158 MorticitUural JVoies. 



Jli/drangcit J)eutsa;foliii, — Xew Hardy Shrub. 



This plant appears to be perfectly hardy, as we had several plants out last year 

 that were entirely uncovered, and which wintered perfectly, not even a tip was 

 killed. It has just opened its showy flowers, which are pure white, but, like others 

 of the same family, afterwards change to a pink. The flowers are very persistent, 

 staying on often from August to October. Its native country is Japan, from which 

 it was introduced to this country in 18G5. 



It is of somewhat spreading growth, often two or three feet over, and not more 

 than a foot high. The flowers are borne in panicles, six inches wide, but mostly 

 longer than wide. 



It roots very readily from layers ; when once it becomes reasonably well known 

 (if it should prove so entirely hardy), it will ultimately be met with as commonly as 

 the lilac. 



The old golden Hydrangea (hortensis) will not stand our winters, although we 

 have seen it do so in the neighborhood of New York. — Edgar Sanders, in Prairie 

 Farmer. 



Horticultural Notes. 



Uie fnra Squash. 



This is one of the latest and most important additions to our list of winter 

 squashes, and we extract a few remarks concerning it from an article of a corres- 

 pondent of the American Rural Home: 



It is a native of South America, taking its name from the Para river, a large 

 river situated in the northern part of Brazil. It is a vigorous grower, its habit 

 resembling the bush squashes in some respects, although the longer vines attain a 

 length of six or eight feet. The vines are very thick and strong, branching like a 

 bush squash, and growing erect till they reach a height of two and one-half or three 

 feet. One vine which grew alone in my garden measured nearly two inches in diam- 

 eter, just above the surface of the ground. The leaves are smoother than the 

 Hubbard, and of a lighter color. 



The squashes, which are about one foot in length, are of a light green color while 

 growing, gradually changing to a dark bottle green when ripe, some specimens having 

 a little yellow on the under side ; ribbed, skin smooth and thin, and can easily 

 be cut with a knife. The flesh is fine-grained, and whsn cooked is sweeter, and not 

 as dry as the Hubbard, and of a peculiarly agreeable flavor. It is equally good, 

 either baked or boiled. They are good keepers, and are very productive. I 

 counted upon one vine five squashes within a distance of three feet of each other. 



Although a native of the torrid zone, and coming from nearly under the equator, 

 they have ripened here perfectly the past season, notwithstanding the fact that we 

 have had a hard frost that killed vines of all kinds much earlier than usual. On the 

 whole, I think it should be classed as one of our very best squashes, being of very 

 good quality, a good keeper, very productive, and excellent in every respect, being 

 worthy of a place in every kitchen garden. 



Saiumer yruning Small Fruits. 



The Vermont Farmer, in an article urging the necessity of attending to this im- 

 portant operation, says : 



Summer pruning does away with the necessity of staking and tying raspberries 

 and blackberries. It does more than this : it increases the amount of fruit, makes 

 it of a better size and flavor, and gives the canes a form and degree of hardness 

 which enable them better to resist the severity of Northern winters. Without sum- 

 mer pruning, these small fruits cannot be grown with profit or with any degree of 

 certainty of yield. A plantation neglected in this particular would soon run out. 



