AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
59 
inch to an inch and a half may be set down 
as the average diameter, though larger ber¬ 
ries are quite common. 
There are two remarkable things about 
this variety, viz : its few seeds and its rich¬ 
ness of flavor, notwithstanding its large size; 
and its steady bearing, for we learn that it 
has not failed to yield an abundance of fruit 
every year since its cultivation, now a dozen 
years or more. 
It appears quite hardy, as it sustained very 
little injury in the open field during the past 
severe winter. We noticed the tops of a 
few of last year’s canes were slightly nipped 
by frost. 
It grows well even upon poor soil. We 
should advise a moderately dry loam, but 
some cultivators recommend even a heavy 
clay as best. It has been thought that 
blackberries need shade ; but those culti¬ 
vated by Seymour & Co. are upon an open 
lot, and we found the best and richest ber¬ 
ries upon the top of the vines, where most 
exposed to the sun. However, the fullest 
clusters of the largest fruit, though not the 
sweetest, were partly shaded by the leaves. 
Mulching, or covering the soil with straw, 
leaves, salt hay, or some such substance, is 
doubtless good treatment for this, as for all 
similar plants. We should advise the se 
lection of at least a moderately good soil, 
deep plowing or spading, with a coating of 
barn-yard manure or guano. When first set 
out they should be placed at about their nat¬ 
ural depth, say 3 inches, in rows 6 to 10 feet 
apart, and the stems be cut down to within 
six inches of the ground. 
They may be set out in November or 
April, in this latitude; at the South, in 
March. Probably November planting is pre¬ 
ferable. If planted in autumn, it is better 
to cover them up till spring with straw or 
litter. 
We have spoken thus freely of this fruit, 
because we esteem it a valuable acquisition, 
and we desire to see it distributed so exten¬ 
sively that it may soon become abundant in 
every market. It now sells readily in New- 
York for 25 to 50 cents per quart, while we 
do not see why it may not be raised, with a 
fair profit, at 5 or 6 cents a quart. Once 
planted, it requires no more labor to culti¬ 
vate it than the same area of corn, since the 
chief care required is to keep down the 
weeds and an excessive growth of young 
shoots ; though all of these that can be 
taised for some time to come will probably 
he in demand at fair prices. The limited 
supply, and the high prices heretofore asked, 
lias been a bar to its general introduction ; 
but several persons have a large number of 
growing vines which will be ready for sale 
the coming autumn, and we learn that the 
price is being considerably reduced 
A word of caution is necessary in refer¬ 
ence to securing genuine plants, carefully 
packed : for unprincipled and irresponsible 
peddlers and speculators will in this case— 
as in that of fruit trees—attemp to palm off 
any thing in the shape of a blackberry vine, 
as the genuine New-Rochelle. If carefully 
packed, they may be carried safely to a con¬ 
siderable distance, provided always, that in 
taking up or setting out, the roots are never 
left exposed to wind and sun. 
For the American Agricultuirst. 
TRIAL OF NEW VEGETABLES. 
Pea—Champion of England. —This is a 
fine pea, generally with seven or eight in a 
pod; sweet, large, and well flavored when 
cooked ; grows five feet high on rich land, 
and requires “sticking”—which is a great 
objection, and on which account it will not, I 
think, be very generally gtown. 
Early May Pea. —This pea, although not 
new, is good. I have tried it by the side of 
the pea which is annually sent to your mar¬ 
kets from Norfolk, Va., and find it to come 
in equally early and bear as well. 
Cucumbers — Adams's Conqueror of the 
West. —This kind can not be too highly 
prized; it grows freely and produces fine 
fruit. I have several measuring 22 and 
some 24 inches in length. 
Jewess Cucumber. —This is also a fine va¬ 
riety, but not so good as the above. It does 
not bear as well, and not quite so early ; but 
I have had fruit of this kind 23 inches in 
length. It does not stand the scorching heat 
as well as the Conqueror, but still is far 
ahead of the diminutive things we so often 
see. I have several other new seeds for 
trial, the results of which I will inform you, 
in due time, for the American Agriculturist. 
W. SuMMERSBEY. 
KNIGHTS’ PROTECTING BROCCOLI. 
This is one of the finest and best kinds of 
broccoli, and most hardy in cultivation, yet 
almost impossible to obtain. If any of your 
correspondents have this kind, I should be 
very thankful if they would let me have 
some, as I would gladly pay all reasonable 
charges. I have written to some of the 
most eminent seedsmen, of your city, and 
always receive the answer, “ we have not 
got it,” or, “ we don’t know it.” It would 
be of great value here, as we get only mod¬ 
erate frosts. This variety has a peculiar 
way of protecting the heart, by the leaves 
turning over it, and it produces its large head 
in May and and June, when we are short of 
vegetables. 
In taste, it nearly equals the cauliflower. 
Next to this, stands the Russian broccoli, 
which is a dwarf, hardy kind, equally hard 
to get true to name. 
Among the numerous good sorts of broc¬ 
coli in cultivation, we rarely see any but 
the purple cape broccoli, which is objec¬ 
tionable on account of its color. The Wal- 
chren broccoli, sown the the same as cauli¬ 
flower, to stand the winter, is more hardy, 
and can not be distinguished by the best 
judges from that excellent vegetable when 
cut and ready for market. 
W. SUMERSBEY. 
Both Wrong and Right. —“ That man is a 
shoemaker, I’m sure,” said a worshipful 
magistrate to his colleague the other day, in 
petty sessions on the Tyne. “ You’re a 
shoemaker'?” he continued, addressing the 
man at the bar. “ Yes, sir,” was the reply, 
a Aorse-shoemaker.” (Ahorse laugh.) 
LIQUID MANURE FOR PLANTS. 
BY AN OLD LONDON PRACTITIONER. 
Few things, in the management of plants, 
are more overlooked than that of applying 
liquid manure. When the roots of plants 
are confined within a garden pot the soil 
soon becomes exhausted; and if it be desir¬ 
able to grow the plant rapidly, it must be 
turned out of the pot, and the exhausted soil 
shaken from the roots, and replaced with 
fresh earth, or recourse must be had to 
liquid manures. Floriculturists can not be 
aware of the advantages of applying manure 
in a liquid state, or it would be more fre¬ 
quently used. I have found that all free- 
flowering plants, such as petunias, gerani¬ 
ums, some of the calceolarias, balsams, and 
cockscombs, are improved, and indeed I 
have not found any flowering plant whatever 
that has not been benefitted by a greater or 
less quantity of this element. Many New 
Holland plants are increased, in vigor by this 
treatment; the Epacris, Diosma ploy gala, and 
many others, besides not a few of the heaths, 
are benefitted, when it is occasionally ap¬ 
plied, as, for instance, once every seven or 
ten days. In watering plants with liquid 
manure, it will be observed that the soil, 
after having been watered a few times, does 
not dry so soon as when watered with clear 
water, and this independent of the extra nu¬ 
tritious qualities left in the soil by the appli¬ 
cation of manure-water ; it is, then, a great 
point gained, by whatever means effected, 
when plants, whether in pots or in the nat¬ 
ural soil, can be cultivated without the ne¬ 
cessity of frequent Avaterings. As there is 
no more labor required in using manure- 
water than in applying the same quantity of 
water without any mixture of manure, con¬ 
sidering, too, that its advantages must be 
obvious to all who give it a fair trial, it does 
seem somewhat unaccountable to see per¬ 
sons exerting a great amount of labor to’ac¬ 
complish very small results. It must be re¬ 
garded as so much labor misapplied, when, 
had half the same labor and attention been 
bestowed, using at the same time liquid ma¬ 
nure, far more satisfactory results would 
have been obtained.— Floncultural Cabinet. 
EDUCATION OF BIRDS BY THEIR PARENTS. 
Nothing is more striking than the efforts 
of the maternal birds to tempt their young to 
make the first experiment of trusting them¬ 
selves to their wings. The nightingale flut¬ 
ters around her nest holding an insect in her 
bill at a little distance to draw her young to 
the edge of the nest and to incite them 
through their appetite to make the first effort 
with their wings. The Iceland divers offers 
a still more striking spectacle of maternal 
solicitude. The bird builds its nest on the 
steepest summits of the mountains near the 
shores of the sea. As soon as her young 
are fledged, she ceases to bring them food. 
But she continues to visit them, to flutter 
about the nest, to show them the power of 
her Avings, and to invite them to follow her. 
The younger bird, oppessed by hunger, ap¬ 
proaches the edge of the precipice, hesitates, 
and finally falls into the air. Its wings are 
too small to sustain it, and it would dash 
upon the rocks below. The mother sum¬ 
mons the aid of the male. They spread their 
wings in concert a little beneath their young, 
to allow free play to their wings. Thus they 
gently let the bird down to the shore,crowds 
of their kind assemble round the young bird, 
and raise cries of congratulation atthe view 
of this new companion, that maternal love 
has emboldened to the first attempt at flight. 
Those who don’t make hay while sun is 
shining Avon’t make much that is good. 
