130 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



posed when hardy, and from these boxes the various little 

 groups can be transferred to the border or flower-bed, se- 

 lecting, of course, a day succeeding a good fall of rain for 

 the purpose. When bulbs, the majority of which are spring 

 blooming plants, have a special section allotted to their 

 culture, an admirable opportunity presents itself for grow- 

 ing an minis, whereby, in addition to the spring flowers, a 

 summer and fall display may be secured to this otherwise 

 naked and uninteresting portion of the garden. For beds 

 of Lilium lancifolium, or other summer blooming sorts of 

 lilies, they are well employed as an undergrowth, the various 

 sorts being judiciously mixed with regard to color, a fair 

 supply of Mignonette being used to give a neutral tint, 

 giving off its fragrance at all times, the Beods being scattered 

 broadcast over the bed and thinned out in time. They thus 

 not only give an unlimited supply of flowers to out from, 

 but also act as a mulch during the hot, dry, summer months. 

 One of our most enthusiastic cultivators of Lilies uses the 

 spreading but small rooting Eschseboltzia for this purpose, 

 and finds it answers admirably, more especially among the 

 California Lilies, the cultivation of which seems to be very 

 imperfectly understood. Such annuals as Collinsia, Phlox 

 Drummondi, Noiuophila, Limnanthes, Lobel's Catch . Fly, 

 and many others, are never Been to such advantage as when 

 self-sown in fall; they survive the winter, and burst into 

 rich, brilliant blossoms in May. While the ground is yet 

 cool, and the influence of the April showers has not yet dis- 

 appeared, they present a brilliancy in color and a rich depth 

 of green in foliage that is rarely ever attained under the 

 scorching sun of July and August. W. L D. 



The Gloxinia. — Gloxinias may be regarded as splendid 

 herbs, and perhaps there are few green-house plants to com- 

 pare with thorn for show during the summer and fall 

 months. It is true they are low of stature and without claim 

 to our attention on the score of utility; neither are they pos- 

 sessed of such qualities as are acceptable to those who esteem 

 flowers chiefly when plucked and made up into bouquets. 

 This need not be regretted, however, seeing that they ore 

 thereby saved to bloom, to wither, and die on a more ex- 

 quisite and appropriate setting than in vessels of crystal, 

 silver or gold. 



Their culture is simple enough; but to grow them into fine 

 specimens some degree of care and attention is necessary. 

 The varieties chiefly in cultivation are referable to 0. 

 spix'wsa,a native of warm South America— and therefore 

 must have the benefit of a warm house if required to be in 

 flower much earlier than midsummer. But as they do not 

 continuo a great while in bloom it is better to let them rest 

 until March or April, when they will start with greater vigor 

 and come into flower at a time more likely to remain longer 

 objects of interest than they would if much earlier. About 

 the time they begin to show signs of starting, the roots should 

 be taken from the pots and shaken clear of as much earth 

 as slightly adheres to them, and placed in others so small 

 that they may again be shifted before reaching those in 

 which they are intended to flower. At this stage water 

 should be given sparingly, more especially if the tempera- 

 ture of the house be much below seventy degrees; otherwise 

 the roots will be liable to rot or grow in a most unsatisfac- 

 tory way. But as the season advances and the constructive 

 energies of the plants attain full play, a more liberal supply 

 should be given. It does not seem desirable at any time, 

 however, to water overhead, but instead to keep a moist at- 

 mosphere in the house or frame in which they are grown. 

 By so doing the foliage as well as the flowers will reach their 

 highest state of perfection, and their colors not fade out so 

 Boon. The most suitable soil to grow them in is peat, loam, 

 and rotted manure, in about equal proportions, with as much 

 clear sand added as will prevent from baking. All through 

 the growing season, but more especially during the hottest 

 period, shading is of the utmost importance, and few plants 

 derive greater benefit or seem more grateful for such pro- 

 tection than they do. 



They can be propagated by taking the leaves off close to 

 the stem, and placing them in sand where they will root in a 

 few weeks; each leaf forming a small tuber at the base, after 

 which they should be put into small pots, there to remain un- 

 til the following spring. They winter best in a cool, dry 

 place. They can also be successfully raised from seed, and 

 being one of a numerous class of plants subject to variation, 

 Btrong inducements are thus held out to practice this method 

 even more than has hitherto been done. 



As is well-known the flowers of the species (G. speciosa) 

 and many of its varieties are borne upon their foot-stalks 

 horizontally, and as the result of cultivation varieties with 

 flowers perfectly erect have now become as common. We 

 romember the time when this "new departure" was first an- 

 nnuneed, and the novelty, G. Jifiana placed upon the ex- 

 hibition table for the first time; and the excitement which 

 Btirred the horticultural ranks, as young and old talked of 

 the new comer as something quite out of the line of their 

 expectations; whilst all regarded it as the forerunner of a 

 new race of rare and beautiful varieties. In this they have 

 not been disappointed, as many of the same class have since 

 boon obtained, nearly all that could be desired or hoped for 

 both in form and color. 



Grajtoto Wax. — For grafting, take four parts of mutton 

 tallow, eight parts of resin, and two parts beeswax. Molt 

 them all together over a slow fire. When thoroughly melted 

 li •'(!, pour the mixture off in small quantities into a 

 tub ••! i Old water. As soon as the masses thus poured into 

 the cold water cool down sufficiently to be handled, work 

 precisely in the same, manner you would candy, by drawing 

 oui and doubling over, until the whole presents n -uniform 

 color and becomes hard enough to mould into balls or sticks. 

 This wax, when it is cold, should be quite hard, but it should 

 bo tough at any ordinary summer temperature. If, how- 

 L'ound that for the climate where it is to be used]it 



is too soft, more res' 

 resin will harden it 

 will toughen it. 1 

 ingredients, any dei 



sed._ Tallow will soften it, 

 ore infusible., ami I 

 ying proportions of these 

 icy may be obtained. 



ORANGE CULTURE IN FLORIDA. 



Mandarin, Fla., March 12, 1877. 

 Editor Forest and Stream. 



Those who set out orange trees the present time are in 

 one respect on the same footing with those who accomplished 

 this say two years ago; for example nursery trees are 

 cheaper ; a five-year-old seedling may now be had for what a 

 three-year-old cost two years ago. Even in Florida and in 

 the orange enterprise the reduction in values asserts itself 

 now and then. 



In setting out trees it is customary in this vicinity to 

 place them twenty-five feet apart ; this gives about seventy 

 trees to the acre, and they will make larger growth than U 

 set nearer together. 



When thus transplanted they should be set high in the 

 ground. 



"How high do you set trees, Mr. K ?" 



"Well, I set 'em almost on top of the ground : and after 

 I've set 'em just as high as I dare to, then I raise 'em about 

 two inches more." 



My friend K. overstates what he means, and iB disposed 

 to be facetious withal. What he means is, that they should 

 be sot out bo that when in course of time they shall have settled 

 firmly on the ground, they will bo no lower than thoy were 

 before transplanting — if anything, a little higher. Let them 

 be set lower and see what happens ; they become victims to 

 the " die back," and the wood louse. The " die back" is a 

 disease in which the trees refuse to grow, and soon wither 

 and die ; the wood louse is a small, white bug that prefers 

 the tender bark trees brought to the level of the ground, to 

 decaying stumps and logs, where he is usually found; and 

 he will soon girdle the tree at its base ; in these cases the 

 remedy is to hoe the dirt away, or dig under and raise the 

 tree. 



The greatest pest to orange trees, however, is the scale 

 insect, of which every grower has had some experience. It 

 is a tiny scale parasite, looking like anything but a live 

 insect; myriads of them on the trunk of a tree make the 

 bark appear but a shade rougher than usual. Scrape a lot 

 off in 3-our hand and they look like dirty dandruff— no legs, 

 no head, tail, wings, no movement apparently, but they can 

 move all over an orange tree and settle down and thrive 

 upon the bitter skins of the oranges. They impair the vigor 

 of the bark of the tree and kill the young twigs. They can, 

 however, in turn, be killed by the usual insect extermina- 

 tors. The Teason they are so great a pest is on account of 

 their number and the extent of their depredations. In 

 your grove of -a thousand trees you may have twenty 

 troubled with the " die back" or with the wood louse; these 

 you can attend to with a moderate amount of trouble; but 

 nearly or quite all of the thousand may have the scale in- 

 sect; and a visit with a scrubbing-brush and pail of carbolic 

 acid water- to each of so great a number of trees is a very 

 extensive job which ever way you look at it. 



There is a satisfaction in knowing that the winter frost has 

 the redeeming grace of killing these insects, and is the 

 orange grower's best friend in this Tespect, if in no other. 

 Anxiety and fear for the safety of the fruit during a frost 

 is succeeded when the danger is past by a natural satisfac- 

 tion in contemplating this benefit conferred, and people say, 

 lat a lot of insects it must have killed." C. D. D, 



' what a 



grnne §ng and (§un. 



GAME IN SEASON IN APRIL, 



Wild dock, geese, brant, &c. 



• Cooked or/R Goose. — We had our " goose cooked " last 

 Tuesday, and a noble feast he made. Ho was not one of the 

 historical breed that saved Borne, nor yet one of those com- 

 monest of birds which are so uncommon common on a com- 

 mon, but a true representation of the host that annually 

 gather at Shinnecock Bay, both autumn and spring — one of 

 those "birds of a feather that flock together," which children 

 read of. It is said that the pinions of the ordinary goose are 

 often used to spread the opinions of another sort; but the 

 pinions of the Shinnecock geese are spread for a different 

 purpose, viz. : to afford sport to the habitues of Wm. Lane's 

 hostelry at Good Ground, and gratification in their bestowal 

 of their birds upon the editors of Forest akd Stream. Every 

 one of those gunners who go down to "Bill's" knows how 

 much " more blessed it is to give than to receive;" and the 

 editors of this paper have learned by experience how much 

 more comfortable it is to have their goose brought to them by 

 express than to sit in a blind and shiver until the ill-fated 

 birds are lured within gun-range by the decoys. 



We believe that the most generous gunners ore usually re- 

 warded with the greatest success; and this accounts for the 

 fact that Lane's guests usually get full bags. Lane himself 

 has usually on hand, we believe, a fair supply of the milk of 

 human kindness, besides fresh cow's milk, fried chicken, 

 pancakes, and soft-shell clams. One of the most frequent 

 visitors to Shinnecock is our friend, Geo. B. Eaton, Esq., 

 whose sobriquet is " Jacobstaff." He finds time to spare 

 from his duties in the Custom House, to go down there; and 

 when he has luck, he never fails to^remember the poor edi- 

 tor, not knowing what he may come to one of these days. 

 This time he brought us a twelve-pound goose, which was 

 one of thirteen which he killed a day or two before, together 

 with a good bunch of broad-bills. Our friend Thompson, of 

 301 Broadway, whom our readers well-know, accompanied 

 him and shared his sport. He distinguished himself by 

 making a fine double-shot, and killing a gander with each 

 barrel of his ten-bore gun. These gentlemen report many 

 thousand geese and brant in the bay, but owing to the high 

 tides about the full of the moon it was impossible to lie on 

 the bars, and the bird- would not stool well on the meadows. 

 When the tides diminish this week, good shooting is 

 guaranteed. 



The Greenville Sportsman's Club of Greenville, Pa., have 

 inaugurated the shooting season by procuring a set of Capt. 



Bogardus' traps and shooting matches at glass balls. At the 

 first essay, each shooter being allowed twenty bulls, one half 

 of the bolls were broken; a very fair average. The Secretary 

 of this Club, Mr. M. Hargen Brooks, whs recently the recipi- 

 ent of a testimonial from his fellow club members in the 

 shape of a handsome shooting-coat, a slight recognitionj?of 

 his efforts and untiring zeal in behalf of the interests of the 

 Club. 



— iBaac McLellan, Esq., who contributed the first article 

 ever published in Forest and Stream, has a very entertain- 

 ing article in the ffpjjM .Umrnal of March 28th on "Wild 

 Fowl Shooting " on the coast of Virginia and North Carolina. 



— At the annual meeting of the Worcester (Mass.) Sports- 

 man's Club, on March 7th, the following gentlemen were 

 elected officers : 



Jerome Marble, President; Geo. B. Buckingham, 1st Vice- 

 President; W. S.Perry, 2d Vioe-jrt nan Clark, 

 Secretary; G. J. Bugg, Treasurer; A, L. Pace, W. H, Cole, 

 C. R. B. Claflin. C. B. Holden, Executive Committee; Marble, 

 Buckingham, Perry, Cole, and Clattin, Pigeon Committee; 

 Clark, Rugg, Bice, and Holden, Rifle Committee. 



Pennsylvania. — The Kensington Gunning Club had its 

 regular shoot last week with the following scores : 



Mngsam, 5; Metzger, 3; Gendole, 3; Holtzscheiter, 6; 

 Hong, 1, Scheurittger, 5; Hapfner, 4; Breyrle, 7; Stees, 4; 

 Steiger, 4; Sheip, 4; Steck, 5; Habting* 3; Guntner, 4; 

 Meige, 7. 



In shooting off the ties, Meige won first gold medal, 

 Holtzscheiter second, and Scheuringer the silver medal. 



Virginia. — English snipe have arrived in the neighbor- 

 hood of Petersburg, Virginia, and will be very numerous for 

 two weeks to come at least. Our Perth Am boygcorrespon- 

 dent "K." had excellent sport there last week. He re- 

 ports: 



"Geese and ducks have left the James River, bound 

 north. Thousands of ducks have been trapped on the James 

 this winter in pons made of slats, covered with netting and 

 baited with corn. A Mrs. Birohett, near City Point, is 

 making her fortune, in this way, sending ducks to the Peters- 

 burg and Biehmond markets by the cart toad ; from fi fty to two 

 or three hundred at a time. Where is the 'majesty of the law?' 

 Or is there no low against this sort of thing V Virginian 

 reader, see about it ; or, the first thing you know, you will 

 want to sell your duck-gun. There will be 'no use" for it.' " 



Capt. Boqaedus' Last Feat. — On Friday evening last a 

 large audience assembled at Gilmore's Garden to witness 

 Capt. Bogardus' effort to surpass his previous record, and 

 break 1,000 glass balls thrown from his new traps in 100 con- 

 secutive minutes. To say that he accomplished it would be 

 merely to repeat the opinion of every one who is conversant 

 with the Captain's wonderful powers with the gun, but it 

 was hardly expected that he would surpass OS far as he did 

 his previous performance. The whole number of balls were 

 broken in the remarkable time of one hour, seventeen 

 minutes and forty seconds. The usual screen was used, but 

 in addition a calcium light was used, which brought the balls 

 into strong relief against the white background. The first 

 100 balls were broken in 7 ru. 50 sec., but three being missed 

 in that number, and 87 being broken straight. In the next 

 three hundred bnt two balls in each were missed, ond the 

 misses in all amounted to but 28. The last 155 were broken 

 without a miss. The entire 1,028 shots were fired withontja 

 rest being taken. The same gun, his now justly celebrated 

 W. & C. Scott & Son premier, which has probably had more 

 shots fired from it than any gun in existence, waB used 

 throughout, the barrels being changed fifteen times. One 

 pair of these barrels has now had over twenty thousand 

 shots fired from it, and is as good as when made. We Tegard 

 this as a wonderfuftest of endurance on the part of both 

 man and gun, and would suggest that when Capt. Bogardus 

 shoots again he tries one'of some other make, American for 

 instance, and let ns see whether our guns are not quite as 

 good as those imported. 



Rhode Kyjn.- -PrpUidefy*, March 31. — We had a shooting 

 match here last Wednesday between Capt. Bogardus and E 

 W. Tinker. Of course the oapteiH-Won, which he most al- 

 ways does; however, it was a very good match. Mr. Tinker 

 had not much practice on this newbieed t?i pigeons vrhich 

 the captain has invented; but by the time the Capta 

 again we hope we can show a better score than the following: 



Boeardua 1 tlllilllOllO. 11J1.101 1—17 



Tinker..- 1 110111010011011001 0—12 



Boaardut" 10 10 11 11' 10 10 11 11 10 1! 11 10 It 00 11-33 



Tinker 11 10 10 11 10 10 00 10 10 10 10 00 10 H 10— IB 



Mr. N. Dexter acted as judge and referee, anil Mr. Willion 

 Crandall as trap keeper. The singles were shot from three 

 traps placed ten yards apart with Bight* D yards use, the 

 shooter not knowing which trap was to be sprung; the 

 doubles were shot from two traps, same distance apart and 

 sixteen yards rise. Mr. Bogardus easily won the match 

 which was for ($100) a side. 



Mosquitoes in March. — A correspondent writes: "On the 

 23d Of March, at the house of a friend at. Plainttetd N. J., I 

 killed a mosquito. As they are never found in that village 

 except during a week or so of early autumn, I should like to 

 ask a conundrum: Was that mosquito carried over from last 

 season, or was it a spring chicken of 1877 '!" 



[We regret that oui' correspondent did not send us the di- 

 mensions of the bird. It might have been a snipe. We know 

 that they wore being anxiously looked for about that time, 

 and as the average Jersey mosquito approximates in size to 

 many of the family of sWhpQCutie, it might have been "one 

 of them." But no 1 come to think of it, this one did not 

 •scape— so it must have boon a mosquito; probal >1 1 b ' 

 into existence through the medium of a warm kuu shining on 

 some stagnant water.— Ed.] 



—Ciiiidruu are often bothered with itching and elmfin,;. To prevent 

 tlii: In the simplest fashion, use B. T Babbitt's tollal Soup, which has 



putOd tho mark- 

 idmlrablo effects make It the safest and beBt toilet eoap for old ana 

 young, — AdV' 



