36 



NEW ENGLAOT) FARRIER. 



Jan. 



LYCHNIS HAAQEANA. 



The toi-m Lychnis, of which the above is a 

 new and elegant varict}', is derived from the 

 Greek for lamp, the cottony leaves of a re- 

 lated plant having been used as a substitute 

 for wicks. 



Mr. Breck, in his Book of Flowers, says, 

 "the double variety is one of the most splen- 

 did decorations of the border; it is propa- 

 gated only by divisions of the root or by cut- 

 tings of the flower stem. The cuttings are 

 taken off at any time when the shoots are ten- 

 der, and planted in a sandy loam, in a warm 

 situation, but covered with a hand glass and 

 shaded from the sun. When well establi.-hed, 

 they may be transplanted into the bed or bor- 

 der where they are to remain, and will flower 

 strongly next year. There is also a single 

 and double white variety. The single kinds 

 are easily raised from seed. All the varieties 

 do best in a light, rich, loamy soil. It is ne- 

 cessary to take up and divide ihe roots ever}' 

 other year, early in the s-pring. A light pro- 

 tection is necessary to the double varieties, to 

 insure vigorous bloom. The flowers are fas- 

 cicled, (collected in bundles,) level-topped or 

 convex; two feet high; in June and July. 

 The double varieties continue to give flowers 

 until autumn. 



The Lyciiiiis Ilaageana, which is represented 

 by the cut, copied from Messrs. Washburn & 

 Cc's Catalogue of Flower Seeds, is an ele- 

 gant perennial. It flowers the first year, pro- 



ducing large scarlet flowers, with jagged pet- 

 als, one foot high. It requires protection 

 through the winter. 



One variety of Lychnis is the well known 

 Ragged Robin, so common in flower gardens. 



Peaches. — Two years ago we spoke of a 

 peach crop, raised by Mr. Nathan Brooks 

 of Acton, Mass., when he bad just realized 

 $600.00 from the product of less than one 

 acre of trees. Some of the finest of them, 

 then brought him $9.00 per bushel. 



A few weeks ago, Mr. Brooks presented us 

 a basket of this year's crop. They were of 

 the Late Crawford variety. Average price 

 per bushel $6.00. 



His crop this year brought him $400.00, 

 but, as was the case with all fruit, their flavor 

 was not of the highest order. We hope the 

 thief who stole two bushels of the best late 

 ones, on Sunday, will repent of the mean 

 deed, and restore to Mr. Brooks four-fold ; if 

 not in peaches, in some equivalent. 



THE WOOL PKOSPECT. 

 A farmer in Ohio asks the opinion of the 

 Acting Commissioner of the Department of 

 Agriculture upon the future prospects of the 

 wool growing busineis in this country. From 

 the reply of the Commissioner, in the last 

 Monthly Report, we make the following ex- 

 tracts : — 



It is manifestly unwise to destroy an inter- 

 est of such magnitude because circumstances, 

 temporarily existing, have diminished its prof- 

 its. It is unwise to abandon it because its 

 enemies have been able to cripple it by exces- 

 sive importation during the pendency of the 

 question of its protection. It is an old game, 

 hitherto successful with them, fir.<t. to glut the 

 market on the eve of the imposition of a duty, 

 and afterwards to declare the resultant stagna- 

 tion in prices to be the direct clfcct of the law. 

 All the mischief has been done that can be 

 done. The most potent (.'lement of cure is 

 time, in which to consume the immense sur- 

 plus of foreign wools which were thrown upon 

 the market, primarily for the profit of evading 

 the coming duty, incidentally for the discour- 

 agement such influx would bring upon domes- 

 tic manufacture. ^Vool growers who hold on 

 may expect a gradual improvement, which will 

 be sure to follow, unless linancial disturbances 

 unexpectedly arise. 



The country' has been flooded with import- 

 ed unmanufactured wools and woolen goods 

 since July 1, IHG'), in anticipation of an in- 

 crease in the duties, which was so long de- 



