AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 177 



CURIOUS MODE OP BUDDING. 



M. B. B. Redding has in his garden a peach tree, on which he has suc- 

 ceeded in making one branch grow into another, by the process of budding. 

 The object is, wh«ere the tree has more than one trunk, to keep them from 

 splitting under the weight of an abundant crop. A regular system of 

 interlacing can thus be attained, and the branches made to support each 

 othef , without requiring props, as are not unfrequently resorted to, in order 

 to save trees. — Sac Standai-d. 



TREATMENT OF HENS. 



Two flocks of hens were compared. One laid eggs almost all the time; 

 the other laid scarcely any. On examining their treatment, the following 

 differences were found to exist ; the former had a warm cellar to roost in 

 during the winter; the latter roosted in a stable where the wind blew in. 

 The former had a fine place in an open cellar for scratching among ashes, 

 lime and earth ; the latter scratched in the manure heap, or in the stable 

 when the cows were put out. The former had plenty of good water, with 

 milk, &c.; the others had no drink except what they could find. — Rural 

 American. 



Mr. Fuller. — The Red Stalk rhubarb, mentioned by Spreckelsen, as the 

 l>est in Europe, is by no means the best here, nor has it the advantage 

 over ours as to the lateness of its utility in summer. Our large, quick- 

 grown stalks are superior in tenderness and delicacy. Some ignorant per- 

 sons peel off the skin, not knowing that the flavor resides in the skin, as 

 is the case with some fruits. 



Rev. Dr. Adamson remarked that it became very delicate by excluding 

 light, as with sea kale. Its cellular structure contains a gum, &e. 



Mr. Burgess, an old English gardener, said that he placed sticks all 

 round a plant, which favored its growth. 



Mr. Lawton. — The Linnaeus and Victoria are both excellent varieties. 

 I get 15 cents a bunch (four stalks making a bunch) in market. The Lin- 

 naeus requires less sugar than most other varieties. 



Mr. Fuller. — I can get rhubarb to grow early or late, just as I cultivate 

 it. This Gaboon seed gives large, saleable stalks earlier in the season 

 than any other that I have ever seen. 



Mr. Burgess replied that it was practiced in England, and it much im- 

 proved the quality. The stalks should never be peeled before cooking. I 

 think the red stalks the best- 

 Mr. Fuller. — The red is all a notion. The red sells the best in market, 

 and that is all the advantage it has. 



Mr. Lawton. — Some of the varieties cultivated a few years ago were 

 very inferior to the sorts now common. It is a great advantage to dig 

 around and manure the plants in the fall, and again in the spring. 



Prof. Renwick. — My brother raised rhubarb for pies some 35 years ago, 

 but discontinued it after the orchard began to afford apples.' 



[Am. Inst.] 12 



