Barberries for Dinner-table Decorations! — This 

 brilliant innovation graced the outing dinner of a Bos- 

 ton club, last evening. Scrolls and bunches and 

 sprays of the brilliant berries make a pretty variation 

 from the monotony of smilax or the asparagus fern, 

 and connecting a central piece with the rest of the 

 table in a most effective manner; a Puritan staid New 

 England product thus becoming the conveyor of hearty 

 good cheer, color and brightness. — Boston Ti'anscript . 



The Catawba Grape. — After several dangerous 

 frosts, the Catawbas seem, as yet, unharmed, and may 

 come through all right, as they improve rapidly with 

 every favorable day ; but we notice that on the shores 

 of Keuka, especially back some distance from the lake, 

 the foliage is considerably affected with what appears 

 to be powdery mildew, and looks as if it had been 

 blanched by a hard freeze. This is not a good sign ; 

 still, at this stage of the season, it may not materially 

 injure the fruit ; but the crop is more backward than 

 was indicated by its condition at the first of August, 

 and the one thing of all others to be feared is an early 

 and heavy October frost. If warm weather prevails 

 till nearly the middle of October the Catawbas will give 

 a splendid yield, and of good quality. — 'I he Vineyardisl . 



A Grape- Pruning Experiment. — In pruning grape- 

 vines it is quite a point to avoid too much bleeding. In 

 pruning, last November, I left along the north line 

 fence a Niagara and a Duchess. This Niagara, al- 

 though planted several years, had not borne much, and 

 the Duchess also had been a shy bearer. Last spring, 

 after the new growth had pushed out over an inch, I 

 cut back all the last year's growth to two or three buds, 

 leaving as the leading bud, where practicable, one that 

 had made the strongest start. I perceived that the 

 vines bled very little, much less than when pruned in 

 March, but they made as rank a growth of wood as 

 usual, and are now heavily laden with large, compact 

 bunches of fruit. Now I am not going to jump to the 

 conclusion that the best time to prune grapes is after 

 growth has started in spring ; I merely note that prun- 

 ing at the time I did does not appear to have injured 

 the vines. — P. C. Reynolds in Neiv York Tribune. 



Lilium Auratum. — A remarkable specimen is flower- 

 ing now in the garden of Mr. Cole, Upper Clapton, the 

 plant having no less than twelve stems, carrying in all 

 one hundred and twenty-two flowers, which represent a 



fine variety. There were originally sixteen stems, 

 carrying one hundred and thirty blooms. The bulb was 

 planted five years ago in the turf near the shrubbery, 

 and each season has given a revelation of splendid 

 flowers, bold, showy, and not suffering individually 

 from their rich profusion. It is curious to note that on 

 the other side of the bed a bulb of the same vigor was 

 planted, but has failed to give the same splendid re- 

 sults. — Journal of Horticiilttire, London. 



A New Blackberry Species. — In the Old World 

 the blackberry varies so much that on every excursion 

 the collecting botanist may have reason to believe he 

 has a new species. In America the native blackberries 

 vary so little that a botanist rarely attempts to describe 

 a new one. One worthy this distinction has at length 

 been found in Virginia. The new blackberry is called 

 Rtilnis Millspaiighii . — Independanl . 



Early Cosmos and Chrysanthemums. — Cosmos 

 requires large pots, rich compost, sunny exposure, and 

 plenty of water; being naturally brittle, carefully tie 

 and stake the lower branches. In open fields we plant 

 cosmos five by six feet, ours at this time being six feet 

 high and covering the ground. This wonderful growth 

 enables us to cut stems any length ; large bunches with 

 foliage and buds are of great beauty. Cosmos now 

 ranks next to the chrysanthemum. During the season 

 we ship daily as far as Minnesota. The lasting quali- 

 ties of this flower make it a great favorite, and it has 

 come to stay. Cuttings of early chrysanthemums 

 from the sand bed are planted in open field early in 

 April. If the season is dry, watering and mulching are 

 necessary, as we must have well grown wood before 

 August ; at that time the buds appear. Careful dis- 

 budding is next in order. If black fleas and bad 

 weather do not interfere, we will have creditable flowers 

 of the Chinese varieties October i. — J. L. Loose, Va., 

 in American Florist. 



Pasteurized Cider. — By M. Pasteur's improved 

 method, cider is rendered so pure and free from active 

 germs of fermentation that it can be kept for years in a 

 perfect state, even with a very low per cent, of alcohol. 

 The cider is taken fresh from the press or after fer- 

 mentation in tanks, as may be desired. The scum is 

 removed as long as it continues to rise to the surface, or 

 until fermentation has proceeded sufficiently far. It is 

 then run through paper fillers and is conducted to a 



