editor's table. 



The Liquid Fertilizer. — In 1852, the Horticulturist promulgated the mode of using a liquid 

 manure that was highly popular, and we may add, extremely satisfactory. 



It consisted in simply dissolving half an ounce of sulphate of ammonia in a gallon of water. 

 Weak as the solution seems to be, if plants are watered with it daily they will die, but used 

 once a week, the most beneficial results are observed on roses, strawberries, early peas, 

 fuchsias, dwarf pears, dahlias ; in fact, it suits all plants. One pound will make a barrel. 

 The praise then given to sulphate of ammonia, caused it to be much sought for, and many 

 di'uggists now have it for sale. 



John Feast's Catalogue of new and choice plants visits our table, from Baltimore, and con- 

 tains the usual varieties of the beautiful and useful. We shoiild be glad if Mr. Feast would 

 put pen to paper sometimes, and tell us what is doing in Maryland. Did the Camellias — 

 any of them — pass the last winter agreeably to themselves, as it is said in former volumes of 

 this work they promised to do. Let us hear about all this, and give us "a Feast of fat 

 thiuffs." 



The Crops. — The fruit crop in this neighborhood is highly satisfactory. Pears and cher- 

 ries never promised better ; of peaches, too, we shall probably have an average crop, both 

 in Pennsylvania, New .Jersey, and Delaware. At the Northwest, and in Ohio, there is less 

 to hope for. Of the grain crops, the best accounts reach us. 



Wodenethe, Fishkill Landing, 26th March, '56. 



My dear Sir: In looking over, last evening, a back volume of 1837 of the English Gar- 

 deners' Chronicle, I found the annexed directions as to planting trees, which seem to me so 

 admirable, and so little known here, that I think them worthy of being quoted in the Horti- 

 culturist. I don't believe trees are ever planted so in this country — I at least never saw them, 

 and yet, the philosophy is excellent. I remember seeing a small Deodar Cedar planted in this 

 method at Eaton Hall, eight years ago, in holes 12 feet in diameter. Everybody, in this 

 country, plants either in round or square holes. 



Truly yours, Henry Winthrop Sargent. 



" All trees ought to be planted in pits of prepared soil. These pits ought to be 4 to 5 feet 

 deep, and not less than from 12 to 16 feet in diameter, or to occupy from 16 to 20 superficial 

 yards of surface. The pits should be neither round nor square, but star-shaped, or cross-shaped, 

 of such a form as would be produced by placing one equilateral triangle upon another, or 

 two parallelograms across 



each other, so as to form a pi„_ \^ pjg_ 2. 



Greek cross. 



" The object of departing 

 from the square or round 

 form, is to introduce the 

 growing fibres of the young 

 trees into the frm and 

 poor soil, by degrees, and 

 not all at once, as in the 

 round or square hole 

 method. 



" When a tree is planted 

 in the round or square pit, 

 dug ill hard, bad soil, it is 

 much in the same situa- 

 tion as if its roots icere con- 

 fined in a pot or tub. The 

 dovetailing, so to speak, 

 of the prepared soil, and 

 of the moisture which it 



will retain, with the hard, impenetrable soil by which it is surrounded, will gradually pre- 

 pare the latter for being penetrated by the roots of the trees, and prevent the sides of the 

 pit from giving the same check to these roots which the sides of the pot or tub do to the 

 plant contained in it." 



This advice is so admirable, that I trust you will publish it for the benefit of the few, and, 

 et to say, they are very few, who are willing to take the trouble and expense to 

 rly- H. W 



