378 
AMEKIGAN AGRICULTURIIST. 
[DECEMBEIt, 
a rich effect to the foliage; the flowers vary in 
color from pure white to a rich rose, and have a 
delicioiisness of fragrance not equalled by any 
of our wild floweis. So attractive is the plant 
that many have removed it to the garden, where 
witli ordinary treatment, it is quite sure to die, 
and some of the books slate that it cannot be 
cultivated, but this is not so. An amateur of 
our acquaintance has a great liking for growing 
wild flowers, and he usually succeeds, for the 
reason that he consults the natural habits of his 
fiivorites, and gives them a treatment suited to 
their needs. With him the Epigsea grows finely. 
He takes up the plant in autumn with a good 
ball of earth around the roots, and transfers it 
to a bed prepared with leaf-mould and a plenty 
of sand, and over the whole puts a thick cover¬ 
ing of leaves. Then in summer the bed is 
shaded by a frame work of laths, the laths being 
put as far apart as they are Avide. This, while 
it affords free circulation of air, Avards off the 
burning sun, and by this method he succeeds 
not only Avith the Epigtea, but Avith other native 
plants that are usually difficult to manage. We 
harm given at the head of this article the most 
generally used common name, but it also bears 
those of Gi'ound-Laurel and May-flower. 
Knox’s Fruit Farm and Grape Festival. 
The Rev. J. Knox, Avas some years ago known 
as the “StraAvberry King,” but he has since 
cultivated the grape so largely that Ave are not 
sure that his former title holds-good. Though 
he does not by any means give up strawberries, 
he each year has “ a little more grape.” Mr. 
Knox has a pleasant Avay of holding “festivals” 
over his straAvberry and grape harvests, at Avhich 
all pomologists are Avelcome. Lest the term 
might be misconstrued, Ave Avill state that the 
festival part consists of a hospitable farmers’ 
dinner, Avdth perhaps a glass of home-made 
wine, but that their real object is to get people 
together to “ talk fruit,” and see AA’hat he is do¬ 
ing in the way of fruit culture. We attended 
his grape festival this year, AA'hich OAviug to^g 
prolonged storm, drcAV together fewer thaii 
usual. There Avere several gentlemen present 
from Ohio, Michigan, KcAV-York, and Penn- 
‘s)'lvania, all more or less concerned in fruit cul¬ 
ture. Mr. Knox’s fruit firm is upon a hill, 
about two miles from Pittsburgh, and just out¬ 
side of the smoke cloud that overhangs the 
Iron City. Ilis farm contains about 140 acres, 
and has a gently undulating surface, the soil 
l)eing a stiff loam. Forty acres are in strawber¬ 
ries, tAventy-tAVO acres in vine3vard, the rest of 
the land being devoted to nursery purposes, 
orchard, currants, and other small fruits. The 
first thing that strikes the visitor, is the practi¬ 
cal air that pervades the Avhole, everything for 
use and nothing for show. This is a successful 
fruit farm, and the principal element in its suc¬ 
cess is thorough culture. The fields of straw¬ 
berries are immense, but there are no Aveeds, 
and in those Avhere fruit is expected, no run¬ 
ners. Mr. Kno.x’s manner of training grapes 
Avc described in November, 18G3. The trellis 
there figured is the one noAV in use. It struck 
us that 8 feet was rather too high for conveni¬ 
ence, and afforded too much surface to the 
Aviuds. It Avas to be expected from Mr. K’s 
knoAvn partiality for the Concord, that this 
Avould be the leading A-ariety, and so Ave found 
it. All other kinds are represented, but for, 
grapes he groAvs the Cdncord. Looking at the 
splendid show of fruit on his trellisesAvhere the 
vines had hardly cast a leaf, and then at the 
fruitless and leafless vines of most other varie¬ 
ties, Ave can hardly wonder at his enthusiasm, 
Avhen he declares this to be the grape for him. 
This 3 'ear his Concord Aunes have been healthy 
and fruitful, Avhile the Delaware, Diana, Rebec¬ 
ca and others have completely failed. With 
tons of the Concord bringing good prices and 
comparatively nothing in other kinds, toe should 
speak AA'ell of a friend that had bridged over a 
disastrous season. The Concord is much better 
with Mr. Knox than it is at the East, and though 
not on his grounds a first class grape, it is the 
A’ariety that gives him fruit, Avhich he consid¬ 
ers the object in growing vines. At the time 
we Avere there (Oct. 20,) one standing upon an 
elevated part of his grounds could tell by the 
show of foliage the places where the Concords 
were growing. The same Avas the case in the 
nursery gi-ounds Avith one and-tA\'0-year-old 
plants. All the Delawares and other favorite 
sorts had lost their leaves, while the Concords 
were still a mass of green. The Herbemont did 
Avell this year with Mr. Knox, aS did Elsinburgh, 
Creveling and Hartford. He has two seedlings 
of the Concord Avhich he considers of great 
promise; one a white grape, called Martha, and 
the other a very early black one. Black Hawk. 
Both these present the same characteristics of 
groAvth and foliage as their parent, the leaves of 
the Black Hawk being noticeable for their black¬ 
ish-green color. Mr. Knox has been experi¬ 
menting some at wine-making. The Concord 
gives a very good rough red wine. He exhibit¬ 
ed Samples of DelaAvare of different ages, Isa¬ 
bella, Catawba, Delaware and Diana. The most 
remarkable sample of wine Avas made from a 
mixture of the Delaware and Anna, and pos¬ 
sessed a delicacy of perfume and flavor which 
reminded one of the choice wines of Hungary, 
and Avhich it is rare to find in an American pro¬ 
duct. While those Atffio accepted Mr. Knox’s 
hospitality regretted that the discouraging 
weather prevented a larger gathering, they were 
all gratified and instructed by an inspection of 
one of the most successful horticultural estab¬ 
lishments in the country. 
■ " -«-«— —a*" ' — - 
The Cultivation of the Tuberose. 
BY PETEK HENDERSON, JERSEY CITY, N. J. 
I knoAV of no floAver that is so generally 
admired, and that is yearly planted with so 
much uncertainty of blooming as the Tuler- 
ose. The amateur irlants his bulbs of H 3 ’a- 
cinths. Tulips, or Gladiolus, and is just as 
certain of a bloom following in due season as 
he is that the summer Avill folloAV the spring. 
But it is not so with his Tuberose bulb; unpleas¬ 
ant experience has too often told him that after 
selecting the sunniest spot in his flower bed, 
and planting Avith the greatest care, instead of 
flowers he is rcAvarded only by a mass of rank 
green leaves. Noav, as in most mishaps in ama¬ 
teur horticulture, the cause is a very simple one, 
the knoAvledge in this case is easily imparted, 
and failure need never occur. In the selection 
of the bulbs, reject all that do not sIioav signs 
of vegetation from the centre bulb. It is true 
that they Avill occasionally flower even Avhen the 
centre does not show green, but it is always 
doubtful, even to us of the trade. Figure 1 
shows a bulb as it is taken up by the cultivator 
in the fall—a large center bulb Avith several 
smaller ones, or “sets,” attached. The large 
bulb only is that wdiich produces the flower, 
and if that has rotted in the center sufficient to 
destroy the flower germ, it Avill not bloom. 
Figure 3 shoAvs a perfect bulb cut longitudinally; 
rig. 1.— BULB OF TUBEROSE. 
Figure 2, one in which the center has decayed. 
Now, in lifting the bulbs in fall, every bulb 
is then perfect, that is large enough to flower, 
those figured are about the medium natural 
size. I am satisfied beyond all doubt that the 
cause of decay and consequent failure to floAver 
in the Tuberose is its being kept in too low a 
temperature during winter. It is supposed, 
generall}^ that it is enough to keep them dry 
and free from frost as we keep potatoes in a cel¬ 
lar. But unfortunate experience has demon¬ 
strated to me, by a 
loss of some thou¬ 
sands of dollars, that 
this is not enough; 
they must be kept 
both dry and warm, 
from October until 
May. If -they are 
allowed to remain for 
any length of time in 
a temperature less 
than 50°, the center 
or floAver germ will 
be destroyed, though 
the outward appear¬ 
ance of the bulb to 
the uninitiated would 
be the same. To 
those who have 
green-houses,the best 
place to keep them 
is alongside the flue 
or hot water pipes; 
to those Avho have 
not, the shelves in a 
closet of any Avell 
Avarmed room will 
suffice. The Tuber¬ 
ose is noAV a plant of 
rising importance for market purposes. I have 
no doubt that half a million roots are grown 
annually in the vicinity of Ncav York. The 
greater part of these are grown by the Florists 
to supply the boquet makers with this most im¬ 
portant item in the construction of their baskets 
of flowers, boquets, vases, etc., etc. Tuberose 
flowers are now produced nearly all the year 
round, and sell at Avholesale from $1 to $10 per 
100 florets, according to the season, the price 
aiwii. 
Fig. 2.— IMPERFECT BULB. 
