1879.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
363 
revised. When the first edition of this work appeared, 
several years ago, we called the attention of our readers 
to its instructive character. The present edition is 
greatly enlarged in matter and illustrations, the fruits of 
the author’s subsequent visits to Paris and vicinity. The 
work begins with descriptions of the various public 
Parks, Gardens, Squares, and notable Avenues and Boule¬ 
vards of the City, with accounts of some private gardens. 
Then come very full accounts of the fruit-growing local¬ 
ities around Paris, with descriptions of the various 
methods of training and culture. The market gardens 
from which the City is supplied have their operations 
given in detail, including those of the celebrated Aspar¬ 
agus gardens of Argon tieul, the wonderful Mushroom 
cultures in the caves under Paris, the unequalled salad 
gardens, etc. Besides, the flower markets and the meth¬ 
ods by which they are supplied are treated in full. These 
various topics are illustrated by a profusion of engrav¬ 
ings, some of them of exquisite beauty. In the illustra¬ 
tion of a park, the Parc Monceau, for example, not only 
do we have choice views in the grounds, but separate 
groups, specimen plants, plans of planting, and other il¬ 
lustrations of its beauties, as well as “ugly needless 
structures,” and methods of planting to be avoided. The 
chapter on “Ivy in Paris” shows how useful this plant 
is made in public and private decorations. Being edu¬ 
cated as a gardener, the author is qualified above most 
writers on such matters to give accounts in full detail of 
the methods pursued in the noted fruit-growing locali¬ 
ties, and in the celebrated market and flower gardens. 
This portion of the work is illustrated in the greatest de¬ 
tail, showing methods, implements, packages, or what¬ 
ever may make the account complete. This work can 
not fail to be a most valuable guide book to every one 
with horticultural tastes who visits Paris and its vicinity. 
On the other hand, the “ stay at home traveller” can get 
a better idea of the horticulture of the locality than from 
any other source, while the practical gardener and orch- 
ardist can not fail to find some hints to aid him in his 
own practice. Price, $7.50. 
Summer and Its Diseases.— By James A. Wilson, M. 
D. Philadelphia : Lindsay & Blakiston. The success of 
the flashy medical books and quack medicine treatises, is 
largely due to the general desire of people to know some¬ 
thing about the common diseases, and as medical men 
have not supplied correct information in a popular form, 
the public have taken up with such books as they could 
find. We look upon the series of “American Health 
Primers,” of which this work is a member, as a move in 
the right direction. It gives compact, clearly written 
treatises upon those medical and sanitary topics concern¬ 
ing which popular instruction is most needed, by men of 
eminence in the medical profession. Very properly, in 
this work on Summer Diseases, and in its companions 
the chief object is to show how to prevent the diseases, 
which is as important as to cure them, though that part 
of the subject is not omitted. In opening the present 
work by hazard, it was at the chapter on Cholera Infan¬ 
tum, where we read, “ without the advice of a physician, 
never give it (the child), any Spirits, Cordials , Carmina¬ 
tives, Soothing Syrups, or Sleeping Drops. Thousands of 
children die every year from these poisons." We can com¬ 
mend this work as eminently safe and useful. Price, 50c. 
Long Life, and How to Beach It.— By Joseph G. 
Richardson, M. D. This is another one of the “ Ameri¬ 
can Health Primers,” published by Lindsay & Blakiston, 
Phila. It consists of*plain common-sense directions on 
the avoidance of diseases, and plain directions in the. 
careful use of and preservation of the various faculties. 
It has no secret for reaching a long life, other than by 
the observance of those sanitary rules which should be 
heeded by every one, and which are here presented in an 
attractive manner. Price, 50c. 
The West India Green Valley Grass. 
During the past winter and spring. Messrs. R. F. Nix & 
Co., Hamburg, Iowa, advertised, under the above name, 
the seeds of a grass for which remarkable qualities were 
claimed. The label upon the packets of seed stated that 
“It produces from 12 to 14 tons of hay per 
acre, and 3000 to 5000 bushels of roots 
which are good for stock of all kinds, especially hogs. 
It will grow from one seed from One to Two Hundred 
Stalks.” The advertisements went more into detail and 
made still more wonderful statements. A remarkable 
fact in relation to this seed was the sending of packages 
to the editors of agricultural papers. Not only this, we 
were favored with a photograph of a gentleman seated 
and reading at his ease, while the grass towered as far 
above his head as that was from the ground. As persons 
engaged in a fraudulent enterprise do not send specimens 
to editors for trial, we wrote Messrs. Nix & Co., inquir¬ 
ing as to the grass, its botanical name, and asked for 
a specimen of its flowers if it was to be had. They 
frankly replied that they did not know the scientific 
name of the grass, but would like to learn what it was, 
and as an indication of this wish, they sent from their 
stock, such specimens as they could find. While these 
specimens sent by Messrs. Nix & Co., gave us a fair 
ground for guessing what the plant was, we could not 
feel sure, and as In our correspondence, these gentlemen 
had shown all possible fairness, and were evidently act¬ 
ing in good faith, it would not be proper for us to act 
upon an uncertainty and say what the grass was from 
imperfect materials. Therefore, in fairness to them, we 
pref erred to wait until seed had been sown and the plants 
had come into blossom, before we gave its name and 
character. This has been done, and the grass proves 
to be what we from the first suspected, 
the guinea grass (Sorghum holapense). 
This grass was described in 1877, on page 99, and figur¬ 
ed on page 100. It is therefore no novelty, as it has been 
in cultivation in the Southern States for years—for at 
least 40 years. One cultivator, N. B. Moore,near Augusta, 
Ga., has profitably cultivated 100 acres of this grass for 
many years ; he manures generously and makes three or 
four cuttings during the season, but makes no mention 
of utilizing the roots—or properly the “root-stocks.” 
How far this especially southern grass may be made use¬ 
ful in the Northern States, whether for hay, or for its 
“ roots,” is still an unsettled question, and we will thank 
those who in different parts of the country have made a 
trial of it under the name of “The West India Green 
Valley Grass,” to give us their experience with it. We 
think it very doubtful if the “ roots ” will livo in the 
ground through our northern winters, and would suggest 
to those who have the plant and wish to experiment 
further with it, that they take up a stock of these 
“roots” and keep them in sand or sandy sbil over 
winter, as -they will no doubt get returns sooner from 
planting bits of these next spring than from sowing the 
seed. This grass has not made much progress in the 
Southern States on account of the difficulty of eradicat¬ 
ing it when once established; but to those who,like Mr. 
Moore, above quoted, make it a permanent crop, this is 
not a disadvantage. Its value in the Southern States, 
when properly managed, would seem to be well estab¬ 
lished. Now let us hear from others, not only as to its 
value as green forage and hay, but as to the feeding 
value as well as productiveness of the roots ? 
Horticultural Items. 
For a mass of color in mid-summer, the Double Tiger 
Lily is very effective; the single flowers are irregular and 
ragged, but at a little distance this is not noticed and the 
effect of a clump is very brilliant and striking.... We 
every now and then hear of the Blue Gum ( Eucalyptus ) 
in Britain. The “ Farmer’s Gazette” states that there are, 
at Killarney, Ireland, two trees, the larger of which is 50 
ft. high, and 2 ft. 0 iD. in circumference... .Paulowina 
imperialis seems to be so uncertain in England, that its 
occasional flowering is recorded — “Irises are gradually 
coming to the front again,” says a writer in the (London) 
“ Garden.” We are glad to learn that this is the case in 
England, and hope that Americans will act upon the 
hint and appreciate these flowers as they deserve.... Sod 
fences are in use in some of the Western States ; this re¬ 
minds us that we have seen in Mexico, gardens surround 
ed by adobe— sun dried mud fences, upon the tops of 
which were planted Opuntias, or cactuses of the “ Prickly 
Pear” style, and perfectly boy proof . The Japanese 
Iris. Iris Keempferi, has done remarkably well this year. 
It is one of the hardy plants that every one should have.... 
“ The Garden ” (London), gives in its issue for July 19, 
a colored plate of the various Hellebores, showing how 
beautiful these early flowering plants can be... .Accord¬ 
ing to a European writer, there are iD the Imperial Li¬ 
brary of China, 15,000 works on flowers, of which 500 are 
devoted to the Rose_Our common Pitcher Plant, Side- 
Saddle flower, Huntsman’s Cup, or Whippoorwill’s Shoe, 
as it is variously csXle&iSarracenia purpurea),is advertised 
in England as having “ withstood the severity of the 
late winter.” As this plant is found in the Hudson's 
Bay region, we do not in the least doubt it_The man¬ 
ner in which the English journals bewail the almost in¬ 
cessant rains that have fallen, show a most unfavorable 
outlook for gardeners as well as farmers... .If one can 
have but a single early pear, let it be Manning’s Eliza¬ 
beth ; when the tree gets age it bears immense crops of 
the most delicious fruit... .Early American peaches, the 
Amsden and Alexander have made a favorable showing 
in England, notwithstanding the unfavorable weather 
... A gardener in England proposes to make use of car¬ 
rier pigeons to inform him of the wants of the family 
when 40 miles away_The second blooming of apple- 
trees is not unusual; the Early Harvest will often bear a 
few late flowers which are double, and thus give rise to 
the reports of roses upon apple-trees, and set wise heads 
at work to account for the phenomenon... .Tuberous 
Begonias do not seem to have received the attention with 
us that they get abroad. They are most brilliant sum¬ 
mer flowering plants ...A new budding machine has 
been introduced in England, especially commended for 
budding roses. The best budding “machine” that we 
know of is a boy brought up in a peach nursery ; some 
of these will slip in 2,500 buds in a day and not think 
much of it... The “Gardener's Chronicle” spells it 
“ Potatos ”—does it by anology write “ Tomatos ? ” This 
would be preferable to “ Tomartuses,” as sometimes 
heard in our markets_Peaches are being largely plant¬ 
ed in the counties along the Hudson River, N. Y. ; in a 
recent visit to Orange Co., the trees we saw promised a 
full crop. Extensive plantations have been made in 
Ulster Co. Let “ the Peninsula ” look out_Nitrate of 
soda is claimed to have produced wonderful cauliflowers 
in England this year ...Drying grasses and flowers to 
send to England is recommended to colonists in India, 
Africa, and Australia. ..Our native Sarracenias have 
been hybridized in Europe, and several interesting 
intermediate forms produced. 
Items of Interest. 
No Maryland State Fair this year. ...Michigan talks of 
putting her girls on a footing with her boys at the State 
Agricultural College_The “American Grocer” esti¬ 
mates that over 19,668,000 cans of tomatoes were put 
up last year_A single ant will lay millions of eggs. 
_Nine thousand head of cattle are shipped from Flor¬ 
ida to Cuba each month... .Postage hereafter must be 
entirely prepaid... .131,981 boxes of cheese were shipped 
from New York during the last week of July... .There is 
a growing demand for American wind-mills abroad_ 
A snow-storm in Southern France is another of the 
strange things which are happening nowadays_A new 
pass over the Rocky Mountains has been discovered by 
Prof. Marsh_Illinois lias 122,348 mules and asses this 
year_Delaware expects to send 3,700,000 baskets of 
peaches to market. ..A Minnesota hen is doing two 
day’s work in one—32 eggs in 16 days_The latest for 
electricity—controlling a fractious horse by it while 
driving ...Feed the “ pussley ” to confined chickens. 
They cat it with a relish_Bread in London is three 
cents a pound, lower than for many years_Cod fishing 
along New Brunswick is excellent this season_The 
Connecticut Valley tobacco crop promises to be unusu¬ 
ally large_Texas has considered her education and ap¬ 
propriates $600,000 for school work. Now she only needs 
good teachers_Harvard College graduated its largest 
class this year, over 200_The Canadian Government is 
engaging farmers to instruct the Indians in farming in 
the Northwest... .Total value of postage stamps, stamped 
envelopes, and postal cards sold during the past year was 
$29,539,050, an increase of $971,866 over the previous 
year... The French Minister estimates that France will 
pay $100,000,000 for foreign grain, most of which sum 
will come to America_The United States uses 1,200,000 
ounces of quinine as a febrifuge — Illinois gives $15,466 
in premiums at her next State Fair_Grasshoppers are 
devastating the wheat fields of Southern Prussia_The 
“ Golden Gate,” a 17-foot schooner, has left Boston for a 
trip around the world. Two persons go with it_Po¬ 
tato bugs a short crop this year—too much Paris green. 
_One hundred years ago there were only four newspa¬ 
pers in America_During the year ending June 30, 
1S79, 99,224 immigrants landed at New York_A farmer 
and ten of his cows were struck by lightning in England. 
_Telephones are worked between Petersburg, Va., 
and Wilmington. Del., 226 miles_Real estate is rising 
in New York City ; a good sign of better times... Mis¬ 
souri has a corn-cob pipe factory ; pays a cent a piece for 
suitable cobs, and cannot supply the demand_Savannah 
shipped 8,650 barrels of rosin to Liverpool in a single 
cargo_Maine farmers get one-fourth more hay this 
year than usual... .Five hundred barrels of lubricating 
oil at a time were shipped to Europe from Erie, Pa.... 
Twelve different sites are proposed for the next World’s 
Fair in New York....Boston drinks 15,000 gallons of 
soda water per day_The English Hop-crop is reported 
as being almosta failure_Southern California is expect¬ 
ing an immense grape and orange crop... The direct 
losses to sheep-owners in the United States from ravages 
of dogs is over $1,000,000 annually_Nebraska is report¬ 
ed to have gained 72,662 in population in the last year. 
_Illinois wheat will probably average twenty bushels 
per acre for 1879... Results of our last Fourth of July, 
so far as heard from, are 18 killed, 107 wounded.. .A 
quail was shot in Florida with a ruby in his throat_ 
1,000.000 acres of the soil of India are devoted to the 
growth of the poppy, for the production of opium_ 
M. Duchartre calls attention to some experiments which 
go to show that melons raised from fresh seed bear a 
larger per cent of male flowers than plants grown from 
seeds kept for some time... .Each day there are 1,800,090 
gallons of petroleum brought to the surface of the earth. 
_The Esterbrook Steel Pen Co. makes over 150 styles of 
pens_A ragged beggar recently dropped, accidentally, 
a package of $400... .Ice weighs about the same as green 
wood—7,000 pounds per cord .. Now let farmers think 
of the comfort and value of an ice-house....A horse 
should have 1,200 square feet of breathing room in a sta¬ 
ble, and the more the better....Sleepy Tom, a blind 
