Ohio Men looking Wkstwakd. — The Hon. James Mathews, Coshocton, Ohio, removes 

 in the spring to Knoxville, Marion county, Iowa. M. L. Spllivant, Esq., the great land 

 priii)rictor of Columbus, has purchasod upwards of sixty thousand acres of land in Illinois, 

 mostly prairie, and is setting about hedging it and planting timber trees for shelter and 

 fencing. Ex-Governor Bkub has settled on an extensive tract of fine land in Winnebago 

 county, Illinois; and he and his sons are at work vigorously iinjtroving it. Messrs. Stuii- 

 GKS and BiGELOW, bankers, of Zanesville, have purchased, and are now improving, a tract 

 of about one hundred thousand acres, we believe in Illinois, some twenty or thirty miles 

 south of Chicago. These are all men of taste, and great energy, and will render impor- 

 tant service in converting the vast prairies of Illinois into fruitful farms and gardens. 

 Success to them, and to all like them. 



Mercantile Biography. — The subject of the article "Mercantile Biography," in the 

 January number of Ilunt^s Merchants^ Magazine, is the Hon. Marshall P. Wilder, of 

 Dorchester, Mass. "We have read the sketch with great pleasure. It is well written, and 

 shows a correct appreciation of the various talents and traits of character which have ren- 

 dered Mr. Wilder so distinguished and so useful a member of society. The life of such a 

 man is an example which it is well to lay before the youth of the country, no matter in 

 what profession tliey may be engaged. To American horticulturists the life and character 

 •f Mr. Wilder is of peculiar interest, and we hope soon to present a sketch, amoig others 

 of a similar character, now in the course of preparation expressly for the Horticulturist. 



A \nsTAKE ABOUT TiTK Beuere Superfin Peae. — M. DE JoNGiiE, of Brussels, who has 

 for some months past fornlshed a series of pomological articles for the English Garden- 

 ers^ Chronicle, stated in tJiat journal, December 2, that thoVGarknovn:! as Beurre Superjin, 

 was originated by Van Mons, fruited by him in 1827, and named Cumberland, "in honor 

 of his Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland ;" and M. de J. added that Belgians were 

 surprised that none of the English pomologists recognized it. We think this altogether a 

 mistake, — that the Cmn'jerland referred to is our native Rhode Island variety of that 

 name, — and that the Beurre Superjin, as is generally believed, did originate at Angiers, 

 with M. GoxTBAULT. and is a distinct variety. M. dk Jonqhe must be careful. We see 

 that he enumerates the Cuniberlarhd among the best of Van Mons' seedlings. 



Isabella Grapes. — E. A. MoKat, Esq., of Naples, Ontario County, N. Y., sent us a 

 box of Isabella Grapes on the 18th of January, as fresh in appearance and perfect in flavor 

 as they were when taken from the vines. We have never tasted better Grapes at this 

 season of the year. Mr. MoKay says : " They have been kept in a cool, dry cellar, with- 

 out the proximity of sawdust, cotton, or any other foreign substance. I hope you will 

 receive them in good order. My crop the past season amounted to over five and a half 

 tons, or 11,000 lbs. ; extent of vineyard, one acre." 



The Spie^a Graxdiflora. — The October number of The Flore des Serres has a colored 

 drawing of this new and very remarkable Spii-cpa. It has snow-white flowers, about as 

 large as those of an Almond. It was sent to England by Mr. Fortune, from China, as an 

 Amelanchier \ but on examination by Sir Wii. Hooker, was found to be a Spirata, but it is 

 regarded as the type of a peculiar section. It will most likely prove hardy here. W 

 hope to receive some plants in the spring. 



