I 
laud of large timber; on tlie north by said 
creek, with an open grove of small timber 
between. Beyond the creek, is also a bluff 
like the others. I wish to know whether 
you think the trees will grow and produce 
fruit or not, with proper care; for I do not 
wish to plant them unless they will pay for 
the labor.— Alfred Knapp. 
We are always pleased to receive and an¬ 
swer the questions of our correspondents, 
^trborirnlturf 
FRUITS RECEIVED. 
WHAT IS LAUREL? 
Will somebody who knows answer the 
above question ? A paragraph is going the 
rounds of tbe papers that laurel oil is a pre¬ 
ventive against flies, as they cannot bear 
the smell of it. The butchers in Belgium 
and Holland are said to use this substauce 
with great success in keeping their meat 
stalls free of flies. We wish some one would 
send us a barrel of this oil before next spring. 
But what is “ laurel oil ?” Entomologists in 
Europe use bruised laurel to kill tbe bugs 
they catch; at least, so says E C. Rye in 
his elegant w'ork on British Beetles, and we 
quote from page 33: 
“ Another and rather larger bottle should 
be also taken ; this should be half filled with 
bruised laurel, which will almost iustautly 
kill most of the larger and more rapacious 
BY F. R. ELLIOTT. 
Wealthy’s Favorite. 
From T. T. Lyon, Plymouth, Mich., I am 
“ It should be remarked that beetles killed 
in laurel become very stiff and impossible 
to mount, until they have been kept for three 
or four days in laurel, when the rigidity of 
their muscles relaxes.” 
But we are left in the dark as to what par¬ 
ticular plant is referred to as laurel. The 
true laurel family is represented in this coun¬ 
try by the Per mi, Sassafras Benzoin, and Te- 
tranthera , hut we have never heard any one 
of the above called laurel, except by bota¬ 
nists. Tbe Kalmia.8, Rhododendrons and Ilex, 
are the shrubs generally known by this name. 
In Europe, tbe laurel subject is worse mixed, 
if anything, than hero; for there are about 
fifty distinct species of Laurus, or Laurel, in 
cultivation, and it cannot, be that one and all 
contaiu that peculiar poison which is death 
to flies and beetles. Unfortunately for those 
■who prefer commou names to scientific, the 
plant most generally known throughout 
Britaiu as laurel, is merely a dwarf evergreen 
cherry, Cerasm Uturooerasus, or perhaps, to 
be more scientific, Prunus lauivcerasus. 
Then there is tbe beautiful Laurestimis, ( Vi¬ 
burnum tinus,) which is also called laurel. 
It would be useless for any botanist to un¬ 
dertake to answer our question; therefore, 
we appeal to the entomologist:—“ What is 
laurel ?— i. e., the one that is death to bugs 
and flies. 
■--—— 
TEL AILANTHUS. 
One or two questions in regard to trees: 
The Ailanthus glandulosus which, I presume, 
is the common Ailanthus, appears to do very 
well on the plains. But what 1 more par¬ 
ticularly wish to kuow is, what is the great 
objection to tbe tree? I have noticed fre¬ 
quent paragraphs in the papers condemning 
it. Some claim that it creates poisouous 
vapors and an unhealthy atmosphere; others 
that it impoverishes the soil, &c. The soil 
in this section Is rich and deep, and during 
the summer, when rain is abundant, pro¬ 
duces largely without irrigation. But the 
waut of timber prevents the rapid settle¬ 
ment of the country; hence it is becoming a 
question of much importance to t he people 
as to the best and most rapid growing trees 
to cultivate, both for shade and timber. 
The Cottonwood is the most hardy and 
rapid in its growth, hut the wood is unlit for 
fuel or building purposes; and some hardy, 
rapid growing tree would be preferable. 
Can you inform me what kind of timber, 
under tbe circumstances, would be most 
profitable and useful ? 
There are thousands of acres of fine lands 
that cau be profitably worked, providing tbe 
timber question can be solved.— Joan II. 
Edwards, Ellis Co., Kansas, 
Tbe principal objection urged against the 
ailanthus is the mild, sickening odor of its 
flowers. In the open country the strong 
fragrance of the flowers would probably not 
be noticed; but in tbe city where tbe at¬ 
mosphere is somewhat confined, and ailau- 
thus trees plentiful, there are good reasons 
for complaint. Tbe wood of this tree is far 
superior to tbe cotton-wood or any of the 
poplars, and we should not hesitate to plant 
it extensively wherever it will thrive, and is 
wanted for fuel or other purposes. Wo 
would not, however, advise the planting of 
ailanthus to tbe exclusion of other and more 
valuable, but less rapid growing, species. 
The maples, hickories, chestuuts, larch, lo¬ 
cust and other kinds might be started at the 
same time, and they would he in a condition 
to take the place of the ailanthus when it 
had reached a useful size. 
-- 
ABOUT A PEACH ORCHARD. 
I wish to ask your advice about setting a 
peach orchard of 1,000 trees the ensuing 
spring. The piece of land which I wish to 
plant is in Perrysburg, Cattaraugus Co., on 
the Cattaraugus Creek. It is a flat, lying 
upon said creek, about six acres hi extent, 
I he soil is a black loam, with a subsoil of 
clay. It is bounded upon tbe south and 
west sides, by bluffs of one hundred and fifty 
feet in bight; on the east by a piece of wood- 
BROCKWORTH PARK PEAR. 
provided more than one person is to benefit¬ 
ed thereby. But we cannot undertake to 
advise any man to plant potatoes, or any 
particular kind of trees, upon a plat of laud 
whicli we have never seen or know nothing 
about whatever, except the little that may he 
given in a few lines of a letter. 
Peaches may be a profitable crop to grow 
in Cattaraugus county ; but we certainly do 
not know the fact, from personal experience 
or otherwise; and even if we did, It would 
require some observation as to climate, be¬ 
fore deciding upon the best location for an 
orchard. Protection is often necessary in 
Northern climates, but upon which side of 
the orchard it should be placed, depends en¬ 
tirely on circumstances. In one locality the 
prevailing and injurious winds may come 
from the Southwest; in another, not far dis¬ 
tant, from exactly the opposite direction, 
and the protection given must be created to 
suit cacb. 
There Is only one point in Mr. Kn Arp’s 
inquiry upon which we can express an opin¬ 
ion, and it is that, as a general rule, peaches 
do not succeed upon low land bordering 
streams in the more Northern States. The 
blossoms are very likely to be injured by late 
spring frosts. 
■4 - 
ARBORICULTURAL NOTES. 
Trnusplautiug aud Grnftiuir. 
James Macgill, Pulaski Co., Va., asks 
“ if it will do to transplant young fruit trees 
this fall, and then graft them in the spring.” 
Transplanted trees may he grafted soon after 
removal, but very little, if anything, is gained 
by performing this operation the first sea¬ 
son. As a general rule, it is better to wait 
until the trees have grown one year in their 
new position before grafting. We know 
that a person who is about planting a new 
orchard is usually impatient, and desires 
fruit as soon as it can be obtained; but in 
relation to grafting trees, it is better to 
“ make baste slowly,” in order to experience 
a complete success. 
The Cactus Fence 
is an institution peculiar to Mexico. The 
variety of tbe plant used for this purpose is 
called the organo. It is eight-sided, and 
shoots up as straight as an arrow from ten 
to twenty-five feet in bight, and five to eight 
inches in thickness. Tbe fence builders cut 
the cactus into sections of the right length, 
slick the cut end into a trench, cover the 
dirt around it to the depth of a foot, and the 
fence is made. Tbe pieces are sot as closely 
together as possible, and, as they take root 
and grow for centuries, the fence improves 
with age, instead of going to decay like 
other fences.— Exchange, 
size averages below medium, and many are 
quite kuobby aud uneven. In quality it is, 
until fully ripe aud mellow, a very sharp 
acid—too much so for the table. It lias got 
in our books, but in a State like that of its 
origin, where so many better sorts can well 
be grown, it should never get into the 
orchard. 
’ Liberty. 
This is another apple from Ohio that has 
got into the books, but is not as valuable in 
the orchard as the May apple, aud no per¬ 
son of refined taste will ever eat more than 
one specimen, and not that if any other sort 
can be had at the time. It is a keeper, aud 
that is all the claim it has for existence. 
-- 
P0M0L0GI0AL GOSSIP. 
Kiuunird's Choice. 
In your issue of Jan. 14th you ask, “ What 
is Keuard’s Choice apple?” It should be 
“ Kiunaird’s Choice”—a variety which orig¬ 
inated on the farm of Miciiaei. Kinnaihd, 
Frankliu, Tenu., and is a first-class apple. 
You will find a full description in the Gar¬ 
dener’s Monthly for 1870, page 157. 
As to tbe Seck-no-fui'lber, there are so 
many of Ibis name in various parts of tbe 
country that it is difficult to answer your 
question. There is a red Seek-no'further 
which I have seen from Kentucky, and a 
green Seek-no-furttier from Virginia, both 
of which are distinct from any of the name 
grown here, and it is probably one of these 
that your Tennessee correspondent speaks 
of.— Chas. Downing. 
Brock wortli Park Feav. 
We copy the following paragraphs and 
accompanying Illustration of this pear from 
the Edinburgh Farmer, which is all tbe in¬ 
formation we have concerning tbe fruit: 
“ This fine new pear is this season introduced 
by Messrs J. C. Wheeler & Son, Nurserymen, 
of Gloucester aud London. It is of the high¬ 
est excellence, very largo (specimens grown 
against a wall averaging twelve ounces each,) 
very handsome, and of delicious flavor. It 
was awarded a first-class certificate by tbe 
Royal Horticultural Society in September 
last. It will, iu a very short time, find its 
way iuto every garden where flue pears are 
appreciated.” 
iisntssions. 
in receipt of samples of an apple under name 
of Wealthy’s Favorite. It is described in 
Downing’s revised edition, with its known 
synonyms of Winter Seedling and Bradley’s 
Winter; and the only addition I would 
make to that description would be to note 
that many specimens have more, or less 
traces of russet, as shown in tbe shaded 
figure herewith. Tbe core is rather large 
and the seeds abundant. Downing classes 
it as very good, which is in accordance with 
pomologieal rules; but its peculiar sprightli¬ 
ness aud delicacy are such that most ama¬ 
teurs would class it as best. I am pleased 
to give herewith Mr. Lyon’s opinion of it, 
as he is well known throughout the West as 
one of the most careful and conscientious of 
pomologists, with a very thorough acquaint¬ 
ance of all the best known varieties of 
apples. Mr. Lyon writes: — “This apple 
origiuated in this town, (Plymouth,) where 
the original tree is yet standing, now not far 
from twenty years old. It is named from 
the wife of the originator, ‘ Wealtby’s 
Favorite.’ I know of no variety, in season 
from November to February, which, on all 
accounts, I prefer to it, as an amateur, des¬ 
sert apple; although there are many richer 
iu flavor, I do uot regard it as in any sense 
fitted for a market fruit; it is too tender, and, 
in unfavorable seasons, is inclined to scab 
badly. Tree a moderate grower, an excel¬ 
lent hearer, aud of good habit; moderately 
spreading.” 
l’ickiiian—(From Eli.wanc.er & Barry.) 
This Massachusetts apple is of a clear and 
handsome yellow, but in my experience the 
AMERICAN INST. FARMERS’ CLUB. 
Notes o! Discussions* Extracts from Let¬ 
ters, iVc. 
Where to Purchase a Farm.— C. A. RUTLEDGE, 
Corry, Pa., has $2,000 which ho wants to invest 
in a farm, ami asks whether ho shall go West or 
to New Jersey. Dr. Smith ah vised him to go 
West. Dr. Hkxamkr advised him to put. his 
money out at interest and not buy any farm 
anywhere until he had seen it; and not then 
until he knew that ho had knowledge enough to 
manage it. Prof. SQUEf.cn urged that if ho had 
a good trade he should stick to it. Buy and cul¬ 
tivate a garden near his business, if lie wished, 
but stick to the business he knows most about. 
Foot-and-Mouth Dlneane. — Mr. Cavanagh 
stated that iu his neighborhood on Long Island 
there is scarcely a cow that is not affected with 
this disease in the mouth; it has not appeared 
in the foot yet. But the cows are drying up in 
consequence of it and milk will ho scarce. Ho 
urges that the utmost vigiluuco should he exert¬ 
ed to prevent its extension, and discover an 
adequate remedy. 
Apples in lovvn.— JOHN Scott, Nevada, Iowa, 
wrote protesting against such twaddle as that of 
Benjamin Ellershaw of Milwaukee, Wis., 
when ho says:—“In some parts of Iowa, Min¬ 
nesota, and Wisconsin, it isdiflicult to grow any¬ 
thing but Siberian crabs.’ Lot Benjamin speak 
for Milwaukee, if he please, and Milwaukee 
please; but as for Iowa, I say, without hesitation, 
that the following apples will grow in any part ; 
of the State as certainly as corn, with an equal 
chanceRed Astraahun, Bops of Wine, Duchess 
of Oldenburg, Buxton or Full Stripe, St. Law¬ 
rence, Fanaeuse, Plumb's Cider, Perry Russet, 
Blue Pearniau, Ben Davis, and Rawle's Janet. 
Ten more could lie added with nearly equal cer¬ 
tainty. I add that this list is tor the extreme 
northern portion of Iowa. It is hut three or 
I four > i ui .s since Southern Iowa shipped many 
AVEALTITV’S FAVORITE APPLE. 
hundred barrels of apples to Massachusetts! I 
will prove what I say it' you wish it.” 
An Olil Apple Orchard. — ECOKNK BEANGE, 
WellSboro, Pa., has an old apple orchard, with 
borers in it, limt. is unproductive. He has 
plenty of barn-yard manure, but is not able to 
buy commercial fertilizers. Asks what course 
he shall pursue. Mr. Fuller rep lied ; — Take a 
knifoor wire, dig out the horors, cultivate the 
ground, apply the barn-yard manure, get up 
early in the morning, keep wide awake, work, 
read and think. Mr. Cuane said ho had an or¬ 
chard in a similar fix, and ho applied “black 
ash," (bono-bhtelt from sugar refineries,) and it 
did great good. Didn't know but leached ashes 
would bo an equally good application. Ho 
would not let the orchard remain in grass. 
To Keep out Borers.— Mr. Reed, Perth Amboy, 
N. J., said that bo keeps out borers by putting a 
little Jacket of tarred rooting paper about the 
huso oT the. tree. He digs the earth away from 
1 ho crown, ties the top of a strip of this paper 
about, the tree, aud hauls earth up around the 
base of the papeiyindianot troubledwlth borers. 
Ho takes it off in the full. Thus treated the 
borers have disappeared from hla orchard alto¬ 
gether. Mr. Quinn said It might, keep the borers 
out of the crown of the tree, but not out of the 
limbs where he had often found them. Mr. Ful¬ 
ler said farmers are careful to boo a hill of 
corn, fmui orchard, that is worth about three 
cents, but too few of them ever think of hoeing 
away the grass from a tree that is worth $10; if 
they would only keep the grass away from tbo 
roots of the tree, they would have less trouble. 
About Ginseng Culture.—J. 8 . Bean, Bowling 
Green, Ky., asked whether it is possible to cul¬ 
tivate glusong profitably, Mr. Fuller replied ; 
The common name ginseng is of Chinese origin, 
and tho root has been for ages considered a uni¬ 
versal panacea for all diseases among tho Chinese. 
Tho scientific name given to the ginseng by our 
later botanists is AiaUa qufw/uc/ulfa, or tlve- 
leavcd Arab a; but in the old books it is called 
Panace qulnipnifolia. Panax or pannhes is said to 
bo derived from two Greek words, pan all, and 
Oho8 medicine, and its Chinese reputation seems 
to confirm and give strength to this idea of its 
origin. Tho Chinese are supposed to have first, 
became acquainted with ginseng gathered in 
Tartary and North China, but the supply being 
exhausted or nearly so, and they having learned 
that tlio samo plaut was also a native of Nort h 
America, a trade soon commenced mid has been 
regularly carried on between tho two countries 
for many years. The price of the dried root lias 
steadily idercaacd from a cent pec pound up to 
over one dollar, and is now very scarce at t hat 
price. We believe that the culture of ginseng 
might be made a profitable business, and those 
who arc iu favorable localities for gathering tho 
seed as well as roots should try the experiment. 
There is no danger of over stocking the market, 
for the Chinese are a very numerous people and 
have great, 1'ail.h in the efficacy of this root. Dr. 
Souppeunong said if is regarded excellent for 
dyspepsia, aud ho hud known instances where 
dyspeptics hud boon cured by chewing the root. 
A Holly Hedge. —Mr. Bean asked how wo 
should procead to obtain holly plants from seed. 
Mr. FuLLEitsaid the word “holly," as used, did 
not moan any plant in particular; but suppos¬ 
ing tho correspondent to mean Her, or Ameri¬ 
can Holly, ho would state that tho seeds require 
two years to germinate, it should bo gathered 
and put Into a box containing what is known 
among nurserymen as “rot”—decayed leaves, 
muck, or other decomposed matter. Set it on 
the north side of a building where it can be 
kopt moist, and let it romain there a year; then 
sow the seed in a shady place. When the plants 
are a year old, toko up, cut off the tap-root and 
replant. They can afterward be transplanted 
safely at will. 
Raising Water by Sponges.—'W. H. Benson, 
Waynesboro, Va., writes that ho lias “thought 
of a simple plan for raising water for household 
and other purposes, which might be used to ad¬ 
vantage by farmers who have streams con¬ 
venient. Let a wheel, to be turned by the stream, 
be connected with another wheel at the required 
bight, by means of a small rope. Ntsvon this 
rope, at suitable intervals, let coarse sponges be 
fastened over the top wheel; let a third wheel of 
suitable weight In* fixed so as to press the sponges 
enough to squeeze the water out of them. I 
know this apparatus would not. raise much wa¬ 
ter, still, eveu a pint a minute is ISO gallons a day. 
it would cost very little, and any farmer could 
make one for himself.” 
To Keep Mice from Trees.—W. H. Randall, 
Vpsilanti, Mich., has found fhe best plan for 
preventing mice from girdling trees to be “to 
taken comuion-Bi/.cd sheet of tin and cut into 
four equal parts, bend arouud a fork handle to 
give the d sired shape, and apply to tho trunks. 
This makes a barrier Unit the mice cannot get 
over or around, aud costs but a trillo." Dr. 
Hkxamkr found it oaslor aud cheaper to 
batik up ubont tin? trees, for twelve or fifteen 
inches, with dirt in tho fall, removing it In the 
spring. He had also found it. effectual to tramp 
the snow about the tree after every snow fall. 
The Commander of the Club said ho had fouud 
banking up about the tree In the fall, as recom¬ 
mended by Dr. Hexamer, not only kopt the 
mice away, but prevented the water settling 
about, the crowns, aud by freezing and thawing 
burst the bark off. 
Hpottxylvauia Court House, Va.—W. A. For- 
syth pitched into the Club for advertising 
Greeley, Col., so freely, and ignoring better 
places nearer home. He claimed for his locality 
the following :—1. A naturally fertile soil, which, 
though it has been abused by bad tillage, cau 
rnpldly be brought to a high state of cultivation 
with clover and stock. 2. This section is near 
and inclose proximity to the best markets on 
the continent. We are only 54 miles from Wash¬ 
ington, 85 from Baltimore, 175 from Philadelphia, 
and 350 from New York city. 3. Fruits, such as 
apples, pears, peaches, apricots, nectarines aud 
grapes, grow finely, and are subject to fewer 
difficulties hero than in most locutions. 4. Wo 
have plenty uf timber here for building aud 
fencing purposes, which Is quite an item iu tho 
West, and we have line soft water lu abundance. 
Sheep grow finely here without, any feed during 
the year, except, what the old fields furnish. I 
know of no section better adapted to sheep 
raising for early lambs and mutton than this. I 
have seen lambs three months old raised hero 
that would weigh 100 pounds gross. Them arc 
locations here where a rauge of from 500 to 2,000 
acres can by had for sheep on land turned out to 
tho common. The natives here are friendly and 
not hostile to Northern people; in fact, there 
are not half a dozen natives within as many 
miles of the Court House, and for many miles 
around it is a solid settlement, inhabited by meu 
from the North aud West, 
