insects from the surface of pear trees, unless 
used at so great a strength as to injure the sur¬ 
face of the bark itself 
The soda tree wash we have so frequently 
recommended is preferable to all others, and 
may be thus prepared:—Heat sal soda red hot in 
an iron vessel; to do this the vessel should be 
imbedded in, not over, a hard coal fire: this will 
drive off the water and carbonic acid which it 
contains, rendering the soda caustic. One pound 
of this caustic soda, added to one gallon of 
water, may be applied to the trunks and larger 
branches of trees without injuring them. It will 
remove the scaly insects from the hark of dwarf 
pear trees. Applying the wash one day, rub 
such as have this insect upon them the next day, 
with a woolen cloth, and the barks will be per¬ 
fectly clear. This wash may bo applied to all 
trees with a mop or brush, and if again applied 
at mid-summer to the larger portions, trunk, etc., 
the trees will be materially benefited. Where a 
portion only ot the trunk of a plum tree is 
cleansed by this wash, it will increase iu diame¬ 
ter more than the parts above and below the 
washed portions. This wash is worth all it costs 
as manure; it necessarily will find its way to the 
soil by the action of rains, dews, etc. 
AMERICAN TASTE IN GARDENING, 
SOFT-SOAP 
In no country in the woild has there been 
such a general improvement in gardening taste, 
during the past ten or fifteeu years, as in our own 
land. Trees, shrubs, plants and seeds of the 
rarest kinds, are purchased and planted freely, 
and nurserymen and seedsmen find it difficult to 
keep up with the popular demand. Many per¬ 
sons, however, who desire to do things well, do 
not possess the requisite knowledge, and dis¬ 
couragement to the less persevering is often the 
result of first horticultural experiments. Even 
those who read and take especial pains to be¬ 
come informed find that it is difficult to prac¬ 
tice the lessons they learn. Practice is the great 
teacher, and those who have patience to perse¬ 
vere will soon become not only successful, but 
expert, and the instructors of their friends and 
neighbors. 
A correspondent inquires bow she can plant 
and care for her garden with the least amount of 
labor. This is, of course, desirable, hut while 
lessening labor is the main consideration, we 
cannot hope for much success in gardening. 
Much labor, however, is wasted by want of sys¬ 
tem. In many gardens we observe a mixed 
mass gt flowers, good and bad, shrubs, bedding 
plants, bulbs and annuals, all in promiscuous 
confusion. To keep such a garden looking at all 
respectable, requires a great amount of time, 
which few can afford, and which might much 
better he expended in some other way. 
Shrubs should have a place by themselves, in 
clumps on the lawn, or around the borders. 
Bulbs should he iu beds, and as soon as flower¬ 
ing is over these beds may be filled with bedding 
plants, such as Verbenas, Petunias, or with 
annuals. Asters, Ten-wcek-stocks, and other 
annuals, should each have its place, and not be 
intermixed. In selecting flowers for the garden 
you need those that will blossom a long time, 
and make a fine show during the whole season, 
and not those that are brilliant only for a few 
days. For bouquet making, varieties must be 
chosen that will flower freely, bear cutting, and 
that are fragrant As a general rule, those of 
small size make the neatest bouquets. Some 
attention also must bo paid to obtaining a variety 
of colors. It is not best for those who have no 
taste for gardening—no love for trees, and flow¬ 
ers, and fruits—to undertake to have one; for the 
labor will he irksome. But those who love to 
work iu the garden need not fear the labor or the 
expense if they only manage prudently. From 
a quarter to half an acre will produce all the 
vegetables and fruits that an ordinary family will 
consume, with plenty of space for flowers. A 
small plot in front of the house and around it, 
Rhonld be grass, with groups of flowing shrubs 
arid a few small trees, like the Mountain Ash. 
This will only require mowing three or four 
times in the season. A few beds may be cut In 
the grass for flowers, but not too many, as a bor¬ 
der should be reserved in the garden for herbace¬ 
ous flowers, annuals, Ac. All the small fruits 
should l>e planted in abundance, as nothing 
gives a quicker or a better return. Then dwarf 
pears and apples, cherries, plums, etc., enough 
10 supply the family and give a regular succes¬ 
sion of fruits, and for preserving, should be set 
out. The vegetable departments should be kept 
free of trees, dug deep, and made rich. Pvery- 
thlng put in this department should be made to 
grow to perfection. In this way, eommoncing 
jOS. Ritual: This is the month for soap- 
making, and how many weary hours will bo 
passed by the farmers wife over that refractory 
“kettle” which will not “come to soap,” though 
every art has been tried to bring it to terms. I 
do not know, my friend, as 1 can assist you with 
that particular kettle, unless by the suggestion 
that you throw it out, and not sutler it to try 
your patience longer. But I can give you a few 
hint's which may prevent a recurrence of the 
difficulty. 
1st. Be sure your lye is strong enough to well 
bear up an egg. ltd. Put, vnnr f»r«»nan t niu,nt 
PREPARATION OF BOTANICAL SPECIMENS 
who makes the inquiry. Boys and girls of 12 to 
15 years, are quite old enough to begin the ob¬ 
servation of Natur©; and if they would persevere 
in the collection and preservation of specimens, 
they might in a few years have possession of a 
valuable Herbarium. Uaviug had many years 
experience in the preparation of specimens, I 
will endeavor to give a few plain rules for the 
benefit of such as may desire to engage in this 
pleasant exercise. 
First—take two pieces of boards, twenty inches 
long, and fourteen inches wide. They may be 
planed and strengthened by two cleats across 
each board. Then get a few quires, or a ream, 
of common wrapping paper, of about the size’ 
We are very happy to find increased attention 
is being given to that, very interesting and beau¬ 
tiful class of plants, the Flowering Bulbs. It is 
upon these we must depend almost alone, for our 
early spring flowers, aud oven to the first, of 
June. The first flower of spring, the earlist har¬ 
binger of that delightful seasons of buds and 
blossoms is the Snow Drop. By the first of 
March usually, its white bell-shaped flowers ap¬ 
pear, and though they would be unnoticed by 
many at almost any other season, when flowers 
are abundant, their time Is so well chosen that 
Lhey reign without a rival. 
Following these wo have the bright Crocus 
delicate and tasteful in form and varied aud gay 
in color. For at least a mouth, and until the 
flowering of the Hyacinth, through the most 
changable anil unpleasant ol our spring weather 
the Crocus is the queen of the garden. They are 
THINGS THAT I HAVE SEEN. 
I have seen careless housekeepers leavo the 
milk standing in the milk pails until the cream 
begau to rise, thus causing a waste of cream. 
I have seen those same housekeepers set the 
newly strained milk here and there, wherever it 
happened, instead of keeping each milking by 
itself, thereby making themselves the trouble of 
looking it all over when the time for skimming it 
came. 
I have seen the ground around the kitchen 
door strewn with potato peelings which had been 
thrown out with the water iu which the potatoes 
were washed. 
T have seen thoughtless housekeepers set away 
in a pine cupboard, flat-irons so very warm that 
there was danger of tho house taking lire by the 
means. 
I have seen egg shells thrown into the fire, 
when the hens would have gladly made merry 
over them. 
I have seen calico needlessly faded by being 
left standing in soap-suds, instead of being 
quickly washed and immediately put in souih 
hard water to rinse. 
I have seen sour, heavy bread brought on the 
table day after day, when the same pains under- 
standiugly bestowed upon it, would have made 
it both healthy and palatable. 
Elkhurn, Win., 1803. Betty 'Wrinkle. 
plant, eveii including the root or a portion 
of the root where it is not very bulky. Young 
botanists sometimes preserve only the flowers,— 
these are of little value alone in a Herbarium. 
You want a good representation of the whole 
plant, or enough of it to show all Ub peculiari¬ 
ties. When possible, get specimens showing 
both flowers and fruit, — by fruit, I mean what¬ 
ever arrangement there is for containing the 
3eed, whether pod, capsule, or berry, .fcc. Where 
the fruit is too large to be dried wllh the speci¬ 
men, it should be collected and preserved sepa¬ 
rately in boxes or bottles. In the case of grasses 
or sedges they should generally be collected 
when the seed is well formed, but not so ripe as 
to shell out. Specimens of grass, even it between 
two and three feet long, may be bent in the mid¬ 
dle and preserved entire. So, also, may and 
should be preserved many other long and slen¬ 
der growing plants. In the case of shrubs and 
trees—for instance the locust—take a small twig, 
perhaps eight to twelve inches long, containing 
a bunch of flowers and a number of leaves. 
Then in the summer when the pods are nearly 
mature, get a small twig with a few pods and 
leaves. The maple, elm, and many other trees 
develop flowers earlier than the leaves. In that 
case get specimens of the flowers first, and of the 
fruit and leaves afterward, always naming or 
numbering the specimens, so that they bo cor¬ 
rectly brought together when they are all pre¬ 
pared. So much for what to collect 
An almost indispensable article for the Botanist 
is a collection book 
dried by the stove, or better, by being spread out 
for a little while in a warm sun, when they are 
ready to be used again. Heller specimens with 
brighter colors, may be made by changing the 
dryers every twelve hours instead of every 
twenty-four, especially for the first two or three 
duys. It is best to prepare two or more speci¬ 
mens of each kind of plant, then you can send a 
specimen of each to some competent Botanist, 
who will give you the names. Kxtra specimens 
will also be found useful to exchange with other 
Botanists. Geo. Vasey. 
King-wood, Ill., May, 1863. 
Japan Quince.— Will you or some of your readers in¬ 
form mo through tho columns of tho Rural, where cut¬ 
tings oi the Jap an Quince can lie had, aud at what priro 
per hundred f— F. A 1) , White peer Milts. 1 
Young plants can be obtained at most of the nurseries, 
quite cheap hr the quantity; but we do not know that 
cuttings are offered for sale. 
Slitting Bark op Treks.- 
extensive orchard of young a; 
of tho bodies of the trees hail 
tile fflfouiul, in from *k to ten places. Not Uuowintr 
what principle tho trees had been mutilated, (I call II 
tilation ,) I wish you or some of. 
ents who have had experience in' this particular, would 
In pasting through quite an 
pie trees, l noticed the bark 
been cut, from the limbs to 
: upon 
it mu- 
ol your many eorrespond- 
t - ---T' viiiw piu uif.TiiAl tvuuld 
intorm tut* it this la an udvuntAKC to the tm*; and if ro 
in what it com/sta f-L. W. B., Hampton, Conn. ’ 
Wiiitk Cedar r im Hedging.— Will you please inform 
me, through the Rural. whether tho White Cedar is suit 
able for n hedge, In u situation where it is required as a 
protection against stork, as well as for ornamental nur 
poses • VVill it hear to he thoroughly cut back ? A t what 
sue should it be transplanted—-and at what season ?_J W 
L., Album, jV. P. 
Thu White Cedar or Arbor Viter., makes a fine ornamcn- 
Ul hedge, but. will not assure protection against cattle. 
It Is best to set out rather small plants iu tho spring, but 
not too early, 
Cherries-—S eeing that yon give eotnc valuable infor- 
matlou in tho Rural, I thought I would ask a question 
that some reader may ho willing to answer. We have 
four nico, thrifty English cherry trees, which blossom full 
DISINFECTING AGENTS 
horticultural hotcsi 
rsowtuat tne warm weather is upon us, our 
citizens should thoroughly cleanse their premises, 
rendering them as pure add healthy uh possible. 
We are convinced that a great portion of tho dis¬ 
ease so prevalent during the hot months in sum¬ 
mer, is attributable to the accumulation of filth 
in alleys and yards. There are a number of dis¬ 
infecting agents which will be found efficient in 
removing offimfiive smells from damp, mouldy 
cellars, yards, pools of Btagnant water, decaying 
vegetable matter, Ac. Either of the following 
will answer the purpose, while they cost but a 
trifle: 
1. One pint of the liquor of chloride of zinc, 
in one pailfiill of water, and one pound of chlo¬ 
ride of lime in another pailfiill of water. This is 
perhaps the most effective of anything thut can 
be used, and when thrown upon decayed vege¬ 
table matter of any description, will effectually 
destroy all offensive odors. 
2. Three or four poundB of sulphate of iron 
(copperas) dissolved in a pailfiill of water will, 
in many cases, be sufficient to remove all offen¬ 
sive odors. 
3. Chloride of lime is better to scatter about 
damp places, in yards, iu damp cellars, and upon 
heaps of tilth.— Scient\flo American. 
Fruit Grower's Society or Eastern Penn. —Atthu 
Annual meeting held in March the following office™ were 
elected: President —-Rt kvs A Grider, of Bethlehem. 
Vice Prest's— A. Vi. Harrison, Philadelphia; T. Baldwin, 
West Chester; D. Engle, Marietta. Rcc. Sec.—Vi. Hack 
er, Cheltenham. Cor. See. —C. Dir gee, Avondale. Tretu. 
—R. Otto, West Chester. 
Caterpillars. —Caterpillars are unusually thick on the 
trees this spring. Fruit trees in some of the orchards are 
almost entirely covered with their nests. The same is 
represented as being tun iu the eastern part of the State, 
in one locality more •an a dozen nests being counted on 
one small tree. Unless they are got rid of, they will de¬ 
stroy the leaves on the trees aud thus seriously Injure 
them. If attended to when in their nests, when they first 
appear, or soon after, the evil i* obviated, and tree owners 
should be wise In season.— Sprin(/field (Mans.) Rep. 
“ V. ,. J ) e;irs Dut ,at ,Joe8 aot Prevent them 
fal ing off If any one can tell me what to do with them, 
I shall he very much pleased.— Mrs. 8 G. W. 
A -paracih.— Thinking that, perhaps 1 could obtain the 
information I desire through the Rural, I would say that 
1 have sot out this spring an Asparagus bed which an 
pears to be doing well, and about which I wish to make 
the inquiry—Is it best or not to cut the tops this year* or 
what is tho best treatment I can give it to make U produc¬ 
tive t Will you or some of your readers experienced fa, 
W° p B ‘ V " r "° 1)10 "‘fbrinaiion, and much oblige— 
It should not be cut this season. If the bed lias been 
well made you will havo but little to do this season. As 
soon ok the weeds appear give a good dressing of salt- 
enough to destroy them, In the fall give a good coating 
of well-rotted stable manure, and in the spring fork it iu 
lightly so as not to injuro the plants. 
1 T “* ( at , ™» Orchard. I wish you to advise 
me as to what I shall do with my apple orchard 't It is 
now ten years old, and has been to gross four years. I 
have been at school, and did not know what condition it 
was m till I was looking at it a few days ago, and I iiud 
it has been plowed and the furrow thrown toward the 
trees till it i* all in ridges. Now 1 wish to level it. Will 
It injure the trees to throw the furrow the other way I and 
li«w shall I treat it in other respects f— A Constant 
Reader, Liiles, Mich. r 
It is very likely that the roots being coTcred no deep 
have made uu effort to get near the surface, and will be 
found near the old level of the burfaee, and perhaps above. 
Examine, anil ii this is found to be the case, plow the 
ridges, and make It a little more level this year, and the 
next spring you will be able to get It into the shape de 
.sired without injuring the roots materially. The above 
should have been answered before, but was mislaid. 
in which to place his speci¬ 
mens while in the field to prevent Iheir being 
wilted. This is merely a large book cover filled 
with loose sheets of paper, in which to place the 
plants while on a walk or excursion, from which 
they are to be transferred to the press as soon as 
convenient It may be made with two pieces of 
strong binders board about twelve by eighteen 
inches, connected by a leather or muslin back, 
and some strings at the ends and front edge to 
tie with. 
Now, supposing you have your specimens on 
hand, put them in press in the following manner: 
Lay down on the table or other convenient 
place, one of your boards—upon this spread, 
about four sheets of your wrapping paper—then 
take a sheet of tho manilla or fine paper, and 
spread out your specimen in it, laying out the 
leaves in as natural a manner as possible. Where 
the plants are small several may be put within 
.the sheet together,—with each kind put in a 
ticket or label, stating the name, date and place 
of collection,—then place on this sheet of plants 
about four sheets of the wrapping paper, then 
another sheet of specimens, and another layer of 
wrapping paper, &c., until you have all your 
specimens included. Then put on your other 
board, and on the lop a weight of from 50 to 100 
pounds, according to the quantity you have in 
press. They may remain in that condition for 
twenty-four hours, when the weight must be 
taken oil', and fresh wrapping paper be intro¬ 
duced. The moisture of the specimens Is ab¬ 
sorbed by the papers, and dry papers mu 9 t be 
applied daily until the. plants are quite dry. 
The time required will vary according to tho 
kind of plants; some will dry in four or live days, 
others will require eight to ten. The sheet con¬ 
taining the specimens need not be changed, but 
merely transferred with its contents to new 
dryers. The dampened sheets must then be 
A Fink Garden.— There are many delightful places 
around Rochester where the lover of the beautiful may 
spend an hour with pleasure and protit, but none more 
inviting than the grounds of Jamk* Buchan, about a 
mile or so north of the central portion of the city. A few 
days since we made a visit to this place, and on entering 
found ourselves in a beautiful avenue nnmo 00 feet in 
width, and 1,200 in length, both side* being thickly plant¬ 
ed with evergreen and deciduous trees, many of them 
more than 30 feet in height, and affording a most grateful 
shade. This it the beat avenue we have about our city. 
The fruit-garden contains about live acres in which 
we were delighted to find pear tree* of all the popular 
kind*, and many of tho new aud rare varieties, all exhib 
Ring remarkable vigor, and most will give an abundant 
crop this Benson About one acre U devoted to apples, 
aud here are some of the finest specimens of hearing 
standard applo trees we have ever seen, at the present time 
pyramids of foliage and flowers, the trunks of many being 
concealed by the pendant branches. About two acres aru 
devoted to the production of vegetables, &c. Wo have 
before mentioned these grounds in connection with other 
delightful residences in our vicinity, aud wo regret to 
learn that in consequence of domestic affliction Mr. B. haa 
determined to dispose of this place, where he has spent so 
many years with pleasure and protit. Wo hope if a pur¬ 
chaser is found he may exhibit the same good taste as his 
predecessor. 
MUSHROOM CATSUP, 
WASH FOR TREES 
First clean the mushrooms from all extra¬ 
neous matter, and use none that have the least 
appearance of decomposition. Now cut them in 
slices, and salted, place them upon a collander 
and squeeze out the juice gently. Tho juice is 
then left for a few hours, and after being de¬ 
canted carefully from any sediment, placed in 
small bottles, room having been left for a little 
alcohol in which the proper ppices have been 
previously steeped. This Is said to keep admi¬ 
rably and to retain its full aroma, which is apt 
to pass off' in the process of long-continued fer¬ 
mentation or boiling by which common catsup 
is made. The true mushroom of our pastures, 
and those varieties which afford a red ,^iice when 
bruised, are far tho best. The catsup merchants 
frequently keep the mushrooms salted down in 
casks for months before they are converted into 
catsup. In general, however, the more rapidly 
tho juice is extracted, the better is the produce, 
and the more likely to keep. 
advantage, especially where they have been 
neglected for a number of years. Sometimes a 
kind of scraping or rasping is necessary to re¬ 
move tho moss, as described by a correspondent 
recently, but a good scrubbing with a brush 
and sob soap is generally sufficient and better. 
The Working Farmer makes, the following re¬ 
marks on this subject: 
The old stylo of whitewashing is not fair treat¬ 
ment, for although its immediate effects may be 
beneficial, the interstices of the bark become 
hlled in degree with the insoluble carbonate of 
Line, and this interferes materially with the 
after-functions of growth, lessening the endos- 
mose and etwmose actions, and the bark soon 
jecomes again as badly in condition as before. 
Tree washes should be soluble, so that they 
eventually be removed by rains; thus oil 
soap > lf free ,- rom rosin, may be used with advan- 
mge. Potash should never be used, as it fre¬ 
quently injures the cleaner and more delicate 
portions of the bark, and it changes so readily to 
a car bonate, as to be washed off before it decom¬ 
poses the ova and cocoons of insects, lichens, 
mosses, etc., and it will not remove tho 
Anolis- Worm*.— Are these worms an injury in any gar 
den . Some time since, in the English papers, this sub¬ 
ject WM discussed at considerable length. 1 do not 
remember the conclusion: but I see one of your corret,- 
pondent* a *ks what will destroy them Allow me to ask 
wl.y he desires ro destroy them, and why you call them 
au evil. I *rn Mire you will nut only enlighten but 
gratify, by doing so,— Many Headers. 
Whether a thing is an evil or not, depends upon circum¬ 
stance-,. A fly upon your hat is not an evil, or if so, so 
small a one that you can bear it without wincing; but a fly 
on your nose is an evil which no one can boar with com 
posure, The angle-worm may not do mischief among 
large crop*, but with small stuff, in the seed-beds, & c ,, 
the angle-worm is a nuisance, disturbing the root*, and 
drawing the young plants under ground. Abundance of 
angle- worms, as a general rule, shows that the soil needs 
drainage and tillage, because they will not increase rapid¬ 
ly in a dry, friable soil. 
gmjuimg m\ 
A Beginner will And all the information he needs in 
Hurry's Fruit Roolc, to bo had of all enterprising book¬ 
sellers. Price $1,25. 
Situation for a.v Orchard in Minnesota.—C an some 
one tell me whether a northern slope, one foot to the rod, 
with a clay loam soil, is a good situation for a pear, plum 
aud cherry orchard.— N. McCall, Lake City, Minn. 
[SPECIAL NOTICE.] 
Support Home Manufacture.— There Ua strong prej¬ 
udice against article* of American manufacture, and 
justly too, in many case*, but not so with & DkLand 
Co.’* Chemical Saleratus. This i» the best article in ex¬ 
istence for cooking purposes, yet many families are using 
English soda, when this saleratus is much better, and by 
using it you are patronizing home production. For sale 
everywhere. 
1 lower for Name —Will you be so kind as to tell me 
the name of thi* flower, for I never saw anything like it 
helore. They call it Ragged Robin, but 1 think it de¬ 
serves a better name—J. A. II. 
This is Lychnis filos cuculi. Plants can be divided in 
the autumn and they will increase rapidly. 
