172 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



cause It has been in use in Virginia for ten years. It was first invented 

 and used at Norfolk. 



NATIVE FLOWERING SHRUBS. 



Andrew S. Fuller mentioned a variety of native shrubs that are well 

 worth cultivation for their beautiful flowers. The Avenum pennafolium is 

 one of these, 



Mr. Pardee. — The rhododendron is a very beautiful flowering shrub. 

 They will grow in shady spots, and cannot bear hot sunny places. The 

 soil should be sand and leaf mould. There is a great variety of this plant, 

 and they are easily cultivated. The American varieties are the handsomest. 



THE CHTTFA. 



Mr. Fuller. — I hope the subject of the Chufa will not be dropped. It 

 is easily grown here, and is very sweet and rich and possesses great fatten- 

 ing properties. If planted a foot apart, the nuts will fill the ground full. 

 It will yield more than corn per acre, and is easily cultivated. The seed is 

 hard to keep— it won't bear the least frost. I consder it one of the most 

 valuable plants lately introduced into cultivation. 



LAWN GRASS. 



R. G. Pardee spoke of the new plant for lawns — the Spergula, which is 

 an evergreen, spurry or Spergula, growing short and close — which is so 

 much admired in England. 



Mr. Thurbur remarked that the Chicken weed of this country belongs 

 to the same family as the Spergula. 



Mr, Pardee. — The value of this new lawn plant is that it is so evergreen 

 and grows very short and fine, and never needs cutting. 



THE CTTRCULIO. 



Dr. Trimble produced specimens of the curculio and its work. The 

 gnarly apples are produced by the sting of the curculio. The peculiar 

 crescent-shaped mark is visible, and this produces the knotty, rough appear- 

 ance that you see in those apples of last year. Many of the stung apples 

 fall, and are lost. Others grow to maturity, but not perfection. If you 

 watch the sting in favorite plums, and cut it out at once, you may save the 

 fruit. The cut will not spoil the plum ; the insect will. This insect is the 

 great pest of fruit-growers, and I believe is the cause of the black knot in 

 plum and cherry trees. 



Solon Robinson. — Here is a letter from Samuel R. Eells of Forrest 

 Grove, Bucks County, Pa., upon this subject, that comes apropos to this 

 discussion. He says : 



*' I notice that at your l^st meeting, the ravages of the curculio on fruit 

 trees was discussed. I have never seen or heard of a remedy that was 

 effectual in destroying them ; but we have a kind of plum tree here that 

 are never affected with them, although they may be standing side by side 

 with other varieties that are covered with the knots, and as I feel desirous 

 of communicating whatever may be of advantage to the fruit growing com- 



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