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AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[Atjgtjst, 
The Double Deutzia. 
The Deutzia scahra, a shrub about 6 feet high, 
and Deutzia gracilis,-which, seldom is taller than 
2 feet, are now among the most generally culti¬ 
vated shrubs. They are from Japan, and are 
tolerably hardy, and from the profusion of pure 
white flowers they bear, are deservedly popular. 
Deutzia crenata, which is of somewhat later 
introduction, has the general habit of D. scabra, 
but difl'ers in the shape of its leaves and in 
some of the details in the structure of its flow¬ 
ers. Of this species a double variety has been 
produced, and may be found in the nurseries. 
One of the flower clusters is shown in the draw¬ 
ing, though being taken late in the flowering 
season, it is not as showy as the earlier ones. 
The Deutzias are all easily multiplied by re¬ 
moving the suckers which come up abundantly 
from the root, though better plants m.ay be ob¬ 
tained from layers. Double flowers are not 
always an improvement upon single ones, but 
they are so in the case of the Deutzia. 
Notes on Strawberries. 
The report of the Annual Show held at the 
offlce of the Agriculturist appeared in our July 
issue and that of the Exhibition of the Ameri¬ 
can Institute has been given in the daily papers. 
Although we gave quite full notes on varieties, 
there remain some gleanings of our observa¬ 
tions made since. The present season seems to 
Lave been less prolific in new sorts than the 
last, and those which have been exhibited were 
more remarkable for size than for quality. We 
think tliat propagators have gone quite far 
enough in the direction of size, and it is well to 
rest content with our achievements in the way 
of large fruit, and give more attention to quality. 
The Agriculturist, Russell, and Trioinphe dc 
Gaud, will afford specimens large enough for 
the present, and though these rank as first-class 
varieties, we hope to see kinds having all their 
good qualities in an increased degree. We 
would not be understood as objecting to large 
berries—but we think 
that there is a ten¬ 
dency to attach im¬ 
portance to dimen¬ 
sions, to the neglect 
of productiveness, fla¬ 
vor and firmness. 
With respect to the 
Agriculturist Straw¬ 
berry, the present sea¬ 
son has sustained the 
opinion expressed last 
year, that it combined 
more good qualities 
than any other berry 
yet introduced, but 
we stand quite ready 
to welcome any va¬ 
riety that shall excel 
it in any particular.— 
It is a matter of sur¬ 
prise that any person 
having land should 
be without strawber¬ 
ries enough for his 
family. A few dollars 
will get plants enough 
to stock a bed, and 
even one plant will 
in two years’ time 
multiply itself sufii- 
ciently to plant more 
than an ordinary family will need. A res¬ 
idence at a distance from nurseries need be no 
hindrance, as plants may be sent cheaply and 
■with safety by mail. A note just received from 
H. E. Hoke, Franklin Co., Pa., gives an account 
of what can be done with a small area in straw¬ 
berries. “ Two years ago I planted two beds 
with Wilson, Triomphe de Gand, and Early 
Scarlet, the size of one bed 18 feet by 30 feet, 
the other 20 feet by 20 feet; the yield last sea¬ 
son was 140 quarts from both beds; this season 
they turned off together 305 quarts, the large 
one giving 132 quarts, the small one 173 quarts; 
the large bed is a light soil, the small one a stiff 
heavy clay, both being well manured.” 
La Constante. —The very fine specimens of 
this fruit presented on the second day of our 
exhibition, by Geo. Herbert, of Peekskill, N. 
Y., merit a special notice. Nothing can be 
more beautiful in color, shape aud brilliancy of 
surface than this fruit. Unfortunately it is very 
variable as to its productiveness, but where it 
does well it is a first-class fruit in every respect 
It forms few runners and propagates slowl 3 ^ 
Around New-York it is not very prolific, but it 
succeeds much better in some other localities. 
White Pineapple. —A variety under this name 
Is kept in some collections, while others consid¬ 
er it the same as Lennig’s White. That it has 
also been called Lennig’s White Pineapple 
would go to show that they are the same. It is 
asserted that the White Pineapple, while it is 
not distinguishable in its fruit from Lennig’s 
White, is a poorer bearer than that variety, 
and also that the vines are less hardy. We 
recently saw a large patch which was set last 
autumn with vines obtained as White Pine¬ 
apple, bearing remarlcably well for such young 
plants. When ripe, the fruit has a fine blush 
tinge, is of excellent flavor, and the flesh is of 
a buttery consistence which make it a great fa¬ 
vorite with those who are acquainted with it. 
DejHford White. —This has been sent out by 
some dealers as Lennig’s White, but is quite 
distinct, the fruit being of more conical shape 
and of a less delicate flavor than that variety. 
Toad-flax—A Troublesome Weed. 
Within the remembrance of many of our 
readers there was a plant cultivated in gardens 
as an ornament, which bore the popular name 
of “Butter and Eggs.” It has quite disappear¬ 
ed from our gardens, but has taken up its abode 
in fields and meadows, and along the roadside 
where it not only flourishes without any care, 
but strongly resists the efforts made to get rid 
of it. The engraving shows the upper part of 
a stem M'ith the flowers—the whole stem being 
from 1 to 3 feet high, and bearing below, long 
and narrow leaves like those shown in the fig¬ 
ure. The structure of the flower is quite curious 
and will repay examination. The corolla is 
tubular, and is prolonged beyond the calyx into 
a spur; above, it is 2-lipped, the upper lip being 
TOAD-FLAX. 
split in two, and turned back, while the lower 
lip is divided in three, and bears a prominence 
or swelling, called a palate, which closes up the 
opening of the corolla. The 4 stamens and 
the pistil are quite hidden within the flower. 
The pod, instead of splitting when ripe, opens 
one or two holes in its sides to allow the seeds 
to fall out. The leaves are of a pale green, the 
flowers of a light yellow color, except the pal¬ 
ate, which is of a bright orange. This contrast 
of colors doubtless gave origin to the name 
“Butter and Eggs.” But the most important 
part of the plant is the root which is woody, 
creeping, and very tenacious of life, qualities 
which render it a troublesome weed. Perhaps 
“troublesome” is a rather mild word, but one 
of our correspondents tpok us to task for speak¬ 
ing of a weed as “vile,” and thinks it wrong 
to apply epithets of this kind to a plant, so we 
will not say of this weed as Doct. Darlington 
very truthfully does—that it is a “ fetid, worth¬ 
less and very objectionable weed.” as well as a 
