mg very light, the Western growers had an 
open field for their crop, and realized a fine 
success. The prejudice against this healthy 
vegetable is gradually disappearing, and the 
consumption increases every year. 
Celery i9 a very attractive feature in our 
market. It is grown principally in New 
Jersey, and is a source of much profit to 
those who understand the cultivation of it, 
and preparing it for market, which is a very 
important point in regard to the profit. In 
the fall, large quantities of it are placed in 
trenches to bleach and preserve from freez¬ 
ing; then it is carefully sorted and washed, 
and the roots cut square, and from four to 
six of these are tied together in a fan-like 
form, which is done by tying the tops to give 
it the desired shape. The hotels, as well as 
private families, make use of large quanti¬ 
ties. It usually sells for about $1.50 per 
dqzen bunches. 
In my former article I mentioned the 
water cress as being a profitable article for 
cultivation; owing to the ease by which it. 
can be grown, a much larger quantity is now 
in our market, and is sold at. lower prices,— 
say at one-half less. The cauliflower is one 
of our highest priced vegetables, and very 
difficult to grow. During the past season a 
prime article sold from $1 to $5 per dozen 
heads, and the second qualify from $2 to $3, 
Lima beaus are the favorite of their kind, 
and are sold in the pod as well as shelled. 
They spoil very rapidly after being shelled, 
on account of their being picked so green. 
In pods, the prices range from $1.50 to 50c. 
per bushel; and shelled from $4 up to $8 per 
bushel, except in the winter, when the price 
advances to $12. Tim largest quantities of 
them are raised in the vicinity of Hacken¬ 
sack, N. J. 
Early in the season, radishes, onions, car¬ 
rots, leeks, salsify, asparagus, parsley and 
rhubarb are tied up in small bunches, and 
sold by the dozen or hundred bunches, the 
tops being left on. The state of the tops in¬ 
dicates Lite freshness of the article. As the 
season advances, and the onions, carrots, 
parsnips and beets ripen, or mature more 
fully, they are sold by the barrel 
Horseradish is sold by the pound; and 
here let me say to inexperienced growers, 
never send any small roots of Ibis variety to 
market, as there is no demand for them at 
any price. They should not be less than 
one inch at the smaller end. The first arri¬ 
vals of squashes, string beans and peas are 
sold by the bushel basket; later in the sea¬ 
son by the barrel. Spinach, sprouts, and 
this kind of greens are sold by the barrel; 
the foreign population of our city consume 
these articles in large quantities. 
The first cucumbers are scut from Host on, 
where they are grown under glass; but they 
do not much resemble tlm common variety, 
being much longer. The price asked for 
them makes them attractive to those having 
plenty of money. They bring fifty cents 
each. On Long Island and in New Jersey 
they are grown in large quautites; Norfolk 
sends in ahead of either of the other places, 
and the growers obtain remunerative prices 
for them; but still the former sends a much 
fresher article, which sells at a higher price. 
There is always a strong competition among 
the Long Island growers as to who will send 
in the first picking; for the successful com¬ 
petitor reaps a rich reward, lie will fre¬ 
quently receive more per hundred tor them, 
than lie will per barrel later in the season. 
The same may be said of peas and string or 
snap beans; although large quantities of 
these articles may be in from the South, they 
are so stale that the shippers dare not send 
them any timber, and consequently they will 
pay a high price for the Long Island article, 
which is picked in the morning, and deliv¬ 
ered to them in time to ship by the various 
lines leaving the city the same day. To 
show the value of Three days’ start, I will 
state Ihnt some of the largest cultivators will 
pick two hundred bushels per day; these 
frequently sell at $2 per bushel during this 
period, and then will drop to $1, on the day 
of a general picking. Egg plants are sold at 
first by the dozen, then by the barrel. 
Tomatoes from the South, and other dis¬ 
tant points, are sent in crates, containing one 
bushel; but from the nearer localities in bas¬ 
kets. These frequently sell for $5 per crate 
for first arrivals, and rundown as low as 25 
cents in poor condition. 
New York, Feb. 25, 1800. 
-4-t-A- 
CULTIVATING THE ONION. 
In the Rural of January 30th ult., there 
was published an article from me entitled 
“ The Cultivation of the Onion.” Since its 
appearance 1 have, by letter and otherwise, 
received various inquiries concerning Onion 
Cu lture. A mong other interrogatories are the 
following, from J. Y. Farc e of Fairport; 
“What variety ol‘ seed would you recom¬ 
mend.’' How can reliable seed be obtained ? 
How much seed would it require to sow three 
acres? Have you ever raised them on green¬ 
sward?” 
I will answer these, seriatim. 1. The best 
variety ot seed, and the most commonly cul¬ 
tivated, is the Wethersfield. It is a red 
variety. The red varieties are better grow¬ 
ers and keepers than the yellow or white. 
The latter are, however, generally higher 
priced; but our experience is that, the red 
are the most profitable. The best yellow and 
white kinds are the Yellow Danvers and the 
Silver-skin, which is also called the White 
Portugal. 
2. Seed which will germinate is sine qua 
non; and how to procure it is the most import¬ 
ant concomitant of Onion Culture. Onion 
seed more than one year old is much of 
it valueless. No seed should be used unless 
first tested. We test seed which we raise our 
selves, and always find much that is not good. 
Good seed sinks in water, while the poor rises 
to the surface, and may be separated. The 
best, manner of testing the seed preparatory to 
planting, is to pour boiling water on it. till it 
is covered. After a few minutes, if it is good 
seed, minute, hair-like sprouts will lie seen 
starting from each seed. It is well then to 
mix it with ashes, or plaster, and sow imme¬ 
diately, We have bought many times, but 
never have purchased seed which has not 
been one-half worthless. We were once ac¬ 
customed to sow it without a test. As a 
consequence, when the little onions appeared 
there were long spaces in the rows. These 
gaps we filled Ln with carrot seed in order to 
economize labor and soil, 
Tiie first nni’ M r to obtain reliable seed is 
to raise it is as followsSelect a sufficient 
quantity of medium sized ripe onions, and 
as soon as the soil is free from frost set them 
out at intervals of one foot in rows two feet 
apart. Hoe and weed them frequently. 
When the heads begin to grow ripe, cut, them 
from the stalk, and spread them in a dry 
place until the seeds easily shell out. Then 
clean and keep it from mice till next sowing 
time. 
3. The amount of seed sowed per acre de¬ 
pends upon the profusion in which it is 
sown, and the distance of the rows apart. 
We usually sow in drills, fourteen inches 
apart, and use from four to five pounds of 
first quality seed to the acre. 
4. Onions can he raised upon greensward 
if the soil is rich. Much more labor is, how¬ 
ever, required in preparing greensward than 
loose ground. The plowing should he deep¬ 
er, in order that in harrowing, as little sodas 
possible will lie brought to the nurture. Great 
care must he taken as well to rake off all the 
stones, sods, and other impediments, as to 
make the bed level, and thoroughly pulver¬ 
ize the soil. The only reason why onions 
usually do poorly on greensward Is because 
of poor preparation in the beginning. Any 
soil which is mellow, and will produce pota¬ 
toes, may be used for onion growing. The 
onion may he raised for yearn upon the same 
ground, and for this very reason roll round 
better crops in each succeeding year ; but no 
crop can be profitably raised without ma¬ 
nure. Nothing will bear more manure than 
this anomaly among esculents. Our bed— 
which is the same one we have used for years 
—we manure twice a year, and we never 
have felt the least danger of over-feeding the 
crop. Heavy manuring is important, iis giv¬ 
ing the. bulbs a vigorous start, and in secur¬ 
ing a healthy growth. 
It sometimes happens that good seed, 
sown in a very dry spell of weather, rats in¬ 
stead of germinating. For this reason we 
have, in one or two instances, been obliged 
to sow carrots on our ground. This is one 
of many reasons for sowing early. Onions 
cannot lie sown too early. It is well to 
strew ashes upon the frosty ground to hasten 
its opening. The ashes help to fertilize, as 
well as if scattered upon the open ground. 
Most of the preparation for onions we usually 
do in the fall. We one year became excited 
over the assertions of a contemporary con¬ 
cerning raising them without thinning out. 
— having the idea, that they would crowd 
each other out, and occupy sufficient space 
to grow large. When the crop was har¬ 
vested nearly half were little ones. These 
required more time and labor to pull and 
dress them than if they had been large, and 
besides were less salable. By all means 
thin out onions three inches, at least, apart, 
and obtain fine large onions. 
The Onion takes its place as one of our 
staple productions, and the experience of the 
past, as l have elsewhere intimated, is al¬ 
most a guarantee that it will never he a 
drug upon the market. 
Galen Oderkirk, 
Newark, N. Y., February, 1809. 
--♦*-*-- 
Tomato Sugar. - Mr. Jo SK Prt S. WILLIAMS, 
Cinnaminson, N. J., writes the Gardeners’ 
Monthly; — 11 is no uncommon yield to take 1,000 
bushels of tomatoes from an acre, and that one 
hundred bushels will press 4,000 to 5,000 gallons 
of juice, which, if distilled utter the proper In¬ 
gredients are added, with due time to complete 
fermentation, from five hundred to seven hun¬ 
dred gallons or proof spirits, which have, by 
liquor dealers not knowing the liquor, been pro¬ 
nounced new peach brandy, apple brandy, &c. I 
have made It an object to get tho opinion both 
of the physician and liquor judges, und believe 
It to be a liquor which is healthy and medicinal, 
and can be manufactured at lower figures In 
larger quantities, and with tenfold the certainty 
of any other fruit spirits, and must ln time bo 
the great resource lor obtainingalcoholic spirits, 
as there is no crop which will yield us many 
bushels per aero with same certainty, with as 
little expense. 
litubsntpf jmtrbfning. 
RURAL DECORATION. 
BY J. WILKINSON. 
The fullest success in rural decoration can 
only be attained when a knowledge of both 
the art 3 of Rural Architecture and Land¬ 
scape Gardening Is possessed, and the work 
of design and construction is executed by 
the same individual. When this is the case, 
and the artist, fully understands the principles 
and details of these arts combined, t he archi¬ 
tectural features of the building will be 
blended with those of the other branch, by 
extending its decoration in the way of ter¬ 
races’ parterres, arbors, seats, vases and stat¬ 
uary into the surrounding lawn, and by 
training the living features of the lawn over 
and among the architectural, so that, instead 
of presenting a distinct line of demarka- 
tion, the whole is harmoniously united. 
That a garden of trees was originally de¬ 
signed to be. the genial abode of man, is evi¬ 
dent from his earliest, Biblical history. See 
Gen. 2d chap. 8th verse: “ And the Lord 
God plan ted a gardtn eastward in Eden; and 
there he put the man whom lie had formed 
9th : “ And out of the ground made the Lord 
God to grow every tree that is pleasant, to (he 
sight and good for food; the tree of life also 
in the midst of the garden, and tho tree of 
knowledge of good and eviltOl.h : “ And a, 
rirnr went out of Eden to water the garden." 
I low unlike the primeval home of man 
are many of those, even in the rural dis¬ 
tricts, at tho present time! While the writer 
is a linn believer in the importance of the 
full force of the sun on our dwellings, and 
in the proverb, that “ Where the sun is 
excluded the doctor must enter,” lie is also a 
great admirer of shade-trees in their proper 
place, and claims that perfection in the 
landscape cannot be produced without, a dis 
play of water, which the Creator, in His 
benifieence, supplied in Eden so bountifully 
that the waters in it, as they flowed out of 
it, were divided into “ four rivers.” 
A lone dwelling, however, pleasantly loca¬ 
ted, and tasteful in its architectural design 
and finish, is unattractive, and wanting in 
the essential features of a home, llow 
striking a change is produced by planting a 
few well selected trees and shrubs, even 
though they be small and young; hut the 
perfection of beauty and interest is not 
reached until such plantation is developed 
to that, degree that some of the taller trees 
shall overtop the dwelling, and east on it 
and around it a grateful shade. While a 
proper degree of shade is desirable, too 
much shade, directly on the walls of a dwell¬ 
ing, that is, of shade cast by trees, is insalu¬ 
brious, and more objectionable on that 
account than is generally supposed. 
The real effect of running vines on the 
walls of a dwelling, is the reverse of the 
opinion generally entertained, viz; — that 
they produce excessive dampness. The 
beating storm is arrested by their foliage, if 
it is dense, and is cast, off ere it. reaches the 
walls, or mainly ho, and the roots of runners, 
like the ivy, draw the moisture from the 
walls, thus rendering them dryer than they 
would be, were they uncovered. Constant 
care and attention is, however, necessary to 
prevent such running vines from growing 
into and obstructing the cave troughs and 
spoutings, which is the main objection to the 
growth of runners on the walls of buildings. 
is a favorite mode of decoration, and is 
qiu. m aurally adopted, particularly on old 
building, whose ivy-covered walls are looked 
upon, by some, as true objects of veneration. 
It may, perhaps, be tolerated on impaintecl 
walls of stone or brick, but the writer would 
not recommend the training of runners on 
the walla of painted wooden structures to 
any considerable extent. Some choice, at¬ 
tractive, flowing runners may be trained on 
trellises, so as to screen the piers between win¬ 
dows and the ends of verandahs of wooden 
structures, but they should not be allowed to 
obstruct the admission of the direct rays of 
the sun at the windows, as nothing is more 
conducive to health, and in point of econo¬ 
my in winter it is not unimportant. 
A proper proportion of the trees planted 
for decorating grounds should be deciduous; 
and as it is on this class alone that we are to 
depend for shade, it is important that those 
which arc rapid growing and umbrageous 
should be located where their shade will be 
most enjoyed, and yet where they will not 
obstruct interesting views, either of the 
grounds proper or of the surrounding coun¬ 
try. The writer has frequently been called 
to improve grounds that had been injudi¬ 
ciously planted many years previous with 
wide-spreading, tall trees, which had grown 
so that they effectually closed the most de¬ 
lightful view attainable from the living-room 
windows, and from that portion of the ver¬ 
andahs most frequented. 
A “council of war” was generally held, 
and “ woodman, spare that tree,” was quoted, 
and the beauty and value of the tree, so ob¬ 
jectionably located, fairly compared with 
that of tho landscape vista it destroyed; and 
when all the pros and cons had been pre¬ 
sented and discussed, the fair lady of the 
house in several instances, though most re¬ 
luctantly, pronounced tho fine tree of many 
summers guilty of view slaughter, and sen¬ 
tenced it to death by the ax. 
For the benefit, of the inexperienced in 
the url of landscaping, I will here give a 
simple rule, by which the finest views from 
given points, in and about a small dwelling, 
may be preserved unobstructed in planting 
such trees as those above described. Let. 
the observer take the stand - point at the 
building, which best secures the desirable 
vista, and direct, an assistant to set a line 
of stakes on either side of the radially 
bounded area from the dwelling to the 
boundaries of the grounds it is proposed 
to plant, moving each line of stakes to 
the rigid, or left, until the space between 
them will take in the main features of beauty 
in the vista to be preserved, yet. cutting off a 
portion of minor ones on one side of tho 
opening to be preserved in planting, that the 
imagination may be taxed to supply the 
lacking features thus but partially seen. 
Sometimes a single tree may be planted 
within the reserved area, that it may divide 
a sheet of water in the distance, which may 
often be made greatly to magnify the real 
extent of the sheet, or stream thus seen. 
Trees or shrubbery planted for this effect or 
purpose, should always be as remote as prac¬ 
ticable from the stand-point. 
mnsstom. 
NEW YORK FARMERS' CLUB. 
Wi! continue our notes upon t ho discussions of 
this eminent body of soldi l.itic agriculturists. 
Fruit Boxes. — An ax-grlnder, in tho shape of 
some cute Yankee, exhibited a fruit-bosket, 
asking lor the opinion of tho Club concerning It. 
After advertising’it,some one Of the Professor* 
of tho Art of Grinding said he though l it would 
come into general use. Objection was made In 
tt because the.ro was no provision for ventila¬ 
tion, whereupon Mr. Lawton asserted Ids disbe¬ 
lief in the supposed necessity for ventilation 
intho transportation of fruit. The young man 
who has not married n rlolt widow (that wo know 
ofjsald thill Mr. LAWTON eOUld not ho very well 
acquainted with the necessities of tho fruit 
trade or he would believe in the absolute neces¬ 
sity For and profit resulting from the ventilation 
of fruit packages — especially those inclosing 
perishable fruits. Both tho baskets and the 
crates containing thorn should ho ventilated. 
Sumac. J, Amman of Long Island writes 
Unit, the new growth of tlm sumac fa cut, and the 
stalks dried in rim sun with tho leaves on, mid 
protected front tho dew. When dry it is cut up, 
and brings, in market, $10 und$50 per ton. 
IIccn mid Bn «|) berries.,— M r. Lawton asked if 
t he honey bee destroys tho iutlorcsecneoof rasp¬ 
berries, thus atl'celing their productiveness. He 
fears it may be tho case, judging by his own 
success in procuring fruit. Mr. Fuller said it 
was ull humbug. Bees are a bandit rather than 
an injury affecting t he productiveness of fruits. 
Some varieties of raspberries d(i nut produce por¬ 
ted. Mowers. In Germany, the whole mutter has 
been thoroughly and practically tested, and tho 
rights of, and ho no fits resulting from, bees have 
been recognized. One gentleman, who had a 
large plantation of raspberries hul no bees in his 
neighborhood, said tie had not picked a quart of 
raspberries from the said plantation on any day 
in Ids life. 
Hi'/e «if Apple Barrels.— T). 8. FLEMING of West, 
Virginia asks the Club to give the exact meas- 
surumeiit of an apple barrel if any is established. 
He is informed that, there is no legally estab¬ 
lished size that some hold two bushels und a 
peck, and others two bushels and a half. For 
shipment to England, one genl lernuri had found 
by trin I tho former size the best. Mr. Petkus 
thought that the New York Legislature had es¬ 
tablished a standard size for ibis Suite, but ho 
could pot say what, it was. The Importance of 
so doing was generally urged; or what, was bet¬ 
ter, a law requiring fruit and vegetables to be 
sold by weight should he enacted. Mr. Peters 
asserted that till vegetables are sold in the Balti¬ 
more markets by weight. There is a municipal 
or State law requiring it. 
A Good Harrow.—CftARLES it KfNO, Catlin, N. 
Y., uses an A harrow containing fifteen steel 
pointed teeth set in the frame sothat the points 
stand forward of a perpendicular, und has no dif¬ 
ficulty in pulverizing his soil completely there¬ 
with. 
Comstock's Rotary Digger. — Mr. Comstock 
was permitted to grind his ax In an elaborate 
paper, and was ably aided by the Professor of 
tho Art of Grinding, who modestly attributed to 
himself, and soma of his compeers, his and their 
suggestions, the wonderful state of perfection 
to which this implement had arrived. 
New York State Poultry Show. — DANIEL E. 
Gavit, Corresponding Secretary of the Now 
York Poultry Society, (New York City, P. O. 
Box 150,) announced the First Annual Exhibition 
of the Societ y to take place at the Skating Rink 
on Third Avenue, between Sixty-third and 
Sixty-fourth streets, Now York City, to com¬ 
mence March 2lid next, and continue a week. 
Tho Premiums to be awarded are Gold, Silver and 
Bronze Medals, Diploimis, Standard Books uml 
Works of Arias well as valuable cash premiums. 
It is expected there will be a large contribution 
of fowls to this exhibition from England. 
The Doolittle lloAplicrry for Drying.- GEOROE 
Babcock of Pa. wanted to know if tho Doolit¬ 
tle Raspberry fs liable to get wormy when dried; 
and if so, how to prevent such a result. Dr. 
Trimislr does not answer the question, but calls 
attention to the fact that this particular fruit is 
one of the most delicious canned fruits he lias 
ever tasted, and should bo grown for that reason 
if for no other. Mr. Fuller says the Doolittle is 
less liable to get wormy than any of the red 
raspberries. Tt must be kept dry; if it gets 
dump it is likely to become wormy, as are other 
dried fruits. He urged that more attention 
should bo paid to drying raspberries. It takes 
about four pounds of tho green fruit, to make 
one dried ; ami tho latter sell al good prices, and 
with an increasing demand in market; and they 
can lie transported ali over the world. No one 
know of a good plan for a. dry house for drying 
fruit. It was suggested that, it, could be dried 
In the sun, and the flies kept from it. by spread¬ 
ing a mosquito net over it, on n frame. Keep 
tho flies from it, and thoro would be little danger 
from worms. 
Poultry Management. —It WHS asserted by a 
gentleman that, during the past few years the 
size of eggs reaching the New York market had 
Increased one-third in consequence of the im¬ 
provement in the breeds and management of 
fowls. A learned member did not believe the 
size of an egg could be increased by feeding. 
Another laid fed Ids fowls cracked corn, broken 
oyster shells and meat; amt he had found thorn 
exceedingly greedy to got green food, ranging 
the garden in winter and eating chick weed, 
strawberry plants or any other green food acces¬ 
sible whore tho snow ia off. He had secured 
plenty of eggs by such feeding. Another gen¬ 
tleman said he bud secured the best results by 
permitting his fowls to scratch In the barn-yard. 
Another recommended buckwheat for liens, nnd 
the graceful President asserted If to lie a great 
stimulator, and he preferred st imulants to nar¬ 
cotics. Dr. Trluhle believes in giving tho kind 
of food to fowls (and all animals) that they will 
eat the most of. A New Jorseyman, who gets 
up early hi the morning, (and who asserts that 
l he reason why liens do not lay more eggs is 
because people do not get up before breakfast!) 
has I'cun attending to Ids fowls personally. 
Ho lias Ids nest, boxes so arranged that no 
two chick* can got In the same box. Hu had 
fifty-eight, Black Spanish and Leghorn fowls 
which laid him tho past year bIx hundred and 
sixty-seven dozens of eggs, all of which lie gath¬ 
ered from i heir nests himself. Ho fed them oats, 
cracked corn and packers' scraps, (all cooked 
together,) and pounded, burned oyster shells; 
says they eat tho pounded shells greedily, and 
the slid Is of tho eggs are as while ns the driven 
snow. He feeds his liens regularly three times a 
day, giving them, at tho same time, good fresh 
water, lie believes fowls can be made most 
profitable if peoploal% will get up before break¬ 
fast. He does not believe, evidently, in “ Break¬ 
fast in Bed." 
Prof. Carpenter said scraps, or meat, of some 
kind, is a most important food for fowls in win¬ 
ter. If t hey do not got if they will denude each 
other of their feathers. And food should always 
lie cooked or soaked, for the fowls will both fat¬ 
ten and lay better therefor. Mr. Fuller gives 
chicks a bin of wheat, buck wheat, or corn, which 
is always accessible to thorn, to which they can 
go when they want, and plenty of pure fresh 
water and fresh vegetables cabbage leaves, etc. 
Prof. Smith denounced the undignified practice 
of cooking food for fowls or animals of any 
kind. He fell back on his dignity by citing tho 
prolific tendencies of wild fowls, partridges, 
prairie chickens, ducks, geese, t urkeys, Sc., &c., 
and informed tho Club that Bole nee did not re¬ 
quire iiman to get up before break fust nor cook 
chicken fond in order that hens might, lay eggs I 
But ho did believe Hint eggs should bo sold by 
weight. Nor did he believe lime necessary, as a 
food, lo lliu production of shells. Prof. Car¬ 
penter Insisted that lime is necessary thereto. 
The New Jersey Professor reiterated his pro¬ 
found belief that there would be better eggs and 
more of thorn if people only got out of bed be¬ 
fore breakfast. Silonoogiving consent, tho Club 
consented. 
Refrigerator Cara.— A letter was read from a 
Pennsylvanian describing a patented refrigera¬ 
tor ear, designed to t ransport fruit safely and 
preserve It, in condition in the hot test weather, 
and While transporting It long distances. He 
secures for It a tempera turn of forty-live to fifty 
degrees Fahrenheit. Tie; distinguished Profes¬ 
sor of the Art of Grinding said that ho hud ex¬ 
perimented considerably in this mutter of 
preserving fruits, mid had found that the tem¬ 
perature must be reduced to thirty-two degrees 
Fahrenheit, in order to preserve strawberries 
well for transportation. In such a temperature 
they may be kept tu perfect condition two 
months. At this point tho Lot-the-Cnt-niit-of- 
the-Hug Professor kindly and Considerately an¬ 
nounced that the disl iriguishod ami disinterested 
Professor of the Art. of Grinding had a pecu¬ 
niary interest in some refrigerator device where¬ 
by tho low temperature of thirty-two degrees is 
secured. 
A Broad r«Ht *eeil Sower agent took tho stand 
and read from a printed circular the claims of 
his machine Upon public consideration und pat¬ 
ronage, ad libitum , being ably assisted in grind¬ 
ing ills ax by t lu* disinterested and distinguished 
Professor of the Art of Grinding and some of 
his more advanced pupils. 
Tupping .Maples,—C. F. Shaker, Amherst, O., 
asks when a maple tree should be tapped to get 
the greatest flow of sap, and whether high or 
low, and if tho sap wood should be penetrated; 
also, whether Hie sap tlows up or down the tree, 
or both; and if hot h, whether it goes up t he out¬ 
side und down the middle (as they used to do at 
country dances), or not. He also wants to know 
if tho sap would be sweet if it did not freeze 
or thaw. Tho accomplished and philanthropic 
President suggested that tho effect of freezing 
and thawing upon the quality of tho sap could 
tie determined by setting a pail of water out in 
tho cold and permitting if, to freeze and thaw; 
tho result wauld solve tho quest,ion. Professor 
Carpenter says the sup ascends, of oourae, from 
tho roots, passes up through the sap wood to tho 
top of tho trees or extremities of the limbs to 
the leaves, where the watery portion is evapor¬ 
ated through the loaves or lungs of the tree, and 
the balance thus prepared descends between Hie 
bark and the wood, and thus tho growth of tho 
tree is formed. In tupping maples, Hie corres¬ 
pondent should boro Into tho sap wood. It 
makes no differesco whether the tree Is tapped 
high or low. One gentleman said lm had found 
that sap, never frozen, will not granulate. 
Doit’s Tree Invlgorutor. A correspondent.in¬ 
forms tho Club that tho rights to use this are 
being widely sold and wants to know if it is good 
for anything or otherwise. Dr. Trtmrlb de¬ 
nounced it as decidedly otherwise—as a hum¬ 
bug. a 'here is no doubt of it. 
A Potato-Digger.—Now I hero was the biggest 
kind of an ax to grind In tho shape of un im¬ 
mense Hireo-horso potato digger. Hut the Club 
rattier refused to turn the grindstone, and told 
tho agent lo bring on a full-sized machine in tho 
full, and the Club would give it a trial. Mr. Car¬ 
penter thought tho price (three hundred dol¬ 
lars) was a sufficient objection to the Implement. 
