1864.1 
AMK11ICAN AGMGDLT1 t 111 s T. 
39 
effect, a systematically trimmed Knipo »lnc would look 
stiff and out oi taste. Besides, we cannot sec bow the 
roots of both vine and tree are to occupy the same soil, 
and maintain a healthy growth. 
Wizard of the Worth.— Mrs. L. M. Chap- 
man, of Mien Co., 0. This strawberry la ratued by i - 
and discarded by others. It Is said that there are spurious 
plants in the market, and that these have Injured the repu- 
tation Of the fl nit. Some good judges think it valuable. 
Xlie Purple Fringe Tree.— R. D. McK.v, 
Taylor Co., Iowa. This, the Rhus Cotmus, Is more gen- 
erally called the Smoke Tree In this country, while In 
Europe II Is known as the Venetian Sumach, nnd the Peri- 
wlfi Tree. It is readily propagated b> layers ; a branch 
when pegged down and covered with a few Inches of 
earth, soon strikes root. If there are no branches low 
enough for the purpose, the plant must be cut back to In- 
duce them to start near the root. 
Whitewashing Fruit Trees-— "C.8.," 
Laporle. Ind. We do not approve of whitewashing trees 
at any season. Soft soap, thin enough to apply readily, 
is far belter lo remove moss, scale, etc. Put it on early 
In spring during a damp lime. The crooked limb proba- 
bly cannot be straightened by slitting the bark. 
AIYew Implement,— W. B. Waldo, Dutch- 
ess Co., N. V, suggests a new implement, to be made in 
t\\e form of a common iron scoop shovel suited. He says 
H should be made of the best steel, the tines % inch apart, 
beveled on the under side. It would be useful to clear 
ground of small stones, lo collect pebbles for walks or 
other purposes, to separate cobs from corn after thresh- 
ing, or for any similar purpose. There Is an instrument 
somewhat after this fashion on sale but not made of steel, 
being merely an iron scoop with openings cut through. 
Mr. Waldo's plan would be an improvement. 
Hawthorn Hedg:es.-G. W. Thompson, 
writes that he has had ten years' experience with these, 
and though at the latitude of 40° 50' they stand extremes 
of temperature, he considers them a nuisance on account 
of their harboring slugs which pass from the thorn to 
pears, cherries and roses, and commit theirdepredations. 
Shucking; ISlaek Walnuts. — Boys will 
be glad to learn G. F. P.'s method of doing this. He bores 
a \% inch hole in a bench, placing a basket under it ; then 
the nuts are put over the hole with the left hand and 
driven through it with a wooden mallet held in the right. 
In this way the husk is removed very rapidly, and with- 
out staining the hands. 
Lucerne. — " J. M., n Lynnfield Centre, Mass. 
This is a valuable forage plant where it will succeed. 
Accurate experiments are wanting to determine whether 
it will endure the winters of New England. It needs a 
good, mellow, and very deep soil, as its roots penetrate to 
a great depth, and stand the drouth well. It may be 
sown in the same way as clover, using a third more seed. 
In England it is cultivated in drills 12 or 15 inches apart, 
using 10 to 16 lbs. of seed to the acre. After the first 
year the crop may be cut several limes during the season. 
CS rowing 1 Lentils. — C. A. Dietrich, Wash- 
ington Co., Pa. These are usually sown in drills, and 
arc said to do best in a light sandy soil. 
Crows Among the Sweet Corn. — 
O. Longworth, Wright Co., Minn., having lost part of his 
seed sweet corn by the crows, preserved what was left 
by wrapping the ears with pieces of newspaper which he 
tied on with thread. Il should not be tied too lightly 
If the corn is young. The experiment having been success- 
ful on two occasions, he desires it to be tried by others. 
Quails antl the Chinch BSng.— The 
Randolph Co., (III.) Agricultural Society at a recent 
meeting resolved to unite with other County Societies in 
memorializing the next Legislature to pass a law for the 
belter protection of quails, because of their valuable ser- 
vices in destroying the chinch bug, the greatest insect 
pest at the West. 
Large Turnips.— Some very largo turnips 
were raised on Long Island last autumn, one on our 
table a few weeks since, fair and round, weighed 10*£ lbs. 
Howard A. Collins (gardener,) of Brooklyn, reports one 
weighing 12 pounds. 
Transplanting Boxes.— « J. T.," Green- 
field, Mass., wishes to know of* some contrivance with a 
movable bottom in which tomatoes can be grown to 
large plants, and then set in the ground without disturb- 
ing the roots, and the box removed by taking away the 
bottom and slipping the box up over llir? ^iltint. fit* i 
poses to use lin cans for this purpose. Plants would 
doubtless grow In these if there WU provision for drain- 
age. Wo have seen a contrivance for this purpose, but 
do not know whether llwu patented or not— a square 
wooden box with the sides Inclining toward the lop, nnd 
a movable bottom. We can not BOB any advantage it hat 
over a common flower pot, from which a plant can be 
slipped without its feeling the disturbance. 
Sweet Alyssnm, etci— Mrs. S. F.S., Fair- 
field, O. Gilia tricolor. Purple Candytuft, Whitlavla gian- 
d (flora, and the Long-tubed Centrunthus are all about the 
same In height and duration as the Alyssum, and will make 
a good contrast with It. 
Cultivation of Saffron.— F. F. Fcnn, 
Summit Co., Ohio. This Is more properly called Saf- 
flower. It grows best In light dry soils. The seed Is sown 
In drills which are two feet apart, and the plants thinned 
to six inches. The seed can be had at the large seed 
stores. We can give no accounts of the profits of the 
crop. The great bulk of that used by dyers is Imported. 
Tlie JLaurestinus.— Mrs. M T. Clarke, (no 
address.) This does not require any especial care. A 
good loam, with a little well rotted manure, and plenty of 
pot room are required. Water freely and give the leaves 
an occasional washing. When set out of doors in sum- 
mer it should be in a partial shade. 
The Currant Borer.-"C. S.," Laporte, 
Ind., sends a specimen of this grub which destroys the 
pith of the stem, ami either kills the bush or renders it 
very sickly. The borer Is the larva of a moth called 
Mgeria tipui 'i/ormis . The perfect insect is about % of 
an inch across when the wings are expanded ; the wings 
are of a blue black color, transparent, fringed with black, 
the front pair with a broad band which is more or less 
tinged with copper color. The moth appears in June, 
and lays its eggs near the buds, the young grub soon eat- 
ing its way to the interior of the stern. From their posi- 
tion, the gruhs can not be reached by any application. The 
only remedy we can suggest is, to cut off the affected 
twigs and bum them, and to try trapping the moths at the 
time they lay their eggs. 
Cockroaches,— O. B., Jr., says maybe effect- 
ually destroyed by blowing camomile flowers dried and 
powdered, into their crevices, by means of a common 
bellows having a hopper of tin so attached to the nozzle 
that the powder will be carried along by the blast. 
Heating a Conservatory. — "Constant 
Reader," has a conservatory healed only by the warm 
air from the sitting room, and wishes to know how to in- 
crease the temperature in cold weather. A "water back" 
might be put in the sitting room grate with pipes leading 
into the plant room, but this would involve considerable 
expense. There are numerous gas stoves and also heat- 
ing arrangements where kerosene is used. Either of these 
would answer, provided there were means for carrying off 
the products of combustion, which might be effected by a 
small pipe running through a piece of tin inserted in place 
of a pane of glass. Heating arrangements of this kind 
where the gases produced by combustion remain in the 
room, will soon injure the plants. 
A Temperature Alarm. — Mr. R. A. 
Boyle, of Detroit, Mich., has shown us an ingenious con- 
trivance for alarming the person in charge of a propaga- 
ting house when the temperature reaches above or below 
the desired point. By the expansion of mercury in a 
thermometer bulb, a wire index is made to rise and fall 
along a graduated scale. Two moveable metallic slides 
may be :»elat the proper points upon the scale. When 
the temperature is so high or so low as to bring the index 
in contact with either slide, an electric current from a 
small battery sets an alarm bell in motion, and calls the 
attention of the gardener, or wakes him if asleep. 
3Er* Lane's Purchasing* Agency. — 
A few words will serve as an answer to a large number 
of letters of inquiry. Eversince the Agriculturist started 
in 1842, its readers, scattered as they are all over the coun- 
try, have been accustomed to apply to the editors for in- 
formation, and for purchase of various implements, trees, 
plants, stock, etc., at this central point. (It was from an 
attempt to gratify these numerous requests, we believe, 
that first sprang the now immense agricultural warehouse 
and manufactory of the Aliens.) Two or three years ago 
these calls upon our time became so ereat that we could 
not personally attend to them, and did not wish to, as we 
prefer to do no business outside of the paper, to the end 
that we may be independent of all pecuniary interests, and 
thus be and feel impartial in our editorial labors. Know- 
ing that Prof. Lane contemplated retiring from his col 
tOWhlch In- i, twenty years, 
that he waa i (Helen l as a buetneu officer of the col 
and that be Itnd In earilei life been engaged botyiln f.om- 
Ing and commercial pui uiu, we suggested Ills opening 
a purchasing agency. Re did so, and ilncethori we havi 
i directly to him all lettei to natters 
te of our own business. II; entirely In- 
dependent of this office, and we seldom know any thing 
concerning his operations, except t" answei home query, 
or to hand him loiters of Inquiry. As noted In his adver- 
tisement, he attends to the supplying of any thing and 
every thing: desired to be purchased, and we believe in- 
tends to do It well. 
Where can I get It?— We might till a 
large porllon of (he " ba>ki-r with replies of where this 
or that thing can be | lured. This information would 
generally be of use to but one person, and It would nut l>< 
pleasant reading to others. Bear in mind that genera] 
dealers usually have everything in their line that Is in the 
market. If seeds, trees, plants or implements are wanted, 
send lo some of those who advertise in our columns, for 
their catalogues, or order direct. Reliable purchasing 
agencies arc advertised In the Agriculturist, which may 
be employed with advantage by those at a distance. 
l>oniEiiiqne VowIm,— "How shall I know 
the pure Dominiques? I have been presented with some. 
They are grey, tall, and rather Leggy; also, how many 
hens do you consider sufficient for one cock? E. S., 
Statcn Island."— Fowls of this breed arc of compact form, 
very active, have a very long and strong flight. They 
have a sort of Dorking style, with long legs, and slaty 
grey (hawk colored) plumage, each feather being cross- 
barred more or less with slaty blue, giving a uniform 
speckled look to both cocks and hens ; legs usually flesh- 
color ; tail full feathered ; 20 hens to one cock is enough. 
A Spider l»y 31ail, from Kincksville, Ky., 
was so crushed and dried that we could not identify It. 
llerkshirc Pigs are called for so frequent- 
ly, that reliable breeders should advertise stock on hand. 
Sweet Potato Plants* — A. T. . Wood- 
ward, Rutland Co., Vt. The sprouts are best obtained 
from those who make it a business of starting them, and 
advertise them at the proper season. 
51 ydraulic H^inie.— B. II. Martin, Del. This 
differs from the ordinary lime in containing a variable 
proportion of magnesia, alumina (clay,) and is usually 
colored with oxide of iron. It is valuable for its property 
of hardening under water. 
Cinnny Bag's. — B. H. Martin, Del. These 
are coarse bags made from jute, the fibre of a species of 
Corcfiorus, which grows in India. Both the bags and the 
cloth are imported. They serve for packing dye woods, 
saltpetre, and various coarse articles. The knports of 
bags and cloth into the United States in 1S58, amounted 
to about a million and a half dollars. 
IjeaUy Roofs.— M. A. Genung-, Licking Co., 
O., advises to mix two parts of coarse sand with one ot 
paint skins, in making the mixture for stopping leaks in 
roofs as described in January Agriculturist, page 5. 
Keeping* Cider Sweet. — James Dilts, 
Muskingum Co., O., gives the followingdirections : Heat 
cider until it boils, then pour into a jug or other suitable 
glass or earthen vessel, which should previously be heat- 
ed to prevent cracking. Cork tight and seal immediately 
with cement, the same as in putting up fruits. It will 
keep unchanged for years. 
500 Unirersal Clothes Wringers 
have been presented by the Proprietors (347 Broadway, 
New-York,) to the U. S. Sanitary Commission, to be sold 
at the Great Fairs of New-York and Brooklyn, held for 
the benefit of this most useful Society. The Commission 
is receiving many valuable presents, but few of more 
practically useful articles than these. They are of the 
$7 size, and will sell so readily that this gift is almost 
equivalent to $3,500 in money. 
What isn't Coffee. — A correspondent, 
*' W. C. M.,'' agrees with the opinion heretofore ex- 
pressed in the American Agriculturist, that no beverage 
except that made from grapes, should be called wine, and 
desires that a similar rule be applied to coffee. He says 
peas, beans, chicory, dandelion roots, etc., burned and 
artfully mixed, may make good medicine, but they do not 
yield coffee. He should have proposed a name for the 
substitutes. How would the term " Mockoffee" answer? 
