14:4c 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[April, 
All of the new growth, however, does not start 
close to the base of the old canes, as at c , but 
an underground stem will push out to a distance 
of several feet from the old plant before it seeks 
the surface, hence the patch that was regularly 
planted at first will, if neglected, grow up into 
a tangled thicket. In dressing up an old plan¬ 
tation, all plants not in the rows should be 
DIAGRAM OF BLACKBERRY PLANT. 
grubbed up, all caues that have fruited be cut 
away, and if at a stool there are more than three 
or four of last year’s canes (b), let them be re¬ 
duced to this number, and these should be se¬ 
cured to a stake or other support. In making 
a new plantation we take plants that have come 
up at a distance from the main stool. These 
will consist of a cane that grew last year, ivith 
one or more strong buds, like c, at its base. If 
this be set out just as it is taken up, the cane 
will bear a little fruit, 
but at the expense of 
the future welfare of 
the plant. After hav¬ 
ing been disturbed, 
the whole strength 
of the plant is needed 
to develop the buds 
(c) into strong canes 
to bear another year. 
Hence in transplant¬ 
ing always cutoif the 
cane (b) near to the 
ground, leaving only 
enough of it to allow 
of the convenient 
handling of the root. 
If left to themselves, 
blackberry canes will 
often grow eight or 
ten feet high and be 
out of reach and top- 
heavy. This is avoid¬ 
ed by stopping the 
cane during the grow¬ 
ing season, as soon as 
k reaches the highfc 
of five or six feet. A pinching out of the ten¬ 
der growing point will do this. In a short time 
side branches will push out vigorously, and these, 
when they are about a foot and a half long, are 
to have their growth stopped by' pinching in 
the same manner. Tiie result will be a low, 
compact, well-branched bush instead of the long 
straggling things we so often see. All shoots 
tfhat come up where they are not wanted are 
t® be treated as weeds and exterminated. 
The Carolina or Yellow Jessamine. 
Those who write upon the beauty of spring 
in the Southern States are eloquent in the 
praise of the Yellow Jessamine. It is a plant 
well calculated to excite enthusiasm, as it grows 
in such abundance, festoons the trees and shrubs 
so gracefully, is so brilliant in both foliage and 
flowers, and is withal so fragrant, that it is sure 
to attract the attention of the most indifferent. 
It grows from Eastern Virginia to Florida and 
westward. The engraving of a small spray 
here given is from a water-color drawing by 
M. Camille Le Hardy, of Augusta, Ga., an ama¬ 
teur artist and great lover of native plants. 
The leaves are variable in size, and are often 
much larger than here represented; they 
are thick, shining, and almost evergreen. 
The flowers are 
from an inch to an 
inch and a half long, 
of the shape shown in 
the engraving, and are 
borne in small clusters 
in the axils of the 
leaves. The color is 
bright yellow, and the 
almost overpowering fragrance is similar to that 
of the Jessamine. The plant is not very closely 
related to the true Jessamine, but belongs to the 
Logania Family, of which we have another 
highly ornamental representative in the Pink- 
Root ( Spigelia ). Its botanical name is Gelsemium 
sempervirens. Gelsemino is the Italian name 
for Jessamine, and the Jessamine-like odor of 
our plant led to its application as a generic 
name. Linnaeus called it a Bignonici, and it 
does resemble a Trumpet-creeper in general ap¬ 
pearance. Of late years the root of Gelsemium 
has been largely used in medicine. It is said 
that a Southern gentleman being ill with fever 
sent his negro servant to dig some roots of a 
tive so powerful that it ranks among the most 
active medicines, and is in large doses a dan¬ 
gerous poison. It is said that the odor of the 
flowers affects sensitive persons unpleasantly, 
producing stupor. As an ornamental plant, 
the Gelsemium is worthy of the attention of 
cultivators, as it would be a fine thing to run 
upon the rafters of a cool greenhouse, and it 
makes a very pleasing wdndow plant. We have 
housed our plant in winter, but propose to try 
whether it would not, with proper protection, 
endure the winter in the open ground. 
How the Tomato Premium was Won. 
Mr. E. T. Renwick, of Hew Jersey, to whom 
Col. Waring paid his premium of $100 for the 
Carolina jessamine. —(Gelsemium sempervirens.) 
plant that he had been accustomed to use when 
ill. Some roots were brought, and a tea was 
made which the patient took. It came near 
being his last dose, as he became unconscious, 
and had all the symptoms of narcotic poisoning. 
Upon investigating the matter, it was found 
that the servant had dug the roots of Gelsemium 
instead of the plant he was directed to get. 
This accident led to the investigation of the 
olant, and it was found to be a nervous seda¬ 
MANURING TOMATO PLANTS. 
largest and best Trophy Tomato of 1872, has 
communicated to us his method of cultivation: 
“ After the plants are set out, I put down in the 
alternate spaces between the plants, an inverted 
T ofl* inch drain-tile, and I add a short piece 
of tile at each end of the T, so as to reach the 
vicinity of the centers of the roots of the plants 
at each side. A section of the bed thus pre¬ 
pared would have the appearance of the annexed 
illustration. Whenever the ground is sufficient¬ 
ly dry to permit watering, a funnel is inserted 
in the open end of the T, and liquid manure 
is poured in, the article which I use being 
the sewage of my house, which is collected 
in a tank for such purposes. This system 
of watering obviates 
the caking of the 
ground at the surface, 
while it causes the 
plants to grow with 
extraordinary vigor. 
I have a bed of three 
dozen Bourbon, Noi¬ 
sette, and Tea roses, 
treated in this man¬ 
ner, and the vigor and 
abundarme of bloom 
are such as to surprise 
all who see them. 
In December, the 
rose-bushes are loaded 
down and covered 
with vigorous leaves, 
and they are very 
much more satisfac¬ 
tory than if they were 
taken up every fall.” 
This certainly is a 
very simple plan, 
which may readily 
be tried by any one 
who can get even 
a piece of old tin leader. The idea of in¬ 
troducing sewage water in this manner about 
the roots of the plants is not entirely original, 
though the application of it is so. The earth- 
closet people have for some time recommended 
that house sewage be distributed through lawns 
or in fruit borders by the use of draining-tile, 
placed ten or twelve inches below the surface, 
and we know of several instances in which 
this plan of manuring is in satisfactory use, 
