I 860 .] 
AMERICAN* AGRICULTURIST. 
31 Ti 
medal was bestowed on him amid general acclamation. 
Let me tell you a good thing of Jemson before I con¬ 
clude He was heartily ashamed of his ill-natured rail¬ 
lery, and after we were dismissed, he went with tears of 
manly self-rebuke in his eyes, and tendered his hand to 
Hartley, making a handsome apology for his past ill-man¬ 
ners. “Think no more of it, old fellow,” said Hartley, 
<; i e t us all go and have a ramble in the woods Defore we 
break up for the vacation.” The boys, one and all, fol¬ 
lowed Jemson’s example, and then we set forth with 
huzxas into the woods. "What a happy day it was ! 
Boys and girls, never despise another who may be more 
plainly clad than yourselves. There is many a noble 
heart under a well-patched garment. Whenever you are 
tempted to look scornfully upon one in a poor or plain 
dress, think of Edward James Hartley, the brave bov, 
and his gold medal. 
Capital Opportunity for Young Folks. 
Reference was made last month to the fact that many 
boys and girls have obtained our dictionary and other 
premiums, and also to the opportunity again open for 
them and others. We have now another desirable thing 
to offer, which will meet the wishes of a great number— 
viz.: a first quality Melodeon. But while we would 
like to see a multitude of our young readers each the 
happy possessor of one of these instruments, we have 
another suggestion to make. First let us say, that we 
place a very high value upon the influence of music in 
the family, and in the school room. We have traveled 
many miles with subscription papers, raising funds to 
buy melodeons for both Sabbath and week-day schools, 
and never considered the time and labor misspent; and 
we now cheerfully dispense with the home use of a fine 
instrument, because we find it so great a benefit to our 
Sunday School. 
Well, what we propose is this : Messrs. Geo. A. Prince 
& Co., have generously offered to supply us with the in¬ 
struments at such rates that we can offer them for a com¬ 
paratively small number of subscribers. Now' let a few 
of the enterprising young people connected with the 
Sabbath or week-day school in every neighborhood, unite 
their efforts, and get the Postmaster, or a merchant, or 
some other kind-hearted reliable person to act as treas¬ 
urer. Then let all take hold and collect as many names 
of persons as they can, who will take the Agriculturist 
for a year. There are few persons who will not sub¬ 
scribe a dollar, when by so doing they can not only have 
the paper a year but also aid in securing a good Melode¬ 
on for the neighborhood. Some persons will take sever¬ 
al copies, and present them to their friends at a distance, 
or to their less prosperous neighbors. 
In a large, thickly populated place, a club might be made 
up at 80 cents each, but usually it will be about as easy 
to get them at $1 each, and then a larger instrument can 
be secured. (See premium list). All the instruments are 
put up in neat rosewood cases, and the cheapest [$45] 
answ er a very good purpose. The higher priced are of 
course more desirable. A club of 125 secures a $75 in¬ 
strument, and 250 names w ill obtain one of the large 
piano-case $150 melodeons, which is all that could be de¬ 
sired in an instrument of this kind. 
Is not this an enterprise worth taking hold of? Will 
it not be a capital thing to have a good melodeon in every 
school-room, a copy of the Agriculturist in every family; 
and in addition, a quantity of seeds grow ing next Summer 
in every garden in the neighborhood. (We shall distrib¬ 
ute free seeds amoung our subscribers as usual, next 
Winter ) If you think so, young friends, go right to work, 
before others have occupied your ground with other en¬ 
terprises. Remember that it costs no more to take the pa¬ 
per from now to the close of 1861, than it will to begin a 
month, or two, or three later. (See last page.) 
-»-«- - m m*- -♦ «- 
For Ten Years !—Having secured positive control 
of our new premises for ten years, our readers will know 
where to find the office of the American Agriculturist for 
a decade of years, at least—and probably it will remain 
here as much longer as it continued at the old habitation 
in Water-st. In this age of traveling, probably nine- 
tenths of our readers will come to, or pass through the 
Metropolitan city—so we shall, of course, have the pleas¬ 
ure of meeting them just where we are now writing 
this paragraph. Our younger readers—well, they will 
De mostly grown up men and women, before we move 
again. Are you each doing all you can now, to be the 
right sort of men and women when you grow up? 
Names of Flants.— J. A. Graves, Tioga Co., N. 
Y. We have heard various pronunciations of Deutzia 
gracilis, and Weigelia amabalis, but believe they should 
be thus : Dootxe-ah grassy-liss, and Wy-ge-le-ah 
(g, hard) a-mab-e-lis. 
Into which are thrown all sorts of paragraphs—such as 
Notes and Replies to Correspondents, with Useful or 
interesting Extracts from their Letters, if-c., <j-c .—to be drawn 
from whenever we have room left here. 
Not tlie Best. —The last month has been a sort of 
“moving day” with us, and the Publishing Editor has 
been necessarily so occupied with “fitting up” and “fix¬ 
ing up” the new establishment, as to be unable to devote 
much attention to editorial matters. So please excuse 
any defects or want of life and variety in this paper. 
More help—new men—are coming in to aid us at the be¬ 
ginning of the next volume—and the Agriculturist w ill go 
ahead with a six-horse-steam-power. By the way, we 
are to have new type next month, and it is also written 
down to somewhat change the character of the paper soon 
—that is to drop a part of the essays, and substitute a 
much larger variety of agricultural and horticultural 
news, and interesting items, gathered from all parts of 
the country. 
Our Household Department—A Request. 
For the reasons given in the previous paragraph, the 
“household department” has received less attention than 
its importance demands, and less than we would bestow 
upon it. We ask all our fair readers to lend us their aid 
by contributing as many items as possible, which may be 
of interest to their sister housekeepers, and serve to 
lighten the labor and care of the kitchen and nursery. 
Anything new and useful that you have individually 
learned during the last year, or may learn in the year to 
come, from any source, will be likely to be new to nine 
out of ten other persons. So please tell them about it. 
We want familiar, practical talks on these topics—not 
“ fanciful sketches,” nor “ fine writing.” 
Blackberry Seed—How to Plant.— A friend 
who has been very successful in growing blackberry seed, 
recommends to plant the seed in Autumn, any time after 
the gathering, until the ground freezes. Put it on a nice 
seed bed, covering with scarcely half an inch of a mixture 
of sand with leaf-mold, or light muck, in equal quantities, 
so as to allow the tender shoot to break through the light 
soil readily. The seed will start finely in the Spring, and 
the plants may be gradually thinned for transplanting as 
fast as the second leaf is formed. 
Tlxe New-Roclielle Blackberry —This 
magnificent fruit has suffered somewhat by the dry weath¬ 
er the past season, but we have neither seen nor heard 
anything to indicate that it is not all we have claimed for 
it in years past. The plants are now abundant and cheap, 
and those who have not done so, should put out a few the 
latter part of this month or at any time before freezing 
weather. The plants are much preferable to the seed 
whenever they can be got. For distant points we shall 
probably have a small quantity of the seed to offer in our 
annual distribution. Even during the past dry season, 
we have reliable reports of $300 to $500 worth of ber¬ 
ries being sold from an acre of three to four-year-old 
plants. Those planted this Fall, will bear pretty well a 
year from next Spring. 
Best Small Fruits.—” W. H. W.” The White 
Grape Currant is considered the best white variety 
known, both for flavor and productiveness. Among the 
Raspberries, Brinkld’s Orange, Red Antwerp and Fastolf 
are general favorites. 
Upland Cranberries.—J. S. Bowerman, Barn¬ 
stable Co., Mass. The Upland Cranberries you speak of, 
are only the swamp plants cultivated upon higher ground. 
Plants are often taken from the dryer portions and sold 
as “ upland.” Your own Cape Cod berries are quite as 
good. For upland culture the “ Bell ” variety is best, but 
low ground that can be flooded, is muGh to be preferred, 
as insects are usually quite troublesome upon dry lands. 
Grapes for Ohio.— Henry Brethauer, Williams 
Co., O. The Isabella and Catawba are standard grapes 
in your latitude. We would also plant Diana, Hartford 
Prolific. Concord, and Delaware, with a few of the Re¬ 
becca. 
Seedl it? g Grapes.— Mrs. Mary H. Mager, Suffolk 
Co., N. Y. The specimens sent bear too strong resem¬ 
blance to wild grapes to be valuable. The hard pulp and 
musky flavor make them greatly inferior to many sorts 
already cultivated, and which are equally early. 
Potting Verbenas lor Winter.— J. Barnard, 
Chester Co., Pa. Select healthy plants—layers if possi 
ble—and take them up just before frost. Have pots and 
potting soil ready, and arrange gravel in the bottom for 
drainage ; fill nearly to the surface with the prepared 
earth, set in the plants, water and set in the shade for a 
few days. A good verbena soil is composed of equal parts 
of garden soil and leaf mold, or muck, to which a little 
sand and well rotted manure may be added. Of course 
but one plant should be set in a pot. 
Evergreen Tree Seeds often lie in the ground a 
whole year before they grow. If seeds of Norway Spruce, 
or Arbor Vitae, sent out by us, have failed to come up, 
leave them undisturbed until another season, when they 
will be very likely to show themselves. If sown as soon 
as they are ripe, in the Fall, they are quite certain to 
vegetate the following Spring. 
Removing Trees.— “W. II. W.” In the Fall, 
after the growth of the season is completed and the trees 
are at rest, is the best time for digging a trench around 
large trees, and cutting off the large spreading roots. 
Next Spring there will be a greatly increased growth of 
fibrous roots, forming a compact mass near the body of 
the trees. The succeeding Autumn they can be removed 
with a large ball of earth attached, with little danger. 
Sheets for Gathering Fruit.-J. Green, 
Orange Co., N. Y. We know of none for sale, but you 
can easily construct one of 8 yards of stout muslin sheet¬ 
ing, 2 yards wide. Cut and sew it to make a square 
sheet of 12 feet each way. Bind with a small cord, leav¬ 
ing loops at each corner. Set it under one side of the 
tree, tie the corners to firm stakes standing four feet out 
of ground, and have a hole in the center to slip a stake 
through and tie, so that the falling apples will roll toward 
the outer edges. Pick the apples and drop them upon the 
doth. One or two persons can be constantly engaged in 
sorting out and barreling from the sheet. Fruit can be 
rapidly gathered in this way, with very little bruising. 
Books on Insects.— C. Hoffman, jr., Dauphin 
Co , Pa. Harris’s work is out of print, and only now and 
then a chance copy can be had at a premium. Fitch’s 
Reports on Insects, in two vols., are on sale in this city, 
at $1 25 per vol., for which we can send them post paid. 
Fruit Books.—B. W. Watson, Strafford Co., N 
H. We know of no book exclusively devoted to the 
small fruits. Downing’s ($1.50), Thomas’ or Firry’s 
($1.25 each), Fruit books, treat of both small and large 
fruits. We can send you either work, post-paid up< n re¬ 
ceipt of price. 
Entomological Fins.— Samples received from 
W. H. Wood. They are delicate, slender, gilder, pins, 
with a small head, and are used for piercing insects and 
fastening them upon wood or card board. They will not 
rust, and are neat and convenient for those collecting 
bugs, millers, and other insects. Price $2 per ounce. 
American Implements. —The Mark Lane Ex¬ 
press (England), contains an account of an agricultural 
Fair at the Cape of Good Hope, where all the plows ex¬ 
hibited, 42 in number, were of American manufacture. 
Bottles for Wine.— Subscriber, Medford, Mass. 
These can be had at the wholesale glass establishments 
of this city at $6,75 per gross, for 5 to the gallon; $6,25 
per gross, for 6 to the gallon. $6 per gross, for 7 to the 
gallon, and $5,75 per gross for 8 to the gallon. 
Cider Making'.— J. E. Manson, Rutherford Co. 
Tenn. Vol. XVII, pp. 22 and 274, of the Agriculturist, 
(Jan. and Sept. 1858,) contained the information asked for 
We can not now republish these articles.’ 
Dlammoth Squash. —H. S. Boltin, Darke Co . 
O., writes that he raised from seed received from the 
Agriculturist, office a Leghorn Squash weighing 167 lbs. 
Has any one excelled this ? 
Cliufas.— I. H. M., Wheatland Mills, Pa. These re 
quire no special pains to keep them through Winter. 
Dig and put them in any secure place. 
Cheap Microscope.— “ Inquirer.” The adver 
tised twenty-five cent microscope, you speak of, is a 
humbug, posting about one cent and worth—nothing. 
Sale of Alderney Cows.—The importation of 
Mr. Thomas Richardson, mentioned on page 303, were 
sold at auction in this city at from $125 to $187 each 
The calves brought $50 to $55 per head. This barely 
covered the cost of importation. 
Oregon Oats.— A single head received from W. W. 
Bristow, Lane Co., Oregon, measures 23 inches in length, 
weighs i oz , and counts 300 kernels ! 
Good Fcaclies.— Specimens of “ Crawford’s Late,” 
raised by W. H. Stiles, of Queens Co., L. I., were re¬ 
ceived, two of which weighed 14j oz., and measured 91 
inches in circumference. Ripe September 12. 
