384 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[OCTOBER, 
■wish to speak of a species 
from Japan that is de¬ 
stined to be exceedingly 
popular, and we think 
it proper that it should 
receive the common name 
of Japan Creeper. It hav¬ 
ing been introduced into 
cultivation by Mr. Yielch 
it was called Ampelopsis 
Vielchii, a name by which 
it is known in the nursery 
catalogues, but this will 
probably have to give way 
to an older name, Am¬ 
pelopsis tricuspidcda. The 
foliage is cpiite unlike that 
of our native species, in 
which the leaves are five- 
parted ; in this they are 
more or less heart-shaped 
and varying considerably. 
Some of the lower ones 
are three and five-lobed, 
while those on the upper 
part of the vine are often 
not lobed at all. They are 
about two inches across 
and somewhat longer. 
The color of the Virginia 
Creeper is a yellowish 
green, but in the Japan 
species the green is dark¬ 
er and bluish, with some¬ 
thing of a metallic luster. 
The plant is remarkably 
well furnished with leaves, 
that overlap one another 
and make the densest 
imaginable covering of 
foliage. Like our native 
species it attaches itself by 
means of tendrils that have 
sucker-like disks at their 
extremities, and it clings 
with great firmness. It 
is put forth as a claim of 
this creeper that it clings 
to wood as well as to stone or brick, but we 
think there are few cases in which it is desir¬ 
able to have a plant attach itself permanently 
to a wooden structure. The toliage has a neat¬ 
ness and air of refinement that makes it a most 
suitable plant for the commits to a veranda, 
and it is not less 
suited for the cover¬ 
ing of large spaces. 
Like our native spe¬ 
cies, this in autumn 
taxes on the most 
brilliant colors. Be¬ 
ing perfectly hardy, 
it possesses every 
desirable quality to 
commend it, except 
to those who de¬ 
mand fine flowers as 
well as fine foliage, 
for, as in our own 
creeper, the flowers of 
this are not showy. 
The largest spe¬ 
cimen of the Japan 
Creeper that we have 
seen is at Wellesley, near Boston, the seat of 
Mr. Hunnewell, where it nearly covers the 
gate lodge with a dense veil of foliage. It is 
also to be seen in very fine condition at Prof. 
C. S. Sargent’s place at Brookline, draping the 
stone columns of the veranda in a most grace¬ 
ful manner. Prof. S. writes: “I like it more 
and more every time Hook at it, and hope be¬ 
fore many years to see it as common as our 
own Creeper.” The climate of Boston and 
vicinity is considered as a trying one for exot¬ 
ics, and a plant that flourishes there is likely to 
do well almost anywhere. The engraving gives 
the extremity of a shoot of the natural size. 
The older leaves are considerably larger than 
those represented. The young growth as it 
pushes out, feeling for a place where it may 
attach itself, is especially delicate and tender. 
To save answering questions, we may state that 
our principal nurserymen offer plants—under 
the name of AmpelopsisVictchii —for twenty-five 
or fifty cents each, according to size. 
---» - * 
A Barreling Press. 
Whenever we have had anything to say 
about barreling fruit, we have insisted upon 
the importance of so packing it that it cannot 
move and become bruised in transportation. 
In Mr. Ilelfrich’s articles upon packing produce 
for market he has spoken of the necessity of firm 
packing not only for fruit but for eggs. When 
fruit is barreled, the barrel should be so filled 
that a moderate pressure will be required to 
bring the head into its place. A few of the 
apples, etc., next the head may be slightly flat¬ 
tened upon one side, but the rest of the con¬ 
tents will be kept from injury. The necessary 
pressure is applied in various ways. The 
simplest is to use a joist or other stick of tim¬ 
ber for a lever. One end of this is placed in a 
notch in a post, or under a cleat nailed to a 
post or an old tree, as a fulcrum. The barrel 
is placed under the lever near the fulcrum, and 
power applied by a man pressing on the oppo¬ 
site end of the lever. Some blocks of wood 
will be needed for followers to place between 
the head of the barrel and the lever. A press 
of this kind will answer every purpose, but it 
is clumsy and unhandy. Several portable 
presses or clamps have been invented and pat¬ 
ented, consisting essentially of a platform on 
which to stand the barrel; to this are fixed two 
upright iron rods, which are attached above to 
j a cross-piece, in the center of which is a screw; 
! the barrel being placed under the screw with 
the necessary followers, a few turns brings the 
head into place. Mr. Helfrich uses a still more 
simple press, which is shown in the engraving. 
There are two iron rods, one end of each of 
which is turned to form a claw to catch under 
the bottom of the barrel. The other ends of 
these rods are fastened to the ends of a bar that 
is bent at right angles, which we may call the 
handle of the affair. There is a strong cross¬ 
head which has a short rod at each end. The 
lower ends of these rods are also attached to 
the handle but a few inches distant from the 
ends where the other rods are attached. The 
working of the press will be readily understood 
from the engraving; the claws catch under the 
lower edge of the barrel, and the cross-piece, 
with a follower, goes across the head of the 
barrel; when it is put on the handle is upright, 
as shown in figure 1. It will be seen that by 
bringing down the handle a powerful leverage 
is exerted, the rods, which are caught by their 
claws under the bottom of the barrel, acting 
as fulcrums. The operator regulates the pres¬ 
sure by his foot, while his hands are free to 
fasten in the head, as shown in figure 2. This 
press has the advantage of being light, all in 
one piece, and doing its work with a single mo* 
Fig. 2.— THE PRESS IN USE. 
tion. Mr. Helfrich informs us that this very 
handy contrivance is not patented. 
