1S73 ] 
AMERICAN ACrlUCULTURIST. 
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Early Sweet Cm;v — .V year or two ago I 
mentioned a local variety of com which is known 
lierc as Van Riper'*, Oadmns's, Tom Thumb, 
etc. Ii is probably tlie earliest corn with n good- 
sized ear Ibat goes to the New York market. 
Seeing the "Early Minnesota" in Mr. Vick's 
catalogue, anil finding it offered by no other 
seedsman, I sent for some. It does not make 
quite so large an car as the load variety referred 
to, but it is greatly superior to that in sweet- 
ness and its equal in caiiincss. It is a dwarf 
variety, has two and often three cars to the 
stalk, and as an early corn I have not, take it 
in all respects, seen its equal. It is not as sweet 
as the Early Narragansett, but its ears are twice 
as large; nor is it as sweet as some later vari- 
eties, but it is early and good — and until I find 
something better shall stick to the Minnesota 
as the best early corn. 
Variegated Foliage in out-door culture is 
sometimes v> iv satisfactory, but it is oftcuer 
otherwise. Our hot summers put these varie- 
gated haves \o a severe test, and those that wc 
admire when grown in the greenhouse very 
often lose their markings when placed in the 
open border. This applies not oatfy to the 
plants with colored leaves like the varieties of 
Coleus, but to those in which the green leaves 
have white or cream-colored markings. Among 
the tender plants with variegated green leaves 
none hold their markings more persistently 
than Abutilon Thompson it, which I find admir- 
ably adapted for growing in clumps, as it 
bears eutlwig well, and may be shaped to one's 
fancy. Among 
Hardy Urnr. \cEors Pebbsthiaxs those 
with variegated foliage are quite rare. None that 
we have seen equals the variegated Comfrey, 
Symphytum per eg r in um. This was noticed "and 
figured in the Aj/aimUiii flil several years ago. 
It is bright and pleasing from early spring until 
late autumn, and never shows any signs of 
deterioration. 
Trees with Variegated Foliage, as a 
general thing, are not a success. I have n 
variegated Horse-chestnut which I would like 
to exchange for a plain one. The leaves are 
well marked for a week or so after they appear 
in spring, but they Boon have an ill-defined and 
unhealthy look. A variegated Saliiburia or 
Gingko was introduced some years ago, but it 
is difficult to find one now, and so with many 
other " novelties" iu this line. The best deci- 
duous tree with variegated leaves that I have 
seen is the 
YAr.iEGXTr.oV.oxFsi.VETi—XegundoaceroidcS. 
— However it may be later, this holds, its mark- 
ings well into July. The ordinary box-elder is 
one of the most graceful of our smaller trees. 
The variegated one has the same pleasing habit, 
and the foliage is boldly marked with white,; 
and the effect of a well-grown specimen aga:n>t 
a background of evergreens, as it may be seen 
at Wellcslcy, is one of the most beautiful ob- 
jects imaginable. 
Birds have heretofore been very scarce at my 
place, but this year they have appeared in great 
numbers, much to my gratification. The pres- 
ent abundance has direct relation to the sudden 
disappearance of a horde of worthless cats that 
formerly prowled about. 
The Future of Strawberry Culture. 
The' experience of the season just past has 
convinced strawberry growers, at least those in 
the Northern States, that they must give up the 
cultivation altogether or take measures to be 
independent of the weather. Another such 
season as the one just closed would bring 
disaster, if not ruin, to hundreds who have capi- 
tal invested in strawberries and other small 
fruits, as well as In baskets and other accessor- 
ies for taking the crop to market. The ouly 
way in which the strawberry crower can be 
fairly suro of a crop one year with another is 
to irrigate. One of the largest growers in the 
vicinity of New York recently told us that the 
amount that he lost by this year's failure of the 
crop would more than pay for permanent irri- 
gating improvements. Like a wise man he 
goes at once to work to provide a supply of 
water that will render him, so far as that goes, 
quite independent of rains. This is what straw- 
berry cultivators must make up their minds to 
if they expect anything like certain returns for 
their labors. In a spring like the last, water 
for irrigation will decide the question between 
a profitable crop and a total failure, and in or- 
dinary seasons, when there is so much rain that 
the plants do not really suffer from drouth, we 
feel sure that the advantage derived from the 
application of water just at the time it is needed 
will be such as to pay a handsome return upon 
the investment. In many localities the prepara- 
tions for irrigation need be but slight — a dam 
and a few water-courses being all that arc re- 
quired. In other cases water must be pumped 
by windmills into a reservoir. Even in the 
most difficult cases the outlay will not. be very 
large. It should be recollected that no half-way 
measures will answer; the ground must have a 
thorough soaking. The watering bad better not 
be undertaken at all if it is to be only a mere 
wetting of the surface. 
Insecticide. — (Olctaoldierum.) 
BT PHEBE ANJf. 
Dear Mr. Agriculturist : Let me give you my 
recipe for a most effectual insecticide : One 
wine-bottle, 30 oz. ; Old soldiers (cigar slumps), 
any quantum ; Aqua pura or raiuum to cover 
the stumps. Put the stumps in the bottle, and 
the water on the stumps. Of course this won't 
exterminate a greenhouseful of insects, but for 
the window-gardens, the hanging-baskets, etc., it 
is just the thing. Put in more stumps and more 
water daily, so as to keep your bottle full. The 
longer the solution stands the worse it is for the 
health of the insect. Apply with a brush, a 
little toy watering-pot, or a spoon if you choose. 
There is a double satisfaction In the use of 
this preparation — viz., the utilization of Adol- 
phus Henry's cigar stumps, and the opportunity 
of witnessing how insects will die before they 
will get accustomed to the use of tobacco. 
Moral. — What, a pity some men are not 
insects. 
A Support for Plants 
We were quite amused to see figured iu the 
Gardeners' Chronicle (England), as a "support 
for strawberries," a contrivance that we have 
used these many years, though not for straw- 
berries. It shows how similar needs will lead 
to similar inventions. In England various con- 
trivances arc in use for keeping strawberries up 
from the ground, and there are several patented 
"strawberry crinolines." Some ten years ago, 
having to support some spreading plants, we put 
galvanized wire together in the manner here 
figured. This kind of frame U quickly made, 
and is very efficient; besides, it docs not make 
the show '.hut some other plant supports do. 
The larger Phloxes, the tall-growing Bednma, 
and many other things gc rery top-heavy, es- 
pecially in ruiny weather, and a girdle of this 
wire srrroRT. 
kind keeps the clumps in shape ami contributes 
to the neatness of the garden. Of course the 
taller the support the stronger must be the wire. 
Paris-Green for Insects. 
Pari=-green, a very poisonous compound of 
arsenic and copper, has been found to be the 
only effective weapon with which to fight the 
Colorado Potato-beetle. Wc have often spoken 
of its use and given directions for operating 
with it. Since its introduction to kill the 
potato-bug its use has extended, and it is now 
empUyed to kill other insects that infest other 
plants. For several of the pests that de-troy 
melons, squashes, and others of that family, it 
has been found especially eflfl The old 
method of applying Paris-green, by diluting 
it with ten to fifteen parts of plaster, flour, 
or other inert powder is now abandoned by 
many, and the poison is applied by means of 
water. Wc think that this method of using it 
was first proposed by our friend D. ('. It ch- 
mond of Sandusky, ne stirs a table-spoonful 
of the green in a pailful of water, and npplies 
with an ordinary watering-pot The poison is 
not soluble in water, but is only diffused through 
it, hence it should be thoroughly stirred, and 
the liquid applied to the plants before it has 
had time to settle. Mary arc afraid to use Paris- 
green on account of its highly dangerous char- 
acter. It should, of course, be kept in such a 
manner that no accident can result from it. As 
to the safety of eating vegetables the foliage of 
which has been treated with the poison we 
think there need be no apprehension. Chemi- 
cal examination has failed to detect any poison 
in potatoes the Tines of which had been 
poisoned. 
Foreign Horticultural Items. 
Tiie Vitality of Pollen. — The Itcvue 
Iloriicolc cites an instance in which pollen col- 
lected in 1SC7 was found in 1872 capable of fer- 
tilizing the pistils to which it was applied. The 
plant upon which the experiment was made 
was the Ceratoznmia Mexkana, one of the 
Cycas Family, in which the staminate and pis- 
tillate flowers arc borne upon separate plants. 
Tiie ouly care taken with the pollen was to 
preserve it from moisture. 
Preserving Tomatoes.— The Bulletin of 
the Horticultural Society at Mcaux (France) 
gives an account of the method of preserving 
tomatoes by M. Alexandre, who exhibited to the 
Society in January, 1873, tomatoes put up in 
August, 1872, ami which were perfectly pre- 
served. Sound and not over-ripe tomatoes are 
