2. There is a sort of locust that stings the branch, and causes a similar phenomenon sometimes.

3. There is an insect that eats into the roots of any of the tender buds on the terminal branches, and sometimes causes them to break, or blight and wither.

4. There is an insect, probably the Scolytus pyri, that eats a ring around the terminal branches, and causes their death above, on the apple, and sometimes runs down on the pear, and apparently causes the death below the part injured.

5. There is a blight on the pear, beginning on the parts exposed to the hot sun, and before this characterised as the sun-blight, sometimes also affecting a newly trimmed apple tree 6. But there is also a worse form of blight than all these combined, which developed here in the most fearful ravages of the pear tree, quince, and privet bush, last season, and in some cases, affected the apple also. It is the real "Asiatic cholera" of pear trees; and I believe has never before spread among us in this county till last season. We suppose that we know, now, what you and your correspondents really mean by “pear blight,” when you speak in your saddest and most despairing tones-and we have never fully known before. But lest it should still be different from your forms of blight, I will try to describe it; for it is evidently very different from all the forms of blight mentioned above, in its origin and effects, and coincides only in the single fact, that the terminal branches appear to the careless observer, (but to no others,) to be first affected-just as in the other cases.

This form of blight differs from all the forms produced by insects above described, in the fact that it always begins in the trunk and larger branches, and never in the small shoots of the tree: and it differs from what I described as the "sun-blight," in a former number of the Horticulturist, (Sept. 1849,) in the fact that the poisonous blotch on the limbs or trunk, is as likely to appear in cool, as in extremely hot weather; and as often found where the sun never shines, as beneath the full stroke of its rays.

Indeed, I am inclined to think it is the natural sequali, or terminatori, of that singular leaf blight which I described in the same article, of Sept. 1849.

The first fatal symptom that strikes the eye, as in the other cases of blight above named, is the blackening and perishing of the terminal leaves and branches. But by a careful microscopic examination, a dead and putrid blotch, or spot of bark, will always, (in this form of blight,) be found on the neck, trunk, or branches, of the tree below, which has thrown its poison first upward, and killed the tender terminal shoots, and then it again passes downward, and never stops till all the tissues are killed, at least down to the original plague spot.

This spot is most likely to be found at those points where the bark is changing from smooth to rough-either at the collar near the ground, or in or near the crotches and bifurcations of limbs and shoots. This, and other facts, induced last July, the suspicion that the cause must be either fungus or animalculæ. And, after examining many hundred pear trees in this town and county, most of which are entirely ruined, I set about endeavoring to ascertain what was the cause.

I first spent a week in a thorough personal examination of my trees, root and top, with spade, knife, and microscope, at hand. I found nothing, save that the seat, or apparent origin of the disease, was as indicated above, and a confirmed belief that it was the work of fungus, or extremely minute animalculæ, invisible with a common microscope. I accordingly procured a solar microscope of great power, belonging to the college apparatus, and in presence of Professors ADAMS and BATEMAN, cut a small bit of bark where I suspected the insects were, (if anywhere,) and placed it in the focus of the microscope. We

all repeatedly saw an animalculæ, which, under the great power of the glass, much resembled, in color and shape, the common "sow-bug," (as it is called,) running among the fibres of the bark, with about the same ease and freedom that a pig would run in a thicket. But we could none of us decide whether this animalculæ was a cause, or only a consequence of the disease-as multitudes of coarser insects will always be found around dead bark-evidently only because it is dead-and therefore gives them a proper nidus. I made however, on this hint, a strong wash of soap suds and tobacco water, scraped all the trees thoroughly root and branch, and washed them all over, removing and burning every dead piece of limb or bark. I also threw about one peck of coal ashes from a steam mill around the trunk of each tree. I was then obliged to leave for several weeks for the east.

On my return I was rejoiced to see all my pear trees greatly improved in health and general appearance. But whether the effect was to be ascribed to the changes in season, or to the treatment, or both, I cannot say as yet.

I shall continue my experiments next season, with some hope of ascertaining the presence of Fungus or animalculæ, and a remedy for the same, if they exist, and hope others will do the same; and to prompt this research or inquiry is the sole object of this present paper.

Meantime I think the following points established:

1. It is certain that this form of blight differs from all others mentioned above, and from all other forms we have ever before had in this place.

2. It is certain that it begins its final destruction on the outer bark of the larger limbs, by a peculiar, though at first invisible poisonous blotch, which first throws up a poison, or something analagous to it, that kills the terminal shoot-while many feet of perfectly sound wood, bark, and leaves, may lie between the dead top and fatal spot, until at last the return current of sap kills all down to this blotch, and often below.

3. If this blotch is found, and all the dead parts thoroughly removed, especially if washed in spirits turpentine and lamp black, carefully, the limb above may be saved without amputation, but if any dead or poisonous bark is left, it will generally keep spreading from year to year, till all is dead.

4. It is probable that the disease really begins near the ground in the neck of the tree or its roots, and that the blotches in the crotches and rough places of bark above noted, are merely a secondary symptom of the discase, though they always precede the dying of the twigs.

5. It is probable that the black specks on the leaves in fall, and the red carbuncled spots on the bursting buds and younger leaves in spring and summer, are also premonitory symptoms of the same dreadful disease, which takes several years to run its full course.

All spots on the leaves and branches being an effort of the tree to throw off the annually accumulating disease, and the deadly blotches in the crotches and consequent dying of branches, only the fatal catastrophe of the previous course.

I ought more properly to ask if these things are not so. Let our friends this spring scrape away the dirt and carefully examine the condition of the necks of their pear trees under ground, and see if they do not find indications of a scurvy, rusty, disease; then let them examine all the bark above, especially all rough places, and see if the dead bark is peeling off and growing healthy as it ought to do, or cleaving down and turning red and black.

Then let them notice the condition of the blotches on the leaves in summer-of the buds in spring-and see if they do not find all this followed sooner or later, with sudden death

of tops and branches, or perhaps the whole tree at some future year, soon after the commencement of the second growth in summer-in this way we shall sometime be likely, among as, to find out the truth of the nature and causes of some, or all of these various forms of blight, which I am sure we never shall do so long as we are content only to consider "a blight, a blight," and let it all go at that. I think there are some reasons for suspecting that the blight of the quince, pear, and privet, in this form, and the rot in the grape, and the rust in wheat are of kindred nature and origin-and if we can discover their nature and laws in either case, it will be productive of immense good. Let us all try. Yours truly, J. B. TURNER.

Illinois College, Feb 1852.

PRACTICAL HINTS ON THE CULTURE OF GOOSEBERRIES.

BY J. C. THOMPSON, STATEN-ISLAND, N. Y.

As you invite "practical communications from your practical readers," I offer for your consideration and disposal, the following article, believing the account of my successful method of cultivating gooseberries, will be instructive to your numerous readers.

About thirteen years ago, I obtained a small stock of gooseberry cuttings of the white variety, and have continued to grow the same, and in fact have some of the original stocks now in good condition among my bearing bushes, which number over two hundred, yielding between thirty and forty bushels annually, of fine and perfect fruit, which I readily sell at from two to three dollars per bushel.

I always begin my gardening operations as early as the ground can be worked. I therefore soon discovered that those that stood in the part of the garden which was first dug up, and the manure worked in well about them, were free from blight or mildew, and the crop fine in size and flavor; bushes vigorous; foliage heavy, and very dark green.

The strongest proof I had of the advantage of good treatment, I will state: an isolated bush in the door-yard, was left to take care of itself. The result was a very fine crop of well mildewed fruit. The other case was, where some half dozen bushes stood in front of the bee-house, and as it was difficult to trim them, and manure and work the ground around them, the fruit was worthless-being covered with a heavy coat of black rust, or mildew. These I dug up; separated; trimmed off the tops to a mere stump; planted them out, and treated them in the same kind way that I did the others. The result is, that they are now the finest bushes; bear as many berries as any in the garden, and never show the least sign of mildew.

Treatment.-All my bushes are trained on a stem six or eight inches from the ground, before they branch off, and trimmed so they have a uniform shape. The trimming should be performed in February, or as early in March as possible-the gooseberry being among the first that shows the approach of spring, so it is the first that needs attention. In trimming, when I wish to renew a bush, or any portion of it, I cut back to a good bud near the main stem, to obtain a good growth of wood for future bearing, and then cut off from a third to a half of the last years' growth, of every twig or shoot on the bush.

The trimming completed-the roots are carefully uncovered, and two or three shovelsfull of manure are worked in about the roots, with a fork, being careful to injure them as little as possible; this finished, the earth to be replaced.

I have all my garden trenched every season before planting, and as the diggers approach the bushes, and uncover the deeper roots, they apply some manure to them also.

That some varieties are more disposed to mildew than others I have good, reason to believe. I purchased a few bushes in market, represented as being "extra fine," but I found with the same treatment as the others they showed a slight disposition to mildew.

That the mildew is contagious, I do not question. Having put a lot of cuttings on the shady side and extreme edge of the garden, for the purpose of rooting, they were left to take care of themselves, being neither trimmed, manured, or the least attention paid to them. Early last May the leaves became very much mildewed, and I soon found that the fruit on them, and a row of bearing bushes which were six feet distant, and ran parallel with the row of cuttings, was affected just as far as the mildewed cuttings extended, while all the others were free from blight of any kind.

The operation of shortening the twigs, is to increase the growth of the new wood and reduce the quantity of fruit, so that the bush can perfect what it bears, and furnish new and vigorous shoots, which are indispensable in order to secure a future crop.

I have lately adopted the following plan: trench the ground two feet deep; manure and mix thoroughly; set out two feet apart well rooted plants one year old, trimmed to a straight stem twelve or a fifteen inches long; take off all the lower buds, six or eight inches from the ground; permit them to grow at random the first year, (putting down a slight stake to steady each.) Last autumn they appeared as No. 1. This winter I clipped off from a third to a half of last year's growth, (as at a on branches of No. 1,) giving the bush a good shape. The next was cut back to one or two good buds close to the main stem, and appears when trimmed as No. 2. The next is trimmed as No. 1 and so alternately.

No. L

The advantage of this method is simplicity-takes up little space, ensures new wood with large thorns, which always produce the best fruit. The trimming is performed with ease and rapidity, affording the bearing bush ample space, light, and air, while perfecting the fruit, by which time No. 2 will have filled up the open space. The winter following, No. 1 is cut back, and appears as No. 2, while No. 2 will take the appearance of No. 1.

No. 2.

My experience, after thirteen years successful cultivation and observation on the habits and wants of the gooseberry, fully satisfies me that the latter plan faithfully carried out, will ensure a fine crop with little trouble, as well as adding beauty and uniformity to a bush, that is too apt to be neglected, and makes a hideous appearance in our gardens. The person from whom I obtained my stock (then very good) has since for want of attention permitted his to run down, so that they are far below mine in size; while mine have been improving, and last summer when offered at our horticultural exhibition were awarded the first premium. [Thanks for this sensible and practical communication. ED.] Yours truly, &c. J. C. THOMPSON.

Tompkinsville, Staten Island, N. Y., Feb. 29, 1852.

FURTHER NOTES ON COUNTRY SEATS NEAR BOSTON.

BY HORTICOLA.

ROSE HILL, the residence of THOMAS PAGE, Esq., near Waltham, a pretty country residence fast rising into repute in the horticultural world, and named in honor of the proprietor's favorite flower, which he cultivates largely and successfully, sparing no expense to obtain all the varieties worthy of cultivation. This place is situated on a gentle eminence, and commands a beautiful prospect of the picturesque scenery for many miles around. This part of the country is beautifully varied with wood and water, and admirably adapted for villas and villa gardens, and it is rather surprising that the vicinage of this pretty suburb is not more employed for that purpose by the wealthy Bostonians.

The mansion of Mr. PAGE is a neat and commodious structure with much interior comfort and convenience, but it has one radical fault. It is too little and too low for such a commanding site, while the offices and outbuildings adjoining are too conspicuous. This is a very prevalent defect about the Bostonian suburban villas, and nothing is more common than to see pretty Tuscan, or Gothic, or Italian villas, with a barn standing alongside, of four times its size, out of all character and proportion. Mr. PAGE is fully aware of this fault, and contemplates a thorough alteration, by which this feature will be entirely done away with. Much has already been done on this bleak hill to change its original aspect, and when all the improvements now in contemplation are completed, this will be one of the prettiest suburban villa residences in the whole neighborhood of Boston.

Among the recent improvements at Rose Hill, is the erection of a handsome green-house, with a wing attached for the purpose of growing roses alone. This is one of the prettiest green-houses about Boston; it is roomy and commodious, and we were informed by Mr. PAGE, it is admirably adopted to the cultivation of plants. It is heated by hot water pipes, and this winter has thoroughly tested their capacity of keeping Jack Frost at a respectful distance. This house is now quite filled with a choice collection of all the different varieties of green-house plants, including a choice collection of Camellias. We observed some fine large Azaleas in full flower, as well as Acacias also flowering splendidly. The collections of Geranium, Cineraria, Calceolaria, Primula, &c., were very fine, and some specimens exhibiting very superior skill in their cultivation. The other house was filled chiefly with roses, in good condition, though rather backward, and not producing so many blooms as we would like, but those produced were truly superb-especially the hybrid perpetuals, which Mr. PAGE grows largely in pots; among the rest Mr. P. showed us Fortune's five-colored rose, which, from the specimen there presented in full flower, we are very much inclined to pronounce a complete humbug. The bud in embryo is just like a monstrosity very common in the rose family, and when fully expanded, is little else than a cluster of half developed leaves struggling for light. This is like many other much talked of floricultural and horticultural importations, which come across the channel with high sounding names, and nothing else.

The residence of G. C. LYMAN, Esq. This is a place of considerable note, and has in its grounds many of the elements of a fine place, such as abundance of wood and water, and a surface varied by undulations, with a river running through the grounds. The mansion is apparently a series of after thoughts, and revised additions, possessing no pretension to architectural taste or beauty, and seems to have been built, like many old fashioned houses-bit by bit-as the family required them. It stands, compared with the surrounding grounds, exceedingly low, without any prospect from itself, save of the villa