Nursery-men, of

TRANSPLANTING RASPBERRIES AND BLACKBERRIES. course, understand a great many arts that are unknown to ordinary cultivators: hence, in giving some facts that may benefit the latter class, I do it without any reference to the instruction of the former. However old my suggestions may be, I only know that they are not generally practised by the mass of fruit-growers; and if I can show that they are not difficult to adopt, and that it is excellent economy to do so, I may accomplish some good.

Most persons who attempt to cultivate such raspberries as propagate by suckers allow the suckers to stand during the current season, under the mistaken impression that they cannot be safely removed until the season's growth is completed. Then they are transplanted, cut back, and must grow another season before fruiting. The result is, that two years elapse from the time the young plant appears before it fruits.

But there is a better way than this. In the spring, when the sucker appears an inch or two above ground, take a round-pointed shovel, and cut it out, and carry it, with the adhering earth, to the place where you desire it to grow. The ground and the hole should be previously prepared, the latter just about large enough to admit the ball of earth without allowing it to fall to pieces: slip it from the shovel carefully, draw the loose earth up with your foot, press it down slightly, and the work is done. In general, the young plant will not wilt, even if the weather is warm, and will continue to grow as if nothing had happened to it. Perhaps one in ten may wilt. But it is not an alarming sympton at all: it will almost always recover at night. Occasionally, the extremity of a plant may wither after some days; but even that is not a dangerous indication: cut it off, and, in a week or so, three or four branches will start from near the earth, and you will usually have a better and more symmetrical plant than if the single stem had gone on growing and thrown out branches near the top. In fact, though I have not yet generally practised it, I am prepared to recommend that every plant of the Philadelphia at least - be pinched or broken off at the distance of a foot or less from the ground. Probably it would be best to do this at transplanting; certainly, if the plant is six inches or more in length. It induces the growth of side-branches from near the base of the plant, makes more wood for fruiting, and the plant is better able to withstand high winds, exactly as is the case with a pyramidal tree.

My experience with raspberry-plants grown from suckers is confined almost exclusively to the Philadelphia variety; but the Clark, though a stronger grower, seems to be similar in its habits, and the same treatment will no doubt answer for it.

My experience, too, in transplanting, has been mainly in the mode explained, because I considered that certain of success; while the loosening of the plants from the earth about them, and the exposure of their tender roots to the air, seemed to be dangerous. But, occasionally, a plant will be shaken loose in spite of the utmost care; these I always plant: and the result, with an occasional experiment in the same direction, leads me to conclude, that, if there is no unnecessary exposure of the roots to the air, no serious danger need be apprehended. Keep the roots moist by plunging them into water or mud, or by cov

ering with moist earth; waste no time in getting them to their places; cut or strip off most of the foliage, and, ordinarily, there will be no serious losses. The gain of this mode over the first mentioned is in the saving of labor and time, as the carrying of a ball of earth with each plant, if only for a few rods, will not be an amusement after a few hours.

Blackberries can be transplanted the same way with perfect success. With due attention at the time of starting a plantation of either of these fruits, the labor of carrying the young plants any great distance may be avoided, even with a ball of earth adhering. It is customary to set them about four feet apart in the rows, and the rows from six to eight feet apart. At eight by four, an acre will require thirteen hundred and sixty-one plants. If the cultivator, for any cause, desired to start an acre from one-fourth of this number, he would need only to scatter his plants over the whole acre, but at regular distances, so that the vacancies and the plants would be duly proportioned. Then the labor of carrying the balls of earth long distances would be avoided, as well as the possible risks of the other system.

Raspberries and blackberries transplanted in this way will bear a fair crop the second year; that is, the second year of their existence. Treated in the usual mode, they never bear until the third year; and, so far as I can see, are no better. Philip Snyder.

VINELAND, N.J., 1869.

MUSHROOM-CULTURE.

I have hesitated about writing respecting mushroom-culture, so much has been written already; but my plan is so simple and successful, that I must state it and the results.

The place in which the mushrooms are grown was originally the stoke-hole for two of Weeks's tubular boilers, which are now removed some distance from the houses; and the sides of the underground stoke-hole have been converted into beds for mushrooms, the end boarded up for sea-kale. There are two sixinch flow and return pipes from the boilers, forty yards off, to heat a block of seven houses; and these two pipes pass through the old stoke-hole under the arched roof.

The first bed was made Oct. 5 from droppings collected from the stable, which had been placed in an open shed, and kept turned until there was a sufficient quantity. They were then put in the bed, well beaten down, spawned when the heat was on the decline (at eighty-five degrees), and soiled with two inches of stiff yellow loam. The first dish was gathered Nov. 10; and since that time I have had thirty-one dozen from a bed nine feet long, three feet wide, and ten inches deep. I have just gathered five dozen more. There are a hundred and ten, averaging three inches across the top, fit to be taken; and the bed is completely white with small mushrooms the size of peas and upwards.

The second bed, spawned Nov. 5, is showing the little globules all over. I have made two more beds for successions, with room for eight more of the samesized beds: so there will be no lack of mushrooms throughout the winter. Of the hundred and ten, I have cut six which weighed nine ounces. — English Journal of Horticulture.

BIRDS, AND THEIR USES. Baron Von Tschudi, the well-known Swiss naturalist, says, "Without birds, successful agriculture is impossible. They annihilate in a few months a greater number of destructive insects than human hands can accomplish in the same number of years. Amongst the most useful birds for this purpose may be classed the swallow, wren, robin-redbreast, sparrow, and finch." Tschudi tested a titmouse upon rose-bushes of his neighbor, and rid the same in a few hours of innumerable lice. A robin-redbreast killed in the neighborhood eight hundred flies in an hour. A pair of night-swallows destroyed in fifteen minutes an immense swarm of gnats. A pair of wrens flew thirty-six times in an hour with insects in their bills to their nests. He considers the sparrow very important. A pair of them in a single day carry three hundred worms or caterpillars to their nests, — certainly a good compensation for the few cherries which they pluck from the trees. The generality of small birds carry to their young ones, during the feeding-period, nothing but insects, worms, snails, spiders, &c. Sufficient interest should be manifested by all to prevent the discharge of fire-arms in the vicinity of orchards, vineyards, and flower-gardens, as thereby the useful birds become frightened.

DIGGING BETWIXT THE ROWS OF STRAWBERRY-PLANTS. There is a diversity of opinion among gardeners as to the injury or benefit which the plant may derive from deep digging. The late Mr. Keen of Isleworth, the raiser of the well-known variety, Keen's Seedling, was an advocate for shallow digging. It is just possible that his soil was rather light, and that, as the strawberry-plant delights to grow in a tenacious or good loamy soil, he objected to deep digging in order to avoid loosening the subsoil. I should be willing to abide by his authority on the subject, were it not that in the neighborhood of Enfield, from whence the London markets are supplied annually with large quantities of fruit, I have observed that quite the opposite of Mr. Keen's practice is adopted: the ground betwixt the rows is deeply dug, and allowed to remain rather rough, so that the soil thus disturbed may derive benefit from the Influence of the atmosphere in penetrating it. Besides this, the constant treading betwixt the rows makes it desirable, that, once a year, the soil should be dug to some depth between the rows, that they may derive nourishment from the manure which may be applied, and to admit of the spring and early summer rains, or any water that it is necessary should be given to them during their bearing-season. Gardener's Magazine.

WHAT PEARS SHALL WE PLANT?- For more than twenty years, we have asked this question; have read books and magazines, and reports of fruit-comnittees: but the last winter's and summer's sad experience has left the question nearly as far from being satisfactorily answered as at first.

Once we thought if a pear was sweet, melting, or buttery, and the other expletives so tempting as to make the mouth water, and the aroma almost perceptible, that was the kind; but that day is past. We want pears; and if we can have them in reasonable abundance, and the trees are hardy and thrifty, we are s.tisfied if they are not quite of the sublimest flavor. But last season's expe

rience and loss was not without its benefit; for we believe we have found a few varieties that were unharmed by winter's cold and the summer's blight or mildew. At least, they were here; and we perhaps may assist the good cause by naming those most hardy.

Our Henkel trees were one mass of rich green foliage; and were really an ornament, even without fruit. The Merriam is also a very thrifty grower, and very hardy; also the Abbott, which bore a good crop for a young tree. The Vicar of Winkfield was unaffected by winter's cold, or dropping of the leaves in summer. The Belle Lucrative held its leaves, and bore a good crop. We have found the Fulton to be a profitable variety, a moderate grower, and healthy. Sheldon is also a very desirable sort, and can be relied upon for growth and bearing-qualities. Our Buffam trees grew nicely, and the foliage was beautiful. Doyenné d'Été succeeds well.

We have a few trees of a sort called the "European Honey," which does not appear to be common, but is an early and regular bearer; fruit sweet, rich, but rather coarse it is a good grower, and hardy. Several trees of the Bartlett and other varieties were killed, or so injured that they will scarcely recover: they threw out yellow and sickly leaves, that fell off early in autumn. Old fruit-growers near Brooklyn aver that the "Scooter," a baking-pear, a wonderfully productive variety, will bring the most money.

OLD WESTBURY, L.I.

I. H.

[Remarks. — Experience is the best teacher; and it is only after an actual trial that we can fully decide what varieties of any fruit will succeed best in certain soils and locations. The Henkel is a fair pear, but not much cultivated. The Merriam is one of the most profitable market-sorts, though not of first quality: its golden-russet color, when ripe, will cause it to sell more readily than better pears that are not so attractive in appearance. The Abbott is a variety of first quality, but rather small for market. The Vicar of Winkfield is a good variety for cooking-purposes, and, under very favorable circumstances, will prove a tolerable dessert-fruit. The Belle Lucrative is one of the very best for home use alone; for, though of excellent quality, its color is never attractive, and it is always comparatively unsalable.

The Fulton is a very productive variety of fair quality, which sells readily: the tree is not generally healthy or thrifty. The chances are, unless the fruit is thinned, that the tree will bear itself to death. The Sheldon is a fruit of the highest quality, of good size and appearance: the tree is a little tender, and the fruit quite likely to crack. The Buffam is another of those varieties, which, though not of superior quality, are yet very profitable to grow for market; very productive; fruit fair and handsome. The Doyenné d'Été is a pleasant little summer pear; but a single tree in an orchard would be quite enough. Of the European Honey" and "Scooter" we know nothing; nor do we find any such names in the books. We conclude these are local names given to some old and well-known varieties. We should be pleased to hear from our friends in every part of the country, giving us the results of their observation and experience in the cultivation of the various fruits. - Eds.]

SHADING BY WHITENING THE GLASS. The details are probably these: We have found no mode more simple than skim-milk, with a little powdered whitening mixed with it (say as much whitening as the size of a walnut), reduced to a fine powder, and thoroughly mixed with two or three quarts of milk. We would advise those trying the scheme to do a piece of glass first. Let it dry, and add to the milk or whitening as they require less or more shading. If it be put on quickly and thinly by one man with a brush, and another follow with a dry duster-brush, merely daubing it quickly with the points of the dry 'brush, the shading will have the appearance of shaded ground glass, and look

neat.

W. F. RADCLIFFE, one of the best English authorities on roses, recommends the following thirteen roses for pegging down on a lawn. They are very free bloomers. For this purpose, they must be plants with pliable wood. Stiff, erect growers are not so suitable. Pink, ― Jules Margottin; Maroon, Camille Bernardin; Vermilion, Maurice Bernardin; White, — Baronne de Maynard, most beautiful; Yellow, Céline Forestier; it must not be cut much, and requires great room; Rose-color, Comte de Nanteuil; Red, Sanateur Vaisse; Scarlet-Crimson, - Baronne Adolphe de Rothschild (not Baron), beautiful; Purple Crimson, dark shaded, — Duc de Cazes; Purplish or Brilliant Crimson,chal Vaillant; Waxy Flesh, Amand; Rosy Crimson, is safe.

Maré

Marguerite de St.

Mrs. Bosanquet; Blush,
Lady Suffield. From these thirteen roses, selection

PLANTS TO FLOWER IN A GREENHOUSE FROM OCTOBER TO MAY. — In October, chrysanthemums will be coming on, and they are well supplemented by primulas; in addition to which, bulbs, such as hyacinths, tulips, narcissus, and crocuses, will tend to make the house gay. In March and April, cinerarias will be in fine bloom, followed by calceolarias in May, and then by pelargoniums. These are indispensable for greenhouse decoration. You should also have a plant or two of Deutzia gracilis and Dielytra spectabilis, which, though hardy, are very handsome. Of greenhouse-plants proper, we may name Camellia alba plena and fimbriata, both white; Mrs. Abbey Wilder, white, striped carmine; La Pace, white, striped and shaded scarlet; Storyi, rosy pink; and Perfection, red. Azaleas, Étoile de Gand, light salmon, white margin; Flower of the Day, white, striped rose; Gem, crimson scarlet; Mars, orange scarlet; Extranei, violet rose; and Gledstanesi formosa, white, striped, and blotched with scarlet. Epacrises the Bride, white; and Hyacinthiflora, rosy scarlet. Also Correa Brilliant, scarlet; Acacia Drummondi, A. armata, A. oleifolia elegans, and A. longiflora magnifica, all yellow; Boronia Drummondi, pink; Chorozema cordatum splendens, orange and brown; Cyclamen persicum, white, rose, and red varieties; Cypripedium insigne, green, tipped with white; Cytisus racemosus, yellow; Eriostemon intermedium, lilac; Imantophyllum miniatum, orange scarlet; Leschenaultia formosa, orange scarlet; Luculia gratissima, lilac; Monochætum ensiferum, rosy purple; Rhododendron jasminiflorum, waxy white; and Vallota purpurea, scarlet.