Spirceas, ( primifolia, Blummna and Beev- 
«ni f ) ever}’ one wants, as well as the Weige- 
lu roneu. The public taste is divided on the 
Althea, yet there are few gardens without 
some one variety or other. The variegated 
leaved is scarce, hut as desirable as any 
shrub grown. The Oak leaved 
Hydrangea makes a very strik¬ 
ing object in a collection, and 
\ the common garden Ilydran- 
\ gett indispensable for dense 
\ shade. For flowering in Au- 
\ gust, and for dwarf compact 
\ habits, Hypericum Kahuktr 
\ num, or the JI. prolificum , is 
. perhaps unrivaled. 
\ A rather scarce, but partic¬ 
ularly pretty native shrub, is 
Ilea Virginia.!, which, like the 
Magnolia glauca, a swamp 
/ I plant, cultivates well in dry 
/ ground. Thu Jaamiimm nvdi- 
j fiorum should he trained to a 
y stiff stake, and gel a pruning 
with the shears twice a year; 
it then grows very compact, 
and will support, itself after 
the stake rots away; then it 
makes one of the prettiest 
_ shrubbery bushes imaginable. 
As an Oriental looking plant, 
the common Privet is good; indeed, its pure 
white flowers, fragrant as they are, and jet 
blackberries, always attract attention. Jt is 
a jflant that will thrive in the most gravelly 
soils. 
The Upright Honeysuckles are perhaps 
the most common in gardens; the Tartarian 
deservedly so—few things are prettier. The 
Fly Honeysuckle Ls also desirable, for, though 
the flowers are not quite as showy ns the 
Tartarian, the lmbit is most graceful. Then 
the Mock Oranges or Philadelphia, though 
all white-flowering, afford, by their diversity 
of habit, many good shrubs. The sweet 
one, (P. coroimrim,) one of the oldest and 
best, is least, common. The Large-flowered 
and Cordon’s Upright arc the two next best. 
The Tree Peonies, though very expensive, 
every one wants. The Red and White 
Snowberry make good show in winter by 
their interesting fruit. As for the Lilacs, 
we need scarcely recommend them. Com¬ 
mon as they are, no garden is complete 
without them. The Persian is a very distinct 
one from the common kinds. There are 
many new varieties, yet they are but shades 
of old colors. 
Vegetable (i'arbcn 
<0 CD 
CULTIVATION OF ASPARAGUS 
EMILE D’HEYST PEAR. 
Ciias. Dowm.no says this is a Belgian 
fruit. The free has moderate vigor; a healthy 
and good grower, but straggling and not 
easily brought to a pyramidal form. The 
young wood is fawn or light brown ; rather 
slender. Fruit large,or above medium size; 
long caUbaw form. Color light green, washed 
and waved with fawn and russet; becomes 
bright yellow at time of maturity. Stem 
variable, but rather long; sometimes fleshy; 
inserted in an uneven cavity. Calyx small, 
set in a deep narrow basin, surrounded by 
uneven protuberances. Flesh buttery, melt¬ 
ing; very juicy; exceedingly fine, sugary 
and well perfumed. It is a very great bearer, 
and requires thinning to have fruit in full 
perfection. We notice by reference to the 
Catalogue, of the American Pomological So¬ 
ciety that this pear is only recommended 
therein for Missouri. But we have testimony 
that it has given good satisfaction in other 
States. 
BY D. P. Bit PEN OP NEWARK, N. J 
There is, perhaps, no succulent vegetable 
more generally valued for its palatable, nu¬ 
tritious and healthful qualities than aspara¬ 
gus, which can be successfully cultivated in 
any climate, from the tropics to the cold, 
bleak shores of Lake Superior, where it is 
found growing wild. Asparagus, when 
brought under proper cultivation, gives a 
greater return for the labor bestowed than 
any other production of the market garden. 
Its proper mode of cultivation is less under¬ 
stood than any other vegetable product for 
table use. My first knowledge of aspara¬ 
gus (when a boy), some forty-five N eal's ago 
or more, was an old bed in my lather’s 
garden, which bed was put out by my grand¬ 
father, before my father’s recollection. There 
the asparagus was cultivated, on the same 
spot of ground, until about 1810, when it 
became necessary to have the garden in 
another location. The old asparagus roots 
were removed and carefully put. out again, 
where they remained until 1852, when the 
bed was destroyed for the purpose of erect¬ 
ing a building. The bed was always well 
cultivated; the old stalks were cut off in the 
full; the bed was liberally covered with 
manure, which was forked in in the spring. 
Until its destruction the asparagus never 
decreased in quality or quantity. These 
tacts of my own knowledge are satisfactory 
to my own mind that the limited production 
of asparagus is only a neglect of its proper 
cultivation. 
Some ten years ebice I made an enlirely 
new garden where I now live, and always 
having enjoyed the luxury of asparagus 
without depending upon the market, for my 
supply, I determined to make a bed to suit 
my own views of the nature of the plant. 
My soil is a sandy loam. I prepared my 
ground with a large quantity of well-rotted 
manure, and divided my ground into beds 
five feet wide and twenty feet long. The 
ground was then dug up one spit deep, the 
length of a long spade blade. Believing 
that asparagus required the warmth of the 
sun, air, and surthee moisture, and having 
no fear that the roots would run down be¬ 
yond my control, I had my bed trenched (or 
marked out) four inches deep and twelve 
inches apart. The mots were two yearn 
old, and were taken from a garden adjoining 
my own. They were placed in the trenches 
twelve inches apart, as soon as dug from the 
ground where they grew. Each branch of 
the roots was spread out horizontally, and 
they were all covered four inches deep. 
The asparagus grew apparently as well as 
though the mots had never been removed. 
The next, year I cut from the bed, in suffi¬ 
cient quantity for my own table. Every 
season, when the weeds commenced grow¬ 
ing, I sowed broadcast one-half bushel of 
salt, and the same quantity twice afterward, 
as the weeds began to recover. I always 
have asparagus before any appears in the 
market from the gardens in the neighbor¬ 
hood, and cut it every day irorn the time I 
commence until the season ends. The pro¬ 
ductiveness of my bed lias increased every 
year, and all gardeners and others w ho have 
seen it pronounce it the most prolific bed 
they have ever seen. The average growth 
of the stalks at the time of seeding, is live to 
seven feet in height. I never cut my aspar¬ 
agus Until it has grown at least four to six 
inches above the ground, and we never cut 
it over one inch below the surface. Some 
writers advise cutting two to six inches be¬ 
low' tiie surface. But at that depth the bot¬ 
tom of the stems is always tough. Professor 
Mupcs once stated that there are twenty- 
eight species of asparagus. Some writers 
leave attempted to classify the different qual¬ 
ities. With my experience in raising and 
largely consuming the article, I think I 
could quite as easily tell a black herring 
from a white herring, in eating them, as I 
could tell tin* difference in the quality or 
taste of the light purple-headed asparagus. 
PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT LIST. 
Tine editor of the Germantown (Pa.) Tele¬ 
graph gives tiie following lists of fruits 
w hich his experience 1ms taught him would 
he his selection for his ow n planting : 
(Standard Pears. 
1. Burly Catharine. !». Sheldon. 
2. Juliana. 111. BatTum. 
3. Manning's Elizabeth. It. Howell. 
4. Tyson. 12. lodge. 
5. Bartlett. 13. Anjou. 
il. Scckol. H. Lawrence. 
7. St. Michael d’Arehangc. 1ft. Potts. 
d. GUTurd, lli. Eoustor. 
Of the above, from No. t to 4 arc summer 
varieties; from 5 to 12, autumn ; 13, 14, 15, 
and 10, winter; thus affording a sufficient 
number for each of the periods of the best 
known sorts for this region. 
Dwarf Pears. 
1 St. Michael d'Archange. 6. Tyson. 
2. Bartlett, 7. Belie f.ucratlve. 
3. Cornice. 8. Lawrence. 
4. ItosUezor. 9. Potts. 
5. Dlel. 10. Feaster. 
Apples. 
1. Malden’s Blush. f>. Smith's Cider. 
2. Baldwin. II. Northern Spy. 
3. L. 1. UuHsett. 7. Foruwulder. 
4. JolThrls. 8. McClellan. 
Peaches. 
1. Cruwford’s Early. 4. Oltlmlxon (free.) 
2. Hale’s Early. 6. Crawford’s Late. 
3. Morris White. 0. Lulu Heath. 
<7 rn pcs. 
1. Telograph. 8- Rogers No. 32. 
2. Concord. 0. Graveling. 
3. Hartford Prolific. 7. Delaware. 
4. Rogers No. 4. 8. Rogers, No. 15. 
Cherries. 
1. May Duke. 6. Germantown. 
2. Early Richmond. C. Bello Mughlllquo. 
3. Black Tartarian. 7. Downturn 
4. Black Eagle. 8. KoutlsU, or Pie. 
We restore the Kentish or Pie Cherry to 
our list. It ripens a week or ten days after 
the Early Richmond, and alwitys, except in 
the most unfavorable seasons, gives a large 
crop of sound fruit. The “ Germantown” is 
the largest cherry grown, is handsome in 
appearance, an abundant bearer of sound 
fruit, and very good in quality. 
Raspberi'ins. 
1. Brlnekle’s Orange. 4. Philadelphia. 
2. Hornet. 5. Clarke. 
3. Catawissa. 0. Bristol. 
We cultivate all these varieties of the rasp¬ 
berry, in addition to the Hudson River Ant¬ 
werp and the old Purple, except the Clarke 
and Bristol. \\ r c omit the Hudson River 
from our list, and substitute the Philadel¬ 
phia. The Hudson River is an excellent 
berry, rather better in quality than the Hor¬ 
net, which it resembles, though not so large, 
but it is not hardy or a good grower, and 
unless care is taken will “ run out” in a few 
years. The Catawissa is the two-crop vari¬ 
ety, which every one ought to cultivate for 
the autumn crop only, by cutting all the 
canes clean off to the ground in November, 
and covering the stools with manure. The 
new raspberry called the “ Bristol,” and 
another, the “ Clarke,” promise well, and 
arc said to be equal to the “ Philadelphia.” 
These we add to the list: 
Strawberries. 
1. Russell’s Prolific. 3. Hovey’s Seedling. 
2. Trlomphe lie Gaud. 4. Albany Seedling. 
At present we are not prepared to change 
our strawberry list. In retaining the Albany 
Seedling it is done expressly for marketing 
purposes. To those who have room for only 
one or two kinds for private use, we recom¬ 
mend Hovey's Seedling, (which is a pistil¬ 
late,) and the Triomplie or Russell’s Prolific, 
(staminates,) to he planted in alternate beds 
of three feet in width, allowing eighteen 
inches space between them. With proper 
cultivation a crop is next to a certainty. 
Currants. 
1. Black Naples. 2. Red Dutch. 
We consider these the two best, currants. 
We have the Cherry currant, which is 
larger than the Red Dutch, but it is too acid ; 
while the White Grape, which is of good 
size and flavor, and transparent in appear¬ 
ance, is a poor grower, of sprawling habit, 
and bears mostly near the ground, which 
dirties the fruit and extracts the flavor. 
There are also the Versailles, and one or two 
others, but they are not equal to the Red 
Dutch. 
Gooseberries. 
1, Houghton. 2. Downing. 
These are the two best and most profita¬ 
ble cultivated. All the huge imported 
loxitnlintt 
ORNAMENTAL AND FLOWERING 
SHRUBS. 
The Editor of the Gardener’s Monthly 
talks in this wise about shrubs:—“ Of those 
which are beautiful and can be readily and 
cheaply obtained, we may name Dwarf 
Horse Chestnut, flowering in June; the 
different Dog-woods, Cornua Florida , V. 
mnguiitm, V . vtaxndo, O. alba, and particu¬ 
larly the variegated English; the I iawthorus 
are very pretty when in a cool soil and situ¬ 
ation, partially shaded from the sun in Hum¬ 
mer—there are many line double varieties of 
the English which do best when grafted on 
American stocks; the Double White and 
Double Red and Pink are particularly desir¬ 
able; the Laburnum is rather a strong 
growing shrub, also wanting a cool soil and 
situation. When the season happens favor¬ 
ably, it is the most ornamental shrub we 
have. 
The Sea Buckthorn is very desirable for 
its pretty silver foliage ; but it should nut bo 
set on a lawn, as it suckers somewhat; the 
shrubbery bottler is tlu; place for it. Of the 
silver-leaved class, the Oleasters are very de¬ 
sirable. The yellow is not hardy north of 
New York; hut the small-leaved (/Fkagnus 
parvifoliii) is perfectly so; it basin addition 
very sweet flowers and pretty berries to rec¬ 
ommend it. 
The Silver Bell or Snow-drop tree is also a 
large shrub; but its early white flowers give 
it a claim on most shrubberies, especially as 
it blooms quite young. The Magnolias, pur¬ 
purea and glaum, are very desirable. The 
latter, as it grows in swamps when wild, is 
not often seen cultivated, as it is supposed it. 
will not do iu dry soil. This is a mistake. 
In a deep rich soil it thrives amazingly. It 
requires a free use of the pruning knife on 
transplanting. 
The European. Bird Cherry is one of the 
handsomest strong-growing shrubs of its 
season—June. For a single specimen on a 
lawn it is not to be excelled. Its habit is 
good, and its flowering abundant; its berries 
are also very enticing to birds, which form 
no mean addition to the pleasure of a gar¬ 
den. The Pyma japonica every one knows; 
the white variety is desirable, though it is 
more pink than white. The Mist tree is in¬ 
dispensable, from its striking peculiarity of 
flowering. The White Fringe, with leaves 
like the Lilac, and large pendant clusters of 
white bowers, no less so. 
There are several Willows which, asslirubs, 
we would on no account be without, for 
their flowers, large and sweet, are so early 
that the first sun that t haws the March snow, 
brings them out also. The Goat Willow and 
the Villars Willow — male varieties of course 
— are especially 10 be mentioned. The In¬ 
dian Cherry {Amelanohwr,) following the 
Willow in flowering, and very beautiful; 
and the Double Pink, and Double White 
Dwarf Almond, are also early and pretty. 
The Yellow White and Crimson Azaleas 
are magnificent, but so scarce in nurseries 
wo arc almost afraid to have them in this 
list. The different Barberries can be scarcely 
spared for their pretty rod berries in fall. 
The Sweet Shrub or Virginia Calymnthm , is 
one of the sweetest of all flowering shrubs; 
though its color is dull. The Bladder Senna 
is very desirable for its love of our summer 
heat, flowering profusely during July and 
August. The Mezereon is particularly sweet 
and attractive, blooming very early, but like 
the Azalea, rather scarce in nurseries. 
The Deutzias are well known; umbra and 
gracilis are the best. The Burning Bushes 
are beautiful in the fall; the .Mississippi Pur¬ 
ple (atropurpurea) and the European are two 
most desirable. The Golden Bell and early 
- New Name# for Old Tiling*.”—The remarks 
under tills head In the Rural of 3d lust, are half 
right. The Mexican Everbearing Strawberry is 
undoubtedly nothing 1 more than the old Hush 
Alpine —the same as STODDARD'S Seedling ol’ 
twenty years ago — of no practical value, a* the 
plants require very deep, rich soil, and too much 
care Iu watering and shading, to boot practical 
value. A pot of the plants in bearing was ox- 
hlbltedui. I hi' Ohio Stale Fair at Toledo, and nt 
the New York Slate Fair at Rochester, last fall, 
and I lie variety was recognized by many old hor¬ 
ticulturists. 
Tim Mark apple, however, Is not by any moans 
the old Red Bannock, whatever may be the opin¬ 
ion of the Committee of the American Pomo¬ 
logical Society. 1 have been familiar with the 
SOnk for the past tea years, and the Pen nook 
thirl y years, amt the two have been exhibited 
repeatedly side by side at the meetings of the 
Ohio Fomotoirtoal Society, and known to bo 
quite distinct. I presented specimens of the 
Stark for a name at the meet ing of the American 
Apple Li*t* of North 111. Ilort. Soc. -Summer 
At>ph’S. —(F. and M. stand for family and mar¬ 
ket.! Early Harvest, F.; Sops of Wine, F. M.; 
Sweet .lime, F. M.; Benoul, F. M.; Early Pen- 
nock, F. M.*» Red AstmoUan, F. M.; Carolina Rod 
.1 une. F. M.; Duchosse of Oldenburg, F. M.; Gold¬ 
en Sweet, F. M.; Am. Sum. l'onnnuiii, F. M. 
Fall dppfrtt—Keswlek Codling, F.M.; Lowell, 
F. M.; Haskell's Sweet, F.; Fall Wine, F. M.; Fall 
Kwiutr, F.; Maiden's Blush, F. M.; Dyer, F.; Aut. 
Strawberry, F. M.; Fall Orange, F. M.; Fumouse, 
F. M.; Hailey’s Sweet, F. M.. Fulton, F. M. 
iriiitcT Ipplfi?—Westflold Seek No Further, F. 
M.; Yellow Relloflower, F. M.; Tallman’s Sweet, 
F.; Northern Spy, F. M.; Roman Stem, F. M.; 
Rawles* Janet, F. M.; English Golden Russet, F. 
M.; Domino, F. M.; Jonathan, F. M.; Ben Davis, 
F. M.; Wagoner. F.M.; Miukler, F. M.; Winosop, 
F. M.; Willow, F. M. 
llaHpberrii'*,—If your correspondent who asks 
about raspberries is near New York markets and 
his soil is clayey, then his best nml most paying 
sort la the Hudson River Antwerp. If he is on 
sandy land, down in New Jersey or Delaware, 
then l think he had better grow Philadelphia. 
It ls poor, like t hat region, but. like poor whisky, 
it pays the producer better than a good urtlcle; 
and if money Is the point at which hoatnis, then 
lie is all right. If lie is on loamy soil - prairie, 
etc,,-and a longdistance from market, his best 
variety is some one ot tho Black Cap family. At 
present I think the Miami or Mammoth Cluster 
Is probably the most promising of any variety 
ho cau produce in quantity. There tire a num¬ 
ber ol' now sorts of tills class that perhaps may 
prove superior, but as they are not as yet in the 
market, of course they cannot bo advised.— 
Amu. 
TOMATO CULTURE, 
I have read tiie article on “ How to Grow 
Tomato Plants,” by Mrs. J. O. Johnson. I 
do not condemn her plan, but permit me to 
inform those of your readers who cannot al¬ 
ways get tin cans of an easier wav. Take 
paste-board, paper boxes, or paper flour 
sacks even will do, cut into strips long 
enough and wide enough so that when sewed 
together they will be about the size of a 
quart bowl; cut a round piece to tit it lor a 
bottom, sew the ends of the strip together 
and sew in the bottom. Fill up with soil 
and set your plant in. When ready to put 
in the garden, dig a hole, set the box in and 
wet it, when it can easily be torn open at 
the sides and pulled off or left in the ground. 
Then fill up the hole and the plant will not 
wilt. Mrs. G. W. Wendell. 
Sprout Brook, N. Y., 1809. 
The Naomi Raspberry. We have inquiries 
concerning lliis fruit. There have been a good 
many plants sent out under this name which are 
not Naomi, if Naomi is distinct from the Fran¬ 
conia, which wo have abundant reason to doubt. 
It is claimed that tlio plants of the Naomi are 
hardier I lam those of the Franconia; but since 
this depends upon locality, we doubt whether 
such is tlio fact. They are so nearly idonticalln 
every other respect that we do not clearly see 
t he difference in any. 
Double Flowering Peach. — I* there not a 
double flowering peach that is desirable to cultivate7 
1 think I have seen some notice of one. Will you 
tell us through tiie RUBAL V— Mtts. C. P. S.,Dmjlou,0. 
In response, tve give herewith an engravingof 
the flower of the White, Double Flowering 
Peach. Nothing is more beautiful. And yet we 
cannot recommend tin* planting lor the flowers 
alone, which are short lived, especially where 
dwarf cherries, apples, and pours can be planted. 
For these not only give beautiful flowers in 
spring, but equally beautiful fruit in the au¬ 
tumn. They are both things of beauty and joys 
throughout the season. The Double flowering 
pouch lats not (his merit. 
Pear Lint for Northern Illinois.— The following 
is the pen 1 list recommended by the Northern 
Illinois Horticult ural Society '.— Summer— Bart¬ 
lett, Tyson, Rosttzer, Doyenne d'Kle. Autumn— 
Flemish Beauty, Bcurre d'Anjou, Howell, Belle 
Lucrative, Duchess d’Angouleme, Louise Bonne 
de Jersey, Seekel. Winter— Winter Nelis, Law¬ 
rence. For trial—Dearborn's Seedling and Swan’s 
Orange. 
C’nludiiim* as bedding plants are coming into 
vogue. A Philadelphia Arm with a large stock 
is pushing (heir sale by means of a beautiful 
colored advertisement. They are of rosy cul¬ 
ture and beautiful plants. 
