116 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
stiff and cold, and ex¬ 
hausted by other crops, 
then proceed as follows : 
Begin at one end of the 
proposed bed, and take off 
the top soil one spade 
deep and four feet square, 
and carry the same to 
the other end. Spread 
over this uncovered spot, 
a compost of old manure 
and rotted weeds or 
muck from the woods, 
and spade it down, and 
mix all thoroughly to¬ 
gether. Then uncover 
four feet more, throwing 
the top soil over the part 
already manured. Ma¬ 
nure the uncovered soil 
as before, and so pro¬ 
ceed the whole length of 
the bed : on reaching the 
end you will find use for 
the top soil taken off at 
the beginning. If now, 
the top soil is not rich 
enough, or is too hard 
and sterile, apply a dress¬ 
ing of fine compost, or 
sand and wood-earth and 
ashes, mixing the whole 
thoroughly. Then level 
off and lay out the beds 
four feet wide, and as 
long as your space de¬ 
mands. Three beds, of 
that width and fourteen 
feet long, will supply an 
ordinary family and their 
cousins, with an abun¬ 
dance. Set three rows in 
each bed, and let the 
plants be eighteen inches 
apart in the rows. Mulch 
the ground between the 
plants with tan-bark or 
straw. If the weather is 
dry for several weeks af¬ 
ter planting, give an oc¬ 
casional watering. Keep 
the runners clipped, and 
the weeds—let none be 
seen. You may be tempted to let the plants bear 
fruit the first year; but this will only weaken 
them and prevent a bountiful crop the second 
season. The very best way is to keep down all 
the runners, and to pinch off every blossom the 
first year. 
As to the best varieties, it is no easy matter to 
decide, where there are so many excellent sorts; 
but the following may be relied on as certainly 
good: 
Staminatc sorts: Wilson’s Albany, Long- 
worth’s Prolific, Hooker, and Large Early Scarlet. 
Pistillates: Hovey’s Seedling, McAvoy’s Supe¬ 
rior, Burr’s New Pine, Black Prince, Crimson 
Cone. 
Some of the above are regarded in certain quar¬ 
ters as hermaphrodite, viz.; Longworth’s Pro¬ 
lific, Hooker, and Wilson’s Albany. 
The staminates and pistillates may be set to¬ 
gether in the same bed ; but it is better to keep 
them in separate patches. If they are within six 
or eight feet of each other, the pistillate plants 
will be sufficiently fertilized. * 
The Traveler’s Tree, 
Rev. Mr. Philips who went out to Madagascar 
in the employment of the London Missionary So¬ 
ciety, has written a work descriptive of that 
country. He took with him photographic appa¬ 
ratus, and obtained exact pictures of many trees 
and other objects. One of the trees, called the 
Traveler's Tree, pictured and described by him, is 
so unique, so striking, and withal so new and 
wonderful, that we have deemed it worth while 
to re-engrave it for the Agriculturist, especially 
as the book has not been yet republished in this 
country. 
The engraving gives the general form and 
structure of the tree which is in itself a gorgeous 
specimen of tropical vegetation, and adds a strik¬ 
ing feature to the landscape where it grows. The 
most remarkable thing about it, however, is the 
fact that it furnishes a large supply of pure water 
in the very driest season, even when grow¬ 
ing upon the most arid sandy plain. From this 
boon of fresh pure water, afforded to the thirsty 
traveler, it derived its 
name. The water fur¬ 
nished by it is said to be 
of such excellent quality 
that the natives of Mad¬ 
agascar, where it grows 
abundantly, resort to it 
in preference to going 
but a little distance fur¬ 
ther for supplies from the 
stream. 
The leaves, which fur¬ 
nish the fluid, are each 
from four to six feet 
long, and about two feet 
broad, and they are at¬ 
tached to the body by a 
stalk six or eight feet 
long, and of proportion¬ 
ate thickness, each tree 
having from fifteen to 
twenty-four leaves. The 
base of each leaf-stalk 
contains a reservoir of 
water, holding a quart o* 
more, which is drawn 
out by the natives by 
striking a spear or other 
sharp-pointed instrument 
four or five inches deep 
into the stalk near its 
junction with the trunk 
of the tree, when the 
water flows out freely 
The main stem of the 
tree is thick and succu¬ 
lent, resembling a plan 
tain tree, rising some¬ 
times thirty feet high 
andsendingofl'the leaves 
from each side of the 
top of the stem. As the 
leaves increase in num¬ 
ber and size, they extend 
horizontally and droop at 
the end, thus giving the 
tree the appearance of a 
gigantic fan, with a very 
long handle. 
Inhabiting, as we do, a 
land flowing with living 
streams, where nearly 
every hill-side has its 
sparkling spring, and 
each valley its winding brook, and where even in 
the cities the indispensable element is taught to 
follow the tangled streets and enter each dwelling, 
we can hardly appreciate the boon bestowed by 
Providence upon less favored regions by such a 
gift as the Traveler’s Tree. 
Mr. Philips thinks the name “ Builder's tree ” 
would be even more appropriate than its present 
title. The enormous leaves are used to thatch 
all the houses on the eastern side of the island , 
the leaf-stalks furnish materials for constructing 
the partitions, and even the sides of the house ; 
and the hard bark enclosing the stem, is stripped 
off, beaten out flat, and laid for flooring—the 
pieces often being eighteen inches wide, and from 
twenty to thirty feet long. The dusky house¬ 
keepers of Madagascar also make portions of the 
green leaves serve the purposes of wrapping-paper, 
table cloths, dishes, plates, spoons, and drinking 
vessels. 
Were it not for the high character of Mr. Phil¬ 
ips, and of the Society sending him out, we might 
be inclined to think the Traveler's Tree received 
