Editor's Leiter-Box. 63 



damp and cloudy weather succeed that which has been warm and bright, with- 

 out the intervention of sufficient rain to moisten the ground to some depth, the 

 crop is generally much injured by mildew." Mr. Knight proved the truth of 

 this theory by warding off mildew by copious waterings of the roots. Sulphur, 

 which is destructive to all fungous growth, will subdue mildew, though it does 

 not remove the cause. 



L. A. The idea that trees planted while the moon is growing thrive better 

 than if planted while it is waning, is entirely without foundation. It is on a par 

 with the idea of producing a red peach by cracking the stone and putting in a 

 little vermilion. 



W. N. G. The ants do not produce the aphides, or plant lice, but the latter 

 discharge a sweet fluid, which the ants are very fond of; and this is the reason 

 why they are always found in company with the lice. You will find some inter- 

 esting remarks on plant lice by Mr. Breck in our vol. vii. p. 172. 



J. Q. R. Little is known of the stocks used by the Chinese for producing 

 their dwarf trees. Probably they depend less on the stock than on the treat- 

 ment. This consists in planting in small pots, and stinting the supply of nutri- 

 ment generally. They are of interest only as curiosities ; but if any one likes to 

 see a decrepit and venerable oak tree a foot and a half high in a flower-pot, we 

 must confess that, however curious, it is not an agreeable object to us. 



The Paradise stock is commonly propagated by layers. It has no affinity 

 whatever with the Summer Sweet Paradise or Winter Sweet Paradise apples. 

 These are varieties of the common apple. 



D. S. H., Macomb, 111. The plant of which you send flower and leaf is, as 

 nearly as can be judged, Vallota purpurea, of the Amaryllis family. 



C. G. P., Charlotte, Vt. From your description we think your Tigridia is 

 either T. concJiiJlora or a seedling from it. 



Reader, 39 West 23d St., N. Y. The only way to improve your lawn, if you do 

 not wish to go to the trouble of ploughing and seeding, is by top-dressing. Any 

 kind of manure will answer. If it is fine or well rotted, it may remain on ; but if 

 coarse manure is used, it should be applied as early as possible in spring, or in 

 open weather in winter, and the coarse part raked off when the grass begins to 

 start. If you like white clover, wood ashes will promote its growth. Super- 

 phosphate of lime has been found excellent, causing a fine growth of grass on 

 poor, sandy land, when efforts to secure its growth for several years previous 

 had been in vain. But be sure and get a pure and genuine article, or else make 

 it yourself A mixture of two hundred pounds of guano and four hundred 

 pounds of ground plaster to the acre is excellent. It should be appHed by the 

 first of May. See '" A Chapter on Lawns," by Mr. Breck, in our vol. v. p. 220. . 



