UA 
my. 3 
this I have to find ont yet—should the roots 
hold out over winter, I shall send you one by 
next spring to experiment with in the “ Rural 
Grounds.'’ 
Some three years ago, when in the woods in 
search ef some Red Cedar seedlings. I found, 
among a clump of them, one which had the ex¬ 
tremities of its branches all tipped with white. 
I transferred it, with others, to my garden. It 
was apparently robust and healthy, but 1 found 
out the first summer that it was of slower 
growth than the others. Now, I am unfortu¬ 
nately not gifted with a superabundance of that 
cherished virtue—patience. In order to make 
that slow fellow hurry up and keep pace with the 
others, I treated it the next winter to a heavy 
mulch of manure. The object In view I gained, 
but I am sorry to say that I lost another still 
more important. Tush it did, the following spring, 
with a will, but, alaB! itB now shoots came out 
plain, without the least sign of variation. 
Neither would taking it out, washing the soil 
clear from the roots and giving it some of that 
identical ground it originally grew in, restore it 
to its old appearance. 
Out of Borne half a dozen seeds of Zinnia 
Darwinii, marked “just imported ” which you 
had the kindness to send me last spring 1 raised 
five plants. Throe of these, so soon as they 
showed their single, smutty-yellow flowers, 
wore palled ont. The fourth proved to be 
the finest doublo white one I have ever seen. 
The last, sure, was a genuine evolutionist. Not 
exactly a model of perfection as regarded its 
donblenoHH, but it was distinctly striped red on 
white ground. (Wo have never succeeded in get¬ 
ting anything of the kind—Ena.) The hail subse¬ 
quently destroyed the plant, not, however, before 
I bad struck a cutting of it, which T had given to 
an ardent lover of flowers, in whose well-cared- 
for garden it made a very largo plant. Rut now 
comes the Darwinism of this plant! The first 
flowers came duly striped \ those following 
changed the stri|K)H into large blotches; after 
this the colors separated in halves; ono-half 
of the individual flower being red the other 
white, after York and Lancaster style. Rut 
nature was not satisfied yet with this partial 
separation of colors. To-day you might see the 
plant covered with flowers, half of which are 
rod, the other half pure white. This is a most 
curious phenomenon. 
Houston, Texas, Oct. 18. 
-♦♦♦- 
ROUGE PLANTS, (RIVINA). 
BY WILLIAM FALCONEII. 
These are lovely little berry-bearing plants, 
particularly well adapted for cultivation in green¬ 
houses, and in ferneries in warm rooms in dwel¬ 
ling-houses. They belong to the Pokeweed 
family, are natives of the West Indies, and have 
been grown in greenhouses since nearly two 
hundred years. They are herbaceous to shrubby 
plants, always covered with leaves, flowers, and 
fruit, very ornamental, and readily propagated 
by means of cuttings or seeds. Their blossoms 
are tiny, pure white, and produced on long term¬ 
inal and axillary racemes and are succeeded by 
intensely colored berries. 
It. liumills, or the variety of it known as 
canesoens, is of upright branchy habit, with 
pubescent, stems and leaves, and long racemes of 
white flowers and scarlet berries, that are pro¬ 
duced in the greatest profusion. There is a 
yellow-fruited variety of this species, which, 
but in the color of its berries, is in every way 
like the typical plant. The yellow berries being 
neither so glowing nor contrastive as the scarlet 
ones, necessarily places this variety as inferior in 
a decorative sense to the red-fruited kinds. 
R. la?vis. which is considered by some botan¬ 
ists to be a variety of humilis. and by others as 
a distinct species, is a smaller, prettier, and per¬ 
haps eommoner kind t han humilis, with some¬ 
what horizontally spreading branches, smooth 
and shining green leaves, pure white tiny flowers 
and brilliant, deep scarlet berries. 
These are the only kinds common in cultiva¬ 
tion, and are generally treated as annuals, sow¬ 
ing the seeds in March, and when the seedlings 
are an inch or so high, potting them singly into 
smallest sized pots, and agaiu by easy stages as 
they require it till six-inch pots are used, and 
these are big enough. At first, light sandy soil 
should bo used, but as they advance in growth, 
richer material ought to be givou them. They 
want plenty of water at all times, and when in 
fruit-hearing a little liquid manure or soot-water 
helps them greatly. Pinohing keeps the plants 
in comely shape, and a pretty way to grow them 
is to run them up with a clean stem some 12 to 
15 inches high, and then pinch leader and 
“ bolting ” laterals, so as to form an umbrella- 
like head; indeed in the case of lie vis, I have 
often seen it grown by this means to weep to the 
ground, resembling in habit ft miniature Kilmar¬ 
nock Weeping Willow. When the plants become 
exhausted, they maybe partially “dried off,” 
and after a while cut well back and started 
afresh, when they grow away quite kindly. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
In England it is one of the favorite plants for 
dinner-table decoration, as well as for halls, 
corridors and drawing-rooms, on the occasion of 
balls and parties. 
It diHlikcs dry, artificial heats, but flourishes 
apace in the sitting-room window in fall and 
spring. In vases, either isolated or in company 
with other plants, it has a very attractive appear¬ 
ance, but in no way is it grown to more satisfac¬ 
tion than as a simple pot plant. 
Last August, a gentleman at Bunker Hill 
District consulted mo regarding his fernery 
winch ho wanted to start early, so that the plants 
might get established before winter. His case 
Is quite largo—some two by five feet, ami the 
earth raised in mound fashion within it. His 
ferns and other plants were small, so 1 advised 
him to get a foot-high Rivina lrevis, for the 
center, and to prune it to a clean stem and en¬ 
courage thoumbrella fashion! not to plant it out, 
but instead, keep it in the pot, which place on a 
sandstone or Hlatc chip, in the center or the case, 
plunging the pot about an inch deep in the soil. 
This he has done and when I saw it. a few weeks 
ago, it was in a most flourishing condition, the 
branchlets depending in arches with tlicir bur¬ 
dens of berries. He gives it.lots of water with 
twice a week a little weak guano and soot water. 
The Selaginella that covers the pot and hangs 
over its sides to hide it, seems to like the stim¬ 
ulant, and the neighboring Uex Begonias, glory 
in it. And here Ferns, Begonias, Pcporotnias, 
Creeping Ficus, Mobbcb. Marantas, and Fitto- 
nias, are growing like weeds, an ornament to the 
parlor and a pleasure to the family. 
Retaining the plant pot-bound in the pot, is 
to induce tbo production of flowers and fruit, 
rather than luxuriant herbage, and too, for the 
convenience of applying stimulants without com¬ 
municating them to the body of the soil in the 
case. Rut tho roots soon find a way beyond the 
pot into the soil underneath where they ramble 
at will, to the lasting benefit of the parent. 
^rbritultural 
SUGGESTIONS CONCERNING FALL PLANT¬ 
ING. 
BY SAMUEL I’ARSONS. 
As the colors of matured and falling lenves 
become glowing and varied, we are reminded 
that autunm is with us. The flowers are all 
faded, and the fruits either consumed, or gath¬ 
ered into winter stores. At such a season, those 
interested in ornamenting their grounds with 
trees and shrubs, not unnaturally begin to 
think of work for the future. That their plans 
can be carried out this very fall, stems, however, 
more than doubtful to many, Palso information 
and imperfect experience give rise to this belief 
in the need for delay. Somebody baa told us or, 
at some time or other, we have discovered that 
it is hotter to plant in spring than in fall. Rut 
do we analyze the character of this impression 
suiflciently 'i Is it based on considerable experi¬ 
ence in planting rnauy varieties of trees in tho 
fall ? or have wo and our frieuds been satisfied 
with isolated cases Heen under exceptional con¬ 
ditions ? If, on answering these questions, the 
weight of evidence seems to show that great 
losses occur from planting in autumn, we should 
not condemn such planting, unless we are pre¬ 
pared to show that the comparative loss incurred 
from heat and drought in spring and summer, is 
at least no greater. 
Grounds certainly exist for some objection to 
fall planting, for many a tree of unhealthy 
and meager condition dies at that season. Rut 
would it not have suffered in tho spring also ? 
Wo apprehend that objections may he more 
properly brought against planting during certain 
periods of the fall, than against fall planting 
generally. It would not bo fair to condemn all 
spring planting because experience had taught 
us that evergreens were much more likely to do 
well if planted during tho warm days of early 
May, than if their roots were exposed to cold 
drying winds in April. If evergreens are plant¬ 
ed in the cold weather of November with insuf¬ 
ficient time to establish their comparatively 
sluggish roots before winter sets in, we need he 
no moi-e surprised at their consequent death, 
than if they had been planted in March just 
after the frost had left the ground. On the other 
hand, they may very possibly live and do wall 
under both conditions. There seems to ho an 
unaecouutablc fear of the Iobb of plants, which 
is hardly j ustifiablo in view of the many acci¬ 
dents to which all undertakings are liable. In¬ 
deed, we contend that few sources of enjoyment 
come cheaper to a man thau those derived from 
tho entire life of a choice plant. 
To give a general rule for fall planting we 
should say - Plant all evergreens dnring Septem¬ 
ber and October, and deciduous trees after tho 
first light frosts of autumn. It will he found 
that the work thus accomplished is a decided gain 
over the same work done during the following 
spring. Time is really saved. The tree, although 
it may not grow much, so settles and establishes 
itself, that its growth of the following year is 
greater and better matured than would have 
boon the case, if it had bocu left to be planted 
in spring. L>uring months of dormant existence 
in winter, the roots have time to settle them¬ 
selves in their new habitation, and callus their cut 
and bruised surfaces. Spring thus finds them 
prepared for immediate action, and by its sweet 
influences, initiates at once a rigorous and 
healthy growth before the trials of summer 
present themselves. 
EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE. 
It is said that all rules have their exceptions ; 
but sometimes even the exceptions strengthen 
and bear out, in a certain way, the rule. Wo 
have said that all deeidnons treeH may lie pi an tew 1 
at any time after the first light frosts of fall. 
Indeed, by removing the leaves weeks before 
they would naturally fall, the wood of the tree 
will be found quite mature enough to insure 
success in transplanting. There are, however, 
certain deciduous trees and shrubs possessed of 
peculiar roots that seem to resemble, in a man¬ 
ner, those of evergreens. A spongy texture and 
a lack of small lateral fibers, are characteristics 
of these, which, with a greater degree of torpid¬ 
ity, are recognized as peculiar to evergreens. 
Although those are apparent exceptions to onr 
rule, we thus seo that they are, in many eases, 
hardly so in reality, for tho reason that a decided 
strain of evorgrocu nature belongs to their roots. 
It may readily be inferred from this, that when 
they are planted in early fall, at the same time 
with evergreens, corresponding success may bo 
obtained. We may also say that if planted in 
cold, early spring days, injuries will occur just 
as with evergreens. At best, they are not as easily 
transplanted as their deciduous relatives. 
DECIDUOUS TREES FOR EARIY f All PLANTING. 
Chief among this eccentric group come Mag¬ 
nolias, in many ways tho most delightful and 
valued of deciduous plants. So peculiar arc 
their roots and so given to becoming spongy and 
bare, that many Bhun all attempts to transplant 
them ; and otherB only persevere because they 
feel assured that when they do secure a living 
tree, it will be, verily, a pearl of great price. Un¬ 
doubtedly, those peculiarities exist, but a large 
part of tho difficulty might be removed (whether 
for summer or fall transplanting) by pursuing a 
proper system of culturo in nurseries. The 
usual system with tho choicer Magnolias, of 
grafting or budding a stock that has already 
grown several years in tho open ground, and 
then allowing it to remain at least two more 
years in the same place before selling, must evi¬ 
dently prevent the development of fiber which 
is so essential to successful transplanting. If, 
instead of following this pernicious system, all 
Magnolias were first transplanted a year or two 
after grafting or budding, and then grown two 
more seasons before selling, we should boar less 
complaint of loss in transplanting. It would be 
better yet to graft on stocks growu iu pots dur¬ 
ing a Boason previous, and then either sell at the 
end of tbo year with the nuclous of fine fiber 
developed by pot culture, or plant out in the 
open ground and sell after two years’ growth. 
Much fatal injury has occurred to Magnolias 
from the exposure of plauting in early spring. 
This may seem straugely contradictory to re¬ 
ceived notions, but it ia only carrying out the 
similarity existing between the action of the 
roots of such trees and those of evergreens. The 
choicest lime of tho whole year for moving Mag- 
nol ms and other plants of this group, is just when 
the sap is warmed into full life and faint signs of 
leaves begin to appear. Flowers, in the case of 
certain Chinese and Japanese Magnolias, will be 
at this time partially, if not wholly, developed. 
Scarcely less propitious for plauting all such 
trees and shrubs iB the season of late September 
and early October, provided the simple precau¬ 
tion of removing the leaves is taken. At this 
Reason abundant time will remain to establish 
the rootB and develop the fiber so necessary to 
enable them, as well as evergreens, to endure 
the vicissitudes of the coming winter. The 
Tulip tree, to which you refereed a week or so 
ago, is another of this group possessing roots 
closely resembling those of the Maguolia. Less 
difficulty attaches to t ransplanting tho Tulip, hut 
care should be taken, nevertheless,to select young 
transplanted trees, or utter failures will some¬ 
times occur. 
Birches, Alders, Cypresses, should all be placed 
in this group, not ou accouut of the similarity of 
their roots to those of Magnolias, bnt for their 
light wood which suffers much from bleak winds 
when planted late in the fall. 
The Cercis Japouica belongs to the same 
group, bnt its peculiar nature haB little in com¬ 
mon with that of any other member of the 
group. It is indeed sui generis ,—a gem, with 
early rosy flowers encircling the stem before the 
leaves appear. 
THE CHIEF ADVANTAGE OF FALL PLANTING. 
Since by selecting young plants with fibrous 
roots developed by transplanting, nearly 
every tree and shrub can be planted in the 
fall with a good general averago of success, 
we come now to the main benefit accruiug from 
fall planting. It is found in tho fact that 
autumn is a season of decided leisure for the 
farmer and horticulturist, flpring is, and must 
always be, the busiest time of the year for the 
tiller of the ground. All work therefore done 
in fall is not only an absolute gain, but can be 
done with more deliberation and therefore 
greater satisfaction. Men will always plant in 
tho spring; but we should like to see them 
planting at any favorable Boason throughout 
the year, with that keen enjoyment of every 
newly-planted tree which so readily develops 
itself in any lover of nature, who is not abso¬ 
lutely immersed in money-getting, or other dis¬ 
tracting employments. 
V v 
cineous. 
TEXAS. 
BY W. F.—NUMBER ONE. 
Texas is one of tho best and most promising 
States in onr Union, and particularly so to the 
farmer and fruit-grower. It is emphatically the 
poor man’s country, for a strong and healthy 
man must be a miserable fellow indeed, if he 
cannot make a living in Texas. It is useless 
for anyone to come here with the idea that ho is 
to become suddenly rich or that he may live 
without working, because it is as easy to starve 
to death in Texas as it is in New York or Chicago, 
i f a man means to livo and be comfortable hero, 
lie must make up his Blind for hard work and 
plenty of it. We don't amass money very fast, I 
can assure yon, but, somehow or other, property 
increases almost imperceptibly. 
The summers are long and warm, but there is 
a cool and pleasant broeze at night, and we 
sleep and rest comfortably. Some portions of the 
State—aB river and creek bottom-lands—are 
miasmatic and unhealthy, but, as a rule, Texas 
is a very healthy Slate. Cool, clear, aud excel¬ 
lent water is had all over the country, but in 
many sections it is searoo. On prairie lands 
cisterns must be used. Most of the branches 
dry up in summer and many of our creeks run 
low, but the rivers have always a goodly supply. 
In southwestern Texas are some most beautiful 
streams and rivulets, and many lino springs. 
Thero are immense areas of timbered lands, as 
well ns open prairies, and a deal of country is 
rolling prairie, with intersecting timber belts. 
There are immense sweeps of Pine-landH, also of 
Pout-oak, Rlack-jaek, Hickory, etc. 
As a whole, the land is rich iu somo places, as 
near Canoy Creek aud the Brazos, perhaps 
tho richest on our continent, but thero is, too, 
a deal of poor aud miserable land. We have a 
great variety of boUb ; but black waxy, black 
sandy, gray Bandy, and red clay are our com¬ 
monest. Northern and northwestern Texas is 
a wheat couutry ; eastern and middle Texas, a 
cotton and corn country, southern Texas, a sugar 
and cotton section, and western and south 
western Texas, a stock-raising district; still, 
multitudes of stock are raised ail over the State, 
aud as crops, so are cotton and corn. Cereals 
scarcely pay for the seed sown, when we come 
farther south than Corsicana. 
Ou Post-Oak lauds, cotton yields one-third to 
three-fourtLis of a bale of 500 lbs. to the acre, 
and one-half bale is reckoned a good crop ; on 
Washington Co., and other good prairie lands, 
to 1 bale to the acre is a good crop ; and in 
the Brazos bottom from 1 to 2 bales are often se¬ 
cured. Two bales are an enormous yield. The 
averago crop of corn, 15 to 25 bushels to the 
acre ; from 20 to 30 is heavy, and 4(1 bushels an 
acre is seldom exceeded, excepting on well cul¬ 
tivated bottom-lands. Of course, people often 
talk of over two bales of cotton to tho acre, or 
CO to HO bushels of corn, hut I must see it in 
Texas before I helievo it. The same may be said 
of the wheat crops of Dallas or McKinney , which 
I have often hoard estimated at 80 or more 
bushels, hut which on an acquaintance, I found to 
be some 25. True, with extra culture, immensely 
hoarier crops will be secured. Sugar-cane in 
the fertile bottom-lands of southern Texas, at¬ 
tains great perfection, as does likewise sorghum 
as an ordinary farm crop all over the State. 
Sweet potatoes are very prolific, and of Irish po¬ 
tatoes we raise two crops a year—in spring and 
fall, hut we buy northern sets. Cow Peas are 
ranch sown butb for family use and for feeding 
to stock. They are sown in tho corn drills when 
the corn ia “ laid past'' or last cultivated, when 
they grow quickly, aud together with crab grass 
form a fine pasturage for stock, or a fattening 
field for hogs, or tho vines are dried as hay for 
horses and mules. The white varieties are pre¬ 
ferred for family use, and when nicely cooked, 
are quite palatable, but rather indigestible. 
Water and muskmelons attain great perfection, 
aud are almost common property. “V cgotables, 
as turnips, lettuces, onions, snap-beans, peas etc., 
3 
