14-4 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[April, 
The Dwarf June-berry. 
One of the most widely-distributed of our 
native shrubs is that popularly known in va- 
rious parts of the country as June-berry, Shad- 
DWARF JUNE-BERRY. 
bush or Shad-flower, Service-berry, Swamp- 
pear. It is found iu all parts of the United 
States, and as far north as the arctic zone, and 
from Hudson's Bay to the Pacific. Having this 
■wide range, it presents a great diversity of appear- 
ance, and the earlier botanists described as dis- 
tinct species the different forms, which are now 
considered as varieties of one widely-distributed 
plant. The varieties differ in the length of the 
petals, the shape and downiness of the leaves, 
size of the flower, cluster, etc. While some 
may be considered as full-grown when only 
four or six feet high, others attain a bight of 
thirty or forty feet. Notwithstanding these 
differences, the forms seem to run into one an- 
other, and they are all put uuder one species, 
Amelanchicr Canadensis. The shrub, or tree, is 
very common in swampy places, and along 
streams, and opens its clusters of vfhite flowers 
in April. It is a very graceful shrub, and flow- 
ers so profusely as to be conspicuous iu the 
landscape. We have often wondered that such 
an early-flowering shrub was not cultivated in 
ornamental grounds. The popular New Eng- 
land name, Shad-flower, has reference to a belief 
that the flowers open at the time shad ascend 
the streams. The flowers are in long drooping 
clusters ; they have the same general structure as 
the apple and pear, to which the plant is close- 
ly related, but they are much smaller, and the 
petals are long and narrow. The fruit is a 
more or less pear-shaped berry, containing sev- 
eral seeds. The pulp is sweet and pleasant, 
though the fruit of our common varieties is sel- 
dom seen, as it is a great favorite with the birds. 
Many years ago, Nuttall discovered, in the 
Rocky Mountains, a dwarf variety of the June- 
berry, which has, 
■within a few years, 
been sparingly cul- 
tivated for the sake 
of its fruit. It 
blooms and bears 
profusely when 
only a foot high, 
and old bushes 
only attain the 
bight of four or 
six feet. We have 
had for some time 
a bush of tli is va- 
riety among our 
ornamental shrub- 
bery, where its 
neat habit, and 
early and profuse 
floweriug, makes 
it an interesting 
object. Last spring 
we procured a 
number of plants 
of Mr. H. A. Ter- 
ry, Crescent City, 
Iowa, and placed 
them in the fruit- 
garden. Mr. T., 
who has been fore- 
most in introduc- 
ing this plant into 
cultivation, states 
that it has become 
quite popular in 
his vicinity, where, 
besides the name 
of June-berry, it 
also bears that of 
Mountain or High- 
land Huckleberry. 
The fruit has al- 
ready appeared iu their market, where it meets 
with a ready sale at good prices. We are always 
pleased to see auy addition to our list of small 
fruits, and consider the Dwarf June-berry worthy 
of a trial by those curious in such matters. The 
great fondness of the birds for the berries is 
likely to prove an obstacle to its cultivation, 
our only bearing-bush being stripped before the 
fruit reached maturity. The fruit is red, turn- 
ing to a blackish-purple when it is fully ripe. 
— « m — .-. 
Lady Banks' Rose. 
The Bauksian rose was so named in honor 
of the wife of Sir Joseph Banks, upon its intro- 
duction from China into England in 1807. The 
plant is a vigorous climber, attaining the bight 
of 30 to 50 feet. Unfortunately it is not hardy 
in the Northern States, but our friends at the 
South can avail themselves of it as a most 
charming plant with which to ornament the 
pillars to their verandas. The flowers are onby 
about half an inch across, and grow in clusters, 
which are produced most profusely. The en- 
graving gives the flowers of the real size ; there 
are white, yellow, and salmon-colored varieties. 
This species is sometimes used to train over tie 
rafters of a greenhouse, and when its numer- 
ous flowers are seen among its glossy foliage, 
the effect is most pleasing; but as it blooms 
only once in the year, florists generally prefer 
to give the space to some more frequent flow- 
ering variety. It is to be regretted that this 
highly ornamental species of rose is not generally 
hardy; and we hope that our readers who live in 
the milder parts of the country, will see that it 
is more generally grown than it is at present. 
LADY BANKS', OR BANKSIAN ROSE. 
Starting Sweet-Potato Plants. 
It is not necessary to start sweet-potatoes un- 
der glass, although when but few are wanted it 
is often convenient to use a part of a hot-bed for 
the purpose. Florists sometimes turn the unoc- 
cupied benches of their greenhouses to good ac- 
count iu raising sweet-potato plants. In the 
Gulf States it is not necessary to use any heat- 
ing material at all. Beds about four feet wide 
are made in a sheltered, sunny place ; they are 
well enriched, and made to slope a little toward 
the sun. The potatoes are laid upon the beds, 
an inch or two apart, and covered to the depth 
of three or four inches with rich, light soil. 
Ten bushels of potatoes are allowed for each 
acre to be planted. Farther north, heating ma- 
terial is required, and a rude hot-bed is made 
by excavating a pit three or four feet deep, 
which is to be nearly filled with coarse ferment- 
ing horse-manure. Six inches of sandy soil is 
put upon the manure, and the potatoes are 
placed upon this, and covered as above stated. 
The bed is covered with planks at night and 
during chilly days. Water is given as needed; 
this should not be cold, as it would check the, 
growth of the plants. Add hot water to bring 
it to the temperature of the bed ; and if the bed 
becomes too hot, it is cooled by making holes 
down through the manure by means of a 
stick. This is a cheap but efficient substitute 
for a hot-bed, but not so convenient to manage. 
