NOTES FROM THE WEST. 



131 



Chambcrlye Is In fact the urate of commerce, 

 and contains lai'gcly soluble, saline and earthy 

 salts ; among which arc urea, sulphates of 

 Boda and potash, phosphate of ammonia, phos- 

 phate of soda, earthy phosphate, uric acid, 

 &c., rendering as rich and stimulating food 

 for plants generally as guano. By mixing 

 the soap suds, &c., about five parts to one of 

 the lye, and permitting a slight fermentation 

 to take place, it is fit to use at all times. 

 Wlien applied to trees, avoid pouring It near 



the stock — according to size. Should tho 

 barrel prove offensive, a quart or two of char- 

 coal dust thrown Into it corrects It Instantly, 

 even at mid-summer. 



A few applications of these slops during 

 the growing season to trees — forest or fruit — 

 grapevines, vegetables or grass, has an aston- 

 ishing effect In producing vigor, rapid growth, 

 dark, lustrous foliage, and great fruitfulness. 

 W. K. CoppocK. 



Lons Siglit Place, Buffalo, N. Y. 



ROUGH NOTES FROM THE "WEST. 



BY JOHN A. KENNICOTT. OF NORTIIFIKLD, (LATB THE GIlOVi:,) ILLINOIS. 



Thk August Horticulturist is here, and re- 

 minds njc that I have not sent off my contin- 

 gent of unlettered thought. I had written a 

 long article from texts suggested by your rich 

 and varied correspondence, when the thought 

 struck me that I was trenching upon ground 

 already occupied, by one Infinitely my supe- 

 rior In force as well as taste, tact, and " time" 

 for critical analysis and remark. Even his 

 little personal flatteries are very sweet, and 

 his hard hits quite pardonable. Next to the 

 discontinuance of the Horticulturist, I should 

 regret the absence of his downright and sen- 

 sible monthly comments. We cannot spare a 

 soul from this field, much less you, Mr. Jef- 

 freys. 



But this Is all needful courtes}-. What 

 were social or literary Intercourse without 

 these little graces — these kindly compliments 

 — a garden without flowers — a desert without 

 a well. For one, T freely acknowledge that I 

 love to give and to receive a truthful compli- 

 ment. A timely and genial shower of praise, 

 often causes a rich (;rop of good things from a 

 doubtful minil, and a great one from a great 

 but retiring soul. Long live graccfLd and dis- 

 interested flattjrv — louo; live Hope — for these 



are the food of creative genius, and lilce tho 

 soft dews of heaven upon the thirsty plant, 

 they cheer and invigorate the mind. So much 

 to kindly feelings and grateful acknowledg- 

 ments : now to my notes of a recent tour 

 through central Illinois. 



I left Chicago on the evening of the 4th of 

 July, by canal. Let a horticulturist visit our 

 LoCKPORT, and he will see how the taste of 

 the Individual may become engrafted upon a 

 whole community. This Is a village of gar- 

 dens and fruit yards j and here I may remark, 

 once for all, that throughout a journey of near 

 fifteen hundred miles — wherever I found or- 

 chards and gardens, tasty buildings and well 

 cultivated farms — there I was sure to hear of 

 some person who had Inoculated those around 

 him, with a taste for these things. 



It was part of my business to call at every 

 post-office, and I was curious to know tho 

 number of agricultural publications received ; 

 and I was soon enabled to predict, with mucli 

 certainty, the answer cf the postmaster, as 

 well as the net proceeds of his office, by ob- 

 serving the character cf the husbandry, tho 

 appearance of the school-houses, and especial- 

 ly the horticulture of t ae region round about. 



