DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



571 



was just in perfection — an uncommon circum- 

 stance near Edinburgh. /. R. Pearson. Chil- 

 well. Gard. Chronicle. 



On Drying Specimens of Flowers. — As the 

 season for collecting plants is approaching, may I 

 be permitted to give the particulars of the pro- 

 eess I have adopted in drying specimens for the 

 Hortus Siccus, especially the more delicate and 

 succulent ones, for which I have found it peculiarly 

 adapted, as it combines the greatest equality of 

 pressure with despatch in drying. My method is 

 as follows: — The apparatus required is very sim- 

 ple, consisting of a few canvass or linen bags, of 

 such size that, when laid flat, they will rather 

 more than cover a sheet of demy paper, a quan- 

 tity of clean sand, an old saucepan, or other con- 

 venient vessel, to heat it in, and a few quires of 

 blotting-paper. Having provided these, first put 

 a sufficient quantity of sand in the saucepan, over 

 the fire, and, while this is heating, take a quire 

 of blotting-paper, on which arrange the plants, 

 covering them with two or three sheets of blot- 

 ting-paper. When the sand is sufficiently heated, 

 and uniformly so (which may be promoted by stir- 

 ring it with a stick,) pour into one of the bags 

 enough to fill it to one-third. The mouth of the 

 bag being closed, by tying or folding back, it is 



then tu be laid carefully over the plants arranged 

 between the paper, and the sand contained in it to 

 be spread out by the band, and pressed with a 

 board, so as to form a flat uniform surface. This 

 process may be repeated, several layers of paper, 

 plants, and sand-bags being laid on one another. 

 If this is done, no extra weight will be required — 

 the smallest and most delicate plants being placed 

 in the uppermost layers; but if the subject be 

 large and thick, a board and weight will be gene- 

 rally necessary. Unless they are very thick and 

 succulent, in which case they may require a se- 

 cond application of hot sand, the plants will gene- 

 rally be found quite dry within twenty-four hours, 

 and often much sooner. This is one advantage; 

 as, by this rapid desiccation, the colour is pre- 

 served in the greatest perfection — i. e., if the 

 temperature be well regulated. The second, and 

 perhaps of more importance as regards the bo- 

 tanical value of the specimen, is, that the sand, 1 y 

 adapting itself to the inequalities of the object 

 under pressure, prevents any crushing of the 

 stems, receptacles, &c. ; while the parts of the 

 leaves in juxtaposition with a hard, thick stem, 

 which, by the ordinary method, escape any pres- 

 sure, and consequently shrivel up, are all equally 

 flattened. W. S. Coleman, in Pharmaceutical 

 Journal. 



DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



Raising Seedling Grapes. — Now is the time 

 for those who wish to experiment with seedling 

 grapes to commence their operations. Though 

 something good may no doubt come from planting 

 the seeds of Isabella and Catawba grapes at ran- 

 dom, yet, as chance becomes certainty, when we 

 call in the aid of hybridizing, no scientific culti- 

 vator will neglect the latter advantage. The first 

 great desideratum is to get a hardy table grape, 

 entirely free from pulp and of high flavor. For 

 this purpose, we would suggest crossing the Isa- 

 bella and the Hlack Hamburgh, or the Catawba 

 and the Chasselas — the native grape being made 

 the mother of the new sort. 



An improved wine grape is also greatly needed . 

 Now as Miller's Burgundy is the great wine grape 

 of Europe, we would suggest crossing that varie- 

 ty with the Norton's Seedling, or the Ohio, for a 

 claret wine grape; and with the Catawba for a 

 champagne wine grape. 



Such of our readers as Deed a spur to their zeal 

 in this matter, will remember that very large pre- 

 miums have been offered by both Mr. Lonowobts 

 of Cincinnati, and the Mass. Hort. Society, for an 

 American seedling grape superior to the Cataw- 

 ba. One tenth part of the attention to raising 

 new seedlings of native grapes that has been be- 



stowed of late years in England on the Dahlia, 

 (with such wonderful results.) would give not one 

 but dozens of hardy grapes, as delicious as the table 

 grapes of Europe, and as hardy as our native 

 vines. That nurseryman who shall be the first to 

 get control of a good stock of such a variety, may 

 as easily make $5,000 by it as $5. 



Those not familiar with the modern practice of 

 breeding fruits and plants, are referred to our 

 Fruits and Fruit Trees, p. 9. 



Agricultural Schools. — We arc sorry to have 

 to announce that the New York Legislature ad- 

 journed without passing the bill drawn op by the 

 committee appointed by the Governor, for the 

 Agricultural Cottage. This was ool from any 



opposition or want of interest in the subject, but 



simply because the bill was left Bleeping to the 

 last, and not " brought up." Then' was an abun- 

 dance of good feeling for it in general, but espe- 

 cial champions seemed to be wanting, and as the 

 farmers themselves do Dot understand the want of 

 "lobbying" their servants, the members in their 

 seats bad too iniii'li else to attend to, to give it 

 the necessary attention. We hope this will be 



remembered at the next election, and that every 

 farmer who wishes to have his rights respected. 



