plants  that  may  be  propagated  in  the  way  we 
have  described,  bccauHe.  among  those  generally 
used,  either  tender  or  hardy,  for  bedding  pur¬ 
poses  or  for  shrubberies,  those  that  cannot  bo  so 
propagated  are  the  exception,  not  the  rule. 
well-cultivated  jilant,  under  favorable  ciroum- 
stanoes,  will  produce  hundreds  of  corymbs  dur¬ 
ing  one  season.  For  decorative  purposes  wo 
know  of  no  better  plant.  Var.  Ituporatrice  Eu¬ 
genio  is  a  beautiful  plant,  with  tricolored  petals 
of  white,  rose  and  bluo,  Yar.  MncrocophaJa,  is 
of  a  delicate  rose  color,  with  very  largo  individ¬ 
ual  flowers.  Thunbergia  flor.  Persica  is  a  very 
pretty  dwarf-growing  species,  with  peach-colored 
flowers,  and  a  very  free  bloomer. 
Otaksa  is  a  variety  producing  immense 
trusses  of  rose-colored  flowers  in  groat 
profusion.  The  /l!/drange<t  pnuiciilaift 
grandifiora  is,  however,  the  most  mag- 
^  nifleent  of  all,  a  shrub  from  eight  to  ton 
\  high— panmdala  will 
\\  never  attain  tho  height  of  eight  feet  in 
y  V  this  climate — nor  liavo  wo  ever  scon  a 
1  u  P*niiclo  18  iuebes  in  length. — Ed.]— with 
^  panicles  of  flowers  from  twelve  to  oight- 
I  eon  indies  in  length,  at  first  of  a  piu-o 
1  y  white,  gradually  changing  to  a  bright  pink 
'  y  and  rose  color,  retaining  their  beauty 
I  ^  destroyed  by  frost  in  December. 
(  4  Single  Hijocimens,  under  good  cultiva- 
^  tiou,  will  support  a  hundred  largo  panicles 
of  flowers,  and  planted  in  groups,  pro- 
duce  a  most  gorgeous  effect.  Its  profuse 
blooming,  line  habit  and  perfect  hardiness, 
makes  it  one  of  tlic  most  desirable  flowering 
shrubs  ill  cultivation.  W.  B.  Beroholz. 
the  distance  increases  from  the 
iunor  to  the 
outer  planets.  Mercury  would  be  in  a  state  of 
fusion,  and  tho  comets  that  have  passed  inside 
of  tlie  orbit  of  Mercury  would  have  been  diaai- 
pated  into  an  invisible  gas,  and  the  outer  planets 
and  comets,  in  their  passage  from  the  sun, 
would  bo  bound  in  perpetual  chains  of  frost  and 
ice -iicithor  of  which  is  tho  case.  .5.  It  is  not 
true  that  tho  acpioous  vapour  of  our  atmosphere 
absorbs  much  of  the  sun’s  heat  before  it  reaches 
our  eartii ;  for  tJjo  higher  regions  of  our  aiitios- 
phere  are  colder  and  increase  in  cold  as  you 
asceud  from  the  earth's  lower  plane  till  you 
reach  its  highest  mountains,  where  vegetation  is 
impossible  in  ccmBoipieuco  of  iiorpotual  frost  and 
snow,  oven  in  tropical  climates. 
Tho  cauMO  of  solar  heat,  then,  must  be  looked 
f<»r  on  a  different  principle  from  that  of  nulia- 
tlou  from  tho  central  orb  of  our  solar  sy.Mtem. 
Heat  is  not  an  entity  with  an  independent  oxis- 
teuco.  It  is  dependent  upon  some  cause,  and 
may  bo  piYslnced  Ijy  mechanical  action,  friction, 
01  Compression  of  material  substaucos,  or  by 
chemical  action.  My  tlioory  is  tliat  heat  is  pro¬ 
duced  by  the  passage  of  the  rays  of  light  through 
oiu"  atmosphere,  wliicli  is  in  the  form  of  a  con- 
A  SIMPLE  METHOD  OF  STKIKING 
CUTTINGS. 
RHEXIA  VIRGINICA. 
Meadow  Beauty  is  the  familiar  name  of  this. 
Our  object  in  calling  attention  to  it  is  to  show 
how  differently  in  this  country  aud  in  England 
There  is  no  time  in  the  whole  year  better  than 
the  present  for  making  aud  striking  outtingB  of 
shrubs,  be<ldiiig  or  other  plants  of  which  we  de¬ 
sire  to  increase  our  stock.  The  following  Is  the 
simplest  ati<l  most  efticacious  metJiod  we  have 
over  tried.  It  is,  in  fact,  so  easily  managed  that 
we  hop)e  our  young  friends  wlio  have  never 
thought  of  "striking  cuttings”  before,  wHl  give 
it  a  trial.  By  following  our  simple  directions, 
and  the  means  are  within  the  roa<di  of  all.  wo  are 
reasonably  confident  that  their  efforts  will  be 
crowned  with  a  success  that  will  encourage  to 
further  exertions  in  the  gay  and  doliglitful  field 
of  floriculture. 
A  flowor-pot  eigiit  inches  in  diameter  answers 
as  well  as  any  otlmr  size,  though  of  the  two.  a 
the  plant  is  estimated.  It  is  blooming  now,  and 
may  bo  found  in  most  meadows  thi’oughout  the 
country. 
The  stems  are  about  two  feet  in  height,  for  tho 
most  part  un branching.  They  arc  round,  with 
four  vertical  foliacoous  wings,  wiiich  make  tliom 
scorn  angular.  The  leaves,  sharply-toothed  and 
hairy,  grow  nearly  perpoudicularly,  prominently 
three-reined,  as  shtnvn  in  tho  cut.  The  anthers 
are  long,  tapering,  of  a  golden-yellow  color.  Tho 
flower  somewhat  rcsembUis  Geraydmn  vinoidct- 
turn  in  color  and  size,  but  it  is  very  perishable, 
dropping  off  if  touchod.  'J'iiis,  with  tlie  couspio 
nous  urn-shaped  calyx,  is  fairly  shown  in  the 
engraviiig. 
Of  tills  ])lant  which,  strange  to  say,  has  never 
struck  us  as  worthy  of  being  introduced  into  the 
garden,  tlie  Journal  of  llorticulturo  (London) 
speaks  as  follows: — "  Ilhoxia  Virginica  was  in¬ 
troduced  to  our  gardens  as  far  hack  as  1759  ;  the 
plants  of  this  species  reipiiro  care  and  skill  to 
cultivate  them  successfully.  Rliexias  are  hut 
little  known  and  loss  cultivated,  and  are  seldom 
mot  with.  There  are  only  four  or  live  kinds 
enumerated  iu  some  of  the  best  works  we  have, 
but  they  are  a  race  of  plants  of  great  lioauty  and 
ought  not  to  remain  longer  in  the  background. 
It  rerpiircB  time  to  get  them  cstabUnhed,  ami, 
exwpt  for  {•icroase,  the  plants  sitould  not  bo  dis¬ 
turbed.  They  are  summor-bloonnng  plants  of 
groat  beauty,  and  ought  to  be  ranch  morecuiti- 
vatfsl  than  they  are  at  tho  present.  When  well 
growo  aud  caught  in  condition,  tliey  woulii  prove 
telling  plants  fur  exhibition  pm'posos  in  coJlec- 
NOTES, 
ni.nu  muuiujii.,  smoe  Ulo  unmonsc  evaj)- 
oratiou  caustid  by  the  beat  and  sballowucss  of 
the  boxes  genoraUy  used,  render  it  imneoessary. 
But  irithont  liollom  heat,  nuloss  the  drainage  is 
perfect,  tho  water  voiy  soon  stagnates  and  the 
resulting  acids  cause  the  cuttings  to  damp  off  at 
once. 
With  the  space  in  the  jint  beneath  tlie  inverted 
saucer^empty ,  lot  us  illl  to  tlio  brim  abovo  with 
coarse  sand,  as  ooarso  as  is  over  usod  for  mortar 
— licst  sifting*  .'ind  washing  it  until  thoroughly 
cleansed.  Place  it  on  a  nick  or  stand  in  a  win¬ 
dow  wliich  receives  tho  morning  sun  until  noon 
and  saturate  it  with  water.  Anotlier  saucer  or 
some  otheg  vessel  will  be  required  to  reoelvo  it 
as  it  passes  through.  Wo  jioed  not,  as  when  Hat 
boxes  are  omploycilr^io  ijiuch  fear  watering  too 
illlll  iscflll 
Waterproof  BijAcktno. — Dissolve  an  ounce  of 
borax  in  water,  and  in  this  dissolve  guru  shollao 
until  it  is  the  cousistenoy  of  thin  paste ;  add 
lamjrblack  to  color.  Tlris  makes  a  cheap  and  ex¬ 
cellent  blacking  for  boots,  giving  them  tho  polish 
of  new  leather.  The  slielliic  makes  tho  boots 
or  shoes  almost  entirely  waterproof.  Camphor 
dissolved  in  alcohol,  added  to  tho  blacking,  makes 
the  leather  more  iiliable  and  keeps  it  from  crack¬ 
ing.  This  is  sold  at  iiOc.  for  a  small  bottle.  By 
making  it  yourself,  a  dollar  will  buy  materials  fop 
a  gallon. 
WHERE  THE  HEAT  COMES  FROM 
Among  the  many  “theories 
advanced  by 
scientists  in  regard  to  transmission  of  solar  heat 
to  thrs  earth,  the  following  from  Dr.  ADA.M  Mil¬ 
ler  of  Chicago  appears  to  como  nearer  common 
sense  and  within  the  range  of  reason  than  any 
wo  liavo  over  road  : 
The  extraordinary  liot  weather  we  have  en¬ 
dured  for  sGvca-al  weeks  past  may  well  excite  an 
inquiry  into  the  probable  cause  of  tho  unusual 
range  of  tho  thermometer  during  this  time. 
According  to  tho  old  .and  long-established  the¬ 
ories,  tliat  tlic  sun  is  an  intensely-heated  bo<ly, 
whoso  flames  are  suppiwted  by  some  combusti¬ 
ble  materials ;  or  the  more  recent  theory,  that 
boat  is  a  "  mode  of  motion  "  produced  by  a  con¬ 
traction  of  tho  mass  of  tho  solar  orb,  and  that 
heat  produced  by  oitlier  of  the  abovo  named  the¬ 
ories  is  radiated  from  tlie  sun  to  ail  tho  planets 
of  the  sohii-  system,  and  that  it  diminishes  as  the 
square  of  the  distance  IncrcaBos,  we  would  bo  led 
to  conclude  IJiat  just  at  this  time  there  is  either 
an  extra  amount  of  meteoric  matter  falling  upon 
the  sun,  or  an  unusual  force  of  conti-aotion  go¬ 
ing  on  in  his  subatanco,  and  consequently  caus¬ 
ing  him  to  pour  an  muisual  amount  of  heat  upon 
our  earth. 
But,  unfortunately  for  this  theory  of  heat  radi¬ 
ation  from  tho  sun,  it  is  not  true,  notwithstand¬ 
ing  the  great  names  that  have  given  it  their  aup- 
port,  aud  the  ingenious  arguments  offered  in  its 
favor.  What  are  tho  most  plausible  theories 
worth,  when  they  are  contradicted  by  plain  stub¬ 
born  facts  in  physical  science  ? 
Among  the  facts  that  confront  tlie  theory  of 
heat  radiation  wo  may  name  tho  following : _ 1. 
The  space  between  us  and  the  sun  is  cold  beyond 
any  degree  known  to  torrestrial  inhabitants,  and 
heat  could  not  rafliate  tlirough  this  oold  space  to 
our  earth.  2.  We  aro  now  about  three  milliimi^ 
of  miles  fui'ther  from  the  sun  Uiau  we  wore  on 
tho  2l8t  of  December.  3.  Heat  does  not  pass 
through  distant  sjiace  like  ligbt  or  sound,  and 
has  a  very  liuiited  sphere  for  operation  from  its 
source.  4.  If  heat  diminislios  as  tlie 
EXCHANGE 
x>.  n.  Crane,  OrleauH,  Neb. — I  like  your  idea 
of  exchange.  I  shall  have,  in  their  season,  for 
exchange,  seeds  of  Euplwrbia  marginata  or 
Snow  on  the  Mountains ;  Verhenn  McnUaiia 
(jierfoctly  hardy  here)  and  Negundo  acerortilen  or 
Box  Elder. 
Plants— iit'/iranAia  iincinata or  Sensitive  Brier ; 
Yucca  artgusli folia  ;  Ctpunlia  vulgaris  or  Prickly 
I  oar,  and  jMa7riniilaKi/i  ituwrfpfisris .  I  can  also 
furnish  the  curious  with  seeds  of  Holanurn  ros- 
tralurn,  the  plant  on  which  tiio  Coloriwlo  Beetle 
fed  before  he  put  himself  on  a  potato  diet.  Not 
notetl  for  beauty.  Tho  above  oro  all  wild.  From 
my  garden  I  can  furnish  Gannas  and  Tuberoses. 
CALOMEL  FOR  HOG  DISEASE 
I  Calomel  was  at  one  time  supposed  to  bo  al¬ 
most  a  specific  for  all  the  disease  which  “flesh 
is  iieir  to,"  and  wlnle  this  remedial  agent  will 
probably  never  go  out  of  use  it  has  lost  some  of  its 
popularity.  Wo  notice  that  a  correspondent  of 
the  Sonlhern  Farmer  recommends  calomel  for 
disease  of  swine  and  wo  give  his  experience. 
Last  fall  I  bad  a  litter  of  eight  choice  pigs 
somewhat  similarly  attapked.  They  became 
scabby  about  tho  eyes  and  bones  of  tho  head, 
would  oat  mincingly,  pnrgo,  cough,  dwindle— 
and  all  died  in  from  one  to  three  weeks  after  the 
attacks,  although  1  used  various  remedies,  none 
of  which  seemod  to  have  any  good  affect.  Soon 
after  these  all  died,  one  pig  of  another  litter  was 
attacked,  and  as  an  experiment  I  gave  it  about 
fifteen  grains  of  calomel,  and  it  got  well  imme¬ 
diately,  aud  none  of  the  others  became  affected. 
This  spring,  the  same  sow  whioli  lost  all  her  pigs 
last  fall,  had  another  litter,  and  when  a  fow 
weeks  old  they  began  with  the  bad  symptoms, 
and  two  died  before  I  thought  of  tho  calomel.  I 
gave  it  to  four  others  affected,  and  all  got  well. 
From  tlieso  experiments  and  their  success,  1 
deem  thoir  publication  worth  the  attention  of 
tho  farmers,  I  notice  the  same  disease  prevails 
amongst  pigs  in  Ohio  and  other  localities,  and  I 
have  great  faith  in  calomel  as  a  remedy,  be  tho 
square  of  I  iliseoso  what  it  may. 
HYDRANGEA 
