1370.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
261 
Tying Materials. 
In small gardening operations the amount of 
tying materials required is not large, and the 
difficulty of obtaining a suitable article in the 
necessary quantity is not felt. In large nurser- 
ies and vineyards, it is quite another matter. — 
Unless the proper material is at 
hand, the work is poorly done, 
or so slowly as to cause a loss 
of time, and consequently . of 
money. Last 3 r ear we had an 
article on the cultivation of wil- 
low for nursery and vineyard 
purposes. The slender shoots of 
the Osier, or the Golden Willow, 
are largely employed by nursery- 
men in binding trees for pack- 
ing, and by the vineyardist for 
fastening the canes of the vines 
to the trellis.- — For tying up the 
young growth of vines, Papaw 
bark and cotton twine are used; 
and recently the shreds of gunny 
bags have been found available 
for the purpose. For the nicer 
ties required in budding, prob- 
ably no material is superior to 
the bass bark. The Russian mats 
made of this material, are im- 
ported in large quantities, and 
are much used for packing furni- 
ture and other articles. The 
strands of a fresh, bright mat, 
softened by soaking, make a tying material that 
is nearly perfect. The Cuba bast is very strong, 
but it is too inflexible. The inner bark of our 
native Bass wood, or Linden, when well pre- 
pared, makes an excellent tie. In the French 
nurseries they use tw'o aquatic plants, which, 
though common with us, we have not known to 
be employed by our nurserymen— the Bur-reed 
and Cat-tail. Both these are found along our 
ponds and in marsh}' places. The Bur-reed 
(Sparganium) is less known than the other. It 
is shown on the right-hand side of the engraving. 
It is from two to 
four feet high, has 
long ribbon - like 
leaves, and bears 
its flowers in dense 
globular heads, 
scattered along the 
stem ; the upper 
ones are sterile, 
but the lower ones 
ripen into a spheri- 
cal cluster of point- 
ed seed - vessels, 
forming a bur an 
inch or more in 
diameter. The Cat- 
tail (Ti/pha) is too 
well known to re- 
quire description. 
These plants are 
collected towards 
the end of sum- 
mer, dried in bun- 
dles, and stored 
away. When re- 
quired for use, 
they are soaked 
for some hours in water, and then wrung out. 
Baltct, in his excellent work on the Art of 
Grafting, recommends these tying materials, but 
says: "A proper medium between wet and dry 
is necessary. If too dry the leaves lack strength 
and break; and if too moist they cause the de- 
cay of the bud." Some of the western nursery- 
men find Indian corn husks, those of delicate 
texture selected from the inner layers, to serve 
admirably as a tie in budding. It is preferred 
by some nurserymen to all other ties, as it de- 
cays very soon, and yielding to the growth 
of the stock, saves the trouble of removal. 
Growing lettuce in Hot-beds. 
BY PETEP. HENDERSON. 
.—(Typha.) bur-reed.— (Sparganium.) 
The Variegated Alyssnm. 
The common Sweet Alyssum (Alyssnm mari- 
tirmwri), is a well-known, garden annual, form- 
ing large spreading tufts with numerous clusters 
of small, white flowers, which resemble those of 
the Candy-tuft in appearance, and have a re- 
markably sweet, houey-hke odor. Of late years 
a variety with the leaves margined with yellow- 
ish-white has appeared in our collections, and 
is very useful in contrast with other plants, as 
its subdued color answers admirably to set off 
VARIEGATED ALYSSUM. 
more brilliant things. The variegation is so 
fixed that it is reproduced true from seed. Seeds 
are yielded but sparingly, and the plant is gener- 
ally propagated from cuttings, which are rooted 
witli ease. It is frequently grown in green-houses 
in winter; and is useful for hanging baskets. 
In this latitude the seed for lettuce to be grown 
in hot-beds should be sown, to be safe, at two 
different times, say, August 25th and September 
5th. The variety best suited for the purpose is 
the Boston Market or Tennis Ball. 
Before sowing, the bed for the seed 
should be prepared in the very 
best manner by thoroughly plow- 
ing and harrowing, or digging and 
raking, and be enriched with short 
manure thorough!}' incorporated 
with the soil. The surface being 
fined down by raking, the seed 
should be sown thinly; whether 
broadcast or in rows makes little 
difference, but if sown so that the 
plants will stand an inch apart 
each way, when they come up, 
they will be much stronger than if 
they are at half that distance. As 
the weather is often dry at the 
season named, the seed after being 
raked in should be rolled witli a 
heavy roller or trodden down witli 
the feet, particularly if the soil is 
dry. If the seed has been regu- 
larly sown, but little labor will be 
necessary except to pull out such 
weeds as may come up, but if too 
thick, the plants had better be thin- 
ned out to the required distance. 
The next thiug now is to prepare for the hot- 
beds. The best situation for them is a position 
sheltered by woods, hills, or fencing, from the 
north and west. The uumber to bo used must 
govern the length of the lines ; but we should 
say that a convenient length is 300 feet, or about 
100 sashes in length, leaving a distance of nine 
or ten feet between the rows so that a cart or 
wagon can pass between with manure, soil, etc., 
also for the convenience of laying the mats and 
shutters used in covering. The .pits for the 
hot-beds are sunk about 2'|« feet deep, and of 
the width of the 
sash — 6 feet. Posts 
are placed along the 
back rising above 
the surface 9 or 10 
inches, and along 
the front about G 
inches less, to give 
pitch. To these 
posts, boards arc 
nailed; and across 
are placed the slides 
or rafters on which 
the sashes rest. This 
completes the mak- 
ing of the pit. As 
the lettuce plants 
will be fit to be 
planted about the 
middle of October, 
the manure or ma- 
terial for the hot- 
bed should have 
been in preparation, 
at least three weeks' 
previous. This may] 
cither be horse ma- 
nure mixed with leaves, or with refuse hops, 
or stable manure only; but of whatever com- 
posed it must be placed in heaps to induce fer- 
mentation, and frequently fumed to "sweeten" 
it or dispel the rank heat. When ready it should 
be placed in the pit to the depth of about 18 
