THE 
UlisccUatifous. 
RTJRALISMS. 
That eminently good man, Mr. Peter Cooper, 
has just celebrated his ninetieth birtk-dsy. 
There is no man in New York so sincere y 
loved and respected as he is for his beneficent 
acts, the benefits of which are enj yed bv all 
classes of the eoromunitv. The Cooper Union 
is a grand monument, and he ueede no other; 
but it has occurred to me that horticulture 
might dr something in recogi.ition of philan¬ 
thropy such as hi-, which the children of hot- 
ticnlturi-is can enjoy in common with others; 
besides, it is known to me that Mr. Cooper 
has been a patron of horticulture in his pe¬ 
culiarly quiet way. I should like to see some 
good plant, a fruit or a flower, named after 
him ; and I should further like to see a grace¬ 
ful acton the part of the Central P.etk Com¬ 
mission rs,to the tffect that Mr. Cooper be 
invited to plant a tree in a suitable plate ou 
one of the Central Park lawns, to be known 
as the “ Peter Cooper Tree.” 
A daily evening paper recently stated that 
Col Wilder, forty year® ago. import* d the 
first camellia plant, lor which he paid $250, 
and that from that, plant all the plants in the 
Uuite.d S ates have been grown! Mr. Wilder 
always has a pleasant smile on his face, and 
it mt<y he that statements such as the.ee have 
someihing to do with it. I think tie was rais¬ 
ing seedlings of bis own as early as that. I 
venture to say that forty years ago Mr. Wilder 
had more than forty varieties of the camellia, 
and that there were more than forty thousand 
plants in the Uniled States forty ymrs ago, ir 
the reader will forgive the alliteration. It 
would not surprise me if it were found that 
there were more camellias grown at that time 
than there are to day. For some y ears past 
the pure and simple beamy of the camellia has 
been quite overshadowed oy flowers of a gayer 
hue. The camellia is no longer a fashionable 
flower. So much the worse for fashion. 
The toad is so highly prig- d in France as a 
destroyer of slugs and other vermin, that a 
Frenchman has thought to add to its valuable 
qualities by crossing it with the frog, and says 
he has succeeded, and is well satisfied. w’lth the 
result. I am convinced that we do not euf- 
ficientlv value the toad as au aid to horticul¬ 
ture. He is peculiarly 7 the gardener’s friend, 
and a goodly f unity of toads should find a place 
In every garden, and the children be taught 
not to harm them. They are useful in the 
greenhouse; and I always put to ids aud land 
turtles in the grapery. The tortoise is amus¬ 
ing as well as useful, and is capable of form¬ 
ing a friendship for yon, if you will encourage 
him a little. I have taught him not only to 
eat out of my hand, bnt to stand on his hind 
legato receive food. He will sometimes, how¬ 
ever, mistake one’s fiDger for a worm, and 
hold on like a crab. 
The fearful storm that passed over the coun¬ 
try lately has its lessons for the fruit grower 
as well as for others. The destruction of fruit 
and ornamental trees has been something to 
remember in this section. There is one fact to 
which I wish to call ibe attention of the fruit 
grower. I have noticed that the damage, in 
most cases, has been to close or full-header 
apple trees. In almost every case in which 
the tree was broken short off, a foot or so 
from the ground, it was not only full-headed, 
but had the appearance of never having been 
pruned at. all. A gale like this may not occur 
agaiu in twenty years, but we all know that 
winds sufficiently strong to damage apple trees 
are by no means of infrequent occurrence. 
There. caD be no doubt that much of this dam¬ 
age might be prevented if the trees were prop- 
gj*]y pruned, so as to leave them with an open 
head. It is better for the tree, and, in my 
experience, very much better for the fruit. 
This pruning should be began when the trees 
are yonng, and no apple tree should ever be 
allowed to fill up at any time with branches 
so large that they cannot be removed with a 
pruning knife. It is never too late, however, 
to remedy this neglect, and orebavdists should 
not let another year pass without opening the 
heads of their apple trees, especially those 
who live in localities subject to strong winds. 
The pear ie tougher and better able to take 
care of itself; yet many pear trees would be 
benefited by the same treatment. 
I know, of course, that ribbon border and 
carpet gardening have been on the increase with 
ns for a few years past; but I did not know 
ill recently that this tbiDg had gone so far 
that gentlemen now send their gardeners to 
Europe to obtain the latest patterns and styles, 
■very much as a modiste Bends for the latest 
styles in dress. Two such cases have come to 
my knowledge; how many more there may be 
X know not. Ido not know when I have heard 
of anything so thoroughly childish and ab¬ 
surd, and so well calculated to degrade gar¬ 
dening, and stamp out everything pertaining 
to originality and good taste. Perhaps thi 
best comment is no comment at all. 
I regket veiy much to learn of the death of 
Dr. U. W. Grant, to whom I alluded a short 
time since in this column, in the great revi¬ 
val and spread of grape culture some twenty 
years ago. he was a very prominent flgnre, 
and will find his proper place when the history 
of grape culLure in this country comes to be 
written. He had some weak and a good many 
strong points, and will be remembered kindly 
by ninny friends. His large and select li¬ 
brary was about equally envied and admired 
by horticulturists of llterarj tastes. Some 
notice seems to be due to a man who once oc¬ 
cupied 60 prominent a place in the horticultu¬ 
ral world, and I could not let his death pass 
without, at least, these few words. 
Hobticola. 
-- 
BOOKS RECEIVED. 
ILLUSTRATED STOCK-DOCTOR AND LTYE STOCK 
Encyclopedia by j R- manning, m d v. s 
This woi k of 1.002 pages, octavo, is divided 
into ten parts:—Part 1—166 pages—treat* of 
the horse, his history, breeds, characteristics 
and management. Part II—264 pages—treats 
of his diseases, their causes, how to know and 
cure them. Part III, containing 192 pages, is 
devoted to the history, origin and breeds of 
cattle, and their management and cure. Part 
IV—54 pages—treats of the diseases of cattle; 
their causes, how to know tlura, and what to 
do in each case. Part V—82 pages—is 
devoted to the history, breeds, character¬ 
istics and mansgement of sheep. Part VI 
—18 pages—treats of the diseases of sheep, 
how to know and cure them. Part VII—34 
pager —treats of the history, breeds, charac¬ 
teristics Bud management of swine. Part VIII. 
tells of tbeii diseases and how to know and to 
cure them. The remaining two parts, occupy¬ 
ing 79 psges of the text, treat of the history, 
breeds, characteristics, breediug and manage¬ 
ment of poultry, and of their diseases, and the 
remedies therefor. 
An appendix of 52 pages lives the history 
and record, efe , of the most famous English 
and American race horses and American trot¬ 
ters, The remainder of the bulky volume is 
occupied by a convenient glossary of scien¬ 
tific and oiber terms, with their definitions; 
after which comes a list of the numerous illus¬ 
trations in the work, which ends with a copi¬ 
ous index by rneaus of which any subject treat¬ 
ed of in any part of the volume can be readily 
referred to. 
This volume is very useful to the farming 
community in that it contains a well-selected 
condensation of what has hitherto appeared 
in several woiks treating separately of the va¬ 
rious matters herein grouped together. The 
book is mainly a compilation from other 
works, there being little original even in the 
multitude of engravings ; bnt the information 
it contains has been carefully culled and skill¬ 
fully arranged so as to present to the farmer 
much that has been ascertained both as to the 
history a: d characteristics of farm Btock, as 
well as their best management in health or 
disease. The work is printed in large, legible 
type, and written so that all can readily un¬ 
derstand it. 
Horses’ Teeth. This is a treatise on the 
mode of development of horses’ teeth, their 
physiological relations, anatomy, microscopi¬ 
cal character, pathology and dentistry, based 
on the works of well-known odonlologist6 and 
veterinary surgeons to which ia added a vocab¬ 
ulary of me medical and technical words used. 
This work isehidly a compilation of what has 
been said by others ou the subject, the author 
Wm. H. Clarke, candidly conf. Being that he 
understands neither veterinaiy nor human sur¬ 
gery. The compilation, however, is made 
from the best authorities Published by the 
author; price $1.50, cloth-bound, 265 pages, 
octavo. 
--- 
RURAL BRIEFLETS. 
Among novelties now offered for the first time 
is the “Perfect Gem Squash.” one of which was 
sent to us by the introducers, J. M. Thorburn 
Co., for trial. Tt was pronounced by those who 
ate it of remarkable s weetness and fineness of 
texture. The " Perfect Gem ’’ is rather email, 
being about four or five inches in diameter, 
but it more than makes up in productiveness 
what it lacks iu size. We were ehown the 
Bquashes on the vine last Fall, and it occurred to 
us that we had never before seen so many grow¬ 
ing upon one vine in so small a space. . . . 
Years ago we tested a variegated leaved po¬ 
tato—the Early Rose, if we remember correct¬ 
ly. Now there is a variegated-leaved tomato— 
the Trophy. But variegated-leaved vegetables 
are •* go-betweens.” They are neither pretty 
enongh to be claseed among useful ornamental 
plants, nor productive enough to be cultivated 
in the vegetable gardens. They are simply 
curious—and one plant is enough. 
We have received from Dr. J M. Bailey an 
“ Essay upou Eusllage.” Dr. Bailey Is the 
author of the “Book of Ensilage ’—that is to 
say, the “New Dispensation for Fanners.” 
This pamphlet tellB what a silo is, what ensil¬ 
age is, and what are their advantages. Dr 
Bailiy lives in Billerica. Maes, and is the 
proprietor of " Winning Farm.’’ He is also 
the proprietor of a “Virginia Stock Farm,” 
somewhere in Sussex County, V a—the town 
Is not given. We have expressed ourselves 
rather freely as to this Dr. Baiby on pre¬ 
vious occasions. As to the subject of ensil¬ 
age, we confess we have suffered ourselves 
to be pre j udiced against the system bv the ob¬ 
trusiveness and vanity of Dr. Bailey—its fore¬ 
most advocate in this country. The pamphlet 
in question is an advertisement of himself and 
his book, the Bame as his book—the lirBl edi¬ 
tion, at least—was an advertisement of himself 
and his stock. »•••-*- 
TheSoja Bran, which we have before several 
times alluded to, is now offered in catalogues of 
1881. We had intended to test it last season, bnt 
it was overlooked. Mr. Gregory thinks that, as 
it yields leaves very abundantly, it may prove 
of value for fodder purposes it cut when greeu. 
He says that, “ baked with the common field 
beans, it will be found finer grained and richer 
flavored.” For fodder purposes we should 
hardly think it could prove more valuable than 
many kinds of cow-peas. 
Mr. W. A. Sanders, of Sanders, Fresno Co., 
Cal., writes us that he recently visited the best 
raisin vineyards ot Europe, and brought back 
with him to California over $1 200 worth of 
vines. Some varieties, be says—the SnMana, 
for instance—can be grown in a common water 
pail filled with earrh.. 
Mr Geo. B. Boomer, of the Boomer & Bos- 
ebert Press Co-, Syracuse, N. Y., informs ua 
that since January 1 he has sold seven of their 
power presses to one firm, five to another, one 
to another and one to another, all engaged in 
the manufacture of oleomargarine in New York 
City alone. To this we will add four that were 
sold in Philadelphia for the same business. 
These presses cost $700 each, and are capable of 
pressing a ton at a pressing, four times a day. 
Surely there must be some oleo. on the market 
somewhere. .. 
Our friend Mr. M. B. Prince, of North Caro¬ 
lina, writes ut as follows:—“ It is gratifying to 
see that the Rural still keeps hammering 
away at the Government on the. Agricultural 
Department appropriations, and it Is to be 
hoped that all other papers which have not al¬ 
ready done so *ill fall into line, backed by the 
farmers themselves. I would like to inquire 
(not in a spirit of fault-fluding) how mary 
copies Of the Raport of the Commissioner of 
Agriculture are there printed each year, and 
where do they go to ? As near as I can learn, 
very few fall into Lhe bands of farmers, except 
those of a political turn.". 
On page 3L of Mr. Peter Henderson’s cata¬ 
logue, he states, under a pretty little engrav¬ 
ing of the Edslweis (Leontopodlura Alpinum) 
that “this is probably the first time that 
Beed has been offered in this country.” In 
this Mr. Henderson 16 mistaken. We remem¬ 
ber to have seen it offered for sale in another 
American catalogue two years ago. The Edel¬ 
weiss is more interesting in romance than In 
fact. It is a little composite of the “ everlast¬ 
ing" type with stems less than a foot high. 
The flowerB are borne in heads of yellowish 
flowers underneath which is an involucre of 
white, woolly leaves that constitute its chief 
beauty. The leaves are also woolly or rather 
cottony aud two or three inches long. It is 
found among the Alps and not abundantly even 
there, so that the presenlation ot a bouquet of 
these flowers to his lady-love is evidence of 
sincerity on the yonDg fellow's part, since be 
must have endured some fatigue and exercised 
a deal of patience to procure it. This Edel- 
weis is a hardy perennial and will grow in any 
light, well-drained soil. .. 
Livingston Perfection Tomato is intro¬ 
duced by Mr. A. W. Livingston, the originator 
of the Acme and Paragon. It is said to be 
blood red in color, perfectly smooth, has very 
few seeds, is larger and earlier than the Acme, 
ripens evenly, is a good shipper and excellent 
for canning. .. 
We are in receipt of a very strange-looking 
apple—if apple it may be called—from a sub¬ 
scriber in Michigan, who says it is from a 
seedling which was “ the result of cross-fertil¬ 
ization.” The fruit is about the size of a med¬ 
ium Baldwin, nearly round, somewhat ovate, 
with neither basin nor cavity- The color is a 
bright yellow shaded with a brilliant red. The 
flesh is very white, fine-grained with a mild 
sub-acid, delicious flavor. The leaves, as our 
friend describes them, are long, narrow, pen¬ 
dulous and finely serrated, of a light-green 
color with long. Blender petioles, Its keeping 
qualities are evidently excellent. Ithasarich 
aromatic perfume that from one apple may be 
perceived in auv part of a room. We have 
written to our friend for further particulars, as 
we deem the apple or hybrid betweeu pear aud 
apple, as he thinks It is, worthy of notice, and 
we shall, after receiving them, present an il¬ 
lustration of the singular fruit. 
We see in a number of catalogues that a new 
wheat called “Golden Grain "is offered. Some 
call it ** Palestine Mammoth" wheat. The 
grain closely resembles “Black-bearded Cen¬ 
tennial ” in size, color and shape. High praise 
is bestowed upon its productiveness, hardines 
stiffness of straw, etc. We have no right to 
cast any doubts upon its value except that we 
are unable to ascertain that anyb dy has fairly 
tested it. The color of lhe grain is as light as 
that of Clawson. It is short and so plump as 
to justify the claim made, for it of being the 
largest grain in cultivation. We have the 
“Black bearded Centennial” which it so nearly 
resembles, growing at the Farm and we shall 
sow the “Golden Grain” this Spriog. . - - 
Respecting the “Golden Grain 11 wheat we 
have j ust received the following note from a 
correspondent in Penn : 
“ I, this day, sent you by mail a sample of 
the Golden Gram, or Palestine Mammoth, 
Wheat which I thiuk will excetd anything you 
have in New York Slate. If you have any¬ 
thing better I should ba pleased to see a sam¬ 
ple. The Golden Grain, or Palestine Mammoth 
Wheat, was brought from Palestine four years 
a o. It is a very hardy and most productive 
variety, with long, stiff straw. It stands well 
and stools heavily, growing from 25 to 70 
stocks Irom a single grain. The ears are of 
g>od length, closely filled with full, plump 
grains with but little chaff, having yielded last 
y^ar 82 bushels on on*-half acre of land. The 
greatest curioei'y about this wheat is that 
when it first 6boots into heads it is a bearded 
wh-at; but when it is ripe it Da smooth wheat.” 
Gooseberries when fair y ripe are to many 
a veiy eatable fruit—especially the sweet 
kiuds. Years ago a native seedling hush was 
presented to us I y Mr. A. S. Fuller, who was at 
the time an assoeiale editor of this j -urnal or 
rather of Moore’s Rural New-Yorker This 
bush has borne an immense amount of berries 
eveiy yiar since, aud, though no larger thuu 
those of Downing, they are, for a gooseberry, 
tender aud very sweet when fully ripe. There 
is not the same inducement for the horticul¬ 
turist to work with seedling gooseberries us 
with the delicious grape and strawberry. It is 
essentially a coarser fruit. Nevertheless it ia 
still, no "doubt, capable of decided improve¬ 
ment. We want a productive, excellent goose¬ 
berry as larire in size as the English kinds, that 
will not mildew. Very likely crosses betweeu 
the foreign and native kinds might effect this. 
But we do not hear that any persistent work 
or study has been given In this direction. . 
For mildew upou gooseberries no better 
remedy is suggested than partial shade, mulch¬ 
ing and flour of sulphur, dusted freely over 
the leaves. j ' ■ • 
Mr. Mkrceron of the Pennrylvania Fruit 
Growers’ Society, says that the Sharplees, horn 
all reports, is the best variety from M tine to 
California, He ssys it roots deeply into the 
soil, and therefore bo’.ds its foliage better than 
other varieties. The original plant which 
grew in 1872 is still alive. Mr. Sharpless is 
not positive what it is a seedling of, as he had 
Wilson. Downing and Jncnnda all around it. . 
Mr. Meehan thinks that robins, sparrows, 
etc., are not an evil, for though they destroy 
our Iruit, there are months that we have no 
fruit, during which time they destroy a great 
number of insects.• * 
It is almost as important to prune the cur¬ 
rant as to prune the grape. Cat out all old, 
blackened stems. 
The Herald says that when a New-Yorker 
wishes to boast that his family has lived here 
for a long while he says: “ My grandmother 
used to pick blackberries where Canal Street 
now is.”. 
Long Island farmers are rejoicing over the 
extremely cold weatbei, thinking that the Army 
Worm and the potato bugs will be destroyed. . 
A correspondent from Long Island states 
that he bought a pair of Poland China pigs in 
November for $7.00, and at the same time a pair 
of common ones for $5 00. February l*t the 
Poland Chinas, he says, are about two-hii ds 
heavier, though all have hud Ibe same chance. 
Regarding the culture of sorghum aud its 
manufacture into sirup and sugar, we find 
some interesting matter in the reports of the 
late meeting of the Minnesota Sugar-cane 
Growers: 
Mr. Wilcox, of Wisconsin, said: Sandy 
loam in new land will, if planted early secuie 
a good crop. Barnyard manure aud plaater- 
of-Paris fertilizing will aid old laud in pro¬ 
ducing an early growth aud a large-sized cane. 
The percentage of ju'ca is greater in a large¬ 
sized cane than in a small-si zed one, A sub-soil 
of clay ret-Drive of water i6 injurious to the 
cane. Soak the seed in warm water, plant 
early, and cultivate carefully on the first ap¬ 
pearance of weeds. Careful cultivation is a 
necessity- This industry has ceased to be an 
experiment. Nothing has yet been found to 
supersede the vacuum-pan for finishing, but it 
is too small for any but small manufactories. 
Mr. Porter would decidedly sucker the cane. 
Mr. Nash planted his cane with a stalk every 
