Domestic Notices. 187 



cannot expect they will produce a healthy offspring. We lost more than 

 one-half of those planted out in April last and early in May, by frost ; those 

 planted after the 20th of May, and up to the end of the first week in June, 

 were full crops, and ripened well by the middle of October. In everything 

 novel improvements are found out. None ought to be planted (with cut- 

 tings) before the middle of May, leaving the top of the cutting or plant one 

 or two inches above ground, and water them once, should the land be dry. 

 We planted last year five acres with potatoes, the produce cuttings of 1850; 

 they continued in a growing state until the middle of October, the haulm of 

 all other potatoes being withered. Early in the season, in one year more, 

 we trust to get that most useful root up to its original standard, when the 

 expensive mode of planting with cuttings will not be required. There is 

 no part of the potato taken with the cuttings, the process is so far the same 

 as taking Dahlia cuttings ; the potatoes must be placed on a good heat, as 

 it is important that the cuttings should be as short a time as possible on the 

 mother plant, as all potatoes, more or less, that do not contain the proper 

 quantity of starch, are diseased, so far that they cannot produce a healthy 

 offspring. It is now six years since we first commenced planting cuttings. 

 Our attention was first drawn to it by the well-known advice a medical man 

 would give as to the rearing the child of a mother in a deep decline, which 

 would be brought up (as is termed) by the hand, or get a healthy nurse. 

 The first three years our experiments were on a small scale, and we did not 

 try their qualities. We have now but little doubt that we shall this year get 

 18 per cent, which is about the highest standard the root ever contained. 

 [Gard, Journal, 1852, p. 100.) 



Art. II. Domestic JVotices. 



Mr. G. C. Thorburn, our correspondent, formerly of John Street, New 

 York, so well known to horticulturists, has opened a seedstore in Newark, 

 N. J., where he will be glad to see his old friends and customers. In con- 

 nection with his establishment he continues the garden at Astoria ; where 

 he has been since his retirement from John Street, several years ago. We 

 are glad to see our old friend more directly before the public again, and 

 ready to supply them with all they need in their gardens, whether of seeds, 

 plants, or trees. Ed. 



The State of Gardening and Gardeners in the South. — A cor- 

 respondent writing from the south sends us a rather unfavorable account 

 of the state of gardening and gardeners in that part of our country, and 

 cautions professional men about emigrating to, or taking situations there. 

 After reciting the annoyances to which a good gardener is subjected, and 

 the neglect which he suffers, after being told, before leaving, that he will 

 " be placed on an equality with all around him," and be allowed plenty of 

 good assistance, he thus concludes his advice to his professional brethren : — 



" I have been out here some time ; I know exactly how the thing stands ; 

 and I could, in one part of this State, give you five names of men who 

 have come out there to live. One brought a large family, and left, after 



