Horticultural Societies. 329 



through the mass, to suit it well. The loam and peat need not be broken 

 up into very small pieces ; but the dung should be passed through a fine 

 sieve, to catch the worms, which it almost always contains. I ought to 

 state that there are two varieties of this Gesncra in cultivation, the one 

 having thin ill-colored leaves, and in every way much inferior to the other ; 

 therefore beginners should take care not to purchase the worthless variety, 

 which, however, is not very common. — [Card. Chron., 1852, p. 292.) 



Art. II. Domestic JVotices. 



Peeling the Bark from Cherry Trees. — It is an old adage that 

 " nothing is made in vain," and it is generally admitted that it is founded in 

 truth. It seems, however, that it is not so in everything, for Professor Tur- 

 ner, of Illinois, states that it is only by peeling off'{\) the bark of his cherries 

 that he is enabled to save his trees. We know there are instances where 

 life can only be saved by amputating a limb ; but that the bark of the cherry 

 should be peeled off as a general rule, we consider one of the most wild 

 notions that a sane cultivator could conceive. We see no reason why other 

 trees would not thrive without their bark just as well. Indeed, so elated 

 was the Professor with his experiment with his cherries, that he intended 

 this year to rasp the bark off of his pear trees, (!) with the expectation that it 

 will add to their vigor. We should be glad to learn the result of the ex- 

 periment. 



Professor Turner is certainly zealous in the cause of Horticulture, and as 

 observation, experiment and practice can only make a successful cultivator, 

 some valuable information may be the result of his zeal. His mode of de- 

 stroying the curculio, is to bore a hole in the stem of the tree, fill it with 

 sulphur, plug up and seal witli wax. (!) He now proposes to get rid of the 

 pear blight, which he has ascertained is caused by an insect, by boring 

 similar holes, and filling with quicksilver. (!) 



We certainly must be thankful for the pleasure we have derived from 

 our gardening labors. Beyond the ordinary vicissitudes of climate and the 

 attacks of insects, we have nothing to complain. We have neither used 

 gas tar, coal ashes, tan, iron filings, blacksmiths' cinders, copperas, lime, 

 sulphur, soot, peat, or other nostrums, upon or around our trees, and find 

 them only to be too vigorous. If we had experienced the ills which Pro- 

 fessor Turner seems really to groan under, judging from his articles in tiie 

 Horticulturist, we should quit our garden, and take refiage in some place 

 where there would be no vestige of vegetation to remind us that trees and 

 plants were only given to man to — murder with bad treatment. 



Art. III. Horticultural Societies. 



Buffalo Horticultural Society. — April 6th. Exhibited. — By B. 

 Hodge, apples — Vandevere,(?) Westfield Seek-no-farther, Swaar, Pownal 



VOL. XVIII. NO. VII. 42 



