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Lennig's White is of most exquisite flavor, but, so poor a bearer, that half an acre of plants would hardly suffice a hungry man through the season. Mine grew last year in the shade, and were really white, with only a faint blush on one side. It is strange that this exquisite berry should be, as it is asserted to be, a seedling of Wilson's Albany; for the two kinds have only the faintest resemblance.

If I were consulted by an amateur as to the kinds he should plant in his garden for the use of his family, without regard to profit, I should advise him to set out some rows of Agriculturist, Lennig's White, and French's Seedling, for American kinds; and from the foreign varieties I should select for him the Frogmore Late Pine, Lucas, and Quinquefolia, certainly; and then, if he wished to extend his list, he might plant a row or two of Bijou and Orb. La Délicieuse might suit him if he were fond of our native strawberry, which it much resembles; and, whatever kinds he might plant, I take it for granted that he would cultivate his vines in hills, cut off every runner, and mulch the plants well. 7. M. Merrick, Fun.

PRIZES FOR MAMMOTH SQUASHES.

In a state of civilization farther advanced than our own, and which it is not over-presumptuous in us to look forward to reaching, small children will obey their parents without a lump of sugar; youths will strive for knowledge without school-medals; and cultivators of the soil will present the products of their industry for the public inspection, and approval of their fellowlaborers, without the incentive of prizes or diplomas. But, until that time comes, it surely behooves us to see that the sugar, the medal, the prize, and the diploma are judiciously awarded.

As we understand it, the giving of a prize is for the encouragement of some good purpose or thing, some useful object, or something that will benefit somebody; and we contend that this should be strictly adhered to, or the system of prizes is worthless, and exerts a bad influence where it was intended only for good.

We beg leave to ask, in what manner, way, or shape, a mammoth squash, weighing a hundred and fifty pounds, can possibly answer our idea of a superior squash. It is simply a monstrosity, a substantial nothing. The nutriment it takes from the soil is just so much wasted. "Why cumbereth it the ground?" The gardener says, "Let it grow, and I will take it to the exhibition and get a premium for it ;" and the result is a display at our exhibitions of a ton or two of the most worthless vegetables, as much like the article of food of the same name as a sea-serpent is like a flounder; and it would be as practicable eating the one as the other.

But it is urged that these mammoth squashes make a great show; are, in fact, a sight in themselves; and are considered as much a part of the exhibition as the fat woman and giant at an agricultural fair. With a groan as we think of this latter practice, we can only beseech the managers of horticultural shows to remember that they are to educate the public taste, to raise it to a higher standard, to an appreciation of the really useful and truly beautiful, and not to cater to its ignorance, its foibles, or its eccentricities; that they are not to encourage a gaping crowd who exhaust their brains by saying "Oh my!" at any thing they never saw before, but rather to satisfy the expectations of those who come to see for themselves how a better cultivation of the soil produces better vegetables and fruits and flowers, and how intelligent cultivation produces a more nutritious squash, a pear of a better flavor, and a fairer-tinted rose.

Francis P. Denny.

PRUNING STEPHANOTIS FLORIBUNDA.

The long twining shoots ought not to be stopped, but trained at their full length, and not too closely together, so that the wood may have the full benefit of light. All pruning should be confined to cutting out the old weak shoots. The main point to be attended to is to secure a good growth, and thorough exposure afterwards to light and air, with a diminished supply of water at the root, and corresponding dryness of the atmosphere.

"Journal of Horticulture."

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FREMONTIA CALIFORNICA.

THIS new shrub, lately introduced, will probably prove a great acquisition to the flower-garden and shrubbery. It was discovered during the

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adventurous expedition of Col. Frémont to the Rocky Mountains, and bears, the name of this distinguished officer and eminent explorer. It

was found growing near the source of the Sacramento River, in the northern part of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The flowers, which are produced in May, are very beautiful, surpassing in many respects the Forsythia; and the plant grows to the height of four or more feet, recalling by its general aspect and foliage the Mespilus.

A woody shrub in its nature, attaining a height of ten feet, and resembling a fig-tree. Leaves growing at the extremity of the branches, petioled, nearly circular (suborbicular), three inches in width; lobes entire or notched, covered above by a shining pubescence, glaucous below, and of an irony color when dried; peduncles strong, one-flowered, as long as, or longer than, the petioles; flowers numerous, of a golden-yellow color, threebracted at base, and two or two and a half inches in diameter; bracts small; calyx largely bell-shaped, five-lobed above the middle, petal-shaped, light down on the outside, velvet within, with five indentations at the base; lobes oval, sharp-pointed; stamens short, divided into five spreading arms, each terminating in two lobed anthers, reniform, parallel, dehiscent on the outside; germ conical, downy, five-eyed; seeds numerous; style filiform, with spreading bristles; stigma sharp.

This plant first flowered in the collection of Messrs. Veitch in 1866, and is, as yet, very rare. The probabilities are, it will prove hardy with us; certainly south of Philadelphia. Its ornamental character must greatly recommend it.

Adapted from "L'Illustration Horticole."

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NEW PLANTS.

Helipterum Cotula. A West-Australian everlasting, seeds of which were sent from Swan River, by Mr. Drummond, to Mr. Thompson of Ipswich. The plant grows from six inches to two feet high, and produces flowerheads half an inch to an inch across, in one variety golden-yellow, and in another white, with a golden-yellow eye. - L'Illustration Horticole.

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Rose Mrs. John Berners. A new hybrid perpetual, with very compact, rosy-pink flowers, bright and distinct in color. The name of the raiser is not stated. Floral Magazine.

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THE past few years have been discouraging to the fruit-culturist in New England; and every one depending upon his apple-orchard as a considerable means of support has been sorely disappointed. We formerly gathered a supply of fruit every year, and a superabundance in alternate years. We well remember when cider was a dollar a barrel, and good grafted apples abundant at twenty-five cents per bushel; and when cider was in demand at five dollars per barrel, and apples at a dollar per bushel, we pitied the purchaser, and felt some qualms of conscience in taking what he was so ready to give. But we have gradually grown accustomed to high prices; and the scarcity of fruit has been so great for two years, that we part with apples reluctantly at five dollars per barrel, and can hardly afford to make cider at ten dollars. These prices indicate great changes; but they do not necessarily show that fruit has diminished in the same rate that the price has advanced. In 1834, the quantity of fruit in New England was probably as small as in 1866: but the demand was also limited; our population having more than doubled within that time, and the consumption of fruit having increased faster than the increase of the population. Is it not possible that the limited supply of the present day is in part owing to the fact that the orchards which our fathers planted have died from old age, and want of care, and new ones have not taken their place in a ratio commensurate with the increase of population? We know that untimely frosts, blighting winds, greedy caterpillars, and voracious borers, have produced sad havoc of late: but the frosts are no more untimely, and the winds no more blighting, than of yore; and though the caterpillars, borers, aphides, and curculios have increased, our knowledge of them also has increased, and the means for their extermination are, to a good extent, within our power. We must expect, as our fruits become more delicate in texture and flavor and our fruit-trees more highly cultivated, that their diseases and insect-enemies will increase. This should not discourage us, but serve rather as a stimulant to increased exertion. A good apple is too luscious, and too much a necessary, to be lightly relinquished because an insignificant bark-louse has fastened itself on the

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