gnquiHes anti §Vnsim*$ 
Rovticnltttvxl 
Plant for Name. — Will the Rural please give infor¬ 
mation as to tlie name anJ original locality of the plant of 
which the inclosed is a specimen, and thereby greatly 
oblige—A Rural Ricaukk, Lima, X. )' 
MidiCagOinaaulata— Spotted Uedick. Adventitious from 
Europe. This and other species of the genus are some¬ 
times cultivated on account of their curious seed pods 
Dahlia?—T it® Worm —While perusing your last, num¬ 
ber, I met with an article describing a way’to destroy the 
dahlia worm. 1 have a ritie collection of dahlia-, but’huve 
been dreadfully disappointed this year in consetpieneo of 
the ravages of till* trouble»omc pest. Ymir correspondent 
has discovered a way to destroy them; but ala* I it is too 
late—the mischief is done, past redemption, before the 
worm is discovered, and my poor dahlia is a withered stem, 
nothing but au unsightly stump. If bo.v nf your corres¬ 
pondent* know of any preventive, which is far better 
than a cure, and if you will publish it m your columns 
you will greatly oblige many of your lady readers.—A 
Subscriber, Bellevue, Ohio. 
Stool a yd Zi.v.via Surds.—I wish to ask through tlie 
Rural about flower seeds. Last, spring I purchased a col 
lection of annual flower seeds of Jamks Vick, whleh ate 
doing nicely. Of the Ten Week Stock l have a splendid 
show, about half double, but tint single ones ouly have 
seeds. 1 want to ltnow whether they will produce double 
flowers next year? Also the proper time to save the. seed 
of the Double Zinnia— Mkh. McClork, Waterford, Pa. 
No doubt some of the seed from your single stocks 
would produce double flowers, but you will And it far in¬ 
ferior to tlie imported seed. It is hardly worth while to 
lose a fitio show of Stocks next season in an effort to sm o 
the lew cents that good seed will cost. Double Zinnia seed 
saved here ia as good as the imported. Let the flowers 
remain on the plant until they begiu to fade and become 
dry. Then cut and put them away in an open box or pa¬ 
per bag until they are well dried, when the seeds can bo 
secured and saved until planting time 
CjRAPua—C ranbkrrirh.—W ill you or some one who 
lias had experience in raising grapes, tell us, through the 
Rpkal, whether it is best to take off all the laterals to the 
end of the vines all through the season, or Whether (be 
cuds themselves should he pinched back, and if so, what 
of the aeeoud set of laterals or sprouts that hear blossoms 
and sometime* grapes, full size, before frost comcaV Will 
not this pulling off the laterals, as well as the sprouts that 
! come out in their place afterward, injure the prospect, for 
a crop next year, or will they sprout out again In the same 
place next spring V .Should all the vines that bear grapes 
be pinched oil' a few joints beyond the last bunch ? If 
this pinching off is necessary, when should it be done- 
noon after tlie grapes arc #rt, or not until after they arc 
full grown ? Will it. do to pull off the laterals when they 
arc from one to two feet loug? 
Cranbi'rries,— Lastspring, a year ago, i bought tweutv- 
five cranberry plants of tlie *' ('plant! Help variety, (Iho’ 
they had tlie uppuamneo of having been polled out of a 
swamp.) t planted them one foot apart each way on dry, 
sandy soil, without manure. NKtetw of them lived 
through the season, and at present appear rather thrifty, 
some of them having put out runners over a foot long I 
keep them well drmtd, cau I do anything more J What 
am 1 to expect, will it pay to plant on a larger scale i 
Who can answer correctly r—M L. Holl, Hast Cleveland, 
Ohio. 
When n new growth of vine bearing flowers and fruit 
is produced In large quantity, it allows that the pruning ban 
been too severe. If four or live joints arc loft beyond the 
last bunch of fruit., and the laterals, Instead of being bro 
ken out are cut away, leaving one leaf of each, there will 
be little trouble of the kind. Late to the season, when 
rampant growth is over, the laterals may be allowed to re¬ 
main, or if they seem to crowd the vine too much a por¬ 
tion can he removed. Perhaps some Of our readers can 
give the desired information respecting upland cran ber¬ 
ries. We have never heard of any very marked success. 
A VISIT TO THE METROPOLIS 
PICKLE MAKING, 
We have just returned from a very pleasant 
visit to the city of New York, or rather its sur¬ 
roundings, for it is little love we have for a large 
city in the summer season. At Paf.so.vs & Co.'s 
establishment, at Flushing, we hoped to see ihe 
new Japan Lily, Auratum, but was a few days 
too early. We were well rewarded, however, 
by a sight of many other interesting objects. 
At Mr. Cadness' place we saw a very fine col¬ 
lection of Japan Lilies, including many seed¬ 
lings, differing but little from the old popular 
sorts. Christopher Brill, of Newark, has the 
finest lot we have ever seen—not much less than 
an acre in full bloom at the time of our visit. 
Peter Henderson, of Jersey City, has a most 
superb show of Verbenas, nnd many fine seed¬ 
lings not yet sent out Col. Van Voorst, also 
of Jersey City, conducted us through his orchid 
houses. He has one of the best, private collec¬ 
tions in the country, to which he is constantly 
adding rare and costly plants from all quarters 
of the world. The Petunias of Isaac Been an an, 
of Astoria, were exceedingly fine, as we expected 
to find them, having most of the varieties now 
in flower in our own garden. 
(.except onions) a tew minutes; pour over the 
cabbage, while boiling; cover closely, and it will 
be ready for use in a few days. 
Yellow Pickles.—H alf a pound of bruised 
black mustard; halt a pound of ginger, sliced; 
half a pound of garlic soaked in brine one week 
and bleached; halt a pound of horse-radish, 
soaked in brine one week and dried; two oz. of 
turmeric; two oz. cayenne pepper, or four oz. 
black popper. Put in one gallon best apple 
vinegar, and let it remain in the sun three 
weeks; then put in your pickles. 
Tomato Pickles.—O ne peck of green toma¬ 
toes sliced, one dozen sliced onions, sprinkled 
with salt and let them stand till next day. then 
drain them; one box mustard; half an oz. black 
pepper; one oz. whole cloves; one oz. yellow 
mustard seed; one oz. alspice. Put into the ket¬ 
tle a layer of tomatoes and onions, and one of 
spices, alternately, covered with vinegar, and 
boil half an hour. 
Green Picklks.— 1 To a jar containing four 
gallons, put half an oz. of turmeric; three oz. 
brown sugar; two handfuls horse-radish; two of 
garlic; two of bruised mustard seed; three oz. 
broken cinnamon; two oz. cloves; two of all¬ 
spice; four of broken ginger; two of black pep¬ 
per. Pul them in as much good cider vinegar as 
will cover your pickles; put them on the tire, 
and as soon as it comes to a boil, pour it on your 
pickles; add a little vinegar now and then, so as 
to keep them covered. 
Qcick Pickles, 
large and perfect aster. 
able that the true verdict would have exonerated 
the plant from all blame. It was a failing with 
the Athenians that they were always seeking 
atter something new, and this spirit, though in 
some respects commendable, I fear is working 
mischievously in this country. The cry of some¬ 
thing new is fostered by the designing peddler, 
who is at all times ready to cry up the most 
worthless trash, (and “the public” appear to be 
delighted With the chance of being gulled,) that 
he may induce the sale of his rubbish, laughing 
in liis sleeve at the dupes he daily makes. 
To all desiring to raise a fence,—a fence in the 
true meaning of the term,—I would say, - take 
the Osage Orange," plant it well, and care for it 
properly during the few years of its early 
growth, and they will raise a barrier with which 
no other plant on the broad continent of America 
can vie. e. p. 
New York, Aug. 24, 1863. 
Large Rose Flowered or La Scperbe.— 
We have flowered this variety for three years, 
and it is a very large, magnificent variety, of 
good form, in color bright rose. Many specimens 
are over live inches in diameter. 
New Giant Emperor. —This variety came to 
us from Europe with a good European reputa¬ 
tion, but it. has not quite equaled our expecta¬ 
tions. It has always proved large, but the flow¬ 
ers were imperfect This season it has done 
much better than before. Most of our plants of 
this variety are rather late, but we have been 
pleased with the few that have bloomed. A new 
variety called Snowy White, flowered the first 
time with ns this year. It, is clear white, slightly 
tinged with purple. Flower perfect. 
Victoria.— A new variety, said to be larger 
and better than Emperor, is not yet in flower. 
Ranunculus Flowered. — This is a very 
small variety, fine for cutting when good, but it 
is apt to come imperfect. 
PENNSYLVANIA TEA PLANT. 
Take a head of cabbage, 
slice it up or chop it, sprinkle salt through it; 
let it remain all night; chop up an onion with 
the cabbage, drain it through a colander, season 
it highly with pepper and celery seed, cover it 
with strong vinegar, and it will be fit for use the 
third day. 
Pickled Damsons —To one peck damsons 
allow soveu pounds brown sugar, half a pint 
vinegar, t wo tablespoonfulB ground allspice, the 
same of cloves; let, the vinegar and sugar boil, 
and to the mixture add the damsons and spice. 
They should boil 2i hours, being constantly stir¬ 
red; wken cold, they are fit for use. 
Picalilll— Picalilli is a mixture of all kinds 
of piekles. Select pickles, from the salt brine, of 
a uniform size and of various colors; as small 
Cucumbers, button onions, small bunches of cau¬ 
liflowers, carrots cut in fanciful shape, radishes, 
radish-pods, bean-pods, cayenne-pods, race gin¬ 
ger. olives, limes, grapes, strips of horse-radish, 
Ac., Ac. Arrange your selections tastefully In 
glass jars, and pour over them a liquor prepared 
in the following manner: —To one gallon of 
white wine vinegar add eight tablespoonfuls of 
salt, eight of muBtard-flour, four of ground gin¬ 
ger, two of pepper, two of allspice, two of tur¬ 
meric, and boil all together one minute; the 
muBtard and turmeric must bo mixed together 
by vinegar before they are put into the liquor; 
when the liquor has boiled, pour it into a pan, 
cover it closely, and, when it has become cold, 
pour it into the jars containing the pickles; cover 
the jars with cork and bladder and let them 
stand six months, when they will contain good 
piekles. Picalilli is an excellent accompani¬ 
ment to many highly seasoned dishes; if well 
put up, it will keep for years. If you like oil iu 
the picalilli, it should be braided with the vine¬ 
gar, and added with them to the boiling liquor. 
—Germantown Telegraph. 
Ens. Rural New-Yorker: —I here send n 
few brief lines respecting a specimen of the tea 
plant of Pennsylvania, which I have inclosed. 
You may have seen it before; this I gathered 
August 3d ID the town of I'ike, Potter Co., Pa., 
on Pine Creek, thirty-five miles from this place, 
and one hundred and eighteen (teamster's meas¬ 
urement,) directly south of your city. It grows 
in a belt along the side of what is called Whor¬ 
tleberry Hill, which is said to be live hundred feet 
high, and the belt is something like one hundred 
deep midway from top to bottom. The only 
mode of curing the herbs known there is to steam 
them in a common stove boiler by putting a false 
bottom In bored full of holes, then drying the 
leaves. There is Home sort of a black tea taste 
to it when you gel at it, but it wants boiling in 
the teapot for half an hour or more. It. is a bush 
from one to two feet in height, which appears to 
be winter-killed, and shoots up new from the 
root in the spring. It is gathered in common 
grain bags very fast! I counted fifteen teams 
returning loaded with whortleberries, boys and 
girls, and bags of tea. Now, if this Is of any 
account as tea, please give your views upon it. 
If any of your gardeners, having a lot hung up 
by oue edge two hundred feet high, wishes a lit¬ 
tle seed to plant, they are welcome to what I 
have by saying so. M. Livermore. 
Independence, Allegany Co., N. Y*. 
The plant accompanying the above is Ceona- 
thus Anwricanus —New Jeiaey Tea. The leaves 
were used as a substitute for tea during the 
American Revolution. It grows abundantly ou 
the banks of the Genesee here, and in many sec¬ 
tions of the country. 
STRAWBERRIES IN WESTERN NEW YORK. 
goirtUttUural got**; 
Fhofkk Timk and Mods for Cuttinu Flowkrs.— 
Never out your Unworn during intense sunshine, nor keep 
them exposed to the nun or wind; do nor collect them in 
largo bundles, nor tlo them tightly together, as this has 
tons thoir decay. Do not pull (hern, but cut t.hcm;cleanly 
off tlio plant with a sharp knife, not with a pair of Scissor*. 
When taken In-doors, place them in tlie shade, and reduce 
thorn to the required length of stalk with a sharp knife, 
by which means the tubes through which they draw up 
the water are loft open, and the water i» permitted to 
ascend freely, whereas If the stems are bruised or laeera 
ted, these pores are closed up. Use pure water to set them 
in, or pure white sand in a state of saturation, sticking 
the ends of the Malta in it., but not iu a crowded manner. 
If in water alone, It ought to be changed daily, and a tliiu 
slice should be cut off tlie soda of the stalks at every 
change of water. Water about niillt-wurru, or containing 
a small quantity of camphor dissolved In spirits of wine, 
will often revivo flowers that have begun to fade. Place 
a glass shade over them during tbo night, Or indeed at all 
such times os they are not purposely exhibited. Shade 
them from very bright sunshine, and when uncovered, set 
them where they may nut be exposed to a draught of air. 
A cool temperature during summer is favorable for them 
and tlio removal of tlie slightest symptoms of decay U 
necessary. When carried to a distance, carry them In a 
shallow air-tight tin case, or cover them with paper to ex¬ 
clude them from air and light, Charcoal saturated with 
water is also a good media to slick them in, and the thin¬ 
ner they are kept the better. 
German Aster. Semi-double varieties, with sev¬ 
eral courses of ligulate or flat rays, were obtained, 
by the partial change of the disk into ray flowers. 
Within the past fifteen year- the character of 
this flower has been changed entirely, and it is 
now grown as double, as beautiful, and as large 
as the finest Dahlia. It ie in all respects the 
finest flower we have, and being of easy culture, 
it is destined to become popular, as goon as peo¬ 
ple become acquainted with its beauty and value, 
and are able to obtain seeds of the newest and 
best sorts. Unfortunately, much of the seed sold 
in this country is cheap and inferior, and not one 
in a thousand ever saw a really good Aster. 
Of late years the Asters known as French are 
those produced by Truffaut, a celebrated 
French grower, who has raised some of the most 
perfect and beautiful Varieties yet introduced, 
although many of the German productions oi the 
last year or two are very little, if at all, inferior. 
Indeed, some of the last German varieties are 
most magnificent flowers. We will describe a 
few of the best varieties, principally from notes 
taken in our garden the past season : 
Dwarf Pyramidax Bouquet.—T his variety 
well deserves its name, for the flowers are fine 
and perfect, and so numerous that tlie plant, 
when in blossom, has the appearance of a bou¬ 
quet of flowers, the green leaves only just, peeping 
through, as flowers and leaves are arranged in a 
bouquet by a tasteful florist. The usual height 
is about ooe foot. 
Peony Flowered. — A large, showy and 
beautiful flower. The petals are incurved, giv¬ 
ing the blooms a globular form. Like the pre¬ 
ceding, they present almost every variety of 
color. Plants from eighteen inches to two feet 
in height. Perfection resembles this, but is of a 
little larger growth. 
New Chrysanthemum Flowered.— This is 
a new and very desirable variety. The plants 
only a foot or so in height, and is a little later 
than most other varieties in flowering. The 
flowers are quite large. A new pure white 
variety imported last year is superb. 
Imbrique Pompoxe, —Flowers rather small, 
round, ihe petals finely imbricated. This is the 
most perfect aster grown—a perfect gem. 
New Crowned or Two Colored.— This is 
one of the most delicate and beautiful Asters we 
have ever cultivated. Each flower is of two dis¬ 
tinct colors, a few of the outside rows of petals 
being carmine, scarlet, violet, or blue, and the 
center a clear, transparent white. 
There is no fruit that can be eaten so con- 
constantly, or with so nfuch impunity, as the 
date. It is like bread, and is bread to whole 
nations of Orientals. And what a delicious 
bread, baked by the sun, and showered in profu¬ 
sion upon the earth, to be guthered and laid up 
for the future, either dry in huge corbels, or 
pressed into a conserve, which, when cut into 
slices, looks and cats like plum-pudding. We 
have often been present while this dainty was in 
preparation; first, with a little brush made of 
fine palm-leaves, the particles of sand are 
whisked away from the fruit, which, having then 
been laid open with a sharp flint, the stone is 
taken out, and if large and fine, is laid aside for 
planting; next, thedutesare thrown into a clean, 
strong, square vessel like a tub, aud having been 
closely pressed by heavy weights laid upon a 
thick board made to tit, the whole process is 
completed. Immense quantities of this conserve 
are exported from Egypt and Arabia into all 
the neighboring countries, where it is much 
prized, especially in the harems, where the wo¬ 
men and children may almost be said to eat it 
incessantly. 
No man can starve in a date-country during 
the three months of the year in which the fruit 
is eatable, since he has but to throw up a stone 
in the tree, to bring down his breakfast or his 
dinner. For this reason chiefly, tents are pitched 
and villages built in palm-groves; and as hogs 
are turned into the woods in acorn-time, so chil¬ 
dren are let loose in the palm-woods through the 
whole period of the date-harvest, to collect their 
own provisions, and feed as they list You may 
often, as you journey along, observe troops of 
the little gourmands, who, having eaten to reple¬ 
tion, have fallen asleep amid the remains of their 
meal; while the generous tree of whose bounty 
they have partaken, waves and rustles over their 
beads, letting down occasionally glints of sun¬ 
shine, which, glancing over their dingy red caps 
aad many-colored rags, convert them into a 
curious picture. 
Green Tomato Pickle.— Slice the tomatoes, 
with one-eighth to one-sixth as many onions: lay 
them down in jars, sprinkling in fine salt at the 
rate of about au ordinary teacupful to 8 gallons 
of sliced fruit Let them stand over night, drain; 
add a few green cayenne pepper pods and nas¬ 
turtiums. Chop until not larger than grains of 
corn; drain thoroughly,pack In jars, adding white 
mustard seed, unground cinnamon, and bruised 
(not ground) cloves. Pour on cold vinegar, cov¬ 
er with a plate wUhin the jar, to keep the pickle 
under the vinegar. 
Thirty Fifth Annual Fair of tub Amkrican Insti¬ 
tute. —The Annual Fair of the institute—omitted last 
year—will be held in New York next September, com¬ 
mencing on the 2d, and will continue three weeks. The 
Institute has rented the spacious and commodious build 
iug known as the Academy of Music, comer Fourteenth 
street and Irving Place. 
The Fair, as heretofore, will be restricted to American 
productions; it will be general in its character, embracing 
manufactures of all kind*, new inventions, improvements 
in agricultural implements, &c. 
A Horticultural Exhibition will be held the last week of 
the Fair, In connection with the General Exhibition. 
Flowers, fruits aud vegetables sent for competition for 
premiums, must be deposited on Wednesday morning, 
September 16. 
Further information respecting the Exhibition may be 
obtained hy addressing John W. Chambers, Secretary of 
the Managers, at the rooms of the American Institute, 
COopor Union Building. 
THE OSAGE ORANGE FOR HEDGING. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker:— Being about to 
plant 12,000 or 15,000 Osage Orange for a hedge, 
can you inform me where I can get the plants, 
and at what price per thousand? 
The remarks of George Adams, in yonr 
issue of the 15th iust, in no way deters me. I 
maintain that the Osage Orange is destined to 
become the hedge plant of America; it possesses 
every essential that can be desired,—rapid in 
growth, obedient to the training hand of man, 
and so armed by nature that not any animal that 
ranges the pastures will dare to face it—when 
properly cultivated in its early growth; nor is it 
deficient in longevity, and at the same time it 
thrives alike iu the cold latitudes of the North 
or under the scorching beat of the further South. 
What more can be desired? No doubt the Wil¬ 
low, the Locust, and many others, will find their 
advocates, but I challenge them all. Though 
the Osage is so eminently adapted for the pur¬ 
pose desired, still, unless proper care is taken in 
planting, and in attending to it for the first few 
years afterward, what else than disappointment 
can be expected. How many of our choicest 
plants and trees, lacking ordinary care, have I 
seen cast aside, condemned as worthless, 
“played out” 
The failure of the Osage, of which Mr. Adams 
complains, I strongly suspect, rests rather with 
the cultivator than with the plant. Had he con¬ 
descended to have told the history of the treat¬ 
ment that the unfortunate Osage had received in 
“their part of the country,” it is more than prob- 
Tomato Pudding.— Slice the tomatoes, place 
a layer of them in the bottom of an earthen dish, 
cover with bjead crumbs, profusely seasoned; 
add another 
•yer of tomatoes and cover with 
bread crumbs as before; and when the. dish is 
filled, place on the top a piece of butter. Put 
the dish into a moderate oven, and If two layers 
of tomatoes till it, twenty minutes will be long 
enough for them to be sufficiently cooked. 
Cataloours. —.The following Catalogues have been 
received the past week: 
Eu.wa.yokr & Barky's Desriplive Catalogue of Orna¬ 
mental Trees and Shrubs, Roses, Flowering Plants, &c. 
This i* a beautifully printed pamphlet of 74 pageB, illus¬ 
trated with 20 fine new wood cuts, mostly full page, anj 
portraits of some of the finest ornamental trees on the 
grounds of the proprietors. 
Wholesale Catalogue, or Trade Lilt of tbo same, for 
autumn of 1863, from Ku.wa.yokr & Barry, Mount Hope 
Nurseries, Rochester, N. Y. 
Catalogue of Fruit and Ornamental Trees, Shrubs, Vines, 
Bulbs, Garden Seeds, &c., from Francis Brill, Newark, 
New Jersey. 
Catalogue of (he Dorchester Nurseries, from Marshall 
P WamtK & Baker, Dorchester, Mass. 
Broiled Tomatoes. —In order to have toma¬ 
toes nice, cooked iu this manner, the largest ones 
must be .selected. Cut them into rather thick 
slices, seasoning each piece with pepper and salt. 
Use an oyster gridiron to broil them ou—a com¬ 
mon one will answer—and cook them but a few 
moments. When sent to the table butter should 
be added. 
To Take out Fruit Spots.—L et the spotted 
part of the cloth imbibe a little water, without 
dipping, and hold the part over a lighted common 
brimstone match at a proper distance. The sul¬ 
phurous gas which is discharged soon causes the 
spot to disappear. 
Want of Small Birds.—T lie want of small bird* is 
felt iu England, as well as elsewhere, caused by a wanton 
and wicked desk-action of them. An effort is now being 
made to encourage their Increase, and to this work the 
leading agricultural as well as political papers are lend¬ 
ing their influence. 
Cure por Poisoning by Ivy.—P lunge the 
part affected in hot water—as hot as can be 
borne—holding it there some time. 
