care of them; and if these do so badly, what can 
be expected of those persons who never once 
thought of planting a tree until the agent came 
along. Then, being over-persuaded, or for the 
purpose of getting rid of him, they give him an 
order. Perhaps, when they gave the order the 
soil was not in condition; it, was wet, but they 
designed to drain it. Jt has been neglected, 
however, and there i3 no other place to put the 
trees; so they are planted, and the land can be 
drained afterward, at some “convenient season.” 
Before the convenient season arrives the trees 
are drowned. Another, when the order was 
given, had designed to break up a meadow (or an 
orchard, but different arrangements have been 
made. He must now retain the meadow for hay, 
and so little holes are dug in the sod, and the 
trees are stuck in, just for one season, and the 
next fall or spring he will plow it up. The trees 
die and save him the trouble. 
On the other hand, there are some who would 
not take the trouble to procure trees unless they 
were brought to their door, or whose attention 
was first directed to the subject in this way, who 
having obtained the trees give them good care, 
are well pleased with the result, and from this 
small beginning scores in the neighborhood are 
induced to engage in orchard culture. 
Pricks of Fruit, &o.. in New York Market.—T he 
following are the prices of Fruit ami Vegetables iu New 
York market, as given in the Tribune of tho 14th inst.: 
FRUIT. 
Apples Arrivals have been quite free, but the demand 
Inis been good, ami choice Wiuter sorts have advanced. 
We quote: 
Mixed Western, $7 bbl. 
Com mo d. bbl. 
Selected fruit,. 
QOINckk—T here is no change. 
Apple. V bbl.. 
Pear. .. 
(5RAPES— No change. Wo quote: 
Isabella, good to choice, t) tb. 8®10c 
Catawba, good to choice,. 10013 
Concords, good to choice,. .io ®13 
Ckamikkkiics -Tbo market iB quite dull, and rates are 
easier. Wo ounce; 
Pastern, {1 bbl.$8.00010.00 
Western...6.00® 8.00 
DkiHo Fruit— All kinds of dried fruits and berries con¬ 
tinues scarce and iii good demand. Prices are firm, and it 
is thought, that that Apples might sell above quotations. 
We quote; 
Pried Apples, sliced, jfl !b..—C 
Piled Apples, good to choice.8w8 
PURCHASING FRUIT TREES 
Oub advice is sought by a Western corres¬ 
pondent on a rather delicate question,— one to 
which we cannot give a brief response with 
justice to ourselves, or benefit to the inquirer, or 
our readers generally. The question is simply 
this:—'* Where shall we buy our fruit trees—is it 
safe to purchase of traveling agents and deal¬ 
ers?” On this subject we will give a few 
thoughts and suggestions, and as we do not own 
a single nursery tree, and have not the slightest 
interest in any nursery establishment, we can 
have, of course, no other motive than the good of 
our readers. After a long acquaintance with 
the leading nurserymen of the country, and their 
manner of doing business, we have no hesitation 
in saying that as a general thing they are capa- 
ble, careful, scrupulously honeBt, and enthusias¬ 
tically devoted to their profession. No class of 
men are more eager in the pursuit of knowledge 
on all subjects connected with their profession. 
To their labors tbo fruit growers of the country 
are much indebted for their knowledge of the 
best fruits and the proper mode of culture. To this 
rule, there are doubtless some exceptions—indeed 
we have known of Buch — but we hope and be¬ 
lieve they are rare. 
To come directly to the question, we say to all 
our readers who live in the vicinity of a good 
nursery" where trees are well grown and kept in 
Buch order that the nurseryman can himself tell 
what he is selling, get your treeB at home if you 
can obtain the varieties you need, 
We quote 
• Mica ijwvu ..... fxujo 
Apple*, UUoilor nod old.7®7>» 
Peaches, peeled.20022 
Peaches, impeded,.—Cal— 
Plums, new,....,. 18020 
Fitted Cherries, new,..2(1021 
Cherries, with pits, .—(ai— 
Raspberries, blank, new.22033 
Blackberries, now,... ...lflonlB 
Currants, domestic,. .. 3@ 4 
VEGETABLES. 
PotATOE a— Prince Alberts and Rough and Ready are 
easier. Other kinds arounehanged. The demand is fair. 
Sweet are very tlrm. We quote: 
Buckeyes, $7 bbl. $1.«0@1.«2X 
Prince Albert. 1.50 ®I.62jtf 
.Jackson Whites. — (5j— 
Rough and Ready. ].so 01.82JS 
Mercers,.. 2.0002. {0 
Poach blow* . 1.60® 1.87^ 
Sweet potatoes Til bbl.4,6006,00 
Sweet potatoes In bulb. r gJ bbl.4,5004,60 
SuuASHBB—Are a liltl* higher. We quoto: 
Boston Marrow. ' 0 ) bbl.$2.5002.75 
Jersey Marrow,.2.2602.60 
Turnips—P rice* have improved. We quote: 
Ruta Bngas, 17 bbl.$1.2501.50 
Onions—W e quote: 
Red and follow, 07 100 strings,.$4.7605,00 
Red and Yellow, $7 hid,.3.000325 
Oaiihauks are lower; ’til 100, $80:10. 
plants with striped flowers. A more magnifi¬ 
cent show could not be well imagined than was 
made by these little roses. The habit of tho 
plant is similar to the common portulacca, and, 
if anything, the flowers are more abundant. 
The seeds, for some reason, seem to lack vital¬ 
ity, and it. was pretty difficult to got them to 
germinate. In some cases not more than hall 
“came up.” In wet or dull weather the buds 
did not always open well, but. dropped without 
expanding, and this was particularly the case 
where plants happened to be set in a cool, shady 
place—always nnsuited to the portulacca. In 
bright weather, however, the plants flowered 
most abundantly. 
The accompanying engraving shows the size 
and character of the flowers, as they are drawn 
of tho exact size of specimens with which we 
furnished our ai tisr. 
Among the novelties received from Europe 
last spring was the Double Portulacca. The 
idea of a variety of this useful and popular 
flower, as double as the rose, and nearly an inch 
in diameter, was rather astonishing. Such, how¬ 
ever, was the announcement. They were repre¬ 
sented to be of eight different colors, all equally 
double, and that at least two-thirds of the seeds 
would produce double flowers. Mr. Deegen, 
the raiser, named them Portnlacca Roses, and 
declared them to be a splendid acquisition. 
The seeds were sold at a very high price, and 
we presume there were uot many who were 
tempted to give them a trial,—all, however, who 
tried them in this section were satisfied with the 
result. We grew about a hundred plants, of 
which about eighty were perfectly double, nearly 
an inch in diameter, and a few even larger. Wo 
bad several shades of yellow and red, and a few 
THE HYACINTH IN ROOMS, 
Last week we spoke of some of the best Ever¬ 
lasting Flowers for Winter Boquets, and also 
alluded to Hyacinths, as beiug very desirable. 
We have 
for winter blooming in the house, 
often given directions for treatment of the Hya¬ 
cinth in glasses and pots, and designed to make 
some remarks in this number, but we find the 
following in the November number of the Uor- 
ticullumt , which will answer the purpose as well 
as anything we could say: 
The befit soil for tho Hyacinth is one that is 
light, porous, and rich. If not already light and 
porous, it may be made so by the addition of 
sand. Tho best manure is that which is old and 
well decayed. The Hyaciuth is grown in water, 
in moss, in the garden, and in pots. 
hi TFater.—When grown in water they are 
placed in glasses made for the purpose. There 
are two styles of glasses, one being long, and 
the other short, with an expanded bottom. The 
latter are much tho prettiest. A valuable ad¬ 
junct is Tye’s support, which is placed in tho rim 
of the glass, and holds the leaves and flower- 
stalk firmly in their place. Having procured 
glasses, fill them with soft rain water, in which 
put two or three small pieces of charcoal, which 
will obviate tho necessity of changing the water 
as often as would otherwise be necessary; be¬ 
sides, the bulbs will grow and bloom better. 
The bulbs to be grown in water should be per¬ 
fectly sound; indeed, the best bulbs should be 
seleoted for the purpose. Now put a bulb In the 
glass, and hold it up to see that the bottom of the 
bulb does not touch tho water. If it does, some 
must be poured out. There must be an interval 
of about a quarter of an inch between the bot¬ 
tom of tho bulb and the surface of the water. 
Next put the glass for a week in a cool room, 
where the sunshine will not reach it. The water 
will evaporate, and a few drops must be added 
every day or two. In doing this, put the water 
in at tho side of the bulb, without removing it. 
When the roots are a couple of inches long, 
the glass should be removed to a window, where 
it will get plenty of light, Tho water should be 
changed about once a week. We have grown 
them, however, without changing the water at 
all; but the safest plan is to change it. This 
may be done without removing the bulb from 
tho glass, by simply placing the fingers on the 
bulb and tilting the glass till the water all runs 
out. It is filled by pouring the water iu at the 
side of the bulb. The roots are often very much 
broken by removing and replacing them. When 
the flowers are pretty well expanded, the glasses 
may be set on the mantle, the center table, or 
wherever desired. 
When the bulbs have done blooming, they are 
usually thrown away, as they are seldom good 
for anything afterwards. They may, however, 
be buried a few inches in tho garden, and thoBe 
that show any degree of plumpuess when the 
foliage has decayed, may the next fall be planted 
in the open ground, with a faint hope of getting 
a few weak blooms from them. 
In Moss .—A better mode than the preceding 
is to grow the Hyacinth in moss, since the bulbs 
bloom better and ripen better. The moss should 
be dried, and then rubbed fine. Pots may be 
used, or baskets, the latter being most ornamental. 
Two, three, or more bulbs may be placed in the 
basket, according to its size. They should be 
covered about an Inch, and the moaj pressed 
firmly about them. Set the baskets afeide for a, 
week or ten days in a cool room, and then bring 
them to the ligbL The baskets will look very 
pretty suspended near the window. They must 
be watered occasionally, as the moss gets dry. 
In watering, the baskets should be held over a 
pail till the water has drained off, or the drip 
will soil the carpet In the spring the bulbs 
may be turned into the garden, where some of 
them will ripen tolerably; but it is not often 
that bulbs grown in water or moss are worth so 
much trouble. 
In Pots .—This is by far the best mode of grow¬ 
ing them in-doors. The soil should be light and 
rich. A good compost may be made of one-half 
garden loam, one-quarter muck, one-eighth sand, 
and one-eighth old manure. In the absence of 
these, good soil from under a sod, with a little 
sand added to it, will answer the purpose very 
well. Pots four inches in diameter are the most 
suitable. Place a potsherd over the hole in the 
If, however, 
the nurseryman in your neighborhood does not 
understand or neglects his business, and his trees 
are grown among weeds, and become stunted, 
and perhaps mossy, by bad culture and unsuita. 
ble soil, have nothing to do with them, for a tree 
stunted and crippled in its infancy is worthless. 
Or, if decently grown, if you are satisfied that 
through ignorance or carelessness bis varieties 
have become so mixed that he cannot tell them 
apart, touch them not, but order your trees from 
some reliable nurseryman, even if you have to 
send a thousand miles. On the subject of trans¬ 
porting trees there is much misapprehension. 
Trees, If properly packed, after the wood has 
ripened in the fall, or before growth begins in 
the spring, may be sent thousands of miles iu 
perfect safety. Two or three weeks, or even a 
month’s travel, will not injure them in the least. 
How they were taken up, and how packed, are 
much more important questions than how long 
they wore out of the ground before being 
received; and yet these things are seldom 
thought of by the purchasers of trees. If the 
roots have been mutilated badly in digging, 
much injury is done to the tree, and an hour's 
exposure ol the tender roots to the gun, or drying 
wind, will do more damage than to remain 
properly packed for weeks. We have seen trees 
packed in bales with nothing but straw around 
their roots, which soon becomes at least partially 
torn off In travel. Trees packed in this way 
must receivo injury in a single day’s jour¬ 
ney, while others that we have seen packed 
would not have suffered in a voyage to Europe. 
Bad packing is the exception we are pleased to 
state. Our nurserymen, as a general thing, pay 
particular attention to this point, and do it well. 
All purchasers of trees Bhould insist on good 
packing. 
Many of the large nurseries, for the purpose of 
increasing their business, several years ago be¬ 
gan to send out traveling agents to solicit orders 
for trees. These orders were put up like others, 
and the trees were delivered to the parties giving 
them, in the spring or fall. Generally, we be¬ 
lieve, these orders were taken at regular retail 
catalogue prices, and of course the purchaser 
saved the cost of transportation. As a general 
thing we believe nurserymen have made no dis¬ 
tinction between orders thus received, and those 
sent them through the mail, as to the quality of 
trees supplied. Some of these agents and others, 
thinking they could do better than by acting as 
agents for nurserymen, began to travel and 
solicit orders ou their own account, sometimes 
making arrangements with a particular nursery¬ 
man to supply them with the treeB their orders 
might call for at wholesale prices, depending 
upon the difference between the retail and 
Others 
HINTS ON DOMESTIC ECONOMY. 
wool or down spread over the samo surface. 
But nature designs it only as a temporary pro¬ 
tection, and for this reason she has made it dis¬ 
soluble at those temperatures of the atmosphere 
which can support vegetation. Hence, when 
spring arrives, the earth, as if by a voluntary 
act, throws off' its clothing, which would, if it 
were not dissolved, just as effectually prevent 
the entrance as tho escape of heat.” 
inch. Next fill up the pot, and press the soil 
around it. When all is done, the surface of the 
earth should be about half an inch below the 
rim of the pot, with tho top of the bulb half an 
inch below the surface of the earth. 
The pots may be left out of doors in a shady 
place till tho weather gets quite cold, when they 
must be housed. A part of them may be re¬ 
tarded by putting them Iu a cool cellar, from 
which they can be taken as wanted; but in any 
event, they must bo brought to the light as soon 
as they begin to grow. They should be placed 
us near as possible to the light, and the pots 
turned occasionally to prevent the plants from 
being drawn on one side. Tho temperature of 
the room should not be too high. At first the 
pots should be watered moderately, but when 
the plants are in bloom water may be given 
freely, but not so as to sodden tho soil. In the 
spring the bulbs, with the ball of earth, may be 
turned into the garden, where most of them will 
mature sufficiently to be planted out of doors the 
next year. 
gertlrultitral gutrs 
Germination of Seed.— Germination is tho first act of 
vitality in plants; it is tho firxt great change which con¬ 
vert* lh« dormant embryo of tho seed into an active, 
growing body. Three things are necessary for this 
change: tho presence of moisture, atmospheric air, und a 
certain elevation of temperature. Tho abxorption of 
moisture noftena tho integument of the seed; warmth 
quicken* the embryo into vitality, and the air supplies tho 
oxygen whereby the March, sugar, etc., of the seed are 
converted into carbonic acid for the use of the young 
plant. Exposure to light I* generally regarded os Injuri¬ 
ous to germinating seeds; and It i» a common opinion 
that they urn covered us much with a view to keeping 
them In darkness, as for any other reason. 11 But, exper¬ 
iments,’’ taya I7r. Limiuty, “by no means confirm those 
statements; on the contrary, if seeds are deposited upon 
damp soil, and then covered with a plate of gloss, closely 
pressed down upon them, they germinate os well as If iu 
darkness, though perhaps not ho quickly.” The covering 
of seeds with earth Is, therefore, to be regarded rather us 
a method oi preserving around them tho uecossory moix 
tare, than as a means of guarding them against light. 
SNOW A8 A WINTER PROTECTION. 
Count Rum ford gives the following explana¬ 
tion of the effects of snow on the earth, as a pro¬ 
tection from the piercing colds of winter: 
“The snows which cover the surface of the 
earth in winter, in high latitudes, are doubtless 
designed, by an all-provident Creator, as a gar¬ 
ment to defend it against the piercing winds 
from the polar regions, which prevail during the 
cold season. These winds, notwithstanding the 
vast tracts of continent over which they blow, 
retain their sharpness as long as the ground they 
pass over is covered with snow; and it is not till 
meeting with the ocean, that they acquire, from 
a contact with its waters, the beat which the 
snows prevent their acquiring from the earth, 
the edge of their coldness is taken off, and they 
gradually die away and are lost 
“The winds are always found to be much 
colder when the ground is covered with snow 
than when it is bare, and this extraordinary 
coldness is by many supposed to be communi¬ 
cated to the air by snow; but this is an erroneous 
opinion, for these winds are in general much 
colder than the snow itself. They retain their 
coldness, because tbe snow prevents them from 
being warmed at the expense of the earth; and 
this is a striking proof of the use of snow in pre¬ 
serving the heat of the earth during the winter 
iu cold latitudes. 
“It is remarkable that these winds Beldom 
blow from the poles directly toward the equator, 
but from the land toward the sea. I'pon the 
eastern coast of North America the cold wind3 
come from the northwest; but upon the western 
coast of Europe they blow from the northeast. 
“That they should blow from those parts 
where they can most easily acquire that heat 
they are in search for is not extraordinary; and 
that they should gradually cease and die away, 
upon being warmed by contact with Lhe waters 
of the ocean, is likewise agreeable to the nature 
and causes of their motion; and if I might be 
allowed a conjecture respecting the principal 
use of the sea, or the reason why the proportion 
of water upon the surface of our globe is so 
great compared to that of the land, it is to main¬ 
tain a more equal temperature in the different 
climates, by heating or cooling the winds which 
at certain periods blow from the great conti¬ 
nents. 
“Snow is eminently favorable to vegetation in 
high latitudes on account of its light, feathery 
nature; and in certain temperatures, where 
it, and then set in the bulb, with a little sand neither the surface to be protected nor the at- 
Vai.uk of Feat or Muck.— Muck varies materially iu 
its composition and value, according to its origin. Prof. 
S. W Johnson found that the amount of ammonia in the 
various deposit* of dry muck aud peat which ho has ex¬ 
amined vary from 0.68 to 4 00 per eout. In other word*, 
some kinds of muck contain seven times as much ammo¬ 
nia aa others. For the purpose of comparison wo may 
slate that ordinary barn yard manure contains only about 
0.5 per cent of actual and potential ammonia. It will be 
seen from this Unit dry muck of tho poorest description, 
contains as much ammonia as baru yard manure, while 
the best deposits contain seven time* a* much. Dried 
muck, too, contains live times ax much organic matter a* 
well rotted barn yard manure. It will be found by expo 
ricnce that mucks differ very much in value, aud os a gen¬ 
eral rule we would uot advise its application until it box 
been subjected to tbe influence of the atmosphere for a 
time. It is always safe and valuable for composting. 
wholesale rates for their remuneration, 
would purchase trees wherever they could find 
the best and cheapest, while some few, we fear, 
were Influenced more by price than quality in 
their purchases. If the traveler was honest, 
capable and careful be could aud would supply 
his customers with good trees. We have known 
them to search almost every nursery, and pay 
the highest prices, for the purpose of supplying 
their customers with excellent trees. Others we 
have known to search for the cheapest they could 
find, and we think sometimes, although the 
labels bore such names as their orders called 
for, the trees were not true to the labels. 
We know of men engaged in the business, and 
so do some of our customers, who are perfectly 
reliable, aud to whom we would be willing to 
entrust orders, to any amount, while there are 
others to whom we would not give an order for 
a crab-apple. 
There is one evil connected with the system 
to which we will allude briefly. Persons who 
know nothing about trees and care but little for 
them, often yield to the solicitations of these 
agents and purchase. The consequence is the 
trees are planted badly, neglected, and soon an 
outry is made in the neighborhood that the soil, 
climate, &c., is unstated to fruit culture, and the 
idea of growing fruit in that section must he 
abandoned. This retards the progress of fruit 
culture for a while, until some one more bold 
than the rest proves its fallacy by practice. 
Persons who feel the need of treeB bad enough 
to order them through the mail, or to go to a 
nursery to obtain them, try generally to take 
Tub Long tai.kbii op Fruit Hook.— The Pomologlst* 
of the Went will he glad to hear that Dr. Warder ha* 
decided to issue an Animal, ax heretofore suggested in 
these coinmnx. Col. Harris, writing of an interview 
with Dr. W. says:—“Tho worthy Pomologioal Doctor is 
still gathering materials for hi A book; but ax the progress 
of knowledge ha* rendered bis earlier note* obxolote, and 
the undertaking stares him in tho face if he should un¬ 
dertake to revise them, he has prudently concluded to is¬ 
sue a yearly abstract of the progress of Pomology, which 
shall at once be available as well aa feasible. The bulk of 
bis ‘ notes’ may be issued a- a manual which will tom 
prise a practical treatise on the general subject.” 
Thk Yhddo Grapb.— A young vine of this new wonder 
was shown at the late Penn, Hurt. Exhibition, from tbe 
Hon. Isaac Newton, Commissioner of Agriculture at 
Washington, whu has now growing in the garden of the 
Department a number of vines. It has a leaf more like 
«imc of our native than the foreign grape*, anil may pos¬ 
sibly prove hardy What the merits of the fruit are, is 
only known from what has been already recorded ia our 
pages, from Mr. Fortune, who introduced it to English 
gardens. These vines will probably be distributed among 
onr prominent nursery men for trial.— Ilovey'x Matjusint. 
Plain Mince Pies.— Will some one of the 
many contributors to the domestic department 
of the Rural, inform me through the columns 
of the same the method of making a plain mince 
pie, and what ia called in housekeeping phrase a 
nice minced pie, and oblige — A Constant 
Reader, Corunna, Mich., 1803. 
To Preserve Dried Fruit from Worms.— 
Sprinkle alcohol freely among your fruit, and 
the worms will not trouble it; or, put it in bags 
made of double paper, aud fasten close. I have 
seen both tried successfully.—A. C. A., Lansing, 
Mich., 1863. 
