AMERICAN ACRIOULTURIST. 
[June, 
common meadow, three years ago, in West¬ 
chester County. They have nej/'er had any 
special care, apparently; they stand in sward 
land, and yet for three years 
in succession, they have 
borne abundant crops. A 
cow-pasture seedling could 
not be more hardy, or bear 
with more uniformity. This 
variety, we are told, does 
very well at Ncav Haven, 
and is comparatively worth¬ 
less at Hartford. This de¬ 
pends, we suppose, not at 
all upon treatment or cul¬ 
ture, but upon the original 
character of the soil. The 
Paradise d’Automne, the 
Muskingum, the St. Ghis- 
lain, pears of exquisite 
flavor, are quite as success¬ 
ful with us as the Bartlett. 
In soil that suits them, with¬ 
out any special manipula¬ 
tion or culture, we think 
they can be grown with as 
much uniformity and in as 
large quantity. This, we 
think, is true of many other 
pears of the first quality. 
Farmers, and beginners in 
fruit culture, should not be 
discouraged from trying to 
grow the best varieties, by 
the idea that they require 
specially nice treatment. 
They will do better with 
this than without it, as the 
Bartlett will, but they are 
quite as likely to succeed 
with ordinary care. The 
best are quite as likely to 
succeed in jmur soil and 
climate as inferior varieties. 
Therefore, plant them. A great deal of horti¬ 
cultural writing is an account of local experience, 
valuable as far as it goes, but it should be dis¬ 
tinctly stated that they are only individual opin¬ 
ions. Ho one man is able to lay down rules 
for the whole extent of this vast country. 
ago, from our contemporary of the Gardeners’ 
Monthly, and have practiced it so successfully, 
that we Avonder we did not think of it ourselves. 
Tim nuTciniAN’s inim {^AHstolocMa ,SijAio.) 
The Dutchman’s ^i-pe—{Aristoloc7iui Sipho.) 
Propagation by Layers. 
Many plants are multiplied in this Avay more 
readily than in any other. Indeed, there are 
some plants that will make natural layers with¬ 
out any help, as they put out roots whenever 
the joints of the prostrate branches come in 
contact with the soil. Among our herbaceous 
plants, the Verbena and squash are familiar 
illustrations.^ Most of our climbing plants are 
readily multiplied in this way, and one can in¬ 
crease his stock of Wistarias, Honeysuckles 
etc., very rapidly, to say nothing of the Grape 
a plant notoriously of easy propagation by 
layers. With many of our shrubs, such as the 
Wiegela, the present season’s growth may be 
layered as soon as it gets firm, as may that of 
roses and many others. Give Avell prepared 
soil, and if there is likely to be suffering from 
drouth, put over a mulch. Moss is excellent 
for this purpose, and a large flat stone is not bad. 
The necessity for making a cut in the part 
layered, will depend upon the facility with 
which the plant forms roots. If a cut is to be 
made, let it be on the upper side of the branch 
and not on the under side, as is recommended 
in the older works. The hint we got, long 
Phis is a climber that Ave very much admire, 
for a fine specimen of it is among the earliest 
plants Ave remember. Though a native of our 
Hortheru States, and one that is Amry A^aluable 
foi covering a moderate sjDace Avith copious fo¬ 
liage, it is very little in use in this countiy. The 
Augoious groAvth of its tAAdning branches, and 
the luxuriance of its foliage—the heart-shaped 
leaves being often a foot across—make it a val¬ 
uable plant. Its remarkable floAAmrs, though 
not showy, will attract the attention of the cu¬ 
rious. They have a brownish-purple color, and 
a shape so singularly like that of a pipe, as to 
suggest its common name. The readers of last 
year’s Agriculturist Avill recollect that the flow- 
ei of this plant Avas cited by Professor Gi'ay 
among those in Avhich the fertilization must, 
of necessity, be effected by the agency of insects. 
_ Tlie engraving gives a very good representa¬ 
tion of the floAverof the natural size, and of the 
young leaves. This species is found from Penn¬ 
sylvania, soutliAvard and westward, but is hardy 
in most parts of Hew.England and Horthern 
Hew York. Though it is readily multiplied 
from cuttings of the partly ripened wood, our 
nurserymen charge 75 cents a plant, which is 
more than they do for many exotic things. A 
low species, about a foot high, is AristolocUa 
8erpentaria, the Virginia Snakeroot, which 
tormerly had a reputation as a remedy for the 
bite of poisonous snakes, and it is a little re¬ 
markable that species of Aristolochia growing 
in Avidely separated countries, have a reputation 
as “ Suakeroots.” Some trojAical species, with 
very large flowers, are groAvn as curious orna¬ 
ments of the Green-house. 
The writer discoA^ered in 
Hapa Valley, California, a 
new species, which is called 
Aristolochia tomentosa, in the 
report of the Mexican 
Boundary Survey. It is a 
very vigorous climber, with 
downy leaves, and very large 
flowers. We hope some of 
our many subscribers in that 
beautiful Valley, will be so 
kind as to send us some 
roots or seeds of this species. 
Zinc Labels and the Ink. 
Zinc labels, marked Avith 
an ink containing a salt of 
cojAper, have long been in 
use, and have great durabil¬ 
ity. The old ink consisted 
of sulphate of copper, sal- 
ammoniac and lampblack, 
mixed Avith Avater. The ou- 
l}’" use of the lamjAblack is 
to make the ink visible at 
the instant of writing. Our 
friend, Horticola, Avhoso 
hints we haAm before pre¬ 
sented, sends us a specimen 
of a zinc label Avritten with 
his ink, which seems to be 
as legible and as indelible a 
label, as one could Avish. He 
is very curious in the Avay 
of inks, and has tried all 
that have been proposed. 
He has finally settled down 
upon a formula, Avhich, re¬ 
duced to convenient quanti¬ 
ties to order from an apothecaiy, is: Sul¬ 
phate of copper, 6 grains; voater, 1 ounce ; dis¬ 
solve, and add sal-ammoniac, 3 grains, and sul- 
phuiic acid, 20 drops. This may be used with 
a quill or gold pen, or even Avith those steel 
pens that have a coating of copper or similar 
metal on them. Zinc, and all other labels, should 
be tied in a manner that Avill not constrict the 
groAviug limb. Lead wire ansAAmrs very well. 
Horticola is very much pleased Avith his expe¬ 
rience Avith a peculiarly dressed leather for 
tying, known among dealers as lace-leather. 
Red Paint in the Gakden.—I n looking 
over the proofs of Mohr’s Avork on the grape, 
Ave notice many little practical hints. Among 
others, he recommends that the handles of 
pruning knives and all other implements liable 
to be lost, be painted of a bright red. The han¬ 
dles of knives and other small tools are usually 
of a color so near that of the soil, or that of the 
branches of trees and Aunes, that it is not easy 
to find them, if carelessly misplaced. He also 
recommends the same color for wires used 
for loAV trellises for Aunes, etc., as wires of the 
ordinary color are not readily seen by strangers. 
Seeds of Wild Plants.—T hose Avho wish 
to introduce the early flowering wild plants into 
their grounds, should look out for seeds as soon 
as they ripen, and if it is desirable to remove the 
roots, put a mark of some kind near the plant, 
so that it Avill be seen Avhen the foliage is dead. 
