DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



49 



Answer. — The great point in growing straw- 

 berries at the south is to make the soil deep. Deep 

 trenching doubles the size, and trebles the crop 

 even at the north, but at the south it is indispen- 

 sable — for the strawberry demands either a very 

 moist atmosphere or a very deep soil. We should 

 say that no culture of strawberries could be suc- 

 cessful on a large scale at the south, unless the 

 soil was subsoiled and trenched three feet deep. 

 We would also advise lowering the beds deeper 

 than the general level of the surface, instead of 

 raising them above it, in order to retain as much 

 moisture as possible. 



The best manure for strawberries, in our judg- 

 ment, is poudrette — we speak now from experience 

 — only of the poudrette of the Lodi works, New- 

 York. It is the most powerful and permanent sti- 

 mulus, one exactly suited to this plant, and unlike 

 common stable manure, produces no weeds. Be- 

 sides this, it is the cheapest manure (at $10 for 7 

 barrels) that can be had here. 



We would advise covering the ground of straw- 

 berry beds with straw at the south, and never stir- 

 ring it with the hoe or spade — or not oftener than 

 once in two years. 



Hovey's seedling is, usually, a good bearer, and 

 blossoms all at one time; we think from the de- 

 scription, that our correspondent could not have 

 obtained the true sort. We believe, however, 

 that Burr's new Pine is likely to prove a better 

 bearer and better fruit. 



If the ground is well trenched, and manured 

 with poudrette at the time of preparing the soil 

 and setting the plants, no more manure will be re- 

 quired for three years. Ed. 



Potatoes at the South. Dear Sir — As our 

 Irish potatoes mature so early in the season, that 

 we are unable to keep them over for winter use, 

 they being fit for the table in May, and fully ripe 

 and vines all dead in June, — it becomes highly de- 

 sirable for us to discover some mode either of 

 keeping them, which we have never yet been able 

 to do, (the heat and moisture of our climate rot- 

 ting them very soon after they are dug,) or of 

 growing some so late as that they will mature to- 

 wards the close of the summer. 



This last we have not been able to even test, as 

 we are unable to obtain seed in a condition fit for 

 planting at the proper season, which would be in 

 July. The old potatoes would have exhausted 

 themselves in sprouts, and rotted or otherwise 

 perished, and those of the new crop will not grow 

 until after they have been dug some time. Now, 

 I will feel greatly obliged to you or some of your 

 correspondents, if you can inform me whether this 

 period of rot or lime of maturing cannot be short- 

 ened, and if so, in which way can it be effected. 

 I recollect of seeing an article in the Gardeners' 

 Magazine, several years ago, recommending that 

 the immature potatoes should be exposed to the 

 atmosphere until they became green, but I cannot 

 lay my hand on the article just now, and do not 

 Vol. iv. 6 



recollect whether this recommendation was to ef- 

 fect the purpose I wish, or some other, and there- 

 fore take the liberty of applying to you for the in- 

 formation. L. 



Answer. — We can only give one word of advice 

 worth listening to respecting the above: viz. — 

 planters at the south must take pains to originate 

 varieties of the potato suited to their climate. 

 This is easily done, if they will sow the seeds of 

 those sorts now in cultivation which approach 

 nearest to their desideratum; afterwards select 

 the best of these seedlings and sow their seeds, 

 aizain selectinir the best. Two or three genera- 

 tions carefully bred in this way, will probably lead 

 to a variety adapted to the southern climate, and 

 when this is obtained, it will be easy to raise po- 

 tatoes satisfactorily in the southern states, and not 

 till then. Ed. 



Porcelain Labels, etc. A. J. Downing, Esq. 

 Dear Sir. — I take the liberty of sending you, by 

 Adams &. Co.'s Express, a few samples of 

 " Bisque" Garden and Pot Labels, presuming you 

 have not seen them. They are, according to my 

 estimate of them, the very article so long needed 

 by the amateur gardeners to supplant the unsight- 

 ly sticks so often used to mark choice plants, and 

 the perishable labels that are usually fastened on 

 fruit and other choice trees; whilst the appeannee 

 of them as they project over the side of the flower 

 pot, or hang suspended from the tree by copper or 

 lead wire, is really ornamental. At least so I 

 deem them in my garden. All that is necessary 

 is to write on them with a hard lead pencil, and 

 the mark will stand the exposure of a dozen win- 

 ters without erasure, whilst the label itself being 

 of porcelain is imperishable, and at the same time 

 very strong. I am told that the inventor of them 

 (it is a new article) finds sale for thousands of 

 grosses in the neighborhood of London. Messrs. 

 David Landreth and Robt. Buist, of Philadel- 

 phia, are the only persons who have them to my 

 knowledge ; and as they are quite cheap, I pre- 

 sume they will meet an extensive sale here, as 

 soon as known. 



By the way, can you explain why the most of 

 us near Philadelphia have \o<t our native hardy ro- 

 ses the past winter, whilst imported grafted and 

 standa.d roses have lived through the severe test 

 of the past season ? 



I have for some time intended saying a word 

 about cheap green-houses. Few persons residing 

 out of the city, in houses owned by themselves, are 

 willing to be without a long porch or verandah. 

 This is £enerally on the south side of the house ; 

 and with an expense of from 20 to 75 dollars, ac- 

 cording to the size of the verandah or the ulass 

 used, one may enclose it in sash ; which with thick 

 curtains to be drawn at night, and a small store 

 cased around with tin, will keep the place amply 

 warmed for all hardwooded plants, or even of the 

 more tender kinds, if one chooses to take the trou- 

 ble to give them the proper attention. A sufficient 



