806 



berry growing aroimd Cineinnatti, and gave that 

 impetus to Strawberry growing inithe United States, 

 of which we are all now so justly proud.] 



Strawberry Runner Cutter— J/r. E. P. 

 Dickennan, sends us an implement and the follow- 

 ing note : Wherever the Strawberry is grown 

 in hills, the implement will be found very handy : 

 "I forward you by express this day one of my newly 

 invented Strawberry Kunner Clippers. 



In the cultivation of Strawberries on my own 

 farm, I have found this implement of invaluable 

 service, as it removes all mnners from each plant at 

 a single operation, and I find from experience that 

 1 can thoroughly clip an acre of over twelve thou- 

 .^and plants in two or three hours. It will be appa- 

 rent to you that as a labor saving implei>ient, this 

 has great advantages over all others now in use for 

 cut ting runnei'S, and no extensive cultivator of straw- 

 berries can afford to be without it/' 



Fine Bunch op Grapes— Weighing three lbs., 

 and appearing to be of the " Barbarossa" variety, 

 has been received from Miss H. Trimble, West 

 Chester, Pa. 



The berries are very large, and do not coiToborate 

 the views of Botanists, that the size of the berry 

 depends on the number of seeds, for none of these 

 have more than three seeds, and many but one, two 

 being the average number. 



Arborvit^ Cuttings.— Somebody without 

 name or locality asks the following : ' ' You would 

 much oblige a constant subscriber to the ' Gard- 

 ener's Monthly,'' were you pleased to give a small 

 chapter on -the propagation of Arborvitaes, by cut- 

 tings. Which is the best time to make the cuttings, 

 how long should they be, and what kind of soil is 

 best? 



If Arborvitge Cuttings were planted in a cold 

 frame — or without a frame in a sheltered place would 

 they grow in spring ? Which is the best way, and 

 what time, ought I plant Arborvitge seeds — as I can 

 get any quantity of them. Please excuse this long 

 inquiry. 



[Arborvitses grow readily from cuttings under 

 certain circumstances. The best way is to cut them 

 into lengths of about three inches, insert them so 

 ds just to about touch one another, in shallow boxes 

 of sandy sdII, in October, and put in a moist green- 

 house where the temperature can be kept above 55° 

 all the winter. They will then be rooied nicely by 

 spring, and may in May be set out in a piece of rich 

 soil. 



If you have not the command of heat, they may 

 be set out in a cold frame, the sides of which are 

 banked up with earth to keep out the frost, and 

 heavy straw mats put on to keep out the severest 

 weather; but they do not root so well this way, and 

 often have to stay over one season before they can 

 be set out in the open ground. 



Seed must be sown in Spring as early as possible, | 

 and when up, shade With brush-wood to keep off | 

 the hottest sun. | 



We do not want the n-ames of our correspondents 

 for publication, indeed we seldom take up space by 

 giving them in full, but we can give better answers 

 when we know at least the localities. 



Ants in Flower Beds.— Co??s^«wi Reader^ 

 Astoria, N. Y. — " We are very much troubled with 

 black ants in our flower borders. They come first 

 from the grass on the law», and have taken posses- 

 sion of one border, and I fear unless we can kill 

 them will all the oth ts. I looked over the three 

 first volumes of the ^Monthly,' to see what to do, 

 and tried the hot water and sulphur, but without 

 success, as they were in full force again in a few 

 days. Is there anything can be done to get rid of 

 them? If you cao inform me, you will greatly 

 oblige. ' ' 



[Try a lit tie coal oil. ] 



Packing Flowers. — We received some fiowers 

 from Mr. Wilson, of Washington, Pa., which came 

 in a most perfect condition They were simply in- 

 veloped in oiled silk, and put in a tin box, by mail. 

 Evaporation being thus prevented, they would no 

 doubt keep several days. Some put them in dry 

 cotton and thin paper boxes, and they look like 

 crushed bugs more than a plant by the time they 

 reach us. 



Norton's Yirginia and Ives' Seedling in 

 New Jersey. — A Correspondent from Atlantic 

 County, says: "The season has been very unfavor- 

 able to grape growing in this part of New Jersey. 

 Mildew and rot have fearfully damaged our vine- 

 yards, the Catawba is nearly all gone. Concord is 

 damaged, but the reputation of the Virginia Seed- 

 ling has proved true, as a lot of bearing vines that 

 I have, does show, there is not one faulty berry 

 among them, and the leaves, that suffered some- 

 what in spring have entirely recovered. This can- 

 not be said of the so much celebrated lona. 



Another kind, and which seems most hardy, is 

 the Ives' seedling. Its leaves have not suffered in- 

 the least, and a few grapes that I got at first, prove 

 this fruit, this year, perfectly healthy. 



