WINTER MEETING. 275 



all directions, like the soil formed by disintegrated scoria enriched by 

 accumulations of humus, found on the mountain slopes of its native 

 land. I know of no woody plant that can at all compare with it in its 

 extraordinary rapidity of growth, even under conditions which do not 

 favor best development. — From " The Economic Plants of Japan," in 

 "American Gardening" for July. 



It would be hard to imagine a surer foundation for estimates of 

 planting done in certain lines than the sale of the respective classes 

 of seeds by our leading seedsmen. This planting-gauge is especially 

 reliable in regard to the onion crop. Every five or six pounds of onion 

 seed sold means just about an acre of onions planted. In a similar 

 way the spring sales of tomato and cabbage seed, seed potatoes, straw- 

 berry plants, etc., may serve as an indication of coming crops. 



We asked the leading seedsmen how their spring sales of these 

 seeds, etc., compared with those of previous years. Many of their 

 replies are instructive in other respects, also, and full of significance. 



From the tenor of all these replies we may safely infer : (1) That 

 the area planted in onions is much larger than usual, and that, barring 

 accidents, the crop will be one of the largest ever raised, and prices 

 probably low. Yellow onions will be especially abundant, and white 

 ones comparatively scarce. (2) That tomatoes were not planted as 

 extensively in the north this year as in some seasons, and a surplus in 

 the crop should not be looked for. ( 3) That fewer potatoes, especially 

 of the early and fancy varieties, have been planted, and consequently 

 that the crop will sell for higher prices than in 1891. — From " What 

 Shall the Harvest Be?" in "American Gardening" for July. 



We wish here to point out the gain that in many cases would 

 result from substituting a graceful curve for the straight walk in the 

 front footpath to the house, which, in ninety-nine cases out of a hun- 

 dred, prevails. The gain would be five-fold in nature : First, as we 

 approach the home from the street, it is a direct relief to the eye to 

 have the house, in which straight lines and square angles everywhere 

 abound, set off> by way of contrast, with a gentle yet bold curve in the 

 outline of the approach. Second, to approach a house from such 

 direction that a glimpse or suggestion of its side, in addition to the 

 front, meets the eye, gives a more favorable impression than to come 

 up from directly in front, with only one side visible; but this principle 

 should not be applied to such an extreme as to make the walk lack 

 directness, or to give it a strikingly serpentine course. Third, as seen 



