114 
AMESwAN "AG-EiCULTURIST. 
when well up, all but one removed; or they may be sown 
in drills and transplanted afterwards: 
Oleander leaved Clarkia, ( Clarkia necrifolia.) 
Poppy, (Papaver superbum.) 
Sensitive Plant, (Mimosa sensUiva.) 
Adonis Flower, (Adonis aestivalis.) 
Blue Ageratum, (Agcratum Mexicunum.) 
Mexican Poppy, ( Argemone grandiflora.) 
China and German Asters, (Aster in var.) 
Lady Slippers, ( Balsaminus hortensis invar.) 
Golden Bartonia, ( Bartonia aurea.) 
Branching Larkspur, (Delphinium consolida.) 
Pansy, or Heart’s Ease, ( Viola tricolor.) 
Variegated Zinnia's, (Zinnia in var.) 
Dwarf Nasturtium, (Trop ceolum minus coccineus.) 
Dwarf French Marigold, (Tagetes nanissima .) 
Calchfly, ( Silene invar.) 
Jacobea, (Tenecio elegans.) 
Variegated Sehizanthus, (Schizantlius in var.) 
Phlox. (Phlox Drummondii.) 
Ice Plant, (Mcsembryanthemum crystallinum.) 
T-n weeks Stockgilly, (Mathiolaannua.) 
lied and White Lavatera, (Lavatera trimetris etalba.) 
Blue Bottle, ( Centavrea cyanus.) 
Marvel, of Peru, or Four o’clock, (Mirabalis jalapa.) 
Annuals are planted in various ways; the 
nest two are in straight drills, or in circles— 
we prefer the latter. A stick will answer to 
make the drills; the circular drill, howev¬ 
er, is best made by the rim of an inverted 
flower pot. The label is to be placed in the 
centre. Very neat labels can be made of 
shingles, which split easily and regularly. 
A little white lead rubbed on the labels will 
prevent the names from being obliterated 
by the weather. It is sometimes recom¬ 
mended to write the names on a slip of pa¬ 
per, the latter to be placed in a stick with a 
slit in it, but it is more troublesome than the 
plan mentioned above, is not as neat, and 
the paper is generally destroyed with the 
first rain. By occasionally reading the la¬ 
bels you will soon learn to call the plants by 
name. This will greatly increase the pleas¬ 
ure of growing them. 
The soil should have a light dressing of 
well-rotted manure, be broken up finely and 
finished off with a fine rake. Then plant the 
seed as directed above to the depth of an 
eighth to half an inch, according to the size 
of the seed ; in fact, the smallest seed, such 
as Portulaca, should be left nearly on the 
surface, with just covering enough to pre¬ 
vent them from being washed away. The 
plants will come up thick, and must be 
thinned out, which should be done as soon 
as they are out of the seed-leaf, (the leaves 
which come up with the seed.) When 
about an inch or so high, those that require 
it should be transplanted. Do this, if possi¬ 
ble, during rainy or cloudy weather. If the 
sun should come out hot, some of the plants 
may need to be shaded a little by placing 
over them a flower pot or a piece of paper. 
I'liis need not be done unless they wilt a 
good deal, and then only for a few days. 
Larkspurs, and other tall growing plants, 
must be carefully tied to stakes as they 
grow. 
Some of those marked to be grown singly 
and in clumps, may also be grown in beds, 
planted from six to twelve inches apart. 
Among the most suitable may be mentioned 
Phlox Drummondii, a lovely flower, always 
in bloom, and of diversified colors ; Gom- 
phrenag/oiosa, an old favorite of much beau¬ 
ty and of long duration—if made into bou¬ 
quets they make beautiful ornaments for the 
mantle during the whole Winter: Portulaca, 
a very showy flower, of a low growing hab¬ 
it; Sanvitalia procumbens, a trailing plant, 
with showy yellow flowers, and several 
others. The seeds of all the plants named 
in our list may be planted in the open 
ground as soon as the weather becomes set¬ 
tled and warm. All of them, too, might be 
started in hot beds, but this is a trouble 
which comparatively few can take. When 
it can be done, it insures an earlier bloom. 
In conclusion we would again urge our 
readers to make a selection of Annuals, and 
cultivate them with care, being assured that 
the pleasure will be more than a compensa¬ 
tion for the small amount of labor required. 
THE WINTER CHERRY {Physalis Peruviana). 
Our article on page 35 has called forth a 
great number of inquiries, and we have re¬ 
ceived a few seeds from four different 
sources, all of which we shall cultivate as 
an experiment, and we hope to raise and 
get from other sources a quantity of seed 
for our next Annual Distribution, which will 
embrace a large variety of field, garden and 
flower seeds. The seeds have come to us 
under various names, such as Physalis Pe¬ 
ruviana, Ground Cherry, Winter Cherry, 
Strawberry Tomato, Gooseberry Tomato, 
Shaker Gooseberry, Grosenberry, Physalis 
alkekengi , &c. The last name is the one 
given in botanical works, and it is so called 
by Gen. Mazaros, who brought over some 
seed from Hungary, where it was introduced 
originally from Arabia. This last is now 
cultivated by Edward Mitchell, Esq,, of 
Flushing, N. Y. In reply to our letter of 
inquiry, we received the following from 
Mr. Goodsell, which came too late for our 
April issue : 
.... The plant is an annual, and propagates 
itself from seed. It has synonyms, though its 
proper English name is Winter Cherry. I have 
heard it called Ground Cherry, and in one 
instance Strawberry Tomato, yet there is another 
species of the same genus, which I have heard 
called Strawberry Tomato, but which is not 
worth cultivating. The plant grows to the flight 
of two to three feet; stalk branching ; leaves en¬ 
tire, and pubescent; fruit inclosed in an inflated 
calyx, pale yellow when ripe, and about the size 
of a Catawba grape. 
This plant, as an edihle, is of recent introduc. 
tion in this vicinity, although I cultivated it 
twenty years since in my garden as a botanical 
specimen only, not knowing that the fruit was of 
any value. So it was with me in regard to the 
tomato : I had cultivated it many years before I 
tasted the fruit, or even heard of its being eat¬ 
able, and now a man would be considered as lack¬ 
ing taste who should neglect to cultivate them 
for lus table 
Since I commenced answering your letter, I 
called on a friend for the seeds I send you, as I 
had distributed every seed I had to applicants. 
They are merely dried in the fruit, whereas 
mine were washed out. This friend told me 
he had another variety (species), which were 
larger, but not as good. From his description of 
it, I concluded it was the Pensylvanica. This he 
called the Gooseberry Tomato. 
N. Goodsell. 
New-Haven, Oswego Co.,N.Y., > 
March 19, 1857. 5 
A lie has no legs, but scandal has wings. 
THE GOOSEBERRY. 
In England, this is one of the most popu¬ 
lar of the small fruits. The climate of that 
country is admirably adapted to its growth, 
and unusual care is bestowed upon its cul¬ 
ture. The extraordinary specimens we read 
of are grown by professional gardeners, and 
even mechanics who emulate each other in 
competing for the special prizes offered for 
this favorite fruit. The plants are highly 
manured ; only a few berries are left on 
each, and all the appliances of skill and ex¬ 
perience are resorted to to bring them to the 
greatest size and perfection. It is the spirit 
of emulation which has elevated plant-grow¬ 
ing to its present high standard in England, 
and we should be glad to see more of this 
feeling here. 
It must be conceded that our climate is 
not the best adapted to grow the gooseberry 
in its greatest perfection : it is not suffi¬ 
ciently humid. This fact, however, instead 
of operating against the culture of this fine 
fruit, should stimulate our ingenuity and 
skill. Some persons love to battle with diffi¬ 
culties of this kind, and they are the ones 
who meet with success. The gooseberry 
would, however, soon degenerate, in size at 
least, even in England, if submitted to the 
same treatment that it receives here. It 
shares the same neglect as the currant, but 
bears it less generously. Its culture, with¬ 
out doubt, is more difficult than the currant, 
and disappointment often follows our best 
directed efforts. Plans and remedies with¬ 
out number have been submitted for con¬ 
sideration, all promising more or less suc¬ 
cess. We do not purpose discussing these 
various plans, but submit our own mode of 
culture, which is simple, and has afforded us 
a good measure of success. Mildew, the 
most formidable obstacle to success, has 
given us but little trouble under our present 
treatment; but we have occasionally had 
the berries on the south side of the bush 
literally “ done brown” by the sudden ap¬ 
pearance of a hot sun after a few days of 
cloudy or rainy weather. This, however, 
chiefly happens when the berries are near 
maturity, and may easily be prevented by a 
slight temporary protection or shade. 
In planting, we dig a hole about three or 
four feet square, and about two feet deep, add¬ 
ing to the soil thrown out about one-third the 
quantity leaf-mold from the woods, and the 
same quantity of old, well-rotted manure, 
the whole being thoroughly mixed together. 
In filling up the hole, previous to putting in 
the plant, press the compost gently with the 
feet, to prevent the ground from settling too 
much afterwards. Procure young plants 
grown to a single stalk, and rub out the eyes 
from the roots and main stalk up to the 
point where you wish to form the head ; say 
from six to twelve inches. In planting, 
spread out the roots, and press the earth 
around them. The after-treatment consists 
in pruning, manuring, and keeping the ground 
open and free from weeds. The pruning may 
be done during the winter, or left till early 
Spring. The fruit is borne on wood of the 
previous year’s growth, and on old spurs, 
