SUNN HEMP. 
ATALARIA JUNCEA Linne. The U.S. 
Departach t of Agriculture furnishes the Hilg 
following concerning the emp: 
“Throughout India it is sown as a Kharif 
crop, that is about the commencement of try 
the rains, and cut at the end of Septem- 
“stackéd in the field to allow the leaves to 
fall. The fiber can be extracted by im- 
_mersing a bundle of stalks in. water from 
three to seven days, according to temper- 
ature, when the fiber can be thrashed off 
by beating the water with handfuls of 
stalks. It is important to get out a little 
of the fiber, that the Department may 
m 
judge of its quality.” 
rd. Von Mueller, in his “‘Se- ! 
p: *‘ Indigenous to South Asia, 
and also widely dispersed through tropi- 
cal Anstralia. An srmauat herb, rising 
derf } a height 
of ten feet. In the colony of Vistoeia, 
Sunn can only be cultivated in the warm- 
est and moistest localities. It comes to 
_ maturity in four or five months. The 
plant can also be grown as a fodder herb 
for cattle.. It requires rich, friable soil. 
If a superior soft fiber is desired, the plant 
is pulled while in flower; if strength is 
the object, the plant is left standing until 
it has become almost ripened into seeds. 
The steeping process occupies about three 
days. For the purpose of obtaining 
Jranchless stems it is sown closely. Cul- 
tivated in the Circars, according to Rox- 
burgh, to feed milch cows.” 
_ from Madison, N 
n Small plants. She sometimes sends eleven > 
, desires recip- 
ients to report results. The interest in 
all fiber plants is increasing in this coun- 
y, and every plant of prog is re- 
ceiving attention. 
A violet farm is mentioned in the New 
York Herald. 
who took 
for the health of her children. She raises” 
the plants from runners potted off as- 
thousand to New York a day, putting fifty 
violets ina bunch. She raises only the 
double violet as the single ones droop too 
quickly. Violets should never be sprinkled 
nor Pawn near ice 
he query is shade if gophers leave the 
meray. of Euphorbia albo-marginata or 
plant is grown, as both statements have 
Another useful occupation out of doors 
is suggested by the knowledge that 
Michigan A asia ip one-half of the oil of 
pepperm sed in the world, and that 
it i ey ahned thousand tons of dried 
peppermint yearly. 5 
t is said that argo of northern lati-_ 
tudes, Canada and w England, are 
much more highly sad  poainistalil col 
ored tha pies of southern clima 
Australia, 
An eae fuchsia is figured as a nov 
elty in Meehan’s monthly for March, bu 
lacks the grace of the pendulous, familiar 
forms. 
It is said that two thousand dollars 
were recently paid in London for ten ye 
low calla lilies. 
a 
ail 
