1S72 The Western Pomologist and Gardener. Jj^ 



with its established character for vi^or, hardiness and productiveness, has induced me to 

 plant more and more largely of it in every succeeding plantation I have made. The 

 trees have long, slender branches, which bend like a willow under its immense loads of 

 fruit, but seldom or never break, and though inclined to form acute angular forks at the 

 junction of the larger branches, they are not apt to split down like Yellow Bellflower 

 and some other kinds. It has a large amount of dark green foliage, and if leaves are the 

 lungs of plants, the Benoni can breathe and jerate its juices with the best of them. 



Its young fruit is very persistent and often after a high wind I have often seen the 

 ground thickly strewn with little apples under the trees of other kinds, when scarcely a 

 dozen could be found under a Benoni. With all the great number of Benoni treea 

 I have had of different ages, from the yearling graft to the mature orchard tree, during all 

 the time I have grown trees in Iowa, I do not know that one has ever been injured 

 by our cold winters. It is not an early bearer like Keswick Codlin and Kirkbridge 

 White, nor is it late in first fruiting like Northern Spy, but when the trees have attained 

 to a reasonable bearing size, they have uniformly borne profusely in alternate years. 



I am inclined to think the Porter the best apple we have ripening in succession, after 

 Benoni. Its large size, smooth skin and fine yellow color, with excellent qualities for the 

 table or kitchen, commend it very strongly for amateur or market culture. The trees 

 appear to be healthy, hardy and very productive, and it seems to be gaining rapidly in 

 favor in many parts of the West. 



Hoiv to Crow tbe Caulifloiver. 



Ed. p. & G. — I have been successful in raising Cauliflower, and as there appears to 

 be a want of success — so far as I am acejuainted — I will give you my method of cultiva- 

 tion. I sow my seed in the open air at the same time I do for cabbage. I am not anxious 

 to raise hot bed plants, or even early plants, for I find they do not do as well in our long 

 hot seasons as later ones. From the 20th to the 30th of May is early enough for our lati- 

 tude and our deep, rich sandy .soil. On the 10th of June, 1870, I spaded up a bed of the 

 Wilson Strawberry, which had just yielded its last picking of fruit, burying the tops 

 deep in the soil, and the same day set out the ground with Cauliflower. They done 

 well, forming fine curd-like heads of fair size. Last season I set my plants on the 25th of 

 May, and although the season was one of severe and continuous drouth, they done well, 

 nearly all forming handsome heads, some of which were very large. One head cut short 

 as it could be and closely trimmed weighed twenty-eight pounds. These plants were set 

 between the rows of early potatoes. The potatoes were dug in June, then they had the 

 ground all to themselves. I set the plants four feet apart each way and about one foot 

 below the surface of the ground in rich soil with a liberal supply of ashes mixed through 

 it. Stir the ground often, drawing the mellow soil around the plant. If the plants do 

 well they will completely cover the ground. lu the heat of summer I mulch with green 

 grass or weeds — never water, but sometimes flood them well with soap suds. In this way 

 I generally get very tine heads. — C. B., Nauwo, 111. 



Liquid Grafting Wax. — I have found no better recipe for making liquid grafting wax 

 than this : Melt one pound of common rosin over a gentle fire. Then add to it one ounce 

 of beef ta'ilow and stir it well. Take it from the fire and let cool down a little, and then 

 mix with it a tablespoonful of spirits of turpentine, and after that about seven ounces of 

 very strong alcohol (ninety-five per cent). The alcohol cools it down very rapidly and it 

 may be necessary to put it on the fire again and stir it, till the whole is a homogeneous 

 mass, similar to honey. When cold, it is ready for use. For putting on, a small brush is 

 most convenient. Do not put it on too thick, that's of no use. About like a good coat of 

 paint, being careful to cover all crevices. It will harden in a day or two, and then be of 

 a whitish color, impervious to air or water. Be sure and get the best alcohol, as a poor 

 article may spoil the whole. As the ingredients are very inflammable, you must be care- 

 ful not get it too close to the fire. The flames might strike in and set the whole burning. 



fi. Von Oven, 2faperviUe, lUinoit. 



