1870.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
101 
The California Pitcher Plant— {Darling¬ 
tonia Galifornica.) 
Among the many new plants which have 
been found by the explorers of the Pacific coast, 
none is more interesting than the Darlingtonia. 
It is strikingly curious in its appearance, and in 
the structure of its leaves and flowers ; but be¬ 
yond all this, a peculiar interest attaches to the 
plant, as commemorating one whom no botanist 
mentions without coupling with his 
name some endearing expression—the late 
Dr. William Darlington, of West Chester, 
Pa. Allowing the engraving to save us 
any extended description of the plant, 
we will briefly give the history of its 
discovery, which is interesting, as it 
shows how long plants may be known 
to science, before they make their way 
into collections of living specimens. In 
1842, Mr. J. D. Brackenridge, one of the 
botanists of the U. S. Exploring Expedi¬ 
tion under Capt. Wilkes, found, near 
Shasta Peak, the leaves and remains of 
a seed-pod of the plant, which were sent 
home in the collections of the expedition. 
From these fragments but little could be 
determined. In 1850, Doct. G. W. Ilulse, 
of New Orleans, in passing over the same 
locality, came across the plant in flower, 
and sent dried specimens to Doct. Tor- 
rey, who determined it to be a new 
genus, which he dedicated to Doct, Dar¬ 
lington, and of which he published an 
account in the Smithsonian Contribution 
to Knowledge in 1853, accompanied by 
a plate showing its botanical characters. 
Every botanist holds it an honor to have 
. a genus bear his name, and Dr. Darling¬ 
ton was delighted, that so rare and cu¬ 
rious a plant should be called after him. 
The West Chester Bank was remarkable 
for having at one time a botanist in both 
its President and Cashier. The interior 
of the banking room was neatl\ r frescoed, 
and over the door of the President’s 
room was a painting of the Darlingtonia , 
and over that of Mr. Townsend, the 
Cashier, was one of a Townsendia. The 
Doctor had already had two other plants 
dedicated to him, which upon further in¬ 
vestigation proved not to be good genera, 
and he was naturally solicitous about the 
permanence of the present one. We well 
recollect with what earnestness the old 
gentleman, then nearly 75, asked, “Do 
^ou think it will stand ?” Some six years 
ago, Prof. Wm. H. Brewer, then acting 
as botanist to the California Geological Survey, 
found the Darlingtonia and sent home an 
abundance of seeds, which were distributed 
to various parties. They germinated, in some 
cases, but the young plants proved to be very shy, 
and none ever attained any considerable size. 
In the spring of 1869, some living plants were 
sent to Doct. Torrey, which were placed in the 
hands of several florists, neither of whom suc¬ 
ceeded in making them grow. During the past 
summer, its successful cultivation was announc¬ 
ed in England, and the present winter, plants 
were received from the same person who sent in 
the spring. Having come by the Pacific Rail¬ 
road, they arrived in fine condition, and through 
the kindness of Doct. Torrey, we are in posses¬ 
sion of the plant, which enables us to give the 
engraving, as far as the foliage is concerned, the 
flowers being taken from the Smithsonian plate. 
Its resemblance to our common Pitcher plant 
(Sarracenia) will be seen at once, and it is still 
more like one which grows in the Southern 
States. The top of each pitcher, which, when 
full grown, is about 30 inches long, is arched 
over, with the orifice below; the curious fisli-tail- 
like appendage, which is the leaf proper, gives 
it a quaint look. Each of the pitchers is twisted 
about half a turn upon itself. The veining is 
very distinct; near the top, especially in the 
older leaves, the pitcher is purplish, with sev¬ 
eral nearly white dots. The flowers, but one 
California pitcher plant— (Darlingtonia Californica, 
of which is borne upon a stem, are about an 
inch and a half in diameter, and pale purple. 
- ■■■a ^ pw ►—- 
Fruit for the North-west—1st Article. 
BY OUR SPECIAL IOWA CONTRIBUTOR. 
Ten years ago, when I first came to Iowa from 
New England, and began at once to set out apple 
trees, I was laughed at for my verdancy. “Apples 
won’t do nothing in Iowa,”—said my faithless 
neighbors. “ Why not ?”—I asked. “ Oh, ’cause 
they won’t,”—was the laconic and logical reply. 
Not being able to comprehend this argument, I 
continued to set out trees. What is the result? 
Simply this: that my apple orchard is by far 
the most valuable and productive piece of land 
of its size upon my farm, and is already, at 
eight years of age, furnishing me with an abund¬ 
ance of delicious, healthful fruit. What think 
Iowa farmers to-day of the practicability of rais¬ 
ing their own apples ? One can hardly travel 
half a dozen miles in any direction in early 
spring, without seeing as many loads of trees 
direct from the nursery, destined for the farm¬ 
ers’orchards; and the general expression is “We 
will soon have one of the greatest apple pro¬ 
ducing States in the Union.” It has already 
been clearly demonstrated, that with reasonable 
care, apples will succeed admirably through¬ 
out the State ; and while this article will be de¬ 
voted mainly to the consideration of ap¬ 
ple culture, many of its suggestions will 
be applicable to the management of other 
fruits as well. “We do not gather grapes 
from thorns, or figs from thistles;” why 
expect to gather apples from trees “ short- 
ened-in” by cattle, and “root pruned” 
by hogs ? Why expect results from 
apple trees so different from anything 
else? When we give to fruit one-half 
the attention, and bestow upon it one-half 
the care we do upon other crops, and then 
fail, it will be tyne to charge its failure 
upon the soil and climate; but, until 
then, let us not make either the scape¬ 
goats of our own shiftlessness, or neg¬ 
ligence. Success, then, in apple culture, 
as in everything else, depends upon cer¬ 
tain conditions. These conditions met, and 
we are sure to succeed. The climate is 
right, the soil is right, or at least so near¬ 
ly so, as to make success attainable in ev¬ 
ery part of our State; and it is safe to 
say there is not a county or a town¬ 
ship within its borders, in which apples 
may not be easily and profitably raised. 
Plat for an Apple Orchard.— Any 
piece of ground that can be drained so as 
to be suitable for corn, may safely be 
made use of for an apple orchard; and 
yet I would prefer oak land, or rolling 
prairie, if I had it. Not having such, I 
set my orchard on the level prairies, and 
have never seen trees do better. The first 
step in starting an orchard is a suitable 
Preparation of the Ground to re¬ 
ceive the trees. To this end, plow deep¬ 
ly in the fall, and if the land is ridgy, or 
poor, put under a heavy coat of manure, 
and the more wood-ashes (if the land is 
rolling) the better; if level, turn under a 
heavy coat of horse manure, and set the 
trees as high as the natural surface; ridg¬ 
ing up to them in cultivating, so as to 
leave a dead furrow for drainage be- 
==- tweeu the rows, at least two feet below 
the collar of the tree. Trees should be 
taken from the nursery in the fall, and 
“lieeled-in” thoroughly, in dry, warm soil, ready 
for early spring setting. Just here, let me 
caution all to deal with none but reliable nur¬ 
serymen, who have reputations which they can¬ 
not afford to lose. Leave alone tree'peddlers. If 
you know it, don’t buy a tree whose root has been 
divided and sub-divided until there is no vitality 
left in it. One root for one tree is evidently the 
design of nature, and she has kindly provided 
the means, if properly used, to furnish all crea¬ 
tion with whole roots in abundance. Some slow 
growing varieties, like the Northern Spy, may 
endure this outrage of division ; but others of 
more rapid growth, like the Yellow Bellflower, 
will not. See to it, that you get trees that have 
been grafted upon whole roots ; and while you 
are in the nursery looking to this, see to it, also, 
that you get trees with low-spreading tops, with 
sound, healthy bark, and a thrifty appearance. 
See, too, that they are carefully taken up, with 
a good supply of fibrous roots. A little care 
