188 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[May, 
Another Tree Label. 
Iu former volumes we have given a great variety 
of devices for labelling trees; indeed, only last 
month (page 143) we called attention to one of the 
simplest and, so far as permanence is concerned, 
one of the best. The chief, if not the sole, fault of 
the zinc label described last month is, that it is 
not conspicuous; it is not readily seen upon the 
tree, and, when found, the writing, 
though thoroughly indelible, is faint, 
and requires close looking to read it. 
Orchards, as a general thing, need no 
labels—the position of the tree should 
always lead to its name in a record : but 
where one has a small collection, or 
grafts several kinds of fruit for trial 
upon one tree, it is very desirable to 
have a conspicuous label. Paper labels, 
printed in clear type, and enclosed in a 
metallic frame with a sheet of mica in 
front, are to be purchased, but they are 
expensive, and limited to the common 
varieties. We have seen in some foreign 
journal or catalogue a label printed upon 
paper, placed in a glass tube, the open¬ 
ing to which "was then hermetically 
sealed (by melting the glass), and pro¬ 
vided with a wire to hang it by. A 
correspondent, 11 Pro Bono Publico ,” 
.gives a modification of this which is simple, prac¬ 
tical, and not expensive; the engraving shows it 
at about half size. The vials, known to the 
druggists as “tube vials,” cost by the gross about 
$1.60 ; the label may be written or printed ; sound 
corks should be used, and large enough to require 
some pressure to force them into place, and the 
sealing should be done thoroughly. There is no 
reason why a label thus treated should not last in¬ 
definitely, if not broken. One precaution should 
be observed : if a label of this kind is prepared and 
sealed up on a damp day, the chances are that iu 
time a minute fungus or sort of mould may appear 
on the paper, and disfigure it; this may be avoided 
by having all parts perfectly dry before sealing. 
The viaV may be as large as one chooses, but the 
risk of breaking is greatly increased with the size. 
LABEL. 
Now Sow Your Dandelions. 
No doubt that many will wonder what brand new 
wrinkle is implied in the above heading. Most 
persons have looked upon the Dandelion as a weed 
to be got rid of, and rather better than most weeds, 
as when cut up by the root iu spring it makes an 
acceptable accompaniment to the salt meat. The 
readers of the American Agriculturist are aware that 
we have on more than one occasion advised the 
cultivation of the dandelion—not indeed by sowing 
the common weed, but an improved kind. This 
was referred to last month, on page 144, iu an article 
on “Greens,” aud now that the time for sowing is 
at hand, we bring it, again to mind. When one in¬ 
troduces a new vegetable into cultivation, he is a 
public benefactor, so when one induces another 
to cultivate a vegetable new to him, though 
old to cultivation, he is a private benefactor; 
by enlarging his knowledge of the good things 
of the world, and inducing him to try even 
but one of them, that man’s comfort and en¬ 
joyment of life is increased. The fact that the 
dandelion is a weed, is no argument against its 
cultivation ; parsnip and carrot are vastly worse 
weeds, yet we go on cultivating them. If one is 
fond of dandelion at all, he should cultivate it, for 
two reasons: he can cut a bushel in less time than 
he can hunt up a quart in the fields, and is as much 
superior to the wild as a Savoy is to a common 
Drum-head cabbage. If we mistake not, we are in- 
for training Ivy, and is to be commended to those 
of our readers who live where that finest of ever¬ 
green viues is hardy. We have seen, somewhere 
in the suburbs of Boston, the Virginia Creeper 
trained in a similar manner from one tree to anoth¬ 
er ; the effect would no doubt please the majority, 
PORTION OF A SCREEN OF VINES. 
debted for the improvement—or, as the French 
have it, “amelioration -of the Dandelion, to one 
of the Vilmorins of the w orld-renowned horticul¬ 
tural house of Vilmorin, Andrieux & Co., Paris. 
This is by no means the only improvement with 
which the name is connected, but this deserves the 
thanks of the world. In the course of improving 
the Dandelion, three useful varieties were estab¬ 
lished, the Large-leaved, the Thick-leaved, and the 
Curled-leaved, which have been in cultivation for 
several years, and this j'ear the French journals 
announce still another, the “ Very Double ” (a 
cceurplcin), Vilmorin’s engraving of which is here 
reproduced. The French use the Dandelion almost 
solely as a salad; it is blanched by covering the 
leaves, usually with earth : in a few days they lose 
their green color and nearly all of their bitterness, 
and come out white, crisp, and tender. This new 
variety appears as if especially adapted to this 
treatment, and it remains for us to try if it is supe¬ 
rior to the older kinds as a pot-herb. Our experi¬ 
ence has been with the Long-leaved, the seeds of 
which are kept in our leading seed stores. Nothing 
is simpler than the culture. Sow this month in 
row's two feet apart; thin, when large enough, to a 
foot apart; or sow in a seed bed, and when large 
enough, in June or July, transplant to rows at the 
distances above named ; this method is but a trifle 
more troublesome and is greatly saving of seed. 
Keep clean, and encourage the growth all summer, 
to get as strong plants as possible ; when used as 
salad, it is blanched in September or October; 
when grown for greens only, it is better when the 
ground freezes to lay some straw or litter along 
the rows. The next spring the litter is removed 
from directly over the plants, but allowed to remain 
between them, as it will keep the foilage eleau. 
A Use for Vines. 
It is sometimes desirable to mark a boundary or 
division line when neither a fence nor a hedge is 
desirable—as, for example, between the ornamental 
portion of the grounds and those reserved for the 
vegetable garden or for the clothes-yard. In such 
cases a most pleasing screen may be formed by the 
aid of quick-growing vines, the best of which for 
this purpose is our Virginia Creeper. Strong posts 
of suitable bight should be set 8 or 10 feet apart, 
and several vines planted at the base of each. 
Chains of sufficient length to form graceful fes¬ 
toons are to be carried from post to post, and as the 
vines grow they are to be trained upon them. The 
effect of such a screen is only partially conveyed by 
the engraving, as it show's but a single member. 
This method is used with fine effect in Europe 
but for ourselves, we do not fancy anything done 
to a tree that suggests mutilation, and as the fasten¬ 
ing of chains does this, we prefer to leave it undone. 
Poultry Proof Pences. 
That chickens are most useful in a garden, but 
that liens and horticulture are not compatible, every 
one with much experience will maintain. The bet- 
terw'ay is to fence in the poultry, but it sometimes 
happens that they must be fenced out. If one is to 
build a garden-fence, the possibilities of poultry will 
be borne in mind, and provided against; but most 
Fig. 1.— FENCE WITH WIRE. 
frequently the fence is already built, and in that case 
is usually excellent for keeping out almost every 
thing except hens, the very thing for which a fence 
is most needed. The accompanying engravings are 
from two sketches by L. D. Snook, Tates Co., N. 
Y., and give methods of so changing the common 
board fence as to make it serve for fencing in or 
fencing out fowls. In fig. 1 the space between 
each two boards is practically closed by stretching 
a galvanized wire midway between—No. 10 being 
sufficiently heavy ; should the lower board be too 
far from the ground, the space may be closed by 
another board, or diminished by the use of a wire 
as may be best. In fig. 2, the same end is accom¬ 
plished by the use of slats nailed to the fence- 
boards. Common laths may be used as a make¬ 
shift, but it is better to use regular fence-slats. If 
