256 Editor's Letter-Box. 



S. G. — The secret of the large Seckel pears which you saw at the exhibition 

 may be told in one word — manure. This variety will perhaps bear more 

 manure than any other. Dig in a good dressing around your tree early in 

 spring, and when the surface of the ground begins to dry, mulch with coarse 

 stable manure. If that does not give as large fruit as you want, try watering 

 with liquid manure. 



The Season in Texas. — Chinese Chrysanthemums are now in full bloom. 

 Last year and the present we had drought continued through the months of 

 April and May. Chrysanthemums matured their buds and bloomed. The 

 flowers are not so rich as they are in October and November. The contrast 

 between Chrysanthemums, Gladiolus, Salvia splendens, and Scarlet Geraniums, 

 is very striking. 



We have been visited recently with heavy gales and torrents of rain, which 

 blew down and turned aslant many of our shade trees, and devastated the vege- 

 tables. Potatoes not harvested are rotten from the excessive moisture and 

 heat. Seeds just ripe are washed away, and many plants killed, by the excessive 

 heat and rain. To add to this, the Spanish fly, or potato bug, is devouring 

 everything before it. Our Trophy tomato plants, loaded with fruit on the point 

 of ripening, are killed by the wind and rain. S. E. B. 



Clear Creek Station, Galveston Co., Texas, June 19, 1871. 



Macro. — You can set your fuchsias in the open ground in the spring ; a 

 partly shaded place is better than one exposed to the full glare of the sun. We 

 have known them succeed very well trained on the northerly side of a fence. 

 In autumn dig them up, place in pots or boxes of earth, and put them in the 

 cellar. Of course this will hardly be as satisfactory as if they were grown in a 

 green-house, and you cannot expect to get " specimen plants ; " but those who 

 have not the convenience of a green-house can produce a good many handsome 

 flowers in this way. It is best to dig them up in autumn before the frost has 

 killed the leaves ; but if it does it will not, unless very severe, destroy the roots 

 and woody stems. When planted in spring they should be headed in severely. 



Ralph. — The Van Mons Leon le Clerc pear is seldom seen now. When 

 introduced it was heralded with the most extravagant encomiums as the finest 

 of all pears, and, so far as the fruit goes, it certainly is one of the finest ; but 

 the tree is so subject to cracking and cankering of the bark, causing the limbs 

 to die away, that it was long ago discarded. 



B. — You can ascertain where to buy roses to the best advantage by consult- 

 ing our Nurserymen's Directory, and finding who makes roses a specialty. The 

 object of giving tiie specialty is to answer just such questions as yours. 



