113 
AMERICAN AGRICriLTURIST. 
large limbs is, that (he March winds check the 
end of the limb from one half to two inches in 
depth, allowing not only water to stand in the 
crcvi<-es, but also forms a reservoir for the rising 
sap, which it is well known becomes a strong 
acid, producing rapid decay, and cannot easily be 
arrested until it reaches the root of the tree. 
Nine-tenths of the old orchards have been ruined 
in this way. 
Most if not all shrubs should be pruned when 
in the gfowing state. Shoots or suckers will not 
put forth as in the case of Winter pruning. 
Respectfully, yours, 
Geo. Newell, 
New- IfoRK, April 13, 1857. 
THE CABBAGE PATCH. 
That was a memorable reply which the 
old Homan Emperor, Diocletian, after he 
had abdicated, made to Maximian, when he 
proposed to him to resume the crown : 
“ Would to God you saw the cabbages I 
am raising ! You would never want me to 
be Emperor again !” 
He had a magnificent palace at Spalatro, 
commanding a fine view of the sea, and sur¬ 
rounded with rich vineyards and corn-fields. 
He had a rural population for neighbors, and 
from being an anxious Emperor he had be¬ 
come a jovial cultivator of the soil. In the 
fertile borders of his vegetable garden, and 
amid the straight rows of his Drumheads 
and Savoys, he found a satisfaction that the 
serried ranks of his army had never yielded 
him. 
Whether the eulogy of the cabbage by the 
old Roman has hallowed it in the esteem of 
great men, we are unable to say. Certain it 
is, that it has become a great favorite with 
our ex-Presidents—the type of elegant leis¬ 
ure and enviable seclusion from the cares 
of state. To grow cabbage, is the goal of 
an honorable ambition among men of dis¬ 
tinction, and among those without it. 
Crowned heads have added new laurels 
to their brows, gleaned from the cab¬ 
bage patch; and uncrowned ones may gather 
from its humble borders something more 
coveted than laurels both by the titled and 
by the obscure. 
Cabbage growing is a money-making bu¬ 
siness if skilfully followed, and as such we 
have a few words to say in behalf of this 
humble plant. The time of sowing Early 
Yorks is of course past for this season, and 
if that has been neglected, your only re¬ 
source is the market gardener, or some 
thoughtful neighbor, who has the coveted 
plants in just the right condition. For love 
or money you may procure enough of these 
for a family supply, and by setting the first 
of the month, you will have fine heads early 
in July. 
But you are still in ample time for the 
main crop of cabbages to be harvested in Au¬ 
gust and September, and for the Winter crop 
to be gathered two months later. Select a 
good rich border of garden mold, and sprink¬ 
le on a half bushel of ashes to the square 
rod. Rake them in thoroughly and sow the 
seed, either broadcast or in drills, four inch¬ 
es apart. The object of the ashes is to des¬ 
troy the larvae of the insects that are prone 
to prey upon the Brassiea tribe of plants. 
These will be well up and fit for setting by 
the last of the month. When these plants 
are removed, it may be immediately resown 
to furnish plants for the last crop. 
The cabbage is a rank feeder, and wants 
a deep rich soil, if you mean to make it pay. 
Avoid all stye manures, or composts into 
which they enter. The cabbage rarely es¬ 
capes club-foot where this manure is used. 
It delights in a fresh soil, and we have found 
great benefit in bringing up the subsoil in 
old gardens where this crop is planted. For 
the small varieties, the rows may be twenty 
inches apart, and the plants fifteen inches in 
the row. The large varieties, like the 
Drumheads and the Bergen, want nearly 
twice that room. 
When the plants are set out, they must 
be cultivated diligently. Once a week is 
none too often to hoe them. This makes 
them grow rapidly and obtain a larger size. 
The cabbage is a good succession crop to 
early vegetables, or by planting the early 
and late varities in alternate rows, two crops 
may be gathered from the same soil. 
LIMA BEANS—HOW TO START THEM. 
The season is too short in many parts of 
the Northern states, to get a full crop of 
these beans, without assisting Nature a lit¬ 
tle in the Spring. This may be done, by 
raising the temperature of the soil, with 
warm fermenting manures, or by gentle 
forcing in a hot-bed. 
A well trenched soil, filled with ferment¬ 
ing stable manure, is several degrees warm¬ 
er than a soil compact and undisturbed. The 
last week in May is early enough to plant 
them. Put down the poles four feet apart 
in the rows running East and West, and 
three feet apart in the rows running North 
and South, and incline them a little to 
the South, to give the vines the full benefit 
of the sun. Make a slight elevation around 
the poles, and plant the beans with the eyes 
downward. Six beans to the hill are enough, 
and if all grow, pull up two of the poorest 
plants. This mode will enable many to 
raise this delicious bean, who have not hith¬ 
erto succeeded with it. 
Still further North, they may be cultivated 
by starting in a gentle hot-bed, or in the 
south kitchen window in a box. Take turfs 
from any swarded meadow, or road side, 
about, a foot square, and three inches in 
thickness. With a trowel mark off the turf 
into smaller squares of about three inches 
upon a side. In each one of these little 
squares insert two beans, and then lay the 
whole sod upon your hot bed, or box in the 
window. In-a short time the beans will 
come up, and the little roots will take pos¬ 
session of the sod. When the weather be¬ 
comes warm in early June they may be 
removed to the open air, and set out 
around the poles. The middle of May, is 
early enough to start them in this way. 
Whether you use the hot bed or not the 
n round should be deeply worked, and 
made rich, that, the beans may grow rapidly 
and mature early. This is unquestionably 
the best of pole beans, and no farmer, 
whose latitude will allow him to grow' it, 
should be without it. In selecting seed, 
buy only those that have indented sides. 
There are a number of annual flowers 
which are indispensable to the garden. Some 
entertain the idea that these are of little 
beauty and less value, simply because they 
are annuals. This is a great mistake; many 
of them are of great beauty and rich fra¬ 
grance, and are among the chief attractions 
of the green house and garden at all seasons 
of the year ; and in the latter they'make a 
gay show, even during the hottest Summer 
months. They have an additional value 
from the fact that, by being planted at inter¬ 
vals, they may be brought into bloom at any 
and all seasons, and thus, in one sense, be¬ 
come perennials. They are of every diver¬ 
sity of color and form, and thus all tastes 
may be suited. They are also of the easi¬ 
est culture, and may be purchased for a tri¬ 
fle, so that even the poorest cottager may 
gather around his humble home some of 
these beautiful gifts of nature. Their hab¬ 
its, too, adapt them to every kind of soil and 
exposure, and there is no part of the garden 
where some of them may not be planted 
with advantage and effect. Some may be 
grown in clumps, some in beds, some against 
walls and frames, while others require to 
stand alone to develop fully their fair pro¬ 
portions and beauty. Such are some of 
their good points and qualities briefly told. 
The genera and species are very numerous, 
and they are natives of all parts of the world. 
We shall now’ give a select list from such 
as we have grown ; we could greatly extend 
it, but it is sufficiently large to meet the 
wants of all. To prevent disappointment, 
the seed should be purchased of reliable 
seedsmen. Of Balsams, Panzies, Asters, 
&c., only the choicest should be bought, 
even at a higher price. 
The following nine may be grown singly or in clumps, 
if in clumps it will only be necessary to thin them out 
to a few inches apart. 
Sweet Alyssum, (Alyssum maritanum.) 
Chinese Pink, ( Diantlius annuus .) 
Mignonette, ( Reseda'ordorata.) 
Tassel Flow er, ( Cacalia coccinea.) 
Candytuft, (Ibtris in var.) 
Globe Amaranth, (Gomphrena globosa.) 
Lore Grove, (Nemophila in var.) 
Limanthus, ( Splendens.) 
GypsophiU, ( elegans ■) 
The following two may be grown in clumps or in beds, 
and in either case need only to be thinned out a few inch¬ 
es apart: 
Trailing Sanvitalia, (Sanvitalia procumbens.) 
Povtulacas, (Portulaca in var.) 
The following three a e climbing plants, needing the 
support of the trellis or strings. It is better to plant them 
at once where they are to remain, and when up, thin them 
out : 
Cypress Vine, (Ipomca quamoclit.) 
Urnbellated Ambronia, (Ambronia Umbellata.) 
Morning Glory, (Ipomea in var.) 
The following i!3 take up, individually, much room, and 
require to be grown singly, otherw ise their beauty is not 
seen. Three or four seeds may be planted tog' ther, and 
