THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
MARSH 24 
during hot weather, into this basin should be 
poured a pail or two of water, which, soaking 
into the earth, will carry down some of the 
manure in a liquid state and produce extraor¬ 
dinary results. 
Two or three years ago a friend of mine in 
Trenton, who has a handsome yard in front of 
his house, asked me to Bend him a conspicuous 
plant for a round bed in the middle of the 
grass, llo was willing, he said, to spend 820 or 
825 for a lino specimen plant, as he wanted 
“something nice and showy." I sent him sim¬ 
ply Cauna MnrQchxil VaUlant, wilh instructions 
to treat it in accordance with the directions 
given above. 11 y friend accepted my sugges¬ 
tion, but was not quite satisfied. He said Cannas 
were so common that ho waB afraid ho would not 
be able to obtain tbo effect be desired. How¬ 
ever, he put the plant into the ground and gave 
it careful attention. Towards the end of tbo 
season I met him ; he was delighted; the Canna 
was nearly nine feet high aud covered with 
flowers, attracting immense attention—In fact, 
' attracting rather too much attention, for my 
friend is a modest man aud he felt as if ho was 
being somewhat *' Jlaruumi/ed." 
In October the frost came and cut down his 
big Cauna. He met mo in November and told 
me what had happened. I gave him my full 
sympathy, which produced but little result in 
the way of consolation. I thought I saw a tear 
on the end of his nose, and that this tear was 
shed for grief for loss of the Cauna. But the 
latter supposition was doubtless incorrect, for aB 
I went along I passed other men, several of 
whom had noses decorated with a tear—for tho 
day was cold and windy. Geobge Such. 
South Amboy, N. J. 
A WOMAN’S ACRE. 
BY MBS. ANNIE L. JACK. 
No. 3. 
A SUMMER'S SALES. 
At a distance of five miles from my garden- 
plot stands the quaint and picturesque village of 
Caugnawaga, inhabited by tho once-poworful 
tribe of Iroquois Indians. The chief business of 
the inhabitants consists iu mailing tlm fanciful 
bead-work for which they are well known, man¬ 
ufacturing snow-shoes and baskets, and helping 
to take through tbo immense ralts of wood that, 
during high water, are brought down the 8t. 
Lawrcuce from tho lumbering distiicts. Tho 
Indians are good pilots, and are often called upon 
to convey steamboats through the boiling and 
dangerous channel of the Lucliino lvapids. Their 
agriculture consists Of u few gardens in the vil¬ 
lage, and here and there in the extensive wood¬ 
lands they will clear apioco of ground, and plant 
corn or potatoes. These people, when flush of 
money, deny themselves no luxury of the table, 
and will purchaso the most expensive fruits or 
vegetables, in or out of season. The stores rue 
miscellaneous, and the merchants, themselves 
Indians, smart, active, and enterpr ising. 
My early potatoes were sold to one of these, 
who, formerly a Cayuga, of North Carolina, had 
been pressed into the Confederate service, drift¬ 
ed Northwurd, and at last settled in the Indian 
village, to which he was attracted by the blight 
eyes of a bewitching squaw. Binding that we 
had many things for sale that his customers re¬ 
quired, ho began to make regular calls through 
the season, when in search of eggs aud butter 
from tbo neighboring farmers, aud the rattle of 
his long, ono-horso wagon was a signal for all 
hands to thin tho onions, make up bunches of 
turnips and beets, gather snap-beans, or, if later 
in the season, the earliest corn or apples; aud in 
after years a part of our summer fruit. 
“ Well ear Well ma'am,” he would generally 
begin, “give me fifty cents’ worth of onions; ” 
aud tying his horse to the post near the garden 
fence, lie proceeded to rccounoiter, in order to 
pick up odds aud ends, as his needs might he. 
Then Fclieile would drop her hoe and gently 
discriminate among tho onion rows, puliing for 
his benefit any that seemed likely to prove thick 
necks; and while the children hunched and tied, 
the intending purchaser paid no attention, ti list¬ 
ing to our honesty for tho worth of his money. 
From such small truck, I found that during tho 
first season I had realized tho smn of 825, while 
the garden was really t he hotter for the thinning. 
The city market, which now receives all cur 
product direct to dealers, 1 only tried once dur¬ 
ing that eventful summer, aud found the experi¬ 
ment one 1 did not care to repeat, although in 
some respects beneficial. It happened that tbo 
earliest peas were ready at the same time that an 
old, neglected strawberry-Led showed a wonder¬ 
ful wealth of berries shiuiug through the weeds 
and loaves. This had been left to supply the 
household with fruit for tho season until some 
new plants should come into hearing; but when 
we began to pick, dishes and baskets were called 
into requisition, aud by night wo had about ten 
gallons of mixed sizes that might he spared for I 
market. Early the next morniug I took John- | 
nie, and with my peas and strawberries started 
for the city. Not a few of my neighbors, bear¬ 
ing of my intention, took the troublo to stop n»e 
by the way aitd state that they did not believe I 
would stand on the market to Bell. When the 
boat reached the wharf we drove our buggy, iu 
all baste, to our intended destination, and, back¬ 
ing up the old gray mare, began to display our 
wares. 
I had gathered Borne of the early roses and a 
few perennials, with some wild flowers and ferns, 
making about, twenty bouquets, which 1 arranged 
around my large, flat basket ol’ strawberries, on 
the seat of the buggy, Presently, along came a 
huckster, and seeing such green hands, began to 
chaff and banter for the peas, which I found 
wore scarce on the market. To her, at last, I 
sold my two bags of green peas in the po<l for 
six dollars, being at tho rate of two dollars per 
bushel. For the flowers she gave mo a dollar and 
a half, praising the taste iu arrangement; hut 
when I offered my strawberries her hands went 
up in horror. “ Arrab, what wud I do wi’ the 
loikes o’ thim ? There's no seeiiT the big ones 
for the sight o* the small rubbish, dear.” I then 
comprehended tho necessity of sorting, and tho 
beauty and utility of quart boxes. After she had 
left me a bright thought .entered my mind, and 
I dispatched Johnnie to a tinsmith's opposite for 
u quart measure. 
During his absence my thoughts were diverted 
by tho appearance on the footpath of an old 
friend, at whose house, iu my younger days, I 
had often dined ; who had flattered and intro¬ 
duced mo to her circle as a literary aspirant of 
some talent; and whose two stylish daughters 
wero then my compeers. Ae she daintily picked 
her steps through the busy throng, the lady’s eyes 
fell upon my lonely self, f itting in a waiting atti¬ 
tude beside my baskets. Never dreaming of the 
truth of my situation, she advanced to shake 
bauds, with pleasure aud surprise expressed in 
her face. “How are you? Why don’t you come 
to see us ? 1 answered pleasantly aud politely 
her questions, and added “I am trying to sell 
a little fruit and some vegetables this morning.” 
What had I said ? What bad I done ? Athrill 
of almost affright passed over her whole frame; 
dismay was written plainly on every fc-aturo, and, 
with a cold bow, slio picked her way gingerly 
along; aud being obliged to return by the same 
road, she turned her back resolutely, and was 
evidently interested in the display of turnips and 
cabbages in tbo huckster’s stall opposite. Head¬ 
er, with such a one 1 had lout caste. 
Iu my bright tin measure I piled high tho ber¬ 
ries, found out that the quart boxes were sold at 
heventocu cents, and by placing mine at four¬ 
teen, my baskets Boon becamo lighter. While I 
sat serenely awaiting customers, tho purchaser 
of the pens made her appearance, and inquired : 
“ Will ye be after tailin’ iifteeucints for the lot?" 
I shrugged my shoulders, shook my head, and 
beforo she left sold the rest of my berries for 
the fifteen cents to a gentleman who praised their 
freshness and took them all. But, while making 
light of it on my return, I decided in my own 
mind that marketing the crop was not my forte, 
and have never needed to repeat the experiment. 
My onions grew largo and ruddy, the stalks 
fell over, turned yellow, aud wero pullod up by the 
younger children and put into small heaps todrv. 
When the bulbs had been turned lightly with a 
coarse rake several timoB, wo proceeded to barrel 
them on the ground, setting them like apples, 
and pressing in the head iu the same way. About 
this time a buyer from the city happened to call, 
andoffeiitig me two dollars per barrel, freight 
fro©, I sold my twenty barrels, reserving] only 
enough for family use. The apple trees had de¬ 
veloped both in wood and fruit, by clean tillage, 
and Hie same purchaser offered to take the lot, 
consisting of twelve barrels, for forty dollars. 
As there were six or seven bushels of the choic¬ 
est Alexanders, and two barrels of the Waxen 
Crab, it was a fair bargain; and before tho end 
of September I had the pleasure of paying the 
guidman his sixty dollars rent, with an additional 
ten dollars Jfor labor, and finding myself with a 
balance of thirty dollars and what proved to be a 
lucky celery crop still in the ground. 
SPIRiEA SOKBIFOLIA. 
Of all hardy deciduous shrubs sensitive to a 
breath of warm air or to a shadow of sunshine, 
S/iirwa sorbifolia ranks among the first. During 
the w arm period of February a year ago, even 
while the Lilac buds were yet dormant or only 
swelling, a plant of this leafed out nearly to the 
full. Severely cold weather followed, and we 
supposed these tender leavps would of course j 
perish. March 30, however, aecordiug to notes 
taken at tire time, these leaves were fully devel¬ 
oped, having endured the cold without iujury. 
When we apply tho word “hardy ’ to this shrub, 
it has no ambiguous meaning. Indeed the 
simile “as hardy as Spircea sorbifolia among 
shrubs, would be no less expressive and true 
than “ as hardy as an Oak,” among trees. But 
while it is as hardy as an Oak respecting cold, it 
is hardier than an Oak in its disregard of situa- 
! tions. So far as our observations extend, it 
seems quite immaterial what soil or exposure it 
is placed in ; its vigor and life are irrepressible, 
and we almost wonder why. after a sound rest 
during late fall and early winter, it doesn't re¬ 
commence growth in February, and so, while 
other shrubs are naked, enjoy the strange sensa¬ 
tion of blooming alone. 
Spiraea, sorbifolia is not among those shrubs 
J which are described as “ refined, elegant, grace- 
* ful," etc., though its leaflets, usually of about 
eight pairs and an odd one, are as delicate as 
could be desired. They arc of a light, fresh- 
green color, veined, plicate, and doubly seriated 
with beautiful regularity, and of an ovate-acu- 
I minate shape that is nearly lanceolate. Its in¬ 
florescence is an immenso compound panicle, 
and each simple panicle is almost as large as 
that borne by such species as exirnia or Douglasi , 
of a soft, feathery, plush-like white. But its 
form is rather branching and the stems bear but 
little foliage below, and are, besides, long- 
pointed, crooked and rough, somewhat like 
those of Hubus oflorahix (the sweot-seonted- 
loavcd Bramble). Though, therefore, tho loaves 
will bear a close inspection, the entire plant 
looks better at a distance. Nor does its wealth 
of bloom change this impression. While still 
fresh the flowers are as wo have described them, 
but their period of freshness is rendered exceed¬ 
ingly brief by tho rose-bugs, that seem to prefer 
them to all other flowers. 
The stems arc brittle aud filled with pith. 
They grow from four to six feet high iu this 
climate, throwing up many suckers, from which 
it is easily increased. 
We know not whether we have in the above 
description impressed tho reader favorably as 
regards this shrub or not. It is, however, a 
favorite with us, though it is not easy to tell 
why. As such words as “refined, elegant, 
charming,” etc., are so often applied to many 
dainty plants in describing their beauty—so, as 
if by a pleasing contrast, it is a relief to find a 
shrub that may fairly be described as sturdy 
coarse, lawless, and impudent—and yet beautiful 
witbal. 
plant is to grow, sufficient soil must be removed 
to make a hole large enough to admit the ball of 
the plant without crowding it; for if the roots 
are separated from the adherent mold the plants 
are likely to wilt and <I,e. The soil must then be 
pressed close to the youug plant, and a covering 
placed over the latter to protect it from the sun. 
A hoet-h-af answers this purpose excellently; 
for by the time the plant has become well 
established, the protecting leaf has grown so 
dry and brittle that the young leaves will readily 
break through it. I planted 2,000 last fall 
according to this proces*. and they bid fair to 
give a good yield of large berries ; their growth 
before winter set in having been very strong. 
Muscatine, la, F. W. Holungswobtu. 
SENDING BERRIES TO MARKET. 
PLANTING STRAWBERRIES. 
‘As it is about time to plant fruits of all kinds, 
a little of my experience in Strawberry planting 
may be of use to some of the readers of the 
Rubai, New-Yobkee. 
This is a good time to send vour orders for 
plants to somo reliable email-fruit grower, and 
have thorn forwarded as Boon as the ground 
Betties in the Bpring. Lot nothing hinder yon 
from heeling them in immediately on receiving 
thorn, for a few hours’ delay may cause you the 
loss of all, and will certainly bring upon you the 
loss of some. Opeu every bunch and dip them 
in water with tho chill taken off; then sproad 
them out, one or two deep, and place fine, pul¬ 
verized dirt firmly against tho roots. When all 
have been put in the ground, shade them two or 
throe days. For this purpose I generally use a 
piece of old carpet or coffee sacking. Put it on 
about 9 A. M. and take it off about 4 P. M., eo 
that the plants may have the benefit of tho 
dews by night while protected from tho sun by 
day. During cloudy weather, it will not, of 
course, be worth while to bother about covering. 
When the plants have hardened enough, which 
maybe seen by their having got their color, 
then you can proceed to planting. 
T plant as follows: After taking them from 
their beds, I put them iu a pail, aud pour enough 
water on them to cover the roots, and take them 
from the bucket as J plaut thorn. A planting 
trowel is the Lest instrument I have ever used, 
as it makes a hole just large enough to admit the 
roots without being cramped. I don’t think I 
lost 300 out of 10,000 I planted last Spring. The 
use of water in this way, I think much better 
than puddling when heeling in or planting out. 
This method has always been most successful 
with me in planting seedlings, evergreens and 
other small plants, that have been shipped to me, 
as it leaves the roots entirely clear of gums so 
that the soil can come into direct contact with 
them. , 
I have had hut little experience in planting 
Strawberries in the fall, aud am decidedly in favor 
of doing it now. After reading a great deal 
however, about planting them iu Autumn, aud 
growing plants in pots, I concluded to try an ex¬ 
periment which, in my opinion, is much cheaper 
than either. 
So soon as the runners have formed the first 
roots from the parent stem, and become pretty 
well established, I cat them loose and give 
them four or five days more to get a bettor hold 
on life, aud then with a trowel cut down ou two 
sides of each plant, and lift them into a shallow 
woodcu box that will hold about 60 of them. 
The box, which is provided with a bail and made 
of light material only about two inches deep, 
must be carried iu the hand to the newly stirred ' 
ground to prevent the shaking of the soil from 
about the roots. From the spot where tho ! 
Already in the extreme Southern States straw¬ 
berries are ripe aud the crop is being sent to 
market. The season for the earlier kinds of tho 
small fruits or berries, as they are generally 
called, will soon he at hand further north, and it 
is time that those who expect to market a crop 
should ho thinking of the stylo of baskets aud 
crates to be used for tliis purpose. There have 
been many different styles of boxes, baskets and 
crates during the past twenty years, and the old 
heavy wood boxes or trays, once used, are now 
seldom seen iu our markets, aud about the only 
relic of old-time berry-marketing is the small 
Jersey basket, holding onc-fourth or fifth of a 
quart. These baskets, with very tall handles, are 
still quite popular iu some of tho cities and vil¬ 
lages of New Jersey, for it is quite difficult to 
make some persons see the difference in thesize3 
of vessels of this kind, and to them a “basket is 
a basket" whether it takes tho contents of two, 
four or six to fill a quart measure. 
The fruit growers take advantage of this defi¬ 
ciency in the perceptive facultieB of their cus¬ 
tomers and cut down the. size of their berry-has- 
lcets to the lowest practical point, and still have 
them hold an uncertain, aud to the purchaser, 
an unknown quantity. But beforo dismissing 
this little Jersey splint-basket we must give it 
credit for being a safe medium for conveying the 
email, soft varieties to market; for it is but rea¬ 
sonable to suppose that a fourth or fifth of a 
quart of berries would go safer iu a basket than 
a larger quantity, aud bo less liable to become 
bruised and mashed during transit. This is 
doubtless one reason why these baskets still hold 
their own iu some localities against the improved, 
more convenient and better styles. 
Then again, every grower who sends berries to 
market is likely to suffer greater or lees losses by 
not having tho vessels returned by the dealer or 
customer to whom tho fruit has boon consigned ; 
and tho more costly the baskets tbo greater are 
his losses if there is any carelessness in this mat¬ 
ter. It is true, howover, that there is an offset 
to Ibis, in tho fact that the dealer in the city will 
usually take more pains to preserve a costly bas¬ 
ket thau a very cheap one, and it may be that, 
upon the whole, there is not much difference in 
the way of lossos to the fruit grower, whether he 
uses cheap or costly baskets. But we are also 
informed that fruit, when packed in handsome 
baskets and crates, sells more readily and com¬ 
mands better prices than when sont to market in 
unattractive packages. This is evidently true, 
aud consequently the fruit grower should take 
all these pluses of the trade into consideration 
when getting ready to sell his crop, lie Bhould 
also ascertain something of the market to which 
his fruit is to be sent, for if it demands actual 
measurement instead of guess-work, those baskets 
holding one-thud, ono-half, or a full quart, 
should be used, instead of any other. 
If the distance is so great that it will not pay 
him to have tho empty baskets aud crates re¬ 
turned. then a cheap “ give-away ” box or basket 
should be used, but as a rule these very cheap 
baskets are too fragile to ensure tho safe car¬ 
riage of berries to any considerable distance. If 
made of good material, however, or if they are 
strong enough to reach their destination in good 
order, there is certainly an advantage in these 
cheap “ Free-fruit-buxGB,” as tho commission 
agent is relieved from any annoyance in looking 
after their safe return; and besides this the 
grower avoids the use of old and stained boxes 
returned from market. 
FORMS OF BOXES AND BASKETS. 
There has been much discussion among fruit 
growers and dealers in berries in regard to the 
best form of boxes and baskets, as to whether 
these should be round or square, with perpen¬ 
dicular or flaring sides. 
The square box with perpendicular sides, and 
made of thin veneer, such as the Hallock and 
Burlington Free-Fruit-Box, is doubtless the most 
economical in form where a saving of space in 
the crates is of any considerable importance, but 
such boxes are only intended to be used once, 
and are given away with the fruit. Then a bas¬ 
ket or box with perpendicular sides is always ob¬ 
jectionable for berries from tho fact that each 
layer rests wholly upon the one beneath, thereby 
settling more rapidly and to a greater degree 
