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ing in all the peach orchards, I believe, without exception, through the whole length and breadth of the Connecticut river valley, south of Springfield, I am fully convinced that, in this instance, it is an epidemic.

talented men have been employed to become acquainted with these laws, and they have left the various methods of their practice and their results, for the benefit of those after them. To purchase the various volumes necessary for the acquirement of this knowledge, would incur a greater expense than could be spared by one individual. This being the case, and feeling the want of such assistance, I would like to see a spirit roused among gardeners and nurserymen, that would, at a trifling expense to each inivid-growing on poor soil, as well as upon the choi. ual, effect the desired object.

In making an appeal to the public, to meet with the response wished for, it is necessary for them to be convinced of the utility of the object of the appeal. The persons appealed to in this instance are those connected with, or interested in gardening; and I am satisfied that those who are lovers of the art, will, themselves, assist and use their influence in their own immediate neigh. borhood, to cause others to lend a helping hand also. It would seem needless to enumerate the benefit that gentlemen and nurserymen would derive by employing active, intelligent men. To have such men, there must be facilities such as those suggested here, that would give them the information necessary to raise them to this standard. Now who are the employers that would not like to have such men, and how few of them there are?

The instances of stupidity and ignorance are too well known by every employer, and the lit. tle leisure of the present season could not be better employed than to form a plan and commence reading societies, before the gardening season commences. Should you find a place in your Journal for these few remarks, it may cause abler pens than mine to be employed in soliciting means for the fulfillment of the pur. pose, and the desired benefit be derived. THOMAS PAXTON. Staten-Island, N. Y., Jan. 16, 1852.

THE YELLOWs.-Dear Sir: I have seen in the Horticulturist, many speculations and suggestions as to the cause of the Yellows of the peach tree, but none of them have been satisfactory to my mind, and I wish to suggest a new theory, or at least, one that I have not seen mentioned. This disease may be constitutional and infectious; but having observed the commencement and progress of the disease, now prevail

I first observed the disease in 1846, upon a few trees, by the premature ripening of the fruit, and the small wiry branches growing upon the main stems. This appeared simultaneously in different parts of the State, upon seedlings

cest varieties receiving the highest culture. Since that time the disease has prevailed to such an extent, that a large number of trees have already died, and a healthy tree can scarcely be found in this section of the state. I trust you will call out some of your Yankee corres pondents, who will give us some light on this subject. Very resp't yours, C. C. SAFFORD. Cleveland, O., Jan. 10, 1852.

NEW FUCHSIAS-F. SERRATIFOLIA.-The Fuchsia is fairly in the field as one of the fashionable and favorite flowers of the day. Hy. bridization and botanical discoveries are increasing its attractions with amazing rapidity. There is probably not another of the popular genera that has been so much improved within a space of say ten years. Its real progress may be dated from the introduction of the fulgens in 1837 or '38. The species and varieties that were in collections previous to it, were comparatively uninteresting. The distinct character, large foliage, and long elegant showy flowers, of that species, created a sort of furor among cultiva. tors, and was the means of directing such attention to fuchsia culture and improvement, as has brought about, in so short a period of time, present state of perfection. Hundreds of species and varieties are now in existence, and indeed hundreds of new ones are annually produced. They now occupy a place among the most bril. liant objects of floral fetes, and they have become specialities among foreign growers, like the Rose and the Dahlia.

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Amongst those of more recent introduction, Serratifolia is worthy of special attention, as possessing not only beauty but distinctness in its appearance and character. It is a species or sub-species introduced from Peru, by Messrs. VIETCH of Exeter, England, through their successful collector, Mr. LOBB.

Its habit is stiff and bushy, leaves of a peculiar dark green with red petioles. They are verticillate, in fours, and the flowers are produced from their axils, one from each leaf. The flowers are one and a half to two inches long, the calyx or tube of a fine bright rose, the points of the sepals or division being green; the corolla is scarlet, with a shade of orange. Altogeth er, when in bloom, it is a beautiful plant. We propagated it last spring for the first, and had a nice stock of young plants, but were disappointed in its not blooming with the hybrid varieties during the summer. The plants were allowed to remain on the stage in the greenhouse all summer. without any shifting or care beyond a supply of water. In the autumn, when the plants were housed, the Serratifolia was placed among the others in a cold corner, and much to our surprise, they soon began to show blossoms. They were then brought forward, and continued to bloom finely through the whole of November and December, although not over 10 or 12 inches high, late spring cuttings.

Thus you see its season of beauty just opens when most of the others are to be laid on the shelf to rest; and this trait, I consider, entitles it to particular attention, for a beautiful plant like this, blooming in the dreary winter months, is a real acquisition. This late blooming suggests the necessity of a different mode of treatment from the summer flowering sorts. We would in future either turn out the young plants into the border about the first of June, and repot them in September, or we would plunge the pots during summer in an open border, and manage them something like Chrysanthemums. In either of these ways we will get good strong plants and bushy, (if kept topped) that will give a superb bloom in November and December. An English gardener in a late number of the Chronicle, states that he has been very suecessful with a treatment similar to this. His cuttings were struck early in February, and after being potted off, they were repeatedly shifted into a mixture of equal parts of loam, peat and leaf-mould with a little silver sand, until about the middle of May, keeping them well topped. By this time they were nice plants.

As soon as the weather permitted, I then turned them into the open borders where the soil was not over rich, choosing as dry a place

as possible, and no farther notice was taken of them, till the end of September, when they began to show flower buds.

He then prepared the same soil for them as before, and carefully lifted them into suitable pots, according to their size, keeping them in a close pit for a few days, and syringing them every evening, till they had recovered from the check, giving air by degrees until they could be fully exposed. He then placed them in a shaded situation until they were housed with the other green-house plants. Two year old plants he cuts back when done flowering, reduces the hall when they commence growing, and shifts them like young plants. Under this treatment they bloom from November till February. The same treatment exactly will answer here, but the plants will probably bloom sooner and last not quite so long.

Among the hybrid varieties I have noted, Pearl of England. Fair Rosamond, Manificent, Eliza Mielliez, President (Youell) and President Porcher, (Mielliez) are first rate, and Serratifolia multiflora, Serratifolia alba and Spectabilis will take the same rank. P. B. Rochester, N. Y., Jan. 16, 1851.

MASS. CENTRAL BOARD OF AGRICULTUREThis Association met at the green-room in the state house, at 104 yesterday morning. The Board was called to order by Hon. MARSHALL P. WILDER, the President, and SIMON BROWN. editor of the New-England Farmer, was appointed Secretary pro tem. The attendance was quite large, and much interest was manifested by the delegates in the objects of the board.

Reports were submitted as follows: From Mr. WILDER, delegate to the Hampshire Society; Hon. ALLEN W. DODGE, delegate to the Hamp PROCTOR, delegate to Worcester Society, and shire, Hampden and Frauklin; Hon. JCHN W. also to the Bristol Society; Mr. WHITAKER, delegate to the Plymouth Society; Hon. B. V. FRENCH, delegate to the Bershire Soc.; Hon. Dr. GARDNER, delegate to the Franklin Society; Col. PAGE, delegate to the Essex Soc., and Ex-Gov. EVERETT, who attended the Middlesex Exhibition. Other reports will be submitted at a future time.

Lieut. Gov. CUSHMAN, from a committee ap pointed for the purpose, reported a constitution and series of by-laws for the government of the Board. The constitution styles the Board the "Massachusetts Board of Agriculture." It continues the organization of the Board as before, with the addition of an Executive Committee of five. The report was accepted and the constitution adopted.

Rev. Mr. SEWELL, from the Committee on

Manufactures, submitted the report of that com. mittee. Mr. WILDER, from the Committee on Agricultural Education, submitted a series of resolutions, taking high grounds upon that sub. jeet. Mr. DorGE, on Milch Cows and Dairy Droducts. Mr. GORHAM, on Stock.

AFTERNOON SESSION.

Professor FOWLER, of Amherst, submitted the following resolution;

Resolved, That the President of the Massa. chusetts Board of Agriculture be requested to enter into a correspondence with the Presidents of the several state societies, and of other agri. cultural associations, on the subject of the expediency of calling a national convention for the purpose of taking into consideration the inte. rests of agriculture in the United States.

It was discussed and unanimously adopted. Mr. WILDER then nominated for the Execu tive Committee of the Board, the following named gentleman: Hon. EDWARD EVERETT, JOHN W. PROCTOR, J. H. W. PAGE, B. V. FRENCH, Professor FOWLER. They were unan. imously elected.

The second reading of Mr. Wilder's report on Agricultural Education was called for, and given. The following resolution was then offer. ed by Lieut. Gov. CUSHMAN:

Resolved. That the report of the Committee on Agricultural Education be referred to the Executive Committee of this Board, with instructions to present the same to the Legislature in behalf of this Board, and urge the passage of such laws as may be necessary to carry out the principles and views contained in said report.

[The report asks for the establishment of a State Department of Agriculture, with officers commensurate with the importance of the duty to be performed; suggests the propriety and expediency of reserving a portion of the proceeds of the sales of public lands, and devoting such sum to the promotion of Ag. Science; and in short claims for Agriculture the same fostering care which is bestowed upon other interests.]

After a lengthy discussion upon the general subject of Agricultural Education, and the best mode of securing it, the resolution was adopted

unanimously.

PENNSYLVANIA HORT. SOC.-The stated meet.

ing of this Society was held on Tuesday evening Jan. 20, 1852. E. W. Keyser. V. P., m the chair. A few objects of interest were presented, notwithstanding the severity of the weather, which were-a beautiful basket of cut flowers, of choice kinds; among them were a raceme of the Stanhopea maculata, and specimens of the Cypripedi um venustum, and a moss covered urn. bearing fine flowers. Al-o another beautiful flower of the Victoria Regia, the thirty-eighth produced by Mr. Cope's plant; the bud was cut and brought in, carefully protected from the cold, and when taken out it expanded handsomely, and was a perfect specimen, of smaller dimensions than those shown at recent meetings. Dishes of Pears were shown-the "Niles" variety, from Wm. V. Pettit, the Easter Beurre from H. W. S. Cleveland-a winter variety, from N. Lott, Reading, Pa., and of Apples, the Northern Spy," from J. J. Thomas. Macedon, N. Y.; the "Keim" from C. Kessler, Reading. There was a large table of culinary vegetables from Miss Gratz's garden.

The library committee presented their annual report, by which it appears that the library contains upwards of nine hundred and fifty volumes, on subjects solely appropriate.

The special committee on nominations, submitted a ticket to be voted for at the annual meeting, and a report descanting fully on the subject of the President's determi nation to decline a re-election, expressing regret thereat, and fully setting forth his services, and the advantages he, by his liberality, has rendered to the cause of Horticul tore in this community; likewise alluding to the course of proceeding of the Society in the encouragement of the cause, by a liberal expenditure in its awards, and anticipating a hope that so useful a society may yet be the recipient of donations and legacies to enable it to establish what was originally contemplated, a Botanic Garden; ending with a recommendation that a committee be appointed to devise some suitable testimonial to Mr. Cope, in appreciation of the good he has effected.

The Annual Meeting was organized by calling Mr. J. J. Vanderkemp, to the Chair, and appointing J. E. Mitch ell Secretary. The election for officers resulted as follows:

President-Gen. Robert Patterson. Vice-Presidents-Jas. Dundas, E. W. Keyser, Joshua Longstreth, Dr. W. D. Brinckle.'

D.

Treasurer-John Thomas.

Corresponding Secretary-Thomas C. Percival.
Recording Secretary-Thomas P. James.

Professor of Entomology-Samuel S. Haldeman, A.M.
Professor of Botany-William Darlington, M. D.
Professor of Horticultural Chemistry-Robert Hare, M..

A committee of five members to devise the suitable testimonial (as recommended) to Mr. Cope. was appointed. THO. P. JAMES, Recording Secretary.

Answers to Correspondents.

B. W., (Cayuga.)-The fruit buds of the peach are usually destroyed when the thermometer sinks to 12° or 13° below zero of Fahr. You may ascertain now if the mischief is done, by slicing a bud across with a sharp knife; if the center or heart of the bud, is brown or black, instead of green, (its natural color,) there will be no fruit from that bud. It will blossom, but the fruit will not set. It does not always follow, however, that even this temperature will destroy the embryo fruit-because if the bud thaws gradually, in cloudy weather, it will escape-the sun striking in the branches after so cold a night, does the harm, and hence trees quite in the shade, often escape entirely, though equally exposed to the frost.

SELECT ROSES.-A Young Florist, (NewYork.) We recommend one dozen hardy ev. er-blooming roses, as follows: PerpetualsMadam Laffay, Giant des Batailles, Baron Prevost, William Jesse, La Reine, Duchess of Sutherland, Aubernon; Bourbons-Madame Desprez, Bouqet de Flore, Souvenir de Malmaison, Pierre de St. Cyr, Mrs. Bosanquet. A dozen best Roses for pot culture, are the following: Saffrano, Princesse Marie, Souvenir de Malmaison, Devoniensis, Compte de Paris, Mrs. Bosan. quet, Eugene Beauharnois, Niphelos, Queen of Lombardy, Hermosa; and for larger pots the

branches to be trained, Solfaterre, and Cloth of Gold. The best hardy Climbing Roses for "the most northern states," are Boursalt Elegans, Blush Boursalt, Queen of the Prairies, Baltimore Belle, Superba, and Eva Corinne. Wiegela rosea, is, so far as tried, hardy all over the north. SELECT FRUITS.-Ibid. The best half-dozen Strawberries for family use, are Large Early Scarlet, Burr's New Pine, Hovey's Seedling, Hudson, Crimson Cone. The best half-dozen Plums, do., Green Gage, Imperial Gage, Pur ple Favorite, Smith's Orleans, Coe's Golden Drop, Frost Gage,

MAGNOLIAS.-F. T., (Maine.) The only Magnolia known to be hardy in Maine, is the Cucumber Tree, M. accuminata. But as M. conspicua, and M. soulangiana, have borne 20° below zero, on the Hudson, without injury to any part except the flower buds, you might make trial of these beautiful Chinese varieties with confidence. Tulips kept out of the ground all winter, will be worth very little in the spring. TREE SEEDS.-J. M. M., (Tompkins county, N. Y.) Seeds of some of the ornamental trees may be had of Thorburn & Co., New-York, and Buist, Philadelphia; but a general assortment is not kept anywhere in this country. Mahaleb cherry stones, cannot probably be had short of France.

BLACK ROSES.-A Lady, New-Haven.) The old story of grafting a rose on a black currant, is a pure absurdity; first, because the graft would not take, and second, because the color would not be changed if it did. The darkest roses are only a dark reddish purple; the black hollyhock is the most decidedly black flower produced by cultivation.

LAWNS.-W. R. S., (New-London.) If you wish a lawn at once, don't commit the folly of planting oats, or any other crop, with your grass seed-but plant only the grass seed itself, three times as thick as usual, and you will have a close turf by July. The soil must be made deep by trenching or sub-soil plowing, if you wish to maintain the verdure through the season. Either red-top or blue-grass, mixed with white clover, makes the best lawns; three. fourths of either of the former, to one-fourth of the latter. Sow as early in the spring as the ground is mellow and dry enough, and roll the surface perfectly smooth afterwards.

MONARCH PEAR.-A Pomoligist, (New-Bedford.) Our opinion is, that in spite of the high reputation made for Mr. KNIGHT's pears abroad, not one of them is above second rate in the United States some of them far below that.

OSAGE ORANGE.-W. Brenner. This unusually cold winter will settle the hardiness of this hedge plant in all parts of the country. But you must remember that because a young hedge two years old, is cut down to the ground, it does not follow that a full grown hedge would not defy the frost-the wood of the first being sappy from luxuriant growth-that of the latter being firm and mature, from constant pruning and stopping the hedge.

GRAFTING.-P. Wilson. In grafting over full grown orchard trees, it is the better mode to graft the top branches the first year, and the side branches the second year. This equalizes the distribution of the sap, and produces a much better head. Rhode Island Greenings and Bald. wins, are more regular and heavy bearers than the others in your list.

GREEN HOUSE.-M., (Albany.) We suspect the want of healthy growth in your greenhouse, is from the high temperature at which you keep it during the night. This forces the plants to grow most in the dark-with very little pure fresh air to grow in. Keep the temperature always much lower at night than in the day time. and continue, if possible, to introduce fresh air warmed-by passing it over the flues or furnace

in some sort of air chamber.

KEEPING FLOWERS FRESH.-A Young Reader, (Charleston.) Flowers fade so soon because the juices of the leaves evaporate through the pores-and the dryer and warmer the room, the more rapidly the flowers fade. If you wish to keep them fresh for a long time, keep them under a glass shade; or shut up a favorite boquet at night, in a covered box, sprinkling the flowers plentifully before hand. In the morn ing you will find them quite fresh-they having taken up moisture through the pores of both leaf and flower.

CHERRY STOCKS.-J. T.. (Moundville, Wis.) The choke cherry, (C. serotina,) has been used as a stock, but it is somewhat difficult to make the cultivated varieties take upon it. The quality of the fruit is also somewhat deteriorated by the stock.

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E have sketched, in a former volume, the elements of the Beautiful in a Tree. Let us glance for a few moments at the Beautiful in GROUND.

We may have readers who think themselves not devoid of some taste for nature, but who have never thought of looking for beauty in the mere surface of the earthwhether in a natural landscape, or in ornamental grounds. Their idea of beauty is, for the most part, attached to the foliage and verdure, the streams of water, the high hills and the deep valleys, that make up the landscape. A meadow is to them but a meadow, and a ploughed field is but the same thing in a rough state. And yet, there is a great and enduring interest, to a refined and artistic eye, in the mere surface of the ground. There is a sense of pleasure awakened by the pleasing lines into which yonder sloping bank of turf steals away from the eye, and a sense of ugliness and harshness, by the raw and broken outline of the abandoned quarry on the hill-side, which hardly any one can be so obtuse as not to see and feel. Yet, the finer gradations are nearly overlooked, and the charm of beautiful surface in a lawn is seldom or ever considered, in selecting a new site, or improving an old one.

We believe artists and men of taste have agreed that all forms of acknowledged beauty are composed of curved lines; and we may add to this, that the more gentle and gradual the curves, or rather the farther they are removed from those hard and forcible lines which denote violence, the more beautiful are they. The principle applies as well to the surface of the earth, as to other objects. The most beautiful shape in ground is that where one undulation melts gradually and insensibly into another. Every one who has observed scenery where the foregrounds were remarkable for beauty, must have been struck by this prevalence of curved lines; and every landscape gardener well knows, that no grassy surface is so captivating to the eye, as one where these gentle swells and undulations rise and melt away gradually into one another. Some poet, happy in his fancy, has called such bits of grassy slopes and swells,

MARCH 1, 1852.

No. III.

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