DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



149 



make a fair trial of it, anti report for the benefit of 

 othei's. There are certainly some soils where this 

 plant thrives wonderfully well, and no mildew ap- 

 pears; and others where, with all ordinary care, it 

 can sehlom be prevented. If the application of 

 potash in the form of wood ashes will ensure the 

 CBltivator against mildew in grapes alone, it is a 

 discovery of no ordinary utility. — Ed.] 



Wash to Destroy Insects. — A solution of 

 camphor in alcohol is the best wash to apply to 

 many of the woody green-house plants, to rid them 

 of the black coccus and scurf so often seen on old 

 specimens of Gardenias, Oleander, Oranges, Camel- 

 lias, &c. It may be used with a common tooth- 

 brush or piece of sponge, taking care to avoid 

 leaves not fully developed, and to dilute the mix- 

 ture, if too strong, with water. One ounce of 

 camphor is enough for two quarts of spirits. The 

 camphor seems to have the power of reviving the 

 drooping energies of plants, and has therefore been 

 recommended to be added to the water in which 

 Bouquets are placed. J. W. KnevelS' Fishkill 

 Landing, N. F., July 20fh, 1846, 



Phenomena of the Season. — Many trees have 

 shown a remarkable disposition to produce twin 

 fruits this season, whether in consequence of the 

 extreme drought and heat of last summer or not, 

 has not been determined, but we may attribute to 

 those causes their unusual abundance the present 

 year. The quantity of fruit is always referable to 

 the agencies of a preceding, not of the present 

 year. Among fruit trees in wliich this germina- 

 tion has been observed, is the plum, strawberry, 

 &c. &c. 



Upon the whole, the season may be set down as 

 an early one, yet many articles are very late, 

 among which, tlie common chesnut, which this 

 day, July 20th, is still seen here and there in 

 flower. J. W. K. Ibid. 



Manure for the Camellia. — A suitable ma- 

 nure for Camellias may be found in horn shavings 

 and other refuse of comb makers, steeping the 

 shavings in water until it becomes offensive and 

 pouring it off and applying it to the surface of the 

 soil, but not over the foliage, as was recommend- 

 ed to be done with Guano, by one of the New 

 York manufacturers of the article. Guano is also 

 admirably adapted to the constitution of the Ca- 

 mellia, in a very weak solution, say half a pound 



to 3 or 4 gallons of water, applied twice a week; 

 it gives foliage of the intensest green and vigor. 

 /. W. K. Ibid. 



Gold Fishes. — Persons who have the facilities 

 afforded by running water, may possess the sebeau- 

 tiful little pets, the most ornamental of all fishes, 

 in great perfection. It is a fact, however, that in 

 the breeding season, if the young have no place to 

 retreat from the older males, they will inevitably 

 be destroyed ; for this purpore, I place in tlieir 

 ponds every spring a quantity of brush wood, cov- 

 ering it over occasionally with the leaves of the 

 large '• spatter-dock," and here they succeed ailmi- 

 rably. 



In England I observed that mill-ponds were a 

 favorite place for gold and silver fish ; probably 

 they derive some nutriment from the Hour ground 

 in the mill, portions of which may escape to the 

 pond by being blown about in the air. In some 

 places they are regularly fed with meal. 



The gold fish has increased in the dam of the 

 Schuylkill river, just above Philadelphia, to a sur- 

 prising extent ; several years since the garden pond 

 of Henry Pratt, Esq. gave way, and all the gold 

 fishes escaped to the river just above the Fairmount 

 waterworks. When the water is clear they may 

 be seen in great numbers in the slack water which 

 extends for five miles. The boys catch them in 

 nets, as they will not take the hook, and after a 

 freshet I have seen them left in holes of rocks on the 

 banks, whence they are taken and sold to those 

 who admire them in globes ; but accustomed to 

 liberty, these more generally soon die than survive 

 to gratify the owner. The boys will sell them for 

 a shilling each, and they might be transported 

 with advantage to mill ponds, where they would 

 become permanent and not unprofitable tenants. — 

 J' J. S. Philadelphia, August 5th. 



The Biddle Vineries. — It may interest some 

 of your grape growers to learn that Mr. John Sher- 

 wood has rented for a series of years the enormous 

 graperies erected at great expense by the late Ni- 

 cholas Biddle, at Andalusia, on the Delaware. 

 Though the vines have been neglected for some 

 years, there is a fine crop this season, and no doubt 

 with his care many tons in 1847. Black Hamburgh 

 grapes are just ripening under glass here, (July 20,) 

 where slight forcing has been used, and command 

 readily at wholesale 37 1-2 cents the pound. Phi- 

 ladelphia. 



MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



MASSACmrSETTS HORTICTTLTURAL HaLL. \ 



August Wth, 184G. ) 



Adjourned meeting. The President in the chair. 



Walter Farnsworlh, Roxbury. proposed for membership. 



Tlie Society acknovvledg-e the receipt of a copy of the 

 " Charter and Constitution of tlie Cincinnati Horticultural So- 

 ciety." 



Tiie President read a letter from the Rev. Henry Colman, 

 of liondon, inlorining the Society that he ha<l procuriMl, and 

 herewith forwarded the medals of tiic London Horticultural 

 Society. 



Voted, The thank.s of the Society to Mr. Colman for his 

 earnest endeavors in procuring the medals ; and that the Cor- 

 responding Secretary transmit to Mr. Colman the thanks oi' 

 the Society. 



Voted, That the Recording- Secretary be requested to pro- 

 cure a suitable book for registering the names of persons pro- 

 posed for membership. 



Voted, That the Society subscribe for a copy of '' Tlie Hor- 

 ticulturist " 



The following members were elected. 



Jeremiah Shcehan, Salem ; W. T. O. Morton, West-Need- 



