344  THE  RyUAL  WEW-YORKER.  fjOV.  2S 
important  item  of  pruning.  The  California 
Privet  i.s  accused  of  lapsing  into  nakedness  near 
the  base,  and  losing  thorohy  lioth  symmetry  and 
usefulness.  This  is  a  serious  diftlculty,  but  an 
intelligent  use  of  tlio  pruning-knife  removes  all 
such  objection.  Coincident  with  setting  out, 
the  plant  should  bo  cut  back  to  about  one  foot 
or  more,  according  to  strength,  and  tlien  allowed 
to  grow  for  two  years  untouched,  attaining,  per¬ 
haps,  a  hight  of  four  feet.  At  the  expiration  of 
that  time,  one-lialf  tlio  grow  th  just  made  should 
bo  removed,  when  a  strong,  thick  mass  will  ac¬ 
cumulate  below,  Kuccee^lcd  (if  left  untouched,  as 
it  should  be)  by  a  corrospimdlng  growth  of  the 
top  in  the  following  year.  This  process  may  be 
rcpoatt:d  during  another  two  years,  if  HtUl  greater 
hight  be  desired,  with  always  the  result  of  a  per¬ 
fectly-furnished.  well-developed  hedge.  To  re¬ 
tain  this  perfection,  however,  for  a  greater  length 
of  timo  after  tho  desired  hight  is  attained,  all 
wood  made  diming  the  previous  Iavo  years  should 
1)0  removeil  just  below  the  commencement  of 
these  two  seasons’  growth. 
This  system,  with  modifications,  will  be  found 
to  acconnilish  tho  object  desired  with  all  hedges, 
whether  ovorgroon  or  deciduous.  It  is  only  by 
cutting  back  into  tho  old  wood  every  two  years 
that  a  w’oll-balanced  growth  of  both  to])  and  base 
can  be  obtained,  for  base  and  toji  will  not  grow 
equally  both  years.  It  must  lie  first  tho  base 
and  then  the  top. 
Nothing  can  he  more  beautiful  than  the  Cali¬ 
fornia  Privet  treated  in  this  way,  and  it  is  only 
a  womliir  that,  known  as  it  has  been  through  so 
many  years,  smno  one  has  not  nndortakim  to 
trumpet  Its  merits  as  tho  hedge  ])l:iut  par  cxcel- 
kmov..  Perfect  it  is  not,  for,  like  all  vigorous 
deoldiKrtis  shnihs,  it  is  lialilo  occasionally  to  wiu- 
ler-kill,  on  low  ground,  in  its  tops  of  inqierfectly- 
ripenod  wood,  but  in  making  up  a  list  of  practi¬ 
cal,  ornamental  hedge  plants,  it  must  always 
take  rank  among  the  best. 
SAMUEt,  PAUSOMK,  JiI. 
Stokrs  &  Harrison  deserve  the  thanks  of 
this  nation  for  saying  so  ranch  in  favor  of  this 
valuable  tree ;  but  within  tho  experience  of 
nearly  all  those  who  have  trioil  it  in  the  entire 
West,  it  has  proved  a  great  failure  to  endeavor 
to  make  it  a  snccoss  by  transplanting. 
Now,  this  President  probably  had  tho  s.ame 
experience  tliat  nearly  all  others  have  had  in 
transplanting  the  Chestnut,  and  jumped  at  the 
conclusion  that  the  tree  was  too  wort) dess  to 
waste  tlie  time  of  tho  fJocicty  in  its  discussion- 
My  owm  ©xiiorionco  and  observation,  however, 
have  taught  me  that  it  is  one  of  the  niost  rapidly 
growing  of  trees  when  the  seeds  are  planted 
just  where  tho  trees  are  expected  to  remain, 
and  these  will  need  no  more  care  after  the  (irst 
year  than  cither  an  Oak  or  a  Hickory.  Tliey 
will  grow  rapidly  and  mako  a  deliglitful  grove, 
and  in  jive  or  six  years  wiU  begin  to  bear  fruit. 
My  grove  of  1 10  trees  has  been  the  admiration 
of  all  who  have  seen  it. 
Storiw  A  HAitnrsoN  are  exports  in  the  prepara¬ 
tion  of  Chestnut  seeds,  which  they  grow  as 
readily  as  so  many  grains  of  corn.  I  would 
rather  pay  ten  jirices  for  seed  in  tho  spring, 
jmepared  and  sent  out  by  this  Arm.  than  take 
two-year-old  trees  fortransjilantiug  as  a  gratuity. 
Not  less  tliau  ono  bundled  thousand  farmers 
in  the  West  should  plant  Chestnut  seed.s  next 
Hjiriiig,  and  with  the  same  jirotectioii  that  should 
bo  given  an  orchard  for  tho  first  five  years,  all 
will  lie  astonished  at  tlio  rajiid  groirth  of  their 
ti’oos.  When  ill  full  foUage  the  Chestnut  is  ono 
of  the  handsomest  of  our  deciduous  trees,  and  it 
is  valuablo  for  its  fruit  and  timber. 
D.  W.  Kaukituan. 
Bca  Moines,  Iowa. 
1  With  all  due  deference  to  tho  opinion  and  ex¬ 
perience  of  our  corresixmdent  and  desjiito  the 
foolish  assertion  of  the  President  of  the  Horticul¬ 
tural  Society  nained,  we  still  hold  that  I’hestniit 
trees  may  ho,  and  have  been,  transplanted  with 
as  great  success  as  the  Apjilo,  I’ear,  Phini,  I'eaeh 
and  Cherry.  Civo  them  tho  same  preparatory 
manii)uliitions  in  the  nursery,  and  there  will  bo 
an  abundance  of  lateral  and  fibrous  roots  either 
uj)ou  tho  ynimg  or  old  trees. 
Chostnnt  trees  sent  out  from  nurseries  maybe 
injured  dining  transit,  and  when  planted  out 
barely  live,  remaining  sickly  and  feeble  until 
finally  tliey  die,  just  as  Apple,  Pear  and  other 
fruit  trees  have  done  in  thousauds  of  instances ; 
hut  this  is  no  goial  reason  for  placing  tho  Chest¬ 
nut  among  trees  difiicult  to  transplant  and  mako 
live. 
Wo  hajiiien  to  reside  in  a  riigion  where  Chest¬ 
nut  trees  abound,  and  we  have  also  had  eonsid- 
orablc  exi'oiioijce  in  Iraiisjilaiitirig  seedlings 
from  tho  nnrserios  and  trees  from  the  wooils, 
couscquently  our  conclusiou  in  regard  to  the  fa¬ 
cility  with  which  the  Chestnut  may  bo  removed 
is  not  founded  ujioii  theory,  but  upon  practical 
experience. — llo.  Hukal.J 
drove  on  before  we  could  reply  had  we  felt  so 
disposed ! 
Upon  inquiry,  wc  found  that  this  Christian 
German  farmer  deemed  it  no  sin  to  loail  his 
farm  wagon  with  market  Irnek  on  Sunday  night 
so  as  to  be  ready  for  an  early  start  for  nuirket 
the  following  morning — and  in  this  work  lie 
obliged  his  farm  hands  to  participate. 
THE  JEFFERIS  APPLE 
AxroNO  tho  many  good  old  Pennsylvania  ap¬ 
ples.  the  .Tofferis  still  holds  its  owu  in  the  list  of 
choice  sorts.  It  originated  _ 
in  Chester  t'-onnty,  Pa., 
where  it  has  long  been  quite 
jxipular,  and  it  also  has  / 
some  repnlallon  in  other  / 
Rtates.  Tho  accomiianjung  / 
outline  shows  its  general 
fiizG  and  form.  Tlio  growth 
of  tho  frees  is  moderate, 
hut  they  are  wonderfully  j 
productive. 
Fruit  medium  oblate,  in-  \ 
dining  to  conic,  yellow  \ 
shaded  and  splashed  with  \ 
crimson  and  thickly  cov-  \ 
fired  with  whitish  dots.  \ 
Rtalk  very  short,  inserted  in 
a  rather  largo  cavity ;  cal- 
yx  oloseil,  set  in  a  round, 
open  basin.  Flosli  white, 
tender,  juicy,  with  a  rich,  mild  sub-acid  flavor. 
llijiens  in  Seiiteinbor,  and  is  generally  conceded 
to  bo  a  first-rate  sort. 
Now  wo  have  waited  four  years  for  this 
Christian  German  farmer  to  fnliill  that  promise, 
viz.,  athiiid  to  our  hnsiness  as  well  as  his  own 
and  we  are  driven  to  tho  conclusion  that  if 
piling  nmniiro  about  tho  stems  of  old  apple 
trees  is  a  fair  st>ecimen  of  the  way  in  wliich  ho 
"minds  his  own  hnsiness”  wo  should  never 
voluntarily  engage  him  to  attend  to  ours. 
The  moral  is  this: — If  our  German  friend 
would  spend  a  trifle  for  an  agricultural  paper 
and  read  a  little  more  and  think  less  of  others' 
affairs,  he  ivonld  put  less  manure  about  tho 
stems  of  his  old  apple  trees  and  more  money 
into  his  pockets. 
CIONS  FROM  NURSERY  TREES, 
Ykar-s  ago,  the  question  as  to  whetlior  the 
cions  taken  from  trees  growing  in  the  nursery 
were  as  good,  or  would  come  into  bearing  as 
early  as  those  from  old  orelnird  trees,  was  jiretty 
thoroughly  disenssed  in  our  liorticnltnral  journ¬ 
als.  Wo  believe  it  was  then  conceded,  by  men 
having  had  most  experience  in  ijrojiugating  ti'ees, 
that  no  perceptible  difference  could  1)0  observed 
in  the  fruiting  of  cions  taken  from  olil  or  young 
trees.  But  these  long-a-go  discussions  have,  in 
a  measure,  passed  out  of  the  reach  M  the  yomig 
orchardists  of  the  yirosent  day.  and  it  is  hut  nat¬ 
ural  they  should  ask  qnostioiis  on  this  )wiiit,  for 
tho  world  travels  in  a  circle,  as  it  were,  and  eacli 
generation  is  likely  to  want  tlio  samelsiiid  of  in¬ 
formation  as  tJjo  fine  immediately  jireceeding  it. 
Our  young  nnrscrymeii  and  orchardists  need 
have  no  fear  of  using  cions  from  healthy  young 
trees,  ivhether  they  are  standing  in  nursery  rows 
or  planted  out  and  of  hearing  ago. 
TREE  NOVELTIES 
EvERiiRKESs  are  mainly  prized  for  their  green 
foliage  during  winter.  How,  in  the  rage  for  va¬ 
riegated  jilants  our  tastes  may  be  changed  or 
perverted,  is  shown  in  the  following,  <Xipied from 
tho  London  Field ; 
The  Golden  Seoren  Fir. — A  Scotch  Fir,  tho 
leaves  of  which  turn  yellow  in  winter  and  be¬ 
come  of  tho  normal  green  in  summer.  This 
kind  of  variegation  is  also  not  likely  to  dwarf  the 
tree  or  destroy  any  of  its  parts — unlike  tho  total 
and  constant  blanching  of  iiarts  of  Gonifers, 
which  generally  results  ill  tho  death  of  tho  said 
jiarts.  Another  variety  of  tho  same  trees  has 
the  tip  of  each  leaf  of  a  silvery  hue  ;  it  is  called 
avyi^nien  vnrv'gnla.  This  variogiil.inii  also  comes 
on  in  winter,  and  then  every  leaf  has  its  silvery 
THE  CHESTNUT, 
In  a  late  number  of  the  Kural  New'-Yorker  I 
noticed  aii  article  in  reference  to  transplanting 
the  ChcHtiiiit,  and  with  yoim  iiermission  will  note 
some  fatits  in  regard  to  it : 
Tho  Chestnut  tree  has  some  of  tho  iiocnllari- 
ties  of  tho  Hickory,  in  this,  tliat  it  has  hut  few 
side  or  lateral  roots,  and  it  is  a  well-known  I'act 
to  all  (.ree  jilauters  th.at  Hioro  ia  a  great  dilliciiKy 
in  making  troos  do  well,  after  tr-jnsplaiij^iig. 
that  have  but  few  lateral  roots.  Such  trees 
may  indeed  live,  but  they  are  very  likely  to 
make  but  a  very  slow  growth. 
Tlje  Hickory.  Black  Walnut,  Chestnut,  Wild 
PI  mu  and  many  other  trees  have  a  long  tai>root 
,‘ind  will  grow  tjuite  indifferently  after  trans¬ 
planting.  Henco  the  groat  canso  of  tho  little 
favor  with  whieli  tho  Chostnnt  is  looked  uiiim  by 
tree-planters  gonei-ally. 
Nine-tenths  of  all  troo-plantors  obtain  their 
suiiplies  of  trees  and  shrubs  at  tho  nursorios, 
rogai’dlcsB  of  the  fact  that  some  varieties  of 
trees  hoar  tran.s]))anting  bailly,  on  acconut  of  a 
very  doficient  supply  of  roots,  and  for  this  reason 
llio  Chestnut  is  one  of  tho  most  difiicult  to 
transplant  successfully. 
I  have  nj)OU  my  grounds  two  Chestnut  trees 
that  were  transfilaiited  in  tho  siiring  of  ISCfi  that 
are  now  only  about  eight  feet  high  and  seven 
inches  in  cu’cumferenoe  a  foot  from  tho  ground. 
They  are  apparently  healthy,  but  have  made 
Buoh  poor  growth  tliat  If  I  hail  not  had  other 
exiierience  I  should  discard  the  Chestnut  b’oe 
as  entirely  worthless  for  any  purpose.  The 
same  spring  (1806)  I  jilauted  a  quantity  of 
Chestnut  seeds  just  where  I  wanted  a  grove. 
These  came  up  finely  and  grew  1(1  to  80  inches 
tho  first  season.  They  were  slightly  covered  tiie 
first  winter,  and  afterwards  left  ox]»osed  to  test 
their  hardiness.  I  have  since  found  tliom  ns 
eapablo  of  withstanding  tho  climate  as  any  of 
onr  native  trees,  and  they  aro  now,  at  eleven 
years,  from  20  to  .80  foot  high,  and  from  12  to  20 
inches  in  ciivumfcrcuce.  Nearly  all  of  them 
have  liorne  fruit  for  five  years,  and  in  size  and 
rajiidity  of  growih  they  are  not  much  inferior  to 
most  other  decidnons  trees  for  lawn  or  grove, 
and  are  innch  more  valnahlo. 
As  transplanted  trees  they  are,  for  tlie  fore¬ 
going  roasons,  almost  worthless,  and  most  jicr- 
sous  who  have  tried  them  by  transplanting  have 
had  such  indifferent  success  Unit  nearly  all  arc 
re.ad.Y  to  pronounce  them  worthless.  Ho  well 
fixed  is  this  fact  in  tho  minds  of  the  people  gen¬ 
erally  that  at  the  meeting  of  tho  Iowa  State 
Uorticultm-al  Society  at  Ues  Moines,  Jan.  10, 
1872.  tho  then  newiy-electcd  J’resident  would 
not  iiormit  oven  a  moment's  discussion  on  tho 
Chostnnt,  but  immediately  rapped  tho  spoaker 
doivn,  saying  that  the  Chestnut  was  so  entirely 
worthless  as  a  tree  for  any  pm’pose  that  he 
would  not  allow  any  timo  to  be  wasted  in  its  dis¬ 
cussion. 
MANURING  THE  STEMS  OF  APPLE  TREES, 
It  is  donbtlesH  a  safe  rule  to  act  upon, 
that  the  roots  of  a  fruit  tree  extend  out  hitorally 
as  far  as  the  branches.  In  a  neighboring  orch¬ 
ard  aro  fifty  apple  trees,  so  old,  many  of  them, 
that  large  branches  arc  dead  or  dying.  Tho  pro- 
])rietor  with  a  view  jirobably  of  invigorating  or 
resuscitating  those  old  specimens  that  might 
better  bo  cut  up  into  kindling  wood  and  their 
room  filled  with  young  and  vigorous  trees,  has 
dumped  around  each  jicrhaps  a  quarter  of  a 
load  of  fine  old  horse  uiamire,  forming  a  cone 
with  a  base  not  more  than  four  foot  in  ihameter. 
Last  fall  those  old  trees  were  treated  in  tho 
same  w.ay.  Whether  it  was  because  the  effect 
was  highly  satisfactory  or  because  there  was  no 
effect  at  all  and  ho  was  determined  to  test  what 
ho  believed  to  bo  a  tip-top  plan  by  a  second 
year’s  application,  that  induced  its  repetition, 
we  can  not  say.  Certain  it  is  that  tho  same 
amount  of  manure  might  just  as  woll  liavo  been 
])ilcd  about  the  posts  of  tlio  fence  snn'onnding 
tliis  orchard  for  all  tlio  good  it  would  work 
upon  tho  ai»])le  l.rees.  Not  less  tliaii  twelve 
loads  of  mamiro  wore  thus  squandered,  worth  at 
least  in  the  aggregate  twenty-fivo  dollars. 
Bight  hero,  good  reader,  pai’dou  ns  if  we  tell 
yon  an  incident  Irorn  which,  in  connection  irith 
the  above,  a  valnahlc  lesson  may  be  drawn. 
Four  yeai'S  ago,  wo  were  laboring  to  carry  a 
great  nimibor  of  lawn  and  bedding  jilants 
through  a  severe  local  di'ought — and  to  this  end 
w©  were  watoi'iug,  or  mulching  them,  wo  forget 
which,  upon  a  Sabbath  morning.  Wo  were 
almost  a  total  stranger  in  the  neighborhood 
which  wo  hod  selected  for  onr  home.  Along 
di-ove  tho  proprietor  of  tiie  above  orchard  —a 
German  farmer,  sixty  yours  of  age  and,  stopping 
bis  horse  in  tho  road  directly  opposite  to  wlieru 
wo  wore  hard  at  work,  angrily  asked : — "  Do  yim 
know  vat  day  it  is  ?”  The  question  was  so  odd 
that  Avo  doubted  onr  oars,  and  wo  replied— 
"  What  did  you  romai’k,  sir  ?”  "  Do  you  know,” 
ho  repeated  more  angrily  than  before,  "  vat  day 
it  is  ?” 
Willing  to  await  the  sequel  of  so  strange  a 
])rocoeding,  avo  roiiUed  amiably — "  Yes,  sii’.” 
‘‘  Then  you  had  better  stop  your  Avork  !” 
Noav  granting  that  it  Avas  Avroug  to  work  on  a 
RaVibath  morning  oven  to  save  one’s  di'oopiug 
plants— tins  fanner’s  method  of  rebuking  us 
seemed  so  rude  and  public  that  wo  mdiguautly 
exclaimed — “Had  yon  not  bettor  mind  your 
own  business!”  "Yes,”  he  bellowed,  "I’ll 
mind  my  owu  business  and  yom-s  too”— and 
Taxds  Baccata  Wasitinotoniana. — Tho  Wash¬ 
ington  Y’ow,  is  of  a  gulden  color  and  thought  to 
bo  tho  best  of  the  "  Gulden  Yews.”  hecau.se  of 
its  steong  growth  and  as  it  does  not  suffer  from 
very  bright  Hunshiiie  in  siimoier.  It  is  dilferent 
ill  hue  from  the  old  Golden  Yew,  being  of  a  line, 
bronzy  gold.  NoAver  than  this  is  Taxus  adpn  ssn 
Mrirgntn,  which  is  a  cunstaiilly  variegated  form 
of  T.  adpressa,  having  a  golden  suffusion  of 
color. 
Ai.nuh  Glutino.sa  Aurea.— This  is  one  of  tho 
most  constant  of  tho  golden-leaved  deciduous 
tioes.  When  planted  in  a  [moist  position  and 
fully  oxiKised  to  tho  sun,  the  color  is  very  fine. 
A  HEDGE  PLANT, 
Many  and  divers  are  the  claims  put  fortli  for 
certain  hedge  plants,  in  onr  loading  journals — 
claims  that  seem  over  doomed  to  but  partial  fnl- 
tillmcnt.  Wo  do  not  say  that  there  has  been 
conscious  luisroiiresenting— far  from  it;  only 
that  ijeojileArill  overlook  the  Avell-halanoed,  use¬ 
ful  clharacters  and  take  np  violently  Avith  striking 
tpialitics  and  Avuak  jioiiits.  It  is  hence  that  we 
find  the  mirsorjnuan  disaiipointiug  customers  by 
commoudiug  varieties  iutrhisioally  very  beautiful 
and  useful,  bat  alAva3'S,  ottiug  to  one  or  more 
fatal  trails,  liable  to  failnro.  Just  about  this 
time  begins  to  dawn  on  his  miinl  the  fact  that  a 
less  beautiful,  long-known  variety  suits  better 
the  public  need.  If  bo  can  unseat  old  preju¬ 
dices,  ho  Avill  probably  find  that  sncli  popifiarity 
rests  on  a  bettor-adjusted  balance  of  qualities  in 
the  iiliint  in  question,  Avith  loss  falling  off  into 
liositive  and  fatal  Aveaknosses. 
We  do  not  jiropose,  hoAvever,  to  discuss  tho 
various  hedge  plants  vioAved  imder  this  hght, 
but  merely  to  call,  for  a  tew  moments,  tho  atten¬ 
tion  to  an  old.  long-used  shioib  that  has  hardly 
received  dne  credit,  the  California  Privet. 
Most  of  the  Privets,  although  mncli  valued 
and  omploj'oJ  in  Euiniie,  aro  liable  to  blight 
and  disease  in  this  country,  especially  when  fre¬ 
quently  and  severely  pruned.  The  Califoniia 
Privet  is  happily  free  from  such  tendencies.  It 
is  extremely  vigorous,  readily  propagated,  and 
quite  hardy,  and,  Avith  its  shining,  lively  green, 
presents  thi'oughout  the  season  a  most  refresh¬ 
ing  ap])oarance.  The  leaves  are  small,  erect  on 
the  stem,  with  a  decided,  waxy  luster,  and  the 
firm,  AVoody  stem  resists  all  accidents  and  stress 
of  Avoather.  To  its  American  origin  may  be  at- 
tiibuted,  iirobably,  its  freedom  from  blight,  for 
certainly  a  cleaner,  healthier  groAvth  can  hardly 
be  conceived.  Planted  two  to  three  feet  apart, 
it  soon  makes  a  sti'ong,  compact  harrier,  only 
less  impei  vious  than  a  Thorn  hedge,  and,  in  its 
OAvn  way,  as  ornamental  as  any.  Its  vigor  and 
closeness  of  habit  render  it  when  pruned,  spec¬ 
ially  fitted  to  cover  fences  and  other  unsightly 
objects. 
Just  here  it  may  bo  well  to  say  a  word  on  this 
THE  NURSERYMAN’S  OCCUPATION  GONE 
In  tho  Wiener  Landwirthsohaftlichen  ZeUung 
a  certain  Mr.  William  Os.seiiko)j  offers  for  the 
sum  of  Os.  a  treatise  on  a  Noav  Mode  of  Propa¬ 
gation  of  trees  and  shrubs,  discovered  by  him  and 
jiracticed  for  some  tA\outy-fonr  years.  The  iii- 
structions  are  accompanied  Ly  thirty-tAvo  illus¬ 
trations.  According  to  the  author,  who  says  he 
is  supported  by  the  testimony  of  Dr.  Feuzl  and 
otlier  well-known  men,  trees,  shrubs,  and  other 
plants  may  he  increased  by  hi.s  method  at  an 
extraordinary  rate  and  in  an  incredibly  short 
space  of  time.  Ap))les,  PeaiAs,  Cherries  Peaches, 
Apricots,  Currants,  Gooseberries,  Vines,  and  all 
kinds  of  ornamental  and  forest  trees,  are  easily 
propagated  on  tlieir  owu  roots,  and  the  nurseiy- 
man  and  gardener  no  longer  need  trouble  to 
raise  stocks,  for  in  one  year  it  is  possible  to  ob¬ 
tain  good  U'eos  on  their  OAvn  roots.  To  plant  a 
vineyard  it  is  only  uocessai-y  to  liave  a  few  canes 
of  the  sorts  needed,  and  the  rest  is  speedily  ac¬ 
complished.  To  the  fiower-gardeuer  this  Avon- 
dorful  system  is  of  iuestimablo  value ;  in  short, 
no  gardener  ought  to  remain  ignorant  of  it.  Mr. 
Ossenkop  concludes  with  the  assertion  that  "  his 
method  is  no  swindle,  but  based  upon  natural 
laws ;  it  is  the  simplest  thing  in  the  world— the 
egg  of  Columbus !” 
The  Gardener’s  Chronicle  of  England  thinks 
it  very  honorable  of  Mr.  Ossenkop  to  give  it 
twenty-fom-  years  trial,  before  offeiing  it  to  the 
public.  (!) 
