H. BOTANY AND HORTICULTURE. 30 1 



REMOVING MOSS FROM TREES. 



The removal of moss from fruit-trees, as well as their ju- 

 dicious pruning, is of great importance to their health, this 

 growth being not only detrimental to the vigor of the tree, 

 but also serving as a convenient hiding-place for injurious 

 insects. Its eradication may be accomplished by first scrap- 

 ing off carefully and then covering the places where it grew 

 with a thin paste of equal parts of plaster and potters' clay, 

 in water. The moss will disappear and the bark of the tree 

 become smooth and healthy. Dead and broken limbs, suck- 

 ers, etc., should also be removed annually, and the head of 

 the tree always kept open to air and light. Pruning is usu- 

 ally done late in the fall or winter; but many horticulturists 

 now recommend the latter part of the summer as the fitting 

 time. 9 C, 1811, Feb. 12. 



PRIZE OF BEET-SUGAR ASSOCIATION. 



The German Association for beet-root industry, at Berlin, 

 has lately offered a prize of a thousand thalers for the solu- 

 tion of the following problem: The yield of crystallized white 

 sugar from the different crude beet sugars is not in a direct 

 ratio to their polarization. What investigations and calcu- 

 lations can be suggested in order to determine theoretically, 

 beforehand, the yield, in refined wmite sugar, which any beet- 

 root sugar will furnish. 14 (7.,CCL, 279. 



EARLY VEGETABLES. 



According to Nature, Professor Decaisne has brought to 

 the notice of the Academy of Sciences in Paris a scheme for 

 the rapid growing of cabbages, radishes, etc., which are to be 

 sown in richly-manured soil, and then used, stem, root, and 

 all, as fresh vegetables. This diet is intended to protect the 

 inhabitants of Paris against the scurvy, which may be ex- 

 pected to make its appearance in time 'in consequence of the 

 necessity of using salted meats. 12 A, Dec. 15, 1870, 132. 



SIMPLE MODE OF REARING MUSHROOMS. 



An ingenious method of forcing the growth of mushrooms, 

 so as to furnish a constant supply, has been devised by a 

 Baron De Tincal. This gentleman places a number of little 



