290 



DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



TuEATMENT OF " HousE Plants." — A " city 

 correspondent" asks " a few hints rcffarding the 

 treatment of green-house phints, wlien kept in par- 

 lors, csi)eeially where anthracite coal lires are kept." 



We answer as follows : 



1. It' possible have the pots ive'l drained, and 

 this is best eifeeted, when the plants are shifted, 

 by iilling the pot one-fifth deep with bits of char- 

 coal. 



2d. Never water a plant while the soil appears 

 wet. If the roots cannot take up the moisture as it 

 is given tiaiiy, you must give less, or your plants 

 will suiier. Water abundantly when the plants are 

 in a growing state — very sparingly when vegeta- 

 tion is dormant. 



3d. Ill rooms heated by anthiacite the pores of 

 the leaves get stopped with tine dust. It is a great 

 promoter of health and luxuriance to cleanse the 

 foliage thoroughly once a week by syringing it with 

 tepid water. While doing this turn the pot on its 

 side, so that the earth may not receive too much 

 water. 



4tb. Give as much lisht as possible. A rather 

 low temperature, if uniform, is better than one too 

 high, since it gives healthier foliage, and stronger 

 flowers. .... 



A Horticultural Society's Garden in Ame- 

 rica. — We learn, by a letter from A. H. Ernst, 

 Esq., of Cincinnati, that negotiations are on foot 

 between the Cincinnati Hoiticultural Society and 

 and Mr. Hoffner of that place, for the transfer to 

 the society, on very liberal terms, of the fine coun- 

 try residence of Mr. H., to be used as a public hor- 

 ticultural and experimental garden by the Society. 

 The place is about four miles from the city, com- 

 prises fifteen acres of ground capitally stocked with 

 a great number of trees and plants, with good 

 buildings, a green-house, etc., upon the premises. 

 Mr. Hoffner has, for a considerable time, been a 

 most industrious amateur collector, and his place, 

 therefore, is already a fine nucleus upon which to 

 form such a garden as the Society ought to esta- 

 blish. 



This is very agreeable intelligence. Not one of 

 our horticultural societies has a garden, though the 

 value of such an establishment, if it were properly 

 managed and supported, would be very great. But 

 in no part of the country would this advantage be 

 so great as at Cincinnati — for that city, being the 

 gardening centre of the whole Mississippi and Ohio 

 Valleys — a country still full of undeveloped resour- 

 ces and destined to become amazingl}' productive 

 in its gardens and orchards — a public experimental 

 garden would at once be the place for investigating 

 all doubtful points, testing foreign and native fruits, 

 and disseminating these products, and that know- 

 ledge which can only be acquired by experience, 

 through the whole of the west. 



We sincerely hope, therefore, that the Society 

 may be able to achieve this desideratum, and com- 

 mence with a carefully systematized plan of ope- 

 rations. .... 



Pear-tree Blight — We have suffered but lit- 

 tle from th'' fire-blight in the pear tree this sum- 

 mer. Observation of the character of the two 

 past seasons has confirmed me in the opinion that 



the sun has more to do with producing this disease 

 than either winter or insects. Hence I am a be- 

 liever in the benefit of your recommendation of 

 whitewash to throw off the rays of the sun. Res- 

 pectfully. j1. H. Ernst. Cincinnati, Nov. 5, 1847. 

 [The whitewash should be put on at this season ; 

 it should be applied warm, with a little glue o r 

 sizing, (say a gill to a pailful) mixed with it, to 

 prevent its being -washed oil' by the rain. — Ed.] 



Orituary — The late Mr. Shaw. — We have 

 received the following obituary notice of the late 

 Mr. Shaw, from a friend in New-York, who knew 

 him long and well, which deserves a place in our 

 columns. Mr. Shaw was one of the pioneer horti- 

 culturists in New-York, and was well known for his 

 zeal and industry in the cause, by all its devotees 

 there. His first garden, at the corner of Prince 

 and McDougall streets, (referred to below,) was, 

 fifteen or twenty years ago, perhaps, the most per- 

 fect specimen of practical skill in the art in Ame- 

 rica. We well remember the magnificent apricots, 

 gooseberries and carnations, which we saw there, 

 at that time, and which we have never since seen 

 surpassed. 



Mr. Shaw imported many rare and valuable va- 

 rieties of fruit, and dissemminated them at a time 

 when there were very few persons in this country, 

 comparatively, who maintained a correspondence 

 for this purpose with European cultivators. The 

 oldest tree of the Holland Bigurreau, one of the 

 largest and most beautiful of cherries in the coun- 

 try, which is now growing' in our neighborhood, was 

 introduced from France b}' this horticulturist. — Ed. 



William Shaw, Esq., who recently died at As- 

 toria, L. I., at the advanced age of 77, was, for a 

 number of years, one of our most active and effi- 

 cient horticulturists. He came over from Ireland 

 in early life, and was for many years an importing 

 merchant in New- York: having experienced rever- 

 ses in business, he compromised, had a liberal dis- 

 charge, resumed again, and by industry and the 

 smiles of Providence, was so far successful as to 

 liquidate the remaining claims — conduct as hono- 

 rable as praiseworthy. 



On retiring from the pursuits of commerce, he 

 devoted the last thirty years of his life to the de- 

 lightful pursuits of Horticulture. Doubtless many 

 oi' your readers well remember his beautiful garden 

 of fruits and flowers at the corner of McDougall 

 and Prince-streets. Mr. Shaw was one of the 

 earliest and most zealous cultivators of the Isabella 

 Grape. The writer can testify to their great size 

 and beauty on his ample and well stocked trellises, 

 and to the uniform kindness and attention every 

 one received, whom the reputation of his well kept 

 grounds, occupying nearly an entire square in the 

 (then) suburban part of the city, led to visit them. 

 There he also successfully cultivated many of the 

 best foreign grapes in the open air, and the necta- 

 rine, apricot and peach also, in a manner rarely 

 equalled in America. His espalier apricots and 

 nectarines were in their season a surprising show of 

 luscious beauty. The advance of the city upward, 

 compelled him to leave his pleasant location, and 

 retreat to the neighborhood of Astoria, near by to 



