DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



101 



Lewis' yard, I have no doubt that it was really 

 the product of a peach stone ; for we all kno ,v 

 very well tliat such instances are on record, and 

 that a nectarine is nothinjr more than a smooth skin- 

 ned peach ; the stone of a downy peach may pro- 

 duce occasionally a peach without down." 



There was no perceptible difference between the 

 blossoms of the tree in Mr. Willis' garden, and the 

 peach trees by the side of it ; and there was no sus- 

 picion that it was otlier than a common peach tree, 

 until the fruit began to form. The fruit is now as 

 large as a ripe damson and of a similar shape ; 

 skin pale green, with a deep violet red cheek — and 

 resembling the Downton Nectarine. — Portland Ad- 

 vertiser. 



[We recommend the foregoing to the attention 

 of our incredulous Cincinnati friend. — Ed.] 



Variation IN Stawberrt Blossoms. — With my 

 limited experience in the culture of strawberries, I 

 shall not venture to take any part in discussing the 

 strawberry question. But as that has happened to 

 me which I have not seen noticed, so far as I recol- 

 lect, b)' any writer, I will just state the fact, which, 

 should you think it worth the while, you may con- 

 trive to verify another season. 



I had this spring some Hovey's seedlings (re- 

 ceived from S. Walker, Boston,) which came out 

 in a feeble state. The first trusses of flowers 

 thrown out by them were decidedly staminate, 

 more so than those of the Early Scarlet. I had 

 some seedlings near by that were as decidedly pis- 

 tillate as I ever saw a Hovey, but produced full 

 trusses of perfect berries, and must, therefore, ac- 

 cording to the theory, have been fructified by the 

 Hoveys. Afterwards, when the Hoveys became 

 stronger, some of them threw out trusses of deci- 

 dedly pistillate blossoms — that is, some of the iden- 

 tical plants that at first produced staminate ones. 



I think there can be no mistake about these facts, 

 for my surprise at the appearance of the strongly 

 staminate blossoms, led me to watch the plants 

 critically. Very respectfully yours. E. C. Tracy. 

 Windsor, Vt. July 6th, 1847, 



Ginseng — Panax quinquefolium. — As this root 

 commands a very high price, in China, where it 

 formerly (before American innovation) sold for its 

 weight in gold, it can without doubt be made a 

 very profitable article to American commerce in 

 our increasing intercourse with that mighty em- 

 pire. The roots, in their wild state, arc usually 

 small, but by cultivation they may be increased to 

 three or four times the ordinary size. The plant 

 will flourish in almost any ordinary soil, and exacts 

 only the simplest culture. 



As the Chinese are so fastidious, and at the same 

 time so limited in their wants, in corisequence of 

 the immense fertility and unceasing industry of its 

 intelligent population, we have as yet been enabled 

 to furnish them with but few articles that are in 

 preat request by them, and it is, therefore, highly 

 important tiiat we should enlarge the quantities of 

 such as they actually desire, as a means of com- 

 manding the balance of trade, and thereby lessen 

 the drain of specie or of its equivalent, ^/n. R. 

 Prince. Flvshing, July 12, 1847. 



Notes on Strawberries. — The Black Prince 

 strawberrj' succeeds admirably here. The fruit, in 

 my estimation, is superior to Hovey's seedling. It 

 is very highly esteemed by others who have seen 

 it. The vines are very hardy and productive, and 

 the berries are so beautiful as to render the variety 

 very desirable to cultivate for the market. 



Stoddard's Seedling has much disappointed us. 

 It turns out to be the Alpine. Many cultivators 

 have also been much disappointed in Hovey's seed- 

 ling. Numerous beds were set out last season, with 

 expectations of large crops. Nine-tentlis of the 

 plants were unproductive. Mr. Comstock, of this 

 place, procured his plants direct from Hovey, 

 most of which were staminate. Col. Wilder ex- 

 amined a bed of them in the garden of Stephen H. 

 SiMiTH, and gave the opinion that the staminate 

 plants were not Hovey's seedling. When a bed 

 first came in blossom, I examined some of these 

 plants in my own garden, and found a difference in 

 the shape of the leaves, between the staminates and 

 pistillates. The leaves ol the latter were rounder, 

 and upon the under side of different shade of green ; 

 afterwards the difference became less perceptible. 

 Yours, &c. L. C. Eaton. Providence, R. /., July 

 8, 1847. 



Preserving Scarlet Geraniums. — Nothing is 

 more showy in the flower gardens during the whole 

 summer and autumn, than beds or masses of the 

 large scarlet blooming geraniums, of which the Old 

 Horse-Shoe Geranium is the original t3'pe — and such 

 of the new sorts as Tom Thumb, etc., the latest and 

 most brilliant edition. As there are, however, 

 many who would be glad to cultivate them who 

 have no greenhouse in which to keep the roots, I 

 will mention, for the benefit of such, a very sim- 

 ple method which 1 pursue with excellent success. 



As soon as the October frosts have touched the 

 foliage, I dig up my scarlet geranium plants, and set 

 the roots on the floor of my cellar. Here they re- 

 main for a week or two. I then hang them %ip, 

 wherever it is convenient, in the cellar, either the 

 dry roots or with the little ball of earth which may 

 have adhered to them. Here they remain (the 

 cellar not admitting frost) quite sound and dormant 

 till spring, when my beds are again ready for them . 

 So far from injuring them, I think they bloom 

 rather finer after a winter of complete rest, than 

 when they have been kept in the greenhouse. X. 

 Y. Z. Boston, July, 1847. 



Rose-Bugs. — This insect is more troublesome to 

 us than any other, or I may say than all others put 

 together. In fact, so great have been its numbers 

 alfthc past month, that if we are to have the like 

 many seasons, I shall feel like giving up my garden 

 to them and " backing out," leaving the little ras- 

 cals in full possession. This year they are not 

 content, so numberless are they, with devouring 

 all my roses : I might be willing enough to com- 

 pound for this mischief. But they have literally 

 eaten up all my cherries, and then have dcvourecl, 

 or cut off from the trees, the greater part of all my 

 young half grown apricots and nectarines. I find 

 that the lighter the soil, (mine is very sandy), the 

 more do the rose-bugs abound. In gardens on 



