Since  that  date  we  have  received  othera  which 
we  must  return,  for  the  excellent  reason  that 
our  supjdy  is  exhausted. 
'J’his  matter  of  forwardinj,'  seeds  to  ail  sub¬ 
scriber  applicants  has  been  a  deal  of  trouble  and 
has  consutned  a  deal  of  time.  JJnt  w'e  are  glad 
to  say  that  the  friendly,  encouraging,  apprecia¬ 
tive  letters  that  have,  as  a  general  thing,  accom¬ 
panied  them,  have  well  riuvarded  us  for  both,  in 
coiiBetjueuce  of  wklcli  wo  hope  to  bo  able  to 
make  tlie  same  offer  to  our  floriciiltmal  friends, 
another  year,  with  an  additionally  attractive  list 
to  select  from, 
IMI'OTENCY  OK  ToLl.I.X  IN  VoUNO  I’l.AN TH.— 
It  is  generally  the  case  that  young  fruit  trees 
hlosBOiu  several  ycais  before  they  bear  fruit. 
Either  the  pistil  or  stamens,  or  both,  arc,  there¬ 
fore,  immature.  It  is  not  improbable  that  the 
jiistils  niaturo  a  year  or  so  before  the  pollen  l.»e- 
coines  potent. 
Two  years  ago,  a  young  Cheny  tree  bore  its 
first  blossoms,  Uioiigh  no  fruit  foriiiul.  Last 
year  it  blossomeil  again.  \S'e  applied  jiollen 
from  another  Chen’y  tree  to  the  stigmas  of  two 
llowera  and  marked  them.  Tliey  alone  of  all  the 
blossoms  uijou  the  tree  formed  and  ripened 
fniit. 
If  this  fruit  wore  <hie  to  the  artificial  applica¬ 
tion  of  potent  pollen,  siioh  crossing  may  jirove 
serviceable  when  we  wish  to  aacertain  whether 
a  young  tree  is  true  to  name,  and  also  when  we 
wish  to  hasten  the  formation  of  fruit,  no  us  to 
ascertain  its  merit,  upon  soodhng  oious  grafted 
upon  other  stocks. 
As  THK  EAunv  Ti’i.ii's  are  now  so  much  used 
for  the  decoration  of  the  flower-beds  in  spring, 
it  may  be  remarked  that  the  later-flowering  va¬ 
rieties  can  he  had  in  bloom  at  the  same  time  as 
iho  earlier  sorts  by  planting  the  latter  dt^cp  in 
the  soil,  say  to  the  dopUi  of  five  inches,  instead 
of  the  ordinary  depth  of  throe  inches.  ^Ye  havo 
known  this  metliod  to  ho  attended  with  oousid- 
ei'ftble  success,  but  some  knowledge  of  the  vari¬ 
eties  is  necessary  on  the  jiart  of  the  planter. 
Experience  is  an  excellent  and  reliable  teacher 
in  this  case." 
The  above  suggestion  of  Uie  (I  ardeners’  Chi  on- 
icle  is  well  enough  as  an  experimeut.  Hut  as  a 
main  object  in  iilantiug  early,  intermodiato  and 
late  Tulips  is  to  havo  a  Bucoessiou  of  bloom  and 
to  prolong  tlio  Tulip  season  as  far  as  ixissibie, 
there  can  lie  little  inducement  to  gain  the 
knowledge  and  experience  necessary  to  deter¬ 
mine  which  of  the  late  Tulips  arc  best  adapted 
for  the  purpose. 
bods  prepared  for  their  re«!ption  which  in  au 
hour  or  so  were  favored  ndth  a  delightful 
shower.  Of  tlie  A'u/occis,  some  were  trans¬ 
planted  to  a  shady,  the  rest  to  a  sunny  situation, 
Tiioy  a/!  dit-d.  I  cannot  ascertain  from  searching 
catalogues  that  A’u/ocrts  will  not  bear  trans- 
iflanting.  Can  you  tell  me  how  to  cultivate 
them  successfully  as  I  think  their  little  star-like 
flowers  are  so  pretty. 
I  The  iSalpii/loaxi.'i,  transplanted  to  a  sunny 
I  situation  lived  and  grow  well  enough,  but  there 
were  few  blossiuns  and  their  tall,  ragged  stems 
looked  ungainly  to  say  the  least.  So  here  was 
disappointment  if  not  failure.  But  the  Asters, 
oh  I  what  beauties  they  were,  1  can  yet  see  one 
btsl  in  particular,  though  the  frosts  have  long 
since  dostroynd  thfiio.  lii  the  center  were 
planttsl  the  tallest  varieties  nicely  tied  to  small 
stakes  {  then  the  smaller  variotics,  and  on  the 
outer  edge  the  little  dwarfs  closely  sot,  (what 
IwauticH  the  dwarfs  are  I )  all  borderetl  with  s 
row  of  smootii,  whitewashed  shines  which  were 
encircled  by  a  gravel  walk.  The  sUmes  raised 
the  Ix'd  somewhat  higher  than  the  walk  forming 
an  oval  surface  which,  planted  as  desciibed  and 
filled  with  the  flowers  of  all  shailos  of  Asters  yet 
pnsluced,  was  the  admiration  of  all  who  saw  it. 
This  was  my  sncoiias  and  I  feel  abundantly 
rewarded  for  all  my  labor. 
They  tell  mo  that  Aster  seeds  of  my  own 
raising,  will  jiroduce  inferior  flowers  during 
following  seasouH  upon  our  own  grounds.  This 
seems  to  have  bi^on  the  ixisult  with  others  of 
this  neighborhood.  1  would  like  to  hear  from 
you  upon  this  Hiihject.  BnowNiE. 
1  h'idoca  (Pka<ylin)  is  easily  cultivated.  Give 
it  a  warm  situation  and  cciver  with  pots  for  a 
few  days  after  transplanting.  You  should 
select  tho  seeds  nn/y  from  the  finest  flowers  of 
Asters  and  change  the  soil  every  season.  En  | 
I  book  that  tells  how  to  do  those  things  ?  Why, 
the  rrofe.ssyi-  could  make  a  fortune  in  a  single 
year  by  publishing  such  a  work!  Tiien  how 
cruel  it  is,  in  such  hard  tunes  as  we  now  have,  to 
withhold  it  from  our  j>oor  farmers,  who  aio 
scarcely  able  to  keep  soul  and  boiiy  togotlicr. 
The  Professor,  however,  gives  a  reason  why 
this  book  is  not  published,  having  been  many 
times  askeil :  “Wliy  not  translate  into  English 
that  German  F.irmer’s  Diary:-”  Lie  replies; 
“  Tliat  is  a  remarkable  little  book,  and  a  number 
of  others  that,  like  It,  are  brimming  full  of  just 
the  plain,  concise,  practical  information  that 
every  farmer  mo.st  urgently  needs,  and  nothing 
but  the  most  costly  researcli.  combined  witli  tho 
longest  and  best  experience  can  supply.  But 
those  books  are  prcparetl,  not  for  .Vaiericau,  but 
for  European  fai’uiors.  ' 
Is  not  that  too  bail !  “  Prepared  for  Euroiioau 
farmers !  Well,  I  suppose  Umt  wo  mast  continue 
to  groije  on  in  darkness,  without  ever  lielng  able 
*•  to  make  valuable  fmhier  out  of  l«;or  hay  and 
straw.  ’  But  wo  will  jiay  (ilf  those  selfish,  “Eu¬ 
ropean  farmers’'  some  day,  when  we  publish 
“remarkable  hooks,  brimming  full''  of  some¬ 
thing  that  they'll  want  to  know. 
But  the  Professor,  at  least,  gives  us  a  clue  to 
the  real  cause,  why  these  books  are  not  trans¬ 
lated  into  English;  he  says:  “They  would  not 
be  quite  adapted  for  use  here."  That  is  the  rea¬ 
son,  no  doubt  -  not  of  any  value  to  us. 
Now,  if  we  turn  to  .Vuierican  scieutiflo  ox- 
]icrimouters  in  agricultural  matters,  and  to 
writers  on  such  subjects,  including  what  has 
been  done  by  our  Agricultural  Colleges,  what  do 
wo  find  has  been  accomplishe<l  during  the  last 
half  century  to  advance  tho  iuterosts  of  fanuers? 
I las  there  been  a  single  pubUcatlou  issued  by 
any  of  them,  or  essays  published  by  these  exper¬ 
imenters  and  writers,  in  the  agiucultural  press, 
tliat  havo  been  of  any  especial  value  to  our 
faimers  practically?  If  there  have  been  any 
developments  from  tliose  sources,  beyond  a  few 
experiments  in  growing  crops  with  special  fer¬ 
tilizers,  that  havo  proved  notliing  of  general 
value,  and  some  other  unimportant  investiga¬ 
tions,  I  have  f ailed  to  hear  of  thorn.  We  see  a 
good  deal  written  on  applying  commercial  ferti¬ 
lizers  to  crops ;  but  the  man  is  vet  to  appear, 
who  shall  give  us  a  formula  for  tho  application 
of  theso  fertilizers,  including  the  general  list, 
that  any  two  farmers  may  follow  with  a  certainty 
of  a  profitable  result.  I’armera  feed  their  live 
stock,  as  they  did  50  yeai's  ago  —cows  on  buy, 
cornstalks,  roots  and  meal;  hogs  on  corn,  meal, 
cooked  or  uucimked,  boiled  manhes  of  potatoes, 
or  roots  with  meal— just  as  they  did  when  we  old 
men  were  boys-;  and  the  time.  I  fear,  is  awayolf 
in  tlie  impenetrable  future  of  centuries  after 
centurios,  when  funuors  shall  learn  “how  to 
make  valuable  fodticr  out  of  jxior  hay  and 
straw.”  No,  fanners,  that  day  will  never  come. 
Wo  may  miiko  poor  hay  and  straw  eatable,  by 
steaming  and  adding  meal  to  give  a  flavor ;  but 
wc  can  add  nothing  to  the  value  of  such  fodder. 
Suppose  we  got  a  mangerfni  of  “iKior  straw" 
i  matter  of  “  bread  and  butter,"  or  rather  how  to 
;  obtain  it,  in  a  majority  of  instances ;  little  time 
I  can  l>e  s]HUit  in  obtaining  anytliing  more  tbun 
;  the  rudltnents  of  an  education,  sufllcicut  for 
,  every  day  life,  and  use  in  practice,  the  practice 
perfoots  theory  or  knowledge  primarily  obtained 
1  from  ls>oks  or  otherwhere.  a  general  rule 
I  practical  farmers  understand  >vhat  is  necessary 
In  onler  to  retain  or  increase  the  fertility  of  their 
soil ;  the  fault  does  not  lie  in  that  du’i"ction  gen¬ 
erally,  but  rather  in  their  necossitics  and  limited 
resources. 
Men  and  women  brought  up  and  educated  with 
everything  ready  made  at  hand,  httlo  compre¬ 
hend  w'hat  trials,  Ac.,  tho  great  majority  are 
obliged  to  undergo  in  order  to  live  rosjjectably 
within  their  means. 
Let  us  recall  what  many  now  on  the  stage 
have  experienced,  or  know  from  observation  Ac., 
in  attaining  to  thou*  present  positions,  and  we 
must  recollect  that  tho  advantages  of  obtaining 
tslucation  and  property  to-day  are  far  superior  to 
those  eujoyeel  by  our  f.xthers  and  those  before 
them  in  this  country,  and  also  that  we  are  oun- 
stantly  improving  thereon — it  may  be  not  as  fully 
as  we  might,  but  improving  still. 
The  average  farmer,  as  w-e  remember  him. 
raised  a  large  family  of  sons  and  daughters,  with 
more  or  less  sickness,  generally  more,  in  the 
family;  his  means  were  all  invested  In  a  farm 
and  homt^for  self  and  family ;  wliatover  income 
he  might  have  |wa8  derive<l  from  the  products 
and  sales  from  the  farm,  with  perhaps,  a  httlo 
from  days'  work  out,  at  from  forty-two  cents,  to 
four  shillings  per  day,  more  freiiueully  at  the 
less  price  than  any  greater ;  if  he  grow  corn  or 
other  grain  he  obtained  the  eijuivalent  of  a  day's 
work  for  one  bushel  of  rye,  somewhal  loss  for 
coni,  and  for  oats  somewhere  from  twenty  to 
twenty-live  cents;  for  potatoes  he  was  fortunate 
if  he  sold  them  as  high  as  twelve  and  a  half 
cents  per  bushel ;  good  English  hay,  i;(!  to  iiS  V 
ton ;  a  good  new  milch  cow  ii‘12  to  81.”  ;  a  pair  of 
four  year  old  steers,  broken,  8.10  to  tlO ;  other 
stock  and  produce  in  like  proportion ;  wood  cut 
and  drawn  to  market  81.50  to  82  i'  cord.  A 
sheep  or  lamb  was  well  sold  if  either  brought 
one  dollar ;  wool  ten  to  twelve  conts  V  lb.;  and 
very  frequently  all  these  prices  were  for  bai-ter 
trade ;  all  Other  salable  iiroducts  in  like  propor¬ 
tions,  while  groceries,  dry  goods,  Ac.,  were  at 
our  reccut  ww  high  iirioos. 
Economy  was  tlie  order  of  the  day,  and  if  iu 
its  closest  and  strictost  beuse  they  were  able  to 
live  very  few  extras  could  bo  had.  Flax  was 
grown,  dressed  and  made  into  bed  linen,  and  for 
wear,  Ac.,  by  hand,  In  the  family  ;  wool  was  also 
worked  up  similarly  for  all  piuposes  where  woolen 
goods  were  needed,  for  wear  and  other  domestic 
imrpoBcs,  sometimes  for  sale.  All  things  else  wore 
made  in  tho  family,  so  far  as  possible,  wherein  a 
saving  of  jiuying  out  money  might  he  accom¬ 
plished.  YVitli  such  nccessaiy  pinching  to  get 
along  what  wonder  tliat  education  was  neglected, 
and  tho  young  obliged,  instead,  to  lend  a  helping 
hand  to  keeji  tho  wheels  moving. 
Kind  Header,  this  is  no  fancy  sketch,  but  is 
what  many  of  our  paionts  and  grand  iiarents,  iu 
rural  districts,  now  living  can  substautiato,  only 
tiiat  the  half  is  not  told.  We  ought  to  be  thank¬ 
ful  that  they  were  able  to  jirovido  for  us  so 
goodly  an  Luheritauce ;  and  the  rising  generation 
tliat  they  ere  yirovided  with  so  many  privileges, 
which  we  think  they  arc  making  good  use  of,  so 
far  as  is  compatible  with  strict  economy. 
Beading  for  gaining  extended  information  and 
improvement  is  pursueni  to  a  considerable  extent 
in  farmers'  families,  and  from  that  reading  much 
is  deduceil  and  put  iu  every  day  practice,  still 
there  is  room  for  improvement ;  but  it  is  well  to 
bear  in  mind  that  there  are  majiy  difficulties  and 
obstacles  for  tho  farm  iiopulation  to  overcome 
which  the  profeseion*.  Aa.  know,  or  think  not 
of.  lustcad,  therefore,  of  chiding  the  fanner 
for  not  devoting  more  time,  money  and  attention 
to  the  obtaining  of  education,  .tc.,  we  should  en¬ 
courage  him  in  all  his  efforts,  and  consider  that 
there  may  be  extenuating  circumstances  which 
may  exonerate  him  from  an}-  apparent  neglect. 
tVestborougli,  W.  H.  White. 
AGBICULTUEAL  'CHEMISTRY 
What  has  agricultural  chemistry  done  during 
tho  last  30  years  to  benefit  the  fai'mers  of  the 
Enited  States  ?  For  -Kl  years  1  havo  searched  the 
agricultural  publications  in  vain  to  find  some¬ 
thing  emauating  from  the  rosearches  of  Frofes- 
Hors  of  scientilie  agriculture  that  every  fanner 
can  profitably  apply  to  his  farm  management, 
and  thus  enable  him  to  lessen  his  expenses,  and 
increase  his  profits.  Fruf.  Atwatku,  in  the 
.Ygiicultunst,  says : 
1  fS)m<‘Uriics  wonder  what  some  of  my  good 
coustrvnlive  funner  friends,  who  aic  »ati«hed 
with  the  old  ways  of  f  illing,  breeding,  and  feed 
ing  that  our  great  grandfutherE  tried  and  proved, 
and  take  no  stock  in  new-fangled  notions  and 
seientilic  theories,  would  think  if  tli*;y  were  to 
SCO  how  the  experiments  are  made  in  the  Gonniui 
and  other  European  Btations,  tho  labor,  jiaticnce, 
and  money  they  cost,  and  the  ways  their  results 
are  apjilied.  Tho  accounts  of  the  exporinioiitcl 
investigations  on  tlie  subject  of  Aiiimai  Nuti'ition 
that  have  been  published  during  tho  last  fifteen 
years  in  the  Gerinau  language  alone,  would  make 
what  most  people  would  call  a  good-sized libraiy. 
The  exiieriments  thus  described  ni’e  numbered 
by  hundreds  and  even  thousands,  each  one  of 
which  has  cost  the  labor  of  days,  weeks,  and 
even  inonlh.s.  Tliey  have  called  in  rciiuisitiou 
the  services  of  the  ablest  scientific  men  and  the 
most  ;jncc'.s8ful  farmers.  They  have  involved 
an  incalculable  amount  of  thought,  caro,  and 
toil,  iu  tho  laboratory,  the  stable,  and  tho  study. 
Well,  what  had  this  “  good-sized  library done 
CATALOGUES, 
Mk.  .Iamiw  Vick's  “Floral  Guide  "  for  1S77  is 
received.  Me  says  that  he  has  endeavorwl  to 
make  it  “  beautiful,  iutcicstiijg  imd  instructive," 
and  iu  all  candor  il.  is  our  opinion  that  he  has 
succeeded.  We  make  seseral  extracts ; 
Many,  woU  versed  in  horticultural  literature, 
no  doubt  think  that  wo  might  take  higher 
ground,  teach  tho  niysteries  of  vegetable  physi¬ 
ology,  and  speak  of  tho.se  rare  }>lants  that  are 
the  w’onder  and  adniiratiou  of  tho  world,  but 
wliieh  few  will  ever  .see,  aud  not  one  in  a  milhou 
can  over  own.  Wo  prefer  to  write  for  the  people 
aud  of  tho  people's  fiow  era,  aud  we  see  as  much 
to  adiuiro  iu  a  Fausy  Flant  or  a  Ton  Weeks' 
Htock  as  iu  the  Giant  Trees  of  California,  the 
Palms  of  the  Tropica,  or  tlie  Tree  Ferns  of  tlie 
Pacific  lsliuid.s.  Our  desire  is  to  oroato  a  taste 
for  the  beautiful  in  gardening  tyul  a  true  love  of 
flowers  amoug  the  peojilo. 
Speaking  of  new  double  flowers,  he  says : 
“  Wo  have  many  flowers  giving  occasionally  a 
plant  with  double  flowers  that  wc  shall  keep  oii 
probation  until  they  do  better,  aud  foremost 
among  tlioso  is  a  J'lilux  JJnwunondi,  of  which 
wo  have  lively  anticipations.  That  this  charae- 
terisLie  may  become  permanent  before  long  wc 
greatly  desire." 
That  Mr.  Vici;  is  modest,  and  that  the  present 
number  of  tlie  Floral  fluide  is  liot  without  a 
dash  of  spice  hero  and  there,  let  the  following 
extract  speak  for  itself : 
Ro.metuino  VEiiy  Bkactiki'i., — Now,  a  good 
lady  in  Gambriii,  Mich.,  in  some  way  obtained 
our  photograph,  and  nut  believing  that  “  beauty 
FARMER’S  NEED 
That  there  is  a  need  of  more  aud  better  edu¬ 
cation  among  farmers  none  can  more  fully  de- 
jilore  than  the  farmer  himself.  But  is  it  a  fact 
that  there  is  greater  need  of  more  eduoatiou 
among  farmers  than  among  other  classes  of 
working  people,  proportionally,  or  oven  amoug 
the  profestions?  Will  they  not  conipiire  favor¬ 
ably,  as  well  iiiformed  and  good  eitizeas,  wich 
any  other  idass  ?  That  they  arc  otherwise,  and 
that  any  such  insiuuatiou  or  reflection,  should 
be  east  at  their  door,  as  u  class,  the  wi  iter  as  one 
of  them  would  most  indignantly  resent.  Taken 
as  a  whole  what  other  class  are  better  iufoniied, 
gcuorally,  or  lietlcr  understand  practically,  their 
business  ?  Ferhaps  they  may  bo  loss  learned  in 
laboratory  Bcicnce  than  somo  excoxitional  cases 
among  scientists ;  but  when  we  come  to  tho  real 
practical,  there  is  very  much  less  wanting.  Put 
the  theorist  in  the  same  place  as  the  practical 
farmer,  with  only  tlie  same  pecuniary  means, 
and  the  same  demands  upon  him.  with  only  his 
resources  to  fall  hack  on,  and  which  of  the  two 
will  add  the  most  to  the  doUars-aud-conts  wealth 
of  the  neighborhood  and  country,  in  a  given 
time,  sny  five  or  ton  years  ?  And  what  other 
trade,  profession  or  pursuit  is  so  generally  suc¬ 
cessful,  in  self-supiiort,  as  the  farmer's  ? 
(lomparatively  there  ai’e  very  few  American 
farmers  that  are  not  compelled  to  be  tlie  arclii- 
is  priuted  on,  in  a  practical  point  of  view  ?  In 
Germany  there  are  many  wealthy  geuUemen, 
who  spend  vast  snniB  of  money  in  experiinonts 
for  their  amusements,  and  to  pass  away  pleas¬ 
antly  their  leisure  bom  s ;  but  1  cannot  sec  that 
they  have  done  much  for  the  benefit  of  the  ag- 
rioultiu'al  world.  Frof.  Atwatku,  seeing  the 
inutility  himself  of  luiblishing  this  “  good-sized 
library,"  says : 
“Many  will  say:  ‘Well,  what  real  practical 
good  do  plain  farmers  get  from  all  this  scientific 
experimenting  and  hook-writing!'."  Then  ho 
goes  on  to  say  : 
“  These  investigations  have  done  a  vast  deal 
to  settle  the  questions  about  stock-feeding,  that 
occupy  HO  much  pqiaoc  in  tho  papers,  and  are 
perplexing  as  they  are  imixirtant  to  millions  of 
farmers  on  lioth  sides  of  the  Atlantic.  Gom- 
biued  with  tlie  resnlts  of  daily  fanu  experience, 
they  huxo  shown  for  what  purposes  different 
kinds  of  fodder  materials  are  best  fitted,  and  how 
much  each  is  worth ;  they  have  taught  the 
faimers  how  to  make  valuable  fodder  cut  of 
poor  hay  and  straw." 
But  how  is  it  that  the  farmers  of  the  United 
States  havo  not  been  supplied  with  tlie  trauslated 
FAILURE  AND  SUCCESS. 
iNfiiA  Buhher  Bands  for  Trees.— A  New 
Haven  company  is  making  a  new  thing  to  pro¬ 
tect  trees  from  worms.  The  invention  is  a  rub¬ 
ber  band  witli  a  single  hristhng  row  of  brass 
pins  set  very  close  to  each  other,  like  the  teeth 
of  a  comb,  in  the  middle  of  the  stiip,  aud  worms 
oaimot  crawl  above  it.  While  this  device  might 
answer  for  crawling  worms,  it  would  be  of  no 
use  as  a  pi-otection  against  flying  iusecta. 
As  you  have  requested  your  readers  to  give 
their  experience  whether  success  or  failure — 
here  is  mine— failure  lust ; — I  started  out  in  the 
spring  with  high  holies  of  success,  purchased 
fialpiglosgis.  mixed  colors.  Eutocas,  also  mixed, 
and  a  cjlloclion  of  German  and  I'rench  Asters  ; 
all  were  sowed  in  a  seoJ-bed  and  came  up  finely. 
’When  of  suitable  size.  I  transplanted  them  to 
