1883 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
415 
headed up, with tight bungs, cucumbers will keep 
a long time, but they will be ready for the pickle 
maker, that is, will be salted through, in about 
thirty days. The smaller the cucumbers, the 
greater the number that a barrel will hold. Do 
not mix large and small in the same barrel, but 
have the size uniform all through. Pickled in this 
manner, cucumbers will keep and can be trans¬ 
ported ; and if no sale is to be found near home, 
they can be sent to factories at a long distance. 
Overladen Fruit Trees. 
It is a rule in fruit culture, that a tree should 
not carry any greater weight of fruit than its 
branches can sustain. Still, with some rapidly 
swelling fruits, peaches and plums especially, how¬ 
ever thoroughly thinning may have been done, it 
is often found, as the fruit ripens, that the weight 
is too great, and the branches, unless they are sup¬ 
ported, will break down with the load of fruit. 
The usual method of supporting overladen fruit 
trees is to place long stakes, with a fork at the 
TYING UP A ERTJIT TREE. 
top, beneath them. A much better and more sim¬ 
ple method of effecting the purpose, is suggested 
by Dr. J. H. Mease, of Lebanon, Pa., who sends 
us a sketch, from which the engraving is made. 
Instead of using several stakes, one to each prin¬ 
cipal branch, he places a single strong pole against 
the trunk of the tree. The lower end of the pole, 
if desired, may be sunk a few inches in the soil, 
for additional support, but usually it will be suf¬ 
ficient to secure it to the trunk by means of straw 
bands, or other ties that will not bruise the bark. 
The pole being secured, the drooping branches are 
relieved by means of ties made fast to it, as shown 
in the engraving. Dr. M. states that this method 
of tying up the branches of overloaded trees is espe¬ 
cially useful in storms, the support being central, 
and more natural than where several props are used. 
Regarding Beans. 
We do not “live up to our privileges” in the 
matter of beans. Custom has established the ar¬ 
rangement that certain varieties of beans, as the 
“Early Valentine,” “Golden Wax,” and others, 
are good for “snaps” or “string beans”; that 
the “London Horticultural,” the “Lima,” and 
others are good when shelled green; and that the 
“Blue Rod,” “Medium,” “Navy,” and several 
others are proper for winter, or as ripe beans. All 
of this is very well, so far as it goes. But it re¬ 
stricts the usefulness of some beans. Let any one 
who has an over-crop of the London Horticultural, 
more than he needs for seed, make use of them as 
he would the usual winter beans, whether for boil¬ 
ing or baking, with or without pork, and he will 
have an enlarged idea of the excellence of beans. 
As the best of all green beaus are the Lima, so are 
they the best of all ripe beans. In localities where 
the season allows of their ripening, they should be 
collected. If frost threatens, pull up the poles, 
with the vines attached, place them under cover, 
and allow what will, to ripen in this manner, and 
when the pods are dry, shell the beans. If any one 
likes the Yankee dish of “ pork and beans,” let him 
try the Limas, treated in the same manner as the 
ordinary white bean, and he will have a new ex¬ 
perience as to the utility and excellence of this 
bean. The ripe Lima beans, soaked or parboiled 
until quite tender, and then fried in butter, make 
a pleasing variety in winter. 
Diverting the Rose-Bugs. 
Rose-bugs are among the worst enemies of the 
grape-grower. After all else has gone well with 
his vines, he suddenly finds the flower clusters, or 
the clusters of just forming grapes, beset by these 
modest looking, drab-coated insects, which seem 
to delight in destrojing the young grapes, eating 
off the flowers and young fruit. Where vines are 
trained in a regular manner, it is not difficult to 
save the clusters by shaking off the insects in the 
early morning, and catching them in a pan holdiug 
a little water, upon which floats a film of kerosene. 
But every one is not on the lookout for the Rose- 
bug, and when it is too late to apply a remedy, 
many discover by the ragged clusters the destruc¬ 
tive work that has been wrought by this pest. Mr. 
E. H. Miller, an intelligent cultivator at Wading 
River (L. 1.), N. Y., informs us that he finds 
wherever the ornamental shrub, commonly called 
Deutzia scabra, grows near his grape vines, the 
Rose-bugs take to the flowers of the Deutzia in 
preference, and thus his grapes are protected. We 
have observed that our own vines have this year 
and last been remarkably free from Rose-bugs. 
There is near our little vineyard a row of Deutzia 
gracilis, and the Rose-bugs have been unusually 
few upon the flower clusters of the grapes. So far 
as this goes, it is indirect evidence in favor of Mr. 
Miller’s observation. We stated that the shrub 
found to be a protection was that “commonly 
called Deutzia scabra,” having in mind the fact that 
the shrub usually called by that name in the nur¬ 
series is D. crenata ; but so far as its utility in pro¬ 
tecting grapes goes, the name is of little impor¬ 
tance. Grape-growers will be grateful for this 
hint, and cultivate a charming shrub with a double 
purpose. 
Lavender Flowers and other Aromatics. 
In an article in July last, on the culture of Lav¬ 
ender, we asked, supposing one had grown the 
plant, “What will he do with it?” This was 
asked in view of the fact that there is no regular 
demand for many articles that might be readily 
produced here, could the grower meet with a sure 
sale for his crop. Mr. Atkinson writes us from 
Bloomfield, Miles Co., N. J., that so far as Lavender 
flowers are concerned, the tobacco manufacturers 
of the country use yearly fifty thousand pounds of 
the ground flowers for flavoring certain brands of 
smoking tobacco ; that a company there grinds an¬ 
nually from twenty thousand to thirty thousand 
pounds. He sends us a sample of the ground 
flowers—a delightful perfume it has. Mr. Atkin¬ 
son writes us, that he thinks that there is no dan¬ 
ger of overstocking the market, as at present they 
are entirely dependent upon Germany for the raw 
material for Lavender, as well as for various other 
articles used by the smoking tobacco manufactur¬ 
ers, such as Coriander, Anise, Fennel, Cummin, 
and Caraway Seeds, Sweet Clover, Laurel Leaves, 
etc. We thank Mr. A. for his information, and 
agree with him when he doubts if this country can 
compete with the cheaper labor of Europe in the 
production of the articles he enumerates. Still it 
is well for our cultivators to know that there is a 
demand for such products. 
Do You Want Window Gardens? 
Those who cultivate house plants, usually set 
them out in the open ground for the summer. 
Here, they are allowed to grow at will, and often 
increase to several times their former size. When 
the amateur is warned by the approach of frost, 
that he must take in his plants, he finds that he has 
a lot of unmanagable subjects. The roots are many 
times too large for the pots, while the tops have 
run wild and made a tangled mass, quite unsuited 
to window culture. As a rule, geraniums, ver¬ 
benas, and other soft-wooded plants, when set in 
the open ground, are not worth anything after¬ 
wards. It is much better to strike cuttings from 
the old plants, and depend upon these for the 
window in winter. With a view to preparing a 
stock of young plants, we have, in earlier months, 
described easy methods of propagation. If this 
has been neglected, and old plants must be used, 
if any, then the work of taking them up should be 
done this month. If left out until the nights be¬ 
come cool, the growth of the plants is checked. If 
taken up, they do not readily recover from the 
shock of removal, and the window garden becomes 
a hospital for struggling plants. When overgrown, 
cut the plants back into shape, both at root and 
top, and pot them. Severe treatment will be need¬ 
ed, but it this be done early, there will be time for 
them to recover. After a few days in the shade, 
give them a warm and sheltered place, and they 
will recuperate and start into new growth before it 
is time to take them in doors. While it is not ad¬ 
visable to take in house-plants too early, they 
should be protected during cool nights, and it is 
well to keep them on a piazza or in some other 
place, where they will have sufficient protection. 
Brick and Tile Edgings for Gravel Walks. 
Unless there is a protection of some kind placed 
between the gravel on the walk and the soil of the 
border, the rains will soon mingle the two, and al¬ 
low the grass to obtain a foothold upon the walk. 
Fig. 1. —GRAVEL WALK WITH BRICK EDGING. 
Stones and tiles, shaped in fancy forms, are some¬ 
times used as edgings, but they are somewhat 
expensive. As a good, serviceable substitute, 
common bricks or liorse-shoe tile may be used. 
The manner of laying bricks is shown in fig. 1; 
they may be either set on end or laid lengthwise, 
only projecting about two inches above the level 
of the walk. Hard bricks, with square corners 
and of a uniform color, should be selected ; aq 
edging laid with these presents a pleasing appear, 
ance. In making an edging with horse-shoe tiles, 
place a board between the gravel and soil, and 
upon the upper edge of this lay the tiles. The 
Fig. 2.— TILE EDGING FOR WALKS. 
boards will serve to keep the tiles in line and the 
gravel in position. Two-inch tiles should be used, 
being careful to select only those that are straight, 
well burned, and alike in color. When once in 
place, the tiles are not easily broken, and present a 
finished aopearance. Figure 2 shows the manner 
of placing the tiles upon the edge of the board, 
