422 



FOREST ? AND STREAM. 



Woodland, jfarm itnd %mdm. 



WINTER-BLOOMING BEGONIAS. 



THESE favorite plants are seldom seen where their capa- 

 bilities, from ,i decorative point ol view, are thoroughly 

 developed. To be sure, the florist grows a benchful of B. 

 Sauudersonii or B. Incarnata for winter, and perhaps a few 

 plants of B. Dreggeii for spring or summer, but we seldom see 

 them get { hat attention and care in a greenhouse that they de- 

 serve. Scarcely any other genus of plants is so distinct in 

 habit, and bo! lew will thrive so well under commonplace 

 treatment as these; and yet. we timl l hem almost banished from 

 nine-tenths of our private greenhouses to make room for novel- 

 ties of far less value from a gardener's standpoint. Many of 

 the best begonias arc profuse, flowering plants, not less accept- 

 able, because they persist In blooming all the year round, and 

 they are by no means particular as to the position or soil they 

 occupy. The dwarfer kinds can be grown either in pots or 

 baskets, and the tall growing sorts may be planted out and 

 trained up pillars, or in any out Of the way place in the green- 

 ii jusl W here the lender and fashionable novelties will not 

 thrive ; but no matter bow or where they are grown, their fo- 

 liage and flowers being so distinct from any other plant, they 

 ore simply invaluable for the quantity of cut blooms they sup- 

 ply during the long winter season. For dinner -table decora- 

 tion, or in vases of loose flowers, they arc unsurpassed, onac 

 count of the crystalline brilliancy of their colors, which show 

 remarkably well under artificial light. The white kinds, as B. 

 Spathulala and B. Dreggeii, glisten like snowflakes, and the 

 rosy, crimson or scarlet flowered species are still more beauti- 

 inl For bouquets, they are not so well adapted, as the dow- 

 ers have a curious knack of dropping from their stalks just at 

 the critical moment. They are easily propagated, either by 

 cuttings, leaves, or by divisions of the fleshy tuberous roots, 

 and can be grown in any good compost, sufficient drainage be- 

 ing always secured. Recently some attention has been given to 

 thehalf hartby tuberous-rooted section, and while for brilliancy 

 of color in the flowers and freshness of foliage, many o f them 

 ure unsurpassed, yet blooming as they do during the summer 

 months, when the greenhouse cannot vie with the flower gar- 

 den, and, in fact, is often neglected altogether, they are not 

 likely to be of great service in this country. The following 

 kinds will be found both useful and desirable, and are grown 

 chiefly for winter decoration. B. Dreggeii (8yn. B. parvi- 

 jtora), a compact, bushy species, producing a copious supply 

 of its white buds and snow-white flowers, set in foliage of the 

 most vivid green imaginable. B. Spathulala, an erect grow- 

 ing plant with rounded shining leaves, and pearly-white blos- 

 soms. B. Fuschioides, a well known favorite, with long red 

 shoots, clothed with bright leaflets of a metallic green tint, 

 and enlivened by its gracefully drooping racemes of heart- 

 shaped coral-like buds and flowers, admirably adapted for cut- 

 ting for vases, or other decorations. It flowers best when 

 planted out and trained up a wall or pillar. B. Hybrida Mul- 

 tiflora is a seedling, similar in habit with rosy flowers and very- 

 free blooming, but not equal to the former in beauty. B. Ni- 

 tidais a splendid variety for covering pillars or walls in awarm 

 plant bouse, and will well repay a little extra attention, as it is 

 almost always in bloom ; but it must be planted out, and have 

 plenty of root room and good treatment to grow it to the best 

 advantage. The foliage is large, and of a pleasing bright 

 green color, white its large rosy flowers are produced iu im- 

 mense panicles, borne on stiff fleshy stalks from the base of 

 every leaf. For cutting, 'his variety is unequaled, and the 

 flowers may lie arranged along with the rosy Calanthe Veitchii, 

 the rich purple Lieiia Anceps or L. Autmunalis, the snowy 

 Ceelogyne Crcslata, or the Scarlet Flamingo plant, without 

 loosing any of their beauty by the contrast of such lovely 

 rivals. B. Sauudersouii is a well known variety, with bright 

 i ii foliage, compact, habit, and bears a profusion of crimson 

 Brs all season long. B. Incaruata Superba, Ingramii 

 Insignia, and others are all good varieties, but not better than 

 those already named, though they give more variety of courSi 

 B. Mauieata, B. Hydrocotylifolia, and the cross or hybrid be- 

 tween them are also good sorts, with graceful semi-transparent 

 light piuk lace-like flowers. B. Welloniensis is also a valuable 

 variety with light green foliage and bright pink flowers. It 

 lasts a long time when cut, and flowers well when bedded out 

 in summer as well as flowering freely in winter. B. Pres- 

 toniensis, with orange colored (lowers. B. Subpeltata Nigri- 

 cans, with dark mottled foliage and pink blossoms,' and B. 

 Fcareei with its golden, yellow blossoms and beautifully marked 

 j. are also desirable varieties; nor should B. Glaueophylla 

 Bcahdena be forgotten, an admirable basket plant with light 

 green foliage, and long pendants of rich salmon colored blos- 

 soms. Indeed all of the above are well worth growing by 

 those who require a supply of decorative plants and cut flowers 

 during the dullest portion of the year. 



- r- -♦- 



The Rose Slug. —Mrs. H. D. Graves, of Essex Co., N. Y., 

 Writes to the florist, Yicte, thai she destroys the rose slug 

 euBily by Hie application of a solution composed of one pint of 

 dairy salt and one pint of soft soap, dissolved in ten gallons of 

 soft "water. Dissolve the SOap thoroughly in the water, then 

 add the salt, stir well, and shower the bushes soon after the 

 leaves appear; again after the bloom is over. One applica- 

 tion is generally sufficient if taken iu time. After sunset is 

 the best time lo do it. — Rutland Herald, 



— California has produced a pink rose six inches in diam- 

 tjtcr, or eighteen inches in circumference. 



POISON IVY. 



Editor Forest and Strram : 



To compliance with your request for Information concerning tie 

 poison ivy, in Forest ami Stream of July IS, I wilt state that there are 

 several varieties of Rhus that are poisonous, of which the fallowing is 

 a brief deBoriptiOD : 



Him* tuximit.mlron—]?omoxt oak.— A creeping shrub from one to three 

 feet high, with long, cord-like shoots ami strong lateral fibres. 



Rhus radicam— Poison ivy.— A vine climbing to the height of twenty 

 feet or more. The leaves of both of these varieties are arranged in 

 threes. The R. mdicans somewhat resembles in appearance the Vir- 

 ginia creeper or American ivy, but the lutter vine lias its leaves ar- 

 ranged In lives. These two varieties are well known, and a moreex- 



inscription is not necessary in this connection. 



Rhus venenata— Poison sumach, also known as poison ash and poison 

 elder in various localities— a shrub or small tree growing from ten to 

 twenty feet high; trunk, from one to live inches In diameter; pale 

 grayish hark ; leaves about three inches long, nearly half as wide, 

 oval, and arranged in pairs, from three to six pairs with a terminal leaf 

 on each leaf stalk ; very small, greenish flowers ; round, smooth, groen- 

 Ish-white berries about the size of small peas. Tins is more polsono 

 than the species named above, and all are found tlnonghoiit Canada 

 and the United States. 



Rkut p um Hum.— This Is the smallest and most poisonous variety, and 



I ■ ,, 



-e'UiljJe 



Is confined to the Southern States. It is about a foot 

 trailing habit, with a hairy stem; leaves arranged simi 

 ata, bat coarsely toothed, and with a velvety pr hairy i 

 ries are covered with red silky hairs. The two latter vi 

 somewhat the common sumach. 



Some persons are peculiarly susceptible to the poison of the Rhm, 

 while others are as singularly exempt from Its baneful influence. When 

 its effects are simply external the simplest and best remedy is a satu- 

 rated solution of bi-carbonate of soda, applied several times a day, 

 and permitted to dry on ; this will effect a rapid euro. Common wash- 

 ing soda sprinkled on is also good. Another certain remedy is a 

 solution of hydrochlornte of ammonia, or sal ammonia, one ounce to a 

 pint of water, applied frequently with a soft sponge. Solutions of borax 

 or copperas may also be used with good effect. A decoction of the 

 bark of the common elder, hi buttermilk, is a favorite domestic remedy. 

 When there is internal inflammation or much constitutional disturb- 

 ance, hydroehlorate of ammonia should be given in doses of Ave grains 

 in gnm arabic water every three hours. This, with cooling and mucil- 

 aginous drinks, and, if necessary, a saline purgative, will sc 

 worst cases. In California a decoction of OrmtHarobutia 

 certain and effectual application in poisoning by the poison oak ; the 

 fluid extract may be obtained at any drugstore, and is probably as good 

 as the crude article. ^ 



Theremedy mentioned by Mr. Ames In Forest and Stkka.ii or June 

 28 aa the "black-spotted alder," is doubtless the BrnnimeU* nnjimca 

 or witeh hazel, which is culled " spotted aider " in some localities and 

 a decoction of the bark is much used In domestic practice and by In- 

 dians in this and a variety of other external Inflammations. The 'fluid 

 extract, or Pond's extract, may be obtained at the druggists, and is as 

 efficacious as the decoction. 



1 think that the black alder, alluded to by " Jacobstaff » In Forest 

 and Stream of July VI, must be the Rhus vaunatu described abov 

 which is, In some localities, known as "poison elder ." i trmo ofimy 

 rlety of alder possessing such poisonous qualities. Oconomowoc. 



Ivy Poisoning.— lnanswer to " Jacobstaff 's " letter In the Forest 

 and Stream of the 5th inst., I for one have used the wash made from 

 the spotted alder, and found it everything that Mr. Ames represents it 

 to be for ivy poisoning, of which 1 have been a victim. 



2fettl 1'iTk City, July 17. Vkru. C4RAHASI. 



FotBoa ivy and Dogwood.— L. P. Simmons, a blacksmith 

 oi Mai-sbfjeid, Mass., recommends the shop water ol a black- 

 smith's trough as a sure cure for poison ivy and dogwood. 



Sumach. — Another correspondent recommends slrong salt 

 and -water, " us strong as a can be made," as on antidote for 

 the poisoning of sumac. 



The Proposed Sea in the Sahara.— The plan of certain 

 French savants to make a sea of the great African desert calls 

 forth considerable discussion from different quarters as to the 

 probable effect, upon the balattce of the world, and eh'mato 

 logical effects to be produced in Africa and Em-ope. The 

 Providence Morning Star says : 



The calculation is that the Sahara covers 4,000,000 miles, 

 and the seas of the globe 150,000,000. Every foot of water 

 spread over the African desert would lower the sea onethirty- 

 eighth of a foot. If this inland sea were to attain 

 eighty feet on an average, the whole oceanic world would 

 shrink all around some twenty-six inches. What would be- 

 come of our harbor? How could the Cunarders and Slar 

 lines get over the bar in New York Bay? How Rhode 

 Island would grow in agricultural dimensions and diminish in 

 clam fields ? Norfolk would be left as about the only acees. 

 sible harbor on our southern coast. Holland would save half 

 the expense of draining the Zuyder Zee. 



»—<•>—« . 



P. Jackmn. — Under favorable circumstances the spores of 

 Adiantum Farleyeuse germinate freely, hut lining originally a 

 sprout from a Scutum, the seedling plants, though bearing a 

 strong resemblance to a Parleyense. in a young state, invari- 

 ably revert to the original form. 



— Gorliam, Me., has a curiosity in the shape of a rose which 

 lias bloomed from the middle of a healthy shoot, sending out 

 its petals on every side, while the stem, bearing normal leaves, 

 grows from the centre, of the flower eighteen or twenty inches. 

 There are no stamens or pistils. Some of the petals are de- 

 veloped into green leaves, much darker than others on the 

 same bush, and of an entirely different shape. 



—Cultivate frogs, toads and lizards. Put them in your 

 gardens, and as the evening approaches they will hop from 

 their hiding-places and snuggle down in some convenient spot 

 near the gutter, or where they know their food will come 

 plenty. The ants, roaches, mosquitoes, etc. , they consume in 

 a night is marvelous, and thus they keep down the insect 

 pests . — Scientific A merican. 



— The first bale of new cotton was received iu New Orleans 

 on the 10th of July. It was raised in Cameron County, 

 Texas, by Marion & Follian. 



—The grain fields of Central New York are said to be Ml 

 of sparrows which have deserted the neighboriue towns. 



JP^ Hk mt & 



To Correspondents.— Those desiring ns to prescrtbe for their dogs 

 will please take note or and describe the following points m each ani- 

 mal: 



1. Age. 2. Food and medicine given. S, Appearance of the eye ; 

 of the coat ; of the tongue and lips. 4. Any changes in the appearance 

 of the body, as Dloatlng, drawing in of the flanks, eto. 6. Breathing, 

 the number of respirations per minute, and whether labored or not. 

 fi. Condition of the bowels and secretions of the kldueya, color, etc. 7. 

 Appetite; regular, variable, etc. 8. Temperature of the body as Indi- 

 cated by the bulb of the taermometer when placed between the body 

 and the foreleg. », Give position of kennel and surroundings, outlook, 

 contiguity to other buildings, and the uses of tho latter. Also give any 

 peculiarities of temperament, movements, etc., that may be noticed ; 

 signs of suffering, etc. 



Kbunei Reoisteb. — We are in receipt of numerous appli- 

 cations for blanks for the Kennel Register. This mailer is no 

 longer in our bauds. Those desiring lo register must hence- 

 forth apply to L. H. Smith, Strathroy, Ontario, Canada, who 

 is the Secretary of the National Kennel Club, and Chairman 

 of Committee on Publication, 



Continental Doos.— We hear but very little An tills coun- 

 try of the thoroughbred dogs of the continent of Europe, being 

 so completely absorbed in the contemplation of the "blue 

 bloods" of Albion. We clip the following from the iMe 

 Stock Journal and Fancier' s Gazelle, of June 15, 1877, which 

 treats of several favorite Continental breeds, many of the 

 specimens of which, though seemingly possessing no trace of 

 pointer or setter blood, are not without interest : 



There are on the Continent fOurrecognized classes for setting 

 dogs, viz.: The Braque, the Epagneul, the Griffon and the 

 Barbel:. As I have for the last fifteen years shot in the fields 

 marshes and woods of France, Germany and Belgium when' 

 ever I have the opportunity of going "abroad, 1 have seen all 

 the breeds of dogs at work, and I feel that, 1 can speak with 

 confidence about their points and characteristics. The generic 

 term Braque, includes all pointing or setting doirs with .short 

 hair, such as English pointers and Spanish pointers as well as 

 the original French lirat/ues. of which there ure nmVs than six 

 grand varieties, viz., the Unique Dupnv, the Brague de Ficar 

 die, that of Navarre, of Anion, of Allemaime, and du Bour- 

 bonuais. Concerning the kaiglish pointer, the general opinion 

 ol Continental shooters is that be is too fast for their narrow 

 fields, and that he is totally misnited to the requirements of the 

 man who wants a dog-of-all-work, Of course, few pointers 

 will take kindly to their pot-hunting style,- thai is clear it 

 that is what they mean. To wish that u thoroughbred pointer 

 should go hunting iu thick and prickly covert, through furze 

 after rabbits, and to expect him to retrieve' from kind and 

 water, in all iceutlu.ru, is too much of a joke for some of the 

 dogs' feelings, Hence, -the soft and thin skinned EngBsfl 

 pointer is held in mediocre esteem by any but. the swell shoot 

 ers, who like to have a well-bred, elegant-looking dog any 

 how, for a companion. In the provinces, wheiAhe land is 

 open, however, the English pointer is preferred, because he 

 saves the sportsman's legs considerably, can go nt a good 

 pace, aud, being in a plain, his master can always see him 

 Of course, as time goes on matters will improve, and a certain 

 proof that the pointer blood, at any rate, is favorably looked 

 upon is that almost invariably the services at, stud of a. good 

 British pointer, who works well in the field, are always earrer 

 ly sought after everywhere on the Continent. J s 



The Spanish pointer 1B a sl>w coach, and a heavy one with- 

 al ; but if he is slow he is sure, and he possesses a nose which 



some English po 

 the Spanish gentle 

 — i.e., he lakes ma 



along in earnest, hi 



torn if not pressed,'! 



for the gun, wherei 

 good Spaniard will com 

 Egyptian pyramid, Tl 

 birds are there, and no 

 make a deliberate false 

 and, when coming on a 

 good, unless he makes 

 birds lie well, the Span 

 dividual direction, whei 

 half a dozen or so, one i 

 ical force of the eov 



might 

 I 



1 dearly lov 

 the hrdis 



mietoap: 



tl v mu 

 "iiy ilu 



istake. I ne 



)int. In she 

 icent, he d ( 

 tre that ilu 



ell envy, 'the style of 



i like thai of his master 



ii a hurry, trots 



•y, is everlasting in hot- 



i.eim. Iu short, he hunts 



ter hunts for himself, A 



th I he staunchness of au 



nBSn« dicot to. fhe 



'OS his nose in i iu-ir in- 

 ■ " ■' -■" that, within 

 able idea of the mimer- 

 T uptto do thai sort 



of thing when they are old and experienced, and I stromdv 

 opine (especially when they take their point by dropping) that 

 I hey have been much used by netting poachers. Given a 

 quiet moonlight night, and good fields with plenty of birds, 

 and a Spanish pointer well-trained to thework, and two poach- 

 ers will '■ drag" hundreds ol partridges in the night. But the 

 dog must lie down in his point, not necessarily when lakiti" 

 bis point, but when he sees the men coming, or when th'e net 

 gets over him. There is an enormous amount of game taken 

 in that manner on the Contiueut, and were it not for the sa- 

 gacity of their dogs, it would be a very difficult matti 

 for the men to know exactly where to drop their abominable 

 implements. Hence the Spanish pointer being a steady rang- 

 er, perfect finder, and strict pointer, is almost universally 

 adopted by poachers wherever quiet work has to be undertak- 

 en by them. The best Spanish pointers 1 lutve seen have al- 

 most invariably, been purchased by sportsmen directly from 

 poachers, and I must, candidly say that, where game was pretty 

 plentiful no better allies to tiic gun were needed. Had there 

 been a deal of ground to cover, matters would have been dif- 

 ferent, however, for the English pointer will indubitably 

 cover ten limes more ground in the same than his Spanish 

 oonfrere. 



The Braque Dupuy is very much like the English pointer 

 in build, bm his head is sqiiarer, and he is stouter on his pins 

 He is a moderately fast ranger, and a clever finder of name 

 very staunch and steady. When brought up to it be does 

 not mind rough work, but few of them go well to water 

 They have rather peculiar heads, the muzzle being short and 

 square, the nose turning up slightly, their ears an 

 and their lips are long. They are dashing worker:; 

 very greatly prized. I have seen a brace that would 

 their points at awftd distances, by a tropical heal ■ hence for 

 the hot departments of France they are admirably suited. The 

 Braquea of Picardy, Navarre, and Anjou differ only in mark 

 ings. The so-called German pointers are, howeve 

 monsters iu size. I have seen one which was as big as a small 

 donkey. When this fellow came past you at a trot he shook 



