22 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Jan. 
stance, we received a bundle of grafts in autumn, from 
some hundreds of miles, the leaves being left on to 
keep them moist, but in reality causing them to wither 
rapidly by throwing off the moisture. When received 
they were quite dry; but they were well encased in 
moss, and buried in the earth till next spring, when 
they were perfectly plump, and being set, all grew. 
Grafts or buds, to be forwarded by mail, may be kept 
fresh, by wrapping each shoot in oil-cloth or oil-silk, 
(such as is used for lining straw hats,) drawing it 
closely around it by means of fine thread. This enclo¬ 
ses all the moisture in an air-tight casing, and it re¬ 
mains unchanged for many days. 
Management of House Plants. 
Inquiries are frequently made as to the successful 
management of green-house plants, which are kept in 
the rooms of dwellings. A chief error in their winter 
treatment, consists in making no distinction between 
their condition while rapidly growing, and in a dormant 
state. When vegetation is in full progress, warmth 
and a large supply of water, are indispensible. But 
during the period of rest, plants should be kept cool and 
rather dry. A temperature of 50 degrees is much bet¬ 
ter than that of ordinary living-rooms. While in this 
stationary condition, very little moisture is given off 
through the leaves; while growing, it is thrown off 
rapidly. Hence water is to be applied very sparingly, 
and at remote intervals, in winter; as very little es¬ 
capes by direct evaporation from the soil. So long as 
a moderate degree of moisture is found beneath the 
surface of the soil in the pots, watering should be 
omitted. Thorough drainage is also of importance, and 
is well effected by filling one-fifth of the pot at the bot¬ 
tom with fragments of charcoal. Washing the foliage 
from dust, should be attended to, and may be con¬ 
veniently done by syringing with tepid water , turning 
the pot at the moment on its side, that the soil con¬ 
tained it may not be too much soaked. In the absence 
of a syringe, a small watering-pot, with fine perfora¬ 
tions, held at a little height, will answer a good pur¬ 
pose. The chief requisites, then, for good manage¬ 
ment, may be summed up as follows:— 
1 . Spare watering; 
2. Low temperature; 
3. Plenty of light; 
4. Drainage; 
5. Washing foliage. 
Prices of Fine Fruit. 
In many parts of the country, a greater number of 
trees have been set out within the past five years, than 
during the whole previous period back to the settlement 
of the country. Many have hence believed that the 
market would be surfeited when these bear, and hence 
have ceased to set out trees. Is their judgment cor¬ 
rect? Let us glance at a few facts. 
The great peach orchards of New-Jersey and Dela¬ 
ware have long been famous, many occupying a hundred 
acres or more, and one, the celebrated orchard of the 
Reybolds, covering a thousand acres,—-whose crops 
were so large as to give constant employment to two 
steamboats and a schooner in conveyance to market. 
As a consequence, the price of peaches has fallen quite 
low in comparison with former times. Much smaller 
orchards, near smaller cities, have glutted the market. 
But it must here be observed, that the peach is a very 
perishable fruit, and can be kept a very few days at 
longest. Plantations of perishable fruits for market, 
are therefore to be made with some caution; but the 
objection will scarcely exist with such as keep for 
months. 
If one large city will afford market for but a few 
steamer-loads of peaches,—which must all be consumed 
within three days after being purchased,—fifty times 
the amount of keeping fruit will find consumers, if it 
may remain on hand for months together. Especially 
will this be the case, when it is remembered that peaches 
make their appearance amid a profusion of other fruits; 
while keeping fruit extends its period of use into the 
dreary season of the year. But, a single city no long¬ 
er becomes the limited market for such fruits; the 
whole country is open; and no night-and-day labors are 
needed to hurry them into market before decay seizes 
them. Railroads and canals will take them to any 
part of the Union; and not only this, but millions in 
Europe are ready to consume our fruits when our or¬ 
chards furnish a cheap supply. 
The Newtown pippin has already found its way to 
Europe; but the amount at present, when compared 
with what it is destined to be when orchards are pro¬ 
fusely multiplied, and facilities, and cheapness, increas¬ 
ed, is but the slender rill to the mighty river. To pro¬ 
duce this great increase, the prices of varieties for 
export need not be extremely low. They are now high. 
In the great apple region, Western New-York, the 
orchardist gladly disposes of his good winter apples for 
seventy-five cents per barrel, and then makes more 
from a few acres of orchard than from a hundred-acre 
farm besides. The Northern Spy, a productive variety, 
long-keeping and handsome, is eagerly bought at two 
dollars and three per barrel, for home consumption. 
Good Newtown pippins in quantity command a high 
price; and well cultivated orchards of them, in favora¬ 
ble localities, must afford a very comfortable profit to 
the owners, even when the fruit is much cheaper than 
at present, a thing by no means certain to take place 
during the present age, with a whole hungry year and 
hungry millions ready to consume them. The price of 
good winter apples at the present moment in Western 
New-York, does not vary ten per cent, from the price 
thirty years ago, nor has it fluctuated much during the 
long interim. 
In many parts of the country, the White Doyenne or 
Virgalieu pear; is a remarkably healthy and productive 
tree, and yields uniformly fine and fair fruit. Crops 
from single trees of ten to fifteen bushels are frequent. 
The fruit raised so far north, matures late, and may be 
sent hundreds of miles to market. In New-York dity, 
it sells readily for three or four dollars per bushel. Let, 
for the sake of argument, the trees be increased, so 
that the cultivator may get but fifty cents per bushel; 
would not the city demand for them, immediately in¬ 
crease fifty fold? All could then afford to eat them. 
Now, an acre, of a hundred trees, each bearing but 
five bushels as a yearly average, would give, at this 
reduced price, two hundred and fifty dollars a year 
from the acre—or an interest on some thousands of 
dollars. 
With such facts as the above, we are compelled to 
conclude that the time has not yet arrived for land- 
owners to withdraw their attention to an increase of 
their orchards—but that w r hile the population of the 
country, and facilities for conveyance, are multiplying 
so rapidly, prices of suitable varieties are as likely to 
rise as to sink below their present rates. 
Early Lettuce. 
The late Judge Darling practiced a mode of obtain¬ 
ing early lettuce, which would prove of value to all who 
cannot take the trouble to make hot-beds. Commencing 
with the well-known fact, that lettuce will bear con¬ 
siderable frost, and sometimes survive the winter un¬ 
protected, he applied various coverings, as straw, corn¬ 
stalks, stable litter, leaves, boards, mats, and even a 
large inverted box, enclosing plenty of air, but in all 
