io8 



BUDS, BLOSSOMS, FRUITS. 



Northern Chinese, and extends considerably southward 

 of it. Its introduction into Texas was the practical 

 beginning of Texas peach-culture. The South Chinese 

 race extends a little below the region of the Spanish, 

 being most vaulable below the line of greatest success 

 of the latter. This race comprises numerous choice 

 varieties, and it is believed that it is the material from 



which to expect extra-early varieties for the south. The 

 Peen To race occupies the extreme southern portion of 

 the Southern Chinese range, and extends still below it, 

 where no other peaches are known to exist. It is not 

 to be seriously doubted that it will thrive in a tropical 

 climate side by side with the banana, orange, etc. — 

 G. Onderdonk. 



COMMENTS BY READERS. 



[One idea often suggests another. Ne?-e is a pa^e i7i which all readers are invited to express themselves i egarding any matter that 

 has recently appeared in these columns. If you think you know better regarding some point than the writer of some recent article, or if 

 vou think you can forcibly confirm or add to some present or late statement in these columns, the Editor would be glad to hear from you 

 Many such contributions would be welcome each month.] 



The Rascally Seedsmen Again. — Be merciful, 

 " Mary Gaines "! (Page68i). You don't tell us what the 

 seeds were or the treatment they received. Few men in 

 America have raised as many different kinds of plants 

 from seeds as I have done ; and these seeds were ob- 

 tained by purchase or exchange, or were the donations 

 of friends, and a large number of them were of my own 

 saving. And I long ago learned enough about raising 

 plants from seed to know that in many cases the seeds- 

 men's seeds were as good as my own saved, and that often 

 to myself alone were to be attributed the causes of fail- 

 ure in the seeds to grow. — W. F. 



Helenium Autumnale. — True, as your correspond- 

 ent (page 683) says, this plant is an autumn glory. In 

 September, in good moist garden land, you can look for 

 clumps of it six to eight feet high, a golden-capped pil- 

 lar of bloom. But it needs a stout stake, and it needs 

 it in time. Fine for certain effects and uses as a garden 

 plant, but rejected for cut-flowers. The dwarf form of 

 it is somewhat earlier-blooming than the other, and is 

 more' fitted for garden borders. 



Growing the Prizetaker Onion. — (Page 700). The 

 seed, though obtained from headquarters, was quite 

 badly mixed, perhaps one-fifth of the onions being either 

 red or white, and often quite flat. I sowed an ounce of 

 seed early, in hotbed, and three ounces in the center 

 of a bed of three-fourths of an acre of rich black land. 

 Those transplanted grew large and generally ripened, 

 though there was some tendency to thick-necks or scal- 

 lions. The seed sown in drills gave a good stand of 

 onions, that were, when pulled in October, three-fourths 

 thick-necked, not exactly scallions, but with bulbs only 

 partly formed, and of no value for market. My one 

 trial woilld seem to indicate: first, that the Prizetaker 

 requires a long season and favorable circumstances for 

 its perfection ; second, that when so situated it yields 

 two or three times as much as standard varieties ; third, 

 that it is of fine quality, mild and tender, and will sell 

 for perhaps 50 per cent, more than ordinary onions. — 

 S. W. Gibson, A/ic/i. 



Girdling for Fruit. — Those girdled trees in the No- 

 vember number (page 705) reminded me of our seedling 

 crab-apple. This was girdled intentionally. Last spring 

 I noticed it was not dead, and so I had it chopped around 



again. To my surprise it soon put out leaves, and was 

 covered with beautiful blossoms. I watched in vain to 

 see it wither and drop its leaves. The last of August 

 my brother came here, and said, "That tree that I killed 

 two years ago is full of apples." — Adele. 



" My Cellar Work-Table, " in November number, 

 inspires me to tell of my own, which I think without a 

 rival. It is simply the cellar story of a bay-window, 

 with a brick wall across, of convenient height for pot- 

 ting plants, filled in at bottom with charcoal, and then 

 with potting-soil to a level. It is finished in front with a 

 heavy slab on which to work, and which serves to keep 

 the brick in place. It is furnished with a drain, and 

 also receives the water from the cemented basin of the 

 window above. We designed it as a winter garden for 

 oleander, orange, roses, ivies, etc., which are either 

 planted directly into it or stood on top of the earth, as 

 preferred. There are three windows, and the place is 

 conveniently supplied with fresh earth from outside. I 

 find it desirable for potting plants, as well as a lovely 

 winter garden for anything needing light and rest. The 

 walls are cemented, and make a pretty background for 

 ivies and taller roses, which hold their buds and bloom 

 all winter. It also affords a suitable place for hanging- 

 baskets, and can be made a thing of beauty as well as 

 use. — S. A. Pleas. 



Improved Vegetable Varieties.— (Page 681). Of 

 new and meritorious vegetables we may mention Living- 

 ston's Favorite, Beauty and Perfection, and Atlantic 

 Prize tomatoes. Among winter squashes. Pike's Peak 

 is very good, but the dull slate color is against it. Early 

 Puritan, Empire State and Everett are good potatoes. 

 All-Head cabbage is considered an acquisition. As a 

 rule, market-gardeners find it safe to plant mostly of old 

 well-tried varieties of vegetables, which need not be 

 named here. — E. Morden, Ontario, Canada. 



Natural Devices for Cross- Fertilization. —*In the 

 December number (page 772) you quote an article from 

 Popular Science Ndvs, under the above heading. Text 

 and illustrations refer to the stamens, the withered 

 stigmas, etc., etc., explaining the devices to secure a 

 cross. The best point escapes notice. At the annual 



■I- Am. four. Science, p. 308, 1S76, " Sensitive Stigmas as an aid to 

 cross-fertilization of flowers," by Prof. W. J. Beal. 



