112 
AMERICANS' AGRICULTURIST. 
[March, 
covered arbors at the rear end. I was sur¬ 
prised at the attention the cultivation of 
iiowers received, and I think that fully one- 
fourth of the space was given to these. Per¬ 
haps two-thirds of the entire number of plats 
have either small artificially heated plant 
houses, or else frames, for bringing along 
plants, and for growing specimen pot plants. 
The accompanying sketcli shows how some 
of these plats were laid out by the occupants. 
It is seen that a path leads from the main 
walk back through each plat, generally ex¬ 
tending to the conservatory, seat, or frames. 
The prices at which these plats may be had 
by the workmen average about two dollars 
in our money per plat per annum. By this 
it will be seen that Mr. Dickson derives quite 
an income directly from the arrangement, 
VEGETABLES 
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VEGETABLES 
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FRAME 
PLAN OF THE GARDENS. 
in addition to the greatly increased value of 
the services of his men, who are thus em¬ 
ployed and refreshed by useful pastime. The 
gain must be very large, to have several 
hundred workmen thus utilizing their spare 
time, instead of worse than wasting it as well 
as their money in the drinking and gaming 
places. Judging from the excellent condi¬ 
tion of everything, the quantity of produce 
taken from the five acres every year must in 
the aggregate be something marvellous. 
One thing that tends to perfection in the 
gardening, is the spirit of friendly rivalry 
that exists, largely as a result of the offering 
by Mr. Dickson of a series of prizes every 
year- for the first, second, and third best show¬ 
ings of different kinds of fruits, flowers, and 
vegetables. While scores of beautiful flower 
borders, all over the Garden, testify to the love 
and ability of these workmen and their fami¬ 
lies, for rearing flowers, some of the prize 
borders were as fine as anything in the same 
line to be met with anywhere. The estab¬ 
lishment of such Workingmen’s Gardens 
throughout America, in conjunction with 
large factories and workshops, would surely 
lead to much good to all parties interested. 
Remedy lor S8se Maggot of 
Cabbage Fly.— Mr. H. M. Cowles, Hart¬ 
ford Co., Ct., writes : “I see by an article in 
the Dec. number of the American Agricul¬ 
turist that Bisulphide of Carbon is recom¬ 
mended for the Cabbage Fly. How is it ap¬ 
plied —The use of Bisulphide of Carbon is 
not only to be recommended for the cabbage- 
maggot, but also for the squasli-borer, and 
other subterranean insects. It would serve 
admirably to destroy ants when we can find 
their hills. To apply the liquid, we have only 
to make a small hole, by use of a cane or 
other small rod, close beside the plant to a 
depth of two or three inches, then pour into 
the hole a half teaspoonful of the fluid, and 
quickly cover the same by filling the hole 
with earth, and pressing it down with the 
foot. The same operation in the middle of 
an ant-hill will quickly destroy the ants if 
they are in the galleries of the hill. All 
should remember that Bisulphide of Carbon 
and also its vapor, are very inflammable, and 
should always be used with great care. 
Trees Injured by Vines. 
Vines, which climb by tendrils, like the 
Virgnia Creeper, or by rootlets, like the Trum¬ 
pet Creeper, may be allowed to run upon trees 
without materially injuring them. Those 
which climb by twining should never be al¬ 
lowed upon trees, as they may check the 
growth and do permanent injury. One of 
the most destructive vines of this kind is the 
Climbing Bitter-sweet, or Wax-work ( Celas- 
trus scandens), a beautiful climber, which is 
often seen holding forest trees in its fatal 
embrace. Prof. W. A. Buckhout, of the State 
College, Centre Co. ,Pa., sends us the following 
account of the injury inflicted upon an orna¬ 
mental tree through the agency of this vine. 
He writes:—“On our College grounds we 
have a fine Norway spruce, from which about 
ten feet of top have been cut off by our 
Climbing Bitter-sweet. This vine having se¬ 
cured a foothold directly beneath the tree, 
and protected by its wide-spreading branches, 
grew half concealed among them, 
until it reached two-thirds of the 
distance to the top. Here it put 
all its strength into one long- 
naked stem which quickly threw 
two or three close coils about 
the tree. Then springing back 
among the branches it twisted 
about there a little only to dart in 
at the very top, round which it 
ran in a close spiral, ending in a 
cluster of leafy branches thrown out hi every 
direction, and luxuriating there after the 
manner of twiners generally when they have 
reached the top of their support. The spruce 
thus bore a light green crown—not its own. 
With advancing growth the coils of the 
Bitter-sweet began to tighten about the tree. 
They did not break 
or give, but gradual¬ 
ly became embed¬ 
ded, first in the bark, 
then in the wood, the 
wood bulging most 
over the upper edge 
of the track of the 
vine, and thickening 
sensibly there, while 
just below the track 
the diameter remain¬ 
ed about the same. 
A copious exudation 
of resin showed 
plainly the spiral 
track of the ligature. 
When the vine was 
sunken about an inch 
at one point, the injury by climber. 
top of the tree became top-heavy, and in 
a gale of wind it was broken off and fell to 
the ground. The cut shows the section of 
the base of the broken top. Bear in mind 
that this fractured end was cut from the part 
which broke away' from the tree, and not 
from the other, although it does present the 
singular anomaly of a greater diameter above 
than at the point of breaking. But this is 
only' in accordance with the laws of growth 
which produce a more marked enlargement 
above a consti’iction than below it. 
The injury seemed irreparable, but the 
strongest limb just below the fracture was 
bent up as near to the perpendicular as it 
would bear without breaking, fastened se¬ 
curely' to a pole which was lashed to the stem 
below; and now, after four years’ growth, 
there is a very good leader, and the tree has 
so nearly recovered itself, that in a year or 
two more the old injury will not be noticeable. 
It is hardly necessary to say that we lost 
no time in cutting the Celastrus down to the 
ground, but as it could not be readily reached 
on account of the thick branches at the base 
of the spruce, the roots were allowed to re¬ 
main, and every year it sends up again its 
exploring branches, and is ready to repeat 
the operation again if given the opportunity. 
Twining vines should never be allowed to 
run upon growing trees, especially upon such 
as by reason of their kind or position are 
particularly valuable. The growth of years 
may be snapped off in a moment, and a tree so 
disfigured that it will be difficult to restore it. 
“Perfection” Pruning Shears. 
The fact that year after year new patterns 
of pruning shears appear at home and abroad, 
would indicate that the perfect implement 
A NEW STYLE OF PRUNING SHEARS. 
had not yet been invented. To one who needs 
to use such shears only occasionally and for 
but a few minutes at a time, it makes but 
little difference what the pattern, if they are 
only shar~ and make a clean cut. But if one 
has to work the whole day, and perhaps 
several days, he finds that the comfort of 
working depends largely upon what may seem 
trifles in the construction of the shears. 
Aside from good cutting blades, the spring, 
while it opens them promptly, should not be 
so strong as to require an unnecessary amount 
of force to close them. The handles should 
be large enough to fill the hand comfortably, 
and be without any edges or sharp angles. 
The catch to keep the blades closed when not 
in use is generally near the ends of the 
handles, and is very often much in the way, 
and sometimes contrived with so little fore¬ 
thought that it may pinch or wound the hand 
if the operator is not on his guard. We 
have inspected a recently imported French 
implement that appears to have avoided the 
usual faults. As will be seen by the engrav¬ 
ing, the structure is exceedingly simple : the 
end of one handle is prolonged and turned up 
to form the spring, thus doing away with a 
separate spring. The handles are broad and 
fit the hand well, while the usually trouble¬ 
some catch, very strong and simple, is up 
near the pivot where it can do no harm. 
It would seem hardly possible to go any 
further in the direction of simplicity. 
