AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 241 



Mons. VerschafFelt has received from Mexico, a beautiful tri- 

 color Salvia with numerous brandies at four points. The flowers 

 as white as show, have crimson on one part and scarlet red on 

 another. These flowers are odoriferous and last as long as the 

 generality of Salvias — it is multiplied by buds or seeds. 



THE YEW IS POISONOUS. 



The leaves and buds eaten by horses and cattle have been known 

 often to kill 'them in a few hours, and that when the leaves and 

 buds are dry as well as when green. Mons. Ortila has shown that 

 this poison depends on the age and place of growth in degree. 



[Revue Ilorticole : Paris, April 1857.] 



Translated by Henry Meigs. 

 It has been observed often enough to attract attention, that 

 pear, apricot and prune trees, when in blossom, are protected 

 from damage by spring frosts, when so situated near roads or oth- 

 erwise as to have dust freely on the blossoms. The least shelter, 

 even like this dust, is a protector. It covers the upper part of the 

 anthers and so preserves the pollen. Therefore we can by suita- 

 ble apparatus blow dust over our blossoms if necessary. 



Prof. James J. Mapes exliibited sawed laths, and explained their 

 quality. Edges bevelled, and placed as usual witli other laths. 

 Tlie edge of the bevel retains mortar so much better tlian tlie rec- 

 tangular, old-flishioned laths, tliat a smooth and perfect wall can 

 be made by one coat of plaster, in place of tlie old two coats. 

 And the coat cannot fall ofl'. He referred to Mr. Brown, of Jersey 

 City. 



Adrian Bergen, in reference to seed planting, said, that it was 

 too true that we usually plant corn too deep, and often we plant 

 it too soon. 



John G. Bergen had found by long experience, that corn ought 

 not, in ordinary seasons, to be planted more than half an inch 

 deep, but in a dry time he plants it rather deeper. 



Prof. Mapes — I plant corn a half inch deep. 



John G. Bergen — Some of my neiglibors pursue a method of 

 planting cucumber seed that is peculiar to them. They divide a 

 hill into four parts, put thirty or forty seeds in one part; next 



[Am. Inst.] 16 



