editor's table. 



short time that will bear you apples almost every year, and you will have an apple that 

 can't be beat, taking all into consideration ; it will come, too, in use for baking purposes 

 the last of July and beginning of August. 



1 have eaten the last of mine this 14th day of May. We had them all along, for family 

 use. through the winter till last week. 



Now, Mr. Editor, can you point mo out an apple that will go ahead of our Smokehouse ? 

 AVero I confined to one kind of apples, I would select this. 



Yours, &c. J. Frantz. 



[We are just now much attached to the Northern Spy, for reasons known to ourselves and 

 Mr. Watts!— Ed.] 



Vegetadle Wax. — Dear Sir : In the Moniteur, I see remarks about the Myrica Pennsyl- 

 vanica, to the point. We have millions of pounds of that vegetable wax, which would 

 make our soirees a little cheaper. I translate it : — 



" In the Moniteur des Cornices, we find some very useful hints on the production of vege- 

 table wax. Beeswax will always command high prices, although we can raise any quantity 

 of it in all the States, but the trouble and expenses to obtain it is a matter of great considera- 

 tion in the market. Vegetable wax can be obtained much cheaper ; we have the wax-tree 

 well adapted to all our Middle and Southern States ; besides, we have the myricas, which cover 

 our swamps and wastes by the million. Mr. Kellemian states, that he made very fine wax 

 candles of botli the mijrica ceriftra, growing even in Canada, and the mi/rica Permsi/hanica, 

 all over Pennsylvania. The wax is gathered from the seeds in the following way : — 



" Fill bags with it ; dip these in boiling water ; the wax will soon come on the top, where 

 it can be collected by spatula, or by letting the water off when cold ; by submitting the 

 remainder of the seeds to a process of boiling, we get a second quality of wax. The bees- 

 wax contains 0.91 of ceriue, and 0.08 of myricine. The vegetable wax contains 0.8G of cerine, 

 0.13 of myricine." 



Old settlers in the Southern States used to extract that wax, which was their only caudle 

 at the time ; we can do the same, and it will not cost half the price of the beeswax, all 

 expenses taken together. 



Gas-Water for the Bugs. — Another remark, in the same paper, may prove very useful 

 for the destruction of bugs, insects, &c., attacking the roots of trees, chiefly the fruit-trees, 

 which seem to be more exposed to their attacks than any other of nature's productions ; 

 undoubtedly, because improved fruits are the result of art and human skill, and, conse- 

 quently, weaker or sweeter than the sturdy native or spontaneous productions. 



"M. Fesjier applied to his currants, gooseberries, and pear-trees, covered at the time with 

 lice, a mixture of one-half of the amiuoniacal water from the distilleries of the coal gas, and 

 one-half of rain or well water ; he poured that composition, with a water-pot or spout, all 

 over bushes and trees ; the result was the immediate destruction of the lice, and when the 

 soil was stirred and removed at the foot of the plants, all the bugs, larvK, &c., were found 

 dead and destroyed. This solution ought not to be strong. Perhaps it would do better to 

 take two-thirds of a barrel of distillecl gas-water, and one barrel of common M'ater. We 

 should recommend, moreover, to do it in a rainy or cool day, wlien the action of the sun 

 would not shrink or injure the leaves. I am satisfied that the above proportion would 

 never harm the trees, and as eflfectually kill the insects. Soapsuds have the same result, 

 but it is easier to get any quantity of ammoniacal water than such a quantity of soapsuds. 



" Salt, in moderate quantity, has a very good result, but its use for trees is not so safe — at 

 least, when we do not take a just proportion. One pound of salt, in a radius of four feet 

 from the body of the tree, will not injure the roots, and kill a great deal of those nuisances." 



Savannah, Geo., April 23, 1856. 

 .1. Jay Smith, Esq. — It is delightful to be in a summer climate so early, and to see every- 

 thing almost in full leaf. They have the most beautiful shade trees here that I ever saw in 

 any city ; the finest are the oaks, a species called water-oaks. Every few squares an open 

 one occurs, on all the principal streets, and these are filled with these and other trees, making 

 the most beautiful moonlight views imaginable. The flower gardens are in full splendor (in 

 April). Every morning, before breakfast, you can buy in the market fine bunches of roses 

 for a quarter of a dollar. Green peas are plenty ; strawberries there are, but, owing to in- 

 attention, very scarce. The yellow jasmine is out of bloom, but as we came down 

 Macon, nearly two weeks ago, the woods were filled with it. Truly yours. 



