request Unit readers of the Ru¬ 
ral New-Yorker who find in 
tlieir respective localities any de¬ 
sirable flowering plants, will for¬ 
ward specimens to Mr, Han¬ 
son’s address. They will be duly 
appreciated and acknowledged. 
the black raspberries without adding any 
considerable quantity of fertilizing mate¬ 
rials. Plants of the best varieties can be 
procured of almost any nursery man or email 
fruit growers. 
OLD AND NEW RASPBERRIES. 
A BOOK ON FERNERIES. 
Every year, as the season for raspberries 
returns, the cultivators of this fruit anxious¬ 
ly inquire after new and improved varieties. 
Not that we have no valuable sorts, but to 
learn their adaptation to localities and soils 
costs far too much in time, money and ex¬ 
perience. The most valuable variety iu one 
locality may he entirely worthless in an¬ 
other, at least as regards profit in cultivating 
for market, and the most astute pomologist 
among us cannot always avoid making a 
mistake, even in selecting raspberries for his 
own garden, lie may, it is true, make a 
very close guess, inasmuch as the united ex¬ 
perience of raspberry growers points in one 
direction, i. c., that the varieties of certain 
well known species succeed in particular 
soils and climates and not iu others. This, 
however, is a very general rule to which 
there are many exceptions, and it is only 
through local, practical experience that we 
obtain positive knowledge as to the value of 
any particular variety. 
Iu a tew counties bordering the East River 
in New York the Red Antwerp has succeed¬ 
ed for the past forty years, and the fruit 
growers iu those regions have profited by 
tins exception, us this variety is not a great 
success anywhere else. Nearly all of the 
promising new and old sorts have been tried 
in the Antwerp regions, but none of them 
seem to come up to the expectations of the 
cultivators, or yield so large profits as their 
old and long-established favorite. There¬ 
fore, locally, the Red Antwerp is thus far 
the best and most profitable raspberry. Iu 
other parts of the Slate, especially in the 
Western counties, we have known the Fran¬ 
conia to succeed remarkably well, requiring 
no protection in winter, and yielding even 
more, larger, and fruit of better quality than 
the Red Antwerp in the most favorable 
localities. Iu Western and Northern Penn¬ 
sylvania the Franconia is a success; but 
the Pilate, Hornet and several other of the 
large foreign sorts, are equally valuable. 
But it should be remembered that it is not 
every farm or pint of ground, even in the 
most favored localities, that is adapted to 
the growth of these varieties. There must 
necessarily be some cure given to selection 
of soils, iu regard to position and exposure 
to prevailing winds, or liability to late spring 
frosts. Further West we find the foreign 
sorts valued even less than at the East, either 
because the climate is too severe, or the 
Wile you please inform me 
what will be the best book or 
books to buy upon the subject 
of Ferneries, and oblige—B. J. 
B., Tecumseh, Mich. 
We do not know of any book 
published in this country that 
would meet your wants. Still, 
if you wish to cultivate native 
species of ferns, 11 Gray’s Bota¬ 
nies” will aid you to determine 
the species, and the great hook of 
nature which shows us the 
best soil, situation and loca¬ 
tion for each, ought to be sufficient instruc¬ 
tion to enable any one to succeed with 
a fernery either in-doors or out. There are 
several valuable “ Hand Books” on ferns and 
their culture published in London, England, 
that would be of service to those who desire 
to cultivate exotic species. 
“ The British Ferns,” by Mrs. Lankes- 
ter, is one of this kind, and you can obtain 
it through any importer of books. We 
would, however, advise you and all others 
who admire these beautiful plants to collect 
and cultivate our native species, because 
they are, in many respects, superior to the 
exotic, and well worthy of attention, besides 
being readily obtained and at a trifling cost. 
A collection containing all the ferns of 
Michigan would be a feature iu any garden 
that could not fail to attract the attention of 
every observer, and out of the number those 
most suitable for house culture could be se¬ 
lected whenever desired. 
The Philadelphia was thought to he an 
approach towards it, but its poor quality and 
dull color were two serious objections, and 
few would now think of cultivating it, ex¬ 
cept for home use. Herstine’s Seedlings 
promise well, but require to be more exten¬ 
sively cultivated and more generally known 
before their true merits are fully known. 
We think that there are some of the old na¬ 
tive sorts that if given the requisite cultiva¬ 
tion and care, would yield fair profits to the 
grower. 
The Kirtland, which for many years was 
extensively cultivated to supply the Cincin¬ 
nati, O., markets, is still a fine berry of 
medium size, quite firm, and a beautiful 
bright color. 
Red Queen, Imperial or Bristol, Pearl, 
and several others that might he named, are 
equally good, to say nothing of the more re¬ 
cently' introduced sorts, Elm City' and Sus- 
queco. These are all hardy, requiring no 
protection in winter, and if the one single 
precaution be taken of keeping down all 
surplus suckers that spring lip during the 
summer, they will yield abundantly. 
It is this habit of our native sorts to pro¬ 
duce suckers that lias caused them to he 
generally neglected, but it is really not so 
great an objection as many suppose, for they 
maybe kept down just as readily, and with 
less expense, than weeds, and it must be 
done, and in a thorough manner, or little 
fruit will be produced. 
P0M0L0GI0AL GOSSIP. 
Coloring ol Fruit. 
The Gardener's Monthly says:—“Fine 
rich color is always esteemed as one of the 
criterlons whereby to judge the excellence 
of a fruit. Sunlight is of first importance; 
but it is not generally known that this is in¬ 
jurious when in excess. In a dry atmos¬ 
phere, with great sun heat, where the evap¬ 
orating process goes on faster than the 
secretive principle, wliat should become a 
rich blush in a fruit is changed to a sickly 
y ellow ; and the rich jet black of a grape 
becomes a foxy red. Some grape growers 
of eminence, in view of the facts, shade 
their vineries during the coloring process ; 
but others, instead, keep the atmosphere as 
clear and moist as possible. 
Oogfrwcll I'eiirinnln Apple. 
A CORRESPONDENT of the Western Farm¬ 
er says:—“ The public would like to know', 
I presume, that the tree is remarkable for 
longevity. The old seedling sprang into 
life about 1750. I ate fruit under its branch¬ 
es from 1801 to 1830; and 1 saw it in 1855. 
The old head was entirely gone, and it was 
rejuvenated by lateral branches having 
struck out vigorously, making a fair head; 
and was then in good hearing condition, 
and from the appearance at that time, I 
have no doubt that it is now at least one 
hundred years old. (Dr. Joseph Fuller, 
an eminent physician, said when a person 
could eat a rare-ripe peach, they might eat a 
Cogswell Pearmain.) Wm. Cogswell, Nor¬ 
wich, Conn., who owned the land on which 
the seedling stands, was my father. He 
caused the apple to be introduced to the 
world, aud for him the apple was named, 
FLORIOULTIJRAL NOTES, 
Two New Gerauiiiutis. 
Addi says he has seen at Ellwanger & 
Barry’s “ two new seedling geraniums of 
such exceeding beauty that they should be 
widely known and grown. They are King 
William, a zonale with flowers of a rich, 
bright, clear scarlet, large petals and full 
truss, very showy aud beautiful; and Fritz, 
also a zonale, a fine bloomer, as much so as 
Gloire de Corbenay, with large full trusses 
of flowers, white outside and edged, but a 
deep salmon in the center.” 
GOL. OHENEY STRAWBERRY, 
We received a small box of this straw¬ 
berry, a few days since, from F. S. New¬ 
comb, Wyoming Co., N. Y. It is claimed 
to be a cross between the Green Prolific and 
Mi Itaiiln Scaiitieus. 
A correspondent of the Gardener’s 
Monthlv says:—“It has a tuberous root; 
which hears a composite flower of a dull 
lilac color; no beauty, but a delightful f m . 
grance. It grows wild in Massachusetts. I 
should like to buy some of the roots, but do 
not know whereto procure them; perhaps 
some collector of native plants could direct 
me.” To this the editor says “ H j s sin _ 
gular that this beautiful native climber has 
not found itself in out nursery collections 
Quantities of it grow in Delaware.” 
Homological. 
PLANTING BLACK RASPBERRIES. 
Will some of your readers instruct me 
how I shall proceed to plant black raspber¬ 
ry hushes ? The soil is yellow loam and 
gravel, beech and maple land, planted to 
potatoes, this season being 1 lie first crop. 
The kind of manure best adapted, ami where 
I can buy the best plants.—C. E. Wise. 
The black raspberries are propagated liom 
what are termed tips; that is the young 
canes of this season’s growth head over and 
their ends take root, forming plants, which 
are used instead, and are far preferable to 
the old stools or suckers therefrom. In au¬ 
tumn the tips may be taken up, the old cane 
above removed; then be either heeled-in 
during winter or planted out where they are 
desired for fruiting or future propagation. 
We prefer early spring planting for these 
raspberries, because tbe plants are so small 
that if set out iu the autumn they are liable 
to be lifted by the frosts of winter. But it 
depends Upon localities and soils as to 
whether spring or autumn planting is best. 
The plants should be set in rows four feet 
apart, aud a space of at least six or seven 
feet left between rows. A shallow furrow 
should be made with a plow for each i‘0w i 
and the plants set In the bottom anil then 
covered two or three inches deep. If placed 
too deep at first, the young canes are liable 
to be distorted or even broken iu coming 
through a hard soil. But by selling in a 
shallow trench, say four lo six inches deep, 
very little soil may be put over the plants 
at. the start; but when the young canes are 
a foot high, the soil can be made level again, 
thereby covering the roots to a proper depth 
without banking up against the row, as is 
quite often necessary where the shallow 
planting is practiced. 
Manure. 
We always recommend barn-yard ma¬ 
nure first; but when it cannot he had, then 
the next best must be used as a necessity, 
and not from choice. If one has not suffi¬ 
cient manure to apply broadcast to the land, 
a less quantity may he used by working it 
into the trenches made for the plants. We 
should think that new land, bearing a fair 
crop of potatoes, would he rich enough for 
In the Middle States very few of the choice 
foreign sorts succeed, at least very few are 
cultivated to any considerable extent. The 
Clarke is perhaps the highest flavored and 
best of this class and succeeds moderately 
well in heavy soils over quite au extensive 
range of country, but it Is rather soft for 
market purposes. In fact this is almost a 
general fault with all the very highest flavor¬ 
ed sorts. Judging from our own observa¬ 
tion aud experience the foreign raspberries, 
and the seedlings therefrom, are superior to 
the natives in localities where they succeed, 
and we would not advise any one to discard 
them so long as a fair profit can be derived 
therefrom. 
Native Varieties. 
A native red raspberry equal to the best 
foreign sort is the great desideratum long 
sought for by fruit growers. Whether such 
a tiling has been found is still an open 
question. 
popular sorts. Tim specimens received were 
rather small, but of good quality, somewhat 
resembling the Triomplie in this, as well as 
in their firmness and glossy surface. This 
new variety has been puffed considerably, 
and certain parlies in Western New York 
claimed to have entire control of the stock 
of plants last year; but from the following 
extract from Mr. Newcomb’s letter we learn 
that the plants were disseminated, to some 
extent, three years ago, under auother name: 
“ Mr. Cheney first, sent out his strawberry 
iu the fall of 1808 (l think), under the name 
of Paragon ; they were not widely dissemi¬ 
nated, and have not been since, in tbe fall 
of 1869 Mr. A. M Purdy bought the plants, 
giving Mr. Cheney privilege lo sell until he 1 
took them away. 1 went to see the plants 
that full; they were in alternate beds, with 
many other kinds, for comparison. I was 
surprised at their appearance, being fresh 
and green, while the others were badly 
burnt.” 
lartnrifun. 
LILIUM HANSONII. 
This new and beautiful Japan lily was 
named by Max LElCHTLiN'.Esq .ofOarlsruhc, 
Baden, in honor of Mr. P. Hanson of 220 
Sixteenth St., Brooklyn, N. Y., and to whom 
we are indebted for the accompanying illus¬ 
tration. We believe that the plant in Mr. 
Hanson’s garden is the first one of the kind 
that has bloomed in this country. This lily 
is of a rather coarse aud gigantic structure, 
attaining a height of from four to six feet. 
The leaves are produced in whorls, and are 
seven to eight inches long aud two broad. 
The flowers are borne in clusters, and the 
buds being nearly globular they look very 
much like potato balls. The full expanded 
flowers are about two and a 
half inches iu diameter, and Lite 
petals are very thick looking, 
more like wax than natural 
flowers. Their color is also very 
peculiar, one side of the petals 
being yellow with a streak of 
white running through Lite cen¬ 
ter; the otherside is a brilliant 
yellow spotted with purple. It 
is not quite as showy a lily as the 
Aurattm, or some of the varie¬ 
ties of speefosum ; still it is one 
of the most interesting and valu¬ 
able varieties introduced in some 
time. 
Mr. Hanson’s specimen gave 
nine blooms this season, and we 
presume the number will be 
largely increased as the bulb be¬ 
comes larger. 
In this connection it is proper 
to say that Mr. Hanson’s busi¬ 
ness is that of an artist; but he 
is one of the most enthusiastic 
amateur florists among our ac¬ 
quaintance, paying especial ut- 
tenlion to collecting and culliva- 
mrn ting our native plants. There 
j jj | needs to be some one who will 
/|J| do this; and with a view to en- 
IM CQuraging this work, we give 
Mr. Hanson’s address above,and 
CURIOUS INSTINCTS OF THE BEE, 
‘ T * ““ * *-’ * 4V -*5 ^ IV/ S AAV AAA tUW j ~ ~ -- 
Honey bees are governed by instinct and 
not by art. They never deviate from the 
course they were created in. The first comb 
they ever built was as perfect as at the 
present day; no art has improved the shape 
or size. One bee lays all tbe eggs, while the 
others raise the young and protect them; 
each bee does its part of the labor in gather¬ 
ing ill the Stores and nursing the young ; and 
1 have noticed for some years past their 
mode of gathering pollen or bee broad. It is 
this:—When a bee goes out after food, it 
alights ou some kind of flower and gathers a 
pnrt of Us load ; then goes to auother of the 
same kind, and perhaps a third, to obtain a 
load. Another bee goes out and if it alights 
ou another kind of flower it keeps to that 
kind till it gets a load. But how is this 
known? You go to the hive and watch 
them as they come in ; some have yellow 
pollen on their legs ; others have light color; 
others have dark ; hut no bee lias two colors 
on bis legs. If you see any you will see 
more than I have, for I never did; and I 
have supposed that they stored it iu different 
cells for a change of food. The other day in 
overhauling a hive, I broke out a new piece 
of comb and found the different colors in 
different cells, which confirmed my belief; 
for I suppose they like a change of food as 
well us humans. 
Another curiosity is their coming out and 
alighting before going off; for amongst the 
hundreds that I have hived I never had one 
swarm leave direct from the hive. Another 
curious thing is their rearing the males and 
nursing them so tenderly; and after they 
become useless they destroy them. But 
instinct luis directed them to do it. Another 
curious thing is that, when they get to be too 
numerous, the mother bee should call out a 
part of the brood to go with her and leave 
the others to take care of the young. Why 
not call them all out to go with her? Be¬ 
cause instinct has ordered it otherwise. Cer¬ 
tain ones go out with her while others are 
coming iu with stores for future use. A 
certain part of them don't seem to have any 
inclination to follow the mother bee nor do 
they mourn her loss, for another is provided. 
How wisely the Creator has ar>‘ , :. c tu eveiy 
part and movement! It is curious too how 
the eggs in the drone cells are all drones and 
those in the worker cells are all workers. 
We would suppose they would get mixed up 
like hen’s eggs. Again when they want a 
queen why not make a mistake sometimes 
and take a drone egg ? Aud also by feeding 
a certain kind of food, make a queen instead 
of a worker. Again the queeu before she is 
hatched is head downwards, which would 
seem to be unnatural; but the All-wise has 
protection in winter. 
Triomplie de Gaud, both well-kuown and I true aud original name should be retained.” throws up a running vine in the spring, ! made every part perfect. A. A ilson. 
pwriitn. 
A LOCATING COMMITTEE OF BEES. 
As the question is often asked whether 
bees select a home before they migrate, per¬ 
mit me through the Rural New-Yorker 
to give a case in proof which has lately come 
under my observation. Mr. Chart.es 
W niT.NET, who lives on the West side of 
Chauluuqua Lake, ou the lake road, bud a 
swarm of bees come aud take possession of 
the South side of his house, in the studding 
between the clapboards and the plastered 
wall. On Saturday the 17lh of June, I saw 
the “locating committee” examining the 
premises in a manner that I was sure meant 
“ Unless." It being an old house thesiding 
hud scrolled off just enough to let a bee pass. 
They flew iu and out, examining every crack 
and crevice over about one half of the end 
of the house. I could not help thinking, as 
I watched them, that they were considering 
the probabilities, in case they should make a 
house there, of wet weather swelling the 
clapboards and shutting them in. There 
were many bees flying, making as much 
noise as a strong stock would when gather¬ 
ing honey fast on a warm June day. The 
noise attracted my attention and I asked Mr. 
W. what, it meant. lie replied that he could 
not tell, but that side of the house had been 
examined thoroughly by the bees iu the 
swarming season for several years past. He 
had thought they would take possession but 
they never had. But 1 now learn llint two 
or three days after,a colony left Mr. Wit.lcox, 
his first, neighbor, and took possession of the 
premises selected by this sagacious “ locating 
committee.” Le Roy Whitford. 
Chautauqua Co., N. Y. 
