344 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



on insects and worms. They are very fond of the -wire-worm fly. Occa- 

 sionally, by way of dessert, they pick a few strawberries and cherries; b it 

 they cam it by killing millions of our enemies of crops !" [See Trans- 

 actions of the Mas!-achusetts Horticultural Society in 1858.] 



By 0. B. Galusha. — Moss, to pack trees and plants for long journeys, 

 put up damp and lightly, grafts in pure sawdust,from bass or from hard wood, 

 will kee]) fifteen months. 



Seeds of most of the evergreens grow best in a mixture of sand and leaf 

 wold. Cover the surface of the soil with moss, as a mulch, water lightly, 

 keep under the shade of a fence or a raised platform, free access to air. 

 Some sorts of the evergreens will grow the first year. 



We notice that a New York city lady is establishing a horticultural 

 school for girls. We sadly want such schools in the West, not only for 

 girls but for boys. Our gardeners are all foreigners. _ Somebody may 

 make money by it here. 



Mr. Heermance, of Geneva, Ontario county, exhibited a model farm 

 gate, which is readily opened and shut by a person on horseback or in a 

 carriage, by means of a hanging drop, accessible to the hand, by which the 

 gate divides, each part running on an inclined bar above, and as readily 

 meet again as the bar inclines both ways to the centre. 



CULTIVATION OF FLOWERS AND LAWNS. 



Solon Eobinson. — I have two letters from two noble women — women who 

 improve and beautify the earth. I will read them, and promised that they 

 will be listened to with pleasure. The first is from one who signs herself 

 "Housewife," of Colchester, Vt. 



We give the most of it as follows : 



While other housewives are enriching your columns with accounts of 

 their experience in cooking, I will pen a few lines in behalf of the flower 

 garden, which should be attended to as well as the ''creature comforts," 

 last that love of the beautiful which is implanted in every heart, should 

 perish through neglect. Many housewifes are so entirely devoted to cook- 

 ing, house-cleaning and sewing that they cannot have a minute's time even 

 for reading except on Sundays, and then they " are so tired they had rather 

 rest than read." 



I hereby advise them not to cook so much, not to scrub so much, and sew 

 with a machine. Others will say they have so many human flowers to attend 

 to that they cannot cultivate any others, and these will let their door-yards 

 run to waste and weeds, instead of having them seeded down, and flower-beds 

 cut in the rich, green turf. 



I have cultivated a few of the common kinds of flowers ever since I was 

 a child, but have lost the delight of seeing some new, strange flower expand 

 its beauties to my view, because I know not how nor where to procure an 

 assortment of choice, rare seed. Last Spring, I accidentally looke \ over a 

 flower-seed catalogue with much interest, because it was the first of the kind 

 I had ?ver seen. I found I could have new and lovely flowers at a very 



