372 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[September, 
lower 3 inches from the ends, the middle 
slats as far apart as desired; raise the panel 
up, and bring it in line. Drive two oak pegs 
in the two 1-inch holes, which are about 9 
inches from each end in the post; these 
ought to be bored in before the slats are 
nailed on. Set the 
posts in the ground 
down to the lower 
rail, and then drive 
the braces firmly in 
the ground, and nail 
them with one eight 
or tenpenny nail to 
the post. I claim for 
his fence that one 
man can put it up or 
down in a short time; 
1 that it will be more 
firm than a fence 
with posts; and if 
the lower end becomes rotten, the post can be 
put in place upside down.”—Figure 1 shows 
the form of the panels, and an end view of 
a post with the braces is shown in figure 2. 
Fig. 2. —END VIEW OF A 
POST WITH BKACES. 
The Uses of the Cellar. 
Every one knows the importance of a good 
cellar in preserving vegetables, but to those 
who grow flowers it is of equal value in keep¬ 
ing plants not used as food. There are many 
things which can be kept through the winter, 
in a state of suspended animation, so to 
speak, provided they do not actually freeze 
or become killing dry. “There,” said a gen¬ 
tleman whose place is one of the many near 
Boston, well worth visiting—“there is the 
most valuable structure of the whole.” To 
go from one part of the grounds to another, 
on high land, a bridge was needed. Two 
heavy walls were built of stone; a roof of 
timbers was made and covered with earth. 
This gave both a bridge and an above-ground 
cellar, a spacious one too, in which tender 
and half hardy plants, so largely used in the 
decoration of the grounds, were kept during 
winter. Most persons will, however, content 
themselves with a house-cellar, and there is 
more danger usually that it will be too warm, 
ra ther than too cold. The temperature should 
be kept as near 40° as possible. Light, if ad¬ 
mitted at all, should be but little, at most a 
sort of twilight, for we do not wish the plants 
to grow,but to keep in a state of complete rest. 
It will not do to utterly neglect the plants 
thus stored. They will need very little water, 
but, especially towards spring, must have 
enough to sustain life. In such a cellar may 
be kept those shrubs that are just on the 
verge of hardiness. The variegated Hollies, 
Cape Jessamines, Oleanders, Pomegranates, 
and a long list of other evergreen plants; also 
Fuchsias and other deciduous shrubs that 
have a complete rest during winter. Gerani¬ 
ums, and other bedding plants, taken up and 
planted out in boxes of soil, will keep almost 
as well in the cellar as in a greenhouse. In¬ 
deed, a good cellar, well used, is worth more 
to the average amateur than a greenhouse. 
What are Sprouts ?—“ H. B. D.” 
The plant given in the books and catalogues 
as Kale and Borecole, is called “Sprouts” 
by gardeners and market-men in and around 
New York. This name is probably local, 
and is given especially to a variety also 
known as “Dwarf German Greens.” It 
should be sown this month in rows 15 or 18 
inches apart. When large enough, thin 
plants to 6 inches, and keep them clear of 
weeds. Near New York, covering in winter 
is not necessary, but in a more severe cli¬ 
mate, a light covering of salt-hay or of straw 
is given. As soon as the ground can be 
worked in spring, the soil around the plants 
is loosened by a hoeing. The crop is cut up 
and marketed early in May. Seedsmen gener¬ 
ally have the seeds of the Kale or “Sprouts.” 
Keeping Apples.—An Experiment. 
“W. J. R.,” Allegheny Co., Pa., writes 
us that he has tried the various methods we 
have given in former years, for keeping ap¬ 
ples for winter use, and thinks that the re¬ 
sults of none of these will compare with some 
from his experiments in the fall of 1880, which 
he gives as follows “ for the benefit of the 
many readers of the American Agriculturist ": 
About the end of October, 1880, I put up 
seven barrels of apples. Five of them I in¬ 
tended to keep for an experiment and conse¬ 
quently was very careful in packing them. 
Each apple was examined before putting it 
into the barrel; two of the barrels were 
“ Rome Beauty,” and the other three were of 
“ Fallawater.” In one of the barrels of Rome 
Beauty I put dry oak leaves in the bottom 
and on the top before heading up. In the 
other of the same variety I put nothing, 
using perfectly dry barrels for each. In one 
barrel of Fallawaters I used dry oak leaves 
at top and bottom, and also put layers of 
leaves among the apples all through the 
barrel. In another barrel of the same kind 
I used paper instead of leaves, putting in a 
layer of apples, then covering with a news¬ 
paper, and so on alternately, until the barrel 
was full. In packing the last barrel of Falla¬ 
waters, I wrapped each apple in paper, the 
same as oranges are wrapped, and then 
packed them loosely in the barrel. In all the 
barrels I bored holes in top and bottom, for 
the free admission of air, and then stored 
them in my cellar, laying them on their sides, 
being careful to keep them in as cool a place 
as was safe from frost. In April of the fol¬ 
lowing spring, I opened the two barrels of 
Rome Beauty, and found the one with the 
leaves to be in much the best condition, yet 
not altogether satisfactory. On the first of 
May I opened the barrel of Fallawaters that 
was packed with leaves. It was in bad con¬ 
dition, nearly one-half being rotten. On the 
fifth of May I opened the other two barrels. 
That which had the paper between the layers 
of apples was in bad condition, but not so 
many were decayed as in the barrel with 
leaves; the last one, with each apple wrapped 
in paper, was in most excellent condition; 
there were only twenty specked and rotten 
apples in the whole barrel, while the color 
was beautifully preserved and the apples had 
a delicious flavor. They were fresh and 
beautiful in appearance, without any damp¬ 
ness or moisture. A gentleman present when 
the barrel was opened pronounced them the 
best kept apples he had ever seen. The suc¬ 
cess seemed to be due to the fact that the 
paper absorbed all the moisture that was 
given off the apples, while the holes in the 
top and bottom allowed the free circulation 
of air. As to the other barrel, in which pa¬ 
per was spread in layers, this prevented the 
free passage of air among the fruit, and the 
dampness was retained in the barrel, thereby 
causing the apples to decay more rapidly. 
Living Plants by Mail. 
The Englishman never mails his»letters, he 
always “ posts ” them. So in sending living 
plants, he does not forward them by mail, 
but by post. With plants in a state of rest, 
there is little difficulty in sending them by 
mail; all we have to look out for is too great 
dryness, such as will destroy vitality, and 
too much heat, which may start them into 
growth. Those plants with large and fleshy 
roots or root-stocks, if they have an excess, 
of leaves removed, will remain for a long 
time in a package without injury, provided 
they do not dry out. Geraniums and other 
plants with large and strong stems, carry 
very well, especially if they have been hard¬ 
ened off somewhat, so that the growing part 
is not too succulent. But it is sometimes 
necessary to send living plants which have 
no fleshy roots, and the stems of which, 
whether above ground or below ground, in 
the form of root-stocks, are so slender, that 
if they once receive a severe check, do not 
recover. With such plants, the best we can 
do is to put them as nearly as possible in a 
state of suspended animation, and in the 
condition of a plant that has been badly neg¬ 
lected. A neighbor of ours received a few 
days ago several choice Violets from Eng¬ 
land, packed in a manner which brought 
them to hand in as good a condition as could 
be expected. The roots of the plants were 
surrounded by damp (not wet) moss, which 
was inclosed in sheet gutta-percha or water¬ 
proof paper. The plants thus prepared were 
then fastened in small crates, two in each, 
like that shown in the engraving. The crate 
is 9 inches long, and 2 9 / 4 inches square at the 
ends. Two pieces are placed in the middle, 
to prevent crushing, a precaution hardly 
necessary. The plants were so tied to 
the slats of the crate that they could not 
shake about and be bruised, and the whole- 
covered with strong paper. The plants in 
such a package have all their wants fairly 
supplied, except light, and, save that the 
leaves were much blanched, came to hand 
in very satisfactory condition. The crates 
weighed 4* ounces, and are needlessly heavy, 
and we have no doubt some of our ingenious 
readers will improve upon this method, 
which is the best we have seen yet for send¬ 
ing living plants across the ocean, or on 
long journeys by land, in the mail or post. 
Aimiiitl Sjan-Usjeaai-s appear to have 
gone out of fashion. Many years ago beds 
of them were quite common ; in variety of 
color and somewhat in form, the flower- 
spikes resemble those of the Hyacinths, while 
costing very little. The kind known as 
“Dwarf Rocket” is best, and to have it in 
perfection, the seeds should be sown in au¬ 
tumn, and the plants must not be trans¬ 
planted. But few annual plants make such 
a brilliant show as this, if thus treated.. 
