130 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[April, 
Whnt to Groiv nud Ittow to Grow 
It.— " C. T. K.," Montgomery Co., Pa., is a teacher with 
eome leisure time, can have one-quarter to one-half an 
acre of land, and ask?, "What to plant, how to cultivate 
it, etc., so as to render it most agreeable, interesting, 
healthful, and profitable.' 1 This is one of many cases in 
which we are asked for advice which cannot be given 
without an acquaintance with the person's skill, experi- 
ence, and immediate surroundings. To one who has a 
love for plants.it will be "agreeable and interesting,'" 
and we may add "healthful," to grow anything from cab- 
bages to roses. If by "profitable" is meant the amount 
of money to be realized from the place, the things to 
cultivate will depend rjpon one's knowledge and the 
demand of the neighborhood. Raspberries and straw- 
berries would pay, and if in a populous region, raising 
seedling plants of cabbages, tomatoes, peppers, etc., with 
hot-beds or cold frames, strawberry plants, etc. The 
*■ how to cultivate " we are telling all the time, and there 
are books containing full instructions on these points. 
A Mineral "Cariosity." — "L. H. D. M 
Burlington, Col. Terr. The specimen sent is hardly a 
curiosity to those familiar with minerals. It is a form of 
Asbestos, of which there are several varieties, soniequite 
as silky in texture as yours, but pure white. It has been 
woven into cloth, which is incombustible and may be 
cleansed by burning. It is said, that the ancients used a 
cloth of Asbestos to wrap the bodies of the dead when 
about to be burned, to prevent their ashes being raised 
with those of the funeral pile. 
Alton, 111., Horticultural Society. 
— This Society is very much alive, and sends out its pro- 
ceedings at once, on a well-printed sheet. There is some 
excuse for this, for there is always something to print and 
useful to read. The proceedings for the 7th of February 
contain an excellent essay on the carculio, by that well- 
known orchardist, Dr. E. S. II all. 
3few York: State Grape Growers' 
Association.- The Grape Growers of N. T.. to the 
number of seventy, met at Canaudaigua on the 27th of 
February last and formed an association with the above 
name. The Hon. Emory B. Pottle of Naples is President, 
and Dr. E. K. Van Keuren of Hammondsport, Correspond- 
ing Secretary. An exhibition of grapes will be held in 
Canandaigua next autumn, at which competition is in- 
vited from all parts of the United States and Canada. 
Forcing Strawberries. — "Subscriber." 
Preparation must be made the autumn beforehand and 
the plants well established in pots before winter. Tho 
full details of the process, with description of the neces- 
sary structures, is given in Fuller's Small Fruit Culturist. 
Ailantlsns. — The Country Gentleman says : 
"We know nothing of the value of the Ailanthus as a 
timber-tree, but should suppose it not to be of much 
value. It grows rapidly and suckers freely, and will 
succeed on soils too poor for many other purposes. The 
pistillate trees bear a profusion of seeds, but as there 
is very little call for it there is probably none in the mar- 
ket." It is not often that friend Thomas gets so far off 
the track, and we put him right and answer a correspond- 
ent at the same time. The Ailanthus is valuable for 
timber; the wood is hard and does not decay readily : ia 
excellent for vineyard stakes; and is good fuel. It docs 
not sucker badly unless the roots are injured. Seed is to 
be had at Thorburu's, and probably of other dealers. 
Ivuots on Cherry Trees. — "J. A.," 
Hunterdon Co., N. J. The knots on your sour red cher- 
ry trees arc the same, or practically the same, as the black- 
knot on the plum. The free use of the knife on their first 
appearance is the only successful remedy. 
B*ropag;atin«y tlie ^laple.— 0. Moffat, 
Iowa. The Maples are easily raised from seed. Both of 
the Soft Maples ripen their seed in May or early in June, 
and it should be sown at once. That of the " hard," or 
Sugar Maple, ripens in autumn ; it may be sown then or 
kept in a cool place until spring. As to care, young trees 
need hoeing, weeding, and thinning, like any other plants, 
and it will be useless to plant Maple or any other seeds 
unless this care can be given the young plants. 
A Fiit tic Girl's better.— Miss E. A. 0. 
writes from Albany, 111., and though she asks us to cor- 
rect her letter, we shall not do it, but give it as a speci- 
men of the many words of appreciation that we ?et bom 
the little folks. "I write to tell you how well we like 
your paper, the Agriculturist. "We have taken your paper 
for several years. My Ma says she has been a better 
housekeeper ever since she commenced reading it (hut I 
guess she must have been a wry good one before). We 
have snch a nice place, one half mile from the Mississip- 
pi river and Albany railroad station, and such fruit as we 
have I We do have some of the nicest Raspberries, Straw- 
berries, Currants, Gooseberries, Cherries, Grapes and 
Apples. Ma says we learned how to raise them by read- 
ing the Agriculturist. Ma tells pa so. Pa got up the club 
last year for the Agriculturist and received the garden 
seeds. Ma says we had the best garden we ever had be- 
fore. Oh, I must tell you about the Chickens too, we 
raised a great many last year, I can't tell how many. We 
have fresh egL,'3 all winter. Ladies often say to my Ma 
when they come here, how do yon get fresh eggs all win- 
ter, and she tells them by reading the Agriculturist." 1 
The Tomato Question. — The discussion 
of the relative values of the different kinds of tomato, as 
shown by last year's experience, is no longer timely, and 
the many friends who have written us upon the subject 
will excuse us if their communications are not published. 
The seeds for a new crop are sown by this time, and we 
shall be glad to hear what another season's trial has de- 
veloped. Those who ask us to expose certain varieties 
as " humbugs"' should recollect that a single season's trial 
in one locality will not warrant their condemnation. 
A Large Price for Potatoes. — Mr. 
D. S. Ileffron of Utica, N. T., sold in February last to a 
party in New Jersey, one hundred and fifty bushels of 
Early Rose Potatoes for Ten Tftousand Dollars! Over sixty- 
six dollars a bushel is a good price for potatoes, and the 
sale is worthy of note, as it shows that a really good va- 
riety will pay the originator for his trouble in producing 
it. The fact that really meritorious fruits, flowers, or 
vegetables, meet with a ready appreciation, should en- 
courage judicious experiments in producing them. 
Sledges.— " IT. N.," Huntingdon Co., Pa. The 
method of lopping the Osage Orange to form a hedge de- 
scribed in October last, is approved by the large planters 
at the West, as cheap, quick and efficient. We have an 
article on the subject from a practical hedge grower 
which we hope to give soon. The Honey Locust makes 
an excellent hedge, and will stand the winter in por- 
tions of the country where the Osage Orange will not. 
Mixing of Vegetables.— " O. M," Ot- 
tumwa. Iowa. Potatoes do not "mix" in the hill. Peas 
and Beans rarely mix when grown near each other, but 
sometimes do through the agency of insects ; the same 
with tomatoes. The different varieties of Onions, Par- 
snips, and Beets, will be likely to cross. 
ZSlack Knot.— "Subscriber." The "canse" 
of the Black Knot is a fundus ; the remedy is to cat and 
burn the limbs as soon as it makes its appearance. F. 
Manten. Me., states that his plum trees on richly ma- 
nured soil are affected by the knot and that those on sim- 
ilar soil, hut unmanured, are exempt. lie asks if this is 
the experience of others. 
Silver-leaved Maple. — A. G. "Wood. 
The tree of this name is a native of this country {Acer 
dasycarpurri) and is also called White Maple. The soft 
Maple of the East is Acer rubvum. The most common 
maple used in cities is the Norway Maple, Acer platanoides. 
Tyins? Material.— D. "W. Tainter, Mo., 
asks what material is used at the Boat Gar tying vines. 
For arms, osiers are generally used, and for tying in the 
new growth, a good cotton twine— not the cheap stuff that 
is half starch— is often used. Mr. Knox uses rye straw, 
which is made flexible by dampening; this is put on with 
a twist, rather than a knot, in a way that is not easy to 
describe and would be difficult to figure. The material 
used at the East for tying asparagus is bast bark, the 
inner bark of the Linden. Cuba bast is from a different 
tree. Either would answer. It is sold by seedsmen. 
The Bffair Worm. — The hair-like worm, 
GortRus aqwtUcus, has ignorantly been supposed to origin- 
ate from a horse-hair. It was bad enough to have its par- 
entage misrepresented, but it has met with a worse fate 
at the hands of a quack pill man, who figures the innocent 
worm, aud says : " It is given here that its bite may be 
guarded against, as it produces the felon or whitlow, when 
the blood is at all impure.*' Then, as a matter of conrse, 
follows the advice to take the fellow's pills to keep the 
blood pure. Wheu a hair worm does bite no doubt 
terrible consequences follow, onlyit don'tand they don't. 
Moving Evergreens. — G.LT. Lormsberry, 
Hamilton Co., Ohio, say-: ''I have some evergreens, 
about 10 years old, and about 20 feet high. They are too 
near my honse, so I wish to move them. What is my 
best plan? I am advised to dig a trench around each, 
pour in water, and let the earth freeze to the roots, and 
then move them. I am afraid of the advice." We should 
not try the frozen ball plan, but wait until the buds begin 
to swell, and then remove them with as little mutilation 
of the roots as possible, on a damp day. If the work can- 
not be done in moist weather, be sure and keep the roots 
thoroughly damp, or even dripping wet. 
Queer Apples. — D. B. Carpenter send? 
ns from the ranch of J. Q. A. Ballon, San Jose, Cal., a 
singular cluster of apples— one apple as large as a filbert, 
with three smaller ones arranged around it. and all placed 
directly on the bark near the middle of the body of the 
tree. We at first thought they might be a kind of fun- 
gus, but a careful examination showed them to be apples. 
Cwreiilio. — Henry Stell, Leavenworth, Kan. 
The curculio does not confine itself to the plum, but other 
fruits, apples even, are attacked by it. 
Canker norm. — David Lyman writes: 
"Tie a strip of cotton batting, a few inches wide, around 
the tree with one string, and turn the top and bottom out 
so they will be flaring. The insect gets entangled and 
must deposit her eggs in the cotton. In the spring, gather 
and burn. Oue of our most reliable men, Benj. W. Coe, 
of this place, tried it last year with perfect success. 1 * 
Earthwormsin IFlowes- E*ots. — "II. 1 ' 
says: "If your correspondents who are troubled with 
this 'epidemic,' will apply a weak solution of salt in water 
a few times, they will destroy the worms, and benefit the 
plants." We fear that most persons would use too Etrong 
a solution, aud we think lime-water preferable, as that 
cannot be made too strong. Perfectly dear lime-water, 
and not milk of lime, is to be nsed. 
Blow to Siwdy ISoiany.— TV. K. Tipton 
and several others. Get Gray's Lessons in Botany and 
first thoroughly learn the structure of plants, and then 
with the same author's Manual you will soon be able, 
with a little practice, to identify any of our wild plants. 
Trees for Southern Wisconsin. — 
"J. E. 31.," Spring Green, Wis. For trees around the 
house, Norway Spruce. White and Austrian Pine for 
evergreens. Sugar and White Maple and Elm for deciduous 
trees. These are all perfectly hardy and easily obtained. 
Iii:ii:t BScans. — William Smith. These need 
a rich, warm soil ; set poles four feet apart each way, when 
the ground is well warmed and cold rains over, put four 
to six beans to each pole, pressing them into the soil, 
with the eye down, about an inch deep. They may 
be had earlier by starting under glass on sods. See 
" Kitchen Garden " for last mouth on page S3. 
T2ie ISluc JTay Indicted.— TV. Ituid of 
Wis. "I have seen them sucking hens' eggs and birds* 
eggs, and destroying' young birds in the nest. They are 
great fruit thieves, and they swarm in scores around our 
corn cribs, both summer aud winter. I do not know a 
redeeming trait in the Blue Jay's character." 
Cranberry Queries. — "H. C. S." It is 
not possible for any one to tell you how much it will cost 
to prepare land for cranberries without knowing its 
present condition, as some costs three times as much as 
other. The meadow should be in fair bearing in three 
years, though some fruit is borne earlier. Three hundred 
bushels to the acre is considered as an average crop. 
Regarding E*cacii Trees.— A corre- 
spondent writes us that last winter, after the ground was 
fairly frozen, he placed litter around his trees to prevent 
the early thawing of the soil around their roots, and thus 
retarded their starting until danger of late frost was over. 
One experiment seemed so favorable that he proposed to 
repeat it this winter. Please give us the results. 
Box Edging.— R. Antekele, Delafield, Wis., 
says he has no difficulty in raising box from cuttings. 
He makes a trench about six inches deep, uses cuttings 
6 or 8 inches long, and sets them deeply and so close to- 
gether that the foliage forms a continuous line. The 
earth is packed firmly on both sides of the row, and the 
plants watered during the first two or three weeks. 
West Jersey IFriiifl; Growers' Asso- 
ciation-Fifth Annual Report for 1S0T— 1SGS. The 
West Jersey Association comprises the fruit growers of 
Burlington Co., near Philadelphia. Their proceedings 
are always welcome, for we know as we open the unpre- 
tending volume, we shall get facts, and not " talk." The 
members are men who grow fruit for a living, and have a 
sharp eye to profits ; they give their experience in a few 
words, and we can commend their reports as models. 
