MASSING ARBOR VITAES. 
Nov. 13.—I have raised quite a number of 
the varieties and species of Arbor Vitses from 
cuttings to be used in forming masses or 
clumps instead of planting them out singly 
or in what is usually termed groups. For 
this purpose small plants are better than 
large ones ; those not more than a foot high 
will answer very well, and If one grows them 
himself the cost need not be taken into the 
account.. To form pretty masses, only the 
dwarf sort* should be employed, Biich as the 
Tom Thumb, Putnila, Gtobana , Hoveyi, or 
the Chinese species like the Golden and il/ff- 
densis, all of which may be multiplied to an 
unlimited extent by cuttings. In planting, 
iirst mark out the space to be occupied ; from 
two to lour feet in diameter is about as large 
as it is safe where the snow falls to any con¬ 
siderable, depth in winter. It is not necessary 
that the masses should be circular, but may 
be oval, oblong, fir any other form t.o suit 
one’s fancy. The soil should be quite deep 
in order that it should hold moisture during 
drouth, and permit the roots to penetrate, 
deeply. After deciding upon the form, pro¬ 
ceed to set out the plants pretty thickly. 
For bushy plants, one foot apart, or just near 
enough together to have the side branches 
touch, will answer very well. If the plants 
are quite small (say six inches high) then six 
or eight inches space between the main stems 
will be sufficient. When the space is filled 
with plants, take a pair of large shears and 
prune oil the leading shoots j and the outside 
edge of the group, in order to make the 
whole look as even and regular in form as 
possible. But it must not be expected that 
perfection in this respect can be obtained the 
iirst year, as the mass will ack density, and 
the growth of a season or two may be re¬ 
quired to remedy defects of this kind. From 
this time forward the entire group or mass 
of plants is to be treated as though there 
was but. one, and annually pruned in order 
to keep the whole in proper form. These 
masses may be kept cut down to almost any 
desired hight, from u few inches of the 
ground, up to a foot or more. The top may 
also be pruned perfectly flat, oval, or conical, 
and if neatly done they appear like immense 
cushions of living green. The Tom Thumb 
Arbor Vitae is an excellent variety for this 
purpose, as its leaves and branches are. very 
fine and soft, showingfew or no rough edges 
or barren spots after pruning. 
Of course, larger growing sorts may be 
employed for larger clump 3 if such are de¬ 
sired, but little evergreen patches, as I have 
attempted to describe, will usually afford 
more pleasure to the cultivator than those of 
a more pretentious size. Spring is the time 
to set out evergreens of this kind as well as 
any other. 
TRANSPLANTING KALMIAS AND HOLLIES. 
Although the successful transplanting of 
wild plants from the woods and fields such 
as Kalmias, Hollies and Rhododendrons, is 
not pub down in our books as an impossibil¬ 
ity, still from the dolorous tone of the little 
said on the subject, one cannot help thinking 
the authors believe it ft precarious undertak¬ 
ing. If a man lias plenty of money to spend 
for such plants, then 1 would certainly advise 
him to let the wild one? alone, and secure a 
supply from the nurseries, But there are 
persons who have more time and strength of 
muscle than money, and to such the digging 
up of choice, wild plants may not be objec¬ 
tionable, especially if they can be made to 
thrive when removed to the garden. 
1 have just read in a New England Agri¬ 
cultural journal how a man successfully 
transplants laurels from the woods and open 
ticing the same severe treatment upon all 
without regard to appearance at the time of 
purchase or removal. 
Several years since I purchased a half 
dozen Rhododendrons growing in pots, for 
which I paid thirty dollars, and had them 
sent, to me without disturbing the ball of 
earth about the roots. They were carefully 
planted in one group and all made a good 
growth the. first season except one, the leaves 
on this commenced turning yellow, but did 
not drop off or die. For the next three years 
it merely lived, making an inch or two of 
new growth annually. I then resorted to 
the knife, and in early spiring every branch 
was cut off within about three inches of the 
main stem, no regard being paid to buds, 
latent or otherwise. That pruning effected 
a cure, and to-day I could not wish for a 
more vigorous-growing or healthy 7 Rhodo¬ 
dendron than the one described. 
GRANGES IN THE SEVERAL STATES 
DAILY RURAL LIFE 
According to an official bulletin issued by 
the Secretary of the National Grange, there 
are in the several states 20,800 subordinate 
Granges. The next session of the National 
Grange will be held in Charleston, S. C., on 
the first Wednesday in February, 1875. The 
Granges represented in each State arc as 
follows Alabama, 632 ; Arkansas, 504 ; 
California, 321; Connecticut, 8 ; Delaware, 
14 ; Florida, 07 ; Georgia, 659 ; Illinois, 1,513 ; 
Indiana, 1,001; Iowa, 2,000 ; Kansas, 1,850 ; 
Kentucky, 1,425 ; Louisiana, 185; Maine, 38 ; 
Maryland, 118 ; Massachusetts, 04 ; Michigan, 
500; Minnesota, 540 ; Mississippi, 622 ; Mis¬ 
souri. 1,022 ; Nebraska, 596 ; New Hampshire, 
27 ; New Jersey, 80 ; New York, 238 ; North 
Carolina, 451); Nevada, 5 ; Ohio, 1,031 ; Ore¬ 
gon, 174 ; Pennsylvania, ;>4!); South Carolina, 
314 ; Tennessee, 1,003 ; Texas, 6-87 ; Vermont, 
125 ; Virginia, 373 ; West Virginia, 110 ; Wis¬ 
consin, 505; Colorado, 65; Dakota, 56; 
Canada, 51; Idaho, 25 ; Montana, 23 ; Indian 
Territory, 4. 
Prom the Diary of a Gentleman near New 
York City. 
SEEKING CHOICE GRAPES. 
Nov. 15.—If a inan desires to pilant one or 
more grape vines, he is pretty certain to try 
and obtain the best sorts in market. But 
trying is one thing and obtaining quite an- 
of.hi i', at. least that’s my experience in horti¬ 
cultural affairs. A few years ago the old 
Catawba aud Isabella were the only varieties 
of our native grapes seen in market, but. wo 
were in due time relieved from this “ Hob¬ 
son’s choice” by the introduction of the ex¬ 
quisite little Delaware, Diana and Concord, 
with a light sprinkling of other sorts. Of 
course the vetcrans in grape culture had it 
till their own way for a while, and talked 
long and grandly of the new varieties, and 
we heard much of the “ vinous refreshment” 
to be derived from an intimate acquaintance 
with the beautiful but hard-hearted Anna, 
as well as from the musk-oat perfumed 
Diana, possessing a flavor more pronounced 
than pleasant. 1 f one dared to speak well of 
his old friend, Isabella, in the hearing at one 
of the veterans, he was sure to be rebuked 
for his uncultivated plebiah taste. To raise 
a new variety of grupu soon become a too 
frequent occurrence to excite remark ; then 
followed the higher sounding term “ hybrid” 
attached to many a sort which it is to be 
feared hod little claim to be thus designated ; 
but no matter—the people wanted grapes, 
and the demand must be supplied. From a 
half-dozen sorts of native grapes at the be¬ 
ginning of the late excitement in regard to 
the culture of this fruit, the number soon 
reached between two and three hundred and 
is still on the increase ; but luckily, for pur¬ 
chasers, fully as many go out as there are 
ne w ones introduced. Everybody and their 
friends were told for years that they “want¬ 
ed Martha ;” but a very short acquaintance 
will usually suffice for the dear, pal^-groen 
tiling. 
But with all our Aunas, Dianas and Mar¬ 
thas, we are still in want of varieties better 
than any which have been thoroughly tested. 
Concord is a general favorite on account of 
its adaptation to various soils aud climates ; 
still, it is far from being first-rate in quality. 
Delaware is superior in quality of fruit hut 
too small, and the vine feeble except under 
very favorable circumstances. Iona is a 
grand grape when, and where, it is anything ; 
ninety niue times out of a hundred it is a 
failure, but, the hundredth is sufficient to 
show that, it does possess superior qualities, 
A white grape, even if uo better than the 
Concord, would be a decided acquisition, 
aud as i don’t “want Martha,” I shall anx¬ 
iously wait for the debut of the new, White 
Lady. 
Probably not less than ten thousand dis- 
tiiu't varieties of grapes have been produced 
irjrthis country in the last ten years and we 
are still seeking “the grape” which shall 
stand among its kind as the Bartlett and 
Seek el pears do among theirs. Speaking of 
pears, reminds me that many persons believe 
DWARF PEARS ARE A FAILURE. 
It has also been so decided by several com¬ 
mittees of Horticultural and Pornological 
Societies; but trees of this kind live, grow, 
bear heavy crops of fine fruit and give satis¬ 
faction to those cultivators who bestow upon 
them proper rare and attention. The intro¬ 
duction and dissemination of dwarf pear 
trees in this country have done moi e towards 
creating a taste for pornological pursuits 
than all other fruits combined, and it's like 
kicking your best friend to denounce these 
trees as some of our pomologists have of late. 
I am perfectly willing that the dwarf pear 
shall be excluded from the orchards of those 
who neither favor nor practice high or even 
liberal culture ; but because a tree will not 
withstand all the neglect of careless and 
shiftless cult ivators, is far from being a good 
reasou for condemnation. 
The tide has turned and is running strongly 
against the- dwarf pear, and more’s the pity ; 
for many will have to wait long and patient¬ 
ly for their standard pear trees to come into 
bearing, while with dwarfs the feast would 
commence early, even if not so bountiful or 
long-continued. I have handled a good many 
dwarf pear trees in my time, but cannot call 
to mind any one instance of failure, either 
to grow rapidly or produce abundantly, 
where they were given even passably good 
culture. 
KILLING WEEVILS IN PEAS AND BEANS 
Evkry farmer who has cultivated peas 
and attempted to keep some through winter 
for seed, knows what are called “pen bugs,” 
which, by the way, is not a bug, but a small 
gray beetle, known to entomologists as Bra- 
chut) pi&i, Linn, or in some late lists as 
Mylahritf pU)i. When gathering the peas in 
fall the presence of an insect in the pea is 
uot noticed, although it is there neverthe¬ 
less, but in the larva or grab state, which 
undergoes its transformation during the 
winter and comes forth a beetle at the ap¬ 
proach of warm weather in spring. There 
are very few localities where peas are not 
attacked by this peat; end although it does 
little harm to the crop if gathered green for 
market, when kept for seed their depreda¬ 
tions become quite apparent. 
Another species ( Bruchus obnoletuts , Say,) 
attacks beans iu the same manner, but in¬ 
stead of one beetle in each seed as is general¬ 
ly the case with the pea, there are several ; 
sometimes t.weuty or more will be found in 
one bean. Tliis insect attacks all the varie¬ 
ties, but is not quite as abundant in the 
Northern as in the Middle and Southern 
^States. Bat they are becoming more num¬ 
erous every year, and unless soon checked it 
will be difficult to obtain sound beans for 
seed. 
Now, it must be evident that if these in¬ 
sects are ever to become less in numbers, 
efficient and persistent efforts must be re¬ 
sorted to by all who cultivate peas and 
beans. Perhaps the most certain method of 
destroying is to thoroughly dry the seed soon 
after gathering and then put away in air¬ 
tight vessels, putting in a quantity of gum 
camphor, say a half pound to a barrel— some 
old cloths soaked in spirits of turpentine, 
placed in the bottom of the barrel, will usual¬ 
ly answer the same purpose. It is now the 
season to attend to this matter, and every 
one who has peas or beans to put away for 
seed next year should endeavor to destroy 
wlmtever insects they may contain. 
GOOD RESULTS OF THE GRANGE 
One of the good effects of farmers associat¬ 
ing in Granges, is the bringing together in in¬ 
timate relations, Democrats, Republicans, 
etc., and teachiug the prejudiced that men 
are men, after all, uo matter if they don’t 
happen to be of the same party or eluuch. 
This intimate relation of men of diverse polit¬ 
ical sentiment*, bound together In common 
sympathies and interests, will tend to break 
down partisan feeling and purify the politics 
of the country generally. Farmers from the 
North, and the South, the East and the 
West, are beginning to study their interests, 
free from partisan bias and the influence of 
shrewd and unscrupulous politicians, who 
have so long led them blindfolded by cunning 
appeals to prejudice and passion. The good 
resulting therefrom is already apparent, aud 
will eventually culminate in the total break¬ 
ing up of the political as well as all other 
l ings, devised for the gain and advantage of 
the few at the expense of the many.— Pat¬ 
rons’ Helper. 
ITEMS FROM THE GRANGES 
Forty-nine of the counties of Pennsyl¬ 
vania have Granges within their borders. 
The working man from this time means to 
understand the science of government, the 
true social economy. He means that labor 
shall possess a dignity which capital will 
respect. 
It would seem fairly time that the pro¬ 
ducer should receive a fair profit on his 
produce, rather than it should be eaten up by 
men who contribute little to production and 
nothing to get them to market. 
The Wisconsin Granges already have es¬ 
tablished forty-one co-operative associations 
for selling goods and manufacturing, and 
twenty-nine insurance companies ; all flour¬ 
ishing and representing capital to the amount 
of four millions of dollars. 
A Granger’s academy or high school, will 
be opened at Georgetown, Franklin township, 
Sacramento County, GaL, this winter. The 
idea was suggested, and the project put on 
foot by the Granges, and the building built 
by subscription of the farmers in the vicinity. 
The “ Grange Packet Lone,” composed of 
the steamer Savanna aud Colossus, belongs 
to the Patrons of Missouri. These boats ply 
between St. Louis aud Galena, and add 
greatly to the interests of the farmers, as 
they carry for reasonable rates, and are 
every wuy accommodating. 
Much depends on the Master in the Grange 
He should be a progressive, reading, thinking, 
active man. He should lead as an officer, 
and have his suggestions maturedand sound, 
and ;then he will have the confidence of the 
members. Let the Masters wake up to the 
importance of their position, and be prepared 
for any emergency. 
It should be known to Patrons, that one of 
the planks in the platfoim of the order of 
Patrons of Husbandly is, to buy only for 
cash. We acknowledge that there may be, 
and are, many cases in which it will be found 
a great trial to abstain from buying on credit, 
We know that many a luxury, aud even 
some of the necessities of life, will have to be 
dispensed with for a time, for want of cash 
to buy them, but, brother Patrons, believe 
us, it is better to do so, and thus pave the 
road to prosperity, than to persist in remain¬ 
ing in debt. 
ANTS ENEMIES TO CATERPILLARS 
The Belgian Official Journal, referring to 
the ignoraut conduct of those who destroy 
allkindsof birds and insects Indiscriminately, 
insists on the necessity of children in primary 
schools being taught to distinguish between 
useful and noxious insects, and thus to exer¬ 
cise their destructive faculties against the 
latter only. The writer proceeds to say that 
the ant, which is very disagreeable and in¬ 
convenient in many respects, does excellent 
sendee in chasing and destroying caterpil¬ 
lars with relentless energy*. A farmer, who 
had noticed this fact, and had had his cab¬ 
bages literally devoured by caterpillars, at 
last hit upon the expedient of having an ant 
lull, or rather nest, such as abound in pine 
forests, brought to his cabbage plot. A 
sackful of the pine points, abounding in ants, 
was obtained, and its contents strewn around 
the infested cabbage plants. The ants lost 
no time, but immediately set to work ; they 
seized the caterpillars by their heads. The 
next day heaps of dead caterpillars were 
found, but not one alive, nor did they return 
to the cabbages. The value of the ant is well 
known in Germany, and although their eggs 
ore in great request as food for young par¬ 
tridges, pheasants, and nightingales, there 
is a flue against taking them from the forests. 
Tl>« ant. is indefaunable in huntiug its prey ; 
it climbs to the very tops of trees, and de¬ 
stroys an immense quantity of noxious 
insects. 
