1885.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



125 



Josselyn says: 'The blew is commonly ripe be- 

 fore the others.' The Mandans, a North-western 

 tribe, had a very early variety. The King Philip 

 corn of the Wampanoags has descended to us. 

 Sweet-corn was found on the borders of the Sus- 

 quehanna, and yet other varieties in other sections 

 and among other tribes." 



We may add to this very interesting chapter, 

 that corn is the term universally applied to bread 

 stuffs in the old world ; a corn-field is a wheat- 

 field, and corn is simply wheat. The corn of Scrip- 

 ture is wheat or some of its allies, and it is just 

 possible that Darwin meant wheat when he says 

 he found a head in a shell. An ear of our corn 

 would not bend, and it would take a considerable 

 sized shell that would permit a stiff ear like that 

 of Indian corn, to become imbedded without 

 bending. Corn is a name given to the maize, 

 simply because it was another item in the list of 

 breadstuffs, in use by the Indians. A want of 

 perception of these facts has made the history of 

 Indian corn a perplexing study. 



The Peanut Plant. — By B. VV. Jones. 



The Tobacco Remedy. — By General T. L. 

 Clingman. 



Prairie Experience. — By Major N. Shepherd. 



These are all useful, practical little works, by 

 some well-nnown authorities, and are issued by the 

 well-known firm of Orange Judd Company, New 

 York. 



Cactaceous Plants : Their History and Cul- 

 ture. — By Lewis Castle, of the Journal of Horti- 

 culture, London; sold also by Chas. H. Marot, 

 Philadelphia. 



This is a very timely little book, for there never 

 was a period in the history of American Horticulture 

 when a knowledge of cactuses was more sought 

 for than now. They do not as a rule remain long 

 in flower, but this very fact gives zest to the 

 anticipation to see them blossom. But — and this 

 is perhaps one of the most remarkable features 

 about them — though so short a time in blossom, 

 they mostly come into bloom at different times, so 

 that one who has a large collection, may have 

 cactus flowers almost any time in the year. Cac- 

 tuses are all natives of the New World, so although 

 this is an English work it treats of American plants 

 and thus will be very welcome. Some fifteen 

 are figured, a large number described, and useful 

 hints for culture adapted to all. 



Plant Life on the Farm. — By Dr. M. T. 

 Masters. New York ; Orange Judd Company. 



Dr. Masters is the editor of the London Gard- 

 eners' Chronicle, and besides his labors in many 



branches of botany, stands especially pre-eminent 

 in the department of plant-life. He has had the 

 great advantage of many years of editorial expe- 

 rience, which gives a scientific man the chance to 

 know what the people need ; while himself the son 

 of a very successful English nurseryman, he has- 

 had that practical experience among plants that 

 is so helpful to a teacher of vegetable science. 



This work treats of plant nutrition, the machinery 

 of nutrition, growth, sensitiveness, development, 



I multiplication, the battle of life, practical influences, 

 decay and death, — all this in a small well-printed 

 book of 130 pages. 



j The New York publishers are to be congratulated 



' on being the vehicle to give to the American pub- 



I lie this little work from so able a pen. 



Transactions of the Worcester County, 

 Mass.\chusetts, Horticultural Society, for 

 1884. — From the Secretary, Ed. W. Lincoln. 



Last year, in noticing the receipt of this ex- 

 cellent publication, we remarked on the injustice 

 to the whole community, of letting the property 

 of voluntary associations go free of taxes ; noth- 

 ing whatever is gained to the community thereby. 

 We all pay double taxes in order that each other 

 may get the half But it works unjustly because 

 there are numberless institutions just as worthy of 

 freedom from taxation as those which creep in 

 under exemption, that pay full taxes. This was 

 the case with the Worcester County Horticultural 

 Society. Its property was taxed, while property 

 devoted to what is vulgarly known as the " Hoss- 

 trot," was exempt. We are glad to see by this re- 

 port that in some slight degree this injustice has 

 been removed, and the legislature of Mass- 

 achusetts has permitted some of the property of 

 the Horticultural Society to be free of taxes as 

 well as all of that belonging to the Agricultural 

 Society. 



It will, however, be a grand day for our whole 

 country when all property shall be equally taxed. 

 It would reduce the tax rate one-half in all large 

 cities, and render the flow of private benevolence 

 double what it is at the present time ; charity 

 would be largely the gainer, and not at a loss. 



SCRAPS AND QUERIES. 



Cinnamon Vine. — A correspondent complains 

 that she had the Chinese Yam in her garden, and 

 much prized it as an ornamental vine for the sum- 

 mer covering of an arbor. Seeing advertised the 

 Cinnamon Vine, she ordered it and "paid a good 



