Illinois UoKTicrLTrRAL Society. — A meeting is to take place, in the city of Decatur, on 

 Wodncsilay, the 17th of December, at ten o'clock, to frame a Constitution and By-Laws for 

 a State Horticultural Society in Illinois. The friends of the measure are anticipating a 

 large and enthusiastic meeting at Decatur, and it is hoped that every county in Illinois will 

 be well represented. The convention will probably sit two days in the transaction of its 

 business, and all who desire the development of this great branch of our State products, 

 are cordially invited to be present, and to bring with them the best specimens of horticul- 

 tural objects, that the gathering may be the more interesting. E. S. Hull, 



Cor. Sec. Alton Horticultural Socicti/. 



Answers to CoREEsroxDEXTS. — (S. W. Johnston.) The J^[n()volia Mirhanxii of some cata- 

 logues is the ^[arjnoUa Macroplujlla, certainly one of the most beautiful of ornamental trees. 

 It was named after the elder Michaux, and we have always regretted that the modesty of 

 his son concluded to continue the designation given by the father, and which it will now 

 retain. Notwithstanding its great merit and oriental character of leaf, it continues to 

 be rare, as do M. cordata and M. auriculaia, two of our best ornamental trees, from the 

 difficulty of procuring seeds. 



(Subscriber, Leesburg, Va.) The best work on the kitchen garden ever printed in America, 

 is McMahon's, of which a new edition appeared lately in Philadelphia, from Lippincott, 

 who rarely advertises. 



Dear Sir: I have a number of oak-trees, valuable from their size and position, suffering 

 from decay in the trunk near the ground. Can you tell me what will arrest this ? (1.) Will 

 you also name some reliable work on the flower gardens, suitable for a beginner, containing 

 plain, ])ractical information ? (2) and oblige Yours, respectfully, A Subscriber. 



Bait. County, Md, 



(1.) Clean out all the dead wood carefully, and fill the cavities with moistened Roman 

 cement ; this sets at once, and will keep out the malign influence of moisture, the great 

 destroyer. Trees thus treated will often survive a long time. 



(2.) Mrs. Loudon's Treatise, edited by Downing, we have found a very valuable book of 

 reference. Breck's, published in Boston, is also very useful. 



" The Proper Expression of Rural Cemeteries," shall have a place in our next volume. 



The Plan of a House, from Michigan, shall receive early attention, if possible. 



Many correspondents whom we would fain have a chat with, must icait on the Index till 

 next month. 



CuPHEA Eminens. — Mr. G. C. Thorburn has exhibited to us this new Cuphea, vfliich 

 promises to be useful as a bedding-out plant. The flowers are twice as long as our old 

 favorite, and one-half is yellow. Mr. T. will introduce it next spring. 



" The Concord Grape," says the American Agriculturist, " which caused so much discus- 

 sion at its introduction some four years ago, is settling down to a place among standard 

 fruits, in northern gardens. No grape was ever introduced with a louder flourish of trum- 

 pets, and few were ever assailed with severer criticism. It is gradually winning favor, and 

 appears destined to become popular, where the Isabella will not ripen. A fruit grower in 

 Connecticut recently informed ns, that it has done remarkably well with him, ripened this 

 year by the 1st of September, while the Diana did not mature until the 16th, and the Isa- 

 bella not until the last of the month. This is valuable testimony to its early maturity. 



price has fallen from five dollars to one, and is now within the reach of all who desire 



We hear of gentlemen who are making large plantations of it." 



