BUDS, BLOSSOMS,^FRUITS. 



229 



Pcgging-Dovwn Roses. — An admirable way to grow 

 hybrid perpetual roses is by the pegging-down method. 

 This consists of bending and fastening down the shoots 

 to the earth, so t hat the surface of the bed will be nearly 

 hidden with foliage, above which the new growth and 

 flowers are to appear. The young shoots of one season 

 are pegged-down the autumn following, at which time 

 enough of the old parts are pruned away to give the 

 former place on the surface. The rule is to have no 

 branches laid nearer to others than nine inches. Some 

 make a mistake in pegging-down the new growth during 

 the growing season — leave it to grow as it will. When 

 old wood is left at the autumn or spring laying-down 

 time, because there are no new shoots to take its place, 

 such wood should have the young branches cut back to 

 spurs of one or two eyes each. The bed should annually, 

 or at farthest, every second year, receive in fall a liberal 

 dressing of rotten manure over the surface. 



Two New Roses. — Jackson Dawson, of the Arnold 

 Arboretum, writes to W. C. Strong : "In regard to the 

 so-called Dawson Rose I can say that I regard it as a val- 

 uable addition to the list of hardy roses, and the beginning 

 of a new race of roses. Heretofore most of the crosses 

 of this class have been made with tender roses. But 

 this cross combines the characteristics of the pollen-par- 

 ent (General Jacqueminot) with the free-flowering quality 

 of the other parent. It is remarkably vigorous, hardy 

 and free-flowering, and I believe it will become a uni- 

 versal favorite, as well as a basis for others to work on 

 and raise a new and popular race of roses. Of the rose 

 Wichuraiana, I can say that it must become one of the 

 most popular plants for parks and private places as a 

 covering, and for growing among shrubbery and rocks it 

 has no equal. Its almost evergreen character makes it 

 acceptable at all seasons of the year. But it is especially 

 beautiful when it is covered with its long showy bunches 

 of white blossoms after most other roses are gone." 



Boston Prices in Winter. — The American Cultiva- 

 tor reported as follows ; A few tomatoes from the West 

 Indies were sold at 50 cents per crate, while hothouse to- 

 matoes were 25 to 35 cents a pound. Cucumbers were $15 

 per 100. The first rhubarb from the forcing-houses 

 came in January 19. It was grown near Boston and sold 

 for 25 cents a pound. Mushrooms, in good supply, sold 

 at $1 to $1.25 per pound. They are grown near Boston. 

 Celery was S3. 50 to $4. 50 per box for good, but there was 

 a large amount of very poor-looking celery in the market, 

 that ought to be sold for a great deal less. Artichokes 

 were $1 per bushel. Potatoes were held at $1.50 to $1,60 

 per barrel, and sweet-potatoes were plenty at $1.75. 



Washington Evergreen Blackberry.— I have grown 

 this much-praised variety for several years, and find it has 

 some valuable qualities, but also one extremely objection- 

 able habit which renders it a nuisance. Having the vines 

 trained upon the lawn fence, they make a pretty show of 

 15 feet of luxuriant growth from one plant. The foliage 

 isof a dark green, finely cut, and nearly evergreen. The 

 berries were produced in such abundance as almost to 

 hide the vines and foliage. In size they are nearly as 



Lead-Glazing. 



large as the Kittatinny, of a shining jet-black and a 

 peculiar vinous flavor, becoming quite sweet when fully 

 rips. They are superior to all our other varieties for 

 pies, jams and canning, and you can have them for a long 

 period and quite late in the season. The trouble, how- 

 ever, is that the plant has such a strong habit of sucker- 

 ing from the roots that I find sprouts coming up 15 to 

 25 feet from the vine, and thickly all around wherever 

 there are roots. There seems to be no such thing as de- 

 stroying them. They are of such rapid growth that 

 unless cut off when small, they will cover the ground. 

 The vines are thickly set with long, sharp thorns, turned 

 back, forming hooks which hold on 

 to everything with which they come 

 in contact. The berries cannot all 

 be picked from the vines, on account 

 of these thorn-hooks, even by put- 

 ting on buckskin gloves. I would 

 advise fruitmen to let the thing 

 alone. — John F. Rupp, Pa. 



Lead -Glazing for windows is not 

 exactly a new thing. The engrav- 

 ing shows a style adapted to hotbed 

 sashes now much used in England, 

 and which seems to combme valu- 

 able features. The chief question 

 for us to consider would be that of cost of the leads. The 

 illustration explains itself. 



Some Curious Nuts. — In the New Orleans markets 

 travelers find exposed for sale several curious kinds of 

 nuts. One of the strangest of these is the Japanese 

 "sacred nut," or, as it is sometimes called bystreet- 

 venders, "Chinese chestnut." These venders sell them 

 for curiosities rather than edibles, and stick leaves of 

 water-cress in among them, pretending that they are leaves 

 of the tree that bears the nut. But this curious little 

 structure, which looks so much like an Asian buffalo's , 

 head, with downward drooping horns, is not a nut at all, 

 but the seed of an aquatic plant (trapa) with a leaf re- 

 sembling that of the American lily. The seeds grow 

 under water and can be kept in a perfect and edible state 

 for 20 years, it is said. They are not good for eating raw, 

 being then hard and tasteless, but when cooked have a 

 flavor resembling that of boiled chestnuts. The outside 

 of the nut is dark brown, but the kernel is white ; and 

 often when put in jars of water the nuts sprout into tiny 

 plants. In France they are cultivated as curiosities and 

 for sale ; probably they might be grown also in America. 

 These nuts are called ' ' sacred nuts " because the Japanese 

 use them in certain forms of worship. They are very 

 rich in oil, and when placed upon altars and lighted burn 

 with a hot, bluish flame, and give off a peculiar odor 

 which is supposed to be a very pleasing incense to Japanese 

 gods. Another odd nut from China and Japan is the 

 lichi-nut. It is sold in many fruit-stores under the name 

 of " Chinese date," and is supposed to have been first 

 brought here by Chinese immigrants. The lichi-nut has 

 a rough but easily broken russet-colored shell, and just 

 within it, inclosingaseed much like a date-stone, isa layer 



