editor's table. 



more to oncourage mo than flnything I have had done for mo heforo; it has seemed to in- 

 spire confidence in the people, as many have stated yonr work canscd tin; orders. Witli 

 such assistance, my business cannot be otherwise than a success ; and I am (piite unable to 

 pack and pet off my plants fast enouch, my orders beint; ''"w two thousand plants ahead of 

 me. and two men ]>ackin): all the time, and am seiidinp them into every State in the I'nion, 

 Canaila, and >'ew Brunswick — in fact, wherever the JJortictilturist cinulates. Plca.se place 

 them in one bid, to see how they compare with other collections. I put in a good stock of 

 sweet scented varieties." 



City op San Josk, Cat.., Dec. 10, 185G. 



Mr. Editor. — Dear Sir : We have started a State Horticultural Society in California. 1 

 have sent you a copy of our Constitution. It was organized at our last State Agricultural 

 Exhibition, held, in Sau Jose, in October last. We intend to meet in San Francisco, in 

 April next, and complete our Constitution and By-Laws, and after that we shall no doubt 

 have monthly, and perhaps semi-monthly, exhibitions of fruit and flowers, as they come in 

 season. 



Horticulture, in all its several branches, will, no doubt, in course of time, be developed, 

 in California, in all its beauty, richness, and grandeur. The congeniality of its climate, 

 the almost endless variety of its soil, and its scenery ; the countless number of its indigen- 

 ous plants, of almost every name and gender; indicate plainly that all that is wanting is 

 industry and science (and that is fast coming on), to collect, arrange, and display, the rich 

 treasures scattered throughout its valleys, plains, and mountains. Flowers cultivated here 

 appear to have brighter tints, a more delicate fragrance, and a more contented appearance 

 than the same varieties have in other countries ; fruits have a richer flavor, and are gene- 

 rally much larger in size than they commonly have. I am afraid to tell you the size and 

 weight of some of the fruits exhibited at our last annual Agricultural and Horticultural 

 Exhibition. What think you of winter pears weighing a pound each ? Bartletts weighing 

 twenty-seven ounces, and measuring sixteen and one-half inches by seventeen and three- 

 fourths ? Yours, respectfully, Wsi. Daniels. 



Wine. — In a letter from Naples, the writer assures us that there will be a very productive 

 wine year in Italy, the vines not having presented so healthy an appearance for many years. 

 The people decline to use sulphur, as they assert that wine made under its influence was 

 undrinkable. 



MoDNT Jot, Pa. 



J. J. Smith, Esq. — Respected Sir : The vegetable curiosity in the shape of an enormous 

 truffle, found in Virginia, is highly interesting. I examined the account published in the 

 Ar/rictiltural Patent Office Report for 1854, respecting the culture of the Piedmontese Truffle 

 {Tuber magnatinn), and that of Agar i ens campestris (the Mushroom.) This latter is stated 

 to be from one to three inches, sometimes four or more, in diameter. The author of the 

 Vegetable Kingdom (Wm. Rhind) states that they vary much in size, and mentions several 

 instances of being upwards of nine inches in diameter, and one weighing one pound eight 

 ounces, and measuring thirty-two inches in circumference, and ten inches around the stem. 



The truffle, so celebrated in the annals of cookery, is found, in clusters, some inches under 

 the surface of the ground, and no appearance to indicate their whereabouts. Dogs are 

 trained, with much pains, to search out these subterranean delicacies. Loudon informs us 

 that an instance is recorded of a man having possessed this power. One weighing four 

 ounces is considered large for England, yet, in Italy, some are occasionally found weighing 

 from eight to fourteen pounds. ( Vegetable Kingdom, Wm. Rhind, p. 193.) Liudley informs 



