of Rural Art and Taste. 



93 



to $5 per box, with one crate at $8. The 

 price averaged %\ per crate more than any 

 other sort. What a fine chance now for 

 any one with trees to sell ! 



Fruit vs. Jt'evers. 



A striking instance of the value of the 

 use of fruit in warding off fevers, incident 

 to " ague countries," is given in the case 

 of a family who moved from the East to 

 the West, and who carried a large quantity 

 of dried fruit with them which was used 

 pretty freely all the summer, and none fell 

 sick, although almost all new comers have 

 generally suffered the first year. In the 

 second year, with their fruit all gone, the 

 family succumbed to the usual fevers of 

 the district. We can recall from our own 

 personal observation several instances simi- 

 lar — one is that of a young man who went 

 from a home in northern New York to a 

 new one in the Delaware peninsula. Un- 

 usually fond of fruit, and with the greatest 

 abundance around him, he ate freely, and 

 during a residence of six years in a section 

 once famous for its " chills and fever,'''' he 

 has defied all prophesies, and never yet has 

 suffered the first attack. It is also a 

 matter of common remark that with those 

 families who have engaged in the culture of 

 fruit, who have eaten it freely, who have 

 given up the old fashioned diet of salt pork, 

 that the " chills and fever " have left them 

 and they are blessed with almost entire 

 exemption from any similar ill. It seems 

 to be a good axiom, well fortified, that 

 ^'■plenty of f nut to eat makes small doctors' 

 bills.'' 



I^arge Trees. 



Since we made mention, some time since, 

 of a few grand old trees, other journals have 

 been hunting up some "big ones," within 

 the circle of their knowledge. The London 

 Garden says there are a few very large trees 

 growing at Longleat, among which are a 

 horse-chestnut fifteen feet seven inches in 

 circumference five feet above the ground ; 

 a specimen of Salisburia sixty-three feet 

 high and six feet in circumference five feet 

 above the ground ; and a Yew, about 1 20 



years old, which is fifty feet high, with cir- 

 cumference of stem thirty-two feet a foot 

 above ground, and a diameter of head about, 

 fifty feet. A tulip tree is also described 

 100 feet high, and eleven feet six inches in 

 circumference five feet above ground. A 

 tulip tree was measured by J. J. Thomas, 

 many years ago, growing near Cayuga Lake, 

 which when cut measured 124 feet high, 

 and by counting the annual rings, found it 

 was ninety years old when America was 

 discovered. 



Succulent IHattts, 



Prof. George Thurber, president of the 

 Torrey Botanical Club, of New York, advo- 

 cates increased attention to succulent plants, 

 one of which in particular is warmly com- 

 mended — the " Variegated Ice Playit.''' It 

 is a dwarf, of trailing habit, with creamy 

 white foliage, and is exceedingly valuable 

 for bedding purposes. 



The Othouna crassifolia is said to be re- 

 markably attractive as a basket plant, the 

 long slender stems, with their fleshy leaves, 

 presenting a pretty feature when drooping 

 over the edge. It is a rapid grower, was 

 tested the past season as a bedder, or carpet 

 plant, and is considered admirably suited 

 to the purpose. 



Decoratiny I'ublic Diuiier Tables. 



The English are far ahead of us in the 

 liberal use of flowers at public gatherings 

 although in some of our private parties or 

 wedding receptions, the Americans are often 

 exceedingly lavish. 



At a recent dinner in London, at the 

 Inns of Court Hotel, the great hall of the 

 hotel was most tastefully arranged with 

 floral decorations. Thousands of flowers and 

 plants were employed, all fresh, healthy, 

 and charmingly arranged in an artistic 

 manner. 



Dishes were filled in pairs to match, with 

 white, pink and scarlet ; the upper part of 

 the dish was scarlet Geranium, with crown- 

 ing masses of Geranium Christine (pink), 

 resting, on Lycopodium Denticulatum. The 

 lower part or base of each stand had its 



