so 



THE GARDENERS' MONTHLY 



[February, 



weight so much. For my part I would sooner 

 have a small Seckel Pear, or a small Lady Apple, 

 than the largest turnipy thing that could be offered 

 me." So probably would anybody, — certainly so 

 would the Gardeners' Monthly. But that is 

 not the question. Would our correspondent select 

 in a basket of Seckel Pears, the smallest and 

 scrubbiest specimen, or one that is large, rosy- 

 cheeked, russetty and luscious? If offered his 

 chance, it would really be " Excelsior " with him. 

 In everything size will always be one of the cri- 

 terions of excellence, and it should always be. 

 The first principles of economy start here. There ' 

 is not half the waste in peeling in a bushel of 

 large potatoes, that there is in a bushel of smal' 

 ones ; and there is double the waste in rind and 

 core in a bushel of Lady Apples over a bushel of 

 Baldwins. Of course, size should not be the only 

 consideration in the recommendation of an article, 

 and we do not know that it ever is regarded as 

 the only one. It is simply one great merit, and it 

 seems to us deservedly so. 



FuMiGATORS FOR HoT-BEDS. — " E. H.," Clyde, 

 0., asks : " Can you or any of your subscribers in- 

 form us through the G.\rdeners' Monthly, 



whether there is a fumigator made that can be 

 used in fumigating hot-beds from the outside, and 

 who has them for sale ? 



[There are fumigators made by having a bellows 

 with a long nozzle, and, midway along the nozzle, 

 a tube to hold tobacco. The point of the nozzle 

 is inserted in a hole in the door, wall, or side of 

 any structure, and the smoke blown in. No 

 doubt an order to any large floral implement firm, 

 would bring you such an one Ed. G. M.] 



Growing the Foreign Grape. — "Lover of 

 Good Fruit " desires to know how he can grow 

 the European grape. He has tried in the open 

 air, and, though the plant seems to do well for a 

 year or two, mildew generally attacks the plant 

 and the fruit, and they do no good. The Euro- 

 pean grape seems to require a moister atmosphere 

 than the native grape. Wherever they are grown 

 under glass they do well with a little knowledge 

 of cultural details. The glass covering gives them 

 the atmospheric moisture they desire. Those who 

 are fond of the foreign grape can grow them at 

 no great cost. It is not essential to have heat- 

 ing arrangements — the glass covering is all re- 

 quired. 



Forestry. 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



Wild Cherry Timber. — We are glad to know 

 that Western tree planters are beginning to under- 

 stand that profitable timber planting is not to be 

 confined to Blaek Walnut or Catalpa. These are 

 useful enough in their way, but still their 

 field is limited. Robert Douglas tells the IVe^kly 

 Press that there is an increasing demand for Wild 

 Cherry. It is in good demand for furniture, and 

 should there happen to be an over stock for this 

 purpose, it is one of the best possible articles of 

 fire-wood. As there are many things known as 

 "Wild Cherry," it is as well to note that Cerasus 

 serotina is the tree intended. 



A National Forestry Law.— Senator Miller, 

 of New York, has introduced a bill into the Na- 

 tional Legislature by which five men are to be ap- 

 pointed commissioners at a salary of five thousand 

 dollars a year each, to look after the timber lands 

 of the United States. These timber lands are not 



to be sold hereafter except in blocks of 25,000 

 acres each, or at least " at any one sale." The 

 President of the United States is authorized to em- 

 ploy " the land and naval forces of the United 

 States to protect these forests." We suppose the 

 taking the list of the killed and wounded in the 

 fearful struggle for the preservation of the forests 

 will so fully occupy the time of the commissioners, 

 that even J5.000 a year will scarcely recompense 

 the self-sacrificing gentlemen who so unwillingly 

 respond to the voice of the people clamoring for 

 these officials. 



Protection Against Forest Fires. — The 

 Forestry Congress has at length seen the force of 

 the arguments of the Gardeners' Monthly, that 

 those who leave dry brush about to burn are 

 equally culpable with those who by accident or 

 design start the fire. At the recent convention in 

 New York, Judge Higley and Mr. Eggleston main- 

 tained this point. Nothing further than these two 

 opinions were offered in the matter. 



