482 



DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



were Habrothamnus fascicularis, Echeveria gran- 

 dijlora, Chirozema varium, Polygula cordata and 

 P. grandijlora, etc. A large variety of Camel- 

 lias were also in full beauty, among which we no- 

 ticed Sacconova, Piince Albert, Wilderi, Henri 

 Favre, and many other excellent sorts. 



The whole collection does credit to the skilful 

 gardener, M Coleman, who is one of the best 

 plant growers in the country. 



A Budget of Querie-. — None arc more inte- 

 rested than myself in the queries and answers, 

 which monthly appear in your journal ; and sup- 

 posing other readers feel a similar interest, I 

 would like to propose a few, and solicit the edi- 

 tor's answers. 



l^t. Many valuable articles have appeared, edi- 

 torial and communicated, in favor of the Osage 

 Orange as a hedge plant, and placing it at the 

 top of the list for that purpose. Has time, trial, 

 and further experience confirmed these early im- 

 pressions? (a) 



2d. As great and extensive failures have occur- 

 red in propagating it from seed, either because it 

 was old seed, or not properly managed, I would 

 inquire whether age affects it, and what is the 

 probable cause of so many failures? Whether 

 submitting it to the action of frost, mixed with 

 sand, or soaking it in water before planting, is 

 the better way? (b) 



3d. The " Working Farmer," edited by Prof. 

 J. J. Mapes, New-York city, held out the opi- 

 nion some months back, that if we did not wish 

 to lose the use of the ground for twelve feet on 

 each side of the hedge, do not plant the Osage 

 Orange. No reason, or facts were given; yet 

 not a few of us would like to know whether there 

 is any ground for such broad assertions? (c) 



4th. Does further observation and experience 

 still give the preference to double, over single 

 rows, in hedge planting? (d) 



5th. What are the best varieties of apple, to 

 dwarf on the Paradise stock? (e) 



6th. What varieties of the cherry on the Ma- 

 haleb? (/) 



7th What variety of Quince stock is the best 

 to work the pear on? I notice some disagree- 

 ment among the doctors on this point, (g) 



8th. Why should the interesting " Jeffreys," 

 in your January number, declare — ■■■ In hedges, I 

 have no sort of confidence?" And in offering his 

 substitute, " wire," in which he has " entire con- 

 fidence," has he offered a substitute which will 

 answer the ordinary farmer, with limited means? 

 and will it answer for road sides, and all outside 

 enclosures? (h) 



Enough, and I fear too many questions for one 

 time; and I will postpone the balance. Respect- 

 fully, &c. /. Chester county, Pa., Feb. 13, 1850. 



Answers. — (a) We still think as highly as 

 ever of the Osage Orange, as a hedge plant, for 

 all points south of this ; and the Buckthorn for dis- 

 tricts north and east. 



(b) We believe most of the failures in germi- 

 nating the Osage Orange, is from the bad quality 

 of the seeds. We understand that it has been the 

 practice of some persons in Arkansas and Texas, 

 who supply seeds, to get them out of the fruit 

 (a rather tedious process, in the usual mode,) by 

 first boiling the fruit; a process which, of course, 

 injures the vitality of the seeds. When the seeds 

 are picked out as they should be, they germinate 

 as freely as peas, if sown in the spring in the 

 same manner. 



(c) The Osage Orange, when left to grow into 

 a tree, sends out long roots; and so it will when 

 planted in a hedge, and allowed to run up 8 or 

 10 feet high without clipping. But every ob- 

 server knows that the roots of a tree extend in 

 proportion to the extension of the top ; and hence 

 an Osage Orange hedge, which is clipped once or 

 twice every year, and not allowed to grow more 

 than 6 feet high, will never prove injurious by 

 occupying more than its due share of the soil. 



(d) Double rows, if a thick and impenetrable 

 barrier against animals is the object, and a single 

 row if the eifect of a screen only is desired. 



(e) The following are well adapted: Early 

 Strawberry, Porter, Swaar, Dutch Mignonne, 

 Vandervere, Waxen, Red Astrachan, Summer 

 Rose, Ladies' Sweeting. 



(/) All the varieties; but it is especially valua- 

 ble for Bigarreau cherries, which do not bear well 

 in some soils. 



(g - ) The Angers quince. 



(ft) Jeffreys belongs thoroughly to the spirit 

 of the age, which demands the most economical, 

 useful, and practicable things for the moment; and 

 among such, undoubtedly, is the wire fence. A 

 good hedge is more ornamental, more impene* 

 trable, and more beautiful to the eye; but it re- 

 quires time, and patience, and annual care, be- 

 sides occupying more room than the wire fence. 

 Each will find its advocates among certain classes 

 of thinkers. 



Circulation of the Sap. — If we take a glass 

 tube, open at both ends, and put one end of it 

 into a vessel of water to the depth of an inch, — 

 after covering that end of the tube with a piece 

 of bladder, or other animal membrane, and then 

 pour into the tube a solution of sugar and 

 water, so as to fill up the orifice eight or ten 

 inches, — it will be seen in a short time that the 

 liquid in the tube will rise, and sometimes to the 

 height of several feet, and, at the same time, a 

 downward current through the bladder into the 

 water below will take place; which different 

 movements of the fluid are no doubt due to two 

 opposite currents of electricity. When Dutro- 

 chet made this discovery, he thought he had 

 learned the true theory of the circulation of the 

 sap ; that he had brought to light one of the hid- 

 den things relating to vegetable physiology. But 

 I would ask whether this theory is quite satisfac- 

 tory? Whether it is not open to, and liable to 



