76 The Western Pomologist and Gardener. 1872 



first sent out. A Seedling from Downer's Prolific, it is a vast improvement in every res- 

 pect upon that rather popular variety. During the three j'ears we have had it in bearing 

 we have not been able to find a single fault with it. It stands the heat of our summers 

 perfectly, bears abundantly and the fruit is of the largest size, handsomest shape and color 

 and best quality. "What more is wanted ? Adapted to all soils and modes of culture. 

 Flowers perfect. 



Kentucky. — Another seedling from Downer's Prolific, and one of the largest, handsomest 

 and latest strawberries grown. The plant is perfectly hardy, passing through our hottest 

 and longest drouths unflinchingly, and bears most excellent crops on mature plants. In 

 full season ten days after other sorts. In our two year's experience with it, we have been 

 highly pleased with its general good habits. As a late market stock it is without a rival. 

 Succeeds in all soils. Best cultivated in stools. Flowers perfect. — Rural South-Land. 



American Sireet Chestnut.— Why Called Sireet. 



This is one of our valuable trees for ornament, for timber, and for fruit. The Spanish 

 and French chestnuts are very large, but the trees are tender and the fruit insipid and 

 flavorless. The appellation of Swed Chestnut is given to our American species to desig- 

 nate the superior flavor of its fruit over the European nuts ; and, as our American species 

 is widely different in size in its varieties, we shall undoubtedly soon produce sorts equal- 

 ing those of the French nurseries in size, with the peculiar sweetness and richness of the 

 American species. Some of my seedling trees produce very small and others very large 

 nuts. I can supply a few of these large nuts to such persons as may wish to raise new 

 seedling varieties, at advertised rates. — James Weed, Muscatine, Iowa. 



Swine in Orchards. — A. M. Gatch, of Milford, Ohio, stated at a meeting of the Ohio 

 Horticultural Society, that he prevented his apples from falling, and kept them on his 

 trees into October, by turning in swine. He kept from forty to sixty head of swine among 

 his trees, and they plowed up the ground so thoroughly that he supposed that they des- 

 troyed all the insects as they fell. 



New French Pear. — A contributor to the London Journal of Horticulture thus speaks 

 of a new Pear, called Buerre as V Assumption: " I have to-day (September 25th) eaten one 

 of the finest pears of the month. It is large, and in color much like the Brockworth Park. 

 The habit of the tree is robust, much like William's Bon Chretien, of which I should think 

 it a seedling, and it is marvellously prolific. There is none of the William's musk in its 

 flavor, but a rich, pleasant, vinous, sugary taste." 



Stimulating House Plants. — The Boston Journal of Chemistrg says that house plants 

 ought to be stimulated gently, once or twice a week. Rain water, so refreshing to sum- 

 mer flowers, always contains ammonia, which also abounds in all liquid manures. An 

 ounce of pulverized carbonate of ammonia, dissolved in a gallon of water, will make 

 spring water even more stimulating to plants than rain water. A table spoonful of guano 

 to a pail of water will make a stimulating liquid manure. 



CHANaiNG THE COLORS OP FLOWERS. — The Mirror of Science says that a case is knovrn 

 of a yellow primrose which, when planted in a rich soil, had the flowers changed to a 

 brilliant purple. It also says that charcoal adds great brilliancy to the colors of dahlias, 

 roses and petunias ; carbonate of soda reddens pink hyacinths, and phosphate of soda 

 changes the colors of many plants. 



A DwARP Horse Chestnut is also described in the Gardener's Monthly as a picturesque 

 shrub producing flowers of much beauty. It is a native of the Southern States and is but 

 little known. It is said to bear some resemblance to the California Buckeye and is per- 

 fectly hardy, and easily propagated by suckers or from seed. 



