AMERICAN AGRIOURTURIST. 
Q91 
Withering enumerates 213 species of the Agari- 
cus, only one of which, the Agancus campcstns, 
or mushroom, is selected for cultivating in gar¬ 
dens. When about half grown the gills of the 
mushroom—that is the part under the oval shaped 
crown—will be found loose, and of a pink or 
flesh color. On breaking one of these heads the 
savery odor will be plainly perceived, while that 
of the toad-stool is disagreeable. One method of 
testing mushrooms is to place a silver spoon in 
the vessel where they are being cooked. If a 
toad-stool chances to be present, the spoon will 
be colored dark, which is not the case where 
ihere are only mushrooms. It is said that a sim- 
•Jar effect is produced Upon a white onion, used 
.nstead of the silver spoon. 
WEEDS IN GARDENS. 
Nearly every garden is infested with a multi¬ 
tude of unnecessary weeds, and that chiefly be¬ 
cause they are allowed to go to seed before any 
serious attempt is made to exterminate them. A 
single plant often has a hundred or more seeds 
with which to propagate its kind. What folly, 
then, to complain of weeds, if we allow them to 
sow themselves broadcast over our gardens ! If 
our weeds were perennial plants, like the Canada 
thistle and quack-grass, the case would be differ¬ 
ent * but they are mostly annuals which need 
only to be kept from ripening their seeds to secure 
their extirpation. In China and some portions of 
central Europe, weeds in gardens are said to be 
almost unknown, simply as the result of long- 
continued and careful cultivation. A certain 
county in, Pennsylvania is reputed'to have rid 
itself of the Canada thistle, and there are gar¬ 
den* here and there, in our neighborhood, in 
which weeds are comparative strangers. Seeds, 
we know, will steal over from adjoining fields into 
the best manag-ed gardens ; but their number will 
be comparatively small, and the labor of keeping 
them in subjection not great, if none are allowed 
to go to seed in the garden itself. 
DIBBLING. 
This is the method of making a separate hole 
for and dropping each seed by itself. It may sur¬ 
prise some of our readers when we tell them that 
in Great Britain, and in many parts of Europe, 
large fields of wheat and other grains are wholly 
planted by this process. The ground having been 
prepared, a man walks ffSaH 
backward over the field If jl 
with an instrument like 
the one here shown, and Bfj| 
makes the holes. He is |j | 
followed by two or three Wl 
children who drop the ®| 
seeds, one, two or more M 
in each hole. The Dib- W 
ble is usually H to 2 feet long, pointed with iron 
at the bottom. To regulate the depth of the holes 
a little cross bar is put into one of the holes near 
the point. Dibbling is still practiced extensively 
in field culture abroad, but the seed drills will 
soon do away with it. A dibble is, however, use¬ 
ful in the garden, both for putting in seeds and 
transplanting. A small instrument, 8 to 12 inch¬ 
es in length, is sufficient. They are frequently 
made from a shovel handle. Among other prep¬ 
arations for Spring work, it is well to whittle out 
a Dibble, and lay it aside for use when wanted. 
Punch says experience is like a flannel waist¬ 
coat, that we do not think of putting on until we 
nave caught cold. 
HUBBA ED STON NONSUCH 
APPLE. 
In pursuance of our design to describe, from 
time to time, the best variety of fruits, we give 
this month a sketch and description of one of the 
very best early Winter apples—the Hubbardston 
Nonsuch, so named from the town in Massachu¬ 
setts where it originated. We hardly know its 
superior in beauty of appearance or deliciousness 
of flavor. Cole, from whose American Fruit Book 
the above cut is taken, describes it thus : Fruit 
large to very large ; roundish, tapering moderately r 
skin smooth, fair, rich yellow ground, mostly cov¬ 
ered with bright red, striped in the shade, general¬ 
ly russet around the stem, and sometimes a few 
large, prominent russet specks on other parts ; 
stem medial length, rather slender, in a rather 
broad, deep, regular cavity ; eye large, open, in a 
shallow basin; flesh yellowish white, tolerably 
fine, crisp, juicy, of a mild, pleasant, aromatic fla¬ 
vor, inclining to saccharine.” Downing mentions 
a quality which is not noticed by other pomolo- 
gists, and which is, in our view, one of its finest 
traits : “ Of first quality ; tree a vigorous grower, 
and bears very large crops ; is worthy of exten¬ 
sive orchard culture. Flesh yellow, juicy and 
tender, with an agreeable mingling of sweetness 
and acidity in its flavor. October to January.” 
NOTES ON EAR LY POTATOES. 
We continue to receive inquiries on this topic, 
which we briefly referred to at page 267, (Nov, 
No.) There seems to be no first-rate variety in 
general cultivation. 
The Early June is perhaps better known than 
any other variety, and is always in market, in 
large quantities, in its season. But this variety is 
not of first quality, is affected with the rot to 
some extent, and is not so early as some others. 
The Early Sovereign is of English origin, is 
among the earliest and best, but is quite too small 
ever to be thought of for a market potato. The 
best early potatoes are confined to particular lo¬ 
calities, and have not yet had time to be generally 
introduced. 
The Carpenter Potato is well known in Eastern 
Connecticut, and is cultivated to a considerable 
extent in Rhode Island for the Providence mark¬ 
et. It is of good quality, yellowish white skin 
and flesh, good size, very productive and not much 
affected with the rot. It can be put in market in 
this latitude from the twentieth of June onward, 
and by forcing it can be had two weeks earlier. 
We have cultivated it three seasons, and think it 
among the best for an early market variety. 
Studley's Seedling originated at Claverack, on 
the Hudson River, and is but just introduced. It 
is of first-rate quality, white skin and flesh, and 
is very hardy and productive, though it will rot 
sometimes. We have cultivated it two seasons, 
and have a very favorable opinion of it. It is a 
few days later than the Carpenter. 
The Dover Potato .—A correspondent inquires 
of this variety We have cultivated it for three 
years. It is said to be an old variety well known 
sixty years ago, and now widely distributed. It is 
sometimes confounded with the Danver’s Seed¬ 
ling, a red variety, but of larger size and inferior 
quality. The true Dover is round, the eyes deep 
sunk, the skin red, the flesh of snowy whiteness, 
and of the first quality. It is a strong grower, 
very prolific, late in maturing, and all things con¬ 
sidered, the best potato for a general crop with 
which we are acquainted. The only objection to 
it is, that it is deficient in size except in veiy 
good land. It does not appear to be so liable to 
rot as many other varieties. 
THE POTATO EOT. 
A sprightly correspondent of the New-England 
Farmer, propounds the following remedy for the 
potato rot. “ By obtaining the original root as 
our forefather’s did, and cultivating them till they 
became potatoes, and keeping them separate 
from all others, I think, that in a very few years 
our country would abound in a new and very 
flourishing generation of that vegetable. Why is 
it that this method has never been tried, or even 
recommended by your agriculturists? Is it be¬ 
cause people have forgotten where the root, 
grows, or because they never knew ? Whilst our 
government are sending to all parts of the world 
to select plants and roots of every variety, let 
them'call at Chili, where I understand the root 
was first found, and where it still grows wild, or 
at least it did thirty years ago, and there select a 
small bitter root as I understand it to be. It w T onId 
be worth millions of dollars to the United States.” 
Where has the man lived, all his days, that he 
has not seen his suggestion recommended, time 
and again, in our agricultural journals for the 
