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8KALL FEUITS FOE HOME USE. 
RASPBERRIES. 
There are localities where, certain kindBof 
t ae small fruits do not succeed sufficiently 
well to make their culture for market profit¬ 
able; or, to put it iu another form, the varie¬ 
ties of particular kinds commanding the 
best price in market do not succeed well 
enough to warrant extended culture. 
For instance, the Hudson River Antwerp 
raspberry is one of the most showy and 
popular varieties ever sent to any of our mar¬ 
kets, but it has never been cultivated to any 
extent except ott the banks of the river from 
whence it takes its name, simply because it 
does not succeed well enough to warrant its 
culture elsewhere. Then, again, there are 
varieties like the CJlf rko which thrive over a 
much wider range of country, and are much 
superior in flavor to the one first named, but 
at the same tirno urc too delicate to with¬ 
stand transportation to market. In addition 
to those two classes we have still another, 
which may be called the homely and unat¬ 
tractive sorts, excellent, in flavor but not 
6howy. This latter class also usually pos¬ 
sesses another merit which is too valuable to 
overlook, and that is, they adapt themselves 
to almost any soil and situation. In other 
■words, they are the lazy man’s fruits, thriv¬ 
ing without much care or attention. Of 
course we do not wish to convey the idea 
that none but lazy men cultivate them, be¬ 
cause it is not everybody who has the time 
to spare necessary for the successful culture 
of the very choicest sort*, and a good fruit, 
if not the most beautiful, is far better than 
none in a family. 
We believe that, a plentiful supply of the 
dull-coloi'ed Philadelphia, or old Purple Cane 
raspberry would be, as a rule, more accept¬ 
able than a few half-filled dishes of Brinkle's 
orange. For this reason we say to those who 
do not reside in localities favorable to the 
culture of the best sorts, set out a goodly 
number of the Purple Cane, Philadelphia, 
Kirtland and Wilmington, aud any of the 
well-known varieties of the Black-Caps. Se¬ 
cure young, healthy plants and set them out 
early in spring, gixring all the care you can 
afford, not forgetting that a dozen plants 
well cultivated, will give as much and better 
fruit than twico the number if neglected. 
BLACKBERRIES. 
There is not so much choice among the 
blackberries as there is iu raspberries—at. 
least not in quality of the fruit. But there 
is a great difference in the hardiness of the 
plant?. The Wilson's Early is the largest ot 
all and as early as the earliest ; but the 
plants are tender in nearly all localities north 
of the latitude of Philadelphia. Occasionally 
it escapes injury in colder localities, but it , 
caunot be. depended upon for a crop every 
year. Thu Dorchester "is the next best early 
sort, the berries being very sweet and quite 
firm, the plants hardy mui prolific. 
The Ivittat iuny is about a week later, fruit 
large and fine. This is one of the very best, 
and deservedly popular iu nearly all the 
Northern States, aa well as southward. 
STRAWBERRIES. 
With this fruit there is an abundance of 
room for a choice, but, like the raspberries, 
the higher-flavored sorts are not the most 
popular among the market gardeners, or 
with those who desire the largest quantity 
with the least expense in culture. 
Wilson’s Albany is a general favorite on ac¬ 
count of its wonderful product!veuess and 
good size. Charles Downing, Green Prolific, 
Seth Boyden, and Triumph de Gand, are 
well known popular sorts for home use or 
market, thriving in any good, rich soil, 
whether light or heavy. The Charles 
Downing is the best in quality, and the Seth 
Boyden the largest. 
GOOSEBERRIES. 
There are few varieties of the gooseberry 
which succeed generally throughout the 
Middle aud Northern States. The native 
sorts are more reliable than the foreign, but 
all require a rich, deep soil that will hold 
moisture well. The Downing and Smith’s 
Improved are the best, although the Hough¬ 
ton and Mountain are valuable sorts which 
have been pretty well disseminated by our 
nurserymen. In light soils mulching in 
summer will usually prevent the premature 
falling of the leaves and fruit. But if the 
soil is made deep as well as rich, little danger 
need be feared from this source, or mildew. 
CURRANTS. 
Too many names without a corresponding 
difference in the fruit have led some persons 
to suppose there is considerable room for a 
choice in making a selection of currants. It 
is true that i here are a few worthless sorts 
when compared with others, still the very 
best are “sour as a currant,” at any time. 
Cherry and Versailles are the two largest of 
the red varieties, and the White Grape is the 
l largest of the white sorts ; but when we 
1 come to talk of quality and productiveness 
the old White and Red Dutch are probably 
equal to any. The currant will probably 
withstand more neglect than any other fruit 
in cultivation, and it will also respond as 
quickly and generally to high culture. The 
white or light-colored sorts are generally lees 
acid than the red, and on this aecount pre¬ 
ferable for the table in their natural state. 
The Black Naples ia the best of its class, 
and all the varieties of the Ribes nigrum are 
less acid than those of the li. rubrum; but 
they are not so popular among our people on 
account of their strong murky odor. 
-♦-»-•- 
THE AUGHINBAUGH BLACKBERRY. 
The Pacific Rural Press (California) intro¬ 
duces tills variety as “ a new seedling black¬ 
berry produced by Mr. G. Augliiubaugh,” 
and adds .—“This berry ripens from four to 
five weeks earlier than any other variety of 
§d|kriailtural. 
the blackberry known iu this market, as lifts 
been shown by the result of its cultivation 
for the last two or three seasons. It begins 
to ripen from the first to the fifteenth of 
May, and continues to produce berries until 
about the middle of July—about the time 
other varieties of this berry begin to appear 
in tills market. By reference to the engrav¬ 
ing it will be observed that the fruit is very 
large, and quite unlike in form to other 
varieties—its form is more Jibe that of the 
mulberry than the ordinary blaeberry. 
“ In addition to the advantage of large 
size and early ripening, the fruit is of excel 
lent flavor, aud does not contain so large a 
proportion of seeds and cores as other varie¬ 
ties. The plants grow up hardy, thrive 
well, and produce abundantly. Wo can at 
test from occular demonstration and per¬ 
sonal knowledge to nil we have said above, 
and have no hesitation in commending this 
berry to the attention of fruit growers 
everywhere.” 
It isn’t possible it is some of our old, well- 
known varieties—Dorchester for instance— 
(frown in California soil and climate? Be¬ 
fore sending orders heavily for it, some one 
had better find out. 
- ~- 
POMOLOGICAI, NOTES. 
■■ 1 
Fruit for Colorado. —The Colorado farmer 
speaking of the l'ruit exhibited at the fair in 
Deliver and of the experience of growers, 
says From the quality of these samples 
of fruits, we should be safe iu recommend¬ 
ing the Swaar, Winesap, Jonathan, Bun 
Davis, Snow, Blue Pearmaiu, W. W. Pear- 
main, Rome Beauty, Genitou, Golden Sweet, 
Missouri Pippin, Red June—of the apples; 
the Duchesse, Louise Bonue, Osband’s Sum¬ 
mer, Bartlett., ButTuui, Vicar of Winkfield— 
of the pears ; the Concord, Catawba in some 
localities, Iona, Delaware, Hartford Prolific, 
Eumelan—of the grapes, as good for general 
cultivation.” 
Tewksbury Winter Blush. —Josiah Hoopes 
of Chester, Pa., in the New York Tribune, 
recommends for a late keeping apple, the 
Tewksbury Winter Blush. “ The tree grows 
equal to any in my orchard, ia very healthy, 
and in alternate years bears by the cart-load. 
The past season they were a show—so per¬ 
fect, so handsome, and if they were only a 
trifle larger, nothing could excel them. I 
have tasted far better fruits, but not at the 
season when they are in good eating condi¬ 
tion, late in spring.” 
Dutchess Strawberry. —Db. IIexamer says 
that for three years this lias ripened earlier 
than over 100 kinds. Berry large, uniform 
globular shape without neck ; light crimson; 
flavor sprightly and good ; texture firm ; 
carries well ; foliage hardy and vigorous. 
Not yet disseminated. 
Jonathan, Ben Davis and Winesap.— The 
Editor of the Rural World says: “If we 
were planting a commercial orchard, niue- 
tentlis of the trees should be of these varie¬ 
ties. If nurserymen can discover the signs 
of the times, they will govern themselves ) 
accordingly,” 
IRON FOR PEACH TREES. 
— 
I have twenty peach trees in my grounds, 
and have been trying experiment* to see if 
I could prevent their dying, as most peaches 
do with us. I have put wood ashes, coal 
ashes, salt, scrubbed their stems and washed 
with soda ash ; but the worms still worked 
in the stems near the ground. Three years 
ago I ran a strong iron wire around the out¬ 
side of the brackets of one tree to prevent it 
from splitting in case of a crop. The wire 
chafed the bark of the brandies, and last 
spring my trees all blossomed, but none ma¬ 
tured fruit except the one that was chafed 
with iron. This leads me to believe if the 
oxyd of irod could be put around peach trees 
so that it would mingle with the sap, there 
would not be so many short lived peach 
trees. I have put iron turning around some 
of my trees, ana in two instances where the 
borer was the worst I bored a hole in the 
I stem and filled it full of iron borings. If by 
a little experimenting 1 can save the peach 
tree a few years longer than usual, it may be 
of some advantage to others as well a? my- 
self.-A. C. B., Wilmington, Del. 
There is no difficulty whatever in keep¬ 
ing the borers out of peach trees, if you will 
only begin in time. The beetle motli, which 
is the parent of the borer, deposits her eggs 
on the stem near the ground. To prevent, 
this, wrap brown paper about the stems, 
allowing it to reach a little below the surface 
of the soil and a foot or more above. Then 
coat the paper with coal or other tar, renew¬ 
ing it every spring before the moths appear. 
If the beetles once get into the tree, they 
may be dug out. with a small gouge, knife, or 
crushed by inserting a wire into the holes 
made by them in the wood. 
We are inclined to think the wiring of the 
branches of the tree named had nothing 
whatever to do with its fruiting, so far as 
supplying iron to the tree is concerned ; 
neither will the adding of iron filings to the 
soil promote fruitfulness or prevent the at- ! 
tacks of Insects. These supposed remedies 
of disease in peach trees have been tried 
many times without producing satisfactory 
results. But you can experiment in this di¬ 
rection and satisfy yourself as to the efficacy 
of boring holes in the wood, filling them with 
iron, sulphur, or any other mineral substance. 
♦ - - ■ 
ARBORICULTURAL NOTES. 
Honey Locust for Hedges in the West..— 
An Illinoisan asks the Rural New-Yorker's 
readers in the West to give their experience 
with the honey locust for hedge. They will 
please do so: meantime the Western Rural 
says:—Mr. A. R. Whitney of Franklin 
Grove, 111., who has had extensive experi¬ 
ence with the honey locust, and is enthusias¬ 
tic in the belief that it is one of the most 
valuable hedging plants for the West, writes 
us that the seeds stioulrl have scalding water 
poured over them aud soaked until four 
times their natural size. Plant in drills at 
coin-planting time or when the soil is warm 
and friable, one inch deep in rich soil. The 
rows may be wide enough apart to give case 
in cultivation. At two years old they may 
be transplanted into the hedge rows where 
they are to stand, from one foot to sixteen 
inches apart. It will require from three- 
quarters to one pound of seed for eighty rods 
of hedge. We think there is no doubt that 
the honey locust will be hardy in Colorado. 
Root, Pruning to Prevent Pears Crack 
ing.—A. Furnas of lad., writes the Country 
Gentleman Some six years since, one of 
my White Doyenne pear trees had never 
yielded any good fruit on account of its 
cracking. This had been the case for three 
consecutive crops. On stating this fact to Dr. 
Hull of Alton, M., he told me to root prune 
the tree thoroughly and he would pay for 
the entire crop, if it did not prove a com¬ 
plete remedy. This I did by shortening as 
near as I could judge about one-fourth of 
the roots some fifteen inches from the tree, 
the collar of which was about five inches in 
diameter. This checked the growth of the 
tree so that it made but little new wood the 
succeeding year, while at the same time it 
bore a full crop of perfectly smooth, nice 1 
fruit. This tree lias continued to fruit ever 
since, with no recurrence of the cracking.” 
Transplanting I Evergreens. —The editor of 
the American Garden says, “ The best time 
to transplant evergreens is from the middle 
of August to the middle of October.” We 
don’t question the fact that evergreens, or 
even deciduous trees, can be transplanted at. 1 
any time—provided the operator knows his 
business; but practical experience in this 1 
country shows us that just as the spring 
buds ol’ the evergreen enlarge is the time to i 
transplant, with success, by an unex- ■ 
perienced hand. With all due deference i 
and respect to the editor of the American 
Garden, we feel like saying to him your 
writings show from whence came your 
ideas, and these are contrary to actual prac¬ 
tical experience in any portion of the United 
States.— e. 
“ Garden Practice, in the Olden Time ,”— 
The above is the heading of an article in the 
American Garden. Whether the editor is 
Hogg or mule Is a question, when he tells us 
that after reading all the wonderful results 
and experiences that were recommended in 
the 17th century, back to 172'.i, he thinks to¬ 
day the following, which he quotes and we 
from him, is the way to plant trees ! 
And since that fruit trees are apt to shoot 
down tap-roots into the lower strains where 
the moisture being crude oiui unprepared, 
renders their fruits insipid and growth luxu¬ 
rious ; ’tis much the best wav, when we 
plant our trees for not only to "prune away 
every root that seems to tend downwards, 
but to pave the bottom with tile shreds, brick¬ 
bats, fro., also prevent others, which na¬ 
ture may afterwards produce from entering 
therein. 
Whew ! Where is the planter in America 
who would follow such teaching ? Should 
any one follow it, he would be hissed and 
ridiculed by experienced true planters the 
country over. Let the Editor of the Garden 
go and learn a little of practical life in Amer¬ 
ica ere advising culture that is only consonant 
and applicable to lands suffering and soured 
with moisture.— F. R. E. 
A Blundering Error .— One of the N. Y. 
city Agricultural editors allows a paragrsph 
advising the “Japan Yew,” Taxus adpres- 
8a, as a hardy dwarf evergreen, suited to 
the filling up of vacancies on the lawn or in 
; the cemetery. It is time the Taxus ad- 
pressa, our native yew, is one of the most 
hardy ; the Taxus ericoidcs is next; but is 
a more erect and slender grower. Taxus 
stricta is a dense grower, and one of the 
finest; but al! the Yews when exposed to 
the clear suns of our winters, will bum and 
brown their foliage, unless the planter 
knows enough to place their roots in soil 
ever moist and eooJ. which can only be done 
by a judicious use of soil and rocks, into aud 
among which the roots are spread.— Frank 
A mon. 
The Tea Plant in Delaware .— Seeing a. no¬ 
tice of some tea, some time ago, sent to the 
Rural New-Yorker for inspection and trial 
by Mrs. R. 1. Seriven, Liberty County, 
Georgia, I sent on and got 6ome seeds of the 
tea plant., which I planted. About thirty or 
forty plants came up and grew finely. Some 
I keep in the house, sheltered ui a sunny cel¬ 
lar window. One is still outsino exposed to 
frost and cold and looks about as v eil as 
those in the house this Christmas day. I 
had some tea prepared from the leaves and 
it tasted very well, but it takes old ladies to 
say how good the tea is. I think T am the 
pioneer in tea tree raising in Wilmington, 
Delaware. a. c. b. 
Protecting Trees from Rabbits, Mice, &c., 
During Winter.— Remedies are abundant, 
but perhaps ashes around the base, four 
inches high, is otic of the best and cheapest 
remedies against mice alone. The next best 
is probably tar paper, set with the lower 
end surrounding the tree two inches below 
the surface, while the top is twenty inches 
above. This is a cheap and sure thing 
against mice and rabbits. For injury of 
rabbils alone, wrapping of straw or corn 
stalks around the base or stem of the tree 
one and a half to two feet from the ground, 
will almost invariably insure good results. 
—E. 
Beech as a Hedge Plant .—About March- 
mont beech hedges line the public roads for 
miles, and aro quite an ornament to the 
country. There is no doubt that beech is 
about the very best plant for hedges, and 
that it forms a better protection to animals 
than thorn. In planting a beech hedge, a 
standard thorn planted at certain distances 
apart would produce a good effect, especially 
if trimmed a little with the shears once a 
year, to keep the heads in shape, but not, of 
course, to such an extent as to spoil the flow¬ 
ering in spring.—H. K., in Garden. 
Oifersor Basket Willow .—Will you inform 
m? what species of willow is used for basket 
making and other willow ware ; also where 
cuttings can be obtained ?— William Night¬ 
ingale. 
The species usually planted for the pur¬ 
poses named, is the Sallx viminalis, com¬ 
monly known among nurserymen as Basket 
Willow or Osiers. We presume almost any 
of our numerymen can furnish the cutting , 
as we frequently see them advertised as well 
as mentioned in catalogues. 
It is a good time in wiuter to fix upon the 
spots in your grounds where evergreens 
would look well and warm them up, and 
stick a stake there. 
