to this time (October 7), has been unusually dry for this latitude, the roots have made but little progress toward maturity, but as we have just had a fine shower, and the prospect of more rain is favorable, it is not too late for them to make yet, as I have found that the roots make more from this time until the top is killed by frost than in all the preceding part of the season; and under no circumstances should they be dug until the top is entirely killed, for they continue to enlarge their roots after the frost has killed the leaves, and I never dig them until just before Christmas, and sometimes not until January. I accidently discovered a plan of raising sprouts two winters since, which I have success. fully employed, and for the benefit of those who are fond of them I will now describe. In digging a patch, and after separating the small roots from the large central bulbs, the latter were thrown into a conical heap and covered with dry weeds and dirt; and as I had housed those intended for eating in the potato house, those in the heap were left undisturbed until about the last of February, when, on opening the heap it was found that the bulbs had sent up large sprouts, which had penetrated the interstices of the whole heap, some of them a foot long and as thick as my wrist. By introducing a knife and cutting them off near the crown of the root I soon gathered a large mess, and had them cooked by boiling and then dressing with butter, pepper and salt, and all who partook of them pronounced them a first-rate dish. We continued to use them for a month Like Asparagus, as fast as you cut off the sprout it put out again, and by the time you go over the bank the first will be ready to cut again. Since that time I have made a bed of the bulbs by placing them on top of the ground, close together, as in making a potato plant bed, and after covering with a thick coat of dry weeds or corn stalks covering them with dirt five or six inches deep. The bed should be made in a place exposed to the sun, and if there was a coat of some fermenting substance, such as stable manure or cotton seed, it would be still better. I had a bed of four or five barrels last winter, from which I used in February and March. About the first of April the roots may be taken up and planted in hills, and they grow as well as if they had not been sprouted. [We take the above in regard to the common Caladium (Colocasia esculentem), from Our Home Journal of New Orleans.] EDITORIAL NOTES. FOREIGN. The Rhubarb of Commerce. Prof. Baillon, in the recent session of the French Association for the Advancement of Science, says: Chinese and Russian rhubarb appears to be the result of a single species growing in Thibet, on a tract of land so inaccessible that it has been but seldom examined by Europeans. It is in latitude 40°. It is said that the Chinese have zealously guarded this plant from stranger eyes; but in 1868 a plant reached France alive, which flowered last year. It is "probably Rheum palmatum.” It is not herbaceous as in our species, but has " a stem one to two feet long covered with a black bark; is soft, humid, and containing yellow sap wood." The leaves resemble rather those of our common castor oil plant, than the common rhubarbs. The commercial article is not the root as we have all along supposed, but “the aerial stems and branches." It is found to be hardy in France. The Quinoa-Chenopodium Quinoa. The London Journal of Pharmacy says that in Mexico this plant rates in agriculture in importance with the potato, maize and wheat. On high regions where rye and barley will not ripen, it is the chief object of agriculture. It grows three or four feet high, and bears an immense quantity of seeds. Its general appearance might be likenened to a gigantic spinage. It is used as "mush," the meal not being tenaceous enough to make bread. The leaves are eaten as spinage. The Boldo. We note in our Western papers that rising importance is being given to this in medicine. It is Peumus boldus of Baillon, and Boldoa fragrans of Jussien. It has a distant relation to our sassafras. Timber of the Yellow Cypress. A correspondent says that the timber of the Cupressus Nutkaensis has been found superior for ship building, and is likely to come into extensive use for this purpose. The Mammoth Sequoia in England. As recently noted, the wild plants of California are found to be much more closely allied to the wild flora of England than are the wild species of the Eastern United States. So when the trees and plants of California are introduced to England they find themselves at home, as they will not east of the Rocky Mountains. A correspondent of the Gardener's Chronicle says of the mammoth tree: "One of the finest plants in England is said to be at the Marquis of Huntley's, Orton Hall, in Hunt As is wrote: ingdonshire. Mr. Sharp reports it as being 36 feet The Rome correspondent of the London Times in height; circumference of trunk at the base, 5 feet 8 inches; circumference of branches, 45 feet. well known, there are numerous others of nearly equal dimensions, as at Windsor, Boconnoc, &c. In Scotland, there are several fine plants; one of the largest is at Dalzell, Motherwell, Lanarkshire, the residence of Major Hamilton, M. P., which he reports as measuring 35 feet 6 inches in height; its girth at 3 feet from the ground is 4 feet 2 inches; it was planted about 12 inches high, in November, 1857,' consequently it must have made an average growth of nearly 3 feet for the twelve years it has been planted. There is a specimen of nearly equal dimensions at Murthly Castle. The best plant at Castle Kennedy is about 18 feet in height, growing in deep moss-a perfect cone, feathered to the ground, and in fine health. Judging from some specimens which I have seen in various parts of Ireland, it is highly probable that it will, in that bumid climate, reach a size not to be surpassed in any other parts of these islands " The Phylloxera Vastatrix. This terrible grape enemy is imitating the goings on of the Colora do potato bug, in giving a preference to another kind of food than that which first sustained it. Though said to be an American insect, it is giving its most delicate attentions to the roots of the hot house or European grape, and this to so ardent a degree that it is becoming a fearful Scourge to the English grape grower. Some graft the vine on American bottoms, under the idea that the insect does not like so well its native root. Roses for Greenhouse Flowering. The Gardener's Chronicle, in reply to a correspondent, gives the following list of six climbing roses for wall of greenhouse: Marechal Niel, Celine, Forestier, Charles Lefebvre, Gloire de Dijon, Belle de Bordeaux, Glory of Waltham. Six roses for pots Beauty of Waltham, Madame Victor Verdier, Alfred Colombe, Madame Alfred de Rougemont, Anna Alexieff, Madame Willermoz; and in reply to another inquirer in regard to Gardener's Situations in America, gives another correspondent the following information, for which we return our thanks : "G. L. Advertise in the American Gardener's Monthly, published at 814 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia; or in any other of the American horticultural journals." Vegetable Gardening in Rome. In and around all large towns, on account of the advantage of cheap and abundant fertilizers, vegetable gardening prospers. For some reason or other there does not seem to be much of this kind of gardening about the Eternal City; but the supply is drawn from other regions a long way off. "I was yesterday in one of these, hard by a gate of the city. Part of its boundary consisted of the loop-holed wall through which the Papal Zouaves fired on the approaching Italian troops in 1870. There was a glorious avenue of trees, interlacing overhead, a vault of foliage hundreds of yards long, a cool and delicious summer retreat. The damask Roses bloomed in profusion, and happy, bare-headed children were playing on the grass and in the shrubbery walks. It was like a warm spring day in England. At a corner of this pleasant domain I looked over a gate into a large kitchen-garden, which, properly cultivated, might supply a small town. But rhe Roman owner thought not of the advantage to be derived from it. It contained a large bed of gigantic Cabbages, rising rank amid a wilderness of weeds, and it contained nothing else. While reflecting on this deplorable insouciance and neglect, I heard the railway whistle, and saw in the distance the train from Naples, bringing crates of crushed vegetables for to-day's market." Tree Planting in the Public Streets. In England street trees are generally the property of the city, and are planted by the authority and under the oversight of the city councils, instead of being all left toindividual notion as here. The city of Brighton has recently advertised for "five hundred planes, poplars, limes, elms and sycamores, fifteen to twenty feet high, for this pur pose." New Peas. Our fever in the way of grapes and potatoes, is about equalled by the English in new peas. By the immense interest taken there in new peas one might almost suppose all England lived wholly on peas, and that it was the pea, and not the turnip which paid the in terest on the national debt. Christmas Trees. The idea of the Christmas tree we have received from the Germans. It has now spread to the English. A few years ago no one thought there of the Christmas tree. The Holly and the Mistleto were all. Now the Christmas tree enters largely into the annual festivity. Tuberoses. The climate of England is not hot enough to bring the tuberose to flowering perfection though they will bloom there after being ouce grown. Italy furnished the crop; but recently America supplies them largely, and our roots are found of the highest excellence. Bud Variation. In an article in the Popular Science Review, Dr. M. T. Masters examines the whole subject, and concludes by saying: To sum up, then, we may say that there is no absolute difference between bud variation and seed variation. The changes manifest themselves in the same manner and in the same organs, in the case of buds or seedlings respectively. The conditions, so far as we know, that produce variation in the one are the same that are effectual in the other. Lastly, apart from the different mode of origin, there is no essential difference between a bud formed as the result of fertilization, i. e., an embryo, and one formed without the direct agency of the two sexes, i. e., a bud.” The Gardener's Chronicle and the Gardener's Monthly are credited with the leading facts which have wrought out this conclusion. EDITORIAL. FLOWERS IN WINTER. Many would have the luxury of flowers in winter, if they could do so without the heavy expense which usually attends their production. To such there is a good opportunity in the plan of growing half hardy plants in the natural ground, under glass. This is the method generally adopted by florists in producing the immense quantities of flowers now in demand in large cities. The results in flowers are wonderful, while the expense is comparatively small. In Philadelphia one of the largest cut flower establishments is that of Pennock Bros. One of the firm, A. L. Pennock, has a large quantity of glass, devoted to winter flower growing at Darby, near Philadelphia, and we dropped in one day about the end of December, to see what we could pick up for our readers. The glass covers over three-quarters of an acre, and is on the southern slope of a gentle hill. On three sides of the square are the larger houses. In one are planted out chiefly Camellias, and in the upper most-on the highest ground-the Roses. Of the varieties of Camellias, the light kinds, chiefly the old double white are grown. In the rose house, Tea roses chiefly rule; of these the most popular are Saffrano and Isabella Sprunt. There are also large quantities of the half tea, half noisette rose, Marshal Neil; but as a general rule noisette roses do not flower as freely under glass as tea roses, unless in situations fully exposed to direct sunlight. The space between the large boundary houses is filled by numerous parallel low narrow houses - so low that one cannot stand upright in them. They are made this low in order to get the plants in the ground near to the glass, which is essential to the production of an abundant bloom. only. One has violets alone, another tree carnations, another mignonette; and so on with Poinsettas, Sweet Alyssum, Heliotrope, and the other staple items which all winter bouquets and baskets must have. The whole of this mass of glass is beated by four Pennock boilers-the invention of the proprietor, and with which all readers of our advertising columns are familiar. In the construction of these boilers, Mr. P. has aimed to use every atom of heat from the coal, so that none shall be lost, as so often is the case, up the smoke flues. In one which we examined here, the hot water pipes were so warm that one could not bear the hand on them, while the smoke flue, which rises direct from the furnace, and is not carried around the houses, as is so often done, was barely warm. The pipes are carried through the houses in every direction, and are laid along a few inches from the ground. The houses and heating arrangements cost about ten thousand dollars, but we believe have been found very profitable. This immense mass of vegetation, through its growing in the natural ground, requires very little expenditure of labor. Three hands manage the whole. Intended solely for commercial purposes-to make money, there has been no attempt here to make things neat and substantial. No one who wished houses for his personal gratification, and to add to the attractions of his home, would want structures exactly like these; but with a very little extra cost, any one might have an elegant flower house, which would add immensely to their winter pleasures. What, for instance, could possibly be more interesting than a small house of Roses, or of Heliotrope, or Bouvardia, or Tree Carnations; or anything which will make continuous flower all through winter? There would be missing, to be sure, the charm Each of these houses is devoted to one thing of variety which the mixed greenhouse affords; but then the planting in the ground is a perma- ture, Prof. Agassiz laid himself out on Darwin nent thing. There is not needed any skilled knowledge in watering and general attention, for when one thing alone is grown, one soon becomes familiar with all its wants. We really do not see why these open ground greenhouses-little winter gardens they may be called-should be confined to florists. There is no reason why they should not be on every place-even more common than greenhouses and graperies. to a considerable extent. As reported in the Cultivator, he did give the author of the Origin of species full and particular attention. It is the misfortune of Darwin that the wits have hold of him as they have of Horace Greeley, and what is Darwinism and what is not is about as hard for the public to understand as it would be were we to read Mark Twain's explanations of "What I know of Farming," instead of the original work. It is pardonable when one of the mere public mistakes the teachings of a great man, but REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE IN GRAPE when a leader like Prof. Agassiz so errs, there GROWING. Opposite to Mr. Pennock's cut flower establishment at Darby, two young men named Price have started in the cut flower growing trade also, and have several houses well filled with Roses, Heliotrope, Lilies, Spiræa Japonica, and other popular flowers of this character. Besides this they have a vineyard of about an acre, in which are most of the rare and popular grapes, growing in a state of luxuriousness rarely seen. What is most remarkable is that while such a usually delicate grower as Allen's Hybrid, here grows with the luxuriance and vigor of "a weed." The Concord, which usually does so well everywhere, is here the worst of the whole. We could scarcely credit our eyes that the long row of puny growth ever came from the Concord, while the row next to it, with the rankness of a wild fox grape should be our old friend the Maxatawney. This variety, the Brothers Price informed us, is one of the most delicious of grapes when grown on vigorous vines like these. We have always insisted that grapes, as a rule, can hardly have the ground too rich or too dry in order to their greatest perfection. The Messrs. Price believe especially in the latter. The ground is naturally rolling, and water would hardly lay long on it. In addition to this there is a railroad cut of perhaps thirty feet deep along one side of the square formed by the vinyard. But besides these drying advantages, the whole is traversed by several well constructed under-drains, which render it impossible that water can remain in the ground long. But why is it the Concord gets no benefit from these conditions? EDITORIAL NOTES. DOMESTIC. Agassiz on Darwin. At the winter meeting of the Massachusetts State Board of Agricul is no justification. We quote what is said in reference to natural selection in regard to plants: "I do not know how animals originated; a brilliant imagination that of Darwin; a very necessary faculty in the scientist. The sense I know too well to misquote him. Hasty generalizing of observation is Darwin all over. Natural selection is out of find that only the strong beget families? Observe generation. Natural necessity, what is it? Do we plants at the foot of the White mountains, where are large trees, and so up the summit, where they are mere shrubs. The weak may and do survive as the discussion. well as the strong. Ignorance lies at the base of I did not mean to argue the question, but to express my dissent from Darwin." If the learned Professor had ever properly read or understood Mr. Darwin's works, he would know that Mr. Darwin never contended that mere size was strength. Mr. D. knows quite as well as Prof. Agassiz that the large trees are found at the base of the mountain, and small bushes at the top; and he contends that the small bushes are hardier, and that it is because they are hardier that they are found in these inclement places, to the exclusion of the larger trees. "The weak may and do survive the strong." Yes, but if there be war between the two, the weak will not survive long, and it is only in cases where there is this war- a struggle for life, as Mr. Darwin terms it, that he claims for this principle any agency in regard to the origin of species. Whether Mr. Darwin's generalizations are wholly true or not is not the question here; but those who love trees and flowers are too much indebted to this great man for the many natural laws he has been the means of revealing to them, to take patiently the insinuations of Prof. Agassiz that he is a mere ignoramus, and ruled mainly by a "brilliant imagination." Postal Laws. We have not yet seen the bill which has passed all branches of the Government in regard to postal relief, but no post master can act on it till the Postmaster General has had the chance of making decisions on "what it means." We have already seen that the attempt to be guided by the letter of the law instead of the spirit, led to all sorts of absurdities, and unless the law is worded so as to put decisions out of the question, it is by no means certain that there will be no more trouble. There is, indeed, one point on which there probably will be trouble, unless the law is worded so as to avoid it. Merchandize must pay one cent an ounce, and weigh not over twelve ounces. If seeds or plants go for half these rates, and in four pound parcels, how are the postmasters to know whether the packages contain seeds or merchandize? Once we were not only allowed but ordered to write "seeds" or "plants" on the outside, and this gave the cue to the postmaster who could " open the wrapper without destroying," if he suspected things were not as represented. Without this cue there is nothing but to open every four pound package to see that it is not merchandize. Of course this will not be done, and all sorts of merchandize will steal through under the seed law. But the Postmaster General has decided that any writing except the address, subjects the whole package to letter postage. But there are many other matters of detail which require looking to; and it would be well for some one to try, while we are about it, and get up a sensible law-one just to the Government, accommodating to the people, and easy to be understood. Why, for instance, if one fiuds he has sold out an item in a catalogue, and runs his pencil through to erase it from the list to indicate the fact, that should subject the whole catalogue to letter postage, does not seem clear to common sense, as the Government could not possibly be injured. Why a name or written number, or anything to indicate the name of the plant, seeds or cuttings sent, unless printed, | should be forbidden, is equally incomprehensible; and that small packages of seeds enclosed under one wrapper-every little pinch and grain must be in an "open paper," not pasted or gummed to make it secure against getting into the mail bag, seems of no benefit to any body, nor of any effect to any purpose but to obstruct a branch of the postal service that one would suppose the intention was to encourage. Above all, these laws should be clear. Some of our friends may think we have borne rather hard on this matter, but other papers have had more trouble to understand the rulings than we have. The Cincinnati Gazette says the Postmaster General himself is "bothered" to decide things, and gives the following as a specimen of some of his recent "rulings :" "A postmaster is not permitted to make any material change in the site of his postoffice without affixing a two-cent stamp for every two ounces He can charge double postage for sight of the postmaster. Shirts may be mailed at the rate of two cents for every two ounces of shirt. If the owners' name is on the shirt, letter postage must be charged. This rule is indelible. A subscriber residing in a county in which a paper is printed, can take the paper, provided he pays in advance, and urges his neighbors to subscribe. If he does not live in the county in which he resides, and the paper is not printed in the same county in which it has its press work done, then the county must pay double postage on the man-we mean a two cent county must be affixed to every postage stamp-that is to say, every two ounces of a man-we mean the paper county-the-man-well, we must leave this ruling to the discretion of the postmaster." Japan Wax-Rhus Succedanium. This wax is coming into extensive use, and is the product If it could be culof the plant we have named. tivated on the United States it would be of immense value. The writer of this paragraph was fortunate in raising two plants from seed of the Perry expedition. One was left out to test, but was killed by a Philadelphia winter; the other was sent to Mr. Berckmans, of Augusta, Ga., in 1859 or '60, but whether still in existence or not we do not know at this writing. Flora of California. Dr. Brewer is engaged on this good work. It is in such a state of forwardness as to be probably ready for the press by the end of the year. Prof. Gray and Mr. Sereno Watson are lending a hand, so as to hurry on the work to an early completion. The Apple Worm in California. A few specimens of the Carpocapsa pomana have at length It is believed that been captured in California. the present comparative immunity from eastern insects, will not long last in the Golden State. Zanthoxylon fracineum for Hedges. We see the prickly ash named as a hedge plant. It is thorny enough, but surely it cannot everywhere be as troublesome in the way of suckers as it is wherever we have known it, or no one would be found to say a word in its favor. |