Mississippi Valley tliat potatoes can no 
longer be grown without some effort to 
check its ravages. I have elsewhere shown 
that solutions of tobacco soap arc of no 
avail iu fighting it, and that carbolic soap 
can not be Used strong enough even to kill 
the larvae, without likewise killing the vines. 
I have also lately tried arsenic and cobalt, 
with but poor results. From A letter just 
received from my friend Wm. Saunders of 
London, Ont., I learn that, there is some 
prospect that competent persons will he sent, 
out by the Agricultural Department of On¬ 
tario to the districts most affected, in order 
t 0 fully experiment with various kinds of 
cheap poisons, and report results. Some¬ 
thing may yet come of such experiments 
properly made, and it were greatly to be 
wished that some cheaper and less poisonous 
antidote than Paris green could be found. 
But, so far, this is the only antidote known, 
and so general has its use become in the in¬ 
fected districts of the country that the price 
of the poison has this year increased from 
twenty to seventy-five cents per pound, 
mid it is extremely difficult to obtain it in 
St. Louis or Chicago at the latter price. It 
is most effectual when mixed with flour or 
plaster, and if the green be pure, one part, to 
twelve of flour is about the best proportion. 
I have known it to act well when diluted 
with half as much again. Buy no green 
that is pale in color, but always choose that 
which is of a bright, and dark green. The 
varied success attending its use, as reported 
during the past, few years, must be attributed 
to the difference in the quality of the drug 
iilituined; and by using an inferior article I 
was tirst led, three years ago, to attach little 
importance to it as a remedy. 
I'ii ri •• Green I’liinonoti**, Inn not Diiiikci'oii* 
if i’rtnerty Uncit. 
Paris green is a deadly poison, being 
nrseuiatc of copper (often called Scheele’b 
green), and containing a varying proportion 
of iirsenious acid. Caution should, t hcrefbre, 
be had in its use. It is most safely applied 
by aid of a perforated box, attached to the 
end of a stick three or four feet long. The 
least possible dilating suffices, and by taking 
the handle of the dust box in the left, hand, 
and then tapping the box with another stick 
held in the right hand, one can walk rapidly 
along the rows and regulate, the amount sift¬ 
ed, The green cannot well he mixed with 
the flour or plaster except by aid of a mill, 
and for this reason several parties in the 
West are offering it to the public, ready 
mixed, and done up in pound packages. 
Among others, I can confidently recommend 
that of Mitcheli, Bros. & Kern of St. 
Louis, ns it is put up according to my re¬ 
commendation, They are also manufactur¬ 
ing a very cheap and convenient dust box 
to accompany it. The remedy is destined 
to become a very general one, as it effectu¬ 
ally destroys many other leaf-eating insects; 
"bile, if mixed with dough, it may he used 
as a bait for the destruction of rats and mice, 
ami, it mixed with brmvn sugar, for roaches 
and ants. 
1’kat there is little if any danger to be ap¬ 
prehended from its proper use in the field 
All Antidote to I’liris Green. 
This consists of hydrated scsqnioxidc of 
iron, and, as 1 have reason to believe that 
you have given a full account of its use in 
the report of the American Institute Farm¬ 
ers’ Club for June 13lh, it is needless to re¬ 
peat the information here. 
the old vines were thrown together in a heap 
after the potatoes are harvested, many of the 
beetles would take shelter under it, and 
might be destroyed early in the year. Watch 
for such beetles soon after the frost is out of 
the ground, and for the orange colored eggs 
which are first deposited. Cultivate well by 
this flower and other plants raised there¬ 
from, and, if given high culture, a few or 
many of them will show still stronger incli¬ 
nation to produce an extra number of petals, 
or, in other words, become double. And it 
is by this process of raising seedlings and 
selections therefrom that, varieties of plants 
are produced. But the change from single 
to double flowers does not. always occur in 
the same manner. Sometimes the petals be¬ 
come divided or throw out branches, as seen 
in the double fuchsias; in others the sta¬ 
mens enlarge and spread out into the form 
of petals, in the UJium daminatuin shown 
iu the accompanying illust ration, the change 
is only partial; the six stamens have assumed 
the form of petals, but the anthers, although 
deformed, still adhere to tin; terminal point. 
The pistil seems to have undergone no 
change whatever and is probably still 
capable of performing its natural functions. 
When fertilized from some other and more 
perfect flower, another generation of seed¬ 
lings reared from this variety would he very 
likely to give some perfectly double flowers, 
as seen in the new double tiger lily. 
'Hie L. stnminatum is said to be a sport of 
the old L, Thunberyianum, and it resembles 
ils parent, except in the characteristics men¬ 
tioned above. 
prepare a report on the cultivation and 
growth of forest t rees. The committee con¬ 
cluded an able report by saying ; 
“ As the results of our observations and 
from the testimony of reliable men, wo regard 
the following as about the average growth 
iu twelve yean , of the leading desirable 
varieties, when planted in belts or groves 
and cultivated as directed :—White Maple, 1 
fool, in diameter ami 30 feet high. Ash-leaf 
Maple, 1 ti>ot in diameter and 20 feel high. 
White Willow, Ifeet in diameter and 40 
leet, high. Yellow Willow, feet in diam¬ 
eter and 35 feet high. Lombardy Poplar, 10 
inches in diameter and 4(1 feet high. Blue 
ami White Ash, 10 inches in diameter and 
20 feet. high. Chestnut., 10 inches in diameter 
and 20 feet high. Black Walnut and But 
ternut, It) inches in diameter, and 20 feet 
high. Elm, 10 inches in diameter and 20 
feet high. Birch, (varieties,) 10 inches in 
diameter and 25 feet high. Larch, 8 inches 
in diameter and 24 feet high. 
As before intimated, the different varieties 
of evergreens mentioned, will make an aver¬ 
age growth of eighteen to twenty inches in 
bight annually. 
From these and other data which the 
intelligent, farmer can collect, he may readily 
approximate estimate of the cost of fence 
posts, rails, fire-wood, hewing timber, lum¬ 
ber, etc.” 
a a, eggs ; b h b, larva, of different sizes; c, pupa; d d, beetle; c, wing-cover of swine, enlarged. 
Elder Leaves mid l>!ny Apolc Iloot of No I h equeiit ly stirring the soil. PI nut early va- 
Acconnt. riclics rather than late ones. Give the pref¬ 
it is so easy for persons who are not erence to the Peach Blow, Early Rose, Pcer- 
thoroughly posted ns to t he habits of this in- less and such other varieties as have been 
sect to form wrong conclusions about, the found most exempt from at tack,and to filedi- 
cfllcacy of whatsoever application they may talc the lighting, surround the field on the 
make to the vines, that we find the scatter- outside by rows of such tender-leaved vann¬ 
ing of elder leaves and the sprinkling of a ties as the Mercer, Shaker Russet, Pink Eye 
decoction made from the root of the May and Early Goodrich. Isolate the field as 
apple (Podophyllum pdt/dum), strongly re- much as possible. Do not allow the horse 
commended as a remedy against, this insect nettle (Solatium Carolincnse) to grow on the 
by certain parlies in tlm West. 1 have farm, as the beetle flourishes on it, and proves 
elsewhere shown up the fallacy of the first equally injurious to those other plants of the 
remedy, aud Mr. John Oliver of Glencoe, same genus, such as the. Warsemoiczi, robus- 
Mo.,—determined to fully test the hitter— fttwiand xieglinye, which arc often cultivated 
went to considerable trouble and expense to for their ornamental foliage. Above all, pro¬ 
procure a sufficient quantity of tiie May tect and encourage the natural enemies of 
apple decoction ; and after thoroughly try- the pest. 
ing it, lie informs mo that it had no effect in Much more of interest might be added, but 
killing the bugs. Even were these methods this article is already extended beyond the 
successful, they could not lie everywhere limits intended, 
employed, and must always prove more ex- On board the Java, Juno 20, 1871. 
a rb e iter 
TURNIPS AFTER POTATOES, 
Son, that lias been properly enriched for 
an early crop of potatoes can readily be put 
into condition for turnips. As soon as the 
potatoes are gathered, rake up the haulms 
into heaps ami hurn; after which, carefully 
spread the ashes. Plow and harrow the 
laud level, and it, i.s ready for the. seed. We 
prefer the Yellow Slone,'but the Purple Top 
and similar white sorts are good, and will 
not, be refused by cattle next winter. Some¬ 
times it is well to add a dressing of some 
kind of commercial manure, such as bone, 
poudrcUe or superphosphate, but every man 
should judge for himself whether this is nec¬ 
essary or otherwise. 
The usual mode of sowing the seed of late 
sorts is broadcast, but we believe that it is a 
better plan to sow in drills, as with ruta¬ 
bagas, All hough the rows may be nearer to¬ 
gether. If the weather should he wet and 
warm for two or three weeks after sowing, 
tlm weeds are very likely to start and check 
tlm growth of the turnips. We know that 
tarmers object to the expense of hoeing, 
Whenever and wherever it can he avoided, 
hut if less ground is cultivated and a good 
stand of plants secured, an equal number 
of bushels of roots will he secured, without 
addi t ional ex; >e n se. 
There are hand-ctilIivalors with which 
turnips sown in drills can be kept clear of 
Tv(*eds for less than half the expense that 
they can be with the hoe. Labor-saving 
ARBORICIULTURAL NOTES. 
Iron for I’eur Tree*. 
A correspondent of the Rural Messenger 
says:—" 1 had ft very fine pear tree (Flemish 
Reality) that became affected, first by blight 
in one limb, which I removed, and then an¬ 
other was affected in the same way, until I 
had removed a considerable portion of the 
top of the tree. Early the next spring I re¬ 
solved to try the application of scrap iron to 
the roots. I procured my iron, removed the 
soil from the roots carefully, deposited the 
iron between them and replaced the earth. 
There was no further progress in the blight, 
the tree continued to grow that season, and 
the next leaves and blossoms came out 
vigorously; no black spots appeared on the 
leaves, and the tree bore finely ; and no ap¬ 
pearance of disease was seen on the tree 
afterward. In subsequent conversation 
with friends I found that Some of them had 
tried the remedy with perfect, success. Some 
told me they had procured turning and drill¬ 
ing chips from the machine 
shops and had used them, as 
they thought, with much ad¬ 
vantage to their frees.” 
Unproductive Pent* Trees. 
I have two pear trees lhat 
are about seven years old ; they 
have pears on every year, 
but do not get larger than a 
shucked walnut, and then 
crack open and turn black. 
They are planted on the side- 
hill of an apple orchard, all by 
^ themselves; I have dug around 
the roots, and also put manure 
on them ; I. do not know the 
name of the trees, buL they 
were supposed to he the best 
* <1 wai f trees.— a. 8. o. 
There are certain varieties 
of pears which in particular 
localities always crack and be- 
come worthless. With us 
Beurro Die! and Virgalieu 
never get more than half their 
natural size before they begin 
to crack and fall off. We 
have never found any cure for 
this disease, and think the best 
way is to graft the trees with 
varieties that, are known to 
succeed, or else dig up the 
|L trees and put better and more 
||||. reliable sorts in their places. 
We have little faith in any of 
tins remedies so often recoin, 
mended for pear and apple 
blight or similar diseases. 
Hrilffes in Kansas. 
At a recent meeting of the 
Kansas State Horticultural So¬ 
ciety, Mr. Kelsey stated that 
he had set out two hundred 
miles this season, and could 
raise a hedge for about twen¬ 
ty-live cents per rood. That 
it was the custom once to 
plant, close, — six to eight 
inches apart, and cut hack 
each year, but that practice 
has not succeeded so well, as some of the 
plants become crowded too thick, and they 
die out, leaving gaps. Now he planted, 
eighteen to twenty inches apart ami culti¬ 
vated well, and when strong enough, 
plashed it by cutting close to the ground so 
as to bond the plants down horizontally with 
the row, filling up the vacant places, and 
keeping tlm hedge trimmed narrow, so the 
plants wifi have light and air, and not die 
out. This method secures a good fence. 
Mlnricnllttrie 
LILIUM STAMINATUM. 
.‘V HEW (lays since we received a specimen 
of this splendid lily from C. L. Allen of 
Brooklyn, N. Y, It was 'not its beauty, 
however, that particularly attracted our at¬ 
tention, but its peculiar form i ft»r the first 
change towards becoming a doubts flower 
was in a proper condition for examination. 
Every one who has examined the flower of 
a lily when in full bloom must have observed 
LILIUM 
that it lias but one central organ, called a 
pistil, around which are six stamens, the 
whole inclosed within six petals, the latter 
being the largest and most showy organs in 
tile flower. When flowers become double, 
the number of petals is increased from the 
primary or single row to many. Sometimes 
only a single petal is added in the first 
change observed; then seed is saved from 
S T JVT T JNT -A. X XJ IVH . 
[ machines are pretty generally distributed 
ovii the country, and most farmers know 
and appreciate them, Imt some of the best 
hand cultivators, for cultivating garden veg¬ 
etables are not. so generally known as tlmir 
merits deserve. Of course we are ready to 
admit that excellent crops of both early 
and late, sorts are produced by thu broad¬ 
cast system, especially on new lauds, but 
still wa think the drill is the more certain 
