JULY 30 
peculiar that we concluded that the Vick 
powder was largely made up of it. In reply 
to a question, however, the firm replies as 
follows: “We sell it at retail, post-paid, for 
50 cents a pound. Pyrethrum can not he sold 
at that price. It is not Buhacb.” 
AVe found the bellows imperfect in several 
ways and touch prefer the Woodason bellows 
even at a higher price. 
To what extent the Vick powder can be ex¬ 
tended with plaster or Hour and still be 
effective, we are unable to say. Buhach, it is 
said, may bo extended with from twice to 10 
times its bulk. 
We have always used the pure dry powder 
or water solutious. 
EXPERIENCE WITH STRAWBERRIES SET IN 
APRIL, 1887. 
Belmont. Plant not very strong; set very 
full aud ripened several good-sized, nice 
berries. Promising. Gaudy’s Prize set full 
of berries and ripened them up. A strong- 
growing vine; very promising. Ontario is 
perhaps rightly named “Great" as it is 
quite promising. Monmouth is also promis¬ 
ing; but not so strong a grower as I would 
like. Old Iron-clad holds its own very well. 
Parry is among the best. None of them is 
any great improvement on the Sharpless, un¬ 
less it be Gaudy's Prize which is the most 
promising berry we have at present. Cum¬ 
berland Triumph was the best of the older 
settings. The soil is a sandy loam on a red 
shale bottom. 
The Mansell is the earliest of the raspber¬ 
ries ; the Cn th her t the largest and most produc¬ 
tive. Highland Hardy is quite as good as 
Mansell or Marlboro, being larger than the 
former and more productive than the latter. 
Mercer Co., N. J. I. J. b. 
HOW TO GROW CELERY. 
For lack of a proper knowledge of the na¬ 
ture and habits of celery,most of our farmers, 
after repeated attempts, have abandoned all 
efforts toward raising plants or growing it. 
Almost any farmer who takes pride in sup¬ 
plying his table with seasonable vegetables, 
will tell you that he has tried to raise plants 
aud has failed, aud lias purchased plants and 
set them, but they “had no luck,” for they all 
burned out. Certainly they did, for they de¬ 
mand both coolness anil moisture and got nei¬ 
ther, Now, had the intending growers, hav¬ 
ing made flieir ground both rich and'deep, 
scooped out a trench two or three inches in 
depth aud sot their plants in it six inches 
apart; given the ground around them a 
slight, mulch; laid slate across the trench up¬ 
on which to lay a six-inch wide row of 
boards, slabs, anything to keep the burning 
midsummer sun off the plants from 10 a. H. 
till 4 v. M (this vertical covering may be 
removed as soon as the plants commence to 
grow); meauwhile keeping the ground con¬ 
tinually moist, they would have been glad¬ 
dened by the sight of such bunches at the end 
of the season us are seldom seen off the exhi¬ 
bition table, simply because they had moder¬ 
ated the surrounding elements and given the 
plants a chance to “make themselves at 
home.” R. w. s. 
Elmer, N. J. 
a half-acre town “farm.” 
A description of my little town farm of 
one-half an acre may not interest the majori¬ 
ty of your readers, but may induce some one 
to provide his family with some of the great¬ 
est health-giving luxuries of life at a very 
small cost. My half-acre contains 22 peach, 
six apple, seven pear, 14 plum, three cherry, 
three fig, two quince and two Japanese per¬ 
simmon trees besides 84 grape-vines, and more 
strawberries,raspberries au<J blackberries than 
are enough for a family of eight, and, more¬ 
over i have a good garden upon the same 
plot. I have one horse, save all the manure 
aud use unleaebed ashes. Manures have not 
cost me anything in five years, I do nearly 
all the work myself early in the mornings aud 
late in the afternoons. My fruit, is all of the 
liuest quality. 1 allow no tree or plant to 
grow, that is not of the very best. 
Mineola, Texas. G. A. c. 
limnological 
JUDGING FRUITS AT FAIRS. 
E. WILLIAMS. 
Difficulties in judging; examj)les; no prem¬ 
iums for inferiorfruit; Dr. John A. War¬ 
der's plan; the main points to he consid¬ 
ered. _ 
The judging of fruits at fairs is by no means 
an easy or enviable job at all times, even for 
those having large experience in the business; 
for different tastes, conflicting ideas, and a de¬ 
sire to do exact justice, must be reconciled, 
and no matter how honest aud conscientious in 
the discharge of these duties, their decisions 
are sure to be severely criticized by interested 
parties. There arc also some people in the 
world who think their own products are a lit¬ 
tle better than other people’s, and, of course, 
they never get. justice on such occasions, aud 
ought nevf r to enter the arena of competition. 
No fixed rules have been adopted to govern 
the action of judges in these matters univer¬ 
sally, so that each set of judges conform to 
the customs generally observed in their local¬ 
ity. In one place quality for table use is first 
and foremost.; in others size, beauty, looks 
aud salable qualities govern. 
The term “best” is of such wide applica¬ 
tion that it means one thing to one person and 
quite a different thing to another. Some 
years ago I exhibited ten varieties of pears 
at the American Institute in New York. 
Competition was very close and finally turned 
against me solely because of oue variety, 
which, though superior in looks aud size, was 
not quite equal in quality to another variety 
in the competing collection. On another oc¬ 
casion I shewed ten varieties of grapes. When 
I saw T the award I was dissatisfied and so w T as 
my competitor. I conceded myself beaten 
fairly and honestly as soon as I saw the ex¬ 
hibits, and feeling that the public would take 
the same view and charge the management 
with favoritism, I made an investigation. 
Finding there was no error in placing the 
awards, wo proceeded to analyze the matter 
by placing each variety that was in both col¬ 
lections side by side and other varieties of 
similar quality together, carefully comparing 
each with the other and marking each with a 
scale of points; the footings were largely in 
favor of my competitor, and we agreed in 
every particular. I then sent my protest to 
the chairman on awards. His defence was 
emphatic; they did not know whose products 
they were judging, but they sampled the dif¬ 
ferent varieties ireely aud frequently, made 
their decisions independently of each other, and 
agreed unanimously that tho collection and 
single plates receiving the first prizes were the 
best ripened, hence of bestquality. Looks and 
quality were the deciding points, ami quality 
won. This point we had overlooked and, of 
course, had to acquiesce. 
With such cases before us, it would bo well 
if the managers of fairs would publish in their 
schedules the rules to be observed os a guide 
to exhibitors and judges. One of these should 
be that no premium be awarded to inferior 
specimens of inferior fruits, even though 
there is no competition. Some schedules at 
the end of named varieties provide for other 
kinds under the head of “any other variety.” 
This is a fine provision for some exhibitors, 
aud I have known inexperienced judges to 
take the ground that they had no discretion 
in the matter, and must award the premium. 
The insertion of the word “good” before “ varie¬ 
ty,” would afford much relief; but the sched¬ 
ules should be more explicit than even that, 
as exhibitors need a good deal of education on 
these points; but managers of fairs generally 
have little knowledge themselves on such 
matters, and persons called to serve in such 
capacity lire generally left to formulate their 
own rules. 
The late Dr. Warder, of Ohio, some years 
ago streuuously advocated tho use and adop¬ 
tion of a scale of points in this matter of judg¬ 
ing, aud his views were subsequently indorsed 
by the Ohio Horticultural Society. His plan, 
as applied to collections of fruit, contained 
four counts, viz: first, number; second, qual¬ 
ity or value: third, condition, approaching 
perfection; and, fourth, taste in the display. 
As applied to single plates, there were five 
counts, viz: condition, form, size, color, tex¬ 
ture and flavor. The scale of points was 10, 
making a possible total of 60. Objection is 
made to this classification because condition, 
form and color are to count equal to size and 
flavor. The loss of a stem or an overripe con¬ 
dition would make otherwise superior-grown 
specimens rule low in condition and flavor, 
and tho grower would be deprived of due 
credit. Some people think quality ought to 
count for more than form or color, aud yet 
color often secures the prize over superior and 
more perfect specimens simply on account of 
appearance. Size and color should he consid¬ 
ered only relatively as regards the particular 
variety, otherwise where would Winter Nelis 
or Dana's Ilovey stand on this scale as com¬ 
pared with Bartlett, Clalrgeau or R'ioffer? 
A little experience in applying tho scales, 
which anyone can practice, will show the dif¬ 
ficulties to be encoiuitod,aml the justice of the 
awards are apparent only when wo have the 
full decision showing the score in detail. 
Should the form and color of the Sheldon 
make it take a buck scat against the form and 
beauty of the Bartlett? Size, color and bean 
ty, quality for table use or market and free¬ 
dom from blemishes should he the main points 
to be considered, and if the schedules were to 
state what qualities were to have the prefer¬ 
ence, exhibitors would make their exhibits 
accordingly. If the judges were interested in 
commercial fruit-growing, salability and 
adaptat ion for this purpose would be very apt 
to count for more than the finer intrinsic 
qualities for dessert use; hut if the standard 
of our market fruits is to be elevated and 
quality is to play a more important part, fair 
managers would do well to lend their influ¬ 
ence in that direction. 
SOME APPLES. 
I am much pleased with Dr. Hoskins’s re¬ 
marks about the Wealthy Apple in a late 
Rural. We have a young tree which bore 
last year for the first time. The fruit., which 
was produced in abundance for so small a 
tree, was fully colored the last of August, and 
held until about the middle of September. I 
think it would have held until the first of 
October if the weather had not been so dry. 
It may be quite valuable for New Jersey, but 
further trial is necessary. The Keswick Cod- 
lin Apple is doing very well here, having 
borne a good crop in 1885, a heavy crop in 
1886, and now it has a fair crop in prospect. 
The fruit is of fair size, moderately good qual¬ 
ity, and makes excellent sauce ami pies with 
the use of plenty of sugar. Tree a fair 
grower. York Imperial promises well, bear¬ 
ing every other year a crop of fair fruit of 
good quality. It is rather undersized for 
market, yet seems to sell well. 
Mercer Co., N. J. i. j. Blackwell. 
^vboriatltmal 
DOSORIS NOTES. 
WILLIAM FALCONER. 
Pinus Koriensis. —Try it. It is a beauty 
aud very hardy, but somewhat ditlicult to 
transplant. 
The Western Larch (Larix occident- 
alis) is of no use whatever in our dry, sandy 
land. 
The Douglas Fir is the most pleasantly 
fragrant of all of our evergreens. 
Magnolia Parviklora blossomed with us 
last year, but although it wintered well 
aud has grown well, it, didn’t bloom this sum¬ 
mer. 
Blue Spruce (Picea puugens).—As a shel¬ 
ter belt, some t wo years ago, l set out a lot of 
these. The plants then were some 15 to 20 
inches high. Ground sandy, dry, poor. Every 
one has taken good hold aud is growing nice¬ 
ly; not oue has suffered from cold or wind. 
The Tiger-Tail Spruce (Picea polita) 
is bearing cones with us this summer. 
Picea Excelsa var Monhtrosa— a form 
of the Norway spruce—is the ugliest evergreen 
I know of. 
Catalpa BiGNONiorDE.s in glorious bloom 
on the “Glorious Fourth.” Now the ground 
beneath it is matted with rotting flowers. Be¬ 
tween dead flowers in July, falling leavesiu 
August, September, and October, and drop¬ 
ping “bean pods” every day between July aud 
June, it is the messiest tree l know of. 
Our Japanese Persimmons have wintered 
out-of-doors alive and well as before, but 
leggy and scraggy at best. But the plant that 
1 protected in winter, incasing it in boards,as 
1 used to, is well-favored and luxuriant, and a 
very handsome line-foliaged plant. It blos¬ 
soms every year, but never sets fruit. 
The Golden Elder.—O f a splendid gold¬ 
en color, bold aud effective when seen from 
a distance; near-by the leaves are more or less 
injured by wet and sun-scald. 
The Golden Yew is hardier than the 
green-leaved form. At this time of year it is 
the brightest, densest, and most striking gold¬ 
en evergreen in our garden, 
Idesia Polycari’A. —Judging from a good 
many years’ experimenting with this Japan¬ 
ese tree, I aui persuaded that it is too tender 
for New York. 1 find it in several places 
around New York, but in the same condition: 
if the place is warm or well-sheltered, the 
plant will be alive: if exposed, it will be dead; 
but now here flourishing. 
Tent Caterpillars.—I have a pooropiuion 
of the folks who w ill allow tent-caterpillars to 
take possession of "the shrubs in their front 
yards. 
Leaders in Evergreens. I care very 
little whether my young trees have leaders or 
not, if I can get the plants themselves well- 
feathered to the ground, and in vigorous con¬ 
dition, with a stake and bit of string I can 
always get a leader. Indeed it requires more 
tact to restrain than to regain leaders in the 
case of thrifty evergreens. 
Don’t Smother Them.— If you have some 
choice or pretty evergreens or other shrubs, 
don’t let grass, pig-weed, rag weed or other 
rank growth grow up through the lower 
branches of these trees, else these branches 
will be considerably bared aud injured and 
the beauty of the trees ever after impaired. 
XantiiOoeras Sorihfolia. —Your receut 
illustration of this handsome shrub was so 
good that 1 was sorry you did not have also a 
cut of the fruit. One of our plants had 65 
racemes of bloom on it at one time. They set 
a deal of fruit; 1 let a few' bunches remain 
and they now show as big as walnuts. But 
until we get a pretty, easy-to-speak, expressive 
English name for this beautiful stranger we 
cannot expect that it will become common in 
our gardens. 
Ckritdiphyllum Japonicum is another 
Comparative stranger within our gates. You 
don’t seem to favor it much; on the other 
hand, T think it is a decided acquisition to our 
gardens. A little regulating with the kuife 
in winter greatly improves the form of this 
little tree in summer. But as it is a surface 
rooter it likes rich, moist soil. 
European Lindens.— When I look upon 
our unblemished young trees, 20 to 80 feet in 
hight, and those noble old trees in Prospect 
Park, Brooklyn, it is hard to believe that 
these foreigners are short-lived and hence un¬ 
fitted for cultivation here. But there stands 
the fact—every here and there among opr 
trees are individuals that are moving back¬ 
ward, handsome young trees showing a lot of 
dead wood, and for the past few years the 
amount of dead wood is on the increase. But 
this enervation is not general even here. 
Larger trees are yet unaffected. 
Trees axo Shrubs have made uncom¬ 
monly good growth so far. We had lots of 
rain in early spring, not a drop in May, but 
both moisture and heat since June sot in. 
Hose “bugs” have been unusually numerous 
and destructive, and in some cases have fixed 
upon particular trees as favorite forage; for in¬ 
stance. Primus Amurensis and Halo’s Hickory 
which 1 had to spray with Paris-green water 
to save. Now their work is done for a season. 
The Elm-leaf Beetle has done what it could to 
kill our elms; some trees are completely de¬ 
foliated, others almost. No elms are free 
from the pest, but foreign elms are most de¬ 
stroyed. The copper-colored and variegated 
leaved varieties of foreign elms are not as 
much infested as are tho typical green form.. 
The beetle has appeared some two weeks 
earlier than it did last year. There used to 
be a good ileal of talk about two or three 
broods a year, but from my own observation 
I find it is only the first or June-July brood 
that does the mischief or appears in formida¬ 
ble numbers. I don’t think they will kill out 
the elms, because the trees have time to make 
a pretty good growth before t he beetles ap 
pear, and the elm is a rapid grower aud very 
tenacious of life. I know of no practical pre¬ 
ventive or destroyer of this pest. Just now 
the larva* are piled on tho ground in a band 
ihree inches deep around the olm trees, rot¬ 
ting and alive with white maggots. But all 
do not come to the ground to pupate, they 
settle in every crevice of the bark from the 
topmost pinnacle to the base of the tree, in 
fact, anywhere where they can find a resting- 
place from which they shall not fall. 
flovintliurnl. 
NEXT MEETING OF THE SOCIETY OF 
AMERICAN FLORISTS. 
This meeting will begin August 16, and con¬ 
tinue three days at Chicago. In addition to 
President Craig’s address, papers will be read 
upon a variety of subjects which have been 
carefully selected to suit all tastes and sections 
of country. Ex-President John Thorp will 
read uu essay on “Hybridization.” (J. L. Allen 
will present a paper on “Fungoid Diseases:” 
and Mr. IT, A. Siebreeht will discourse on 
“Orchids.” The subject of “Business Methods” 
will b© opened by Mr. F. R. Pierson. “Summer 
Propagation of Roses, with a List of the Best 
Varieties with Notes on Culture” will lie intro¬ 
duced by Air. E. G. Hill, and “Roses on Stocks” 
by Mr. Charles Anderson, who will also discuss 
the question whether “worked” roses, or roses 
on their own roots are the best for wiuter 
blooming. Mr. Ernst Asimis will devote 20 
minutes or so to “Forcing Bulbs and Tubers.” 
‘Forcing Hardy Shrubs,” will be discussed by 
Mr, Jackson Dawson. “Art in Floral Work’ 
will be prepared and read by Mr. J. WT Elliott. 
“The Retail Flower Business” will have for its 
exponent Air. J. M. Jordan. Tho “Question 
Box” is a feature which must not bo over¬ 
looked, for ideas are oftentimes evolved from 
some of the most, commonplace questions, so 
that u very prominent place will be selected 
for such an important part of the proceedings. 
The discussions which will follow each essay 
will bring out much additional information. 
An exhibition where all the new and improved 
