1882 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
511 
Literature of the Rose. 
The Rose is one of the few flowers that has a 
literature of its own, not only in English, but in 
the languages of Continental Europe. It is curi¬ 
ous to observe the difference between the works of 
the English writers and those of this country. The 
English works seem to be written almost solely to 
teach the raising of roses to take the prizes at Rose 
shows. In this country we care but little about 
shows and prizes, and our authors very properly 
teach their readers how to raise Roses, that achiev- 
ment being sufficient in itself. Notwithstanding 
the fact that our climate is most unfavorable for 
Rose culture as compared with that of Europe, we 
have accomplished much. A distinct class of Roses 
traces its origin to this country, and there have 
always been amateurs who devoted themselves to 
the culture of this flower, in spite of the unfavor¬ 
able climate. In its commercial aspect, there is 
probably no country which excels ours, whether 
in plants of choice varieties at low rates, or in pro¬ 
ducing flowers and buds under glass. We have a 
Rose literature which, if not extensive, is suited to 
the climate and has had its influence in promoting 
the cultivation of this favorite flower. 
The earliest works devoted exclusively to the 
Rose, of which we have any knowledge are: “ The 
Manual of Roses,” by W. R. Prince, and “ The 
Rose Manual,” by Robert Buist, both of whom 
were pioneers in American horticulture. “ Their 
deeds live after them,” but their works would be 
very difficult to find. More than thirty years ago, 
there was published “Parsons on the Rose,” by 
Mr. S. B. Parsons, Flushing, N. T. This work was 
at once accepted as a standard, a position it has 
since maintained. Though Rose-culture, so far as 
varieties are concerned, has greatly progressed 
since the first edition appeared, it has in its subse¬ 
quent editions kept pace with it. Following Mr. 
Parsons’ work there came “The Book of Roses,” 
by Francis Parkman (1866), and “The Rose,” by 
H. B. Ellwanger (1882), each being upon a differ¬ 
ent plan, and each having its merits. Since the 
last edition of the standard work of Parsons was 
published, Rose-culture has made great progress, 
especially in the production of choice varieties, 
and the work has now been brought up to the 
present day. The new edition includes all the 
novelties worthy of cultivation, while it retains 
those characteristics which has made it a favorite 
work for the Rose-grower. Orange Judd Com¬ 
pany, New York. Price §1.50. 
Uuouon on Milch Cows.— A Treatise on 
the Bovine Species in General. Translated from 
the last and enlarged edition of Guenon, by Thos. 
J. Hand. New York: Orange Judd Co. Price §1.00. 
More than 30years have passed since “ Guenon’s 
system ” was published, and those who recollect 
its first appearance are aware of the interest it 
aroused. The few Agricultural journals of the 
time described the “ system,” and there was much 
discussion and not a little ridicule. The original 
work was translated, and one or more other works 
were written to illustrate “ Guenon’s system.” In 
the course of 30 years, a “ system,” if it had no 
real foundation of fact, would be entirely forgot¬ 
ten. This was not the case with Guenon’s. During 
all these years there has been a regular, if not 
large sale of the translation of the original work, 
showing that if the system were not generally 
adopted, there were many persons who wished to 
inform themselves as to its merits. And so far as 
this country is concerned, there are probably more 
farmers and cattle breeders who make use of Gue¬ 
non’s marks in judging of animals, than there were 
when his method had the attractiveness of nov¬ 
elty. A generation of readers of Agricultural 
journals has grown up since the matter was dis¬ 
cussed, and finding that “ Guenon’s Discovery ” 
was new to the majority of these, we gave, last 
month, a popular account of it, which need not be 
repeated here. Whether one wishes to adopt 
Guenon’s system, or to show that it has no value, 
it is proper that he should know just what it is, as 
proposed by the author himself, and that he should 
6tudy it as modified by Guenon after many years of 
practice. The translation under notice is from the 
last work issued by the author before his death, 
and published many years after the first edition, 
from which the only English translations had been 
made. This, of course, embodies Guenon’s very 
latest views, and such changes in and additions to 
the early treatise as his experience taught him 
were needed. Having had frequent occasion to 
compare this translation with the original, we can 
testify to its fidelity, and, so far as the language 
allows, literal exactness. The many illustrations 
being reproduced by photography, the volume is 
the most complete presentation of Guenon’s trea¬ 
tise to be found in the language. 
Christmas Decorations. 
Nothing enlivens the general effect of the Christ¬ 
mas greens more pleasingly than a few bright ber¬ 
ries. Flowers are often employed, but berries are 
more appropriate to the season. If we wait until we 
wish to use them we are apt to find that the birds 
have anticipated us or severe weather has injured 
them ; it is altogether safer to gather them at once. 
The Holly is about the only tree that gives us both 
evergreen leaves and showy berries (save the still 
rarer Yew), but is found in only a few places. 
Large quantities are brought to eastern cities just 
before the holidays, the branches with berries sell¬ 
ing at a high price. The vine known as Wax-work 
and Climbing Bitter-sweet (Celastrus scandens ), has 
bright orange pods which open and show a scarlet 
berry within. This is very showy and useful for 
decorative purposes in early winter. The related 
“Burning Bush ” or “Waahoo” (Euonymus) has 
pods of similar structure, but dark pink without. 
The Black Alder (Hex verticillata) has most brilliant 
scarlet berries. 
The Cornels or Dogwoods in their several species 
have clusters of small berries from nearly white to 
blue and black. The heps, or fruit of the Wild 
Roses may be turned to good account. Though not 
showy, the bluish berries of the Red Cedar may 
sometimes be worked in with pleasing effect. But 
our object is not so much to point out all the kinds 
as to suggest that they be gathered in season. The 
berries must be kept cool and where they will 
not shrink ; a fruit cellar is perhaps the best place. 
The Crops and Prices. 
With two very strong parties, having millions of 
dollars at stake, the one party interested in a rise in 
prices, and the other in a decline, it is not strange 
that the most conflicting reports as to the state of 
the crops are daily, and almost hourly, sent through¬ 
out the country. Until the coru crop was safe, 
every fall of a few degrees in temperature, was 
heralded far and wide as the approach of a “ killing 
frost.” A thermometer variation of 5° to 10* was 
made effective in sending the price of corn up or 
down. 
Fortunately no severe general frost has come to 
nip the maturing corn, and this crop is now safely 
ripened in all the principal corn-producing regions. 
It is hardly time yet to obtain full accurate statis¬ 
tics as to the aggregate yield. To-day the reports 
are that the yield per acre is not turning out well. 
Yesterday we were told by telegraph, in effect, that 
“ corn is now safe, and the crop will turn out far 
better than the most sanguine had hoped for.”— 
The best information that we can gather, indicates 
that our estimates given last month were not far 
out of the way. The wheat crop was mainly 
gathered and threshed with no disastrous storms 
to spoil a large per centage, and the corn was able 
to do its best up to the hardening of the kernels. 
The acreage and yield has been below the average 
in some leading corn States, but has been far above 
the average in others. On the whole, taking the 
entire country together, there has been a fair crop. 
While high prices can not be looked for, especially 
as there is no scarcity of food in Europe, the rates 
will be kept up to medium, by the fact that the 
country is stripped of almost the last bushel of old 
corn, so that a large amount will be absorbed by 
the usual reserve requirements. And further, 
except when pinching pecuniary necessity requires 
immediate sales, farmers will not sell when prices 
rule very far below what they have been recently 
receiving per bushel. 
The general feeling is, that at this date (Oct. 6,) 
prices of wheat, corn, etc., have settled down to a- 
bout their normal level, and that changes in the 
future will be mainly affected by the rising and 
falling tide of gambling speculations. So many 
heavy operators, both as bulls and bears, are now, 
and will continue to be, engaged in efforts to ele¬ 
vate and depress prices, by “ deals,” “corners,” 
etc., and so large amidtitudeof outsiders will clus¬ 
ter around each of the opposing parties, that future 
rates will be as unsettled as the waves of the sea, 
but the rise and fall will not be large, except in 
some temporary outbursts, occurring most fre¬ 
quently about the close of each month. 
Farmers can not be governed by these changes, 
and about the only safe rule for them, is to sell 
when they are ready to go to market. They will be 
just as likely to lose as to gain, if they attempt to 
be governed by the course of speculation. 
P. S.—An official telegram from Columbus, Ohio, 
Oct. 6, puts the Ohio Wheat Crop at 45,787,811 
bushels, almost exactly the same as the Census 
crop of 1879, when it was 46,014,869 ; the corn crop 
this year, 87,005,280 against 111,877,124 bushels in 
1879; oats this year 18,435,779 against 28,664,505 
bu. in 1879 ; barley, 1,337,301 vs. 1,707,129 in 1879. 
“Hog Products”—Prices. 
There is a continued speculation in the articles 
grouped under the general name “ hog products,” 
that is, Pork,Bacon, Hams and Lard. At present the 
supply is small, and a very few wealthy speculators 
are able to buy and hold all there is in market, and 
that comes in, and put prices up to any figures 
they choose. As the result, Pork is selling whole¬ 
sale to-day (Oct. 5) at §23 per barrel in Chicago, and 
at about the same in New York, for delivery in 
October, and §21.65 for delivery in November. Lard 
is 121 cents per pound in Chicago, and about half a 
cent higher in New York. For delivery in later 
months, December to May, the rates are only about 
one cent per pound lower. There will of course 
be little pork fattened from the new corn crop be¬ 
fore about the close of the year. In ordinary years, 
with so good a corn crop as is now certain, we 
would look for a decided fall in the prices of hog 
products after sufficient time to feed the new crop. 
But it is to be remembered that owing to the poor 
corn crop of last year, and the high price of pork 
during all this year so far, the last hog that could 
be decently prepared for slaughter has been sent 
to market throughout all the great Western hog- 
producing States ; and the trouble now will be that 
there will be a comparatively very small number to 
fatten. Last spring the American Agriculturist fore¬ 
warned its readers of this prospect, and earnestly 
advised the saving of and production of all the 
pigs possible. As it is, though there is likely to be, 
later on, some decline in pork, bacon, and lard, 
the probability is that pretty high rates will be 
maintained during all the winter months if not well 
into spring and summer. What the actual supply 
and demand may not do in this direction, will be 
accomplished by speculators. So we now say to 
farmers, give good attention to the swine ; increase 
the weight of those ready to fatten, as much as 
possible, and care for the pigs and multiply them. 
Matches—Pick up the Ends. 
Parlor Matches, so called, are now in very gen¬ 
eral use, as they are without brimstone, and light 
with great readiness. This ease of ignition is a 
source of danger, and calls for great care. Matches 
of this or any other kind should never be scattered 
or allowed to lie about loose. Each room where 
these are used should have some kind of a “match 
6afe.” Very excellent ones of cast iron are sold 
