AUG. 6 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
sir 
use. Aid them, also, indirectly by saving the old 
comb, fragments of wax, cappings, etc., and 
melting them together to be manufactured 
into comb-foundation by a process of art. 
More than is thought will be gained by taking 
care tu collect and melt these “6craps M dur¬ 
ing the busy season, and all will cost but a 
little labor. j. w. d. 
ijlistcllanfous. 
The Rural's liberal offer of premiums for 
fine heads of wheat has interested me consid¬ 
erably, for Western Washington is a good 
place to raise them, but I notice that the 
awards are to be made in the Wheat Special 
to be issued in August, I believe. ThiB would 
leave us out, for we raise mostly Spring wheat 
which does not ripen till near the last of 
August, and it would take at least 15 days to 
send it to you, so that we would need till Sep¬ 
tember 20 to do our best. Of course, it would 
not be fair to suggest a delay for the few that 
would be likely to compete from here, but I 
notice in the Rural that the farmers of Wis¬ 
consin, Minnesota and Michigan sowed their 
wheat as late as, or later than, we did. Perhaps 
their warmer Summers ripen wheat much 
sooner, and, all things considered, you may 
not be able togive more time. So I will do my 
best with Fall wheat, a rather small chance, 
however, as it ripens hardly soon enough— 
from July 25th to August 10th. d. n. 
(The Rural should consider the above, it 
may be suggested that those who are nnable 
to send in their wheat heads as announced, 
may send them in later, and should they prove 
better than those previously sent, some ad¬ 
ditional premium or recognition may be pro¬ 
vided. We see no other wav. All should have 
a fair, equal chance.—E d3 ] 
Mr. Geo. W. Campbell, the Commissioner 
of Horticulture to the Paris Universal Expo¬ 
sition of 1878, sends us his interesting report. 
We can do no better for our leaders than to 
copy the following portions, accompanied ty 
Mr. Campbell's illustrations, which we have 
had re-engraved. 
Speaking of artificial flower-beds, in regu¬ 
lar geometric figures cut out of the grass, as 
6bown by Fig. 379. 1st was an outside row of 
echeverias, carried around the whole circum¬ 
ference of the bed. 2d. Pyrethrum Prince’s 
Feather, yellow, feathery foliage. 3d. Alter- 
nanthera, variegated foliage, red, purple, 
orange, and green. 4th. Another row of Py- 
retbrum Prince’s Feather. 5th. Filling up to 
center circle, Bluo-flowering Lobelia. 6th, Cen¬ 
ter of small circles, an agave, bedded in green 
moss. The other plants carried around the 
whole figure in circular lines and in regular 
order. The center massed with closely-plant¬ 
ed variegated petunias. 
Several interesting collections of fruit trees 
trained in some of the fanciful shapes for 
which the French gardeners have long been 
celebrated, attracted much attention. Several 
qf the most characteristic forms are shown in 
the sueeeding figures, which will give a more 
intelligent idea of this kind of work than an 
elaborate written description. 
These trees hud been trained to their peculiar 
Bhapes in the nurseries, and were transplanted 
to the Exposition grounds in March and April. 
As represented in the drawings, they were 
mostly supported by light wire trellis, upon 
which the limbs were spread flat or fan- 
shaped, and in some cases additional supports 
of light wooden lath were tied with willow 
twigs both to the limbs and the wires, holding 
them in position. 
Fig 377 represents (he most elaborate work 
of this kind in the Exposition. At each end 
an apple tree, with the lower limbs trimmed in 
“ cordon " in front; two other apple trees, 
trained iu double “cordon ” for a low line in 
front of the wall upon which the principal 
training was done, with five peach trees, which 
were made to form the figures as represented, 
and which figures were first sketched upon the 
wall behind. 
Fig. 388 represents a pear tree trained flat 
on the trellis, an apple tree trained iu the same 
way, and a pear tree In spiral form, not on 
trellis. This spiral form is thought to in¬ 
crease productiveness, and is given by train¬ 
ing to an iron rod of the desired shape, which 
is planted in (he ground near the stem of a 
yoong tree, which is kept tied to the rod as its 
growth proceeds. 
Fig 389 shows one of the more elaborate 
styles of I rattling pear trees. This kind of 
Work involves much care, combined with 
both taste and skill, and can only be profit¬ 
able where labor is cheap and Bpace Is lim¬ 
ited and valuable; but there are many places 
in gardems and vards in towus and cities 
where unsightly walls, fences, and out-build- 
ings might be utilized by some of these meth¬ 
ods or modifications of them, and covered by 
grape-vines, peaches, pears, apples or other 
fruits, and thus be rendered not only pleasant 
to the eye, but sources of pleasure and health 
to their owners and their families. 
The grape-vines in pots, a fine illustration of 
which appeared in these columns, Sept. 20, ’79, 
were trained mostly in spiral forms and 
seemed very productive and well ripened. 
Figs. 384, 385 and 386 show some of the most 
frequent styles of growing and training in pots. 
Asparagus. —The growth and culture of as¬ 
paragus Mr. Campbell Bays is regarded by the 
French people as among the most important 
of their horticultural industries, aud during 
the early part of the season no vegetable is 
more abundant in their markets, green-grocers’ 
shops, or in the carts of vegetable venders up¬ 
on the streets. It is not less remarkable for 
extraordinary size and quality than for quan¬ 
tity. Specimen stalks were brought into the 
Exposition, perfectly blanched, nine inches to 
ten inches long and six inches in circumfer¬ 
ence. This, of course, was exceptionally large, 
but there were plenty of bunches in the mar¬ 
kets the stalks of which would average one 
inch in dimeter or three inches in circum¬ 
ference. They claim to have two or three dis¬ 
tinct varieties, among which the Early Ar- 
genteuil and the Late Argenteuil are considered 
the be8t for general use. Large portions of 
ground are given up to the asparagus beds in the 
neighborhood of Paris and Fontainebleau. It 
is also grown as a supplementary crop between 
the rows of vines in vineyards. For Winter 
use it is forced in hot beds or in glass structures 
heattd withhot-water pipes. In open air cul¬ 
ture, the roots are planted in trenches about 
nine inches below the surface.; these trenches 
are tilled with manure and rich fine earth, in 
successive years, as the roots and plants in¬ 
crease ia size and strength, and when the 
beds are fully established the crowns of the 
plants are eight or nine inches below the sur¬ 
face of the ground. The asparagus is always 
cut six or eight inches underground, aud when 
the tips are about one inch above the surface, 
and the more perfectly the stalks are blanched 
the more highly it is esteemed. Small and 
green asparagus is regarded as very inferior 
and only sells at a low price, and is used 
principally in soups. Something may be due 
to improved varieties, but the principal rea¬ 
son for the extraordinary size and excellence 
of the French asparagus will be found in skill¬ 
ful culture, giving the plants plenty of room, 
and an annual dressing of rich compost. 
The prominent and distinguishing features 
in French horticulture seemed to be almost 
infinite painstaking and special care; and it 
really seemed as if every tree and shrub and 
plant in and about the city of Paris and in the 
Exposition grounds had some one whose duty 
it was to look after and care for its special 
wants and requirements. All were bo nicely 
* kept that a faded (lower or decayed leaf was 
rarely seen. Even iu the grounds appropriated 
to the auimal shows, one of the first things was 
the formation of a green lawn. In which were 
] large oval beds made gay and attractive with 
brilliant flowering plants ; and around the 
inclosure, and the exhibitors’ tents, sheds and 
buildings were large plantations of ornamental 
plants and shrubbery. 
Market Gardens. —The market gardens 
about Paris are al6o remarkable for careful 
culture and wonderful productiveness. They 
are generally small, containing from one to 
three or four acres, and nearly all those near 
the city are surrounded by high stone walls, 
upon which are closely trained pears, peaches 
and grapes. Numerous hot-bed frames, some¬ 
times heated by hot-water pipeB, and great 
numbers of clochex or large bell-glasses, are 
found in all these gardens for growing and 
protecting early vegetables and plants, and 
are in constant nee from October to May. The 
sashes for many of the frames are of light cast- 
iron, with handles at the ends, making them 
very convenient and durable. The bell-glasses 
axe very large, 16 to 18 inches in diameter. 
The market gardeners about Paris, in addi¬ 
tion to the high cost of manure and other fer¬ 
tilizers, are obliged to pay a rent of $100 to 
$125 per acre per annum. But they cultivate 
every inch of the ground and often have two 
or three crops on the same area, which are 
taken off in succession. They manure highly, 
plant closely, cultivate perfectly, water abun¬ 
dantly and keep the ground constantly occu¬ 
pied both Win ter and Summer. Mr. Campbell 
was told they managed to take as many as 
eight successive crops in a season, with vari¬ 
ous kinds of salads, radishes, potatoes, cauli- 
Figa. 382 and 390, represent a very ingenious 
and useful implement, having important ad¬ 
vantages over perforated sprinklers. By 
changing the shape of the lip or having tips 
of different sizes and increasing or diminith- 
ing the aperture, these watei-ians may be 
adapted to all kinds of work in sprinkling for 
the garden or greenhouse. The work is done 
more rapidly, and the stream ot water is 
spread into a wide thin sheet, falling in fine 
spray a< d always uniform, and never clog¬ 
ging by slight impurities in the water, as with 
the perforated sprinklers. It is the inven¬ 
tion of M. Raveneau, of Paris, and is largely 
used by the gardeners of Paris and viciniiy. 
Domestic and Imported Wine. —Our old 
friend, the Germantown Telegraph, says that 
as a rule our domestic wines are much purer 
than the imported, and a far greater degree of 
cleanliness is observed in their manufacture. 
A gentleman of Pulladelphia. who was in the 
wine-producing districts of France Borne time 
ago, and saw the process of making clarets, 
says that the juice is still expressed by tramp¬ 
ing with the naked feet, and that he saw some 
of these “ trampers ” leave the vats in which 
they were employed and cross a muddy road 
to get their dinner, without covering their feet 
and on their return jumped into the vats 
again with the mud still clinging to them ! 
Speaking of the water-cress, the editor re¬ 
marks that all that anyone who has a spring 
upon his premises has to do is to introduce 
the plants along the edges and wherever there 
is a low place into which the water If tom the 
spring can spread, and he will raise water¬ 
cress according to the extent of the arrange¬ 
ments which nature provided. It is very ap¬ 
petizing for breakfast or tea, eaten with a 
little salt only; and we are very sure that if it 
is once introduced it will never be abandoned, 
either for private consumption or for market¬ 
ing. 
Learning a Trade.— “ I say, then, lads of 
sixteen, if you would lay a foundation for a 
sure prosperity, begin by learning a trade." 8o 
says JamesJ Parton. “ If you would escape the 
perdition of being a fool, learn a trade. If 
you would do a man's part for your country, 
begin tb« work of preparation by learning a 
trade." Our friend, Dr. Hoskins, commenting 
editorially upon the above, says ; “ We glory 
in Mr. Partoo’s ‘ spunk.’ in saying what his ex¬ 
perience in life leads him to think in regard 
to this matter, and would only add that one of 
the very best trades for a young man to learn 
is that of a farmer. We shall never have 
many good farmers until farming is regularly 
learned as a trade at an agricultural school 
watering can of m. raveneau. — fig. 390. 
with a first-class farm, or upon the farm of an 
educated and first-clasB practical farmer. 
Preferably we should sav, take both courses." 
A new way of preserving fruit is de¬ 
scribed by the Republican, of Suisun, Califor¬ 
nia Among the fruit lately shipped East 
from that place was a car-load of assorted 
fruit put up according to the Dietz packing, 
a recently patented process. The preservative 
agent is carbonized wheat bran [and by it fresh 
fruit is preserved from deesy so that it can be 
shipped East as slow freight and sold off as 
the demand is made for it, without being com¬ 
pelled to sacrifice it for fear cf loss. The car¬ 
load shipped goes to Philadelphia. It contains 
grapes, plums, peaches, apricots, etc., and 
goes as fast freight, though hereafter it is the 
plan to ship by slow freight, as it will reduce 
the charges over one-balf. or from $1,100 
to $600 a car-load to New York. If fruit can 
be packed in this inexpensive manner, and 
preserved indefinitely and shipped anywhere, 
the business will develop. “ Fresh peaches at 
Christmas and grapes in mid-Winter” are 
very alluring, and Mr. Dietz says they may be 
had by simply packing them in wheat bran re¬ 
duced to charcoal. 
CONUNDRUM8 ASKED AND ANSWERED. —At 
one of the meetings of the Michigan Pomolog- 
ical Society, the following questions were 
asked and answered: 
1. Which is the best of the new colored 
grapes ? 
8everal gentlemen of experience named the 
Brighton ? 
3. Which is the most promising of the new 
white grapes ? 
Mr. Woodward was asked to give his prefer¬ 
ence outside of the Niagara (which was known 
to be his own grape), and he replied “ un¬ 
questionably the Prentiss." Quite a discussion 
upon this topic brought out the champions 
for several of the later white varieties, Inclu¬ 
ding the Lady. 
3. What is the best evergreen for ornamental 
hedges, and how expensive is it by the hun¬ 
dred ? 
The hemlock. Good hedge plants can be 
purchased for $13 00 per hundred, and of 
small size for a good deal less. 
From Puck :—“ The weight of a bale of hay 
is governed entirely by tbe capacity of the 
team following the w^gon.” 
Matrimony, says a quaint writer, is a 
flourishing tree, and cradles are the fruit 
baskets.It was a little hard to say 
of a doctor who was taking a stroll in a 
churchyaid that he bad gone to see some of 
his old patients. ..... Said Lady Montague : 
** It goes far to reconcile me to being a wo¬ 
man, when I reflect that I am thus in no danger 
of ever marrying one.".Said Jane 
Porter : *• He that easily believes rumors, has 
the principle within him to augment rumors. 
It is strange to see the ravenous appetite 
with which some devourers of character and 
happiness, fix upon the siduB of the innocent 
ESI'ALIKR PEACH AND APPLE TREES.—FIG. 887. 
flowers, cabbages, &c. 
CANDELABRUM, FAN AND SPIRAL TRAINING.—FIG. 388. 
