57 



thorns. Many of the unsightly brush-rows designed 

 for hedges when set, may yet be made passable 

 fences by the above treatment. 



After-training.— The hedge should be trimmed 

 twice annually — in the fall or early spring, and last 

 of June. Mr. D. Oliver, of Carthage, 111., has 

 invented a horse-power hedge-trimmer, which pro- 

 mises to do this work well, with little trouble and 

 expense.— W. H. Mann. 



Raspberries in New York.- Prof T. R. Bur- 

 gess, Ulster Co., says: " The soil along the Hudson 

 river on which Antwerp Raspberries are grown and 

 succeed so well, is of a slaty character — warm in its 

 nature. In the town of Marlborough, rocks pro- 

 trude frequently to the surface, and the fruit is cul- 

 tivated in the valleys and spaces around the rocks. 

 Strawberries succeed in almost any soil, the richer 

 the better, if there is a large proportion of sand 

 and gravel mixed in. A high hill-side, having a 

 good ventilation and a warm soil, is best tor grapes ; 

 but on the lakes and the Hudson river they ripen 

 better near the water than farther away on the 

 upland. 



The Nicholson Pavement is composed of 

 wooden blocks laid upon end across the street, grain 

 exposed, upon a foundation or flooring of planks, 

 the whole being saturated in heated tar, to prevent 

 decay. The rows of blocks are kept separate and 

 in place by narrow strips or pickets, and the inter- 

 vals thus caused are filled with a closely-packed 

 mixture of gravel and tar. 



First. The blocks of wood are set upon end, and 

 are kept dry by coal tar below, between and above 

 them, which prevents decay. 



Second. Being perfectly geometrical in form, the 

 pieces are easily laid with the utmost precision, so 

 as to leave no vacant spaces between or below them 

 to receive dirt, by which even iron blocks would be 

 thrown out of position. 



Third. The blocks being supported by a continu- 

 ous plank floor, saturated with coal tar, no block can 

 settle below its fellows, and no dirtcafj work in from 

 below to displace them ; so that the wearing surface 

 being kept even, there is no unequal action on the 

 different blocks to hammer them still further out 

 of position, as is the case with all stone and iron 

 pavements. 



Fourth. The exposed surface is at first covered 

 with a layer of coal tar, sand and gravel. 



By the time this is scattered, washed, and ground 

 off", the surface of the wood seems to appear to the 

 eye, and to be exposed to the actual contact of horse 



and vehicle upon its fibres , but upon closer exami- 

 nation it will be found that the sharpest and hardest 

 instrument will not penetrate, or even reach the 

 grain or surface of the wood itself. The sand and 

 gravel, adhering to the wood by means of the coal 

 tar, become partially pulverized, and are driven into 

 the grain of the wood by the iron shoes and tires, 

 in such a manner that the exposed surfaces are ac- 

 tually coated with an impenetrable layer of pulver- 

 ized sand, which, though ifc completely protects the 

 wood from wear, does not destroy its quality of pre- 

 venting a severe concussion with the iron shoe and 

 tire. 



yorpign Infrffigpnrp. 



Doyenne du Comice Pear.— Of this, one of 

 our newer French Pears of first-class excellence, in 

 season in October and November. 



The fruit is large and obovate, the skin is smooth 

 and of a pale greenish color, with here and there 

 irregular patches of russet on the sunny side, which 

 is also frequently flushed with red ; the eye is small, 

 and set in an even ba^in ; the stalk is short and 

 thick, and is inserted obliquely ; the flesh is white, 

 very juicy, tender, buttery, rich, and melting. Spe- 

 cimens of this variety were submitted for the opin- 

 ion of the Fruit Committee of the Royal Horticul- 

 tural Society, at their meeting a short time since, 

 and were " pronounced to be excellent." In short, 

 it is one of the finest Pears of its season, and is 

 eminently deserving of recommendation. In size 

 it is equal to Duchesse d'Angouleme, but it is much 

 superior to that variety in flavor, which is more like 

 that of Marie Louise, or Glout Morceau. It keeps 

 longer fit for use than most varieties, a point not to 

 be overlooked, for many good Pears have only a 

 short season in which they mn be called eatable. 

 This is not the case with Doyenne du Comice, for 

 if ripe and good to-day, it will be good to-morrow, 

 and for many days afterwards. The tree is hardy 

 and a good bearer, succeeding well on the Quince 

 as a pyramid or standard. — A. F. B.,in Gar. Chron. 



Winter-Flowering Epiphtllums. — It is much 

 the fashion to seek after "good winter-flowering 

 things, ' ' but with all that, the finest of early winter- 

 flowering plants are but very imperfectly known. 

 These are the varieties of Epiphyllum truncatum. 

 There is no pother winter-flowering plant whatever 

 that possesses half the useful qualities of this, and yet 

 how rarely is it seen well grown in gardens ! I have 



