320 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[September, 
Ailantlius Trees. — II. C. Hermann, of 
Delaware Co., Pa., writes us that in pursuing experi¬ 
ments with the Ailanthus silk-worm he raised some Ailan- 
thus trees. The seed was collected in September, sowed 
the following March, and in two years the trees averaged 
9 feet in bight, very straight and smooth, and made good 
bean poles. The labor of collecting the seed is little, 
for Mr. H. says a boy collected a barrel of it in an hour. 
iPi’Mitlasg- tiae Blackberry. —The best 
cultivators cut out the old canes as soon as 
they have yielded their crop of fruit, though 
it is the practice of many to defer it until 
spring. At whatever time it is done the 
operator is pretty sure to wish for the dis¬ 
covery of a “ thornless blackberry,” and if he 
has much work among the bushes-he will 
soon be scratched into looking about for 
some implement that will enable him to 
work with more comfort. Pruning shears 
with long handles, which are used for the 
purpose, are sold by the implement dealers, 
or a hooked knife like the one in the engrav¬ 
ing may be fixed to a handle and will answer 
quite as well. The knife should be made of 
good steel, and it will be found useful not only 
for cutting the canes, but for pulling them out 
of the way when severed. At the time of 
pruning, pinch in the side branches upon the new canes. 
1*1 amts Named.—J. W. Russell, Tolland 
Co., Ct. The Hop Clover, Trifoliumagrarium, an annual 
yellow-flowered clover introduced from Europe, and not 
rare as a weed.. .Mrs. R. T. H. P., Henry Co., Ill. The 
Lead-plant, Anwrphacanescens, which has ignorantly been 
supposed to indicate the presence of lead ore_It. S. S., 
Saugerties, N. Y. No. 2, Mouse-ear Chick-weed, Cerastium 
•vvlgatum, No. 1, not found_Miss C. A. B., Syngston, 
Mass. See answer to P. L. C. last month_W. H., Genoa, 
O. Squirrel-tail Grass, Hoi'deum juhatum , which we never 
before heard charged with being troublesome; good cul¬ 
tivation will eradicate it_S. L. L., Chatham, Iowa, 
Tephrosia Virginica , called both Goats’ Rue and Catgut. 
_J. G. W., Hatfield, Mass. From the description we 
guess your tree to be the Hackberry, Celtis occidentalis ; 
the specimens did not reach us. Try again_Mrs. M. 
D. D., Rock Island, Illinois. The Wild Balsam Apple, 
Echinocystis lobata. Sometimes cultivated to cover trellises. 
W. L., Orange, Edwards Co., Ill. Koldreuteria paniculata , 
a beautiful ornamental tree, which is but little known.... 
J. B., Linn Co., O., WMUavia grandiflora , a handsome 
blue-flowered hardy annual from California, quite com¬ 
mon in gardens — M. It. A., Elliot, Me. No. 1, Choke-ber¬ 
ry, Pyrus arbutifolia; No. 2, Slender Gerardia, G. tenui- 
folia; No. 3, Canada Hawk-weed, Hieracium Canadense. 
Tlie Farmers’ Clml> ora JSotamy.— 
At a meeting of the Club in July, one member hoped that 
botany would be taught in common schools; whereupon 
there was an outflow of wisdom. One speaker said: “I 
believe that botany will have to be entirely rewritten be¬ 
fore it can be used in schools. We don’t want so much 
science, but a more practical system than the one now in 
use.” Another added: “I have looked in Wood’s and 
Mrs. Lincoln’s botany, but could not find how trees grow. 
There were plenty of descriptions of small, insignificant, 
and worthless weeds, but very little about our most use¬ 
ful plants. This is not as it should be; for the most 
valuable plant should receive the greatest attention.” 
Of course all the botanists from Linnaeus to Gray knew 
nothing. We hope that the Club will get up a system of 
botany to suit their needs, without “ so much science ” 
in it. The multiplication table is tough to some, but it 
pays to learn it, and if it could only be shown that botany 
would “ pay,” those who talk about it as these Club 
people do, would very soon find it “just as easy.” 
f>oal»Ic Peaches.—J. E. E., Gettysburgh, 
O., writes that a variety of peach known there as Yellow 
Free-stone produced very few single peaches, but the fruit 
was almost all “ from two to six double.” Nearly all the 
double fruit has fallen. Mr. E. wishes to know the cause 
of this phenomenon—which of course we are unable to 
answer. There is one point that would be interesting to 
know: do these double peaches come from a mal-formed 
blossom, or arc they apparently double by the crowding 
together and cohering of the fruit when young. It would 
be well to observe the trees next spring, and if the blos¬ 
soms appear of unusual shape we would like specimens. 
Whitlock’s Horticultural Recor¬ 
der.— The second volume of Whitlock’s Advertiser ap¬ 
pears enlarged, improved, and with the above title. Mr. 
A. 8. Fuller is the editor, and the Magazine in the variety 
and value of its contents takes rank among the best 
publications of the day. The magazines which have 
so long occupied the ground must keep an eye on this 
new comer or he may yet “go to the head of his class.” 
A drape Vine Beetle.— “A. D. B.,” 
Princeton, N. J. The beetle that has destroyed the leaves 
on your Delawares and Dianas is apparently Anomala 
lucicola , the Light-loving Anomala. It is related to the 
May Beetle, but is much smaller. Shaking the beetles 
from the vines, catching on sheets and destroying, is most 
likely the only reliable means of stopping their work. 
TSac Work of Locusts. —A. II. Martin, 
Charlotte, N. C., and A. L. Griffith, Jasper, Tenn., send 
us twigs showing the excavations made by the 17-year 
locusts in depositing their eggs. The habits of the in¬ 
sect are described in the Agriculturist for October, 1SG6. 
Aiima Beans. — These beans make slow 
progress in the country for an article admitted to be the 
best of its family. They are an excellent vegetable 
whether cooked in the green or dry state, and are perhaps 
the best substitute we have for the potato. If dry, they 
should be soaked over night. Boil two hours or until 
soft. After boiling they are admirable fried in butter. 
Urnit-Liatlicrer’s Iiudilcr. —We find in 
the London Journal of Horticulture apian for converting 
a common ladder into a self-supporting one, which for 
low trees will answer better than our method of sustain¬ 
ing by guy ropes. The article is contributed by an 
“Amateur” who used a ladder 12 feet long. Two stays 
or props of equal length of the ladder are made of 1^ 
inch stuff, 251 inches wide at the foot, tapering above and 
pointed below. At the upper end of these props slots (B) 
are cut, and were wc to make them we should strengthen 
them by an iron band or a rivet, to prevent splitting. 
Upon each side of the ladder near the top is inserted a 
T-shaped pin, which screws into a nut which is sunk into 
the side pieces, as seen at A. These pins can be re¬ 
moved when the ladder is used for other purposes. When 
used for fruit picking it is put together as shown in the fig¬ 
ure. The ladder is placed where needed and the props put 
in position to hold it there by simply slipping the slots 
under the pins, as in the figure. The props being in¬ 
dependent of each other can be introduced between the 
branches if necessary. We might have copied this lad¬ 
der without giving credit, if we followed the example of 
the Journal of Horticulture, which in its issue of July 30th 
takes an article and figure of a Handy and Powerful Lever 
from the Agricultmist without the least intimation that 
they are not original. But that is not our way. 
Uine <Sla«l5o!nses.— Mr. Geo. Such, of 
South Amboy, N. J., has the gladiolus as one of his spe¬ 
cialties. He exhibited some at our office, which for size 
of spike and beauty of flower we have not seen equaled. 
T'Bie TJiursalay Shows siiad. Meet¬ 
ings. —Mr. Whitlock has done a good thing in offering 
facilities for weekly exhibitions and club meetings. 
Similar gatherings were held at 41 Park Row until the 
space could no longer be spared. We invite those who 
used to find those meetings pleasant to aid the present 
ones by their attendance. The central location—in the 
Agriculturist Building 245 Broadway—makes it very con¬ 
venient for business men, as well as for those who are 
visiting the city. Understand that the whole thing is 
free, there being no charge of any kind. There is like¬ 
wise no competition for prizes. Fruits and flowers are 
shown, compared and talked about, and any one interest¬ 
ed in these subjects can hardly fail to get some inform¬ 
ation or impart some. We hope our friends who visit the 
city will call in on Thursdays at noon, bring some speci¬ 
mens if possible, and at any rate give their presence. 
Cnl8ivate«l and Uncultivated. 
Strawberries.— R. M. C., Moorton, Del., writes that 
while well cultivated strawberries produced a poor crop, 
the same variety (Wilson) without any cultivation ripened 
earlier. “ The uncultivated beds had a heavy growth of 
grass and weeds, which were killed by the fall frosts, and 
served as a winter protection, followed in the spring by 
white clover and weeds, which were in vigorous growth 
at the time of the ripening of the fruit. Was the in¬ 
creased yield caused by the winter protection thus afford¬ 
ed, and was the early ripening of the fruit caused by the 
same, or was it caused by the green growth during the 
ripening season ?” We should attribute the better con¬ 
dition of the weedy beds to the protection afforded by 
the dead grass, and cannot see how the growth of weeds 
this Spring could help the early ripening. 
Asa Bdd Raspkerry.— G. Underwood, 
Pittston, (no State,) writes that he found a raspberry 
with a double fruit, and transferred it to his garden, 
where it maintains this character. The stem is flat and 
spreads out at the top in a fan shape. From the descrip¬ 
tion, we judge this to be a case of “ fasciation,” which 
is not rare in plants. Parts that are usually distinct be¬ 
come joined together. It often occurs with sunflower, 
Japan lilies, &c. Whether this variety of raspberry will 
prove valuable as well as curious, experience will deter¬ 
mine. We hope to hear more of it. 
The Tomato Question again opens upon 
us, and we shall try to give all sides a fair hearing. In 
discussing the earliness and productiveness of the Tomato 
we must bear in mind that soil, situation and climate 
have their effects, and that a report from the light and 
sandy soils of Long Island and New Jersey will not be 
likely to agree with one from the rich prairie gardens. 
Mr. Jas. Perkins, Newmarket, N. J., sends us specimens 
(Aug. 1st.) of Cedar Hill and New York Red. Seeds sown 
April 1st., plants set out May 2oth. Fruit ripe in 122 days 
from sowing — too long a time by 10 or 15 days on account 
of spring rains. Mr. P. thinks the Cedar Hill of good 
flavor and density and valuable as an early variety, and 
the N. Y. Red the greatest cropper_Louis Ritz, Plain- 
ville, Ohio, sends an account of a carefully made experi¬ 
ment with Keyes, Cedar Hill, Early York, Large Smooth 
Red, and Tilden. The seeds were sown at the same time 
and the plants treated in all respects alike, with the fol¬ 
lowing results: “ The Keyes is, no doubt, the earliest of 
all, and yields largely; but only the first tomatoes are of a 
fair size, the succeeding ones growing smaller and small¬ 
er. I think it would pay to plant the Keyes, for early 
use, close together, say one or one and a half feet apart, 
and pick all the blossoms except the two or three first 
clusters, and it would, no doubt, yield a paying crop. 
The Early York is early, but a pooryielder. The Extra 
Early is not as early by a few days, but more profitable, 
yielding largely; not quite as solid as the Keyes, but of 
fair size and good flavor. The Cedar Hill is a good bearer, 
fair sized, rather smooth, but tender, and on that account 
less profitable for market. It is, however, the best early 
tomato for family use. The Large Smooth Red and Til¬ 
den are later than the other varieties, but furnish finer 
and larger fruit, and for marketing are more profitable.” 
Harvesting-Beans. — J. G. Bailey, Rock¬ 
ingham Co., N. H.,writes that he has a method of harvest¬ 
ing beans that he prefers to those we have recently pub¬ 
lished. We have practised the way he describes in har¬ 
vesting a small lot, and were much pleased with it. 
“ Stakes 2 inches in diameter, 7 or 8 feet long, and pointed 
at one end, are set firmly in the ground about 8 inches 
apart. The stakes are set about a rod from the end of the 
row, room being made for them by pulling a few hills. 
Bind a withe around the stakes a foot above the ground. 
Pull the beans, holding them by the roots, and when the 
hands are full take them to the stakes, lay them between 
the stakes, putting in the roots of each handful in an op¬ 
posite direction from those of the preceding one, letting 
them lap sufficiently to hold them. When the stakes are 
filled to the liight of 5 or 0 feet, put on another withe, 
and continue to fill as high as yon can reach. The stakes 
should spread apart gradually, leaving the stack flaring 
at the top. When the beans are cured two men can pull 
up a stack and place it on a wagon. In thrashing lay 
the sticks on the floor, thrash one side, then turn them 
over and thrash the other. Beans properly stacked may 
be left out for a long time. The stakes, if of durable 
timber, may bo housed and answer for several years,” 
