EDITOPv'S TABLE. 



The Faemees, Gaedens, and Ladies of Noefolk oountt, Mass. — A correspondent of 

 the Boston Herald thus speaks of the gardening operations, ladies, &c., of Norfolk county. 

 Tie seems to have overstepped the bounds of sober prose, but this is to be expected on such 

 a subject : 



"Among our agricultural friends, notes of preparation are sounding in all directions. For 

 amusement and recreation we have of late preambulated many of the towns in Norfolk county. 

 The farmers commence the spring campaign under unusually favorable auspices. Vegetation is 

 opening before us in the similitude of locomotion ; the blossoms of the Peach, Cherry, and the 

 Plum indicate that Providence is preparing for us an abundance of the most luscious fruit. The 

 ladies (dear creatures and charming souls) have, in good earnest, pitched into their tulip and dahlia 

 beds; they are up with the lark, and down with the noon-day sun. In the cultivation of flower 

 gardens they not only exliibit excellent taste, but from the exercise consequent thereon, expand 

 their mind and improve their health — that great desideratum with the sex. If your city 'young 

 bucks' have' a desire to behold just the prettiest misses out, fresh from the mint and harmless as 

 doves, let them (we do not mean your 'dandy Jims') arise with the sun, and with the team nature 

 has given them (their feet and legs), walk into Norfolk county, and from Dorchester to Quiacy, 

 and from Quincy to South Weymouth (if they are not too lazy to walk thus far), and they will 

 find females, with their pink bonnet and hoe, out in almost every garden, and will be convinced 

 why and wherefor our Norfolk county ladies are so much admired for their glowing health, ruddy 

 cheeks, matchless forms, and amiable dispositions. 



"Our young misses are now so universally educated, that to speak within bounds, at least, 

 in Norfolk county, ninety out of one hundred are competent and qualified 'school ra arms' — 

 are well skilled, and have a practical knowledge of house-keeping, and all the appurtenances 

 thereunto belonging. Many of them understand their rights, and knowing them, dare maintain 

 them. 



" The two most extensive and princly farmers in Norfolk county are, unquestionably, Hon, 

 Benjamin V. French, of Braintree, and Hon. Marshall P. Wilder, of Dorchester. Both of them 

 are alike distinguished in political and agricultural spheres. Hon. Mr. Frencu was a member of 

 the Executive Council under Gov. Marcus Morton. Hon. Mr. Wilder was late President of the 

 State Senate under Gov. Biuggs. They are both merchants as well as farmers. No person with- 

 out a merchant's revenue can carry on, with the perfection of these gentlemen, and on so extended 

 a scale, the farming business. Tlie green-house of Hon. B. V. French, and plants in full bloom, 

 is the most splendid natural curiosity now in the vegetable kingdom in Norfolk county." 



How much better would it be for our country — how much it would increase their own 

 happiness — if hundreds and thousands of our rich men would follow the example of Messrs. 

 Fkench and "Wildee. 



Mulching. — This is an operation in tree management that begins to be pretty well 

 understood and appreciated. — A very intelligent and observing lady, of Port Gibson, Miss., 

 writes us as follows : 



"This matter of mulching, I should say, from my own experience, is a very important one — in 

 fact, (with proper planting,) it is the one thing needful to the success of fruit trees at the South, from 

 the Noitliern nurseries. Mr. Affleck, of the nurseries near Natches, dwells very earnestly on the 

 difficulty of acclimating such trees here ; but mulching removes this, at least so my success hith- 

 erto goes to prove; and, experience apart, common sense would show us that if it is useful at the 

 North, it must be much more so at the South, in our very long, scorching summers. Sheathing 

 the bark of the tree in straw cannot promote its health, I should think ; and I see it affords shelter 

 to mice in the North, as it would to our great enemy, the ants, in the South." 



