editor's table. 



Mr. E. Sanders, of Albany, and his brother, are about to commence business in Chicago. 

 Choice flowers, shrubs, and trees, will, we have no doubt, be found wherever they may set 

 up their tent. 



Soap by the Saponifier. — Every housekeeper is talking about "the Saponifier," and, as 

 we like to chronicle what is passing about us, we may as well state that the grocers have 

 for sale the "Keystone State Saponifier," in pound canisters,eachcanister sufficiently strong 

 in caustic soda to make half a barrel of excellent soft soap in a few minutes, and hard soap 

 ad libitum. It is made at Tarentum, Alleghany County, Pa., by the Pennsylvania Salt 

 Company, probably by the following process : Oil of vitriol decomposes the salt, and forms 

 a sulphate of soda, which is decomposed by caustic baryta or strontia, and thus makes a 

 nearly pure caustic soda. It is in general use, and the demand at nineteen cents a canister 

 is equal to the power of making it, so that It is not advertised. Housekeepers are now 

 enabled to use up their own soap-fat economically. 



Leaves for Leaf-mould. — Nothing can answer better than Elm and Sycamore. Beech is 

 more valuable for giving heat, and keeps longer, and, therefore, it requires more time to rot 

 into mould. Oak-leaves are the most lasting ; but they require two years, at least, to make 

 good leaf-mould, just because they are so lasting for hotbeds, and also because containing 

 so much gallic acid. We find nothing comes amiss for this purpose except the Fir or Pine 

 tribe, and even they are useful for some purposes if kept long enough. The softest leaves 

 that you gather, even though you ferment them by throwing them into a heap, and turn 

 that heap frequently, will require the greater part of a twelvemonth to be in nice order for 

 potting, though I have used them, after being well fermented, and then dried in cakes, in 

 less than six months. If you want a stock early, keep your Maple, Sycamore, Ash, and 

 Elm together by themselves. As stated. Oak are the most lasting for beds and giving 

 bottom-heat. P. W. 



Silver Springs, Florida, February 11, 1S57. 



J. Jay Smith, Esq. — Dear Sir : Florida ought to be visited in winter, by our Northern 

 friends. It is indeed a most delightful climate. Every day, here, has been a glorious, 

 sunny day. We have been all the time visiting sj^rings, plantations and sugar manufac- 

 tories, besides a good deal of shooting and boating. We visited first the Orange Springs, 

 a most beautiful location, with all the features of a tropical landscape. Palmettos of all 

 kind are there in profusion ; the groves are covered with Magnolise glaucse of large size and 

 beautiful appearance — some measuring from 10 to 14 feet in circumference, straight and 

 tall as arrows ; oranges, red and white bay, myrtles, live oaks, Laurus Carolinensis, &c. 

 To-day we saw a Cupressus disticha, which my wife wanted to have measured ; it was 23^ 

 feet in circumference ! The hammocks are densely filled with such vegetable giants. Vines 

 and creepers of all sorts run from tree to tree. They are almost all now swelling tlieir 

 buds ; some have their foliage almost developed ; the yellow jasmine is in blossom, and the 

 elder and wild plum are in their spring dress. I saw two families of the Erica, which I did 

 not find in any other place. The aspect of their hammocks, as they call those evergreen 

 forests, is truly magnificent. Sometimes a road runs in the middle of one of these groves, 

 and the scenery is then almost tropical. 



Orange Springs has a peculiar appearance, by the profusion of its palm trees. The spring 

 is clear, and abundant with a fine, large basin, but it is very sulj^hurous. Silver Springs, 

 which I should rather call Emerald, are more to my taste. The springs form a large basin 

 of about five acres, which, in some parts, has a depth of about 40 to 50 feet. The bottom 

 is varied with aquatic plants and mosses, and pure marl or shell limestone. The plants are 



