1870.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
63 
above the surface, and that on the upper side 
of the cutting; thus securing an upright growth, 
which is important. They should be set 8 
inches apart, as they make a much larger and 
more rapid growth than the Osage. 
The Willow may be cut in the spring, and set 
at any time before the leaves start, though early 
setting is to be recommended. It is a good 
plan to set two or three rows where a wind¬ 
break is desired in addition to a fence. There 
are other hedge plants which are regarded with 
more or less favor; but with the Osage and 
Willow we may well rest content. S. 
Powesheik County , Iowa, ) 
December , 1869. ] 
---- 
Some New or Little Known Apples. 
BY CHARLES DOWNING, 
[Mr. Downing has sent us notes and drawings 
of some apples which have come to his notice 
since the publication of his great work, and of 
others which are briefly mentioned there, but 
for the description of which he has better ma¬ 
terials. We give a portion of them.— Eds.] 
Monte Bello.— I am indebted to A. C. Ham¬ 
mond, of Warsaw, Ill., for specimens of this new 
and fine apple. Mr. H. writes me that it was 
raised from seed on the place of Matthew Gray, 
at Riverside, in Monte Bello Township, Han¬ 
cock Co., Illinois. It is there considered an 
apple of great promise, the tree being hardy, 
rather upright, moderately vigorous, and 
healthy; an early and annual bearer, very pro¬ 
ductive, and the fruit always fair and smooth. 
Fruit above medium, oblate, regular; Skin 
pale, yellow, shaded and mottled with light 
MONTE BELLO. 
red, and splashed and striped with dark rich 
red nearly over the whole surface, and sprinkled 
with a few light dots; Stalk very short; and 
small, inserted in a broad cavity, russeted; 
Calyx closed, or nearly so; Segments short, 
erect, almost closed; Basin, medium, or rather 
large, deep, smooth; Flesh very white, fine 
grained, a little stained next the skin, very ten¬ 
der, juicy, mild, subacid, vinous flavor; Quality 
very good, or best; Core medium, or small. 
Ripens from September to December. 
Irish Pippin. —Specimens of this fine apple 
were sent me by Benjamin Borden, of Norris¬ 
town, Montgomery Co., Pa., and “is said to 
have originated with Stephen A. Porter, of 
that town. Tree, a free and upright grower, 
and forming a handsome head; a very pro¬ 
ductive and showy fruit, and inclined to bear 
every year unless the season is unfavorable.” 
Fruit rather large, roundish, slightly conical; 
Skin whitish, shaded with light bright red ancl 
stripes, and broken splashes of dark red, sprin¬ 
kled with a few light dots; Stalk very short 
and small, inserted in a medium cavity, some¬ 
times a little russeted ; Calyx closed, segments 
short; Basin small, corrugated; Flesh white, 
fine grained, tender, juicy, with a pleasant, 
mild, subacid, vinous flavor; Quality very good; 
Core rather small. Ripens in October and 
November, and with care, will keep until April. 
Window Plants and Frost. 
Plants in dwelling rooms are more apt to suf¬ 
fer from a high temperature and a dry atmos¬ 
phere than from frost; yet it is sometimes the 
case that there is danger that the plants will 
freeze during excessively 
cold nights and precautions 
must be taken to prevent 
it. With most of the plants 
grown in window collections 
the temperature may go 
down at night to 35 degrees 
without injuring them. Mov¬ 
ing the plants from the win¬ 
dow to the centre of the 
room will often save them. 
If it is necessary to take the 
plants to another room it 
should not be to one that is 
much warmer than that in 
which they have been kept. 
A close pantry or closet 
in the interior of the house 
is generally frost proof and 
will serve as a place of ref¬ 
uge. Another method is to make an awning 
or canopy of some kind over the plants. We 
have recommended that the table upon which 
they stand should be so arranged that a move- 
able framework could be attached to it, to hold 
a sheet or other covering to keep off the dust, 
while the room is being swept. A covering of 
this kind will be found useful in 
protecting the plants in cold 
nights, as it will enclose a body 
of air, which is one of the best 
nonconductors of heat. A blan¬ 
ket, or a thinner fabric—even 
newspapers, placed over the plants will often 
save them. Should the plants become frozen, 
the effect will vary on different kinds; the more 
succulent and tender ones are generally totally 
killed and are past remedy; geraniums and other 
half woody plants may be injured in their young 
growth only, and will recover after the damaged 
part has been cut away. Camellias, carnations 
and others, are half hardy and are not serious¬ 
ly injured by a moderate freezing. When plants 
are frozen, never take them to a warm room or 
use warm water to thaw them, neither will it 
answer to let them remain where the sun will 
shine upon them. Remove them to a 
cold room away from sunlight where 
the temperature is but little above freez¬ 
ing, and let them thaw out gradual!}'. 
Buffalo Cane.— The Arundo Donax 
is a tall grass, growing some 10 or 12 
feet high, and is sometimes cultivated at 
the North as an ornamental plant. A 
correspondent at Port Gibson, Miss., 
writes that it is there called “ Buffalo 
Cane,” and that it is successfully used 
on hill-sides and elsewhere to prevent 
the land from being washed away. 
Cattle are fond of the leaves. It grows 
wild in some parts of Texas. 
The Green Fly and Fed Spider. 
The letters of our correspondents 
indicate that those plant pests, the 
Green Fly and Red Spider are, as usual, 
causing trouble among the house plants. There 
is not much difficulty in getting rid of them, if 
they are taken in time, but it is often the case 
that the growth of the plant is checked and its 
vitality impaired before the cause of the trouble 
is discovered. The Green Fly as it is called by 
florists, also known as plant louse, is an Aphis. 
There may be several species found in our plant 
collections, but as far as the cultivator is con¬ 
cerned, they are the same both in their effects 
and in the means used in destroying them. 
Those who have but a few window plants 
which they think enough of to inspect very 
frequently, need never be troubled with the 
Green Fly, as its first appearance will be noticed 
and the insects may be readily removed by 
means of a brush. A rather limber tooth brush 
will answer. They may also be removed by 
the application of an infusion of tobacco, or by 
the use of soap-suds in which a portion of aloes 
has been dissolved. Both surfaces of the leaves 
must be wetted by these preparations, which 
may be conveniently accomplished by dipping; 
afterwards they are washed with water. Tobac¬ 
co smoke is very efficacious in destroying the 
insects. Florists give their collections a thor¬ 
ough smoking every week or twice a week, and 
thus prevent the insect from establishing 
itself. A few shavings are placed on the brick 
walk of the green-house, lighted, and covered 
with dampened tobacco stems, such as are 
thrown out by the cigar makers. Any other 
means that will cause the tobacco to burn slowly 
with a great deal of smoke, will answer. The 
smoking is done just at night, and the house 
kept shut up tight until morning. A modifica¬ 
tion of this plan can be practiced upon a few 
plants or a single one. If there is a small room 
which can be used for this purpose, the plants 
may be placed in it, and smoke made by placing 
a few coals in an iron vessel or large flower-pot, 
and putting on the tobacco. Care must be taken 
that the tobacco does not burst into a flame, as 
this would injure or destroy the plants. A sin¬ 
gle plant or two may be placed under a tight 
box, a barrel or any extemporized cover that 
SMOKE TUBE. 
