HOBTIOULTUKAL DIVISION. 83Y 



It will be seen that the vetch ranks highest in fertilizer value 

 although it is not greatly above cow peas. But cow peas afford little 

 protection to the soil during winter and can therefore scarely be 

 recommended for an orchard cover in this latitude. Next to the vetch 

 in value is the common field pea, and as it affords a good cover when 

 sown as late as the middle or last of August, it may often be more 

 useful than any other plant . 



GARDEN DOCKS. 



Various species of docks and sorrels have long been cultivated as 

 pot-herbs. Some of them are very desirable additions to the garden 

 because they yield a pleasant food very early in spring, and, 

 once planted, they remain for years. We have grown two of the 

 French docks for years and find them to be very good. One is the 

 Spinage Dock {Oseille JEpinard), the other the Large Belleville 

 [Oseille Large de Belleville). The former is the better of the two, 

 perhaps, and it has the advantage of being a week or ten days earlier. 

 The broad crisp leaves appear early in April when there is nothing 

 green to be had in the open garden, and they can be cut continuously 

 for a month or more. This dock is the Herb Patience, or Mumex 

 Patientia of the botanies. It has long been an inhabitant of gardens, 

 and it has sparingly run wild in some parts of this country. It is a 

 native of Europe. The Belleville is also a European plant, and is 

 really a sorrel. It is Rumex Acetosa of botanists. It has also become 

 spontaneous in some of the eastern portions of the country. It has 

 thinner, lighter green and longer-stalked leaves than the Spinage Dock, 

 with spear-like lobes at the base. The leaves are very sour, and will 

 probably not prove to be so generally agreeable as those of the Spinage 

 Dock ; but they are later, and afford a succession. In some countries 

 this sorrel yields oxalic acid sufficient for commercial purposes. The 

 Round-leaved or true French sorrel [Rumex scutatus) would probably 

 be preferable to most persons. 



All these docks are hardy perennials, and are very acceptable plants 

 to those who are fond of early " greens." Some, at least, of the culti- 

 vated docks can be procured of American seedsmen. 



LABELS. 



Anyone who has had experience in gardens knows that the methods 

 of labelling plants and trees are nearly always unsatisfactory in some 

 particular. A great variety of labels has been recommended for trees, 



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