EDITOR'S TABLE. 



By stating a few facts connected with tbe culture of my green-house plants, I may enable you to tell me the cause 

 and prescribe a remedy for the want of luxuriance in them. Aly house plants were aU repotted, last September and 

 October, into pots and tubs likely to suit each individual species. The compost used was black mold, composed of 

 decayed tree leaves and loam taken fresh from the woods, and afterwards mixed with decomposed manure, charcoal, 

 sand, &e., as was thought necessary for the difTerent kinds of plants. The place from which the fresh earth was 

 taken is a good deal of the nature of iron, and I think must contain oxyd of iron. The process of potting was judi- 

 ciously managed as regards drainage, &c. Spring water is used, which is carried to the house by lead pipes. The 

 spring rises out of the heart of an iron ore bed. The tank is within the house, and holds about 150 gallons. It is 

 tempered by the atmosphere of the house. The temperature at night is never allowed to rise above 50° or sink below 

 45°. Day temperature also moderate. 



The hard, coarse texture of the plants, the dropping off of Camellia blossoms, leaves of Orange trees, Begonias, &c., 

 compels me to seek from you a remedy, lly gardener says that the absorbent nature of the brick flues, and the 

 escape of sulphuric acid gas, cause the premature dropping of the leaves and flowers. Can this be? No gas can 

 escape, for we never have any smoke. We had some at first, but we have got over that evil. Again, be says the 

 coarse, rusty appearance of the plants, is owing to the use of spring water, or -hard water, as he calls it, and fresh 

 compost, which he says ought never to be used but when thoroughly decomposed and mixed with other vegetable 

 matter. If this doctrine be true, we have a good deal more to think about than the mere getting up a glass building 

 and filling it with plants. C. II. M. — Delaware Co. 



The falling of the leaves and flower buds is probably owing more to the di'yness of the atmos- 

 phere than to any other cause. It is not uncommon for plants to lose their foliage to some extent 

 after being repotted. If your flue does not permit the escape of smoke, there can be no injury 

 from gas. The spring water is not so good as rain water would be ; but if it remains exposed in 

 tanks in the house for some time before being used, it can not do any material injury. The mate- 

 rial of your compost is good enough. The watering of plants has much to do with their health 

 and vigor. If they are allowed to become very dry, or not watered so liberally as to reach the 

 bottom of the pots, or if they are watered too much, they can not thrive. It requires much judg- 

 ment and experience to water a miscellaneous collection of plants well, and more particularly 

 during the season when fire heat is applied to them. 



As the editor of the IToriicidturht is presumed to be "posted up'' in all matters relating to fruit culture, I take the 

 liberty to inquire if you can give me and your readers in general, any information concerning the culture of the 

 Blackberry, the most desirable varieties, &c., &c. Some of the nurserymen near Boston advertise for sale what they 

 call the " Improved Iligh Bush ;" and I understand that in the vicinity of New York a kind is cultivated, called 

 New Rochelle. Can you speak from knowledge of the merits of either or both of these kinds? Are they for sale at 

 the nursery of Ellwaxgee & Baekt, or any where else in your neighborhood ? and at what price ? h^ old Sub- 

 scriber. — Adrian, Mich. 



"We can not speak of either of these Blackberries from much experience, but we believe them 

 to be valuable fruits, well worthy of cultivation. They are not for sale here yet, to our knowl- 

 edge, thougli they are under cultivation. The "Improved high Blackberry" can be had, no 

 doubt, at any of the Boston nurseries, and the Lawton or New Rochelle variety has been offered 

 by Messrs. Geo. Seymour & Co., of Norwalk, Conn., and Mr. Lawtox, of New RocheUe. Both 

 varieties are yet scarce and high priced ; we can not exactly state how high. 



The cultivation is simple. They succeed well in a dry, rich soil, and are easily propagated by 



cuttings of the roots. 



-♦ 



Will you have the kindness to publish a list of varieties of Apples for feeding stock, suitable for our latitude, for an 

 orchard of five hundred trees ? What do you think of the following proportions : One-sixth early, one-tbird fall, and 

 one-half winter ? IIexry J. Chase. — Roliti'8 Nest, III. 



Will some experienced Illinois cultivator suggest a good list ? Sweet Apples are generally 



preferred for stock ; and the Jersey Sweet, Spice Sweet, Golden Sweet, Lyman s Pumpkin Sweet, 



and Talmarus, can be recommended, we think, safely. All are very vigorous growing and very 



productive trees, suitable for orchards. 



Last July my young trees began to be affected with a mold or mildew of a whitish color, that was very injurious ; 

 many of tlie young shoots thus affected, died. I would like to know the cause, and a remedy. Wabken E.mekick, 

 ed Lake., Mis, 



should say what sort of trees, and what part of them was affected. 



