The spring-planted radishes were thinned out as 
required and found a ready market at home. 
At present the ground is trenched and set with 
a splendid growth of celery which vegetable is, 
at our table, regarded beyond price. The celery 
will be out iu time for early spring-planted peas 
and radishes again. 
Fronting our west-looking dining-room door is 
a hedge of Doolittle blackcap raspberry, which 
divides the narrow flower garden from the wider 
vegetable plot and excludes the latter from 
sight. Vegetables might, without detriment, 
grow close up to the raspberry roots: however 
this rich soil has never been utilized. Bolf- 
sown morning-glories always spring up in 
profusion and as soon as the delicious crop 
is gathered, the old vines cut and tho new 
ones well pruned, we allow tho morning- 
glories to clamber at will and soon have a 
fairy-blossoming hedge that is a joy to look 
upon until frost. 
Harrison Co., W. Va. 
delight the little ones, as, with a small, out¬ 
stretched finger, each one touches it ten¬ 
derly, to see its pale-green leaves slcwly close 
and fall. “Is it alive, mamma?” asks one. 
“ Poor ’sing,” is the baby’s comment,—and thus 
are taught, the first lesBons in Botany, and the 
rare and beautiful things in nature come crowd¬ 
ing into these simple talk*. 
EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENTS 
LETTERS. 
gardening. Art came nobly forward, spring and 
autumn, with well decomposed barnyard manure 
and contributions from the wealth of deep old 
forests. The land lay, sloping almost imper¬ 
ceptibly toward tho south, 20 feet in length and 
3 in width. 
With these materials and a few garden imple¬ 
ments we commenced work, during a favorable 
period late in autumn, by spading and thorough¬ 
ly pulverizing the soil. From end to end we 
sowed it, broadcast, with a liberal handful of 
radish seed, gathered from the abundant re¬ 
sources generally close at band iu such a time 
and place. Our seed was of the kind “ to for¬ 
LAW’RnN Nursery. 1 
. Edinburgh, Scotland. | 
We propagate every year about 0,000 Cle¬ 
matises of almost every sort, worth growing. Af¬ 
ter many trials we are quite convinced that graft¬ 
ing is the best mode of propagation, and we 
have almost given up putting in cuttings except 
of a few of the strong growers such as Montana. 
We use Viticella, I 'lanmmla. an<f in many cases 
the roots of the sort which we want to increase, 
but in all cases wo find the grafted plants to come 
away stronger and quicker than cuttings. We 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS 
September 1. 
CUTTING BACK ARBOR-VITAE HEDGES. 
Four years ago we purchased Arbor-vitie 
plants for a hedge 250 feet in length. They were 
set about two foot apart, and at the time 
of planting, or a little later, were cut back 
severely. That is, the plants being four feet 
in bight, they were cut back one-third. The 
bottom branches, of course, were not touch¬ 
ed. They have since been cut hack every 
summer, always preserving a rounded top. 
A trench two feet deep by eighteen inches 
wide was dug—a part of the poor soil re¬ 
moved and hotter soil supplied Instead. 
At the same time, a neighbor bought 
plants from the same nursery lot, for a hedge 
200 feet long. The trench was dug in the 
same manner, the plants set the sumo day, 
the only di (Terence being that they were 
placed eighteen inches apart, and not at that 
time or since cut hack or clipped many way. 
The accompanying illustrations, fetched 
less than three weeks ugo, Is from life. It 
id in the main faithful hut our aitist has 
exaggerated somewhat, we think, tho differ- ' 
ence between tho two hedges in fav< r of the 
advantages of pruning* Tho hedge which _ 
was not clipped at all is comparatively tall 
and slender. That which was cut back when ri 
transplanted and subsequently, is as thick 
as is desirable, especially at the bottom 
MINIATURE GARDENING, 
Your proposition in the Ritual of July 28, 
has sot so strong a temptation before mo to 
compete for some of tho seeds you offer, that 
I have been led to attempt a task new to mo 
in writing lor them. I am hardly capable of 
saying anything to profit or interest most 
floriculturists, and therefore range myself 
modestly among the “ all others who write 
in good faith.” 
In A „d, I make so many failures that 1 
would rather seek advice front others than 
tell my own experience. This only covers 
the efforts of a poor woman cultivating a 
sandy garden-plot, possessed only of slender 
resources for obtaining help to work it, or 
the necessary fertilizers. Those arc quite 
where the branches rest upon the ground. 
It should be borne in mind that almost tire 
first consideration in the culture and care 
of au Arbor - vibe or indeed of a Hemlock, 
Spruce or Cedar hedge, is to induce a thick 
growth at the bottom. At first this is an 
easy— later, a very difficult matter. Vi e may 
mention that from now until lute in Sep¬ 
tember is as good a time as any to shear or 
cut hack our evergreen hedges. 
EARLY SEPTEMBER. 
The fields and meadows are now gay with 
Golden Rods, Iron Weeds, Asclopias, Swamp 
Rose-mallows, Gcrardias, little Sun-ilowers 
and Bonosets. The Mallow ( Hibiscus mos- 
dututos ) thrives well in the garden and bears 
a coarse but showy flower varying from white 
to deep pmk. A double variety of this 
would prove an acquisition. The seeds, which 
germinate freely, may be gathered in a week 
or so. 
THE LAURESTINUS. 
The Laurustinus is a much esteemed white, 
winter-flowering shrub. Every one who loves 
flowers and cultivates them iu the house in win¬ 
ter, knows how scarce good white flowers are 
at that time. 
Now, the Laurestiuus is one of the very best 
plants we have for furnishing pure white flowers 
at that season. During mid-winter it is always 
ready with a fall supply, aud the flowers, for 
either wedding, funeral, or bouquet, are exceed¬ 
ingly valuable; in fact, for such purposes it is 
the only one many florists can depend on for 
weeks at a time when the sun hides his face. 
Being a fine evergreen shrub it is quite an orn¬ 
ament to any collection, even when out of 
bloom. 
It is one of the very easiest plants to raise in 
either house or conservatory, and any one can 
manage it. It. only requires a good, light soil, 
and should bo transplanted often, or if this is 
not convenient, supplied occasionally with liquid 
manure, But even with this expedient it must 
he moved at least once in the year'. "Where this 
is neglected it will fail to bloom satisfactorily. 
Iu summer, sink the pot in the open ground 
and water freely, not enough to make a mush of 
the soil, but sufficiently to keep it moist. The 
Laurestinus is related to the much admired 
Snowball, and is deserving of more extended 
cultivation than it now receives. 
W. C. L. Drew. 
Eldorado, Cal. 
JACOBEAN LILY. 
Your agreeable correspondent from California, 
Mr. Drew, says thatth q Amaryllis fannossisima, 
does not bloom but once. Does he mean that it 
hears but one flower ? If so, ho is mistaken. I 
have known it to bear two flowers upon tho same 
scape. Does he mean that the bulb bloomB but 
once? If so, hois entirely mistaken. The same 
bulb will bloom for several years—we know not 
how many. s. si. l. s. 
.AD-tRO R-VITAE — TVA'TTJ 
have most of the varieties in bloom now which 
were grafted in spring ; and the later worked 
plants are growing fast and many will bloom this 
autumn if we have any suns! line. We have had 
a fearfully hot summer. For many weeks not a 
day has passed in which wo have not had more 
or less rain, and tho sun seems to havo 
gone on a visit to tho North Pole, for we 
scarcely ever see his face here. Our grain 
crops are heavy, but fully throe weeks be¬ 
hind the average <i soasons. Potatoes 
look fine just now, hut, the blight is mak¬ 
ing its appearance among the earlier sorts. 
Quality generally very had, soft and watery. 
This is, without doubt, tho latest season we 
have had for twenty-five years. Tho prospects 
of the farmer are indeed very gloomy. I will be 
glad at any time to give you any information you 
may require regarding gardening and farming 
matters hero. W. W- Johnstone, Hupt. 
[Our readers may remember the little discus¬ 
sion iu the Rural, a low months buck, as to 
whether the improved varieties of tho Clematis 
could bo grown from cuttings. Mr. John tone’s 
letter throws needed light upon tho subject— 
Eds.] 
RAL A.1V1) CUT HACK. 
Allow me to thank you again aud again for 
the seeds you sent me. I wish you could see the 
bod of Pansies which I have raised from them. 
They were labeled “King of the Blacks,and 
please do nut be offended if I sav that they 
“ sport astonishingly" or else their sender does, 
for I never saw so many and such beautiful col¬ 
ors iu one bod as from that one little package of 
“ King of the Blacks.” They were varied and 
beautiful beyond description, aud I’ve blessed 
the Editor of the Rural New-Yorker every day 
since for that mound of Pansies. With many 
wishes for the succcsb of the Rural, I remain 
Yours respectfully, N. JL 
GARDENING ON LIMITED SPACE. 
BY ROSE GERANIUM. 
The soil was as all soil should be—good. Na¬ 
ture was generous and endowed the spot for j 
tune and to fame unknown,” but of large 
growth and excellent quality and familiarly 
spoken of as “ grandmother’s radishes,” they 
having maintained a perennial existence in her 
Pennsylvania garden from n dale far prior to 
the reign of tlio modern advertising seedsman. 
The vegetable under discussion is pink, white or 
purple, as the case may be, is long and shapely 
and comes early and lingers late with no diminu¬ 
tion of virtue. 
To proceed, over our seed we threw a light, 
rough litter of coarse manure and dry leaves, 
not enough to invito moles and just sufficient to 
repel frost. Then we took refuge in the house 
and did not see our doll-garden again until about 
tho middle of February or, perhaps the first of 
March, when a dry, open season wooed us out 
—in our hands a spading-fork and a bug of Early 
Kent peas. Slightly stirring the soil wo formed 
drills—four in number—and dropped in the 
peas, oovering them with leaf-mold. 
About the time they needed hoeing our 
radishes came up to object but, waiving their 
protest, wo proceeded to execute our design by 
moans of a round stick which moved happily 
through the mealy mold. After the lioeing was 
complete, with the destruction of a minor share 
of radishes, we further proceeded to plant on 
each edge a row of French Breakfast radish, 
dropping the seeds two inches apart, pressing 
them down with a finger and leaving the places 
open. 
About the time our peas were ready to Btiek, 
our first radishes wore to be pulled. Perhaps 
we put tho sticks down where the radishes came 
up! We are not mathematically certain of this 
but w T e are certain we did not intentionally 
suffer any spaco to bo idle. Before our first 
crop intruded upon our second we had it taken 
out. At least twelve dozen radishes went to 
market from the space. What they realized to 
us does not matter as we are not governed ln- 
New York markets—but we afterward learned 
that some single specimens sold for five cents 
apiece. (We may as well state we received six 
cents a dozen.) 
We cannot say more for the peas than that 
they bore luxuriantly full and were excellent. 
essential, but although the land looks poor, 
they give good results when they can ho ob¬ 
tained and applied. This year tho kitchen- 
garden is looking quite well, thanks to the 
generous rains. The Potato beetles were 
quite numerous, but persevering work has 
kept them under. A groat source of trouble 
with them, however, is that near neighbors 
neglect them on their own grounds from 
which Un y migrate to mine. The parasite 
that preys on the cabbage worm does not 
seem to ha-« reached here yet, for a daily 
search for the pest is needed. For Tomatoes, 
I only try one or two of tho smooth sort 
now, as 1 have found the so-called earliest 
kinds that I have had, did not make up by 
their oaiTiness, for their uneven surface. 
They are not ripe yoi, but for those who like 
this vegetable, a very palatable divh can he 
— made of green ones sliced with onions and 
stowed, and seasoned with butter, pepper and 
Balt. The vines arc loaded with blossoms, but 
very few cucumbers or squashes. 1 wonder if 
there is a remedy for this ? 
Hove flowers dearly, but am unable to havo a 
great, variety. A few years ago 1 bought some 
Japanese Lilies and havo taken as good care of 
them as 1 could ; but they do not thrive very 
well, flowers being now smaller and fewer than 
at first. I havo some house-plants and tho nicest 
Calla 1 over saw. 1 don't, know why it excels 
others, only that I always keep it very wet. T 
give it no rest through the summer, as many do. 
I don’t take it out of the pot to change the earth 
oftener than once in two or three years, but 
sometimes wash out what I can on the top and 
fill it with new mold. I do not have very good 
success with Geraniums, although 1 have tested 
the various methods of treating them, of which 
I have read. They do not blossom well while in 
pots, but begin to grow and bud almost as soon 
as set in the open ground; but 1 have had one 
two years, which has defied all treatment and 
never bore a blossom yet—an ivy-leaf named 
hady Edith. 
Whenever the Rural comes, I look for any¬ 
thing about flowers first, though there is so 
much that is interesting. a. p. 
EVERGREENS AND BIRDS. 
Few persons who are not in a position to no¬ 
tice it, are aware of what an interesting harbor 
for a groat many varieties of birds, is a cluster 
of evergreens near a house. They are objects of 
interest for several reasons, and are frequented 
by birds at one time of the year for oue purpose, 
and at another time for another; so that they are 
visited at all timos by a number of different 
birds. In the winter the thick, green boughs of 
Balsam Fir, Norway Spruce and Pines, afford 
an excellent shelter to such birds as stay with 
us during that inclement season. Among these 
are the common sparrow, song sparrow, ground 
and tree Chippies, Snow Bird, and sometimes the 
lesser Redpole of the far North, will, during ex¬ 
treme cold, visit us aB far South as the northern 
part of New Jersey’, and eat the seeds lromthe 
cones of such trees. During the breeding sea¬ 
son, most birds that build a hanging or bag nest, 
3s 
