18-4 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[May, 
The Checkerberry, or Wintergreen. 
Such a little plant as our Checkerberry is 
well provided with names, as in various parts 
of the country it is known as Wintergreen, 
Boxberry, Teaberry, Ivory Plum, Mountain 
Tea, and Partridge-berry. Most of these 
names are also applied to other plants, 
and it sometimes leads to confusion. 
The botanical name is Gaultheria pro- 
eumbens, and when this is used there can 
be no doubt as to the plant intended. 
The name was given in honor of a 
Doctor Gaulthier,or Gaultier,of Quebec. 
The engraving, which is of the natural 
size of the plant, renders a description 
of its appearance unnecessary. It is 
frequently found in the cool shade of 
other evergreens, growing so abundant- 
ly as to form a carpet with its dark- 
polished leaves. It flowers in May and 
at the end of summer. The bright red 
berries are well known, and are much 
sought after by children. They are fre- 
quently found in our city markets, where 
their brilliant appearance causes them 
to meet a ready sale. They are, how- 
ever, rather dry and insipid. The berry 
is an interesting one, from the fact that 
the eatable portion is not the fruit proper, 
or the ripened pistil, but it is the calyx 
which has, after flowering, grown so 
large as to quite hide the seed-vessel, 
and has become fleshy and eatable. 
This structure may be seen by splitting 
the fruit lengthwise. The leaves have 
a spicy flavor, due to a volatile oil. 
This oil, when extracted, forms an article 
of commerce, and is used to flavor confection- 
ary, etc. Like many other aromatics, the plant 
is considerably used in domestic medicine. The 
Gaultheria Shallon, the Sal-lal berry of the 
Northwest coast, is a much larger species than 
ours, growing to the bight of two or three 
feet. This is largely cultivated in England, 
but, like most other broad-leaved evergreens it 
is difficult for it to 
stand our hot sum- 
mers, and we very 
seldom see it in 
cultivation. 
Partridge -berry. 
The little Par- 
tridge - berry (Mit- 
chella repens) is very 
common in woods, 
creeping close to the 
ground, often form- 
ing a carpet close 
to the trees, and 
beariug consider- 
able resemblance 
to the Money-wort. 
Though so delicate 
in appearance, it is 
an evergreen, and 
during winter its 
neat) foliage and 
bright berries pre- 
sent a cheerful 
appearance. The 
roundish leaves are dark green, and frequently 
variegated with a lighter spot. The flowers ap- 
pear in pairs, their ovaries (the lower part of the 
pistils) being united ; they are white, or tinged 
with purple, and very hairy within ; they appear 
in June and July, and have a pleasing fragrance. 
The fruit, which remains on all winter, is about 
the size of a huckleberry ; it is made up of two 
fruits joined together, and bears at its top the 
remains of the calices of two flowers. From 
this peculiar character of the fruit it is fre- 
quently called Twin-berry. The berry is dry 
CHECKERBERRY, OR WINTERGREEN. 
and nearly tasteless, but is highly relished by 
partridges and other birds. The name Mitchella 
was given by Linnceus in honor of his corre- 
spondent, Dr. John Mitchell, of Virginia. 
Transplanting Parsnips, Carrots, etc. — 
"J. L. H." gives the following as his method of 
transplanting parsnips and carrots: "Provide 
a stick for a dibble about a foot long, as large 
ruE PARTiaoGE-BEKKY.— (Mitchella repens.) 
as one's finger and sharpened at one end, a pail 
of water, and a cup. Pull up the plants to be 
transplanted ; pinch off the tops to within an 
inch or an inch and a half of the crown; shorten 
the points of the roots if they are too long, and 
drop them into the pail of water. The roots 
should be about the size of a small goose-quill. 
When a sufficient number of plants are ready, 
proceed with the transplanting. Make a hole 
with the dibble deep enough to allow the crown 
of the plant to be about half au inch below the 
surface. Insert the plant, and thrust the stick 
down by the side of it, so as to press 
the earth toward the root. Fill this 
second hole with water. The ground, 
at the time the transplanting is done, 
should be so moist that the soil will 
not fall in and fill up the hole. It is 
best to do it after a rain or upon a rainy 
da}-. If dry weather comes on it will 
be necessary to keep the plants well 
watered for a few days ; and with the 
carrot, which is more difficult to trans- 
plant than the parsnip, it is well to 
make a hole with the dibble by the side 
of the root, and fill it with water." 
Annual Climbers.' 
For ornamenting verandas, covering 
screens and other permanent work, the 
woody climbers are much to be pre- 
ferred. Still, there are places where 
for immediate effect it is desirable to 
have annual vines, as a large space may 
be covered in a short time, while it usu- 
ally takes a year for "a woody climber 
to become established and ready to 
make a show. Some of the climbing 
annuals are in themselves so showy 
or interesting, that we grow them for 
their beauty alone, and provide sup- 
ports for them. An enumeration of 
some of the most useful annuals of this 
kind will aid in making a choice. In most 
places the seeds may be sown where the 
plants are to grow, but where cold nights 
yet prevail, it will be better to start the 
seeds in-doors, in pots or boxes. The Canary- 
Bird Flower is one of the prettiest climbers. It 
grows rapidly, a single plant soon covering a 
space several yards square, with its small and 
pleasing foliage. 
The flowers are of 
a lively canary-col- 
or, and are so curi- 
ously formed as to 
appear somewhat 
like minute birds. 
As a vine to grow 
where spectators 
will not be tempted 
to handle it, the 
Brick-red Loasa will 
be found to spread 
very rapidly. It 
produces an abund- 
ance of foliage and 
brick-red or orange- 
colored flowers. 
Unfortunately, the 
leaves sting as bad- 
ly as a nettle, and 
those who handle it 
without gloves will 
repent it. The well- 
known Cynress-viue 
should not be for- 
gotten. The seeds 
or soaking some hours in 
The showy Nasturtiums and 
the well-known Morning-glories are desirable 
for their rapid growth. The Maurandias, Ce- 
boea Scandens, and Lophospermum may be 
raised from seed, but they will be rather late. 
need scalding 
warm weather. 
