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LIBRARY

OF THE

MASSACHUSETTS

AGRICULTURAL

COLLEGE

SOURCE. ./\lLLU"LtU :^.UV.\£ls...

unnr l

©lie (SHViUiur's |l0ntlil!j.

AND

HORTICULTURAL ADVERTISER.

DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE, ARBORICULTURE, BOTANY AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Edited by THOMAS MEEHAN,

FoKMERLY Head Gardener to Caleb Cope, Esq., at Springbrook, and at the Bartram Botanic Gar-
den, NEAR Philadelphia; Graditate of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kev\-, (London,) England,
Mejiber of the Acadejiy of Natural Sciences. Author of "The American Hand

Book of Ornamental Trees," &c.

VOLUME XII, 1S70.

TERMS. — Tv/o Dollars per Annum, Invariably In Advance.

-« — ^» ■ «

PHILADELPHIA:

BRINCKLOE & MAROT, PUBLISHERS,

No. 23 North Sixth Street.
1870.

Cp^yu

^'^^ V,,
OHAPEL

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Frontispiece The Martha Grape.

Colored Plates—February Hemlock Hedge

April Plan of Small Garden.

June Rhododendron Catawbiense.

August Belgiaii Azaleas.

October »,--nerstine Raspberry.

American Chestnut, The 265

Apple, Germautown 2i

" Hatcher's Seedling 157

Australia, Grass Tree of, (Xanthorrhcea AustralisJ 349

Chestnut, The American 265

Flower Beds, Plans for, G(>

German town Apple „ 22

Grass Tree of Australia, (Xanthorrhcea Australis,) 349

Hatcher's Seedling Apple l.->7

Holder, A Tree 79

Hyacinth Bulbs Cut for Propagation (3 Sketches) 222, 223

Hydrangea Variegated 211

Plants for Flower Beds m

Propagating the Hyacinth, (3 sketches of Cut Bulbs; ; 332, 223

T.
Tree Holder, A 70

Variegated Hydrangea 211

Xaulhorrhcca Australis, Grass Tree of Australia 349

ilie (gardener'^ P^xintlilK.

DEVOTED TO

Eojiiculture, Arh or i culture, Botany quid Fair at Affairs

EDITED BY THOMAS MEEHAN.
Old Series, Vol. Xll. JAJVUARY, 1870. New Series. Vol. HI. No. 1.

HITsTS FOE JAl^UAPvY,

INTRODUCTORY.

In view of the increasing number of new names
on the subscription books of our magazine, it m;iy
seem proper at the commencement of another
volume to state that our Monthly Hints are not in-
tended to teach what should be done in the garden
at the stated times. A "Calender of operations "
might do for a nation only three hundred miles
square, where the idea of these monthly rules
originated. In a country so large as ours, where
at one end people arc eating their first Strawber
ries ; while at the other they are just ^oing into
winter quarters ; a list of things to be done every
day becomes an absurdity — our aim is to treat of
special things, but in a general way ; giving each
month rather an idea of what might be done in
our particular latitude, but in such a way that
the reader North or South may profit by it when
his proper season comes. The idea of our hints
is in accordance with that of our whole work.
We do not aim to make gardeners of our readers.
There are good books especially written for that
purpose, which, with some practical experience,
will teach the art, — our object is improvement.
Whatever can be learned from either old or new
sources, — whatever will improve what we already
practice, — whatever will aid the progress of
any horticulturist or lover of nature, from the
merest tyro to the one who has already achieved
the highest success in the art, is the object of
our journal.

Our hints cannot always be new,— what is true
in one year ought to be so the next. But it is
not exactly so. New circumstances and con-
ditions, if they do not alter old truths, certainly
reveal new ones, and we seldom take our pen

for this column without feeding that the old story
has presented some new phase. This 3'ear for
instance, in talking of the

FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE
GROUND.

we shall have to to talk more of planting flowers
in " ribbands " and colored masses, which seems
growing in popular favor, and we may as well
remark at once, as appropriate to this season,
that the form of the beds in which plants have
to be grown on this system, is a matter of very '
great importance, if we wovild not offend the eye
of taste. Our floral beds are seldom in good
taste. We mark out a plan on a piece of pa-
per. Every line accords with another line— all
is in harmony. But when we lay it off on the
ground it has a very different effect, because we
look on at an acute angle and not from a perpen-
dicular point as on the plan. The circle in the pic-
ture becomes a dull ellipse in practice. For this
reason any plan worked out on a circular idea,sel-
dom looks well on the ground ; oval or elliptical
lines do much better. This is particularly the
case where this ribbon style of gardening is to be
carried out. Indeed the V'3ry best effects we
have seen have been where the two sides of a
straight path have been bordered by straight
lines of different colors, — or where a raised bank
has had the colors properly arranged with the
tallest colored plants at the back.

Of plants that are now used in massing for
their colored leaves, we name some as follows :
Gnaphalium lanatum, grey; Centaurea ragusi-
na, silver grey ; Koniga maritima variegata, or
variegated Sweet Alyssum, white and green

THE GAllDEA'-ER'S MOXTELl. January,

striixcl ; Pvrcthrum anrcuni, golden leaved;
Ccrastiura tomentosnm, grcpiiish grey ; Achillea
tonicntopa. greyish green ; Caladium csoulcntum,
used rather for the peculiar eOeet of ils large
ealher veined leaves of a glaucous green ; Canna
"\Varccwiczii, blood red ; Coleus Verschaffeltii, '
of these tl'.ere are now scores of varieties, varying
chietly in the proportion of purple to the gicen
in each leaf; Geraniums, — the old zonales or
horse shoe leaved Pelargoniums, have now in
numerable forms ; there is the old green with
the black mark, and another class called "tri-
colors" which have a shade of pink between the
black "horse shoj '' and the outside. Some have
white edges, and others with mixtures of gold,
white, pink, black, or green — Yinca major va-
riegata ; Yinca major venosa witli gold veins ;
L'uicera brachybotrya variegata, with gold
veins ; Yariegated Balm with yellowish white
edge on a bod}- of green ; Stachys lanata, bluish
grey; Seduni villosum, grey; Seduin acre,
greenish yellow; Sedum carneum variegatum,
gray and white ; Thymus aurea, Golden Thyme;
Yeronica Andersonia variegata, cream white ;
Punkia variegata, yellow and gieen ; Trades-
cantia discolor, purple with green upper sariace;
Dracfenas, varieties from dark copper to rose and
white ; Croton, gold and green ; Japan Euony-
nius, gold and green ; Begonias, various shades
of leaves in rather shaded warm places ; Irisenc
Ilorbstii, vermilion with gold veins, there are
some forms with gold leaves ; Teilantheras,
many varieties, with leaves of shades of red,
brown, green and vermilion ; Alternanthera,
shaded like Teilantheras ; Wigandia caraccensis,
large, coarse, but striking green leaves ; Farfu-
gium grande green with gold spots ; Cineraria
maritinia, tloury white ; llumea elegans and
Amaranthus melancholicus, both brown ; these
are all that we find on our memorandum book
as being grown anywhere the past season, there
arc we think some others. No lists complete
have ever been made, and we shall be glad to be
reminded if we have omitted any. We hope,
however, that the ' rage" for these will not su-
1 cTside the old fashiniicd bedding plants.

To be a. gcjod bcddnig plant, one must have
the power of blooming through most of the sca-
s<in. Tlic best of the well known things for this
jjiu'iiose are Abutilons, Petunias, Lobelia, Chi-
nese Hibiscus, zonale Geraniums, Colons, some
Begonias like Sandersii and some others ; Lem-
on Yerbena, Blue Eupatorium, Cupheas, Bou-
vardia leianlha, Brugniansia suaveolens, Helio-

trope, Mignonette, Lantanas, Justtcia carnea,
Cyrtanthera magnifica, Habrothamnus elegans,
Rose Geraniums, Oxalis (loribunda, and multi-
flora, Lophospermum, Alon^oa iucisa and
Warcewizii, ^Maurandia Barclayana, Yerbenas,
Tropccolum, Gazanias, Autumn Salvias, Plum-
bago capensis,Asclepias curassavica, Angelonia
Gardneriana, Torenia asiatica, Ruellia elegans,
Browallia elata; a fixir selection can be mada
from these, but there are yet others which can
be obtained from any nurseryman's catalogue.
Many annuals last a long time in bloom in
spring, or como into bloom in fall, and are all
well in their way, also It is rather early to talk
about these matters ; but a montii or two will
soon come on. and it is as well to have these
things arranged in time. Theie are many
things which will be benefited by a pruning at
this season.

Wherever any part of a tree does not grow
freely, pruning of such weali growth, at this season,
will induce it lo push more freely next year.
All scars made by pruning off large branches,
should be painted or tarred over, to keep out the
rain. Many fruit trees become hollow, or fall in-
to premature decay, from the rain penetrating
through old saw cuts made in pruning. Also
the branches should be cut close to the trunk,
so that no dead stumps shall be produced on the
tree, and »bark Avill readily grow over. Many
persons cut off branches of trees in midsummer,
in order that the returning sap mny speedily
clothe the wound with new bark, but the loss of
much foliage in summer injures the tree, and
besides, painting the scar removes all danger of
rotting at the wonnd.

Some judgment is required in pruning flower-
ing shrubs, roses, etc., although it is usual tc act
as it it were one of the most conunon-place opera-
tions. One of the most clums}' of the hands is
connnonly set with a pair of shear.s, and he goes
through the whole place, clipping off everything
indiscriminatel}'. Distinction should be made
between those flowering shrubs that make a vig-
orous 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 strong and vigorous growth. Those
specimens that already grow too strong to llower
well, should be onl}' lightly pruned ; and, in the
same individual, the weakest shoots should Ijc
cut in more severely than the stronger ones.
Some things like the Mock Oranges, Lilacs and

1870.

TEE GAB.DEjYER'S MONTHLY.

others, flower on the wood of last 3'ear — to prune
these much now, therefore, destroys the flower-
ing ; while such as Altheas, which flower on the
young wood, cannot be to severely cut in, look-
ing to that operation alone. AVe 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 pi'cceding year ; vSnowy Mespilus,
Dwarf Almond, the dilTercnt kinds of Androme-
das, Azaleas, Kahuias, Rhododendrons, Caly-
canthus, Corchorus, Cornelian Cherry, and the
Dogwoods ; Philadelphuses, D^utzias, Me-
zereon, Leatherwoo:!, Fothergilla, Golden Bell,
Hydrangeas, Itea Yirginica, Jasmines, Privet,
Upright Fly and Tartarian Honeysuckles, Py-
rusjaponica; the Missouri and other ornamen-
tal Currants ; most of the early flowering Spi-
raeas, Dwarf Pavias, Snow Berries, Guelder Rose,
Wiegelia rosea, Persian and other Lilacs, An-
nual Roses.

Shrubs that flower from the in*esent season's
growth ; Amorpha fruticosa, Ceanothus Ameri-
cana, Bladder Senna, Coronillas, Burning
Bushes, Genistas, Scotch Broom, Althsea, Hy-
pericums, such as Kalmia,num, prolificum, etc.;
Green-fringe, Flowering Locusts, the Fall-flow-
ering Spiriieas, Tamarix, Vitex aguiscastus, &c.

These lists also embrace the most desirable of
ornamental shrubs in cultivation, from which
the amateur may select when the planting sea-
son arrives.

GREENHOUSE.

The season of the year has arrived when this
department of gardening is more attractive than
any other. It is one that calls for a great part
of a girdencr's skill— indeed intelligent garde-
ners can seldom be found willing to accept a sit-
uatiorf where there is " no glass."

Glass houses of late years have become so pop-
ular since their economical building has been
better understood, that it is rare indeed that we
do not find in most gardens, however small, the
owners of which have any pretention to taste or
elegance, a plant cabinet of some kind — whether
it be a conservatory or greeenhouse, large enough
to demand the constant care of an intelligent
gardener ; or a small case of a few dozen plants,
under the management of some lady of the fami-
ly. The methods of culture of plants too are
better understood than they were formerly. At
one time specific directions were thought essen-

tial for nearly every variety of plant. Now a
few general rules, varied to suit circumstance
when once understood, render the culture of
plants in a general sense, easy. Whereas, at
one time as many variety of soils as there are
drugs in an apothecary's store, and a prescrip-
tion giving the exact proportion in weight or
measure of each simi)le material was the rule for
success ; now any light rich porous loam an-
swers for most purposes ; and only those who
seek great perfection in their particular foucies,
pay particular attention to any great minutiae of
soils.
The surface soil, containing the spongy mass

of surface roots, from a wood ; the first two
inches of an old pasture-field ; the turfy spony
mass called peat from sandy bogs or swamps ; a
little well decayed hot-bed manure ; some sharp
sand ; are now about the only "elements " that
the most skillful gardener cares to have by him ;
and many a good gardener has to find ■ himself
minus of some of these, and be satisfied.

The soil for potting should be used rather dry;
that is it should be in such a condition that it
will rather crumble when pressed, than adhere
closer together. Lai'ge pots— those over four
inches should have a drainage. This is made
by breaking up broken pots to the size of beans,
putting them in the bottom a quarter or half an
inch deep and putting about an eighth of an inch
of old moss or au}^ similar rough material over the
mass of "crocks" to keep out the earth from
amongst it. Little benefit arises from draininir
pots below four inch, the moisture filtering
through the porous pots quite fast enough ; and
the few pieces of "drainage" often thrown in
with soil placed right over, is of little or no use.

In managing plants, treatment depends on
what we want of them. If we want them to
bloom as soon as possible, we keep a high and moist
temperature ; if we wish to keep them back, we
keep the temperature as low and dry as the
plants will bear. In the Camellia for instance,
those we want to flower now, or soon, should
have a temperature of 45^ to 50^, and if the
house be not naturally moist, should be often
syringed with clear water, soft water when to
be had, and always made, by adding warm wa-
ter, of the same temperature as the house. If
the flowers are not wanted till March or April,
38' or just above freezing, and the atmosphere as
dry as possible at that degree, should be the
rule. When Camellias arc in bloom, if the
house ])e kept moist, the temperature should

THE GARDE JEER'S MOjrTHLY

Janiiaiy,

not be allowed to fall suddenly, or moisture will ,
condense on the petals. For forcing, we have
gcnerall}' found the strong growing kinds most I
successful : those of the Anemone flowered sec-
tion for instance. Azaleas rquire much the i
same treatment as Camellias. The best time
for repotting these, as it is of almost every plant
that requires but one yearly repotting, is just
before the new buds start into growth. It is not
well to have pots removed into larger ones., un- i
less they are very full of roots ; nor into a much
larger one than the plant was in before. AVhen
too large a pot is employed, much of the benefi- I
cial elements the soil contains is carried away by ;
daily waterings before the roots get the benefit
of it. Occasional repottings of fresh soil are ad-
vantageous to plants for the same reason. i
This is the proper time to trim Camellias, ;
Azaleas or any other strong-growing greenhouse
plant, thai may be desirable to bring into a good
shape. Those shoots that are required to grow
the fastest should be pruned in the most severe-
ly—those that are already' strong and vigorous
if in their right positions should be let alone.
Sometimes a strong shoot is growing where it is
not wanted, and cutting away might make thfi
matter worse, as the young bud near the cut will
push all the stronger for the pruning ; but these
are to be pinched right out after they push.
Sometimes Camellia buds drop— most generally
from injury to the root — the fibres either wither-
ing for want of water, or rotting from too much.
An atmosphere in which the soil does not re-
quire frequent watering is the best security
against this trouble. There is no sweeter pot
plant than the Daphne. They like a cool and
damp place. Epacris, Acacias, and most of
these hard-wooded greenljouse plants, frequently
suiler from too much heat at this season ; 4U3 to
50^ is quite enough for them. In England where
these plants are grown to perfection, they never
apply tire heat except when mats are insufficient
to keep out the frost. Cinerarias, FucJisias,
Calceolarias, Pelargoniums, and such soft wood-
ed greenhouse plants, of which fine specimens
are desired, should have their final shift now,
their branches tied out a litUe so that every leaf
has room to devclope itself, and get all the light

possible;

In the choice of greenhouse plants we often

feci sorry that our old liisliioned Ijlooming plants
should be so much neglected for some new fash-
ioned fciUow, whose only merit may be a curl of
the leaf, or pig tail down the back of the flower.

We would not discourage these by any means, —
let us have plenty of these rarj and curious
things,— but at the s une time let us have those
banks of blossoms which once made our
old greenhouses so gay, even if the individual
plants are not quite so well grown.

WINDOW PLANTS.
These suffer much at this season from the high
and dry temperatures at which it is necessar}',
for human comfort, to keep our dwellings. Air
can seldom be admitted, fj-om the lowness of the
external temperature. Saucers of water under
the plants do much to reniedy the aridity from
which room plants sufit-r. I n such cases, how-
ever, so much water must not be given to the
plants as to those without saucers. The water
is drawn up into the soil by attraction, and
though the surface will appear dry, they will be
wet enough just beneath. The more freely a
plant is growing, the more water it will require ;
and the more it grows, the more sun and lisht it
will need. In all cases, those which seem to
grow the flistest should be placed nearest the
light. The best aspect for room plants in the
south-east. They seem like animals in their
affection for the morning sun. The first morn-
ing ray is worth a dozen in the evening. Should
any of our fair readers find their plants, by some
unlucky miscalculation, frozen in the morning,
do not remove them at once to a warm place,
but dip them in cold water, and set them in a
dark spot, where they will barely escape freez-
ing ; sun light will only help the frost's destruc-
tive powers.

VEGETABLE GAKDEX.

Cabbages and lettuces in frames for protection
through the winter, should have all the air pos-
sible whenever the thermometer is abote the
freezing point ; when it is below, they need not
be uncovered. They require no fight when there
is not heat enough to make them grow. Ex-
amine for mice occasionally. If noticed, soak
peas in water till they swell, then roll in arsenic,
and bury in the soil. They prefer these to let-
tuce when so prepared.

The preparing of manure ready for spring ope-
rations, at every favorable opportunity, should
not be forgotten. Next to draining and subsoil-
ing, nothing is of more importance than this.

Aluch has beou said of guano, phosphates,
&c.— all very well in certain cases— but nothing

18'f0.

THE GARDEJYER'S MOJVTHLl.

is so well adapted to the pernanent improve-
ment of soil as manure composed in the main of
decomposing vegetable matter. It is always light
and porous, thereby allowing air to circulate
freely through tlie soil ; it absorbs moisture,
which in dry weather is given off to the drier '
soil slowl}', to the advantage of the plants near
by ; and, what is not a small point in its favor,
it aids in giving a dark black color to the soil,
which renders it so much warmer in early '

spring; and, by so much, better adapted to the
early raising of vegetables. It is also a good
rule to have the manure well decomposed before
using it. There are few things which do not
object to fresh manure, and a still fewer number
that might, perhaps, prefer it ; but the major
part do best in thoroughly fermented material.
Leaves, litter, and refuse vegetable matter of all
kinds, should be got together at every favorable
opportunity, and well mixed in with manure.

CO^IMUNICATIONS.

LETTEKS FROM THE PACIFIC COAST.

Salt Lake City, OdoUr 13(/i, 1869
Dear Jfonthly : Among the large parly that
left Philadelphia on the evening of the the Gth of
October, bound for the Golden State, was one,
who, from childhood, had longed for an oppor-
tunity of beholding the varied and enormous veg-
etation of the Pacific Coast ; who, in many a bril-
liant day-dream had climbed the Sierra Xevada ;
rode mustangs among huge masses of flowering
shrubs, and beneath the giant pines that skirt
the glorious Yo-Semite, — and then in imagina-
tion, would soar away to the Sequoia groves,
with their old tops shattered and scarred with
the tempests of centuries ; and see as if in per-
son, their tremendous bodies, standing like tem-
ples of a past age, their rough, shaggy bark
marking them out by a glance from their lesser
companions : — and again, mingling in his dreams
would appear the rich productions of tree and
vine, which a mild climate has so generously
lavished upon this favored state. The reality
has so far exceeded the visionary, that the wri-
ter trusts his readers may feel some little interest
in the narration of his wanderings.

The ride through the States has now become
an old story ; but to the writer always new, as
he sees for the first time many a little homely
waj-side plant thrusting up its head for recogni-
tion; but railways are poor conveyances for botan-
izing, and with a backward, wishful glance, we
go whirling past scores of unknown candidates
for our herbarium, until we reach the "Father
of AVaters." On the morning of the 9th, we
awoke to find ourselves steaming across the
broad prairies of Iowa, a great rolling country
stretching away for many miles, as far as the

eye can reach, with immense fields of wheat and
corn on every side, the crops givinii evidence of
a highly fertile soil. We arrive at Council Bluffs
about 12 o'clock, M. , and cross over the rapid
muddy waters of the Missouri to the city of
Omaha. Xebraska. This place, tl'e eastern ter-
minus of the Union Pacific R: R., contains about
50,000 inhabitants, and is rapidly increasing in
size. Our arrival here "three houi's behind
time'' in railroad phrase, gives a short interval
for inspection, nnd we are consequently hurried
on board, and now fiirly start on our ride through
the wilds of the West. For many miles are evi-
dences of cultivation, but before night closes in
upon us, we see nothing but the unbroken level
prairie, with the hills in the far distance. We
pass Elkhorn. Fremont, North Bend, Schuyler,
&c., all true western towns, eaeh composed of a
cluster of lonely-looking one story hou:<es, the
larger portion of wliich are conspicuously labeled
'^Saloon," "Restaurant," "Hotel,'' and other
alluring and suggestive titles. The streets are
plentifully strewed with the "modern signs of
civilization,"' i. e., empty bottles and well-worn
cards,— gentle (?) recreations, largely indulged
in by the inhabitants of all such embryo cities.
Another night's rest, and we awake to find the
air clear and bright, as we stop at Sidney, to
breakfast. Herds of Antelopes are now seen
gracefully cantering over the hills ; ;ind we pass
numerous lar<j;e villages of Prairie Dogs, the lit-
tie inhabitants running from mound to mound,
or standing erect and greeting us with their fee-
ble bark. Their occasional companion, the Owl,
is seldom noticed. The large Jack Rabbit hops
aside among the tall grass, and a fierce looking
Cayotte or Prairie Wolf, gazes at us as we pass

THE GAHT)EJ\'ER'S MO^'THLY

January,

his lair. At Chej-onne City, the largest town
hetwccn Omaha and Corinne, we have a short
time to f xnniinc the dried specimens of i)hints
surrounding us, but find nothing of interest,
their hoautj' having departed with the rainy sea-
son. "We are now at an elevation of r),9'31 feet,
on a hroad open plain, the soil gravelly and
abounding in marine fossils. This place boasts
ofseveral fine stores and comfortable dwellings,
although in 18G7 it consisted of but one liouse.
In the distance are the U. S. barracks, with the
'stars and stripes" floating from the flag-stafl^,
lK?noath whose folds many a 'boy in blue"
dreams peaceful visions of the dear ones at home,
"We are now passing through Wyoming Territo-
ry, with Colorado just south of us, teeming with
its rich ores and precious metals which time
must more fully develop ; and as night again ap-
proaches, reach Sherman, the highest point of
the Rocky Mountains over which we pass The
altitude is here 8,23."> feet. In the far distance dim
ly looming up, we see Pike's Peak and Long's
Peak. The smaller vegetation is still confined
to patches of coarse grass and plants, with an
occasional shrub along the streams ; and for the
first time in many a weary mile, our eyes are re-
joiced with the sight of a tree, and soon large
clumps of a peculiar short-leaved species of Pine
are neared. Passing rapidly by, we suppose
them to be P. edulis, from the general appear
ance and small cones. At llawlings, we stop
for supper, and have an opportunity to examine
the repulsive Sage bush, a straggling shrub,
with a disgusting odoriferous quality, which is
found all over this section of country, where
nothing else can survive. The air is now un-
l)leasantl}- impregnated with minute particles of
alkali, and white flakes of the same are seen in
many places. As we retire lo our berths, we
pass over the ''back-boue" of the Rocky Moun-
tains,— the great divide of the Continent ; a bar
rcn spot witli uneven desolate hillocks and snndy
flats, entirely di-void of interest. At Carter's,
on tlie morning of the lltli, we once more alight
for a short time, and are soon after en route
llirough the bleak region of Utah In the dis-
tance wt- can distingui.'sh pines on thu mountain
slopes, and a species ui' Pojdar along Ikar River;
these, with a dwarf Willow, are the only ligue
oMs forms tiiat greet us. About noon, we enter
upon the grass country, and soon after arrive at
Echo Canon We hid adiiiu for awhile to bar-
ren tracts, and standing on the rear platform of
our train, feast our eyes on the grand secnjry

by which we are surrounded. On either side,
the mountains rise to a great height; in some
places almost perpendicularly, in others with a
gradual slope. "We gaze spell-bound at the great
red sandstone bluffs, all worn and seamed by
many a storm, and see with startling distinct-
ness, the forms of many a ruined castle, the
gothic colunms fretted over with rare mouldings
and quaint designs, standing out in bold relief,
one thousand feet above our heads. Through
this deep defile, our engine ru.shes swiftl}' on
with a continuous scream, the eehos reverbera-
ting back from hill-top to valley,— through
chasm after chasm awful in their depth, until we
leave the cliffs behind, and out into the open
vale again, where we stop at Echo City. Pass-
ing along the banks of the Weber River, we see
no change in the vegetation, but pass a few Mor-
mon settlements scattered on the mountain side,
and in the fertile valleys, their little farms irri-
gated and tended with the gi-eat care Soon we
near the narrows of Weber Canon, similar in

some respects to the last.

Many evergreens, possibly Red Cedar (.Tuni-

perus virginiana.) and Edible-fruited Pine (P.
edulis,) with Willows, Poplars, &c., are growing
here. Rushing past the ^^One thousand mile
Tree^'*' (an old veteran pine, which, by a sign
board on its trunk, reminds us we are that dis-
tance from Omaha.) we again enjoy the most
n.agnificent scenery imaginable.

The Weber river runs for forty miles down
this deep glen, with the mountains on either side
towering fixr above. We have barely time to
glance at the "DcriZ's S?icZc," a wonderful freak
of nature, formed by two ridges of rock, extend-
ing side by side up the whole length of the moun-
tain slojie. We rush through long tunnels and
over high trusscl-work bridges, with the great
masses of rock above us on every side, and the
river plunging torrent-like over its stony bed at
our feet. We leave Weber Stution behind us, a
Mormon settlement of some note, with its little
adobe cottages, and soon are abreast of the
"Dfri7'.s Gale,'''' where the river comes roaring
and tumbling down among the rocks, through a
narrow chasm between ils high and massive
sides. We glance at tliis sublime spectacle as
we pass over fifty feet above the seething caul-
dron, and on once more to the open plain, until
we arrive at Wintah Station. Ileie we leave the
cars for a time, and take passage in the strong
four horse coaches, liound for Salt Lake Cit}',
myself in an outside seat, where I can fully en-

1S70-

THE GARDEJVER'S MOjYTULY.

joy the delightful view. On the one side, sreteh
injT away in the far distance, is the blue waters
of the Great Salt Lako ; on tlie other, the "Wah-
satch Mountains in all their beauty, rising grand-
ly to a great height Our road for several miles,
is over a rough hilly country, winding amidst
masses of Scrub Oak (Quercus ilicifolia,) and
Sage bush ( Artemesia). The grain raided in this
valley is of prime quality, and the straw exceed-
ingly bright and han:lsome. We notice many a
little orchard of thrifty trees, and clamber down
from our perilous perching place, to obtain some
luscious 3-elIow Gages and Peaches Apricots
are here in perfection, and the Apples and Pear dif-
ficult to excel in appearance. At dusk, we pass
by the '"ITot Sulphur Springs" boiling up out of
the ground in a thick volume, from the foot of a
high rock ; and the air for a considerable dis-
tance is impregnated with the disgusting odorif
erous vapoi*. We arrive at our destination in
the evening, a distance of 30 miles from the rail-
road ; and the ensuing morning are up betimes,
and ready for our excursion around Mormondom.
The City is charmingly situated on a level plain,
with the streets regularly rectangidar, very wide,
and especially neat and clean. Oa each side of
every thoroughfare, runs a stream of pure limpid
mountain water, rendering the air cool and
pleasant, as well as providing an excellent sani-
tary measure for the preservation of health-
Bordering the streets ax'e also avenacs of trees,
principally of the Common Yellow Locust (llo-
binia pseudo-acacia), affording a speedy and re-
freshing shade to the low one story residences.
The houses are generally formed of sun dried
bricks or grey granite, and present a very cosy
home like appearance. Around each, is the in-
evitable garden, well stocked with fruit trees,
vines and flowers, whilst the luxuriant vegcta
blcs in many, gave evidence of well stocked lar-
ders. The scarcity of rain in all this region, is
counterbalanced by introducing the water from
the streets and irrigating the whole place. Tiiis
is free to all, and the supply is ample. Timber
and coal can be procured in the mountains, but
is ditUcult of access ; the former selling in the City
at 820 per cord, and the latter at S17 per ton.
The Tabernacle is an immense building, capa
ble of seating S 000 or 10,000 persons, and boasts
of one of the largest organs in the country.
From the roof, we had an extensive view of the
surrounding district for many miles. The resi-
dence and buildings of President IJrigham

Young are opposite, wherein are quartered his
extensive household, and different officers of the
tything fund. The markets are bountifully sup- .
plied with excellent meats of every description,
and the display of fruits was really splendid in
appe.i ranee, although somewhat lacking in fine
flavor. The Peaches are principally seedlings,
and the many fine varieties of clingstones seen
here are unknown to our pomologists of the East,
In fact the larger portion of all kinds of fruits
grown in this section, have originated in the vi-
cinity. The Grapes are all of foreign parentage,
of large size, and well colored, but not of bes^
quality. As an offset, however, I have not no-
ticed the work of a destructive insect since I
have been in the place,— not a curculio mark,
not a destructive fungus on tree or fruit, nor a
borer or voracious caterpillar on tree or vine.

The following measurements and weights I
noted down, as I passed through their market
Boston marrow squash 13| pounds ; cucumbers 2
feet long ; onions (grown from seed the present
season,) 1^ to 1^ pounds ; celery 3 feet high and
ten inches in circumference (the plant). Pota-
toes of enormous size, mostly seedlings of the
place ; the Early Rose was here quite small ami
of poor quality, so we were informed. It is said
in this valley, there are about 2,000 acres annu-
ally devoted to the cultivation of sorghum ; 900
in apple trees ; 1,000 in peaches ; 75 in grapes ;
195 in in currants, &c , &c. The main portion
of their fruit is dried, and stored away for winter

use. , . -

When I looked around upon this thriving city

25,000 inhaMtants, hundreds of miles from civil-
ization, in th-3 midst of a desert country, and
surrounded by savage tribes, I could not but ad-
mire the perseverance and undaunted courage of
its founders. And were it not for the curse of
\i^ liccuUar imt^tatlon, hanging like an incubus
around it, and threatening at any moment to be
its destroyer, all would rejoice to do it honor.
Why any Christian people that have been so
bountifully blessed "in basket and in store"
shoidd so flxr overlook their obligatif)ns to the
generous Giver, as to flagrantly transgress his
laws openly and defiantly, is beyond my ability
to discern. We turn our backs on Salt Lake
City, with its plurality of wives, and return with
pleasure to Wintah, whence we shidl resume our
journey once more Westward ; but reserve the

narrative for another letter.

Very sincerely, &c.,
JoiiAii I loo I' lis.

TEE GARDEJVER'S MOJ\''TnLY.

January,

LAXDSCAPE GARDENING.

BY CHARLES II MILLER, PUILADELPHIA.
lieod before the Pn. Iforlictiltural Socie/i/, Dec. 1th, 1S69.

Tho growing taste among our citizens for re-
sidences, when they can enjoy country life, beau-
tiful scenery and rural emjoyments, induced me
to select this subject for discussion this evening.

ITow to improve and adorn dwellings and
grounds in the country, so that they shall afford
an increasing pleasure, aud continue to attract
their occupants to remain, becomes then an im-
portant question, at once apparent to a rellective
mind. I will, therefore, briefly point out some
of the principles and rules of the art of Land-
scape Gardening, as a guide to those who are or
may become interested in rural enjoyments.

The love of country is so intimately connected
with the pleasures of home, that whatever leads
man to gather around him the comforts of life,
tends to increase local attachments, and renders
domestic life more delightful, thus not only add-
ing to his own comfort and enjoyment, but also
to the happiness of others.

The art of Landscape Gardening may be divi-
ded into three separate classes : the Ancient or
Geometric, in which one sees beauty in straight
lines, regular forms and uniformity everywhere ;
in the Picturesque, where one enjoys a certain
wild and incoiuplete natural hariuony, so delight-
ful to lovers of country life ; while the Beautiful
furnishes the highest and most perfect develop-
ment of art in modern Landscape Gardening.

The Ancient, or Geometric style of gardening,
is not so much an element of interest in this
country as it should be, for it must be confessed,
that there is much to admire in its artistic and
regular forms ; in its long and ninjestic avenues;
in its perfectly straight and handsome walks and
promenades, and in the exquisite shapi-liiu'ss and
symmetry of forms ; and because of its polished
and domestic air, which readily admits the in-
trf)duction of architectural embtillishments,— of
vases, fonut:iiiis, and other harmonious acces-
sories.

Tlie Beautiful and the Picturesque arc the
modern elements that enter into the composition
of our Landscape Gardening; and although the
Beautiful and the Pictuiesque may be considered
quite distinct, yet it by no means follows that they
may not be combined in the same landscape, by
artistic jilatiting It is often so seen in nature,
and in landscapes of larire extent they are gene-
rally found thus harmoniously combined. It

must, however, be remembered that while the
Landscape Gardener is an imitator of nature,
yet he should never attempt her on such an ex-
tended scale as to be incapable of the same ex-
tended harmony and variety of expression. — con-
sequently where a place is of limited extent, and
only admits of a single phase of natural expres-
sion, the effort should be to heighten or make
that one charncter predominate : thus adopting
either the Beautiful or the Picturesque, in pre-
ference to a confused combination of both.

When, however, a private or public place of
large extent comes within the .scope of the Land-
scape Gardener he should embrace the opportu-
nitv, and give to each stvle a separate and distinct
expression, suitable to its genernl character

The dwelling beini the most important, and
consequently the leading feature, the choice of a
site is a matter of some consideration In fact,
too much attention cannot be given to the matter
of location, and other matters connected with the
choice of a suitable spot to place the house. In
most cases, and where it is possible to accomplish
so desirable a result, a site should be selected
\\ here there is some wood or a few already grown
trees upon it. It is better to forego some other
fancied advantage or yield a little in the extent
of prospect, in order to accompli.sh this important
matter; for I have srenerally found that those
who have paid little attention tr, this subject,
but commenced improvinir on a bleak, bare loca-
tion, have been among the first to lose courage
and faith in country homes. Knowing this to be
so, I earnestly urge this fact on the attention of
those interested in rural improvements, for it
seldom happens that the Landscape Gardener is
called in before it is too late to remedy Ibis mis-
take, as every one fancies himself perfectlj' ac-
quainted and able to judge of h's own wants, and
consequently endeavors to plan and arrange his
own residence. Ilaviu'j: little practical know-
ledge and few correct principles for his guidance,
it is not surprising we so often see mistakes,
end in great waste of time and money. Even
tho.ise that are most familiar with the subject
oftentimes fmd obstacles in the ]u-actice. crrnwing
out of the dilference of soil, climate and other in-
fluences, which have to be overcome.

The improver who combines with practical
knowledge the refined taste to' detect the true
character, and builds, plants, and embellishes as
he should, conslantiv aiming at perfection, will
soon arrive at a far more satisfactor}' result than

1870.

THE GARBEJfER'S MOJ^THLY.

one who works at random. The latter may and
often does succeed in producing pleasant grounds,
and certainly do add to the general beauties and
appearances of the surrounding country ; but the
former, working with taste and correct principles
of the art, will not only attract the attention of
the general public, but will command the admi-
ration, and impart a lasting pleasure to the most
reflned and cultivated taste.

PLANTING.

Ifothing, at first thought, would appear more
easy than to arrange a few trees in the form of a
natural and beautiful group ; and to one that
knows how to do it, it is certainly an easy mat-
ter ; yet experience has shown that the generality
of persons, in their first attempt at ornamental
plantimz, make ludicrous mistakes, and encounter
such mishaps, that generally ends in confusion.

In the disposition of trees and shrubs, either
in that of the Geometric or in that of the I^a'ural
system of planting, great care is required in the
selection, and in the arrangements of the varie-
ties. The planter should be thoroughly acquain-
ted with the different varieties of trees and
shrubs : as the great difficulty in planting so as
to produce the pleasing effect desired, consists
chiefly in selecting the kinds that are to succeed
each other, in color of bloom and foliage, and at
the same to arrange them with due regard to
height and form, maintaining that requisite am-
phitheatre-like arrangement, from front to back
of plantation, as to present to the spectator, in
walking along, the appearance of a beautiful
symmetrical outline. In doing this, however,
care must be exercised so as to preserve that in-
dividuality of form so essential to produce that
pleasing effect, which is the object aimed at.

The form or plan of the shrubbery should be,
and generally is, a winding border, with hand-
some curved outlines, and generally accompanied
with a walk, — sometimes with a walk on both
sides, or passing through or along its front.
Shrubs are b3st adapted to the embellishment of
small gardens and pleasure grounds, that do not
admit trees of larger growth ; there they can be
used to great advantage, and although they do
not possess that grandeur of form and outline as
larger trees, it is folly to plant the latter in places
that dc not admit of the necessary room for their
development.

The Shrubbery is often a matter of utility as
well as of ornament, and is often made for the
purpose of obtaining an agreeable walk to some

particular place or scene, such as an elevated
spot, where the best views of the surrounding
Country can be had, or leading to summer houses,
rustic seats, grottoes, and other places of especial
interest ; and of course the most desirable is one
where both of these objects are combined, as in
that case it gives the greatest satisfiction. /

When used for the purpose of screening the
outhouses or vegetable garden from the view of
the house ; for sheltering the latter or the garden;
connecting or separating the garden from the
laAvn and flower-garden, the shrubbery then be-
comes useful as well as ornamental ; and when
arranged and planted in an artistic and tasteful
manner, with a judicious admixtui-e of choice
and select dwarf evergreens, can be made highly
attractive.

In closing these remarks, I will just say, that
I think the system of Landscape Gardening called
the Beautiful, which is really a mixed or transi-
tional style, partaking partly of both the Geome-
tric and Natural systems, is the best.

In the former, in which is combined that ar-
tistic uniformity and formality of the one school,
with the freedom and natural grace of the other;
where the former, consisting of terraces, straight
lines and level walks, and other artistic forms
which it is necessary to adopt in the immediate
vicinity of the House, is gradually diminished,
until it entirely disappears, and the Beautiful is
looked upon in all its blended natural and artifi-
cial loveliness.

MULCHING.

BY ISAAC HICKS, OLD W^ESTBURT, L. I.

How often have we regretted when passing
through the country, to see the great waste of a
good thing, when a fire in the field is sending its
smoke to the annoyance often to the travellers
and others. It is but a heap of rubbish you say,
a lot of weeds, potato stalks or corn stalks, that
were in the way. There is that row of trees
along your lane or around your building, that
would have been highl3'' benefited if you had put
them as a mulch around the trunks. There are
those pear trees growing in the grass, and the
soil packed hard and dry over the roots, that
would have rejoiced in the protection this trash
would have given, and would have doubled their
growth, and borne finer fruit next year. You
planted some desirable shade trees may be, by
the roadside, and you deserve the thanks of the
community for so doing, but the soil is poor as

THE GARDEjYMR'S MONTHLY, Jcmvary,

is too often the case, and, if. although it may be
rather unsightly, you would give thorn a mulch of
coarse manure, or even these weeds you are
burning up, liow much sooner they would be ob-
jects of beauty, and rejoice the hearts of all lovers
ofbeautiful and thrifty trees. And further, my
friend, is the apple orchard so thriity and pro-
ductive that a mulch would not improve it ?
We have seen barren knolls produce a fine
growth of grass whore the potato tops and weeds
such as you burn up were strewn. The prudent
farmer will not allow this waste, when his trees
and his orchard if not kept plowed, would be so
much benefited by it. If this rubbish which too
many thoughtless persons burn or neglect, were'
thrown around newly planted trees, not one-half
would die that now do. Some fifteen years ago
we )ilan'ed a number of quince trees, part of
them were put in the fruit garden and kept cul-
tivated, about one-third were planted in grass
land among apple trees. Continual cultivation
so disturbed as we supposed, the quince tree roots,
that those in the garden are now dead, while
those in grass land, and mulched Avith coarse
manure and other things enough to partially
keep the grass from growing, are ijll living, and
are quite healthj' and productive.

QUESTIONS FOR DR. HOUGHTON.

BY PARKER EARLE, SOUTH PASS, ILLS.

Dr. Houghton is justly regarded as an author-
ity in Pear culture, and his boldness and energy
in planting and manairiug one of tlie largest pear
orchards in the world, challenges the admira-
tion of all lovers of Pears. But his interesting
paper in the November number,— while it em-
phasizes many truths,yet contains so many ques-
tionable statements and ideas, which seem to me
calculated to discourage and mislead, that I ven
ture a iisw inquiries co'ncerning them.

The leading theory of the Doctor's paper ap-
ix;ar3 to be, that all Pear culture is a failure
which does not produce very fine "specimen,"
or fxhibition "Pears" as the weight of a crop.
Supposing that not only fair and. shapely, but
very large Pears are meant by these terms, I
ask if it Is essential, that the bulk of a crop of
Pears for the general market should be of extra
size or overgrown ; and if that orchard which
produces a moderate crop nearly every year of
fair sized, well formed and flavored Pears, is to
be regarded as a failure ? My impression has
been, that a majority of consumers, prefer lots

of well grown fruit of medium size, whether of
pears or apples, for general use. The "big
fruits" are a nice thing for creating a sensation
in the exhibition, or for a few fancy dealers as
an advertisement ; but if Pears are even to be-
come one of our staple fruit crops, they must be
grown for the taste of the general market — for
the great mass of plain comfortable livers, who
will regard fancy sizes less than substantial ex-
cellence at a moderate price. Our object should
be to grow pears in such quantity and quality, as
to supply families by the bushel or barrel, just as
apples are sold in our markets, Noivl question,
if your sensible Philadelphia '■^pater fo.milias,'^
would not prefer a barrel of clean fair sized Doy-
ennes or d'Anjous, to the very largest specimens
that could be grown of those varieties. And I
am certain that our first-class hotels, like the
Continental and Fifth Avenue, and a large share
of our retailers, prefer lots of bright-faced shape-
ly fruits of medium size only, to the "magnifi-
cent'specimen^ which often adorn our pxhibi-
tion tables; and for the simple reason,that a barrel
of Pears weighing a pound apiece count out very
badly. And so I inquire again, if all the wri-
ting and the talk, which encourages that system
of extravagant culture, which only can produce
the fancy Pears, and which can only show but
"twelve or fiTteen dozen Pears of one variety" of
"respectable fruit,'' from "the most celeln'ated
orchard in America,'' is not very unhealthy in
its influence over the horticultural community,
and very sad and pitiable in its results, as Dr.
Houghton's accumulated testimony shows ?

But does the Doctor expect us to believe the state-
ment, that "on standard trees, even in their best
condition, scarcely half of anj' crop is marketa-
ble at one dollar per bushel ?" The remark is
certainly not true at all of any respectably man-
aged Western orchard. As low a price as one
dollar per bushel, for the poorest half of any crop
from standard trees, would surprise any of our
Southern Illinois growers, and I fear disgust
them with the dealer who should make such re-
turns. And while it may be true that "the fi-
nest Pear orchards in the United States," —
which are hereby acknowledged to be located
"near Boston or at Hochoster," with possibly a
few around Philadelphia— "cannot produce twen-
ty-five dozen specimen I'ears of any one variety,
(omitting liartlett and Seckei,) without com-
pletely stripping the stock of all its good fruit ;
(the eastern Pear growers must be men of more

1S70.

TEE GARDE JEER'S MOJVTHLY.

than puritan heroism, to hold on to such a busi-
ness !) yet that remark will not be found correct
if applied to some "Western orchards, which make
no pretensions to being the "finest*' in the coun-
tr3'. T could instance the Duchess d'Angou-
lerae, the Belle Lucrative, the Beurre d'Anjou
and others, as having often contradicted such an
assertion. And docs the Doctor forget that Cal-
ifornia has this year sent "specimen Pears,"
not by the dozen, but by the cart-load, to the
Chicago Market ?

While all advocates of moderate culture, or of
culture in grass, will readih^ admit that the lar-
gest specimens will be produced where the ground
is manured and often stirred, yet they claim a
much greater certainty of having more bushels of
equally />(,'/• Pears, withequal flavor,ifnotso large.
The hint that grass cultivated trees necessarily
bear "small scrubby Pears,'' is not quite a fair
one. They need not be small if properly thinned,
while the scrubbiness orscabbiness is due to fun-
gus and insects, and not to the system of culture.
A single fact here, which I will ask the Doctor
to explain I, this 3'ear had Belle Lucratives on
trees with their first crop, and which were grow-
ing finely under "good culture," and nearly one-
half of the Pears on these trees, numbering sev-
eral hundred, were cracked and unfit for anj-^
use ; while on older trees, which had stood in
grass and weeds for two or three years — the
fruit though smaller, was entirely sound and fair.
In a neighbor's orchard, I observed the same
facts. It looks as if the powers controling the
spread of fungus did not understand the Doc-
tor's theory !

M}'- practical conclusion is, that we should
seek to observe those conditions in Pear orchard-
ing, which will give us the greatest quantity of
regular crops of fair clean fruit — great enough in
quantity to sell by the barrel, rather than by the
dozen, and good enough in quality and appear-
ance to please the sensible majority of consu-
mers. Let us discourage all this misleading
nonsense of exhibition, display and talk, which
is fast corrupting the public to a belief that all
fruit to be worthy must be hig. Let us rather
promote the understanding, that Doyenne and
d'Anjous are better than Duchess, and that
Belle Lucratives and Lawrences have far more
value than Vicars or UvedalesSt. Germain, hun-
dred for hundred.

GRAPE CULTURE IK TEXAS.

BY S. B. BUCKLEY.

The native species of grapes in Texas, show
that a large portion of the State is well adapted
to grape culture. Now nearly all of its hills and
valleys abound in native grapes, a description
of which I gave in th(^ Annual Report of the
Agricultural Department at Washington, for
186L

Grape culture is now in its infancy in this State.
Previous to the late civil war, only a few grapes
were cultivated in some few gardens. Since the
war, a few persons have planted grapes for wine
and market. They report favorably, and con-
tinue to plant more of others Seeing the success
of these, their neighbors begin to plant grapes
also ; and soon Texas will rival California in good
grapes and wines. Especially is Western Texas
suited to the grape. Its dry summers and clear
skies are unfit vorable to the rot, and other dis-
eases to which the grape is subject dtiring wet
seasons in other cotmtries.

The experience of Europe and America in the
growth of the grape, shows that a hilly or gently
undulating region, with a dry and moderately
fertile soil and warm summers, not too moist,
produces the best grapes and wines, where they
have the proper care and the proper culture.
We have these conditions in Western Texas, in
its hills, soil and climate.

Not but that fine grapes and excellent ones
may be produced in valleys and on plains. It is
highly probable that future experiments in the
growth of the grape will prove that certain spe-
cies of grapes thrive best in valleys and on rich
river bottom lands, also on the rich prairies of
the West and Southwest. The ]\Iustang grapes
of Texas grow best in such places, and is sel-
dom found in a thriving condition on hills. Some
of the largest vines of the native Labrusca which
I have ever seen, were growing in rich river bot-
toms, and loaded with large fruit. Now as the
Isabella, Catawba and other varieties in ctdliva-
tion are said to have been derived from the La-
brusca, why shotild not they do best in fertile
valleys? Again, the parent of the Isal)clla is said to
have lived in the warmer portions of one of the
Carol! nas— not in their mountaius— then why
should not the Isabella grow better at the south
than at the north ? But it does not ; on the con-
trary, its culture has proved a failure through-
out most of the Southern States.

To return to Texas— to Western Texas— where

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJVTHLY. January,

many Germans have recently engaged in grape
culture, who report that others of their country-
men will soon leave Europe to engage in the
business here. The European experiences of
these men in the culture of the vine, may be ser-
viceabhi to them in this country ; indeed their
careful industrious habits will certainly make
them successful grape growers here.

A few more words regarding the climate of
"Western Texas. It seldom rains here from the
middle of June until in Autumn. 'Ihat is dur-
ing the hot summer and early fall months, we
rarely have long continuous rains, but only show-
ers at rare intervals. This season was an ex
ception : M'hen we had a long rain during the
first days of July, which caused rivers and
streams to overflow their banks and do much
damage ; but such a time was never before known
to our oldest inhabitants. On the contrary, dry
sunny weather is the rule for summer and au-
tumn in "Nrestern Texas, and such weather is
very favorable for the growth of some species of
grape, and the making of choice wines.

The elder Pliny informs us, that the year be-
fore Christ one hundred and twenty-one, was
remarkably suitable for the growth of the grape
and the making of the best wines, on account of
the great heat of the autumn. The wine made
this year was called Vinum Opimianum, from L.
Opimius, who was consul that year. Some of
this wine of that year's vintage, was carefully
kept until the time of the elder Pliny, nearly two
hundred years afterwards. He says it was re
duced to the consistency of rough honey and like
other very old wines, so strong and harsh and bit-
ter,as to be undrinkable until largely diluted with
water. Such wine, he adds, was useful for fla-
voring others, by mixing small quantities of it
with them

Some of the European varieties of grapes do
very well at Austin aiid in other parts of Western
Texas, such as the Black llambuig, the Golden
Chas.selas, the Burgundy, the Esperione and
others. As yet they have only been cultivated
to a small extent in gardens. It is not probable
that they will be as profitable for field culture as
the American varieties, nor is it likely that the at
tempt will be made to cultivate them beyond the
garden.

The American varieties, (at least some of them,
for there arc many exceptions,) do very well h(!re,
such as the Delaware, Concord, Diana, Tlerbe-
mont, Hartford Prolific. Isradla, Ives' Seedling,
and some few others which have been tested and

found to grow well and bear good fruit. The
Isabella and Catawba are both fiiilures here.

In Eastern and Southern Texas, it is probable
that the Scuppcrnong will prove the most profit-
able for cultivation. There its parents, the Vi-
tis vulpina is indigenous, and there the climate
and soil arc similar to many other portions of
the South where the Scupperuong is successfully
cultivated. The Scuppcrnong needs no pruning ;
is said to be a very constant bearer, and to pro-
duce enormous crops— grapes sufficient to make
fifteen hundred gallons of wine per acre ; nor is
it liable to the attacks of insects ; besides, its
wine is said to be superior to any other made in
the United States. All this is claimed for it by
those who have cultivated it for many years,
and who have informed us of their suc(-ess in the
columns of the Agricultural Press at the South.

Here, several varieties of grapes ripen in June,
such as the Hartford Prolific, the Delaware, etc.
These we can send north and sell before north-
ern grapes are fit for use. This is an important
item in favor of grape culture here and in other
parts of the South.

FRUIT GROWING.

BY J. H.

The experience of Dr. Houghton in Pear cul-
ture, very much resembles the trials and difficul-
ties of school teachers. "We have frequently met
with young and inexperienced persons, who hav-
ing been drilled in a normal school, anl read
the best works on school teaching, believe
they can manage a school with as much preci-
sion as a machine shop ; but alas it is not true —
Young America is rebellion-, and disappoint-
ments mar the beautful vision of human perfect-
ability. So it is with many of us fruit growers,
full of ardor when we start, and full of theoreti-
cal knowlodi::e, we intend to grow our fruit ac-
cording to the rules of science ; and we shall have
all of our fruit like those we observe on the ta-
bles at our fairs. But we are all born to disap-
pointment at times, for the seasons and the in-
sects are not at our command. The invisible
fimgus spores blast our bright prospects, and the
frost king nips our hopes in the hud ; but we
have read the Doctor's es.say with one. satisfaction,
and that is, as we now think, the cause of our
moderate success was not altogether in expo-
sure to ocean winds or Long Island soil or cli-
mate, for others have the same failures to re-
cord, and the fruit lit for the exhibition table,
rewards but seldom their toil and skill. We
have pears in grass, and pears in the garden and
orchard, plowed and tilled, and there is but little
dilUavnce in either one, and the victory belongs
exclusively to neither.

1870.

THE GABDEJ\'ER'S MOMTHL^.

EDITOR lAL.

PEACHES UNDER GLASS.

"We notice a paper on forcing Peaches in an
English contemporary recently, in which the
writer attributed many of the failures to the fact
that so many growers expected to get "Peaches
by the peck," We know that, generally speaking,
we are not as successful as our English friends in
any kind of gardening under glass, because there
are not the same inducements for the best garde-
ners to continue in private establishments, as there
are in England. Yet if it is fair'not to expect
Peaches by the peck in England, our fruit grow-
ers under glass, have room for encouragement, for
we have seen them grown in tliis way hxj the
bu!>hel.

It is to be regretted that Peach houses are not
moi'e common in our country than they are.
The tendency of our age is to lose sight of the
pleasures of gardening, and to calculate it as a
mere question of dollars and cents. In many cases a
beautiful crop of Peaches Avould be carefully
measured and priced, and if found to cost a hun-
dred dollars, and the same could be bought for
ninety-nine in the market, it is a chance if the
Peach house does not get converted into a bowl-
alley. To our mind, there are few things

ing

more beautiful than a house full of Peaches in
blossom in early spring, — opening even before
the first spring violet dares to peer above the
snow. This is profit enough to a true lover of
natural beauty. The Peaches are actually
thrown into the bargain.

Peach houses cost so little. A lean-to is far
the best, and the best aspect is the southeast.
No sashes are needed — the now common fixed
roof being as good as any. Ventilation may be
provided for by openings in the back wall, which
will cost less than if framed in on the glass face
of the house. The pitcli should be steep— for a
Peach house, we would have an angle of 45*^
which is ver}' sharp. The floor should be paved
with brick, to give the whole a neat appearance,
and to stand the tubs level. The plants should
be in tubs, boxes or pots, and need not be over
eighteen inches in diameter for very large trees,
and with annual top dressings of rich soil, they will
stay fruitful in these for several years. No fire
heat is required. In very cold climates it may
be as well to put the plants in a barn or shed,
and pack litter in about the tubs to preserve the
roots ; for it is found that in cold dark places
frost will not injure the buds, — and bring the
plants in to force about February. But when-

ever the temperature does not fall below zero,
the plants may remain in their regular positions

in the bouses, and allowed to come on whenever
they find the natural circumstances call them to
do so. Here they may remain till the fruit has
stoned and swelled to nearly their natural size,
when they will be safe from injury from the cur-
culio, and be plunged in the earth up to the rim
of their pots in the open air The fruit is much
better flavored in this way than if suflered to ri-
pen in the fruit house. The inferior flavor of
house grown Peaches is indeed an objection
sometimes made against them.

Peaches are often planted in the ground under
glass in this way. and we know of some instances
where they produce by the bushel. An advan-
tage is, that they require no care in watering.
But it is not so easy tokeep them clear of insects,
and not to go deeply into the matter in this pa-
per, we may say in short, that the plan is not so
pleasing or satisfactory generally as pot culture.

"We think one reason why these things are so
much neglected, is because people think it costs
90 much to build the houses ; but very good struc-
tures for the purpose can be erected for from five
to ten dollars per running foot, according to the
amount of ornament one likes to have displayed
on it.

Of course to have the best and most satisfac-

tory results, an excellent practical knowledge is
required ; but very good success can be had even
with clumsy assistance, if there be some intelli-
gence to occasionally guide it.

SUCCESSFUL PEAR CULTURE.

A friend, in a late contemporary, hints that
we have done injustice to Pear growers, when in
our recommendation of Dr, Houghton's essay to
the thoughtful consideration of our readers, we
virtuall}' admitted that Pear growing was a
failure. He thinks he does know a few, at least
one, who can grow Pears well, if we do not.

We think it unfortunate that in the discussion
of these broad national questions, they should be
taken up in any other than a generous spirit.
The discovery of truth is of far more consequence
than the overwhelming of an antagonist ; and we
are quite sure that though those who glory in the
latter feeling,may think that in our expression we
"said " nobody can grow Pears, those who en-
tered into the spirit of our remarks onl}', know
that we imputed no such thing. Nojournal has
given more credit, if as much, to the great suc-
cess of some of the Boston Pear growers, as we

THE GARDEjYER'S MOjYTRLJ'.

January,

have, — and in the same nurahcr of the magazine
as the expression alhulcd to occurs, we published a
report of the remarlvs of the editor of this maga-
zine at the discussion on Dr. Houghton's essay, in
which the groat success of many growers, in some
parts of Pennsj'lvania was referred to. Certainly
we know of man}' successful Pear growers, — but
for all that our I'eaders know, that, taken as a
great public question, Pear growing has not been
the success which the few, much less the one, has
found it.

■\Ve have frequently to regret the disposition
"we see to dispute in this narrow way, instead of
taking a broad view of the writer's meaning.
Rjturning from our long journey last summer,
we happened to say that in growing strawberries
in hills, Mr. Knox addt;d many incidental prac-
tices. That we had seen people who pointed out
beds on " Knox's " plan as "a failure," when it
■was evident they did not understand what that
system was. Indeed, that the Ilill system, as
practiced hy Knox, we did not see any where
West. Whereupon we find in the Rural World,
that the " Editor of the Garderier''s Mon'hhj says
he saw no strawberries on the Hill system in the
West, — he did'nt see much." Perhaps not. But
the misapprehension as to what we did say is of
some consequence.

growers. This one will be looked for by all those
interested in beautiful hedge plants.

OUPt NEXT COLORED PLATE.

Our frontispiece, given in the December No.
for the volume just past, has received the com-
mendation of many of our friends ; but we think
that, although adding considerably to the
attractions of the work, it is not by any
means second in usefulness to the complete In-
dex given with it. No one should fail to pre-
serve and bind the volumes. They form a com-
plete Encyclopaedia of the progress of American
Horticulture AVe would again refer to the pub-
lishers' announcement, that colored plates will be
given in alternate months ; no expense will be
spared to have these in the highest style of art.
They are given freely to subscribers as the very
best premium we cm offer to them as a recom-
pense fill' tlu/r endeavors to add new names to our
list. They will only be furnished to tho.sc who
subscribe for tlie lohole year, as the cost of these
plates is as much as that of the number without
them. They are really, not pretentiously, given
aicaij.

We have now in hand for our next number, a
plate which we think will be as well received as
our last, whieh was of especial iutcrcst to Fruit

IMPROVEMENT OF ALPINE STRAW-
BE KRIES.

The attention which has been drawn to the Al-
pine Strawberries,in consequence of the introduc-
tion of the one known as ''Mexican, "will nodoubt
result in the imiirovemcntof aclass which has too
long been neglected. Tlie strawberries common in
cultivation were first introduced into Europe
from America ; one portion from Virginia, and
another from Chili. It may seem strange that
a plant obtained from so far south as the Chili
Strawberry, should prove hardy in the highest
northern regions, but so it is. The probability
is that it is geographically an immigrant from a
northern point, as many other things have been.
It is indeed not uncommon for plants to follow
mountain chains far down into hot regions.
Our Linden, Ash-leaved Maple, Magnolia gran-
diflora, and others are found extending down to
the peak of Orizaba, — slightly differing perhaps
from northern forms : but little more than these
differ from one another.

The Fragaria vesca, or European wood straw-
berry has never had much attention given to it,
chiefly because it is not as large as the Ameri-
can. There is always a tendency to admire big
things— a tendency which is all right when we
have good qualities with increased size. There
is also a feeling that this strawberry will not
vary from seed ; but will always reproduce it-
self exactly from seed, and therefore any im-
provement in it is impossible. Tbat this is a
mistake is apparent, from the fact tliat nature
has herself furnished tliree distinct forms. '1 he
common English wood strawberry, the Ilaut-
bois, or higher wood strawberry, and the Alpine,
or highest elevation strawberry, whieh ai-e all
forms of F. vesca. Then we liave white and red
Alpines, and if they vary in color, they must
certainly vary in flavor, for these two variations
always go together.

But those who think there can be no improve-
ment in these, saj^ that they will not hybridize
together as other species will, and tliere can
therefore be no improvement at any rate, beyond
a very limited circle. Our own impression is
that there is really but one species of strawberry
in the whole world ; and the reason why
so many specific names have been given to so
many forms, is because botanists have not been

1870.

THE GARDEjYER'S MOJ^'THLY

acquainted with the laws of clevelopmcnt, and ! difference between Walter Grape and the Diana,
have therefore been 'unable to distinguish be- or none between Romeyn Seedling Strawberry
twccn changes wrought by external influence, [ or Triomphe de Gand, and yet other equally
and those which depend on the plants own in- good authorities say they see abundant diff^;r-
nate laws of form. In all the known species of ences. It will be so with these Alpine races,
strawberry there arc no characters to distin- amongst one another differences will often be ap-
guish one from another, that any seed grower I parently minute, and some acquaintance w th
may not find in a greater or less derjree, in any their mode of variations will be necessary to
Ixid of strawberry seedlings. Therefore there is distinguish them. To one who has no practi-
no reason for distinguishing any of them as dis- cal acquaintance with the variations of the com-
tinct species,— nothing but divergenf races of | mon strawberry, no doubt any bed of strawberry
one specific type, and no physiological reason ^ would look like another, although the pomolo-

why they should not any one of them, easily
h5'bridize together.

That this view of the science of the matter is
correct, Hon. Marshall P. Wilder has proved by
experiment. He has Alpines, Hautbois and
Virginians, so hybridized together, that though
seedlings from each have been raised, it is scarce-
ly possible to tell to which each plant belongs.
We saw these plants in six inch pots last fall on
Mr. Wilder's grounds, and we certainl}'- never
saw more evident crosses. There were some
plants of Ilovey seedling which had been im-
pregnated with pollen from the Royal Hautbois,
also some Wilson and Napoleon III., with the
same male parent, and the proof that the cross
impregnation had been really effective, was ap-
parent from the appearance of the leaves.
Though varying between Hautbois and the scar-
let varieties, no one could detect anything like
Hovcys, Wilson, or Xapoleon III. in the foliage ;
indeed there were far more indications of the
male parent than of the female. We regard
these experiments of Mr. AVilder highly interest-

gist would wonder why the dullest apprehension
could not tell the difference between a lot of Tri-
de Gands, and the Shaker Seedling, and it will
be so with these Alpine forms— only those who
will give them practical attention, and find mmute
differences, which the common observer would
fail to appreciate, will be apt to make much pro-
gress in improving the Alpine race.

IMPERFECT POLLED.

A few years ago the editor of this journal, iu an
address at St. Louis, remarked that in the cat-
alogue of Pear diseases, "general debility"
should be a prominent one. To this was refer-
red the fict that many Pear blossoms which
open do not mature. Dr. Horatio Wood sub-
sequently showed by microscopical examinations
that these unfiuitful Pear blossoms, thouijh ap-
parently perfect, had no pollen in the anthers.
We attributed this to the debility before refer-
red to.

inf

Recently a German naturalist has discovered
not only because of the solution it gives to ' that the poUenof the wild Blackberries of Europe
the problem, as to whether these distinct races | have also pollenless anthers. He uses the fact to
will blend together; tut as very promising of j account for the numerous forms of wild Black-
something good. berries. He says they are hybrids between
Mr. Wilder had a pretty good collection of j original species -mules -and that is the reason
these Alpine forms, amongst others the Red | they have no pollen. This is as interesting- as

Alpine and the Mexican Everbearing Alpine, !
and examining them together there, we both '
concluded, as the writer did on another occasion,
that they were distinct varieties. It may be sug-
gested that many may be unconsciously led into
error in deciding the identity or difiercnce be-
tween two forms of Alpine, by comparing in
their minds the leaf of an Alpine, with the leaf
of an ordinary strawberry. We know in Judging
of our common forms of strawberries, how hard
it often is to tell one form from another— not
only strawberries indeed, but apples, grapes, or
other fruits. One will tell you that there is no

the previous discovery of Dr. VVood. Dr.
Wood's observations on the Pear, however does
not support this use of the facts, as no one
would say the Pear has hybridized with any
other speaes. The apple is its "next friend,"
but it will not enter on any intimate association
with it.

In connection with this, we may say, that on
our grounds is a large Beurre d'Aremberg Pear
perhaps 50 years old, which is apparently very
healthy, and always bears a crop. Usually we
know this Pear docs not come in eating condition
tip December, yet they are quite tolerable in

TEE GARDEJYEH'S MOjYTELY. Janvavy,

October, they Avill however keep till December,
but ahva3's rot at the core first, no matter how
much attention is given to their preservation.
The interesting point is, however, tViat the seeds

are never perfect, and it is ^quite likely that this
deficienc}- of fertilizing power, together with the
early and imperfect maturity, are all due to the
general debility we have before suggested.

SCRAPS ATsD QUERIES.

Substitute for the Maiionia.— "6rree«,"
Baltimore^ Md , asks : "In my opinion there is
nothing more beautiful than the common H0II3'-
leaved Berberry, with its golden yellow tlowers
and green leaves in early spring ; if the plants are
any way exposed to the wind, the foliage gets
shabby, and detracts much from the beauty of
the plant. Is llure any other variet}' of equal
beauty, but hardier ?"

[The .Japan Berberry is hardier — ver}' much
hardier, and in its own w^y is beautiful, but we
think it will never be substituted for the Holly-
leaved. We know of nothing to take its place.]

Plantixg Large OxionSet.s.— J. j\L, asks :
"Last spring I i-eceived for trial from the De-
partment of Agriculture, a packet of seeds of the
'Wethersfield Large Red' Onion. They were
sown early, and grew well ; on .taking them up
lately, 1 find a great many of them are very
large for sets, much larger in fact than those
usually sold for such in stores.

I am told that I should not plant the large
ones next year, as they will surely run to seed ;
but being led by the name to expect something
large, I thought I would ask your advice before
acting. The largest of them arc probably li
inches in diameter. Whilst writing on Onions,
I may state, that an interval of two weeks in the
planting of some setg made a difference in size of
nearly one half, so much does size depend on
early planting of tlicm."

[Large Ouion sets will go to seed ; but if the
flower stalks are broken off as soon as they are
visible, pretty good Onions will result for all.
The smallest sjts are however always the best ]

It is very hard to raise fruit here, except Si-
berian Crab Apples, so we must go on the har-
diest.

I planted two acres in grapes last spriun,
mostly Concords as an experiment, but stiall
make it my business and onlj' business, to have
a fruit garden."

[Seedling Pears will bear in 12 or 15 years.
We think most of our regularly grown Pear
trees are less able to resist di.sease than a seetl-
ling never grafted ; but a tree grafted from a
thoroughly healthy stock is as good as the seed •
ling can be.]

Hahdixess of SKKDLiSQ.—J.T.L.McGrajor,
Iowa, asks: '"From seedling Pears, in what
time can I expect any fruit ?

Don't you consider these seedlings hardier

than grafted trees V

Alpine Stra'V\"berries.— Mr. Campbell says
in the S))mU Fruit Becorder, about some seedling
Alpine Strawberries :

'•The originator had planted seed of the old Al-
pine in a boggy corner of his garden, which had
been filled up with rich earth some eight or ten
feet ; and he produced both pLmts and fruit so
j extraordinary in size, that he really believed he
I had a new and valuable variety. As soon, how-
ever, as the plants were removed to ordinary
garden-soil, with common culture, it degeiiera ted
iuto its normal character, and became simply
the old Red Alpine ;" and the Editor of the Small
Fruit Eecorder adds, "there is some difference of
opinion between Mr. Campbell and Mr.Meehan.''

No difference at all. Rather we quite agree
with Mr. Campbell.

it served the fellow right. Why not be satis-
fied with his fruit of "enormous size" iu boggy
ground. What did he want to plant them in or-
dinary garden soil for? Served him right, we say,
or any body else who, finding they grind excel-
lent corn from the mill-race, move the machine
to the top of the liili, and then complain that
they have no water, and that a grist-mill is a
bad business. Wiiethcr Mr. Whiting's Straw
berry is old or new, don't matter much. If -'old
kinds" can be made to produce such enormous

18]' 0^

THE GAUD EXE IV S MOjYTHLY.

crops as we saw at Dandee— such superb fiiiit as
wo aten.t Dundee, it is worth § 5 per dozen ioknow
how to do it. If one man can't do what another
man can, we say again "it serves hltu right.''

Classes of Roses.— .1. B S., Clifton, JST C—
"I notice in the florist's catalogues many classes
of Roses. T supposed there were but two, those
which bloom only in summer, and those which
bloom several times a year. How are the sev-
eral classes distinguished ? And what is the ob-
ject and use of the distinction ?''

[There are two leading classes, as our corres-
pondent says. June flowering, and everbloom-
ing, — the others are mere subdivisions, and have
their uses, as the plants of the sub-sections are
of different habits, and sometimes require differ-
ent treatments.

The so-called Hybrid Perpetuals or Remont-
ant for instance, are the large Cabbage or June
Roses which have acquired a fall blooming
habit. These June roses have a roundish re-
ceptacle or termination to the flower stalks un-
der the flower, and are called in the lists, Hy-
brid Chinas. The Hybrid Perpetuals can be
readily distinguished from these when in flower,
b3' this receptacle being usually pear-shaped.
They do not generally flower very freely in fall,
but their large sweet flowers and hardy charac-
ter, render them favorites. Of the fall flowerers
there are four very distinct and popular classes:
The Chinas, the Bourbons, the Teas and the
Noisettes. But these have become so mixed up,
that sometimes it is not easy to tell which is
whicli. The Noisettes do not usually possess
very high fragrance, and what they have is of a
musky smell. They usually bear their flowers
in paniculate bunches at the end of the vigorous
summer branches in much the same way that
our fall bearing raspberries do. They flower a
little in summer, but their greatest glory is about
the fall of ihe year. They are mostly rampant
strong growers. The Bourbons api)roach them,
but do not usually grow so rampant, and the}'
flower much more freely, earlier in the season
than the Noisettes, The leaves are usuallyrounder
and of a more glos.sy Juie, and while the Noi-
settes are usually white, or of light shades, the
Bourbons are usually crimson or dark rose.
They have little fragrance, nothing much buc
iheir beauty and free-llowering habit, and ele-
gant foliage to recommend them. The China
Koses are generally dwarfer than cither of the

other two ; flowers very free, and the foliage
long and slender. They have a fair mi.xture of
light and dark color,— are amongst the earliest
to flower, and are generally able to furnish the
"last Ro.se of Summer" to any pathetic poet who
may be looking for a theme. They are not
highly perfumed. They are tolerably hardy,
ranking in this respect with the Bourbons. They
have little fragrance. The Tea ro.ses, have
somewhat the characters of all the other clas.ses.
Some of them are small and delicate, others are
rampant growers ; sometimes they grow in
bunches ; ibut generally they are medium in vig-
or, and have solitary, large and full flowers,
with a waxy texture of the flower stalks and
calyx leaves ; and a delicious perfume. They
flower very easily under glass, and are very pop-
ular for growing in pots for winter blooming.
They are rather tender.

There are other clas.ses, but these are the lead-
ing ones.]

GR.\FTrN-G Apples on the PERsnnioN-.- 7?,,
Macon, Geo —"I have been informed that these
apples can be made to grow on Persimmons. I
can get plenty Persimmon stocks and should bf.
glad if you can give mo any further in formation . ' '
[The statement originally appeared in our jour-
nal, from the pen of a valued correspondent in
Florida, that this could be accomplished, and the
object gained was a greater power of enduring a
hot climate. But we believe our correspondent
Avas misinformed by others, at least we have i-e-
ceived no confirmation of the fact that such
grafting can be eflected.]

Passiflora trifasciata.- p. L. X., mifth-
i'ir.e, Tenn., says : "In your Mohthly of No-
vember, in referring to the Pa.ssiflora trifasciata
as exhibited by Roliert Buist Sr , at the late ex-
hibition, you remark, ' we have not seen the
flower, but suppose it will have also an intercut
with all others of the irenus.'

I have in my stove, a beautiful and well-iirown
specimen, trained on an oval trellis, and" is in
flower at this tinie, thougii not so profusely now
as it was last summir. It was exhibited bv me
at the September display of the Tennessee Horti-
cultural Society, and proved to be one of tlie
choicest as well as most dazzling novelties in the
floral department. Mr. Robert Buist, Sr., sold it
to me about a year ago. In a recent trip thro:ij!i
the North, I visited many private and public

TEE GARDEJVER'S MOXTELll. January,

conservatories, but failed to sec this beautiful
plant, save at the extensive establishment of our
friend Biiist. It is, indeed, all that you claim
for it. and perhaps more, from the fact that it
has Jlotvcrs together wiih foUdfje. I presume,
liowever, you can form no opinion of its size,
.shape or color .from the one enclosed to you. I
^vill simply rrmark, that it is white, and smaller
than the bloom of the well known Passion vinft.
If grown where there is plenty of room in a stove,
I do not believe anything would be prettier.''

quite deep enough, and effective in clay or sand
lands. A DDL

CRATiEGUS COKDATA.— X II. C , Alliens, 0 —
Sends specimens of this very beautiful Hawthorn
and says : ' I will send a small specimen of a
red Haw that I found near this place. Ic is a
Cratfcgus, but as the leaves are off, I can't tell
anything about it. The fruit was very beautiful,
red and very attractive, and quite good to eat-
very soft and buttery. They may not retain that
•when they reach you, but to my (.aste the}' were
fine. I will send an old leaf and a thorn and a
bunch of the berries. How long they have been
ripe I know not. The tree is about 12 feet high,
and has nothing different in appearance fr mu a
common thorn, except the fruit, which may not
be new to you.

Da Houghton on Pear Culture.— I read
the Monthhi of November containing Dr. Hough-
ton's article, and had a quiet laugh to myself;
had you, Meehan, been by, it would have been a
broad one. To day comes the Journal of Ilortl-
raUnre, with a funny taking up of the Doctor's
items as all in good faith and honest belief in ex-
jircssion. And I had another quiet laugh ; be-
cause on reading his article I bethought me of
Prof Turner, as well as of acts of my own —
writing ideas and tjioughts, asserting opinions
and views, for the mere sake of drawing out
others, and thus gaining information, thatb}'^ the
ordinary process of a polite ri^'quest, could not be
obtained. Now, to-day, comes the Montkh/ with
Dr. Houghton's sequel to his novel ; and I have
another and this time a broad laugh in thinking
back, what a month of cavil and (piestioning has
been about nothing. Dr. Houghton in his se-
quel, says he cultivates with a plow. ]f he will
allow a sugg.'Stion, I wouM suggest to him, the
use of Holbrook & Smair.s Cultivator or Horse
Hoe, as tlio only thing m-eded in his groundfj.
M>re rapid in its execution, stirring the soi!

Mammoth Clu-steu Raspberry. A. M.
Purdij, Palmyra, N. K, writes : ''1 notice two
or three slight errors in my article, headed
'Mammoth Cluster Raspberry,' page 363 of Crar-
dener\s Monlhhj.

1. Last line of 1st verse, should read had
growing, instead of 'had grown.'

2. 3rd verse 4th line, should bo 4) years, in-
stead of '70 years.'

3. Last part of 3rd verse, should read variety,
instead of 'quality.'

4. 1st line of 4th yerse should read in Imliana,
instead of Illinois. '

5. Gth verse 3rd line, instead of word 'their, ^
should be these.

These mistakes miy seem slight, but I see a
chance to take advantage of them by certain
ones and hence call your attention to them.''

Productive Grapes.- L. B., FMladelphia,
sends us the following interesting note : "I
have felt that I needed a certificate of credibility,
almost, when at sevei'al times referring to the
numbered bunches of grapes grown ou vines in
my yard ; and I therefore feel greatly relieved on
seeing the enclosed article in the daily Tribune
of Oct. Sth. I think this will show that the
grape is capable of much greater productiveness
than is usually accredited to it:

Mr. Rja presented suine rttie close clusters of grapes
grown in tliis city from a soeilling, and aslced tlie club
to name the variety to wliich they beloaged The gen-
eral opinion was that they were IsaboUas, but some
thou'^ht otherwise. Mr. Lawton pronounced thoni re-
mirkably line Isabellas, produced by careful cultiva-
tion under favorable circumstances, and said that he
had never seen the hardier varieties of grapes— the Lsa-
bella, Ma.=!cadine, Black Eagle, Black Hamburg and
others— succeed so w«U anywhere with slight cultiva-
tion, as in this city. Judicious pruning is all that is
needed. lie knew a shoemaker, down on Water St.^
some 30 years ago, who planted a :Mu.scadine cutt ing in
a little strip of ground by liis shop, and bricliedup the
yard, leaving only the orifice for the stalk of the vine;
he lint a little water on it and pruned It occasionally,
anil It became so luxuriant as to cover the whole jilace,
antl was .SI loaded with fruit that hundreds of people
went to seo it daUy inl/ie bedrincf season. Mr. Lawton
also said that lie had himself had an Isabella grape vine
in Walker St., whi<-h in its fourth year hrid j/icldcd more
iUnn ^)0i) htftchr.s of the jl next qurtliti/. In view of these*
facts he was not surprised at the sniierlor llavor and ap-
pearance of these grapes; he thought, moreover, that if
the Isabella grape always received the aivanage.s
which those had, the ancient high reputation of that
species would be revived In this vicinity, Tlie Chair-

1S70.

THE GARDEJ\^ER'S MO:h''THL^.

man announced to Mr. Rea the verdict of the Club that
they were Isabella Grapes:, and Mr. R. said that he had
bought the seedling for an Isabella, but so many had
declared on tasting the fruit, that it was superior to
that species, that his faith had been shaken Mrs. Bar-
low said tliat she had raised even finer bunches than
those upon a brick wall with south exposure. The
cAofirnwrt spoke of a vineyard in Columbia County, of
500 vines of the Isabella varicty.which produced sevei'al hun.
(Ired bunches to a vine, of a qanlity which he thoupht rcmdd
ooi/jr/rc favorably with the finest varieties which have
been presented to the society this season. He ascribes
this success to the fact that a liberal allowance of solid
bone was placed around the roots of each vine, as ex-
periment had proved to his satisfaction that bone was
the natural food of the grape.

And I also hope that it will encoui'a£;e the
more creneral planting of native grapes. I have
for years felt great interest in ascertaining what
tlie capacities of the vine are, for practical pur-
poses, and for people who cannot afford to build
greenhouses ; and in this purpose I have often
endeavored to enlist our society, feeling regret
at iny want of success."

The "WniTE Ced.\ti. — ^ i., Jacksonville, N.
Y. — This is not a native of your State, but is the
Ciipressu!i thuj/nirles of Xew Jersey and the South .
The so-called White Cedar of the Xorth is the
common Arborvitse.

Prop.^GATTXG Paitlownias — B. 7?.. Fred-
ericksburg, Md. — This is not at all a difficult tree
to raise. 1st, By seeds, sown in light soil in the
spring ; 2d, by cuttino-s, with two joints cut off
and planted in the fall ; 3rd, by root cuttings,
made into 3-inch lengths, and set out in spring.

Root cuttings are most popular. They make
the strongest plants. We agree with you, that
the tree is "beautiful,'' -when that term is con-
fined to a tree in blossom. It is a very rapid
grower, however, and where "fast" trees are
wanted, and little else, it is a first-class thing.

Seedling Potatoes— £. <fc B, Pittsburg. —
' AVe send you, per Express, a sample of our
new potato, which we wish you to cook, and
•'ive us your opinion of its quality. We will
merely state, at this time, that it is wonderfully
productive.''

[We are "shy" of new Potatoes. This one
has a blue skin, and cooks yellowish. After try-
ing raf)st of the kinds, new and old, we found
this year some " White Buckeyes," sent us a
couple of years ago by a subscriber, from Marys
viile, K'-ntucky, " for a name," the best for table
use. We tried those seedlings with those, and

all think them better than the Buckeyes. So far
as flavor and appearance goes, we regard this as
a very promising variety.]

Northern Ramie.-/. B., Columbia, Pa.,
writes : " Enclosed please find a very small quan -
tityofwhat is called "Northern Ramie!'' sent
me by a Missouri correspondent. He states that
you, when there some months since, pointed out
this plant as probably a valuable fibrous plant.
Do you know its botanical name ? and will you
inform me if it is known to you ? A history or
description of the plant, and its probable value,
through the Monthhi, might be interesting to
many others besides myself. Let us k°iow
more about it.''

[This plant is the JJrtica purjmrascens. The
fibre is at least equal to that of the Boehmeria,
now so popular as Ramie ; while it has the ad-
vantage of being a northern plant, and hardy,—
which the tropical one is not ]

Jerusalem Cherry-^/. C. 3/cL., Charles-
ton, III.—"' I have this day sent yeu, per mail,
leaf, stem, bloom, thorn, green and ripe fruit, of
a new kind of plant, the .seeds of which were sent
out from Europe last year, under the name of
Jerusalem Cherry. Plants from seed, this sea-
son, have made a growth of from three to six
feet, and at this time present the novelty of
bloom and fruit, in all the stages of growth up to
maturity, on the same bush. You will areatly
oblige me by giving name, &c "

[This is the Solanum Hgstri.v. The cotnraon
"Jerusalem Cherry," of gardens, is a small red-
berried variety, named Solanum semibaccatum.]

Coxstruction of Plaxt-house-S.- yl. A.
M., Pittsburg. Pa., writes: "In one of your
numbers in fall of 'GS, there was an article on
Economy in Construction of Commercial houses.
Was the subject continued in '00 ? If so, in how
many numbers, and in what months ?"

[We can only say that the manuscript of the
"continuatiim " never came to our hand, and all
our efforts to procure it failed.]

Tomato Duration.— TP''. G.P., Sacrom'nto,
Cal, asks: "Is the Tomato a perennial in its
native country ? It seems to ma at least a bien-
nial.''

[It is rather a biennial,— one of those things
which linger on, not doing as well the second

TEE GARDEj^ER'S MOjYTHLY.

January,

year as the first, bi\t existing long enough to go in the winter, and that the whole functious of
beyond the annual class ] I t^e plant were at rest in the winter season. We

I have done our best to explode this notion in the

Specific Heat in Plants.— L- -F., 'E\:ans-\ Gardener^ s Monthly Leaf growth of course is not
ville, Indiana, says : " If agreeable, 1 will send a j in operation ; bat cell life in all except genera-
short article for the MnUldy on "Specific heat j tion, is as active in winter as at any time,
of plants,'' which, if you find of sufficient interest, | Hence grafting can be done thorugh the whole of

this season, union of scion and stock tokcs place
as freely then as at any other time ; no heat to
start the sap is necessary. A scion put on now
and tied tight, and waxed over, will be thoroughy
united by spring, though the temperature should
not go above 40^ in the sojl, sand, sawdust or
mass in which it may be imbedded. It is not
nccccssary to put them in the open ground after
grafting. The usual plan is to keep the stocks
in any moist material, cool as possible, and set
out in spring. Some few things will unite to-
gether when the scion is set down on the root :
others when placed in the collar of the stock, but
most things do best when set on old wood, just as
in regular tree grafting. The earlier in the win-
ter season the grafts are put on the stronger
they grow, although the operation is continued
imtil the setting time comes.

you ma}' use.

[We shall be very glad to have the article.]

Planting Large Trees. — A Correspond-
(nt says: " My experience is decidedly against
planting large trees. I see reports from Paris
of many of the large trees planted on the new
Boulevards, are now in a sickly or dying state."

[Large trees planted on the old system of
"large balls,"' are not successful; but on the
plans we have frequently given in the Gardener'>s
MonlJdy, trees from about six inches in diameter
and 15 to 20 feet high, do as well as younger ones ]

Seedling Bouvardias— S. B. F., Greenville,
2^_ Y. — " I herewith send you a White Bouvar-
dia, which I believe to be a new production.
Please iufoim me, through the Monthly, whether
1 am correct or not ; and please favor me with
your opinion about it."

[There is a white Bouvardia ; but this ap^jears
to be, (for it is very dry,) a white variety of B.
leiantha, and if so, will be valuable.]

Name or Plant— Subficriler, Allefjhcny, Po..

Your weed is ffiuoi/iera hiennis, — ''Evening

Primrose.''

Female Ailantiius.— TT'. F. B., Jlammon-
ton, 2f. J., asks: "Is it a fact that the female
Ailanlhus does not throw up suckers ? and if so,
can it be propagated from roots V"

[Sex makes no dill'crence in power to sucker.
It can be raised from roots, or top cuttings.]

Winter Grafting. — L. L , Ecansville, Ind.
nays: "AVhat are tiie most necessary rules for

Wax Plants and Pittosporum. — IF. W.,
West lioxhury, Mass. — "Please inform me how
to treat the wax plant so as to induce it to bloom
It is eight 5'ears old. Also a Pittosporum."

[The Wax Plant Iloya carnoi>a and the Pittos-
porum are often shy of flowering when grown
in the shade. We have never known the sun
treatment to fail. Give them them good rich
soil, in not over large pots, and grow all next
summer in the full sun, and we believe they will
flower very freely the spring following]

Demand for Cut Flowers — ^4. Fochei^tcr
Corresiwndent says: "The demand for flowers,
and especially cut flowers, is very much on tlie
increase."

y Have the

grafted trees

winter graftin

be put right after the operation into the

ground in a warm house, to start the circulation

Small Boiler for Propagating House—
L. T., enquires : "Which is the best for this pur-
pose V" and refers to some account in a back vol-

r»f the sap so as to unite the stock and graft by the ume, of !Munroe's Cannon Boiler. We gave an

formation of callous V Could you no give a short
answer in your (/ardener's MonlhUfi I have not
Buccctded with this operation in the befct manner
last winter."

account of that under our "Foreign Intelligtuce,"'
whicli refers to what is being done abroad ; we do
not know of any one in use, in America. Myer's
small boilers are the best of that class. tliat Ave

[The old notion was that the sap was at rest .' know.

1S70.

THE GARDE.yER'S MOJVTHLY.

OEITTJA3?Y.

Joshua Pierce, Washington', D. C.
It is remarkable, that one so Avklely known,
amon;j:st TlorticuUurists, and so hij:!;hly esteemed
for his knowledge and goodness of heart, should
have so quietly passed away from us, without its
becoming generally known. We only learned of
it recently, and feeling it due to one who has
worked so long with us, and who was one of the
first and firmest, friends of our magazine, that
some mention of his worth should go on record,
we asked a friend, who knew him well, to pre-
pare a memoir for us, which we now give :

His father came from Chester County, Pennsylvania,
about the time when the seat of government was es-
tablished at Washington, and settled on Rock Creek
about ;? miles from the city; attracted there by the fine
water power of that stream ; and carried on the milling
business in connection with his farm. He was
born in March, 1795. It was, as I have understood, his
original Intention to study law, but his academical
studies were interrupted by the war of 181"2, when he
was kept liome at to attend the mill, the miller having
been drafted into the army. His studies were never re-
sumed, and in the year 1820, he married, and settled m
ISi^ at Linnrean Hill upon a part of a homestead given
him by his father, where he lived in sight of the house in
which ho was born, until his death at the age 74, April
11.1869.

His taste for horticulture was early developed. He
conducted a nursery for some years at his father's place,
and planted the seeds of numerous trees which he after-
wards removed to embellish his home, and which now
form a grand and towering monument to his memory.
He was tliroughout his life devoted to the cause of hor-
ticulture, and remarkable for his attachment to the
beautiful place on which he lived, a trait so uncommon
among a people so restless and roving as ours. His at-
tachment to his home may be the less remarkable, as
Linntean Hill is renowned for its picturesque and ro-
mantic beauty. In addition to horticulture, he also
devoti'd much attention to floriculture. For many
years, his greenhouse was the only considerable one in
the district. It was a great attraction to the throng of
brlllant spirits who then resorted to the metropolis of
the country. All who were distinguished in the politi-
cal and social circles of the Capital used to frequent the
place to wander among its groves and carry home with
them what wore then rare and costly flowers. Upon
the establishment of other greenliouses In the City of
Wa-shlngton by Douglass, Buist and others, the green-
houseat Linnrean Hill being too far from town, that busi-
ness was discontinued and extensive attention given
to the nurseries, which he conducted until liis death_
He was engaged In the Morus multicaulis movement
with the usual result. He was the first to ajjpreciate
the value f)f the Tennessee Rose, and by hybridization
produced the first varieties of the wide spread and val-
uable family of Prairie Roses. I have heard him say
that Hovey of Boston, claimed tlie merit of originating
the Prairie Rose, but that he was prior to Hovey. Ho
also introduced the Catawissa Monthly Raspberry,
which has proved— particularly In the Southern States
a very Important addltirm to the small fruits. From
the time of the organization of the American Pomolog-
Ical Society, he took an active interest in its proceed-

ings, and attended a numlior of its biennial meetings,
and contributed his experience of the climate of this
region. He was very much Interested in the subject o
Pear r.light,— that questio vcxato with pomologists— and
I believe sent you a paper containing his views for the
Gardener's Mnnthl I/. He maintained a correspondence
with many of the leaders and veterans of pomology, to
whom he was well known. Dr. Brinckle of your city,
was one of his warmest friends, and among his corres-
pondence are many of the letters of Mr. Wm. R. Prince,
\vho was eloquent over Strawberries and Chinese Yams.
Mr. Prince was very hard upon the English, who he
used to say had too little electricity in their luimid cli-
mate to develop their brains. With the lamented
Downing, he was on very cordial terms, and always re-
gretted his early loss to the cause of the advancement
of horticultural taste in America. There is in fact but
little to be told of his life, as it was marked by no sal-
ient features. Many men have raside more noise in
the world, but have accomplished less real good than
he did. He used to say of Fame, that one murder
makes a felon, but the man of ten thousand murders is
a hero. The best that can be said over the tomb of any
man, is the simple phrase: He has done his duty and is
now at rest.

"The boast of horaldv the pomp of power.
And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave,

Await alike the inevitable hour.
The path of glory leads but to the grave."

Large Lemon Verbenas.— F. G. P.. Sac-
ramento, CV/i , writes: "I sent you by thi.s
mall, but in another envelope, a twig of Aloysia
Citriodora— Lemon Verbena. I cut it this day.
from a bush in the open ground, that had been
there without protection for 8 years. It is now
about 8i feet high, showing some four feet above
the fence. A year ago, it was over 12 feet, but
the building against the side and higher than
the top of which it grew, had to be removed,
and the bush was dug up ; but the workmen
were so careless, that they mutilated the roots
very badly— in fact pulled it out by main force
with very little or no digging. I cut it back
about two-thirds, and planted it against a fence,
giving it an eastern exposure, whilst before, it
was protected on the east and exposed to the
west. It has never fully received its pristine
vigor, though it is healthy and doing well, some
of the shoots it made this season being four feet
long. I send it, to show you oold-suftering peo-
ple— I formerly lived in Germantown— that it is
still partially in bloom nothwithstanding the
time of year.

I also send a smaller specimen taken from the
same plant when it was in full bloom in summer
4 years ago."

[This vvas a very vigorous specimen, and we
have placed it in our Herbarium, putting to
shame the small 'bits" which have held promi-
nence there so long.]

THE GAliJJEJ^ER'S MOJVTELY

January,

JN'EAV AIVD HAKE l-RUITS.

Geujiaxtown- Apple.— Mr. Downing has
prepared for us the following note :

This is a pretty apple ; but not, so far as the
specimen before us permits us to judge, one of
the highest flavor. It possesses some interest
however in the circumstance of its origin, as
throwing some light on cross fertilization. The
facts as communicated by a friend from Ger
mantown, are that two trees, oce "Wrigley,"
the other a local variety known as "Sheepnose
Pippin," grew with their branches interlacing

together by them.selves. It is not absolutely
certain which produced the fruit of this seed-
ling, which was found germinating in the ma-
nure of a horse to which the fruit had been fed.
This circumstance from its novelty caused the
plant to be saved, and is only mentioned, as fix-
ing definitely the origin of the pareut seedling.
The tree partakes of the characteristics of the two.
The fruit being of the exact form of the "Sheep-
nose Pippin," but rather larger, and retaining
the yellow ground color of that variety ; while

it has the bright rod of the "Wriglry" shaded
over it.

The tree is l)ut 12 years old, but so far,
shows the habit of the Wrigley. The foli-
age and wood also lavor that variety. There
is little room to doubt that it is a natural hybrid
between two varieties. The following is ihc de-
scription from the single specimen sent to me:

*^Germantown — Fruit medium or above, round-
ish conical, .sometimes oblong-conical, regular-
f>kin pale yellow, .shaded ami mottled witli light
bright red, and a lew broken spla.shes of a darker
red, moderately sprinkled with areolea and brown
dots ; stalk rather short and small, inserted in a
de<p, rather nai row cavity, slightly russcted ;

calyx closed ; segments short erect ; basin ab-
rupt, deep, slightly corrugated ; fle.sh, whitish,
tender, moderately juicy, with a pleasant sub-
acid flavor ; very good ; core small."

The Eumelan Gkape.— W. II. W., Read-
ing, Mass , says :

This new variety is just now attracting a
good deal of attention, and any information in
regard to it from one who has had some little
experience with it, will doubtless be welcome to
many of the readers of the Gardener's Monthhj.

A vine was sent me for trial by Dr. Gr.mt in
the spring of 18GS. Ft was planted in the open
garden with a southern exposure, in a rather

7 4 rv
< /

THE GATxI)E:N'ER'S M0J\ TILLY.

poor gravelly soil. It grew strongly, and though
twice pinched, had by the end of the season
formed a cane about seven feet in height and as
large as a large lead pencil ; it was en-An-hj
healthy. The wood was very hard, and forsuch
a vigorous grower very short-jointed, the inter-
nodes averaging about four inches ; the leaves
■vvcre large, very dark colored, thick and tough :
This season it has made about twenty-five feet
of cane, and has borne nine bunches of fruit.
On account of the vigor of the vine, they were
all allowed to mature. Both fruit and foliage
were entirely exempt from any appearance of
disease. Tlie clusters were some of them small,
and the berries were thinly set ; but this was
only on the upper part of the trellis where there
was no protection from the storms which raged
while the vine was in tlower. On the lovver por-
tion of the trellis were two or thr-e bunches of
very good size and very compact ; one of them
■was nearly as large as the representation of the
grape given by Dr. Grant's pamphlet. The fruit
ripened nearly a week before Miles' (growing at
its side) or Hartford growing near, but with a
western exposure. In quality, the fruit is very
fine. It is more delicate and refined than any
other hardy black grape that has yet been offer-
ed to the public. It has no perceptible pulp.
If it shall prove elsewhere as strong and healthy
a grower as it has thus far proved with me, it
must take rank at the very head of black grapes
for out-door culture.

PiiiNCKLY Apple — I send you specimens of
apples from my orchard. I fear that your at-
tention was never called to the same kind before.
I was never able to ascertain their name, till I
took a specimen to the meeting of the Pomolog-
ical Society, and 'there, S Noble not only told
rae the name, but showed me specimens of the
same kind from his orchard. Since, at the West-
chester Agricultural Fair, I showed them to
John Rutter, who declares them to be what No-
ble called them, and told me he had been ac-
quainted with them for many years. They are
Princely Apples.

I have si.K trees of them, which T have never
known Hail to bear more or less every year ; an 1
they remain in condition to use a limgtime, from
August till December; and they rot less than
any kind of apple I am acquainted with. I
should have sent them earlier, as their season is
nearly over and man}^ of them arc niucli wither-
ed now, but it is not yet too late for you to judge
of their quality. Some persons when they hear
the name of Princely mentioned, think that
Priestl'j is meant. There is no resemblance. I
know the Priestly ; a long apple and very sour.
The Princelys are rather larger and fir.er this

year than usual.

Wm. G B ,

Glen Mills, Pa.

[Princely and no doubt ; and one of our best
sweet winter apples ; and as pretty to look at as
it is good to eat.— Ed.]

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.

The Baldwin Apple ix New^ IlAMPsniuE.
— According to tradition, the first scions of the
Baldwin apple ever brought into New Hamp
shire, were grafted into an apple tree on the farm
of Mr Eleazer Jackson, in the town of Cornish
The scions were cut from a tree in Billerica,
Mass., in or about the year ISOO, at which time
they were successfully grafted into the tree as
above stated, and which is still in a remarkably
vigorous state Last year the limbs of this tree
were fairly bent to the ground with their great
burd(!n of fruit. When the tree first bc^an to
bear its new fruit, the fame of the 1 ardy, re-
markable apple spread throughout that section
of the State, and immediately the farmers from
far and near flucked to the tree for scions fur

their young orchards, and the number of tiny
twigs which have thus been cut from the parent
scion are numbered the thousands

An interesting fact in connection with this
tree is that the farm on which it stands is own-
ed by the oldest person in the town of Cornish,
Judge Eleazer Jackson, the son of the original
owner of the tree.

Tradition further has it, that the Baldwin
Apple was brought to the notice of fruit growers
by a man named Baldwin, from whom il takes
its name, and who by chance found the I'ruit
wliile hunting in Woburn, Mass. He cariicd
some of the Apples home, and by keeping them
some time, noticed tht-ir undecaying nature and
their juicy and delicious qualities. In conse-

'2Jt.

THE GABBEXEIi'S MO^'TBLY.

January,

quence of tliis he obtained some scions from the
tree which bore the ajipUs, and engrafted them
into his own orchard trees. 'J'his occurred about
ten years previous to the introduction of the
apple into Xew Hampshire. — QoncordJ^. H.)

The Campbell Api-le — An accidental seed-
lin;j; that spruuir up about tifteen years ago close
to the wall of a brick house occupied by George
W. Campbell, Esq., of Delaware, Ohio. The
tree is a vigorous, strong grower; habit open
spreading ; limbs not crowded ; shoots stout, ra-
tber blunt ; foliage abundant, leaves rather large.
It has borne a good crop regularly every year
since it commenced bearing. Fruit quite uni-
form ; size from medium to large, and hangs
very fiuel}' to the tree. It is evidently a late
keeper, but heretofore they have been " too good
to keep " later than January. — Iowa Homestead

Uses of the Ailaxthus Tree.— The Jour-
nal of Applied Chemistry states that the active
properties ot the bark of this tree have within
the past few years been examined by several em-
inent French chemists, and especially by Prof
Iletet of Toulon, who has pronounced it partic-
ularly valuable as a vermifuge. Its odor pro-
duces strongly narcotic efTects, while its taste is
bitter and nauseous, somewhat similar in its re-
sults to the internal administration of tobacco.
"When the bark is digested with alcohol, and the
latter is evaporated, a thick resinous oil remains,
which acts as a cathartic, and like the powdered
bark has proved successful in the expulsion of
the tape worm.

Honey Locust for Posts— -A correspon-
dent of the Country Gentleman of August otli,
inquires of those who have had experience in
u.«sing honey locust for posts as to its dura! illty.
It is about as durable as sassafras, but not equal
to black walnut. One i-lack locust post is worth
three or four of houoy locust ; but for rails it is
excellent, retaining its wt^ight a long time. The
honey locust is mucli less dural>le in some sec-
tions than others ; in Missouri it will not last
more llian half as long as in Kentucky. Young
sjund iiiulbirry, when .seasoned, i.s as durable as
cedar, and makes a better po.^t tlian the major-
ity of red cedar posts. — J. S , luorismnl Valley,
Mo in Country Gentleman.

Improving Oats— Samuel Dixon, of Chester
county, cut a field of oats on Wednesday, the
14th inst. Tiiis is at least a week or ten days in
advance of the common oats crop. The cause of
its earlincss in ripening is owing to its being
mixed with barley, the product of seed so grown
for several years. Barley ripens eai'lier than
oats when grown separate, but it is a singular
fact that when mixed they both ripen at the
same time, the oats coming to maturity at the
same time as its earl er neighbor. The cause of
this we are unable to explain. Mr. Dixon ob-
tained the seed of a farmer near West Chester,
who at the time of mixing the seeds, used equal
quantities of each, but now, after several years
sowing, the i)arley constitutes only about one-
twentieth of the grain. Mr. D. thinks the mix-
ed seed has not only a tendency to ripen earlier,
but the oats are improved in weight and a much
better crop. This is an experiment worth know-
ing to farmers. Franklin Darlington, of East
Xottingham, who has ihe same kind of oats,
cut about the same time — Oxford Press.

Horticultural School for Women. —
"The working plan of the school comprises a
farm, to be procured in the vicinity of Boston,
containing about 20 acres ; 5 acres to be used for
the cultivation of small fruits, flowers, salads,
and such vegetables as are sui'able for cultiva-
tion by female labor, the rest to be devoted to
mowing and pasturage ; a good dwelling-house
capable of accommodating about 30 inmates ; a
barn large enough for the farm stock ; an experi-
mental plant-house, lor growing flowers and
early vegetables, and the forwarding of plants
for field crops. The control of the institution is
to be vested in a president, secretary, treasurer,
and 24 managers— one-half of whom shall be
women— who will be aided by a competent in-
structor, an experienced farmer, and the other
necessary assistants 'I'he pupils will be instruct-
ed in plain sewing, the use of sewing machines,
and all kinds of house-work, as well as in horti-
culture ; the lecturers and teachers in kindred
branches of labor and service will be employed
from time to time.

It is intended to receive pupils to the number
of 25, who are to be from the ages of IG upwards,
of good character, fair education, and able to
work as may be required. The course of in-
struction will exteml through two years. The
estimated cost of procuring the farm and out-
buddings and maintaining the school for 3 years
to be ;i];30,0U0.''

18f0.

THE GARDEXER'S MOJfTHLy.

Eemoving Trees in Full Leaf.— During '
a recent call at the nursery of Mr J. Nelson, of
Ilallowell, he showed us one or two hundred
cherry trees, set out for the purpose of starting
a cherry orchard for his own use, all of which
were transplanted the middle of June, when in
full leaf, and every one of which was growing as
■well, and looking as vigorous as if set out last
fiiU. Mr. Xclson said he would hardly have
risked the job, had he been obliged to purchase
the trees, but now that it is done, is quite strong
in the opinion that any kind of tree can be trans-
planted at almost any time in the year, with a
good prospect of living, provided care is taken
in performing the operation. Mr. Nelson also
grafts at any time from March to August, and
has lost but very few scions out of the many
hundreds he has set out. — Eastern Paper

Gardening Ijst Mississippi. — A Correspon-
dent of the Prairie Farmer says : " Tishamingo
is one among the foremost counties in North
Mississippi. The people are cultivating their
grounds in accordance with scientific rules, to a
great extent. Farmers clubs are meeting reg-
ularly in almost every district, and lecturers are
exertmg themselves for the general good.

Market gardening is beginning to claim the
attention of many here, and it should. This lo-
cality should produce one of the successions in
your Northern markets. You now have un-
broken lines of railroad, so to speak, running
directly to your Northern cities, and marketing
may be sent along them at low figures. In this
region pri)ducts will be r. ady for market several
weeks earlier than at Chicago, and they can be
grown here as cheapl}' as at any point in the
world ; hence you must see its importance. No-
body has yet undertaken the thing, that I know
of, but there is being considerable talk on the
subject- And you should agitate for none are
more deeply interested than yourselves. People
down here, as a general thing, dont know much
about market gardening ; but you have the mar-
ket gardeners up North, and it is to your inter-
est to send them down. They will find a friend-
ly and intelligent set of citzens down here,
ready and willing to give them any encourage-
ment ; provided, they bidiave themselves.

that which was perfectly sound was being stored
away for winter consumption. We spent the
day and night here, and thoroughly examined
Mr. Iluggius' grounds. There was much on
this well managed farm to interest us. Among
the things, miles of Osage hedge, making as per-
fect a fence as could be desiied. The first hedge
set out in this county was planted by Mr. Hug-
gins, seventeen years ago ; it has taken the
piemium whenever entered at the county fiirs,
and would take the premium, if entered at our
state fair. Those who have any doubts about
the utility and practicabiliy of Osage hed'jjes
should come down into old Macoupin, and look
at their live fences. Mr. Iluggins, this year,
raised three ov; four hundred bushels of goose-
berries and currants, the Houghton and Red
Dutch; the market price was low, and while
the crop was an excellent one, the remnur^ration
was scarcely such as to make it profitable to
grow them The Keswick Codling is largely
planted in this orchard, as one of the most profit-
able kinds for market, the Sops of Wine and the
Red Astrachan, are the next favorites. The
Baldwin and the Newtown pippin were so sadly
disfigured by the louse and the unknown curcu-
lio, as to be worthless. "

Orchard of Jonathan IIuogins. — The
Prairie Farmer says : "Mr. ITuggins has well
nigh one hundred acres of apple orchanl ; much
of his fruit was being manufactured into vinegar,
the best of it into cider and the small portion of

Pear Culture in Canada.— The Canada
Farmer reports a very interesting palmer on
Pear culture, by Rev. B. Burnett, of Hamil-
ton, Canada. The White Doyenne, Flemish
Beauty, Seckel, Glout IMorcoau, Napoleon. On-
ondaga, Louise Bonne de Jersey, and Belle An-
sevine are the healthiest The Winter Nelis,
Easter Beurre, Rostiezer, Beurre dWnJou, Louise
Bonne de Jersey, Bergamotte, Cadette. and
Bro vn Beurre, are the hardiest. Louise Bonne
de JersRy is the most productive, next Vicar and
White Doyenne. Doyenne d'Ete prolific in alter-
nate years. The Beurre d'Anjou has a habit
peculiarly its own. "It regulates the crop to be
borne, and has its fruit mere evenly distributed
over the tree than any other with which 1 am
am acquainted. I cannot speak too highly of the
cultivation of this variety. Notwithstanding the
size of the fruit, it rarely sheds its burden, and
for its eatiu'jT qualities it has scarcely an equal.''
The Brown Beurre is next. Winter Nelis is ex-
cellent for winter. Best fruit is the Seckel, Hello
Lucrative, Beurre d'Anjou, Brown Beurre, Win-
ter Nelis :uid Beurre Diel. Tlie Duchesse he ranks
along with these, but does not rate the fruit so
highly as some growers do. The Easier Beurre
is praised, but it is gritty. The Jalousie de Fon-
teuay is the prettiest in shape. For color and
form, in a market fruit. Louise Bonne de Jersey
has the perfereuce. For size, Duchi'sse d'An-
gouleme and Onondaga. He has grown Belle
Angeviuc to 24 ounces.

THE GARnEjYER'S MOjYTHLY. January,

FOIIEIGN INTELLIGENCE.

GuAFrrxG Potatoes to Get New Varie-
ties.— The following is roportod of a recent
meeting of t!ie Koyal Ilorticultiinil Society :—

^Ir. Berkeley having adverted to Mr. Fenn's
exhibition of Potatoes, consisting of two scries,
in whicli Hogg's Coldstreani and Shutford Seed-
ling, and Early Emperor and Fenn's Onwards,
were respectively the male and female parents,
mentioned that some of the proj:eny had actually
degenerated so much as to resemble the wild
Potato. He then read the f)llo\ving paper by
Mr. Fenn ot the results of grafting Potatoes : —

I grafted Uiis year lied Ashleaf on Dickson's
Premier, Paterson-s Scotch Blue on lloyal Al-
bert, and vice versa. I have been unfortunate
this season in regard to the "taking" of the
grafts I planted and kept tins grafted sets in
G-inch puts, contrary to my later practice of
planting them in the open ground when the
shoots in the pots have pushed 5 or 6 inches out
of the soil. This may have tended to cause non-
success as regards the cicatrisation of the skins ;
nevtirtheles?, sufficient results have been arrived
at to alford conclusive evidence as to the possi-
bility of grafting one Potato with the eye of an-
other

On July 14th, I examined two sets, an eye of
Royal Albert (a handsome, round, white Potato),
grafted on Paterson's Scotch Blue. The eye had
held perfectly fast to the tuber, thereby giving
hope of some influence being exerted between the
stock and graft. I made the graft fit as perfectly
as possible into the wedge-like, sliced out cavity
in the tuber, but at the above date the graft had
swelled out of its first position, though not suffi-
ciently to disunite i self from the cicatrix of its
own skin and that of the stock on one side. I
gavo .several good tugs at the graft, but could not
displace it, and I sent it to Dr. Masters to verify
t'.iis result. Dr. Masters wrote me in answt;r,
" In one case the cohesion was evident, but I do
not see that the new tuber or the haulm is at all
affected by the grafting process We must have
more conclusive evidence than that. I see the
union i.s not merely along the rinds, but in the
cellular mass of the Potato as well. I have for-
warded the tubers toChiswick. 'J'he whole sub-
ject is very interesting."

The other sort sjnt to Dr. Masters was the
eye of a Paterson's Scotch Blui; on Koyal Allxrt,

no cicatrix, or union of the skins had formed,
I but some of the young tubers were half-colored,

others less colored, and one was perfectly wh'te,
! none of them showing blue all over like the sort.
; I asked Dr. Masters to forward them to ^Ir.

Barron, and request him to plant them and note

whether the coloring was permanent.

"Now for " more conclusive evidence.'' I wrote
on the 14th of July that I durst not then meddle
' with the roots of my last year's grafted Potatoes.
{Their appearance I noted thus :— Fenn's On-
( wards on Almond's Yorkshire Hero: an Op.wards
haulm, but earlier, and very diminutive in com
parison. Hero on Onwards : I can perceive no
diiference in the haulm as compared with those
not grafted, except, perhaps, that the foliage of
the grafied sets is of a more glazed green. York-
shire Hero on Fluke : haulm looking like that of
the tiue Yorkshire Hero, with not a symptom
of the dark green tinge of the Fluke foliage.
Milky White on Yorkshire Hero : haulm like
that of a diminutive Alilky White, quite ripening
off, whilst its namesake by its side was in full
vigor of leaf. Milky White grafted on Fluke
I this I did by mistake ; I intended to have graft-
ed the Milky White on itself, to try what would
be the elfect, if any) : haulm showing quite a
diflferent character from that of Milky White,
being not so branching and of a darker, more
upright, and more robust habit. All the above
eximplcs in 1808 united at their rinds more or
less completely soon after they were planted out
—a fact which I proved b}' inspection.

I planted the above-named Potatoes on April
loth, when the graft of Onwards on Hero slujwed
sprouts decidedly greener than those of the true
Onwards ; and when I dug thjin up, on August
9th, their haulm was not nearly so ripe as that
of the latter, and their produce generally, for
form, proved rounder than Onwards. The Milky
White grafted on Fluke is the onl}' other deciiled
"conclusive evidence,'" and that is conclusive
cnougi) in the wrong direction ; the character as
well as the Potato, being quite spoilt. In short,
I may have gained (liut I must wait another
year to prove it) an improvement by giafting
the Onwards on Yorkshire Hero, and that I fear
will i)r()ve at the mo.st but a m 're penny-worth
of Potato to a sack of trouble, though 1 shall be

1870.

THE GARDEKETJS M0J\'THL1 .

well content if, by the experiment, I have added
my mile to the science of horticulture.

Art OF Yaluistg Agricultural Land —
"Althouirh it is exceedinirly dangerous to at-
tempt to judge of the quality of a soil from the
crops grown upon it in one particular year only,
still many most useful indications may be ob-
tained from its more permanent products, espe-
cially from the trees and grasses. Most of our
ordinary forest trees have special proclivities for
the various soils on which they flourish, and a
careful observation of their growth, and of the
hedgerows, affords information which will sel-
dom mislead. A really thriving Elm tree or
Hazel cannot be found where there is not a good
mixed soil, whilst an abundance of Oak and
Blackthorn are indications of heavy land ; and
the growth of the trees will generally correspond
with the depth and quality of the soil. The Al-
der and Willow are only found in wet places,
chiefly by the water-side, and the Poplar usually
in wet places. On the other hand, Coniferous
trees prefer the lighter soils, and the Scotch Fir
grows on thin lands which will produce nothing
else except Heather ; and the Beech, though it
will growelsewherc on good land, is usually indica-
tive of a calcareous soil. The Sycamore is par-
tial to light or sandy soils, whilst the Walnut,
and I believe I may say the ]\Iaple also, usually
grow on good mixed loams. The Ash is scarce-
ly a sign of any particular kind of land ; if it is
of rapid growth, it indicates good land ; in poor
stiff" clay it is constantly met with, but is of slow-
er growth and often stunted. The Whitethorn,
if it grows rapidly, is a sure indication of good
land ; and one never sees a strongly-grown
Quick fence on inferior soils." — English rcqjer.

Perennial Bye Grass. — An important seed
case, of which the following is an abstract, was
recently lrie<l in the Sheriff's Court at Hadding-
ton :- Mr. John llied, jun., farmer, Hilton of
Aldih, Kinross- shire, sued Mi'Ssrs Rnughead and
Park, seed merchants, Haddington, for lUOL
damages, on the ground that a quantity of Grass
seed purchased by him in 1SG5 as perennial ; fail-
ed to produce a second year's crop, and must
have been annual seed. A great deal of evidence
was led on both sides, the witnesses being seeds
men, practical farmers, Grass seed growers, and
practical botanists. For the pursuer, it was
contended tluat there were two distinct varieties

of the Bye-grass plant, an annual and perennial,
as deponed to by a great number of witnesses ;
that the land on which he sowed the seed was in
good condition and well prepared ; and that a
portion of the field sown with diff^.'rent seed pro-
duced a second year's crop. 0:i the other hand,
the defenders pleaded that the land was in poor
condition ; that according to scientific evidence
there was no such thing as an annual Rye grass,
that being merely a tx-ade term for the lighter
kinds of seed ; and that the seed supplied was
from a bin from which they had supplied their
perennial seed that year to numerous customers,
without failure in any case except that of the
pursuer. The Shcriff"-Substitute has decided in
favor of the defender, assessing the pursuer in
expenses. — Gar. Chronicle.

Trained Pear Trees — A correspondent of
the London Journal of Horticulture says : We
have no objection to old-fashioned orchards, and
especially when the under crop is grass, ma-
nured at times. These are excellent f)r insur-
ing always an abundant supply to nn establish-
ment, and the gardener is little troubled, if a few
trees should be barren each year, which he must
be, if he has only a few trees, altogether in a
kitchen garden to depend upon. But where
room is to be made the most of, and the greatest
pleasure is to be derived from the culture of fruit
trees, commend us to low bushes or pyramids —
say from G to 8 feet in height. The wind will
have but little power on these, comparatively
speaking, and tiie fruit is easily examined, and
easily gathered. If we had the chance, we
should be inclined in small gardens to adopt the
cordon system of training— that is, having only
one or two shoots from a tree, and spurring lhen\
from top to bottom. We have little faith in
mere fanciful modes of training but by the one-
shoot system a great variety can be grown in lit-
tle space, and each kind on its own bottom, as it
were. We Relieve that great results may be
achieved by this plan in small gardens, where
the lines of fruiting stems can be kept near the
ground, and a protection given in severe weather.

I LiLiUM AURATUM.— The Special feature of
the meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society,

' on Augftst 7th, was undoubtedly a large speci-
men of Lilium auratum, from the gardens of
the Dowager Lady Ashburton. of Melchet Court
which was a plant of great beauty, and so fine a

THE GARDEA'Eli'S MOJ^TIILY. January,

specimen of which he believed had never before
been sliovvn. The Lindley Menial, which is only
given to extraordinaiy specimens of good cultiva-
tion, had been deservedly awarded to it by the
Council, on the reco ; mendation of the Floral
Committee. It is well known that there are several
varieties of L. aiu*atum, some being more deeply
spotted than others ; this was one of the paler col-
ored kinds. Whatasplendidsubject for hybridiza-
tion this variety would make, remarked Mr.
Saunders, if it were taken as a basis to work
from, and color and other characteristics were
introduced.

most effectual mode of securing early flowering

and seeding.

Celery. — a Corvrcspondcnt of the London

Journal of Horticulture, says : A single fact is

often worth a number of inferences. That fact

clearly shows us all that has been advanced on

the bit-by-bit earthing-up of early Celery is

based on a principle that scarcely permits of error.

On examining some Celery washed and ready

for use, we noticed it was harder and firmer to

the touch than it ought to be, so as to be short

and crisp, as well as. sweet, the three essentials

for good table Celeiy, as an accompaniment to

cheese, &c. That Celery had been thoroughly

soaked more than once before earthing-up, and

yet on taking up some roots W3 found these dry

enough The tops of the leaves exposed had

evaporated all the barrels of moisture we had

given in the parching weather. That Celery

had been earthed up at once. If we had put the

earth to at three or four times, and without fresh

watering, we should have expected almost every

plant to hive thrown up its flowerstalk. If the

weather had continued dry and hot, we should

have expected the same result. Xo rains that

fell would ever reach the roots ; they would only

act in lessening evaporation from the foliage.

Openings and holes were therefore made between

the rows, and enon-ih of water pouied down to

saturate the soil at the roots, and now the Celei-y

is crisp as it ought to be. Tiie man wiio gave

the last waterings before earthing-up could

scarcely believe that it was possil)le for the

great m:iss of roots to become so dust dry.

There are few plants that evaporate more

moisture llian Celery in a hot sunny day. By

this or other mean.s allow the roots to become

dust-dry, anil in self-defence tlie plant wi41 throw

up its llower slalk to perpetuate the race. The

same iirincipie holds true in all vegetable

growth. A severe cheek to luxuriance is the

Amkrfcan Potatoe.s— Describing Carter's
Seed Farm— A Ci^rrespondcnt of the Gardcner''s
Chronicle, says : The much-vaunted Early Rose
was here, very small in produce, and not at all
coming up to expectation. Another American
variety, the Early Goodrich, was growing
alongside the former ; it is a round, smooth, and
cleaned skinned variety, and that is about all
that could be said in its flivor. There was also
a very prolific red Potato, having foliage strong-
ly resembling Raspberry leaves.

Mushroom Culture ix Fraxce.— In a
work entitled ' The Parks, Promenades and
Gardens of Paris," by W. Robin.5on, F. L. S.,
published by Mr. John Murray, London, there
is contained much useful and interesting informa-
tion on mushroom culture. The perusal of those
chapters on this subject cannot fail to open to
the English culturist quite new ideas as to the
cultivation of this excellent vegetable. The
mushroom caves at Montrouge, as described
and illustrated, are quite a wonder. It appears
that they are something like the shallow coal
mines of our country, but have the great disad-
vantage of difficult access. The author, in de-
scribing them, says :

"Although we are from 70 to 80 feet below
the surface of the ground, ever^'thing looks very
neat— in fact, very much more so than could
have been expected, not a particle of litter being
met with. A certain length of bed is made every
day in the year, and as they naturally finish one
gallery, or series of galleries, at a time, the beds
in each have a similar character. Ouce more
we plunge into a passage dark as ink, and liml
ourselves between two lines of beds in full bear-
ing. The beautiful white butter-like mushrooms
appearing everywhere in profusion along tlie
sides of tiie diminutive beds, something like the
drills which farmers make for green crops.
When I slate that there arp. six or seven miles
run of mushroom beds in the ramification qf
tills cave, and that their owner is but one of a
large class who devote themselves to mushroom
culture, the reader will have some opportunity
of judging of the extent to which it is carried on
about I'aris. These caves not only supply tlie
wants of the city above them, but those of En-
gland and other countries also, large quantities

1869.

TEE GAEDEJ^'ER'S MOjYTELY.

i>9

of preserved mushroom being exported, one , cross T. assamica with T. Eohea for the male pa
house alone sending to our own country no less i rent ; also T. Bohca with T. assamioa for tli(
than 14,000 boxes annually."— Cot/a^fe Gard.

Phylloxera Vastatrix : or the new Grape-
vine Insect. — We are very sorry to learn that
this most formidable of all the enemies of the
Grape-vine has made its appearance in England.
We were the first to call attention to it in this
country as being prevalent on the Continent ; lit-
tle did we then think it was at our doors. AVe
make the following extract from a letter address
ed to us by^a gentleman in Kent : 'ISIy Vines
have all gi-own well except two, a Mrs. Plnce's
Muscat and Meredith's Alicante ; these did not
move more than two or three inches, and I
determined to take them up and examine the
roots. Xow the roots were swarming with Phyl-
loxera vastatrix ; there was also the winged
kind. Your descri^ition in the May number of
the Gardener is very accurate. With a glass of
good power, you can see it in all its stages, but
you can see it with the naked eye. It looks like
grains of yellow sulphur in the crevices of the
roots ; wiih a higher povver it resembles small
yellow tortoises. It barks all the roots and de-
strojs the Vine.'' The writer further expresses
a fear that this pest is known to be in some nur-

tlie
male parent, but never could get a single fruit to
set. However, some suspect that the so-called
hybrid is only a sport from the original one,
with a more compact habit and broader, thiol- er
leaye^ T. assamica is said to be not so well
suited for the manfacture of green tea as the
China plant ; but whether that be a fact or only
a supposition I cannot say. In testing samples
of the tea manufactured from the Assam and
China plants, weight for weight, the Assam sur-
passes the China both in strength and color of
the infusion ; in flavor, some think that of the
China more delicate and agreeable. The out-
turn (after infusion) of the A!=sam plant is much
paler and generally more uniform than that of
the China ; perhaps from the fact, that in manu-
facturing it ferments more quickly and regularly
than the China.

Chinese Teas —At a recent meeting of the
Linnajan Society of London, Mr. Wm. Bell said
in reference to Chinese tea culture in India .•
Whether Thea Bohea of botanists, andT. viridis
be distinct species, or only varieties dependent
on soil and climate for their existence, matters

but little to the Indian tea manufocturcr. So
series, but is kept a .secret. If so. no time should ! far as my experience goes, any variety of that
be lost in discovering which these are, and in commonly known as the China Tea plant which

getting it "stamped out," to use a phrase only
too familiar to us. — London Jour, of Ilort.

Assam Tea. — At a meeting of the Linnsean
Society of London recently, Mr Wm. Bell said.

produces leaves suitable for the manufticture of a
first-class black tea, is equally suitable for the
production of a first class green tea. In some
districts 1 am told that a custom prevails, as re-
strictive as caste is in India, which prevents men
in India the Assam was originally neglected for | engnging in more than one kind of work. For
the China plant, but it has long since been found iustance, a box-maker is not permitted to try hi.s
that the yield is greater in quantity, and the j li^^nt^ ''it s^»cct-lead making, or lining or soldering
quality better, than that from the China plant i down ; neither is he peimitted, even if out of em-
when cultivated in Assam. It seems to have ' P^oyment, to try his hand at manufactures. Xor
a rather tender constitution for the climate of j is a man who has served an apprentice siiip to the
the north-west and the Punjab. In the Dcyrah ; manufacturing of green tea permitted to try the
Dhoon the points of the young wood are often i manufacturing of black. These fiicts may to
killed back by the frost, besides losing nearly all | so»no extent account for the plausible supposi-
their leaves. If not in a sheltered situation, the 1 tion, that green and black teas are the produce of
young leaves get scorched during the months of ' two altogether difterent plants There are. no
May and June by the hot winds that generally I doubt, a great number of varieties of T. Bohoa
then prevail, although they are nothing compared in cultivation, some of them of little value— not
to those experienced on the plains. For these j worth cultivating, as a small papery leaf is not
reasons it is doubtful if it can ever bo cultivated | ^^^ii suited for making a fine tea. Some of the
with success in North India. They cultivate ; ^^ni^il myrtle-leaved varieties are said to have a
extensively in Assam a well marked variety gen- ! iiardier constitution, and are better adap-
crally known as the liybrid. I have tried to \ t^'d ''or cultivating at high altitudes than

THE GARDE jYER'S MOXTHLY, January,

any of the Inrnfc-leaved varieties, which are best the surHace by pressing it the bottom of a small
suited for lew, moist, warm localities. All of I flower pot, and scatter the seeds evenly, just
these dillerent varieties seem to intermix or cross \ covering them with fine soil. Give a aentle wa-
readily with each other ; at least there is now a j tering, place the pan in a cold frame or under a
greater number of varieties in cultivation than hand-glass, and shade from bright sun. Keep

were originally recognized.

Cultivation of Strawberhies in EovrT.
—It may be interesting to some of yonr readers
to know that Strawberries succeed well at this i
l)lace. I have grown them with great success
for the last two years, and find that young
plants produce the best crops and the finest
fruit. T put out your.g plants in September and
October, and have gathered ripe fruit since
Christmas up to the present time, from the open
ground. The plants are now in a healthy and
vigorous state, producing plenty of flowers and
fruit of excellent quality. I have no doubt they
will continue to produce fruit for the next two
months, thus stretching over a period of seven
months in full bearing. Is this not something
extraordinary? [Yes ] The varieties are AJax,
British Queen. Keen's Seedling, La Constante,
Omar Pabha, Admiral Dundas, and Sir C. Na-
pier. James Havdie, Palace Gardens, Gazeereh,
Cairo, JEjypt, June 2, in Gardener^s Chronicle.

Vine Leaves Turning their Under Sur-
face TO the Light.— I have a seedling Grape
Vine hero which has the strange peculiarity of
turning tlie backs of all its leaves to the light,
and no constraint will induce it to turn the up-
per side to the light. I send you leaves from it,
which show how the leaf-stalks bend to eftect
the purpose. It is inarched on a IMuscat, the
leaves of which are in their normal state. On
entering the house where it grows, the conclu-
sion at once is suggested that some one has sev-
ered the Vine's connection with the earth, and
that it is in the act of dying, yet it is perfectly
healthy, thou[;h it 'has shown no fruit, while
.seedlings of the same batch are in Iruit beside
it. It is a cross between the Golden Champion
and IJlack Alicante I shall be glad to know if
ycnir readers have met with a vine having the
s.ime habit.— W. Thomson, in Gard. Chronicle.

moist and close until the young plants appear,
then admit a little air, increasing the amount
with the advance in growth of the plants When
these are large enough to handle, they may be
pricked off in pans at about li to 2 inches apart,
and kept rather close and shaded for a few days
uutil establislied. Harden them well ofl", protect-
ing them only from frost and heavy rains, and
giving them all the air possible ; before severe
weather sets in, i-emove them to a shelf or light
airy position in the greenhouse. In February or
March the plants may be shortened to 2 or 3 in-
ches, and cuttings made of the parts removed,
which will strike freely in a mild hotbed. When
the plants have made fresh shoots an inch long,
they ought to be potted otf singly, or placed
4 inches apart in pans, and shaded until estab-
lished ; then harden them oft' and remove them
to a cold frame, protecting them from frost by a
covering of mats. You may obtain one or more
lots of cuttings from them, and these, with the
old plants, will be fit for planting out in May.
Seedling Verbenas are of little use for bediling
except in mixed beds. The seed may be sown in
March, and the plants from that sowing will be
large enough for planting out at the end of May.
— Englih-h Journal of Horlicultiire.

Sowing Veuuena Seed.- To have good
strong plants for blooming early next year, you
may 8«;vv the seed now. Well drain a seed pan,
and (ill it to three-fourt'is its depth with two-
thirds turfy light loam and one third leaf mould,
then to the rim, or nearly so, with the same soil
sifted, adding one-sixth part of silver sand. Level

Tomatoes in France.— In France the gar-
deners cut oft the stems of the Tomato plants
down to the first cluster of flowers which appear
on them, thus impelling the sap into the buds be-
low the cluster. When these appear, the branch
to whi(di they belong is topped down to their
bud, and this is done five times successively. By
this means the plants become stout dwarf bushes
not over IS inches high, and they are kept erect
in the ruws by sticks or strings. This treatment
produces fruit which ripens early and is of ex-
cellent quality.

Culture OF Greenhouse Climrers. — 7'Ae
Gardener''s Chronicle, says : There are few green-
house or conservatory climbers which do not re-
quire to be grown freely before they begin to
.show blooms ; ni'^re especiall}' does this ai)ply to
Tac.sonias, such as the truly beautiful Tacsonia
Van Volxcmi, tiie many varieties of Tihi/nchos-
licrminn, SiAaimm, SoVi/a, Kennedya, and last,

1S70.

TEE GARBEoYER'S MOJVTHLY.

i\\o\\<z\\ not least Lapag'^ria, which should all be
po/mittcd to make as free a growth as possible,
a Jiulicious system of training alone being ne-
cessary in their case.

CnERUTES AS SlN'GLE VePwTICAL CORDONS —

The varieties best adapted for this very interest-
ing mole of culture are those of the Duke tribe,
such as the May Duke, Arch Duke, Empress
Eugenie, Royal Duke, Xouvelle lloyale, Du-
chesse de Palluau, and some others. Young
pyramidal trees three feet apart should be plant-
ed in rows, and their side shoots pruned in to
within two inches of their stems. They require
the same summer pinching as that reconmiended
by me for vertical cordon Pears, and should not
be allowed to exceed eight or ten feet in height.
Xothing can bo more charming than these cor-
don Cherry trees. T have at this moment trees
five years old. of the Duke tribe, with their
bright ripe fruit hanging close to the stem, and
shining through the net that protects them from
the birds. The best of all protection, both from
birds and wasps, is, however, Ilaythorn's net-
ting, or coarse muslin, formed into a narrow
bottomless bag, which should be let down gent-
ly over the Ir.-e, so as to leave the leading shoots
out, and tied at the bottom and top ; Duke
Cherries may thus be preserved till August. I
may mention here, that with these Cherry cor-
don trees, root-pruning or removal is seldom re-
quired, their vital force is so reduced by contin-
uous pinching of the j'oung shoots ; but if a rich
soil gives to much vigor, it may be practised.
There are a few kinds of Plums, of upright
growth, which may also be cultivated as verti-
cal cordons. Rivers'' Miniature Fruit Garden.

Cyclamens. —Seedling Cyclamens sown this
spring should be pricked oif into small pots, and
be pushed along freely as soon as they show the
second or third leaf This is the real secret by
which the fortunate few grow these lovely plints
to perfection. 'Ihere mu.st be no rest — no check,
until they are produced in full and abundant
bloom. They like a nice brisk and moist growing
temperature. Above all, they must be kept en-
tirely free from scale, red spider, and especially
tlirip. When the latter attacks them, or gains a
lodgment, the}' invariably become safely enscon-
ced upon the crown, amongst the tender young
leaves as they form, and these they oftentimes
eat cnlin;ly away before they are observed by the
naked eye. ThorvUgiily good drainage is an es-

sential p Mnt in the suce^sful cultivation of
these plants. — Gardener''s Chronicle.

Wintering Geraniums in Moss —Last
winter, we kept a number of large geraniums in
dry moss, and propose to do the same thing this
season, as it is a very cheap method of preserv-
ing plants not wanted to decorate the house in
winter. The plants were taken up soon after the
first lioht frost, the soil shaken from their roots,
and then all the leaves and the young succulent
branches removed. Some moss that had been
previously taken from the swamp and thorough-
ly dried was spread over the bottom of a box ;
upon this we placed a layer of plants, then more
moss, and so on alternately till the box was full.
The box was then set away upon a shelf in a dry,
warm cellar, where it remained undisturbed until
spring. The plants came out in good condition,
and have grown well this summer in the open
ground, and are now in full bloom. There is
dinger of the plants rotting if the cellar is damp.
A warm room will probably answer as well as a
cellar — Exchange Paper.

EiLTiiT Dogs and Cats— I think if your
correspondent will try the following simple rem-
edy he may save himself the trouble of taking
cits and bricks to the river. Let him pur-
chase a few ounces of cayenne pepper, put
it in a pepper box, and the last thing before
dark, dredge the pepper lightl)' all over the
plants liable to their beastly attack-'. A calm
and dry night will be the best for doing it, and
let it be repeated every few nights, especially r f-
ter rain. I saw this remedy tried some years ago
with effect. A large yard dog when let loose in
the morning would go to a fine young plant of
Laurustinus, and back himself right into the
middle of the bush ; this was rather an annoy-

{ ance to the gardener, who thought of the remedy
as above, and applied it as I have stated with
the most complete success. A man had to go
and open the gate every morning after that to let
"Bingo" out into the road, for neither that
plant nor any other would ever serve ]5ingo's

i purpose afterwards. If your correspondent had

! seen him try every corner of that garden to get
out after being cayenned by the Laurustiiuis, I

, think he would have concluded that Bingo did
not like it, or that he was mad, as the owner
thought him at first. —IloiiiN Rove, in Cofage
G.irdcaer.

^,9

THE GAIIDEjXFAVS MO^^THLy.

January,

CyAXOPHLLUM Magnificum Treatment—
The plant is an evergreen. The slirivelling and
fulling of the leaves is owing to a sudden change
of temiK-rature, jjrohabl}- from cold. Daring the
winter no more water should be given than will
keep the soil just moist and the foliage fresh ;
indeed, the plant ought to be kept dr}', not cans
ins; the loaves to f\ill or the wood to shrivel. A
temperature of 55° or 60^ at night is suitable un-
til February, when an increase of temperature
should be given, and it may be gradually raised
to 00' or 053 at night, 70" to "'•>-' by day without
sun, and 80'' to 85' with sun and abundance of
air. A moist atmosphere should be maintained

by frequently sprinkling the paths, stages, walls,
&c.. but avoid wetting the foliage, and slight
shade ought to be afforded from bright sun. The
plant should have abundance of room, and light
on all sides, so as to keep it from gi'owing un-
equall}'. Pot it in March or April when growth
commences, using a compost of four pans fibrous
loam, two parts leaf mould, two parts sandy
peat, one part old cow dung, one part charcoal,
in lumps from the size of a pea to a hazel nut,
and one part silver sand, the whole well mixed.
Do not sift the compost, but tear it in pieces,and
make rather fine, afford ing extra drainage. —
London Journal c/ Horticulture.

HORTICULTUML NOTICES.

FRUIT GROWER'S SOCIETY OF PEXNA
The annual meeting this season will be held
at liancaster, Pa,, commencing on the 19th of
January. No better place could be selected, as
it is in une of the most intelligent and successful
fruit centers ; and those who want to know'*how
to grow fruit," will certainly be there. From
all we can learn there will be a very full attend-
ance.

LEAA'ENWORTII CO., (KAXSAS) HORTI-
CULTURAL SOCIETY.

At a recent meeting of tliis Society, the apple
blight came up for consideration. When we
first noticed it in the Gardener''s Mordhhj on our
return from that section, three years ago, few
who read about it considered it a matter of much
importance. At this meeting Mr. Carney said
t!ie apple blight commenced with Iiim in '65,
after a heavy warm rain, and had been on the
increase until this year. It commenced on the
young growth; he cut it out at first, but found it
ilid no good. The Keswick Codlin, which blight-
ed very badly, this year appeared to recover.
The Red Astrachan, Famense and Summer
Pi'armain di<l not blight but little.

Mr. Cadogan, said the Raml)o, Yellow Pjell-
flower and Jonathan l)lighted the worst, ho
tliought it was a living plant, a fungus. lie said
Dr. Hull of Alton, Ills., had jtropagaled it by
inoculation and he had also ihis season done the
same l)y macerating the deceased wood and tying
it on I healthy tree. He thought Carbolic Acid,
had })roved a remedy, he also tried a liquid from

old rusty Iron, and he thought he saved a tree
by it.

Dr. Housely thought it caused by an insect.
It was nonsense to talk about it being produced
by a fungus. Stop your trees from growing too
fast, and you will never hear of pear blight.

Dr. Stayman did not favor the fungoid theory,
as producing the disease, because he found under
the microscope the same fungoid development in
the healthy as well as the unhealthy ; conse-
quently he thought wo had no right to infer from
fungus found on blighted trees, that it was the
cause, while the same was found on trees not
blighted. He favored the theory of plethora,
and for the want of a name, he called it vegeta-
ble apoplexy, as they are struck dead suddenly
in the appearance of full health.

At this point the meeting became animated,
when a conversational discussion ensued, and
ended in the fi)liowing resolutions by Mr. Barnes:

1. Besolved, That it is the sense of this so-
ciet3', from investigation of the facts as develop-
ed at present, that the Apple tree blight and the
Pear tree blight are ^distinct diseases, and pro-
duced by di.^tinct causes. Rejected ; one vote
allirming

2. Jiesolvcd, That it is the sense of this so-
ciety tliat the immediate cause of the Pear tree
blight is not, as yet, fully explained by any theory
produced before us, but that treatment inducing
a slow, healthy gi-owth of the tree appears to be
almost a sure preventive. Carried by a unani-
mous vote.

u (fianUn^r's

0ittlilir.

DEVOTED TO

Horticulture, Arboriculture, Botany and Rural Affairs

EDITED BY THOMAS MEEHAN^.

Old Series, Vol. XII. FEBRUARY, 1870. New Series. Vol. III. No. 2.

HINTS POR FEBRUARY,

FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE
GROUNDS.

Bearing our Southern friends in mind, so many
of whom are again amongst our regular readers,
we may say here, what for northern readers
would be better said next month, that all pru-
ning operations be ended as soon as possible,
lawns rolled as soon as they can be after the
frost leaves them, and while still wet, in order to
fill up the inequaUties, apply a top dressing of
bone dust, guano, wood ashes, or whatever other
"seedless" manure may be adopted, before the
rolling. Arrangements should be made also for
spring planting, by getting good soil hauled near
where it may be wanted, for it is a sad loss of
time to plant in poor ground, and the holes may
even now be dug and the new soil put in. Plant-
ing, however, should not be done until the soil is
quite dry, so that the earth can be crushed finely
in about the roots by the feet, instead of being
pressed closer together. Avoid watering the
roots at planting. If they appear dry, dip them
in a tub of water if small, or sprinkle with a
water pot if large, before setting. The soil im
mediately about the fibres will then adhere to
them, and while the water thus benefits, the soil
is not rendered a mass of mud. If the trees ap-
pear very dry, prune accordingly to the degree of
probable injury. If a tree have a large mass of fi-
brous roots,and these not dry,and the top not very
large, no pruning will be necessary. If the roots
are injured, prune them too, a Uttle. If the in-
jury to the root or top be very great, prune the
top severely. No tree or shrub need die of trans-

planting, no matter how great the injury, unless
entirely dead. If there be any life at all a severe
pruning will save it. It is often recommended to
bury up entirely in soil for a few days plants
that become dry somewhat during removal
which usually does pretty well ; but we would
prefer to prune away a portion of the branches.

For a collection of desirable trees, not partic-
ularly scarce, but which could be had in most
nurseries, we would select the Norway, Red
Sycamore and Sugar Maples ; English Horse-
Chesnut, where the soil is not too hot and dry •
English White Birch ; English Hornbeam, a
rather small tree ; Judas tree, either Eno-lish or
American ; European Beech, also the Blood
leaved variety ; European Ash, including the
Weeping variety and Flowering Ash {ornus) ;
European Larch, and the American to make a
pretty tree when mature ; the Sweet Gum ; Mag-
nolia tripetala ; Mimosa tree (Julibrissin), south
of Philadelphia ; Paulownia, for those who
like sweet or showy flowers regardless of an ugly
growth ; Oriental Plane for grandeur and rapid
growth ; and of the Oaks, the English, Scarlet
Mossy cup and Swamp White are the best. The
deciduous Cypress, American Linden, and where
the Elm-worm is not troublesome, the American
Elm.

There are few things which add more to the
beauty and interest of a place at all seasons of
the year than the judicious employment of hardy
flowering shrubs.

Of those which are beautiful and can be readily
and cheaply obtained, we may name Dwarf

SJi.

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJVTELy.

February,

Ilorse-Chestnut, flowering in June ; the difier-
ent Dogwoods, Cornus Florida, C. sauguinea,
C. mascula, C. alba, and particularly the varie-
gated English ; the Hawthorns are very pretty
when in a cool soil and situation, partially shaded
from the sun in summer— there are many fine
double varieties of the English which do best
when grafted on American stocks : the Double
White and Doubles Red and Pink are particular-
ly desirable ; the Laburnum is rather a strong-
growing shrub, also wanting a cool soil and sit-
uation. AVhen the season happens favorably, it
is the most ornamental shrub we have. The Sea
Buckthorn is very desirable for its pretty silver
foliage ; but it should not be set upon a lawn, as
it suckers somcAvhat ; the shrubbery border is the
place for it. Of the silver-leaved class the Ole-
asters are very desirable. The yellow is not
hardy north of New York ; but the small-leaved
{u^hagnus parvifolia) is perfectly so ; it has in
addition very sweet flowers and pretty berries to
recommend it. The Silver Bell or Snow-drop
tree is also a large shrub ; but its early white
flowers give it a claim on most shrubberies, es-
pecially as it blooms quite young. The Magno-
lias purpurea and glauca are very desirable. The
latter, as it grows in swamps when wild, is not
often seen cultivated, as it is supposed it will not
do in dry soil. This is a mistake. In a deep
rich soil it thrives amazingly. It requires a free
use of the pruning knife on transplanting. The
European Bird Cherry is one of the handsomest
stronc-""rowing shrubs of its season — June. For
a single specimen on a lawn it is not to be excel-
led. Its habit is good, and its flowering abun-
dant ; its berries are also very enticing to birds,
which form no mean addition to the pleasure of
a garden. The Pyrus japonica every knows ;
the white variety is desirable, though it is more
pink than white. The Mist tree is indispensable,
from its striking peculiarity of flowering. The
White Fringe, with leaves like the Lilac, and
lart^e pendant clusters of white flowers, no less so.
There are several Willows which, as shrubs, we
would on no account be without, for their flow
era large and sweet, so early that the first sun
that thaws the ^March snow, brings them out also.
The Goat Willow and the Villars Willow— male
varieties of course— arc especially to be mention-
ed. The Indian Cherry (Amelancliier), follow-
in" the Wil ow in flowering and very beautiful ;
and the Double Pink, and Double AVhite Dwarf
Almond, are also early and pretty. The "k ellow.
While au<l Crimson Azaleas, are magnificent,

but so scarce in nurseries, we are almost afraid
to have them in this list. The different Ber-
berries can be scarcely spared for their pretty
red berries in foil. The Sweet Shrub or Virgin-
ia Calycanthus, is one of the sweetest of fill flow-
ering shrubs ; though its color is dull. The
Bladder Senna is very desirable for its love of our
summer heat, flowering profusely during July and
August. The Mezereon is particularly sweet
and attractive, blooming very early, but like the
Azalea, rather scarce in Nurseries.

The Deutzias are well known, — scabra and
gracilis are the two best. The Burning bushes
are beautiful in the fall, — the Mississippi Purple
{atropurpurea), and the European, are two most
desirable. The Golden Bell and early Spiroeas,
(as prunifolia, Blumeanaand Reevesii), every one
wants as well as the Weigelia rosea. The pub-
lic taste is divided on the Althea, yet there are
few gardeners without some one variety or other.
The variegated leaved is scarce, but as desirable
as any shrub grown. The Oak-leaved Hydran-
gea makes a very striking object in a collection ;
and the common garden Hydrangea indispen-
sable for dense shade. For flowering in August,
and for dwarf compact habit, Hypericum Kal-
mianum, or the A. prolificum, is perhaps un-
rivalled. A rather scarce, but particularly
pretty pretty native shrub is Itea Virginica,
which, like the Magnolia glauca, a swamp plant,
cultivates well in dry ground. The Jasminum
nudiflorum should be trained to a stiff stake, and
get a pruning with the shears twice a year ; it
then grows very compact, and will support itself
after the stake rots awa)' ; then it makes one of
the prettiest shrubbery bushes imaginable. As
an oriental looking plant, the common privet is
good ; indeed, its pure white flowers, fragrant as
they are, and jet black berries, always attract
attention. It is a plant that will thrive in the
roost gravelly soils. The Upright Honeysuckles
are perhaps the most common in gardens ; the
Tartarian deservedly so — lew things are prettier.
The Fly Honeysuckle is also desirable, for though
the flowers are not quite as showy as the Tar-
tarian, the habit is most graceful. Then the
Mock Oranges or Philadelphus, though all white-
flowering, afford, by their diversity of habit,
many good shrubs. The sweet one, {F. vorotia-
ritts), one of the oldest and best, is least common.
The Lari^e flowered and Gordon's Upright are
the two next best. The Tree Pa'onies, though
rather expensive, every one wants. The Keil
and AVhite Snowberi'y make good show in winter

1870-

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJVTHLY.

by their interesting fruit. As for the Lilacs, we
need scarcely recommend them ; common as they
are. no garden is complete without them The
Persian is a very distinct one from the common
kinds. There are many new varieties, but they
are but shades of old colors.

The Taraarix is not often seen, but a great fa-
vorite of ours. In the class of Viburnums the
Snowball is well known ; also the high bush or
false Cranberry, the Black Haw and the "Way-
faring tree are the best.

get

FRUIT GARDEN.

Pruning of fruit trees, when required, should
be proceeded with at favorable opportunities.

All fruit trees like a rather dry, rich soil. On
a cold clayey bottom, diseases are usually fre-
quent.

As to whether underdraining, although a ben-
efit in the abstract, is sufficiently so as to be a
profitable operation in many cases, is a question
deserving some thought before embarking large-
ly on labor and materials, costing say a
dollar against an improvement not worth more
than one or two per cent, per annum, is not the
most judicious expenditure. When one has a
very wet piece of ground there can be no mistake
about the value of underdraining it, providing
one has no other ground fit for fruit trees that is
not wet ; but when the ground is naturally in
fiiir condition, it would be well to go by the ad-
vice of some practical man, or at least experi-
ment on a small scale first, before embarking
largely in the improvement.

Do not plant deep ; cut off tap roots, and do
all you can to encourage surface fibres. Surface
manuring is the best way of doing this after the
tree is planted. Do not allow anything to grow
vigorously around your trees the first year of
planting, nor allow the soil to become hard or
dry. Let trees branch low, and prune a little at
transplanting.

The rule, in pruning grape-vines, is to shorten
the shoots in proportion to their strength ; but,
if the advice we have given in former summer
hints has been attended to, there will be little
disproportion in this matter, as summer pinch-
ing of the strong shoots has equalized the
strength of the vine. Those who are following
any particular system will, of course, prune ac-
cording to the rules comprising such system As
a general rule, we can only say, excellent grapes

can be had by any system of pruning ; for the

only object of pruning in any case is to
strong shoots to push where they may be desired,
or to add to the increased vigor of the
shoot, n-hich pruning supposes will follow the act,
increased size in the fruit it bears.

Manuring of grapes should be regulated by the
nature of the soil. If it be damp —in most cases
a bad condition for grape-growing — stable ma-
nure in great quantities means diseased vines.
In dry ground, it has a beneficial effect. Many
persons of small places have grapes in damp
ground, or can have none. They must take
care to keep the roots near the surface ; never
crop the ground about them to destroy the small
fibres, if it can be avoided ; and even good may
often follow, when the vines seem failing, to
carefully follow up the roots, lift near the surface,
and encourage, as much as possible, those re-
remaining there. Wood-ashes, bone-dust, and
such like fertilizers are best for grape vines in low
ground.

The Strawberry, where it has been covered du-
ring the winter, should be uncovered as early as
possible in spring, that the warm spring suns
may exert all their influence in producing an
early crop. As soon as growth commences, a
sowing of guano has been found to be of great
benefit to the crop of fruit.

Raspberries and Blackberries may be planted
towards the end of the month ; they should be
cut down to within a foot of the ground at plant-
ing ; they will, of course, not then bear the next
season after planting. But this is a benefit ; no
fruit tree should be allowed to bear the same
season.

VEGETABLE GARDEN.

In managing the vegetable garden the highest
excellence should be aimed at. This is the chief
source of pleasure in a garden. If one can take no
pleasure in his garden, — if the watchiug of the
beautiful processes of nature in furnishing him
food, and the many lessons they teach him, which
he in a thousand ways can so pleasurably and pro-
fitably apply, have nocharms or attraction for him
— he had better give up gardening, for assuredly
in most cases, — even to 99 in 100 instances, — the
market gardener will bring the vegetables to his
own door cheaper than he can grow them. Ama-
teur gardening should primarily be pursued for
the lessons it teaches, and the pleasure it affords;
when it ceases to do this, it should be abandoned

A south-eastern aspect is best for a hot-bed,

TEE GARDEJ^MR'S MOJVTHLY.

February,

and it should be well sheltered from winds on the
cold quarter.

Those who have hot-beds will now sow Toma-
toes, Egg-plants, Peppers, and other vegetables
that can be forwarded by this means ; and those
who have not, will sow them in boxes or pans,
and forward them in windows. Every garden
ought to have at least a few hot-bed sash to for-
ward early vegetables ; for if they have no means
of applying artificial heat to them, the sash will
of itself forward some things considerably.

All those kinds that are grown for their leaves
or stems, require an abundance of nitrogenous
manures ; and it is useless to attempt vegetable
gardening without it. To this class belong cab-
bage, lettuce, spinach, etc. The other class
which is grown principally for its seeds or pods,
as beau?, peas, etc., do not require much manure
of this character, in fiict they are injured by it.
It causes too great a growth of stem and leaf, and
the earliness, — a great aim in vegetable growing

is injuriously affected. Mineral manures, as

wood ashes, bone-dust, etc., are much better for
them. For vegetables requiring rich stable ma-
nure, it is best that they have it well-rotted and

decayed. Nothing has yet been found so well
fitted for the purpose as old hot-bed dung; though
to the smell no trace of "ammonia" remains
in it.

Many parties like to have Turnips sown in
spring. The only way to succeed with them is
to sow as early as possible, and on a very ricli
piece of ground, where they may grow speedily.
If they do not swell before the hot weather comes,
they will certainly run to seed.

About the middle or end of the month, or still
later at the North — say the middle of March- -
Celery and late Cabbage may be sown. Here we
usually sow the second week in March.

All gardens should have beds of herbs. They
are always looked for in the Fall, and nearly al-
ways forgotten in the Spring. Now is the time
to plant Thyme, Sage, Mint, Balm, and other
perennial herbs, and Parsley and other seeds of
hardy kinds may be sown. When we say note,
it is of course understood to mean where the frost
has evidently broken up for the season. Our
readers in less favored climes will not forget
when it does.

COMMUNICATIONS.

FRUIT TREES AND FUNGI.

BY JOHN L. RUSSELL, PROF. BOTANY TO

Mass. Hort. Socy. Honorary Member of Illinois Slate Hor-
ticultural Society, &c.

The well-known, or it may be, supposed influ-
ence of the fungi on vegetation, frequently gives
rise to many a very good theory, which facts do
not always bear out. Intended to destroy and
reduce to original elements, these insidious and
patient laborers in the economy of Nature gener-
ally are found on substances in which are traces
of incipient decay. Some, however, rioting in
the juicy tissues of leaves and fruits, quickly ap-
propriate the saccharine and amylaceous portions
and fill the cells with numerous fibres, commonly
known as mouldiness. Others deeply buried in
the earth, attack the filn-ous roots of diiVerent
kinds of trees, and communicate disease by slow
processes to the trunk, branches and twigs, so
that premature death or protracted sickliness
succeeds. In such cases, the entire soil be-
-comes penetrated with the living and enduring

principle of the fungus, and would be unfit for
replanting, without some corrective, or better,
by total removal, and the substitution of new and
purer earth. The mouldiness of the leaves of
the garden pea, on the foliage of the phlox, of the
lilac, etc , ruining the effect of the plant, and de-
priving it of its very leaves, the stems becoming
bare and unsightly, are among those which per-
meate the tissues and spreading over the surfixces,
close effectually the breathing pores, so that suf-
focation is the result. The same is seen on the
fruit of the gooseberry, and to some extent on
the berries of the grape, especially of the hardier
kinds. In the cultivation of the more tender
grapes under glass, the gardener has to contend
with other species, imported accidentally with
his foreign vines ; for every countr}' has its own
fungi, and almost every species of plant the wide
world over, has some one peculiar to itself. So
similar in general appearance and external char-
acter, it is only known to the mycologist that

1870.

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJVTHLY.

though similar, yet they are specifically distinct;
and so inclined to counterfeit and imitate, tha^
forms entirely innocuous and unimportant are
mistaken for those mischievous parasites.

The Fire-blight of the Pear tree, for exam-
ple, has given rise to many conjectures respecting
its origin, nature and effects. "I send you,"
writes a friend, " specimens of a fungus which
seems to be a Pear blight, ' fire-blight' on a
small scale. It keeps the tree very poor and
scrubby." Surprised to find such a dangerous
looking fungus on the still living shoots of the
pear, it was submitted to a careful investigation,
to ascertain how this could be Removing the
outer pellicle or skin of the bark. I found the
tissue just beneath, entirely altered by some
cause, and the cells filled with a brown grumose
mass. It had all the appearance of the brown
spots just under the skin of the Baldwin apple,
and which is known as the bitter rot. Not a
trace of the Mycelium or fibrous system of a
fungus existed, and in close proximity and be-
neath was perfectly healthy tissue. It was this
partial destruction that was so remarkable, quite
unlike the operation of fungi. By this lower
la5'er of parenchymatous or pulpy bark, the
branch was able to maintain its vitality and to
develop healthy buds. But there were the pus-
tules cracked on their tops, and the dehiscence
betraying a black layer, so that they had the ap-
pearance of the fruit vessel { perithecium) of a
species of veritable fungus- The high^t powers
of the microscope failed to detect the spores or

seeds.

Here, then, was a fine example of a pseudo-
fungus, something simulating a mischievous
plant. Now what is bitter-rot ? Is it not some
chemical change in the maturing fruit ? In a
similar way I explain the brown mass which fills
the diseased cells of the Pear-tree bark : in the
instance before me, the chlorophyll in one case,
and the starch in the other, changing intn some-
thmg else. Every cultivator knows the necessity
of leaves in ripening fruits, and how the trunk.s
of the Apple trees and of the Pear trees become
dead and yellow, and the outside dr}'^ and black,
by too direct horizontal rays of the summer af-
ternoon's sun. And so we have an explanation,
that disease may be induced as well by external

causes as by internal fungal action.

To these pseudo-fungi. Mycologists have ap-
plied the name Nosophlcea^ bark disease. The
illustrious Fries, of Sweden, has specified many
which have been described by the older botanists

as genuine fungi, — on the bark of the Apple tree
in raised pustules, emitting abundance of cells as
fine as dust [Ly coper di Mali, Wiegel) ; on the
bark of the Willow {Hj/storium salicis, Worms-
kiold) ; of the Alder [Unedo alnea, Persoon) ; to
which may be added the Pear bark before us,
and various colored and singular leaf excrescen-
ces to similar causes. Promote a healthier
growth and the trouble will vanish.

LOCHIEL, NEAR HARRISBURG.

BY J. M.

The residence and grounds of J. D. Cameron,
Esq. , at Harrisburg, are among the attractions of
the place. A great deal of money has been spent of
late by him in improvements, by planting largely
of trees, and in the erection some few years ago,
of several fine glass structures. Passing through
them lately, I found them well kept, and the
grounds had a neat appearance. I understand
that still further improvements are in contempla-
tion, which will greatly enhance the beauty of
the estate. Situated as it is on high ground,
everlooking the Susquehanna river, and com-
manding a view for miles around, it is capable
of being made one of the finest places in the

country.

««■•»

THE GILLIFLOWER.

BY JOSEPH A:MRAM.

When many years ago I visited England, few
things interested me more than the beautiful
Stocks, or as the English called them Gilliflow-
ers, — and well I remember the interest with
which on my return I watched the gradual de-
velopment of the numerous varieties of seeds I
brought back with me. The most common kind
then grown in the old country was the Brompton
Stock, which, if I remember right, was what
was chiefiy known as "Gilly flower." This kind
is the large dark rosy one, with a strong shrubby
habit. Most of the English Cottagers had a
fondness for flowers, and dilapidated crockery
ware seemed to be streaks of good luck to grow
flowers by. Flower pots were rare, but cracked
pipkins and such kinds of utensils monopolized
the honors of plant growing. In these a daily
Rose, a Wallrtower,or a Gilliflower was sure to be
grown, let what other flowers might be wanting.
This bu.shy "Gilliflower," which after associat-
ing more with the professional gardeners, I got
to call Brompton stock, was raised by them from
cuttings, and was always thus perpetuated. I

THE GARDENER'S MOJ^'THLY. February,

doubt whether any of the hundreds I saw were
raised from seed, and yet we are told this variety
of stock is a biennial. This has always been a puz-
zle to me on the theory of Knight, that a cutting
is but a portion of an individual plant, and can-
not live longer than the individual. Here is a
plant which naturally dies in a couple of years,
and yet by annually striking cuttiugs the same
plant can be reconstructed so as to last for a cen-
tury. But this is only in passing, for the main
point I want to suggest is why not introduce this
old fashioned plan of propagating this beautiful
plant. Now we depend on seeds, and have the half
to come but single rubbish, and the few we do get
double do not seem to live long. I think I hear
the Editor say, "what nonsense ! a plant from a
seed dying sooner or easier than one from a cut-
ting ;" but for all I hold to my opinion, that it is
so in this case. I don't know why. Perhaps it
IS that the continued reproduction from cuttings
had somewhat changed the plant's temporary
nature and made it feel more like apeing the ways,
as it had been made somewhat to partake, of the
dignity of a perennial plant. But 1 am a poor
hand for reasons ; when I know that a fact's a
fact, it matters not how many so-called laws of
philosophy are against me. And I do know, and
am sure that I have never had anything like the
luck with my stocks from seed that these old
English Cottagers had with their cutting plants.
I wish we had here in Maryland a Horticul-
ral Society like yours in Philadelphia, and that
I was on the committee for premiums. Would'nt
there be some fun at my suggestions V Instead
of prizes for Poly bolbions and Bolly poniums
and other new fangled trash, I would have offers
for Heartseases and Wallflowers, and Candy-
tuft, and Ragged robbins, and even the old Can-
terbury Bells should not be forgotten. Above
all should these old fashion Brompton Gilliflow-
ers have an honored position in ray schedule.
Only those should have anything who grew them
well, — and growing well should mean such nice
things as the old English grannies raised. If
modern gardeners cannot beat their grandmoth-
ers, Where's the use ?

I have often wondered where our name of
*'Slock'' came from, rjilliflower I was told was
a corruption 'July" flower, — because these old
fashioned kinds were the pride of the garlens
about that season ; but no one could tell me any-
thing about "Stock." Our modern term "Stock
Gilly" seems to me meaningless ; but perhaps
that is no mattcrjabout raising these Brompton

Stocks from seed. The books and guides tell us
to sow in the fall, and they will bloom in the
spring. I never had much luck in this way. I
usually sow them in spring the same time as
other annuals, and dibble them out after they are
about one inch high into rich garden ground,
and in the fall lift them carefully and pot into
four or six inch pots. Then they bloom beauti
fully in the spring, and though I feel a twinge of
sadness when I compare them with the lovely
things I used to see on the old English windows ;
still they are pretty, and others who have not
had the chance I had, to see better ones, call
them beautiful.

The annual Stocks from Ten-week to other va-
rieties of German conception, are very well in
their way ; but for me they may all go while I
can get the lovely Bromptons. Xo great variety
of color it is true ; but what of th tt. give us one
lovely form, and stick to it through life.

CLIMBING PLANTS.

BY J. H., OLD WESTBURY, N Y.

We are pleased to observe the growing taste
to cultivate climbing plants around the door or
porch of those in humble lite, no less than the
more spacious piazza or veranda of the rich.
Indeed it affords as much delight to notice the
neatly trained Morning-Glory turning around
the strings that meet over the door, or the hop
vine or scarlet runner beans, where they give an
evidence of taste and an appreciation of the beau-
tiful, among those who go to their daily toil, as
when we see the elaborate lattice covered with
the rarer beauties of Flora. Climbing plants can
be easily grown and in abundant variety. Pass-
ing by the hard wood climbers such as Wisterias
and Honeysuckles, which deserve an article by
themselves, we will notice those which shoot up
and die in a season. Few are aware that the
Chinese Yam is a pretty, desirable climber. We
have seen it cover a trellis of two stories in
height, and few plants were more attractive ;
and in the latter part of the season the vine is
full of the little balls like small potatoes, which
are quite curious and interesting. If these balls
arc planted they will grow and )iroduce young
plants ; they will need protection in winter, by
covering for a few years. After they have pene-
trated one or two feet they will be out of the
reach of frost. The "NT adeira-vine is well known
and is, to those that will give the care of digging
up the plants and protecting them, quite desira-

1H70.

THE GABDEJVER'S M0J\''TBL1.

ble. A species of Tropffiolum. the Canary bird
flower, makes a very oniaiuental climber,but the
best we have ever seen of these deciduous chmb-
ers is the Cobea scandons ; for two summers we
have noticed vines that covered the trellis of the
piazza of the residence of W. C. Bryant at Eos-
lyn, that grew to the height of twenty feet and
met over the entrance at the top; they must
have extended three or more feet in width, and
when covered with their rich blue flowers and
the flowing branches with their delicate tendrils,
excited our highest admiration. The seed of the
tubers of this class of climbers should be started
early in spring under glass, as the season scarce-
ly ever is long enough to develop their perfec-
tions and the soil should be rich and of the best
quality.

We had a plant in our garden this summer
that encircled a cedar stake six or seven feet in
height and the brahches left about one foot long
at the bottom of the pole and at the top four
inches, it covered'it completely, and the branches
or spray if that is a proper term, swept down,
and when gently moved by the wind, was ex-
ceedingly pretty. The flowers are about the size
of the biennial Canterbury-bell of the gardens,
and when it first opens, is greenish, ciianging in
a day or two to a purplish blue. The seeds are
for sale by nearly all seedsmen, and are easily
grown. There are many other of the annual
climbers worthy of notice, the Morning Glory,
Maurandia, Ipomoea, &c., that with a little care
ami training add much to the beauty and enjoy-
ment of our country homes. And hovv cheering
and invigorating to him that labors, when he re-
turns to his family and his home, to see as he en-
ters his door, instead of the naked, bare boards
or wall, the neatly trained vine sending forth its
fragrant odor or bright gems of flowers amid the
leaves.

LETTERS FROM THE PACIFIC COAST.
No. II.
Yo Semite Valley, Cal., Oct. 16f/i, 1809.

Dear Monthly : My last was dated at Salt Lake
City, whence we left on the morning of Oct 13th,
arriving safely at Wintah Station, rejoiced to
find ourselves once more comfortably seated in
the commodious " Silver Palace Cars," and re-
newing our western journey.

After leaving the hilly section, the country
soon becomes very uninteresting, with undulating
mounds in every direction, almost devoid of veg-

etation at this season of the year. Stopping at
Ogden for a few minutes, which place will even-
tually be the connecting point between the Union
Pacific and Central Pacific Railroads, we pass
rapidly on by the famous Hot Sulphur Springs,
with their accompaniment of vapors and nauseous
odors. Occasionally glimpses are caustht of the
Great Salt Lake, its margin appronchinec and
receding as we wind along our course ; and small
Mormon towns are still seen with their neat little
irrigated farms surrounding the modest one-story

adobe mansions.

We slowly toil up the steep grade, until we ar-
liveat Promontory Point, the present terminus
of the Union Pacific Railroad, and where the
last tie was laid and the last spike driven,— thus
connecting the Atlantic and Pacific coasts by a
continuous line of railway travel. During the
night we pass over the Great American Desert,
about 60 miles square,— a vast sandy plain, with
out a green twig to enliven the monotonous level
waste. We alight for breakfast at Elko, on the
morning of the 14th, and on once more through
the wild treeless region of Nevada. The Indians
are at every station,— dirty, degraded, and ar-
rant beggars,— a fearful burlesque on the fanciful
creations of Cooper, and sadly degenerated from
the Delaware braves whose memories are cher-
ished by every lover of Wm. Penn. What a sad
commentary for the advocates of the enlightening
influences of the higher caste of civilization For
here we see these poor semi-barbarians, who are
exposed to the influences cf a lawless class of
white inhabitants, carelessly disregarding all
virtuous example, whilst eagerly seeking initia-
tion into the mysteries of every species of vice
and immorality. That the followers of Penn may
be encouraged to labor for the regeneration of
the red race, is the writer's heartfelt wish.

The Chinese, with their semi-European cos-
tumes, and inevitable queues wound around their
heads, are at work on the roadside by hundreds.

Passing Humboldt Canon,— a weak imitation
of Weber and Echo, yet quite beautiful in the
distance, we stop at Humboldt City for supper.
Near here are extensive sulphur mines of great
value ; and not many miles distant, silver is
being taken out with encouraging results. In the
night we enter California, and soon pass Downer
Lake, a perfect gem of a pure mountain water,
clear as crystal, mirroring on its surface the im-
mense trees by which it is surrounded. Towards
morning on the Sierra Nevada mountains, we
arrive at Summit Station,

JfO

TEE GARDEJVER'S MOJVTRL Y, February,

where we pass through numerous tunnels, one of
which is 1,700 feet long, and awake to find our-
selves in the immense snow-sheds. These struc-
tures extend for 40 miles on the cold bleak moun-
tain sides, thus affording ample protection from
the awful blockades and avalanches, for which
this range is so justly noted. Breakfasting at
Cisco, on the morning of the 15th, we soon after
emerge from our artificial canopy, and again en-
joy with keenest satisfaction the glorious view
presented. On every side the mountains are
clothed in verdure of deepest green, and the
myriad spires of Pine and Fir impart a peculiar
air of picturesque beauty to the scene. The de-
clivity from here to the plains below, is an easy
regular grade, and our train runs thundering on
over skeleton bridges and through tunnels with
marvelous rapidity. We wind around the base
of some mountain spur, looking hundreds of feet
into the valley below, until ones head becomes
giddy with the sight ; and then in through the
deep cut, and out again to a broad plateau, —
every where, above, below, on either side, we see
enormous trees towering high above, and shrubs
of every hue beneath. On the higher altitudes
we notice the heavy-wooded Pine (P.jyjnderosa),
and the Douglass' Spruce {Abies Douglassii), and
as we descend to the Foot Hills, the lovely Sa-
bine's Pine (P. Sabiniana), with its huge cones
persistent for years, hanging in clusters from its
branches. Large bushes of the Californian
Horse Chestnut {uEsculus Californica), with its
wealth of fruit ; many species of Ceanothus ; the
Manzanita [Arctostaphylos glaucus), Avith red
bark, shining leaves, and orange-colored fruit ;
Oaks with holly-like foliage ; Photinia, with
great clusters of intense scarlet berries, and at-
tractive glossy f )liage ; are among the many ob-
jects of botanical interest. We have only time
to glance hurriedly at each, as we rush swiftly
by one after another beautiful feature, longinn;
for the time when we shall exchange to the more
wearisome but convenient stage-coach. We no-
tice the flumes conveying the water to the gold-
diggers in the many rich gulches ; and at Gold
Run the miners are planting their little cultiva-
ted " patches '' witii trees and vines, which so
soon in this climate repays their labor with rich
rewards of beautiful fruit.

As we come on to the level plains, the whole
face of the country is entirely changed. Giant
old Live Oaks ( Quercus aijrifniia, and Q Tfinfhii)^
all leaning in one direction, gnarled and stunted
in their growth, are on every hand, scattered

with a curious regularity, and resembling the old
fruit orchards of our far-away homes. At noon
the City of Sacramento, with its massive capitol
building, and many steeples, appears in sight,
and soon we have stopped in the capacious depot.
Our stay is of short duration, and as we slowly
glide through the suburbs of the place, the thrifty
Fig, Apple, Pear, and Peach trees, as well as the
numerous vineyards, are marked features in the
landscape. To one like myself, who has been ac-
customed to see the few bunches of foreign
grapes, grown with the greatest care and atten-
tion under glass, now suddenly brought in con-
tact with the same varieties laying piled up in
careless confusion, bushels and bushels together,
and so cheap that "two bits" (25 cents), will
purchase enough to satisfy a party of three or
four lovers of the commodity, appears almost like
fairy land. And then such Apples and Pears as
we see "peddled " through the cars, — noble high-
colored specimens, such as would put our " first
premium plates' ' to the blush, as far as appear-
ance and size are concerned ; but, alas ! the fla-
vor is deficient. We miss the rich buttery tex-
ture, the delightful aroma, and peculiar spicy
flavor of our best Eastern fruits.
After leaving Sacramento, we do not see much

to interest us in our ride across the level plains,
and towards evening we arrive at Stockton,
where we disembark once more, Ayith the inten-
tion of proceeding to the Yo Semite Valley from
this point. A hurried walk around the town,
shows evidence of a thriving business locality.
We notice in the public square four splendid spe-
cimens of the Agave Americana (popularly Cen-
tury Plant), each ten feet high, and fourteen feet
across; several Cupressus sempervirens ( Common
Cypress), like great green columns, 25 or 30 feet
high, and then the large flourishing trees of
Melia Azederac, show conclusively that they feel
perfectly at home in this congenial climate.

All our surroundings constantly remind us
that we are in a new country, just as distinct as
it is possible for two continents to appear, in-
stead of being only on different coasts of the same
land. The animals, the birds, the insects, the
fishes, the minerals, the plants, and, yes, the
people, too, cosmopolitan as all the towns of Cal-
ifornia strictly are, — causing us even to exchange
our boasted currency for coin before we could
purchase a single article, — not only refusing to
arrcpl our "(Jrcenbacks," but positively ignoring
all the lesser coins, — all, every thing, and every
body, differs from our old Eastern home. Such

1870.

THE GARDEJYER'S MOJVTHLy.

is California to-day. But a new era is dawning,
with the advent of rail road facilities, and the
influx of a new emigration ; and before manj'
months shall have rolled over, these obsolete cus-
toms, and cherished ideas, shall be as surely ob
literated, as that the sun will rise and set in its
regular routine.

On the morning of the 16th. our party, in three

substantial coaches, depart on our long and dusty
ride to the Foot Hills. The modern Jehu, as in
the old, old times, when coaches were the thing,
and cars a chimerical vision in the brain of a
progressive dreamer, mounts the box with all the
ancient pride of a veritable Tony Weller, flour
ishes his whip, and we are ofl' at a spanking rate
through the streets. Once beyond the suburbs,
and vast fields of yellow stubble tell the tale of
plenty throughout all the region of the San .Joa-
quin Valley. No active vegetation is seen at
this season of the year, save the old gnarled Live
Oaks scattered here and there, singly and in
groups, as on the lawn of old English parks. The
lively little Ground Squirrels, like the Prairie
Dogs in habit, are running from mound to
mound; and the Burrowing Owls, with sedate and
sleepy stare, gaze at us as we pass. The dense
clouds of dust, penetrating and almost suffoca-
ting, as the heavy volumes roll and encompass
stage and passengers, render the ride almost in-
tolerable ; but with pleasant visions of the pro-
mised land ahead, we draw down hat-rims, and
choke and cough, and gasp, until a turn of the
road allows us a short respite. We stop to take
on fresh horses A Chinaman and wife are sit-
ting beneath the porch, patiently awaiting our
arrival. Our drivers, with a few choice oaths
(almost universal here), unceremoniously toss
the female on the top of one coach, and systema-
tically push the man into the "boot," amongst
the trunks, of another ; and after tying him se-
curely to prevent accidents, enjoy a loud laugh
at their rare invention, and unappreciated talent
for business. Such is a specimen of the respect
usually paid this race by their predominant white
brethren. We arrive at Knight's Ferry for din-
ner, and soon thereafter enter the hilly country,
— the long-looked for region, where the naturalist
Qnds new wonders at every step. Gladly we ac-
cept the invitation to alight and walk up the
hills. In a group of Oaks we notice three new
species, to us, and quickly specimens are trans-
ferred to pockets. Scarcely a tree but what is
festooned with the green coral like Mistletoe
[Phcrradendron jUivescens) ; and the long delicate

moss hanging like floss-silk, sways gently and

gracefully in the passing breeze.
In the gloaming, we arrive at Chinese Camp

to supper. This town is appropriately named,
for passing by hut aft(!r hut, and cabin after
cabin, we are irresistil>ly led to believe that we
are in the Celestial Empire in reality. As we
ford the Tuolumne River on a flat-boat, the
bright full moon sheds its clear rays over hilltop
and valley, and in a short time we commence
the arduous ascent of the Sierra Nevada. Clam-
bering up the mountain path in advance of the
cumbersome, slow-toiling stage, we are well re-
paid for our walk. The Finns Sabiniana, a
second-class tree in size, with broad spreading
top, — unlike the family in this respect, is scat-
tered plentifully on every side. The leaves are
very attractive in appearance, of a pate bluish
tint, long, slender, and very delicate. Over the
multitude of shrubs, a vigorous species of Cle-
matis is climbing, and hanging in pretty festoons
its wealth of silvery-white feathery carpels, look-
ing like balls of down. And now Pinus ponder-
osa is seen above us, and we stop to admire its
rough deeply-creased bark, and dark-green rigid
foliage. Looking far up into their tops, one
euesses in vain at their immense heights. But
weary, sleepy, and almost exhausted with a long
day's ride of 55 miles, we are quite ready for rest
as we stop at Garrotte. Bright and early we are
up on the morning of the 17th. and out to see
the peculiar vegetation immediately surrounding
us. Along the streams, though late in the sea-
son, we find the gorgeous scarlet Monkey-flower
{Mimulus cardinalis) in bloom besides a yellow-
flowering species, and a few other homely plants.
Again we enter our coaches, and once more as-
cend the mountain, with an occasional walk up
the longer grades. Here the trees are numerous
and exceedingly interesting. Pinus Lambertiana
{Sugar Pine), is becoming quite common, and the
ground beneath them is covered with great long
cones. Libocedrus decurrens rears its lofty shat-
tered head on every side, and Pinus ponderosa,
and Abies Douglassii, with their monstrous
bodies, are frequent sights. Along the streams,
the beautiful Acer macrophyllum [large-leaved
Maple), grows luxuriantly, six and seven feet in
season, and the leaves enormously large. Cornus
Nuttalli {NuttalVs Dogwood), with compact
round heads of scarlet fruit, is also seen in simi-
lar situations. On the level flats, the Sympho-
carpus raceraosus [Snowberrij), with its pure
white berries, nod their welcome to us as we stop

TEE GARDEMEWS MOJ^TRLY, February,

to gather some brilliant crimson blossoms of the
Zauchneria Californica. In a little ^len we find
a strong stem of the Lilium Washingtonianiim
( Waslu'rigton Lily), a - agnificent species ; and
bulb, and seed, is soon transferred to m}' already
over crowded pockets, to keep company with a
bright red species of Castilleia (possibly C. his-
inila). We find large patches of a handsome
Goodyera {G. Menziesii), with delicately veined
leaves.— a lovely Orchid; and close by along a
stream, young trees of a peculiar Alnus are re-
markable for their slender vigorous shoots.

Late in the afternoon our coaches arrive at the
end of the constructed road, and we stop at Har-
dinge's ranche for the night. The proprietor,
sole occupant of the place, although somewhat
alarmed at the sudden increase of visitors, never-
theless makes us as comfortable as the circum-
stances will admit ; and whilst a portion of the
party are snugly ensconced in his barn amidst
the hay, the rest are dreaming of home, as they
snore out their discontent on the hard floor of his
cabin. And this is California life, real and un-
varnished. It is needless to add that our com-
pany required no calling in the morning. Soon
after partaking of our homely yet wholesome
meal , we mounted our little Mustangs, and set
out in single file along the mountain trail for the
valley But we are not up to the summit by
many a weary mile, as yet. As we slowly wind
along the path, now clambering over and among
huge rocks, our sure footed little steeds carrying
us over the dangerous spots with self-reliant air;
and then with an easy lope, at a quickened pace
along the level stretch, or down the gentle de-
clivity, until we reach a small grove of " Big
Trees," {Sequoia gigantea). Meanwhile we have
been oft' our saddles scores of times to measure
the vegetable giants l)y which we were surround-
ed. The following measurements of such trees
as we selected, were all made five feet above the
ground, and may be relied on for accuracy :
Pinus Lambertiana, 18, 20, 2U, 24, and 25 feet ;
P. ponderosa, loi, 17, and 20 feet ; Abies Doug-
lasii, l.j and 18^ feet ; Libocedrus decurrens, 15|,
19, and 22 feet, &c. These are not isolated spe-
cimens, for hundreds of others equally as large
are all around us.

Tht! small group of Washingtonias, or Wcl-

liugtonia, or more properly still, Seqima, known
as the "Tuolumne Grove, consists of seven trees.
The most curiousare the " Siamese Twins,"' two
immense shafls, joined at tlit; base, but above
form two distinct and handsome specimens. We

measure around them at the ground 114 feet.
The bark was 25 inches thick , and the height, we
were informed, 215 feet. The other members of
this group were somewhat smaller. As we had
many miles to travel before reaching the valley,
we departed, with a lingering glance at these
great old roonarchs of the forest, and soonneared
the region of Abies grandis, and A. amabilis.
We now rode through dense forests formed of
immense trees of these darkened sombre looking
Firs, with their rich, glossy foliage adding an air
of .grandeur to the scene.

I cannot give an adequate descrii)tion of the
great beauty of these mountain heights, but by
remarking that we rode on in a perfect ectasy of
delight, beneath thousands of trees, any one of
which would prove a countless treasure to an ar-
boriculturist at home. In open spots cleared by
storms and fires, the young groves are springing
up, and show to advantage the remarkable beauty
of the species. Trees from 10 to 20 feet, branch
regularly from the ground, and ar ^ as uniform in
growth as it is possible to be. Each individual
forms a perfect green cone, — not a leaf injured, —
not a twig wanting to perfect their regularity of
outlines, but all perfection itself The old vete-
rans rear their huge stems 150 and 200 feet high,
with often a naked body of 100 feet, and then the
rich green mass of foliage at the top, defying the
storms of many years, still charms us as in
younger trees. At Crane's Flat, where we stop
to rest, and enjo}"^ with keenest relish the pure
sweet mountain water, we measure a few o the
specimens : 13^, 16, and 18 feet, respectively, in
circumference.

On the high cold elevations, ^^here soil is
damp, we now find groups of Pinus contorta, a
true Alpine species, and one of the most beauti-
ful medium sized trees we have seen In general
habit, it is not unlike P inops, to which it is also
botanically allied ; but for regularity of form,
compactness of growth, color of foliage, and in fact
every other good quality requisite in an ornamen-
tal tree, we do not know of its superior among

the Pines.

As the sun is setting behind the distant moun-
tain tops, we arrive at Tamerack Flat, 8.200 feet
elevation, —a broad plateau of rocks, from which
the glory of the Yo-Scmite breaks upon our view
thousands of feet below. But our girths have to
be tightened now. and we prepare for the peril-
ous and difficult descent. As we cautiously go
down 111'' alm>st p(.-rpi'U(lic\ilar path, the :»ir has
changed, and droi)s of rain come pattering down,

1870.

THE GARDEJ^EK'S MONTHLY.

Jf3

■which soon after changing}: to hail, renders our
journey extremely unpleasant. Before arriving in
the valley, the storm breaks on our unprotected
party with all the fury of a Sierra squall ; and
the slippery path is scarcely seen for the great
sharp hailstones cutting fiice and hands with a
pertinacity rarely excelled. Still, a fine plant of
the Torreya Californica {California Nutvieg), is
too rare a prize to pass heedlessly by, and quickly
a piece is transferred to my herbarium, and we
go on down, down, down, — to us an almost end-
less Journey,— until we are cantering our weary
steeds along the level valley, through well-nigh
an Egyptian darkness. Tired, sore, and com-
pletely soaked through, we arrive at our desti-
nation, Ilutching's Hospice, where we are soon
laughing at our mishaps, before the genial blaze
of a hot fire in the ample old fashioned chimney
corner. And here I leave you, dear old Monthly^
to dream of the rocks, and trees, and waterfalls,
that make this magnificent valley the wonder and
admiration of Californian scenery.
Very sincerely, &c.,

JOSIAH HOOPES.

CALIFORNIA FRUITS COMPARED WITH
EASTERN.

BY MR. T. G YEOMANS, WALWORTH, N. Y.

In Moore''s Rural New Yorker of December
18th, is a lengthy article of nearly one and a
!:alf pages, introduced in glowing style, to give
an account of some of the marvelous fruits of
California, and having heard so much of the suc-
cess of growing fruits there of enormous size, we
might well expect the description of these exhi-
bition fruits to follow such an eloquent introduc-
tion would be quite wonderful.

But an examination of the list of fruits des-
cribed shows very little to sustain former repre-
sentations of their equal size,orto render properto
such a flourishing style of introduction as the
article in the Rural.

The writer says "When people see specimens
of pears, apricots, plums, apples, &c , the equals
of which the world has never looked upon— when
they see all this, the wondering multitude are led
to inquire: Whence come these marvelous pro-
ductions of nature V these prodigies of the king-
dom of Pomona ? Can it be other than from the
famed gardens of the Hesperides ?''

These were not presented as new varieties, but
to show the difference between the same varieties
mown in the East and in California. " We give

the size and weight, so that the difference may
be made more readily apparent."

The following description of a large number of
varieties, and embracing those more generally
grown in Western New York, and well known at
the East generally, will serve as an illustration,
and show comparatively the difference between
the fruits of California and New York.

And it should be borne in mind that these are
specimen fruits, exhibited at the Industrial Fair
held at San Francisco in September and October
last.

For our first comparison we will take Tomp-
kins Co. King, described as being 14 inches in
circumference longitudinally and weighing 19
ounces. The writer measured one the past fiiU
measuring the same, but not weighed, and put
up three or four barrels that counted 172 to 185
to the barrel, and some more on hand not put up
in the barrels that weigh 1(3 ounces.

Belle flower lOi ounces, Esopus Spitzenburg
12 ounces. Fall Pippin 16 ounces. R. I. Green-
ing 15 ounces. Baldwin 16 ounces. N. Spy 16.
Seeknofurther 10. Swaar 10 ounces. I think
there are none of them larger than the best speci-
men of these varieties often found in Western
New York, and Roxbury Russet at 11 ounces is
smaller than best samples grown here the past
season.

In the comparison of Pears those from Califor-
nia do not compare as favorably as the apples.
For example: White Doyenne 5 ounces, Shel-
don 8, Easter Beurre 13, are certainly not ex-
travagantly large, nor better than specimens
often seen ; neither is Beurre Diel at 15 ounces.
Clapp's Favorite at 13 ounces I think would
not at all surprise Mr. Clapp at Boston.

The Duchess d'Angouleme at 11 ounces,
Beurre d' Anjou 8i, and Beurre Clairgeau 11
ounces, are decidedly small for specimen fruits
at exhibitions : reliable statements show Duch-
esse at Boston 24 ounces or over, and at Wal-
worth we have had them 22 ounces, and filled a
barrel at a time with specimens weighing over
a pound each, and by reference to Gardener's
Monthly, December, 1865, it will be seen that
I sent to the editor, Mr. Meehan, Duchesse 19i
ounces, Beurre Clairgeau 15 ounces, and Beurre
de Anjuon 18 ounces. Now, one of each of these
California specimens (3) weigh together 30^
ounces, while three of same varieties as sent to
G M. . as above, weighed 52i ounces ; or making
an average diffcreace on these three popular va-

TEE GAEDEJ^ER'S MOJVTHLY. February,

rieties in favor of Walworth pears of over 65 per
cent.

Most of the other varieties of pears and aj)
pies described in the Baral Kew Yorker are
smaller fruits, and grown comparatively little in
Western 'New York.

The Gloria Mundi apple 26 ounces, and the
Vicar Winkfield pear 24 ounces, are both large,
but conceded to be not very good.

Therefore if these specimen exhibition fruits,
are the best California can produce. Eastern
fruit-growers need not fear for their laurels, and
Doctor Houghton need not except California
when he challenges competition in growing fine
pears.

PEAR CULTURE ONCE MORE.

BY DR. J. S. HOUGHTOlSr, PHTLADELPHIA.

Mr. Earle, of South Pass, Illinois discusses
the pear question in such a genial stj'le that I
cannot refrain from answering some of his " ques-
tions." As the ghost in Hamlet says, "brief
let me be."

" Is it essential that the bulk of a crop of pears
for the general market should be of extra size?''

I answer, not at all : but it is essential that
the fruit oflFered for sale should be nearly perfect
samples of each variety, of full size, and fair
skin, free from fungus and marks of insects,
worms, &c. As a general thing, in open market,
large, handsome, highly colored (yellow and red),
well ripened pears, free from marks and bruises,
will sell better than small, dark skinned, some-
what spotted fruit, even when the latter is of the
very best quality, and the first named is indiffer-
ent or poor. In common markets no small
sized fruit, except the Seckel, will bring the high-
est price. But in the first class fruit stores,
which are visited by persons of intelligence, (and
especially by amateur fruitgrowers,) small pears,
of high quality, like Josephine de Malines, sell
readily enough, at good prices, but even then
they do not pay the grower, — why ? — because
they do not measure-up well. They are not the
"fill-baskets."

It is a great mistake to suppose that only the
"Continental Hotel," in Philadelphia, and the
" Fifth Avenue," in New York, require fruit of
the largest size and finest quality. Why, even
the poor Italian street peddlers, who sell apples
and pears on the head of a barrel, will "turn up
their no.scs,'' with a sign of indifference, at the
second or third qunlity of pears, at any price, in
the months of September and October, in all the

large cities, while they will eagerly buy first rate
fruit,— large, beautiful and perfect, — at eight
dollars per bushel. Why ? Becauss the mar-
ket, in those months, is glutted with medium and
common fruit, and the fruit stands are covered
with even fine fruit in an injured or partially
rotted state, which can be (and must be) sold
very low, immediately. Now it may be a little
exaggeration to say, as I intended, in my first
article, that " one half the crop, on old standard
trees, is scarcely marketable at one dollar per
bushel," but it would be perfectly true to say
that the larger portion, of common small pears,
on common orchard trees, are not marketable, in
our large cities, in September or October, at one
dollar per basket— a basket being about half a
bushel. The truth is, the dealers don't want
common or inferior pears when the thermome-
ter is at 60° to 70' — at any price, because they
are unsaleable, and they cannot fail to rot in two

weeks, or less.
The Italian fruit dealer, says : " I wants the

fine pears. I wants the best. I pays your price.

I gives you the cash moneys. I got plenty

small pears.''

"Our object should be," says Mr. Earle, ' 'to
grow pears in such quantity and quality as to '
supply families by. the bushel or barrel, just as
apples are sold in our markets."

My personal experience in the pear market,
leads me to question whether this will soon be
accomplished to the satisfaction of all parties.

In the first place, families rarely, if ever, buy
pears in quantity at any price. Why ? Because
they are looked upon as a treacherous commod-
ity : thus— if hard, or not ripened, or not ready
for use, they do not know how to keep or ripen
them ; if ripened up, soft, and ready for use, a
peck, even, is too much for the immediate wants
of any ordinary ftxmily.

Secondly, if " sold just as apples are," pears
would pay the growers not more than .•^2 per
barrel, (after deducting cost of barrel, freight
and comaiissions.) which would be worse for
Mr. Earle than my original dollar per bushel.

No. Sir What we want, to make pear-grow-
ing pay, is a quality of fruit which will bring
from i^G.aO to S8.00 per bushel, for retail dealers
— and the balance of the crop (if I were not a
temperance man) I would make into Perry. It
is an injury to a good market to flood it with
medium and poor pears, at a low figure. The
dealers dislike it, and the public mver thank you
for it. Everybody wants fine pears -the very

1870.

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY,

finest that can be grown. Pears arc like " Jere-
miah's figs— the good are very good, the bad not
fit to give the pigs."

Now, Mr. Earle, gentlemen, "ADDi,"and the
rest of the critics, you don't rightly understand
me. What I mean to say is this :

1. Pear culture is difficult and precarious.

2. All climates are treacherous and doubtful .

3. Insects and fungus are suspicious, to say
the least.

4. White man is "' unsartin,'' and so are
pears (about keeping and ripening) after you get

'em.

5. All markets are "queer." and your mar-
ket will probably be glutted, just when you
desire to sell, unless you have fine specimen
fruit, in the finest possible condition.

6. To grow the finest specimen fruit, with
certainty, every year, will require more care and
skill than has hitherto been given to it, in
America.

7. " Barrel '' pears won't do. It must be spec-
imen fruit, each specimen in tissue paper, to
command the first price.

Mr. Earle asks : Is not '' all the writing
which encourages extravagant culture, — which
can only produce a few fiiucy pear^, &c. — un-
healthy in its influence ?'' I answer not at all,
for the reason, that if, by the best culture we can
raise magnificent fruit, which the public are will-
ing to pay for, you are sure to have enough
good, common and inferior fruit for those who
choose to buy it. Families can then buy
" barrels " of pears at a low figure.

The boarding school miss, who attempted to
paint a vessel under full sail, in a brisk breeze,
said that what troubled her most, in her artistic
work, was loincZ, and she couldn't manage the
water to her satisfaction.

Now in pear culture, it is wind, water, frost,
dry air, &c,, (the elements) that trouble me
most. But I am not alone, in this difficulty.
In the London Cottage Gardener, for November
last, I find the following remarks from T. C.
Bretiaut, the eminent fruit-grower of the Island
of Guernsey, (off the coast of France) where the
climate has been supposed to be perfection. He
says :

" It is too often supposed that the fruit-grow-
ing powers of the Channel Islands are so great
that little skill is ueeded to produce almost any-
thing. This has mainly arisen from the reputa-
tion of our noble Chauinontel Pears, which
happen exactly to .suit our cloudy summers and

equable night temperature ; but for most other
fruits the south of England is our equal, and in
almost every garden production France and Bel-
gium are naturally superior. Apricots here will
rarely succeed on the open wall ; open air grapes
are inferior to those of England. The preva-
lence of strong sea breezes laden with saltj is op-
posed to success.

"This year we had a damp and gloomy spring,
succeeded by a sunless summer, and this by an
unfavorable autumn remarkable for the most fu-
rious hurricane ever felt here . Hail showers and
low temperatures closed in the record of this try-
ing fruit season with a grim appropriateness.

" The hurricane of the 12th of September last,
which exceeded a hundred miles an hour in
speed, destroyed every leaf which was exposed
to it, and shook down most of the crops. Last
year, also, a gale occurred in the middle of
August. Even in the case of orchard houses,
the spring was disastrous, gloomy, and cold,
while the summer was nearly sunless ; in the
month of October we had smart hail showers,
and have now violent wind. All these matters
are troublesome in the extreme."

I may add, that Eochester had a bad spring,
in 1869, and Boston had a gale in September
which "shook down " the pears sadly.

What we need most in the culture of fine
dessert pears, is protection against spring frosts,
and cold winds and rains, at the blossoming
period. That this can be done with profit, I
begin to believe.

THE ROUND TUBERED DIOSCOREA.

BY PRINCE & CO., FLUSHING, N. Y.

We have received so many letters requesting
information as to the late Dr. Prince's collection
of Dioscoreas, that we propose, with your per-
mission, to answer theui all collectively throuo-h
the medium of your valuable Monthly.

For a number of years Dr. Prince was en-
' gaged in endeavoring to obtain shorter and
rounder varieties of the Dioscoroa than that
which we had (batatas). The very shape which
made the long variety indispensably valuable in
China, where land is scarce and labor abundant,
; became an objection in America, where on the

contrary, land is abundant and labor scarce.
, About two years since, Dr. Prince succeeded
< in obtaining a few little tubers of shorter varie
I ties, at an expense which seems almost fabulous.
I Those that grew |)rnved to be Eotunda, a round

Jf6

TEE GARDEJ\rER'S MOJYTEL^. February,

variety, quite similar in appearance to our ordi-
nary potato. Last spring he received a large
collection of comparatively short varieties, and he
congratulated himself greatly on the prospect of
soon introducing these interesting and valuable
esculents to American culture.

His sudden death, however, put an end to his
efforts in the matter ; and by a very unfortunate
accident, the rare tubers and roots which he had
placed in a closed box in his own room, were not
observed and taken out until the beginning of
summer. Probably from their long stay in a
heated room, the yams when discovered were
dry, hard and apparently dead. Determined,
however, to leave no effort untried to save these
varieties which had been obtained with such
great trouble and expense, we had the roots di-
vided and planted, notwithstanding ther dried-up
appearance.

They were of various kinds, which from the
shape and general appearance of the yams, we
called " Cocoa-nut shaped," " Banana shaped,"
and " Sweet potato shaped,'' besides the round
variety before mentioned.

Shortly after August 1st, when we had given
uu all hopes of life, two vines showed themselves
from the •' Banana shaped " yam The growth
of these vines was very different from that of the
ordinary Dioscorea batatas. The vine instead
of being round, was quadrangular, and spiral in
its growth, while the foliage was lighter in color
than that of the regular batatas.

We need not say with what interest these little
vines were watched from day to day ; but al-
though reaching perhaps three feet in length,
they made no tubers ; and the result on digging
at the end of the season, showed that the little
dried up bits of yam had exhausted themselves
by their ambitious efforts to produce vines ; so
that it is doubtful whether we have not lost that
as well as the cocoa-nut, and sweet potato
shaped varieties.

Jt is sincerely to be hoped that some enterprising
American will hasten to introduce this variety
so unfortunately lost. Its shape, size and gen-
eral'appearance are just what is to be desired
for an escul(;nt root.

A few of the Holunda (probably the most val-
uable variety) fortunately grew ; although, of
course, commencing their growth very late.
We enclose a photograph of some of tluin to
show the general shape. We have so few that
we do not projjose to part with any at present,
hut rcHi!rve them for experiment another year.

We may add that we have in our possession a
limited number of the pamphlet issued by Dr.
Prince descriptive of the varieties of these yams,
and explaining their special value, which we
will, with pleasure, forward to those interested,
so long as they last, without charge.

THE GREEXHOUSES OF MRS. GEO. W
CARPENTER, GERMANTOWN.

BY J. M., PHILADELPHIA.

On a visit to the above place a few days pre-
vious to Christmas, I i^aw so much to admire
that I am about to give you some notes taken
at the time. There are several plant houses on
the place, but one only is devoted to the growth
of winter flowers, and of that one I intend to
write. It is a mistake too often made to fill
plant houses with rare plants which bloom sel-
dom and are desirable only for their rarity.
Here it is not so. The plants are all selected
for winter flowering, and are carefully grown for
months beforehand for that purpose. The col-
lection consisted chiefly of Gesnerias, Choroze-
mas. Heliotrope, Mignonette, Chinese Prim-
roses, Lopezia, Stevias, Ageratums, Centrade*
nias, Abutilons, Cyrtantheras, Habrothamnus,
Salvias, Daphne , Camellias, Aphelandra, Belle-
perone, Lantanas, Syphocamphyles, Oestrum,
Veronica, Acacia, Begonia, Euphorbia, Olea,
and many others. Some 8-inch pots of Migno-
nette had over 75 heads of flowers ; their sweet-
ness, with that of the Daphne, Olea and Helio-
trope, pervaded the whole house. One large
Heliotrope from last spring's cutting had over
200 heads of bloom then open on it.

The house is span roof, about 50 feet long,
and kept only moderately warm in winter. The
gardener, Mr. David .Joyce, I found busily en-
gaged in making floral designs for Christmas
decorations, and had flowers by the bushel to cut
for the purpose. The Abutiloi^ album I noticed
as being a remarkably showy plant in winter ;
its flowers are sulphur yellow rather than white,
and flowering very freely makes it very desirable
for winter. The Camellias for which this place
is famous were not yet well in bloom. Some
double White, and Lady Hume's Blush were the
forwardest — the latter is one of the best for
bouquets, owing to the small size of its flowers
comparatively, and its beautiful creamy color.
I was niuch struck with the intense green of the
Camellia leaves on all the plants, and found they
had been watered with lime water, which was

1869.

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJSTTHLY.

thought to be the cause. This destroys the
worms and • insects in the soil, but whether it
does any other good or not I cannot say, but I
certainly never saw a more deep green, healthy
color before.

In response to an objection of mine that there
were not colored flowers enousrh, I was told that
it was partly owing to the owner's taste, who
preferred delicate, sweet-scented flowers to those
of showy colors.

ON SPECIFIC HEAT OF PLANTS.

BY DR. L. FRITSCHE, EVANSTON, INDIANA

An article in the November number, by Mr.
Walter Elder, called back to my memory obser-
vations which I made when a school boy, roving
through the forests and swamps on the coast of
the Baltic and Northern seas. Many a time
when I was out hunting in the cold of the winter
in those regions, where the snow covered the
pine and beech forests to a considerable depth,
my observation was drawn to the trunks of the
trees, which, without hardly any exceptions,
had no snow around them to about the width of
one to two inches from the surface of the snow
down to the soil ; the snow being sometimes
from one to two feet in depth. It looked like a
hollow cylinder around the trunks of the trees
The natural explanation that I could give my-
self about this phenomenon, was that the inter-
nal or inherent heat of the trees must have pro-
duced it.

In later years, when I learned in the Medical
College about the specific heat of men and ani-
mals, in my study of human physiology, the
phenomenon from the boyhood was called back
to my memory, and I always thought that
such a thing like the specific heat of a living
animal body must likewise exist in the vegetable
kingdom. Observations in later years haye
proved to me without doubt that the motion of
the sap in plants never is at rest, though some-
times so slow that it cannot be observed with the
naked eye. After so many years passing by, is
it not pleasing that the ideas of a man, those ot
Mr. Elder, call back to my memory all the dif-
ferent thoughts I had about this subject.
Thougli Botany has not been my field of study,
and time being so precious to me in my profes-
sional occupation, I wanted to call the attention
of your readers to this subject for further obser-
vation. Water and the sap of plants is of course
a very different thing, and we know that the sap

is mostly composed of water ; it is the medium
in which the nutritive parts or salts, etc., are
dissolved. But in the winter time, when
the cells and vessels of the plants become
so contracted as to make the endosmosis
(or the circulation, if you may call it by this
name) hardly perceptible, the suction force hav-
ing ceased by the fall of the leaves, cessa-
tion of evaporation, it follows that the sap must
contain by far less water than in the time of their
greatest vitality. The quantity of water in the sap
may decrease to such an extent that freezing or
crystallization could not take place. And may
not the motion of the sap, which even in winter
time is not S,t rest, produce a certain degree of
heat that may also prevent the freezing of the
sap ?

How do plants freeze? Undoubtedly by the
solidification or crystallization of the water in
the sap ; when the cells and vessels are filled
with sap, and in the process of the formation of
ice, their taking up a larger volume than
the water had before freezing, consequently the
cells and sap vessels of the plants must burst by
this expansion ; because it is a well known phys-
ical fact that the water takes a larger volume in
the formation of ice. Do we not see every year
that cherry and some other trees freeze easier
here than in the coldest parts of Europe V The
very mild days here in winter sometimes fill the
cells to their greatest extent, and then a foUow-
ins: frost increases the volume of the contents of
the cells suddenly by the formation of ice— death
is the natural consequence. Some plants of
course can support a very great expansion of
their cells by the very elasticity of their fibre.
Thanking Mr. Elder for putting these ideas in
motion, I must conclude with this statement :
There is no life without motion, and motion is
the eternal source of light and heat.

Perhaps other friends of horticulture may have
made better observations, and will give us more
light on this sut ject, or may these lines produce
a more thorough observation of the matter.

NOTES ON FRUITS IN WISCONSIN.

,J. W. C , GREEN LAKE CO., ^YIS.

In central Wisconsin there is a section of farm-
ing country that for general grain crop.* is not ex-
celled by any equal area in the* far West ; this
conclusion being arrived at after travel, obser-
vation and comparison. This section enabraces
all the county of Green Lake, most of Dodge

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJ^THLY.

February,

county, and part of Columbia Fond du Lac and
Winnebago counties, the extent of it being, in
round numbers, about thirty square miles, or
900 sections of land. The soil is about in equal
parts of rich dark prairie and strong loam, or
sandy loam, opening on thinly timbered ground.
The district generally is rolling, with good nat-
ural drainage, and pretty well watered, in all or-
dinary seasons, most of it even in long drouths;
and settlers, — it is all settled, and farms are
worth from §30 to $100 per acre— from different
States, say it is not excelled as a wheat produ-
cing country by any in the North-west. The
basis of this success in wheat is probably Lime
and good natural drainage.

It is also true that lime and good drainage are
equally favorable to fruit generally; prominently
to apples. It is therefore not a matter of sur-
prise that while in the latitudes of Illinois, Mis-
souri and Southern Iowa, apples have been very
defective, on land saturated with moisture, in
the season of '69, the apple crop has been excel-
lent here. But as it may be news to men further
South, I will state a few facts as to apples in 44°
North latitude.

The Northern Spy does well in several places
in Green Lake county. I have several barrels
of Newton Pippins in my cellar, though this ap-
ple is scarce here. It is only slightly spotted ;
not enough to damage its keeping qualities. The
American Golden liusset is largely grown, and
an annual bearer in this district. Sops of Wine,
red Astrachan and Oldenburg, are very success-
ful. By-the-bye, why call il Duchess Olden-
burgh? Is not the name Oldenburg long enough
and distinct enough? Rambo does well in some
localities.

Fall Orange, Autumn Strawberry and Fa-
meu.se, do well, both as to tree and fruit, and
Fall Pippin does well after the tree attains age.
but is tender when the trees are small. I find
the Fameuse variable in size according to soil.
It needs a well drained soil to give size and
quality in the fruit. Willi the million this is the
most popular apple of its season, though inferior
in quality to the Fall Strawlxjrry, particularly as
a table fruit.

The Yellow Bellflower is the most popular
apple in Central Wisconsin for cooking ; and tiic
million cat it with relish. If we could get as
good a cooking apple, with as line and firm grown
and texture, as the Swarr and Golden Ilus.set
have, it would never be superseded while [»ro-
ductive.

The Apple growers of Illinois and Iowa seem
be at sixes and sevens about the Yellow Bell-
flower being profitable. A few of them admit
that it ?"s profitable on "gravelly knolls," «fec.
This qualification, ^'■gravelly knolls"> tells the tale
and gives the clue. It will not bear early, nor pro-
duce good fruit except on well drained soils.
With me, on a sandy loam, it bears annually.
Some of the trees give a full crop, and a light
one alternately, — and singularly, for I have seen
no other tree do this so conspicuously, — one-half
or one-third of a tree will be laden down with a
heavy crop, while the other part bears only a few
scattering apples. On the whole, the Yellow
Bellflower, — soft though it be, — is generally pro-
ductive, and always marketable at a fair price
here.

The Ben Davis is now having a run. One nur-
seryman near me will use 10,000 scions of it this
winter. The Minkler is also being largely pro-
pagated ; while Perry Russet, though a shy
bearer, is gaining in popularity as the trees in-
crease in age and value.

A nurseryman, formerly a neighbor of A. J.
Downing, on the Hudson, and for years in the
business in McHenry Co., 111., but now doing a
large business at Ripon, in the district I have
outlined, tells me that the latter is far superior
as a fruit growing country to North Illinois, etc.
I think two facts in favor of this view are, our
greater elevation and very much superior natu-
ral drainage. Nine-tenths of these nine hundred
sections are both naturally well-drained, and
either top soil or subsoil, — and frequently both.
— is more or less strongly impregnated with lime
in a condition that favors the growth of trees,
and the production of apples, as well as of wheat
and grass ; and should you have time, I am sure
you would be greatly gratified by what you would
see, if you should take a trip to the Ripon Agri-
cultural Show next September.

I may add, that the Bartlett Pear, and Diana
Grape, are doing well in this vicinity, on the bor-
ders of the Fox River north, while Delaware is a
general favorite.

THE RAPHANUS CAUNDATUS.

BY MC K., JEFFERSON VILLE, IND.

In the December number of the Gardener' s
Monthhj I notice the prediction of the Nnva
Scotia Journal of Agriculture "that the time
will come when the "rat-tailed radish will be
grown in evei'y garden." My experience with

1870.

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJ^THLl.

this curious vegetable, satisfies me that, owing to
its strong propensity to hybridize with other va-
rieties, it cannot maintain for more than one
season its distinctive character when cultivated
in the same garden with the common radish.
The pods of the hybrid are short, stiff, tough,
and utterly unfit for eating. To succeed with
the Haphanus caudatus it will, I think, be ne-
cessary to procure imported seeds every year, or
to abandon entirely the cultivation of the old and
more valuable variety, the Raphanus sativus.

cultivatio:n^ of alpine straw-
berries.

BY MR. CHAS. CRUCKNELL, HARRISBURG, PA.

I have been much amused at the discussion
going on in the papers as to the identity of the
Mexican Ever-bearing Strawberry. I have not
seen the new candidate for public fiivor, and
cannot speak as to its merits ; but the fact of
some of the most noted cultivators being divided
in opinion as to its real character, leaves the
matter open to conjecture. Such being the case,
the following account, drawn from my own per-
sonal recollections and experience, may h\ve
some bearing on the subject.

Every person who has tried the experiment of
growing Strawberries in hills, where weeds and
runners have been kept dovvn, and the ground
well mulched, knows the vast difference in fla-
vor, and in the size of the berries as compared
to those grown in beds, where weeds and runners
alike are allowed to run riot.

For several years I grew exclusively the Al-
pine varieties for table use. On account of their
diminutive size, and the time spent in gathering
them, I had repeatedly introduced new kinds,
with the view of discontinuing the cultivation of
the Alpines, but the proprietor, who was a
Frenchman, declared they were all too acid ;
neither had they the rich aromatic flavor of the
Alpines.

The system pursued then of growing them in
beds, and digging between the rows every spring
and fall, tended as mucl^ as anything to dwarf
them to liliputian proportions indeed, and each
succeeding year they grew less, with a fair pros-
pect of the fruit becoming as large as— peas.

To me they were an eye sore The beds had
twenty years previous been devoted to Straw-
berry culture, and like the law of the Mcdes and
Persians, it changed not. By dint of consider-
able urging, consent was at last given to make a

new bed, on new ground. In July the first run-
ners were laid in pots, all others being kept
pinched off, and when they were sufficiently
rooted they were planted in double rows. The
garden line was stretched the lengtli of the row,
and on each side, at the distance of six inches
from the line, the runners were planted one foot
apart in each row, and alternately, so that the
plants on one side of the line were not opposite
those on the other side.

The distance between each double row was
two feet. The ground heavily mulched, and all
runners cut off as soon as they appeared. The
beds were made in the open ground, clear of all
trees and vines, and where they could have the
full benefit of an American summer's sun. The
bed did well, and bore considerable fruit the fol-
lowing spring, the berries being almost as large
as the best Wilson's I have ever seen. This
was quite a change from what we had been used
to. No person looking at the two beds would
suppose for a moment they were the same variety
of Strawberry The second year we picked more
fine fruit from this bed than I have done before
or since from any other variety on the same
quantity of ground.

SUCCESSFUL FRUIT GROWING.

BY MR. T. T. SOUTHWICK, DANSVILLE, N. Y.

I remember reading an article some months
since , written by some distinguished writer,
claiming fruit culture in the United States to
be a failure as compared to Europe.

Now, I have no disposition to quarrel with the
professional " croaker.'' He stands in about the
same relation to Pomology as the regular critic
does to art and literature. There is probably no
pursuit that embraces so large a proportion of
enthusiastic followers as that of Pomology — and
an occasional array of the unpleasant things -a
careful record of failures and disapj)ointments,
can serve but a good end. Gratitude shotild be
felt for the " croaker " for taking upon himself
such unpleasant duties,— for while the great
body of Pomologists are basking in the glow of
their genial enthusiasm, he is shivering in the
chill of his own gloom.

But I ramble. I merely intend to present an
item or two touching the apple croj) of some
of the counties of this State.

Orleans sent to market this autumn two hun-
dred and eighteen thousand and nine hundred
(218,900) barrels of apples, bringing upwards of

THE GARBEJ^EWS MOJVTHLY.

February ,

six hundred and fifty-six tliousand dollars (S656,-

000.

Niagara county claims to have marketed this
fall five hundred thousand (500,000) barrels,
bringing one million five hundred thousand dol
lars (SI, 500,000). The figures do not include a
large amount held for home use, spring sales, and
those sold for cider.

I have not yet received returns from Monroe,
Ontario and Wayne counties, but should judge
it safe to place them at half a million This
would make for five adjoining counties a cash
income of upwardi two and a half million of dol-
lars for apples.

This season's crop is by no means an unusual

crop, and the prices paid are not as high as some
other years.

The first apple tree planted in Orleans county
is still standing. The crop for 1860 was 280,000
barrels.

AVill our friend referred to state whether any
part of Europe produces, for the same extent of
ground, more bushels of select choice fruit as
shown above as follows :
Niagara county, 500,000 barrels of

Apples at $3 - - - - SI, 500 000
Orleans county, 218,000 do ; - 656 000
Monroe, Ontario and Wayne, 200,000, OOU 000

Total for five counties.

2,756 000

EDITOR lAL.

HORTICULTURE AT MILWAUKEE.

In the course of our run West this winter, we
spent a few hours at Milwaukee, and were sur-
prised to find it so much moi'e of a pleasant and
prosperous place, horticulturally, than we had
anticipated. True, our magazine has many
readers there, and much might be expected on
that account ; but then Milwaukee is but, as it
were, a thing of yesterday. We found a mag-
nificent city of a hundred thousand souls — one
tenth the size of Philadelphia in two centuries.
It is our good fortune to find kind friends at
every town, and here our good and hospitable
host chanced to be one of the early settlers, who
only thirty years ago came here and found but
twenty white families ahead of him. At that
time it was the headquarters of some Indian
ribes, and of Juneau, the great trader, wliose
house, and whose descendants still are here.
Like William Penn, Juneau was much beloved
by the aborigines with whom he had intercourse.
He married one of them, and honestly attended
to their best interests, even to the sacrifice of his
own. He and his descendants might have been
amongst the wealthiest if his own personal ends
had alone been sought.

Milwaukee is peculiarlydivided intothree sections
by reason ofthe riv«a-,and singularly enough, each
section represents adiflerent civilization. One sec-
tion is thoroughly Irish, another German, and the
third American. Amongst the German class, mar
ket gardening extensively prevails. They are the
chief I'fedfis of this large population. They

have a well organized Gardener's Association
amongst them, which, however, is chiefly with a
view to the business affairs of the members, than
as a society for mutual improvement in the
higher branches of gardening, as horticultural
societies usually are. They own a valuable tract
of land in the heart of the city, which is known
as the German Market, and is a very popular
spot with those citizens who wish to buy in the
cheapest and best place. This market is quite a
curiosity, reminding one very much of the
" fairs " annually held for the purpose of trade
and fun, or hiring of the countr}^ laborers of
Europe. Each stall is a frame box averaging about
eight by twelve feet— generally with alley-ways
' between each, and very narrow streets for foot
passengers running between them. These booths
are not confined to fruits, vegetables or provis-
isions, but supply everything from a darning
needle to a rocking horse. It is sad to say. that
as of stage coaches and many other good things
of the past, this relic of the good old time is also
, soon to pass away. The Association has de-
I cided to build one large, handsome market
house on the lot. after the fasliion of some ofthe
; modern i)alatial afl'airs in Philadelphia, — and in
i this, at any rate, these German gardeners show
themselves fully up to the modern idea of pro-
: gressive times.

I The nursery business, strangely enough, seems

j to have no hold at Milwaukee, and the nearest

establishment is that of Stickney & Baumback,

who are some twenty miles oft", at Wauwatosa,

1870.

TEE GARDEJ^ER'S MOMTRLY.

and we found that much was done by the pa-
trons of gardening here in direct importation of
things from Europe. If the nursery business
was behind, such, however, was not so with the
florists. The German gardeners deal largely in
flowers ; and there are two firms who, in seed
and cut flowers, do business equal to many of
our large Eastern houses. Messrs. Whilnel «&
Ellis have nine houses, chiefly devoted to cut
flowers, and Mr. Dunlap has also a very fine
establishment for the same purpose, and he pur-
sues the business not only as a means of living,
but with a keen zest, such as only a real lover of
flowers for their own sake only, ever shows
His collection contains many rare things, which
are rarely ever found outside of the house of the
wealthy amateur.

But one of the richest treats was afforded by
the private residence and grounds of Alexander
Mitchell, Esq. The property is less than an
acre, probably, but so divided by well kept
evergreen hedges as to appear very much larger.
The house — a mixture of ancient Ionic, with
the modern Italian style, is beautifully propor-
tioned and chastely adorned, and is a highly ad-
mired specimen of architecture. Against the
boundary wails of the lot are the greenhouses
for fruit and flowers, so that one can walk all
around the property under glass. There are six
distinct sections of houses, each about lOU
feet, besides many smaller concerns. These
are heated by hot water, circulated by means of
Myers' Philadelphia boilers. The house imme-
diately in connection with the dwelling, is a
handsome curvilinear structure, having a table
in front (jver the pipes; but the main portion has
the plants —very rare species— growing in the
open ground. The back wall is covered chiefly
by Abutilons, which had hundreds of blossoms,
and we never saw this plant used with better
eflect. One house is devoted to cut flowers, an-
other to Roses, another to Orchidaja, and plants
of similar habits The Orchidfca list exceeded
fifty of the rarest kinds,— and on the place
there were over 9,000 pot plants altogether. In
the Orchidtea house one of the most strikin"^
plants is a Colocasia, marked odorata, said to
have been received direct from Cuba. The com-
mon Caladium, or Colocasia esculenta, is
well known, it.s large, shield-like leaves being
now a very common summer ornament of our
gardens, — but these had leaves /owr to six feet
long, and only for the width of the leaves, might
be taken for a gigantic Banana. It seems to

grow up with a solid stem, also, not exactly like
a Banana, but rather like a tree fern. The
back wall of the Orchidsea house had been a
pretty object, — a layer of moss had been put up
against the brick wall, and then a strip of wood
about half an inch fastened against the moss
to keep it in place— more moss, and then
another strip, and so on until all the surface was
one sheet of greenness. The Ficus stipulata
and other creeping plantsh

So far here is no novelty, although such neat
little fancies are not often done; but it has been not
infrequently practiced in some of our best houses,
The novelty here was to us in the employ-
ment of the variegated leaved Begonias, to grow
out through the moss. No one can conceive the
beautiful effect produced by these plants, as the
position was so very favorable to looking at the
under sides of the leaves, wherein lies the rarely
appreciated beauty of this lovely tribe.

But to return to more practical matters, per-
haps one of the most interesting departments
was the Mushroom division of the cut flower
house. Usually the under stage of a oreen-
house, is an untidy, dirty mass of old pots, old
flower stalks, and other rubbish. Here a walk
behind led to a tidy place well enough arranged
to be part of the household of a first class house-
keeper. Along the shallow side were set up the
Mushroom boxes like feed chests in a farmer's
barn,— or the sugar cases in a grocery store.
The moving and sloping covers prevented any
drip from the plants entering the Mushroom
beds, and enabled the gardener to keep the mois-
ture, so necessary to be regular, completely under
control. These boxes are only about fourteen
inches wide, and are divided into sections of
eighteen feet each. Each bed of Mushrooms
continues productive about six weeks, so that a
new section is made up at those regular periods
and thus a succession of the esculents is kept up
all the season. About one hundred laro-e fat fel-
lows are the product of each section.

The heat maintained here with such re^ ularity
is 65° or 70°, and is communica.ted from small ^as
pipes running through the boxes, and tho bottom
of the bed is elevated a little from the bottom of
the boxes, so as to allow a current of air to
get under, which all helps to keep the
soil and the air at the same temperature
which, as we showed in our recent paper on
Mushrooms, is so essential to success. Arran"-e
ments are also made to catch in a small trou^'h
any moisture which may condense on the surface

TEE GAUDEJ^EICS MOJ^THLY.

February,

of the lid, and which, running down on the beds,
would do injury bj' making them too wet.

The material for the bed is pretty much as we
described also in our recent article. Droppings
from oat-fed horses, not allowed to ferment too
rapidly, pressed firmly into the boxes — spawn
from Mushroom-bricks, and then an inch of
soil beaten firmly.

Mr. Jos. Pollard is gardener here, and though
we made his acquaintance here for tbe first time,
feel that he is one of the gardeners American
Horticulture may be proud to own.

Milwaukee, though feeling itself somewhat the
rival of Chicago, and. apparently seizing on
everything which may aid it to regain a prom-
inence Chicago has achieved over it iu many re-
spects, is yet strangely slow to take up with
some good chances which lie at its door.

Industry and natural advantages are not all
that build up a place. Intelligence— science and
art — must receive due encouragement. Where
these are fostered, fame follows and wealth en-
sues. It is very questionable whether Boston
or Philadelphia would ever have achieved their
present eminence, but for their great reputation
as seats of learning. These highly educated
men are not often themselves wealthy— too often
the pursuit of their fancy leaves them poor,—
but they are the great source of wealth to others,
who learn how to put to a practical use the
discoveries they make. Chicago understands
this, and is fast becoming the literary and sci-
entific centre of ihe West. Milwaukee, with
100,000 inhabitants, has little of this spirit. It
has a small commencement in a very pretty public
library room, and about 10,000 volumes; but al-
though it is continually growing in public esti-
mation—slowly, perhaps — yet it is not near as
much prized as one would suppose. The city has,
perhaps, a better chance for this reputation
than Chicago ever had. It is in a rich region, and
has some eminent men of science, among whom
is Dr. I. A. Lapham, for whom the genus of
North American plants, Laphamia, has been
named, and whose fame as mineralogist and ge-
ologist is no less than his Botanical reputation.
His collections are very extensive. Tiie Herba-
rium alone embraces over BOOO species. We heard
that he offered to present the whole of his vlaua-
ble collection to the city, if the citizens would
provide a suitable place for them, but the propo-
sition does not seem to be valued. Cliicago
would ''juinj) " at such a chance, and we were

much surprised that Milwaukee did not appre-
ciate it.

Dropping in " on change," we were happy to
meet among the money men one of our readers,
Mr. David Furgusson, whose fame as an ama-
teur Rose grower is not bounded by Milwaukee.
He makes importations of most of the new kinds
as they appear. A visit to his pretty town
garden, though the grounds were covered with
snow, disclosed great taste in arrangement,
and must be a source of much enjoyment in the
summer season. A small greenhouse was well
filled with flower.s, the rather rare Libonia

floribunda being one of them.

••■•»

HEMLOCK HEDGES.

(see plate. )

Wherever we go over the Union, we hear sur-
prise expressed that the Hemlock makes a good
evergreen hedge. Around Philadeljjhia, it is
one of the most popular hedge plants, and we
see a few about Boston and New York, but else-
where it seems almost unknown for this pur-
pose. We thought it might serve a useful pur-
pose to give a colored plate taken from a hedge
grown on the grounds of J. M. Aertsen, of Ger-
mantown, whi(;h has been planted fifteen 3'ears,
ten of which it has been as higly admired as it is

now.
Some think that as the hemlock is a large

forest timber tree, it cannot be kept down as a
hedge plant, but summer pruning will keep the
strongest tree in a dwarf condition for a great
number of years. The pruning has to be done
just after the young growth pushes out, which
about here is the end of Ma}-. It is very im-
portant the hedge should be cut with sloping
sides, so that every part of the surface should have
the full benefit of the light. No hedge with the

upright sides or square top will keep thick at the
bottom long.

Some objection has been made to the Hem-
lock that it is difficult to transplant. This is
only when the roots are allowed to get dry, or
are not beaten firmly in the soil at transplanting.
The roots are slender and soon dry through,
and they suffer from this neglect more easily
than other trees; but it is so easy to guard
against this, that no one but a conlirnu'd lazy
bones will have anything to sav against it.

Our artist has represented a Norway Spruce as
it is growing on the left of the picture, and in
the front a bush of ^fahnnia (iquifoliii, with the
rich rosy purple tint which it puts on in the
winter season, and which, independently of its
golden yellow blossoms in s])ring,gives it a great
value in all sheltert'd grounds.

1870.

THE GARDENER'S MOJVTHLY.

THE ILLINOIS HORTICULTURAL SOCI-
ETY.

Receiving an invitation to address the meet-
ing of this society at Ottawa last month, the
editor of the Gardener'>s MQuthly found liimself
there at the time indicated. It was very grati-
fying to find that the members were fully alive
to the importance of these meetings. The large
hall was filled every day with as intelligent a ,
body of men as the L^nion can produce. The
practical men and men of science — farmers and
fruit-growers on the one hand, and on the other
Geologists, Chemists, and Entomologists, mixed
together not merely, as is often the case, to
listen, but to throw in cheerfully for the common
good what each had learned.

Mr. Shaw gave one of the most interesting
Geological addresses it was ever our pleasure to
listen to, showing how soil was originally made.
Mr. Shinier, the Entomologist, interested those
who studied abstract science by his views on the
proper classification of some insects. Mr. Riley

also spoke on the insect question, giving some
highly novel and interesting facts concerning
curculio and other troublesome pests, which
will enable fruit growers to know how best to
defeat their opei'ations.

Mr. Barry, of Rochester, discoursed on Pear
culture, giving the practical experience ofhis very
successful career as a pear grower, and satisfy-
ino- all his hearers that what one man has done
so easily, it ought to be very easy for another to
do again. We are quite sure that no one who
attended this Ottowa meeting but went away
convinced, if their fliith ever wavered, that there
was nothing in the way of successful fruit grow-
ing in that part of the Union, which intelligence
and industry may not overcome.

Dr. Hull added very much to the interest of
the meeting, by his physiological observations.

The Editor will long remember the kind at-
tention and civilities offered him by members of
the Society and citizens of Ottawa ; but the
princely hospitality of Prof. Bassnett and family
left no room for additional honors.

SCEAPS AND aUERIES.

Dwarf Pears — ".4maieitr," Russelville, Ky.,
writes : "I am an amateur in fruit culture, and
feel a lively interest in your most excellent mag-
azine. I am in rather a quandary in regard to
covering the Quince stock of my dwarf Pears.
I notice quite a difference of opinion amongst
some of the learned fruit culturists, and have
decided to be governed by what you advise.
Shall I cover the Quince stock up to and above
the graft, or not ? In trimming my pears I will
have a large amount of wood, and I am thinking
of ordering either Quince or Pear stocks.
Which is the best ? And will it do to graft
early in the spring, as soon as stocks are re-
ceived, or must I let them grow a year in the
nursery row before grafting ? An answer will
greatly oblige."

[It is an excellent plan to cover the Quince
stock in the Dwarf Pear, — but usually the Quince
stock is 12 or IS inches long, in which case the
lowest part of the Quince will be so deep that it
will gradually decay and communicate disease
to the tree. This is why so many Dwarf Pears

fail. Cut away all but six or eight inches of
this long stock. Sometimes there will not be
many roots on the six or eight inches left. In
such case cut away a large portion of the top of
the Pear tree at the planting.

Pear grafts grow stronger when the stocks
have had one year's growth before grafting.]

Editorial, Courtesies— Mr. Samuel B.
Parsons recently wrote to the Journal of Horti-
culture that the ungentlemanly language allowed
to appear in its paper did not help the cause of
horticulture. In the last number of that
magazine, a correspondent refers to Mr. Parsons'
remarks, and commends them.

A remarkable coincidence is, that in the same
number in which this endorsement of Mr. P. 's
strictures appears, is an article in which the
Editor of this journal is spoken of as the Editor
of the " Gardener's Oracle,"—" one wiser than
Sir T. A. Knight, Van Mjpns," and Mr. Hovey,
—"One who now tells us in the language of

THE GABDEJ^ER'S MOJVTHLY. February,

the old nursery rhyme, ' get out, you are all
quacks' '' "Such an oracle" who "tells Col.
Wilder he is a mere charlatan,"— papers "mar-
red by the interpolations of an ignorant editor,"
&c. What we did say, we believe, Avas very dif-
ferent from all this. It was that '• The public
idea of Pear culture /or _prq^^ has been an utter
failure,— that the knowledge and skill which has
directed it to this day is merely empirical, hav-
ing no foundation in science and no success in
practice to recommend it,— and that we have
the whole subject to begin anew, and the hard
lesson to learn over again."

Col. Wilder, Mr. Barry, Mr. Quinn. Mr. Yeo-
mans. Dr. Houghton, and perhaps a score of
other gentlemen that we might name, have had,
as we have frequently stated, tolerable success
in the xtrofitahh line with their pears, — but we
think as we said, that t\\Q public idea oi ih\?^ pro-
fitable culture has not been readied, and we still
think so, — but if in such a discussion we have to
descend to argue the matter with persons who
write in this disgusting manner, we beg to bo
excused. We prefer to hand them over to friend
Parsons, and the critic who commends him. It
may do for papers who aim to get up "high
toned journals badh' wanted,'' instead of those
now " edited by persons connected with horti-
cultural establishments," but not us.

Fungus in Apple Shoots. —Last month we
referred to a sort of gall sent in by Mr. Barry,
which seemed new to us. We have since placed
it in the hands of a friend who gives all his time
to Entomological studies, and who re])orts :

"The curious production found by Mr. Barry
on his yearling apple trees, attached at the base
of the leaf-stalk, sent me, is something new. I
have found similar excrescences on oak trees,
produced by a species of cynips— called the fig-
gall— when fresh are crimson and yellowish,
plicated and conglomerated along the young
branches, at the base of the leaf-stalk ; and the
general appearance led me to think, like Mr.
Barry, that the excrescence was prf)duced by an
insect, but on close microscopic inspection, I
have come to the conclusion that it is a fungoid
production ; and if jelly-like, in its early stage,
may belong to the class or genus Trcniclla,
the genus (tharacter is very uncertain, and seems
to be made up of various gelatinous produc-
tions.'' •

\W shall be very much obliged if Mr. Barry

will send us specimens in their matured state-
When under a microscope probably fungoid
traces may be found.

EvergreenClimbers— R. 5. L., Fitchburq,
Mass.. sa^s : "We have tried, and tried again,
with English Ivy as an evergreen climber, but
it does not give us much satisfjiction. It is to be
regretted that we have nothing of an evergreen
character that will in any Avay compare with
this." To which we agree. But yet the Japan
Evergreen Honeysuckle is so very beautiful and
so very hardy, at the same time so nearly ever-
green, that we are surprised so little use is made
of it.

English Floral Works.— ^. Y. T.. Rich-
mond. Ind— "Can you give me the name and cost
of some of the best illustrated Floral Magazines
or papers published in English in Europe."

[The Gardener'' s Chronicle, Journal of Horti-
cidture. and Gardcner''s Weekly, are liberally il-
lustrated by wood engravings, and are all ex-
cellent works. For colored illustrations. Hook-
er^s Botanical Magazine in England, and Ver-
scliaffelVs Illustrated Horticole, and Van Iloutte^s
Flores des Serres in French, are unequalled for
beauty and interest.]

Photographs of Round Tubered Diosco-
REAS. — We have from Prince & Co. a photo-
graph of the Dioscoreas noticed in another arti-
cle. They are much rounder than Sweet Pota-
toes. Indeed, except that they are slightly more
irregular in outline, they are no longer than a
common oval Potato. The length and depth of
the old Chinese Yam were its leading objections.
These certainly remedy this character.

Sweet and sour Apples. — We expect to
have a few notes from L. B. for next month's
number, on this curious subject.

Crossed Wheat.- Mr. Chas. Arnold re-
cently comnumicated to the Ontario Farmer.
some experiments on crossing wheat. One of
his crossings gave him last year 17 bushels 2
quarts iind 1 i)int. from 7 pounds of seed. The
Michigan amber was the female jiarent. Mr.
Arnold's success will stinuilate others to like
exertions.

IS70.

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJ^THLY.

Seed of Irish Juniper. — J. A. J. C, Da-
visville, California. — Tliis variety is but an up-
right form of the eomuion Juniper, and is con-
tinued bv cuttinifs — nowr bv seeds.

Black Knots in Plum Trees.— B. <S.,
Winchester, Fa., asks : "Is tliere^'any known
remedy to prevent the Curculio from niakinp;
knots on the Phnu ? Some years ago they did
not exist in this section, but now it is a serious
trouble in Plum culture."

[The best way to keep down the Plum knot is
to cut awaj- the branches in the winter that
are covei-ed with the knots, and then watch in
May and Juno for the first api)earancc of the soft
matter oozing through the bark, and pinch out by
finger and thumb. It is probably a fungus,certain-
ly not an insect. A few years ago it was uniA^ersal-
ly believed to be an insect, but the Gardener's
Monthly led oS" against this notion, by showing
that the Plum knot came through bark which
was often too thick for the little insect to eflfect,
and that the Curculio existed badly in districts
where there were no knots, and often troubled
Plums little where knots prevailed extensively.
This was laughed at, at the time, as the "logic of
an ignorant editor," but it prevailed, and it is now
the accepted doctrine, that the knot is not of in-
sect origin, and its treatment on this basis has
been so successful, that this disease is no longer
feared. It is one of those things which we look
back on with pleasure, as indicating our labors to
make American Fruit Growing a success, have
not been in vain.

Subscriptions to the Gardener's
Monthly. —The publishers wish that whenever
the occasion calls for it, our friends will let the
fact be known, that our paper is only sent to
those who pay for it, and order it every year. A
few friends feel hurt' every year that wc stop
them off; and complain that other journals do
not treat them in that way. Let them remem-
ber that ours is published for only two dollars a
year, and yet the >?/ze of our par/es, and the
amount of the lines o/" ^.vi>e nearly equal the mat-
ter of journals of double the number of pages.
Our first year's experience entailed a loss of
S2.000, from parties many of whom would be
offended at our disposition not to trust them.

It is strange that those who know their own
true interests do not always insist on all their
papers receiving pay in ndv^ince. The American

Naturalist started at .f3 per year, but it had to
go up to S4, evidently because so many " hon-
orable " people were not ready to pay, and in
their January number they announce that two
thousand three hundred and forty-eight dollars are
yet due them. One would suppose that scien-
tific journals would find more good subscribers,
but it seems thev too are blest bv a class who
think it an honor to the publishers to be pa-
tronized by them.

Fortunately, the Gardener^ s Monthly is so
popular that we can do without this class, and
we rather glory in our motto " Pay in advance."
To save this loss, publishers have usually to
charge more for the paper, or add to the price
of the advertisements, on the basis of a "larger
circulation " amongst people who would as soon
cheat the advertisers out of their wares as
the publishers out of their pay.

The publishers have not made any boast thT?t
they have "as great a circulation as all other
Horticultural magazines combined," because
they cannot possibly know that fact ; but the
system on which this magazine is conducted en-
ables the advertisers to bring their wares before
the very best class of paying customers, at the
lowest advertising rates.

Road Making. — A Subscriber, Stuyvesant,
N. F., writes : "I am in some trouble about
making a road through my grounds. The soil
has been excavated to the depth of eight or nine
inches, and the road bed filled with rough cob-
ble stones, of all sizes, thrown in at random. It
was proposed first to cover them with gravel,
but I am told now that the stones will be con-
tinually working up to the surface, making the
road rough and uneven. Now, Mr. Editor,
what shall I do with it ? I do not like to gravel
it in its present condition, and I am a complete
novice in road-making. Any information you
can give me through your Monthly will be most
gratefully received.''

[The round stones will certainly work to the
top. We think this will be the case no matter
what you do. ft will be too expensive to take
them out and Ijrcak them. Under the circum-
stances we should be disposed to bear with the
annoyance, and have enough cobble-stones bro-
ken to cover the surface about two inches deep.
Break the size of walnuts. Every spring proba-
lily many of the large round ones will work
through,— then set a man with a stone hammer

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJ^THLY. February,

to break them as they lie. Under the circum-
stances this is the best thing to do.

Road making is founded on very simple
principles, easily understood, and yet requires
great art to carry out to perfection. First, the
bottom must he chy, or after a frost the stone will
sink in the mud, which will work through the
spaces to the top. Then the surface stones
should he angular, because round stones move
about under a wheel, and make "rough driv-
ing.'' The smaller the stone, and the more an-
gular, the tighter it packs— this is the principle
of McAdam. The harder the stone also the
better, imless the hardness is of that brittleness
which will powder like glass when crushed.
Provision must he made for surface washings,
which will soon destroy a road. Slightly
rounded in the centre, the water is thrown to
the sides of the road, and trouble often comes
here through a miscalculation of the volume of
water to come down the road. Try to so ar-
range the road that if possible no more water
shall run down it than falls on it. A road is
frequently so made that it receives nearly all
the water of the place. Then it is a canal and
hard to keep in order. Frequent turn-outs on
the surface are the best to keep a road in good
order, but they look bad, and hence under-
drains are used. But these are liable to choke
with sand washings, so deep wells have often
to be made below the mouths of the drains into
which the gravel will fall. These are called
side basins. "With a good common sense appli-
cation of these principles a novice may make a
first-class road, but the cheapest way to make
a good road generally will be to employ a first-
class landscape gardener.]

Pole Cats for Pears. — S. writes : "What
will Mr. Quinn do when short of Pole Cats ?
No more ' culture for profit !' Might I not sug-
gest that a supply be f)btained from the North
Pole ? It is said to be a fur country ; and we
own nearly up to the base of the pole. I never
thought of it before when admiring the exquisite
flavor of Quinn's Pears, but I now see that it
proceeded from the mew— thylic acid exhaled
from the carcass of the Polar quadruped. I
have tried almost everything in the way of Pear
fertilizers, but never thought of this. You know
that Alaska has been considered a poor invest-
ment for Uncle Sam, but since reading Dr. Q.'s

experiment, a company of us has been formed to
offer the Government one million of dollars for
the exclusive privilege of hunting. We pretend
it is the Seals we are after, — but in reality it is
Pole Cats. Won't we have Pears ? Don't let
the cat out of the bag, however, until you read
of our success in the paperst" _^.^|

Large Pears.— ^. R. McK., 7x(cor», III..,
says : " I think this town can compare favor-
ably, if not outdo any other place I know of in
raising large Pears. For instance, an old friend
ofminehada Pear tree in his yard that was
loaded with nice large Pears, and on one little
twig there were eight Pears. He decided to let
them remain on the tree until they should be-
come mature, which he did. In the fall, when
he gathered them, he weighed them, and the
eight weighed nine pounds, one of them weigh-
ing twenty-two ounces. He placed them care-
fully in his cellar, and ate the last of them on
the 24th day of December last. They were of
the Duchesse d'Angouleme variety.

I give this as a little bit of Pear historj^ which
I think is tolerably hard to beat. I will further
say, the last one was sound and nice, as were all
the others. ' '

Cold Winter. — AVhile in our section the
winter has been very mild, in other parts of the
Union it has been very sevei'e. We gathered a nice
bunch of Dandelion flower this morning, January
26th, and the same day brings us a letter from
Texas, which says : " We have had an unusu-
ally severe winter." It Avill be strange, if one of
these days we have to send to Galveston instead
of Boston to fill Philadelphia ice houses !

Communications. — In our earlier volumes,
we gave nearly everything which came to us of
an interesting nature, long or short, under the
head of " Communications," and appended our
own notes vvhen necessary thereto. Some of our
readers used to write that these " long papers "
were not so interesting as the " short articles "
imder " Scraps and Queries," and we fell into
the habit of condensing many papers which
would bear such treatment, for thnf depart-
ment. A friend now writes, that " communica-
tions would be better filled out a little — the

1S70.

THE GABDEJSTER'S MOJVTTTLl .

other departments do very well." This was in
response to our request for suggestions as to
how our magazine can be improved. Very
well, friends ; send them along, and we will
make use of them.

Chinese Quince.— .7. (J. W., Staunton, Va.,
writes: " The accompanying fruit was sent to
me from the Eastern shore of Virginia. Tho
lady writer says she knows not what it is — thinks
it is of the Quince family — has several trees
growing in the garden — makes a good jelly.
I send these two to you to have your opinion .
They smell like the Japan Quince. One speci-
men sent to me was as large as three of those T
send you, Init being bruised and decaying, I did
not like to send it alone;. I hope you will not
consider it too much trouble to inspect it. and
let me know what you think it is — or a new fruit,
as a Baltimore nurseryman pronounced it."

[This is the Chinese Quince, Cydonia sinensis.
We are glad to know it is in cultivation, as it
makes a very ornamental tree. The rosy white
flowers, and showy fruit, will make an interest-
ing variety in our ornamental grounds. Asa
fruit, we don't think it will compete with the
common Quince {Cydonia vulgaris), and per-
haps the flower may not be as gaj^ as the
common Cydonia Japonica, often called "Py-
rus " Japonica ; but its different habits and
character will give it an interest of its own.]

The Fallowater Apple. — Discussion still
continues as to the orthography of their name.
The original name was Farawalder, or Phara-
walder, which signifies the Parish Minister ; the
tree having been found on the grounds of a Ger-
man clergyman. We do not. however, advocate
any change in the orthography adopted by
Downing. Just as in the case of Monsieur Le
Cure, we have got to say " Vicar of Winkfield."
So we prefer to accept what is generally received,
than to attempt the impossible task of alter-
ing it

IToRSE IIOES — "\Vp have before us cuts of two
cultivators, both of which seem to have merits,
which should make them worth a trial at least

One is " Perry's , Scarifier,''— the other

"Lindley's Adjustable Octagonal Horse Hoe."
We have seen neither of these, but judge that
they may be valuable by their appearance in the

engravings.

Pears in Utah.— J. D., writing from St.
George, on the Kio Vergen, says: "I am a
native of Long Island, and familiar with the
large Pears grown there, but can say this
country is far superior to that. Mineral sub-
stances so abound in the soil, as to have the ap-
pearance of a light fall of snow in some places."

[The leaf sent for name was probably a Solid-
ago, but there are so many leaves like it, with-
out the flowers, or a branch at least, it cannot
be distinguished.]

Ottawa Lecture. — X., Kansas City, Mo ,
saj'S : "I have been much interested in the
notices of the Lecture given by you at Ottawa,
Illinois, and expected to find some account of it
in the last Monthly, but was disappointed. Can
you not give it to us in full ?"

[The lecture referred to was prepared for the
Illinois Horticultural Society, especially for
them, and is therefore their property. We sup-
pose it will appear in full in their transactions.]

Westbrook or Speckled Apple. — U ,
Freeport, Pa. — Speckled, we believe, is the ac-
cepted name of this apple. Dr. Warder thinks
the Westbrook of Virginia an older name, and
another variety. Mr. C. AV. Westbrook, the
nurseryman at Ridgeway, N". C, may know
more of it.

Action of Frost on Seeds.— JK". G., Belle-
vieio, Nebraska : "Is it necessary to put seeds
out to freeze in order to have them grow. I
set some Peach Stones last spring and they did
not grow. I am told they should have been
frosted."

[Frost is an injury rather than a benefit to
most seeds. We doubt whether frost ever helped
any seed. It is, however, a popular notion that
it is of service. This has probably arisen from
the observation that frost breaks bottles of
water, and splits wet stones. The opening of
seeds is a vital effort, and the effects of cold on
vitality are injurious, and not beneficial. Mois-

THE GARDEJ\rER'S MOJfTRL^. February,

ture, air, lieat and darkness arc the essentials to
make seeds grow, and the first the most impor-
tant of all. Give moisture to a Peach Stone, so
that the kernel will absorb it, and then apply a
little iieat in the dark, and the kernel will swell
and split the hardest stone. Hard shells take
longer to absorb moisture. Hence time is ne-
cessary, but never frost.]

Cold Grapery.— il E. D.. Gloucester, 3fass.
" I wish to ascertain whether grai)evines six
years old from the bud can be safely removed,
and re -planted in the same garden ; and if so, at
what season of the year it had best be done ?

I iiave a cold grapery that has been standing
five years in a ])art of my garden that is not suf-
ficiently drained and exposed to the sun,— the
fruit and wood not completely ripening before
the frosts, and I know of no better way of reme-
dying the difficulty than by putting it upon a
more elevated and better lighted spot."

[Vines of the age of yours can be safely re-
moved. April would be a good time.

But we once knew a grapery suffering as
yours, which was cured without removal. A
wall, 12 feet from the vinery and 2 to 3 feet
high was built and filled with soil, making a
raised border. The roots were carefully lifted
as the soil was being put in, and spread just be-
neath the surface of the new border. It was a
perfect success.]

Hearth and Home.— In all our long connec-
tion with horticultural literature we have never
seen or heard of any charge of discourtesy from
us to a contemporary. Our wish and constant aim
is to give full credit to all our fellow laborers. We
cannot say the same of others' treatment of us.
A late number of Hearth and Home, for instance,
says : "In a late article on Dionaea Mascipxda,
or Venus' Fly-Trap, an account was given of
some recent experiments which showed the
Dionfea absorlis the juices from the insects
which it (its leaves) entrapjied," It was not ex-
pected that a journal which could only refer on
another occasion to this magazine, as a " certain
Horticultural editor,"' should care to give credit
to the Gar(lener''s Montlih/ for this article on
Dionaea.

However, wc do not measure our rules of

justice and courtesy, by the ill manners of
others, — and therefore give place to the follow-
ing from the publishers of Hearth and Home,
at the same time explaining that the credit to
"exchange paper" was the original fault of
a Western magazine from which we copied at
second hand. We are the more gratified with
the chance to make; this correction, as in si)ite of
the little peculiarities we have hinted at, we
like the Hearth and Home, and wish it too well to
want to rob it of any idea which is justly its
due :

Thomas Meehan. Esq.— Dear Sir:— On page
31 of your January number you have an item
"Winter Geraniums in Moss,'" written for
Hearth and Home by one of its editors. You say
to it '^Exchange Paper.''''

We notice that you practice giving the names
of the papers from which you quote in other
cases, and we call your attention to ttis case
with request that you will do the same with
Hearth and Home

Yours truly,
Pettingill. Bates & Co.

Large Grapes. — We overlooked to notice
the following from W. G. B., Cuyahoga Falls.
Ohio, under date of November 30 : " Last week
I cut a bunch of Grapes weighing nine pounds
thirteen ounces off a young Prince Albert vine,
first year of bearing. As there has been some
dispute as to the Weight of grapes grown in this
county, please infoi*m us in your next Gardener''s
Monthly whether it has been beaten. Mr. Cook,
my employer, sent it to President Grant, with
four other fine bunches. T cut eighteen bunches
off one vine, weighing from three to six pounds.
The Prince Albert I consider the best late Grape
that I know of, when properly grown."

[We doubt whether a Prince Albert ever
weighed more than this.'']

Reuben Raoan. — A short paragraph in our
paper rccenlly referred to the death of Richard
Ragan, of FiUmorc, Indiana, in August last.
It should have l)een Reuben Ragan. By a n--
markable coincidence another good Horticultur-
ist and reader of the Monthly from the com-
mencement, Richard Ragan, of Ilagerstown,
Maryland, died also in August lust.

1870.

TEE GARDE:N'ER'S MOJVTHLY.

BOOKS, CATALOGUES, &C.

Gems of the Lybic Drama. Edited by George W.
Tryon, Jr. Published bv the Anieriean Opera Puli-
lisbin^ Co., Philadelphia.

It is proposed by a company of music lovers
in Philadelphia, to issue bi-monthly volumes
containing the overture and principal music
of the best operas.

The volume before us contains " Fra Diavolo,'"
and is independently of the music, beautifully
illustrated as a work of art. We are interested
in the success of the undertaking through noting
the names of some of our leading Horticultu-
rists and men of science connected with the enter-
prise, whose souls are filled with "music every-
where."

The Weeds of Maine. By F. Lawson Scribner, of the
-Ma.s.sachusetts Agricultural College.

This is a littlework of 62 pages,in pamphlet form.
"Without much pretension, and possibly a com-
pilation, it is yet just the thing to circulate
amongst farmers and gardeners — not only of
Maine, but of other places, — as the worst weeds
are pretty generally distributed, and the means
resorted to for their destruction in one State, are
alike pretty much everywhere.

Horticultural Journals.

The Horticulturist has now completed its
tineniy -fifth year. It is a pleasure to note the
continued prosperity of this old favorite. Under
the management of its present editor, Mr. Wil-
liams, the contents are very varied, and always
interesting. '

The American Entomologist. — The last num-
ber of this excellent journal contains a brief

memoir of the late D. B Walsh, whose loss
every one connected with rural affairs so deeply
deplores. The next number is to have a steel
plate engraving, and further particulars of Mr.
Walsh.

The London Gardener''s Chronicle comes to us
as the first of a new series. The old style of
heading has been lightened ; the " general news ''
columns have been abandoned, and their places
filled with Horticultural and Agricultural mat-
ter. The Chronicle has many readers in this
country. It has had an extraordinary influence
for good on Horticultural progress in the past,
and every lover of gardening will wish the new
series the good fortune of the former one.

Annual REaiSTER of Rural Affairs. By lAither
Tupker & Sons, Albany, N. Y.

American Agricultural Annual. By Orange Judd
&Co.

American Horticultural Annual. Orange Jndd
& Co.

These little works are all well known, and are
annually looked for by numerous readers, who
find summed up in them most of the progress of
the year.

Garden Calendars.

We have before us three admirable little se-
rials, which in addition to being catalogues of
their owners' seeds and wares, are useful guides
in ordinary practical affairs. Landreth's,
Yicks', and Dreer's " Calendars " are the three
we refer to.

NEW AND KARE FRUITS.

Monte Bel,lo Apple.— I am indebted to A.
C. Hammond, of Warsaw, 111., for specimens of
this new and fine Apple. Mr. H. writes me that
it was raised from seed on the place of Matthew
Gray, at Riverside, in Monte Bello Township,
Hancock Co., Illinois. It is there considered an
Apple of great promise, the tree being hardy,
rather upright, moderately vigorous, and
healthy ; an early and annual bearer, very pro-
ductive, and the fruit alway.s fair and smooth.

Fruit above medium, oblate, regular ; skin

pale yellow, shaded and mottled with light red,
and splashed and striped Avith dark rich red
nearly over the whole surface, and sprinkled
with a few light dots ; stalk very short and
small, inserted in a broad cavity, russeted ; ca
lyx closed, or nearly so ; segments short, erect,
almost closed ; basin medium, or rather large,
deep, smooth ; ficsh very white, fine grained, a
little stained next the akin, very tender, juicy,
mild, subacid, vinous flavor ; quality very
good, or best; core medium or small. Ripen

THE GARBEJ^ER'S MOMTBLl. February,

from September to December.— C/ias. Boimxiwj
in American Agriculturist.

Wrigley Apple.— Mr. Downing; bands us
the followiri!? note :

"I find the TVrigley Apple named in your
January number is the same as Kigley, or Coop-
er's Redling or Cooper's Market, first described,
I believe, by Coxe, in 1817, as '^Relling." It
is quite popular in some sections as a late keep-
ing market variety."

[So far as our experience goes, this Apple is
most generally known as Cooper's Redling. in
New Jersey,— Cooper's Market in the interior of
Pennsylvania,— and "Wriglcy or Regular in
North-Eastern Pennsylvania. We suppose
" Cooper's Market " will be the most generally
accepted name It is a very showy fruit, an
excellent keeper, and a good healthy tree ; but
in our district by no means " enormously pro-
ductive."]

thinned, well grown, and well ripened, it is one
of the best of its season. When the tree is al-
lowed to over-bear for two or three years in suc-
cession it loses its vigor, and the fruit is poor in
quality. At least this is my experience, yet it
may be different with others.

Chas. Downing.

DucHRssE DE Bordeaux Pear.— I notice
there is much said relating to this Pear as an
excellent winter variety, — so it is if properly
treated. I would remark that the tree is very
productive, and unless the fruit is severely
thinned out when young, it will be small and
poor in quality ; but on healthy trees, sufficiently

Irish Pippin.— Specimens of this fine Apple
were sent to me by Benjamin Borden, of Norris-
town, Montgomery Co., Pa., and "is said to
have originated with Stephen A. Porter, of that
town. Tree a free ani upright grower, and
forming a handsome head ; a very productive
and showy fruit, and inclined to bear every year
unless the season is unfavorable.''

Fruit rather large, roundish, slightly conical ;
skin whitish, shaded with light bright red and
stripes, and broken splashes of dark red, sprin-
kled with a few light dots ; stalk very short and
small, inserted in a medium cavity, sometimes a
little rwsseted ; calyx closed, segments short ;
basin small, corrugated ; flesh white, fine
grained, tender, juicy, with a pleasant, mild,
subacid, vinous flavor ; quality very good ; core
rather small. Ripens in October and Novem-
ber, and with care, will keep until April. — Chas.
Downing, in American Agriculturist.

NEW AND HAHE PLANTS.

Gerrardanthus portemtosus.— M. Durieu
describes under this name a curious Cucurbita-
ceous plant growing in the Botanical Garden of
Bordeaux. It produces at its base a large napi-
form swelling, which is said to attain 2j yards,
sometimes more, in diameter. The Bordeaux
plant has, in the space of two years, produced a
tuber of about 18 inches in diameter. It is, how-
ever, remarkable that the young ones which
have been propagated from it have not produced
the tuberosity to which the seedling individuals
give rise The plant referred to in the above ex-
tract from the Revue Horticolr, must surely be
the same as Gerrardanthus megairhiza. of wiiich
the following acount is given in Harvey's " Ge-
nera of South African Plants :" '■'■G.megarrhizn,
Dene, and Harv., the only species grown in the
Natal colony. It has a large placentiforra, tu-

berous root, lying on the surface of the soil,.S to
4 feet in diameter, 1 to 2 feet thick, slightly acrid
and bitter, and used, as Mr Gerrard informs
me, ' by the Kaffirs for various medicinal pur-
po.ses ; among others they give it to hoifers,
after the first calf, to increase the quantity of
milk ; but it appears to deteriorate the quality,
for it is Slid the cows give no butter during the
time they are taking the root.' " — Gard. Cliron.

Agave dasyliriodes (Amaryllilaccpe)— A
stemloss greenhouse succulent plant, forming a
noble tuft of narrowly ensif()rm attenuate recur-
ved eoriuc(!ous Imives, which are from 3 to 4 feet
long. From the centre rises a flower-stem, 10
feet long, the flowers bearing on upper part pen-
dulous and densely packed small green flowers in
pairs, while below these the whole of the erect

1870.

TEE aAUDEJ^BWS MOJ^TBLY.

basal part of the scape is clothed with crowded
sickle-shaped secund bracts. The plaut was in-
troduced many years since from Mexico, and has
thrice flowered in the conservatory of the Royal
Botanic ^ocmiy.— Botanical Mag.

AcHYROCLiKE Saunderson"!.— This in its
style is one of the most elegant and effective
plants, with silvery-surfaced foliage, for garden
decoration yet offered to the notice of cultivators.
It forms a very dwarf and compact densely-
branched shrub, from 4 to 6 or 8 inches in height,
being easily retained to any relative under-size
required. Its leaves are narrowly lanceolate,
close and densely set, the upper and under sur-
faces being alike silvery white, forming a beauti-
ful contrast with opposite green leaf tints ; and
it retains its attractive character throughout the
winter months for conservatory or greenhouse

Alocasia Jennixgsii, (Araceae).— a beau-
tiful-leaved stove perennial, of a remarkably dis-
tinct character. The leaves are 6—8 inches in
length, peltate, cordate-ovate acuminate, with
their blades deflexed from the top of the erect
mottled stalks ; their ground color is a slightly
glaucous green, but their surface is marked with
large wedge-shaped blotches of dark brown, al-
most black, between the green veins, which are
bright green. It has been introduced from In-
dia by the Messrs. Veitch &Sons.— jP?or. & Pom.

culture. 2>rext to its clear and beautiful silver
hue, is its remarkably short and low-branched
habit, which never runs into exuberant vigor
but uniformly retains it under-growth through-
out the year, with nearly the same compactness
and dense habit as the ordinary dwarf f^arden
Box. By these attractive features it will not fail
to prove an invaluable acquisition for picturesque
leaf groups, extensive ribboned lines, and mar-
ginal belts, and must eventually be considered
as the most neat and effctive plaut of its class
yet offered.— Gardener's Chronide.

GisTAPHALruM TOMENTOsus. — A very eleo-ant
low shrub, of free compact growth, ^ to 1^ feet
in height, as required, with pure silvery-grey
willow-like outline, snow-white stems, and under
leaf surface. It is finely adapted for very effec-
tive third ribboned rows, between self-green
chocolate-red, or crimson leaf-tints, retaining its
ornamental character throughout the year for
conservatory decoration. In freeness of growth,
neat habit, and bushy outline, it is superior to
any other plant of similar growth and effect yet
offered for summer beds. As an outward single
or double belt to masses of evergreen shrubs °in
extensive pleasure grounds, it is remarkably' ef-
fective, and equally adapted for portable speci-
mens, in pots, in the formation of temporary
groups and beds, and for decoration in basket-
work or terrace ornament.— GanZ. Chronicle.

INTELLIGENCE.

Broom Fibre. — The following account from
a foreign journal probably refers to the Genis-
ta scoparhim :

" A letter from Calabria contains the follow-
ing curious statement of an industry unknown
to us : In Calabria, in some districts, espe-
cially in the Albanian ones, no linen is made
except from the broom plant. Hemp we hardly
cultivate, and flax is only used by people in
easy circumstances. The poor, therefore, are
glad to make use of the broom, which abounds
on our mountains. In the month of August,
when the young plant has attained its full con-
sistency, it is gathered point by point, and bound
in bundles of a diameter of about five centime-

tres each ; then boiled for several hours in a
large cauldron. When the fibrous part only re-
mains, the bundles are removed from the caul-
dron and carried to some stream or torrent,
where they are allowed to macerate sufficiently,
after which they are withdrawn from the water,
and undergo the necessary preparations. The
linen which is made from the broom is white,
strong and lasting."

Mark Miller's Fruit Farm.— The Imoa

Ttegister says :

" A few days since we had the pleasure of vis-
iting the farm of Mark Miller, which is located

6'^

THE GARDEJfER'S MO^TTHLY. February,

about a mile and a half from this city. In
choosing the location, Mr. Miller displayed the
admirable taste of a true lover of the beautiful,
who combines good sense and practical ideas
with the ornamental and romantic,— for the
ground on which he located is just what a per-
son Mould mould, or scoop, or carve to their
hand, had they the power to do so. He has
been on this farm only four years, but in that
time he has made astonishing headway toward
the growing of fruit and the general ornamenta-
tion of his place. An orchard, numbering about
six hundred trees, set out at that time shows
the healthiest, thriftiest appearance of an}'
young orchard we have looked through.

What he has done in the Apple tree line, he
has also accomplished with Pears, Cherries, &c.
All his trees look healthy, and it seems that
bugs, caterpillars, borers, «&c., which trouble
other fruit growers, don't visit him, but it is
probable that their absence is owing to constant
care and watchfulness on his part.''

Sugared Wines. — A committee of the Ten-
nessee Horticultural Society, says, In view of in-
dubitable proofs that wines, choice enough for
any taste or any purposes, can be produced from
grapes to any desired extent in Tennessee, would
recommend the society seriously to consider the
following measures :

1. To offer no more premiums for berry or other
wines than those made from the grape.

2. To refuse premiums to all grape wines not
strictly unadulterated ; approving thus such only
as are made without the addition of sxujar or
other ingredients to the pure must of the grape.

These recommendations are based upon the
facts that we now have native grapes, sufficiently
endowed with saccharine and other necessary
qualities, to furnish wines pleasant and rich, and
that, by the use of sugar and other extraneous
articles, drinks, any thing but healthful and pro-
motive of sobriety, may be made trom the juice
of almost any fruit or vegetable, whether ripe or
green, and endowed with acid or other properties
friendly or inimical to the human system.

As the design of our Society is to encourage
rclined tastes, habits of sobriety and industry,
and so the greatest good of the community,
the committee hope their recommendations will
not pass unheeded.

A Cypress-trek converted into a Dor-
mitory.— Lady Mary W. Montague, in her in-
teresting travels, mentions a Cypress tree in a
garden at Kujek Checkmedji, that was converted
into this rather singular use. The house and
garden which she visited belonged to the ''hogia"
or schoolmaster. " I asked him," she says, "to
show me his own apartment, and was surprised
to see him point to a tall Cypress tree in his gar-
den, on the top of which was a place for a bed
for himself, and a little lower one for his wife and
two children, who slept there every night. I was
so much diverted with the fancy, that I resolved
to visit his nest nearer ; but going up fifty steps,
I found I had still fifty to go up, and then I must
climb from branch to branch, with some hazard
of my neck. T thought it therefore the best way
to come down again."

Fuchsia Eose of Castile. — This is a grand
subject for conservatory decoration. In Febru-
ary of last year I started a batch of about a dozen
old plants in a vinery then at work. Early fti
the following April they began to flower, when
they were removed to the conservatory, where
they continued in full beauty through the sum-
mer. I started the same plants again this year,
in heat, and pinched the new growth once ; they
are once more rich with their delicate flowers,
and of the greatest service to mix with such
things as azaleas, calceolarias and pelargoniums;
there is no fuchsia that I know that flowers so
freely and lasts so long. — J. C. C, in Gnrdener''s
Chronicle.

Brandy from Reindeer Moss.— Experi-
ments latel)' made in Sweden, on a large scale,
upon the production of brandy from lichens, and
especially the reindeer moss, have, it is said,
proved so successful as to warrant the practical
application of the jirocess. The method is boil-
ing the moss for about eight hours, with six or
seven per cent of sulphuric or hydrochloric acid
and water, then neutralizing the acid, adding
yeast, fermenting and distilling. From 20 lbs.
of the air dried moss about 5i quarts of brandy,
of 50 per cent, of alcohol, have been obtained.
The theory of the process consists in the trans-
formation of the lichenin or lichen-starch into
gluco.'jc. by boiling with the acid mentioned, and
then changing thi.s to alcohol by subjecting it to
fermentation.

1870.

TEE GARDEJVER'S MOJVTHLy.

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF AVES-
TERN NEW YORK.

At the Winter meeting of the Horticultural
Society of Western New York, the following offi-
cers were elected for the ensuing year :

President — Patrick Barry, of Rochester.

1st Vice President— T. C. Maxwell, Geneva.

2d '' '' — C. L. Hoag, Lockport.

3d " " — AV. Brown Smith, Syra-

cuse.

Secretary and Treasurer — Sam. P. AYakelee,
Rochester.

NORTH CAROLINA HORTICULTURAL
SOCIETY.
Col. Steele called together a meeting of the
State Horticulturists to organize a society, on
the 21st of January, which we believe was a
success.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE MONTGOMERY
COUNTY, OHIO, HORTICULTURAL
SOCIETY.

ANNUAL MEETING.

The attendance on AVednesday, January 5th,
1870. on the occasion of the annual meeting, was
much larger than any meeting for a great
while.

The meeting was called to order by President
Ohnier, and Secretary Heikes read the proceed-
ings of the former meeting.

The essay was read by J. H. AV. Mumma, on
the " AVinter Protection of Fruit and Plants,"
as follows :

'' AVhile many look upon Horticulture as one
of the greatest sciences of modern times, as yet
not fairly and properly understood, except by the
smallest number, who are classed as Horticul-
turists, I look upcm Horticulture as one of the
most beautiful in all its bearings, in the cultiva-
tion of fruits, vegetables. Sec. But there are
many failures in this useful and pleasant pursuit.
Not because it is not a profitable one, but be-
cause there are many who go into the business
with the expectation of making a tortune in a
few years ; but when in the business, they find
it not to be the case. The question is often
asked me by many that are successful, " AVhy,
you are making a fortune in that business !''
But a fortune is not made in a day, or week, or
year. It is by a steady and correct way of doing
business that a fair remuneration for the Horti-
culturist is obtained. It is a business that re-

quires close attention and observation, and to be

always on the lookout to see that there is a

'' place for everything, and everything in its

place."

There should be careful study in the purchase

of plants as well as the planting of them. One
very important 'object should be kept in view —
not to purchase any article because it is cheap,
but in the end may prf)ve very dear. I might
say, on the other hand, it is not always safe to
purchase at too high prices. It is true the most
expert will once in a while be caught in the pur-
chase of a worthless article at extreme rates. As
a general rule we should always try to purchase
of some one that is reliable. As is the
case now-a-days there are many new
plants, vines, seeds, etc, brought before the
public — many that have not been tested — and
when tried, are worse than worthless. My
main object in this essay is to speak of the pro-
tection of plants in winter.

I will give as brief a history of my mode of
winter protection as is practicable. But in the
first place permit me to ask the question : why
is it we find many Horticulturists that neglect
this very important part of their work — the
winter protection of their plants, flowers, «&c?
It is not because of the great amount of labor
that it requires, though it is accompanied with
cost and labor. There is an old adage which reads:
" Anything that is worch doing at all, is worth
doinsj well." And that is the rule which should
especially govern Horticulturists.

I will say to all interested in the growing of
small fruit principally, that a protection of their
plants in winter will pay largely. There are
many kinds of material used for a winter protec-
tion, which I will speak of in turn. I have
tried all of those I am about to mention. As
the Strawberry is one of my specialties, I will
confine my winter protection principally to that
kind of fruit. Our climate is very changeable,
and causes the ground to rise and fall from the
plants, and by that means the roots are left bare
in the spring of the year. I have lost thousands
of plants in this way, by not having them prop-
erly protected in the winter. I planted 11,000
AVilson's Albau}^ Strawberry plants in my Aj)ple
and Peach orchard, five years ago, and three-
fourths of them 1 covered with sawdust. I put my
plants out about the middle of June, and I ap-
plied the sawdust in early winter, but to my
surprise in the spring found at least three-fourths
of ail that was protected with sawdust frozen

GJi,

TEE GARDEJTER'S MOJ^TRLY. February,

out and dead. The other fourth of my plants I
covered with the refuse of my wood-house, and
to my surprise found them all right in the
spring. This settled the point with me, that
sawdust would not answer for a winter protec-
tion, while the litter proved very good, having
the properties of warmth, which the sawdust has
not. I have tried spent tan-bark with tolerable
good results ; but in its new state it is apt to sour
the ground, and also cause mildew to plants.
This has been the objection of many that have
used it. I have seen it thrown on a pile in its
green state, and not removed for a month ; it
had exhausted the soil of all its fertile qualities.
I have known sorghum stalks used for protecting
Strawberry plants, but from the appearance of
the plants in the spring, I judge it was not good
for them.

Straw is a very good protection to plants,
where it can be procured with Uttle or no grass
seed, Avhich is an objection. I have tried it with
very good results, where I had it clear of seed.
I have also seen straw tried, which set the
Strawberry bod with grass, so that it was about
as much work to clean the grass out as the
profit derived from the berries. Where straw is
used it should be clear of grass seed.

I have seen the oflFal of a flax mill used for
protecting plants. I do not recommend it, as it
lays too dead, or heavy on the plants, and has
to be taken off" in the spring ; but what makes it
more objectionable is the amount of all kinds of
seed that is cut with the flax in harvesting it. I
consider the leaves of the forest as good a pro-
tection of plants as can be had, there being but
one objection to them, and that is they are apt
to blow away when they get dry. When they
can be placed around the plants so as not to be
scattered by high winds, I considCT them ot
great value. I have tried them with great suc-
cess.

The best material I have u.sed for protecting
my Strawberry plants is fodder. I have used it
with perfect success. I will state here my mode
of using it. I have a power machine which cuts
and grinds stalks so that they become very fine,
andean be worked in around the plants, keeping
them protected aromul the roots so as to prevent
freezing and thawing.

For the benefit of my fellow Horticulturists, I
would say tlie machine I refer to is made by B.
C. Taylor. It is of double value to me— for
feeding stock, and to make bedding for my hor-
ses ; and T apply it to my plants after il is

I thrown out of the stalls. It acts as a fertilizer

I and a winter protection at the same time. I
have used this kind of mulch for ray flower-beds
in summer, and it has proved very beneficial in
holding moisture and keeping the weeds down.
It is good to protect all plants, as fodder is free
of all seed. I apply a good sized double-handful
to a hill of Strawberries, so as to nearly cover it.
I leave it on in the spring, and let the plants

, grow up through it, so the fruit stalks and fruit

, rest on the mulch.

Fodder is not a very costly material for pro-
tecting plants in winter for any one that has a
machine to cut stalks. For the mulching of
ground around the Strawberry, Kaspberry,
Blackberry, Currant bushes, etc., and indeed
everything in the line of Horticulture, this ma-
chine is invaluable for cutting fodder. A ma-
chine will pay if two or three fruit growers pur-
chase a machine together, the cost being com-
paratively light to each person. Now, there
are very few Horticulturists that do not plant
from four to five acres of corn, and the fodder,
in any ordinary season, is worth from one-half
to three-fourths as much as the corn, if properly
managed. All who have had anj' experience
in the winter protection of plants with the use
of fodder, will sanction what I say on this sub-
ject.

I would advise all who grow Strawberries, and
other small fruit, to give them a winter pro-
tection of some one of the three last named ar-
ticles. If it is but a partial covering it will do
better than none. The great fault with too
many of us is to plant too much, and protect too
little, which is a very great mistake. We should
plant less, cultivate better, and give more atten-
tion to winter protection, and success will be
sure. ' '

President Ohmer was renominated by accla-
mation, and elected with entire unanimity,
every ballot being cast for him.

The President returned thanks for the
honor so unanimously tendered. He said he
had earnestly labored for the good ot the society,
and for the cause of Horticulture, and he would
continue to do so, whether he was President or
not. However, he was grateful for this evidence
of :H)prL'ciation of his fellow-workers, and would
endeavor to merit the honor conferred.

TOPICS FOR THE YEAR.

February — Soils and Locations.

March Selection of Plants.

April— Profits uf Horticulture.

May— Birds and Insects.

June — Hedges.

July — Fertilizers.

August — Sub-soiling and Drainage.

September — Grapes.

October — Atmospheric Ciianges.

November — Winter Protection.

December— Horticultural Periodicals.

®l\t (BMdmtf^

^^o

DEVOTED TO

Eorti culture, Arhori culture, Botany and Rural Affairs

EDITED BY THOMAS MEEIIAJs^.

Old Series, Vol. Xll.

MARCH, 1870. ^^^w Series, Vol. III. No. 3.

HITsTS rOU MAECIL

FLOWER-GAEDEX AND PLEASURE
GROUND.

We are advocates of fashions in flowers as
well as of fashions in dress, but often wish that
Ihey had more reason in them. Still, so for as
fashions in flowers are concei*ned, we feel that if
anything unreasonable exists, it is the fault of
our magazine, and others like it, who rule, or
ought to rule the leaders of fashion. The great
public are too lazy to think for themselves, or
are unable to do it. Like the ancient Israelites,
who tiring of the old man Moses, and wanting a
young man to lead them, shouted for a King,
and got soon tired of him,— so our people cry
out for a foshion leader, and yet murmur at the
slavery their own voice has herein brought on
themselves. We follow the Empress or Empe-
ror of the French in our dress fashions, — or the
Duchess of Sutherland, or some other Duchess,
in our flower gai'dening, and though rebelling
at the absurdity of the styles, acknowledge our
weakness, and fall in with the humble crowd.
If we can ever get to England, we shall ofier
Lady Middlcton or the Duchess of Sutherland,
or some other great lady Floriculturist, a posi-
tion on the Monthly as fashion editress, and with
our superior wisdom to suggest rational modes
of arranging flowers, have na doubt that it will
be a very nice world, and that everything will be
just as it ought to be.

When that good time comes, we shall perhaps
discuss the question wlicther it is wise to so ar-
range plants with colored leaves in masses, that
everybody's flower Ixid, shall be an exact copy of
every other body's bed. AVe would rather go
into some old style garden with its Marigolds,
and Sunflowers, and wild Pansies, for real en-

joyment, than in some of oar modem leaf rrar.
dens. Still, it is fashionable to have them, anrl
not having influence enough to control the lead-
ers of fashion, we must go along till it sees fit to
alter its mandates.

We foncy the arrangement of leaf plants in mas-
ses will be very popular this season. If we cannot
have much variety of color or form in the plants
in the beds, we can at least have sume in the beds
themselves, and really some of these beds look
very pretty. While in Milwaukee we saw a
veiy pretty lot of beds on the grounds of Mr. D.
Ferguson. The snow was on the ground, and
we could not see exactly the outlines, but ne
believe the sketch on the next page gives pretty
nearly the idea. It was set along a walk on a
narrow plot of grass, with a walk between the two
sets of beds, which led to the fruit garden.

So far as the general hints applicable to the
every year management of the flower warden
department is concerned, the annual prunino-
must be got through with as soon as possible.

Many delay pruning shrubbery until after se-
vere weather passes, so as to see what injury
may be done,— but with JNIarch all should be fin-
ished,—taking care not to trim severely such
Shrubs as flower out of last year's wood, as for
instance the Wiegelia— while such as flower
from the spring growth, as the Altha-a, Mock
Orange, Sec, are benefited by cutting back vig-
orously.

If flowers have been growing in the ground
many years, new soil does wonders. Rich ma-
nure makes flowers grow, but they do not always
flower well with vigorous growth. If new soil
cannot be had, a Avhcelbarrow of manure to

TEE GAIiI)E:N'ER'S MOJVTHLY.

March,

about every fifty square feet will be enough. If
J he garden earth looks gray or yellow, rotten
leaves— quite rotten leaves— will improve it. If
heavy, add sand. If very sandy, add salt — about
half a pint to fifty square feet. If very black or
rich from previous years' manurings, use a little
lime, about a pint, slacked, to fifty square feet.

Jf the garden be full of hardy perennial flow-
fTS, do not dig it, but use a fork, and that not
deeply.

Dig garden soil only when the ground is warm
and dry. Do not be in a hurry, or you may get
behind. "When a clot of earth will crush to

powder when you tread on it, is time to dig — not
before.

If perennial plants have stood three years in
one place, separate the stools, replacing one-
third, and give the balance to your neighbor
who has none.

Prune Shrubs, Roses and Vines. Those which
flower from young wood, cut in severely to make
new growth vigorous. Tea, China, Bourbon
and Noisette Roses are of this class. What are
called annual flowering Roses, as Prairie Queen,
and so on, require much of last year's wood to
make a good show of flowers, lleuce, with

these, thin out weak wood, and leave all the
stronger.

To make handsome, shapely specimens of
Shrubs, cut them now into the foni s you want,
and keep them so by pulling out all shoots that
grow stronger than the other during the sum-
mer season.

The rule for pruning at transplanting is to cut
in i)roportion to apparent injury to roots. Jf not
much worse for removal, cut but little of the top
away. Properly pruned, a good gardener will
not have the worst ca.'jj of a badly dug tree to
die under his hands. In nursery, where these
matters are well understood, trees " never die.''

Box edgings lay well now. Make the ground
firm and level; plant deep, with tops not more
than two inches above ground.

Roll the grass well befurc the softness of a

thaw goes away. It makes all smooth and level.
Graft trees or shrubs where changed sons arc
desirable. Any lady can graft. Cleft grafting
is the easiest. Split the stock, cut the scion like
a wedge, insert in the split, so that the bark of
the stock and scion meets ; tie a little bast bark
around it, and cover with Trowbridge's Graf;-
ing AV^ax, and all is done ; very simple when it is
understood, and not hard to understand.

Prepare for some little 'out of the way' no-
tion in the gardening M'ay. The great Land-
scape Gardeners will tell you to make everything
look as natural as may be. Perhaps they are
right in a general way ; but avc never see in na-
ture a pole with a hoop at the bottom, leading a
lozen of strings to the top of the pole like a su-
>ar-loaf, with scores of Cypress-vine branchea

1870.

THE GARI)EJ\''ER'S MOJVTHLY.

running over them ; trees trained like fans, or a
dozen of colors grafted on one bush ; or upright
Irish Junipers, or Weeping Willows, or, for the
matter of that. Double Roses. In fiict, in some
things, the more unlike nature, if not ridiculous,
the better it will please.

FRUIT GARDE^T.
Where there is danger of choice fruit suffering
injury from late frosts, protect by a few evergreen
branches, or muslin. Some trees can be trained
so as to be suited easily to different modes of
protection.

Take borers out of fruit trees, and wrap oiled
paper round the stem at the collar, to keep them
out for the rest of the season.

Wash the bark of trees, where not done, to kill
the eggs of insects, and soften the old skin so as
to permit it to swell freely.

For small places, a plentiful supply of Straw-
berries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Gooseber-
ries, and Currants should be provided, and the
Grapevine by no means be forgotten. These sel
dom fail to do well. Strawberries do well on a
rich, dry, but deep soil. On banks that are not
too poor or dry, they seldom fail to do well, and
are often three weeks earlier than when on level
soil. The Blackberry also will do on a dry,
rich bank. We mention this as there are often
such spots in small gardens which it is desirable
to render useful. Strawberries seldom do icell in
htv, wet ground. Raspberries and Gooseberries
do better there.

In planting Raspberries they should be cut
down nearly to the ground when planted. You
lose the crop, of course, but you get good strong
canes for next year. If you leave the canes long
enough to bear, it will probably be the only crop
you will ever get from them. Never expect any-
thing to bear the year after transplanting. It is
generally at the expense of the future health of
the tree.

Grapes that have become weak from age may
be renewed by laying down a branch sorne feet
\\iht under the surface, and then cut back, so that
one good eye only be left at the surface of the
soil.

Any choice fruit may be grafted, at this sea-
son, on others less desirable. The scions should
be cut before the buds begin to swell, and set in
the ground as cuttinijH. But they should not
be grafted till the stock is just about bursting
into leaf. Those who have much of this work to

do begin earlier — we speak principally to ama-
teurs with but a few things to graft.

Pruning of most kinds of fruits has been ac-
complished through the winter. It is custom-
ary, however, to leave the Peach till towards
spring, in order to cut out any wood that may be
injured through the winter. In other respects,
the Peach should have little pruning at this sea-
son, as it tends only to make it grow more lux-
uriously ; and a too free vigor of growth is a
fault of the Peach in this climate. The only
pruning admissible is that which has for its ob-
ject the production of shoots in naked or desira-
ble places.

The Strawberry, where it has been covered

during the winter, should be uncovered as early
as possible in spring, that the warm spring suns
may exert all their inlluence on producing an
early crop. As soon as growth commences, a
sowing of guano has been found to be of great
benefit to the crop of fruit.

In vineries where they have been forced earl}',
the fruit will be setting, when it is usual not to
syringe so freely about the flowers as before.
Cold vineries will be about bursting their buds,
and should have every encouragemant to break
regularly, which is most usually accomplished
by bending the canes down as horizontally as
possible. Most vineries are now built much
flatter than formerly, and less anxiety is there-
fore felt in regard to this bursting trouble.
Where vines are grown inside altogether, care
must be used to guard against the soil becoming
too dry. Usually about the time of stoning, a
thorough soaking is given to the soil about
them. Where vines grow in outside borders, the
objection is that melting fuows cool the roots too
much, and make too great an extreme between
the temperature of root and branch. The best
English gardeners now place hot stable manure
on their borders, and cover these with boards,
so as to throw oft' the rain.

It may be said of all fruit trees, they should
be severely pruned at planting, and every other
means resorted to in order to produce a vigorous
healthy growth. Fruit, worthy of the name of
fruit, is the result of healthy growth the season
previous, and it is impossible to obtain both the
same season of planting. If any fruit sets in a
transplanted tree, it should be remorselessly torn
off and cast away.

Whitewashing the stems of orchard trees has
a very beneficial cftect in during away old
bark and destroying the eggs of innumerable in-

THE GABDE JEER'S MO^'TBLY.

Ma r

sects. The ■white color is bad ; throw in a little
soot or some other raattcr to make it brown. In
greenhouses sulphur has been found of benefit in
keeping down mildew. Possibly if mixed with
the whitewafih in tree dressing, it might do
good against 2rc blight, and such like fungoid
troubles.

VEGETABLE GAKDEK.

Where new Asparagus beds arc to be made,
now is the time ; the ground should be rather
moist than drj', and be trenched about two feet
deep, mixing in with it a good quantity of stable
dung, and, if the ground be inclining to sand,
add some salt ; the beds should be marked out
four feet wide, and the alleys about two feet. If
])egs arc'driven down at the confers of the beds
])crmanent]y, they will assist operations in fu-
ture 3'ears. Having marked the positions of the
beds and procured a stock of two year old
])lants, place them on the soil nine inches apart
ID rows one foot asunder, making three rows in
each bed ; then cover the whole with soil from
the alleys and rich compost a couple of inches.

To have Turnips good in spring they must be
sown A'ery early ; they are hardy, and must be
put in as soon as the ground can be caught right.

Salsify, too, must be in as soon as possible — it
prefers a strong rich loam.

Those who have no Spinach sown m the fall,
should do that right away ; no amount of stable
manure but will be a benefit to it, though guano,
in even small doses, will kill it ; guano produces
excellent Cabbage, mixed with the ground while
it is being dug for that crop. Cabbage, by the
way, may be put in as soon as the ground is
ready ; and Potatoes are better in before the be-
ginning of next month, if the ground is not too
wet ; many plant Cabbage between the Potato
rows.

Deep rich soil, now so generally condemned
for fruit gardens, is of the first importance here.
Soil eatmotbe too rich or too deep, if we would
have good vegetables. It is indeed remarkable,
that in many respects we have to go very differ-
cntly to work to get good fruits, than we have
to perfect vegetables. While, for instance, we
have to get sunlight to give the best richness to
our fruits, our vegetables are usually l)est when
blan<;hod or kept from the light. So also as we
keep the roots as near the surface as we can in
Older to favor liie woody tissue in trees, wc like

to let them go deep in vegetables because this
favors succulence.

It is best not to sow tender vegetables too
soon, they get checked, and the last will Ixj first.
Asparagus is one of the earliest crops to set out.
It was Ijclieved at one time that the varieties of
this would not come true from seed, and that
there was but one best kind. We art not so sure
of this now. Many plant them too deep and
fail ; four inches is enough, rows 20 inches, and
plants one foot apart will do. Make the soil par-
ticularly rich.

To have Brocoli it has to l^e sown very early,
or it will not head. The purple Cape, and white
Walchercn are the most popular varieties. In
Cabbages there have Ijeen many new varieties the
few past years. It is hard to decide on the best.
The Early Dwarf York is still largely planted
for a first crop, and the large Early York plant-
ed for a second coming in. The Early AVake-
field is, however, very popular in some districts.
The Winningstadt is approved as a summer
sort, and its tender quality is appreciated. For
late crops the Marblehead varieties have justly
earned a good reputation, although the Large
Late Drumhead, and Flat Dutch are still largely
planted. The Savoy's and Red Dutch are also
sown now. For protection against the Cabbage
fly we find nothing so good as water slightly im-
pregnated with coal oil, and syringed over the
seed beds.

Celery for the main crop will do about the end
of the month, but a little maybe sown now.
We have never been able to make up our mind
whether there is such a thing as an absolutely
solu% variety of Celery ; and whether pithiness
in any degree depends on soil or culture. Cer-
tainly we buy all the most improved " solids ''
every year, and never yet found one satisfactory
throughout. We cannot say which is the best of
the many candidates.

GREENHOUSE PLANTS, &C.

Dahlias should now be brought forward. A
good plan is to shorten the extremity of the
roots, put them in six inch pots and place in a
warm greenhouse. In a few weeks they will
sprout, when they should l>e shaken out, divided
with a piece of root to each sprout, and sepa-
rately potted in four inch pots.

Camellias will require rather more water while
growing than at other times. Just before they
grow ie a good season to graft. Cut down the

isrO'

THE GARDEXER'S MONTHLY,

stock, cleft graft ia the crown, wax and plunge
in a bottom heat of 70-. A great many kinds
ma\' be had ou one plant by the bottle system,
practised by the writer's fother, thirty years ago.
A shoot about to grow is obtained and attached
to the stock as an inarching, the end of the shoot
being put iu a small phial of water suspended
beneath it. This plan does best, however, with
the young wood in July.

Azaleas succeed well by grafting with the
half ripe shoots of the present season's growth
on plants raised either by seeds or cuttings. Old
wood does not take readily.

Chrysanthemums should now be raised from
cuttings for fall tiowering. They make better
blooming plants than o8-sets.

Fuchsias may now be readily struck from the
young growth from the old jilants, which will
make excellent blooming plants for the next sum-
mer season.

Grerauiums, Pelargoniums, Cinerarias, and
Chinese Primroses must be kept as near the
glass and light as possible ; they do little good
in shady places. Keep off the green Aphis— for
this on a small scale there is nothing like hot
water ; ou a large scale, tobacco-smoke in sev-

eral successive light doses is still the best
remedy.

Auriculas, Carnations, Pinks and Polyanthus
— the prettiest of florist's flowers— must bept
cool, just free from frost, with plenty of air, if-
the best results arc desired.

New Holland and Cape plants, such as Apa-
cris, Acacia, Heaths, etc., are now the glory of
the greenhouse ; hot bursts of sun on them
should be avoided, as it lays in them the seeds
of "consumption,"' which frequently carries
them oft' the following summer.

Lookout for a good stock of bedding plants iu
time, by striking cuttings of such things as
grow rapidly and speedil}--, and sowing seeds of
such annuals as may be advanced to advantage.

Pansies are coming now into flower. They
like an airy frame, where they will not be roasted
at midday nor exposed to drying winds, and yet
have a free circulation of air and plenty of light.
Planted out in such a frame,and the old shoots cut
away as soon as the plant has done flowering,
the plants will keep healthy over till the next

season.

Superior varieties can be raised from seed.
Choose those with the roundest petals, best col-
ors, and the first flowers that open, to raise seed
from.

COMMUNICATIONS.

THE SOUR AND SWEET APPLE.

BY L. B., PHILADELPHIA.

Having for many years distributed and com-
mended the "Sour and Sweet " Apple which I
had the honor to bring to the notice of the Po-
mological Society, at its recent meeting, I beg
you to give me the opportunity of stating some
facts in its history. I was surprised to hear the
expression of doubt iu regard to it by Mr. Barry
at the time, and also at the argument he pre-
sents in 3'our December number against the pos-
sibility of a bud hybrid being formed at alL

Pirst, I must confess my incredulity at the
possibility of a "sport" producing any tangible
mixture of qualities capable of perpetuation. I
have had the sour and sweet Apple growing on
large and strong trees, not merely for 30 years,
as tUi« "sport ' has been known, but for at least

36 years ; the trees having been grown by my
father so early as to produce fruit in 1S34, and
probably, though as his death occurred in 1838,
I cannot say certainly, for at least two or three
years earlier. And I have grafted the scions
into a hundred other trees, all of which are true
to the type of the original.

My earliest recollection, dating back to 1832 or
1833, is of this mixture ou which my father con-
gratulated himself as a feat of skill in budding, a
mode of propagation which constantly engaged
his attention, and by which he filled a large or-
chard with every variety of cultivated fruits
then known. From 1834 forward for twenty
years I gathered and stored this sour and sweet
Apple, with my own hands, and though the ob-
ject my father had of mixing a red with a green
apple was never attained by him, I had ucvi r

TEE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJiTELY.

March,

heard the question raised as to the fact of his
success in producing the Apple which we have
for so many years distributed. Certainly it
never came from llochester, and quite as cer-
tainly, in my judgment, it never was a "sport.'"
In fact, though grafting and budding every
known variety together, and setting Apples and
Pears, together on large trees with success, I
have never seen the anomaly called a " sj^ort ''
in any variety of fruit.

Most of the trees of this sour and sweet Apple
have the strong growth and lateral thrust of the
Greening, but many branches are also upright
like Tallmau Sweet. I have gathered half a
bushel of Apples entirely sweet from a tree pro-
ducing twenty bushels, and perhaps a full bushel
couM be found entirely sour. The sweet ones
would be almost exactly the size of the Tall man
Sweet, which is but half the size of the Green-
ing, and the greater part of the fruit would be
mixed in variable segments of sweet alternating
with sour ; the sweet segment always small-
er, and yellow, would be large, elevated,
and identical in taste and color with
the Greening. On the sweet ones there
v/as also to be scon the peculiar russet
mark chamcteristic of the Taltman Sweet,
which are waved cross lines near the blossom
end, and one, two or three marked lines diverg-
ing from the stem. Four years since I gathered
a few bushels with my own hands, and distribu-
ted them as widely as possible, asking a careful
examination of them on this pixjcise point.
They were so clearly marked in segments, de-
veloping the contrast in size, color, taste, and
every sensible chai"acteristie, that I supposed no
difference of opinion remained as to the fact of
mixture of the Rhode Island Greening and Tall-
man Sweet in the sam« Apple. The S(?ason of 18tJ0
was singularly adverse at the locality ofuiyfavm.
which is 1200feet above sea level, iii the north-
ern border of Chautauque County, New York,
and not only was the crop short generally, but
the growth was late and small. In September,
at the meeting of the I'omological Society, it was
80 imperfectly grown as to prevent the produc-
tion of satisfactory samples, and none, in fact,
could Ix; got n?asnnably jx^rfect at any time. I
am therefore unable to distribute them now.

I must insist that lh(! Apple wc have grown
and distributed, as I have before said, since
1S:J4, as the sour and sweet Apple, originated
at that locality. Having been a faithful reader
of all the Agricultural and Horticultural period

icals and i-eports of New York, from the first
number of the Genessee Farmer to the present
time, I can safely assert that no description or
claim other than our own has appeared ; and
having distributed this Apple myself in Central
New York in 1S42 and 184S, as my father did to
some extent ten years earlier, I think the Ap-
ples grown as sour and sweet throughout that
section fully accounted for. I have bought them
frequently in the Washington and Philadelphia
markets for fifteen years past, and have called
attention to them on many occasions without
hearing of any other original source of distribu-
tion. I cannot see, therefore, how so wide a dis-
tribution could come from the "Sport " of Mr.
Barry's grounds, or from any other sport. H av-
ing a large number of Greening trees, in bearing
more than thirty years, and having propagated
the Greening very largelj", I have never seen a
sport of this character. If such is the case, no
phenomenon of fruit growing would be more re-
markable, or better worthy a thorough illustra-
tion from all sources.

The possibility of so uniting two segments of
buds as to produce a stem in which each shall
be represented appears to be one of mechanical
accuracy merely. If the sap cells of two grafts,
or a graft and a stock, may be so united as to
grow together, it cannot be intrinsically more
difficult with the parts of a bud, since vitality is
represented by small cells only, and the shoot
carries into its parts two cellular distinctions,
which follow to the fruit and are represented in
it, as we know them often to be in the woody
stem. The doctrine of " sports," and ofa "ten]
dency to sport," appears to me wholly wanting in
scientific authorit3\ Whatevert is now sup-
posed to be more easy to get along with by
charging to '' sport," will ultimately beasaribel
to a mingling of distinct cellular life, a mechani-
cal hybridization, which the stems and zoues of
plants and trees readily admit.

CHINESE SAND PEAR.

BY J. II.

I have sometin\cs met witli jwrsons who re-
commended planting fruit tret>3 by the road or
lawn in.stead of ornamental trees. If we want
fruit trees that are purely ornamental we might
introduce the Chinese Sand Pear. They are
truly beautiful trees when they open the leaf
buds in s])ring, presenting such an unique ap-
pearance with the newly formed leaves ueariy i\s

JS70.

TEE GARBEJ^EWS MOJVTELl^.

reil as the bloorl leaf Be^ch. The (lowers are pret-
ty and the tree retains its large, deep greenleaves
late in the autumn, when the Apple and Pear
trees are quite denuded. Our single tree bears
regularly this season, picking over two bushes
of fruit from it, fine and large. They are great
bearers, and the fruit, although not eatable, is
valuable for canning, or will keep until middle
of winter. AVe esteem them also to make spiced
pickles of, and we have thought strange that a
tree that grows so readily, is quite ornamental,
and as we have found, is also profitable, should
be so little planted. There is a variety, a
seedling, called the Japan Pear, although nei-
ther of them is a true Pear, which is of finer tex-
ture, and probably more valuable.

ABOUT RASPBERRIES.

BY ISAAC HICKS, OLD WESTBURY, LONG ISLAND.

"While working among our Raspberry plants
to-day, it occurred to me that perhaps a little of
my experience among them might be amusing if
not instructive. Believing that too little atten-
tion has been given to this most excellent fruit,
■which to us is more valuable than Strawberries,
because they continue to give us fruit longer
and are more easily cultivated, we have planted
many varieties.

Our first experiments were with the tender
varieties, such as Franconia, II. R. Antwerp,
Fastolf, Brinckle's Orange, &c.; but although
willing to cover them in winter, our soil did not
suit them, and they did not even bear as well as
the Purple cane, and we have had to abandon
them. The Catawissa bore finely in the spring,
its fruit resembling the Purple Cane, but more
productive. But the autumn crop was of littla
value. It ripened slowly, the fruit was not as
good as in the spring, and added to this, we
foui\d the catbirds ate them as fast as ripe. The
Philadelphia thus far is the most profitable fruit
for us to grow. No variety we have met with
equals it in productiveness, and on our light soil
it certainly is good when brought on the table,
nicely powdered with sugar, and the spaces filled
with cream (or boiled milk, a very good substi-
tute), and few of our guests refuse to be helped
the second tim^. Of course every one likes the
Clark, and the bees and wasps are fond of it, too,
as we found last summer it was dangerous to
pick them without care ; but the question with
us now is, will the Clark succeed on light soil ?
"We fear not, as ours do not grow and bear as

they do in heavier loamy or clay soils. We also
have a small lot of the Elm City, a nice, very
early berry, ripening a day or two before the
Black Caps last season. It is a pleasant fruit,
not a vigorous grower, and is quite too small to
be a favorite. Raspberries consume much more
tinie in picking than Strawberries or Blackber-
ries, and no small berry will please us long.

There is no disputing the excellent flavor of
the old Purple Cane, but unfortunately they are
too small, and take sc long a time to pick a quart
of them that ours were of s:arccly any value.
The first year the Duhring bore a fine crop, the
next year all were killed by the severity of the
winter, and last season they were larger, it is
true, than the Philadelphia, but not as produc-
tive or of as good flavor. They will be dismissed.
Corse's Seedling, from Baltimore, is a good grow-
er, but it does not bear sufficiently for us, and is
too small.

AVe will pass by a few other varieties but little
known and notice the Black Caps. Doolittle is
too well known to speak of now, but we think
the Mammoth cluster is more valuable, but is
not as early. We received over 100 plants under
the name of Miami, but as our learned authori-
ties of the Pomological Society affirm that they
are identical, we care little for the name. The
large clusters of fruit, with their rich and pleas-
ant flavor, will delight all who love this class of
Raspberries. Summit is the name of a good
sweet yellow cap, but it is too small, and the
Garden, both disseminated by Doolittle, is v/ith
us a poor bearer.

Yellow caps are frequently found growing wild
around the fences, and we hope we shall have a
variety which will give a good report. Those we
have seen change their bright yellow color to a
brownish tinge when ripe, which spoils their
beauty. Our Yellow Blackberries change their
color in the same manner. AVhat there is in the
value of the Ellisdale to warrant the high price
that has been paid for it we cannot discover. It
is of the Purple Cane family, more productive,
but we think not of as good flavor, and it must be
too soft for long transportation. It is a ram-
pant grower, and requires much more room and
care in its cultivation than the Clark, and is not
as good, or will, we think, yield as much per
acre. AV"e would encourage all cultivitors to be
on the lookout among the plants they find grow-
ing in places remote from their cultivated kinds.
Most of our varieties are accidental seedlings.

THE GARDEJVER'S MONTHLY.

March,

and the coniincr Raspberry that fills all our
wishes, is yet unknown, or unte>sted.

EXPERIMEXTS OX FRUIT TREES.

BY DR. G. B. WOOD.

At a recent meeting of the American Philo-
sophical Society, the usual dry facts of abstract
science gave place to a discussion on Horticul-
tural topics, and the following report of what
took place will probably interest the readers of
the Gardener''s Monthly.

Potash experiments at one time were very
popular amongst gardeners to avoid the cracking
of the Pear. Mr. Edward Tatuall, of Wilming-
ton, was particularly an advocate of it. But it
lias not been found to jjossess the virtues claimed
for it in this respect.

Whether it will prove of any more benefit,
permanently, in the present case remains to be
seen, but the distinguished source from which the
ideas come render them worthy of consideration.

Dr. Geo. B. Wood communicated his experi-
ments and views on the revival of Peach and
other fruit trees, by the application of potash to
their roots. A discussion followed, in which
Dr. Coates, Dr. Emerson, Prof. Trego, Judge
Lowrie and Gen. Tyndale joined.

Dr. G, B. Wood described a discovery which
he believes that he has made, and which, if
verified by further experiments, will be of
great value to the agricultural interests of the
country. Potash, combined with one or more of
the vegetable acids, is an essential ingredient in
vegetables, particularly in fruit, which, it is
probable, cannot be produced without it. Some-
times fruit trees cease to bear, prematurely ;
and, in relation to Peach trees, it is well known
that, in this vicinity, after producing a few
crops, thr^y not only cease bearing, but perish
themselves in a short time ; whereas their natu-
ral life is 50 or 60 years or more. The fact seems
to be that potash is wanting in ihe soil in suffi-
cient abundance to allow the tree to
bear fruit continuousl}'. Dr. Wood believes
that by supplying potash to the tree, so that it
will reach the radicals, and be absorbed, the de-
ficiency may be supplied ; the fruit-bearing pow-
er is restored, and the tree itself, if prematurely
perishing, revived. lie was led to this conclu-
sion in the following way : Having a considera-
ble number of Peach trees, which had ceased en-
tirely to bear fruit, and were themselves obvi-
ously decaying, and believing, with must per-

sons, that the cause lay in the worms at the root
of the tree, he put in operation a plan which he
had seen his father perform more than fifty
years since, of digging around the base of the
stem a hole four or five inches deep, scraping
awa)'^ all the worms that could be found burrow-
ing at the junction of the stem and root, and fill-
ing the hole thus made with fresh wood-ashes,
recently from the fire, and of course retaining
all their potash. The ashes were used with the
view of destroying the worms that might have
escaped notice. This was done in the autumn
of 186S. In the following spring he was himself
astonished at the result. The trees appeared to
Lave been restored to all their early freshness
and vigor. They put forth bright green leaves,
blossomed copiously, and bore a crop of fruit
such as they had never borne before ; many of
the limbs breaking down under their load of
Peaches. In reflecting on these results, Dr. Wood
came to the conclusion that all this change could
not possibly- have been produc^ed by the destruc-
tion of a few worms ; and, besides, there Avere
several of the peach trees treated in which no
worms could be found. lie was thus led to the
belief that the real cause of the revival of the
trees was the ashes, the potash of which, being
dissolved by the rains, had descended along the
roots to their rootlets, and presented to them
the very food for want of which the trees were
dying. He has, accordingly, had hundreds of
various kind of failing fruit trees treated in this
way this fall, in the expectation of an abundant
harvest next year. Should he live till then, he
will inform the Society of the result. Should he
not live, the experiment will at least have been
put on record.

In answer to an inquiry, Dr. Wood said that
the soil was of all kinds, sand, loam and clay.

Dr. Coatos remarked that trees at first grow
slowly, and have but little chance to get potash
from the limited area which the}- occupy. For
instance, around the body of large trees there

are seldom other growths.

Dr. Emerson gave his experience of peach
growing. The Peach, brought from Persia,
loves a mild climate, and suffers when brouyht
North, unless protected. When first br.nigbt to
this country it grew luxuriantly, in all parts,
well. Of late years, however, owing to the
clearing away of the forest, which afforded it the
same kind of protection which, in Northern Eu-
rope, was given it by glass, it has become limited
to the soft climate of the peninsula between the

18'fO.

TEE GARDEJVUR'S MOJ\''TELY.

Delaware and Chesapeake Bays, where it has no
disease and bears abundantly. The "YelloAvs,"
however, although looked upon as a disease
spreading from tree to tree, is in fact produced
by colonies of a parasite, which propagates un-
der favor of a low constitutional condition of the
tree, produced by the failure of the necessary
climatic protection. As to the nourishment of
the tree, salts, especially of potash, are very nu-
tritive. But there is another element in wood
ash, phosphorus, which is the prime mover of all
vegetable life. Dr. Emerson described one of
his unpublished experiments, with a peach or-
chard, which yielded inferior fruit, but only as
to color ; otherwise the fruit was as good as oth-
ers. He gave a top dressing of 200 or 300 fts.
of superphosphate to the acre, and the next year
his Peaches brought 10 or 20 cents more in the
market. At a certain exhibition, some Pears
of a very high color were displayed, which
brought a very fine price. (Their raiser had used
dog dung in quantities) which lent additional
force to Dr. Emerson's belief that phosphoric
acid heightened the color of his Peaches.

Dr. Wood repeated that his experiment bore
especiall}'' upon the mode of application of the
potash. The spreading of potash over the sur-
face of the land produced no great result. But,
when placed where the rain water would carry
it along the descending roots down to the root-
lets, it is immediately absorbed by the plant,
and produces its effects.

Judge Lowrie said that he bought, in 1838, a
wild place near Pittsburgh. It was covered
with forest trees and underbrush. He cleared
away the undergrowth and weeds. Within three
years he discovered that all the walnut and hick-
ory trees were beginning to die, although in rich
soil, and 4 or 5 feet in diameter, and some of
them one hundred feet high. In the coui'se of
five years none were left. The oaks, maples,
lindens and elms were not affected.

Prof. Trego said that in Bucks county, black
walnut trees, planted along the fences, grow and
flourish well, and are not hurt by standing quite
alone as shade trees. He had placed wood
ashes around the foot of a fine pear tree, bank-
ing it up atound the tree, but it had no effect.
Peach trees have many roots running horizon-
tally, and the rootlets are near the soil. To this
Dr. Wood replied that, according to his obser-
vations, they descend into the ground obliquely.

General Tyndale said that the finest peach
grounds in the United States are the highlands

of Southeastern Tennessee ; the tops of mountain
spurs of the Cumberland plateau, around Chat-
tanoosia, above the conglomerates of the Coal

0 7 -J

Measures and the cavernous limestones of the
sub-carboniferous, two thousand feet or more
above sea-level, and many hundred miles in the
interior of the country.

CHESTNUT HILL.

BY CHRONICLER.

January 11, 1870, being a pleasant day, we
took our first trip out to Chestnut Hill, and
spent nearly three hours in admiring its im-
provements. It is a large town, of highly orna-
mented gardens ; adorned with chaste cottages
and elegant mansions, with unique stables, «&e ,
to match. The highways and dividing avenues
are strong McAdamized roads, with sidewalks
high and dry, and paved. The many churches
are all noble looking struc tures. But the most
striking beauty of the place on a winter's day,
consists in its numerous evergreen hedges,
shrubs and trees. The hedges are made of Amer-
ican, Chinese, and Siberian Arborvitses, Hem-
lock and Noi-way Spruce, all of thrifty growth,
kept smooth with the shears, and each one shines
in its own peculiar beauty. Kearly all the well
known flowering climbers and deciduous shrub-
bery are grown and kept in neat trim. Among
the evergreen shrubs there are the various spe-
cies of dwarf and tree boxwood, yews and juni-
pers ; and of the arborvitte, the Chinese, Sibe-
rian, the Globe and the Golden, The larger spe-
cies are kept compact and neat by clipping, and
all make a charming display. The trees most
plentifully set out are American Arborvitoe, the
American white and yellow Pines, Scotch and
Austrian Pines, the Balm of Gilead and Silver
Firs, and the Hemlock and Norway Spruce, all
of thrifty growth, and make a beautiful contrast
with their different statures and habits of growth ,
and various hues of verdure upon some small
grounds. All the species are growing upon spa-
ces not over a fourth of an acre, around the
houses, and the spread of their branches are kept
within certain limits by judicious annual prun-
ing. Every species is trained in the natural
form of its growth, and is a dense mass of foliage
from base to summit. There is room enough left
between them for air and light, and the grass to
grow around them ; so none of them suffer from
su^ocaiion, nor the mawjt. There they show the
practicability of growing evergreen trees (euen

THE GARDENER'S MO XT ELY.

March,

of large growth) upon small spaces of ground,
and every one a model of perfection. Every tree
well taken care of is a lasting blessing, and those
who neglect them lessen their own enjoyment.

Upon larger grounds, tlie trees are set wider
apart, and grow up as nature directs them. They
look more elegant that way, though less massy,
than those that are annually pruned. Now, in
comparing the individual beauties of those trees,
we think, that for erect and noble stature, ele-
gant form, graceful foliage, and smooth, clean
and shining bark, the White Pine (Pinus Stro-
bus) excels them all. The Silver Fir (Picea pec-
tinata) and Hemlock Spruca (Abies canadensis),
are also remarkable for their clean and smooth
bark and leaves. The Norway Spruce (Abies
cxcelsa) serves as a double link in evergreen em-
bellishments ; it makes an ornamental hedge,
and a noble, handsome tree.

Among the larger evergreen shrubs, the Chi-
nese Arborvitffi has the cleanest look, and foliage
of the liveliest green, and forms a compact,
massy bush, by annual clipping, and kept under
seven feet tall. Among dwarf evergreens, the
clwarf Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens), shows
the liveliest green, which it retains in all weath-
ers, and makes a pretty bush by annual clippings.
We know that the White Pine, Chinese Abor-
vitce and Dwarf Box, will be among the last cho-
sen by many, because " they are common," yet
that does not detract from them their surpassing
beauties.

All our various species of ornamental ever-
greens are needed for contrast ; not one can be
spared. Even the Austrian Pine (Pinus Austri-
aca), though a nondescript of coarse awkward-
ness, and slow growth, makes other evergreen
trees look the more beautiful by its ugliness.

It is likely that many of the newer ornamental
evergreens are growing on Chestnut Hill. The
following are of great beauty : Abies Douglassi
and Mensiezi, Buxus Portunii, Cedrus Africana
and Dcodara, Cephalotaxus Fortunii and drupa-
cesea, Cupressus Lawsoniana, and McXabiana,
Picea Cephalonica, Grandis, Nobilis, &c., Pinus
cxcelsa, Coulterii, &c., lletinospora pluraosa-
leptoclada, &c., Taxus elegantissima, varie-
gata, &f.; Thuja gigantea, cristata, Tom Thumb
and Kosedale varieties, &c,

As the above is principally intended for the
distant readers of the Gardener'>s Monthlij, we
may state tliat Chestnut Hill is eight miles north
of Philadelphia, and a forty miuul(!s ride by its
own railway. It is a high piece of land, very

healthy, and has an extensive view of the rich
and beautiful landscape surrounding it, dotted
with forest clumps, farm buildings, elegant
mansions, «&c.

LETTERS FROM THE PACIFIC COAST.

No. III.

Clark's Ranche, Oct. 23r(Z, 18G9.

Dear Monthh/ : And now, what shall I say of
the Yo Semite ; or rather, what in so small a
space as a single letter, must be left unsaid? In-
deed, pen cannot describe, nor pencil trace the
manifold beauties of this lovely spot, and do it
justice, I have ridden for hours beneath the
giant pines and firs that are dotted in groups
and masses on every side, and found it impossi-
ble to comprehend the vastness and sublimity of
my surroundings, short of days of study. The
great rocks towering almost perpendicularly
above us, appear taller as we gaze, and the
bright sparkling water-falls pouring over the
immense heights, grow more brilliant as we
watch the sun light playing through the mist,
until calm and untroubled they mingle with the
mirror like surface of the beautiful Merced Bi-
ver. The Yo Semite Valley is 4,000 feet above
the level of the sea, and is, I think, about ten
miles in length, and from one half to one mile in
breadth. On either side are the great mountain
peaks, rising abruptly, and averaging 4,000 feet
in height, thus forming a perfect barrier to
either ingress or egress, excepting by the trails
at the northern end. The steep declivities pre
sent the appearance of gray granite, and are
mostly bare of vegetation, with here and there a
shrub or tree springing up out of th3 many
crevices in the rocks. In fact the tops are gen-
erally wooded, with what appear to the specta-
tor from below, small shrubs ; but which upon
approach, prove to be Conifers of the largest
size. In the valley, these immense evergreens
grow to astonishing dimensions. I measured
Liboccdrus decurrens 2")^ ft. and 2i ft. in circum-
ence ; Pinus ponderosa 21^ ft. and IS ft. ; Abies
Douglasii, four of which stood in group, were re-
spectively jS.i, 18j, 18 and 18 ft., and three
others 10^, 17, ITf ft. An Abies yrnndis mea-
sured 13} ft. around, — all the above being taken
five feet above the ground, to avoid the al-
most universal enlargement at the roots. Our
first day in the valley was unfortunately the
commencement of the rainy season, and owing
to a succession of shoNvers, we were compelled to

1S70.

THE GARBEMER'S MONTHLY.

keep unilor our roof, and cujoy the landscape as
best we mii:;ht throus^h the open door. Imme-
diately in front was the lovely Yo Semite Fall,
,2,534 feet in height, now increased in volume by
the recent rain, and pouring over the rocks in a
perfect slieet of spray. This body of water forms
three distinct falls before reaching the valley,
thus adding to its attractiveness. The first is
1,500 ft., — then striking a projecting angle of
the rock, it glances off, and forms the second,
434 ft.. — and lastly from its level bed, it makes
the *inal plunge of 600 ft. to the huge masses of

debris in the valley below.

Towards evening the clouds became scatter-
ing, the rain ceased, and we mounted our ponies
for a trip to the "Bridal Yeil'' Falls, called by
the Indians "Spirit of the Evil Wind." After a
wearisome clamber over the rocks, we ai*e well
rewarded for our exertions, by a near view of
this silvery cascade. The last rays of the set-
ting sun light up the spray, and produce a bril-
liant, misty, gauze-like effect, beautiful beyond
description. It is well named, for nothing in
art or nature could possibly exceed the feathery
lightness of its appearance. At the base
of the mountain, it rashes madly over and
amidst huge boulders of granite, until lost to view
in the copse beyond. Here the pure invigora-
ting mountain air is fragrant with the odor of
Laurels, which the slightest contact visibly in-
creases ; and the flaming scarlet of the Zauchne-
ria dazzling in its brightness, adds to the gener-
al beauty. Groves of the Orerjon Maple, (Acer
macrophyllum,) hang their great leaves over the
stream, and a species o^ Samhucus with remark-
ably pubescent shoots and edible purplish fruit
is in abundance. An occasional specimen of
liubus Nutknends is also noticed, but not in fruit.
Another night's rest, and our tough little steeds
are again in requisition for a visit to the main
falls, and whore the largest body of the Merced
River enters the Valley. After a laborious ride
of three or four miles, over as rough and hilly a
path as one can possibly imagine, we are at last
compelled to leave our horses and proceed on
foot. The wild scenery now becomes pictur-
esque in the extreme and the lover of nature
finds new wonders at every step ; but we hasten
on, and soon the roaring of the distant cataract

is distinctly heard.
Slowly and cautiously wo climb oyer the huge

rocks, many weighing hundreds of tons each,

and torn from their mountain beds b}' the storms

and frosts of niany winters, until turning the ab-

rupt corner of a jutting cliff, the Vernall Falls
break upon our view in all their grandeur. Al-
though apparently so near, we must devote an
hour to the arduous ascent, before we can stand
at the base of this sheet of water ; and so with
the music of the cascades deadening all other
sounds, we pass on up, until we can feel the
spray sprinkling our persons, and the rarest of
delightful breezes cooling our fcvoi-ed cheeks,
and now almost exhausted, we stop to regain
our strength. It certainly requires a lively im-
agination to comprehend the various accessories
that combine to make this spot such a finished
picture, — such a perfect illustration of all that is
grand and overpowering in the wildest form of
natural scenery. The Vernall Falls are 350 feet
in height, and as we had the pleasure of viewing
them after the recent rains, the Indian name of
"Pi-my-ack," literally "Cataract of Diamonds,"
seemed especially appropriate. Looking through
the bright sparkling waters to the opposite rock,
appearing as if hung on a prominent spur, was
the most enchanting circular rainbow I ever wit-
nessed ; and indeed the illusion was only broken
when we had once more continued our progress
up the dizzy heights. Here we met some Indian
hunters, each with a deer strapped upon his .
back, careles.sly and lightly leaping from rock to
rock, and running down the declivity like goats ;
whilst we, with the greatest care, could scarcely
walk erect. In the crevices of the rocks, I find
many pretty little species of ferns, fresh and vig-
orous amidst the continual spray,— a silvery
leaved Gymnogramma with its golden spores,
being particularly attractive. A Sedum too of
the smallest size, grows luxuriantly in many
places, and a gnarled Oak, with long pointed
acorns, forms a new and puzzling prize ; so that
with a very slight effort of the imagination, we
can readily appreciate the guide's story of
Flora's great beauty in the early spring. We
wander through the dense forest of pine and
spruce, and are soon in front of the Nevada
Falls, where the water pours down a perpendic-
lar leap of 70L) feet, into a circular basin, almost
miraculous in its depth, but pure as amber in its
translucent state. Far from satisfied, but with
a foreboding of the work yet to be accomplished
e'er reaching the valley, we reluctantly bid adieu
to our romantic surroundings and prepare to re-
trace our steps. Once more on the plain bjlow,
we enter an Indian village, where we are vocif-
erously greeted by curs of every description and
half uude children, dirty and weird lookiug, who

TEE GARDE^'ER'S MOXTELY.

March,

stare and chatter and beg by turns. This is
their harvest time, and the large quantity of
dried acorns heaped around, were sure indica-
tions of its plenty. The process of preparing
their winter supi)ly. was of no Httle interest.
The nuts are collected as they fall from the trees
and carried in sacks to the village, where the
women and children gather around the lieap,
and commence the operation of nutting This
is performed by biting off the end, and Uien by
a dexterous twist of the fingers the kernel is laid
bare and split open ; these are at once conveyed
by children to a flat rock in the near vicinity
and evenly spread over the surface thereof to
dry ; after the moisture has all been extracted,
they are gathered up and placed in their store-
house—a curious basket-like contrivance form-
ed of willow twigs, and elevated some three feet
above the ground, where they remain until nced-
/••d for use. The preparation of this article for
food is primitive in the extreme, but answers
every purpose. The dried kernels are placed in
the hollow of a rock and ground to a powder, by
means of a smooth stone ; and the meal after
mixing with water to the consistency of mush,
is placed in a tight closely woven basket and is
then ready for the cooking operation. A shallow
hole in the ground forms the receptacle, and
a^er the introduction of hot stones into the
paste, the whole is well covered up with soil ;
thus the cooking and extraction of the tannic
acid is performed at once by the simple method
employed. We were cordially invited to test
the delicious delicacy, but after the unwashed
fingers of numerous owners had previously been
inserted therein, our digestive organs rebelled,
and we accordingly declined with thanks: One
of our party, who was determined to obtain
knowledge, despite the adverse circumstances,
boldly shut his eyes and complied with the wishes
of our hosts; but his report was not suftit;iently
Batisfiictory to induce a repetition, nor to per-
suade his companions to emulate his example.

The last day of our stay in the Valley, was de-
voted to an examination of the autumn flora
of this region, and more especially to the plants
inhabiting the deep canon above Mirror Lake.
This charming little boJy of water is so pure
and translucent, that the surrounding cliffs and
trees are as plainly reflected on its surface, as is
a near image on the polished plane of the most
costly glass. Looking into its perfectly calm
and untroubled waters, we could distinctly see
every pebble on the bottom, several feet below-

After tethering our horses, we were soon explor-
ing the vicinity of a mountain stream for speci-
mens, and with handkerchiefs, bag* and portfo-
lios soon loaded with weeds, we could easily pass
for the "great medicine men." that the chance
Indians we met, readily granted we were.

The most beiutiful species of Oak seen in this
region, was Qaercus fulvescens of Kellogg, after-
ward called Q. crassipocula by Dr. Torrey. The
tree is only of medium size, but the beautiful fo-
liage reminds one of a fine specimen of Holly ;
glossy on the upper surface, but of a glaucous
yellow color below. On some plants the foliage
was remarkably dentate, whilst on others, it was
entire. The most striking effect however, is
produced by the fruit,— the long pointed acorns
being set in a saucer shaped cup, which is com-
pletely covered with a bright golden fuscous
coat, like soft velvet. The most prominent spe-
cies of oak found in the valley, is undoubtedly
Q. Kellojriii, a near relative to the Black 0;ik
(Q. tinctoria.) of our Eastern States. It here
forms quite a large tree, and the fruit being also
larger than others, as well as exceedingly plenti-
ful, the Indians prefer it for their winter stores.

Close to the stream, the deciduous portion of
the timbar was confined to a few species ; the
most plentiful of which were the Acer macro-
phyllum, now laden with their many loose ra-
cemes of beaded fruit ; Populus monilifera,
straight as arrows, and growing in dense clumps;
Cornus Nattallii, with luxuriant foliage and
round, bright scarlet heads of fruit (compact
spherical capitulums of botanists) ; Oreodaphne
Californica of Xees, (the Californian Laurel,)
sometimes called Laurusrcgalis incorrectly, with
long, dark, glossy leaves, emitting an exquisite
fragrance ; and then innumerable thickets of
shrubs, embracing a small species of Cornus, —
possibly C. panicuinia ; several kinds of Ceano-
thus, Pentstemon, Sambacus, &c. Clambering
over the rocks, we detected the Lonicera Califor-
nica (California Honeysuckle), with its wealth
of scarlet fruit ; and growing in dense clumps,
were fine specimens of Sjjmphoricarpus (Snow-
berry). Numerous dried stalks of different spe-
cies of Lilies and other bulbousplants also attract-
ed our attention ; for next to obtaining a fine speci-
men for our herbaria, was a desire to procure
the seeds or roots. On the mountain top above
us, was growing a fine specimen of that chief of
.lunipers, the Janiperus occidentali-^, with silvery
resinous foliage, and large, dark purple bt>rri;'s ;
the wuod of this species, unlike our J. Viryin-

18: 0,

THE GAUDEjYER'S MOjYTHLY.

iana or Eed Cedar, is pure white in color. All
around were the usual Conifers, already men-
tioned, with their now ripening canes just begin-
ning to fall. The Indians have a sagacious
method of collecting these seeds. Aware of the
fact, that squirrels can detect the cones with
fully developed seeds, they watch the little ani-
mals carefully cutting off only such as are per-
fect, and immediately gather them up and await
a fresh supply. Thus two points are gained, —
the trees with their long naked bodies of 75 or
100 feet, prevent all idea of climbing up to the
top to the treasure in the first place ; and sec-
ondly, the squirrels with a natural instinct that
teaches them to select such cones as will best re-
pay their labor, .saves the collector much unne-
cessary annoyance.

As the last rays of the setting sun falls on the
topmost peaks of the mountains above, we re-
turn to our transit home, well pleased with the
result of our day's work. But I have said no-
thing as yet, in regard to the many objects of
interest contained in the mountains themselves.
To the readers of these letters, who imagine that
the range of rocks surrounding this valley is
tame and monotonous, I 'Nj^ould remark, that
travelers who have visited the most noted
scenery of the old woi'ld, emphatically declare
that the Yo Semite cannot be equaled in point
of wild romantic pictiiresqueness and truly aw-
ful grandeur. As we enter the Valley at the
northern end, the first object that attracts our
attention is the rock known as "El Cajiitau,'' or
by the Indians as the "Great Chief of the Val-
ley." This massive wall of granite rises perpen-
dicularly to the height of .3,100 feet, px-esenting
a bare smooth surface, without a tree or shrub
to relieve its a.spect ; on its surface, several hun-
dreds of feet in the air, we notice the curiously
formed outline of a human being, which has re-
ceived the title of the "Old Man of the Moun-
tain." The figure is in a stooping posture, with
cue hand pointing down the Valley ; his great
broad-rimmed hat is very well shown, and the
the life-like features are excellently delineated.
Opposite El Capitan are the "Three Graces,"
embracing that number of rounded mountain
tops, 3,7.j0 feet high. Near by are the "Cathe-
dral Spires'' with their sharp pointed turrets
side by side, extending up into the air 2,400 feet.
The "Sentinal Rock," 3,270 feet high, stands
alone in all its majesty of expression, and cer-
tainly well deserves its suggestive title ; its clean

shaft rising far above the clouds, appear.s as if it
special task Avas to keep watch and guard
over the beautiful vale below. Two of the
most imposing peaks are undoubtedly the
";N"orth Dome" and the "South Dome," situa-
ted on either side of Mirror Lake, and respec-
tively 3,725 feet and 0000 feet in height. Stand-
ing in the vicinity of the Nevada Falls and look-
ing down the Valley, the form of the North
Dome is so accurately rounded, and so complete-
ly proportioned, that we can scarcely disabuse
our minds of the idea of artificial aid in its con-
struction. The immense height of the South
Dome, forms a grand and prominent feature in
the contour of this locality. The Indian name
of "Tis-sa-ack'' literally, -'Goddess of the Val-
ley,'' proves how apprecia'ivc the unLuorod
mind can be, when conferring appellations on
the natural objects of beauty. Beyond the South
Dome we can distinctly discern ihe outline of
the tallest spur of the mountains called the
"Clouds Rest," which is 0.450 feet in height. In
close proximity to the North Dome, are the
"Mountains playing at Leap Erog." so called
by Indians, in allusion to the position of three
leaning cliffs, one above another, and each in
the attitude of springing out in the air. The in-
habitants of the Valley call them the "Three
Brothers," and record their height at 4,300 feet.
"Washington's Tower," 2,400 feet; "Cap of
Liberty," 4,000 feet ; "Sentinal Dome," 4,500
feet and "Mt. Starr King. ''5,000 feet, are all ob-
jects of deep interest to the visitor, and affords
an equal pleasure to those more particularly de-
scribed.

After four days of unalloyed pleasure, I bade
farewell to the Yo Semite, and in company with
a botanical friend, passed down the banks of
the Merced River, with the bright speckled trout
sporting in its clear waters, as if playing at
"hide and seek" among the rocks that formed
its stony bed. We turn in our saddles for a last
lingering glance at the fieecy clouds, hanging
like a veil on the mountain sides ; whilst far
above on their topmost peaks, the snow had cov-
ered them with its pure white canopy,— a curi-
ous contrast to the warm summer-like climate
of the Valley below.

We leave these scenes with mingled feelings of
pleasure and regret, — of pleasure, in the rich
promise of many an object of interest dear to
the sight of a lover of nature, — of regret, for the
passing away of all that has enlivened and

TEE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJ{THLY.

Marcn,

cheered us in the many happy hours spent in
this delightful spot.

Sincerely, «&c.,

JOSIAII IIOOPES.

ABOUT PHLOX DRUMMOXDII AND
01 HER THINGS.

BY JOSEPH AMR AM.

A friend at our house last week was discussing
the question, whether in the Phlox Drummondii
the termination should have two i's or only one ;
of course the meaning of the thing is Drum-
mond's Phlox, — and this puts the matter in the
' genitive" or "possessive" case, as we say in
grammar. So we turned to the Latin grammar,
and we found that Latin nouns ending in us
made t in the genitive, and when ending in ius
made ii in the genitive. Our puzzle then, was
to know whether Druramond when rendered into
Latin should be Drummondw.s or DrummondtUcS.
Mv friend insisted that the only rule in making
ntvD Latin words, as these plants names really
are, is to go by sound. It will depend on
whether the accent is on the first or second syl-
lable. If Driunmond it should be Drummondus,
and of course P/Jox Drumniout/i ; but if Drum-
7no)uZ, then Drummondius, Drummondii. He
thought that the first was most likely to be the
proper sound of Drummond, and therefore Phlox
Drummondi would be correct. I could only
say that it seemed right, but that authorities al-
wavs used the two i's. We compromised the
matter by agreeing to drop the Latin name alto-
gether in our common conversation, and always
say merely "Drummond Phlox."

And this brings rae to ask why not use these
o n names oftener than we do V To be sure
some of them are worse than the hard names I
would avoid. "Love lies Bleedmg," "Robin run in
jhe hedge." Joseph's Coat," Rag, tag and bob-
tail" and such expressions, are worse than War-
cewiczii^ which our gardener pronounces "worst
kind of whiskey I,'' or any other tremendous ef
fort of the Latin tongue.

But there are names not intelligent or rough
which one might use, — and where there are
none, I do not see why some one in authority
nii^ht not na.ake thcni so as to be generally ac-
ceptable. I i-emember while a reader of Down-
in"'8 Horticulturist, that he gave the name of
"Golden Bell" to the Forsytltia on its first ap-
jtearance. It has proved generally acceptable,
and wc have only to picture to oui'selves what

we should all be, twisting our mouths to say
Forsythia viridissima on every occasion, in or-
der to thank Downing and all those good friends
whose foresight keeps us out of all these evils.

I suppose I am treading on dangerous ground,
and that you, Mr. Editor,will want to difler from
me. I fancy J have heard all you will want to
say before. You would keep together "the har-
mony and unity of the science. " "A Frenchman,
a German, and so on, all know Latin, and thus
know what is meant at once on reading the
Latin word." All this well enough for botany.
I say let there be botanical names by all means ;
but let us have garden names as well. My two
girls are Charlotte and Jane, respectivel}' ; but it
seems more home-like, and does, I think, bring
them nearer our every day hearts to call them
Jenny and Lottie, — and so I am sure we can ap-
preciate Pansy, Gilliflower and Mignonette, bet-
ter under these names, than we ever could as
Viola tricolor maxima superba, Reseda odorata,
Mathiola annua, or the sweetest Latin sound
ever uttered. / think so.

And now about these Drummond Phlox ; is'nt
it strange how much they have been improved
by seed selections. I remember the first
time I raised a pa|ket of them ; the plants all
produced flowers of a pale rose color. After
some years, one was noticed with a little deeper
color, approaching crimson. In those da3-s we
were under the old law of the botanists, that
like producing like applied to species ; that varie-
ties would not reproduce themselves again from
seed ; so we tried to raise this crimson tinted
Phlox from cuttings, and well I remember how
carefully we petted the weakly things so raised.
But the florists soon got ahead of the scientific
men. You praise Darwin for his great dis-
courses in these matters ; but he should'nt have
all the credit. Hundreds of us who loved flow-
ers, and who knew soma of their little secrets,
as only lovers can know, saw that varieties
would as truly perpetuate themselves from seed,
as undoubted species, long before Darwin took
the field. And it was thus Ave found that if we
kept the crimson Phlox separate from the others,
so that there should be no chance of inter-mix-
ture of pollen, we could get crimson Phloxes
from seed, just as pure and good as if we raised
them from the cutting.s.

Since then, v/hat changes there have been in
these pretty little flowers. "\Vc have now Drum-
mond Phloxes of all shades, from white to deep
crimson, and all these can be perpetuated from

1S70.

THE GAT.BEXER'S MOJVTELY.

seed as well as we once thought only true epe-
cies could.

I often wonder if the Indians had any love
for dowers ; of course they could not be botanists
as we understand it ; but I suppose some of them,
as with us, must care more for such things than
others , and once in a while no doubt, some one
or another among them, noted pretty closely
the various pretty flowers growing wild about
them. How such an one, who perhaps admired
the pretty Drummond Phlox in its Californian
home, would stare at the numerous shades of
color and form the plant now exhibits in our
garden borders. And all this, not by any pecu-
liar skill on the part of our seed growers ; but
simply by watching for any slight change in the

color of a seedling, and then again perpetuating
it by seeds.

This is I see too far a rambling letter. Per-
haps you can cut it up and make some use of it
for your scraps and queries, at any rate, — but I
tind I have not yet come to the kernel of the
subject I started out to speak on. It was this :

I wanted to suggest to ladies and gentlemen
who take pride in gardening, how so many new
Drummond Phloxes were raised— that there is
no skill or great secret about it ; and that if they
will look out and save the seed of any little va-
riation they see in theii flowers, they may have
as good varieties as they often have to pay a dol-
lar a package of a dozen for, and besides feel
something of the pride of authorship.

A TREE HOLDER

BY MR. A. PAYNE, SCIPIOVILLE, N. Y.

Having frequently to plant trees alone, I have
liad to invent a contrivance to hold the tree,
while filling in, which may houseful to others
so situated.

It is easily made. A piece of plank two feet
long, one foot wide, and one foot thick, makes
the base (d), whioh rests on two pieces of plank
or feet (e) ran crosswise to the base. The arm
(a) is about five feet long, and has a piece of
leather string go round the tree, and ftxsten to a
nail as a button, to hold the tree. A brace (b)
stiffens the whole — (c) is the ground line.

A GOOD WHITE WINTER FLOWER.

BY r., BALTIMORE, MD.

In these days, Mr, Editor, when so many peo-
ple wander after new things, it is pei'haps worth
while to remember the merits of old friends, es-
pecially when they will do for us all that the
best new comer ever could be expected to do.
Of this class is the Double White L^nrjlish Prhu-
rose.

As a window plant it is particularly valuable,
as it does not suflcr so much for the want of full
light as some plants do. To be sure it does best
with an abundance of light ; but some things
must have this or nothing comes of them. Then
the flowers arc so fragrant. In my taste the

TEE GABDEjYER'S MOJ^^THLY.

March,

E D I T 0 E I A L .

STRAW BERTIY CULTURE IN SOUTH-
ERN TEXXSYLVANIA.

In a recent letter from the West by the Editor
of this magazine, the remark was made to the
effect that tlie hill system of growing Strawber-
ries did not seem to be much of a success, except
in the hands of Knox and a few cultivators in
Southern Pennsylvania. Of course there arc
many ways of growing Strawberries in hills ; one
may be a very good way, and the other a very
bad one, and yet both properly be called a, if not
«/ie hill system. Cutting off the runners and
leaving nothing but the hills to bear fruit, is a
very good principle in itself; and this way may
be called a hill system. It is known that as
soon as a runner takes root in the soil, the
crown is injured, and cutting away these run-
ners is therefore a good principle. Rut there is
something more. The ground must be kept
cool to produce the best results ; and cutting
away the runners exposes the surface to the
heating action of the sun, and is therefore an in-
jury. So for we see that what we gain by the
cutting of runners. We lose by the exposure ; and
we are just where we were before. Indeed we
loose, as we have had the cutting and clearing to
do with no advantage.

Here are two distinct principles, operating one
af^ainst another ; and we see from this how one
who proposes to himself to grow Strawberries on
the " everlasting principles of science " is just as
likely to get wrong as one who goes blundering
along "just as his grandfather did." In all
things we must use common scy^se. That is to
say, go by no one principle alone, but generalize
from all. Then in this matter we shall see that
to have the best results from cutting off straw-
berry runners a mulch to shade the ground must
go with it.

It is generally here that we have noticed hill
cultivation to fail. Even where mulch is used
there are so many ways of doing it. Even in
Southern Pennsylvania and Northern Maryland,
which we excepted when speaking of those who
did not do as Knox did, tlie system is scarcely
like the famous Pittsburg plan. JAs one can learn
Bomctliing from every new plan, or variation of
an old plan, we give the practice of one of the
most successful we know in tliis particular region
The notes we made were brief, and we may not

have them full in all respects, but still we think
enough to be understood.

The tract we have in view, is in Carroll Co.,
Md., near the village of Westminster, on Parr's
Ridge of the Blue ^Mountains, and is probably
1000 feet above tide water. The plot comprised
about ten acres, had a north west exposure sim-
ilar to Knox's, and is a light loam on a clay
sub-soil. The land was manured before plant-
ing, at the rate of about 20 horse loads to the
acre. The plants have plenty of room,— the
rows being 3(5 and the plants about 18 inches
apart when they are first set. In March and
April the plants are thoroughly cleaned by a cul-
tivator, after which rye stravv at the rate of one
ton to the acre is spread between the rows. The
runnners are kept cut off during the summer
season with sharp hoes, and nothing allowed to
grow but the great bushy hills. The kinds
chiefly relied on, were Russell, Downer, Green
Prolific and Agriculturist.

By this simple s^-stem 507 bushels were gather-
ed from about three and a half acres ; which
were all sent to one firm in Baltimore, bringing
the owner even in the past abundant saason S-l
per bushel, less about 12 cents per bushel freight.

All around through this section of country
strawberries are grown very successfully ; and
the best growers are those who practice some
such a hill system as the one describe'd. It will
be seen that one of its essential is, that the shad-
ing of the surface and runner cutting should go
together.

We arc fully satisfied that any one who will
practice this system judiciously will never want
to return to the bed or any other system.

A COOL SURFACE FOR FRUIT TREES.

As is well known to our readers, we have long
labored to show that to have healthy fruit trees
the fibrous roots must be kept near the surface^
cool and dark. No one has ever disputed these
premises. We have further labored to show that
all the iwpular fruit-growing doctrines are op-
posed to these premises, and munt he wromj.
Tlien we have proposed something better than the
prevailing modes, — either grow short grass,
mulch, branch low, or plant close. For all this
we have been roundly abused. ''Does the Gar-
denei^s Monthly pretend to know better than all

1870.

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJ^THLy.

the great men who lived centuries ago ?" We
do not intend to be drawn into any such side is-
sues, but shall continue to show, as occasion of-
fers, the inconsistencies of those whose practice
is opposite to the principles they profess ; and to
insist that herein lie most of the failures wher-
ever they do exist.

Indeed, the sore point seems to be just here, —
for the very ones who attack us the most abusive-
ly, usually furnish the best facts against them-
selves,and would probably see them as we do, only
for this natural disposition to oppose. One of
the most distinguished of this class of writers
has recently written a paper to show how terri-
bly we are leading the people astray by our
teachings, and then goes on to give the figures
which, — supposing that he treats his figures
more fairly than he treats his opponents — show
a profitable l^ear orchard. It so happens that
we have seen this orchard, and it is one of the best
argianents in favor of what loe teach. The trees
are closely planted, and moderately low branch-
ed, so that the roots are admirably shaded and
cool ; and this excellent condition of things is
still more aided by frequent mulchings of sea
weed, which is easily obtained. No grass is re-
quired, because the conditions we ask for are
better obtained without it.

Ko better instance of the value of our teach-
ings could be obtained any where than from the
Pear orchard of Ilovey & Co.; and it Is only in
accordance with our theory of the love of opposi-
tion, that the recent vulgar attack on us in the
Boston Journal of Horticulture^ can be accounted
fur.

VARIETIES OF AUCUBA.

All the plants of Aucuba Japonica were from
one fem.ile plant, introduced from Japan many
years ago, until comparatively recently a male
plant was introduced, siuce which the plant has
been able to bear berries in great abundance, —
and from these a great number of varieties have
been raised.

In this section of Pennsylvania the plants have
proved hardy only in very sheltered situations.
Possibly some of these new varieties may be
found hardier. There are some pretty green
leaved fonns amongst the new ones, and green-
leaved plants are generally hardier than the va-
riegated ones. At any rate, our Southern read-
ers should look out for these Aucubas. They
are just the thing for their grounds.

SKIMMIA JAPONIC A.

This beautiful plant has dark evergreen leaves
similar to the Daphne, and is succeeded by large
red holly-like berries, something like the ber.
ries of Daphne Mezereon. The earlier attempts to
introduce it to our hardy collections failed,
chiefly, we believe, because it was found not to
endure our summer suns.

We see by recent English accounts that it is
found to thrive very well in the shade, and is
likely to become one of their most usefiU deco-
rative plants when so employed. It is possible
that if we were to try it in such situations we
might be more testing. It is well worth test-
ing again.

RAISING GOOSEBERRIES.

In a recent number, in answer to a correspon-
dent, we gave the plan by which Gooseberries are
successfully raised about Pliiladelphia. We re-
ferred then to the American varieties — chiefly
Houghton's seedling. But the foreign varieties
do not grow even by this plan. Wherever we
have seen them, and however grown, they al-
ways mildew.

Now it is so clear why they fail, and it is so
easy to apply the remedy, that we are very
much surprised that no one understands it.
The Gooseberry is essentially a mountain plant,
and besides this, it is as warm a lover of " syl-
van shades " as the most poetic amongst us.
This wood loving character makes a very rich
soil as necessary to success, as the other two
points. So that to have first class Gooseberries
we must have a rich soil, a cool soil, and a shady
situation. Yet we put them in a warm sunny
spot, and getting nothing but disease, decide
that ''foreign Gooseberries cannot be grown in
the United States."

It is, we know, very hard for most of us who
have been educated in difierent climates to alter
our practices to suit another. We put in Goose-
berries as we always put them in, and as they
always brought good results. If they will not
do here under that system, it seems hardly
worth while to study out another one. In-
deed, we have too many things requiring
our attention, that unless anything is likely
"to pay," we can hardly spare the time toexper.-
ment. Hence, though gardening is rather a fine
art than a source of profit ; and though enjoy-
ment, and not dollars, is its first aim ; we have
to depend more than any other country oa he

THE GABBEJS'ER'S MOJ^THLY.

March,

commercial men, for our j^rogress in practical
knowledge.

Now, let the market fruit grower take this
matter in hand. There is "money'' in the English
(Tooscberry. It is not an aristocratic fruit, al-
though we have seen a Queen smack her ro3-al
lips over a " Roaring Lion.'' Yet with the av-
erage man and woman, it is one of the most pop
ular fruits. As a general market fruit there is
no doubt of a ready sale, at high prices, for all
that can be raised.

Here is a prize well worth contending for.
Only comply with the conditions, and the victory
is easy. Places where cool soil and partial shade
can be found, already exist in many grounds.
"Where these are not naturally, they can be
easily made. Gr.apes and Gooseberries, for in-
stance, may be grown together. The vines may
be so trained as to aflbrd a partial shade, and
the Gooseberries grown under them. Besides
tins, many ways will suggest themselves to an
insrenious mind. Only remember that shade
must net include dry soil. And the roots of
trees dry ground very much, so that such shade
will cot do The shade must be aflforded by
rocks or hills, walls or fence, arbors, or the
spreading branches of trees over spaces where
roots do not extend.

At one time it was granted that we could not
raise Seedling Pines in America. They were
mountain plants, generally just as our Goose-
be rr v. But it came to be understood that the
litile shade required could be easily given. Then
came the Illinois Douglas wiih his acres of
brush and arbors. The thing was done, and the
money came in— and what is more important to

us, a great lesson was learned of value to all
Americans.

Now let the same thing be done for the Goose-
berry. Let another Douglass come, that we
may sound his praises, and eat his fruit.

WINDOAV FLOWERS.

It is much to be regretted that window flow-
ers are not so often seen as they once were. It
cannot be that the taste for beauty is declining.
It is rather that the arrangements of modern
housekeeping make flowers in the way of con-
venience. Yet why not make windows to suit ?
The demands of modern society are all well in
their way, but surely they need not be so imper-
atively exclusive as to banish all floral adorn-
ments from our tasteful houses.

The introduction of heaters had some influ-
ence in driving away flowers from our sitting
rooms, but coal as gas light has been a wonse
enemy, yet these can be easily kept in place.
Bay windows now often have an inside enclo-
sure of glass, — making a kind of cabinet, as it
were, and in this the plants grow to perfection.
But this arrangement is not essential. A friend,
whose window is at all times gay with blos-
soms, and whose success is the envy of all the
neighbors, has nothing but a broad win-
dow sill, and she has the window curtains
so arranged that they fall between the room and
the plants. The lace curtains are down day
and night, and the damask over only at night.
This seems entirely suflicient to prevent injury
from gas and dry air— no plants can possibly be
healthier than hers are.

SCRArS AKD QUEEIES.

Names of Plants— S. S. T., Carbon Cliff,
JI?._Your kindness and patience in replying to
forrospoiidents, emboldens me to ask informa-
tion on some points in which I am much inter-
ested. Is there any difTiculty in starting the
needs of the Erythrina, or Cactus, and how old
must they be before they blossom ? "Will you
give the names of the enclosed specimens, and
tell me if there is a i)lant by the name of Cary-
oniolis, and what the name of the scarlet-coned

cedar ?

My husband suggests that I have asked too
many questions already. If so, I trust you will

pardon me, as they do not arise from an idle cu-
riosity, but an earnest wish for information.
Permit me to express the great profit and pleas-
ure I receive Irom the pages of the Qardenev''s
Monthly. T consider it worth twice the price.

[Xo 1 is Glcclioma, or Nepeta hedcracea. It
is a native of Europe, where it is called "Ground
Ivy." It is also naturalized to some extent in
this country. As a basket plant it has few su-
periors, as it requires so little light in order to
do well.

No. 2 is Euonymus Jaix/nicuSy the " Jajwn

In the Northern

Evergreen

Burningbush.''

U70,

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOKTEL^.

States it is only hardy on the north side of
buildings, or some other place shaded from the
sun in winter ; but it must have the full light in
eumnier. In the South it makes beautiful orna-
mental hedges. It has small green flowers
when old, scarcely visible without close looking
for; when the green capsules open they disclose
reddish seeds, which in the South gives addi-
tional interest to the jjlant.

Er3'thrina seeds, when they have once got
dry, do not vegetate freely. The best plan is to
soak them in cold water a few days before sow-
ing. Cactus seeds grow very easily in sandy
soil, kept moist by putting a piece of glass over
the flower pot, instead of regular waterings,
which are apt to rot the young plants.

Perhaps Coreopsis is the plant by the name men-
tioned. The scarlet-coned cedar is not known
by that name, but some varieties of the Norway
Spruce have beautiful rosy purple young cones
■when flowering in spring, for which they are
highly esteemed.

We are always glad to have such questions as
these, as what one wants to know often proves
of value to hundred of others. "\Ve shall be
pleased to receive 3'our further inquiries at any
time.]

Early Pkas — When " we were boys,'' and
for a hundred years previously, new Peas made
their appearance occasionally, warranted to be
"earlier than any others known." Between
twenty-five and thirty years ago, the
" Early six weeks " was thought to be a prod-
igy, and we all know how many '' earlier ones "
have been raised since that day. The Iloj-al
Horticultural Society now says that " Sutton''s
Jiingleader is the earliest of all.'' It would be
interesting to know how much less than six
weeks we have gained in twenty-five years.

TuANSPLANTixa Large Trees.—/. W. TF.,

Hyde Park, Duchess Co., N. Y., writes: — "I
am a new subscriber to the Gardener''s Montlily,
and note with great interest your statement in
the January number in regard to transplanting
large trees. If you will send me such back
numbers as contain the articles you refer to,
with the price, I will forward the latter.''

[In view of the great number of new subscrib-
ers this year, and the importance of the subject,
instead of referring to our past issues as re-
queetedj we thought it might have a more gen-

eral interest to repeat the recommendations we
have before given in regard to transplanting
large tree?.

In the first place, we may say that the prac-
tice has been very successful in this vicinil}-.
Trees 25 feet high and two feet in circumferenc e
having been moved during the last ten years by
different people, and trees of different kinds have
been moved, and in all cases have done as
well as trees but two or three years old. There
is, however, one point which has been learned
by experience since we first wrote, and that is
that a half starved tree from poor soil, is not so
successful as one that has been pretty well taken
care of, and in pretty good ground.

The best time to move large trees is about three
weeks before the fall of the leaf, or about two
weeks before the bursting of the leaves in spring;
in the former case, operations may be continued
until a week after the fall, and in the last, until
the leaves have been once fully expanded.

A rope is fixed to the top of the tree, and ope-
rations commenced by digging eight feet from
the base of the tree, a circle two feet wide and
at least two feet deep. It is difficult to make
workmen do this, as if they '• see no roots " they
don't want to dig there. Then use digging forks to
nndeimine the ball. "When undermined, fork out
the soil from the horizontal face of the ball.
This, also, is very difiicultto get workmen to do.
They will work at the horizontal face before the
ball is undermined, which injures the roots, and
doubles the labor. The earth must rather fall
away than be dug away, and this the underminin"
permits. It is also very diflicuU to keep labor-
ers deep enough under the ball. The operation
is very much shortened in time, by keeping deep.
In ordinary soil, two men will have such a large
tree as we have described, ready for removal at
the most in half a day.

For removal a pair of wheels and a pole, or a
common two-wheeled cart is necessar}-. It is
backed up against the tree, the shafts set up
against the trunk, and the top of the trunk and
the top of the shaft or pole lashed firmly togeth-
er. If the roots are very wide— as sometimes
they will under this treatment be twelve feet-
six feet will have to be elevated to keep from
dragging on the ground. This, ofc.iurse, can Ihj
done by side-boards on the cart, across which a
heavy board is placed, protected by a mat from
rubbing the bark off the stem. The rope being
pulled, the tree and shafts come down together,
and the tree is about exactly balanced oa the

THE GARDEJiER'S MO^^THLY.

March,

two wheels ; and the cart with the tree drawn
away hind side before, to the place where it is
wanted. A couple of poles are placed across the
new hole, on which the tree is set up, so as to
give a chance to unlash from the shafts, then
the cart taken away, the poles one by one taken
out from under the roots, and the tree falls straight
down into the hole prepared for it. Previously, if
the head is found very heavy, and the roots pro-
portionately light, some is cut away. The soil is
pounded in around the roots with a narrow ram-
nier. So important is this part of the operation,
that usually two men arc kept to ram m earth for
every one who fills it in. Properly done, no staking
of the tree will be required. There are some
other little details, Avhich any one will readily
perceive, but we think the main principles can
l)e understood. It is simply to get all the roots,
and rapidly before they dr}'; Aud ramming in so
hard and firmly again that the trees cannot blow
over, but are often firmer than when they grew
naturally before ; and to do this work at a time
when the roots are very active, so that evapora-
tion from the stems and branches will not be go-
ing on without new rootlets to supply the waste.
It is new rootlets or fibres which do this busi-
ness. Old, hard roots do little of this.

A circle sixteen feet wide, and two feet deep,
seems a big task ; but by keeping deep, out of
the way of the roots, it is astonishing how quick
ly it is performed. Germantown men, who now
understand it, will often contract to move a hun-
dred such trees for about ^10 each.

On this system we have seen the following trees
very successfully mQved, and probably others
which do not now occur to us: American
Chestnut, lied Oak, Ilorso Chestnut,
J.arch (only when done in September),
Norway Maple, Sugar Maple, Silver Maple, Ked
Maple, Catalpa, Willows, Poplars, Elms, Plane
trees, Norway Spruce, While Pine, Hemlock
Spruce, Arborvitajs, English Ash, American
Ash and Hirch. The Tulip Poplar, and En^jlish
Oak we have seen done, but not with the same
good result!'.

If there is anything not yet quite clear, we
shall be glad to give more information where
obscure.]

Drawing Vi.'^itors.— America has been
credited with the beat genius for "dodges" to
draw full " houses " to fairs and other exhibi-
tions ; but th(' capitiil plan disc-loHcd in the
lollowing paragraph, seems to show that England

is following rapidly behind us. The Gardener'>s
(Jhwnide says :

"At the meeting of the Royal Horticultural
Society on Tuesday last, Mr. Bateman an-
nounced that he would give a prize of £o for the
best collection of cut flowers of varieties of Cat-
tleyas, indigenous in cool countries, with the
stipulation that the flowers were to become the
property of the Society, for distribution amongst
the ladies present on the day of competition,
and which was fixed for the first meeting of the
Society in 1871."

Number of Grapes in a Vinery.— Many
good grape growers in England are tending to
the opinion that one vine allowed to fill one
house with its branches, is more fixvorable to
success than the general practice of having a
number. Tlie Gardener''s Monthly has always
advocated this view.

Opuntia Rafinesqui.— p., Alton, lU.—
'• I have noticed recently a plate of this plant in
an English work, which has long Pear-shaped
joints. I send you a specimen from our town,
which you see is round. Are tiiere many spe-
cies of hardy Cactus, and have they got the true
one in Europe ?''

[Opuntia Bafinesqui is very variable. Indeed,
it is not unlikely that it is a mere variety of O.
vulgaris. The seeds of both are exactly alike.
There are many species of hardy Cacti, but
only a few, Ave believe, under culture. Around
Ottawa, 111., the O. Bafinesqui is an abominable
pest. These fronds are intermediate between
round and pyriform.]

Transplanting Locusts. — An Old Subscri-
ber, Morristmcn, y. J. — "I had sown on the
11th of May last two pounds of yellow Locust
seeds ; first soaking them for 8 hours in water
130^, which caused four-fifths of them to soften
and swell.

I then rolled them in Farmer's Plaster, and
sowel them immediately. The seeds grew in a
few days, and made a rapid gi-owth during the
summer. The greater part of the plants are be-
tween three and four feet high, and pretty close
in the rows. I mean to transplant them into
nursery rows next April, and what I want to
know is, would you recommend me to head them
I down close after transplanting, so as to get
I good clean stems. Should 1 wait till the roots

1870,

TEE GARDEJVER'S MOJfTELY.

would be better established, the spring following,
or would they do as well not headed dovvn ?'♦

[We should head them down to about two
inches from the ground at once after transplant-
ing.]

Gunpowder Dogwood. — It appears that the
Dogwood Charcoal, which brings about $50 per
ton for the wood in Liverpool for making the
finer kinds of gunpowder, is not from a Dog-
wood at all, but from a Buckthorn — Ithamnus
frangula. Our Carolina Buckthorn is nearl}- like
the European one, and might do as well. At
any rate, at this high price, it might pay to
grow the species itself for our own uses.

Shirley HiBBERD, of the Garclener''s Weekly,
and well known to American readers as the au-
thor of "Homes of Taste," in which acqua-
riuras, and other floral devices for beautifying
our dwellings were first brought prominently to
notice, has been engaged by our contemporary,
the HorticuUuri^t, as associate editor and foreign
correspondent.

"We are glad to hear that Mr. Hibbcrd will
thus in a measure become identified with Amer-
ican gardening literature.

Fatroxs of Husbandry.— "We have before
us the address of Air. Wm. Saunders, master of
the National Grange of the Patrons of Husband-
ry, at its third annual session. He thus defines
its objects :

"To increase the products of the earth by Increasing
the linowlcdge of the producer, is the basis of our struc-
tire; to le.'irn and apply the revelations of science, so
far as relates to tlie various products of the vegetable
world, and to diffuse the truths and general principles
of the science and art of agriculture, are ultimate ob-
jects of our organization. We freely avail ourselves of
fie valuable results of scientific investigations in es-
tablishing principles (which, although sometimes diffi-
cult of discovery, are always of easy application wlien
properly understood ) and seelc to disseminate knowl-
edge upon every suhject that bears upon the increase of
the productions and wealth of the nation."

And in reference to some objections made
against the order, said :

ret ceremony of Initiation of members hasi
as was anticipated, been objected to by a few persons ;
but we are already well convinced ll»at the efficient dis-
cipline necessary to secure permanent organization
could not be attained by any other means, thus com-
pletely realizing the only object that suggested Its
adoption, and It meets the warm approval of all those
wlio have experienced the transitory existence of rural
clubs and societies, and who recognize iu our simple

but efflcient rules elements of success based upon a
solid and lasting foundation."

It was our privilege to have the whole details
of this Society placed in our hands before its or-
ganization, and though we could give it no aid,
throUfih all of our efforts being demanded in
other directions we may say that our knowledge
of its objects enables us to offer it our best wish-
es for success.

Hand Cultivators.— Gcoj-^tc G., Toric, Pa.^
writes : *' Noticing the advertisement of
Thomas Smithcy's hand and broad cast weeder,
I would like to know what you think of it.

The hand culture of corn is so very expensive
that if it will do all that is claimed for it, it must
be of great beiieut to all farmers."

[We do not know to what advertisement our
correspondent refers. We suppose he wishes a
hand cultivator that will work in a garden amongst
corn. We have never found anything satisfttc-
tory. We have tried many inventions, but all
have proved too laborious for one man to work,
and we have had to fall back on the hoe.

So far as Horse Cultivators are concerned, we
have since our last received one from Mr. F. L.
Ferry, which appears to be a very good thing.
The thin tongues loosen the soil, and a sharp
bladed hoe follows, and easily cuts up the weeds
and levels the surface.]

Situations. — Again as spring opens we are
flooded with inquiries about gardeners, foremen,
nursery hands, &c., — although we have so re-
peatedly declined to do anything. If we had
but a few score a year, we should be very glad to
aid parties in getting together. But every reader
thinks that ht, is oar only friend, and that we
might at least help him. Alas ! We have too
many friends ! We would if we could, but this
answering hundreds of letters a year is impos-
sible.

Raspberries. — " Subscriber,'''' Scipiovilk,
N. F., says: '*Ihave seen no recommenda-
tion of Clarke except by those who have it f«r
sale. Am I safe iu planting it tor a market fruit?
What are the merits of the Philadelphia and
Mammoth Cluster?"

[The Clarke is of the European race of Rasp-
berries. They seem more liable to suffer from
disease and improper culture in our climate, than
the native kinds, and are not so reliable for mar-

THE GAEI)E^''ER' S MOJ^THLY.

March,

ket purposes as the two last named, which are
of the native race. These are not quite as good
flavored, but not being so particular, are more
certain to bear profitable crops.]

Knight's MoxARcn Pear still continues to
bo one of the most popular of English winter
dessert Pears.

Orciiideous Plants. — These costly and most
singularly beautiful plants, continue to receive
great attention from English plant growers, and
are amongst the chief attractions of their exhi-
bitions.

Amateur and Market Fritits —B. D.,
Lnnsin(j^ Michigan. — ""I notice that fruits are
frequently divided into those adapted to amateur
and to culture for market. What is the difler-
encc ?"

[Some fruits require more knowledge and skill
to bring to perfection than others — these are the
amateur fruits. The man who markets fruits
has to employ very rough laborers to work his
plantations. lie cannot ©versee himself even'
detail, he has therefore to grow kinds which
have the happy faculty of taking care of them-
selves. It often happens that these are not often
as good as those which require more knowledge
and skill. Hence a " market fruit " simply
means a kind jwY^fa&.'e to fjrroto, and an " ama-
tt^ur fruit "one extra good, when one knows how
to grow it.]

Golden Varieoations.— It is a singular
fiiel that while plants with silver variegations
are much more tender than those with the nor-
mal green leaves, the golden onts are quite as
hardy as their originals. This was first sug-
gested to us by Mr. Harris, ganlener to II. H.
Ilunnewell, Esq., at Boston, in the case of the
Golden Yew, Taxus elcgantissima. AVe think
there are some exceptions, but yet it is true of
ten enough to make it remarkable.

Grounds ofGeo.Mkrkitt, Esq.,atTarrv-
TOWN, N". Y.— In the history of Gardening in all
cotujtrics fine place.** rise and fall, as in the history
of nations; and the United States is noexcpption.
A few years ago one of tlie very finest places
near Philadelphia wa.s Mr. Cainac's Now It
!•* cut up into stn^ctRand tbifkly built over. Yet
from time to time f»t!ier fine ])Ja(es rise, some
of'tlicin far excelling tiio.sc of the olden time.

Of this class is the new residence of Mr. Geo.

Merritt, on the beautiful Hudson, between Tar-
rytown and Irvington. Mr M. was well known
in former limes in the leading dry gocxls circles
of New York, but of late years has chielly busied
him.self in the pleasures of runil life. Ilis estate
embraces alx)ut six hundred acres, most of which
will be devoted to improved fJ^rming. The
pleasure grounds, will be, when completed,
about fifty acres, which is being laid out in the
highest style of landscape gardening art. Over
one hundred men are continually employed on it.
'three years ago he commenced the erection of a
magnificent range of greenhouses, which are
now nearly completed. Over eighty thousand
dollars have already been spent on them. These
are chiefly for flowers, and a new range entirely
for fruit is in contemplation

The present houses are built somewhat in the
form of a T. The main leg of the letter, as it were,
being a palm house 25 feet high. A beautiful
fountain is to be in the centre of this house, and
the upper portion of the main limb terminates
in an immense glass dome, from the top of
which one of tlie most magnificent pros-
pects on the Hudson can be obtained.
The cross position of this imaginary
T is a lean to line, and the two pendant
portions of the letter, two beautiful curvilinear
span roofe<l houses, one of which is entirely de-
voted to Camellias. The houses of Messrs. Kel-
ley at Rhinebeck, and of Mr Aspinwall, are fa-
mous for their extent ; but these of Mr. Merritt
go a long way beyond.

The gardener in charge, we have notyetha*!
the pleasure to meet. He is from France, and
exhibits great knowledge of the gardening art.

Boyle's Temperature Alar^i — This is
one of of the most ingenious contrivances we
have seen for some time. By the application of
a column of mercury to a dial finger, and a con-
nection by wire in one's bed room, an alarm bell
is struck whenever tiie temperature rises or falls
between a certain fixed range. The gardener
may now go to bed with a certainty that his
houses will not take fire or go down towards
freezing without his instantly knowing about it.

The same arrangement could be put into pub-
lic halls or anywhere where there was any dan-
ger. We reganl it as one of the best itivenlions,
next to the thermometer, that has been found
for many years.

Mr Boyle was once a gardener, and well known
at IX'troit, when in the fine establi.shment of Mr.
ITubl)ard ; and we arc proud P)r the honor of
the *^' craft '' that so much genius as this contri-
vance shows, should iiavo originated in it.

Mr. Peter Henderson, we observe, always
alive to '\g;\rileuing for pDlit,' h:is been
amongst the first to introduce it into his houses.

Omission.— By an ovoi-sight of the Printer, a
porlii>n of tile article i>u 'A Good While Win-
ter Flower " was ouiitled under tlie head of
communications. The entire article will appciur
next mouth.

1870.

THE GARBEJYER'S MOJ\''TRLY.

BOOKS, CATALOGUES, &C.

Report of the Coxmissiosbr of Agriculture for
1868.

The Commissioner anaounces, that in the
present volume he has endeavored to confine
himself to statistics on such matters as would
not come in contact with the regular agricultu-
ral journals of the country ; but we doubt
whether anything that appears a year after date
would ever seriously interfere with anything
published by private enterprise. For this, how-
ever, Mr. Capron is not to blame. It must be a
source of annoyance to him that the national
authorities are so late with the appearance of
what would otherwise be a very useful work. As
it is, the facts mostly become known before they
are published, and the issue is by so much stale
and unprofitable.

We notice that some thirty thousand plants
have been distributed, and many new varieties
of seeds of vegetables, grasses, and farm articles.
The recipients, Mr. Capron tells us, are roquestod
to report the results ; but with the exception of
a few responses on wheat, oats and clover, not/i-
iiuf has been received as to tbe great m:iss of
matter distributed. We think this ought not to
be. Persons who send articles free to the de-
partment, are of course entitled to similar cour-
tesies ; but anything distributed to other people,
should be oi^\y on the condition that they report
the result for publication in the annual report.

Mr. Capron has a very difficult position to fill.
It is very easy to suggest improvements, but
only those behind the scenes know the difficulties
of executing them. That with so many obsta-
cles, so much improvement should be accom-
plished as these reports indicate, is much to the
credit of the Department.

Harrison's Flavoring Extracts.

This is a catalogue of the various perfumes
sold by the firm of A. W. Harrison, a name
which, as llecording Secretary of the Pennsylva-
nia Horticultural Society, is widely known.
One of the best essays ever read before the
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society was by this
gentleman, describing his visit to the fiower
farms of Euroi>e, and giving explanations of the
various ways of extracting perfumes from flow-
ers.

Many useful flicts and receipts are given in
this pretty pamp'.ilet, which is for gratuitous cir-
culation amongst ladies of taste and refinement.

Catalogue of Dudley i Merrill, Geneva, N. Y.l

So many catalogues are almost copies one of
another, that we look in vain for any item of
special interest that will command the attention
of the readers of this department of the maga-
zine. This one not only contains descriptions of
a great number of fruit and ornamental trees
grown by the proprietors, but has a very inter-
esting chapter on profits and methods of fruit cul-
ture.

To give an idea of the matter of this depart-
ment of the catalogue, we give the following
about the culture of the Pear :

" Oa several accounts the Pear possesses advantages
over other fruits. The first is its delicious quality, aa
found in the finest varieties; its buttery or melting
texture, and its delicious and perfumed flavor. In this
respect it greatly excels tlie apple, and keeps nearly as
well. Even the peach is scarcely superior, while it
keeps only two or three daj's.

But the pear, like everything highly desirable and
valuable, cannot be had without attention, lal)orand
skill. There are only a few exceptions to this general
rule. The relative prices of the apple and pear being
about as one to ten, show at thesametime the superior
value of the latter, and the greater^skill required
to bring it to perfection.

The market value of fine pears Is a good indication or
measure of the amount of attention which this fruit de-
serves. Tlie following are a few examples: Dr. C. W.
Grant, Newburgh, gathered four hundred specimens
from a tree of the Flemish Beauty, only eight years
planted, which he sold for S30, or 13 cents each. T. G.
Yeomans, of Walworth, N Y., sold in 18.57, nearly his
entire crop of one variety, at 12 cents each by the bar-
rel. In 1S60, one barrel, filled with one hundred and
twenty-five pears, sold for S35 62, and eleven barrels for
%iV>. Very large specimens of Angouleme have, in some
instances, retailed at a dollar each. Austin Pinney, of
Clarkston, N. Y , sold some of his pears at 10 cents eachi
or 318 per bushel. J. Stickney, of Boston, obtained for
his crop of the Louise Bonne de Jersey, in !*>:, $10 per
bushel. John Gordon, of Brighton, near Boston, sold
Bartlett pears rai.sed witli the highest cultivation, with
skillful management in preparing for market, for SIO
per bushel, while good ones, with more common care,
brought only 83 per bushel. EllwangerA Barry, of
Rochester, sold their best well ripened Giout Morceau
pears in winter, at $13 per bushel, and others have
done the same. This sort has often borne at eight or
ten years of age, under good culture.

Orchards of standard pears being In most cases
but recently set out, have not yet given full re.sults.
But as dwarf pears come quickly into bearing, we have

TEE GARDE JEER'S MOXTHiy,

March,

alrepdy many examples of their great success. Among
them are the following:

T. K. Austin, near Boston, (says Col. Wilder.) set oat
600 dwarf pears a))out twelve years since. They com-
menced boarlng In about thiee years, and have borne
regular and abundant crops ever since. An account
WJi.s kept of the .sales from tlietn for the past six years,
■wli I cb amounted to S'?. IKS. They occupy about an acre.

W. P. Townsend, of I^ockport, had about an acre of
dwarf pears of different. sorts, that bore the fifth year
from the bud, forty-one barrels, selling at SlOper barrel,
orSlin for the acre.

T. (}. Yeomans, of Walworth, X. Y., has large planta-
tions of dwarfs about twelve years old They are ten
feet apart, and are cultivaled.and the soil kept perfect-
ly clean by two horses walking abreast, at less cost
than acorn crop requires. They have yielded from a
half bushel to a bushel per tree, and have sold from SI J
to 8.r> per barrel— which is at the rate of 82,000 and up-
ward p* r acre.

One Bartlett pear tree belonging to Phllo Bronson
yielded from thirty to fifty dollars worth of fruit for a
series of years, when fruit was only worth one-half Its
present value.

A Geneva fruit buyer paid S90 for the fruit of three
pear trees, and picked the fruit and marketed It himself.
The trees stood on the farm now owned by .1. O. Shel-
don.

F. A. Stow, of Troy, N. Y., sent to New York In the
fall of ISGS, two barrels ofSeckel pears. The purcha.sers
returne<l him ?JOa barrel, and at the same time sending
him word that if he had any more such fruit they would
give him SWper barrel for It.

In 1.S.J7, a firm In Geneva came into possession of a
place having ten or twelve pear trees which had been
planted four years. The fruit brought five dollars per
tree per year for several years on the average, when
fruit was much lower than It now Is.

At a recent meeting of the Geneva Horticultural .So-
ciety, on the subject of profit, Mr. Graves said that Mr
John Morse, of Cayuga, had been planting pear trees
for twenty-five years, regarding It more profitable than
any other fruit or farm crop. He had known of pears
selling at ?ft5 per barrel. Mr. Thomas Smith said that
his brother sold two barrels of Beurre Clairgeau for 880
last year.

In all these cases the best cultivation was given to
the dwarf, in connection with the yearly application
of good stable manure. It may be laid down a.s an un-
alterable rule that dwarf pears cannot live, ranch les.s
flourlsli, unless a complete system of broadcast cultiva-
tion Isglven. Digging small circles around the foot of
each tree is wholly insufficient. The roots of thrifty
trees soon spread over the whole surface, and the whole
Burfa.e must, therefore, be kept clean and mellow."

To be sure there are many who would say they
never obtained such results as these, and that
they exhibit only one side of the picture, which
is true ; but yet we hold that what has been
done can be done again, and generally might be
(^on^. It is rather ignorance than impossibility
which makes too many failures— not all, of
course— but still too many.

Nursery Catalogues.- Our nurserymen
seem particularly alive to business. Our table

is covered with lists, and many of them are so
meritorious, and do so much credit to American
business men, that we should like to notice them
more in detail. But amongst so much to com-
mend, we can only spare space to enumerate
them. They are as valuable in many respects
as the current horticultural literature of the day;
and as they are given freely to all who ask, it
will be every one's interest to send and get them.
We have them from D )wner & Sons, Fairview,
Ky. ; Clarke & Sons, London; R. Douglas &
Sons, Waukegan, 111.; Vilmorin, Andrieux &
Co., Paris, France ; X. II. Lindley, Bridgeport,
Conn.; E. II. Krelage & Son, Haarlem, Hol-
land ; J. Draper, Worcester, Mass. ; Jas. Stew-
art, Memphis, Tenn.;T. Hubbard & Co., Fredo*
nia, N. Y.; Nursery Association, Chambers-
burg, Pa. ; Sleeper & Sons, Oxford, Ind . Hen-
derson & Fleming. No. 67, Nassau St , N. Y.;
C. Plalz & Sons, Erfurt, Pru.ssia ; A. C. Fish,
Rochester, N. Y.; E. Y. Teas, Richmond, Ind.;
H. Nette, Quedlinburg, Prussia; W. H. Mann
& Co., Gilman, 111; J. Kift, West Chester, Pa.;
Bronson & Herendeen. Geneva, N. Y.; C. Black,
Ilightstown, N J.; Otto & Achelis, West
Chester, Pa.; Robert Ilalliday, No 1^ North
Charles street, Baltimore ; I-,ukens Peirce,
Coatesville, Pa. ; J Manning, Reading, Mass;
J. Ransom, Hammonton, N. J.; Ilasbrouck &
Bushnell, lona, N. Y ; S. S. Jackson & Co.,
Cincinnati, Ohio ; J. Charlton. Rochester, N.
Y.; A. Bryant jr., Princeton, 111 ; Storrs, HarriJ
son & Co , Painesville. Ohio; Calkins & Brooks;
Bricksburgh, N. J ; Hubbard & Davis, Wayne,
Michigan ; Wm. Sumner, Pomaria, S. C. ; Eu-
gene Verdier, Paris, France ; Kemp & Kerr,
Denton, Md ; J. Adams, Springfield, Mass.; Ell-
wauger & Barry, Rochester, N. Y. ; E. Benary
Erfurt, Prussia ; W. Wilson, Astoria, L. 1.; J.
Thorburn & Co., No. 15 John street, N Y.; R.
Buist, 67th street and Darby Road, Pliila.; W.
F. Heikes, Dayton, Ohio ; J. McAdams, Mt.
Pleasant Nurseries, Westmoreland county, N.
Y; J. Knox.;Pittsburgh, Pa.; T.C. Maxwell &
Bros., Geneva, N. Y.; R. H. Allen, 119 AVater
street, N. Y.; Jas. Tick, Rochester, N. Y.; J.
E. Ennis& Co., Lyons, Iowa ; Isidore Bush &
Son, Jctf( rson Co., Mo. ; Frost & Co,, Rochester,
N. Y. ; Ilargis &.Summer, Quinc}', III.; J. Vest-
als, Cambridge City, Ind.; J. G. Booth & Co.,
Hamburg ; F. Meech, Albany, N. Y. ; Crane &
Co., No. 449 Broad street, Newark, N.J ; Graves,
Selorer, Willara & Co., Geneva, N. Y. ; Julieu
Monnier & Co., near Angers. France ; A.
Ilance c"fc Son, Red Bank, N. J.; Pliiriier &
Marquardt, Delaware, Ohio; J. Saul, Wa.sht'n,
I). C; IIoopos, liro. & Thomas, West Cluster,
Pa.; Wm. Bull, I..ondon, England; Aiuliuny
Waterer neai SVoking Surrey, England ; L.
Menand, Albany, N. Y. ; Peter Smith «.V Co.,
Hamburg; H. A. Drcer, No. 714 Chestnut street
Philadelphia.

18: 0.

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJfTELY,

NEW AND MRE PLANTS.

Xew Plants for 1870.— We see in Europe
seeds of many new plants offered for the first
lime, many of which, however, are not likely to
bo of much interest to Americans. Some things,
however, promise to be of value. Great im-
provement seems to have been made in " Colum-
bines." These plants, botanicaliy Aquileyias,
seem to have been broken up into as many vari-
eties as Phloxes.

The "Cow Parsnips"' of Europe have recently

received attention as decorative plants, on ac-
count of their large leaves. One of these which
grows along our own river banks, IIekacleum
LAXATUM, is really more striking than the Eu.
ropean species, but has not yet got into cultiva-
tion. Amongst the novelties in Europe this year
is an ally of these Cow Parsnips, called Cali-
s^A Dahurica. The leaves are represented as
six feet long by four wide, which would produce
a novel effect on a lawn. The stem grows about
eight feet high The head of the tiowers is very
much like that of the wild Carrot, only it is
nearly two feet across.

Xew Cannas are spoken of, but whether of
the early summer flowering kinds, or merely
leaf bearers, does not appear. Probably the lat-
ter.

Amongst Ten week Stocks, pure blue varie-
ties are announced.

In Chrysanthemums, quilled dwarfs have been
produced in the Pom pone class.

The old "Dusty Miller,'' or Cineraria MARi-
TiMA, the silvery leaves of which have rendered
it so valuable in the modern fashion of foliage
masses, has had a new species of similar tint,
but with the leaves nearly entire, brought in
company with it. It is called Cineraria acan-

TIIIFOLIA.

Our own American tree, cornus nuttalii.
which ever since it was figured in Michaux's Sylva
every lover of hardy trees has desired to possess, is
at least offered in Europe at one dollar an ounce.
It is much more ornanieutal than the common
Dogwood of our woods, Cornus florida.

A Blue Lautaua-like plant from Mexico,
CoRNUTiA PYRIMIDATA is also well spokeu of.
All of this class, to which the verbena also be-
longs, make good summer blooming plants for

our climate.
Chinese Pinks in great variety seem also very

popular.

One of the grandest things seems to be a new
DiCENTRA from California, which it is said will
be a great rival to our popular hardy plant Di-
centra S2)ectahilis. This new candidate is named
D. Chrysantha. Seeds are cheap— 100 for
about 75 cts.

A hardy cucumber-like plant from the north
of China, with round golden fruit like oranges,
and leaves like grape vines, called Eopepon
viTirOLius, is highly praised. But in our cli-
mate we have already some cucurbitaceous plants
which somewhat resemble this.

Hepatica angulosa, with flowers blue, and
as large as a silver dollar, will please all who
like these early spring flowers.

Some new " Morning Glories '' of the Ipomoea
section, are offered at 25 cts. a seed.

A rose colored variety of the scarlet Flax will
be a good novelty.

Paranephelius uniflortjs.— The London
Journal of Horticulture figures and describes this
plant recently introduced from Peru into Eng-
land. The plant is herbaceous, having no stem,
and is something in habit like the old Gazania
rigens, to which same natural order of compo-
sites the plant belongs. The flower is about the
same size as the Gazania, and of similar golden
yellow color ; but the leaves are broad and more
thistle-like. It makes a good winter bloomer.

Eranthemum Andersoni, 3Iast.— Owing to
an unfortunate oversight, the plant exhibited by
Mr. Bull under the garden or provisional title of
E. ele:Tans was described botanicaliy under that
name, in forgetfulness that the appellation in
question had been given to a very diflerent plant
by Kobert Brown. We hasten to repair the er-
ror, and avail ourselves of the opportunity of as-
sociating Dr. Anderson's name with the plant,
as no one has done so much towards elucidating
the diflicult family of Acanthacese as the ener-
getic Superintendent of the Calcutta Garden.
Moreover, it now appears from the appended let-
ter of Mr. Prestoe, Superintendent of the Botan-
ical Garden of Trinidad, which clears up the his-
tory of the plant to a great extent, that Dr. An-
derson had himself recognized the plant as new,
though we are not aware that he has anywhere

TEE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJ^THLY.

March,

published it. Mr. Presloe's letter is as follows:
"I observed in your number of Nov. 28, 186S, a
notice of an Eranthcmum, exhibited by one of
the Floral Committees at South Kensington, and
as there is some doubt expressed as to the 1 abi-
tat there given it, I am induced to give, for gen-
eral information, what knowledge of its history I
possess. In the latter part of 1866 we received,
by one of the East ludiamcn coming here annu-
ally, from the Calcutta Botanic Gardens, two of
"Ward's cases of plants, amongst which were two
that have since proved very fine Eranthemums.
The plants in these cases were numbered, but I
did not receive the lists of them till a year or
more later, the first list sent never having
reached its destination. By these I found that one
of the Eranthemums, the subject of this letter,
vras marked E. sp., by which I was induced to
regard it as a distinct new species, the more so
from knowing that Dr. Anderson had given the
family to which it belongs special attention.
Meanwhile the plant became extensively propa-

gated here, and in June, 1867, we supplied a
plant of it, amongst a general collection, to
Judge Fitzgerald of this island, on the eve of
his departure for England ; and this plant, no
doubt, is the one, or the parent of those, now in
Mr. Bull's possession. On my visit to England
last year, I was surprised to find that this plant,
so far as I could learn, had not yet found its
way into home collections. I thereupon com-
municated with my assistant here to have it, as
well as the species mentioned above, sent to
Kew, and I now have the satisfaction of know-
ing that a case containing, amongst other
things, those two beautiful plants, arrived in
Southampton about the time of my departure
from England in October last. Both species
make a magnificent display in our flower gar-
dens. At this moment both species in our gar-
den are massed over with flowers, the weather
of late having been very dry, and therefore par-
ticularly favorable for their development. — G.
Chronicle.

JN^EW AIN^D llAUE FRUITS.

KocnER Apple.— From Messrs. Engle «&
Bro. This is a beautiful fruit. It is as largo as
the bsst King of Tompkins Co., rather more
oval, with a more slender stem, and lighter
flesh, which, indeed, is nearly white. In the
specimen before us the flavor was not quite equal
to the popular variety we have named ; but that
might be exceptional. It must certainly become
a popular variety.

Mount Vernon Pear.— "We are glad to see
that Mr. Little is making an effort to introduce
this fine fruit In addition to our note about it
last fall, we see that it has the endorsement of
Messrs. Wilder, Ilyde, Hooker, Frost, Elliott,
Downing, and other well known Pomologists.

TiiK Rasciie Apple— This is a new variety,
originating in Missouri, wiLii Mr. W. Kasohe,
The tree is said to bo a strong grower, produc-
tive and hardy, and the fruit juicy, mild, sub-
acid, rich and high flavored. — Caroiiwa Farmer.

The Archduke Cherry. — This is the best
of the Duke Cherries, and should be more wide-
ly disseminated wherever the cherry will suc-
ceed, which, unfortunately, is not generally in
the South. It is very erect and upright in habit
of growth, vigorous and hardy. The fruit is
large, very dark shining red ; flesh, light red,
slightly adhering to the pit ; sub-acid, rich and
very good. Considered very valuable in the
West and Southwest. — Carolina Farmer.

HuTCHiNosoN Apple.— Origin unknown. It
is thus doscribjd in the Journal of Agrinilturc:
"Size, when well grown, and thin on the tree,
large to very large ; form, roundish, being a lit-
tle broader than long ; skin smooth, color green-
ish yellow ground, striped and splashed with two
shades of red, quite dark in the sun, so it looks
blotched with the dark red, with bronze around
the stem ; stem, slender ; cavity, narrow, rather
deep ; calyx, small, nearly closed ; basin, very
narrow and shallow *, flesh, white, very tender,
juicy, mild sub-acid, not rich, but very pleasant;
core, large ; seeds, large, long, dark brown;
season, November to March, and if well taken

18'fO,

TEE GARDEjYER'S MO^N'THLY.

care of, to April ; tree, hardy (very much so),
health}', moderate grower, of rather diverging
habit, not very strong wood, rather brittle,
bearing annually the largest crop of any apple I
kn^w of from Kentucky.

PiTMASTONDncnESSE PEAR,isthe name of a
new variety introduced in England by Mr. Wil-
liams, of ritmaston. It resembles Marie Louise,
and was, as we understand the paragraph in the
London Cottage Gardener, raised from Duchcsse
d'Angouleme.

INTELLIGE^N'CE.

LiTnosPERMUMFRRTTTicosuM.— Thisis a su-
perb plant for hanging baskets, or, indeed, for
any place where a pendulous-habited plant is
required. I filled two hanging baskets with it
for our conservatory a month ago ; it was then
in full flower, and has continued so ever since,
and promises to keep so for at least a month
longer. I grew it with the intention of using it
for spring gardening out of doors, but I was so
struck last season with the habit of the plant for
this work, and its intensely deep blue flowers,
that I could not for the life of me risk it to bat-
tle in the open air with the colds winds of
March. And right glad am I that I did not do
so, for we require a number of plants of that de-
scription for drawing-room and other indoor dec-
orations, and at this season of the year there is
nothing to beat it. Its color is rare and rich,
and when suspended, soeftective that I can with
confidence recommend it to all who require
plants of the kind. It is one of those hardy
arems of which we gardeners, as a body, know
l)ut too little. The young growth roots freely in
spring, and in a compost of leaf-soil, peat, and
silver-smd, it grows very fast. In summer I
STOW it out of of doors under a south wall, and
winter it in the front of the orchard-house. It
does not need this protection in the winter, as it
is quite hardy. I give shelter because it flowers
earlier than it would do if left out of doors. —
London Journal of Horticulture.

A>r Old Grape Vine. —At a recent meeting
of the Royal Horticultural Sociecy of England,
Mr. Fowler, of Harewood, sent a dish of Mus-
cat of Alexandria Gripes from an old vine eighty
years old, now existing in the garden there, and
which annually bears between four hundred and
five hundred bunches. The fruit exhibited had

been ripe since September, and was shown in so
good condition as to receive a special certificate.

YicoMTEssE Hericart de Thury Straw-
bebry. — Assuming that the above and the
Prince Imperial are the same, I may observe
that I tested the latter carefully this year, both
under glass and in the open ground, side by side
with Keen's Seedling. Admitting that it is
quite as early, more even in size, and firmer in
flesh than Keen's, it always proved deficient in
sweetness ; so much so, that I purpose adhering
to Keen's.

For home consumption, where large quanti-
ties are required by persons whose palate is not
highly educated, I recommend Empress Eu-
genie ; for fastidious tastes, the British Queen,
Rivers' Eliza, and Myatt's Filbert Pine. To
these, as a late variety, not to be eaten till al-
most black, the old Downton, somewhat acidu-
lated, perhaps, but very rich, should be added. —
G. S., in London Journal of Horticulture.

Varieties of Ivy. — Evergreen Ivies are
much grown for parlor gardens in England. At
a recent meeting of the Royal Horticultural So-
ciety, the London Journal of Horticulture says :-

Oa this occasion prizes were offered for the
best nine Ivies in pots. There were three ex-
hibitors—namely, Mr. C. Turner, of Slough ;
Mr. AVilliam Paul, of Waltham Cross ; and
Messrs, E. G. Henderson & Son, of St. John's
AVood. Mr. Turner sent very neatly trained
])lants, beautifully clothed with foliage, trained
for the most part as tall cones. The kinds were
Hedera Helix major, with small silver-veined
leaves ; H. II. minor with still smaller leaves,
but otherwise resembling those of the preceding,
H. marmorata minor, with small leaves marbled
with pale yellow ; H. elegantissima, with smal

THE GARDE JEER'S MOJ^THLY.

March,

foliasje i reularly bordered with rose color and
yellow ; II. grandifoUa arborescens, a large-leav-
ed tree Ivy; II. grandifolia latifolia maculata,
the loaves extensively mottled and splashed with
cream yellow ; II. algeriensis, with large, vigo-
rous, pile green leaves ; II. Icida, with beauti-
ful, shining, dark green leaves, but bright green
near tho principal veins ; and II. lobata major,
with very distinctly lobed foliage. Mr. "W. Paul
had II. latifolia maculata ; II. Roejjneriana, a
a most valuable dark-leaved kind ; Rcegneriana
arborescens, having a stem like a tree ; II. ja-
ponica, the leaves variously edged and marked
with white or pale cream color ; H. canariensis
aurea, with some of the leaves entirely yellow,
others with but a small patch of green, whilst
others, again, are entirely green, but a charm-
ing and most effective variety ; II. algeriensis va-
riegata, with white variegated foliage ;
n. rhombca variegata, the leaves small, with a
narrow white edging ; H. arborescens baccata
lutea, the berries still in a green state ; and II.
taurica, a very neat small-leaved kind. From
Messrs. E. G. Henderson, came II. Helix rhom-
boidea, H. algeriensis arborea, H. japonica va-
riegata, II. canariensis marmorata ; II. dentata,
apparently of vigorous growth, and having large
leaves ; arborescans alba lutescens, a fine yellow
variegated kind with rather small leaves ; arbor-
escens latifolia striata, with dark srreen foliage,
blotch m1, splashed, or marked with broken
of golden yellow : II. Helix marginata alba ro-
busta, edged more or less broadly with cream
white ; and H. Helix minor marmorata elegans,
with minute marbled leaves tinted with red.

Barnes' Theory of Culture —This great
horticulturist has studied to good practical pur-
pose the profound theory of the correlation of
force. He has impressed upon the soil the great
art of giving, and yet increasing. Cropping is
the cultural weight that imparts stability to the
earth's inexliaustible storehouses of growing
power. The one thing to guard against is an
unclothed surface. Give the earth work to do,
and it will never flinch from its accomplish-
ments. Mr. Biirnes' first efiurts go to secure
mass or bulk of soil. He does not believe in the
motive power of light or small bodies ; he goes
for the impetus acquired by mass. Hence uo
mere surface of the earth sulHces for him. Down,
down, deojxjr down, is his watchword, until lie
obtains a tilth to work with of from 3 to 5 fuet

in depth. This is his grand storehouse of cul-
tural force, from which his momentum for pro-
pelling vegetation is obtained ; this is his mass of
earth that works with such misht and energy in
the manufacture of such an astonishing bulk of
sweet and crisp vegetab e matter. "NVe have
seen the first elements of his productive energy,
we will now try to unearth his second agency —
heat. How does he enlist this transcendant
power into his service ? Chiefly in three ways.
First, by conserving the heat already in the
ground ; by freely admitting fresh supplies, and
by creating new sources of heat within the earth
itself Thorough drainage is the great conserva-
tive power of heat ; it bars up the widest doors,
through which it is ever ready to escape. A
dry surface or well drained mass of earth stops
the loss of heat by evaporation, and it is well
known to every one that evaporation is the most
powerful known robber of heat. By allowing
the water a free passage downwards instead of
upwards the greatest amount of heat is preserv-
ed in the earth with the minimum loss. Xext
to thorough drainage, a covered surface is
the best means of keeping heat in the ground.
The crops arrest the escape of warmth, and re-
turn a large portion of the heat back to the earth.
They erect a barrier against the energy of radia-
tion outside. I advance another step here with
more diffidence. It is this, that life itself— the
mere vitality of vegetation —becomes a source of
heat to i\\i earth. The temperature of plants
has oflen been observed to be considerably high-
er than the surrounding air or earth. Thus
probably every living plant becomes a conscrver
of the heat of the earth of lesser or greater pow-
er, or a generating centre of heat. Another
mode of increasing the temperature of the earth
is by the free admission of heat, by texturial
management, and a frequent inversion of th3
surface soil. A friable soil may heat more grad-
ually, but it retains the warmth longer than on3
of the opposite character, and if fresh surfaces
are continually turned up, and exposed fully to
the sun, an 1 tho hiat so acquired be persistently
turned In, it is astonishing, how much may thus
be done to raise the temperature of the ground.

The last plan to be noted is the direct creatioa
of heat within th J earth itself. This i« ac'C(jm-
plished by the addition of decomposing matter.
It is too much the fashion to look upon such
materials as possessing only an enriching or \\\\-
nurial valuj. The term stimulant would, how-

1870^

THE GARDE^N'ER'S MOJ^TBLY.

ever, be more correctly descriptive of their pow-
ers. It is by the performance of quickening
functions that the worth of many so-called ma-
nures ought to be measured, and they stimulate
less by their feeding properties than by their
heating powers. AVlierever decomposing mat-
ter and air meet together, either within the earth
or out of it, heat is the product of their union
Thus every atom of matter undergoing decom-
position becomes a centre of warmth. Intinit-
esimally small as the heating power of each cen-
tre may be in itself, yet their powerful aggregate
strength makes up for their individual littleness;
and their combined energy may be, and I believe
is, sufficiently potent very sensibly to raise the
temperature of the earth. — Got. of Gardener'>s
Clironicle.

Hardy Climbers. — The following account of
some climbers, or, as they are calledjin the Uni-
ted States, vines, is from the London Journal of
Horticulture and Cottage Gardener :

Akebia quinata. — Evergreen twiner. Flow-
ers lilac pink, in spring and early in sum-
mer. Propagated by division of the roots, and
cuttings of the half-ripened shoots in sand
on a gentle hotbed. It requires a south wall,
and peat and sandy loam.

Amjjelopsis hederacea (Virginian Creeper). —
The mojt vigorous of all climbers, succeeding on
any aspect, and excellent for covering trellises
and rustic work, thriving where many other
climbers will not do so, especially on a north as-
pect. The flowers are inconspicuous, but the fo-
liage is a full compensation for any deficiency of
flowering. It gives a close mantling to any
building or object, the leaves dying off a bright
purplish red. It will grow in any kind of soil,
but succeeds best when encouraged with good,
rich, well stirred loam. It is deciduous, and in-
creased by laj'erings and cuttings of the ripened
shoots. Being of vigorous growth, it is very
suitable for covering high walls and buildinsrs
with unfavorable aspects. A. quinquefolia does
not differ from A. hederacea.

^1. japonica. — A new Virginian Creeper, of a
compact steady habit, the leaves being broad,
ovate-oblong, and in autumn assuming a bright
red tint, in this respect surpassing A. hederacea.
It will doubtless prove as hardy as the preced-
ing.

A. Veit hii — Foliage smaller than that of A.
he leracea ; the leaves are sometimes entire and

occasionally thrice-divided, and are very close
and dense ; color green, shaded with purple.
Very fine for walls with north aspect and rustic
work of all kinds, being very hardy ; and on ac-
count of its peculiar colored foliage and young
shoots, which are quite purjile, it is worthv of
greater attention than it has yet received. It is
the best climber for planting against walls where
nailing cannot be practised, as it needs no train-
ing, but clings to any building with the greatest
tenacity. The leaves turn red in autumn before
falling.

Aristolochia sipho. — Foliage bold, not unlike
Rcegner's Ivy ; tiowers yelloAV and brown, pro-
duced in July. It is suitable for walls with east
or west aspects, and for verandas and summer-
houses, but in warm situations only. Sandy
loam is the most suitable soil. Deciduous.
Propagated by division of the roots or layers,
either in spring or autumn. 30 feet.

Atragene Americana, — Deciduous, succeeding
in any common soil. Fine for rustic work,
flowers purple, in July. 15 feet. A. Austriaca.
— Flowers brown and yellow, July. 8 to 10
feet. A. Siberica. — whitish yellow flowers. July.
12 feet. Increased by seeds sown in sandy
soil in a frame, the seedlings being pricked off
when large enough, and gradually hardened off;
also by layers in autumn, or by cuttings under
a hand-glass or in gentle beat, either in spring
or summer.

Berberidopsis coralUna. — Evergeen, not exact-
ly a climber, being only a sub-scandent. Flow-
ers fine deep red, in clusters of two or three, on
long pedicels. It is but little known, and ap-
pears very hardy.

Bignonia graiidijlora. — Free growing climber
with orange-red flowers produced in summer,
but it requires a south wall. The foliage is bold
and handsome. As the flowers are produced on
the short shoots which proceed from the Avood
of the previous year, care must be taken to have
the latter well ripened by thorough exposure,
keeping the shoots moderately thin and rather
closely nailed or tied up.

Bignonia, radicans. — Flowers orange, in July.
Vigorous, and similar to the preceding, but not
so good, though it is hardier. There is a better
colored variety called superba. This and the
preceding are deciduous, and only suitable for
trellises, against walls, verandas, and other
warm situations. They are increased by cut-
tings of the shoots, and by pieces of the rootj
in gentle heat.

9J{.

TEE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJ^TELY.

March

Bignonia capreolata.— Flowers red. In
warm situations, against a south or west wall,
it is very ornamental.

Caprifolium yiacwm.— Yellow. 10 feet. De-
ciduous. Trellises in warm situations. C. Douy-
lasii.—Onxnze. 20 feet. Deciduous. Tillars
arbors, and rustic work. C. perichjmenum —
Yellow ; 20 feet ; the Woodbine so fine for cover-
ing rustic trellises, arbors, or trunks of trees
June. It and the varieties are deciduous. Per-
iclymenum belgicum, or Dutch, larger and ear-
lier flowering, June, 20 feet ; Periclymenum se-
rotiuum (late Dutch), yellow and red, 20 feet.
June ; Periclymenum quercifoliura, 3'ellow
and red flowers. June. There is a vari-
egated variety of this. Except the first,
all are fine for pillars, arches, and covering all
kinds of rustic work, but they should have open
situations, for though they may grow, they do
not flower freely on north aspects or in the
shade. Against walls they are smothered with
aphis.

C sempervirens. — Evergreen, also its varieties
Brownii, floribunda, and Youngii, all with scarlet
flowers. Fine for trellises, verandas, and
poles, the flowers being long and trumpet-shaped.
Rather light soil is most suitable.

The Caprifoliums are increased by cuttings of
the ripened shoots in autumn, in a shady bor-
der, covering them with a hand-glass or insert-
ing them under a frame. J..ayering in aurumn
when the leaves are falling is the most certain
method of propagation.

Celastrus scandens — Deciduous. Flowers yel-
low, in May or June. 15 feet. Seeds in a liot-
bed in spring.

Clematises.— Cvcru\ea, grandiflora, pale azure
blue, 10 feet: flammula, white, 20 feet, sweet-
scented : florida, white, 10 feet ; and its double
variety, white, tinged with green ; bicolor (Sie-
boldi), straw, puce and green centre ; Fortunei,
large, double, white ; hybrida splendida, deep
violet, stamens green; Jackmanni, violet purple,
centre veined, stamens light green ; lanuginosa,
lavcndir, large ; lanuginosa Candida, large,
white ; lanuginosa pallida, pale lavender; mon
tana, white, stamens grtcn ; montana grandiflo-
ra, larger than the species, flowers white ; He-
lena, large, semi-double, white ; Louisa, white,
with purple-tipped stamens ; Sophia, mauve,
centre of petals straw-colored, stamens tipped
with chocolate ; there is a double variety of this
Kimilar in color jrubro-violacea, maroon, shaded

reddish violet, stamens pale green ; Standishii,
deep bluish violet , Viticella, purplish violet ;
and its variety multiplex with double flowers of
the same cdor ; Viticella atrorubens, deep pur-
plish red ; venosa, reddish purple, veined crim-
son, light centre, stamens chocolate ; Yitalba,
or Traveler's Joy, white. Ihis is the most
hardy, and quickly covers any surface.

All the Clemati.ses are fast-growing and free-
blooming, indispensable for covering trellises,
walls, rustic, and all kinds of ornamental wire-
work. Thjir rich and varied colored flowers,
many of them large and sweet-scented, render
them particularly desirable. All are deciduous.
Propagation is effected by cuttings of the firm
side shoots in summer, inserted in sand under a
hand-glass or frame, keeping them shaded and
close ; or by layers in September. A light, rich,
well drained soil is most suitable.

HoWoUia {Stauntonia) latijolia. — Evergreen,
having fragrant green flowers in spring. It re-
quires a south wall, with protection in severe
weather, and peat and sandy loam. Increased
by cuttings of the half ripened young shoots in
sand under a bell-glass, in a gentle heat.

Jasminum officinale (White Sweet Jasmine. —
Deciduous ; valued on account of its white sweet-
scented flowers. The variety graudiflorum only
diflers from it in having larger flowers. Jasmi-
num officinale foliis aureis has golden variegated
leaves. There is a kind with white variation,
but very scarce, and a double variety, which I
believe is not in cultivation. It is remarkable
that a bud of the variegated Jasmine taking on
the common or green, will frequently cause the
whole of the plant to become variegated. To
thrive well, these varieties require south-east,
south, or south-west aspects, not succeeding ou
trellises in the open ground. The flowers are
produced in July.

/. fruiicans. — Deciduous. Flowers yellow ;
only suitable for low walls. July.

J. ?J'<(:Z(//orH7?(. — Deciduous. Yellow flowers,
produced in mid-winter. It is so hardy, that in
Yorkshire, 500 feet above the sea level, it grows
vigorously, and blooms most profusely on a nortii
wall in January. It attains a height of 15
lett, perhaps more, and is a rapid grower. It is
very well adapted for forcing or the greenhouse,
and succeeds on any aspect out of doors. The
flowers are produced before the leaves. It ought
to have a place in every garden.

The Jasmines are propagated by cuttings of
the shoots after these become firn), inserted uu-

1870.

THE GARDEJ\'ER'S MOJVTHLY.

der a hand-glass in sandy soil ; also by suckers
and layers in autumn. Good, rich, lijiht soil,
with a little leaf mould or peat, is the most suita-
ble.

Lardizahtla hiternata. — Evergeen, of rapid
growth, and having purple flowers. It requires
a south wall, or warm situation. It flowers in
winter, and in severe weather needs protec-
tion. Soil, sandy loam and peat. Propagated
by cuttings of the half ripened young shoots, un-
der a bell-glass in gentle heat. ,

Lyciumbarbarum — Deciduous. Flowers vio-
let, in June. X. Earopceum. — Deciduous.
Flowers lilac, in June, followed by yellow
fruit. L. africum. — Deciduous. Violet flowers,
in June, succeeded by pretty fruit, of which
birds are very fond.

The Lyciums are suitable for walls, trellises,
or arbors, being of a free, rambling, half-shrubby
nature. They are propagated by cuttings of the
ripened shoots in autumn or spring, in a frame
or under a hand-glass.

Periploca yrceca. — A deciduous twiner of rapid
growth, and quickly covering an arbor or wall.
The flowers are brown, and appear in July.

Cuttings in summer under a hand-glass, or lay-
ers in autumn.

Vtis vinifera apiifolia. — Leaves crumpled or
Parsley like ; its only merit.

Vitis heterophylla variegata. — White and red
variegation on a green ground, pretty. The viti-
ses are suitable for south walls or trellises in
warm situations. Light rich soil. Cuttings of
the ripe wood, or eyes, in a mild hotbed early in
spring.

Wisteria {Glycine) sinensis. Deciduous, and of
free growth ; foliage light brownish green, flow-
ers light purplish blue, in clusters not unlike
bunches of Grapes. A south aspect is most
suitable, though it will succeed on east and west
walls and other warm situations. It is increased
by cuttings of the young shoots when their
wood is becoming firm, inserted in sand under a
hand-glass or in a frame. Layers, however
form the best mode of propagation. If a young
well ripened shoot, the longer the better, lay-
ered its full length in autumn, almost every eye
will form a plant or shoot, which will be well
ripened and rooted by the following autumn.
The variety alba has white flowers.

HOUTICULTURAL NOTICES.

FRUIT GROWER'S SOCIETY OF PENN-
SYLVANIA.

The recent meeting at Lancaster, was one of
the most successful ever held, and the amount
of business crowded into two short days, was so
great, that one scarcely knows how to make any
report tliat is consistent with the brief pages of
a monthly magazine. Over 200 persons were
present during the session, and from seventy-
tive to a hundred on the average were continual-
ly in the room. A very full report will be soon
published by the Society, which will, alone, do
the matter justice.

The collection of fruits was particularly fine.
We have seen nothing like it, at any winter
meeting of my society. One of the most inter-
esting fruits was the Penn Apple. This is sup-
posed to be a "sport' ' from the Baldwin, from
which it is certainly distinct, though much re-
sembling it. It is better than any cf the many
specimens of Baldwin exhibited. The tree has
a more compact head than the original Baldwin.

The Koecher, noticed in another page, was re-
markably fine. It is said to be from a seedling
found in a wood at Little York, Pa , by Dr. Ko-
zier. A very fine apple is the York Imperia\
On this occasion a sweet variety was exhibite(\
It is a little rougher on the surface than regular
forms of York Imperial. A variety from Ger-
many, called the Glass Apple, was on exhibition
said to keep "almost" forever. The "Imperial
Russetf exhibited, was a noble fruit, somewhat
resembling the old fashioned Ribston Pippin.
The Nickajack, a Southern Api)le, was shown.
It seems to do very well in Pennsylvania. The
Cooper s market (Wrigley of other places), was
in very superior condition. Some apple vary
much. We noticed White Doctors with rich
rosy cheeks, such as we never saw thoiu in East-
ern Penna , and Tewkesbury Winter Blush in
many varied forms. Pears were not numerous,
though some from Mr. Brinton of Chrl.«tiana,
and from John Perkins of Moorestown, attract-
ed much attention. President Iloopes' address

THE GARJ)EJ\EIt'S MOJVTHLY.

March,

is without doubt, one of the most valuable ad-
dresses ever read at a Pomological meeting ; it
not only goes into a full history of the fungoid
diseases of fruit trees, giving all that is known
of the subject down to the present time, but con-
tains many original observations of his own. lie
also gave a good account of his recent visit to
California, from a Pomological pen. One thing
■was made clear from his remarks, that though
California could compete with the East in the
size of fruits, it will never probably equal the
East in the quality of the article.

Mr. Wm. Saunders, formerly of the State, and
an honorary member of the Society, read a very
instructive essay on pruning. Mr. Saunders is
gradually growing to the belief of most observ-
ing horticulturists, that though we cannot by
any means do without pruning, the evils it
brings with it are nearly as much as the gain,
and that the best rule in pruning, is to do as little
of it as possible. Mr. Jacob Staufler read an in-
structive essay on the importance of a study of
principles to the fruit culturist,— and Mr. Ra-
thvon gave an essay on the insects injurious to
fruit culture, which contained many points of
novel interest. All these essays will be publish-
ed in the Society's proceedings.

1 he discussions of fruit matters were very va-
ried. An attempt to fix a fruit list for Pennsyl-
vania failed. The general fruit committee con-
densed answers received to their questions, and
the result was thftt Early Harvest was a "best"
applenamcd. A great many present spoke against
it, and on motion, it was by a very strong vote re-
jected. Another had to be proposed, and nu-
merous favorites with individuals were proposed
in its place. Primate seemed to have most fav-
orites, and it was voted to put it in the place of
Early Harvest, which was done. A sharp-ear-
ed individual didn't hear many approving voices,
and expressed a belief that Early Harvest would
get more votes than Primate. The votes were
reconsidered, and taken by numbers, and there
was really found by this testa majority for Early
Harvest. Our reporter has this memorandum
amcnigst his notes, "lists by Societies made in
open meeting, are not worth shucks ;"' "shucks"
being probably some worthless thing. Again
societies are easily ruled. They sec things gen-
erally only as it momentarily impresses them.
At the discussion in grape culture, in order to
bring the matter to a vote, a gentleman moved
thut the aliauttpUere of rennttifhanta was iiu/avora-
b'.t to grv^je culture ; which was carried /maui-

mously. But the next day, after some more re-
marks had been made on the grape question, this
was reconsidered, and another motion adopted
in its stead, which implied that that the climate
of Pennsylvania was as good for grape culture
as that of any other Stale.

The Dwarf Pear was ably discussed, some
had bad luck, and others tolerably good success.
The rooting of the Pear stock was thought aa
evil by some, while others thought it a great ad-
vantage. On the whole we thought Dwarf
Pears were getting better understood, and rather
gaining in favor, though slowly. The Pear
blight seems to be dying out in the State, — at
least there were not the dolorous tales told as in
former times. Keeping offruits brought out very
much that was valuable. It seemed clear from
many views given, that Pears require a rather
warmer and moisture atmosphere to ripen prop-
erly than the Apple. This is a very novel point,
but the fticts were strongly that way. There
were also some strong facts brought up to show
that not only the future plant from the seed, but
the fruit itself is changed by cross fertilization.

Mr. Meehan was down on the programme for
a written paper, but apologized by a ''multiplica-
tion of duties," and made an extemporaneous ad-
dress instead. There was not much in it ; but
it produced one of the most interesting discus-
sions ever heard in a horticultural society, as
to the ra/iona7e of many of the various operations
of gardening. The debate occupied about three
hour?, and was listened to by the convention
with marked attention. The gentlemen who en-
gaged in it were Josiah Hoopes, Dr. Seusserott,
Prof. Heiges, Wm. Saunders, Dr. Kozier, Cas-
per Hiller, S. H. Purple, Edwin Satterthwaite,
Wm. Parry, Dr. Reed, II. M. Engle, Chas. H.
Miller, Chas. P. Hays, J. E. Mitchell, A. W.
Harrison, Jacob StauU'er, Thos. N. Harvej', and
some others.

Resolutions were introduced asking the Leg-
islature to interfere against the vandals who de-
stroy trees, instead of setting telegraph poles a
few feet further, —in favor of a State Entomolo-
gist, and to ask for an appropriation to defray
cost of transactions.

Tlie oflTi/crs for next year arc :

Josiah Hoopes, President ; Alexander Harris,
of Laneastcr, Secretary ; Thos. Meehan, Cor.
Secretary ; Robt. Otto, West Chester, Treasu-
rer, and the next place of meeting was fixed for
Chamlx^rsburg.

IM.AX FOR A SMALL G.AllDKX

DEVOTED TO

horticulture, Aj-hori culture, Botany and Rural Affairs

EDITED BY THOMAS MEEHAX.

Old Series, Vol. XII.

APRIL, 1870, ^'exo Series, Vol. III. No. 4.

HIJN'TS rOH APEIL,

ELOWER GAEDEX AXD PLEASURE
- GROUNDS.

garden

The most interestius; feature of a
in April, is its lawn ; and any efforts to im-
prove its beauty, are never I'egretted. One of
the best ways of keeping up a nice green surface,
is by occasional top dressings. There are some
weeds which thrive much better than grass in
poor soil, and hence when the lawn gets impov-
erished, these weeds grow better than the grass,
and kill it. Encourage the grass, and by so
much we discourage the weeds; this should be par-
ticularly attended to where lawn mowers are
used, as these cutting so often and so close, tend
to weaken the plants more than the old scythe
system. For all this, these lawn mowers are ex-
cellent things ; and any one who has much lawn
will find profit in getting one. For small places,
hand mowers can now be had for less than one
hundred dollars, and do the work very well. In
old times they were so expensive, and so soon
got out of order, that they were not popular.
These things are now better arranged. As a top
dressing for lawns, salt has been found very good
about five bushels to the acre might be tried, and
more added another year, if it is found the lawn
will Ixjar it. The proper quantity to the acre de-
pends on the soil ; sandy soils will take more
than heavy ones.

April is a good planting month. There is not
much art in planting trees, though it is often
much of a mystery. Not to let the roots dry for
an instant between taking up and planting, every
body knows, but everybody don't do it ; in fact
everybody deceives liimself. We have seen this
distioguishcd individual leave the tops of trees
exposed to the sun, with a mat or straw thrown
over the roots •, and think all was right,— or heel

in for a day or two. by just throwing a liitlc dirt
over the roots. This is a little good ; but every
body's fault is, that although this may be ten
minutes of good, he expects to get ten hours, or
even ten days value out of it, and thus he suffers
more than if he had done nothing, because he
forgets that the branches evaporate mois-
ture from the roots in a dry wind, and the
juices go from the roots through the branches,
very nearly as well as directly to the air from the
the roots themselves. So with heelino; in. The
soil is thrown in lightly, or at most just
" kicked " down. "It is onlj^ temporary," very
few of the roots come in contact with the soil.
They can draw in no moisture to supply the
waste of evaporation, and thus they stay day af-
ter day,— everybody satisfied because he sees tha
the roots covered, really worse than if they hatl
been exposed. We have no doubt that mon trees
are lost from imxjerfect heeling in than from any
other cause whatever. Of course if the taps be
covered as well as the roots, there is less waste
of moisture and more chance of success.

This hint will help us in planting. That is,
pound the soil in well about the fibres, so that
they may be in close contact with it ; or they can
not draw in the necessary moisture. Should th©
trees appear a little dry, or the roots badly mu-r
tilated in digging, or have few fibres, cut away
the plant according to the severity of the injury..
It is scarcely necessary to repeat that for
this evaporation reason, it is liest to plant trees
when the ground is rather dry, because it then
pawders best in pounding, and gets well in about
the roots. Wet ground jjlasters, and leaves large
hollows in which roots cannot work.

All trees, like manure. The roots grow faster.
A cutting oven i» mor^i. likely to do well in rich

THE GARDENER'S MOJ\'TELY.

April,

than in poor ground. If put on the surface after
planting it will do.

"We approve of thick planting. Trees grow
faster for one another's company, and a place
well filled at once, save many years of time to
see them grow. Those not wanted after the
place has grown some, can be transplanted to
other parts of the ground. How to remove large
trees successfully we explained last month.
"Where thick planting is to be adopted, of course
care must be taken in locating those permanent-
ly to remain.

Evergreens trees are best moved just as the
buds begin to burst in Spring. Here, that is the
end of this month. The best of all the Ever-
green trees is the Norvoay Spruce. Then perhaps
tbe following in order as named :

Hemlock Spruce, American Arborvita;, White
Pine, SilvL-r Fir, Balsam Fir (for deep rich soils),
Austrian Pine, Scotch Pine.

Amongst the less known evergreens, the fol-
lowing are very hardy and beautiful : Bhotan
Pine, Oriental Spruce, Cephalonian Fir, Nord-
mau Fir, Siberian Fir, Grand Fir [Ptceagrandis),
Lawson Cypress, Yellow Cedar ( Thujojofiis bore-
alis) and Libocedrus decurrens. Of the very new
introductions in the way of evergreens, we have
seen nothing that we feel sure will be very pop-
ular.

In your flower-beds, if the plants sickened last
year, change the soil. Pienovated earth is renew-
ed health to consumptive flowers. Sow Annuals
as soon as the ground is warm. Too early sow-
ing and deep covering rots seeds very often.
This is frequentl}' the cause of one's seeds being
"bad." Prepare flowers in their winter quar-
ters for the summer campaign, by gradually in
uring them to the air before setting out finally.
Set out when all danger of frost is over. Don't
set out a plant with a dry ball ; but water well
while iu the pot an hour or so before.

Of flowering plants which thrive well in our
climate, we have a good selection. The Gerani-
ums are amongst the be.st, although, botanically
they are not di.stinct from Pelargoniums; yet it
serves a good purpose to retain the name as a
popular designation of an useful class in flower
gardening. The Vtrbena used to be the main
reliant. e for bedding— but the great ravages of
the verbena rust, has made it somewhat unreli-
able ; and, although it is indispensable yet, it
does not take tlie front rank as forrncrl}'. There
are now double varietii-s ; bui for flower garden-
ing purposes, double flowers arc inferior. These

varieties do not flower as freely as the single
ones. This has proved to be the case with the
Petunia, the Pansy, and other things, and we
suppose the rule will hold good here. The Rose
Geraniums flower somewhat steady throughout
the year, and are indispensable for their delight-
ful fragrance and elegant foliage.

There are many hot house plants, also, which
seem only just to have had their merits, as sum-
mer bedding plants, discovered. Of such arc
Madagascar Periwinkles, Chinese Ililnscus, To-
renias, Angelonias, &c. This list miL'ht be much
added to, and we should be much obliged if our
corresp')ndents would, from time to time, let us
know of an}' they find to have merit in this res-
pect.

FRUIT GARDEi^".

Grafting can be continued till the buds of the
trees are nearly pushed into leaf. Sometimes,
from a pressure of other work, some valuable
seions have been left on hand too late to work.
It may be interesting to know, that if such
scions are put into the ground much the same as
if they were cuttin4;s, they will keep good for six
weeks or two months, by which time the bark
will run freely, when the scions may be treated
as buds, and will succeed just as well as buds
taken from young summer shoots.

In planting dwarf Pears, it is verj' important
to have them on a spot that has a moist subsoil
either naturally, or made so by subsoiling or
mixing some material with the soil that will sive
out moisture in dry weather. Trees already
planted on a dry gravelly sub-soil, should have a
circle dug out two feet deep and two or three
feet from the tree. This should be filled up
with well enriched soil. If the dwarf Pear does
not grow freely, it is a sign that something is
wrong. It should at once be severely pruned, so
as to aid in producing a vigorous growth.

Strawberry beds are very frequentl}' made at
this season, and though they will not bear fruit
the same year, are much more certain to grow,
and will produce a much better crop next year
than when left till next August Though it is a
common recommendation, we do not value a
highly manured soil. It should be well trenched
or sub-soiled ; this we consider of great value.

In rich soils there is too much danger of having
more leaves than fruit.

Those who have vineries will have them, at
this time of the year, in various stages of growth.

1870.

THE GARDEjYER'S mo:n'thly.

The " extra early " houses will have their fruit
ripe ; but we suppose most of our readers whom
these hiuts are likely to benefit, will have the
crop about colorini; as their earliest efforts. It is
the critical period, as if any check be experi-
enced by the roots, they will not color well.
Hence, great cure must be taken to keep the fo-
liage healthy. Sudden bursts of sun on tender
foliage, or red spider, are the chief points to
guard against. The roots in the outside border
also, if the borders have been covered with litter
through winter, should be aided by having the
covering removed. If, however, any of the litter
has decayed, it should be left as a covering to
the roots. The outside grape border should nev-
er be disturbed by digging. Hundredsof graperies
are ruined by this '• surface culture." Xo grape
grower of any excellence digs up his vinery bor-
ders that we know. The importance of keeping
grape roots at the surface is now so well under-
stood, that it is very common for good grape
growers to uncover and lift their roots occasion-
ally ; and to do this and yet get a first class crop
of grapes the same season, is considered by the
English journals an eminent achievement. With
reference to the coloring of grapes, most good
gardeners use the syringe very sparingly, and
admit more dry air during this process than at
any other period of grape grovvth.

In late houses, where there is no artificial
lieat, grapes are often injured by the houses be-
ing kept too close. The temperature rises under
warm suns, and the buds burst only to be sadly
affected by our cold March and April nights
Many try to remdy this by flues ; but the best
way is to keep on all the air possible to keep
down the temperature of the house, and where
practicable, the canes may be laid down along
the front of the house out of the sun's reach.

In the orchard-house proper, Peaches, Necta-
rines, Apricots, Plums, Cherries, »&c., as they
grow must have attention given to pinching
back the strong shoots as they push, and taking
out altogether those not wanted. The green anrl
black aphis are liable to be troublesome ; light
doses of tobacco smoke, repeated at two or three
days intervals, will keep them well under.

VEGETABLE GARDEN.

Tomatoes, Egg-plants, Peppers, and similar
plants, every gardener tries to get as forward as
possible. South of Philadelphia they must be
out unprotected by the middle of tlie month.

Here we seldom risk them before May. The
same may be said of Sugar Corn, dwarf and Lima
Beans, Okra, Squash, Cucumber, and Melons.
No 'time' can be set for sowing these, except
not to sow till the ground has become warm. A
few warm days often makes us "feel like
gardening," but unless the ground is warmed,
the seeds will be very likely to rot. Here we sow
about the first week in May. Onions for seed
should be sown in rich soil, but very thickly, so
as not become larger than marbles. Very far
North, where they perfect in one year, this ad-
vice, of course, is not intended. A crop of Car-
rots should be sown the end of April. In moist
seasons the earlier crops are liable to run to seed.

Early York Cabbage sown last month, or kept
over the winter, must now be planted out, where
there is a demand for summer greens ; and to
meet this want, another crop of spinage may yet
be sown.

Lettuce for a second crop of salad, should be
sown about the end of the month. The Drum-
head Cabbage is usually sown for a summer crop,
but the old kinds of Cos Lettuce would, no doubt
be found very valuable in rich soils.

Where Brussels Sprouts, Cape Broccoli, and
Autumn Cauliflower are desirable, now is the
time to sow. They require the same treatment
as the general Cabbage crop.

Bean poles may be planted preparatory to
sowing the Lima Bean in May. Where bean
poles are scarce, two or three hoop poles, set into
the ground one foot from each other, and tied to-
gether at the top, make as good a pole, and per-
haps better.

Dwarf beans should have very warm and deep

soil — sow them only 2 inches apart. The Val-
entine is yet the best early, take it all in all.

Celery, with most families, is an important
crop, and should be sown about this period. A
very rich, moist spot, that will be shaded from
the mid-day April sun, should be chosen, — or
box in a frame, by those who have the conveni-
ences.

It is not a good plan to cut all the Asparagus
as soon as they appear. A few sprouts should
always be left to grow from each, to strengthen
the plants.

Much attention has been given of late to vari-
eties of Asparagus. It has been argued that
this vegetable will not come true from seed ; but
like Rhubarb, they can be propagated true only
by division of the roots. There is no reason why
they may not do as well from seed as Peas or
Beans. We hope attention will be given to this.

100

TEE GAEDFA^EH'jS moa^tely.

April,

COMMUNICATIONS.

LETTERS FHOM THE PACIFIC COAST.
NO. ly.
Sax Francisco, Cal,, Oct. 21th, 1869.

Dear Monthly: Early on the morning of the 23d,
in company with a botanical friend, — and to
•whom, bye-the-bye, I am greatly indebted for his
excellent knowledge of Californian plants, — I
left the Yo Semite, with the intention of return-
ing to Stockton, by another and more diversified
route.

Having obtained the services of a competent
guide, and procured an extra horse for our speci-
mens and seeds, we ascended the tortuous, hilly
trail that leads to the mountain peaks. It is
imnecessary to describe again the fatigue we
were forced to undergo during our toilsome
march, nor how we were repaid by finding many
little plants, fresh to novices like myself. To-
wards noon we stood on the high peak known
as "Inspiration Point,'' where the valley below
was spread out before us, the grandest of pano-
ramas. "We were now fully aware how vain
ai-e all conjectures. The trees around us of the
largest size, were the small shrubs of the morn-
ing, whilst those beneath, which we knew by
.'ictual measurement to l3e equally as large, were
now seemingly but pigmies in growth. The
view was of the most enchanting character, —
far as the eye could reach, stretching away for
miles, were the mingled hues of Oaks and Pines,
relieved by the gray background of granite walls
tli3t encircled them in ; and over all, the filmy
October haze cast a veil of such exquisite tint
and purity, and created such a quiet air of se-
renity, that we felt fascinated to the spot.

The prospect of a long ride, however, urged us
forward, and soon we were eagerly examining
the plants belonging to the summits of the Sier-
ras. AVe rode through thickets of Azalea occi-
denfalis of Torrey & Gray, closely resembling ^-1.
caUndulacea in growth, but said to produce pure
white flowers Intermingled with these dense
masses, were hundreds of Outanea chrysophylla
of Douglas,— the beautiful Dwarf Chestnut of
California. Although but 3 or 4 feet in height,
ftnd producing fruit, we were informed that near
the coast, it forms quite a large tree. It would
doubtk'ss prove hardy in our Eastern States,
and I can fully endorse its claims as a desirable
ornameut to our collections. Upon arriving at

the mountain summit, we again enter the for-
ests o^ Ahiea amabilis and A. grandis, which for
many miles constitute the only timber, except-
ing an occasional clump of the Pinus contoria.

At noon, we dismounted at the door of a log
hut, and in the dense shade of these trees, enjoy-
ed our lunch with the keenish relish imaginable.

Before starting onward, we endeavored to find
a few perfectly ripened seeds. Our host, who
was a close observer of nature, (as are all these
mountaineers,) informed us, that although this
species is annually supplied with a fair crop of
cones, it is only in alternate years that it per-
fects its seed ; and such, unfortunately for us,
we found to be the case, — the present autumn
being the unfertile season. As we passed over
one of the highest points, we were surprised to
find hillocks of pure gray sand, glistening in
mau)^ places with handsome specimens of Ob-
sidian, a volcanic formation resembling broken
scales of black glass bottles. This is hard as
steel, and is eagerly sought after by the Indians
for tipping their arrow-heads. The trees bor-
dering this route appear larger, if possible, than
those near the trail by which we entered the val-
le}'. Our record shows the circumference of a
few of the larger specimens, to be as follows :
Pinus Lamhertiana, 25^ ft., 24 ft. and 22 ft. P.
ponderosa, 21 ft. P. contorta, 12^ ft. Abies ama-
bilis, 23^ ft., 23 ft. and 20 ft., &c., &c.

As night approaches, the chilling air warns
us to hasten onward our weary steed-s, and
amidst the dense foliage of pine |and fir, we can
scarcely distinguish each other in the gathering
gloom. Soon, however, we see the lights at
"Clark's Ranche,'' and amidst the boisterous
welcome from several huge dogs, we dismount
at the door of this mountain retreat, having rode
24 miles. The long, rambling, one-story frame
building, reared in the style of Californian homes
generally, proved to us exceedingly inviting ;
and as we found a roaring hot fire in the main
room, our late sense of weariness was quickly
dissipated, whilst enjoying tlie crackling of the
great pine logs, and the brilliant cheerful blaze
shooting up the wide stone chimnc}'. In the
evening, we paid our respects to the pioneer of
this region, who had erected a comfortable little
cabin in the near vicinity. Ask any man with-
in 50 miles of this spot, no matter what hia vo-

1870.

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJ\''THLY.

101

cation, if he knows Galen Clark, and the same
affirmative answer will be returned. Daring
our visit, the time passed quickly by, convers-
ing on his favorite theme, — the trees by which
he was surrounded. To our great delight, he
was well informed on all the flora of this region,
— not confining his researches to the trees
alone, but to the humbler plants as well. The
correct nomenclature of each was given with
as much aptitude as if by the most finished bot-
anist of our learned societies ; and the distinctive
characters of each were pointed out with a clear-
ness, only acquired by a daily intercourse with
the living specimens themselves. And yet this
man, with his vast fund of practical information,
made no undue pretentions to knowledge, — liv-
ing in his plain, simple backwood's style. — un-
shaven and rough in appearance, but gentle and
kind as a child in manner, — his silent household
companions, the cones and seeds collected in
many a weary trip, laying in careless confusion
around him. His state could not possibly have
found a more capable, nor yet more conscien-
tious guardian of her trees and valleys, than
this same Galen Clark. Loaded with the tan-
gible proofs of his generous hospitality, in the
way of specimens and seeds, we left his humble
dwelling for a visit to the Sequoia groves, whose
reputation has now become world-wide, in their
wonderful proportions. During our journey
over one of the highest points, our attention was
directed to the numerous stems of a gorgeous
species of Lily,— the Lilium Washinrftonianum
of Kellogg; and our regret in not seeing it in
flower, was only recompensed by collecting a
generous quantity of the seeds and bulbs. AVe
were agreeably surprised at finding a species of
Iris growing abundantly on all the hillsides in
this section of country, wherever the soil was
dry ; and although we used every precaution in
packing the rhizomas carefully in tin boxes, they
quickly withered and became worthless.

After riding about five miles from Clark's, our
guide inquired if we noticed any thing strange in
the appearance of the forest, when suddenly our
attention was attracted to the tall spires of the
Sequoia, extending far above the surrounding
vegetation, and soon we were riding amidst im-
mense specimens of this lordly tree. This col-
lection of ''Wellingtonias" or "Washingtonias"
is known as the" Mariposa Group, ''and embraced
in former times G12 trees, but owing to occasion-
al accidents, the number has been reduced to
about 600. The collection is divided into two

well-defined groups, with a few scattering trees
of this species between, and are entitled the
"Lower Grove" and the "Upper Grove," ■^^-
spectively. Among the very many erroneous
statements published in regard to these trees,
is, that there are no young plants coming on to
perpetuate the species. I may say in refuting
this absurd theory, that I saw large quantities
of seedlings, of every conceivable size, and that
thej^ appeared in as flourishing a condition as
any Conifer in the whole range of the Sierra Ne-
vada. After passing several immense speci-
mens, we stop at the "Fallen Monarch," a trunk
lying on the ground, and possibly uprooted
many years ago.

"We clamber up on the top, and standing on
what Avas its base, measure with our tape line
to the ground, 22 feet. • We then step along its
length 150 feet, and at this point the first branch
was placed. Beyond this the many fires ignited
by Indians have burned the entire top, but evi-
dence is shown by numerous remains, that it
was over 300 feet high. At the smaller end of
the trunk, the diameter was ten feet and the
wood throughout solid and undecayed.

To give an idea of its immense size, I may
say that the surface is worn level, and a carriage
can readily be driven its entire length, turned
at the base, and return with ease. One of the
smallest trees in this lower grove, measured 17
feet in circumference, five feet from the ground.
A large one close by, was 50 feet around ; and
numbers of others in the near vicinity quite as
large.

I ride my mule inside a hollow tree, turn
around with ease, and out again to wonder at
its immensity. Leaving this Lower Grove with
its enormous specimens in every direction un-
measured, we pass on and take the mountain
trail towards the Upper Grove. Midway we
stop at the greatest wonder to be seen,— the
^'■Grizzly Gianf^ It is truly marvellous in size.
We step carefully around the base, and count
just 31 paces. Pleasured as high as we could
possibly reach by standing on the projecting
base, 12 feet above the ground, it was OGi feet in
circumference ; GO feet high the first limb
branches out, and is 10 feet in diameter. This
tree is supposed to be emirely solid, with the ex-
ception of two or three spots burned out of its
sides by camp-lires. There are others here as
large as the above, but none with such a ma-
jestic appearance as this grand old veteran pre-
sents. Passing by another large specimen mea-

102

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJ^THLY.

Aprilj

suriog 77 feet around, ■with a few smaller ones
near at hand, we soon arrived at the Upper
Grove. This embraces about 365 trees, in the
midst of which is built a cozy little cabin called
"(?a?e?i's Hospice''\ where the weary traveller
can sit down and rest whilst viewing these as-
tonishing vegetable growths. On the outer edge
of this grove, we notice the ^^Diamond Group.''^
consisting of four large and very handsomely
shaped trees. We now step around the base of
a number of trunks with the following results:
84 ft., 69 ft., 73 ft., &c., &c. Two immense trees
stand close together, one of which is entirely hol-
low, in fact a mere shell, in which Ki horses with
their mounted riders, have stood at one time.
We next came to the "7'«7incZ," a prostrate
trunk hollowed out by fire, and which is 42 feet
in length ; through it wo walk erect from end to
end. Ten thrifty and very handsome trees stand
in a cluster, and are named the '■^ Commission -
ers." They are from 4 to 8 feet in diameter, re
spectivel}-. The "■ Chimney ■> is a hollow stump
50 feet high, burned out through the centre to
the top, and is 32 paces around. An old charred
stump lying on the ground, was without the bark
27 feet in diameter. A curious tree of immense
size, forks into two distinct growths about 60
feet above the ground, and is called the ''Faithful
Couple.'''' We measured the thickness of the
bark taken from this grove, 20 inches, and which
was soft and pliable as cork.

Not having time to visit the ''Calaveras Grove,''''
located in Calaveras County, I am indebted to
the kindness of a friend for a detailed list of trees
composing this collection, and will therefore
give a slight sketch of the principal trees, before
resuming my narrative. Although fewer in
numljer (93 I think) than the Mariposa Grove,
it is nevertheless noted for a few gigantic growths.
One of the largest of these which was cut down
for an exhibition, was 93 feet in circumference,
and over 300 feet high. It was felled by augurs,
and required five men working steadily for 25 days
to accomplish it. The "Sentinels'' are over 300
feet high, and the larger one 23 feet in diameter.
Tlie "Miner's Cabin'' is a prostrate tree, 21;^
foet in diameter and 319 feet in length. The
"Mother'" is a grand old tree, with its bark
stripped off, but yet measures 78 feet in circum-
ference and 327 feet high. A wonderful sight is
the decaying ruin of the "Father of the Forest,"
which although ci-nturios nmy have passed since
ho succumbed to the eloincnls, measures to day,
112 feet in circumference at the base, and 312 in

length, notwithstanding a large portion of the
top was evidently broken off in its fall ; it is hol-
low, and a horse and rider can enter for some
distance. "Hercules,"' a grand old tree, was
blown down in 1862 ; it measured 97 feet in cir-
cumference and 325 feet long. There are nu-
merous other trees to be seen here of immense
size, but the foregoing comprise the largest spe-
cimens in the place.

Being anxious to reach 'White & Hatch's"
(our only stopping place) before night, we were
reluctantly obliged to resume our seats in the
saddle and return to Clark's, where after par-
taking of a generous meal prepared from the va-
rious mountain game, we once more started on
our journey towards civilization. We find no-
thing at present in the flora to interest us, having
already become well acquainted with its trees and
plants during our former trip. The remarkable
brilliancy of the heavens as seen in this cleat
mountain air, was indeed a beautiful sight, and
aided in keeping up our spirits, when we could
no longer enjoy the natural objects of interest
surrounding us ; and yet we felt exceedingly
weary after our ride of 25i miles.

At White & Hatch's, where we spent 'the
night, extensive saw-mills have been erected,
and a large number of laborers were employed
converting the immense pine logs into boards
and planks.

The following morning we rode over the Foot
Hills, where the luxuriant shrubs had formed
impenetrable thickets on every side, and we saw
for the first time the Fremontia Calif ornica of
Torrey. This desirable plant when in bloom, is
said to be exceedingly attractive ; but we found
it during the fruiting season, and consequently
were unable to judge of its greatest beauty It
forms a large sized shrub about 10 or 12 feet in
height, with small densely pubescent leaves, and
covered with Ilibiscus-like capsules, in fact
strongly reminding us of a Malvaceous plant, to
which this genus is nearly allied. A shrub evi-
dently belonging to the lihamnacefe, — possibly
Frangula Californica of Gray, also attracted our
attention, owing to its handsome pubescent
leaves and stiff, erect liabit of growth. The
Cercis occidenlalis of Torrey is likewise seen here
for the first time in our journey, and which we
found quite similar to the C. siliquastrum of Eu-
i"0{)e. The leaves are shaped like our C. Cana-
densis, but very much smaller ; and the flowers,
we were informed, are less in size, but more nu-
meroua. The Ceunolhus family was well repre-

1870.

THE GARDE^''ER'S MO^^TRLY.

103

seated by many species, very unlike in genera^
appearance, but all vigorous and beautiful in
growth.

At noon we entered the the town of Mariposa,
a thickly settled place, and in the heart of a
considerable mining district. Large Quartz
Mills are in successful operation here, and the
3'ield of gold is said to be very remunerative to
the Company having the works in chai'ge. The
Gulch mining in this region has been abandoned
by the original workers, but the Chinese have
taken possession and are industriously going
over all the old water-courses again, apparently
well satisfied with their scanty gleanings.

We now enter the Concord Coach once more,
and are soon off over the hills for Stockton, a
continuous ride of 70 miles in prospect before us.

"We stop at Olnetas for supper, an old mining
town, with a large portion of its population con-
sisting of Chinese laborers,— and then on, with a
motly load of passengers, stowed away in the
smallos*; possible space.

Sick and weary, I have little taste for the
rou^h jokes that are being perpetrated around
me ; but a smile will occasionally arise, as an
old lady, strong in the faith of "Woman's
llights,'' pre-emptorily orders all cigars thrown
out, and indulges in very expressive, although
f.ir from polite threats, as a Chinaman en-
croaches on her share of space. The almost in-
cessant music (?) of a twin pair of juvenile mi-
ners on the back seat, drives away all idea of
sleep ; whilst the passing around of a suspicious
looking black bottle, keeps a portion of the pas-
sengers at least in a glorious good humor. Du-
ring the forenoon, the steeples of Stockton are
noticed in the distance, and with thankful hearts,
we are soon enjoying the society of our travel-
ing companions who had preceded us by another
route.

Next morning we enter the cars, bound for
San Francisco or in the vernacular of the Golden
State, -^Frisco, " and see very little interesting
vegetation on this broad flat country. In one
place is a field completelyjcovered with the Esch-
schol'zia Californica, which reminded us of Dan-
delions in our Eastern meadows. Then again,
along the water courses are a few scattering
trees of the Californian or Mexican Sycamore,
{Platanus racemosa). Although not very un-
like our Eastern species P. occidentaliSy in gen-
eral outline and other characters, yet, on close
inspection, we perceive its claims to rank as a
distinct species. The leaves in this are more

deeply lobcd, and of a dark glossy green in color;
the fruit hangs in long racemes, occasionally
five or six on one stem, and thus differs from
our solitary fruiting species. Indeed it reminds
one more of the European Sycamore, (P. orien-
talis) than of our own.

We have been anxiously looking for the Red
Wood of California, (Sequoia sempervirens) but
have been disappointed. The lumber however,
is everywhere in use, and appears adapted to
every purpose *, the houses, the fences, the rail-
road ties, even the furniture, are constructed
from this beautiful mahogany colored wood.
As we approach the waters of the Bay, the
Coast Mountains loom up in the distance, and
at their base we can see the myriads of vessels
anchored in the harbor of San Francisco,

We now remove our baggage to the commodi-
ous steamboat, and soon are crossing over to
our destination. Immense flocks of Wild Ducks
and various species of water fowls are swimming
around in close proximity to us, and as our boat
sails through them, we have an excellent oppor-
tunity to watch their gambols— now diving be-
low, or sluggishly skimming the surface of the
water.

About noon of the 27th, we step on shore, and
prepare for sight-seeing in this wonderful Cos-
mopolitan City.

Sincerely, «fec.,

JOSIAH HOOPES.

PEARS IX IOWA.

BY H., M'GREGOR, IOWA.

Your correspondent, J. T. L., McGregor, in
January No. of the Monthly, in enquiring about
Pear trees, states that it is very hard to raise
any fruit but Siberian Crab Apples, in this part
of Iowa. To correct any wrong impressions his
statement may create, in regard to the capabili-
ties of this section for raising apples and other
fruits, I would merely state that Mr. John Grin-
nell of this county, has some 400 apple trees in bear-
ing, and took the premium at the Iowa State Fair
last fall, for the second best and greatest variety of
Apples. The Hon. S. Murdoch of this county,
has also several hundred trees in bearing ; and
there are quite a number of other orchards ; but
these will do for samples. As to other fruits,
there were raised last season in this City, Plums,
Cherries, and as fine Pears as one would wish to
see.

104

THE GAUBEJ^EKS MOXTHL'Y.

April,

SOME ILLINOIS PLANTS.

BY J. L. RUSSELL,

P)o/. of Botany to Maxx. TTnrt. Hocietj/, and Cor. Member
of Illinois State Horticultural Society.

Tlicre is a County Society in the State of Mass.
known as tlie Essex Institute, and one of its
methods to promote a mere general taste for heau-
tiful scenery, as well as for a study of natural oh-
jects, is that of field meetings, excursions in fact
to some neighborhood little known to others than
the inhabitants, in which the different produc-
tions of the animal and vegetable kingdoms are
sought. A similar arrangement has been made
by a local society in Springfield, of that State,
and the floral treasuras of the Berkshire hills
have been frequently sought and found. Beside
the immmediate pleasure and profit of this kind
of knowledge seeking, the naturalist and more
especially the botanist becomes acquainted with
sites of lovely plants, and spots where rarer and
humbler species may be gathered. The season
of the year considered most favorable, is in
balmy June, or later in September, or perhaps
Early October, uniting thus the Spring beauties
yet lingering in woods and on sunny banks,
with the glowing and purpling blaze and golden
glories of the composite plants in Asters and
their kindred species. But who, except hardy
and adventurous spirits would essay such excur-
sions in the last days of the faded year, or hope
to gather '• fresh laurels '' in such an enterprise ?
Yet tlie remarks, which we present our read-
ers in this paper, were elicited by the writer's
receiving from some friends a box of mi.scellanea
of what the distinguished botanist Nuttall used
to call " hybernal vestiges " of vegetation, repre-
senting, with the exception of the Algse every
department of our Native Flora. To do jus-
tice to these dessicated and rude specimens,
required a long but a compensating study, and
served to open a new field of enquiry on the struc-
tureand htibitsofthe seeds of plants, the flowers of
wliich ordinarily looked upon as the most inter-
esting phenomena connected with them, paled in
contrast with the beauty of the maturer and
consummated portions.

A little expedition of eight persons, ladies and
gentlemen, left Ottawa, Ills., on a fine winter's
day, for an excursion to a promontory on the Il-
linois Ttiver, known as Bufl'alo Itock. The traces
of a late snow storm were still visible in shaded
places, and covered many winter plants from
sight. The soil beneath, geologically speaking,
consisted of a email rounded gravel or quartoze

sand, and the rock seemed to be an aggregation
of the same material. It was graphically des-
cribed by one of the party as " Sand chiefly and
about three teaspoonsful to the acre," just fitted
for the Opuntia Raffinesquii which grew in a
most luxuriant manner, and testified to its ex-
cellence by the numerous fruits and ferocious
spines which it bore. This plant has been con-
sidered but a variety of 0, vulgaris or common
prickly pear, which, strange to say, for a plant
with such a penetrating name, is scarcely prickly
at all ; but Dr. Engelmann in his valuable paper
in Pacific R. R. Report, has made it as it should
be, a distinct species, the seed itself alone being
characteristically distinct, while the straight,
grey, single spine suggesting natural 2^^^^ ^^^
the color of the flower confirm his decision. On
the surface of this rock grew the compact and
crustaceous Urceolaria scruposa and parasitical
on it grew the yolk of egg-colored Candelaria or
Candle lichen, so called because it was form'^rly
used to color candles for festive occasions. Gta-
erally it is found elsewhere, growing upon old
rails, and weather beaten boards, the entire sur-
faces of the outside of houses near the sea, ren-
dered as bright by it as if artificially painted.
Endocarpon pusillum, too, nestled in this harsh
composite rock, consisting of irregularly shaped,
dark brown scales, from the upper surface of
which issued minute papillae indicating when the
pretty seeds were lodged in its substance. Then
the elegant & fringed Physcia ChrysopththaJma or
Golden Eye hung pendent froradead branches, and
the Parmelia Caparata spread widely over the
surfiices of dead wood and bark, a noble and
showy species when found on rocks. The showy
Parmelia (P. sjoeciosa). like some design in chased
silver, and the branching lichens {Cladonias)^
some with the tips of the stems dilated into gob-
lets fit for fairy mouths, the dwarf and pungent-
tipped C. uncialis, the reindeer lichen (C ran-
giferina), the Elkhorn Cladonia and many others
common in sterile soils, indicated that they
were at home therc as well as if growing in vast
Lapland pastures beneath white trenched birches
and other borcal trees. And various fungi oc-
cupied the attention in the putf balls, the Agarics
the elegant zoned Polypori of which one,P. versi-
color is Cosmopolitan, assuming a great variety
of shapes, and clustered velvety Stfreum hirsu-
tum, with the thin flattened and soft silky J'hel-
ephora panicca., and black purple Splucria dcusta,
seeming like some burnt surface of the wood on
which 11 grows, and myriad specked, and dotted

1870'

THE GARBEJ^EICS MOjYTELY.

105

minute forms, well suited for microscopical
studies in such kinds as Sphceronema, Septoria,
3Iicrothyrium, and dead leaves of oak, mottled
with irregular spots of yellowish white, encircled
with a thickened crimson line or border {Depa-
sea), every twig, indeed, and almost every de-
caying herbaceous stem, a garden of delights to
the instructed and cultivated eye. Next in or-
der came the green and refreshing mosses, re-
newing their youth and beauty in a colder and
moister atmosphere, of which were gathered
Ci/lindrothecium seductrix matting the ground
and bravely bearing its bright reddish brown
capsules erect and fearless, and smaller kinds in
Desmatodan and various Hypnums, a name sug-
gestive of mossj' couches where also the curious-
ly hooded Polytrichums compactly grow, inviting
to repose in the shade. One of the finest and
well developed specimens of the rock lycopodium
{Selaginella rupestris) occured, a pretty plant,
but defying culture, preferring the most dried
spots, the chinks of rocks or gravelly soil, where
a scant herbage prevails, and with it the green
fronds of the equally hardy rock polypody, of
ancient fame, in the simpler and ruder healing
art; a few bright green stems of the crested
shield fern, and fragments of the little, brown,
blunt-lobed Woodsia attested to the variety in

this section of the botanical domain.
It was hardly to be expected that plants next

in order, viz. : the grasses could be prominently
represented; yet a flattened and outspread tuft
of the creeping love-grass {EragrosUs reptans)
came to hand and the concealed flowering panic
grass {Panicum clandestineum), with a pretty
sedge in Cyperus Engelmanni were among the
spoils. A rush {juncus) or a liliaceous plant
would have helped to maintain the continuity in
our floral series, the fruits of this day's collect-
ing ; but nothing of the sort seemed to have oc-
curred, although the Srailax family next in order,
exhibited itself in the large globular bunch of
black berries of Smilax herhacea, and in the
climbing stems and leaves of S. rotuvdifolia.
What a pity some variety of this last species
should not be originated, which dispensing with
its prickly armature, might invite to cultivation
and aflbrd a beautiful climber ; why not, it is as
lucid in leaf and graceful in tendrilled wreath as
Myrsiphyllum asparagoides of the greenhouse ?
Had the waters of the river been searched,
doubtless those vegetable naiads of the stream
the Potrnnogetons had come to view, of which no
trace has been found; while of the Coniferce, Ju-

niperus Virginiana claims mention, bearing on
its twigs the anomalous Cedar Apple, the ma-
trix of the splendid Podisoma, whose golden and
tremulous gelatinous threads, after a warm rain
frequently arrest the attention, as if the fabled
apples of the Hesperides were revived. Of the
Willow fixmily were found the Angled Cotton
Wood and the Salix humilis bearing on the ends
of its summer twigs those curious excrescences of
of closely imbricated leaves of a cone-like form,
the work of insects, and known to Entomologists
as galls ; of the cup bearing trees and shrubs,
Wild Plazel Nut, the Bear Oak, Post Oak and
the White Oak ; the Buttonwood or Plane tree
showed by the size of its foliage a vigorous
growth ; the Elm was represented in the corky
barked White Elm ; of other trees and shrubs
were : Negundo aceroides, Ostrya Americana,
Ptelea trifoliata, Lonicera flava, Euonymus
Americana, Celastrus scandens, Bhus glabra, Cep-
halanthics occidentalus,&c. Pods and seeds indi-
cated where grew spontaneously Echinocystis
triloba, cultivated as a curious creeper elsewhere
and Asclepias cornuti, whose young and tender
shoots are boiled for Asparagus, and downy
heads of soft silk, betrayed the presence of An-
tennaria Margaritacea, whose shining pearly
flowers belong to the Autumn days. And the
early summer had brought the Virginian Ane-
mone, whose densely packed wooly seeds still
were adherent to the flower heads. Of annuals
and herbaceous perennials, were found the three
seeded Mercury, Acalypha, with its purple and
crimson leaves, and threatening but harmless
spikes, resembling some nettle, whence its an-
cient and classical name ; and Teucrium Cana-
dense or American Germander, commending
itself by its royal surname of the King of Troy,
who found healing virtues in its leaves, as Pliny
tells us of some such species, which was known
in his day. Onosmodium molle told of southern
borages, helped by Lithospermum longiflorura,
with its seeds of stony hardness; Ludwigia al-
ternifolia presented a tall dry stalk with the most
elegant boxed formed or casket seed vessels, and
a singular aperture on the top. Quite too elegant-
ly to be passed by, Geutiana ochroleuca whis-
pered about sister species, growing and blooming
near glaciers and on Alpine slopes, blue and in-
tense as the sky above ; Gerardia auriculata as
one of our native Foxgloves was there; Sarotha
gentianoides offered its citron or lomon-peel
scent to the gatherer, asking only to be
squeezed into expression, and keeping company

TOG

TEE GABBEXER'S MO^'T^LY.

April,

with TTypprif iim Sphserocarpon ; Lechea minor
and L. thyinifolia told that the rock rose could
be found too, though unlike that, very small
purplish flowers were all they could boast. The
elegant family of leguminous plants was repre-
sented in yet standinjr stem of Petalostemon
violaceum and P. candidum fit for any garden;
while the tall aspiring yet modest Lespedeza capi-
tata spread before the observing eye its curious-
ly netted foliage.

Some coveted autumnal flowers are known to
florists as RudbecJcias, conspicuous on Western
prairies, and helping to add to the gorgeousness
of the scenery. Of these were the stiff chaffy
heads of Echinacea purpurea a bold and striking
plant, and the compass plant Silphiuni lacinia-
tum, 3'et survived, of which marvellous stories
are told, credited and disbelieved alike. Then
came other Componita of which Grindelia hirsu-
ta may be cited, the heavy scented Dysodia
chrysamtliemoides no unapt resemblance in as-
pect and odor to the garden marigold ; the spiny
and curved-hooked clotbur, scarcely differing
from its form as it grows on the sands by the
sea ; and lastly appear the Asters, bearing on
their slender wandlike stems, the starry dish-
leaves or flower-cups filled more or less with
feathery seeds, each kind a study in itself, so di-
verse the crown or pappus, and so difterently
marked the acheniuin or nut-like wedge-shaped
seed. Of these was discriminated Aster anoma-
his, with smooth achinium and forty bristly rays
to its pappus or down, in fact that, the true and
refined calyx; the A nemoralis with narrow lilac
purple florets; the A. concolor with silken ache-
nia and bright violet purple ray-flowers, the A.
sericeus with ribbed achenia, and described as an
elegant species, with silvery foliage, faded dry,
unpretending— now buried beneath the drifts or
standing in patient heedlessness— yet worthy
a passing memento for departed worth. A few
more weeks, and fewer months, and summer
and autumn will again visit these haunts, rous-
ing to vitality their now dormant buds and call-
ing on others to celebrate their charms, as has
b3cn done now by one who was not there to
see, but who was remembered by those of that
social, merry party, which made up the field
meeting at BufT'alo Rock.

while to remember the merits of old friends, es-
pecially when they will do for us all that the
best new comer ever could be expected to do.
Of this class is the Double White Emjlish Prim-
rose.

As a window plant it is particularly valuable,
as it does not suffer so much for the want of full
light as some plants do. To be sure it does best
with an abundance of light; but some things
must have this or nothing comes of them. Then
the flowers are so fragrant. In my taste the
Violet is not more grateful than the smell of
a good English Primrose.

As a bouquet flower it is equal to the best. The
pure white flowers are alvvays welcome, and then
they already have somewhat long stems, and
j need little tying to twigs to get Ihem of proper
i length. One after another, too, flowers come
I into succession. From one of my plants I ob-
; tained forty-eight blossoms from the first of Jan-
uary to the middle of this month.

It is, moreover, a plant of very easy culture.
The worst time is the summer, but I put all my
plants out of pots, and set them thickly together
in a box of rich earth in April, and set the plant
box out under a cool shady wall till fall ; when
they are divided into as many as I can make, and
potted into four-inch pots, with very rich soil,
\ and then keep them in a cool frame till wanted
j for flowering. As they never produce seed, they
I are scarce, because there is no way to propagate,
but by divisions of the roots; but I am sure if the
public who like window and bouquet flowers,
only knew what a little treasure it is; nursery-
men would soon get up enough plants for them.

A GOOD WHITE WINTER FLOWER.

BY P., BALTIMORE, MD.

In these days, Mr. Editor, when so many peo-
ple wander after new things, it is perhaps worth

POTATOES FROM CUTTINGS.

BY J. M.

I would call the attention of your readers to the
fact that those of them who wish to raise Potatoes
from cuttings, should loose no time in starting
them. This method of raising them, I think,
was first mentioned in the Monthly, by W. C.
Strong, of Mass. Some months ago, when at
Fairhill Nursery, Ilarrisburg, Pa., I was shown
by Chas. Crucknoll, the Superintendent, over a
bushel of the " Early Rose, '» raised from a sin-
gle tuber, which is certainly more than usually
raised by cutting into eyes and planting in the
old style. Those desirous of increasing rapidly
their stock of high priced Potatoes, the above
mode of striking the top in bottom heat in-doors
is le.

1870,

TEE GARDENER'S MOjYTELY.

107

ESSAY OX BEDDING PLANTS.

BY ■WALTER ELDER.
' Read before the Penna. ITorl. Society, March 1st, 1870.

As bedding plants have become so universally
popular, and generally cultivated by the lovers
of ornamental gardening, I have thought that a
few statements about them might not be uninter-
esting to the Society. They are composed of
annuals, biennials and perennials, to suit cir-
cumstances ; some of the hardy species are raised
from seeds in the open ground in summer, and
protected in cold frames during winter. But
the greater number are tender exotics, and are
propacrated in glasshouses and transplanted into
small flowerpots, in which they are sold in spring
and summer; some being more tender than others?
should be later set out. The species and varie-
ties are almost innumerable, and their diversi-
ties so great, that a harmonious combination of
them in groups, gives a splendor to the parterres
most charming to behold. They are not only in-
dividually beautiful, but their contrast when
nicely blended on beds and borders, far surpass
in loveliness, our fondest anticipations and most
anxious desires of former years. Some are ad-
mirable for the beauty of their blossoms ; others
for the marvellous variegations of their foliage ;
some blooms are delightfully fragrant, and many
of their leaves are sweetly perfumed. There are
some to suit every special mode of ornamenta-
tion, and every exposure ; some flourish best in
full sunshine ; others best in partial shade ; some
are only a few inches in height ; others are one
to three feet tall ; some are adapted for decora-
ting rockworks, earthen mounds and edges of
ponds, or to grow in fancy stands, vases, hang-
ing-pots and baskets, both in-doors and out-
doors.

There are various modes of arranging them on
parterres. Some cultivators prefer the promis-
cuous arrangement ; others like the "Ribbon
Style," and some set the dwarfs and those of
stately growths upon separate beds, so that all
■will display their peculiar beauties to the best
advantage. From the countless numbers of
species and varieties ; the old and young ; the
rich and poor, and even the most whimsical can
find a choice to suit their fancies ; and the rapid
and successful systems of propagation now in
practice by our commercial florists make all
kinds cheap.

It is about a third of a century since the gen-
eral bedfling out of tender exotics began ; before

that time, perennial, hardy, herbaceous flowers
were set out as standards, and annuals and bi-
ennials were yearly raised from seeds and ii ixed
with them ; it was- weeks after annuals were
sown before they bloomed ; biennials took
months, and perennials one or two years to
bloom. How diflerent it is now with our mul-
titudes of bedding plants? We can make a flow-
er garden of splendor in a few hours, that will
give a blaze of blossoms of sweet perfumes and
foliage of various forms, hues and variegations,
all the growing season. The lukewarm, cannot
now make the excuses they made of old ; "our
seeds did'nt come up, our patience gets worn
out before our garden mal<es a show.''

An occurrence connected with this subject,
happened in this city, about thirty-five years
ago, which I think is worthy of mention here,
as it gave the first impulse to the general bed-
ding out of plants to decorate our gardens.
Robert Buist, our famed Nurseryman, got two
packets of Verbena seeds of new species, from a
traveling botanist, which he soon converted into
growing plants, and in due time they showed their
co'ors; one bore clear pink blooms in large trusses;
the flowers of the other were white, with the fra-
grance of Hawthorn blossoms. I well remember
of the joyful tidings spreading over the nation
like wildfire, and produced a sensation of delight
in our Flora, the like of which she never before
experienced ; and the same was the case through-
out Europe. By that I claim for Philadelphia,
the laurel of laying the foundation of ornament-
ing our gardens with choice exotic plants from
every clime, and which has attained such prom-
inence, and award to Robert Buist the honor of
"setting the chief stone of the corner.'' Skill-
ful amateurs and gardeners became so excited,
they began hybridizing and using special culture
to produce new and superior varieties of the va-
rious genera, and were successful. Sports made
variegations in both blossom and foliage, which
carried their enthusiasms to greater heights.
Botanists were successful, in their far off" explo-
rations, in the discovery of many new species of
merit, and brought them home for propagation-
These combined eftbrts have been perservered
in up to the present time, and it is through
them that we now have the vast legions of bed-
dinjj plants, with which we can decorate our
gardens so quickly, chvaply and beautifully ;
their like was never before seen growing in the
same latitude. Now, although Mr. Buist "set
the first stone," he has not been "foreman" o'

108

TEE GARDEKEWS MOJVTHLY.

April,

the whole work, in the erection of chaste floral
structures, as many of his contemporaries have
equalled him in producing superior varieties,
and Henry A. Drcer of Philadelphia, is one of
them.

Our IN'ational Government, with commenda-
ble liberality to encourage the healthful amuse-
ment of floriculture, has enacted laws to carry
bedding plants and seeds in small parcels by its
mail ; so now a dozen of small plants, or twenty
packets of flower seed are as swiftly and safely
transported as epistles in script. Express Com-
panies are also serviceable in safely carrying
larger parcels ; so our citizens in remote parts,
can be supplied as well as those in the vicinity
of nurseries, l^urserymen's catalogues, with
directions how to grow flowers, and descriptive
lists are also carried by mail. Again, very small
baskets are made in thousands for our commer-
cial florists, to pack in them six or a dozen bed-
ding plants without pots, for ladies or gentlemen
to carry in their hand, out to their summer ru-
ral residences to plant. They look as clean and
gay as if living bouquets ; and they are admira-
ble gifts for the heaux to compliment their helles
with in spring and summer. The plants are
carefully set out and watered when need be ;
their increasing growths and beauties, swell the
fond affections which burn in true lovers' breasts.

The species and varieties are too numerous for
me to describe here. Distant purchasers should
send for Nurserymen's Catalogues, and make
selections from, or leave the selections for the
Nurseryman to make ; they possess the knowl-
edge to do so.

The following summary may assist the unex-
perienced to make their arrangements ; yet some
here named for shade, will also flourish in sun-
shine, riant in partial shade, Daisy and Prim-
rose, Polyanthus, Sweet Violet, Lobelia, Sweet
Alyssum. Lily of the Valley, Mimulus, Green
Leaved Pinks, &c , the above are dwarf. The
following grow stately ; Feverfew, Fuchsia, Cal-
ceolaria, Geranium, Hydrangea, Dicentra, Chry-
santhemum, Dahlia, Larkspur, &c. Set the fol-
lowing in sunshine ; Ageratum, Eschscholtzia,
Gazania, Verbena, Petunea, Phlox Drummondii,
Ileliotropium, Salvia, Viuca rosea, Lantana,
Pansy, Double Portulaccas, &c. The following
five genera are hulls planted in spring ; bloom
in summer and autumn, and are dug up in fall,
except Japan Lily ; all of great beauty ; Gladio-
lus, hundreds of species ; Iris, several species ; Ja-

pan Jjilies, several species ; Tigridia. two species ;
Tuberose, two species. The following three ge-
nera are of many species and all varieties, with
oi'namental leaves of various colors and variega-
tions, and are admirable when judiciously mixed
among the blooming kinds ; Achyranthus, Coleus,
Caladium ; these should not be allowed to bloom,
as that makes them look too lean, and spoils
their peculiar beauties. Very many of the bloom-
ing varieties are also of variegated foliage.

The following notice of the colors of blooms,
may help new beginners. Rose, Dahlia and Chry-
santhemum, show nearly all colors but blue ; Ger-
man Aster, Phlox Drummondii, Verbena, Green
Leaved Pinks; Sweet William, &c.. give nearly
all colors except yellow ; Carnation, Fuchsia,
Geranium, Gladiolus, &c., show white, pink,
bufl", salmon, scarlet and crimson ; Vinca rosea,
gives white and rose ; Gilliflower, white, crim-
son and purple ; Petunia, white, red and crim-
son, on double and single blooms ; Salvia, scar-
let, purple and blue ; Feverfew, Sweet Alyssum,
and Nierembergia, are all white ; Calceolaria,
Eschscholtzia, Mimulus and Gazania, are yellow;
Agapanthus, Larkspur, Lobelia, Forget-me-not

and Browallia elata, are all blue.

The following four genera are annual climbers
and bloom four months : Maurandia, a white, a
purple, a pink and a blue. Thunhergia^ a white,
a buff and an orange, with black eyes. Trojiaso-
lum, yellow, orange, scarlet and crimson. Ipo-
mca, white, pink, purple, lilac and blue.

The splendor of finely arranged parterres with
the bedding plants, is almost indescribable, and
the sweet odors they emit, are delightful. The
demand for them is so great, that Verbena, Pe-
tunia, Phlox Drummondii, Dahlias, Rose, Ger-
man Asters, Gladiolus, Tuberose, Tigridia, Ja-
pan Lilies, <&c., are each grown in acres by in-
dividual florists ; and Fuchsia, Feverfew, Gera-
niums, Antirrhinum, Chrysanthemum, Month-
ly Carnation and Picotee Pinks, and Green
Leaved Pinks of constant bloom ; Ileliotropium,
Sweet Alyssum, &c., are grown in half aci-es,
and sold in hundreds of thousands, yearly. Du-
ring the past twenty-three years, I have been an
extensive planter, and have not yet seen the sup-
ply to equal the demand for them.

Now, as the beauty and pleasure of the flower
garden depends much upon the judicious ar-
rangement, as well as the excellence of the plants,
the following memoranda might assist the un-
initiated to make out their selections. It is the
harmoniously combined diversity, which gives

1870.

THE GARDE JEER'S MOJ^THLY.

109

that exquisite enchantment, which we feel in

passing along the walks of the flower garden,

■where our scent and sight are equally gratified.

As the species and vai'ieties of showy bloom are

most numerous, they should be most plentifully

set out, for there cannot be a flower garden

without flowers ; yet sweet perfumes are also

needed ; and foliage of pretty variegations are

admirable for variety. Therefore, in selecting a

hundred plants for one garden or parterre, I

would choose from the different classes, to make

a comely whole. Of fragrant flowers, Rose,

Sweet Alyssum, Mignonette, Hcliotropium,

Musk Plant, Gilliflower, Sweet Violet, Tuberose,

&c. [Of sweet-scented leaves, Aloysia citriodora,

(Lemon Napoleon), Geraniums, Apple-scented,

Kose-scented, Nutmeg-scented, Lemon-scented,

&c. Of variegated foliage, Achyranthus, Co-

leus, Caladium. Geraniums, Silver-leaved and

Zonale ; these should not be allowed to bloom,

as leaves are the beauty. Of variegated flowers.

Antirrhinum, Carnation and Picotee Pinks,

Dahlia, Petunia, Pansy, Mimulus, Calceolaria,

Sweet William, and many of the Green Leaved

Pinks, Fuchsia, &c.
All the balance to make up the hundred,

would be of showy blossoms of various colors,
and the plants of different habits and statures
of growth, and times of blooming.

I saw at the exotic establishment of Thomas
Mackenzie of this city, a few days ago, about
fifty new seedling Coleus, all of surpassing beau-
ty and clear distinctions. The forms, sizes, col-
ors and variegations of their leaves, all different ;
some Avere maroon, edged and bordered with
clear pea green ; others were dark purple, edged
and bordered \Yith bright grass green ; some
were light and dark bronzy brown, edged and
bordered with lemon, orange and golden yellow ;
others had their colors mixed in blotches and
marblings. I thought them more peculiarly
beautiful than any of the genus I had seen, (not
exceptin ? the famed variety, Seltmg Sun).
Close by the Coleus, were about thirty new seed-
ling Geraniums of the Zonale class ; the zones
or rings on their leaves were white, yellow,
brown, maroon and green of various hues, all
faintly shaded with a coppery bronze, which
made them look transparent. Some of them ex-
cel in beautiful variegations, the famous varie-
ties, 31rs. Pollock and Mountain of S)Wio. Other
commercial florists, will, no doubt, have raised
new and superior varieties of the various genera;
so I may tell the lovers of flowers, they will be

presented the coming season, with varieties so
choice and new, they will illuminate their par-
terres with far greater splendor than has ever
been seen heretofore.

Surely, the Millenium of Ornamental Garden-
ing is at hand I Surely, we are now near the
point of perfection ! The Garden of Eden may
soon burst open before us, with all its dazzling
splendor of everlasting delight.

CONTAGIOUS DISEASES AMONG
PLANTS.

BY H., OLD WESTBURY, L. I., N". Y.

I have frequently observed that where the Ar-
borvitse has been planted from the forests of
Maine, that it is very rare that one is found
dead alone in the rows in the nursery, but that
generally from .3 to 5 or C are dead ; then a space
perhaps of 20 live plants intervenes before dead
ones occur. I have noticed this so often for a
few years past, that it has arrested my atten-
tion, and an inquiry as to what is the cause of sev-
eral being found dead together. The dead ones,
where they do occur among deciduous trees, are
without any regularity. Now, if this is the case,
and found to be the fact with other nurseries,
why and wherefore ? We know that contagious
diseases, such as measles, scarlet fever, dipthe-
ria, &c., occur very probably in families or
neighborhoods, and some are tAken, and others
left, or escape without any attack. May there
not be a fungus that assists in killing the young,
poorly rooted Arborvitse, and attacks its neigh-
bor and perhaps the next one, until one is met
with, that is strong in vitality, and resists its
attacks, or after causing the death of 2 or 3,
nearly exhausts its energy. Now, friend Jtlechan,
these are crude ideas, and perhaps are only co-
incidences, but as thou art an observing man,
please look among thy young Arborvita^s first
year planted, and notice if the circumstance I
have related occui-s with them. The phenom-
ena of life and death is but little understood,
and perhaps never will be fully, but there is in my
opinion, much that will 3-et be unfolded of
the forces of vitality, even if we are not able (as
Prof. Youmans thinks Ave Avill yet be) to bring
the exact forces and materials to produce a liv-
ing organism together.

[In an address liy the Editor of this Journal,
before the American Pomological Convention at
St. Louis, and which is published in the Socie-
ty's transactions, direct experiments were de-

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJVTELY.

ApriJf

tailetl, which proved that the suggestion by our
oorrespondent is correct. The fungus found in
the roots of diseased apple trees, was placed on
the end of a row of Paradise stocks, which were
heeled in about two or three inches apart ; and
it sprend to the roots of the next and so on,
gradiirill}', for several weeks, until the whole
row of about fifteen feet was killed. First the
leaves would get blotched with brown, and grad-
ually the whole plant die away.— Ed.]

smut of corn crops, with many other more or
less familiar objects, are so many fungi, all
agreeing in the main particulars, which arc in-
dicated on fruit and trees, — however variously
developed, the same general law no doubt applies
to most, if not all of them.

DISEASES OF PLANTS.

BY JACOB STAUFFER.

Mildew (in Ger. Mehlthan, rust on corn),
this term is generally applied to a particular
mouldy appearance on the leaves of plants, pro-
duced by innumerable minute fungi, which if
not checked in their growth, occasion the decay
and death of the parts on which they grow, and
sometimes of the entire plant. The causes fa-
vorable to the production of mildew, are a rich
soil and a moist atmosphere, without a free cir-
culation of air or sunshine,— such as moist
cloudy weather, continued fur a few days ; again
it sometimes occurs in excessive dryness, which
checks the action of the natural functions of the
vegetable organs. Under certain circumstances
it may be checked by the application of sulphur
in the form of powder on the leaves covered by
the fungi, this being found to destroy them
without greatly injuring the leaf.

Rust. The common name of Trichohasis
Ruhitjo vera a parasitic fungus, which, with one
or two closely allied species confounded with it
by the farmer, preys upon the leaves, glumes,
stalks, «&c., of cereals. This seldom giows on
plants, but when they are over luxuriant ; ex-
cept when it attacks the chaff or seed, it seldom
proves injurious to any extent, this fungus al-
though by tliat name usually confined to cereals,
like the

Smut. A disease incidental to corn crops, by^
which, the farina of the grain in the whole body
of the seed is converted into black soot-like
powder. Is to be regarded as a fungus growth.

Mr. IJerkely, considered one class of fungi as
springing up from various bodies, whether ani-
mal or vegetable, in a more or less advanced
stage of decomposition. The ephemeral toad
stools, of the hot bed, the mushrooms of our
rich pastures, the sap-b ills on decaying trees,
the moulds which infest our food, .and even the
tissue of living an'mals, the mildew, blunt and

LARGE TREES EAST OF THE MISSIS-
SIPPI RIVER.

BY S. B. BUCKLEY, STATE GEOLOGIST,
AUSTIN, TEXAS.

I propose in the Gardener'>s Monthly to notice
some of the large trees growing east of the Mis-
sissippi River, such as are included in the fol-
lowing genera : The Tulip tree, called Poplar in
the West and South, and sometimes White Wood
{Liriodendron) ; Sycamore or Button wood {Pla-
tanus), Chestnut (Ca'.tanea), Oak [Quercus),
Black Walnut {Juylans), Pecan {Carya), and
perhaps some others.

First, the Tulip tree, which is probably the
largf^st tree of the older States. It extends from
New England westward to the Mississippi, be-
yond which it is rarely found. It grows in Ar-
kansas as far west as Crawley's Ridge, thirty or
forty miles west of Memphis. It Avas not found
west of this by those engaged in the geological
survey of Arkansas. According to Dr. Engel-
man it is found in Southern Missouri, but Prof.
Swallow in his report on the peology of that
State, states that he and his assistants did not re-
cognize it. It is not indigenous in Texas, and is
rare in the gulf cotton States east of the Mis-
sissippi. It is rare in the western part of Mas-
sachusetts, and in New England does not extend
farther eastward. Michaux says, that its north-
ern limit is the southern extremity of Lake
Champlain, in latitude 45". It occurs in Cana-
da in the vicinity of Niagara Falls, fi'om whence
it extends westward into Michigan, where it is
as far north as Ann Arbor. It is a stately, mag-
nificent tree, as seen in southern Indiana, Ken-
tucky, Tennessee, and the western part of North
Carolina, where it is upwards of a hundred feet
in height, with a diameter of six or more feet,
all of sound wood. I have measured some Syca-
mores or Butlonwoods, with a circumference
greater than the Tulip tree, but they were hollow

and mere shells, and only sixty or seventy feet
high. The Tulip tree has, I think, ampler di-
mensions and more wood than any of its associ-
ates in the forest.

The following mcanu'cmcnts of Tulip trees

18'fO.

THE GARDEJVERS MOJyTHLJ.

Ill

were made by me at the lieight of three feet
from the ground, unless when otherwise stated.
One near "Waynesville, among the mountains
of North CaroUna, 26 feet 10 inches in circum-
ference. One 33 feet in circumference, at Cold
Spring, on the waters of the Pigeon River, in
Haywood County, in North Carolina. Another
29 feet 3 inches in circumference, on the head
waters of the Little Pigeon, and several of 20
feet and upwards in circumference, near the
same place. One 24 feet in circumference, on
Jonathan's Creek,— all of the preceding were in
Haywood and its adjacent Counties, in the
mountains in the western part of North Carolina.
They grow in the rich coves and valleys, at the
base of the mountains, where are also large
oaks and big chestnuts. All of these Tulip trees
have a height of upwards of one hundred feet.

Near Rising Sun, in the southern part of In-
diana, are many large Tulip trees, such as 18
feet 6 inches in circumference, 16 feet 6 inches
in circumference and 17 feet 9 inches in circum-
ference. The elder Michaux measured one three
and a half miles from Louisville, Kentucky,
which was 22 feet 6 inches in circumference, at
5 feet from the ground, and whose elevation he
judged to be from 120 to 140 feet high. A few
years ago I visited Dr. Short, the botanist, who
dwelt near the locality of this tree. He inform-
ed me that he had seen it, but that it was blown
down many years ago during a thunder storm.
He assisted me in measuring some large Tulip
trees in that vicinity, but we found none up-
wards of 6 feet in diameter.

Dr. A. Flournoy, who lives near Shreveport,
in Louisiana, told me that he saw a Tulip tree
in Middle Tennessee, which squared fifty inches
at the butt, and measured 105 feet to the first
limb. From this tree a dug out boat or canoe
\tas made, which was 105 feet long. A young
gentleman informed me, that one was cut down
near his father's in East Tennessee, on a small
creek emptying into the Pigeon River, in Sevier
County, which was fourteen feet in diameter.

The Tulip tree is a moderate grower, and dif-
ficult to transplant from the woods, as I know
very well from experience having tried several
and failed, hence 1 was very glad to receive one
from your nursery this winter, Mr. Editor,
which is now alive, and which I hope will con-
tinue to live in Texas long after we have passed
away.

I counted 215 annuals rings in one at Camp
Stoneman, near Washington, in the District of
Columbia, which was 2 feet 6 inches in diameter,
and another which had 0 annual rings, and was 5
inches in diameter. I'hey grow on upland, in a
soil of moderate fertility. Prof ^leek, the Avell
known Geologist and Paleontologist, informed
me that there was a Tulip tree standing on the
farm of G. C. Schank, near Middletown Point,
in New Jersey, which was 10 feet in diameter.

Prof. Wood in his "Claj^sbook of Botany, "states
that he measured a Tulip tree, which had been
recently felled, which had a circumference of 23
feet at 4 feet from the ground, at 30 feet from the
ground it was 5 feet in diameter, the whole
height 125 feet.

Where the large Tulip trees grow and grew,
pines suitable for lumber are rare. The timber
of the Tulip tree is used as a substitute for the
pine- hence, the large Tulip trees of the country
are fast disappearing.

The Tulip tree is decidedly ornamental and
deserving of general cultivation. Its smooth
curious leaves afford a fine contrast with those
of other trees. In autumn its leaves turn yellow,
or yellow with green spots. Occasionally some
of its leaves are very beautiful, being yellow
with green along the rims, or tinged with brown;
I saw such on the Indian Reservation, on Cata-
raugus Creek, near Buffalo, New York, in the
Fall of 1865.

W^INDOW PLANTS.

BY H., M'GREGOR, IOWA.

Primroses afford more satisfaction for the
little care they demand than any plant of which
I know for the window, — troubled by no insect,
nnd continually in bloom. I have two plants
that have bloomed this makes the third winter.
They are now 3^ feet in circumference, their
large pendant leaves nearly obscuring the pots,
making beautiful objects for brackets each side
of the window. I have counted a hundred blos-
soms open at once on one plant. They are the
P. macro phylla of seed from Hovey & Co. Have
tried several other sorts, but these are far
superior.

[This note has reference to varieties of tlie
Chinese Primrose, and not the English Primrose
referred to by another correspondent. — Ed.]

112

TEE GARDE JVER'S MOJ^TELY.

April,

EDITOR lAL.

HOW TO RAISE NEW PEARS.

Under this title, Mr. Thos. Rivers contributes
a paper to tlie C?arcZener's Chronicle., which is of
creat interest. He shows that Pears are not
cross fertiHzed from other trees to near the ex-
tent supposed, as when he sowed seed from trees
not artificially crossed, the general character of
the parent was nearly maintained ; while, when the
same variety was purposely impregnated by the
pollen, the most diverse characters ensued. He
thinks that, as a rule, thorny trees produce the
best fruit, and that the best Pears have been the
product of chance ; quoting the fact particularly
that Major Esperen by his chance seedlings has
done more permanent good in fine varieties,
than Van Mons did by his celebrated and much
vaunted system. This accords with our fre-
quent teachings, that the credit which scientific
men are apt to give to the " skill of the hybridi-
zer and the intelligent horticulturist in amelior-
alinii the sour crab,'' and so forth, should rather
be placed to the account of nature's own inhe-
rent laws of evolution. He further proves that
Van Mons' notion that by successive genera-
tions of Pears can be brought to bear so
j'oung, that fruit may be had from a two
or three year old tree, is not correct. An-
other very interesting point, and one which also
we have always contended for, is that there is a
limit to the direction of improvement in Pears.
One will probably have better success in raising
from a second class fruit, than from one ranking
as first quality. lie has been all his life raising
from such fine kinds as Seckel, Duchess, Bartlett,
— in fact, most of the popular kinds, without
finding one "better" than the parents, though
from such parents fruit is uniformly " good.''

Not so much from our own personal experi-
ence, as generalizing from the facts presented
by others, we have seen and taught these prin-
ciples for some years past. These direct results
of a long life of actual experiments are therefore
of incalculable value to those interested in the
improvement of fruits.

The great law undoubtedly is, that there is no
limit to the variety of change, but that there is
to direction. Nature does not advance in one lino
for before she returns to the hub, and starts
again another spoke, only soon however to reach

the circumference of her ever revolving wheel of
change. However much it may go against our
feelings to overthrow idols we have given our
heart worship to so long, it is getting evident
that in many respects "Van Mons," " Knight"
and other worthies have to go; we have "to
learn the hard lesson over again," although in
this particular case, it is not so very severe a
task to remember, there is much more chance to
get the best seedlings from poor kinds with hardy
vigorous constitutions., than from kinds already as
good as they can he.

Our own Rogers has taught us this in the
grape ; but this experience of River's should add
force to the lesson.

ORCHIDEOUS PLANTS.

It is a pleasure to note that the culture of
these beautiful plants is increasing. A few years
ago they were only seen as one may say — here
and there, while now they are comparatively
common.

Much of this has been the result of a better
knowledge of culture. All we know of orchid
growing in the past, was derived from experience
in another country, — an experience immensely
valuable when slightly varied to suit our circum-
stances : but yet when too closely imitated not
the most favorable to success. Certainly we
know that when we had our hot, moist, dark
houses, just the things for tropical ferns ; but
not for flowering plants of any kind, we never
had the successes of modern times.

To day we saw a beautiful specimen of Eulo-
phia or Zygopetalon Mackai, with numerous .
flowers three inches across, and filling the large
house with fragrant odor, which had for years
been grown in a greenhouse, ixi which only
enough heat was given to maintain a bare growth
The house, indeed, was kept for preserving bed-
ding plants over winter. The plant was ex-
posed to the full sun, both in summer and win-
ter, and though we have seen much larger speci-
mens, and though if this plant had even under
these circum.stancrs, the advantages of a good
garclenor to grow it, it would have been larger
— yet there was a pleasure in seeing this beauti-
ful plant succeed so well under these circum-

1870'

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJ^TELY.

113

stances, which could not be excelled by the suc-
cess of the most expensive orchidiea house of the
olden time.

And so again, Mhen people fond of flowers
visit the gardens of Mrs. Baldwin, H. Pratt
McKean, Stephen Jtlorrls or W. Weightman,
and see what their excellent gardeners Joyce^
Xewett, Young and Johnson are doing in these
plants,— see Dendrobiums, with hundreds of

wrong

beautiful theories are founded on these

facts, it has made it necessary for all of us to

"learn the hard lesson over ayain. "

We often think it strange that people are too
lazy to hunt up facts for themselves in cases
where personal observation would be priceless to
them.

AVe have been present this season at various
meetings of horticulturists, and have heard dis

flowers open on a single plant at once; Catleyas, j cussions by the hour on questions which a few

minutes of personal observation would at once
settle ; and we have thought that we could do
no greater service to our readers than continu-
ally to urge them to "see for themselves."

Some years ago we all believed that a very
finely pulverized and clean surface soil, kept the
substratum cooler and moister than a closely
shaven grass surface. When the writer put his
hand on a lawn and found how cool it was and
bow hot it was on a cleanly weeded surface, and
knowing that evaporation was always in propor-
tion to the heat of the surface, we felt that such a
warm surface must of necessity be hotterand drier
than that under the grass But it was easy to try
it with the thermometer, and sure enough the
glass told the tale by many degrees of more heat
under the clean surface.

Thousands of persons must have read our
statement of this fact,— yet on a recent occa-
sion, our repetition of it at a meeting, called
forth a volume of disbelief from eminent men
present ; but not one had ever tried it. Of the
thousands we have referred to, we doubt wheth-
er one has ever repeated it,— and yet the whole
body of fruit growers base their practice on a
theory, which has no foundation in fact. Any one
with a thermometer may satisfy himself any
summer's day, that a finely pulverized surface
is not as cool as one protected from the sun's di-
rect rays, and the fact should be of inmiense

Oncidiums, ^laxillarias, and so forth, blooming
more freely in houses which the good men of the
past would suppose fit only for Geraniums, than
they did with all their vvell elaborated plans; it
is clear that we have made a great advance in
horticultural knowledge.

We hope to see these beautiful })larjts more
generally known. The only thing against their
extended culture, is their price. They propa- '
gate very slowly, and it is not ever}' one who
can atlord from five to lifty dollars for a good
flowering plant But there is always this sat-
isfaction ; that if misfortune should overtake
one, the plants will always bring all they cost.
A rare tree, costing a large price, has to be left
behind when one moves away, or a new rose or
plant of any kind rapidly deteriorates in market
value ; but a collection of orchidia, packed up
and sent to any of our large towns, will generally
bring far more at public sale than the cost to
collect them.

We make these remarks in order to induce
more attention to these remarkably beautiful
and rare plants, than has hitherto been given to
them. They have an interest no other tribe of
plants possesses; their culture is but little, if any
more difficult than other plants, and they have
an intrinsic value to which time only gives ad
ditional weight.

SEARCH FOR OURSELVES.

It is very strange in these days to find persons
when they argue on any new idea, bringing up
the "experiments of Sir T. A. Knight," Lou-
don, or others who lived a hundred years ago,
when often a few moment's experiments would
furnish facts of their own. In our own expe-
rience, we have looked on no man's observa-
tions as sacred as our own; and whenever we
have heard or read of any one's experiments,
have endeavored, whenever practicable, to repeat
them over again. It has often resulted that we
have found former observers wrong, and as the

value to fruit growers.

RED

THE mexica:n^ and monthly

ALPINE STRAWBERRY.
We hold it to be the duty of a leading horti-
cultural magazine to fearlessly expose error
where it manifestly exists Newspajicrs gener-
ally need no stimulus to this. It is every one's
experience that those who err, get little mercy
from the press. It requires more nerve, however,
for a newspaper to defend a man who is wronged,
when all the world unites in condemning him.
Few will do it ; but wc hold it to be no less a
duty. For ourselves at least wc think the pub-

TEE GARDENER'S MOXTIILJ.

April,

lie generally gives us credit for no object but a
desire to arrive at the truth.

This Mexican Strawberry case to day stands
thus :

A year or two ago some western men adver-
tised a new variety of Alpine Strawberry. It
was at once condemned as the "Monthly Red
Alpine," by some of our friends in the East.
Judging from what we had seen in the adver-
tisements, we thought so too ; but not having
seen the plant, gave no opinion. Being in Chi-
cago last June, we went to see the plants at
Dundee, and to the best of our knowledge and*
belief, found it not "'Old Monthly Red Alpine,"
although fiamiliar with the latter variety.

"We have always, however, granted that we
might be mistaken, because we had not had the
plants side by side. "We have seen enough in
horticulture and botany to know how easy it is
to be mistaken. Mr. Fuller very kindly offered
to send us some .of his Monthly Red Alpines
last fall, and we obtained some from him, as
well as all tlie varieties of Alpine we could get
from any source. All strawberry men know
that when the young leaves are first making
their Spring growth, they are more readily dis-
tinguished than at any other season, the fruit-
ing time not excepted. AVe put them to this
test. They were potted in three inch pots,
placed all side by side in a cool greenhouse.
"We have many varieties thus together, and so
distinct are they as they now push up (1st of
March), that any boy of ordinary intelligence
can pick out one from the other, and no one
whom we have selected has chosen the Red
Monthly Alpine to compare indentity with the
Mexican. First, we may say, that Mr. Fuller's
JNIonthly Red Alpine is undoubtedly genuine.
"We have them from Knox, Prince and others
and they are all alike and true to name. But
they are not like the Mexican, and the difference
is here :

The Monthly Red Alpine of Fuller, when it is
sending up its first leaves, has the petiole as
long only or barely longer than the central leaf-
let. This leaf .stalk is de^isei// clothed with Jong
hair, and the stalk itself is of a pale green color,
or with a faint tint of purple. The leaf itself is
of a bluish green, the leallcts are broadly ovate,
and the teeth on the edges of the leaves are, in
botanical language, rather crenately notched
(not deeply), than serrate, and these notches are
abruptly pointed.
■ But the Mexican (received from J. P. Whiting,

after Mr. Fuller), have the leaf stalks nearly
i double the lemjth of the tenninal leaflet, and has
' sliort and scattered hairs. It also has a strong
2jink tint. The leaflets are paJe green, nearly
ovate, deeply toothed and sharply pointed.

"We are very glad for the sake of justice, to
have this opportunity of so clearly demonstra-
ting that the Mexican is not the old Red Monthly
Alpine.

Indeed it comes nearer to others than to this.
Its nearest ally amongst all we have, is the old
Red Alpine (not the Monthhj). Differences can
be detected, but it requires sharp eyes to point
them out, so far as leaves or habit goes. But
herein is a great difference ; while this has at
this time has no sight of a flower bud on the
dozen plants, all the Mexicans have 2>J(s/ie(Z up
leaf y flower shoots, and one flower is open. This
tloriferous character therefore distinguishes it
easily.

There is, therefore, no longer any doubt about
the entire distinctness of the Mexican as a varie-
ty from all others.

Only one other question remains, — its value.
There are some who like apples, while others
would prefer olives. No doubt some don"t like
Alpinps, while others do; and we are amongst
the last class. For those who do like them, and
Avho are willing to give them the cool and moist
soil Alpines should have, there is no variety so
good as this American variety. The introdu-
cers deserve the thanks of Pomologists,not mere-
ly for introducing an improved variet}'', but for
turning attention to a class of Strawberries
which have not yet had justice done them.

*»m99

LANDSCAPE GARDENING.

(S<;e Frontispiece)

In probably nothing is the intelligent progress
of a people better indicated, than in their pat-
ronage of the fine art?. If we enter a cabin, no
matter how humble, and find a love of pictures
displayed, though they may be of the rudest
execution, we think the better of the inmates
than of those who have none. This is more par-
tiularly true of garden art — pictures wrought on
the living canvas of nature— the rudest attempts
draw the residents amid such garden scenes
nearer to us, no matter how humble or uneducated
their eflbrts may be. The higher the style and
the more successful the results, the more eleva-
ted in the intelligent social scale we esteem the
the owner.

The commercial part of gardening has pro-

1S70.

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJYTHLY.

115

gressed wonderfully the few past 3'ears ; but gar-
dening as a matter of taste and mark of civiliza-
tion has not kept pace with it. We have thought
that it might aid and encourage the eftbrts of a
few good men who are laboring in this field, to
show how beautifully a small place may be laid
out, by giving a plan by the famous German
landscape gardener Siebcck, which we have been
allowed to copy. It may be remembered that
in our first volume we gave some account of
Siebeek — how he was but a gardener of humble
origin — how, imbued with a love of his profes-
sion, he strove to understand and master it, —
and how,succeeding, — such efforts almost always
succeed, — wealth and fame followed in his foot-
steps, and culminated in his having the degree
of L. L, D conferred on him by a distinguished
German University.

The piece of ground covered bj*- this plan, is
only about- i250 feet square ; yet the most is so
made of it by judicious massing of shrubberj',
that walks, arbors, seats, lawn and flowers are
as freely employed as though the place were
double the size, and variety of the most pleasing
character follows every footstep through the
grounds. "We have added ourselves to the orig-
inal plan a small tract in the rear, showing how
a small vegetable or fruit garden may be com-
bined, without destroying the plea.sing effects of
well arranged grounds.

As our aim is to furnish hints raiher than a
model for copying, we give no details of the plan,
as the leading points will be apparent to all.

LEARNED LATIN.

It is curious to note that in proportion to one's
ignorance is tlie tendency to use big words. The
plainer the language generally is, the more sense
we are ikely to find behind it.

■In Germantown, at the corner of Fisher's Lane,
is a very old cemeterj'. In building the wall
around it, some artist carved a death's head and
cross bones, and beneath it the latin inscription
Memento mori^ only it is rendered " memen do
mory. " If he had put the idea in plain English
he would not have made such a ridiculous mess
of it.

We are reminded of this by reading in a con-
temporary, that a correspondent at Knoxville,
Iowa, is using the " Lorbus, do Mestica," as a
stock for the Pear. The Editor seems in doubt
what to make of it, and tells his readers the
" Juneberry '' is meant.

Pity when people mean to write about such
things as Mountain Ashes, or Serviceborries
they cannot say so in plain language. It is in
such cases as these that a "little learning is a
dangerous thing."

SCRAPS AKD aUERIES.

Camellia Culture.— J. W, S., Alton,
Ills., writes : In the February number of the
Oarden€r''s Monthly, 1 find an article on the
"Greenhouse of Mrs. Gee. W. Carpenter," and
speaking of Camellias says, "found they had
been watered with lime water.'' Will you do
me the favor to inform me how*o/ten and in what
proportion to use it ? The Camellia is one of my
favorites, and anything that will assist me in
bringing them to perfection, I accept with
thanks. Raised mine in a pot without fire heat ;
come later, but got finer flowers; have a white one
in bloom now, (C. alba pleno) should like for you
to see it ; think it perfect.''''

[We sent the above to the correspondent re-
ferred to, and have the following note from him:

"In reply to the inquiries of your correspond-
ent from Alton, Ills., in regard to the watering
of Camellias with lime water, the facts are as

follows : The plants are grown in large pots,
and have been in them undisturbed for several
years ; a large reservoir on the place, containing
500 gallons of w\ter, receives annually, about 3
bushels of lime ; before watering the plants, the
lime is usually well stirred up with the water, al-
lowing it to settle before use. Lime water was
first used to kill worms in the soil, which itcffec-
tuall}' did. It has since been continued regularly,
the thriving,healthy appearance of both roots and
branches, seeming to warrant its use. ']

Gladiolus Bulbs — With some remarkably
nice bulbs, 3//-. Such, of >' outh Amhoij, K. J.,
sends us the following note : "I have seen it
mentioned, that Gladiolus Bulbs should be kept
during winter in the same warm temperature
as is calculated to keep Tuberose bulbs in good
condition. But the fact is, the cooler we keep

116

THE GARDEJ\''ER'S MOJVTHLY.

April,

Gladiolus bulbs, short of freezing, the better ; a
warm, moist atmosphere will surely start them
into ntitiincly growth, and boat without mois-
ture, will shrivel the bulbs, aud prevent vigor-
ous growth.

By this mail, I send you a small Gladiolus
bulb, which is one of the many thousands that
I have kept cool all the winter, and you will see
that it is in perfect order. I also send two
Tuberose bulbs, which have been kept warm,
and these also are in perfe(;t order.

By-the-way, I think you will consider these
Tuberose bulbs tolerably good specimens, and
when you make that promised visit, will not
turn up your nose at our sandy soil, that pro-
duces such good results."

■\ViNTEU FLOAV OF SAP —The Ohio Farmer
f^ays : 'Modern research has established the
fact, that in the winter, vegetable life is not sus-
pended, as has been generally supposed. The
roots, especially, grow, and there is a general,
though slow circulation of sap throughout the
season.''

The Farmer must look out, or it will get some
hard knocks for such heresy. It is nearly 20
years since the Editor of this journal started the
public on this track of modern research, but
the stake burners have not yet done with him,
and the gallant Colonel of the J^armer may share
the scorching, if he gets too close.

Of course the dullest wood chopper knows
that there is no ' sap" in the Maple at the
fall of the leaf, and that there is a gradual
increase up to sugar boiling time; but with the or-
thodox there is no truth possible, but that writ.
ten in the books. They say "the warm suns in
spring, start the sap's flow'' — and it therefore
nmst be so.

Dkatii of a Grape Vine.— J. W., Fittshurg
P«. .writes: "We planted last spring about 20 va-
rieties of grapes, in a cold grapery ; they all
grew very well, but the Decan's Superb was the
champion gnnver. We had a hard frost in the
latter part of October, which killed it to the
ground, wliiie the others were but sliijhtl}' in-
jured. I'lease state in the Montlihj how we can
manage a new vine this year, to prevent the
same (to us mournful) result.

J'. S. lias pinching in the laterals, the first
year, any cdect in ripening th(( wood V

(We do not think Decan's Superb is a tenderer
variety than any olhcr grape. Perhaps mice

had been feeding badly on the roots and to some
extent on the others "slightly" injured. At
Pittsburg, vines ought not to be injured by frost
under a glass covering. If they are really so hurt,
bending down in early winter and covering with
earth, would be a protection. Pinching in the
laterals, l)y ]>reventing a mass of leaves from
growing so thickly as to smother one another,
is an aid in ripening the wood. Decan's Superb,
makes a beautiful "show" when the fruit is
ripe, but is not much to eat.]

The Chinese Yam as an Ornamental
Plant. — We entirely agree with the following
from 11. C. J5., PainesviUe, 0. : "An article on
page 38, No. 2 of the Monthly^ speaks of Chinese
Yam as a good climber. I have long admired
it. It grows rapidly, has a heart-shaped leaf,
of a rich glossy green, and is never, so far as I
have noticed infested b}' insects. It in perfectly
hardy. The small tubers which form on the
vines, fall to the ground in the fall, and after
freezing and thawing all winter, vegetate freely
in the spring. The Yam, whether old or young,
never needs protection. ' '

Nursery Rules —H. M. E., Marietta, Pa.,
asks for the "standards of nursery rules" for
digging trees ; especially as to the height of trees.
"Whether height is calculated from the ground
up, or is the root included in the measurements."

[Height is included only from the ground up. In
fact in theory, the act of purchase is for the trees
as they stand in the ground, aud anything else
that is done by the seller, is ' for account of and
at the risk of the purchaser '' In digging packing,
shipping and freighting, from the commence-
ment of digging, to the customers door, the sell-
er acts as the agent of the purchaser ; packing,
charges and freight, when paid in advance, being
added to the bil!. Sometimes nurserymen vol-
unteer to make no charge for these things, in
Avhich case, the legal etl'ect is probably to assume
all responsibility to the customer's door,-but the
rule is to dig and ship at the risk of the buyer,
and to charge for the agency in the matter — of
course feeling it to be the seller's interest to
charge as little as possible, and barely enough
to give a claim to a mere agency in the matter.]

TnE BuFFUM Pear.— i^., Bordentown, K. J.
"I notice in articles on Pear culture, certain dis-
tances arc recommended for Pears ; ought not

18: 0.

TEE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJVTELY.

11\

the distances to be regulated by the habit of the
tree ? I propose to plant a groat many Buftums
this spring. Might I not plant them closer on
account of their very upright growth ?"

[Wo think not. "When they come into bearing
they bend over pretty much all alike Cer-
tainly the Buffura, when it conies into full bear-
ing, is as round headed as an apple tree. [

Tomato Culture.— We have received from
J. Payne Low a circular in which some excel-
lent hints on Tomato raising and Tomato va-

rieties are given.

Col. Wildeu's Alpixe Crosses.— In a pa-
per on Alpines last winter, we incidentally re-
ferred to Col. Wilder's curious crosses, with Al-
pine and Virginian breeds of strawberries. In
a private letter, with other things, we have some
further account of them, which we know Mr.
Wilder's love of the subject will pardon us for
extracting for our readers:

"My seedling strawberries 8 months from S3ed,
are now in full bloom, and I can assure you that
they are the most interesting experiments in
crossing I have met yet, with Wilson, with Koy-
al Ilautbois, crosses with Hautbois foliage and
Wilson flower. Pistillate I^o. 60, crosses with
iN'apoleon III, produces a noble truss of pistillate
flowers. Xapoleon III crossed with Hautbois,
brings a new type of Ilautbois, with very dark,
round foliage and large flowers. Wilson crossed
with Triumph, some plants are hermaphrodite
and others pistillate. Xapoleon III and Tri-
umph, glorious plant with splendid trusses. Ju-
cunda by Napoleon III, very promising, &c.,
&c. But what will you say to the fact, that
som^iof the crosses of varieties by the IIautbc>is are
regul.ir mules. In addition, I have some forty
pots more to come into bloom."

voting themselves to the subject of the constitu-
tion of the sun and moon and planets, whilst
only one here and there devotes himself (I mean
of the men with big brains) to the nearer theme
—by exact and repeated experiments of terrestri-
al plant life, and of the conditions of its growth,
and of the elements which nourish it, and of the
best mode of their combination, of the exact ef-
fects of light, (by it.self) and of heat, (by itself)
and of light and heat conjomed."

We think the fault has in a great measure lain
with ourselves, that there are not more intelli-
gent horticulturists. When we started the Gar-
denef's Monthly, we were warned not to make it
"too learned." It was said, ours was a "prac-
tical people,'' who only cared to know "how to
eat, drink and be clothed." We have, however,
steadily kept on in our track, endeavoring to
stimulate thought and mind, and elevate in-
stead of going down to the level of the masses; and
we feel amply rewarded.

Ixtelltgext Horticulture. — a Canadian
correspondent, in a private letter to the Editor,
has some excellent ideas, one of which we are
sure we shall be pardoned for extracting. He
says :

"We have fewer carefully trained scientific
minds, faithfully and earnestly devoting them-
selves to thi.s, the most interesting and impor-
tant of all material subjects, than to any other
scientiflc 6ul)ject. True, it can hardly be re-
duced to a system of rules and reasons like the
exacter sciences ; but look at the hundreds, de-

iRisH Junipers —Jb/uj B., Pittshurn, Pa.
"How can I best keep Irish Junipers from be-
coming scraggy? Mine wore very pretty till
this season, when the snow hasbent them apart,
and unless they come up again, their beauty will

be spoiled ?"

[Irish Junipers should never be allowed ^ to
grow up with more than one leader. All side
shoots that are strong and seem likely to contest
the leadership, should be cut away every year ;
then the plants will retain their great beauty for
many years.

This is true of all similar evergreens ; only
permit one leading shoot to grow.]

The Saps Ascent—/., Tarrytowj^, JV. Y.
"Conversing with an intelligent gardener last
week, the subject turned on the cause of Sap's as-
cent. Ihave always supposed it to be by capil-
lary attraction. One part the drier, attracting
from the other not so dry. But he attributed it
to heat,and instanced a grape forcing in a viuery.
Growth commenced as soon as heat was applied.
Which is right?"

[Neither, although there is an approach to
truth in both. Heat, nor capillary attraction,
would make the .sap flow through a dead stick.
It will not do to reason of living things as we do
of dead ones. Nothing is dolinitely known as to
the cause of the flow of the sap, except that it is
some way or another connected with the conver-

118

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJVTHLY.

April,

sion of heat into otlier forms, which is the pecu-
Har mission of vitaUty.]

Covering Old Stumps. — M. P., Monncacy,
Md. — "NVe have some old stumps on our grounds
which we are anxious to have covered with
vines ; wh:ch are the best for this purpose ?"

[The size or extentof t!ie stumps are not stated,
but supposing them to be the remains of single
trees, and about two or three feet from the
ground, we would in your latitude use the En-
glish Evergreen Ivy for some, and the Ever-
green Japan Honeysuckle for others. Where
fall and summer effect only is desired, the Vir-
ginia Creeper is a pretty thing, and for large
stumps or trunks the Trumpet vine.]

Vitalized Compound.— Zjs</>r Bros., send
us a package of a plant fertilizer, which by its
odor, we should judge ought to be good to make
plants grow. These portable manures are very
handy for pot plants in windows and towns
where heavier manures are hard to get.

But Avhy should these parlor manures have
such atrocious smells. When our physicians
dose us, they sugar-coat the bitter pills ; and
surely our plant feeders might mix something
with their 'compounds'' to give them a sweet
savor if nothing more.

Foreign Grapes in the open air.-" Vitis, ''
Berksville Junction , Fa.— "I am a recent settler
in this section of country, and believe, from all I
can learn, that this is an excellent country for
the grape. The climate is so much milder than
my northern, (Manchester, N. II.,) that I have
an idea to set out for experiment, some foreign
varieties. What varieties of these are likely to
do best ?"

[None of them. It is not a qtiestion of cli-
mate, 80 far as temperature is concerned, which
prevents the out-door culture of the foreign
grape, but of atmospheric moisture. The fur-
ther .South, so much the worse for the grape, ex-
cept in high elevations. The foreign grape
would do better in Canada than with you But
if you will try, get (r ...h-i, Chassela.'*, Allen\s
Hybrid or Diana llajuburg, Royal Musca-
dino, Montgomery, Wcohawkoii or others such,
which have been raised from seed, either from
or near infancy in the open air, and may proba-
bly be a little more al)le to endure our climate
than tlios:', like Black Ilamburgand others which
liavebeen long raised under glass]

Yellow-flowered Window Plants. — R.
P. (S., Pkilada., asks : "I have never much ad-
mired yellow as a color, but have had much en-
joyment from a pot of yellow Oxalis this winter,
with our other flowers. Is there any other
plant which requires little skill to manage, and
which would flower freely in a window during
winter ?"

[Try Genista Canariensis, Coronilla glauca
and Wallflowers.

Apples for Southern Virginia.—" Vitis,'>'
Burkesville, Fa., asks : "What would you name
as the best 12 Apples to plant in this section of
country?"

[Virginia has bad other matters to attend to
for the past ten years, and the materials at hand
are not favorable to making up the best list ; but
the following will be found a good one : Albe-
marle Pippin, Smith's Cider, Benoui, Monmouth
Pippin, Northern Spy, Pryor's Red, Domine,
Early Harvest, Early Strawberry, Gravenstein,
Maiden's Blush, Limber Twig. This will give
a preponderance of early winter fruit, which will
probably be best for your section]

The best Strawberry. — B. U., Leeshurg,
Va. — "I have been anxiously awaiting some de-
cision as to the best Strawberry to plant, and
have carefully watched yours and other journals,
but feel still at a loss. Please advise me ?''

[Well I we are waiting for "that same'' decis-
ion, but the farther we go, the worse we fare !
The truth is, the "best" will never be known,
and you had better be satisfied with some known
to be tolerably good fellows. Try an}' of the fol-
lowing that you can get easily, treat them well,
and you will not go far wrong. Wilson's Albany,
Triomphe de Gand, Jucunda, Agriculturist, La
Constante, Fillmore, Downer's Prolific, Chas.
Downing, or even Hovey's Seedling, if fertil-
ized.]

^Missouri Mammoth Blackberry. — A cor-
respondent from Wilmington, O., says: "I feel
badly sold by my investment in this miserable
fruit last season, and feel half disposed to quar-
rel with your liorticultual Journals for puffing
such trash. True, I do not remombor the Gar-
dener''s Montkly advocating it strongly, but I do
not , at any rate remember any word that it said
against it.''

[Most certainly our correspondent never saw

1S70,

THE GARDEJVER'S MOKTHLl.

119

anything from our pen in the Monthly, in favor
of this fruit, simply because we knew nothing
about it It is not our habit to either praise or
condemn without evidence. Whenever there is
a cliance of any new thing being good, we try to
get the earliest information ; and the only rea-
son we did not say anything of it was, that we
could find no one of character who had seen it.
Vd'e may perhaps seem slow, because we do not
give information without facts to warrant it; but
that is our way. We have no sympathy with
those <vho have no patience to wait for evidence,
and who run after every new notion that comes
up, and find the}' have been swindled. Instead
of crying to the newspaper Hercules to help
them, let them help themselves and learn to
wait. Our advice to those who have lost money
by the Missouri Mammoth, is to "grin and bear
it," and learn wisdom for next time.]

Veste Cultitre in the United States. —
In Flagg's recent tour amongst the vineyards of
Europe, are many useful suggestions. lie thinks
the great foe to the success of grape culture in
the United States, has been long pruning and
bad drainage. On the last point, our readers
know that he is most certainly right ; our maxim
has been that ground can scarcely be too dry to
grow good grapes.

The Parks of Chicago, together, comprise
3,500 acres. Riverside Park alone, has 1600.
Mr. Olrastead of New York has, we believe,
something to do with the last, which means that
the Chicagoans will have something to be proud
of.

Geneva Nurseries. — These arc attaining
mammoth proportions. There are eighteen
firms, and near one thousand acres under nur-
sery culture. The soil is said to be remarkably
well adapted to the growth of trees.

Greenhouses of Jos. Perkins, Esq., at
Cleveland, Ohio.— A Cleveland paper de-
scribes these as very fine. The main conserva-
tory is a curvilinear structure. The regular
planthouses open into it. One is for Camellias,
another Roses, and another for tropical plants.
George Morgan is gardener, and the health and
beauty of the plants are highly spoken of.

Pear Culture.— At a late meeting of the
Central Illinois Horticultural Society, after an
essay on Pear culture by Parker Earle, a discus-
sion took place on the subject. There has been
a persistent endeavor on the part of some peo-
ple, to confound neglected trees in grans, with
well cultivated trees in grass, and even those who
do understand the difference as we have explained
it, regret that we take the course "because people
will mis-understand." At this discussion, Mr.
Parker Earle was asked whether some one who
had starved his trees, had'nt given up grass.
Mr. E. very properly replied. "I presume he
did, but we do not know that those persons had
carried out Mr. Median's ideas; thinks Mr.
Meehan has been misrepresented. And Mr.
Dunlap was in just about the same condition
with regard to pears as his friend Earle ; thought
he once knew all about it, but was now a stu-
dent ; thinks Mr. Meehan's practice has not
been understood ; has ninety dwarf pears on a
lawn seeded to clover and blue grass. These
trees do not blight ; some varieties bear well, —
for instance,' the Bartlett, Belle Lucrative^
Beurre Diel, Beurre Gobault, Louise Bonne,
Swan's Orange, Steven's Genessee, etc. Some
varieties, such as Madeline and white Doyenne,
crack there just as badly as anywhere. The
lawn has often been top dressed with manure ;
the grass is cut and fed to his teams. Does not
prune at all ; wants to leain first when and where
to do it. Many of his varieties are worthless,
and would probably not bear anywhere. The
trees are healthy, and those first mentioned bear
profitable crops. He has several hundred stand-
ard trees planted in orchard, which are both
cultivated and in grass ; many of them have
been killed by blight the past season ; would like
to have some one tell him how to prcA-ent it."

Hot Water.— In heating large establish-
ments, where by the use of ordinary Hues many
fires would be required, there is considerable
saving in the use of hot-water. Even where
cost is some object, the superior neatness of hot-
water arrangements, will often decide the ques-
of their adoption. In private gardens, where
pleasure is or should always be more of an object
than profit, the use of hot-water cannot well be
dispensed with. For small houses, however, or
for houses especially intended for profit, hot wa-
ter is frequently more costly, and less effective
than when heated by hot air. A small propaga-

120

TEE GARJDEJVER'IS MOJYTELY.

April,

tinn; house is best built narrow, with a flue run-
ning through it, and an arched chamber of some
thin material— onft thickness of brick for in-
stance— built over the flue ; wood must not be
used anywhere near this chamber, as confined
h^at will in time set the wood on fire. A pit
built on the top of this chamber and filled with
sand, will make one of the cheapest and best ot
propagating arrangements.

Mr. Suel Foster, of Muscatine, Iowa, says :
"Farmers ! plant Larch. Plant 5,000 of these
trees instead of one Mexican Everbearing straw-
berry, and try to take such agricultural papers
as will caution you against all such humbugs.''

[A very good question for a village debating
society is, "what is a humbug ?" Mr. Foster
does not care for everbearing strawberries, there-
fore those who do are clearly humbugs. A
'"humbug" at Muscatine, is "one who does not
think as Mr. Foster thinks.'' Now what are
they in other places ?]

A School for Horticulture. — Miss Em-
ma Marwedel is to open a Horticultural School
for women, at Brentwood, L. Island. House-
keeping is also to be taught. Three years are
proposed for a course ; bouquets, wreaths, flow-
ers, &c., will be made up. The money thus ob-
tained, will constitute a large portion of the reve-
nues of the school.

The Larch Rixg.— Dr. Michener, in the
Practical Farmer, describes a very curious ring
which has four years existed round a Larch tree
liL! lias. The ring i.s about one foot wide, and
advances that much every year, killing the grass
as it grows ; the abandoned, or last year's part,
then resumes the growth of grass.

Some would say this was caused by the devel-
opment of a fungus under the ground ; but Dr.
^I. is one of our leading mycologists, and he
does not give this as a cause. It is a curious
subject.

A Large Iowa Ou(;hard.— Suel Foster
lias an apple orchard of sixty a< ivs, twelve years
old. He recommends licnoni, Duchess of Old-
enburg and Maiden's Blush among the early
sorts, and Jonathan, Ben Davis aud Willow for
winter.

The Blue Ash.— A correspondent of the
Country Gentleman, speaks of the Blue Ash
[Fraxinus quadrangulata). He says that it grows
fast, is almost as durable as Wajnut, and is as
strong as the best White Ash ; it requires a deep
rich soil.

DENj)ROniu:M noiule.— A magnificent i)lant
of this fine orchid has recently been flowered by
Mr. Xewett, gardener to H. P. McKean Esq.,
near Philadelphia. It had thirty stems and two
hundred and twenty blossoms. Can any one
beat this ? AD. densiflorum was also beauti-
fully in bloom.

Utah Currants, appear to be all varieties
of liibes aureum, the common Missouri currant,
but they are all superior to the original.

Pap aw Bark, is said by a correspondent of
the Bural World, to be equal to Linden or Bast
bark for tying. It is macerated in water, when
the layers of lit>er easily separated.

LiLiuM auratum, — This ought soon to be-
come common. Importations from Ja^mn are
not infrequent. At a recent sale in New York,
some thousand sold at auction at an average of
25 cents each. On March 23d, 800 more were
sold, but we did not hear the price of these.

New Hot- bed Sash. — Cridge & Sons of Alle-
gheny, have invented a new sash, in which
the glass is firmly held without putty.

The arrangement is simple, and a broken
glass can be replaced in a vci-y few minutes.

Seedling Geranium. II., IIcGregor, Iowa.
"I send you by mail, specimens of flowers of a
seedling Geranium. The oues on the bit of
glass shows the size and form, and the pressed
one, the color of the flowers, which I think very
rich, and of a shade I have never before .•■eeu.
The plant is a cross between Christine and one
with white flowers and pink centre, with leaves
very darkly marked. The seeds were planted
last May in a cold frame, this plant bloomed
about the first of December, and is now about
7 or 8 inches ; having the compact habit and
leaves of the Christine, with the large size aud

1870.

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJSTTHLy .

121

shape of flowers of the white blooming one.
What do you thiuk of it ?

[The flower was very much Uke Magenta
Queen, one of our best bedding varieties.

The raising of new varieties of these and simi-
lar plants, is a very interesting part of garden-
ing, and we give the note of our correspondent
in full, in the hope that it may incite others to
experiment in the same way.]

Curious Movement in" the Flowers of
Genista tinctoria.— This plant grows wild in
Massacluisetts as well as in Europe. Kev. Geo.
Henslow has noticed in the European plant,
that the claws of the keel petal turn backwards
when touched by an insect, thereby exposing
the stamens and pistils to .the fertilizing agency
of insects.

Work on Greenhouse Plants.— U. B. B.,

Rochester ^ says : "I have got SweeVs Botanical
Cultivator. What is the best work on green-
house plants?''

[There are novery recent works on exactly what
our correspondent wants ; but those of Mr. Kand,
published by J. E. Tilton & Co., are the near-
est approach to them.]

Books of Reference for Nurserymen.—
E. B. D., Rochester, iV. Y. "Are there any
better works of reference than Loudon's Arbo-
retum ?"

[Unfortunately not. The increase of periodi-
cal literature has mads book making by hard
students unprofitable. Any one, with ready use
of the pen, can "make a book" with a file of pc-
rio'licals before him; true, they teach nothing but
what the average reading mind knows already,
and with these such books are not bought, or if
bought not estimated, and they soon die out of
mind. Yet there are just enough to whom an
iudifl'erent book is as good as one of original
thought and research, and this just enough to
make such good works unprofitable. Yet we
think there are more persons who can appreciate
the genuine article than good authors believe.
Tlie success of Iloopes' Book of Evergreens, is a
good proof of tills. We believe if men of real
knowledge would enter the field against the mere
back writer, they would find the public really
appreciated good books ]

A New Vegetable — Polymni a edulis. —la
the southwestern States is found a coarse weed,
with pale yellowish flowers, called the "Leaf
Cup," botanically Polymnia uvedalin, belonging
to the composite or Aster tribe of plants. A
species -Polymnia edulis has been introduced in-
to Europe from Bolivia, having roots like the
Dahlia, which also belongs to the composite
family, and which are said to be almost or quite
as good as sweet potatoes when cooked. 24 lbs.
weight can be had from one plant. It is ad-
vertised in Europe at 4 cents per seed, and we
suppose will soon be introduced here.

Thornless Honey Locust.— G. F., South
Pass, Pis. This is the Gleditschia inermis of
old Botanists, but now known to be raised at
times from seed of G. tr.'acanthos, the common
kind. Our correspondent makes a good sug-
gestion, that it makes a handsomer lawn tree
than the thorny variety.

Fuchsia coccinea. — Dr. Hooker, in the jour-
nal of the Linntean Society just issued, makes
the remarkable discovery that the Botanical
Magazine in 1789 figured tlie Fuchsia marjellanica
as the Fuchsia coccinea. Almost all the plants
in cultivation are of this species, having the
leaves tapering at the base. The true F. cocci-
nea, has the leaves heart shaped at the base.
The common one is a native of Chili ; but the
country of the true F. coccinea, has never been
found.

Seeds from Mr. Bridgeman.— Mr. B.,
whose advertisement appears in our regular col-
ums, sends a few samples, which suggest to us
to note how great are the advantages which our
modern amateurs have over the florists of the
past aij;e, in learning what things are, and how
to grow them. Formerly the bare name was on
each seed package ; now a neat label with a
complete history goes on each. The following
is a sample :

CENTRANTHUS MACROSIPHON.

Nat. Ord.,. Valerianaeea3. Linn., Monandria Digynia.

Hardy Annual I'ift. Fl. bright rose. June to August.

Native of Grenada. Introduced 1849 .

A showy annual fur largo beds and borders. Sow out
of doors in any ^ooil soli, in March or April, and cover
lisihlly. For late llDwerinj^, seed may al.so be sown in
May. Succeeds best in light soil.

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJ^THLY.

April

BOOKS, CATALOGUES, &C.

PROCEEDrxng OF THE TWELFTH SESSTON OF THE

AMi:firrAV PoMOT.or.iCAi. Society. Held In Phila-
delphia, September 1SC9.

This, at first clanoe, does not seem so full as
some wliich have before appeared ; but a close
examination shows how much labor has been
spent on it by the Secretary, and how well the
matter in his hands has been sifted,— or as a
i^ood housewife would say, " boiled down.'' It
is, we think, one of the most valuable of the
series.

President Wilder's address, which was so well
received at its delivery, is still more interestinj?
in print, where we have time to take in all the
points bearing on the progress of fruit culture.
The Treasurer's Report,— a sure test of the suc-
cess of a society,— shows a prosperous state of
affairs.

The discussions at the session are briefly but
pithily r.^ported. A feature of this session is,
that chiefly the newer fruits were discussed, as
the merits of the older ones, as adapted to dif-
ferent sections of the union, were gone over by
the Fruit Committee which met in New York,
in February previous, whose report was adopted.

To those who attended tlie Convention, the
most interesting part of these proceedings will
probably be the extracts from correspondence
and reports of Committees.

Amongst other good ideas, we glean the fol-
lowing facts : The foreign fruit Committee, re-
port on many new varieties ; some bad, others
indifferent, and a few " very good " to " best."
Amongst those in Pears are Andre Desportes, an
early sort; Benrre Dumont ; Louise Bonne de
Printemps, figured in our second volume, ripen-
ing in February. Foreign Grapes, Mrs. Ptncc's
Black Muscat "will prove to be the finest late
grape," which is ri-sking much to say ; Due de
Magenta, black, '"two weeks earlier than Black
Ilainliurg;" Early Smi/rna Frontignac, enrViost
of this class ;" Jura Blax± Muscat, "valuable ;"
Cliampion, "better than Black Hamburg,"
whjf.h, as the nowspipcrs say, is important if
true. Amongst Foreign Strawb.rries, Perpetual
Pine gets good praise. Of Apples, many are
named, of which a '• few will be important addi-
tions to the catalogue of usiiful sort.s," say the
Committee. Only descriptions arc given ; no
opinions being hazarded as to which tlie " most
useful sorts " will apply. In I'cars thorc is less

reserve. The Committee believe FooVs SecTcel
"is really a first-c\ass Pear*," Mount Vernon
"ranks as best;'' Dr. Eeeder is "valuable for
amateurs," probably because it is " small" as
well as " delicious ;" Mary is a "very good July
Pear.'' .S<ira/i Is "nearly best." Bedfield \s an
Utah seedling, like and ripening with Bartlett ;
Sam Brown, nearly best. The only one which
the Committee ventured to call best, was one
from Salem, N. J., called Mannington, a "small
red and yellow fruit.''

The "great fight " is generally about Grapes.
The Committee seemed to feel they that they
were walking over a battle-field, and all the char-
acters are given with a " said to be" reserve. Of
"Walter they say, however, unconditionally,
" promising well."

Of Strawberries which "promise to be valua-
ble," are President Wilder, Charles Downing,
Nicanor, Philadelphia, Ida, Barnes', Boyden's
30, Moore, Michigan, Lady of the Lake, Clinton,
and America.

Of Raspberries, Mrs. Wood is said to be doulile
the size of the common Black-cap ; and the
"McCormick, Miami, or Mammoth Cluster," is
deemed "valuable."

The correspondence is very valuable, but to
which only a perusal will do justice.

Members get the volume free. Two dollars
sent to Thomas P. James, Cambridge, Mass.,
will entitle one to membership.

Frost & Co 's Genekal Catalogue. Rochester, N. Y
Frost & Co , in sending this say : "We are
very anxious to have as correct a catalogue as
possible, but works of reference are scarce, and
we should be much obliged if j'ou would make
any corrections 30U may note. " Tiie catalogue
referred to is so remarkably creditable t® the
getter up of it, that only for this note we might
have simply passed it by with the general com-
mendation that it was "well done.'' Certainly
the errors are not more numerous than the
" types" might be charged with. But as we are
asked to criticize, and as we note a few errors,
which though perhaps trilling, may, as accwracy is
a good thing to aim at, point them out, especial-
ly as the said errors are very often met with.

Crattcgua oxycantha should be oxyacantha,
having reference to its sharp spines ; Liquidam-

1870.

THE GARBEJVER'S MOJfTHLY.

ber should be Liquidambar (a very common
error) ; Sorbus vestata slionld be vestita (but this
is probably a typoirraphical error) ; Yirsjilea
should be Virgilia. But really this should be
Cladastris. Rafinesque gave it this name, but in
former times American botanists were not re-
garded by European men of science with as
much veneration as they deserved. The tree has
subs'-quently been proved to be not a Virgilia,
and that Tlafinesque was ri^ht in making it dis-
tinct. Cladastris tivctora is the right name for
the Yellow "U''ood. Thuja gigantea, may or may
not be correct. The real Thuja gigantea is no
great acquisition to our list of hardy plants ; but
nine-tenths of all the "Thuja gicrantea" in cul-
ture are Libocedrus decurrens, which is a good
thing. We pointed out the difference in our first
volume, but the truth progresses slowly. "Wel-
lingtonia should be Sequoia. The name "Welling-
tonia was given when the plant was supposed to
be distinct from Sequoia, — which it is now con-
ceded not to be.

These are very few corrections to be made in
so very large and full a catalogue.

Grape Cclture at Erie.

"We have before us an address delivered at
Erie, before the Lake Shore Grape Growers' So
ciety, Oct, 15, 1869, by Mr Griffith. It is a very
elaborate and interesting document, giving pretty
much all that is popularlyknown of Grape culture
and incidental matters up to the present time.

TirR Amkricajt Xatitralist for March.

This is one of the most interesting of the se-
ries. If any one has thought the articles, valua-
ble as they have been, were not varied or numer-
ous enough, they will find it corrected now.
Botany, Geology, Zoology, Anthropology, an<J
other branches of science, receive full attention.

John Sattl's Descriptive Cataloguk of Plants.
Washington, D. C.

Until lately the idea of colored illustrations in
Nursery catalogues was not thought of. But now
we are pleased to see that our leading nursery-
men have taken much pains to make them at-
tractive Among the finest in this respect is one
of Mr. Saul now before us ; he has a colored
plate representing the Pelargonium Andrew-
Henderson. The Geranium makes a flower as
lar^rc as the iryclrangea. As a work of art, the
picture is superb.

Thr Prairtb Fatjmer AxjirAr, ftr 1S70.

This comes late to our table. It contains
articles by L. F. Allen. Dr. Hull, Sanford
Howard. Dr. Warder, L B Arnold, Edgar San-
ders, and has a list of the ^N'urserymeu and Im-
plement Makers of the United States.

NrRSERY Catalooues.

In our last, we gave a very full list of ^J^Tursery
Catalogues. The following have since been re-
ceived : -W. J TTesser, Plattsmouth, I^eb. ; D.
W. Sargent, Rochester, IST. Y. ; B M. Watson,
Plymouth, Mass. : T. Mackenzie, Philadelphia;
L. ^lenand, Albany, N. Y. ; Bennett & David-
son, Flatbush, L. I. ; Bridgeman & Son, N. Y. ;
W. Mann. Bangor, Me ; J. L. Galloway, Mil-
ford, Ohio ; J. R. & A. Murdoch, Pittsburgh,
Pa.; Michel, Bro. & Kern, St. Louis, Mo.; Dex-
ter Snow, Chicopee, Mass.; Mahlon Moon, Mor-
risville, Pa.; Ferre, Batchelder & Co., Spring-
field, Mass.; F. L. Perry, Canandaigua, N. Y.
M. B. Bateham Painesville, O. ; S B. Conover,
New York ; T. McElroy. New York ; William
Parry, Cinnaminson, N.J.; L. Ellsworth & Co.,
Napcrvillo, Ills.; M. H. Lewis. Sandusky, O. ;
J. M. Jordan, St. Louis, Mo.; A. Manning,
Reading, Mass.

NEW AND HAliE PLANTS.

New Ivy-leaved Pelargoniu3IS. — This
section,— the Pelargonium peltatimi of botanists,
— has remained for many years apparently re-
sisting all attempts to change it. It has always
been a favorite plant in American gardening,
and the following, from the Oardener''s Chronicle^
will be read with much interest :

"In regard to the Ivy-lcavcd Pelargoniums,
such a break has been obtained that, in impor- ,

tance, it amounts to a kind of floral revolution.
What Mr. Wills has done in the way of hybridi-
zing the Ivy-leaved kinds after much patient
labor, has been imitated by Messrs. Ford and
Kckford with results similarly successful, and in
Willsii rosea, Gem of the Season (Ford), and
Lady Edith (Eckford), the floral world is put
into possession of some valuable acquisitions,
having the habit and growth of the Ivy-leaved

124

TEE GARDEA'ER'S MOJVTELY,

April,

varieties added to the novel colored flowers,
round and smooth, like those of the zonal kinds.'
For house decoration these hybrids will be most
valuable. In Coinpactum (Turner) and Mr.
Lambert (Ilarman), are obtained two i^ood addi-
tions to the variegated Ivy-leaved Pelargoniums.
With the exception of Imperatrice Eu<renie
(Downic & Co.), the gold and bronze section has
only presented subjects inferior to those already
possessed ; and of the variegated zonal section,
of which new varieties have been sparingly pro-
duced as compared with the rush of lasl year's
produce, but two golden-edged varieties have
been selected for First-class Certificates, namely,
Macbeth (Bell & Thorpe), and Peter Grieve (E.
Cr. Henderson & Son) ; and only one silver-edged
kind, namely, Lass of Gowrie (same). Of the
ordinr.ry variegated section, Bri-ht Star (Turner)
and the white-flowered Waltham Bride (W
Paul), are both good, the leaf and foliage effec-
tive the habit compact, and yet robust. That
useful section most requiring improvement, the
golden-leaved varieties, has shown no advance
on what we already possessed.

campanulate, bright blood-red flowers, with
blunt obovale emarginate segments, the two
lateral lower ones marked by a white transverse
red-spotted zone running out into a lanceolate
stripe. Introduced from Natal by Mr. Bull, and
now in the hands of Messrs. Standish & Co.,
who have successfully emploj-ed it for cross-
breeding purposes, and have now a large crop of
seedlings obtained from \i.— Florist & Pom.

Salvia splendens variegata. — In the
collection of Robert Buist, Sr.. is one of the most
promising variegated plants we have seen No
one can do without the brilliant scarlet of this
splendid variety in fall gardening ; and the effect
of this rich color must certainly be heightened
by the rich variegation of the leaves.

The Great Tree of California.— This
has done well only in special localities in the
United States. In Europe it does better. A
Golden Variegated variety of it is one of the re-

cent English novelties

AiOLA CORXUTA ALBA.-A verv pretty in-
troduction was the horned violet. Its blue flowers
being produced all summer in our flower borders.
A white variety has been raised in Eno'laud.

J^EW PLAXT.s.-In a beautiful little catalogue
now before us, from Thos. J. Mackenzie's estab-
lishment, we find many plants, of which notices
from foreign journals have from time to time ap-
peared in our cokzmns. Amongst these we no-
tice Alocasia Jenningsii, Scuttclaria niocciniana,
Bouvardia jasminoides, Viola cornuta alba,'
Clerodendron Balfouri, besides many of the new
Coleus now becoming so popular.

Aloe Croucheri — This very handsome
greenhouse succulent, somewhat resembles A.
acinaecifolia in habit, being stemless, with spread-
ing ligulate unequally trigonous leaves, a foot
long, dark green, marked with oblong whitish
spots, and bearing branched scapes, with nu-
merous long racemes of pendent curved tubular
flowers, pale rose-colored in the lower half, white
with green veins above. It has long been culti-
tivated at Kew ; origin unknown, and is now
named in compliment to Mr. Crouclier, " under
whose care the succulent plants of the lloj'al
Garden are placed, and to whose zeal and espe-
cial love for this class of plants the collection owes
much of its value and interest.'' It belongs to
the group Gasteria, of which Dr. Hooker re-
marks : " I suspect it will prove to be as good a
genus, both in habit and floral characters, as
most of Lilaccffi." — Botanical 3fagazine.

Gladiolus cruentus. A strikingly hand-
some species of Cornllig, growing from two to
three feel high, with large litiear-ensiform loaves
and a distichous spike of numerou.':! large broadly

GymnoCtRAMma Laucheana gigantea. —
A remarkably fine Gold Fern, having the general
features of G. chrysophylla, but distinguished by
its broad leafy decurrent lobulate pinnules, which
give it a peculiarly bold aspect. The under surface
is of rich deep golden color. It was raised by
M. Stelzner of Glieiit, and is said to have been
obtaiued by sowing the spores of G. Laucheana
mixed with those of G. Stelzneriana— i'//. Hurt.

MiMULUS LUTEUS ALDO-MARGINATUS.— A

variety of the well-known hardy perennial Mon-
key-flower, in whicii the leaf-stalks ar^' rose col-
ored, and the leaves broadly-margined with blush

white. It is cultivated in the Belgian gardens.—
Flore des Serrcs.

18'fO.

TEE GARDENER'S MOJVTELJ.

125

IjNTELLIGEXCE.

Peach Culture. — At a recent meeting of the
Vinelancl, N. J., Agricultural Society, Mr. J.
C. Parsons said: "A gentleman at Newport,
near Cape May, has an orchard of peach trees
12 years old. On planting, he seeded his ground
to clover, in a small circle around the tree. He
laid on a compost first, then sowed clover. The
clorer he does not cut, but allows it to die down
and grow again. The circle gradually enlarges
itself. Outside of this circle he cultivates the
ground. The result is he is not troubled with
the borer, and his trees are flourishing. This
system might be practiced in Vineland. He
will try it himself. It will save much labor of
cultivation. Strawberries, if mulched, will give
a better crop, though somewhat later. If oat
straw is laid on it keeps the fruit clean. Our
raspberries and blackberries, if mulched, would
last longer in fruit. At the North they are in
the habit of mulching with salt hay so thickly
as to prevent the growth of weeds.

Charles Downixg.— F. R. Elliott gives, in
the the Bural New Yorker, a deserved tribute to
the horticultural labors of Charles Downing.
Mr. Downing was born at Newburgh, N. Y., in
1802. He took charge of his deceased father's
grounds in 1822, admitting his brother A. J.
Downing, into partnership with him as nur-
seryman, in 1836. This partnership continued
only two years, being dissolved by the division
of the estate. During over 30 years he has
tested on his own grounds, over 2000 varieties
of fruits, excluding berries, etc. His recent re-
vision of the "Fruits and Fruit Trees of Amer-
ica," has made this the most complete work of
the kind in the world.

The Beurre D'Anjou Pear.— Hon. Mar-
shall P. Wilder thus writes to the Country Gen-
tleman : " Its merits increase in my estimation
every year. In fact, its use extends over many
months It may be ripened in October by being
placed in a tempei-ature of 60^, or it may be
to this date, (Feb. 19th,) in perfection, no other
conditions being necessary than those of a cool,
dry, nortli cellar, free from frost. Such also is
the opinion of Messrs. Ellwanger & Barry, who
have just visited me, who also had them in fine
order when they left home a few days since.
Whether for ray own table or for market, I have
no variety that surpasses it, if size and excel-
lence are considered ; and so generally is it now
sought for both in this market and Xew York,
that my crop is always engaged before the time
forgathering. Thed'Anjou sells in New York
readily for twenty-five dollars per barrel, as they
come from the trees without selection, and in
Boston at this time commands twelve dollars a
box of less than a bushel — and excellent and re-
freshing as the Easter Beurres are from Califor-
nia, my Anjous are in as perfect condition and
have kept as well as those.

Thinning Fruit. — The Country Gentleman
points out by a reference to the practice of Dr.
Hull, that over blooming injures the subsequent
vitality of fruit trees ; and from this basis
an intelligent argument in favor of thinning out
fruit buds and young fruit.

Vineland Peaches to Boston.— Last year
these went to Boston, by steamer, and netted
the shippers SI 60 per bushel. It is found a
cooler way to transport fruit than land carriage.

Orchards of Western Virginia.— These
seem ver\' successfal. Mr. T C. Hubbard in
Michigan Farmer, names the following as among
the most successful • orchardists : S. B. Peck,
S. R Sanford, George Ruddiman, J. R. Rowe,
M. O'Hara, L A. Stocking, H. L. Rood, F.
Fowler, J. B. Parks, Milo Rov.ley, B. Moulton,
John Ruddiman, II. S. Tyler. Land runs from
SIO to SlOO per acre. The best varieties are—
of apples: Red Astrachan, Sweet BoultIi, Ear-
ly Harvest, Gravensteiu, Fall Pippin, Jersey
Sweet, Baldwin, Golden Russett, Yellow Bell-
flower, King of Tompkins County, AVagener,
Seek-no Further, Tallman Sweet, and Roxbury
Russet. Peaches— Early Crawford, Hale'f. Ear-
ly, Stump the World, Rareripe and Early York.
Pears— Louise Bonne de Jersey, Duchess and
Bufl"um, on quince stock, Bartlett, Flemish
Beauty, for standards. Plums— Imperial Gage,
Green G.ige, Smith's Orleans, Coe"s (roldenDrop
and Washington. Cherries— Early Richmond,
May Duke, Elton, Yellow Spanish and Gov.
Wood. Grapes— Clinton, Concord and Dela-
ware. Blackberries — Lawton and Black Cap.
Strawberries, currants and gooseberries pro-
duce abundantly.

THE GARDEJVEIi'S MOJs''TELY.

April,

Pear Culture in Mississippi.— A Corres-
pondent of the Southern Horticulturist, says: An
old friend of his, living near Natchez or Vicks-
burg, raised and sold, before the war, §10,000
worth of Pears per annum, the whole crop sell-
ing at from $5 to 30 per bushel, and that pears
are the most profitable of any crop for their
market.

Dr. Swasey, the editor, however says, the
blight, and other diseases make pear culture
down there, uncertain in good results. Dwarf
Pears he thinks much more successful than
Standard.

liAisiNG Double Petunias —The Rochester
Express says of a visit to Yick's flower farm.
{•The Petunias have been quadrupled in size and
grown double, of various shades. The original
flower was very small, white and always single.
Now the seed produces large flowers, seventy-
five per cent of them double, and of various
beautiful shades. The double Petunias produce
no seed, and the seed to grow double flowers
from all has to be artificially fertilized every
morning with pollen from the double flowers,
which are cut off for that purpose. This opera-
tion requires great care, cutting out all the pol-
len on the single flowers so soon as they expand
It must also be performed under glass, or dews
and rains would wash off the pollen and destroy
the seed. Of coujse double Petunia seed grown
in this expensive manner is scarce snd high
priced.

Grape Culture in California— Seems
profitable. In 1867, a number ot Germans, ac-
quainted with grape culture, etc., purchased
(for $-2 an acre) some 1260 acres in the valley of
the Santa Anna river, Los Angeles county, Cal-
ifornia. They divided this land into twenty
acre lots, with streets between them; certain
parts were, of course, reserved for pu'lic uses.
Furthermore, a town was laid out ; each of the
original proprietors had one lot in it. At this
moment there are a million of bearing vines at
that settlement; 100,000 gallons of wine and
10,000 of brandy are made annually, and the
association has an agency for their sale in San
Francisco.

MiaNONETTE IN LiviNG RooMS.— I have
learnt a useful lesson, not from my own practice
but from— well, it must come out, from the trar-
dener's wife. About six weeks ago I took
home to my wife to place in our living-room a
pot of mignonette, then in full flower, and, of

course, gave up all charge of it. Now, under
her care, the same plant is to this day carrying
quite a respectable appearance, for it has never
ceased to flower and give off its perfume. It has
stood close to the glass on the window-ledge in-
side and had no air, for the room is entered from
a pa.ssage. However, here is the secret of its
well-doing; it has had but little water; that is
to say, only once a week. "When water is given
it is taken into another room, and the whole ball
of the earth is gently moistened, and the plant
returned to the window again. When 1 con-
trast the condition of this plant with those in
the garden that have had to do the same duty in
the rooms of the mansion, I may well say I have
learned a useful lesson, for only after a few days
mignonette plants return from the house half
dead with nothing but yellow leaves. All plants
which go for indoor decoration are undtr the
care, for the time being, of one of my active as-
sistants, who, in the case of keeping mignonette
in bloom and good health, has simply failed by
giving it too much water. Perhaps some others
may profit by the lesson taught me. — J. C. C. in
English Journal of Horticulture.

Suspended Animation. — I have read of tree=!
remaining dormant for a season, but I shall te I
of a case that is probably unique of its kind,
'there used to grow against a wall of my house a
Virginian creeper. It was an old plant with a
stem thicker than any man's arm, and it spread
across to the next house, and my neighbor has as
good a share of it as myself. By some accident
the stem was broken or cut through — I think it
occurred when some workmen were about the
place. Well, it was cut down to the ground and
the place was paved over for some distance round
about, for the roots of the plant were in a 3ard.
Last summer, to my surprise, a strong shoot of
Virginian creeper started by the edge of a paving-
stone and grew four or five feet. That shoot is
now pushing a new growth, and I have no doubt
at all that my creeper will be restored on the
very spot where it stood before. The story so
far may appear nothing extraordinary. I must
add that between the disappearance and the re-
appearance'of the plant/o«7' years have elapsed.
That there may be no mistake about my mean-
ing, let it be understood that we saw nothing of
it through four successive summers. I suppose
some part of the root, still alive, was quickened
by the intensely hot weather of 1868. — James
Crute in London Journal of Horticulture.

1870.

TEE GARDEJVER'S MOJYTELY.

HORTICULTUEAL NOTICES.

PENNSYLVANIA HORTICULTURAL
SOCIETY.

The March monthly meeting was held on the
14th inst. It was a fair average exhibition, and
aflorded many objects of interest.

Perhaps the most attractive feature was the
collection of cut Camellias from Mr. T.J. Macken-
zie. Not only beautiful in themselves, they
were tastefully displayed, which care gave them
a double charm. An\ougst the numerous varie-
ties, we note the following as the best :— A. J.
Downing, Peter Mackenzie, Dunlap's Imbricate,
Haines' Blush, Wm. Niblo, Douole White, Cup
of Beauty, Duchess de Orleans, Reiae de Eleurs,
Archduchess Augusta, Ochroleuca.

Another very attractive thing was the table
design of cut flowers from Mr. A. Gibson's gar-
dener. It was in the form of a diminishing
series of temples, one above another. We have
seen similar designs exhibited, which were really
ugly; but the taste and judgment exercised on
this, made it one of the most beautiful objects
ever exhibited here. The lower ''hall" if it
might be so termed, was constructed chiefly of
Camellias, Azaleas and other heavy, and deep
colored flowers ; while the upper had mostly
spraye}', light colored, and graceful forms. It
was no doubt this judicious arrangement which
gave so pleasing an effect. On the upper por-
tion we noted that Spiraea lieevesii. Sweet Alys-
sum and Maiden Hair Fern, (Adiantum Concin-
num) had been freely used. Mr. Dreer had
beautiful Dwarf Cinerarias, Pansies and other
good things, for which he is so famous. There
were several good collections of Azaleas and
other plants, but nothing superior to what we
have had on former exhibitions.

The vegetable department was chiefly sus-
tained by Mr. G. Iluster, gardener to Mr. Heyl;
and Mr. Satterthwaite. The former had Cauli-
flowers, and good lettuce. The chief attraction
in Mr. Salterthwaite's collection was in the Ra-
dishes and Asparagus. For forced Asparagus,
we never saw better ; and we were glad to learn
from Mr. S. that it had proved one of the most
profitable of his market garden crops. In
making up his hot beds for early Lettuce and
Radishes, he fills the whole bed with strong As-
paragus roots. The Lettuce and Radishes are
irrown on the surface of the s.ime bed. The As-

paragus comes through, and interferes very little
with the quantity or quality of the Radishes or
growth ; while from a dollar to a dollar and a
half for a bunch of 25 or 40 stalks, adds consid-
erably to the quantity and quality of the con-
tents of his purse. It should be remembered,
however, by those who calculate profits, that
Mr. Satterthwaite, uothwithstaudiug his emi-
nence as one of our leading market growers,
does nothing with middle men or commission
merchants, "but with his own hands to the plow,
goes himself over the field of the retail market,
and of course gets the best prices. President
Schafter has some fair specimens of the Boston
market Celery, a dwarf, crisp, sweet variety.
Apples were very well represented by Saml. W.
Noble, and President Schaffer. The Pennock of
the former, was so very fine, that no one is will-
ing to believe in its "running out,'' and with
the noble Fallawater, also exhibited, many look-
ers on felt proud of these two of " Pennsylvania's
favorite sons." Mr. Noble had also a kind we
never saw before, called Kennedy Bed. It is
something of th3 style of Cooper's Redling, but
the calyx is still more closed, the basin still
shallower, and the whole of the apex with a
more "pinched up" appearance. The stalk
cavity is also narrower and deeper than Cooper.
Another Apple not seen before on our tables
was from President Schafter, though originally a
New Jersey Seedling, called the Sweet Cann. It
is oblong, conic, almost rivalUng the Gilliflower
in this uncommon form; but the color is light
yellow, with numerous black dots ; and, on the
sunny side, a beautiful light rosy blush. As a
sweet apple it is certainly superior to the very
popular Talman Sweet.

•••••

GENEVA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.
AVe have the following encouraging letter from
Geneva, and hope as many as can will recipro-
cate the Secretary's kind wishes :

"Should you at any time visit this "benight-
ed region,'' we should be only too glad to have
you time your visit so as to be at one of our
weekly meetings. We have a good room and
have full attendance every week, and many ac-
tive working members. In fact, although only
a little over a year old, we are full of vim and
vigor. We had two successful exhibitions last
summer, and expect to exert ourselves the

128

THE GARDEJs'EU'S M0:NTRLY.

April,

comin,^ Sprint,' and Fall We shall hold an ex-
hibition in June, at which time, the "Western
New York Horticultural Association will meet
with us, and we intend to have a good and
profitable time. Want all the assistance we
can got from abroad, and trust we shall have a
full delegation from Philadelphia, when the

meeting is held.

Yours truly,
CfEO. S. CoNOVER, Cor. Sec.

MICHIGAN STATE POMOLOGICAL
SOCIETY.

Officers for 1S70.

President, Dr. 11. G. Sanders,
Treasurer, Hon. S. S. Fuller,
Secretary, A. T. Linderman,
The office of the Society is at Grand Kapids,
Mich., where the next meeting will be held on
the 1st. Tuesday in April next.

leme. The Seckel, a smaller pear sold at 6 cents a
piece, as fast he could pick them from the trees.
After he had two or three crops he says to me :
"Mr. Pennoyer, how are your pear trees that
you took to your farm ? Mine are all dying out."
Said I, "there is a very good reason for that ;
you took too much pains with them. You stim-
ulated them too much. You got an un-
natural growth, and the frosts of winter
struck the branches and the bli„'ht runned
through the bark to the wood and finally killed
the whole tree." I merely set my poor trees in
the earth with no manure, and nothing to enrich
the soil. 1 let the grass grow round the trees.
I do not allow the grass to be disturbed for any-
thing. I trim and use the knife freely so as to
bring the tree into exact proportions, or just the
shape my taste may desire. In my opinion that
is the true way to raise pear trees.

WESTERN MICHIGAN FRUIT GROWERS
CONVENTION.

This meeting, on the 8th of February, at
Spring Lake, was one of the best successes of
Western Conventions. The town has a Horti-
cultural Hall, and the spirit of Horticulture is
not only alive in the place, but decidedly active.
The gentlemen who spoke were numerous, and
distinguished for their general intelligence. In
talking of Peach culture there was a singular
unanimity, that high and dry land was the best.
The prospects for Peach culture were very good
for this region. Whether soil should be poor or
rich, — or as to what was the best system of cul-
ture, there was no harmony. Grape culture was
considered profitable, with the somewhat sus-
picious condition of "proper varieties ' being
employed. On Pear culture, Hod. ;,M. Pennoyer
d3tailed some interesting experience. He said :
" I claim to be the first in this town to start
fruit culture. I made up my mind that I would
cultivate a garden and would see what I could
do with pears. I had these trees a couple of
years when Mr. John AV. Cook said to me, " I
want to buy two village lots off your garden."
We agreed on the price and he took them. In
the Spring, he went and dug the dirt away
around his trees some four or five feet, and went
down into the earth three or four feet and filled
it up with compo-^t manure. The result was he
had a splendid growth of pears for two or three
years, and pears that commanded readily 25
cents a piece. They were Uuehess d'Angou-

THE LAKE SHORE GRAPE GROWERS
ASSOCIATION.

Met on the 16th of Feb., at North-East, and
decided to hold their fall exhibition there. Prun-
ing and traimng the grape was freely discussed.
Messrs. Moss, Babcock, Dodge, Griffith and
Hubbard all gave their experience. All had tol-
erabb, good success, although their iJracLices all
mainly differed from one another.

Mr. Griffith, the retiring President, then
thanked the Association for the courtesies ex-
tended to him during the past year, and iu a
happy speech, introduced Mr. Mottier, the Pres-
ident elect.

Vice Presidents, A. S. Moss, Fredonia; J. P.
Vincent, Erie ; A. S. Couch, Westfield ; C. L.
Iloag, Lockport; J. A. White, Girard.

Treasurer, Robert Evans, Erie.

Secretary, J. W. Fall, North-East.

Mr. Evans asked that he might be excused,
and on motion, he was excused, and Stephen
Griffith, Esq , of North-East, substituted in his
place.

MUSKINGUM COUNTY (O.) HORTICUL-
TURAL SOCIETY.

This appears to be a very useful and prosper-
ous society. The President's address, (S. Jacobe
Moore, Esq ,) is one of the most interesting of
many similar documents that have come on to our
table this year ; and we have laid it by in hopes
to bo able to use it wholly or in part in the
future.

DEVOTED TO

Horticulture, Arhori culture, Botany and Rural Affairs

EDITED BY THOMAS MEEHAX.

Old Series, Vol. XII.

MA Y, 187 0.

Neio Series, Vol. III. No. 5.

HINTS rOE MAY,

FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE
GROUND.

A frieud remarked to the writer recently, that
he thought it a great mistake tliat more decidu-
ous material was not employed for ornamental
hedges. In some respects we agree with him.
Wherever perpetual screens are desired, Ever-
greens should undoubtedly be chosen. For win-
ter effect also, Evergreen hedges cannot be dis-
pensed with. They give at that season a warmth
and cheerfulness, which contrast agreeably with
the prevailing bleakness of other things. Again
when there are parts of the grounds particular-
ly gay in summer time, evergreen hedges, judi-
ciously placed, 'tone down other parts of the sce-
nery with excellent taste. But as we usually see
them,evergreen hedges are very much outof place,
— or if the hedge itself is desirable, much better
results would be obtained from deciduous plants,
rather than from Evergreens. We have thought
that perhaps some account of the best deciduous
plants for hedges might not be quite unseasona-
ble ; for although too late to plant now, it will
serve to lead people who do not know the plants,
to make their acquaintance at this growing sea-
son.

In our mind, there is nothing more beautiful
than a hedge of European Hornbeam, Carpinus
betnlus. It has no flowers of consequence, true ;
but when it pushes forth its new growth in
Spring, there is no one but will admire it.
The shoots are then pendulous, and the silvery
plaited leaves are laid alternately, the one over-
lapping the other. As a specimen for lawn
adornment, few things are more popular than a
good Hornbeam ; but in a hedge the effect is
heightened. The American Hornbeam does not
grow quite so close, but has a special beauty in

its rich colored leaves in fall. There is not a
prettier sight in the word, than a hedge of
American Arborvitiie in the fall of the year. For
colored leaved plants in early summer, the gol-
den leaved variet}'' of Spircea opulifolia, called S.
aurea, is a grand hedge plant. The leaves are
as deep a yellow as the flowers of ForsjjtJda vir-
idissima, and have a very unique appearance.
We have not known any other Spirceas used to
any great advantage. The Beech is employed
with ver}' good results. Its tvviggy branches
make a good strong mass, which would almost
make a protective fence for a farm. The Cork
barked Maple, Acer campestre, makes a very
strong, and peculiar looking hedge, which is
valuable from its looking like nothing else but
itself. The European Alder we have heard sug-
gested, but have not seen it so that we could
judge practically ; but it is worth trial, especial-
ly for its very rapid growth. The different Haw-
thorns are well known for their perfect adap-
tation to hedge plant purposes. The English,
the Washington {Cratceguscordata) and the
Cockspur [C. crusgalli)^ are the kinds employed
The purple and green leaved Berberries, the
Calycauthus or Sweet Shrub, Forsythia or Gol-
den Bell, Altheas, Privets, Pynis japonica, Li-
lacs and Tamarix, about complete the list.

Evergreen trees and shrubs are generally the
safest to move, just befoi'C the young buds push,
or even after they have started considerably.
Those with broad leaves, such as Mahonias,
Yews, Euonymus, Tree Box, etc., should be
planted only on the north side of buildings, fences,
or screens ; or under the shade of trees or bushes.
The great danger in the latter case is, that they
will become too dry in summer, by the roots of
the trees abstracting so much moisture from the

130

THE GABDEJVER'S MOJVTHLY.

May,

soil. This is the common cause of faiUire with
the Rhododendron, Kalniia, and similar ever-
greens, which it is often attempted to grow un-
der the shade of trees. In this case the proper
course of procedure is to dig out the bed, pro vious
to planiinu the evergreens, two feet deep; filUag
in or mixing with the natural soil some spongy
or fibi'ous material. This will keep the soil
moist and cool through several summers, until
the roots of the covering timber, attached to so
much loose and moist soil, will be pretty trou-
blesome. When this trouble arises, the way to
proceed, is to dig out all around the mass of
evergreens two feet deep, severing all the roots
that have interloped from the trees — and this
should be repeated every few years, or as often
as the soil seems to suffer from drought through
the summer season. By this care, which in prac-
tice is found very trifling, evergreens thrive with
a vigor and beauty in our climate that is truly

surprising.
The system of bedding plants has called for a

new class of character. Formerly viewed as
'■florist's flower," a Verbena, for instance, would
require roundness of form in the individual flow-
er as a first requisite. The lobes of the edges of
the border 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 im-
provers should be devoted to th'S end. Seedling
raising with this view is very interesting, and
we would recommend all our amateur friends to
trj' their hands at it. It is a highly interesting
source of gratification even in itself. The way
to proceed is to note some variety that approach-
es nearly to the desired shade, and select seed
from these. The next season some flowers will be
produced probably deeper, and in a few genera-
tions,by careful annual selection each time, the de-
sired shade can bo obtained. The old noLif)n that
'•like produces like,'' is a fallacy. There is
always more or less of diflerence in the progeny
from its progenitors, though mo.st generally so
slight that we do not observe it ; but a little art
added to nature's own process, brings out the va-
riations very remarkably. Where quite diflerent
characters to the original are desired, hybridiza-
tion 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 selected for fertilization soon after
they have expanded, and the one used as a fer-
tilizer chosen when matured. 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 better ; the
pollen from the stamens of the one is more cer-
tainly carried to the other. When hybridizing
is carried on with nicety, it is best entirely to
remove the anthers with a pair of scissors before
applying the pollen of the other kind. Tliis les-
sens the chances of self-fertilization, and renders
the operation either a certain failure to jiroduce
seed at all, or a different race^^from its parents
by the seeds so produced. Xew fraits may be
produced in the same way. It was at one time
supposed all these productions were mules, and
though they might produce flowers in their pro-
geny, would not produce fruit, and so the opera-
tion 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 excep-
tion than the rule.

The first week in May is usually the time to
set out Dahlias. They do best in a trenched
soil, say 18 inches deep at least, and prefer cow-
manure to any other when it can be obtained.
If planted on thin or dry soils, ihey will not
bloom till near the approach of frost, when the
chief enjoyment of the Dahlia is lost, It is best,
where possible, to plant a duplicate of each
kind.

Tuberoses should also be planted this month,
but they like warm, rich, sandy soil ; though,
like the Dahlia, they do not like dry soil. As a
rule, Tuberoses that flowered last fall will not
do so this, but the offsets will do so the year
after.

FRUIT GARDEN.

Look out for insects. If taken in time and de-
stroyed, they seldom become troublesome. These
relx;ls gain strength only by time. Fruit trees
swelling their fruits, are always improved by a
soaking of water just before ripening. This is
particularly true of the Strawberry. Corn stalks
make a good mulch for the Strawberrj', — some-

1870.

THE GARDEJ^^ER'S MOJYTHLY.

131

thing is necessary to keep the fruit clean. As
fruit trees push out new shoots, pull out vigo-
rous ones, to strengthen tlw weaker. Thin out
fruit where Uicre is danger of over-bearing,
^vhich newly pknted trees often will do. Black-
berries and Raspberries, set out in spring, may
kill themselves by overbearing. It is pardon-
able to wish for some fruit Wxa first year. If a
tree seems to be growing freely, some fruit may
be left. Cut out Black-knot, or any syptoms of
disease that maj' appear, and as they appear.

VEGETABLE GARDEX.

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 vegetable gardening will be avoided. Hoeing
or earthing up of most garden crops is of im-
mense 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 i-ea-
son of this, but in this column we try to confine
ourselves to "hints,"" and leave reasons to our
other departments.

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, however, must be sown in very rich soil,
and in a partially shaded situation, or it will go
to seed. Peas, Beans, and other crop?, 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.

Melons, Cucumbers, Corn, Okra, Squash,
Beans, Sw^eet Potatoes, Lima Beans, Pepper,
Egg-plants, Tomatoes and other tender vegeta-
bles that do not do well till the sun gets hii^h,
and the ground warm, should go into the soil
without delay.

Bean poles should be set before the beans are
planted ; and near cities where they are compara-
tively high priced, their ends should be charred.
This will make them last some years.

COMMUNICATIONS,

LETTERS FROM THE PACIFIC COAST,
NO. V.

San Francisco, Cal., Oct. 30t/j, 1869.

Dco.r yionthly : The markets of a city arc very
likely to give one an unprejudiced opinion of the
resources of the surrounding country ; .so our first
visit in this place was to its market houses,
which we found conveniently situated in a cen-
tral locality, and erected in a very substantial
manner. Upon entering tlie spaciou^s doorways,
our attention was immediately directed to the
great variety and teauty of the fi«sh deixirtment
In my visits to similar places, in many of the
larger cities of the Eastern States, I have never
seen anything to equal it ; and although we no-
ticed many familiar looking types of our own
species, 3'et there existed a peculiar appearance
that at once marked them as being distinct, as
well as very characteristic of the western wa-
ters. Leaving the fish, we next approach the
game-dealers, and once more are obliged to con-

fess how superior the supply of every descrip-
tion, to the majority of our housas at home.
Quails both mountain and valley species ; Grouse
in variety; Babh/ts, or rather /farcsof very lan^e
size; Wild Ducks of many]^inds; Venison in
abundance ; Terrapins^ Oysters, ShrimjJS, &c.,
and indeed all in such large quantities, that we
were surprised to find one cit}- consuming so a great
a supply. Nearing the fruit stands, we were
soon enjoying the pleasure of examining the fine
collection spread out before us ; and let me say
that it is not alone owing to their very large size
which gives the Californian specimens their welj
merited celebrity, but to their very beautiful ap-
pearance and regularity of shape as well. I un-
derstand that curculio marks have been scon
here, but wilh the closest observation, I did not
find a sijigle puncture. Apples and pears were
oft'ered by the barrel, the specimens in each so
exactly alike in size, color, and indeed every
other quality, that there could be no possible

THE GAIiDE^^ER'S MOJVTHLY.

May,

choice in the whole lot. Baldwin, Rhode Island
Greening and j^Esopus Spitzenberg, were espe-
cially fine in appearance, and Bellefleur enor-
mously large. Large heaps f oranges, limes
and lemons, fresh from Mexican plantations,
were displayed in profusion, and of first quality
in size and color. Cranberries from the East
were selling at ^18 per barrel ; and a large fruit-
ed speciesof Tree Cranberry from Oregon, not un-
like Fi6urjiMTOq/Ji</w« in appearance, were offer-
ed at a less price.

The Grapes made a glorious show, not only in
the vast quantity offered for sale, but in size,
color and flavor also. The Black Hamburg was
fully equal to any specimens of that variety
grown under glass at home. It is not however, a
popular market fruit here, owing to its tender
tlesh. The flame colored Tokay is considered
the most reliable and profitable kind grown. It
is of large size, ripens readily, is a beautiful pink
in color, but unfortunately of rather poor quali-
ty. Bunches of this variety weighed 1, 2 and 3
])ounds each, respectively. The Muscat of Alex-
andria was remarkably fine, as it always is in the
East when properly ripened, and although not
very extensively grown, is most excellent in fla-
vor, A very peculiar smallish black gi-ape of
foreign parentage, although a native of the State,
appeared to be exceedingly popular, judging
from the quantity offered for sale. The bunches
were verj' long and somewhat open in structure,
after the manner of the Palestine. In quality,
it was only medium, but very juicy and refresh-
ing. Numerous other seedlinus of the place, of
less prominence, were also on sale, but none suf-
ficiently good for extensive cultivation. The
vegetable gardeners were offering their produc-
tions in a tempting manner, fresh from the sur-
rounding farms. Great heads of luscious look-
ing Cauliflowers, Green-curled Savoy and other
(Cabbages of large size ; String Beans, Peas,
Brussel Sprouts, young Radishes ; crisp, firm
lieads of Lettuce; huge bunches of well blanch-
ed Celery, Strawberries emitting a delightful
fragrance ; Potatoes that would assuredly gratify
the most insane disciple afflicted with the "po-
tato-mania ;'' and all this just as the wintry
weather is fast locking up our vegetable re-
sources at home.

Alter leaving the market, we next visit the
Mechanic's Institute Fair, which is now in sue
ccssful operation in the city. Passing by the
many objects of interest in the Mechanic arts,
we Boon arrive at tlie Horticultural Department,

which is fitted up with considerable taste.
Larger specimens may possibly be met with at
our fairs at home, but I very much doubt if any
collection could possibly comprise a more uni-
form display than was here shown.

As my time was limited, I hastily made a few
notes of some of the finer contiibutions as I
passed along the tables, and accordingly repro-
duce them here. B. S, Fox of San Jose, exhibi-
ted Gloria Mundi apples more like small pump-
kins in size, than anything else, and I presume
in texture as well. Bachelor a very large striped
apple, was attractive in ajipearauce, and elicited
universal admiration ; Chester Red "Winter was
another immense variety of a deep red color,
also handsomely strijied ; Baldwin, Fallawater
and Bellefleur, were all as fine as any I have
seen at home. An adjoining display from
Sonoma Co., embraced Gloria Mundi, Tompkins
Co. King, R. I. Greening, Bellefleur, Golden
Russett and Baldwin, all so large and beautiful,
I could scarcelj' detect them. Close by, were
three apples from Oregon of such enorfvous pro-
portions, that to name them was entirely out of
the question ; but a guess, Gloria Mimdi would
not be far wrong. One of these measured fifteen
inches in circumference. A splendid display of
Grapes was presented by R, S. Thompson, pro-
prietor of the "Hope "Vineyard." Well ripened
Muscat of Alexandria was, however, the attrac-
tive object in the collection, although there were
excellent bunches of Flame -colored Tokay and
other kinds. Other gentlemen presented credit-
able displays of Grapes. A large collection of
Apples from Placer Co., was shown by J. R,
Nickerson. J. Strentzel of Alhambra, in addi-
tion to a large and beautiful assortment of grapes,
had Oranges grown in the open air, hard and
soft Shelled Almonds, Pomegranites, &c. This
was a decided feature in the Hall. R. Kercheral
exhibited enormously large Apples and Pears.
On one plate I noticed an apple weighing 1.^ lbs.
and a pear 2i lbs, D. T, Adams of San Jose,
made a very creditable display of Apples and
Pears. L A. Gould of the same place, gained
the prize for "best collection of fruits." In this
displaj', I noticed a plate of Catallac Pears, one
of which weighed 1 lb. II oz., and all appeared
alike in size. The great variety and remarka-
bly fine appearance of this contribution, elicited
very geneiTil remark. I noticed a single bunch
of grapes taken from a seedling vine, which

weighed 7 lbs. ; in general appearance it was not
unlike Black Barbarosa, but inferior in quality

1870'

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJ^THLY.

133

to the latter. Some of the California vineyard-
ists are now experimentinsf with the foreign va-
rieties of the crape grafted on our native kinds,
under the belief that such a course will impart
to them a more hardy constitution ; hut the spe-
cimens on exhibition were certainly not corrobo-
rative of this theory. I tasted Muscat of Alex-
andria taken from a vine that had been worked
on an Isabella root, and which was quite below
the usual standard of this time-honored variety.
Through the kindness of the Committee in
charge, I was enabled to test some of the finest
looking specimens ofBeiirrc d'Anjou and Glout
Morceau Pears I had ever seen, but I am obliged
to add they were very far inferior to the same
varieties grown in the East,— that is, so far as
flavor was concerned. The texture was coarser,
and notwithstanding there was a certain amount
of sprightliness and juice, they lacked the per-
fume and richness so essential in a first class
fruit. I was greatly interested in the tables de-
voted to the display of dried and preserved
fruits, and can sincerely say that nowhere have
I ever seen more beautiful Figs, Raisins and
Prunes, than were here shown ; and I cannot see
anything to prevent California from competing
successfully with foreign countries in producing
these remunerative articles. Apples and Pears
were also admirably conserved, and neatly arran-
ged in boxes ina very tempting manner. In the de-
pTrtment allotted to fruit, my attention was di-
rected to a branch not two feet in length, on
wJiich was grown and perfected the present sea-
son, fifty fine sized Louise Bonne Pears ; near
by was suspended a life size photograph of the
same, — a wonderful example of the profuseness
of ihese western fruits. The Committee in-
formed us, that last season a gentleman exhibi-
ted before the Society, a pear weighing 4| lbs. ,
but the name was not known. I should be very
fearful however, that as regards flavor, it would
be quite useless for the table at least. The veg-
etables were poorly represented, but the few on
exhibition were really fine. I noticed some Po-
tatoes weighing three pounds each, very smooth
and perfect ; immense Pumpkins such as we have
annually at our Eastern shows, and no doubt
quite as worthless ; and Sweet Potatoes that
were really surprising in size. One exhibitor
of the latter, showed a single bunch, the product
of one vine, with seven tnbcrs, each measuring
12 inches in length, and G inches in diameter.
Quite a good display was made of greenhouse
plants by several contributors, among which

were fine specimens of Ferns and Lycopodiums
of fair size. One firm had a nice assortment of
rare evergreen in pots, embracing many species
not hardy in the Northern States. I must not
forget the good collection of Cacti from San Jose,
de])osited by G. "VV. Tarlton. As most of this
tribe of plants succeed admirably in the open air
at the above place, my readers can readily
imagine the size and thrifty appearance of spe-
cimens grown under such circumstances. The
wine houses of the City also'contribu ted their share
to the general collection, and as California wines
are now becoming so well known and apprecia-
ted among consumers of the article, I may be al-
lowed to say it attracted much attention and ap-
peared to be one of the features, that the rcsi- •
dents prided themselves on having very superi-
or. Specimens of all the principal woods of Cali-
fornia were on exhibition, beautifully dressed
and polished to show the grain of each. It is
needless to add, they were greatly admired.

A place of considerable interest to the stranger
in San Francisco, and more especially to theNat-
uralist, is Woodward's gardens, located in what
is now the suburbs of the City. The grounds
are several acres in extent, and are prettily di-
versified with rocky eminences, mounds. &c., all
under excellent cultivation, and very neatly and
judiciously erected according to the prevailing
style of picturesque gardening. The proprietor,
with the natural love for the beautiful, and a
taste for science in all its various branches, con-
ceived the idea of devoting his property to the
establishment of a Zoological and Botanical Gar-
den. The collection of wild animals is quite ex-
tensive and rare, as are also the numerous spe-
cies of birds. In the museums may be found
mounted and very neatly preserved speci-
mens of the same in great variety; here too is
the nucleus for a complete suite of the minerals
of the State, as well as many fine shells, <&c., «&c.
For several years the founder of this beautiful
resort, threw open the gates to the public free of
charge, but as the collection rapidly increased in
size, the additional expense rendered an admit-
tance fee necessary ; but certainly no one could be-
grudge the merely nominal charge that is now ex-
acted from the visitor. The greater portion of my
time allotted to this visit, was spent among the
trees and plants, which are mostly such as will
not live in the open air with us at home ; but as
seen in this congenial mild climate, are objects
of unusual interest to the botanist at least. The
size of some of the specimens is not alone the

134

THE GARBEJ\''EU' S MOJ^TBLY.

May,

only remarkable feature, but the peculiar babit
and luxuriant growth of each, is worthy of re-
jnark.

One of the first plants upon entering the en-
closure, is a fine specimen of Spaviium juncenm
or "Spanish Broom," 1") fc-et high, and at the
time of our visit, covered with myriads of large
yelloAv pea-shaped flowers. Growing beside it,
was a large ^Icnci'a cyanophyUa from Australia,
25 feet in height and elegantly trained. A grove
of the charming native species, Pmus insuinis of
Douglas, was here seen by myself for the first
time, and greatly admired for the feathery light-
ness of its deep green foliage, and for the dense
compact habit of its growth. With us at the
Xorth, it will not stand in any situation, but
here, nothing could exceed its beautiful appear-
ance, and I can hereafter appreciate the many
encomiums bestowed upon it by our transatlan-
tic brethren. These cultivated specimens are
about 25 feet in height.

Another of the handsome native trees belong-
ing to California, was the Cupressus macroc.arpa
of Hartweg. and one of the finest species of the
Cypress fiimily ; but alas ! also unn-liable in the
Northern States. It is familiarly known as the
"^ronterey Cypress," and is particularly noted
for the size and abundance of its cones, hence
the specific name. Quite a large number of
these plants are scattered through various por-
tions of the gardens, all in the highest state of
perfection, and averaging about 15 feet high, al-
though in their native localities, they form trees
50 and 00 feet in height. Passing by a fine plant
of the Acacia linearis, with its long linear leaves
and at least 20 feet high, we arrive at the main
Cypress collection. A well marked form of the
"Common Cypress" of Europe, — Oupressus sem-
pcrvirens, was labeled var. stricta, on account I
suppose of its very erect habit of growth. C.
funebris was represented by a dense plant about
6 feet in height, but it was not in so flourishing
a condition as were otherj of the famil}'. C.
Lusitayiica was 20 feet high, and one of the very
best species seen. I must not forget the beauti-
ful hedges of C. macrocarpa, 10 feet in height,
remarkably d;.'nse, and of the brightest shade of
green. Xear the above, were growing several
large plauts of Vibunnun tiniis or "Lauresli-
nus," from 0 to 10 feet high, and all in full
bloom. An Araucaria BidwilUi, 8 feet in
height, and regularly branched, was a ]iretty
sight. This species is iVom Australia, where

it grows from

100 to 150 feet

in height.

Alnes Menziesii is here in the greatest per-
fection ; one specimen 35 feet high, was without
doubt as handsorne a plant as any conifer T ever
saw; it wasso regularly conical in outline, so dense
in form, and so very attractive in color, that for
the time being I could not resist the impulse of
envying the proprietor such a decided acquisi-
tion. One of the graceful tyj^e of so-called
"Weepers," was well represented in the Schinus
ntulti or "Peruvian Mastic Tree," a native of
South America, and seemingly pei-fectly at home
in this pure mild climate. The plant is about
15 feet high and the same in diameter (spread of
branches.) A large Casuarina not unlike a great
"Scotch Broom," was here 20 feet high. Pitlos-
porum tohira, 8 feet in diameter, with its leathery
evergreen leaves formed a pleasing object ; it
produces early in the summer a great profusion
of fragrant, cream colored flowers, but its bloom-
ing season is now unfortunately passed. Close
beside the above, was an excellent specimen of
the Acacia pidchelln, known here as the "Zigzag
Spiny Acacia ;" it comes from New Holland,
and is entirely successful at this place, forming
a round compact bush 8 feet high, and the same
in diameter. Photinia serridata a well known
Chinese species, cultivated frequently under
glass at home, is growing here 6 feet high and at
least 10 feet through. I was exceedingly pleased
to see the great i)lants of Veronica macrocorpa
scattered through this garden, each covered with
long spikes of purjjle flowers, and all thriving
with the most perfect luxuriance. Another 'Of
our old greenhouse plants is one of the fine sights
of California gardens, and that is Fabiana im-
bricata ; plants 5 to 6 feet high, each surmounted
with numerous long spikes of pure snow -wilute
flowers, must be seen to be thoroughly aj^pre-
ciated. Abutilons, 15 and 20 feet high, growing
in the open air all the year round, and always
loaded with their drooping graceful bell-shaped
flowers were very handsome of course. A spe-
cies n{ Eucalyjitis, a myrtaceous genus from New
Holland, was e.xcroedingly conspicuous and (juite
pretty. The best tree was 25 feet in height,
with long slender branches, each terminating in
a long loose panicle of green fruit. Tlie speci-
men of Sequoia r/igantca although very good, had
not the perfectly healthy appearance of those
growing wild on the Sierra Nevada. Acacia
verticilhUa, 15 feet across and the same in height,
was very line. This species, a native of Van
Dieman's Laud, succeeils admiral)ly here. The
A. cuUriforviis is more curious than handso:ne,

isro.

TEE GARDEjYER'S MOJVTHLY.

ISo

and is well represented bj' a specimen 8 feet high.
A fine plant of LejAnspcrmum 10 feet hic;h, was
uoinir well, as was also E.^icaUnnia mnntividicn^is
from Brazil, a specimen 10 feet in heiirht, show-
ing favorably its pleasing form and habit. An
Acacia dealbata 2.5 feet high, was remarkably
fine, and although it is sufficiently hardy to
stand in the open air in England, it will not suc-
ceed in the Northern States. At this place it is
unsurpassed for gracefulness ; and in addition,
to its lovely foliage, when in bloom, the rich gold-
en colored balls of flowers are delightfully fra-
grant, thus rendering it one of the most valua-
ble of the genus. A glorious specimen of Ligus-
trum lucidum or "Shining-leavad Privet" from
China, was 20 feet in height, and was conspicu-
ous for its lilac-like leaves Melaleuca armillaris
a Myrtaceous plant from New South Wales, \\as
10 feet high, and formed a beautiful specimen
with long drooping branches ; the aromatic fra-
grance of the foliage was exceedingly fine. A
pretty species of Escalionia, a Chilian plant of
considerable value for ornamental purposes, was
here 20 feet in height. Eriohotrya Japonica of
Lindley [Mef^pilus Japonica of Thunberg) usually
known as the "Japan Loquat," was remarkable
for its large leaves and showy appearance ; it
measured 10 feet in height.

Before leaving the place, we made a hurried
tour of the various conservatories and vineries,
all of which gave evidence of careful attention
on the part of those in charge. Large numbers
of strong vigorous plants of CaUa JElhiopica or
more properly Bichardia ^thinpica, were grow-
ing on the edge of a little lake, and attracted our
attention by their unusual size and vigorous ap-
pearance, being at least 5 feet high, and sur-
mounted by exceedingly large creamy white flow-
ers.

As my present letter is quite long enough, I
shall have to curtail my notes on these specimen
plants, but at the same time, I desire to advise
every one visiting this city to spend a few hours in
examining the many objects of natural history to
be found here. In my next, I will have some-
thing more to say about the gardens of San
Francisco, as well other topics not strictly hor-
ticultural.

Sincerely &c.,

JOSIAII IIOOPES.

JUDICIOUS STOCKING OF SMALL
GROUNDS.

BY TVALTER ELDER, PniLA.

This is a laudable desire with many lovers of
rural life, to grow a numerous variety and spe-
cies of ornamental trees and shrubbery, flowers,
fruits, &c ; but those who have small grounds
are often at a loss as to what species and what
number will best suit their fancies and ornament
their grounds without causing confusion in after
years ; and as many purchase rural estates every
year, it behooves all who are skilled in such
matters, to give their opinions, and those need-
ing knowledge, should subscribe for, and read
our horticultural mairazines for information, and
they may be saved hundreds of dollars, and se-
vere disappointments in stocking their lands.

An evergreen hedge around small grounds,
should be one of the first embellishments set out.
Evergreens trees being also green all winter,
may be numerously set. The different species
give diversity and impart beauty to each by their
contrast ;each one can be kept within certain limits
by annual pruning, which is very much in prac-
tice now. Some deciduous species of trees grow
larger than others, and for immediate shade
around the house, the large, of compact forms,
may be set out ; others of more dwarf habits,
may be set upon the lawn, at such distances as
will suit, and so arranged as to make a pleasing
contrast of their forms and foliage. It is the
apparent variety that gives beauty and an air of
wealth. All can be kept compact and within
proper bounds, by pruning ; so it is with shrub-
bery, both evergreen and deciduous, they can be
grown in many forms by annual clipping ; the
evergreens are clipped in April, some of the de-
ciduous are clipped in winter, others alter their
blossoming is over, others should not be clipped,
as thoy produce their blooms on top of branches,
say Lilacs Mountain Ash, Hydrangea quercifo-
lia, &c., if they grow too tall, top them just after
blooming. Many flowers are better for pruning.
By cutting off the end of running branches of
Verbena, Petunia and other creepers occasion-
ally, they will produce double the numl)er Of
blossoms, and will occupy less space ; and climb -
ei'S, by nipping off the ends of upper shoots, the
plants will branch more at the bottom.^ and bet-
ter clothe walls, franu'S,lattice work, &c ,and will
bloom dou])ly i)rofuse and more beautifully.
Fruit trees can all be kept within certain space,
and yield plenty of fruits by judicious pruning ;

136

TEE GARDEJSlER'S M0:N'TELY.

May,

the trees will also keep thriTty, and will be made
into handsome forms. So quite a variety of tree
fruits can he produced upon small grounds to
serve the family necessities, and the varieties so
selected as to give a continuance of fruits, by the
earliest, medium and late varieties. Grape vines
should have racks or arbors to climb upon, or be
trained upon them ; say Concord for early, and
others for later fruits. Berries are also nice
and wl.olesome, strawberry earliest, and later
varieties ; next follows Raspbcriy. Gooseberry
being used green for tarts, gives a change ; Black-
berries,— Early Wilson and Kittatinny, make a
long season of berries. Currants are useful when
half ripe for tarts, and for jelly when ripe. Now
let any one consider how many delicious fruits,
pretty and fragrant flowers, handsome trees and
beautiful shrubbery they can have upon an acre
or two of good land, besides vigorous health and
cheerful spirits, with fresh country air. All
must get land for gardens.

ABOUT MOULD OR FUXGI AND ANI-
MALCULiE.

BT JACOB STAIIFFER, LANCASTER, PA.

Those microscopic objects, in regard to which
much has been discovered, and rruch more re-
mains yet to be discovered and explained, and
which have much to do with vegetables and
their diseases, demands our attention.

I shall not stop to enquire into the controver-
sy as regards the origin of fungi— from the yeast
cells to the more highly organized cryptogamous
plants— or the arguments advanced to prove
"spontaneous generation," but am willing to ac-
cept the opinion, that all have their germ, and
under favorable conditions will manifest them-
selves.

A number of essays have been written
about Malaria as the cause of intermittent fever.
Dr. Salisbury has demonstrated that "Malaria''
was caused by a fungus, which he terms the
"Ague i)almella," growing in certain localities
where the soil and hygrometric conditions are
suited for their development ; and that he has
found these plants in the blood and urine, differ-
ing in no respects from the plants in their nat-
ural habitat ; and further states, that when qui-
nine is for sometime taken, it destroys the pow-
er of reproduction or spores of the plant, and is
the means of cure. Xow it is a fact, that any
vegetable solution will develop infusoria, ex-
cept that of barks, or which contain the
quinia.

Dr. Salisbury has been somewhat criticized^
but the facts remain. I will here mention a
matter that came under my observation, which
I never published or heard of. On a botanical
excursion along the banks of the Juniata river,
I took shelter beneath the rocks during a brisk
shower about noon, in the summer of 185G ; the
sun came out brilliantly, I stepped out with a
view of descending from the railroad to a flat
delta on the bank of the river. From my elevated
position, I had a fair view of the flat place be-
neath me. Casting my eyes over the field for
some object of attraction, I noticed here and
there a puff of smoke-like vapor arising from the
soil, Avhich was speedily dissipated and became
invisible ; this arrested my attention, and led me
to consider the matter. I then came to the con-
clusion that the moisture produced by the show-
er of rain, and the sudden warmth of a mid-day
sun, caused the bursting of certain puff-balls
or fungi and the apparent smoke. The dense mass
of sporules discharged, such as I have seen, form-
ing incrustations on plants in malarious districts,
and the idea then occurred to me, that that was
the "Malaria," and that I had better keep on
high ground, and change my course to hunt
along the mountain sides for the time being,
which I did, rather than risk "catching the
Ague."

How far can these sporules be conveyed ?
They can be buried up by fogs and held for a
long time, and carried to a great distance ; like
saline particles which are known to be so con-
veyed. As an evidence, we may cite the expe-
rience of the farmers on our eastern sea-board,
were fogs are frequent, and it is found that at a dis-
tance of 15 miles from the salt water, they never
need to salt the cattle, as there is enough of salt
upon the grass which they daily eat. Taking it
for granted then, that these minute germs float
in the air, and will develop under suitable con-
ditions, the question now arises, what are
those conditions ? Alternate moisture and heat,
cloudy or foggy weather, seems to be the loading
conditions to promote their development, and a
propcir nidus or combination of matter to foster
them.

But we find certain excrescences which have
puzzled mycologists and naturalists generally.
The great diversity of galls formed by insects,
which puncture the tender shoots, and cause an
extra version of the sap, which produces the gall
and forma the nidus of the larva, in which it de-

1S70.

TEE GARDEJVER'S MOJVTELl.

187

velopes. Those are pretty generally well under-
stood.

Bat an extra version of the sap can bo in-
duced In- other causes, which also result in form-
ing spongy excrescences, which on drying, be-
come hard and woody or powder. For instance,
if in early spring the weather is prematurely
mild, the blossom or leaf bud is forced before its
time ; may be subsequently destroyed by frost,
or so far altered as to produce a swelling and
rupture of the tissue, and cause granular swell-
ings, which only form a receptacle for a species
onycnjKrdon, which attaches itself and converts
it into a fungoid excrescence.

I have now before me a similar excrescence to
that sent you by Mr. Barry, growing on a young
hickoi-y tree. I can easily discover the fungus
from ihe external surface dipping downwards,
but not under the bark ; but I do trace a black
cicatrix, that seems to indicate a wound in the
bark, from which the sap exuded.

Fungoids of this class are usually (in their
early stage) formed of a gelatinous substance,
and called Tremella— but nothing is more un-
certain than the generic character, and even
the natural order of Tremella. The genus is
made up of various gelatinous productions, in
which no traces of fructification have been detect-
ed. Having no shields, tubercles or warts, they
could be referred to Lichen or its allies ; neither
have they seeds imbedded throughout their sub-
stance to make them Ulvce, much less any aggre.
gated seeds with or without a perceptible peri-
carp as in Fucus. They moreover differ from
both the latter genera, in not being submersed
AJfice. for the aquatic species are, as Roth and
Persoon observe, much better excluded. The
able cryptogamist, Persoon, refers the Tremella
to the order Fungi, but without any attempt to
show that they produce powdery seeds from the
surface of a Ilijmenlum, or superficial membrane.
Persoon defines 24 species, generally parasitical
on the bark or branches of living trees, or on
dead wood.

It would be idle to detail all the imaijinary
species of various genera by the name of Tremel-
la, Clavaria, Puccinia, &c., which authors of the
first authority have made out of similar produc-
tions. It is vain to attempt to reconcile the
statements, and I have come to the opinion that
some at least, arc mere gummy exudations,
caused by immoderate wet, accompanied by re-
sinous or ligneous particles, insoluble in water,

which give them when dry, often a powdery ap-
pearance, or of a woody character. I am aware,
objections may be advanced, but whether cor-
rect or not, it is simply my object to awaken
closer inspection ; we must observe and note
facts, be the theory what it may. I have now
studied the matter only far enough to enable me
to begin to make research the coming summer,
with a basis to start from. Any facts on this
subject will greatly interest me. All of which is
respectfully submitted.

«•■•»

CONDITIONS FAVORABLE TO PEAR
GROWING.

BY J. Vr. CLAKKE, GREEN BAY, WIS.

There can be no particle of doubt but that the
Editor of the Gardener'>s Monthly is right in em-
phasizing the opinion, that a "cool surface" of
the soil is necessary to success in growing^ Pears.
The radical difficulty we have to meet is, the
extremes of atmospheric temperature, the prime
cause of disorganization, giving rise to many
forms of disease in grape wood, and in Apple
and Pear trees. The simple principle of keeping
the surftice free from extremes of heat, may be
carried further, and applied also to the stems
and branches of Pear trees particularly.

Many years ago, Mr. Barry of Rochester, New
York, proved conclusively by actual experiment,
that rapid and extreme changes of temperature
caused leaf curl in the Peach. And as changes
in the color of Pear leaves always indicating dis-
organization, usually and quickly follow extreme
changes of atmospheric temperature, there is
little if any room to doubt, that extreme and
rapid changes of temperature, cause rupture of
of cell-growth in the leaves and albumination of
Pear and Apple trees. In 1869, vast numbers
of Apple trees here, in central Wisconsin, were
affected with what is called Pear Blight. The
edsres of the leaves curled, and turned to a dark
brown ; and this was as much the case on North
slopes as in orchards with a southern aspect ;
showing that the causes were actively atmos-
pheric.

The season, the air, and the soil, were in 18G9

more moistthan is usual; this gave a more watery
sap and succulent condition to the newer wood,
with greater heat absorbing capacity— by excess
of succulency— hence it would result that rup -
ture and Leaf Blight would prevail from excess
of moisture— to growth made in a usually dry
climate— and extreme absorption of heat, even
when the atmospheric temperature was no high-

138

TEE GARI)EJ\'ER' S MOJ^'TJTLJ.

May,

er than in average seasons. It does not seera
necessary to admit that in any instance fungoid
growth can cause disease, as these parasites are
a scavenger provision of nature to use up disor-
ganized structure. The Pear makes more rapid
succulent and tender shoots than the Apple, by
reason it forms structure and abundance of sap:
the young wood corresponding with the fruit in
this particular.

Suel Foster is said to be intending to set rows
of Evergreens on the south side of his Pear trees
with branches of Pearlapping with those of Ever-
green. This close proximity is, I think objec-
tionable, as no heat is required from the Ever-
green by the Pear, and both protection from
S. "W. winds, and shade can be as well secured
by putting the evergreens a few feet distant It
appears to me that the shade of evergreens will
be too dense or complete for the best growth of
the Pear, and that the parts of the tree alternate-
ly exposed to the ten o'clock sun. before shading,
and to the four o'clock heat afterwards would
subject the pear wood to too great changes of
temperature, besides excluding light and air in
too great a degree on the shaded side of the fruit
trees.

Equability of temperature is a great desidera-
tum, as a preventive of rupture— the great
source and seat of disease. To secure this re-
sult without too much excluding light and air, I
suggest that thrifty growing Apple, Maple, or
other deciduous trees, that are, and will continue
twice as large as the Pear trees, he set on the
S. S. "W. or two o'clock side of tlie Pears. Trees
that leaf out as easily and retain their leaves as
late as the Pear, to be benefited, can be em-
ployed; and in this way the principle of the
practice of protecting Evergreens, to secure
equality of temperature, by partial shade, may
be as easily applied to the Pear, giving it a cool-
er and more equable climate, within one of
greater extremes of heat, as we see exemplified
by the naturally cooler shaded or inter climate,
in which countless multitudes of evergreens
flourish in the woods of the far north and in the
mountains farther south. More of a practical
cast can be suggested, but for the time we will
postpone.

had much to do with their everbearing character.
This statement becomes valueless, when com-
pared with the following testimony from the pen
of an e^e witness, who saw them growing. The
Editor of the Gardener^s Monthly, at page 240,
of last year's volume says : " We have seen Al-
pines bear a few flowers occasionally from the
runners, but this one bears x>rofasehj from the
ruHners as they grow. Another bed which we
saw on the grounds of Mr. J. P. "Whiting, at
Detroit, set out on the 12th of May, was not
only bearing large fruit abundantly, but the run-
ners from them were also bearing.''

At Wintertheen an expensive system of tanks
had been built with a view of irrigating the beds
at ])]easure. "When the spring rains ceasid, ir-
rigation was commenced, and continued so
long as the beds box'e fruit, which was generally
to the end of July.

The plan adopted was to turn the water on
the beds at night and in the morning stop it off".
If water was an advantage to the plants, they
certainly had enough of it. Irrigation certainly
prolonged the fruiting seuson somewhat by caus-
ing the old stools to throw up a succession of
flowers, but I do not remember ever having seen
any r)f the growing runners show a tendency to
flower during the several years I had them under
cultivation. Occasionally some of the old stools
would throw up a few flower stalks, but so late
in the season, that the frost generally nipped
them before the fruit had attained any size.
There was one kind grown which did bear fruit
the whole season, the fruit both red and white
being inferior to the Eed Alpine. This kind
made no runners, but was increase! by division
of the stools.

ALPINE STRA"WBERRIES.

BY MR. CIIAS. CRUCKXELL, IIAKUISHURG. PA

The argument advanced by some of those who
think the Mexican Everbearing and the old Red
Alpine one and the same, is, the late wet season

CELLULAR TISSUE in the PAUL0"^YXIA.

BY PROF. RUSSELL, SALEM, MASS.

Examining a branch of Paulownia, I was
struck with the appearance of the cellular tissue
in the immediate vicinity of the buds. That
next the bark was tender, imperfect,and the cells
of smaller size, while the wood cells about the
buds or "eyes" was a transition from the cam-
bium cells ; elon'j;ating, hardening and becoming
fibrous and ligneous. The first named, and
therefore the Cambium layer or Can)biuu\ tissue,
was filled with minute granules, the contents of
the several cells yet unchanged ; those around
the eye of the buds were bent in a circular man-
ner, the incipient bud was only a more compact
granular mass, and similar but smaller masses

isro.

THE GARDEjYER'S MOJVTnLY.

ISO

■w^erc here and there found in the cells, at a dis-
tance from the eye of the bud I could find no
connection with the medullary rays, and if any-
thing is particularly wrong in the old fashioned
terms, it seems to mi calling those woody plates
'■^Medullary rays'*' is certainly so. The 3IednUa
is the pith, and pith is nothing but dead paren-
chyma, shrinking and breaking away as the
stem expands, particularly in hollow stemmed
plants, and those plants which grow rapidly.
The marrow and pith of bones are always living
structures; but of plants, of use only for a few
weeks or months of their first growth. The
analogy between animal and vegetable structure
in "pith" is only ideal, looking and seeming.
l>ut not identical or homologous. These smaller
clustered cell-concent masses I consider reserved
forces, in case the eye of the bud fails ; and hence
as they have is-ued from the cambium layer near
the normal eye in the axil of the leaf, which eye
3'ou have proved by observation becomes abor
tive, so similar ones can be created in the cam-
buim layer, which extends in a straight line
above the axillary bud to form a second, and
again above that to form a third, which in cassia
pushes and grows into the leaf stalk (you say).
Here then the node system of new leaves seems only
defective, and the true leaf, though looking like
springing from the wood, in reality springs from
the cambium tissue or layer, which is always on
the surface of the sap-wood and lines, on the
other side the inner layer of the bark. With
tins plan I can see no sort of use in the vitality
of the apex ot the medullary ray,even were I sat
isfied that it possessed vitality, because the cam-
bium layer,with its ever living cellular tissue sub-
ject to the same law of reproduction as the cellu-
lar ti.ssue of the cryptogamous plants, is alwaysca-
pable of forming possible bud germs in any part
of its extension.

Why the yet tender cambium layer or
tissue bends around in a circular manner, and
hardens in circular plates of wood so as to
form the knot at the base of the yet coming
branch, or rather of the yet to be developed
branch, I cannot imagine, but presume it may
have something to do with the s^jiral arrange-
mentof the foliageas well as of all branches; only
we see it here in its very first start, so that what
is true of the whole, is true of the part, even of
the minutest and aboriginal part, the first ligne-
ous growth of bud and stem.

[The last two paragraphs have reference to
the suggestion of a friend in reference to the uses
of the medullary rays. — Ed. G. M.]

CULTTVATIOX OF BLACK HAMBURG
GRAPES m GROUND YIXERIES.

BY J. S. HOUGHTOX, PHILADELPniA.
Read before the Pcnna. Ilort. Society, April oth, 1870.

The finer kinds of Grapes, such as the Black
Hamburg, the ^luscat Hamburg, &c., have been
much grown in England, within a few years past,
in what are called Ground Vineries or Cu-
rate's Vineries, that is, planted in the open
ground and covered with sash in the form of an
inverted V— thus : j^. This method of growing
grapes, is said to be very economical and very
successful, as many as 25 lbs. of fine grapes hav-
ing been produced on a single vine. It is a
method well suited to tenants who cannot build
vineries without danger of loss, and has found
much favor in England.

Four years ago, I commenced experimenting
with the Black Hamburg in this way, and the
result of my labor has afforded some useful hints
on grape culture generally.

jSIy first experiments were made strictly after
the English method, as described by Thomas
Rivers and others. The Black Hamburg vines,
six of them, were planted in the flower garden
in common soil, clay loam, and were covered
with two sash hinged at the top, and set in the
form of an inverted V— after the fishion of a
common chicken coop — tlius : A- The soil un-
der the sash was covered with tiles to keep the
weeds from growing. The sash were elevated
on bricks (2 inches) from the soil, and there was
a small aperture at each end of the sash for ven-
tilation. The sash were seven feet long.

The vines grew in a very thrifty and satisfac-
tory manner the first season, but it was found
that the space atibrded under the sash, say two
feet six inches in width, and about eighteen
inches in height, was not enough for the vines
and laterals. The vines according to the En-
glish method rested on tiles.

The first winter the vines were buried in the
soil, and the spring being unfavorable, they were
not brought out early enough, and were some-
what injured.

The second season the sash of the ground
vineries were ^elevated upon glass sides, or side
sash about 18 inches high, making the vineries
look something like the "French roof" or Man-
sard roof now so much in use. This gave them
a height of nearly two feet and more space gen-
erally, and the vines were suspended on wires.
The vines now had nearly room enough, and the

IJf^

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MO^'THLY.

May,

fruits. Seeds of them were sown in gardens, and |
under special culture new varieties were produced
of grcaterbeauty, and they became generally used
in arboral erabuUishinents, both in shrubbery
groups and as standards upon the open lawns,
and flourished upon all kinds of soils, and upon
rocks and poor gravels. The following are va-
rieties : Samhucus variegata, called "Silver-
leaved Elder,'' the leaves are green and white
mixed in equal portions ; very showy. Samhu-
cus aurea, is called "Golden-leaved Elder ;" the
foliage is as much yellow as green, and is very
beautiful. Samhucus imlverulcnta, the leaves
look as if finely powdered. Samhucus imrpurea
has purple blooms and very ornamental. S. Vir-
idls bears green berries. S. Albida bears white
berries.

All the improved varieties of Samhucus, are
universally used throughout Europe, in orna-
mental, arboral embellishments ; but with us,
thoy are seldom seen upon pleasure grounds,
although they would flourish upon spots where
other dwarf trees and shrubs would fail, and
they are more ornamental than many other spe-
cies that we do grow. There are two species in-
digeuous in our middle and northern States, and
are a pligue to our farmers. The improved va-
rieties are very different from them. Our Nur-
serymen should have them more generally intro-
duced and recommended.

The varieties with variegated leaves, should
not be allowed to bear blossoms nor fruits, as
that would make them look too lean. Their
special beauties are their foliage, thoy will yrow
more massy and ornamental if their blooms are
cut oft" before they expand.

THE JUDAS TREE.
Cercis is a genus of four species of neat trees,
which grow tvventy feet high, and bloom beau-
tifully in spring, before the leaves expand.
They arc all called "Judas trees" for this rea-
son : After Judas Iscariot betrayed his Divine
Maslcr, he became universally detested ; that
with tlic malignity of his crime weighed so
heavily upon his mind, he sought to commit
suicide, and procured a rope and hanged himselt
upon a branch of Cercis siliquastrum, which was
afterwards called the "tree of blood,'' and as it
bore deep red blooms, the appellation seemed
very appropriate. ]}ut as civilization and re-
finement progressed, the name was changed to
"Judas tree ;" so all the four species commonly
got tliat tianie. The species "Ilore albo," bears

white flowers ; it and siliquastrura belong to
south of Europe and western Asia ; "parviflora"
belongs to Bucharia, and "canadensis" is a na-
tive of Xorth America. They are among the
first trees to bloom in spring, very ornamental
in foliage, form and blossom, and all are well
deserving a place in every arboral adornment.
It seems strange that ihey are so seldom used
with us ; they are universally used in tree orna-
mentations throughout Europe.

Cytissus alpinus, (Scotch Laburnum) is a very
ornamental tree when in bloom in May, being
heavily loaded with large racemes of bright yel-
low color, which hang gracefully from the
boughs like clusters of gold. The tree thrives
upon various soils and in different exposures ;
attains twenty feet high ; even upon rocks and
gravelly spots half shaded, it flourishes.

Bohinia viscosa forms a neat tree twelve feet
high and bears purplish pink blooms in racemes
abundantly in May. It is a rich gorgeous look-
ing ornamental tree.

Double blooming Feach trees are also very beau-
tiful, their blooms are of various colors, and as
double and large as Xoisette Roses, and are pro-
duced in great abundance. The trees flourish
upon various soils.

Magnolia purpurea (Purple Magnolia) is a
most beautiful tree of twenty feet high, but has
many stems like a large bush ; the blooms are
large in size, purple outside and white inside,
and a full grown tree when in bloom in May, is
one of the most ornamental.

Bhus Cotinus (Mist tree) is rather of singular
growth. When in bloom in July, it looks like a
white cloud tinged with all the colors of the
rainbow ; it grows twelve feet high, rather in the
the form of a bush than a tree ; its singular ap-
pearance makes it a general favorite. It flour-
ishes upon various kinds of soils.

LAW OF DEVELOPMENT IX THE FLOW-
ERS OF AAIBROSIA ARTEMlSliEFOLIA.

BY THOMAS MEEIIAN.

The following paper we reprint from theP ro-
ceedings of the Aeadenn- of Xatural Sciences, of
Philadelphia, written by the Editor of this mag-
azine. Although written for persons interested
chiefly in abstract science, and consequently full
of technical terms, to which many of our readers
are unused, it may serve to call attention to the
many interesting things which abound every-
where about us, and yet are comparatively un-

1S70.

THE GARDEjYERS M0J\^TEL1.

IJfS

known to the wisest. Here is a plant known as
the common Ilagweed, which every one despises
as one of the vilest weeds, furnishing facts
which may have an important influence on
the most interesting problems in animal and
vegetable physiology :

"In the fruit of J.»i&ro3!'a artemisicefolia the per-
igynium is crowned with a series of horns.
I propose to show that these are all that
remain of other tlower buds, which have been
alisorbed by their elder sister during infancy.

It is not generally known that this species is
occasionally dioecious, though Dr. Darlington
in his Flora cestrica makes note of the fact ; nor
is it known to the mass of botanists that a pecu-
liar form of neutral flower exists, thougli many
years ago Torrey & Gray {Flora of North Ameri-
ca) briefly alluded to it. These dioecious forms
and neutral flowers aflbrd the key to the whole

structure.

In the regular form of this species the sequence

of the flowers is according to the laws recentlv
developed in my papers on sex. The female
flowers receive the plants' first and greatest care,
and always appear in the lines of strongest vitali-
ty, of which a vigorous axial development is one
striking type. The male flowers only appear in
the weaker lines, after the cohesive force so es-
sential in building up the woody axis has been
considerably spent. In the purely pistillate
forms we almost always observe an unusual axial^
activity. The female flowers in the regular
forms are sessile in the axils of the leaves ; but
in the mostly pistillate forms they are generally
elevated on short peduncles, giving the plants a
peculiar twiggy appearance, on the other hand,
the nearly male plants, which by the way are
rarely seen, present characteristics the reverse
of these. The heads, usually female, when ap-
pearmg as male flowers, exist as large burrs
tightly set in the axils, without the slightest ten-
dency to pedunculation. Though varying in
intensity, and occasionally intermingling, no
one can fail to see that these forces prevail in
these forms— the feminine, in connection with
cohesive and vital activity in the axillary parts
— the masculine. with weakened axillary activity,
and individualization.'

The flowers themselves, however, afford a bet-
ter illustration of this than the supporting parts.
The male flowers are five to eight in each invol-
ucral cup,— in the female they are single; but
in place of flowers the female has five to eight
horns on the perigynium. The want of corres-

pondence in number in parts which were no
doubt embryologically the same, together with a
correspondence in the number of the horns on
the perigynium, would naturally suggest to one
acquainted with absorbing or coherent power of
the female influence that the primordial bud had
absorbed the rest, of which all that remained
were these horns This I subsequently proved
to be more likely by the discovery oi two forms of
perhjynia. Occasionally three female flowers ap-
pear in one involucral cup. In such cases the
two lateral ones have, mostly, no horns, or rare-
ly one or two ; while the central one has but
from four to six. In the male flower we find two
forms; the perfect ones with five broad anthers;
abundantly polleniferous, without horns, and
without any attempt at producing a style ; the
other class has anthers which seem never to
produce perfect pollen, but are projected into a
"setiform inflexed appendage'' or horn, and
have a single sterile style which is capped by a
numerously rayed stellate apex. Torrey & Gray
[Flora y. M.Page 290) notice this form of flower,
but err in evidently believing it universal ; while
other authors seem to refer to the former, ignor-
ing or ignorant of the existence of the latter.

The absence of a style in connection with per-
fect anthers, and the attempted production com-
bined with the deficiency of pollen in the neutral
ones, show an evident progress towards a female
stage ; and also it is clear that with this pro-
gression is a tendency to cornntion in the j^arts ab-
sorbed. I pointed out to some of our botanical
friends in the Academy some weeks ago, that
from these circumstances the horns on the peri-
gynium could scarcely be anything else but the
remaijis of absorbed flower buds.

1 have now found a specimen which affords
the practical demonstration of these truths— a
female plant not a foot high, with enough of the
cohesive power to give it an entire female charac-
ter, but not to the same extent that more vigo-
rous forms possess. The horns are in every state
of gradation from their usual condition on the
perfect perygnia to iMaloid scales, down to perfect
flowers with the regular twin styles; though adhe-
rent by their bases to the central or main flower.
Only for this early cohesion with, and thus a re-
ception of the female influence, the lower ones
would undoubtedly have been male flowers.

I present this specimen, together with a suite
of the others referred to, for the Society's herba-
rium.

I may be again permitted to repeat what I

TEE GAIiBE:N'ER'S MOJS'TELY.

May J

have frequently said already, in papers before
this and kindred associations, that there are
probably in plants two distinct principles going
along together — the one hereditary : a conserva-
tive, coherent, female force, which, as the very
existence of all things depends on it, nature
throws in aud around it her strongest vital
powers;— aud variation: a, progressive, radical
principle, the only object of which is to prevent
stagnation, — to seggregate and disperse rather
than unite and preserve, - and by giving varied
form to matter, is the source of the endless
changes which give beauty and interest to the
other; — less vital, less essential, less cared for by
nature because she reproduces herself by buds,
tubers, suckers, roots, and many other ways
when she does not care for variety, without it;
but not less essential to our pleasures and intel-
lectual progress, and indeed the eternal progress
of all things.

I submit this paper as another contribution
to a theory which may not yet appear to others
80 c early a law, as it continues by almost daily
observations to groAV on myself.

A VISIT AMONG THE FLORISTS.

BY V. B. KINGSTON, N. Y.

After the repose and inactivity of a long win-
ter, and as spring approaches, one feels like
looking around to see what is going on in the
reign of Flora.

The new vai-ieties so abundantly mentioned
in the catalogues, do not sufficiently satisfj' one's
curiosity ; but a personal visit is eminently sat-
isfactory.

The busy season will soon commence, and I
could not make a better use of the few interven-
ing days, than to take a trip to the dillerent
floral establishments in this region.

Commencing, I first visited ray friend D. G.,
gardener for E. BECiiEsq., of Poughkeepsie. A
larger, more choice variety of plants is not often
found on any gentleman's place ; all the plants
are well cultivated and placed to the best ad-
vantage, as well in suitable apartmens, as in
color and size. It is a beautiful winter garden
which completely takes possession of one's
senses, especially of the connoisseur, who will
find plenty of objects to gratify his love of the
rare and beautiful. Fine Palms meet the leaves
of graceful vines running along the top liglits in
bloom, or showing their variegated foliage.
Mosses creep along the ground and border the

the walks, while ferns and foliage plants fill the
middle region. Here and there hangs one of
' those wonderful air plants belonging to the Or-
chidean family, with their peculiar shaped and
j singular colored flowers ; in the rear, water drips
1 with a pleasing tinkle over rustic rockwork cov-
ered with moss, ferns and creepers. The foun-
tain with its whispering waters and the Canary
birds, are the musicians, while the gold fish fill
the little pond with life. Two large pyramidal
shaped Coleus stand on either side of the door,
looking like two French grenadiers guarding the
entrance to the floral temple. The left wing,
besides Camellias and other winter bloomers,
is nearly filled with gay looking Azaleas, and I
think there is no plant that is more showy and
beautiful, than a well cultivated Azalea in full
bloom. The right wing is filled with Roses,
beautiful plants abounding in buds and blos-
soms, among which is a fine Marechal Niel full of
superb flowers ; Carnations, Ericas, Pelargoni-
ums and Zonales, with their immense clusters
of scarlet flowers together with, Golden Genistas
here bloom in beautiful harmony. A variety of
hanging baskets filled with new vines aud choice
plants, are placed advantageously throughout the
house, while Violets, Heliotropes, Mignonette
and orange blossoms perfume the air. The
strawberries and grape vines were looking pros-
perous and promising in their several apart-
•ments.

Many professional florists and connoisseurs
visit this place with great satisHiction. I told
my brother Florist, our plan to visit other simi-
lar places, which he seemed pleased with, and
agreed to join us.

Towards evening, we started for that great
city, Gotham, where one always needs money,
and for it can procure almost anything. The
next morning we took a trip to Astoria, curious
to see those wonderful Coleus of Marc &
WiTHAM. We were fortunate in fimling Mr.
Witham at the entrance of his premises. lie
first showed us his well growing bedding plants
in a house about two hundred feet long, which
contained about ten thousand countable plants.
He had a Begonia incarnata loaded with lovely
light pink flowers; ho przied it highly, and
asked a dollar for a small plant, which seemed
to us well worth it. After looking around for a
while, we finally came to the Coleus, whose
splendor fairl}' dazzled our eyes ; thoy surpassed
anything of the kind we had ever seen ; to say
that they were splendid, does not properly do-

1870.

TEE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJTTELy.

145

scribe thera. The brilliant colorinf? of these
plants with their serrated and tincly penciled
leaves, fills one with admiration for that Great
Painter whose work cannot be enriched by any
living; creature. Mr. Witham said that if those
Coleus were in England, they would be worth
several thousand pounds. Mr. Witham has
hardly the language under his control to pro-
perly describe the beauty of his new seedlings',
therefore, go and see them as we did, and you
will be well rewarded.

We next visited Mr. Wilson's establishment,
well known to all professional Florists. It is
very extensive, employing nearly thirty work-
men besides the foreman. The place first im-
presses you as a great manufactory ; abundance
And variety are on every side, and gives one the
idea of a large trade and generous profits ; but
where genius and hearty sympathy with this
world of beauty are made subordinate. The im-
mense number of plants that fill all the houses?
are seemingly enough to supply the whole coun-
try, and that too, with those that are most new
and rare.

Not far from Mr. Wilson's, is Mr. Bridge
MAN'S place, which is leased for a number of
years to Wygant & Lawrence, two young
Germans. Knowledge and industry are evinced
throughout the establishment. They have a
large number of well grown plants, and raise
flowers to supply the New York Bouquet store.
They have been very successful in their enter-
prise.

Mr. Buchanan's place, though often visited,
will always be pleasing. This well-known es-
tablishment has become celebrated from its
long existence, and the rare skill with which it
is conducted. The splendid Camellias, Azalea^,
«&c . raised on this place, attest its age and good
management. The Orchids, together with other
tropical plants, embracing a large number of
new, rare and bv autiful specimens, are kept in a
special apartment, and speak eloquently for their
cultivator. To those who have had no opportuni
ty to see Mr. Buchanan's Isabella Sprunt,! would
recommend them to visit his rose house, and
beh(V.d the great number of these beautiful cana-
ry colored roses.

Next we came to Mr. Donetti's, the origina-
tor of those lovely Carnations, the "Astoria"
and ''Pride of Amator.''

Every Florist has his own specialty or forte,
in which he takes particular delight, and in
which he excels — growing, without doubt, out of

the peculiar love he has for some plants or family
of plants. Mr. D's Dracenas, Arecas, Euphor-
bias and CarnalioDS were the best we saw.

His numerous houses, though nearly worn
out, contained many rare and handsome plants.
His lease expires soon. We hope Mr. Donetti
has realized sufficient from his man}' years of
hard labor, to enable him to erect new and bet-
ter houses, from which he may give us many
novelties.

Our day being well and pleasantly spent, we
returned to our lodgings. In the evening we
enjoyed some refreshments at the Atlantic Gar-
den, while listening with great pleasure to some
excellent songs from a Tyrolean Tioupe.

The next morning early, we took a boat for
South Amboy. After one and a half hours sail,
we landed on a place filled with coal, railroad
iron, locomotives, machine shops, and promiscu-
ous piles of freight. After a few minutes walk,
we came to the dilapidated, lonesome, deserted
looking village of Amboy. We inquired for the
greenhouses of Mr. Geo. Such, and learned
that they were about three miles away. Shortly
Mr. Such drove into town and kindly invited us
to ride to his place, which invitation we gladly
accepted, and soon found ourselves at his friend-
ly home. The construction of his greenhouses
and their contents were what we came to see.
The more we examined, the more were we sat-
isfied that we were in a model establishment.
His houses are built a la Henderson^ six in num-
ber, neat and clean. Even the painting has a
soft, agreeable tint, which makes a pleasing
contrast with the plants. Ever}' plant counts,
and they are as perfect as I have seen them in
any place. Not only were his Verbenas very
fine, but his Pelargoniums, Zonals, Petunias,
Fuchsias and Heliotropes were all charming
plants. Roses, Carnations and Azaleas were
exquisite. His tropical plants and orchids were
so well cultivated, and wore such a beautiful
green, that it seemed as though I must be again
in South America. Dendrobiuras of enormous
size ; Eucharis Amazonica, with leaves as
large as cabbage leaves ; Ferns, with dark
green and shining leaves— not a yeuow spot or
particle of dust was to be seen upon them.
Mosses and Ivies oJ a. I forms, shades and color-
ings We were surprised to find such a fine,
vigorous and well trained specimen of Lapageria
rosea ready to bloom, and a number of the new-
est and choicest imported Coleus. Mr. Such'a

IJfG

THE GARDE JVER'S MOJ^^THLY.

May,

Tuberose bulbs were remarkably large and
white, as though they had been bleached, Mr.
S. says that they will produce a great number
of flowers. He also has a very large stock of i
Gladiolus, some of the newest and handsomest |
known. His soil, which is white sand and clay,
together with the cultivation which he gives, is
unsurpassed in its results. In a little time Mr.
Such will take rank as a first class Florist — in

fact, he is by many now considered to be well up
to the best of them. His is a pattern institu-
tion, as all agree who visit it, and all are well
pleased with the liberal dealiag of the proprietor.
'1 his finished our visit among the professional
brethren, and a short day's ride brought us
again to our home among the hills of Old
Ulster.

E D I T 0 E I A L .

THE FUCHSIA.

We gave, under our column of notes in the
last number, an account of a discovery of Dr.
Hooker's, that the old Fuchsia, which we have
always called cocc»?ea, is not that plant at all,
and that the real F. coccinea is one of our scar-
letplants.

We have no doubt but that Dr. Hooker could
find manymore mythical matters about Fuchsias,
and especially that the story of the introduction
of this Fuchsia would be one of a very apocry-
phal character.

It is said that the late Mr. Lee, the nursery-
man of Hammersmith, England, was one day
walking along some blind alley in London, when
in an old piece of broken crockery, this Fuchsia
was beautifully in bloom in a poor widow's win-
dow. She would part with it for no money, for
her sailor boy had brought the plant in the fore-
castle of the ship all the way from some foreign
country. But Mr. Lee was allowed to take
cuttings, and thus the introduction of this
beautiful plant brought about.

We said recently that almost all popular
fruits had a mysterious origin or some pathetic
circumstance connected with their origin.
Plants seem no exception; and if this story
about the Fuchsia were true, it would be one of
these miraculous things. That Mr. Lee found
ihe plant where the story places it, is likely
enough; but that it was stolen from some bo-
tanic garden by some garden laborer is far more
likely than that a sailor had skill enough to pre-
serve it for months in the forecastle of as. ow sail-
ing ship on the long voyage from South America
to an English port. Almost all of us who have
been connected with large establishments, know
of many mysterious disappearances, which if
found, would most likely report themselves from
some "fijreign country" or any where, but
where they really did come.

Our idea is, that the Fuchsia was first intro-
duced through the Kew gardens, and, stolen

from there, became gradually distributed
through the Messrs. Lee.

jP. longijlora ; F. gJobosa, a small round corol-
laed kind ; F macropliylla and F. reflexa, two
species with very minute flowers, now near-
ly lost to culture ; made up the collection of
thirty years ago. About this time F. falgens^
a very remarkable long flowered form, with
broad rich leaves was introduced. It was as
much unlike the Fuchsias known, as could well
be. Indeed, few but botanists would recognize
it as one of the family. It was the parent of
the race of hybrid distinct kinds which now so
interest us by their variety and beauty. These
originated in this way. The writer of this chap-
ter, then a boy of 15, had been reading in the
" Transactions of the Horticultural Society," an
account of Mr. T. A. Knight's experiments in
hybridizing Peas, which resulted in KnighVs Mar-
rowfats, and other well-known kinds. With a
fondness for repeating himself the experiments
of others, he went to the garden, and select-
ing two varieties, of Peas, hj'bridizcd them
together as Mr. Knight had done. Going
to the greenhouse he found the Fuchsia
fulgens for the first time in blossom, and noting
how abundant was the pollen, and perceiving
how easily the Fuchsia presented its pistil for
impregnation, it occurred to him to try the ex-
periment with F fulgens as the male parent on
the F. longijlora.y then blooming in the open
ground. A flower was selected, the anthers cut
olf before the pollen cells had burst, the pollen
from the fulgent placed on the stigma, and a
small gauze bag placed over the flower to prevent
au}- insect from interfering with the operation.
A large black berry filled with seeds, resulted in
a few weeks. These were washed out, sown on
the surface of a sandy soil, covered with a piece
of glass to keep regularly moist, and placed on a
shelf on the forcing house near the glass. In a
few weeks, the plants appeared, were potted off
as they grew, and in the spring following were

1870.

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJ^'TELl .

247

all planted out into a cool shady garden border,
where they bloomed during the summer fol-
lowing.

One of the most remarkable features about
these seedlings was, that though in all about
fifty — all raised by the agency of a single male
flower on a single female pistil — all from one
single berry, not two plants in the whole fifty
bore flowers alike. None of them bore any re-
semblance to either of their parents, and all dif-
fered from one another. The physiological law
of this variation has never been made clear to
the writer. It is one of those many mysteries
of nature, which though he has for thirty years
watched for some key to unlock, it has never yet
been his good fortune to find.

These wonderful hybrids created immense ex-
citement amongst the gardening fraternity who
saw them ; and one of finest was selected to
send to Dr. Lindley, who had about that time
commenced editing the Gardener''s Chronicle
That celebrated man expressed through his
paper his great admiration of it, and his des-
cription of the flower "tube and sepals three
inches long" was barely considered possible.
Through Dr. Lindley. an offer came from
Youell & Co., enterprising florists of Yarmouth,
England, for the whole stock, which was sent to
them ; the variety named "St. Clare," after the
name of the estate on which it originated, and
in due time was " .sent out. " The orders which
came in for it however, were so numerous, that
considerable delay occurred in getting enough
plants propagated to send out. In the mean
time other experi mentors entered the field, and
St. Clare, was barely in the field time enough to
claim priority with two others, — Standishii, and
Donniana, which followed close after.

It is a remarkable fact, that with all the efforts
that have been made to improve the Fuchsia
since that time, no larger flowers, nor anything
but shades of the same colors of these original
hybrids have been produced. It shows that
there is a limit to change ; that the theories which
some hold of unlimited progression is not borne
out by facts ; that in short, the theory which we
have often urged, that improvement, though ap-
parently unlimited in forms, can only go a limi-
ted distance in direction, is the true law.

AV'e have gone thus minutel}' into the history
■ of these hybrid fuchsias, not merely as a matter
of curiosit3', but as an item for the encourage-
ment of young gardeners, who will find in a
disposition to try experiments, much that will

not only prove of great pleasure and interest to
them, but of much profit also.

Thus far we have written at the suggestion of a
Massachusetts friend. Another from the same
State, a lady of Abington, asks for a few hints
on Fuchsia management, which we may as well
incorporate with this article.

Those who have warm rooms or greenhouses,
like to force a few old plants into early growth,
and when these sprouts ai'e about two inches
long, they are taken off, and rooted for young
plants This rooting time will be about March or
April. The little slips are put into pots of sandy
soil, and kept in partial shade and in a moderate
heat will root very readily. A heat of fifty or
sixty will be enough to strike Fuchsias, although
of course in a higher heat they will root more
rapidly. Though this season is the best one to
make nice young plants, cuttings may by struck
at any time of the year.

The Fuchsia does not require a very high
temperature; just above frost is sufficient. We
have even known some fuchsias endaro several
degrees of frost without injury. But where
large handsome plants are desired, a heat of at
least 60^, with plenty of light and air, is neces-
sary to get them.

The proper form to train Fuchsias has been a
mooted question. We prefer the conical form
With a very little good management the plant
can be made to take this form naturally, as it
has a tendency to branch as it grows. Good
rich soil, with full exposure of all parts of the
plant to the light, is the good treatment referred
to. If the young plant shows no disposition to
make side branches, the terminal shoot should

be pinched back. This will most likely have the
desired eft'ect, and one of the most nearly central

shoots can be encouraged up to make another

leader.

We have said the plant does not require a

very warm temperature, indeed a high heat
when dry, is not at all favorab' to success.
Hence during summer time, they do well in our
climate only when set out in the hot season in
partial shade ; or at least if in the sun,
where the leaves will have a chance to be con-
tinually moist. AVhcn near the cool spriy of a
fountain they do well, if not so close as to have

: the soil in which they grow saturated.

I The soil need not be particular, any good rich
garden soil will do, if provision is made to "well
drain it" as gardeners say.

! In the fall the plants may go to winter qua

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJVTELY.

May,

ters at once when cold weather approaches. If
the plant is woody, aU the soft herbaceous mat-
ter uiaj- be cut away to the hard solid substance.
and the pots set in a cool cellar, or under a green-
house stage, or anywhere where they will not
get absolutely dry. They must be kept cool
however, for a very little heat will bring them
forth, when they must have light. If for propa-
gating purposes, of course this is nil right, — but
we are speaking of mere preservation.

Many persons prefer to have young plants
every year, and when they have raised the
young ones, throw the old stumps away. But
the old plants, if judiciously managed, will make
beautiful plants for many years. They have to
be cut back so as to make the skeleton or frame
work of the form we desire; and after they have
crown just a little, are taken out of the pots in
which they grew the season before, and with
fresh earth, started again in as small pots as the
roots can be got into. As soon as this small
pot is filled with roots, it is to be put into one a I
size larger. This repotting may be done two or
three times during the season, if extra good ;
plants are desired. I

The Fuchsia is very liable to lose its leaves.
This nakedness is caused either by too poor a
soil, or the presence of the Kcd Spider. These
minute insects are kept down by an occasional
syringing of the plant, which is then dusted
with sulphur; when it arises from poverty of the
soil, a top dressing of manure, or repotting as
before suggested is the remedy; whenever there
is any appearance of yellowness in the lower
leaves, it is time to attend to these matters.

ABOUT PRUNING.

It is the fate of all good ideas to be pushed to
extremes. Ever since the day when the ass
broke into that Grecian vineyard and taught by
his browsing, that some good followed summer
pruning, thou.sands of leaves have been "stripped
off, and millions of vines injured by a too free
use of the pruning knife. "We have labored as
sincerely as any, to show how much is lost in
this way ; and have pointed out that priming as
generally practised, tends to weaken vitality
and pave the way for future diseases.

But we observe that some of our pupils are
going to another extreme. Prune not at all, is
getting to be a pojinlar, but a too commou cry ;
a little pruning, unliki; a liitle learning, is not at
all a dangerous thing.

Darwin has shown that there is amongst in-
dividual plants a struggle for life always going
on. The stronger crowds out the weaker one ;
but so long as it lives, the weaker has some effect
on the stronger one.

The saipe law is true of branches as of distinct
plants, each struggles for light. The vigorous
shoot shades the weaker ; but that in turn some-

what interferes with the

strong

one, and pre-

vents it from utilizing the light to the best ad-
vantage.

Thus it will be seen, that to have the best re-
sults, we must regulate this struggle in nature.
A dozen branches well developed and having the
ability to display all their leafy charms to the
admiring sunlight, will be worth much more to
the plant than double the number closely inter-
fering with one another.

A good gardener must have foresight. He
should be able to see in imagination the tree a
year ahead of its real growth ; and prune in ad-
vance of the necessity of the tree. This will
prevent much of the temporary injury which
undoubtedly flows from severe pruning all at
once ; and which if annually continued is a great
evil.

ROOTS AND LEAVES.

An interesting question has arisen : which
pushes first, roots or leaves ? If we ex-
amine a seed as it commences to gi'ow, we shall
have no difficulty in answering the question.
Roots always push first, in some cases the roots
continue to grow and develope to a considerable
size, before anything has been done above
ground. In the case of the Hickories, the root
— the tap root — will often be two or three feet
long and over an inch thick, while the stiMU will
be no larger or thicker than a thin knitting nee-
dle. The leaves have not had much to do with
the development of these enormous roots, although
they are essential of course, in maintaining the
vital power while this great root producing force
is in operation.

In root cuttings, fibres push from the roots
lonjT before any bud is developed ; and in the
case of apple trees that have been cut down, we
have found portions of roots left in the soil, to
be alive after three years, and with a certain
though small increase in length.

It ha3 even been asserted that Pine trees when
cut off near the ground, have not only had the
roots live many years, but had a perceptible in-

1870-

THE GARDEjYER'S MOJ^'TRLT.

149

crease in the girth of the stump continually go
on ; but although this is continually referred to
by writers as a fact, we have never been able to
find any very good authority for it, or to confirm
it ourself. We prefer to put this statement
amongst those of which "it is said'' is the name.
But that the roots in general grow before the
leaves, is certain in the minds of all who have
used their own eyes while digging evergreens in
spring. In our district, the frost is out of the
ground often in February, and the earliest pos-
sible digginn; after this, will show that the fibres
have pushed perhaps the eighth of an inch since
winter ; if indeed they had not been growing all
winter. Our evergreens show no perceptible
leaf growth till the first week in May, and an in-
crease in the length of the roots till that time
can readilv be traced. There is no doubt about
the truth of the axiom, that the roots grow be-
fore the leaves.

OUR COLORED PLATES.
We are pleased to find that our colored plates
are, as we anticipated they would, giving an in-
creased interest to our magazine. The great

additions to our list of subscribers this season,
we have no doubt are much due to these liberal
attractions.

We wish to keep our readers in mind that the
Gardener's Monthly was not started so much as
a money making concern, as for an aid to gar-
dening We have never taken any extraordi-
nary pains to advertise or push it ; or made very
strenuous exertions to induce people to write for
it. We want to feel that it has the voluntary
good will and support of all who read it.

, The?e colored plates are given without
any extra ciiarge, for the same two dollars per
annum, as before ; and we think most will agree
that in beauty they are nearly equal to those

! magazines of Europe for which S5 per annum
are charged.

' We think we have a claim on our friends, to
show the magazine to their neighbors,— and to
all those who have little facts or fiincies ot horti-

I cultural interest, to contribute them for our pages.

] The briefest notes are welcome, when time does

' not permit of longer articles.

I ' In our next we expect to give one of the hand-

: somest plates of the series.

SCEAPS AND aUERIES.

Traxspl, ANTING LARGE Trkes.-— Subscriber,
Pikesville, Md. On page 84, Vol. XII, No. 3,
at close of article on Transplanting Large Trees,
\'ou offer 'to give more information where ob-
scure." I beg for such information on the fol-
lowing points :

Page 83, ''a rope is fixed to the top of the
trees and operations commenced by digging
eight feet from the base of the tree, a circle two
feet wide and at least two feet deep." Now it
is not expressed whether the circle of which an
eight ft'ct line is ihe radius, indicates the outer or
the inner edge of the trench to be dug. It is to
be inferred from the expression on page 84 — "a
circle .sixteen f-et wide and two feet deep, seems
a big task'' — that the trench is to be cut two feet
within the circle, having a radius of eight feet.
(1). Again, "use digging forks to undermine
the ball." Do you moan that you dig lower
down than two feet from the surface, so as to
Isavj a ball two feet thick and twelve feet in

diameter, or that you merely remove the earth
from that ball and froni around the roots of the
tree by working from underneath instead of from
above, and with a fork instead of with a spade.
(2). And at the end of this operation is there a
ball of earth and roots left and of what size, or
only a mass of roots. (3). There now is a
"common two-wheeled cart," the distance be-
tween the wheels of which is about five feet to
be backed up ? It could be run across the trench
on boards, hut the wheels must rest on the ball
or on the roots of the tree, and if so, how can
the tree be pulled over ? I presume that the
cart is run upon two long boards that extend
clear across the hole ; but your article does not
explain that, nor can I now sec how a ball or a
mass of roots "twelve feet wide," would pass up
between two boards that must be loss than five
feet apart. Perhaps the two boards on which
the cart has been run up to the tree, may be re-
moved, and one substituted for them placed un-

150

THE GARDEJYER'S MOJ^TELl.

May,

der the wheels of the cart, and at right angles
to their line of march. (4). You will probably
see from tlie above, that ho\/ever clear the mode
of operation in transplanting large trees may be
to you, it iias not been made so clear to your
readers, and will, I trust, oblige with further ex-
plana'ion more than one.

[(1). This is right ; but of course the width of
circle vill be regulated somewhat by the appear-
ance of things. In some cases, four, live
or six feet will do,— the idea is to get outside the
eircle of the jouts, wherever they may be— better
far away than too near — usually we have found
in very large Irees 8 feet a good distance.

(2). In large trees, the mass of roots will be
about two feet thick, sometimes not so much ;
the tree will bs easier dug by going deeper than
th3 roots, whatever their depth may be.

(3). Only a mass of roots -no earth. For
every few inches that the earth is undermined,
t'.ie folk reduces the ball at the same time— un-
dermining and reduction of the ball go on to-
gether.

(4). "We see that we have omitted a point.
It is very hard to give a detailed operation like
this in a fjw words. But we ought to have
said that before the cart or wheel is backed up
the large tree has to be raised to the sur-
face. This is done by the aid of the rope fast to
the top of the tree. The tree is drawn to one
side, and a little earth thrown under the elevated
roots on the opposite sidt% then the tree is drawn
back and earth put under the other side. This
is repeated backwards and forwards until very
soon the hole is filled with the earthy which has
been thrown out, and the tree with its roots ex-
posed stands upright on the top. By drawing
the tree again on one side and to the other,
broad planks are easily got under the roots and
right across the hole now filled with soft earth,
the width of the wheeLs, and then the operation
proceeds as before described.

It will be a pleasure to explain further if not
yet clear. ]

Old Cuttings.— We have supposed that cut-
tings of grapes which have stood one year in the
ground without rooting, would be in a better
condition to root than a fresh cutting just put
in. A correspondent of the Kentucky Z'^doner'.s
Home Journal suspects an opinion to this effect,
which we gave some months ago, is possibly
wrong. We shall be glad to have the experi-
ence of any of our readers on this matter.

Don't get their Papers. — The Manufactu-
rer and Builder notices the fact, that in many
instances after subscribers have complained that
they did not get their papers, whole bundles
have been discovered at the respective offices,
overlooked by the clerks. The papers are al-
most always sent from the offices, and subscri-
bers should be sure they are not at the offices
when supposed not to be.

Hedera Roegnertana, very commonly so
spelled in many catalogues is a mistake ; it should
be ragudna according to a correspondent of the
Oardener''s Chronicle.

Cypripeditjm. — G. H. P., Baltimore, Md.
The species you send is C. parviflorum.

Wages of Gardeners. — A correspondent in
the west asks for the average wages of Garden-
ers. In this State, the average rate would be
S50 a n onth with house and vegetables.

Pole-cats Outdone.— It was recently an-
nounced at the New York Farmer's ('lub, that
the most wonderful results followed an experi-
ments of Mr. Quinn's, in regard to putting a
Pole-cat at the root of a pear tree. But recently
Mr. Elliott announced that the "carcasses of a
great many beeves" buried about some Hartford
Prolific grapes, produced at Detroit the most
astounding crops.

Pear Culture. — Since the appearance of
Dr. Houghton's essay in the Qardener''s Monthly,
the deep waters of pear culture have been stirred
to their utmost depths. Almost every agricul-
tural journal finds the big waves lashing its inky
shores.

The Practical Farmer has had considerable
drift thrown into it, — not the least interesting
was a deposit from Friend Middletons Pear or-
chard at Darby. Mr. Middleton is a decided
grass man, and has astonished the clear surfa-
cists by the figures from Ins Pear trees. The
branches have to be propped to keep up the
weight of fruit. In a late number, in reply to
attacks on his system he says he has about 800
trees under ti\is kind of culture, "nnny of these
trees yield from 10 to 15 baskets of Pears each
year, bringing readily from three to six dollars a
basket.''

So determined are the opponents of grass cul-

IS70.

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJVTELY.

151

tare that the grass shall not have the benefit of
these Pears, some of them insist that "it is the
vapor from the Delawiu'e River" that does the
business ! Strange, that the vapor shouUl miss
the trees not in grass in the same vicinity.

Tno^rAS' Patent Smoothikg Harrow and
Broadcast Weeder. — Great improvements
have been made in this class of implements.
Judging by a circular before us, we think this
one will be a valuable addition to the list.

Bees on Raspberries — C 6r., Philadelphia^
asks : "Is it true (as is said by some of my neigh-
bors who have raised Bees) that the action of
the Bee on the pollen of the Raspberry, prevents
that fruit reaching perfection ? That if you
keep Bees you may as well give up all hope of
raising raspberries."

[Bees are rather a benefit than an injury.
Sometimes the flowers are barren on account of
the imperfection of the pistils; but with this of
course the Bees have nothing to do.]

Daisy "Red Rover." — Specimens of this
beautiful large deep crimson red seedling, has
been sent us by the raiser, Mr. Chas. J. Powers,
and is the best daisy we have seen.

Ramie. — Dr. Hooker writing to the Commis-
sioner of Agriculture, says that the name of the
Ramie is Bcehvuria nivea and B. tenacissima is
not essentially different.

Designs for Flower beds —A very inter-
esting feature in Dreer'>s Garden Calendar is a
colored plate of flower beds, eight in number,
with the list of plants with colored leaves or
flowers to suit. They will much assist those
who have taste for these beautiful styles.

The Deodar Cedar. — We saw recently on the
grounds of Mr. Ed. Tatnall of Wilmington, Dela-
ware, a fine specimen of this tree. It is now the
only fine one that we know of One after
another those in other places north of this, that
were once famous, have succumbed to the cold
winters; and it will soon be known only in the
erreenhouscs of the curious. We do not know
how it is doing south ; but we suppose the cli-
mate will be too hot for its perfect development.
In England they were nearly all killed ofl" by the

hard winter of 1800. A few lived through, but
they do not appear to have fulfilled their early
promise of very great beauty. The Cedar of
Lebanon is considered superior.

Corn Cobs. — It is curious to note how names
change with different countries. In England,
wheat is called corn, while our corn is maize.
By the following extract from a paper on maize
culture in England, it will be seen that they are
retaliating. We should be rather puzzled to eat
corn "cobs" here.

"In October the cobs will be ready for table
use ; the}^ will then have the grains of about the
size of and consistency of marrowfat peas, and
Avill take about 30 minutes to boil. Fresh but-
ter is spread over them when ready. For chil-
dren and invalids they are most nutritious, being
in fact, the basis of all the expensive preparations
used. They also supply a valuable table vege-
table in the autumn equal to peas.''

The White Spruce.— M. L. Dunlap thinks
that the White Spruce will ere long supercede the
ISTorway Spruce as an ornamental tree, and
thinks this variety of the spruce should receive
more attention by nurserymen.

[Though not sure about the superseding of
the iSToiway Spruce, we quite agree with Mr.
Dunlap that the tree has not received the atten-
tion its great beauty deserves.]

Credit to Hearth & Home— "One of
the Editors writes to us : "On page 58
of The Gardener's Monthlij for February, 1870,
you quote from our paper of January 22d, an al-
lusion to an article on DionsBa muscipula, which
you seem to suppose is one published by you.
The reference was to an article which appeared
in our issue of August 28th, 1869, a copy of
which I mail to-day to your address. Unless
you can show that our article on the Dioncea
was copied from the Gardener's Monthly, you
seem to have done us an injustice, which I am
persuaded you would not knowingly do. Please
examine our article in No. 36, Vol. I, and let
me hear from you."

[In our volume for 1868, we published Mr.
Canby's remarkable discoveries in Diona;;i. Au-
gust, 1869. the Hearth & Home mauuflxctured a
whole article out of it, and now has the assur-
ance to claim it as "■our article.'' We received
a note from Messrs P. B. & Co., after our last
was published, asking to be referred to the pages

16^

THE GARBEXER'S MOJVTHLY.

May,

where Mr. Canby's paper appears in our maga-
zine. We gave the pages As this letter was
received subsequently, and no reference has been
made to the matter in Hearth & Home, we
thought best to publish it with th's explanation,
so that cur readers may judge whether or not
Tv-e have doi e that paper any injustice.]

Hales' Early Peach for roRCiNG. — In a
private note.Mr. T. J. PuUen says : "My Peach
house is in fine condition now. the peaches being
nearly tlirough the hardening process. I expect
to have r'pe Hales' Early b3' the 1st of May.
The Hale's is a most excellent variety for orchard
house culture, I prefer it over all other varieties
.vhioh I have tested."

Raspberry Eoots.— 4. P.,N. F.— Will root
cuttings of raspberries do well if carefully plant
ed and tended, and do you recommend the plan
to increase stock for a plantation?

[Most new raspberries are raised from root
cuttings, though some push up buds easier than
others. Varieties of the American Blackcaps
grow with difficulty in this way. The Eu-
ropean varieties root vei-y easily Usually
they are grown in hot-beds ; but if long pieces
are used and set upright with the tops level with
the surface, they will do pretty well in the open
air.]

Hemlocks FROM THE Woods.— A. P., Scixn'o-
mlle, iV, Y. — Will Hemlock Spruce do well if
planted for a hedge, when plants are taken from
a forest ?

[In their native places, young Hemlocks are
shaded from dry winds ; and the partial shade
makes the leaves so tender, that when removed
to the open air, the sun and wind are too strong
for them. It is better therefore to plant from
the woods rather thickly and somewhat shaded
for a year or so, and inure them to their changed
conditions gradually ; then plant in the hedge
the following year.]

Cool Soil. — A western writer says of an ad-
dress by the Editor of the Monthlij :

"Mr. Median tried to make a strong point in
favor of his theory, by showing that soil covered
with grass was cooler than that exposed ; I can
see no benefit to the plant from this fact. I
know that nearly all plants while growing need

a cool soil for their roots, but while fruiting and
especially ripening their fruit should hive the
soil warm, or nearer the temperature of the air. "
[It is singular to note how the "Doctors dif-
fer" in their opposition to "Meehan's theory."
Mr Barry at the time referred to. objected that
warm soil to the roots was a benefit while the
plants are groning, and instanced the general
value placed by gardeners on bottom heat. This
gentleman advocates cool soil while growing]

Sowing at the full of the Moon. — W.
S., Barchtoion, Ky., asks : "Would you be kind
enough to give your opinion in the Monthly, in
regard to the custom of many people to plant or
sow veget ible seeds at the different phases of the
moon This custom is so prevailing in this
neighborhood, that it is of no use to say any-
thing against it?''

[Scientific men say that the moon does exert
an influence over vegetation, but so slight is
that influence, that it is better to sow when
everything else is ready, than to wait until the
moon alone is ready. ]

Mr. Taplin of Enville Park. — There are
few places in England more famous for garden-
ing excellence than Enville Park. The present
gardener there, Mr. Taplin, is amongst the or-
naments of his profession, esteemed alike by his
employers and all who know him. It is very
rare that one in his position resigns all for pure
love of the United States, yet we understand
that such is his intention, and that he will be
here in a few weeks. It is an excellent chance
for those needing a first class gardener, either in
a private capacity or in an enterprising nursery.

We will cheerfully forward to him any letters
that may reach us.

Seedling Carnations. — C. J. P., South
Framingham, Mass. "I send you this day by
mail, specimens of four Carnations, which I
have raised from seed ; these are the first blooms.
The white with the crimson edge does not open
well, but I think it is owing to the situation it
grows in, and hope to get better flowers in the
future."

[These were very good flowers. The one re-
ferred to will never probably recover the defect
of bursting its calyx. li is always a great point
gained in seedlings to get tliem with a whole
calyx. The others are perfect in this respect,
and are therefore the more valuable.]

IS'fO.

THE GARDEJyER'S MOJ^TKLl .

IBS

Payxe's Tree Holder. — We made our il-
lustration from a description furnished by ovir
correspondent, who wrilesafter seeing our figure,
that it need not be as heavy as we have made it.

Errata.— In Prof. Russell's paper on Fungi,
in our February No., "Lycoperdi' should read
Lycoperdon: " H5'starium " Hysterium and
"Unedo" should be Uredo.

Birds on Peas.— B",, McGregor, loxoa "Can
)'0U tell me of anj' practical way by which I can
keep the birds from eating my green peas? Last
season we could scax'cely get a mess of the choice
kinds, the birds taking them just before they
were fit for the table. They showed a nice dis-
crimination loo, hardly touching Laxton's Long
Pod."

[We can suggest no remedy. Those who are
troubled with birds on any particular crop, usu-
ally plant it near where people constantly pass-
ing keep birds awa3\ Others who have crops of
fruit or seeds large enough to warrant the ex-
pense, employ a boy at 25 or 50 cents per day to
frighten them during the critical time.

This last is a very effective plan, and where
the extent of the crop warrants it, is the cheap-
est of all plans against birds.]

Disease in Pine Trees.— Jlfr. Manning,
Harrishurg, FranJclin Co., 0., writes: "En-
closed I send you sample of Pinus pyrenaica
leaves, it is affected with a disease of the leaves.
First the Laricio became affected, then the py-
renaica ; they present a very sorrowful appear-
ance, the leaves turning brown, the disea.se com-
mencing at the lowest limb and working up-
wards. I think I have seen mention made in a
former number of the 3/onf/(?// of similar attacks.
Have any further facts been discovered in regard
to the disease about Philadelphia, and has any
remedy been discovered, and how has it termi-
nated ? Only those two varieties are as yet af-
fected ; many of the leaves are half brown, and
many others all brown. I am as yet at a loss
to know whether it is a disease of the leaves or
the work of an insect

[With this letter Mr. Manning sends us spe-
cimens of a disease in Pines which has long puz-
zled us, and one about which, after exhausting
every source of information, we feel we know
really nothing. The ends of the Pine leaves be-
come brown, and brownspots are mixed amongst

the green ; and this continues to spread as long
as the warm weather lasts. A beautiful little
fungus bursts through the tissue in places ; but
it is not clear whether this is a conseque;ice or
cause of the disease The oldest and weakest
leaves arc always the injured ones, which woijld
indicate that the fungus is rather a consequence
than a cause. It also seems to be contagious.
We guess the trouble is at the root ; but this is
only a guess.]

Brandy from Tomatoes— 3f. D. H., Quit-
man, 3fiss. We do not know anything more of
this than we have already given in our pages.
Probably a note addressed to Mr. J. S. Williams,
Cinnaminson, N. J., might be of service to )'0U.

]SrAME OF Plant.— P. B., Brooldyn, N. Y.
"The -'Aloe" you sent is not an Aloe, but Cras-
sula, or perhaps more properly Bochea falcata.

It does not flower with you perhaps, because
you have it in too much shade. It is one of
those old fashi>med, beautiful, and too much
neglected plants that seem to delight our good
friend Joseph iVmram. Grown in a pot of rich
soil, and plunged in a sunny place in the open
air, it flowers freely. Its large heads of crimson
flowers well repay any extr.i care. It is one of
those plants which propagate themselves from
leaves. Very easy raised and contented with
little, it deserves to be more popular.

American Lawn Mower.— A friend of ours
in London, thought to buy some carpets for his
house in Philadelphia superior to anything he
could get at home The carpet manufacturer
he applied to was a personal acquaintance, and
somewhat startled our friend, by assuring him
that he could buy carpets better and to better ad-
vantage of the McCallum's and Orne's of his
vicinity than could be furnished him in London.

Something like this is the case with mowing
machines. We heard many people say last year
that American lawn mowers were good for noth-
ing and that they had to send to Europe for En-
iilish ones. But the Gardener^s Chronicle tells
its readers that the American machine with its
knives constructed on the archimidean screw
principle, is so superior to the English, that
tlicir most celebrated machines are of little
account in comi>arison.

People can often better themselves considera-

154

THE GARDEJVER'S MOKTHLY.

May,

bly by adopting the good things of other coun-
tries; at the same time it is not well to imagine
that there are no good things at home.

Graft Hybrids. — 3f., Logansport, Ind., says :
"I have read the articles on the sour and sweet
apples, and kindred topics which you have given
in the magazine with much interest. I have
always supposed it impossible, and was surprised
to note that you give in your adhesion to such a
doctrine; but perhaps you have come across
more facts than I have. It would, I am sure,
interest many readers to have your further
views."

[Our friend is mistaken. We have not "given
in our adhesion" to the graft hj^brid doctrine;
but we do hold that the facts stated by good ob-
servers, are so apparently well founded, that it
will not do to hold the thing impossible. We
wait for more facts. ]

Azaleas at the Horticultural Society.
—Our reporter in making notes of the last exibi-
tion of the Penna. Hort. Society, had but a few
minutes to take them, and perhaps omitted to
do do justice to some things. The Azaleas must
have been better than the report indicated, as a
special premium of So, was awarded to their ex-
hibitor, Mr. Buist, for them. We have frequent-
ly noted in the Gardener s Monthly^ the excel-
lence of Mr. Buist's Azaleas. Every care is
taken to add every good new kind to his list.

Mahon-ia Seed.— ^. P., asks : "Should seeds
of the Mahonia be sown in open ground ?

[The.se may be sown in the open ground; but
it is necessary to shade them the first year, and
to protect them from severe winter weather, for
two or three years. The best way is to sow in
strong boxes and germinate under a shaded
frame; and keep in the box a year or so before
planting out in the open ground.]

Mr. Strong's Hillside Houses.— Under
date of March lOth, Mr. Strong writes: "We
are in mid winter, buried in snow. I am glad to
report that my hillside houses endure any
amount of snowdrifts, and give me increased sat-
isfaction. Especially tho house of last fall seems
to me to be a model"

OBITUARY.

During the past month death has taken away
several friends, whose departure is worthy of
note.

Mr. James Bissett florist,of Philadelphia, died
suddenly of heart disease He was well known
as amongst the first to introduce cheap roses, by
the plan of great heat and summer layering un-
der glass. As a rose grower he stood high, as
the frequent premiums obtained from the Penn.
Hort. Society testifies. He was a good man in
every relation of life.

Elias Diffenbaugh. — Mr. Diffenbaugh was
one of those remarkable men, whose natural tal-
ents overcome obstacles, which frighten those of
weaker mould. He was a native of Lancaster
Co , a journeyman printer by profession, and
imbibed a love of flowers from Prof. Porter, now
of Lehigh University. Many years ago he be-
came stricken with consumption, but turned his
attention to Botany, which by aftbrding him
plenty of out door occupation, and aiding him to
a cheerful happy disposition, no doubt prolonged
his life many years.

The success which attended his botanical
studies was so great, that he was elected by the
Academy of J^atural Science, of Philadelphia, a
life member of that Institution, without his pay-
ing the usual heavy fee required ; and he was
subsequently elected to the honorable position of
one of the Botanical Committee of that Society.
His disease at length growing on him, he re-
moved a few months ago to Freeport, Ills.,
where be was when he died.

Mr. Seth Boydex, of Newark, has also dis-
appeared from life's stage. In connection with
serdliiig strawberries, his name will long be re-
membered. Green Prolific and Agriculturist,,
are two of his seedlings, which will maintain a
preeminence for many years to come. .

lie was one of the most prominent men in his
city ; always alive to every interest that would
tend to its advancement. He was always simple
and unafiected in his tastes, presenting a marked
contrast to the extravagances of the present
generation.

1870.

TEE GARBE JEER'S MOJVTELY.

155

BOOKS, CATALOGUES, &C.

harnky-s Barns, OrTBniiDtsos, and fescr!.. Published by j it will not liave the efTcct intended. " Wha
Orange Judd & Co., througb ciaxton, K-ni'^eti, A Co.Phiu. farmer Can do " occupics a Very small space in
A beautiful barn or outbuildinjr-one orna- \ the tale,— what the Rovers attempted, most
mented in good taste— that is, embellished in a ' young farmer boys would be rather induced to
way that is not discordant with the purpo.ses for try ; for most boys think they can do what
which it is intended, is perhaps a much rarer others fail in, and the love of adventure always
sight than a good house or garden. The want i^j^s charms,
is felt for something better than a few boards
nailed together, or an ugly mass of stone or
brick, and the attempt is often made to "do
something" in this way, and they usually do
"do something." "We have improved Barns
and Stables,, but they are generally mistaken by ,
passers b3' for hospitals or meeting houses,
rather than as shelters for cows or horses, or
places "where the farmer garnereth in his grain.''
Mr. Harney is not altogether in the advance
in this line of literature. John J. Thomas has
been a good worker in this field ; but no one has
dared so much for the cause as our present au-
thor, and publisher, in presenting this beautiful
work to the public.

Full drawings and descriptions are given of
every building likely to be required on the best
ordered farm, and the book is gotten up in such
beautiful style, that even though a library were
filled at the instance of an ignoramus, by " con

Tkansaction.4 of the Mass. Hort. Societt.

We are late in acknowledging the receii)t of
the last volume of the transactions of this time
honored institution.

Thb Cocntrt Gentleman.

We value very highly the complimentary let-
ters received from correspondents. That we
seldom refer to them in our pages, is not because
we fail to appreciate their kind estimate of our
labors ; but because they are so numerous and
warmly expres3ed,that we cannot choose between
them. The following however, in reference to a
contemporary agricultural journal, from a cor-
respondent in Chautague Co., New York, we
feel less modesty n publishing. We make the ex-
tract, because outside of any comparison with
other excellent agricultural magazines, there is

nilec at the instance o an ignoramus, by con- , .^ .^ ^^^ ^^ ^^.^^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^.^^e

tract for so much," this would surely be one | no ^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^.^^^^^^^^^^

that would please.

Henry Courti.and; or what a Farmer can do. By A. J. Cliue.
Published by J. B. Lippincott k Co., Philadelphia.

This is a novel of about four hundred pages
octavo, evidently written with the object of show-
ing that a farmer's life is the one the most con-
ductive to happiness. Some young men seek their
fortunes in the newly discovered riches of Cali-
fornia, others stay at home on the homestead,—
but after a weary battling with the world, the
former are glad to return like the prodigal son of
old. to the fatted calves of their father's home.

The providential circumstances which contin-
ually arise to give life to the plot as the story
progresses are too numerous to affect one with
any sense of naturalness,— yet the author mana-
ges to keep up an interest in the fate of all his
leading characters to the last, which is a deci-
sive proof that the book is so far a success.
There is no young man or woman, but will read
it with great interest, and it will assuredly be

the good name of American agriculture is proud.
Our correspondent says : after his good opinion
of the Monthly, " and the Country Gentleman
seems to me to contain the pith and power of the
arrricultural literature of this country.''

The Pomolooist

Is a new monthly published at Des Moines,
Iowa, and edited chiefly by Mark Miller, well
known by his former connection with the Home-
stead The numbers so far issued, exhibit great
mtelligence and industry, and it will take rank
with o'ur best horticultural magazines. Though
by its name one might suppose it to be devoted
to fruit culture alone, it seems to embrace all
oth'.'r branches of gardening. Dr. Stayman our
valued correspondent is editorially connected
with it.

The Germantown Teleoraph

Recently celebrated its /or(ie«/i anniversary.
It must have a good constitution to survive that

:r.:r: ~:r^:^. B^r vj i .:r - .>..o., u .. „„twuh.a.a., ..

156

THE GAEDEJ^ER'S MOJVTHLY.

May,

great aj^e, it shows no signs of decrepitude, but
is to daj' as fresh and vigorous as ever. It is
clear that if Ponce de Leon failed to find the
Spring of perpetual youth amongst the wa-
ters of the Mississippi, some of ournewsoapers,
lik(3 the Germantown Telegraph, have come near
discovering the great secret. We were about to
say "long may it live," but that is superfluous.

Colman'8 Rural World,

Usually the Bantam amongst the fowl king-
dom, crows as lound as the Shanghai, and
rather feels the prouder for his little size. Our
agricultural papers do not go by the same rule.
They have swollen themselves enormously of
late years. Colman's Rural World of St. Louis,
is the last to adopt the quarto form. We are
glad to note its increased success.

NEW A^TJ) KAM FRUITS.

Tetofskt Apple.— We have noticed this
several times. Mr. D. W. Adnms says of it in
Iowa Homestead: "It is a great prize to us of
the far N'orth-west. It is very early (a trifle
earlier than Ked Astrachan). good size ; always
fair; a vcrvyoun<r bearer, and enormously pro-
ductive. It also is at the very head of the best
for hardiness, ranking with the Siberian crabs
and Duchess of Oldenburg in one respect. I
consider myself very fortunate in having this
comparatively new and rare sort in bearing in a
situation so exposed as to thoroughly test its
many good qualities.''

The Warfield Apple.— Mr. Suel Foster
«ays in W''stern Pomologist: "It is generally
known that I propagated the Warfield Apple
a new seedling of this place, and I have spread
It over the country pretty widelv, from Maine to
Nebraska ; and I am not ashamed that I have
done so. I have about 50 of the trees in my or.
chards, the oldest of which are budded on seed-
ing stocks, eight years growth ; one tree bore at
two years and it has borne every year since ;
half tho others bore at three years and nearly all
at four. They are remarkable young bearers
and the tree is the most perfect apiile tree I ever
saw. The branches form a knot that will never
be likely to split off. Its growth is exceedingly
rapid, yet it appears as hardy as anvthingi
have. Such a fall as last, it is apt to burst tlie
bark at the ground whilp young in the nurser}'.
The fruit is large, round and fair, and exceed-
inely handsome ; very light delicate yellow, with
light beautiful blush in (he sun ; flosii a liitle
coarse, firm and hard, subacid; quality, second
rate, good cooking in July and August ; keeps
through September, though it often rots a little

on the tree, particularly last season, though it
was large and fair.

Barnes Mammoth StrA"Wberry, is spoken
of by the Horticulturist as the best substitute for
Wilson, that the Editor has seen.

Marengo Siberian Winter Crabs— From
Mr. Andrews, reached us early in April, in ex-
cellent condition.

The Arctic Peach.— In the North-west they
have a variety called the Acrtic, which seems
very popular; but we have no description any-
where of its peculiar character.

Victoria Gooseberry.— At a recent meet-
ing of fruit growers at Old Mission, Mich., Mr.
Curtis said: "One kind of gooseberry called
Victoria never mildewed ; a smooth variety, not
very large, stalk quite clean; thorns not nume-
rous, but sharp, inclined to bend over. I saw
the same variety in Illinois which did not mil-
dew.''

Ellisdale Raspberry. — This variety origi-
nated 'in Pottawatomie County, Iowa, and is
truly a western sort. The plant in some re-
sembles the Black Cap family, being pro]mgated
by tips, but the fruit has a similarity to the Ant-
werp cla^ss of borries,!being reddish purple in
color and of a most delicious flavor, far excelling
that of the Black Caps. It is very productive,
but rather too soft for distant m:irketing. For
home market and for family use it is not ex-
celled by any variety that will endure our severe
climate. The plant and fruit are somewhat situ-

1870,

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJ^TKLY.

157

ilar to the Purple Cane^ though the plant is a
much more rampant grower, and the fruit is
much larger and liner flavor than that variety.
H. A. Terry.

Two iJ^Ew Texnessee Apples. —

iClXNAIRD'^S CHOICE.

Through the kindness of my friend, J. S.
Downer, of Fairview, Ky., I received specimens
of Kinuaird's Choice and Hatcher's Seedling,both
of excellent quality and handsome, also, an en-
closed letter from D. B. Clifte, of Franklin, Tenn.,
in which he writes, that Kinnaird's Choice origi-

nated on the farm of the late Michael Kinnaird,
Franklin, Tenn , about fifteen years since, and is
thought to be a cross between Winesap and
Limbei Twig. Tree a thrifty, vigorous grower,
not very upright or regular, but similar to "VVine-
sap; an early and an annual bearer, but pro-
duces heavier crops alternate years. The fruit
is at its best in January, and its attractive ap-
pearance and fine color make it very saleable in
market.

Fruit of medium size, oblate, inclining to
conical, slightly angular or obscurely ribbed ;
sides sometimes unequal ; skin yellow, almos^

[hatcher's seedling] .

covered with dark, rich red, and thickly
sprinkled with small light dots towards the
crown, and larger ones and less number near
the base ; Stalk short and small, inserted in a
wide, deep cavity, russeted, sometimes by a
lip calyx closed ; segments short to a point,
sometimes rather long and irregular ; basin
large, deep, furrowed; flesh yellowish, half fine,
crisp, tender, juicy, mild, rich, subacid, slightly
aromatic: quality very good; core small.

HATCHER {Hatcher's fieedling).

D. B. Clifle says : " This fine apple originated
on the farm of the late O. C. Hatcher, near
Franklin, Tenn., and by some is pn firrod to

Kinnaird's Choice, and is one of the most popu-
lar apples in middle Tennessee. Tree very vigo-
rous, upright, and more rapid in growth than
Kinnaird'.s Choice, and a very sightly tree and
bears good crops Fruit medium size, roundish,
slightly conical, slightly angular, skin very dark,
rich red. almost purplish, sprinkled with a few
light dot.s: stalk short, and rather small, insert-
ed in a medium or rather small cavity, slightly
russeted; calyx open; segments short, erect, di-
vided; basin of medium size, slightly plaited ;
flesh yellow, fine grained, rather compact, juicy
mild, pleasant, and sub-acid; almost sweet;
quality very good; core small. Ripens January
and February— Charles Downing.

158

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJVTHLl

May,

Missouri Pippin, (Syn. Missouri Keeper). —
Fruit, medium ; weijjht G to 9 ozs, ; form round,
irregular, oblique ; skin smooth, shining, yellow,
mixed, shaded, marbled and striped with light
and dai'k red ; dots numerous, small, gray ; stem
medium to short, slender ; cavity regular, wide
and deep, eye small, nearly closed; basin abrupt,
deep, regular, furrowed ; core small, compact •
capsules medium ; seeds small, short, plump,
quite dark; flesh yellow, tender, juicy, pleasant,
sub-acid. Quality only good ; use, market and
kitchen. Season — January to July. Dr. "War-
der says : " Specimens cut on the 25th of June
were in perfect condition." Tree vigorous,
healthy and hardy ; bark, dark brown ; very
early and abundant bearer. Origin, supposed
to be Missouri.

"We consider this apple worthy of cultivation
in Kansas and Missouri, it being such an early
and abundant bearer and quite handsome, will
always command a fair price. Excellent for
shipping in the spring on account of its fine color
andgreat keeping qualities.— Western Pomologist.

Mathews No. 1.3— Is a grape which, says the
Western Pomologist, proves of first quality and
indicates great adaptation to the climate of that
region. It is a whitish green, with large, rather
oval berries, and bunch as largo as Concord.

It was received from Mr. Rogers, of Salem, as
one of his regultirly numbered kinds; but proves
to be different from any of them.

Miner Plum.— Mr. Budd, in Pomologist,
shows how this differs from Chickasaw. The
shoots and fruit are double the size It escapes
curculio chiefly through lateness of forming its
fruit. The leaves are very dififerent in the two
kinds.

Laurenel Peach.— Says a western paper:
A new seedling peach is announced christened
the ''Laurenel," in Monroe, Ohio. It is said to
be about the size of Ilalc's Early, a week or
more earlier in ripening, much finer flavor,
does not rot on the tree, &c.

The Western Triumph Blackberry.—
This is a chance seedling found upon the open
prairie in Lake County, Ills , in ISo.S, by Mr.
Biddle, of Waukegan, Ills., and by liim removed
to his garden, where it has since that time

proved hardy and very productive, not being in-
jured when Kittatinny and New RochcUe have
been killed. The fruit is medium to large, very
abundant, roundish, elongated, obtuse in form ;
granules coarse, large, apparently firm, yet very
rich and sweet, carrying well and without any
harshness of core or acidity so peculiar to New
Rochelle, "Wilson, &c., &c.,

The leaf is very broad and thick, irregularly,
and rather coarsely serrated ; spines abundant,
stiff and strong.— F. R. Elliott, in Eural New
Yorker.

Leaf's Lady Apple. — "We have received
from Dr. Leaf of Philadelphia, specimens of a
seedling apple which will be a popular compan-
ion with the well known Lady apple in common
cultivation. The fruit is rather larger, and
some of them take on an ovate instead of the
regular depressed globose form. The color is
not so deep a red, and the yellow on the shady
side is interspersed with stripes and splashes of
red. It is easily distinguished by the stalks,
which are double the length of the common
kind, projecting beyond the cavity considerably.
The flesh also is yellow and sweet.

It is in excellent eating condition at this sea-
son (April '20th).

McAfee's Nonesuch Apple.— Dr. Housley
of Leavenworth, Kansas, in a note to Mr.
Phoenix, says ; " Yours of the 10th, inquiring
what I know of McAfee's Nonesuch apple, Large
Striped Pearmain. Winter Pearmain, Park and
Missouri Pippin is at hand. In reply, would
say, that McAfee's Nonesuch was raised from
seed, sown in 1773, at McAfee's Station, in Mer-
cer Co., Ky., on t!ie banks of Salt River, some
5 or G miles from Ilarodsburg, by the McAfee
company, who came from Va. to Ky. in that
year. The apple has been known and called by
that name for over 70 years, and has been dis-
seminated throughout the N. E. of Ky., Indiana,
and Missouri, In Illinois, about Quincy, it is

known as McAfee's Red Large Striped Pear-
main, is the same apple, having received the
above name from Col. Allen, of Holly Spring
Nursery, in Nelson Co., Ky., about the year
1840. Allen got it of John Lightfoot, and Light-
foot got it in the McAfee neighborliood. Col.
Alien thought, however, the Large Striped Pear-
main was more descriptive of the apple than any

isro.

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJV'TELl.

159

other name, hence he called it that. These
focts I had from Col. Allen himself in his life-
time. Winter Pearmain is the same, and the
name under which I first got it of Col. Allen, in
1836. Park is also the same, have been intro-
duced here from Ky. The Missouri Pippin is
an apple with which I have but Utile acquain-

! tance; I saw it in bearing last fall, for the first
time. Will send you a few scions of it soon to
give you a start. When I shall have obtained
all the historical facts necessary in regard to
McAfee's Nonesuch, I intend to publish it in
some of the periodicals, thereby suppressing 10
to 12 spurious synonyms. ' '

INTELLIGENCE.

SnELTER FOR Pear Trees. — A correspon-
dent of 'Wtsier)x Pomohgist says : I am going to
try Captain Matthews plan of raising pears by
intermixing evergreens with them. In fact, I
had commenced a new pear orchard in this way
two years ago, by setting evergreens on the
north and west ; and now they be on the south
and through among the pear trees.

Nurseries of Cheatham & Clement at
Nashville. —The Nashville Union say : We
have hitherto, owing to a press upon our col-
umns, failed to notice the extensive nursery of
Messrs Archer Cheatham & Clement, known as
the Richland Nursery, five miles out on the Har-
ding pike, and on the Northwestern railroad.
There are 100 acres of beautiful fertile land, de-
voted extensively to nursery purposes.

A Good Botanist. — A Western paper says :
Mrs. T. H. Keeckler, M. D., of Cincinnati, is
the best female botanist in the country. Her
collection of preserved plants is wonderful to be-
hold.

The Pea Weevil.— The Pea Weevil [Bru-
cliua phi) might easily be kept down to a moder-
ate numl)er, if pea growers could be moved to
adopt a right method. I never plant a pea with
a live weevil in it. I keep the peas two years,
then of course the weevil is dead ; and I take
care they do not escape before they die ; conse-
quently, instead of having a bug in every pea,
and eating as many bugs as peas, a large num-
ber of the peas are free from them, and are,
therefore, pleasanter in idea if not in taste ; and
we have some finer seed than we should have if
we planted bugs as well as seed.

As our neighbors cannot endure to provide
seed two years in advance, they all plant bugs,
or let their bugs escape ; and, consequently, we
are supplied with bugs from their gardens ; but
we do not have them so soon, nor in such num-
bers, as we should have by the usual plan. I
dry the seed peas until I think they will not
mould, and then I put them in bags and hang
them up in an airy place, taking care to tie the
mouth of the bags close. Then, that they may
not become too dry about Christmas, T put the
peas into bottles and cork them, and let them
remain until the second spring afterwards. The
peas arc not in any way injured by being two
years old. I have had three year old peas grow
very finely. — Am. Entomologist.

Interesting Experiment.— A recent work
of science gives the following novel experiment,
which settles a question of some importance in
philosophy. Two hundred pounds Iweight of
earth was dried in an oven, and afterwards put
into an earthen vessel. The earth was then
moistened with rain water, and a willow tree,
weighing five pounds, was placed therein. Du-
ring five years the earth was watered with rain
or pure water ; the willow grew and flourished,
and to prevent mixing with fre.sh earth or dust
from any source, it was covered with a metal
plate, numerously perforated to admit air only.
After growing in the air for five years, the tree
was removed, and found to weigh 109 pounds
plus, and the eartli in the vessel being removed,
dried and weighed, was fouud to have lost only
about two ounces of its original weight. Thus,
1(34 pounds of woody fibre, bark and roots, were
cerlaiuly produced ; but from what source uuless
from air — Ohio Farmer.

160

TEE GAREEJVER'S MOJVTELl.

May,

Timber in India. — Dr. Richardson commu-
nicates a paper on this subject to the Edinburg
Bot. Society, of which the Gardener\s (Vironicle
gives an abstract.

The Great Indian Peninsular Railway Com-
pany has commenced the importation of sleepers
from Australia. The variety of limber fixed upon
for this traffic is the "Jarrahwood,'' which issaid
to be excellently adapted for laying the perma-
nent road of railways. If that be found the
case, we shall probably see a new and coiisidcra-
trade springing up batween the Australian con-
tinent and India. The peninsula has little as
yet except the main lines of the traffic system,
and thousands of miles must b3 prepared f)r the
"iron horse" before her cotton-fields and. rice-
fields can be fairly brought witiiin the range of
commerce. India possesses coal, iron, and al-
most everything else, but she does not produce
a good tiuiber-tree for sleepers. Though notliing
can be better than Sal and Teak when properly
seasoned, neither of these can now be had in
sufficient abundance to satisfy the steadily in-
creasing demand. The Pine and Fir grow only
upon the upper peaks of the mountain ranges ;
the Teak forests, which are distant from Bombay
have been a good deal overworked of late— while
the wood is hard to work, and costly. The com-
monest tree in Western India is the "Babul,'
a species of acacia (A. arabica), with a black
trunk and fragrant golden blossoms; but it al-
most always grows very crooked, and its wood
is excessively tough. There are, of course,
great forests throughout India, and everywhere
may be seen groves of superb Mangoes, Tama-
rinds, Peepul, Jack, Silk-cotton, and other trees,
besides Date and Cocoa-nut Palms; but most of
these are too valuable, and none of them are
suitable for sleepers. Thus, the importation of
foreign wood has always been a large element in
the cost of railway making in the peninsula
Thousands of loads of Norway Pine i»ave been
brought all the way from the Baltic to Bombay,
Kurrachee, and even Calcutta, cut into sleepers,
and kyanizi'd to keep the white ant away. It
has been necessary to pay for this immense sea
transit, because neither stone nor any other ma-
terial will serve the purpose so well as the solid
but slightly elastic beam of Fir wood. Along
the Indian lines, Baniboo is a good deal em-
ployed for telegraph posts, and such other native
wood as can be obtained is burned up in the fur-
naces of the locomotives for fuel. But this scar-

city of light timber is a serious matter fir Indian
engineers; and if it really is the case that in the
Jarrah-tree Australia grows the very thing
wanted, it is quite likely that a new source of
prosperity is opening for the Australians, and
that a steady Indo- Australian commerce may be
the result.

Report on the Regional and Hypsome-
TRicAii Distribution of the Conifers. —
By Robert Brown, F. R. G. S. This paper was
the result of the author's studies regarding the
geographical distribution of Coniferse over the
globe, and the laws regulating that distribution.
The result of his researches had gone to prove
that the Conifei"£e had resolved themselves into
several natural groups, which he denominated
"provinces;" and that these provinces might
again be subdivided into lesser geographical
groups, called "regions;" these regions, finallv,
being composed of local arboreal floras, which
might be called "districts," distin2:uished by the
prevalence of some particular species, not found
out of the range embraced by this district. He
then described these geographical provinces of
distribution, and gave the provincial limits as-
signed to them, with lists of the species frequent-
ing each, and the altitudinal range of the species
contained in them. The causes regulating this
distribution were next considered. It w^as shown
that in all probability each species, even when
widely distributed, had a certain isotherm gov-
erning it, and that the range of temperature
within which it could prosper was not great.
The limits of forests in America in north latitude,
were stated, for example, at 17.5' Fahr. (iso-
therm), the isotheral line of 50', and the isochi-
monal line of .15". Moisture was, however, the
chief limiting cause of forests, and it appears
that at least from 14 to 16 inches of annual rain-
fiiU during the growing season are necessary to
the prosperity of forests, in defence of which
proposition the origin of prairies was discussed.
Geological formation had also a linxilin'j: iiifiu-
cnce, the great forests of Sequoia semperviiens
in California binng entirely limited to tho meta-
morphib sandstones of the west(!rn slope of the
coas- range, 'breaks in the forest occurring where
the formation was alternated with limestone
tracts. — From Edinburg Bot. Society in Garde-
ner's Chronicle.

RHODODEKDROM CATA^NhlE^SB

' J. 'ifciAfjf'S .'/."/* ^/fji:

DEVOTED TO

Eorti culture, Arboriculture, Botany and Rural Affairs

EDITED BY THOMAS MEEHAX.

Old Series, Vol. XII.

JUA^E, 1870, Kew Series. Vol. III. No. 6.

HINTS FOR JU]\E,

FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE
GROUND.

Towards the end of June propagation by bud-
ding commences. This is very commonly em-
ployed with the rose ; but ornamental trees and
shrubs may be increased in the same way.
Closely allied species must be chosen to work
together.

Evergreen hedges will require attention as
they grow. Where the height desired has been
attained, the top and strong growth should be
cut back while they are still watery. The side
shoots need not be touched till past midsummer.
All wise people now employ the conical shape
for hedges. In cutting back the top growth at
this season, the conical form can still be pre-
served.

Cut off the flowers of roses as they fade,— the
second crop will be much better for the atten-
tion. Seeds of all flowering plants should be al-
so taken off; all this assists the duration of the
blooming season.

Bulbous roots, when done flowering, and the
leaves have faded, should be taken up and dried,
— mi.\ed with chaff, or other light loose material,
placed in paper bags and stowed away in a dry
place till Fall.

Dahlias should not flower early Keep them
growing till Fall, when they will flower finely.

Propagation by layering may be performed any
time when strong vigorous growing shoots can
be had. Any plant can be propagated by layers
Many can be readily propagated no other way.
Cut a notch on the upper side of the shoot, not
below, as all the books recommend, and bend
down into, and cover with rich soil. In a few
weeks they root, and can be removed from their
parents. Stakes for plants should be charred at

the ends before using, when they will last for
years.

Flower-beds should be hoed and raked, as soon
as the ground dries after a rain. Loose surfoce
soil prevents the under stratum drying out. I'eg
down bedding-plants where practicable. Split
twigs make the best pegs. In dry weather do
not water flower-beds often; but do it thoroughly
when it is done. See that the water does not
run off, but into and through the soil.

Mow lawns often, if you would have them
green and velvety. Keep the scythe sharp ;
usually mowers do not use the grindstone often
enough. Common farm scythes are not fit for
lawn use ; rivetted, and short scythes are the
kind to get. If a lawn is mowed often, the
grass need not be clean,— the sappy blades soon
wither, and make a manure for the roots. The
longest should be raked off, or the lawn will hav-
a littery appearance.

Peg down Roses where a heavy mass of flow-
ers is desired. The side shoots push more freely
for this treatment.

The Rose bugs are apt to be very annoying at
some seasons. The best remedy is to shake them
off into a pail of water. The Rose slug is often
very injurious to the leaves— completely skeleton-
izing them. All kinds of rapid remedies have
been proposed — whale oil soap, petroleum, &c.,
but the best thing of all is to set a boy to crush
them by finger and thumb. It is astonishing
how rapidly they are destroyed by this process.
This is true of most of the larger insects. Hand
picking or crushing is by far the best remedy.

No trees, Evergreens especially, should be suf-
fered to have grass grow about them for a year
or so after planting. It becomes "rank" in the
deeply loosened soil, abstracts moisture, and

162

THE GARDEJ\'ER'S MOJYTHLY.

June,

otherwise seriously interferes with the tree.
When the tree gets a fair start, grass does less in-
jur}-,and when itbecomesa tough sod, and the tree
by its shade, or say by frequent mowing keeps
the grass short, the grass roots do not penetrate
deep, and the sod is of benefit, by keeping the
surface spongy, and the substratum cool.

Many herbaceous plants, such as Phloxes,
Hollyhocks and similar things, that are scarce
and valued, may be propagated now very easily,
by taking portions of their tlower-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, etc., should be done before the young
wood becomes too hard, if good plants are re.
quired the first year. Most plants root more
quickly by having a notch cut in the layered
shoot. Good, rich soil, put just about the layers
is \cvy important. Good soil favors an abun-
dance of roots. One of the greatest mistakes in
gardening is the prevalent notion that plants in
a poor soil have a greater proportion of roots
than in a rich one.

FRUIT GAEDEN.

Grapes first coming into bearing should not
be permitted to perfect large crops of fruit while
young. It is excusable to fruit a bunch or so on
a young vine, 'just to test the kind," but no
more should be permitted till the vine has age
and strength. Vigorous growth, and great pro-
ductiveness, are the antipodes of the vegetable
world. Encourage as much foliage as possible
on the vines, and aim to have as strong shoots
at the base as at the top of the cane ; this can be
done by pinching out the points of the strong
shoots ofter they have made a growth of five or
six leaves. This will make the weak ones grow
stronger. Young vines grow much faster over a
twiggy branch, stuck in for support, than over a
straight stick as a trelli.s, and generally do bet-
ter every way. Where extra fine bunches of
grapes are desired, pinch back the shoot bearing
it to about four or five leaves above the bunch.
This should not be done indiscriminately with
all the bunches. Too much pinching and stop-
ping injures the production of good wood for
next season. These hints are for amateurs, who
havt; a few vines or trellisscs ; for large vineyard
culture, though the same principles hold good as
far as they go, they will vary in their application.

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, com-
pact bunch favors mildew and eax'l}' 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 excess. 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 the facts,
shade their vineries during the coloring process ;
but others, instead, keep the atmosphere as
close and moist as possible. The latter course
detracts from tl.e flavor of the frui*^. The best
plan is that which combines both practices.

Watch newly planted fruit trees. If they have
but a few weak leaves only, it shows the roots
have been injured ; then prune them severely,
which will make them grow freely. It should be
a main object to make all transplanted trees not
merely have leaves, but have new shoots at the
earliest possible moment. If they are growing
very well, they may be allowed to perfect a few
fruits. Overbearing on a newly planted ti-ee is,
however, one of the best ways of making it stunt-
ed for year.

Strawberries, when grown in hills, — the most

laborious but most productive method of grow-
ing them,— should have runnei's cut oft" as they
grow, and the surface soil kept loose by shallow
hoeings occasionally. Short litter, half rotten
as a mulch, is also beneficial. Lawn mowiuirs
are often applied, but with little benefit. Where
they are grown in beds, they should not be too
thick, as tliey starve one another, and the crop
next year will be poor.

13lackberri^ are not always ripe when they
are black. Leave them on till they part readily
fi"om their stalks.

Currants are so easily grown as to require few
hints for their management. If they throw up
many suckers, take out a portion now, instead of
waiting till winter to cut them away. The Cur-
rant borer is a great pest, eating out the pith of the
young shoots, and causing them to grow poorly,
and bear but small fruit next year. Gummy

1870-

THE GARBEJ^EWS MOJStTIlLY.

163

" flypaper " is, we think, the best thing to catch
them.

Gooseberries should have the soil, and even
the plants, if it were practicable, shaded a little.

Dry air about them is one great cause ofmildew.

In the interior department. Peaches that have
been slightly forced will be about maturing, and
the atmosphere must be allowed to become dryer
by admitting more air and using the syringe less
freeh'. 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 natural maturity the plant has no
longer use for them.

VEGETABLE GARDEN.

Peas for a Fall crop may be sown. It is, how-
ever, useless to try them unless in a deeply trench-
ed soil, and one that is comparatively^ cool in the
hottest weather overhead, or they will certainly
mildew and prove worthless. In England, where
the atmosphere is so much more humid than ours,
they nevertheless have great difficulty in getting
fall Peas to go through free from mildew ; and to
obviate these drying and mildew-producing in-
fluences, they often plant them in deep trenches,
made as for Celery, and are then much more
successful with them.

Cabbage and Brocoli may still be set out for
Fall crops, also requiring an abundance of ma-
nure to insure 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 Co.", or Plain-leaved kinds,
are 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

At the end of June, some Celery may be set
out for early crops, though for the main crop a
month later will be quite time enough. It was
once customary to plant in trenches dug six or
more inches below the surface ; but the poverty
of the soil usually at this depth more than de
creases the balance of good points in its ftivor.
Some of our best growers now plant entirely on
the surface, and depend on drawing up the soil,

or the employment of boards or other artificial
methods of blanching.

Beans produce enormous crops in deeply
trenched soils, and are improved as much as any
crop by surftxce 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.

Cucumbers for pickling may be sown this
month, and Endive for fall Salad set out. Pars-
ley for winter use may be sown now, in boxes of
rich soil, and set in a cool, shady place till it
germinates.

Asparagus beds should not be cut off* 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.

Tomatoes, after trying all kinds of trellisses
recommended, will be found to do best on stakes
tied up singly. It is best to plant a strong pole,
as for Lima Beans, with the plants when first
set out, and tie up as they grow. Marketmeu
generally let them grow as they will, on the
ground, which, perhaps, although not yielding
as much, costs less labor, and may thus be most
profitable.

The Swede Tui-nip or Ruta Baga should be
sown about the end of the month. A well en-
riched piece of ground is essential, as by growing
fast they get ah(iad of the ravages of the fly. Ma-
nures abounding in the phosphates — bone-dust,
for instance, — are superior for the Turnip.

Sweet Potatoes must be watched, that the vines
do not root in the ground as they run, which will
weaken the main crop of roots. They should be
gone over about once a month, and with a rake
or pole, the vines disturbed somewhat from their
position.

Parsley for winter use may be sown now in
boxes of rich soil, and set in a cool, shady place
till it germinates.

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 sufficiently dry
to put away, tie them in bunches, and hang in a
cool shed, or place them loosely between the pa-
per, and stow away in cupboards or drawers, —
the last mode is by far the cleanest and most ap-
proved plan with the best housekeepers. Some,
indeed, powder the leaves at once after drying^,
and put them away in bags, nady for use.

IGJ^

TEE GARDEjy-ER'S MOJ^THLY.

June,

COMMUNICATIONS.

ABOUT PEARS.

BY PARKER KARL, ESQ., SOUTH PASS, ILLS.

Essay Read at the laic Meeting of the Central Illinois Horti-
cultural Society, at Malloon.

Horticulture is very far from being an exact
science. There is little that is settled in any de-
partment of it. Suppose one should try to find
the very best method of pruning and managing
grape vines, and thereto should read all that has
been written on that question within the last ten
years by scientific and practical men (if life were
long enough !), what would most likely be his
conclusions ? So in regard to any other branch
of our fruit culture. Our knowledge is lamenta-
bly limited and inexact. Our conclusions are
curiously divergent.

Pear Culture forms no exception to this pain-
ful state of facts ; and it must be acknowledged
that all the experience of two hemispheres, and
all the science of this age have failed to tell us
how best to grow and manage a Pear tree. It is
therefore an embarrassing thing for any one to
attempt what might seem like instruction. The
most that any man can do is to give his latest
opinions— which a year's experience may mate-
rially change. And no mans opinions mainly
based on the narrow experience of a particular
locality, can be much relied upon under dilferent
conditions of soil and climate.

So I stand here to day, not as a teacher, but
as a somevvhat enthusiastic student of Pear cul-
ture, to give you some of my present impressions,
which may be worth but little for any place,
and that little only for sections whose conditions
of climate and soil do not materially vary from
those of the hills of Southern Illinois.

The mechanical state of the soil for a Pear or-
chard is, I think, the most important considera-
tion connected with it. It should be in that happy
medium condition which gives free natural uu-
dcrdrainage without being leachy. Such a soil
will give those temperate conditions of moisture
and warmth in which pear roots delight. Our
western soils are generally too heavy for Pears,
which require very thorough subsoiling and ar-
tificial underdrainagc. This is somewhat expen-
sive, but indispensable to success in retentive
soils. JLt is said that tile drains are soon ob-
structed with roots in an orchard. I'robably a
foot in depth of small cobble stones covered with

gravel at the bottom of a four foot ditch, will
make the best drain for the orchard. As all veg-
table substances are derived much more largely
from the air and water than from the soil, it
seems that the mechanical condition and chem-
ical properties which enable it to absorb and re-
tain the gases supplied by the air arid the rain,
are more important than mineral constituents.

I would plant a few trees on the best soil I
could get or make, wherever I was located, as
Pears are a luxury worth taking great trouble
to obtain ; but I would not plant largely or for
profit, except on soils adapted, by natural con-
stitution or artificial preparation, to the healthy
growth and longevity of the trees.

Having the right soil, it is important to get
good trees to plant. And among trees, as among
animals and among men, I believe there are
great differences of constitutional vigor. A
large majority of the Pear trees I have seen come
out of the nursery, are deficient in their native
vitality ; this may come from a feeble stock, or
from a weak bud or graft. A young Pear seed-
ling inherits the qualities of ils parent tree, and
only the seeds of perfectly grown pears from
healthy and vigorous trees should ever be used
in propagation. It is my impression that we
suffer greatly from the neglect or ignorance of
propagators in this respect. It is wholly impos-
sible to make healthy and long-lived trees from
puny stocks. Perhaps it is not less important to
select buds or grafts from healthy trees, and
which have been well developed by full exposure
to the sun and air. A vigttrous graft on a weak
stock may be induced to throw out roots from
itself, but a weak graft will never amount to
much, whatever the stock.

I will venture the opinion here, that the best
way to make a Pear tree, is to sow the seed where
the tree is to stand, and put on such tops as you
prefer. This cannot be done, however, in all
places. But I have no doubt that the oldest,
largest and most regularly productive Pear trees
in this world have grown from seed where they
stand.

As most of us must buy our trees from the
nursery, and take their chances as to their "noble
blood,'' I would buy only those trees which show
a vigorous habit, and a good balance between

1870.

THE GARDE JEER'S MOJ^THLY.

165

stock and top : and other things being equal
would take year trees in preference to older. Na-
ture is violated less in the removal of a young
than an old tree.

As to the time of planting, I unhesitatingly say
it should be in the Autumn, and the earlier the
better, after the leaves have fallen, I also be-
lieve in planting closer than is the common prac-
tice. Thf great need of an orchard in our climate
is protection against severe winds, and shade to
trees, both in summer and winter All these
conditions are more easily secured by close plant-
ing than in any other way. In those sections
where root-pruning is essential to the health and
life of the trees, 400 or 500 trees can be set on an
acre, and remain permanently. Or one-half or
three-fourths of them may be root-pruned at
three or four years of age, and brought into early
bearing, while the balance are left to grow to their
natural size. In time the root pruned trees,
having amply paid for themselves and the others,
too, can be removed. If Pears are worth grow-
ing as a market crop, in preference toother fruit
in a given locality, then I know no other fruit or
crop to grow in the orchard, so profitable or con-
venient as Pears.

Trees, such as I have described, planted in a

soil such as I have indicated, should therefore be
treated as much on natural and as little on arti-
ficial principles as possible. Xature does not
cultivata by a constant stirring of the soil, but
mulches Nature plants closely and gives shade
in summer, and shelter in winter. Nature prunes
sparingly, and not by a systematic shortening
or cutting liack. Nature grows grass and weeds
and small brush to protect her young orchards
from all extremes. Can we grow orchards in
this way ? That is a ditHcult question to answer
with our present amount of careful experiments
and ob.servations. There are scattered instances
of complete success in growing Pear trees in this
way, but I know no one who has attempted to
follow nature clo.sely, and on a large scale. Not
but that plenty of tree- have been planted in a
poor way in soil poorly adapted to their growth,
and then left to their own fate. There is an
abundance of neglect everywhere ; but this is not
Nature's way. Nature is particular as to soil
and climate. She grows her oaks, her pines, her
beeches, and her poplars, in locations specially
adapted to their several wants. Man has not
copied her well in this respect. Nature plants
the seed where the tree is to grow. Man has not
followed her in this particular. It is my impres-

sion that her success is far the most triumphant,
and that her methods are worthy our attention,
study, and a much closer imitation.

The artificial system of culture produces every
where abnormal results. It gives iireat growth
of wood, but great tenderness. It gives prema-
ture fruitfulncss, and fruits extravagantly large,
and "fit for exhibition,'' but painfully rare. It
brings troops of diseases and early d^'ath. The
agricultural press of the country is full of a mur-
mur of wailing over the results of this system.
And yet the few bold men who hive dared ad-
vise a radical change in our methods of mana-
ging trees, get little gratitude and much abuse.

For myself, I am unsettled in opinion as to
many of these points. I know this, that I have
no knowledge of any Pear orchard tliat has en-
dured the systematic pruning, manuring and
cultivation reconnnended in the books, for a very
long term of years ; while [I do know of many
scattered trees which have yielded their atmual
abundant harvest for a half century of time, and
still stand in green and venerable beauty, monu-
ments of something better than the orthodox
system of tree management.

I do not commit myself to any thin;: beyond
this— that the comparative results of Nature's
method and man's method are worth our pon-
dering. I do not say that orchards should be
seeded to grass, for that is a question of soil and
circumstances. Especially, I do not say tha;, they
should be left to the protection of weeds ; for
there is a batter way. But it should not be for-
gotten that Nature abhors the nakedu. ss of the
ground, and hastens to clothe every plowed field
with her mantle of greenness. I only recommend
that we try all these ways, and hold fast to that
which gives the most good Pears for the greatest

number of years.

Something should be said about Insects and
Diseases," in every well regulated horticultural
talk ; and, heretic as I am, I will in this respect
follow the ritual of our Societies. The two in-
sects which damage us most at present, and
which threaten the future of " Pear growing for
profit" the most alarmingly, are the Curculio
and Codling Moth. The larva? of the curculio
do not often, if ever, mature in the Pear, but in
neighborhoods where they abound, they disfigure
the° young Pears sadly. AVilh orchards of
peaches and pears side by side, I bavr found the
latter much the most numerously stung early in
the season, while the infant fruits were about
the size of peas. The effect of these punctures

1G6

TEE GARDEJVER'S MOJVTHLY,

June,

are not outgrown b}' most varieties ; the devel-
opment of the fruit is arrested at the point of in-
jury, or goes on slowly, forming a woody texture,
and this scarred knotty fruit is not worth half
price in the Fall.

You are all familiar with the work of the Cod-
ling Moth in the apple, and I need sa)' nothing
concerning this insect, only that it is quite as
hard on the Pears as the apples, and so dama
ging to both, that a dozen years more of neglect
of measures for its extermination, promises to
leave our pear and apple orchards as barren of
eatable fruits as are those of many sections of
Xew England and New Jersey, whose proprie-
tors enjoy their abundant supply of these neces-
sities of the table— when they buy them.

Among diseases affecting Pear trees I think
there is none so damaging as leaf blight — by
which I do not mean the sudden blackening of
the leaves which we so often see on Pear seed-
lings, but that fiiUof the leaves in summer which
is caused by a slower growing fungus, and some-
times apparently by a premature ripening of the
leaves not connected with fungoid disease. This
disease affects most varieties in my neighbor-
hood, where the ground is cultivated in the com-
mon way. There are a few of our best kinds
quite exempt, however, under the most trying
circumstances. This fungus attacks only those
leaves having a deficient or weakened vitality.
Our Pear orchards generally stand in a soil
which is systematically kept naked during the
entire year, and exposed as much as possible to
to all the severe changes of temperature. Such
a soil becomes intensely hot every bright day in
Summer, and radiates heat rapidly at night— a
condition of things precisely conti-ary to all the
requirements of physiology and the teaching of
Nature. Most of our Pear trees can't stand it.
The deljilitated leaves which are constantly ex-
posed to the spores of this fungus, become unable
to resist it. This is pretty much all theory, of
course, but I know that those trees, of varieties
most liable to summer defoliation in our neigh-
borhood, which have been kept in a close grass
80tl, or in clover, have held their leaves quite
perfectly through the summer.

This leaf blight lays the foundation for wood
blight in many, if not in most, cases. Those
treoH whiehslied tiieir leaves in mid-summer will
generally put out leaves again in a few weeks ; a
new wood growth is commenced, n\any of the
pcrfectcul fruit buds will IjJossom, and the, freezes
of early winter find the tree wholly unripened

and unprepared, and all those new adolescent
branches are backward with the frost, and the
whole Tree must be greatly shocked, and more
or less permanently diseased. That such trees
should yield to the blighting fungus seems in no-
wise strange. The tree has passed through the
feverish vicissitudes of summer, has been often
wounded in root and top, and finally has been
exposed to the severities of winter while in sum-
mer clothing, and it is quite to be expected that
(he abased and weakened thing should yield to
the attacks of disease.

Now, whatever will keep the leaves on the
trees through the season, whether it be high cul-
ture, special manuring, root pruning, mulching,
or grassing, is better than any other manage-
ment which is accompanied with leaf blight.
Without giving any opinion as to which of these
methods is best, I will state two facts : I planted
a dozen Flemish Beauty trees nine years ago ;
have given them moderate annual culture. They
are all alive, and in apparent health to-day, but
they have been badly defoliated for several sum-
mers past, and never matured many fruit buds,
and I have never got a barrel of Pears from them
all. A neighbor of mine planted a few of the
same variety out of the same bundle. He set his
trees in ground that he seeded down a year or
two after, and which has remained in sod ever
since, and he says he has never manured them.
His trees are as large as mine, and he has had
three or four crops, getting over three bushels to
the tree in one season — the pears of fine size.
I don't know that the grass was good for them,
but I shall trvwhat crass will do for mine.
Now, please don't anybody report me as recom-
mending you to plant trees in grass, for I don't
make any recommendation. I think it is only
the naturally strong and vigorous trees which
ever amount to any thing if planted in grass, — or
anywhere else.

1 don't wish to speak of varieties, as so much
depends upon particular localities and manage-
nn'ut. It seems unfortunate that so large a share
of all our trees rijien their fruit in August and
September. We need more early kinds, and
many more later ones. Nature assigned the
Pear season to last as long as that of the apples.
I will only say further, that succes.sfiil Pear
growing depends U[)on fitness of soil, climate,
and varieties, and the largest energy and thor-
oughness of management. Whatever system of
culture is adoi)ted, laziness, slovenliness, and ne-
glect will not win. If I have deprecated the too

18^:0,

TEE GARDEJVER'S MOJ^THLY.

167

general violation of Xature's plans, I have not
meant that all could be iefi to nature, for

" Ours is art that doth

Mend Xature."

ALPIXE STRAWBERRIES.

BY L. B., PHILADELPHIA.

Observing your favorable notices of the Alpine
Strawberries, in which T fully agree, I send you
half a dozen plants of the White Alpine^ a varie-
ty I have grown with great satisfaction to my-
self, for more than twenty years. In bringing
it from the country here, I at first had doubts as
to if 8 success in a warmer climate and drier soil ;
but it has thrived wonderfully, and has every
3-ear, for five years past, borne profusely on a
clay patch of my garden, irrespective of exposure
to sun, or of partial shade.

This Alpine is very hardy ; I have only given
it a little top dressing, yet it maintains almost a
turf of roots over the surface. It needs no thin-
ning out, onlj-- that grass and weeds are kept
away. The delicate, fragrant, delicious berries,
have yielded us dessert in abundance daily, for
two or three weeks after the ordinary red berries
are gone ; picking a bowl full daily from a spot
ten feet square.

I have had three or four red Alpines, all of
which have failed after a year or two. This one
was growing in my father's garden at ray earliest
remembrance, and it holds its place, cultivated
or uncultivated, as tenaciously as the wild ones.

LARGE TREES OF THE WEST.

BY MB. J. A. RICIIARDSOX, NEAR LOUISVILLE, KY

I have been reading with no little interest, the
letters of your California correspondent, as pub"
lished in your invaluable Monthly, and have been
particularly interested in his graphic descriptions
of the large trees growing on the Pacific slope. I
notice also, that some attention has been called by
a Texas correspondent to the Sycamores and Tu-
lip trees, which are perhaps the largest speci-
mens of vegetable growth east of the Mississippi
River, and which are becoming rapidly extinct,
either succumbing to time or the axe of the
woodman. In looking over some old books, I
find published in the "Xavigator,'' a work issued
about the 1814, and printed in Pittsburg, the fol-
lowing remarkable account of an old tree found
growing on tlie Ohio River. The writer in
speaking of the timber found along the banks of
the river, says : "The Sycamore seems to be the

king of the forest on the banks of the Ohio ; their
monstrous growth, towering height, and extend-
ed branches, really fill the beholder with awe
and astonishment. Between Wheeling and Ma-
rietta, I measured several from 10 to 16 feet over
four feet above ground, and this seems to be but
their common size. A gentleman of Marietta
told me he knew of one sixty feet in circumfer-
ence, and that in the hollow of another he had
turned himself around with a ten foot pole in his
hand, sweeping it at right angles with himself-
And there is one of these huge trees in Scioto
County, Ohio, on the land of a Mr. Abraham
Miller, into whose hollow, thirteen men rode on
horseback, June Gth, 180S, the fourteenth did
not enter, his horse being skittish and too fear-
ful to advance into so curious an apartment ;
but there was room enough for two more.''

This account has been literally transcribed
from the "Xavigator," a book of merit and re-
Uability, at least so considered in its day, the
author of which seems to have made every effort
to collect accurate information on all objects of
interest to be found on the banks or in the vi-
cinity of our western rivers. The glory of our
grand old western forests is rapidly departing,
and as in this practical (yet really, in this light,
impracticable) age but few persons are to be
found who take any interest in preserving or
perpetuating our native growths ; the time, we
fear, is not far distant when all our timber will
be cut down, and the landscape present nothing
to break the monotony, save occasional clumps
of dwarfish evergreens or rows of formal linden.
I can see but one way to prevent this, and that
is to instil into the rising generation a love for
natural beauty, and to make the study of natu-
ral history a more prominent branch of educa-
tion, more especially the study of botany. An
effort is now being made to establish in our
State, a botanical garden, for the purpose of pre-
serving our indigenous plants, and it is to be
hoped that the public will manifest a sufficient
interest in this enterprise to render the scheme
successful.

BROMPTOX STOCK.

BY J. L. R , SALEM, MASS.

Cuttings of many fine annual and perennial
lloweriug plants are employed in keei)inga choice
variety. There is no reason why an annual or
biennial plant should not survive many years,
either on its own roots or from cuttings. The
probable reason of failure is that the seed pro-

168

TEE GARDE JEER'S MO^TELY.

Junef

duction exhausts it, and by depriving it of seed
pods by plucking the withered and fading blos-
soms, and by stimulating it with liquid manures,
it would increase in growth. The cotton plant
of the Southern States is an annual, yet I have
lying before me. some well ripened seeds of the
seventh year's produce from a plant raised from
seed by a friend of mine, and which is still alive
and flourishing, and enable to blossom and boll
again next summer.

LETTERS FROM THE PACIFIC COAST.
NO. VI.

'•Home," Nov. lOt/i, 1869.

Dear Monthly : Although there are many in-
teresting points to visit in and around San Fran-
cisco, in my judgment, none can surpass the
diversified scenery of the bay, as seen from the
deck of one of the commodious steamboats so
numerous in these waters. Having accepted a
kind invitation to a sail on board the "New
World," our party selected a beautiful morning
for the trip, and once on board, we soon left the
wharf in the distance, and now obtain a fine
view of the city front, lined with vessels of every
kind, and from many countries, — for we must
bear in mind that this port is one of considera-
ble importance to American Commerce. In a
short time the "Golden Gite" is distinctly visi-
ble,—a narrow channel connecting the bay with
the ocean, and flanked on either side by precipi-
tous walls of serpentine rock. It is about one
mile in width, and so deep, that vessels of the
Largest size find no impediment to their entrance.
The scenery is really very beautiful, diversified
as it is by abrupt peaks and deep valleys ; and
still another charm is added for the benefit of
Naturalists. The vast number of water birds is
quite surprising to the Eastern traveller, and
the many new and rare species, to him, are ob
jects of great interest and pleasure.

We pa-s ])y the forts and encampments of
government troops stationed here, when sudden-
ly a heavy fog is seen approaching, and in al-
most an instant, we are completely enveloped,
and obliged to stop so dense is the volume. We
feel a puff" of wind, and like magic, it is gone,
and once more the clear bright rays of the sun
are .shed over the charming scenery of the sur-
sounding clifls. In a short time we stop at V'al-
lejo, a manufacturing j)lace of some importance,
and where most of our passengers take the cars
for San Jose, &c. AVe arrive in the city again

in time t3 visit the "Chinese quarters,"' and so
devote the remainder of the day to "shopping,"'
to us a novel proceeding, so far at least as these
stores are concerned. The attendants dressed
in their blue blouses and semi-celestial style,
transports one in imagination to the shores of
our antii)odal brethren. And here let me re-
mark, that never have I met with more uniform
courtesy and polite attention, than these de-
spised and ill-treated clerks displayed in every
store I entered. Quickly, however, can they de-
tect the presence of an Eastern customer, in
search of curiosities for friends at home, and
dearly will he pay for them too, if their method
of dealing be not fully understood. Gootls of
every style, from the most elegant and costly
silks, to the most common fabric were tempting-
ly ofl'ered on the same counters, with the rarest
of carvings and simplest of toys. Still, with all
their honesty, their ai)titude as house servants,
their patience under severe discipline, their
economy and industrious habits— with all these
as the bright side of the picture, there are yet
darker shadows that at times seem to envelop
and cancel all these praiseworthy characteris-
tics. Bayard Taylor has recorded, that "their
touch is pollution," and if the stories that one
hears everywhere and from every one be only
partially true, then am I ready to believe that
their emigration inio our midst is a fearful ex-
periment. In a political point of view, I make
no comments, but socially and morally I dread
the advent of their coming among us. Religious
belief of any kind does not exist among them,
and this cannot be questioned by the most par-
tial friend to the race ; nor do I see any present
prospect of inculcating the truths of Christianity
in these wor?e than uncivilized heathens. And
yet on the surface, they appear as happy as it is
possible for any class of men to be, — always
cheerful,- needing only the very slightest recog-
nition to induce a smile to flit across their tawny
sunken checks, and a "good morning John" t)
bring out the most gracious pleasant answer.

But I have entirely forgotten my mission, and
instead of talking about trees and flowers, have
unconsciously wandered ofl' into polities and the-
ology. Well, one cannot travel without seeing
some little of the failings of his fellows, as well
as the beauties of nature, and I write as I sec,
without malice and no ulterior purpose to serve.

On one of the most delightful of California af-
ternoons,— pleasant as all of them are at this

1870.

TEE GARDEjYER'S MOJTTELY.

169

season, — I joined a few friends in a visit to the
ocean, and other points of interest in tlie imme-
diate neighborhood. The drive for the most
part was over a broad avenue, level and hard as
a floor and entirely free from dust, whilst the
Seabreeze, balmy and refreshing, was just suffi-
cient to counteract the bright rays of the sun
shining from a cloudless sky. Soon we near the
entrance to the Lone Mountain Cemetery, and
passing in through the broad massive gateway,
follow the winding drive, now past clumps of
Laurel or groups of Acacias, and again by spe-
cimens of beautiful exotics that llourish and
bloom here with all their native vigor. We
gaze with sorrowful feelings at the tall granite
shaft that marks the spot where the philanthro-
pist and statesman Broderick restsfrom his ear li-
ly labors, and a passing humble tribute to his
memory will escape utterance. Aluch as we
may deprecate the mode that ended his life of
usefulness, this visit has recalled to mind his
deeds in the cause of humanity, and wakens up
within me the remembrance of a bright future,
ruthlessly and unpardonably brought to an un-
timely end. May the recording angel so view
his good works, that the mistakes of his event-
ful and stormy life shall prove but a very slight

drawback to his earthly account

The occurrence of a Chinese funeral, prompts
cur curiosity to follow the hearse and solitary
carriage on their way to the section of the Ceme-
tery devoted to the exclusive use of the celestials ;
and despite the feelings of sadness that such a
cortege usually inspires, this instance had all the
semblance of an unbecoming burlesque. No
outward signs of sorrow and regret for the de-
parted were evinced by the friends of the de-
ceased, without we except the continual scatter-
ing of gilded paper, which was performed during
the passage to the gr.;ve, and which we were in-
formed was intended to keep away the evil
spirits. On arriving at its destination, a shal-
low hole was excavated for the coffin, and then
with a supply of bread and meat, it was covered
up ; the by-standers meanwhile appearing as
happy as if nothing sorrowful had occurred to
demand at least a seeming show of regret.

This portion of the grounds is neglected and
dirty in appearance, — the many wedge-shaped
marks with their hieroglyphics being the only
relief to the sandy, drrary aspect of the place.
The Spanish quarter looks more neat, but even
here a little taste might advantageously be in-
troduced. It is the old portion of the grounds,

and dates back many years before the "gold fe-
ver" brought the speculating yankees to these
shores, to spend their lives in the hope of speedy
riches, but alas, in many cases, to close their ca-
reer far from the homes of their earlier days, and
before such a consumation could be effected.
Such were the reflections caused by this visit ;
and as we left the grounds and again drove rap-
idly along our excellent road, the current of our
thoughts was changed by the distant murmur of
the sea.

Arriving at the beach, we endeavored to re-
call some of the familiar tokens of our eastern
shores. To be sure, here was the same expanse
of waters, the same broad sandy beach, and the
well known peculiar odor, but yet we could not
associate our surroundings with similar scenes
at home. Out of the ocean arose great heaps of
rocks, against which the huge waves tossed and
broke with a resistless sheet of foam ; and here
were gamboling with uncouth antics, herds o*
seals, their hoarse bellowing being distinctly
heard above the roaring of the waters. Occa-
sionally, as if by a preconcerted signal, all would
raise their heads, and then in concert, the fear-
ful barking came, wafted to our ears. Lying
basking in the sun, appearing like great brown
slimy snails, these huge creatures would writhe
and twist whenever the waters broke over the
rocks, and once a monster dove from the summit
and disappeared in the surf below. The Natu-
ralist does not soon tire of such an excellent op-
portunity of studying the habits of these curious
animals, and I fully enjoyed the unusual treat
until evening warned us it was time to return to

the City.

We noticed but little vegetation growing on

the sand banks in the vicinity of the shore, but
some succulent plants in bloom were quite at-
tractive, and a very large species of Lupin we
had never seen before.

One evening during my stay in the city, I had
the pleasure of attending a stated meeting of the
California Academy of Natural Sciences, a young
but thriving institution, with a flattering pros-
pect before it.

Dr. A. Kellogg, to whose untiring and inde-
f^itigable exertions are due the discovery of many
new and valuable floral treasures, — exhibited a
fine hebarium of jiovelties, the result of his expe-
ditions during the past season. A dwarf form
(V) of Quercus falvescens was shown, and its very
j marked features alluded to ; indeed the distinc-
tion between it and the former were so very ap-

170

THE GAUBE^'-ER'S MOJVTELY.

June,

parent, that both the Doctor and Prof. Bolander
were uudcr the impression that probably it
might lank in the future as a distinct species.
A remarkably handsome bulbous rooted plant
■was exhibited— JJrocZtcea coccinea. The strons;
stem is surmounted by an umbelliferous head of
flowers ; in color, bright scarlet with green bor-
ders, and not very unlike the Spigelia Mari-
landica. lam unable to see any difference ])e-
tween this species and the new genus lately descri-
bed by Dr. Wood as Brevoorlia Ida-mfei, which
has been figured in the Journal of the Academy of
Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, u^mthera Whit-
neyii is really a splendid new species of the Eve-
ning Primrose family, and one which will fjrm
a valuble addition to our cultivated garden flow-
ers. The peculiar violet or purplish tint, I be-
lieve, is entirely new to this genus, and therefore
it will doubtless be eagerly sought after by the
lover of novelties. Silene Bolanderii, named in
honor of the noted Californian botanist,Prof Bo-
lander, is very striking and handsome, with
pure white flowers. Those of my readers who
are acquainted with our common "Sleepy Catch
fly" {Silene antirrhina) with its viscid secretions
along the stems, and insignificant little flowers,
would not recognize the above as belonging to
the same genus. I was especially pleased with
a pure white species of large size, belonging to
the PhilaMplius named P. occidentalism and
which I think will prove superior to most of this
genus, already in cultivation. Delphinium nu-
dicaHle,—ii misnomer by the way,— is a real gem.
The tall stem was gorgeous with numerous bril-
liant scarlet flowers, and judging from the dried
specimens, I know of no other species at all com-
parable to it for beauty.

But in my opinion, the glory of the whole col-
lection was reserved for the last,— the Dicentra
chrysantha. It is so exceedingly distinct from all
other species, and so much taller and more con-
spicuous also, that I could readily imagine its
attractive features as described by the Doctor in
the course of his remarks.

The mu.seum of this Society is as yet but in its
infancy, but perseverance is working wonders
towards extending its collection. I noticed ex-
cellent specimens of cones, bark, woods, &c., of
the various Conifers, which are the wonder of
the whole botanical and horticultural world, and
from this neucleus I can see in the future, one of
the finest cabinets to be found in any country.

Oakland, the Brooklyn of San Francisco, is
about five miles distant from the latter place,

and is beautifully laid out in rectangular streets,
broad and firm, as well as scrupulously neat and
clean. The stranger from the East notices at
once the distinct vegetation of the yards and gar"
dens of this rural town, but surmises in vain as
to the plants themselves ; and well he maj', for
if like myself, never before have his eyes been
greeted with the sight of luxuriant Australian
trees growing here along the many avenues, as
plentiful as Silver Maples in our streets at home.
A species of Eucalyptus in particular, is more
common than any other for this purpose, and
presents indeed a curious appearance ; for whilst
the young shoots bear very large leaves, on the
older wood the foliage is only of medium size,
and both are totally unlike in character. This
curious tree belongs- to a genus remarkable for
its gigantic growth in Australia, — the E. colos-
sea being 400 feet high ; E amygdalina^ 420 feet ;
and still another species 480 feet in height. Thus
we see that our own Sequoia gigantea has a su-
perior rival in length, but not in girth. The
above measurements are vouched for by several
scientific gentlemen, and I see no cause to doubt

their statement.

As we rode around the more fashionable por-
tion of the town, and where the gardens gave
evidence of high cultivation, many of the plants
in each were unexceptionable in point of size
and training. Great thorny Cacti^ 8 and 10 feet
high, with enormous bristling spines looked per-
fectly at home, and were remarkably thrifty in
appearance. We measured Agaves 10 feet in
height, — two large specimens of which were
growing on either side of an entrance gate, and
appeared to me as very appropriate, whilst
others scattered about the grounds were equally
as fine in size. Onl}- think of Zonale or Horse-shoe
Geraniums from six to ten feet high and of cor-
responding size in girth, and you can then ap-
preciate the&e specimens growing here all the
year round in the open air, and brilliant with
their great balls of scarlet flowers. I also no-
ticed large plants of Ilabrothamnus eleyans, a
greenhouse plant at home, yet perfectly acclima-
ted here and forming trees 12 feet in height, the
branches gracefully drooping with their weight
of purplish bells. In the basins that surrounded
the fountains, the Calla seemed to be a favorite
plant, and their immense size contributed no lit-
tle to our gratilication, particularly as we saw
them in full perfection witli numerous flowers.
Perhaps the most interesting feature in all these
gardens, were thegreatclumpsof Pampas Grass,

1870.

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJfTHLJ.

171

Oynerium arrjenteiim. "We had the curiosity to
count the number of flower spikes on one of the
fiuesu specimens, and there were thirty, all fully
developed, and these too on stems at least 12 feet
hi£;h. Their immense size and remarkable vigor
when contrasted with the same species at home,
which annually undergo a removal to glass struc-
tures for the winter, or else are severely injured
under a load of protective material, is really as-
tonishinL'. The Conifers having the preference
here, were mainlj'^ different species of Cupressus,
of which the C. macrocarpa or Monterey Cypress
and C. sempcrvirens the common Cypress of Eu-
rope were largely planted. Pinus insignis or
Oregon Pitch Pine is ver}' abundant, and scarce-
ly a donryard can be found without at least one
specimen of this lovely species But the dvvel-
lers here may well boast of their handsome fruit
trees, — not onh' on account of the healthy vigor-
ous shoots and foliage, but to this we may add,
in almost every instance, a profusion of richly
colored specimens of fruit.

We rode in and through a large pear orchard,
several acres in extent, and were surprised at
the immense crop just ripening oft" and fiiUing to
the ground. In this collection, there appeared
no second-rate specimens, all were alike in size
and color ; and as for punctures, such as Eastern
insects invariably perform on our fruits, I could

not find here a blemish of that nature.

As I have several times alluded to the climate

of California in these letters, I cannot close them
without giving my readers some idea of its chief
features, and therefore make the following ex-
tract from a periodical published in San Fran-
cisco, and which I fully endorse :

"There are but two seasons in the year — in
in the mountains winter and summer; in the
plains and valleys, spring and summer ; with the
rains of November, Spring and seed time com-
mence with the farmer. Then the grass is green,
and the fruits and flowers prepare to bud. As
soon as the ground gets fairly wet, by December
generally, the farmer begins to plough and
plant, and this work he can keep up till April,
^[ay and June perfects his crops, and from then
till October i.s harvest time, lie is not limited
to thirty days for his planting, nor to another
thirty for harvesting. The season waits on his
leisure, and invites him to an unlimited area of
culture. Full half the days of his winter or
spring are bright and pleasant, and the rest are
showery rather than rainy ; all the days of his
summer are fair and dry. From May to No-

vember he need not lose a day for himself or la-
borers. He may cut his hay in June, and not
gather it till September or October. No barns
are needed for his harvests ; the kindly sky and
dry air protects them until sent to market. The
harvesting, the winnowing, the packing for ship-
ping are all done upon the ground. Nor do his
animals require cover ; they need no kindlier
protection than nature grants ; even his laborers
sleep sweetly and safely upon the field during the

lon<;, drv summer.''

In such a climate as this, we need not wonder

at the people of "Frisco" using the same man-
ner of clothing all the year round. One rarely
meets with furs, unless as an article of adorn-
ment, for most likely they will be worn over the
thinnest of summer dresses. Overcoats, except
in the mornings to keep off the heavy dew, (al-
most equal to rain) are superfluous. And with
this knowledge, I ceased to wonder as I admired
great old plants of Fuchsias trained over the
fronts of the houses, frequently reaching to the
second stories ; nor at the luxuriant Tea Roses
clambering over, and in some instances, com-
pletely covering many a rural cottage front.
And again large bushes of Heliotrope, as we grow
Spirceas and Wiegelas.

On the 3rd of November, I again entered the
cars bound for home, and after a pleasant trip of
exactly one week, (to the hour) arrived there
in safety; having traveled nearly 7000 miles in
just five weeks, and seen the most interesting
features in the sections visited.

As I settle down once more into the daily rou-
tine of busy life, the past few weeks seem almosl;
like a myth ; and were it not for the tangible
proofs in my herbarium and cabinet, I could
scarcely believe all that I have passed through
were real in fact. And often in the coming
years, should my life be spared, each incident of
my journey will thus again be brought vividly
before me as I turn to these silent souvenirs of
my experience in the far western laud.

"Not beiUiliful, but dear;
Your wrecks ri-oaU to me tlie liapp.v past.
Waudlike, your stems can suminou to appear

The days that could not last.

I breath the summer air !
I wander In the woodland paths once more!
Again the copse, the dell, the meadow wear

Tlie loveliness of yore.

The friend who in those years
Shared warmly in my rambles far and wide,
HacK, with tlie same old fondness reappears,

And trudges at my side."

And so dear Monthly this record of my jour-

172

THE GARDENER'S MOJ^THLY.

June,

ney is brought to <a close, and my connection with
your readers ended for the present. That I
have perchance interested a few, I sincerely
tru*-t ; that I have instructed any, I may well
doubt; but if a love for the beautiful in nature
has thereby been increased, then indeed has my
purpose been served, and I shall rest content.

Sincerely, &c.,

JOSIAII IIOOPES.

EARE TREES IX CALIFORNIA.

BY J. P. H., ST. JOSE, SANTA CLARA CO., CAL.

I find here a weeping Locust, the sweet
'white flowering yellow,' that is a weeping tree
decidedly. 1 presume an accidental seedling here.
It is 25 or 'jO feet high, and stands on the same
street with the fine new Courthouse here ; but
on the opposite thereof, and northerly, just after
passing the next cross street, it stands on the
line where the curb will be one of these days.

I saw a wonderfully weeping Laburnum of
similar habit, in Kensington (xardens a few years
ago. What is called the White Oak is a great
weeper here, and large tree. It is a deciduous,
but not a live oal<.

The weeping Willows here quite equal those
of the Delaware, about Bristol and Burlington.
Lombardy Poplars abound here, small yet, but
very healthy and thrifty. One might think they
had gotten seed for them.

I am struck with the European character of
many trees &c. here, some of Oak foliage, the
Elder, the Blackberry ; the Sycamore, this is a
noble tree here, broad, spreading, grand and pic-
turesque too. Euglish Gorse and many Ericas
flourish here.

BEAUTIFUL TREES AND SHRUBS.

BY CHRONICLER.

THE GOLDEN-LEAVED ALTHEA.

Hibiscus variegata folia Buisti is commonly
called "Golden-leaved Althea," as its foliage is
beautifully varicLrated with green and deep yel-
low ; it is of Ihrifly growth upon diflorent kinds
of s(tils and in various exposures ; its blooms are
double, but the greater number should be nipped
off when in bud, and the plant by that, will
grow more massy. Its variegated leaves are its
special beauty, and they grow larger and their
variegations are more beautiful when the blooms
arc taken ofl'in the butt. It is a very striking ob
jcct when setat a point where two walks meet, and

also upon the lawn near to the dwelling house or
walks where it will be easily seen It can be
trained in the form of a tree, with a clear stem
throe feet, or as a bush branching to the ground.
It may be kept a model of perfection at ten feet
high, by pruning. It may be set in singles upon
small grounds, and in groups in parks ; it has a
very effective appearance among olher small
trees. It makes a beautiful variegated hedge,
and can be grown as a shrub of six feet high.
It originated with Robert Buist, the nurseryman
of Philadelphia, several years ago. It is very
probable that many of the leading nurserymen
throughout th^ nation will «ow have got stocks
of it. It deserves a place in all arboral embellish-
ments.

THE STBAWBERUY TREE.

Euonymus Enropmus is commonly called'Spindle
tree" and "Strawberry tree.'' It is a very orna-
mental tree,withacleanstemand branehimihead;
attains a height of eight feet, and in the form of
an umbrella ; the stems forming the midstick. It
blooms in spring, are dark purple or brown,
with white stamens, and are very pretty. In
autumn, its branches are wholly covered with
scarlet berries, which hang on long after the
leaves fall. It is from the color and form of the
berries, that it is called the "Strawberry tree."
It gives a beautiful effect to the lawn during au-
tumn and early winter. It is a general fxvorite,
and is more generally seen in small yards than
upon spacious lawns. It may be set in singles
upon small private grounds, and in groups in
parks. Near to walks or roads and dwelling
houses, where it will be well seen, it bears great
quantities of seeds yearly ; yet it is scarce ia
nurseries. It is rather of slow growth when
young. The reason why it is not imiversally
used in arboral embellishments, (we think) is,
that the common Mississippi"Burning-bush"£?it-
onymus atropurpurea is often sold for it, and as
that species is so coarse and c.lums;/ in appearance
and draws so largely from the soil, it is much
disliked. We too often receive it from the nur-
series when we order the Euonymus Euroj^ceus,

THE MAIDEN HAIR TREE.

Salishiiria adianfifol'a is commonly called
"Maiden-hair tree," from t'.ie fact that the veins
of the leaves run all one way, resembling flne
combed hair. It is a native of Japan, and the
people in the localities where it grows sponta-
neously, imagine that the tree possesses super-
natural virtues ; so Maidens, after they are lifteeu

1870.

TEE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJ^TELY.

173

years of age, make under the shade of the branches
their toilet in May, when the tree is in bloom,
and suppose that it imparts a gloss to the hair,
which lasts for a whole j-ear ; and tiiat the white
bark of Ihc stem <:ives a whiteness to their skins.
So strongly are the minds of the maidens imbued
with that belief, that travelers assert that they
look fairer when returning from the trees, than
they are on going to them. The practice and
pleasure is indulged in, and the very supposition
of such benefits derived, gives vigor to the health
of the maidens and greater animation to their
spirits. The tree grows twenty feet high, and
ratlier lean ; the branches grow out horizontally
and wide apart, and their spread is often greater
than the growth of the stem upwards ; but by
annual shortening in of over extended branches,
new shoots are put out behind the cuts ; the
main stems grow more rapidly upwards, and the
tree assumes a massy conical form of great
beauty. The form and color of the leaves ere
peculiarly different fron\ that of all other kinds
of trees ; their form is nearly a heart, with a very
blunt point ; their color a dim shade of green,
neither light nor darlc. The bark upon the stem
is almost white, and that of the young branches

attracting, even
; its cost for size is greater than that

grasses

a light brown. The tree is not very showy, yet
when growing among other trees,no one could pass
it without observing its singular appearance ; it is
a handsome tree of upright growth when annu-
ally pruned ; a general favorite with all who
know it, and is well worthy of a place in all ar-
boral embellishments ; it flourishes upon various
kinds of soils and in different exposures ; its
growth is slow, but is very
when small

of rapid growing trees. Coarse grasses and
weeds should not be allowed to grow about its
roots the first thiee years after it is transplanted,
but a mulch of rotted manure, or tan bark, or
sawdust over its roots in fall, will increase its
growth and make it more ornamental.

Our wealthy improvers and landscape gar-
deners, should go more into forming arhoretums
upon pleasure grounds, than merely clothing
them promiscuously wilh any kind of trees, in a
reel-rail unreadable manner ; then the various
species of trees would become more generally
known, and their beauties better appreciated.
Behold and admire the grandeur of the lull grown
mouarchs of vegetation, the trees.

EDITOE lAL.

VITALITY OF SEEDS.
There is much mystery about this subject.
"We recently read in a New York paper, that on
the clay from a deep well, plants of Sinapis ar-
vensis the "Yellow Charlock" grew, the seeds of
which "must have been there for ages." As
this is not an American plant, but one which
has followed the foot steps of the white man, of
course there must be an error here. We have
no doubt it is so with all the cases of so called
vitality, not even the supposed well attested
cases of forests of trees growing up after a fire in
the West, different from that which grew before
"from seed which had been for years in the
ground. '

Farmers say that when they plough up old sod
which has been that way for many years, and
note the rag weed and white clover which spring
up, that these seeds are natural to the s^il, or
have been there for a long time ; but there is no
doubt but that this is wrong. The most careful
analysis of these soils fails to detect their pres-
ence, which it would certainly do if tlusy were

there. Though surely there is not near the vitaliJ j
in seeds accorded to them, there is really
much more than is generally supposed. It is
rather how they are kept than any peculiar limit
to their age which determines their goodness.
We know the time when we supposed it necessa-
to keep Magnolia seeds moist from the time they
were gathered, till they were sown in the spring.
Once we found a package which had been thrust
under a rafter in a tool shed in sjjring, which
grew as well as any. More recently, Mrs. Col.
Wilder found a package of Magnolia soulangeana
seed in Mr. Wilder's wardrobe, which had been
there between two and three years, and which
on sowing, produced a plant from every seed.
Yet the belief is next to universal, that Magno-
lia seed is one of the most transitory in its hold on
vitality that we have.

These facts show us that we really know little
about these matters ^'et; and they should stimu-
late practical men to careful experiment as to
what are really the laws which govern the pre-
servation and germination of seeds.

17Jf

TEE GAEEE:N'ER'S MOjXTELY.

JiinCf

THE SEASON AND THE FRUIT CROP.

In this section the fruits are blooming in unu-
sual abuudunce ; and we hear everywhere about
us cougratulatious on the prospect of au abund-
ant fruit year.

It is strange how, year by year, fruit growers
have to learn the hard lesson over and over again.
As often heretofore, little fruit will follow, and
then there will be recollections of some " late
frost " that never occurred, or some other expla-
nation equally satisfactory.

A few have learned, once for all, that there is
in trees such a thing as vitality, however hard it
may be to explain exactly what vitality means.
There is such a thing as death, and strong vi-
tality means as ftir removed from death as pos-
sible. Plants are often never so near death as
when they blossom freely, and thus abundant
blooming often,— very ofien,— is nothing but a
very low stage of life, — a stage so low that there
is not vitality enough left to bring the blossoms
to perfect fruit.

A young seedling, just commencing to bear,
has but few flowers ; but these nearly all result
in fruit. An old apple tree, hollow with tlie
waste of years, is a mass of flowers, but bears
few fruits. It has not vitality enough to perfect
them.

It is strange that so many will stick to this
frost bitten theory of fruit failures, instead of to
the real cause : the loss of vital vigor. They
catch as drowning men to straws at every fall of
the thermometer, in hopes to prove that cold is
a cause of fruit failure. " Now,'' said a friend
to us recently, " will you not admit that late
frosts destroy our fruit crops ?" when tlie news
came over the wires that the thermometer had
fallen down to 8° below freezing at St. Louis, on
the loth of April. There was no mistake about
the thermometer ; but late advices say there is
to be " good fruit crops, for all I'' This is very
bad for the frost theory. Then we had another
trouble in Philadelphia on the 10th of May.
Hail stones, as large as billiard balls, broke half
a miUiou dollars worth of glass, and of course
injured trees besides. Then a friend writes :

rhiladelphia, MnyWlh, 1870.
Fkif.sd Mkeuax: IIow about tlie necessity for pro-
tection of blosHoMis iiiiil fruit ftKiiiiist spring frosts, cold
rains, sleet, snow and h<tH, in the llrsl days of May?
Yesterday morning I had SJWO wortli of fruit on my
trees, now tlie Imil luus scarcely left a taste.

Certainly this is bad ; but to say nothing of
the fact that this is perhaps the flrst time such a

thing happened the first week in May, and may
be the last. If the trees had been under glass
thoy would have been little better off, as the ac-
counts tell us the greenhouses were totally de-
stroyed, and the plants under them.

It is no use hunting up these imaginary evils,
or real ones for that matter which occasionally
come. We hold to our opinion, so often ex-
pressed, that we have the best soil and climate
in the world for successftil fruit culture ; and
that where failure occurs, it is more often than
otlierwise the consequence of our own ignorance
of tlie laws at our command for preserving the
best vitality of our trees.

SOME NEGLECTED FLOWERING TREES.

It is singular, that with so much search for
new trees, many beautiful old ones, that have
been in our nursery lists for ages, should be so
little known. We were passing reccntl}'' the
grounds of H. II. Soulc, Esq , of Germantown,
where a beautiful tree of Cerasiis padus wa% in
full blossom, and felt sure that no one who really
loves trees, and had a place for a collection,
would willingly be without this lovely thing.
Yet outside of Germantown, where it is knovvn
and well appreciated, we suppose there are not
fifty good specimens in the United States.

Another beautiful tree, and yet comparatively
little known, is the Magnolia tripetala or Um-
brella-tree. From every quarter we have in-
quiries for the CucumberMagnolia the M acumin-
ata, yet the former is in many respects a much
more desirable tree ; and every nurseryman
knows that simply because they are scarce, other
kinds like M. Frazeri^ M. macroph)jlla, and 21.
cordala, are in considerable demand, at high
prices, while none of them compare in beauty
to the common kind. Most of the usual species
have fine leaves or fine flowers. This one has,
in addition, highly colored fruit.

Then among the Maples, there is none so
pretty, no matter from what part of the world
received, as our own Acer riihrum, yet it is one
of the rarest on ornamental grounds.

Another totally neglected tree is the Ohio
Horse Chestnut, — not the Ohio Buckeye, —
^Esculus glabra. The tree, when it has a good
chance, is perfect in outline ; but its groat charm
is in the earliiu-ss of its blossoms. In this part
of the world, it is often fully in flower the last
week in April. These are not show}-. The

1S70.

THE GARDEJVEPJS MOJYTHLl.

175

bunches are as large as the common Asiatic
species, but are of a greenish white. But the
beauty of the Horse Cliestuut family is the gar-
den variety of the common one, known as ^s-
culus rubicumla. This has bunches as large as
the regular Horse Chestnut, and of a brilliant
rosy red. In obtaining this kind, grafted plants
should always be asked lor. Great numbers of
seedlings are sold in Europe, but as in the case
of the purple Beech, the seedlings seldom come
as dark as the original ones. Xear to the true
Horse Chestnut, the Dwarf Buckeye suggests itself.
This is but a large shrub, but assuredl}' for beauty
one who has but a limited number of vaiieties
should have a Pavia macrostachya.

Common as we find it in the woods, how sel-
dom do we find in gardens the Great Dogwood,
Cornus florida, yet we really have nothing to
take the place of it in many points in ornamental
gardening. Those who know it only as a native
tree, have no idea of its great beauty under cul-
ture. We saw one recently which was about
forty feet high. It had a stem for about ten feet
as straight as it was possible for any tree to
have, and which girded four feet in circumfer-
ence. The head was round, perfectly regular in
shape, and was most gloriously in bloom. In
autumn, when the leaves turn to a scarlet purple
tint, we can imagine nothing more pretty than
this must be.

The Kolreuteria paniculata is another medium
sized tree, which, though long known in Xursery
catalogues, is seldom found in grounds. It comes
from Japan, has pretty yellow flowers in summer
— leaves iuterestingat all seasons, but particular-
ly so in the fall, when they turn to a mixture of
yellow, orange and scarlet. The branching
habit is not as pretty as some other trees, but
yet when once admitted into collections, is sure
to be always a favorite.

"We confine ourselves to flowering trees in this
article ; but there are many other classes which
arc unjustly overlooked.

THE RHODODENDRON".

{See Frontispiece.)
It has often been a source of wonder, that the
idea that the most beautiful of all American or-
namental plants, — the Rhododendron^ — could not
be grown in its native country, should ever pre-
vail ; yet so universal is this belief, that thouirh
persistent efforts have been made by enthusiastic
nurserymen, like Parsons of Flushing, and Ho-
vey of Boston, to introduce it to public no-
tice, and to show that they can be as well grown

as any other plant, only a few yet realize
the fact ; and thousands of our readers do not
know what a Rhododendron is.

In the hope that we could render a service to
horticulture, by making these grand things bet-
ter known, we have selected one for our frontis-
piece. "We have from time to time given hints
as to their culture ; but we will go into the mat-
ter more fully here, in order to make the chapter
complete.

First, in regard to the successful culture of
Rhododendrons. This is no longer a problem.
The immense success of the plantations of Mrs.
Harry IngersoU, near Philadelphia and Messrs.
Hunnewell, Rand, and others, near Boston, be-
sides numerous others in a small way in many
other places in the Union, shows that nothing is
wanting but the disposition to learn the peculi-
arities of culture required.

The great misfortune of our people is, that
they believe that nature has placed ^every thing
in the best place; and thus, when they see Rho-
dodendrons growing in the deep woods, imagine
that shade is the first essential requisite in the
culture of the Rhododendron. That nature has
not placed things in themost favorable positions
for their development, we showed so conclusively
a few years ago, in a paper on the Red Maple,
that no one has ventured a single objection
against it. It is true she places them where there
are the most favorable circumstances for exis-
tence ; but not for ultimate vigor of growth. In
the Red Maple, we find the tree generally in
swamps : but yet the largest and best are always
in high dry ground ; but the seed will not, ex-
cept in rare instances, germinate in dry ground ;
and thus the poor thing, as we would say of it,
if it were animal life, has to be satisfied to grow
in the places where only its seeds will sprout.

The Rhodolendron is exactly in the same
case. The seed is .so minute, and so slow in its ger-
minating power, that out in the open places they
would dry and burn up with the first warm sun.
Only in the deep shaded recesses of the forest, or
amidst the continued moist but not wet moss, or
bark of logs in open swamps, is it possible for it
to exist. It grows there not because it likes to,
or because it is best for it to be there, but by the
inexorable law of necessity, which gives it no
better chance.

All these things are very apparent to those
who have observed these plants growing in
woods, and in proper ground in the full sun.
There is uo comparison of the wood ones, with

iro

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJ^^THLY,

June,

the health and beauty of those in the full light
and air.

But the roots of the Rhododendron are finer
than the finest hair, and grow thickly matted
together, requiring a great amount of moisture
for their subsistence. Hence, it placed in ground
that will become hot in summer, or will speedily
dry out in drouth, they will not do well there.

It is well known that our American Rhodo-
dendrons are the pride and glory of English gar-
dens,—but even there, notwithstanding their
humid atmosphere, which does not allow the soil
ever to dry as it does here, the English have to
prepare the soil to grow these plants to great
success. This they do by digging out the natu-
ral soil, and filling in with soft spongy turfy peat
or bog soil, which they often have to bring many
miles for the purpose.

We must also make our soil for them here in
most cases ; but this is done with no more trou-
ble than is required for any garden crop. One
of the best plans is that first described by us in
the Gardener^s Monthly^ and which has been
found after four years' trial, an admirable plan,
proving effectual in the stiflest soil. That is, to
dig out 20 inches or two feet, and fill in with a
few inches of brush wood, then soil, then brush
wood, and so on, until the whole is finished. The
mass will be a foot above the level of the ground
or more ; and in time will find its own level with
the surface. On this mass they will grow won-
derfully well, and it takes very little trouble to
make up. Those who have soil, which naturally
neither cakes or dries, need do nothing with them
further ; but care must be taken not to plant on
wet ground. The " ^Naturalist " may say that
the Rhododendron grows in swamps and wet
rocks ; but pay no heed to this. The truth is,
as we said, that though found there, they will
thank those who put them in dryer but not dry
places.

The seed of the Rhododendron is like fine dust,
and requires some care to raise. They have to
be sown on the surfece of the soil, and the box
which contains them placed somewhere in the
open air, where the soil will hardly become dry,
and where they will be protected from the drip
of trees or heavy rains. The growth of plants
from seed is very slow for two or three years ;
but after that their progress is more rapid, and
in about six years they will, under favorable cir-
cumstances, flower.

Plants from the woods grow very well when
cut back freely. New buds will break any

where from the old stems, so that the ugliest
looking stump will make a good plant.

Layering is often employed. The young,strong
shoots are taken when half or two-thirds mature
— about July — and tongued on the upper aurface,
and bent into rich soil. They will root the same
year, but hardly well enough to separate from
the mother plant before the second season. It is
worthy of note, that the slitting of the layer on
the upi:)er surface, instead of the lower, as al-
ways recommended by writers, until the Garden-
er's Monthly first taught the contrary, was
suggested to the writer of this while layering
Rhododendrons. It is almost impossible to fol-
low the regular book plan of layering by cutting
underneath, in the case of the Rhododendron, as
they will snap off when bent down. When cut
on the upper surface, they will not break.

Grafting is practised by those who would per-
petuate the finer varieties, distinct by themselves.
Ihere are many ways of doing this : each propa-
gator having his own idea of what is the best to
be done. But a very good plan is to have a few
three year old seedlings, in four or five inch pots,
and when the growth is about two-thirds ma-
ture, whip-graft a scion of about the same degree
of maturity, on this part. It is very essential
to have the grafted plants in some very close,
warm place for a few weeks, so as to check much
of the evaporation from the leaves, otherwise
the scions will dry up before the union takes

place.
Grafted or layered plants are of course much

more expensive than seedlings. They are valued
by those who would have the very choicest col-
lections ; but the cheaper seedlings are good
enough for all ornamental purposes.

The Rhododendron takes its its name from two
Greek words, which signifies "Rose tree;" and
next to the Rose itself, there are few flowers more
worthy of bearing its name than this. Our own
Rhododendron catawbiense, which we figure, has
particular right to the name, for amongst its
flowers are produced almost every shade of color,
rivalling the Rose in abundance and beauty.

The Catawba Rhododendron grows dvvarfer
than the M. maximum, and a^d has far more
change of color. It abounds in South Carolina
and G(;orgia ; while the J{. mciximum is found
chiefiy in the Northern States. The most usual
forms o{ It. maximum have the flowers of purple
shades ; but along the Alleghanies, down to the
Virginia line, is a dwarf form with white flow-
ers, or more shaded with rose, which is particu-

1S70.

THE GARDEJ\^ER'S MOJYTIILY.

177

larly beautiful, but which we have not peen any
where in cultivation.

Asia like America abounds with Rhododcn-
drous, — very beautiful, and some of them will

probably prove as hardy as the Bhotan Pine,
and other plants which come from the same re-
gion ; but of this we have as yet no positive
proof.

SCEATS AND aUEPvIES.

WoDEXETiiE, the B^sidcnce of R. Winthrop
Sargent^ Esq.— B.^ of New Haven, Conn., sends
us some iuteresLiug facts in reference to this
beautiful place. It will be a source of pain to
every one who loves the beautiful in Landscape
Gardening, to learn that a neighbor of Mr. Sar-
gent's has thought proper to plant out many of
the beautiful views for which the place is so cel-
ebrated. It is to be hoped that he will j'et think
better of it. It is always ones interest to aid
those about us who beautify and give fame to our
locations, and we hope for the sake of Landscape
Gardening art iu this countr}', that we have
amongst our readers, friends of Mr. Sargent's
living near there, who will represent to the
neighbor referred to the great injury being done.

In reference to more pleasant matters at Wo-
denethe, our correspondent further says :

"Having heard a great deal of Wodencthe, Mr.
Sargent's place at Fishkill on Hudson, which
has been so often described in your valuable
magazine, for its rare collection of -EJuerg^reeji.s, as
well as for the cleverness with which distant
points are opened, and often live features shut
out, I took advantage of a leisure day while in
New York lately, to run up and see it.

Unfortunately, Mr. Sargent and his gardener
were absent from home, but a gentleman I met
• near the gate, who seemed familiar with the
place, civilly showed me the way, pointing out
the very large collection of rare trees and plants
which far exceeded any thing I had ever seen,
both in variety and size.

The Palms, Aloes, Araucarias, etc., are finer
I should say, than any in this countr3\ The col-
lection of Palms alone comprizes all the known
as well as the rai-er sorts. I think Mr. Sargent
has eight or nine varieties of lietinosporas, all of
which seem perfectly hardy, as well as all the
finest named Rhododendrons and Azaleas. There
are some fine standard JFollies here : Perry's
"Weeping, S feet high ; the Golden and Silver
Standards,

Nothing could exceed the beauty of the Fruit-
houses. The Ajjricot house absolutely covered
with fruit, so too with the Nectarine house. In
Peaches the cordon wall seemed very successful,
and the peaches, plums, figs and nectarines ia
pots, were loaded with fruit. The out-door es-
paliers were beautifully trained and covered
with fruit. Great preparations are made here
for li'ibhons, 800 Mrs. Pollock (a boy in the
Propagating- house told me), 1000 Centaui'ea
candidissima, and large quantities of all the
newer Coleus, as well as prize tri-colored Gera-
niums: Louise Smith, Princess Alexandra, Lucy
Griere, Lima, Crystal Palace Gem, Mrs. Berners,
Sophia Cussack, &c."

Pruning the Grape Vine— J>. F., Nam-
den, O , writes : "I am a little at a loss to know
how to treat my grapes as regards pruning this
summer, there seems to be so much difference of
opinion. Some say don't prune at all ; others
seem to advocate a free use of the knife Per-
haps you have given the proper rule iu this mat-
ter, but excuse a new subscriber for asking the
question, what is best to be done ? This is the
second year of fruiting, and they seem to be
doing moderately well."

[It is very difficult to advise how to prune,
without the plants to be pruned are before us.
As a general rule, those who advise to prune not
at all, are as much in error as those who are al-
ways cutting away. There are cases where both
rules hold good, each in its way.

In the case of the Grape, more pruning is ne-
cessary th in perhaps in any other fruit. It is an
object to k(!ep the fruiting wood always low down
on the vine, and this cannot bo done without
pruning. So also where the leaves are crowded,
some must be thinned to allow proper light to
the rest. Again the fruiting branches are bet-
ter shortened back to a few eyes above the bud,
which gives more strength to the bunch. How

178

TEE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJ^THLY,

June,

you should prune in your case will depend on
what your vines are like,— we cannot advise for
particular cases ; but you see "prune not at all"
must not be a motto for you.

Mexican Everbeaking Stkatvbekry in
Pots — Amongst the chief attractions of our
Greenhouse this season, has been a dozen plants
of Mi-xican Everbearing Strawberries, received
from Mr. Whiting, AVe have collected together
all the varieties we could find, and grew them
side by side. At this writing (May 13th), the
Mexicans have been in bearing throe weeks, to
the admiration of hundreds who have seen them.
The next kinds to bear have been some of the
paler fruits. The 0\(l Monthly Bed Alpine,
received both from ^Ir. Fuller and Mr. Knox,
have the fruit scarcely formed, much less ripe.
Wc have sent some to Mr. Chas Downing, who
replies : " there is a dlfl'erence in the leaves and
leafstalks, as you point out." At the same time
it is proper lo say, Mr. Downing does not place
the same value on the facts that we do.

Climate for Eruits.— Those of our friends
who think the failure or otherwise of fruits de-
pends on the climate "about the first week in
May,'' ought to expect a wonderful crop about
Philadelphia this season. We have kept an ac-
curate record of the thermo i eter, and though
we have had what one might term some "cold"
rains, the thermometer has never been below
40^ On the other hand, the great heats
which often bring things forward too early, have
been wanting. Every circumstance has com-
bined to perfection. Our surface stirring friends
will surely smother us with fruit this year.

PiAMHO Apple.— J., Trenton, JV. J., says :
" Formerly the Rambo was one of our most pop-
ular fruits, but from some cause or other, they
do not do near as well in this vicinity as they
once did."

[Similar reports come to us about many old
fruits sometimes. The BcUtlower, Baldwin, and
R I. Greening are olten in this list. AVe do not
think they fail oftener than any other kinds, but
being popular, and extensively planted, when
they do fail there are a hundred chances that we
hear of their failure, to one of a kind little known.]

Barclayanas— J. I{., Pottstown, Pa.— '^ In
a friend's garden last year, I met a very pretty
climbing vine, and took down the name given
me, which was ' Barclayana ;' but I find it in no
catalogue. Can you tell me if it is known in
cultivation ?"

[This is the Maurandia Barclayana. The
popular mind often runs into strange fancies.
Often it drops the specific name. In this case it
retains it only.]

Good White Grape— 3f., HonesdaJe, Pa. —
'• Is there any white Grape that will rank in gen-
eral reliability with Concord ? I have tried
Montgomery, Maxatawney, and some others,
but they do not seem to do.

[There i« none equal to Concord ; but we
think Martha comes the nearest to what you
want,]

Late-flowering Apples.— On account of
the late flowering of Ben Davis, Rawle's Janet,
and Northern Spy in Iowa, they escape frosts
and yield well.

LiLiUM auratum.— It is a well-known fact,
that the great hopes entertained about the value
of the great gold-banded Lily of Japan, have not
been realized in this country. AVhat is the cause
no one knows ; but like the Hyacinth from Hol-
land, importations have to be made every year
to keep up the standard. A very few of our cul-
tivators have had "luck ;" but with most, the
plants get less and less every year. By the fol-
lowing extract from the Gardener's Chronicle,
it seems they have the same trouble in England :

" Thriving plants of the noble Lilium aurutum
will now generally be forming their young
growths preliminary to flowering. It is ques-
tionable whether we yet thoroughly under.stand
the requirements of this plant ; certain it is, that
out of the large quantity annually im])orted into
this country, thousands arc lost from some cause
or another. And, in fact, instead of increasinjT
the stock annually, in proportion to the increase
which takes place with most other introductions,
there is a too frequent decrease in the numbers
of this plant. One or two points are observable
in their culture. They seem to have a decided
aversion to being dried off and potted early in
the winter, whilst they are dormant, so far as
foliage is concerned. They certainly do not like
a too plentiful supply of pot room, and appear to

1870.

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJVinLY.

179

thrive far better in small sized pots than when
buried in large balls of soil. Perhaps there are
few worse mistakes in the culture of new plants,
than the desire to induce a kixuriant growth by
potting them too often, and affording too large
shifts. Perfect drainage is of the utmost impor-
tance in the cultivation of the Liiium. Those
which are making strong shoots, and grovving in
pots which are too small for their increasing
wants, should therefoie be attended to in this re-
spect, the previous remarks being fully taken
into consideration They do not require artitlcial
heat ; any place or position where light is abun-
dant, and whjre they will be free from frosts or
cutting winds, will suit admirably.''

Truffles. — A correspondent of the Southern
Fanner, writing from France, says :

" The cultivation of truffles is making an ex-
tensive progress in the south of France. Some
people assert that it is the cause of the vine dis-
ease. It thrives best in the neighborhood of
oaks, however. About 120 pounds is the average
yield of truffles per acre, which sell for about 900
francs. A curious circumstance about this tu-
beraceous plant— so rich in agate sis to be ranked
equal to meat in nutritive qualities — it grows
underground, and must derive its nitrogen from
the soil.''

In the United States, PufT-balls are often
known as truffles, and taken very young, are
nearly as good. The genuine truffle has never
been found here.

Pexn-ock Apple.— The editor of Iowa Home
stead says this variety in Van Buren Co., bears unite very freely

the " minutia;'' of the modus oiierandi, I would
^eel much obliged."

[.Ill the Coniroroe named, root by layers th«

Abies and Piceaa particularly, making quite as
good plants as if raised from seeds. The Pines
do not do quite so well,— they do hotter by her-
baceous grafting. To do this, pot in spring two
or three year old plants, of kinds nearest allied
to the ones we wish to increase, and when the
young growth is very nearly mature, graft with
the nearly mature scion. Saddle grafting is best.
That is, the stock is cut to a wedij:e, and the end
of the scion like an inverted V. Bound together
with bast mat, and kept a little close under «:lass
they will need no waxing, and will soon unite.

Where the stock is much stronger than the
scion, the 1 itter may be cat like a wedge, and
inserted on the side, even in the two or three
year old wood —the upper portion being left for
some time to draw up the sap.

Some of the minute particulars we have given
we know are unnecessary to our correspondent,
but we make them, hoping to render these an-
swers to correspondents of use to others, as well
as the one who suggests them.
Pinus Austriaca is a good stock for P. ponderosa.

Pines may be propagated by budding, as the
writer of this has discovered, <ind the fact is now
probably mentioned for the first time. This is
the way it is done : as soon as the growth of the
Pine is nearly accomplished, while the shoot is
still soft, nip out its terminal bud. The next
5'ear a fascicle of the so called leaves or needles,
taken out with a piece of bark, as in the usual
way of budding, and inserted into the nearly
mature young shoot of any congenial stock, will
The next season, if headed

more fruit in proportion to number of trees plan-
ted than any other variety.

Propagating Evergreens.— F. A, Du-
buque, Iowa, writes : " We have some rare spe-
cimens of evergreen and deciduous trees, which
I am anxious to multiply. I would like to know
if I could layer or graft, &c., such varieties as
Pinus Benthamiana, P. ponderosa,, P. laricio,
Picea Cephalonica, Abies Xordmaniana, Thuja
plicata etc. ? I am told that Pinus can be
grafted on the young wood of the present year's
growth ; but I think it would be difficult to graft

down to the bud, it will push from there. The
objection to this is, that including preparation,
it takes three years to get a plant.

Iloopes' "Book of Evergreens " is the best.]

Name of Plant— Z). W. 31., Kewanee. Ills.
— " Will you please name the enclosed flower for
me ? It is grown from a bulb, found in some
moss brought from the forest in Michigan. Th3
flower I send you has been in bloom for the past
three weeks, and looks as well as when iirst
opened. Is it worthy of cultivation?^^

[This is a very rare orchideous plant. — ^re-
such varieties as P. ponderosa, as the yong wood ' thusa bullosa,— ona of our hand.sonicst natives of
is much thicker than any Pine 1 have ever seen. 1 that class. It is very difficult to retain in culti-
If you could inform me of any work that gives vation. Formerly it was found tolerably abuud-

180

TEE GARBEJfEWS MOJVTELY,

June J

ant ill New Jersey; but "collections for Eu-
rope" hfive nearly eradicated it from accessible
localities.]

Mr. IToopes' Coiirespoxdence — Our de-
cision to be a party in the Californian trip last
year was overbalanced. We are now glad that
we did not no, for we should not then have had
the admirable correspondence our readers have
so much enjoyed. Mr. Iloopes takes a position
in the front ranks of Horticultural writers. Few
since dath stopped the pen of the lamented
Downing, have possessed the power of carrying
along the sympathy and attention of the reader
as Mr. Iloopes does. "We know that hundreds
of our readers will learn with deep regret that the
present letter closes the Californian correspon-
dence.

TiE.VRTn AND Home — It is lo the credit of

Horticultural and xVgricultural journals that they

seldom resort to personal abu.se of sentlemen

connected with each other,as we often see in what

is called secular papers. Singularly enough when

it does occur, it is usually in those with very

great pretensions to "high tone" or '"gond

family '' recommendations. We had to notice a

brilliant specimen of vulgarity concerning die

editor of this magazine in the Boston Journal of

Horticulture recently, and we now have another

in the shape of the following, from Jltartk and
Home :

"An.Vuthorityon STRAwnrcRuirs.— For along time
our iiorticultuiists and other.s have wished that an iiu-
thority on .strawlierrios ruiglit appear. Tliore aro so
many new varieties introduced, and old ones going out
of cultivation, that a living, walking, or traveling C.v-
clopedia-Kragaria was a thing nuicli to he de'^ired We
are happy to inform the great American republic that
the mnn lias come. (Jf course we refer to tlie editor of
the Gardener's Monthly, who, in a late number, states
tliiit he is enabled to detect a difference between the
Mexican Everljoarlng Strawlierr.y and the old Monthly
Red Alpine, and lie s.-i.vs, ' that an.y boy of ordinary in-
telligence can pick out one from theothi'r.' Hut further
on he.slates tliat ' clillerences can be detected, but it re-
(lulrcs sharp eyes to pick them out' Just so, and we
retjret, for the sake of science, that ours are sodini that
we are unable to see tlio.se diU'erences. lUit the closing
remarks of our new authority aro decidedly haiidsome.
II "ar him: 'Tliere Is, therelore, no longer any doubt
about the en tire distinctness of the Mexican as a varli>ly
irom all others.' Well, we can a.ssure our contemporary
that there are a few old botanists and riorlsts not a thou-
sand miles from this city Insit were noted for theirs<'i-
entitlc atlainmenls before lir- was born, and areso.vcl,
who cannot llnd the distinct cliaracterlsiics named.
Perhaps it is because tliey do not possess sharp eyes;
but there Is no question about llie clearness of tlieir
brains.

Mr. B. Hathaway, of Little Prairie Roude, Mich., who

is a strawberry-grower of many years' experience, ofTer-
ed Mve hundred <lollars to any f)ne who would pick out
the iMexican from the old Monthly Alpine on his
grounds. If they are so very distinct, perhaps the edi-
tor of the Gardener's Monthly, well send one ol hissliarp
eyed boys after that prize.''

All our re.aders know that when we said "that
differences can be detected, but it requires sharp
eyes to see them," we were not speaking about
the old Monthly Red Alpine, which is the one in
question. But it seems to suit the morals of
Hearth and Home to deal in this class of decep-
tion on its readers.

We have been accustomed to speak favorably
of Hearth and Home; but if it is to drop the
manners of a "family and fireside" journal, and
descend to low bar room wrangles and betting
arguments in the discussion of scientific facts,
we must part company.

We have ever found the bluff game of money
to back an argument, the last resort of ignorance
and folly. If the Hearth and Home is fond of
this style of proving scientific facts, no doubt it
can fii-.d plenty of such evidence of the correct-
ness of its position in the slums of New York,
without Koing to Michigan to tind them.

A Box OF YiOLETS— From 3/?-. Geo. Such^
South Anthoy, was one of the pleasantest treats
of the Spring. Only IS inches square, j'et it
contained hundreds of opened flowers.

Oberon says,

" I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Wliere oxlips, and the nodding violet grows."

We have heard of times when there were great
runs on banks. If such violets as these passed
current in OIhtoh's da\s, we fancy there was a
pretty good run on this bank. We should much
like if Mr. Such would add to [the obligation
a chapter on Yio'.et culture, which he evidently
" sees through."

Nativity of the Potato.— "7? tJi/u'," Green-
ville, Tcnn.. asks : ' ' i'he common Potato is called
the Irish Potato. Why ? I suppose it is not a
native of Ireland. Where is it originally' from ?"

[The Potato is a nativi; of .South Am rie i, and
was introiluced into Englaud about the end of
the IGth century, but exactly when or by \vh lui
is not known. Probably by Bauliin the botanist.
It was found to thrive well in the soil and cli-
niiite of Ireland and immense quantitiis being
exporteil from that counlry, they became ku i\vn
lu the trade as ' Irish Potatoes," as distinguish-

1870,

THE GARDE^'EKS MOJVTELl.

181

ed from those raised in England, winch would
be English Potatoes. The term " Irish," as ap-
plied to this whole class of Potatoes, is an Amer-
icanism, unknown in Europe, although Cobbett,
perhaps, did something to start the idea, by call-
ing the Potato " Ireland's lazn root."' He adop-
ted this term from the practice of the Irish, who
grew them in wide trenches, which they called
lazy beds.]

Sexes of Plants.— J?. B., Philadelphia.
says : " I have been much interested as a young
student of Botan}', in the classilication of Lin-
nseus, founded on the sexes of plants. In con-
versing with a friend, I expressed myself that he
was the discoverer of the sexes of plan*^s, on
which his system was founded. As this was
questioned, I take the liberty of inquiring if I am
not right ?"

[Xot quite right. The Romans had certainly
a knowledge of the separate sexes, as they used
to fertilize the female dates with the male flow-
ers from other plants. There is not much said
about it, however, in their works ; but then there
were not many to write, aud of those books
which were written few have come down to our
times. 'I hey knew more in their day than we
usually give them credit for. Of the moderns,
Cesalpinus, an Italian botanist, before Linnieus,
knew certainly all about the sexes of plants.]

Botanical Explorations in I^evada.—
Dr. I. A. Lapham, of Milwaukie is now engiged
in Zoological and Botanical exploration of Ne-
vada. Several boxes of specimens have already
been shipped to his home.

obliged if you can suggest some remedy. I have
lost 8 or 10 trees this year ; several last and ihe
year before, and I see indications of others dying.

The ground is rich, and I keep the gra-s
under them shaved ofl'."

[We have known some trees, especially Sugar
Maples and White Pines, die in this manner,
from the effects of a parasitic fungus on the roots.
Also, we have known dwarf apple stocks, un-
doubtedly healthy, die by having fungus from a
dead dwarf Apple tree placed on their roots. We
suspect this is the cause here ; though we have
never known a similar case on such large trees.
If this is the case, thread-like Mycelium will be
found on the roots,— as we believe in all cases of
death from fungus, it is by the agency of these
thread-like films. If the trees were smaller, we
should take up, wash with water, and plant in
new and fresh soil ; but with so large trees, it is
hard to exper ment with any prospect of saving
them. Possibly a heavy watering of lime-water
and sulphur (the sulphur being put on the lime
before the water is added) might kill the fungus,
if it should be a fungus, and the attack has not
already done its worst.

Disease in Apple Trees.— .7. B. B., Eus-
sellville, Ky , writes : " I have an orchard of 72
Apple trees, 6 rows, 12 trees in a row ; rows
running north and south. The 3 rows on the
east, are on ground 5 feet lower thin the
other 3 rows on the west. Now over one-lialf of
the last 3 rows have died ; the trees arc 9 or 10
years' old, and foi the past three years have been
in grass. The 3 rows on the ea t side are all
healthy and fine. The leaves and small fruits are
bejxinnintr to fall, and in one month the tree will
be dead. I examined the roots, and from the top
of the ground down it is entirely dead, whereas
the body and limbs are apparently alive. I could
not iind a borer. Now, Mr. Editor, 1 will be

Fruit Prospects in New Jersey.— A Sa-
lem letti r says : " We have the promise of a
great pear season. My Vicars, Beurre d'Amanlis
and Duchesse trees look like 'snowball' bushes. "

Gardening at Duuuque, Iowa.— A cor-
respondent from New ]\Iellerey Ai.'bey, says :

"Around our new monastery, two wings oi
which are now nearly finished, we are beginning
to plant. It is of solid stone, all through, in the
mediaeval gothic style, with buttresses, walls,
and stone nuillions, windows and enamel glass.
I tliink the surroundings would be in better
keeping in the Picturesque, rather than in the
Beautiful style."

PniLADELPiiiA Lawn Mowers.— Last year
we noticed that Graham. Emlcn & Passinore
had made important and valuable improvements
in Lawn Mowing machines. We are glad to
know that our notice drew general attention to
them, and that they are becoming as familiar as
"household words." A correspondent in Du-
chess Co., New York, writes that he has had to
abandon all the Lawn Mowers in general use for
hand work, aud asks if there is really one any

182

THE GARDEJYER'S MOXTBLJ.

June,

good. AVe believe he will be entirely saLisfied
with one of these.

Xames of Plants.— ^1. 7?., Bending, Pa.—
Amekmchier botryaphim, the Juneberry or In-
dian Cherry, a tree worthy of general culture.

A^, Elizabeth, Pa. — Andromeda mariana.

Noblemen at "Work.— Few of us hnve any
idea of the fondness of the English aristocracy
for real hard work in their gardens and grounds.
Earl Vernon, formerly President of the Royal
Agricultural Society, of England, would work
all day, hoe in hand, with his laborers, and as
bard as any of them. The writer of this para-
graph has seen his nephew for hours, axe in
hand, thinning out his own plantations ; and
once saw him with the Duke of Wellington, both
together with a cross-cut saw cutting down a
large Buttonwood.

These reminiscences are called up by an A meri-
can correspondent who recently visited Mr. Glad-
stone, the English Premier, at his home at 11 aw-
arden. and who found him hacking away at a
Beech fourteen feet in circumference. He takes
great pride in his ability to do hard wurk, and
believes, the correspondent says, that physical
exercise induces a good appetite, and that this
again reacts on mental vigor.

TnE Ives Grape —This is preferred to the
Concord for marketing in many places, as it so
nearly resembles that kind in general quality,
but has a firmer skin, which enables it to travel
better.

Sweet and Sour Apple —A Pemarus,Mich
correspondent of Rural Xeiv-Yorler, sends to
that journal apples which are part sour and part
sweet, in the same fruit. Experts jironounce
the sweet part the Sweet Bough, and the sour
Khode Island Greenmg. IIow they were origi-
nated is not slated. We may remark, that when
the qui'Sticn of jjroducin;,' tliem by dividing the
buds was agitated last year, we urgiul readers to
try for them.'ielveH. We did our share to settle
this vexed question, by dividing the buds of a
dctzen I'lhode Island tireening, and a dozen Red
Astrachan, setting the halves of each kind to
gether as one. Though we (imploycd ;i very
sharp knife for the operation, and the ''•fit" was
bo complete that no one could tell but that it was

one scion, except by the color of the barks the
experiment does not promise to succeed. But we
will report again some day.

A Large Lemon.— "We have before us a
lemon of exceptional size. It measures 5^ inches
lonij, 10^ circumference and was grown on one
of the tree;* in the greenhouse of J. Vauyhan
Merrick, of Philadelphia. George Graham, gar-
dener. Its weight is 14 ounces, av. If any one
can beat this we should like to know.

Large Asparagus.— An ^^ Old Subscriber, ^^
Philadelphia, wishes "to learn something about
the very large Asparagus that has been brou<;ht
to our markets lately. Is it a native, or did it
orii:inate in Europe ?'

[This large Asparagus is obtained from com-
mon roots planted three feet apart every way. and
in soil kept up to the highest condition of rich-
ness. The Asparagus is a native of the sea-coast
of Europe,— and is also partially naturalized
along the eastern shores of the United States.
It does not grow very stout when wild. It has
been in cultivation over 20U0 years.]

Surface STIRRING Pear Trees.— It is plea-
sant to us wlio have struggled so long against
the old barbarism of stirrmg the soil to cultivate
fruit trees, to see it grailually giving way Pas-
chall Morris thus helps along the good work, in
a recent immber of his Practical Farmer :

" Some years ago a friend of ours purchased a
farm in Chester county, where there were ?ome
fine and thrifty pear trefs, but never ^;ears. Tiiese
latter were what he believed in, and lie brought
them, by simply mulching the ground, as far as
the brandies extended, with stones. "We saw a
space of five to six feet amund the trunks paved
with stone, and there were pears, and regular
crops, every season."

Bawle's Janet Apple. — The similarity be-
tween the names of Janet and .Janetting is lead-
ing into confusion very diflerent apples.

Kawle s Janet was, no doubt, adopti'd from that
female name ; w bile Jamlliug is a corruption of
"June eating," so called because that aj)pli' v/as
often early enough to cut in June. 'I'lie eonfu-
.sion is unfortunate, as in tlie case of tlie .Janetting
tlure is little besides carliness to recommend it ;

1870.

THE GARBEJ^EWS MOJ^TELlC.

183

while Kawle's Janet is one of our showiest and
best winter fruits.

Care should be taken to stiictly preserve the
orthoirraphy of names, as th'^y often furnish the
best clue to their origin. This is well illustrated
by a fl(iwer common in gardens known as the
DeviVs Bit. We were asked recently why it was
called Devil's Bit? The or.ginal orthography was
Devil's' Bite. The Saxons had their legends as
well as other nations. They supposed the root
of this plant to possess very great virtues for

healing the s:ck. This of course was exceedingly
disagreeable to the arch enemy of mankind, who
is always anxious to come by his own at the ear-
liest possible moment, and give them no time for
repentance, so he bit off the roots of that plant,
as any one who dig up a root of Scabiosa succiso,
can even to this day see ; but, fortunately, not
enough to prevent poor humanity from making
good use of the part he left. If the e had not
been left off the hit, the legend would be less
likely to get lost.

BOOKS, CATALOGUES, &C.

Skeletov Toctrs, through Engltind, Scotfand, Ireland, Wales,
Denmark, Sweden, Ruasia, Poland, and Spain. By Heary
Wiotlinip Sargent. Published by Appletoa & Co., Broadway,
Kew York.

Time is of much more importance to a travel-
ler in present than in the past days. It is a
priceless boon toknow beforehand vvhere and what
to see. We have often wished for just such a Utile
pocket book,as Mr. Sargent here gives us. It shows
us not only what to see, but how to go, and the
cost of getting there. This he does by making a
brief note of each day's doings, thus : "■ Aug 4th.
Drive again or walk to Oakley Park, to see the
Druid Oaks, said to be 3000 years old. From
here to Downton Hall, Sir Charles Boughton's.
beautiful lawn and flower gardens,— and fine ex-
tensive views. Bill at Ludlow, three days and
carriage, £5 10s.

Mr. Sargent's little book though valuable to
every traveller, is particularly so to those of
horticultural tastes, as nothiug interesting in
this field escapes his eye.

Thk Pio, by Joseph Uarris. Published by Orange Judd & C<\,
N.>w York.

Mr. Harris, well known of old in the Genesee
Farmer, and now of the American Agriculturist,
has the rare faculty in modern bookmaking of
writing well ; and of using as good common
sense as good langua-je. It is always a pleasure
to read anything from his pen. In this book
Mr. Harris is himself. He goes profoundly into
the fattened hog,— and advocates strongly the
desirableness of more attention to choice breeds.

The Steawbebrt akd it« CuLTrRK, by J, M. Merrick Jr. Boston:
Published by J. E. Tilton tt Co.

This is chiefly a descriptive catalogue of all the
varieties that have appeared during the last hun-
dred years in England and America. Hundreds
of them have been "liorn Lo blush unseen'' to
few bat their raisers, and it must have been a
great labor of love on the part of the author to
dignify them with a place in a book. However
it will interest students who wish to get to the
very bottom of all things. In addition to the
descriptive part, there are many excellent hints
for Strawberry culture.

Sevestt Fink Popular Flowers, by E. S. Rind Jr. Published
by J. E. Tilton 4 Co.

This book is issued in the usual beautiful style
for which the Messrs. Tiltons are deservedly
famous. Mr. Rand has chosen someof our most
popular fl.)wers, of which to briefly sketch the
history and culture, and has made a very pleas-
ant and readable book about them. In a notice
of a previous work of Mr. Rand, we regretted
his use of the vulgar error "Tube Rose" to
designate the well known plant referred to. In
the present work, it is still used in the illustra-
tion,—although correctly tuberose in the text.
With so much useful information it is to be re-
gretted thai more care was not taken both with
the facts and the proof reading, some of the,
latter being quite serious, especially one, which
makes the Coleus a native of Iowa. Wc fear
however, our Boston friends think us captious
in our criticisms, so we content ourselves by
saying that to the general public, this Utile book
will be very welcome.

184

THE GARBEJ^EWS MOXTITLY.

June,

Talks to mt Patients.— Hinia on gettinif well and keeping well.
By Mrs. R. B. Gleason, M. D. N. V.: Wood & Holl.io .k.

Tliis work is intended for women exclusively.
We iiandcd it to a lady connected with our es-
tabli.shment, every way competent to judge of
its merits, who pronounces it excellent. AVe are
sure it can have no higher praise.

Valedictort Address, by Ann Preston, M. D., Prof, of Physiology
in tl e Wcmen'.s Medical CullegeofPa.

AVomen have been taught for ages to be
"earnest in good works.'' The Philadelphia
ladies believe that the higher the intelligence the

better the work. They had many difficulties to
overcome, therefore their success in the pursuit of
knowledge has been wonderful and gratifying to
all lovers of human progress.

The Entomolooist, of St. Loiiio, Mo.

Has added '■'• and Botanist''' to its title, and
placed the Editorial control of the la.'t depart-
ment in the hands of Dr. Geo. Vascy of Illinois.
This is an excellent idea, and we are sure will be
popular and profitable to the publisher.

MW AND EAUE FRUITS.

Golden Thornless Easpbeury.— Golden
Raspbtrries of the Blackcap species abound wild
all over the Union, and it is strange that no at-
tention has been given to selecting some of the
best for cultivation. Usually, as first shown by
Dr. Stayman in the Gnrdcner\<i Monthhi, pale
varieties are not as hardy or productive as dark
ones, but generally they are much superior in
flavor, a character which always makes them
welcome. Recently Mr. Purdy has turned his
appreciative eyes in this direction. His Golden
Thoi-nless promises to be popular.

We notice that there is a tendency in some
quarters to pronounce this the same as a western
variety called Minnesota. This is a great mis-
take. The kinds are quite distinct.

It is to be regretted that there should be so
much haste to throw kinds together, as has been
recently exhibited in many cases. It is so easy
to mix things, and so hard to separate. More-
over in the present stage of the 'science, 'or rather
the medley of pomological knowledge, where little
but memory is relied on to fix distinction.?, it is
safest to distrust ones own judgment for a time,
than to believe everv one else wrong.

New Aitles.— Almost every agricultural
paper has now its drawings and descriptions ol
new ajjples. Though anxious to make the
Monlli'ij a record of Horticultural progress, it
is nearly impossil)le to keep up.

In the Rural New Yorkn-, the following have
recently iKtn named: Quaker Hr.uitv, Oct. and
Nov.; llesper's Blush, Oct, Nov.; Beachcr's

Sweet, Oct., Nov.; Stewart's Sweet, Oct , Nov.;
Pride of Minneapolis, Pride of the Prairie,IIoney
Sweet, Coral, Peffer's No. 1, Winter Gem,
Busby's Early. August; Parry's White, August^
Sept; Orange Pippin, Sept; Clime's Codliu; New-
ville, Dec. to Feb.; Prolific Blus.h, Aug. Sept.;
Cons, July, Aug ; Potter's Early, July, Aug.

Some of these are crabs. They are all good
kinds and worthy of attention.

The Black Damascus Grape.— At p 243
mention is made of the Black Damascus as one
of the finest of all Black Grapes. Having grown
this variety extensively at one time, I can quite
endorse this opinion, for no Black Grape I have
ever tasted equals it for rich vinous tlavor, and,
when grown well, for its enormously large round
berries. It is a very distinct variety, and is
easily known by its large succulent leaves and
sturdy bunches. The tlowers before opening are
like little berries, but it is a bad setting variety
unless the capsules of the tlowers are rubbed olT
at the flowering time to set the pollen free. It
likewise labors under the same disadvantage as
the Kempsey Alicante and other bad setting
fJraprs, of having a little viscid juice on the top
of llie stigma, which requires disturbing at the
setting period. This I always di I by drawing
the hand when dry over the bunches at the
warmest lime of the day, and especiall}' if the
sun shone. By attending to this j^rocess I had
always a fair crop in a good sized vinery planted
entirely with this variety, and during its season
of ripening, October and November, no other

18'fO.

THE GABDEJVER^^ MOJVTHLJ.

1S5

Grapos were called for till it was done. Boincj a
thinskinned Grape, it will not keep late. The
perfect berries have only one stone, and tlie
smaller ones are seedless, but they are nearly as
large as many Black Grapes, with seeds in. T
doubt if iirafting would have any effect upon this
variety in makino; it less shy in fruitinj: or set-
ting. I have never tried it upon any stock but
the Black Hamburgh, and the experiment was
not favorable, for I found it did better on its own
roo's The original Black Damascus Vine at
Workshop ;Manor was found to have pushed its
roots into an old heap of coal ashes, and bore
good crops every year. — Wm. Tillery, Garde-
ner^s Chronicle.

I^'rCAN'OR Stra'O'bertiy. — A Boston letter
says: "The only Strawberry I hal freely in
bloom on the 1st of May, was the Nicanor. —
which shows it to be a very early sort, supposing

that early blooming and early fruiting go along
to-iether.''

The Paolt Apple.— This apple has been
alrcad}' noticed in the Giir(lener''s Monthly. At-
tention is again drawn to it bv a note from Mr.
Roberts to the liural New Yorler, who saj's •
at Paoli, Chester county. Pa., "the original tree
was founrl growing in a clearing ; the tree, appa-
rently eight or ten years old, of rather a sin-ead-
ing habit, a thrifty grower, and when found, had
on it nearly one bushel of apples of good size, or
above medium. In appearance, it resembles
Summer Ilagloe, but is less streaked with red."

Strawberry Moxarch of the "West, is a
western seedling, saiil to be " an extraordinary "
one. Twelve to fifteen berries make a quart, and
some have been raised sixteen to the pound.

IN^EW AND EAEE PLANTS.

Double Lilac. — Amongst the new plants
we h ive seen this year likely to prove desirable
is the Double Lilac. It is about the same color
as the common purple— perhaps a shade paler.
In com-nou with most d )uble flowered plants
the growth is not so vigorous as the single flow-
ered kinds. The bush is more compact, which
gives it a distinct habit. AVe have no doubt it
will become popular.

Irts VroLACEA. — This is a beautiful new
species of a genus which comprises nisiny a gem
of the herbaceous border. It is a perennial, and
perfectly hardy in our climate, being a native of
the Caucasus. The leaves are lanccolate-ensi-
form, cuspidate ; the scape two feet hiuh and
leafy ; the spathes each two-flowered ; and the
flowers themselves of a rich deep violet purple,
having a cylindrical tube, the outer segments of
the perantli deflexed. 2 indies long, broadly
ovate, spotted with yellow towards the base ; the
inner seizments ovate-lanceolate acute, while the
petaloid stigmas, which are linguiform, bifid, and

incised at the apex, are also violet-colored.—
Bull's JVeto Plants.

Ltltum Longiflorum Albo-margin-atum.
—This interesting new Lily has been recently
imported from Japan. The leaves have a dis-
tinct and even narrow border of white, which
adds considerably to the interest of the plant,
while the habit of growth is similar to that of
L. lonrjlflnrum, and the flowers also are pure
white, as in that species. It forms a very pretty
and desirable novelty amongst Japan Lilies. —
Bull's Nho Plants.

Parmextiera Cerkifera — Th's is the cele-
brated "Candle Tree," discovered in the valloy
of the River Chagres, Isthmus of Panama, by
Dr Seemann. It has opposite trifoliolate leaves,
and large white blossoms, which, in its native
habitat, arc given throu'.;hout the year, but are
produced in the the greatest abundance during
the rainy season. As in most of the Crescenti-
acese, the flowers grow out of the old wood ; the

186

THE GARDEJ\rER'S MOJ\''THLY.

June,

fruit is fleshy, and the seecLs very small, not
larger thin lentils.— W. Bull.

Con^A PENDULiFLOKA.-This 13 of much
more elL'j;ant habit antl neater growth than the
common C ,b!T3a, and will form a useful addition
to stove climbers.

The (lowers are produced fnm drooping pedun-
cles S to 10 inches in length ; calyx-tube dilated ;
segments green, 1} inches long ; cor(^lla -reen
tubular at the base for about an inch, tliin di'
vided mto lobes, which are remarkable for their
length, being from three to four inches Ion-
p-nduloMs and wavy, and about ^ inch broad.
Ihe filaments of the stamens are about 8 inches
long, of a dark red purple color, thus formin- a
peculiar and distinct contrast to the green lobes.
JNative ofCaraccas.

GoDwrxTA GrGAs.Irhilis the largest Ariod
both in leaf nn.l flower, of which we have as yet
any precise knowledge. It was discovered in
January, ISCO, by Dr B. Seeman noartoJavali
mine, in the Chontales Mountains of Xicara-ua,
where it grows amongst brushwood in broken
ground near rivulets.

_ The plant grows with great rapiditv-soveral
inches during a single night. It produces only
a solitary leaf and after that has died off", the
flower spathe makes its appearance, both leaf
and spathe being of giganric dimensions. The
petiole (of the largest specimens measured in
Nicaragua) is 10 feet long, covered with minute
spiny projections, and with a metallic beautifully
mottled surface, brimstone yellow, barred and
striped with purple, giving it the appearance of
a snake standing erect. The blade of the
leaf, which is green on both sides, is 3 ft 8 in.
long, .so that the wlTV)le leaf is 13 ft 8 in long
The bladi! is divided into three primary .sections,
which are again repeatedly subdivided, the ex-
treme divisions being ovate acuminate. The pe-
duncle is 4 feet long and 4 inches in circum-
feriMicc, mottled, rough, with minute spiny pro-
jections like the petiole, and furnished towards
tlie base with several large bracts. The flower
spathe is the greatest curiosity, measuring as it
does 1 ft. II in. in length, and 1 ft. 8iu. in width
It is of thick leathery texture, outside of a dark
bluislj brown, and inside of a dark brownish red,
with the exception of the base and those parts
surrounding tiio 8i)adix, which are whitish yel-
low. The spadix is only <> inches long and 9
lines across, and bears hermaphrodite flowers.

The original specimen, sent home by Pr See-
mann, attained the first year of its cultivation
to within a ^q.\\ inches of the dimensions noted
of it in Nicaragua— Bull's 'Ne.w Plants.

PsYCiiOTRiA Cyanococca.— If one were to
search the vegetable kingdom through, it would
be diflicult to find any other plant which dis-
plays, cither in its flowers, fruit, or seeds, such
a beautiful ultramarine color as is exhibited by
the berries of this new species from Chontales,
Nicaragua. In leaf there is scarcely anything
to distinguish it from hundreds of congeners.
The color and size of the flowers is disappoint-
ing to the lovers of gay tints and large blossoms,
but both are all the more calculated to prepare
us, as it wex'e, for a surprise. As soon as the
fruit begins to assume shape and substance, a
tint is displayed which can be but imperfectly
rendered by the Greek term cyaneus. In its na-
tive woods, the plant grows as underwood, and
is loaded throughout the winter with larije blue
beir'es, as man}- as from 30 to 35 growing on one
bunch. Its introducer was Dr. Seeman, who
also vouches for th'^ plant being absolutely new
to science. — Wm, Bull.

PsYCiiOTRiA Ciioxtalensis. — "I now beg to
forward to you a second species of P.sychotria,"
wrote Dr. Seeman to Mr. Bull from Central
America, "and in doing so I must in the first
instance endeavor to disabuse your mind from
pnju lice which, no doubt, you share in common
with many other hunters after ornamental
plants, viz., that Psychotrias are unworthy of
your attention, and do not possess tho.se quali-
ties to which you are specially bound to look.
This species is a companion picture of P. ci/an-
ococca. but it is altogether more robust and hairy
a kind, and is allied to the Peruvian P. pilosa,
though dilfering from it by having smaller leaves,
and axilliary, not terminal, panicles. The ber-
ries are not of such an intensely deep blue as
those of P. cyanococca, but their color is ftill
perfectly lovely, and they are larger, usually 40
to 50 growing on a bunch. If one could but dig
up one of the numerous bushy specimens, crowd-
ed with fruit, by which 1 am here surrouiuled,
and send it to one of the Horticultural flower
shows, I have no doubt what the Floral Com-
mittee would be forced to do. lleinember also
that these two species fruit in the depth of win-
ter, when color is highly acceptable, and you
will have no reason to grudge them a place in
your coUectiou. '' — Wm. Bull.

1870.

THE GAUDEJ^ETCS MO^''THLY.

187

AxTiGoNON Leptopus. — ''The first time I
saw this plant,'' writes Dr. Soomann (vide Gar-
dener's Chronicle, June 20th, 1S6S), " was in the
autumn of 184S, when makin<; a botanical ex-
cursion from Mazatlan, on the AVest Coast of
Mexico ; and in a letter addressed to the late
Sir W, J. Hooker (published in Honlrr's Journal
and Kew MixceUaDi/, pa.£;e 149), I wrote, full of
enthusiasm, 'The finest flower we saw durincr
the journey was j'our Antirionrm leptopus. It
covered nearly every bush, and the deep rose
colored blossoms were so abunlant, that scarcely
a leaf could be seen.' In that part of Mexico
■where I first met with the plant, the native term
It ' Rosa de Mayito ;' and in Nicaragua, where
I found it in 18)7 and 1S68, 'Rosa de Montana,'
or ^lountain Rose. Of course, when looking
at the shape of the flowers, there is not the faint-
est resemblance to a Rose ; but at a distance, a
comparison with the Queen of Flowers would
readih' suggest itself, the outer three sepals being
of a beautiful rose color, the centre of a much
deeper tint. The flowers, arranged in racemes
and panicles, appear in the greatest profusion.
and the bushes look as if a large rose colored

sheet had been spread over them -a sight never
to be foru'otten. The flowers, as those of most
Polygonacefe last for some weeks. I have traced
the plant on the West Coast of Am-rica from
Nicarasua to Northern Mexico, and often looked
for for ripe seed, but I never could find any. and
my belief is that it does not produce se?d readily.
During my last visit to Nicaragua, however, I
was fortunate enough to procure, after many a
fruitless search, a few seeds -not more than
half a dozen ; but of these, it is satisfactory to
add, Mr. Bull succeeded in raising several
strong plants, whch may possibly flower this
autumn, and the species will then become de-
servedly popular I am well acquainted with
the contents of our gardens and the vegetation of
most parts of the world , but I have no hesita-
tion in giving it as my deliberate opinion, that
there is no more graceful and beautiful climber
than Antkionon Leptopus. It is hardly possible
to exaggerate its beauty, and were I to add more
in its praise, I might lay myself open to the sus-
picion that I wished to write up an introduction
which is well able to stand on its own merits."
— Bull's New Plants.

INTELLIGE^'CE.

Bbn" Davis Apple. — In the year 1799, Wm.
Davis and J. D. Hill came from Virginia to Iven-
tuckv, and settled in that part of Logan, now
known as Butler County. They located near
Capt. Ben Davis, the brother of Wm. Davis,
and the brother-in-law of Hill. A few years
afterwards, Hill went back to Virginia on bus-
iness, and when he returned to Kentucky
brought some apple grafts with him. Hill and
"Wm. Davis raised fruit from these grafts Capt.
Ben Davis, finding the apple a desirable one,
prafti'd tlie same for himself and also raised a
young nursery of it. These trees were .sold
through the country, and for want of knowing
a'ny other name, the people called it the Ben
Davis apple, using the word Ben to distinguish
him from his biotiier Wilham. Capt. Divis
himself, and his family, always called it the Vir-
ginia Pippin, because the original grafts were
brought from Virginia.

It is, therefore, legitimate and proper to call
it Ben Davis, as the name, by which it was then
known is not now, and, perhai)s, never will be
known So much for tlie history of the Ben
DjiX is. — Journal of Ayriculture.

Peak Ouciiakd at Keokuk, Iowa.— The
Iowa Homstend has an interesting sketch of the
orchard of John Given Esq. His soil is clay
loam. There are 175 trees. The land was
trenched 2 feet deep (no manure) at a cost of
§iOO. The lot 50x100, and trees 10 ft. apart
planted -standards. They grow from 8 to 9 ft.
a year— no sign of any disease. No water lodges
about the soil. It is very dry. They were
planted six years ago. Practices the clean shal-
low eulture, and prunes judiciously, so as to
have every tree a specimen. He grows the fol-
lowing varieties : Howell one of the most prom-
ising ; Belle Lucrative, Bartlett, Beurre Diel,
Dearborn's Seedling, bore half a bushel to a tree,
considers it the best early pear, specimens wc
saw on the trees measured 2^ inches in diameter.
AVhite Doyenne, Duchess, Tys-m, Graslin ; this
last is very productive. The Clapp's Favorite
he thinks widl of; Hankie, Beurre Stekman,
this the sixth year has a full crop. Bull'um,
handsome grower, some made 5 to G feet this
season ; Brandywine, very fine tree ; Beurre d'
Anjou, Seckel, Louise B >nne, Olt's Seedling,
Lodge, Beuri-o Gillard, This lust, Ma. Given

188

TEE GARDEJVER'IS MOJ^'THLY.

June,

says, is next best to Doarborn's Seedling;, for
early bearing. Beurre de Amaiilis, set out three
years ago, grew over seven feet this season, is
now 12 feet high. Alexandrina, Doyenne de
Alencon, Lawrence, prodigious grower ; DeTon-
gres, Urbaniste, Kostiezer, fruit ricli and sweet,
equal to 8eckel ; Doyenne du Coniice, Merriani,
Winter Xelis, Excelsior, Gerardin, Admirable,
Shelden, Swan's Orange, Dana's Hovey, Eas-
ter Beurre, Golden Beurre of Bilboa, Kingses-
sing, St. Michael's Archange, Beurre Supertin,
Glout Morceau, Josephine de Malines, Jamiuette,
Mulaliue, St. Ghislain, Vezouziere, Manning s
Elizabeth, Beurre Hardy, Winter 2^elis, Belle
Epiiie Dumas, Andrews, Gen. Totleben, Blood-
good, Beurre Langelier, Flemish Beauty, No-
veau Poiteau, Beurre Clairgeau, Viear of
Winktield, Uvedale's St. Germaine, Baronne de
Mello, Beurre Bosc, Dix, Doyenne d'Ete, Kirt-
land.

Apples in Kentucky.— The Bumlist, of
which the venerable Lawrence Young is Editor,
says of last year's apple crop, it is less remuner-
ative than th it of either pears or peaches. Three
leading sorts as we reckoned a few years ago —
Pryor's Red, Striped Winter Pearmain and Yel-
low Bfllrtowvr— bear no crop. The early sum-
mer sorts — White Juneating, Red Astracban
and Early Harvest— bore fair crops. Rawle's
Janet is in full bearing. So is Baldwin, upon
tret's not in fruit last year. Maiden's Blush,
Fall Queen, Roxbury Busset, Porter, Fall Pip-
pin and a few others liave done well. But of the
five or six sorts, first including Xewtown Pippin
and Pryor's Il.'d. only the Fall Q'leen has visi-
bly im;)roved the past season. Quite barren f.jr
several years, it now first yields a fair crop
■which, thou.;h rough and scarred by disease and
insects, will yet eat pretty well.

CnEURiEs IN THE West.— We mentioned
some tiuie ago the curious fact noticed by Mr
Douglass, of Waukegan, not only that grass cul-
ture was best for the Cherry, but that it was the
only todij in which they could— speaking gener-
ally—be made to live at all. We have seen many
curious coiifinnationsof this, but nothing sfroug-
cr than the following from ihe Mission (Mich )
Fruit Growers Club; about fruits in general,
Mr. Siz(!r said : " I endorse the remarl- s made by
Messrs. Parmalec and Avery. As to pruning
the lightr'r the better, where limbs don't inter-
fere. Setting too deep I know by experience, is
bad. I have dug the earth away and they do

better. As to cracks, when I planted my or-
chard and cultivated late^ the trees cracked;
when I did not, was not the case. I ventured to
say, that the stimilated growth, continued late
is the cause. Orchards should be. cultivated but
not too much. Even Peaches not tilled too
much, seem to be more vigorous an<l bear quite
as well. As to pears I have known tilling to kill
the orchards. So with plums. Mulching is in
most cases sufficient. Apples, however require
more cultivation. The Baldwin is my best
grower, except the Golden Russet. Protection
from heavy north and west winds is, in my opin-
ion, necessay, but the forest trees should not be
too near, as I show in my own orchard." ,

Dahlia Imperialis —Proves to be a finer
plant than the most eulogistic descripti<ms of it
led us to expect, while it was as yet unknown
here in a fliwering state. Indeed, all descrip-
tions hitherto h ive fillen far short of its merits,
and, lest we shou'd fail to do it justice, we re-
frain fro;n attempting: a description, however
brief The fiLrure published in ihe (xftrnpira
represents the flowers as two and a hiif inches
in diameter, and of a pure white color; but the
flowers produced in Mr. Salter's nursery meas-
ured seven inches in diameter, and were of a
flint lilae color streaked with blood-red at the
base We have so many times referred to the
plant as one of the finest in respect of port and
leafige for the subtropical garden, and as hav-
ing flowex-ed freely under the skillful treatment
to which it his been subjected at the Versail-
les Xursery ihU there is little left f )r us to do
but direct attention to its merits again at the
l)est time of the year for extensive pro[)agation.
We trust the trade will take this noble plant in
hand, and mu tiply it suHic;ently to make it
cheap. — Tlie Oardener''s Mnyuzine.

How TO Grow Mushrooms.— If English
spawn is u.sed, each piece is ab )ut the size of a
small hen's eg^i ; but, if French, a flake of about
the same diameter as the opening into which it
is ins 'rted is tlie jiroper quantity. The manure
removed in making the hole is then rest'^red and
well pressed down. Mushroom spawn should
always be in a dry condition for con'^ti/ance, to
insure its preservation; but so used, it often
happens that it takes root too slowly, allowing
the bed in the meantime to become cool Ti) ob-
viate this inconvenience, the spawn should be
deposited four or l\vii days bef )re planting in
some ilamp .'-iluation (in a cellar, fi.r example),
which will make it soft, and facilitate the vege-
tation; l)Ut care must betaken that it does not
become mouldy The op.'niugs are made equi-
distant, nine mehes apart, on two lines, the, liist
comm 'neing three inches from the base, and the
second Wvk to six inches above the first, the
holes on the first line alternating with those on

1870.

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJVTnLY.

189

the second in a triangular pattern. This being
done, the bed is again littered over, and at the
end of a few days it must be examined to ascer-
tain if the spawn has taken root, which will be
known by the increase of white filament in the
dibbling hole spreading itself in the bed If not
the spawn, which has become black, is carefully
withdrawn; and, in holes skilful'y made by the
side of the old ones, a new supply is immediately
introduced ; unless the bed may have become
overheated, in whicli case it is allowed to repose
until it has returned to a suitable temperature,
which should not decline below 75\ nor rise
above 80^— Messrs. Sutton and Sons, in
Gardencr'>s Magazine.

The Mealy Bug —With the new year let
those who are troubled with the presence of that
detestable pest, the Mcaly-hug, in any of their
stoves commence such an onslaught upon them
as will thoroughly rout them out. This is the
proper season to undertake the operation, the
plants being partially at rest, and there is per-
haps rather more time for such work than there
will be b3--and-b3'. To say that it is not possible
to destroy this pest where it has thoroughly es-
tablished itself, seems feasible to those who
know its endurance and reproductive powers. I
nevertheless assert that, with a thorough deter-
mination to be free of it, it is to be overcome
even in the worst of structures, and under very
adverse circumstances. I believe there is noth-
ing better towardsattaining this end than crush-
ing each one between the finger and the thumb
at least, so I have experienced in more than one
successlul undertaking of this kind. Each in-
fested plant should first have every vestige of the
insect or its mealy covering crashed out with the
forefinger and thumb, and afterwards should
have a good dressing with some mixture, such as
Gisliurst compound or Fowler's insecticide. The
roof of the house and every other part should be
properly cleansed, even to whitewashing with
fresh slacked lime, or otherwise painting, as va-
ried surfaces require. Then the surface soil of
all borJers should be taken far away, and fresh
soil substituted in its place. But the operator
must not rest here, for now the real fight for
mastership will commence. From out of the
minutest interstices the pest will ever anon creep
forth ; let these intruders be crushed one by one
The males are more slender than the females
aud hence a quicker eye is necessary to detect

them. By destroying them before thr-y are per-
mitted to form fresh nests, good and sure work
will be done ; and it is only in so far as this part
of the business is untlinchingly carried out that a
successful end is to be looked for. I may here men-
tion that the Mealy-bug has been known to form
a lodgment upon Vines. If such an instance is
now to be met with, the same remarks will apply
but a stronger solution should be used— say,
equal parts of either of the above prei)arntioMS,
soft-soap, sulphur, aud tobacco liquor ; and if
the bark upon the rods has not been stripped too
closely, a tablespoonful or so ot spirits of turpen-
tine or parafiiQ may be added. — Gardener'' s
Chronicle.

Bees ix Bokxeo and Timor. — Having re-
cently perused Mi\ Silencer St. Jolm's very in-
teresting work on Borneo, published in 18i)2,
under the title of ''Life in the Forests of the
Far East," I have made notes of several pas-
sages relating to the apian aborigines of that
magnificent tropical Island :

Speaking of the agricultural pursuits of the
"Sea Dayaks," Mr. St. John says— 'They ob-
tain beeswax from the nests built on the tapang
trees, and cliu\b the lol'tiest heights in search of
it, upon small sticks which they drive as they
advance up the noble stem that rises above 100
feet fiee of branches, and whose girth varies from
15 to 25 feet. Once these pegs are driven in,
their outer ends are connected by a stout rattan,
which, with the tree, forms a kind of ladder. It
requires cool and deliberate coui'age to take a
bee hive at so great an elevation, where in case
of being attacked by the bees, the almost naked
man would fall and be dashed to atoms. They
depend upon the flambeaux they carry up with
them, as, when the man disturbs the hive, the
sparks falling from it cause, it is said, the bees
to fly down in chase of them, instead of attack-
ing their real enemy, who then takes the hive
and lowers it down by a rattan string. The
bees escape unhurt. This plan does not appear
to be as safe as that pursued by the Takatan
Dayaks, who kindle a large fire under the trees,
and, throwing green branches upon it, raise so
stifling a smoke tliat the bees rush forth, and the
man ascending takes their nest in safety. Both
these operations are generally conducted at night,
although the second might be, I imagine, prac-
tised in safety during the day." — Cott. Gardener.

JV'O

THE GARDE JEER'S MOJ^^TIILY.

June,

Centaurea Ragusina. — The method which
I pnictice, is to take cultiiigs as early as possi-
ble ill July, and firmly insert each in a thumb
pot, with soil consisting of loam, leaf mould,
and sand, in equal proportions. Care should be
taken to leave an ample depth from the soil to
the rim of the pot, to contain water to moisen
the whole of the soil when necessary. The cut-
tinjzs are then placed in a greenhouse, where
they enjoy an equable temperature of about 70^,
often much hotter in bright days, and are partly
shaded by the foliage of some pot Vines, but no
regular shading is used, neither is air withheld.
The two chief points to observe are care in
watering, and a temperature not averaging much
below TU"'. It is of the greatest importance that
the cuttings should be firmly fi.Ked in the soil ; a
short stick of the same size as the stem of the
cutting, tied to it before it is put in, is of great
assistance in keeping it steady. I3y using these
sticks, more of the heavy leaves can be letained
on the cutting.

When roots are formed, the young plants are
at once removed into the open air, where they
remain till housed with the general bedding
stock. A second lot of cuttings is taken off in
August with equal success. I am aware it may
be urged that July is somewhat farly to make
cuttings, but in ordinary seasons, if the plants are
vigorous as they ought to be at the timeof plant-
\n", sood side shoots will be formed by the sec-
ond or third week in the month. The present
backward season will, I fear, form an exception,
and consequently it would undoubtedly be an
excellent plan to retain a few plants in a spare
border specially for propagating from ; or. better
still, if the plant is really hardy, to establish a
few permanent plants entirely for a supply of
cuttings. A large plant growing here has pass-
ed through two winters unscathed, and appa-
rently with increased vigor; it now measures

nearly a yard in diameter,
'i'lii- biinliness of this plant adds to its value.

I this year turned the whole of my stock into

the open air on the 3lst of March, placing a

doul)le line of the j)lants close to the front wall

of some pits, but with no other shelter, and as

there was a considerable number of them, the

space under glass gained by their removal wa«

very valuable. The free growth and elegant

l»r()porlions of Centaurea candidii-.sima, together

with its peculiarly distinct soft grey color, have

justly given it a leading position amongst orna-

nienlal-foliaged plants in the llower garden, and

if used with judgment, no plant tends more to
enliven a design ; but its bold appearance also
causes it to be a somewhat dangerous plant to
use ; for a flower garden containing a preponder-
ance of light colors is quite certain to appear so
insipid as to a(Tord very little pleasure to the
beholders. — Edwaud Luckiturst, E'jcrton
House Gardens^ Kent. — London Journal of Hor-
ticulture.

Leucojum Vernum, the spring snowflake is
a rather aristocratic form of the double snow-
drop, very similar in appearance at first sight;
but botanist* declare that the two genera are
very distinct, and therefore it was found neces-
sary to give them dillerent names ; hence the
Leucqjuni (from Icucos white, and ion a violet,
referring to the color and fragrance of the flow-
ers,) received the name of the snowflake, which,
while it denotes its atlinity to the snowdrop, is
not inapplicable to the meaning of Leucojum. It
does not flower so soon by almost a m:)nth, as
the snowdrop ; but its blossoms, which are usual-
ly one on each footstalk, som-times two, are
much larger, and delightfully fragrant. It Is
found wild in shady places and moist woods, in
many parts of Germany and Italy. It is as
hanl}^ as the snowdrop, but not near so common.
The proper situation for it is a north or east
border, and a suitable soil is a mixture of loam
and bog earth. — Gardener''s Weekly.

Moulds and Mildews. — These minute veg-
etable forms are often productiveof serious det-
riment to a variety of industrial operations.
Take for example, the old fashioned method of
bleaching, by exposing the fabrics for several
days upon the bleaching ground, so that the dew,
by a slow process of oxidation, may remove any
colored organic particles remaining in the stuff.
This moisture encourages thedevelopment of the
sporules deposited by the air, which })roduce
those discolored patches known by the French
country folk as heudrissures, and which it is al-
most imi)o.ssible to remove without injury lo the
texture of the material. So in the manufacture
of gelatine of vermicelli and macaroni, and of all
kinds of Italian pastes, the presence of these mi-
nute organisms will often produce a sort of pu-
trid fermentation, destroying the entire product.
The mould which forms in empty casks is
another example, and the disagreeable flavor
sometimes found in wines, which we then de-
scribe as "corked," is probably due to the for-

1870,

THE GARDE JEER'S MOJ^THLY.

191

mation of a minute vesetation in the pores of
the cork. There is reason to believe that all the
chani,'es in fermented liquors, which we are ac-
customed to regard as spontaneous, are due to
the development of rudimentary vegetable forms.
Some valuable observations, which have not un-
til lately received the attention they deserve,
were made by Chevalier Appert, in liis Livre de
tous les Menages (Paris, 4th Edition, 1831), upon
this subject. —Gardener'' s Magazine.

Report ox the Distribution of Forest
IN XoHTn West America, with Notes on
the N ox-Coniferous Trees and Shrubs.
—By Robert Brown, F. R. G. R. South of the
sub-arctic belt of trees, which is almost identica.
in species over the whole American continent,
North West America was divided into two great
regions, the dividing line being the Cascade
range of mountains and its continuations, the
Sierra Xevadas running longitudinally through
out the whole country, and forming together a
very distinct arboreal province. The country to
he west of thi C.iacad^s was wet, and every-
where (except in a few places, chiefly by the
banks of the river) covered with dense, almost
trackless forest, chiefly composed of gigantic Con-
ifers and dilfering from corresponding forests on
the Atlantic in possessing few deciduous trees,
and a dense undergrowth of shrubbery. This
region, Mr. Brow^n considered, might be natu-
rally divided into the Kalosh district, distin-
guished by forests of Thujopsis borealis, and
the absence of several tress common in the dis-
trict south of it. The next district commenced
with the forests of Abies Douglasii, in 54' north
latitude, and continued to about 42". From the
prevalence of the chief tree in it, it was called
the Douglasion district. It was everywhere a
dense forest of Conifers, and a few deciduous
trees. Abies Merteusiana, Picea an»abiiis,Quer-
cus Garryana, Acer macrophyllum, Populus
monilifera, Alnus oregana, and Juniperus llen-
ryana, were the most distinguishing trees. The
Umpqua district was chariicterizcd by the pos-
session of forests of Cupressua fragrans, only
found here, Libocedrus decurrens, &c , and was
more open to the east, whv.'re there was a break
in the Cascade range, here joined by Siskiyou
Mountains to the Sierras. The Sequoian dis-
trict was distinguished by the fores 8 of Sequoia
semperviruns only found here. California, west
of the Sierras, was, however, divisible into two

districts, the district of the coast range and the
country between it and the Pacific, and the
country between the coast range and the Sierra
Nevadas. The trees most characteristic of the
first district were Pinus insignis, P. muricata,
P. tuberculata, P. Coulteri, Abies bracteata,
Torreya Californica, Cupressus Macnabiana, C.
macrocarpa, Arbutus Menziesii, &c. ; and of the
second— Oreodaphne Californica, llatanus race-
mosa, yEsculus Californica, Arctostaphylos glau-
I ca, Pinus Sahiniana, P. Lambertianu, P. mono-
phylla (Fremontiana), P. Balfouriana, Cupres-
sus Lawsoniana, and Wellingtonia (Sequoia) gi-
gantea, Lindl. Among its most characteristic
shrubs are the service-berry (Amelanchier cana-
densis), Rhamnus Purshianus, Prunus subcor-
data, and tlie Poison Oak (Rhus diversiloba —
the type of a great number of so-called specios).
The country east of the Cascades, and betvveen
it and the Rockj' Mountains, was bare, and
thinly scattered with trees: dry in summer, and
cold in winter. It was divided into a northerly
district, a middle or Kootanie district, and a
southerly or Shoshonee district— chiefly charac-
terised by Pinus poderosa, Pinus contorta, .Ju-
niperus occidentalis, &c. The Colorado desert
region partook more of the Mexican province
than that north of it, and was marked by the
prevalence of Algarobia glandulosa, Stromhocar-
pa pubescens, cottonwoods (Populus sp. ) Fre-
montia, a Yucca, some Oaks, and the giant Cac-
tus (Cereus giganteus, Engl.), tiie Pithaya, of the
native Californians, and on the fruitof which the
Indians subsisted to some extent. Another re-
gion —the M(jntane —was marked by certain trees
chiefly Coniferse, which were found only at certain
elevations over the whole arboi'eal province of N.
W. America, though the regions at the base of
the mountains were entirely distinct in their
vegetation. These were common to nearly all
the mountain ranges, no matter where situated
in the prov nee, the hypsometrical range of the

species varying slightly with the latitude. Pinus
flfxilis, P. cembroidcs, Abies Pattoniaiia (Abies
Williamsoni, Newberry, non Bridges, which was
Kellogg's Abies Bridgisii— Abies Albertiana),
Larix Lyelli, L. occidentalis, &c., were cited as
characteristic of this region. — rm».sadions of
Linncean Society.

;Mr. Paterson's Mode of Raisino New
Sorts of Potatoes.— The late Mr. Paterson of
Dundee, one of the most successful producers of

102

THE GARDE.YER'S MOJyTELY.

June,

new varieties of potatoes in modern times, left
on record an account of liis procedure, vvliich
has been reproduced in the Gardener''s Marja-
zine. Kespecting the prejiaration and sowing of
the seed, he says :

AVhen tlie apples were ripe I gathered and
stored them in boxes until the plums in a man-
ner became decayed, then bruised them among
water, and filtered through a fine sieve, so as to
allow the seed to be separated from the pulp, I
again had the seed put through a finer sieve, so
as to leave it as clean as possible. I then had it
dried on a cloth in a dry atmosphere, and kept
it safely over the winter.

I then had it sown in i\Iarch, 1S54, among
properly prepared mould, in small boxes placed
in a greenhouse. After the seed briarded, so
that I could distinguish the most healthy plants,
I picked tlicm out in the month of May and re-
planted them in an early border in a garden ma-
nured with vegetable mould. I jmid every at-
tention until lifting time, when I found most of
the tubers not larger than peas. I then placed
them in small (lower pots, and clamped them up,
keeping the produce of each plant separate, in a

well sheltered garden, so as to secure them from
frost.

In March, l?o5, I again replanted the tubers
contained in each pot in separate rows in a gar-
den a little more exposed than where I had
them the former year, and at lifting time, I
found them of various sizes, the largest not big-
ger (except the early red kidney) than good seed
size. But I could now more easily distinguish
the different varieties, and I placed the produce
of each kind in separate boxes, and had them
clam{)ed up again in the ordinary way for the
winter.

In March, 1856, I planted the contents of each
box (cutting the large tul)ers in two) in a well
sheltered field on the farm of Dronly, near Dun-
dee, still keeping each variety separate. At lift-
ing time, two of the varieties had almost attain-
ed marketable size ; but still sound data cannot
be ascertained until after 3-ears of continuous
cultivation.

My aim was to discover new varieties of plants
possessing constitutions vigorous enough to ena-
ble them to combat successfully both atmospher-
ic and insectivorous adversaries.

HOETICULTURAL iXOTICES.

pex:nsylvania itokticultural

SOCIETY.

Philadelphia was visited early in ]\ray by
one of the most destructive hafl storms ever
known. Tf there had been any gardeners in
Africa in the olden times, such hail would sure-
ly have ranked with the Locusts and so forth
among the celebrated Egyptian plagues.

The llorists of Phil.idelphia lost many thou-
sand.s of dollars. Mr. Mackenzie alone, losing
it is estimated ten thousand. Bui.st, Dick,
Dreer, Pollock. Graham, King and all the Avell
known names lost heavily. The great force of
this storm can be appreciated by the fact that
the gre;it con.servatory of the Duudas estate,
which was glazed with thick glass from Europe,
and supposed to be hail proof, was totally de-
stroyed. Residents in the vicinity of the Dun-

das mansion who closed their Venetian shutters
to guard the glass in the windows, had these in
many instances broken to pieces by the stones.
Usually, the glass is all the loss of a hail storm,
but in this instance, the plants also were (jivund
to pieces. The stones were mostly as large as
JHn\<s ecj'js— not Bantam's, but large Brahmapoo-
tras.

In consequence, most of the exhibitors who
usually sustam the monthly exhibitions of the
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society so hand-
somely, were not present. Mr. McDonald, gar-
dener to M. Baird, Esq., Mr. II. C. Gibson's
gardener and Mr. Iluster gardener to J. B,
Ileyl, had very good plants ; and the vegetables
were rather above the usual variety and excel-
lence. There were some Trentham IJlack Grapes
very good for so early in the season, and Mr.
Ilcrstine's forced strawberries, extra fine.

Sialic 6ar{lencr^?5 Moiitlilir,

DEVOTED TO

Rorti cult are, Arboriculture, Botany and Rural Affairs

EDITED BY THOMAS MEEIIAiq'.

Old Series, Vol. XIL

JULY, 1870. New Series, Vol. III. No. 7.

HIA'TS FOE. JULY,

FLOWER GARDEN A:NtD PLEASURE
GROUND.

Friends, ■nriling from the "West, often say,
" wc wish you weuld find soniething like your
box edging of the East, which is not hardy
here ;" but hardiness does not depend on tem-
perature, as we have often shown. If the proper
conditions are complied with, we believe the Box
will withstand any temperature, even to that of
the North pole. These conditions are rich soil,
and shade from the sun in winter. The tree va-
rieties of box are beautiful things for garden
adornment. The Red Spider is a great enem}^
to tiiem. We are not sure that the insect which
goes by this name on our out-door plants is the
same as our in-door one ; but it is so near and
so alike in its destructive powers, that it
makes no diflference in a practical way. A Box
tree thoroughly infested is hard to clear of them.
The best way is to cut off all green leaves early
in the spring, then wash the plant with oil}^ wa-
ter in wliich sulphur has been mixed, and let it
throw out a new set of leaves. Even then the
plant will have to be watched for a year or two,
and any straggling colonies destroyed before
they increase much. These hints will apply to
all evergreens which are liable to Red Spider.
Its presence is easily known by the small yellow
specks on the green leaves.

This season, in this section of the country, is
the one for the appearance of the May beetle or
American Chaferbug, riiilophcu/a qxiercina. Its
name would indicate a peculiar fondness for the
Qucrcus or Oak family; but unfortunately for us,
it takes the leaves olT all our beautiful trees
alike. They feed only at night, and every morn-

ing naked spires of leafless branches are the
visible effects of their last nighfs debauch. Next
year they will be as small worms in the ground,
and do little injury, — the following season they
devour the roots of young trees, destroying
thousands for us ; the next they seem to rest,
and do us little injurj', — the fourth, the present,
they visit us in tliis unpleasant beetle form.
Well, it teaches us to know our friends and value
them. We never allow a crow, a mole or a toad
to be molested on our grounds ; and birds of
every kind are welcome. We can protect and
guard our fruits and flowers better. from these
open foes than from the hundreds of thousands
of insidious insect enemies.

The time is coming when transplanted trees of
the past fall and spring will suffer more than du-
ring any other part of the season. If they show
a vigorous growth of young wood, no danger
need be apprehended, as it indicates that the
roots are active, and can supply all the moisture
the foUage 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 injurious elTect on such trees. This is gen-
erally first shown by the peeling oflT of the bark
on the south-western side of the tree, — the most
drying aspect ; and whei-e such exhaustion ap-
pears probable, much relief may be afforded by
cuttinir back some of the branches, syrini^insc
with water occasionally, shading the trees where
practicable, or wrapping the trunk in hay bands
or shading the south-west with boughs or boards.

It is a matter of surprise, that hardy climl)ing
vines are not more used in lawn decoration than

104,

THE GARDENER'S MOJ^THLY.

July,

they are. Their general use is confined to walls
and screens. They are pretty objects trained as
pyramids Ihron^h our grounds. Rejected ever-
irreons make irood trellises. Larch trees afford
the very best. A trellis maker could not turn
out a better one. Of course the lower branches
should be left a little longer than those above

them
Amongst the best vines, are Clematis azurea,

C. viticella, C. flammula, C. Virginiana, C. vi-

talba, Akebia quinata, Bignonia capreolata, Ca-

pritolium bi\achypoda, C. ILilliana, C.tlexuosum,

C. flavum, C. sempervirens (scarlet coral), C.

Magnevilla?. Celastrusscandens,Pin-iploca grseca,

"Wistaria frutescens, and W. magnifica.

Wistaria sinensis is too strong for any thing
but a stroug trellis. For growing over trees it
is admirable. Over some old Hemlock trees, in
Gerraantown, it roams from fifty to sixty feet
high, making a magnificent spectacle when in
blossom.

Some beautiful objects for lawn decoration can
be made of Wistarias, by training them as stand-
ards. A young plant is selected and trained to
a stake six feet high. When the plant reaches
this it is headed off. The second year the stake
may be taken away, and the young plant will
.support itself. It will .never make running
branches after this, as it takes all its nutritive
powers to overcome gravitation and sustain itself
erect. A beautiful umbrella-like head is formed,
and its hundreds of drooping flowers in spring
thus sbown off to beautiful advantage. Another
point of interest to a nurser3'man in this is, that
with this check to growth the reproductive pow-
ers are called into play, and the plants then
usually produce seed abundantly. There is hope
for numerous improved varieties as soon as these
facts become generally known. Our first year's
crop of plants bloomed this year. We had re-
tained only a couple of dozen of plants ; but
though there was no very distinct variations
amongst them, no two of them were exactly
alike, showiug that the principle of variation is
active there.

We need scarcely repeat our frequent instruc-
tions how to trim hedges— if tlioy have not been
attended to, do it now. Make the base about
four feel wide, cutting with a sharp scythe up to
an angle at the top, five feet or so from the
ground so that there are Itut two faces.

The next two months will be the trying time
wiih such plants as Auriculas, Cinerarias, Cal-
ceolarias, and others which cannot endure the

dry atmosphere of our summers. When the
shaded houses we have recommended in previous
numbers shall become more common, they will
be grown as easily as weeds. We keep our Au-
riculas all the year round under glass, with the
best results. They would do as well under any
light enclosure that would prevent the too rapid
escape of moisture. A sunk pit would bean ad-
mirable contrivance for them, besides making a
good place to store aAvay half hardy plants

through the winter.

Plants set against walls and piazzas frequently
suffer from want of water at this season, when
even the ground near them is quite wet. Draw
away the soil around each plant so as to form a
basin ; fill in with a bucketful of water, allowing
it time to soak gradually awa^^ and when the
surface has dried a little, draw in loosely the soil
over it, and it will do without 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 compact by the
weight of water, and the harder the soil becomes
the easier it dries ; and the result is, the more
water you give the more is wanted.

AYhenever 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 September. 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 trans-
formed in one season to a fine specimen of a
Weeping Ash, or the now Oregon Maple be
budded into large trees of S3'camore. 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,
maples, etc., are rendered very vigorous growers
by being bud.lcd on strong growing kinds. Bud-
ding also affords room for tasteful combinations.
Trees with different shades of foliage, hues of
leaves, habits of growth, or color of tlowers, may
be worked on one common stock, — fancies of
which kinds add nuich to the interest of a place
when judiciously executed.

:Many things do not take well by budding ; in
which ca.se inaiching may be employed. This is
done by bringing together two half-ripened shoots
of different varieties, just shaving the bark at an
opposite point in each, making the two faces of

1^70.

THE GARDE:h^EWS MOJYTELl.

195

the shaved parts meet, and then tying the two
branches together at the junction, lapping the
tying material (bast bark is the bcst,)so that the
whole cut part is encircled by it. Most parties
"W'ho intend to inarch, keep some of the kinds
the^- wish to use as scions in pots, so as to bring
them at the proper season in contact with the
stock. Shelvings and other contrivances are re-
sorted to to support such pots, in and amongst
the branches, Avhen the operation is to be per-
formed at a hc'ght from the ground. A plan,
however, which obviates all this trouble, and is
generally 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 wa-
ter to carry on its vital functions, until the union
with the stock takes place.

FRUIT GARDE>^.

The thinning of fruit,— watching of insects,
especially the borers in Dwarf Pears, Quince,
Apple and Peach,— and summer-pruning are the
main subjects of attention at this particular sea-
son. Where the soil is not very good, as may be
noted by a weak growth of the trees, a surface
manuring may be yet given with advantage.
Every day's experience more decidedly shows
the great advantages to the pomologist of this
method of applying manure.

AVhere new Strawberry beds are required to be
made that will bear well the next season, the
very first runners of the season should be selected,
and layered into small pots. In about three
weeks they should be cut from the parent stem,
and left to a separate and independent existence
for a few days. After preparing the ground pro-
perly for their reception, the pots should be well
watered and the plants turned out into the spots
designed for them. They will then grow finely
the present season, and bear surprising crops of
fine fruit the next Spring.

A warm sandy loam is the best for a Straw-
Ixjrry bed. A low and damp one is, of all the
most objectionable. Though warm and dry in
one sense, it should l)e rendered capable of re-
taining moisture in the dryest weather, and this
can only be perfectly accomplished by draining
and subsoiling. If the latter is done three feet
deep, all the better.

Unless in a very sandy soil, a very heavy dress-
ing of stable manure is objectionable. "Wood-
ashes, ground bones, and matters of a mineral
nature are far more advantageous.

Strawberries for forcing are treated in pots, as
we have already described ; but instead of being
transferred to the open ground, when well-rooted
in small pots, are repotted into five or six inch
pots, and these latter plunged in the ground to
their rims in the spot the most favorable to Straw-
berry growth.

After having grown well, and when they show
signs of having formed a good strong crown, they
are to be taken out of the open ground and grad-
ually ripened by withholding water, — taking
care that it is not done so suddenly as to make
the plants wither, or they will suffer much. To-
wards winter they can be set in a cold frame and
covered with dry leaves for a slight protection
from the frost till wanted. Many commence to
force at the beginning of the new year, when they
aie brought into the greenhouse and must be set
near the glass. A high temperature is fatal. 45o
to 50° is sufficient for a lew weeks, and 55° to 60°
when the fruit is fairly set. They love to be fre-
quently syringed, and guarded against Red Spi-
der, which is their greatest pest. Where there
is not the convenience of a greenhouse to force
Strawberries, they may be had a few weeks ear-
lier than usual by making a piece of ground slope
to the south east, planting out as already des-
scribed. for garden culttire, and then setting a
glass frame over them. '1 he nearer the frame
and glass can be brought to the soil, the better
and earlier will the crop be. Protecting from
frost in winter also adds to the earliness of the
crop. The earliest variety to be had in the lo-
cality should be employed.

VEGETABLE GARDEN.

In many amateurs' gardens late Peas are
valued. It is essential that they be planted in
the coolest part of the ground. The Pea is a
cool country plant, and when it has to grow in
warm weather, it mildews. The Marrowfat
class are usually employed for late crops They
need support. All Peas grow better and pro-
duce more when grown to stakes.

Bush Beans may also be sown for late crops.
A very deep rich soil is necessary to tender, crisp
pods. The Lima Bean will now be growing
rapidly. It is time well spent to tie them up to
poles as they grow. The poles should not be too
high : about eight feet is enough They com-
mence to bear freely only when the top of the
pole is reached.

The Lettuce is another cool country plant. It

196

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJ^TELY.

July,

can only be grown well in hot weather when in
very rich and cool soil.

Por winter use, Beets are occasionally sown
now, and also Cucumbers for pickling purposes ;
but not often : and at any rate it must be at-
tended to early in the monih.

Tomatoes trained to stakes give the sweetest
fruit, and remain in bearing the longest ; but
many cultivators who grow for size and quantity
only, believe they have the best results when
«'rowiu<i them on the level ground.

Celery is the chief crop requiring attention.
The great point is to get short thick-growing
varieties, as the long kinds require so much more
labor to blanch. The Boston Market variety is,
therefore, popular, and is really a very crisp and
nutty flavored variety. After so many trials with
difterent ways of growing them, those who have
their own gardens,— amateurs, for whom we
■^rite,— find that the old plan of sinking the

plants in shallow pits is about the best. Trenches
are dug about six inches deep, and three or four
inches of manure then dug in, of which cow ma-
nure is the best. They can be watered better
this way in dry weather, when in these trenches,
and it is so much easier to fill the earth about
them for blanching purposes than when grown
on the level surface. Salt in moderate doses is
usually a wonderful special fertilizer for the
Celery plant.

Late Cabbage is often planted in gardens be-
tween rows of potatoes, where it is an object to
save space. Some fancy that the Cabbage is
better preserved in this way from the Cabbage-
fly, which they say prefers the potato ; but on
this point we are not sure. We do not think the
Cabbages do quite as well as when they have the
whole ground to themselves ; but of course a
double crop could not be expected to be quite so
fine.

COMMUNICATIONS.

THE EVERGREENS OF CALIFORNIA.

BY JOSIAn IIOOPES, WESTCHESTER, PA.
Read before the Penna. Hort. Sociely, June 7lh, 1870.

Tcrhaps no country in the known world has
been more liberally favored with all that is grand
and beautiful in vegetable life,than has California.
"Whether we are particularly interested in the
smallest plants with their gorgeous flowers,— in
ligneous shrubs clothed in attracti\e foliage, and
emitting delightful fragrance,— in deciduous
trees with a semi-tropical aspect,— or lastly,
Evergreens of the most imposinj: and elegant
forms,— the Sierra Nevada range of the "Golden
State" cannot be surpassed in richness.

I purpose this evening, to call your attention
exclusively to the various members of the Coni-
feric order, and especially to those which I have
studied in all the glory of their native haunts.

In the Pine family proper, I will commence
with the Pinus conlorla Douglas— (Twisted-
branched Pine,) a medium sized tree, rarely
"rowin" more than ijO feet in height, but form-
in<' une of the most beautiful and compact speci-
mens I have ever seen. They are never found in

the valleys, but always near the summits of the
higher ranges, especially surrounding some level
plateau, where the soil is damp and cool. In
such situations, it is of moderatel}' rapid growth
very dense in structure, bright glossy green in
color, and regularly conical in outline. It is
closely allied to the P. inops (Yellow Pine) of
the Atlantic Coast, although far superior to the
latter as an ornamental tree.

rinits Frcmontiana., Endlichcr — (Fremont's
Pine) is found at high elevations on the moun-
tains, and is another of the smaller sized trees,
which will undoubtedly prove very attractive in
our collections. The leaves of this species pre-
sent a ver}' curious feature, being almo.st entire-
ly monophyllus, i e, one leaf in a sheath, — on
the younger shoots, and of a bright bluish green
in color. The branches, although not so numer-
ous as in the preceding, arc nevertheless sufli-
ciently so to form a moderately compact head,
and wlien viewed in conjunction with the very
attractive foliage, leave little to be desired. The
cones are small and of a greenish tinge on the
surface, — when open, displaying a few large edi-
ble seeds ; these arc in great request by the In-

•■MiWiite^

18'f0.

TEE GABI)EA'ER'>^ MO^'THLY.

197

dians, and are very nutritious and agreeable to
the taste.

Pinus edulix^ Engelniann-(Edihle-fruitcd Pine)
closely resembles the foregoing, the distinctive
feature being in the size and shape of the cone.
Young plants of this species have proven quite
hardy in the Eastern States, and I trust we shall
thcreb}' secure a valuable addition to our collec-
tion.-

Pinns ponderosa, Douglas— (Heavy "Wooded
Pine) is seen soon after commencing the ascent of
the mountain range, and isone of the mostnumer-
ous species until weapproach the summit, when it
ceases to be met with. In passing through the
almost interminable forests that clothe these re-
gions, we seo many thousands of the Heavy
"Wooded Pine of all ages and sizes, from the
handsomely shaped specimen of 8 or 10 feet in
height, to the old scarred veteran towering up
at least 150 feet. In the case of the latter, the
rough, deeply seamed bark presents a curious ap-
pearance. Indeed the whole tree forcibly re-
minds one of a vigorous specimen of the Aus-
trian Pine (Pinus Austriaca), but much coarser
in growth than the latter species. As a strictly
ornamental tree, it will therefore never prove
popular, but in our larger plantations, on rocky
eminences, and for distant belts and masses, it
will be available and useful. One of the largest
specimens I have seen, was growing in the beau-
tiful valley of the Yo Semite, and measured 21^
feet in circumference 5 feet above the ground. I
frequently met with trees from 15 to 18 feet in
girth, and in fact the larger portion of them were
at least 4 feet in diameter, with their huge
bodies destitute of limbs for at least one-half
their height.

Pinus Jeffreyi, Ilort. — (Jeffrey's Pine) in size
and appearance of tree, presents all the charac-
ters pertaining to the P. ponderosa. The cones
however, arc very different, and herein alone ex-
ists the specific distinction. Occasionally I have
noticed a chance specimen with more slender
leaves, but this peculiarity is not constant. It
is hardy, a rapid grower, and would make an
admirable shelter.

Pinus Sahinian^^ Douglas — (Sabine's Pine)
belongs entirely to the Foot Hills at the base of
the mouutaius, and in consequence, will prove
of doubtful utility with us. Indeed, I do not
know of an instance where it has proven success-
ful ; but nevertheless, it is remarkably elegant
when young, presenting one of the most charm-
ing examples of the delicate graceful type of

Conifers to be met with. The fuliage is about
12 inches in length, very slender, and of a pecu-
liar light bluish ' green color. All the youug
shoots are likewise tinted with a pretty glaucous-
ness, thus adding to its charms. The older
trees do not attain a large size, and differ from
other species in the form of the head, which is
always branched at the summit, and spreading
after the manner of many deciduous trees,

Pinus Torreyana^ Parry — (Torrey"s Pine)
greatly resembles the foregoing in manner of
growth and general appearance of foliage. If
hardy, it would prove a decided acquisition here,
but from its close aflSnity to the Sabine's Pine,
and its still warmer locality, I very much doubt
its utility with us in the Middle States.

Pinus insignis, Douglas— (Oregon Pitch Pine,
Seal Pine, &c.) is found along the coast near
San Francisco, and is frequently seen in cultiva-
tion in the gardens of that City. When young,
the trees are remarkably dense and elegant in
appearance, but the mature specimens present
rather a ragged and open structure. The Pinus
radiata of Don, is not distinct from this species.'

I now arrive at the grandest of all our Pinus
proper, — Pinus Lambertiana, Douglas (Sugar
Pine, I.ambert's Gigantic Pine, <fcc.) This spe-
cies is even more sub alpine in its choice of loca-
tion than P. ponderosa, and as a natural conse-
quence, is entirely hardy with us. The sight of
these great trees rising in the air to the height
of 150 and 200 feet, with a clean shaft of 75 or
100 feet without a limb, presents a grand specta-
cle. I measured a large number of specimens,
varying from 20 to 2o\ feet in circumference, and
it was no uncommon sight to see several of
this size standing close together. The ground
beneath was usually covered with the huge
cones, which were often at least 20 inches in
length. The leaves are not unlike those of the
P. sirobus, (White Pine) excepting that they are
more rigid, and of a darker green in color.

Pinus monticola^ Douglass (Short-leaved Wey-
mouth Pine, Mountain Pine), also closely resem-
bles our White Pine, but has a larger cone, and
rather shorter leaf. It groM's to a large size, and
is entirely hardy in our climate. I only noticed
it in localities where the preceding species was
growing.

Leaving the Pines, we now pass to the next
genus of importance, — the Abies or Spruce fam-
ily. Soon after commencing the ascent of the
mountain ranges, we find specimens of Abies
Douglass!, Lindley (Douglas's Spruce), and as

108

TEE GARDEN/ ER'S MO^'TELY.

July,

we rise still higher, a large portion of the foreeta
are composed of this tree. The younger speci-
mens are really charming ; not only on account
of the rich glossy green color of the foliage, but
more particularly for the graceful drooping habit
of the branches. As to their size : I measured
many trees whose bodies were from 15 to 184 ft.
in circumference.

Ahiti amabilis, Lindley (Lovely Silver Fir), is
justly named, for the most indifferent observer
of trees could not possibly pass through the great
forests of this species which clothe the summits
of the Sierra Nevada, without experiencing a
feeling akin to awe. So dense is the verdure,
and so numerous the trees, that the darkness on
our path induces the belief that the dusk of even-
ing is near at hand ; and yet, as we emerge from
these vast clumps into a cleared space, where the
bright sunlight glances through the foliage, the
efliect changes almost like a kaleidoscope, into
the most brilliant tints of blue and green.' Such
is the aspect of the Lovely Silver Fir. In size,
I may say they form no exception to the neigh-
boring trees, for I saw very many that were from
20 to 23} feet in circumference, and with a naked
body of 100 feet in height,— the foliage branch-
ing out in a dense mass at the summit.

Abies grandis, Lindley (Great Silver Fir), I
found in the same localities as the preceding, and
about equal in size and number. "Well does it
merit its name ; and had I even the time to give
you a perfect description of its surpassing beauty
and grandeur, I could not do it simple justice.
It differs from A. amabilis in having the leaves
arranged strictly in two rows, long, and slightly
incurved at the extremities. The color is pale
green, but the great heightof the old trees,— 200
feet and upward,— leads one to believe that the
foliage is exceedingly dark. The odd-look iug
cones stand erect on the summit, and are rarely
seen on tlie younger plants.

The only Juniper I noticed in California, was
the really beautiful Juniperus occidtm^ahs, Hooker
(Rocky Mountain Juniper). A specimen is
found on one of the highest peaks near the Yo
Semite Valley, where the bleak winds and cold
storms for many years have not marred its sym-
metry. The silvery foliace, thickly interspersed
with purpli.sli-browu berries, presents an agree-
able picture to the lover of trees. I am happy
to say it succeeds well in our Eastoni collections.

One of the largest trees to be found in Califor-
nia, excepting only the Sequoia, i.s undoubtedly
the Libocedrus ciccurrcns, Torrcy (Incorrectly

White Cedar, in its native locality). Many of
you will doubtless recognize it as the Thuja gi-
gantea of foreign nurseries and authors, and as
such, introduced into our collections from
abroad. I found vast numbers of it on the
steep mountain sides, at high elevations, and es-
pecially in the vicinity of the Yo Semite Valley,
The trees, when young, are very handsome, for-
cibly reminding one of a fine specimen of Arbor-
vUcB, but much more glossy, and lighter in color.
The finest specimen I saw was 25} feet in circum-
ference, and over 200 feet in height.

Taxus brevifolia, Nuttall (Short-leaved Yew),
forms but a small shrub in California, although
further north it assumes the proportions of a tree.
In foliage, it approaches more nearly the hand-
some T. adpressa of Japan, than any other
species. The brilliant scarlet fruit scattered
thickly over the plant, contrasts charmingly
with the dark glossy-green of the leaves.

Torreya Calif ornica^ Torrey (Californian Nut-
meg Tree) is quite rare ; but I was fortunate in
finding a very fine specimen on the cliffs
at the foot of the To Semite. It is Yew-
like in character, forming a medium-sized tree,
with long, dark-green glossy leaves, very sharp
pointed. The fruit, as it name suggests, is not
unlike a nutmeg in appearance, but totally unfit
for use. I am afraid it will not prove hardy
here ; but should it do so, wc may anticipate
much pleasure in its introduction.

1 close my descriptions with the most majestic

of all our native trees, the Sequoia gigaiitea, Tor-
rey (Great Tree of California), and popularly
called '* Washingtonia '• and " Wellingtonia."
During my journey over the Sierra Nevaxla
Mountains, I had the pleasure of visiting the ex-
tensive group known as the *' Mariposa Grove,''
embracing the largest trees to be found. I shall
not soon forget my feelings, when, after having
ridden all day through forests of great Pines and •
Firs, I emerged suddenly into a little valley, and
found myself surrounded by these wonderful
trees. The abrupt change in character was so
new, and almost incomprehensible, that 1 linger-
ed among these strange forms, until the quickly
passing hours warned me I should once more be
obliged to resume my journey towards civiliza-
tion. The casual observer cannot at first com-
prehend their immensity, — but standing clo.se by
their sides, and looking steadily up into their
great shaggy tops, the vastne.ss and sublimity of
their pjoportious almost imperceptibly steals
upon the senses. As :i detailed description of

5^-:

1870.

THE GARDE^N'ER'S MOMTRLY.

199

these wonderful giants jn tlio vegetable world
would occupy too much of 3'our time, I must re-
fer you to their published history, with the re-
mark, th;it " the one-half hath not been told."

I might extend this discussion, by describing
many other species of Conifers growing in CaU-
fornia, but as I have only seen cultivated speci-
mens of some, and dried herbarium specimens of
others, I shall pass them by at this time. Before
closing ray remarks, I desire to add, in justice to
the subject, that the great difficulty iu my way
this evening, was not in finding sufficient items
of interest to impart, but that I might so curtail
my descriptions, as to avoid wearying my audi-
ence,—and such I hope has been the case.

TREES AND SHRUBS AT FAIRMOUNT
PARK, PHILADELPHIA.

BY WM. T. HARDING.

Thinking it might b3 interesting to the read-
ers of the Gardener''s Monthly to see a list of the
Trees and Shrubs, indigenous and cultivated,
growing within the limits of Fairmount Park,
which were blooming (and many are so now,
May 30,) during the months of April and May,
I have made out a list of such as I have person-
ally seen and examined while in flower. Of
Trees and Shrubs, there arc genera ijC and species
111 The number of herbaceous plants are, ge-
nera G3, species 101. The plants, trees and
shrubs herein named are by no means a complete
catalogue of all within the Park, but of such as
were actually blooming when noted :

TREES AND SHRUBS.

ACEK. Maple.

tAcrhariaxirci Sngar

diwjCHrjnim.. . .^il vor-Iofive4
plHtiiii<>i(ieii....Norw:<y M:ipl«

taini'estre Eo^linli Mapie

ps^udo lila.liiu»t>. . "
rnbrani Ktd Maple

NEGUNDO. Box Elder.
fmxioifollura Anh-lcavrd

CtLTIS. Jieuvcr Wood
occidenulis. . . . Wefctcra

FKAXINUS. Ash.

Aineiiciua. ., .AmericaD

jn«|laD(liruliH Wnlnnt le.ived

eamhuciruliH.. . .Elder-l«*ve<l
^^3CL"Li;5. Hoise ChestnuC.

liip)ioci*lnnnm Cymmon

Ouii>enbii'...,0kilo
rnblcnndii....E4iddT
ptilliJn I'ule-flow'er*^

I'ATlA. JPavia.

fl»va Villow

tiimilif Humble

(.•KP.ASIii. ChCTT)/.

mnlllpl«'x pendnU. . Weepin.i! dfl Japoni
VlrKlolcQi Vjr. Bicd C,\ii.rjy vulgnri

CKRCIS. Julian Wrec.

Cin»i»Q«t«....Caii»dlnD Tr.'«

bETLLA. Birch.

• nm Wliite

Dl(r». .. .BInck

Casta.nea.

ChestntU
T r » t> . . . . C.on>» oa

COKVLAS. Hazel.

Am*ti««D*. • ■ .ImeHcao

HALKSIA. Sih-rr liell.
tetrapleiH Four -winged

I.aUKUS. i.fjiini-t.

s:is-atriis. . ..?ase»frae Tiee
• ■enznio . . . .Spire Biii-I)
jcamorc HKlOUt.NDKON. 'J\ilip Tree
liilipifera Tulip Flturerinf;

MORir.S. Mulberry.

jtil'.i While

rubrn. . . .Red

KVSsA. Sour Gum Tree.
V ll'isa .. . .Tlniry

UlOsfVUOS. Penimmon.
Virpiuliioa. . CummoD Vliginian

SaLIX. WiUovj.

finxilis BiUUe

o\ii'«. . . .Hlark
TitelliDH. . . .Oold'^n
(iiiHKelliauA. . . . Ku«»'«'ire

Itturifolla Laurel-lctiTfd

CHptfa pcnduln. . Kilmaru'k W'p
riii-pmariDHfoliri. .Ko^^emaryli-ji'd

CYDOMA. Quince.

J^poaica Japau

ca «lb» WLite

In. . . .Cuujujuii

KAI.MIA. Knlmia.

lallfoIlK . . . .Bf-oad-Vftved

FOKSYTUIA Golden Bell.
Tlridixcinin.. . .Oreen-le&v«d
ZANTHO.XYL-UM, T'iUfuiclie.
frnxio'um. . . . Ai^h-lenved
STAPH YLLA BladdtT-nuL
trifoUam Thre«-lo«ved

SYR I NO .V. Lilac Tree. ]

Tnlpari*. . . .Ccmmon

alba White

ppnHca. . . . Persian
CAI.YCA^NTIllJS. Stiieet Shrvb.

Fb>rida Flouerlag

EUiUNYMDS. nui-i\ir>f} Tiu.^h.
fttropurpureu*.. . .Urtrk I'uiplc
Amerlrnna. . . .American

LIGUSTRUM. iTivct.

coinmuniB. . . .Commoa

HIHKS. Rihfs.

aurcnin . .Golden-floWd C<irr«nt

CORNUS. Dnguood.

Florida White-flowered

sericea.. . .Silky

CRATEGAS. Hmuthom.

ox.vcBulha Enc:li«h

crnsgalli Cookspur

FA0U3. Beech.

eylvaticft. . . .Common nood

QUERCUS. Oak.

iiigra. . . .Black
falcDta., ..BpauUh
alba.... White
discolor. . . .Two-colore
rubra.... Red
prlnu8..,.Cheptnnt
q nercl I roil .... Dy er'a
heteropliTlIa. . . . varinns-lcnTed

CARPI.NUS. Horn Beam.
Am erica Dft American

PLATANUB. BxiUonwood.
ocrideolali?. . . .Western

JUG LANS. Walnut.

regla.. . .Royal
rii^rH .. . .Black

compretfia Sbfllbark

macrocarpa. . . .Iar«e fruited

alba Common llickory

porcina Pignut "

TILIA. Linden.

Americana Americaa

rubra. . . .Red
Europea European

PaULOWNIa. Pnulownia.
Imperial in. . . .Imperial
BUOUSSOiNETl A. P. Mulberry.
papyijlera.. . .Paper

GLKTiIT.SClltA. I.ocxt.il.
tricHDthos... .Three f pined
inpiioip. . . .ThornlesB
rilI.>K.^NrHnS. W. Fringe
VirsiiilcB . . . . Virirlnlita
G\ MKOi;i.AT>i:S. A'l/ Coffee
Can'denxe.. . .Cauadi^in

Al.NDS. Alder.

glfmca Me;ily-ler>v.M

MAGNOLIA. MnqnoHn.

cnrdata Hnr\rt-s1iAi>ed leaf

tripele'a Umbrellh Tree

purpurea. . . .Purplefl'>» eied
purpurea pracilie. .Slcn pur. fl

AMTOIULUS. Almond
peri»ca fl'^re pleno... . P. Pi-rsian

AZALEA. Boscbay.

vincofuv. . . .Clammy

BEKHERIS. Barberry.

vQlgaris. . . .Common
atrof urpurea Dark Purple

SPIUEA Ffpirca.

prnnlfoliura Phim.Uaved

Reevpf.!) Wkite flowered

KEKRIA. Ke-.-ria.

Juponirn. .. .Japan

DEUTZIA. Deuizia.

Bcabra.. . .Rouph
KrHcilia. . . .filender
crenala fl pi. .Donb Pink flow'd

VIBUKKU.M. Viburnxim.

pr- nif-iliu'M Phim-leHved

lanlanoides Lantaca-like

(jxycocMH Tree Crantierry

WEIOKLIA. Weigelia.

amnbilin.. . .Lovely
roppfl .... Uosv

PHlLAIiELPHUSA/ocA: Orange
coronariui'.. . .Common
grandiflorua Grand-Flowerlog

RHUS. Mi.st Tree.

colinuK Wild Olive

LONICERA Honeysuckle.

tHrtarlca Tartarian

alba... White
xylofteum EngllBh Fly

^^^^K } <^'-^^--

fruteBccuj. . . .Blue .'vmericnu

HERBACEOUS PLANTS.

ERIGEROJi. Plantain.

bellidifolinm Daifv fliiw»-red

VAN AX. Oin.'ceng.

<in\nquifnlia .llenvod

pen t stem 11 n., . . PentMcmon
piibesceus. . . .Hairy

oXALlS. U'oodSoircl.

acetowlla Common

Ti.jUcca Violeiflowerod

UrictH tprigbt

CAUDA M 1 -N E. J-aWv Smoc!c.
PeiinPvlvniiica. ..IVnncy Uanian

DE.NTAUIA. I'ouCh Worl.
laciuiala.. . .Jagged

A HA BIS. Wall Ores3.

fnlcHta ?icl.le-pi>d

TKAlil->CANTlA Spider Wort.

Vir^iuica Vii<5ini<iu

ro^ea. . . .Ro^'e color<d

VEkkMC.^ Speedwell.
M'lij<era....Briflly
arvenvii* ...Cornfield

ERYTHROXIUM Violet.
AmerccxDum. . . ..4merirMu

BAR HARK A Mustard.

precox. . . .Early

CORY It A' IS Con/dalis.
Intea... .Yellow

FU.MARIA F\mari(t,

oft1cin«Ii^.. ..Offlcin-le

SENtClo O'roundscl.

«nrea. . . .Y.tllow
VA' EKIANEI A Lamhs-lciluce
r.Tdiatn. . . .Ritdiated
olU«rix....S.jl&d
AliUILtCIA Columhine.

Canadense.. . .CanadlBn

VIOLA Violet.

pedata. . . . IVdate

blanda Wliito

lau'-eolaia....! ance-leaTed
liMSl«ta....U*ll'prd leaved

Fat:Kitat:<. Suow-loavwJ

loluudifpllB . . . .Rouuf". eaved

lierpvllifoliH. .Perpyllium-leaTodjirifoliaiH luiea. .1 bi-«e-leavedVel

CO.N' V AM.ARIA Lily of Valley >-\ni\X» .Stuped

Illxj.llif .Mny iHrveosi* Field

S.Mll-AClNA. Smilnrina. I Oil KLIDONI UM Celandine.

rB<-erno<sa Rncemo.scfloweredlmhjn-. . . . largo

trlfolia Three-leaved | ANEMOiNE Ancmr/ne.

b folia Two-ieavml ihallctroidef Thallctram-llke

POI.VGO.N' ATU.M iSi-lomvn's |neinoro."«. .. .Grove

lijU'tlflornm Many fluwcrrd

sAXAfl'.AGA Suia/ra.QU

reonfTlvauica. .Perufylvanian

Vigioica Virginmu

HuUsTOMA Jj'<nflonia.

oeruIeM , . . . ni UP- flowered

CI, AY I ON I A Cluyionia
VlrplnlcH. .. .Virginia n

lltPATlCA Jt>.-}xUica.

IrllrlKi. . . .Tliree-lotied

ALSINK Chcchueed.

pobeeccDS Pubescent

media. . . ..Mf^diate

6INAP.>1.S Mx'-ttariL

nl/^ia.. . .Common r.latk

LEt).\TOlH)N J)n7\dehon.
taraxduuni.. . .Corn moo

niEKAClLM Hatckuccd.
Teuo-nni. . . . Veioed-lebf

RUNtX Lock.

crixpa. . . .Curled
ubtu»il.)liun ObtO»<»-l«"d.

RKUilA JCriyta.

Vlriflulca VlrgiuUn.

M use A R 1 A Grape Jtyacxnth.
botryoldes Botryaltk*

^00

TEE GARDEJs'ER'S MO XT ELY.

Jidy,

CnCEROHHTLLUM C/l<^lx>if,CHRTaiNTnEMUVl Chrf/ian

Cau^ilaiiRB CuoafliAn

tSMYK.NIUil Alexandert.

trlfolialuiu Three leaved

purpuieii I'urple

TlULLlUM Trillium.

cernuam DroopiQji-fl.itrereJ

ARAL! A Aralia.

Duiiicaulin Nak«d-steii>«J

THALICTROM E. Mead Rue
d'coeluin. .. .DioEcioua
CAULOi'IiyLLUM Caulnphyll-
th>Ulciro<iui....Tlialictriiru-Uke
Jisurnm.. . .Oingnr Hoot
Ctondoaxd. . . .CKQadiAU
COCULEARrA Scurx-y grots.
Hrinoracea Horscradlih

LAMIU.M Archangel

aaip«licaala... .Stern-clasp Hen

GALiUil JJedstraw.

Apirine. . . .Cleaveia

lioclorium Oyera

PODOPHYLLUM May Apple.
jwlutura . . . . Pellate-leaf
CURTSOSPLEMUM Saxa/rage
oppoaillfolium. ..Oppiwileleared

RANUNCULUS Crmvfnnt.
PBODsylvanica. . PennsylvaQiau
bulboBA. ..Riilbous

f.wcicularia Kuadled

ahorllva Abortive

SYiMPLOCARPU-i Shunk Cab

fmtidus FtElid

aDgmllfolium. .Xarrow-apathed

ARUM Aruin.

triphyilum Three-leaved

atroruhBoa. . DarlcPurple Stalksd

DRABA Draba.

vera a Vernal

leuciinTh<>n>iiiii Ox-fve Dhis^'

CJLECOMA Gicmnd I\r)/.

rotiiudiloli* R •iind-leaveJ

hederacea C.'nimou

POl'ENTILLA Cenrjue/oil

«armentoea Twlg^re.d

Cai>a<leii9 « Cauadlan

FRAG ARIA Struu-bei-^-y.
Toaca.. . -Wood

GERANIUM Ciaiie's Bill.
innculftlu:n . . . .'^putted
ORNITHOGALL'M Star Beth.
umhollittiiin . . . .Urab«IUleil

EPIGEjK Ground Laurel.
repoii«. . . .Creepiug

SALVIA Sage.

lyrata Lyre-Bhaped

MALaXIS ifnlaxU.

lilifolium Lily-leaved

NASTURTIUM Nasturtium.
ofllclnalla OfficiDnle

MEDEOLa In Cucumber.
Vircinica.. . .Virginiiiu
8ISYRY."<CHIUM5Z-eye<i 0ra»5
anreps Irla-leaved

HEUCHEItA Alum Root.
Ain'irirMQa... . American

PLANTAOO Plantain

major... .Large

Virgiiiica Virginian

lanreolata. ,. .I.aoce leaved
crasKifnlla ThickleaTed

TRIFOLIUM Clover.

pratense Common Red

repens Wliite Cluver

campe^trB Slender Wood

ANTENNARU Ant.

plantagiuea.... Plantain-leaved

[It is the misfortune of the Botany of large
cities, that the cities soon grow, and the localities
are destroyed. Barton's "Flora of Philadel-
phia," and Bigelow's "Flora of Boston," are
instances of labors of love in a measure lost.
The Bolau}' of Fainuount Park is, tlierefore, an
excellent idea. Here is a tract of 2000 acres,
■which will be forever devoted to public uses. We
l)elicve also that the Commissioners in charge of
the Park intend to employ little of the art of
Landscape Gardening in tlie make up of the
Park; but as they say in their Annual Report,
simply make walks and roads around the beau-
ties nature iias ah-eady placed tiiere. This will
much help the retention of the habitats of many
beautiful native plants, and give the lists of Mr.\
Harding great value.— Ed.] ,'

FLORAL HINTS.

BY MISS. A. O.

, BEADING, TA.

CLEMATIS
Knowing the Clemati.s ia difficult to propaga^,
have enquired of regular and amateur gardenojrs
thpjr mode of increasing these handsome vinj
Their accounts were all discouraging. I lear^d
that it often required a year to root a bni/lcli
laid down, and slightly cut; and tl)at the jiced
was equally as long coming up. But sfvlcral
years ago, receiving one from k friend, I found
the root separated easily into two portion*^, both

of which grew. Thi.? was the one bearing a bell-
shaj>ed, dark purple flower. Later I separated a
large blue one. Tiiis Spring 1 had occasion to
move a blue Clematis out of the grass, and in
trying to see if I could get o(Ta portion with a
root attached, found it divisible into 5 parts,
each with a good supply of roots. I mentioned
my success to a very experienced German garde-
ner, who said he knew of this means of increas-
ing them. He said also that the seed would
soon germinate, if scalded ; and plants could be
raised a foot or two high in the course of a year.
I knew of 2 fine double Clematis lost by ladies
in this city, and now think they might have died
for want of sub-division, as Forget-me-nots do.
Both of them resembled the passion flower ; but
were double in the centre ; one having light
shades of lilac, purple and green, and the other
green and white. The latter was not quite as
handsome as the first. I have not been able to
obtain their names. It was said one came from
Germantown, Pa.

ENLARQtJ^G AND KEEPrNQ PANSIES.

I have been quite successful in enlarging the
the size of Pan.sy blossoms by watering them
twice a week with manure water. They are now
larger than when brought from the gardener. I
know of another amateur who has much in-
creased their size by watering them Avith glue-
water. A piece of glue 4 inches long by 2 in
width is suflicient for a bucket of water. Of
manure water, I give a pint (strong) to each
plant.

The gardener of whom I bought my Pansies
is second to none I have seen in raising large
flowers. He tells me he uses half well rotted
manure and half garden soil — which on his
grounds happens to l>e a red shaley clay. He
also says that in order to keep them through
the summer (for in many places they die out) they
should be lifted as they show signs of diminish-
ing in vigor, be trimmed closely, and then set
back with manure placed beneath and arouuu
them, and on top of the ground. With this
treatment they will bloom tinelyin the Fall.

DOUBLING THE BALSAM FLOWEIt.

Some years ago when sowing the seed of the
Balsam (or I^dy Slipper) in a poor soil, I tried
the experiment of mixing in the ground for half
the row, fresh chicken manure. When the Bal-
sams came into bloom, those growing in the
manured half were fine and double ; while those
in the remainder were iudiirereuL single ones.

1S70.

THE GABDEJVER'S MOJV'THLY.

201

Some years afterward, I tried the experiment
with young plants, but excepting a luxuriant
growth of stallv and leaves, there was no success,
the flowers being poor and small.

CnANGIKG TUE COLOR OF A ROSE.

A lady of tliis city told me, that at hog killing
time some blood was accidentally spilled round
a pink rose which she had planted at the lower
end of her garden. AVhat was her surprise when
next it bloomed to find it turned into a dark
crimson.

THE VALLOTTA PURPUREA.

This beautiful summer blooming Lily can be
kept dr}- all winter in the cellar, if warm enough
to prevent freezing. Its scarlet flowers I have
alwa3's seen of a cup or tulip shape; but I saw
lately an illustration of it with the flowers loide
open^ like the white garden Lily. Is there
another kind, or was this a poor semblance of it.
I have had several given to me lately, one repre-
sented as white, another pink, another scarlet
and 3'cllow. The latter having bloomed while
in possession of the lady who owned the plants,
it seems to make good the representation of the
others by the gardener of whom she bought it.
One gardener calls them Italian Lilies; but I see
it stated that they are natives of the Cape of
Good Hope, and grow in damp situations. I
have seen them blooming with stems varying
from a foot to nearly two feet in height, with
from 4 to 7 blossoms on a stem. The finest
specimen was grown in a 5 or 6 inch milk crock,
in common garden soil well mixed with horse
manure.

A SUMMER BLOOMING BULB.

I have a bulb which bears a white flowei*, re-
sembling a Pancratium, excepting that the flow-
er is more lily-shaped and not so delicate. Thei'e
is a green shading to the inner part of the petals.
"\Ve have tried the experiment of keeping the
bulb dry during the winter, like a Gladiolus. It
keeps quite as well as the latter, if not put into
too warm a place; as it will then begin to show
signs of growth as early as February, our former
time of potting it.

I endeavored to keep the Pancratium last
winter in the same way, but towards Spring the
bulb withered and I was obliged to have it pot-
ted. This had a long bulb ; the other was
shaped like an onion and ia readily known by its
liglit brown tint and the peculiar sheath from
which the leaves spring.

now TO MAKE A CHEAP HOT BED FOR RAISING

SLIPS.

The following plan was recommended to me
by a friend, who had tried it with success. I
have also tried it and can recommend it It
should be used in summer time. Get two or
three boxes IS inches long, and 10 or 12 inches
wide (or a less size will do), with a pane of glass
to cover one exactly. Have a hole dug deep
enough (in a sunny situation) in the yard or
garden, to place in the boxes on a level, with the
ground, first taking out the bottoms of the boxes
and fitting one nicely on the other. Fill up the
first with fresh stable manure. In the second
place 3 or 4 inch of earth allowing space enough
between the earth and the top of the box, to set
in a pot or basin, and leave 3 or 4 inches above
it (or even more); pour in a bucket or two of wa-
ter and set on the glass. Let it ferment two or
three days, then fill the flower pots with well
washed yellow or silver sand (the latter best) and
put in the slips. White wash or smear with
whiting, and water the under side of the glass ;
set in the pots and cover tight. Of course some
of the slips may die, and they will need seeing
after to know if the sand keeps damp. So it will
be well to put in several slips of a kind, as, "The
best laid plans of mice and men gang aft aglee. ' '

FOREIGX GRAPES.

BY CHEMIST, PHILADELPHIA.

Over thirty years ago a friend of mine in the
nursery business raised Hamburg Grapes in an
old fashioned pit of the day, generally employed
for raising melons and cucumbers, he used for
propagation, &c. It was 60 feet long, divided
into compartments of about 10 feet square, a
lean-to and double sash. He had a walk at the
back about 3 feet so as to command the pit ; along
this he trained his vines on rafters, horizontally.
Always had an unfailing crop for pi-ivate use ;
gave them but little attention, and pruned in fall
or spring when he had time.

These old pits have gone out of use, but, be-
lieve me, they did much better service than any
modern ones I have seen. The compartments
were filled with the manure as it came from the
stable daily,- he had a supply of peat and mould
for all purposes. Made plenty of money and did
a large business ; he died since I came to this
country, worth over £50,000.

202

TEE GARDEJVER'S MO:h'TI{Li:.

July,

XEW GRAPES-^VHAT SHALL I DO
AViTII TIIEM.

BY MR. GEO. HASKELL, IPSWrCIT, MASS.

I have between six and seven hundred Hybrid
Grape-vines, from one to eight years old, and
two or three hundred of this year's planting ; the
product of more than thirty crosses, some of one
half and some three-fourths foreign blood.

Eighty-three of these vines have born fruit
for more than one year, and I have selected and
saved the wood of 20 of them that were best in
vine and fruit. 3i[y location upon the sea coast,
25 miles north east of Boston, is not favorable
to the vine, and yet I have never protected these
from mildew or the cold of Winter ; leaving all
to perish that could not withstand these obsta-
cles. I therefore think the vine of these selected
plants will be healthy and hardy in every part
of the country. These all mature their fruit as
early as the Concord or Delaware, but the Sum-
mers here are not sufficiently long and warm to
mature thoroughly and with certainty more than
4 or 5 of them. But several of the others, im-
perfectly ripened here, are sweeter and better
flavored than any hardy grape now cultivated
here, or generally known.

I wish to have these 20 varieties tried in other
parts of the country, (and perhaps others that
are in fruit this year.) But if I distribute them
for this purpose I shall surrender to the public
the products of many years of careful labor, and
no just man would expect this. If I become
nurseryman and propagate and offer them for
sale before they were tried and proved elsewhere
and by others, I would be met with the effectual
objection— that the public have been imposed
upon too often heretofore to be caught again ;
few would be sold, and years would elapse before
their merits and demerits could be generally
known.

I am, therefore, inclined to think it would be
best to purchase land in the central part of the
country on which to plant and try them, where
the fruit would mature with certainty, before
oncriiig the vines to the public in any form.

Would not this be the best course ? and would
a trial of them in the vicinity of Philadelphia,
Baltimore, Washington or Richmond be a satis-
factory test of their (lualitics, and of their adaj)-
tation to the same laliludc in the interior of the
country ? Which of these neighborhoods is most
unfavorable to the vine ?— for in such I should
like to try these.

If Congress would give the originator of a new
and valuable plant or fruit, not a patent right,
but a copyright, the same exclusive right to
multiply and sell his production which they give
to the author of every silly and pernicious novel,
I would, under such a law, cheerfully give ama-
teurs and nurserymen in every part of the coun-
try, gratuitously, these 20 or more varieties for
trial in their respective sections, reserving a
small royalty on su(;h as should be propaixated.
In this way their quality and adaptation to every
part of the country could be decided in a few
years, and there could be no grinding monopoly
in the propagation of them.

Will 3'ou, or your correspondents, suggest
what I had better do with them to test their
quality in a warmer section than this, and their
adaptation to the soil and atmosphere of our
countr}' generally ?

[We give this communication prominence be-
cause it contains matter deserving more atten-
tion that it receives. It is clear that the patent
laws as applied to general matters are inapplica-
ble to new trees and plants, and yet the principle
remains that a new plant or fruit should bring
as great a reward to the raise as any other new
and good idea. If any one can suggest a good
plan whereb}' this good object could be gained
we should like to know. Also, to have sugges-
tions in reference to the other inquiries of our
correspondent. As a rule, the best localities, as
far as the foreign grape is concerned, are north-
ern ones. The farther south the more liable to
disease. The trouble in the north is the lateness
of ripening. A medium district would behest.
—Ed]

CALADIUM ESCULENTUM AS A VEGE-
TABLE.

BY S., MACON, GA.

Travelling north through Philadelphia last
summer I noticed in the gardens, grown as an
ornamental plant, our common Tanj/ah (Cala-
dium esculentuvi). I had no idea it would thrive
so well so far north. The leaves were not near
so lai'ge as we have them here sometimes, for I
have seen them in favorable localities three feet
long and two feet at least wide. Here we use it
as a vegetable, and think them excellent washed
and roasted, as potatoes are sometimes with the
skins on.

When a boy, living in the north many years

1870.

THE GARDEJ^ERS MO^'THLl .

2 OS

asro, we u^ed to dicj up in woods roots called In-
dian turnips, and bake them in ashes which we
made by kindhn^ a lire in the woods. The root
of this plant tastes very much like those Indian
turnips, which will give a good idea of them to
those who have no knovvledge of them.

A rich, wet soil seems to suit them best. In
this they furnish one big root and make many
offsets in the manner of the common Tuberose,
which side shoots make the sprouts for the next
year's crop.

Besides this the roots can be more rapidly in-
creased by dividing them into four quarters, and
perhaps more, as you would do a rhubarb root.

I am told by a friend, that plants can be raised
from the leaves, the leafstalks rooting in warm,
wet soil, but of this I Lave no knowledge of my
own.

I think if 5'ou were to try that as a vegetable
crop in your gardens, it might add one more to
the many pleasant table dishes I so much enjoy-
ed in my last summer's trip. AVe have better
fruits than you in our country, but concede the
palm to you in good vegetables.

CURCULIO— Extermination Possible.

BY J. E. CHAMBERLAIN, SEC. ST. JOSEPH
FRUIT GROWERS ASS., 3IICII.

The importance of this subject ; the demand
for prompt and persistent action ; the absolute
necessity of arousing every peach, plum and
stone fruit grower to destroy the Curculio, has
led the Secretary of the St. Joseph Fruit Grow-
rs' Association, to the following conclusions :

Not a single day should be lost, for with united
action 500,000 curculio may be killed in a single
day.

There is no doubt on this point. This morn-
ing Hon. John AVhittlesey called at the Herald
office and stated that on the 14th inst , he kill-
ed 2,71-") curculios about the roots of 200 trees,
and on the loth, in four hours on the same trees
he killed l,r>G(3 by actual count.

Mr. AVhittlcsey also stated that Mr. Ransom,
Mr Bonelle and himself had in five hours killed
upwards of 5,000 curculios in a portion of three
small orchards. That he had himself alone, in
two days of eight hours each, killed one-half
more curculio than wen; ever taken by tlireo
men, with the old fashioned sheet in a week.
Mr. Whittlesey is one of the most successful and
scientific fruit growers of St Joseph, who.se word
is a boiid; but he said, "do not believe me ; go

to Mr. Ransom's orchard and see for yourself.''

Entering Mr. Ransom's orchard the Secretary
met Dr. Lyman Collins coming out. Dr. Col-
lins is widely known for his successful peach
culture.

" Well Doctor, Is it a success ?"

"Most assuredly. I tried the experiment on
eight of my trees in the evening, and the next
morning took 105 curculio. I am going home to
bug my whole orchard in this manner.''

Wm. B. Ransom, the discover of the new-
method of exterminating the Curculio, was found
on his knees in the back of his orchard examin-
ing his Curculio traps. This was at 10 o'clock
A. M., and he had already killed 1,357 on 300
trees. The Secretary stooped down and lifted
a corn cob not six inches long and found and
killed 7 Curculio. There is no doubt whatever,
that the long desired means of exterminating
the Curculio is discovered.

HERE IT IS.

Put the orchard in the best order ; level down
the soil about the root of every peach tree, and
smooth a circle for a diameter of two and a half
feet from the tree as a center. Have the ground
very clean around the base of the tree. Do not
leave a single hole next the tree. Leave no place
where the curculio can hide except on the shel-
ter you provide. Now lay dose to the tree, and
close to the ground, about four pieces to a tree,
either chip, or bark, or board, or lath, or rag, or
corn-cob, or old leather, or anything for a
covert.

The curculio will conceal itself under this
shelter and may be destroyed by the thousands.
Go around every day and turn over each chip,
kill every curculio. They will generally adhere
to the chip, but may often be found on the ground
under the chip.

Probably no person in the United States has
studied the curculio, and its habits, more care-
fully than William B. Ransom. For 15 years he
has been trying newspaper experiments unsuc-
cessfully. Last year when bugging he discov-
ered that all the curculios dropped within two or
three teel of the roots of the peach tree, and on
examination found the little Turk sheltered on
the trunk and in holes near the base and the
under side of the principal limlw?.

For the last fortnight ^Ir. Ransom has spent
most all of the hours of the day laying on the
ground in his orchard patiently watching and
waiting for the first curculio to show himself.
On the fourth of May a few single Curculios>

20Jf

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJ^'THLY.

July,

were discovered, but not a single pair ; on the
5th a few pairs were found couplini?. Constant
careful observation lias led Mr. Hansom to these
conclusion*.

In the Hill the Curculio seek a warm and safe
shelter to hibernate. This either the "round
or leaves, stumps, logs, old fences, woods
and other congenial places of concealment. The
first warm day in spring that starts vegetable
life calls the curculio forth, and it proceeds to its
feeding and breeding ground. They walk very
fast, and then fly and feed generally at night,
eating the young and tender leaves. The first
warm days this year they fed, then the weather
fell cold, and for a week IVIr. Ransom found no
indication of their feeding. Since Friday night
the 13th, the weather warm, the Curculio have
been feeding. They scatter all over the tree to
feed and come down towards morning, and as
late as 7 a 3I , to hide.

They crawl on cold days and nights, and hide
under the shelter of the trunk of the tree waiting
to feed when'the nights become sufficiently warm.
The curculio uses the green peach only to hold
its c^<r. It sometimes eats the ripe peach, also
blackberries, quinces and other fruits.

Some idea of the quantity to be taken from a
single tree may be found from the following ;
Mr. Ransom states that on the 14th he took 25
on the 15th in the morning 50 ; in the evening
about sundown 15, and on the 16th sixty were
killed from the same tree, and of these 41 were
taken in a cluster under a chip two by three
inches.

The Secretary visited Mr. Ransom at 1^-
o'clock, P. M., and found he had in about four
hours killed 2,109 by actual count, and went
him.self into the orchard and found curculio lying
asleep under the traps in the intense heat of a
lolling sun.

THREE ORXAMEN^TAL TREES.

BY CHRONICLER.

Jjftrix europrea, "European Larch" is a native
of Germany— grows fifty feet high, and of aspire
shape. It is a deciduous conifer, and in foliage
and form is one of the most beautiful trees of
thrifty growth upon various soils and exposures,
and its timber is most valuable for posts and
railway sleepers. It is therefore a universal fa-
vorite, both for ornamental embellishment and
its timber. Over two hundred years ago, the
Duke of Sutherland saw it in the grandeur and

beauty of full maturitj'' in Germany, and pur-
chased seedling plants and took them horn? and
grew them in flower pots in his glas.shouscs in
Suthei'landshire, in the highlands of Scotland ;
they grew so rapidly, he set a few out in the
open ground, and they proved hardy ; he next
purchased great quantities of seed, planted them
in open ground, and in a number of years, he
had several acres of them set as forests. Others
got them and set them out largel)', and now all
throughout the British realm it is grown exten-
sively, both as an ornamental tree and for its
timbers. There, it thrives upon mountains and
in valleys.

Schubertut dlsticha. "Deciduous Cypress" is a
native of North America, grows forty feet high,
of a conical form ; its leaves are pine-like, and of
the most beautiful green. Xo tree in existence
is more ornamental than it, when clothed with
its foliageof shining gra.ss, green and of surpassing
beauty. It naturally grows upon flat loamy
lands. For the last quarter of a century, we
have planted it extensively upon various soils
and in dilTerent exposures, and it has thriven
admirably in all. It can be used along with
Magnolia glauca. Water Birch, Weeping Wil-
low, Alder, &c., to embellish low wet spots upon
pleasure grounds.

Betula alba, "White Birch'' a native of Great
Britain, grows forty feet high, with a clear
straight stem six to ten feet, covered with white
shining bark with a silver}'^ gloss ; the branches
are dark brown, and the leaves a deep dull green;
the head is slender and upright, and of a hand-
some form ; the tree has no compeer in its pecu-
liar beauty in the arboral world. Its appear-
ance is striking and surpassingly ornamental.
It should always be set alone, either in a row a
few yards from a walk, or as a single standard
upon the open lawn, so that it will be wholly
seen and more admired. We have used it in
embellishment upon man}' diderent soils and ex-
posures, and it flourishes admirably in them all.

These trees may be set in a row, and by their
peculiar habits of growth, a good view of the
distance can be had between them. They may
be set so far apart as to be alternated with any
of the following evergreens of similar growth
with tliemselves : say Cupressus sempervirens,
Lawsoniana and stricta, or Thuja occiden talis,
Iloveyi and cristata ; but all should stand twea-
ty yards from drives or walks for the spread of
their branches.

1870.

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJVTELY.

£05

HYBRID GRAPES.

BY CHARLES n. IIIGBEE.
Read before thr Ess^x Institute of ^lass.

There are three species of the <irapo indigen-
ous to New England, viz. -.— Vith lahrusca
(Xortlicrn Fox Grape) ; F/Jts (estivalis (Summer
Grape) ; and Vilis cordifolia (Winter Grape), as
classified by Gray. Probably they have not
changed much, if any, in their peculiar charac-
teristics for centuries, or since that unknown
distant time when species were first so constitu-
ted. Although these species have innumerable
varieties, that have slight differences of fruit, fo-
liage or habit, yet the great points of semblance
are always preserved, and any one familiar with
these points, can easily tell to which species any
specimen belongs. By the laws of nature they
are maintained, and any change from her stand-
ard she looks upon with aversion. The whole
life and energy of a plant is devoted to reprodu-
cing its kind, and it gives to its offspring the pre-
disposition for its own qualities.

Until lately the wild kinds have been some-
what cultivated, and almost every garden, twen-
ty years since, contained one or more. The kind
usually grown was the labnisca, and is familiarly
known by ever}' one. It has a peculiar flavor,
that is pleasant in the early stages of its ripening;
but at maturity, is strong and disagreeable to
most persons. This strong flavor is called by
the fruit growers 'foxy,' and by others 'grapey. '
The lahrusca liears the most palatable fruit of the
three-named species.

At the present time, we rarely find the native
kinds in cultivation, but they can be found along
our CDuntry road-sides, pastures and swamps
The varieties of the V. vtnifera (European
Grape), have been frequently tried in various
places in this country, have not flourished, and
likewise have been discarded. But a race of good
grapes has appeared, one by one, beginning with
the Isabella, which was first circulated in 1818.
With all the plants and animals that man has
domesticated, he has developed those qualities
an I parts most necessary to his wants and de-
sires, and he can do this by selection, and giving
to the subject all the conditions that make it
flourish. When the wild grapes were domesti-
cated, a change began, and having induced a
vine to take one step forward in its fruit, accord-
ing to the theory of Darwin, by sowing the seed,
selecting the most improved seedling, and con-
tinuing the process, at last we have a perfect
grape, excellent in every particular. The pro-

cess is very slow. The experiments of Mr. Geo.
Haskell, of Ipswich, are very interesting on this
point, and from them we learn how very slow is
the process of improving by selection. He has
raised thousands of seedlings of the wild grapo
in an open field, where they could not have any
influence from other kinds, and raised several
generations withoutany perceptible imi)rovement
It is very reasonable to suppose that the fine .
grape3 of the Old World, and the Muscats,
Black Ilamburgs of our graperies, have attained
to their present standard by this method, and it
must have taken ages. No doubt from the ear-
liest time they have constantly progressed. A
quicker way of improving our native kinds, than
by 'successive selection,' and one which I think
has been the means of producing most of the va-
rious sorts now grown, is by hybridizing, and in
this way at once adding the accumulated excel-
lence of the foreign kinds to our own.

To Edward S. Rogers, of Salem, belongs the
credit "of first artificially hybridizing the grape.
The idea first suggested itself to him in 1848, but
was not acted upon until the spring of IS.II. He
crossed several varieties of pears, and hybridized
the V. lahrusca with V. vinifera.*

The vine taken was that of the kind called
MammoLh Globe (a variety of the V. lahrusca),
which he bought of a person from Lowell, in
18-46. It stood at the end of his garden, border-
ing on Federal street, and may be seen now
climbing over an old pear tree. The pollen was
taken from sonie Black Hamburg and Sweetwa-
ter vines that were growing in the same garden.
These were ob'ained of Samuel G. Perkins, of
Brookline, in 1834, and were grown for several
years in the open air, and had borne several fine
crops. The mildew began to trouble them, and
in 1844 Mr. Rogers built the grape house over
them for their protection.

On account of the smallness of the grape flow-
ers and the peculiarity of the corolla in opL-nin"-
at the base and remaining united at the top,
forming a cap,Avhich often fertilizes as it expands,
the grape was supposed beyond the reach of any
interference in regard to its reproduction. Tliese
did not prove to be obstacles to Mr. Roger-^.^llis
account of his work is found in the Horticulturist,
Vol. 8, Nos. 2 and y, pp. 8(3 and 119. 1 will not
repeat it here.

• I hereby make a distliictioji between a ct-om and a
hybrid. The flrst Is the ofrsi)iiii^' of two varieties of the
same species, while the latter is from the uiiiou of
separate species.

206

TEE GAKBEJ\''EIl'S M0XTHL7.

July,

At first he was laughed at the for the attempt,
and our most learned horticulturists and bota-
nists declared it to be an absurdity. But by the
time the young hybrids began to fruit, he had
several believers. lu 185C, the vines that had
grown in the original place, fruited ; the rest
the following 3'ear. This )'ear he recrossed
the hybrids with the V. vinifera, bringing vines
bearing fruit, nearly identical with the foreign
kinds. The fruit of Xo. 4 of the first lot crossed
with the Muscat, has the peculiar flavor of the
Muscat.

It seems ver}' remarkable that so large a num-
ber of fine grapes have appeared within the last
fifteen years, and particularly within the last
twenty. And as shown b}' the experiments of
Mr. Haskell, and by the laws of reproduction, as
far as they are known, it seems that the cultiva-
vated kinds are not simply improved seedlings,
but are natural hybrids. Then, too, we do not
find the gradually ascending scale of excellence
that might be expected, if they came by pFogres-
sion. Between the wild lahrusca and the Isa-
bella, Catawba, &c., there is a very wide differ-
ence. The seedlings of these kinds all tend back
towards the original, and are much inferior to
their parents, who have been elated by a favora-
ble alliance. Again, the hybrids of Mr. Rogers'
raising, resemble the ''improved seedlings."
Ko. 15 is frequently compared with the Catawba.
Now all the attempts to cross the "improved
seedlings " has resulted in producing grapes, so
near the foreign kinds, as to be nearly or entirely
worthless for open air culture in our climate,
and closely resembling them in every particular.
This was the same with Mr. Rogers' second
crosses, as he calls them.

The introduction and dissemination of the
European grapes has brought together the t\vo
species, and the result is, that every year we
hear of a new grape springing up in some old
garden. There has always been an uncertainty
as to the origin of the common varieties, and I
can find nothing in their history that conflicts
with the views herein given.

RHODODENDRON CATAWBIENSE FOR
CITY TARKS AND GARDENS.

ItY I{. IJUIST, .SK., nilLADA.

Your illustration of ihis beautiful evertrreen in
your June No. is capital, true to life and very
opportune. The periodicals are teeming with its
beauties and simplicity of its culture ; your re-
marks add to the required knowledge of its

habits. There is a locality in which it seems
quite at home, but is overlooked by all that I
observed. It is well known that resinous trees
and shrubs do not thrive in our city gardens or
localities where there is much smoke ; the Rho-
dodendron does, and makes a very superb bush
in a grass plat fully expo.sed to sun. You will have
observed that Pine or Spruce trees have been re-
peatedly tried in our public squares, and have
invariably fiiiled ; the grand substitute would be
hardy Rhododendrons with the hardy sorts of
Aucuba and evergreen Euonymous. We look
to our great Park for a feature in Rhododendron
planting excelling anything in this country.
One more remark, we must not overlook the
fiict, that where the varieties have a touch of
R. ponticum, they are too tender lor our lati-
tude, so are those where they have a severe touch
of the crimson or Scarlet Asiatic varietits.

RURAL LIFE.

BY W. ELDER, LANDSCAPE GARDENER, PHILA.

Families who spend the summer in the rural
districts, can uow best appreciate the value and
beauty of trees, while they enjoy their grateful
shades, and those having estates of their own,
and those who intend to possess rural estates,
should observe the various species of trees on
the way of their walks and rides, and note down
the names of those they most admire, to embel-
lish their own grounds in future ; which give the
best shades, which the handsomest forms and
most beautiful foliage. The times of blooming
are now mostly over, but yet what a beautiful
diversity their variegated verdure makes, and
how richly they make the landscape and the
grounds on which they grow appear.

The various species of Ash, Elm, Oak, Maple,
Linden, Poplar, Chestnut and Horse Chestnut,
Beech and Birch ; the Tulip tree, the Locust
and Kentucky Coffee trees, the Sweet Gum,
Magnolia and Mulberry trees ; the deciduous
Cypress and Larch trees ; the Willow, Button-
wood and various nut trees ; the Salisbnria, Jm-
burnum, Robinii, Purple Beech and the Althea
and Elders of variegated foliage. Every species
possesses its own peculiar beauty, and all are
worthy of our highest admiration and the best
culture and care we can give them. Who can
help being struck with awe at the sight of trees
in their nobleness and grandeur, and watch how
beautifully ihcy adorn and illuminate the land-
scape with their various tints in the autumn.

1870-

THE GAEDEjYER'S MOJVTHLY.

207

The above being deciduous, let us now look at
the massiness and lasting beauty of the noble
Evergreens. How beautifully diver-ifiotl are the
various species of Arborvitcc, Fir, Pino, Cedar,
Juniper. Cypress, Holly, Picea, &c. The Arau-
caria, Libocedrus, Cryptomeria, Sequoia and
many other genera are all worthy of our best es-
teem, culture and care.

If we also observe how delightfully comely are
the various species of dwarf evergreens, and the
numerous fiimilies and individuals of deciduous

flowering and fruiting shrubber}', there will be
no limit to our admiration and wonder. The
various sizes they attain at maturity, and the
habits they assume, are interesting to observe,
and the diflerence in the colors and perfumes of
the blossoms of the numerous species of the de-
ciduous blooming and fruiting kind ''that scent
the evening gale," is charming in the highest
strain.

All praise to hini that gave the trees.
That wuft so comely in the breeze.

EDITOU lAL

EMBRYONIC INARCHING.

It will be remembered that the chief ground
taken against Mr. Blodgett's point that the sweet
and sour apple originated from the halves of two
buds inarched together, was the imposffihility of
the thing. It was said that unless the germs
were halved there could be no inarching, and
yet so small must be these ultimate germ-cells
that they could not be divided by the sharpest
instrument we possess without destruction.

This seemed ver^' reasonable, if it were neces-
sary to cut these germ-cells, whatever they may
be; but the writer's studies in the adnation of the
parts of plants, and the many peculiarly distinct
forms resulting from mere cohesion alone of parts
already partially formed rendered it just possible
that this cell division might not be necessary.

'Ihus, without feeling satisfied either way, for
the last two or three years we have been on tbe
look out for some facts which should set the mat-
ter at rest.

Tlie first idea that suggested itself was to
halve two scions so exactly that they should make
but one, and then graft if. Most of these died ;
but three have lived, and have put forth shoots
several inches long. Yet possibly one-half-sidj
has died in each case, but the exactly central
position assumed by the bud indicates that both
have grown and have become thoroughly incor-
porated into one shoot. But ofcour.se the exact
state of the case cannot be known until the plants
grow farther, or bear fruit.

We have, however, met with another fact
which proves conclusively that embryonic points
can unite and form one perfectly homogenous

branch. It is well known to botanists that the
usually one seeded ovaries of vwraceous plants
or plants of the Mulberry family have occasion-
ally two seeds, — and it is further known to those
who grow one of these plants, the Osage Orange,
on a large scale, that it is not unusual for the two
germs to get together in the same seed coat. These
result in what are known as twin plants. The
points of union seem first at the collar or precise
point where stem and root first diverge— the
junction of the cotyledons or seed-lobes with the
stem. The descending axis is usually united at
a distance of from two to four inches when they
(the two originals) separate and become distinct
parts. The ascending axis, however, seldom
unites, but separates at once from the cotyledcnous
point, and makes two stems. We have thus two
plants perfectly united at the middle like the
Siamese twins, but distinct above ai.d below.

We have, however, found one plant wherein
the points of these two independent origins have
united, and they have formed one thoroughly per-
fect stem in which there is not the slighest trace
of a duality of origin, while the two-root systems
have remained perfectly distinct.

This specimen we have presented to Dr. Geo.
Engclman, of St. Louis, to whose indefatigable
labors in Botany the world owes so much.

Now there can be no more reason why tivo
germ points In buds cannot unite together with-
out division there, than the two points in a setd-
coat, and we are compelled to believe that the
ground assumed by Mr. Blodgett, and long be-
fore him Erasmus, Darwin and others, is good
ground,— sound physiological law, — and we see

208

THE GARDEJTER'S MOJ^TELY.

July,

in it a field for the most wonderful class of hy-
brid fruits we have ever known.

How ver3'^ strange it is that with this idea be-
fore the world for over a hundred years so few
should ever have tried to realize its truth. The
fiict is, the world is cursed with a set of lazy
closet philosophers who build entirely on the ob-
servations of a few dozen hard working collectors
of facts. With these they mix the fancies of
their own dreamy night thoughts, and thus work
out '"unmistakable"' principles and "natural
laws," which are not laws at all. If we could
only induce more personal observing and less
pen theorizing, our progress in the path of per-
fection would be much more rapid than it is.

Of course such habits will lay those who pos-
sess them open to the charge of " wishing to be
authorilies" in disputed matters, — but the satis-
faction of feeling sure of ones position will make
such a reputation cheap, and one which any one
can well afford to have.

THE STRAWBERRY SEASON.

A rather extensive tour through the Straw-
berry regions of western and southern New Jer-
sey, revealed to us the fact that the Wilson's
Albany Seedling is still the most popular variety
with the marKet growers. In some instances,
the Agriculturist was highly depended on, and
a^ain Downer''s Prolific and Boydcn's Green
Prolific pistillate, when grown with a fertilizing
variety, were popular in some instances. It
was rather mortifying to our love of progress,
to find so many of our new and much-be-praised
kinds, consigned to such an early tomb. There
are a few kinds which seem to have 3'et a slight
hold on life, hanging as it were in the balance of
their grower's estimation, — which seemed as if
after all they might perhaps be valuable, or they
might not. Of these, were FiUmore, IJi'ooklyn
Scarlet, Triomphe de Gaud, French's Seedling,
New Jersey Scarlet and a few others. But the
almost univers;il reply to the question, "which
after all is your first choice for a paying crop ? "
was "Albany Seedling." We found, however,
the impression widely prevailed, that quality
was not worth studying in the question of profit-
able market kinds. Thoy consider that size, abun-
dance and regular annual crops, are all sufficient.
Flavor, they insisted, was all a matter of sugar
and cream. We took pains to watch the sales
made m our retail markets, to know how this
wurks, and we arc sure it is a mistaken idea.

We saw many a box of Albany's refused, be-
cause they were known to be sour. Most likely
in the early history of fruit consumption, a
strawberry "isastrawberry,''especially if cheap;
but the time will come when people get to love
better things, even though they cost more ; and
we are not sure that our Jersey friends are right
in this universal attachment to the Albany
Strawberry.

CEMETERIES AND CEMETERY PLANTS.

It is not easy to decide who is the author of
the idea of our modern cemetery ; but it is safe
to say tiiat to Loudon, who did so much towards
Kensall Green Cemetery near London, it owes
much of its popularity and success. Famil}- grave
yards have' long existed in the United States, but as
an idea separate and distinct from houses of wor-
ship, it dates back only thirtp-Qve years, when
Mount Auburn near Boston was projected. This
was the first attempt of any consequence to discon-
nect the cities of the dead from associations with
w'hich they had long been connected, — to work
out the plan of the beautiful garden which for
hundreds of years could go no farther than a
rose bush or a periwinkle or the half neglected
sod of a churchyard, the hay crop of which was
the perquisite of the grave digger.

Philadelphia was fortunate in having amongst
its citizens a gentleman of a highly cultivated
horticultural taste, and at the same time posses-
sing that practical turn of mind which foresees
long before the time comes what necessity will
bring forth. He visited Boston, studied the
Mount Auburn plan, returned to Philadelphia,
and, associating with himself a few' friends, es-
tablished Laurel Hill the following year.

Like all new ideas. Laurel Hill met with
strong opposition from those very persons whose
interests, and indeed whose natures unknown to
themselves the cemetery was particularly calcu-
lated to serve. To one not versed in the philoso-
phy of human actions, it seems singular to note
engraved on the monumental n)arble which
adorns this beautiful place, the names otleadin;i
opponents wdio now x-est from tlie struggle with-
in the hallowed spot they ouc« dreaded as sub-
versive of what they conceived the holy insiiticls
of civilized man. Mr. Jolin Jay Smith must
feel that in the successful establishment of this idea
in Philadelphia, he has "fought the good light,''
but he has not '"finished his course," for year by
year he adds to the good work,— not only by his

1870,

THE GARDE JETER'S MOJVTHLY.

S09

example followed by others in the numerous
cemeteries about the city, but by adding to the
extent of his ovrn dominions. A recent addition
has been made west of the Schuylkill, which for
beauty, rivals the palisades of the Hudson, and
makes the area over one hundred acres.

In all new enterprises, no matter how superior
the genius may be which conducts it, there will

no easy matter to take down these trees. Felled
in the usual way, there would be sad havoc
amongst the monumental marble. Piece by
piece the branches must be removed, and gently
lowered with ropes, until the total cost of taking
away a tree often rolls up a bill equal to the
price of a good lot.

True, many trees of rare interest remain here

be many matters of detail adopted which will 1 yet. The arboricultural love of the founder of

bear improvement The thirty-four years' expe-
rience gained at Laurel Hill, must be of great
value. Cemeteries are now essential to every
town, and indeed to almost every distinct class
of society in all large cities, and if the honored
founder of this great success, now approaching
his three score years and ten, could find time in
the twilight of life, to pen for those who come af-
ter him his ideas of cemetery management, it
would be a valued legacy to his countrymen.

Certainly there aresomeprominenterrors which
it will profit all similar enterprises to avoid, and one
of these is the planting of trees which will attain
a large size in time, near land to be devoted to
interments. Mr, Smith was, as the Editor of
Michaux''s St/lva, the '■^Horticulturist'''' &c., might
well be supposed to be an earnest lover of rare
and beautiful trees. Nothing therefore could be
more natural than that he should combine this
love of arboriculture with his cemetery planting.
Hence, at one time, almost all the most beauti-
ful hardy tieea found a home in these grounds.
Magnolias of all kinds, from the M. grandiflora
of the South, to the "Yulan'' of China and Pur-
2)urt a of the East Indies; the "Yellow Wood'' I
of Kentucky, and the "Ginko" of Japan — these j
and similar varieties drew as to a Mecca, tree i
worshippers from many a distant land. But the
cemetery grew and became fashionable. Lots
for which hundreds of dollars were looked to,
came to be worth thousands, and to such people
as own these choice places what is a ''mere tree'
which grew without cost, to the dash and gran-
deur of a monument in which every granite block
•was cemented with a hundred dollar bill ? Be-
sides they shaded the lot, and the glaring white-
ness of the sepulchral stones became green with
lichens and mosses which grew thereon ? Thus
one after another the green spirit of nature has
had to flee to the wild woods,— tree after tree
has had to fall before the woodman's axe, and
the heartless behests of fashionable folly left to
rule over even what once we might truthfully
call the classic shades of the dead. But it was

the cemetery, cannot always be conquered, even
though the most tempting allurements are
thrown in his way. But he cannot live forever,
and those who come after him may not have his
moral strength. Indeed we may say at once,
that the idea of uniting arboriculture with prac-
tical cemetery work is a decided failure, and as
will be found to be the planting of large trees of
any kind. When the grounds are new and bare,
large trees must be employed to give that luxu-
riance of growth which small trees never pos-
sess. But only those should be used which grow
rapidly or are cheaply obtained, an i which one can
cut away before their size becomes objectionable,
and without exciting so much regret, as the loss
of a valuable tree always dots.

In our next, we will give a list of the best
things to be employed, from notes made of actual
appearances at Laurel Hill.

ABOUT HOXEY SUCKLES.

Long as one may be an exile from his native
country, he never forgets some things which he
believes to have lost, and which no new pleas-
ures in any land can restore to him. We have
often asked Englishmen about their losses, which
lingering on their memories, the most attached
them to their native land. The answer almost
always is, "we miss the Lark's morning singing
as he rises into the sky, — the long summer twi-
lights cool and delightful ; and the Honeysuckles
and Pink Daily Roses, which after struggling to-
gether, bloomed at length in fragrant peace over
every cottage door."

If some of these Englishmen had been with us
in a ride through Vineland recently, and could
for a moment forget the sweet songs of the sing-

in"; birds : and his long

evening

walks throu<irh

fragrant fields and along hedgerows sweet with
the Hawthorn's blossoms, he might have fancied
himself again in the Old World, so far as Roses
and Honeysuckles would go. Certainly of the
latter attractions, we never saw anything more

210

THE GAEDEJ^ER'S MOJVTELY.

July,

ripe for admiration. The Sweet Belgian which
HO often makes a delicate stunted growth, was
growing with the luxuriance of hop vines, and
flowering with the abundance of beautiful star*
on a quiet night.

"We cannot but wish that these beautiful vines
were more common. To sit under ones own
rig tree might have been the perfection of plea-
sui'e in an age when what one should eat or
drink, or with what one should be clothed, were
the all engrossing questions of life. But in these
days, when we have more senses to please than
they had -when the introduction of labor saving
machinery has made a living easily possible for
all ; it is one's own fault if he has'nt his own vine
and fruit tree. Our wishes go beyond these.
Let him sit under his own arbor shaded by his
Rose and Hone3'suckle, and he will know a joy
of which the old unfortunates of ages past never
dreamed, — and a joy he will rather lose half his
fruit crop than dispense with. For money will
buy fruit, but the charming grace of the twining
vines, and the delicious fragrance their abundant
blossoms breathe around, no wealth can buy, —
nothmg but ones own hand in sympathy with
nature can suppl3^ It was a good wish which
prompted the effort to make two blades of grass
grow where only one grew before. We could
better wish our name connected with the desire
that there might be a Honeysuckle twined over
every cottage window in the land.

A few hints on Honeysuckles . may not be un-
acceptable. There are two classes, tnose which
climb and those which make busl:os. The last
is well known in its representatives the Tartari-
an and Fly Honeysuckles. Some botanists have
endeavored to separatft the two, calling the last
Loniceras, and the climbers (Japrifoliums^ but
there are really no differences between them.
Thereis one peculiarity common to both, and which
we believe no other genus of plants possess.

The writer of this, in a paper read before the
last meeting of the American Association for the
Advancement of Science, called more particular
attention than had heretofore been given to the
fact that inaiiy plants have a series of axillary
buds one above another, but the upper one al-
ways the largest. In the Loniceras this rule is
reversed. There is a sericK of from one to five
buds,— but here the lowest is the strongest. Ca-
prifoliums and Loniceras alike have this charac-
teristic.

Wc arc of course speaking of the Caprifolitim

or climbing class as Honeysuckles. The one of
the Fnglish cottages is the L. Peridymemim ; it
grows wild through most of the English AVoods.
It is rarely found in American gardens, chiefly
we believe, because the one known as the Bel-
gian is sweeter, and the deeper purple shading
mixed with the white, makes it more showy. It
does not however grow as vigorously, and is not
as well adapted for covering large trellises.
Magneville's Honeysuckle is also a variety of
this one with larger flowers and earlier
than the Belgian, and with a growth equal to
the Wild English, but with flowers scarcely as
sweet.

In England, their Honeysuckle is popularly
termed Woodbine. Our people have given this
name to the Chinese L. flexuosa. This is the
one with a reddish tint on the under surface of
the leaves, and the young stems with a deep
brown tint. The flowers are white turning to
rose, and the leaves to a considerable extent
evergreen. It is very sweet, and a good thing
to plant with the view of running along the eaves
of a piazza, or up and over trees. Then there
are two excellent varieties of Lonicera japonica
in cultivation, — the one known as L. h-achybo-
tria and ihe other as L. Halliana, both garden
names. The latter is very much like the former
in habit, except that the stem and leaves are
pale and without any tint of purple or brown.
The latter has shining leaves and more delicate
shoots, and possesses a more creeping habit,
which Ixiautifully fits it to cover ground in places
where it is too shad}- for grass to grow. The
flowers of these two are exactlv alike, coming out
white and changing to yellow, and also as sweet
as any flower can be.

America is also the home of a class of Honey-
suckles, which have far more beauty than those
of Europe and Asia, but have no fragrance. The
two most generally seen in culture are the Red
Coral and the Yellow Coral. The lied grows
wild in Pennsylvania and other northern States;
the Yellow is not found often, if at all north of
the Potomac. They are both evergreen when
not exposed to too warm a sun in winter. And
here we come to a point worth noting in the cul-
ture of Honeysuckles, namely, not to imt them
in too sunny a place. They grow naturally
creeping amongst the under-brush of the woods,
climbing over low bushes,— not as in the case
we recently noticed of the Rhododendron, which
grows in shade because it can't help itself, — but
here actually from choice and by preference. A

1S70.

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJfTHLJ,

211

partially shaded and rich soil is every way best
for them.

All the Honeysuckles are very easily propaga-
ted from cuttings taken off in the fall and plant-
ed, and covered Avith some material till spring
to keep the frost from heaving them out.

DREER'S SEEDFAKM.

During a hurried trip through parts of Xew
Jersey recently, we stopped a few moments at
Dreer's seed farm at Riverton, on the Delaware
River. "We were pleased to see so many evi
dences of prosperity. The grounds embraced
about lOCTacres, much of this was out in flower
and root crops. Of Gladiolus especially, there
were many thousand. One bed of some hun-
dreds contained the old purple Byzantine
variety, which in addition to the difference in
color from the popular kinds, has the merit of
l)eing quite hardy. There were immense quan-
tities of Pansies, most of them marked with their

separate colors, so as to sell them in separate
lots. The Peony was also grown in great abun-
dance ; but we missed the deep double crimson
we all admired so much around old fashioned
country homes. We think it would sell if some
florist would resurrect it from oblivion's grave.
The P.fragrans, sweet as a rose, was here abun-
dantly, to mock those who think a Peony only
pretty to look at, and a kind called fuhjens not
very double, but peculiarly striking from its deep
tlame-colored flowers, were largely grown.

Largel}' in the bouquet business, Mr. Dreer
has also here houses to accommodate this trade.
There were nine in all, about one hundred feet
long, and set together after the plan now so pop-
ular. There were not much in them at this s:a-
son, but we noted how pretty a plant is the va-
riegated ITj'drangea for decorating partially
shaded places in summer time. We have called
attention to this pretty plant in past volumes ;
but it has not had the attention it deserves.
The following is a sketch of one:

We find here also, they are getting up a stock
of the two Echeverias, metallica and secunda.
These have been much used in England for sum
mer decorative gardening, and will do still bet-
ter here where our hot summers are still more
favorable to succulents. The leaves look some-
thing in shape like what was known in old gar-
dens as the "House Ivcek." We notice also here
as elsewhere, attention is Iwing given to the new
Clematises which are amongst the handsomest
of flowering vines. Here also, as in our own

case, a year or so ago, they had received "right

from "head quarters" was Clematis Jackmanii

which was not Jacl-manii. The real kind is of a

vivid purple, and not light as we were led to

describe it.
Fuchsias were here in large quantities, most

of them new. But really there is no longer
much novelty among new Fuchsias. One how-
ever, which we saw among these called "Marks-
man," was worthy of a much better fate thaa
the rest.

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOXTHLY,

July f

Of the new Ivy Geraniums, we must say a
good word. This class of Geraniums will be-
come much more sought after, popular though
they have often been. For many years there
were but white and rose,— now there are many
distinct colors. They are are adapted to so
many different uses. For rockeries, vases, bas-
ket plants, or as trailers over beds like Verbe-
nas, they are especially good ; and then they do
not object to our climate as so many popular
English things do.

Of bedding Geraniums and Coleus, there is
here the numerous varieties now so common-
They are in fact too numerous. We shall have
to take the whole season to look about us to
pick out a dozen of the best before recommend
ing the balance to be left out in the cold next
winter.

Out from the flowers into the fruit grounds,
w^e found many varieties of strawberries under
trial. Triumph of America, Nicanor, Colfax,
Jucunda, Philadelphia, Stinger and other scarce
kinds were here. No especial culture is given
them, and perhaps it is not fair to speak of rela-
tive merits under such circumstances. All we
can say is, that under this let alone, as you please
sort of culture, Brooklyn Scarlet behaved very
well, and Agriculturist did no disgrace to the
parties who originally sent it out.

THE CURCULIO.

"We give to day a paper in our original col-
umns, sent us by tlie gentleman whose name it
bears, and which has also been extensively pub-
lished in the West, -where it has created great
interest.

There seems to be not the slighest doubt but
that the Curculio have been caught in the "man-
ner and form as aforesaid." At the same time,
it would seem to show habits in the insect at
variance with the plan of shaking adopted by va -
rious growers. If they are in trees during day,
they will not take shelter underchips and com cobs
Yet it is clear that both of these classes of curculio
catchers are right, for we have the substantial
evidence thereof The probability is, that in
different times during the same season, the in-
sects have different habits, and by pursuing both
systematically, we may keep this pest in check.

It is very remarkable that this plan was long
known, and told in the Rural New Yorker. It
is quite possible that the experience of the lady
who gave it was "pooh-poohed" by some who
supposed what they did not know was amongst
the impossibilities. It will be a lesson for all of
us not to neglect facts offered us however strange
they may seem, — but to prove all things if we
would hold to that which is good.

SCEAPS AOT QUERIES.

Pear Trees ik Grass—/. H S , A War-
renton^ Va., Subscriber, says about Pear trees in
grass: "The war gave me a wrinkle I didn't
know before. No fences ; no cultivation ; and in I

the country grass will grow. So my trees were I »urf;vce of the »oil ; and each scale produces a
in grass, and are still in grass, and I intend to
leave them in grass, as long as I get the Pears I
do.

Propagating Japan Lilies.— 5. Bellevev,
Utah, inquires : "How to propagate Japan Lil-
ies V [The scales from mature roots are care-
fully separated, and planted barely under the

bulb, — or each old bulb may l>e tre;ited as recom-
mended for Hyacinths iu the present number. ]

Budding Apples and Pears.— 5. liellereu
Utah, asks : " Whether best to bud or graft the
Pear on Quince, and the Apple on the Paradise?"

[The former is the most generally practiced,
and probably, all things considered, tlic best,]

Paulownia

" Some attention has been given

IMPEBIALI.«^. — R. A., Detroit.
to this in the
West a» a fine tiowering tree. Is it hardy enough
for this region ?" [It is hardy wherever there is
great sunnuer heat. In cool summer climates
the wood gets easily killed in winter. Most liku

1870.

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJSrTHLl.

2IS

ly it would be hardy at Detroit, though the
immature parts of the branches mijj;ht suffer.

Fungoid Theory of Diseases.— This theory
has met with general acceptance of late years.
The idea is that though diseases may originate
without the agency of fungus, yet after hav-
ing once started, the spores will attach them-
selves and breed disease in the healthiest sub-
jects. Mr. Geo. Parmelee, of Old Mission, Mich ,
one of the most intelligent of Western Fruit
growers, elaborately attacks this theory in the
Western Rural. The chief portion of the article
is devoted to arguing the improbability of this
theory. Mr. P. asks does bread mould more
than it did years ago ? Yet shows that Grapes
rot more than they did at one time. He takes
it for granted that there are deleterious fungoid
spores in California, though there is not much
disease there, — also he assumes that there are
spores of the potato fungus in Maine and Nova
Scotia, although there is no potato rot, — that
rot never appears when the barometer is low, —
that it is always less in orchards poorly cultiva-
ted,— that it never appears in the early stages of
growth, — that rot never shows itself when there
is not a rapid growth,- that warm rich valleys
exhibit the disease most abundantly, — and that
in the poor grape soils of Europe there is most
freedom from disease.

Of course in getting at a knowledge of the
cause of disease, much depends on the uniformi-
ty of the facts produced, and then, granting their
universality, whether the trouble complained of
might not exist in spite of all those facts. For
instance must a tree be necessarily unhealthy
because it does not grow ? Or because the ba-
rometer is high or the weather warm ? Might
we not as well say that these conditions were
favorable to the development of fungoid spores,
as well as to say that they were unfavorable to
health. We make these suggestions not to dis-
pute the correctness of Mr. Parmelce's conclu-
sions, but only to caution those who are study-
ing this difficult subject, to be very sure of their
facts, and that their application is undoubted.

Plants from Utah.— S., Kane Co.^ Ulah^
Sends some very interesting i)lants for name.
Some of the specimens are good, others only a
single flower or flower -pike. The plants of this
region are little known, and good specimens,
that is with leaves as well as flowers, should be

sent in order to enable us to give the names
with certainty.

Ko. 2 Is Penlslemon acuminatus. 3. Purshia
trideiUata, the first flowering specimen we ever
saw, and evidently a shrub well worthy of intro-
duction to our ornamental grounds 4. Baikya^
probably B. multi radiata, but cannot tell from
a single flower. 5. Berberis Fremonbii^ this also
ought to make a beautiful low evergreen shrub
for cultivation. 6. Audibertia incaua, this pretty
low shrub is scarce even in herbariums, and good
specimens would be very desirable. 7. C^astillija
pallida. 8. Ephedra syphililica, 9. Pentstemon
glaber. 10 P. Torreyi, this is far more beautiful
than the P. (Chelone) barbatus, well known in
cultivation. 11 Fucca angustifolia. 12. Too
small, but probably Namahispida. 13. Falhigia
paradoxa. There was do No. 1 in the lot. Send
more of other things.

Callousing of Roses.— Tf/ro, Cincinnati, 0.
"Can you tell me how to strike Roses from cut-
tings ? We put in several last winter; they cal-
loused beautifully, and therefore several garde-
ner's told me they ought to root ; but from some
inexplicable cause they afterwards died away.
It a sore disappointment to us, as we hoped to
have a nice lot of our own growth; not that we
don't want to buy, if necessary, but it is such a
pleasure to see the works of our own hand thrive
and do well."

[Roses are very hard to raise by the inexperl-
enced. As for the "callousing,'' that is an en-
tirely distinct process from rooting, and has no
more connection with itthanthe pushing out of the
leaf buas from the cutting; indeed, just the same,
it shows that there is some vitality about, and
that is all. Roots usually come out up and
down the the stem any where and independently
of the calloused part. Indeed it is quite likely
that there is more danger to a cutting about the
time it is callousing than at any other time, as
it expends its stored up force in forming the cel-
lular matter of the callous, and thus has so much
less to form roots.

The callous in fact is rather a reproductive
than a nutritious effort, an attempt to make a
bud rather than a root. We see this often iu
Geraniums, a thick callousy matter frequently
forms on the roots, and after awhile pushes into
stems. So also in propagating Gloxinias, Coleus,
and similar things from leaves ; the callous in

njf

TEE GARDEJVEWS MOJVTHLY.

July,

variably developos into a bud, — no stem growth
indeed is formed except through the callous.

We have entered into this matter more minute-
ly tlian your inquiry would seem to demand ;
because a great number of excellent gardeners
and scientific men, seem to have imbibed the
the notion as your friends have, that there is
some relationship between callousing and root-
ing. It is one of those lessons of the past gene-
ration, which the coming man in the horticultu-
ral flold will have ''to learn over again."

As to propagating Roses; here is the principle —
Light influences the formation of leaves ; dark-
ness roots. Wood that has been growing in the
full light, is less prepared to form roots than
that which was developed in partial shade.
Hence Rose cuttings which have been developed
in the full sun, seldom furnish wood that will
root well. Plants for propagation must be grown
in a i)artially shaded place, — such wood, will
'"strike like willows.''

IlEAHTn AND HoMK AGAIN, — This nominally
respectable Journal has not apologized to its
readers for the outrage on decency while discus-
sing a horticultural question to which we recent-
ly called its attention. We take it for granted
however, that it is somewhat ashamed of itself,
for it has gone back to the same subject,and has
tried to write the second time in a better spirit
than the first. It admits now that it " does find
tiie characteristics described by him,'' notwith-
standing the challenge of -SoOO to the sharp-eyed
boys, but denies that these are permanent
Seedlings, it says, have an increased size
©f fruit for two or three years, then they
seem to recede to their original size. Every
variety it ever had ultimately proved an
txact copy of the original. Ten years ago, it re-
ceivf'd tlic Galande but soon no one could tell it
from old mouthly Alpine. This is a fair state-
ment of what the Hearth and Home says.

It is to be regretted that Mr. Downing did
not make the actjuaintancc of this writer before
he got out his new edition last year. lie says
Galand is distinct, and notes particularly its
"dark red color." Another variety, he says, is
"remarkable" amongst Alpines for " its reddish
brown color.'' The Kcd Wood Alpine he distin-
guishes by "roundish ovate fruit," and the
Monthly Red, by its " long conical form,'' — be-
sides these he gives five other varieties.

If the writer of this paragraph in Hearth and

Home knew "soon after'' "ten years ago,'' it
was cruel in him to let Mr. Downing make this
terrible mistake last year ; and still more as-
tounding that he should reserve the vials of his
wrath for Mr. Meehan, although he must have
read this in Downing a year before. But we
suppose this article must not be looked into too
deeply, as it is no doubt intended to cover up a
little the disgrace of the other one, and it mar
'oe a reflection on our " tender mercies," if we
show too plainly that the garment has annmber
of ragged holes in it.

Apples Varying from Seteds.— A corres-
pondent asks why an apple or Pear grown from
s?ed will not produce the same kind of fruit as it?
parent ? All we can say is, that nobody knows .

The Landretiis. — Few persons have morf.'
deserved prosperity than the old Philadelphia
seed firm of D. Landreth & Sons. Wherever
their name is known it is synonymous with
everything honorable and fliir. Their store was
one of the finest in that city. They have recent-
ly absorbed the neighboring one, and taken it
into their old establishment. This now make one
immense five storied building of great Tx;auty,
all of which they occupy. It is probably now
the largest seed store in the United States.

That Big Lemon Beat.—" Iu the 3Ionthltj
for the present month, June, you invite anj-one
who can beat your big Lemon of 14 ounces. I
have a Lemon tree under my care which ha»
produced fruit one single specimen weighing 15J
ounces and several of them between 14 and 15
ounces. There was on the tree at the time loO
Lemons in various stages of growth. It ma}' be
of some interest to give the the dimensions of the
tree, it fills a small house 14 feet wide, forming
a circle on one end so that there is barely room
to get round it, it has been in the pivsent tub
about ten years The tub is 5 feet in diameter,
and has about 80 fruits at present in all stages
of growth. It is believed to be the finest Lemon
tree in New England.— Geo. Cruicksiianks,
Gardener to J. C. Whitin, Esq , Whilinsvilte,
Mass.

Cherry Stocks.— S inquires what varieties
of cherry <lo well grafted on Mazzanl Cherry?
Any and all kinds do ecpially well on this stock.
There is no dillbrence, as there is with the Pear

on tiuince.

1870.

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJYTHLY,

215

Sex IX Plants. — Probably few ideas excited
more attention of late years than those con-
tained in Mr. Meehan's paper on sex in
plants, read before the American Associa-
tion for the advancement of science at Salem,
last year, and which was published entire
subsequently in the Gard€ner''$ Monthly. The
facts brought forward tended to show, that when
the plant was in the reproductive condition, it
was the greatest flow of vigor or vitality pro-
duced the female, and a weakened flow the male.
The doctrine was so novel — so contrary to all
preconceived notions, that it was not surprising
that Professors Agazzis, Cope, and other emi-
nent men should have suggested that extreme
caution should be exercised in generalizing from
those facts. The most remarkable thing is, that
rigid scrunity of the subject has placed the mat
ter in an undisturbed position. Each observer
is continually adding to the stock of facts, and
no fact has been brought up to tell another story.
Dr. Masters in reviewing the paper, added new
facts from the Palm family ; and more recently
gives the following paragraph also confirming
the theory :

At the last meeting of the Royal Irish Acarlemy Br.
MooKE, of Glasneviu, read a paper on the Morpholo-
gy of the Flowers in some Dickcious Plasts. A
raceme ^of inflorescence of Nepenthes distillatoria
was shown, on which tlie flowers produced on the
lower half of the raceme were pseudo-hermaphrodite,
having well developed ovaries wliicli were surrounded
at their bases with imperfect stamens. The flowers on
the upper lialf of same raceme were all slameniferous or
male It was mentioned that the only ditterence ob-
servable between the ovaries of the pseudohermaphro-
dite flowers and those usually produced on female
plants was, that the valves did not adhere tirmly to-
gether, but stood slightly apart, somewliat as tliey do
after dehiscence. Pollen from the well developed male
flowers was scattered over the stigmas of the female
flowers, and some them were touched with the stainen-
iferous organs which surrounded their bases, but in
neither case did perfected seeds result. A male plant of
Carlca Papaya was also shown, on which was a well
developed fruit, all the other flowers on It being males
In both of these instances the female flowers were the
ttrst which had expanded on the inflorescences, wliere
the greatest vigor migtit be supposed to be present;
and, judging from them and soma other analogous
cases which were mentioned, Dr. Mooke was Induced
to believe that vigor and healthiness in i)lants is more
condvictive to the female line by vital force than to the
male.

It will be seen that the concluding sentence of
this paragrapli is almost identical even in Ian
guagc with the concluding idea in Median's
paper.

The relationship between the author of that
paper and the editor of this Journal prevents us

from saying much about this theory without a
seeming egotism. But justice to our readers,
which requires us to keep them posted on all ad-
vanced horticultural ideas, seemed to demand
that we should let them know how the idea was
advancing.

If the same ideas shall be found to hold outside
of the vegetable kingdom, our agriculturists will
have to throw Prof. Theury's story over, and
learn again.

The Dion.ea Articlk.— In our desire to
"engross all the botanical news of the country,"
we give following entire from Hearth and Home,

of June 28th :

Gardkner's Monthly, and the Dion.t:a Mcscipu-
LA— Our agreeable green-covered contemporary of
Philadelphia indulges in the pleasantry of saying (in
its May number) that the article on the Dioruva Mmci-
pida in Hearth and Home for August 2Sth, 1S09, is but a
re-vamping of a paper, in some previous issue of the
Gardener's Monthly which is counted the sole original
source of information on that subject.

In mitigation of the oiTence charged, we beg to say
that the article alluded to was communicated by the
well-known botanist, Mr. James Hogg, who was put in
possession of the facts by Dr. Torrey, who, in turn, was
informed by Mr. Canby himself of the particular facts
relating to the Dionwa miciicjiuJa.

In short— though our coWibrn-ateur , Mr Hogg, ought to
have been a more attentive reader of the Gardener's
il/o/i/W^— we think Dr. Meehan is over zealous in sup-
posing that his pleasant magazine engrosses all the bo-
tanical news of the country.

Philadelphia is a stately city, and its Gardener's
MoiUhly an august authority; but a kind Providence
vouchsales to us in New York an inquiring disposition
and we are kept (extraordinary as it may seem in
Chestnut Street) in more or less constant communica-
tion with the best sources of information. That we
should happen upon and such information— of value-
not already .iccepted or digested by our Philadelphia
contemporary is perhaps hardly conceivable; that we
should happen upon some items of value from time to
time derived from other sources than the ^fonthly, is
surely possible— if not probable; that we should engross
such items for the benefit of our reders, witliout fativu-
ing inquiry as to the chances of their having alrea<ly
received ihe imprimatur of our green-covered friend—
unless the scientist in him out-tops the Christian-
will surely compassionate.

The long article referred to in Hearth and
Home,follotos regularly the ideas in Mr. Canby 's
article in the Gardener's Monthly, and wliole
paragraphs are in the same language. "We there-
fore cannot accept the apology that it was de-
rived verbally from Dr. Torrey. No wonder our
neighbor exhibits such anxiety to rai.se other
issues, "august authority,'' ''kind Providence,"
" New York," " Philadelphia,'' " sources of in-
formation,'' "scientific christian," and" all these
other evidences of the truthfulness of its position,

S16

TEE GARBEJfER'S MOJ^THLl.

July,

we gracefully resign in its favor, as we have
similarly done on former occasions. The onlv
thing which "seemed extraordinary on Chest-
nut Street " was that a bet of S500 was not
found amongst the other proofs of our " fireside
and family " friend.

For the benefit of our other contemporaries
we may add that in our twelve years existence
we have never made one complaint about ideas
or articles being taken from us without credit,
though it has often been done. The uniform
kindness and courte.sy we have received from the
many scores with which we exchange,— two only
excepted,— has been sufficient evidence to us that
it was accidental. Even in the present case, one
of the worst kind because attempted to be cov-
ered up— we did not notice it for months, and
should not then but for this very paper claiming
as " the sole original source of information," a
very trifling idea we copied from the Ohio Far-
mer.

Knockin-g the Curculio.— J. H., Athens
Ohio, sends us the following good note :

As it is .soon to Iwcurculio time, I wish to state
a few things that ar« not new but generally for-
gotten.

Whoever will with perseverance knock their
plum trees in a proper manner, will save the
plums. But what is a proper manner ? I have
often seen persons take hold of the tree with
their hands and shake desperately. I have more
frequently seen persons knock with an axe on
the bark of the tree. Now the fact is the right
way is to drive a pretty large nail into the tree
to strike on. then one or two strokes will be
enough. The Jar is very much more stunnin^i
and the sound is also sudden and disagreeable to
the insect. And then the nail will damage the
tree very little, while the other plan of striking
directly on the the tree is ruinous to it. It will
also require very Inrd pounding and a good
deal of it to bring them down. We know that
some have recommended a cushion or leather to
shield the tree. We only have to say that
thou'jch this may .shield the tree, .so it does the
" Turk " and defeats the effort. The question
is often asked, will tliis knocking business really
and efTeetually succeed ? We say if done as
above recommended, that it will without any
doubt. The sh(>et sliould be in tv.-o parts, or
two sheets rather, to lay on each side of the tree
meeting in the center under the tree. They

should have a strip of light pine tacked to one
edge for convenience. The operation should be
nearly every morning for two or four weeks, as
occasion may require. Some years more, some
less. It will be easy to see what is necessary
from their marks. I think this knocking is
quicker and cheaper than any plan yet devised
and it is certainly better. "

Bkst Strawberry for FoTiCii<fG.—B., Fish-
kill, New York. Triomphe de Gand,and Agricul-
turist are two good varieties for forcing. Tlae
profits of forced Strawberries depyend on your
market. In Philadelphia. D. W. Herstine sim-
ply puts hot bed sash over the plants in the
ground, and gets them over a month before the
earliest arrives from the South. He gets from
SI to SI 50 per quart, which we judge is good
interest over cost.

OxALis Deppei Uoots.—S. has eight Roots,
one of which has flower without rootleaves, the
other root lexves and no flower stem. This is
often the case with flowering roots. The
flower stem is indeed made up of petioles of what
should be root leaves. Whenever there is any
tendency to a flower scape, and flowers are not
desired, pick out the flower stem as it appears, —
when the reverse is wished for, checking the
supply of nutriment usually starts them.

Grafting. — S. Belleveu, Kansas, asks for a
receipt making Trowbridge's grafting wax.
This we believe is made up expressly by the
manufacturer, who has never published the ingre-
dients of which it is made. It is better than the
common wax, which is madeofabout4 parts ros-
in,2 parts beeswax,and 1 part tallow, applied just
warm.

We will try to answer the apple question next
month, as at present we do not know what one
the local name of" French Mealy " applies to.

Magnificent Pears — Wc received late in
January from Mr. T. G. Yeoman's magnificent
Bourre d'Anjou Pears, weighing half a jtound
each, and of the highest quality. We have lx!cn
accustomed to concede size to the west, reserv-
ing to ourselves the palm for high flavor, but a
few more instances like the recent success of
Dr. Houghton, and these of Mr. Yeoman's will
tell another tale.

1870'

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJ^TBLY.

217

Grape Vine Tendrils.— J. li., Adoria,
L. I, — "NoticiiifT the Oardener''s Monthly to
give prominence to the more intellectual depart-
ments of gardening, I have ventured to ask
you if it is decided whether a tendril of a grape
vine is a branch or a bunch. The subject was
discussed amongst some friends recently, seve-
ral of whom were considered botanists, but they
dill not seem to agree themselves about it."

[A tendril is neither a bunch nor a branch in
the sense in which you seem to understand it,
but an ep'tome of the whole plant. It is really an
abortive shoot, in which are all the elements of
leaves, branches and flowers. The whole of
these things go to make up a grape tendril, and
hence at times we have leaves and flowers ap-
pearing on it. A bunch of grapes is only a ten-
dril in a more highly organized state; or in other
words a bunch of grapes is a branch in the
farthest degree removed from its typical condi-
tion.

Lawn Mowers.— J". F.^ Eochester, Mass.,
asks : " As I am an entire stranger to you, but,
as I see you speak of Lawn Mowers in your
Monthly, I have taken the liberty of asking your
advice about the best article of the sort that you
kaow of. I have about two acres of short grass
to cut, and as I have plenty of other work to do
I am hard pushed with cutting the grass some-
times. I have got one of Hill's small Mowers
with revolving cutter, but it is a plaguy thing
to run. "What I want is a machine to do the
work easily and well— and to cut 20 or 24 in
swathe. If you will please let me know where
I can get a good machine you will much oblige
me— and if you are ever in the neighborhood of
New Bedford, I should be happy to see you.

[The Philadelphia Lawn Mower will we think,
meet your wants. See advertisement.

Wigwam Vlkst. — Constant Header, Lancas-
ter Co., Pa. "I send you leaves of a coarse
grass from the farm of a friend of mine near
Altoona, Pa. My friend says there is but one
])atch of it on the farm, and that is on the site
of what was once an Indian AVigwam, and the
plant is thus supposed to have been introduced
by the Indians. Though ploughed up and hood
it never gets killed out, and yet strange to say
it does not spread much beyond the boundaries
which enclosed it years ago, what is it?"

[This is the Uemarocallis fulva, an European

plant of the Lily family. We suspect some
Dutchman lived in that wigwam after the In-
dian left it. It is a very popular flower in the
gardens of the Pennsylvania Germans, and de-
servedly.]

Geneva Horticultural Society,— Bliss
Strawberry Show.— We are sorry to receive
information too late to serve our horticultural
friends. This often happens. We should have
been glad to notice both of the above worthy ob-
jects, if the news had come in time. They were
held the last week in June.

Perry's Scarifier —With all the improve-
ments in horse hoes and weedcrs we have not
found much of real va ue for some years until
now. We have had this in use this sumnier
almost daily, and it is undoubtedly the be^t. Our
ground is somewhat stony, and Mr. Perry's
cast iron brackets are hardly strong enough.
This is the oniy weak point we find. The rest
is perfection.

Pomological Excursionists.— Col. Wilder,
Mr. Downing, Mr. Ellwanger, and Mr. Barry
left llochester for a two month's tour through
California, on the 11th of June.

The Alta Calif ornian, of June 20, says a party
left San Francisco to welcome them on the
Sierra Nevadas.

The Monthly on the Pacific- A corres-
pondent fr mi California writes: "I met with
considerable success the past season in my en-
deavors to extend your Garilener'^s Monthly, but
not to the extent I hoped for ; for there is an
existent impression that no horticultural maga-
zine from the Eastern States can give informa-
tion adapted to our climate."

[Our correspondent should remind his friends,
that our object is not to teach gardening ; but to
record and explain all new ideas or discoveries
in gardening made in any part of the world If
for instance we tell in the United States how
they grow Hyacinths in Holland,it Isnot that we
ever expect people here to raise these dutch
bulbs ; but that they may apply this knowlodijo
ty other things they do wish to raise. Our aim
is to make people who already know something
of gardening, intelligent. In this general intelli-
gence they will find profit.]

218

TEE GARDENER'S MOJVTHLY.

July,

The "AuxnoRiTY'' ox Strawbkruies. —
Our usually well informed contemporary the
Bural Kew Yorl-er, must have fallen into a se-
risus error about the article we copied in our
last from Hearth and Home. The Rural puts
the dissxrace of it on Mr. A. S Fuller. It so
happens that the editor of the Monthly was invi-
ted by Mr. Fuller to receive the plants from him
and test them, which he did as impartially as he
knew how. It is barely possible that Mr. F.
might write scurrilously of one who had always
treated him courteously; but he certainly would
not so stultify himself as to pen such a para-
graph against the ''authority " of his oxon choos-
ing. Let the Rural New Yorker do Mr. Fuller
justice.

Sport in Pelargoxiu^i.— AYe have from Mr.
Such a specimen of a Pelargonium in which a
light colored variety has become beautifully
striped and blotched with red. It is not unusual

I to see these freaks in the Balsam, Dahlia, and
even the Chrysanthemum ; but it is not usual
here.

Infallibility. — The American Agricultu-
rist seems pining for ^ome of that Strawberry
Short Cake. It docs not like to see Hearth and
Home getting it all. Good children are very apt
to get overlooked, — we have to pacify those
which kick. The Agriculturist when it does
differ, knows how to do so courteously. Still it
is remarkable that when the Oardener''s Monthly
said " From these facts there is no doubt of the
difference in the two Strawberries," that should
be "asserting an infallibility of judgment"
highly reprehensible, — but when the Agricultu-
rist said emphatically, " It is a humbug and a
swindle,"' this is to be taken as a harmless joke.
Is it possible that the first commandment was
issued for the especial benefit of one or two jour-
nals alone? We are not " asserting infiiUibility "
now, but simply asking for information.

BOOKS, CATALOGUES. &C.

Peach CrMURE. By J. Alex. Fulton, Published by 0. Judd &
Co., Xew York.

Peach culture is so important and so heavy a
branch of fruit growing, that it is somewhat sur-
prising that no one has written a book about
it till now. Mr. Fulton brings to the work preat
advantages. Agentleman of meansand culture ; a
resident of one of the largest and best peach dis-
tricts in the Union ; a peach grower of large expe-
rience and observation. The publishers have been
fortunate in this stage of their undertaking. .

In the execution of this task, the author has
done the subject full justice. Every thing rela-
ting to culture and marketing the crop is touched
on and handled in a clear and masterly manner.
Some might have added more and others less,
and others given different opinions in some ques-
tion, as is clear from the discussions at meetings
and articles we read in the i)apers ; but we are
sure no one man could have given us a better
idea of peach growing and peach knowledge, as
it is, than Mr. Fultou has done.

A KiMn.p. Ki.dU'KR fiARDK.'* FOR ConNTHY IIoiiB. By Churlcs Bar-
nanl. i'u'ulished by horioK, HoHton.

When my " Ten Rod Farm'' was published,
and the puplic sought to be impressed with the

idea that it could not possibly be written by a
lady, we were charged with wanting to be very
wise. It is now announced that the author of
this, wrote that also.

Our objection to that book was, that it was
not fair to pretend that things which were only
reasonable, should be given as actual facts ac-
complished. We have no objection to romances
when given as romances. The more they look
like truth the better ; and many very useful les-
sons can be taught in this way, not to such an
extent as in a "ten rod farm," but still considera-
bly Mr. Barnard insists that what he now writes,
was done on "two narrow borders." We think
these pretensions mar the real value of the book,
which is otherwise very interesting, and will
much interest ladies for whom it is chiefly in-
tended.

The Modbrn Job. By Henry Pt>ter»on, Philadelpbla.

This is a poem after the manner of Bailey's
Festus, in which the philosophy that "all things
are wisely ordered for the best" is the ruling
idea. Those who are fond of metaphysical in-
quiries, will liiul it very interesting reading.

1870.

TEE GARDE.N'ER'S MOJ^TKLY.

219

The Men- Who Advertise. magazines w'hlch make agriculture a leading fea-

Is a very handsome volume, issued by Rowell I ture, we believe this is gotten up in the best
&Co., New York, filled with information of style, whether issued in the north or south It

great value to all who know or would know the
benefit of advertising.

The Rural CAROUSiAy. Pulilished at Charleston, South Caro-
lina.

We noticed this at its first introduction to the
public Very few of the newer journals equal it in
bsauty or good management. Indeed of all the

is evidently prospering, and well deserves it.

Tran.?actions of ■Worcester Cocnty (Mass.) IIorticcltcral So-
ciety. From E. W. Lincoln, Secretary.

Shows a very prosperous condition of things
in this useful Society.

NEW AlVD EAUE FRUITS.

SnERMAx Sweet Apple.— According to the f
statement of II T. Brooks, this apple origina 1
ted in Middleburj-, "Wyoming Co , N. Y., about
forty years ago. Tree is vigorous in growth, a
good bearer, and the fruit is in eating from
November to January, inclusive. It is of me-
dium size, roundish oblate at the calyx end re-
sembling the Tlhode Island Greening, greenish
yellow or yellowLsh green, with a bronzed blush
cheek in the sun, conspicuous white specks in
the blush, and sufru-^ed dark specks elsewhere ;
calyx closed ; basin broad, open rather deep ;
stem long, slender, set with a broad, very shal-
low depression ; flesh yellowish white, half ten-
der, crisp, juicy, sweet, very good. — Rural New
Yorker.

A "White Northern Spy. — At a meeting of
the State Pomological Society of Michigan, May
3d, it is announced that Henry Holt, Cascade,
Mich., exliibited a "Northern S[)y entirely
white ;'' also Wagener, Holt's Seedling, Spitzen-
berg, Jonathan, Yellow Belleflower, Green AVin-
ler Sweet and Rambo were exhibited at that
date in fair order.

Reltaxce and Northern Blush Apple. —

I am indcbti'il to G. N. Smith, (lierlin, Wiscon-
sin,) for s"veral specimens of the Reliance and
Northern Blush apples, new seedling varieties,
that it will be remembered, were lately shown
at one of the Wisconsin IIorti<-ultural meetings.
The claim mainly made in favor of these seed
lings is that of hardiiiood in the trees, they being
the best two in an orchard originally i)lanted
•with seedlings, and out of which more than one-

half have died from the severity of climate, while
these have withstood all changes and yearly pro-
duced fruit.

the reliance
is of medium size, conical, broad and flat at
stem end, some specimens a little oblique, (see
outlines,)slightly ribbed, or with broad shallow
furrows, as with most of the class of GiUiflowers
and ColviUes ; color light, pale yellow ground,
with broken stripes and shades of red on sunny
side -, when fully exposed, the red is deepened
and maintains its color, especially toward the
blossom end ; calyx nearly closed, with segments
divided and slightly recurved or reflexed at end ;
basin deep, broad, open, with many small, sharp
furrows : stem short ; cavity deep and open, with
slight greenish russett at base ; flesh white, mod-
erately'fine grained, mild sub-acid, tender, mod-
erately juicy, good to very good; core rather
open at center, with long capsules ; seeds plump,
dark brown ; season, January to March.

Mr. Smith writes :-"The man who planted
the seed and set out the trees is known here as
truthful. He never purchased a tree or set out
an orchard except of his own growing from
seed-a fact to which his two sons, one of whom
is now owner of this old orchard can bear testi-
mony. The orchard is entirely unprot.;cted from
westerly winds. I put these apples before the
Society here in Wisconsin as possessing the qual-
ities we most seek and need in our severe cli-
mate, viz :-perfect vigor, hardiness, productive-
ness and good quality for cooking and the des-
sert They have not failed of a crop during the
past six years, although the mercury ran down
to 303 below zero once, and to 2.V below twice
during that time.

^20

THE GARDE:N'ER'S moj^tbly.

July,

THE NORTHERN BLUSH.

Fruit of medium size, roundish oblate, irregu-
lar or furrowed, lif^ht, pale yellow rrround, with
a vermilion blush in the sun at stem end ; stem
short ; cavity open, deep ; calyx large for size of

fruit, half closed ; basin broad, shallow, corruga-
ted ; flesh white, coarse, spongy, dry, hardly
good ; core medium ; seeds brown, plump ; sea-
son December.— F. K. Elliott in Unval New
Yorker.

NEW AND EARE PLANTS.

In a recent number of Yan Iloutte's Flares
ile Serres, are some beautiful figures of plants, of
which the following will have an interest for
Americnns :

Xantiioceras sorbifolia, a beautiful, har-
dy, Sapindaceous shrub of moderate size, with
grey bark, imparipinnate leaves, and terminal
racemes of largish, regular, five-petaled, white
flowers, having a purple eye ; this comes from
China and Mongolia. M. Decaisne remarks
that it will probably form, when fully grown, a
small tree similar to the allied Koelreuteria. The
flowers appear with the young leaves, and the
stain at the base of the petals passes from yellow
to reddish brown, and then to violet-purple.

Desmodium penduliflorum, a hardy fru-
tescent plant, springing up annually from the
base, and producing long pendulent branches,
and abundant racemes of reddish purple papilio-
naceous flowers from July onwards till late in
autumn, and according to M. Van Houtte, one
of the finest Japanese introductions of our time.

Hydrangea stellata prolifera. a very
distinct form of Hydrangea, and one which is
very suitable for cultivation as a decorative
plant ; it has roundish ovate leaves, and large
dense globose terminal cymes of pink double
flowers, formed of numerous spreading elliptic
oblong sepals, and was introduced to St. Peters-
burg by Maximowicz from Japan in 1865. M.
Van Iloutte describes it as very pretty, but a
slow grower.

Hemerocallts DisTicnA FLORE PLENJ, re-
produced from the first volume of the "Floral
Magazine," a very showy herbaceous plant with
large orange yellow flowers marked with flame-
colored spots, and having the parts of the corol-
la about quadiupled as compared with the single
or type form.

Azalea indtca Maximilten, a rather small-
flowered particolored variety, with a ground
color of pink, here and there striped with car-

mine, here and there edged with white, and ac'
cording to the description given, inconstant ; it
was derived as a sport from the variety called

Reine des Beiges.

Anemone flowered Petunias. — A new
class of Petunias has made its appearance in
Europe, called the Anemone flowered These
are double. The outside corolla being as in the
single Petunia ; but in the center is a short tuft
or " rosette formed of five small petals as in the
garden Anemone or some Camellias. Mr Bull
in his very interesting catalogue of new plants
for 1870, thus speaks of them :

This new section is remarkable for the pecu-
liarly attractive formation of the flowers, from
the centre of each of which there is a projecting
tuft of small florets, and these being frequently
of diversified colors, produce a singular and
pleasing effect.

Animation, pure white, with the central pe-
tals mottled with crimson.

Brightness, pure white, very prettily barred
and blotched with deep rose ; a fine flower.

Constance, pure white, with central petals
of a deep violet crimson color.

Emblem, bright violet, veined and shaded
with crimson ; an attractive variety.

Neptune, pure white, all the flower blotched
with violet rose.

Sybil, lavender, blotched with white, the
whole of the flower reticulated and veined with
purple ; an exceedingly beautiful variety.

Leucocarpus alatus — An extrc • ely use-
ful plant for winter decoration. When well
grown it is very ornamental, its long racemes of
snowy fruits forming a beautiful contrast to
those of the celebrated hybrid Solanums, and for
which the Leucocarpus is a most suitable com-
panion. The berries are large, pure white, and
produced in great profusion.

18'fO.

THE GABDE^N-ER^ MOJ^THLJ.

221

DOMESTIC liNTELLIGENCE.

Profits of HonTicuLTURE.— At a recent
meeting of the Dayton (O.) Horticultural Socie-
ty—one of the most useful Societies in the "West,
several gentlemen took part in the discussion of
this subject. Amongst these were Messrs. Oh-
mer, ^lumma, Acksteder and AVambaugh, all
names of well known successful men.

The secrets of success were set down to be
finding out what does well in ones soil, giving
every attention to culture and marketing, with
strict honesty in ones dealings, and no humbug,
not trying more than could do well. One gen-
tleman thought that the continual striving after
excellence, was the one thing needful. If a man
has this element in his nature, the others follow
naturally after.

The Cherokee Kose.— The legend of the
Cherokee Rose is as prettj^ as the flower itself.
An Indian chief of the Seminole tribe, taken
prisoner of war by his enemies, the Cherokees,
and doomed to torture, fell so seriously ill, that
it became necessary to wait for his restoration
to health before committing him to the fire.
And as he lay prostrated by disease in the cabin
of the Cherokee warrior, the daughter of the lat-
ter, a young, dark faced maid was his nurse.
She fell in love with the young chieftain, and
wishing to save his life, urged him to escape ;
but he would not do so unless she would flee
with him. She consented. Yet before they had
gone far, impelled by soft regret at leaving her
home, she asked leave of her lover to retun, for the
purpose of bearing away some memento of it.
So retracing her footsteps, she broke a sprig of
the white Rose which was climbing up the
poles of her fathers tent, and preserving it dur-
ing- her flight through the wilderness, planted it
by the door of her new home among the Semi-
noles. Ami from that day this beautiful flower
has always been known, between the capes of
Florida and throughout the Southern States, by
the name of the Cherokee Rose.

It is of rapid growth, and soon forms a hedge
as dense as it is beautiful. It runs along the
roadsides likewise, converting roads and fences
into thick banks of leaves and flowers. It climbs
to the tops of high trees, hanging its festoons
among the branches, or letting them droop
gracefully to the ground. In fact, this showy

wild flower, with its five while petals and centre
of gold, imbedded as it is in so many brightly
shining leaves of green, gives almost a bridal as-
pect to the spring landscape, and well nigh
makes all the citizens' cottages look like homes
of the poets. — Horticulturist.

Fruits for Kentucky.— The last meeting
of the Kentucky Horticultural Society recom-
mended the following list for that State:
APPLES— summer.

Early Harvest, Carolina Red June,

Red Astrachan, American Summer Pear-

Jersey Sweet, main.

FALL.

Maiden's Blush. Porter,

Frankfort Queen, Lady Finger,

Penn. Red-Streak, Roxbury Russett.

winter.

Lady Finger, Hewes' Crab,

Rome Beauty, Moore's Sweet,

Wine Sap, Limber Twig,

Rawle's Janet, Ben Davis, (or N". Y.)
Hall's Seedling, Pippin, (incorrectly)

LadyAppIe,

PEARS— STANDARD.

Bartlett, Tyson,

Flemish Beauty, Swan's Orange, (astrin-

Madeline, gent)

White Doyenne, Doyenne Boussock,

ButTum, Julienne,

Glout Morceau, Osband's Summer,

Seckel, Lawrence.

Belle Lucrative, Doyenne d'Ete.

DWARFS ON QUINCE.

Osband's Summer, Louise Bonne de Jersey

Duchess d'Angouleme, Buffum,
Glout Morceau, Lawrence,

Tyson, Seckel.

Beurre Giflard,

PEACHES.

Early Tillotston, Wards Late Free,

Catharine, Grand Admirable,

Brevoort Morris, Grosse Mii^none,

White Heath, Red Rareripe,

George IV, Tippecanoe,

Early Newington, Sidock's Late Free,

Heath Free, Crawford's Late,

Lagrange Hopkinsville Free.

Vant Zant's Superb, Cole's Early,

Hale's Early, Old Mixon Free;
Columbia,

GRAPES.

Delaware, Ives' Seedling,

Catawba, Hartford Prolific,

Concord, Diana, or poor soils,
Norton's Virginia,

2%Jf

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJVTHLY.

July,

very appreciable in the course of an hour, two
grains occupying the middle of the upper cell-
wall of the cell. The lamp was then put out.
At 7.15 the grains which were arranged along
the upper partition had mostly regained the
lateral partitions. At 11. .30 all without excep-
tion had become fixed on the lateral cell-walls.
The lamp was again lighted, and after a few in-
stants the grains again changed place, and after
a quarter of an hour several had glided from the
lateral to the upper cell-wall. Their position
was successively noticed at 11.55 midnight,
12.15 A. M., 12.30; when the displacement
seemed finished the grains were distributed on
the superficial partition of the cells ; they had
taken their diurnal position. Either by the light
of the lamp or by daylight I have seen this
changing of the grains of chlorophyll from the
noctural to the diurnal position take place in
about an hour. — Gardener's Chronicle.

The Anemone Japonica as a Decorative
Plant. — So much attention has lately been paid
to plants for spring and summer decoration, that
this and other autumnal flowering plants have
been unwisely and undeservedly neglected.
Plants for autumn display are, however, every
year, becoming more than ever a necessity.
The recent introduction of so many tender
plants for summer has had a tendency to shorten
rather than to prolong the beauty of out-door
gardens. The old Anenwne japonica is both
valuable and useful. I now, however, wish to
call attention to its white variety, Honorine
FoheH; for, among all lale blooming, hardy,
herbaceous plants,! know of none that equals it,
and its large and lovely pure white flowers are
produced in great abundance. '1 his last autumn
it was a mass of bloom up to the first severe
frost. After this temporary check, and during
the subsequent mild weather, it was again in
great beauty. Up to the middle of November
it continued to make often successful attempts
to unfold its profusion of flower buds. In row.s
and groups it produces a lovely effect, and that
at a time when most of the summer bedding
plants arc dead, or paralysed with cold. As a
pot plant it is eciually utrikiug. There is gene-
rally a dearth of i)lants in bloom in our conserva-
tories when fuchsias, «&c., are removed, and be-
fore crysanthemums and forced flwwers come in
During this interval the anemone in question is
in its best condition. Its propagation is by no

means difficult. If the larger portions of its nu-
merous fibrous roots be cut into little pieces,
each will produce a plant. If examined, they
will be found to be covered with small wart-like
excrescences, sometimes even a rudimentary
leaf may be visible on them. The smaller por-
tions of the fibrous roots need not be wasted,
but should be collected, and placed thickly in a
flower-pot, and covered over with sandy soil ; in
a short time the surface will present more the
appearance of a pot of seedlings than that of
cuttings.

Really these herbaceous anemones should be
much more grown. During the past summer
we were visiting the gardens of an old residence
at Acton, Middlesex, and in some mixed herba-
ceous borders we found large clumps of the old
Anemone japonica, and its paler variety, A. ja-
ponica hyhrida, that had remained in the ground
undisturbed for a considerable period. The
patches were quite two feet in diameter, and a
profusion of flower stalks had grown from them
to the height of four feet, each of which was
literally loaded with fine blossoms, with hun-
dreds of buds coming on to succeed them. A
fitting companions to the splendid and continu-
ous summer-blooming plant.-* is the white varie-
ty mentioned above. During the past summer
we grew and bloomed in 32 sized pots some
plants of yl. Honorine Fohert, which grew to the
height of about two feet, and bloomed the whole
summer through, till the frost cut them off".
Being somewhat confined in the roots, the flow-
ers were not so large as if the plants had been
growing in the open air, but this Avas amply
compensated for by the immense number pro-
duced. Out of doors as well as pots the Ane-
mone japonica flowei's freely and continuously,
and our readers who have not already got them
in their gardens should obtain them. A sood,
deep, and somewhat rich loam suits them well
but they should not occupy a low, damp spot.
Once obtained, these herbaceous anemones can
be soon increased by division at the roots in the
autumn or early spring. They can also be raised
from seeds. The white variety is not so plenti-
ful as the the older kinds ; perhaps because it is
not so much appreciated as it rea ly di'serves to
be. Once grown it will never be abandoned as
a summer decorative plant for large or small
flower gardens. For cutting from, it is also in-
valuable, and the flower stalks are long and
stout, and tlic flowers are by no means of a fra-
gile character.— Gardener's Record.

'^'AX,

BELGIAN AZALEAS.

r. siMCi^r^s iiTH. f

DEVOTED TO

Horticulture, Arhori culture, Botany and Rural Affairs

EDITED BY THOMAS MEEIIAN^.

Old Series, Vol. Xll.

AUGUST, 1870. ^ew Series, Vol. III. No. 3.

HINTS POU AUGUST,

FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE
GROUND.

Every reader of our pacjes ought by this time
to know how to trim A hedge. Experience
shows all do not. Perhaps if we put the rule
in a few words, it may be remembered. To keep
all parts of a plant healthy, every part must
have light. A hedge trimmed with upright sides
and square top, allows light to the bottom parts
of the hedge only mornings and evenings, there-
fore., the fiices of the hedge should be sloping.
Such hedges mowed once a year, are models of
perfection for twenty years.

The improvements in mowing machines have
nearly driven the scythe out of use. This is to
be rejoiced at. It is a blessing to hundreds of
gardeners, and numberless places are enabled to
be kept pretty that were in roughness before.
Every one should have a mowing machine. But
every new idea produces evils as well as good.
So these machines allow small weeds to get light
which were crowded out in the long grass of
past times. These now crowd out the grass in
their turn. AVe pointed out this consequence
when mowing machines were getting general.
Hundreds now find it so, and ask us for the
remedy. All that can be done, is to keep up
the health of the grass by top-dressing in fall.
This will keep the grass up in good heart longer
than it otherwise would be. But it will fail in
time ; then the best thing will be to break up
the plot, and sow it down again with fresh grass.

It is pleasant to note the increasing attention
given to hardy herbaceous plants. Now is the
time to look after collecting seeds. If the places
where they are sown can be covered with some-

thing to shade them, and kept thus shaded till
next spring, itisbest tosow now. Mostof our best
hardy herbaceous plants are natives of America,
hence if we see very pretty flowers in the wild
wood or prairies, there will be nothing unfashion-
able in saving their seed and sowing in the gar-
den also. When sown at this season, they will
mostl}' flower the next year. Some seeds must
be sown now to grow at all. Sweet Briar is like
this. Wash the Ilaws out of the red pear like
fruit, and sow in sandy soil.

Hollyhocks are generally increased by divid-
ing the roots or cuttings of the stems ; but these
are best renewed occasionally from seeds. The
very double ones do not seed freely when unaid-
ed by art. The petals which are produced from
the staminal column, overgrow the pistils and
prevent the pollen from acting. Therefore it is
necessary in order to get seed with certainty, to
rub a camel hair pencil in the poUon and twist
it around in the centre where the pistils are. An
examination of the double flower will show what
is meant. Single Hollyhocks usually vary nnu-li
from seeds ; but double ones reproduce them-
selves very nearly, because it is hard for them
to fertilize with their own pollen, and worse
from others. If new varieties are desired, use
the brush in the pollen of some oiher color than
than one you wish seed from.

Some plants vary from seed very much with
out any cross fertilization. Carnations and
Pinks arc of this class, These seed very freely
in this country, and many forms may be liad
from one plant. They are beautiful, and as
sweet as they arc good looking. Pity they arc
not more grown. Left to the:nselves. they will

S26

THE GARDEA^ER'S MO^^THLY.

August.

dwindle away in time. Every other year the side
branches should be layered into rich soil to re-
new them. Roses may be raised from the haws,
like Sweet Briars. They flower in two years,
and may make one's fortune. Dcvoniensis or the
Magnolia Rose was thus raised in a lady's gar-
den. She was paid well for the whole stock.

FRUir GARDEX.

Two successive seasons of good crops is highly
encouraging to the fruit grower. He must now
take care that exhaustion does not follow. The
wise orchardist has thinned his fruit at an earl}-
stage of growth, and will now be looking round
for material to fertiliza them with. It is not too
late to do it yet to advantage. We should sur-
face dress with manure, compost, or rich mate-
rials, any time between now and frost ; but the
earlier the better. There is not mucb use in put-
ting it on after the soil is frozen. Rains wash
its best portions away. As to kind of manure,
it makes little difference. If the surface is not
disturbed much, the richer the surface soil the
better. We liave noticed but little difference be-
tween animal manure and mineral. Some of the
best and healthiest trees we know, stand near
the manure heaps in farm yards.

A little trimming is useful to most trees at tbis
season. The Blackberry and Raspberry may
have their tops shortened so as to leave the canes
about four feet. Some do this earlier in the sea-
son ; but the buds are apt to burst if done too
soon. In like manner, pear and apple trees that
grow well, but produce no fruit, are benefited by I
having, say half of some of the young growth cut ,
back. The buds then left are very likely to form
flower buds, in place of growth buds for next
.season. Many take out the old shoots of rasp-
berry and blackberry after they have done bear- |
ing, and we have in times past recommended it
ourselves ; but on further observation, we see
very little good, if not positive injury. The par-
tial shade the old stems make, seems rather bcne-
flcial than otherwise under our hot suns.

Strawberry planting often commences in Au-
gust, providing the weather offers a chance. Get
the soil in readiness for this chance. Heavy
manuring is not good for the Strawberry except
in very poor soils. Wet soils are not good. But
llie soil cannot well be too deep. In Ihe field
.subsoil,— in the garden dig at least 12 to 18 in-
ches. Strawberries do better moderately close
than too wide, some kinds do very well in beds.

After a piece of ground is dug at this season
for Strawberries, roll it well with the garden rol-
j ler. When ready to plant, make holes with a
I dibble, fill the holes with water, and when it soaks
away, put in your plant which has been kept in
water to prevent wilting. But, in putting in the
plant do not plant too deep. "Too deep'' kills
99-hundredlhs of all the Strawberries that die in
the year from transplanting. "Too deep" is
when anything but the small fibres are buried
under the surface.

As to varieties, it is strange to say that after
so man}- new kinds, Triomphe deGand and Wil-
son's Albany still find the greatest number of
advocates. Downer's Prolific, Jucunda, French's
Seedling, Agriculturist, Brooklyn Scarlet and
Fillmore are kinds Avhich prove good in many
situations,— and about Boston, La Constante
and Ilovey's Seedling are still largely grown.

The Grape vine at.this season will require at-
tention, to see that the leaves are ail retained
healthy till thoroughly ripened. It is not a sign
of healthiness for a vine to grow late; on the
contrar}'^, such late growth generally gets killed
in the winter, — but the leaves should all stay on,
to insure the greatest health of the vine, until
the frost comes, when they should all be so ma-
ture as to fall together. Frequent heavy syring-
ings are amongst the best ways to keep off in-
sects from out-door grapes, and so protect the fo-
liase from their ravages.

VEGETABLE GARDEN.

As soon as your vegetable crops are past
kitchen use, clear them out. Never suffer them
to seed. In the first place, a seed crop exhausts
the soil more than two crops taken off in an eat-
able condition ; in the next place, the refuse of
the kitchen is likely to produce degenerate stocks.
Good seed saving is a special art by itself, al-
ways claiming the earliest and best to ensure a
perfect stock.

Celery will require earthing up as it grows, to
get it to blanch well. It is not well, however,
to commence too early, as earthing up tends, in
a slight degree, 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.

As fast as Endive is desired for Salad it should
be blanched. Matting thrown over is the best
for thi.s purpose, as the plants are not so liable
to rot as when pots or boards are employed.

1870'

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJ^TELY.

In cold or mountainous regions, Melons are
hastened in the ripening process, and iniprov«;d
in flavor, by a piece of tile being placed under
the fruit.

Keep weeds from your compost heaps, as they
exhaust the soil, and bear seeds for future brow-
sweatings.

Sow Lettuce for Fall crop, thinly, and in deep
and very rich ground.

Early Valentine Beans may still be sown early
in the month,— the soil for a late wop should be
well trenched, or if the Fall be dry, tliey will be
stringy and tough.

Cucumbers, Squash, and other similar plants,
often suffer from drought at this season. Cold

water does not help them much, but a mulching
of half-rotten leaves strengthens them consider-
ably.

Cut down straggling herbs, and they will
make new heads for next season.

Towards the end of the month, a sowing of
Spinach may be made in rich soil, which will
come in for use before "Winter. That desired for
Winter and early Spring use, is usually sown in
September in this region. A few Turnips maj'
also be sown for an early crop, but will be hot
and stringy unless the soil is very rich.

Corn Salad is often sowed at the end of this
month. It does not do so well in damp soil or
low situation.

COMMUNICATIONS.

OXE HOUR AT THE XURSERTES OF

MESSRS. HOOPES & CO., WESTCHESTER,

PEXXA.

BY 3IR. J. -W. WOOD, "WASniNGTOX HEIGHTS,

X. Y.

For the benefit of future horticultural pilgrims
like myself, I would remark that these Nurseries
are situated about 28 miles from Philadelphia ;
time, (according to trains) from 1 hour 15 to 1
45 ; fare, 80 cents each way. I would also re-
mark, that if the traveler or tourist has no other
object in view, (if he possesses a natural or culti-
vated taste for the beauties of Nature,) he will be
amply repaid. The scenery on the route is not
strikingly romantic or picturesque, but it amply
atones for this in other respects, — it reveals to you
that nature has spread before you a temptation
to come and live here amid these beautiful valleys
and rolling hills. Almost every foot of it as far
as I could see within my limited line of vision,
is susceptible of cultivation. You scarcely pass
over 2 miles, but what you see a brook or a
streamlet, (or if the Scots prefer it, say a hum or
hvrnie.)

It is also well covered here and there, just
when it is required, with the finest timber, use-
ful and ornamental. Even the rocks where they
Jut out here and there, just to give you (or remind
you) a hint that they are alive. They suggest
an idea of beauty and utility— also beauty, when

they modestly expose themselves — because they
have not that glare and glitter of our X. Y.
Island granite rocks, there is not so much mica
and quartz in them. They have feldspar and
more magnesia, which is so grateful to the wheat
there, and does not injure the grass either. The
farmers know this, which is the reason why
these two crops are the predominate features on
this route, I presume.

There arc not many striking specimens of ar-
cliitecture or buildings on this route, excepting
one, which attracted my attention. It is on the
right of the road, and I think about 10 or 12
miles from Philadelphia, about h mile from the
track. It is a noble slruclure, and built on a
most conmianding elevation, andaslfoundoutaf-
tervvards, built for a laudable purpose, i. e., for
the education of the junior members of the
"Friends" family. I may be mistaken, but as
for as I could judge, it is built of the native rock
there, which is a mixture of the Serpentine talcose
and magnesia, wliich is toleiably durable and of
a pleasing color. [Sti-atlnnore College.— Ed.]

In passing by this l)uil(ling, 1 fulta very strong
impulse to pull the strap and get out, and take
a trip up on the roof, and go on by the next
train. I found this iinpr icticable, so when I re-
j turned to Philadelphia, I took my revenge by
; gaining .admission to Girard College, and seat-
ing myself on that roof. I was much pleased

^28

THE GARDE^'ER'S MOJVTHLY,

August,

with the view ; but am positive the other view
would haveafforded far more pleasure. But I find,

cles, ai'e the different varieties of Canna?, next
to these a row of Achyranthus Verschaffeltii,

as I fear my readers do, that I am delaying too | a^ain another row of the broad leaf Periwinkle,

long; instead of taking the express as I intended, I
have taken the " way train ; "but here we are at the
depot, and am informed that it is 15 minutes
walk to the Nursery, which I found correct. A
very unpretending Qual:erisli looking sign tells
you that this is your destination for the present.
As you enter the gate, on the left is a large
specimen bed of Rhododendrons in full bloom ;
out of the number, the following are distinct and
good, viz : "iee's Dark Purple,''^ ^^ Album ele-
(jans^^'> Purpureum Jinibrlatuyn,''^ "iJiancZa," and
'■■grandiflora.''^

In connection with this, I would remark that
I consider the horticultural public are much
indebted to Messrs. Hoopes, Parsons, and one or
two others Avho have engaged in this enterprise.
It is a manifestation of public spirit. It requires
capital and skill.

"We have plentj', (or shall have soon of ever-
green trees) but good reliable evergreen shrubs —
are a rarity yet. The answer to this will be,
tiiat we can import them from Europe cheaper
than they can be raised here ; very likely it has
-l^een tried. Trj' it your.selves.

After looking at the Ilhododendrons, "face
Tight about," and you will see a pretty lawn of
about f of an acre, skirted by a well graveled
walk. On the margin of this, are planted out
specimens (or what will be specimens bye-and-
bye,) of the choice Conifers. Amongst many
others, I noted the following, viz.: Abies excel-
sa prostrata, a curious, and would be a very ef-
fective plant in the hands of an intelligent land-
scape gardener ; Abies conica, another good va-
riety of the Norway, not very common yet ; also
Abies Gregoriana, another gem of that genus ;
also Nigra pumila belonging to the same sec-
tion. Taxus cuspidata and lleUnospora pisifera
aurea are good, and will make a mark in the fu-
ture, if I am not mistaken. These are only a
few of the many that attracted my observation.
At the back of the lawn are three propagating
houses, which 1 did not enter. In front of these
facing the lawn, and also at the rear one of the
houses, were some beds, worthy of a slight no-
tice.

The one in front facing the road, is a large

circular bed about 25 feet in diameter ; in the
centre i? one plant of one of the best varieties of
the Castor Oil plant,— surrounding this in cir-

(Vinca elegantissima variegata,) and again on
the outer edge to complete the picture, a belt of
the dwarf summer flowering Lobelia I should
like to have a look at this bed from the outside
of this fence about the middle of September. If
I could be sent by telegraph or through a pneu-
matic tube, there might be some possibility of
gratifying my desire. As this idea comes with-
in the range of impracticability, the next best thing
I can do, is to advise any of my gardener friends
who visit Philadelphia, to go there and see for
themselves, and then record the results of their
observations on the pages of this Monthly. This
bed is flanked by two other large beds ; one filled
with scarlet Geraniums, not with old straggly
worn out plants from the greenhouse where they
have being doing duty all winter, but young vig-
orous, healthy plants of the same color, and
which will give a good account of themselves (if
not before) about the time I pass through my
pneumatic tube in September. These side or
flank beds are encircled by an edging or belt of
one of the old fashioned Stone crops (Sedum sex-
angulare) and accords well with the other grass
verging.

At the rear of one of the propagating houses,
is a very handsome, bold, scroll shajjed bed cut
in the grass Time not permitting, I only
glanced at a few. The most striking plants I
saw, were Weigelia rosea nana variegata, For-
sythia Fortunii, Spircea callosa alba, &c.

From this we turn down into the herbaceous
grounds where there is a fine collection of hardy
herbaceous plants, and I must say that it would
be much finer and more extensive if gardeners
and the public in general would afford a little
more encouragement and patronage to men like
Messrs. Iloopesand a few others to keep these very
useful plants in existence. The first plant that at-
tracted, my attention was a Columbine which
I had never before seen, Aquilegiaccjerulea. Why
or where it received this baptismal name, depo-
nent knoweth not, but he knows what he thinks,
and that is that it is a misnomer: hicolor graudi-
Jlora would have been quite as euphonious, and
far more expressive as regards the colors, as they
are about e(pialiy balanced, } clear white, and 4
nearly a pure ay.ure blue. It is a beautilul
plant, hardy and one of the most valuable acqui-
sitions in the herbaceous line since Dicentra spec-

1870.

TEE GARDENER'S MOMTRLY.

229

tabilis was introduced, nearly twenty j-ears as^o.
In this department I noticed a fine collection of
Iris in full bloom, also a plant which I have not
se.u for thirty years, a plant of no special beau-
ty, but very rare, as rare about in its native hab-
itat in Great Britain as it is here, (Salvia pra-
tcnsis.)

If I dismiss this subject on herbaceous plants,
I shall feel dissatisfied, unless I call attention to
a remark Mr. Hoopes made to me in reference
to them. He said this class of plants he was
fond of, and some time ago had more variety,
and paid more attention to them, but the de-
mand for them seemed to have ceased, and they
actually did not pay the expenses. Now this I
feel certain is true, and "pity 'tis true,'' as they
have been neglected and displaced in a great de-
gree to make room for a lot of evanescent trash
which bear no comparison to them, either in
worth or beauty.

There is a very fine collection of Clematises
here, specimen plant of each variety trained to
high rustic posts. Among other fine ones, So-
phia flore pleno and Viticella venosa attract no-
tice. Another valuable addition to the lawn
trees when it becomes more plentiful, will be Al-
nus imperialis asplenifolia, it looks very promis-
ing in its growth.

We now pass on through row after row of fine
young stock of evergreens — Magnolias, two or
three varieties of Copper Beech, till we come to
the grounds surrounding the Proprietors' resi-
dence, and here we have a treat in glancing at
the fine specimen evergreen and deciduous orna-
mental trees that greet us left and right.
The first is a plant 12 feet high of Libocedrus
decurrens, the next Thuja aurca variegata, a
beautiful plant, Taxus (Rollison's elegantissi-
ma) fine, Glyptostrobus sinensis, 20 feet high, and
perfect in shape ; Plain and Copper Beeches in
all their fantastic forms and colors, and one of
the finest trees of the white Spruce I have ever
seen, and here close by, is No. 2 of that gro-
tesque nondescript Jajianese Coniferaj, the Uin-
ko (Salisburia) adiantifolia. No. 1 I saw some-
time ago at the nurseries of Mr. L. Menand near

Albany.

Left and ri^ht are noble specimens of the
Norway. Several had been cut out this winter.
But the most conspicuous plant (it was in full
bloom,) was a very large plant of the Calendu-
lacea variety of Azalea ; as far as could be made
out from tlie label, the variety is Prince Henri
de Borie. Princes I must admit are antagonis-

tic to the genius of the constitution and institu-
tions of the country. All I can say (for the
adornment of the country) is the more we have

of this Prince

the better. Mr. lloopes I think
said he had it from Mr. Yan Iloutte, and I be-
lieve it is the only plant he possesses.

P. S. The Aquilegia coerulea I referred to, I
forgot to state that Mr. lloopes received the
seeds from Dr. Parry, who collected them when
en^^at^ed in the survey of the Rocky Mountains.

HOSES.

BY MR. PODEURY.
A Essay read before the Geneva Horticultural Society.

At your last meeting here, I read a paper on
the best varieties of popular Roses, in their va-
rious classes or families as they belong. I in-
tended to go through the whole of the families or
classes, from the Prairie to the Sweet Briar,
Rosa rubignosa, or Eglantine Rose of the Poets,
as seen by the roadsides in isolated places, which
is known to all by its rich perfume (from its
leaves) ; but my time has been so much taken up
this season that I could not attempt to give it
the attention that it should receive. At some
future time I may conmience and go through
the whole of the families or classes of Roses.
My principal object to night is to give you my
ideas of exhibition Roses, in a cut state ; forcing
Roses in pots ; growing Roses in pots for exhibi-
tion ; a few new Roses as flowered this season ;
and insects and diseases the Rose is subject to ;
hoping I may command your attention and in-
terestlo this most deserving and popular flower
the Rose.
1st. ExiiiBiTiXG Roses cut in Boxes.

Every one who cultivates Roses may not do
so with the design of becoming a candidate for
floricultural honor, but the most energetic and
ardent lover of Roses is loth to let his or her
flowers remain at home on an exhibition day,
as they oftenames do through timidity. To
such I would say, try and try hard, and you will
soon find your timidity gone, and you will be
able tofoce competition with a bold step. If
you are beaten by a more worthy compeer, it is
no disgrace; but try again, "faint heart never
won blue ribbons."— Another class of exhibitors
recklessly cut and put up for exhibition anything
in the shape of a Rose, and bungled together
without any tasteful arrangement, and if beaten
often quarrel with the good judgment of the

230

THE GARDEJVER'S MONTHLY.

August y

censors for not giving them a first prize. To
sucli I would say, stay away ; your company is
not wanted. Wliat is wanted in Horticultural
exhibitions is something to improve the mind
and taste of the public at large, and increase a
fondness for flowers. What conduces more to
happiness and comfort than to see a well kept
garden enlivened with flowers of all descriptions
and well stocked with the choicest fruits and
vegetables? In nine cases out of ten let me see
a well kept garden, and I shall see a well kept
house to correspond, and happiness and comfort
reigning within its walls.— On the other hand,
let me see a garden full of weeds, gates off the
hinges, a few scattered fruit trees with half the
branches broken down, and I could almost
guarantee that squalid poverty reigns inside.
Horticultural exhibitions have been the makini^
of many thousands of homes of poor men who
used to spend their leisure hours at the ale
house, village store, or idle coi-ner, by inviting
them with small premiums to compete for prizes
at Horticultural fetes. In the manufacturinti
districts in England the working men hold their
weekly shows during the season, from May to
December, and it is really quite astonishing to
see the wonderful specimens these men produce
in fruits, vegetables and flowers. There are
Auriculas, Carnations, Pinks, Picotees, Dahlias,
Roses, Apples, Pears, Plums, Gooseberries, Cur-
rants, Paspberries, Cucumbers, Celery, Pota-
toes, Onions, Lettuce, etc. The first-class gar-
dener has no chance to compete with these men
in the small classes, as he has too many other
things to attend to. I have strayed a little wide
of my subject ; let me now return and follow the
llo.se.

Roses in a cut state should be exhibited in
trios in boxes. Say for 2* varieties of Roses the
box should be 4 feet long, 21 inches wide, 8
inches high at back, and 4 inches in front-
This angle allows a good slope so that all the
Mowers can be seen to advantage. The box
should be made of inch material, and painted
green, a false bottom made to fit the inside, to
i inch of the top in which to place small tin
tubes to hold water to keep the flowers fresh.
Xeatly cover the top with green moss. For 96
varieties 4 boxes of the size mentioned above;
and for 12 varieties, half the size for 24.

As to arrangement, endeavor to get all your
flowers of a uniform size as far as possible, using
the larger ones for the back row, as nothing is
more out of taste than to see a large rose placed

in the middle or front row, with small ones on
each side. The outline of show Roses should be
circular and free from raggedness ; the flowers
should be full, and the petals arranged as regu-
larly as possible, the larger the flowers the bet-
ter, providing they are not coarse, and the colors
should be varied with all care. In gathering
the flowers the earlier in the morning the better,
before the sun has power to alter the beautiful
tints espccialh' of some of the high colored, thin
petalled varieties which, alter quick in dry, hot
weather, and damage their beauty so as really to
make them unfit for exhibition in the latter part
of the daj'. Two persons of good taste and
judgment should attend to the cutting operation
and staging, and call for the flowers so that
they will keep fresh and last through the day,
or two daj's if required. It is desirable that
every stage of the flower should be presented to
view,— those thin petalled, high colored varieties
should not be more than three parts open when
cut, and if shaded and sprinl>led with clean water,
by noon will have fully opened and appear to
their best advantage. There is a great excep-
tion in some of the stiff petalled varieties, such
as Baron Prevost, Caroline de Sansal, Charles
Lawson, Madam Charles Yerdier, and "Wm. Grif-
fiths. All of this type should be fully opened
when cut ; they will keep good four or five days
if attended to. All cut Roses should be shown
with their foliage intact and not mutilated and
trimmed off" as is often seen, like a rooster to be
pitted to fight a barbarous battle to please a
rough crowd. All buds should be left on so that
there can be no deception, in what you really
see as a perfect rose. By this budding you may
increase the beauty of worthless roses, and often-
times bring such varieties out apparently grand
that are utterly worthless, unless treated so.
Such varieties we can well dispense with, as
what is really Avanted is constancy, and true
character. Some little success depends on the
taste with which the flowers are arranged.
Nature should be studied as a model. It re-
quires just as much taste to set up a first class
box of Roses, as it does to i)lant a group of flow-
er beds in harmony. Much will depend on the
material you have. Contrast should I)e aimed
at that no two similar colors should be in con-
tact with each other.

All roses exhibited should be named correctly,
and also properly classed. — Neatly written cards
placed over the box opposite the flowers they
bear reference to, is well ; but I think nothing

1870.

TEE GARDEJVER'S MOJVTEL^.

S31

better than wooden pegs, plainly written on and
stuck in the moss. They cannot be surpassed
as they cannot be displaced, so as to cause con-
fusion and errors in names.

Now you have the tlowers arranged ready for
travel perhaps 300 to GOO miles before they are
to be exhibited. What is to be done with them ?
Shall the covers be put on the boxes and the
flowers be kept closed from the air ? By no
means. Seek as cool a place as possible and
free from draft and away from the light until
ready for departure. When ready, place the
covers on and see that they are securely fasten-
ed. Insert a few airholes in the sides of the
boxes, if the weather is hot, and if dusty have a
few corks in your pocket, if traveling by road, to
prevent the dust getting in. Withdraw them as
soon as convenient and let them have all the air
possible. If you are traveling by railway, you
will have to keep a sharp lookout that your
boxes do not get upset, as railway officials are a
rough set to handle delicate flowers. I once had
a beautiful box of 24 completely spoiled quicker
than I could possibly get to attend to them. Of
course my temper was up. The only reply I got
was, " you should fasten them securely," and so
finished all my prospects for the day.

Judging Roses is au arduous and irksome task,
which no one should undertake who does not
really know how. Many men would go and
judge a collection of Roses by mere sight and
give the honors to a gaudy, worthless lot, bear-
ing no comparison at all with a choice collection
of well made up flowers in form, coloring, good
foliage and neat arrangement. Cut flowers do
not require so critical an examination as Roses
in pots ; still they should have their share of at-
tention. I have often heard remarks passed by
men appointed as censors, upon such Roses as
Blairii Xo, 2, Lord John Russell, George IV.,
Madeline, etc. " What glorious flowers ; these
must have the first prize! ' And poor Coup de
Hebe, Madam Rivers, Madam Vidot, Glorie de
Santenay, Senator Vaisse, Charles Lefebvre,etc.
must stand back in their opinion, as bearing no
comparison witli the man of straw. So it is in
human life; the mere man of show is fixr more
thought of than honest, sterling worth. If two
censors cannot agree, they should call in a third
party, if to be found, and let his decision be final
I well know errors will creep in occasionally.
My advice to censors is, if a collection of flowers
is not worth a first prize, give it a second, if
worth it, if not worth the second, disqualify it,and

state your reasons for so doing. When two sets of
flowers are so nearly balanced that it would be
diflicult to draw a lino, give them both equal
prizes ; and not by any means give a prize where
it is not deserving, for by so doing you always
encourage a lot of rubbish brought to exhibitions
by the unskillful and slovenly cultivator, which
tends more to harm the progress of Horticulture
than to improve it.

A little thing I omitted in cut Roses. If the
weather is dry and hot, a shading with brown
paper is very essential to many of the deep col-
ored flowers to preserve the natural colors. A
good soaking of water is beneficial occasionally.
2nd. Growing Roses in Pots.

To grow Roses in pots for greenhouse or win-
dow culture is a very pleasing occupation. To
grow them successfully, choose some young vig-
orous plants, say in April or May, either on own
roots or on Manetti stock ; repot them in six
inch i)ots, and plunge them in open air to the
rim of the pot ; keep them well supplied with
water and occasionally give them a little manure
water ; keep all the flowers pinched ofl" until the
middle or end of September ; you will then have
a plant with six to eight well ripened shoots.
Prune them back to a well ripened eye, and
shake them clear out of old soil and repot them,
using a compost of good loam and well rotted
manure,— about two-thirds of the former to one
of the latter, with sufllcicnt sand to keep from
packing hard ; soak the newly potted plant well
with water, and plunge it again in a sunny spot;
and by the end of October you will have the pot
full of young and vigorous roots, and the shoots
from three to four inches long. Then introduce
a few at a time to the greenhouse or window,
and by the time the frost has killed the Roses
out of doors, these will%e ready to succeed them,
and give you a supply of rose buds without a
great expense of fire heat from December to the
end of January. By adding a few fresh ones,
you can be well supplicnl with rose buds during
the winter months, without a great deal of trou-
ble and expense. The Roses best for this pur-
pose are some of the best Teas, Chinas and Hy-
brid Perpetuals, always choosing the strongest
growers, and freest bloomers.

3rd. Roses ix Pots fok Exiiiiutiox.

This point is not so easily obtained as one
would imagine. In fact, I may say it requires
a deal of energy, attention and lime to make a
first-class specimen Rose, fit for exhibition.

^3^

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJVTELY.

Aicgust,

"When you have once obtained it, you may well
be proud of your success; you may say you have
acoomplished one of the greatest feats in Horti-
cultural Science. Nothing but skill, industry,
foresight and perseverance will ever accomplish
this end. To start a batch of young Roses to grow
for specimens, select only the best growers and
flowers conibined,inyoung,thrifty plants in three
inch pots, in May,choosing a selection of all colors,
from Teas, Noisettes, Hybrid Perpetuals, Hy-
brid Bourbons and Hybrid Chinas ; repot them
in seven inch pots, in a rich compost of turfy
loam, two parts, with one part of well rotten
cow manure, with a mixtureof fine charcoal and
coarse sand. Pot them firm, but not so hard as
to pack. — To grow them vigorously, make a hot-
bed of stable manure, same as for a hotbed frame,
where the rank heat has escaped ; plunge the
pots to the rim ; say about eighty to eighty-five
degrees of heat ; you will be surprised to see the
vigor with which your plants will grow. Keep
all blooms and weakly wood pinched away ; by
the end of July, if well attended to, the plants
will be ready for another shift, using the same
compost as before ; the size of the pot this time,
must be regulated according to the growth
made ; if they have done as I should expect, a
ten inch pot would be the size; at this operation
a few neat stakes should be stuck in. Draw
out all the shoots to bring the plants in form,
keeping an eye to making it a pyramid. The
tallest shoot to be placed in the centre, and four
or five placed round it to correspond ; drawling all
the others as close to the rim of the pot as possi-
ble. As soon as potted and staked turn the bed
over and add a little fre.sli manure from the
stable yard, and plunge them again down to the
rim. By the end of September your first year's
li'.ants will be something near two feet high, and
t\vo feet through at the base ; a tolerably good
plant for one year. Now it is time to let it go
to re'-t, by lifting it gradually out of the hotbed
about two inches at a time, for the next month,
in order to ripen the roots as well as the tops.
Do not let them sutler for want of water while
ripening. By the end of October the plants are
ready to be placed in their winter quarters, or
laid on their sides. To prevent the roots getting
too wet and rotting, before severe frost sets in,
take your plants ami place them away in a cool
cellar, giving as much air as possible, at all fa-
vorable opportunities. Should you want any of
your plant.s for exhibiting the following spring,
about the first week in January select such as

you require, and shake the soil clean away from
them, and repot them in the size pot you are al-
lowed to exhibit in. Soak them with water and
place them in a cool greenhouse, in which the
temperature is not kept above 40 d -grees at
night. They will then soon make fresh roots
and begin to swell their buds. Now it is time to
prune them, which is one of the most essential
points in growing. Most people are afraid to
use the knife freely. I should cut back my
plants to within four or five eyes of their last
growth, or even to one e^'e if I found my wood
was not well ripened ; if your first plants are
wanted for blooming, say by the middle to the
20th of April, about the 1st of February place
them in a gentle bottom heat, say from 55 to 60
degrees, avoiding top heat as much as possible
to prevent them growing weak. Give as much
air as possible (avoiding cold draughts^ on every
available opi^ortunity. As soon as your plants
begin to grow freely, sprinkle them over the
foliage with lukewarm water morning and even-
ing, to encourage vigorous growth, and give a
little weak manure water ever}'^ time 3'our plants
require water, which should be at leas% three
times a week. If your plants have been growing
steadily, by the middle of March you will have
a most luxuriant foliage, and the buds formed,
which will give a good idea of which is the best
for your purpose. Now is the time for you to
commence to stake out the young shoots and
bring your plants into form, and for the next
month you will have your hands full of work. —
They must be watched carefully, as you would
watch a child, at all opportunities, from sun-
shine and shadow, or change ; to bring your
collection all into bloom by the given day. The
day is named ami will not be put off for you. If
you have been idle and slovenl}', it tells against
you, in favor of the more careful and industri-
ous. Presuming you have 5'our plants all that
can be desired — you have still more work to do ;
from where you are located, the place to exhibit
them is, perhaps, 100 to 500 miles, and you are
anxious to get them safe. Every shoot must be
tied to a firm stake, and every bloom wrapped
carefully in cotton, wool, or tissue paper, to
prevent the bruising, and if you have to travel
by railroad, always have your pl.ints placed in
the back end of the car, as they are not shaken
one half as much by the vibration, as if in the
front end of the car. Having arrived at the ex-
hibition, if you can possibly get into a quiet
secluded corner, unpack your plants carefully,

IS'iO.

THE GABDEJfEU^^ MOJVTELY.

233

have a sponge in your pocket, and wipe ofl' every
speck of dirt on the foliage, and if you have an
hour to. spare, sprinkle your plants all over
hghtly and close them from the light. They
will be as fresh and vigorous as if only brought
from the greenhouse. As soon as convenient
select, if you can manage it quietly, the best
position on the stage, and take time and place
them up qiiietly and arrange them so as to show
otf to the best advantage. This is a little help.
As soon as everything is done, walk quietly
round and eye competitors, and sec how you
stand, and if you can improve at all, do so as
quickl}' as possible. "There is no music in a
second fiddle." Should you be the successful
competitor, the honor is of far greater value
than the prize; whether you are in private or
public business, your name goes before you. If
beaten, try again. Notice on what point you
have been beaten, and try to make that point
good. "What is to be done with the plants that
3'ou have already shown? Don't neglect them
by any means, but follow them up as smart as
you did last year, then by the end of the season
tliey will be about five feet high and as much
through— fit to show in a second class. The
year following, follow the same directions, and
the third j'ou ought to be able to compete in the
first class with plants 6 feet high and five to six
feet through.

I think I have given you the secret of speci-
men Rose growing in pots, and I don't think it
would harm Geneva to attempt it, and at once ;
and not let it be said that the whole energy and
soul of the Nursery business lies in a neighboring
city. Try what you can do.

We have flowered a few of the new Roses this
season, and I find those named below first class,
although I must say they have not had a chance
to come out as they ought to, there being .so
much red tape in the Custom House, as to duties,
etc., in this country, that the roots were com-
pletely dead when they got here. They had to
make all new roots from the stem, and sLill have
done well. The following are the names of the
best that have flowered :

Antoine Ducher, Horace Vernet, (grand dark
crimson, purple shaded, decided improvement
on Prince Camille de Rohan), ]Jr. AnJry, Mad-
am Alfred de Rougeraont, Madam Moreau,
Madam Therese LevetjMargeurite de St. Armand
Mons. Bocoenne, Paul Verdier, Baroness Roth-
schild, Aladam Noman, Pitford, Sole de Mons.
I'oiteau, Thyra Ilammcrick. — These are all

perpetuals. Bourbons— Rev. H. Dombrain,
Tea scented— Clothilde, Reine de Portugal, Souv-
enir de Elise Vardou, Madame Falcot.

Enemies of the Rose. — A good soil and
situation, free air and full sun, with good manu-
ring, pruning and good culture, will prevent
more diseases than the most skillful would ever
be able to cure; still there are diseases, all roses
are more or less liable to, viz. : Aphis or green
fly, Mildew, Black Rust, rose slug, larva of the
Sawfly, leaf hopper or thrip and the Ro.sebug
or Beetle.

Aphis. — The best remedy I have ever found
to completely destroy them is a solution of tobac-
co water, mixed with soaked Quassia chips and
syringed over the whole bush of an evening. If
done effectually, by morning you will not find
one alive.

Mildew or White Fungus.— Th\s is evidently
caused by a too cold, damp atmosphere, especi-
ally when plants are subject to a sudden change.
It often makes its appearance in a few hours.
If in a house, the surest way to completely
eradicate it, is to fill the house with vapor of
quick-lime and sulphur ; about 14 lbs. of fresh
lime to 1 lb. of sulphur, will completely clear a
house of Roses free from mildew in one night.
By seeing them next morning you would not
think they had ever been tainted with mildew.
Treatment for mildew in the open air— add two
ounces of blue vitriol to 4 gallons of water, and
syringe the plants affected. It is apt to injure
the foliage occasionally, but it will prevent
mildew. Another remedy is to sprinkle the
plants while the dew is on early in the morning
with quick-lime and wood ashes, which answers
well, but IS not so effectual as the above.

Black Bust.— Tb\s disease is much similar to
the blight in the pear in this country. I have
always attributed it to stagnation, caused by too
luxuriant growth and too sudden ch.mge from
wet growing weather, to sudden drought ; the
roots cannot find nourishment to support the
3:ip, consequently stagnation and disease are
sure to follow. I have seen acres of Roses com-
pletely stripped of their foliage in a dry summer
in .July by this blight. In 1S67, I saw through
a quarter of Ro.ses a strip of land that had been
trenched, two feet deep, where an old road had
been used. While both lots of Roses on each
side were completely stripped of their foliage,
those in the deep trenched land were most luxu-
riant, not a particle of blight to be seen, I

^SJf

TEE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJVTHLY.

August,

sliouUl ahva5's myself have my land to grow
Roses thorou<jhly subsoilcd, if on a large scale ;
if small, trenched. I know of no cure possible
for black rust better than deep cultivation.

Bosc Slug or Larva.— A sprinkling of Helle-
bore, say two ounces, mi.xed with two lbs. of
Potash, M'ill completely eradicate these in two
dressings.

The Leaf Hopper or Thrip is a most detesta-
ble insect in Roses. The best remedy I have
ever found for it, is to sprinkle gas lime amongst
the bushes, but not strong ; better to do it twice
moderately than an overdose to kill the bushes ;
or make a solution of tobacco water and whale
oil soap, and syringe the underside of the leaves
carefully ; this will help destroy them, but not
so effectual as gas lime.

I have now completed the few remarks which
you have so kindly permitted me to make. My
time being fully occupied, I have been unable to
arrange and properly treat the most interesting
branch of floriculture. It has been my good
fortune to be reared among these queens of floral
beauty, and I may be pardoned if I desire to
communicate my enthusiasm to others. Tf I
have been successful in making clear to you
some of the results of my experience and obser-
vation, I am amply rewarded, for if you come to
know what roses may be made by preserving
and intelligent industry, you v.'ill, I am sure"^
awaken from your lethargy and rival the mother
country in producing the flower that pays and
pleases the most. Your climate and soil are in-
comparable. You only lack the disposition. I
have confidence that you will not let beauty and
pride both be lost to Geneva.

BEAUTIFUL TREES.

BY CHRONICLER,

Magnolia compicua blooms earliest in spring.
and is then surpassingly beautiful. The flowers
are large, of tulip form, pure white ; and pro-
duced in groat profusion, long before the ex-
pansion of the foliage, which makes the tree the
most conspicuous in cultivation. It is a native
of China ; and should be set in all arboral deco-
rations where it will withstand the changes of
climate.

Cercis canadensis keeps full, the chain of
blossom, between Magnolia conspicua and the fol-
lowing trees:

CcrasHS viuUiplcx called double-blooming
Cherry, is of large size, thrifty growtli, and bcau^

tiful proportions ; the branches forming a half
globe, and wholly covered with its double daisy-
like blooms of pure white; produced in immense
profusion, and last nearly a month.

yE^cuhis hipjiocastanum and coccinea, called
white and red blooming Horse-chestnuts. Arc
so generally grown, well known, and highly ad-
mired for their beautiful blooms, and compact
habits; forming colossal leafy columns, of sym-
metrical granneur. They require no further
description here than to state, that the beauties
of both are greatly enhanced when growing but
a short distance from each other.

Tilia Earopma^ is called European Linden and
Lime tree. It attains a medium size, with foli-
age and form the most graceful, and is truly
beautiful. It looks as if the most expert artists
masterpiece. The blooms are a rich yellow color
with most charming perfumes. They are pro-
duced upon an under set of pale colored leaves ;
the main veins of those leaves form the foot
stalks of the floret clusters, which hang like
beads of shining gold, and impart a richness to
the tree, not easy to describe.

Our brethren in the South boast of their fra-
grant rows and groves of Magnolias. And we
of the North , Avould proudly boast of our odor-
iferous rows and groves of Lindens, if improvers
would more generally set them out.

Tilia Americana, is the American Linden
tree. It is of a more robust growth and habit,
and attains a larger size than the European
species. In form, fohage and stature, it is one of
the handsomest specimens of an ornamental tree
Its blooms are also yellow and slightly perfumed.
These two and all the other species of Linden,
should be set in every large arboral embellish-
ment. They flourish upon various kinds of soil,
and in diSerent exposures.

BEEF EATING FLYTRAP.

BY S. B.

I have been interested in the discussion on
the Dionmi, and cannot help snying that my
opinion is against both the Hearth and Home
and the Gardener^s Monthlij claiming originality
for the fact that the Venus Flytrap will eat
b(>of ]\[any years ago Mr. Knight, of the firm
of Knight and Perry, of the King's Road, Chel-
sea,informed me that he had in times past experi-
mented with beef instead of insects on the leaves
of these curious plants, and that the plant not
only seemed to consume the beef, but all these

1S70.

TEE GARDEJVER'S MOJ^TELY,

S35

plants were more healthy and vigorous than
those not so fed. He was of the opinion that
the object of the plant in closing on the insect
was the eating of it as food, just as the corres-
pondent of the Monthlu supposed, in tlie article
under dispute. Whether Mr. Kuight published
the fact or not I do not know. lie was not
much of a contributor to the magazines, but he
must have told others, as it was one of the
things he delighted to speak of However,
whether or not he published the fact, his word
would be sufficient Avith all who knew how hon-
orabl}- accurate he always was in all things. In
this connection I may mention a domestic inci-
dent in his life, which though somewhat gossipy
can do no harm, as all of the parties are now in
the spirit land. Mr.K. was employed as gardener
with a wealthy country squire, for whom he had
a great attachment. His employer had an only
daughter, who set her heart on the young gar-
dener. I suppose she must have supposed the
attachment mutual, or at least that an avowal
on her part would not be ill received, for she
wrote a letter, and managed to have it conveyed
to Knight, in which the condition of her heart
was pliiinly revealed. It was a delicate position
to be placed in. Man}- a fellow with less brain
or integrity would have concealed the prize so
temptingly within reach, and an elopement and
misery resulted in due course, — New York
Ledgers, et ceteras, notwithstanding. His com-
mon sense, and sense of what was due to a kind
and loveing pareDt,induced him to hand the letter
at the proper time and moment to the young
lady's father. He was at first indignant, but
admiring the course of the young gardener, for
whose general intelligence he had already con-
ceived a respect, he told him if he really loved
his daughter he would place no impediment in
his way. Knight avowed his feelings of esteem
for her, but he had made up his mind to get
through life by his own exertions, and for one
eduiated in the lap of luxury to be the wife of a
gardener would never do; and to live on a wife's
fortune would be opposed to his own manly
notions of independence. Tlie result of this
conversation however was, that some time after
this Knight married his employer's daughter,
but on his own request received no money with
her; but t'.ie father bought the Ijeautiful piece
of ground known as the King's Road, and erect-
ed the magnificent gr^'enhouses tliereon, which
was, and still is under Veilch, the moflfel jilant
nursery of England. On this the couple started i

out into life, to work out their own living and
happiness together ; and all who had the pleas-
ure of knowing Joseph and Mary Knight, know
how successfull}' they accomplished both. Such
instances are rare ; but this one bears telling,
though of such a private nature, as it shows
that a spice of romance, which the young are
apt to delight in, need not necessarily be asso-
ciated with crooked ways; but that strict honor
and integrity either in love or business, is as
likely to bring things to a successful issue, as
the mean and tricky courses so often pursued.
Pardon this digression, which has been sug-
gested by the Dionrea topic, and if not horticul-
tui-al enough for your]readers,cut it out, — I shall
feel no offence.

WINTER TREATMENT OF TENDER
THINGS.

BY GARDENER, BALTIMORE, MD.

You often ask for notes about little things,
and though it may not be new to gardeners,
others may like to know that old plants of some
things are not the best things to keep over the
winter. I have seen many people go to much
trouble to take up Coleus, Verbenas, and other
like things, but they don't do much good. I
like to take cuttings of all these things in Au-
gust or September, and get fair rooted plants
before frost. These do a great deal better than
the old things. I could never keep Torenia
Asiatica over winter, till we struck otYthe young
plants. The old ones had work to live. I have
only a warm greenhouse to keep things over,
and those Avho have a better place can perhaps
do better with these things ; but for those who
like me, have no great convenience, I would sa^',
strike young plants and let the old things go.

NOTES ON MAPLES.

BY MR. n. C. BEARDSLEE, PAINESVILLE, O.

I see in your number for .June, a commenda-
tion of Red Maple (Acer rubrum) as an orna-
uK'utal tree. Its form is compact and rounded,
and its foliage dense, more so than those of any
native Maple. It is quite numerously represent-
ed among the shade trees of this village, and I
notice this year a peculiarity, which if often re-
peated, will detract from its merits. It is one of
the earliest trees in bloom, and its seeds (sama-
ra?) are matured and fall by June 1st. This
year many of these trees have matured immense
crops of seed, and the growth and ripening of

236

TEE GARDEJVER'S MOJ^THLY.

August,

the seed have exhausted the vitality of tlie trees.and
the foliage is very scanty and has a sickly ap-
pearance. They will scarcely regain their
health and vigor this season. I do not remem-
ber having noticed this occurrence before.

Acer nigrum which here grows upon the allu-
vial river bottoms in company with Acersaccha-
rinum, is planted here sparingly, and differs in
foliage from any other species. The leaves are
longer, of a darker and richer green, and have
the lateral lobes tlexed downwards.

Acer dasycarpum is native to our alluvial bot-
toms. Why is it not more frequently planted ?

{,Ace.r dasycarpum is the silver, white or soft
maple of the nursery catalogues. It is a very
rapid grower, and much used in the east as a
street tree. It grows too fast for a permanent
tree, as in time it shades only the roof of the
house at mid-day. Hence the practice of cut-
ting it back had to be inaugurated in the large
cities, which eventually destroys the trees, and
has been one of the chief causes of the disappear-
ance of trees from sidewalks in many places.

Acer nigrum is very distinct from the common
sugar maple. In addition to the differences
pointed out by our correspondent, the under sur-
face of the leaf is nearly of the same tint of green
as the upper, while the Acer saccharinum has a
shade of grey. The lobes of the black sugar are
also blunter than those of the common or more
eastern form. Our cultivated plants of A. ni-
grum do not fade away in the fall to the beauti-
ful crimson of the other species, but the shade in
summer is much more dense and grateful.

The flict in reference to A. ruhrum is very in-
teresting. We should be glad if our correspon-
dents would more frequently send us such facts,
which they must often observe. There are good
traits and bad ones in every thing. It is neces-
sary to good gardening to know all.— Ed. J

BOTANICAL EXPLORATIONS IN EAST
TENNESSEE.

BY DR. C. C. rAUUY, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICUL-
TURE, WASHINGTON, D. C.

In accordance with instructions, I have made,
since the 1st of June, a brief botanical explora-
tion of the high mountain region of East Tennes-
Bce, bordering on the boundary line dividing this
State from North Carolina, traveling the usual
southwestern route, by the Virginia valley, into
East Tennessee. I left the railroad at Carter
station, about twenty miles south of the State

line, and proceeded thence by a rough mountain
road, crossing the Watauga River to Elizabeth-
town, the county seat of Carter County. This
place, located in an irregular alluvial basin on
the Doe River, just above its junction with the
Watauga, is surrounded by moderately high
wooded mountains, the clear rapid mountain
stream on which it is located affording excellent
water power, which is only partially improved.
From this point, following up the increasingly
rugged and contracted valley of Doe River,
which at the time was swollen by recent rains to
the size of a formidable stream, difficult of cross-
ing by the ordinary method of fording, the next
settlement reached was Doe River, seven miles
di.stant, up to which point a branch railroad
has been graded and prepared for track-
laying, intended eventually to pass through
the mountains on the east to connect with the
railroad system of North Carolina and the At-
lantic coast. Twelve miles further above this
point I reached the upper settlement of this sec-
tion, directly adjoining the high mountain range
ofthe Roan and Iron Mountains, dividimi Ten-
nessee from North Carolina. At Elizabethtown
I secured the services of Mr. George Emmert as
guide, who, in addition to an intimate knowl-
edge of the whole country adjoining, is possess-
ed of the tact and ingenuity peculiar to moun-
taineers in all countries. Never at a loss for a
trail, always ready to meet emergencies, he was
just the companion a stranger to the country
would most desire on such a trip.

In making the principal ascent of Roan Moun-
tain, we followed up one of the numerous
branches into which Doe River divides, passing
through a dense growth of hard-wood forests,
consisting mainly of sugar maple, tulip tree,
beech, oak, birch, chestnut and linden, inter-
spersed with occasional growths of wild cherry,
magnolia and horse-chestnut. The undorgro^vth
presented a dense mass of shrubbery, including ,
the kalmia laurel, rhododendron, azalea, oil nut
ipyrularia.) a,nd other forms common to more
northern forests. The rich loamy and clay soil
was everywhere saturated with moisture, result-
ing from recent rains. Only rarely, and at long
intervals, was there any exposure of granitic
rocks, which, as well as the decayed fallen trunks
of trees, were densely covered with mossos and
foliaceous lichens. The clear streams dashed
over rocky beds, with crystal pools along their
course, from which the guide took out, in an
hour's time, a fine string of mountain trout.

7 O

1870.

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJVTELy.

2S7

III making the steeper ascents directly at the
base of the mountain ridge, there was a gradual
dwarfing of the forest growth, in whicli the ordi-
nary species, so abundant below, give place to a
nearly exclusive preponderance of birch, which
was continuous in its dwarfed aspects to the
summit gap. Not till reaching this point, fully
five thousand feet above the sea level, were we
regaled with more than a passing glimpse of the
range which we were so laboriously ascending.
Here, however, the view opens on the smooth
glassy slopes known by the country people under
the significant name of "Mountain Balds."
These grassy or bushy slopes are interspersed
here and there by dark groves of balsam and
spruce, which serve to give a pleasant variety to
the landscape. From the smooth rounded knolls,
a magnificent view is afforded of the surround-
ing country. In order to give time to a more
thorouijh examination of the vegetation of the
high summit range, we made camp for a night
on the divide, takinsj; shelter in a dense srove of
balsam firs. Fortunately for us, the weather
was unusually serene and pleasant. The next
day we strolled leisurely over the different swells
composing the main ridge, mounting to the high-
est rocky point, which, according to the accu-
rate measurements of Professor Juyot, reached
an elevation of six thousand two hundred and
thirty -eight feet above the sea, falling but little
below the highest summits in the Allegheny

range.

'ibis "beautiful Roan Mountain," so charac-
terized by early travelers, has been a favorite re-
sort of botanists since the time Michaux's early
explorations in the last century. It was visited
by the distinguished American botanist, Profes-
sor Gray of Cambridge, in 1841, who noted, with
his accustomed thoroughness, its botanical fea-
tures. Being six weeks earlier in the sea.son, I
was able to add a few of the more forward spring
plants to Dr. Gray's list, including among others,
the charming fringed phacelia, [Phaceliajimhria-
trt, Michx.) Now, as in the time of these early
travelers, these bald, grassy exposures are in ex-
tensive use for summer pasturage ; and at the
season of our visit, June 8 aiid 9, they were just
being occupied for that purpose by the adjoining
country people with their herds of cattle and
small droves of breeding liorses. Here the con-
tinuously cool atmosphere, abundance of nutri-
tious grasses, and clear, cool springs and rivulets
of water, comprise everythim^ to be desired in
making up a quadrupedal paradise.

The lateness of the season may be inferred
from the fact that strawberries were in bloom
.June 9, and the fruit does not ripen till the lat-
ter part of July.

AVe were fortunate, after enjoying a few hours
of fine weather and extensive prospect, to ac-
complish the descent just in time to escape one
of those drenching rains so common on these
high exposures.

In the lower valley there is a considerable
scope of tillable land composed of a rich soil sim-
ilar in its general character to the celebrated
Virginia Valley. It is well adapted to wheat,
corn, grass and ordinary field crops, the differ-
ences of soil and exposure indicating the special
adaptation to particular crops. Grass is most
luxuriant on limestone soils, but iu the more
broken districts is apt to be killed by the pro-
longed summer heat. In approaching the high-
er mountains the valleys contract, and steep
timbered ridges extend to the edge of the swifi-
flowing watercourses. Here the farming lands
are limited to small basins, significantly termed
"coves," and occupy the less abrupt slopes
which have been cleared of the natural forests.
As the elevation increases there is greater cool-
ness of the atmosphere, more frequent rains, and
the seasons are favorable to the hardier varieties
of small grain, potatoes and northern fruits. In
these mountain districts cattle-raising is the
prominent branch of industry, and a system of
roving pasturage is adopted as the season ad-
vances, gradually ascending to the higher grassy
summits of the 'bald mountains," to descend
again to the low-lands with the recurrence of
frost and snow.

Hogs, though of a very inferior breed, are
raised at little expense, being allowed to run
through the woods, where they feed on wild
roots, and later in the fall to fatten on acorn
mast, chestnuts and beech nuts.

The country throughout is well adapted to the
growth of fruit, particularly apples, whichevery-
where look thrifty and product largely, the sur-
plus yield, for want of a convenient market, be-
ing generally distilled into apple brandy. Wild
fruits and nuls ar^ abundant in their season,
and add their material attractions to the pictur-
esque landscape.

It is the inexhaustible timber product of this
region that will eventually constitute the main

source of its wealth. Xowhere else are to be
found such magnificent forests of sugar maple,
beech, chestnut, tulip tree, oak, birch, &c. Mile

238

TEE GABBEJ^EWS MOJVTHLY.

August,

after mile in almost wearisorac succession tower
aloft these monarchs of the woods. Pine, hem-
lock and cedar occur mostly iu scattered groves,
indicating generally a sandstone substratum.
Locust trees abound in certain sections, and the
wild cherry attains an unusal size. A tree of
the latter was pointed out to me having a diam-
eter at base of nearly five feet, and a height of
not less than one hundred feet ; still thrifty and
apparently sound to the heait.

In this connection, the prevalence of hard-
wood growth, together with abundant water-
power, and extensive beds of iron ore, plainly in-
dicate the direction which future industry will
take, aided by the construction of raih'oads, in
developing a country distinguished for salubrity,
beautifid scenery, and all desirable accessories
of civilized life.

ABOUT HERBAKIUMS.

BY "crowfoot,'' boston, MASS.

I notice frequently in Agricultural journals
directions for drying specimens and making up a
Herbarium, which do not accord with my ex-
perience as being the best. I am pleased to see
so much attention given to Herbariums. People
may be good gardenei'S without all this trouble,
and ladies and gentlemen can perhaps enjoy
trees and flowers without knowing much of
botany ; but the knowledge and enjoyment is
much heightened, when a little is known of these
things.

But first about botany, I hope to be pardoned
for saying that is a little too learned as it is
taught in the schools. No sooner does a young
person exhibit a taste for the study than he is
.set at once to learn a lot of hard names, which
very soon tires him. I ilo not profess to be a
first class botanist, having studied more for
amusement than for professional eminence, nnd
1 l)elieve I have only kept an ail'ection for the
study, by having cut loose from the plan of the
schools.

I would recommend to most young persons
desirous of learning botany to first make a collec-
tion of plants ; diy everything that can be got,
without regard to much book knowledge.

To dry plants the best way is to get a screw
l)ress such as bookbinders use. I have read of
objections to this. It is said, as the plants dry
tliey shrink and get loose between the papers;
and they say if boards are used with weights on
the top, as the plants dry the weights sink, and

keep the plants pressed firm. This looks well,
but in practice it is of ,'no account. I have tried
both ways, and under the screw press tho plants
don't shrink as supposed, but make as good
specimens as one can want. The advantage is
that it saves time, and the student will find
that he will want all the time he can get, though
he starts with the feeling that botany is to fill
up his time. 48 hours a day would not be too
much for him when once thoroughly interested.
For this purpose of time saving too, it will be
found best to sew about a dozen sheets of paper
together as dryers to place the specimens be-
tween.

To have good specimens the)' should be
changed often, at least once a day, for two or
three da3-s,— and if the plants are juicy, twice.
They can be changed very rapidly, if thick
masses of dryers are used as described. Turu
up the screw and take off the upper paper ex-
posing the specimen. Then lay a dry paper on
the top, take off and turn over rapidly. The
specimen then lies on the dry paper. In taking
off the upper, now the damp paper, keep the
finger on the base of the specimen, as it may
stick to the upper paper. In this way twenty
or thirty sheets of specimens can be transferred
to dr}- papers in a minute, without rumpling the
most delicate petal or leaf. When they are dry
enough, which will be when they are stitf enough
to be held out horizontally without bending
much, they will be ready for single sheets.

About 20 in. by IG is a very good size for Herba-
rium paper, any good, rather stift' paper will do;
and if a little expense is not so much an object
as a nice Herbarium the paper \\\ny be doubled
for each suite o'" specimens as the covers for a
book. I might say tliat paper for dryers is best
made of wool iustead of cotton, blotting paper

in fact.
When specimens are put away, write on a

piece of paper the locality and date, leaving
space for name or other remarks.

At this early stage however, I do not use good
herbarium paper for the specimens, but common
newspapers. As fiist as the names can be found
which it is a great help to a young botanist,
if some one can be found to do it for him -not-
withstanding the supposed benefit of leaving
him to puzzle them out for himself, — find the
orders by the botanical books to which they be-
long, and write them on the left hand lower
corner of the sheet. The name can be written
on the right hand corner. As fast as the speci-

1870.

TEE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJVTELY.

339

mens dry, place them in a square pile in the
corner of the study, and keep a board which
can be readily lifted oft' or on to cover them
with. I should recommend a young student to
collect all the plants possible of a locality during
one season and dry them, before caring to ex-
amine them with a view to names, Possibly a
botanist may be found to name them before
spring; but if not, familiarity with the kinds
which are nearest alike will give much help
when trying to name them from the book des-
criptions.

1\\ forming the Herbarium, though I shall be
laughed at perhaps by men eminent in science,
I prefer the alphabetical arrangement for the
genera, although I would place the species to-
gether in the orders of their resemblances. In
the Butter Cup family, Ranunculacem. I do
not start with Clematis, as the book would, but
with Aconitum, Adaia^ Adonis, Anemone, and
so on. The papers laid one over another iu the
the packages, as the alphabet runs. The whole
of one genus is placed under one cover, and the
name as I have said on the right hand corner.
By this plan any genus can be instantly referred

to.

The names of the orders on the left hand cor-
ner are for convenience in first assorting. All the
orders iu A. B. C. and so on, can be easily got
together, by reference to these corner names.

Fj»r collecting specimens a tin box, made like
a book is a verj^ good thing. Or a portfolio into
which the specimens can be placed between
papers as they are gathered. But it often hap-
pens that one wants specimens when neither of
these conveniences are to hand. In this case a
piece of newspaper docs very well. First roll
the specimen lightly in a piece of dry paper, then
another, and then dip the whole hastily iu water,
so as barely to give time for the interior paper
to wet, then after a few minutes wrap the whole
in another dry paper, and they will keep in fair
condition thus for several days.

In collecting specimens, try to have some with
seed vessels nearly ripe, as well as flowering-
It is a fault of many good herbariums to have
flowers only.

It is to be hoped that the taste for Herbariums
will increase. To all classes it is of great advan-
tage. To the gardener it should be essential.
It is impossible to keep all one's knowledge of
l)lants in the head,— a Herbarium is excellent
for reference. But still more does it seem to me
of use to the nurseryman whose great gain is

often in establishing the indentity of a plant in
dispute. It seems to me that a Herbarium
should be one of the essentials in every nursery
counting house.

In every parlor a beautifully arranged and pre-
served Herbarium would be one of ihe best
means of intellectual entertainment for winter
evenings : pasted in neatly and in elegant book
bindings, they would be superior to any picture
book. All young children like collecting and
arranging plants in this way, and they look back
on them in after years when well taken care of,
with a satisfaction nothing that I have seen ever
gave. It lends also a pleasure to their future
years, not only by the associations which the
flowers themselves call up, when met with as
occasion offers ; but by the intelligence which
such knowledge confers ; and should any loved
ones depart from us, the treasure such a collec-
tion bestows on those left behind cannot be ex-
pressed. A collection I have by a dear daughter
now Ions lost to me, which often recalls the in-
cidents of many a long walk together, I would
part with all rather than this.

Lastly, Herbarium making is an excellent
amusement for young people. They will have
some excitement beyond what home and book
study afibrds. If rational and profitable ones
are not afforded they lake up with vicious ones
too often. Here is an opening at once, innocent
and instructive, — health giving and useful, which
one cannot too much reflect on.

Thus, Mr. Editor, I give you my "'ideas of
Herborizing." .Though a reader from the start,
I have ventured no contribution before; but if it
suits you I shall be pleased, nut only for the
good it may do to a study which interests me, —
but as an offering to a magazine from which I
have derived so much instruction.

LATE PEAS.

BY L., BLOOMIKGTON, ILLS.

In your remarks for the Vegetable Garden for
last month, you recommend for a late Pea crop
the Marrowfat. The term appears so general,
including the Victoria, growing from G to 8 feet
high, that I am sure you will excuse me if I
point out my experience, and if I am wrong I
wish to be corrected. It has been my invariable
custom to recommend for the last sowing the
early varieties. These mature quick, and give
a goodly crop before the early frost, or what is

2jf0

THE GARBEKER'S MOKTBLY.

August,

as bad, the mildew to which late varieties are so
subject.

Last Fall I sowed, last week in July, the Ad-
vancer and Little Gem, and last of September
and beginning of October I had as fine Peas as
at any time iu the season. Had I taken indis- thrown away.

criminately Marrow Peas, from a Seed Store,
where the assistants are not at all practical, it
would have been as likely for them to have given
me the Victoria, or any other late variety, and
my time, labor and expense would have been

E D T T 0 Pi I A L

VARYING COLORS IN THE SAME PLANT.

In the Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club of
New York, Mr. I. 11. Hall gives some facts
which render it highly probable that the same
plants of Trill/um erecium in a wild state, some
seasons produce white and sometimes purple
flowers. We have seen an instance of the same
change in Wi^iteria sinensis this year, which as-
tonished us beyond measure. Some twelve years
ago we imported from Germany a white Chinese
Wisteria. Pointing it out to Mr. John Sher-
wood, he remarked that he had imported it a
year or so before, and flowered it, but it proved
only a faded blue and worthless. On this we ne-
glected it, till some years afterwards it flowered
and proved the most clear snow ivhite imagina-
ble. It Avas then trained up to a stake and ta-
ken care of, flowering profusely every year since.
Early in July our plants took a notion to pro-
duce a profuse second crop of flowers. On the
white plant, a bunch oipale purple flowers came
out. We traced this however to a shout which
came from just below the surHxce of the ground,
and supposed probably the original plant had
been grafted on the blue one, and this was part
of the stock ; but eventually flowers came from
the main head which were not white, but of a
faded purple just as Mr. Sherwood had found
years before.

AVe regard these facts in reference to the
changes in color in these plants as of great value
in philosophical botan}'. Seeds we know bring
a changed progeny, but it has been the fashion
to assume when changes occur independently of
seed, that it is owing to bud grafting, or some
other process which no one well unde^rstands.
Thus the Laburnum usually with yellow flowers
has been known to pioduce a dark one known as '

Cytisus Adami^ and this is supposed to have origi-
nated from budding into the system at some re-
mote period past. We have never seen the ne-
cessity of going out of the regular way to account
for these things. The nectarine originated from
a branch which sprang off from a peach without
the intervention of hybridization by bud, graft
or seed and why may not other things.

We know now by careful modern observation,
that the seeds of plants do not follow the sup-
posed old law of "like producing like," though
every care be taken to prevent cross fertilization,
as an invariable rule. There is also a law of ev-
olutions of form quite independent of sexual in-
fluences.

These Axcts from Trillimn and Wisteria ^rong-
ly indicate the probability that the law of c* ange
is not wholly dependent on seed agency, but
may operate through the many other ways Na-
ture employs to reproduce the individual.

BELGIAN AZALEAS.

{See FrontispAece .)

We introduce in this number to our readers a
tribe of plants which, though mainly of their
own country, not one in a hundred knows any
thing about. Simply because it has chiefly been
through the eflbrts of Belgian gardeners that
they have been improved as they are, do they
receive the name of jC<:7(/ia7i Azaleas. 1 hey are
made up of four species, which have been inter-
crossed together, only one of which, Azalea
ijontica, grows in Asiatic Turkey ; the other
three. Azalea viscosa^ A. calanhdacca, and A.
nmli flora, are natives of the American continent.

The name Azalea is Greek, and signifies dry^
and was given to this genus by Linnteus, most

18'f0.

THE GARDEJVEI^;^ MOJfTHLy.

241

probably from the brittle nature of the wood
which snaps as easily as a dry stick. The one
which ojrows alonp; the shores of the Hellespont,
is a yellow flowered species, and has much rela-
tionship to the A. calendid(tcca of the Georgia
Hills. It has a somewhat viscid character,
which ours has not. Our A. viscosa is re-
markably clammy, and here we have a coinci-
dent character ; but the difference between these
two is in the color and fragrance. Our A. vis-
cosa is remarkably sweet, and is remai'kable in
its wild state for the constancy with whiefl it re-
mains unvaryingly white. The A. nucliflora, the
most common azalea of northern woods, has
flowers of various shades between rose and white,
and the Georgian between crimson and orange ;
but the A. vmvsa retains its pure waxy white
sweet tlowers, however much it may change its
leaves or general form.

The fl|^t hybrids became known about fifty or
sixty j-ears ago, and they keep improving in
beauty every year. The best of them are select-
ed as in regular florist's flowers, and preserved
by grafting, the same as we have before noted in
the Rhododendron. These are the named varie-
ties of Nurserymen's catalogues. Those which
we have selected for our illustration are un-
named seedlings, and are there drawn to a scale
one half Jess than the natural size.

The cultivation of these plants, to have the
best success, should be as we have recommended
for Bhodocltndron. Indeed there has been much
dispute amongst botanists whether therms any
distinction worthy of scientiflc noting between
the two. They would call them all Bhododen-
drons. The Azalea is not evergreen, and has
only five stamens ; but the Rhododendron is
evergreen, and has ten of ihcse male organs.
These characters are inconsistent, and if there
were no others, there might be ground for uni-
ting the genera ; but where any one without bo-
tanical knowledge can readily distinguish gene,
ra, it would seem rather the fault of the science,
and its idea of genera, that no distinction can be
made, thau thai no true distinction can be found.

AMERICAN GARDENING.

"We read with some surprise, the remarks on
American gardening embodied in a letter from
Mr. Williams of the Hortlruhurid to the London
Gard.e.ner^s Weeldi/. Mr Williams believes that
there is no such thing as Horticulture in America
outside of the one word profit. The taste, he

says, is "mostly confined to a few ladies, wh:)
plant geraniums, &c. — the lords of creation pass-
ing to look on (he orchard or small fruit planta-
tion.'' If we believed this we should close out
the Gardener\<; 3Ionthhj. "Gardening for pro-
fit'' is rather a branch of agriculture than horti-
culture. It is a legitimate subject in a horticul-
tural journal as an incidental ; but most assured-
ly it more properlj- belongs to an agricuKsuroi
journal than to ours.

But we are not prepared to thus resign all wc
have been striving for. ^Ye have steadily kept
in view the progress of Horticulture as an ele-
ment of taste and refmement, and a means of
diffusing a love of Nature and high order of hor-
ticultural knowledge. We know that most of
our readers are with us on this account, and we
have never felt that in order to make a magazine
successful, it was absolutely esstiutial to feel that
we were wi'iting for children and ignoramuses
as Mr. Williams says is American ijractice.

We believe tha't Mr. Williams has been de-
ceived by a wrong impression of the actual staio
of afliiirs in England. The "trade" and the
''practical gardeners" no more support horticu'-
tural journals there than here. There is the
same short sightedness as to their true interest
everywhere. We do not A-)ioto, of course ; buc
we have a strong impression that we have as
many of these, and possibly as many subscribers
as any of them — the Gardener's (Jhronicle ex-
cepted— and this probably derives the most 01
its list from scientific men who are not gardeii-
ers at all. We have seen this periodical in many
a parlor whose owner did not own a single pot;
in back yard or window. AVe think Mr. AVil-
liams has ojitirely misapprehended the contra-t
between American and English horticulture, to
our injury. We have not the beautiful gardens
or greenhouses of Europe. It is really better
for the people as a lohole, that we have not ; but
we must protest again?t the idea, that so far a--
our readers are concern, d, the "almighty do"-
lar" is the beginning and end of their horticu -
tJrallife. Ab.'-.olute love for art and nature, ;
proportion to wealth and po[)ulation, we regai .
as even greater here than in Europe.

We have never been slow to own up to d'-
agreeable truths. But here we believe a positi<
' is assigned to us we do not deserve to occuy _.
i before the world.

'4^

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJVTnLl\

A ii£ust,

CEMETERY AND CEMETERY PLANTS.

In reading our notes on cemeteries, after the
article appeared, one error occurs which re-
quires correction. The area of Laurel Hill is
now over two hundred and fifty acres, and not
one hundred and fifty as before stated.

"We propose here to give a few hints as to the
best cemetery plants to use. And, first, it is
well to observe that if rare plants are expected
to thrive, the grounds must be kept warm by a
liberal use of nurse trees. The thick planting of
Laurel Hill so tempers the atmosphere, that
scores of things flourish here which will do well
in very few places about this city. The ther
mometcr falls as low here as anywhere,— it is
not that, but the protection from winds keeps
the sap from drying out. But this is a matter
which has been often explained to our readers,
and we need not dwell on it here.

The Holly is one of the best cemetery plants.
Its associations with past history gives it a value
independently of its own merits. There can be
nothing more beautiful thfVn its coral red berries,
mixed so freely with its light green leaves, when
snow is on the ground and all else desolate.
Strur"^ling successfully as it were against the de-
structive elements of winter, it is a fit type of
that immortality with which the living love to
clothe the memory of departed friends. In a
aheltcied cemetery the European will probably
stand. But no matter if it docs not, for the
American is quite as beautiful. It makes a beau-
tiful hedge. Mr. Smith's own family lot is sur-
rounded by one. And the Sweet Magnolia, M.
i,laara, is another capital thing. It seldom
grows more than twenty feet high, and is much
more healthy in high ground, such as we gener-
ally select for burial purposes, than when in its
own native swamps, where it is evidently, as we
have before shown, only because its seeds do not
frerminate well elsewhere. The delicious fra-
grance it throws around cannot be equaled by
anything except perhaps Honeysuckle, with
which all cemeteries should abound. The best
position f<Jr such vines as these is over trees,—
and especially over evergreen trees. An arbor
vitse is a capital parent to support it. Of course
the tree will be somewhat injured by the vine ;
but in such cases the tree must be secondary to
the cflect to be produced. Trellisses partly arch-
ed so as to make a shaded seat over a grave,
cannot be covered with anything prettier than
Honeysuckles.

Of all the climbing plants for cemetery pur-
poses, nothing excels the Ivy in interest. In
light or shade, in poor soils or rich, creeping
over the ground or over the rocks, covering walls
or dead trees ; and /llways the same living green.

One of the best things that we saw at Laurel,
were some chairs of stone made to imitate rustic
woodwork. All around and over them Ivy
clung. How invitingh^ cool seemed this verdant
seat ! But the ett'ect of it as it crept over the
stained glass windows of the mortuary chapel
was unique. Shelley says that around his Fairy
Queen there was wondrous beauty.

"Tliose lines of rainbow light
Are like tlie moonbeams, when they fall
Through .some cathedral window, but tlie tints
Are suuh as may not flud comparison on earth."

"We know nothing of the moonbeams, — but the
sun light shining through these Ivy covered
glass windows, did not seem to make fne "com-
parison on earth" so very impossible a thing.
Every one who read the Horticulturist^ when Mr.
Smith was editor, remembers how enthusiasti-
cally the praises of the Iv}' were always sung.
No one who sees it here will wonder at it. But
it must be remembered that shelter from cold
winds is the Ivy's first stipulation. "Without
this, we should often have letters like this short
one from Boston : '"Pity the Ivy is'nt hardy here.
There are numerous varieties — though some try
to make species of tlum— all are good ; as a
rule, Ifce smallest leaved kinds are the hardiest.''
Of little known trees— trees of moderate growth
suitable for cemeteries— we might give the follow-
ing as a full list: Cork barked Maple, Tartarian
Maple, Spanish Maple, Cut leaved Alder, English
Alder, Heart-leaved Alder, Japan or Sea Alder.
yEsculus glaber or dwarf yellow Horse Chestnut,
Lyon s Horse Chestnut, red flowered Horse
Chestnut ; Japan Catalpa ; Hawthorns in all
the numerous species and varieties ; English
Bird and Weeping cherries; "Weeping Ashes and
AVeeping Sophoras should be placed almost No. 1
on the list. The Manna Ash Fraxinus ornus, is
a beautiful thing. The Snow drop trees, Hale-
sia tetraptera and H. diptcra, are admirable.
Dr. Asa Gray tells us he thinks the last named
not hardy at Boston. Kolrcutcria ji^nicidata a
pretty Japan tree, which may perhaps grow too
large in time ; but it will probably keep within
30 or 40 ft. The Larch is a pretty good tree;
though g;-owing tall it does not spread much,
ycL we should plant them only where they could be

1870.

THE GARDEJfER'S

MOXTEL 1.

^JfS

cut clown without a pang when the time came.
Of MagnoUas, wc have specially commended the
glauca : but the M. tripetela is one of the most
indispensable. M. macrophylla is another good
thing. The Chinese while and Asiatic purple
and its varieties, of course.

The Carolina Poplars are excellent nurse
trees ; soon however to be cut away. It is not
pleasant to overlook the oaks, but they grow too
tall ; the Turkey variety however, gets large so
slowl}', we shouli incline to include it. , The
Ginko is another thing we saw at Laurel Hill,
hardly to be spared from the list, — yet in time it
grows very large ; but it can be kept down by
pruning. The Mountain Ash is a very nice
thing ; but the climate south of Philadelphia is
too hot for it.

In the way of deciduous shrubs we need not
give any list ; for anj' or all are well adapted.
They are indeed the best of all things for the fill-
ing up of the grounds, yet we must not go by
them without specially noting the fitness of the
Tennessee Buckeye or Dwarf Horse Chestnut,
{Pavia macrostachya,) it is certainly the hc4. It
can be trained up to a single stem lor six or
eight feet if desired, so as to let grass grow un-
der it, when it makes an umbrella like head.
This also applies in some measure to the straw-
berry tree Eaonymus eurojjeus, and E atropur-
purea ; as also to the Chiouanthus virgiuicus or
White Fringe.

In evergreen small trees and shrubs, wc have

now a pretty full list; though in most country
cemeteries, we find very little except Irish Juni-
pers and Siberian Arborvitte, — both very good in
their way — the last perhaps indispensable.
Amongst other arborvittes the common Ameri-
can is excellent for rapid growth and low price ;
and the new Heath-leaved is a very pretty sum-
mer ornament,— looking purple in winter. The
Norway and White Spruces grow tall when Icfc
to themselves ; but can alwa^-s be kept within
twenty feet, as can any of the pines for that mat-
ter. They all bear the shears as well as the
commonest hedge plant. The Tree Box is the
favorite of all dwarf evergreens at Laurel Hill,
and the pretty specimens here deserved well the
favor they received. All the following arc also
good: Mahonia, Pyracanthus, Japan Cedar,
Japan Euonymous in Philadelphia and south-
ward, Juniperus squamata and other Junipers •
. Kalmias and llhododendrons, — even the ponti-
. cum lives out in the tree sheltered "roves of
Laurel Hill. Mountain or Dwarf Pine —the
new Japan IletinispOras and Yuccas.

We have now given, in as hi-ief a manner as
possible, a few of the thoughts which occurred
to us on our Laurel Hill visit. The subject of
cemetery plants is one in which all of us take a
warm interest. There must be nmch in the
minds of many about these things which has
never taken expression in print ; and we shall be
glad if we stir up others to write about them.

SCHAPS ATsD QUERIES

IMPUOVING TUE WiLD ReD RASPBERRY. —

A long'^the northern lakes, the Wild Red Raspberry
grows in great luxuriance. It has been named
liubus strigosus by Botanists ; but is really no-
thing more than a variety of the Euhus idceus of
Europe. It has no more claim to the distinc-
tion of a species than Franconia or Brinckle's
Orange. Some suppose that it would make a
good parent for improving from, but we should
not look for much more than we now have from
it. AVhen the leaves become diseased, as they
often do in their native localities, the wood dies
down in the winter just as it docs in diseased

plants of the named kinds in our gardens. So
far there has been however no attempt made to
improve it. Only one kind ktiown to be from
this so called species, has found a place on our
lists. This was BafjUifii Perpetual, luit it soon
went c»ut of favor. We have noted in the wild
state there is a great tendency to vary, both in
fruit and habit ; but none of them that ever ap-
proached our finer foreign varieties in llavor.
Some like Bagley's Perpetual sucker much ; but
usually they do not as much as those from the
European stock. Belle de Fontenay, Allen and
Clark will beat any red native at this practice.

TEE GARDE JEER'S MOJVTELY.

August,

Not even in firmness will the native red equal
some of the others. Of foreign parentage, Klrt-
lanJ, Pearl and Allen are far superior in this re-
spect to our B. ssirigosns.

There are many things assumed about this
"Wild Raspberrj' which will not bear the test of
examination. It is worth while for those who,
under advice, experiment, to start right at the
outset.

used on the pistils of a double one generally
which is better than the pollen from a double on

a single flower.

Ergot. — C. — "Mr. Meehan will please say
what the enclosed seeds are, they grow on a
stalk similar to Barley, and to all appearances
was like it in plant and ear bearded."

[This is the common Rye Ergot, a kind of fun-
gus of a very poisonous nature, resembling a
distorted grain of the cereal it grows on. It
was supposed lo beau introduction from Europe;
but we recently saw some on a specimen of
couch grass [Triticum caninum) brought from
the Rocky Mountains.]

CoMMUXiCATioxs.— Remarking to a friend
recently that with his talents for observation, he
must often see things that would interest the rea-
dersof tlieMonthly, he replied that he did not sup-
pose we cared for an^'thing from him. We take the
opportunity with pleasure to say that there is not
a lover of Horticulture in th ; whole country that
we should not be very glad to hear from. We
find often as good ideas from one who has but
a single pot in a sitting room, as from those who
own their hundreds of acfes. Let us hear from
all.

Lawn Grass. — We have found simple green
gruss—PoapraUnse, make excellent lawns with-
out any other mixture, or in some sections Rye
grass — Lolium perenne. Mr. Saunders, in a re-
cent Horticulturist, gives the following which he
has found to make a good mixture:

1 Bush. Agrostis vulgaris,

2 " Poapratense,
1 Qt. Phleuvi pratense,
^Ibs. White Clover.

This is for one acre.

Double Geraniums.— Double flowers have
usually some pollen, or else some perfect pistils.
It is well known double Petunias are raised in
this way. Shirley Ilibbord says in a late llorti
cuUnrist, double (Jeraniums arc raised in the
ame way. The pollen from a single kind is

Oi[io State Horticultural, Society. — On
Wedneday and Thursday, August 10th and 11th,
as many of the State Society as possible, will
visit the orchards and vinyards in the vicinity of
Berlin Heights, Ohio — a pretty good time is ex-
pected. Further particulars can be had of M.
B. Bateham, Painesville, O.

Mr. Buist's Article.— Jr., Bloomivgton,
Ills., says: "We read Mr. Buist's note on Rho-
dodendron with pleasure. Why don't he favor
us with similar notes from his long experieuce,
oftener ? ' '

Horticultural Xotes.— We agree with
"L." in his estimate of some articles which ap-
pear in the journals. Yet we think them valua-
ble for other purposes than those aimed at by
the writers. They let us know the style of
thought prevailing, and we can better then min-
ister to the public wants. We wish we had more
of them. Yet we are thankful for his hints, and
would be glad to have moi-e of them from his
pen.

Arboretum at Ciiilicothe, Ohio.— Rev.
J. II. Creighton has for some years been ear-
nestly at work at an arboretum. He has been
very successful. We learn that he has six hun-
dred kinds of trees and shrubs at present, doing
well.

Roots from Grape Stkms.— J. //., Chara-
bershurg. Pa., writes: "1 have a cold vinery,
and the vines and fruit are growing well ; but
the vines seem to me to send out so many air
roots. That is the only name I think of for them.
They are rootlets that come out at the joints of
the old wood. 1 am afraid they are watered too
much. Should I keep the roof whitewashed ?''

[Shade makes roots, — we know of no other
cause— of course when the disposition to make
roots exist, moisture or other elements on which
roots love to feed, will give vigor to the attempt.
Wood is not so healtliy when making these root-
lets as otherwise. Frequently badly colored
grapes follow the next year. We should give
more light instead of less, — and keep a rather
dry atmosphere.]

1S70.

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJ^THLl .

245

EspmiTus Sancto.— TF. TT., Louisville, Ky.,
says: "I would like to know through the Monili-
ly, the treatment of an orchid sent to us under
the name of Espiritus Sancto."

[This is the Periftteria elata of Botanists, and
in English "Holy Ghost plant," from the flower
when open resembling the emblematic dove. It
is of easy culture, much more so than orchids
generally. If the bulb is strong, put it in say a
12 inch pot, in a mixture of moss and broken
pots, with a little earth scattered through it
Keep it in a warm greenhouse all winter, and it
will probably bloom next August or September
in any close greenhouse.

We have no doubt in your climate it would
bloom well if the pot were set out in some parti-
ally shady place in summer time.]

Crops at Rochester, jS". Y. — A correspon
dmt, July 6</i, writes: We have had but little
rain since about the middle of April. Piarly
planted stock has done middling, but all late
planted stock has suffered, and much of it will
prove an entire loss. Complaint is very general
of an entire failure of apple root grafts.

Cherries are the heaviest crop ever known.
Strawberries very light, and market poorly sup-
plied. Plums are full, so are apples. Pears
light. Peaches bid fair for more than an aver-
age crop. Easpberries, black and red, light.

Farm crops are all light ; wells are beginning
to fail. The river is well up, but small streams
in this immediate vicinity are very low.

This season will long be remembered as one of
unprecedented drought.

[1st. ^ye do not know who is the authority
for the name. There is no description in any
botanical work that we know of. In garden
catalogues it is somelimesonc way and sometimes
the other. The meaning of the terra affords no
clue, as the plant answers to both names. As,
however, the "shorter growth'' of this would be
the first to strike one, it is probably L. hrachy-
poda.

2d. We know of only one of this section.

3d. Undoubtedly. There is no specific dif-
ference that modern botanists would recognize.

4th. "Ifalliana" is but a garden name. It is
the original L. japonica, and the same that is so
common in Chinese pictures. The gold veined
one belongs here. It is a mare vigorous form of
L. japonica than the L. hrachypoda. The an-
thers are usually pollonless, and even where
present seem to be unable to fertilize. The hra-
chypoda form is the one Avhich produces seeds.

oth. The Chinese Honeysuckle is L. flexuosa,
has red purplish stems and veins. They all con-
stitute not only one flxmily of Honeysuckles, but
we believe are aW forms of one species. Halliana
is the best flowerer of the three ]

Honeysuckles. — J. J. H., Newarl-, N. J. —
"The July number of the Gardener''s Monthly
suggests a few enquiries about Honeysuckles.

1st. Which is right, L. brachybotria or L.
brachypoda ?

2d. Are there not two varieties of the above?

3d. Are they varieties of L. Japonica ?

4th. Are the names L. Halliana and L. Ja-
ponica belonging to the same plant ?

5th Do not the Chinese and Japanese Hon-
eysuckles comprise one branch of the Honey-
suckle family ?

L. Halliana has proved perfectly hardy with
me on a heavy soil since the first winter afier
planting, being then, for want of mature wood,
cut down to the ground.''

Value of Botanical Gardens and Col-
lections.—While examining the immensely val-
uable herbarium of the late Dr. Short of Ken-
tucky, (for whom .S/ior«/a has been named) in the
Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, we
found the following memorandum in the hand-
writing of Dr. Short attached to a specimen of
Zanthoriza apiifolia:

"Zantiioriza apiifolia.

Note. AVith this specimen plucked in J3ar-
tram's GardenT in the Spring of 1816, (in com-
pany with Abbe Correa, the venerable AVilliam
Bartram and my friend and fellow student, Dr.
Edward Barton, all of whom are long since dead)
this collection commenced. C. W. Short, M.
D., 1817."

People often value an institute according to
the number of persons who visit it ; but often tlic
seeds of usefulness spring up in the most casual

way.

The same bush of Zanthoriza is still in exis-
tence at the Bartram Gardens. One can almost
imagine the interest excited in the minds of the
young student by the discussion over thiscuriou.^
plant by the two great minds h« was in company
with.

246

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOKTHLY.

August,

O Keefe, Sox & Co., or Rochester, J^. Y.-
We notice that the Richmond Farmer^s Gazette
makes some inquiry as to who this firm is ? Our
publishers also would like to know more than
they can find out. Perl^aps some of our readers
can enlighten them. A firm which advertises
so much should be better known.

N. B. They have a few similar enquiries to
make about some other gentlemen.

Hale's Early Peach.— The Journal of
^f/rici(Z;'?(re, (St. Louis,) says: "In this region,
and especially in locations south of this, the
Hale's Early, which was very popular a few
years ago, has proved for two years past worth-
less, on account of its tendency to rot."

Mr. "Wm. Parry of Cinnaminson, N. J., had
an orchard, all of this, rot so that he abandoned
it as not worth "culture ;" when lo ! for the last
two years, amongst the weeds and grass of ne-
glect, he has had wonderful crops.

Transplantixg Tree Box.— A. W. C,
Plymouth Meeting. Pa. — In this part of the world,
tree box transplants most successfully in April,
just before the new growth pushes. As a rule,
Box is very easy to transplant. We saw a half
dozen, sixty years old, which were moved sever-
al miles at that season, and they all grew with
out any check of any account.

BOOKS, CATALOGUES, &C.

Cra.vbkrry Clltcre. By J. J. White. Published by Orange,
Judd & Co., New York.

This is a full treatise on the subject — more
valuable than similar works have been, through
the copious illustrations which explain the text.

Keport of State Agricultural Societv of Iowa, fob 1869. From
.T. M. Shaffer, Secretary, Des Moines.

We find amongst other interesting things in
it, the following al)out artificial growth of tim-
ber:

The last General Assembly pns.sed an act encouraging
the growth of limber, fruit and shade trees, itc. The
Society has endeavored, by circulars addressed to the
several counties, to learn what the effect of this legisla-
tion has been. The replies are so indertnite and mea-
gre, that it is impossible to submit to your honorable
body even an appro.ximate estimate. The census re-
turns, under the heading "No. of acres planted in tim-
ber," in 1808, 19,075 acres, making the entire average of
artificial timber In the State, 08,149, The increase be-
tween 1«01 and 1800 was 28,489 acres, and we have, with
theaid of legisliitiDii, with the increase of population,
and of the number of acres placed under cultivation,
8,811 less ofarlilicial groves between 18G8 and 1800, than
between 1860 and 1801.

In 1806 the proportions of artincial timber to land
enclosed, was 1 in ISTO, Ijoln;^ a lamcntablodecrcase com-
pared with th(^ preceding two years. At this time
there are "lands enclosed" 8,174,<)20 acres; and "lands
under cultivation" 0,109,71.1 acres, or n, total of 14,281,673
acres; the proportion will then bo 1 to 208, Indicating
that the areri of artillclal limlier does not nearly keep
pace with the acres jjjar-ed under cult Ivalion.

Consider the following hurried summary of facts:
1st.— That for a century and a half a large population

has been cutting out, destroying and wasting the beet
timbered region on the continent, tliat lying between
the Atlantic ocean and the Mississippi River, in pre-
paring and subjugating the soil to cultivation. 2d. —
That only the mountain lands have been permitted to
reproduce the forest. Sd.— That no systematic eftbrt lias
been made to supply the waste. 4tli.— That so great
have been the avarice and thoughtlessness of the peo-
ple, that they have destroyed the forests, containing in
themselves the elements of unbounded wealth, for the
intinitoly small profits of immediate returns in wheat,
corn and other crops, .'ith— That the consumption of
timber for building, fencing, implements, railroads,
fuel, &c., is increasing with gigantic strides, and the re-
production is going on at a snail's pace. 6th. — That the
StatesofI\rainc, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and
Florida are alone among the States exporting any ap-
preciable amount of timber more than they need. 7th —
That west of these vast belts of timber that were, stretch
out an untimbered surface of 1,400,000 square miles.
8th.— That the destitute surface exceeds by more than
400,000 square miles the whole of the once heavily tim-
bered regions east of the Mississippi. 9th.— That the
n(!W Stales soon to be admitted— New Mexico, Colorado-
Wj'oming, Montana, Idaho and Dakota have but a
small supply, not nearly sufRclent to meet the demands
of a population equal to Oliio, Indiana or Illinois.

Rfal Estate Cataloque op Daniel M. Fox & Sojf, for Jplt,
1870.

This firm, of which the Mayor of Philadelphia
is Senior member, stands very high amongst the
business houses of that city. The present cata-
logue embraces descriptions of one hundred and
seventy properties, from which any one anxious
to invest in Philadelphia real estate, can certain-
ly find honest guidance.

1870'

THE GARDEjyER'S MOJSriELY.

^Ul

Harrisos's "Flavorijjo Extracts." New Edition. By A. W.
Harrij^on, Perfumer, Philada.

This contains amongst many other recipes,
the latest improvements in Chicken and Lobster
Salads, and other good things.

ARCniVES OP SclENCB.

This is to be a new journal devoted to science,
"devoted especially to original researches in
Vermont," to be issued quarterly from New-

port, Vermont, and to be edited by Drs. Ilin-
man and J. M. Currier at !S2 50 per year, of 256
pages. The first number was to appear in July.

The Western Gardener is the title of a
new horticultural journal to be published on the
1st of September, at Leavenworth, Kansas. It
will be edited by Dr. Ilouseley and Mr. S. W.
Lockwood.

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.

Legend of the American Holly. — J. Par-
rish Steele in the Journal of Horticulture^ gives
the following account of the American Holly:

Long, long ago, there dwelt in the great South
country a mighty Indian chief of the Chicka-
saws, by the name of Sheka. He had a daugh-
ter whose name was Colia ; a word that may
have meant as nimble as a fawn ; or it may have
meant as graceful as a fairy, or it may have
meant as beautiful as the morning — but no mat-
ter, Colia was her name.

Colia was the pride of her nation ; idolized by
her father, the chieftain, more than idolized by
the young brave?=, and loved by all who knew
her. To accomplish something that would give
her pleasure, was the greatest ambition of both
old and young— more especially the latter — and
many were the deeds of daring marked upon the
lodge-skins that, but for her sake, would never
have found a legitimate record there.

As in the case with all heroines, in Indian
story, Colia had a passionate suitor, and that
suitor had a bitter rival. Sikolas, the Eagle,
wooed her because he loved her dearly, and won
her because he was worthy of her hand. Coham-
ma the Red Fox, also loved her, and pressed his
suit ; but as is sometimes the case with even
good looking young fellows who are not Indians,
he was unsuccessful. A la the lamented Arte
raus Ward, "as a courList he was not a success.''
Sikolas was. He wedded the fair daughter of
the forest, and Cohamma vowed vengeance.

Ere a moon had waxed and waned, Cohamma
entered the wigwam of Sikolas. at the still hour
of night, and found him repo.sing calmly in the

arms of his loving bride. The sight of so much
happiness in the posses.'^ion of his hated rival
was more than he could bear, and so without
ceremony he .sent his knife to find a resting place
in the hearts of the unsuspecting sleepers.

The morrow was a sad day to theChick;\saws.
Heaven put on her most angry frown, and sent
bolts of fire hissing through the forests on the
trail of the murderer, and earth wept a fountain
of tears over the loss of her cherished ones. From
points at cither side of Sikolas' wigwam these
tears gushed forth in their crystal purity, and
have continued to flc»v up to the present time,
and doubtless will continue to flow for all time
to come.

The Chickasaws assembled, and as was their
custom, buried the unfortunate couple where
they lay in wigwam, between the springs. But
the Great Spirit would not let them rest forever
hidden from the sight of their friends ; he called
them forth, two beautiful trees, to wave their
graceful branches and glossy leaves above Hhe
fountains, and send their oftspring to grow over
and gladden all the land of the Chickasaws.

"When the long knives came to the country,
the charming home of Sikolas and Colia attract-
ed their attention, and they tarried at it, and
giving it, in honor of its beautiful occupants, the
name of Holly Springs.

Strange and unreasonable as this legend may
seem, it is said that the Indians bdieved it as
fully as docs the Mussulman believe Mahomet
to be the true prophet. Its site is at the town of
Holly Springs in Mississippi.

2^8

TEE GARDEJVER'S MOJVTHLY.

August,

- Painesville Nurseries.— The Painesville
Telegraph says : We feel safe in sayinc;, Storrs,
Harrison & Co liave one of tlie largest and best nur-
series in the West. They have completed the last
fall, two more propagating houses, each 80 by 12
feet, and 9 feet high, and between "them a splen-
did green or show house. This last is 80 feet
long, 25 feet wide and 14 feet high, and is filled
with innumerable flowering plants of all kinds.
The center is provided with banks of shelves ris-
ing to the very peak, and filled with such beauty
as an establishment of this kind alone can fur-
nish. The greenhouse with its two adjoining
propagating houses co\er a space of 50 by 118
feet.

In the rear of these is a new two story build-
ing, GO by 14 feet, in which are the shop, potting
room, furnaces, cisterns, coal room, etc. There
IS also another propagating house 50 by 12 feet ;
also adjoining this, a cold frame, 50 by 12 feet.
They have four other propagating and green
houses, 100 by 12 feet ; still another, 30 by 13
feet, for rooting evergreen plants.

They now have one hundred acres of nursery
stock, and propose to add fifty acres more this
spring. They are making a specialty of the
chestnut. Last year they grew 250,000 young
chestnuts, and propose to raise at least 750.000
this 5'ear, as they will plant 150 bushels of chest-
nuts. They have 500,000 evergreens of all kinds
and sizes.

Pear Orchards in Ohio —The JSforthicest-
evn Farmer says: The most promising and
beautiful pear orchard that I have yet seen
in this State, is that of A Fahnestock, Esq.,
near the mouth of the Maumee River, five or six
miles bolmv Toledo. Mr. Fahnestock, being an
old nurseryman and pomologist, selected his lo-
cation, soil and varieties with much care, accord-
ing to the best information he could gather at
the time. His orchard consists of ten acres of
strong clay loam, which was well underdrained
and subsoiled ; then planted (seven years ago)
with a thousand standard trees, which have
been well cultivated and cared for, and are now
of fine size and shajjo, witli scarcely a failure or
defective tree in the whole lot, and many of
them have commenced bearing fruit.

The varieties are: 100 Buffum, 100 Seckel,
200 Sheldon, 100 Bcurre d'Anjou, 200 Bartlett,
200 Flemksh Beauty, witli a few trees of each of
twenty or more otlier varieties. The result thus

far is, in the main, highly satisfactory, but in a
recebt letter to me on the subject of varieties
and other matters pertaining to his pear orchard,
he writes:

"Were I to plant another pear orchard, I
would discard the Buffum entirely.

"A large portion of my trees are perfect beau-
ties in form, as well as in health and vigor.
They are branched from within two feet of the
ground, and are ten to twelve feet in width at
the base, regular cones or pyramids in shape,
from eighteen to twenty feet high. Of course
the trunks are well shaded from the rays of the
sun."

Grapes ix Ohio.- Mr. F. E. ElUott says
there are 2,000,000 acres of grapes in Ohio.

Garden OF W.Penfield, EsQ.near Cleveland,
Ohio. These are situated at Lake View, and
contain 15 acres, in which are 1,600 peach trees,
of which 1,000 are in bearing, 70 large cherry
trees, 800 pear trees, standard and dwarfs, 10
bearing apple trees, 2,500 grape vines, 1^ acres
of Wilson, Kittatinny and Lawton blackberries,
and one acre of Wilson strawberries. On this
place, and on that of Mr. Whittlesey Collins,
and also that of M. W. Manning, orchard culti-
vation is almost absolutely perfect. The ground
is smooth and free from everj' weed, the trunks
and limbs of trees are most beautiful, betoken-
ing incessant care, for which the reward, vig-
or )iu growth, is rich and ample.

Eumelan Grape. — F. R. Elliott, in a recent
letter to an agricultural paper says of the Eume-
lan Grape: "Perhaps no grape of very recent
introduction better merits approval. Like the
Delaware, it is a sort with which in quality of
fruit we may hope to tone up and improve pub-
lic taste, while realizing a profit in its sale. I
have watched the growth of the vines for two
years, and they compare favorably in all respects
with any and all other varieties. 1 he question
comes to me almost daily, "What grape do you
advise to plant ? and I reply, plant mainly of
those you have heretofore known to prove profita-
ble in your sections and light soils ; but of the new
black grapes don't fail to plant some of Eumelan
as a grape of promise. I have known several
acres of it planted the past year resulting in uni-
form and satisfactory growth, giving good cheer
to the enterprising planters, who doubtless con-
gratulate themselves on their foresight."

1S70.

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOjYTHLY.

2A9

'jf.

Peaches in^ Florida. — Peaches ripen in
Florida as follows : Hale's Early, June 10 to
1-J ; Early Tillotston anil Yellow St. John, June
15 to 20 ; Canary, June 30, American, July 1 to
10 ; Bergen Yellow, July 10 ; Grosse Mignonne,
July 15 ; Late Admirable, July 20 ; Oldmixon
Free, July 15 to 30 ; Great Eastern, July 20 ;
Pucelles de Malincs, July 10 ; Late Rareripe,
Aug. 1 ; Lagrange, Aug. 15 to 30 ; Gaylord, Aug.
15 ; Owen's Seedling, August 1 to 15 ; Osceola,
September 1 ; Piquet's Late, September 1 to 15 ;
Fruitland's Seedling, September 5 to 20 ; Presi-
dent Church, September 15 ; Lady Parham, Oc-
tober 1 ; Baldwin's Late, October 10 ; Julia, Oc-
tober 30.

Pears for Mississippi. — A correspondent of
the South Land furnishes the following list,
which has done well with him:

Madeleine, Doyenne d'Ete, Beurre Giflfard,
Skinless, Bloodgood, Dearborn \s Seedling, Juli-
enne, Bergamot, Howell, Bartlett, St Andre,
Henry 4th, Duchesse d'Angouleme, Heathcot,
St. Nicholas, Beurre Diel, Belle Lucrative, Buf-
vm, Triomphe de Jodoigne, Jalouise de Fonte-
nay, Vendee, Winter I^eUs, Doyenne de Aleueon.

number of quince stocks. But not to the nur-
sery proper is attention now directed. During
the winter Mr. Archer, anticipating a demand
for those out-door plants which adorn a dwelling
and make a garden look cheerful in spring, has
slipped many thousand Verbenas, Geraniums,
Petunias, Heliotropes, Fucl»ias and foliage
plants ; every desired variety has been most care-
fully propagated, and will be for sale in the
spring. Will he be sustained ? We hope so.
Not only that, we believe a demand will be crea-
ted which will enable Mr. Archer profitably to
extend his business. He has now on hand
twelve diflferent varieties of Bourbon, Tea and
Noisette Roses, and all the more hardy varie-
ties, together with dahlias, pinks, dielytra, sal-
via and pansies, too numerous to mention.

ORCnARDiXG IN New York.— Mr. Wm. W.
Houseman of Batavia, presented the New York
Institute Farmer's Club with the following sug-
gestions concerning the managements of old or-
chards: "Old orchards should be highly ma-
nured, unless the soil is naturally very rich, and
cultivated every third year at least, the plowin::
being rather shallow. Mulch the trees in the
Fall with a load of barn-yard manure to every
four trees, summer fallow the next year, spread
the manure from the trees, and you can grub
around the trees very easily, as the turf wall be
rotten. Throw some ashes and a little salt
around each tree, wash the bark with lye, and
your orchard will bear fruit unless something
serious is the matter."

Apples for Mississippl— A correspondent of
the South Land gives the followdng as the best in
his experience:

Yellow May, Yellow Harvest, Red June,
Royal June, Red Margaret, Red Astrachan,
Summer Pearmain, Green Horse Apple, Car-
ter's Winter, Tewksbury Blush.

This list, though short, would give a long suc-
cession of fine fruit.

Greenhouses at St. Joe, !Mk;ii.— Among
other indications of progress which are multi-
plying so rapidly, we take great pleasure in call-
ing public attention to the Greenhouse and Nur-
sery of Thos. Archer & Co. They are located
up the Lake Shore, south of St Joseph f of a
mile, and contain pears of all kinds, .W, 000 young
trees ofdiflerent varieties of peaches, 15,000 of
plums and cherries, any quantity of every de-
sired variety of small fruit, and also a large

A Large Grape Vine. A correspondent of
the New England Homestead, writing from Fay-
ettville, Vermont, gives the following about a
grape vine on his fiarm:

Circumference three feet above the ground, 41
inches ; circumference of one of the branch vines
three feet from its intersection of the trunk or
main vine, 30 inches. Another branch mea-
sured 28 inches in circumference at about the
same distance from the trunk. Each of the
branches is nearly uniform in size for several
feet beyond its junction with the main vine.

Wild grapes are abundant in this vicinity, and
I think other vinos might be found here not
much smaller than the one described.

Wisconsin Fruits.— Col. David A See, of
the town of Marquette, Green Lake Co , AVis.,
havinti raised 5,000 bushels of apples the last
year, has now (March 1) 100 bushels of the Gil-
pin apple buried, the apples being covered with
about one foot of straw, and over four or five
inches of earth, in the manner commonly adopt-
ed in burying pofatocs. He confidently expects
these apples will come out in good condition

^50

THE GARDEJVER'S MO^^TIILY,

August,

June 1. Last year he sold apples, of this varie-
ty buried in tliis way, at SI 75 per bushel. —
Western Farmer.

A New View of Sexual Law.— A paper
whicli was recently published in the Press is
arousing quite ar# animated discussion in En-
gland, viz : The essay read by Mr. Thomas
Meelian before the American Association for
the Advancement of Science, on the laws regula-
ting the production of sexes in plants. Mr,
Meehan, it will be remembered, advanced the
bold and somewhat startling propo.sition that "it
is only the best condition of vegetative vigor
that female flowers are produced, while male
flowers come from a weakened vitality,'' or in
other words, that it is only the highest types of
vitality which take on the female form.

The Gardener''s Chronicle and Ayricidtural
Gazette of London, in a late issue devotes an
editorial article to the discussion of this theory,
evidently leaning to Mr. Meehan's proposition,
to which it contributes the evidence of general
additional facts — the case of palm trees being
one which the editor alleges bear female flowers
one year and rest the next year, bearing male
flowers, whose production does not so severely
try the energies and vital force.

Mr. Meehan so far has confined his theory to
the vegetable world, his especial field, but there
would seem to be no reason why, analogously,
the same law, if demonstrated to be a law,
should not hold good in the high orders of crea-
tion. If this be so, here is a phase in the wo-
man question which the woman's right sister-
hood have never thought of, and possibly do not
understand. "VVe invite their close attention to
Mr. Meehan's proposition and argument, and
caution them not to speak too soon. It takes
some time, study and brains to master it. — Daibj
Press.

Our climate and soil are well adapted to the
peach, and the fruit will in time probably be cul-
tivated on a large scale in this State for drying
and curing. — San Francisco Alia Californian.

Cercis Canadensis on American Judas
Tree.— Can you or some of your readers say
whether or not the blossoms of the above tree
are detrimental to bees ? A friend of mine, who
has a good lawn, but also has a fair stock of bees,
was upon the recommendation of a correspon-
dent in the May number of the Gardener'.s
i/oni/i??/, about ordering several of them to add
to the ornamentation of his place but on the
strength of old memories, I advised him not to
do it, as I remember that when I was a boy on
a Pennsylvania farm, the ground under the Red-
bud or Judas trees was always thickly covered
with dead humble bees, wasps, hornets and yel-
low-jackets, when those trees were in bloom.
Neither we nor any of our neighbors kept honey
bees. — Colman''s Bural World.

The Peach Orchards of California.-TIic
State of California has 800,000 peach trees, or
about five to every voter — enough to produce
more than 100 jjounds annually for every per-
son. The figures are large, but they are official,
andare supposed to be correct. Santa Clara county
is down for 70,000 trees, Sacramento for 74,000,
El Dorado 56,000, Sonoma for 52,000, San Joa-
quin for 45,000, IJutte for 40,000, and Napa,
Placer, Tuolumne, Colu.su, Aiyador, Yolo and
Yuba range between '20,000 and 30,000 each.

The Flower Tradeof St. Louis.— It isbuta
few years since the entire flower trade of the city
was in the hands of a few old women, and the
list of flowers on sale was of the most limited
character. St. Louis was held up in contrast
with Chicago and other cities, and denounced by
interested strangers as displaying an utter want
of enterprise. We have watched the indications
of progress in this direction, especially during
the last ten years, and find an amazing expan-
sion and development. We have now Commer-
cial Floral Establishments, Greenhouses, Gar-
dens, &c., that are a credit to the commuuity
and an illustration of progress in the love of the
beautiful, that canuot fail to work a marked ef-
fect on the health and moral character of the
community.

The total sales for a single week this spring,
foot up the very neat amount of §3,550. The
annual sales of a single firm for several years,
footed up 812,000.

In regard to the character of the stock for sale,
it embraces every article in the greenhouse, con-
servatory aud open garden ; the usual stocks of
evergreens and shrubbery, with allthcequipments
for parlor, window and table floral ornamenta-
tion. It would be a treat to many of our dis-
tant readers to visit Iho.sc establishments and
take notes of their collections aud prices ; after
such a visit there would be less thought of Bos-

1870.

THE GAUDEJ^'EW S MOJVTHLl:.

2ol

ton, JsTew York and Philadelphia, in ordering
flowers, seeds aud ornamentals.

In the department of bouquets and cut flowers
what amazing progress has been made. The
finest flowers of the garden ami conservatory, ar-
ranged in the most artistic styles, with all the
n?ost recent accompaniments, as rich and costly
holders, vases, baskets, Sec.

The houses and grounds are generally in excel-
lent order, and the collections embrace every-
thing new as it comes out in every department
of floriculture, whether in Europe or the United
States. The displays made at some of our fairs
and horticultural exhibitions, fail to furnish an
adequate idea of the variety or extent of the
floral trade of our cit}', and this is yet in its in-
fancy.— Bural World.

Grapes rs" Minnesota. — The agricultural
editor of the St. Paul Press says the Concord is
the general fovorite in Minnesota, on account of
its capacity to adapt itself to almost any soil or
situation. Trouble is found in getting the Dela-
ware up to bearing size, on account of its ten-
derness when young. The lona has done well
in some cases, but failed iu others.

Large Yield of Grapes. — A few years ago
Mr. Carver Maltsby sold to Mr. T. M. Smith,
over eighty (SO) bushels of Scuppernong grapes
the production of one old vine. By some over-
sight this is said to have occuiTcd in Louisiana.
You are probabl}' acquainted with both of the
gentlemen as citizens of this (Columbus) Coun-
ty, and can locate the fact more correctly than
the Louisiana paper. Mr. Maltsby, having a
large family and numerous visitors (all of whom
had free access to his arbor,) thinks the yield
that year over one hundred bushels. — C. G.
"Wyciie, in Carolina Farmer.

Uses of Fungus.— In addition to the many
nutritious esculent species which arc valued as
articles of food. Fungi have another oflice to
perform, and may be classed among the most
beneficial scavengers of decomposing bodies.
The moment vitality ceases in any organized
matter, whether animal or vegetable, millions of
spores floating in the air, are ready to alight
upon it and assist in its dissolution. Whether
fungi are the cause of disease, or merely a natu-
ral consequence of some disarrangement of the
organs of a tree or plant, has long been a dispu-
ted point, many scientific gentlemen being ar-
rayed on either side. Of late years, however,
the question appears to have been pretty gener-
ally settled in favor of the advocates of the for-
mer belief. It is an undisputed fact that these
pests will attack a feeble tree or plant in prefer-
ence to one in a perfectly healthy condition, af-
ter the manner of all parasites, whether animal
or vesretable.— IIooPES' Address.

The Morella Cherry Crop.— We have re-
ports from most of the large cherry orchards in
the northern portion of this state. The crop is
not a large one. The older trees are pretty well
filled, but those four or five years old have but
little fruit. Mr. Dunning, at Jefferson, has mar-
keted about 120 bushels, and expects to gather
some 300 more. His first loads brought S6 per
bushel ; the later shipments have sold for ^i 50
per bushel. — Prairie Farmer.

Apples I^ear Minneapolis, Minn.— The
Farmer^s Union says the apples in the vicinity
of Minneapolis have done very well during the
past winter. Duchess of Oldenburg, Tetofsky,
Red Astrachan, BcUeflower, Fameuse and Wag-
oner are named as having stood the winter very
well— none of the buds being killed.

POREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

Kino Louis of Bavaria, is building hanging
gardens on the roof of his palace, in the shajjc of
an immense arched building of glass, extending
over tlie greater part of the palace and court-
yard, and filled with the rarest exotics.

EUPATORIUM QRACILE ODORATUM is in flow

er here now, and 1 am nmch pleased with it, as
it does well in a warm greenhouse. Before the
first lot of flowers is open there is a second lot

showing on the same plant. It will be very use-
ful for bouquets, cut flowers and general deco-
ration. Strike in February and March ; pot in
any ordinary good soil, and plant out of doors in
June. Take up early in September, and with
the ordinary care of a Verbena it may be had ia
flower all the year round. I should think, from
what I have seen it, it will be everybody's plant
when better known.— W. Howard, Balham, S.
W., in Qardener''s Chronicle.

TEE GABDEJ^ER'S J\foJVTHLY.

August f

Bedding Plants in England,— The fol-
lowing extract from a correspondent of the Lon-
don Oardener^s Chronicle, showing the kinds of
plants used for bedding purposes near South-
ampton, will have an interest for some of our
readers:

"There is no mistake about one thing, this is '
the place to see the flower garden. One might
imagine that the whole had been laid out from 1
here, so admirably does it all fit to each other, j
Eight in under us runs a vei-y broad terrace
•walk the whole length of the mansion, and be-
yond this is margined with vases filled with
flowering plants, and at its extremity is a small
enclosed parterre garden called the Temple Gar-
den, after a building of that character situated
within it. This is filled with a variety of plants
producing flowers convenient for cutting from ;
then,comiug more to the front, are in close conjunc-
tion two large beds resembling Prince's Feathers,
one being made up with a base of Viola cornuta,
flowering freely, with lines of Cerastium, yellow
Calceolaria, Tom Thumb Pelargonium, Purple
King Verbena, and Bijou Pelargonium to form
the feathers. The other had a base of Golden
Feather, and in addition to some of the above
were also lines of Iresine Herbstii, Christine Pe-
largonium and blue Lobelia. A small oval bed
looked very pretty with a centre of scarlet, and
alternating triangles of blue Lobelias and Ceras-
tiums. Some serpentine beds were filled with
centres of Iresine Herbstii, bordered wiih Chris-
tine Pelargonium and edged with Gnaphalium,
whilst others had centres of Ageratum and mar-
gins of Kubens I'elargonium, a bright rosy scar-
let kind, that is most effective for beds. Just off
the right hand corner of the mansion was a large
bed resembling a St. Catharine Wheel, having a
centre of Deu'a Heliotrope, margined with Mons.
Martin Pelargonium, two wings being filled with
Christine, and the others with Stella and Cerise
Unique, the whole edged alternately with Viola
cornuta and Lobelia. A perfect gem was a
round bed, having in the centre a star of Ccn-
taurea ragusina, the angles being filled with Co-
leus, and edged with blue Lobelia and Cerasti-
um, whilst in another bed a very pleasing effect
was produced was a centre of Coleus from which
radiated narrow, sweeping scrolls of Cerastium,
blue Lobelia and Yellow Pansy. At Cadland
the Pansy always docs well and is wonderfully
effective ; it should be struck from cilttings in
the autumn, to make strong plants for the spring,
and it will flower profusely all the summer. The

descriptions of the beds noticed here are given
because they appeared the most striking ; but
they form but a small part of the whole."

Cyclamen persictjm— I think of all winter
and spring blooming jjlants this is the most
pleasing, and yet how seldom we see it grown to
any extent. This may be attributed not alto-
gether to want of space or convenience for grow-
ing it, but rather to the plant not being known
and valued as it should be. As a dwarf decora-
tive plant for the greenhouse or conservatory it
stands unrivalled ; when interspersed with Pri-
mulas on the front row of a stage or platform
the effect is most pleasing. Equally useful is it
to those who have a demand for cut flowers dur-
ing the dreary winter and earl}' spring months.
The sweet scented kinds are, I think, indispen-
sable for bouquet making, imparting as they do
the most delicious odor, little inferior to that of
the Violet ; and after yielding such a succession
of flowers as few plants will do, depriving them
of their blooms as fast as they open, there is then
enough in it as a fine foliage plant to please the
most fastidious. Any amateur with only the
means at hand of an ordinary frame and green-
house, may grow it to perfection. — Gardener^s
Chronicle.

Crassula lactea.— This plant, which was
introduced into England nearly a 100 years ago,
is now rarely seen except in collections of succu-
lents. Surely the purity and abundance of its
tiny white star-shaped blossoms ought to make
it a general fiivorite, coming into bloom as it
does in this dreary month of .January, when so
few delicate flowers are to be had. There is a
figure of it in "Loudon's Encyclopedia; but all
the dictionaries make its flowering month to be
September. Like most of its order, its blooms
last a long time out of water, and it should there-
fore be a valuable plant for bouquets and button-
holes. I fell in with some plants of it lately at
Mr. Haynes' nursery at Penge, where I was
pleased to find that the propagator had had in-
structions to make as many flowering plants as
possible for next year.— W. T , in Gardener's
Chronicle.

[We noticed in our last year's volume the
great value of this plant,— so easily grown, and
so productive of pure white flowers. AVith us it
is a late winter or early spring blooming plant.
—Ed. G. 31.]

1870.

TEE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJVTELY.

253

"Honesty." — This is certainly one of our
most useful spring blooming decorative plants,
and is so well known that I should not have re-
ferred to it, but for the wish I have to correct a
statement made by a writer on spring flowers,
not long since, as to the proper time of sowing
it. He intimated that August was the best time
for this purpose, but experience has proved to
me that to secure strong bushy plants in April,
2 feet in height and 15 inches through, and a
mass of bloom, the sowing should take place in
the month of May previously. 'Ihey should be
treated entirely as other hardy annuals, and
pricked out 6 inches apart when large enough to
conveniently' handle, this will allow the plants
to grow dwarf and robust. For the back rows
of ribbon borders, or the centres of large beds,
the "Honesty'' is invaluable ; it is also eminent-
ly useful when planted either singly or in clus-
ters about the shrubbery borders. Whilst for
those who require large quantities of early cut
flowers, a stock of it must prove of great assis-
tance. I have grown three distinct colors of it-
purple, lilac and white ; the latter is the show-
iest of them, but at the same time I believe the
most scarce. The flowers of the dark kind will
also often assume a flaked or variegated form,
but this characteristic is simply a sport. I
think there is no garden, however grand, that
will not be improved by the cultivation growth
of a little "Honesty."— A. D.

[The above from the Gardemr's Chronicle, re-
fers to a plant very often met with in old Ameri-
can gardens, where it has mostly been valued
for its curious flat seed vessels. — Ed. O. 3f ]

those of your reader.s who wish to procure a
choice selection of hardy plants to embellish villa
gardens with, or for the purpose of adorning
slopes or other raised banks, would find in it a
very valuable addition to kinds that are better
known. — Oarclener''s Chronicle.

Berijeris nepalensis. — T do not think that
this plant is nearly so well known as it deserves
to be. In autumn and winter it is one of the
prettiest of berry bearing shrubs. It is well
adapted for ornamental purposes, and few pos-
sess a more pleasing harmony of color in the
combination of their leaves and fruit. The lat-
ter, though not so numerously produced as they
usually are on the common B. microphylla, are
of a much brighter red, slightly drooping, and
the eye quickly rests on them owing to their
clear shining appearance. The plant, in style of
growth, is not unlike our native Berberis, and
its leaves are larger than those of the other spe-
cies referred to, being of an ovate shape and a
glossy dark green color. It is an ornamental
shrub, quite worthy of general adoption ; and

Gigantic American Flowers.— Tropical
America enjoys the pre-eminence of producing
the largest floral development in a good many
natural orders, there being the Victoria regia
amongst Xymphteceoe, the Brugmansia Candida
amongst Solanaceaj, the Lasiandra macrantha
amongst Llelastomacese, the Sapranthus nicara-
guensis amongst Anonacea?, the Godwinia gigas
amongst Aroidea}, &c. Until I discovered Sa-
pranthus nicaraguensis (GarcZener's Chronicle,
1869, p. 1334,) tropical Africa was supposed to
possess the largest Anonaceous flowers (Mono-
dora,) and now I learn from your columns {I. c.
p. 1330) that Dr. Welwitsch has found in Africa
an Aroid even larger than ray Godwinia gigas.
As I "out-monodored" him in the Anonaceoe, of
course I must not grumble if he "out-godwinias"
me in Aroidece ; but I still trust that when actu-
al measurements arc produced, America may yet
come off" victorious in the question. There is no
reason to assume that the few specimens of God-
winia measured in Nicaragua were the largest
ever produced in the country, and there is every
reason to assume that if my specimens, after suf-
fering somewhat in their passage to England,
attained the past season dimensions equalling
within a few inches those of the plants in Nicar-
agua, they may exceed them even if Mr. Bull
really docs begin to cultivate them. Berthold
Seemann.

[Dr. Secman refers in the above paragraph to
the Godwinia which he discovered in Nicaragua
with flowers as large "as a man." This plant
belongs to the Anmi family, to which our "Cal-
la lily," or 'tPreacher in the pulpit" of the chil-
dren, belong, and these plants may give some
idea of what this "monster aroid" is like.— Ed.
G. M.]

Bouvardia Jasminiflora and Lonoiflo-
RA Are very useful, sweet-scented, winter-flow-
ering plants, much neglected by gardeners in
general, in consequence of their not having a
proper place for them. They require a warm,
light, airy house, close to the glass during the

^6Jf

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJVTMLY,

August,

autumn, winter, and spring months, and during
the summer to be planted out in the open garden,
in good soil, repotting again in September. They
may be iiicreased by cuttings or seedlings, as
they seed very freely. Place the plants in a
warm moist house six weeks before you take the
cuttings, then they strike very freely in the
spring ; pot in good rich fibry peat and loam,
adding coarse sand ; syringe the plants daily.
In case red spider appears, syringe with clear
soot or sulphur water, and if green-fly shows
itself, smoke with tobacco paper. B. jasmini-
flora is the freest of the two, but longiflora has
the largest flowers, and is the s»veetest scented.
When the pots are full of roots, water with liquid
manure frequently. All kinds of Bouvardias
like the same treatment, with the exception of
the rough-leaved one, which will not stand the
syringe so much. — Gar(lener''s Chronicle.

Production of India rubber.— The North
American Review states that there are now in
America and Europe more than 150 manufac"
tories of India rubber articles employing from
400 to 500 operatives each, and consuming more
than 10,000,000 lbs. of gum per annum The
business, too, is still considered to be in its in-
fancy. Certainly it is increasing. Nevertheless
there is no possibility of the demand exceeding
the supply. The belt of land around the globe,
500 miles north and 500 miles south of the equa-
tor, abounds in trees producing the gum ; and
they can be tapped it is said for 20 successive
seasons. Forty-three thousand of these trees
have been counted in a tract of country 30 miles
long, and eight wide. E.ich tree yields an aver
age of three tablespoonfals of sap daily, but the
trees are so close together that one man can
gather the sap of 80 in a day.

Pomology in Wurtemberg.— C. Shickler,
president of the Horticultural Society " Flora, ''
sends to the department of Agriculture at Wash-
ingeon, the following statement relative to Po-
mology in Wurtemberg:

"Wurtemberg may be called one of the largest
fruit growin'4 countries in Eiu-ope. In very good
and prosperous fruit years, as will happen once
or oftener in every decennium, (1800, 18G4, 18G9,)
the crop amounts to from three to four hundred
weight of fruit for every head of our population.
The very perceptible saving in cereals and other
provisious during such year* reduces their prices

increases the export, and has caused our far-
mer's adage: '■'Cheap times come out of the woocl.''^

Our fruit cultivation pervades every district.
The orchards increase in number and size every
year, not only in the river valleys, but on the
hill slopes and mountains, so that you may now
see fine and remunerative orchards two thou-
sand and two thousand four hundred feet above
tide-water, where it was formerly thought that
no fruit could prosper.

The most fruitful sections are found along the
shores of the Neckar, north of the Alb, and gen-
erall}"^ on the northern and northeastern slopes
of the hills which prove, most propitious for
fruit. ,

According to official statistics, as far as obtain-
able, there were iu Wurtemberg during the year
1852, of seed fruit, 5,000,000 trees, with a yearly
crop of 8,000,000 hundred weight of fruit ; and of
stone fruit, 3,500,000 trees, with 2,000,000 hun-
dred weight of fruit. Since then the number of
trees has increased very much. In some dis-
tricts there are from eighty thousand to one hun-
dred thousand fiuit trees upon a square mile.
The city of Stuttgart counts upon a horticultu-
ral area of five th<jusaud four hundred and for-
ty-flve acres, about one hundretl and ten thou-
sand fruit trees. The crops in dillerent years
vary from 590,000 to 19,400,000 sei, (three sei per
huuilred weight,) and as the price per hundred
weight varies between one and three thalers,
gold, (about one dollar to three dollars of our
currenc}',) the average crop of fruit represents a
value of six to seven millions of thalers.

The greatest danger to fruit crops lies in the
spring frosts during the blooming season ; yet as
this season varies nearly four weeks in the difr
ferent sections, it is easily understood that fre-
quently one county has plentiful crops, whilst
another has a failure, but general failures are
rare. For the same reason it is evident that the
warmest districts are not the most fixvorable for
fruit cultivation, as the earlier the time forbloom-
ing the greater is the danger of frosts ; and for
the same reason it is exceptional when go id fruit
and wine crops arc produced the same season,
as the former prospers best under late vegetation
and a wet summer, while wine requires early
vegetation and a dry and warm seas )n.

The yield of cider and dried fruits is consider-
ed with us as of great importancof but table fruit
is also extensively cultivated in some sections,
i. e., "Hems hal," "Neckar shal." The apple
crop is the most useful of all. There is also

1870.

TEE GAREEJVER'S MOJVTELY.

255

some export of this crop, as well as of fresh cher-
ries into Bavariii.

The cherry tree is among the stone fruit most
cultivated in the vallej-s of the Alb and Rems.
The prune tree (Zwetschenbaum) is very com-
mon all over the country, and yields the most
valuable fruit for drying. The year 1868 abound-
ed in all kinds of stone fruit, especially prunes.
The walnut tree (English walnut) prospers most
ou the slopes of the Alb, and yields good crops
and fine cabinet wood. Peaches and apricots
are raised in vineyards and gardens, in the form-
er as standards, in the latter as wall fruit.

A great advantage and ornament is derived
from the planting of fruit trees all along the
roads of the country, the trees being mostly
owned b}' neighboring farmers.

To promote pomology there are several nurse-
ries, and in the vinyards there are raised a
great many young fruit trees, yet the demand is
greater than the supply, and there are every
year great quantities imported from Bavaria,
Baden and France.

The tree fairs every Spring in Esslingen, Rent-
lingen, Goeppingen and Stuttgart are interesting
and peculiar features of Wurtemberg. The prices I
of 3'oung trees vary considerably. Trees which, I
from 184S to 1852, sold at six to ten kreutzer(threc to ;

five cents) each, now sell at one to one and a half
gulden, (thirty to forty-five cents.) The aver-
age price of young apple trees is forty-two kreut-
zer (twenty-five cents) each ; pear trees forty-
eight kreutzer, (twenty-eight cents ;) cherry or
prune trees eighteen kreutzer, (ten cents,) vary
ing with the quality of the tree.

Some years ago a school for pomology was es-
tablished, which proves of great value

The greatest portion of the fruit crop is used
for cider, the favorite beverage of the fixrmer.
This cider keeps very long if made of certain spe-
cies, as for instance, the orange pear, wax pear,
roast pear, sugar apple, Borsdorfer apple, Reine-
Hen apple, »S:c.

In unfivorable years, and even in average
years, during the last decennium, large quanti-
ties of fruit have baen imported from Switzer-
land, Baden and Ilessen, to answer the steadily
increasing demand for cider. Esslingen alone
produces in good j'^ears 10,000 eiraer, (800,000
gallons,) mostly of sugarapple. Asugarapple tree
is known to have yielded from eighty to one hun-
dred sei (twenty-six to thirty-three hundred
weight of a^jk^iles, at a value of 000 to 1,000 gul-
den, (3300 to SoOO )

The industry of distilling liquor from cherries
and prunes (kirshengerst and zwetscheugeistj is
also lucrative and important.

HORTICULTURAL NOTICES.

PENNSYLVANIA HORTICULTURAL SO-
CIETY.

The Fruit Committee of the Penn-ylvania
Horticultural Society having decided to pay a
visit to the grounds of D. W. Herstine near Ger-
mantown, to see his seedling raspberries growing
on the spot, Wednesday, July 6th was selected
for the purpose. An invitation had been ex-
tended to leading Pomologists and Editors to
meet the Committee there. AVe found present,
Thurbcr of the Agriculturist, Quinn of the Tri-
6ujJC,FuUer of the Sun, Freas of the German-
town Telegraph, and some fifty others well known
to fruit grower^

After an inspection of tlie plants, the Commit-
tee selected four as worthy of dissemination, and
named them as follows :

No. 1 Herstine, 10 Rubv,

9 Elizabeth, 16 Saunders.

After the Special Committee had performed
their duty, and the Committee of the whole theirs
in connection with the handsome entertainment
prepared by Mrs. Herstine, speech-making was
in order.

Mr. ^y. Saunders of the Department of Agri-
culture, Washington, was the first speaker call-
ed. He said he remembered well when the
Franconia was considered all that was to be de-
sired in a good raspberry, but in time it almost
disappeared. In fact none which were foreign
to the climate had proved any great success. A
species of mildew affected the foliage, then the
leaves did not ripen, and the foreign varieties
gave but poor crops compared with the native
Philadelphia, which was up to the present time

256

TEE GARDEJfER'S MONTHLY.

August,

the only one we could find generally grown. He
did think that we had got what was long looked
for, a seedling of value from hardy parents. This
was a seedling of the Allen. The Allen was
well known for its hardiness, but it would not
fruit. lie had known one plant at Kahway, N.
J., to make plants enough to fill an acre, but
never fruited. Xow he believed we had the har-
diness of the AUcu with the productiveness so
much desired.

He thanked the Horticultural Society for the
honor of his name to the new fi'uit.

Mr. Wm. Parry was next called: He had
grown raspberries for thirty years, and had lost
much thne and money in planting and trying to
make profitable seedlings of the foreign race.
They all seemed to do well for a little while, but
soon ran out. He remembered when in the city
3'ard of Dr. Brinckle the Orange first fruited, he
saw himself two quarts gathered from a sin-
gle plant of one or two stems ; but where was
the Briuckle's Orange now ? It was true, that
none of these had a constitution that would al-
low them to battle long with the climate. The
Allen was well known as hardy an(P)f fme qual-
ity, but by itself bore little fruit.

We wanted something which was hardy ixnd
productive, and here he thought we had it. These
seedlings were no doubt the product of the Al-
len, which had been fertilized with the pollen of
the Philadelphia which had been growing near
them; and the result was what he believed would
prove the Pomological wonder of the age, com"
bining m^re good qualities than any other we
had seen — large as Hornet— color scarlet — rich
in flavor — productive as Philadelphia. Nothing

more is wanted.

Calls were next for Mr. A. S. Fuller:

He said he was highly pleased with what he
had seen, but was not so sanguine as some of his
friends. AVe all knew how many new fruits had
been introduced, which really were at the time,
the finest ever seen. The best he could feel
about these was that they promised very avcII.
He would like to see our native wild raspberries
get more attention, though it was scarcely possi-
ble we should ever get the line quality of the for-
eign kinds in them.

Prof Thurber was next calknl on, wlio in a
few brief remarks expressed pleasure at what he
had seen, and felt he could 'record progress."

Mr. P. Quinn came ne.xl, who in a humorous
speech, recorded his experience of IG years with
the Anlvvcrps. He could never tell whether

they were living or dying, until they were dead.
These seedlings of Mr. Ilerstine's had pleased
him very much ; yet he should like to hear of
them after they had been tried elsewhere. They
were sheltered here. They might not do so well
in exposed places. But it was not for him to
forebode evil. He saw the good things here ;
here were the facts, and he could only hope they
would turn up alike elsewhere.

Mr. T. Meehan was then called:

He hoped they would have passed him by.
His tongue was not in good speaking order,
though no doubt most present might think the
beautiful sight they had seen on Mi'. Herstine's
grounds was enough to make the dumb to speak
if not the blind to see. Some had suggested that
possibly these fruits might not hold out in their
good promises. He could only say that he had
seen them last year, and they were now as good
as they were then, and there were no signs of
faling off visible. He agreed with others, that
caution was necessary in view of the past. The
Allen he regarded as a foreign variety, but
its hard}'^, vigorous constitution was every
thing that was needed, in a raspberry, so far as
that went ; and he regarded it as one of the very
best parents to start an improved breed from.

Resolutions of satisfaction at the enterprise o^
Mr. Ilerstine were then passed, and the meeting
adjourned.

The Monthly ExniBixroN was held on the
12th.

The Premiums for Hollyhocks, Lilies and
Gladiolus were all awarded to Mr. G. W. Earle.
The Lilies were from Auratum, Superbum and
Philadelphicum. There were 18 Gladiolus in
the collection, and we marked as among the best
Bernard de /ussieu, Shakes])care, Horace, Thos.
Moore, ApoUon, Milton, James Yeitch, La
Candeur.

In the fruit line, there was a great struggle
for the best new Raspberr}^ The Ilerstine hav-
ing been exhibited before, could not compete in
this class. The trial lay between the Northern
Wonder of Mr. Anthony Felten, and Mr. Iler-
stine's Saunders. T)ie latter was awarded the
premium, though there was but little dilferencc
against the Northern Wonder, which is evident-
ly a very good variety, and will Be perhaps as
popular in the field as any of its Q#temporaries. It
seems by the specimens exhibited, to be a com-
pact stitV grower ; and its raiser says will stand
erect without any stakes or support.

DEVOTED TO

MoTti cult lire, Arhoi-i culture, Botany and Rural Affair i

EDITED BY THOMAS MEEHAN.
Old Series, Vol XI I. SEPTEMBER, 1870. ^ew Series, Vol. III. No. 9.

HI^TS FOR SErTEMBEU,

FLOWER GAPtDE:N' AND PLEASURE
GROUND

So soon as the leaves begin to fall, and the hot
dry summer weather passes away, people begin
to think of planting dutch bulbous roots.

Of all fertilizers, well rotted cow manure has
been found best for them, and especially if mixed
with a portion of ftne sand. They should be set
about four inches beneath the surface of the
ground, and a little saad put about the roots
when being planted. A very Avet soil usually
rots the roots, and a dry one detracts from the
size of the blooms. A soil in which garden veg-
etables do well, is one of the best for these
plants.

lu selecting kinds to plant, the Hyacinth has
of course the first place. They are usually set
in beds where the summer flowers have bloomed;
and are best set wide enough to allow of the
summer bedding plants being put between them.
They die soon after the spring flowers are set
out, and can easily be taken out before the sum-
mer flowers grow strong enough to crowd them.
In selecting, a very good show of bloom can be
had from the moderate priced mixed kinds.
These, where one has not much acquaintance
with them, will look nearly as well as the choice
named kinds. The last, however, arc indispen-
sable to those whose taste has been somewhat
cultivated by years of Hyacinth growing. For
window blooming, the bulbs are usually set in
four inch pots, about level with the surface of
the soil, and the pots buried under ashes or sand
until they begin to push. It is also as well before
harvl frost sets iu, to cover the bulbs in the open
ground with a little light litter. They arc hardy
enough ; but the litter keeps the ground from

thawing, which, oft repeated, draws the bulbs
out of the ground. When the bulbs are to be
grown in glasses of water, it is best to set the
whole concern in dark places for some weeks ; as
darkness always favors the production of roots.
When the tops are to grow, then all the light
possible is necessary. But we want roots before
we can have tops. Besides Hyacinths, other
bulbs which arc hardy, and can be set out in the
fall, are Tulips, Narcissus, Squills, Jonquills.
Crown Imperials, Crocus, Snowdrops and Japan
Lilies. The Gladiolus is sometimes seen in
these Catalogues, but these summer flowering
things are all planted in Spring.

In many parts of the Northern States the
leaves will have changed color previous to the
incoming of winter, and the planting of trees
and shrubs will commence as soon as the first
flill showers shall have cooled the atmosphere
and moistened the soil. Further south, where
the season will still remain ' summer ' awhile
longer, the soil may at any rate be prepared,
that all may bo in readiness when the right sea-
son does come. When there is likely to be a great
deal of planting done, and only a limited num-
ber of hands employed, planting may commence
early in the month. What leaves remain on
should be stripped off, and the main shoots
shortened. They will then do better than if
planted very late. In fact, if planting cannot be
finished before the middle of November in thfe
N<n-lhern and Middle States, it is better as a
rule, deferred till spring. In those States where
little frost occurs, this rule will not apply. The
roots of plants grow all winter, and a plant
set out in the fall has this advantage over spring
set trees, that its roots in spring arc in a posi-

258

THE GARDEJVERS MOJs^THLY.

Scpteniber,

tion to supply the tree at once with food. This
is, indeed the theory fall planters rely on ; but
in practice it is found that severe cold dries up
the wood, and the frosts draw out the roots, and
thus more than counterbalance any advantage
from the pushing of new roots. Very small
plants are, therefore, best left till spring for their
final planting. The larger things, and Avhich
we recommend planting in the fjill, should be
pruned in somewhat at planting. The larger
the tree, the greatei* in proportion should it be
cut away.

Before the summer flowers are gone make
notes of the best things to be had for next year,
and arrange now what are to go in the beds
then. There will then be time to get all togeth-
er. A friend has a bed of the early flowering
Cannas which have made a pretty show on his
o-rounds ; but last year he thought there was
hardly gaiety enough with the curious leaves,
lie planted a few scarlet Gladiolus amongst them,
and found they grew very w ell together. The
leaves of Gladiolus hardly showed amongst the
Cannas, so there was no incongruity. The ef-
fect was as if the Canna's bore the scarlet flow-
ers. It is such ideas as these which give inter-
est to a flower garden. So with leaf plants.
The Coleus, Achryanthus, Begonias, and such
like, have much the best effect in partially shady
places. There are other things which do best
in the sun,— such as the Cannas, and Gladiolus

aforesaid.

The best way to propagate 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 iine and sharp, and there is, per-
haps, nothing better 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. luto this bed of
sand cuttings of half ripened wood of the desira-
ble 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 malting
cuttings, it is best to cut the shoots just under
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 cut-

tings. 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 are to
be put in, it saves time to mark a line on the
sand with 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 propagating plants. There
is nothing connected with gardening more inter-
esting.

FRUIT GARDEl^.

Another year of bountiful crops has awarded
the efforts of the fruit grower, and hundreds will
plant who have never thought of it before. On
the other hand many who have grown for mar-
ket are discouraged by the very abundance.
The enormous quantities produced have so
cheapened them, that hundreds have been al-
most ruined.

The public was not prepared for such great
abundance. Now just as people are getting to
use fruit freely, and making it by habit a neces-
sary article of food, growers ■will go out of the
field, and in consequence, even with good crops
another year, the demand will probably exceed
the supply. Thus these little waves of success
ebb and flow; all we can do is to go on with our
hints for the success of fruit growing, knowing
that these little incidentals will regulate them-
selves. »

The planting of the Pear, Apple, Plum and
Cherry will soon be in season ; Peaches, Apri-
cots and Grape Vines, except south of the Poto-
mac being for the most part left till spring.
Choose a dry piece of ground. If not naturally
dry, it is best to throw the earth up into banks
or ridges and plant on them. This is cheaper
and better than underdraining. In planting, if
the roots appear deep, cut away some of the
deeper ones, and shorten some of the top of the
tree at the same time. This is particularly true
of dwarf Pears which are often grafted on rath-
er long Quince stocks. Cut all away of the
Quince root but about six inches, and if this
should be found to leave few roots, cut away the
top correspondingly. Most of the failures with
dwarf Pears come from bad Quince roots, so deep

1870'

THE GARDEJVER'S MOjYTELY.

259

in the gi'ound the lower parts decay, and this de-
ca}- gradnally comnmnicatos upwards until the
whole system becomes diseased. The more ten-
acious the subsoil the more necessary is it to at-
tend to tliis matter. "We spoke of pruning in
proportion to injury. It will be found that all
trees are a little injured by removal, therefore
all trees should be a little pruned at trans-
jilanting.

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 anything, as the soil will settle.
Good common soil may be filled in the holes if
the natural soil is very bad ; but anything
applied as manure may be stirred in the surface-
soil after the trees are planted.

Some talk, in preparing an orchard, about
making "one large hole" for all the trees.
This seems witty, but it is an expense which
very few orchards will ever repay. "Water is
likely to stand in the deep holes we recommend;
but in such cases we would, rather than go to
the expense of subsoiling the whole orchard or
uuderdraining, plant higher than they grew
before — higher than the surrounding soil, mound-
ing the earth, as it were, above the level. No
water will ever stand here. And the money
usually spent on making "one big hole '' of the
"whole" orchard, or in uuderdraining, we would
spend in annually surface dressing the ground.

Trees that have long stems exposed to hot
suns, or drying winds, become what gardeners
call hidebound.' That is, the old bark becomes
indurated,— cannot expand, and the tree suft'ers
much in consequence. Such an evil is usually
indicated by grey lichens which feed on the de-
caying 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.

The old practice of slitting hidebound Cherry
and other trees with a knife, had much more
sense in it, than some of our leading minds are
ready to admit.

VEGETABLE GARDEN.

The main crop of Spinage should now be sown .
Properly cooked, there are few vegetables more
agreeable to the general taste, and few families
who have gardens will wish to be without it. It
is essential that it have a very well enriched soil,
as good large leaves constitute its perfection as a
vegetable. As soon as the weather becomes se-
vere, a light covering of straw should be thrown
over it. A few Radishes may be sown with the
Spinage for fall use.

Turnips also may still he sown. In fact, if
the soil be rich, a better quality of root for table
use will be obtained than if sown earlier.

Celery and Endive will still require the atten-
tion in blanching described in former hints.

Cabbage and Cauliflower are sown this month
for spring use. The former requires some care,
as, if it grow too vigorous before winter, it will
all run to seed in the spring. The best plan is
to make two sowings— one early in the month,
the other at the end. The rule is get them only
just so strong that they may live over the winter
in safety. Many preserve them iu frames ; but
they should have wooden sashes or shutters in-
stead of glass, so as not to encourage them to
grow much.

Cauliflower, on the other hand, cannot well be
too forward. Most persons provide a pit of
stone, brick or wood, sunk five or six feet below
the surface of the ground, into which leaves,
manure, or any waste vegetable matter is filled.
When quite full it is suffered to heat a little,
when it will sink somewhat and have more ma-
terial added to it ; about six inches of good rich
loam is then placed on it, and early in Novem-
ber the Cauliflower planted out. The object in
refilling the leaves so often is to insure the plants
remaining as near the glass as possible, which is
very essential in the growth of Cauliflower*
Lettuce is treated in the same way, and seed
should be sown now to prepare for the planting.
The Cabbage Lettuce is the kind usually em-
ployed.

2G0

THE GARDENER'S MOJ\'TKLy. Septeinher,

C 0 M M U N I C A T I 0 Ts^ S

ANSWER OX NEW GRAPES— WHAT
SHALL I DO WITH THEM?

To Mr. Georf/e JIaskcll, Ipsivich, Mass.
BY DR. H. SCHRODER, BLOOMINQTON, ILLS.

After a thorough and extensive experience of
over 15 years in Grajie culture in Illinois, and
observations over the West.* I came to the con-
clusion that Foreign Vines, or Vines with For-
eign parentage or blood, will not be the Grape of
the future, or the most profitable ones to grow.
Still I wish them tried everywhere in small
quantities and in collections. I believe in
American Seedlings of our yet best approved va-
rieties, as Concord, Norton, Taylor, Perkins,
Delaware, lona, Clinton, Catawba and a few
others. Seedling from Seedling we may have to
go for a century, before we will find the best.

In another thing I believe, and that is, after
our wild lands are in cultivation, swamps and wet
lands dried, our roads made dry and perfect; the
miserable fence laws everywhere most abolished,
the real nurseries for weeds and obnoxious plants;
forests are cultivated; our soils will become
more adapted to Grape culture.

But think on it, to day we have a wild piece
of timber or prairie laud with a growth of Stra-
monia (Gimpson Weeds), Dog Fennel, Wild
Hemp, Ilazelbrush, Elms, Cotton woods, etc., etc.,
and to-morrow or so we plant the most goodly and
relincd plant, the Grape Vine, and now expect
them a tine, a superior and kealthy fruit.

'J' he plant or the vine is the seed, or what the
Father is in creation of man or a child, the land
i.s the mother, to make it healthy give it devel-
opment, beauty and growth. Now only see
through how many generations you can trace
and detect the sins, the rough materials, the
imperfections of the mother and also the father.
Raise your seedlings in your most cultivated
lands, and as we have to go through the sta-
dium of cultivation most everywhere, let time,
good cultivation and observation bring Grapes
to more perfection. Let us not stop for a mo-
ment with the cultivation of the Grape, the
making of wine, as we have to fulfil our mission.
The abolition of drunkenness and cruelty, we

*I sold since that tlnifi over 18,f)(H),000 of Vines and cut-
tings to all parts of America, but ;j went westward.

are determined to make, by wine using, our
people happy.

We have already very good grapes for wine,
and the process of gallizing will make our rough
backwoodsmen. Wine palatable to our people,
and my word for it, our Wines will be better and
finer every year, and what is more, will be
cheaper and in the reach of the laboring class.
If a laboring man can drink a glass of AVine for
five cents, he v.'ill use it in preference to whisky
or bad beer. Wine wull and must supersede
the beer, as it is first used in smaller quantities.

/Second, every farmer and poor man can make
it without the expense of great apparatus.

Third, it can be stored away in smaller rooms.

Fourth, it can be trans^iorted easy, iand most
any time.

Fifth, by properly keeping it it will not sour.

Sixth, the common use of Wine will not make
people sick, start diarrhoea, colic or cholera,
like sour beer in summer.

Seventh, as it is stated that, soul, spirit or
ghost in man consists of phosphoric fluid in the
tubes of our nerves, it will make people wiser,
happier, morally good, and lead to brotherly and
neighborly love.

Not every farmer can have a brewery, but
most can have a little vinyard. Mark my
prophecy, America and particularly the West-
ern States, will supply half of mankind and
the happiest communitcs with Wine in 100 years,
and we will havea happyand morally good people.

As to protecting new plants, or to patent the
same, I am of a dilTerent opinion with you ; just
let the thing go as it is. If you have a good
thing and can persuade buyers, make all you can
out of it, if you have the plant for speculation;
but if you are not a professional nurseryman, and
you give the world a good new plant, you will
be a benefactor, and your name will be recorded
with golden letters in the history of Grape cul-
ture and of your country. We have yet many
good Vines and Plants, and where the first in-
troducers did not make a dollar out of them ;
and here it is the first lime in my life, that I
speak publicly of Dr. Grant and his Delaware,
lona, etc. This man Ts often and often attacked
about his money making out of those new varie

1870.

THE GARBEJVER'S MOMTRLY. ,

^Gi

ties. I say hats ofl'! Thanks to him, who hy
his enormous advertising, canvassing and most
powerful efforts, persuaded people to plant
grapes, ad get the idea of new seedlings up in
people. Without Dr. Grant there would not
have been one-fiftieth of the Grape Vines planted.
Dr. Grant has my sympathies, and when we are
all ashes, the history will give him the first or
second place, and will plant him a monument. I
think here in the West, Illinois, Ohio, ^Missouri
and Kansas are the best States to try your seed-
lings or Hybrids. Louis L. Koch in Golconda,
Ills, is one of the most scientific and practical
collection growers, also Hon. Fred. Meunich, in
Dutzow, Mo., and Mr. Barnes, in Leavenworth,
Kansas, Mr. S. Miller, in Bluflfton, Mo. I have
tried nearly 400 varieties myself.

I hope you will be pleased with my remarks,
as they come from my old heart.

be no question about the grass sod being much
cooler than cultivated ground; and wherever the
injury to a tree appears to be from excessive heat
at the roots, it certainly would thrive better in
sod with the grass close cut.

It will be seen by the above figures, that at 5
p. M. the heat of the ground 9 inches below the
surface was actually 9^ higher than the air above
ground. Though prepared to find the clean
ground the warmest, I was quite surprised at the
results.

EARTH TEMPERATURE.

BY J. M , PHIL A.

Your remarks in'a late number of the Ilonthly^
advising 3"our readers to observe for themselves,
led me to make some observations on the'differ-
ences of temperature between grass sod and cul-
tivated ground. The trial was made on the 25th
of July. It had been hot for two weeks previous
with little or no rain. My first trial was at 11|^
A. M., I .selected a piece of ground that had been
hoed and thoroughly cleaned of weeds a week
previous. Digging down a spit deep, I placed
the thermometer in the hole and covered over
with soil, after it had remained a few minutes I
took it out and found it gave as the temperature
92^. About four feet from the above spot is a
grass lawn, that had been twice mowed this sea-
son, the last time about a week ago. In this I
dug a hole the same depth as before, and with
the same process found the marking of the glass
to be 86°, or 6° less than the other. The tem-
perature of the atmosphere at the time was 92^.
Being anxious to see what effect a hot day's sun
would have on the heat of the ground; at 5 P. M
I went through with the same experiments, and
found the cultivated ground to be 99'', and the

grass

sod 9P, or 8° less than the former. The
atmosphere then being 90''. The moisture of
the ground appeared much about the same in
both places The grass having been twice
mowed, but little grass roots could be seen, these
were very fine and did not extend but an inch
or so down, and were hardly numerous enough

to hold the sod

together.

There would seem to

A FEW HINTS OX VIOLET CULTIVA-
TION.

BY JAMES TAPLIK, MANAGER FOR W'M. E. SUCH,
SOUTH AMBOY, N. J.

To those about to commence growing Violets.
The best time to obtain plants is April and Ma)'.
We usually divide and plant out for flowering
the succeeding autumn and winter, in spring,
about the third week in April, preferring if pos-
sible, a dull damp day for doing it. Hav-
ing oreviously prepared a moist and partially
shaded piece of ground, by digging in a good
coating of decayed manure, every little piece
with a few roots will make a large plant by au-
tumn. We plant in rows about 1 foot from
plant to plant, and tAVO feet from row to row, to
give room for hoeing, whi'ih should be done
frequently, both to keep down weeds and stir
the ground.

Nothing more is necessary until the end of
September, when we prepare frames by placing
about two feet of partially decayed manure,
which will give a moderate heat at the bottom,
and then a mixture of half good loam and de-
cayed manure a foot deep on the top ; choose a
day after a good shower or give the plants a
soaking of water before lifting, they will theft
lift with a large ball of roots and soil, plant in
frame from 15 to 18 inches apart, give a good
soaking of water after making soil quite firm ;
keep the light on a few days, and off at night ;
shade for a week if necessary, and then leave
light off entirely until frosty nights, when they
are closed up, and as nights get colder covered
with rougli hay, as a moderate frost will take
all the scent from fiowers and a moderate frost
will also check the flowering. Give a thorough
watering when necessary,doingit in the morning
of a mild day; give al)undancc of air, either by
pulling light off or tilting them up according to
the state of the weather.
We grow principally the Czar, a very sweet.

262

.THE GARDEJfER'S MO:h''TELY.

SeptemheVf

large flowering, single variety ; a very strong
grower ; flower size of small pansics, on very
long stalks, so that they may be used for bou-
quets without tying to stems ; color a rich pur"
pie; nearly hardy. I need not state it is full
flowering, having gathered 2000 flowers from a
6 light frame in one day. It commences to
bloom in September and continues in succession
until March, in cold frames.

The King is another excellent variety, very
large, 1^ inches in diameter and very double and
sweet. It is so free flowering that it makes a
complete carpet of blossoms. A plant of this
sent to Mr. Meehan this spring, was au average
sample. It was about 18 inches in diameter,
with perhaps over 200 flowers and above that
uumber of buds; color deep purple"; quite hardy
and commences to flower in March. This varie-
ty I had planted in 2 inch pots in greenhou.se,
■with 6 and more large flowers at once. We also
grow a small white hardy variety, very sweet
and pretty for planting on graves, banks, etc., for
which the King is also well adapted, and it can
be realized a bank of violets. We pot some and
put. some thick in boxes in a greenhouse,
as it is very diflicult to gather fi'om frames
sometimes in verj- severe weather. Those re-
quire keeping moist, or Red Spider may be trou-
blesome.

Other varieties require the same treatment,
except that the Neapolitau is not so hardy as
these uewcr varieties I have named.

CROSS FERTILIZATIO^N" AXD THE LAW
OF SEX IX EUPHORBIA.

BY THOMATt MEEIIAX, READ BEFORE PIIILA.
ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIEXCES.

Mr. Charles Darwin's interesting observations
on cross fertilization open a new world for origi-
nal discovery. The list of plants which seem to
avoid self-fertilization is already very large. I
tliink Euphorbia may be added to the number.
Certainly this is the case with Euphorbia ful-
gens, Kaw. (E. jacquinireflora. Hook.) which I
have watched very closely in ray greenhouse
this winter. Several days before the stamens
burst through the involucre which closely in-
vests them, the pistil, witli its ovarium on the
long pedicel, has protruded itself beyond, ex-
posed its stigmatic surfaces, iind received the
jiollen from the neighboring flowers. The way
in which the pollen scatters itself is curious. In
most flowers a slight jar or a breath of wind

will waft the pollen to the stigmas; but I have
not been able to notice any to leave these flow-
ers in this way ; for as soon as the anther cells
burst, the whole stamen falls from its filament-
like pedicel, and either drops at once on the pis-
tils of other flon'ers, or scatters its pollen grains
by the force of the fall.

This Euphorbia also furni.shes another contri-
bution to the theory of sex which I have ad-
vanced. The plan on which the male and female
organs are formed is evidently a common one ;
and the only reason why some flower heads have
a pistil in the centre, and others are wholly
staminate, is, that there is greater axial vigor
when the female flower is formed. Whenever
the common peduncle (below the scarlet invol-
ucre) is weak, a pistil never appears in that
head of flowers. A few which seem strong
neither have them, but the great majority of the
strong peduncles are those which bear the fe-
male blossoms. Another interesting fact is, that
the number of male flowers is less in those heads
which also bear a female, than in those which
are wl^oll}' staminate. This seems to add to the
point I made in my paper on Ambrosia, that
after the flowers have been partially formed in
embrj'o, and before the sex has been finally de-
termined, the female flower, being primordially
the stronger, has the power of absorbing the
males, or their partially formed elements, into
its system. It is certainlj- remarkable that in
both these instances the number of male flowers
should decrease in proportion to the existence or
vigor of the central female one.

The male and female flowers of Euphorbia
fulgens ax'e formed much alike. The female oc-
cupies the centre, and seems really but a prolon-
gation of the main stem, on the top of which is
an articulation from which the ovarium springs.
The capsule readily falls from this articulation
when mature. From the base of the female
central peduncle spring weaker peduncles, col-
orless, appearing indeed almost like filaments,
articulated at about the same heigth as the fe-
male, onlv al)ove the point bearing a short fila-
ment and anther— the caduceous part before re-
ferred to. No one can fail to see the correspon-
dence of plan in these different parts, and I
think that nothing but the favorable position in
the direct line of axial vigor made the central

flower a female one.
Cases occasional!}- occur in which a tolerably

strong head of wholly male flowers will develope

the central axis into a pedicel almost as long and

1870.

THE GARDE^''ER'S MOJYTHLY.

268

vigorous as tliose which hear female flowers. But
the flow of vital force— if I aru correct in using
this term — not being quite sufficient, the final
goal of natural perfection in the female form was
not reached. These cases do not occur often,
but are well worth looking for, as they show so
clearly the dividing line between the forces which
govern the male or female sex.

LABOR DIFFICULTIES.

BY A SOUTHERN NURSERYMAN.

Difficulty in getting the needed labor is begin-
ing to tell fearfully in all agricultural pursuits,
and in consequence many projecting improve-
ments cannot be achieved. We are really short
handed. The negro is becoming more and more
unreliable. I started with a full force, both in
my nursery and plantation; all went along well
enough until the beginning of this month, when
the hot weather set in, and grass becoming
plentiful all over the couutr}', owing to excessive
rains, the spirit of rebellion broke out, and a
strike for higher wages, causing me to discharge
half of my hands. The cause of this is, that a
few bad managing farmers got in the grass, and
as it was a question of life or death to their cot-
ton crops, they offered an advance of wages for
the time being. This put us all to trouble more
or less, and has had a bad effect on the country
at large. We must have more laborers to till
the soil. I would much prefer to keep the negro
to do it for a good share of its products in the
shape of regular and good \vages; but when this
class fails, we must have something to replace
them.

White labor is beginning to be more abundant
every da}', but it is impossible to fill the places
of the dead negro laborers with the native white
population, as they are numerically too small.
A movement is on foot among some of my
friends to try a batch of Chinese, To tell the
truth, I am afraid to try the experiment myself.
But if these latter are skilled laborers, let Ibem
come by all means. The advent of reliable labor
will induce our people to devote more attention
to horticultural matters.

Grape crops very good. Pears and Apples a
full crop; Teaches few. Cotton crops here very
promising; also Corn. On the whole we have
80 far an excellent crop year.

[This was not intended for publication, we
have not therefore used the writer's name or ad-
dress. We publish it, because it is part of a

great question which has troubled northern
horticulturists for many years. Our correspon-
dent makes it a question of class, — we here find
it one of wages wiih all classes. Few will work
for less than the highest wages they can get.

One has a beautiful private place, and a pas-
sionate love of gardening; but one after another,
men who know nothing of the business get his
situation, and it is ruined. lie is nearlv dis-
gusted, when he finds one who is a real gardener,
and all is again pleasant to him. But good gar-
deners are scarce, and high wages tempt on
every side. It is not long before this short
dream ends, — the gardener either goes to another
place where he is better paid,— is taken as part-
ner into some nursery firm,— or starts into busi-
iness on his own account. Providing the
gardener fills his stipulated tinie, and leaves
with fair notice, this is all right. It is to the
interest of the whole country that these intelli-
gent, enterprising men should fill the vacancies
open to them. But it is a serious drawback to
the pleasure of gardening. Thousands would
have places where there are now but a hundred,
if it were not for just such troubles as these.
What is the remedy ? Nominally "Gardeners"
are plenty enough. There is not a place open
that there are not hundreds after it. But that
they are not better suited to our Avants is in
some measure our own faults. No one takes
apprentices any more. " They don't pay." We
don't encourage those we employ to read horti-
cultural publications,— it is no business of ours.
Horticultural Societies we do not encourage, —
gardeners "take our best things there," and
loose too much time. Then our Ilorticullural
Societies themselves loose sight entirely of their
mission and objects. There is not one that
oflers the slightest encouragement to the working
gardener — the main principle on which they
were founded. A premium of one or two dol-
lars is oil'ered for articles which, independently of
the many hours of time taken in their extra pro-
duction, will cost five or ten to exhibit. Hence
no one tries or cares. Those who live within a
stone's throw of the exhibition hall get the sche-
dule on the morning of the exhibition, take a
hasty run through their grounds on the morning,
cut or collect " what they have," and that is all.
What encouragement is there to good gardeners
here ? We say boldly that there is very little
inducement for our would be gardeners^ to learn
their l)usiness thoroughly and well. We arc all
too selfish, and they follow in our wake.

2GJf

THE GARDEJy-ER'S MOJVTKLY. Septemher,

Our trouble is as great with laborers as with
educated gardeners. There is scarcely a nursery-
man north, who has not been driven as nearly
crazy as our correspondent says. We do not
think wc are far from wrong in estimating that
one-third the work is done by women and boys,
in the average of northern nurseries. We do
not know the remedy for this. We doubt
whether Chinese, or the introduction of any
other ese will help the matter one bit. Man-
kind all come to be governed by the same mo-
tives at length. Unless we can control the mo-
tives, it is of no avail. — Ed.]

vinela:n^d and dreer'S nursery.

BY WALTER ELDER, LANDSCAPE GARDENER,
PHILADELPHIA.

It would appear neighbor Meehan, that your
humble servant had followed j'ou on 3'our recent
visits to Vineland and Mr. Dreer's Nursery, and
saw many things worthy of note, which you did
not mention in your notices thereof

In first week of June last, we observed many
large bushes and clumps of Kalmia angustifo-
lia and latifolia, on the wayside going to and
returning from Vineland. They were wholly
covered with their blossoms ; those of latifolia
were deep pink, and in great profusion. The
plants were luxuriating in the full sunshine, far
from trees. We feel assured that all our indige-
nous Andromedas, Kalmias, Rhododendrons, &c.
could be grown with us to as much perfection in
open exposures as they are grown in Great
Britain. Let nurserymen raise them from seeds
and grow the plants in suitable composts in open
sunshine. And let improvers make proper prep-
arations for them when set out. And very soon
they will decorate our lawns in the rural districts.
But in "City Squares" we would never think of
setting them ; the idea is preposterous. The
British people decorate their pleasure grounds
with groups of their native Broom and Whin.
And why don't we try to ornament our pleasure
grounds with our beautiful, blooming evergreen
native shrubs; and deciduous shrubbery too, we
would say.

At Mr. Dreer's Nursery, in the first week of
.July, we saw several hundreds of the "Golden
Lily of ,Japan'» in bloom ; the flowers were very
large and very fragrant, and some were semi-
double,— a noble Lily. Large patches of Pentste-
mons and Yucca gloriosa and filameutosa were

also in bloom, and looked both beautiful and
grand. The lately imported double White Zin-
nia was in bloom; rich and beautiful. The late-
ly imported perennial hardy Phlox, was in
bloom, and surpassed all the species and varie-
ties we have seen, in the richness and sweet per-
fumes of their blossoms. There were several
hundred plants of about ten varieties. The double
Hollyhocks were beautiful ; the rose and saffron
colors were especially beautiful. But all the
blooms were in the form of those of the old War-
rata or Anemoniflora Camellia. The new seed-
ling Petunias and Verbenas far surpassed in the
beauties of their colors and variegations any va-
rieties we have seen. There is a half acre of Pe-
tuneas and two acres of Verbenas. An acre of
Phlox Drummondii in all its beautiful varieties.
And how lovely was the half acre of double Por-
tulaccas ; of various colors, but kept distinct.
The nurseiy is under the superintendence of Mr.
William Dreer, son of Henry A. Dreer; a very
polite and promising young horticulturist.

BIG TREES.

BY W. T. HARDING, FAIRMOUNT PARK, PHILA.

Some years ago, Mr. Walker, of the Golden
Gate Nursery, San Francisco, called my atten-
tion to a tree of remarkable growth and charac-
ter. Eucalyptus amygdaline which promised (so
vigorous there) to be a mammoth in a few years.
No doubt our good friend, Josiah Iloopes, saw
the same tree there, and as he has mentioned
extraordinary instances of arboreal growth,
especially of the Eucalyptus and Pinus, it brings
back to memory some ideas of those "Kings of
the forest glade," whose regal grandeur made
,me exclaim, '•there were giants in the earth in
those days." Between Brisbane and Praramat-
ta, some 60 miles from Sydney, stands a tree (or
did then), some 20 years ago, a Eucalyptus mon-
slrosa, truly a monstrosity in growth, which
measured 78 feet in circumference, height 35
feet. Imagine a huge Caulifiower of such a size,
and you get the idea. I do not know that it has
been described as E. monstrosa;but I saw many
trees in every stage of growth, identical with
monslrosa. I have some vivid recollections of
trees whose tops were " up above the world so
high,"— from 400 to near 500 feet. Look
down from such an altitude, and sec a tree per-
fect in all respects, — call it a shrub or herbaceous
plant, or what you will, it is a miniature tree?

18'fO,

TEE GARDEJVER';^ MOJ^TKLY.

265

Erica cerinflioides nana some few inches high.
I have often seen and admired the pigmy tree, so
abundantly growing at the Cape of Good Hype,
Avith others of more noble mien.

Should you, Mr. Editor, ever make an over-
land journey from Sliney to Adalaide, "look
out " and j-ou will see the big Gum tree I men-
tion. On the eastside of said tree you will see the
initials W. T. 11 , rudely inscribed.

THE AMERICAN CHESTNUT.

We give below two papers on the Chestnut,
The first is by one of the firm of Storrs, ITarri-
son «S: Co., written at our request The second.
IS by the editor, being his remarks before the
American Association for the Advancement of
Science, at Troy, last month. We have from
Storrs, TIarrison & Co. a cut which ex-
plains Mr. Meehan's idea. The artist has taken

a few liberties with nature, but the two distinct I female flowers, the other from the axils of tho
classes of flowers, the one in connection with the I leaf, are well shown.

^,66

THE GARDEJ^EIVS MOJVTHLY.

Septcmhe

The American Sweet Chestnut— Castanea
Amtricana.

FROM STORRS, HARRISON «& CO.

Once our magnificent forests in their native
beauty and grandeur called forth the admiration
and astonishment of European travellers and the
earlv settlers and pioneers of this country ; but
over a large part of the older States, the glory
and beauty have long since passed away. Only
a few of the old monarchs of the forests of centu-
ries growth yet remain— and although we are
comi)aratively but a j'oung nation, yet such has
been our prodigality and wastefulness, we
already seriously feel the want of timber for fuel,
building and fencing, and with the certainty of
an ever increasing demand in the autumn. Our
Agriculturists justly feel alarmed at the pros-
pects, and inquire, what can be done to supply
our own need, and the wants of those that are
to come after us? We answer first, practice the
most rigid economy in the use of timber for an}^
purpose ; protect what remains of the native
forest from the depredations of cattle, so that
the young seedlings may have a chance to grow
and supplv the place of the elder trees.

2nil. Plant a portion of the cleared land to
forest trees, such as are best adapted to the soil
and climate, and promise the most value for fu-
ture use.

Over a very wide extent of country, embracing
several degrees of latitude, the American Chest-
nut grows naturally, a most useful and valuable
tree. After much inquiry and thought upon
the subject, we do most heartily commend its
cultivation wherever it can be grown.

jPtrst. Because it is hardy, grows rapidly from
seed on the shoots, from stumps of parent trees,
and affords the most valuable timber for building
and finisliing lumber, as well as for posts and
rails for fencing.

Second. It is a beautiful tree, covered in earlj'
summer with its long pendant tassel-like blos-
soms and rich luxuriant foliage, and in autumn
with choicest nuts.

Third. It is adapted to a great variety of
soils, thriving equally well on sandy, clayey,
loamy, gravelly and rocky land, if not wet.

Fourth. AVhen grown from seed in the nursery
it can be transplanted with perfect safety and
success.

Fifth. "We have no native tree that equals the
Chestnut for rapidity of growth and durability
of its timber. Usually the more rapid the
growth, the sooner the decay. To this general
rule the chestnut is a remarkable exception.
AVhile it grows more rapidly th^in most any
other tree, the timber when cut and exposed to
the atmosphere will last longer than almost any
other, as the posts and rails of very old fences
can testify.

Sixth. The Chestnut possesses one great ad-
vantage over most other forest trees in repro-
ducing itself. After having been cut down for
timber, young shoots will start from the stump
and grow with wonderful rapidity, in a short
time reproducing more wood than was in the
parent tree. Sometimes these shoots are nu-
merous, but are always under the control of the
owner to thin out as his judgment may direct,
for his future use.

When grown especially for fruit, the trees
should be set as much as 40 feet apart, so that
each may have room to form a wide spreading
head. They will bear fruit in favorable locali-
ties from 5 to 9 years from planting, and the
fruit alwa3's brings a good price and is constantly
increasing in value.

For timber, large quantities are grown in En-
gland, planted closely together, sometimes as
near as five feet each way, planted in this man-
ner the}' produce long straight poles for hurdles,
hop poles, &c. In this country, when we require
so much timber for fences, stakes and posts for
grape growing, what would be more convenient
on a farm than a fine large chestiiut grove,
where the farmer could at any time resort for
timber with the assurance that from the appa-
rent worthless stump left in the ground, there
would another season spring up a growth,
Phoenix-like, more vigorous and numerous than
the trees removed. In this manner they may
be cut, not only once or twice, but maybe cut
and renewed every few years for centuries, as
the Chestnut groves and forests in England
fully demonstrate. With all the superior excel-
lence of this tree, we wonder that its propagation
has been so much neglected. Then we sa}' plant
the Chestnut. that you may enjoy its beauty and
shade, its fruit and timber; and that you may
leave a rich inheritance to your children ; plant
it on the broad prairies of the West, plant it on
the thin worn out soils of the East, plant it in
lawns and streets, plant in orcliards and groves.

1870.

TEE GARDEJSTER'S MOJ^THLl.

267

plant it wherever you may want a useful and

valuable tree, and future generations will rise up

and call you blessed.

■•■«■

KUTRITIOX AND SEX IX PLANTS.

Jtead before American Association for Ad. Science.
BY THOMAS MEEHAX.

In my paper on the laws of sex in plants, which
I read to the Association last year, I gave some
account of a few of the leading facts I had ob-
served, which seemed to indicate that a higher
degree of vigor or vital force was necessary to
produce the female than the male sex in plants.
I have not met with one fact which has sug-
gested any other conclusion; nor have I heard
any fact suggested by others which could lead to
any other opinion. "Wherever there has been
any change in the sexual relations, the male
flowers or organs are invariably associated with
declining vigor, while only in those parts of
l)lants most favorable to the highest state of vi-
tality, are the female flowers most numerous, or
generally found.

This theox'y is so capable of easy demonstra-
tion by any one who will personally examine the
first mona?cious tree or plant he meets, that I
feel sure n()thing further will be needed from me
to sustain it. I propose now to go a step fur-
ther, in the endeavor to ascertain the exact laws
of nutrition, by which we ma}^ control these sex
producing forces respectively.

I have here some specimens of Castanea Amer-
icana, our common sweet Chestnut, as my first
contribution to this class of facts.

But first I would call attcntionjto the fiact,that
there are two classes of male flowers in this tree.
It is scarcely possible that this should have es-
caped the eyes of other observers, but I find no
reference to it in botanical works. One class of
male flowers comes out from the axils on half
starved shoots, the other class terminates the
strong vigorous shoots which bear the female
blossoms. Tho.se of the former class have their
flowers set densely on the rachis. — on the latter
they are somewhat scattered, and do not open
until a week or ten days after the latter. The
numerous flowers we see on the Chestnut trees
are of the former class, and generally have
mostly fallen before those as.sociated with the
female flowers open. I think it likely that one
of these classes does not perform the usual fiif-
tilizing functions, but could not satisfy myself
jiosilivi-ly. The interest for us here is to note
the antagonism, so to say, between the male and

female blossoms. The comparatively weak
spikes show that they were formed only after
the female flowers had received matter
enough for tlicir perfect development Only the
surplus matter goes to form the male flowers at
the apex. This is better shown by the fiict that
often there is no prolongation beyond the female
flowers; no male blossoms. At other times only
a few— never as we have seen, the number which
appears on those spikes which are wholly mas-
culine in their nature.

In regard to the influence of nutrition on sex,
another specimen I exhibit is from a tree at least
forty feet high and six feet in circumference. It
is on my ground, stands out by itself, and has
borne fruit regularly and in good crops a nnuallj'.
This year the leaves are all streaked with yellow,
as in this specimen.

Horticulturists well know that this appear-
ance on the leaves of plants arises from an inter-
ruption of the nutritive functions. If a branch
be partially ringed to induce fruitful^^ess,— or if
the roots be injured in transplanting,— or rotted
by an over supply of water, a yellow tint to the
foliage is the invariable consequence. In some
way then this Chestnut tree has this season met
with some check to its nutritive system,— re-
ceived a blow to its vitality, which has resulted
in this yellow tinted leaf. The effect of this on
the sex is, that though thousands of male flow-
ers are produced, there is not one female flower,
one young chestnut, on the whole tree that I can
find.

I think this instance satisfactory as far as it
goes, that defective nutrition is one of the ayents
which operate on those laivs of vitality that govern
the sexes.

*»m**

CHANGE OF COLOR IN FLOWERS.

BY MR. C. CRUCKXELL,, HARRISBURG, PA.

Your editorial in the August number of the
Monthly, on " varying colors in the same plant "
brings to mind a circumstance worth repeating.
During the past winter I had ocoasion to call on
a friend of mine, with a view of obtaining some
white cut flowers. A pure white Ageratum in
his collection pleased me so well that I begged
cuttings of the same to add to my ^tock of white
winter flowering plants. The cuttings rooted
and bloomed in the greenhouse, and have con-
tinued flowering in the ground all summer, but
the flowers are all blue. There was no mistake in
the cuttings as I cut the white flowers Irom the
cuttings before putting the latter in the sand box

2GS

THE GARDEJfER'S MOJVTHLY. September,

and no person had access to them hut myself.
It remains now to he seen whether they will re-
turn to the original color white, after having
been housed for the coming winter. Singular,
is it not?

[What species was it ? Please send a few
leaves. — Ed.]

BEAUTIFUL BLOOMING SHRUBBERY.

BY CHEOXICLER.

Prunus trilobata is a charming shrub, lately
introduced from China. Its blooms are bright
pink, semi-double; and produced in great profu-
sion, which covers the whole plant. It is hardy
in the nurseries of Ellwanger & Barry, Roches-
ter, 'New York— who have a colored plate of it
in their Catalogue for 1869.

Deiitzia crenata flora plena is of stately and
and upriglrt growth, with an immense profusion
of double, pure white blooms in May and early
June; flourishes upon various kinds of soils, and
is of the most simple culture.

Spircza callosa alba, a very choice, beautiful
and easily grown shrub; producing white blooms
from June to September. In habit it is dwarf
and handsome.

SpircPM Eeevcsii rohusta grows twice as large as
the old Reevesii, and the blooms being twice as
large, it appears as if doubly numerous, covering
the plant wholly with white hawthorn-like blos-
soms in June, and a small bloom in September.

Spiraea eximia is one of the best of the spike
blooming varieties ; the color of the blooms is a
bright rose, and produced in immense clusters
in July. The plant is of thrifty growth upon
various kinds of soils.

The above species are not yet generally known,
but many that are well known, are not surpassed
in the beauties and profusions of their blossoms
in their seasons of bloom ; the following are ex-
amples: Robina hispida, Weigelia rosea, Cydo-
nia japonica, the scarlet and the white bloom-
ing; Spirtea prunifo'lia, Loniccra tartarica (Tar-
tarian Honeysuckle), Deutzia gracilis and the
double flowering; dwarf Almonds, the rose and
the white. All arc general favorites, and will
long be 80.

All the foregoing arc of showy bloom, and

some of the species of fragrant blossoms should
be set among them to make the job complete.
Say the various species of Lilacs, Calycanthus,
Berberis, Ligustrums and Philadelphus corona-
rius flora pleno, &c , with a few of the sweet
scented Ilfneysuckles grown as bushes, which
bloom nearly all the season in that way.

It is diflficult to describe the beautiful shrubs
without appearing to exaggerate ; yet we have
never read a description ^wov seen opiate of a choice
shrub that conveyed the full loveliness of the
plant itself.

All the deciduous shrubs thrive upon various
soils and in different exposures. Upon small
grounds they will flourish and bloom beautifully
under the partial shade of trees, and upon large
grounds in the full sunshine. They bloom most
profusely where the soil is not too highly ma-
nured.

ARBORETUM AT CHILLICOTIIE, OHIO.
BY J. n. CREiGnTO^r.

The Arboretum referred to in'the last Montlily
is in Delaware. Ohio, (not Chillicothe). I have
requested mj' friends heretofore not to notice it
in the papers, as it does not yet appear as well
as it will in a few years. I will however state,
that it is intended to be a collection of all the
hardy trees and shrubs that will stand latitude
°40— one of a sort. It occupies ubout 30 acres of
ground, being the College campus of the Ohio
Wesleyan University. The grounds are remai'ka-
bly suited for such a purpose. The landscaping
is under the care of Mr, "\V. Nernej'^, of Cincin-
nati. The trees are planted strictly according
to their natui'al Homilies, which I believe is the
only collection thus arranged in this countr}'.

It does not make much of an appearance yet,
many of the trees being very small. Nor have I
desired to hurry them into growth. Nor are all
the trees located yet — the ground not being al-
together ready. But T think by another year
when they are all located, it will be the largest
collection of stecies [not fancies) in this country
I would not however convey the idea that I ad-
here strictly to species. ^

I find it a very different work from mere orna-
ni£iital planting, and would here take pleasure
in saying that I have had the continued assis-
tance of the editor of the Gardener's ^fonthJi/ and
1 Prof. Gray of Harvard.

1S7U.

TEE GARDEJ^ER'S MO^'THLY.

2G9

EDITOR lAL.

AUTUMN.

"When Flora from her azure home,*
Came gently down to grace the earth,"

it may -well be questioned whether she de-
scended in the spring or autumn time. AVe im-
agine that not as an infant child came she, with
the delicate sweetness of life's tender years ; but
with full grown charms, rich and ripe as in the
purple grape, or the glorious autumn tints of the
mellow trees. Yet we know that the spirit of
autumn is not popular with the poets. They
will not even claim it for the fair sex. It is but
a ruthless destroyer, — a barbarous, heartless
man ! One of them says:

'•Better the tie at once be broken.
At once our last fiirewell be spoken,
Than watch him, one by one, destroy
The glowing buds of hope and joy —
Tlian thus to see them, day by day,
Beneath his coldness fade away."

But to us the spirit of autumn seems not to
be one of the destructive kind. The buds are
not destroyed, but touched up by the delicate
hand of a master artist, — the full grown Flora
herself. It may be as Moore says, that

" T'is sweet to hold the infant stems,
Yet drooping with Aurora's gems,"

but we are sure that he who holds the stems

of autumn strewn with

" The smiling orbs which press.

Their laughing cheeks together on the vines,"

will find this season no less enjoyable for all.

Yes 1 we like autumn. It deals with results.
We see in it thought incarnate. Here is the
fruition of all our hopes ; the ripening of all our
purposes. If there is anything at all in the idea
of repose; surely it is here.

So when we build an altar to our beloved
Goddess, we shall not lay the foundation stone
when pale snowdrops simulate the real summer
blossoms ; and yellow daflbdils emit odors not
at all suggestive of the atmosphere of elysium.
■\Ve shall set up our idol when the sun is going
down, and its lengthening shadows shine on the
crimson leaf, and the scarlet berry, and the lin-
gering Petunia blossoms and the Tuberoses
give out an increase of incense as the twilight
grows. In the hands of the image we sli^e
will not be Tulips, or Crocus, or gross Hya-
cinths,—temptingly sweet, though theodor of the
latter be; but we shall have Asters, and Goldenrod

and Betonys, and the graceful and sweet scented
Neottia, or even with a AVitch Hazel, with
its fruit and flowers mixed all in one.

Nor shall we erect our temple where the early
sun's rays fall,— where every gleam of light,
and every breath of air is necessary to set forth
the floral beauty,— but out on the open lawn
where rustling leaves make their own mulic
worship,— where the stillness of evening is one
of the praises of the service, and where nothing
in the air or sky can add to the beauty of the ter-
restial scene.

This shall be our oflering to Flora. Here
will we present our petitions for Horticultural
progress,— here invoke all blessings on all vota-
ries of Flora who worship with us.

Yes, to us autumn is the happiest garden sea-
so? of the year. We do not see in it, as some
do, the end,— a final destruction of all we loved ;
but only a temporary parting to meet again as
pleasantly as ever. Then we can say with the
Ijoet before quoted.

"Blest meeting after many a day.
Of widowhood passed far away—
When the loved face again is seen
Qlose— close— with not a tear between."

PRIOR POSITION IN TREE TRANS-
PLANTING.

Many persons have an idea that trees should
be set after removal just as they grew before;
and when they give a nurseryman an order, in-
sist that the south or north side should be
marked as a guide. Mr. L. Trouvelet in the
Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural His-
tory, attempts to prove that there is some rea-
son for this popular impression. He believes
trees all have a natural dip, uniformly in certain
directions, and he says :

" Three years ago I saw in Maiden 20 beauti-
ful Pear trees transplanted with the greatest
care ; all these trees were of pretty good size,
being some years old, and they all bent very
strongly. They were set without regard to di-
rection ; five or six of these trees happened to be
placed in about the the position which they must
have had when growing, the remainder were set
in all directions. I went many times that way
to watch the success of this small orchard. The
very first year about one half were completely

270

TEE GARDEJ\ER'S MOJVTELY.

Septejuher,

dead. The second year took five more, which
had been languishing all the summer, and now
five out of the 20 are living and in good condi-
tion, and strange to say, these five are those
which were set with their branches dipping
east."

3*Ir. T. seems to forget that thousands of other
people have set not 20, but thousands of Pear
trees "without regard to prior directions," and
that not "one-half" but none die. Trees usu
^ly die in transplanting, even when the great-
est care has been given them by outsiders ;
when the same trees, in the hands of the nursery-
man himself, would have lived. In the nurse-
ries of the country millions on millions of trees
are annually planted without the loss of one in
ten thousand ; yet without regard to prior di-
rection. Surely such facts as these should have
been looked at in a scientific paper,— rather than
the limited experience with a few score of trees.
We do not profess to judge whether there is^ny
ground for this theory or not ; but merely to
point out the insufficiency of the evidence here
given. It is a very important matter practically;
as if such an idea should prevail under the sanc-
tion of the Boston Society of Natural History, a
vast amount of useless work would be put on the
nurseryman in marking the compass points on
his trees.

WINTER EFFECTS OF SUMMER
DROUGHTS.

"Western Horticulturists have suffered much
from a protracted drought this summer, and it
may not be amiss to remind them, that the con-
sequences will not be over with the first rain. It
is well known now that the vitality of plants are
affected by untoward circumstances, pretty much
as animals are, A half starved man, or one af-
fected by a long enervating summer's heat, will
have his constitution so weakened, that he falls
an easy prey to the first enemy. So a plant
which grows in poor soil, has not the power of
storing up latent heat, as it has nothing to store
from, is easily killed by a slight frost, while un-
der other circumstances it would endure very
hard weather. Again a plant in very wet
ground, is incapable of properly organizing its
fbod in summer, and it also gives way under a
slight cold.

The effects of great summer heat is just the
same. The great evaporation takes all the mois-
ture, and none is left for the elaboration of food.

A plant which s^uffcTS for want of water io sum-
mer, easily dies in the winter time.

These points are not merely theoretical ; but
are explanations of facts which have actually
occurred. It will therefore be well for those who
have rare plants or trees which they prize, to
look ahead at these probabilities.

One of the best things to be done as a pre-
cautionary measure, is to top dress with a little
manure any tree likely to suffer. Manure not
only feeds roots, but encourages their produc-
tion; and this will increase the opportunities of
the plant to lay up the necessary heat giving
material, yet before the growing principle ceases
its active work. Beyond this a little protection
from cold winds, where the valuable specimens
are in exposed places, will be very useful.
. It may not be out of place to notice that with
the discovery of these focts about the causes of
winter destruction comes a new view of the val-
ue of thermometrical observations. At one
time it was supposed that the marking of a
thermometer would indicate exactly the degree
of cold a plant would stand. It was so with
animals. But we now know that we often suffer
more from heat when the thermometer is at 85',
than when at 95^, and some will suffer more at
one temperature than others will. This is owing
to the varying nature of other elements as well
as mere heat, — and the varying degrees of vi-
tality in individuals. The thermometer
therefore is of little value in determin-
ing what a plant will stand, and the long tables
of plants and degrees, people used to take so
much trouble to make up, are now of little more
use than waste paper.

Here is the axiom to remember: the hardiness
of plants is dependent on their vitality, and this
is agaiu dependent on their ability to maintain
heat under unfavorable circumstances.

THE CHASTE TREE.

Ycry few persons who see the common Verbe-
na in our gardens know that it belongs to an order
of trees and i)lants amongst which are some of
the grandest and most useful known. The Teak
wood for instance, which forms the most valua-
ble ship building material in the world — far
more famous in this respect than the long cele-
b^ted oaks of England, which for a "thousand
years will brave the battle and the breeze,"— is of
this order of Verbenas, Vcrhenacea of the bota-
nists. Not only for their majesty ; but for the

1870.

TEE GARDEjYER'S MOJVTHLY.

271

beauty of their blossoms also, are many admired.
Unfortunately for us, most of them are inhabi-
tants of the tropics of America or Asia, and
therefore out of our reach iu the decoration of
our gardens.

We have, however, a representative in YiUx
agnux castus, which really makes a valuable
flowering shrub. This is a native of the shores
of the Mediterranean, and though many of the
upper branches get killed when the thermome-
ter goes below zero, there are always enough
parts of the branches left to produce a great
abundance of flowers next summer. They com-
mence to bloom with us earl}- in August and
last two months. All the plants we have ever
seen had lilac or lavender colored flowers, but
we saw one recently in the beautiful collection
of rare trees and shrubs on the private grounds
of Alfred Cope, near Philadelphia, which had
them of a rich purple. This shows that new va-
rieties can be raised from seeds. The flowers
are in spikes, from 6 to 9 inches long ; and the
leaves are five to seven lieaved or fingered.
It derives its name of Chaste Tree from its sup-
posed power in the middle ages to drive away
thoughts inconsistent with the vows of celibacy
taken by those who entered the monastic state.

TREE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE VINE.

Some years ago we republished a paper from
the "Proceedings of the Philadelphia Academy of
Natural Sciences," in which it was shown why
grape vines grew better when running over trees
than an}' where else. There was motion in the
tendrils, and the amount of food required to pro-
duce this motion was a great strain on the nutri-
tive function of the vine. This motion of a ten-
dril in search of something to cling to continues
for ten days or so when it dies. If the plant is
clambering over a tree, the tendril finds some-
thing to cling to almost as soon as it is ready for
support. Then there is no waste of force in use-
less motion. The whole energy of the plant is
spent on healthy growth.

It is remarkable that no use has been made of
this discovery in practical grape culture. "We
still go on in the most extensive manner, foiling
day after day under our old systems,— getting
perhaps a three or four year crop, — feeling that
we have one of the best grape countries in the
world; and then failing utterly and concluding
as positively that our country is totally unsuited
to grape culture.

Often people who live near us, call and say
grapes cannot be grown in Germantown. "We
simply point to a vine from our oflicc window,
the picture of health and productiveness, which
has been allowed to have its own willful way. It
is but twelve years old, and was planted near
the root of a weeping ash tree, simply to help its
drooping branches to make shade. It has cover-
ed the ash, gone over a 20 year old Silver Fir, a
vVhite Pine, a Himalayan Pine, a Larch 40 feet
high, and sundry other things ; and there is no
reason that we can now see why it would not
cover any amount of low bushy trees that could
be got on to a quarter of an acre of ground. So
is another, an Isabella, which was planted by a
Morello tree. There it hangs with its hundreds
of bunches, although it is looked on as a first
class article of horticultural faith that the Isa-
bella will " do no more good in these days in
Germantown.

Now we do not recommend vines to go untrained
or ftutrimmed over trees ; but we do most cer-
tainly believe that a good system of tree culture
of the grape would make the fortune of any one
engaged in it.

We find by long experience, that it is no use to
place truth before the people, and let it grow its
own way ; and we now give notice, that having
by a long course of observation and study, and
practical results arrived at the certainty that
this kind of a grape system is the only hope for
our country, we shall cultivate this idea by all
manner of means, and shall not allow it in future
to be crowded out by rank weeds of any kind.
We shall do for it as we have done for surface
root culture, hold it up before the horticultural
community at all sorts of times, and in all sorts
of ways. We think this a fair notice to every
reader of the Gardener''s Monthly, who does not
want to have "free culture of the vint'>' forever
before him, to close his accounts with the pub-
lishers at once, and thus drop into his horticul-
tural grave.

To day we shall merely say, that in the warm

climate of southern Italy, where the hot weather
is so very much like our own, this system has
been in existence for ages, and therefore we do
not ask for the Germantown grape vines the
credit of any new discovery. The first thing
they do in planting a vineyard is to set out Ma-
ple trees only four feet apart. These for the
first year are trained so that arms shall come
out at regular distances all up the trunk of the
tree, as regularly as the branches come out of a

27^

THE GARDEJ^EWa MOJVTHLY .

Septeniher,

Larch or a Piue tree. By summer pruning these
trees, they can be kept into low and permanent
shape, just as well as an Osage Orange or Ho-
ney Locust in a hedge. The trees are rarely
allowed to grow above fifteen or twenty feet
high, but wine to the amount of a quarter to
half a barrel per tree is the usual average. The
second year after setting out the tree the vine
is planted against it. In order to give it a good
chance against the tree a two or three years
old vine must be planted. Our "rootlings"
would not do. The tree would starve and dry
it up. Not even in France and Germany, where
the people are so enlightened, and read all the
new ideas iu the papers, have they anything
like the success in grape culture, which rewards
the toil of these ignorant Italians, not twenty per
cent of whom can read or write.

AVe fancy the great objection with Americans
will be the amount of labor this system will call
for. The trees as well as the vines must be fed
and hence top dressings have to be given every
year. A lazy system suits us best. When we
commenced to recommend grass for our orchards
not a few jumped at it, as a system which would
give them fruit by absolute neglect. Since they
have come to learn t?iat the surface root culture
really takes more labor than the old deep cul-
ture plan, many prefer the old one of having a
few large fruit once in a while on unhealthy
trees, to continuous and regular average crops.
It is so much easier to growl at the climate, than
to get the fruit of the earth by " the sweat of the
brow."

DROUGHT AND GRAPE CULTURE.

It may be remembered that when we returned
from the West after the excessively dry season
of 1807, we pointed out that it was hardly possi-
ble to have the soil too dry for Grapes. While
even corn died out on the hill sides, the Grape
flourished gloriously. Some we know took up
our hints. Many who had but Hat ground
ridged it up, and set their grapes on these arti-
ficial elevations. These have had their re-
ward.

But there are many who are not yet convinced
They contend that "one swallow docs not make
a summer," and that the results of one dry season
prove nothing. But we rather like these peo-
ple. Thomas Avho was called Didymus, and
Saul, surnamed Raul, did as nmch good as those
of a less hard headed description, and possibly

these grape doubters, though coming in at the
eleventh hour may be as worthy of a full reward
as those who have been with us during the full
day's work.

This eleventh hour is now come. Another
" unprecedented " dry^season, — another magnifi-
cent crop of grapes. Surely here arc swallows
enough now to satisfy the most skeptical that
surely the full summer of grape culture is come.

Yet we shall for some time no doubt have, as
we have hitherto heard, the most roundabout
excuses for failure, — the most unreasonable ex-
planations of why "our climate is so unsuited to
grape culture.'' We do not by any means be-
lieve that thoroughly dry ground is the whole
battle against the foes of grape culture ; but we
do most confidently assert that with this, half
the victory is won, and that after this "large
bodies of water " " pruning," or even that great
bug-a-boo "varieties" will have any very great
intiuence either way on the success of Vinyard
management in America.

THE BALSAM.

This, often called " Lady's Slipper " b}' our
people, grows so easily in the open air of our
country, that there seems little inducement to
pot culture. Yet those who have never seen
them under the hands of first-class English
growers, have no idea how beautiful they are
when pot grown. Nothing like them is possible
by open air culture, any more than the grapes in
the open air of Ital}- or Spain can compete with
those raised in English hothouses. A few fine
specimens in pots would make charming objects
for garden decoration, and iu hopes to encourage
this, we give the following from a practical
grower, in the London Journal of Horticulture :

'• I .-xra very glad to see that in several gardens the old
love for tho IJalsani is being rapidlj' revived. Garden-
ers rtud out that iu order to get up a good lloral display
with as little trouble as possible, the Balsam is one of
tlie best plants they can grow. I And it as uselul as ever,
and 1 think there are few things easier gi'own, or that
will reward the cultivator with so much bloom accord-
ing to tlie trouljle of growing them. It is quite a sum-
mer and autumn decorative plant, and Its cultivation
Is most conveniently commenced when bedding plants
are cleared out.

The best plants I ever grew were nearly 4 feet high,
and some of them 3 feet through, and fully bloomed
from bottcjm to top. The following was the treatment
given :— The seed was sown in thumb-pots during the
first week in May) two seeds in the centre of each pot
in light sau<ly .soil, and placed In a Melon frame at work.
When up and the seed loaves welldeveloped, the weak-
est plant was taken away, and the other shifted into 60-
slzed or 3 inch pots; they were plunged and kept near

1870.

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJVTELJ.

27S

the glass. Their next shift was into 4S.slzed or 5-inch
pots ; but wliile they were growing to tliis stage, prepa-
rations were being made for tlieui to occupy a place to
themselves— namely, a heap of spent hotbed and green
manure in equal parts thrown together, well mixeil,
and heated almost to a blackness; abed 3 feet high at
back and 2 feet in front, and long enough to take six
lights, or two three-liglit garden frames, was made up,
the inside of the fratnes filled up to within a foot of the
glass with decayed leaves, and when the whole became
warm the plants were plunged into it, and in tliese
places they were grown until tliey were coming into
bloom, when they were taken Into more airy quarters
for their buds to open. In the early part of the time
they are growing in these places an intermediate tem-
perature must l)e maintained ; give the plants plenty of
light, at all times keep them near the glass, shift thetn
into larger pots as they require it, and give them a rich
soil composed of equal parts of turfy loam and rotten
manure, with sand added, using the soil coarse as the
plants increase iu size.

In potting, let the plants down into the pots, so that
the cotyledons, or seed leaves, shall be level with the
soil. Attend well to watering, of which when growing,
the plants like an abundant supply and often, likewise
sprinkling the foliage to keep the red spider in check.
Turn the plants at regular intervals to keep the shoots
equally balanced and the plants of good shape. II the
plants do well they will throw out strong side shoots,
and these in turn will throw out laterals. The lirst-

named should be tied or pegged down as low ns possi-
ble, and the latter kept properly staked-( ut. which will
add much to the beauty of the plants. They will all
flower. As the plants increase in size and lieight, the
frames must be hoisted on blocks of wood or on bricks,
and the air that is thus admitted under the plants will
keep the foliage of the lower branches both strong and
healthy. IG sized or 8-inch pots will grow very fine
plants, but 12''s or even S-slzed pots may be u.sed when
extra sized plants are wanted.

Soon after the last shift, or when the pots are filled
with root<=, a lilieral top-dressing of rich manure sliould
be given. In this the side branches will root vigorous-
ly, and if manure water be regularly applied, the plants
will fully develope themselves. It is my practice, and
I can recomtnend it, to pull off regularly the largest
flower buds until every branch Is regularly furnisheil
with them; then let them flower, and the result will bo
such a mass of bloom as^will ; perhaps, surpri.se the cul
tivator himself.

After the plants have attained their full size, and the
pots are full of roots, water must be given most careful-
ly, especially manure water; for if the soil becomes too
wet, or the water not able to pass freely through the
drainage, the plants are liable rot off at the neck sud-
denly. It is now so easy to get seed that will produce
a good per centage of double flowers, that the old plan
of proving the flower by first litniting the plants to small
pots may be dispen.sed with. I generally grow Smith's
packet of nine colors — Thojias Record, Lillcsdcn.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Failure of Pears.— A Salem. N. J"., cor- 1
respondent writes: "AVith nie, as with every one j
else, Pears have proved a failure. I have seve- i
ral luindred trees, dwarf and standard, and have
taken as much pains as possible, and used my
best judgment iu tlieir management and culti-
vation. Notwithstanding all of which they
liave never produced fruit enough to pay their
cost.

For a few years I tried them with clean culti-
vation, and their growth was as rapid as could
be desired. In the spring there would be an
abundant show of blossoms, but followed by no
fruit. This has been more particularly the case
with a row of over 100 dwarf Duchess Any one
without experiencx'. to look at them in the
spring when loaded with bloom, would expect
to see them overloaded with fruit— and yet they
have not for years past averaged one pear to the
tree.

Having failed with clean cultivation, I de-
termined to sow the orchard down to clover.

and for the last two years the clover crops I
have no doubt averaged at the two cuttings 3
tons to the acre, liut while the trees have still
made sutticient growth they still refuse to bear
fruit. The blossoms seem to be sterile, hiving
no ovaries set, no fruit and wither and fall off.

To add to my disap])oinlnient last year and
this, the blight has proved very destruetiv^' to
my trees. I have lost Knighfs Monarch, Glout
Morceau, Urbaniste and several other varieties.
And they go with a rapidity that bids defiance
to all efforts to save them. Indeed, 1 hardly
feel disposed to waste any more time on them.
The healthiest and surest pear tree I have i.s the
Andrews, which being an old one when I planted
out my orchard, I put it near a wagon house
where the ground has always been trodden as
hard as a pavement."

[Notwithstanding the apparently viirorous
growth of these trees, there is little doubt bu^
that the vitality was defective, and there was
not really vital stamina enough to bring the

^7If

TJIE GAB,DEJVER'S MOJ^THLY.

S'epteniher

floral organs to perfection. We have stated
this as our belief before iu tlie magazine, and
have since seen many instances confirming this.
Mr. Hamilton, of "N'ineland, X. J , once had
trees which behaved similar to these. Plenty of
llowers but no fruit. One variety, however,
seemed to do belter than others. He grafted
their tops all over with this one, and left many
of the bottom branches, thus heading ofl" half
the trees. To his astonishment these bottom
branches left, afterwards bore fair crops. The
explanation clearly was that there were not
healthy roots enough to bear the great strain of
flowering, by cutting away half the branches,
the roots had half less work to do, and then a
crop resulted.

We suspect that trees whose vitality has been
once injured by bad systems of culture, would
hardly be benefited soon b}- mercl}^ putting in
clover, or any other improved plan. We cannot
advise positively without seeing what is really
the matter ; but so far as Ave can understand
our correspondent's trouble, we should trim the
trees severely next winter, and top dress heavily
about them.

In our own district this year, almost all Pears
iu the prevalent garden culture are failures as
usual ; while all in the style we recommend are
borne down b}' the weight of fruit, One of our
trees,— a Beurre (PAremberg, whicli by the way
cannot be grown at all in the "approved '' way,
and which is being erased from Catalogues as
worthless, — is so full that we are afraid at this
writing it will break to pieces. The tree is about
thirty feet high, and cannot have less than tico
tliousand Pears on it, and every leaf without a
l.ilemish. We have had it in grass fifteen years,
and arc willing to place it in competition with
any tree of its kind under the clean surface cul-
ture, in the United St ites. AVe do not know of
anything more remarkable than that, with the
most overwhelming facts which we have brought
forward during the last ten or twelve years to
sho»v that tlie hot burning surface soil is our
great foe in Pear culture, and that with this
care of surface roots we have really the best cli-
mate and soil in the world for this fruit, there
should be so inucli reluctance as there is to
chau'^e our bad habits and learn better ones. —
Ed. G. M.]

abundantly wild near Jackson, Miss. The edi-
tor of the Journal is too good a botanist to have
made such a mistake as this. There must be an
error somewhere else.

President Wilder in England.— The

London Garclener''s Chronicle referring to Mr.
AVilder's Californian tour, says his name is de-
servedly held in the highest esteem in England
as in America.

PvicoNiA MoUTAN on tlic Alississipjii Kiver.
A correspondent assures us, on the authority of
he !St. Louis Journal of AjricuUure, that tJiis is

Grafting Lemon Trees. — M.B., Osceola, Pa.
" I have a Lemon tree five years old from the
seed, which does not bear yet. I am told it will
not unless grafted. Is this so ?"

[It will bear in time, and frequently beheathi-
er than if grafted. Lemons vary in quality as
other fruits do from seed, and grafting is chiefly
to secure the special variety wished for. A
graft taken from a bearing tree, bears generally
in three years. Yours will probably bear next
year, or the one following.]

Ground Vineries.— A "subscriber from the
first," writes as follows: "Your publication, in
the May Monthly, of Dr.Houghton's experiment
of ground V ineries in his essay is very interest-
ing, and has attracted the attention of many ;
but it is so desultory that one docs not know
where to begin and where to end. It is not practi-
cal ; too experimental. As River's has given
his procedure in his Miniature Fruit Gar-
den, 13th edition, and of course in his last loth
edition more full, and likel}' remarks in other Peri-
odicals, perhaps you could give us extracts from
these works, which are not in circulation in this
country, and too often carried out too carlcssly
by amateurs. Yearly experiments too often go
on for a long tune and no result obtained of con-
sequence. Many are apt to think they can im-
prove the long tried experience of practical men
like Pivers. If Dr. Houghton will look back to
Mr. Saunder's Report, Department of Agriculture,
18G7, page 25, he will read some important re-
sults of native grapes fruited under glass. If
you have the means, do give your subscribers
some more insight and clearer method to de-
cidedly pursue the thing. It takes a year to carry-
out and prove, and if not successful, another j-ear
is lost. Most likely the English gardeners ai'c
the most reliable to follow, and perhaps you can
let us have some of their methods and succo.-;s
in some of your future numbers. No doubt as Mr.

]870.

TEE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJ^THLY.

Saunders says, our Catawba may become a very
fine thing, and also some of the others.

If you ixave your subscribers that part of Mr.
Saunder's report of growiug native grapes under
, glass, it would convey to many information not
in ever\' one's possession, and set the experiment
agoing. It is a simple and cheap on«, and prac-
tical in our little yards At small expense even
this 5'ear a temporary sash might be put over our
grape vines in some situations. and give an idea.
[We shall be glad to hear from Dr. 11. or
other correspondents.]

Horticultural Editing. — "We notice that
most of our exchanges have their editors away
on some sort of excursion or other, and their
chairs are occupied by other " editors jjro tem.''''
The queer part of the affair is, that these papers
were never so entertaining or instructive, and it
would seem that the new editors are in as dan-
perous a position as was Lothario in Don Quix-
ote. Only one seems to have got into trouble
with the readers of the papers, and that is Mr.
Clemens. He thus describes his fix:

" An old gentleman with a flowing beard and
a fine but austere face, entered and sat down at
my invitation. He seemed to have something
on his mind. He took off his hat and set it on
the floor, and got out of it a red silk handker-
chief and a copy of our paper. He put the paper
on his lap, and, while be polished his spectacles
with his handkerchief, said:

''Are you the new editor?"

I said I was.

'•Have you ever edited an Agricultural paper
before?''

"No," I said, "this is my first attempt.''

"Very likely. Have you had any experience
in agriculture, practically?"'

"Xo, I believe I have not."

"Some instinct told me so," said the old gen-
tleman, putting on his spectacles and looking
over them at me with asperity, wliilc he folded
his paper into a convenient shape. "I wisii to
read to you what must have made me have that
instinct. It was this editorial. Li.sten and see
if it was you thit wrote it:

"Turnips should never be pulled — it injures
them. It is much better to send a boy up and
let him shake the tree."

"Now, what do you thinkof that?— for I really
supposed you wrote it."

•Think of it? Why, I think it is good. I

think it is sense. I have no doubt that, every
year, millions and millions of bushels of turnips
are spoiled in this township alone by being pulled
in a half-r:pe condition, when if they had sent a
boy up to shake the tree — "

"Shake your grandmother! Turnij s don't
grow on trees !"

"Oh, they don't, don't they? Well, who said
they did? The language was intended to be fig-
urative, wholly figurative. Anybwdy that knows
anything, will know that I meant that the boy
should shake the vine "

Then this old person got up and tore his paper
all into small shreds, and stamped on them, and
broke several things with his cane, and said I
did not know as much as a cow ; and then went
out and banged the door after him, and, in short,
acted in such a way that I fancied he was dis-
pleased about something. But not knowing
what the trouble was, I could not be any help
to him."

WniTE Trillium.— In reference to a state-
ment of ours, from the proceedings of the Torrey
Botanical Club of Xew York, about the change
in color of a dark Trillium to a light one, we
have the note below from Mr. Hall. Of course
the true man of science is as careful to give
facts which may operate against his theories,
as those which aid them ; but some do not al-
ways do so Mr. Hairs present letter shows,
that Trillium does not always change. But
this does not affect the fact as before recorded,
of change in other instances. He says:^'

"In regard to TriUlum credum var alburn, I
have been informed by Mr. Wm. Bower of our
Ciub, that a plant of this sort— color of flower
"creamy green,'" as he says, which 1 sent him
six years ago or so, has every year blossomed in
his garden with the same color, and is a healthy
plant, that seems to be one instance of perma-
nence. My opiui(m as to the general run of
wild ones is unchanged, there maybe permanent
var. album plants in the wild state, whatever
cultivation may have to do with it; but 1 believe
that they are generally incons'ant."

Hardiness of Pruned Rasprerries.- A

correspondent asks a question which we are not

; prepared to answer, and should like to have tlie

i views of our exiTerienced readers about it. He

[ says: "I am told that Ivaspberries and Black

£76

21] E GARDEJ^ER'S MOJYTHLY. September,

bcrrii-s when in culf.ivation, are not hardy un-
less summer pruned. Is this so?"

At the outset, it is a well known feet that
cultivation renders these plants tender. AVe
question whether the Lawton Blackberry would
hive ever died down, if it had been suffered to
remain in that old fence row at New Rochelle ;
but when grown in gardens, it is frequently
killed. Any rule, therefore, founded on general
lavvs of Physiology, would be worthless in this
case. Such a rule as abstract argument, would
be that pruning made the plants less hardy. But
we know that good growers hold, that by stop-
ping back the young canes in July, the plants
are rendered hardier ; and we are inclined to
think that what experience has taught us in
this matter must bo true. Still we would like to
know what is ihe general experieuce, before pro-
nouncing a positive opinion.

French Mealy Apple.— A /lansas corres-
pondent writes as follows, but we are not able to
answer the query: "I have been requested by a
gentleman originally from Canada to try and
fmd where trees of an apple that he says was inMon -
treal as French Mealy. Iknowof no source that
I will be so likely to obtain information through,
as the Monthly. The apple is described asa summer
apple, with red skin, pink tlusli, large, sub-acid,
skin very thin; apple one of the best seen in the
Montreal, Canada, market. If you know of a
nursery that is growing this apple, please let his
name come. If the name is not correct, please
give correct name."

Double Geraniums. — These have not been
a success for bedding purposes ; but for pot cul-
ture they are highly esteemed ; the following ax"e
the best English ones.
AVillielm Pfitzer. Captaine L'llermite.
^ladame Lemoine. Surpasse Gloire de Nancy.
Triumph. Gloire dc Xancy.

Tromphe de Lorraine Nimrod.
TriomphedeThumesnil. Double Tom Thumb.
Hose Queen.

Paris Green FOR the Colorado Potato
IJuo — Since this was announced by a corres-
pondent in the Gardener's Monthly as a remedy
against this pest, we find tliat it has become
quite; popular. It is, however, a deadly poison,
having arsenic in its composition, and should be
used with great caution.

Hartford Prolific Grape.— The first in
market of the season was this variet3\ In St.
Louis they appeared on the 29th of July. J. C.
Parsons, of Vineland, X. J., had them in the
Philadelphia market on August second.

Hail Storm at Bo.ston —It is not often
Phiiadelphia competes with Boston or Chicago
in originating great enterprises. It did start a
little in the hail line, and smashed many a green-
house. Boston has grown envious, and got up
another such on the 20th of June. Hail stones
5 or 6 inches in circumference were not bad.
Now let us hear from Chicago.

Hedges in tiik South. — The Southland
Weekly says the Osage Orange does admirably
well in Florida. In some localities the Pyracantha
does remarkably, but does not stand watery soils
well. The Macartney Hose also does well, but
is rather rambling. These are the three chief

protective hedge plants.

To Make a Horticultural Journal
Successful, — Mark Twain took the position of
editor pro /eiH, while the real Jove was junket-
ing in California. He exhibited wonderful
knowledge. He showed how the Horse Chest-
nut was rapidly becoming an article of com-
merce; and how oyster beds could be made an
essential element in landscape gardening. Du-
ring the time Mark occupied the sanctum, the
circulation of the paper increased enormously.
Strange to say, he was kicked out of the position
in disgrace. Only that our magazine already has
an "enormous" circulation, we should engage
him at once.

The Smallest Flowering Plant Knoavn.
— At the weekly meeting of the Philad'a Academy
of Natural Sciences, held on August 10th,
Dr. Joseph Leidy noticed the discovery by him
of a new species of leech, down in the Neck, on
the line of the Second Street Railroad. This
species had the remarkable peculiarity of want-
ing ihe usual saw apparatus by which blood is
sucked. This little fellow has to eat worms for
its living. In the same place, Dr. Leidy found
the Woljia growing. This is a recently discov-
ered water i>lant, and is the smallest tlowering
one in the vegetable kingdom, being no iari,a>r
than a pin-head. In the same locality he found

1870^

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJVTHLY

^77

a remarkable polyp, nearly two feet over, which
at first he supposed to be a jelly fish, which
miglit have been introduced by some person
from the seacoast.

Professor Coj?e called attention to a remarka-
ble snake, the Trifinnocrphahif^lnnceoIntHS, which
was allied to the copperhead, and abounded in
the island of Martinique. It was dangerously
venomous, so much so that hundreds had lost
their lives by it. Of latf years it had increased
so much that the population had to abandon the
interior of the Island. It was called by the na-
tives fer de lancp, or "arrowhead.'" Of late
years a Tlraziliin snake has been introduced, of
a ])erfectly harmless character, which is the
mortal foe of the cop{)erhead. It is so harmless
one can fold it in his bosom. This is the Oti/r-
rhophins plumbeas^ a species allied to the chain
snake. Althouiih but little larger than its enemy
it makes a clean bolt of him. Professor Cope ex
hibited one which had been killed in the act of
swallowing the copperhead. It had already
taken in about eighteen inches of the enemy.
lie suggested that this plan of ridding countries
of dangerous animals, by introducing enemies of
a character harmless to man, was worthy of
greater attention.

Essay ox Roses. — A Cincinnati correspondent
says: " I have not read a paper in the Monthly
for some time, which gave me so much pleasure
as the essay on Boses by Mr. Podbury. It has
given me a new idea of Geneva. I have regarded
it as a place where one mightget good fruit trees,
and perhaps make a good bargain in a money
way. But the encouragement given by them to
such papers as these, shows them to be a people
advancing under the refining influences of civili-
zation, and is much to their credit. If they con-
tinue in this way, you in Philadelphia, and
those at the "hub'"' must look well to their
laurels."

Utah Currants. — A correspondent, writing
from Niagara Falls,gives some interesting facts.
The currant he speaks of was once supposed to
be the same as U. aureum, but proves some-
what distinct. The Dogwood is the Cornus
Nuttallii, which we believe Josiah Iloopes has
succeeded in introducing.

''At Salt Lake City, in almost every garden, I
saw currant bushes G feet high, with leaves

similar to those of the Missouri flowering, but
with fruit much larger than the " Cherry Cur-
rants," some black, some yellow. Rich fruit of
the black Currant flavor, but milder. In Cali-
fornia, are flowering Raspberries with large,
brilliantly white flowers. The Dogwood there
produces very large undhrilliantly white flowers."

Insects ox Grape Vines. -^4 Baxqthin Co.,
Fa , correspondent, says: " Enclosed please find
a leaf of Creveling Grape Vine with wart-like
lumps on the uiidfr side, apparently the work
of some insect. Can you tell what it is ? And
what remedy is there for it ? Our Delaware
vines in the Vineyard are completely covered
with it, the leaves turning yellow and seriously
jeopardizing the crop of fruit. I have recom-
mended the stripping of the leaves so attacked
and burning thenr''

[Tlie larva of the SeUigonia vitis, which is as
injurious when in the mature as the present
state. "We should pick off" the worst cases, and
pinch so as to destroy, where there are on'.y a
few, so as to give one all the benefit of foliage
possible to the vines ]

Straavberry, Blackberry and Rasp-
berry Seed.— iV. L. JST., Lewisburg, Pa. says:
" I have saved about a pint of seed from the
earliest ripened berries of the Doolittle Rasp-
berry from Avhich I wish to grow seedlings.
"Will you please inform me whether it will do to
dry the seed and keep it like Cabbage or Tomato
seed till spring, or whether it must be kept
moist. A few hints from you in the next
Monthly in reference to the growing of Straw-
berry and Raspberry seedlings would be wel-
comed by at least one subscriber."

[Sow in a box of sandy soil at once, and place
in rather dark place, until the seed germinates,
and then gradually inure to the light. They can
be kept dry till spring and sown, but then they
will remain a year in the ground before growing.
As we propose, they will come up in six weeks,
and if potted soon after sprouting, and their
growth encouraged, they will some of them tVuit
next year.]

Gp.ape Snow AT Messrs. Bliss & Son-"^
New York. — By an advertisement in our regi -
lar columns, it will be seen that Messrs. .Bliss
will hold a Grape Exhibition at their place in
New York city. Tliis will afford a good chance
to see the best varieties.

0>y Q

THE GABDEJVER'S MOXTBLY,

Septeinher,

BOOKS, CATALOGUES, &C.

TniRD AxxcAL Report op tfb Ohio State Horticultural So-
ciETV, late Ohio Pomoloiical Society.

So far as these pagos assist us, we can see no
reason for the change from Pomological to Hor-
ticultural Society. With the exception of an essay
by Mr. Elliott, on landscape gardening, and a
brief discussion on Potatoes, all the discus-
sions and general business have been of a strictly
Pomological character. As the report of a
"Horticultural" Society, we regard it as a fliilure
—while as strictly Pomological proceedings they
are of a highly interesting character. Indeed as
a record of fruit growing in the state of Ohio,

for 1869, it is indispensable to any one who
wishes to be up to the tin)es.

Catai.oqdes.

The trade lists of our nursery friends are be-
gining to make their appearance in great num-
bers on our table, but descriptive lists for the
general purchaser are few. Indeed we have but
one on fruits, and another on flowers and trees
from Graves, Selover, Willard & Co , which are
got up in the beautiful style usual with this en-
terprising firm.

NEW ANT) RAKE FRUITS.

Ellisdale Raspbeury.— Mr. S. Miller says '
in Rural New Yorker, he thinks no improve-
ment on Old Purjole Cane.

Davison's Thounless Raspberry.— Du-
ring a tri)) through New Jersey last year, we
noticed this variety was everywhere afflicted
with a disease which stunted its growth, and
rendered it worthless. The bark on the main
canes Avas covered with small dead spots, on
which a minute fungus was crowing, — whether
the cause or consequence we could not tell. Most
of the growers intended to abandon it. But we
note that in most other parts of the country, it
is highly spoken of

General Negley Raspberry— Mr. Ar-
nold at a recent meeting of the Ontario (Canada)
Fruit Grower's Society, said this was a perpetu-
al bearing black cap ; the fruit as large as any of
the improved varieties in cultivation.

Orange Kino Raspberry. — Mr. Arnold
says is a seedling raised by himself, which iiy^cr
fectly hardy and of superior flavor, quite thorn-
less, "Yiot as large, a l)erry as Rriiu^kle's Orange.
Has grown it for seven years ; has about an
eighth of an acre , the fruit is too soft to ship to
distant p.iarket.

New Raspberries. — The following is the de-
scription of the new raspberries recently raised
by Mr. Herstine, as made by the Committee of
the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. Of the
Herstine, we shall have a colored plate next
month:

"Herstine." Plant a good grower; most
abundant; and early bearer ; suckers moderately;
canes strong, of a pea green color, covered with
white bloom ; spines green, but not abundant ;
foliage health}', of medium size, and often lobed,
of a pearl gray color on the under side ; fruit
large, oblong, with small grains and crimson col-
or ; flavor, sub-acid, and ver}' good. ]\'o. 10 we
named —

"Ruby." Plant a free grower and abundant
bearer; canes strong, of. a light green color,
shaded with purple and covered with white
bloom very few spines ; foliage healthy, and of
a li.ght green color, with* pearl gray on the under
side of the leaves; fruit large, round, of a dark
crimson color, large grains, and somewhat hir-
sute ; flavor, sub-acid and excellent. No. 1(5 we
named —

"Saunders," in honor of "\Vm. Saunders, of
Expcrimenial Gardens, AVashington, D. C.
Plant a good bearer, suckering freely ; canes
green, shaded with purple ; spines numerous,
small and light green ; foliage light green and
abundant ; fruit very large, round, of a crimson

2870.

TEE GARDEJVER'S MOXTHLl.

s:9

color, with large grains ; flavor of high character
and delicious. No Owe named in honor of our
hostess—

"Elizabeth.'' Plant a very strong grower;
great bearer, and suckoring moderately ; canes
light pea green color ; spines numerous, and of a
purple color ; foliage of a dark green color, deep-
ly crimped, and of a pearl gray color on the under
side; fruit very large, round, crimson scarlet;
grains large and strongly marked, lirm, of deli-
cious flavor, and late in ripening.

The Banana Straavberky is a variety ex-
hibited before the Mass. Horticultural Society,
on June 23d. Size large and apparently pro-
ductive, says the Journal of Horticulture.

Hybrid Cherry of Utah.— When fruits
are raised from seeds, the}- are apt to vary, by a

natural law of evolution. 'Ihe old idea tliat
"like will produce like" from seed is not true.
But those who have been taught it, quite natur-
ally look on any great change they see as the^ re-
sult of hybridization. We think this is the case
with the Utah Cherry. In reply to our enqui-
ries, Mr J. E. .Johnston has very kindly sent us
all the particulars ; but yet we arc scarcely sat-
isfied that his attempts were as successful as he
believes. So far as we can understand, the "hy-
brid" is but an improvement without hybridiza-
tion on Prunus maritima.— the Beach Pkim
which, as well as other maritime plants, is found
in the Rocky Mountain region.

Still this matter of hybridization is but one of
scientific import, and does not aflect the value of
the fruit. The quality is not so good as that of
our ordinary plum ; but continual trials may
make it so. Mr. Johnston deserves great credit
for his endeavors in this direction.

?sEW AND RARE PLANTS.

Xew Plants at the Meeting of the
Royal Horticultural Society.— Several
new plants of sterling merit were exhibited, and
First-class Certificates were conferred upon the
following, from Messrs. Veitch & Sons:

Cypripedium Dominianum — A. fine hybrid
between C. Pearcei and C. caudatum. Tlie lip
or slipper is pale purple on the outside and beau-
tifully spotted on the inside ; the sepals, which
are of a very pale vinous purple color, hang
down like those of C. caudatum, and are about
six inches in length. It has apparently a free-
growing habit, and is altogether a very desirable
kind.

Pa ND ANUS Veitciii.— A splendid species,
variegated with longitudinal bands of the purest
white ; it has a fine graceful habit of growth,
and is quite destitute of spines suflicicntly sharp
to either lacerate the leaves of plants in its
neighborhood or the hands of the cultivator.
Altogether it is one of the very best fine foliage
plants introduced for some time past.

DiFFENBACHiA BowMANi. — A strong grow-
ing species ; leaves large, spotted with pale green,
and borne on pure white leaf-stalks.

Aralia Veitchl— a beautiful miniature
growing species with dark bronzy leafage. Tht-re
is a line figure of this in Ilibberd's JYeto and
Beautiful-leaved Plants.

Adiantum SESSIFOLIU3L— a noblc growing
species with large deep fronds.

Nepenthes Sedeni.— A charming dwarf
growing species with beautifully shaped medium
sized pitchers, which are blotched and marke.l
with bright chestnut red.

Gloxinia Alice. — A splendid variety, with
luige well formed flowers of extraordinary sub-
stance ; color deep maroon purple, with white
tln-oat.

LoNiCERA FUCiisioiDES. — Near to Farnbor-
ough Station, and but a short distance from Al-
dershot, is Heatherside, an extensive estate be-
longing to Augustus Mongredien, Esij., under
the managemetit of Mr. Thomas Thornton.
Hc]^ is to be seen one of the most extensive col-
lections of rare hardy trees and shrubs in the
kingdom, some of which we shall have occasion
to refer to shortly ; but there is just now in full
bloom, against a south-east wall, a large plant

280

THE GARDEXEWS MO X TEL J ,

Septeviher^

of Lonicera seivjieifirens, var. fuchi>oides, which
rocoinincnds itself as one of the loveliest of our
hardy creepers. It is, of course, evergreen, with
larger and hnndsoiner foliage than the old scar-
let trumpet honeysuckle has, and the flowers are
larger; the color rich scarlet and orange. The
plant covers, say, six feet square of wall, and is
a sheet of rich color. Here is a climher that
should he in every garden where there is some
shelter, for it stands out holdly amongst our
garden gems. — Gardener's Weekly.

pie color forms a strikingcontrast with the orange
color of the leaves. — Gardener''s Chronicle.

The Cari'et Citamomile.— We are expected
to speak of the new turting plant of Pyrclhrtim
Tchuitchem., but if we gratify that expectation
we throw away our birthright, so for as the use
of our tongues is concerned. Let us call this
plant the carpet chamomile, and we shall be un-
derstood, and ignore the botanical name as hide-
ous, useless and injurious. The carpet chamo-
mile is too good a plant to have a ridiculous
name attached to it, and for that reason it is
worthy a note in this place. A close growing
dark green tuft, covered with handsome flowers,
white with yellow disk, spreading rapidly in dry
starving spots, and thriving equall}^ in shade
and sun, must be worthy of attention by all such
as And a difficulty in making grass grow in spots
where green turf of some sort is needed. If the
flowers are objectionable, the mowing machine
will remove them completely and quickly, but
in many places about a garden, a bank of the
carpet chamomile covered with flowers would be
welcome enough. It would make a good turf
alone, as it spreads fast and grows freely on soils
that will scarcely support a blade of grass.
Moreover, the hottest sun and the severest
drought scarcely alfect it. A most valuable ac-
quisition is the carpet chamomile, especially if
we keep it separate from its more proper and
more hideous name.— Sjiikley IIiiUiEitD.

PeRISTROI'UE AVGUSTirOMA AUREA VARIE-

GATA —A New Summer Bedding Plant. This
very eli-gant Acanthrid is a native of the moun-
tains of .Java, and was awarded a First Class
Certilir^ite by the Floral Committee this spring
The leaves are ovate lanceolate, bright oringe in
the centre, and margined with dark green : in
habit it is dwarf and compact, a splendid edjnii?;
plant in summer flower garden ; as a pot plant it
is very beautiful, and although th(^ Mowers are
not remarkable for size, their bright-mauvc pur-

YlOLA CORXUTA VAR. PERFECTION. 7-A

New Bedding Plant. It is of free growth, yet
seldom exceeds G or S inches in height ; the
leaves are much larger than those of Y. cornuta,
whilst the flowers which are borne well above
the foliage, still retain the characteristic horns
of that species, but are fully three times the size,
and of good substance ; the color is shaded blue,
the eye orange yellow with a dark purple disc
surrounding it, from which proceed radiating
lines of still deeper purple ; indeed it resembles a
gigantic V. cornuta in habit, and whilst retain-
ing its profuse blooming qualities producing flow-
ers which almost rival our Florist Pansies for
size and substance.

ClIATER'S AgERATUM "IMPERIAL DW'ARF."'

— The finest bedding plant of the season. Strong
robust growth, not exceeding 6 inches in height,
and throws a mass of blossom all through the
summer; for second rows in floral designs un-
surpassed.

Jenxy Lind Camellia. — The Journal of
Horticulture thus speaks of this popular Ameri-
can variety :

"The description you give of your plant and
flower leads us to the conclusion that it is cor-
rectly named. You would, we think, be acting
injudiciously to have it grafted, especially as it
is so fine a plant, and we strongly advise you
not to do it, 'ilie flower, as you say, is small,
but very pretty. We consider it a tit compan-
ion for Lady Hume's Blush, one of the finest of
all Camellias for cut blooms, but which, unlike
Jenny Lind, is not a cupped flower, being more
prominent in the centre. There is no work on
the crossbreeding of plants."

Hydrangea stellata prolifera.— It is
represented as having a bolder and darker leaf-
age than the Ilj'drangeas we are best accustom-
ed to in gardens, and the flowers are produced
in large globular heads of a delicate rosy pink
color, every flower having a distinct star-like
form.

1^70.

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJSrTHLY.

281

DOMESTIC I^'TELLTGKNCE.

Tke Red Rover Potatoes which were
tninsphinted to this country from the banks of
the Red Sea, and which are now being raised by
Mr. R, F. Betterton, at Bristol, Tenn , are ac-
knowledged to have no superiors in point of
yield and flavor. They are said to yield one
hundred for one by good cultivation, Mr. Bet-
terton will have them for sale by the 1st of Oc-
tober. Price, 32 per peck. Send in your orders
early as only about one hundred and fifty bush-
els will be for sale this year. — Mobile Begister.

JucuxDA Strawberry. — Journal of Horti-
culture says, ' is growing in favor at Boston.''

A Fixe Cherry Orchard. — A few days
since we made a visit to the nursery and cherry
orchard of^. S. Crocker, Esq., at Englewood,
Ills., (a few miles south of this city), and we
felt that what we saw and ate there well repaid
us for the time spent. Mr. Crocker has about
ten acres in general nursery stock and Early
Richmond Cherries. His success in growing
cherries is, perhaps, unequalled. For years he
has not lost a crop; every successive year finds
his trees full ot this beautiful fruit, and, of
course as the trees grow in size the quantity of
fruit increases. He attributes his great success
to the protection that his trees have from strong
winds and heavy storms. On the outer sides of
the orchard he has a fine close grow^th of the
white willows, which arc now of sufficient size
to form a complete wind-break, and throughout
the orchard he has a large quantity of nursery
stock and other fruit trees interspersed, thus
giving the cherries the protection they so much
need from violent storms. Another advantage
of this protection is, that the fruit does not
all ripen at once, but lasts for several weeks,
thus giving him an opportunity for bringing his
fruit into market and obtaining good prices for it,
when other orchards, within the same distance,
are entirely cleared. Mr. Crocker has a large
amount of young Cherry trees for sale, as well
as many kinds of choice shade, ornamental and
evergreen trees. He would also dispose of a
portion or the whole of his orchard on favorable
tcrm.s, as he desires to retire from the business.
— Prairie Farmer.

Small Fruits ix California.—^ corres-
2)onclcnt of the Ruralist. with President Wilder's
party, says: "Near Santa Clara, at AVilcox's,
we noticed thirty-five acres planted in the best
and newest kinds of blackberry, although it
grows wild abundantly. The Raspberries most
cultivated are the Red Antwerp, Fastolff and
Knevet's Giant. The climate, at the time it
ripens, is generally rather too dry for this fruit.
Notwithstanding the second strawberry crop
was a i)artial failure this year, owing to dry
weather, and many raisers have been losers,
the market, a week ago, appears to have been
glutted (12th July) and at that time over two
tons of berries were actually dumped into the
bay, with six tons of fresh figs, for the same
reason. Ripe, fresh |flgs, are about as delicious
fruit as a man can eat, and nothing is more
healthful ; yet, like all other good things, we
sometimes get too many of them, as in this in-
stance. At this moment, to show how long
the season of nearly all the fruits lasts,
there are to be seen in the fruit stores, apples,
pears, peaches, apricots, nectarines, plums,
grapes, cherries (a few), strawberries, raspberries
blackberries, fresh figs, water melons and cante-
lopes, oranges, bananas, pine apples, and new
almonds.

Hovey's Seedlixg at Boston. — This varie-
ty has kept up a reputation around Boston ; but
now the Journal of Horticulture says: "It can-
not compete with Wilson's Albany in profit,
and therefoi-e is more and more being super-
seded by it " Considering how long Wilson's
Albany has been before the public, Boston seems
to have been slow in coming to this conclusion,
and must have lost much profit by this attach-
ment to an obsolete idea. ♦

Choke Citerry Stocks.— I tried about 500
of the choke clierry stocks for the purpose of
working the cultivated sortsof cherry upon them
in the years 1S44 and 1845. The result was that
some sorts would not adhere wtdl ; others ad-
hered well, but in the following spring did not
push, although the bud kept alive until mid-
summer ; others made a growth of one to two
feet, but not one in fifty survived the following
winter.— F. R. Elliott, in Western Farmer.

282

THE GAEDEMER'S MOJS'TBLY. Septemher,

Laiiva of the CocKcnAFER.— Nurser3'men
and gardeners have snffercd enormously by the
larva of Melolontha phUophaga, since the crows
and other grub eating birds have been so nearly
annihilated. Prof. Russell, in the Journal of
IlortkuUure, says: "a species of fungus destroys
them sometimes. The spores of the fungus en-
ter the system with its food, and so spreads
and destroys the grub." How glad we should be
to have a ^qw millions of these fungus spores on
our own ground.

The Apple Crop of Pennsylvania— Has

been very good this year. The Bed Astrachnn
especially has been somewhat wonderful. The
great apple centres, Bethlehem, Catasauqua,
&c., have swarmed with them. Still they have
brought pretty good prices tliere-about ;»! CO
wholesale.

About the Peasle Tree.— In one of the
lower counties of Maryland there flourished in
the palmy days of the "peculiar institution," an
old darky preacher, who usod no notes, and
prided himself on his extemporaneous efforts.
His white brethren called him "Doctor''— a
title which he accepted, of course, with ludi-
crous gravity. At a camp-meeting which the
"Doctor" vvas holding, one of these friends gave
him, as a text, this passage in the Psalms of
David: "Wake psaltery and harp; I myself
will rise right earl3^" The 'Doctor" adjusted
his spectacles, and read:

" Wake, peaslc tree and harp ; I myself will
arouse right airly."

The "Doctor" went on to explain that Moses
was a very early riser; that he had a peasle tree
which grew near his window ; and that he was
wont to rise mighty airly and hang out his harp
on de peasle tree, wid psalms.— Harper's Maga-
zine.

WiN'Dow Decorations.— The cheerfulness
of a home depends chiefly on happy faces and
loving hearts, of course ; but yet in no small de-
gree on tasteful adornments, more or less. It is
a remarkable fact, plainly apparent to those
who study humanity as it is, that whenever un-
hapi)ine-s comes to a once pleasant home, the
love of the beautiful dies away. It was a natu-
ral prompting of the soul which made those
who sorrowed in the olden time, clothe them-
selves in sackcloth and ashes. Modern sorrow
makes less display, perhaps ; but yet it is quite

as natural as ever for "misery to love company"
— for the miserabie to take pleasure in misera-
ble things.

The happy, who would keep happy, must
keep the company of happy thoughts and plea-
sant suggestions. Agreeable surroundings wil'
not keep awa}' the bear from our doors in every
case, but it helps. Even a corpse seems light-
ened of half its coldness, when strewn with
flowers from loving hands. And flower.s, bright
flowers, wlierever they are, are always welcome
— there cannot be any idea of paradise without

them.

Considering how easy it is to have flowers,

why are they not more often seen ? ■ There is

no place w^here they cannot be grown. In some

countries the roof is turned into a conservatory ;

and in our own towns, large bay or projecting

windows are often seen filled with a profusion

of floral beauty, Humbler people are satisfied

with their few flowers on the window-sIU ; while

those who have not even this can have them in

hanging baskets suspended from an\Vhere that

will alibrd a little light to the growing plants.

To aid those who would grow plants in this way,

it may be well to say that success lies chieily in

not keeping them too wet or too dry. Anything

will do for abasket— corn-cobs fixstened together,

or curious roots, or the gnarled branches of trees.

Shells, or horns, or anything that will hold

earth, have been made into picturesque articles

for the purpose. Even turnips, carrots and

other roots have been hollowed out and made

to hold pretty little plants, which in these cases

seem to be parts of the roots themselves.

But whatever is employed as the basket, a
hole or passage way for the water must be left
at the bottom. When the plants are watered,
the best way is to take them to the pump or
hydrant, and dip them foi\a few minutes in a
vessel of water and hang them temporarily out-
side till the water all drains away. .Unless wa-
tered in this manner they are very apt to get too
dry, which is as bad as too wet.

In summer time, when the house has to be
sliut to keep out heat and flies, and there is not
enough light to keep the plants healthy, they do
very well hung under trees or the partial shade
of a piazza, and are just ready to bring in for
winter and spring adornment.

Usually these plants do not thrive over a year
in the same basket. It is best to take them all
out once and reset everyseason. Anytime through
the season will do for this.— i^oruc^/'s Wkhj Press.

1870.

THE GARI)E^'ER'S M0J\^TTILY.

28S

XE^v Cheruies — Mr. Luellinsjc, of ^Mihvaukie,
has originated a most valuable Cherrj', which is
called the "Black Republicau." It is late,
sweet, hard, aud crisp, and is a valuable fruit
for home consumption and for transportation to
distant nurket. — Willamette Farmer.

Express Damages. — During the strawberry
season Mr. Chubbuck of Vinelaud sent a crate
of berries to Philadelphia, by the West Jersey
Express Company. The berries were damaged
while in the hands of the company, and sold for
only half price. The present week the company
paid Mr Chubbuck the amount of damages
demanded.

Study of Botaxt. — Of the sciences thafe
bear directly upon agriculture, botany may be
reckoned among Ihe first. The farmer is brought
into closer contact with nature than any other
man, except the professional student of nature.
He dwells and works in the midst of the great
laboratory. •

A knowledge of botany, even if it does not go
beyond the names and properties of the plants,
the trees, the grasses and the flowers, which
everywhere surround us in the country, adds an
unspeakable charm to country life. Just as a
traveler, who is familiar by long years of study
with the antiquities, the history, the literature
of ancient, medieval and modern Europe views
every scene in any way connected with the his-
tory of the past with infinitely greater zest, be-
cause he is capable of a fuller appreciation than
another who has no such advantage — so a far-
mer, or any dweller in the country, who has a
knowledge of botany, has within himself greater
capacities for a full appreciation of nature than
one who has not this advantage.

But especially should the farmer study and
make himself familiar with the common plants
of the farm. This is not so formidable a task as
many seem to suf)pose. The hardest part of it,
for one who has every thing to learn, is to begin.
A good beginning once made, the interest in-
creases, intensifies, becomes almost a passion,
and the subs'^quent acquisitions bring with them
their own reward.

Our popular education is greatly defective. It
depends too much on books, and makes no aim
to imp irt a knowledge of things. It trains the
intellect, and leaves the practical world of na-
ture alone. It will not always be so. Our edu-

cation must become more practical, and aim to
fit the young more perfectly for the duties of
every day life. And when this change comes,
as come it must, the study of botany will be ele-
vated to the highest dignity, and assume a posi-
tion which its importance deserves. — ^fass.
Ploughman.

Skinner's Kurseuy at Marengo Ills. —
Mr.E.II. Skinner was located at Marengo, Ills.,
for 16 years. He commenced work at Rockford
in the spring of 1809, and has done a wonderful
amount of work. He has 70 acres of land one
and a half miles west of the city. When bought
it was covered with poplar, oak, hazel and un-
derbrush generally. All this has bsen grubbed,
aud much of it now looks as if it had bjcn iu
good cultivation for years. The soil is a light
sandy loam, resting upon a strong clay loam,
from 17 inches to two feet below the surface. No
subsoiling has been needed. The surface has
been thoroughly cultivated— this spring almost
constantly, and the trees and plants have made
a fine growth, and look well. We think, how-
ever, there has been more raiu iu that vicinity
than in this.

Following the breaking 30 acres were set with
Early Richmond Cherries two years old, aud we
are assured than of the 3,200 trees but one has
died. They have grown well and look well .

On rented land there are 20 acres of grafts,
390,000 in all, of the leading kinds of apple,
pear and plum. Of the varieties of apples set
for the northern trade all have done well. Du-
chess of Oldenburg, Ben Davis and the Haas,
or Gros. Pomier, stand at the head of the list
for hardiness, standing almost as well as the
crabs. Of the crabs there is a large stock,
Transcendent, Hyslop, Marengo and Coral.
The last two are thought the best of Mr. An-
drews collection.— Prairie Farmer.

The Visit of the Eastern Horticultu-
rists TO California.— Hon. Marshall P. Wil-
der, who, in company with Mr. Dnvuing of
Xewburgh, Messrs. Ellwanger & Barry, of
Rochester, and several others of the leading hor-
ticulturists of the Eastern and Middle States,
have been on an exploring tour to California,
returned home on >*Ionday. The party made a
thorough investigation of the horticuftural and
agricultural resources and capabilities of the
State of California, having visited all the princi-

^SJf

TEE GARDEJVER'S MOjYTELy. Scptemhcr,

pal valleys and fruit-growing regions, and high
as were their anticipations, they confess that
they Avere far more than realized. From the
time that they were met on the top of the Sierras
by the Committee which came out to welcome
them, to the moment of their departure, they
were the recipients of the most generous and
unbounded hospitality, public and private, and
had their stay been prolonged for months, they
would not have been able to have exhausted the
invitations that were extended to them.

Col. Wilder states that the party found the
State of California could grow nearly all the
fruits which are grown on the habitable globe.
The party dined one day in a grove of fig trees,
and upon their table they had figs grown upon
the branches which overshadowed them, and
also oranges, apricots, plums, pears, strawber-
ues, raspberries and blackberries. The fig trees
are used as ornamental trees, and they saw some
twenty five feet high, with stems a foot in diam-
eter. These trees grow very rapidly. In one
case they plucked ripe, luscious figs from a
tree which had been planted but four years, and
which was twelve feet high. This was one hun-
dred and fifty miles north of San Francisco.
Pear trees also grew very rapidly. They saw
pear trees twelve years old which measured ten
to eighteen inches in diameter at the butt, and
were twenty-five to thirty feet high. They saw
Dearborn Seedling trees on which, according to
their best judgment, there were from eight to
twelve bushels of ripe pears.

Their early fruits they found to be as good as
ours, but their large and later pears were not so
fine or so good flavored, from the reason that
they leave ihem on the trees too long, because it
will not pay to pick them. They would be glad
to sell them at fifty cents a bushel.

Strawberries are ripe and in the market from
April to December, and there is a constant sup-
ply of all the other delicious fruits— more than
there is market for— and great quantities are al-
most every day thrown away for want of pur-
chasers.

The beautiful shrubs which we here raise ten-
derly in our greenhouses, are raised there as or-
namental tree, and shrubs for the streets. Mr.
"Wilder saw a Eucalyptus which was planted six
years ago by Dr. Ilolden, formerly of this city,
which was ten inches in diameter and fifty feet
high. Th^; century i)lant is a common garden
ornament, and many of them were fuund thirty
to forty feet high and in full bloom. They saw

a hedge of rose geraniums thirty-five feet long
and nine feet high; scarlet geraniums were seen
growing to the top of a two story house, and
greenhouse roses running to the third story
window of another house.

Grapes half grown were measured, some of
the bunches of which were fifteen to eighteen
inches long. These sell when ripe for a cent a
pound to the wine makers. The larger and
best bunches, such as are sent to the San Fran-
cisco market for table use, bring from 6 to 10
cents a pound. Millions of acres are devoted to
grape culture.

Col. Wilder brought home with him a box of
Bartlett pears, which were picked green, "wrap-
ped in paper and put on board the cais at Sac-
ramento. They came through in admirable
shape, ripened off well, colored handsomely, and
were in excellent eating condition three weeks
from the time they were picked, as we have had
evidence to day.

All trhough the gentlemen comprising the party
were most agx-eeably surprised with the wonder-
ful horticultural resources of the.State. The re-
sults of their investigation, we understand, are
to be cai-efully prepared and printed.— Jiosfon
Post.

Willow Twig Apple.— Mr. Jaraes Ileuston,
of Dallas County, brought us*somelong keeping
apples of four different varieties, among them .
the AYillow Twig, all in good condition. Al-
though this apple is not of first quality, its long
keeping makes it one of the most valuable sorts,
and as the tree is hardy and a good bearer, it
deserves extensive planting. Mr. Heuston also
brought us some Early Harvests of the present
season. — Iowa Homestead.

Meeiian's Ni/RSERY. — Our friend Meehan,
of the Gard€ner''s 3Ionthly, says so little about
his own affiiirs in his journal that probabl}* but
few of his readers are aware that he has au
extensive nursery at Germantown, I'a. In a
hurried visit we did not have much time to look
at his general stock, as we were too much taken
up with the many rare old and new things wliich
he has stowed away in odd corners. It is very
pleasant to see a dealer in plants at the same
time an enthusiastic lover of them ; ami we re-
gret that we had not sutllcicnt daylight to allow

J 870.

THE GARBEMEWS MOJ^fTELY.

285

of the inspection of all the interesting specimens

that Mr. M. has collected — American Agricul-
Um$t.

Willow Bread.— The leaves of our common
or basket willow {Salix nigra. Marshall), treated
the same as is usual for hops, makes an excel
lent yeast or leaven for light bread. The dis-
covery was made in my family this summer, and
after thorough trial, I was convinced that there
is nothing equal to it, as it rises much quicker
than hops — in half the time — imparts none of
that hop flavor so disagreeable to some, and, in
fact, makes better bread every way. The thing
is well worth}' the attention of every good house-
wife who reads the Journal of Ajriculture, and
lest some should hesitate in consequence of not
knowing the medical properties of the willow in
question, I will add that it is a healthful tonic
from which no harm can possibly arise. — Cor-
resjjondcnt of Journal of Agriculture.

To Exterminate Chixeal and Ants
FROM Orange Trees.— Make a thin paste of
lard and powdered sulphur, apply it wi h a mop
to the body and limbs of the tree where cluneal
is deposited ; repeat the application in about ten
days after the first application, when the chineal
will be effectually destroyed, without injury to
the tree.

The same application will expel ants from the
tree; but as the sulphur in time becomes dry
from the absorption of the lard, when the ants
will return, a small band of cotton or rope tied
around the body of the tree, saturated with the
paste from time to time, Avill eftectually expel
them. The location of the band should be occa-
sionally changed, as the bark of the tree may be
injured by the sulphur after awhile, if the band
is confined to one place too long.

The writer has recently tried the above remedy
upon his trees with perfect success, and has re-
commended it to several of his acquaintances,
who have also tried It, and have also found it to
be an effectual remedy in exterminating these
troublesome insects. — jY^ O. Picayune.

F 0 K E I G N I Ts T E L L I G E N C E .

Underground Flowers.— A vegetable cu- 1
• I

riosity, met with in Xew Zealand, has been de-
scribed by "Mr. Taylor, says the Scientific Ee-
view, in whose honor it has been named Dacty-
lantlnis Taylori. He describes the plant as a
parasite, which attaches itself to the roots (and
not like others, to the branches) of trees. It has
no leaves, but the stalk is covered wilh brown
scales ; the petals of the flower are slightly ting-
ed with pink in the centre, but, in general, they
are of a dirty white or brown color, and trans-
parent ; the stamens are white ; the fiowers have
a strong smell, partly fragrant, though earthy
and unpleasant. This plant forms a large ex-
crescence on the roots of the Tataka pillositorum^
which is covered with warts ; these increase and
become buds. A dozen or more flowers are of-
ten on one stem. lie first met with it in the
mountains near Ilikurangi. Nr. Nairn found a
similar parasite in the forest at the base of
Mount Taranaki ; this was also attached to the
root of a tree, and had a number of flowers upon

it of a light blue color. !Mr. Williamson after-
wards gave Mr. Taylor another specimen, which
he found in clearing some ground. The whole
plant and flowers were entirely covered with
vegetable mould ; the stem between the bracts
was of a rusty brown ; there were twenty-five
flowers open at once. Another excrescence had
eighteen. He states that the odor of one plant
was something like that of a ripe nudon, whilst
the other had also a disagreeable earthy smell.
[There are many other plants which might be
described as producing underground flowers, as
the Aspidistras, for example, which flower freely,
though few who grow them have ever seen their
flowers. — Gardener'' s Magazine. \

"The Universal Nurseryman" is the ti-
tle of a bi-monthly publication projected by the
Pomological Institute at Ilingelheim, (Jerniany,
and edited by the Directors of the Institute.
The prospectus states that it will coWain either
plain or colored plates of the best and most

^8G

THE GARBE^-ER'ti MO XT ELY.

Scptcniher,

showy of the new plants introduced to cultiva-
tion. At the same time illustrations will be
given of designs for ornamental and picturesque
planting, plans and sketches for laying out gar-
dens of all kinds, and also hothouses and every
other form of structure required in gardens.

Thistles ix New Zealand.— A correspon-
dent of the Otago Daily Times, who, during one
day's journe)% ract with a few thistles growing
here and there by the wayside, on the next day
entered a district in which, for over 40 miles this
acclimatized weed seemed to have fairly taken
possession of the land, and the farmers in the
district have reason to complain of the apathy
which allowed the thistle to become such a nui-
sance. Spreading from a small point to the
north of Hampden, where it said to have been
introduced by a Hock of sheep, the this^e is now
to be found all over the valleys of the Shag, Ote-
popo and Kakanui, comprising some of the finest
agricultural land in the colony ; and not only in
the valleys, but up to the tops of the hills, not a
spur or a gully being -without its hundreds This
lias now reached a point at which all the Thistle
Prevention Ordinances in the world will fail to
prevent its spread. Slowly, but surely it will
work its way to the southward and westward,
until it has overrun the province.

]\Ir. W>i. Paul's Exhibition of Pot Roses
AT the Crystal Palace —The grand display
of roses provided by Mr. W. Paul for the enjoy-
ment and entertainment of the visitors to the
Crystal Palace during the past week has certain-
y been one of the most suuii)tuous affairs of its
kind on record. The exhibition was held in one
of the open corridors overlooking the grounds,
the sides being enclosed willi canvass ; and a
walk tbrough the exhibition when crowded with
visitors, as it was on the afternoon of the open-
ing day, was sullicient to convince the most
skeptical of the wisdom of the step, as the enclo-
sure was delightfully cool without exposing either
visitors or tlowL-rs to cold chilling draughts. Mr.
Paul is too well known as a successful rose-
grower to render it necessary for us to say that
the whole of llie i)Iants of which the exhibition
consisted wereinthemostluxuriant health and su-
perbly tlowcred. Sulllce, then, to say that the
display consisted almost untiri'ly of specimens,
many of ^lich in former days have figured in
collections that have placed his name at the head

of the prize list. The plants were arranged on
a stage erected on the left-hand side of the cor-
ridor, with but one exception, and that was a
fine group placed lacing the entrance. The
grouping of the various hues of color left little to
be desired, and the plants were so arranged as
to avoid, as far as possible, the flatness common
to plants placed on stages erected in a straight
line and of a uniform height, and the general ef-
fect was of the most satisfactory character. Be-
tween the entrance and first bank of roses was
an avenue of standard orange trees, with masses
of variegated and zonal pelargoniums an(i succu-
lent plants. Conspicuous amongst the variega-
ted varieties were the two white-flowered silver-
edged varieties. Avalanche and Waltham Bride,
both of which will, without doubt, be grand for
edging purposes on account of their floriferous
character. Amongst the other we noticed
Waltham Bronze and Plutarch, both verj' ptom-
ising as bedders, the coloring being remarkably
rich and the growth compact and vigorous.

Passing on to the roses, it will perhaps be as
well to say that the display consisted almost en-
tirely of the old well-established kinds, the new
varieties not being so fully represented as we ex-
pected they would have been, although several
of the best were staged.

Amongst the older kinds, we noticed Madame
Willermoz, a delicate sulphur-yellow, one of the
best of the teas both for exhibition and the con-
servatory ; Bougere, delicate blush, full and line;
Monsieur Furtado^ sulphur-yellow, grand in bud;*
La lieine^ deep rose pink, large and showy ;
Paul Ricaut^ free flowering, but rather thin
when fully expanded ; Madame C Wood^ bright
crimson, large, and of line form, but quite sur-
passed by Madame Victor Verdier, of the same
hue of color, a grand rose; Elizabeth Vigneron,
t\ showy variety of the shell-pet. died race, but
inferior to others in the same way ; Cuupe de
Hebe, rather thin, but line for forcing and ipoC
culture ; Souvenir (Z'tru Ami, another grand rose
for pot culture, whether for exhibition or con-
servatory decoration ; Catharine Guillot, roise-
pink, small, but useful for cutting ; Pierre Nat-
ting, deep rich glowing crimson, very full and
fine ; Charles Lawson, bright rosy, large and full,
one of the very best roses in existence for p )ts ;
Souvenir d^Elise Vardoii, saluion centre shadinir
to sulphur, large and fine ; a good useful rose ;
Michel Bonnet, a small useful frte-flowering va-
riety ; La:lia, pink, large and showy, but (juite

IS'iO.

THE GAEBEMER'b MO^THLJ.

287

surpassed by Prjncess Christine ; Alha Rosea, a
fine white companion to ]\[arechai Xiel for size
of flower and general good qualities,; Marie Bau-
mann. ver}' bright carmine rose, large, full and
fine ; Heine du Portugal, coppery yellow, fine and
distinct ; Virtor Verdi/'r, rosy carmine shading
to purple ; Mirechal Vaillant, purplish crimson,
grand when about half expanded ; Alpaide de
Botalier, rose pink, very fall, fine and free flow-
ering ; Paid Perras, large and showy ; Senateur
Vaisse, still one of the best of the bright crim-
son flowered varieties for general usefulness ;
Madame Boll, a rather shallow flower of no par-
ticular merit ; Mdatne A. lioujemont, white, the
best of its color; Princess Christine, rosy peach,
very large, full and fine, one of the best roses
sent out for many years past ; Perfection de
Lyon, rose, reverse of petals lilac, thin and
poor when expanded ; this was considered one
of the best of last years's novelties. In addition
to the above, we noticed amongst other good va-
lieties, (hunte de Nanteuil, Madame Marcjottin,
Comtesse de Chabrillaat, Madame Marie Badi/,
Horace Vernet, Juno, Dr. Andre, Madame C
Joiyneaux, Louise Odier, Beauty of Waltkam and
Madame Caillat.

A few nice specimens of the '-mop-head" aca-
cia, Boflinia inermis, the golden oak and varie-
gated maple wei'c tastefully intermixed with the
roses, and the banks of the latter were faced
with Pyrethrum, Golden Feather, Euonymus
radicans variegata, and other dwarf growing
subjects.

tions on plant conformation, which appear to be
as much neglected by the botanist as those of
Leonardo da Vinci.

Leonardo da Yinci as a Botaxist. In a
recent number of Nature, Mr. A. AV. Bennett
di.>?cusses tlie claims, of the great painter Leon-
ardo da Vinci to be ranked among the botanists.
It appears that the method in which leaves are
arranged on the stem (phyllotaxis) was known
to and described by Da Vinci long before Sir
Tliomas Browne, in his Garden of C^tus, called
attention to it, and before GreAV and Malpighi
noticed it. The fact that in exogenous trees the
ago may be determined by the number of rings
and the aspect in which the tree has grown by
the greater thickness of the tree on the south
side, was also first noticed by the great painter.
Many other illustrations of his botanical know-
ledge are cited, and which have hitherto been
overlooked. The student will find in Mr. Bus-
kin's Modern Painters many remarkable observa

TnENEWROSESATTnEBOYALlIOKTICULTU-

ral Society's Siioav -As the report already giv-
en has entered largely into the general character of
the Show and named the successful competitors,
I shall conflne myself to the new Hoses— viz.,
those of 1868 and 1869, not specifying the stands,
but picking them out here and there:

Edouard Morren was again largely exhibited.
My opinion of it remains as it has always been ;
it is a somewhat coarse flower, and inclined, like
General Washington, to show a green eye. Prob-
ably not one bloom in a dozen would be lit to
put into a stand of twelve, but when caught, it
will grace any stand. Reine Blanche, as shown
here and. at the Palace, was a great deal too
rough for exhibition, and a good white Rose is
still a desideratum. Xardy Freres is a ^^od
Rose, as I have said before, somewh.it dull in
color, but we must wait for another season be-
fore deciding finally as to its position. Madame
Clert is a very pretty ])right pink flower of good
shape; and Thyri Hammerich a very pretty
blush white Rose with shell-like petals, formed
somewhat in the style of Baronne Prevost, only
a little more cupped— very pretty indeed at
times. Souvenir de Monsieur Pointeau Jias
come very rough this season'where I have seen it,
but its color will alwayscnsureita welcome Made-
moiselle Eugenie Verdier is a very pretty Rose,
and likely to be an acquisition. Of Clemence
Raoux a box was exhibited by Messrs Lee, and
if constant to that stjite, it was decidedly a no-
velty, being of a light blush ground distinctly
margined with pink. Monsieur Journeaux is of
a very peculiar shade of color— reddish scarlet
with a purplish tinge through it, good form and
large ; this struck me a very desirable Rose
Marquise de Mortemart is an undouhtedly good
Rose in a section where good flowers are much
wanted, blush white ; Madame Creyton, a fair
Rose ; Dcvienne Lamy, again shown in good
condition ; Henri Ledechaux, a fine carmine
Rose, of which I have again to say that it de-
serves to be grown more than it has been ; Julie
Touvals, a ver3' curious Rose with large petals,
almost reminding one of a Tea, but I think one
not likel}' to be of much use ; Emilie ITau.sberg,
a prettily .shaped pale rose, and witl:^nbricated
petals — a flower deserving of being grown if its

288

TEE GARDEJ\^ER'S MONTHLY. Septcmher,

liabit be good, which it seemed to be ; Madame
Josephine Guj'ot, a very pretty and wtU shaped
Rose, which I cannot find in any catalogue:
Victor Trouillard, too rough ; Victor Bihan,
beautiful bright rosy carmine ; Dupuy-Jamain,
of which I have again to repeat what I said,
that it is a beautiful carmine Rose well worthy
of cultivation ; Andre Fresnoy, not very remark-
able as shown. The same may be said of Fer-
dinand de Lesseps and of Comtesse d'Oxford.

It will be seen from the above, that compara-
tively few of the new Roses of this season have
been exhibited— not one of the Teas ; one Noi-
sette, Reine d'Or at the Crystal Palace ; and not
above five or six of the Hybrid Perpetuals. This
is to be accounted for by the fact that nursery-
men are busy propagating them, and hence can-
not aflbrd to allow their plants to grow on for ex-
hibition. . Of those of 18GS the following have, I
think, made good tbeir claim to remain amongst
ou^favorites — Devienne Lamy, Dupuy-Jamain,
Edouard Morren, Henri Ledechaux, Madame
Crcyton, Marquise de Mortemart, Monsieur
Journeaux, Souvenir de Mons. Poiteau, Thyra
Ilammerich and Victor le Bihan.

I have bloomed some of the new Tea Roses,
and am inclined to think that we ha\e some
good kinds amongst them. Chamois is rightly
named, but there is too little of it. Madame
Ducher iias a good deal of analogy, as I have it
witTi Dcvoniensis, and is a very line Rose. La-
maniue a tleurs jaunes promises to be agoodj-el.
low climbing Rose. Unique is a very remarka-
ble looking, shaped like a Tulip, but I wait for
another bloom before deciding. But to my
mind the finest flower of the season, as far as I
c in see, and from all, too, that 1 heard in Paris,
is Louis Van lloutte, raised by my old friend
Lacharme, one of the most conscientious of our
Rose I'aisers in France, and ah'eady dear to all
lovers of the Rose by Francoisc Lacharme. Lou-
is Van lloutte is likely, I think, to uphold his
fame ; it is of the shape of the old Cabbage Rose
and of that line Rose Francis Trevye ; it has al-
so the line perfume of the old Cabbage ; in color
it is like Charles Lefebvre when it comes dark,
approaching at times to that of Prince Camille
de Rohan. The habit of the plant is vigorous,
and allogethu'r I am inclined to consider it the
best Kosc of the season. Tliere is another Rose
whose position is now so well established that it
is not nee<)£ul to say much of it, but I question
if at the Show on Jun«i 'iUth there was one Rose
which sooner caught the eye and held captive

the beholder than Duke of Edinburgh. Mr
George Paul may well be congratulated on hav-
ing sent out this fine English Rose, for in bril-
lianc}^ of color it is unsurpassed, while its fine
habit gives it also a claim which many dark
Roses do not possess. — D., Deal, London Jour-
nal of Horticulture.

Cabbage Snow.— On Tuesday week a show
of this edible look place at the Blue Boar Stock-
well Gate, near Nottingham, when some exceed-
ingly fine cabbages were exhibited for competi-
tion, some of the specimens weighing 7 lb. and
8 lb., with sound and firm hearts. The .judges
were Messrs. Quinton Reed, Pleasley Vale and
E. Jones, Mansfield, whose awards gave entire
satisfaction to the competitors. After the show
the members of the club dined together. AVe
understand the members will open their celery
club on the evening of Monday the 20th iust. —
Gardener'>s Weekly.

HORTICULTURAL NOTICES.

FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY OF ONTA-
RIO, CANADA.

A recent meeting reported in the Bural Hew
Yorker, discussed the Raspberry question. The
following is the vote on the best kinds:

FOR MARKET.

The Philadelphia had the highest number of
votes.

Doolittle's Black Cap received only one vote
less than the Philadelphia.

McCormick had three-fourths of the number
cast for the Philadelphia.

Davison's Thornless had nearly half as many.

FOR HOME USE.

Brinckle,s Orange had the highest number of
votes.

Franconia had half the number cast for
Brinckle's O/ange, and so had Orange King,
Mr. Arnold's seedling.

Fastolf and Yellow Antwerp had each one less
than Franconia.

OREGON POMOLOGICAL AND HORTI-
CULTURAL SOCIETY.
AVe learn that the eftorts to establish this So-
ciety have been very successful, and another
year we shall probably be reading the annual
report of its duings.

THE HERSTINE RASPBERRY.

GROWN BY D.W. HERSTINE

W)lu ^mUwtf^

(yj

0ntlilir.

DEYOTED TO .

Eorticulture, Arh or i culture, Botany and Rural Affairs.

EDITED BY THOMAS MEEHAX. •

Old Series, Vol. XII. OCTOBER, 1870. New Series, Vol. III. No. 10.

•HINTS FOE OCTOBER,

FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE
GROUND.

The remarkably hot and dry season we have
had all oyer the Union, has been singularly un-
propitious for fall flowers. Dahlias came into
bloom early, and in September when wc should
have had beauty, found nothing but dried heads
and green leaves. The Gladiolus, however, has
done remarkably well. This flower is becoming
deservedly popular in American gardening.
Seedlings have become so numerous, that first-
class varieties are now within the reach of every
one at moderate prices. The raising of seed-
lings is also a very interesting operation. Every
one may have some new variety of his own in
this way, superior, perhaps, to any of his neigh-
bors. The hot weather was, however, very hard
on other flowers.

Fall Roses were simply "nowhere,"— and the
Chrysanthemum which makes the fall of the leaf
so cheering, rather excites our pity ^or itself.
Those who have depended much on flowering
plants for the gaiety of their gardens, have failed
in most but Geraniums and Petunias : while
those who have rather rested for their success on
masses of colored leaves, are triumphant. The
Coleus, Achyranthus, Teilanthera, Vinca varie-
gata, Centaureas, and similar things, have gone
the drought gloriously ; and we have no doubt
this species of gardening will be immensely pop-
ular another year. We still want more variety
among this class of plants. At present, one per-
son's garden is too much a copy of another,
where the style of massing with colored leaves
prevails. Two very good silver -leaved plants of
this season's introduction are Centaurea gymno-
cai-pa, which has leavts yery much like the old

"Miller's Geranium'' {Cineraria maritima,) as it
does not grow so tall that, it is better adapted
to some forms of masses. The other is a white
leaved, woody but trailing graphalium, also call-
ed gymnocarjjum, but we suspect wrongly named.
The larcre variegated Periwinkle is riot much in
use, though not amongst the least valuable by
any means. It is a good season to think of these
things ; as wherever this kind of gardening is to
oe done, six months is little enough to got the
plants ready in. The Cannas have done well as
bedding plants this summer. In former times
the}' were grown Tor their pretty leaves chiefly ;
but now large and early flowered varieties have
been produced, which make them showy as well
as otherwise interesting.

We think ornamental vines have been too
much overlooked in the summer decoration of
•^rounds. We have seen this summer some re-
markably pretty effects from the hybrid Nastur-
tiums, Cypress vines, Maurandiaand other sum-
mer vines. There are several new "Morning-
glories" of various colors, of which pretty groups
could be made, but as these are mostly closed
before nine o'clock, they are of no use to city la-
dies ; but are charmingly sweet things for the
country girls, who always have the best of every-
thing in life; though not always thinking so.
These vines could be arranged on flxncy figures,
according to colors, and certainly the effects in
some parts of the ground would be as striking
as that derived from leaf plants.

We gave some hints about flower roots in our
last. We may again observe that the planting
of spring bulbs, tulips, hyacinths, crocus, snow-
drops, frittilarias, lilies, &c., and the trans-
planting of shrubs, and division of herbaceous

£90

THE GAEDE:NER'S MOKTELl^

•/•

Odoher,

plants, will occupy chief attention in October.
All herbaceous plants are much better for being
protected 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 Imay be protected in the same
way. AVhen they are very long and slender,
they are taken down from their trellisses, and
coiled irfto circles as small as xn^y be, without
risk of breaking them, and then the soil put on.
Those things that grow late, such as many
kinds of Noisette Koses, should have their ma-
ture top shoots shortened a few weeks before the
protecting process is commenced. The wound
will then heal over, and not cause the decay of
the upper portion of 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, Madei-
ra vines, Dahlias, Tuberoses, «&c., for instance.

Tree seeds should be either sown or prepared
for sowing in the fall. Hard shell seeds require
time to soften their coats, or they will lie over a
year in the ground. It used to be popular to
mix withlaoxes of sand ; but unless there be very
few seed^ to a very large quantity of sand, the
heat given out though perhaps imperceptible to
us, is sufficient to generate fungus which will
destroy the seed. It is much better to soak the
seeds in water, and then dry just enough to" keep
from moulding, and as cool as possible all win-
ter. This is a much safer plan than sand. In
States were the frosts are severe, seedlings of
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 seedling stock received from
a distance, should be also so treated. In the
more Southern States they may be setout at once,-
and as much planting as possible be accomplish-
ed that will save spring work. Llany cuttings
will not do well unless taken off at this season
and laid in the ground under protection, like
seedlings, — the quince, syringas or lilacs, spiroea
prunifolia, and some others. la the "mild win
ter States," evergreen cuttings should be made
now, and set out thickly in rows. The leaves
need not be taken off, but short, thick-set
branches laid in the under soiL When rooted
next fall they may be taken up and divided into
separate plants, In more Northern States, ever-

greens may not be so sfruck at this season, un-
less protected by greenhouses and frames. Where
these are at hand, evergreens may be put in, in
boxes or pans all through the winter.

FRUIT GARDEN.

So general has been the bountiful fruit crop
this season, that many will be induced to plant
this fall in the hope of having a coiitinuous sup-
ply for their families for all time t^ come. The
question, how shall we prepare the ground and
plant ? will be a very general one. We feel that
the advice constantly given to subsoil and under-
drain.and manure to the extent of hundreds of dol-
lars per acre is too costly to follow, and of little use
after it is taken. If Ave were going to prepare a
piece of ground for an orchard, we should ma-
nure it heavily and put in a crop of Potatoes ;
then in October manure again lightly and put in
Rye. On this, in April, we should sow Red
Clover. The Rye off, we should then consider
it ready to plant trees. For Apples, Fears, Plums
or Cherries, we should mark out the rows ten
feet apart, and for the trees ten feet from
"each other. This will be twice as thick as
they will be required when full}' grown, but
they grow much better when thick together;
and they will bear more than enough fruit to pay
for the room they occupy, before the time comes
to cut every other one away. We say the rows
ten feet apart, but every fourth row should be
twelve feet to afford room to get between the
blocks with a cart.

Plant as early in October as possible, but it
can be continued until the approach of frost To
plant, a hole can be dug in the stubble just large
enough to iiold the roots without cramping them.
We should tread in the soil and trim in the head
very severely. The next spring we should just
break the crust formed by the winter rains about
the tree, and then leave everything to grow as it
might. The clover will be ready to cut in June
or July. The twelve feet rows may be done by
machine, the rest by hand. Hay enough will be
made to pay for all the labor for one year and a
little more. After the ha}' has been hauled off,
bring back some rich earth of any kind, and
spread about a quarter or half an inch thick over
the surface of the ground disturbed in making
the hole. This will keep the grass from grow-
ing very strong just over the roots. Keep on
this way annually, every two or three years giv-
ing the whole surface of the orchard a top di'ess-

1870'

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MO.YTELY.

2)1

ing for the sake of the gra^s, and it will be found
to be tke most profitable way of making the or-
chard ground pay for itself, until the fruit crops
come in, that one can jidopt The trees also will
be models of health nntl vinor, and when they
commence to bear will do s» regularly and abuu-
dantl}'. This is an epitome of what the Garden-
f r'.<! Monthly has taught, opposed as it has been
by excellent men of the old school of culture-
Xo one who follows it will ever abandon «t for
any other. It is costless comparatively, from the
first to the last ; and pays its way at every step.
The dwarfer fruit trees we would plant on the
same system, but six instead of ten feet apart.
Few soils are too ivet for fruit trees. Only in wet
soils plant" on the surface, and throw up the
earth over them from between so as to make a
ditch or furrow to carry away the surface water.
On the plan of annual surface dressings which
we have outlined, the feeding roots will thus al
ways keep above the level of standing water ;
and when they can do this, it will not hurt the
trees though the Pip roots are immersed in wa-
ter for half the year.

GREENHOUSE.

The taste for cut tlowers is considerably in-
creasing, and one of the greatest demands on a
greenhouse in winter, is from the best half of
the head of the household for room and table
decorations. Beautiful spec^jnen plants are not
so highly valuq^d as those which will afford
plenty of bloom for cutting. The various kinds
of Zonale Geraniums are very good for this pur-
pose. • The following also comprises very useful
plants for this purpose: Bouvardia leiantha,
Calla Ethiopica, Ceslrum aurantiacum, Ilabro-
thamnus elegaiis, Chorozema varium, Chinese
Primroses, especially the double white. Daphne
indica, Poinsetta pulcherrima, Euphorbia splen-
dens. Heliotrope, Mignonette, Sweet Alyssum,
Catalonian jasmine, Yellow Jasmine, Mahernia
odorata, Stevia serrata, Violets, Roses, Cinera-
rias and Brompton stocks. Tuberoses that flow-
ei- late may be carofully taken up and potted,
and will last till over Christmas ; and many
things may be taken out of the ground and
slightly U)Tced. The common white Lily is good
for this purpose, also Deutzias, Philadclphuses,
and Tamarix. The common green Euonymus
japonicus, is also worth potting to make a lively
green for mixing with other things.

In taking up things from the ground for pot-

ting, care should be taken to have the pots well
drained, with pieces of potsherd over the hole.
The more rapidly water passes through the soil
the better plants will grow. Pots could be made
without holes, and the water would all go
through the porous sides in time ; but that is too
slow a way, so we make a hole to admit of its
more rapid escape, and we place the broken pots
over the hole to make a vacuum, which assists
the objects of the hole. In yery small pots, or
with plants which have strong enough roots to
rapidly absorb all the moisture they get, and
speedily ask for more, "crocking'' is not neces-
sary.

There are but few things in the greenhouse
that will require special treatment at this time.
Camellias and Azaleas, as they cease to grow,
v.'ill require less water ; but it is now so well
known that moisture is favorable to growth, and
comparative dryness favorable to flowering, that
we need do more than refer to the fact.

Bulbs for dowering in pots should be placed at
once. Four or five inch pots are suitable. One
Hyacinth and about three Tulips are suthcient
for each After potting, plunge the pots over
their rims in sand under the greenhouse stage,
letting them remain there until the pots have
become well filled with roots, before bringing
them on to the shelves to force.

VEGETABLE GARDEX.

Lettuces sown last month will now be large
enough to set out for permanent growth. A
common hotbed frame, set on a bed of leaves or
spent stable-manure, will enable one to enjoy de-
licious salad all through the latter part of win-
ter, where sufficient protection against severe
fro.-^s can be secured. In this division of our
Hints, it is more of an object to preserve them
through the winter for the purpose of setting out
in the open air in spring. In the warmer States
this can be readil}' effected by their being set out
in the open air in a sheltered place. Here in
Pennsylvania they often do very well by having
the sround thrown into ridges about six inches
deep, running east and west, and the [)lants set
out on the northern sides. They have a little
straw thrown over them in severe weather, and
get through the winter admirably, heading early
in spring The Early York Cabbage is exten-
sively grown the same way. "Where the climate
is too severe to allow of this, they nmst be put

292

THE GARDE JEER'S MOJ^TTHLl,

October,

under cover of shutters, as before described in
our Hints.

Cabbages can be preserved in such a cellar,
though most prefer them in the open air. One
way is to pack them closely together with their
roots uppermost, and then cover them with soil,
on which straw or litter is thrown to keep them
from freezing. By being packed this way, the
water cannot get into their hearts, which is one
of the chief causes of their rotting. Where
plenty of boards can be had, they may be packed
with their heads uppermost, and the rain kept
off by the material.

Brocoli and Endive may be taken up with
balls of earth, and set in cool cellars closely to-
gether, and they will grow sufficiently — the for-
mer to produce good head, and the latter to
blanch beautifully all through the winter.

Asparagus beds should be cleaned, by having
the old stems cut qff and the soils from the alley
ways dug out and thrown over beds. It keeps
the frost from the roots, and thus permits them
to grow and lay up matter all winter for next
spring's growth. Very early in spring the soil
should be raked back into the alleys, so as to
leave the roots but a few inches under the soil,

as the nearer they are then to the sun's rays the
earlier will the crop be.

Celery must have continued attention to
blanching as it grows, ca^-e being exercised to
prevent the soil from entering the heart. "Where
very fine results are Sesired, the plants should
be protected from early severe frosts, so as to en-
able the plants to grow without injrry as long as
possible.

Kootsofmost kinds, such as Carrots, Beets,
etc., should be taken up before the frost is severe.
They all keep best packed in sand in the open
air, but it is too inconvenient to get at them in
winter ; heuce cellars are employed to preserve
them in. Cellars for this purpose should be cool,
say with temperature of about 45^, arid not all
dry. It is not meant that it should be damp, as
the roots will become rotten, but it must be
moist enough to prevent shrivelling.

However, if any protection can be given so as
to enable one to get at the pit in frosty weather,
most things keep better so than in any way.
Celery keeps very well packed in earth so that
the frost does not get at it ; but it must be laid
with the tops sloping, so that the water may be
kept out of the heart.

COMMUNICATIONS.

INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE GRAPE
VINE.

BY MAJOR 31UHLEMAN.
Read bef<yre the Alton Horticultural Society.

The culture of the grape forms so important a
branoli of horticulture both East and West ; and
the discussions of its details, so great and impor-
tant a part of the proceedings in the meetings of
tliia Society, that it behooves us to become ac-
quainted with all the insects injurious to it, with
their natural history, mode of depredation ; and
disseminate a very useful information among
those interested in the culture of the grape.

Tl:ere is hardly a number of any periodical,
agricultural, horticultural, entomological or U.
S. or State agricultural reports, which contains
not the description of some of the many different
insects preying on the vine.

It is my object in this essay to bring before

you the whole army of them, to march, them
from their different quarters on to the pttrade
ground, and march them in single file before you,
to exhibit them whenever practicable in their
larvfe states and as imperfect insects.

I have subdivided the column into three
squads, leaving off with those that prey on the
leaves, counting twenty species.

2d. Those injurious to the berry, counting
three.

3d. Those attacking the roots, three strong,
and bring up the rear with one species dwelling
in the cane, making in all twenty-seven differ-
ent species that love that royal plant.

These are the most common, and although
many of them are also found on other plants,
have from time to time, and in diflerent locali-
ties, been quite destructive to the vine, so that
they can and are numbered with the habitual

TS70.

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJ^TKLY.

293

enemies to it. There are many more, which
casually are found on the vine, among which the
most numerous are the different species of tree
and leaf hoppers, belonging to the families of
Telligonea and Aphrbphora, many of them in-
sects of the strangest shapes iinaginal^e. Sev-
eral passing under the common of Thrips.

These and others would easily double the
number given above.

Every year adds new ones to the list, consist-
ing either of such as have already existed with
us, but not described, or such as have been im-
ported from distant countries.

All of these insects inhabit or are found on the
indigenous grape vines of the country, and are
more or less numerous in different sections, and
as the different species of vines more or less
abound which they prefer, from the wild vines they
have spread on to the cultivated ones, and as certain
vines have been exported from their native locali-
ties so those insects particular to them WRve been
exported, and more or less acclimated. Yet I
think that this emigration of insects injurious to
the vine is conSned more to a given latitude. Ex-
treme southern ones not becoming acclimated
north beyond a certain limit, whereas there
seems to be no obstacle in their spreading over
degrees of longitude as far as the Rocky Moun-
tain.

Again, certain species of insects seem to prefer

the indigenous to the cultivated vine, while
others do not seem to be choice, and are as abun-
dant on one as on other.

Thus on a ten year old wild vine of the Frost
grape, gracing my porch, I have found exclu-
sively the green span worm. Cidaria divecsiline-
ata ; that of the Abbot Sphinx, Thyrcus A b-
botii, of the beautiful wood nymph, Eudryas
Grata, also several of the Thrips or leaf suckersi
while the hog caterpillar, Chaerocarapa pampin-
atrix, the larva of the eight spotted forester, Aly-
phiaOchomaculata, that of pearl nymph, Eudryas
Unio, the grape vine Fidia, the larva of the leaf
roller, Desmia Maculata and of the plume moth
are found as numerous on the Hartford Prolific,
Concord and other vines. The gall louse I find
only on the Taylor's BuUit. thouj^h it has oc-
curred with others on the Clinton and Delaware.

However, the sura and substance of all we
know of the destru'^.tive habits of the majority of
leaf insects mentioned al)ove, with some few ex-
ceptions, seem to be that the vine grower need
not be alarmed. The vines mostly cultivated
with us possess such a superabundance of vitali-

ty, that what few leaves are eaten off by a few
solitary caterpillars or beetles are replaced in the
course of a few days by dozens of new leaves,
and the health or life of the tree is not endan-
gered. But there are such others in the list
which will really destroy the fruit or render it
unsaleable, and such which will destroy the vine
root and all. These should be chiefly studied
and means devised to destroy them.

Of the former are the grape codling moth,
the larva of which feeds on the contents of
the berry and the seeds ; the grape seed cur-
culio, the grape curculio and the flea beetle,
Haltica chalybea, eating out the core of
the best buds, thus destroying at ♦one swoop
what bunches of grapes would have formed on
that arm.

Of the latter, are the gigantic grape root boi-er,
the larva of a beetle described and figured in Mr.
Riley's Annual report for 1869, and the jEgeria •
Polestiformis, a moth, the larva boring in the
roots as the currant borer in the currant stem.

NEW ZEALAND.

Remarkable Trees — Demmara Auslralis or Kauri Pine.

BY MR. W. T. HARDIXG, FAIRMOUXT PARK.

PHILADA.

After a toilsome journey of I know not hQw
many miles throu";h "the bush," urged onwards
by the strongest botanical enthusiasm, .weary
and worn, we arrived at the famous vally of Ka-
i-a-ta.

My object was to chiefly to see the Kauri
Pines, and I shall never forget the impression
then made whilst viewing so strange a scene.
The Kauri, (so unlike other conifers,) reared its
tall shafts from 100 to 150 feet high, without a
mark of ever having had any lower branches: so
smooth was the bark up to 80 or 90 feet e'er a
branch could be seen. Their calibre was nearly
uniforni-about28feet-irrespective of height of the
matured tree. To get a correct idea of their fo-
liage, which could only be seen on the seedlings
thinly scattered around the outside of the main
groups, the nearest comparison I can give is the
Laurus Camphora or Camphor Tree, only with
larger and broader leaves. To add to the strange- •
ness of all around, was the stillness of death, a
silence and isolation almost painful in the gloomy
shades of antipodean forest, which was only
broken bj» the unearthy screams of some gro-
tesque looking bird in the tree tops, who seemed
to challenge the strangers with trespassing on
their weird domain. Pushing onward into the

294

TEE GARDEJVER'S MOJVTBLY.

October,

valley, we rested for the night, darkness only pre-
venting a further exploration. Up with "early
morning" and about a bow shot from where we
encamped for the night, was a sight ever to be
remembered ; hundreds, thousands I may say of
tree ferns, Dicksonia antarctica and squamosa,
stately antediluvians, palm like in appearance,
were on every side, their height varying from 20
to 40 feet. Oh great and grand relics of by gone
ages, who flourished 'in the days when the earth
was young," live on, evergreen and ever beauti
ful until time is no more ! Beginning with the
beginning and ending with the end.

SMALL FRUITS IN" WISCONSIN.

BY L. L. FAIRCHILD, KOLLING PRAIRIES, WIS.

RASPBERRIES.

Early in the autumn of '09, we had severe
freezing weather. It caught our trees with un-
ripened wood. The immature Easpberry canes
were frozen solid. Many of our most hardy
kinds were severely injured. Canes of the na-
tive Blackcap were killed back two-thirds of
their length ; the same with Cincinnati Bed and
Clarice. Doolittle was considerably injured, but
not so seriously. Some straggling canes of
BrinclcWs Orange^ springing up among the cur-
rant rows, wintered as they »sually do ; in the
open 'ground they always kill unless laid down
or protected ; but for several Aviuters the canes
tliat have sprung up in adjoining rows of cur-
rants have passed the winter safely. Plants of
the Mammoth Cluster and Davidson's Thornless
set in the spring of sixty-nine, were apparently
unharmed, and pas.sed the winter safely. True
Bed Antwerp does nothing here without protec-
tion ; even with, gives very little fruit. Purple
Cane does well, but I rooted them out and let
Cincinnati Bed take their place.

I haveplantsin rows sideby side, one yearset, of
Mammoih Cluster, Davidson's Thornless, Doo-
little and Clark. They all made a good growth.
Mammoth is first in fruitfulnoss, Doolltile sec-
ond, Clark third. Davidson's Thornless has not
one berry.

If the fruit on young plants is a sample, the
^Mammoth in quality is much inferior to Doolit-
tle. It has a strong woody flavor. In size thev
differ but little, if anything: the Mammoth is the
largest. •

Among the older kinds that we have tried, the
Doolittle is the only kind worth cultivating for

distant market. Cincinnati Eed is valuable

where they can be delivered direct from the

bushes by hand. Its drawback is its prodigious
suckering.

STRAWBERRIES.

Many of the strawberries do well here. Among
the more valuable that I have tried are Russell's
Prolific, Green Prolific, Downer, Charles Down-
ing, Burr's Pine ; but nothing will compare with
Wilson for market, it is verj'- productive, hardy
and saleable. Among those that I would reject here
as worthless, are Triom])he de Gand, Jucunda
or Knox's 700, Shaker Seedling, Agriculturist ;
some speak well of the latter, but my experience
is very unfavorable to its productiveness. Tri-
omphe de Gand grows well, but will not gire a
pint of fruit to a thousand plants. Jucunda
gives no fruit worth mentioning. Lennig's
White gives a jnoderate quantit}' of very fine
fruit. 4!harles Downing bears well ; fruit large
and excellent. Colfax gives a large quantity of
miserable soft, sour, medium sized fruit.

All the best kinds meationed, have stood the
winter with me fairly, without protection, ex-
cept such as has been furnished by very uncer-
tain snows. All are better for protection.

GRAPES.

None of the kinds if we except Clinton, are per-
fectly hardy here without protection, D.daware
Hartford and Concord will pass our mildest win-
ters on the trellis. But there is no safety in
in leaving them up, as the thermometer here is
liable to go twenty-five below zero, and in ex-
treme cases, thirty-five. My location is about
43} north latitude. Some cover with two inches
of earth, others with marsh hay or straw. A
slight protection answer^ for the above kinds.

With winter protection, we can confidently
recommend many of Rogers' Hybrids, Ives'
Seedling, Northern Muscadine, Diana, Isabella,
Concord, Hartford Prolific, Delaware. Diana
and Isabella will not fully ripen their fruit more
than two years out of three.

My experience leads me to reject as uncertain
and tender, Adirondac, lona, Israella, Allen's
Hybrid, Norton's Virginia.

The culture of grapes is fist extending in this
State, and notwithstanding our high northern
latitude, I think it is an infant yet just in its
swadling clothes. We are are almost entii'ely
exempt from rot and mildew and many of the
insect depredations of the older vine growing

1S70.

TEE GARDEkER'S MOjYTHLY,

295

States. Stranger things has happened than that at
some future clay we may vie for precedence with
the vine growing State gf Ohio.

The crop looks very promising this season.
"We are having a serious drought, hut as yet it
does not aftect the vine.

BEAUTIFUL TREES AND SHRUBS.

BY CHRONICLER.

Cut-leavcd trees are sometimes called " fringe-
leaved trees " for this reason: Their leaves are
all in fragments and hang down like fringes ;
the young shoots upon the bnwiches are of pro-
cumbent habits, wliich make the trees look very
graceful, and we admire them the more on ac-
count of their peculiarities. They are of slower
growth, more delicate and dwarf than the spe-
cies from which they have sprung. They are
accidental productions, and require nicer treat-
ment when young ; and they are increased by ar-
tificial propagation to retain their singularities.
They are 2)ets with arbor ists, who give them special
culture and training, by which they become t^ery
interesting beauties, and make a very pleasing
contrast with the various natural species with
entire leaves and more robust and gigantic
growths. They belong to various genera, of
which the following are examples:

Alder, Beech, Birch, Elm, Elder, Filbert,
Horse Chestnut, Linden, Mountain Ash, Haw-
thorn, AVillow, &c., say Rosemary -leaved and
ring-leaved "Willows ; cut-leaved, parsley-leaved
and tansy -leaved Hawthorns, &c.

All trees of dwarf statures, such as those with
cut leaves, variegated leaves, dark purple or
brown leaves and weeping dwarfs, are suitable
for planting upon small grounds, as they do not
cover large spaces. A numerous species may be
set without making apparent confusion, and as
all are curiously interesting, the greater variety
will give the greater pleasure. Compartments
of large grounds are often formed into small fig-
ures by walks, upon which trees and shrubs of
singular peculiarities and dwarf growths are set
and arranged in a manner that all will display
their charms to the best advantage, and be read-
ily seen.

We are often smitten with amazement at the
gigantic stature and grand porportions of a no-
ble tree, and are often enchanted with the surpass-
ing beauty of a choice shrub for themselves ; yet
it is the pleasing diversity of form, foliage, blos-
som, stature and hue which a numerous species

produces when growing in close proximity,
which imparts that unspeakable loveliness to plea-
sure grounds, which excites our fondest admira-
tions, and brings out our warmest acclamations
of delight. If there are persons who can look
upon a noble tree in all its symmetrical gran-
deur, or a shrub in all its comely elegance, with-
out feeling a glow of animated delight, insipid
must he their lives, and ^their lamps of jileasure
must hum dimly.

FOREIGN AND NATIVE RASPBERRIES.

BY MR. ED. W. LINCOLN, WORCESTER, MASS.

I notice in the August number of your invalu-
able Monthly a report of some remarks upon the
Raspberry, by Mr. Parry, of Cinnaminson, N.
J., in which that gentleman inquires "where is
Brinckle's Orange now ?" In reply, I have the
pleasure of stating that it is in my garden,
whether to my advantage as well as to the credit
of the unequalled variety, you can judge from an
inspection of a Report which I had the honor to
submit to the "Worcester Xounty Horticultural
tural Society, of which I forward you a copy.

If Mr. Parry or any one else expects to get a
f/ood Raspberry, icHhout winter protection, I
greatly fear that he is doomed to disappointment
for life. So far as that is concerned, we could
better incur the risk of dispensing with it than
more southern cultivation ; since the season
must indeed bo^xceptional when there will not
be sutBcient snow to act as a covering.

I should not expect to persuade men who es-
teem the Philadelphia worthy of cultivation ;
but here where we want good fruit or none, and
where when we have any to sell, we ask and ob-
tain a remunerative price. We are of opinion
that all plants which are fit to he grown are also fit
to be cared for properly. Experience has been
my teacher, and I shall not be in haste to reject
instruction of which I have tested the sound-
ness.

[We append the very interesting extract from
the Report referred to by our correspondent.—
Ed. G. M.]

"More interest also appears to be awakened in
the frrowth of those other small fruits which,
maturing after the strawberry, assists so essen-
tially in completing a full supply throughout the
season. With the application of white hellebore
has quickly and thoroughly disappeared all ap-
prehension of permanent injury or peril (o the
currant. The raspberry has suffered some harm

S96

TEE GARDEJ^ER'S MOXTELJ.

October,

during the warm months, from a species of worm
so minute as to be almost invisible, but yet pos-
sessing a capacity for the consumption of foliage
infinitely out of proportion to its size. In regard
to the raspberry, a wide difference of opinion
seems to exist among cultivators, as to the com-
parative fruitfulness of different varieties. Thus
John J. Thomas asserts that Brinckle's Orange,
in central and western New York, is a shy bear-
er and insipid in quality when compared with
such sorts as Clarke and ISTaomi. On the other
hand, Mr. Parry, of Cinnaminson, New Jersey,
is enthusiastic over a yield of the Philadelphia
so prodigious that it cannot be gathered. Your
Secretary, as is known to many of you, has de-
voted 4he most of his attention and space to the
culture of this special fruit. And it may serve
for the gratification of curiosity, should it an-
swer no more useful purpose, to put upon record
in this report, some facts which were gathered
for his own guidance and instruction. He has
but 2G31 square feet of land applicable and em-
ployed in the production of raspberries. Of this
space, 253| feet ought to be left out of account,
as the stools of Knevett's Giant, thereon planted,
are quite young and immature. But from the
entire plot without deduction, were gathered
three quarts in excess of seven and oue-half
bushels -253| feet yielded five quarts of Knevett's
Giant ; 405 feet, thirty quarts of the Philadel-
phia ; 399 feet, one bushel and two quarts of
Franconia ; and 1573^ feet were fragrant with
the rich aroma of five bushels, one peck, and six
and a half quarts of Brinckle's Orange. Yet it
is not to be supposed that the cultivation of the
raspberry involves all income and no outlay.
None of the small fruits, so called, are so impa-
tient of neglect, or require such quantities of ma-
nure. It may indeed be asserted with safety
that the capacity of absorbing fertilizers, so long
and erroneously ascribed to the grape, does ac-
tually illustrate the nature and wants of the
"Raspberry. Moreover its canes must bo pro-
tected in winter. Your Secretary does not be-
lieve in the existence of a solitary variety, toor-
thy of cultivation^ that will endure thefrosts of our
climate uncovered, and continue fertile, even if
it can maintain its vitality. And this opinion
is based upon his per.sonal experience, com-
mencing with the Red and Yellow Antwerps
some forty years ago, and protracted, with in-
termissions, down to the present prolific season.
Aware that others are of a different persuasion,
he submits his convictions, for such they are,

to be taken for what they are worth. One thing
more. A writer in the Daily Spy, not many weeks
since, in article upon the*;ulture of the Raspberry
advises the making of plantations in the spring
as the only suitable season. Your Secretary
would assert, on the other hand, that no period
of the year is so suitable as the autumn. And
he does so with the more confidence that it is a
theory to which his own practice has always
conformed, and which results have never failed
to justify."

**m**

CEMETERY TREES AND SHRUB.S.

BY MR. E. MAN?iriNG, HARRISBURG, FRAKK-
LINCO., OHIO.

In the last number of the Monthly, you gave a
list of Cemetery plants as sketched at Laurel
Hill near Philadelphia, Although your list is a
very good one, how is it a man of the good taste and
ability of the Editor, has overlooked some of the
most beautiful trees, such as the cut-leaved
Weeping Birch, so elegant, so graceful and so
chaste. It is one of the best for either cemetery
or lawn ; Juniperus oblonga pendula is another
of our most beautiful small weeping trees ', also
Cupressus Lawsoniana, Libocedrus decurrens,
Cephalotaxus Fortunii, Podocarpus japonica,
Taxus aurea, T. Davastonii, and T. adpressa,
and Juniperus sabina variegata ? Of the larger
evergreens, Pinus excelsa is very beautiful. A
specimen here on our lawn is drooping with
leaves over eight inches long, and very beauti-
ful. All weeping trees are certainly the most
appropriate for Cemeteries, as being emblematic
of grief. All the Weeping Willows are very de-
sirable for the Cemetery. [The Babylonian or
common, too large we think, except in special
positions. — Ed ]

Of the Magnolia family, the Purpurea is the
admiration of all here, with its brilliant red flow-
ers of large size, and very profuse ; always blooms
more or less in August and September ; but in
the spring, is one mass of bloom ; has only to be
seen to be ever remembered. Also M. Thomp-
sonia is probably unsurpassed of all the yellow
flowering or cream colored varieties, — so deli-
ciously fragrant M. Soulangiana has only to be
seen in flower to be admired. The M. Lenne is
said to be the finest of all. I imported, from
Europe, two plants, the}' both bloomed in the
box on the voyage, which proves their early
blooming. Also I would name Virgilia lutea and
Japan Larch, which is the best 'of the Larches.

There is a new variety of Lawson Cypress,

1870.

THE GARDENER'S MO^N'THL'Y.

207

( Cupressus Laiosoniana aurea,) which I imported
from Europe last Spring, which isabrightoryellow
than Retiuospora aurea. I it think will be un-
surpassed as a Cemetery or lawn tree. I will
send you a cutting by another season. The
plant is small.

[We confined our remarks to the commoner
trees and shrubs. These newer ones are also
valuable, as our correspondent says. We should
be glad of the additional notes of others. — Ed.]

MANAGEMENT OF LAWNS.

BY R. H. N., SPRINGFIELD, MASS,

I have read in your August number, your re-
marks in relation to the use of mowing machines,
and also j'our invitation to amateur horticultu-
rists to use your columns, in any suggestions
which they maj* believe will be useful to your
readers.

Under these influences, I now propose to give,
as briefly as I can, my experience in mowing my
lawn. I have for many years had a small lawn
which I kept in pretty good condition by the fre-
quent use of the scythe, but was notable, entire-
ly, to get%-id of coarse grasses, weeds and white
clover ; ray endeavor w^as to have a purely blue
grass lawn. On the introduction of Swift's
Lawn Mower, I (some ten years ago,) obtained
one of them. I soon found, that in its use, my
blue grass lessened, and the white clover, &c., in-
creased, and I was satisfied that I would lose
the blue grass entirely if I continued the use of
the mower, as I then used it. .Instead of discard-
ing the mower, (with which I was otherwise
much pleased,) I tried to find out why it was
that it was destroying the blue grass, and I soon
discovered that, as I run the mower to cut the
grass quite short, I thinly exposed the roots of
the grass to the action of tlie sun, and that in
hot dry weather the roots of the blue grass were
"burnt out," while the clover and some ot the
other coarse grasses were not much injured. I
then changed the guage of the machine and set
it to leave the grass as long as 2J0ssible, say 1^ or
2 inches, and I soon obtained the desired result
in the proportional increase of the blue grass. I,
last year, brought one of the small mowers which
arc now so generally used, and set it to cut the
grass as 'long as I could, and I now have a fine
thick sward of blue grass entirely, so thick in
fact, that the machine cannot cut it if it is suf-
fered to go without cutting, while it is growing
fast, more than five or six days.

My conclusion from my experience is, of
course, that mowing machines are injurious to
lawns if run to cflt short, (which is the common
practice in this place) but that* they are "just the
thing" if they are set to cut long. We have just
passed thro.ugh a long spell of remarkably hot
dry weather, and my lawn is now "fresh and
green," showing scarcely anything but the rich
blue grass, while most, if not all, other lawns in
this place are very badly burnt.

[We regard this simple suggestion of not cut-
ting»very close when a lawn mower is used, as
one of great value. It will no doubt tend to
remedy the trouble caused by these invaluable
machines.

It is such notes as these, seemingly of little
import, that are of great interest to so many
readers, and we hope our correspondents will
send us them more frequently. We value them
much more than regular "articles'' or long trea-
tises.— Ed.]

YUCCA FIBER.

BY D. O. R., CENTRALIA, ILLS.

At the time the late war broke out, I was in
West Tennessee, and was a subscriber to the
Gardener's Monthly, and an occasional corres-
pondent, but the war stopped the inlSrcourse. I
now write to you to inquire in regard to a wild
plant, the name of which I am ignorant of at
present ; but it is something like a Yucca. I am
growing some plants of it in my garden. The
leaves, in a wild state, gr^w two and a half feet
long sometimes, and less than an inch wide ou
the lower end, but short at the top of the stalks.

The plants I have under cultivation are more
stocky, and the largest leaves short and wide.
Its root is a perennial, and roots of old stocks
are easily divided. The question is, will it do
for paper making, or can it uUimately be manu-
factured into any coarse fabric for any purpose ?
I am satisfied it is just the thing for nurserymen
for tying up plants, trees, grape vinos, and for
many other purposes, for I have experimented
with it. Indeed the first time I came across it
I used it for tying up grass to young apple trees
to keep the rabbits from gnawing thorn, (as I
had run out of string and was far from town.)
To make the leaves grow long, I think it should
be planted close in tlie roios. I will try to grow
it extensively next year with the view of selling
the roots and bringing the fibre into market as a
native textile production. Every nurseryman

THE GARDENER'S M0:N'TELY.

October,

can grow his own ties, and can appropriate it to
many uses, if my judgment is correct in |regard
to the matter. Tlie fibre is not as strong and as
fine as some now V^ing introduced to public no-
tice, but would be ready to use for somt pur-
poses without any preparation , after being strip-
ped from from its stock. I have had but little
of the last fall's fibre left. I tried to separtite
the fibre by a chemical process, but it impaired
its strenth ; I then bleached it, an that destroy-
ed its strength altogether. The specimens I send
you were stripped of the coating by my finger nails ;
it was stripped off in the winter, and may not be
as strong as if gathered just after frost.

[The plant appears to be F'ucca filamentosa.
The fibre is,much like hemp, quite as good, and
the the only question is, can it be grown as
cheaply ?— Ed.]

ON OBJECTIOXSTO DAEWIN'S THEORY
OF FERTILIZATION THROUGH
INSECT AGENCY.

BY THOMAS MEEHAN.

Read before the American Association for the Advancement
of Science, at Troy, JST. Y., August l^h, 1870,

It often occurs in the enunciation of new theo-
ries the authors meet with facts which seem to
oppose them, and for a time present insurmount-
able diffici|^ies. But it not unfrequently hap-
pens that these very objections ultimately prove
to aid rather than to obstruct the progress of
the newly discovered laws in popular favor-
Mr. Darwin has shown that in many plants
fertilization is carried on by means of insect
agency, and he has proved this to be so impor-
tant a law, that he says, "if the race of Humble
Bees were to die out, some species of plants
would soon become extinct in Britain.''

The objection to this is, that some plants ap-
pear to have their sexual organs admirably
adapted to the use of these insect agencies, and
yet the Bees seem to studiously avoid\ising them;
and again, often where the structure is the best
suited to throw the pollen on the insect which is
to carry it away, there is the least inducement
for Bees to make use of the opportunity.

There is probably no plant wiiicli has its or-
gans more beautifully adapted to the work of this
insect agency than the Salvia. The anthersare di-
vided on the filaments, and while one part is ex-
tended towards the mouth of the corolla and
performs its pollen bearing functions, the other
extends down towards the base of the corolla
tube, and assumes a petaloid form. The divi-

ded anther is thus balanced on a pivot. The
lower petaloid portion so closes the mouth of the
corolla tube, that any insect thrusting its pro-
boscis down it, must lift the lever, when the pol-
leniferous portion is brought down on the insect's
back, "When it attempts to enter another flow-
er, the pistil is usually exserted, and the pollen
is thus brought into exact contact with it. In
addition to this there is usually an abundance of
sweet liquor at the base of the corolla tube ; all
things tending, as'one would suppose, to make the
illustration of insect agency as perfect as possi-
ble. But now come the objections. In many
Salvias the petaloid prolongation of the anthers
are very poorly developed, and yet many of these
abound in the honeyed juice. If the Bee enters
them, the chance of his having any pollen thrown
on him is comparatively small. At other times
the mouth is so completely closed that the slight-
est touch will cause the pollen to fall, but there
is little s weet to invite them. S. EgyjJtka is an
excellent illustration of this. I am aware that
the mere rcasoner mig ht say that this was a pro-
per arrangement. That with less inducements
for the presence of insects, the arrangements for
making use of them when they do come, should
be more perfect. But against all this comes the
fact that the bee never enters either class of flow-
ers at all. I have watched by the hour, and
never saw an insect enter that was large enough
to make the slightest use of all this beautifully
contrived arrangement for cross fertilizing flow-
ers. But the Bees get the honey ; they bore a
small hole near the base and suck the honey
through the tube from the outside, without the
slightest regard to the theories of Darwin.

I have tried to harmonize these facts with
Darwin's, and failing, have sometimes thought
they should weigh against his results ; but his
facts were so direct, so conclusive, as far as they
went, that it was more i*asonable to hope some-
thing would explain them, rather than that there
should be a lasting contradiction. This view
was the more reasonable, as it was a fact that
these Salvias which Atere thus treated by the
Bees seldom perfected seeds.

I think I can now harmonize these facts with
the theory by an analogous case with Petunia.
Here also the Humble Bees refuse to draw the
honey up through the tube. I have seoh an oc-
casional one, evidently a greenhorn attempt it ;
after trying three or four, fly away from the
whole bed full of flowers in disgust. Tlie more
experienced fellows make a slit in the base of the

1870.

TEE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJVTHLY.

'290

tube, through which they get the honey. By
cxauiiniug Petunia flowers with a lens, these
slits can be readily seen ; or still better to watch
the insect in the very act. Here was another
puzzle. A large bed under my office window.
An opportunity to see them every day. No in-
sect that I could ever see assisting fertilization
in any way,— and the viscid nature of all the
parts very much against any self-acting power.
It was a worse case than the Salvia, because the
Petunia is always highly productive of seeds.

But at length the mystery was explained.
Though no insect but the Humble Bee visited
the flowers by day, tliet/ were thronged by Sphinges
at niyht. "I'hese were the insects through whose
agency the fertilization'of these flowers is carried
on.

I have thought that this account of the way
the Petunia is fertilized may not only be a novel
fact to many here, but convey a very useful lesson
applicable to many things —to theories of my own
as well as to Mr. Darwin*s. Xo doubt the seem-
ing ditlicultics of the Salvia could be settled as
satisfactorily as this of Petunia, if one could be
in a position to watch for the facts. Possibly in
0 countries where Salvias abound, insects peculi-
arly adapted to operate on the Darwinian meth-
od exist, which choose their <^vn time and way
of doing it. The Petunia we certainly see relies
on the night Moth and not on the Humble Bee.
They use their pVobosces to extract the honey,
aud thus fertilize the other flowers. Here at
least, though at first in opposition, the facts
wonderfully confirm Darwin, and it seems a
great point gained in the harmony of apparently
conflicting facts.''

The reading of the paper elicited a very inter-
esting discussion, in which Dr. Asa Gray of
Cambridge, Professor Hyatt of Salem, Mr. A.
H. Dall of the Smithsonian Institute, and others
participated.

GRAPE DISEASE.

BY R. H. N., SPRINGFIELD, ILLS.

You will perhaps remember that some time ago
I wrote you in relation to a disease of the leaves
of my out-door grapes, and that my communica-
tion elicited considerable discussion in your col-
umns. I afterwards came to the conclusion that
the cause of the disease was the crowded condi-
tion of my trellisses (and the consequent dense
mass of foliage which acted as a wall in pi*^ent-
ing the circulation of air). I acted on this

opinion and c.ut down several cherry trees on the
south side of the treflisses, thinned the vines con-
siderably in the spring pruning, and reduced and
kept down the leaves during the time of growing
so that I could see through the trellisses. This
season I have no appearance of the leaf disease
and have a large and promising crop, some of
which are ripening, while for several past yeai'S
my out-door grapes were a fViilure. It is proper
that I should say that this year has been very
favorable for out-door grapes with us, and every
grower almost has a good crop.

The thrip is quite numerous this season and
has disfigured and injured the grape leaves (out-
door) to some extent, particularly of the Dela-
ware. I would like some practicable way of get-
ting rid of them.

OUT-DOOR CULTURE OF CHOICE RHO-
DODEXDRONS.

BY TTALTER ELDER, LANDSCAPE GARDENER.

David Landreth, the extensive grower of
garden and field seeds of Philadelphia, has culti-
vated the Rhododendron plentifully and success-
fully the past eighteen years upon his pleasure
grounds at his seed farm, Bloomsdale, near
Bristol, Bucks county. Pa, He has several hun-
dred plants set out both singly and in groups, in
fuU sunshine and in partial shade of trees, and
all flourish and bloom abundantly : there are
several species and many varieties. " Catawbi-
ense" is well represented among them. Many
of the varieties appear by their foliage as it they
had a heavy touch of the " Ponticum," yet all
are hearty and thrive admirably. Many wealthy
gentlemen from different parts of the country
call there yearly to see the Rhododendrons when
in bloom. A score of new species and varieties
are added to the collection annually. The whole
have been imported except a few of our indige-
nous species. Those in sunshine and those in
partial shade arc equally thtifty and profuse in
their blossoms.

Those plea.sure grounds are^a "Museum" of
arboriculture by the various modes and forms in
which the trees qfid shrubs are grown Some are
as nature has made them, with the exception of
slight pruning when young ; others are dwarfed,
and some are pruned into various shapes ; others
again are pegged flat upon the ground. It is
curious to see how trees will grow when tortured
into \arious forms and dwarfed by cutting. —
There is a Beech tree thirty-five feet high, with

son

THE GARDEJVER'S MONTHLY.

October,

diameter of branches twentj'-five feet ; the lower
eighteen feet is the common Beech, and the upper
seventeen feet is the Purple Beech, which was
grafted upon the tree at that height when young.
The "Austrian Pine'' which was in the form of
an umbrella, is now in the shape of a Bride's-
cake, five feet high, and sixteen feet in diameter.
The very leafy, young shoots from four to ten
inches long, are like the ornaments which deco-
rate a great Bride's-cakc.

Horticultural writers make suggestions of what
may be tried by improvers, by a visit to Blooms-
dale one sees what is done ; there is the reality, yet
we may state that the practice pursued at
Bloorasdale might not prove successful upon dif-
ferent kinds of soil and lay of grounds ; but that
should not deter improvers from making experi-
ments. The soil of Bloomsdale is a light loam,
and the lay is flat, and Mr. Landreth is a master
in the profession.

We would tell your readers that twenty thou-
sand btl^hels of the "Early Rose Potato'' was
sold off Bloomsdale last spring, and now (July,
1870,) there are great quantities of Landreth's
Extra Early Pea already harvested, and immense
crops of other seeds.

CLIMBING PLANTS.

• BY PROF. W. J. BEAL.

Almost all have heard of Darwin's great dis-
covery of motion in the tendrils of plants, but as
the Transactions of the Linnrean Society, in
which the discoveries were first detailed, are not
within the reach of many, the paper has not
been generally read. That excellent magazine,
the American Naturalist, of Salem, Mass., has
recently had an article on the subject by Prof.
Beal, from which we take the following for our
readers :

"The following remarks upon this interesting
subject, can scarcely be called a review, but
more properly a summary, given nearly in the
words of the author * It has been made quite
full, as it is likely the original paper has been
read by but few readers of the Naturalist.

Climring Plants may be •ivided into those
which spirally twine round a support ; those
which ascend by the movement of the foot-stalks
or tips of their leaves ; those which asfcnd by
true tendrils ; those which arc furnished with

*On the Movements and Ilabits uf Cllinblni; Pl!T4its.
By Charles Darwin, Ksq , K.H.S., RLS. [From the
Journal of the Linnican Society. J pp. 118. London, 1805

hooks, and those which are furnished with root-
lets. The last two exhibit no special move-
ments, and are of less interest than the first
three.

Spirally Twining Plants.— I begin with
a special case, one depending upon my own ob-
servation, similar to the one taken by Mr. Dar-
win. A thrifty hop-vine in my yard went up
nine or ten feet to the top of a stake. Still as-
piring, it ran above the support, at the same
time reaching off and swinging round and round
following the course of the sun. When about
two feet above the stake the tip of the vine cir-
cumscribed a circle two feet in diameter. While
it grew longer the extent of the circle»was about
the same, as a part of the vine had become
strong and remained nearly stationary. By ob-
servations made at different times in the day, it
was found to perform one revolution in from one
to two hours, moving most rapidly in the warmest
part of the warmest days. It is now four feet
and two inches above *ny artificial support, and
has just tipped over to the north-east in the di-
rection of the prevailing wind. The revolving
movement lasts as long as the plant continues to
grow, but each separate joint or internode, as ^
it grows old, ceases to move. In the case o^
the hop and most other twining plants,
aboutthree internodes at a time twining plants,
partake of the motion.

The Hoya carnosa [AsclSpiadaeoe) revolves
opposite to the sun in five or six hours, making a
circle of over fiye feet in diameter. The tip traced
thirty two inches per hour. It was an inter-
esting spectacle to watch the long shoot sweep-
ing night and day this grand circle, in search of
some object round which to twine. Sometimes
it described narrow ellipses. After performing
thirty-seven revolutions the stem of a hop was
found to be twisted three times round its own
axis in the direction of the sun. To prove that
the twisting of the stem does not cause the revo-
lutions, as Hugo von Mohl supposed, some stems
are not regularly twisted, and others twist in an
opposite direction to the revolving plant. In
many of the twining plants the end of the shoot
is hooked, so as the more readily to liold fast to
any object of support which may be caught.
This support once found, the point of contact
cea.ses to move, but the tip continues to twine
above and around the support as a rope swung
around a stick will coil in the direction of the
swilling rope.

If a stick shortly after having been wound

1870,

TEE GARDEJfER'S MONTRLY.

SOI

round be withdrawn, the shoot retains for a time

its spiral form, then straightens itself and again

begins to revolve. Mohl believed that plants

twined because of a dull irritability of the stem,

but experiments prove that this is not generally

the case.
If the support of a twinor be not lofty it Mis

to the ground, and resting there the extremity
rises again. Sometimes several flexible shoots
twine together into a cable and thus support
each other. Single thin shoots will fall and
turn abruptly back and wind upwards on them-
selves. The majority of twiners move in a
course opposed to that of the sun or the hands
of a watch. Rarely plants of the same order
twine in opposite directions, but no instance is
known of two specie? of the same genus twining
in opposite directions. Of seventeen plants of
Loasa aurantiaca, eight revolved in opposition
to the sun, and ascended from left to right; five
followed the sun and ascended from right to left;
and four revolved and twined first in one direc-
tion, and then reversed their course. One of
these four plants made seven spiral turns from
right to left, and five turns from left to right.
Climbers of the temperate zone will not gener-
ally twine around thick trees, while those of the
tropics can. Unless this were the case those of
the tropics could hardly ever reach the light.
In our temperate countries twiners which die
down every year would gain nothing, as they
could not reach the summit in a single season.
"With most twinin* plants all the branches, how-
ever many there may be, go on revolving to-
gether ; but, according, to Mohl, tlie main stem
of Taraus Elephantipes does not tvf\ne—on\y the
branches. On the other hand, with the aspar-
agus, given in the table, the leading shoot alone,
and*not the branches, revolved and twined.
Some produce shoots of two sorts, one of which
twinae ; the others not. In others the upper-
most shoots alone twine. One twines during the
middle of the summer, but not in autumn.
Some grow erect in dry. South Africa, their
native country ; but near Dublin, Ireland, they
regularly twine.

Leaf Glimbebs. — The stems of several spe-
cies of Clematis are twiners like the hop. But
in addition to this mode of holding fest, the pe-
tioles are sensitive to the touch, slowly bend in-
to the form of hooks, and if successful in catch-
ing a stick they clasp it firmly and soon become
greatly enlarged and strengthened by au extra
growth of woody fibre. If they come in contact

with no object they retain this position for a
considerable time, and then bending upwards
they reassume their original upturned position,
which is retained ever afterwards. In Clematis
calycina the clasped petiole becomes nearly twice
as thick as the leaf-stock which has clasped
nothing. The petiole of the unclasped leaf is
flexible, and can be easily snapped, whereas the
clasped footstalk acquires an extrarordinary
toughness and rigidity so that considerable force
is required to pull it into pieces. The moaning
of these changes is plain, namely, that the pe-
tioles may firmly and durably support the stem.
In some species of Ciemaiis furnished with com-
pound leaves the main petiole alone is sensitive,
while some haife two or three sub-petioles, also
sensitive ; still others have the entire number,
as many as seven, sensitive. Some petioles are
extremely sensitive to very light weights, as one-
eighth of a grain* They will clasp thin withered
blades of grass, the soft young, leaves of a ma- ^
pie, or the lateral flower peduncles of the quak-
ing grass, i>ri3a ; the latter aie only about as
thick as a hair from a man's beard, but they
were completely surrounded and clasped.

The first petiole of Tropceolum tricolorian var. *
grandiflorum bear no laminje or blades, and are
very sensitive to touch, sometimes bending into
a complete ring in six minutes. The next fila-
ments above have their tips slightly enlarged,
and those still farther up the stem still more en-
larged ; so we find all grades, from tendrils to
leaves with large blades. All of these iietioles
are sensitive ; those without blades acting in
every way like genuine tendrils ; the latter ai'e
short lived, however, dropping off as soon as the
petioles of the true leaves have clasped the sup-
port above. The most remarkable fact, and
which I have observed in no other species of the
f'enus, is that the filaments and petioles of the
young leaves, if they catch no object, after
standing in their original position for some days,
spontaneously and slowly move, oscillating a
little from side to siile towards the stem of the
plant. Hence all the petioles and filaments,
though arising on diflerent sides of the axis, ul-
timately bend towards and clasp either their
own stem or the supporting stick. Ti)e petioles
and filaments often Ixjcome, after a time, in some
degree contracted, presentin^features much like
true tendrils.

Murandia Semperfloren^s {Scrojyhulariacoe) has
flower peduncles which are sensitive like ten-
drils, and exhibit revolving powers. These

302

THE GARDEMEIVS MONTHLY.

October,

spontaneous movements seem to be of no ser-
vice to the plant, as they lose the power when
the flower is old enough to open. The leaf-
stalks and internodes of this plant do not twine
Lophospermum scandens var. purpureum when
young has sensitive internodes. When a pe-
tiole clasps a stick it draws the W&.se of the in-
ternode against it ; and then the internode
itself bends towards th3 stick, which is thus
caught between the stem and the petiole as by
a paif of pincers. The internode straightens
itself again, excepting the part in contact with

the stick.

With Solanum jasminoides as in no other leaf-
climber examined, a leaf grown to its full size
was capable of clasping a stick ; tut the move-
ment was extremely slow, requiring several
weeks. On comparing a thin transverse slice of
this petiole with one from the next or older leaf
beneath, which had not clasp'ed anything, its
diameter was found to be fuHy doubled, and its
structure greatly changed. In the section of
the petiole which had during several Aveeks
clasped a stick, the two upper ridges have be-
come much less prominent, aiwl the two groups
* of woody vessels beneath them much increased
in diameter. The semilunar band is converted
into a complete ring of very hard, white, woody
tissue, with lines radiating from the centre. The
three group of vessels, which, though closely ap-
proximate, were before distinct, are now com-
pletely blended together. This clasped petiole
had actually become thicker than the stem close
beneath ; due chiefly to the greater thickness of
the ring of wood.

Plants belonging to eight families arc known to
have clasping petioles, and plants belonging to
four families climb by the tips of their leaves.
"With rare exceptions the petioles are sensitive
only whilst young ; they are sensitive on allsides,
but in dilierent degrees in difterent plants.

Tendril-bearing Plants. — By tendrils are
meant filamentary organs, sensitive to contact
and u.sed exclusively for climbing. They are-
fbrmed by the modification of leaves with their
petioles, of flower peduncles, perhaps also of
branches and stipules. The species of tendril
bearers described, belong to ten natural fami-
lies. Species of IVajnonia and some others
taken together, aflbrd connecting links between
twiners, leaf-climbers, tendril-bearers, and root
climbers. Some little time after the stem of
Bignonia T'weediana has twined round an up-
right stick, and is securely fastened to it by the

clasping petioles and tendrils, it emits at the
base of its leaves aerial roots which curve partly
round and adhere to the stick ; so that this one
species of Bignonia combines four different
methods of climbing, generally characteristic of
distinct plants, namely: twining, leaf climbing,
tendril-climbing, and root-climbing.

The movements of Bignonia venusfa are quite
complicated. Not only the tendrils but the
petioles bearing them revolve ; these petioles,
however, are not in the least sensitive. Thus
the*you«g internodes, the petioles, and the ten-
drils, all at the same time, go on revolving to-
gether, but at different rates. Moreover the
movements of tlie opposite petioles and tendrils
are quite independent of ea^h other. One other
curious point remains to be mentioned. In a
few days after the toes have closely clasped a
stick, their blunt extremities become, though
not invariably, developed into irregular disk-like
balls, which have the singular power of adhering
firmly to the wood.

Thesimple undivided tendril of Bignonia spe-
cwsa.ends in an almost straight, sharp, uncolored
point. The whole terminal part exhibits an odd
habit, which in an animal would be called an in-
stinct ; for it continually searches for any little
dark hole in which to insert itself. The tendrils
slowly travel over the surface of the wood, and
when the apex came to a hole or a fissure, it in-
serted itself, often bending at right angels to the
basal part. The same tendri* would frequently
withdraw from one hole and insert its point into
a second one. Mr. Darwin says: " Improbable
as this view may be, I am led to suspect that
this habit in the tendril of inserting its tip into
dark holes and crevices, has been inherited by
the plant after having lost the power of forrfting
adhesive disks."

A plant of Bignonia capreolala was s('veral
times shifted in position in a box, where one side
only was exposed to the light ; in two days all
six tendrils pointed with unerring trpth to the
darkest corner of the box, though to do this
each had to bend in a different manner. Six
tattered flags could not have pointed more truly
from the wind than did these branched tendrils
from the stream of light which entered the l)ox.
When a tendril does nt)t succeed in clasping a
support it bends downwards and then towards
its own stem, which it seizes, together with the
supporting stick, if there be one. If the tendril
s'izes nothing, it does not contract, spirally,

18'fO.

THE GARDEJYEIV^ MOJVTELY.

SOS

but soon withei's awaj'^ and drops ofl'. A bunch
of wool was placed in the way of the tendril ;
they caught one or two fibres, and then the tips
begun to swell into irregular balls above the one
twentieth of an inch in diameter. The surfaces
of these balls secrete some viscid resinous mat-
ter, to which the 'fibres of the wool adhere, so
that after a time fifty or sixty fibres are all
deeply imbedded in one ball of tendrils. These
tendrils quite fail to attach themselves to a brick
wall. These plants are especially adapted to
climb trees clothed with lichens and mosses
which abound on the trees in the native country
of the Bignonia.

Cobocea scandens {Polemoniactoe) is an admi-
rable climber. The terminal portion of the pe-
tiole which forms the tendril is sometimes eleven
inches long. The tendril performs one revo-
lution against the sun in an hour and a quarter.
The base of the petiole and the internodes do
not move at all.

A large majority of the tendrils of Corydalis
daviculnta still bear leaflets, though excessively
reduced in size. "We here behold a plant in an
actual state of transition from a leaf-climber to a
tendril-bearer. Whilst the plant is young, onl)'.
the outer leaves, but when full-grown all the
leaves, have their extremities more or less per-
fectly converted into tendrils.

Echinosysfis Idbata. A thin, smooth, cylin-
drical stick was placed so far from a tendril that
its extremity could only curl half or three-quar-
ters round the stick. It was always found in
the course ofa few hours afterwards that the tip
had managed to curl twice or even^hrice quite

round the stick. Measurements showed that
this was not due to the growth of the tendril.
Whilst the tendril was slowly and quite insensi-
bly crawling onwards, it was observed that the
whole surface was not in close contact with the
stick. The onward movement is supposed to be
slightly vermicular, or that the tip alternately
straightens itself a little and then again curves
inwards, thus dragging itself onwards by an in-
sensibly slow, alternate movement, which may
be compared to that of a strong man suspended
by the ends of his fingers to a horizontal pole,
who works his fingers onwards until he can grasp
the pole with the palm of his hand. Experi-
ments upon this interesting plant were made
and the results published by Dr. Asa Gray, in
1858. This led Mr. Darwin to more extended
observations upon many other climbing plants.
He is only one ofa large number of persons who
are indebted for valuable hints from the sa"-a-
cious botanist of Cambridge, Mass.

Hanhurya Mcxicana. In a few days after the
tips of the tendrils have grasped an object, the
inferior surface swells and becomes developed
into a cellular layer, which adapts itself closely
to the wood, and firmly adheres to it. This is not
the extreme tip of the tendril but a trifle back of
it This layer apparently secretes some resin-
ous cement, as it is not loosened by water or al-
cohol, but is freed by the action of ether and tur-
pentine.

Tendrilsof plants belonging to Vitacene, Sapin-
dacece, Passiflor^aceae, and perhaps others, are
modified flower peduncles, but their homolo'^ical
nature makes no difference in their action.
[To be continued.)

EDTTOE lAL.

TRAVELLING RECOLLECTIONS.

MR. SVCirS SOUTH AMBOY, X. J.

It was a lucky star which guided us, one fine
day in August, to the place where Mr. George
Such has his hospitable home. The ride through
New Jersey from Philadelphia is one to suggest
Botany, Ornithology, Ilerpetology— anything in-
deed but Horticulture. Once in awhile our eyes
would light on a spot wherein might possibly
be found a reader of the Gardener'' s Monthly, —
here and there some evidence existed of a race
cultivated and refined, — but on the whole it would

puzzle the ethnologist to decide whether ic was
the remains of ages passed away or the origin of
a new race supplanting a more ancient civiliza-
tion. In this puzzled spirit we found ourselves
in the village of South An\boy— a little place of
perhaps fifteen hundred inhabitants, the chief
business of whom seemed either directly or indi-
rectly to be " running'' the Camden and Amboy
Railroad, which here leaves terra firma, and in-
dulges in an hour's boat ride to New York. On
the west of the town is a considerable eminence
for this part of New Jersey, and on its summit

SOJf

TEE GARDE JfER'S MOJSTTHLY.

October,

two very handsome houses, with grounds laid
out in tasteful and somewhat expensive style.
A very beautiful vinery was on the grounds, and
here at least we thought to have found horticul-
ture in the wilderness. But it was not to be so.
Mr. Conover, a wealthy and refined gentleman,
commenced it, but it was sold out to the Camden
and Amboy Railroad. One mansion is now
rented out to Mr. Thompson, a very successful
market gardener ; the other is the " Stevensdale
Institute,'' a private classical school, becoming
popular under the management of Mr. AVithing-
ton, a well-known and popular Philadelphia
teacher of other days. The grounds are still
kept neat and clean, but the beautiful bridges,
arbors and fountains, seemed uneasy. Every-
thing about them was growing in beauty ; they

were left alone.
Half an hour's ride over a trail through a

dense forest of Oak, Maple and Pine, with innu-
merable shrubs and flowers as underbrush, and
the grey Usyua hanging from trunk and branch
like the well-known tree moss of the south which
simulates it, we found ourselves again in an
open spot, ^ a gentle rise, commanding one of
the most beautiful views of its class to be found
around here for many miles. On the northwest
are the broad waters of the Raritan, which seem
from here -rather like a lake, taking its rise from
the foot of a valley at the base of our eminence,
which valley makes a part of a circle extending
fiir toward the east. The rising hills beyond the
valley are all densely wooded from the east all
the way round the curve to the west, and as the
sun shone on different parts of the curve, exhi-
biting different features at every moment of itg
course, we felt that we could sacrifice any beauty
in the far famed Central Park for a natural scene
like this. Here on this spot, in the centre of this
glorious landscape, Mr. George Such has his
house and garden.

This part of New Jersey is famous for deposits
of clay out of which tlie best kinds of pottery ax*e
made, and which enter largely into the manu-
facture of wall paper. Most of this lies at a
depth of twenty or thirty feet beneath the sur-
face, all of which from its sandy nature, has to
be hauled away before the argillaceous treasures
can be reached. An easy worked bed is a trea-
sure. Mr. S., is the fortunate owner of one of
these "banks." The depositor found a watery
grave many thousands of years ago, and Mr.
Such makes free and profitable use of the assets
without fear of any one returning at an unex-

pected time to claim its own. The successful
management of this monetary institution has
made Mr. S. quite independent in this world's
goods ; the Horticulture of the place is therefore
the child of love. Even the parts of the grounds
devoted to commercial purposes betray the spirit
to which they owe their origin. The plant
houses are models of neatness and good taste,
and the plants under the direction of Mr. James
Taplin, formerly the successor to Sir Joseph
Paxton, as Gardener to the Duke of Devonshire
at Chatsworth, are just such specimens of health
and cleanliness which we should expect from
such an intelligent cultivator. The orchideaj
house is particularly a sight to see. Those who
have slender pui»ses should not go there. They
will be tempted to have something like it them-
selves to their utter ruin. Twenty-five dollars
is considered no price for good specimens of not
uncommon species in this order of plants, but
Mr. Such gets most of the valuable new ones as
they appear in Europe. But even the old world
is not fast enough for him. He endeavors to col-
feet direct from their native countries for him-
self. In a corner was a small lot of recent
arrivals from tropical America, which cost over
§250 in gold. One of the finest specimens of the
magnificent .Dendrobium nohile we ever saw was
here, with many dozens of branches. "\Ve em-
phasize the one because we are not sure but Mr.
Alexander Newett, Gardener to H. P. McKean,
of Germantown, might successfully compete with
it. We should, by-the-way, like to see these two
kings in orchidere culture in deadly combat for
supremacy in this tloral field. Besides orchids,
these houses of Mr. Such's contain rare ferns,
and leaf plants ; besides most that is rare and
choice in the floral wa}'. Here for the first time
we saw in flower that beautiful plant of the Arum
family, the Antlmrium Schurzianum. To get an
idea of this flower the common white Calla lily
will serve as an illustration. The white spathe
of the lily is. however, in this a rich crimson, only
not half as large, and the plant is of a dwarfed
and more stocky growth. There were about
half a dozen flowers open at one time when we

saw it.
But our space will not permit us to dwell long

on the beauties of the plant houses ; for the open

grounds present objects quite as attractive. Of

these the Camuts are perhaps the most striking.

It is wonderful what improvements have been

made in them the few past years. Once they

were valued chiefiy for their banana-like leaves,

1870.

THE GARDEJVER'S MO^TTELl.

305

which gave so tropical a look to our tlowor gar.
(lens ; but kiuils with a free and gay tloweriug
habit, with fine leaves also, are now common.
One blooming here profusely, C ItewkiHen, in-
troduced first through Mr. Such, is now well
known. Several more of this character were in
bloom here; one of them Pius IX, pleased iis
highly. One wi\h bronzed leaves C mttalUca
was a great favorite with Mr. Such. For deco-
rative gardening much use is made here of the
old Ilumea ekgans, though we seldom see it. We
don't know, though not of that class of plants,
why it should not be as popular as the PamiJas
grass. The common R/cinus or Castor Oil plant,
Bocconia japonica, and variegated CaJamas, with
the well known and little known kinds of Coleus
and Teilanthera, make up a good list of what
are grown here.

For comuiercial purposes, thousands of Lilies,
Tuberoses, and Gladiolus are grown, for which
the soil and culture seem admirably adapted.
The soil is naturally good, but it is deepened
and highly manured with a compost which is
found by experience to be the best adapted to
their superior growth. The success of this cul-
ture may be understood when we say that in
some instances the small offsets from the last
year's tuberoses were flowering. With the suc-
cess which is following some of our American
growers in these bulbs, America is fast becoming
independent of European growers of them. !Mr.
Such showed us some Tulips and Hyacinths,
which were equal to the best raised in Holland.
He will try the experiment next year as to
whether they canntit be raised as profitably as
well as as good, and is conlident of success. The
Lily beds are grand sights to see here. In some
places the great golden Lily, L. Auratum, has
not shown itself at home in our climate. Here
it succeeds well, and sliows no disposition to de-
generate. The hundreds of beautiful blooms,
some of them over a foot in diameter, and with
lialf a dozen flowers on a pai.icle was a rich sight
to see. There was here also a lighter variet}' of
the same thing grown which will probably be as
highly valued as the original kind. The old
•Japan Lilies were also grown in inmiense quan-
tities, and really hold their own lor beauty in
spite of the novel attractions of their golden
rivals. In the shape of climbing vines there
was nothing more beautiful than an Aktbia qui-
lUita^ which had made for itself a column of neat
verdure from the ground to the top of Mr. Tap-
lin"s residence.

In the fruit garden grapes were an " enormous
success," but this is no credit to any one or any
system this year, as this is the report everywhere.
We recollect many other matters of interest, es-
pecially some about Ivies, but must close.

THE HEIISTIXE, AND RASPBERRIES IX
GEXERAL.

(See frontispiece.)

Of all the fruits in cultivation, the history of
the raspberry is probably less known than that
of any other fruit. Only one Roman writer no-
tices it, and he simply speaks of it as a berry
called Lloea, from its growing on a Grecian moun-
tain of that name.

The earliest English authors call it the " Ras-
pis." AVhy it was so called has never seemed
clear to us. Many explanations have been
offered by ingenious men, but we have so often
found in these cases that the more plausible the
theory the less likely it is to be true, that we
suppose it is so here, and frankly confess that we
do not know the origin of its name.

In Botany, however, Linnaeus, retained the
classical name for the species, and thus we have
linhus Idceus— the raspberry of Europe.

Whether or not it was local to Mount Ida, and
from there traveled all over Europe and Asia,
does not appear. But within the time of modern
Botany it is found in spots all over these coun-
tries, though not extra abundant an3-where.
We have ourselves gathered the fruit from plants
in some of these European wild localities, and we
must confess that we have not found so very
much improvement in a thousand years of gar-
den culture as.weare apt to credit ourselves with.
We have berries a trifle larger, a little sweeter and
somewhat more abundant in its bearing habits ;
but that is all. As to hybridization, we have no
idea that it has had any influence whatever in
the improvement. AVe have found variations as
great in these wild forms of Itubus Idceus as any
we have in our gardens ; yet there is in Europe
but the one species, and of course there is noth-
ing like it with which it is likely to hybridize.

Statements have been made by parties that
they have hybrids between the Blackberry and
the Raspberry, but this is mere imagination, and
not the result of experiment, and believed gimply
because there is an appearance of a combina-
tion of the characters of both. We know that
plants will change without hybridization ; we do
not know that they have ever hybridized. It is

S06

TEE GARDENER'S MONTHLY.

October,

safer therefore to believe in a law of change, of
which we have had some experience, than of one
wliich wc have none.

Our own country has a wild Raspberry very close
to the Buhus Idceus of Europe, namelj', the B.
striijoftus. It is found all through Canada and
the Northern States, but its chief home is along
the. line of the Great Lakes, from the Rocky
3kIountains to the Sea. This is so little different
from the liubus Idceus of Europe, that it is rea-
sonable to suppose they might have come from
the same stock. The chief diflerence as recog-
nized by Botanists is that the petals are shorter
than the calyx in the American, and equal to the
calyx in the European. The other characters
are so variable that they are not much to be de-
l)ended on. The wild fruit of the American is
rather superior to the wild fruit of Europe.

Then we have two other species of Raspberry
in cultivation of American origin : B. occitlen-
t'llis of Linntcus, and the B. neglectus of I'eck.
The former is well known as the "black cap"
class, and oharacterized by smallish pips, and a
great number of them in the berry; "berry
seedy," as the buyers say ; the other is the pur-
l^le fruits, of which the Catawissa, Ellisdale and
perhaps the Philadelphia are types. "We know
that many of our best and leading Botanists
regard this class of purple fruits as hybrids be-
tween the Black Cap and the Red Raspberry,
but, as we have said, this is only an assumption,
for which there is no direct evidence, while the
natural law of change is against it.

Reluming to the subject of the Red Raspber-
ries and their improvement, we see how closely
allied are the i-epresentatives of the two conti-
nents. ]Much has been made of the hardiness of
one over the other, as a stock to raise seedlings
from, but we are i-atisfied there is no dillerence
in the constitutional character of either in this
respect. Of the very same brood some will be
hardier and some tenderer than others. Thus
the " Allen" has been claimed by some as a
seedling of R. strigosus. There is no evidence
that this is so. It may or may not be, we cannot
lell. It is certainly one of the hardiest of its
class, and one of the best to raise an improved
breed from.

Wc give in this number as a frontispiece, the
" Ilersline," a seedling which we regard as valu-
able ehieriy on account of its derivation from the
" Allen." It has proved very hardy so far, and
this joined to the fact that the plant which liore
the seed grew near some "Philadelphias," has

' led some of our friends to suppose it a hybrid.
From what we have already said, it will be un-
derstood that we dissent from this view. AVe
value it entirely because of the liardy character
of its female parent, and for its own hardiness
and the excellent quality of its fruit and bearing
habits, in which it equals at least any that have
gone before.

We will now say a word about the preserva-
tion of a hardy character in the class of Red
Raspberries. They arc essentiall}^ of a moun-
tainous or lacustrine disposition, hence a cool
soil is of the first importance to them. If the
soil is hot or dry they will assuredly have their
vitalitv gradually weakened, till they become the
prey of numerous fungus ])arasites, and are often
destroyed by the first white frosts. If the cool
soil be given them, they will keep Iheir leaves
green and healthy till the regular fall season ar-
rives, when they will be found as "hardy as an
oak," and will withstand an average winter
without protection. It is only when vitality
fails, and the leaves are too weak to remain on
during their full alloted time, that protection in
winter becomes necessary.

As to propagation, everybody knows how to
raise Raspberries. Every piece of root cut up
makes a plant. No hot bed is essential, although
of course with this care more are surer to
groAv. Set out in the open ground in Spring
four-fifths of the roots will make good plants.

HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS.

The September Exhibition of the Pennsylvania
Horticultural Society was so great a success that
we are tempted to look at its future influence on
gardening not only in the great city of Philadel-
phia, but as it radiates from this over all the
Union. Last year some fifteen thousand persons
visited the exhibition, but it was said that it was
the California fruits— the Kansas apples— the
lions of the Pomological Society — anything but
legitimate horticulture, which drew so great a
crowd. But to-day we have nothing extraneous,
no extra "card." Nothing much but legitimate
horticultural objects of home growth ; but yet
the crowds were as dense, and the intercst in
everything was of the highest class.

[Much of this success is due to the wisdom with
which the gentlemen in charge have managed
the Society. Tliey have liad to contend with
excellent ideas which, as the world goes, ought to
be successful, but which are unfortunately not.

1870.

TEE GARDEJYER'S MONTHLY,

307

For instance, people tell us that a Horticultural I
Society is for the promotion of horticultural
taste, and that onU' ; and only the most tasteful
ol)Jects, and these all of a horticultural excellence
exclusively should be tolerated.

But h6re things are not all of this class ; there
■svcre some plants which were " mere bean poles,"
and which perhaj^s would '^ not be tolerated at a
London exhibition." There were large designs
of cut flowers; which to the "highly cultivated
taste" were no doubt "positively hideous."
Fountains which, to those who have "seen the
Emperor," were mere "squirts,'' and cascades
which certainly did not " equal Niagara." Then
there was the "toolings of brass horns," which
" might be in place at a political talk," and even
" Greenland's Icy Mountains" was sung bj'a set
of musicians, which was "turning horticulture
into a camp meeting." Moreover, there was
some "gorging and guzzling" by some who had
worked hard for the Society without recompense ;

and worse than all there were premiums offered
to "gardeners,'' who ought to have so much pride
in their profession as to be glad to work hard
" for the mere honor of the thing. ''

We are not prepared to say that all these ob-
jections are not good. We know of no reason
against them. All we can say is that in other
towns and cities where this class of ideas prevail,
they have no Horticultural Exhibitions or Hor-
ticultural Societies, nor will they ever have them.

The facts as we tind them are what we have to
do with. It is evident here that the Pennsylva-
nia Horticultural Society is an extremely popular
institution with the people of the State ; that it
is fostering a love of trees and plants, and fruits
and flowers amongst the people in a way that no
other one ever has done, even in Europ>i, to
which we are referred so much ; and that amidst
all the extraneous trifles to which good people
aforesaid object to, it is fulfilling its main mission
wisely <ind well.

SCEAPS AND QUERIES.

Ceucis Canadensis.— T'^. G. P. says : " Your
article in August on this subject, from Colman''s
liural World, was an inquiry addressed by me
to it, and published in The Country Gentleman of
June 9th, current year. As none of the corres-
pondents of the paper in which it first appeared
have answered, and as I do not take Caiman's
liural, I respectfully ask whether you have any
knowledge on the subject ? It was on the Wis-
sahickkon — you see I use the two k's, though I
believe one of them is generally dropped now —
that I remember the lledbud and the dead hum-
ble bees, wasps, &c., under it."

[We have no personal knowledge that the
flowers of the Judas tree are injurious to bees ;
but we know many closely allied plants are — the
Wisteria, for instance— and it was because we
thought it very likely to be the case, that we
thought the hint we found in the Rural World
worth minding]

Cause of Suckerixg ix Trees.— Every one
has noticed that trees are more liable to sucker
at some times than at others. Why, is not
known. Mr. C. J. Robinson, in Nature, says

the Elm and Apple trees near London have
suckei'ed remarkably this year, and he attributes
it to the intense heat there of this season. Of
coursethis could only be an indirect cause. The
real reason is a check to the ascent of the sap
through the trunks, which then forces a growth
through the main roots. In what way extreme
heat can operate on this direct law, we do not
see ; although it may do so.

Brice Pear. — Under this name a pear is ex-
tensively grown in Gerniantown, and has been
for the last one hundred years. It is the old
"Bergamotte d'Automne" of the French, and is
for this section one of the best September pears
known.

What is the Use ?— A friend says : "I don't
see the use of many discussions which occupy
public time, about the nature of Pine leaves, for
instance, whether they are true leaves or trans-
formed branchlets V If they perform all the
functions of leaves, what else do we want ?'

[Perhaps so. If a Bologna sausage perform
for us all the functions of a "nutritious article."

SOS

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJV'THLY.

October,

what is the use of any care or thought as to
whotlier it is made of hog or dog meat ? Yet
most of us would rather know, in spite of this
good reason against it.]

Rkd Maple Trees.— 06serier, referring to
Mr. IT. C. Bcardslee's note, on page 23o, sug-
gests that trees often get their vitahty checked
in some way, before they produce seeds. Undue
forlility, he therefore thinks, is a consequence of
some prior injury. He would manure trees like-
l}- to flower too freely ; and if possible cut off the
blossoms before opening. This advice applies to
any species of trees, as well as to the lied Maple.

Caladiums in the Open Ground.— We saw
a beautiful bed uf these last month on the grounds
of R. F. AVarner, of Germantown, showing how
well they are adapted to open air culture for
summer decoration. They were wateretl occa-
sionally during the dr}- weather, and grown in
partial shade afforded by some trees at a dis-
tance.

Chaste Tree. — In our notice of this recently,
we stated that there were in cultivation two va-
rieties. Amongst the very fine collection of trees
at the nurseries of Graves, Selover, AVillard ».\:
Co., of which we shall have more to say at ano-
ther time, we saw a variety nearly white. This
shows how many good varieties of this pretty,
fall-blooming shrub could be had for the trying.

Defective Flowers— Clematis flammu-
la. — Observer says he has a quantity of seedling
plants of Sweet Clematis, one of which never
perfects its seeds. He believes the female organs
to be abortive ; in other words, that it is a male
plant. The growth is more slender and the
leaves smaller, and he thinks sustains the views
of the editor of this journal, in his paper read
before the American vVssociation at Troy, and
liublished at page 267 of this volume.

Black Hamiu-iigs from the Open Air. —
With a beautiful bunch of grapes, Mr. Blodget
sends us the following note : — I take occasion to
jrcnd a bunch of my open air Black Ilamburgs,
which are very i)leasant and si)rightly ; much
mori- pleasant to me than the ordinary covered
;:,rapery fruit. With such seasons as this has
been we should make rapid progress in grape
cultivation. Our climate is fully vindicated.
The fault, if any, is in our want of persistence

and faith in cultivation. I trust we shall at some
time have especial effort given to the cultivation
of Native Grapes. My vines of every sort do
extremely well again ; particularly Roger's Hy-
brids, Concord, Diana, Christine, Delaware, &c.

Spiraea Japonica.— Ji. S., Detroit, Mich.—
The plant you refer to is probably the Spiraea or
Iloteia japonica — a hardy plant usually in bloom
in July, but forces well, and is used \n immense
quantities by Eastern florists for winter bouquets.

Frosts in England.— The white frosts, dam-
aging some of the tenderest flowers, commenced

in England the last week in August.

Stra-\vberry.— The Vicomtesse Hericart de
Thury, once about as popular as Wilson's Alba-
ny in the United States, is still the leading straw-
berry of English gardens.

Our Colored Places. — It is gratifying to
the publishers to find their efforts so well appre-
ciated by the press and the horticultural public.
As we have descended to no method to increase
the circulation of our magazine beyond its own
merits, whatever these may be, so we have not
sought influence to get any public praise of our
woi'k. The kind notices of our contemporaries
— the unbiased suggestions of their own critical
minds — are the more higlil}' esteen?ed.

It is not often that a "Prophet is honored in
his own country," and we then fore highly es-
teevn the notices of the Philadelphia daily news-
papers, which have also been particularly en-
couraging. The Germantown Daily Chronicle
wishes we could give the beautiful plates every
month. We may do so when our circulation
reaches twenty thousand. It was quite an ex-
periment this year. The plates were given with-
out any mcrease in subscrij^tion price. It was a
trial to see if our friends would be as liberal loiih
us in obtaining new subscribers from among their
friends. AVe are pleased to say that the circula-
tion has so far increased, that, though not yet
paying to the extent we wish it to, we shall con-
tinue the experiment another year.

Our readers will remember that subscriptions
to the Gardener's Monthly are invariably in
advance; that these mostly fall due between De-
cember and January, that notwithstanding these
plates could not be bought for less than io cents
each, the whole subscription price of the maga-

187 0-

THE GARDEJS^IVS MO^^T^LY.

SO'.)

zinc is but Uco (loUars a year; atul that for this

the publishers hope every subscriber will send two

dollars for another suhscriber, along icith his oicn.

Our next plate will be in the December Xo.

A New Power in Agriculture.— A story
is given in the Augusta (Georgia) Chronicle, to
the efiect that a planter near Midway, in South
Carolina, has cultivated his entire farm this year,
so far as ploughing is concerned, with an alliga-
tor. This domesticated silurian is described as be-
ing unusually lai'ge, weighing about 350 lbs., and
being perfectly docile. He is reported as work
ing splendidly in plough harness, and being far
superior to mules or horses. His only fixiling is
a difficulty he has to repress the natural penc/ia«f
for hiving a little nigger for dinner, a circum-
stance that mavsave the race of alligators G;cner-
ally from being broken to harness.

[Of course this story is true, and we shall soon
have a crusade against the introduction of th?se
"haythens,'' on the ground that they are depress
ing the price of labor.] '

Grape Vixe Insect.— In answer to a Dau-
phin County, Pa., correspondent last month, we
stated erroneously that the warts on the grape
vine leaves wiu-e caused by Tettigonia v/'tis. It
should have been Phylloxera vkifolia.

Xames OF Plants.— 3//-S. T., Carbon Cliff,
Bock Island County, Ills , writes : — I am about
to so freely avail myself of the privilege of asking
for information, that I almost fear you may feel
inclined to revoke the permission so kindly given
some monthssince. Enclosedare some specimens
which I shall be glad to have named.

Xo. 1 is a plant given me under the name of
Caryomolis.

No. 2. was called '• Star Petunia " The flow-
ers begin to open about sunset, and are exceed-
ingly beautiful when transmuted to silver by the
moonlight, but they wither in the morning sun-
shine.

Xo. 3. was sent me as " Adam's Apple." It
has not blossomed, but you may recognize its
peculiar leaf.

Xo. 4. I know nothing of except that it is an
exquisite little plant. I used to see a plant, when
a little girl, called hy the homely name of "cat-
nip geranium.'' the leaves were, often half white
and half green, and as I remember it, must have
been suitable for a hanging basket. Can you,

from this description, give me its true name ? I
would like to obtain it for "auld lang syne."

Please tell me the best time and manner to re-
move from its native woods the trailing arbutus^
a flower so very dear to me by early associations
that I would gladly, if possible, transfer it to my
western home. Last fall a friend gave me the
bi'anch of a wh.ite flowering zonal geranium. I
divided it into four pieces, each of which grew,
two producing white blossoms, and two trusses
of a beautiful pink. I cannot be mistaken, for
I had no other cuttings at the time, and watched
these with a dail}- and loving care.

While finding in your il/oj/f/J^ nothing wliich is
not exceedingly interesting, I consider myself un-
der especial obligations for the pul)lications of
such articles as that of Miss A.G.,in the July num-
ber, and others of a similar character. If suc-
cessful amateurs would more frequently commu-
nicate their methods, with the simple means
within the reach of all, they would win the grat-
itude of multitudes of their flower-loving friends.

[Xo 1. is Malvaviscus mollis. 2 a species of
the tobacco family calle I Nicotiana noctiflora.
3. is of the tomato family, Solanum hystrix, so
far as we can judge b}^ the leaf alone. 4. is the
variegated variety of the Sweet Alyssum,as you
justly say, "an equisite plant." The Catnip
Geranium may have been a variegated zonile of
which there was one many years ago, before so
many modern improvements were made in it.

We should try trailing Arbutus in spring. It
has been considered one of the worst plants to
transplant. If you succeed it will be a triumph.
But we think the fault is that it is put into the
open sun, and in too heavy a soil. It likes par-
tial shade and loose earth which is cool, and not
wet. There are some white zonale geraniums
which often have a pink tinge when fully open, but
if the flowers were pink when the flowers first
opened, it adds much to the interest, as this
power of change of color in flowers has not been
much observed, except where the flowers were
striped or parti-colored.

The questions arc not at all too long or too nu-
merous. Our Magazine exists for the sole pur-
pose of being useful to its readers ; and how
better can we serve them than by knowing nnd
resi)onding to their wants V We are rather the
obliged party.]

Frkxcii CJardenino and the War.— The
Gardener's Chronicle reports that the gardeners

SIO

THE GARDE JEER'S MOA^THLY.

Octoher;

and officers of the gardens and museums of Paris
are "off to the front." Mr. Buist, the well-
known nurseryman of Philadelphia, was in Paris
when the war broke out, and narrowly escaped
some of the -'honors of war.'' Taking notes of
tlie sizes of some of the trees in the parks, he was
supposed to be spying out the fortifications, and
was arrested accord ihgl}'. He however escaped
conviction, and was ultimately liberated. War
is bad for gardening all round.

The Manean Apple.— This beautiful apple
was recently exhibited at the I'ennsylvania Hor-
ticultural Society, by Lorin Blodget, Esq., from
Mr. F. 11. Miller of Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania,
and is a seedhng from Tallman'>s Sweet. It is not
our custom to describe fruits which have already

1 been described by other authorities. This has
already been done by Mr. F. 11. Elliott, in liuraL
j^eio Yorker. But in this instance our notes seem
to differ a little from the original, so we offer them
here :

Fruit oblong conic, inclined to irregular ribs.
Skin whitish j'cllow, blush on tiic sunny side.
Stem slender, not projecting beyond the fruit,
sunk in a deep, often russetty cavity. Calyx
colored, medium sized, in an irregular basin
medium deplli ; size large, weight light, core and
seeds small, llesh white, with a sweet taste, and
pleasant aroma.

The fruit was rather too early gathered to
judge well of its quality; but it is evidently a
larger and better apple than Tallmau's Sweet,
which it much resembles.

EOOKS, CATALOGUES. &C.

Saturday Evening Post.

A happy old age is the usual sign that one's
life has been useful and virtuous. Here before
us, amongst our exchanges, is the Philadelphia
Saturday Evening Post, nearly in its ffiieth year.
It is so well known as one of our best family and
literary weeklies, that it needs no commendation
from us. Our purpose here is to commend one
of its articles on the Simmons bequest of near a
million and a half for an educational purpose in
•Boston. Most all of these sums go in expenses.
It is a pity that those Avho intend to do good in
this way, do not look to aiding those in which
the machinery already exists. We want not so
much new schools or colleges, as help for those
which are now struggling along.

We have received the retail catalogues of the
following nursery firms :—l)reer\s Catalogue of
liulbs, 714 Chestnut Street, Philada. ; F. K.
Phoenix, Bloominu;ton, Ills ; Harden & Cole,
Atlanta, fJa. ; .Tai)ez Capps it Son, Mt. Pulaski,
I.ogan Count)', Ills.; Storrs, Harrison & Co. 's,
I'ainosville, Lake County, Ohio; C. L. Allen &
Co., 74 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, X. Y. ; Ell-

wanger & Barry, Eochester, N. Y. ; Ilerendeen
& Co., 19 Seneca Street, Geneva, X". Y". ; J. W.
Manning, Reading, Mass. ; Graves, Selover, AVil-
lard & Co., Geneva, X. Y.

Also the following wholesale : — Alfred S. Shel-
ler, Lewisburg, Pa. ; Robert Douglass & Son,
Waukegan, Lake County, Ills. ; T. Sprague &
Co., Erie, Pa. ; Storrs, Harrison & Co , Paines-
ville, Ohio ; Miessner & Crittenden, Waterloo,
Iowa ; Dingee & Conrad, West Grove, Chester
County, Pa. ; George T. Fish, Rochester, N. Y". ;
E. Y. Teas, Richmond, Ind. ; Musgrove, Peull &
Barnes; IIoopesBros. & Thomas, West Chester,
Pa. ; C. T. Southwick & Co , Dansville, N. Y'. ;
George Raker, Toledo, Ohio ; T. C. Maxwell &
Bros., Geneva, N. Y''. ; Robert Douglass «& Sons,
Waukegan, Ills. ; S. Boardman & Sons, Roches-
ter, N. Y". ; Frost & Co., Rochester, N. Y. ;
Graves, Selover, Willard & Co., Geneva, X. Y. ;
James Draper Worcester, Mass. ; W. S. Little,
Rochester, X. Y. ; Lindiey M. Ferris & Sons,
Poughkeepsie, X. Y. ; E. H. Skinner, Rockford,
Ills. ; Merroll »\: Coleman, Geneva, X. Y. ; Frost
Sc Co., Rochester, X. Y. ; Pinney & AVead,
Sturgeon Bay, AVis. ; C. L. Van Dusen, Mace-
don, X. Y. ; Otto & Achclis, AVest Chester, Pa.

I8'f0.

TEE GAT^DEih'En' b MOJ^THLY.

311

E. Mood}^ & Sons, Lockport, :N". Y. ; IT. E.
Hooker & Bros , Kochester, N. Y. ; Soars, Hen-
ry & Co., Geneva, X. Y. ; W- F. Heikes, Day-
ton, Ohio ; Harden &Cole, Atlanta, Ga. ; Barnes
Bros. & Co., Young America, Ills. ; Smith, Clark
& Powell, Syracuse, N". Y. ; D. F. Ilolman & I
Co., Office 115 ]Madison Street, Chicago, Ills. ;|
Johu"\Vamp!er, Trotwood, Montgomery County,

Ohio ; T. B. Yale & Co., Rochester, N". Y. ; F.
Trowbridge, Milford, Conn. ; E. Moody & Sons,
Lockport, ]Sr. Y. ; G. ^^\ "Wilson & Co., Benders -
ville, Pa. ; Pratt & Co., Geneva. iST. Y. ; Robert
J. Ilalliday, Baltimore, ]Md. ; Ilargis &Sommer,
Qninny, Ills. ; 01m Bros.. Springfield, Mass. ;
"W. II. Lyman, Leverctt, !Mass.

NEW AKD RAHE FRUITS.

Aletha Grape.— Samples offruit of this new
grape were sent by Mr. A. M. Squire, of Ottawa,
Illinois, where it is said to have originated. It
evidently belongs to the Lahruaca family, such
as the Concord, Hartford Prolific, Ives Seedling
and others.

This year, at Ottawa, the Aletha ripened with
the Hartford Prolific at Alton; for which it
would seem that it is some ten days earlier than
the lust named varict3^ One of the bunches re-
ceived was shouldered, while others were like
the accompanying cut, which shows the bunch
and bcrr}' two-thirds the natural size. In a note
accompanying the specimens, Mr. S. says:

"This grape is a seedling of the Catawaba, and
in ripening it is full}- ten days in advance of the
Hartford Prolific. It does better on side hill
land than in m\- garden, which is elevated bot-
tom land. It has never mildewed or rotted, and
holds its fruit well. The vines are strong and
vigorous, in this respect, excelling its parent, the
Catawba." This year the bunches are smaller
than usual, but I think on account of drought.

This grape would ship well, provided the
berries do not, like those of the Hartford Prolific,
part too easily from the stem.

We see no reason why this variety may not
prove as good for the production of wine as Con-
cord, or Ives Seedling, in which event it will be-
come valuable somewhat farther north than it is
possible to sutliciently ripen some of our best
wine grapes.

Description. — Bunches medium size, stem long,
berries hanging ratlier loosely, skin very thiek,
color, dark, purple, juice nearly black, staining
the hands, or mouth, more than any other variety
with which we are acquainted. Flesh quite
pulpy, with a decided fo.Ky aroma; in it foxiness

and astringency it is much the same as a well
ripened Isabella. — Prairie Farmer.

Summer Beurre d'Auemberg. — This tiew
Foreign Peai", was exhibited for the first time in
Philadelphia, by Dr. J. S. Hougliton, at the late
meeting of the Horticultural Society. The fruit
is small, broad pyriform with an even surface.
The color is a dull greenish yellow, much over-
spread and netted and traced with russet. The
stalk is about three-fourth inches long, rather
stout and curved, set in a shallow cavity, with a
small raised side or tip. The calyx is nearly
closed ; basin acute, deep and strongly marked
with furrows; flesh white, melting, slightly
granulous, and slightl}'^ vinous, but with a rich,
sweet aromatic juice that will class it as pomo-
logically "very good to best." The core is
medium; seed large, obovate oblong, light brown,
with a dark line on edge. It ripens about middle
of September in this latitude.

Duncan's Fall BLACicnEURY.— Of this
blackberry I can say that one plant in my
grounds has exhibited as great productiveness
as the Kittatinny or any other sort; that its
fruit is as large as any of the best sorts, and
that it has ripened side by side in the same soil
and with the same care earlier than any except
Mason's Mountain, which by-the-by, with me
has nothing but its earlincss to commend it.
One cane of Duncan's Fall had eleven laterals
averaging five sub-laterals each, and on each of
the sub-laterals nine perfect berries — making
nearly five hundred berries on one stem. — F. II.
Elliott, in Z?. Xcw Yorker.

312

TEE GARBE^'EE'S MOJ\'THLY.

Ocioher,

NEW A?sD IIAIIE PLANTS.

I.IXAKIA CY3IBALARIA VARIEGATA, Or A'a-

rit'gated Kennihvorth Ivy, a neat drooping plant
with ivy-like leaves, the centre of which is a
bright pea green, Avith a deep edge of white,— is
a plant peculi;irly adapted for hanging baskets or
vases, being found in Europe, growing upon old
■walls, often without soil. A slight crack in the
old mortar is sufficient to germinate the seed ;
when once started it grows freely. Flowers are
lilac. It grows best when shaded from the mid-
day sun.— W. Davisox, Brooklyn, in It. New
Yorker.

BouvARDiA Davidsonii.— This plant origi-
nated with Mr. "\V3i. Davidsox, a well-known
Brooklyn florist, from a plantation of the com-
mon jiink sort, Bouvarclia Hnrjarth, which it re-
sembles in all respects, except that the flowers
are pure white. The great desideratum with
florists for winter flowers has been a free growinf^,
white flowering, Bouvardia. There are several
distinct species having white flowers, but they
are all of delicate growth. Judging from the
parentage of the one now before us, it is likely to
be robust as the pink variety, from which it ori-
ginates; if so, the raiser, Mr. Davidson, has a
little fortune at command from his good luck.—
Peter Henderson.

Xew Geraniums —Mr. W H. Lymax of

Leverett, Mass., has issued engravings of the
Double Zonale, Mad. l.emonie, also of the new
"tricolors" Black Prince, Mrs. Dunnett, Prince
oi' Wales, and Sir 11. Napier.

Gesnera exoxiexsis.— a correspondent of
Gavdenp/r's Wtekb/ says :— I now come to the
inagnilicent new plant Gesnera exoniensis, one of
the finest acquisitions of the day. All who par-
ticularly require plants for dinner-table decora-
tion must hail it as a boon, coming into perfec-
tion as it does a time (the wiukT months) when
]>lants adapted for that purpose are ver}'^ scarce,
and the mnjorily of those wo have unsuitable
for the purpose. To say nothing of its bril-
liant flowers and handsrune leaves, the very
habit of the plant will recommend it, as it is
leafy, dense, and compact; the lower leaves
almost cover a six-inch i)ot by drooping over its
rim. The brilliant mas.ses of intense oran-'c-

scarlct flowers and the handsome dark velvety
leaves quite distinguish this Gesnera from all
others, and it must be considered indispensable
for all who require flowers through the dullest
month of winter : and, indeed, without its flow-
ers the leaves are in themselves very beautiful.

New Oxioxs.— Carter & Co. of London have
raised bulbs of the "GiantRocco."31bs. 9 ozs. —
Nation Bed, 5 lbs. 1 oz. — Grove Tripole, 3 lbs. —

New Wiegelas. —Pnrpurata. Dark purplish
— red flowers. Best kind out.

Isoline. Flowers large, pure white. Blooms
free.

Horlensis rdvea. Small silvery-white flowers.

MuHifli-ra flarlh)iy}(la. Deep crimson flowers.

Arhorea grandiflora. Large leaves and flowers
— distinct.

Rosea nana variegata. Dwarf. Leaves striped
with white.

Amabilis variegata. Leaves striped with pale

green.

OnCIDIUM YARICOSUM var. ROGERSIT.— Few

species of the grand genus Oncidium have yet
been met with of a more showy and ornamental
character than that which we now describe, from
a fine specimen which bloomed last autumn in
the collection of the Messrs A^eitch & Sons, of
of Chelsea. The flowers, indeed, are quite equal
in size and beauty to those of O. ^larshallianum
and O. pectorale, while in brilliancy of color
they far surpass those of O. niacranthum. The
plant was introduced into this couutr}' by Dr.
Rogers, of East Grinstead, after »vhom it has
been named; and was exhibited by him for the
first time when just going out of flower in No-
vember, 1808. Both O. varicosum and the var-
iety under notice are natives of Brazil, the latter
dillering from the former chiefly in the larger
size of its flowers, and in the fewer crests deve-
loped on the disk. It is one of the more orna-
mental of its race, and all the more valuable for
its habit of flowering during the late autumnal
months

The habit of the plant resembles that of O.
bifolium. The pseudo-bulbs are of a long ovate
form, and some what compressed and ribbed ;

1S70.

THE GARDEjYERS M0A''THLY.

813

they support a pair of li^vilate-lanccolate acute
leaves, while from their base proceeds an ample
branched nodding panicle of large yellow flowers.
The sepals and petals are quite small, pale green-
ish-yellow, marked with brown bars. The lip is
large, much crested at the base, where it is mot-
tled with reddish brown; it is furnished with
rounded basal lobes.— Journal q/" Horticulture.

Paxsy "Clivedex Yellow ''—There are
four dilTerent colored flowers included in the
list of Cliveden Pansies, viz., blue, purple, white,
and yellow. Although I possess three out of the
four colors, yet my experience of their claims as
bedding plants does not warrant me in saying
anything in their praise, save and except the
yellow variet}-. Of this I had last season two
small beds, which continued to produce an
abundance of flowers from March to about the
micd e of August. My belief is that they would
have continued to aftbrd the likc^satisfaction, in
regard to their blooming qualities, until the
month of October, but for neglect in our omitting
to water them at regular intervals as heretofore.
As a dwarf yellow bedding plant for spring and
summer blooming, I can with confidence recom-
mend it; but the soil should be rich and kept in
a moist state during hot weather. The habit of
the plant is very compact, and the growth vigor-
ous. My mode of propagating it is by division
of the roots. These are planted in a nursery
bed, and having established themselves, they are
removed to their final quarters in November.
Of course, like other varieties of Pansies, they
strike freely from cuttings either in the spring
or autumn. Selecting the young wood for that
purpose, they may be inserted in a prepared bed,
alongside a fence or wall with a northern aspect;
the surface should consist of an inch or two in
depth of sand. Protect them with hand-glasses
until rooted. —J. F. M., in Gardener^s WeeJdy.

ance both singular and graceful."' — JosiAn

IIOOPKS.

Aquileoa Ccekulea.— This is one of the
nreatcst acquisitions to our list of hardv her-
baceous plants. It is thus truthfully described in
the American Horticultural Annual for 1807:
"vl t'oerulea from the Rocky Mountains, and re-
cently introduced into cultivation, is the hand-
somest of the genus. In England, it is declared
to be, 'not only the Queen of CohDubines, but
even the moat beautiful of all herbaceous jdauts!''
The color is white and voilet blue, and the re-
markable long spurs give to the flower an appcar-

Rose PjvixCESS CiiRiSTiAX.— "This has been
so frequently before the public that we need do
no more, in this jilaee, than describe the color
of the flowers, and the character of the plant.
The color ranges from deep salmon to rosy
peach, according to the age of the blossoms, and
holds on clear and bright to the last. There is
a peculiar and beautiful gloss on the face of the
petals which the pencil of the artist cannot por-
tray, and which gives it distinctness. The flow-
ers are very large, double enough, globular in
the bud state, and finely cupped when expanded;
and it gives forth these flowers continuously ami
abundantly from June to November. The growth
is robust, and constitution hardy, and the foliage
and habit distinct and of a pleasing character.

"This promises to be a good exhibition Rose
when taken in a young state, and a grand Rose
for the garden at all times. Mr. William Paul,
of Waltham Cross, is the introducer of this
novelty, which, we learn, will be distributed
from his nurseries in :May next. Three first-class
certificates have been awarded to the Princess
Christian during the year 1869 -one by the
Royal Horticultural Society, one by the Royal
Botanic Society, and one at the Crystal Palace
Rose Show."— F^or/si and Fomologist.

Violet Marie Louise —Van Iloutte, in the
'' Flore des Serrea,'' introduces anew variety.
Flowers large, double, outer part of petals laven-
der, centre blue, peduncles long, aspect novel. —

Cauagana JUUATA.— The Journal ff Horti-
culture says, has proved hardy at Boston. It
has white pea-shaped blossoms. Caragana ar-
borescens a yellow flowered old kind is not as
often seen in ornamental ground as its merits
deserve.

Telfaihia on JoLiFFiA Afiucana.— This
plant was formerly in Mauritius, but has for
some as pet unexplained reason completely dis-
appeared from the island. It being useful as
well as ornamenlal, it grows to a great height
and bearing seeds whic'.i yield a rich sweet aro-
ma. It was reintroduced, and, at the request of
the Governor, a supplyof seeds has been forward-
from Zanzibar by Dr. Kirk. -Gardiner's Weckli/.

31Jf

THE GARDEJiER'S MOXTELY.

October,

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.

Tratxixo Grapk Yin-es ox Trees.— In the
Cincinnati Horticultural Sooioty, Mr. Thompson
stated that he lets Iiis grape vines run at random
over trees, and that he lias great success iu this
plan.

Xow this may be new to the grapo rrrowers
about Cincinnati, but it has been my practice for
the last twenty-five years, to let them run Just
where they like and climb higher and more higher
still, if tbey please; and I always have an abun-
dant yield of grapes, notwithstanding Dr. War-
der's opinion to the contrary.

I must confess that I feel considerably elated
when I contrast my vines with those on the vine
clad hills around Cincinnati. AVhilst on one of
my vines there will be thousands of bunches of
grapes without five minutes labor i-n a year, those
little pipe stem vines, tied to stakes, and requir-
in? constant care, only produce a few bunches.

Xow for the theory. You little dwarfed and
spindling vines can have only a corresponding
amount of fruit. It is nonsence to talk of vines
overbearing for two or three years, and then not
bear at all, unless they are cut and trimmed.
Experience proves the contrary.

If any one does not agree with me, he is wel-
come to his theories, whilst I can and do have'an
abundance of grapes. I iiave used sulphur more
than twenty years, and with benefit, to prevent
rot. Hot is not caused by a fungus, as some sup •
pose, but is caused by some insect puncturinir
the grapes, whether to deposit their eggs or not
I do'nt know, but we presume it is for that pur-
pose; yet I never succeeded in finding any eg-^s
or worms in a rotted grape. AVell, says one,
how do you know they have been stung by an
insect? Because I have seen the puncture and
a jet of juice which had oozed out. Whenever
you fin.l a grape that is slung, tie a string to it,
(for a mark so as to find it,) and watch the re-
sult. After a longer or shorter period it will
turn whitisli round the place where stung, and
finally black, and continue to spread until the
whole grape is rotted. If at any time with a
sharp knife you cut out the black spot, the re-
mainder of the grape will grow and ripen, thus
jtroving there is no defect in tlie vine.

Upon this discovery was based the sulphur re-
medy for the rot, being distasteful to all the in.
sect tribe. Futnigations with sulphur iu tlie

evening is better than the dust, as I think the
depredators work at night. I have no certain
knowledge of the enem3% but always find a few
large yellow bugs on the vines when the grapes
are rotting— they are very shy fellows. Whether
friend or foe I know not, but kill him when I
find him. — Co)-. Cincinnati Gazette.

Some of the Gakdexers of Maxchester,
X. II. — The Mirror says: "On the west, side of
the river, in Ward Seven, we find a few persis-
tent and successful gardeners. Among them is
C. S. Fisher, who has as much practical knowl-
edge of the science and the art as any man in
the city. Having been much in the grocery
trade and market business, he knows what will
sell, and adapts his plans to the demand. He
may be put down as reliable authority in the
business.

Another excellent gardener in the same ward,
and one of the best in this section of the State, is
Joseph X. Prescott, of the Octagon House. On
his sandy land he annually reaps a liberal har-
vest, bringing to market some of the choicest
vegetables of their kinds. He excels in the pro-
duction of tomatoes and the cabbage tribe,
though he seldom fails in any branch he under-
takes.

On that side of the Merrimack are other good
gardeners, of whom we know less, — Dickey,
Worthle}^ George, Rollins, and even our friend
Miller, who brings fresh vegetables from his
Bowman Brook farm to his market house.

On the cast side, we drive down the River
road, and cannot get past the jail without being
attracted by the two acres of vegetables connected
with that institution, and cultivated with great
success by that farmer, mechanic and business
man. Jailer Fairbanks. It will pay "to go to
jail " and see tlie jailer's garden.

A short mile further down are several good
gardens, though coming more properly luider
the head of "family'' rather than "market"
gardens. Our detective friend Spear can boast
of "some '' in the fruit and vegetable line, while
"Aunt Xancy Baker," Oliver Mitchell, and others
thereabouts, can report a liberal variety of pro-
ducts in a limited space. Major Inghan is;fighting
manfully against the drouth, and from his sandy

1870.

THE GARBEJVER'S MOJVTSLl^.

S15

soil is coaxing an ijbundant support, while the
'• poorplace, " close by, shows a broad area of mel-
ons and other garden crops. Then further south,
we have the Websters, — Frank and David, — who
are doing something in this same line, but not
half enough, and between them "the judge," as
his neighbors are accustomed to designate that
industrious and upright man, John Calef, Esq
Ue is the first, year by year, to furnish the mar
ket with pieplant stalks, and the latest in the
season with his mammoth cabbages.

Over on the INTutt road are a few market gar-
dens, the inost important being on the old James
Xutt farm, where ^Ir. J. E. Clough has made a
good beginning, and produces compensating
crops in great variety. We may include in the
same record the Barker garden, which has,'until
the present year, been in the care of Mr. Clough.
Though dry at the surface, it is covei-ed with a
burden of the green that indicates productive-
ness even now.

Out at Hallsville, and by the Centre, the two
principal gardeners have been Charles A. Hall,
recently deceased, and his working neighbor,
P. O. Woodman. The acres left by the former,
like the memory of the departed, are kept fresh
by filial hands, that succeed to their father's
property, industry and integrity.

'J'here are many excellent gardens on a smaller
scale all through this section, covering the hills
to the east of the city, and extending out to the
productive acres of our ex-conductor friend
Eaton, and up the mammoth road to include
the City Farm, and the good land adjoining."

Seedltxo Peach Trees.— Our Jersey friends |
are often exercised about the question, whether ;
peaches raised from seeds and never budded are l
better than those inoculated with other varieties? j
There is much difference of opinion, and many j
papers have been written about it ; but it is one ',
of those mixed questions which have a dark and
a bright side to each view, and can only be dis-
cussed as a balance of advantages. And first,
we think, ns an abstract question, a seedling tree
is more likely to be healthy than a budded one;
and yet millions of budded trees are as healthy j
as any seedling tree can be. But supposing tliat ;
a tree had anv disease, it is far more likelv to be
prnpairaled hy ])udding than by raising seed; for ]
propagation by cutting, budding, grafting, or >
any other such mode, is simi)ly increasing the '

individual just as it i.s; while from seed is really
the creation of a new variety. Sometimes dis-
eases are hereditary; hence a disease of this kind
might follow a seedling peach, but not near the
number of diseases could follow, because so few
are of this nature.

In the abstract, then, but yet of little practical
importance, it is a foct that a seedling tree is
healthier. There is another point, however in
favor of the seedling tree. When a seedling is
budded it it usually done near the ground, and
the next Fall the top, four or five feet high, is
cut back to where the bud is set. It is now
known that all pruning is a check to vitality.
But this also is true onl}- in the abstract. The
check is but temporary, and would not show its
evil influence except under very severe circum-
stances, and is only called in to explain occa-
sional and severe cases, of injury. Tlie check is
so temporary that the tree soon recovers, and in
no more cases do any permanent injury result
than to a man from having the toothache.

But the great disadvantages of seedling peaches
lie in some of the very flicts for which they arc
usually esteemed, namely, their disposition not
to come like their parents. If we sow pits of
early peaches they may come late ; if we want
late we are as likely to get early. Then showy
peaches are often most favorable to some markets,
or free stones or large fruit; but the seed is just
as likely to give us pale faces or clings, or small
fellows of no account. In some markets it is
very important to have them in just at certain
times — a day or more less is a question of many
dollars. This can only be calculated when we
know exactly what kind we plant, and this is
only to be known by employing budded trees.

In view of the fact that so few diseases follow
budding more than follow seedling trees, and in
the face of the facts in favor of budding them,
we think the advantages are clearly in favor of

budded and against seedling trees. — Weekly
Press.

Kentucky SxiiA-wnEuuiEs at J. S. Down-
er's—Among the most successful cultivators of
this delicious fruit, our friend, .1. S. Di)wncr, of
Fairvicw, stands deservedly hi^h. The varieties
he has originated arc now universally recognized
as possessing ever\' desirable quantity, and as an
acknowledgment of his merits as a cullivator,
we transfer to ourcolumns the following truthful
notice, written for the Western RurnUst, by one
of the leading horticulturists of our State, A. I).

S16

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJVTELY.

October,

AVcbb, Vice-President of the State Horticultural
Societ}"

"As ourstrawberry season is coming to a close,
I tlioucrht it probably niinht interest some of the
readers of the Itandist, who take an interest in
the cultivation of this, the first to ripen and the
most delicious of the small fruits, to be informed
of the results of some of the prominent varieties
now before the public. I do not tliink I exag-
gerate when I say our soil seems peculiarly
alapted to the production of this fruit, probably
equal to any. T think this fact was fully demon-
strated to every one who attended the moeting of
our Farmers' Club, and witnessed the exhibitions
made there from time to time during the season,
of berries measuring from four and half to six
inches in circumference, and weighing from one
half to one ounce, these too in quantity without
any special culture, or any fertilizer being used.

The varieties most popular with us this season
were Chas. Downing, Kentucky, Green Prolific,
French's Seedling, Filmore and Russel', in the
Older named, all very large and fine. Since the
introduction of the three first-named varieties,
the old and much esteemed Wilson has been con-
signed to a back seat by some of our cultivators,
yet it is perhaps a better shipping quality than

either of the others, but can»not compete with
them in uniform size and appearance.

I certainly regard the Kentucky as the hand-
somest and most attractive^ berry I ever saw of
the light color variet}-, good flavor, and very
large size. There is certainly a debt of gratitude
due Mr J. S. Downer for originating and intro-
ducing the Charles Downing and Kentucky, both
of which possess superior qualities and are de-
cided acquisitions. We have a number of other
varieties on trial, but it will require another sea-
son to test their merits, if they possess any." —
Home Journal.

Vegetable Pkofits ix Mass. — A corres-
pondent of the Boston CuUivator reports his suc-
cess with raising vegetables, four miles from a
manufacturing village. The two requisites ad-
hered to were good soil and thorough cultivation.
The entire grounds were a few acres, and a small
part was occupied. — Half an acre of peas gave
seventy-eight bushels (in pod of course) at 81 90
per bushel, or .'J 148.20. Sweet corn amounted to
$70 from half an acre. Two hundred hills of
pole beans gave 350. Over $300 were received
in less than three months. "Work was done out
of sliop hours.

FOREIGTs^ INTELLIGENCE.

How TO Prove the Value of a Manuke. —
At a recent meeting of the Twickenham Local
]>oard, to consider the various schenics for the
disposal of the sewage of that town, the Rev. W.
Freeman informed the Board of the result of his
recent inquiries respecting the ABC process.
Respecting the value of manure, he read several
lettL'rs from persons of authority, who spoke of it
in liigh terms, lie produced two sticks of rhu-
barb grown in the same bed — one wilh the
native guano and the other witli the stable man-
ure—llie sample said to have grown with the for-
mer being much finer than that jjroduced wilh
the latter. So far, so good; but, unfortunately
for Hk! reverend gentleman's arguments, one
waa a stick of Victoria, and the other oi' Linnwufs.
It is hardly necessary to say that tiie stick grown
wilh liir aid of the native guano was from the
first-named variety. "We shall not be surprised
to see in tlie report of the next meeting of the
Board, that fiowcrs of Madame Vaucher and Tom

Thumb geraniums are brought forward to show
th;it the manure has such a powerful effect upon
the color of the flowers of plants grown with its
aid as to change them from a most brilliant
scarlet to a pure white. At all events, one ex-
ample is quite as reasonable as the other. — Cot.
Gardener.

Pine Apples ix Exgland.— At the July
meeting of the Rjyal Horticultural Society, the
competition in Pine Apples was very good. Mr.
Palen, gardener to II. S. Lucey, Esij., Ch.irlottc
Park, Warwick, is placed first, with three hauu"
some, well-colored fruits of two Moscow (Queens
and a Smooth Cayenne, the second jiri/.c being
awarded t ) Mr. C. Allen, gardener to J. Clegg,
Escj., Wilhington Hall, Cheshire, with three
liand.some Providence, very even in size, and
well finished-ofl". Mr. Gardiner, of Ealingtoi\
Park, comiug-iu third with two very even Mos-

1S70.

THE GARDEJsTER'S MOJ^TELY.

317

cow Queens, and a very good Providence. Mr.
G. Ward is third Vith Charlotte Rothschild, 7
lbs. 10 ozs , and a smooth Cayenne, 7 lbs. These
are rather over-ripe. For single Pine Apples,
the first prize was again awarded to Mr. I'aten,
for a well-ripened Enville Queen with a number
of crowns, weighing 8 lbs. 14 ozs. The second
prize went to Mr. Gardiner, and the third to :\Ir.
AVard.

Fruit Growixo.— "When we become more in-
timately acquainted with the science of fruit
growing, we find that there is scarcely a spot in
the entire "West, but almost all the fruits can be
made to do w^ell, and yet large orchards still be
failures.

"We recently heard an old fruitgrower of Iowa
say that he would not take the largest orchard
in the State as a gift if he were compelled solely
to rely upon it for an income and support, and
yet this same individual grows fruit and makes

money out of it, in coanection with other busi-
ness.

AVe sometimes fear that the Gold Medal Pre-
mium received by the State of Kansas on su-
perior fruits at the last exhibition of the Amcri.
can Pomological Society, will be the means of
of its inhabitants losing money ni their extrava-
gant ideas of too extensive jilantings. We saw
but little fruit in Kansas, and that Slate is sub.
ject to failures from similar causes as are the
States immediately east of it.

An exclusive business in grape growing may
be more nearly successful than any other fruit,
and then only in connection with a wine manu-
f\xcturing establishment. Grape vines are easily
grown, less trouble to manage and a fruit crop
more certain than that of any other variety of
fruit. AVe would caution planters of large or-
chards against making fruit growing an exclusive
business, unless they have a good deal of surplus
money to rely .upon in years of failures. — loio.i
Homestead.

HORTICUTURAL NOTICES.

PENNSYLVANIA HORTICULTURAL
SOCIETr.

The Annual Exhibition was held on the loth,
in the Society's ILall, in Philadelphia. A very
marked improvement was apparent in the plants
exhibited, both in rarity and in manner of cul-
ture. Usually it has been the custom of the So-
ciety to get loads of plants from the gardens of
amateurs and nurserymen for the mere purpose
of decoration. This time all, or nearly all, came
as the free offerings of the competetive or public
spirit of those who exhibited. We make for the
benefit of our distant readers a few notes of the
leading articles, which may interest them.

Most of the collections of plants had some of
the handsome leaved Caladiums, now so well
known. Those grown by Mr. Wm. Joyce, gar-
dener to Mr«. M. "NV. Baldwin, were particularly
well grown. We noticed one in a 14 inch pot,
which had over 100 well developed leaves on it.
Here was also Draca-naCooperi, one of the rich-
est colored of this very ornamental class of leaf
plants. The Vricsia.-i with their pineai)ple-like
1 eaves, and purple and scarlet fiowers, were not as
fine specimens as we have seen of them, but still

attracted much observation. In the collection
also v/ere Gongora maculata, a well known or-
chid with the spotted flower, looking for all the
world like a dead insect of some wondrous color.
Clerodendron fallax with four spikes of its rich
crimson flowers, a very good specimen of the new
AbutilonThompsoni now so much soughtaftcron
account of its gold and green variegated leaves ;
and a particularly pretty plant of Lycopodium
Lyali, the two forms of foliage on which always
attracts the curious. There was also a plant of
Eucharis Amazonica, the pure white flowers of
which are so valued for cuttings, and a butterfly
orchis, Oncidium papilio, with eight expanded
flowers, a number not often seen at once.

Mr. Buist's collection was as usual particular-
ly rich in new or rare plants. Here was a repre-
sentative of tha genuine old Dragon's blood tree
of Teneritfe, which had stood fi)r so many hun-
dreds of years, a landmark to sailors, and only
recently blown down — the Draccena draco.
The leaf is more like a Yucca gloriosa than tlie
leaves of Drac(jenas we generally see. A little
dwarf Bambo, variegated, Bambusa Japonica
variegata, was a charming little thing. Latania

SIS

THE GARDEJVEIVS MOJVTHLY.

October,

rubra is a very rare fan palm, particularly stri-
king through tlic unusually red margins of the
leaves and stalks. The interesting Dalechamp-
sia Koezeliana was more highly colored than
usual. This curious plant has bracts as rose colored
as in the allied Poinsetta, yet of a very different
appearance. IMaranta Yeitchii was one of the
most interesting of the new species of this genus.
AUocasia Jenningsii looked as much like a green
Caladium, with deep ink blotches artistically run
over parts of the blade ; Gesneria refulgens with
leaves like rich, rosy velvet ; Allamanda viola-
cea, a real rosy violet flower. Besides these there
wei'C heaths, and many rare things not often
seen. But the gem of the collection was a very
rare fern, Adiantum Farleyanum. We have
seen many beautiful Maiden- hair ferns, but this
is certainly the most beautiful one ever grown.

Mr. Hugh Graham, who is now taking rank
as one of the leading florists of Philadelphia,
although only a few years established, had one
of the most attractive plants in the room in the
shape of Clerodeudron Balfouri. This plant has
the calyx of a pure white, while the corolla is of
a scarlet crimson. This plant has hundreds of
its striking dowers in full bloom. It is one of the
trailing kinds, and was grown over conical wire.
He had also some beautiful orichideous plants.
The Zygopelaton Mackai was one with several
spikes of its sweet scented brown purple tlowers.
AVe suppose only the difficult j of increasing it
makes it so rare, as it is as easily grown as Ble-
tia Tankervillte, and quite as interesting. He
also bad a Catleya Forbesii, which, though not
as showy as other Catleyas, had the merit of
being an abundant bloomer, and apparently an
easy one to grow. Some highly interesting
plants were in the collection grown by Mr, Alex-
ander Xewett, gardener to H. Pratt McKean,
Esq , amongst tlie most beautiful of those grown
chietly for their interesting leaves were Begonia
am<jena and B. incana ; Peperomia maculosa, a
remarkal)ly pretty thing, especially considering
that there are at least 2U0 species known to Bot-
anists which gardeners would not look at ; An-
thurium grande ; Rapphidodendron plicatile, a
sort of Aloe, with curious plaited leaves ; Yucca
versicolor, which has a gold band down the nar-
row green leaves ; Litobrochia vespcrtilionis,
the bat's-wing fern ; Carica papaya, the true
West Indian PaiKiw, and some others. But the
*'ems of the collection wore a Callistemon speci-
osum, or bottle bru.sh Melrosideros, a perfect
specimen of six feet high, well trained with many

scores of crimson brushes on it ; and a plant of
Philodendron pertuosum, the best grown ever
seen at our exliibitions. The plant is interesting
from the fact that its riddled leaves are a perpet-
ual reminder to insure against hail stones; while
the fruit, though of the Arum family, is equal to
Pineapple when mature.

He had also a large and well grown plant of
Tabernsemontana citrifolia, the leaves looking
like a narrow lemon, the flowers quite as sweet*
but double the size. This will make a good
white flower for the bouquet maker. Mr. James
Wright had some nice miscellaiieous plants, and
amongst Mr. AV. Harris' was the now getting
common variegated Boussingaultia Lachavmei
in flower, proving it not to he a Boussingaultia at
all; hut Talinum 2ynrpureum. In the collection
grown by Mr. S. Hunter, gardener to Gen. Cum-
mings, proprietor of the Philadelphia Day, was
a very good Cyanophyllum magnificum, about
four feet high, and having sixteen of its remark-
abl}' beautiful leaves. Perhaps the most gener-
ally admired plant in the room was an Austra-
lian StenocarpusCunninghami, from Mr, Henr}'-
C. Gibson. It had hundreds of its curious flow-
ei's on. One flowered a few years ago at Wash-
ington, and attracted much notice from the news-
paper press all over the Union. It takes a good
sized house to grow one to perfection.

Mr, Thomas Mackenzie's collection was rich
in the Echeverias and curious things of that
character. A fine specimen of Strelitzia regime
was gay with its orange and blue bird's-head like
flowers. Sedum japonicum Avas bettter than we
ever saw it, and its large heads of rosy flowers
made a pretty show. His best thing was Bou-
vardia jasminoides, which to the shape of the
blossoms also added the fragrance of the Jasmine
flower.

Mr. Davidson had a large and well flowered
plant of his new Bouvardia Davidsoni. This is
rvhite, and as it flowers as freely as B. leiantha,
will be just the tiling for the florists.

Mr. D. Fergusson had two magnificent tree
ferns— the Cyathea medularis. If some amateurs
had these striking specimens, no money would
buy them. He also had the sweet scented Crinum
amabilc beautifully in bloom.

Mr. Meehan sent a collection of Coleus, and a
collection of sixty plants selected for the oddity
of their various forms of foliage. Amongst these
was the Aucuba japonica, bearing its large dog-
wood like berries, but which had not yet began
to turn to their final red color.

1870,

TEE GARBEJVER'S MOJVTELY.

SIO

' In the line of cut flowers, there were not many
contributors, the hot dry season being unfavor-
able to excellence, Messrs. Dreer, Meehan,
Buist and Gerhard Schmidt being the leading
exhibitors. The Dahlias of the two last were
however equal to any of former years, and both
of such superior quality that the judges must
have had a severe task in deciding which was
the best one. To Mr. Schmidt however went the
premium for the best seedling. It was of a crim-
son red color, large, and with numerous small
cupped petals.

Mr. Buist had the first premium for Yerbenas
Tetunias, and Mr. Dreer for Hoses. Marcchal
Neil was conspicuous in this collection ; but
another yellow one, Queen of Portugal, was
nearly if not quite as good.

In the fruit way the exhibition of pears was
wonderful, and mu.st have been an astonisher to
those who believe the climate of Pennsylvania is
unfit for pear culture. Mr. Satterthwait had
300 varieties, and each variety heaped up in
great profusion. It was regarded as a great tri-
umph by the advocates of clean surface culture,
of which class Mr. S. is a leading champion.

The most interesting feature in this lot was
the number o^new varieties or rare ones seldom
seen. Though mostly all good, it is safe to say
they were few of them better than the popular
and well known kinds. Some specimens of Ur-
bauiste, for instance were equal to any of the
best grown, notwithstanding it usually ranks but
second rate. The most beautiful pears in the
300 were some Beurre de Montgeron. Kot of
first rate quality, the}- still bring very high price
in market. The Butter was one of the best fla-
vored pears hei'e. It is not showy, but for its
quality it ought to be grown everywhere. It is
certainly equal to the best Beurre d'Aujou.
The Des Xonnes was also of very superior qual-
ity, its thick skin being rather against it. The
first premium for Howell pears was also award-
ed to Mr. S. They were very fine samples,
measuring about 3^ inches long by 3 wide.

Most of the premiums for specified varieties of
pears were awarded li. Thatc-lier, of Darby, Pa.
The best Lawrences were here, also the best
Flemish Beauty, It had the best Seckels also,
although we thought rather inferior to Seckels
we had seen in exhibition at other times.

EUwanger & Barry, of Rochester, liad some
very beautiful specimens of pears, some of the
varieties being finer than any before .seen. The
Doyenne Boussock, for instance, were niagnifi-

' cent, superior in size to many Duchosse d'An-
gouleme. Selleck was also very large. The
most remarkable thing about Barry's pears is
that they are seldom rosy, but yellow or green,
large and juicy, bat not high flavored, and all
seem to have long stems, setting all the " sci-
ence," of Pomology at nought. For instance.
'I'hatcher's Flemish Beauty had stalks over ^ of
an inch long ; while Barry's had them one and a
quarter, and so on of all others proportionatelv.

Hoopes Bro.& Thomas, of West Chester, made
a fine display of pears amongst which the fine
Ilowells Avere conspicuous.

Dr. .7. S. Houghton had a magnificent display
ofDuchesse d'Angouleme,Duchessede Bordeaux,
Genl. Totleben, varieties which somehow or
another he always manages to get large and lus-
cious, besides many other varieties.

We have said that the Pears of EUwanger &
Barry did not exhibit the fine rich colors of other
localities, but the reverse of this was the case
with the apples. It was impossible to show a
prettier set. The St. Lawrence, Alexander, Mo-
ther, and similar showy kinds were much ad-
mired by the spectators. A variety we have not
seen before, called Sherwood's Favorite, wasalso
particularly showy. The Bed Beitigheimer, a
variety, as lurgeasthe Pennsylvania Falla water,
but with much more color, was also in this col-
lection, which obtained the first premium.

In the collection of apples from IIoopos Bro.
& Thomas, the Porter, was of superior size,
and 20od color. There was also in this collection
some excellent summer Pennocks, and a fine
Bussct not often seen, called Austin Sweet.
Mr. Blodgett exhibited from Mr. Miller the Ma-
nean apple, larger and better than Talman sweet.

Mr. S. W. Noble had a nice collection of ap-
ples, which were all very h'ghly colored. His
Cornell's Fancy was awarded a premium.

There were not many peaches. The first pre-
mium went to the Nursery Association, of
Chambersburg, the second also to a Chambers-
burg name, B. L Ryder. What is the matter
with New .Jersey and Delaware, that the they
are to let Pennsylvania take away the honors of

peach growing?

The slvow of luitivc grapes was extreiiKsly mea-
gre, as it always is in good fruit years. When
there are plenty, each grower thinks his neigh-
bor will certainly have as good or better than
his— so all stay away. There were some Senas-
qua's, a black grape from Concord, hybridized
with Black Prince ; andCroton, a white between

S20

7 HE GARBEKEWS MOJVTHLY.

October,

Delaware and Chassclas de Fonlainblcau, which
we regard as amongst the most promising new
ones now before the public. These were from
Dr. Underhill, of Croton Point, N. Y. Mr. E.
Yodges had some very pretty Christine grapes;
also Maxatawney. ;Mr. Vodgcs is a Philadelphia
amateur, and carried away nearly all the crape
premiums. The foreign grapes were very good,
as they always are at the exhibitions of this So-
ciety.

We are sorry that the limits of a magazine like
ours will not permit us to do full justice to such
an exhibition as this was. Hundreds of good
things and many public-spirited exhibitors must
remain unnoticed. It will not do, however, to
close this brief sketch, without some tribute to
the men whose unpaid labors have given this rich
IlorticuUural treat to us. The Chairmanship of
the Exhihition Committee was tliis year in the
hands of Mr. C. II. Miller, the distinguished
Landscape Gardener of Philadelphia. Messrs.
Ritchie, Scott, Kdvington, Schaffer, Earl, Hayes
and Satterthwait, gave much time to it; but
there is no doubt that to Dr. J. S. Houghton and
ex-President Mitchell, very much of the great
success is fairly due, as daily, for two weeks,
they gave it a large portion of their time.

TENNESSEE HORTICULTURAL SOC'Y.

[We unfortunately put this excellent descrip-
tion of the Horticulture of Nashville into the
wrong "pigeon hole,'' where it has remained a
montli longer than it would otherwise have done.
-Ed]

Dear Sir,— The Tennessee Horticultural So-
ciety held its semi-annual exhibition the 18th,
19th and 20th, during the same week the Agri-
cultural Society held their fair. Both were suc-
cessful, and were visited by largo numbers of
persons. The collections of plants at both exhi-
bitions, were exceedingly line. The Floral Hall
at tlie fair ground had tlie fine collections of the
Insane Asylum from Bellemont, the residence of
Doctor W. A. Cheatliam, and several collections
from nurseries near the city.

The 'I'ennessee Horticultural Society made the
finest spring display ever given here, and (as re
marked by that old (lorist. Heaver, well known
to horticulturists everywhere,) was the finest
Spring exhibition of plants he had ever seen in
this country.

The Society felt unusual pride, from the fact
that the entu-e collection (jf plants was the result

of their organization, and from grceu-houscs con-
structed by its members during this time.

Many rare and new plants were exhibited,
some of them splendid specimens. Irby Morgan,
Esq , had a fine collection of Fuchsias, that stood
over six feet high, and were one muss of bloom.
Wm Heaver's display of Petunias received the
first premium, as did also his collection of roses.
The be^t general display was made by P. L. Ni-
chol, Esq. There are few more rare and elegant
specimens anywhere, than can be shown by this
gentleman. He took the first premium. F. H.
French, who made the second best, exhibited a
double Snap dragon [Antirrhinum^) fine in color
and form, produced by him, and believed to be
the only one extant at the present time. It is a
good acquisition to our list of bedding plants.
Messrs. Gartland, McGrady, and the President,
Rev. P. S. Fall, excelled their former eflbrts.
There were several new exhibitors this season.

The show of Strawberries, owing to the cold,
backward Spring, was not equal to former occa-
sions. The Cherries, too, were scarce. The
scant display of Vegetables, from the same cause,
was a source of regret. Those shown were unu-
sually fine.

The exhibition was closed by a grand Ball,
which combined resources i\vM could not be
drawn together elsewhere. The beautiful hall of
the Masonic Temple, where the exhibition was
held, was connected by a stairway twenty-five
feet wide, with the Maxwell House, it being ini-
provizcd for the occasion, decorated with statua-
ry, vases, plants, Chinese lanterns, &c., with

beautiful eflect.
The ISIaxwell is unsurpassed by any other

house in this country, and for this event was re-
markably well suited. Besides a large fountain
in the Floral Hall, and a small self-acting one.
there was one erected in the rotunda of the Max-
well House, the base surrounded by begonias,
caladiums, and gloxinias. Hanging baskets
were suspended between the columns below the
balcony, and Chinese lanterns above. The mag-
nificent parlors, with the elegant galleries all
frescoed in the highest style of art, were thrown
open to the guests. The dining room was devo-
ted to dancing, and the ladies' ordinary, to the
supper. Two fine bands of music enlivened the
scene, combining a rare display of elegance, wor-
thy of the refining inlkiences of the Horticultural
Society. The result was eminently satisfactory,
rewarding the efiorts of the members in adding
thus to the interest of its meetings.

DEVOTED TO

Horticulture, Arhoricultiire, Botany and Rural Affairs.

EDITED BY THOMAS MEEHAX.'

Old Series, Vol. XII. JYOVEMBEB, 1870. New Series. Vol. III. No. 11.

HI^TS FOU TsOYEMBER,

FLOWER GARDEN" AND PLEASURE
GROUND.

Most of the tender plants that we desire to pre-
serve over the season, have now been Ufted 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 neglect-
ed condition till spring lime returns. But the
person of true taste finishes up the beds, and
makes all tidy. In the absence of summer flow-
ers even order, pleases.

But many persons have a reserve ground in
which evergreens have been planted out express-
ly with the view of moving at this season of the
year to the flower beds. Taken up with good
balls of earth they do not miss their move, and
by a little taste, a beautiful winter garden is th«
result. We have now so many dwarf hardy
evergreens just fitted for this sort of work, that
great scope can be given for the most varied
eflect.

Amongst these are White Spruce if trans-
planted every year and trimmed a little, it will
keep low many years ; Al)ies clanbrasiliana,
Abies compacta ; Tree Box of many varieties ;
fiuonymous japonicus of varieties in shaded lo-
cations or where the thermometer does not go be-
low zero; Junipers of many vavieties;Kalmias and
Rhododendrons; Silver Fir, if as with the White
Spruce, it is transplanted annually and trimmed ;
Mugho Pine, American and English Yew ; Ar-
borvitffis of all kinds, and Yuccas,

It is not generally known, although repeated
over and over again in our journal, that diath
fi*m cold in winter is as often as not, the eflect

of impaired vitality clTiring summer. Hence, if
a plant is in dispute about hardiness, it is fre-
quently enough to decide the question, to know
whether it was free from mildews or leaf blights
during summer. Not only these matters, but
other things impair vitality and thus prepare for
the hand of death, before even' the icy time ; and
a very dry season is especially one of the worst
of these evil influences. The last season was a
particularly dry one in many places, and many
plants had as much as they could do to hold their
own. Amongst these there will probably be
great mortality if we have anything like an aver-
age hard winter. It will be wise, therefore, if
we have anything particularly valuable, to pre-
pare to shelterthem from cutting cold, dry winds,
or other severe winter conditions.

Almost all young trees are tenderer than they
are when older. It is therefore no test of the
hardiness of some rare thing, that a small plant
is killed in the winter. Silver Firs almost al-
ways gets killed back for a few years in this sec-
tion, unless protected, but yet gain a little in
strength. After they are ten years old they will
endure our hardest weather. So Spanish Chest-
nuts, English AValnuts, and many others, will
die back considerably, until they get strength.
Therefore, protect any valued young plant, if
possible,, no matter how hardy its reputation may
be.

Every one who has dug up a potato knows that
when the tul)er has finished its growth, all be-
tween it and the parent stalk dies. If the potato
were to remain undisturbed till spring, frost and
other things of course uninjuring it, it would
push up from the place where it stood, and a new

S22

TEE GARBE^'EKS MOJ^THL^. Move7)iher,

set of potatoes push out, and the space between
them and the original, get wider every year. So
year after year there would be this continual pro-
gression.— a wandering away from the first cen-
tre, until in tiuie the living plant niiglit be a mile
away from the original spot which gave it birth.
Something of this kind goes on in all herbaceous
plants,— a part progresses, and a part dies every
year. It is for the want of this knowledge that so
man}' friends lose these plants. Though all her-
baceous plants move in some such manner, they
do not all go directly under ground, but make
bunchy stocks just above ground. In their na-
tive places of growth they marfage to get covered
with decaying leaves from the woods or shifting-
sands on the plains, but in cultivation nothing
of this kind can be naturally accomplished, and
unless art comes to aid the plant they soon die
away. An Auricula, a Prirarose, or a Carnation
is a good illustration of this. In the two
former a new crown is formed on the top of the
old one, and as the lower parts in time die away,
unless new earth is di-awn up, success with such
flowers will not be great. The best plan is to
take up and replant every few years, or cover the
running parts above ground with .earth so that
they may have a chance to get new roots from
the advancing stocks. This is noticed here at
this season to show that earth is the natural
covering for herbaceous plants, and therefore one
of the surest ways of preserving them safe through
winter is to draw earth over them. In the spring
they can be unearthed and then divided and
set a trifle deeper than before, which is all they
want. We are often asked lu)w to preserve Cax'-
nations, Chrysanthemums, Pansies, Phloxes,
Hollyhocks and so forth safe till spring. The
principles liere laid down will explain the prac-
tice.

FRUIT GARDEN.

Atthis season of bheyear, "how shall I prune?"
becomes the question of the day. By far too
many branches are left on most trees. When
the trre is in leaf, the one branch smothers out

..the other, and, remembering what we have al-
ready said about the value of healthy leaves, few
leaves arrive at that perfection necessary to per-
fect the best fruit. Therefore, prune out enough
of the weaker ones to give the rest every chance
to develop their leaves to the fullest extent. Al-

*B0 prune so as to assist the plant to a conical
form, as this enables the light to act better on all

parts of the tree leaves. If trees have been ne-
glected, in pruning now severely to get them to
this shape, the result will be to make them throw out
shoots still more vigorously from near the parts
cut awaj'. When these shoots appear in spring,
pull them out while young Avith the finger and
thumb. The current of sap will then flow strong-
ly into the shoots left, and the ratio of growth
will in the end be nearl}^ equal through all the
branches. The flow of sap through a tree is
nearly like that of water through an uneven
country. A very little obstruction will turn the
course ; but that, once started, soon becomes as
great a stream in the new, as in the old channel.

Apple trees have a haL^it when old of pushing
out sappy shoots along the main branches. These
should be cut away in addition to a similar thin-
ning as recommended for the pear.

Dwarf apples and dwarf pears should be ex-
amined now to see what the borer is doing for
them. This is the time when they do the most
destruction, as they 'are boring down into the
stems for winter protection. A cut with a jack
knife up and doion the stems so as to avoid gird-
ling as much as possible is the most certain de-
struction. Then, if in spring, before the parent
insects begin to work, oiled paper, or rather tar-
red paper, be put about the stem near the ground
they can be l:epi out. It is strange that with so
little time as borer hunting takes, so many thou-
sand trees should be allowel to die from their
attacks every year

Above all for both apple and pear orchards, we
bespeak a liberal dressing — a top dressing of
something or another. If no manure is to be
had, even common road sand will be found to
have a beneficial influence.

Strawberries are much better when protected
through the winter, no matter how "hardy"
the}'^ may be. Very coarse strawy manure is
tie best material, which can be raked otf in ear-
ly spring. A few inches is suflicient, just enough
to keep the sun oft" when frozen, which all our
readers know, by this time, is the chief cause of
loss by frost. •

In cultivating raspberries on a large scale, they
do best in hills, as the cultivator keeps them
from crowding each other so much. For garden
culture they are better in rows, the suckers to
be hoed out occasionally as they grow ; enough
only being left that will be required for fruiting
next year. Where canes arc required for new
plantations, of course a portion of the crop must

U'lO.

THE GABBEJ\'ER'o MOJ^THLl.

323

be sacrificed to the suckers. Most of the foreii;u
A-arieties are apt to lose their leaves early in hot
seasons like the last, before they are quite ma-
ture, in such cases they are tender and need pro
tectiru in the winter. The best way is to short-
en back one third the cane ; di<; out a little on
one side of the bunch of plants ; from the otlier
side dig a little so as to bend the jUant to the
other, and then cover the canes with earth.
Some bend the canes and cover without this
slight digging out, as they consider the digging
injures them a little, but so does the bending
down without digging. The first plan injures
the least.

In choosing Dwarf Fears, select those that
have been budded close to the ground, as when
they are replanted the stocks should be buried
an inch below the pear scion, which prevents
the attacks of the quince borer. If a long stem
has to be buried, the usual consequences of deep
planting result, and do as much injury as the
quince borer Also in choosing, select, if possi-
ble, plants that have been raised from cuttings ;
for layered stocks have almost always a long
deep tap-looking root, on which dwarf pears do
not do well. If we have to use such dwarf pear
trees, better shorten some of this long trunk root
before planting. Never plant what appears to
be the stem of a tree far beneath the surface, un
der an}' circumstances, for diseases will be most
probably an ultimate consequence.

rOIlCTXG FRUITS AXD VEGETABLES.

Few subjects are better worth the attention of
nurserymen, market gardeners anrl amateurs
than this very interesting branch of gardening;
but it has been greatly neglected. Whether as
a source of pleasure or profit, it is an equally de
liuhtful occupation ; and the remarks made we
trust will be the means of awakening some en-
thusiasm on its behalf.

Pctatoes, peas, beans, cauliHower, radishes,
lettuces, tomatoes, asparagus, rhubarb and pars-
ley are the chief vegetables usually forced ; and
among fruits, the apricots, cherry, lig, grape,
nectarine, peach, plum and pine

Grajtcs every one wishes to grow. For early
forcing, they are the best grown in pots,— that
is where tire-heat is u-sclI ; when a "cold grapery"
is employed to produce them, they are usually
grown in the open ground. This is a good sea-
bon to prepare fur the latter mode of culture, so
as *to have everything ready to plant out the

vines the next spring. Houses can now be con-
structed from live to six 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 obtained for the fruit.
The borders for the vines need not b.; expensive.
A dry bottom is essential, which must beol»tain-
ed either by draining, or what is better, eleva-
ting 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 m i-
terial to the depth of one foot, then fillin:: in the
remainder three inches deep with sods from an
old pasture, to which about a third of well de-
com' osed cow or horse manure can be added.
The border may extend under the vinery, and
some ten to fifteen feet beyond.

Pot vines are usually fruited the year follow-
ing 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 sprin*^,
or started at once, where sufficient heat is at
command They should be at once pruned to
the desired length, usuall}- about six feet, the
laterals takm off. the canes painted with a mix-
ture of sulphur and soap, to destroy insects ; and
those not just now required, either put into a
cellar or shed, secure from frost, to avoiil danger
to the pots. Those desired to fruit early should
be at once placed ki a temperature of 5.5^ to (jO°
and the canes bent down to aid in causing ah
the buds to burst equally. This, however, de-
pends on the condition of the cane itself. A vine
with badly developed buds will not break well,
no matter how well nianaged. The buds will
only swell under the above temperature ; but it
is cot well to start with much heat.

In a house of this character the fig may also
be started at the same time, and the pine firow
very well. The other fruits named will not do
so well started with these, unless in the hands
of greatly experienced gardeners, as the heat ne-
cessary to ripen llu- grapes so early is too much
for them — D.warf Ik-ans, Tomatoes and Cucum-
bers, would, however, do very well. These may
be sown at once for this purpose. Peaches,
Xectarines and Apricots do very well planted at
the back walls of vineries, and especially 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 hamlsomer specimens can be made
from one year grafted plants. Xow is the time

32Jf

TEE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJVTHLY, Xovemher,

to select those that we may desire to force tTie
next spring. The}' should be lifted and potted
very carefully, and afterwards placed in a cool
cellar till Februarj'. Those that were potted
last spring, and have a good growth, and are es-
tablished sufficient to warrant an early forcing,
may at oi;ce be started in a lieat of from 45° to
50^, and the heat increased to 55° in the course
of a few weeks. They should be previously
cleaned, as already recommended for grapes.

Plums and Cherries do not do very well forced.
The ditticulty is in getting them to ri ;;en well.
We have seen the best success when started with
Peaches at this time. Strawberries force easier
than any fruit, and in our opinion, when gone
into properly, will pay even better than grapes.
Tiiey may be had all the year round when a heat
of CO' can be maintained, simply by bringing for-
ward a few every two weeks. The pots of plants
should be prepared in September, six inch sizes
being employed. They should be started in a
heat of 55', till the flowers are set, and ripened
in one of 00^. 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 I^ebruary, and
then setting them in frames.

A house fitted for Strawberry forcing is just
the place to force Asparagus, Rhubarb, Radish-
is, Peas and Potatoes, which do not do well with
much heat. Any of these iimy be started now
either in pits or boxes. Peas are scarcely worth
forcing, except as a luxury. The}- will not beai^
freely unless very near the light.

A Cauliflower pit should \v; in every garden
where leaves or manure can be had. Radishes
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 or two above the ground are usu-
ally employed, with glass sashes over. The
leaves should be filled in as early as possible, so
as to get their n^ost violei.t heatins over before
the plants are set out. A watering as they are
filled in assists this, which may be known to be
ellccted by the sinking it exhibits. It is impor-
tant to have the plants set as near the glass as
possible ; a few n)ore leaves, should, tlu-n-fore be
added before the six inches of soil recpiired is
placed on. The plants sown in September should
be planted fifteen inches apart, and Lettuce and
Radishes may be sown broad-cast between As-

paragus, Rhubai'b and Parsl(?y are prepared by
taking up the old roots at this season.

HOT AND GREENHOUSE,

Plants stored away for the winter in cold pits,
require more care for the fir!?t month or so than
at any other time through the winter season.
Many of them have unripened shoots, or shed
many of their leaves, and unless these be cut off
and removed, gangrene and decay commit dis-
tressing havoc. Air should be given at every
opiwrtunity, and nothing omitted that will, in
any way tend to harden the plants, and send ve-
getation to rest. No more water sliould be given
than just sufficient to prevent withering, and
the temperature should be kept as near 40^ as
possible, and every chance taken to render the
air about the plants diy. When frost actually
does come, no further care than protection from
its embraces will then be required. Plants so
hardened, may stay covereil up for weeks, with-
out any light or air, and secure from the slight-
est injury. Mice constitute the most trouble-
some enemy in a pit closed for any leiigth of
time ; but we have as yet found nothing better
than the recommendation given in back volumes,
namely, to take i^eas 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 preparetl, should be placed in the pit
before permanently closing up. The mice usual-
1}' find 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 cnre as
those in pits. Avoid heat and dampness; fre-
quently however, plants suffer 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 dr}'.

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 possible, room plants siiould be select-
ed for their indifference to these requirements.
Succulents, such as Cactuses, Mesembryanlhe-
mums, Rocheas, Cras.sulas, Aloes, &c., care not
how dry the room, but they demand all the sun-
light possible. Camellias, Chinese Primroses,
Azaleas, Dicentra spcctabilis. Polyanthuses,
Violets, Hyacinths, etc., do not mind a little
shade ; but they abhor a high temperature.
Others again, while disliking heat, want light ;

1S7U.

THE GARDE J^'ER'S MO^''THLY.

325

of these are Calceolarias, Ciaerarias. Gsrauiums,
Pelargoniums. Pansies, Daisies, Tree Carnations,
perpetual blooming Pinks, Roses, and the like.
"Leaf plants,'" for the most part, like a close,
moist atmosphere, and a moderate degree op
heat to do well. For these glass pailitions and
closely glazed cases are usuall}' employed. A
great error in the growth of the plants in these
cases, is to suppose thej- require no air. The
closeness is to secure a moist atmosphere, not to
exclude the air. Whenever, therefore, the tem-
perature is low, and litlle evaporation going on,
the opportunity should be seized to air the cases *,
a few moments are sufficient. A very pretty plant
arrangement may be made in parlors that have
bay windows ; the whole window may be closed
oft" from the main part of the room by a sash,
and filled with plants. Some on the floor, —
some on shelves, and some pendant from the
roof. A common oil lamp will be quite sufficient,
with the usual window shutters, to keep out
frost during the night or extra severe weather,
while the regular day temperature of the room
will suffice for that time. When the lamp is
burning, provision i^hould be made for the ad-
mission of fresh air from the room at the bottom

of the case, and for the exit of consumed air at
the top of the case. This is best accomplished
by a tube to and from the lamp.

It must, however, be remarked that the fumes
of burning coal gas is highly injurious to vegeta-
tion, and any adaptation of heating by it will fail,
unless provision be made to lead the fumes awa}-.
AVith this precaution, gas lights in towns and
cities, where it can be had cheaply, would be
very useful in heating small parlor plant cabi-
nets.

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 dime. The great er-
ror we have often noticed 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 ungenial to healthy vegetation.
Evaporating pans around the mouth of the air
flues should be used in such cases,— syringing
done at frequ'ent intervals, and pure fresh air
given whenever a warm out-door spell furnishes
the opportunity.

COMMUIS^ICATIONS.

LAAYXS.

BY P. HARRY, ESQ.
{ Read be/or €l?ie Geneva HorlicuUurxl Society, Sep. 15, 1870.)

TUE LAWN.

The most important elements or materials of
landscape gardening are trees and grass. With
these, and I might say these alone, the hand of
taste can make the most charming of rural
scenes.

I propose this evening to offer a very few re-
marks, more by way of suggestion than other-
wise, on grass -whatingardcniu'^ phrase we call
the lawn. A space of ground, of greater or less
extent, adjoining the dwelling, kept short and
smooth by const:int cutting and rolling, so as to
resemble velvet, or rather, as we tread on it the
idea of velvet is suggested, and hence the expres-
sion "velvet lawn "

The reason why I have chosen this topic is
that I regard it as having a most important bear-
ing on the the progress and improvement of or-

namental gardening in this country. Indeed, f
think I would not overstate its importance if I
should say that it is the very foundation of the
edifice.

BEAUTY OF THE LAWX.

I need not consume your time by expatiating
on the beauty of a well kept lawn, apart from all
its adjuncts or ornaments. Tou who have seen
good examples will agree with me that no other
production of gardening art on the surface of the
earth gives more real pleasure

Young and old, rich and poor, learned an<l
unlearned, will stop to admire and utter excla-
mations of wondfr and delight at the sight of a
beautiful lawn, and it is one of those things so
agreeable to the eye, that it may be said wc never
weary looking at it.

Beautiful trees, plants, flowers and fruits elicit
our admiration, and may even excite surprise
and wonder by their magnilicence, but these
sensations soon pass off. The sight of the lawn

326

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJVTHLY.

J\^ovanber,

iQ its smooth, soft, fresh, enameled green, awa-
kens sensations of satisfaction and delight which
linger in our memory.

During my recent travels in California, thin
idea was brought to my mind with peculiar force.
We visited gardens filled with rare and beautiful
trees and gorgeous flowers that called forth our
admiration. We saw natural scenery whose
sublimity awed us, and we saw giant trees of
the forest whose prodigious magnitude amazed
us, but we saw pieces of lawn that made us all
exclaim ''how beautiful !'' and we would revert
to it time and again, and say " how beautiful "
It is true that in a country like California, where
rain does not fall for six month, and all herbage
is dried and withered, a green spot is more re-
markable, and doubtless more highly apprecia-
ted than it is in a climate like ours ; but a tine
lawn is one of those things that are everywhere
and uuder all circumstances pleasing ar.d de-
lightful to the e^-e, and that even to the eye of
uncultivated taste.

Downing, the most eloquent and appreciative
of all American writers on such subjects, says,
■' with a lawm and trees one has indeed the most
enduring sources of beauty in a country resi-
dence. Perpetual neatness, freshness and ver-
dure in the one ; ever expanding beauty, variety
and grandeur in the other. AVhat more does a
reasonable man desire of the beautiful around
him in the country ? Must we add flowers, ex-
otic plants, fruits ? Perhaps so, but they are all,
in an ornamental light, secondary to trees and
grass, where these can be had in perfection "

" Without this feature, the lawn," the same
writer adds, '• no place, however great its archi-
tectural beauties, its charms of scer.ery, or its
collection of floweis and shrubs, can be said to
deserve consideration in point of Imdscape gar-
dening ; and with it, the humble cottage grounds
will posse.«8 a charm, which is, among pleasure
grounds, what a refined and graceful manner is
in society— a universal passp(jrt to admiration."

We all know and feel the truth and force of
these remarks of the great author and artist.

ITS BENEFICIAL INFLUENCE ON TASTE.

I have said that I regarded the lawn as having
an important liearing on gardening improvement,
and for this reason. I ob.serve that where peo-
])le succeed in making a piece of lawn around
ihcir dwelling, their gardening taste improves
rapidly ; disagreeable objects become more so in
contrast with the smooth grass and must be re-

moved, some choice trees and shrubs are added,
perhaps a vase or basket or bed of flowers,— one
object of taste suggests another and another,
and thus we make real progress. I see much. of
this change going on in our own city of Roches-
ter. All aA>und our streets I see charming bits
of grass with brilliant beds and vases of flowers,
where a few years ago there was a tangled un-
sightly mixture of fruit and shade trees, flowers,
long gra.ss and weeds. This change has added
immensely to the beauty of our city, and has
doubtless added largely to the comfort and en-
joyment of the owners as well as to the money
value of their property.

Til's reform has been aided very much recent-
ly: 1st by the introduction of lawn games, such
as croquet, which contribute so much to the
pleasure of home life both in city and country,
during the summer season. A piece of smooth
lawn is indispensable to the enjoyment of these
games.

2d The introduction of the Hand Lawn Mow-
er. I should think 150 of these machines were
sold in Rochester last spring. One house alone
sold 100. Yet five years ago, I might say less,
outside of some half a dozen places there was not
a square rod of lawn about the cit\-, and not more
than two or three mowing machines of any sort.
These horse and hand mowers have happily re-
moved one of the greatest obstacles in the vvay
of keeping a lawn in good order at a small ex-
pens j.

To knoAv how to cut short grass was a qualifi-
cation confined to professional gardeners, and
only a few of them cou'd do it well. Besides,
it was ex|iensive. It formerly required one man
all the time and frequently two to mow one lawn,
which we now cut in about half a day, once a
week, with a man and horse, and do it infinitely
Ijetter. The mowing of the lawn is therefore no
longer a terror, and there is no other difficulty
that I know of worthy of mention.

The cultivation of flowers in beds on lawns, as
now practised, is much more satisfactory than
the old way of scattering them around the gar-
den, and has really given a great impetus to flo-
riculture.

There is no other place whero a fine tree or
shrub, or beil of flowers, ajipears to such advan-
tage or gives so mucli pleasure as when planted
on a smooth, well-kept lawn. The grass to
them is like the background in a painting, — the
frame to a picture or the setting of a diamond.

1^70.

THE GAB DENVER'S MOKTELl.

327

Now then, for these reasons, and niany more
which might he urged, let us do something, if we
can, to encourage the growth of this ehar:ning
feature of modern gardening. Tlio members of
this society, individually and collectively, can
all aid, if they will, both by precept and example.

LAWNS FOR THE FARM DWELLINGS.

I desire to see every one who has a garden, if
not more tliau a quarter of an acre, devote a
portion of it to a lawn. I know of no other way
in which people are so likeljiSfcto get the value of
their monej'. It is a cheap luxury^and I do not
wish to see it confined to cities and vill iges and
their suburbs. It must extend into the cop.ntry,
the farming districts. Why should not every
farm-house, in our old and rich farming districts
in Western New York, have its broad and b.^au
tiful lawn around it ? Are farmers and tlieir
families, and the friends who visit them, ineapa
ble of enjoying its beauties ? No. There are no
mpre enthusiastic admirers of a fine lawn or a
beautiful garden scene than country people.

But it may be said that fiirmer's homes arc
surrounded by green fields, and thej' have no
need of lawns.

This is not true. A smooth and closely cut
lawn is no less capable of yielding enjoyment in
the country and to the farmer's family than in
ths city or village ; and nowhere does it appear
to better advantage than when placed in contrast
to farm crops, pastures and meadows. Often
this summer have I seen f irmers' families endea-
voring to enjoy the favorite game, croquet, on
rough ground among tall weeds, aa if they were
intending a burlesque. In all such cases I felt
quite like lecturing the good farmer on the lawn.
If it were not an expensive thing, requiring much
hard labor, I should hesitate to recommend it to
farmers in this country, where labor is so scarce
and dear, and fast becoming more so ; but as
nearly the whole work of making and keeping a
lawn can be performed with horses, and as there
is always spare horse labor on the farm, I have
no scruples on that score.

Then let us push this reform into the country.
There it is most needed. Only think of the
change that would be wrought in the aspect of
our farm districts, if the gardens and dooryards
which arc now filled with a mixture of fruit and
shade trees, weeds, grass and rubbish, were con-
verted into a smooth lawn ;ind planted with a
few well chosen trees and shrubs ! What a
source of comfort and delight to the farmers and

their families and those who pass by them !
And how largely it would add to their money
value, besides being a band of love binding fam-
ilies to their homes. On this last point much
might be said ; although T n)ention it last, it is
by no means the least in importance. Farmers !
do more to make your homes attractive to your
families, and thus you will cultivate and
strengthen the love of home, which is one of the
charms of life, and without which men and
women are little bttler than wandering Arabs.

The nurserymen of the country, and especially
such as those of Geneva, with extensive grounds
and ample resources, can do much to educate the
taste of people in the surrounding country nnd
stimulate them to improvement. 'I'heir grounds
may not only be schools of trees and plants, but
schools of rural taste and design.

The city parks now springing up everywhere
will also exercise much influence on public taste.

Our sister city, Bufialo, commences her park
this fall ; we, in Rochester, have thus far only
talked aboutit. Thedifticulty with us seems to be
that we have so many excellent sites for a pub-
lic park that we cannot determine which is the
best.

HOW TO MAKE A LAWN.

Now in regard to the making and keeping of a
lawn, I will only state the principal points :

1st. The ground should be dry— that is, en-
tirely free from stagnant water. 2d. It must be
thoroughly deepened by trenching or trench
ploughing to the depth of 18 to 24 inches. This
deep working is of the highest importance, as
without it the grass will n )t be able to resist the
efli'cts of dry periods which occur almost every
summer. A week of hot, dry summer weather
will be sufficient to dry up the gra«s on a thin

i soil, whilst on a deep, well prejjaredsoil, a whole

i month of drouth will fiil to destroy the verdure.
We have all seen frequent illustrations of this
This deepening of the soil will not only insure

; the safety of the grass in dry weather, but will

i promote the growth of all trees, shrubs and
plant>*fthat may be used in planting it. The
depth, whatever it may be, should be uniform,

I for if it be deeper in some places than in others,
the deep places will settle and make the ground

! uneven.

I 3. Evenness of surface is of groat importance.
I do not mean level, for and undulating surface
is quite as desirabb for a lawn as a level one ; but

' whether level or undulating it must be smooth

TEE GARDEJVER'S MOJYTELY' J^fovemher,

and free from even the smallest stones, as these
*in4erfere with the operations of the mowing ma-
chine.

The operations of draining, deepening, level-
ling and removing the stones, are all well under-
stood, and need no further comment.

What is the best grass for a lawn ? is a ques-
tion frequently asked. My answer usuallv is
Red Top, and about 4 or 5 bushels, 50 or 60
pounds, to the acre. The smaller quantity will
be sufficient if the seed be clear and good, which
it seldom is. Some people recommend white clo-
ver, say one-fourth, to be mixed with the Red
Top, and this does very well, but I prefer the
purc'Red Top.

What is the best time for seeding a lawn ?
Early in the spring, at the first moment the
ground will bear working All preparatory work
on the ground should be performed in the fall, so
that during winter it may settle, and any defects
that may be developed can be corrected before
sowing. In the spring, at the fitting moment,
give a light plowing, a good harrowing, pick off
the stones, sow the seed and give it a good rolling,
which finishes the work. Small pieces of lawn
where expense is a minor matter, can be made
better by using turf from an old sheep pasture or
common, instead of seed. The annoyance of
weeds which is sometimes experienced in newly
seeded lawns, will thus be avoided. The pre-
paration of ground for turf is just the same asfor
seed.

I ought to refer to the fact that many people
think that oats or some grain should be sowed
•with the grass, but this is a great error. The re-
sult of this method usually is a meadow instead
of a lawn.

By sowing early in the spring, you may hrive a
respectable lawn by midsummer. Where turf is
employed it should, if possible, be laid down in
the Aill.

CARE AND KEEPING OF A LAWN.

The keeping of a lawn consists chiefly in fre-
quent and careful mowing and rolling. Our rule
is to mow once a week— for a short time m. the
spring it is scarcely enough, and in dry midsum-
mer weather less frequently might answer, but
the ndoption of a rule prevents its being over-
looked in the hurry of other work.

We use one of Swift's mowers, which lias a
heavy roller attached. Where a hand mower is
used without a roller, a roller should occasion-
ally be used by itself. A lawn will not remain

perfectly' smooth and firm on the surface for any
great length of time without rolling.

In well prepared soils a lawn will not need
anything in the way of manure for a long time.
A rank growth of grass is not wanted, and ma-
nure should never be applied. When the growth
of the grass becomes feeble from lacb of nourish-
ment give it a top dressing of compost, rotten
turf from an old pasture mixed with stable ma-
nure, well decomposed until the whole is in a
fine mold ; then it should be screened before
being put on the la#n to avoid the trouble of
' picking and racking off stones afterwards.

The idea has been quite prevalent in this
country, that the American climate is too warm
and dry in summer for lawns. Ample expe-
rience has proved this to be an error as regards
the northern States, at least. We can now see
as good lawns here as in England, whose lawns
are proverbially beautiful.

It is true we have periods of heat and drouth
very trying to them, and for a time depriving
them of their fresh green color, but the first rain
restores it like magic, and in small places an oc-
casional watering will preserve their freshness
in the dryest seasons. Let it be well understood
then, that the difficultj'^ of climate is more in im-
agination than fact. As I have already stated,
the most effectual way to guard against the ef-
fects of drouth is to deepen your soil. This
places within reach a large reservoir of moisture
when it is needed.

How to plant and ornament a lawn is a ques-
tion I will not discuss at present. I feel no way
uneasy about that. I am quite sure if the lawn
is made, and made well, it will stand a good
chance to be well planted. I wish to see the
lawn made first, and the planting done after-
wards. There is a great deal of planting done
that amounts to nothing, for the want of a right
start.

But we are making progress, rapid progress.
There are those who assert that our horticultu-
ral progress is chiefly in fruit culture, which is
prosecuted solely from motives of gain, and
that the growth of our nurseries do not indicate
a growth of horticultural taste This is an er-
ror. Only think of the immense quantities of
ornamental trees and plants sold from the nur-
series, from one end of the land to the other.
Think of the tons of flower seeds, bulbs, Aic ,
disseminated by our soedsmen. The statement
of the sales of some of these articles would soem
fabulous ; and yet we are toliJ that horticultural

1870.

THE GARDEJs^ER'S MOJ^THLY.

3 '29

taste is not growing ! AYhat a mistake ! T think,
on the contraiT, that tastt? of this kind, a real
love of sardrninu;, is heint; developed here more
.rapidly than in any other country in the
world, and I anticipate such proo^ress from this
time forward as has never been witnessed before.

Our resoilrces and facilities are wonderful,
at the present time, when compared with twenty
years ago.

The number, extent and completeness of our
nursery and seed establishments offer every-
thinjT that is new, rare, beautiful or excellent,
from every part of the wor'd.

The facilities for transportation, steamships,
railroads, express companies, the mail bags !
'What more could we desire in these i-ospects ? I
can order plants from Europe, and in a fortnight
have them growing in my garden.

From the Atlantic to the Pacific is hut a
pleasant excursion of a few days, and the most
delicate plants can be safely s?nt from ocean to
ocean in as sliort a time as it formerly took be-
tween Buffalo and New York.

The frontier settler, far away from railroads,
can suppl}^ all the wants of his garden through
the post.

With these wonderful facilities, and from the
evidence of growing taste we see all around us,
we are warranted in predicting great progress

it is well settled, pour common tar all over the top ',
on a still evening, (a cloudy one if possible,)
when the fruit blossoms commence falling, set
fire to the sides of the basket, and hold it up to
the tree, so as to let smoke pass all through it;
if there is a fiame, pour on more tar, so as to
produce a heavy dense smoke, llepeat this pro-
cess just after the blossoms have fallen. After
the smoke penetrates well, some of the Curculios
fall dead, and if the smoke is very heavy, it kills
them all. This can be ascertained by laying a
cloth under the tree.

I was told by another person that the hay was put
into buckets or pans and hung to the lowest limb
near the centre of the tree. This might save
time where there were many trees, and if all
were smoked at once few could escape.

CEDAR OF LEBAXOX.

I5Y MR. J. JAY SMITH, GERMANTOWN, nilT.A.

I believe your Journal said, some very few
years ago, that I was the first to exhibit full ripe
cones of the Cedar of Lebanon at the Horticultu-
ral Society in Philadelphia. Whether the first
in America, I know not ; I only wish to tell you
that the same tree planted 34 years ago, is again
in full bearing, and a beautiful object it is. Per-
haps few of nature's productions exhibit more
Our people move rapidlv, and those of us° who 1 perfect beauty than a Cedar of Lebanon cono. Its
mav live ten years hence, will witness great form, solidity, with the elegance of the spray to
changes. which it is so firmly attached, cannot be sur-

AVe are now far ahead of all other countries in passed. The whole is a model ; and then the his-
fruit culture, and my belief is that the time is torical character that, attaches to its biblical re-
not far distant when we shall be equally in ad- cord. Why are they so few? Possibly they

vance in ornamental horticulture.

Let us of Western New York, who enjoy so
many advantages, do our best.

DESTROYING THE CURCULIO.

BY MISS A. G., READING, PA.

Hciring that several of our fruit loving citi-
zens had tried, with success, the following plan
to get rid of those pests, T send you a statement
obtained from Mr. Bartram Conrad, who tried it
for the protection of his plum trees I have
heard of four others who, by th') same method,
securi'd crops of plinns ; in two instances the
trees were loarled with plums.

Put some hay int > warm brin'3 and so.ak it
well, then spread it out and let it become nearly
dry, so as to burn slowly ; attach a wir-) basket
to a pole, atid press the hay firmly into it, when

grow too slow for Americans, but a fine '"Cedar"
is an heirloom on any place, and 1 would advise
more planting of them.

CLIMBING PLANTS.

BY PROF. W. J. BEAL.

[Concluded )
Ampphpsis quinquefolia climbs by tendrils like
the grape-vine, but in addition has a way of
holding fast to plain surfaccsbymeansof little disks
or cushions. These disks are apparently never
developed without a contact with some object.
A tendril which has not become attached to any
body does not contract spirally ; and in the
course of a week or two shrinks into the finest
thread, withers and drops olf. An attached ten-
dril, on the other haml, contracts spirally, and
thus becomes highly elastic ; so that wheu the

S30

THE GAni)E:h''ER'ti MOJVTELY. :h^ove7n'ber,

main foot-stalk is pulled, th(^ strain is equally tion : when a habei-daslier winds up ribbon for a

distributed to all the attached disks. During
the following winter it ceases to live, but nnnains
firmly attached to the stem and to the surface of
attachment. The gain in strength and durabil-
ity in a tendril after its attachment is something
wonderful. They adhere still strong after an
exposure to the weather for fourteen or fifteen
years One single lateral branchlet of a tendril,
estimated to be at least ten years old, was still
elastic and supported a weight of exactly two
pounds. This tendril had five disk-bearing
branches of equal thickness and of apparently
equal strength, so that this one tendril, after
having been exposed during ten years to the
weather, would have resisted a strain of ten
pounds.

Spiral Contractions. — Tendrils of many kinds
of plants if they catch nothing, contract after an
interval of several days or weeks into a close
spire. A few contract into a helix.

The spiral contraction which ensues after a
tendril has caught a support is of high service to
all tendril-bearing plants ; hance its almost uni-
versal occurrence with plants of widely different <|>
orders. "When caught, the spiral contraction
drags up the shoot. Thus there is no waste of
growth, and the stretched stem ascends by the
shortest course. A far more important service
rendered by the spiral contraction is that the
tendrils are thus made highly elastic. The strain,
as in Ampelopsis, is thus equally distributed to
the several attached branches of a branched ten-
dril. It is this elasticity' which saves both
branched and simple tendrils from being torn |
away during stormy weather. In one case ob-
served, the Bryony safely rode out the gale, like
a ship with two anchors down, and with a long
range of cable ahead to serve as a spring as she
surges to the storm. When an uncaught tendril
contracts spirally the spire always runs in the
same direction from tip to ba^e. A tendril, on
the other hand, which has caught a sup])ort by
its extremity, invariably becomes twist.'d in one
part in one direction, and in another part in the
opposite direction ; the oppositely turned spires
being separated by short, straight portions.

Sometimes the spires of a tendril alternately
turn as many as five times in opposite directions
with straight portions between them ; even seven
or eight have been seen by M. Leon. Whether
few spires, or many, there arc as many in one
direction as in the other. To give an illustra-

customer he does not wind it into a single cor'. ;
for if he did, the ribbon would twist itself as
many times as there were coils ; but he winds it
into a figure of eight on bis thumb and little fin-
ger, so that he alternately takes turns in oppo.site
directions, and thus the ribbon is not twisted.
So it is with tendrils, with this sole difference,
that they take several consecutive turns in one
direction, and then the same number in an op-
posite direction ; but in both cases the self-twist-
ing is equally avoided. Pass/flora yraciUs has
the most sensitive tendrils which were seen ; a
bit of platina wire, one-fiftieth of a grain in
weight, gently placed on the concave point,
caused two tendrils to become hooked. After a
touch the tendril began to move in twenty-five
seconds. Dr. Asa Gray saw tendrils of Sicyos
move in thirtj' seconds. Other tendrils move in
a few minutes ; in the Dlcentra in half an hour ;
in the Smilax in an hour and a quarter ; an(4 iu
the Ampelopsis still more slowly. Tendrils move
to the touch of almost any substance, drops of
water excepted Adjoining tendrils rarely catch
each other. Some tendrils have their revolving
motion accelerated and retarded in moving to
and from the light; others are indifferent to its
action. America, which so abounds with arbor-
eal animals, aboumls with climbing plants ; and,
of the tendril-bearing plants examined, the most
admirably constructed come from this grand
continent, namely, the several species of Bifjno-
■nta, Eccremocarpus^ Coboea, and Ampelopsis.

Boot C'imhers. —Ficus repens climbs up walls
just like ivy ; when the young rootlets were made
to press lightly on slips of glass they emitted,
after about a week's interval, minute drops of
clear fluid, slightly viscid. One small drop the
s\zi of half a pin's head, was mix3d with grains
of sand. The slip of glass was left exp>sed iu a
drawer during hot and dry weather. Tlie miss
remained fluid during one hundred and twenty-
eight days ; how much longer was not observed.
The roots sn^m to first secrete a slightly viscid
fluid and then absorb ihe watery plants, and ul-
timately leave a cement.

Plants become climbers in order, it may b3
presumed, to reach the light, and to expose a
large surface of leaves to its action and to that
of the free air. This is off'cte.l by climbrrs with
wonderfully little expenditure of organized mat-
ter, in comparison with trees, which have to
support a load of iieavy branches by .x massive

1870.

THE GARDEJYER'S MOJ^'THLY.

331

Iruuk. Because these climbing plants graduate
iuto each other they have "become" climbers by
gradual changes. This lo iks too much like the
old faueiful theory that has again and again ap-
peared, namely, the giraffe acquired his long
neck by a constant desire for high twigs, and an
effort to reach them ; tl\e elephant his long trunk
by a similar desire and effort to reach the grass
at his feet. We cannot see how homology indi-
cates descent. We do not believe because the
various modes of inflorescence run into each
other {homologous), that they have all been de-
rived from one common form. Mr Darwin be-
lieves that leaf-climbers vvere primordially twi-
ners and tendril-bearers were primordially leaf-
climbers ; and thinks he understands how the
change has been brouglit about ; yet he says "if
we inquire how the petiole of a leaf, or the pe-
duncle of a flower, or a branch first becomes
sensitive, and acquires "the power of bending
towards the touched side, we get no certain
answer.'' We are again silenced if we inquire
how the stems, petioles, tendrils and flower pe-
duncles first acquired their power of sponta-
neously revolving. Below we give a good sample,

ef Darwinism.

"If these views be correct, Lathyvus nissolfa

must be descended from a primordial spirally-
twiniug plant ; that tliis became a leaf climber ;
that first, part of the leaf, and then the whole
leaf became converted into a tendril, with the
size ; that this tendril lost its branches and be-
came simple, then lost its revolving power (in
which state it would resemble the tendril of the
existing L. aphacu) and afterwards losing its
l^rehensile power and becoming foliacious, would
no longer be called a tendril. In this last stage
(that of tbeexisting L. ni-isolin) the former tendril
would re-assume its original function of a leaf,
and its latel}- largely developed stipules being no
longer wanted, would decrease in %ize. " He be-
lieves that the capacity of aeipiiring the revolv-
ing power on which most climbers tlcpend is
inherent, tliough undeveloped, in almost every
plant in the vegetable kingdom Xotwithstand-
ing his peculiar views, which are so enticing to
many, we must acknowledge that he is a shrewd
aud accurate observer, and that in this paper, as
in many others, he has patiently collected a vast
amount of valuable information upon a great va-
riety of subjects.

[As wc have before stated, we are indebted

to the American Naturalist for* this highly in-
teresting paper. —Ed.

HONEYSUCKLES.

BY J M.

The sort known as the Belgian, is fhe best
flowering one in a collection of G or 8 I have.
From about a dozen small plants of it, a constant
succession of bloom has been had. Its fragrance
is most delightful ; a small bunch of the flowers
gathered to day, emits a perfume which pervades
the whole room. It isalsoa very rapid grower; the
flowers before they expand, show an entire rosy
pink surface, but on the opening, the yellow of
the inside of the corolla is shown, thus making a
pleasing contrast. The new Japan sort, L. Ilal-
liana, was sold first by some as a perpetual bloom-
er ; this I have found is not its character. With
me its value consists in its flowering after thet)ld
Japan and tl\e Chinese have done. It is true
that a few flowers may occasionally be seen on it
at dillerei^t times throughout the season, as in older
varieties, but they are not sufliLjient in number to,
with truth, be called everblooming. Th'; Bel-
gian possesses the qualities the Ilalliana was
advertised to have, and is far more fragrant, and
continues blooming till frost.

DRYNESS OF SOIL AN AID TO THE RI-
PENING OF WOOD IN TREES,
PLANTS, c^c,

BY J. M.

Gardeners are sometimes inconvenienced when
engaged in in-door grape growing, by the length
of time the vine retains its leaves As the cold
nights of the autunm approach, they become un-
easy about their greenhouse plants plunged out
of doors, and find their grape vines, with many
leaves yet green on them, very much in the way.
The process of ripening may be advanced by
withholding a greater part of the water usually
given tliem, for some we(!ks previous to their
usual time of leaf shedding. When it is evident
that ail growth has stopped for the season, the
quantity of water can be lessened and the vines
be cleared of lea vesand ready tos'ow away f)rth3
winter some weeks earlier than usuil. Exam-
ples of this may be seen in trees. iK the front
of my house stands a row of Silver Ma[)les, and
in the rear near a well, another tree ; those in
front having been without rain for a long time,
have strewn the ground with their leaves, whilst
from the one near the well, with its roots in par-
tial contact w4th the water, not a leaf has yet
fallen. With trees or shrubs not entirely hardy,

S3 2

THE GARDENER'S M0JV'THL1\ ^''ovemler,

a wet situation favoring late growth would place
the question of its injury by frost beyond a doubt
in the aflu-niative.

[We doubt the conclusion of our correspon-
dent, although wc know it is the general opin-
ion. If a tree grow late from diseases — say for
instance a tree lose its leaves by fungus and then
make a s-.-cond growth, such unripe wood will
suffer. But in a healthy tree, that one will get
through the winter b^st which retains its leaves
the longest.

The Interesting note in reference to grape
vines, refers of course to those cases in which
plants and grape vines are grown together in the
same house. — Ed.]

««■»» —

THE LAW OF FASCIATIOX AND ITS
RELATION TO SEX IN PLANTS.

BY TUOMAS MEEHAN, GERMANTOWIJ, PA.

Read before (he A merican Assoeia/.ioii for the Advancement
a/ Science, at 'J')-oy, N. Y , August I'Jt/i, 1870.

At the last meeting of the Association, Dr.
Sterry Hunt handed me a fasciated branch of P<-
cea balmmea^ in which the branchlets of the fas-
cicle presented a very distinct appearance from
the normal form In the language of the person
who directed Dr. Hunts attention to it, it seemed
as if a Norway Spruce was being developed from
the Balsam Fir. From facts I had previously ob-
served and embodied in my paper on Adnatlon in
Coniferoe^ read at Chicago, it was clear that these
branchlets did not possess the adnating power
which I showed in that paper, to be character
istic of the highest vigor. The leaves were not
distichous, but scattered around the weak stems,
terete, and in every respect like those on plants in
the young seedling state; and corresponding in this
charac cr with the free leaves in Arborvitte, Juni-
per and similar plants, when the branches are for-
ced to grow in shady places, or under other condi-
tions unfavoral)le to perfect nutrition. I was as-
tonished at the suggestion that fasciation could
possibly be a weakness of development ; because,
though very little has been writt.jn about this
phenomenon, all that I have read refers to over —
nutrition as the probable cause. I believe I can
now olfor some fa'^ts which will show that there
may be two distinct causes of fasciation,— one an
abundant supply of n.itriLioif, which cousoliJates
together parts normally free, as we often see in
aspar.tgus, plantains, dandelions and other com-
mon things, — the other a weakentu^flow of vital-
ity, whic 1 is not able to combine parts together,

which usnally go to make up the integrate struc-
ture,and which then take the formknownamongst
the people generally as " Crows nest branches."
That the last cause was probable in the case
before me, I saw, as I have already stated. I
found several specimens on living trees of Bal-
sam Firs near me similar to the one given to me
by Dr. Hunt, and watched them frequently.
That they were weak deve'opments, was clear
from the fact that they made little mora than an
inch of growth every year, — that the leaves, usu-
ally of a dark green, were of a palor hue,— they
were destroyed by the first frosts of autumn, be-
coming as deciduous as the larch, while the regu-
lar leaves continued evergreen, —and many of
the fasciated shoots died during the course of
the winter. The pale tint was evidence of de-
fective nutrition, as it is well known to every
practical gardener that when, from any cause, the
fibres of a plant become injured, and the free
Supply of sap is from any cause, as by ringing
the bark, cut off from the leaves, they become of
a pale sickly hue. It was also evident from the
inability of the fascicle to keep its leaf green, and
some of its branchlets alive during winter, that
vitality was at a low stage.

T examined the fasciated branches on other
kinds of trees, and found these general results in
all ; but in none so well illustrated as in a sassa-
fras tree which had nearly all of its branches in
this condition, one of which I exhibit. Another
tree was alongside of it quite free from this char-
acter. The one with the fasciated branches was
not near as large as the other, although there
appeared no reason in soil or other circumstan-
ces why it should not bi. A great number of
the branchlets in the fascicles also died out every
winter.

I was very anxious to find how these fasciated
branches Avould behave in a state of inflores-
cence, but could not find any case of one bearing
flowers At length I discovered them in the
common blackberry, Iii(hus villosu!^, and was
pleased to find that they not only confirmed the
view I had taken of the cause of this kind of fas-
ciation, but also furnished in the most unex-
pected manner, new facts in fivor of my theor}'
of last j-car respecting s:>x. namely: that the 7)ii?e
is the off<:pring of a declining vitality. These fas-
ciated br.mches in Ttahus T am inclined to think
common, and it will be ver}- easy to verity the
following fads: In these fisciated branches the
number of brau'-hlets varies from five to fifteen.

1870.

THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY.

sss

The pale tint characteristic of f\\ilin^ nutrition
is particularly marked, while the lower leaves
die away earlier than in those branches on the
same cane produced in the regular way. That
the whole of these leaves will fall first T antici-
pate, but cannot speak from actual knowledge-
Here are perfect evidences of failure of nutrition,
decreased vitality, and fasciation all going along
together.

Now in its i-elation to sex. I pointed out in
nay paper on this subject last year, that the flow-
er bearing parts of plants were weak in propor-
tion as they diverged from the feminine condi-
tion. In a poh-gamous plant the pistillate tlow-
er is on the stoutest axis, — the hern:aphrodite
the next, — the male the weakest. So also in the
grades of masculine weakness. When the male
flowers had their stamens reduced to petals, the
plant or axis of the plant was weaker than be-
fore ; and when the sepals took on the character
of leaves, or the leaves lost their chlorophyllous
character and simulated petals, vitality was well
known to horticulturists to be in a weaker state
than in other cases.

Here aie the same illustrations. As you see
in this specimen, the lower branches, pushing in
the usual way, have the regular calyx segments ;
but in the upper set of fasciated ones, the seg-
ments have taken oii a leaf-like form, the sta-
mens have increased in size, and the pistils, as
shown bj' the great number in some tlowers which
have faiUd to swell out their ovaries, are propor-
tionately defective. A tendency to masculinity
is clearly in connection with defective nutrition,
decreased vitality and fasciation.

I saw this, however, still more clearly demon-
strated in a field of a cultivated variety of black-
berry—the Wilson's Early, on the farm of Mr.
Wm. Parry of Cinnarainsou, New Jersey. His
son Levi, an •intelligent and observing j'oung
man, called my attention to the fact that wher-
ever these fascicles occurred the fiowers were
nearly double, and uo fruit followed. 1 found this
to be the case so far as the flowers were concern-
ed. In some there were as many as twenty pe-
tals, and the calycine segments were largely fo-
liaceous. There could not be clearer illustra-
tions of masculinity and fasciation going along
together.

Returning to fasciations of the "Crows nest"
kind, we may then safely say that they arc bun-
dles of branches formed from germs, which, if
nutrition had been .sufficient to provide the re-
quired vitality, would have adnatcd together and

formed one vigorous united axis, instead of as
now, each struggling on in its own weak Avay, I
am aware that this conclusion may conflict with
received theories as to the formation of axis or
stem. It would seem to imply that one perfect
branch is but a collection of smaller homogenous
ones. I sometimes see cases which indicate that
this may be so. I have here a portion of a cane
of Ititbns occkleritalis. At the base it is no thick-
er than the average of other canes ; but ntiar the
middle of its length, it has separated into four
smaller canes. It has been usual to regard these
cases as the result of an easily and accidental
union of several points ; but in this case there is
no increase in bulk, — nothing but clear assump-
tion to warrant any such a theory. On the con-
trary, every appearance suggests not that the
union of branches is the accident ; but that that
is the normal condition ; and that it is the divi-
sion into the fasciated branchlcts which is the
departure from the rule.

I do not, however, wish to ask for this suggestion
anything more than it may be worth. Others
more able than I, can interpret the circumstan-
ces. The main object I have had in this paper,
is to show that all the circumstances which ac-
company fasciation, are those connected with a
low stage of vitality. On this I think; there can
be no mistake.

[At the conclusion of the reading, Mr. Mechan
said that as he had already observed in the pa-
per, he had not been able to find fasciated
bunches with flowers, except in Rubus, so as to
draw many facts from sex as to the causes of
fasciation. But while with the excursion of the
Society to Albany the day before, he had found
a plant o( Atr/'plcx rosea with a fasciated branch.
He exhibited this specimen, and showed that it
had eight branchlcts from the fascicle and all had
male jloxoers only, while each of the other branches
of the plant bore male and female flowers, sepa-
rate, and according to the law he had already
pointed out in his paper on sex, namely with the
male flowers on the weakest axes, and the fe-
male on the stronger ones.

Professor Gill, of the Smithsonian Institution,
said he should be glad to know from Mr. Mee-
han how f\ir he intended to carry his theory of
sex ? For himself, he thought it of very limited
application, if at all true. He entered into em-
bryologi(;al reasons to show that it was not true
in the animal world.

Mr. Mechan said that in his paper, read last
year, and in alibis papers elsewhere, he had cou-

884

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJ^'THLl. J^oveiriber,

lined himself to focis which he himself had ob-
served and verified. If he were to go into the
animal department of this subject, he should
have to take other people's observations instead
of his own, whicli would place him in the posi-
tion of a defender of a theory rather than a slm
pie presenter of facts. He considered, there-
fore, that for the purposes of such a discussion
he might say he knew nothing of zoology, and
must therefore decline to discuss it with Prof.
Gill from that point of view. He had, hovvever,
studied it well in the botanical field and if any gen-
tleman was not yet satisfied with the theory on the
facts already presented, he was prepared to go fur-
therintoit,eithcrthenoratany time. He repeated,
that no instance had been brought to his notice
which disproved his position, — where any evi-
dence was aflbrded, it was always to show that
the female flowers were always and only produced
in the strongest lines of vitality or vigor.

Prof. Gill leplied, that the specimens which
Mr. Meehan had produced certainly did seem to
admit of no other interpretation than what Mr.
Meehan had put on them. Yet he thought that
the principles of biolog}^ ought to be the same in
the vegetable kingdom as in the animal ; and he
must repoathisopinion,tliat Mr. Median's theory
was not sustained by the animal world

NOTE ON MAGNOLIA GKANDIFLORA.

BY P. J P., AUGUSTA, GA.

In 18G1 I planted an avenue of Magnolia gran-
dillora, taking one year old seedling plants grown
in pots. In 180(5 a few trees commenced to
bloom ; the avenge height is now^ some 15 feet.
Last year one of the trees produced a large crop
of flowers in May and June, and another in the
fall, commencing to show open flowers loth of
September, and continued to give an uninter-
rupted crop until the end of October. This year
the tree is again producing its second crop, and
from the present appearance there are buds
enough in all stages of growtli to promise a con
tinuous bloom until November Should the tree
continue another year in this peculiarit}', it
would inaugurate a novel feature in this class of
plants, and provequite anacejiiisition toourcollec-
tionofeverurecn tn;(s,asaneverh!o()min<f Majino-
Ha grandillora would be as desirable as it is novel.
Has any of the readers of tiic MoiUUly ever no-
ticed a simil r feature in M. grandifloia V

OLD AND USEFUL PLANTS.

BY B. R , PHIL ADA.

I am glad to see that the Monthly^ while tak-
ing its hat off to the plants of new introduction,
does not cut old acquaintances altogether. But
there are a few old favorites which you have not
noticed, that I remember, which I think should
be generally grown.

BEGONIA EVANSIANA

Is oneof these old things I have in my mind. Now
this has been rather a dry time, and yet in the
open air. growing in the flower borders, I have
one which has been a mass of bloom from end of
August till now, (1st of October). If there is no
frost, I do think it will last till Christmas. It
is a curious thing to propagate ; for besides the
little grains at the roots, bulbs come out in the
bosoms of the leaves. I think it is bar ly too,
but of this I am not sure. When I was at school
at Bethlehem, I remember that they came up
through the myrtle [Periwinkle. -Ed.,] that trail-
ed about the College buildings ; but no doubt
they were a little bit protected by this leafy cov-
ering. I take up my roots, and after mixing
with dirt, put the pot or box which contains
them in a cellar away. In our old garden at
home in Bucks Co., they went by the name of
"Beefsteak-' plant, from the leaf, which with
some imagination looks like a piece of meat.
Now-a-days they goas "Elephant's ears. " Some-
times it is seen on the streets, where they call it
"Begonia plant."

Another old thing I greatly admire is on the
grounds of a neighbor, and which I have known
since girlhood as the "Lead flower,"

PLUMBAGO CAPENSIS.

ISIy charming floral neighbor is a bush
about two feet high, and has been a huge hillock
of lilac flowers all summer, increasing the quan-
tity till now. It seems an easy'plant to keep,
for they have only a cellar where they keep their
Oranges and Oleanders, and this is taken uji in-
to a pot and goes in with them. It is a hard
plant to raise I think, for 1 had slips given to
me several times, but tluy never would grow for
me. I think this plant is throe 3-ears old. and
everybody likes it.

Perhaps you will wondi r at my taste, but I do
like the Old Brown Day Lily.

1 1 EM A Ifor A LLIS FUL VA .

"We had a large patch in a waste plac§
on our old homestead. I never think of it. Ijut
the fir^t thing comes up in my mind is these

1870.

T}iE GARDEJVER'S MOJ^TKLY.

ooo

beautiful flowers. They never had anything
(lone to thoni, but for all this had an immense
number of pretty brown Clips. It was like tak-
ing a reward for doing nothing ; for we did noth
ing at all for them. They flowered also in sum-
mer when there were few other flowers. About
the time the Ffeonies went out these came in.
Wherever I have been these many years since,
I have always had a patch of them in the gar-
den, and shall never tire of thera. Indeed, home
does not seem like home to me without them.
I was thinking to say a word for the

LILY OF THE VALLEY,

But I remember I was to write of neglected
plants ; but as nobody neglects them, it seems
not to fit in here. However, I may say that it
is a very good plant to set in the shade if nothing
better is found to do there.

[We promised our correspondent to fill in the
botanical names if she would write, which we
have done. We are sure our readers would like
more of the same sort. — Ed ]

iSrORFOLK ISLAND, OCEANIC A.

BY Mr. W. T. HARDIMG, FAIRMOUNT PARK.

Gladly accepting a passage which was kindly
offered me from Moi'eton Bay to Norfolk Island,
it gave me an opportunit}" of seeing, in their
primeval condition, a grove of Araucaria excel-
sa or Norfolk Island pine. How else shall they be
scribed than to pronounce them the most beau-
tiful and majestic conifers I have ever seen.
Probably many of your horticultural fri(!nds
have seen handsome specimens under greenhouse
protection, if not, visit Mr. 11. Buistof this city,
where may be seen A. exce!sa, A. ]Jidvvellii, A.
Cookii, A Brasiliaiia, A. imbricata and A. Cun-
ninghamii. See them readers of the Jl/of/t/iZf/ by
all means, and you will be then able to form an
opinion of what they would bj m tbeir native for-
ests. Their noble appearance and 83'mincirical
form, with their dark f»rc'cn branches, give to
them a beautiful and pleasing aspect. As I wan-
dered among them, admiring, wondering and
meditating, I thought of the adventurous Cap-
tain Cook, thai brave old uial-iiier, and of the no
less adventurous and entims.astic botanist, Sir
Joseph Banks, when they first landed from the good
ship "Endeavor," on the spot over which I was
then meandering. I thought, did they think then
as 1 do now., and feel as I leei, grateful to Him
whose providenlialcare had safely borne them thus
far to behold the glories of his creative powjr,who

had caused "to grow every tree that is pleasant
to the sight.'' One noble old tree, whom ruthless
time had not spared, as yoars counted o4i its lof-
ty form, lay prostrate, uprooted by some violent
gale, measuring in length 219 feet, circumference
35 feet Where trees stood out singly and about
GO or 70 feet high, and well furnished to the
ground witli branches, they were objects of sur-
passing beauty.

Another fine tree, Tristania albicans, present-
ed a most singular appearance as it supported a
cluster of climbing plants, consisting of Cissus
antarctica or gigantic vine, Passillora adiantifo-
lia, Hardenbergia Comptoniana, andaKennedj-a
with the foliage of K. Marryattre and flowers
like K heterophylla, mixed with the finest con-
ceivable masses of Dendrobium elongaium. Ad-
jacent grew the strange looking grass trees, Xan-
thorhffia australis, and X. hastata, Callistemon
viridiflora and several kinds of Acacias, beneath
which grew the pretty Gaultheria antipoda,
which .seemed to flourish there equally as well as
in New Zealand.

Adieu, isolated and drear}' Norfolk Island and
its beautiful Pines, whose like 1 shall never see

again.

HARDINESS OF PRUNED RASPBERRIES
AND BLACKBERRIES.

UY W. p. p., ONARGA, ILLS.

In reply to the query raised in tie September
number of tiie Mnxth'n, I would say that I have
had growing in my grounds for some years, the
Lawton Blackberry, the Purple Cane, Miami
and Doolitlle Raspberries. My experience wiih
Blackberries and that class of berries, is that
one cutting back or pinching in June or July,
is beneficial in more ways than one, to wit:

1. It shortens the main canes, and greatly in-
creases their size, consequently their capacity
for self support.

2 It cau.ses several vigorous branches to
put out near the ground, all ol which as a mat-
ter of fact, ripen up their wood earlier and more
uniformly than the one main cane would
have done had it been suflVred to grow and
lengthen itself witimut being cut back.

3. I h ive sometimes cut back the branches
again ill the month of August, but have finally
discontinued that practice. I have found that
the second cutting back serves to stimulate the
growtli of anew set of branchlets on the main
branches, which do not have time to ripen th.'ir

336

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJ\"THLY. J\^ovemler,

wood before cold weather sets in. If they do not
die during the winter, which they often do, they
will be so damaged in bud and wood, that they
will boar but little fruit, and that very small and
poor in quality. It is moreover believed that
this second cutting back in the fall gives a shade
to the whole stool or bush, and lessens its capa-
city for fruit bearing the succeeding year.

4. I now allow the main branches to grow at
will throughout the season. In the fall they
droop and rest upon the ground ; in this form
the}' resist the drifting snow during the winter,
and becomes a means of protecting the whole
stool. Early in the spring, I cut back these
main branches to within about one foot of the main
stem or canes. As soon as growth con:mences,
the whole bush puts out strong and vigorous
fruit spurs at .every bud, and the result of all is
a crop of fruit that in point of size, quality and
quantity astonishes all beholders. -

5. Many attach much importance to the cut-
ting out of the old wood as soon as the fruit is
gathered. As a matter of mere taste, it is vei'y
pleasant to see them all cleaned out But I am
coming to regard them as the natural supports
and protectors of the young and tender canes
whilst they are maturing their wood and becom-
ing self supporting. They also help to gather
the drifting snow around the stool during the
winter, an item of no small importance on the
prairies, and I write for the prairies, latitude 40'',
Illinois.

6 I would ndd that the cutling back of the
canes not only n;ri atly increases the size, strength
and hardiness of the stems, but itkeeps the bush
so low and compact that it is much less exposed
to severe winds, and much more accessible for
the purposes of cultivation and of fruit gather-
ing.

7. In conclusion I would observe that the fore-
going remarks, so far as they relate to the Rasp-
berry, have reference to those varieties that arc pro-
pagated from the tips and that grow in stools, in
distinction from those that spread and propagate
from the root.

SKILFUL AEEAIs^GEMENT OF TREES.

BY WALTER ELDER, LANDSCAPE GARDENER,
PHILADELPHIA.

Rural improvers should consider how to best
make their arboral arrangements, so as to give a
pleasing and diversified scene all the year through.
Study the statures and habits of the numerous
species of trees, the hues, sizes and forms of their
foliage. Then the different shades of verdure
will contrast more beautifully in the seasons of
growth ; and the tints in the autumn will shine
with greater splendor.

In the eastern and middle States, the native
forest clumps and embellished pleasure grounds,
are numerous enough and close enough to gild
and beautify the landscape. It looks as if all the
deciduous species combined, in the autumn
months, to give a grand illumination of various
colors, so as to make us enjoy and glorify our
season ot thanksgiving with greater zest.

The most numerous species show the "sear
and yellow leaf ; ' but the red foliage of the Scar-
let Oak, Sweet Gum and red ]SIaple trees, shine
like bright scarlet in the distance, and take off
the sorrowful look of the yellows. The transpa-
rent crimson leaves of many Oaks, with the dim
brown leaves of the Dogwoods on the outer mar-
gins, add greater weight ana beauty to the scene,
as base and ienor give greater strength and melo-
dy to the music Each tree isagrew, and every good
arboral arrangement is n finished picture^ i'reshly
painted and gilded by the hand of the most high.
Art may imitate, but can never equal the origi-
nal handiwork of the Master.

How splendidlj' noble do our tree clad moun-
tains and lofty river banks look as they rise in
their majestic irrandeur far above the levels of
the plains and waters, and there better display
the various hues and colors of their arboral gar-
ments; how lovely are the blossoms in spring, how
beautiful the variegated verdure during the sum-
mer, how gloriously gilded are the tints of au-
tumn, how blessed are we who can feast upon
the beauties aiid fragrance of the trees, and en-
joy the pleasures and comforts of their shelter
and shade. How* desolate and bleak would the
world be without its garnishments of treest

1870.

TEE GAREEJ^ER'S MOJ\^TRLY.

S37

WINTERING APPLES.

BY MR. JOHN G. KUEIDER, LANCASTER, PA.

These should be carefully hand picked to pre-
vent bruising. Light ladders should be provi-
ded, and great care taken to not to bruise the
trees in picking as often happens. The time of
picking depends much on the varieties and cli-
mate ; but the usual time is from the middle of
October to the twentieth of November. In pick-
ing, a very good implement for that purpose is a
two pronged hay pitch fork, stuck into the mouth
of a bag that will hold one peck. This comes
very handy to pick those*that can not be reached
by hand ; and what can be reached, can be pick-
ed in a basket, which is the most perfect way.
For keeping over winter, if in small quantities,
they may be put in a room where the tempera-

ture will not fall below 40, nor rise above 50 de-
grees. They should be examined at least every
week, so that if it should have happened that a
few were bruised in picking, they would early
decay, and they should be picked out before they
would affect any of the rest. By this way, I
have kept small quantities of apples until the ^
new crop was ready to be harvested. But if
you have apples in large quantities, put them in
a heap often to fifteen bushels, and cover them
with rye straw to the depth of one and a half
feet, covering the straw with earth to the depth
of two to three inches, except, at the top a small
hole should be left for ventilation or they would
decay. A dry spot should be chosen for making
the heap ; and before severe frost comes, cover
your heap altogether with more earth.

EDTTOE lAL

ABOUT WATERIN(?.

"How often shall I water my plants ?" asks the
purchaser of a small bill at the nursery. In
window gardening the water question is also one
of the anxious ones, — and even in the regular
operations of gardening, under the treatment of
quite practiced hands, the relations of water to
plant life is not as clear as it might be.

We shall understand better how to water if
we correct first some impressions derived from
old works on physiology. It is said that plants
want xmUr. This is not strictly true. AVater is
found in plants, but it enters rather in the shape
of rapor. A soil that is wet will grow only wa-
ter plants ; and it is a remarkable fact that these
water plants seem to have very little water in
them. A reed or bulrush grown in water has
far less water in its structure than a nearly al-
lied species grown on the dry laud. The plants
which have most fluid matter in them are those
grown in the dryest places. The deserts of Af-
rica abound in Euphorbias ; while on the plains
of Mexico the only moisture wild cattle can often
get is from the large spiny Globe Cactuses,
which they manage to cleave open with their
hooves.

A icet soil is totally unfit for plant growing. A
plant standing twenty four hours in water is

often irreparably injured. A Hyacinth, to be
sure, will live one season in water ; but all the
matter which goes to make up the flower is pre-
pared the year before, and after flowering the
bulb is exhausted and almost worthless.

A good soil for plant growing, therefore, is not
one which will hold water ; but one in which wa-
ter will rapidly pass away.

The soil itself is composed of minute particles,
through which air spaces abound. The water
must be just enough to keep these particles
moist, and the air in the spaces is thus kept in
the condition of mohi air. The roots traverse
these air spaces, and it is therefore moist air
which roots want, and not water.

If it were water simply which plants wanted, we
should cork up the bottom of the hole in the flow-
er pot, and prevent the water getting away. In-
stead of this we try to hasten the passing of the
water through as much as possible ; by not only
keeping the hole as clear as possible, but often
by putting pieces of broken material over the
hole.

A plant will generally be the healthiest there-
fore, which wants water the oftcnest. This will
show that there are plenty of air spaces, and
that the roots are making good use of them.

S38

THE GARJDEJ^ER'S MOJVTELY.

JVoveinher,

If it does not often want water it is in a bad way,
and more water will make it worse.

How often to water them will be according to
howcasy the water passes away. If whenyoupour
water on earth it disappears almost instantane-
ously, it would be safe to water such plants
$ every day.

And now for open air work. We often hear
good men say about a piece of ground rather low,
that it is wet iu the winter to be sure, but a few
open ditches in winter to carr}' off the water will
make all things right. But water in winter does
not hurt things much. It is water in summer,
— water while plants are growing which hurts
them. And tHe reason why land is wet in win-
ter, is because the conditions are such that wa-
ter cannot pass rapidly away, and such land is of
course the same in summer. Every shower takes
several days to soak away, in the meantime the
plants suffer.

So the constant aim of the cultivator, whether
of plants in pots or things in the open ground,
should be to make water always pass rapidly
away, and yet to have the soil of such consis-
tence that a moist atmosphere should be always
present in the air spaces existing through it.

In its relation to moisture, we might say a lit-
tle about the consistence of the soil. If the earth
for instance were composed of all sand, there
would be little moisture except in the air spaces.
The particles of flint of which sand is composed
are not capable of absorbing moisture, any more
than we can get water to soak through a glass
bottle. For moisture retaining purposes, there-
fore, sand is useless. But it is useful sometimes
to add sand to clayey soils which otherwise would
lie so close that there would be no air spaces. It
inde(^d helps to make air spaces, and has no
other use.

TRAVELING RECOLLECTIONS.
To see the beauty of the Hudson River coun-
try, one should use the steamers to or from Al-
bany or Troy. The beautiful residences for
which the banks of the river are famous, are
chiefly on the easi side, and as the Hudson River
R. R. follows that lino, notliing of these garden
beauties are seen. For the scenal interest by this
II. R., the views along the Susquehanna, Schuyl-
kill and the Lehigh are far superior to that of ihe
Hudson River, exci'pt in the matter of life given
to the river by the numerous boats that move up-
on its waters. The Palisades, the Islands, the Nar-

rows, the Catskills, are all, nevertheless, leading
points of great beauty ; but nothing especially
interests a horticulturist until the upper Hudson
districts are reached, when he is struck — at least
one from the central' or southern States is struck
by the over-flowing abundance of Plums. Al-
most every one has a few trees which were being
borne down by the weight of fruit, and those
who had large orchards were rejoicing out of the
fullness of their abundance. Also stopping at
Troy, we were disappointed at finding so little
horticultural taste there. Some few of the
wealthy agriculturists away from the place a few
miles, have some good gardens ; but as for the
city and suburbs, we saw less gardening here
than in many a "one horse'' western town. It
may have been our misfortune in not finding the
right places during our perambulations, or iu
not inquiring of the right parties,— certain it was,
that we felt sorry that a people so hospitable and
generous as we found them, should seemingly be
deprived of some of the best pleasures of life, which
gardening affords. In almost all markets we see
some attempts at flower sales. At Troy there
was an utter absence of all this. The markets
were howevtr supplied with vegetables in profu-
sion, showing that the stomach, if not the finer
senses, were abundantly ministered to. Besides
the immense amount of onions and cucumbers,
which always seems so strange to one coming up to
the NorthernStates, there was a small kind of Lima
Beau called the ''Selah," which we had never
seen before ; but which we were toUl was in use
six weeks before the common Lima ; if this should
be generally the case it ought to be better known
everywhere. At Troy, we met our good friend
Gregory, of Marblehead, who with a fondness
for horticulture, and a high business reputation,
unites a love of the natural sciences lie was
the author of one of the most interesting papers
on geology, read before the American Associa-
tion, then assembled there ; and he showed as
much interest in this bean as in science. He told us
it was a very old, and locally well known kind,
but supposing it a mere substitute for something
better, had given it little thought. But certainly
if it will con?e into bearing six weeks ^r even a
month before the Lima in other parts of the
country, it is well worthy general cultivation.

The scenery around Troy is very inviting, and
wishing to know more of the Pium success, we
rode down to Lansingburg, a few miles out from
Troy. Here Mr. S. B. Fancher has the mis-

1S70.

THE GARDEJYER'S MOjYTHLY.

339

sion of horticulture in charge ; and the numor-

the soiiwho reside there ; but on all assembling

ous pretty gardens and flower bedij about the together for that purpose, it was found that the

town, showed that he had had considerable suc-
cess in his ministrations His own place is a
charming spot for one in a closely built up portion
of a town. Many of the new coleus, geraniums
and other rare tlowers adorned the ground. Mr
F. is the inventor gf a tile for garden edging,
which seemed to us to be a very good thing.
Usually these tiles are thrown over by frost, —
and in the spring look anything but ornamental,
being twisted in every direction. These have a
large phlange under ground, which is said to steady
them. They are like pieces of T rail, but made of a
ceiueut. They are capable of much ornamenta-
tion ; while their sliape renders them easy to
pack for transportation.

party could not return to Troy in time for some
other positive engagements which had been
made. "We do not often write about what we
do not see or do, but when we say little horticul-
ture was to be seen about Troy, the reader who
knows what Albany can show, would naturally
wonder why we did not see that at any rate.
We had the opportunity to spend a few hours in
Albany examining the observatory, and the pub-
lic library, expecting to return to Albany, as we
have before said. The observatory is worthy of
its great fame,— we wi.sh we could say as much
for the grounds. With so great natural advan-
tage as the site has, it is a wonder that no ef-
fort is made by the citizens to make it famous
for landscape beauty.

We accepted, with some other friends, an in-
vitation from the generous citizens of Troy, to
go up and see Saratoga. The site of the town is
one of great beauty. The principal street is
wide and beautifully shaded with magnificent
trees, apparently half a century old. Some of
the residences exhibit slight evidence of an ex-
isting taste for horticultural pursuits. The
grounds of the "Congress Ilall,'' several acres in
extent, were indeed very pretty, well laid out,
and kept in remarkably neat order. To our as-
tonishment no one seemed to make any use of
them. 'I'housands were lolling lazily around,
and in the parlors of the hotels, borne down by
the weight of jewelry, or dressed in the highest
style of Parisian fashion, — spending their time
in ihe most unmeaning frivolities, while the nu-
merous beauties of nature about them were as
so many jiearls cast bef(jre swine. But we for-
1 get that Saratoga is the grand matrimonial mar-
ket of the United States, and possibly these beau-
tiful grounds have their purpose accomplished
in 'Walks by moonlight alone.''

It is so rare that we have a good plum season
in the best districts of Pennsylvania, that it was
a good chance to get a renewed acquaintance
with our old plum friends. Mr. F. kindly made
out for us a list of the l)est varieties, which with
a selection of some other fruits found by long
experience to be best adapted to this region we
append, in F.'s own terse yet graphic style:

Plums. — Coe's Golden Drop, Green Gage, Red
Magnum Bonum, all do well here, and trees
healthy— ack? Lrmhard. Jefferson rots badly,
and tree short lived ; General Hand, the very
best large Plum, but I think the tree is tender.

Pcnrs. — Bartlett, Duchess on quince, Louise
Bonne de Jersey on quince, Seckel, Beurred'An
jou. Flemish Beauty, Winter Xelis, Buffums are
best.

Grapes. — Allen's Hybrid, Tsraolla, Concord ;
Rogers', mostly uncertain on account of a defec
tive fertilization, but worth trying ; Isabe'la for
sheltered localities; Catawba, best of its class for
sheltered localities.

Peaches in the ascendant, — done well.
CVierr<es.— Great Bigarreau, best of its class:
tree very liardy. LTBOCEDRUS DECURREXS.

J?a.f2/6c/-rie.s.-Franconia, Doolittle : good bye is it possible that our English lYiends arc i:ot

to the rest. acquaiuted with the great merits of this beautiful

Strawberries— ^Vihon ; tjood bye to (lie rest. ^^.^^ i^ seems almost impossible to get any of it

Qu/nces.— Orange or Apple, 'A No. 1.'' true from there. An acquaintance sent there fo»

Albany is the headquarters for horticulture in a small stock last spring, and t )ok especial pains

this section of Xew York. A party of us, in- I t'» say, that he did not want T hvja ijUjautea, or

eluding Mr. Riley of the Entrmoloyist, and some ' any of the kinds sold for the Libocedius, and

other well known names, had fixed on a time to describing exactly hi.s wants. But the Thuja

run down ami pay our respects to the Country came. Of all the ArborvitK family the Liboccdrus

Gentleman and the other distinguished sons of is the handsomest.

3JfO

TEE GARDEJYER'S MOJ\^TELY. JS^ovemher,

SCRAPS AND aUERIES.

Xapoleon's Flower.— The Violet is the
emblematic flower of the Bonapartes, as the Lily
is of the Bourbons. When Eu2;enie agreed to
accept I^apoleon's offer of marriage, she express-
ed it only by appearing one evening dressed in
an exquisite violet toilet — violets in her hair, in
her dress, even to a branch in her hand. Louis
Xapoleon understood, and it was his only an-
swer. Napoleon while consul, selected this as
his flower. It was through Josephine asking
liim to bring her a bouquet of them on her birth-
day—a desire he was only able to serve after
very great difiiculty. He cultivated them as-
siduously, while a prisoner at St. Helena ; and
they were profusely planted over the grave of
Josephine. After bis death, his cofiSn was cov-
ered with the humble flowers he loved. It is
even said that in the earlier days of Louis Napo-
leon, he was silently made acquainted with who
his secret friends were, by a cautious display of
"Violets.

Dr. Jack's Fern Cabinet.— Jfrs. -E. £., 0/
Allegheny Furnace, Pa., writes: that for two
years she has been using the window case de-
scribed in 18G2, by Dr. Jack, and finds that she
fails to secure the requisite degree of internal
moisture. Has she the openings in the bottom
fully twice as large as the surface of the ventila-
tor at the top, to enable the free escape of cold
air ? Does she use rain wvater for the water ves-
ael? In case spring water is supplied, the
threads of the crochet covering become clogged
Willi earthy matter to such a degree as to quickly
lose their pui'pose.

Any lat<:e loose cotton thread or candle wick
will answer for the webbing. The openings of
the meshes should be nearly as large as the point^
of ihe small finger.

Dr. Jack informs us that he has the case
described in our volume for 1862, still in very
successful operation. It gives great pleasure to
all who see it.

AsiMiNA TRILOBA. — The Botanical Magazine
has a plate illustrating our common Papaw. It
appears to be very rare in England. It is singu-
lar that a tree, which in the United States should
be found northAvard almost to the lakes, and
must often endure frost many degrees below ze-
ro, should need a wall to induce it to flower in
England. It is, however, one of those plants
which need a high long continued summer tem-
perature to grow vigorously ; which England has
not. The account says :

' 'A rare and curious plant ^ the order AnonacosB .
It is a native of the banks of streams in the Mid-
dle, Southern and Western States of North
America, where it forms a small tree fifteen to
thirty feet high, flowering in March and April,
and bearing in autumn a yellow, fragrant, fleshy,
eatable fruit, called both "Custard Apple" and
"Papaw" in the Slates (though equally widely
different from the fruit, of the Custard Apple
proper, Anona reticulata, and of the true Papaw,
Carica Papaya). "Asiminier'' was the name
applied to it by the early French colonists of
America. ^^Asiryiina triloba was introduced into
England by Peter CoUinson in 1736, and proba-
bly old trees of it may still linger in botanic and
other gardens." The tree at Kew, from which
the present figure has been prepared, is trained
againt a wall, and flowered in June of the pres-
ent year. We may, therefore, provisionally con-
sider the North American Custard Apple as an
addition to our list of hardy fruit."

Parks and Gardens of Europe.— Mr. Rob-
• inson, author of this popular work, spent sever-
al days in Pliihuklpliia, recently. He will be
some months in this country. Mr. Kobinson is
one of those rare gentlemen who unite great in-
telligence with true modesty. We hope our
friends will show him the attention which his
unobtrusive manners might prevent his seeking.

Hybrid Pentstemons. — These are said to
have made wonderful strides in improvement
the past year ; so much so as to endanger the
popularity of the zonale Pelargoniums or Gera-
niums for bedding purposes.

An EvERBLOOMING ClIRYSANTnEMUM.— A

correspondent of the Loudon Gardcner^s Chroni-
cle says, at the Wimbledon House near London
the greatest novelty amongst the bedding plants
was a dwaif-growing, white-flowered Chrysan-
themum, which continues in bloom all through
the season, and is largely used for bedding-out
and pot-culture for the conservatory, for which
latter purpose it is extremely useful at this sea-
son of the year, when such structures are gener-
ally less gay with flowers than at any other time.

1870,

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJ^TELY.

341

Disease IX Pears. — P., Onarga, Ills., says:
"About one year a!2;o, I received from a nursery
in the State of Xew York, about 200 very fine
and thrifty lookingpear trees, twoand three years
old. They had made a fjrowtli of four and five
feet during tlie summer. They were all cut back
more or less, and a good many of them were set
out carefully in the fall, and well mounded up ;
others were well headed in and set out in the
spring. In the spring the heart in the wood of
late year's growth in nearly all of them was black.
Some twenty to thirty have died, and a large
portion of the remainder have simply put out
t^eir leaves and remaned stationery throughout
the season, and this while under a high state of
culture and the best of treatment in every way.
I very seldom lose a tree that is in health, when
I take it in hand. Now, can I hope ever to make
healthy specimens out of these black hearted trees,
or had I better dig them up and throw them
away ? I do not wish to waste time and labor
on them if they are worthless. Please give me
your opinion of such trees, and greatly oblige an
interested reader."

[The disease which you have, is that known
as "frozen sap blight ;' but with which the frost
has nothing whatever to do. As you correctly
remark, the foundation of the disease is laid
while the young wood is growing, as is clearly
evidenced by the black pith wlien such wood is
cut across. The following spring, black blotches
appear on the surface of the bark, often destroy-
ing even five year old wood. Through the gen-
eral acceptance of the "frozen sap" theory,
without the slightest critical examination of the
nature of the diseasCiTiothing whatever is known
of it. It is well worth}' of the study of a scien-
tific mind. We have known trees get over it by
being cut almost down to the ground, so as to
get an entirely new stem growth We should
be inclined to try this in your case]

Parasitic Insects— .7. K., West Milton.
says: "In the September number of your Montkhj
you refer to an article by Prof Russell, in the. Jour-
nal of Ilorticidture, where he alludes to a species
of fungus wiiicli destroys the larvie of the Cock-
chafer. In connection with this subject, I find
in an old A»lume of the Ctdlivator, published in
1840, (May Xo. ) the statement, tiiat "the larvae
of i\m Mvlolontli a is one of the very few which
have been distinguished by the name of vegeta-
ting insects, from their being found both before

and after death with shoots of some vegetable
fungus issuing from them. In some districts of
Pennsylvania, it is a common belief that these
vegetable elongations change to blackberry
bushes."

Xow, friend Meehau, your humble correspo-
deut, in the Spring of 18G9, planted one acre to
Kittatinny Blackberries, of which these same
grubs, during the succeeding summer, malicious-
ly ate clean a large portion. He has since been
waiting patiently for further developments in
the shape of fungus, i. e. blackberry bushes.
Whether, or not, they will prove new varieties,
remains to be seen. Meanwhile, he offers to sup -
ply nurserymen with these larvse, in quantities
to suit purchasers, and at reduced rates.

Iron axd Mushrooms.— Jlfr. Bohinson says,
in his recent work on Mushroom culture, that a
single rusty nail in a Mushroom bed, will blast
all hopes of a crop.

Meehan's Xursery.— Under this head we
gave an extract recently from the Amerkaa
Agriculturi.'it, in which the Editor of the Gar-
dener's Monthly was complimented on "saying
so little about his own nursery in his journal.''
Tlie Soutliern Planter also extracts the paragraph
and adds :

"AVe clip the above merely to say, what wc
have often felt, that Mr. Meehan is a model edi-
tor in this respect, as well as in many othens.
If he has 'axes to grind,' and doubtless he has
many, he docs it iu the advertising and not the
editorial pages of his journal. This is a vast
deal more than can be said for many other mag-
azines we see."

We have endeavored to keep the Monthly clear
of being made a machine for puffing any one's
business; and to make it, what its projectors set
out to do, a representative of horticulture only.
We have no doubt others could edit it as ably,
but none with more honesty to this purpose, and
we are gratified that our endeavors in thiscjurse
are appreciated by our contemporaries.

Kapnophyte. — E. Whitley & Co., of Mur-
freesboro, 2^. C, have patented a plan for burn-
ing brush, straw, &c. , by which all the material
is returned to the 8)il, instead of being wasted
as usual by burning iu the open air. The pro-
cess appears to us little besides the regular one
for making charcoal, and we should suppose

34^

THE GARDE JfER'S M0J^THL1\ Xovemler,

scarcely patentable. However that may be,
tbere can be no doubt that the earth impregnated
■with the gases from the burning mate'-ial ought
to make a rich fertilizer, and it is remarkable
tliat this has not been in use before. The pro-
prietors of this patent deserve success for this
thought at any rate, whether there is much nov-
elty in the process or not. The patent appears
to have been granted, and they sell rights to use
it.

Judas Tree Hoxey.— TF. if. II.. ilfo., says:
"In answer to an inquiry in the August number
of the Gardener's Monthly, b.s to whether or no
the Cercis canadensis is detrimental to the honey
bee. I have a very successful ai'^ry, situated
in the bottom, between a river and creek, where
there is a great quantity of lledbud. I notice
that bees like to work on it, and make a nice fla-
vored honey while it is in bloom.''

I Disease in Tulip Tubes— jD, Tf, Enyle-
wood, N. J., writes : 'I have a. Liriodendron on

; niy lawn, which for two summers has been srpit-
ten, early in July, with some sort of disease.

: Dark spots appear on the leaves. These spots
spread until the leaves are blackened and fall off •

j toward the first of August. Tlie tree loses about
two-thirds of its leaves ; the trunk looks healthy;
its growth is good. Two other Liriodendrons
near by are not afflicted. The microscope shows
no protruberance oti the leaves, but the spots
seem sunken into the fibre of the leaves, hence I
infer the spots are not caused by flies or beetles.

, Is it some species of fungu^ think you ; if not^
can you tell me what it is and how to cure a no-
ble young tree ?

[We have not seen anything of the kind,—
probably it is one of those transient fungi which
infest, more or less, all trees at times.]

Brief Xotes. — "\Ye have been more than usu
ally favored of late with brief notes of horticul-
tural experience. We value these fully as much
as the longer essays, which many subjects ne-
cessarily require. It takes less time, and many
can note them in leisure moments. We hope
our readers will continue on in this good work.
To those who have favored us with these short
notes, we return our best thanks.

Our Religious Exchanges.— Our publish-
ers suggest to us, to say, that amongst the most
anxious of the press of the country to exchange
with us, are the religious newspapers. "We have
a large list of them. Ours being a horticultural
journal, we can seldom make any use of these
exchanges for our pages ; except, perhaps in the
way of lessons of brotheiiy love which we ought
to find, but too often do not in their pages. But
the courtesy is very rarely acknowledged by
them. This makes two notices which we have
recently rend, the more agreeable to us. One is
from Ave Maria, aRoman Catholic magazine of
Indiana, — the other from the Liberal Christian,
Unitarian of Xew York. The latter is particu-
larly flattering. It thinks our plates equal to
the l>e8t productions of Europe. We hope to slill
further improve in these as our artist gets his
"hand in." We also acknowledge the compli-
ment of the Episcopalian of rhiladeli)hia, which
always notices at least the receipt of our maga-
zine.

Apples from Denton, Md.— J. W. K.,
sends us an Apple for name. We do not recog-
nize it as -anything we know, so as to speak
with certainty. We submitted it to three others
who are excellent authorities, and have three
different names "positively" given to it. So we
have not found any help in our own doubts
about it. It may be a new seedling, as your friend
suggests, but would not like to say for certain.
It is a good thing.

The Alvp:y Grape in Virginia.— A Fred-
erickfihurg Correspondent says: "We have been
without rain since latter part of June, and vege-
tation is almost gone. My garden is a waste,
and the grass would burn 6n application of the
torch. The grapes in my sandy soil shriveled,
and very imperfect in flavor, with the excei)tion
of my favorite, the Alvey, which holds its own in
all seasons."

Grapes on a Back Wall. —II , SpringfiAd,
Ills., says : "I have a lean-to cold grapery fa-
cing East which always does well, but the vines
of the front row now shade those of the back row
so much that that tiiey do not bear well, and in
fact are doing no good, and I intend to take
them up. I am uncertain as to what I ought
to put in their place, whether figs, apMkCOts, &c ;
and I will be thankful for your advice on this
subject.''

[We have never known grapes do well on a
back wall, even when not shaded much. We

1870'

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJ^THLY.

SJfS

puppose the tops of the vine rob the lower of
some of its nutriiuont, and henci.^ tlie lower por-
tions are not organized for i-cproduclion. Such
vines do best when trained laterally,— that is
arms led along from the main stem of the vine,
instead of upriyht. ^N'ectarines often do tolera-
bly well on a back wall ; but all these should be
trained laterall3', or at least fim shaped.

Gardening in Michigan.— The Kalamazoo
Teleyraph says that all over that county there is
an increased attention given to gardening, and
very kindly counles this increase of taste with
the Gardener''s Monthly.

We have no doubt that the Gardener''s Month-
ly in its turn owes much of its success to the nu-
merous excellent agricultural journals, some one
or another of which everybody takes. The seeds
of gardening are really sown by them. The
Gardener' s Monthly merely takes the little plant
in hand where they leave off. With the Grar-
de??er'A- Monthly in one hand, and a good agri-
cultural paper in the other, the "country will be
safe."

The Botanist of the Agricultural De-
partment.— Dr. C. C. Parry, who has been in
Europe the past )'ear, has just returned. All
the collections of the Smithsonian Institution have
been turned over to the department, and under
the management of Dr. Parry. The United
States will soon have a collection of which the
nation will be proud.

specimen of humanity which "temperance man"
has failed to make anything out of. lie will
drink this wretched stuff instead of listening to
the pure water principles of "temperance man.'
If Dr. Schr<edor can now step in and make him
substitute wine for his whiskey, what business
is it of "temperance man's?" But this is not
horticulture, and so we do not speak oracularly
about it. We merely submit the question to our
correspondent with all due respect.

Wine Growing —A "temperance man"
takes us rather sharply to task^r admitting
Dr. Schroeder's paper on Wine growing in a re-
cent number. lie thinks the GarcZener's Month-
ly should be employed in the cause of "reform."
We are aware that it is the custom now-a-days
for Barnum exhibitions, circus shows,and Ethio-
pian min.«trels, to advertise themselves as 'high-
h' religious and moral entertainments." and we
no doubt might do a little in this "moral" way.
But we rather prefer to stick to horticulture pure
and simple, and let "reform" alone. We have
our own ideas about this temperance question.
We might go so far as to assent to the proposi-
tion that the world on the whole would be bettor
if there had never been a drop of liquor in it
But that is "neither here nor there." The
point between Dr. Schroeder and "temperance
man," is that the Dr. finds a whisky soaked

Invitations. — We have received with much
pleasure invitations and tickets for " self and
lady," to so many exhibitions and fiiirs through
the country, that we have been unable to ac-
knowledge them all severally. We hope the offi-
cers of these societies will accept in this general
way our best thanks.

Tree Cultl^re of Grapes.— A Danville cor*
respondent saj'S :

"You have "hit the nail square'' on tree culture
of grapes. The grape crop fine here. Apple
crop enormous. Grapes selling at Naples at 4 c.
Dealers are afraid of apples at SI. HO per barrel."

We will only say that we hope others will fol"
low up this subject. The figures we gave as to
the crops produced by the tree grapes of Italy,
seem enormous. AVe do not vouch for their ac-
curacy ; but merely give what have been statf^d
by writers, whose credit has not been attacked.
Certainly the most marked success attends their
tree practice.

Wash for Trees.— 7. II. , Jaclson ^ Ky , asks:
"I have a young pear orchard in which the white
scale are making great ravages. I have seen
potash solutions recommended, but do not know
the proportions The trees are almost white
with the insect ; what would advise me to do ?"

[Make them whiter. That is we .should white-
wash them. Mix powdered sulphur with the
whitewash, and paint the stems ; previously cut-
ting away all the twiggy portions of the stems.
We like this better than any potash mixtures,
as it kills fungoid matters as well as insects.]

The Botany of Cuha and Texas.— The
Houston Telegraph has the following well merit-
ed notice of the labors of one of the most enthu-
siastic of living plant collectors. Mr. Wright i.s
now, we believe, at the Botanical Gardens at
Cambridge, Mass.:

THE GARDEJ^JER'S MOJVTHLy, J^ovtmber,

As early as 1845-6, Prof. Charles Wright, a
graduate of Yale College, then engaged in teach-
ing at Iluterville, made a very extensive collec-
tion of the botanical jiroductions of Texas; in-
cluding hundreds of unclassed specimens. The
Botanist at Cambridge paid paid Professor W.
one thousand dollars for his collection.

Mr. Wright Avas connected as Botanist with
the^Commissi(»n that ran the boundary line be-
tween Texas and Mexico, and subsequently
acted in the same capacity to the Japan expedi-
tion. He has spent several years in Botanical
researches in Cuba, and when we last heard of
him, he was at Cambridge, Mass., preparing for
publication a Botanical report of the West In-
dia Islands. There is no man living so thor-
oughly qualified, from pa?t labors and experi-
ence, as Professor Wright to prepare a Botany
of Texas. He never married ; is a thorough
cosmopolitan, and could undoubtedly be induced
to undertake the task.

PHTLLOTAXis.-This is the name of the branch
of botanical science which determines the ar-
rangement of the leaves along the stems. "JVa-
fwve," an English journal, says:

'The Koyal Society of Denmark offers a gold
medal this year for the best series of observa-
tions of phyllotaxis and intlorescence, with par-
ticular regard to the question as to what part
the terminal bud takes in the development of
phsenerogamic plants."

Wilson's Albany Straavberry in the
South.— Some one recommending Barnes'
Mammoth, as a substitute for Wilson, the Edi-
tor of South Lind says :

"We doa't desire any substitute for Wilson''s
Albcmy; and have little expectation of soon see-
ing a better market strawberry. Amateurs may
try Barnes' Mammoth, on ground "good and
rich," but we venture the assertion, that, on
such ground, the Wilson will produce twice or
three times as many berries as the Barnes'' or
any other variety, in this latitude."

Names of Plants. — W. T., Kansas City,
J/o.— Funkia iv.x-folia. A. F. S., Moline, Ills.
— Cas&ia Chamtecrista.

The American Entomologist —In the ear-
ly numbers of the Gardener''s Monthly, we paid
much attention to insects, but finding the Ento-
mologist doing sucli excellent service, wc have
left it all to it. Now we are sorry to learn

that it has suspended. We happen to know,
however, that this is chiefly owing to its Editor
wishing to spend a year in Europe, and that
when he returns, he intends to resume the pen,
with all the "latest improvements.'' After all
we expect science will be a gainer by the short
delay. The Entomologist is not dead but sleepeth.

Nutrition and Sex in Plants. — In the pa-
per on this head, read by the Editor of this mag-
azine before the American Association at Troy,
speaking about the two classes of flowers in the
common chestnut, occurs this paragraph:

"One class of male flowers comes out from the
axils on half starved shoots, ther othe class termi-
nates the strong, vigorous shoots which bear
the female blossoms. Those of the former class
have the flowers set densely on the rachis, on
the latter they are somewhat scattered, and do
not open until a week or ten days after the lat-
ter.'^

Copying the paper, the Editor of the Prairie
Farmer says of this paragraph :

"Here is probably a mistake. We think the
word "latter," as last used in the fourth sen-
tence, should be stricken out and the word for-
mer inserted in its stead. This correction, if ad-
mitted, would convey the idea that the partially
starved male blossoms were the first to appear.

We are much pleased with Mr. Meehan's ob-
servations of causes including defective bloom,
as stated in this article. We think, in our own
investigations of blooms of other trees, we have
seen much of an analogous nature tending to
confirm his views."

AVe return our best thanks for the correction of
an error whichttissincrular we should have made.

The Western Gardener. — We noticed the
prospectus of this new horticultural journal.
The first number was good ; and it improves
with every number.

The Rural New Yorker has added a "Cal-
ifornia Editor" to its regular staff. How many
editors it takes to make a good paper will soon
be a question. The liural has always been a
first-class weekly — if not on the top of the class
in its special line of combining all things. It
seems to have an idea that there is a class be-
yond the best, which it may finally reacli if it
tries. We can at least but admire tlie elTort ;
however much we may pity the infatuation
which attempts it.

1870.

THE GABDEJ^ER'b MOJ^TELY.

345

NEW AND RAM FHUITS.

The Detroit Grape.— This new grape has
a remarkably vigorous vine, and will, we believe,
take a i^rominent position among the leading
varieties. The fruit is of a medium size, with a
rich Catawba color, only a shade darker ; the
clusters are compact and large, the flavor rich,
having a sweetness similar the Delaware and a
flavor peculiar to the Catawba. It ripens before
the Isabella, and a little later than the Concord.
The Detroit took premium N'o. 39, at the Grape
Growers' Association, offered for the variety of
recently introduced of greatest promise, competing
with the Eumelan, "Walter, Salem and other new
kinds ; also, two first premiums, in same Associ-
ation, prior to this. Awarded a special premium
at the ^lichigan State Fair, the examining com-
mittee making their report as follows.

"Your Committee recommend a special pre-
mium for the 'Detroit Grape,' considering it
worthy of special notice as peculiarly adapted to
our climate, having a delightful flnvor and deli-
cate taste. Your committee recommend it as
worthy of the attention of all cultivators of the
vine." — Ohio Farmer. •

New Grape from Mr. Campbell of Dela-
ware, Onio. — "With a cluster of most delicious
grapes, we have the following note :

"I take the liberty of sending you to day, by
mail, for 3'our examination, part of a cluster of
the first fruits of a hybrid grape grown from
Concord seed, which had been fertilized with

pollen from Joslyn's St. Albans or Chasselas
Musque. The vine seems even stronger in
growth than Concord, and the foliage very near-
ly as good. I send you also a leaf from the vine,
that yo may also judge of its character.

I do not like to say much of my own produc-
tions, but will say that I think it comes nearest
to a fine foreign grape, produced upon a strong,
healthy and hardy native vine, of anything I
have yet produced ; although I have been experi-
menting in that direction, and with that object,
near twenty years.''

Peach from Danville, X. Y.— Mr. T. T.

Southwick sends us a Peach with the following
note:

""We send you a seedling Peach by mail, a
chance seedling coming up in my back yard. It is
about ten days in advance of last season, and
only about two-thirds as large. Its late season
of ripening, good quality, size, fine appearance
and small pit, seemed to recommend it as being
a 'good thing.' "What say you ?"

"Well, what we say is, that if this Peach al-
ways produces as good fruit as this one sent us,
it is a very fortunate "chance" seedling to find.
Mr. Kobinson had been to see us a few daj's pre-
vious, and after praising up much that he found
in the United States, fell back on the Peach ques-
tion. "He had tasted nonelikethe wall Peaches of
England '' "We should liked to have shared this
one with him.

NEW AND MUE PLANTS.

Retixospora plumo«5A.— This elegant little
coniferous tree is one of Messrs. Veitch and Sons'
numerous recent introductions from Japan. In
common with most other trees of this genus, it
is scarcely hardy, but being of a most elegant and
peculiar habit, well deserves a place in the cool
conservator}-, as a companion (though a humble
one) of the noble Norfolk Island pine and the
curious Dacrydium cujyressinum. Tiie plumose
Retinospora has much the character of a lycnpod
in its general aspects, and being of a fine glaucous
hue, quite diflerent to the prevailing dark colors
of most other species, will be valued as a nearly
hardy decorative tree. In mild moist climates
it may be planted out with safety. --Garc/ener's
Weekly.

Iresin-e Lixdexi.— "What few plants of this
I have bedded out this season have done very
well and are very effective, but I should also
state that they are planted in very good soil and
have been well supplied A^ith water, without
which treatment I don't suppose they would have
made much progress in a dry and hot season like
the present. I consider it very fiir superior to I.
Ilerbstii in every way, and think it will prove an
acquisition as a dark foliage bedding plant. The
color is distinct and rich, and the habit of the
plant good. I have lately seen it very good in
another garden in this neighborhood. — J. II.
Mason, in Gardener^s Weekly.

S4'>

TEE GAUBE^'EWS MOJ^rTELY.

J\^ovcinber,

GEUAxruM Italia ttnita.— This beautiful
silver tricolor is splendid with me this senson
bedded out, both in growth and brilliancy of leaf-
marking. My reason for noting the fact is be-
cause T so repeatedly hear this gem of tricolors
condemned for bedding purposes, on account of
its poor growth. That it is not an over-free- I
grower, I grant ; but the secret of success with
this variety is to plant it in rich soil, and supply
it with an abundance of water at the roots in dry
weather. Indeed, I find this treatment answers
best for all the tricolors when bedded out, whether
gold or silver edged varieties, their leaf-markings
being much brighter when so treated that when
grown i:i poor soil or allowed to become ver}' dry

at the roots. Even under the most favorable
management, the foliige of the tricolor varieties
is never so bright in the very hottest part of the
summer as it is in the earlier and later parts of
the season, when the sun is less powerful and
the atmosphere cooler ; at least, such is my ex-
perience with this class of plants Lady Cullum
and Laura (a seedling of my own, not yet sent
out,) amongst the gold-edged varieties, have
kept their color best with me this season.
Italia Unita has been good this season through,
and, like all the gold-edged varieties, is daily im-
proving since the weather became cooler. —J. II.
M., in Garrlener''s WeeMij.

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.

TuE Peach Trade.— The New Torh Times
says, that in the season "every man, woman,
and child luxuriates at a small expense in the
most delicious fruit known to humanity." But
it is admitted that the peach of the southern
counties of England is superior to the American,
and that Covent-Garden peaches are from four
to eight and ten times as large as Washington-
market peaches. ISTew York draws its supply
chiefly from Delaware, Maryland, and part of
Pennsylvania. Most of the fruit is sent by rail-
road in through cars ; in fovor.ible weather it
arrives in much better condition by water, but
weather cannot be relied on. The supply which
reached New York and Philadelphia last year
exceeded four million baskets, a basket averaging
200 peaches ; but this year there is hardly half a
crop, owing to an "eastern blight." The method
of the peach trade in New York in the season is
this : A trip to Jersey City about 1 A. M. will
show a shabby-looking unwashed crowd awaiting
the cars. As soon as they arrive, no time is lost
in selling, and 100,000 baskets are gobbled up
very quickly, in quantities varying from 50 to 500
baskets at a time, by middle-men. Now comes
the turn- of the lirst-class retailers, who often
spend 83 to S'J a basket for choice lots ; then the
grocers, a hard lot to suit, but good buyers,
make a large hole in a consignment ; after them
come the apple-women, pretty hard at driving a
bargain, but profitable customers in the mai!i.
The shippers and preservers come in later, and
generally get fruit cheap. The last customer

is the worst — the huckster. Be peaches ever so
good or ever so rotten, he bides his time, and
never misses a chance of pouncing on some un-
fortunate dealer mad with anger at being "stuck,"
and anxious to^ get back some of his money.
Rarely, however, does this class of retailers get
anything but the ver}' worst article, or pay more
than 75c. a basket for it. When it is considered,
that on a moderate computation there are over
$10,000,000 embarked in the Eastern peach trade,
the profit on which exceeds S35,000 per annum

to the growers, laborers, and mechanics of the
region, nearly $25'\000 per annum to the New
York commission houses, $1,400,000 to the rail-
road and frei2;ht companies, and perhaps another
S3 000,000 to~ the veiulors in New York, an idea
of the importance of the trade may hi had.

Death of a Maryland Horticulturist.
— Dr. John II. Bayne, thi^ eminent horticulturist,
of Prince George's county, Md , died on the ISth
inst. The late John S Skinner gave him the
title of " Prince of Horticulturists "

The Richmond Peauii.— This is a new seed-
ling, one of two saved from a lot of 500, by Dr.
E. Ware Sylvester, of Lyons, who has kin 11}'
favored us with a sample of the truly luscious
fruit. It resembles in appearance the Early
Oavvford, but is much sweeter, and of finer
fiavor. Dr. Sylvester claims f )r it :— first, that
it is more hardy than the Eirly Crawford;
second, that it is as large as the Early Crawford ;
third, that it is as firm for marketing as Earl}'-
Oawford ; fourth, that it is as hand-some as the
Early Crawford ; liftli. that it is as sweet a.s any
first rate white peach, lacking the acidity of the
Early Crawford, however ripe. — (Jounlnj Gent.

1870.

THE GARDEKER'S MOA'^TTTLY.

S47

This Yeap/s Peak Crop,— The Pear crop in
Xew England is undoubtedly the largc-tt since
1862. The hailstorm which ]>assod over Boston
in June cut the fruit badly ; but this was quite
limited in extent, and gener.illy the fruit is fair
and of fine quality. AVe think there have never
been so many Bartletts in the market, good ones
having boon sold at wholesale as low as two dol-
lars per bushel for such as commonly bring two
or three times that price. It is the opinion of
one of the best authorities in pear culture that
the proportion of first-rate fruit years is three out
of ten. with four moderatel}' good crops, and
three poor. This year, in spite of the extreme
drouth, not only the pears, but the apples and
grapes, are unusua'ly abundant and excellent, —
Journal of Horticulture.

CouxTY Fairs.— A more than usual interest
appears to centre in our county fairs this year,
and the premium lists and regulations show a
commendable progress. We hope for a decided
improvement in the Awarding Committees. liCt
these meet the exhibitors face to face, each man
show all the good points of his goods, and, after
a patient hearing, let the decisions be made. In
England these committees arc called jurors, as
they are in fact set to hear and to decide the
questio*of merit. The idea that judges should
be hoodwinked, like Dame Justice, in order to
hold the scales even, is a sad burlesque on the
integrity and intelligence of the American people.
"We might as well blindfold the jur}', so that they
cannot see the parlies to the suit, or tlie attor-
ne3's and the judges. It is time we make these
things open and above-board Let us look at
one or two instances of sight-seeing : John Max-
well exhibits six varieties of named apples for the
premium for the best six winter apples. Joseph
Conlan presents ten varieties The judges fancy
that one variety of Mr, Maxwell's apples are not
true to name, and this, taken from the list, throws
him out of the competition, and though Mr, Con-
lan has ten varieties to draw on, yet they are all
inferior, but he gets the prize, and Ins inferior
varieties are set forth as the best, from the ftict
that thi'y have taken the first premium, Mr.
M,, knowing that his varieties were correct, ap-
peals to Downing, Monroe, and Warder, and,
with books in hand, is ready to prove asser-
tion, liut no ; the exhilntor has no rights that
the committee are bound to respect, according to

Besides this, he is liable to be thrust out for such
impudence. In short, the society has voted that
the committees are infallil)le, and that no such
nonsense will be permitted We can thus see
that, in all probability, the Pope caught the idea
of infallibility from the managers of our State
and county fairs, for by them this doctrine is
put upon its broadest basis, for is it not written,
that "anyone attempting to influence the judge
shall be excluded from competition ?"

"Away with your books, Mr. Maxwell, for
we cannot be influenced. Did we not tell you
that your Eambo was not true to name ? Be-
sides, it it further written that 'in making
awards, it is recommended that judges have no
discussif)n, but that, after a thorough examina-
tion, they proceed to vote by ballot until a decision
is made.' "

"Ifitisnot Ilambo. you would like to know
what we call it?" Well, we don't call it at all; we
have voted that it is not Rambo, and as that
leaves you one less variety than the list calls for,
you are out of the question. Exeunt. Mr. Max-
well, solus. "Well, those fellows beat me all
hollow, I will bet ten doll;irs that they cannot
name ten varieties of apples after the labels are
taken off. I will try try thera." He goes to Mr.
Smith, who has the twelve best varieties for winter,
and arranges with him. They change the labels ;
Greening goes on Golden Russet, Perry Russet on
on Boston Russet, Smiths Cider on Romanstem,
Willow on Ben Davis, Winkler on Winesop, and
Snow on little Romanite. Our astute committee
soon make their appearance and look over the
collection of Mr, Smith, and pronounce them all
correct. But, as they are about to pass on, Mr.
Maxwell calls their attention to the fact that the
flesh of the Snow apple is pure white, and not
yellowish, as in the one labelled Snow by Mr,
Smith. The apples are cut, and the bystanders
make more or loss invidious remarks about the
committee. One gentleman volunteers the re-
mark that not one of Mr. Smith's apples is cor-
rectly named. Some wag says: " He has been
here and changed the labels, for all the varieties
in the list of Mr, Smith's are here. Please let
me arrange them," And this is the infallibility
» of the committee, doubtless equal to the infalli-
bility of the Pope. Let us have a change ; let
parties be heard in explanation, and then let the
committee decide according to the facts and the
law. No hoodwinking and no throwing of dice

thelawslaid down in the "rules and regulations." for the awards.— CVu'cago Tribune.

S4o'

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJ^TELY. J^ovemher,

rOEEIGN INTELLIGENCE.

CULTCTRE OF THE LARGE-FlOWERED OR

Snow Pel ARGON-iuM.— Among hardy flowers
the Rose is justly called the queen, and quite as
justly may the large-flowered Pelargonium claim
the same exalted title among greenhouse flowers ;
but how very rarely are plants met with grown
as the deserve to be ! How often, instead, do we
find them crammed among all sorts of plants,
and subjected to every variety of treatment :
hence we generally find spindly long-drawn
specimens, often infested with insects to such a
degree as to render them a nuisance, instead of
a pleasure. Now, no plant is easier to manage,
and the following mode of cultivation will bring
them to great excellence. At this place we like
them in bloom throughout July, and now (July
8th) the collection of upwards of eighty sorts is
in full bloom.

I put the cuttings in about the end of May or
first week in June, taking what I can spare or
get when staking the specimens. I make them
in the usual way, and dibble them in an open
south border, give them a good watering when
first put in, and then leave them to take care of
themselves for three or four weeks. I then pot
them in 60 sized pots, and keep them close for a
few days until the begin to grow, afterwards I
give them a little more air. (The framed used
when they are potted the first time should have
a little bottom hcatj In a few weeks they will
have made good roots, and may be hardened off"
gradually, and about the end of September or
beginning of October potted in the next size of
pot, or small 48's. When that is done, the best
place for them is a shelf in a greenhouse, and
when they have made a fresh leaf or two nip out
the point of the shoots. They should be again
shifted using G-inch pots, in which size they
should bloom the first year.

After they have finished blooming or begin to
look shabby, they should be placed out of doors,
and not watered much for a fortnight, when
they will be ready to cut down, which operation
should be performed with a sharp knife, cutting
them down like an Osier stump, and leave them
outside until they have broken well, when tbey
should be careiully taken out of the pots, and
have every bit of the old soil shaken out, and the
ends of the long roots shortened. Tiiey should

then be potted into their blooming pots, placed
in a warm frame or house, and be only sprinkled
until growth commences, care being taken not
to make them too wet, or the soil will turn sour.
They should always have plenty of room and
light, and abundance of air whenever it can be
given, for that is one of the secrets of success.
Always be on the watch for green fly, and as
soon as that makes it appearance give them a
good tobacco fumigation for two successive
nights

Keep a very low temperature all winter, and
nip out the points of long shoots till February,
after vrhich time it should not be done. 'Eo
liquid manure should be given till the flower
buds begin to form, when they should have some
once a week. When the shoots are long enough,
they should be thinned if they require it, and
tied out to neat straight sticks, which are best
made out of plasterers' laths. Watering must
be well attended to, for if they are allowed to be-
come very dry they soon suffer, and i^roduce
small yellow leaves, and a warm dry tempera-
ture is very conducive to filth of all sorts.

The following compost I find answers ex^'cmely
Avell: — To four barrowloads of good pasture loam
I add one of old Mushroom-bed dung, one of
charcoal broken up fine, one of very old leaf
mould, and one of cocoa-nut fibre refuse, the
whole well mixed. I drain the pots with char-
coal.

The following varieties are all distinct, first-
rate, and would form a good small collection, of
course plenty of others might be added: — Trou-
badour, Proguess, Charles Turner, Heirloom,
Favorite, Yiola, Hermit, Decision, Congress,
Beauty of Windsor, King of Trumps, Queen of.
White (Dobson's,) Rob Roy, Emperor, Victor,
Magician, Diadem, Example, Queen of Scots,
Turban, Mary Hoyle, Captain John, Lord Lyon,
and Lady of the Lake.— RrciiARD Jamesox,
Gargrove, in London Journal of Horticulture.

Xantiiorriicea australis. — In our regular
tolumns of communications a correspondent fur-
nislu's some interesting notes of Australian vege-
tation. We have thought it would give that ar-
ticle further interest by giving the following illus-
tration from tlie fTar(lener''s W(cK-h/ Maijazine^
which lui.s also a vivid description of the plant.

1870.

TEE GARDEJ^ER'S MO Jf TEL J.

340

i^ftV

TDK OUASS TBEK OF AUSTBALIA (XANTHOKRUCEA ACSTRALlS).

350

THE GAkBEKER'S MOXTELJ. XovemUr,

Sex IX Plants.— A curious instance of the
production of stamens in a female plant o^ Lych-
nis (Ihirna is recorded in the English journals as
havinnj been noticed b}^ Miss Becker. Sometimes
the tlower is attacked by a fungus, a species of
Ustilam ; in these cases it forms stamens as well
as pistils.

Pot Roses for Exhibition. — All true lovers
of floriculture agree in calling the Rose the queen
of flowers, the most beautiful of all, the loveliest
among the lovely ; and rightly so too, for in tlie
varieties of this charming family we have flowers
of the most exquisite form, the richest color,
^ancl the most delicious perfume. Take for in-
stance, a partly expanded blossom of Alphonse
Ivarr, in what flower can we find a closer ap-
proach to perfection ? its shell-like petals, of a
peculiarly soft and pleasing shade of pink, are so
beaulifully fitted to each other that the fine form
' of tlie flower leaves us nothing to desire. The
delicate beauty of Lamarque, the magnificence
of Charles Lefebvre, the splendor of the deep
rich -Eugene Appert, distinct and striking in
every feature, its dark elegant foliage being in
fine keeping with its velvety-petalled blossoms —
these, and a host of others possessing some
equally distinct feature, ai'e the kinds to grow ;
these are the rare gems which command our ad-
miration and rivet more firml}^ the chains of our
"old love."

I have frequently asked myself the question, as
I doubt not others have done, when viewing the
long ranks of cut blossoms staged in their stifl"
formal boxes at a flower show, '"Is this the best
way in which to exhil/it the Hose ?" I think not.
Cut flowers, but too often without buds or foliage,
are subjected to the severest criticism, shorn of
much of their beauty ; but if each variety were
to be exhibited not cut from the plant, excepting
in the case of novelties, but iu the form of a pot
plant, what a diflertnt appearance would a Rose
show present; instead of the long lines of flat
staging now used, an eflect rivalling that of the
lihododendroii Show at South Kensington might
be obtained nilli the greatest ease. From my
own experience of Rose culture, lean see no real
ditficulty in the attainment of an object so de-
sirable, but, on the contrary, very much in its
favor. Rose cuttings are easily struck, and
the plants grown to a qf^isiderable size iu a short
space of time^ as I thorouglily explained in an
article publishcdin this Journal last year (vol.

xvi., pp., 77, 78,) and if an annual batch of cut-
tings were made, a succession of healthy pot
plants, as flouiishing and prolific as those planted
out, could be maintained. If it be objected,
that the culture of Roses in this way for exhibi-
tion would make greater demands upon one's
time and skill, I think this could very justly be
met by pointing to the great utility of such plants
for home decoration at all seasons of the year.
Moreover, by offering the principal prizes for pot
Roses, attention would be drawn to a branch of
floriculture but too often neglected, or not un-
derstood. AVho has not seen the miserable speci-
mens of pot Roses so frequently to be met with
in private establishments? Poor sickly- looking
objects, which, having undergone their annual
forcing, are turned out to rest. To rest ! wliy,
I do not believe a healthy Rose is ever at rest.
Plant one early in November, lift it and examine
its roots at Christmas, and plenty of new rootlets
from 1 to 2 inches long will be seen; here is a
hint from Nature, which, if acted upon in the
culture of pot Roses, produces the best results.
If a Rose, after it has done blooming, immedi-
atily begins to grow again, suitable food should
certainly be given it ; it is therefore necessary,
when pot Roses are taken out of the houses into
the open air, that all weakh^ growth should at
once be cut clean out, the requisite thinning and
shortening given to the stronger wood, the roots
shaken free of the old soil, repotted and the pots
plunged to the rini, not behind a wall or shed,
but in an open airy position. Plants so treated,
and fed occasiunally with guano water as thej- ap-
pear to need it, will produce plenty of stout wood
clothed with healthy foliage, care being taken to
ply the S3Tinge among them all the summer.

Once again I would urge all who really care
for Roses to grow' them on their own roots, and
to train them as I have before advised. No
standards can equal the appearance of these
glorious pyramids, laden with a multitude of
flowers. Nor are their flowers smajl or puny,
although produced in'such profusion; the plants
are rendered so vigorous by the abundance d!"
stout suckers constantly springing up, and which
are trained to whatever part of the plant they
may be required, that the lowest tiers of branches
present an amount of vigor both in wood growth
and bloom quite equal to that of the highest
parts — Edwaui) Luckiiukst, Egerton liousjj
Gardens, Kent, in London Journal of Horiicu
ture.

1S70.

THE GARDENER'S MOM'TELl.

351

Makechal Niel Rose.— The finest Marechal
Niel Rose plants, we think we may venture to
say in England, are at Wollaton Ilall, near Not-
tingham ; and, so far from training being neces-
sar}' to the production of bloom, one of these
plants within the last three months— take your
breath, Rosarians— has not produced less than
OM thou!<aiul Jhwers. Now this plant was plant-
ed a dormant bud upon the brier two j^ears ago
last October. It is trained up one of the pillars
in the conservatory for about 12 feet, it then
proceeds across the span of the roof and branches
right and left about 41 feet. This plant may be
said to receive no training; the main branches
are supported by trainers from the roof and the
lateral blooming branches depend in graceful
''wreaths of roses," that to see once must be a
"joy for ever." Other plants of Marechal Niel,
at Wollaton, are scarcely less beautiful, and
climbing Devoniensis and Gloire de Dijon are
not less superb than the Marechal referred to.
It will thus be seen that neither training, pru-
ning, nor the Boursalt stock are the sources of
success with Mr. Gadd, the indefatigable gar-
dener at Wollaton. Ilis practice may be inten-
sified in a single sentence, free grotvth ayxcl thorough
niaturalton. Mr. Gadd does not say prune not at
all, but he prunes very little, his practice being
confined to thinning the weaker spent branches
out and shortening the stronger ones back to
two thirds or three-fourths of their length — and
thus he obtains his wreaths of Roses in March,
April, and May, and again in autumn. Now
upon the subject of pruning there can scarcely,
we imagine, be a second opinion that gardeners,
high and low, rich and poor, have run entirely
and particularly mad. They prune because it is
fashionable; and they curtail growth in order to
increase the luxuriance of the plant. Can any-
thing be more monstrous? It is something like
damming the source of supply, in order that the
reservoir may be the sooner full. Pruning is a
nice art. By it plants may be made to play
strange fantastic tricks, but by it no man ever
yet made a health}" plant produce more gtowth
or bulk than it would under controlled manage-
ment. Half the cultivated trees in our gardens
are ruined by pruning.— iVofCs Quardiun.

rosy^ink bracts contrasting, ns they do, well with
deep green, graceful, drooping Oak-like foliage.
It is seldom or never out of flower, and the
plants bloom when a few inches high. It is
readily raised from seed, which ripen freely.
Sown when ripe in sandy peat and loam, and
placed in a hotbed, the plants soon attain to a
flowering state. It requires a cool stove, but
will do well in a vinery or even in a greenhouse
in summer indeed, Ave think it will do in a
warm greenhouse in winter, but not having
tried it we cannot say positively. We grow
it in a compost of equal parts of sandy peat,
fibrous loam, and leaf soil, with a free ad-
mixture of sand, and aflbrd good drainage.
The potting is done in April; that satisfies
its wants until autumn, then we again repot,
removing what soil we can without interfer-
ing much with the roots, and give a moderate
shift, and we have flowers all winter. In point
of moisture it requires the soil moist, good sup-
plies when the soil becomes dry, and a moisHat-
mosphere. With frequent sprinklings overhead
it is it at home, but as tiiat interferes with the
beauty of its bracts, a moist atmosphere is neces-
sary, as it is rather subject to red spider, but
that yields readily to a sponging with the solu-
tion of soft soap, 2 ozs. to the gallon. Being
very enduring of a dry atmosphere, it is one of
the most useful of plants for house decoration.
AVe cannot name plants from leaves. Specimens
with both flowers and foliage are necessary. —
London Journal of Horticulture.

Dalkciiampia Roezleava koska Citl-
XUUE.— This is one of the most beautiful plants,
and requires but little skill in cultivation. We
have it now in a vinery, beautiful with its bright

Dracexa Pkopagation-.— The best mode

of propagation is by eyes. The plant should be

i cut down to within two or three eyes of their

ba.se, and the part taken off should be cut into as

many lengths a.s there are joints, which .should

be inserted singly in small pots, vertically, in

light sandy peat and loam, just covering the eyes

with soil. Place the cuttings in a hotbed of from

75'' to 80", and keep them close and moist, but

avoid making the soil wet. AVhen they have

grown a few inches high remove them to the

stove, shifting them into larger pots a.s required.

The top of each shoot should be formed into a

cutting, whiih will strike freely in a teini)crature

of from 70" to 75"', if covered with a lumd-gla.ss,

and kept close and shaded from bright sun until

' rooted. Ficus elastica may be propagated in the

' same way at this season, both froui eyes of the

I well-ripened wood and the short-jointed shoots.

. — Cottage Gardener.

35B

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJfTHLY^ Jfovemher,

HORTICUTURAL NOTICES.

PENNA. HORTICULTUEAL SOCIETY.

The regular monthly meetino; is not usually
very brilliant in October. Exhibitors take a rest
after tlieir efforts at the annual September meet-
ing. Mr. E. Satterthwait had, however, some
remarkably fine specimens of the Rutter Pear
amongst his other varieties. It is strange that
this pear, really one of the best in existence,
should be so little known.

Mrs, Isaac B. Baxter's gardener, J, McLaugh-
lin, had also some very fine pears, amongst which
we noticed an extra fine Kingsessing, I^^iles. Glout
Morceau, Passe Colmar and Triomphe de Jo-
doigne. Some of the last variety Mr. McL. has
raised this year, weighing 1 pound. It is re-
markable that all of Mrs. Baxter's pears ripen
earlier than the same vaz-ieties with other people.
Glout Morceau, for instance, was now yellow and
in eating condition.

Mr. Geo. lluster had some very nice hot house
grapes, amongst them a variety unknown to
U.S. which he called Schosse's seedling. This he
said was an accidental seedling, raised near Phil-
adelphia, and which had been now three years
in bearing. The bunch was long, rather slender,
with two long, loose shoulders ; berries black,
round, nearly as large as average Black Hamburg,
and with the flavor and some other peculiarities
of the St. Peter class of grapes. We were highly
pleased with it.

The Dahlias of Gerard Schmidt were as usual
excellent, and there were many nice collections
of cut flowers, but nothing that we thought par-
ticularly new up to the hour fixed by the Society
for staging things, 7.30, at which time our re-
porter had to close for another engagement. We
make this note in case any exhibitor came late,
and might think his articles, perhaps really meri-
torious, slighted intentionally.

WAESAW, (ILLS.) IIORTICIJLTURAL SO-
CIETY.

We find in the summer meeting report the follow-
ing interesting discussion on Raspberries:

President Hammond requested Dr. Hay to
take the chair, which he did, and called the meet-
ing to order, stating that the subject for discus-
sion to day is, ''Small Fruits — Modes of Cul-
ture.''

The Secretary said he would set the ball rolling
by mentioning Raspberry culture. He had for-
merly allowed the canes to grow too long. The
true system is to cut or pinch back the new
shoots as soon as the}- reach a height of three
feet, or even less. This will be late in June.
They wifl then throw out lateral shoots. These
side shoots should also be shortened as soon as
they reach one foot or fifteen inches in length.
This shortening in causes the plant to grow more
stubby, and they stand up better, besides yield-

ing a larger quantity of fruit. In this way they
require little or no staking ; though a single wire
run along the row two feet or two and a half
from the ground, furnishes a good support. They
should be tied to it with a coarse string or bark.
As soon as the fruit is off, the bearing T^od should
be cut away. This treatment with good cultiva-
tion and thorough mulchincr, will ensure a good
crop, of raspberries or blackberries.

The red sorts, such as do not take root from
the tips, but sucker so profusely, he had long
ago discarded ; but believed tliat by close atten-
tion and free use of a knife and hoe, good crops
of these al.so might be had.

Mr. Chittenden combatted the idea of cutting
back, as requiring too much time, and instanced
the cultivation of the Red Antwerp and Golden
Cap, in cases where they were allowed to do as
they pleased — good crops being the result. Had
tried cutting back and cultivating, both with
the Raspberry and Lawton's Blackberry, and
should do so no more.

Mr. Crouse advocated the theory of good cul-
ture and cutting back, as the true way to grow
the Raspberry and Blackberry, and insisted that
much larger crops of better fruit could be obiain-
in that way. He mentioned several varieties-
Mammoth Cluster, Doolittle Black Cap, Fran-
conia, Philadelphia «S:c.— that were doing well in
his grounds,

Mr, Willis— Grows the Ohio Everbearing chief-
ly. Believes in deep culture, thorough culture
and mulching. By this method he gets a fair
crop all summer Has tried the Catawissa, the
Red Antwerp, Philadelphia, &c. Thinks the
Ohio is preferable to all others.

President Hammond — Expressed the opinion
that cutting back was the true theory, in most
cases, but would not cut the Lawton Blackberry
so much. He believed that it had a great in-
fluence in causing the wood to harden, and thus
prevent winter-killing.

AMERICAIN" POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

Our Richmond friends are already preparing
for the biennial festival.
A recent number of the Southern Flanter saya :
It may not be amiss to call attention to the
fact that this Society has secured the meeting of
the American Pomulogical Society in the city of
Richmond, in September, 1871, and even thus
early bespeak the co- operation of our citizens in
entertaining a convention which will number
])rol)ably two hundred delegates, from all parts
of the United States, and which cannot fail of
doing much for the benefit of this city, and the
entire State. Not only will delegates be in atten-
dance upon this convention, but the Horticultural
and PomologicalSocieties forall the States willex-
hibit fruits, wines and flowers from their respec-
tive sections.

THE MARTHA GRAPE

r j'*Ci^'Tj «.//v*. /»••

DEYOTED TO

Horticulture, Arhoriculture,^ Botany and Hural Affairs.

EDITED BY THOMAS MEEIIAX.

Old Series, Vol. Xll. BECEMBEB. 1870. ^>w' Series, Vol. HI. No. 12.

HIKTS rOU DECEMBER,

FLOWER GAEDEX AND PLEASURE
GRODXD.

We are again at the end of another year of
our labor, glad to feel that they have been of
some use in the sjiread of horticultural taste and
knowledge. AVe are particularly glad to feel
that our "hints" havwiotbcen thrown away. We
endeavor to Aake this an especial feature of our
magazine. Here we admit nothing but what
has been submitted to the severe test of practice
and experience. In other departments we strive
to encourage thought, and allow latitude to
speculations ; but in this only those things are
suggested that have been tried in the balance and
not found \vanting.

It is often said that what is science to-day is
not science to-morrow. This is equally true of
practice. If we take up the hand books of cul-
ture of the past generation and compare them
with the present, how wonderful is the change !
So even wilh us ; conscious as we have already
Ijcen that what we taught was really the best
way ; yet we find, year by year, our practice
changes, and we have to feel that perfect culture
has not been reached.

Thus our monthly hints, though season by sea-
son in some respects, necessarily similar, are al-
ways progressing; and those who follow us regular-
ly, can but note that no course of practical conduct
in the garden is so perfect that something better
cannot be taught.

So it is that we have never dared to lay down
any absolute rule for gardening operations. We
are content to give what we write the modest
name of "hints." hoping the reader will receive

them as such, and give to them some thought of
his own before putting them in practice.

We usually commence with the Flower Gar-
den, because it is the first gardening any of us
do. As children, we have our little gardens of
"Johnny-jump-up's," "Forget-me-not 's""Sweet
Williams" or "Roses ;" and it is only as we
get to fight the stern battles of life, that what
we shall eat, or wherewith shall we be clothed,
troubles us. Even when we become children of
larger growth, a geranium or a mignonette in a
window sill, is often the extent of our gardens
long before the c:ibbagc plot or the strawberry
beds come into existence.

Well, these same geraniums and window flow-
ers will want all the sun light they can get at
this season. Many suppose that if plants in
windows get light, that is enough ; but there is
nothing so good as sunlight. This is even of
more consequence than heat. Flowers will gen-
erall}' be in greater proportion in a window at
55^ than in a much higher temperature without
the sunlight. Most of the old fashioned window
plants are still among the best. For instance
Mignonette, Sweet Alyssum, Zonale Geraniums,
Cupheas, Fuchsias, Violets, Roses, Plectran-
thus, Chinese Primroses, Lobelias, O.xalis, So-
laninn f-emi-baccatum or "Jerusalem Cherry," (of
which the dwarfer kind <S. capsicastnim is an
improvement,) Catalonian Jasmines, Daphnes,
Sweet Olive, Lauiustinus, and wiiere there is a
little knowledge, Camellia and Azalea are still
among the best.

'I'hc more out-door operations, however, come
under our present head. One of the best hints

354

HIE GARDEjYER'S MOjYIBLY.

DeceinheVf

in season, is to see what can be thinned out.
There is no place that we know of where the axe
and saw may not be used to advantage in even a
some sort of nierciloFS manner. Places must be
planted thick in order to get an immediate ef-
fect,—and they must be thinned as they grow,
if a continuously pretty place is desired. It is
here that true artistic skill comes in. It takes
genius to plant a place properly ; but a higher
cast of it to judiciously thin out. It is said that
the ridiculous practice with many people of head-
ing back their ornamental trees— especially
those on the streets in winter time, originated
through the advice of frozen out jobbers who
wanted something to do. It is murder to the
trees. They soon die outright after a few years
of this treatment If men want work, and will
advise to thin out, they will do good to those
who employ them,^nd save the wear of con-
science—that is, those who have any.

We have often pointed out the advantage to
places of being sheltered from cold winds in win-
ter by belts of evergreens. This advice will be
appreciated at this season. Many plants like
the Deodar Cedar, Cedar of Lebanon, and En-
gUsh Holly, can only be grown in this region,
when the plants are protected by these belts.
The best kinds of Evergreens for making belts,
on account of their rapid growth and warmth
imparting character, are the White Pine, Scotch
Pine, and ]S'orway Spruce ; among deciduous
trees the Larch, Silver Maple, Birch, Scotch or
Sycamore Maple, and the Cottonwood Poplar,
which can be cut away as the others grow.

Besides trees for shelter, good hedges serve
the triple service of shelter, protection from tres-
pass, and beauty,— setting aside their cheapness
as compared wiih lumber fences, now that their
proper management is understood, their superi-
ority in the points we have designated gives
them commanding claim on every one's atten-
tion. They need not be always of evergreens
Beech and Hornbeams are excellent deciduous
things.

A very large portion of the wealthy communi-
ty are deterred from doing much at gardening,
from a prevalent idea that it is very expensive.
The gardener is apt to think as gardening is for
pleasure, while farming is for profit, there is not
the same necessity for consulting labor-saving
ideas; but when it is clear that the more we
cheapen necessary expenses, the larger the es
tablishments can be made, it is clearly the inter-

est of the gardener, as of the farmer, that the
smallest means to the greatest ends, should be
well studied by him. In this respect the intro-
duction of lawn mowers has been of decided bene-
fit. At this season one may study how to adapt
a lawn to these machines. The surface must be
^ery even. To make them so, soil may be hauled
during the winter season, and the uneven spaces
filled up. In Spring, rake the whole smooth,
and roll down ; and the grass will soon come
through and make an even lawn.

A great many little things of this character
can be studied out at this season of the year.
Where there is nothing to add to a place, a few
of the decorative portions of one's grounds may
be slightly altered. Though one of the charms
of a garden is the incessant variety caused by the
growing changes of form and outline in the
shrubs and trees, this may be often added to at
a trifling expense by other changes.

It docs not, in ver)' many cases, require much
time or money so to alter the appearance of a
place as to make it bear a very different look to
what it did in the past yefir. A new clump of
cheap shrubbery may be planted, or an old one
taken away to admit a new view that may have
grown up since the original planting A strip
of grass may be laid down on what was once
bare gravel Here a small rockery may be put
together ; there a nest of roots thrown up, and
ferns and trailing plants freeh' interspersed be-
tween them. In t^iis corner you may place a
stump, and entice ivy or some climbing vines to
grow over it— a rustic arbor may be formed in
some inviting nook, and in another shade- enti-
cing spot, a rustic chair or bench be fixed. Even
the outlines of the flower beds ma}' be changed,
or of the walks themselves, or even the contour
of the surface in some instances, and all, in many
cases, at the expense of a very small expenditure,
of time and monc}'.

Soil for flowers may also be looked up during
the winter season. Very few understand that
an occasional change of soil is very beneficial to
flowers in beds, though all know how important
it is to flowers in pots. There is nothing bet-
ter 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 deca}'. In addition to this "staple"
item, smaller quantity of dilTerent matters should
be gathered together for peculiar cases, or par-

ticular plants.
yery useful for

Peat, for instance, will be found
many kinds of plants. This is

1870.

THE GARDE JEER'S MOJVTEL^.

355

not, as is often supposed, mere black sand ; but j
a spongy, fibrous substance from the surface of
bogs and bogg}' wastes. Sand should be collect-
ed sharp and clean ; the washings from turnpike
ditches are as good as any thing. Leaf mould is
best got already well decayed from the woods.
That one makes for himself from rotten leaves
is seldom good for anything ; 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 ma-
nure. A small pile of hotbed manure is almost
indispensable to the garden.

GREEXHOUSE.

Year by year the demand for cut (lowers in-
creases, and it is far more important in these
da3-s that a gardener keep his emplo3er's table
and family in these, than to have the nice speci-
men plants so much in fashion some years ago.

To have plants bloom freely at this season,
heat, moisture and fresh air are essential. It is
even good economy to lose some heat in order to
gain the advantage of opening ventilators or
windows, if the weather outside be not favora-
ble enough without. The Camellia, Azalea,
Daphne, Stevia, Puinsettia, Euphorbia, Violets,
Tree Carnation, Lopezia, Eupatoriuui, Cinera-
ria, Perennial Candytuft, Deutzia gracilis. Tea
and Noisette Roses, Epiphyllum truncatum,
Ilermannia odorata. Acacia, Bietia, Scarlet Ge-
raniums, Strelitzia, Chorizema, and most kinds
Australian plants, Verbenas, Bouvardia, Helio-
trope, are a few of the best things to grow for
cutting, that occur to us as we write. 'I'he tem-
peratui-e should not often be below 55'' to be se-
cure of a good bloom.

"We ought perhaps to add the Rose to this list.
It is however not a very free plant to flower in
the wiTitcr, unless an abundance of light can be
afforded. Even then s<Miie classes of Jloses are
unfit for it. Only the Tea class and some of the
Noisettes will do ; there are not many of this
last, — Lamarque being one of the lew to do
well. Cels, Safirano, Triomphe de Luxemburg,
Horner and Madame Ku.s.sel are about the best
The Camellia and Azalea are particularly va u-
ble for cutting. The Whites ^fre the most popu-
lar for this purpose, principally the old Double
White and Candidissiiua ; the last comes iuLti
flower a httle later than the other kind. In cut-
ting these, only the flowers are taken ofli', and ar-

tificial stems in the shape of small wires are
given to them. The common white azalea,
Azalea indica alba is also very popular among
white flowers.

The Camellia is very apt to drop its buds if the
atmosphere is too dry ; but generalh' dropping
follows any check to the roots by which the regu-
lar flow of moisture to the bud is stopped. This
may be either too little or too much water ; if
too little, of course there is not enough moisture;
if too much, the fibres are liable to have their
points injured, and thus are unable to draw
moisture to the bud. Usually the last bad re-
sults follow from over potting. With a large
mass of soil, water is apt to not pass readily
away, when thesoil'sours,''as it is termed A pot
full of i-oots will seldom drop the Camellia buds
for any other cause than too little water.

A great enemy of the Camellia is the Red Spi-
der. The leaves indicate its presence generally
by a brown tinge, when the pocket lens, which
every gardener of course carries, readily delects.
All plants are more or less liable to these insects,
as well as to green fly, mealy bug and scale.
The best way to keep them down is by a free use
of the syringe in fine da3's, using water in which
some sulphur has been strewn. Tol)acco smoke
is still the best cure for aphis. Scale is a very
troublesome pest ; water heated to 13U' is still
the best. This injures very tender leaves ; but
the scale is rarely on such, it usually keeps to
the branches or on thick leathery leaves.

Tcea Cor?n(r?oa6',— the.se also now indispen-
s-ible winter fluwering plants, want a very
light place to do well. They do not generally
care about very large pots— about ^Wi or six
inches— but they are very much benefited by
riclmnanure water.

The Calla Lily is now extremely popular.
This also loves light. It must have a good sup-
ply of water, and good soil to flower well.

Towards .spriui,' the Cineraria comes in re-
markably well for cutting, 'this is a "'queer"
plant. It is one of the easiest to sutler from
Irost, and yet will not do well in a high tempera-
ture. It also requires much light, and to be
very near the glass So also of tiie ram^y and
Viokt, although some frost will not hurt these.

Jf relartjoniums are wanted to llower well next
May and June, they should be atienrlid to, and
• a-ow well through the winter. Tiny want a
rallicr warm house to keep them growing, and
.should be pinched back as Ihey grow, to keep
them bushv.

S56

THE GARDEJSTER'S MOJVTHLY.

DcceTyiber,

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 rap-
idly. The temperature in which they are grown
jihould not exceed 55°. A turfy loam, moderate-
ly enriched with well decayed manure, and well
drained with charcoal, suits them admirably,

Austrnlian and Cape Plants are the chief or-
naments of the greenhouse at this time. The
Acacia, amongst the principal; will, like the Ca-
mellia, require more water while flowering ; in-
deed, 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 generalh^ grown in a
peaty soil ; we observed that where it seems to
succeed well, the growers use a considerable por-
tion of loam in their compost for it. This is
consistent with our own experience, and we are
inclined to the opinion that more loam should
I'C 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 prefer before they commence to
grow, whatever the season may be, as the roots
being then in their most active state immediate-
ly penetrate the new soil, and before it becomes
sour or sodden by frequent waterings, reap Avhat
ever advantages the air it contams when fresh
may afford them. Some greenhouses arc render-

ed very gay in February and March by having
young plants of Vcrhenas^ Petuniait, and other
bedding-out plants potted at this time into large
pots, and encouraged to grow.

VEGETABLE GARDEN.

Very little can be done now in this depart-
ment, except by way of preparation for another
year.

Manure can be placed on the ground wher-
ever required, 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 everything kept in good order and
studiously in its place. "When the season of
operations commences, there will then be no-
thing to hold back the attention.

Where there can be a heat of GO^ commanded.
Bush Beans can be easily grown in pots, and
can be gathered in two months from time of
sowing.

If there is abundance of leaves or manure at
command, and small frames, beds may be put
up for early spring salads, at the end of the
month.

Radishes and Lettuces are, however, very im-
patient of too much heat ; they will come on well
if the temperature be kept at 45°. When it goes
above that, the sashes should be lifted entirely
off.

The same remarks apph' to the Potato and
the Early Horn Carrot.

Cauliflowers in frames require all the air pos-
sible. Never allow them to become dry ; this is
the cause of many failures by wa}' of "buttoning
off"."

C 0 M M U ^U C A T I 0 KS .

LAWNS.

liV H. AV. S , WODENETIIK, N. Y.

R. II. N. is both right and wrong in his arti-
cle on Lawns, in your October number.

2j;,y/,t_inasniuch as we no doubt injure our
Lawns, by cutting with a machine too close in
dry weather.

Wrong— \n his low estimate of White Clover,
•which 1 consider entirely essential as a carpet
or bottoui to cover the ground.

I have had perhaps as long an experience as
most persons in the use of the mowing machine
—over twenty-five years. I have imported and
used all the best English machines, and gave
Mr Swift, 15 years or more ago, permission to
take one of my machines apart, and make cer-
tain improvements, by which he has made his
forlune.

For many years I managed to keep a low flat
carpet of White Clover, over which, once a week,

1870.

THE GARD BUYER'S MOJ^THLY.

357

the machine was run, cutting simply the little
spears of grass that projected above this clover
carpet, and this I permitted to fly in a grassy
shower, thus returning each week th« growth of
the week, but merely rolling down the clover.
In process of time, however, the clover disap-
peared, contrary to the experience of R. H. X ,
and all sorts of minute seeds, with an endless
quantity of summer or crab grass appeared, and
for July and August took possession of my
Lawn, which also became as hard as a hard
floor.

To my annoyance, I found the Lawn of a
neighbor, cut by a scythe, was as elastic and
soft as a Turkey carpet, and quite free from
weeds. After a thorough examination of the
two Lawns, I came to this conclusion :

1st. My neighbors Lawn was cut by a scythe,
always leaving his grass longer than when cut
by a machine.

2d. The grass was gathered by a common
wooden rake, Avith its teeth 2 to 3 inches apart,
consequently a great deal of grass (1 to 2 inches
or more long) was left on the Lawn, which the
rake did not take up. This dying made a heavy
mulch at the end of the season, but his lawn, for
the very reason, (the dead mulch showing when
you looked down upon it from a height) never
looked as green as mine. Cut by a machine, the
Utile snips of grass above the clover not gather-
ed, but Hying in front of the cutter ; soon, these
snips in 2 or 3 hours of hot sun disappeared, and
produced little or no mulch. In addition to
which, my neighbor's lawn was never rolled ;
while a heavy lawn cutter weighing 700 lbs.
was passed every week over mine ; thus, as I be.
fore said, making my lawn as hard as the floor
of a brick maker's yard, which I believe to be in-
jurious in a protracted drought.

My conclusion, therefore, is this, that the best
Lawn can be obtained in this country by using
a machine only up to the last of June, and after
the 15th of September ; liht during .July and Au-
gust, especially' if dry, mowing with a scythe,
and gathering with a wooden rake, or if a lawn
is too large for this, using a small, light machine,
setting up the grade one or two inches, instead
of using the heavy horse machine ; but b}- all
means encouraging a bottom or carpet of white

clover.

Another very important thing in using a ma-
chine is, that the turns should not always be
made in she same place, thus wearing out the
gra.ss, but on each mowing, as far as possible, a
^liflerent turning place should bo made.

THE WITCH HAZEL.
BY J. >r.

A much neglected shrub is our native Witch
Hazel or Hamamells Virginiana It would su't
the purpose of the landscape gardener as well, or
better than the much sought for English and
American Hornbeams, a resemblance in growth
to which it bears. An agreeable feature is its
flowering late in the fiill, when its leaves are
mostly shed, and all other trees and shrubs may
be said to be "closed up" for the season. Some
specimens I saw yesterday, Ofctober 24th , were
in full flower. The flowers are very fragrant,
having much of the honey scent peculiar in Hon-
e}'suckles ; they are yellow in color, thickly
studded on the bare branches. It is somewhat
slow of growth, and does not usuafi)' grow too
large, to be classed as a large shrub.

In the numerous grounds of our horticulturists
around Philadelphia, it seems almost unknown.
If this short^iotice will awaken an interest in it,
I shall be pleased.

ORCHARD CULTURE.

BY J. W. ROBSOX.

Delivered at Ihf late Fair of the JoDavies's {Tils.) Ooun'y
Horlicultural Society.

Mr. Presidenf, Ladles and Qentlemen -.—l
have been announced, much against my own in-
clination, to address you this evening, and be-
lieving as I do that the aims and objects of this
Society are not generally known in this commu-
nity, though it has been in existence for several
years, therefore to enlighten you, the citizens of
Galena, we will make this subject our theme.

This Society was started by a few lovers of
Horticulture and Floriculture for the purpose of
disseminating reliable information, and to give
a fresh impetus to the culture of fruits and flow •
ers in this grand old c )unty : and while we have
been laboring here almost unknown to you, the
! fame of this Society has extended all over the
! State, and throughout the great Northwest bc-
j yond us.

I Orchard culture his engaged much of our at-
tention, and our discussions on this subject have
I drawn hither the best horticulturists of our
j State, who have uniformly declared (what we,
: as a society, have always maintained) that we
have the finest fruit growing region in the West.
A survey of the towns of East and West Galena,
\ Rice, Hanover, AVoodbine, Guilford, Thompson,
Elizabeth, Menominee, Vinegar Hill, and Coon-
cil Hill, will satisfy any fruit culturist that here

358

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJVTHLi:. Becemher,

is a reL'ion superior to any other in the State for
the culture of the liardy varieties of grape, ap-
ple, pear, plum and cherry.

As a Society, we have given publicity to the
Soulard apple and crab, the Hinckly plum, and
tlie Leib cherry, with such satisfactory results
that thousands and hundreds of thousands of
these varieties are being propagated in the State,
and in the neighboring States of "Wisconsin,
Iowa and Minnesota.

Our lists of hardy fruit have been published in
nearly every paper in the Northwest, and re-
commended as the only list that will meet the
wants of both producer and consumer, and you
have only to look at these well spread tables to
convince yourself of the fact. We are ready to
admit, however, that the fruit grower lias nu-
• merous insect enemies to contend with, in the
shape of the borer, the canker worm, the bark
louse, the tent caterpillar, and the codling moth.
The four first named insects are local in their
habits, and can easily be destroyed by the care-
ful orchardist. These he can fight alone, but the
last named is ubiquitous. It matters little how-
ever much he may contend with the foe ; if every
other fruit grower in the county does not try toex-
tirpate the enemy his labor is all in vain. Ho-
ping every oi*chardist amongst us will make an
effort to destroy the Moth, we will merely note
the various modes of lessening their ravages and
render them comparatively harmless.

1st. Encourage the black cap Tit-mouse and
hairy woodpecker who destroy the insect in the
pupa state.

2d. Light small bonfires in the orchard, on
dark nights, after the fruit is set: This will de-
stroy the moth. *

3d. Pick up wormy fruit as soon as it falls,
run it right through the Cider Mill, or throw it
to the hogs to be eaten.

4th. Strips of woolen cloth tied around the
trunk when the trees are in bloom, and examined
twice a week, will destroy those that have es-
caped and crawled there for shelter. They will
be found generally in a transformation state be-
tween worm and pupa.

5th. Place a bunch of weeds or soft hay in
the crotch of the tree at the same time, and ex-
amine frequently. You have only to look at
these dishes of beautiful fruit, to sec how this in-
sect destroys the appearance, and lessens the
market value of the apple.

Brother Horticulturists, up and be doing.

bearing in mind that eternal vigilance is the
price of handsome, perfect fruit.

We do not agree with Dr. Hull when he says
" that we should not extend our fruit growing
territory because we thereby increase our insect
foes ;■' but we say to every man who owns a rod
of land, plant trees and battle with the insect ;
and we believe the time is coming when the beau-
tiful ridges which surround our city in a circle
of nearly 20 miles, will be covered with vineyards
and fruit growing trees. If we could only con-
vince the farmer that a well cultivated vineyard
or orchard will pay, this assertion would soon
become a fact.

This Society has accomplished much in mak-
ing the Science of Ornithology a practical Sci-
ence. We were the first to annoiuice to the
public that the downy Woodpecker, and the tit-
mouse destroyed the pupa of the Codling moth ;
that the Bluebird and Shrike are certain destruc-
tion to the Canker worm— that the Jay, and the
Cuckoo guts the tents of the Orchard Caterpil-
lars, and all others that have a hairy covering—
that the Thrush and the Eobin dig out those
terrestrial grubs, which destroy our Strawberry
beds, that the golden Oriole does eat curculios,
in defiance of the State Horticulturist, and that
the King bird or tyrant fly-catcher, feeds upon
the gad and bot-fly, which are so annoying to
our horses at this season of the year. In defcuse
of the feathered tribes, we have taken the posi-
tion of skirmishers, and are thereby drawing the
enemies' fire.

On the subject of Horticulture, we as a socie-
ty have done much to encourage our people to
cultivate flowers, and ornamental trees, and
these beautiful, well-filled tables before you, are
an evidence of the fact, teaching them to adorn
and ornament their homes, and we have cause
for rejoicing that our influence is being silently
felt everywhere throughout this city and coun-
try. The cultivation or these great necessaries
of life, has been urged sometime, by this Society.
Its members do not agree with the present Presi-
dent of our Agricultural Society, who has stated
that it would be better and cheaper for every
farmer to buy his own vegetables and fruit than
grow them. We believe that the days when
"hog and hominy" were the rule as articles of
diet, are fast passing away, and a greater variety
of our finer vegetables are being grown than
heretofore. The farmers of our county would
confer a lasting benefit upon themselves and

1870.

TEE GARDEJTER'S MOJ^THLY.

359

their families were they to turn their attention
more to a little garden patch, and raise those
rich, excellent, delicious, health giving vegeta-
bles, which you citizens of Galena enjoy every i
day of your lives ; and yet strange to say. when
spoken to on the subject, those Lords of the soil,
who own all those broad acres which compose
our county, answer the argument by saying "it
would not pay."

But I must close. The subject of Horticul-
ture is so vast, so boundless in its interests, —
embracing questions of ornament and decoration,
of food and health, of shelter and protection, of
economy and profit, — that it seems only possible
to do it justice by the employment of the very
best talent of the land . Of course a pen wielded
by a hand of necessity, tasked by daily labor, and
guided by a mind engrossed with the cares of
business, is hardly the proper instrument to in-
form or educate you in this great and growing
productive science.

But ever, as we progress in social science, we
come more fully to appreciate the bearings and
induences of the productive arts upon the aggre-
gate of human happiness ; and, in consequence,
we see more plainly the urgent need of informa-
tion upon this and kindred subjects. If our so-
cial status was that of the nomad of the desert,
or even many grades in advance of that, we
might still feel no want of horticulture ; but lo-
cated in a zone like this, and being a people of
development and progress, tree planting and
tree culture has become one of our most impera-
tive needs.

Thus the industries are born of civilization,
and with its advancement new calls for knowl-
edge and action are continually arising. The in-
creasing interest felt everywhere in this free
country in horticulture, is a hopeful sign of so-
cial progress, bound to lead to material prosperi-
ty, and the adornment of our common country,
while the very existence of this interest is a
standing demand upon every person, at all capa-
ble of giving instruction, to yield up his quota to
the general fund of knowledge that all may pro-
fit thereby.

Pleasantly, indeed, during the past forty years,
have we been engaged in the production of fruit.
Every tree and fruit bearing plant which we
have tendered, and nurtured, has been to us a
source of perennial enjoyment.

Hope, alas, with all her pleasing fancies encir-
cles every planter of a fruit tree, while year af-

ter year it is nursed and advanced to a bearing
state. Hope yet remains entwined with pros-
pective reality, until, at last its branches loaded
with ripe, ruddy delicious fruit, bear out the
goddess in sustaining the efforts of man to the
gratification of taste, and feeling, as well as
profit.

NOTES OX THE SEASON.

^ BY MR. A. IIUIDEKOl'EU, MEADVILLE, PA.

The first severe frost, cutting down the tender
plants, came to us here on the morning of the
19th inst. The season has been characterized
by absence of severe frosts in the spring, by in-
tense and protracted summer heat, by sufficient
and timely showers of rain, by abundant and
well ripened crops, and by luxuriant fall pasture
to gladden the dairymen.

FRUITS.

Among others which I fruited this year, were
the Israella'^and Maxatawney grapes — the first
was sweet, had a clearer taste than the Isabella,
but lacked spirit. I have eaten it grown else-
where of higher quality.

The Maxatawney ripened fully, the berries
were of good size, but the clusters were small,
and the fruit had the May apple flavor that I
have noticed in the Rebecca grape.

The heat in August was so great, that I found
some difficulty in the vinery even, with frequent
irrigation to keep the grapes from burning. To
remedy the matter, the vines were loosened
above and permitted to hang down a little, form-
ing a better screen from the solar rays ; after
this I had no i^ore trouble, the fruit being fine
and«well colored.

In the October number of the Gardtner''s
Monthly, R. H. X , of Springfield, Illinois, asks
for a remedy for the

TIIRIP.

I tried quassia for this pest the present season,
with considerable success, applied in the follow-
ing way, viz. : Put half a pound of quassia
chips in a large crock, and fill it with boiling
water, let it stand a couple of days, then pour
off the water clear, and syringe the vines thor-
oughly ; the sediment of quassia will have some
strength left, and the process may be repeated
some three times with the same materials. Com-
mence this operation soon after the leaves form
in the spring, and repeat the application about
every ten days until the ffuit is a third grown

360

THE GARDEJVER'S MOXTHLl, December,

If continued too long, thegi-apes will taste of the
quassia.

This is an inexpensive remedy, easily applied,
and might under some circumstances be used for
outdoor vines.

^^OTES ON SILPHIUM L ACINI AT UM, L.
The Compass Plant,
by thomas meehan.

Rend hffore Academy of Natural fSciciires if Phili. Oct. Wth, '1%.

It is at once the strength and the weakness
of science that it takes little on trust. One
Avould suppose that after the positive facts
given by President Hill in his paper before the
recent meeting of the American Association,
there was no room for doubt that the edjxcs of
leaves of Silphium laciniatum had an average bear-
ing north. But I find men — excellent acute ob-
servers—who doubt the facts. They say, "we
took the trouble to examine the plants on the
spot, and found not the slightest trace of any
such Hendency, — we want no bettor evidence
than ihat of our own senses."

As before suggested, it is an excellent habit
to verify, for ourselves, the facts reported by
others, — there is far too little of this habit, — but
when the observations conflict, it is safer to as-
sume that both are right, and that there is some-
thing yet undiscovered which would harmonize
the opposition, than that either one is wrong.

In this matter of the Silphium or "Compass
plant,'' 1 was able to find this missing link, and
to see that both parties were right.
_ When I first saw the Silphium to any great
extent in its native localities, th^e was not the
slightest indications of this northern tendcAcy.
It was a great surprise, as a limited knowledge
of it before had taught the reverse. I deter-
mined to watch a plant carefully on my own
grounds the next year. The result was just as
described by President Hill. There Avas the un-
mistakable northern tendency in the edges of the
leaves when they first came up, and until they were
large and heavy, when winds and rains bore them
indificrent directions, and they evidently had not
the power of regaining the points lost. This of-
ten took place by their own weight alone, espe-
cially in luxuriant specimens. Mr. Hill says it
was in June when he saw them on the prairies,
all bearing north ; when I saw them, and not
doing so, it was early in September, and tiien no
doubt the mechanical causes 1 have referred to,
had been in operation.

The plant I have had in my garden, now for
some years, affords much interest in many re-
spects. I learned an useful lesson from it this
year, in reference to the relative rates of growth
in the different parts of the inflorescence. No-
ticing that there appeared to be no growth in
the disk florets in the day, I determined to note
accurately, one morning during the last week in
August, exactly when growth did commence.
The ray flowers close over the disk during night,
and at 4 A. ?r., with day just dawning in the
East, I found the ray petals just commencing to
open back. In the disk there are about fifteen
coils of florets in the spiral. There appeared no
motion until 4 40, although no doubt growth
commenced at 4, when the ray petals were in
motion, but too slow to be perceptible. At 4.40,
however, the five outer circles were evidently
slightly elevated above the others in the disk.
Then follows the following record in my diary:

4.45 the five divLsions of the corolla split open.

4 50 corolla.s grown three thirty second.s of an inch.

4 55 divisions of corolla fully expanded.

5, florets two-eights above the rest of the disk. It might he
well to say here that there was no growth in any this morning
but in the five outside rows we are speaking of.

6.5 5.10, no apparent change exf'ept that some which were
not so perfectly opened as the others, sefmed to become so.

6.15, pistil and mass of stamens slightly elevated above the
level of the corolla.

5 20, corollas now about five-sixteenths of an inch above the
others in disk. Pistils and stamens about two lines above the
corol'as. I ong yellow ray petals half open, with no appoar.
ance of poUlen on their pistils.

From this time forward there was no further
growth of the corolla, so that this portion of
the daily labor was accomplished in about three
quarters of an hour.

5.25, pistil and stamens beyond the corolla 1 32 inch.
5..30 " " " 1-16 "

5.35 " « « 1-8 "

5.40 " '< " 3-8 "

6.45, 5.5f>, no change.

5.55, pistils begin to project beyond the stamens. The first
insect, a sand wasp appears. He inserts his proboscis down
between the clavnte pistil and the stamens, carrying away the
pollen which is all over his head.

6, 6.5, pistils one line, stamens no longer lengthen.

6 10, anthers are falling away from the pi.-ttils, which are two
lines beyond.

6.15 no change.

6.2), the ray petaLs now fully open, that is horizontAl.

No change was noticed after this, except the
free visits of the sand wasp, none of these liow-
ever, carried any pollen to the pistils in the ray
florets.

About 9 o'clock (there had not been the slight-
est indications of an}' growth since 6.20) heavier
insects began to arrive, and then the slightest
touch broke off the florets, which fell on the ray pis-'

1S70.

THE GARDEjYER'S MOJ^TELY.

SGI

tils which happened to be below thorn, and in
this way they were fertilized. These pistils died
very soon after. Those pistils on the upper
side (the flower loaning a little) were quite fresh
the next morning, awaiting some chance to be
fertilized, insects evidently not performing that
office.

We here see that there were three phases of
growth, with a slight rest between each,— the
pistil taking the most time, then the stamens,
and the corolla the least ; but the whole growth
of the day included within two hours.

I have used the word pistil for the clavatc pro-
cess which occupies the place of the true organ
in perfect flowers. Of course only the ray florets
of SUphium have perfect pistils. This clavate
false pistil or orary has hitherto been supposed
to be a necessary production for the fertilization
of the plant. It was supposed to push out the
pollen, which was thereby scattered to the ray
florets about it. But these observations show that
this is probably an error, and that fertilization
is chiefly carried on by the easy falling away of
the mass of stamens, as I have shown in a paper
on Etrphorhia Jacquincejlora, in last year's Pro-
ceedings, is the case with that species.

I am anxious to call particular attention to the
diflerent ratios of growth in connection with the
appearance of the different, floral organs in this
plant; because I thinklseetracesof a general law
in plants that there are vibrations or varying in-
tensities during each season's growth, and that
the production of the various organs depends on
the degrees of these vibrations.

PLANTS FOR SHADY PLACES.

BY B. K.

There are not many plants adapted to shady
places. Last spring you gave us a few, of which
I recollect Periwinkle and the Yellow Money-
wort particularly, as we have made a border of
them and they have done very well. I do not
remember all you named, but we have one here
which is admirable, which I think was not in
your list. A neighbor had a few plams from
Enirland and this came up as a weed in the I
earth about them ; but as it had rather a pretty
flower, it was saved, and we had a piece given to '
us. I

An English gardener, who is also a good bot-
anist, tells us it is a Ajuga reptens. The leaves
are of a glossy green, and no matter how shaded
continue to grow. The flowers come up in July,

on a spike about four inches, and are quite
pretty, though not gaudy by any means.

Again, I have thought it might do for a bas-
ket plant, although this is to be tried. Its trail-
ing habit is good. It would hang over the sides
like Moneywort or Saxifrage. Plants which do
well in the shade, usually make good basket
plants, as our rooms and piazzas are not favora-
ble to more sun loving plants. If you would like
a plant, I would send it with much pleasure,

[From what we know of Ajuga reptans, which
is clearly the plant our correspondent has, we
have no doubt of its value both for shady places
out of doors, and as a pretty basket plant. Our
correspondent we regard as fortunate in intro-
ducing this little plant, which as she says is
neat if not gaudy.— Ed.]

LINES ON" THE SEASON.

• BY H.

In walking about in the yard to-day.
One may note the Frost King's tread,

In the faded leaves on the maple spray.
And in Dahlias, limp and dead.

Instead of the Heliotrope's sweet perfume.
Are some stems now black and dried.

The sole remains of that purple bloom
Which made it the borders pride.

But the Pansy stands with its monkish face

And Petunias are still aglow.
And Chrysanthemum's buds the eye way trace,

'Till concealed by the winter's snow.
And thus as we walk adown life's hill.

Though summer flowers may fade.
Autumnal buds will cheer us, until

We rest, — in the churchyard laid*

CLIMBING PLANTS AS HELPS TO HOME
ADORNMENT.

BY MR. n. T. WILLIAMS.
Rend bf/ore the New York Fruit Growers' Club.

Country life, with all its charms of beautiful
scenery and wealth of foliage, flower, and fruit,
crowing in endless profusion, needs and receives
a heightoncd efiect by rural embellishments
around the homes and mansions of the tasteful
country citizen.

Our most beautiful shade trees may live a long
and unai)preciated life in their native habitals, by
the running stream of water or in the cool shadow
of the surrounding forest ; but, transplanted to
the meadow of the landscape gai-dencr, or placed
along his highways, they become one of the most
appropriate of all means of rural embellishment;
while the foliage in summer, or the autumn-

3G2

THE GARDEJVER'S MO^''THLY. Becemler,

colored hues in October, become a source of ad-
miration and appreciated beauty.

The lowly shrub, with all the delicate tracings of
its leaves and stems growing by the woodside,
graceful, yet unknown and unseen, when trans-
planted to the lawn of the villa resident, embel-
lishes his grounds and adorns his pathwa3's, be-
tokening taste and refinement.

The grape-vine, growing in the cool soil,
stretching far upward into the arms and branches
of a friendly tree, spreading its rich canopy of
leaves and fruit over the top beyond our reach,
is still without an admirer until transferred to
the garden of the amateur ; where, trained over
arbors or summer hoi;ses, its rich foliage and
fruit hang down in gentle grace, seen, known,
and loved, giving both delight to the eye and the
palate of him who eats.

COUNTRY LIFE IS FULL OF EMBELLISHMENT.

Every tree that waves in the breeze, or the
flower that casts its delicate' perfume to the air,
the shrub that throws up its long stems, or the
grass that forms the spreading lawn, so smooth
and beautiful to our sight, is but a natural em-
bellishment, typical of the wisdom and taste of
the great Landscape Gardener, who has provi-
ded all that is suitable for our pleasure.

But Nature helps man, and man assists Na-
ture ; together they fashion flower gardens, they
build rustic arbors and summer-houses, and
cover them with climbing plants ; they put shade
trees along our highways to please and comfort ;
they adapt the tender evergreen to ornamental
use in their extended grounds, and with tasteful
villas and cottages, conservatories and flowers,
they build up together and combine all that is
essential to make country life enjoyable in the
highest degree.

Rural embellishments include too many de-
partments of rural life to be discussed in a single
article— the world so wide and free has no limit
to its pleasures ; but of them all, what delicate
taste and suggestive beauty seem gathered up in
the association of climbing vines.

Helps to home adornment we have called them,
and the fairy fingers who twine them around
their parlor windows, or along the piazza, or on
the rustic trellises bforo the cottage door, can
tell you how well they appreciate their value in
making home so pleasant.

The motion of the climbing vine as it sways in
the breeze is suggestive of poetic associations.
At one time, like an ivy, it clings with loving

fondness to the decaying oak which supported it
in its infancy ; again it runs wildly over a rustic
bower, then 'clings to some gnarly grape vine,
again dips its tender branchlets in the sparkling
waters of the slowlj'-gliding streamlet, while the
beautiful flower-like golden cups may lead our
imagination to believe they are the drinking ves-
sels of the fairies of the woods, and then it dances
way in the finest wreaths and natural festoons
of mingled verdure and flowers.

CLIMBING VINES ARE NOT A PLEASURE ONLY,
BUT A NECESSITY.

"Wherever there is an unsightly fence or wall,
there- exists the opportunity to render it the most
beautiful part of the garden. Our new built
houses, with all their elaborate decorations and
imposing design, are still cheerless until mellow-
ed and softened by the genial touch and presence
of Nature. The wood, brick, or stone stand out
in angular outlines, bare and hard, and lack the
one thing needful to heighten their eflect. Let
them be wreathed with climbing vines, and let
their corners be hid under the delicate foliage or
brilliant flowers of the vine, and architecture
and Nature combine in harmonious proportions
to produce highest picturesque effect. The list
of climbing plants is quite extended, comprising
over thirty, all deserving complimentary notice ;
but time forbids mention of only a few, the most

useful and popular. •

First on the list we notice with special admi-
ration the Scarlet Trumpet Creeper {BignoJiia
radicans) This magnificent plant, wherever
sufficiently hardy to grow with vigor, is one of
the most attractive of all creeping vines, attach-
ing itself firmly to walls, buildings of stone,
brick, or wood, trunks of trees, hedges or arbors;
it throws out innumerable aerial rootlets, devel-
ops its large, handsome scarlet flower in clusters,
and forms a gorgeous sight in late summer, pro-
ducing a striking contrast with the rich-pointed
foliage, and a splendid object when grown on the
trellis. I have observed it in Delaware, grow-
ing on the sides or tops of the osage orange
hedges, throwing out its glossy green leaves,
surmounted with its brilliant trumpet-shaped
flower, extending for many yards, and eliciting
expressions of admiration from the passers by.
Downing, commenting on the beauty of the

large variety, says :

"In the blossom of the 'grandiflora,' however,

lies its peculiar beauty. These are produced iu
great profusion of cluster, in July and August,
so as to give the whole plant an exceedingly gay

1870-

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJ^THLY,

^G3

and lively appearance. They arc not long and
tubular, like those of the common trumpet flow-
er, but somewhat cup shaped. The color is
beautifully varied, the outside being a rich, pure,
orange scarlet, marked with bright streaks.
These gay clusters open their blossoms in suc-
cession, so as to keep up a brilliant appearance for
a long time; and we are acquainted with no climb-
ing shrub, except the Chinese Wisteria, which at
allviesineleganceorbrilliancy of effect, in the gar-
den or pleasure ground, with this during the
season of bloom. One season we counted over
300 in bloom at once, upon a plant in our neigh-
borhood, and the same profuse display continued
a fortnight or more. Any dry, light, well drain-
ed soil, suits this climber. It should be made
moderately rich ; and in such soil, when planted
against a wall, it will cover a space twelve or
fourteen feet square in two or three seasons. It
is well worthy the attention of those who are
looking for climbers of a permanent kind to cover
an unsightly walls, or close fences, or to render
garden buildings of any kind more ornamental
by a rich canopy of foliage and bloom."

The Bignonia will be found a little tender in
localities north of New York, but can be very
easily protected during the winter by tying a
layer of straw over the shoots or laying some
branches of evergreen against them at the ap-
proach of winter. This course, followed for two
or three years, will serve to strengthen and har-
den the wood gradually, after which it will thrive
with only ordinary care. In the Middle and
Southern States, where it takes on a robust
habit, it excels in showy splendor its brilliant ef-
forts here, and fairly glows in midsummer with
its thousands of rich orange red blossoms, "like
clusters of bright goblets" A remarkable spe-
cimen of it existed several years since in Balti-
more. It covered a three sided trellis, fifteen
feet in height, and the owner one day, counting
its flowers and buds, found it to contain fifty four
corymbs, each of which averaged ten flowers and
twenty-seven buds ; in all upward of 500 flowers,
and 1,500 more buds just forming. Fewer no climb-
ing plants will bear such comparison with it in
luxuriance and brilliant effect. The flowers are
borne in clusters ; and the buds, just like a half-
opened rose bud, are nearly as beautiful as the
tlower itself

An additional effect is often gained by ming-
ling the vine with that of the Wisteria, planting
them so that the two may twist and twine to-
gether. The contrast of foliage or flower is very

I pleasing; but growing in its native habitats,
' along the road fences or covering the hedges, it
' bursts suddenly upon the passing traveler with
its liviug, fii^ry bloom, and is ever after remem-
bered with expressions of delight.

Next in beauty, both a living beauty and a
beauty even in death, is the Virginia Creeper,
or American Ivy, [AmpelopsiA hederacca). The
' Virginia Creeper, like the bignonia and ivy,
I throws out roots at the joints, by which it las-
tens itself to anything it touches, but is more
j hardy, more luxuriant and rapid in growth. lu
: its native woods it will be seen climbing rocks
and trees to a great height, wliile in the culti-
vated pleasure-grounds of the gardener it is
made to cover walls of houses forty or more feet
in height. The flowers can hardly be called of
much value, being of a reddish green color, not
showy, and succeeded by clusters of berries of a
dark blue color. As the berries reach maturity,
the fruitstalks and tendrils assume a rich crim-
son or red color. It will grow with very little
attention or trouble, and only asks to be planted
to begin its years of grace. It is less planted
than it should be, because confounded by many,
persons with the poison ivy vine, which it re-
sembles a little. The Virginia Creeper is, how-
ever, perfectly harmless, and may be easily dis-
tinguished from the poison variety from the fact
that the latter contains but three leaflets to a
leaf, while the former has five. The greatest
charm of the vine is in its foliage, which while
green is exceedingly beautiful. If planted in a
cool, moist soil, to which it is best adapted, it
will climb rapidly, sending off long branches,
which sway gracefully in the breeze, or attach
themselves to adjacent points and form rich and
beautiful festoons of verdure. But the culmina-
tion of its beauty appears in autumn, when the
foliage assumes the most brilliant crimson hues,
and it seems as if it were about to meet its death
in a blaze of glory. Even then the effect is best
seen when running up the center of a dark cedar ;
or, climbing frequently on the edge of some com-
pact evergreen, the October frosts change its
color in the space of a single night, and the
morning finds it shining like a line of crimson
fire over the dark foliage beyond or beneath.
Emerson, one of our most enthusiastic admirers
of forest verdure, says of it :

"The great variety of rich colors— shades of
scarlet, crimson and purple— which the leaves
and stems of this plant assume, and the situation
in which we sec it— climbing up the trunks and

S64

THE GARDEJV'ER'S MOJVTELY, December,

spreading along the branches of trees, covering
walls and heaps of stones, forming natural fes-
toons from tree to tree, or trained on the sides
along the piazzas of dwelling-houses — make it
one of the most conspicuous ornaments of the
autumnal months. Often in October it may be
seen mingling its scarlet and orange leaves,
thirty or forty feet from the ground, with the
green leaves of the still unchanged tree on which
it climbed.''

Several years since a Baltimore gardener, pos-
sessing some locust trees rapidly being destroyed
by the borer, determined to remove them ; but
there was one tree, standing on the south side of
the house, affording a shade to several windows,
that he felt could not be dispensed with without
great inconvenience. Although the tree could
not live long ; yet by planting the Virginia
Creeper at its foot, and allowing the vine to
mantle its dead branches, it would afford some
shade until another tree could be reared. The
creeper was removed from another location, and
replanted with great care ; its stem, nearly or
quite an inch in diameter, was twined about the
trunk and principal branches, to the height of
perhaps twenty feet, and moderately pruned.
The gardener says that the experiment was so
entirel}'^ successful that, by being enveloped in
the broad foliage of the vine, the tree was saved
from the ravages of the insect to such an extent
tliat it lost only a part of its top, and continued
to live in fine health. But the creeper grew with
the utmost vigor, notwithstanding it was
four feet off the tree, and now overruns nearly
the whole of the latter, hanging in masses and
festoons from the higher branches, a perfect wil-
derness of foliage. Says he :

"I do not hesitate to say that it is the most
boautiful object on the place ; its young shoots,
with their small and delicate light green leaves
forming a remarkably fine contrast to the im-
mense foliage of the darkest green which clothes
the old wood. In addition to this, the gorgeous
appearance of the whole mass after the October
frost, have changed the dilPirent shades of green
to the most brilliant and varied tints of crimson,
scarlet and yellow, is beyond my power of de-
scription.''

Although I could wish to describe the attrac-
tions of the Morning-glor}', so common around
all our country cottages, or the many climbing
Roses, every one a bright particular star of
beauty, or dilate upon the exquisite perfume of

the Honeysuckle, still I reserve a choice position
for modest worth in the Chinese Wisteria.

The different species of Wisteria, as a rule,
are perfectly hardy— grow with great rapidity
when well started in rich soil ; but, among the
six or more varieties known and named, the Chi-
nese {Sinensis) has received the yerdict of popu-
lar preference, surpassing all others in the great
development of its stems, and the astonishing
profusion of the flowers, and the size of the
azure-colored clusters. The foliage is noticeable
for its delicate beauty, wh'le the flowers hang in
rich purple clusters like grapes. They appear
about the last of May in the open ground, but if
trained to the rafters of the green-hous^they will
be found in full blossom in March, while the
rampant growth seems to occupy the entire
space and fill it with thousands of the delicate
purple clusters.

There is often a second period of flowering in
the late summer months, but the blossoms can
bear no comparison with those which appeared
in the spring. The flowers appearin racemes or
clusters, each raceme six to twelve inches long,
and containing fifty to one hundred or more
blossoms. The united bouquet, as it really is, is
highly attractive and emits a delicious perfume.
It is as hardy as the American ivy, grows in al-
most any soil, will bear a temperature of ten or
fifteen degrees below zero, and, if planted in a
deep, rich loam, will make shoots twenty to thirty
feet long each season. It is easily propagated
from cutting or layers, or in a more simple way
by taking some of the long shoots of the present
year's wood, burying a portion midway between
the root and end under the surface, wounding or
slitting the bark here and there before covering
with soil. If done thus during the month of
.luly, they will root finely by November. Ama-
teurs, after receiving plants from some of the
nurseries, have ditficulty in inducing an early
and vigorous growth, the plants remaining
dwarfed and stunted, with little or no disposition
to climb freely. This may arise from the possi-
bilit}' of propagation from a downward or im-
poverished branch ; and the only course to be
pursued, wliicli in fact is best for all plants, good
or bad, to liead the vines to a single bud, as near
the ground as possible. Make the ground rich,
mellow, and deep ; this will give them a fair
start, and ever afterward will maintain their
natural luxuriance. If it is desirable to induce

1870.

THE GARDE:N'ER'S MO.YTIILl.

365

it to flower several times during the year, the
following simple treatment can be observed :

"\Thea age has given to the vine a character
almost venerable, because of its unusual luxuri-
ance, far surpassing all other plants of a climb-
ing nature, we find here and there isolated in-
stances of specimens which have achieved a
wide celebrity. The fine stspecimen of the "Wis-
teria in Europe is trained upon the walls of the
London Horticultural Society, where it occupies
a space three hundred and seventy-five feet in
length. Downing, who seems to have been a
special champion in its behalf, describes it as the
'•^loveliest of all vines,''' -And speaks of one that
covered the side of a small cottage completely.

" Imagine a place of 10 by 20 feet completely
draped with wisteria shoots, on which hung,
tliick as in a flower pattern, at least 500 clusters
of the most delicate blossoms, of a tint between
pearl and lilac, each bunch of bloom shaped like
that of a locust tree, but eight inches to a foot
long, and most gracefully pendant from branches
just s arting into tender green foliage— if you
could see all this as we saw it, you could not fail
to utter exclamations of delight."

The noblest specimen we can call to mind at
the present time in this country may be seen at
the corner of Second avenue and Seventh street
this city. It is planted at one end of a large
brick house,- which forms the corner, but has
grown with such amazing rapidity that it not
only covers the front of the house to the roof,
but an arbor over the steps, theentire side of the
house on the cross street, and likewise the entire
side of a house in the rear, an area of 10 000
square feet, a curiosity of unexampled merit. It
is trained gracefully, and is preserved with the
tenderest care by the owner, who appreciates its
value ; but when in bloom it is such an object of
splendor as to excite the wonder and admiration
of the passer-by.

May you all enjoy your vine-clad arbors with
care and love, partaking of

"That banquet
Ever spread before you, in a hall
Of H- aven's own buildincr, perfumed with the breath
Of Nature's self, and ringing to the sounda
Of her own choristers."

EDITORIAL.

NEW VARIETIES WITHOUT SEED.

It has long. been obvious to the writer of this,
that it is not alone by seed that nature produces
new forms. He h;»s often made the suggestion
in scientific circles, because circumstances are
often met with in nature, which seemed unac-
countable on any other theory. But scientific
men are not satisfied with circumstantial evi-
dence. The}- must have the direct facts them-
selves. ,

Slowly we have been gathering these facts.
There is, to be sure, the long standing case of the
Nectarine. It was .said this sprang from a
branch of a Peach tree ; it is generally believed
to be a fact, but the date and time, and the first |
observer are unknown. There is therefore not ■
the "authority" for the fact, so necessary to a
scientific man.

We will pass over many things we have noted
which would only interest the botanist, to those
facts in horticulture Avhidi any of u.s can appre-
ciate. Take the Potato. We sometimes find a
white potato in a hill of red ones, or a red one in

a hill of white. Here say we is a case in point.
A new variety has been developed without semi-
nal intervention. But the hard headed botanist
disputes it ; he charges that the theory is as-
sumed, which is a very wrong thing to do. That
most probably the pollen of a white kind impreg-
nated the pistil of a red kind, and that somehow
the influence was felt right down amongst the
tubers. But is this not also assuming things V
An assumption of the most baseless character?
But let this rest until we get other illustrations.

There happened at Philadelphia, during the
last meeting of the Pennsylvania Horticultural
Society, to l)e collections of Pears Irom many
different parts of the country; the same varie-
ties, but grown in places widely apart. All of
these had esjjecial characters of their oivn. Those
from Borhester had irrij Innrj stems. Everbody
could tell a Rochester Pear by the length of its
"leg." Certainly this is not brought about
through seed.

liut how about the permanence of these va-
riations V To be of much account as varieties

366

TEE GARDEjYER'S MOJ^THLY' Decemher,

they should be able to maintain a separate exis-
tence when removed to other places. "Well, the
evidence is in favor of their permanence.

It is well known that the Isabella grape grown
about Reading, Pa., is not the same as other
grapes grown elsewhere of the same kind. It is
also a fact the Reading Isabellas retain these
special characters when taken to other places.
Yet this variety is not a seminal development,
but a bud evolution.

So with the Penn apple ; this has characters
which readily distinguish it from the Baldwin, —
yet the first one was found among a lot of Bald-
win trees ; yet it is clearly like Baldwin, and
was certainly not another kind accidentally mixed
in. It also retains its distinctive characters
when propagated. Is the Stark another such
development from Pennock ? Its history is not
known as a» seedling. On this, however, w^e will
not dwell now, as we are dealing with ascertain-
ed facts.

This fall a friend brought us a fruit of his
Duc/icssePear ; passing one of our own trees, we
catlured one of our own. Our friend's was char-
acteristic •, the sweet sugary juice was as it al-
ways is. To the surprise ot both of us, the Pear
from the writer's tree was of a delicious sub-
acid. Only for the coarseness of the flesh, one
might suppose he was eating a Beurre Superfin.
Is not the frequent cases of sweet and sour ap-
ples on the same tree analogous to this ? These
two were undoubtedly Duchesse d'Angouleme.
yet how wide the difference 1

But here we have before us, through the cour-
tepy of the Editor of the Prairie Farmer, the
most conclusive evidence tliat new forms can
arise without the intervention of floral parts.
This is a stock of Sweet Potato, on which tubers
of the Yelloiv Kansemond iindihc Jtcd Brazilian
are formed on the same stem. Now no mixing
through the floral organs can occur in this case,
because it does not flower here, nor is there any
way by which any "mixing" could occur. It is
a clear case of bud variation, — a development ol
a distinct variety, independent of any cross fer-
tilization. There are other reflections in connec-
tion with this instance. We have in cultivation
some ten or twelve varieties of Sweet Potato.
But even in the Southern Slates this plant rare-
ly produces seed under cultivation, and we have
never known of an instance where any attempt
was ever made to raise them in this way. There
is little doubt all the varieties under culture are i

mere bud developments, as in this instance ; —
showing at once, not only the possibility of new
forms originating this way, but of their subse-
quent permanence when under propagation.

THE MARTHA GRAPE.

(S(e Front ifrpiece )

"Whoever undertakes to write a history' of Gen-
eral Washington, gets little sympathy with the
reader, unless he brings in the salient points of
the great man's youth, particularly his love of
truth, and more especially the gallant episode of
his peaceful but determined eff"orts to stop the
fighting between two rowdy boys. In like man-
ner we suppose it will never do for us to say a
few words on American grape history, without
bringing out in full relief the aged forms of Major
Adlum, Mrs. Isabella Gibbs, or Mrs. Diana Cre-
horne. But notwithstanding all that is due to
them and others like them, as prominent actors in
the early times of American grape history, — it is
scarcely to be doubted that the great popular move-
ment in grape culture dates from Mr. Bull and
the Concord Grape. Inferior as this may be iu
some respects, — superior as many others doubt-
less are, here is, at any rate, the great tidal wave
which overflowed the land, and left in its course
a rich drift by which all at length profited.
Thousands have had fruit, who never would
have had a taste but for the Concord grape.
Great honor is due to those who have entered the
improving field. Brocksbanks, Grant, Under-
bill, Moore, Arnold, Miller, Rogers, Wylie, Al-
len, llaabe, Crans, Haskell, Parker, Merceron,
Kutter, Campbell and Bailey, whose names occur
toas we write, besides others equally well known,
who have either spent much time in experiment-
ing, or have done much to introduce some good
kind,dLScrve well ot their country. ButtoMr. Bull
the great revulsion is due^. He is the great pa-
triarch of modern success.

"We have often thought how nice it would be
to the manly Concord, if it only had some sister-
ly fruit of the light complexion to share its popu-
larity through the length and breadth of the land.
So far few have oflered, and indeed there seems to
be some natural law against it. Our v.hilom cor-
respondent. Dr. Stayman, whose philosophic
pen once so ready to aid us in cultivating the
mind ol horticulture, now lies rusting in the ink
horn, showed conclus-ivcly in one of his able ar-
ticles, that we could never expect a light fruit to
equal a dark one in hardiness and endurance.

18'f0.

THE GARBEJs'ER' b MOXTHLJ.

S67

Yet on looking around on all the competitors for a
place with Concord, we do find in 3/art/ia one the
most ncartoit. White grapes are always popular.
There is a delicacy of flavor in them which the
dark ones do not possess. Martha combines
more good qualities than any other. It is the
best white grape, so far as has been generally
tested over a wide expanse of country. It is
now going through the same ordeal the Concord
stood. We know how many supposed their
throats injured by eating these '* foxy things,''
who afterwards came to thank the day which
brought Concord forth. It is so with Martha
now ; and it will end the same.

Martha is a Pennsylvania seedling. It was
raised in Lebanon, by Mr. Samuel Miller, one of
our most enthusiastic fruit experimenters, and
now of Missouri. It is, however, to the labors
of Messrs. Knox and Campbell that the public
owe much knowledge of the merits of this grape.
These gentlemen are well known to the commu-
nity for the care which they take to be sure of
the merits of a fruit before sending it out. They
may for all this be mistaken, but if so, it is al-
ways in honesty and good faith.

SCRAPS AND QUERIES.

Big Australian Tree- In Mr. Harding's
article ''In the gloomy shade ofantipodian for-
est," should read forests. We are sorry for these
little slips, but it is the fate of all writings where,
as in magazines and newspapers, it is not often
that an author can correct his own proc)f. We
are promised some more from Mr. H's. agree-
able pen.

Red Magnolia. — Mr. Manning of ITarris-
hury^ Ohio, writes : "In my article in the last
Mfvthhj, strike out the word purpurea and in-
sert rubra in describing Magnolias, as the way
it reads ; it is an error in the type setter, and
makes me recommend a Magnolia in the highest
terms I never mentioned. The flowers being
whitish and purple, and generally of a rather
muddy color. It would only mislead planters.'"

[This conies all of an Editor •' knowing too
much." AVe did not know there was a variety
called rubra, and hence took the liberty of cor-
recting what we supp(fted to be an error. We
have here two varieties of j)ta-pir/-ca, oneof Avhich
is purple and called j^tfo-pui-ea ; the other yracilis
which is light. The rubra we have never seen.]

The Horticulturist. — AVe were favored re-
cently with a call from Mr. II. T. William.s, the
Editor of our fellow laborer in gardening litera-
ture, the JIortkulluriHt. This is the oldest of all
now in the field ; and it gave us great pleasure
to hear from Mr. Williams that it is in a mo6t
prosperous condition. lie has our best wishes
for its continued success.

The Niles Pear.— This is not an American
Pear, only an American name. It was received
from Bordeaux in France, and its name lost.
It has never yet been identified with any known
French kind. Niles is the name of a gentleman
at Xew Haven, who has the tree growing. It
is a very showy fruit, larger than Easter Beurre,
though not quite so good as that popular old
kind ; but it has the merit ot ripening easier.

A JArAX Toy.— i?. 3f., PWshnrg, Pa., asks:
"In a social circle, recentl}-, a question occurred
as to what was the nature of the wood used by
the Japanese in the little toy now so common,
in which a small piece of magnetic iron is set,
which on being placed in the hand or on a table,
sets itself erect. An opinion was given that the
wood is from the rice paper plant of Japan. Is
that so ? It does not look like wood at all."

[It is not wood properl/, but pith, — the pith
oHhe Kerria japonica, the common "Corcho-
rus," which is so well known in every old gar-
den by its double yellow flowers. Though not
in our "province" exactly, we may add that
there is nothing "magnetic" in the iron. It
stands on end just as a top would do, because
the lower end is the heaviest. It simply finds in
this position its "centre of gravity."

Vauiatioxs in the Yicau of Winkfield
Pear. — We have some specimens of this varie-
ty from Dr. Potter of Bridgcton, N. J., which
arc very remarkable in connection with our re-
cent article on fruit variation?. These are of a

SGS

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJYTELl. Decemher,

beautiful rosy red, with patches of russet, and
golden yellow intermixed. At first glance, any
one would take them for Beurre Clairgeau.
Other characters, however, independently, of
the positive knowledge, stamps it as undoubted-
ly a Vicar of "Winkficld. It would be interest-
ing to propagate from this sporting part of the
tree, and ascertain whether it would retain this
beautiful character under other circumstances.

A Beautiful Flower Picture.— We are
arc not in the habit of holding the mirror to our
own beauty. But they tell us our colored plates
are perfection in their way. We nev«r expected
any one to attempt to excel them. But now
comes a young man from Rochester by the name
of y ick, who has not only the temerity to at-
tempt to rival us, but has the audacity to lay one
of his beautiful flower pieces right on our table,
in full view of our astonished eye sight!

I * * * * If our friends woa't let us know

That they are alive —they're dead, or should be so."

This is Yick's maxim. Everybody in the
United States knows that Yick's alive. What
is more, they are glad that he is. Certainly we
are, notwithstanding this powerful attempt to
crowd us down with beauty.

Mr. AVRionT and Texan Botany.— "In
the last number of the Gardener's Monthly, is a
notice of your humble servant, which somewhat
shocks his modesty. I dare say my good friend
supposed he was only doing me justice, and yet
he has overdone it. That I gathered "hundreds
ofunclassed specimens" I have no doubt; but
there is a great difference between that expres.
sion and "hundreds of unclassed species," which
is what the writer probably meant. If the ' bo-
anist at Cambridge paid a thousand dollars" for
them, 1 have no recollection of the transaction ;
yet I suppose I received a fair remuneration for
my labor. Again, when he says "there is no
man living so thoroughly, &c.," he does mc
honor overmuch. Local Floras like that sug-
gested by the writer, are of comparatively small
importance ; but a general flora of North Amer-
ica it is hoped will come from abler hands than
mine.

Yours truly,
Charles WuionT."

Cambridge, Nov. Uth, 1870.

pondcnt asks: " A seed.sman in Canada writes ma
that the duty conies off of imported seeds after
the first of January. I thought he was mista'cen,
and asked our Congressman, Farnsworth, yester-
da}'. lie thinks it is so, but is not certain,
would look and see. How is this? Dah]i;is, Ver-
benas, &c., in bloom here; autumn leaves in their
glory. ' '

[All a mistake. The only duties on seeds taken
off last session, were for seeds imported for the use
of the U. S. Botanical Garden or Agricultural De-
partment, at Washington. For all others, the
duties of 30 per cent, on the gold value still re-
mains.]

Bouyardia Vreelandii.— " i>rar Sir: I sup-
pose you recollect the flower of my white Bouvardia
Vreelandii which I sent you last December, and
which you noticed in your January number, 1870,
0? the Gardener s Monthly. You said it was very
dry, so that you could scarcely tell what it wa=.
As I have a number of plants of the same now in
bloom, I take the liberty to send you a few more
flowers, which I hope will reach you in better con-
dition than the others did. You say (in your
January No., 1870, page 20) " it appears to be a
white variety of B, leiantha." That is a mistake.
It is a white variety of B. Hogarth. It is a free
grower, and blooms very profusely, and has very
large trusses of flower.«, and I have no doubt wil]
rank at the head of our white winter flowering
plants. S. B. Yreeland,

Greenville, Hudson Co., N. J."

[These came in excellent order. It is a beauti-
ful variety, and will be highly appreciated by
florists. Y'^e are much obliged by this account of
its origin.]

Name of Plant. — " Subscriber,^' Memphis,
7hin., says: "I send you a small piece of a
plant which here is § native shrub, covered
during winter with the red lerries of which a few
are attached. I suppose it belongs to the llhamnus,
but not being certain, will feel greatly obliged by
your giving it its true name."

[Rhanmus lanceolatu:^, a pretty shrub, well
worthy of being introduced into our gardens.]

Duties ON Seeds. — A Waul-ef/nn, llh., corrc.f

Lime and Sulphur Vapor jor Plants-—
G. iV, Kew Providence, Ind., says: "In
the Gardener^ Monthly for August, I find a
Horticultural Essay by IVIr. Podburr, in wliich,
among other things, he treats of mildew, or white

1870.

THE GJinBE:N'ER'S MOMTIILY.

S6d

fungus upon roses, and says that a vapor of quick-
lime and sulphur, in the proportion of about 14
pounds of fresh lime to one pound of sulphur, will
eifect a cure.

Now, Mr. Editor, I have some roses, verbenas
and geraniums, in the same house. The verbenas
are a little troubled with fungus. Would ^Ir. Pod-
bury's remedy cure the verbenas without injuring
the geraniums ? Please state in your next J/oHiA/y."

[We have no doubt this vapor would be as well
for other things as ro.ses. We have here no personal
experience with it, and should be glad if Mr. P. will
favor us with his opinion for our correspondent.
Mr. P's experience is particularly valuable, as he
is one of those who proves his faith by his works ;
and which fact it was indeed which gave so much
value to his paper. As foreman to 3Iessrs. Max-
well & Bros., at Geneva, his magnificent roses are
•well known.]

their great beauty, and this, be it remembered,
after the drycst season ou record. With such
critical observations of cause and effect as ex-
hibited in the notes of li. II. N. and II. W. S.,
we must in time adapt our climate to as perfect
a lawn as any other climate can boast of.

Neav Nursery at New Brunswick, N. .J. —
Cherry Lawn Farm, is the name of a new institu-
tion in New Jersey, the catalogue of which we
find before us for the first time.

EnODODEXDRON, Prixcess ITelex. — Mr. G.
Such, South Aniho;/, K. J., sends us the follow-
ing note : "I send you by mail this day, a clus-
ter of the hybrid Khod )dcndron, 'Princess Helen. "
There is very little chance of its reaching you
safely, but I hope it may, knowing that it will
please you,''

[On the contrary, it came in most admirable
condition, Avith nothing but a little damp paper
about it, in an air tight tin box. It is probably
an hybrid between an Azalea and a Rhododen-
dron. The tube is narrow, waxy white, about
i two inches long ; and the limb, couiposed of the
usual five petals, about one inch across, and of a
pearly pink. Tliere arc a great many (lowers in
the tiuss. It is a beautiful thing indeed, and
gave us great pleasure.]

Postage on Seeds, Plants, &c.— I\lany do not
seem to know that all writing in a box of seeds or
plants subjects the whole thing to letter postage.
We have had several heavy bills of this kind lately
to pay. Send particulars of the enclosure in a sep-
arate letter.

Rocky Mouxtaix Evergreens.— .James T.
Allen, of the Omaha Iferakl, an enthusiastic
agriculturist, horticulturist, pomologist, &c.,
and member'Sf the State Board of Agriculture,
after repeated solicitations, has gone to the
Rocky Mountains, for the purpose of collecting
a few thousand specimens of the various Rocky
Mountain Evergreens.

Lawn?. — We call particular attention to the
short article on Lawns b}' Mr. Sargent in another
column. So recentl}- a.s the time of A. J. Down-
ing, it was feared that we should never be able
tobf-ar any comparison with England in this
beautiful feature of its Elysian gardens ; but the
progress of the few past years, led by Mr. Sar-
gent's illustrious example, has been wonderful,
— so much so as to attract universal remark.
!Mr. Robinson recently said to the writer that he
came here with the impression that America
could have no Lawns, and was astonished at

Deodar Cedar. — A correspondent of the
Country Gentlemnn writing from ClarksviUe,
Ga., says : "In the mountain regiims of Geor-
gia it is the most beautiful tree we ever saw, and
without a single fault. We have two of them
on our grounds which were planted out some six-
teen or eighteen years since, and were at that
time one foot in height ; now, they arc between
thirty and forty feet, with trunks some ten to
twelve inches in diameter at the ground ; the
spread of the limbs at the grcund is probably
about twenty feet ; they are Alpine in growth,
the branches sweeping on the ground with a
heavy shaggy foliage ; the annual growth in
height has been about two feet ; they bear an
abundance of beautiful cones, but I have never
been able to uiscover anv seeds in them."

Mr. Barry's Paper ox Lawns.— The Phila-
delphia North American, in a kind notice of the
Gardener's Monlhhj, pays the following well
merited tribute to ^Iv. Barry's es.say on lawns,
which recently appeared in our magazine :

"The November issue follows its timely hints
with directions for pruning, forcing fruits and
vegetables, and with an adiniral)le paper at once
feslhetic and jiractical, on lawns. The argu-
ment covers only the making ; leaving planting

S70

TEE GARBEKER'IS MOJYTELY.

December.

lo the future. Those of our citizens who have
visited Europe, and particularly those who have
visited rural and suburban England, understand
how very far our best lawns are from being what
they may be made, and how much a fine lawn
contributes to the beauty of any residence, and
what many such do for a neighborhood. Mr.
Barry's paper is in the right line, and shows
liow to acliieve the preliminai'y portion of what
it appropriately commends. It should be read
iind utilized in all West Philadelphia, German-
town and Chestnut Hill. Mr. Meehan discusses
fasciation in plants, and concludes that it is al-
ways incident to a low stage of vitality, asadna-
tion is to the highest vigor. The subject of sex
in plants is involved. The grass tree of Austra-
lia is described and figured, and there is a pro-
lusion of other knowledge that is seasonable and
desirable.''

shows we did not put the case before so as to be
understood. "We did not compare one variety
with another variety ; but one of the same tiling^
with another of the same thing. For instance,
our former correspondent referred to one Silver
Maple which was green, and to another Silver
Maple which was not. To make the analogy
exact, E. V. O. should take one Siberian Crab
with another Siberian,— and more, both should
be the same variety of Siberian Crab. Or if he
will take a Rambo apple which loses its leaves in
September, and compare it with a Rambo which
holds them till October, he will get our idea cor-
rectly. Perhaps we are •strong for all this, but
think not. We shall be glad to hear from
others.]

Our Annual Tithes.— Messrs. EUwanger
vie Barry sent us a box of beautiful pears. We
seldom eat pears more juicy, sugary, delicious,
and in every way acceptable, than those our
good friends send us. We make no claim for
tithes as has been the custom in other countries,
and hence the voluntary offerings of our good
friends of the Mount Hope Nurseries render us
iheir debtor.

ITaiidiness of Late Leaves.— 3/r. K Van
0., Naperville, IIU., says : "In Xovember iS^o.
of Gardener''s Monthly you say, 'but in a healthy
tree that one will get through the winter best
which retains its leaves the longest.' iN'ow I
notice in the nursery, that of all diflerent varie-
ties of apples, the Red Siberian Crab is the only
one that has shed its leaves, while all others re-
tain them, and there is no late growth either.
Then, according to your views, this hardy tree
would be injured b}' cold sooner than the Rambo,
Maiden's Blush, etc. I believe you are wrono-
this lime."

[We are much obliged by this note, as it

The Bucks County Intelligencer of
Doylestown, Pa., after quoting some matters,
thus speaks of our November number. "This in-
formation, and we might make much more of it,
we compile from the November issue of Median's
Gardener^s Monthly, which is one of the most
welcome of the many periodicals received at this
office We find it always reliable and instruc-
tive, and not so much given to hard names and
fine writing as to make its articles intelligible to
the general reader. The growing taste among
our country people for horticultural occupations
will find in the Monthly a safe and progressive
guide. We charge Meehan nothing for saying
so, and our advice that it should be widely cir-
culated is entirely disinterested.

The Small Fruit Recorder and Cottage
Gardener. — This thoroughly practical paper
sticks to facts as its best friend. It increased cir-
culation, which we are pleased to note from the
increased value of our advertisement therein,
would indicate that facts in the grateful' return
are sticking to it.

NEW AND EARE TLANTS.

Parson's New White Mignonette, Rese-
da odokata eximea.— Tliis new and lovely
Mignonette will be an universal favorite ; it is so
much superior in odor, habit and color— bein^
nearly pure white— it cannot fail to be grown in I I

preference to the other variety ; the spikes are
large and beautil'ully shaped, and one pot of it
will perfume a whole house. There are many
plants advertised, eulogised, and sent out to the
ublic as something very superior, when thej

1870.

THE GARDEJ\'ER'S MOJ^'THLY.

371

are no better tlian existing varieties. — Cor. of
Gardener^s Chronicle.

COTONEASTER SiMONDSH.— This is a beauti-
ful liardy evergreen shrub, with glossy dark
green leaves, and bearing a large quantity of
scarlet berries, which ripen later than the Ber-
beris Darwini, and will hang all winter. — (7ar-
dener'>s Chronicle.

Eranthemum elegans.— This plant well
deserves the name under which it was exhibited
at one of the recent meetings of the Floral Com-
mittee, at which it recoived a First class Certifi-
cate. In the arrangement of the flowers and
general habit, it is much like E. albiflorum, Bot.
Mag. 4225, but in the construction of the corolla
it is much more like the old Eranthemum bicol-
or, or that form of it figured (Bot. Mag. tab.
.'i711) as E. aspersum. In habit and iufloros-
cence again it is exceedingly like some of the va-
rieties of Eranthemum crenulalum of Xees (D.
C. Prod. xi. 445), but the flowers are much lar-
ger, and of a different form. Our present plant,
then, may be readily recognized by the following J

characters :— Stem swollen above the nodes,
flowers numerous in long, terminal, leafless,
cymulose spikes or panicles, with salver-shaped
corollas, having a two-lipped limb, the lower lip
largest and prettily spotted witli purple or claret-
colored spots. The anthers are purple, and pro-
ject beyond the corolla tube.

The history of the plant given by 'Slv. Bull is
that it was obtained from Trinidad by the Right
lion. Ma;iiere Brady (through his friend the
Hon. Horace Fitzgerald, one of her Majesty's
judges in that island). We think it most proba-
ble that it is really of Indian origin, and intro-
duced from that country into Trinidad. At anv
rate neither in herbaria nor in books do we find
the plant named It is certainly a very pleasin<y
stove plant, its blossoms being freely produced
on small plants, and borne on a.xillaiy and ter-
minal spikes, the latter some 8 or 10 inches long.
There is, as Mr. Bull remarks, a remarkable
succession of flov^rs : as soon those first devel-
oped go off, others again and again supply their
place, so that the spikes continue in beauty for
weeks.— M. T. M., in Gardener^s Chronicle.

iSEW AiVI) KAPxE PRUITS.

AVestox Blackberry — We are ijidebted lor
a box of these berries to Adain Durkes, of Wes-
ton, Mo , with whom they originated. He says
'•They begin to ripen from the 20th to the 25th
of .July, and continue maturing until now, (Au-
gust 29th,) always enough to make picking an
object. I han^ tried other varieties, the Lawtou
and Xewman's, and to-da}', after many years of
experience, consider the Weston much more
])roductive." The berries came by mail, and
were too much bruised for us to judge of their
merits, but we hope to hear from them after an-
other year's trial. — Western Gardener.

to the drouth, it was not as large as before, and
since, the tree has been accidently destroyed.
The Massachusetts Horticultural Society sav in
their last report, — should it prove as good in
other locations as with Mr. Foster, it will be
worthy of the Society's iiighest premium for any
new fruit. Mr. J. F. C. Hyde, President Mass.
Hort. Society, says, "Such peaches would read-
ily bring twenty- five cents each in the Boston
market" Mr. Robert Manning of the Journal
of Ilorticidture, says, "It is in quality fully equal
to Crawford." One or two young trees have
borne the present season, and in appearance
came fully up to the original. — T. C. Tiiuulqw.

Foster Peach.— Originated with J. T. Fos-
ter of Medford, Mass. First illustrated in Til-
ton's Journal of Horticulture for November, 1867.
I have carefully examined the tree in bearing for
three years, and am free to say that I believe it
to be as hardy and productive as Early Cra»vford
(which it very much resembles) and more than
double that well known variety in size. Indeed
it is the lar(jCi>t peach of which I have any know-
ledge. At the exh'bition in 18G0, ow'ug probably

Ives' Blood Freestone.— A seedling raised
by Mr. John M. Ives, of Salem, who thinks ii
better than other ]51ood Peaches, bein" more
productive, and darker (almost black) to the
centre. His tree has borne heavily eacli season
for the last eight years, and the fruit has sold at
S8.00 per bushel for preserving. If scaldiu" water
is poured on the fruit, the skin can be easily
wii)ed off with a cloth.— T. C. Tiiurlow.

THE GARBE^'EWS MO.YTELJ, Decemher,

DOMESTIC IjN

BouvAEDiA Davisjnit.— We have before no-
ticed this beautiful plant in our magazine. It
was obtained by Mr. Davison from ]?. Hogarth.
As Ave understand, it was a branch of Hogarth
which produced a Avhite lloAver, and not a seed-
ling. which has seme interest in connection with
the cases of Trillium and "Wistaria recently no-
ticed. It is a remarkable fact that plants with
variegated leaves which originate as s{jorts from
green leaved ones, will not come true when raised
from root cuttings. A root cutting of a variegated
plant as far as we know, produces but green
leaved plants. It was supposed by some good
florists, that on the same principle root cuttings
of this Bouvardia might produce the original
Hogarth. This would be against its value, as
there is no Ivay to raise Bouvardias rapid-
ly except by roots. But we are pleased to say
we have now before us a specimen raised from a
root which has the white flow(^, so this ques-
tion is settled. The Bouvardias are amongst
the most valuable of our waiter flowering plants.
A good white will be particularly so. Mr. Dav-
ison we think has met with a little fortune in his
lucky accident.

TELLTGEIsCE.

whited sepulchres and graveyards to an orchard,
where there should be only the most vigorous
life, but also because in our observation, it makes
the bark hard, when it is wanted to be softened.
It should certainly be borne in mind that no tree
can bear fine and perfect fruit which will sell
well if it is unhealthy or unthrifty from any
cause. Vigorous, healthy life, constant thrift,
should be the watchword for fruit-trees ; and
this requires the most unremitting care of the *
fruit-grower. — Practical Farmer.

Washing the Bauk of Fruit-Tuees.— Xo
time should now should be lost in washing the
trunks of all fruit-trees with some solution to
soften the bark, destroy insects which harbor
under its rough surfoces, and thus enable it to
perform its office, admitting the descent of the
sap. Where it is scaly, hard, and impenetrable,
as we often see, especiall^/^ in old trees, this sap
is impeded in its course, and becomes congested ;
an unhealthy condition of the tree results, and
the fruit is knottj^ and imperfect. Insects also
are much more liable to attack both tree and
fruit in an unhealthy condition of the bark, or,
indeed, of any other of its important oi'ganisms.
Ob the farm no cheaper and more eftective re-
nietly is at hand than a mixture of equal propor-
tions of soft soap and lye. Ciivc one or two ap-
plications, according to circumstances, to tthe
body of the tree, as high as one can reach, and
to where the brandies fork. One pound of pot-
ash dissolved in a gallon of water will answer
the same pur[)Ose. Appl}- with a whitewash
brush, and in hard casus we have often used a
liand-scrub. The bark of a tree should be soft
and pHable, so as to Ijg easily indented with the
fmgcr-nail. Avoid whitewash in all cases, not
only as a matter of taste, conveying the idea of

Peaches in Hanging Baskets. — Mr. A. C.
Chamberlain, Brooklyrf, ]Sr. Y , has, the past
eight or ten yeai's, been experimenting in grow-
ing fruit trees — such as peaches, figs, nectarines,
&c..— in hanging baskets and pots. He plants a
a yearling tree in azincbasket, which is filled with
moss, which Mr. Chamberlain claims, has been
chemically prepared with the necessary elements
for the growth of the tree. These zinc baskets
are of various sizes— from six inches to a foot in
diameter. The moss rests on a perforated plate,
which fits into the kettle-shaped bottom of the
basket, two or three inches above the apex, thus
insuring a chamber into which there is drainage
without loss of virater. In some of the baskets a
funnel extends into the chamber, and the water
is supplied to it direct; but JNIr. Chamberlain
has found that dipping the basket in water once
or twice a day is equally as well for the plant.

The secret of success, it is claimed, lies in the
chemical compound or fertilizing material used.
That is Mr. C's secret. What that costs per pot
we don't know ; what it costs per tree to keep it
a year, we do not know, how muffl fruit a tree
will produce ani*ially after it commences fruiting,
we do not know. As a rare thing, as a fanc}', it
is not a bad one to grow peaches in pots in a
common plant house. They are kept in a deep
pit outside until wanted for forcing the fruit. It
is very nice to be able to hang over one's dining

table a basket of fiuit growing on a tree, a*id
pluck it fresh therefrom. That it can be done
Mr. C. has proved. That it can be made profit-
able to supply Iruit to tables in this way, is yet
to be cstablisheJ. — li. New Yorker.

A Mammoth Blackberry Enterprise.—
One of the most interesting calls we have made
this year, was to the gn-at Blackberry patch of
John S. Collins. The following from the Practi-
cal Farmer '^\\cs an excellent idea of things as
we saw tiiem:

Wc visited about the middle of the past month

1S70.

THE GARDEJVZR'S MO^'TIILY.

o t o

approaching but not quite at the height of the
picking, the large Blackberry patch of our
friend John S. Collins, near Merchantville, Xew
Jersey, about four miles fro;a Canidea. It
comprises 75 acres, ail planted in Blackberries,
and now bearing profus^jly, but far yet froui be-
ing up to its maximum production. Tliey were
planted mostly 3 and 4 years ago.

The day of our visit, 7,000 quarts had been
picked ; 14,000 quarts were fully expected the
daj' following, which would be a full day's work
for the hands employed, who, when we saw
them were quietl}' resting or lounging about
under the shade of trees, and recruiting for the
morrow — 7,000 quarts being about half a day's
work. A visitor to this patch would at once be
patisfied, that there is many a homely adage less
truthful than the very trite one, "as plenty as
Blackberries." Here were 75 acres occupied
with nothing else than Blackberry plants —
thousands of. the bushes bending nearly to the
ground under their weight of fruit. The rows
were 8| feet apart, and the plants 4 to 4| in the
rows. The tillage had been excellent, no weeds
at all to be seen, for the simple reason, we pre-
sumed, without asking the question, that the

with 14,030 quarts, make the round little sum c^f

S2,800 for one day's picking. Can the muUen

grower show as large a record ?

One of the most interesting features of the

business, to ua, was tlie quiet, thorough and
systematic manner in which everything was
done. Each row bid a marked stake at the
end. Hand A undertakes to pick rows 55 and
50, — was so marked by the clerk in his book —
and they were required to pick them clean, an I
to go back if they were not so. The price paid
for picking was 1^ cents per quart, and a con-
stant supervision being exercised over the work,
the hands soon discovered it was easier to pick
a row thoroughly than to hive to go back. Very
few cases occur where they are continually
careless as to require to be discharged. The
average is 100 to 150 quarts per day to each
hand, but the}'' sometimes run up to 200 quarts

per day.

While a harvest was being evidently reached

by the intelligent and far seeing projector of this
Blackberry patch, it was also no less a Black-
berry festival for the hands emplo3'^ed. Ou en-
quiry where they were from, we were surprise 1
to find them to have come m:>stly from that

berries brought a better price in the market than 1 aristocratic (V) portion of Philadelphia, Balfova.

street. Is it possible, thought we, thus to utilize
Bedford street. Here wei-e one to two hundred

weeds, and the proprietor being essentially a
practical man, had given the strength of the soil
and the labor of cultivation to the crop which
brought in the most money. People's mental
organizations differ widely, as also their reason-
ing processes and conclusions. This was indi-
cated by a tield adjoining the Blackberries. where
the owner had evidently concluded, that the
crop /or Mm to ratse was raallens. AVe have
seen no muUen crop equal to them this season,
and think we never saw a better one anywhere.
They had grown six feet high, without any »x-
pense of cultivation. The inference we drew
was, that a muUai soil was also favorable for

Blacl-berries.

By far the largest portion of the Blackberries

were the variety known as Wilson's Early.
This seedling, of a few years since, ranks in
importance with the Philadelphia Raspberry. It
is the best blackberry out, has been tested tho-
roughly, differs from the Lawton in being ripe
when black, is of good size, melting and juicy,
which with its earliness, being the first in the
market and treading closely on tlie heels of the
Raspberry crop, always secures the best price.

J. S. Collins was receiving 20 cents per quart,
wholesale price, at the time of our visit, which,

hands employed, of what is known as the very
scum of creation, men with their wives and
children, gathered about in clumps; and in pass-
ing among them, we did not hear a profime or
improper word, all quiet and orderly. The
change from damp and crowded cellars and filthy
dens and alleys, to the green grass and pure air
and beautiful trees of the country, where all
nature wJis pleasant, and tlfe birds sang merrily,
most evidently imprcs.sed, and reached the latent
spark of these depraved specimens of humanity.
As they stay over the Sabbath, tohat a place
and an opportunity for those rightly qualified to
five reliLrious labor for operating on such a class.

As the filled boxesare In'oughtupto the clerk,
3-ct. or a larger denomination of tickets are
given out, which are always good for the money
whenever asked for. The ticket system undoubt-
edly induces them to save till toward the end of
the season.

A large open shed is erected, with rough ta-
bles and benfllies, which may be called the res-
taurant, where plain meals arc cooked, and pro-
visions sold, of ccnirse with the entire absence- of
intoxicating liquors. The barff as well as »han-

S7If

THE GARDEJVEIt'S MOJVTHLY,

Decemhe

ties erpctcd about, arc used to lodge in ; anri

■<here can be no doubt the hands return, when

the season is over, improved in mind, body and

estate. We think tliose who have charge of

large* pauper population of great cities might de-
rive a valuable hint from what may be seen at
such a place as Collins' Blackber}' pickings, and
of how a refuse population can bo utilized.

FOEEIGN INTELLIGETsCE.

Pelakgoniums— It is now impossible to de-
termine the parentage of the Show and Fancy
Pelargoniums. In Sweet's time a great many
hybrids were figured and described by him and
others as garden varieties, and it is from those
hybrids that our present race of cross-breds have
sprung. P. cordatum is certainly not unlike
many of the Fancy section, and P. cucuUatum
some of the Show kinds, but we know nothing
positive. Pelargonium zonale is a distinct
species cultivated in botanical collections, and it
is not unlikely that the species you have from
South Africa may be it. We think your pro-
posed crossing will give some curious results if
it should prove successful, which we very much
question, It is, however, well worth trial. —
Cottage. Gardeiier.

How TO Propagate BEft)DiNG Geraniums.
— The most general cause of f^xilure in propaga-
ting bedding geraniums is over-attention. The
cuttings are put thickly into pots, and then placed
in a frame, shut up close, and sprinkled overhead
once or tAvicc daily, and then results of the system
are the loss of about two-thirds of the cuttings
from "damping off. '' Instead of all this fuss
and trouble, prepf^e the cuttings in^ ihe usual
way, dibble them rather thickly together in a
warm sunny border in the open air, and then
either leave them alone until they are rooted, or
at the most sprinkle them overhead about once
a week. When rooted, they can be taken up and
potted in wiiatever way is the most convenient.
The simplest and a very desirable way of potting
them up for the winter, is to put three cuttings
in a three-inch pot, and then they can be potted
off .singly some time in cither February or March.
When potted singly in the autumn, the whole of
the nourishment in the soil is exhausted before
the i)lanting out time, and the growth is, as a
matter ofcour.se, brought to a standstill; but by
managing them as here advised they coqtinue to
make stt ad}' pug^jrcss throughout the .season, and

start away freely when put out in the beds.
When pressed for time, I have the cuttings put
in small pots, three in each, and placed close to-
gether upon abed of ashes in the open air. This
plan saves the labor of potting up the cuttings
when rooted, but it is very seldom that such a
larg3 percentage will strike as when put out in
the border. Take them up with a fork immedi-
ately the roots are about half an inch in length,
or as soon as possible. — Gardener''s Weekly.

EosES for FoRCnsTG. — No flower is more
pojuilar or more useful than the Rose, Avhether
as standards by the sides of promenades, in beds
or masses, festooned about pillars, or enlivening
the conservatory in the depth of winter. For all
these purposes Roses demand a considerable
share of attention, especially at this period.
Budding, cutting-striking, final potting, &c.,
are processes of paramount importance at the
present moment. The Hybrid Perpetuals, Teas,
Bourbons, and Chinas are the most eligible
classes from which to select kinds for pot culture.
The following are good old kinds for a winter
collection on account of their general utility: —
Devoniensis, Cramoisie Superieure, La Pactolc,
Caroline, Elise Sauvage, Comte d'Eu, Coupe
d'Hebe, Prince d'Esterhazy, William Jesse,
rrincess Maria. Clara Sylvain, Aubernon, La
Reine, Madame Laffaj*, Duchess of Sutherland,
Earl Talbot, Belle de Florence, Bourbon Queen,
and Crimson Perpetual. The Persian Yellow
and Ilarrisoni have also been found to force very
well. — London Journal of Ilorticullure.

Si'OXTANEOUS Gexeratiox. — Dr. Bastian
in " Nature " thus sums up the substance of a
paper on this subject :

" My principle objects in this paper have been
to show : —

" 1. That there is a strong a priori probability
in favor of the possibility of the occurrence of the

J870.

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJ^THLl.

375

heteroijenoiis evolution of livini^ things, and that
the most reliable scientific data whicli we possess
do, in fact, fully entitle us to believe in this as a
possibility.

"2. That microscopical investiiration, whilst
it teaches us as much concernina; the mode of
origination of the lowest organisms as it does
concerning the mode of origin of crystals, enables
us to watch all the steps of various processes of
heterogenous evolution of slightly higher organ-
isms, such as may be seen taking yflace in a
pellicle on a fluid containing organic matter in
solution.

" 3. That the kinds of organisms which have
been shown to be destroyed by a temperature of
100' C. may be obtained in organic fluids, either
acid or alkaline, which, whilst enclosed within
hermetically sealed and airless flasks, had been
submitted not only to such a tempei'ature but
even to one varying between 146' and 153' C.
for four hours.

"4. That a new and direct evolution of organ-
izable compounds may, in all probability, be ca-
pable of arising, sometimes by isomeric transfor-
mation of the atomic constituents of a single
saline substance, such as tartrate of ammonia,
and sometimes by the re-arrangement of the ato-
mic constituents belonging to two or more saline
'substances existing together in solution. It is
not only supposed that this may occur, but that
even living things may be subsequently evolved
therefrom, when the solutions have been exposed,
as before, in airless and hermetically sealed flasks
\o a temperatu|^ of 146 to 153' C. for four hours

" On account of this a priori probability, and
in the face of this evidence, I am, therefore, con-
tent, and as I think justified in believing that
living things may and do arise de novo. Such a
belief necessarily carries with it a rejection of M.
Pasteur's Theory of Putrefaction, and of the
so-called 'Germ Theorv of Disease.' "

Small Coxservatokies in the vicinity of
large towns are seldom s*en in a satisfactory
condition, simply because their owners attempt
to'grow plants which they have neither the time
nor the skill to cultivate properly. These struc-
tures are generally furnished with a stage in the
centre, filled with a lot of sofc-wooded stufl", sel-
dom, if ever, in a healthy state. Enter them
when you will, the majority of the plants are iu
a sickly condition through a want of sufficient
air, water, or space for the development of the

roots. This state of things is not by any means
an evidence of either ignorance or wilful neglect.*
especially in the eyes of those who know the
amount of labor and attention necessary to keep
a houseful of plants in small pots in health-
Where their owners are employed in business
■from early in the morning until late in the even-
ing, it is impossible to give the plants the atten-
tion they require, even supposing they possess
the necessary knowledge for managing them.
Indeed, when we consider the expense attached
to the possession of these little houses, there is
no occasion for wonder when we see the plants
cleared out to make way for lumber, or to enable
the house to be used as a smoking room.

Pot plants are very well in conservatories ; in-
deed, indispensable, where they must be kept
gay with flowermg plants throughout the year,
and where there are other houses for the purpose
of maintaining successional supplies ; but where
there are no other houses, and the owner is away
from home during the day, noihing ought to be
grown in them but plants that thrive satisftic-
torily when out in a bed of soil This brings us
to the remedy, which is as simple as it is effec-
tual, and we feel assured its general adoption
would be attended with beneficial results. There
are a vast number of plants, both flowering and
ornamental-leaved, which quite equal in beauty
and effectiveness those that can be grown in pots.
It is not necessary for us to go into detail.^
here ; therefore we will content ourselves witli
mentioning the camellias, rhododendrons, and
acacias amongst flowering plants and aralias,
ficuses, dracrenas, tree ferns, and palms amongst
plants remarkable for their ornamental leafage,
which are eminently adapted for this purpos
In addition to these, there are a number of plants
of a scandent habit which, when planted out in
a bed of good soil, grow freely and flower almost
perpetually ; in f\xct, in a manner unknown to
those who have been accustomed all their lives

to plants grown in pots..
To carry out the reform here suggested, a

heavy expense is by no means neces.sary, because,
excepting the purchase of the plants, the forma-
tion of a bed of turfy loam, either in the centre
or around the sides of tlie house, is all that is
necessary. The bed for the reception of the
plants should be about three feet in depth, and
have a layer of brickbats underneath, to prevent
the soil becoming sour from stagnant moisture.
Tt is of no consequence whatever, so far as the
growth of the plant is concerned, wlicther the

S76

TEE GARDEJVER'S MONTHLY. Deceniher,

bed is above or below the floor of the house ; but,
#br appearance-jako, it is well that it should not
exceed 12 inches above the level. Plants put out
in a bed of this kind would virtually take care of
themselves, as a good soaking of water once a
week would be quite sullicient during the sum-
mer months ; and, of course, during other seasons-
of the year, once a fortnight, or even once a
month, will be ample. Indeed, with the excep-
tion of an occasional skiff with the syringe, to

keep the foliage free from dust, and the necessary
attention to air-giving, the plants will be able to
take care of themselves, and there will be no
occasion to fear, when returning home in the
evening, that the}'^ will be half dead for the want
of water, as must be the case with soft-wooded
stufl' grown in small pots. We call attention to
this subject now because the present season of
the year affords a good opportunity for making
the necessary alterations. — Gardener's Weekly.

HOETICUTURAL NOTICES.

pex:n:a. fruit growers' society.

The Annual Meeting of this Society will con-
vene in Chambersburg, Pa., January 18th, 1871,
It is confidently expected that this session will
prove of unusual interest to every fruit-grower,
and all desiring the advancement of Horticul-
ture are invited to attend. Addresses will be
delivered by Win. Parry, of N". J., Dr. J. S.
Houghton of Philadelphia, and E. Satterthwait
of Montgomery Co., in addition to the annual
address of the President. Persons having fine
specimens of fruit, are invited to exhibit speci-
mens of the same.

ax:n"ual meeting of the ohio
iiorticultujial society.

The Annual Meeting of this Society will be
held at Urbana, on Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday, Dec. 7th, 8th and 9th, 1870, in accord-
ance with the invitation of the citizens of that
place, and a cordial invitation is extended to all
persons interested in Horticulture to attend the
meeting and take part in the discussions. The
past season has boen quite a remarkable one,
and many new facts and observations of practi-
cal interest will no doubt be presented wilh sug-
gestions for future improvement ; hence a, large
attendance is desirable, and it is hoped that
members will come prepared to staj' the whole
time, and to contribute the results of their expe-
rience or observation on the topics discussed.
The programme will be somewhat as follows :

Wedxe.sday Forexoox— Informal meeting
for arranging fruits for exhibition, &e.

Afternoon Session will be occupied by appoint-
ing committees and hearing ad-interim reports.

Ji'rcniTjgr— Address of Welcome by a citizen of
Urbana, and the Annual Address of the Presi-

dent of the Society ; Report of Nominating Com-
mittee and election of officers.

Thursday Morning— Reports, &c., follow-
ed by an essay or address on Esthetic Horticul-
ture; the advance of the Art— its influence on
Agriculture and Rural Life, Followed by dis-
cussions.

Afternoon Session — Essays or remarks on Prac-
tical Horticulture ; The Garden — The Farmer's
Garden — The Orchard. Followed by discussions.

Evening Session — Reports of Committees. New
or rare fruits and vegetables presented and dis-
cussed. Essay or remarks on the Vine and its*
culture ; discussion on new varieties of Grapes.

Friday Morning— Reports and resolutions;
Essays on Small Fruits,their influence on health;
culture and management ; marketing the sur-
plus ; discussion on varieties. •

Afternoon Session — Miscellaneous matters ;
unfinished business ; concluding resolutions ;
adjournment.

Persons having new or rare fruits which they
desire to have examined by the Society and no-
ticed in the reports, are requested to bring or
send specimens to the meeting. Packages from
these who cannot attend may be sent by Express
at the Expense of the Society, directed to the
Secretary, or J. D. Kirkpatrick, Urbana.

Bail Beads — The Dayton and Sandusky line,
and the Cleveland and Indianapolis line (to Bel-
lefontainc) will favor the Society with a reduction
of fare to persons attending the meeting.

Mcmhers of the Society who do not attend the
mcoting, and wish to continue their names on
the roll, arc requested to remit the annual fee
(SI) to Dr. J. W. Dunham, Collamcr, O , Treas-
urer, or to the Secretary, M. B. Bateiiam,

J. A. AVarder, President.

THE GARBEJVEE'S MO j\ TEL J.

INDEX.-VOL. XII.

About Herbariums, 2:?S
" Honeysuckles, 209
" Phlox DrnmmoncUi and

other thins;*, 73
" Priiuins. US
" Riispberries, 71
" the Poasle Tree, 282
" About Waterins:, 3:^7
Achyrocline Saiimlerson', 61
Adiantuin Sessifolinm, 279
A?ave Pasyllroides. fiO
Ageratnm "Imperial Dwarf,"

Charter's, 280
Agricultural Department. The

Botanist of the, 34^
Agricultural Land, the Art of

V.Hhiinpr. 27
Agricultural, a new Power in. 309
" Report, rommis-

sioner, ISRS. 87
Ailanthus, Female, 2a

" Tree, uses of the, 24

Alarm. Boyle's Temperature, 86
AUtha Grape. .311
Alocasift .Tenningsi, (.\raceaB), 61
AloeCroucheri, 121
Alpiae Crosses, Col.Wilder'R, 117
" Strawberries, 16. 138. 167
" " CultiTation

of, 4ft
" " Improvement

of, 14
Althea, OoM en-leaved, 172
Alvey Grapp in Virginia, the.342
Amateur and Market Fruits, 86
Ambrosia Arff-me^i.-efulia, T.aw
of DerMopraentin Flow-
ers of, 142
Arae'-ican Chestnnt. the. 26.7
" F.ntomoloeist, the, 344
" Flowers. Oigantic, 253

" Gardening, 241

" Holly, Legend of, 247

" Judas Tree, Cercis Ca-
nadensis, 250
'■■ Lawn Mower. 1'3
" NatnralivtforMar. 12^

" PoMologicalSoc'ty,3".2
" " " Pro-

ceedings of the 12th
Session, 122
" Potatoes. 28
" Sweet Chestnut, the,
26R
Anemone Flowered Potunian. 220
" Japonica as a Decora-

tive Plant, the, 224
An'.malcnia}, and Monld or Fun-

ei, about, 13(5
Animation Petunia. 220

Suspend.d. 126
Annual Meetine of the Ohio Hor-
ticultural Society. .376
Answer on "New Grapes, What
shall I do with them?"
260
Antignum Loptopus. 187
Ants and Chineal from Orange
Trees to exterminate, 28.1
Apple, Baldwin in New Hamp-
shiro. the, 2-3
" >'en Davis. 187
" Campbell, the, 24
" Crop of Penna , the, 282
" Fallowater. the. .07
" French Mealy, 276 '

Apple, Germantown, 22
Hatchei, l.J7
" Ilutchinsou. 00
" Kinnaird's Choice, \->l
" Kocber. no
" Leaf's Lady. 1.58
" Maneau, the, 310
" McAfee's Nonsuch, 1.5S
" Missouri Pippin, 157
" Monte Bello. fiS
" Paoli, the, 183
" Pcnnock, 179
" Princely, 23
" Rambo, 17S
" Rasche. the, 90
" Rawles" Janet, 182
" Sherman Sweet, 210
" Shoots, FuDgus in, .^4
' Sour.-indSweet,tho,68,lS2
" Tetofski, 156
" Trees, Disease in, 181
" Warfield. the, 156
" Westbrook or Speckled,

57
" White Northern Spy, the

210
" Willow Twig, 284
" Wriglpy, 60

Apples and Pears, Budding, 212
" Fall, in Kentucky, 221
■' f(U" Mississippi. 240
" for Southern Virginia. 118
" from Denton, Md., 342
" in Kentucky. 188
" Late Flowering, 178
" Marenso Siberian Winter

Crabs, 156
" near .MinneapoliB, Min-
nesota, 251
" Now, 184

" on the Pernmmon, Graft-
ing, 17
" Reliance and Northern

Blush. 219
" Summer, for Ky., 221
" Sweet and Sour. .5t
' ' two new Tennessee, 157
« Winter, for Kentucky,221
" Wintering. 337
j " Varviug from Seed, 214
'Aralia Veitchi, 279

Arboretum at Chilicothe, Ohio,
244, 268

Archduke Cherry, the, 90

Archives of Science. 247

Arctic Peach, the, 156

.\scent, the Sap's. 117

Ash, the Blue. 120

Asimina Triloba, .340

Asparagus, Large, 182

A.ssamTea, 29

Ancuba, Varieties »f, 81

A>i«tralia, Grass Tree of. 349

Australian Trees, Big, .307

.Authority on Strawberries, the
218

Autumn, 260

A/.alea, Indica Maximilien, 220

Azaleas at the Horticultural So-
ciety, L54
" Belgian, (with plate),240

Baldwin .\pple in Vew Hnmp-

HJilre. the, 23
Balsam Flower, doubling the, 200
" the. 272

Banana Strawberry, the, 279

liarclayanas, 178

Bark of Fruit Trees, Washing the,

.372
Bark, Papaw, 120
Barnes' Mammoth Strawberry,
1.5G
" Theory of Culture. 9^
Barry's Mr . Paper on Lawns,

369
Bayne, Dr. JohnH., Death of, 346
Beautiful Blooming Shrubbery,
263
" Flower Picture, A. 368
Trees, 234

" and Shrubs, 141,
172. 295
Beef Eating Fly-trap. 234
Bees in Borneo and Timor, 139

" on Raspberries, 151
Bedding Plauts, Kssay on, 107

" in England, 252
Begonia Evansiana, .3.'34
Befgian Azaleas, (with plate), 240
Ben Davis Apple, 137
Berberis nepalensis. 253
Best Strawberries, the, 116
Beurre d'Anjou Pe.ar, the, 125
Big Trees, 264
Birds on Peas, 153
jBisselt, James, Death of. 154
Blackberries and Raspberries,
Hardiness of Pruned,
335
Blackberry, Duncan's Fall, 311
" Enterprise, A Mam-

moth, .372
" Raspberry i Straw-

berry Seed, 277
" Missouri Mammoth,

118
" Western Triumph,

the, 158
" Weston, 371

Black Dam.ascus Grape, the, 184
" Hamburg Grapes in

Ground Vineries, Culti-
vation of, 139
\ *' Hamburgs from the Open
Air, 308
" Knots in Plnm Tree», .55
Bliss h Sons. Grape Show at, 277
Blue Ash, the. 120
Boiler, Small, for Propagating-

bonse, 20
Books of Reference for Nursery-
men, 121
Boston, Hail Storm at, 276

" Hovey's Seedling at, 281
" Vineland Peaches to, 125
Botanical Kxplorations in East
Tennessee, 2.36
" Explorations in Neva-
da. ISl
" Gardens and Collec-
tions, Value of, 24.5
Botanist, a good, 1,50

" Leonardo dl Vinci, as a

287
" of the Agricultural De-
partment, the, 343
Botany of Cuba and Texas, the,
343
" Stndv of, 283
Bouvardia, Davlsonll, 312, ,372
" Ja'<mininora ami

LongI flora. 2.53
" Vrotdandlf, 303

Bouvardias, Seedling, 20
Box of Violets, a, ISO
Boyden, Seth, Dsiith of. 154
Boyle's Temperature .\larm, 86
Brandy from Reindeer M'>ss, G2

" " Tomatoes, 153

Bread, Willow, 235
Brice Pear, .307

Bridgeman, Mr., Seeds from, 121
Brief Notes, 342
Brompton Stock, 167
Broom Fibre, 61
Bucks Co. Intelligencer. Doyles-

town. Pa., 370
Budding Apples and Pears, 212
BuUum Pear, the. 116
Bug, the Mealy, 189
Buisfs, Mr. R.,~ Article. 244
Bulb, a Summer Blooming, 201
Bulbs, Gladiolus, 115

Cabbage Show, 2SS
Caladium Esculentum as a Vege-
table, 202
Caladiums in the Open Ground,

303
Calendars, Garden, 59
California Fnjits compared with
Eastern, 43
" Grape Culture iu, 126

" Peach Orchariis of,2.jO

" Rare Trees in, 172

" Small Frutsin, 281

" the Evergreens of, 1:)6

" the Great Tree of, 124

" Visit of the Eastern

Horticulturists to,
283
Callousing of Rose', 213
Camellia Culture. 115

" Jenny Li nd, 280
Campbell Apple, the, 24
Canada, Pear Culture in, 25
Care and Keeping of a Lawn,' 323
Caragana Jubata, 313
Carnations, Seedling, 152
Carpenter, Mrs. Geo. W., Green-
houses of, 46
Carpet Chamomile, the, 280
Catalogue, Dudley & Merrill, 87
Catalogues, 278

" Nursery, 88

'' Received. 310

Causes of Suckering of Trees, 307
Cedar, Deodar. 151, ,360
" of Lebanon,. 329
" the White, 19
Celery, 28
Cellular Tissue In the Paulownia

1.38
Cemeteries and Cemetery Plants

208, 242
Cemetery Trees and Sbrnbs,
Centaurea Ragusina. 190
Gercis Canadensis, 307

" " or American

Judas Tree, '250
Chamomile, the C»rpet, '-'SO
Chaste Tree, the, 270. .308
Charter's .\geratum "Imperial

Dwarf," 280
Cheatham A Clement at Nash-
ville, Nurseries of, l.'j9
Cherokee Bo^e, the. 2'J).
Cherry, Archduke, the. 90

'• Crop, the Morello, 251

THE GARDEJVER'S MOJiTELY,

Cherry, Hybrid, of Utih, 279
" Jerusalem, 19
" Orchard, a flue, 231
" Stocks, 211
Cherries as Single Vertical Cor-
dons, 31
" in the West, 1S8
" New, 283
Chestnut Hill, 73

" the Americaa, 265
" " Sweet,

(illustration), 266
Chicago, Parks of, 119
Chilicotbe, Ohio, Arboretum at,

244, 26S,
Chinese Quiacs, 57
" Sand Pear, 70
" Teas, 29

" Yam as an Ornamental
Plant, 116
Chlorophyll, Morements of, 223
Chrysanthemum, an Everbloom

ing, 340
Choke Cherry Stocks, 281
City Parks and Gardens, Rliodo
dendron Catawbiense
for, 2o6
Classes of Roses, 17
Clematis flammula, Defective

Flowers, SOS
Climate for Fruits, 17S
Climbers, Evergreen, 54

'• Greenhouse, Culture

of, 30
" Hanly. 93
" l.oaf, 301
Climbing Plants, 3S, 300, 329
" " as Helps to

Home Adornment, 361
" Vines not a Pleasure
only, but a Necessity,
362
Cliveden Yellow Pansy, 313
Coboea Peuduliflora, 186
Cockchafer. Larva of the, 2S7
Colman's Rural World, 156
Cold Grapery, .58
" Winter, 56
Color, Change of. in Flowers, 267
of a Rose. Changing tbe,201
Colored Plates, our, 308

" next, 14
Colors varying in the same Plant

210
Communications, 56, 244
Compass Plant, The, 360
Compound, Vitalized, US
Coniferse, Report on the R»cional
and llypsometrical dis-
tribution ofthe, 160
Conifers, Manure for, 222.
Conditions favorable to Pear

Growing, 137
Conservatories, S'nall. 375
Construction of Plant Houses, 19
Contagious Diseases among

Plants, 109
Cool Soil. 152

" Surface for Fruit Trees a,SO
Corn Cobs, ini

Corres|>oudenee, Mr. Hoopeg',180
Cotoneaster Simoudsii, 371
Country Fairs, 347 j

" Gentleman, the, lo5 j
" Life is full of Embel-i
lishment, 362
Courtesies. Editorial, .')3
Covering old Stumps. 118
Cranberry Culture. 246
Crassula lactea, 2.')2
Crataegus Cordata, IS
Credit to Ileinb and Homo, 101
Crops at Rochester, N.Y.. 24'> j
Cross Fertilization and tlio Law'
of Sex in Euphorbia,
262
Crossed Wheat, 54
Crosses, Col. Wildor's Ali>ino,]17
Crystal Palace, Mr. Paul's Exlii-
bitioa of Pot Hoses at,
2Sa
Cultivation of Alpine Strawber-
ries. 4T
" of Strawberries la

Egypt, 30

Cultivators, Hand, 8)
Culture, Barnes' Theory of, 92
" of Greenhouse Climbers,

30
'• of the Large Flowered, or
Show Pelargoniums,
348
" Orchard, 357
" Peach, 12,'')
" Pear, 119,150
" " in Canada, 25

" " once more. 44

" Successful Pear, 13
" Tomato, 117
Curculio, Destroying the, 329
'• Extermination Possi-
ble, 21)3
" Knocking the, 216
" the, 212
Curious Movement in the Flowers
of Genista Tinctoria,
121
entrants, Utah, 120, 277
Cut Flowers, Demand for 20
Cuttings, Old, 1;>0

" Potatoes from, 106
Cyanophyllum m.agnitlcum,

Treatment, 32
Cyclamens Persicum, 252
Cyclamens, 31
Cypripedium, 150

" Dcminianum, 279

Dahlia Imperialis, 188
Daisy, Red Rover, 151
Dalechampia Roezleana rosea

flulture, 3'il
D.amages, Express, 2S3
Danville, NY., Peach from, 348
Darwin's Theory of Fertilization
through Insect Agen-
cy, on Objections tc,
298
Davison's Thornless Raspberry,

27S
Death of a Grape Vine, 116

" Maryland Horticultu-

rist. 346
" Elias Diffenbaugh, 154
" James Bissett, 154
Seth Boyden, 154
Decorations, Window, 282
Decorative Plants, the Anemone

Japonica, as a, 224
Demand for Cut Flowers, 20
Deadrobiura Mobile, 12i>
Denton, Md., Apples from 342
Deodar Cedar, 151, 369
l)e-.i>{as for Flowi-r Beds, 151
Desmodium Pendula folium, 220
Destroying the Curculio, 329
Detroit Grape, the, 345
Developments, Law of. in the
Flowers of Ambrosia
artomisiicfolia. 142
Diffenbaclii Bowmaui, 279
DtUiculties. Labor, 2(i3
Dion;e i Article, the, 215,
Dioscorea, the Round Tubered,45
Dioscoreas, Photographs of Bound

Tube red, 54
Disease, Grape, 200

'' in Apple Trees, 181
" Pears, 3 41

" Tulip Trees, 312

" . on Pine Trees. 153
Diseases, Contagious, among
Plants. 109
" Fungoid, Theory of,213
" of Plants. 110
Dogs and Cats, Filthy, 31
Dogwooil, Gunpowder, 8a
Double Geraniums, 244, 276
" Lilac. 185
" Petunias, Raising, 126
Doubling the lUlsam Flower,200
Downing, Charles, 125
l)raca;na Propagatioa, 351
Drawing Visitors, 84
Dreer's Nursery, Vinclandand,204

" Seed Farm, 211
I Drought and Grape Cullur(^ 272
I Dryness of Soil, an Aid to the Ri-

pening of Wood in Trees, Plants,

&c., .331
Dubuque, Iowa. Gardeningat.lSl
Duchesse de Bordeaux Pear, CO

" Pear, Pitraastou, 91
Duncan's Fall Blackberry, 311
Duration, Tomato, 19
Duties on Seeds, 368
Dwarf Pears, 53
Dwarfs on Quince for Ky., 221

Karth Temperature, 261

Early Peas. S3

Eastern Fruits Comparpd with

California, 43
East Tennessee. Botanical

Explorations in. 236
Rilitinar, Horticultural. 275
Editorial Courtesies. .53
Egypt, Cultivation of Strawber-
ries in, 31
Elder Tree. the. 141
Elizabeth Kaspberry, 279
Ellisdale Raspberry, 157, 278
Embellishraeut, Country Life is

■ full of, 362
Embryonic, Inarching, 207
Enemies of the Rose. 233
England, Beddiug Plants in, 252
Frost in, 30S
" Pineapples in. 316
" President Wilder in,27-t
English Floral Works, .54
Ealarging and Keeping Pansieg,

200
Entomologist, the, 184
Euville Park, Mr. Taplin of, 152
Eranthemum Andersuni, 89

Elegans, 371
Rrgot, 244
Errata. 153
Espiritus sancto, 245
Essay on Roses, 277
Eumelan Grape, the. 22, 248
Eupatorium gracile odoratum.2.51
Eupliorbia, Law of Sex in, and

Cro.'s Fertilization, 262
Europe, Parks aud Gardens of,.340
Evergreen Climbers, 54
Evergreens of California, the, 196
" Propairating, 179

" Rocky Mountain. 369

Exchanges, our Religious, 342
Excursionists, Pomological, 217
Exhibition, Pot Roses for, 350

" Roses in Pots for. 231

Exhibitions. Horticultural. 306
Kxperiment, Interesting, 1.59
Experitneals on Fruit Trees, 72
Express Damages, 283

Failure of Pears, 273
Fairmjunt Park, Pliilad'a, Trees

and Shrubs at, 199
Fairs, County. 347
Fall Ajiples for Kentucky, 221
Fallowater Apple, the. 57
Farm Dwellings, Lawns for, 327
Fasciation. the Law of, and its
R'^latiou to Sox in
Plants, .3.32
Female .\ilanthus, 20
Fern Cabinnf, Dr. Jack's, 310
Fib^r, Broom, 61
Yucca. 2:»7
Filthy Dogs aud Cats, 31
Floral Hints, 200

" Works, English, 51
Florida. Peaches in, 249
Fl<)rist. a Visit amoug the, 144
Flower, a Good White Winter,79,
106
" Beds. Designs for, 151
" Garden and I'leasure

grounds. 1. :ii, 65. 97,
139, 161, 193,225,257,
289, 321, 353
" Picture. A beautiful. 368
" Trade of St. Louis. 325
Flowering Plant, the Smallest
known, 27li

Flowers, Change of Color in, 267
Cut, Demand for. 20
" Di^feetive, Clematis
fiammula, 30i
Flowers Injured by Frost, 222
" Ambrosia Artemisisefolia
Law of Development
in the, 142
" Underground, 285
" Windiiw, S2
Fly Trap, Beef Eating, 234
Forcing, IBest Strawberries for, 21 6
" Fruits and Vegetables.

323
" Hale's Early Peach for,

152
" Roses for, 374
Foreign and Native Raspberries,
295
" Grapes, 201
" " in the Open Air,

118
Forest Trees of X. W. America.
Report of the Distri-
bution of, Ac, 191
Foster Peach. 371
France, ILishroom Culture in,29

" Tomatoes in, 30
French Gardening and the War,
309
" Mealy Apple, 276
Frost & Co.'s Catalogue, 122
" Flowers injured by, 222
" in Seeds, Action of, 57
Frosts in England, 303
Fruit Crop, the Season and tlie,174
" Farm, Mark Miller's, 61
" Garden, 35, 67. 9S, 1?0, 162,

192,226, 251. 29H. 322
" Growers' Convention, West-
ern MicbigAn, 128
" Growers' Society of Ontario,

Canada, 2S8
" Growers' Society of Penna.,

32, 95, 374
" Growing, 12, 317
•' '• Successful, 49

' Prospects in Xcw Jersey,lSl
" Thinning, 125
" Trees, a Cool Surface for, 80
■' " and Fungi, 36
" " Experiments on, 72
Fruits, 3.59

" Amateutand Market, S6
•' aud Vegetables, Forcing,

323
" California, Compared with

Eastern, 43
" Climate, fo'-, 178
" for Kentucky, 221
" in Wisconsin, Notes on,47
" Wiscoasiu, 249
Fuchsia Coccinea, 121
" Rose of Castile, 62
the. 46
Fungi, Fruit Trees and, 36

" or .Mould, and Auimalcu-
la. about. 136
Fungoid, Theory of Diseases, 213
Fungus on Apple Shoots, 34
" Uses of, 251

Garden of W. Penfield, near

Cleveland. Ohio, 248
Gardener's Monthly. Subscrip-
tions to the, 55
Gardeners, Wages of. 150
Gardener, the Western, 217
Gardening, .■\merican, 241

•' at Dubuque, Iowa,181

" in .Michigan. 343

" In Mississippi, 25

" Laodscape, S, 114

Generation, Spontaneous, 374
General Negley Raspberry, 278
Gouova Horticultural Society, 127
217
" Nurseries, 119
Genista Tinctora, Curious Move-
ment in the Flowers of
121
Gesnera Exoniensis, 312
Geranium Italia unita, 346

THE GARDEjYER'S MO.YTHLI.

Oeraninra, Seedliog, 120
OeiHDiums, Double, 244, 276

" How to Propagate

BfddiTip, S74
Xow, 31-2
" AVinterins inMoss,1.31

■ Germantown Apple, VJ'J

" Telegrajih, the, 155

Gerrardautlius Portenliisiis, (iO
Gigantic Aniericaii Flow eis, "i j3
Gilliliower, the, b7
Uladiolua Biiil>!i, 113

" crueutus, 124

Glass, Peaches uuder, 13
tJloxinia Alice, 279
GnaphaliuDi tonientosus, 61
Godwinia gi)ra«, 1S6
Goldeu- leaved Allhoa, 172

'• Thornless Kaspberry, 1S4
" Variegations, S(j
Gooseberry, S'ictoria. 156
Gooseberries, Kaising, 81
Graft Hybrids, 154
Grafting, 21(5

Apples on the Persimon,
17
" Lemon Treos, 274
" Potatoes to Get JNew Va-
rieties, 26
" Winter, 20
Grain, Smut in, 222
Grape Culture at Erie, 123

Drought and, 272
" in California, 126
" in Texas, 11
" Althea, 311

" Alvi'v, in Virginia, the,342
" ]5lack Damascus, the, 184
". Detroit, the, 345
"" Diseases, 299
" >;umelan, the, 22, 24b
" Good White, 178
" Growtrs' Association, the

i^akft Shore, 12S
« Hartford Prolific, 276
" Ives, the, 1S2
■' Matthew's iSo. 13, 15S
" ^ew, fr.ini Mr. Campbell,
of Delaware, Ohio, 345
" Show at Messrs. Bliss &

Sons, 277
" Stems, Koots from, 244
" Vine, a Lar^-e, 249
" •• an Old, 91

" Death of a, 116
" " Insect, 309
" " Insects, InjurionB to

the, 292
" " Insects on, 277

" " Pruning the, 177

" '• Tenilrils 217

" " Tree Culture of the,
271
Grapery. Cold, 5S
Grapes, 2'i4

" Black TTambnrg in Gronnd
Vineries, CuUivation of
130
" Black Hambnrjs from the

Open Air, 3US
" Foreign. 201
" " in the Open Air,

US
" for Kentucky, 221
'• Hybrid, 2o.-,
'• in .Minnesota, 251

in Ohio, 2l3
" Large, .J8

Yield of, 251
" New, What shall I do witb

Them !, 2x2
" Number of, in a Vinery, &4
/' on a Hack Wall, 342
'" Productive, IS
" Tlie .Marthi, (See Frontis-
piece ) 3«6
" Tree (Culture of, 343
Oraa), Pear Trees in, 212
" I'erennial Hyo, 27
'• Lawn, 244
" Tree of Australia, 349
Great Tree of California, the, 124
Greenhouse, .3, 291. .324, .3".5

" Climbers, Cultare of,

.30
" Plants, Ac, 88

'1 " Work on,121

Greeft ouses at St. Joe, Mich. ,240

" of Jos Perkius,Esq.

119
'• of Mrs. Geo.W. Car

pentcr, 46
Ground, of Geo. Alerritt, bO
Ground Vineries, 274
Growing, Kiuit, 12
Gunpowder Dogwood, S5
Gyninogranima Laueheana gi-
gantea, 124

Hail Storm at Boston, 276
Hale's Karly Peach, 24G

" '• " for Forc-

ing, 152
Hand Cultivators, 85
Hanging Baskets, Peaches in, 372
" Gardens of Louis, King

of Bavaria, 2.51
Hard ineSs of Pruned Kaspherries
• 275

<t « '<

and BIackberries,335
•' of Late Leaves, 37U
" of Seedlings, 16
Hardy Climbers, 03
Harney's Barns, Outbuildings &

Fences, 155
Harrison's Flavoring Extracts,

87, 247
Hartford Prolific Grape, 276
Hatclier Apple, 157
Hearth and Home, 5S, ISO

again, 214
'• " Credit to, 151!

Heat, Specific, in Plants, 20, 47
Hedura Ktegneriana, 150
Hedges, Hemlock, 52

in the .-^oulh, 276
Hemerocallis Disticha Hora pleno
220
" Fnlva, ."34

rfemlocks from the Woods, 152
Henry Cortland; or What a Far-
mer can do, 155
IIerbari\ims, Mbout, -38
Herstine Raspberry, 278

" the, and i<asi)berriesin
general. 305
Hibherd, Shirley, S5
Hillside Houses Mr. Strons'?,154
Hints, Floral, 2(H)

'■ on Violet Cultivation, a
few. 261
Hoes, Horse, 57
Holder, a Tre,^ 79
Home Adornments, Climbing
Plants as lielpa to, 301
Honey, Judas Tree, 342
Honesty, 253
Honey Locust for Posts, 24

" Thornlcss, 121

Honevsnckles, 245, 331

'• about, 208

Hoopes i Co.,West Chester, Pa.,
one Hour at the Nur-
series of, 227
" Mr., Correspondence, ISO
Horticultural and l'om<ilogical
Society, Oregon, 288
" Kditiug, 275

" Kxhibitions, 306

" Journals, .59

" Journal Successful

to Make a,'276
Notes, 244
• " School for Women,

24
" Society, Azaleas at

the, 154
" Society, Geneva,

127,217
" Society, Illnois,

the. .53
" Society, Leaven-

wonh Co., Kan-
sa-s 32
" Society, Montg.Co.,

Ohio, ProceeJ-
iuKS of, ()3
" Society, Muskin-

gum Co., Ohio, 1 28

Horticultural, Society, N. Caro-
lina, C3
" Society, Ohio State

24 i
■' Society, Penna, 127,

192, 255, 317,3.V2
" Society, Teiin., 3-.!0

" " Warsaw,

Ills , 352
" " Western.

K,V., of, G3
Horticulture, a School for, 120
" at Milwaukee, 50

" intelligent. 117

'■■ Prolits ol, 221

Horticulturist, the 3iJ7
Hot and Greenhouses, 324
" Bea for Raising Slips, How
tt) Make a Cheap, 201
" " Sash, New, 120
" Water, 119
Houghton,Dr.,on PearCnlture,18

" Questions for, 10

Hovey's Seedling at Bo>ton, 281
How to Grow Mnshrounis, IfS
How to Propagate Bedding Ge-
raniums, 374
Hoya Carnota, the, 300
Huggin'8 Jonuthuu, Orchard of,

25
Humbug ? What is a, 120
Husbandry, Patrons nf, 85
Hutchinson Apple, 90
Hyacinth, Propagaiint,' the, 222
Hybrid Cnerry ot Utah, 279
" Grapes, 205
" Pentstenions, 340
Hybrids, Graft, 154
Hydrangea Stellata Prolifera,220
280

Illinois Horticultural Society,
the, .53
" Plants, Some, 104
Imperfect Pulleu, 15
Improvement of Alpine Straw-
berries, 14
Improving OaU, 24

the Wild Red Kasp
berry. 243
Inarching. Embryonic, 207
India Rubber, Pioductiou of, 254

" Timber in, ICO
Infallibility, 218
In!<fcct, (jiape Vine, 309
Insects Injurious to the Grape
Vine, 292
" on Graj)e Vines, 277
" Par.isitic. 341
Intelligent Horticulture, 117
Inleresiiug Exjjerimeut, 159
Introductory, 1
Invitations, 343
Iowa Orcba.d, a Large, 120
" Pears In, lo3
'' Reportof State Agricultural
.Socieiy of 246
IresineLindeni, 345
Irish Junipers, 117
" Juniper, ^eed of, 55
" Pippin, 60
Iris Violacea, 185
Iron and Mushrooms, 341
Italia Uuita (jerauiiira. 349
Ives' Bio )d Freestone Peach, 371

" Grape, the, 182
Ivy, Varieties of, 91

Jack's, Dr., Fern Cabinet, 340
Jaoau Lilies, I'ropagating, 212

'• Toy, A, 367
Japonica Skiminia. 81
Jenny Linil Camellia, 2.S0
Jerusalem Cherry, \i>
Job. tlie .Modern, 218
Jolillla .Mric.iua, or Tclfairia,31.''
Ji^urnals, Horticultural, 5',>
Jucuiida Slinwl>erry, 2'>1
'Judas Tree, American, Cercis

<,'aaadeusis, or, 250
" Honey. 312

the, 142

Judicious Stocking of Small

Grounds. 1.35
Jnniper, Seed of liisb, 55
Junipers, Irish, 117

•

Kapnophyte, 311
Kentucky, Apples in, ISS
" Fruits for, 221

Keokuk, low.i, Pear Orchard at,

1S7
Kinnaird's Choice Apple, 157
Knight's Monarch Pears, S6
Knocking the Curculio, 216
Kocher Apple, 90

Labor Difllcultie.s, 263

Lake Shore Grape Growers' As-

socialinn, the, 12S
Lnndreths. the, 214
Landsdape Gardening, S, 114
Larch Ring, the, 120
Large Asparagus, 182

*' Flowered or Show Pelar-
^ poniums. Culture of
the, .348
" Grapes, .58
" Grape Vine. A, 249
" Iowa Orchard, A, 120
" Lemon Verbenas, 21
" Onion fets. Planting, 20
•' Pears, 56
" Trees east of the Missls-

sipjii River, 110
" •' of the West, 167

" Planting. 20
** " TiaUMplanting, S3,

149
" Yield of Grapes, 251
Larva of the Cockchafer, 282
Late Flowering Apples, 178
" Late Leaves, Hardiness of

370
" Pears, 239
Laurenel Peach. 158
Lavtn, Beauty of the, 325
" Care and keeping of -a, 323
" Gra.ss, 244
" How to make .1. 327
" Its Benelicial Influence on

Taste, 326
" Mower, American, 1.53
" The, 325
" Mowers, 217
" " Philadelphia, 181

Lawns, 325, 356. 369

" for Farm Dwellings, 327
" Mauaireinent of, 297
" Mr. Uariy'sPajjeron, 360
Law of Development in flowers
of Ambrosia, Arteme-
siaitolia, 142
Law of Sex in Eii)iliorbia, Cross
Fertilization and, 262
Leaf Climbeis, 301
Leaf's Lady Apple. 158
Learned Latin 115
Leavenworth Co. (Kansas,) Hor-
ticultural Society, 32
Leaves, Roots and, 148
Lebanon, Cedar of, 323
Li'cture, Ottawa. .57
Legend of the American Hollr.

247
Lemon, A large, 182

'' Trees, Gnifijng, 274

" That Big, IJcai, 214

Leonardo di Vinci as a Botanist,

287
Letters from the PaciBc Coast, 5,

39, 74, 100, 131, 168
Leucocarpns AlalU", 220
Leucojum Veruuin, 100
Libocedrus Docurrcos, 339
Light, Vino Leave- lummg tiiolr
Under Surface to tbe30
Lilac, Double, 1S5
Lilinm .\uralum, 27, 120, 173

Longifl'irum Albo Mar-
ginatum, 1H.5
Lily of the Valley, ;,:i:,
Lime and Sulphur Vapor for
Plants, 36S

THE GARDENER'S MOJVTELY.

Linaria Cymbalaria Variegata,

3)2
Lithoppermnm Fraticosnm, 91
Livlog Uoonis, MigxtonettA in,

126
Lochiel, near Harrisburg, 37 •
Locust, Honey for Posts, -'4

" Thornless Honey, 121
Locusts, Transplanting. 84
Lonicera Fuchsioides, 279
Louis, King of Bavaria's Hang-
ing Gardens, 251

Mahonia Seed, 154

" Substitute for the, 16
Magniflcent Pears. 216
Magnolia firandiflora, Note on,
3.31
" Red, 367
Maiden Hair Tree, the, 172
JJaine, the Weeds of, .W
Mammoth Blackberry Enter-
prise, A, 372
" Cluster KaspUerry, 18

Management of Lawns, 297
Manean Apple, the 310
Manure for Conifers, 222

" Ilow to Prove the Value
of a, 316
Maples, Notes on, 23.5
Marengo, Ills., Skinner's Nur-
sery at. 2S3

" Siberian Winter Crab
Apples, l.i6
Market Fruits, Amateur and, _.
Martha Grape, the, (See Frontis-
piece.) 366
Jlassachusetts, Vegetable Profits

in. 316
Mathews Xo. 13 Grape. 1.57
McAfees Nonsuch Apple, 158
Mealy Apple, French, 276

" Bug, the, 189
Meehan's Nursery, 284, .341
Men who Advertise, the, 219
-Merritt, Geo., Grounds of, 86
Mexican and .Monthly Red Al-
pine Strawberry the,
ll;i
" Everbearing Strawber-
ry in Pots. 178
Michigan, Gardening in, 343
" State Poraological So-
ciety, 128
Jfignonette in Living Rooms, 126
Miller's, Mark, Fruit Farm, 61
Milwaukee, Horticulture at 50
Mimulus Luteiis.\lboMarginata,
Jliner Plum, 1.07
Miaeapolis, .Minn., Apples near,

2)1
Minnesota. Grapes in, 2)1
Mississippi, Apples for, 249

'• Gardening in, 2.')

" Pear Culture in, 126

" Pears for, 219

Oliio,

'irapes in, 248
Horticultural Society.

nual Meeting of. 376
Pear Orchards in, 248
State Horticultural Socie-
ty, 244

Mushrooms, How to Grow, 188 , Q. *

" Iron and. 341 |

Muskingum Co., Ohio, Hortical- Oats, Improving, 24
tural Society, 128 lObituary, 154

" Joshua Peirce, 21
N. Objections to Darwin's Theory

of Fertilization through
Name of Plant, 20, \C>Z, 179, 368 Insect Agency, on. 2U8

Names of Plants, 82, 182, 309, !Oceanica. Norfolk Island, 335

.344 -

Napoleon's Flower, 340
Nativity of the Putato, ISO
Neglected Flowering Trees,Some,

174
Nepenthes Sedeni, 279
Nevada. Botanical Explorations

in, 181
New Apples, 184
" Cherries, 283
" English Strawberries, 222
" Geraniums, 312
" Grape.s from Mr. Campbell
of Delaware, Ohio. 345
" Grapes— What sliall I
with them, 202

" An-
swer on, 260
" Hampshire, the Baldwin

Apple in, 23
" Hot-bed Sash. 120
" Ivy Leaved Pelargouinms,

123
" Jersey, Fruit Prospects in,

181
" Onions. 312
" Pears, How to raise, 112
" Plants, 124

" " at the Meeting of
the Royal Horticultu-
ral Society, 279
" " for 1870,89
" Power in Agriculture, A.

3 '9
" Raspberries, 278
" Hoses at the Koyal Horti-
cultural Socty 's.Show.
287
Tennessee Apples, Two, 157

Peach, Lanrenel, 158

" Orchards of California,

the, 250
" Richmond, the. 346
" Trade, the, 346

Peaches in Florida, 249
'■ lor Kentucky, 221
" under Glass, 13
" in Hanging Baskess, 372
" Vintland to Boston, 12.)
An- Pear, Beuvre d'Aiijou, the, 125

Third Annual Report,
278
O'Keefe, Son & Co., of Rochester,

N. Y.. 246
Old and Useful Plants, 334
'• Cuttings, 150
" Grape Vine, An, 91
doiOmission. 86 •

Oncidium Varicosum (var.) Ro-'
gersii, 312 I

Onion Sets, Planting large, 16 |
Ontario, Canada, Fruit ti rowers I
Society of, 288 '

Open Ground, Caladinms in the i
308 I

Opnntia Rafinesque. 84 |

Orange Trees, to Exterminate!
Chineal and Ants from
2S5
Orchard, a Large Iowa, 120
" Cherry, a Fine, 281
" Culture, 3)7
" of Jonathan Hnggin.s,23
Orcharding in New York. 249
Orchards in Western Virginia,

125
Orchidfcous Plant, 86. 112
Oregon Poniological and Horti-
cultural Society, 288
Orn.amental Plant, the Chinese
Yam as an, 116

Trees, Three 204

Brice, 307
Butfum, the, 116
Chinese Sand, 70
Crop this Year, 317
Cultuic, 119, l.)0

'' Dr. Houghton on,
IS

Varieties, Grafting Potatoes Ottawa Lecture, .57

Kiver, Large Trees Notes Brief, 342

to get, 25

Without Seed, .365
Vegetables, a Polymuia

Edulis, 121
Water Pot, 222
Wiegelias, 312
York, Orchards in, 249
Zealand, 293

Thistles in, 286
Nicanor Strawberry, 185
Niles Pear, the, 367

Noblemen at Work, 182
Non-Coniferous Tfeesand Shrubs

Notes on, Ac, 191
Norfolk Island, Oceanica, 335
North Cacolina Horticultural So-
ciety, 63
Northern Blush Apple, 220

" Ramie, 19
Note on Magnolia Grandiflora,334

Out-door Culture of Choice Rho-
dodendrons. 299
Oxalis Deppei Roots, 216

East of, 110
Missouri Pippin Apple, 157

" Mammoth Blackberry,
lis
Monarch of the West, Strawber-
ry. 185
•' Pear, Knight's, 86
Monte Bello Apple, .59
Monthly, The, on the Pacific, 217
Montgomery Co . Ohio Horli'cul
tural Society, Proceed-
ings of, 63
Moon, Sowiuit at the Full of the,

152
Morello Cherry Crop, the, 251
Moss, Wintering OLTaniums io
31 '

Moulds and .Mildews, 190
Mould or Fiiiii;) and Animalcu-

lae, About, 13J
Mount Vernon Pear, 90
Movemenm of Chlorophyll, 273
Mulching, 9
Mushroom Caltnre in France, 28

Horticultural, 244
" On Maples, 235
" On Silphium Laciniatum,

L. 360
" " The Season, .3.59
Number of Grapes in a Vinery.

84
Nurseries, Geneva, 119

'• of Cheatham and Cle-

ment, at Nashville. 159
" of llooppsA Co., West-

chester, Pa , one Hour
at, 227
" Painesville, 24R

Nursery at New Brunswick, N.
J , New, 309
" Catalogues, R8, 123
" Meehan's, 284, 311
" Rules. 116
Nurserymen. Books of Referenoe

for, 121
Nutrition anil Sex in Plants, 267,
314

Pacific Coa«t. Letters from the,
.5. 39. 74. 100. 131
" the Monthly on the, 217
Paonia Moutan, 274
Painesville Nursoiies, 248
Pandanus Vcitcliii, 279
Pansies, Enlarging and Keeping.

200
Pansy, "Cliveden Yellow," 313
I'aoli Apple, the, 185
Papaw Bark, 120
Papers, Don't get their, 150
Paraneplielius Uniflorus, 89
Parasitic Insects, 341
Paris Green for the Colorado Po-
tato Bug, 276
Parks and Gardens of Europe.
340
" of Chicago, the, 119
Parmentiera Cereifera, 185
Parry, Wm., of Cinnaminson,

N. J..216
Parson's New White Mignonette
Reseda Odoraia Exj-
niea, .370
Piussiflora Trifasciata, 17
Patrons of Husbandry. 85
Paulownia. Cellular Tissue in
the, l;W
" Imperialis, 212

Paulownlas, Propagating, 19
I'ayne's Tree Hdldcr. 153
Peach, Arctic, the, 156
•• Culture. 12.5, 21 8
" from Danville, N. Y., 345
" Foster. .Vl
" Hale's Early, 216
" " for Forcing,

152

" in Canada, 25
" iu Mississippi, 126
" Once more, 44
" Successful, 13
Duehesse de Bordeaux, 60
Growiu.e, Conditions Fa-
vorable to, l.)7
" Knight's Monarch, 86
" Jlouut Vernon, 90
" Orchard at Keokuk, Iowa,

187
" Orchards in Ohio, 248
" Pitma.^ton Duehesse, 91
" Summit Beune U'.^iem-

berg, 311
" The Niles, 367
" Trees in Grass, 212
" " Shelter for, 150
•' " Surface Stirring, 182

" Trained, 27
" Variations in the Vicar of
Winkfield, 367
Pears, About, 164
" and Apples, Budding, 212
" Disease in, 341
" Dwarf, 53
" Failure of, 273
" from Mississippi, 249
" How to raise new, 112
" in Iowa, lu3
" in Utah, o7
" Large, 56
" Maguilicent, 216
" Pule Cats for, 56
" Standard, for Kentucky,
221
Peas, Birds on, 153
" Early, S3
" Late, .39
Peasle Tree, About the, 282
Pea Weevil — the Pea, 159
Pelargonium, Culture of the
Large-flowered or bhow,
3iS

Sport on, 218
Pelargoniums, 3i4

" New Ivy-Leaved,

123
Penfield, W., Garden of, near

Cleveland, Ohio, 248
Ponnock Apple, 179
Ponuusylvauia. Fruit Growers'
Society of, 32, 95, 376
" lloriicultural So-

ciety, 127, 192, 25i), '
317, .552
" Strawberry Cul-

tuie iu Southern, SO
" The Apple Crop

of, 287
I'entstemous, Hybrid, 340
Pei'oiiiiial Rye Gra.-*s, 27
Peri^trophe Angustilolia Aurea

Variegata, 280
Perkins, Joseph, Esq , Green-
house of, 1 19
Perry's Scantier, 217
Persimmon, Gralliug Apples on

the, 17
Petuuia, Animation, 220
Brightness, 220
Constance, 220
Emblem, 2.0
" Neptune, 220
" Sybil, 220
Petunias,Anomoue Flowered, 220

THE GARDEJ^ER'S MOJ\^TIILY.

Petunias, Raising Double, 126
I'biladelphia Kairmount I'ark,

Trees and friirubs at

190
" Lawn Mowers, ISl

I'hlox Drumnionilii and other

thinK", Ab.nit, 7S
Photographs of Konud Tubered

Dioscoreas, 54
Phyllotaxis, 344
Phylloxera Vastatrix, 29
Pierce Joshua — Obituary 21
PiK, the, 1S3

Pineapples in England, 316
Pine Trees, Disease on, 153
Pippin, Irish, 60
Pitcosporum, Wax plant and, 20

Profits of Horticulture, 221
Propagating Evergreens, 179

'' House, Small boiler

fur, 20
" Ilvacinlh. the, 222

Japan Lilies, 212
" Paulownius, 19

Pruned Raspberries, Hardiness

of, 275
Pruning, About, 148

" the Orapo Vine, 177
Psychotria Ch<,nt«lensis. 186
" Cyanococca, 186

Rhododendrons, Outdoor Cul-i Situations, 8.)

Questions for Dr. Houghton, 10

I'liinthouses, Construction of, 19, Quince, Chinese, 57

9, 3C8

I'lant, Name of, Cd, ir)3, 1
" the Compass, 360
" Wigwaui, 217
Planting, 8

" Large Onion Sets, 16
" " Trees, 20

Plants, Beddinsr, Essay on, 107
Climbing, 38, 300, 329
" CoQtag's Diseases among,

109
" Diseases of, 110
from Utah, 213
" Greenhouse, Work on, 121
" Illinois, Some, 104

for Shady Places, 361
" I<ime and Sulphur Vapor
for, 36S
Xames of, 82, 182, 309,

344
New, 124
New, for 1S70, S9
" Nutrition and Sex in, 344

Old and Useful, 3:U
" Orcbideous, 86, 112

Sex in, 21.i, 350
" Sexes of, ISl
" Specific beat in, 20, 47
'• Spirally Twining, 300
" Window, \\\
" " Yellow-flower-

ed, 118
Plate, Oar next Colored, 14
Plates, Our Colored, 149, 308
Plumbago Capensis, 334
Plum, Miner, 1.58

" Trte«, Black Knots in, 5.3
Polecats outdone. l.TO
" for Pears, .56
Pollen for Fertilizing, Selling,222

" Imperfect, l-i
Polvrania Edulis, A new Vegeta-
ble, 121
Pumological Excursionists, 217
" Society, American,

352

Michigan
State, 128
Pomology in Wurtemberg, 254
I'omologi.st, ilie, l-lo
Postag'wn Seeds, Plants, &c., .!6f
Potts, Honey Locust for, 24

Dwarfs on,
tucky, 221

for Ken

Ragau, Reuben, Death of, 58
Raising Gooseberries, 81
Rambo Apple, 178
Ramie, 151

'• Northern. 19
Rare Trees in California, 172
Rasche Apple, the, SO
Raspberries, 85

About, 71
and Blackberries
Hardiness of Pruned,
335

Bees on, 151
Foreign and
tive, 2^5

in general,
llerstine and, 305
New, 27S
Pruned, Hardiness

tnre of Choice, 299
Richmond Peach, the, 346
Ring, the Larch, 120
Ripening of Wood In Trees,
Plants, Ac, Dryness of
Soil an aid to the, 331
Koad Making, .W
Koelipster, N. Y., Crops at, 245
Rocky Mi'uutain Evergreens, 369
Hoots and Leave*, 148

ficini Grape Stems, 241
Oxalis Deppei, 216
Rose, Changing the Color of a,
201
Cherokee, the, 221
Enemies of the, 2.33
Fuchhia, of ('astile, 62
in the Window, 223
Marechal Neil. 351
Princess Christian
Roses, 229

" Callousing of 213
" Classes, of, 1 7
" Essay on, 277
" for Forcing, 374
" in Pots for Exhibition, 2.31
•' Pot, for Exbibitl(.n, 350
Round Tubereit Uiosou'eas, Pho

tographs of, 54
Royal Horticultural Society, New
Plants at the Meeting
of, 279
" " Society's

Show, the New Rose
at, 2S7
Na- Rural Carolinian, the, 219
" Life, 206

•* New Yorker, the, 344
Rye Grass, Perennial, 27

222

the

of 275
Raspberry, Davison's Thornless, Salvia Splendens Variegata, 124

278

" Elizabeth, 279
" Ellisdale, 156, 278
" General Negley, 278
" Golden Thornle8s,184
" Herstine, 27S
" Mammoth (;iuster,lS
'• Orange King, 278
Roots, 1.-.2
Ruby, 278
" Saunders, 278
" Strawberry and

Blackberry' Seed, 277
" Willi Jted, Improv-
ing the, 243
Rawles' Janet Apple, 1S2
Real Estate Catalogue of D. M.

Fox * Son, 246
Recollections, Traveling, 303, 338
Red Magnolia, 3G7
" Maple Trees, 308
" Rover Daisy, 151
" " Potatoes, the, 281
Reindeer Moss, Brandy from, 62
Keliance Apple, 219

Potato Bug, Paris Green for the, | Religious Exchanges, our, 342

276

" Nativity of the, 180
Potatoes, American, 28

" from Cuttings, 106

• •' Grafting, to get New

Varieiies, 25
" Mr. Paterson's mmle of

Raising New Sorts, 191
" Red Rover, the, 'iSl
* Seedling, 19
Pot Roses at the Crystal Palace,
Mr \Vm. I'aul's Exhi-
bition of. 2S6
" for Exiiibiiion, .3.'.0

Pots Mexican Strawberry Id 178
Prairie Farmer Annual -for 1S70,
123

Removing Trees in Full Leaf, 25
Report of Comtnissiner of Agri-
culture, 1S68, 87
" State Agiicultural So-
ciety of Iowa, 240
" the Koiioiial and Hyp
sninetrical Dis^iibu
tlon of the Couifeni',
ICO
" on the Distribution of

Forest isN. W. Ameri-
ca, with notes on the
Non-Cduifeniiis Trees
and Shrubs, 191
Reseda Odorata Exiiriea, Par-
1 son's New White Mig-

President Wilder In Engl.ind,271! Relinospora Plu^lo^a, 345
J'riucely Apple, 23 Rhododendron ('atHwbi<-n8e for

I'rinceso Alice Khododendroo,!

3'J9 I

" Cliristlan Rose, 222 |

Production of ludia Kubber, 254

Productive Grapes, IS i

City Paiks and Gar
dens, 2<Ui

PrIoceM AHco,
369

The, (with plate) 17 J

ips Ascent, the, 117
Sap, Winter How of, 116
Sand Pear, Chinese, 70
Sa.«h. New Hot-bed. liiO
Saturday Evening Post, 310
Saul's, John, Descriptive Cata

logne of Plants, 123
Sauuder.s' Raspberry, 278
Scar.lier, Perry's. 217
School for Horticulture, A, 120
Search for Ourselves, 113
Season and the Fruit crop, the,
Lines on the, 3()1
Niite-i on the, 359
Seed Farm, Dreer's, 211
Irish Juniper, of, 55
Malionia. 154

New Varieties without, 365
Strawberry, Blackberry,
and Raspberry, 277
Seedling Rouvaidias, 20
•' Carnations. l.')2
" Geranium, 120
'' Hardiness of, 16
•' Potatoes, 19
Seeds, Apples varying from, 214
Duties on, S68
•' fnim Mr. Bridgrman, 121
•' Frost on. Action of, 57
'• Plants, &c,Poslageou, 369
" Vitality of, 173
■Selling Pollen for fertilizing. 222
Seventy-five lPoi)ulnrFlowers,l S3
Soxes of Plants, 181
Sex in Plants, 215, 3.10

" " Nutrition and,267,l
.344

The Law of Fas-
ciatlon and its Rela-
tion 10, 332
Sexual Law, A new view of, 250
Sliady places. Plants, for, 361
Slielter for Pear trees, 1.59
Sliei man Sweet Apple, 219
shrubbery, Beautiful blooming

26.S
Simple Flower Garden for Coun-
try Homes, A. 216
SUpbiuni l.aeiiiiatuni, L, Notes
on, 300

Skeleton Tours through Europe,

183
Skilfnl Arrangement of Trees,.3:i6
Ukimniia Japonica, SI
Skinner's Nursery at Marengo,

Ills.. 2H3
Slips, How to make a Cheap Hot-
bed for Raising, 201
Small Conservatories, 375

•' Fruit Rec.jider and Cot

tage Gardener. 370
'• Fruits in California, '.^Sl
" " Wisconsin, 294

" Grounds, Judicious Stock-
ing of, 13.")
Smallest Flowering Plant known

the, 276
Smoothing Harrow and Broad-
cast Weeder, Thomas'
Patent, 151
Smut in Grain, 222
Soil, Cool, 152

Sour and Sweet Apple, the, 69
South, Hedt'cs at the, 276
Southern Virginia, Apples for,118
Sowingatthe lull of li)e.Moon,157

" Verbena Seed, 30
Speckled or Westbrook Apple, .52
Spiiica Japonica, 30S
Spirally Twining Plants, 300
Split Shoots, Uniting, 222
Spontaneous Generation, 374
Spori on Pelargoniums, 218
Spruce, the Wliite, 151
Standard Pears for Kentucky, 2il
St. Joe, Michigan, Greeuhoueee

at, 249
St. Louis. the Flower Tr.ide of,2.'0
Stocks, Choke Cherry, 281
Strawberries, 294

Alpine, 16, 1.38,167
" " Cultivation

of, 49

in Egypt, 30
" " Improve-

ment of, 14
" New English, 222

"The Authority"
on, 218
Strawberry, 308

" anditsCullure, the,

183
" Banana, the, 279

" Barnes' Mammoth,

150
" Best, the, 118

" '■ for Koiciug,216

" lilaekherry ami

Raspberry Seed, 277
" Ct.ltuie in Southern

Penna., 80
" Jucuuda, 281

" Jlexioan and Month-

ly Red Alj.iue, the, 113
" Everbearing
In Pots, 178
" Monarch of the

West, 185
" Nicanor, 185

" Sea.son, the, 20S

" Tree, the, 172

" Vicomiossellericnrt

de 'I'hury, 91
" Wilsons Albany in

the Souih. .341
Strong's, Mr..llillBiile Houses, 154
Slmly of Botany, 283
Stumps, Covering old, 118
Subscriptions of th.? Gardener's

Monlhl)/, 55
Successful Fruit (Jrowing, 49
" Horticultural Joar-

nal. To make a, 276
Sucker! ng in Trees, Cause of, 307
Sugared Winea, 6'J
Summer Ap|)les, 221

" Beurred'Aremberg Pear
311

" Blooming Bulb, A, 201
" Droughts, Winter Ef-
fecis of, 270
Surface Stirring Pear Trees, 162

lEE GAB.DEJ^ER'S MOJTTELY.

Suspended Animation, 126
bweet and Sour Apples, 54, 1S2

Talks to my Patients, 18 1

Taplin. Mr., of Enville Park, IM

Taste, Benellcial Infliieace oftho
hiiwu on, 32(5

Tea, Assam, 'i'J

Tea-i, Chinese, 29

Telt'aria, or .lolillia Africana, 313

Temperature Alarm, Biiyle's bd
Earth, 2GI

Tender Things, Winter Treat-
ment of, 23)

Tendrils, Gr.ipe Vine, 217

Teli'f.-ki Apple, l.V! i , „, „^

Texas & Ciiba.the B >tany of,3-13 Under-Ground F.owers. 2S

r-, r\ I. •-. IT ITT., ;»^y^l Ctn»n^ Aririi^r^lllt'

Trees, Planting large, 20
" Kare, in Califogiia, 172
■■'■ Ked Maple, 30S
" Kemoring in Full Leaf, 1'>
" bkilful Arranf-'ementof, 336
" Suckerirg in. Cause of, 307
" Three Ornamental, 204
" Trained Pear, 27
" Transplanting Large, S3,

llf)
" "Wash fur, 343

Trillium, White, 275

Trufllcs. 179

Tulip Trees, Disease in, 342

Grape Culture in, 11
Texan Botany, Mr. WrigJit, and,

31)8
That Big Lemon Beat, 214
Thinning Fruit, I'-'o
Thistles m New Zealand, 2S6
Thoirias' Patent Smoothing.' liar-
row and BroadcasI
Weeder. 151
Thornless Honay Locust, 121
Thrip, 3.J9

Timber in India, 100
Tithes, Our Annual. 370
Tomato Calture, 117
•' Duration, 19
Tomatoes in Fiance, 30
'i'rausactiontt of the Mass. Ilorti-

cullural Society, 15.j
Transplanting Large Trees, 83,
14y
« Locust, S4

" Tree Box, 246

Tree, Big Australian, 3o7
" Chaste, the 270, 30S
•' Cultureof Grapes, 243
" " of the Grape Vine,

271
" Elder, the, 141
" Holder, A, 79
" '• Payne's, 153

" Judas, the, 142
" Maiden Hair, ihe, 172
" Strawberry, the, 172
Trees and Shrubs, Beautiful, 141,
172, 21).'.
•' " " Fairmount
Park, Phili., at, 199

United States, Vino Culture in,

119
Uniting Split Shoots, 222
Universal Nurserymen, the, 2S5
Uses of Fungus, 2.'U

" of the Aiiaiithus Tree, 24
Utah Currants, 120, 277

" Hybrid Cherry ol, 279

" Pears in, 57

" Plants from, 213

Valedictory Address, 1S4
Valletta Purpurea, the, 201
Value of a Manure, How to

prove, 316
I " Botanical Gardens

and Collections, 215
Valuing Agricnltuial Laud, Art

of, 27
Variegations, Golden. 86
Varieties of Aucuba, SI

" of Ivy, 91
Varying Colors in the same Plan t,

240
Vegetable, C.aladium Esculen-
tum as .a, 202
" Garden, 4. 35.68, 99,

131, 163, 195, 226, 259,
201 ,356
" Polyninia Edulis, A

new, J 21
" Profits in Massachu-

Betts, 3 It)
Vegetables and Fruits, Forcing,
323

" " (vtnKtery
Beautiful, 234
Big, 264

Brandy from, 153
Disease iu Tulip, 312
Lai-^e, of the West, 167
Ke^lected t'ioweribg,Some,
174

;96 Verbena Seed, Sowing, 30
1 Verbenas, Large Lemon, 21
Vertical Cordons, Cherries as

Single, 31
Vicar of Winkfjeld Pear, A'aria-

tions in the, 367
Vicomtesse llericart de Thnry
Strawberry, 91

Victoria Gooseberry, 156
Vine Culture in the United States,
119
" Grape, an Old, 91
•' Leaves Turnin:; their Un-
der Surlace to the
Light, 30
Vineries, Ground, 274
Vineland and Dreer's Nursery,
264
" Peaches to Boston, 125
Viola Cornutu Alba, 123
" •' *' Var. Perfec-

tion 2S0
Violet Cultivation, A Few Hints
on, 261
" Marie Louise 313
Violets, A Box of, 180 |

Virginia, Southern A pples for,l 1 S
Visitof the Eastern llorticultur
ists to California, 2S3
Visitors, Drawing, S4
Vitality of Seeds, 173
Vitalized Compound, 118

w..

Wages of Gardeners, 150
Wail, Grapes on a Back, 342
Warlield Apple, tlie, 152
War, French Gardening and the, i

309
Warsaw, Ills., Horticultural So-
ciety, 352
Wash for Trees, .-543
Washing the Bark of Fruit Trees,

372
Water, Hoi, 119

Pot, New, 222
Watering, About, 337
Wax Plant ^nd Pittospornm, 20
Weevil, the Tea. 159
Westbrook or Speckled Apple, 57
West, Cherries in the, 188
Western Gardiner, the, 247. 344
" Michigan Fruit Grow-
ers' Convention, 128
" N. Y. Horiicultuial So-
ciety, 63
" Triumph Blackberry,

158

" Virginia, Orchards in,

125

Weston Blackberry, 371

What is a Humbug? 120

'• lheU^e?307
Wheat, Crossed, 54
White Cedar, the, 19
" Giap- s, Good, 178
" Northern Spy Apple, the,

219
" Spruce, the, 151
" Trillium, 275
Wiegelias, New, C12

Wigwam Plant, 217

Wild Ked Raspberry, Improving

the, 243
Willow Bread, 285

" Twig Apple, 284
Wilson's Albany isirawb>?rry in

the South, 344
Window Decorations, 282
" Flowers, 82

Plants, 4, 111
" " Yellow Flower-

ed, lis
" The Kose in the, 223
Wine Growing, 343
■Wines, Sugared, 62
Winter Apples for Kentucky, 221
" Cold, 56
'' ElTects of Summer

Droughts, 270
" Flower. A Good White.

79, 106
" Flow of Sap, 116
" Grafting, 20
" Treatment of Tender
Things, 23')
Wintering Apples, 337

'' Geraniums in Moss, 31

Wisconsin Fruits, 249

" Notes on Fruits in. 47

" Small Fruits in, 2U4

Witch Hazel, the, 357
Wodenethe, 177
Women, Horticultural School

for, 24
Woods, Hemlocks froifi the, 152
Worcester Co., Mass., Horticul-
tural Society, Trans-
actions of, 2!9
Work on Greenhouse Plants, 121
Wrigiey Apple, 60
Wiight, Mr., and Texan Botany,

363
Wurtemberg, Pomology in, 2.54

Xanthoceras Sorbifolia, 220
Xanthorroca Australis, 3iS

Yam, the Chinese, as an Orna-
meutnl Plant, 116

Yellow-flowered Wiudow Plants
118

Y'ucca Fiber, 207

Ziinthorzia Apiifolia, 245

End of Volume X

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