SEPT. 14 
X 
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. 17 * 
I UftiLAA. 
EQETICr LT 0 RJLL 
GROWING DOUBLE FLOWERS. 
On this subject there seems to be a good deal of 
misunderstanding, and many of the attempts of the 
press to throw light upon it only make the matter 
more dark. In ft late number of the Country Gentle¬ 
man, a lady having been informed that the double 
Gillystock or Ten-Week Stock produced no seeds, 
and wishing to preserve the line varieties she pos¬ 
sessed, wrote to the editor for information, and the 
following is the response: 
(1.) "It is a mistake to suppose that double (lowers 
produce no seed, but they produce them very spar¬ 
ingly. (2.) Any one who sows seed from single 
flowers expecting the plants to produce double flow¬ 
ers, will be mistaken. (:»,) All flowers in a state of 
nature are single. It is only by long continued high 
cultivation that douhle ones are. produced at the 
expense of the botanical perfection of the flower, the 
stamens being changed into petals in the double 
flowers." 
4 
x 
Several statements in the above are incorrect. It 
is not true all flowers in a state of nature are single. 
Double flowers are produced by nature, and we could 
if necessary name a dozen examples. The present 
season we saw a perfectly double May-Weed. Al¬ 
though it is true that flowers become double by the 
change of the stamens into petals, yet generally all 
are not so changed, so that practically the change is 
of no importance, though sometimes both stamens 
and pistils are sacrificed, and in that case no seed is | 
produced. This is true of the Double Stock, which 
never produces a seed. Tt is true also of the Balsam, 
for though seed is often found on plants that hear 
perfectly double flowers, yet it is produced by semi¬ 
double flowers, which are often found on the same 
plant with those that are double. We have never 
obtained a seed from a good douhle Balsam. In 
composite flowers the organs are usually as perfect in 
double flowers as in those that are single. This iB 
the case with the Double Zinnia, and we obtain as 
many seed from one that is perfectly double as from 
the single flower. Perhaps it is not botanieally cor¬ 
rect to call a composite flower double, for the doub¬ 
ling is simply an enlargement of the disc flowers. 
Those who sow seed produced from single flowers 
expecting to obtain those that are double, will not in 
all cases be disappointed, us is stated above. Onr 
best Stock seed is obtained from Erfurt, in Prussia, 
and from eighty to ninety per cent, will be double; 
yet tl is seed is all produced from single flowers, with 
no double near. It is done by a process not well 
understood here. The plants, we believe, are grown 
in pots, four or live in a small pot, every one showing 
double flowers being removed. Here they are kept 
in a poor soil witli little water until about the time 
of flowering, when they receive a liberal watering for 
a few days, until the flowers begin to fall. They arc 
then kept dry until the seed is ripened. 
Long continued skillful cultivation sometimes pro¬ 
duces double flowers, but unassisted nature is as 
often successful. Florists have long tried to produce 
a double Zinnia in vain, but last season the horticul¬ 
tural world was surprised at the appearance of double 
specimens from its native locality. 
WESTERN MICHIGAN. 
■ n 
n 
A MISCELLANEOUS TALK. 
Wo "o+iopd the Cherry Slug had been busy in the 
gardens of the Waukogftns, destroying the beauty 
and foliage of both cherry and pear trees. But little 
damage had been done to the trees on Mr. Douglas’ 
premises, and I asked the reason. " Because I get 
rid of them. It is an easy matter; just throw dirt 
into the tree with spade, shovel, or even the hands, 
when it is dry, and they will soon disappear. A repe¬ 
tition of this application usually exterminates them.” 
And yet, with this simple remedy, there are scores 
of trees in Waukegan, and elsewhere, that are perma¬ 
nently injured by this filthy slug—all because of 
want of vigilance, care, action on the part of the 
owner. A good gardener believes a tree that is 
worth having is worth taking the trouble to keep; 
and the man who is so faithless as not to lake such 
trouble is not deserving a tree — and there are a good 
many of this class in all countries. We find the 
Baldwin (dwarf) apple bearing full, and by ringing, 
Mr. Douglas gets good crops of the Northern Spy. 
He says he thinks the trees receive little iujury from 
the ringing process. 
Here are hundreds of bushels of the New Rochelle 
Blackberry, just beginning to blacken. They are 
growing beside the uative berry, and along side the 
Dorchester, aud there is nothing that compares with 
it in productiveness. It needs but little protection, 
and if planted four feet apart and the suckers kept 
down, they will produce more than any other black¬ 
berry known — so says Mr. D. He regards them as 
sustaining the relation to other blackberries that the 
Wilson does to strawberries, in flavor, time and mode 
of ripening, aud productiveness. 
With great emphasis, he pronounces the Dorches¬ 
ter an arrant humbug — unworthy the confidence of 
planters in the West. 
"Although dwarf apples do so finely with you, 
Mr. Douglas, I have seen nothing to encourage 
planting them on the prairies,” said Mr. Dunlap, of 
the Farm Committee. Douglas replied, "I fear 
they will not do well on the prairies until people 
learn to protect them in winter.” 
Large quantities of both red and white Dutch Cur¬ 
rants are grown here — the latter particularly, in 
great perfection. Mr. Hull (of the Committee) says 
currants are ca-ily protected from the birds by hoop¬ 
ing the bushes, or tying them closely together, slip¬ 
ping off the hoop or string when it is desired to pick 
them. Their season is also prolonged in this way. 
We have Been them preserved by inclosing a bush in 
a white, or light colored cotten cup or bag, drawing 
the mouth of the bag close together at the base of 
the bush. 
Here is the Rambo apple in bearing; it suffered 
largely during the hard winters of ’55 and ’50, and 
’50 and ’57, and was consequently discarded; but 
subsequent experiment induces the belief that it is 
to become one of the most valuable of our western 
apples. 
tjuiuees are bearing here, and Grapes are loaded 
with fruit. Both Dougla- and Dunlap (M, L.) think 
the Concord one of the best grapes we have got. 
Douglas said, "We have got to put in aud propa¬ 
gate it, grow it and sell it in place of the Isabella and 
Catawba.” He intends to have it take the place of 
these grapes, and sell it at the same price, another 
year. He doubts if the Delaware ever comes up to 
the popular expectation. Says that in 1848 A. J. 
Downing's attention was called to it, and he called 
the public attention to it. It was known ten years 
before the public petted it. How does it happeD, he 
asks, that it stood still ten years without attracting 
general notice? 
lalking about pears on quince, Mr. Douglas said 
the pear should be grafted on short stocks, so that 
they will not have to be covered so deep in order to 
cover the quince roots. We were looking at some 
trees in a neighboring garden that had been buried 
sixteen Inches, which was too deep. Better far make 
two roots of a single cutting. 
Here is an idea. In one part of the pear orchard, 
we find the White Doyenne pear in bearing. The 
center of the tree had been grafted with a Flemish 
Beauty, the design being to clip off the drooping 
Doyennes when the Flemish Beauty begins to bear. 
Mr. Douglas had a fine lot of pear seedlings — the 
only lot 1 have met, with in the West; hot they have 
received great injury from the large white grub, ami 
the gray cabbage grub is also at work in them: so 
badly that the men were compelled to seek for them 
with table forks and tin caps in order to save the 
plants. 
In a former paper I have referred to a class of men 
who jump at conclusions — who are led by paper pre¬ 
scriptions to practices that the sound sense of a 
thinking man would teach him to avoid. I have 
another illustration at. the hands of my friend Doug¬ 
las, which it will be useful to give. 
Those who know anything of plum culture, and of 
the habits of the curculio, know that the latter is a 
good judge of good fruit, and almost invariably 
attacks the choicest fruit—that he will not touch a 
Blue Damson when he can find as convenient an 
Imperial Gage. One of Mr. Douglas’ friends who 
reads, and had seen it asserted that Sweet Elderberry 
leaves, scattered in a plum tree, would repel tho 
Turk, irapoituned him to try the experiment, express¬ 
ing great confidence in its efficacy. Accordingly an 
experiment was instituted. An Imperial Gage and 
Blue Damson stood side by side, and were selected 
for the experiment, and the latter fortified with the 
invincible elderberry. 
The Turkish fne soon attacked and destroyed his 
Imperial victim, scorning to demean himself by an 
attack upon the modest Damson. About the time he 
had Completed tho destruction of tho Imperial Gage, 
the sapient, frieud called to see the result of his 
prescription. 
" Didn't I tell you so?” he triumphantly exclaimed, 
as he looked upon the apparent realization of his 
prediction. 
“ But wait,” said the wag Douglas; "let us see if 
the enemy does not attack the Blue Damson, now 
that he has nothing more to do in tho Gage tree.” 
Fresh elderberry leaves re-enforced the old garrison, 
but the day of our visit, witnessed the triumph of tho 
Turk and his backer over Samhuctts Canadensis and 
its credulous proselyte. The Damsons were falling 
mortally wounded! 
Mr. D. is quite successful in growing evergreens 
from seed, having fine beds of Balsams, Spntco and 
rises. The soil in which he grows them is a stiff 
loam, if we remember right. He protects thorn from 
the sun hy square frames made of lath, which are 
supported above the bed by boards set edgewise on 
the outside of tho bed six or eight, inches wide. 
After the weather Rets warm, these boards are taken 
away, and bottom ventilation is given them — the 
frames or screens being supported bv blocks. Mr. 
Douglas lias this year made bis frames of material 
narrower than the ordinary sawed lath, which ho had 
sawed to order. It cannot be more than an inch and 
a half wide, if indeed it is as wide as that. He pre¬ 
fers it because it makes a lighter frame to handle and 
the drip from the narrow lath, In a storm, is less, and 
injures the tender evergreens less. 
garden is irrigated from a spring in the bluff, the 
water of which is held exposed to the sun in a large 
open tank, from which it is distributed over the 
garden. Of course it is useful. 
Here, in this garden, at. least one woman has found 
her sphere: henceforward let there be no cavil 
against the employment of women as horticulturists. 
Such a scheme is entirely practicable and peculiarly 
appropriate. 
DESTROYING WEEDS. 
furnish fertilizing pollen. So that the Filbert iloes not flower 
in the autumn, though the catkins appear. If the plants of 
our Yates county friend do differently, they are pursuing a 
very irregular cour-e, »ud one we cannot account for. 
The Witch Hazel bus perfect flowers, which appear late in 
the autumn, when the fruit sets but does not mature until 
tho next summer. In the autumn, fruit and flowers are found 
growing upon the plant 
PLANTS AND FRUIT FOR NAME. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker: —For a long time I 
have been hoping to gut leisure to say something 
about weeds, but some one. in one of the lute Run at.s, 
has the start of me, and urges upon ns women, that 
It would he good employment for us to help eradi¬ 
cate them, and so it would. I, for one, have done 
my share, and have fought them in onr yard and 
garden all the season, doing a little myself, and 
hiring and encouraging my little son, and urging it 
upon the men, whenever they had leisure; but. after 
all, it is of small use to rid jnst onr own premises 
while the road is full of thistles, burdocks, cat¬ 
nip, &e., Ac. 
It really seems to me it would pay any and every 
farmer to keep the road free of weeds in front of his 
land. Very little time would it require after a year 
or two, and then what, clouo, nice highways, and how 
much more easy to keep the farms free. They ima¬ 
gine they can't take time, and as they have not much 
pride about it, they let the weeds give them a world 
of trouble. AIbr, how few thorough farmers we 
have. If all would resolve to have their land well 
cultivated, and not let weeds grow on a good share 
of it, it would pay to be good farmers. I should 
like to see it tried. Queecuy. 
Sept, l, 1861. 
— I send you a specimen of wild flower growing near our 
house, and would like the name. — L. F. W., St. Joseph , 
Michigan. 
Clematis Virginiana, a very pretty climbing plant. 
— Inclosed I send you a pod and some leaves which grow on 
a bush from eight to fifteen feet high. The bush grows very 
thick, like »bo lilac., and the bark Is very spotted. The wood 
has a large pith. IMease Inform me through thn columns of 
your paper what name it bears.—IV. II. Beckham, Clyde, ISflt. 
Staphylea trifolia, or Bladder Nut. 
- 1 mu in mv (lower bed a strange plant, and the name I 
cannot learn. Will you please inform me through the Rural 
and oblige — Ahioail, Smyrna. V. K., 1861. 
The specimen was not very good when received, but we 
think it a Martynit, or Unicorn Plant. 
— 1, I send a plant for a name a phlox, I presume. I 
think kuowu as Rich oty ilairy or Rleh-me-ilairy. It flowers 
soon after the wild Phlox of the He Ms. Perennial. 2. Also 
a perennial plant called Mnypink. a border plant of trailing 
habit, blooming early. Is it Thrift, or Phlox pmeumhens? 
3. Also an animal, and what is known as bachelor's hat. The 
mime is not in the catalogues. ■ Wm. O. TavloK, Medford, O. 
1. Is probably Chios maculata, though, as we received no 
flower, canuot say positively. The name Rich my dairy is a 
corruption of Lychnidia, a common name for tho Phlox. 2. 
Phlox mbulafa. 3. Too imperfect to judge. 
— The Apples left at our office by J. D. Williams, ofParma, 
were the Duchess of Oldenburgh. 
THE COMMITTEE MAKE ANOTHER VISIT. 
And the writer goes with them to visit the pear 
orchard of A. 8. Bukhman, Esq., containing five 
hundred trees. Here wc find Louise Bonne de Jersey 
dwarfs, twelve years old and bending beneath a load 
of fruit. They are mulched with boulders! This is 
a peculiarity of Mr. Sherman’s culture. It iB his 
favorite mulch. Wo find them in piles about the 
roots of most of his trees. We believe it his theory 
that they retard the starting of tho sap in spring, and 
thus save him his crop of fruit when others are killed 
by the early frosts. The writer knows this used to bo 
a favorite tneory among some of tho peach orcliard- 
ists of the lake counties of Western New York. 
Whether the practice there is obsolete I cannot, say. 
But as a mulch, stone are excellent. The writer has 
seen the sugar maple transplanted from the forest to 
the roadside in the spring — from a rich loose mold, 
to the hard pan clays of New York — kept from per¬ 
ishing during the summer drouth by just such a heap 
of stone. And it is a fact which some of the Rural 
readers may verify — that the maples which stand 
nearest a stone wall, by the roadside, are usually fifty 
per cent, better in growth and habit than those 
Which stand in the grass beside a board or rail fence. 
There is no mistake but stone make an excellent 
mulch. 
" What have you been doing with your bark lice?” 
asked a member of the committee of Mr. Suerman. 
" I have been varnishing them.” 
"With what?” 
“ With tar and linseed oil. I mix equal quantities 
of each (using the raw oil,) and heat it sufficiently to 
dilute the tar and mix it with the oil. This mixture 
can be applied at any time without injury to the tree. 
It may be applied in winter, and it is sure death to 
the lice whenever it is put on. 
Here the leaf blight lias appeared on'the pear trees 
this season, and some of them are going. 
On these grounds we found beets, the seed of 
which had been sown with the manure in early 
spring, a number of stalks of seed having been com¬ 
posted with it. They were of enormous size. And 
Mr. She km an says the beat way to get early beets is 
to plant late in the fall. We know this (as do most 
gardeners, wo suppose,) to be trim, and mention it 
because some members of the Committee said it was 
new to them, and it may be to some of our readers. 
gnqumes and 
DWARF FRUIT ORCHARD. 
Will you give me your opinion whether it will pay to set 
TnK Apple Thick Borer —Can you, or any of your corref. 
pondontx. inform ms of -omu composition as a preventive 
of the apple tree borer? Thorn is, in this part of the State, 
those who, ut ter extracting the worm*, npply something that 
they prate ml is a ho re preventive for four yearn, or until Its 
strength is exhausted, If you. or anv (if your correspond¬ 
ents, can give the desired information Llirough tho Rural, it 
will tie a boon to the public at largo,—H um uiikky, Parma, 
iV. Y., 1861. 
out dwarf apples for a general crop? Will they live and 
thrive equally well with Standard? What Is an average yield 
from them after they are well established? At what distance 
otaght they to he ect? Apples here arc worth from two to 
three dollars a barrel, on an average. J have serious 
thoughts of setting out. a dwarf apple orchard on account of 
their early bearing, but want more light on the subject. 
Please. uLo, to enlighten me as to the propriety of netting 
out dwarf plums for a market cTnp. Would they not pay 
better here nu the prairie exposed to high winds than 
standards? Will plums bear transportation by railroad sixty 
or a hundred miles? Do dwarf eh' 1 tries amount to anything? 
Do they bear good crops; or are they only ornamental? 
We have strong winds ami hot sun here on the prairie, 
which, taken into consideration with I lie small piece of land 
(five acres) which 1 wish to make the most of. I have, from 
my limited knowledge of the subject, thought that tho plant 
ing of dwarfs would be advisable. Please advise me through 
the Rural. 
One thing more. Will quinces generally succeed where 
apples do well? Are they a paying crop?— I,. L. Fairchild, 
Rolling Prairie, HY* , 1801. 
The quince succeeds well in any fair soil, and wherever 
the apple flourishes, „o far as we lmve observed. Many thou 
sands of trees were planted on tho prairies of Illinois some 
years since, with the view of supplying the Chicago and 
other Western markets, with what success we cannot say. 
Thousands of bnshels ire sent to the Western States many 
seasons from Western New York. We would recommend 
growing plnms In the dwarf form, especially In gardens and 
In sections of tho country subject to high winds. When 
trained In this manner, they are more easily protected from 
the curculio. Cherries grown on the Malialub stock make a 
tree of good size, capable of bearing several bushels of fruit, 
uud we btdieve it is generally admitted that they are less 
liable to gum aud suiter from cracking of the bark than when 
on their own roots. If thn cherry were more generally grown 
on this root, and allowed to branch frr in near the ground, so 
as to protect the trunk, we should hoar less of the diseases of 
the cherry tree and obtain more fruit- 
Dwarf apple trees, we know, will thrive equally well with 
standards; In fact, we have seen good dwarf trees whore 
standards had failed, from what wa- supposed to be the 
inclemency of the weather. We have never known apples 
grown on dwarf trees for market, and therefore we cannot 
speak from either experience or observation, but can conceive 
of no reason why the attempt should not be successful. 
Trees planted three or four years would bear about a peck, 
and at six years something like a bushel. We saw a tree, 
eight years planted, that g/ivo last year three bushels, and 
now has upon it about a bushel. At eight feet apart, an acre 
will contain nearly seven hundred trees, and consequently 
will yield a good crop, even if each tree should give half a 
bushel at six years. All varieties of apples succeed as dwarfs, 
but of course the grower must select those that will best suit 
his market. From sit to ten feet apart is about, the distance 
for planting. For a five acre lot ou the prairies, we recom¬ 
mend dwarf apples without tho least hesitation, 
A good and safe plan is that recommended by Mr. Barky 
in his Fruit Book, which is to plant both standards and 
dwarfH, as shown in the engraving. If the standards are get 
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thirty feet apart, the dwarfs may be eight feet, leaving eleven 
feet clear around each standard tree. When the standards 
are of full size, the dwarfs may be removed, having paid 
their cost many times over; and if the standards fail, the 
ground in pretty well occupied with a prentable crop. 
"WHAT CAN WOMAN DOP“ 
Eureka! ami wbat do you think? Let me tell. 
With Mr. Douglas I called on Mrs. J. B. Conn, and 
found her ou the staging in her green-house, super¬ 
intending the removal of plants to the border. This 
green-house, during the winter months, has been her 
fairy realm. With the aid of a small boy she has 
managed, cured for, and propagated from her plants 
during the winter, having discharged her gardener 
last fall. Her plants never looked better than this 
spring, and she never had as good results from the 
propagating house. But her effort is not confined to 
the green-house. Her kitchen and fruit garden are 
under her immediate supervision; her hands pinch 
back the grapevines, prune the pear trees, tie up the 
raspberries and blackberries, <fcc., &c. She reaps a 
reward for her skill and effort in an abundance of 
fruit, and profusion of bloom, and in a solid, rational 
enjoyment which is not gained by devotion to the 
frivolities of fashionable life. It is needless to say 
that her love for this employment doeB not diminish; 
on the contrary she "wonders how so many women 
can content themselves out of the garden.” Her 
Autumn Flowering Filbert again. -Sometime in the 
spring I wrote you of a Filbert In my neighborhood, which 
blossoms uo other time than in the fall. Your reply, for 
which 1 am obliged, alter remarking upon the habits of the 
plant in question, c./imhidcx tho.*:— We .tre of ,q,i„lon that 
your friend must have a Witch Hazel instead of a Filbert. 
This always flowers in the full. My dear sir. leaving the 
main subject for the moment, will jon inform us how the 
Witch Hazel, (lowering only in the fall, unto - a Witch in 
more than name, can ever be re produced? Believe me, tide 
is in no captions spirit, I take fop granted you are right; hut 
having acce-.H to no other menus of minifying a natural curi 
osity —and there lira several, perhaps many, who xliare it — 
be kind enough to explain 
But to return. Recent obrervaHon proves that the Filbert 
is a Filbert, after all; for on it now hang* fruit appropriate to 
nothing ehe — -ay half a dozen specimens. 1 told you it 
blossomed only in the fall. We were certain of but two sea¬ 
sons. Thi* is the third, and It Is preparing, ns you will nee from 
the Inclosed Infant catkins, to oIiihhijuj again. They are lex.; 
than half grown. On this same treo — aud there u no other 
of the kind in the yard or neighborhood —are the nuts afore 
named, and they arc nearly, if not quite, full grown. Not 
having been on the lookout for the "rod feathery ’ object 
you speak of ax tbs •'female flower," 1 my friend would not 
“take a bibie oath ” that nothing of that sort has heretofore 
been exhibited either spring or fail; though that is his confl 
dent belief Two things are certain There are do female 
bloHxoma now, There are male blossoms, and have been for, 
at least, three consecutive autumn*, and they have never 
appeared in the spring. Yoiu solution will still further 
oblige — A Scbscrihek," Yates, N. Y, 1881. 
SortintMmrt 2lote4 
New Plants Exbiiiitkd at tub recent London Shows.— 
Mr. Thompson, of Ipswich, exhibited three varieties of 
Rhodanthe, called atro-xanguinen, maculata, and mnculata 
alba. The former was obtained among the limestone rocks 
in the neighborhood of Champion Bay, Western Australia. 
Maculata lo appearance is a robust, form of Mangiest!, which 
was discovered hy Captain Mangles, at, Hwau river. For lids 
a first-class certificate was awarded. Tho white variety, 
which promises to he exceedingly pretty, received a label of 
commendation, if these, as intimated, ore of more robust 
habit than Mangles!i, they will be a decided acquisition. 
A very fine Delphinium was exhibited by Mr. Wbeeler, of 
Warminster, to which the appropriate name of nlopocurnides, 
or ” like a foxtail,” was given, for It was as close and thickly 
set ns anv Reynard’s brush. The llowers are double, and the 
habit of the plant dwarf. Fur this a first-class certificate was 
awarded, 
Messrs. Carter k On., of Ilolborn, exhibited some speci¬ 
mens of a new double Clarkia, very distinct and beautiful, 
much brighter in color than any nf the older varieties, a 
rich rosy pink, and apparently quite constant it Its double 
properties. 
From Mr. Bull eamn I'halnmopsls SchlUoriana, an excel¬ 
lent thing, but ton small to be awarded anything ns yet; 
Cyanophy hum speciosum, not so good as the older variety; 
Begonia Xeramls; Calceolaria .Sparkle, ko. 
Messrs. Yeitch k .Sun sent a very pretty Calendrina umbel- 
lata major, a rock plant from Chili. For this a label Of com¬ 
mendation WU8 awarded. 
Messrs. Charlwood & Cummins, of Covent Garden, sent n 
very beautiful variety of Nemophlla, called Dixcoidalis 
e.legans, with all tho habits and appearance of its parent, but 
with the petals of a rich mulberry, edged with white. It 
was considered very striking, aud received a label of com¬ 
mendation. 
The appearance of mosB on the outside of ladies’ 
baskets is produced by worsted of the same kind an 
that used for embroidery in worsted. Four or five 
shades of green, and as many of brown, in regular 
gradations, should bo selected; the darkest shades of 
green being of an olive tinge, and the lightest of a 
yellowish hue, in preference to grasB green, which 
has not the mellow autumnal tint of the colors before 
mentioned. One skein of each color is sufficient for 
a pair of baskets. The shape, or body of the basket, 
is formed of pasteboard, and is usually round or oval, 
and made with or without a handle across, according 
to fancy. Tho pasteboard shape is covered, inside 
and out, with green silk; and if a handle he affixed, 
it should be sewn on, outside, where the joining will 
bo covered by the moss, so that tho silk may appear 
neat within. The worsted of each color should be 
wound into a separate ball, and knitted, either flat or 
round, like a stocking; a piece of thread should then 
be passed, by means of a needle, through the last 
row of loops or stitches, and fastened at each cud, in 
order to prevent tho knitting from unravelling. The 
worsted should then be thoroughly wetted or soaked 
in warm water, and placed In an oven of gentle heat 
until perfectly dry. After this, the respective pieces 
must bo unravelled and made up into small bunches, 
which are to bo sewn so thickly on the silk, with 
which tno outside of tho basket is covered, us to 
leave no apparent spaces between them. Each bunch 
should be composed of about three shades of color, 
made up in the following manner:—The several 
pieces of knitting being selected, a few rows of each 
are to be unravelled, and all the ends being taken up 
at the same lime, are to be held between the thumb 
of t,be left hand and the side of the hand, ns low and 
near the joint as possible; the upper part of the 
thumb being then slightly relaxed, the worsteds are, 
with the right hand, wound round tho thumb and 
linger of the left hand, like a figure 8, and held in 
that position while the middle, including the ends 
with which it began and left off, is sewed together 
with it piece of silk. Tho bunches should be placed 
in heaps, according to their respective shade, and 
sewn on the basket, according to taste, intermingling 
the hues, so as to avoid tho appearance of formality. 
Wilkes' Spirit of the Times. 
A CHAPTER ON WINE MAKING. 
RnoDODKirDROW I’k.kcox - This new Rhododendron is 
ulnted to be a hybrid raised from It. atrooirrns, erOWtod with 
It. dtiulum, and has every appearance of having been 
obtained lu that way. It forms a dwarf erect openly branch 
ed shrub, of a couple of feet in height, with slender twigs 
leafy at the end. The leaves are smell, from one to nearly 
two inches long, oblong oval acute, deep.greeu, rugosely- 
velned. and sparingly ciliated. Tho flowers grow in small 
terminal heads of two or three together, und are of a light 
roiiy-lilac, about two inches In diameter, forming a shallow 
expanded self-colored cup, with rounder overlapping obtuse 
und slightly undulated lobes. Mr. Davis, of Wavertree, by 
whom It, was raised, states that it had proved perfectly hardy, 
having been grown for two years in open ground without the 
slightest injury from frost; and that in this situation it formed 
a dwarf bush, with durk.green leaves shout the size of those 
of tho myrtle, flowering about thn end of March in groat 
abundance, the blossoms as large as moderate sized Indian 
Azalea. The plants, he continued, 11 wilt be found Invaluable 
for forcing, from the Tact that thoy may ho got iu flower at 
any time during the winter months, merely by plnctng them 
in a green house. The (lowers last more than three weeks 
after expansion, and from the peculiar odor of Its foliage, 
which it inherits from its mother, not a green fly will live 
upon It,”— London Florist. 
The Violet in tiik East. — Viola odorata is the favorite 
flower of Groeks and Turks, and they cultivate them abund¬ 
antly in their gardens. They begin flowering, sometimes aB 
early as January, and continue flowering till April, the scent 
being much more intense than that of the German or French 
violet. Thousands of bouquets, five violets In a hunch, are 
Bold daily in the Grecian towns The price being but trifling, 
and every one fond of them, the demand ia equal to the 
Bupply. The Greeks also make a syrup nf violets for coughs. 
More than even the Groeks, do the Turku love the violet 
They plant It in masses; make sherbet and candies of it; 
spread the flowers In the apartmeuts, especially those of the 
harem, where the eunuch hands every morning a fresh 
violet to every lady. The color of the violet is the favorite 
color of the Turkish ladies, and they call dresses of violet 
color menenctiee ., from the violet menexe.s. 
Tho Romans made a wine and cakes from the violet, nor 
were they lesu fond of the color. There seem* to have been 
a great demand for It, or they would not have had dyers who 
dyed violet shades, and uone Other?. Such a dyer Was styled 
malarias inferior. 
With tho ancient Greeks the violet was the symbol of the 
early regeneration of the earth; also of death, on account of 
its drooping habit. There being many violets around Athens, 
that city was surnawed the Voilet-scented Flora .—German 
/•'oral Hi gmuthargil. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker.—O n reading yonr valu¬ 
able paper a few days ago. 1 noticed an inquiry for a 
recipe to make Blackberry Wine. Having success¬ 
fully made blackberry wine for tho past three years, I 
uni willing to give to your readers the benefit of my 
experience. 
To each quart of juice, take three quarts of water 
and three pounds of sugar, brown will do. If you 
have plenty of juice, you can use less water and it will 
much improve tho quality. One bushel of berries, if 
good, will make ten gallons. Mix thoroughly, strain, 
and put into a strong cask, which should be well 
cleansed ami fumigated. The cask must he full, to 
allow the refuse to work out during the process of 
fermentation. Yon must fill up the cask thrice a 
day with fresh water, so that the refuse will nil run 
out. Put a spigot Into the cask before putting in the 
wine, and slant it enough to prevent the drugs from 
running out when you are racking oil'. Cork the 
cask tightly after it has fermented, unless you should 
choose to fill it into champaign bottles, cork, and wire 
them, and then seal. This will give you a sparkling 
wine vastly superior to any Catawba, aud much 
cheaper. My brother and self have made eighty gal¬ 
lons this year.—A, Orth Bkum, Lafayette, I ml., 1861. 
Elderberry Wine. — Put the berries in a vessel 
and let thorn stand until they soften and rise up light; 
then press and strain them, aud to each quart of juice 
add three quarts of water. To each gallon of this 
liquid add three pounds of sugar, and to every five 
gallons add ono ounce of cloves and one-fourth 
pound of ginger. First boil the liquid, (putting in 
the spices tied in a cloth,) aud skim; then add tho 
sugar and boil and skim. Four in a vessel to cool, 
then put Into yonr keg and cork tight. 
Currant Wine. —To one gallon of juice, add two 
gallons of water; then add 3j pounds of sugar to each 
gallon of the mixture. Put in the sugar and stir till 
all is dissolved; then cork it up, leaving the cork 
loose, and as it foments and runs over, fill it with 
liquor of the same kept for that purpose. —B. A. S., 
Aooca, Steuben Co., N. ¥., 1861. 
PRESERVING GREEN CORN. 
A “Subscriber” who requests someone to fur¬ 
nish directions for preserving green corn in cans, can 
accomplish his object with less labor, and less ex¬ 
pense, without employing cans. The modus operandi 
is as follows:- Boil the corn (on the cobs) until it is 
thoroughly scalded; then cut from the Cobs and dry, 
either in the baker of your stove, or hy laying in the 
sun. Tt is a very easy matter to dry scalded corn in 
the sun, ono or two sunshiny days generally being 
sufficient. If well dried and kept in a dry place, 
corn prepared in this way will keep till “this time 
next year,” and perhaps a day or two longer. 
Beans aud pens may he preserved in the same man¬ 
ner. Care should be taken, however, not to boil 
them too tenderly; it that case you would not be 
likely to succeed very well in drying.— Intram, 
Hillsboro, III., 1861. 
Dry Ashes for Slugs, &c.—I have seen it reported In 
many sections of the country that the army wormsare making 
sad work. I once had some cherry trees, and there was 
something eating the leaves. They looked like little black 
snails, I dusted the trees with dry ashes, and the snails left 
Afterward l discovered something was strip plug the leave- 
from my currant bushes, and 1 duxted them, and, whatever it 
was, it left; and I think if the army worm was anywhere in this 
vicinity, I should try the ash ex, and know the result, I xee 
How to Stop the Flow of Blood. —Housekeep¬ 
ers, mechanics, and others, in handling knives, tools, 
and other sharp instruments, very frequently receive 
severe cuts, from which blood Hows profusely and 
oftentimes endangers life itself. Blood may be made 
to cease to flow as follows:—Take the flue dust of tea 
and hind it close to the wound— at all times accessi¬ 
ble aud easily to be obtained. After the blood has 
ceased to flow, laudanum may be advantageously 
The specimens sent us hy our friend we hope will enable us 
to give a little light on the subject. Several varieties of Fil 
herts form their catkins in the latter part of summer. These 
remain on the plant during the winter, hut do not open their 
flowers until the spring. To-day we have examined a dozen 
bashes, ail having their catkins pretty well developed, lu 
the spring, and about the time the pistillate (lowers appear, 
the flowers in these catkins, which are xtaminate, open and 
applied to the wound. Due regard to these instruc¬ 
ts the papers that there are some of them Dear Brockport W(Ju j d aavo ngitaUon of milu ], an ,j r „ riI1 jng for 
in your county. If it is convenient, please have them duxted , , , , ,, , , .. 
J the Burgeon, who would, probably, make no better 
with ». -lies, and If it does any good, please make it known to 
the public.—L. B., St. Johns, Clinton Co., Mich., 1801. 
Bunnkmannia kc mari At folia is described by the London 
Horticultural .Society as a line half-hardy perennial, (flower¬ 
ing the first year,) allied to Eschscholtzia, having similar 
finely cut foliage, and producing bright poppy-like (lowers, 
(with robust and erect habit); it is a desirable plant, with 
the general habit of Eschscholtzia, and adapted for similar 
purposes. 
prescription if he were present. 
Clove Water. —Ten pounds of sugar; ten ounces 
of cloves; six gallons of water; two oranges; mix 
the whole together and let it stand eight days. Will 
some one of the lady renders of the Rural please con¬ 
tribute a recipe for making apple jelly? alBo oue lor 
preserving apples.—C., Glendale j, Ohio, 1861. 
Montreal Agricultural and Horticultural Society. - 
The Sixteenth Annual Exhibition of tho Montreal Agricul 
tural and Horticultural Society, Is to bo hold in the Crystal 
Palace, Montreal, on tho 18th and 16th days of September, 
1861. The premium list ix large, and well arranged, and open 
to all Canada an* the United States. 
Dyeing Merino and DeLaine Goods. —Will some 
of the lady readers of the Rural please inform mo 
how to dye Merino and DeLaine a beautiful black, 
that will not fade, and oblige — C. F. K,, Seneca 
Falls, A r . Y., 1801. 
