356 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[October, 
Autumn Leaves.—The leaves of our forest 
trees are so Beautiful when they take on their varied 
autumnal tints that many have a desire to preserve them. 
Several letters have been sent asking for the method of 
treating the leaves in order to best preserve their colors. 
The subject was referred to a lady whose taste and skill 
in such matters is well known among her friends, and the 
following was received, which, as it came too late to go 
in the Household Department, is presented here : “Gather 
the leaves as soon as they begin to change color, as they 
then retain their bright hues longest and best. Medium 
and small leaves are most suitable for wreaths, pictures, 
and crosses; a few larger ones are desirable for leaf bou¬ 
quets, fine sprays of tiny ones for that purpose being 
highly prized. To dry the leaves use old periodicals, that 
have been stitched together, as they are smoother than 
folded newspapers and somewhat like them in texture. 
Any book of soft paper will do. Begin to place in the 
leaves at the end of the book, but not too close on a page. 
AVhen one page is filled, turn over five or six, and continue 
in this manner through the book; then put it in a cool, dry 
place with a heavy weight upon it, as it is very essential 
to make them as smooth as possible. In one or two days 
another book will be needed into which to change the 
leaves. The first can be left open to dry, to be used again. 
In about a week the moisture will be extracted so that 
they can be placed in any book to remain until needed. 
I rarely work with mine under a month, to insure their 
being thoroughly dry. For all our leaves not pasted on 
paper we use boiled linseed oil, rubbing it on with a 
flannel rag, just enough to give a rich gloss. Keep the 
leaves spread out for a few days after oiling. For muci¬ 
lage, to paste leaves upon Bristol board, use two parts gum 
Arabic and one of sugar. When the wreaths or groups 
are pasted on, press them between books until smooth 
and dry, and then apply carefully, with a small brush, one 
or two coats of copal or white varnish. For wreaths, cut 
a circular piece from stiff paper of the size and width re¬ 
quired, sew a piece of steel hoop around the back to keep 
it from warping, and add a loop at the top to hang up by. 
Then begin at the top, arrange and sew on small leaves, 
increasing the size as you near the bottom. AVhen one 
half is covered, begin at the top again and make the other 
side in the same way, and finish with the most brilliant 
leaves. The oval is another form that we use. Hanging 
against a light wall they look very bright through the 
winter, and retain their beauties until June. Lamp-shades,- 
ornamented with leaves, are something new, and very 
beautiful as well as useful. Cut six pieces like the pat¬ 
tern in the engraving, in perforated Bristol board. They 
should be G>4 in. long, 5% in. wide at the bottom, and 
3!4 in. at the top. Arrange a group of oiled leaves, 
flowers, or small ferns, on each piece — tacking them on 
very slightly; then line the back with white tissue paper, 
and cover the leaves with tarletan or lace ; bind around 
the edges of the pieces with narrow brown or crimson 
ribbon, and sew them together.” 
ttsBa^xurfi.DBfeersaitlBa?”- is an awkward word that 
the English have invented to express what their potatoes 
have been doing in the hot and dry weather of the past 
season. J. Jenks, AVright Co., Minn., has sent us speci¬ 
mens of “ supertuberated ” potatoes, and others have 
complained of “ supertuberation.” Discarding big words, 
the trouble is this. The growth of the tuber is arrested 
by drought or other cause, and it ripens when only partly 
grown. If a season of growth follows after the tuber 
is so far mature that it cannot increase in size, the 
new growth manifests itself in branches, most frequent¬ 
ly we see small tubers produced at the eyes of the large 
one. and sometimes, as in Mr. Jenks’ case, the growth is 
almost that of a perfectly ripe potato recently planted. 
Sprouts or stems are thrown off, together with some that 
are a compromise between an above ground stem and a 
tuber. This is not peculiar to any variety, and entirely 
depends upon those conditions which favor or retard a 
healthy growth of vines or tops. 
Early ISose —From all the re¬ 
ports we have seen, this is one of the new things that 
have come up to the representations made in their behalf. 
AVhen Mr. Ileft'ron first made it public he claimed it to be 
ten days earlier than the Early Goodrich and a great deal 
better bearer. That a strong desire was felt on the part 
of growers for a first class early potato was shown by the 
readiness with which the Early Hose was taken up at an 
unprecedentedly high price. AA T e have had a number of 
accounts of its prolific character and its excellence, and of 
these wo give two extremes, Canada and Hew Jersey. J. 
n. Foster, Kirkwood, N. J., planted it with two other 
early sorts, and gives the following as the proportionate 
yield: Buckeye l 7 1 /£ : Early Goodrich 9, Early Rose IS. 
The estimated yield per acre was Early Rose 37S, Early 
Goodrich 192, and Buckeye 1S1 bushels. John AVarcup, 
in Canada, lat. 45° 30 min., gives the following: “May 
9th, I had 1 lb. of Early Rose potatoes by mail from B. 
K. Bliss & Sons, for which I paid a dollar. The package 
of one pound contained five medium sized potatoes, 
which when cut into single eyes made G5 sets, which were 
planted ten inches apart in rows. May 28tli they were 
mostly all up. They continued to grow, and maintained 
a deep glossy green foliage through all the very severe 
drought of the season. Aug. 15th the potatoes were dug, 
very ripe, skin red, and remarkably firm and russetty. 
The produce was 2114 lbs. May 9th, I planted also, with 
same treatment, one pound of one of our own favorite 
sorts. These came up several days later than the Early 
Rose, and gave a produce of only 11 lbs. with a much 
greater proportion of unmarketable potatoes. The Early 
Rose would have furnished good sized tubers for market 
very early, but our object being to ripen them, we let 
them all remain till thoroughly hardened.” AVe have in¬ 
formation from several quarters that unprincipled dealers 
sent out other varieties as Early Rose. Parties, in pur¬ 
chasing the Early Rose, or any other variety, should be 
sure and get their seed from reliable growers only. 
Spots oia ISose Ijearcs. — “A. AV.,” 
AVytlie Co., A r a, sends some rose-leaves ruined by.brown 
swollen blotches. The microscope shows the presence 
of some minute fungus, which has lived upon and de¬ 
stroyed the tissues of the leaves. The treatment of cases 
of this kind is yet but little understood. Good culture, to 
produce a vigorous plant, will help. Sulphur destroys 
one small fungus, that of mildew, and it would be worth 
while to try it on this. It should be freely sprinkled on 
the plants at the very first appearance of the trouble. 
TBie Greeley StraAvben-y Prize.— 
Never were good intentions the cause of so much dis¬ 
satisfaction as those of Mr. Greeley. The awarding of 
his grape prize was the horticultural sensation of the 
day — or rather of three years—and as it was awarded first 
one way and then another, it succeeded in making more 
trouble than is usually to be had for §100. As to the 
strawberry prize, this was offered for a fruit that should 
have all the good characters of the AVilson and be of bet¬ 
ter quality. At the strawberry show of the American 
Institute some plants were entered for this premium, 
some in pots, others in tubs. Some were too late and 
others too early, and some had persistent advocates who 
would dog the committee at every corner. No committee 
with a shade of a conscience would award a premium 
which would almost revolutionize strawberry growing on 
such materials. They properly named the most promising 
kinds entered for the premium, and recommended that a 
committee be appointed to sec the fruit another year and 
make a decision. AA r e do not learn that any steps were 
taken this year towards awarding the prize. The whole 
matter yet remains where Mr. Greeley left it, in the hands 
of the American Institute. This brief statement, which 
we believe covers the whole case, is made to avoid answer¬ 
ing any more letters in relation to the subject, as well as 
to place Mr. Greeley in the proper light. He is ready to 
pay over the premium whenever the Institute awards it, 
but he has nothing at all to do with the docision. 
'I'l’BoisiiBlaMtlMS' Lai-ge Pear Trees. 
“ E. N. C.,” Cambridge City, Ind., wishes to know the 
best time to transplant pear trees G to 10 years old. Should 
prefer to do it in spring. The better way, if the trees 
are large, is to prepare them a year beforehand. Dig 
a circular trench, and cut off all the roots that extend too 
far to be readily removed. A mass of fibrous roots will 
form, and the shock of removal will be much lessened. 
TEac Toiaisint© Cgsiestitm.— Css,M.c4«i», 
Sixperleiice,— J. AVarcup, of La Prairie, gives among 
other interesting garden memoranda the following ex¬ 
perience with tomatoes: “I have tried Keyes’Early, 
Cedar Hill, Early York, and Tilden’s. They were all cul¬ 
tivated alike; sown in moderate heat, March 23d, replanted 
in the bed May 2d, finally planted out June 10th. Keyes’ 
began to ripen a week the earliest, Cedar Hill and York 
came next, and Tilden’s, a very little later. Early York 
I shall discard on account of its roughness and want of 
attractive appearance. AVith respect to the comparative 
value of the three sorts, Keyes’ is decidedly the earliest, 
of handsome shape, and very prolific. Cedar Hill, a little 
larger, fine form, abundantly prolific, very valuable. Til- 
den’s has done finely, and ripened its large, beautiful 
fruit very satisfactorily, this season. The three kinds 
are all desirable and worth continuing.” 
Ts’OBitoic witla At-bor Vitae.—“ C. M. 
B.” says that one of his trees is injured and dying; 
the stem is covered with a white substance and looks as 
if one had sifted meal over it.—If it is a woolly aphis, to¬ 
bacco water will kill it; if a scale insect, as seems most 
likely, try hot water—water not quite boiling hot. If the 
tree is badly injured, dig it up and put in a new one, tak¬ 
ing care that the new comer is not infested when planted. 
Arbor Vitae Seeds.—“H. AV. L.,” Ham- 
monton, N. J. These ripen in the fall, and should be sown 
at once ; if kept until spring they are apt to remain in 
the ground a year before they germinate. As the young 
plants will need shading, it is well to prepare a bed in a 
frame of boards; the soil should be light and rich, but no 
fresh manure must be added. If the soil is not naturally 
open and light, add sand. Do not Cover deeply. The seeds 
may be sown in boxes of earth and kept in a cool cellar. 
They must not be too wet, but only just slightly moist 
AmetBuer Mole Trsip.— - Mr. II. Sharer, 
Cloud Co., Kansas, upon seeing the illustration of a Hol¬ 
land Mole trap, given last month, sends a sketch and ac¬ 
count of one in Use in Germany and Switzerland, 
which he finds very effective for moles and gophers. It 
requires fewer pieces than the other, and its Construction 
will be understood from the engraving, which shows the 
arrangement in perspective, the dotted lines indicating 
the run. Dig an excavation about a foot square and a 
little deeper than the run. Make a ball of earth, stick a 
notched stick into it and push the ball into the run. A 
spring pole has a catch fastened to it by a string; bend 
the pole down and hold it by placing one end of the catch 
in the notch in the stick and thrusting its other end 
slightly into the bank, A cord is attached to the spring 
pole, one end of which is made into a slip-noose. This 
noose is placed across the run in an opening made by 
thrusting a spade into the ground. After the noose ia 
placed, cover the opening with earth, to prevent the en¬ 
trance of light. The slightest pressure on the ball of 
cartlnby the mole or gopher loosens the stick, liberates 
the spring pole, and draws the noose. Mr. S. is in doubt 
whether moles do more harm than good, but is sure that the 
gopher does mischief. Our gardeners would soon decide 
against the mole. It plays havoc with lawns and straw¬ 
berry beds, and seems to have a special liking for bulbs 
of all kinds. A friend of ours who is raising the rarer 
lilies for sale was seriously damaged by the work of moles 
among his lily beds during the past season. 
CkaltMliacBBi SSeecl. — “Will. S.,” AVarrcus- 
bnrgh, Mo. By “ Caladium ” we presume you mean the 
plant with a tuberous root, and enormous leaves, which is 
often planted out for ornament, and which is now called 
Calocasia esculenta. It is propagated by divisions of the 
root, and may be had of most florists. It is not raised 
from seed. The root may be stored through the winter 
in a cellar or any place that will keep potatoes well. 
