planted ; and a dusting of the same over the leaves will soon banish them above 

 ground. There is also an ashy-gray caterpillar (the beet worm of the Cabbage), 

 that eats through the stems immediately below the surface, and which will some- 

 times ruin a whole stock of plants when in the most promising condition. In 

 some localities, this is the most formidable pest with which we have to contend, 

 as it works out of sight, and can travel sufficiently under ground to be unper- 

 ceived. When the plants begin to wilt under the influence of light, examine the 

 base, and it will soon be verified, if the injury is from this cause. If so, where it 

 is applicable, give a good soaking of strong lime-water around the base of each, 

 and where the plot is too large for this method, drop a little lime around the 

 plant, before rain, if possible, that the caustic properties may wash down ; for, it 

 is only in such state that it will do any good. The most effectual plan, however, 

 is to apply a liberal dressing of lime when the ground is being worked, which will 

 destroy not only the eggs of this, but of many other insects, if they be deposited 

 there. Few people seem to be aware of the good effects of lime, applied in this 

 way, for ridding the ground of insects ; but remember that it should be turned 

 in immediately after being spread, or it soon becomes neutralized, and of no ser- 

 vice for this purpose. 



STRAWBERRIES. 



BY THOMAS MEEIIAN, GERMANTOWN, PA. 



Your correspondent, "C. Legg, M. D.," has a note in your July number, in 

 reference to Longworth's Prolific Strawberry, in which he hesitates whether or 

 not " to accuse nurserymen of dishonesty and stupidity," because plants he bought 

 for the above from the Clifton Nurseries, bore all pistillate flowers. I can lend 

 him a circumstance to aid him in deciding. During the height of the " straw- 

 berry war," my friend, Mr. Longworth, offered to give me a handsome sum if I 

 could convince him that a hermaphrodite variety could be made to produce pistil- 

 late flowers, and suggested that I should take his " Prolific" for the experiment, 

 as it was a kind he could readily distinguish by the foliage. I did so, and took 

 plants procured directly from his own garden, to insure their accuracy, and on 

 which, by the by, our Fruit Committee founded their report to our Society, after 

 an examination of these very plants as the veritable "Prolific." To avoid the 

 possibility of mistakes, I potted the plants myself, and attended to them, daily, 

 till they flowered, which many of them did, in pistillate form, I sent specimens 

 to Mi*. Longworth at once — plant, flowers, and all — and received word, in re])]y, 

 that a committee of the Society had pronounced it not to he the true Prolific. 

 Since this, I have taken very little part in the "strawberry question," considering 

 that my reputation for accuracy was in danger of being injuriously trifled with. 

 Now that the heat of controversy has passed away, it is gratifying to me to find 

 the views I was so bitterly assailed for maintaining so extensively, strengthening 

 themselves. If your correspondent is desirous of understanding all the bearings 

 of this subject, I would recommend to his perusal a paper on the "strawberry 

 question," by Jas. W. Ward, Esq., inserted in the Transactions of the Cincinnati 

 llorticultural Society for 1854, which, though written by the coadjutor of one of 

 my most strenuous opponents, Dr. Warder, contains "my sentiments exactly." 



In case your correspondent should not be able to obtain the perusal of this 

 document entire, I beg permission to make a small extract for his information : — 

 Now, these characters (stamens and pistils in the same flower) of Fragaria 

 Strawberry) are normal and positive, though not constant ; they are essential 



