 
crop  is  almost  totally  lost  by  the  severity  of  the 
winter. 

The  largest  collections  of  Pears  were  from  the 
gardens  of  the  President  of  the  American  Pomo- 
logical  Society,  Colonel  Wilder,  and  from  Messrs. 
Hovey  &  Co. 

William  Bacon,  among  other  varieties,  presented 
a  remarkable  dish  of  the  Merriam  Pear,  which  origi- 
nated near  Boston,  and  is  promising  to  become  a 
piotitable  market  sort. 

Pears  were  shown,  also,  from  Josiah  Stickney,  H. 
Vandine,  and  others.  The  Seedling  Pear  Clapp's 
Favorite,  which  was  exhibited  at  the  session  of  the 
Atnerican  Pomological  Society,  and  figured  and  de- 
scril)ed  in  its  transactions,  was  among  the  rest.  I 
am  informed  that  it  is  a  seedling  from  the  Bartlett, 
being  entirely  free  from  the  disagreeable  musky 
aroma  of  its  parent ;  that  it  is  fully  equal  to  it  in 
size,  and  precedes  it  in  maturity  ;  also,  which  is  of 
greal  importance,  that  it  lias  stood  the  winter  with- 
out being  injured  in  wood  or  bud,  and  has  borne  a 
good  crop  this  season.  Cultivators  in  this  vicinity 
have  high  anticipations  in  regard  to  it. 

Tiie  vegetables  were  very  good,  yet  not  extensive. 
The  most  notable  were  six  Squashes  from  A.  D. 
Webl)er,  weighing  six  hundred  and  ninety-five  and 
a  half  pounds,  raised  from  a  single  vine;  and  some 
fine  Celery  from  J.  C.  Potter. 

Hut  superior  to  every  thing  was  the  display  of 
Gr:ii>es.  The  foreign  varieties  were  principally  from 
the   graperies  of  Hovey  &  Co.,  H.   S.  Mansfield, 


J.  C.  Potter,  Mis.  F.  B.  Durfee,  R.  S.  Rogers,  Mrs. 
T.  W.  Ward,  E.  S.  Rand,  and  others.  Although 
the  continued  dry  weather  had  been  unfavorable  for 
other  fruits,  j'^et  it  had  been  exceedingly  propitious 
foi  out-door  grapes,  and  there  was,  therefore,  an 
unusual  amount.  Several  natives  were  of  large  size, 
and  filled  the  room  with  an  insnfFeraI)ly  deliciousC?) 
fragrance.  Those  most  worthy  of  notice  were 
Delaware,  Diana,  Rebecca  and  Hartford  Prolific. 
The  Delawares  were  small,  appearing  to  have  been 
grown  on  young  vines.  The  Rebecca  was  good, 
and  seems  to  be  rising  a  little  in  popular  favor.  The 
seedlings  of  Mr.  Rogers  surpassed  all  in  appear- 
ance. Four  kinds  were  shown.  The  berries  were 
as  large  as  good  Black  Hamburgs,  with  fine,  com- 
pact bunches.  They  were  raised  by  cross-fertiliza- 
tion, the  native  Mammoth  acting  as  the  female, 
with  the  Black  Hamburg  and  Sweetwater  as  males. 
The  progeny  of  the  Black  Hamburg  inherit  its  color 
and  bunch,  and  those  of  the  Sweetwater  the  amber 
color  and  bunch.  Mr.  Rogers  has  not  only  proved 
a  problem  in  natural  science,  but  has  immortalized 
himself  in  giving  to  the  world  a  number  of  excellent 
varieties  of  hardy  and  early  grapes. 

The  exhibition  was  one  of  almost  unexpected 
succe&3,  and  compared  with  the  first  which  the  So- 
ciety ever  held,  exhibits  the  brilliant  progress  which 
has  been  made  in  horticulture,  and  shows  with 
what  rich  laurels  have  Flora  and  Pomona  been 
crowned  by  the  creative  power  of  man. 


BROOKLYN  HOETICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 

The  Brooklyn  Horticultural  Society  held  their 
regular  Fall  Exhibition  on  the  18th,  lOtli  and  20th 
of  September,  at  the  new  Academy  of  Music, 
Brooklyn. 

Notwithstanding  the  severe  storm  for  a  day  or  two 
previous,  and  the  hard  times,  the  display  of  really 
rare  and  choice  Plants,  Fruits  and  Flowers  sur- 
passed any  previous  exhibition  of  the  Society.  The 
room  is  the  largest  that  could  be  procured,  yet  it 
was  not  half  large  enough  to  show  the  plants  to  ad- 
vantage. 

Louis  Menand,  of  Albany,  who  has  always  been 
the  mainstay  of  the  Society,  was  on  hand  with  his 
choicest  specimens— two  fine  Musa  Cavendishii,  one 
in  full  fruit ;  beautiful  specimen  of  Pandanus,  large 
and  well  grown  ;  Tree  Ferns;  Variegated  do.;  Cala- 
diums,  Begonias  and  Cactus  of  every  variety.  His 
collection  embraced  one  hundred  and  eighty  plants, 
everj'  on<;  a  specimen. 

Andrew  Bridgeman,  of  New  York,  had  two  hun- 
dred and  twelve  plants  of  all  the  new  variegated-leaf 
kinds,  rivalling  in  beauty  any  that  were  exhibited. 
Mr.  Bridgeman  is  making  this  a  feature  of  his  busi- 
ness. He  also  had  a  splendid  display  of  Gladiolus, 
embracing  11)0  kinds  of  all  forms  and  shades  of 
color ;  also,  the  finest  Basket  of  Flowers  and  Table 
Bouquet. 

Isaac  Buchanan  «fe  Son,  of  Seventeenth  St.,  New 
York,  had  their  choice  collection  of  Orchids,  consist- 
ing of  the  newest  and  latest  varieties,  in  full  flower. 
He  also  had  a  large  collection  of  the  Variegated-leaf 
Plants,  numbering  160  varieties. 

Parsons  «&  Co.,  of  Flushing,  had  an  immense  col- 
lection of  Caladiums,  Begonias,  Ferns,  and  the  new 
Alocasia  mctallica,  very  beautiful.     Cyanophyllum 


.1 


t\t  fcil^mr'j  JHrnilhlj. 


magnificum  was  really  magnificent.     His  collection 

embraced  240  plants.  ,    ,     ,     .  i- 

John   Humphries,  of  Brooklyn,  had  the  best  dis- 

plav  from  the  city,  all  in  fine  health  and  vigor;  and 

in  a  few  years  will  have  a  splendid  collection,  that 

will  compete  with  older  establishments. 

There  were  many  small  collections  which  were 

very  deserving  of  notice,  but  would  take  too  much 

space.  ^  ,      , 

Messrs.  Dailledonze  &  Zeller,  Cut  Roses  and  col- 
lection of  Flowers. 

A.  G.  Burgess,  Dahlias,  &c. 

C.  S.  Pell,  Dahlias,  &c. 

From  Henry  M.  Barnes,  Esq.,  of  Williamsburg, 
a  choice  collection  of  Flowers. 

Besides  an  immense  quantity  of  Bouquets,  Bas- 
kets, and  Designs  of  Flowers. 

The  Fruit  from  Messrs.  Ellwanger  &  Barry,  ot 
Rochester,  was  very  fine— 105  varieties  of  Pears  and 
C7  of  Apples. 

Also  from  Mr.  James  Wier,  of  Bay  Ridge,  some 

fine  Pears,  &c.  ,,      ^    , 

A  Basket  of  Fruit,  from  Mrs.  Packer,  was  uni- 
versally admired. 

Grapes  from  Mr.  Cowan,  of  Glen  Cove,  were  very 
choice,  and  exhibited  high  culture.  Also  an  endless 
l)rofusion  of  all  of  the  native  and  hardy  varieties 
from  a  number  of  growers. 

The  Vegetable  department  was  largely  repre- 
sented and  contained  a  full  assortment  of  all  the 
newest  and  best  kinds  that  are  worthy  of  attention. 
In  addition  to  the  Exhibition,  there  was  a  course 
of  Lectures,  by  the  best  horticulturists,  on  the  Best 
Varieties  of  Plants,  Fruits,  and  Flowers,  and  their 
Mode  of  Culture. 

This  only  shows  to  the  Society,  that  with  propei 
efforts  they  can  fill  any  place  with  the  choicest  col- 
lection, and  place  themselves  at  the  head  ol  our 
Horticultural  Societies. 


[Since  the  last  came  to  hand,  we  have  received 
the  following  notice  of  a  subsequent  meeting  :] 

This  Society  met  on  Tuesday  evening  at  their 
rooms  at  the  Atheneum.  There  was  a  large  at- 
tendance of  members  and  those  interested  in  hor- 
ticulture, many  of  whom  were  ladies,  and  who  are 
generally  the  most  successful  cultivators  of  flowers 
or  fruit  wnen  they  give  it  their  attention. 

On  the  table  for  exhibition  were  some  fine  Vines, 
ffiown   in  Pots,  bv  Andrew  Bridgeman,  ot   New 
York;    ''Daphne  Cneorum,"   anew   hardy   ever- 
creen,  profuse  bloomer,  and  very  fragrant;    Seed- 
ling Dahlia  called  "Mrs.  Burgess,'Marge  and  fine 
color;  also,  a  new  Seedling  Rose  named  President 
Lincoln,  which  attracted  much  notice   for  its  fine 
form  and  beautiful  color,  were  from  A.  G.  Burgess, 
E'lst    New   York.      Tritomas    and   Pelargoniums, 
from   James  AVier,   Bay  Ridge.      Bilbergi.%   from 
Geo   Hanilyn,  gardener  to  W.  C.  Langley,  Esq.,  of 
Bay  Ridge.     One  dozen  Pears  of  the  largest  size 
and  most  beautiful  form  that  have  ever  been  exhibi- 
ted  were  sent  to  the  meeting  by  Wm.  Chorlton,  ot 
Stat  en  Island  ;  copies  of  these  will  be  taken  m  wax 
for  preservation  and  reference.     On  the  table  was  a 
most  magnificent  photograph  of  some  choice  plants 
that  were  at  the  last  exhibition,  which  are  designed  to 
be  given  as  premiums  instead  of  money,  as  it  will 
represent  what  was  displayed,— the  Society  to  keep 


a  duplicate  copy  in  their  rooms,  and  to  sell  to  mem- 
bers as   many  as  they  wish.     This  was  taken  by 
Messrs.  Morand  &  Co.,  of  Fulton  Street,  Brooklyn, 
who   make   such  thing*  a    speciality.     The   prizes 
awarded  at  the  last  exhibition  were   the  great  at- 
traction.     The  worthy  President,  J.  W.  Degiaw, 
Esq.,  to  whose  untiring  energy  and  perseverance 
the  members  and  exhibitors  of  the  Society  are  under 
so  many  obligations,  had  prepared  a  number  of  very 
elegant  Silvel-  Goblets,  Cups,  &c.,  which  were  pre- 
sented by  P.  B.  Mead,  Esq.,  editor  of  the  Jlorti- 
culturisf,,  in  behalf  of  the  Society,  with  appropriate 
remarks.      The  largest   piece  was  a  Silver  Goblet 
some  fifteen  inches  high,  of  a  new  and  beautiful 
pattern,  richly  ornamented  and  engraved,  to  Messrs. 
Ellwanger  &  Barry,  of  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  for  their 
displ.ys  of  fruit  at  the  late  exhibition.     The  next 
was  to  Andrew  Bridgeman,  of  New  York,  a  very 
handsome  Goblet  some  twelve  inches  high,  for  his 
display  of  choice,  new  and  rare  Variegated  Leaved 
Plants.     The  next,  an  elegant   Silver   Goblet  and 
Salver,  of  exquisite  Avorkmanship  and  design,  beau- 
tifully ornamented  and  appropriately  engraved,  was 
presented  t.^  Miss  J.  E.   Degraw,  daughter  of  the 
President,  for  the  best  Floral  Design,  at  the  last 
New  York  Horticultural  Society's  Exhibition,  and 
also  at    the   Brooklyn   Exhibition.      A   handsome 
Silver  Cup  was  also  presented  to  A.  G.  Burgess,  of 
East  New  York,  John  Humphries,  of  Brooklyn,  G. 
Messenberg,    gardener    to    Henry   M.    Barnes,    of 
Williamsburg,  and  Messrs.  Dailledonze  &  Zeller,  of 
Brooklyn,  for  Special  Premiums  for  the  Collection 
of  choice  Cut  Flowers  and  Plants  exhibited  at  the 
semi-monthly  meetings.     Mr.    Bridgeman  made   a 
few   remarks  on   the    Culture   of    Grapes  in   City 
Yards,  but  was  compelled  to  stop  by  a  sudden  at- 
tack ol  illness.     Dr.  Grant,  of  lona  Island,  was  in- 
troduced and  spoke  for  an  hour  in  favor  of  the  hardy 
out-door  grapes,    over  those   grown    under  glass, 
both  for  general  use  and  profit.     He  considered  the 
Delaware  the  best  grape  that  was  known  for  table 
use  or  for  wine-making.     He  gave  a  comparison  of 
the  expense  and  profits  of  Out-door  Culture  and 
Under  Glass,  and  at  the  next  meeting  he  will  give  a 
full  account  of  how  to  Plant,  Train  and  Prune  the 
Vine  for  Culture  in   City  Yards.     At  the  close  of 
his  remarks  a  vote  of  thanks  of  the  meeting  was 
proposed  and  carried  unanimously. 

A  large  number  of  the  best  horticulturists  were 
present ;  Hon.  Jno.  G.  Bergen ;  Dr.  Grant ;  Mr.  Quin, 
of  Newark ;  Messrs.  Mead  &  Woodward,  editors  of 
the  JlorticuUurint ;  John  Williamson,  the  artist ;  A. 
S.  Fuller,  and  others. 

The  Society  will  meet  again  on  the  ir)th.  The 
same  subject  will  be  continued. 


— •» 


TORONTO  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 

Third  Exhibition. 

The  third  exhibition  of  the  season,  under  the  au- 
spices of  the  Toronto  Horticultural  Society,  was 
held  in  the  Botanical  Gardens,  Gerrard  Street,  and 
attracted  a  very  large  and  fashionable  attendance  of 

visitors. 

The  flowers,  fruits  and  vegetables  were  exliibited 
in  a  mammoth  tent  erected  at  the  head  of  the 
gardens,  and  every  one  was  of  opinion  that  the 
Fall  E.xhibition  this  year  was  superior  to  that  of 


^^  §m&tms 


any  previous  year.  Every  season  new  and  rare 
i)lants  and  flowers  are  introduced,  and  the  Exhibi- 
tions of  the  Society,  as  they  deserve  to  be,  are  de- 
cidedly popular.  _       ^  n      a 

The  centre  tables  were  appropriated  for  tl^wcrs, 
and  presented  a  most  brilliant  appearance,  thecolors 
harmonizing  beautifully. 

There  was  a  line  display  of  Phloxes,  and  Mr. 
John  Gray,  Lake  View  Nurseries,  carried  off  the 
first  prize,  and  Mr.  George  Leslie  the  second. 

One  of  the  great  attractions  for  the  visitors,  how- 
ever, was  the  large  assortment  of  beautiful  Dahlias. 
In  this  department,  Mr.  George  Leslie,  Mr.  Flem- 
ing, and  Mr.  Eccles  were  the  principal  exhibitors. 
The  first-named  gentleman  carried  off  the  first  and 
second  prizes. 

Mr.  John  Gray  exhibited  some  very  fine  double 
Petunias,  new  varieties,  and  newly  imported  into 
Canada.  They  were  universally  admired,  but  the 
judges  awarded  the  first  prize  to  Mr.  Gzowski  tor 
single  varieties,    Mr.    Gray   obtaining    the   second 

prize.  ,  r,  ,      1    HT 

In  Verbenas,  Mr.  Forsyth,  Normal  School,  Mr. 
S.  Heward,  Mr.  T.  Tilman,  and  Mr.  Gray  were  the 
principal  exhibitors.  The  latter  gentleman  had  on 
view  twenty-four  varieties  (named),  all  newly  im- 
ported. 1    T-.    1- 

Mr.  W.  IL  Boulton  showed  a  few  good  Foliage 
Plants,  and  also  some  fine  Cockscombs. 

In  Achimenes,  Mr.  Gzowski  and  Mr.  W.  II.  Boul- 
ton were  competitors,  the  specimens  shown  by  each 
being  very  fine. 

The  display  of  Greenhouse  Plants  was  not  large, 
and  there  were  few  competitors  in  this  department, 
.ludge  Harrison  carried  off  the  first  prize,  and  lion. 
J.  C.  Morrison  the  second  prize.  Mr.  Morrison  also 
exhibited  a  very  pretty  stove  Orchis,  growing  in 
moss,  which  was  highly  commended. 

Mr.  .J.  Fleming  had  on  view  three  varieties  of  the 
Gladiolus,  a  very  showy  and  handsome  plant,  which 
attracted  much  attention. 

In  Annuals,  Mr.  Forsyth,  of  the  Normal  School, 
bore  away  the  palm. 

There  was  a  good  display  of  beautifully -arranged 
Hand  and  Table  Bouciuets. 

FRUIT. 

In  this  department  the  fine  display  of  Grapes  re- 
quires to  be  first  mentioned,  and  certainly  finer- 
grown  Grapes  were  never  shown  in  Canada  than 
tliose  on  exhibition.  Crowds  of  persons  lingered 
near  them  for  hours,  and  all  saw  something  to  praise. 
The  clusters  were  large  and  luscious.  Three  bunches, 
belonging  to  Mr.  H.  Eccles,  weiglied,  in  the  aggre- 
gate, not  less  than  121  ounces. 

Hon.  Mr.  Cayley  exhibited  five  varieties  grown 
in  a  cold  grapery,  the  clusters  weighing  from  82 i 
to  47^  ounces. 

Mr.  G.  8.  Gzowski  can*ied  off  the  Vice-President's 
medal  for  eleven  varieties,  while  Judge  Harrison  and 
Mr.  W.  II.  Boulton  exhibited  specimens  which  were 
greatly  admired. 

Near  the  middle  of  the  centre  table  was  a  very  fine 
Grape-vine  in  a  pot,  with  six  large  clusters,  and  was 
from  the  nursery  of  Mr.  John  Gray. 

Hon.  J.  C.  Morrison  also  exhibited  a  handsome 
Grape-vine  in  a  pot. 

The  display  on  the  tables  gave  ample  proof  that 
all  kinds  of  grapes  can  be  profitably  cultivated  in 
Lanada. 


The  number  of  Peaches  was  not  very  large  and 
those  exhibited  by  Judge  Harrison  and  Mr.  IX  L. 
Macpherson  presented  a  fine  appearance  and  gamecj 

the  i)rizes.  „      .  ,,  ^ 

Mr  W  H.  Boulton  and  Judge  Harrison  were  the 
principal  exhibitors  of  Nectarines,  while  some  beau- 
tiful plants  were  shown  by  the  Rev.  Edmund  Bald- 
win and  Mr.  H.  Eccles.  ,  ,  ,  ,,  ,„i,i,e 
There  were  many  varieties  of  Apples  on  the  tables, 
but  none  of  them  calling  for  special  mention. 

The  Pears  were  fully  up  to  those  ot  last  year. 
Mr.  John  Gray,  Hon.  Mr.  Allan,  and  Mr.  li.  btib- 
bard  excelled  in  this  department. 

VEGETABLES. 

While  great  attention  appeared  to  have  been  paid 
to  Fruits  and  Flowers,  the  tables  gave  ample  evi- 
dence that  the  kitchen-garden  had  not  been  ne- 
glected ;  and,  although  a  pretty  young  lady  asked 
her  manima,  ''Who  would  be  so  vulgar  as  to  look 
at  onions?"  the  visitors  gave  much  attention  to  the 
Vegetable  department.  On  the  tables  were  a  very 
fine  collection  of  mammoth  Cabbages,  1  urnips. 
Onions,  Potatoes,  Beets,  Cauliflowers,  Tomatoes, 
Sweet  Corn,  Vegetable  Marrow,  Celery,  Parsnips, 
and  Salsify,  and,  as  usual,  there  was  a  large  number 
of  exhibitors.  .  ^ 

In  Potatoes,  Mr.  C.  S.  Gzowski  gained  the  fii&t 
prize,  and  Mr.  Tattle  the  second. 

In  Cabbages,  Mr.  William  Burgess  was  the  suc- 
cessful competitor,  while  Mr.  T.  Tillman  gained 
the  prizes  for  Red  Cabbages.      _     ,      ,  , 

Mr  Edward  Lewis  and  Mr.  Tattle  showed  some 
fine  Cauliflowers,  and  the  last-named  gentleman  also 
exhibited  a  few  large  specimens  ot  Beets  and  lo- 

matoes.  ^^     ^  -»r        ™^,.^ 

The  Onions  belonging  to  Mr.  George  \  ear  weie 
awarded  the  first  prize,  as  was  also  the  Sweet  Corn 
belonging  to  Mr.  E.  Lewis,  and  the  large  \egetable 
Marrows  exhibited  by  Mr.  H.  Eccles. 

The  Judges  in  almost  every  department  appeared 
to  have  considerable  difliculty  in  giving  their  de- 
cisions, owing,  no  doul)t,  to  the  excellence  ot  the 
various  specimens  exhibited. 


KEOKUK    (IOWA)    HORTICULTURAL 

SOCIETY. 

The  exhibition  held  on  the  5th  of  September  was 
considered  the  best  ever  held  in  that  section  of  the 
country.     The  successful  exhibitors  were : 


Mr.  Stripe, 
Mr.  Giflespie, 
E.  II.  Wickersham, 
H.  Weyand, 
Mrs.  Beebo, 
Mr.  Belknap, 
Mr.  Fletcher, 
Dr.  Knowles, 
Mrs.  Furman, 
Mr.  Ilubbell, 
;Mr.  Bridgemaii, 
Mr.  II.  Tucker, 
Mr.  ScUars, 


Mr.  Woodward, 
Mrs.  Morrison, 
Dr.  Shaw, 
S.  A.  Duke, 
Mr.  Barclay, 
Mr.  Chittenden, 
Mr.  Bauer,  Nauvoo, 
Mrs.  Miller, 
S.  S.  Vail, 
Mr.  Voorhies, 
Rev.  I.  Brown, 
Mr.  J.  B.  Billings, 


Mr.  J.  L.  Zwart, 
Mr.  Wesscrzicher,  Nauvoo. 

Amongst  whom  we  are  pleased  to  find  so  many  of 

our  friends. 


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llorHrulhrp,  3Srtorirunupp,  jpoJang  %•  jJBLural  Hffalrs. 


THOMAS    MEEHAMT,    Editob.  DECEMBCRy    1861. 


VOIi.    III.— NO.    12. 


Tmh  for  ^mwibfx. 


FLOWER-GARDEN  AND  PLEASURE- 
GROUND. 

Beyond  preparing  for  alterations  and  improve- 
ments to  be  made  next  spring,— getting  ready  stakes, 
labels,  and  other  necessary  items  that  will  certainly 
be  wanted,  and  preparing  things  in  advance,  so  that 
when  the  busy  time  shall  come,  all  things  will  be  in 
readiness,— there  is  little  that  can  be  done  in  this 
department  at  this  season. 

There  are  some  things,  however,  that  should  be 
done,  and  for  which  preparations  should  be  made 
now,  that  are  not  often  done,  but  are  very  essential 
to  a  well-kept  place,  particularly  the  thinning  out 
of  trees  and  shrubbery,  and  the  preparing  of  composts 
for  plants  and  flowers.      The  great  fault  in  most 
places  is  the  neglect  of  timely  thinning  out.     We 
cannot  call  to  mind  one  place  that  is  exempt  entirely 
from  this  criticism.     Grounds  have  to  be  planted 
thickly  when  they  are  first  formed  to  avoid  a  hungry 
and  neglected  appearance.      Cheap  and  common 
trees  may  be  interspersed  with  more  valuable  ones, 
and  when  the  place  is  pretty  well  overgrown,  have 
these  indifferent  trees  taken  out.     But  most  places 
have  been   thickly  planted  without  any  view  to 
ulterior  fitness ;  still,  the  least  desirable  should  be 
taken  away.     One  fat,  luxuriant,  robust  tree,  perfect 
in  shape  from  collar  to  the  apex,  will  give  more  real 
pleasure  than  a  clump  of  a  dozen  half-starved  speci- 
mens, struggling  with  each  other  for  a  mere  exist- 
ence. 


In  thinning-out  trees,  the  best  plan  is  to  open  the 
soil  away  from  the  stem  a  few  inches  under  the 
ground,  and  cut  it  away  with  an  axe.  Often,  the 
regret  to  lose  a  fine  tree  induces  an  attempt  to  trans- 


plant ;  generally,  such  trees  fail  from  the  usual  diffi- 
culties of  removing  large  trees.  When  they  succeed, 
they  seldom  grow  with  a  healthy  vigor,  and  when 
they  have  escaped  all  these,  an  ugly  spot  is  left  on 
the  lawn  where  the  tree  came  out ;  for  the  grass  will 
grow  stronger  there  for  years  to  come,  and  the  lawn 
have  the  irregular  appearance  of  a  cattle  pasture. 
This  is  the  best  season  to  mark  such  trees  and  shrubs 
as  it  will  be  desirable  to  thin-out,  and  early  in  spring 
the  axe  may  be  allowed  to  do  its  duty. 

Soil  for  flowers  may  also  be  looked  up  during  the 
winter  season.    Very  few  understand  that  an  occa- 
sional change  of  soil  is  very  beneficial  to  flowers  in 
beds,  though  all  know  how  important  it  is  to  flowers 
in  pots.     There  is  nothing  better  than  surface-soil 
from  an  old  pasture,  taken  off  about  two  inches  deep, 
and  thrown  into  a  heap  with  about  one-sixth  part  old 
hotbed  dung,  to  partially  decay.     In  addition  to  this 
*' staple"  item,  smaller  quantity  of  different  matters 
should  be  gathered  together  for  peculiar  cases,  or 
particular  plants.     Peat,  for  instance,  will  be  found 
very  useful  for  many  kinds  of  plants.     This  is  not, 
as  is  often  supposed,  mere  black  sand;  but  a  spongy, 
fibrous  substance  from  the  surface  of  bogs  and  boggy 
wastes.     Sand  should  be  collected  sharp  and  clean  ; 
the  washings  from  turnpike  ditches  are  as  good  as 
any  thing.     Leaf  mould  is  best  got  already  well  de- 
cayed from  the  woods.     That  one  makes  for  himself 
from  rotten  leaves  is  seldom  good  for  any  thing ;  it  is 
always  sour  and  seems  "indigestible"  to  vegetation. 
A  load  or  so  of  well-decayed  cow-manure  is  a  good 
thing  for  the  gardener  to  have  by  him,  as  all  those 
plants  that  dislike  our  hot  summers,  and  want  a  cool 
soil  to  grow  in,  prefer  it  to  any  other  manure.     A 
small  pile  of  hotbed  manure  is  almost  indispensable 

to  a  gfirden. 

Many  kinds  of  trees  that  do  not  seem  to  thrive 
well,  will  be  greatly  improved  next  year  by  having 
a  surface  dressing  of  manure  or  rich  soil  thrown 
about  them.  Evergreens  are  no  exception.  A 
sini^ular  notion  used  to  prevail,  that  manure  of  any 
kind  was  injurious  to  evergreens,  probably  through 
noticing  that  they  were  usually  found  in  poor,  barren 
soil.     Our  best  American  conifera  growers,  however. 


.3^^ 


Kg 


^^  §w:km'&  Pontjjij. 


have  long  practised  manuring  them,  and  with  the 
best  results.  Guano  has  been  found  particularly 
beneficial  to  the  Spruce  family,  and  it  will  probably 
be  found  as  good  for  the  whole  family  of  evergreens. 


FRUIT   GARDEN. 

Now,  when  "the  summer  tresses  of  the  trees 
are  gone,  and  the  autumn  woods  have  put  their 
glory  on, "the  fruit  grower  will  have  to  inquire  what 
he  can  do  to  save  his  treasures  from  the  rapacities  of 
the  winter's  frosts  that  will  soon  be  upon  him.  It 
is  not  a  generally  recognized  fact  that  frost  seriously 
injures  vegetation  without  any  immediate  effect  being 
visible.  Cherries  and  other  fruits  will  often  be  fa- 
tally injured,  and  yet  no  sign  of  it  be  discernible 
until  after  the  plant  is  in  leaf  or  flower,  when  it 
suddenly  droops  and  dies.  Yellows,  curl,  mildew, 
and  other  fiiilings,  no  doubt,  frequently  owe  their 
remote  origin  to  the  effects  of  frost  in  times  past. 
We  could  give  an  explanation  why  this  is  so,  and 
may  do  so  at  another  time,  in  another  part  of  our 
journal.  Here  we  confine  ourselves  to  hints  and 
advice,  and  in  this  case  it  is  to  protect  all  fruit  trees 
possible,  no  matter  how  hardy  they  may  be.  We 
would  have  some  few  trees  trained  on  espaliers  so 
that  they  might  be  protected  by  mats— others  so  that 
they  might  be  bent  over,  and  entirely  covered  with 
soil,  which  is  one  of  the  very  best  plant  protectors. 
Where  large  orchards  are  planted,  we  would  surround 
the  whole,  if  practicable,  with  a  belt  of  evergreens 
as  the  best  thing  we  could  do.  Evergreens  not  only 
protect  from  cold,  but  they  add  to  the  heat  by  their 
own  exhalations.  Let  any  one  hang  a  thermometer 
in  winter  in  a  clump  of  evergreens,  and  another  in 
a  near  mass  of  deciduous  trees,  and  he  will  be  sur- 
prised at  the  ditreience.  The  hardiest  fruits  are  also 
benefitted  by  having  a  cover  of  litter  over  the  roots, 
that  will  prevent  the  frost  penetrating  deeply. 

Plants  suffer  severely  during  hard  frost  from 
evaporation,  and  when  the  roots  arc  prevented  from 
being  frozen,  they  can  better  supply  the  waste.  Old 
tan  bark  is  often  used  to  protect  strawberries,  which 
is  very  well,  but  old  manure  or  other  litter  is  nearly 
or  quite  as  good.  If  an  examination  in  apples, 
dwarf  pears,  quinces,  peaches,  and  plums  for  borers 
has  not  yet  been  made,  go  at  it  at  once  ;  they  make 
fearful  havoc  during  winter. 


«•■•» 


^ 

@ 


GREENHOUSES  AND  PLANT  CABINETS. 

TnE  most  interesting  tribe  of  plants  at  this  season 
of  the  year  is  undoubtedly  the  Camellia.  The  buds 
frequently  drop  off  before  flowering ;  this  may  spring 
from  three  causes— from  the  plants  being  kept  too 
dry,  or  from  the  drainage  being  bad,  whereby  the 


soil  becomes  sodden  ;  or  from  the  house  being  kept 
too  warm  by  insuflicient  ventilation.  As  the  leaf 
buds  burst,  the  plants  are  benefitted  by  occasional 
syringings,  and  indeed  an  increased  supply  of  water 
altogether,  in  order  to  accommodate  the  demands  of 
the  young  growth. 

Australian  and  Cape  Plants  are  the  chief  ornaments 
of  the  greenhouse  at  this  time.  The  Acacia, 
amongst  the  principal,  will,  like  the  Camellia,  re- 
quire more  water  while  flowering;  indeed,  most 
plants  which  produce  flowers  before  they  make  a 
new  growth,  require  more  water  as  they  flower.  On 
the  other  hand,  most  plants  which  flower  on  the 
young  wood  at  or  near  the  completion  of  its  growth, 
take  less.  The  Correa  is  another  beautiful  tribe,  but 
does  not  do  well  in  most  collections  ;  it  is  generally 
grown  in  a  peaty  soil ;  we  observed  that  where  it 
seems  to  succeed  well,  the  growers  use  a  consi.ler- 
able  portion  of  loam  in  their  compost  for  it.  This 
is  consistent  with  our  own  experience,  and  we  are 
inclined  to  the  oi)inion  that  more  loam  should  be 
used  with  the  peat  for  hard-wooded  plants  than  is 
generally  done  in  this  country.  As  soon  as  any 
Cape  or  hard-wooded  plant  has  ceased  to  flower,  it 
should  be  repotted,  if  it  require  it ;  many  prefer 
waiting  till  the  plants  are  placed  in  summer  quarters 
before  this  is  done,  and  some  in  the  fall.  We  i)refer 
before  they  commence  to  grow,  wh-iteverthe  season 
may  be,  as  the  roots  being  then  in  their  most  active 
state  immediately  penetrate  the  new  soil,  and  before 
it  becomes  sour  or  sodden  by  frequent  waterings, 
reap  whatever  advantages  the  air  it  contains  when 
fresh  may  afford  them.  Some  greenhouses  are 
rendered  very  gay  in  February  and  March  by  having 
young  plants  of  Verbenas,  Petunias,  and  other  bed- 
ding-out plants  potted  at  this  time  into  large  pots, 
and  encouraged  to  grow. 

Hyacinths  that  have  been  out  of  doors,  or  in  any 
reserve  place  for  protection,  may  be  brought  in  a  few 
weeks  before  wanted  ;  they  should  not  have  much 
heat,  light  or  moisture  for  a  few  days,  and  then 
only  gradually.  Carnations  and  Pinks  are  much 
admired  when  grown  in  pots  and  flowered  there 
early ;  they  do  not  force  well  if  much  warmth  be 
given,  but  the  usual  temperature  of  the  greenhcuse 
will  bring  them  forward  a  month  before  they  can  be 
had  out  of  doors ;  whenever  the  roots  make  their 
appearance  through  the  bottom  of  the  pots,  they 
should  be  shifted  into  a  size  larger.  ,  They  require 
very  little  water  and  love  the  light,  and  whatever 
manures  are  used  to  enrich  the  soil  should  be 
thoroughly  rotten.  Tlie  Pansy,  on  the  other  hand, 
delights  in  half-rotten,  strawy  manure  and  turfy 
loam.  If  a  quantity  of  seedlings  have  been  raised  in 
the  fall,  they  will  require  potting  this  month ;  they 
do  not  flower  well  here  when  the  weather  becomes 


mt^^^^: 


-^^Wh 


f 


®ht  iarh^uer^s  IHtnrt^Ig. 


855 


warm;   but  when   grown   in   pots  and  forwarded 
slightly  by  the  aid  of  a  cool  frame,  they  do  very 

well. 

Cinerarias  will  be  soon  the  chief  attraction; 
the  least  frost  kills  them,  yet  they  will  not  do  well  if 
kept  in  a  high  temperature.  They  love  moisture, 
yet  are  very  impatient  of  damp.  No  plant  is  moxa 
improved  by  the  use  of  charcoal  in  potting  than  this. 
This  plant  bids  fair  to  become  move  popular  than 
ever,  as  supplying  a  very  early  spring  want.  The 
Calceolaria  will  require  the  same  conditions  as  the 

Cineraria. 

Pelargoniums    become    ''drawn,"    spindly,    and 
worthless,  if  they  are  not  allowed   to   occupy  the 
lightest  and  most  airy  part  of  the  house.     If  fine 
specimens  are  desired,  the  shoots  should  now  be  tied 
down  to  the  surface  of  the  pots  and  pinched  off  so 
as  to  induce  them  to  shoot  freely  ;  but  avoid  a  too 
frequent  use  of  the  *'finger  and  thumb"- nothing 
renders  a  Pelargonium  weaker;  rather  encourage 
them  to  groio  bushy,  by  the  free  use  of  light  air  and 
manure-water.     A  good  supply  of  young  Fuchsias 
should  be  coming  on  now— repot  as  their  roots  fill 
each  pot,  let  them  not  want  for  moisture  or  light,  do 
not  pinch  off  their  tops,  but  let  them  grow  rapidly. 
The  temperature  in  which  they  arc  grown  should 
not  exceed  550.     A  turfy  loam,  moderately  enriched 
with  well-decayed  manure  and  well  drained  with 
charcoal  suits  them  admirably.     The  Mimulus  is  re- 
ceiving more  attention  than  it  has  been— where  they 
are  grown  they  are  much  improved  by  having  pans 
of  water  kept  under  their  pots.    Oranges  iiii(iUmons 
will  require  the  coolest  part  of  the  house,  and  to  re- 
ceive no  more  water  than  will  just  keep  them  fresh. 
Epiphyllums,  as  they  continue  to  flower,  will  requne 
the  warmest  end  of  the  house,  and  a  fair  supply  of 
moisture.     Cacti  and  succulent  plants  generally  will 
scarcely  require  water  at  all,  unless  in  very  dry  situa- 
tions, and  then  receive  but  a  slight  sprinkling  with  a 
syringe      The  rule  ''when  you  water  a  plant  at  all, 
let  it  soak  right  through,"  does  not  by  any  means 
hold  good  with  these  plants,  if  there  be  not  some 
other  good  exceptions. 


tion.    Where  there  can  be  a  heat  of  OQO  commanded 
Bush  Beans  can  be  easily  grown  in  pots,  and  can  be 
gathered  in  two  months  from  the  time  of  sowing. 
If  there  is  an  abundance  of  leaves  or  manure  at  com- 
mand, and  small  frames,  beds  may  be  put  up  for 
early  si)ring  salads  at  the  end  of  the  month.     Pad- 
iflies  and  Lettuce  are,  however,  very  impatient  of 
too  much  heat;  they  will  come  on  well  if  the  tem- 
perature be  kept  at  450.     When  it  goes  above  that, 
the  sashes  should  be  lifted  entirely  off.     The  same 
remarks   apply  to  the  Potato  and  the  Early  Horn 
Carrot.     Caulifloicers  in  frames  reeiuire  all  the  air 
possible.     Never  allow  them  to  become  dry,  this  is 
the  cause  of  many  failures  by  way  of  "  buttoning  off. " 


(Jommunirations. 


-«M 


VEGETABLE   GARDEN. 

Very  little  can  be  done  now  in  this  department 
except  by  way  of  preparation  for  another  year. 
Manure  can  be  placed  on  the  ground  wherever  re- 
quired, and  asparagus  beds,  if  not  already  done, 
should  have  a  slight  covering  of  it.  Bean  poles,  pea 
brush,  and  stakes  of  all  kinds  should  be  got  now, 
the  tool  house  gone  over,  and  put  in  order,  and 
every  thing  kept  in  good  order  and  studiously  in  its 
place.  When  the  season  of  operations  commences, 
there  will  then  be  nothing  to  hold  back  our  atten- 


EXOTIC    GRAPES    OUT    OP    DOORS. 

BY   KOVICE. 

Notwithstanding  the  traditional  failures  of  all 
attempts  to  grow  the  exotic  grape  in  the  open  air  in 
this  country,  the  writer  was  tempted  to  try  an  ex- 
periment  this  year  upon  some  foreign  vines,  all  of 
which,  since  they  were  planted,  Cthree  years  ago,; 
have  failed  to  ripen  either  their  fruit  or  their  wood, 
on  account  of  mildew. 

The  varieties  grown  are  the  Frankindale,  Han- 
stretto,  Malaga,  Clapier,  Brinckle,  and,  until  this 
year,  the  Black  Hamburg,  Secord's  Sweet  Water, 
and  Canadian  Chief.  The  latter,  after  three  years 
of  discouraging  failure,  were  removed  this  si)ring, 
to  make  room  for  native  vines.  The  Clapier  and 
Brinckle  were  selected  for  experiment.  The  former 
is  a  French  variety,  imported  by  Mr.  Clapier,  a 
former  re8id(mt  of  Germantown,  Pa.  Its  name  be- 
ing lost,  it  was  re-named  after  him.  The  Brinckle 
is  a  seedling  raised  by  Mr.  Peter  Raabe  from  im- 
ported German  seed. 

When  the  Brinckle  was  in  bloom,  the  top  soil 
was  removed  to  the  depth  of  about  two  inches,  so 
as  to  lay  bare  its  surface  roots  ;  flour  of  siilphur  wa« 
then  evenly  and  thinly  sprinkled  over  the  soil  and 
the  top  soil  restored.  The  Clapier  was  served  in 
the  same  manner,  but  some  weeks  later,  about  the 
period  of  the  second  swelling  of  the  fruit.  The 
after-treatment  of  these  two  vines  was  precisely  the 
same  as  that  of  all  the  other  native  and  foreign 
vines  in  the  garden. 

The  Brinckle  ripened  five  good  bunches,  and  the 
Clapier,  which  was  an  old  vine  cut  down  to  two 
eyes,  set  and  ripened  one  bunch  of  large  white  ber- 
ries,  equal  in  flavor  to  the  White  Frontignan,  and 
much  larger.  Having  been  sulphured  quite  late  in 
the   season,    it  suffered    somewhat    from    mildew. 


Mf[  §m&entr'z  JItonthlg. 


thougli  less  than  ever  before.  The  Brinckle  was 
scarcely  affected  by  mildew,— far  less  than  other 
Brinckles,  Dianas  and  Rebeccas  growing  beside  it. 
All  the  other  foreign  sorts  set  their  fruit  freely,  but 
did  not  ripen  a  berry,  and  have  lost  their  foliage  by 
mildew. 

Better  results  would,  doubtless,  have  been  ob- 
tained had  the  sulphur  been  applied  early  in  the 
spring,  before  growth  commenced. 

"One  swallow  does  not  make  a  summer,"  nor 
does  a  single  experiment,  however  successful,  estab- 
lish a  principle  ;  yet  the  result  here  stated  may  serve 
as  an  incentive,  if  not  a  guide,  to  further  trial  and 
investigation.  If  we  can,  by  any  inexpensive  me- 
thod, attain  to  perfect  foreign  grapes  in  open-air  cul- 
ture,  it  is  surely  worth  persevering  effort  to  accom- 
plish so  desirable  a  result.  Trials,  however,  should 
always  be  made  on  a  small  scale.  Investigations 
extensively  and  expensively  conducted,  too  often 
dishearten  the  investigator,  and  defeat  or  postpone 
a  favorable  result. 

This  experiment  was  first  induced  by  the  follow- 
ing facts  and  reflections  : — Sulphur  has  been  found  an 
effectual  remedy  for  the  mildew  on  foreign  vines 
when  applied  to  the  foliage  or  mildly  diffused  in 
vapor  through  the  atmosphere  of  the  vinery.  If 
thus,  topically  applied,  it  prove  a  remedy^  why  may 
it  not,  administered  to  the  soil,  and  so  taken  up  by 
the  roots,  and  entering  into  the  circulation,  of  the 
plant,  prove  a  preventive?  The  vine  flourishes  best 
in  tropical  volcanic  countries,  as  Asia  Minor,  Greece, 
Italy,  Sp  .in,  Mexico  and  California,  whcse  soils  are 
more  or  less  impregnated  with  sulphur. 

Sulphur  is  insoluble  in  water ;  in  the  air,  under 
certain  conditions,  it  slowly,  almost  imperceptibly, 
oxidises  and  is  diffused  in  vapor.  When  heated, 
sulphurous  acid  gas  is  rapidly  evolved,  and,  if  con- 
fined, is  very  destructive  of  animal  and  vegetable 
life.  In  the  earth  it  is  decomp«^«pd,  more  or  less  ra- 
l)idly,  depending  upon  the  constituents,  condition, 
temperature  and  moisture  of  the  soil. 

In  the  case  above  related,  the  soil  was  dug  up 
deeply  in  October,  and  no  trace  of  the  suli)hur  ap- 
plied in  the  spring  could  be  found,  except  one  or 
two  small  masses  that  had  not  been  well  sifted.  The 
rest  was  apparently  entirely  decomposed,  without 
even  changing  the  color  of  the  soil. 

Sulphur  is  no  panacea  for  vine  disease.  The  plant 
can  neither  grow  in  nor  feed  on  it  exclusively.  The 
result  of  this  experiment  would  seem  to  be,  simply, 
that  the  foreign  vine  needs  more  sulphur  than  the 
native  and  than  is  usually  present  in  our  soils,  and 
that  it  should  be  given  in  such  form  or  manner  as  to 
be  assimilable  by  the  vital  action  of  the  vine.  Per- 
haps very  dilute  sulphuric  acid,  or  superphosphate  of 
lime,  which  always   contains   free   sulphuric  acid, 


r/ 


may  prove  a  better   medium  of  supply  tlian  the 
crude  sulphur. 

Of  course,  exotic  grapes  can  only  be  grown  when 
the  season  is  long  enough  to  thoroughly  ripen  their 
wood.  The  beautiful  specimens  of  Black  Hamburg, 
Chasselas,  Black  Morocco  ("a  very  late  grape,  seldom 
ripened,  even  in  a  cold  vinery),  and  other  foreign 
varieties,  grown  in  the  open  air,  by  means  of  sul- 
phur applied  to  the  soil,  which  were  exhibited  at 
the  Grape-growers'  Convention  held  at  Lancaster, 
Pa.,  October  27th,  prove,  at  least,  that  our  Central 
Pennsylvania  season  is  long  enough,  and  confirm 
the  views  held  on  this  subject  by  a  Novice. 


«•■•» 


A   SIMPLE    METHOD    OF    GROWING 
CELERY. 

BY   A   NEW   JERSEY   MARKET    GARDENER. 

Mr.  Editor — I  have  often  before  given  my  expe- 
rience in  celery  culture  in  different  horticultural 
journals,  but  never  before,  that  I  recollect  of,  in  the 
columns  of  the  Monthly ;  and  if  not  repeating  a 
twice-told  tale  to  your  readers,  I  will  briefly  describe 
a  very  simple  method,  and  one  which  I  have  not 
before  described,  whereby  any  one  who  can  grow  a 
plot  of  cabbages  may  grow  a  plot  of  celery,  and 
that,  too,  pretty  much  in  the  same  manner  as  in  the 
culture  of  the  cabbage. 

The  ground  necessary  for  the  growth  of  celery 
need  not  be  damp,  as  is  generally  supposed.  Any 
good,  rich  vegetable  soil,  if  level,  is  all  suflicient. 
Although  the  plant  luxuriates  in  moisture,  if  pro- 
perly applied,  yet  it  is  as  quickly  impatient  of  stag- 
nant water  at  the  roots  as  almost  any  other  vege- 
table. 

One  of  the  best  varieties  for  private  c  Iture  is  the 
Incomparable  Dwarf,  a  solid,  stocky,  white  variety, 
never  attaining  more  than  two  feet  in  length,  but  of 
the  most  delicious  flavor.  This  variety  is  particu- 
larly well  adapted  to  this  simple  mode  of  cultiva- 
tion, which  consists  in  planting  the  plants  on  the 
surface,  one  foot  apart  each  way.,  so  as  to  form  a 
square  bed.  The  object  in  having  the  plot  thus 
square  or  oblong  is,  that  when  the  celery  is  so 
planted,  the  plants  crowd  each  other  when  full- 
grown,  so  that  in  the  struggle  for  light,  the  hearts 
are  drawn  upwards— one  of  the  most  important  ob- 
jects to  be  obtained  ;  which,  when  the  celery  is 
planted  in  single  or  double  rows,  cannot  be  attained, 
without  the  processes  of  what  we  call  "  handling" 
and  "hoeing  up."  The  time  of  planting  is 
usually  the  montli  of  July ;  but  if  good  strong 
plants  can  be  had,  fine  celery  may  be  grown  by 
planting  in  August.  Nothing  further  whatever  is 
necessary  in  its  cultivation  but  simply  hoeing  to  en- 
courage growth  and  keep  down   the  weeds,  as  is 


©T 


\ 


i;h(|  (Sardcncr'a  PontMg. 


done  in  a  cabbage  or  onion  bed.  This,  then,  is  the 
whole  process  from  the  time  of  planting  in  July 
until  November.  Thus  far,  it  is,  of  course,  green— 
unblanched  ;  the  blanching  process  being  done  when 
stored  in  winter  quarters. 

The  time  of  digging  up,  of  course,  varies  some- 
what in  different  localities.  In  this  district  we 
usually  have  all  put  away  by  the  middle  of  Novem- 
ber ;  and  after  some  ten  years'  experience,  we  find 
no  plan  so  simple  or  so  safe  as  the  French  or  drain 
system  for  blanching  or  preservation. 

The  process  consists  in  digging  a  trench  or  drain 
ten  or  twelve  inches  wide,  and  of  the  depth  of  the 
length  of  the  celery.     The  celery  is  then  packed 
perpendicularly  in    the  trench,    moderately   tight, 
until  the  whole  is  filled  up.     It  will  be  understood 
that  there  is  no  soil  thrown  in  about  the  roots— none 
being  necessary.     The  roots,  l)eing  at  the  bottom 
of  the  trench,  quickly  absorb  sufficient  moisture  to 
encourage  new  roots,  which,  as  soon  as  formed,  the 
blanching  process  is  begun,  and  the  celery  will  be 
fit  for  use  in  four  or  six  weeks  from  the  time  of  be- 
ing put  in  the  trench.     It  is  indispensable  to  cover 
the  trench  with  leaves  or  stable  litter  to  the  depth  of 
six  or  eight  inches  ;  but  this  must  be  done  gradually 
—two  or  three  inches  at  a  time— as  the  season  ad- 
vances.    If  put  on  all  at  once,  it  stops  the  evapora- 
tion from  the  mass  of  celery  packed  in  the  trench, 
and  the  blanching  being  prematurely  hastened,  it 
would  not  keep  so  well  as  if  covered  gradually. 

A  great  advantage  we  find  in  this  way  of  preserv- 
ing winter  celeiy,  is  in  the  easy  access  we  get  to  it 
in  all  weathers,— nothing  more  being  necessary  than 
to  remove  the  litter  and  take  out  what  is  wanted, 
and  cover  in  carefully  again. 

I  have  been  induced  to  offer  these  remarks  on 
seeing  your  article  on  the  subject  in  last  month's 
number,  which,  although  it  is,  no  doubt,  all  claimed 
for  it,  is  exiiensive  and  troublesome ;  and  in  locali- 
ties where  drain-tiles  are  not  to  be  had,  impractica- 
ble ;  while  by  the  plan  above  narrated,  you  can  have 
as  fine  an  eating  celery  as  can  be  produced  by  any 
other  method,  and  that,  too,  at  the  cost  of  not  more 
than  one  cent  per  head.  In  field-culture  its  cost  is 
less  than  half  a  cent  per  head,  although  the  elaborate 
system  of  "bunching"  it  for  the  New  York  market 
costs  at  least  half  a  cent  more. 


«<■»» 


THE    DELPHINIUM. 

BY   FRANCIS   I'ARKMAN,    JAMAICA   PLAIN, 
MASSACHUSETTS. 


The  Delphiniums  form  a  tribe  of  plants  fast  rising 
in  esteem,  and  promising  soon  to  take  a  conspicuous 
rank  among  florists'  flowers.  Their  culture  is  easy, 
— neariy  all  are  perfectly  hardy,-their  flowers  are 


often  of  the  greatest  beauty,  and  they  supply,  in 
their  rich  and  varied  shades  of  blue,  the  color  most 
deficient  in  the  flower-garden.  Some  in  beds,  or 
others  in  the  garden  or  on  the  lawn  ;  others  rearmg 
their  tall  spikes  amid  the  shrubbery ;  and  others, 
again,  standing  singly,  as  decorations  of  the  border  ; 
they  form,  when  rightly  managed,  a  neat,  brilliant 
and  effective  ornament. 

The  annual  varieties  are  well  known.  There  are 
also  a  few  biennials  in  the  genus,  but  they  are  not 
equal  in  beauty  to  the  perennial  sioecies.  These 
latter  may  be  sei)arated  into  groups,  of  which  the 
Chinese  Larkspur  CDelphiniuni  sinensis)  may  stand 
as  the  type  of  the  first,  and  the  common  Bee 
Larkspur  CI>-  elatunO  of  the  second.  In  thu 
first  group  the  number  of  varieties  is  limited  ;  in 
the  second  it  is  almost  without  bounds.  The  former 
is  of  a  somewhat  diffuse  growth,  with  leaves  very 
deeply  cut ;  the  latter  is  erect  and  straight,  and 
though  infinitely  diverse  in  the  character  of  its 
bloom,  has  the  unfailing  characteristic  of  a  notch 
in  the  two  lower  petals,  which  form,  what  is  called 
the  eye  of  the  flower. 

The  Chinese  or  Siberian  Larkspurs  vary  a  good 
deal  in  habit,  some  being  more  compact  and  dwarf 
than  others.     These  are  preferable  for  mosi  situa- 
tions.    Plant  them  in   a  light  soil,  well  enriched 
with  leaf-mould,   six  inches  apart  every  way,  and 
they  will  support  each  other.      In  June  they  will 
burst  into  a  briUiaut  mass  of  bloom,  long-continued, 
and  renewed  later  in  the  season,  provided  the  plants 
arc  cut  down  to  the  ground  as  soon  as  the  first 
bloom  is  past.     Their  expanded  flowers  often  gleam 
in  the  sun  with  a  peculiar  metallic  lustre.     Some  are 
of  the  deepest  blue,— some  of  a  softened  tint,  pre- 
cisely like  that  of  the  sky  on  a  clear  summer  day,— 
while  others  are  pure  white.     These  varieties  should 
be   separated,  and  separate  beds  or  circles  in  the 
grass  made  of  each.     The  dark  blue  varieties  are 
often  marked  with  a  red  or  purple  spot  on  each  ot 
the  extended  wings  of  the  calyx.     A  few  are  seen 
of  a  lilac  tint.     Double  varieties  of  all  occur,  usually 
much  superior  in  beauty  to  the  single.     In  a  bed  of 
seedlings  we   sometimes    find  individuals   bearing 
flowers  twice  as  large  as  those  of  its  companions ;  but 
this  pecularity  will  not  perpetuate  itself  with  any 
certainty  by  seed.     The  beautiful  Deli)hinlum  known 
as  *'Breck'B  No.  1,"  may  be  referred  to  the  Chinese 
division  of  the  trilje. 

A  species,  which  may  be  called  intermediate  be- 
tween the  Chinese  and  the  Bee  Larkspur,  is  well 
worthy  of  mention  here,  not  so  much  for  its  own 
sake,  as  for  that  of  the  beautiful  varieties  which 
have'  either  sprung  from  it  or  are  closely  assimilated 
to  it.  This  is  the  Deli)hinum  cheilanthum,  a  native, 
like  the  former,  of  Northern  Asia.     It  is  the  parent 


i 


■t^ 


^if^l 


Clt^  ^ndmtfs  .PontJIg. 


J 


of  two  fine  seedlings,  D.  niagnificum  and  D,  Ilen- 
dersonii ;  and  is,  if  not  the  parent,  at  least  the 
near  kin,  of  the  splendid  D.  formosum.  The  name 
of  the  first  of  the  three,  by  the  way,  is  sometimes, 
in  this  nei.i,''hl)orhood,  erroneously  applied  to  a  tall 
and  pallid  variety  of  D.  elatum.  The  trio  resemble 
each  other  closely,  the  first  being  the  least  desirable. 
D.  Ilcndersonii  is  a  shy  seed-bearer,  and  with  me 
has  never  borne  seed  at  all ;  but  I  once  procured 
seed  of  it,  expressly  guaranteed  as  "true,"  from  one 
of  the  best  and  most  trusty  of  the  English  seedsmen. 
Of  the  plants  which  resulted,  a  few  bore  the  features 
of  the  reputed  parent,  while  the  greater  pait  showed 
the  broader  sepals  and  golden  coloring  of  the  unmis- 
takable D,  formosum.  Granted  the  good  faith  of 
the  seedsman,  the  experiment  may  be  held  to  prove 
tliat  the  two  are  mere  varieties  of  the  same  species. 
I),  formosum  is  one  of  the  finest  of  the  genus.  The 
freedom  of  its  growth,  the  ease  of  its  culture,  the 
size,  metallic  brilliancy  and  rich  profusion  of  its 
deep  blue  llowers  make  it,  to  borrow  the  hackneyed 
phrase,  indispensable  to  every  garden.  Last  jVIay  I 
planted  several  hundred  young  seedlings,  raised  under 
glass,  about  the  end  of  March,  in  a  carefully  pre- 
pared bed.  The  soil,  a  strong  loam,  was  trenched 
two  feet  deep,  dressed  with  peat,  a  little  sand  and 
old  manure,  and  the  whole  well  incorporated  with 
the  spade.  Into  this  the  seedlings  were  turned  out 
of  their  jmts  at  intervals  of  eight  inches.  In  June 
the  whole  burst  into  flower.  The  lustrous  mass  of 
bloom,  seen  from  a  distance,  lay  beneath  the  foliage 
beyond,  like  a  stream  of  water,  preternaturally  blue. 
The  flowers  were  of  unusual  size,  the  largest  measur- 
ing two  inches  across. 

This  variety  is  a  good  seed-bearer,  and  always 
'^  comes  true ;"  that  is  to  say,  without  any  essential 
variation.  Very  rarely  in  a  seedling  the  eye  of  the 
flower  will  be  pure  white  ;  whereas,  it  is  commonly 
shaded  with  blue  or  purple.  The  flowers  vary  also 
in  the  co^mng  of  the  sepals,  and  in  their  degree  of 
symmetry.  Among  the  seedlings  just  mentioned, 
was  one  very  striking,  from  the  almost  perfect 
roundness  of  its  form,  and  its  deep  and  vivid  blue. 
Being  thought  worthy  of  the  superlative  degree, 
it  was  christened  Delphinium  formosissimum. 

The  culture  is  the  same  for  all  the  members  of  this 
group.  They  like  a  rich,  light  soil,  and  an  open, 
sunny  exposure.  A  little  peat  or  leaf-mould  is  very 
beneficial,  and  they  will  bear  in  this  climate  a  good 
proportion  of  animal  manure,  provided  it  is  well 
rotted.  Cut  theni  down  after  their  first  bloom,  and 
thr'v  will  reward  you  with  a  second.  Indeed,  with 
a  little  management,  they  may  be  kept  in  flower 
throughout  the  s<*ason. 

Of  the  Bee  Laikspurs  and  their  innumerable  kin- 
dred, I  shall  speak  in  the  next  number. 


THE    PmONV    0!VB    OP   THE    MOST 
NORTHERN    PLANTS. 

BY  W.  R.  PKINCE,  FLUSHING,   N.  T. 

Having  noticed  in  your  columns  some  very  ap- 
propriate comments  on  the  splendor  of  the  numerous 
species  and  varieties  of  the  Pa^ony,  which  appear  to 
have  attracted  so  much  attention  at  a  Parisian  exhi- 
bition, I  have  thought  it  would  be  a  matter  of 
interest  to  your  readers  to  present  a  summary  of  the 
different  species  and  of  the  gorgeous  varieties  which 
the  (so-called)  barbaric  China  and  Japan  presented 
to  the  world  whilst  Europe  was  actually  in  a  state 
of  utter  barbarism,  and  long  antecedent  to  the  period 
when  any  of  the  nations  we  cull  civilized  had  ever 
blended  the  pollen  of  flowers,  or  produced  any  new 
variety  by  artificial  means. 

The  most  important  and  splendid  of  this  family  is 
the  Moutan  or  Tree  PtEony  of  CMna^  a  very  hardy 
shrub,  growing  to  the  height  of  three  to  four  feet, 
and  expanding  its  roots  and  shoots  so  as  to  often 
cover  a  space  of  six  to  eight  feet  in  diameter.  Of 
this  species  there  were  introduced  from  China,  in 
1789,  three  varieties — the  Banksii,  rosea,  and  papa- 
veracea. 

It  is  related  that  Lord  Macartney's  embassy  to 
China  in  1795  saw  a  collection  comprising  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  varieties  of  the  Moutan,  and  yet  it 
was  not  until  the  recent  expeditions  of  Robert  For- 
tune to  that  country  that  any  new  varieties  were 
obtained.  Of  these,  twenty-two  have  been  nanied 
and  described,  and  are  now  to  be  found  in  many 
collections.  My  father  made  frequent  attempts  to 
import  new  varieties  from  China  from  1810  to  1880, 
and  finally  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  dozen  living 
plants  in  large  and  peculiar  green  glazed  pots,  every 
one  of  which  proved  to  be  the  rosea.  The  thrc  e 
varieties  existing  in  Europe  he  imported  at  the  price 
of  one  guinea  for  Banksii,  three  guineas  for  rosea, 
and  five  guineas  for  papaveracea. 

As  it  takes  from  four  to  five  years  for  a  seedling 
plant  to  produce  flowers,  we  may  form  some  idea  of 
the  immense  period  that  must  have  elapsed  during 
which  the  Chinese  amateurs  were  producing  the 
seedlings  from  which  they  made  their  selection  of 
two  hundred  and  forty  varieties.  I  wish  here  to 
premonish  your  readers,  that  this  species  is  a  native 
of  Northern  China  and  Tartary,  where  the  ther- 
mometer falls  as  low  as  in  the  most  northern  limits 
of  our  country. 

The  next  species  in  point  of  importance  is  the 
alhajlora  of  Siberia  and  Tartary,  a  tubtM'ous,  herba- 
ceous species,  growing  to  the  height  of  two  and  a 
half  feet,  with  large  single  white  flowers,  which  was 
obtained  from  China  in  1784,  and  of  which  three 
double  varieties  were  imported  from  there  in  1790, 
the  Whitlcyii,   Humei,  and  fragrans.      It  is  of  this 


r 


1 


ihj|  (gardener's  Jftojithlg. 


species  that  very  numerous  varieties  exist  in  China 
and  Japan,  and  from  which  the  French  and  Bel- 
gians have  produced  above  two  hundred  most  admi- 
rable varieties,  and  ourselves  about  fifty  varieties. 

It  is  an  amazement  to  wh.'it  an  extent  the  varieties 
of  this  species  have  been  multiplied,  combining  every 
hue,  several  of  which  have  yellow  and  straw-colored 
flowers.  They  arc  so  rustic  and  easy  of  culture, 
that  no  one  can  fail  in  having  fine  flowers,  and  the 
plants  will  become  so  enlarged  as  to  afford  hundreds 
of  flowers  from  one  stool. 

Pmnia  officinalis— this  old  tenant  of  our  gardens 
is  a  native  of  Switzerland  ;  and  the  common  crim- 
son variety  has  been  grown  since  1548.  We  can 
boast  of  but  ten  varieties  to  contrast  with  the  hun- 
dreds which  the  Chinese  produced. 

Poionia  paradoxa  is  a  native  of  the  Levant,  rather 
more  dwarf  than  the  preceding,  and  the  foliage 
more  downy.  Of  this  the  French  have  produced 
about  twenty-five  double  varieties,  many  of  which 
are  very  neat  and  beautiful,  and  mostly  of  crimson 
violet,  and  purple  hues. 

[To  be  continued.] 


M 


kind  of  action.  Like  all  such  potent  agents,  they  may 
prove  both  poison  and  meat,  according  to  the  hand 
that  applies  them.  They  can  be  rarely  applied  in  a 
*'neat"  state,  but  must  be  diluted  with  water  or 
urine  matter,  or  they  will  consume  the  vegetable 
material  in  almost  no  time.  Best  mode  is  to  apply 
them  on  the  ground  just  before  a  nice  April  shower, 
and  let  the  rain  dissolve  the  matter.  Miraculous 
will  be  the  effect  therefrom.  In  regard  to  potency, 
this  seems  to  me  the  classification:  1.  Pigeon. 
2.  Chicken.  3.  Geese  and  ducks.  4.  Turkeys. 
Pigeon  manure  is  praised  for  grapes,  giving  them 

color  and  flavor. 

Human  excrements  are  too  caustic  to  be  used  by 
themselves,  but  all  the  more  fit  to  be  mixed  with 
cool  substances,  as  sods,  leaves,  or  with  lime,  etc. 

In  return,  I  wish  to  know  if  manure  has  ever  been 
known  materially  to  elfect  the  color  of  flowers,  or 
the  taste  and  flavor  of  fruits  and  vegetables. 

Also  the  results  of  experiments,  made  with  differ- 
ent manures,  on  a  given  object. 


4#«»» 


«•■•» 


THE    NATURE    OP    MANURES. 

BY   BROOKLYN. 

Different  manures  act  so  differently,  that  a 
classification  of  them  might  be  acceptable  to  your 
readers.  What  I  state  here  is  my  own  experience, 
gathered  in  cultivating  the  farm  and  the  garden,  and 
is  noted  with  the  hope  and  wish  that  it  may 
draw  out  the  experience  of  other  and  better  gifted 

readers. 

Horse -dun!r.—T>\y,  hot,  and  soon  consumed,  be- 
cause it  heats  rapidly  and  strongly ;  good  for  cold, 
wet,  and  tough  clay  ;  bad  on  warm  and  sandy  soil ; 
best  thing  for  pits.  According  to  purpose  desired, 
very  excellent  if  mixed  with  more  or  less  spent  tan, 
lime,  and  rotten  leaves. 

Cow-dung.—Yery  mild  and  very  "pleasant;"  acts 
slowly,  but  all  the  more  surely ;  good  for  any  kind 
of  soil,  especially  for  warm  and  sandy  soils. 

Pi(j.dung.—Coo\,  watery,  mild,  fermenting  very 
slowly  ;  of  much  benefit  to  meadows  and  nurseries, 
otherwise  little    useful    if   not    mixed  with  other 

m  111  11  re  s 

Sheep-dung— \n  its  action  and  nature  resembling 
horse-dung,  only  "more  so;"  kills  plants  pretty 
effectually,  if  not  used  with  great  discretion  ;  excel- 
lent, of  course,  for  your  stiff  and  heavy  clays,  to 
which  it  will  impart  warmth  and  life. 

Goat-dung  I  know  little  about,  but  I  hear  it  is 
shnilar  to  sheep-dung. 

Fowls.— ThGiT  excrement  is  generally  of  the  sharpest 


BARREN   SEEDLING   PROIW   FOREIGN 

GRAPES. 

BY  TROF,  C.  Q.  PAGE.  WASHINGTON,  D.  C. 

Just  two  years  ago  I  discovered  a  bunch  o''  grapes 
on  a  seedling  vine  growing  near  an  oak  tree  on  my 
grounds,  into  which  it  had  climbed  by  means  of 
underbrush  to  the  height  of  fifteen  feet.     The  fruit 
was  superior  in  flavor,  about  the  size  of  Catawba, 
and  the  color  of  Black  Hamburg.     The  foliage  is 
decidedly  foreign,  and  the  growth  very  distinct.      1 
removed  the  vine  to  a  congenial  place  in  the  garden, 
where  it  has  proved  to  be  an  enormous  grower,  and 
hardier  than  any  other  vine  in  the  garden.     This 
sprin'-  it  set  an  immense  bloom,  but  every  flower  was 
abortive  or  purely  staminate.     As  this  was  a  chance 
seedling,  I  cannot  vouch  lor  its  parentage,  though  I 
presume  every  one  would  infer  from  its  growth  and 
foliage  that  it  was  foreign.     But  I  can  vouch  for  the 
following  facts,  that  two  years  ago  it  bore  fruit,  and 
this  year  all  the  blooms  were  males.     I  have  usually 
permitted  all  the  chance  seedling  grapes  about  my 
grounds  to  grow,  and  have  transplanted  many  to 
good  soils,  and  thus  for  every  vine  CAve  in  num- 
ber) has  proved  to  be  abortive  or  male.    For  the 
sake  of  trial,  I  have  suffered  one  huge  vine  to  bloom 
for  eight  years  in  succession,  and  it  has  always  been 
obstinately  and  entirely  male. 


i<«»»* 


INPORWATION     GIVEN    AND     DESIRED. 

BY  A  DELAWARIAN. 

I  AM  induced  to  write  a  line  to  thank,  through  you. 
Fox  Meadow,  for  having  prevented  me  making  a 


WH  dardfwr's  JilontMj. 


permanent  investment  in  the  Allen  Raspberry.  It 
is  exactly  such  statements  as  his  last  that  benefit  the 
horticultural  public.  We  hear  too  much  of  the 
good, — the  worthless  is  too  rarely  condemned. 
Now,  although  I  have  not  the  acquaintance  of  Mr. 
Fox  Meadow,  yet  I  intend  to  ask  a  favor  of  him, 
and  that  is,  what  are  his  opinions,  if  he  has  made  his 
mind  up,  on  three  new  foreign  grapes,  viz.  :  Black 
Barbarosa,  Trentham  Black,  and  Buckland  Sweet- 
water? And  can  you  inform  me  when  the  book  on 
Grape  Culture,  that  was  announced  from  the  same 
source  will  appear  ?  I  have  been  anxiously  awaiting, 
as  a  book  from  such  an  experienced  cultivator  will 
be  looked  to  by  many  as  a  guide. 

If  Mr.  Bright,  of  Germantown,  would  also  give 
his  views  on  the  same  subject,  we  would  then  have 
two  independent  and  not  easily  biased  opinions  to 
guide  us.  We  know  that  Mr.  Bright  brought  with 
him  from  Europe  a  number  of  the  latest  novelties  in 
the  grape  line  ;  as  he  may  have  tested  some  of  them, 
will  he  be  good  enough  to  let  us  hear  from  him 
through  the  Monthly  ? 

A  word  about  the  native  grapes.  Delaware  still 
maintains  its  high  position,  although  pressed  hard  by 
Maxatawny — a  new  grape  brought  before  the  public 
by  Mr.  Crans,  who  liberally  distributed  the  wood, 
and  who,  from  present  appearances,  deserves  the 
thanks  of  the  entire  horticultural  world  for  havinu: 
introduced  the  highest  flavored  native  known.  The 
berries  are  larger  than  Delaware,  light  flesh  color, 
and  the  vine  a  vigorous  grower  ;  may  be  safely  put 
down,  promising  very  well. 

If  a  man  wants  a  vine  for  shade,  Taylor's  Bullitt 
is  decidedly  that  vine  ;  it  is  the  most  rampant  of  a 
large  collection  ;  about  the  fruit  I  know  nothing. 

El  Paso,  from  the  patent  ofllce,  is  a  foreigner  and 
worthless,  as  most  every  thing  that  comes  from  that 
source  is. 

Brandywine,  although  brought  out  with  some 
noise,  is  also  foreign  and  worthless  for  out-door 
culture. 

Of  Pears,  the  only  two  that  bore  fruit  new  to  me 
were  Ananas  d'  Ete,  which  was  eaten  August  24th, 
and  very  good,  and  Brandywine,  a  russety-coated, 
high  flavored  pear,  witli  skin  a  trifle  too  astringent, 
but  very  well  worthy  of  general  cultivation. 

Please  remember,  Brandywine  Pear  —  good; 
Brandywine  Grape — good  for  nothing  ! 

Duchess  d'  Angouleme  and  Louise  Bonne  de  Jer- 
sey produced  fine  crops,  and  are  varieties  worthy  of 
general  cultivation  on  the  quince. 

Bartlett  was,  as  usual,  unsurpassed  in  its  season, 
but  is  ripe  amid  such  a  variety  of  good  things  that 
it  is  hardly  appreciated.  What  would  such  a  sized 
pear,  as  good  a  bearer,  and  in  every  other  respect  as 
desirable  a  pear  be  worth  if  it  would  ripen  in  Novem- 


ber and  keep  until  February  ?  We  have  too  much 
fruit  at  one  time  and  too  soon  over  with.  Late  autumn 
and  winter  varieties  should  receive  more  attention. 

Winter  Nelis  and  Lawrence  stand  very  high  among 
the  winter  pears,  although  the  former  has  a  bad 
name  as  a  poor  straggling  grower ;  with  me  although 
not  so  vigorous  as  some,  it  is  thrifty.  I  shall,  with- 
out hesitation,  recommend  it.  Winter  Nelis  is  said 
to  be  in  flavor  among  winter  pears  what  Seckel  is  in 
autumn.     Say  a  good  word  for  it. 

[We  should  like  to  inquire  whether  Winter  Nelis 
does  not  crack  badly  in  most  localities,  whether  it  is 
ever  any  thing  but  a  poor  bearer,  and  whether  the 
Lawrence  is  not  as  poor  a  grower  as  the  Winter 
Nelis?  Such  has  been  the  experience  of  some 
growers.  There  are  a  great  many  excellent  winter 
pears,  but  so  little  attention  has  been  given  to  cJieap 
and  handy  plans  for  preserving  and  ripening  them, 
that  they  are  unpopular,  and  thus  there  seems  to  be 
but  few  kinds.  "Pity  'tis,  'tis  true,"  for  those  who 
have  only  eaten  pears  as  they  come  from  the  tree, 
have  no  idea  of  the  delicious  taste  of  a  well-ripened 
winter  pear.  The  Brandywine  is  considered  by 
many  Eastern  pomologists  the  best  Pennsylvania 
pear.  We  have  not  heard  of  the  progress  of  "Fox 
Meadow's  Grape  Book."  Should  be  obliged  by  his 
and  Mr.  Bright's  response  to  our  correspondent's 
grape  inquiries. — Ed.  ] 


<■■» 


A    SUCCESSFUL   ICE    HOUSE. 

BY  C.  B.,  CHESTER  CO.,  PA. 

Ten  years  since,  I  built  an  ice  house.  After  inquiry 
and  reflection,  I  adopted  the  following  details  of 
construction,  which  has  proved  a  complete  success, 
the  supply  rarely  failing  until  ice  forms  again. 

I  chose  as  location,  a  north-laying  bank,  of  sandy 
formation,  made  the  excavation  a  cube  of  thirteen 
feet,  or  so  that  the  earth  removed  would  bank  up  to 
that  height,  put  in  an  eighteen  inch  dry  wall,  except 
the  top  foot,  which  was  mortared ;  inserted  on  each 
side  three  pieces  of  3  by  4  inch  scantling,  to  which 
perpendicular  1-inch  pine  boards  were  nailed  as 
lining ;  put  on  a  light  shingle  roof  of  double  pitch, 
left  the  spaces  at  the  eaves  between  the  rafters  open 
for  a  draft  of  air  to  enter,  and  placed  a  small  Vcnitian 
window  near  the  top  of  the  north  gable  for  its  escape. 
Before  putting  on  the  shingles,  and  after  nailing 
lath  on  the  underside  of  the  rafters,  the  intervening 
space  was  tightly  packed  with  straight  straw  ;  the 
roof  is  kept  whitewashed.  The  south  gable  consists 
of  two  doors,  one  of  which  answers  for  general 
use,  but  when  filling,  tlie  ground  being  level  on  that 
side,  both  are  opened,  a  small  platform  placed  in 
front  of  them,  and  the  ice  is  shot  directly  in  from 
the  cart.     The  bottom  was  made  about  one  foot 


)ev* 


^ 


T 


ihn  ^ardewr'a  JiloiitMg. 


deeper  in  the  middle  than  at  the  sides,  and  8  to  10- 
inch  chestnut  logs  laid  across  it  close  together  ;  the 
ice  is  thrown  on  these. 

I  fill  only  to  the  square  with  ice,  and  the  remain- 
ing space  with  wheat  straw,  which  I  am  careful 
always  to  keep  covered  over  the  ice  and  packed  down 
the  sides  a  foot  or  two,  as  it  melts,  leaving  a  space 
of  about  one  foot  between  the  ice  and  the  lining. 
The  bank  was  well  sodded  up  to  the  wall,  so  as  to 
throw  off  rain-water  falling  on  the  roof  and  prevent 


(( 


it  won't  pay,"   is    inapplicable  in  this  respect. 

In  order  to  secure  good  stocks,  collect  seeds  from 
such  plants  that  have  the  type  of  Catawbiense, 
maximum,  Californicum,  and  a  little  ponticum  in 
them  ;  or,  if  in  want  of  these,  cross  the  latter  spe- 
cies with  each  other,  and  select  such  plants  for  seed- 
bearing  as  have  the  requisite  qualities  of  the  parents, 
i.  e.,  the  hardiness  of  Catawbiense  and  maximum, 
the  'fine  and  robust  growth  and  leaves  of  Califor- 
nicum, with  the  facility  of  forming  an  abundance  of 


r;  „gre:s  to  t  riou         Fre    daily  use  is  made  of  ^  fibrous  roots  of  ponticum.     The  raising  of  standard 
he°ce  dur  ng  all  the  warm  season,  for  a  family  of  j  varieties  requires  some  little  judgment,  ,n  order  to 
Sue  Ind  "here  is  usually  about  a  load  or  two  over.  !  keep  all  the  desirable  points  in  view,  ..z :  hardmess 
The'capacity  of  the  house  is  about  twenty  well.fllledl  clean  and  robust  growth  and  fohage;  •"S^.  J^^'^' 
'.     J  M,,  „,.„Mi,.<.  nn. ',„,==  „f  flnw^rs  •   riear.  dstinct  colors,  the  smgle 


ox-cart  loads,  with  sideboards.  My  practice  ap- 
pears to  accord  with  the  theory  and  principle  of 
"J.  C.  B." 


♦•■•» 


truss  of  flowers ;  clear,  distinct  colors,  the  single 
flowers  of  good  substance  ;  and  with  round  petals ; 
to  which  may  be  added  a  good,  distinct  blotch  of 
spots.  The  first  consideration  should  be  given  as  to 
the  hardiness  and  robust  growth  of  the  sort  to  be 
fertilized,  to  insure  the  same  qualities  for  the  breed. 


THE    DWARP   JUNE-BERRY. 

BV  ..  BTOUOH,  GE.ESEO,  HEKKY  --^-^'^^-         ^;;;-^^^-^oM  ^,e  a  Stiff,  crcct  truss  of  good 
Remarks  in  some  of  the  late  Monthlies,  about  tiie  ^^.^^  ^ov^^evB.     Where  these  qualities  are  com- 


Remarks  in  some  of  the  late  Monthlies,  about  tlie    ^^^^^^^^^.^^  ^^^^^^^      ^j^^^e  these  qualities  are  com- 

June-berry  as  a  stock  for  th%P^^^' ^^"^^^^^\  "^^ '^^^   Uned  in  a  variety,  any  desired  shade  of  color  may 
inquire  if  you  have  the  dwarf  June-berry  i    i  never        ^^^^     .^^  -,  ^^.^^^  p^^e  white,  through  the 


see  it  mentioned  in  any  nursery  catalogues 

We    got  it  some  thirty  years  ago.     Ours  were 


be  brought  upon  it,  from  pure  white,  through  the 
different   shades   of   rose,   cerise   and  crimson,    to 


■-    « -    -  r*i      All    Mw.,w    blood    red    and    scarlet;    and    again    from    white 

found  growing  wild  on  the  top  of  the  ^He  luny  ,  ^^^^^         ^.^^^^  ^^^^^^^  ^.^^^^^^  plum-color,  etc.,  to  deep 

Mountains.     It  grows  from  three  to  five  teet  lugn.  ,  Though  all  these  different  colors  have  been 

For  a  stock  for  dwarfing  pears,  I  do  not  ^^^ow^^^  !  ^^^^^^^^^^1^     ^.^iful  cross  breeding  between  ^^^^ 
equal.     Hardy,  sound,  healthy  and  long-lived.     Not ,  ,^^^  ^^^^^  ^^^^._^^  ^^^^.^^^  .^  .^  ^^^  advisable  to  use 
as  large  as  the  quince.     But  for  their  own  fruit  they  ,  ^  ^^.^^^.^^^^  ^^^  breeding,  as  the  first  crosses  of  it 
are  much  superior  to  the  large  kind ;  t^ey  bear  ^vltll  ^^ ^   .^  ^  measuie,  liable  to  get  their  flowers 

certainty  and  profusely  every  season.     1  thinR  lue  ,  ^^^^  ^         ^^  account  of  their  early  flow- 

fruit  a  little  better  and  larger  than  on  the  large  trees.    ^^  .^    -^ 

When  I  have  not  more  than  fi^'^y  bushes  on  my  '  ^^.^^  ^.^^  ^^^^.^^ 

;:::::  T'^^:^^:zxi^:^  ^ '  ^  ^"--  --  -  — ^  -  ~^^- 

ranidlv  from  seed  or  layers ;  not  readily  from  cut-   by  grafting :  ,  .       ,,, 

tings.     Have  a  large  increase  from  seed  and  layers  j     Whites  and  blushes,  or  light  colors,  viz:  Album 


this  season. 

[The  plant  alluded  to  is  probably  Pyrua  arbuti- 
/oita.— Ed.] 


**■•» 


elegans,  Candidissimum,  Delicatissimum,  Athens, 
Chancellor,  Californicum,  Columbus,  Coelestinum 
novum,  Cunninghamii,  Diadem,  Exquisite,  Faust, 
Invincible,  Leda,  Minnie,  Mr.  Otto  Forster,  Mrs. 
Mangles,  Star  of  England,  Queen  of  the  Fairies, 
Standish's  Perfection. 
Different  shades  of   pink  and    rose  color,   viz: 


RHODODENDRONS. 

BY  A  MIELLEZ,    FLUSHING,   N.    Y 

tcouunued.]  Amazon,    Aurora,    Briarcus,    Broughtonii,    Ceux 

Having  tried  to  show  how  to  improve  rhododen-  ,  ^^.^^^.^.j^jj^   Concessum,  Eclipse,  Etoile  de  Flanders, 

drons  by  grafting,  I  now  proceed  to  what  may    ^^^^^^^^^^  p^^ra  Macdonald,   Lady  E.    Cathcart, 

properly  be  called  the  first  part  of  the  work,  viz:  ^^  j  jyij^^^ui^gjgsimum,  The   Gem,   Mrs.  John  Waterer, 

raise  stocks  of  standard  varieties.  .   ,     My  Seedling  Paxtonii,  Pythagoras,  Queen  of  Por- 

Very  little  has  been  done  in  this  line,  and  I  think  ^^^^^^^  ^^ 

you  well  may  call  it  a  'Mazy"  and  ''ignorant  sys- 


Shades  of  red,  cerise  and  crimson.,  viz  :  Aurelian, 
m"  under  which  it  has  been  done  Blind vanum    Brayanum,  Chlrt«,  Erectum,  General- 

The  little   ^  ^^^^:  ^  ^Z^,:;^^  Wilson     Giganteum,   Jago,   John 

to   seedling  rhododendrons,  will  be  amply    epaicl  Vi^:csticum     Mr.   J.   C.    Stevens,   Neilsonii, 

by  their  subsequent  success,  and  the  common  phrase,  1  Gair,   31ajesticum, 


1 

I 


^t  iardcncr's  |!lont|Ig. 


Prince  Imperial,  Reedianum,  Rifleman,  Robert 
Barns,  The  Colonel. 

Different  shades  of  blood  red  and  scarlet,  viz: 
Alarm,  Brilliant,  Brebneri,  Garibaldi,  Mars,  Mr. 
John  Waterer,  Lord  Clyde,  Sunset,  Vesuvius,  The 
Major. 

Purple,  claret,  lilac,  etc.,  viz  :  Amilcar,  Beadsman, 
Everestianum,  Fastuosum,  fl.  pi.,  Lucy  Neal,  Macu- 
latum  grandiflora,  Maculatum  nigrum  superbum, 
Marion,  Magnoliflorum  superbum,  Monstrosum, 
Oberon,  Orlando,  Prince  Arthur,  Schiller,  Sliak- 
speare,  Young  Seidel. 

Rose  and  crimson,  with  white  throat  or  margin, 
etc.,  viz:  Bylsianum,  Limbatum,  Fleur  do  Marie, 
Nobleanum  bicolor. 

The  best  time  to  apply  the  pollen  to  the  pistil  of 
the  flowers  to  be  impregnated  Cthe  stamina  of 
which  have  to  be  cut  out  as  soon  as  the  flowers 
open)  is  about  nine  or  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
when  the  whole  plant  has  fully  revived  from  the 
invigorating  slumber  of  night.  The  puberty  of 
pistil  and  stamina  will  be  easily  recognized  by 
the  careful  observer.  The  passillary  part  of  the 
pistil  appears  viscous,  while  the  stamina  issue 
pollen  from  their  cells,  especially  when  brought 
in  contact  with  the  pistil.  As  it  may  happen  that 
there  be  a  delay  of  a  couple  of  days  in  waiting  for 
pollen  of  a  desired  variety,  the  to-be  impregnated 
truss  of  flowers  has  to  be  enclosed  with  gauze,  lest 
bees  or  other  insects  should  happen  to  carry  pollen 
to  them  ;  whereas,  there  is  but  little  fear  from  that 
quarter  after  they  have  been  once  properly  impreg- 
nated. More  convenient,  however,  it  will  be,  if 
those  sorts  to  be  used  for  impregnating  come  into 
flower  first,  as  the  pollen  may  be  preserved  for  at  least 
a  mouth,  ready  for  use  when  wanted,  though  it,  of 
course,  be  best  if  they  come  into  flower  together ; 
and  where  there  is  a  good  collection  there  will  be 
very  little  trouble  in  this  way ;  moreover,  some  of 
them  may  be  easily  retarded,  while  others  are  for- 
warded. 

TREATMENT   OF   SEEDLINGS. 

On  the  beginning  of  February  take  earthen  pans  or 
wooden  boxes,  provided  with  holes  in  the  bottom, 
and  six  inches  high,  of  any  desirable  sh  ipe  and  size, 
and  fill  them  half  with  broken  pots  for  a  draina^^e  • 
then  mix  peat  with  one-third  of  white  sand,— sift  it 
and  put  the  rough  part  of  the  peat  Cthat  which  re- 
mains in  the  seivej  over  the  crocks,  (a  layer  of  about 
an  inch,;  and  fill  up  the  pans  or  boxes  with  the  fine 
soil ;  shake  gently,  so  as  to  settle  the  whole  evenly, 
and  smooth  off  the  surface  with  a  piece  of  board,  at 
the  same  time  giving  a  slij,ht  i)ressuie. 

Having  the  required  quantity  of  boxes  prepared 
in  the  way  prescribed,  sow   the  seed  moderately 


thick  on  the  surface  ;  take  some  fine  dry  peat  and 
sand  of  the  same  proportion  as  before,  and  strew 
over,  but  so  as  to  barely  cover  the  seeds,  fsome 
prefer  leaving  them  wholly  uncovered, ^  and  sprinkle 
with  a  very  fine-rosed  watering-pot.  The  seed- 
boxes  may  be  put  into  a  propagating-house,  stove 
or  forcing-house,  of  about  75^.  They  need  no  light 
till  the  seed  germinate,  about  ten  days  or  a  fort- 
night, when  they  should  be  put  near  to  the  glass. 
I  Protect  them  a  little  from  very  bright  sunshine,  and 
be  careful  not  to  let  them  get  dry,  although  an 
excess  of  watering  should  be  equally  avoided.  Par- 
ticularly beware  of  dripping  places  in  the  house  ; 
they  will  incur  often  great  loss,  as  the  seedlings  in 
this  young  state  are  liable  to  get  damped  off. 

[To  be  Concluded  in  our  Next.] 


«•»» 


PISTILLATE    STRAWBERRIES 

^BY   C,    BURLINGTON,    N.    J. 

It  has  always  ap])eared  to  me  very  surprising  that 
so  much  paper,  ink,  time  and  good  nature  should 
have  been  wasted  in  the  discussion  of  a  subject  so 
ajiparently  ea.sy  of  solution  as  that  of  the  sexual 
differences  of  strawberry  plants,  which  has  produced 
so  much  wrangling  among  growers  and  fanciers, 
and  which  would  seem  only  to  require  a  good  pair 
of  eyes,  to  say  nothing  of  a  small  microscope,  to 
settle,  as  far  as  the  main  facts  are  concerned,  upon 
which  the  different  theories  are  based  in  regard  to 
the  comparative  merits  of  the  Cso-called)  staminate 
and  pistillate  varieties.  The  whole  matter,  it  seems 
to  me,  can  be  presented  in  a  nut-shell.  In  the  first 
place,  there  is  no  such  thing  as  an  exclusively  pistillate 
strawberry  flower  Cat  least,  I  have  yet  to  see  onej  ; 
all  possess  stamens,  though  with  filaments  of  greater 
or  less  lengths ;  some  being  so  short,  it  is  true,  as  to 
render  the  anther  scarcely  visible  ;  but  if  a  flower  of 
the  varieties  called  pistillate,is  closely  examined,  a  ring 
of  stamina  will  be  seen,  in  the  same  position  as  those 
in  the  most  perfectly  staminate  flowers,  but  so  much 
depressed  and  concealed  as  to  be,  under  some  cir- 
cumstances, of  very  little  or  no  service  in  impregna- 
ting either  their  own  flowers  or  those  of  other 
plants  ;  yet  under  other  and  more  favorable  circum- 
stances, these  same  stamina  may  answer  all  required 
purposes.  Thus  the  climate  of  England  may  favor 
the  general  development  and  distribution  of  the  pollen 
of  their  apparently  defective  stamina,  so  as  to  pro- 
duce fair,  or  even  large  crops,  without  the  propin- 
quity of  more  decidedly  male  plants ;  hence  the 
belief  of  Dr.  Lindley,  that  "pistillate"  plants  have 
never  appeared  in  England,  may  be  perfectly  ortho- 
dox ;  and  hence  Mr.  Gloede's  success  in  producing 
crops  under  glass,  may  be  owing  to  some  peculi- 
arity of  treatment  or  atmospheric  influence  tending 


W^^ 


ihi^  §:irdcncr's  JH^onthlg. 


to  the  same  development.     I  presume  we  have,  all 
of  us  who  have  tried  the  experiment,  found  fruit,  to 
a  greater   or  less  extent,  upon  ''pistillate"    plants 
under  glass,— the  extent  of  which,  will  always  de- 
pend upon  whether  the  house  is  much  visited  by  bees 
during  the  flowering  season ;  which  fact  must  be 
taken   into   consideration   in    regard  to    the   same 
plants  growing  out  of  doors.     Those  plants  having 
their  anthers  elevated  above  their  pistils,  require  no 
foreign  aid  in  their  impregnation  ;  and  those  even  in 
which  the  stamina  are  almost  wanting,  may,  by  the 
aid  of  the  bees,  in  countries  where  they  are  very 
numerous,  produce  good  crops.     One  thing  I  have 
noticed  in   my  little   experience,   that  the   fruit  of 
pistillate  plants  under  glass,  even  when  helped  by 
artificial  impregnation,  was  inferior,  and  of  entirely 
difcrent  shape  from  the  same  variety  out  of  doors ; 
which  was  not  the  case  with  the  perfect  varieties. 

[Some  varieties  throw  up  hermaphrodite  and  pistil- 
late spikes  of  flowers  from  the  same  crown.  In  such 
cases,  the  fruit  on  the  hermaphrodite  spikes  have 
been  observed  to  be  very  different  in  shape  from 
those  on  the  pistillate  ones.— Ed.] 


*»m»* 


A    CHAPTER    ON    CACTUS. 

BY   R. 

"  What  a  whim  of  Dame  Nature  !  Did  the  good 
old  lady  want  to  show  us  what  she  can  do  in  the 
way  of  ugliness?" 

"It  would  not  be  a  bad  idea  to  have  a  few  our- 
selves, would  it  ?  Let  them  be  the  frightful  exam- 
ples, they  will  show  off  the  beauty  of  our  collec- 
tion." 

Thus  spoke  my  good  friends,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  "W , 

when  they  happened  to  see  my  little  Fct  of  cactus 
plants.  Thus  spoke,  before  and  after  them,  a  good 
many  folks.  And  not  a  few  of  them  have  their 
own  collection  now.     Nothing  like  Mr.  and  Mrs. 

W 's   cacticum,  though,   fif  I   be   allowed  the 

making  of  that  word,)  for  their's  is  quite  an  affair, 
and  not  every  body  can  afford  it.    But  whatever  the 
number  of  plants,— be  they  six  or  be  they  six  hun- 
(lre(\ —the  owner  takes  no  less  pleasure  in  them, 
and  cherishes  the  possession  of  these   deformities 
about  in  the  same  ratio  as  a  mother  makes  a  pet  just 
of  that  one  of  her  children  that's  got  crippled.     Can 
I  help  smiling  when  I  see  these  cactarians  fondle 
their  nurselings  now,  after  their  having  smiled  on 
me  with  a  smile  full  of  generous  pity,  yet  superior- 
ity,  when  they  saw  me  fondle  my  own  V 
Whence  this  fascination  V 

It  won't  bo  diflleult  to  explain  it,  kind  reader  of 
the  Gardener's  Monthly.  Does  not  the  very  first  si^ht 
of  the  cactus  give  us  already  a  pleasurable  shock  ? 
Suppose  that,   roaming  over  the  bottoms  of  the 


Nile,  we  stumble  on  a  nest  of  hippopotami,  young 
and  old,  large  and  sm  ill.     Surely  the  sight  would 
fascinate  us.     The  gambols  of  these  awkward  mon- 
sters would  delight  us  ;  their  anatomy  would  inter- 
est us ;  and,  perchance,  we  would  poke  one  of  them 
in  the  ribs  merely  to  judge  of  the  metal  of  his  voice. 
Again,  some  people  tame  bears,  others  fancy  ravens, 
still  others  think  there  is  no  dog  like  the  Scotch  ter- 
rier.    And  we  are  but  right  when  we  don't  impugn 
their  taste.    The  fact  is,  that  uncommon  ugliness  gives 
us  as  pleasant  a  shock  as  uncommon  beauty.     Nor 
is  this  trait  confined  to  a  sense  of  right  alone,  but 
extends  to  that  of  feeling,— rough  towels,   for  in- 
stance, a  positive  delight  to  the  skin  ;  and  farther,  to 
that  of  taste— say  bitters,  pickles,  cigars,  and  who 
will  deny  their  charms?     And,   in  consequence  of 
taste,  it  can't  help  reaching  the  sense  of  smell  at  the 
same  time,— in  proof,  these  same  cigars,    Russian 
leather,  cow -stables,  &c. 

Getting,  however,  to  nearer  acquaintance,  our 
cactus  begin  so  show  us  their  own  charms,  and  re- 
mind us  of  some  plain  friend  of  ours,— male  or  fe- 
male, kind  reader,  as  you  please  or  have  experience 
of,— who,  decidedly  plain,  yet  interested  us  at  first 
sight ;  but  when  she  began  to  speak,  positively  fas- 
cinated us  till  we  forgot  that  there  was  such  a  thing 

as  face  at  all. 

But  I  believe  I  have  jum]ied  too  high  in  compari- 
sons. That  angel  of  a  woman,  with  her  heart  and 
her  mind,  is  as  much  above  my  plants  as  the  hippo- 
potamus is  too  low.  Let  my  cactus  keep  the  middle 
between  them,  and  let  me  here  discuss  their  merits. 

Granted  their  ugliness.  What  interests  us  so  much 
in  it  ?  Probably  the  absence  of  leaves,  that  distin- 
guishing feature  of  most  plants.  Next  their  form,  if 
not  distinr/ue^  as  milliners  would  talk,  still  unique. 
Next  the  diversity  of  their  form— from  the  tall  opun- 
tiato  the  low,  winding,  creeping,  serpent-like  cereus, 
and  again  to  the  Mamillaria,  that  look  so  much  like 
balled-up  hedge-hogs. 

And  now  come  other  features,  prominently  their 
own,  by  which  they  claim  our  interest.  Their  twigs 
and  thorns,odd  way  ofbranching,  their  tenacity  of  life, 

the  impunity  with  which  they  may  be  neglected,  the 
dark  comers  they  may  be  stowed  away  in  when 
they  are  not  wanted,  and  their  being  all  over  so 
much  the  same  that  the  sma^le^t  thumb-pot  specimen 
(of  its  kind),  is  as  perfect  as  the  biggest,  and  that 
you  can't  help  thinking  of  the  worm  which,  cut  into 
pieces,  seems  each  piece  a  worm. 

When  you  have  had  any  cactus  in  your  window 
or  your  greenhouse  for  a  little  while,  minor  details 
will  begin  to  court  your  eye.  Such  as  the  peculiar 
green,  green-gray  or  gray -green,  lustreless,  boding 
the  desert;  again,  the  leather-like  skin,  evidently 
against  the  tropical  blaze    preventing    the    evapo- 


1 


ilt^  ^nnkmr'a  JUlouthlg. 


ration  of  the  sap, —  that  sap  which  cheers  both 
man  and  his  beast  when  the  tongue  cleaves  to  the 
palate  and  the  brain  reels  for  thirst !  You  know 
at  once  why  these  cactus  have  been  made  at  home 
only  within  the  tropics ;  also  why  they  grow  where 
nothing  else  will  grow,  and  so  accompany  the  poor 
traveller  acri'ss  uninhabitable  stretches  of  land.  It 
is  on  the  score  of  this  succulency,  also,  that  botan- 
ists have  chosen  them  as  objects  of  their  observa- 
tion ;  the  structure  of  their  cells  and  their  anatomy 
in  general  being  of  the  most  interesting  kind. 

Enough  now  of  their  ugliness,  and  let  us  turn  to 
their  beauty.  Raise  a  cactus  till  it  flowers,  and  you 
will  be  repaid  ;  for  their  flowers  have  been  given  the 
intensest  and  most  splendid  hues,  dazzling  and  iit- 
tractive;  and,  that  a  cavilling  spirit  may  have  nothing 
to  fasten  its  hooks  in,  perfume  has  been  given  them 
also ;  to  some,  at  least  such  as  the  Cereus  grandi- 
florus,  the  flower  of  which,  expanding  over  night, 
emits  a  vanilla-like  scent  of  the  sweetest  kind. 

What  more  shall  I  say  in  behalf  of  my  clients  ? 
Those  people  who  live  in  the  lands  of  the  cacti  will 
praise  them  for  the  fruit— aye,  friiit— which  they 
yield  ;  particularly  the  genus  Opuntia :  approaching 
in  taste  our  currants,  to  which  they  are  also  botani- 
cally  allied.  They  will  praise  them  for  the  impene- 
trable hedges  and  enclosures  which  they  make, — for 
the  "timber"  and  the  fuel  which  the  large  kinds  yield 
them  ;  and,  finally,  for  the  pleasant  acidulated  be- 
verage which  flows  from  most  of  them  when  they 
are  tapped. 


«•■» 


HISTORT    OF     THE    NBLUMBIUM, 
NEAR    PHILADELPHIA. 

BY  COL.  R.  CARR,  WEST  PHILADELPniA. 

I  HAD  flattered  myself  with  having  the  pleasure  of 
seeing  you  ere  this,  but  have  been  disappointed  in 
getting  the  papers  which  I  wanted  to  refer  to  re- 
specting the  introduction  of  the  Nelumbium. 

I  will  merely  now  state  a  few  of  the  facts  of  which 
I  have  knowledge. 

The  elder  John  Bartram  Ohe  botanist)  had  a 
brother  named  William,  who  settled  in  North  Caro- 
lina, near  Cape  Fear  river,  about  the  year  1735.  On 
his  property  there  was  a  large  pond  or  cove  of  the 
river,  in  which  the  Ndumbium^  then  called  Nymphcea^ 
since  named  Cyamvs  Jtnvicomus^  grew  in  abundance. 
Knowing  his  1)rother's  fondness  for  plants,  and  this 
being  new  to  him,  he  sent  a  box  of  the  roots  and  a 
quantity  of  the  seeds,  which  arrived  safely  and  were 
planted  in  s^pp ml  places  in  which  Mr.  Bartram  hoped 
thoy  miglit  thrive.  CThis  was  3Ir.  Bartram's  prac- 
tice with  many  plants.  J 

I  have  seen  the  copy  of  the  letter  which  Mr.  Bar- 
tram  wrote  to  his  brother,  acknowledging  receipt  of 


the  plants  and  seeds  in  good  condition,  and  that  he 
had  planted  part  in  his  new  garden  and  part  in  other 
places,  in  hopes  of  being  able  to  naturalize  them.* 
We  had  them  many  years  in  a  small  pond  in  the 
garden,  and  when  we  wanted  a  number  of  roots  or 
some  seeds  for  our  botanical  correspondents,  we  went 
to  the  pond,  or  large  ditch,  below  the  city,  in  the 
meadows,  then  called  "^roj^-rfens,"  where  they 
flourished  in  great  abundance,  f 

Mr.  William  Bartram  informed  me  that  his  father 
had  planted  them  there  on  the  property  of  an  old 
friend  ;  and  about  the  year  1822,  the  venerable  Timo- 
thy Matlack,  of  Philadelphia,  if  was  in  the  Bartram 
Garden,  when  some  of  the  plants  were  in  flower, 
and,  on  my  mentioning  the  quantity  growing  in 
BrogdeiVs  Creek^  he  told  me  "that  they  were  abund- 
ant in  Old  Man^s  Creek,  New  Jersey,  and  that  Mr. 
John  Bartram  had  planted  them  in  both  places ; 
that  he  had  been  down  to  Old  Man's  Creek  on  one 
occasion  with  Mr.  John  Bartram,  to  procure  various 
seeds  and  plants,  and  that  then  Mr.  B.  informed 
him  that  he  had  planted  the  Nelumbium  there  and 
near  Gloucester,  as  well  as  in  Brogden's  Creek,  and 
other  places."  I  have  written  this  note  in  haste,  but 
you  can  make  use  of  it  if  you  think  proper. 

[We  are  much  indebted  to  our  kind  friend  for  this 
new  chapter  in  our  horticultural  history,  and  yet  we 
cannot  reconcile  the  statements  with  others  that 
have  become  part  of  the  record  of  the  times.  For 
instance,  the  inference  is  very  clear,  from  a  letter  of 
Peter  Collinson  to  John  Bartram,  dated  February 
22,  17o0,  Csee  Darhngton's  Memorials,  page  181,) 
that  Bartram  had  written  to  Collinson,  describing  a 
"curious  plant"  which  his  "ingenious  friend  Kalm 
had  found  near  Philadelphia;"  to  which  Collinson 
replied,  that  he  "knew  the  plant  full  well;"  it  was 
the  Nelumbium,  and  he  was  surprised  that  it  had 
been  found  aboriginal  so  far  north  of  Carolina.  It 
is  hard  to  believe  that  Bartram,  whose  ctmight-for- 
wardness  and  honest  simplicity  were  proverbial, 
should  have  pretended  to  Collinson  that  it  was  ab- 
original, and  a  new  discovery  to  him  in  1748,  if  he 
had  himself  planted  it  there  between  1725  and  1731  ; 
and  yet  we  can  put  no  other  construction  on  the  cir- 
cumstances, if  all  were  as  stated  by  our  friend  in  the 
present  note.  We  are  still  further  puzzled  when  we 
turn  to  another  letter  of  P.  Collinson  to  John  Bart- 
ram, dated  February  2d,  1760,  in  which  Collinson 
taunts'  John  Bartram  with  an  astonishing  lack  of 
"industry,"  that  with  this  plant  near  him  wild  "in 


*ThiB  mu-^t  have  boon  proviooH  to  WA,  as  he  mentions  the  build- 
ing olbirt  new  stonu  houno,  which  witM  built  in  that  year. 

fWlien  a  whool  boy,  in  1784 — 1701,  I  was  in  the  practice  every 
Rumnicr,  of  going  (lowu  to  thiH  pond  to  gatiier  tlie  ^^chinquapins." 

JTlion  Prothonotary  of  tlio  Supreme  Court. 


]k 


t 


. 


W^\  §wi)it\m%  Pen 


the  Jerseys,"  he  had  not  yet  got  it  growing  in  his 
garden.     CSee  Dar.  Mem.,  p.  222.) 

Are  we  to  believe  now  that  Bartram  had  it  grow- 
ing in  his  garden  all  the  time,  and  for  thirty  years 
before?  We  are  disposed  to  believe  that  the 
"Nympha^a"  referred  to  in  our  friend's  note  could 
not  have  been  the  Nelumbium  in  question,  but  some 
other  plant,  and  that  our  theory,  that  the  Nelumbium 
owes  its  existence  north  to  the  Indians,  is  in  all  pro- 
bability the  true  one.— Ed.] 


than  any  Fox  Grape  I  ever  tasted,  and  consequently 
unfit  for  the  palate. 

[Very  much  obliged  for  the  information. — Ed.] 


*•»•» 


2:rial  roots 


ON   THE 
GRAPE. 


SCUPPERNONG 


BY   J.    THOMAS.    MADISON,    INDIANA. 

As  you  ask  for  information  in  regard   to  rerial 


roots  on  page  313  of  the  Monthly,  I  will  offer  my 
store  of  knowledge,  Cwhich  is  limited,  to  a  memo- 
randum five  years  old,;  with  some  later  observa- 
tions. The  Vitis  vulpina  is  the  vine  referred  to,  I 
believe. 

Muscadine  of  the  Mississippi  Valley  and  Scupper- 
nong  of  North  Carolina  are,  I  believe,  identical.   One 
is  said  to  be  a  variety  of  the  other.    On  the  Mississippi 
and  Forked-deer  bottoms,   I  have  seen  those  roots 
from  two  to  ten  or  twelve  feet  long,  hanging  like 
hairs  from  a  horse's  tail,   for  twenty  or  thirty  feet 
along  the  stem,  the  lower  extremities  of  the  roots  n(  t 
being  within  twenty  feet  of  the  earth.    Vines  growing 
erect  seldom  have  any  but  those  growing  somewhat 
horiz  ntal,  or  having  a  crooked  stem,  emitted  roots  in 
abundance   on  the  underside  of  the  vine  near  the 
point  where  the  vine  assumed  an  upright  direction. 
The  rootlets  have  the  appearance  of  clean  washed 
roots,   about  one  sixteenth  of  an  inch  thick,  and 
look  fresh  and  plump,  and  having  a  tender  whitish 
spongiole. 

At  first  I  supposed  the  emission  of  roots  was 
caused  by  water  standing  around  the  stem  in  the 
growing  season,  but  found  they  were  far  above  high 
water ;  however,  it  is  deep  shade  in  the  bottom. 

I  did  not  observe  any,  to  my  recollection  at  pre- 
sent, on  the  high  ground  where  the  vines  were  not  so 
shaded.  The  bark  of  the  vine  is  smooth  as  that  of 
Beech  or  Hornbeam,  and  said  to  be  hard  to  grow 
from  cuttings.  I  did  not  observe  any  roots  except 
on  the  main  stem  of  the  vine. 

The  fruit  is  larger  and  more  of  an  oblong  oval 
than  the  Isabella  Grape,  and  from  one  to  three  or 
four  berries  in  a  cluster,  and  drop  very  easy  when 
ripe.  A  light  jar  of  the  tree  they  grow  upon,  and 
the  berries  drop.  They  are  prized  very  highly  by 
those  who  never  tasted  a  grape  like  the  Catawba. 
They  are  more  strong  of  the  peculiar  musky  flavor 


Fruit  for  Eastern  New  York. — The  Farmers' 
Club  of  the  American  Institute  adopted  the  follow- 
ing list  at  a  recent  meeting,  best  adapted  to  that 
region,  from  last  year's  experience  : 

Summer  Apples — Early  Bough,  Earlj^  Harvest, 
American  Sunmier  Pearmain,  Summer  Rose. 

Autumn — Autumn  Bough,  Gravensteiu,  llawley, 
Fall  Pippin,  Porter,  Jersey  Sweeting. 

Winter — Baldwin,  Rhode  Island  Greening,  Jona- 
than, Monmouth  Pippin,  Spitzenl)urg  C^EsopusJ, 
Tallman's  Sweeting,  King  of  Tompkins  County, 
Boston  Russet. 

Sunuiier  Pears — Doyenne  d'Ete,  Dearborn's  Seed- 
ling, Beurre  Giffard,  Rostiezer,  Tyson. 

Autumn — Bartlett,  Seckel,  Beurre  d' Anjou,  Beurre 
Superfin,  Beurre  Boussock,  Duchesse  d'  Angoulcme, 
foil  Quince,)  Flemish  Beauty,  Fondante  d'Automne, 
Sheldon,  Urbaniste. 

Winter — Beurre  Gris  d'  Iliver  Nouveau,  Beurre 
Diel,  Lawrence,  Vicar  of  Winkfield. 

Cherries— Belle  de  Choisy,  Bigarreau  or  Yellow 
Spanish,  Black  Eagle,  Downer's  Late  Red,  Early 
Purple  Guigne,  Ehon,  Black  Tartarian,  Governor 
Wood. 

Plums— Green  Gage,  Coe's  Golden  Drop,  Imperial 
Gage,  Washington  or  Bolmar,  Smith's  Orleans,  Jef- 
ferson. 

Peaches — Crawford's  Early,  Crawford's  Late, 
Early  York,  (large,)  Bergen's  Yellow,  George  IV., 
Old  Mixon  Free,  Morris'  White. 

Clings — Heath,  Large  White,  Old  Mixon. 
Nectarines — Downton,  Stan  wick,  Early  Newing- 
ton. 

Apric(Jts — Dubois'  Golden,  (American  variety,) 
Peach  or  Moorpark. 

Grapes — Delaware,  Diana,  Concord,  Union  Vil- 
lage, Hartford  Prolific,  Isabella. 

Quinces — Orange,  Rae's  Seedling,  Portugal. 
Currants — Large  Red  Dutch,  Versailles,  Victoria, 
Large  White  Province,  White  Dutch,  Black  Nai)les, 
White  Grape  Currant. 

Gooseberries— Downing's  Seedling,  Houghton's 
Seedling,  (hardy  American  varieties,  and  free  from 
mildew). 

Raspberries— Fastolf,  Hornet,  Franconia,  Orange, 
Belle  de  Fontenay,  Catawissa. 

Strawberries— Triomphe  de  Gand,  Bartlett,  Wil- 
son's Seedling,  (acid,)  Hooker's  Seedling,  (sweet,) 
Jenny  Lind. 

Blackberries — New  Rochelle  or  Lawton,  Dorches- 
ter, Newman'^  Thoniless. 


i^Iic  hardener's  .ptonthlg. 


PHILADELPHIA.  DECEMBER  1,  186L 

53°"  -^1'  Cominuiiioations  f«>r  the  Editor  should  bp  addressed, 
"Thomas  Meehan,  Germautown,  Philadelphia," and  Business  Let- 
ters directed  to  "Thk  Publisher  ok  thk  Gardenek'«5  Monthly, 
Box  -iOd  Philadelphia." 


«•»•» 


Ju^l^crsons  sending  two  new  Subscribers  for  1S6  in  addition 
to  their  own,  with  ^.i.CM  c;iu  receive  a  copy  of  our  First  Volunie, 
(1S')9)  free.  All  persons  who  have  paid  their  subscriptions  for  1861 
by  sending  two  new  Subscriliers  and  $2.10  can  receive  a  copy  of 
the  same. 


OUR    NEXT    VOLUME. 

The  public  look  for  an  Annual  Address  from  us 
as  regularly  as  they  expect  the  Presid  nt's  Message 
to  Congress.  A  magazine,  too,  stands  in  pretty 
much  the  same  relation  to  its  readers  as  the  Presi- 
dent does  to  the  people.  Both  owe  their  positions 
to  popular  favor,  and  it  is  but  right  to  expect  a  full  ac- 
count of  their  stewardship. 

Of  the  past  we  need  scarcely  speak.  We  are  now  en- 
tering on  our  fourth  year.     Our  talent,  whatever  it 
may  be  worth,  has  not  been  wrapped  in  a  napkin. 
On  the  part  of  the  Editor,  a  life -time  of  experience 
— twenty -five  years  of  daily  study  and  labor  in  hor- 
ticultural pursuits — has  been  freely,  and,  in  a  great 
measure,  gratuitously,  olfeied  for  the  public  good; 
and  the  Publisher  has  as  freely  advanced  his  time 
and  means  to  bring  the  Monthly  up  to  its  present 
position,  without  a  thought  of  pecuniary  profit.  The 
great  fear  of  its  friends  was,  that  cheapness  and  ex- 
cellence could  not  be  united.      "  You  may,"  said 
they,  "by  scissors  and  paste,  spend  half  an  hour  a 
month  in  copying  from  better  papers  than  your  own; 
or  you  may  employ  a  clever  clerk  to  steal  other  peo- 
ple's ideas,  and  re-write  them  up  new,  so  as  to  avoid 
a  trial  for  literary  piracy,  and  yet  get  the  credit  of 
getting  out  an   "original  thing"   with   those  who 
know  no  better ;  but  there  are  not  enough  horticul- 
turists of  advanced  taste  in  the  country  to  enable  I 
you  to  make  a  standard  work  at  that  price."     But 
we  neither  copied,  nor  stole,  nor  served  up  to  our 
readers  aught   of  literary   "shoddy."      While   we 
have  actively  watched  over  a  sea  of  exchanges  for 
any  original  views  on  horticultural  pr:  ctices  floating 
on  its  surface,  in  transferring  them  to  our  columns 
we  have  carefully  given  all  credit  to  the  originators, 
doing  justice  alike  to  friends  and  foes.     Our  pages 
are  a  clear  reflex  of  the  minds  of  our  excellent  con 
tributors,  and  will,  we  honestly  think,  bear  a  favor- 
able comparison  with  any  horticultural  journal  in 
the  world,  at  whatever  price  publishe*!. 


We  have  assumed  the  position  of  a  director  of 
horticultural  taste,  in  addition  to  the  oflSce  of  a  re- 
corder (  f  its  progress  ;  and  we  can  say  boldly,  with 
the  great  orator,  that  "Our  errors,  if  any,  are  our  own; 
we  have  taken  no  man's  proxy."  The  result  has 
been,  that  in  spite  of  the  times,  the  Monthly  has 
now  reached  a  point  that  will,  for  the  first  time  in 
its  existence,  admit  of  its  being  placed  in  a  business 
position  that  will  insure  its  perpetuity  for  all  time  to 
come. 

]Mr.  W.  G.  P.  Brinckloe,  wiio  has  had  the  actual 
business  management  since  the  commencement,  will 
continue  his  labors,  und  be  the  responsible  Pub- 
lisher and  Proprietor;  while  Mr.  Meehan  will  con- 
tinue, as  heretofore,  hi:  Editorial  services. 

We  olfer  no  premiums,  and  make  no  promises. 
All  we  ask  of  our  friends  is,  that  they  measure  the 
future  by  the  past.  As  then,  so  now  they  will  find 
that  every  new  subscriber  they  obtain  for  us,  every 
new  or  interesting  fact  they  contribute  to  our  pages, 
or  any  favor  in  connection  they  may  do  us,  is  so 
much  added  to  our  power  to  serve  them  in  return  by 
adding  to  the  value  and  interest  of  the  nuigazine. 


IMPROVEniENTS    IN   PROPAGATING. 

In  our  second  volume  the  subject  of  striking  cut- 
tings occupied  considerable  attention,  and  many  new 
modes  of  managing  them  were  suggested,  that  have 
had  considerable  influence  in  making  a  very  simple 
operation  out  of  what  has  been  one  of  the  most  in- 
tricate matters  appertaining  to  the   gardener's  art. 
Still,  it  must  be  remembered  that  there  r.ever  can 
be  rules  for  striking  cuttings  so  clearly  developed  as 
to  ai)ply  to  all  individual  instances.     Every  plant  has 
a  nature  peculiarly  its  own,  and  its  mode  of  treat- 
ment as  to  conditions  of  growth  and   method  of 
propagation  will  be  as  peculiar  as  its  nature.     We 
can,  for  instance,  propagate  plants  by  budding  ;  but 
a  plum  must  here  be  budded  in  June  or  July,  an 
apple  in  July  or  August,  and  a  peach  in  August  or 
September;   and  as  to  the  manner  of  budding,  in 
England  the  wood  must  be  taken  out  of  the  bud  be- 
fore insertion,  while  in  this  climate  it  is  unneces- 
sary.    In  fact,  as  it  is  said  of  learning,  that  there  is 
no  "royal  road  to  it,"  so  neither  in  propagation  of 
plants  will  regal  science  do  a  great  deal  to  abridge 
the  labors  common  mortals  must  take  to  master  the 
art.     It  is  a  knot  that  must  not  bo  cut,  but  be  care- 
fully untied,  even  at  the  expense  of  years  of  careful 
study. 

There  are,  however,  a  few  principles  that  are  very 
clear ;  and  by  understanding  and  acting  on  them, 
the  most  verdant  tyro  may  soon  get  on  the  high 
road  to  success. 

For  instance,   cuttings  die  from  two  causes, — 


»>' 


$b|e  6arhner's  HJontljIj. 


posed  to  the  sun,  it  becomes  warm — vapor  is  gene- 
rated, and  circulates  around  the  inside  pot,  which 
makes  as  perfect  a  warm  water  tank  on  a  small 
scale  as  one  can  have.  On  this  plan,  water  will 
seldom  or  never  be  required  on  the  sand, — all  being 
applied  to  the  saucer  below.  The  cuttings,  unless 
very  delicate,  indeed,  will  not  require  any  bell-gla.ss 
over  them  to  check  evaporation,  which  glass,  after 
all,  is  useful,  in  any  case,  only  at  the  expense  of 
rapid  growth. 

There  is  also  another  idea  in  propagating,  of 
which  we  have  been  recently  reminded  by  Mr.  Bea- 
ton, and  wiiich  we  know  by  experience  to  be  a  very 
valuable  one.  It  is  called  cutting  layers^  and  this 
sketch  will  explain  it. 


either  from  drying  up,  or  from  rotting  before  roots 
are  produced.     The  object  of  the  propagator  is  to 
hasten   the    production  of   roots,  and    also   arrest 
evaporation  or  decay  until  this  happy  event  occurs. 
Rotting  frequently  arises  from  the  ruptured  cells, 
made  so  by  the  act  of  cutting  the  shoot  in  suitable 
lengths.      The  modes  of  callousing  heretofore   de- 
scribed  in  our  journal  have  done  much  to  aid  the 
propagator  on  this  point.     To  hasten  the  production 
of  roots  requires,  in  the  first  place,  practical  know^- 
ledge  of  the  nature  of  the  plant,  as  to  whether  old 
wood  or  young  wood  roots  easiest,— or  whether  it 
does  best  taken  off  in  summer  or  spring,  winter  or 
ftdl.     When  the  right  season  is  discovered,  bottom- 
heat  assists  rooting,  as  it  hastens  decay  when  an 
improper  time  is  attempted.     As  a  rule,  cuttings  in 
a  state  of  rest  require  time,  and  those  in  a  growing 
state  pushing  on.     Bottom-heat  would  soon  destroy 
the  first,  and  the  latter  do  badly  without  it. 

The  reader  will  thus  see  that  no  mode  of  striking 
cuttings  can  be  perfect.  All  will  possess  advantages 
and  disadvantages,  and  all  and  any  mode  that  has 
been  found  successful  is  worthy  of  attention. 

We  have  recently  read  an  explanation  of  an  idea 
of  i\Ir.  Beaton,  that  must  be  of  service  to  amateurs  Jt  is  excellent  for  cuttings  that  will  take  their  own 
who  wish  to  propagate  in  a  small  way,— and  the  time  to  root.  The  difficulty  with  such  cuttings  is, 
principle  may  be  applied  by  those  who  are  not  satis-  that  if  you  take  the  lower  end,  it  will  not  break 
fied  with  less  than  whf)lesale  practices.  We  have  well;  if  you  take  the  top  end,  it  rots;  and  if  you 
made  the  following  sketch  of  the  plan  proposed.  take  the  whole  shoot,  the  soft  part  exhale?  all  the 

moisture  before  the  slow  hard  end  will  hurry  itself 
to  put  out  roots.  The  cutting  layers  meet  all  these 
objections.  The  hard,  firm  end  is  put  in  the  ground 
firmly,  and  the  softer  end,  towards  the  apex,  cut  as 
for  layering,  always  cutting  on  the  upp«r  surface,  as 
we  l»avc  hitherto  taught  in  the  Gardener^s  Monthly, 
and  as  shown  in  the  sketch.  T?oots  will  soon  come 
from  the  slit  pirt,  while  sufficient  vitality  will  be 
drawn  from  the  h  we*  part  to  prevent  a ly  prema- 
ture decay  in  the  upper  end.  After  rooting,  the 
lower  part  may  be  cut  away. 

AVe  have  some  more  useful  hints  for  special  modes 

A  common  flower-pot  (say  four-inch;  is  taken    «f  propagation,  which  we  shall  give  from  time  to 

and  prepared  with  drainage  and  sand  for  the  cut-    time,  as  the  almost  infinite  subjects  that  occur  to  us 


tings  in  the  usual  way.  This  is  set  in  another  four- 
inch  pot,  which  we  have  shown  cut  in  halves,  and 
will  only  go  down  about  three-fourths  of  the  way, 
resting  on  the  lower  one,  as  shown  at  a  a.  When 
being  set  in,  putty  or  cement  of  any  kind  is  set 
around  at  the  junction  a  o,  which  will  make  the 
passage  air-tight.  This  double  pot  is  then  set  in  a 
saucer  of  water,  so  that  the  water  shall  only  reach 
to  the  bottom  of  the  upper  pot.  A  section  of  the 
sj\uccr  only  is  given,  to  show  the  water-line.  The 
advantage  of  this  plan  is,  that  when  the  pot  is  ex- 


monthly  requiring  attention  will  permit  us. 


PARLOR    POTS. 

Mr.  Butdoeman  sends  us  a  sample  of  some  flower- 
pots intended  for  rooms  and  places  where  taste  and 
elegance  may  reasonably  be  looked  for. 

Attempts  of  this  kind  have  been  before  made,  but 
the  emplo5'ment  of  crockery-ware  for  the  purpose, 
in  which  plants  do  not  generally  grow  as  well,  has 
been  against  th^ir  general  introduction.    Mr.  Bridge- 


^h  §nxhms  Ponthlg. 


man's  pots  are  of  the  same  porous  material  as  the 
common  flower  pot,  and  we  think  so  well  of  them, 
that  we  have  made  the  above  cut  from  one  sent  us. 


jnJ^Communications  for  this  dopartment  must  reach  the  Editor 
on  or  before  the  10th  of  the  month. 

Jl3=*rhe  Editor  cannot  answer  letters  for  this  department  pri- 
Tately. 


Names  op  Plants. — A  Baltimore  Subscriber  in- 
quires : 

1st.  Are  the  Populus  angulata,  P.  Carolina,  and 
P.  macrophylla  distinct  species  of  the  Poplar? 
Which  of  these  is  the  cottonwood  of  tlie  West? 

2d.  Is  there  such  a  species  of  the  Anh  as  the 
Fraxinus  longifoUaf  What  is  the  botanical  name 
of  the  ''Variegated  Ash V 

3d.  Is  there  such  a  species  of  the  Linden  as  the 
Tilia  macrophylla  ? 

4th.  Is  the  Poplar-leaved  the  same  as  the  Come- 
well  Willow;  and  if  so,  what  is  its  botanical  name  ? 

5th.  Is  the  Prickly  Ash  the  Xanthoxylon  fraxi- 
neum,  or  the  Aralia  spinosaf 

Gth.  What  work  can  you  recommend  as  best 
adapted  for  an  amateur  to  consult  in  seeking  infor- 
mation as  to  the  technical  names  and  general 
character  of  ornamental  trees,  shrubs,  &c.  ? 

[1.  There  is  no  Populus  Carolina,  or  P.  viacro- 
phylla  recognized  by  botanists.  They  are  nursery 
names  given  to  P.  angulata  of  Michaux.  It  is  called 
often  the  Carolina  Poplar,  and  is  the  Cottonwood  of 
the  West.  Populus  monilifera  of  Alton  or  Virginian 
Poplar,  called  in  Europe  "Swiss"  Poplar,  is  almost 
universally  grown  in  our  nurseries  as  the  "  Cotton- 
wood," and  sold  for  the  true  angulata,  which  we 
have  not  as  yet  found  in  any  nursery.  There  is, 
however,  a  large  specimen  of  the  true  kind  near  the 
old  Marshall  Nursery  at  West  Chester. 


2.  Fraxinus  longifolia  is  also  but  a  nursery  name. 
We  believe  it  to  be  a  variety  of  F.  excelsior.  The 
Variegated  Ash  is  a  variety  of  F.  acumiimta,  though 
called  in  nursery  catalogues  "  Aucubsefolia,"  from 
its  leaves  being  spotted  like  the  Aucuba. 

3.  Tilia  "  macrophylla"  is  but  a  garden  name  for 
a  large-leaved  variety  of  Tilia  Europaa. 

4.  The  same.  We  have  never  examined  what 
species  this  variety  belongs  to,  and  have  no  specimen 
by  us  just  now  to  refer  to  in  order  to  ascertain. 

5th.  The  Xanthoxylon  fraxineum  is  known  m  the 
North  as  the  Prickly  Ash.  In  the  South  X  Caroti- 
nianum,  another  species,  goes  by  the  same.  The 
common  name  of  Aralia  spinom  is  "Angelica  tree." 

Gth.  Meehan's  Ornamental  Trees,  is  the  only 
work  we  know  of,  giving  the  technical  names,  botani- 
cal descriptions,  and  popular  characters  of  the  trees 
and  larger  shrubs  cultivated  in  our  country.  3Ii 
chauxand  Nuttall's  Sylva  is  the  best  work  devoted 
exclusively  to  American  trees.  Of  shrubs,  there  is 
no  work  that  we  can  name.— Ed.] 


Nativity  of  Dei- aw  are  Grape — J.  S.,  Geneseo, 
III.,  says : 

"I  have  Delaware  SeedHngs  growing  one,  two, 
and  three  years  old,  healthy;  none  have  shown 
signs  of  mildew.  Are  not  such  facts  pretty  conclu- 
sive evidence  that  the  Delaware  grape  is  '  aboriginal' 
to  America?     See  page  271,  Monthly.'' 

[In  our  first  volume  we  stated  that  we  had,  years 
ago,  seen  in  the  upper  regions  of  country  bordering 
on  the  Delaware  River,  forms  of  grapes  similar  to 
what  we  in  later  years  knew  as  the  Delaware. 
There  was  at  that  remote  period  little  talk  of  grape 
improvement,  and  no  particular  peculiarities  in  them 
arrested  our  attention.  The  past  summer  we  had 
the  opportunity  of  again  botanizing  in  that  direction, 
and  found  the  same  forms  of  grapes  rather  abundant. 
They  proved  to  be  varieties  of  Vilis  ^siivalis,  our 
well-known  summer  grape.  They  are  pulpless  and 
of  chocolate  color  just  as  the  Delaware  grape. 
Entirely  worthless  as  eating  grapes— of  course,  as 
most  wild  grapes  are ;  but  with  all  the  necessary 
characteristics  requisite  to  satisfy  us  at  least  that  the 
Delaware  grape  is  descended  from  that  species,  as  an 
examination  of  its  own  characters  sufficiently  shows 
it  to  be.— Ed.]  . 

Walker's  Mount  Vernon  Pear. — In  the  Oc- 
tober number  of  Hovey's  Magazine,  the  editor  objects 
to  this  name,  saying  "we  do  not  know  whether 
that  name  was  authorized  or  not  by  the  Gardener's 
Monthly;'"  and  so  he  proceeds  to  describe  it  under 
another  one.     Waiving  all  other  principles  of  au- 


/ 


^^^ 


Sf^t  ^ardcner'a  Jttonthlg. 


thority,  we  might  suppose  Mr.  Walker's  own  letter, 
giving  this  name   as  his  choice,  and  his  reasons 
therefor,  (see  our  February  number,  page  62,;  would 
be  satisfactory  to  our  contemporary.     In  a  recent 
case,  when  he  imagined  the  Horticulturist  had  over- 
looked what  he  considered  a  fact,  he  remarked  that 
he  knew  its  "editor  was  deaf,  but  he  did  not  sup- 
pose he  was  blind  also."     We  shall  not  follow  such 
a  questionable  example  of  the  courteous  gentleman, 
but  in  charity  express  our  belief  that  the  editor  of 
the  Magazine  overlooked  Mr.  Walker's  letter  above 
referred  to.     We  must,  however,  say  that  it  was 
very  easy  to   inquire   of  us,  or  of  his  neighbors. 
Walker  &  Co.,  for  some  explanation  if  he  really  de- 
sired it,  before  rushing  into  print  with  another  name. 
Every  iwmologist  deplores  the  needless  multiplica- 
tion of  synonyms,  and  takes  every  reasonable  pre- 
caution to  guard  against  the  evil;  but  judging  by 
this  case,  that  of  Boston  or  Pinneo  Pear,  and  other 
instances,  we  are  sorry  to  believe  Mr.  Ilovey  does 
not  consider  it  an  evil  that  it  is  worth  any  research 
or  inquiry  to  avoid. 

First  Year  Vinery-H.  P.  asks:— "I  planted 
forty-three  vines  in  a  new  cold  grapery  on  the  17th 
of  April  last ;  the  vines  were  just  commencing  to 
push  when  I  planted  them.  They  arc  now  twelve 
feet  long,  having  l)een  stopped  three  times  since  the 
1st  of  September.  The  kinds  are  Black  Hamburg, 
Black  Lombardy,  Sweetwater,  Muscat  of  Alexandria, 
and  Koyal  Muscadine.  The  canes  are  stout,  and 
finely  ripened.  How  should  they  be  managed 
through  the  coming  winter  and  spring  ?" 

[If  the  vines  are  "very  stout,"  a  couple  of 
bunches  of  grapes  may  be  permitted  to  be  borne  by 
each  next  year,  in  order  to  test  the  accuracy  ot  the 
kinds.  The  chief  object  next  year,  however,  should 
be  the  production  of  good  strong  canes  to  bear 
well  the  season  following.  Therefore,  cut  down 
your  vines  to  about  three  good  eyes  this  wmter. 
When  they  break  next  year,  train  up  the  strong 
1  terminal  shoot  and  stop  back  the  side  ones  left  for 
fruit  when  three  or  four  eyes  in  length.] 


not  covered  by  the  .scion  heals  quicker  this  way  in 
such  cases.  ] 

Mole  Traps— IF.  C.  D.,  Louisville,  TTy.— We  will 
place  in  our  engraver's  hands  sketches  of  the  various 
mole  traps  in  use  in  this  country  and  Europe,  and 
have  them  ready  for  our  next  number. 


Union  Villaoe  and  Ontario  Grapes.— A 
pomological  friend  on  the  Hudson,  writes: 

"  I  am  pretty  well  satisfied  that  these  two  are  the 
same,  but  not  (luite  positive.  Another  season  will 
determine." 

Back  Volumes—"^  Srcbscriber;'  Pittsburg,  Pa., 
who  sends  no  name,  writes : 

"Please  inform  a  subscriber  whether  he  can  get  all 
of  the  numbers  of  the  Gardener's  Monthly  of  the  years 
1859  and  1860,  and  for  what  price  ?" 

[The  publisher  replies,  that  full  sets  may  be  had 
bound,  $1.50;  unbound,  $1.00  per  volume.] 


i 


Grafting  Large  Plum  Stocks—/.  S.  H.,  Lan- 
sing, Mich.,  asks: 

"I  wish  to  know  through  the  Gardener's  Monthly, 
if  Plum  Stocks  can  be  successfully  whip-gmfted? 
I  have  some  that  are  large,  though  only  one  year 
seedlings  ;  they  are  a  quarter  to  a  half-inch  in  dia- 
meter. I  fear  they  will  be  large  to  transplant  and 
bud  next  season." 

[They  may  be  whip-grafted  successfully,  but  we 
should  cleft-graft  them  when  so  large.     The  space 


Jim  OP  P^arp  "jpianh. 

At  the  September  Exhibition  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Horticultural  Society  a  number  of  plants  were  ex- 
hibited for  the  first  time.  We  made  a  few  notes  of 
some  varieties  that  we  thought  desirable  in  the  way 
of  ornamental  foliage  plants  : 

Mocasia  metallica.~Deck\ei\\y  the  most  singular, 
striking  and  most  beautiful  of  foliage  plants.  Imagine 
an  oval,  shallow  bowl,  or  a  concave,  corrugated  or 
ribbed  shield  of  burnished  copi>er  of  aftout  a  foot 
and  a  half  in  diameter,  supported  at  the  centre  by  a 
foot-stalk  of  about  two  feet  in  lieight. 

Micania  speciosa.—A  stove  climber,  or  rather  trailer. 
Leaves,  when  fully  developed,  nine  inches  long,  of 
an  acute  cordate  shai>e,  of  a  rich  dark  velvety  green, 
veined  with  white  somewhat  in  the  style  of  Cyano- 
phyllum  magnificum;  mid-rib  and  underside  of  leaf  a 
dark  crimson.  Since  the  introduction  of  Cmus  dis- 
color, we  have  seen  no  stove  climber  that  we  have 
been  so  much  pleased  with, 

Argyrtiga  argeniea.—K\9,o  a  stove  trailer.  The 
underside  of  the  leaves  are  like  burnished  silver.  It 
was  shown  tmincd  on  a  flat,  iienx^ndicular  wire 
trellis,  and  had  l)cen  grown  where  the  light  was  ad- 
mitted to  but  one  side  of  the  trellis.  This  treatment 
causes  all  the  upi)er  side  of  the  leaves  to  turn  to  the 
light;  leaving  the  silveiy  side  next  to  the  spectator. 
A  curious,  as  well  as  beautiful,  plant. 


Odadium  BelUymei.—This  fully  sustains  the  repu- 


» 


iM\  ^nxamtxs  PontWs. 


tation  given  it  by  tlic  foreign  periodicals  ancl  by  the 
description  and  engraving  furnished  in  this  maga- 
zine. 

Cyanophyllum    Jssamicum.— Hardly    equal    to    its 

wagnijicent  relative.     Color  a  liglit,  lively  green. 

Campylobotrys  argyroneura  and  C  Smaragdina.— 
Very  beautiful  additions  to  this  very  beautiful  genus 
of  plants.  The  latter  has  very  large  light-green 
leaves,  of  a  very  curious  sliade,  and  of  a  metallic 

lustre. 

Caladium  nrognartii.—l,eave»  quite  sagittate,  dark 
gieen  like  bicolor  pidurata^  with  a  deep  red  stripe 
down  the  centre,  with  two  or  three  red  stripes  or 
rays  diverging  from  each  side  of  it  at  the  broad  part 

of  the  leaf. 

Sphcerostemma  marmorata. — A  stove  climber,  with 
large  leathery  leaves,  dark,  mottled  with  light  green. 
Quite  a  striking  plant. 

Heleroccnlrm  album.— We  have  already  noticed 
the  H.  roseum  as  being  a  valuable  addition  to  our 
winter-blooming  plants.  The  H.  album  furnishes 
us  with  what  we  greatly  need  in  winter,— a  graceful 
and  persistent  or  durable  white  flower  for  bouquets. 

Lartx  microsperma.  (Lindley.)—Smii\\-9eeaed 
Larch.  Lambert  calls  our  Larch  Larix  microcarpa. 
As  the  similarity  of  the  names  may  cause  some  con- 
fusion, we  give  a  cut  of  the  new  species,  and  the 
accompanying  description  from  the  English  Journal 
of  Hor.icullure ;  so  that  when  introduced  here,  our 
cultivators  may  readily  distinguish  them. 

*' Among  the  conifers  sent  home  by  Mr.  J.  G. 


Veitch  is  one  which,  on  account  of  the  unnsual  small- 
ness  of  its  seeds,  Dr.Lindley  has  named  microsperma. 
Mr.  Veitch  characterizes  it  as  a  tree  from  forty  to 
fifty  feet  high,  with  foliage  resembling  the  Spruce 
Fir  in  point  of  color,  snd  very  glaucous  on  the  under 
surface.  The  leaves  are  as  long  as  those  of  Picea 
amabilis,  and  perfectly  silvery  underneath.  It  was 
found  at  Hakodadi,  in  Japan. 

New  Begonia  ''PmLADEi^pniA."— We  were 
shown  a  few  days  since  a  Seedling  Begonia  from  B. 
rex,  which  is  quite  an  acquisition.  In  most  of  the 
seedlings  from  this  parent,  the  green  is  generally  of 
a  dull  sombre  olive,  imparting  a  gloomy  effect  to 
the  foliage.  In  the  seedling  referred  to,  this  olivc- 
green  is  replaced  by  a  bright  and  intense  emerald, 
which  adds  greatly  to  the  beauty  and  cheerfulness 
of  the  foliage.  We  understand  it  was  raised  by  Mr. 
Sutherland,  gardener  to  Mr.  Fahnestock,  of  this 
city,  who  named  it  *' Philadelphia." 


The  Carver  Apple.  (  See  Frontispiece.)—-^^  there 
are  two  very  distinct  apples  known  by  this  name,  the 
one  comparatively  local,  little  known,  and  little  more 
than  second-rate  ;  and  the  other  pretty  well  dissemi- 
nated, and  of  superior  qualities,  we  have  thought 
it  would  serve  a  useful  purpose  to  figure  the  latter 
for  identification  in  disputed  cases. 

The  illustration  was  taken  from  a  specimen 
grown  by  Mr.  Lukens  Peirce,  of  Ercildoun,  Pa., 
whom  we  have  asked  to  give  us  a  description  and 
history,  to  which  he  replies  as  follows : 

"In  regard  to  the  Carver  Apple,  I  regret  not 
being  able  to  furnish  you  with  a  complete  history  of 
its  origin.  After  some  inquiry,  I  learn  that  it  has 
been  cultivated  in  Lancaster  County.  One  of  the 
oldest  trees  grows  in  Burt  Township  by  the  side  of 
Smith^  8  Cider.  My  informant  was  led  to  conjecture, 
from  their  age,  that  they  might  have  come  from 
Bucks  County  together.  The  trees  from  which 
grafts  were  furnished  us  fifteen  years  ago,  I  am  in- 
formed, were  obtained  in  York  County. 

The  specimens  I  furnished  you  were  of  average 
size,  from  a  young  tree  which  has  borne  abundantly 
during  the  last  four  unfavorable  years.  It  is  most 
highly  esteemed  where  known  for  its  abundant 
bearing.  It  is  of  large  size  ;  greenish  white,  and 
when  fully  ripe,  yellowish  white.  In  quality 
sprightly,  acid,  with  quite  an  agreeable  flavor  when 
fully  matured.  Ripens  middle  of  August,  and  keeps 
well  without  decay.  On  old  trees  is  said  to  be 
much  affected  with  transparent  watery  spots." 


TnE  Orange  Pear  again.— We  stated  in  our 
last  that  we  failed  to  recognize  this  fruit  under  any 
name  known  to  us.  Anxious  to  ascertain,  if  at  all 
possible,  the  real  name  of  so  desirable  a  variety,  we 
sent  a  sample  to  Dr.  W.  D.  Brinckle,  New  Jersey, 
but  did  not  hear  from  him  until  after  we  went  to 
press.  In  the  hope  that  some  of  our  friends  may 
recognize  it,  we  give  the  annexed  outlines  of  two 
varying  specimens. 

Dr.  Brincklfe  remarks,  under  date  of  October  29th : 
"  I  received  a  pear  from  Mr.  Allen,  of  White  Hill, 
(Chief  Engineer  of  the  Camden  and  Amboy  Rail 
Road  Company,;  which  has  brought  the  subject  back 
to  my  recollection,  from  its  bearing  some  resem- 
blance, especially  at  the  base,  to  the  one  you  sent. 
The  peculiarity  to  which  I  refer  is  the  insertion  of 
the  stem,  without  depression,  in  a  plain,  flat  surface, 
sometimes  by  a  fleshy  ring.     I  know  but  three  or 
four  pears— such  as  the  Kingsessing,  Hosenschenck, 
some   specimens  of  the   Signeur  d'  Esperen,   &c., 
that  possess  this  peculiarity,  with  a  roundish  forni 
and  good  size.     The  one  you  sent  was  "  very  good" 
in  quality,  and  so  was  the  one  sent  to  me  yesterday 
by  Mr.  Allen,  but  I  can  recognize  neither  of  them 
as  any  known  variety.     Mr.  Bennet,  a  neighbor,  in- 


forms me,  in  a  note  to-day,  that  the  variety  which 
both  he  and  Mr.  Allen  have,  came  from  Ireland." 


New  White  Strawberries.— Last  season  seems 
to  have  been  prolific  in  either  seedlings  or  sports— 
for  we  are  not  sure  which— of  a  light  color,  from 
the  Albany  Seedling.  Some  of  these  have  been  al- 
ready ''named  and  described"  in  the  papers,— m 
our  opinion,  much  too  hastily,  as  some,  perhaps  all, 
will  prove  so  near  alike  as  to  be  unworthy  of  even  a 
separate  preservation  and  existence. 

The  Albion  has  already  been  described  by  compe- 
tent authority  in  our  pages.     Lennig's  White,  Freas> 
White  Pine  Apple,  Hein's  Large  White,  Hein's  Cherry- 
colored,  and  Welcome  are  the  names  of  the  others  re- 
ferred to.  

The  Lucy  Winton  Grape,  the  Havana  Journal 
says,  originated  with  Dr.  Winton,  of  that  place,  and 
is  equal  in  quality  to  the  Isabella,  but  three  or  four 

weeks  earlier.  

The  Adirondac  Grape,  the  Montreal  Herald 
says,  was  raised  by  Mr.  Bailey,  of  Plattsburg,  New 
York  and  is  fifteen  days  earlier  than  any  other,  and 
equaUo  a  hothouse  grape  in  flavor.  The  "  others" 
named  are  Concord,  Diana,  and  Delaware. 


CJn  farter's  ilontjjlj. 


That    "America  has  no  Heaths,"  is  a  botanical 
aphorism.     It  is  understood,  however,  that  an  Eng- 
lish surveyor  nearly  thirty  years  ago  found  CiMuna 
The  Oregon  Sycamore  Maple.— It  is  remarka-  '  ^"^.?«^«  in   tlie  interior  of   Newfoundland.     Also, 
ble  that  so  many  trees  do  better  when  removed  into    ^^^^^  ^^  ^''^  Pjiaie,  still  earlier,  enumerates  it  as  an 
other  climates  than  their  own.     Most  English  and  |  i^^^abitant  of  that  island.     But  this  summer,   Mr. 
Japan  trees  do  better  here  than  in  their  own  country,  i  Jackson  Dawson,  a  young  gardener,  has  brought  us 
We  never  saw,  for  instance,  the  Cerasus  padus  any  i  specimens  and  living  plants  Cboth  flowering  stocks 
thing  more  than  a  low,  scrubby  shrub  in  its  own    ^"'^  young  seedlings;  from  Tewksbury,  Massachu- 
native   country,    and   without    beauty   or    interest.  |  ^^^^^s,  where  the  plant  occurs  rather  abundantly  over 
Here,  near  Philadelphia,  it  becomes  a  small  tree  of  i  aljout  half  an  acre  of  rather  boggy  ground,  along 
twenty-fiveorthirtyfeet,  andisoneof  thcmostorna-  !  ^hh  Androineda  cahjculata,  Azalea  viscosa,  Kalmia 
mental  small  trees  we  have.     So  with  our  weeds ;  at  |  ^'^S'W.s^if'^Zm,    Oratiola    aurea,    &c.,    apparently  as 
least  one-fourth  of  agricultural  pests  are  of  foreign  i  n^"ch   at   home   as   any  of  these.     The   station   is 
introduction,  andemulatingtheexample  of  the  whites    al^out  half  a  mile  from  the  State  Almshouse.     Cer- 
and  the  Indians,  have  driven  the  aboriginal  tenants  of    tainly  this  is  as  unlikely  a  plant,  and  as  unlikely  a 
the  soil  to  sheltering  corners.     We  thought  of  these  ,  P^ace  for  it  to  have  been  introduced  by  man,  either 
facts  while  reading  in  the   Oregon  Farmer  a  notice  |  (lesignedly  or  accidentally,  as  can  well  be  imagined. 
of  the  Oregon  Sycamore  Maple,  which  does  so  well  |  From  the  age  of  the  plants,  it  must  have  been  there 
here.     After  quoting  what  we  said  of  it  some  months  \  ^^^  at  least  a  dozen  years ;  indeed,  it  must  have  been 
ago,  it  remarks :  noticed  and  recognized,  two  years  ago,  by  a  Scotch 

"It  grows  upon  the  bottoms  of  Oregon;  sometimes  j  ^^^"^^^  ^^  ^he  vicinity,  well  pleased  to  place  his  foot 
in  the  forests;  attains  a  height  of  sixty  feet  or  more  ;  i  ^"^^  "^^^''^  "i^°"  ^"'^  r\'dWY(i  heather.     So  that  even 


has  large  leaves,  and  apparently  is  something  of  the 
English  Sycamore  Maple.  Its  true  name  is  Jeer  macro- 
phyllum. 

"  We  do  not  believe  it  will  make  a  good  shade  tree. 
It  only  grows  in  damp  or  wet  soil.  We  have  seen 
many  young  trees  of  this  variety  of  maple  set  out 
for  shade  trees,  but  Ave  have  never  seen  a  fully  de- 
veloped tree  either  in  the  timber  or  thus  planted. 
What  it  would  become  where  might  be  found  all  the 
circumstances  favorable  for  its  development,  we  can- 
not say." 


in  New  England  he  may  say,  if  he  will,  as  a  friend 
of  ours  botanically  renders  the  lines,  that 

"  Cnllunn  vulgaris  this  niglit  shaU  bo  my  bed, 
And  Pteris  (fjiiilina  the  curtain  round  my  head." 


Half-hardy  Cotton  Plant.— A  Peruvian  plant, 
erroneously  called  Gossypium  arboreum,  and  which 
grows  near  the  region  of  perpetual  snow,  is  creating 
attention  with  the  view  to  culture  in  the  North. 


Largest  Apple  Tree  in  America.  —  Lewis 
Kohler  writes  us,  that  on  the  farm  of  Peter  Kohler, 
Lehigh  County,  Pa.,  there  is  an  apple  tree  which, 
by  actual  measurement  just  made,  is  ITj  feet  in  cir- 
cumference, one  foot  above  the  ground.  At  nearly 
seven  feet  high  it  is  15^  feet  around.  It  forks  at  the 
height  of  seven  feet,  one  branch  measuring  eleven 
feet  two  inches,  and  the  other  six  feet  seven  inches 
in  circumference.  Tlie  tree  is  fifty-four  feet  high,  and 
the  branches  extend  thirty-six  feet  each  way  from  the 
trunk. — American  jlgricuUurist. 


New  and  Valuable  Flower-Seeds.— Such  is 
the  taking  title  of  a  notice,  emanating  from  the  Pa- 
tent OfTice,  in  the  daily  papers,  of  seeds  now  ready 
for  distribution.     What  do  our  readers  think   this 
list  is  composed  of,— this  ncir  and  valuable  hat? 
The  common    Yellow  Evening  Primrose— one  of  the 
vilest  weeds  of  our  cultivated  grounds— strikes  us 
prominently.     The   rest  is  made   up  of   common 
Wallflowers,  Snapdragons,  Yellow  Mimulus,  Sweet 
Violet,  Ten-week  Stocks,  Wliite  Egg-plant,  Venus' 
Looking-glass,  Indian  Shot,  &c.     To  be  sure,  they 
arc  sent  out  as  QHnothera  biennis^  Antirrhinum  varie- 
ties, Cheiranlhus  cheiri^  Mimulus  aureus,  Viola  odora- 
tus,  Mafhiola  annua,  Solanum  ovigera  (\)  alba,  Campan- 
ula speculum,  Canna  indica,  &c.,  and  there  is  some- 
thing in  a  Latin  name  !    About  one  hundred  are 
named,  and  the  above  is  a  fair  sample  of  these  "new 
and  valuable   seeds."     Thirty  thousand  dollars  of 
the  people's  money  has  been  voted  to  be  spent  in 
this  way,  and  the  deficiency  in  the  mail  service  we 
are  taxed  to  supply,  is  owing,  in  a  great  measure,  to 
tliese  "free  government  parcels."     We  again  ask, 
what  is  the  object  of  this  scandalous  waste  of  public 
money  ?  


Scotch   Heath  in   the  United  States. 
Gray  says,  in  Silliman* s  Journal : 


Dr. 


Taylor's  Bullitt  Grape. —At  a  meeting  of 
the    Cincinnati    Horticultural    Society    last    week 
a  sample  of  this  grape  was  exhibited  by  Mr.  Stcrrett, 


'K 


1 


ihit  ^nrduMr's  ^anthlg. 


373 


of  Glendale,  and  on  motion  of  Mr.  Heaver,  it  was 
agreed  that  from  this  specimen  and  that  of  others 
previously  exhibited  before  the  Society,  they  deem 
it  unworthy  of  general  cultivation. — Fidd  Notes. 


Hedging  in  Tazewell  County.  —  Below  we 
give  the  statement  of  Mr.  Clark  Barton,  of  Taze- 
well County,  Illinois,  of  the  cost,  culture,  etc.,  of 
an  Osage  Orange  hedge,  entered  by  him  for  a  pre- 
mium at  their  recent  county  fair.  It  is  brief,  yet 
plain  and  comprehensive : 

In  the  year  1858  I  purchased  hedge  plants  to  the 
amount  of  ten  dollars,  which  I  set  out,  making  one 
hundred  rods  of  hedge.  The  first  year  the  setting 
and  cultivating  cost  me  six  dollars.  The  second 
year,  cultivating  and  trimming  cost  two  dollars. 
The  third  year,  trimmiug,  two  dollars. 

Preparing  Ground  and  Setiiiii^.—l  ploughed  a  large 
land  on  the  side  of  the  field  on  which  I  set  my 
hedge,  so  I  had  neither  the  ridge  nor  the  dead 
furrow  for  my  hedge  row,  but  level  ground ;  then 
with  a  common  plough  I  made  a  furrow  in  which  I 
set  my  hedge,  placing  the  plants  about  four  inches 
apart,  and  covered  them  so  as  to  leave  the  ground 
perfectly  level. 

Callivutins. — I  took  a  double  shovel-plough,  and 
as  often  as  the  weeds  si)rang  up,  or  the  ground 
became  baked,  I  ploughed  it  up,  keeping  the  ground 
level. 

Trimming. — I  did  no  trimming  the  first  year. 
The  second  year  I  trimmed  once,  which  I  did 
about  the  first  of  April,  cutting  the  hedge  about 
three  inches  above  the  ground.  The  third  year  1 
trimmed  twice;  first,  about  the  first  of  April,  cut- 
ting the  hedge  about  one  foot  from  the  ground. 
Second,  the  first  of  July,  cutting  about  three  feet 
above  ground;  after  which,  my  hedge  has  been 
completely  adequate  to  turn  all  my  stock. 

Of  the  hedge,  the  committee  says:  We  do 
hereby  ccv.-tify  that  the  above-named  hedge  has  l)een 
well  cultivated,  that  it  is  a  good,  substantial  fence, 
and  that  it  is  worthy  of  a  premium  from  our  County 
Agricultural  Society. — Prairie  Farmer. 


Excuescences  on  Grapevines. — Wo  lately 
visited  the  residence  of  H.  N.  Fr3'att,  Esq.,  of 
Belleville,  New  Jersey,  for  the  i)ur])()se  of  exam- 
ining a  grape-vine  which  was  supposed  to  be  V.oar- 
ing  fruit  dlirering  widely  from  the  grape.  We  found 
excrescences  upon  the  vine  resembling  a  green  fig  in 
appearance,  and  of  a  texture  on  the  suifare  not 
unlike  that  of  a  fig.  Ui^on  cutting  them  open, 
however,  they  showed  indications  of  cells,  as  if 
nature  were  making  elforts  to  produce  seeds,  and 
these  arranged  with  great  regularity  and  method. 


We  carried  a  branch  from  this  vine  containing  two 
of  these  excrescences,  to  the  Farmeis'  Club,  and, 
although  many  experienced  horticulturists  were 
present,  none  had  ever  seen  a  similar  phenomenon. 
The  vine  was  well  charged  wiJi  grapes,  and  the 
excrescences  were  numerous.  —  Wor/iing  Farmer. 


Lima  Beans  and  Bean  Poles.  — In  place  of 
the  sharpening  process,  punching  holes  in  the 
ground,  inserting  poles  deep  enough  to  withstand 
the  force  of  summer  gusts  and  autumn  blasts;  and 
having  them  rot  off  every  year,  a  simple  block  of 
hard  wood,  four  inches  square  and  two  thick, — hav- 
ing four  one  inch  holes  bored  right  through  it, 
receives  the  smaller  ends  of  four  poles  six  feet  long, 
which  being  spread  apart  at  the  bottom,  form  a 
quadruped  standing  like  a  huge  spider,  firmly  upon 
the  surface,  and  receive  the  vines  from  four  hills, 
leading  them  per  necessity  to  a  union  at  the  apex. 
Whenever  the  vines  attain  the  summit  of  their  sup- 
port, a  clip  from  the  gaiden  shears  admonishes 
them  to  keep  down,  and  api)iy  their  sappy  vigor  in 
perfecting  a  more  stocky  growth  and  uniform  crop 
of  jicrfected  fruit,  instead  of  exhausting  tlieir  beany 
energy  in  skyward  ambition. 

AV'hen  the  crop  is  harvested  the  spider  is  readily 
lifted  from  its  position,  the  dead  vines  stripi)ed  off, 
the  legs  closed  like  a  surveyor's  trii)od,  and  the 
thing  housed  for  service  another  year.  —  Wuiking 
Farmer. 


«•»•» 


OBITUARY. 

Dr.  E.  James,  the  Bota?iist,  attached  to  Long's 
Exploring  Expedition,  and  the  first  to  make  us  ac- 
quainted with  the  plants  of  the  Ilocky  Mountams, 
died,  from  an  accident,  at  his  residence,  iu  Mon- 
mouth, Illinois,  on  the  2yth  of  October. 


How  TO  Judge  Celery.  —  Solid,  close,  clean ; 
stems  not  burst;  size  of  the  Close  Heart  is  the 
great  point,  all  others  being  equid.  No  outside 
burst  or  open  or  damaged  stalks  to  be  shown. 
White  first,  red  second,  any  other  color  last.  If 
shown  for  weight,  they  must  be  properly  trimmed 
of  their  green  leaves,  and  no  cracked  or  dam- 
aged stems  to  be  passed ;  and  if  not  perfectly  solid, 
must  be  rejected.  —  Glonny. 


Peach  from  a  Nectarine. — The  nectarine 
originally  was  a  sport  found  on  a  peach  tree. — 
Kecmtly,  Mr.  Rivers  has  raided  a  fine  seedling  peach 
from  the  stone  of  a  Pitmaston  Nectarine. 


I:     ! 


^\t  §mAt[mxs  ^cnthlg. 


Grafting  the  Pelargonium. — In  the  culture 
of  the  pelargonium,  grafting  is  occasionally  had  re- 
course to,  as  a  means  of  propagatmg  kinds  that  are 
shy  of  culture  by  other  means,  or  for  the  sake  of 
increasing  the  extent  of  collections  where  space  is 
limited,  and  for  the  obtaining  of  fine  specimen 
plants.  They  are  grafted  by  cutting  off  the  top  of 
the  stock,  and  splitting  the  top  of  it  into  halves,  and 
wedging  the  end  of  the  graft  down  into  the  slit. 

This  is  an  operation  easily  performed  ;  indeed,  any 
one  who  has  ever  grafted  an  apple  on  a  crab  stock 
or  who  has  ever  seen  the  process,  may  soon  become 
an  adapt  in  grafting  geraniums.  The  stocks  should 
first  be  secured,  and  the  best  for  the  purpose  are 
summer-struck  cuttings,  taken  from  old,  woody 
strong  plants,  two  years  old  at  least.  Grow  these 
stocks  into  strong,  bushy,  dwarf  plants,— promotino- 
their  vigor  by  the  means  already  pointed  out  for  the 


free  from  grit  and  semi-liquid.  Paint  the  graft  over 
with  this,  and  shake  over  it  as  much  dry  sand  as 
will  dry  it  immediately.  Then  apply  another  coat, 
and  another,  drying  each  with  sand  as  soon  as  ap- 
plied. 

To  secure  the  graft  against  damp,  it  will  be  ad- 
visable to  surround  it  with  an  inch  of  silver  sand, — 
not  only  around  the  grafted  part,  but  an  inch  above 
and  an  inch  below  ;  and  the  best  way  to  do  this  is  to 
make  a  paper  funnel,  similar  to  a  grocer's  sugar  paper, 
tying  the  close  bottom  of  the  funnel  around  the 
stock  below  the  graft,  filling  it  in  with  dusty  pent 
and  silver  sand,  and  then  closing  tlic  top  over  into  a 
barrel  shape.  This  will  be  the  best  security  against 
the  failure  of  the  graft.  The  scion  will  need  sup- 
port for  a  time. 

Three  weeks  after  grafting,  stop  the  top  parts  of  the 


[The  Graft  tied  np.] 

culture  of  specimens.  In  the  ensuing  summer  pot 
them  into  large  pots,  about  a  month  before  you  in- 
tend to  graft  them  ;  for  to  make  the  graft  "take"  there 
must  be  a  brisk  fiow  of  sap  in  the  stock.  In 
the  grafting,  first  cut  back  the  stock  to  a  place  where 
the  wood  is  just  half  ripe  ;  it  must  be  sound  and 
hard,  but  neither  green  nor  brown.  Let  the  scion 
be  in  the  same  half-ripe  state.  After  cutting  back 
the  stock,  split  it  down  an  inch  and  a  half;  and  if 
you  can  ch'^ose  a  part  where  the  stock  breaks  into 
two  branches,  the  fork  will  be  just  the  place  for 
letting  in  the  graft.  Cut  the  graft  into  a  clean 
wedge,  and  insert  it  to  fit  neatly  bark  to  bark ;  if 
this  be  not  possible,  let  one  side  at  least  be  united, 
so  that  when  the  graft  "takes"  the  bark  will  close 
over  and  comi>lcte  the  union.  Tie  up  moderately 
tight  with  worsted  thread,  and  paint  over  with  a 
thick  coat  of  clay  paint,  to  be  made  thus :  Take 
some  soft  clay  and  knead  it  with  a  little  water  till  it 
is  of  a  pasty  consistency,  then  put  it  into  a  dean 
vessel  with  a  little  more  water,  and  work  it  about 
with  an  old  brush  till  it  is  of  the  thickness  of  cream. 


[Grafting  Geranium.] 

Stock,  and  loosen  the  bandage  slightly ;  but  there 
must  be  no  haste,  for  geranium  wood  does  not 
unite  very  quickly.  Any  exhausting  influences  will, 
of  course,  check  the  union  ;  hence  it  is  advisable  to 
syringe  the  leaves  of  the  scion  occasionally,  and  to 
keep  the  stock  in  a  state  of  robust  health.  When 
they  show  that  they  have  fairly  united,  and  the 
scion  begins  to  grow,  the  bandage  may  be  removed, 
and  a  little  soft  moss  applied  in  its  stead,  and  in 
time  this  may  come  away  altogether.  When  they 
make  a  fair  stait,  grow  them  as  directed  for  speci- 
men plants,  and  their  appearance,  when  blooming 
time  comes,  will  be  quite  superb.  Geraniums  may 
be  side  or  whip-grafted,  but  the  wedge  plan  is  the 
best,  because  of  the  soft  nature  of  the  wood  we 
have  to  deal  with. — London  Gardener^ s  Weekly. 


The  Largest  Gardens  in  the  World  arc 
those  of  Versailles,  in  Franco.  They  comprise 
three  thousand  acres. 


i 


^^0 


C|e  (Harhiw  s  Hontyg. 


375 


T-^0/ 


Packing  Fruits  for  Long  Distances.— I  may 
here  state,  that  I  have  found  no  better  method  in  all 
my  experience,  which  has  extended  over  a  period  of 
twenty  years,  with  all  kinds  of  fruits,   varying  in 
distances  from  fifty  to  five  hundred  miles.     It  simply 
is :  box,  soft  paper  and  sweet  bran.    A  box  is  chosen 
in  size  according  to  the  quantity  to  be  sent.     A  layer 
of  bran  is  put  on  the  bottom ;  then  each  bunch  of 
grapes  is  held  by  the  hand  over  a  sheet  of  pai)cr ; 
the  four  corners  of  the  pai^cr  are  brought  up  to  the 
stalk  and  nicely  secured ;  then  laid  on  its  side  in  the 
box,  and  so  on  until  the  first  layer  is  finished.     Then 
fill  the  whole  over  with  bran,  and  give  the  box  a 
gentle  shake   as  you  proceed.      Begin  the  second 
layer  as  the  first,  and  so  on  until  the  box  is  com- 
pleted.    Thus  with  neat  hands,  the  bloom  is  pre- 
served, and  may  be  sent  to  any  distance ;  but  with 
clumsy  hands,  quite   the  contrary,   and  often  an 
entire  failure,  as  the  putting  in  and  taking  out  of 
the  box  arc  the  most  imporUint  points  to  be  ob- 
served.     I  have  invariably  packed  sixty  or  eighty 
bunches    of  grapes    and    fifty  or    sixty   dozen   of 
lieaches  or  apricots  in  one  box,  and  received  letters 
from  employers  to  say  that  they  had  arrived  as  safe 
as  if  they  had  been  taken  from  the  trees  tliat  morn- 
ing.— Collage  Gardener. 

Lists  op  Selected  CiiRYSANTnEMUMS.— I  have 
very  much  pleasure  in  forwarding  your  Christmas 
box.  May  it  meet  your  every  wish  and  expecta- 
tion. 

I  have  made  some  additions,  so  that  you  will 
please  consider  I  have  also  included  a  New  Year's 
g\(t.—  W.  Holmes,  Fvsimptoii  Pa.k  Nursery,  Hack- 
ney. 

Twelve  Late-blooming  Large   Varieties. 

Orion,  white,  yellowish  base.  Perfection,  blush 
white.  Chrysippe,  rosy  purple.  Eole,  rosy  white. 
King,  creamy  white.  L'Emir,  red.  Nonpareil, 
rosy  lilac.  Plutus,  golden  yellow,  llacine,  yellow, 
gold  tipped.  Cassy,  orange.  Madame  Andre, 
pinky  white. 

Twelve  Best    Varieties   for  Pot    Specimen    or  for 
Decorative  Purposes. 

Alcibiade,  orange.  Chevalier  Dumagc,  yellow. 
Defiance,  white.  Vesuvius,  crimson.  Mount  ^^tna, 
red.  Prince  Albert,  crimson.  Plutus,  yellow. 
Pilot,  rose.  Dr.  McLean,  rose.  Vesta,  white. 
Auguste    Mie,    red,    tipped    gold.       Annie   Salter, 

yellow. 

Twelve  Best  Incurved  Varieties. 

Novelty,  white.  Beauty,  blush.  Cassandra, 
white,  rosy  tip.  Yellow  Formosum,  yellow.  Non- 
pareil, rosy  lilac.  Pio  Nono,  red,  tipped  gold. 
Plutus,  yellow.    Queen  of  England,  blush.    Themis, 


rosy  pink.     Vesta,  French  white.     Miss  Kate,  lilac. 
Dupont  de  TEure,  carmine. 

Twelve  Best   Pompones  for  Specimen  Plants^   and 
for  General  Decorative  Purposes. 

Bob,  chestnut  bmwn.  Drin  Drin,  yellow.  An- 
dromeda, creamy  white.  Cedo  Nulli,  white.  Can- 
robert,  yellow.  La  Vogue,  yellow  and  orange. 
Helene,  purplish  rose.  L'Escarboucle,  yellow. 
Sainte  Thais,  chestnut.  Nelly,  creamy  white. 
Mrs.  Dix,  white,  purple  tip.  Duruflet,  rosy  lilac. — 
Cottage  Gardener.  

Tomb  of  Repton,  the  Landscape-gardener. 
— He  himself  selected  the  small  enclosure  on  the 
south  side  of  the  picturesque  church  of  Aylsham, 
ill  Norfolk.  A  simple  Gothic  monument  records  his 
name  and  age,  followed  by  sonxe  lines  written 
by  himself: 

"The  Tomb  of  IIcmpiirey  Rrptov,  wno  Died  March  24tli,  1S18. 

'Not  like  the  Egyptian  tyrants— consecrate, 
Uamixt  with  others  shaU  my  (hist  remain; 
But  mouhleriDg,  bleaded.  melting  into  earth, 
Mine,  tthall  give  form  and  color  to  the  rose; 
And  while  its  vivid  blossoms  cheer  mankind, 
Its  perfumed  odor  shall  ascead  to  heaven.'" 


The  Lily  of  the  Valley  is  popular  for  winter 
forcing  in  some  countries.  Its  sweet  white  flowers 
give  a  great  charm  to  a  winter  bouquet  or  mantel 
vase.  

Variation  in  Seedlings. — In  1088  the  lady  of 
Ribston  Hall,  Yorkshire,  England,  raised  two  seed- 
lings from  the  old  Nonpariel  Apple.  One  tree  pro- 
duced large,  sour  Crabs,— the  other  the  famous 
Ribston  Pippin,  the  most  popular  apple  in  England. 


The  Jardin  des  Plantes,  one  of  the  most  fa- 
mous in  Europe,  was  founded  in  1035.  Butfou, 
Cuvier,  and  other  eminent  natualists  first  gave  it  a 
name  and  consequence. 

The  Chinese  Primrose  was  introduced  into 
England  from  China  in  1820.  It  was  purple,  as  we 
have  them  now  in  our  greenhouses.  Since  then,  the 
white  has  l)een  introduced,  and  a  double  white  and 
double  puri)le  have  been  produced.  Recently,  in 
England,  a  new  race  of  double  ones  has  been  pro- 
duced, with  large  fringed  tlowers,  and,  we  believe, 
of  a  character  that  will  reproduce  themselves  from 
seeds.  . 

The  Newtown  Pippin  Apple  is  so  popular  in 
England,  that  when  the  re  1  American  article  is 
scarce,  it  is  not  unusual  to  find  other  kinds  in  Co- 
vent  Garden  colored  up  to  imitate  them. 


/%/>• 


x<§)^j 


^(^  gardener's  Jtoatljlg. 


Spring  Fi.owp^ks  Blooming  tiiuougii  the  Sea- 
son.—At  Hampton  Court,  in  England,  they  cut  off 
the  flower  shoots  of  Laniiums,  Alyf^sums,  Iberis, 
and  other  spring-bloomin;^  plants,  before  thej^  are 
quite  out  of  l)loom.  They  then  shoot  up  again  new 
flowers,  and  are  thus  made  to  continue  a  succession 
through  the  season,  and  make  good  bedding  plants. 


Myrtaceous  ^Plants. —  It  is  said  by  the  Rerue 
Horlicole^  tliat  the  atmosphere  of  Australia  is  filled 
with  the  odors  of  balsam  and  camphor,  from  the 
mj-rtaceous  trees  that  abound  there  ;  and  that  fevers 
never  exist  in  even  the  most  malarious  of  swamps, 
where  these  plants  grow. 


Gazanias. — The  Gazania  rigcns  fnot  ringons)  of 
gardens,  which  is,  perhaps,  the  G.  speciosa  of  books, 
has  smoother  leaves  than  (Jazania  Pavonia,  in  which 
they  are  regularly  pinnatifid  with  elliptic  lobes,  and 
sprinkled  with  rigid  hairs  above  and  on  the  ribs  be- 
neath. The  flowers  of  the  latter  are  deeper  colored, 
but  not  so  freely  produced.  In  G.  rigens  the  leaves 
are  either  simple  or  furnished  with  three  or  four  long 
narrow  lobes,  smooth  above,  but  with  a  few  distinct 
marginal  spine-like  hairs.  The  genus  Gorteria,  as 
now  restricted,  does  not  include  any  of  these  plants. 
—  Gardener'' s  Chronxle. 


Prize  FucnsiAs  at  the  late  London  Horti- 
cultural Society's  Show. — The  varieties  were 
Senator,  Prince  Imperial,  Prince  of  Orange,  Flower 
of  France,  Guiding  Star,  and  Oiner  Pasha.  It  will 
be  seen  that  half  of  these  are  new  vari(;ties.  A 
good  group  was  also  shown  by  Mr.  Page,  whose 
sorts  were  Souvenir  de  Chiswick,  British  Sailor, 
Venus  do  Medici,  Pearl  of  England,  Crinoline,  and 
C.  Hayes.  We  also  noticed  a  kind  with  white  co- 
rolla, called  Princess  of  Prussia. 


For  the  best  Large  Specimen  and  best  Dwarf 
Specimen,  to  James  Eadie. 

For  the  best  Pair  of  Plants  and  best  Specimen 
Plant,  to  James  Eadie, 

For  the  second  best,  to  Adam  Graham, 

A  special  ))remium  was  given  to  Mr.  Buist  for  a 
fine  large  plant  of  Ileterocentrum  roseuni,  shown 
for  the  first  time  in  bloom. 

William  Joyce,  gardener  to  M.  W.  Baldwin,  Esq., 
exhibited  eight  fine  specimens  of  the  Queen  Pine 
Apple,  of  large  size,  fully  ripe,  and  of  the  highest 
flavor,  which  were  duly  appreciated  by  the  Com- 
mittee and  the  ladies  present.  To  these  a  special 
premium  of  $3  was  awarded. 

The  two  premiums  for  best  six  varieties  of  Pears, 
and  six  largest  of  any  variety,  were  taken  by  John 
McLaughlin,  gardener  to  Mr.  I.  B.  Baxter. 

Specimens  of  the  Ontario  Grape  were  shown,  a 
large  showy  fruit,  but  deficient  in  flavor. 

Mr.  William  Saunders  presented  two  large  dishes 
of  the  Black  Lombardy  and  West's  St.  Peter's 
Gra})ea.  These  two  varieties  are  generally  consid- 
ered synonyms,  and  so  laid  doAvn  in  horticultural 
works 'generally;  but  the  samples  presented,  while 
quite  siinilar  in' size  and  flavor,  show  some  dilTerence 
in  the  form  of  the  bunch  and  color  of  the  berry, 
and  Mr.  Saunders  states  that  the  diversity  in  foliage 
and  wood  is  still  more  marked.  They  certainly 
aj)pear  to  be  distinct  varieties. 

The  Committee  appointed  at  a  previous  meeting 
to  obtain  suitable  quarters  f«)r  the  Library  and  weekly 
meetings  of  the  Society,  made  their  report,  and 
were  empowered  to  negotiate  for  a  convenient 
room. 

Tlie  following  gentlemen  were  elected  as  the  ofli- 
cers  of  the  Society  for  the  ensuing  year : 

]*rfiml.mt~M.  W.  Baldwin, 

Vice- Prf.mirn is— .lamca  Dundas,  B.  A.  Fahne- 
stock,  D.  R.  King,  Caleb  Cope. 

Becording  Hecrefary—\.  W.  Harrison. 

Ciivreftpondinrj  Secret((ry — W.  Saunders. 

Treasurer — Kobert  Buist. 

Professor  of  Erdoiaolofiri — S.  S.  Rath  von. 

Professor  of  Botavy—V>x.  W.  Darlington. 

Professor  of  Horticultural  C lie mistry— James,  C. 
Booth. 


«•■» 


JjoFHrulluFB!  ^mitm. 

PEN2JSYLVAKIA    KOUTICTJLTUEAL 
SOCIETY. 

The  regular  monthly  meeting  for  November  Avas 
held  at  Concert  Hall. 

The  disj)lay  of  Plaats  and  Fruits  was  not  as  large 
as  usu:;l,  tlie  prin('"j)al  interest  of  the  evening  being 
the  annual  election  for  oHicers  and  the  discussion  of 
the  reports  of  the  Committees. 

Some  very  fine  Chrysanthemums  were  shown  by 
^Fr.  Robert  IJuist ;  by  James  Eadie,  gardener  to  Dr. 
Rush;  and- l)y  Adam  Graham,  gardener  to  General 
PattersoiL 

Tlie  awards  of  premiums  were  as  follows : 

For  the  best  six  Chrysanthemums,  to  Robert 
Buist. 


BUOOKLYN  HOKTICTJLTURAL  SOCIETY. 

We  have  received  the  following  : 

''Dear  Sir  :—Ai  the  regular  business  meeting  of 
the  Brooklyn  Horticultural  Society,  held  on  Tues- 
day evening,  November  5th,  at  their  rooms,  it  was 
unanimously 

''Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  this  Society  be  pre- 
sented to  the  Editor  of  the  Uardnier's  MontliJy  for 
the  very  handsome  manner  he  had  published  the 
Reports  of  the  Exhibitions  and  Conversational 
^Meetings,  and  that  the  Corresponding  Secretary  be 
directed  to  send  a  copy  of  the  Minutes. 
"Respectfully  yours,  &c., 

"C.  B.  Miller,  Cor.  Secretary.'' 

AVe  would  take  the  opportunity  to  say,  that  we 
could  render  good  service  to  other  Horticultural  So- 
cieties were  we  favored  with  such  assistance  as  the 
energetic  Secretary  of  this  Society  kindly  aff'ords  us. 


ihit  iardmer's  JttonlHg. 


INDEX VOL.    III. 


A. 

Abies  microsporma,  188 
"       Tonga,  188 
"      Veitchii,  189 
Alcoquiana,  1H9 
Leptolepsis,  189 
flrnia,  214 
Abronia  umbellata,  .314 
Acacia  Drummdndii,  25 
Accliniati/.inj?  Evergieenfl,  If)? 
Advertisers,  To,  16 

"  Special  Notice  to,  119 

Advertis-ements,  185.  212,  243 
.Ecliuaea  Molinonii,l'>7 
.l':niil   Roots   from    the    Native 

(J rape,  .31.3 
Agat  li  aja  coclestis  folia  variegata, 

219 
Age,  41 
Agriculture,  Gardening  is  not, 

119 
Ailanthus    Silkworm,   The,   95, 

214 
Allen   Raspberry,  The,  37,  117, 

:5:n 
Alocasia  metallica,  25,  .3G9 
Amciican  Trees,  New,  92 
"     Pomological    Society,  Offi- 
cial Keport  of  the,  177. 
Ammonia,  Artificial,  25.3 

"  and   Vegetation,  272 

Angreacum  Susquipedale,  248 
Ants,  154 

"    about  Pseonles,  21.3 
An  Old   Botany  and   Older  Bo- 
tanists, 178 
Another  Ch«pter  of  Hints,  20.5 
Amcctochilus  Inornatus,  25,  62 
Apple,  Ml 

"      New,  14.3 

Chenango  Strawberry,  20 
Governor  Charter's  Seed- 
ling, 26 
Custard,  29 
.Jackson,  .5:1,  87 
Willow,  83 
Trees.  Diseases  in,  S3 
Keinette  Deil,  150 
from  C.  Hiller,  284 
"      Tree,  Aphis  on,  119 
"     (lipson's  Kentucky  Seed- 
ling. 123 
"      Orchards,  131 
Apple  Tree  in  America,  Largest, 

372 
Apples  from  Georgia,  29 

"        Thirty  Thousand    on    a 

Tree,  .30 
"        Ben  Davis  and  New  York 
Pippin,56, 85, 116, 136, 
154 
"        Pruning  in  Northern  La- 
litudes,  86 
Identical,  89 
for  Central   New   York, 

124 
The  Ohio  Beauty,  124 
Late  Keeping,  158 
from  Bucks  Co,,  Pa.,  188 
Arborvita;,  New  Golilen-stripcd, 

26 
Arborvitffis,  Grafting.  .306 
ArgyrcjKa  argentea,  3G9 


Asparajjns,  Forcing  in  the  Open 
Ground,  31 

Aucnba  japonica,  The  Female, 
214 

Auricula,  Culture  of  the,  80 

Azaleas,  Simple  Mode  of  Culti- 
vating Hardy,  83 

Aralea  Flowers,  122 
"       The    Indian    or  Chinese, 
263,  301,  335 


Back  Volumes.  369 
Baked  Beans,  29 
Balcony  Gardening,  204 
Barbarossa  and    Prince    Albert 

Grapes,  19 
Barometer,   Woodruff's    Patent 

Portable,  216 
Baskets,  Hanging,  186 
"        A  Fancy.  218 
Beans,  Baked,  29 
Beauty,  Cost  of,  337 
Bedding  Plants,  Notes  on,  76 
"  '•        New    Variega- 

ted, 157 
Begonias.  New  Dwarf,  248 
Begonia  incarnata,  2.54 

281 
Begonia,  New,  "  Philadelphia," 

370 
Bplle  de  Fontenay  Raspberry,  13 
Belted  Parks,  41 

Ben  Davis  and  New  York  Pippin 
Apples,  .56.  85,  116,  136,  154 
Blackberries,  Propagating.  280 
Black  Currant  Wine,  31.  281 
"     CaporDoolittlellaspberry, 

The,  75.  119 
"      Bust,  1.33 

"      Knot  on  the  Peach,  21.3 
"      Apricot    Stock    for    the 
Peach,  261 
Blocking-out  for  Stock,  Plan  of, 

26) 
Boilers,  Greenhouse,  200,  213 


n 
(< 
« 


nOOKS,  CATAI.OOrES,  .tc. 

Janunn/ — Third  Annual  Report 
of  tiie  Board  of  Commission- 
ers of  the  Central  Park,  New 
York,  ISGO;  Buist's  Almanac 
and  Garden  Manual,  1S61  ; 
The  Agricultural  Press,  20 

Frhrriory — Rural  Annual  and 
Horticultural  Directory;  The 
Illustrated  Self  Instructor  in 
Phrenology  and  Physiology; 
Proceedings  of  the  Southern 
Vine-growers'  Society  at 
Aiken,  S.  C. ;  Nursery  Cata- 
logues; Landreth's  Rural 
Register ;  Gardeners  Pro- 
gressive Society,  Philadel- 
phia; Hortus  Lindenianus; 
Agricultural  Press,  60 

March — Transactions  of  the  Mas- 
Biichusotls  Horticultural  So- 
ciety for  18«J0;  American  I'o- 
mologicnl  Socioty,  Garden 
Annuals  and  Direciorlos; 
Descriptive  Catalogues;  The 


Press;  Hints  on  the  Culture 
of  Kxotic  Grapes;   Keport  of 
the  Inauguration  of  the  Bo- 
tanical Society  of  Canada,  90 
April — Bright  on  the  Grape-vine; 
The  Principle  and  Practice 
of  Land-draining;    The 
The  Press :  Descriptive  Cata- 
logues. 122. 
Jlfaj/— The  Press;  Sweet  Potato 
Culturist;    Second    Annual 
Report  of  the  Proceedings  of 
the  Fruit-growers'  Society  of 
Eastern  Pennsylvania;  An- 
nual Meetin?  of  the  Fruit- 
growers' Society  of  Western 
New  York  ;  Transactions  of 
the  Illinois  State  Horticultu- 
ral   Society;    Catalogues; 
f^lass-Book  of  Botany,  1.50 
Aiigii-^t — Oil  the   Sources  of  the 
Nitrogen  of  Vegetation; 
Bright    on    Grape -culture  ; 
The   Repository;   Catalogue 
of  the  Officers  and  Students 
of  the  University  of  Michi- 
gan ;  Catalogues,  245 
September — On  the  Sources  of  the 

N'tr'ogen  of  Vegetat  on.  281 
Octofm — On  the  Sources  of  the 
Nitrogen  of  Vegetation  ;  Pa- 
tent  Offlco  Report,  1860; 
Trade     Lists ;      Descriptive 
Catalogues;  the  Horticultu- 
rist, 317 
Novemhei — Fourth  Annual  Re- 
port of  the  Board  of  Com- 
missioners   of  the    Central 
Park,  New  York,  1861  ;   De- 
scriptive Catalogues,  344 
Books,  Ac,  244 
Bones,  How  to  Dissolve,  218 
Botanists,  Sketches  of  Philadel- 
phia, 3 
Botanical  Garden,  St.  Louis,  7 
"         Knowledge  in  the 
Nursery  Business,  8 
Bouvardia  Humholdtii,  238 
Bouquet  Flowers,  White,  28.5 
Brompton  Stocks.  Double.  281 
Buckingham  Apple,  20,  219 
Butter  Pear,  Diseases  of  the,  266 


c. 


Cabbage,  Fortili'/.er  for.  219 
Cactus,  A  Chapter  on.  .363 
California       Mammoth       Trees 

again.  The,  189 
Calla  Ethiopica,  How  to  Flower 

by  Christmas,  1.59 
Caladium  Belleymei,  61 

"  bicolor,     vnr.      Ver- 

schafeltii,  .319 
Caladium    Belleymei,  .369 
"  Brognartii,  370 

Calceolaria,  New  Shrubby,  248 
Calixene  polyphillum,  25 
Calomyction  divorsifolium,  snl- 

phureum,  1.57 
Camellias,  House-culture  of,  116 

"  120 

Camellia  spiralis  rubra,  284 


Campylobotrys  argyroneura.  370 
"  smaragdina,  370 

Campylobotrys  regalis,  1.56 
Carnation,  Graftintf  the,  29 
"         and  Parks,  222 
"         at  Christmas,  319 
Carver  Apple,  370 
Catawba    Grape,    Introduction 

of.  28 
Caterpillars  on  Grapes,  142 

"  "   Trees,  337 

Celery — The    Vegetable     Ques- 
tion, 308 
Celery,  A   Simple  Method  of 

Growing,  .356 
Celery,  How  to  Judge,  .373 
Cement  for  Stopping  the  Fissures 

of  Iron  Vessels,  A,  .346 
Cephalotaxus  drapacea,  189 
Cereus  Kingiana,  248 

"      Mac  Donaldii,  319 
Certainly  an  Idiot,  157 
Cerinthe  vetorta,  318 
Chamicrops  Fortunel,  93 
Chenango  Strawberry  Apple.  20 
Cherry,  Cocklin's  Favorite,  249 
"      Triumph  of  Cumberland, 
249 

"      for  Orchard-houses,  The, 
25.5 
CI  icory  and  Dandelion,  Forcing, 

286 
Chorizema,  1.55 
Chrysanthemum,  Cultivation  of 

the,  11 
Chrysanthemums,   Lists    of   Se- 
lected, 375 

«  The,  12 

«'  New,  255 

Cispus  discolor.  The,  238 
Cissus  velutinus,  2.5,  62 
Cistus  vaginatus,  249 
Chysis  aurea  rxir.  Lemminghei, 

319 
Cineraria,  100 
I  Clarkia  elegans,  Double  White, 

26 
I  Climate    and     Soil    of    Central 
I      Minnesota,  29 
'  Climatic  Changes,Tnfluence  of  on 
I      Fruit-culture,  180 
Cocklin's  Favorite  Cherry,  243 
Cocculus  Carolinus,  11 
Cold  Pits,  142 

"    Vineries,  211 
Convolvulus,  Double,  29 
"  oculata,  249 

Cooking   Potatoes,   All    About, 

143 
Correspondents,  names  of,  19 
Cotton  Plant,  Half-hardy,  372 
Cracking  of  Grapes,  .59 
Crab  Apple  and  Almond  Dwarfs 

as  Stocks,  The,  329 
Cranberries,  341 
Criuum,  Remarks  on  the  Genus, 

267 
Critique  on  the  December  Num- 
ber, 9 
Crops,   The    Weather  and  the, 

186 
Cryptomerin  japonica,  2.55 
Cucumbers,  About,  264 


C^e  ^arkner 


r's 


(iii. 


Culture  of    Solanum   Capsicas- 
triirii,  30 
«       .«      Trees    for    Shelter 

to  Buildings.  l;iS 
Cuaiiingliitm  d'rape,  The,  83 
Custard  A\n>^^\  29 
Cutiiugs  liootiug,  79 

"         Fuiiicus  amongst,  174 
Cutting  down  old  Canes  in  the 

Vinery,  1') 
Cujihea  Jouellousis,  155 
Cupre.spus  miicrocarpa  and  Lam- 

bertiana.  M 
Cnyahogvi  Crape,  27 
Cyauophylluiu  Assamicum,  370 
Cyrtanthus  Haiiguiueus,  02 
Cyclamens,  12j 


Dahlia,  New,  62 
Dolphiniuni,  Tlie,  3')7 
Deiidrobium   nubile.   Notice  of, 

74 
Deiidrobium  nobile,  Remarks  on 

the  Culture  of,  155 
Dew,  KllVcts  of  on  Rot  and 
Mildew  on  the  Grape,  SG 
"  Question  Again,  The,  110 
Destroy  Plant  Lice,  How  to,  254 
Diseases  in  Ap]>le  Trees,  88 
DomeMic    lut«lli,!;ence,    27,    93, 

124,  157,216,  2.S1,  34^5,  .372 
Dormant   Rose-buds,  I'rotectiou 

to.  314 
Double  Flowers,  Ripening  Seed 

for,  2')4 
Dracut  Amber  Crape,  2G 
Draining  witliout  an  Outlet,  59 

"        Tiles  f.r  Pots,  204 
Drouth,  Benefits  of,  114 

"        on  Soils,  Action  of.  157 
"        <frc..  Science  and  Prac- 
tice, 172 
Drying  the  Common  Red  Cur- 
rant, Mode  of,  2-'l 
"        Specimens    of    Plants, 
183 
Du  Solis  Pear.  S2 
Dye,  A  Mew  Canadian,  218 


E. 

Editorial,  16.  M,  S  I,  lis,  144, 1  so, 
208.  210, 272,  .308,338, 
3i56 
"  Compensation,  210 

"  Correspondence,  276 

Effects  of  Dew  on  Producing  Rot 
and  Mildew,  43 
"       "  the   Winter   on    Fruit 
Trees  at  Hudson.  N.  Y.,  202 
Egg  Plant,  New  White,  19 

"    Plants,  I.-.4. 
Emily  Grape  Again,  The,  261 
Englisli  Black  kaspberry,  134 
Entomological  Ensay,  .O,  69,  10.i. 
165,  197 
"  Articles,  242 

Errata,  31.') 
Ki  if.is,  59 
Essiiv,  Kiitoraological,  S,  69,  105, 

165,  197 
Evergreens,  Prunin;,',  16,45 
Kveilasting  Flowers,  15;> 
Exiarim'Mital  Gardens,  2S 
Experiences,  My,  -98,  3-8 


r. 

Fairchtld,  An  Account  of,  29 
Farliigium  grande,  '-'19 

"  "         Hardness  of, 

244 
Farmer  and  Horticulturibt,  The, 

50 
Feather    Grass,   How  to   Raise 

the  .Seed  of,  239 
Ferns,  New  Garden,  26 

'•     29 
Fertilizers  for  Cabbage,  219 


Pleasure- 
,  33,  65,  97, 

257,    289, 


Figs,  .312 

Flower-Garden     and 
Ground,  Hints  for,  1 
12;>,    161,   193,    225, 
3J1,  3 -.3 
Flower  Seeds,  New  and  Valua- 
ble, 372 
Flowers,  Influence  of,  65 

Tlie  Descriptions  of,  2.39 
Foliitged  Plants,  New  Ornamen- 
tal, 156 
Forcing,  Hints  for,  6.5,  290 

"       Fruits   and   Vegetables 
in  the  Open  Ground, 
57 
"      Vegetables  in  the  Field, 

19 
"      Violets,  On,  255 
Foreign  Intelligence,  29,  95,  124, 
15S,  253.  285 
'«      Cone«poudeiice,  125,  222 
"      Vines  and    Fruits,   Im- 
"  portation  of,  253 

French  "Leaf   Plant,  A,  160 
Fruit-Growers"   Society  of  East 
eru     Pennsylvania,    12, 
"        52,  233 

"    Forcing,  A  New  Theory  of, 
10 
Garden.  Hints  for,  .33,  65, 
1.30,  162,  •.i2.5,2.-.9,  290  354 
Packing.  41.  2  •2 
Culture,  hilluence  of  Cli- 
maiic  (;han;,'es  on,  ISO 
"     in  ('ana. la,  295 
"     Hints,  304 
Fruit  fir  Kastern  New  York,  .365 
Fruits  and  Vej;eiitl)les,Forciiii;  in 
the  O,  en  Ground,  67 
"     Received,  243 
«      for  Maine.  343 
Fuch.sia,  Maniiaoth,  91 
Fiich.sl  IS,  Prize,  376 
Fungus  amouo'.st  Cuttings,  174 


o. 


(i 


Ga' doners  Improved.  232 
Gardens,  Experimental,  28 
Garden  Ferns,  New,  26 
«'      City,  The,  1.58 
•*      Decorations,  235 
Gompliia  olivajforrais,  319 
Gardening.    I/uidscupe,   13,   .37, 
78,  90,  102,  114,  141,  176, 
195 
Gardening,  170 

«'  Observations, 

on  Taste  as  appli- 
ed to,  SI 
"  is  not  Agriculture, 

118 
"  for  the  Ladies  203 

"  in  Em^land,  207 

Gas,   Tar   and    Hot   Water    for 

Peach  Trees,  117 
Ga/.ania  rigens   and  splendens, 

30 
Gazania  splendens,  187 
Oazanias,  376 
Geotheima;  (Culture,  159 
Geranium  Htudersonii  uunium, 

248 
Uipson's  Kentucky  Seedling  Ap- 
ple, 129 
Gladiolus.  The,  299 
Glazing  Greenhouses,  228 
Green  Corn  I'uddin/.  221 

"      Gages,  To  I'rcserve,  219 
Golden-siriped  Arborvila',  New, 

26 
Governor  Charter's  Seedling  Ap- 
ple, 26 
Grafting.  New  Mode  of,  83 
Grafting- Wax.  05.340 
"         the  ('arnation,  29 
"         Aiburvita^s,  300 
Grapes,  Shrubs  and  Uoses,  58 
'♦        Barliaros-a   and   Piiuco 

Albert,  19 
"        Hothouse,  30 
"        Cracking  of,  59 
"       Native,  near  Boston,  93 


Grapes,  New  and  Foreign,  213 
"        in  the  Mountains,  107 
"       Sorts  to  (.Jrow  lor  a 
Vinery, 116 
Ca'Cipi'lars,  112 
N<tteH  on  Some  New, 
169 
"       Pruning  Hothouse 

175 
*'        Indigenous,  170,  231 

187,  212,   327 
"        Ontario  and  Union  Vil- 
lage, 342,  309 
<'      Notes  on  English  Sources, 

264 
•'      in  Vineries,   Protecting, 
314 
Grapes,  Exotic  out  of  Doors,  3.55 
Grapes,    Barren   Seedling    from 

Foreign,  3)9 
Grape,  The  Lucy  Winton,  .371 
(iiape,  The  Adirondac,  371 
Grape-vines,    Excrescences    on, 

373 
Grape,  Taylor's  Bullitt,  372 
Grape,  Diacut  Amber,  20 
"       The  Oporto,  27 
"       Cuyahoga,  27 
"       Catawba,  Introduction  of, 

28 
"       Marion  Port,  52 
"       Insects,  <fcc.,  58 
Cuttings,  59 

Vine  Leaves,  Scorching, 
Mild.-w,  00,  1.53 
A  New.  83 

The  (Cunningham,  83 
Cuttings,      Propagating, 

Treatise,  89 
The,  115 
Eyes,  124 

Mildew  on  the,  137 
Tlie  Schoonemuuk,  147 
Mead's  Seedling,  34,  147 
Pruning,  153 
Trellis,'"l87 
Houses,  188 
The  Emily,  ARaln,  261 
Crop  in  Central  Missouri 

268 
Growing,  Failure  in,  296 
"        An    Essay   on, 
323 
Maxatawney,  311 
Blood's  Seedling,  .342 
For  Distribution,  343 
Leaves,  313 
Muscat  Hamburg,  313 
Grape,  ^T-^rial  Roots  on  tiie  Scup- 

pernong.  305 
Grape,  Nativity  of  the  Delaware, 

368 
(Jrape-ology.  A  Chapter  on,  270 
Graperies,  Ventilation  of,  .342 
Grand  Admirable  Peach,  5*J 
Green  Rose,  The,  31,  116 

"      Houses,  Water  in,  49 
Greenhouses  and  Plant  Cabinets, 
354 

«'  "      Glazing,  228 

««  "      Hints  lor.  6,5,162, 

195,     226,     200, 
290 
Greenhouse,  Roses  in  a,  60 

"  Arrangement,  87 

"  Boilers,  213 

Guzmanuia  tricolor,  93 


gust  225 ;  September 
October  289;   November 
321;     Dccember,353 
Hints,  A  Chapter  of,  4,  140 
Hubb".«*  Early  Peach,  87 
llollyiiocks.  Improved,  124 
Holly  Toil,  160 
Horticulturists,  Suggcstioua  for^ 

88 
Honey  Locust,  342 
Horticulturist  and  Farmer,  The, 
50 
"  The,  55 

Horticulture  in  France,  31 

"  in    Eastern     Now 

York,  111 
'•  Progress   of  in 

Egypt.  112 
"  on  tlie  Mississippi, 

HI 
"  in  Califoinia,  241 

"  Partizans  in,  273 


II 

(i 
t< 
ii 
i< 


H. 


ITand-Rbiss,  New,  21 

Hanging  Basket,  A  Fancy,  218 

Healing  Economy,  77 

Hedges,  Osage  Orange,  124 

Hedging  in  Tazewell  County, .373 

Helianthuses,  281 

Heliotropes  I'oi   Winter   Bloom, 

142 
Hembick.  The,  295 
Hetcrocentrum  album,  .370 
iifji/*— January  1  ;  February  33; 
April    97;    -May    129; 
June  161;  July  193;  Au- 


llorticultural  I'rogress,  2ol 


HoRTinrr.TURAL  socif.ties. 
JarnKtri/ — New  Haven  Lectures; 
Maiiry  Co.  (Teun.)  Society; 
Society  at    Ihinnibal,    .Mo.; 
Frmt-growers'    Society  of 
Eastern  Pennsylvania  ;  Po- 
inologic.il  Convention;  Meet- 
ing oi  the  Ohio  Pomological 
Society ;     Hints    for    Fruit- 
growers' Societie-*,  32 
rchrn(irif—\d,\*i   Ag.    Lectures; 
Illinois   Horticultural  Soci 
ety;  Merainec  Society  ;  Chi- 
cago Gardeners'  Society; 
Conn.    Gr.ipe-growers"    Con- 
vention, 03 
March  —  Fruit-growers'  Society 
of  Eastern  Pennsylvania,  95 
April —        do.        d).         I2i) 
May — Pennsylvania  Horticultu- 
ral Society;  Missouri  Fruit- 
growers' Association;  Amer- 
ican   Pomological    s^ociety  ; 
St.    Louis    Vine   and    Fruit- 
Growers'    Association;    Bo- 
tanical  Society   of  CUmada, 
U.O 
June — Pennsylvania  Ilort.  Soc. ; 
Brooklyn  Hort.  Soc;  (Mncin- 
nati  Hort.  Soc;  Philaib  Ijihia 
Pr>igrcssive   Gai<letier^'   so- 
ciety ;  Keokuk   lloriicullu- 
ral  Society,  190 
July — Pennsylvania  Horticultu- 
ral   Society;    Horticultural 
Society    of    Montreal ;   Mas- 
sachusetts Horiicultural  So- 
cielv;  Susquehanna  and 
Chemung   Valley   Horticul- 
tural Society;  Banuor  (Me.) 
Horticultural  Society,  224 
Aiifjunl  —  Pennsylvania   Horti- 
cultural  Society;    Fruit- 
Growers'  Society  of  Western 
New  York,  2.»6 
Ht'pteruf/er  —  Pennsylvania  Hor- 
ticultural Society;  American 
In-titute  Farmers'  Club; 
Cincinnati  Horticultural  So- 
ciety, 286 
OdoUr  —  Pennsylvania    Horti- 
cultural Society,  320 
.Voven*/ytr— Grape-growers'  Con- 
vention at   Lancaster,    Pa  ; 
Penn-yivania  Horticiiltinal 
Socie.y;   Exhibition  oi   the 
Ma-sa<hnselts  Horiicait'ir.sl 
Society.  Hrooklyn  ll.>riicul- 
tnral  Society;  Toronto  Hor- 
ticultural  Society;  KC.kuk 
(lowit)    Horticultural    Soci- 
ety, 346 
7>r<^7;/'>»r— Pennsylvania  Horti- 
cultural S  iciety,  .<76 
Horticultural  Societies,  339 
Horticultural    Societies,   Hints 
for  the  Improvement  of,  138 
Hothouse  Grapes,  30 
Hothouses  by  the  Acre,  31 
Ac,  244 


(TI|£  ^arttentr's  M^\\%. 


^fe^ 


Hot  Drains  in  the  Open  Air,  .'50 
"  Water  Proj)agating  Tank,  A 

Cheap,  lOi 
"        "      and    Gas -Tar    for 

Peach  Trees,  117 
"         "      Tank, 121 
Hotbeds,  Restoring  Heat  to,  169 
How  to  Dissolve  Bones,  218 
Hunnemannia  fumaria>folia,  284 
Hydrangea  cyanea,  249 


I. 

Ice-honses,  252 
"     Preservation  of,  268,  307 
♦'    Theory  of  the  Preservation 

of,  279 
Ice-house,  A  Successful,  360 
Impatiens  Walkerii,  157 
ImpoHHibility,  199 
Intluence  of  Flowers,  68 
Indian  or  Chinese  Azalea,  The, 

263.  3)1,  3.35 
Indiana  Vineyards,  The  First,29 
Information  Given  and  Desired, 

359 
Inga  pulcherrima,  88 
Injurious  Insects,  2.37,  26.%  291, 

329 
Insect  and  Weed  Destroyer,  The, 

60 
Insects  and  Vino  Mildew,  17 

"     187,  278,  314 
Introduction    of    the    Catawba 

Grape,  28 
Ivy  and  Damp  Walls,  28 
"  201 


Lombardy  Poplar,  Introduction 
of  the,  into  America,  9 

Lombardy  Poplar,  Introduction 
of,  80 

London  Nursarymen,  159 

Lysimachia,  87 


m. 

Maple,  The  Oregon    Sycamore, 

372 
Manetti  Rose  Stock,  3.32 
Manure,  A  Special,  28 
Manures,  The  Nature  of,  359 
Marion  Port  Grape,  52 
Maxatawney  <}iape.  The,  341 
Mead's  Seedling  ({rape,  147 
Methonica  superba,  25 
Meterosideros  not  Flowering,120 
Micania  speciosa,  3H9 
Mildew,  Etfeets  of  Dew  on  Pro- 
ducing Rot  and,  43 
Mildew,  Grape,  60,  152 
Mildew  on  the  Grape,  137 
Mole  Traps,  309 
Mountain  Ash  Seed,  213 
Moore  Pear,  The,  27 
Mount  Vernon  Pear,  27 
Mowing  Machines,  Lawn,  281 
:\n\lbernes.  120 
Mulch i UK,  29 
Mushroom  Growing,  124 
Muscat  Hamburg  Grape,  343 
Myrtaceous  Plants,  .376 

N. 


Orange  Trees,  20 

Orchards,  Apple,  1.37 

Oregon  Sycamore  Maple,  The,182 

Oeage  Orange  Hedges,  124 


P. 

Packing  Fruit,  44 

"        Plants,     Nurserymen's 
charges  for.  153 
Packing  Fruit  for  Long  Distances, 

.375 
Paeony,  The.   One   of  the  most 

Northern  Plants,  358 
Pseonies,  Ants  about,  213 


K 
II 


II 
II 


M 


I. 

Jackson  Apple,  .53,  »7 
Jai)an  Burdock,  The,  31 
*■     Plum,  .86 
"     Dwiu-f  Fir,  222 
"     Wax  Tree,  2.35 
"     Lilies,  245 
Jethro  Tiill's  System   119 
Jiiiic-I'firv  as  a  Stock  for  Dwarf- 
ing- Pears,  190 
Juni'-berry  as  a  Stock   for   the 

Pear,  •.:29 
June-berrv  and  other  Stocks  for 

the  Pear,  300 
June-lerry,  The  Dwaif,  .361 
Junipers,  Management  of,  238 


Kilmarnock    Weeping    Willow, 

3)9 
Kitchen-Garden,  The,  .302 
Knox  Fruit  Farm,  Visit  to  the, 

3.33 


Lawn  Mowing-machine.  281 
Lawns— their  First  Year's  Man- 
agement, 272 
Largii  Nursery  Esta'dishmentfor 

Sale,  243 
Landscape  gardening,  13,  3.3,  78, 

90,  102,  114,  146,  176,  195 
Landscape  -  gardeni  ng,  Ob.serva- 

tions  on  Taste  aa  Applied  to, 

81 
Landscape  -  Gardening,    Lessons 

on,  85 
Largest  Gardens  In  the  World, 

374 
Larix  microsperma,  370 
Ivtaf  Plants  for  a  Wardian  Case, 

59 
Lemon  Tree,  87 
Letter  from  California,  .300 
Lessons  from  the  Flowers,  202 
Lily  of  the  Valley,  Tne,  375 
Lima  Bcaus  and  Bean-poles,  373 
Lime.  Leaves,  kc,  213 
Linnreus  and   Llnnwa  borealli., 

131,  168,  200,  2S0 


II 
II 


Names  of  Plants.  19,  59,  88, 1.54, 

214,  21^0.  314.  363 
Nectarine,  Peach  from  the,  373 
Nelumbium  luteum,  or  Yellow 

Esjyptiau  Lotus,  The,  310 
Nelumbium.  History  of  the,  near 

Philadelphia,  361 
New  and  Rare  Fruits,  26.  .52.  82, 

117,  188,  215,  249,  284,  344,  370 
New  Dress.  Our.  IS 
New  or  Hare  Plants,  25,61,91, 

188,  248,  .309 
New   Plants    Exhibited   at    the 

Recent  London  Shows.  2^3 
New  Fruit  from  China,  A,  27 
New  York  Pippin  and  Ben  Davis 

Apples,  .'.6,  85,  116,  1:56,  154 
New  Vegetable.  A,  221 
Next  Volume,  Our,  .366 
Newtown  Pippin  Apple,  The,.375 
Noble  Oak,  A,  2.")4 
Nomenclature  of  Fruits,  136,  187 
Nothing  New  under  the  Sun. 153 
Notes(m,Ennl>shSources, Grapes, 

264 
Notes,  Miscellaneous,  268 
Notes  on  Pears  and  Grapesabout 

Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  305 


II 
It 


.1 

II 


Oaks,  Hybridizing,  157 
Obituary,  Ex-President  Walker 
of   Mass.,   62;    J     E.    Ranch, 
Brooklvn,   N.    Y  ,   155;    Prof. 
Hochst'etter,  Prof  J.  O.  C.  Leh- 
man. G.  H.  Von  Schubert,  Dr. 
J.  F.  Klotgsch,  Ltmis  De  Vil- 
morin,  J.  B.  Payer,  John  I.Lo 
Con  to,  219. 
••  Hon  Relah  Matthews,  Mr.  V. 

Hartwiss,  253 
«'  Dr.  E.  James.  373 
Ohio  Vineyard,  The  First,  28 
'•     Beauty  Apples,  The,  124 
Oleanders,  87 

Old  Canes   in   the  Vinery,  Cat- 
ting down  of  the,  15 
»•         Is  it  imperatively  ne- 
cessary to  cut  down, 
.39 
"         Renewal  of,  72 
Oncidium  longipes.  2.5 
Oporto  Grape,  The,  27 


Paper  Plant,  New,  .30 
Pansies,  New,  79 
Pansy,  Improved,  History  of  the, 
15'' 
"      The.'lSS 
Parks,  Belted,  41 
Partizans  in  HorlicuUure,  273 
Pavium  elatum,  214 
Pear,  Mount  Vernon,  27 
The  Moore,  27 
Stocks,  28 
Rutter,  82 
Du  Soils,  82 
342 
"     Nimveau  Poiteau,  .344 
"     Walkers  Mount   Vernon, 
368 
Pear,  Orange,  again,  371 
Pears,  Dwarf,  120, 
120 

Dwarf,  Swamp  Muck  and 
Saw    Dust    as    a 
Mulch  for,  120 
"       New,  of  fine  quality,  148 
"       How   the    English    ripen 
late,  217 
Peach-borer,  Remedy  for  the,  3 
"       Van     Buren's     Golden 

Dwarf.  53 
"       Grand  .Admirable,  56 
Hobbs'  Early,  87 
Trees,  Gas,  Tar,  and  Hot 

Water  for,  117 
Black-knot  on  the,  213 
Pullen's  Seedling,  215 
"       Cromwell's  Seedling,  280 
"       Varieties     for     ttrchard 

house  Culture,  285 
"       Troth's  Early  Red,  314 
Peach  Seedling,  313 
Peaches,  Forcing  for  Profit,  89 

"         for  Orchard-hou-e,  314 
Peat  for  Strawberries,  342 
Pelargonium,  Grafting  the,  374 
Pelargoniums,  12') 

'•  Endlicherauum, 

248 
Penstemon  spectabilis,  318 
Phabenopsis  rosea,  25 
Picea  n(d)ili.s,  158 
Pine  Tree  Insect,  244 

"    Apple  Preserve  2.50 
Pines,  Names  of,  315 
Pinks  and  Carnations,  222 
Pinus  densi flora,  214 
"      parviflora,  214 
'•      Sinclarii,  255 
''      Friesana,  256 
Pistillate  Strawberries  in  Eng- 
land. 338 
Pits,  Cold,  313 
"     ic,  .322 
Plants  and  Plant-honscs,  Hints 
for,  2,  .35,  322 
•«        Names  of,  19,  .59,  88,  1.54, 

280,  314.  188.  .368 
"        Patent  Office,  213 
Pot,  Hints  for,  162 
Packing,  175 
Drying  Specimens  of,  183 
Spirals  of,  2.55 
Vital  Forces  in,  274 
from  Pike's  Peak,  280 
Planting,  A  Successful,  267 
Plum,  Richland,  .59 
'*       Japan,  86 
•«       Bowers  Gage,  314 
PInros,  Large,  346 


Plum  Stocks,  Grafting  Large,369 
Pomological  Society,   Am.    Cat. 
Fruits,    Revision 
of  the,  145 
"  Spirit,  251 

Pot-carrier,  Sheppard's,  36 
'•  Vines,     Profit    and 

Durability  of,  30 
Pots,  Parlor,  367 
Prairie  Flowers.  121 
Premiums  for  Gardeners,  255 
Preserving  Food,  Methods  of,  251 
*•  Quinces    and    Pears 

together,  337 
Primrose,  The  ('hine.se,  .375 
Prince   Albert   and    Barbarossa 

Grapes,  19 
Propagating  Box,  The,  74,  134 
"  Ac,  85 

"  Improvements    in, 

366 
Propagation,  84 
Protection  of  Trees.  251 
Protecting  Wallflowers,  342 
Pruning  Evergreens,  16.  45 

"         Grapes,  Bright'a  System 

of,  121 
«        Ac, IS 
Pteris  cretica,  25 
Pyrus,  New  Varieties  of,  1-57 
Public  Gardens,  The  Patent  Of- 
fice, 240 
"      Park  in  Kansas,  337 


Quince  Stools,  120 

"         Stocks,  Diseases  of 
271 


the. 


tl 

i< 


II 

i; 
It 
t< 
II 
It 


R. 

Rare  Evergreens,  Notes  of  Expe- 
rience with,  220 
Raising  Seed.  51 
Raspberry,  Belle  de  Fontcnay, 
13 
"  The  Allen,   37,  117, 

331 
'•  Black  Cap  or  Doalit- 

tle,  7.5,  119 
English  Black,  134 
Joycelun's     Black 
Cap,  284 
Raspberries,  28 

Rathvon's  (Mr.)  Essay,  58,  208 
Report    of   the    Missouri    State 
Fruit  Growers' Association,  219 
Reinette  Diel  Apple,  1.50 
Recipes  for  Fruits  and  Vegeta- 
bles, 29 
Red  Spider,  The,  94 
Retarding  Fruits,  206 
Ketinospora  obtusa,  214 
"  pisifera,  215 

Revision  of  the  Pomological  So- 
ciety's   Catalogue    of    Fruits, 
145 
Review,  164 

Rhododendrons,  239,  294,  331,361 
Rhubarb,  73 

"        New  English,  95 
"        Drying,  124 
Richland  Plum,  59 
Road-making  on  Private  Estates. 

2.-10 
Roofs,  Cheap,  218 
Rot.  Etfeets  of  Dew  on  Producing 

Mildew  and,  4.3,  86 
Rose  Pruning,  113 

•'     Leaves,  Diseased,  211 
••    Stock,  Manetti,  .3.32 
oscs,  Shrubs  and  (>  rapes,  58 
"      in  a  Oreenhou.se,  60 
Standard,  76 
New,  Some  of  the  best,  91 
The  New,  99 
A  Fine  Bloom  of,  141 
Standard,  167 
Protecting  in  Winter,  196 
2.54 


t« 
ti 
<t 
tt 
(t 
tl 
ft 


obns  laciniatns,  120 


if 


Ut  iarimr's  ilonf  g. 


Rustic  Adornments,  147 

"      Baskets,  174 
Kutter  I'ear,  82 

s. 

Salt  for  Manure,  2ol 

'*    Turnips,  loS 
Salvia  scabiosoofolia,  2^,  52 
Sarcanthus  I'arishii,  62 
bawdiist  and  Swamp  Muck  as  a 

Mulch  for  Dwarf  I'cars,  120 
Scarlet  Beans  through  the  Win- 
ter for  an  Early  Crop,  To  Pre- 
serve. 319 
Schoouemunli  Grape,  The,  147 
Sciadopitys  verticellata.  1^8 
Scorching  Grape-vine  Leaves..308 
Scotch     Heath    in    the    United 

States,  372 
Scraps  and   tiueries,   18,  58,  85, 
119.152.  183,211,213,  279,312 
Sfed  of  Plants,  OlBce  of  the,  31 
Seeds,  llaisinj,',  54 
Seedlings,  Kaising,  280 
Seedling  Nuisance,  241 
Sfdam,  Fabaria,  150 
Separate  Offices  of   Tap    Roots 

and  Surface  Roots,  36 
Severe  Frosts  in  San  Jose,  29 
Shude  Trees  in  Parih,  319 
Shrubbery  and  Trees,  322 
Shrubs  and  Trees  of  Tennessee. 
19  ' 

Shrubs,  Roses  and  Grapes,  58 
Silk-worm,    The   Ailanthus,  95, 

214 
Skeletonizing,  Ac,  216,  250 
Soil  and  Climate  of  Central  Min- 
nesota, 29 
Soap,  Whale  Oil,  153 
Snails  and  Slugs,  154,  159 
Solanum  capsicastrum,  Culture 
of,  30 
runcinatus,  93 
cabiliensiu  argenteum, 
157 
*'        Fendleri,  219 
Spawn,  of  Fungi,  The,  255 
Special  Manure,  A,  28 
Spergula  pilifera,  Notes   on  the 

Lawn  Grass  Substitute.  103 
Sphoerostemma  mariuorata,  370 
Spiuach  iu  Coasomme,  29 


« 


Spinach,  New  Zealand  158 
Spirtcas,  Hybrid,  295 
SpringFlo  wersBloomlug  through 

the  Season,  376 
Sprouting    Brocoli,    Lee's    New 

White,  156 
Stephenson,  George,  as  a  Horti- 
culturist, 293 
St.  Louis  Botanical  Garden,  7 
Stocks,  Pear,  28 
Stop    Leakage    in     Hot    Water 

Pipes,  To,  219 
Strawberry  Worm,  60 

"  New  English,  20 

"  View,  208 

"  Feast's  Fillmore,315 

•'  The  Bunce,  345 

Strawberries,  Fertilizing,  89 
"  All  About,  236 

**  Pistillate,  256,  362 

"  "         in  Eng- 

land, 339 
"  Growing,  243 

English, 
346 

"  Description  of  the 

Newer,  284 
Strawberries.  New  White,  371 
Si  raw  Mats,  To  make,  307 
Stuartia  pentagynia,  108 
Subscribers,  To'  16 
Surface  Roots,  Separate  Offices  of. 
36 
"     Manuring,  86 
Swamp  Muck  ami  Saw  Dust  as 
a  .\Iulch  for  Dwarf  Pears,  120 
Sweet  Potatoes,  The  Nansemond, 
120  ' 


Tomatoes,  Baked,  221 
Stewed,  221 
Tomb  of  Repton,  the  Landscape- 
gardener,  374 
Torreya  nucifera,  189 
Transformations,  Vegetable,  343 
Travelling  Agent,  242 
Trees  and  Shrubs  of  Tennessee, 
19 
"  "  Propagating, 

230 
"      New  Japan,  188 
"      and  Shrubbery,  322 
Tree  Seed  Raising,  122 

"     Ivy,  239 
Trip  to  Wilmington,  Del.,  228 
Tritomas,  215 

Triumph  of  Cumberland  Cherry 
249  •" 

Turnips,  Salt  for,  158 
Turtle,  An  Old,  291 


Vinery,  Renewal  of  Old  Canes 
in  the,  72 

Vinery,  First  Year,  369 

Vineries,  Cold,  20 

Vineyard,  The  First  Ohio,  2S 

A'ineyards,  The  First  Indiana,  29 
'•  Wine   Vaults   of  N. 

Longworth,  of  Cin- 
cinnati, 0  ,  48 

Violet  In  the  East,  The,  253 

Vital  Forces  in  Plants,  274 


w. 


u. 

Under-draining,  144 

"  &c.,  Science  and 

Practice,  172 

Union   Village  and  Ontario 
Grapes,  369 

V. 


T. 


Table  Designs  and  Decorations. 
274  ' 

Tap  Roots,  Separate  Offices  of,  36 
Tartarian  Maple,  The,  209 
Theory   of  the   Preservation   of 

Ice,  279 
Thuja  Wareana  or  plica,  122 
Thujiopsisdolabrata,  189 
Tomato,  The  Perfected,  89 

"        Vilmorin's     New    Up- 
right, n9 
"         Chowder,  221 
Tomatoes,  Early,  90 


Van     Buren's     Golden     Dwarf 

Peach,  53 
Vegetable  Forcing  in  the  Field. 
19 
"  Garden,   Hints  for,  2 

35, 98,  131, 163,  194, 
226,  355 
*•  Transformations,  297 

Vegetables  and  Fruit  Forcing  in 

the  Open  Ground,  57 
Vegetation  and  Ammonia,  272 
Veitchia  Japonica,  215 
Verbenas,  Wintering,  90 

Through  Winter,  187 
verbena  Disease,  The,  133 

"       Growing,  233 
Vinery,  Cutting  down  Old  Canes 
in  the,  15 
"        Is  it  Imperatively  Ne- 
cessary to  Cut  down 
Old  Canes  in  the,  39 


Wallflowers,  Protecting,  .342 
Wardian  Case,  Leaf  Plants  for. 

59 
Water  in  Greenhouses,  49 

"       Cress,  Cultivation  of  the. 

222 

Weather  at  New  London,  134 
"        and  the  Crops,  ISO 

Weed  and  Insect  Destroyer,  The, 

60  J     >         J 

Wellesby,  the    Seat    of   H.    H. 

Hunnewell,  217 
WelliuKtonia  sequoia  gigantea, 

Whale  Oil  Soap,  153 
Willow  Ajjple,  S3 
Wine,  Black  Currant.  28,  31 
"       From  the  Hammoudsp'rt, 

N.  v.,  Wine  Co.,  Is7 
"       Vaults  and  Vineyards  of 
N.  Longworth,  Cincin- 
'  miti,  Ohio,  48 

"       Grapes  for  Michigan,  244 

Winter-blooming  Plant,  A  New, 

"  Plants  forWin- 

dows.  304 

"        at  Meadville,  Eflects  of, 

231 
"        Gardens  without  Glass, 
338 
Work  on  Fruit,  New  English,  31 
Writing,  Bad,  281 


Zinnia,  The  New  Double-flow- 
ered, 25 


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Mti  ^miemr'a  JflontMg. 


ILLUSTEATIONS. 


Frontispieces. 

'^^""^^y Insects  !  Hand-barrow. 

i^ebriiary Grand  Admirable  Peach 

^«»''pli  Insects 

:JlP"1 Insects 

^''^y Rustic  Adornments 

'1""^  Insects 

•J^v Insects 

^"«ust Buckingham  Apple 

September Table  Designs  and  Decorations    Jackson  Apple 

October Kilmarnock  Weeping  Willow 

November Maxatawney  Grape 


H. 


Hot-water  Propagating  Tank......!.!!..*.'.  "....Toi 


Paoe. 
146 
102 


Improved  Pansey 153 

^^^^<^cts 237,  205,  291,  329 


J. 


RQ 


December q^ 

A. 


L. 


rver  Apple  i  Larix  microsperma 379 

Lee's  New  White  Sprouting  Brocoli!!!."!!!'! 156 

Linna;a  borealis '^ ^33 


Page. 


Archway  under  Traffic  Road  for  Foot-path 

S.  E.  of  the  Mall 21 

Ananas  d'Ete i4g 


Bottle-holder , 49 

C. 


M. 


Mats,  Straw 397 


O. 

Oregon  Sycamore  Maple 132 

P. 

Park,  Central,  New  York 343 

Peach  Tree  in  Pot '""""  276 


Caladium  Belleymei gj    ^  «<„ 

California  Mammoth  Trees ""i*80   iqo   i^^^^' ^o"nt  Vernon 27 

Celerv '  onn  1  T^ar,  Noveau  Poiteau oaa 


Celery 

Cop's 

Cocklin's  Favorite  Cherry... ..!!.!!!!!  249 


309  I -d"""''  ■^'"^'^**"  X  uiicnu 344 

Cop's  Heat  (Van  Mons  Pear) ....!.!....!...!  148   Ef.^J"'.^T^.^^ : !!  371 


Plan  for  Flower-garden 04 

Plant  Supporter .*.*!!.'; '.'.'. !!.*!.!  206 

p  Plant  Trellis 095 

Pot  Plants T/.q 

Delices  de  Jodoigne  Pear uS   Propagating  Pot ! q^? 

De  Tongres  Pear 149   Pullen's  Seedling  Peach !!'..*.*.'! 21-^ 

Dibble  J4g  '^*'^ 

Doyenne  de  Comice  Pear !  J49 

Downing  or  Doyenne  Downing  Pear 149 

Drosera  rotunditolia 2OI 

Du  Solis  Pear 32 

Dwarf  Arctic  Raspberry 170 


B. 


Rustic  Baskets ^74 


Entrance  to  the  St.  Louis  Botanic  Gardens 7 

Extemporaneous  Hanging  Basket 205 

P. 

Figs,  Mode  of  Layering 312 

Floral  Decoration 275  276 

Frogmore  Late  Pine  Strawberry '  123 

Fuchsia  Mammoth oj 

O. 


Seed  Drill 


S. 


146 


Shephard's  Pot-carrier ! !!!!!!".'     30 

Specimen  Drying  Apparatus !!!!!. !!.*!!i83   185 

Stuartia  pentagynia '  jqs 


T. 


Tartarian  Maple  Leaf o|o 

Tree  Protectors !!! 251    252 

Triumph  of  Cumberland  Cherry...!!.".!!..'!!'"       '  249 


V. 

Van  Buren's  Golden  Dwarf  Peach 53 

W. 


Garden  Decorations 235,  S36  !  Wellingtonia,  or  Sequoia  argentea 94 

Gastrophysa — Insects 237   Willow  Apple !!!!  *"'"     03 


Geranium,  Grafting 374 

Gipson's  Kentucky  Seedling  Apple 123 

Gla/ing 146,  147 


Z, 


Zinnia,  New  Double 25 


** 


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