1869.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
457 
•which tastes differ. The Concord has been 
called the " grape for the million," and so far as 
large and certain crops of a not very superior 
fruit go, it gives general satisfaction. The Dela- 
ware is a first-class variety, and succeeds in most 
localities. The Iona, not excelled in quality by 
any other grape, fails in some places, and is 
most excellent in others. Diana, Creveling, 
Walter, Alvey, and many others we might 
mention are good. The Eumelan is a compara- 
tively new sort, now attracting attention as an 
earl}' grape. We have before spoken of the 
vigorous and heal thy growth of the young vines, 
and the excellent character of the fruit. In 
order to put this novelty among grapes within 
the reach of our subscribers, it has been ar- 
ranged to supply it as a special premium, as 
will be seen by reference to another page. The 
vines of the Eumelan can, as there indicated, 
be obtained at reduced rates, or by the ex- 
penditure of a small amount of trouble in ob- 
taining subscribers by those who do not wish 
to pay the money for them. That we think 
that this is a grape which promises to become 
popular is shown by our offering it as a premium. 
At all events, let us have more grapes grown 
for family use. Those who grow for profit need 
not be urged to plant vines, but farmers and 
householders generally do need to give this mat- 
ter more attention. This is a branch of agricul- 
ture that is not likely to be soon "overdone." 
Two Pears Little Known. 
In the desire for novelties in fruits, we are apt 
to overlook the really good things we already 
have. In the long list of pears, there are 
many of great value that are known only to a 
few, for the reason that they have not been kept 
before the public. In looking over Messrs. 
Hovey & Co.'s large collection, we were struck 
Adams. — Named for a clergyman in Waltham, 
Mass., who raised it from seed. The tree is 
vigorous and bears well. The fruit is large, and 
of the shape shown in the outline, fig. 1. The 
stalk is very generally set obliquely under a lip. 
The surface is uneven, pale yellow, often crim- 
son on the sunny side. The flesh white, very 
Fig. 1. — ADAMS PEAR. 
with the number of excellent varieties which 
are now seldom heard of. We give drawings and 
descriptions of two of these, as we think they 
possess merits entitling them to be better known. 
Fig. 2.— TEA PEAK. 
juicy, vinous and melting. This pear ripens in 
September with the Bartlett, to which it bears 
some resemblance in external appearance, 
though it is of a much better quality. We 
are informed that it is sometimes sold 
in the Boston market as the Bartlett. 
Tea. — This variety was raised in Mil- 
ford, Conn., from a seed found in a par- 
cel of tea, a circumstance which gave it 
ils name. The tree is vigorous and pro- 
ductive. The shape and average size of 
the fruit are given in fig. 2. The skin is 
of a fine lemon yellow, with numerous 
small brown dots, the cheek is some- 
times reddish, but not so in our speci- 
mens. The flesh is very fine grained and 
melting. Downing classes it as "good to 
very good" — we incline to " very good," 
and wonder why a fruit of such excel- 
lence should not be more frequently 
seen. It ripens early in September. 
Notes from " The Pines."— No. 7. 
In introducing ornamental plants in- 
to our grounds, we sometimes give quar- 
ters to a troublesome customer. Most 
who have had much to do with flowers 
remember the Calystegia pubescens, a sort 
of double Morning-glory. It is a beauti- 
ful vine, but woe to the garden where 
it once gets a root hold. Many years ago 
it was in the yard of a house in which 
I lived in the city. I managed to keep 
it out of the borders with some success, 
but it fortified itself under the brick 
walks, and would shoot out at me from 
between the bricks. For two or three years 
I fought that thing, and now as I go by 
and see the spot covered by a large marble 
building, I feel an inward satisfaction that the 
Calystegia has got its quietus. I was reminded 
of this old enemy by a new one. The florists 
offer JEgopodium Podagraria nariegata, and we 
planted a few small plants. It has very pretty 
variegated foliage. The plain form of it is 
known as Goats-beard, in England, where it is 
considered one of the most obstinate of weeds; 
but it was hoped that this, being a " foliaged 
plant" as the florists will call variegated things, 
would behave itself. Hardy ! of course it was, 
and how it did grow ! This fall I was in a 
friend's garden in Massachusetts, who called me 
to see his lawn, it was actually ruined by the 
iEgopodium, and I doubt if anything short of 
spading up and sifting the soil would ever get 
it out. This morning I dug up our four speci- 
mens, and a job it was. They had made un- 
derground runners over two feet long, thickly 
furnished with buds, and as tender as a potato 
sprout. It is to be hoped that no fragments 
of these shoots were left in the ground, for 
it is a weed compared with which the Cana- 
da Thistle is respectable. N. B. — We have 
no JEgopodium Podagraria variegata for sale. 
Have been selecting some Black Alders for 
planting in a contemplated shrubbery. There 
is a great difference in the fruitfulness of these, 
some of them being as full of berries as they can 
hold. We pay too little attention to the shrubs 
that are showy when in fruit. For a real blaze 
of scarlet, nothing is equal to the Black Alder. 
I was disposed to smile when the English 
papers announced the discovery that Poke-weed 
was hardy. There is one just over the fence in 
a neighbor's ground that would be a grand thing 
if set in a lawn. It has numerous stalks, some 
eight feet high, and these are of a color and 
bloom that would vie with the richest purple 
plum, while the large drooping clusters of berries 
shine like jet. What a pity it is so " common." 
A friend writes that he wishes " The Pines 
would say something about taking care of roses 
and other tender things." Some timely notes 
were written last month, but were crowded out. 
It is now too late to say anything about most 
tender plants. If the Heliotropes, Lantanas, 
Lemon Verbenas, Scarlet Geraniums, and the 
like, are not in the cellar or other winter quar- 
ters, they are past remedy. But the monthly 
roses (China and Tea), are nearly hardy and 
continue to bloom for some weeks after the 
frosts have blackened the other things. I pro- 
pose to try Mr. Henderson's plan of laying 
down and covering, which succeeds well in any 
soil not too retentive of moisture. A shallow 
trench is dug in which the plant is laid by bend- 
ing over; it is pegged down, and covered with 
sods placed grassy side up. Some Jitter should 
previously be put around the bushes to keep the 
soil from freezing, so that the operation can be 
postponed until the ground freezes. Around 
New York the middle of December is soon 
enough. Covering too early will lead to decay. 
Did you ever notice how the weeds get ready 
for winter ? The perennial ones, such as Docks, 
Thistles, and Dandelions, etc., from this year's 
seeds have grown into neat little plants with a 
rosette of leaves which lays close to the ground. 
In this condition they look very innocent, but 
just lift one of them and see what a root it has. 
Without making any show about it, it has been 
laving in an underground store of food, and as 
soon as warm weather comes, it will push with 
astonishing vigor. It does no good to cut their 
heads off with a hoe at this time, for the leaves 
