THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



113 



West Newbury ; they were planted and 

 still owned by him, and are in the 

 plantation that took the first ])rize of 

 $1,000 offered by the State for the best 

 forest produced by tree planting. 



Here the tree is nearly forty feet 

 high, and is of tall, upright habit, but 

 has not yet shown the deep-furrowed 

 bark that is to be seen on older trees ; 

 it has a peculiar glassy smoothness when 

 young. 



We have seen trees of this oak in 

 Bedford, N. H., seventy-five feet high; 

 trees that make the best timber for pile 

 driving, for the support of buildings 

 and bridge piers. In open ground it 

 makes a strong, robust trunk, with 

 more upright branches than any other 

 oak named ; the acorn is large, sweet- 

 flavored, and is produced by quite 

 young trees ; they sprout freely when 

 planted fresh from the trees ; like all 

 species of nuts, they germinate best 

 when not allowed to dry. 



It transplants as safely as any of the 

 oak family, and as a lawn tree it is not 

 excelled when a tree of upright habit 

 and expanding, regular outline is de- 

 sired. 



HOW TO MAKE THE GARDEN PAY, 



The garden pays well, even with hand 

 labor. It would pay much better if the 

 main Vnirden of the cultivation were put 

 upon the muscles of the horse. But 

 the saving of cost in cultivation is only 

 a small i)art of the benefit of the long- 

 row arrangement. It would lead to a 

 much more frequent and thorough culti- 

 vation of our garden crops. Most far- 

 mers neglect the garden for their field 

 crops. The advantage of a frequent 

 stirring of the surface soil to growing 

 crops is greatly under-estimated. It is 

 said that it pays to hoe cabbage every 

 morning before breakfast during the 

 early part of the season. We can testify 

 to the great advantage of cultivation 

 every week. This frequent breaking of 



the crust admits of a freer circulation 

 of the air among the roots below, and 

 makes the most of the dews and rains 

 that fall. The manufacture of plant 

 food goes on more raj>idly, and to a cer- 

 tain extent, cultivation is a substitute 

 for manure. Another benefit of the 

 long-row system would be the almost 

 certain enlargement of tlie fruit and 

 vegetal)le garden, and a better supply of 

 these fruits for the table. This, we be- 

 lieve, would have an important sani- 

 tary influence in every household. — 

 Amei'ican Ayriculturist. 



FRESH FIGS. 



The Florida Dispatcli thinks the time 

 is at hand when we shall be supi)lied 

 with fresh figs that are fresh, not dried, 

 and ventures to prophesy as follows : 



As a shipping fruit, we predict for the 

 Fig an immense sale in the near future. 

 We have, already, many sorts which may 

 be picked a short time before full ma- 

 turity, and, like the strawberry, carefully 

 packed in quart boxes and shipped in 

 Bo wen' 8 refrigerators to any of the north- 

 em cities. If not fully mature when pack- 

 ed, they will ripen in transitu, reaching 

 the epicurean tables of New York and 

 Boston as fresh and inviting as when 

 plucked here from the trees. There can- 

 not be the slightest doubt that, if fine, 

 sweet, ripe Figs can be thus safely trans- 

 ported and properly presented to the peo- 

 ple of the North, they will speedily become 

 immensely popular as a dessert fruit ; and 

 that, to come anywhere near supplying the 

 coming demand, we shall need a hundred 

 trees where we now have one. 



The possibility of safe transportation in 

 refrigerators is no untried experiment. It 

 was successfully accomplished by Col. D. 

 H. Elliott, of TJie Dispatch, ti year or nwre 

 ago, and the Figs were sold in New York, 

 (if our recollection is correct,) at forty 

 cents per quart. We would jisk no more 

 profitable or remunerative bimuess than 

 to produce Figs by the car-load at half or 

 even one-quarter of that price ; and we 

 confidently advise all our fruit-growers 

 who live within reach of transportsition 

 lines to plant Figs largely and at once. 



