270, 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



\Stpti'mbcr, 



•was on the supposition that the Inirk was alive, 

 l)Ut tilt* external bark of most trees has been 

 dead years before the time of applieation ; and 

 •• the breathing" if so the operations of the 

 pores can be called, it is throu<;h the crevices 

 formed in the old bark by the expansion of the 

 irrowini; tree, liy wliieh the living liark below 

 lias a chance of contact with the air. Xo mat- 

 ter what kind of coatinu: is applied to the bark of 

 a tree, it will soon crack sulliciently by the ex- 

 pansion of the trunk to permit all the " breath- 

 inj;" necessary. 



The main crop of Spinach should now be 

 sowij. Properly cooked, there arc few vegetables 

 more agreeable to the general taste, and few 

 fannlies who have gardens will wish to be with- 

 out it. It is essential that it have a very well 

 enriched soil, as good large leaves constitute its 

 perfection as a vegetable. As soon as the weather 

 becomes severe, a light covering of straw should 

 be thrown over it. A few Radishes may be sown 

 with the Spinach for Fall use. 



Turnips also may still be sown. In fact, if 

 the soil be rich, a better quality of root for table 

 use will be obtained than if sown earlier. 



Celery and Endive will still require the atten- 

 tion in blanching described in former hints. 



Cabbage and Cauliflower are sown this month 

 for Spring use. The former requires some care, 

 as, if it grow too vigorous before "Winter, it will 

 all run to seed in the Spring, The best plan is 

 to make 'two sowings — one early in the month, 

 the other at the end. The rule is get them only 

 just so strong that they may live over the AVinter 

 in safety. Many preserve them in frames; but 

 they should have wooden sashes or shutters in- 

 stead of glass, so as not to encourage them to 

 grow much. 



Cauliflower, on the other hand, cannot well be 

 too forward. Most persons provide a pit of stone, 

 brick or wood, sunk five or six feet below the 

 surface of the ground, into which leaves, manure, 

 or an}' waste vegetable matter is filled. When 

 quite full it is suffered to heat a little, when it 

 will sink somewhat and have more material 

 added to it; about six inches of good rich loam 

 is then placed on it, and early in November the 

 Cauliflower planted out. The object in refilling 

 the leaves so often is to insure the plants reniain- 

 ing as near the glass as possible, which is very 

 essential in the growth of Cauliflowers. Lettuce 

 is treated in the same way, and seed should be 

 sown now to prepare for the planting. The 

 Cabbage Lettuce is the kind usually employed. 



COMMUNICA TIONS. 



THE CRESCENT SEEDLING 

 STRAWBERRY. 



]!V W. F. BASSETT, HAMMONTON, N. J. 



I recently paid a visit to the farm of Ezra 

 Stokes, at lierlin, N. J., where this variety has 

 been planted in alternate rows with "Wilson's 

 All)any, Cliarles Downing, Capt. Jack, Monarch 

 of the "West, Great American, &c., «Scc., all re- 

 ceiving the same treatment for the purpfise of 

 affording the public a chance to test the com- 

 l)arative merits of this variety. As this was in- 

 tended for a practical test of value for general 

 cultivation, no extra manuring was given, the 

 land being prepared just about as it would 

 require to bring a fair crop of corn. The plants 

 were set in singly rows, and allowed to run into 

 beds three to four feet wide, and the Crescent 

 showed its first advantage in filling the beds 

 twice or three times as full as any other variety. 

 In vigor and health of foliage it also showed a 

 marked superiority ; while in quantity of fruit, 

 it was so far ahead of all the others " That he 

 who runs could read." I should estimate it at 

 not less than double any other, not except- 

 ing that standard of jiroductiveness, AVilson's 

 Albany, and in comparison with this latter 

 variety, the berries were lighter in color, better in 

 quality and averagecr larger in size. One im- 

 portant point I observed was the very small 

 number of flowers which failed to produce good 

 sized and perfect fruit, no other variety coming 

 any where near up to it in this respect. A few- 

 plants were kept in hills to try that method, and 

 on one of these plants a friend counted thirty 

 stalks full of fruit. I have also been informed 

 by Mr. S. (who by the way, is a thoroughly re- 

 liable man), that since my visit, after a delay of 

 three days rainy weather in picking, scarcely 

 anv soft berries could be found. 



A NEW CHEkRY. 



B Y C II A s. Ij () AV X I X G . 



The Ida Cherry, a new and very promising 

 early Cherry, raised by E. H. Cocklin, of Shep- 

 perdstown, Cumberland County, Pa., who kindly 

 sent me, by express, a liberal supply, which 

 came in good condition, although fully ripe and 

 of tender flesh. Mr. Cocklin informs me that it 

 is a seedling of the Cocklin's Favorite, about 

 twenty-five years old, and having borne good 

 crops for fifteen years, is considered worthy of 



