bush. We take this extraordinary story as we 
find it, but, extraordinary as it may be, it is not 
inconsistent with other facts of a similar char¬ 
acter. 
^ v - —- 1 vium/i uuju uiairnu wiiicii aiioiiiiaa in u 
the tree, or whether with the terminal bud they contents of living cells, condensee into 
will make an upright growth, reassnming the 
habit of the species.” 
The lateral buds, above referred to, as they 
| grew into branches, assumed the drooping form, 
i and there is nothing now to ehow that the tree 
ever lost its leader, except an abrupt curve be¬ 
tween the old stock anti the new leader. 
A change of form, in some respects the re¬ 
verse of the Weeping Beech, has been made by 
a Weeping Norway Spruce, also growing in these 
grounds. It was transplanted two years ago, in 
the spring, lost its leader the next winter, and, 
during the first summer, began to relinquish the 
pendulous habit. The change was consumma¬ 
ted by last summer’s growth. It is now as 
“upright’’ as other Norway Spruces, and only 
differs from them in being less symmetrical. 
Now, wo ask, is this tree still Abies exn Isa 
pervhda , or is it plain Abies excelsa ? If the 
latter, ought not the nursery man of whom we 
purchased it take it back, and either return one 
of some stability of character or refund the 
money paid for it '( 
Tho pendulous Beech proved itself worthy of 
a variety name. But this Abies ixvetsapeudula, 
frightened at the Iohs of its leader, sought pro¬ 
tection under its ancient name, and in so doing, 
lost the symmetry of the one and the “weeping 
grace ” of the other, in consideration of which, 
we think it has forfeited all claims to any name 
whatever. 
PETUNIAS. 
All who have cultivated Petunias have seen 
flowers with a margin of green, more or less 
wide. The seeds are offered in all catalogues 
under name of P. 'marginata. 
Several years ago wo experimented with Petu¬ 
nias for the purpose of ascertaining how far I 
they could be improved by crossing and selec¬ 
tion, an account of some of the results of which 
was given in tins paper at the lime. For the 
second year we obtained monstrous flowers, both 
as regards size and markings. The most strik¬ 
ing cf those were marked and the seeds (where 
perfected) saved. 
NOTES, 
Pipe Baskets. —A few days ago we saw sus¬ 
pended in «. greenhouse a huge pipe made out 
of rough wood and varnished. Two chains were 
at tactual—one to either side of the bowl, another 
to (bo stem. It was filled with Mcsernbryan- 
tht imna cordifotitim var , Echeteria sccutida 
glauca and I'inca, 
The Bubal's Ounamentai, Shrub and Tkee 
F. lection. —The result of our election will ho 
published in about three weeks, fuiiy in time 
for our readers to make use of it in their spring 
selections. 
The votes have been far more numerous than 
we could have anticipated, and we cordially 
thank our friends for their prompt “returns” 
and the lively iuterest they have shown. 
The American Garden, answering the ques¬ 
tion of a coirespondent, says that • The better 
and more certain way is to propagate tho Cle¬ 
matis by cuttings.” 
We do not believe the Clematis can bo propa- 
If we are wrong, let those 
our presumption in 
AMEBIC AN DAIRYMEN’S CONVENTION AT 
INGERSOLL, CANADA. 
PROFITS OF FRUIT CULTURE 
I From all accounts the Canadians were greatly 
j disappointed in the attendance of dairymen 
from this side of the lino at the meeting of the 
American Association at Ingersoll on Jan. 10, 11 
and 12. They had expected an attendance of at 
least turn or lhreo hundred, and it must have 
seemed slrango to them to find that the whole 
delegation from tho States, including officers 
and all, scarcely numbered half a dozen persons. 
Wo can assure our Canadian friends that the 
small attendance of dairymen from this side was 
out of no disrespect to Cauadian dairymen, but 
rather from a lack of harmony in the move 
rnent, many of our dairymen considering it an 
outrage that two or three officers of (lie Asocia- 
lion should, without consultation with others, 
dictate and arrange meetings to suit tlieir own 
private views and interests. Another somewhat 
serious disappointment must have been tho 
non-attendance of several speakers announced. 
Even poor Scoville, tho Chairman of flic Cen¬ 
tennial Dairy Committee, sent in Lis report to 
be read by Prof. L. B. Arnold. 
Well, onr Canadian brethren have had things 
pretty much their own way. They made about 
all the dairy display there was at t ho Centennial, 
and they have had tho American Dairymen’s 
Convention, which, like the Centennial display, 
may bo said to be a purely Canadian affair, for 
the half a dozen persons present from this eido 
were perhaps of no very great assistance in 
meeting the expenses of the Convention—an 
item of some account these hard times—and un¬ 
der tho circumstances the Convention must 
have seemed like a pretty t ig elephant on their 
hands. Wc hope, however, that something use¬ 
ful may come from the meeting, for tho Cana¬ 
dians certainly doseno some lecoinpenso for ail 
the trouble and expense which they have been 
obliged to shoulder in this affair. 
We give a brief account of tho proceedings, 
drawn from the Herald and other papers report¬ 
ing the meeting: 
In the afternoon of tho first day a paper on 
the • Application of Heat in the Dairy.” pre¬ 
pared by A, L. Fish of Ilcrkimer Co., was read 
by the Secretary, Mr. Fisn not being able tolo 
present. The next paper was by James Stew¬ 
art of Manchester, Iowa, on “ Butter-making at 
the West.” Mi-. Stewart not being present, tho 
paper was read by the Secretary. Tho paper 
was discussed by Lewis of Herkimer, Caswell of 
Canada, Secretary Arnold, and 1’. W. Stewart 
of Buffalo. 
Next followed tho address of C. D. I 
Californians not only report immense yields 
of fruit in the State, but also very large profits. 
For instance, the San Jose Argus flays of fruits 
in that part of the StateFive acres of prunes, 
eight years old, yielded a not profit of $2,000 ; 
two acres of Bartlett pears, twelve years old, 
shipped East, a net profit of $ 1,300; two acres 
of prunes, dried and packed, a net profit of 
$900. At, the prices paid for strawberries last 
year, they would net the producer something 
over $300 per acre; blackberries, $400 to $500 
per acre; pic-plant, which is extensively grown 
on the gardeu lands adjacent to 8an Jose and 
Santa Clara, will net about $200 per acre: as¬ 
paragus, also extensively cultivated for the San 
Francisco market, $200 per aero; grapes, eight 
years old, from $100 to $300 per acre : currants 
and raspberries, of which the Santa Clara Valley 
produces enormous quantities, $300. The cherry 
crop is the finest in the State. 
We can remember that some very similar re¬ 
ports about fruit-growing in tho Atlantic States 
once found tlicir way into tho papers, and In 
fact some of them were really true ; but, unfor¬ 
tunately for the cultivator and fortunately for 
the consumer, just so Boon as it was fairly shown 
that money could be made in fruit culture, a 
hundred started out in the business where for¬ 
merly there were but one, or perhaps half a 
dozen. The results were un over-production, the 
markets glutted, and prices fell far below a 
profitable point. Those who were able to hold 
on and stand an occasioual loss while their 
weaker rivals wore being driven from the field 
came out safely in the end; but there are com¬ 
paratively few persons who can or caroto do this. 
Hence the frequent fluctuations in both prices 
and supplies of various kinds of fruits. There 
is no doubt money to be made in raising fruits 
both on the Atlantic and Pacific side of the con¬ 
tinent ; but high prices and large demand are 
not very likely to rule for any considerable 
length of time while there are so many thou¬ 
sands of persons seeking for something to do. 
gated by cuttings 
who know better correct 
correcting the Garden. 
One of Many.— Some til 
tho kind offer in the Rural, I sent for some 
•weeds. Not receiving tLem, I concluded there 
were not enough to go round, until I Baw in the 
last Rural a notice of seeds sent to Mrs. J. P. 
II., Goshen, N. Y. Now, I suppose I don’t de¬ 
serve the seeds if I was so careless as not to give 
my full address, but trusting to your generosity, 
will try again.— Mrs. J. P. JJ., Jan. 11, '77. 
A number of letters inclosing seeds to appli¬ 
cants have been returned to ns. The names of 
such applicants we have published iu the column 
of Questions and Answers, to which column, for 
similar reasons, wo call the attention of our 
readers. 
Catalogues .—Alfred Bridgeman, 870 Broad¬ 
way, A. Y. Established in 1824.—Mr. B. has 
himself dovoted upward of 25 years to horticul¬ 
ture, and may bo supposed to know what he is 
about- His flower and seed catalogues are sepa¬ 
rate, and contain in a eondeneed form everything 
that iB desirable in cultivation. These are mailed 
free to all applicants. 
Spooner's Gardening Guide and General Seed 
Catalogue. Boston. Mass.— This is one of the 
neatest and simplest catalogues we. have seen 
this season. In its 78 pageB, not only all the 
seeds, both vegetable and flower, but all needed 
instruction for their culture, may be found, A 
descriptive catalogue is also forwarded free to 
applicants. 
We are glad to see that hardy herbaceous 
plants are once more becoming popular There 
is no class of growing things that, year in and 
year out, will afford greater pleasuro, with the 
same amount of care. 
B. K. Bliss <f Sons’ Illustrated Gardeners' 
Almanac and Abridged Catalogue of Garden, 
Field and Flower Seeds.— This will be noticed 
hereafter. 
Bellevue Aursery Company's Plant and Seed 
Catalogue. Those interested iu Pelargoniums of 
every class and variety will do well to send for 
this. In our opinion it contains tho best list of 
the ever-favorite Pelargoniums of any catalogue 
issued in this country. It contains, besides, the 
usual collections of flowers, vegetables, and 
seeds. 
A. B — We took tho liberty of ■‘presuming,” 
But the third season, instead 
of coming at all true, or of being improvements 
in any way upon their parents, they were all in¬ 
ferior to those of (he second season, and, con¬ 
cluding that little was to be gained by further 
experiments, we gave up Petunia culture for 
that of other plants with which we had had loss 
to do. 
Among them, however, was a plant that we 
watched with a good deal of interest. Iu early 
summer it bore flowers that, when spread out, 
measured seven inches across, the tiiroat of a 
lilac, veined with purple and the edges handed 
with green of varying widths. During early fall 
the green margin increased iu width, until by 
late September the flowers were w holly green. 
Those blooming still Inter were half corolla, half 
leaf, until at last a rosette of green leaves alone 
indicated where the flowers ought to have de¬ 
veloped. In several instances, imperfect sta¬ 
mens and pistils were formed, surrounded by 
crimped or ill-8haped leaves that were neither 
leaves nor petals. In others the stamens and 
pistils grew together, forming a stem, which 
continued to grow out of the corolla the same aB 
if there had not been a flower. 
It is worthy of note that these green-flowered 
Petunias were wonders of vigor, tho leaves and 
stems being twice, perhaps thrice, the size of 
the self-colored blotched and striped varieties, 
and the flowers comparatively very few. 
What seem unusual phenomena in plant growth 
are by no means so rare as we supposo. Make a 
specialty of what plant soever we will, and watch 
it closely through the season, we will be very 
likely to observe peculiarities that would escape 
ordinary observation. 
SHORT, CROOKED PATHS. 
We think it questionable taste for houses that 
are located within twenty-five feet of the road to 
have the path leading from frout-door to gate 
slightly curved, and prefer the old-fashioned 
style. A curving path in a garden is pretty only 
when the curve is decided, or when in conformity I 
with the general plan, it curves as if of neces¬ 
sity. 
When the house is near the road, the rectang¬ 
ular lines of the house and tho fences are not in 
keeping with a slightly-curved path, since there 
is not space for the introduction of foliago 
enough to offer the least reason or excuse for 
one curve where all else is straight. 
A curved is more pleasing to the eye than a 
straight line—a circle or sphere, than a parallelo¬ 
gram or cube ; but we can not combine them so 
as not to impair the effect of either, and the less 
it is attempted in lots so small that they may be 
taken in at a single glance, the less they will be 
open to the Criticism that more of pretension 
than of taste is displayed. 
CEIL F0RMATKT4. 
Mr. Sachs, in his text book of botauy, seems to 
show that the nucleus of cells is formed after 
the protoplasm—indeed is a “ differentiation "of 
its particles. Prof. Gray, who adopts the view 
generally entertained, says; “A portion of the 
MISCELLANEA 
The accompanying rude sketch (reproduced 
from Rural of Jan. 15, ’7(!) was given to show 
how readily one part of a treo will sometimes 
take the place of another when injured or re¬ 
moved When the tree (Weeping Beech) was 
planted, four years ago. the leading branch was 
killed by the following winter, and cut off, as in¬ 
dicated by the dotted lino. Late in the follow¬ 
ing spring, it was noticed that the branch at first 
in the position of the curved dotted line, was 
changing towards a perpendicular, and this 
change continued until the fail of the leaf, when 
iAAIBERT 
of St. Thomas, Canada, detailing an experiment 
to retain the albumen in cheese-making. 
A recess was then taken until evening. 
At the evening session, first in order was Prof. 
Arnold’s report on the Centennial display and 
awards. This report is the tamo as that given 
at the New York Rtate Convention and noticed 
recently in the Rural. Tho Herald says the 
paper elicited no discussion, owing to tho lack of 
any issue, but it provoked hearty demonstra¬ 
tions of exultation at the victor}'of tho Canadian 
makers in a fair fight against tho best dairymen 
of the States, or rather, to state the truth, a 
victory over a miscellaneous lot of cheese picked 
up and bought by Moon for the Dairy Ring, and 
represented as being sent to the Exhibition by 
the dairymen. 
Ou the second day the first paper read was by 
C. L. Sheldon of Lowviile, N. Y., on “Cheese 
and Ventilation.” The paper waB a review of 
some of tho errors and inconveniences which 
cause loss to dairymen. Tho paper was dis¬ 
cussed by Messrs. Arnold, Stewart, Burrill, 
and others. 
In the afternoon, E. W. Stewart of Buffalo 
addressed the Convention on “Dairying and 
Fertility.” This was followed by a paper on 
• Canadian Success,” by Thomas Barlantyne, 
M. P , of Stratford, Canada. Mr. B. was the 
recipient of the- prize medal for the best Cana¬ 
dian cheese on exhibition at the Centennial. He 
gave a general description of Ids process of 
manufacture, which is that known as the Ched¬ 
dar Method. 
In the evening. Harris Lewis of Herkimer, N. 
Y., repeated his old address on the “ Fitness of 
Tivngs." He then discussed the corn fodder 
The intensity of question with Messrs. Arnold and Farrington. 
to the time oi At. 9:33 the dairymen and their lady friends 
e night and at- went to the Daly House, where a banquet was 
! o’clock in the served in honor of the visitors, at the invitation 
irmy, the energy of the Ingersoll Board ol Trade, 
le plant remains At the morning session of the last day there 
rains. M. Levy was a paper read upon the “ Advantages of E.t- 
ct alight on the perimental Stations.” It was prepared by Prof. 
it was found to have moved through an are of 
at least 60°, as the cut shows. We reproduce it 
now in the fulfilment of a promise made at the 
time it was first published, to report the branch’s 
progress towards a perpendicular. 
Last summer the branch in question grew in 
length about three feet, all tho while moving 
upwards, until in late fall it had not only reached 
a perpendicular, but leaned over in the opposite 
direction. We quote from the Rural of Jan. 
15. '76: “ The buds upon the moving branch 
relatively to it have not altered their positions, 
so that as they pointed downwards while the 
branch was pendulous, they now point upwards, 
It remains to be seen whether the lateral buds 
of this branch will reverse their direction of 
