1854. 
THE CULTIVATOR 
251 
Horticultural Review. 
The Cincinnati Horticultural Review for June, con¬ 
tains, among other excellent things, three beautifully 
executed lithographic plates, representing the resi¬ 
dence of W. B. Smith, Esq., near that city. Two of 
them are perspective views, and the third a plan of 
the grounds ; and, like all other well executed repre¬ 
sentations of finely planted grounds, they convey more 
correct views of the modern improved style of group¬ 
ing trees in artificial landscapes, than volumes of de¬ 
scriptions. Wei are satisfied, that next to seeing the 
places themselves, well executed views of the most cor¬ 
rectly planted residences, will do more than any thing 
else towards correcting the taste of the public in these 
matters. 
After this high commendation, a word or two of 
criticism will be allowed. We observe here the com¬ 
mon defect of many American residences, of placing 
the best part and nearly all the grounds between the 
house and the public road—as if the most highly or¬ 
namented part was intended quite as much for the pub¬ 
lic to gaze at just as they get in front, as for the com¬ 
fort and Relight of the inmates. In this particular in¬ 
stance, it may have been necessity that placed every 
thing on one side of the residence. Contrast this, how¬ 
ever, with Loudon’s description of Cheshunt Cottage, 
as published in the Appendix to Downing’s Landscape 
Gardening, where the family can enjoj^ many beauti¬ 
ful retired walks, without being gazed at constantly by 
a street full of passengers,—and we cannot but think 
that the great leading idea of our countrymen prevail¬ 
ed in its design, namely, that of having but one fair 
side, and in placing this fair side always towards the 
public road. * We see this in almost every thing, from 
the New York City Hall, with its marble front, and sand¬ 
stone rear, to the fifth-rate farm house, with its white 
face and picket fence yard against the’ highway, and 
its Spanish-brown and pig-yard rear. Another point 
we observe in this plan, is the unobstructed lawn ex¬ 
tending directly from the entrance to the house, while 
the road deviates abruptly. The temptation to run 
directly across the lawnv is too great, and should be 
removed by planting at this point of view. A third 
objection is the three long-legged weeping trees, placed 
in a very conspicuous position. The mania for these 
distortions of nature should not enter a finished land¬ 
scape. The only weeping trees admissible, are tho^e 
of a full, rounded, free and luxuriant growth, whose 
branches sweep the ground, as in some of our finest 
elms. With these few exceptions, (and we should not 
have taken the trouble to mention them, had not these 
engravings been otherwise of uncommon beauty,) the 
plan and groupings represented, afford many valuable 
hints and suggestions to such as are about to plant new 
residences, and a little criticism now and then, is quite 
as useful as positive instructions. 
Mats for Schools, &c.—Nearly every kind of 
mat has been,tried in the public schools at Columbus, 
and the rope mats, (made of oakum,) are found the 
most durable. So says the Ohio Journal of Educa¬ 
tion. 
Fruit Culture. 
As the growing of fruit is becoming quite an object, 
not only for family comfort, but also as a source of 
profit, too much care and attention cannot be given to 
young trees, in the present condition of our old lands, 
which have been under cultivation such a length of 
time. When our country was new and rich, large or¬ 
chards were planted, and grew rapidly with little care 
except an occasional trimming; but a great change 
has taken place. Long cultivation has deprived our 
land of its natural richness, and according to some has 
robbed the soil of some of the most essential ingredi¬ 
ents required to produce a good growth of trees. Be 
that as it may, a few years of experience in attempting 
to grow trees on an exhausted soil, will convince any 
one of the utter folly of attempting to raise fruit trees 
on such soil, without high cultivation and unremiting 
care and attention. I would as soon think of planting 
my corn without cultivating it afterwards, as to plant 
trees and take no more care of them. 
No doubt much depends on having the trees proper¬ 
ly set in the first place ; but let that be done right, the 
tree will not flourish unless it is highly manured and 
otherwise cared for. Some shorten down the heads of 
the trees before planting, alledging it to be necessary 
so as to make the top correspond with the size of the 
root and thereby insure the life of the tree ; but a little 
experience has convinced me that this practice is 
wrong, and calculated to injure the tree and retard 
its growth. Three years ago last fall, I procured some 
trees, having the largest tops I had ever seen ; at the 
time of setting, I took but few limbs from them ; set 
them in holes enriched by manure, and have manured 
thepn several times since. They have made a rapid 
growth, and are now in the most flourishing condition 
of any orchard with which I am acquainted. My 
trees, or apart of them, are near'the wash-house, from 
which our soap-suds are carried and turned on the roots 
of the trees. We also wash them several times during 
the season with soap-suds, and sometimes with weak, 
lye. This keeps the bark smooth, and prevents moss 
from gathering on them. 
No lazy or indolent person ought ever to plant a 
tree. They require constant care and watchfulness to 
keep them in a healthy and thriving condition. Young 
trees have many enemies to contend with. For the 
last three years, the drouth has been a serious draw¬ 
back in the growth of young trees. New insects and 
worms heretofore unknown, at least in this vicinity, 
have attacked them, and in spite of all our efforts 
have done them considerable damage. No worm ought 
ever to be allowed to remain long enough on a tree to 
make a nest or eat the leaves. Two years since, a 
worm, about an inch in length, smooth body with yel¬ 
low rings around it, attacked the young trees. They 
were to be found in clusters of a dozen or more in the 
under side of a leaf, and would sometimes in one night 
eat most of the leaves of a tree ; but they made no 
nests, aud when once found, were easily destroyed. 
The old ancient appletree-worm, is the only one we 
