of Rural Art and Taste. 



127 



ians gave them the name of tartufi, or tara- 

 tufoli, whence the Germans derive their word 

 kartoffel. The French called them " apples 

 of the earth," pommes de terre, while in Aus- 

 tria and portions of Germany, the equivalent 

 expression erd-apfel is used. 



Admiral Drake, in 1586, in England, sent 

 some to a friend to plant, with the remark 

 that the fruit was excellent and nutritious, so 

 that it would be very useful in Europe. His 

 friend actually planted the tubers and they 

 grew nicely ; but, when the seed-balls were 

 ripe, he took these instead of the tubers, and 

 fried them in butter, and sprinkling sugar and 

 cinnamon over them, placed them before some 

 company as a great rarity. Of course, these 

 balls tasted disgustingly, and the assembly 

 concluded that the fruit would not ripen in 

 Europe. The gardener pulled up the plants 

 and burned them. A gentleman, who chanced 

 to be present, stepped on one of the baked 

 potatoes as it lay in the ashes, when it 

 broke open, and he noticed that it was white 

 as snow, and mealy, and had such an agreea- 

 ble smell that he tasted it and found it very 

 palatable. The new vegetable was thus res- 

 cued ; but for a century after it was only cul- 

 tivated in his garden, and in 1600 the Queen 

 of England made the remark in her house- 

 book that a pound of potatoes cost two shil- 

 lings — about fifty cents ! 



I'fHcticfil Jfloriciillnre. 



A new edition of this has been issued, 

 containing revisions by Peter Henderson and 

 the addition of a chapter on grape culture un- 

 der glass, by Hugh Wilson of Salem, Mass. 



The editorial part of the work has been 

 well done, and Mr. Henderson may feel well 

 satisfied with the successful popularity of the 

 book ; but the printer, binder and paper maker 

 have not droesed it up as well as it deserves. 



Cnttiloffues. 



We thank our numerous friends for their 

 catalogues, which are useful and many of them 

 elegant. We are unable to make special no- 

 tices of them, as our space is very crowded. 

 We prefer to give our readers a feast of " good 

 things,''^ in the shape of excellent reading and 

 practical hints. 



The Centenniul. 



Only four million dollars wanted to com- 

 plete the Centennial, Philadelphia's greatest 

 pride. Congress refuses its appropriation; 

 likewise New York, and only Massachusetts 

 and New Jersey mean to do anything of pub- 

 lic good will. The latter State has voted 

 $200,000, we believe, in aid of the building. 

 In the meantime, Philadelphia' asks of the 

 New York horticulturists what they will do, 

 and they get no answer — not even an echo. 

 Alas, we fear they never will. New York is 

 so large, it has little or no local interest in its 

 own aft'airs, and not a particle in that of other 

 cities. As long as it is impossible to main- 

 tain a successful horticultural society in New 

 York city, so long is it impossible to expect 

 any help to the meritorious project of Phila- 

 delphia centennial horticulture. 



In the meantime, the Philadelphia commit- 

 tee have reported ; grand ideas are advanced. 

 Progress is prospectively splendid, and the 

 buildings to be erected are fine. Among the 

 plans are a beautiful conservatory for the dis- 

 play of plants, and especially palms and tropi- 

 cal plants. It is to be fitted up with foun- 

 tains, rock-work, aquariums, hanging-baskets, 

 fern-cases, vases with growing plants, garden 

 statuary and window gardening — not to speak 

 of the necessary settees and grottos, where 

 couples can do their courting quietly and un- 

 seen. This chief conservatory is to be sev- 

 enty-five feet wide, 300 feet long, seventy-five 

 feet high, with greenhouse attached thirty feet 

 wide and ten feet or more high. Likewise, a 

 cold grapery, span-roofed, thirty to forty feet 

 wide and 100 feet long, to exhibit forcing 

 grape growing under glass. Also, fruit-house 

 showing the culture of hardy fruits under 

 glass. 



Outside the glass-houses is to be laid out a 

 splendid garden, with all species of floral 

 decoration and ornamental plants ; among the 

 most curious of which will be the Pinelum of 

 Josiah Hoopes. 



To all which we say, success. Horticultu- 

 rists will willingly contribute plants and help 

 with advice, counsel and comfort — but won't 

 invest any dollars. Such, we believe, is the 



