1863.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
sj'lviinia and southward, but it is much inferior 
in beauty to Hie Chinese species, so generally 
cultivated, {Wistaria Sinensis). The plant is 
readily propagated by layers and by cuttings, 
and is a universal favorite. It is perfectly 
hardy in the climate of New-York, and would 
succeed, by laying down in Winter, in much 
less favorable localities.. 
A Strawberry Talk. 
At the Fruit Growers’ Meeting held at the 
office of the Agriculturist on June 5, the mer¬ 
its of the different varieties of strawberries were 
discussed. The meeting had an especial inter¬ 
est on account of the presence of Mr. J. Knox, 
of Pa., one of the largest, if not the largest, 
cultivators of strawberries in the country. Mr. 
Knox thought there were several varieties 
of strawberries, possessing great merit, which 
had been overlooked. He instanced the Fill¬ 
more as one of these. He considered it one of 
the best in his locality, but was well aware that 
the locality had much to do with the value of 
a variety. While Hovey’s Seedling was highly 
prized at Boston, it was almost worthless at 
Pittsburgh. The Fillmore does not need to be 
frequently renewed, while Wilson’s Albany 
does. The Wilson gives a few large berries at 
first, but the rest of them are small. The Fill¬ 
more gives a greater crop than the Wilson and 
is of better flavor. He has tested it thoroughly 
and has this year planted more of it than of 
any other variety, save Triomphe de Gand. He 
named as other good sorts: Golden Seedling, 
Comptesse de Thury and Due de Brabant. The 
Triomphe de Gand fully sustains its reputation; 
taken all in all, we have nothing equal to it. 
Being asked to give a selection of the best six 
strawberries, Mr. Knox placed 1st, Triomphe 
de Gand, medium and late; 2d, Wilson, as de¬ 
sirable for canning or bottling; 3d, Fillmore; 
4th, Baltimore Scarlet, early; 5th, Burr’s New 
Pine, one of the best; 6th, Jenny Lind. The 
strawberry season used to extend over only two 
or three weeks. At Pittsburgh, they had pro¬ 
longed it to seven weeks, and he had no doubt 
that it might be extended to two months. 
Trollope’s Victoria does not bear carriage well, 
but it is good for home consumption. Kitley’s 
Goliath is very large and late, but rather coarse. 
Brighton Pine has been said by the Pomologi- 
cal Society to be a poor bearer. Mr. Knox con¬ 
siders it one of his best bearers, and it has a fine 
spicy flavor. Scott’s Seedling is very good; 
some parties prefer it to all others. There is 
a great variety of tastes to be consulted, and 
a cultivator must endeavor to suit all. The 
Moyamensing is good. We do not want mere¬ 
ly good sorts, we want the lest. A first rate 
variety takes no more room and costs no more 
labor in cultivation than a poor one. Mr. Knox 
intends to plant ten acres of strawberries each 
year. They are as easy to plant as cabbages* 
Doct. I. M. Ward thought that many kinds 
would succeed well about Pittsburgh, which 
would not do well in other places. Hovey’s 
Seedling is one of the best in the vicinity of 
Newark, N. J. 
Mr. W. S. Carpenter objected to the Fill¬ 
more as it is a pistillate variety. Is test¬ 
ing Cutter’s Seedling, and is thus far pleased 
with it. Among the new foreign varieties 
the Prince of Wales is a wonderful bearer and 
good. The Due de Brabant is a favorite with 
him. He has tried some of Mr. Fuller’s Seed¬ 
lings for two years, away from the locality where 
they originated. He thought highly of Col. 
Ellsworth. The Brooklyn Scarlet is a splendid 
berry, being perfectly hardy and very produc¬ 
tive, though the berry is not as large as some. 
Some white berries were of great promise: Len- 
ning’s White is perfectly hardy, of large size and 
good flavor : the White Pine Apple is nearly 
as good. Jenny Lind is a favorite at the North, 
being large and of a fine color: Iowa is too 
sour. Downer’s is a wonderful bearer, but too 
sour. Bartlett is very fine, about as good as 
the Fillmore, and having perfect flowers, he 
prefers it to that variety. Empress Eugenie is 
one of the best, as good as Burr’s New Pine. 
Princess Frederick William was loaded with 
fruit, early and fine. Scott’s Seedling, not pro¬ 
ductive, insipid but sweet. 
Dr. Ward stated that the Brighton Pine 
was not prolific with him, and had rooted it 
out on this account. Mr. Knox thought he 
could not have the true sort as it was a great 
bearer with him. Solon Robinson had thrown 
it out, it not being a good bearer. 
Mr. Knox said that he never endorsed a 
strawberry until he had proved it by cul¬ 
tivating it for three years. He looked for pro¬ 
gress and thought that perfection had not yet 
been attained. He might put one variety at the 
head at this meeting, and at another meeting 
would consider some other variety as superior. 
His views were constantly changing as he had 
more experience, and varied his modes of culture. 
When a bed begins to run out, after gathering 
the fruit, he lets the plants make all the runners 
they will. He then plows them under, adding 
stable manure, and puts strawberries on the same 
ground again. He considers a crop of straw¬ 
berry plants equal in value to one of clover to 
plow under. 
Dr. Ward stated that Mr. Winans had tried 
every variety known in this vicinity, at Newark, 
N. J., and had found the Boston Pine and 
Hovey’s Seedling the most profitable sorts. 
Mr. Knox thought that the best culture had 
not been reached in this vicinity, as he could 
send his berries here from a distance of 300 
miles and sell them at 50 cents a quart at whole¬ 
sale, and asked if we had the best kinds for this 
locality. Cutter’s seedling he considered a fine 
berry, but not large enough, it is light colored 
and too soft to bear carriage to market. 
*---« n a-^ p i' » <*-- 
Saving Seeds in the Garden. 
Our cultivated plants seem to be in a condi¬ 
tion of unstable equilibrium: on the one hand 
they tend to deteriorate, and on the other cer¬ 
tain individuals seem disposed to attain to a 
higher degree of perfection. We do not, as a 
general thing, understand the causes which pro¬ 
duce these results, except that for the most part 
poor culture produces the former, and good cul¬ 
ture the latter effect. Most of our finest varie¬ 
ties of vegetables and flowers have been pro¬ 
duced by a judicious selection, and if we would 
keep any variety in perfection, we must contin¬ 
ue to select the best specimens to propagate 
from. “ Like produces like,” is a rule sufficient¬ 
ly general to be followed, and high breeding 
may be practised with plants as well as with 
animals. If we sow a large quantity of seeds 
of any variety of plant, a difference, and often 
a very marked one, will be noticed in the seed¬ 
lings; such as vigor, early maturity, and supe¬ 
riority of product. In garden culture we pay 
too little attention to the saving of seeds; hence 
it is that we hear complaints of sorts running 
out, and the necessity for a frequent change of 
seed. It has been our custom, though often 
£11 
against our inclination, to save the earliest and 
finest of our cucumbers, melons, tomatoes, etc., 
for seed. Those who wish to keep their varie¬ 
ties good and even to improve them, will do 
well to follow this practice. Selection of the 
most desirable sorts for propagation is the great 
secret in producing the many improved kinds 
of vegetables. The variations are produced by 
hidden causes, and it is left for us to take ad¬ 
vantage of them. Both in the vegetable and 
flower garden, let the seed be saved from those 
plants which present the most desirable peculi¬ 
arities, and the chances will be that their good 
qualities will be perpetuated in the progeny. 
Use the Kitchen Slops. 
Just now the English agricultural papers are 
full of articles upon the use of sewage or 
waste of cities. Bringing this subject down to 
individuals, we might write a long article on the 
waste of the house, had not this subject been 
so frequently presented in the columns of the 
Agriculturist. Again we say allow no fertilizing 
material to go to waste. The water from the 
kitchen is rich in elements of fertility. The soap 
used in washing, pot liquor, salt, etc., are all 
needed by the garden, and will amply repay 
for the saving and applying to the plants. On 
many farms the sink spout discharges into a 
gutter, and the waste water is allowed to soak 
away or evaporate, and just along the edges of 
this gutter will be found a most luxuriant growth 
of weeds, showing plainly that the ground here 
is richer than elsewhere. Let the kitchen waste 
be collected in a sunken hogshead or cistern, and 
applied in a liquid form to the plants in the 
garden, or run it to a convenient distance from 
the house to an excavation which can be readi¬ 
ly supplied with muck, which will absorb the 
liquid, and many dollars’ worth of manure now 
wasted, will be annually saved. 
Training Dahlias. 
This most showy flower, the chief ornament 
of the garden during the early Autumn, requires 
constant care, unless we would have our hopes 
end in disappointment. Throwing up a vigor¬ 
ous and tender stem, its branches have so little 
strength that they often break with their own 
weight, and if not kept securely tied to a stake 
the main stem will be prostrated by strong 
winds. For all except the very dwarf kinds, 
stakes are needed, and some mode of training 
must be adopted. One method is, to tie the 
main stalk to a stake and take off the lower 
branches, to prevent their breaking off of them¬ 
selves. This causes the plant to grow very tall, 
and gives but a comparatively small number of 
flowers. Another style, called the “tub” meth¬ 
od, is to cut off the leading stem and allow four 
or more of the lower branches to grow, each of 
which is furnished with a stake. This plan 
secures a large number of flowers, but gives the 
plant a squatty appearance not in accordance 
with its natural habit. We have satisfactorily 
practised a method which combines these two 
methods of training. The main stalk is sup¬ 
ported by a stake in the usual way, and all of 
the side shoots, except the three lowest ones are 
kept carefully pinched off; as soon as these 
lower shoots acquire a sufficient length they are 
supported by light stakes inclining outward 
from the plant. Trained in this way the Dahlia 
in flower presents a most showy appearance. 
Hoe around the plants frequently, apply li¬ 
quid manure, and if a dry spell occurs, cover 
