NEW AND BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS, 
good this will bo we cannot say. It may be a 
very desirable acquisition. 
Remember that the *“ Linnaeus wine-plant" is 
nothing but the Hyatt's Linmeus rhubarb, or 
common garden plant, and that although the 
juice oi' it or any other rhubarb sweetened and 
fermented is intoxicating, it is not wine, nor is it 
a healthy beverage; nor is it. salable foruny pur¬ 
pose except cheating iu the manufacture of staff 
called wine; and Ur. Carpenter says that he 
lately saw a mau in this city trying to sell 100 
barrels of this famous wiue, and the best offer 
that he could get was £5 cents a gallon, and that 
came from a large manufacturer and adulterator 
of imported wine. 
Remember that if you wish to make such a 
beverage, you can do so with the juice of any of 
the varieties of rhubarb, and 3 or 4 pounds of 
raw sugar per gallon, aud that all pretence that 
the “Linmeus wine-plant” is anything ditlf rent, 
or better, is a cheat. 
Thp.ru is nothing of more interest to the lover 
of flowers, whether a professional florist, pursu¬ 
ing his favorite vocation for a livelihood, or an 
amateur who loves and cultivates with even more 
than professional ardor, than the introduction of 
new varieties. Every season brings something 
new, and indeed something valuable, but not half 
offered by the European florist* as novelties are 
worthy of general cultivation, at least in this 
country. Of the novelties presented, many are 
the product of hybridization, others are the 
native flowers of Japan, China, and other com¬ 
paratively unexplored portions of the globe. 
Occasionally one of our own wild flowers ap¬ 
pears among the European novelties. Last 
season the Collinsia iwt a was advertised by all 
European florists and seedsmen as something 
new, and unwittingly obtained a place in some 
of the seed lists of our own country, as a novelty. 
For the tmnefit of our readers who love flowers, 
we describe some of the nice things obtained 
during the few past years. 
The Double Zinnia is now too well known to 
need much description. Its beauty and hardi¬ 
ness, abundance of bloom, and habit of keeping 
in flower during the whole summer, will make it 
one of our most popular annuals. 
The Japan Finks in all their varieties are ex¬ 
ceedingly desirable. In fact, few flowers will 
give more satisfaction, whether the double or 
single varieties are chosen. 
VARIOUS ORIGINAL RECIPES. 
When the pioneers of the laud cleared away 
the forest it seems never to have occurred to 
them, that shade—in those times a nuisance— 
would one day become a much coveted luxury to 
their descendants. They built their cabins in 
the gloom of forests, and the giants thereof 
6haded them. With hard labor they wrested 
broad fields from the wilderness, and considered 
notiiing in nature so attractive as the 6unsbine. 
They took no thought that the wind which 
moaned in the tree tops, when the barriers that 
restrained it were broken, would sweep in bitter¬ 
ness and with desolating effect over tho land. 
Nor did they consider that the supamer sun 
would beat too fiercely on their unprotected 
dwellings, or blaze too hotly for tiie comfort of 
the traveler, on the unshaded roads. And ignor¬ 
ing oil ideas of pleasure connected with shade, 
we cannot wonder that those stem utilitarians 
were not troubled with a single misgiving 
thought, respecting the beauty of the landscape 
when the country should be nearly denuded of 
trees, singly disposed or in small groups. 
To this general course, however, there were 
some notable exceptions, and prominent among 
the results thereof is the far-famed Genesee 
Valley. The wise forethought and fine percep¬ 
tion of landscape beauty, possessed by the cider 
WiMwoKTHfi, arc seen at the present day in the 
piark-like appearance and exquisite beauty of 
scenery ou the wide domain of that family. It 
can boast, of what but few estates in this coun¬ 
try can, an abundance’of picturesquely disposed 
forest trees—old monarchs, too, that count up 
their ages with the centuries. 
It is told of an Englishman that when a “ cot¬ 
ton lord" reared a pretentious mansion in a 
somewhat open field, the splendor and costliness 
of which far exceeded his own ancient dwelling, 
he pointed with pride to his oaks and elms, 
whose wide spread branches and giant size had 
been the boast ofjiis family since the Conquest, 
and defied the power of gold to place their 
equals on the grounds of his rival. Gold cannot 
replace for us the 6hady grandeur of the original 
forest, but if we select with taste and plant judi¬ 
ciously, a future generation may he grateful. 
Amoug our deciduous forest trees there are 
none more bcautifbl than, tho hard or sugar 
maple. It possesses also many other qualities to 
recommend it. It is'a clean tree, and therefore 
valuable for the lawn, oriony position near the 
dwelling. Vermin ol'any sort ore not liable to 
infest either its hark or branches. It does not 
drop dead twigs on’thefground, nor arc Its limbs 
easily broken by the wind and cast down. Its 
foliage comes early in the spring, retains a good 
color through the summer, and when the frosts 
of autumn paint it the most varied and gorgeous 
lines arc exhibited. It has no prickly burrs, nor 
docs it throw up troublesome sprouts either from 
the roots or seed. It has the rncril, in addition, 
of being a useful tree; and when of proper size 
it yields an abundance of the most delicate 
flavored sugar produced. These good qualities; 
its hardiness, and general accessibility— being 
abundant in our forests — make it a lavorito 
among farmers. And it Is not likely to be too 
extensively planted. In all latitudes where it 
succeeds, there is no reason why enough should 
not be grown around the buildings, und in a 
yard adjacent, to supply the family with most of 
the sweetening ’required. Its character in the 
landscape is that of beauty und softness. It docs 
not possess the elements of grandeur, rugged¬ 
ness, or strength. As a tree it is beautiful. Its 
form is full, rounded, and symmetrical. It lifts 
up a corn pace mass of rich, green foliage to the 
sunshine. It sways no long branches to the 
tempest, nor droops them mournfully, in the 
BtillncBB of night, towards the earth. It is an 
admirable tree for the lawn, small yards, and to 
afford shade to the dwelling. It is a moderate 
grower. 
Ed8. Rural :—J. E. W. wiBhes to know how 
to make good gingerbread without sour milk, 
buttermilk or eggs. I send her two, which arc 
tip top. 
Put one tcospoonful of soda in a teacup; put 
in five tablospooufuls of hot water, four of melted 
shortening, then fill the cup with molasses. 
This mokes one tin. A heaping teaspoonful of 
ginger in the flour. Make it rather stifi'er than 
you would if egg» were used. 
Another.—Two cups of molnaaes, two-thirds 
of a cup of shortening, half cup of hot water, 
with a tablespoonful of soda dissolved in it. Stir 
these together, and one tablespoonful of ginger. 
Dissolve one tublespoouful of powdered alum in 
a teacupful of hot water. When cool, and the 
first Ingredients partially worked in the Hour, 
add the alum water. Make It, soft as you can 
roll It out. Mark it off with a fork, cut It iu 
tliree-by-flve pieces, put them in your fan close, 
and bake quick, hut not brown. In this way 
you will have the old-fashioned card-gingerbread. 
—Mrs. Z. C. W., Morrison, IU. 
HORTICULTURE IN JAPAN 
AGBOSTKMNA C80L1A ROSEA DWARF FRINORD.* 
Among the other novelties offered we do not 
observe anything startling, except, perhaps, 
Wai/zia Orandijlora, said to be the finest yollow 
everlasting flower known. The Double PoHukuxa 
which heretofore has been somewhat unreliable, 
in some seasons a good portion coming single, is 
now said to be perfectly reliable, and is also 
offered in distinct colors. 
To Tbt-out Lard. —A fanners' mode of try¬ 
ing out leaf lard, one which produces few scraps, 
in to add to every 10 lbs. of rough lard a table- 
spoonful of Bttloratus during the process of 
trying-out. Wo have tried tho experiment, and 
cau speak from our own experience. In trying- 
out seven pounds of lard there was less than a 
quarter of a pound of scrap-waste.—J. 11., Mon¬ 
roe Co. } N. r. 
Baker’s^Cake.— Two eggs, two cups of sugar 
(white is preferable,) one cup of butter, one cup 
of cold water with half a tenspoonful of soda, 
one teaspoonful of cyeam tartar. Mix stiff, roll 
thin und bnko in a quick oven. It will keep a 
year.— Mrs. J, M. Miner, Winneshiek Co., Iowa. 
CALIFORNIA VINE AND WINE ITEMS, 
A Californian writes:— I do not think you 
have any just conception of the adaptability of 
this country for the production of wlno. Practi¬ 
cal experience enables me to say that 1,000 gallons 
of pure wine is but a fair yield from an acre of 
vines six years old; and what may seem to you 
more incredible, Mr. James Persian, our largest 
cultivator of the grape and rnoBt experienced 
vintner, assured me but a few days ago that ho 
candidly'believed, In a favorable season, he coaid 
select an acre in his vineyard that would yield 
2,000 gallons of wlno. So peculiarly favorable is 
tho climate that the most tender European vari¬ 
eties aro perfectly hardy hero. The Chasselua 
Fontalubleau, White Chasselas and Black Prince 
are now ripe. 
Last vintage, Sonoma valley produced about 
180,000 gallons of wine, while this vintage, at a 
moderate estimate, will not produce less than 
300,000 gallons. Each year the quantity pro¬ 
duced will increase according as the newer plan¬ 
tations of vines come Into bearing, and the older 
plantations obtain greater age. Then, again, 
there are considerable plantations made every 
year, which will in time 6well the amount 
greatly. The wholesale prices for the wines of 
the valley have always rauged fram 75 to 100 
per cent, higher thau for the wines from other 
parts of the State. 
Last winter there was set out nearly one mil¬ 
lion of vines, including tho 800,000 sot out by 
the Buoua Vista Vimcultural Society. The com¬ 
ing winter tho Society will set out little or none, 
but the rest of the.valley will set out an additioual 
200,000 vinos at least. This increase is nothing 
to what It will he when once a direct market 1s 
established for our wines in tke East; then tho 
whole of our beautiful valley will be turned into 
one continuous vineyard. 
The editor of the California Farmer discourses 
thus of fruit received, grown in open air:—Tho 
Chasselas of Frontlnaeand Muscat of Alexandria 
had berries measuring three inches in diumotor, 
and noble bunches too; Black Hamburg, noble 
berries, uud bundles weighing 3 to 4 pounds; 
Reine da Nice, magnificent, both in bunches 
and berries. This box of grapes came from the 
splendid “Gardens of the Alhambra,” situated 
Inquiry. —My better hall' wishes some one 
would inform her through the Rural, how to 
make lemon crackers. Also, how to get riil of 
tho smaU red ants, ubout as large as the point of 
a pin, which at some seasons so infest the lard, 
&c.—H. Miles. 
TEACHING THE ART; OF COOKING, 
PLANTING FOREST TREE 8EEDS 
In New York a French Professor of Cooking is giv¬ 
ing practical lessous, with lectures, to the wives and 
daughters of Goihauiltes— a very sensible and pro¬ 
gressive movement, which we trust will be the fash¬ 
ion. We extract from a New York paper a portion of 
what the Professor performed at a recent soiree: 
Prairie Hen Au Chassur, ( Hunter-Like .)— 
The hen being dressed, Is placed in a pan with 
a little fat and a small quantity of broth from tho 
“Alphabet Kettle,” and a little salt and pepper. 
It is then put in the oven, to remain till half 
cootced. A small onion, chopped fine, is placed 
in u pan, with a tea spoonful of butter to fry 
until brown ; this removes all disagreeable per¬ 
fume from the Onion. While the onion is brown¬ 
ing, the cook is preparing in another pan one 
table-spoonful of butter, the same quantity of 
flour, mix together, then add a pint of broth and 
the juice from the pan in which the chicken is 
halted. The bird Ib then cut in scven.picces, all 
the bones and little scraps put in with the sauce . 
a few drops of burnt sugar aro added to give it a 
nice brown; also six whole pepper corns, two 
cloves, a pinch of thyme, and one hay leaf. This 
is cooked a few moments, ami then strained over 
the onion, and into this the pieces of half-cooked 
chicken arc placed and left to simmer gently for 
almost an hour. In the meantime bread had 
been dut iu fancy shapes, and fried and placed 
around the edge of the dish, aud the bird, when 
cooked, is laid in the centre, and the sauce 
poured over the whole. This is a most delicious 
dish. 
In reply to a special request, the editor of the 
Gardener’s Monthly gives the following direc¬ 
tions for gathering, saving and planting the seeds 
of our forest trees: 
Tree seeds that have pulp should he washed at 
ante on gathering, and dried in the shade grad¬ 
ually also. Sun-dried seeds arc generally worth¬ 
less, especially those oi a dark color. The sooner 
seeds can be got In the ground the better. They 
should not be sown any deeper than is necessary 
to keep them from the light, nor so near tho air 
aB to get dry- moisture, air and darkness are the 
three essentials for successful raising of tree 
seeds. Seeds that are usually spring sown, and 
are found to “ damp off,” Rhouid be sown very 
early, so that the young wood may get hard be¬ 
fore the hot weather comes. 
The Soft Maple will not keep more than a few 
weeks good enough to grow. It should be sown 
ft* soon us ripe in June. Not sown deep,—on 
tho surface, and slightly covered with sand, Is the 
best way. A long article would tell a longtr and 
perhaps clearer story than this; hut this is the 
pith of the whole matter. 
LYCHNIS I1AAUEANA UYOR1DA. 
Lychnis Haageana, has given us very great 
satisfaction, for ( several years. A more roeeqt 
variety L. II. hybrida, seems to be Hie best, with 
very large flowers, white, rose, rod, &c., in good 
clusters, us shown in tho engraving, which also 
gives a good view of a strong, healthy plant. 
Wo have succeeded best with it in a rather heavy 
soil, and though our experience Is somewhat 
limited, we judge a little shade is beneficial. 
Sometimes the plants seem to suffer about the 
middle of the summer. Thoy endure the winter, 
very well, though some plants are injured. Wo 
hope it will prove hardy both in winter and sum¬ 
mer, but have yet some doubts. 
The new varieties of Antirrhinum, are all good, 
with the exception of one called Ophir, which 
proved almost white. A dwarf variety called 
Tim Thumb, a novelty of hist, year was a beauti¬ 
ful little thing, only some six inches in height to 
the top of the flower stem. It seemed inclined 
to run hack to the old root, as about half the 
plants were half between the dwarf and the old 
root. 
Horticultural Notes ami Queries 
A Large Plantation of Small Fruits, —It Is 
stated in the Prairie Farmer that our friend A. M 
Purdy of South Bend, Ind,, bus under cultivation, 
and to comtj Into bearing next Benson, forty acres of 
small fruits-thirty of which are straw berries. Tin- 
reader ran form some idea of the magnitude of such 
a bed by tho following figures. Tho rows average 
sixteen rods long and four feet apart, and number 
between ten and eleven hundred. If they were iu 
one continuous bed the distance across it would be 
about three-fourthB of a mile, and if tho rows were 
formed into one row, It would be between fifty and 
Bixty miles long, lie estimates that it will take one 
hundred pickers to gather tho crop, and that his crop 
will amount to between 1,500 and 2,500 bushels, ac¬ 
cording to the fav-ornblcTicgg of the season. 
Mr. Johnson and others, of the same place, also 
have large plantations. In nil, sixty to seventy acres 
Of strawberries to come into full bearing next season 
at South Bend. 
Apples, with Butter, are prepared by peel¬ 
ing aud coriug six apples, the cores being taken 
out with a sharp, hollow tube made for the pur¬ 
pose, and the cavities tilled with pulverized 
sugar. A few slices of stale bread, cut thin, and 
then into fancy shapes with a cake cutter, dipped 
in melted butter and placed iu u pan, an apple 
being put ou each piece of bread. A small piece 
of butter is then put on each apple, and again 
sugar put over the whole. They are then put 
into a quick oven, to hake for forty minutes, at 
the expiration of which, time pour over the 
apples one table-spoouful ol' melted butter. They 
should then bake about twenty minutes longer, 
after which place them on a plate, with the bread 
still under them. The juice is placed on the 
range, with two table spoonfuls more of sugar 
mid about half a pint of warm water; let it boil 
over a sharp lire for a low moments, and then 
strain it over the apples. 
FRUIT GROWERS’ SOCIETY OF WESTERN 
NEW YORK. 
Thr Annual Meeting of the Fruit Growers’ 
Society of Western New York will beheld at the 
Court House, in the city of Rochester, com¬ 
mencing on Wednesday the 24th day of January. 
It is designed to make this one of the most im¬ 
portant aud useful gatherings of Fruit Growers 
ever held in the conntry. An address to farmers 
on the subject of Fruit Growing will be delivered 
during tho sceslon, in Corinthian Hall, by Hon. 
Lewis F. Allen of Buffalo, and the Hon. Mar¬ 
shall P. Wilder of Boston, the venerable 
President of the Ameilcan I’omological Society, 
has promised to favor flh« Society with his pres¬ 
ence and counsels, if life and health will permit 
Charles Downing, Esq., of Newburgh, who 
has so often honored the Society by his presence 
and unrivaled experience, John S . Thomas of 
Onion Springs, and other gentlemen, whom all 
will be delighted to meet, are expected to be 
present. 
There will be an exhibition of Fruits, particu¬ 
larly of Apples, Pears and Grapes, to which ai\ 
are cordially invited to contribute. It is expected 
the show of grapes will be unusually large, as 
line collections are expe*ted from Hammonds- 
port, Naples, and Ohio. Those not able to bring 
specimens with them may address Diem to the 
Secretary, (James Vick, Rochester, N. Y.) The 
order of business will be nearly as follows: 
FIRST DAY. 
Morning Session.— Assemble at 10 o’clock 
A. M. at, the Court House, for arranging fruits 
on tables, receiving reports of committees, elec¬ 
tion of officers, &c. Adjourn about noon. 
Afternoon. —Assemble at 3 P. M. for reports 
of committees, discussions, Ac. 
Evening.— Addresses at Corinthian Hall, by 
Lewis F. Allen, of Erie county. 
SECOND DAY. 
Discussions, &c., until the Society shall con¬ 
clude to adjourn. 
Khttharr Wlne. I wish to be informed through 
tho Rural in relation to the wlno plant called Wy¬ 
att’* I.innn-iis. Is it anything different, from our 
common pie-plant ? And also the difference In color 
of the plant called the Strawberry variety ? Which 
make* the darkest wine! la there any siilo for the 
wlno East, and at what price V 1 would like to cor¬ 
respond with Home one or two persons who have manu¬ 
factured the in in.-. If you can inform me through the 
Rural, it will oblige quite n number of subscribers 
in this State. And also where good hop roots can be 
hud 1 I wieh to get some good hop plants from the 
Bust, Please inform me through the Rural, aud 
oblige.— L. J, Brown, RansomiilU, AUch. 
We refer our correspondent to pugc 127 of the 
Rural for 1364, for Information concerning rhubarb 
and making wine from the plant. 
Wo do not know where hop plants Can be procured. 
Probably from many of thopnmerouH hop growers in 
this’ and other States. Those having them to eel] 
should advertise. 
Is a little beqpty. We flowered many specimens 
in the garden, but it is in the house they show 
their real beauty. There are few things liner for 
pots, baskets, &c., being constantly covered with 
beautiful (lowers, and the dropped seeds produce 
new plants, so that there is no trouble in obtain¬ 
ing a constant supply of plants for all purposes. 
Among the new Everlasting Flowers we are 
delighted with Hdipterum Sanfordii, a pretty lit¬ 
tle deep golden yellow flower in globular clus¬ 
ters. It is a great acquisition, and those who 
secure a good lot for winter use will find they 
have« good tiling. Occasionally a plant seems 
to droop, and gives few (lowers—perhaps oho in 
ten, whileuU the rest will do well. The cause 
of this we htve not been able yet to iearn. 
Agrmtemna Rosea, Dwarf Fringed. This 
is the long ruun- of a small, yet very delicate 
flower. It is the flfeat of all the Ccolias, a nov¬ 
elty of last year. The plant is of compact growth, 
less than a foot in hei^t, and branches freely. 
The flowers are a delicate rise with white center; 
edges of petals toothed and -ringed. We give an 
engraving of this flower, but Hs beauty is only 
realized when seen ou the plaut. We see by the 
list of novelties for the spring oi I860, just re¬ 
ceived, that a double variety is offered. How 
Ladies’ Fingers.— Three ounces of butter 
beaten until soft, four ounces of sugar and three 
yolks of eggs. To this last mixture add six 
ounces of (lour; the whites are beaten to a stiff 
froth In a cool place, and all is mixed ami placed 
in a buttered pan, either with a spoon or by the 
use of a httic bag, with a tin tube attaehed, 
which‘is the French mode, and makes a much 
ulcer shaped cake or linger thau can be made 
with a spoon. After this is accomplished, 
sprinkle a little sugar over Hie top of the cakes, 
and immediately put them into a very quick ovcq 
to remain a few momenta t.o prevent spreading; 
then into a more moderate oven until entirely 
cooked. 
THE WINE PLANT. 4 
The opinion of the N. Y. Farmers’ Club of the 
merits of the “Linnaeus Wine-plant" for wine, 
and of the honesty of its venders for this purpose, 
may be gathered from this extract of its proceed¬ 
ings, as given in the Tribune: 
P. Quinn presented a bottle of the famous 
liquor made from the “Linmeus wine-plant"—a 
sort of nauseouB, unwholesome compound of 
acid and sugar, partly converted into mm, as un¬ 
like wine as those who seU the plant are unlike 
honest men. Both should be kicked out of 
deebut men’s company. Mr. Quinn read from a 
circular of one ol' these swindle™ who sell com¬ 
mon garden rhubarb as extraordinary “ wino- 
plants,” some most disgusting lies about its 
origin and discovery !u Chinese Tartary. The 
scoundrel also publishes as an indorsement ol’ its 
character, the article lately swindled into the edi¬ 
torial columns of The Tribune. We caution 
every reader to beware of this great swindle. 
Hedge Plant fob Wibconbin. —Will the Rural 
please give ub its opinion about the hedge plant best 
adapted to our climate, and the proper time of sow- 
lug seed, aud the amount!—N ew Suhhcuibijr, Pela- 
van , Wis. 
As experience la the only criterion by which to 
properly jndge of the fltnesB of any plant, for hedg¬ 
ing purposes, in a given location, we invite some 
ol our readers who have raised, or Cried to raiBe, 
hedges in Wisconsin, to send us an answer to thiB 
query, 
«4 --—’ 
The Illinois ;>ate Horticultural Society held 
an intereeiDg meeting at Dloomington on the 19th 
and 20th ultimo, whereat very interesting discussions 
were had, fruit lists revised, etc. * 
parsnips in r KtOAssEE.—A few parsnips were 
cut in slices, and. placed in a pan und entirely 
covered with warm water; add a little salt and 
let them cook until tender. Some butter and 
flour are mixed together with the water,that the 
parsnips are cooked in and a little broth from 
the “Alphabet Kettle,” und “give it one boil ” 
and it is ready to be strained o ver the vegetable’s. 
