Vol. 1.— Xo. II. 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL,. 



86 



periment this spring, as it could not be attend- 

 ed with much expense. 



THE PRIMROSE. 



Few flowers liavo been more celebrated by 

 "he Poets, than the primrose ; and yet so 

 little are the Lady-florists in this country ac- 

 quainted with it, that we have seen no less than 

 four varieties of the Primvla family, which 

 were called primroses. As the varieties of 

 •his plant produce some of the most charmin, 

 Bowers of the garden, we tinst descriptions of 

 varietios will be acceptable. 



the primrose— Primula vulgaris, L. 



This a common perennial plant, growing by 

 ■ w he hedges in England, producing flowers in 

 March and April, but in this section in May. — 

 They have a rich velvet appearance ; the co- 

 lors are yellow and purple, or yellow in the 

 -•enter, with a purple border. A good primrose 

 should be three quarters of au inch in diame- 

 ter, and on a single scape or stem about four 

 inches long. 



the cowslip — Primula vcri, . 



This is more fragrant than the former varie- 

 ty, and is distinguished by producing many 

 flowers upon one stem, umbel-like ; the flow- 

 ers are uot so large as the primrose, and are 

 mostly yellow. Tho flower has an involucre, 

 with a funnel shaped corolla, much indented. 

 the oxlip — Primula, clatior, L, 



This is distinguished from tho primrose by 

 us many flowered umbels, and from the cow- 

 slip by the corolla, which is much larger and 

 flat. 



All three of the above varieties, are hardy 

 plants, and may be propagated from seeds, or 

 offsets after the season of blossoming is over. 

 The leaves of these three varieties bear a 

 strong resemblance to eaoh other, being long, 

 oval and rough ; and it is probably owing to 

 this resemblance, that such oonfusion has been 

 introduced in regard to names, as they are all 

 Galled Primroses, Cowslips and Polyanthus, as 

 suits the poetical taste of the florist. 



The common name of Primula for th;»e 

 plants, is the generic name; vulgaris, veris, 

 md elatior, are the names of (be species ; and 

 Polyanthus, is the name of a variety, and be- 

 longs to the Primrose, which is genus Primu- 

 la, species vulgaris, and variety polyanthus. — 

 As they are all hardy plants, wo recommend 

 them as among the handsomest border flowers. 



NEW ZEALASD SP1JIAGE. 



Having raised the New Zealand spinage the 

 last summer, we cannot but recommend it to 

 ihoso who are fond of spinage dishes, during 

 'he summer months. It is a very luxuriant 

 ■•rowing annual plant, witn thick succulent 

 Seaves of beautiful green color. 



The »eed of this plant siiould be sprouted 

 ;h a hot-ted, in order tohavo it fit for use be- 

 sore tho middle of summer. The branches 

 are decumbent and spreading to the distance 

 jf two feot from the roots, which is a suitable 

 distance for setting the plants from each other. 



After the plants imve grown about a foot 

 'ong, the tips of tho branches may be cut for 

 iso ; they will be found very tender and well 

 j3avored. It continues growing very luxuri- 

 antly until killed by the frost. The seed is 

 produced at the axils of the leaves. Eight or 

 ten plants will be sufficient for a large family, 

 both for producing seed and for boiling. 



THE FIG. 



The fig tree is a native of Asia, and has beer- 

 cultivated for its fruit, from time immemorial. 

 In our southern and middle stales, the fig pro- 

 duces two crops in one season, and I ihink 

 mi"ht be cuhivated on the south side of Lake 

 Ontario, to some advantage. The tree is of 

 humble growth, rarely if ever rising more than 

 fifieen feet in the middle states, and will bear 

 when not more than four feet high. The wood 

 is soft and porous. 



Should this tree be found too tender for our 

 climate, by traiuing tho trees with two main 

 horizontal roots on opposite sides, the tree 

 might be laid down in the fall, and covered 

 with the same care as a tendergrape vine. 



The fig is easily propagated, as it grows rea- 

 dily from cuttings or layers ; the latter method 

 :sj generally preferred, as bearing limbs laid 

 down do not cease bearing, and even cuttings 

 bear the second year. 



The fruit of the fig is different from most 

 other kinds, as it is, strictly speaking, the calyx 

 of the flower, the stamens and pistils being 

 contained within it. 



The fruit is eatonboth green and dry, and in 

 some oountries is stewed when green, in the 

 same manner as apples. 



We sincerely hope that some of our garden- 

 ers will make a few experiments with this tree, 

 and lay the result before the public. 



PREPARE FOR GRAFTING. 



We again repeat the caution to Farmers ar>d 

 Gardeners, that now is the time to see that their 

 cions for grafting, are collected, and put in a 

 safe place for keeping until they are wanted. 

 There is no witchcraft attending the operation 

 of grafting ; it is as easily done as setting oui 

 cabbage plants ; and yet wc know of farmers 

 who will hire some strolling quack to do it for 

 them, and pay him as much for one day's im- 

 position, as themsolves could earn in a week, 

 besides spending as much time in waiting up- 

 on them as would have been required for doing 

 it themselves. 



Cut your cions with a few inches ofold wood 

 with them, and stick them down in the garden, 

 where they will not be disturbed until wanted. 



It may be useful to new beginners to spend 

 an evening in practice before grafting season ; 

 for tliis purpose, procure some green limbs of 

 suitable size for cions and stocks, and proceed 

 to fit thorn together, both by cleft and whip 

 grafting. This will be found very useful when 

 you commence grafting your trees. Prepare 

 your wax, and ascertain whether it is of the 

 proper consistency. Have ready narrow strips 

 of cambrick, dipt in the wax for use in graft 

 ing ; this being the easiest and sorest way of 

 using it, as it prevents the wax from cracking, 

 which it is apt to do when put on warm; and 

 it serves as a bandage at the same time. Al 

 ways prefer whip-grafttng where the size of 

 the stork will admit of it, in preforenco to 

 cleft grafting. But when large stocks must 

 be grafted, see that your wedge corresponds 

 with the length of the cleft. 



Remember that not only apples and pears, 

 but plnms, cherries, quinces, chesnuts, wal- 

 nuts, and most kinds of forest trees, as welt as 

 ornamental trees and shrubs, may he grafted, 

 and now is the time to prepare for it. 



FOB Ttf G£HESEf FARMER. 



There is no subject more interesting to the 

 farmer, than the selection of his cider fruit, 

 lor I am decidedly of opiuion, that the apple is 

 capable of producing, under proper culture and 

 care, as wholesome, and very near as palata- 

 ble a liquor as the vine. The objects to be re- 

 garded are the selection of fruit, the si e of 

 the orchard, and ihe manufacture, particularis- 

 tic fermenting process, of the cider. 



Two properties determine the quality of an 

 apple for oider, viz — the saccharine matter and 

 astringent principle. The first is indicated by 

 the sachromcter— the more saccharine matter 

 | the heavier will he the must, and the g raster 

 the proportion of alcohol after fermentation, 

 The astringent principle is dedecied by the 

 taste, and is supposed to be principally tannin. 

 Sorao fruits, in which it most abounds, are aus- 

 tere, acrid and uopleasant to the taste. It is 

 this property principally which preserves ci 

 dera from the acetous fermentation. Hence 

 the requisite properties ol a good ider fruit 

 are seldom found in apples esteemed for table. 

 The Virginia crabs, which yield a cider nearly 

 equal to Champaigns, are not eatable, and give 

 a must specifically lighter than water. 



Of the old varieties, the styre, redstreak, 

 and fox-whelp were esteemed as giving the 

 strongest liquors, yet the specific gravity of 

 their must did not exoced 1,079, water being 

 1,000. Knight has produced four vari cties 

 yieldiug a stronger juice than either of tli em, 

 His Downton and Foxley pippins give a must 

 of 1,080 his yellow Siberian 1,085, and his 

 Siberian Harvey 1,091, which last is said to 

 be the heaviest cider must known. The first 

 named of these is considered a very beautiful 

 table apple. 



Of our table varieties, the Harrison, Can • 

 field, Winesap, Greyhouse, Poughkeepsie, 

 Russett, Cooper's Russetiug,Ruckman's rear- 

 main, <tc. The Harrison, Winesap, and 

 Ruckman's Pearmain are fine for the table and 

 kitchen. We have probably many other na- 

 tive varieties equally good ; and it is desirable 

 that our native kinds should be subjected to a fair 

 test, inorder to determine their relative value. 



It is believed that cider properly manufactu- 

 red from any one variety, or perhaps two vari- 

 eties, properly blended, would always com- 

 mand a ready market in our cities and towns, 

 at five to ten dollars tho barrel. The Harri- 

 son and Canfield cider sells at this price ; and 

 I recollect seeing in the memoirs of the Phil- 

 adelphia Society, a letter Irom a Mr. Wyn- 

 koof, of Lancaster, detailing the profits of hrs 

 cider orchard ; the amount of which was, that 

 four acres in Virginia oralis, afforded him eve- 

 ry second year, 40 hogsheads of cider, which 

 sold by contract at about §10 per barrel, or 

 $1,600 for the crop. There is no art in ma 

 king cider from this fruit. It requires merely 

 to be made separate and with caio. 



It is as unreasonable to expect a fine oider 

 from a dozen or twenty varieties of the apple, 

 as it would be to expect a fine wine from as 

 many kinds of the grape. The proper way is 

 therefore, for tho planters to select one or more 

 kinds for his cider, and to manufacture the fruit 

 of each by itself, or to blend them in such pro- 

 portions as experience shall dictate. The Eng- 

 lish rule, that a good cider apple is cither red or 

 yellow, though correct in the main, will no! 

 hold in regard to our crabs. 



The site of the orchard should be elevated 

 or sloping — a souili to east aspect the best — 

 a dry preferable to a wet soil — and an ordinary 

 richness of soil better than one of too great 

 fertility. It is a conclusion drawn from expc- 

 perience in England, that the best cider comes 

 from a calcareous or marly soil. Upon these 

 situations the fruit is not so large, but the jui- 

 ces are far more concentrated than upon moist 

 or rich soils. 



The subject of manufacturing eider, particu 

 larly that part which regards tho fermenting 

 process, requires more time to detail than I 

 have at present at command. I shall there- 

 fore defer it till another occasion. J. B. 



Majrch 10,183). 



