1868.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
23 
well as for shelter, are the Norway Spruce and 
Scotch Pine, both, as their names indicate, of Eu¬ 
ropean origin. In California, a State noted for 
its great trees, it is said that an Australian Euca¬ 
lyptus makes itself so much at home that it will 
probably be, before many years, the leading 
timber tree of that region. Even within nar¬ 
rower limits we find illustrations of the fact that 
trees seem better adapted to other regions than 
to those in which they are supposed to be native, 
and this has a practical bearing to cultivators. 
We recently saw in a part of Ohio, where the 
Red Cedar is not known in its wild state, trees 
of this species growing with such a luxuriance 
and grace of outline that we could hardly be¬ 
lieve it to be the same as the slow-growing, 
stiff-looking Cedar of the Atlantic States. So 
with fruit. The winter apples of New England 
become fall apples in Ohio and Illinois, while 
their best keeping apples come from the places 
we should least expect—the Southern States. 
The Peck’s Pleasant and other apples of New 
England at the West become so large and beau¬ 
tiful that when taken to the East pomologists 
are puzzled to recognize them. The Concord 
grape from Massachusetts only attains its great¬ 
est perfection beyond the Alleglianies. Leaving 
other trees out of the question we have yet 
much to learn about the adaptability of fruits 
to places. Every local society that keeps a well 
considered record is doing a good work, and if 
our American Pomological Society had done 
nothing but publish its tabulated fruit lists it 
would not have existed in vain. We hope that 
the forthcoming list will be made still more 
valuable by the subdivision of the larger States, 
and that both local societies and individuals will 
contribute their information to the«general fund. 
--—B-3 ^-*—»■- 
The Mount Vernon Pear. 
Some specimens of this little known variety 
were recently sent us by Frost & Co., of the 
Genesee Valley Nurseries, Rochester, N. Y.,who 
obtained them from W. S. Little, a nursery¬ 
man at the same place,—and we quite agree with 
them in the opinion that it ought to be better 
known. The fruit is said to have originated 
with the late Samuel Walker, Roxbury, Mass. 
It is of medium size, rouudish-obovate, inclining 
MOUNT VERNON PEAR. 
to conic; basin shallow, a little wavy; eye small, 
open; stem stout, inclined, inserted with scarce¬ 
ly any depression, and often with a slight lip; 
skin of a bright cinnamon russet, with obscure 
minute dots of a lighter color; flesh yellow¬ 
ish, a little coarse, but very juicy, rich, and vi¬ 
nous, with a delicate and agreeable perfume. 
Nov. and Dec. Wo are not informed as to the 
habit of the tree, but if there is nothing objec¬ 
tionable about that, it is strange that so good a 
pear should remain so long neglected. 
—--» . —i-Oo—-* - 
The Cultivation of Horseradish. 
In April last we published an article by Peter 
Henderson giving an account of the manner in 
which horseradish is grown in market gardens, 
where it is cultivated as a second crop to come 
on after cabbages or other early crop has been 
taken off. An account of the method of Mr. 
Kelsall, an extensive grower near Manchester, 
England, is given in the (English) Journal of 
Horticulture, and as this seems well adapted for 
growers in the small way, we give an abstract 
of the article. The ground is prepared by put¬ 
ting down a ridge of well decomposed manure, 
on each side of which a trench is cut, and the soil 
thrown up so as to cover the ridge of manure 
both on the sides and top—how high the ridges 
should be is not stated, but it is said: “The 
higher they are kept above the general level of 
the ground the better.” 
“ The beds having been made as above de¬ 
scribed, the next proceeding is to prepare the 
sets. For tins purpose Mr. Kelsall uses the 
long, small roots which grow out from the main 
plant; the longest, straightest, and cleanest of 
these are selected to form the future giant sticks 
of horseradish, and are prepared in the follow¬ 
ing way: Take the piece of root in the left 
hand, then witli the right rub off all the eyes 
and young fibrous roots, leaving about a quarter 
or half an inch undisturbed at the largest end 
of each piece.” * * * “ In planting,” con¬ 
tinues the writer, “a piece of stick is pushed from 
the top edge of the bed in a slanting direction 
towards the middle of the bed; the sets are 
then placed in the holes thus made, but care is' 
taken in performing this operation to place the 
pieces of root in the holes as straightly as possi¬ 
ble. Care must also be taken to place the 
smallest or right end in the hole first, otherwise 
the order of things becomes reversed, and the 
root, or that portion of the piece intended to 
produce the future roots, will occupy the posi¬ 
tion of the crown. The piece of root should 
be pushed in about 2 inches further than the 
edge of the bed. The piece of root, or set, 
having been planted in this way, it will soon 
commence forming roots at the base, and these 
will at once search out the manure which has 
been placed in the centre of the bed. As soon 
as they have found it the set will increase in 
size to an extraordinary extent, and speedily a 
bud will break out from the other end, which 
forms the crown of the plant. When leaves 
appear, reciprocal action between the root and 
foliage is carried on energetically, and the plant 
is then matured witlugreat rapidity. Scarcely 
a single root is formed between the crown and 
the base of the root-stock. Here there is a clus¬ 
ter of roots which have found their way into 
the manure, and the straightest and best of 
these must be saved for making future planta¬ 
tions. The set does not grow any longer after 
being planted, but increases in thickness to a 
wonderful extent, and, from the base to the 
crown, is white and perfectly free from roots.” 
A bed like this can be readily covered with 
litter or manure, and the horseradish be ac¬ 
cessible at almost any time during the winter. 
To Kill Aphides, or Plant Lice.— The 
veteran pomologist, Thomas Rivers, says: “ For 
aphides of all kinds, in-doors or out, winter or 
summer, 4 ounces Quassia chips are boiled ten 
minutes in a gallon of soft water, and while cool¬ 
ing, 4 ounces of soft soap dissolved in it. 
Many hogsheads of this are used here in sum¬ 
mer, and always with effect. Sometimes two 
dippings of the shoots, or brushings of the under 
surface of the leaves, are required. This innoc¬ 
uous mixture has superseded filthy tobacco 
juice and many disagreeable compounds.” It 
would be well to try this upon the aphis that is 
now so troublesome on the young shoots of 
cherry and other trees. As the preparation 
is unexpensive, it could be used on a large 
scale by means of a garden pump or engine. 
--C a- -*-♦--„ 
Making Straw Mats. 
Those who use hot-beds or cold frames can 
hardly dispense with straw mats for covering 
them. The usual way of making them is to 
lash straw in handfuls to cords stretched 
lengthwise for a warp. A correspondent, “ N,” 
of Milford, Conn., sends us his way of making 
the mats, which he considers easier and better. 
“ Stretch the cords for the under side of the 
mat, (five is the usual number), lay on the straw, 
then stretch above the straw an equal number 
of cords, directly over the others. Then sew 
through the straw, catching the strings both 
ways, in the same way that brooms are sewed. 
To straighten the edges, lay a straight-edged 
board on the mat, stand on it, and with an axe 
cliop*off the ends of the straw. By this meth¬ 
od the straw is all laid on at once, and there 
are no seams to allow of the passage of air.” 
The plan of Mr. N. looks practicable. In 
whichever way the mat is made, the straw 
should be laid on evenly, and at right angles 
with the warp. The but-ends of the straw 
should be placed at the edges of the mat, and 
the upper ends lap over in the centre, taking 
pains to keep the thickness uniform throughout. 
The making of mats is good work for stormy 
weather in winter, and they are of great utility 
in protecting plants from early and late frosts. 
The Golden Yew— Taxus baccata variegata. 
-—This is one of the few variegated evergreens 
that have a positive character, and is really fine. 
We think we never saw a more brilliant single 
specimen than one of these in the grounds of 
Parsons & Co., Flushing, L. I. The markings 
are of such a rich yellow, as to entitle it to be 
designated as golden. A charming shrub for a 
lawn, or to put in contrast with plants with 
dark green foliage. Unlike most variegations, 
this one is said to be hardier than the species. 
■-I 'TJl O-jggP—-» - 
Another Comparison of Tomatoes. 
Within the recollection of many of our read¬ 
ers, the tomato was a rarity. It is now a crop of 
such importance that it is a matter of no little 
interest to the cultivator to know which among 
the many varieties now offered by seedsmen is 
the earliest and most productive. We have al¬ 
ready published some comparative trials, and as 
we wish to present all sides fairly'-, we give an¬ 
other, which differs in its results from those al¬ 
ready given. Mr. W. II., Meadville, Penn., (an 
old subscriber, indeed, for he tells us he read 
the first number of the Agriculturist ,) writes: 
“ I wanted to find out the best variety for our 
particular locality,. (Meadville, Pa.,) where the 
season is very short—shorter even than in some 
farther north. I experimented with the follow- 
