, 10 . 
EORTIGCLTCEIL, 
THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. 
Few realize the importance of the Kitchen Gah- 
den. Not one in a dozen of the fanners we visit 
have even a respectable garden, devoted to the grow¬ 
ing of vegetables and the smaller fruits, so necessary 
for family use. Perhaps it would not be profitable 
for the farmer to devote his time to the making of 
hot-beds, and the growing of the early and nice 
things, eo highly prized by the gardener, some of 
which wcnld require considerable experience and 
skill to ensure success, but every farmer, and every 
one who has even a few rods of ground, may have a 
good vegetable garden that, with very little labor and 
expense, will furnish a delicious succession of veg¬ 
etables and t’rnits during the summer, and leave a 
good store for winter use. Lettuce, radishes, peas, 
early potatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, cauliflower, 
tomatoes, beets, carrots, celery, rhubarb, strawber¬ 
ries, raspberries, enrrants, melons, and the like, may 
be grown by any person of ordinary experience, in 
the greatest perfection. Aud yet we 6ec on many 
farms, and even village lots, ground enough running 
to waste—growing foul weeds to be scattered all over 
the neighborhood — to produce all this grand array 
of good things, while the owners are suffering for 
these necessaries, and spending their money to pnr- 
chase the everlasting beef-steak and bread, or living 
almost entirely on soldiers, rations. 
We love flowers and lawns, but there are few sights 
more pleasing to us than a well-kept vegetable gar¬ 
den, where everything is grown in perfection. We 
have no sympathy, therefore, with the common no¬ 
tion of hiding the vegetable garden by hedges or 
screens. It is our delight and our pride, and we take 
as much delight in exhibiting onr cauliflower as any 
flowers in the garden — not excepting even the 
newest and rarest. 
What a grand succession of vegetables Providence 
has provided for our enjoyment. First we have our 
lettuce and radishes, and then, when we begin to tire 
of these, the encumbers. Peas arc followed by the 
luscious Lima beans and sweet corn, and early cab¬ 
bage and.cauliflower, while a dozen other things help 
to make up a glorious variety. Who that has really 
enjoyed a full supply of melons would be willing to 
pass a Bnminer without their refreshing presence. 
Any plain dinner is good enough for warm weather, 
if succeeded by a good watermelon and two or three 
nutmegs. A good garden is the most necessary and 
most profitable part of any home. 
But, notwithstanding the growing of vegetables is 
so simple, many fail, from the neglect of two or three 
things essential to success. In the first place the soil 
must be deep aud well-drained, so that water will not 
layonthe surface norwitliin two or three feet of it, dur¬ 
ing a wet time, longer than necessary to pass through 
the soil by natural or artificial drainage. It must be 
mellow, so that it will not become packed and baked 
by rains and sun. This is the foundation on which 
we most depend for success, and if we have not such 
a soil naturally, every dollar expended to secure it is 
well invested, while every cent and all time spent on 
a cold, heavy, wet soil, is so much time and money 
wasted. Vegetables will not thrive on such ground. 
T* is a Ul •- .» ._ j„ oft*!, liMPil »tw 1 that 
is one reason why so many fail. The soil for a vege¬ 
table garden should be well pulverized at least two 
feet in depth. This is not necessary every year—once 
in two or three years will answer. Other seasons, dig 
only the ordinary depth. 
It is useless to try to grow vegetables on a poor, 
half-starved soil. Therefore use manure freely, and 
there is little danger of being too liberal. For pota¬ 
toes, corn, and the like, fresh manure from the stable 
will answer, but for more tender plants the manure 
should be well rotted. Form a pile of fresh manure 
in some corner of the garden; on thiH throw all 
weeds, the scrapings from the walks and all refuse, 
together with the slops from the house. Occasion¬ 
ally fork it over, and you will have a nice compost, 
always ready, that will be excellent for celery 
trenches, the onion bed, and for any purpose where 
a good manure is wanted. 
Get the very best seeds that can be obtained. New 
and improved vegetables are introduced every year 
or two, and the first cost is of but little consequence. 
Yet little attention is paid to this matter. The man 
who will ransack all the nurseries in the country for 
a particular variety of pears or apples, and take 
special pains to obtain the best of seed wheat or oats, 
never inquires for the best varieties of peas, or let¬ 
tuce, or cauliflower—anything will do; and the old 
Drumhead is the only winter cabbage he knows or 
cares anything about. 
A little regard to these brief hints, will insure 
many of our friends much better gardens than they 
have before had, and conduce much to their comfort 
and peace of mind as well as to their good living; 
and at the same time elevate them in our estimation 
several degrees. 
0 M 
yrr ■ 
NOTES IN THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
Seyf.ral fine showers during the past two weeks, 
and the warm weather usual to the season, have 
added much to the beauty of the flower garden. 
All plants are making a rapid growth. Most of the 
herbaceous plants are now out of flower, and the 
annuals furnish the principal adornment of the 
garden. 
Ten-Week Stocks that were set out early, are now 
in flower. Mstay mistake by allowing this flower to 
get too large before transplanting. They should be 
set out when very small, and the earlier in the spring 
the better, for if this is not done until the weather 
is dry and hot, they will almost immediately run into 
flower, while the bloom will be poor. 
There is no more showy or beautiful annual than 
the Balsam, if properly treated. If set out early in 
a very rich, deep soil, and the side shoots are kept 
pinched off, they will grow three feet in height, the 
stalk being entirely surrounded with flowers, like a 
wreath. Liquid manure is a great help, aud where 
fine flowers are wished, should be given three or 
four times. 
The Dwarf Convolvulus is a valuable annual, 
growing some 18 inches or more in height. They 
are mostly three-colored, blue, white and yellow, but 
some are a rich purple and others striped. Splen- 
deus hears flowers as large as the common Morning 
Glory, and Monstrous still larger. For a shady 
border there is nothing better. 
For some purposes, there is nothing equal to that 
old favorite, the Sweet Pea. They are now of every 
shade of color, from the darkest blue and purple to 
pure white, striped and shaded and flaked in every 
imaginable manner. In visiting the garden of the 
late .Sei.au Mathews, we observed at a distance a 
long hedge covered with flowers, aud on hastening 
for a nearer examination, we found it to be a hedge 
of Sweet Peas, of mixed colors, supported by two 
row9 of sticks made in the manner of a neat rustic 
fence. Nothing could be prettier. Mr. J ames Ckaiis, 
the intelligent and gentlemanly gardener, informed 
us that such hedges are very popular in Scotland. 
Another very beautiful bed, and really the finest 
display we have seen the present season, is a bed of 
Portulacca, about twenty feet by forty in length, 
divided into narrow strips, about two feet wide, by 
narrow lines of Double Dwarf Larkspurs. It is im¬ 
possible to conceive of a more brilliant display, 
perfectly dazzling in the bright sun. This we found 
on the premises of Joskuu ILu.n, Esq., the work of 
his ingenious gardener, John Charlton, who lias 
many fine things, obtained ou a trip to Europe last 
winter. By the by, the Portttlaceos are almost in¬ 
valuable in our climate, to which they seem exactly 
suited. They are now to be had of almost every 
color, and some of the striped varieties we obtained 
from Prussia last autumn are exceedingly line. 
The question has been asked us, if we could have 
ut one annual, which we would select. We dislike 
to answer such questions, because we never feel like 
being placed in such an unpleasant position. But 
we can say that there is nothing we like better than 
the Annual Phloxes. We have a dozen varieties, all 
exceedingly beautiful, including Rudowitzii, which 
we noticed a week or two since, of every color, from 
pure white to dark purple, with eyes as bright as 
those of the gazelle. Tho Phloxes commence to 
flower in July, and continue until frost, and the 
beauty is well susUyned until the last. The more 
they are cut the more freely they flower. 
Calliopsis car daminifolia hybrida is not as good 
as it should be, considering the praise it received 
from parties in Europe last season, and the high 
price we paid for seed. 
Podolepsis affinis, a new variety, and said to be 
the best of the family, is now in flower. It answers 
expectations, and we may give a drawing in a week 
or two. 
ACROCLINIUM. 
The Everlasting Flowers are flowering freely, 
ami we am **-’•'inter use. THcy should 
a. D ..,.vi«u in the forenoon, ft few c»ou u»y, as tuey 
reach perfection, tied up in small bunches, and hung 
up out of the way of dust and flies. The first to 
flower, and one of the most, delicate and beautiful, 
is the Acroclinium, of which we give a drawing. 
There are two varieties, white and pink. The llcli- 
chrysum and the Gomphrenas, and others, are fast 
coming into flower. 
We are cultivating a great variety of Ornamental 
Grasses. Some are good, while others prove similar 
to our native kinds, and are worse than worthless in 
the garden. Eragrostis elegans seems to be our 
common Panicum capillure. But of these grasses wc 
will speak furl her hereafter. 
- < •♦• <- 
THE SEEDLING NUISANOE. 
Now that the season of pomological gatherings is 
approaching, we warn our friends against the un¬ 
necessary introduction of “ new seedlings." 
Many fruit raisers seem to have well studied Gulli¬ 
ver, and to have imbibed the maxim of one of his 
heroes, that “ho who makes two blades of grass to 
grow where only one grew before, is a human bene¬ 
factor.But ou£ friends seem to forget that this 
must have applied to the kingdom of Brobdignag, 
and that the multiplication of fruit “blades” in the 
shape of seedlings with Lilliputian qualities, is the 
least desirable of all our wants. 
When we look over our fruit catalogues of the few 
past years, and note the magnitude of the “seedling 
list" now discarded as worthless, it is painful to 
reflect on how much money, time, and labor have 
been thrown away on them. It is not that we have 
been swindled, or that in most cases there Inis been 
any design to inflict worthless varieties on tho public, 
but the evil arises from the public not knowing the 
characteristics of a good fruit, or the raiser's not 
knowing how much an accidental and local circum¬ 
stance has to do with a local reputation. 
The foundation of a gooi| character in a fruit 
should be a good, hardy, vigorous constitution —one 
that will resist our heats aud drouths, and come out 
scatbless from onr severe wintry ordeals. Entirely 
too much prominence has been given to nice shades 
of flavor,—shades frequently so delicate that a vote 
of a hundred palates would scarce indicate a majority 
of one in favor of any two favorites. 
A fruit is sent to the Gardener’s Monthly, or to a 
Committee of Some Horticultural Society; the flavor 
may be excellent, and we or the Committee be hon¬ 
estly bound to say so; but as it is the only important 
quality that is up for judgment, it may have many 
other defects that would render it worthless notwith¬ 
standing, and we are desirous that the public should 
receive the opinions in such cases given at only their 
exact worth. On the other band, a really valuable 
fruit is often rejected or has to fight its way through 
legionB of enemies, merely because the first decisions 
of good judges were that it was “not of good flavor." 
The cases of the Concord Grape and Albany Seed¬ 
ling Strawberry are in point. Inferior in mere flavor 
as they may be conceded to be, they are the type of 
all that is valuable in the classes that claim them, 
and the models on which we may expect future 
improvements. 
Nothing bat experimental gardens in two or three 
sections of the Union will ever save to the country 
the immense sums now squandered on inferior varie¬ 
ties. It is, of coarse, oat of the question to urge this 
matter now, but we hope our readere will bear it in 
mind when peace and prosperity return. In the 
mean time, our friends will understand that when we 
or others pronounce a fruit “ as the best flavored we 
have tasted this season," it may be very far from 
being a valuable variety, and that there are a great 
many other points to be considered before we venture 
to encourage another risk of a “seedling nuisance.”— 
Gardener’s Monthly, 
IMPORTANCE OF TIMELY CULTURE. 
—.- 
In a climate and soil like ours, spontaneous fruit- 
fuluess can never be expected. There are doubtless 
choice positions where a few trecB or vegetables, 
having once taken root will grow luxuriantly and 
produce bountifully: ami, Although without, tho ele¬ 
mentary constituents of plants existing in the soil, tin 
culture, however wise, can make vegetation flourish; 
yet, in any tolerable soil the prosperity of a crop 
depends quite as much or the wisdom of the culture 
as on the inherent quality of the soil. 
There is, however, not only a special importance 
in culture, bill also iu earn culture. Suppose a hill 
of Corn, or one of eueumbirs, neglected until the one 
is a foot high and the oilier has made vines a foot 
long. They are already perhaps one week behind 
their neighbors in similsr soil, but enjoying timely 
culture. The effort to tlear away the weeds from 
either of these hills will disturb the roots, while 
their sudden removal will let in a powerful sun upon 
a plant already feeble by neglect and injury to the 
roots. By these means (be plant is checked perhaps 
another week. 
But suppose, in a good soil, and with wise though 
late culture, the plant should perfectly recover its 
health, and grow to its fill expansion. The fruit 
must set at least two and in some cases three weeks 
later than otherwise. In the ease of very early 
planted Crops, or a long season, they may possibly 
get ripe, but often not. Tims the result is seen to be 
exactly equivalent to late planting, and the strong 
probability is that your crop will mature at. a season 
not the most favorable to its health and productive¬ 
ness. We see thus that one acre of soil receiving 
timely culture, may be as productive as two with late 
culture, while the expense of labor will always be 
less on the timely than on the untimely. Nor is this 
all; in the one case the crop may cost more than it is 
worth, while in the other it will be highly profitable. 
I have seen a patch of melons, tomatoes, or pickle 
encumbers, and even fields of corn, Injured in quan¬ 
tity and quality, not from want of fertility in the soil, 
nor amount of labor expended upon them, but from 
the want of timeliness in that labor. 
Potatoes seasonably planted, in Central New York, 
usually gain their utmost expansion and are covered 
with flowers by tho loth of July. In this case their 
tubers will be nearly full grown and covered with a 
firm skin by the first of September. But suppose, iu 
consequence of deferred cultivation, the season of 
maturity iu the tuber should be protracted until late 
in September. In this case the last two or three 
weeks of its growth is amid damp, dark, and chilly 
weather, such as is inconsistent with the healthful 
elaboration of a tropical plant; it will probably be at 
least slightly diseased, and so would all other tropi¬ 
cal plants. 
We reproach the man who by neglect permits a fine 
litter of pigs or herd of calves to pine and become 
stunted; but is he less a sinner who with equal care- 
lessness sows or plants more acres than under ordi 
nary circumstances he can wisely oultivute?— c. k. o. j 
and 
Grow.m; Plants from Simvi — Will you please inform 
me, through the Kuhai,, the process oi propagating currants, 
raspberries, auil strawberries, l'rom the seed* 1 Will apple 
seeds, grape seeds, and cherry seeds or pits, germinate before 
freezing? Tell mo, also, if you please, the process of plant¬ 
ing potato balls for the propagation of new varieties.—A Sell 
BCRiKBK, Kingsville, Ohio. 18(1). 
As a general rule, the best way is to sow seeds of all the 
fruits mentioned as soon as they have matured. Nature 
teaches this course, for ttm fruit drops as soon as ripe, and 
the young plants appear tho following spring. Nurserymen 
do not always pursue this course, because the ground in gen¬ 
erally in use for other |*uiposes until Into in the autumn. 
Seeds that are put in the ground as soon as ripe should have 
a good mellow soil that will net bake, or In the spring, or it 
may be so bard that not half the young plants will be able to 
get above the ground If water lays upon it a good part of 
the winter and spring, the seeds may rot. It it true, nature 
always sows sends in the fall, but talure is very provident of 
seed, and furnishes an hundred where only one can (lad 
space to grow. This the planter would not like to do. We 
know of no better way to «uve seeds of apples, pears, cher¬ 
ries, and the like, than to pnt them iu boxes of sand, a layer 
of seed and a layer ol' sand, or mixed with the sand. They 
may be kept iu the cellar or ont of-doors, if protected from 
the rain. Strawberry, raspberry, and other seeds that are 
only sown io small qualities, it is better to put in the ground 
as soon in gathered. Save the seed from potato balls, keep 
them in paper bags, in a cool room, until spring, and then 
sow in rows, in a well prepared bed, which must bo kept 
clean. In tho fall, you will have potatoes as large as marbles. 
These, plant the next spring, and the product will be a largo 
number of rather small potatoes. The next season they will 
be of good size. We have grown good sized potatoes the 
second season. Mark and save all that are promising, anil 
throw away the poor. 
Tim Pie Cherry.— Is the Richmond Cherry, mentioned by 
your Western correspondent, synonymous with the Pie Cher¬ 
ry, cultivated so many years in your .State? If so, can you 
inform me how it i- proimgated w I have tried, sad seen 
Others try. rowing th“ seed soon after gathering; packing In 
sand, ami sowing late iu the fall; and floating, and sowing iu 
the spring, and with uniformly poor success—not. more than 
one pit In a hundred germinating. What is the practice 
with your uurseryioeot—W. Bowks, Iowa, 1861. 
Our common Pie Ch^ry is not the Early Richmond, It is 
called by Downing hate Kentish, and Is known commonly an 
Pie Cherry, Commoo Red, 8our Cherry, &c. We have never 
heard of any dtlllculty in causing the pits of this cherry to 
vegetate when sown iu the autumn, or kept in rand through 
the winter. Trees can bo had of most of our nurserymen, 
but are not grown extensively. 
Giiai-ks Rotting, 4sO.— Please inform me whatwill pre¬ 
vent grapes from rotting before they are ripe. Also, the best, 
time to set grapes, currants, and gooseberry slips.—A Young 
KUK.u.iht, PrincevilhIII., 1861. 
The rotting of grapes is a disease very dithoult to account 
for or cure. A well drained, deep soil, and jndiciou* but not 
too severe flruning, is the best preventive we are acquainted 
with. Early in the spring, Just aa soon as the grouuC can be 
got in order, la the best for cnttlogs of all kinds. „ato in 
the autumn would be 4ill better, were it not for th« leaving 
by front, which will misplace ami injure them, unless Ihe soil 
is well drained. 
Tux Large, White Grub.—Do tell us, if you can. what, 
can be doue to stop the ravages of the great white grub, il¬ 
ls destroying our strawberry vines—old and young—and when 
he cant do better, feasts on Taw potatoes, grasc root#, Ac ; 
but when we take special pains with choice, new vanities ol 
strawberries, by keeping clear of grass and weeds, he adopts 
the suicidal policy of cutting oil' and destroying tbl last 
source of his own existence. —B. 
For several years the largo, white grub, with a brown bend, 
the grub of the May-Bug, ho* been doing a good deal ol mis¬ 
chief, cutting off plants of nearly all kinds below tbc mitfaco 
of the ground. It is more destructive the present M-imm 
than ever before In some of our gardens, it la destrojing 
strawberries, verbenas, asters, aud other annual llowsra. 
We know of no way to kill them, or to prevent their mis 
chief, hut to dig them out. 
Fuchsias von Bedding. — Will Fuchsias answer for puttbg 
out in beds, or iu the border, like what are called Bedding 
Plante?—S. It. 8 
Fuchsiaa will not endure our hot suns. Darling and Tom 
Thumb are two of the best for the purpose, aud answer pretty 
well. 
I LOWERS FOR Name — As you are so good at answering 
questions. I thought I would ask if you could tell me, 
through tlie Rubai. . the names of the inclosed specimens. 
Tho blue (lower «n-w< about a font high, aud the blossoms 
drop oil without withering. Jt was. .--cut uie from Connecti¬ 
cut .-1 coupl. of year H ago Without a name. Likes plenty of 
snn and room, and will thrive and blossom all summer The 
pink one came, I think, from Mr Bkiugs, under the name of 
Scarlet Lychnis, hut, seems to mo to belong l« the Cockle 
lr he. Though very prettv wheu in full flower. I do not think 
it very desirable in a garden, on account of the quantity of 
. . it ripens, and it L Almost impossible to get it out again. 
Il prows eery low, and spieads a good deal. A name for tine 
or noth will much oblige a constant reader and well wisher 
ot the Runsr. 1 don't know hut. I should mention that both 
(lowers aru annuals.— A SriiscKiuzu, Clyde. X. 1'. 1861. 
The blue llower is Rule* p iSrt'da, Clammy Entoca; tho 
pink, a Silcne, Catch-Fly, 
Hardy Flowers. I would like to have you tell me which 
three or four sorts of flowers are the must hardy and showy 
I mean those that need no protection in winter. Where is 
the best place to procure seed?— M. Y., Tuscola Co., Midi. 
The Aconitum, Delphinium, or Perennial Larkspur, Chinese 
Pinks, Picotces, Double Hollyhocks, l’tuonies, and Phloxes, 
are all lmrdy, showy flowevs, auil Indispensable. Good seeds 
can ho obtained of the leading dealers. 
Blight ov Arm: Trees ly Wisconsin. — I wish to make 
an inquiry through the columns of your valuable paper for 
information iu regard to the cause aud remedy of what I call 
the blight in fruit trees. 1 have about six hundred fruit trees 
set out, of dillerent kinds, the most of which I have raised 
from seed. Between three and four hundred are now heal¬ 
ing. Last year I had about thirty Russets and other apple 
trues in bearing. In mine, a blight commenced on the leaf, 
then extended to the twigs, «ud Ihuu to Urn large limbs, In 
many Cases, only the small twigs would die, leaving a dead 
spot ou tho largo limbs, and hi many other cases, large limbs 
or hrnnohns would die l cut Off from ft number nf trees till 
Of the branches that I could And affected, but In a few days 
the trees would present the same appearance Hgaiu. This 
year thorn aro some trees allected in the same wily, I have 
examined some of them to Ilnd nut the causa, but cannot 
Hud anything, except in cutting off some small twigs, 1 would 
ilnd one or more small holes perforated by some insect to 
the heart of the litoh, the bark turned black, and very watery 
or juicy between the bark anil wood. My orchard lias been 
hoed for a number of years, until the two last years. I sowed 
It to oats. This year a part, of it is in corn and pntiiloea, the 
balance l sowed to wheat. Some of the trees are now altect- 
ed in the C<>cu ft* well Us in tho wheat. Now, If yon. or any 
of your numnrnux readers, can give me any light on the 
disease, or remedy, or both, it will be thankfully received.- 
Wm. C. W., Eldorado, IFfs., 1861, 
Propagation of tiik Hawthorn. — 1 have been trying for 
two yearn in propagate the Hawthorn Hedge plant, without 
success, and now apply to the Rural. Will some of your 
readers please give the desired information?— J. F. T., Album, 
Orleans Co., X. Y., 1861. 
‘SMti cultural 
OBITUARY.- It is with much regret we announce tho sud¬ 
den death of one of the most enthusiastic amateur hotticul 
turixts in this vicinity, Sklah Matiibwb, Esq. Mr. Matjikwr 
devoted all his spare time to the culture of fruits and flowers, 
and tho stady of the best authors on tlmsn subjects. His 
grounds were extensive undwell kept, his grape houses In 
the finest condition, anil the conservatory adorned with the 
most perfect specimens to he found in this section of the 
State. For several years Mr. M. was l’residuntof the Genesee 
Valley Horticultural Society, and only retired from oflleo 
about a year since. !,u»t summer Jie made a trip to Europe, 
Visiting the best horticultural establish merits, and part- of tlm 
time In company of our friend Mr. Reid, of New Jersey. Ilia 
death is a public loss. 
About the same time our old friend, Thomas Billsla.no, 
who for many years was in the employ of Ellwangkii its 
Barky, died suddenly and unexpectedly of disease of the 
heart. Mr B. was a llnu specimen of u gentleman. He was 
advanced in years, and had acquired a vast fund of informa¬ 
tion, hut was *0 exceedingly modest that few were aware of 
the rich treasures he possessed Often have we been indebt¬ 
ed to him for Information on botanical questions which we 
could obtain from no other source Wo sorely regret and 
shall often feel his loss. 
Cutting Flowers for Bouquets. —Many are afraid to cut 
flowers for bouquets, for fear of spoiling the appearance of 
the plants. It is fortunate that many of the flowers most 
suitable for bouquets flower the more freely for cutting. It 
is the formation of seed that exhausts the plant, anil by cut¬ 
ting (lowers this is prevented. Thu Country Gentleman has the 
following sensible remarks on the subject:—“ It should be 
remembered that Verbenas, Candytuft, Sweet Alyssum, Phlox 
llrumiHondti, and other plants with flowers most suitable for 
bouquets, do not suffer by the cutting of their flowers, hut 
bloom much better and longer for it. There need therefore 
be no stinginess In providing bouquets for the bouse. Cut 
liberally, and furnish your rooms and your neighbors, If you 
have enough to spare for them, with sweet and beautiful 
bouquets." 
Autumn Sbbk-no-Fuktiikr Apple.— I noticed, not long 
since, inquiries about the origin of the Fall Seek no Further. 
I am satisfied it is not a Western fruit. 1 saw apples of that 
variety some forty years ago, ori the farm of Judge 8PRAGUE, 
In East Bloomfield, Ontario county, The Judge was from 
Western Massachusetts, and probably got his scions from 
there. As ln\orchard was one of the oldest iu Ontario Co., 
he could not have got scions iu that vicinity at that time. 1 
think the tree whore the apples grew most have been grafted 
more Rian fifty years ago. It is a different apple from the 
Westfield Seek no Further; ripens, I should think, in Octo¬ 
ber, is a more flat apple, and a splendid eating apple. The 
Westfield is a winter apple. The Judge had a large orchard 
grafted after the old clay and swingling tow system.—W m. 
Co.NK, Troy, Midi., 1861. 
Raspberries and Currants.—M r. Downing, in a commu¬ 
nication ou our report of the discussion at the Fruit Growers’ 
Society of Western New York, makes tho following notes: 
Currants .—The White and Rod Dutch and White Grape aru 
good sorts. The new varieties are no better iu flavor, but 
some of them larger in size, as the Versalllaise, Cherry, Ac. 
Raspberries. — The Purple Cane, Purple Cap, Red Cap, 
English Red, Red Prolific, American Red erroneously, lathe 
most useful of all the hardy raspberries, is not aa seedy as the 
Black Cap, hut more juicy, and the best kind for those who 
will not take the trouble to coverthe larger and better tender 
aorta. 
The Orange is too soft for market, and does not retain its 
color well enough 
Horticultural Exhibition in London, C. W.— We are 
Indebted to some attentive friend in London. Canada West, 
for an account of the first Exhibition of the New Horticul¬ 
tural Society of that beautiful city, held the 24th ult. The 
exhibition of flowers was large and fine, and strawberries, 
raspberries, currauts, goose-hurries, cherries, and melons, 
were shown in great abundance. The vegetables were very 
superior, and far better, we have no doubt, than could he 
exhibited at any similar show iu this country. Our Canadian 
neighbors excel ns In the growing of line vegetables. This 
wo have always found to he the case when attending exhibi¬ 
tions In the British Provinces. 
Injurious Insects.— The black fly, referred to by me, was 
the curculio, as I afterwards found out. As you wished me 
to write to you, if any other depredator should make his 
appearance, I will say that, this morning, as I was looking 
among the tomato vines, I saw a worm about, three inches 
long, with as many as six or eight deep creases across his 
back, and in each crease two eyes. They make hail work 
with the tomato vines. Last year we killed onn hundred and 
forty-four of these depredators. They look so mnch like the 
vine it, Is almost impossible to find them. Can you, or some 
of the numerous readers of the Rural, tell me the name, 
aud what will remove them? What will remove caterpil'ars 
from cabbage?—A .Subsckihkk, Hot tie Creek. Mich., August. 1. 
Black Currant W ink. — We have received from John F, 
Hazard, of West Brighton, N, Y, a youth of 16 years, a 
bottle of wine from the Black Naples currant, of good 
quality. It was much better than most oli our domestic 
wines, From other friends we have also received specimens 
of black currant wine. The fruit is now ripe, and those who 
inteud to test the wine making qualities of the black currant, 
should do so at once. Most of those who do so will be 
agreeably disappointed. 
Two Dahlias o.v One Stalk.—Two perfect Dahlias, grow- 
ing on one flower stem, were presented to us by .John K. Bal- 
lkntinb, of Chili, in this county. A similar freak was shown 
us by a gentleman of this city, last season. 
A BATCH OP CAKES. 
Sponge Cake — No. 1,— Two cups angar; two cups 
Hour; eight eggs. 
Sponge Cake — No 2.— One cup of sugar; three 
eggs; two cups flour; one spoonful cream tartar; 
half enp rich cream; half spoonful soda; one spoon¬ 
ful extract lemon. Stir all together five minutes. 
Cream Cakes Inside .— Half cup of Hour; one 
cup of sugar; two eggs. Boll one pint of new milk; 
beat the flour, eggs aud sugar together, anil stir into 
the milk while boiling, until sufficiently thickened. 
Boil tho milk in a kettle of water. Flavor with lemon 
or vanilla. Outside .— One cup water; one cup butter; 
two cups sifted flour; five eggs. Boil the water and 
butter together, stir in the flour while boiling, when 
cool add the eggs, heating them well togethor, and 
one-fourth teaspoon of soda. Drop them upon but¬ 
tered tins, quite thin, and bake half an hour. Then 
open them at tho side with aj knife, and insert as 
much of the above mixture as you like. 
Almond Cake.— One cup of butter; three cups of 
sugar; four cups of flour; one cup of sweet milk; 
one spoonful cream tartar; half spoonful soda; one 
spoonful hitter almond; whites of eight eggs. 
Soft Gingerbread, — Two oups of molasses; one 
and a half cups hot water; half cup butter; two eggs; 
one spoonful of soda; one spoonful of cloves and 
cinnamon — ginger if you like; stir in tho least flour 
that will enable it to bake well.— M. M. M,, Moor- 
headvit/e, Erie Co., Pa., 1861. 
DRYING Tins COMMON RED CURRANT. 
Wk copy the following method from the last num¬ 
ber of the Horticulturist. Many of our readers will 
find it just in time to give it a fair trial. The editor 
of the Horticulturist having examined the currants 
prepared iu this way, highly commends it. 
The currants should be quite ripe when gathered, 
with the stems attached, and washed or rinsed effect¬ 
ually and drained off. Then stem them and wash 
them thoroughly, and to each pound of currants add 
a quarter of a pound of good Havana sugar; then 
place them in a preserving kettle over a fire until 
they oome to il scald heat, when they arc turned out 
Into white earthen dishes, and exposed to the action 
of the sun until by evaporation they become hard¬ 
ened on the upper side. Then they are turned over, 
and there remain until they become so on the other 
side, and so alternate until they become a sort of 
leathery texture, when they aro put away in earthen 
jars or boxes until wanted for use. Care must be 
taken to keep them from the dews of night and rains 
duriug Urn process of drying; finally, the utmost 
cleanliness should he observed from first to last. 
When used, enough hot water is required to dis¬ 
solve them or render them to any consistency suit¬ 
able for tarts, jelly, Ac. At the same, time, more 
sugar is required to muko them quite palatable, 
which must of course he governed by taste. Cur¬ 
rants in this way have kept well with us for three 
years, and the presumption is that they will keep for 
a longer time, if well cared for. 
ICE CREAM, BREAKFAST ROLLS, &c. 
Ice Cream. — For one quart of new milk, take the 
white of four eggs, beat them into a froth; the yolks 
of four eggs, beat well; mix with them one pound of 
white sugar, and stir well; pour in the white of eggs, 
mix well and pour into the milk. Stir all well and 
put them Into tlm freezer; flavor with lemon or any 
thing else you choose. 
Breakfast Rolls,— Pare and boil four good sized 
potatoes, mash line, pour iu water sufficient for four 
or six quarts of Hour, three tablespoons ofbop yeast, 
one of salt, one cup of lard or butter, two well beaten 
eggs. Knead well over night, work iu a teaspoonful 
of saleratus in the morning, out them out us you 
would biscuit and roll them long, put them on the 
tin, let them stand till light and bake in a quick oven. 
Cookies.—T wo and one-half cups of sugar; one 
cup butter; three eggs; one cup cream; ono tea- 
spoonful saleratus; one tablespoonful carraway seed. 
Knead soft, roll thin and bake in a quick oven.—M rs. 
Wm. E. Sheldon, Allen’s Grove, Wc*., 1861, 
- — 
Soda Biscuit. I have been a reader of the Rural 
for a few months, and have found many recipes 
which l think very good. As I do not wish to keep 
all the good things anil not tell of some that I know, 
and thinking that a recipe for Soda Biscuit, would be 
of service to you, I give It., for I know it can not be 
beat, hb iny mother has used it for over twenty years, 
and has never known it to fail once. Six tumblers of 
flour; two tumblers of milk, (sweet); three teaspoons 
of cream tartar; one teaspoon of soda; butter the 
size of an egg; one-fourth teaspoon of salt. Dissolve 
the soda in the milk, and mb the tartar in the flour; 
bake quick. This will make twenty-four good-sized 
biscuits.—Leer A. Came, Lansing, Mich., 1861. 
■ » ■ ^ • •*■--- 
To Dress Cucumbers,— Take three good sized 
cucumbers, pare them, put them in cool water for an 
hour, take them out and cut them in the usual way; 
sprinkle salt upon them, and let them be so until an 
hour before dinner; drain ofl’ the salt liquor; put 
them into a vegetable disli. Take a pint of sour 
cream, (not too old,) a good tablespoonful of cider 
vinegar, a piece of butter the size of a hickory nut; 
put tt on tho liro and let it oome to a boil: pour it 
over the cucumbers while hot; set them by in a cool 
place until dinner. Wo think this is the only way to 
eat them. Try it.— American Farmer. 
Canary Birds. — Having had much trouble in pro¬ 
tecting canary birds from the attacks of the insects 
that infest them and the cages, 1 learned the follow¬ 
ing simple method of destroying these pests, which 
will no doubt be a useful piece of information to 
many of your readers: By placing every night over 
the cage a white cloth, tho insects gather upon it, 
and iu the morning may be seen by carefully exam¬ 
ining the cloth. They may thus be soon removed, 
and then all that is necessary is to thoroughly clean 
and varnish the cage.— N. V. Tribune. 
Canning Green Corn —In tho Rural of tho 6th 
ult., a correspondent Bays that Green Corn may he 
put up in cans so as to keep as well as Peachos, but 
does not give directions for so doing. I should be 
much obliged to any of your correspondents for par¬ 
ticular directions for putting it up; also Peas.— A 
Subscriber, Macedon, N. Y., 1861. 
Coloring Blue. — Will some of tho Rural readers 
please send a recipe for coloring blue, that which 
tfill color either woolen or cotton, and oblige_ 
L. A. C., Lansing, Mich., 1861. 
