190 Editors Letter- Box. 



Good Old Things, Elyria, O. — We quite agree with you : the Longworth 

 Prolific Strawberry is very good, hardy, and productive ; better than nine-tenths 

 of the new kinds. We do not think it as profuse a bearer as the Wilson, or as 

 firm a berry ; but it is sweeter and higher flavored. There are several kinds sold 

 as Longv/orth which are poor berries. The true Longworth is an excellent straw- 

 berry : the greatest fault we know is, it sometimes persists in having a white 

 nose. 



Young Botanist, New London. — It is very discouraging to have the names 

 of plants continually changing. Often it seems to be mere caprice ; but generally 

 there is good reason, or the change is the result of further study, showing that 

 the name first given was wrong. Names once bestowed and popularized will, 

 however, even if erroneous, cling to plants in spite of all botanists may say : 

 thus Dielytra and Weigela will cling to the plants so named in spite of their 

 reference to the old families ol Dicentra and Diervilla ; and Englishmen, to the 

 end of time, will call SequoLi., IVellin'^tonia. , 



Idem. — Your flower is the best of our native asclepias, silkweed, or milk- 

 weed. It is y4. hiberosa, commonly called butterfly-weed or pleurisy-root. It is 

 perennial ; has a deep root, which you may remove to the garden in spring or 

 autumn, where it will bloom for years. It is a very brilliant flower ; and, among 

 all exotic perennials, you cannot find a more showy plant. 



Wild Flower. — The plant you send is a vigorous specimen of Lilium 

 Philadelphlaun., the common blackberry-lily. Generally, the plant has but one 

 flower ; often two ; rarely, as in your specimen, three. It probably might, by high 

 cultivation, be made to produce even more. The bulb is small, and very white. 



Of our other native lilies, L. Canadeiise has from one to fifteen drooping yel- 

 low flowers, and L. sttpcrbum from one to thirty drooping orange-red flowers. 

 Both improve in cultivation. 



Berries, Maiden. — We see no reason why the common whortleberry, or 

 " huckleberry," should not be improved by cultivation. The largest and most 

 distinct wild plants should be selected, removed to the garden at the proper 

 season, cultivated highly, and seedlings raised from the berries. It is a field 

 which has been but little experimented in, and you have it all to yourself. 

 White whortleberries are not uncommon ; but they are no improvement, and 

 have a sickly, unwholesome look. 



I have several grape-vines of the improved sorts that I can layer. Had I bet- 

 ter do it? or save the wood, and use it for cuttings next spring ? — Plants grown 

 from layers are not considered quite so good as plants grown from cuttings or 

 single eyes ; though we confess, that, practically, there seems to be but little differ- 

 ence. They are generally stronger at the same age. You will gain one year by 

 making layers now ; for they will get nicely rooted this season, and you can save 

 the wood that comes from higher up the vine for cuttings. Better layer. 



