horticultural Notes 
Winter Prars.—W o are indebted to Ellwanger k 
Barry for a fine lot of Winter Pears in good condition 
Wo have taken notes and drawings which wo will give 
our readers in a future number Also, to C. If. Hovky, 
for several specimens of Dana's Honey, a new variety, 
and a very high-flavored winter pear. Of this, too, we 
will soon give a drawing and description. 
PftOjT Gkowkum’ Society or Wkbtkrn NkwYork.— 
The Annual Meeting of this Society will be held at the 
Court House, Rochester, on tho 4th inat., at 10 o’clock in 
tho forenoon. As we anticipate the day of publication, 
this notice will reach some of our readers before the meet¬ 
ing, of which wu will give a full report. 
Horticultural LABEL Ikk.—W e are indebted to H. C. 
White, of Buffalo, for several bottles of Mathews’ Horti¬ 
cultural Label Ink. It is to be used on slips of line, with 
with a quill pen. Tho writing is quito distinct, at first, 
and becomes more so after exposure to the weather. 
Labels we made last summer are now much bettor than 
when first written. 
Union or HoRTicCLTtTRAr. Societies. — The Revue 
Horticloe says that the various Horticultural Societies of 
Belgium have united into one confederation. Some kind 
of union between the Horticultural Societies of this 
country would result in great good. 
Subterranean Nurseries —The Gardener’s Monthly 
saya an enterprising Frenchman of Newark, N. J., has 
started an underground establishment for the growing of 
Mushrooms and Truffles , for the table 
Smnu'KK.voNO Crai'e. - Mr, Van Ruben says in the 
Horticulturist , that the impression of many that there is 
a white and black variety, identical lu every respect but 
color, is erroneous. The true Scuppernong is a seedling 
from the Southern Muscadine or Bullet grape, and is 
white. The wild (black) one bas imperfect, (lowers; this 
has not. Some class it as a fox grape, Mr. H. says It has 
nothing in common. It belongs to Vitia Vulpiua, and not 
V. Labrusca. 
un i ivuu \jnm~ 
PREMIUM RECIPES. 
The following list of recipes accompanied the 
collection of CakeH exhibited at the Monroe Co. 
Pair in 1859, and which were of such excellence 
that the lady—Mrs. N. J. Rick, of Henrietta,— 
whose skill in matters culinary was thus displayed 
to so much advantage, received the Pirst Premium: 
Soda Stonge Cake. — One cup white sugar; 1 
do. flour; 1 teaspoonful cream tartar; 1 do. soda; 
1 do. Balt; 1 do. essence lemon; whites of 0 eggs. 
Fruit Cake. — One cup sugar; .J do. butter; 4 
do. water; 2 eggs; 1 teaspoonful cream tartar; 4 
do. soda; cinnamon; nutmeg; citron l or..; 2 tt>s. 
raisins. 
Jumbles.—T wo cups sugar; 1 do. butter; 4 do. 
water; 3 eggs; 1 teaspoon cream tnrtar; 4 do- soda; 
nutmeg, flour sufficient to mix; roll thin. 
Cut Cake.— One cup butter; 2 do. sugar; 1 do. 
water; 5 do. tiour; 3 eggs; 1 teuspoon cream tar- 
With the present number we commence our 
labors for another year. To the tens of thousands 
who have been readers of the Horticultural 
Department of the Rural the last and previous 
years, we need only remark that we shall pursue 
the same course as heretofore—say at all times 
what wc believe to be the truth of every tree and 
shrub, fruit and flower, new and old, regardless of 
the wishes or interest of any. Our great aim is to 
promote the good of onr readers, and we design to 
pursue the even tenor of our way, turning neither 
to the right or the left to court the smiles or shun 
the frowns of friends or foes. The memory of the 
past year is pleasant Together we have walked 
in the garden and orchard, and taken notes of the 
opening buds, the fragrant flowers, and the 
luscious frnite. We commence another year 
under the most auspicious circumstances. Our 
field of usefulness is rapidly enlarging, and every 
day adds thousands to onr large list of readers, 
increasing our facilities for doing good by 
spreading a knowledge of fine fruits and flowers, 
and improving the taste and increasing the happi¬ 
ness of the community. 
Inquiries anb ^nsmers. 
HIGHLY CULTIVATED NON-BEAEENG ORCHARD 
Ens. Rtrai. New-Yorker: —An enterprising, 
excellent farmer—a worthy neighbor of mine — 
has an apple orchard of rare beauty, containing 
some 1GOO trees, varying from 12 to 10 years of 
age, from their setting, and occupying about 40 
acres of ground. Tho trees arc handsome in 
shape, vigorous in growth, and of ample size for 
full bearing — the results of great care in their 
cultivation, annual priming, washing, manuring, 
spading of the ground, Ac. Yet the returns of 
fruit are scanty, many of the trees not having 
begun to bear at all; while my own orchard — 
planted about same time,in similar soil and locality, 
and embracing mostly the same varieties, but the 
trees far inferior in size and thriftiness, having 
been almost wholly neglected in their cultivation 
— has borne well for a number of years, and just 
yielded me a bountiful crop of fruit for market 
and home use. 
Tho purpose of this communication is to seek 
the philosophy or explanation of the marked dif¬ 
ference described between the two orchards, in 
respect to their hearing development. Is it the 
high cultivation in the one case, or the neglect in 
the other? And what is the proper remedy for 
the defaulting orchard? what is the requisite 
treatment to bring it into bearing in proportion 
fto Its apparent capacity! Will the editor of the 
Rural New-Yorker, or some contributor for his 
columns whoso science and experience may 
qualify him for the purpose, have the goodness to 
favor the public, through the medium of that val¬ 
uable publication, with the rationale on this sub¬ 
ject? Doubtless many others aro equally inter¬ 
ested with my neighbor and myself, and will with 
us gratefully appreciate a compliance with this 
request W ayne. 
Remarks. —Our correspondent, no doubt, has 
judged rightly of the cause of the difference in 
these two orchards. If we sow seed of the Aster, 
or any other late flowering annual in the spring, 
and as soon as ready to transplant put a part in 
very poor soil and a part in rich, damp soil, those 
in the poor soil will flower prematurely in July or 
August, and die, those in the rich soil will make 
stronger plants and give liner flowers, but will not 
blossom until Autumn, and the first frost of Win¬ 
ter will be likely to find them in full vigor. All 
gardeners who wish to raise early tomatoes for 
market, set the plants in the poorest soil, where 
they will make hut a small growth and ripen their 
fruit early. The same plants put in a rich soil 
would make a much larger growth, give double 
the quantity of fruit, but he much longer in com¬ 
ing to maturity. We have seen standard pear 
trees, three years old, crowded in nursery rows, 
and in a poor and badly worked soil, bearing fruit, 
while the same trees, if planted out in good soil 
and well cared for, would not have fruited until 
ten or twelve years okl. Procure two dwarf pear 
trees, plant one in a poor sandy soil, and give it 
no care or culture, and it will be very likely to 
give a few specimens of fruit for several years, 
without making wood, become “ stunted ” and die. 
Plant the other in a rich, strong, soil, and it will 
make wood rapidly without giving much, if any 
fruit, for several years, hut will make a well-formed 
healthy tree, and in a few years reward the patience 
and cate of the cultivator. 
In the early stages of their formation all buds 
arc leaf buds. The transformation of some of 
these leaf buds to fruit buds is accomplished in 
some varieties, as the plum and cherry, the second 
season, and in others, as the peach, the latter part 
of the first season. It is generally observed that 
the smallest and least developed leaf buds Are 
those which are changed to fruit buds. The cause 
of this transformation is not, perhaps, satisfactorily 
settled, yet some facts in relation thereto are well 
known. A tree furnished with a rich humid soil, 
containing an abundance of watery nutriment, 
Well cultivated and left unrestrained to pursue 
its natural habits, may attain the age of twelve or 
fifteen years, or even more, without forming fruit 
buds, whilst another tree of the same variety being 
placed iu a poor or dry soil, less favorable to 
rapid growth, or by being constrained in its 
growth by training, or by grafting on some par¬ 
ticular stuck, or dwarfed by neglect, may produce 
fruit buds and fruit in three or four years, the 
time dependiug upon the amount of restraint to 
which the tree is subjected. 
On this subject we find the following interest¬ 
ing remarks iu Barry’s Fruit Book — “An apple 
tree on a common stock, planted out in ordinary 
Bkurrf. Gourault Pear.— 1 am a Lit of a tree man, in 
a small wav, and wish to saya word about the Reurre 
Goubaull Pear. J have several dwarfs, of the popular 
yam ties, but with my the Goubault him proved tho best 
grower, decidedly the best bearer, and my wile Hi inks it 
is good enough. I never see any mention made of it. 
From my own experience.. 1 would recommend it highly. 
My soil is a limestone loam. Is it because my soil just 
suits it, or is it. worthy of more general favor?—J. II. F., 
Shelby, JV. F, Dec.., 1839. 
Wk are pleased to hoar so good a report of the Reurre 
Uirubaull pear. It is somewhat now. and not well known 
by cultivators, who have tho last lew years principally 
given their attention to a few of the leading and better 
known varieties. The tree makes a vigorous growth, and 
bears early and well, and the fruit, though not high 
flavored, is juicy and melting. 
A MODEL QUILTING-FRAME. 
Eos. Rural New-Yorker: —Having a plan for 
a Quilting-Frame which I think equal if not supe¬ 
rior to any other in common use,—being so very 
simple in its construction that any one who can 
use a saw, auger ami plane can make one In a few 
hours,—and occupying but little room, eusily 
operated, Ac., I take tho liberty of sending a 
drawing, anil a few instructions iu getting one up, 
to the readers of our much-prized Rural. 
TO Destroy Insects on House Plants.—P lease inform 
the readers of the Rubai, how to dostrowinsects on house 
plants. — J. T <j B j Madison Co., )V F. 
1 lace the plants iu a box, or cover with something 
that will confine the emolte, and fumigate them with 
tobacco Ur, make a weak tobacco water and dip the 
plants into it; if too strong, it will injure the tender 
shoots. 
Best Form kor a Grantino Chisel.—C an you or any 
of the readers of the Rural givo me unv better form for 
Robey, of Virginia, 20 in an orchard of 1,000 trees. 
Mr. Downing describes the apple as follow:— 
“Fruit very large, oblong, a little irregular, 
tapering to the eye. Skin smooth, pale lemon 
yellow, often with a blush next the sun. Stalk 
long and slender, in a deep cavity. Calyx closed 
and set in a rather narrow, plaited basin. Seeds 
in a large hollow capsule or core. Flesh tender, 
juicy, crisp, with a sprightly sub-acid flavor; 
before fully ripe, it is considerably acid. Wood 
yellowish, and tree vigorous, with spreading, 
drooping branches. ‘A regular and excellent 
bearer, and worthy of a place in every orchard. 
November to March.” 
It is called the BelU-Flntr by some authorities, 
but we can see no propriety in giving a French 
The Yellow Bellefiower is a large, beautiful and 
excellent winter apple. Onr engraving gives a 
good representation of a specimen of medium 
size. It originated in Burlington, New Jersey, and 
thrives exceedingly well in the sandy soils of that 
State, from wheuce the Philadelphia market is 
abundantly supplied, where it is a great favorite, 
as it deserves to be. It is recommended by the 
American Homological Society for particular local¬ 
ities, and wc find that it has been recommended by 
the Fruit Committees of New York, Pennsylvania, 
Delaware, New Jersey, Vermont, Michigan, Iowa, 
Virginia, Ohio, Missouri, ludiana and Illinois. 
D. It. Underwood, of Michigan, in reply to tho 
Circular of the General Fruit Committee, suys 
that in an orchard of 100 trees, he would plant 80 
Yellow Bolleflowcrs; Vbrry Aldrich, of Illinois, 
recommends 5 of this variety in 100; Cincinnati 
Horticultural Society 8; Wm. Reid, of New Jer¬ 
sey 10; D. W. Co it, Connecticut G; and H. R. 
A, a, ends of frame; b, b , raclicts to keep them 
apart when the quilt is drawn tight; r, connecting 
piece, to which the ends of the frame are joined; 
d, d, rollers. The frame should be made of hard 
wood. The ends are 3 inches wide at tho bottom, 
2 inches wide at top, 1 i inches thick, and 1 leet 
long. The connecting piece and rollers 34 inches 
in diameter and 8 feet in length. The ends of tho 
rollers are made 1 Inch square, to fit the notches 
in the tops of the end-pieces of the frame, which 
must he square also to keep them from turning 
when put in. The rollers may be wound with 
cloth of any kind, to sew the quilt to, and the 
frame is complete. Directions fur Using: —Fasten 
the quilt to the rollers with twine; take ono of the 
rollers out and roll the quilt upon it,—leaving a 
space as wide as desired, inside of 34 feet,—then 
put the roller hack, spread the cuds apart as tight 
as will do, and as fast as you get this space done, 
wind upon the other roller until finished. 
Attica, Ohio, 1809. K. B. Tanner. 
Please also give a recipe for making the best grafting 
wax.— A. T. NojtTUUT, Otego, N. Y. 
Perhaps we could not better serve our correspondent 
than by giving several forms of grafting knives, which we 
find in the Annual Register of Rural Affairs for 1860, 
and gathered from several sources. 
SQUASHES-TO PERPETUATE BEST KINDS 
orchard soil, does not usually bear until it is in 
most cases seven years old from the hud, often 
more; whilst the same variety grafted or budded 
on a paradise apple stock will produce in two or 
three at most. We frequently see one branch of a 
tree that has been acmlcntully placed in a more 
horizontal position th'i the other parts, or that has 
been tightly compressed with a bandage or some¬ 
thing of that sort, bear fruit abundantly; whilst 
the erect, unconstrained portion of the tree gives 
no sign of fruitfulness whatever. As a general 
tlriug, wc find that where there is an abundant 
and constant supply of sap or nutriment furnished 
to the roots ol’ trees and conveyed by them thro’ 
the unrestrained channels which the large cells 
aud porous character of young wood afford, the 
whole forces of the tree will be spent in tho pro¬ 
duction of new shoots; but that as trees grow 
old, the cells become smaller, aud the tree being 
also more branched the free course of the sap is 
obstructed, and becomes in consequence better 
elaborated, or in other words more mature, aud 
commences the production of fruit. Circumstan¬ 
ces similar in all respects to these and answering 
exactly the same purpose, can be produced by art 
at an early age of the tree; and this is one of the 
leading points in the culture and management of 
garden trees, where smallness of size and early 
fruitfulness are so highly desirable.” 
We do not think that the neighbor of “Wayne” 
will have cause to regret that his trees wore rath¬ 
er long in coming into hearing, as they must have 
become large, strong, aud healthy. It is a poor pol¬ 
icy to sacrifice the form and vigor of a tree to se¬ 
cure early fruitfulness. It might be well now, how¬ 
ever to check growth a little. We once knew a 
young orchard in a somewhat similar condition. 
The ground had been kept well cultivated from the 
time the trees were planted, ft was thfen " seeded 
down” with grass, and in two yearathe trees com¬ 
menced bearing, and gave a crop every year for 
several years, while those in other orchards near 
only bore alternate years. They had attained such 
vigor as to bear a good and increasing crop for 
live years that more than paid for the lack of a 
few small crops which might have been obtained 
a few years earlier. Orchardists make a great 
mistake in allowing their trees to hear when very 
young, or to over-bear at any time. 
Ens. Rural New-Yorker:—I t is now admitted 
very generally that the Hubbard Syuush is one of 
the very best squashes known in this country, and 
Figure 1. 
Those unacquainted with fig. 2, will, after an explana¬ 
tion of its advantages, desire to procure it. Fig. 1 is 
taken from tho April number of the American Agriculturist 
Fig. 2 is the knife used by roost western graders. I have 
handled both. The wedge-point, should be made of steel 
well tempered, and not of iron, (as was the one i pur¬ 
chased, aud which gave me much trouble by bending.) for 
the point, iu pressing open the slit just before placing the 
graft, receives a considerable strain. 
Buckwheat Bread.—B uckwheat cakes arc good, 
but buckwheat bread is better,— at least to our 
taste, and that of some others we know who have 
tried both. But supposing the bread only as good 
as the cakes, who would not try it,—and then, to 
the dear wives and cooks, how much less trouble 
in preparing, and the doctors can’t say it has been 
cooked in burnt greaso. 
To Make Buckwheat Bread or Johnny Cake .— 
To one quart of buttermilk, add a teaspoonful of 
soda, and Hour enough to make a thin hatter—put 
in an egg if convenient—bake iu a quick oven. 
Try it!—F. K. I’., Bloomington, Hi, 1859. 
each package numbered. Iu planting time, the 
next process is to place a stake to every row of 
hills, numbered with the same number that is on 
the package from whiohyou have taken the seeds, 
and iu no case to plant all of the seeds, but a 
large portion should be retained for the next 
year’s use. Now the solution of the above in¬ 
quiry is self-evident, to wit: that if you have a 
crop of pnre-biuod squashes on any one of these 
rows having a stake and numbered, then you know 
of a certainty which package of seed to plant from 
the ensuing year. And so on, from year to year, 
good seeds may bo on hand always. 
Messrs. Editors, I doubt notthatyou will receive 
many complaints from your correspondents that 
have received seeds through the post-office from 
various sources and different seedsmen, that a 
large proportion of them have proved bogus 
and not the true Hubbard, and my name among 
many others may ho in this category. Yet suf¬ 
fice it to say, that no man that has any self-re¬ 
spect for integrity would impose upon commu¬ 
nity on so Biuall a scale. Although the seeds 
which 1 sent out last season were all taken from 
squashes consumed in my own family, aud from 
the purest and best squashes I ever ate, still it 
should not be expected that all will produce pure 
kinds. If the laws that govern fertilization and 
also amalgamation in vines were better under¬ 
stood, very many men would be prepared to exer¬ 
cise charity for those that furnish seed for the 
Cultivator. They are apt to forget that the “busy 
bee,” with his yellow heels is into all the squashes 
good and bad, for miles around him, thus fertiliz¬ 
ing and fixing the character, for good or bad, of 
all that Comes in his way. 
Greece, Monroe Co., N Y. H. X. Langwoktuv. 
Figure 2. 
Fig. 1 would be as good as fig. 2,' if you could always be 
in a favorable position to handle it; but limbs are some¬ 
times very difficult to get at. In such cases, tig. 2, from 
its form, is preferable, and a man can in a day accomplish 
move with it, and with greater ease, for in driving in tho 
wedge-point there is no projecting kuifc-bkule iu tho 
way of your mallet, (which should bo a round pioco of 
bard wood.) to interfere with the direction of tho blow 
Or worst! still, iu Homo awkward positions, there is a risk 
of hitting your hand against tho blade, i mention this 
feelingly No. 2 is frequently made too thick in tho 
blade, but when properly made is a very satisfactory tool 
to work with, much more bo than the other, according to 
my experience. 
Coloring Drab on Woolen. —For coloring 
drab on woolen, take a teaeupfnl of tea, Hteeped 
in three quarts boiling water till the strength is 
obtained, then pour off the water ii*to an iron 
kettle, and boil your articles in it for a few 
minutes, air them, put in a small tablespoonful of 
copperas and boil them in it for a few minutes, 
then wash thoroughly in soapsuds before drying. 
—A. E. P., Aurelius, N. Y., 1859. 
Pumpkin Pies—New mode of Making. —My 
wife believes that she has discovered a new 
method of making pumpkin pies which has many 
advantages. Instead of stewing the pumpkin, bake 
itiu large pieces with the skin on in tho stove 
oven, then scoop out the pumpkin aud treat it as 
if stewed. The labor and care is very much 
diminished, and the pie improved in quality.—P. 
If., Erie Co., Ohio. 
Piguro 3. 
Another correspondent of the same paper says:—1 send 
you a rude draft of a good grafting-knife and chisel, (fig 
3.) Those who have used them, say that the advantage 
of this form is in having the instrument balance when 
the wedge is in the stock, so that it does not fall out 
The hook is for hanging on a limb. 
Good Grafting Wax is made of about equal parts of 
rosin, bee's-wax aud tallow, looted together. 
To Color Dark Brown. — Can any of your 
readers inform the inquirer, through the columns 
of the Rural, how to color a dark brown? If so, 
will they, and oblige — A Rural Friend, Galen, 
N. Y. } 1859. 
Swiss Cake. — One and a half cupfuls of sugar 
four tablespoonl’uls of butter, one cupful of milk, 
three cupfuls of flour, two eggs, one tcaspoonl'ul 
of soda, and one and a half teuspooufuls of cream 
of tartar. Flavor to your liking. 
Fruit in Wisconsin.— A young man who has become 
possessor of SO acres of laud in Shawanaw county, Wis¬ 
consin, wishes to know, before deciding to remove there, 
whether apples, pears, peaches, cherries, Ac., succeed iu 
that section of the State. Apples aud plums would, no 
doubt, do well, and so would the hardiest eorts of cher¬ 
ries and grapes. Peaches, we should think, would be 
uncertain. Who in that section will give the desired 
information? 
To Save Trees on Praribb from Rabbits.— 
Twist cornstalks and brush close around the 
roots to the height of twelve or fifteen inches.— 
Not however in such a way that the rabbit can 
jump upon the pile and sit on it while he gnaws 
higher up. A few sticks stuck around the tree at 
a distance of ten inches, and a tarred string wound 
around them two or three times will do till the tar 
hardens, but it is troublesome to renew it. 
Railway Embankments. —The English railways 
are generally fenced with a live hedge, and em¬ 
bankments and waste places are often planted with 
shade trees, which must be kept closely cut ur 
entirely removed when they get large. A corres¬ 
pondent of the Hardeners’ Chronicle recommends 
the substitution of low growing evergreens. 
Save all your pieces of bread for puddings, dry, 
or they will mould. 
