Retrospective Criticism. 431 



"weak solution. My strawberry plants, in particular, confirm what I have 

 now stated, and next season I expect to be fully rewarded for the pains I 

 have taken with tliem, by a ricii harvest of fruit. As for my roses and 

 flowers o-enerally, tlieir colors, fragrance and beauty speak far more elo- 

 quently for the liquid guano tlian any set terms of praise. ( Gard. Chron. 

 p. 430.) 



Art. IL Domestic JVotices. 



Ritst on Corn. — The stems and leaves of Indian corn [Zea Mays,) have 

 been observed, this summer, liable to the ravages of the Puccinia 

 Graminis, — a minute fungus, which causes rust in several of the grains 

 and on the stems of grasses. — R. 



Sphre^ria Robertsn. — I have lately seen some very curious specimens of 

 a fungus, produced from the head of a species of caterpillar found at the 

 roots of trees in New Zealand. It is the SphaeVia Robertsii Hooker 

 Icones PI : Rar : tab. XI. ; also figured in the London Journal of Botany, 

 Vol. III. p. 77, plate 1. This singular vegetable was brought to Salem, 

 Mass. by Capt. John Williams, and presented to the Herbarium of the 

 Essex Count}"- Natural History Society. For many years such produc- 

 tions were deemed almost inestimable, — and their actual existence was 

 -even for a long time doubted. But further research has satisfied even 

 the most incredulous, that several genera and species of fungi vegetate on 

 the living bodies of insects, and in some cases are found in and on the 

 higher animals. From the heads of the caterpillar or larva, a straight 

 tough stem, about seven inches long, rises perpendicularly, and forces it- 

 self out of the earth, beneath which the larva had buried itself to under- 

 go its metamorphosis. This stem is surmounted with a series of closely 

 set black, claviform bodies, extending to a considerable extent downward; 

 and in these minute bodies, which are capsules, the still minuter seeds 

 [sporidcE,] reside. The same gentleman also presented fine specimens of 

 Stida aurata, a lichen widely extended throughout the globe. — J. L. R. 

 Oct. 1844. 



Art. hi. Retrospective Criticism. 



Staminate and Pistillate Strawberry Plants. — As there has been a great 

 deal said about staminate and pistillate strawberry plants, I thought I 

 would give you my experience on the subject. I have cultivated straw- 

 berries for the Cincinnati market for nearly eighteen years ; the sorts 

 mostly grown here are the Hudson, and what is hero called the Pine or 

 Neck strawberry, a great bearer, but rather soft for market. 



The most illiterate of our market gardeners in this vicinity have long 

 been aware of the existence of staminate and pistillate plants, or, as they 

 are called by our market gardeners, male and female plants, and to this 

 knowledge I account for tlio fact that we have the strawberry in greater 

 perfection and abundance, and cheaper than any other city in tlie Union. 

 If I did not pay strict attention to this, my beds would not yield one quar- 

 ter they do now. It is a knowledge and practice on this principle that 

 enables one of our market gardeners to bring one hundred bushels a day 

 to our market. 



The first that I planted of Hovey's Seedling I put no male plants with 



