duced two fair crops. Many of them made yearly growths from four to six feet. in length; no shortening in was allowed, and in consequence these long shoots speedily became studded over with fruiting spurs, and in due time with fruit. Referring to the beauty of the tree, under this mode of treatment, they will not certainly all show fine pyramidal heads, but for fine ornamental forms, some of the varieties as Flemish Beauty, Lawrence, Baronne de Mello, Buffum, Urbaniste, and Howell-cannot well be excelled, especially when the additional attraction of a fair crop of fruit is taken into consideration. When a tree is transplanted, and has its roots more or less mutilated during the process of removal, common sense points to the propriety, and practice proves the necessity, of a judicious thinning of the branches; but when the balance of power between the roots and branches is again fairly restored, pruning, unless to rectify abnormal growths, is certainly of questionable utility. Several of the trees have suffered from blight. I know of no preventive of this disease. As soon as observed the diseased portions are removed; and almost all recover—at least, what is left, shows no symptoms of injury from contamination. Trees that were cut over within a few inches of the surface of the ground, a little over two years ago, are again showing signs of fruiting. It is seldom, however, that such severe cutting is required, individual limbs being more generally attacked.

RASPBERRIES.

All the large fruited and finer varieties of raspberries can only be produced to perfection by covering the canes during winter; this, however, is a simple matter. No plan is so effectual or so economical as that of bending the canes closely to the surface and covering them with a couple of inches of soil, the object being to prevent evaporation from the stems during dry, frosty periods. The whole of the canes should be covered. The hardiness of the canes is influenced by the soil upon which they are growing. In heavy or rich soils the growth is continued late, and, in consequence, are not always properly matured; a moderately rich soil is more favorable, so far as it affects the hardiness of the plant. Of the hardiest varieties the Philadelphia seems to be one of the best. A collection of sixteen varieties was left uncovered the past winter, and this is the only one that has produced a fair crop. Although not first-rate in flavor, its great usefulness must commend it. The Allen stood the winter very well, but it sets fruit so sparingly and so irregularly that it is not worthy of attention. Good crops have been produced by planting it in close proximity to perfect flowering kinds, but even this precaution will not always secure a crop, and as varieties of equal merit can, with proper treatment, be relied upon for regular crops, there seems to be no reason for increasing the Allon. With proper winter care, Brinkle's Orange, Franconia, Hornet, Falstaff, and Red Antwerp will give entire satisfaction.

BOHMERIA NIVEA, OR CHINA GRASS.

Experiments with this plant have resulted in proving that it can be grown successfully here. In low or wet situations, or in undrained tenacious soils, the roots decay in winter; on well drained or sandy soils they will, in the majority of seasons, exist, but the mode of culture evidently most satisfactory is to dig or plough up the roots before severe frosts, and keep them in a dry cellar, or protect them in a pit similar to the practice adopted in preserving potatoes. To produce the best growth the soil should be deeply worked, only moderately enriched, properly pulverized, the roots planted and cultivated exactly similar to a potato crop. Of course, the details of culture will be modified as may be suggested by experience; this, together with the question as to whether its culture can be made profitable, can only be developed by experiment. Plants are easily produced from seeds; these are very minute, and will require to be sown, and the young plants treated in a similar manner to that adopted in raising the tobacco.

INSIDE BORDERS FOR GRAPERIES.

It has been strenuously advocated that the soil in which foreign grapes are grown should be wholly under the glass, and many of these structures have been so arranged, but not with successful or satisfactory results. There were two very distinct and seemingly weighty reasons urged by those who advocated this mode, first, that in the case of forcing houses it was essential to have the soil for the roots in the same temperature as the branches; and second, that in the case of cold graperies, when the borders are exposed, the roots are influenced by rains during the ripening of the fruit, retarding maturity and inducing rot in the bunches. These results may be guarded against by the use of inside borders; nevertheless, as ordinarily managed, they have proved failures. They are useful to a certain extent where early forced fruit is an especial object of culture. The plants will succeed for a few years very satisfactorily, and by a renewal of both plants and soil from time to time the practice may be sustained; but, in the management of what are termed cold graperies, the ordinary warmth of the soil is all sufficient; and as far as regards the second consideration, viz., the protection of the roots from heavy rains when the crop is attaining maturity, that may be secured by less costly expedients; light wooden shutters have been used for covering the borders, and when the surface is sloping a covering of leaves or straw will answer every purpose. The main reason for alluding to these borders here is for the purpose of noting that where it is practicable to remove the sashes or roof, so as fully to expose the border to the action of the weather for a period extending from the ripening of the wood until forcing again commences, it will tend to maintain the healthy action of the soil for a long series of years. Winter rains, snows, and slight frosts are all of great benefit, as has been fully realized with an inside border in this garden.

TREATMENT OF ORCHARDS.

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Inquiries have frequently been made as to the propriety of cultivating apple and other orchards; these have mainly been put in the shape of a categorical question, viz: whether an orchard should be cultivated or kept in sod? These inquiries were answered as appeared appropriate on learning particulars; but, as the subject is interesting, a few general remarks upon it may be here introduced. The object in planting fruit trees is, of course, to produce fruit. That treatment will, therefore, be considered proper which maintains the trees in a healthy, fruiting condition; and whether, in order to maintain this required condition, it is necessary to cultivate the soil, or lay it down in grass, will altogether depend upon attending circumstances.

It is well known that manuring and stirring the soil are favorable to the growth of plants-both are necessary when the greatest vigor is required. It is also equally well known that the greatest vigor of growth is not always combined with the greatest productiveness; on the contrary, it is an indisputable fact that a tree cannot display great vigor of growth, and at the same time be correspondingly fruitful. The two processes are antagonistic, and cannot exist together. Here, then, is a principle for our guidance in determining the question as to whether an orchard should be cultivated or kept in grass sod. When trees are young it is well to encourage vigorous growth until they reach a proper fruitbearing size, which they will speedily do in rich cultivated soil, provided that the yearly growths are perfectly ripened. In localities or climates where the growing season is comparatively of short duration, stimulating appliances cannot consistently be used to the same extent that would be perfectly justifiable where a longer season would enable even an exuberant growth to reach thorough maturity; this fact is not sufficiently understood or appreciated; at least it certainly is not taken into consideration by those who advocate the indiscriminate enriching and cultivation of orchards. There is a well established law in vegetable phys

iology that will bear repetition, viz.: "That whatever tends to check vigorous growth in a plant is favorable to the production of flowers and fruit." We are acting in accordance with this law when we find an orchard has reached a fruitbearing size, but gives no indication of a fruiting disposition, to lay it down in grass. Of all modes of checking growth in orchard trees this will be found the best; and if, in the course of time, appearances indicate the necessity of stimulants, they can be supplied in surface applications; and still further, if the trees become stunted in their growth and unhealthy, the soil can be ploughed and cultivated, the trees winter-pruned, and thus thrown into fresh vigor and fruitful health.

Therefore it is that the question of keeping orchards in sod, or in keeping them in a state of surface culture, depends entirely upon the state of the trees, as influenced by the nature of the soil and conditions of climate, always keeping in view that the principles governing vegetable growth are universally the same; but the practice that may be deduced from them will vary widely, according to circumstances. In questions of this kind it is impossible to give definite practical directions that will be equally applicable to all; the practice that would be suitable for one locality and soil would be unsuitable for another differently circumstanced. In view of the many conflicting opinions, which are unavoidable in the enunciation of merely practical rules, it is a question worthy of more than mere passing notice, whether more real progress would not follow from the promulgation of principles only, leaving every one to deduce and apply the practice that would thus be suggested; for it is well known that no amount of explanatory information will compensate for the want of that discriminating knowledge which is possessed by those who have studied the principles of vegetable growth.

SOWING SEEDS.

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The department is in the frequent receipt of letters, wherein the writers complain of their inability to raise plants from the seeds distributed by it, as well as those procured from other sources. The cause of failure is at once attributed to the quality of the seeds, and the source from whence they were obtained is denounced for sending out a bad article. It is safe to state that good seeds are the rule, and bad seeds the rare exception. So far as the department is concerned, there is proof of their good qualities, as most of them are germinated, and the plants grown, here; and every respectable seedsman in the country uses all the precautions that experience and business competition suggests in order to secure seeds of the best quality. The truth is, that they fail to germinate because they are improperly managed; and of all the causes of failure, the most frequent is that of covering them too deeply with soil, where they either rot, owing to the excess of water and want of air, or the feeble germ is unable to overcome the weight of soil it has to move before reaching the light. proper depth for each kind of seed must be judged by its appearance. rule has been given to cover with a depth of soil equal to the diameter of the seed, which is probably as nearly correct and as definite as can be reached. The greatest difficulty is in the case of small seeds, which succeed best when merely scattered on the surface and pressed into the soil. In the moist atmosphere of a greenhouse or similar structure they will do very well; but when sown in the open air, expedients must be used, in order to keep the earth suitably moist, such as sprinkling the surface with chaff, moss, leaves, or straw, taking care to remove the covering immediately after the seeds germinate; this will also prevent the soil from becoming hard and compact, and thereby obviating another frequent cause of failure. It is also a fatal error to sow too early; the soil should be dry, friable, and warm, in order to excite germination and maintain an uninterrupted healthy growth. Unhealthy plants are sure to result when heat and moisture are presented in varying quantities to the tender germ.

Seeds that are enclosed in a hard shell vegetate most freely when sown as soon as ripe. For instance, seeds of the grape, if planted immediately when the fruit is ripe, will vegetate in a few weeks; but if kept dry until the following spring, and then sown, but few will vegetate until they have lain in the soil for twelve months.

HEATING A PROPAGATING HOUSE.

The following engravings of the propagating house in the garden are introduced for the purpose of showing the mode by which it is heated. The best and most economical mode of warming glass structures is a vital question in their management. It is almost unnecessary to repeat that the best mode of conveying heat is through the medium of water, but the cost of fittings heretofore considered requisite has prevented its more general adoption. The expense of boiler and pipes to heat a moderate-sized greenhouse is out of all proportion to the cost of the structure; and in addition, the great waste of fuel has to be taken into consideration. The common flue heater, again, as ordinarily constructed, although a cheaper arrangement, is deficient in the equal distribution of heat. A combination of these two modes, securing, in a simple manner, the superior distributing qualities of the one with the economical peculiarities of the other, is a desideratum of some value and importance. In a structure exclusively devoted to the propagation of plants from cuttings, it is essential to have the heating arranged so that, while the cutting bed is warmed, the temperature of the atmosphere is kept as cool as possible; in other words, the bed is warmed and not the air, except so far as the radiation from the bed will warm the latter, the principle being to keep the atmosphere so low as to prevent growth at bud, while the root-forming process is excited. In this instance, this is accomplished by heating a shallow tank of water, upon which the cutting bed is laid, as shown in the arrangement herewith presented.

Transverse section through furnace-pipe for heating water, main smoke-duct, showing also water channels of propagating bed in end view.