222 
gu[kriatltur:tl. 
THREE WISE MEN OF TENNESSEE. 
lx is seldom that we trouble ourselves with 
the pomological errors which may appear in 
the columns of our contemporaries. Occa¬ 
sionally, however, when the name of some 
good pomologist is vilified or theories put forth 
which contain neither truth nor common 
sense, we consider it our duty to have a word 
to say on the subject. Not long since an arti¬ 
cle appeared in the Kural Sun, entitled “ Feint 
and Barren Fruit Trees,” purporting to have 
emanated from a committee of three men, 
but by whom appointed we know not. The 
said article, like others originating from the 
same source, not only contains some most 
disgraceful flings at the writings of Mr. 
Downing, but proclaims t heories which are 
neither truth nor common sense, and so don- 
keyish in every respect that we feel called 
upon to briefly review them. The names of 
the authors of this stupid report are J. H. 
Gordkn, W. S. Neal and T. McClanahan, 
Wilson Co., Tennessee. After referring to a 
former article in regard to the production 
of varieties of fruits, they say : 
We are aware that the opinion is held by 
many good and learned men that these, va¬ 
rieties are produced by the floating pollen or 
by insects, etc. Wo respect the opinions of 
those men, but in our regard for them we 
must not forget that we live iu an age when 
men think for themselves. 
Mr. Downing speaks of a male and female 
tree—strange logic this. AVe were not aAvare 
that the masculine and feminine gender was 
applied to trees. It is strange our gramma¬ 
rian never found it out. 
©ORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
We had supposed that good old Deacon 
Homespun, who knew the world did not re¬ 
volve because his pastor never said any¬ 
thing about it, was dead. But iu this it ap 
pears we mistake ; at least, his ideas still 
live and dwell in the aforesaid committee, 
who think it “strange logic to speak of male 
and female trees.” 
Mr. Downing, like other writers on similar 
subjects, endeavors to get. down to the un¬ 
derstanding of his audience, u»ing language 
likely to be understood ; but an occasional 
person appears, who is so stupid that he can¬ 
not comprehend even the broadest and most 
common terms. Male and female flowers 
are no more rare in the vegetable than the 
game sexes are in the animal kingdom, and 
the old Linnean system of botany, taught in 
every school and college until the last few 
years, was founded upon the number and 
position of the male (stamens) and female 
(pistils) organs of flowers, even if the “gram¬ 
marians have not found it out.” 
If this committee have any Ailanthus trees 
in their neighborhood they may find that 
some produce only male flowers (stam inate) 
and others females (pistillate), the latter only 
bearing seed; or if they should happen to 
have a Shcpherdiu hedge near at hand, they 
can And them now iu bloom, one. bush with 
female flowers and others with male, and as 
distinct as the two sexes found upon every 
cucumber, melon or pumpkin vine. Ob1 
wise men, put on your spectacles and study 
the pumpkin vine, and thus get wisdom. 
PYRACANTHA HEDGES. 
Have our three wise men never seen a 
humble bee covered with the dust-like pol¬ 
len as it emerged from a pumpkin flower ? 
If not, will they please take a look at one 
next summer ? Or did they never see the 
pollen tailing in clouds from chestnut, oak 
and similar trees ? Would it not be well for 
them to take the advice in regard to think¬ 
ing, to themselves ? 
For the benefit of our readers we will quote 
from one of these writers (Mr. Downing), and 
give his method ot producing new varieties, 
or what he calls cross breeding. He says : 
“it is only necessary when the tree blooms, 
which we intend to be the mother of the 
improved race, to select a hlossoin or blos¬ 
soms growing upon it not yet fully expand¬ 
ed ; with a pair of scissors we cut out and 
remove nil the anthers. The next day, or a- 
soon as the bloom js quite expanded, we 
collect, with a camel's hair brush, the pollen 
from a fully blown flower of the variety wu 
intend for the male parent, applying the pol 
Jen and leaving it upon the stigma or point 
of the pistil, if your trees are much ex¬ 
posed to those busy little meddlers, the bees, 
it Is well lo cover the blossoms with a loose 
bag Of thin game, or they will perhaps get 
beforehand with you in your experiments in 
cross breeding.'' 
Tliis writer, like many others, seems to 
think that ins readers must take what he 
says to be true, regardless of proof. We 
hear men speak of combining science and 
agriculture, but the idea of transferring pol¬ 
len from one blossom to another, and thereby 
producing new varieties, is one we Have 
never been able to reconcile yet. AVe are of 
the opinion when pollen leaves its native 
blossom it has fulfilled the end for which it 
was created, just as much so as the leaves 
of the blossoms when they fall to the ground. 
We further believe, as soon as the pollen 
leaves th« blossom it becomes dead and be¬ 
gins to decay, and will have no more effect 
on changing the variety than a decaying 
leaf. 
The quotation from Mr. Downing’s work 
is truth, and briefly explains the process of 
hybridizing and crossing all kinds of fruits 
and flowers, and the operation has been per¬ 
formed in this maimer thousands of times 
with successful results, although these wise 
men “have never been able to reconcile it 
yet.” Our wise committee arc “ of the opin¬ 
ion that when pollen leaves its native blos¬ 
soms,” &c., and also “ believe, as soon as the 
pollen leaves the blossom it becomes dead 
and begins to decay.” Shades of pomologi¬ 
cal science I Is it possible that any man (or 
men) who would presume to talk on a pomo¬ 
logical subject at this age does not know 
that pollen can be and is kept, for weeks and 
months, losing scarcely one whit of its fer¬ 
tilizing powers during the time ? It can be 
and frequently is transported from one part 
of the country to another, and may-even be 
sent to and received from Europe without 
injury. Again, these wise men strike at Mr. 
Downing in this wise : 
and hedges die out, as you describe, very 
frequently. The white berried variety has 
also been on trial for several years ; and 
although apparently more hardy than the 
original species, it is still doubtful whether 
it will prove to be hardy, even in the com¬ 
paratively mild climate of Southern New 
York or even in New Jersey ; for in both 
localities it was badly killed a year or two 
since, and even suffered to as great an ex¬ 
tent as the Osage Orange. The very slow 
growth of the specieB, as well as varieties of 
Pyracantha, is a great objection, except for 
ornamental purposes. Few farmers can 
afford to wait for them to grow up into a 
hedge, even where they will succeed. 
Osage Orange Wood is said to be rich in 
tannin, and experiments in Texas, it is said, 
have resulted in tanning hides quicker with 
the wood of this tree than with oak bark. 
A decoction of this wood, carefully evapor¬ 
ated, forms a bright yellow extract called 
aurantine, which may be used in coloring 
fabrics. 
giarg afl a pluralist. 
Euitors Rural New-Yorker W. F. S., 
Oneida Co., in your issue of March 14, de¬ 
sires some one who has hud experience with 
hedges in Central New York to advise him 
“which would be the cheapest, most hardy 
and best adapted for an iucJosure around an 
orchard.” The Osage Orange is perhaps 
more extensively used than anything else, 
but it does not give satisfaction, and the 
public mind seems to lie grasping for some¬ 
thing better. There is no question in my 
mind but Osage Orauge will make u com¬ 
plete hedge. It is a native of Texas, Louis¬ 
iana and the Indian Territory, and as a mat¬ 
ter of course will grow in any of the South¬ 
ern States. It has also proved entirely 
hardy—[No; you are mistaken— Eds, Rural] 
—and grows rapidly in all the Northern 
States; but the great difficulty is it is a tree, 
and requires more labor to keep it within 
bounds and proper shape than we can afford 
to bestow. If neglected for a single season, 
the leading branches will rob those near the 
ground, which causes them to die and de¬ 
cay, leaving gaps through which anything 
can pass. Another objection to the Osage 
Orange is, if allowed to grow large, nothing 
will grow well within fifty to one hundred 
feet. AVhere land is valuable that is quite 
an item. 
In this section of country we have been 
experimenting for several years with Pyra- 
canthus, which is a beautiful evergreen 
shrub, never growing more than twelve or 
fifteen feet high, of thick, compact habit 
and very thorny. It has many advocates, 
who advise that it be extensively planted; 
but 1 preferred (o give it a thorough trial 
before I made up my mind to adopt it and 
recommend it to my friends. 
1 have two kinds ; one is the stronger 
grower of the two, and bears red berries. 
Of this I planted a few rods four years ago, 
It grew rapidly, and for a time it seemed to 
be a complete success ; its thick, compact 
branches and sharp, piercing thorns ren¬ 
dered it almost impossible for a rabbit to 
pass through, aud what remains will now 
turn almost any kind of stock. Last sum¬ 
mer, when it was looking very thrifty aud 
vigorous, something like blight in pears 
made its appearance, aud in a few days had 
killed several plants iu various portions of 
the hedge, making gaps large enough for 
stock to pass through, There are some 
complete hedges of this variety of Pyra- 
CanUius in the vicinity of Vicksburg, and I 
am led to believe that the blight with me 
was caused by the cold winter preceding. 
The dwarf variety is also a beautiful ever¬ 
green, and bears white berries. I have a 
hedge of it about the same length planted 
at the same time, which proves to be euf 
lirely healthy and promises to make a com¬ 
plete hedge. It grows readily from cuttings, 
and does not require any, or but very little, 
trimming if planted in strong ground and 
well cultivated. I am of opinion it will 
make a formidable hedge against man or 
beast in five or six years. My information 
is that it is much the hardier of the two, 
aud will stand as far north as Chicago. 
Memphis, Tenn. H. w. P. 
Remarks.— While we admit all that you 
say both for and against the Osage Orange, 
it is still the leading hedge plant of America, 
although not succeeding in all of the North¬ 
ern States. The Evergreen Pyracantha has 
been thoroughly and fully tried in the Mid¬ 
dle aud Northern States, and is of really no 
value as a hedge plant, because too tender, 
DAILY RURAL LIFE. 
From the Diary of a Centleman near New 
York City. 
LABELING PUNTS. 
IS THE AILANTHUS POISONOUS? 
March 21.—I notice in the Rural New- 
Yorker of this date, that Mr. Steven Mel 
vin, Oswego, N. Y., asserts that the Ailau- 
thus tree is poisonous, and that he was once 
badly poisoned by cutting down a tree when 
in full bloom in August. Now, had I Mr. 
Melvin on the witness stand I should feel 
very much like cross-questioning him in re¬ 
gard to all the circumstances connected with 
this ease of poisoning, First. Is he sure that 
he was poisoned at all ? If he is positive on 
this point, can. he be equally positive that 
there were no poison ivy lurking about the 
stem of the tree or in the grass or weeds 
where he stood upon trimming the said tree 'f 
To gh'e out that the Ailanthus tree is poison¬ 
ous upon the testimony of one man or half 
a dozen, without knowing all about the cir 
cunistances connected therewith, is alto 
gether too sweeping an assertion, and is 
likely to create a distrust of a tree valuable 
for particular purposes and localities. Mil¬ 
lions of these trees have been raised and 
handled at all times of the year and by as 
many different persons, and this is the first, 
instance that I ever heard of its being poison¬ 
ous ; therefore it is pretty safe to conclude 
that there is a.mistake somewhere. But sup¬ 
pose we admit that Mr. Melvin was actually 
poisoned by the Ailanthus ; the ease may be 
considered unique, and not very likely to 
occur again. I have known men who could 
not eat eggs in uny form whatever; even 
the small quantity used in making pastry 
would produce nausea of the most violent 
kind ; consequently they had to avoid food 
iu which eggs were likely to be used in mak¬ 
ing. 1 know of a lady who cannot eat an 
oyster without the indulgence being followed 
by painful spasms or cramps. I once knew 
a lady who could not touch our common 
Rose Geranium without being poisoned, the 
same as others are by handling the poison 
Sumac; still no one would think of condemn¬ 
ing oysters or placing the Geranium among 
poisonous plants in consequence of these rare 
instances of injury. Even our two most viru¬ 
lent native poisonous plants, the three-leaved 
ivy, [Rhus Toxicodendron ) and the Poison 
Sumac or Elder (JS. venenata I are not poison¬ 
ous to one person in a hundred. Had it been 
otherwise, few farms east of the Mississippi 
would ever have been cleared of their native 
forests or inhabited, because these plants 
abound everywhere. There are, and always 
have been, more people killed by the sting of 
the honey bee than the fangs of rattlesnakes, 
but our bee keepers would hardly allow us 
to proclaim that the honey gatherers are the 
more dangerous of the two. In these days 
of general skepticism and scientific investi¬ 
gation, no idle tales of poisonous Upas trees 
will be accepted as facts without pretty good 
'witnesses, and I am inclined to believe that 
the old and well-known Ailanthus will not 
suffer from any stories which may be in¬ 
vented in regard to its poisonous qualities. 
The sun appeared so bright and warm this 
morning that I thought something might be 
done to-day in the way of cleaning up the 
borders preparatory to setting out plants and 
sowing of seeds. But I soon found that March 
was still here with her cold, northwest winds 
which hurl the dry leaves and dust into one's 
face in the most provoking manner. But as 
time passes and each day brings its duties, 
one cannot afford to waste even a moment 
at this season. As I looked about among the 
trees, shrubs and border plants, I found many 
a label the writing upon which had become 
almost illegible through the battering of the 
rains and snows of winter. A windy, dis¬ 
agreeable day to work out of doors will 
answer very well to make new labels within, 
and this 1 have been doing to the best of my 
abilities. For driving into the ground, hard 
pine or red cedar make very good and sub¬ 
stantial labels. The wood is smooth-grained, 
admitting of writing upon it with a soft pen¬ 
cil, which, if done upon a fresh coafcof white 
paint, rubbed on with a piece of cloth, it will 
remain quite plain for two or three years. 
For trees T use the common pine label, fas¬ 
tened on with copper wire, and And these 
answer as well as anything unless one can 
afford the costly zinc and mica labels sold at 
our seed stores. If one. does not have to 
change or re-write labels more than once in 
two years, it is certainly no great task ; still, 
I fear few e\jpn do this, hence the forgotten 
or lost names of plants In almost every gar¬ 
den and orchard. Every fanner should have 
a map of his orchard, with the position and 
name of every tree upon it, thereby facilitat¬ 
ing the re-labeling of any tree (should the 
first label put on be lost) quite an easy mat¬ 
ter. In addition to the' convenience and 
pleasure of knowing the names of fruits, it 
is sometimes quite a satisfaction to know 
whether the trees bought turn out to be true 
to name or otherwise. If a man finds that 
his Baldwin apple trees bear Sweet Boughs, 
he will have good reason to doubt the cor¬ 
rectness of the other sorts purchased of the 
same party ; and if all have been kept cor¬ 
rectly labeled according to invoice, it will be 
a satisfaction to know the extent of errors if 
nothing more. It is also a good plan to have 
stake lahels of various sizes made up iu ad¬ 
vance of the time wlieu they are required 
for use and thus, whenever any kind of seed 
is sown or plant set out, put one of these 
down, with the name plainly written upon 
it. A dish of white paint should be kept for 
this purpose, and a little rubbed upon the 
label before writing. There is no better way 
of fixing the name of a plant in one’s mind 
than in writing it, and much confusion and 
annoyance may be avoided by a free use of 
labels. The ladieB should not forget these 
hints about labeling plants, for it will not 
always do to trust their good memory of the 
names of flower seeds sown or the plants 
purchased of the florists. It is not enough 
to know that a certain plant is a Fuchsia or 
Geranium ; it is well to keep its specific 
name. “A rose by any other name may 
smell as sweet still, it is sometimes rather 
awkward to call a Boursault rose a Prairie 
Queen, especially if one is conversing with a 
person who knows the origin as well as dif¬ 
ference between two very distinct species 
which these varieties represent. 
WHAT SHALL WE PUNT? 
March 23.—Sometimes I am almost as 
puzzled as others with less experience, to 
know just what kind of vegetable and fruits 
to plant in spring. For instance, last season 
1 tried the Trophy and Arlington tomatos— 
both li ighly recommended sorts. The Trophy, 
as usual, was very fine, and as good as could 
well be desired ; but the Arlington was al¬ 
most a complete failure, although plants of 
both varieties were set out the same day. 1 
gave plants of the Arlington to a friend who 
is a good judge of this fruit, aud he pro¬ 
nounced it the very best tomato in every 
respect which he lias ever tried. Having 
faith in his statements, I Shall have to try it 
again, adding some of the newer sorts, like 
Canada Victor, which is now highly recom¬ 
mended by men in whom I have confidence. 
Then again, I am sometimesrather undecided 
in regard to selecting seed potatoes ; for, 
occasionally, all the varieties succeed admir¬ 
ably and are of excellent quality, Last year, 
out. of a dozen new and old varieties there 
were no failures either in yield or iu quality; 
even the Campbell's Late Rose, which some 
of the correspondents of the Rural New- 
Yorker have condemned, was a success iu 
my grounds and the quality excellent. How 
the varieties will turn out the coming season 
of course is unknown, and my only safe 
course is to put in Early Rose and the old 
Peach Blows as standard sorts, and the new 
ones in a limited way until their adaptation 
to soil and climate is fully established by 
long experience. Perhaps this is the best 
plan to follow with everything in the garden 
and farm line, only keep an eye out for im¬ 
proved sorts as they appear. It is safe to 
hold on to the old and reliable until the new 
have proved themselves worthy to take their 
place. This plan will admit of a very wide 
application, even into the fruit and flower 
garden as well as among friends and ac¬ 
quaintances. New things often dazzle us by 
tneir brilliancy, which may, after all, be 
only the cheapest kind of gilt. 
