1 88 Editors^ Letter- Box. 



asparagus-roots ; though we frankly confess our want of experience with regard 

 to setting them in autumn. If a saving of time is desired, the bed might be 

 prepared in October; and it would then be in good condition to receive the plants 

 in spring. There can be no possible doubt as to the success of this method ; 

 and we recommend it for our correspondent. 



Yearling plants are to be preferred for setting. An interesting statement of 

 the result of setting plants, one, two, and three years old, will be found in our 

 April number of the current year ; and to this the writer is referred. 



Of the merits of Conover's Colossal we are not prepared to speak, though 

 we have made arrangements to give it a thorough trial. We think it will be 

 difficult to find a variety of asparagus, whatever may be its distinctive charac- 

 ter, that will uniformly reproduce itself from the seed. You may purchase your 

 seeds of whom you will, and under what name you please, and two grand requi- 

 sites for the production of "colossal " asparagus will still remain to be supplied ; 

 viz., a naturally strong soil and generous cultivation. If these conditions are 

 wanting, we think the cultivator will look in vain for any resemblance between 

 the asparagus that comes to his table and the beautiful life-size illustrations 

 which embellish the pages of our horticultural journals or the catalogues of our 

 seed-merchants and nursery-men. 



Editor of "Journal of Horticulture:" — 



Can any one tell what is the origin of the striped varieties of pears, or rather 

 sub-varieties ? for there is no striped sort except there is first a plain sort. The 

 oldest one known to me is the Striped Long Green, or Culotte de Suisse ; and 

 we have also striped varieties of the St. Germain, Madeleine, Rousselette de 

 Rheims, Beurre d'Amanlis, Duchesse d'Angouleme, and perhaps others that do 

 not occur to me now. I think they all come to us from France ; and I know the 

 wood as well as the fruit is striped, and they are less vigorous than the plain 

 varieties. Yours, B. J. 



Mr. Editor, — I find an idea is entertained by some persons, that, in trans- 

 planting trees, they should be placed in the same position with regard to the 

 points of the compass as before. Do you regard this as important ? K. P. 



No : the reason commonly assigned is, that the bark is thinner on the south 

 side ; and, if turned towards the north, it will be injured by the cold. We have 

 never paid any attention to this point, but, more often, have taken care to turn a 

 tree round in exactly the opposite position to that it occupied before, in order 

 that the westerly winds which prevail here in summer, and had caused the top 

 of the tree to hang towards the east, might at least partially restore the balance ; 

 and we have never found any harm from this practice. 



Mr. Editor, — The statement in the Journal for July, that you "were not 

 aware that 'patience ' could now be found cultivated in any garden in the coun- 

 try," brings to mind the advice of an experienced horticulturist, who, when 

 asked by a beginner what books he had better read, recommended the Book of 

 Job ! I think it was good advice. T. G. 



