iSGZ] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
103 
warm day), I consider there is no danger of 
injury. I cannot see that my trees have been in- 
jured, and I have practised it for five years, at 
the same time keeping the better of the enemy." 
A Committee of the Essex (Massachusetts) 
Agricultural Society recommend printer's ink 
as a substitute for tar, it being quite as effectual 
and less expensive. They advise to first sur- 
round the tree with tarred paper and smear this 
vvith the ink, diluted with oil, thin enough to 
apply with a brush. They say that it needs re- 
newing les3 oftener than tar— only once every 
two or three weeks. The same Committee also 
give the sensible advice to cut down all the old 
and unfruitful apple trees, of which hundreds 
are found in every community, cumbering the 
ground, and only serving as nurseries of worms. 
•-. — _a«a— .-«. 
All the Year Bound. 
The statement that a day laborer, in a large 
city like New York, has a greater variety upon 
his table, the year round, than many wealthy 
farmers, may seem strange, but it is nevertheless 
true. This variety does not consist so much in 
the meats as in the vegetables. Indeed the one 
thing that the city dweller misses, when he makes 
a visit to his country friends, is a variety of vege- 
tables. The city markets and green groceries 
present a great assortment, and the tables of 
even those iu moderate circumstances generally 
have some one or more of the products of the 
market gardens upon them. There is no reason 
wli}' every one who has sufficient land should 
not have fresh vegetables all the year round. 
Aside from the roots that are in the cellar, or 
left in the ground, there is the cabbage, raw or 
cooked, as the main reliance for winter. In 
using the cabbages, save the stumps, to set out as 
soon as the ground is open, for most excellent 
greens. This month the Kale or Borecole that 
has been wintered out, will be an agreeable 
change from the cabbage. In April, winter spin- 
ach will be ready to cut, and the tender shoots 
of asparagus will give the first real fore-taste of 
the host of good things that follow soon after. 
Besides, lettuce, cresses and other salad plants, 
should grace the breakfast table, for their re- 
freshing look if nothing more. There is " no 
end" of excellent vegetables to go with the din- 
ner, and where there are plenty it makes little 
difference whether the meat is fresh or salt. It 
has been a custom with us to publish, each year, 
a list of the most desirable vegetables, as well as 
to make a note of the new ones offered for sale. 
We find that our different advertisers have giv- 
en a very full account of the novelties, at least, 
and in the '" Notes for the Mouth," we indicate 
reliable and readily obtainable sorts. If the 
farmer passes by the notes on the "Kitchen 
Garden," as something beneath his notice, she 
who provides for the table, and wishes her family 
to have a variety of healthful food, will read 
them — and have the vegetables too, or she is not 
the woman we take her to be. If a hot-bed or 
cold frame can be managed, all the better; but 
without these helps to greater earlincss, a little 
forethought and painstaking will give every 
firmer fresh vegetables " all the year round." 
Profits from Small Places- 
The raising of early seedlings of culinary 
plants was referred to last month. Another way 
iu which a small tract of land may be turned to 
profitable account, is the propagation of small 
fruits. We may safely say that, in a small way, 
more profit is to be derived from the growing 
of plant3 than of fruit. Within our knowledge 
there are several instances of eminent success 
with these small fruit nurseries of moderate ex- 
tent. To be successful requires a knowledge of 
varieties, and the methods of propagation re- 
quired for each. There is nothing about these 
that an intelligent man cannot learn; and scarce- 
ly one that has not been sufficiently treated of 
in our own pages. One must not only raise the 
plants, but let it be known that he has them. 
Strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, currant and 
other plants are in demand, are easily raised 
iu a small way, and are profitable. Take the 
strawberry, for instance; we have not known 
a season for several years in which there was 
not a scarcity among the leading varieties. If 
strawberry plants are grown, we would advise 
the main planting to be of a few of the leading 
varieties, and enough of the novelties to get a 
start and be ready to take advantage of a de- 
mand for any of them ; yet we would not invest 
enough in any one of the newer sorts to feel 
disappointed if the latest novelty proved a 
failure — as in the majority of instances it will. 
There is always a scarcity of currants, of the 
finer kinds; these are raised readily from cut- 
tings, and grow to good plants in a year. What- 
ever kind of propagation one engages iu, strict 
integrity is essential to success — the most scru- 
pulous care in procuring genuine stock, with 
which to make a beginniug, and the greatest 
pains to keep each sort distinct and true to its 
name. Attention to these things will soon estab- 
lish a reputation for accuracy, without which no 
propagator cau hope to retain his customers. 
The tree is a good grower, with a round or 
spreading head and slender and tapering limbs 
which droop, but never break, with the weight of 
the fruit ; bark very dark ; it is an annual bearer. 
Fruit medium to large, roundish oblong, taper- 
ing slightly towards the eye ; smooth and even 
iu form; color very dark crimson, sometimes 
nearly black, and on the tree covered by an 
abundant bloom ; dots minute, few and incon- 
spicuous; basin rather deep, a little irregular; 
eye very small, closed, segments of calix with 
tips reflexed; cavity deep, acute, somewhat 
irregular ; stem very stout ; core open, not meet- 
ing the eye; seeds roundish, light colored; 
flesh white, juicy, tender, at first a brisk acid ; 
use — cooking, or table, very fine for jeliy; sea- 
son, November to March; a good keeper. 
Cedar and Thorn Seeds— Stratification. 
A New Apple— Dodge's Crimson. 
Pomologists in Ohio, Illinois, and other 
Western States, find their best apples, or rather 
their best keepers to be of southern origin, 
while those known as long keepers at the East, 
are only autumn sorts with them ; hence a great 
interest attaches to all southern varieties. Mr. 
J. W. Dodge, well known as an artist before he 
became a fruit grower, has brought us a collec- 
tion of fine apples from his fruit farm and nur- 
sery at Pomona, Cumberland County, Tennes- 
see, which comprises fine specimens of will 
known varieties, and others not familiar to 
eastern fruit growers. lit the collection is a 
seedling raised by Mr. D., which he calls 
Dodge's Crimson, and as it has not before been 
published, we give a description and figure of it. 
Mr. D.'s place is on the table of the Cumberland 
mountain, and 2.000 feet above the sea level. 
There are on file, some dozen or more com- 
plaints of want of success with the seeds of Red 
Cedar, Thorns, Dogwoods, etc., from persons 
who have sown the seeds and failed to get any 
plants. The trouble is, that these seeds do not 
come up until the second year after they are 
put in the ground, and if they are sown in a 
bed and left for a year, the weeds take such 
complete possession that the young trees, if they 
do start, have but little chance. To avoid this 
difficulty, the English propagator puts his seeds 
in " a rot heap " for a year, and the French 
" stratify" them, both names meaning the same 
thing. The manner of proceeding depends upon 
the quantity of seed ; if small, a common flow- 
er pot, box, or keg is employed, and the seeds 
are placed in the receptacle with 
sand, or sandy earth, in alternate 
layers. The vessel containing 
the seeds is buried in a well 
drained place where the seeds 
will not be enveloped by stand- 
ing water, nor dry out during 
summer. If a large quantity of 
seeds are to be operated upon, 
a heap is built up, putting al- 
ternate layers of seeds and earth, 
and making a mound with slop- 
ing sides to carry off the water. 
The seeds are usually ready the 
second spring after burying, and 
should be sown as soon as they 
show signs of germinating. Seeds 
of trees which form a strong tap- 
root, even if they are not long 
in germinating, are best treated 
by stratifying; such as Walnuts, 
Chestnuts, Horsechestnuts, and 
even Peaches. They are kept in 
this situation until the radicle pushes, when they 
are carefully planted, previously pinching off the 
lower extremity of the young root. This pro- 
motes the branching of lateral roots, and avoids 
the formation of a long tap-root. Trees from 
seeds treated thus, are much more readily and 
safely transplanted than those that have not re- 
ceived this early root pruning. Those who 
buried peach pits last autumn will do well to 
observe this precaution, when they plant this 
spring, as they will obtain much better trees. 
New Trees. — A golden leaved variety of 
the common European Alder is advertised by 
the French nurserymen under the name of Al- 
nus aiirca, as being a permanent variety and 
very showy shrub. — Also a remarkable Walnul, 
from the North of China, Juglans macrophj/Ih', 
the leaves of which are said to be three feet long. 
