1865.1 
AMERICAN AG-RIGULTURIST. 
308 
whenever tlie ti-ee-diggei- can be miule to work fiiiiiy. 
No person, so f.tr us I know, out of thousands, who h;ive 
seen them work, or bought liees knowhig iliem dug with 
tlie machine, but thinks iheir work perfection in its Wiiy." 
Osa^c Oi-aug'c See*!.— Letters coutinue 
to come iisking wliere Osage Orange Seed may be had. 
We know of none for sale. Now i hat Texas, the prin- 
cipal source of it is once more open to commerce, it is 
possible that, a pan of ilie crop now lipenin? may find 
Its way to market. Tliere is no doubt that the dealers 
will advertise it as soon as tliey liave any in store. 
Aiiotlici* Substitute Toi- Box.— "Orator 
Alsatii," Washington. Pa., suggests as a good plant for 
garden edgings, the common Chives, or Gives, AUium 
SchcEnoprasu7Ji, figured anddescribed in the Agriciiltunst 
for June, 1S64.— He says : " It is easily cultivated, easily 
trimmed, and is pereimial. It v\ill grow in any soil and 
situation, is not subject to the attacks of any insect, is 
not liable to run like grass, lieeps exceedingly clear of 
weeds, does not sulTer from the exlremest cold, is the 
very first green thing in spring, may be used as a substi- 
tute fur parsley, or green onions, or both, in the absence 
of eitlier, and. when in full blossom, make a very pretty 
show indeed. Plant in September, October, or .March. 
Cut it close and often durnig the first summer, to insure 
its setting thickly and evenly, and after being cut once 
in the spring of its second year, it will produce a mass nf 
flesh-colored blossoms, which will last a very long while." 
X^venty XUoiisaii<l Lilies. — Mr. Francis 
Brill, Newark, N. J., sent us an invitation to visit his 
lilies while they were in flower, lemarking that "such a 
sight was never seen before in this country, if in any 
other." — We went, saw, and were convinced that Mr. 
Drill was quite right. Just think of over an acre of 
Japan Lilies, each individual flower of which is an ob- 
ject of perfect beauty ! There were all varieties of 
Lilium lanci/olium, consisting in great part of album, 
rubrum and pnnctatnra. There were, in less numbers, 
the newer varieties, Melpomene, of a beautiful dark crim- 
son and Monstrosum, a singular variety, bearing from 
30 to 50 flowers to the stalk, and others. 
XKiil1> Catalogfues. — We have received, in 
the order in which they are mentioned, bulb catalogues 
from the following dealers: J. M. Thorburn <t Co., 15 
John St., N. Y. City; James Vick, Rochester, N. Y. 
(Illustrated) \ Henderson &, Fleming. 67 Nassau St., N. 
Y. City; G. K. Bliss, Spiingfield. Mass. (lilustraled). 
The prices, on account of the reduction in exchange, 
range mucli lower than those of last year. The bulbs of 
our city dealers (and we doubt not of those elsewhere) 
open in fine order, and are heavy, bright and sound. 
Columbine Seeds Poisonous. — The 
London Gardeners' Chronicle gives an account of tlie 
poisoning of a child by eating the seeds of the com- 
mon garden Columbine. The child lay in a nearly un- 
conscious state for several hours and recovered the next 
day. The relatives of the Columbine : Monkshood and 
Larkspur, and even the common Buttercup, are all moje 
or less acrid, but we rarely hear of evil results from them, 
Prize Flo-wer Seed.— "M. C. E.," Cleve- 
land, O., writes to know how florists are able to offer car- 
nation seed from " prize flowers only." We presume it 
really means that the seed is from the same stock with 
the flovvers that took prizes. 
Keeping: Hollylioclcs, etc.— E. Gaj-- 
Inrd, Floyd Co., Iowa. Your bad success is owing to 
the fact that the Hollyhock is not really a perennial, and 
is very apt to die after flowering once. It may be con- 
tinued by dividing the plants when they have done flow- 
ering, and setting out the short branches which spring 
from near the roots, to make separate plants. The hardy 
perennials generally, will probably endure your winters 
if they have a good covering of littery manure. 
Seedling; Verbenas.— We understand that 
Mr. Snow, the verbena fancier of Chickopee, Mass., has 
sold six of his new seedlings to a florist of this city for 
one hundred dollars. We note this as indicating that 
there is a ready sale for a really good novelty in flowers 
as well as among fruits. 
Sowing: J>aUlia Seeds. — Several inquire 
what will be the result of sowing Dahlia seed. It will 
depend upon the "■ strain " the seed is from, as the florists 
say. Generally, many potir flowers, some tolerable ones 
and now and then a fine one, will be the result. From 
its very uncertainty, it is an interesting culture to those 
who have the time for It. 
Eucalyptus resinirera.— B. Peters, Scfjtt 
Co., I«wa. This is an Australian tree, which the Em- 
peror of France saw during his visit to Algiers. We 
doubt if it has been introduced near Paris. The seeds 
are not to be had here, and they would be of no use in 
your cold climate. 
Tall Corn.— B. C. Townsend, Esq., of Bay 
Ridge. L. [., has sent us some stalks of corn, which were 
raised from seed brought from Peru by the Hon. E. G. 
Squier. The stalks are 15 feel long, and have secondary 
or "brace roots" to the hight of 8 feet. The variety is 
not early enough for our climate, as it has (Sept. 11th) 
but just tasseled, and shows no signs of ears. 
A Fine Cabbage. — We have on onr ex- 
hibition tables, from R. Crlswell (sometimes called the 
great cabbage man of Long Island), a trimmed cabbage, 
weighing 22^4 lbs, Mr. Criswell expects to ship 50 or 
60,000 to the ex-rebels this season. He has made some 
discoveries in preparing and packing cabbage for ship- 
ping, which he claims will cause them to keep longer 
than by the usual method. 
Itadisb Culture.— Agnes Kemp, Blair Co., 
Pa. If you have tried for several years without success 
it is likely that the soil is cold and heavy, or otherwise 
unsuitable. A rich, warm, somewhat sandy soil is best. 
An Early Kind of Sorghum.— " W. S. 
D.," of Montgomery Co.. Ind., writes, asking about a 
variety of sorghum called " Hoangho." He says: "A 
variety in this neighborhood, represented to be of that 
kind, is a much better grower than any of the other kinds, 
starling after planting almost equal to corn. It is said 
to ripon much earlier than any other variety."' Does the 
" Hoangho " uniformly exhibit these qualities ? 
Currant '^Vornas, so very destructive to 
the currant bushes where they abound, eating off the 
leaves and stripping the bushes so thoroughly, that, un- 
less the fruit be all cut oif, or stripped off and the canes 
cut back, the plants usually die, may be entirely destroyed 
by the use of White Hellebore {VeTatrum album), in fine 
powder. A smallpartiole of this falling upon the worm, 
will kill it at once, and if it only falls upon ihe upper 
side of leaves, upon the under sides of which the worms 
are feeding, they will all disappear within a few hours. 
A correspondent in Cazenovia has kept his bushes quite 
free in this way, and secured an abundance of fruit for a 
year or two past, while his neighbors have lost not only 
their fruit, but the bushes too. 
^Vhite and Black: Hellebore.— In 
some of the published accounts of the use of White Hel- 
lebore to destroy the currant worm, it has been stated 
that the Black Hellebore would probably answer as well. 
This is a mistake, as the two plants are widely different, 
both in their botanical relations and their medicinal 
effects. These plants are both natives of Europe, and 
the drug furnished by each is imported. It is highly 
probable that our native Veratrum viridc, or American 
Hellebore, v% hich is closely related to the White Helle- 
bore botanically and medicinally, would be efficacious as 
a poison for the currant worm. It is common in our 
swamps and has a strongly plaited leaf, which, when it 
first appears above ground in spring, is sometimes mis- 
taken for that of the skunk-cabbage. It is also known by 
the name of Indian Poke. A gentleman at Staten Island 
states, that he used White Hellebore upon his grape 
vines, and he thinks it injured the leaves. What is the 
experience of others ? 
The Deatb of Sir ^Vin. J. Hoolier.— 
Botanists and horticulturists will be pained, though per- 
haps not surprised to hear of the rleath of Sir William 
Jackscm Hooker, who had reached the advanced age of 
60 years. He w;is best known to horticultuiists as the 
director of the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, near 
London, and the long time editor of the Botanical Maga- 
zine, His botanical writings are numerous, and all 
working botanists are aware of their high value, which 
is enhanced by excellent illustrations from the facile 
pencil of their author. Sir William was knighted in 1K36 
in recognition of his valuable services to botanical science. 
The Ag:riculturai department-— 
The following appears in theJNVashington correspondence 
of one of our daily papers : " Mr. J. S. G\ innell, the ex- 
perienced chief clerk of the Agricultural Bureau, has 
been removed from that office by Commissioner Ne-wton, 
and his place supplied by a Mr. Stokes, nephew of the 
latter. The change thus made calls out considerable 
criticism, and will be generally reprobated by the large 
number of people who are personally acquainted with 
the merits of Mr. Grinnell. It is stated that a large 
number of the leading agriculturists of the country have 
become so dissatisfied with the manner in which tlie 
affairs of the Agricultural Buieau are being supervised 
under the conduct of the present Commissioner, that a 
combined expression of disaoproval of his furthgi' reten- 
tion in office is to be made at the agricultural fairs to be 
held during the present month." This announcement 
will disgust, though it will not surprise, all who had 
any hope that the Department under its present inefficient 
head would be of any benefit to Agricultuie. Mi'. Grin- 
nell as chief cierk vvas one of a few connected with the 
"thing," who saved it from being utterly ridiculous and 
contemptible, and what good came of it, was mainly 
done by him in spite of the " chief." We wish that the 
President could be imiuced for a while to stop liearing 
speeches from, and making .speeches to, lepentarit rebels, 
and give loyal men a heating. He would find close at 
home matters that need n,deal of reconstructing. When 
Congiess meets, we hope t<) see a committee appointed 
to investigate matters, and liave them inriuire of what 
use are the propagating gardens, except to Senators, and 
why an "experimental garden" is needed to furnish 
tomatoes and caijbages to the kitchen of the White 
House. They might also inquire how many subordinates 
are on the sick list from being kept in nnhealihy apart- 
ments, and how many assistaids are kept, notwithstand- 
ing those they were appointed to " assist," protested that 
they were utterly incapable. Let us have a general house 
cleaning, or shut up altogether, or, as turtles will live 
witiiout a head, decapitate, and let the boys run the shop. 
Secretaries of Agriculturai Socie- 
ties. — Will you please remember that if you put the 
jiameof your State on your show bills and premium lists, 
it w ill aid materially in letting people know whereabouts 
in Ihe United States your fair is to be held. You may 
know perfectly well in what State your County is, but 
those at a distance are quite puzzled to know which 
among the many Washing tons, Jacksons. Hamiltons 
and other Counties yours is. A friend recently wrote 
that he expected to see us at the Rhode Island Fair, 
which w as the first intimation we had that there was to 
be a fair in that State. Our friends in little Rhocy can 
get up a good fair when they try— but they ought to let 
the rest of the world know about it. 
Ag;ricnltural Colleges Ibi tlie Soulli. 
—The Agricultural College Land Act, passe I in 1SG2, 
contained the provision tliat all the States that wished to 
avail themselves of its benefits should do so wilhin two 
years after its passage. There were good reasons why 
the Southern States could not accept and locate the land 
within these two years, and now that the obstacles no 
longer exist, the friends of agriculture at the South are 
looking about to see what can be done. We i]o not see 
that they can be helped, except by act of Congress, and 
we hope that at the proper time Congress will pass such 
an act. as will enable the Southern States to enjoy the 
benefits of the grant in common with the Noi'thern States. 
Let friends of agriculture in Congress bear this in mind. 
Professor Xuclcer— An Agrricialtural 
Kditor Appreciated.— A great many of the readers 
of the Agriculturist w ill be gratified to learn, that which 
has given the fraternity of agricultural editors much 
pleasure, namely : that Luther H. Tucker, Esq.. of the 
Country Gentleman, has be^ti appointed to the Chair of 
Agriculture at the Rulger's Colleee, New Brunswick, N. 
J., and win enter upon his duties the approaching winter. 
A I\e"%v Humbug:. — It is gratifying, in one 
sense, to receive a new humbug, as s6 many of the 
old lottery schemes have accumulated that we shall 
be obliged to sell them for paper stock. This new Man- 
ifestation is called the Prophylactical Star, and is a vile 
sheet. Wlule it condemns some vices, it panders to 
others, and has tlie editor's quack medicine as the basis 
of the whole. How any sensible man can be taken in by 
such nonsense is past our comprehension. 
ISo^v many Indies in a ICusl&el. — 
The standard bushel of the United Stales coniains 2150.4 
cubic inches. The " Imperial bushel " is about 63 cubic 
jnclits larger, being 2218.192 cubic inches. Any box or 
measure, the ccmtents of which are equal to 2150.4 rubic 
inches, will hold a bushel of grain. In measuiing fruit, 
vegetables, coal and other similar substances, one fifth 
must be added. In other words, a peck-measure 5 times 
even full, make one bushel. The usual practice is "to 
heap the measure." In order to get on the fifth peck, 
measures must be heaped as long as what is to be 
measured will lie on. 
A Fruit House in I>etroif. — "We learn 
that a fruit preserving house has been erected in Detroit. 
We liave heard nothing of late of those it was proposed 
to build in New York. 
