ant and desirable feature, in sandy soil. Some 
of the leaves were five inches in length. Mr. 
Pkrky asserts that, side by side with his fin¬ 
est. W ilson’B A llmny, it commanded fifty cents 
per quart, while the Wilson was slow sale at 
fourteen cents. 
Hi inning Pears.— Jostah Hoopes after 
alluding to the common test of ripeness for 
picking, namely, gently raising the fruit to 
see if it will readily detach itself at the stem, 
he directs that the specimens be placed thinly 
and evenly on the floor of a cool room, on a 
blanket previously spread, and then covered 
The seeds of nearly all tropical plants require 
a higher temperat ure to insure germination 
than those native of cool climates, 
2. Wo cannot tell what to do with a sick 
rose ; but, at a venture, you might prime 
and give it new, fresh soil. 
”• The small, fine-leaved climbing plant, a 
few leaves of which you inclose, is Adlumia 
cirrhom, or climbing fumitory. 
CRAB APPLES FOR CIDER 
BUDDING APPLE TE.EES, 
We are often asked whether the Siberian 
crabs, of which many people in this part of 
the State have so unavailable an amount, are. 
good for cider and vinegar. They have cer 
tainiy been recommended by the troe-ped 
dlers as excelling all others in this respect, 
but we must confess that we have not yet 
been able to see it so. Almost all of them 
ripen too early, and keep for too short a 
time, to be ol' any use for cider making. 
Then, according to our experience, they 
make a thin, pale, sour, belly-ache kind of 
liquid, that it is an insult to good cider to 
call by that name. Such Cider will not make 
good vinegar, without the addition of sac¬ 
charine matter, either sugar or molasses. 
An article known as “crab apple wine,” 
almost as strong as brandy, and very much 
liked by at least one tomperence editor we 
wot of, is made by adding sugar to crab 
apple juice, aud fermenting the mixture. 
We cannot say that we fancy it, butitiloubt- 
less has its use in enabling speculative moral 
reformers and political tomperence men to 
make themselves innocently happy, without 
discredit or derogation to their consistency. 
“ Only domestic wine, you know.” 
We refer, in the above remarks, mainly to 
the September crabs, which are almost the 
only kinds which have been extensively 
planted. But there are better kinds, not. 
generally known, which keep into the winter, 
and seem to have a flavor and richness that 
indicate good cider fruit. Among these we 
might mention the Gold Drop and Ball’s 
Winter crabR, of Mr. Bryant, the Marengo 
In budding the apple, are the buds taken 
from this year’s growth ? Is grafting-wax 
used in budding ? Should the stock be cut 
back at time ot budding? If so, how much 
and when tine remainder ?—S. K M Palo 
Michigan. 
The buds to be used are taken from the 
young shoots of the present season’s growth, 
selecting shoots that are vigorous and upon 
which the buds are plump and fully devel¬ 
oped. No glutting-wax is used, but, instead, 
bass bark, eerrn husks, or even strong, narrow 
strips of cotton cloth. The budded shoots 
are not to be out back until next spring. If 
pruned now, or even after the buds had 
taken, it would be pretty sure to destroy the 
buds. 
DAHLIAS FROM CUTTINGS. 
Is it a common practice among florists to 
ARBCIRICULTURAL ITEMS, 
Jjtitriii glrrhiteilure 
CRITICISMS ON HOUSE PLAN 
California Fruit at. Boston, —The. Fanners’ 
Club of Sacramento, Cal,, lias appointed I. 
N. Hoag, A. 8. Greenland, E. F. Annex, 
James Rutter, and Amos Adams to make all 
the necessary arrangements, collect fruit and 
send the same to Boston at the time ol the 
meeting of the American Pomologies 1 Socie¬ 
ty, co-operating with t he State Hoard of Ag¬ 
riculture of California. 
FLORICULTURAL NOTES 
M< lastoma Malabathrtca,— This is an easily 
grown plant and one which, if well attended 
to, makes a good busli ; it even produces fine 
heads of blucish-purple flowers when not 
more than from one to two feet in hi "lit. 
Cuttings of it strike freely hi bottom-heat 
under bell-glasses. Its foliage is of a purplish- 
green, very hairy, and contrasts well with 
that of its associates in a mixed stove. This 
species oi Melastoma is very common in 
Malabar, where it is used much in the same 
way as the common Laurel is with us It is 
therefore, called the Malabar Laurel. Some 
oi the Melastomads are considered difficult 
to grow, but this one grows as freely as a 
Pelargonium. It likes a soil consist¬ 
ing of equal parts of loam and peat, to 
which should be added a dash of sand. 
Acacia lUeeana. — This beautiful 
y species of Acacia has a habit of growth 
something like that of a Weeping 
\ " illow. Its deep green foliage, its 
^ long, whip-like pendant branches 
hotbed with golden flowers, the fa- 
cUiiy witb w| och it can be trained 
? V over columns and arches, and the 
T kngth of time during winch it remains 
^ in flower, render it one nf *V.o 
FLORICULTURAL QUERIES, 
would be in full bearing in five years, aud 
furnish fruit that could be easily sold or 
made into cider of the highest quality. 
For Summer — Tetofsky and Pringle’s 
Sweet. 
For Fall —Duchess of Oldouburgh, Bartou 
Scarlet, General Grant, and Beadle’s Sweet. 
For Winter —Rose of Baiton, Mareugdj 
Winter Gem, Chicago, Chase’s Winter Sweet. 
Every one of these varieties may be war¬ 
ranted to stand any amount of cold that we 
ever have in Vermont, aud grow right along, 
yielding full, regular and heavy crops of 
fruit that will give a succession from July to 
April .—Vermont Fanner. 
POMOLOGICAL GOSSIP, 
grown in New Jersey tins year, is described 
as follows :—“ It is a fine-looking berry of 
very large sixe ; one of those left with us 
measured five inches in circumference. The 
flesh is solid, the flavor exquisite, and the 
color a bright red, just such as is calculated 
to please the eyo of fastidious purchasers. It 
is quite prolific, late ripening, and from its 
solidity well calculated for marketing pur¬ 
poses. The berries grow in clusters of from 
six to twelve, presenting a very rich and 
beautiful appearance. The stalk is a very 
strong one, and capable of bearing the heavy 
crop of fruit from the ground, a very import- 
ARCHITECTURAL NOTES, 
Cottage Elevation and Plans Wanted,— 
I wish tlie elevation and plan of a one story, 
eight -room cottage, with verandas, hall, &c. 
I wis h the house to face south-east, and to be 
as convenient aud comfortable as possible- 
well ventilated, plenty of light, aud prefer 
the h alf-gothic. roof. In fact I want a real 
southern cottage, capable of being warm in 
wintesr and cool in summer. Any aid you 
can render in the above, will be thankfully 
received. — Thomas. P. Hudson, Campbell 
ACACIA RICEANA. 
out and, before they get their growth, wilt 
as it scalded. Can you name specimen for 
mo t —Fan Palmer. 
1 . The Cory pints, or Fan Palms, are readily 
grown from fresh seed sown in a liot-bed or 
wherever they can be kept warm and moist. 
