inches wide (very neat and strong) as a way 
to enter or reach the bottom. Then some¬ 
what similarly constructed shelves were made 
for the flowers to rest upon, that could be 
moved in or out in a few minutes as there 
are no rails or screws to hinder one moment. 
This is taken out in summer for the flower.-. 
We have wide boards cut the length of the 
width of the pit to lay over the top as a pro¬ 
tection to the glass against hail and snow 
storms, besides adding warmth to the flow¬ 
ers. 
The winter following the fall of 1872 was 
Telegraph says : — We do not think that the 
Brandywine pear is as much cultivated us it 
deserves to be. We have fruited it for some 
years, and every year wc esteem it more 
highly. It is a solid pear, above medium in 
size, of a yellowish-green, somewhat russet- 
ed, with a dark red cheek on the sun side, 
and is in all respects an excellent pear. It 
commences to ripen about August 15, und 
lasts for four some weeks. It comes in di¬ 
rectly after Tyson, and is next to it in quality. 
AMPEL0PSI8 TUBEROSA AND NAPI 
F0RMI8. 
PEARS IN MASSACHUSETTS 
Robert Manning names Doyenne d’Ete, 
GffTard and Clapp’s Favorite us the- three 
summer pears “against which no others can 
possibly take a prize at our exhibitions, at 
their respective seasons." The last, named is 
increasing in popularity, Kostiezer, Tyson, 
Brandywine und Manning's Elizabeth are 
better in quality but smaller in size. Doy¬ 
enne Boussock, as it becomes better known, 
is more and more competing with the- Bart¬ 
lett. Among the popular autumn sorts are 
mentioned Bose, Supertln, Doyenue du Corn¬ 
ice, Howell and Sheldon. The following are 
the sorts selected for winterAnjou, tak¬ 
ing the lead of all others ; Lawrence, Winter 
Nelis and Dana’s Hovey, the only fault of 
Urn lust being its small size. For mid-winter, 
Alencon and .Josephine de Malines. Vicar of 
Winkfield for cooking ; and when well grown 
and ripened, for the table. 
THE NEW CARPET BEETLE 
During the past year or more there has 
been considerable interest manifested in cer¬ 
tain localities in regard to some kind of an 
insect which was doing an immense amount 
of damage to carpets. One story circulated 
is that it had been introduced from Califor¬ 
nia into Western New York, and from no¬ 
tices in the local press of Rochester and from 
private letters received it was plain that 
some kind of a pest was making sad havoc 
among the carpets. 
►Some three months since 1 receivad a small 
box from a lady in Central New York, con¬ 
taining thrcB or four minute hairy larva 1 , 
which 1 at once recognized as these of some 
species of Anthrenus. The letter accompa¬ 
nying the package has been mislaid, and I 
forget the writer’s name although 1 remem¬ 
ber that she said that the insects sent were 
making sad work with her carpets. 1 have 
since heard that the same insect had ap¬ 
peared in this city and considerable alarm is 
felt in certain localities in regard to its de¬ 
but I have thus far failed 
EARLY BEATRICE PEACH 
the Jvirly Bout nee Peach, Do you know it. 
to be earlier than Hole’s. Ask your readers 
wlio have tried it or saw it fruit to give their 
experience, I wish to plant for shipping to 
market—would like to know if it carries 
well, &c. Hale’s and Tillotson do finely with 
me. Is the Foster Peach a profitable kind ( 
—A Subscriber, Lamar Co., Tex. 
“What we think” of the Early Beatrice 
Peach is of little consequence to our corre¬ 
spondent, since we have never grown it. 
But we have abundant evidence that it is 
(10 to 30 days) earlier than Hale’s, not as 
liable to rot (indeed we have heard of no rot 
with it), and ships well, arriving in market 
in good condition, and selling at good prices. 
Our judgment is it is the earliest good ship¬ 
ping peach grown that, has an established 
reputation. We know nothing whatever of 
the “ Foster ” poach, If our readers do, let 
them tell us about it. 
struetive habits 
to obtain specimens of the larvie found at 
work. Knowing something of the habits of 
Anthre.ni in general, I put the larva referred 
to above into a bottle along with the shreds 
of carpet accompanying them and a dead 
moth, expecting that they would attack the 
latter in preference to the former; hut in 
this 1 was mistakeu. 
A few weeks after receiving the above 
specimens, they ceased to feed and I con¬ 
cluded that they were either dead or had 
passed into the pupa, or quiescent state ; the 
latter proved to 1*0 the ease, for a few days 
ago two of the imago or perfect insects 
emerged from the old hairy shells of the 
larvrc. The insect proves to bo the A nthran as 
lepiduft of Leconte, specimens of which 1 
received several years since from Oregon. I 
have also received four specimens from a 
gentleman in this city who found them in his 
room, which is sufficient to show that this 
pest is really here, as has been claimed for 
some considerable time. 
This Anthrenux belongs to a well known 
troublesome family of beetles (Dermcstidu) 
und some of the species like the A-inuxwiir- 
um are found in all parts of the world and 
every naturalist dreads its presence among 
his specimens, for it is not at all particular 
in regard to its food, a dried rat, butterfly, 
beetle or book are alike acceptable. 
The only safe plan is to keep these pests 
out of cabinets or houses; but when they 
obtain a lodgement, poisons must be resorted 
to for their destruction. Creosote, sulphur, 
gam-camphor, benzine, and spirits of turpen¬ 
tine are /ill used for this purpose. Probably 
gum-camphor, scattered under infested car¬ 
pets, would destroy the larvae of the A n- 
threnas lepiduu, if it is really this insect 
which is doing so much damage as reported. 
But there is a possibility that some other 
insect is at work among the carpets and the 
one named is not the cause of all the mis¬ 
chief. In order to settle this question, I de¬ 
sire assistance in the form of specimens from 
all localities where any insect is found at 
work upon carpets or clothing of any kind. 
THE IARVA OF ANTHRENUS LEPIDUS 
is about a quarter of an inch long, of an oval 
form, with tufts of blackish hairs along each 
side. The general color is a dark brown, or, 
in some examples, slightly reddish. Thu 
Imago ur Beetle, is scarcely one-lialf as long 
as the larva and of an oval form, but broader 
in front than behiud, the thorax tapering to 
the head. The elytra (wing covers) and 
thorax are black, handsomely ornamented 
with huge patches of white, und, in fresh 
specimens, the inner edge of the elytra are 
distinctly margined with orange, which, 
however, fades to a grayish white in old 
cabinet specimens. 
If the ladies who may find insects Injuring 
their carpets, will send specimens to my ad¬ 
dress at the Rural New-Yorker office, it 
wi 11 enable me to determine whether 1 am 
correct in identifying the above-named bee¬ 
tle as the pest which has been so destructive 
to carpets and is so much talked about of 
late. A. S. Fuller. 
POMOLOGICAL GOSSIP 
American A 
ipples in England a d Ire¬ 
land .—'The London, Eng., Garden, of Nov. 7, 
saysAmerican apples of the past sea¬ 
son’s growth are now selling at moderate 
rates in provincial towns, both in England 
and Ireland. The highly-colored and well- 
flavored Baldwin is the commonest kind os 
yet. As usual, they come in barrels without 
any kind of packing material, and come, as a 
rule, in excellent condition. That apples 
should be sent, several thousand miles, and 
then be sold as cheaply as home-grown fruit 
is a noteworthy fact. At this rate of prog¬ 
ress fruitless and cold regions will soon he 
supplied with the finest fruits at a cost that, 
places them within the roach of all classes.” 
Peaches for Ohio. —(W. S. R.)—The best 
information we can furnish is perhaps the 
list made by the Ohio State Horticultural 
Society during its August excursion among 
the Ohio peach growers. Experienced grow¬ 
ers united in recommending as the best ten 
varieties for Warren County and vicinity 
Hale’s Early, Troth’s Red, Large Early York' 
Crawford’s Ea rly, Red Cheek Malaeaton, Old 
Mixon Free, Stump-the-World, Smock, Free¬ 
man " 
FLOWERS AND HOW TO KEEP THEM 
IN WINTER, 
For the pleasure of the eye, and for vari¬ 
ous medicinal uses, nature has sown the 
seeds of these beauties all over our land, each 
adapted t o its respective climate ; and when 
once imported from i(s natural home art 
must he brought into requisition to maintain 
them through the vai ious changes of extreme 
heat and cold. How often is this sadly neg¬ 
lected until they droop and die. Some of 
the fair come to the conclusion in early au¬ 
tumn that they have no place of safety for 
them through the cold coining winter and 
lot them perish when they havo shown them 
their beauties during the summer. Others 
out of more sympathy stow them in the 
windows of the rooms used daily in the 
house, where the leaves are soon covered 
with dust, there to’remain until they droop, 
often for the want of water to nourish them 
into continued existence. 
To avoid this perishing in the garden, 
cluttering up of the windows, dusty leaves, 
carpet being spoiled and the great nuisance 
they seem to bo to many persons (if bad 
taste ; permit mo for the benefit of your 
tasty and would-be flower growers to show 
how tills i nay he accomplished without groat 
expense. During the fall of 1872 I hail con¬ 
structed a pit., dug in the ground ten feet 
long, six feet wide, and five and a half loot 
deep. A frame was then constructed longer 
and wider than the pit, four feet high at the 
back ttlie pit. facing south) and t wenty-eight 
inches in fro.it. It was made of the best 
white oak timber and planked on the inside. 
After placing it over the pit, the dirt that 
had been thrown out., was embanked against, 
the framing all around to its full bight. Four 
sashes were made nearly large enough to 
cover the pit—taking J44 panes of glass, six 
by nine inches, The sides and bottom of the 
FLORAL FUNERALS. 
s White and Heath Cling. One or two 
Raising Ferns from Spores.— J 
The London Garden says Sow in 
well-drained pots or pans tolerably j 
firm with sandy peat. Set. these, in 
pans of water, so that the soil may 
keep moist. Scatter the spores on 
the surface of the soil; cover with a 
pane of glass. Never water, as sufficient 
will be absorbed from the pan. Place in a 
somewhat shady position in a stove or warm 
fernery. 
TUBERS OF AMPELOPSIS TUBEROSA. 
growers wished to include Heath Free for 
near markets in place of Heath Cling, which 
is better for distant markets. 
Brandywine Pear. — The Germantown 
