1664.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
39 
effect, a systematically trimmed grape vine would look 
stiff and out of taste. Besides, we cannot see how the 
roots of botli vine and tree are to occupy the same soil, 
and maintain a healthy growth. 
Wizard of She North. —-Mrs. L. M. Chap¬ 
man, of Allen Co., 0. This strawberry is valued by some 
ami discarded by others. It is said that there are spurious 
plants in the market, and that these have injured the repu¬ 
tation of the fruit. Some good judges think it valuable. 
The Fringe 'Free. —R. D. McKee, 
Taylor Co., Iowa. This, the Rhus Colinus, is more gen¬ 
erally called the Smoke Tree in this country, while in 
Europe it is known as the Venetian Sumach, and the Peri¬ 
wig Tree. It is readily propagated by layers ; a branch 
when pegged down and covered with a few inches of 
earth, soon strikes root. If there are no branches low 
tnough for the purpose, the plant must be cut back to in- 
Juce them to start near the root. 
Whitewashing Frciit 'Frees. —“ C. S.,” 
Laporte, Ind. We do not approve of whitewashing trees 
it any season. Soft soap, thin enough to apply readily, 
is far belter to remove moss, scale, etc. Put it on early 
In spring during a damp time. The crooked limb proba¬ 
bly cannot be straightened by slitting the bark. 
A New Issiplesasesit. —W. B. Waldo, Dutch¬ 
ess Co., N. Y, suggests a new implement, to be made in 
lire form of a common iron scoop shovel slitted. He says 
It should be made of the best steel, the tines y z inch apart, 
beveled on the under side. It would be useful to clear 
ground of small stones, to collect pebbles for walks or 
other purposes, to separate cobs from corn after thresh¬ 
ing, or for any similar purpose. There Is an instrument 
somewhat after this fashion on sale but not made of steel, 
being merely an iron scoop with openings cut through. 
Mr. Waldo’s plan would be an improvement. 
BBawthoi-si B5 edges. —G. W. Thompson, 
writes that he has had ten years’ experience with these, 
and though at the latitude of 40° 50' they stand extremes 
of temperature, he considers them a nuisance on account 
of their harboring slugs which pass from the thorn to 
pears, cherries and roses, and commit their depredations. 
tiiiiK'Uiii" BSSa.dc Waiaats. —Boys will 
be glad to learn G. F. P.’s method of doing this. He bores 
a 1 inch hole in a bench, piecing a basket under it; then 
the nuts are put over the hole with the left hand and 
driven through it with a wooden mallet held in the right. 
In this way the husk is removed very rapidly, and with¬ 
out staining the hands. 
Lucerne.- 11 J. M.,” Lynnfield Centre, Mass. 
This is a valuable forage plant where it will succeed. 
Accurate experiments are wanting to determine whether 
it will endure the winters of New England. It needs a 
good, mellow, and very deep soil, as its roots penetrate to 
a great depth, and stand the drouth well. It may be 
sown in the same way as clover, using a third more seed. 
In England it is cultivated in drills 12 or 15 inches apart, 
using 10 to 16 lbs. of seed to the acre. After the first 
year the crop may be cut several times during the season. 
Lh-owisig I„entils.— C. A. Dietrich, "Wash¬ 
ington Co., Pa. These are usually sown in drills, and 
are said to do best in a light sandy soil. 
Crows Among the Sweet Corn.— 
O. Longworlh, Wright Co., Minn., having lost part of his 
seed sweet corn by the crows, preserved what was left 
by. wrapping the ears with pieces of newspaper which he 
tied on with thread. It should not be tied too tightly 
if the corn is. young. The experiment having been success¬ 
ful on tw o • ccasions, he desires it to be tried by others. 
Quails and the Chinch IB«g.—The 
Randolph Co., (Ill.) Agricultural Society at a recent 
meeting resolved to unite with other County Societies in 
memorializing the next Legislature to pass a law for the 
oetter protection of quails, because of their valuable ser¬ 
vices in destroying the chinch bug, the greatest insect 
pest at the West. 
Sparge Turnips.— Some very largo turnips 
were raised on Long Island last autumn, one on our 
table a few weeks since, fair and round, weighed 10% lbs. 
Howard A. Collins (gardener,) of Brooklyn, reports one 
weighing 12 pounds. 
Transplantisig fiBoxes.— “J. T.,” Green¬ 
field, Mass., wishes to know of some contrivance with a 
movable bottom in which tomatoes can be grown to 
large plants, and then set in the ground without disturb¬ 
ing the roots, and the box removed by taking away the 
bottom and slipping the box up over the plant. He pro¬ 
poses to use tin. cans for this purpose. Plants would 
doubtless grow in these if there was provision for drain 
age. We have seen a contrivance for this purpose, but 
do not know whether it was patented or not—a square 
wooden box with the sides inclining toward the top, and 
a movable bottom. We can not see any advantage it has 
over a common flower pot, from which a plant can be 
slipped without its feeling the disturbance. 
Sweet Aiysssiam, etc.—Mrs. S. F. S., Fair- 
field, 0. Gilia tricolor. Purple Candytuft, Whitlavia gran- 
diflora, and the Long-tubed Centranthus are all about the 
same in height and duration as the Alyssum, and will make 
a good contrast with it. 
Calllvation of SaJiVocs. — F. F. Fenn, 
Summit Co., Ohio. This is more properly called Saf¬ 
flower. It grows best in light dry soils. The seed is sown 
in drills which are two feet apart, and the plants thinned 
to six inches. The seed can be had at the large seed 
stores. We can give no accounts of the profits of the 
crop. The great bulk of that used by dyers is Imported. 
The JLanrestinns. —Mrs. M. T. Clarke, (no 
address.) This does not require any especial care. A 
good loam, with a little well rotted manure, and plenty of 
pot room are required. Water freely and give the leaves 
an occasional washing. When set out of doors in sum¬ 
mer it should be in a partial shade. 
The Currant BBorci*. —“0. S.,” Laporte, 
Ind., sends a specimen of this grub which destroys the 
pith of the stem, and either kills the bush or renders it 
very sickly. The borer is the larva of a moth called 
Mgeria tipuliformis . The perfect insect is about % of 
an inch across when the wings are expanded ; the wings 
are of a blue black color, transparent, fringed with black, 
the front pair with a broad band which is more or less 
tinged with copper color. The moth appears in June, 
and lays its eggs near the buds, the young grub soon eat¬ 
ing its way to the interior of the stern. From their posi¬ 
tion, the grubs can not be reached by any application. The 
only remedy we can suggest is, to cut off the affected 
twigs and burn them, and to try trapping the moths at the 
time they lay their eggs. 
Cochroachcs,— O. B„ Jr., says maybe effect¬ 
ually destroyed by blowing camomile flowers dried and 
powdered, into their crevices, by means of a common 
bellows having a hopper of tin so attached to the nozzle 
that the powder will be carried along by the blast. 
Bleating a Conserratofy. —“Constant 
Reader,” has a conservatory heated only by the warm 
air from the sitting room, and wishes to know how to in¬ 
crease the temperature in cold weather. A “water back” 
might be put in the sitting room grate with pipes leading 
into the plant room, but this would involve considerable 
expense. There are numerous gas stoves and also heat¬ 
ing arrangements where kerosene is used. Either of these 
would answer, provided there were means for carrying off 
the products of combustion, which might be effected by a 
small pipe running through a piece of tin inserted in place 
of a pane of glass. Heating arrangements of this kind 
where the gases produced by combustion remain in the 
room, will soon injure the plants. 
A TeniperaiUarc Alarm.— Mr. R. A. 
Boyle, of Detroit, Mich., has shown us an ingenious con¬ 
trivance for alarming the person in charge of a propaga¬ 
ting house when the temperature reaches above or below 
the desired point. By the expansion of mercury in a 
thermometer bulb, a wire index is made to rise and fall 
along a graduated scale. Two moveable metallic slides 
may be set at-the proper points upon the scale. When 
the temperature is so high or so low as to bring the index 
in contact with either slide, an electric current from a 
small battery sets an alarm bell in motion, and calls the 
attention of the gardener, or wakes him if asleep. 
Mr. fi.Hire's I»m*eSaasmg Agency.— 
A few words will serve as an answer to a large number 
of letters of inquiry. Ever since the Agriculturist started 
in 1842, its readers, scattered as they are all over the coun¬ 
try, have been accustomed to apply to the editors for in¬ 
formation, and for purchase of various implements, trees, 
plants, stock, etc., at this central point. (It was from an 
attempt to gratify these numerous requests, we believe, 
that first sprang the now immense agricultural warehouse 
and manufactory of the Allens.) Two or three years ago 
these calls upon our time became so great that we could 
not personally attend to them, and did not wish to, as we 
prefer to do no business outside of the paper, to the end 
that we may be independent of all pecuniary interests, and 
thus be and feel impartial in our editorial labors. Know¬ 
ing that Prof. Lane contemplated retiring from his col 
lege professorship, to which he had devoted twenty year# 
that he w as efficient as a business officer of the college, 
and that he had in earlier life been engaged both in farm¬ 
ing and commercial pursuits, we suggested bis opening 
a purchasing agency. He did so. and since men we have 
handed directly to him all letters pertaining to matters 
outside of our own business His business '» entirely in 
dependent of this office, and we seldom know any thing 
concerning his operations, except to answer some query 
or to hand him letters of inquiry. As noted in his adver 
tisement, he attends to the supplying of any thing ana 
every thing desired to be purchased, and we believe hi 
tends to do it well. 
Where earn B get it?— We might fill n 
large portion of the “basket” with replies of where this 
or that thing can be procured. This information would 
generally be of use to but one person, and it would not las 
pleasant reading to others. Bear in mind that general 
dealers usually have everything in their line that is in the 
market. If seeds, trees, plants or implements are wanted, 
send to some of those who advertise in our columns, for 
their catalogues, or order direct. Reliable purchasing 
agencies are advertised in the Agriculturist, which may¬ 
be employed with advantage by those at a distance. 
Bominique Fowls.— 1 “ How shall I know 
the pure Dominiques ? I have been presented with some. 
They are grey, tall, and rather leggy; also, how many 
hens do you consider sufficient for one cock ? E. S., 
Staten Island.”—Fowls of this breed are of compact form, 
very active, have a very long and strong flight. They 
have a sort of Dorking style, with long legs, and slaty 
grey (hawk colored) plumage, each feather being cross- 
barred more or less with slaty blue, giving a uniform 
speckled look to both cocks and hens ; legs usually flesh- 
color ; tail full feathered ; 20 hens to one cock is enough. 
A Spider hy Mail, from Kincksvillc, Ky., 
was so crushed and dried that we could not identify it. 
Berkshire E®5gs are called for so frequent¬ 
ly, that reliable breeders should advertise stock on hand. 
Sweet I*otato S’lanls. — A. T. Wood¬ 
ward, Rutland Co., Vt. The sprouts are best obtained 
from those who make it a business of starting them, and 
advertise them at the proper season, 
Mydraialic l.ime. —B. H. Martin, Del. This 
differs from the ordinary lime in containing a variable 
proportion of magnesia, alumina (clay,) and is usually- 
colored with oxide of iron. It is valuable for its property 
of hardening under water. 
<« tin jay ISags.—B. II. Martin, Del. These 
are coarse bags made from jute, the fibre of a species ol 
Corchorus, which grows in India. Both the bags and the 
cloth are imported. They serve for packing dye woods, 
saltpetre, and various coarse articles. The hnports ot 
bags and cloth into the United States in 1858, amounted 
to about a million and a half dollars. 
Ueahy Roofs.—M. A. Genung, Licking Co., 
O., advises to mix two parts of coarse sand with one ot 
paint skins, in making the mixture for stopping leaks in 
roofs as described in January Agriculturist , page 5. 
Kecpisag Cider Sweet.— James Dilts, 
Muskingum Co., O., gives the following directions : Heat 
cider until it boils, then pour into a jug or other suitable 
glass or earthen vessel, which should previously be heat¬ 
ed to prevent cracking. Cork tight and seal immediately 
w-ith cement, the same as in putting up fruits. It will 
keep unchanged for years. 
500 Universal Clothes Wringers 
have been presented by the Proprietors (347 Broadway, 
New-York,) to the U. S. Sanitary Commission, to be sold 
at the Great Fairs of New-York and Brooklyn, held for 
the benefit of this most useful Society. The Commission 
is receiving many valuable presents, but few of more 
practically useful articles than these. They are of the 
$7 size, and will sell so readily that this gift is almost 
equivalent to $3,500 in money. 
What isn’t Coflee.— A correspondent, 
“ W. C. M.,” agrees with the opinion heretofore ex¬ 
pressed in the American Agriculturist , that no beverage 
except that made from grapes, should be called wine, and 
desires that a similar rule be applied to coffee. He says 
peas, beans, chicory, dandelion roots, etc., burned and 
artfully mixed, may make good medicine, but they do not 
yield coffee. He should have proposed a name for the 
substitutes. How would the term “ Mookoffee” ar.swer f 
