1866.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
ing how a large space of them may be regulated 
if not too long neglected. The trouble is no 
more than would be required to support them 
in any other way. Those who adopt the 
method will, I am pretty sure, be well satistiod 
with tlie result. My way of fastening them has 
been with staples, which I malce quickly out 
of common wire with a pair of pliers, a ham- 
mer, and a stone to sharpen tliem on." 
Mr. S. sends us samples of the staples he uses, 
which have the points sharpened iu the direc- 
tion of tlio staple or at right angles to it, ac- 
cording as tlicy are to be driven into boards 
rimning horizontally or perpendicularly. 
Asparagus, WMte or Green? 
We are asked if asparagus should be blanch- 
ed to fit it for the table. By no means. It is 
blanched for the city markets by growing it un- 
der a coating of manure, but though it looks 
delicate and tender wlien treated in this way, it 
is tough, bitter, and nearly unfit to eat. City 
people, who do not know any better, will select 
white asparagus iu preference to green, just for 
the looks, and as long as they arc willing to pay 
for having it spoiled, market gardeners will sup- 
ply it iu this way. Generally, all of the shoot 
that grows below ground is wortliless, and were 
it not for leaving a portion to decay, there 
would be no need of cutting below the surface. 
Late Blooming Flowers. 
By a little management the flower garden 
may be kept brilliant until frosts put an end to 
growth and flowering. Nothing among the 
bedding plants makes a greater show, late iu the 
season, than the Mexican Sage, Sali-ia splendens. 
Then tliere are Chrysanthemums in great varie- 
ty. The Tritoma has spikes of flowers so 
brilliant that it has iu England received the 
somewhat absurd descriptive name of the 
"Red-hot-Poker-Plant." There are tuberoses, 
late unless forced, Ageratums, and others, not 
forgetting the " foliage plants," Coleus, Iresiue 
(Achyranthes) and others. It is not too late to 
sow annuals for late blooming, and those who 
have been obliged to delay sowing them can 
yet do so and get a very satisfactory bloom. 
Asters, Zinnias, Helichrysums, (and other ever- 
lastings,) if sowed as late as the early part of the 
present month, will p.ay for the trouble, and 
Candytuft, Mignonette, and many others usually 
sown in spring, may be put iu for a fall crop. 
Striking Cuttings in Sand. 
Noticing that the metliod of rooting cuttings 
in wet sand is highly commended in the recent 
English horticultural journals, we would re- 
mind our readers of a communication in the 
Arjricultarist two years ago. — In February 1864, 
Mr. Henderson gave us an article describing 
the plan, and most of those who have followed 
it liave met with success, while some have failed, 
probably from not complying with the essential 
requirement, i. e., to keep the sand constantly tcet. 
It is very convenient for those who wish to mul- 
tiply bedding plants and make other cuttings 
during the summer, and we have succeeded in 
this manner with a number of shrubs, taking 
the young and rather soft wood. A common 
saucer or soup plate is filled with sand — any 
kind v.'ill do that is free from salt— add enough 
water to thoroughly wet the sand and form a 
kind of mud, and into this iascrt the cuttings 
quite thickly together. The cuttings arc made 
from one to two inches long, and when inserted 
are not to be shaded but exposed to full sun- 
light, and, as stated above, the sand to be kept 
constant!)/ wet. Once dried tliey seldom recover. 
Deodorizers and Disinfectants. 
Iu conversation some time .ago with an officer of 
one of the g,is compauies, we asked him why ho 
did not render his gas less disagreeable to the smell. 
His reply was, that it was a great advantage to the 
consumer to h.ave the gas thus uiipleas.aut, for were 
it odorless a leak would not be observed, as it now 
is at once. As tUe unpleasant odor of the g.is en- 
ables us to detect a defect iu the pipes, so other 
odors point out defects in the household and 
domestic economy, and indicate that something is 
escaping that ought to be stopped. Whatever may 
be the cause of certain epidemic diseases, there is 
one thing that is well established, — they are invited 
by fllth and repelled by cleanliness. Dccayiug ani- 
mal and vegetable matters, if they do not cause 
disease themselves, put the air in a condition to 
propagate it. Fortunately these processes of decay 
give us warning, for the most part by the unpleas- 
ant odor given off. Cleanliness of the house and 
its surroundings should at all times be observed, but 
especially whcu the warm weather hastens dec.iy of 
all kinds. Prevention in this case is better than 
cure, and the removal of all offensive matter from 
about the dwelling is the first thing to be thought 
of. An existing smell may be treated in one of 
three w.ays ; it may be disguised, absorbed, or des- 
troyed. The disguising of smells is not to be com- 
mended, though much of the so-called disinfecting 
is of this character. The sprinkling of perfumes, 
the burning of pastilles and other substances which 
give off an odor by the application of heat, only 
substitute one odor for another, and ' do nothing 
towards actually removing the trouble. Absorbents 
are useful in many cases. One of the most power- 
ful of these is charcoal, but dried peat or muck, or 
even loamy soil will answer a good purpose. By 
the use of either of these, privies, piggeries, aud 
heaps where animal matter is being made into ma- 
nure, can be kept from giving off offensive odors. 
Among the substances that have been used for des- 
troying odors chemically, are Chlorine, Nitric oxide, 
Permanganate of Potash, Sulphate of Iron, Nitrate 
of Lead, Chloride of Zinc, aud others, besides sev- 
eral secret or patented eompoirads. Of these there 
is but one likely to be employed by the public gene- 
rally, and that is Chlorine in the form of what is 
called Chloride of Lime, or Bleaching Powders. It 
is cheap, easily applied, free from uupleasant after 
effects, aud quite as efficacious .as any other. When 
sprinkled about iu offensive places, it destroys un- 
pleasant odors as they are generated, .and if a more 
prompt action is desired, it ijay be dissolved iu 
water, allowed to settle, and the clear liquid used. 
There are other ways for applying chlorine more 
thoroughly, but they are not to be commended for 
general use. While this and other disiufuctants are 
of great use in producing a wholesome state of the 
atmosphere, medical men doubt if they possess 
any cdusiderable efficacy iu destroying the poisou, 
or whatever it may be that causes cpidemie and 
contagious diseases after it is once introduced. 
For the American Asriculturist, 
About the FasMons— Sundry Hints. 
FrEXIsnED BY MADAME DEMOBEST. 
We cannot congratulate the ladies this season 
upon their sensible fashions. They are full of bright 
effects, and pretty colors seen from a distance, but 
iu detail they are exaggerated, and iu many respects 
absurd, as well as inconvenient. The bouuets are 
ridiculously small, setting high like the crown of a 
Normandy cap, ou top of the head, or laying low, 
aud flat, like an inverted soup plate, tied close at 
the sides, but iu either case affording no protection 
from sun, or storm, aud leaving the hair exposed 
to all the dust of the streets aud roads. [Very, 
very ti-ue.— Ed.] 
The new styles of skirts, on the contrary, partic- 
ularly .at the b.ase, are enormously wide, and tilt at 
every touch iu a way that verges slightly on tlio 
indecent. The fashion of loopin* up the skirts 
over the Balmoral petticoats, was a very good one, 
but the original object has been almost wholly lost 
sight of, in the desire for display, iuthe temptation 
to exhibit clcgiint cambric flutings, rich embroidery, 
and a fanciful chaussure. A well dressed foot is a 
pleas.ant object to contemplate, and it is indispensa- 
ble to a lady's good appearance, but the beauty of 
the shoe and stocking, consists iu its perfect fit 
and fineness, not iu color, .and showy ornament. 
We do not object to the introduction of bright 
colors, even in street attire, but it reqidrcs to be 
done with great taste and judgment. A mixture of 
colors is always vulgar, and persons who cannot 
afford a great variety in their dress, sliould be care- 
ful to select only such colors as will harmonize, and 
prove lasting and serviceable. 
White has been largely introduced into street 
toilettes of bate years, iu the shTipe of white vails, 
white bounets, white sacks, .and the like. These 
arc all veiy well for those who possess outside gar- 
ments, suited to every occasion, but for those limit- 
ed to one, or at most to a " best," .and a "hack," 
they are entirely xmsuited. Nothiug looks worse 
than a white bonnet, or vail, or a liglit, showy sack, 
aud a dingy dress. A neat suit .all of a color, or of 
a neutral tint, relieved by some bright shade is in- 
finitely preferable. . 
The great temptation this season is to a vulgar 
profusion of trimming. In addition to the usual 
oruameuts, a great many new ones h.ave been iutro- 
duced, such as buttons, chains, strings of beads, 
cameos, buckles, clasps, and mixtures of str.aw with 
jet. Iu addition to these, not a few milliners pile 
ou lace, ribbon, flowers, vail, until the diminutive 
bonnet is completely hidden, aud its original shape 
quite lost sight of. 
Properly, the bonnets this season require very lit- 
tle trimming. They are very small, aud the braids 
.are all of the fancy sort, alternating with bands or 
puffings of silk. A " Benoiton" that is to 8.ay, a 
chain, fastened with cameos, a bandeau, and strings, 
are all that is required for these. 
The Princesse, or gored style of dress is more fash- 
ionable than any other, but can never be very pop- 
ular, because it is not easily made, aud cannot be 
made over with the same facility as the ordinary 
styles. Moreover, it is inconvenient for looping up, 
and is not graceful for the street. Skirts may be 
partially gored, however, so as to give much of the 
effect of a gored dress, with very little trouble and 
a positive saving in the material, and the breadths 
of a rich silk may be turned in, aud all cutting 
avoided, by those who wish to obtain the effect, 
wilhout injury to material. 
Dresses for house and evening wear, are worn 
with immensely long trails.. Iu Paris two yards is 
considered moderate. There dresses are worn 
without hoops, almost without sleeves, and with a 
very short, low cors.age, quite iu the old Emiiire 
style. Looped up dresses are still worn over hoops 
in the street. 
Artificial Memory. 
A frequent Contributor to the American Agricul- 
turist writes : One of our contemporaries recom- 
mends the use of a skate hanging up iu the p.autry, 
ou which to note down whatever is wanted for daily 
supplies, or whatever family duties need attending 
to. One morning, perh.aps tl' : entry will be, "Send 
for soda and salcratus and allspice." "Examine 
brine iu beef-ljarrel." " V. eed the ouions." This 
is for the m.an's side of the slate. Ou the woman's 
side we sh.all find such things as : " Brown the cof- 
fee," "Scald the bread-box," "Finish Mary's 
apron," etc. Whenever anything occurs to the 
head of the family that is very important to re-- 
member, it is put on the slate, rather than trusted 
