AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
267 
strong suds. This makes a fast color that grows 
brighter by washing in strong suds. 
TO SCOUR MERINO WOOL. 
Have ready two strong hot suds, and wash the 
wool quickly through them by drawing the wool 
through your hands, as you do a hank of yam 
without rubbing ; wring dry ; hang on a line and 
it will not be matted. Put no soap on the wool; 
keep the suds hot. It is cold suds and rubbing 
soap on that fulls flannel and wool. 
NOTES UPON VALUABLE BOORS. 
[Furnishing Books .—Though Book selling is no part of 
our business, yet to accommodate distant subscribers or 
those not having access to regular book-sellers, we will 
at any time be happy to procure any book desired by a 
subscriber, and forward it, post-paid , on receiving the re¬ 
tail price, as publishers usually allow us discount enough 
to cover the cost of mailing.] 
A Valuable New Worlc, 
Climatology of the United States, and of the Tem¬ 
perate Latitudes of the North American Continent, 
embracing a full comparison of these with the Clima¬ 
tology of the Temperate Latitudes of Europe and Asia, 
and especially in regard to Agriculture, Sanitary 
Investigations and Engineering, with Isothermal and 
Rain Charts, for each season, the extreme months, and 
the year, including a Summary of the Statistics 
of Meteorological Observations in the United States, 
condensed from recent Scientific and Official Publica¬ 
tions ; By Lorin Blodget. Philadelphia ; J. B. Lip- 
pinc.ott & Co. Price $5. 
We have copied the above title page to give our readers 
an idea of the comprehensive and valuable character of a 
work to which we would direct their special attention. 
It would be impracticable, in this place, to review the 
work at large. Suffice it to say that the analysis above 
gives but a limited view of the great amount of useful in¬ 
formation afforded. Full statistics of the temperature at 
all seasons, of the quantity of rain and snow falling, of the 
prevailing winds, of the range of staple crops, &c., &c., are 
given for almost every prominent point in the United 
States and Territories. A dozen or more colored charts, 
bring at once before the eye, the comparative amount of 
rain, range of temperature, &e. Half-a-dozen inferior 
books, costing a dollar each may well give place to this in 
the library. We shall refer to this work hereafter, and 
draw from its pages much useful information relating 
directly to the specific topics discussed in this journal. 
fruit SSoolts—Central Paris o£ N. A". City. 
Fruit and Fruit Trees of America, or the culture, 
propagation and management, in the Garden and 
Orchard, of Fruit Trees generally ; with descriptions 
of all the finest varieties of Fruits, Native and For¬ 
eign, cultivated in this Country. By A. J. Downing, 
Revised, corrected and enlarged by Charles Down¬ 
ing. New-York, Wiley & Halstead; 760 pages; 
Price, §1 50. 
Fruit books are becoming “as plenty as blackberries.” 
Each Nurseryman naturally desires to make his name fa¬ 
mous, to see himself in print, and thus to sell his trees to 
his customers, and his fame to posterity. And indeed 
many of these evince much talent, for we have always 
thought it more difficult to compile than to write original¬ 
ly, to gather the relics of all, and accept the blunders of 
none, to translate the best French books on trailing, and 
the best Chinese on dwarfing, only with becoming mod¬ 
esty, not acquainting the public that you are able to- read 
any other language than your own. We do not wish to 
place these compilations in oblivion, but we are glad they 
were published before the book under notice came out, on 
the principle of the consoling remark made by an old gen¬ 
tleman to a damsel who was sobbing bitterly over the 
marriage of a favorite sister, 
“ Not lost, my dear, but gone before,” 
The field is now clear and this really good work will be 
appreciated. Last Spring, in writing a notice of one of 
the above mentioned fruit books, we remarked incident¬ 
ally that “ if Charles Downing, who has more pomological 
knowledge, and more modesty, than belongs to most fruit 
men, could be induced to bring his brother’s book, about 
down to the present time, we should probably have all 
that we specially need now on this subject.” We did not 
then know that he was employed upon it but threw out 
the idea as a suggester and were agreeably surprised to 
receive this book from the publishers. 
Since the death of the lamented author, the general es¬ 
timate of many varieties of fruit has materially changed, 
as time has more thoroughly tested them. In these, this 
work has been thoroughly revised. Synonyms hav 
also been ascertained, and disputed varieties identified. 
Some varieties which have proved poor have been 
placed in an inferior list, and others which have proved 
wortiiless have been rejected entirely This book is 
therefore in our opinion, the very best work on fruits that 
we have, and for the Eastern and Middle States, will 
doubtless be considered an authority which the multi¬ 
tude of other works can not claim. 
We are glad to notice the following remark on fruit 
nomenclature. “ Order and accuracy can only be arrived 
at when the different varieties are well grown in the same 
soil and locality, which can only be realized in an experi 
mental garden on a large scale.” It would be a great 
boon to the country, if such a garden could be established 
by any corporation having the means to do it properly. 
The Central Park Commissioners of this city, have it in 
their power to do this by devoting a number of acres to 
the purpose and placing it under the charge of a manlike 
Charles Downing. New-York is already the Metropolis 
of America, it will soon be the Metropolis and moneyed 
center of the world. Would it not then, years hence, be 
an object of great interest to the travellers who for busi¬ 
ness or pleasure, or instruction will throng our thorough¬ 
fares and say to each other that, beyond all the theaters 
and palacesof trade and private mansions, and galeries of 
art^js that Central Park of more than TOO acres, where 
may be seen all the trees and fruits which are known in 
every temperate climate in the world. Notes made by a 
man like Chas. Downing in such an establishment would 
be accepted by the world as authority, and an aid thus 
given to the cultivators of good fruit which the Central 
Park Commissioners can scarcely realize until the result 
is before them. Let us then, by all means have a Pomo¬ 
logical garden in the Central Park. * 
McMahon’s American Gardener’s Calendar, adapted 
to the climate and Seasons of the United States; con- 
taing a complete account of all the work necessary 
to be done in the Kitchen Garden, Fruit Garden, 
Flower Garden, Orchard, Pleasure Ground, Vineyard. 
Nursery, Green-House, Out-House and Forcing 
Frames, for every month in the year, with practical 
directions and a copious index, by Bernard McMa¬ 
hon. Eleventh Edition, with amemoiroftheauthor; 
revised and illustiated under supervision of J. Jay 
Smith. Philadelphia. J. B. Lippincott & Co.—637 
pages. Price $2 00. 
We scarcely need refer to this old standard work fur¬ 
ther than to say that a new edition materially improved 
has just been issued. It is the best work of the kind in 
the country, and can hardly be dispensed with by those 
interested in the practical operations of gardening.- 
Into which are thrown all sorts of paragraphs—such as 
Notes and Replies to Correspondents, with Useful or 
Interesting Extracts from their Letters, together with Glean¬ 
ings of various kinds from various sources. 
To Correspondents —Notwithstanding our increased 
space, the basket is unintentionally'crowded into small 
compass this month. A multitude of notes, extracts; etc., 
are waiting room here and elsewhere. Among these are 
letters from Mrs. L. A. M., Iowa; Mrs. P. E. G., Pa. ; 
D.C., Md.; F. R., N. C.; W.H. M., Pa.; S A. B., Ohio ; 
D. B., P. M., Pa.; E. S. J., N. Y.; and others. 
Apples—ftSotlimg-.—W. B. Morgan, of Gibson Co., 
Term., will probably find upon examination, that most of 
his apples which rotted prematurely upon the tree, were 
preyed upon by insects. The best preventive will be a 
removal of the cause by cooking all diseased fruit to de¬ 
stroy what worms are left, examining and scraping off the 
rough bark of the tree, crushing or burning every web or 
cocoon containing the embryo parent of a future crop of 
worms. For fuller directions, see pages 135 and 170, of 
the June and August Agriculturist. 
Mice vs. Trees.—Jas. Noakes, of Onendaga Co., 
N. Y., recommends the following plan to keep mice from 
gnawing trees, which he has practiced in England, with 
success. Get the common tea-chest lead, which can be 
bought for a trifle at the grocery stores, and cut into strips 
10 inches wide, and long enough to go around ihe tree. 
Dig away the earth around the trunk an inch deep, put 
around the lead and return the earth. There is no need 
of tying, and the lead sheets can be taken up in the 
Spring and kept for subsequent years. 
Sugar Cane Seed—T’laresEi.cr.—A correspond¬ 
ent furnishes the following description of a simple hand 
machine for threshing a small quantity of sugar cane 
seed : “ Make it on the principle of the common grain 
thresher. Let the cylinder be of slats of moderately hard 
wood, one-and-a-half inches r.hick and six inches wide. 
Through these strips drive strong nails or spikes so that 
when they are fastened to end pieces in the form of a 
drum these spikes projecting through the outer surface 
shall form the teeth of the machine. This cylinder may 
be two feet long and-eighteen inches in diameter, revolv¬ 
ing upon a central rod of iron or wood. Prepare a similar 
circular bed for it to work in, arranging the teeth with ref¬ 
erence to those of the cylinder. By attaching a band to 
wheels or pullies made with reference to getting a rapid 
motion on the drum and attaching a pin or crank 
to the smaller pully. The whole being fitted in 
a simple frame, you have a cheap machine that 
will take out the seed much faster than a hetchel arrange¬ 
ment.”—We suspect such a machine would break the 
tender seeds, unless the nails fitted pretty evenly and 
were rounded at the corners. An old fashioned flax, or 
broom-corn “ hetchel ” is, perhaps, the best thing after 
all. See one described on page 57 of this volume, March 
number 
Saw-IUust.—D. Heston, Cecil Co., Md. If you have 
an abundance of muck, it will doubtless be good economy 
to save all'the saw-dust possible and mixitwith yard ma¬ 
nures. It is not so good a fertilizer as muck, as it con¬ 
tains less nitrogenous matters, but is a good absorbent., be¬ 
sides furnishing a little nutriment. No saw-dust should 
be allowed to run from the mill-tail. If not wanted in the 
stables and manure heaps, as it usually is, it should be 
carefully saved as a mulch around fruit trees, on straw 
berry beds. &c. It is not possible to make a direct com¬ 
parison of saw-dust, bulk for bulk, with other manures. 
Italian Rye-Grass.-G. C. Lyman, Susquehan 
na Co., Pa. This grass, which yields such large crops 
under Mr. Meehi’s high cultivation, is fast gaining favor 
in this country. A seedsman in this city has contracted 
for 100 bushels, to arrive in season for Spring sowing, 
sfiowing a demand for it. It is a tall, quick-growing, per¬ 
ennial grass, seeding itself at the time of harvest. When 
fed off it starts rapidly, and grows till late in the Fall. 
One or two years will thoroughly test its adaptation to our 
climate. 
EarBy IPwtatoes.— Geo. W. Robinson, Onondaga 
Co., N. Y. Your inquiry for the best variety under all 
circumstances, can not be answered directly, since a vari¬ 
ety the best in one place may not be so in another. You 
will find the Long-Islanders’ experience on page 253 of 
this number. There are many new varieties or seedlings 
constantly coining before the public, few of which prove 
good. In our own experience during the past two Sum¬ 
mers, the Prince Alberts have excelled most if not all 
others. See page 102 of this volume, May No. We can 
judge better when this year’s crop is gathered. If they 
meet our expectations we shall distribute all we have 
among our subscribers free, sending a peck or so, to be 
distributed at each of those points where our largest 
clubs are located. 
Flowering Itulfos.—Several ladies inquire w'here 
these can be obtained. They will find them in,m03t seed 
stores we believe. Mr. Bridgeman advertises a fiae as¬ 
sortment. See page 270. 
American Uinstitute ExliiMtien- 
This is in full tide at the Crystal Palace. The display 
of articles of interest to all is much larger and better ar¬ 
ranged than we have ever seen exhibited before this as¬ 
sociation. A day or two, or three, at the Crystal Palace 
can be passed now with great profit by every one who can 
possibly get there. 
FOR THE BOYS AND GIRLS ONLY, 
For the American Agriculturist. 
Where is New-England'.* 
I once had occasion to purchase some wall paper for 
friends in New-England. They sent for a particular style, 
which I ordered as directed, but which when received by 
them proved to be of two different shades of color. A year 
or two afterwards I selected some at the same place for 
our own pleasant country home. The store where I made 
these purchases does both a wholesale and retail business 
After I had decided upon a pattern that suited me, I said 
to the salesman, “Be careful that you put up all the rolls 
of the same shade. I once purchased paper here for 
friends in New-England, and it was of so different shades 
that it could not be used for the purpose for which it was 
bought.” 
“ New-England, New-England,” said he inquiringly 
“ Where is that place 1 I never head of it before.” 
I was so astonished that instead of attempting to tell 
him where New-England is, I merely said, “ It was sent 
to New-Hampshire.” 
“I believe I have heard of that place,” he replied, in 
half doubting tones. 
I was certainly surprised to find such ignorance in a 
wholesale store in New-York, and especially in an indi¬ 
vidual whom from various circumstances I supposed to be 
a member of the firm. I can not by any means conclude 
that such instances are common, but I doubt whether 
there is any boy or girl who reads the Agriculturist who 
would have asked the same question, or confessed similar 
ignorance. 
The season for field labor on the farm is almost over 
and boys have leisure for study. The Winter months are 
golden months, in the farm house, for then particularly is 
the time for mental improvement, and for laying up treas- 
u»es in the intellectual store-house, which shall last long 
after those in the granary have been consumed. 
Industry in the Summer, with God’s blessing, brines 
