311 
1852. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
A Glance at the July Horticulturist. 
The leader gives a few good suggestions “ how to 
;popularize the taste for planting,” and prescribes a re¬ 
medy by which he hopes our big farm, washed now on 
each side by the two oceans, may be made to wear some¬ 
thing less of the air of Canada-thistle-dom, and show a 
little sign of blossoming like the rose. The influence of 
private individuals of rural taste, and of nurserymen, is 
chiefly looked to as the means which may be best exert¬ 
ed to produce this desirable reformation. Private indi¬ 
viduals, by giving away a shrub or a tree occasionally to 
each of their neighbors who will take care of it, may thus 
do much to increase the desire for ornamental planting 
among those neighbors—for which purpose it is proposed 
to devote a day or two each year, by those who have 
public spirit enough, to propagating suitable sorts. Will 
nurserymen grumble at this? They need not, for instead 
of supplying their market gratis, this will only increase 
the avidity for such things as must be had, and cannot be 
had as gifts. Nay, more, the nurserymen .themselves, 
if they are not too stingy, are urged to undertake the 
same generous task, bestowing their gifts rather sparing¬ 
ly to each than otherwise, as one or two plants or trees 
well taken care of, are better than more when neglected. 
We have practiced to some extent on this plan, but found 
one difficulty, which was, that which cost nothing was 
generally little prized. We therefore improved on the 
mode, by requiring pay in all cases where good cultiva¬ 
tion was not given, and making this a provision in ad- 
vance- 
The opinion is confidently expressed in this article, that 
more trees have been planted in the last ten years within 
fifty miles of Rochester in this state, than in any three 
of the southern states taken together. 
Prof. Turner and Pear Blight.— The article on this 
subject, noticed in our last, has brought out A. H. Ernst 
of Cincinnati, who confidently affirms that the Professor’s 
fearful insect has been long known, and has no connexion 
whatever with pear blight. 
The Seasons in Maine.— Some very interesting facts 
are presented in a communication from Wm, Wallis of 
Portland. The severity of the past winter was general¬ 
ly observed through the country, but as that severity 
was more uniform than at other times, the effect on vege¬ 
tation was not so unfavorable as in some milder winters. 
The thermometer sunk to 16° below zero at Portland, 
yet the Osage Orange “ appears not to have suffered in 
the least,” nor Weigela rosea; and the peach trees were 
reported as in full blossom. Similar results were observ¬ 
ed at Macedon, in Western New-York, where the mer¬ 
cury sunk to 12| Q below zero. A large portion of the 
fruit buds of the peach escaped ; the Ribes sanguineum 
was uninjured even to the tips of the branches, and the 
Bignonia grandifiora, wholly unprotected, is now pushing 
out shoots three feet above the ground. 
The same communication gives extracts from a record 
of the weather kept at Portland, for a century and a 
quarter, by which it appears that during all that time 
there has been no change whatever in the average period 
for the blossoming of fruit trees—notwithstanding the 
conflicting opinions that the seasons are becoming colder, 
as adopted by some, and that they arebecoming warmer, 
as adhered to by others. 
Fruit Culture at Washington. —R.G. Pardee gives 
some interesting memoranda of his visit to the grounds 
of Dr. Bayne, in Maryland, eight miles from Washing, 
ton. The Doctor has over 15,000 fruit trees, of which 
8,000 are peach trees, and the crop very great. Several 
acres are in strawberries; the earliest sold at $1 per 
quart; four days later they fell to 50 cents, and four 
more, to 25 cents. Pear trees on the hill tops, are free 
from blight, while those in valleys are badly affected. 
Grape Houses.— A skilful grape culturist at Boston, 
recommends for the north, a house placed east and west, 
fully exposed to the sun, and glazed all round, ends and 
all. 
Transplanting. —The editor very justly remarks, 
“ If it were made a rule in moving trees, always to re¬ 
duce the last year’s growth to one bud, half the failures in 
transplanting would not occur—because the head and 
roots would be brought at once to something like a bal¬ 
ance of power. Shortening-in and mulching transplant¬ 
ed trees ought to be followed as established practical 
rules, in this climate, in transplanting every ’ deciduous 
tree needing mo're care than a willow.” 
Cyprus Vine.—W e are told that one thing only is 
necessary to make the seeds of this annual vegetate free¬ 
ly, and that is to soak them over night in milk, blood 
warm when put in. 
Rival Hudson Strawberry. 
This new variety is gaining a high reputation for its 
productiveness and general value, although not of the 
highest quality for the table. It is one of the best late 
sorts, and is fine for the market or for preserving. A 
correspondent of Moore’s New-Yorker, says that a single 
neglected plant of last year’s growth, accidentally over¬ 
looked till full of ripe fruit, was found completely sur¬ 
rounded with trusses of berries, on which one hundred 
and thirty-three ripe ones were found, proceeding from 
this single root. 
Extension of Tree Roots. 
We have often had occasion to point out the useless¬ 
ness of digging small circles of the ground about large 
fruit trees standing in grass. The Mass. Ploughman says, 
“ Last week we plowed a few furrows in the road-side 
under apple trees that had been set but five years, and 
we found roots in plenty, at a distance of ten feet from 
the trunks of the trees.” 
-- — 
Productiveness of the Lombard Plum. —This va¬ 
riety, otherwise known as Bleecker’s Red, although not 
of the highest flavor, is well known for its great produc¬ 
tiveness. and its especial adaptation to light soils. A cor¬ 
respondent of the Prairie Farmer, who has very success¬ 
fully cultivated it on the wild plum stock, states that one 
tree, “ which had been set four years, was judged to 
have five pecks of plums.” 
Looking Glasses to Frighten Birds. — We often 
see the remedy of suspending looking glasses to frighten 
birds from fruit trees, going the rounds of the newspa¬ 
pers, and lately we have seen the same thing copied from 
the London Gardeners’ Chronicle. From our own expe¬ 
riments in this line some years ago, we were not favora¬ 
bly impressed with its efficacy, the birds being about a? 
much frightened, as a locomotive by an umbrella. 
