378 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[December, 
a rich effect to the foliage ; the flowers vary in 
color from pure white to a rich rose, and have a 
deliciousness of fragrance not equalled by any 
of our wild flowers. So attractive is the plant 
that many have removed it to the garden, where 
with ordinary treatment, it is quite sure to die, 
and some of the books state that it cannot be 
cultivated, but this is not so. An amateur of 
our acquaintance has a great liking for growing 
wild flowers, and be usually succeeds, for the 
reason that he consults the natural habits of his 
favorites, and gives them a treatment suited to 
their needs. With him the Epigffia grows finely. 
He takes up the plant in autumn with a good 
ball of earth around the roots, and transfers it 
to a bed prepared with leaf-mould and a plenty 
of sand, and ove^the whole puts a thick cover- 
ing of leaves. Then in summer the bed is 
shaded by a frame work of laths, the laths being 
put as far apart as they are wide. This, while 
it affords free circulation of air, wards off the 
burning sun, and by this method he succeeds 
not only with the Epigsea, but with other native 
plants that are usually difficult to manage. We 
have given at the head of this article the most 
generally used common name, but it also bears 
those of Ground-Laurel and May-flower. 
Knox's Fruit Farm and Grape Festival. 
* — 
The Rev. J. Knox, was some years ago known 
as the "Strawberry King," but he has since 
cultivated the grape so largely that we are not 
sure tliat his former title holds good. Though 
he does not by any means give up strawberries, 
he each year has "a little more grape." Mr. 
Knox has a pleasant way of holding "festivals" 
over his strawbeny and grape harvests, at which 
all pomologists are welcome. Lest the term 
might be misconstrued, we will state that the 
festival part consists of a hospitable farmers' 
dinner, with perhaps a glass of home-made 
wine, but that their real object is to get people 
together to. " talk fruit," and see what he is do- 
ing in the way of fruit culture. We attended 
his grape festival this year, which owing to a 
prolonged storm, drew together fewer than 
usual. Tliere were several gentlemen present 
from Ohio, Michigan, New- York, and Penn- 
sylvania, all more or less concerned in fruit cul- 
ture. Mr. Knox's fruit farm is upon a bill, 
about two miles from Pittsburgh, and just out- 
side of the smoke cloud that overhangs the 
Iron City. His farm contains about 140 acres, 
and has a gentl}' undulating surface, the soil 
being a stiff loam. Fortj' acres are in strawber- 
ries, twenty-two acres in vineyard, the rest of 
the land being devoted to nursery purposes, 
orchard, currants, and other small fruits. The 
first thing that strikes the visitor, is the practi- 
cal air that pervades the whole, everything for 
use and nothing for show. This is a successful 
fruit farm, and tlie principal element in its suc- 
cess is thorough culture. The fields of straw- 
berries are immense, but there are no weeds, 
and in those where fruit is expected, no run- 
ners. Mr. Knox's manner of training grapes 
we described in November, 1863. The trellis 
there figured .is the one now in use. It struck 
us that 8 feet was rather too high for conveni- 
ence, and afforded too much surface to the 
winds. It was to be expected from Mr. K's 
known partiality for the Concord, that this 
would be the leading variety, and so we found 
it. All other kinds are represented, but for 
grapes be grows tlie Concord. Looking at the 
splendid show of fruit on his trellises where the 
vines Iiad hardly cast a leaf, and then at the 
fruitless and leafless vines of most other varie- 
ties, we can hardly wonder at his enthusiasm, 
when he declares this to be the grape for him. 
This year his Concord vines have been healthy 
and fruitful, while the Delaware, Diana, Rebec- 
ca and others have completely failed. With 
tons of the Concord bringing good prices and 
comparatively nothing in other kinds, we should 
speak well of a friend that had bridged over a 
disastrous season. The Concord is much better 
with Mr. Knox than it is at the East, and though 
not on his grounds a first class grape, it is the 
variety that gives him fruit, which he consid- 
ers the object in growing vines. At the time 
we were there (Oct. 20,) one standing upon an 
elevated part of his grounds could tell by the 
show of foliage the places where the Concords 
were growing. The same was the case in the 
nursery grounds with one and-two-year-old 
plants. All the Delawares and other favorite 
sorts had lost their leaves, while the Concords 
were still a mass of green. The Herbemont did 
well this j'ear with Mr. Knox, as did Elsinburgh, 
Creveling and Hartford. He has two seedlings 
of the Concord which he considers of great 
promise ; one a white grape, called Martha, and 
the other a very early black one. Black Hawk. 
Both these present the same characteristics of 
growth and foliage as their parent, the leaves of 
the Black Hawk being noticeable for their black- 
ish-green color. Mr. Knox has been experi- 
menting some at wine-making. The Concord 
gives a very good rough red wine. He exhibit- 
ed samples of Delaware of different ages, Isa- 
bella, Catawba, Delaware and Diana. The most 
remarkable sample of wine was made from a 
mixture of the Delaware and Anna, and pos- 
sessed a delicacy of perfume and flavor which 
reminded one of the choice wines of Hungary, 
and which it is rare to find in an American pro- 
duct. While those who accepted Mr. Knox's 
hospitality regretted that the discouraging 
weather prevented a larger gathering, they were 
all gratified and instructed by an inspection of 
one of the most successful horticultural estab- 
lishments in the country. 
The Cultivation of the Tuberose. 
BY PETER HENDERSON, JERSEY CITY, N. 1, 
I know of no flower that is so generally 
admired, and that is yearly planted with so 
much uncertainty of blooming as the Tuber- 
ose. The amateur plants his bulbs of Hya- 
cinths, Tulips, or Gladiolus, and is just as 
certain of a bloom following in due season as 
he is that the summer will follow the spring. 
But it is not so with his Tuberose bulb ; unpleas- 
ant experience has too often told him that after 
selecting the sunniest spot in his flower bed, 
and planting with the greatest care, instead of 
flowers he is rewarded only by a mass of rank 
green leaves. Now, as in most mishaps in ama- 
teur horticulture, the cause is a very simple one, 
the knowledge in this case is easily imparted, 
and failure need never occur. In the selection 
of the bulbs, reject all that do not show signs 
of vegetation from the centre bulb. It is true 
that they will occasionally flower even when the 
centre does not show green, but it is always 
doubtful, even to us of the trade. Figure 1 
shows a bulb as it is taken up by the cultivator 
in the fall — a large center bulb with several 
smaller ones, or "sets," attached. The large 
bulb only is that which produces the flower, 
and if that has rotted in the center sufiicient to 
destroy the flower germ, it will tjot bloom. 
Figure 3 shows a perfect bulb cut longitudinally ; 
Fig. 1.— BULB OP TDBEBOSE. 
Figure 3, one in which the center has decayed. 
Now, in lifting the bulbs in fall, every bulb 
is then perfect, that is large enough to flower, 
those figured are about the medium natural 
size. I am satisfied beyond all doubt that the 
cause of decay and consequent failure to flower 
in the Tuberose is its being kept in too low a 
temperature during winter. It is supposed, 
generally, that it is enough to keep them dry 
and free from frost as we keep potatoes in a cel- 
lar. But unfortunate experience has demon- 
strated to me, by a 
loss of some thou- 
sands of dollars, that 
this is not enough; 
they must be kept 
both dry and warm, 
from October until 
May. If they are 
allowed to remain for 
any length of time in 
a temperature less 
than 50°, the center 
or flower germ will 
be destroyed, though 
the outward appear- 
ance of the bulb to 
the uninitiated would 
be the same. To 
those who have 
green-houses, the best 
place to keep them 
is alongside the flue 
or hot water pipes; 
to those who have 
not, the shelves in a 
closet of any well 
warmed room will 
suffice. The Tuber- 
ose is now a plant of 
rising importance for market purposes. I have 
no doubt that half a million roots are grown 
annually in the vicinity of New York. The 
greater part of these are grown by the Florists 
to supply the boquet makers with this most im- 
portant item in the construction of their baskets 
of flowers, boquets, vases, etc., etc. Tuberose 
flowers are now produced nearly all the year 
round, and sell at wholesale from $1 to $10 per 
100 florets, according to the season, the price 
Fiir. 2. — UIPERFECT BULB. 
