previous to the planting 
out of fruit trees. 
Another cause of failure may be found in the 
fact that new soils of a tenacious character do 
not suil'or from the presence of stagnant water 
so much while tilled with roots, us after those 
roots and stumps have decayed and the soil 
fallen into a more compact and less pervlouB 
state. Thorough draining must remedy this 
defect. Every observing persons knows that 
our beat orchards are upon strong, rocky or 
stony soils, with a dryer or porous subsoil. 
Still another reason of the longevity of the 
first plantings was the fuet that they were seed- 
liDgs, grown upon the farmer’s own land, or in 
EARLY SPRING FLOWERS-NOTES IN THE 
GARDEN. 
VARIOUS RECIPES, 
The Narcissus is a fine family of early bloom¬ 
ing (lowers, including the Daffodil and Jonquil. 
Most of the varieties arc hardy, beyond question, 
while others have been considered somewhat 
tender—unable to endure a very severe winter 
without suffering more or Icsb. This iR doubt¬ 
less the case in a cold, stiff, poorly drained 
soil, hut in a dry loam all with us have proved 
perfectly hardy. A slight covering of leaves in 
the fall will make the work safe, and the leaves 
arc worth more than the cost of gathering as a 
manure. 
The Double Narcissus are of the style of the 
Daffodil, some being white, others creamy yel¬ 
low, very Bhowy and fine. The single are deli- 
rac to give her mine, which I think is excellent: 
Ammonia Cookies. —One-half pound butter, 
one-half pound sugar, half ounce of ammonia 
dissolved in a pint, of new milk; season with 
caraway seed ; salt. These are very nice, and if 
Lydia makes them as I direct her, they will be 
tip-top. 
Cracker Pie— Break four soda crackers into 
pieces; one cup light sugar, one teaspoon 
tartaric acid, cup water, one tablespoon corn 
starch; tiavor with extract IftTTlfm calf • 
SINOLE NARCISSUS. 
The engraving will give a very good idea of 
the form of the single (lowers, and the central 
enp, which, being of a different color from the 
six petals, makes (hose flowers exceedingly at¬ 
tractive. Some have, the petals of a light yellow 
aud the cup orange; others have the petals 
white and the cup yellow; while the Poet’s 
Narcissus (Narcissus poettcus ,) sometimes called 
Pheasant’s Eye, is snowy white, the cup cream 
color, with a delicate fringed edge of red, which 
gives its latter name. 
The most beautiful class of the Narcissus 
family, however, is the Ihtyanthus Narcissus. 
The flowers are produced In clusters or trusses 
of from half a dozen to three times this number. 
Like the others, they show every shade of color, 
from the purest Imaginable white to deep orange; 
the enp of the white varietie s heiug yellow, and 
of the yellow sorts orange. These are not as 
hardy as the other varieties, but are Sufficiently 
so for culture in this latitude in a well drained 
soil, if covered before winter with leaves or straw. 
Doubi.r Narcissus. — Alba pknaoilorala, is 
white and very fragrant. Incomparable, Is of 
light, sulphur yellow, Intermingled with orange. 
Orange Fhamtx, creamy yellow and orange, very 
large aud tine. 
Polyantiiis Narcissus. — Glorlosum Super- 
bum, white, with deep orange cup. Very large 
clusters, often from twenty-five to thirty (lowers. 
Grand Solid d* Or, bright yellow, deep orange 
enp, excellent. There are many other varieties, 
hut the two described are tbe best. 
Single Narcissus. — Compand, large, yellow, 
fragrant. Ibeticus, white, beautiful fringed cup. 
Jonquil— Large Double, yellow, very pretty, 
and exquisitely fragrant. Single Suret Scented, 
flowers small, yellow, delicate, and as fragrant 
as the sweetest honeysuckle. 
lor flowering In pots in the winter wc know 
of nothing better than the Narcissus, particu¬ 
larly the fragrant varieties. 
Among the trees and shrubs Ibat will flower 
very soon, probably by the time this reaches 
many of our readers, is the beautiful Weigtla 
Iwsea, or Rose Colored Welgela. We have be¬ 
fore called attention to the beauty of this shrub, 
and it has been extensively disseminated, yet 
not as much as it deserves to be, for it Is only 
occasionally that we meet with it. We give an 
MULCH FOR FRUIT TREES, 
has anything to do it with, 
Shavings, brush cut 
short, chips and even cobble-stones, will make 
a mulch, If nothing better is at hand. If all the 
transplanted trees were mulched at the time of 
setting, not one would be lost where ten are 
now. Too much importance cannot be given 
to this subject by fruit growers. 
a , ... . E. W. Stewart. 
Glen Eric, North Evans, N. Y., 1865. 
Mr. Editor: — As this is the season when 
great care should be devoted to newly trans¬ 
planted trees, and care bestowed upon all fruit 
trees to insure their safe and rapid growth, a few 
observations upon tbe best method of doing this 
may be useful. Watering trees In a dry, hot 
time is seldom done, and when done, very 
rarely useful. It causes the grouud to become 
hard aud prevents the circulation of air through 
it, and seems, on the whole, to do more injury 
4l '"' "vtl Is !•/»,,• I noon nr. «>,n 
surface. Mulching trees obviates tbe necessity 
of stirring the soil, or watering it, and prevents 
all the ill effects of drouth. A good mulching of 
saw-dnst, 6peut tan-bark, straw or leaves, spread 
upon the surface as far as the roots extend or 
slightly beyond, will keep the ground loose, 
friable and moist. Sufficient attention has not 
been paid to this mode of preserving trees and 
keeping them in luxurlons growth. Very little 
has been written upon the subject, and next to 
nothing upon the philosophy of its action. 
Downing says, “by preventing evaporation it 
keeps the soil from becoming dry.’’ This is the 
general theory, right as fur as it goes, but is far 
from expressing the whole truth. Mulching Is 
actually watering. It, is providing a constaut 
and ample supply of moisture. It does more 
than this; it provides a constant supply of fertil¬ 
izing matter. 
Some years since, Observing the remarkable 
effects of mulch, the writer tried some experi¬ 
ments, which, to his mind, tended to throw 
some light upon the mode of its action. Per¬ 
ceiving that a heavy mulching of sawdust pro¬ 
duced all the apparent, effects of heavy manuriug 
and kept the grouud moist in the driest season, 
the bulb ot a thermometer was sunk to the 
bottom of the mulch, and the mercury fell ten 
degrees. This demonstrates to my mind the 
cause of (lie moisture aud fertilizing. The mulch 
being always porous, permits the free circulation 
of the air, and being ten degrees cooler than the 
general atmosphere, the moisture of the air is 
condensed. This accounts for the constant 
moisture of the earth under It, even In the driest 
season. The fertilizing matter of the air, consist¬ 
ing of ammonia and carbonic acid, are deposited 
by tbe condensation of moisture under the 
mulch. We are all familiar with the fact that 
frequent stirriug of the soil, in a dry time, will 
prevent injury to a crop for want ot raiu. This 
acts on the same principle as the mulch. The 
soil being kept porous receives its moisture by 
condensation from the air. Nitre is often gath¬ 
ered from the earth In damp, dark cellars, and 
from under rubbish which has been long undis¬ 
turbed, aud it was deposited there iu the same 
manner as under the mulch. 
Mulch has another remarkable quality. It 
will render the hardest and most compact earth 
loose and porous in a few months. The benefit 
ot summer-fallow is based upon the free circula¬ 
tion of air through the soil, caused by many 
plowings, 11‘ the soil is left unused, but without 
stirring, it, becomes compact and little or no 
benefit arises from a year’s rest. If the grouud 
were mulched, it would need uo plowing to pro¬ 
duce the same benefit. It is recommended by 
some horticulturists to remove the mulch in 
September, for a time, to prevent too much 
water from teiug taken up between the bark 
aud rap wood, which, it it said, will freeze in 
winter und cause the frozen sap-blight; the 
mulch may be returned at the commencement 
of the cold weather. This may be done by 
those who believe the winter-blight thus pro¬ 
duced. But let no one neglect to mulch who 
Bologna Sausage —May be made of any good 
lean parts of beef. Chop four pounds of beef, 
two pounds of fresh, lean pork and two pounds 
suet. Free from strings, and mix thoroughly. 
Season with two ounces of salt, and as much 
powdered pepper and cloves as suits the taste 
Stuff these sausages in beef skins nicely pre¬ 
served. Boil them and then smoke well. They 
are sometimes dryed without boiling, and are 
raw. They are a -rerjr common resource 
for travelers who nave u> ue ineir own commis¬ 
saries. Sausages made wholly of beef are a very 
good article for family use.— Exchange. 
HOW TO HAVE CLEAN GARDENS, 
MR. VICK’S FLOWER GARDEN 
Continue the hoeing through the season, or as 
go to seed will stock a large garden. 
in particular, one of onr most troublesome 
garden weeds, has a multitude of seed, and 
ripens it while the capsules are green, and many 
a cornfield has been stocked with it by manure 
from the hog-yard. 
Second, put uo yard manure on the garden 
that has not been thoroughly fermented. Hen 
manure, guano, phosphate of lime, ground bone 
andwuod to mix Ultimately with the contents 
of the privy a sufficient quantity of some suitable 
absorbent, such as coal ashes, clay, swamp 
muck or charcoal ashes are all good, but poud- 
rette is better than either of them singly, and 
every family should manufacture their* own. 
Nothing more is necessary than dust, which 
should be dry, and improved by the addition of 
gypsum. To facilitate the operation I have so 
constructed my privy that whever a lid is closed 
a given quantity of absorbent is deposited under¬ 
neath, aud besides answering the purpose in¬ 
tended, it operates as a disinfectant, allaying the 
unpleasant odor of the premises to such a de¬ 
gree as in my opinion to pay for all the trouble 
and expense, if that alone were the object.— 
Country Gentleman. 
Saxon Cheese— The following method, says 
an exchange, makes a wholesome and palatable 
cheese much used iu Saxony —Boil large white 
potatoes, remove the skin and mash them fine. 
Add a little salt. To five pounds of potatoes 
add one pound of sonr milk, and mix thorough¬ 
ly ; cover and let it stand undisturbed four or 
five days, according to the season. Knead it 
out into balls, and put in a cool, airy place to 
dry, They may be covered with a piece of old 
lace, or thin muslin, to keep from insects and 
admit the air. 
White-wash that will not Rub Off.— Slake 
the lime in the nsnal way. Mix one gill of flour 
with a little cold water, Hiking care to beat out 
all the lumps; then pour on boiling water 
enough to thicken it to the consistency of com¬ 
mon starch when boiled for use. Four it while 
hot into a bucket of the staked lime, and add 
oue pound of whiting. Stir all well together. 
A little “blue water,” made by squeezing the 
indigo bag, or a little pulverized indigo mixed 
with water, improves it. 
TO CURE WORMY TREES, 
The following reecipc is published in the 
New York Evening Post; 
With a large gimlet or auger bore into the 
body of the tree, just below- where the limbs 
start, iu three places, a groove Inclining down¬ 
wards. With a small tunnel pour a shilling’s 
worth of quicksilver into each groove. Peg it 
up closely, and watch the result. Had it been 
done when the sap first started on its upward 
circuit it would have beeu more efficacious—yet, 
even now, it will greatly abate the nuisance. 
The plan was first tried for a wormy apple 
tree by Samuel Jones, Esq., of Canauu, Colum¬ 
bia Co., N. Y., and with entire success. It Is 
believed that, far from damaging the trees, it 
will even add to the beauty of the foliage. In 
case of the fruit above mentioned the cure was 
surprising, not only the fruit becoming perfect 
and beautiful, but the very leaf seemed to grow 
larger and far more dark and glossy. 
Compound Spruce Beel— Water, t> gals.; 
hops, 3 oz.; black sirup, 3 quarts; oil of spruce, 
half oz.; ginger root, 1 oz.; one nutmeg; brew¬ 
er’s yeast, 1 pint. Steep the hops in one gallon 
of the water till the strength is out, then strain 
and add the whole together. After mixing the 
oil of spruce with an oz. of alcohol, let it stand 
six hours, or over night, keepiug it tightly 
corked in a demijohn. Afterwards bottle tight. 
If too bitter add a little of the black sirup. 
For Toothache. — A little horseradish scraped 
and laid on the irisi of the side affected, will, in 
many eases, it is said, give speedy relief. Anoth¬ 
er way is to place a little scraped horseradish 
in the mouth, or the tooth, and just around the 
gum. It relieves rheumatic pains in the gums 
and face also. The mouth may be afterward 
rinsed with a little camphorated water, luke¬ 
warm. 
FAILURE OF ORCHARDS, 
From the excellent report of the Maine Board 
of Agriculture we condense the following : 
In the first place the early plantings were in a 
virgin soil full of vegetable mold from the decay 
of forest trees and leaves for centuries, contain¬ 
ing in abundance all the elements necessary to 
a thrifty grow th. Thousands of trees have since 
then beeu set upon lands greatly exhausted by 
repeated croppings, with insufficient returns, 
and they have literally starved. A remedy for 
this is properly manuring with a compost of 
leaf mold, wood ashes and lime; stable manure 
may bc'uddod to advantage. Aguiu, the earlier 
planted trees were generally well sheltered by 
the native forest growth. 
The value of shelter In such a climate as ours 
has never been sufficiently appreciated. The 
6 access whleh has attended the planting of rows 
of evergreens for screens, is really surprising, 
aiul>-arrant» the belief that uo more judicious 
investment can be made for young orchards in 
exposed situations, than the plauting of ever¬ 
green screens simultaneous with, or better still 
Best Soil for Graves.— According to the 
Ohio Pomologlcal Society, a bettei quality of 
grapes, with heavier must, can be produced ou 
a strong clay soil, or one of loamy clay, with a 
limestone or slaty sub-soil, than on sandy ground 
or alluvial deposits. It this be so, the soil 
through a considerable portion of the ceutral 
counties of New York must be well adapted to 
grape culture. The Society also agreed that, in 
ail cases, undcr-dralnage was necessary to suc¬ 
cess iu grape growing. Grapes are becoming 
more and more extended in their cultivation 
throughout the State, and it is well that it Is so, 
for when grown to perfection they are not only 
the most delicious, but among the most health- 
promoting of all our fruits. 
Lemon Pies. —Take two lemons and slice thin, 
one aud a half teacups of sngar. a little water, 
and half a pint of raisins. Roll out the ernst 
and put in the lemon; roll another crust and 
lay on the raisins, a little sugar aud a little 
water; roll auotlier crust and put over the oth¬ 
ers. Tliis is known to be good, and if you do 
not believe it, just try it and see.— Mrs. 8 . D. 
JONES, Swamp Hollow, Moss. 
Sauce for Hot and Cold Bssf—O ne stick 
of grated horse radish, two teaspoonfuls ot line; 
white sngar, a saltspoonful of vinegar. Stir the 
mustard, sugar and salt, into the vinegar; then 
pour it over the horse radish, stirriug it lightly 
with a fork. 
