424 Domestic Notices. 



Best verbena, E. Tyler, $1. 



Best cut flowers at tliis exhibition, L. F. Allen. 



The show of strawberries must have been excellent, as there were more 

 tlian twenty exhibitors, and at least twenty varieties shown. The first pre- 

 miuai was awarded to Mr. C. Taintcr, but the report does not state for what 

 kind. The president, Mr. Eaton, exhibited fine specimens of the Bigarreau 

 de Lyon cherry, vhich the committee pronounce " a very large, fine, beau- 

 tiful and early variety." — [Report.) 



Crops in the West, — Insects and Benefits of Mulching. — In a 

 letter to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, by Dr. J. A. Kinnicott, of 

 the Grove, Illinois : — 



Dr, Wight, Corresponding Secretary, Dear Sir, — When I last wrote, we 

 were, I think, in the commencement of an uncommon drought, for this re- 

 gion, as our springs ai-e usually wet. We have suffered, however, much 

 less than was feared. The small grains have come on finely since the late 

 and abundant rains. Indeed, I saw two fields of spring wheat last evening, 

 tliat had made growth enough to " lodge" before a heavy thunder's gust. 

 Wheat and oats now bid fair for a good crop. Corn came up very uneven, 

 or not all, until well into tliis month. Some that was planted very early in 

 May came up at once, but generally there was not moisture enough to cause 

 the seed to germinate, and it lay in the soil, dry and safe, for near a month, 

 and then came up with tolerable regularity. This crop now looks decidedly 

 well about here. Potatoes are fine, but garden plants, such as parsnips, 

 onions, &c., from seed, have almost entirely failed. The same may be said 

 of annual flower-seeds, few or none came up, or survived the frosts and 

 drought of April and May, when they came early. 



Tulips and hyacinths flowered badly, early pseonies, &c., as poorly. 

 Pseonies, Humei, albicans, &c., of tlje late blooming sorts, Avere loaded 

 with perfect but rather small flowers. The Avhole race of roses are bloom- 

 ing deliciously. We have, I believe, about three hundred names of hardy 

 roses, (doubt if we have more than half as many sorts, essentially differ- 

 ing,) and these are, or have been, literally loaded with buds and flowers, 

 though I think that many more than the usual quantity or proportions of 

 buds have proved defective or abortive ; and the insects have been unusu- 

 ally destructive this season, especially the worms that feed on the bud and 

 unexpanded leaf ; of these, there are three or four sorts very abundant. I 

 know not their names though I do their habits, — one of these, usually called 

 the " measuring worm" or " striding caterpillar," has also played the mis- 

 chief with the young Avood of fruit trees. I have shaken over a dozen from 

 a nursery tree ; never two on the same twig. They are huge feeders, and 

 not at all timid. 



Our shoAv of fruit is rather fair than otherwise, when the severity of our 

 winters and our singular spring, are considered. I believe I told you that 

 the mercury fell to 18° or 20° below zero in December and January. This, 

 I knew then, must kill all tlie peach buds ; but I thought this degree of cold 

 could not aflfect other fruits, after so dry and late an autumn, Avliich ripened 

 the wood most perfectly. In this I was mistaken. As soon as the sap 



