a mycologist may know nothing but fungi. 
It may be that t^ie phylloxera is numerous 
enough to render the culture of foreign vines 
unsuccessful in this country; it is also true 
that, were that insect utterly annihilated, 
foreign vines could not succeed here except 
under glass. Would it not be well for scien¬ 
tists to cultivate modesty in style and lim¬ 
itation to personal knowledge in assertion ? 
Grape. 
methods of propagating and training some 
of our more common garden plants ; not 
that 1 expect to tell anything new, but mere¬ 
ly to call attention to things likely to be for¬ 
gotten by those who delight in a beautiful 
garden. 
There are probably very few persons who 
are unacquainted with the common dwarf, 
double - flowering almond ; but it is quite 
likely that every one does not know that 
these plants may be worked upon plum stock 
and by this means made to foim very pretty 
little trees. Almost any kind of plum will 
answer ; even the suckers from old trees 
may be used if no seedlings are at hand. 
Young, thrifty stocks four to six feet high, 
should he planted in some convenient place 
and then cut back to the desired bight., Ray 
three or four feet from the ground. This 
pru nin g will cause them to throw out lateral 
branches near the top ; nil sprouts below 
should be rubbed oil os soon as they appear. 
Two to four branches near the top are suffi¬ 
cient. In July, August or a little later, ac¬ 
cording to locality, buds from the Almonds 
may be inserted into these young branches 
in the usual manner of budding. The fol¬ 
lowing spring, if the buds have taken, the 
branches above them may be cut away and 
the dormant buds forced into growth, and 
all others which may appear from time to 
time rubbed off. The slendpr branches of 
the Almond usually grow most luxuriantly 
upon t he plum ; and when loaded with flow¬ 
ers in spring, form a most gorgeous minia¬ 
ture tree which, when once seen, is seldom 
forgotten. Both the pink and white flower¬ 
ing Almonds may*be quite readily propagated 
in this manner. In localities where the peach 
tree is hardy, it may be used instead of the 
plum ; but the former usually* grows almost 
too rapid and large to withstand the chock 
placed upon It in supporting so small and 
dwarf a plant. The lesscommon but equally 
beautiful Primus trflobata is also readily 
propagated by budding upon plum stocks. I 
should not want to do without the old clumps 
of dwarf Almonds ; but a few budded plants 
are handsome additions to the shrubbery. 
The Double Hawthorns are also well known 
among our most beautiful large shrubs or 
small trees ; but by taking young plants and 
pegging down the branches from year to 
year, allowing none to grow more than two 
feet, high, a trailing Hawthorn bush nyay 
be readily formed that will rival even a 
clump of roses in beauty. There is scarcely 
any vine more beautiful titan a Hawthorn 
trained over rocks. Probably these hints 
will be sufficient, to start the readers of the 
Rural New-Yorker in the right direction 
in training the oue kind of shrub into various 
forms instead of allowing all to assume the 
one most natural. 
Vines in many instances may* be made to 
assume the form of trees, and if severely 
pruned tn summer, they will usually bloom 
more abundantly than if allowed to ramble 
at will. Among the most desirable of hardy 
climbers, the Chinese blue Wistaria has no 
superior, and it is one of the most hardy and 
tractable, lining readily trained into almost 
any desirable form. When mimed as a single 
stem shrub, it blooms most profusely, the 
long, pendant racemes of flowers hanging 
down from the short branches in the great¬ 
est profusion. A young plant should be se¬ 
lected for this purpose and then cut off at 
the proper bight, the stein tied to a strong 
stake. During the summer all side, ns well 
as terminal shoots, should have their ends 
pinched off when one or two feet long, al¬ 
lowing none to grow out to any greater 
length. Pursue this plan for two or three 
years and a magnificent Wistaria shrub will 
be produced. I have one 10 years old, about 
five feet high and nearly as broad across the 
branches ; and there is uo shrub in my gar¬ 
den that produces such a wealth of blossoms 
or makes a more gorgeous display. 
The climbing Honeysuckles uuay also be 
readily trained as shrubs : all that is required 
is a little patience in getting them once well 
established. Even a grape vine trained as a 
shrub with its drooping branches loaded 
with grapes is not a bad ornament upon the 
lawn or flower garden. Those who have few 
varieties may make up for the deficiency in 
a variety of forms. 
gtirrg of it lliiralist 
FRESH GRAPES THE YEAR ROUND 
DAILY RURAL LIFE, 
1 was interested in a “ Western New- 
Yorker’s ” article in the Rural New- 
Yorker of March 7, entitled “ Grapes for 
Winter.” I am a Western New-Yorker my 
self, and I am fond of grapes in winter, and 
I have managed for several yeare to have 
them, too. I have now before me, and with 
the taste in my mouth, good, palatable 
grapes, although the winter months are 
gone, and these same grapes were, by neglect, 
left, in a day room, exposed, after gathering, 
until into Nov., and until all the stems were 
dry and the fruit slightly wilted, after which 
they were placed in an open milk-pan, un¬ 
covered, on a shelf in my cellar, from whence 
I just took (without selection) a cluster of 
fresh fruit, as good as when carelessly set 
away in the condition I have described. 
Last season, in February, my grapes, put 
in the same cellar before wilting, in quart 
strawberry boxes, all froze soil'd —ffbze so 
severely that potatoes in a bag by their side 
were utterly spoiled. After that freeze, the 
Attica News, on the 22(1 of February, 1673, 
tested a box of these grapes, and said of 
them:—“These grapes, though slightly in¬ 
jured in flavor, are not only eatable, but in a 
bet ter state of preservation than any other 
variety of grape raised in this climate that 
we have ever seen or tasted so late in the 
season as this, that had not been preserved 
by being hermetically sealed from atmo¬ 
spheric exposure.” Of this same lot, frozen 
solid in February, T ate, and my friends ate, 
palatable grapes in the months of March, 
April and May following. 
In 1872 I had fresh grapes Dip year round. 
They did not get dried up nor frozen. 
But the only care they obtained was being 
put in the cellar in berry boxes, in which the 
clusters were carefully laid as they were 
taken ffom the vines in autumn, without 
after handling Until brought up to eat. The 
Omaha (Neb.) Daily Herald said of them : 
“ They are, tills 3d of May, quite plump and 
fresh, after being shaken about loose in a 
box on a thousand miles journey, and re¬ 
maining open and exposed since the 22d day 
of April. They are a new variety, a seed¬ 
ling of the Isabella, and there must 
be something peculiar in the keeping 
qualities of these grapes.” And in the 
following August the Attica News said: 
“TheBuffalo Courier acknowledges the re¬ 
ceipt of a parcel of grapes from Ohio, and 
styles them the first of the season.” Attica 
can beat Ohio in the early variety. We re¬ 
ceived from Mr, Folsom, a day or two since, 
some nice clusters of this tempting fruit 
raised on his place iu this village. It is but 
fair to state, however, that they were grown 
last year, but the stems were so green that 
one would not be likely to know the fact 
until told.” 
So you see I am already “belting the 
year” with luscious grapes. This seedling 
ripens here while the Isabella does not ; it 
excels its parent in flavor, in aroma, in 
healthiness and hardiness, and in many other 
points, while it lacks no merit that can be 
claimed for that old favorite, the Isabella. 
The Hartford alone ripens earlier here, where 
we have all, or nearly all, the varieties your 
correspondent mentions. This is a black 
grape, and not the Diana, which has been 
sold under the name Eureka, claimed for the 
seedling 1 speak of. 
I would not be understood to claim that 
any grape needs uo care for good keeping. 
We all know, however, that the best care 
cannot keep the Concord, or even the Hart¬ 
ford, when exposed to the air. Picked ripe, 
and kept in a cool, dry, clean place, if not so 
packed as to heat and mold, is all that this 
grape needs to present fresh and plump 
clusters, with green stems, every month in 
the year. For variety you can add our 
friend's “late-keeping” list “for the win¬ 
ter.” But for all seasons, with a keen eye 
for the best grape during the past 12 or 15 
years, I have not been able to find the peer 
of the Eureka. S. Folsom. 
From the Diary of a Centleman near N{ew 
York City. 
ENTOMOLOOICAl AND HORTICULTURAL 
Daily Rural Life I send you a few 
beetles and a moth ; also two leaves rolled 
up and eggs on the outside, as you will see. 
1 find two and three on each of our fruit 
trees, so far as I have noticed. Would you 
be kind enough to tell me. through the Rural 
New-Yorker, what they are, and if they will 
be likely to damage the fruit < Also, some¬ 
thing of the moth l 1 should like to know if 
any of them of all I send are ol any value ; 
if they are rightly packed ; if not I’ll try 
again.' One more question. We have goose¬ 
berry bushes enough to supply two families 
if they would bear : some of them have been 
planted nine years this soring. The first two 
years they wore very full, then the grasshop¬ 
pers took leaf and fruit two years ; since 
then they have never borne enough to pay 
for picking. For a time they were cultivated; 
then they were left to themselves. We have 
kept setting out now ones, thinking they 
would bear after awhile. They came from 
vour Stab*, but I do not know the name. 
They axe not very thorny, rather light green, 
quite a largo berry. The auestiou is. What 
shall be dona to make tnein bear #— Mrs. 
Lizzie Johnson, Mah-ern Mills, loica. 
March f>.--The soft, silken cocoons with 
an empty chrysalis shell within and a cluster 
of minute, yellowish white eggs on the out¬ 
side, partly covered with a white, frothy 
matter, are those of the White-marked Tus 
sock moth ( Orgyia Ueoxliyma). These co¬ 
coons are usually found upon fruit trees in 
winter, attached to the small bugs and an 
old, drled-up leaf. There are two kinds of 
these cocoons, one containing the dried and 
empty chrysalis skin only, while the others 
contain the same but have, in addition, a 
mass of eggs upon the outside like those sent, 
to me. The former were inhabited by the 
males and the latter by females, hence the 
presence of the eggs which will, if not de¬ 
stroyed, hatch this spring, and the young 
caterpillars feed upon the foliage of whatever 
tree they happen to he upon. The eggs usual¬ 
ly begin to hatch in May or June, and con¬ 
tinue for a month or more ; the caterpillars 
grow* rapidly and moult three or four times 
before, arr iving to full size, the females being 
much the larger of the two. The caterpil¬ 
lars at this time are really beautiful objects 
with their long, block plumes, cream-colored 
collars and bright red heads. They spin 
slight, silken cocoons, partly enveloped in a 
leaf, and soon after change to chrysalids ; 
within mid in about two weeks thereafter, 
the male moths begin to appear ; but the 
females having no wings are compelled to 
remain at home, receiving their partners in 
or upon the house in which they are bom. 
After a very brief existence the females de¬ 
posit their eggs upon the outside of the co¬ 
coons, then crawl within, shrivel up and die. 
The old, dead leaves upon the trees iu winter 
show the location of both the empty as well 
as those cocoons having eggs upon them, and 
it is not a difficult or very laborious tusk to 
gather and destroy them. This should be 
done by every one who desires to keep their 
orchards free of this pest. 
HANDSOME, UNCOMMON PLANTS. 
March 9.—However handsome or graceful 
the common or natural habit of a plant, we 
may frequently change it to such an extent 
that the original form is almost, if not en¬ 
tirely obliterated. To carry tins manipula¬ 
tion to the extreme which prevailed a few 
centuries ago, was ridiculous ami in had 
taste ; and the old-clipped evergreens of al¬ 
most every conceivable form went out of 
fashion as mare modern and higher standards 
of good taste in gardening came into vogue. 
But there is still room for displaying high a« 
aud skill eveu in the propagation and train¬ 
ing of plants; for we may bend stubborn 
nature to our will and wishes, thereby add¬ 
ing new beauties to the naturally beautiful. 
By judicious pruning and training we may 
increase the variety of forms, and with a 
very few kinds make our gardens really 
beautiful and seemingly to possess a great- 
number of species. 
In localities where but few kinds succeed, 
the importance of training becomes more 
apparent than where nature is more lavish 
ill her productions ; and it is in the former 
where we usually find the highest art dis¬ 
played in gardening. Where nature is prod¬ 
igal, man has few calls upon his energies, and 
being prone to take life easy, he does not 
exert himself beyond the demand made by 
actual necessity, A great deal might be said 
upon this ever-recurring question of train¬ 
ing trees, vines and shrubs, but I only wish 
at this time to mention a few very pretty 
VINEYARD NOTES 
Destroying drape Owrculios. —An Ohioan 
says :—“ The only effectual method of de¬ 
stroying them that 1 could discover was the 
old one applicable to all the tribe, that of 
jarring them down ami destroying them. I 
use two frames made of a square of four 
common plasterer’s laths, nailed at the cor¬ 
ners and covered with whit© cotton cloth ; 
join the two squares together, leaving an 
aperture on one side to slip beyond the 
stakes. Hit t he stake a smart blow with the 
mallet, and kill as fast as they fall. A smaller 
square held in the left hand under the vines, 
striking the stake or trellis with a mallet in 
the other, will gather a great many, although 
of course a portion will escape. But they 
quickly fly on the vines again and arc ready 
for the next, catch. Operate alter the dew 
is off. One person can go over a great many 
vines in a day*, and by following it up for a 
few days they will be found to have sensibly 
diminished.” 
drapes for Raisins and Wines in Cali¬ 
fornia.— B. N. Buoby, in the Pacific Rural 
Press, in answer to inquiry as to the best 
known grapes for raisins there, gives the 
following list “I have what I regard as 
choice and best grapes for table and raisins : 
White Muscat of Alexandria, Malaga, Mus- 
catelle, Cannon Hall Muscat, Blue Malvoisia, 
Pride of Paris, Flame-colored Tokay or Reine 
de Neice aud Fiber Zagos (the latter, the 
Fiber Zagos, docs not bear transportation, on 
account of its tenderness). For wine I use a 
part of the above, also the Black Zinflndel, 
Pineaux, Alicant, Tramiua, White Neice, 
Orleans, Johannisberg, Rcisling, Italian Ber- 
gundy, White Malaga, Clmsfeclas de Fontain- 
bleau, White St. Peters, and Royal Musca¬ 
dine.” 
Louisiana Grape .—The Rural World says 
that a very intelligent giape grower of New- 
Orleans says the Louisiana proves to be iden¬ 
tical with a grape known there for many 
years under the name of Malonsy. The 
World adds “There are, perhaps, better 
grapes among the foreigners; but if so, we 
have not yet met with them. Wherever it 
can be grown it should bo had, as whoever 
cau have it to eat in perfection partakes of 
one of the richest of earth’s productions. 
The Warden Grope has been pronounced 
by Mr. Hoag Identical with the Concord. 
D. II. Bradt of Oswego Co., N. Y., who has 
grown both within six feet of each other, 
says the Warden is full a week earlier than 
the Concord, has a thinner skin, a sweeter 
and richer pulp, but is not as long-keeping 
as the Concord. It brings the highest price 
of any grape in the Oswego market. 
ARBORICULTURAL NOTES 
Where to Plant Trees This Spring.— Plant 
them on every spot of ground that cannot be 
oris not utilized for some productive pur¬ 
pose—in rocky or comparatively barren lo¬ 
calities, along fence lines that are permanent, 
in wet places that are not to be drained and 
which produce little forage. The planting 
of tree seeds or transplanting of deciduous 
and evergreen trees in such situations about 
the farm, will not only add to the farm’s 
valuation but to its beauty and to the com¬ 
fort of animals, besides modifying th© climate 
—diminishing the severity of the cold in win¬ 
ter and heat in summer. 
A Wash that will Prevent the Ravages of 
Rabbits on Trees. —S. T. Nix is opposed to 
greasing trees because he believes the grease 
does them great damage. As a substitute, 
he says:—“Take the stems, or any refuse 
part, of old tobacco, and boil until you make 
a strong ooze, then take out the tobacco and 
add one good tablespoonful of soap to the 
quart, which will be enough for fifty trees. 
Apply with a mop above where the rabbits 
can reach. One application in December will 
do for the winter, unless it is a very wet one.” 
To Make Dwarf Pea' s Standards. —Plant 
them so that the junction of the quince and 
pear will be below the surface—or build up 
with soil about the junction. This answers 
A. P. 
PHYLLOXERA VASTATRIX 
The “ Planchonites” appear to be igno¬ 
rant of the fact that foreign vines, east of 
the Rocky Mountains, die inevitably in open- 
air culture, even if a specimen of that insect 
does not exist within forty miles of the vine¬ 
yard. They are quite oblivious of the con¬ 
clusive fact that, as a rule, vines protected 
from mildew in plant houses, with their ro- ts 
outside e.cposed to the phylloxera, give suc¬ 
cessful results. The fact is, an entomologist 
js too apt to see nothing but an insect, while 
Ailanthus Tree Poisonous. — Stephen 
Melvin, Oswego, N. Y., asserts that this 
tree is poisonous ; that aljout leu years ago 
he cut an Ailanthus tree down and trimmed 
it out in August, when it was in full bloom, 
suffering in consequence of the effects of the 
poison from head to foot, his face being so 
badly swollcu as to close his eyes. He would 
not allow another of these trees to grow on 
his premises, nor within forty miles of his 
house, if he could prevent it. 
