arms, to turn these abundant materials into riches, as any set of northern men ever had. So we traveled,-now discussing what might be made of the rich country, now enjoying its rich beauty, till we found ourselves over the line of Old Virginia into the New, and in the celebrated Greenbriar county, along the river of which name our railroad took course. This river is one of the sources of the Kanawha, which extends wholly across the State, emptying into the Ohio at Point Pleasant opposite Gallipolis in Ohio. On the boundary between the two States is White Sulphur Springs, where we rested for the night. Here the grounds are beautifully laid out, and though the keeping up is not in the style of the ground about Saratoga and other famous places, still it is better than many places of greater pretensions. The accommodations are very good, and when the price is considered in comparison with others-$3.50 per day-if one wants to take a quiet draught of beauteous nature, and at the same time flutter among society's butterflies and drink the nauseous stuff called mineral waters, we don't know of a better place to go to than the White Sulphur Springs. As we pass on to the Bull-pasture, Cow-pasture and Calfpasture rivers, with other streams of like peculiar titles, we gradually come to scenery which for luxurious beauty excels anything to be seen in railroad traveling in any part of the north. The Greenbriar, after meeting the Bluestone, becomes the "New" River, which is simply a deep canon cut through the everlasting hills, sometimes twelve hundred feet deep, and extending for near seventy-five miles. The waters rush through with tremendous rapidity, often leaping over rocks and tumbling over precipices to twenty feet below. The sides of the rock, formed by the gushing waters, are clothed with trumpet flowers and Virginia creepers; Smilax and grape vines in tangled masses often falling hundreds of feet deep; while wherever a little earth would hold together on a small table rock, Tulip Trees, White Oak, and other forest trees of gigantic dimensions, grew up against the perpendicular sides as if painted on immense sheets of canvas by supernatural hands. There are plenty of places in America where the water flows as rapidly and in as great volume; there are others where the attending rocks are as high, and as romantically arranged; as rich and varied a vegetation line other river banks; but nowhere are all combined in the same glorious proportions as here If for a trip of mere pleasure alone we wanted a railroad ride, it should always be along the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad through this section of the country; and if on a matter of business we had to leave our homes, it would not be at all lost if a few more miles in a round about way were spent to go over this line. But we have some seven thousand miles to take our readers yet, and must not tarry among these fairy scenes. We pass, as we rush along, dense forests in which we detect abundance of Magnolia acuminata the cucumber tree, M. tripetela, and the rare M. Frazeri, or auriculata of some botanists, which we think, from what we saw, is like the Pinus pungens much more common than old botanists supposed it to be. Along the river banks Halesia tetraptera, the snowdrop tree, occurred in great abundance; and on the forest trees, especially on the Yellow Elm (Ulmus fulva) immense quantities of the Mistleto (Phoradendron flavescens) was seen. Emerging from the canon we strike the Gauley River, when commences the Kanawha River, which coursing through a rich and tolerably well cultivated agricultural country, brings us to Charleston, the capital of West Virginia, and a remarkably prosperous and thriving place. Here we were invited to meet the leading citizens of the city at the princely residence of Dr. Henry S. Walker, where, until the early hours of the morning, some discussed matters of science and art, the progress of the nation, the merits of the creature comforts brought together for our enjoyment; and some of the younger ones joined the Charleston ladies in discussing the sweet sounds from the orchestra and all the poetry of motion which so often results therefrom. Bright and early, however, on a steamboat under the guidence of Dr. Hale, one of the most energetic of Charleston's citizens, we were steaming up the Kanawha to examine the celebrated salt works, and there saw how the material by steam power was pumped up out of the briny deep over a thousand feet below the surface of the earth; how all which was done, and finally ended in the salt which saves us, thousands of persons have already read in the correspondence of the thirty papers to which our traveling party were attached. A hundred miles ride takes us through a wonderful coal country through Barboursville to the terminus of the road at Huntington, where we take steamer for Cincinnati. At Huntington we were treated to a daylight reception—a sort of matinee by the ladies of the town; and after a splendid collation, were taken in carriages to gardens, grounds, and places of interest in the vicinity. Although the town is but a couple of years old, it already comprises about a couple of thousand of inhabitants, with streets nicely graded,-in a few cases shade trees -with flowers and shrubbery set out in most of them. Our dining-hall was profusely decorated with bouquets and designs of cut flowers, to our utter astonishment, that so new a place should raise so much, until a good lady confided to us the secret that they were brought from a distant and older settled town, especially to do honor to us on our arrival. It will not, however, be long before Huntington will have horticulture of its own that other older towns will envy, or we are much mistaken in the culture of these good people. This rapid sketch of a week in Virginia of course can tell of but a grain in the ocean of great experience gathered in that time. We can but outline the course. From time to time, as occasion arises, our readers shall profit by what the editor gained. SCRAPS AND QUERIES. than northern ones. Thus we see that there is no general law to be laid down to be applied to every description of plant. Of the two kinds named in our correspondent's letter, without knowing the facts from general observation, we should be induced to guess that a northern raised pear would be better than a southern raised one, while a southern peach would be at least as good, if not better.] EFFECTS OF CLIMATE ON THE HARDINESS OF | peach stones make better trees in Pennsylvania TREES.-J. G., Hockley, Harris County, Texas, writes: "Would you inform me through the Monthly whether trees nursery grown at the north, if varieties adapted to our climate, will succeed equally well with the same varieties raised here? To put the question more definitely say 100 Bartlett Pears, and 100 Crawford's Early Peach, of northern nursery growth, and a like number same varieties southern raised, both lots being about equal in size and condition when planted, and their subsequent treatment RAPID POTTING.-Mr. Chitty sends us sambeing the same, will the southern-raised lot ulti-ples of what he regards as good potting against mately be more of a success than the northern ?" rapid potting, in the shape of a dozen Verbenas. [This is a question which would be best set- They are good enough to satisfy the most fastiditled by observation on the effect of climate on ous cultivator. northern trees in the South. It is quite likely there is some difference one way or another, according to the article referred to, some things doing better when home raised, and others doing worse. It is so here in Pennsylvania in agricultural seed raising. Northern raised pears, for instance, do better when sown in Pennsylvania than pears Pennsylvania raised, while a Pennsylvania raised bush bean is considerably better for home use, than one brought from a more northern region. In seedling pears, we, in southern Pennsylvania, find northern raised seedlings much better adapted to Pennsylvania soil and climate than our own; while on the other hand, southern In connection with this subject, we have an article from Mr. Henderson in reply to Mr. Chitty's last, which shall appear next month. THE CONCORD GOING BACKWARDS.-A correspondent calls our attention to an item in the American Agriculturist, page 423, in which a writer spoke of the Concord "going back." Our correspondent thinks it is not right for an editor to let such a statement go without suggestion or comment, as in view of the universal success of the Concord, it is more than likely some local and temporary circumstance influenced the ill success. We are almost inclined to agree with our correspondent, only when we remember how often we, ourselves, let our writers have their say unchallenged, we might be centuring our own selves. Still we agree with our correspondent, that whether it is the Agriculturist or the Gardener's Monthly, these little matters ought to have more attention than they receive. FERNS.-Editor of the Gardener's Monthly. In your number for November, J. D., of Paterson, N. J., asks who can furnish native ferns, &c. As I have been some time engaged in making a collection of native ferns, and have become much interested in them, I shall be glad to render him any assistance I can, if he will send me his address. I will furnish him a very complete list of American ferns, prepared by Mr. William Edward, and will mark on it those which I can furnish. I have been able to find no nurseryman who had anything like a complete collection, although I have made diligent search in several large cities. Mrs. Richie, corner of America and Oxford Streets, Philadelphia, has by far the best collection which I have found. I have made collections myself at Chestnut Hill, and on the banks of Wissahickon; at the Delaware Water Gap; in the chasm of the Ausable River; at Newport, Vt.; in Stanstead Co., Canada; Montreal and Quebec, and at many places in Massachusetts. I found the greatest variety in one spot at Derby line, between Vermont and Canada. There are four ferns for which I have made diligent search in vain. Can any of your readers put me in the way of getting them, viz: Asplenium pinnatifidum, Asplenium ebenoides, Aspidium fragrans and Schizoea pusilla. The first two grow in Pennsylvania, the third in Canada and White Mountain region, and the last in the pine barrens of New Jersey. Perhaps "J. D." can send me a sample of the last. There have been received at the Botanic Gardens in Cambridge, some very fine Pelleas or Platylomas and Gymnograms from California, and Mr. George Such of South Amboy has some of them for sale. Yours respectfully, J. WARREN MERRILL, LUTHER TUCKER, the founder of the Horticulturist and Country Gentleman, lately deceased. By courtesy of the present publisher of the Country Gentleman, we have an excellent portrait of our deceased friend. A HORTICULTURAL LIBRARY.-There is so much difficulty in knowing what Garden books have been published, that those who are forming a Garden Library are always inquiring what and where to get? We have before us a light catalogue published by Mr. Robinson, Editor of the London Garden, which tells us more than It can ever we knew. The prices are affixed. be had gratis by writing to the office of the Garden. LIVE FENCE POSTS.-J. B. G., Catasauqua, Pa., writes :-"Your opinion is desired on the subject of planting Yellow Locust Trees as a substitute of posts to build a fence along a public road leading through a farm-the planting to be the same distance that the fence posts would be set in the ground. Would Locust do? If you may know of some other kind of trees that would answer that purpose, and prove more valuable than the Locust, I would be much obliged for such information. [We are opposed to trees along fence rows. As they grow the roots extend an enormous way. We have seen ground for seventy feet away from the trunks of the trees almost impoverished by the roots taking most of the nutriment from the growing crops. For this reason alone we should oppose live fence posts. Then for "live" fence posts we have to wait a long time for the tree to grow before it is capable of standing as a post, for the sway of a weak tree by the wind racks the rails out of place. Then if we employ fast growing trees they soon decay. Lombardy Poplars last in our climate little over thirty years. We wait for the post to grow ten or fifteen years, and in another fifteen years it is rotten. We may as well have "dead" posts of good lumber at once. It is an old idea. We saw but one,-it was twenty years since. It is gone now, and a post and rail fence is in its place. We fancy the experiment was a failure, or the owner would not have gone back to the old style. We do not know of any one who recommended it that has tried it himself. The idea seems a good one, and we suspect it is recommended on the merits of the idea rather than the merits of the facts.] RELATIVE AGE OF TREES.-A Philadelphia correspondent says: Excuse the liberty I take of troubling you with a question, but a friend of mine has had the question propour led to him. "Why do the Elm and other trees live longer in Europe than America ?" I have looked in Michaux and Loudon's Arboretum, and find no comparative statement concerning the relative age of trees in the two countries, and I thought I would take the liberty of asking you to enlighten us in the matter. His impression, as well as my own, is that if the same care was taken to preserve trees here as in Europe and in England especially, there would be little difference in their ages in the two places, but if it will not be too much trouble for you to give me your views and information in the matter, I will esteem it a great favor." [We believe that no English tree will live in this climate much over two hundred years-one hundred years bringing it to perfection, and another allowed for its decline. There may be exceptions. The oak which for "a thousand years endured the battle and the breeze," did not endure it in America. The English oaks planted by John Bartram are already dead. Care will make no difference. It is climate.] NEW AND RARE FRUITS. THE LORD PALMERSTON PEACH.-A specimen, one of seven grown this season on a young orchard house tree in a 12-inch pot, at Messrs. Rivers' & Sons' Nursery at Sawbridgeworth, measured twelve and a quarter inches in circumference, and was richly flavored. The Lord Palmerston Peach was raised by Mr. Rivers, and is thus described by Dr. Hogg in the third edition of the Fruit Manual: "Fruit large; skin of a rather pale color, having only a little red on the side next the sun; flesh remarkably firm, and richly flavored; glands very small, kidney-shaped; flowers large." It is a seedling, raised from another seedling from Pavie de Pompone. Its flesh is deeply stained with red at the stone, and is slightly adherent. For orchard house culture it appears to be remarkably well adapted, and it has proved to be one of the best, as it is one of the largest, late Peaches in cultivation.-Gard's Chronicle. THE STARK APPLE.-A correspondent from Louisiana, Missouri, submits the following inquiries: "I would be much obliged to you for what you know of the Stark Apple. How well does it bear? How late does it keep, etc.? What is the quality, etc.? Is it profitable as a market shipping sort? How will it compare with Ben. Davis for profit? It is a hardy tree in Nursery and a splendid grower, which is about all I know of it now. The Lawson promises well." The Stark has not been introduced to Eastern orchards, and we have not met with it to any extent in our western travels. If any of our readers can give the desired information, it will be acceptable. NEW AND RARE PLANTS. ELEAGNUS PARVIFOLIUS-SILVER THORN. (See Frontispiece).-We have selected for an illustration this plant, because it is destined, in all probability, to play an important part in the rural affairs of the United States. No one but at once grants the gravity of the fence question. It is admitted, that if the whole farm land of the Union were to be called on at once to renew the timber fences, the best part of our farmers would become bankrupt. A cheap live fence, and one easily managed, would be one of the greatest of blessings to the people of this nation. So far the best thing has been the Osage Orange. This is the best chiefly because the seed can be easily procured, and because the plants are very easily and rapidly raised from seed. These are great advantages; but the disadvantages are its tree-like character, which requires much skilful labor to keep it down to proper dimensions; and also that it only produces thorns on its young growth. Wood once formed never gets thornier; and should perchance naked places occur, it is almost impossible to fill these places in. As a sort of sop to this disposition, plashing and other patching schemes have been adopted, all of which are tolerably successful in the hands of intelligent men who are not afraid of work. The fact, however, is patent as we travel through the country, that nine-tenths of the Osage Orange hedges planted in this country have become nuisances to everybody that has any relation to them. Heretofore few plants which are but naturally shrubs, grow fast enough to make a protective hedge within a reasonable time, or if they do, are deficient in some other element of a good hedge. This Eleagnus seems to be nearer our idea of a good hedge plant than anything we have seen. Some years ago a small quantity were set out for trial on the grounds of the Experimental Garden at Washington; and when the writer saw it, in company with Mr. Wm. Saunders, he was informed that it had proved entirely satisfactory in every respect. In Besides its protective value, it has a very beautiful appearance; the under side of the leaf, as well as the young growing branches, are silvery, whence its common name. South of the Potomac it would probably be an evergreen. Pennsylvania it holds its leaves to Christmas. The flowers are greenish-white, not showy, but resemble in fragrance the celebrated English hawthorn. The berries which succeed are of a mottled red, as shown in the plate. How much cold it will stand before it becomes injured is not known to the writer. It has remained uninjured in the highest degree in one situation, when the last year's shoots of the Osage Orange and Harney Locust have been destroyed, and when the thermometer has been 14° below zero. It will probably endure much more. It is called, in European catalogues, E. reflexus, and some other names, but De Candolle adopts Wallich's name, E. parvifolius. It is a native of the Himalaya Mountains. DOUBLE CINERARIAS.-Among the most striking novelties of the past year are Double Cinerarias. These have occasionally appeared in the It does not grow more than a few inches high the first year from seed; but these small seed-hands of English florists; but they have never lings dibbled out in the hedge row, grow as rapidly as Osage Orange transplanted the first season. We saw, recently, a line half a mile long set out last spring, mere threads then, most of which are two feet high, and thick and bushy now. They look very harmless the first year, having no thorns; but there are large numbers of short branches, from a quarter of an inch to two inches in length, and these become sharp spines, the next year. These are well shown in the plate. The older the plants the spinier they become,-an excellent feature in a first-class hedge plant. The second and third years branches are produced from three to five feet long, thus soon reaching a good hedge height. But the plant rarely shows any disposition to go above six or eight feet high, when the plants are massed together. When they reach this height, they grow by sending strong shoots out from the stems near the ground, thus perpetually selfthickening,-another excellent feature. If pruned they make a first-class hedge; if totally neglected they are still protective, and not the useless eyesore of an Osage Orange. Plants three or four years old seed, so that in a few years with any moderate encouragement, plants in abundance could be obtained. succeeded in fixing them, so as to produce a distinct race. The more patient Germans have, however, done the thing at last, and Haoge & Schmidt, the seedsmen of Erfurt, Prussia, announce that they will distribute the seeds this season. They are represented to be as double as the common pompone Chrysanthemums, and to embrace most of the colors already known in single ones. We can imagine nothing more beautiful than such a set of improved Cinerarias will be, and we cannot but regard the introduction of such novelties as these, after so many years of persevering attempts, as among the grandest floral triumphs of the age. NEW ROSES.-E. Verdier, the celebrated rose grower of Paris, sends us the following list and descriptions of the best new roses of the past year :HYBRID PERPETUALS (Hybrids remontants.) Antoine Castel.-Tree vigorous with strong erect shoots of a reddish tint, numerous dark spines, foliage with 3 to 5 leaflets round and leathery, very little serrated, and of a pale green color. Flowers of medium size, very double; color bright rose or light cerise, shaded with a |