220 The Wachuset Blackberry. 



with the general neatness of the flower-garden. To remedy this defect, 

 let the plants be laid down horizontally, and the stems separated and 

 pegged close down : the whole plant will then send up a new crop of shoots 

 and flowers, and preserve such a uniformity of growth as will render it a 

 rival, as a bedding-plant, to the verbena. When treated in this way, flow- 

 ers are produced in masses ; although, to procure the greatest uniformity, 

 kinds of similar habit should be selected. We cannot imagine any feature 

 that would be more interesting than a small geometrical arrangement of 

 beds, each planted with a distinct variety of rose, and managed as above. 

 Roses laid so near the ground will be much less likely to be destroyed by 

 severe winters ; and, if necessary, they can be covered with great facility." 



Washington, D.C. ly, SaWldcrS. 



[The pegging-down of roses, as recommended by Mr. Saunders, has been 

 in occasional practice for some time, and has been advocated by Rivers 

 and other writers. The novel feature in the plan described in the Septem- 

 ber number consists in the systematic renewal of the old wood every sea- 

 son \ all the wood that has bloomed being cut away, and the new shoots 

 alone used for the next season's blooming. It is said, and probably with 

 truth, that this greatly increases the size and beauty of the flowers. — F. P^ 



THE WACHUSET BLACKBERRY. 



The new thornless blackberry, of which we give an illustration in this 

 number of the Journal, is, we believe, the only really thornless blackberry 

 that has ever been discovered in this part of the country. It was discov- 

 ered growing wild on Monadnock Mountain about five years since : and 

 Mr. Fletcher of Groton Junction, Mass., who owns nearly the entire stock 

 of the plant, assures us that this variety does equally well on a light and 

 a heavy soil ; and that, where other kinds have failed the present season, 

 this has borne a heavy crop. 



Those of our readers who have cultivated the thorny kinds will at once 

 admit that any variety that bears good crops of fine berries, does well in 

 almost any soil, and is, in addition, free from thorns, cannot fail to be a 

 great acquisition. 



