AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
307 
stantly undergoing renewal by cell-development 
at the back-part; and when it remains undis- 
solved, as in many water-plants, it becomes very 
large ; when it undergoes decomposition in pro¬ 
portion as it is renewed behind, it presents an 
irregular ragged appearance, which probably gave 
rise to the idea of a spongy structure at the end 
of the rootlets. 
In like manner Messrs. Garreau and Brauwers 
find that the ends of roots undergo a process of 
exfoliation, (throwing off scales) the rapidity of 
which depends upon the peculiar constitution of 
the species, and the temperature and moisture to 
which it is exposed. This exfoliation is connect¬ 
ed with the formation of new tissue in the midst 
of a viscous matter, beneath skins or hoods of 
epidermis which are eventually thrown off.” 
New-Rochelle Blackberry.—Seed for 
Distribution. 
We are glad to see, in our advertising columns 
of last number, a great reduction in the price of 
New-Rochelle blackberry plants this year. Only 
a few years since we paid 50 cents per plant, and 
would do the same now, rather than be without 
them ; but good, strong rooted plants are now 
offered at $6 per 100. [It should be understood 
'hat ^New-Rochelle" and "Lawton 1 ' are synony¬ 
mous names of the same plant. The name Law- 
ton was not, in our opinion, either justly or legit¬ 
imately applied.] This variety of the blackberry 
has been so long and thoroughly tried and prov¬ 
ed, and is so valuable, that we desire to see it 
everywhere introduced among our readers. By 
the wav, we met Mr. Seymour Sept. 8th, and he 
informed ns. that up to that date they had pick¬ 
ed over 500 bushels of berries on the 3£ acres we 
referred to last month (page 276). 
We advise Fall planting—at anytime after the 
leaves wither. If set at this season, they get 
established in the ground, and in Spring send up 
larger canes for the next year’s bearing. In very 
cold localities, say north of latitude 45°, and 
even south of that, in high bleak situations, it 
may he safer to wait until Spring, but not else¬ 
where, as a general thing. The plants are seldom 
injured by frost; those full grown are often 
broken down by snow, which should be guarded 
against. 
Raising from Seed. —Blackberries like other 
fruits, sport when raised from seed, and there is 
no certainty of getting the same variety ; yet the 
nlackberry appears to sport very little. In all 
cases, where practicable, we advise to propagate 
by the roots ; but in remote localities where it is 
not possible to get rooted plants without great 
risk, trouble, and expense, and in such cases only, 
we think*it well “worth while to plant some oftlie 
seed. The probability is that the true New-Ro- 
chelle, or a very similar variety may be obtained, 
though this can not certainly he depended upon. 
There will be a chance of getting a plant or two 
of even a better variety. To provide for our sub¬ 
scribers on the Pacific Coast, and in other remote 
Territories, we have secured a limited supply of 
the true New-Ilochelle blackberry seed, which 
we shall offer in small parcels in our free Seed 
Distribution for next year—to be announced next 
month. 
The Bedfordshire Prize Cucumber, the seed 
oi which we distributed last Spring, appears to 
be much liked so far as we have heard from it. 
A subscriber in Columbia County, N. Y., Mr. P. 
F. Cady, sent us in a specimen raised from seed, 
received from the Agriculturist office, which 
measures nearly twenty inches in length and 11 
inches in circumference ; and this he says is the 
usual size of such as are left to mature. 
Rhubarb. 
This vegetable is fast gaining favor among far¬ 
mers and gardeners, the growing demand for 
marketing rendering its cultivation quite profita¬ 
ble. The modern varieties, Linnaeus, and Victo¬ 
ria, are very unlike the small, tough, and stringy 
stalks of old sorts. It is one of the earliest veg¬ 
etables of Spring, and comes in just as the apples 
have nearly disappeared ; it also continues in 
cooking condition all Summer, and furnishes a 
fine Winter dish when put up in air-tight cans or 
bottles. Just now is the best time to set out the 
roots, or crowns of rhubarb, so that they may 
push into growth at the first opening of Spring. 
Make the ground rich and mellow, and set out 
roots four feet apart. Add a mulch of coarse 
manure, late in the Fall, to partially protect them 
from hard freezing, and cause them to start ear¬ 
lier in the Spring. Those who think rhubarb is 
too acid for health, or requires too great a draft 
upon the sugar-bowl, can add say, one teaspoonful 
of saleratus or soda to sufficient pie-plant for 
two pies. The alkali of the soda neutralizes 
much of the acid of the plant, so that less sugar 
is needed. The flavor of the sauce or pie is also 
improved, for those who are not fond of tart 
sweetmeats. 
-- —a -^-B Trr— -- 
Plant an Asparagus Bed—It Pays. 
We actually know a man who had nearly bar¬ 
gained for a farm some ten years since, but the 
fact that lie found no asparagus bed in the gar¬ 
den was the make-weight which induced him to 
give up the purchase, and buy another where 
this, to him indispensable, luxury was in vigorous 
growth. This may be a rare case, but if two 
farms were lying side by side, alike in all re¬ 
spects except that one had a large bed of vigor¬ 
ous asparagus growing, and the other none, the 
former would he chosen at once by any one ac¬ 
customed to this vegetable. It is a real luxury 
in Spring to be able to cut a daily supply of as¬ 
paragus, when most articles of food are of the 
dry kind. Let us try figures : A large family dish 
of fresh home-grown asparagus is certainly wortii 
12 cents at the very lowest estimate. This on 
every other day fortwo months, amounts to $3.60, 
which is equal to a good interest on $50. But a 
capital bed of asparagus, large enough for any 
family, will not cost $5, preparation, manure,and 
labor, included. Figures won't lie. 
Some oftlie books and newspaper 11 directions ” 
make the preparation of an asparagus bed a labo¬ 
rious, tedious, costly affair. This is nonsense, 
we well know by more than one trial. You can 
spend as much time and money as you like on 
such a bed, but the following is all that is ordi¬ 
narily needed. Select a piece of fair soil—not 
too heavy—where it will not be necessary 
to disturb it by plowing. It may be of any shape, 
long, square, or round for that matter. The size 
may vary from one square rod to three or four— 
the larger the better if your neighbors have no 
home supply. An old bed 20 feet square supplies 
our large household, and some to spare 
Spade the ground this month (Oct.) 18 inches 
or more deep, digging in a coating of four to six 
inches of stable manure. No matter how many 
bones, old shoes, rags, etc., find their way into the 
bottom. Rake the surface and the bed is ready. 
Get from a nurseryman, or seed dealer, some 
two-year-old roots ; they cost 75 cents to $1 per 
hundred hereabouts. Plant these about one foot 
| apart each way, covering the crown or head of 
each, say 4 inches below the surface. Smooth off 
the bed and it is ready to he drawn upon for half 
a century, more or less. If made in Autumn, it 
will yield very well a year from the Spring follow¬ 
ing, and grows better as it grows older. 
If roots can be obtained, it will save a yearoi 
two in time, but, at remote points, any one may 
raise the roots from seed sown in Spring on a 
warm dry bed of soil, and transplant the roots in 
Autumn of the next year. We this year cut large 
stalks from seed sown three years ago, in a drill 
along the border of an old bed. They were not 
transplanted. Fair stalks were obtained last year. 
In Autumn it is well to spread two to five inch¬ 
es of manure over the asparagus bed arid spade it 
in very early in Spring. This protects the roots, 
hastens the growth, and enriches the plot. 
The Vinegar Plant. 
To the Editor of the American Agriculturist : 
Mrs. M. J. S . in the Agriculturist for August, 
asks what the Vinr.crar Plant is. I answer, it is 
a peculiar state of a kind of Mold-Fungus. The 
Vinegar Plant is the same as the Ferment-Plant, 
that is, the plant of Yeast. As it grows in ihe 
molasses (or any other sugary or farinaceous mat¬ 
ter) it somehow turns the latter into alcohol, that 
into aldehyde, and that into Vinegar. If we wish 
to make beer instead of Vinegar, we have only 
to make the fermentation take place slower, and 
m a cooler temperature, and to stop ii at the first 
of these stages. 
In turning the sugar into alcohol, carbonic acid 
gas is given off, that is, the sugar is decom¬ 
posed into alcohol and carbonic acid ; the latter 
makes the beer frothy and pungent 
When we add the yeast to dough, the Yeast- 
Plant grows, lurns some of the starch into sugar, 
and decomposes that, into alcohol and carbonic 
acid, and the minute bubbles of the carbonic 
acid gas, entangled in the dough, expand with 
the warmth, and still more with the heat of the 
oven in baking, and fill the bread with pores 
and cavities, i.e., make the bread light. 
It has lately been ascertained that the Vine¬ 
gar Plant, or Yeast-Plant, is only a peculiar 
state of the common Bread-mold. The mold on 
old bread or other farinaceous matter is only the 
Yeast-plant going to seed. G. 
--> - -■««»•-- •--- 
The Verbena a Uative. 
To the Editor of the Avierican Agriculturist . 
From your article in the September Agricultur 
ist, on the history of the Verbena, I infer that it 
is not generally known to be a native of the Uni¬ 
ted States. I think there has been some dispute 
about who is entitled to the credit of having in¬ 
troduced, or imported the Verbena. It is growing 
wild in great abundance on the hills of this vicin¬ 
ity. Some of our botanists say there are three 
distinct varieties oftlie wild Verbena here. I atm 
not certain that I have seen more than one, s 
specimen of which, I herewith enclose to you 
[Specimen received is a genuine Verbena —Ed.’ 
We have a great profusion of most beautifu. 
flowers in tin's region, many of them choice va¬ 
rieties which at the East I have only seen culti¬ 
vated in gardens. ’There are at least four varie¬ 
ties of Phlox growing wild here, as beautiful as 1 
have ever seen. 
There seems to be a great passion now-a-days 
for foreign, or imported articles, sometimes, nc 
doubt, to the neglect of equally choice varieties 
of natives. I hope that the Verbena will not de 
preciate materially in value when it become! 
known that it is a native American. 
St. Louis Co., Mo. L - D - Morse. 
