To Protect Vines from Frost, colza or rape 
sown about tlio vineyards is highly recom¬ 
mended in a note by M. M. Serrks and Herat 
lately published in the Comptes Hendus of the 
Academy of Sciences of Franco. The rape is 
sown in October or November, and by Slay, whon 
In Franco frosts are most dreaded, it will have 
attained a bight of upwards of three aud a quar¬ 
ter feet, quite sufficient to afford protection to 
the vino. When all fear of frost is over, the 
colza is out down, the ground weeded, and the 
vine, whoso growth has beau retarded by tho 
presence of the rape, grows so vigorously that 
in less than a fortnight it will have made up for 
lost time. Tho expense is a more trifle, and tho 
material out down furnishes an excellent ma¬ 
nure. In the course of thoir observation the 
above named gentlemen noticed that tho ground 
thus treated was free from worms and larva* of 
inseotB, and they therefore suggest that a similar 
treatment may prove a possible remedy against 
the ravages of the Phylloxera. 
Exfebjments in Potato Culture, conduct¬ 
ed of late in Germany but described in a French 
agrionltural paper, are said to have demonstrated 
that the vigor of a potato plant is always in di¬ 
rect proportion to the weight, of tbo tubers used 
for seed, and that not only do different tubers 
vary in productiveness but also different “ eyes ” 
in the same potato. The " eyes” in the top of 
the potato produce much finer offsprings than 
those lower down or at the bottom, and In plant¬ 
ing agriculturists are therefore advised to cut 
them horizontally, instead of vertically, and uho 
tho lower parts for cattle feed. The best, plan, 
however, is to set them whole, cutting out all 
eyeB except those at tho top. From careful sta¬ 
tistics of tho experiments conducted by Prof. 
Gantz, it appears that from tubers divided verti¬ 
cally only live tons per acre were produced ; 
from whole potatoes sovou and a half tons, and 
from those out, horizontally nine aud three-quar¬ 
ter tons. In the last point, howovor, other sci¬ 
entific observers do not agree with the results of 
llorr Oantz's experiments, as they insist that, 
other things being equal, whole potatoes will 
always produce more than halves, howovor cut. 
The Value of Prickly Comfrky is highly 
spoken of by M. A. Go IT art, in a work ou tho 
“ Cultivation aud system of Ensilage of Maize 
and other Green Crops” lately published at 
Paris. Last April ho obtained 800 sets, and at 
the date of writing, the plants hail not attained 
their maxmnimn yield, which will not take place 
until next year. Last August, howovor, M. 
Goffart had already out two crops, and thought, 
it probable be would out two more by the end 
of the Benson. Tbo yield increased after each 
cutting, and the plants enlarged continually. 
The nitrogenous matter in them he finds uearly 
double the amount in Maize, and be considers 
the two plants not as rivals, but thinks that 
' oac h is rendered moro useful by tho other, 
greatly to tho advantage of agriculture. “ Com- 
’ frey,” he adds, “by its mode of growth, and 
r continuous yield, commencing with the spring 
*. an d only finishing with autumn, appears to mo 
1 t 0 be especially adapted to small farm holdings, 
1 inasmuch as on these, moro attention can bo 
1 given to the peculiarities of the plant, and the 
relatively long time required from day to day to 
B out tho leavos, can he moro easily spared.” This 
is only one among quite a large number of fav- 
f orablo reports with regard to this plant, that 
o have lately come to our notice, from different 
, parts of this country aud Europe. The Lon- 
s don Farmer, one of tho most discriminating of 
, our exchanges, gives the endorsement of an in- 
,f sertion in its columns to M. Goffart’s encomium. 
of the milk to be tested, is diluted with an 
equal quantity of water, . nd poured out in a 
thin layer on the surface of a porous, but very 
cloBO-graiucd, earthenware slab. The water in 
which the milk sugar, albumen aud a part of tho 
suits arc held in solution, is quickly absorbed by 
the earthenware, leaving the whole of the fat 
and casein on the surface of tho slab in tho 
form of a thin akin which can easily bo romovod 
ening with Early Harvest, and producing fruit 
more generally fair and perfect. On our list of 
fall apples (for this section) our Maryland Maid¬ 
en’s Blush heads the list, followed by Fallawater, 
Wine, Spice, and a few Olliers. Smokehouse as 
a fall apple here, is about on a level with North¬ 
ern Spy. Baldwin, etc., as wiutor apples—drop? 
badly. The older varieties of winter apples 
heretofore planted, are giving way to those of 
and April what little display is made in the gar¬ 
den, depends on the Crocus. Every fall, millions 
of these bulbs are shipped from Holland to 
England and America. There are now not less 
than five hundred splendid named varieties, and 
every season brings some new variety moro 
beautiful than any of Sts predecessors. 
Every yoar the demand for these little bulbs 
for spring flowering increases, aud it could not 
be otherwise, for they have no rival for oarli- 
nesB or delicacy, and flower-lovers recognizing 
this, are fast taking up this so long almost ne¬ 
glected flower. Of the Croons vernus, or spring 
flowering Crocus, varieties are to be had in vari¬ 
ous shades of blue, from deep almost black to 
clear sky blue, puro white, deep golden yellow, 
and in a host of variegations. 
Crocuses must bo planted in the fall. They 
should be massed in beds to make a brilliant 
display ; the bed shonld be made of rich, light 
loam, but. no fresh manure must bo used, l’laut 
the bulbs in the soil about four inches deep. If 
the soil is not very light, three inches would be 
better. If planted hi rows, set tho bulbs four 
inches apart in the rows, and tho rows six inches 
apart. In the massing of Crocuses in beds, a 
grand show may be bail by planting first a row 
of yellow, then white, light bine, another row of 
white, then deep blue and purple. 
Crocuses may bo bad at very low rates from 
all seedsmen : named varieties cost about three 
dollars per hundred, while unnamed bulbs may 
be had at one dollar a hundred. In the house 
the Crocus grows to advantage; three or four 
may he grown in a six inch pot. By all means 
try a few Crocuses. You will want more another 
season. 
HABROTHAMNUS, 
This genus belongs to the natural order 8o- 
lanace®. The variety bore described (H elegans 
argenteus)—of which Mr. B. 8. Williams of 
Loudon kindly furnishes us the accompanying 
engraving—is a sport from H. elegans. It is 
one of tho finest greenhouse climbers known, 
and may bo grown as an ornamental shrub or 
used for covering a wall or pillar in the con¬ 
servatory. In the latter situation, however, it 
is especially ornamental. Tho leavos, are alter¬ 
nate, entire, as may bo soon, about six inohoH in 
length by one in breadth. Nearly the whole of 
the surface is soft, creamy-white, beautifully 
tinged with rose aud relieved by irregular 
blotches of light greeu. The flowers are pro¬ 
duced in dense racemes, tubular, about an inch 
in length, aud deep reddish purple, in color 
affording a pleasing contrast to the delicate 
white of tho foliage. It thrives well in the gar¬ 
den, and likes a compost of sand, loam and leaf 
soil. 
EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND 
BY J. W. KERR. 
In the Rural of Nov. 17th ult., in giving 
lists of “ Apples and Pears foi various sec¬ 
tions,” Maryland is conspicuously omitted, as 
also Virginia aud little Delaware—surely not 
because those sections do not grow tine apples 
and pears. At the last exhibition of tbo Amer¬ 
ican Pomological Society held in Baltimore, 
Virginia stood in the front rank: hence, her 
ability and widening interests in that relation, 
demand no notice by the feeble pen of your cor¬ 
respondent ; but as the “ Eastern Shore" is pre¬ 
eminently a fruit country, my object, in this 
brief letter, is to inform those of the readers 
of the Rural, who are unacquainted with this 
section, that here are grown both apples and 
pears, that compare very favorably with the ex¬ 
hibition specimens of other States. Among 
pears, Osbaud’s Summer, Clapp’s Favorite, 
Bartlett, deckel, Sheldon, Beurre d’Anjou, Law¬ 
rence, and Vicar of Winkfield succeed remark¬ 
ably well as standards ; and as to dwarfs, the 
Duohesse d’Angoulemo ranks first in popularity. 
Mr. Emory of Kent Co. (this State,) exhibited, a 
couple of years ago, at our State Horticultural 
Society’s Exhibition, i specimen of this variety, 
weighing thirty-three ounces, if my recolleo- 
tion serves me oorreetly. And just here I would 
say that from my own observation and experi¬ 
ence, I am induced to believe that in point of 
profit, the Duchesse is about the only dwarf 
that “ meets up” to a fair standard. The size 
of the fruit when well grown and carefully mar¬ 
keted, is such as to command a better prioo than 
any other ; but upon this point, I would like to 
know the viewB (pointedly as to profit,) of New 
York aud Massachusetts growers. 
In regard to the apple, all the prominent early 
market varieties succeed well here, early Har¬ 
vest and lted Astraohan leading in preference. 
Tetofsky and Fourth of July may, perhaps, with 
further trial, supersede, to some extent, the 
two first named. Early Ripe, whenever in bear¬ 
ing, has, so far, given general satisfaction, rip- 
CATALOGUES, &c., RECEIVED 
BRIEFLETS 
Care of Stock, bo far as their proper bedding, 
feeding and ventilation are concerned, is too im¬ 
portant a matter for the thrifty farmer to 
neglect attending to himself. However trust¬ 
worthy his assistants, judging by our own ex¬ 
perience, it will pay him well at the close of the 
season to see, each evening, that his cattle, 
horses, sheep and hogs, are well bedded, fed and 
watered. Scarcely less important is the proper 
ventilation of the buildings m which his stock 
are wintered. While the entrance of draughts 
and cold is to be carefully prevented, it should 
be borne in mind that domesticated animals, 
like man himself, need fresh, wholesome air, 
aud if compelled by ignorance or carelessness to 
breathe a foul, tainted atmosphere, it is at a 
serious risk of health aud consequent profit. A 
visit to the barn, stable and pig-pen early in the 
morning will at once warn the observant farmer 
of defective ventilation. 
eye full, keen and pleasant; forward legs 
straight; toes straight forward; hoofs broad 
not peaked ; and the distance short between tho 
ankle and the knee ; these properties enable an ox 
to travel on hard roads; if the animal turns his 
toes out, tho strain comes on the inside claw, and 
when traveling on hard ground, he will get lame 
at the joint between the hoofs and the hair: 
full breast; straight back; roundribB, project¬ 
ing out as wide as the hip bones, theBe arc 
signs of strength and good constitution. Tho 
best colors are brown, dark-red and brindle. 
At four years of age the steer becomes an ox, 
and having completed his eight or ninth year he 
should be fattened for the butcher. 
A new method of testing milk has been de¬ 
vised by Dr. Julius Lehmann, and meets with 
n o small commendation in Europe. A little 
